#the potential to have a really strong debut line up is there

[knize-strachkvas]

so under the influence of local anaesthetics and pretty strong painkillers, i made the very questionable decision to watch fantasy boys. it was a mistake and you're going to suffer with me.

first things first. i dont think the editing is bad? surprisingly it doesn't look like they are trying to evil edit some trainees? which is surprising and it also shows how low the bar is lmao (im looking at you mnet).

the first two eps were okay. they showed a lot of performances without evil editing them that much? i hated the way they made myungjae look incompetent but he was the only one used for the drama value? i think? as i said i was not really focused while i was watching it lol. also the way they sorted them to the grades using the id card was very dramatic and i like the idea

the most questionable thing is the dorm situation. that one trainee saying it look like the squid game room was not far from the truth lmao. them sleeping in one big room is just creepy, especially when they don't really switch the light off during the night in the halls?? i would not be able to fall asleep in such an open space. and them having to spend their free time there? nope NOPE :D

their idea for the visual battle was cool. them knowing only the visual concept and choosing without knowing the song was evil. and the songs seemed equally impactful. whoever chose them did a good job.

now the participants. maybe im just way too old but why does it seems like the majority of the trainees have an extremely huge ego? i know that this is survival show and pretending you are better than you actually are and creating an interesting persona is literally part of their job but boiiiii its so annoying? i have zero interest in stanning a 15yo who thinks they're best at absolutely everything while lacking a basic human decency. idk im just not vibing with this attitude. most of the teams had very bad teamwork bc they are all self-centric and not able to cooperate with the rest of the team. they are all there to become a part of a boy group. that's literally an endless group project where you need to be in close proximity with your teammates 24/7. sounds like hell but as far as i know they all went there willingly.

mentioning annoying participants, it's time for the defenestration team, also known as the participants somebody should throw out of the window as the human garbage they are. the honourable members of this excellent team are the stealer team (except for ivan, ling qi and wooseok) and ksoul. the stealer team is here for obvious reasons. they are a bunch of xenophobic idiots. yes, if you're already debuted idol in korea and you can't speak korean at all - that would be a problem. but neither of the chinese boys was already debuted idols and they still have time to perfect their korean. they were just a bunch of insecure meanies who were jealous that some foreign kids were better than them. and with ksoul. god, i can't stand the kid. well....kid. uhm how old is he really? that's the real question here lmao. anyway, ksoul is an annoying, arrogant and self-centred jerk that does not have an ounce of will to cooperate in his body. that boy is not fit to be in a boy group consisting of 12 members. he needs to be permanently the centre of attention, being the best and not having any competition. having him in a team would be a punishment to the rest of the team.

other trainees i would love to talk about santa and yacht (no i will not call him yaya). wabi sabi what the actual fuck. why. i have so many questions. (ksoul immediately knowing who they are was the only funny thing ksoul did on that show). with santa, i kinda get it. he is good, his skills on the same level as some of the other trainees and there is a potential for him to blend together perfectly. but yacht? he is the oldest here and his skills are lacking in every way possible. i read somewhere that yacht is there just to accompany santa and that sounds about right to me. them leading the global voting even before the 1st ep airing just showed that having a solid fanbase (consisting mainly of bl fans) can do a lot. the ranking was not deserved at ALL, especially yacht's. (would also like to mention that being on a survival show and having to communicate constantly in a language you're not familiar with is hard and all the foreign trainees are brave for going for it. the stealer team situation just proves it. and the fact that they actually show it there is a miracle.)

right now (ep4) this is my top 12. surprisingly, after only 4 episodes, there are a lot of trainees that are a good choice for the debuting team. it's more about not letting the red flags (aka the defenestration team) debut and not giving them more attention than is necessary. top3 caught my attention during 1st episode (i knew junwon from &audition), the rest of them did great during the visual battle, especially jinho, seunghyun and myungjae.

okay that's it for now. can't believe i now need to watch eight (?) more episodes. i love to make myself suffer :))

[riveriki]

Falling for your co-host

PAIRING… idol!ni-ki x idol!reader | GENRE… fluff, romance | TROPE… idol x idol | WC… 0.7k

You stood nervously backstage at Music Bank, rattling with the script for the show. The bright lights and bustling atmosphere always made your heart race, whenever you and your group had to advertise your new comeback. you'd always find yourself pitying the poor MCs, who have to remember every line by heart, have to learn the dance to every single song, the poor guys have to have the mind of an elephant.

however, today was worse than usual, not because you forgot the lines or a dance move, today was your debut as of the Music Banks MCs, and not only that. You were debuting with the one and only Ni-ki from enhypen.

as you glanced from the side of your eyes, you spotted Ni-ki sitting calmly scrolling through his phone with a monotonous look on his face. curse him for being so nonchalant, while inside you were breaking down.

what if you forget your lines? what if you mess up the group's choreo? what if you talk over their leader? or accidentally say something rude? just as your brain was spiraling into an anxious turmoil, ni-ki gently tapped your shoulder.

"hey, you ready?" he asks as if he noticed your nervousness.

mustering all the confidence you could, you look up at him nodding with a graceful smile. "mhm, just a bit nervous. what about you?"

he chuckled, eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm okay. don't stress okay? you'll do great, and since we're new they'll have room for forgiveness. so just follow my lead, alright?"

As the show began, you found yourself recalling the lines from memory yet making it sound so natural as if you didn't have a script. as time progressed, you could see yourself falling into a comfortable rhythm with ni-ki. due to his playful energy, harmless banter was tossed every now and then making the members of the group giggle.

between different segments, you found yourself laughing more and more since he would stop spewing out silly jokes, and you couldn't help but feel the warmth growing in your chest.

weeks passed with this chemistry, one that people have never seen on music bank, not chemistry this strong. with every interaction between you two, the edits grew, and fans began to pick out the way he looked at you. whenever he joked around how his eyes would look at yours to see your reaction. how before he would respond he would wait for you to say something first. you couldn't go a day without seeing social be filled with clips of the two of you.

one day, after the show had finished recording, you sat alone in the studio wanting to take a breather before heading back home. Ni-ki was walking around the building looking for you in hopes of potential progression in your relationship.

"hey," he said sweetly before taking a seat beside you. "you were amazing today."

as if you read his mind, you graced him with a smile and a gentle blush on your cheeks. " thanks, ki. you always make it so easy."

he turned to you with a smile, "i'm glad. you know, i really enjoy working with you, there’s no one else i rather have than you to be my partner."

your eyes widened, taken aback by his claim. "actually? awh ki, i thought you were just being nice."

with his eyes boring into yours, he shakes his head. "no, i mean it. whenever'm with you... i feel brighter. it's like you light up the room."

you look away, unable to meet his gaze.

he reaches out, gently taking your hand into his. "look at me will you?"

and within a second your eyes are back on his.

"would you like to spend more time together? outside of work?" he asks with a slight glimmer in his eyes.

"like a date?" you ask with hope.

"yea, like a date."

"i'd love that ki. in complete honesty, i've fallen for you." you say, with your heart pounding.

he grinned, pulling you into his chest, in a tight embrace.

from that day onwards, your bond only deepened. nowadays, you spend most of your nights in each other's dorms cuddling under the covers as a movie plays in the background. either that or late-night convenience store runs. but it's not like you'd have it any other way.

[salvagesmha]

The Curious Case of the Jailbreakers

In MHA, the concept of villain organizations having sub-groups or elite squads is nothing new in concept (albeit it rarely is it committed to for too long). For the League of Villains, they had their Vanguard Action Squad. The Shie Hassaikai, they had the Eight Bullets. For the Paranormal Liberation Front/Meta Liberation Army, they had their Base Commanders turned PLF Advisors. Lastly for All For One's army of Villains, he has his Assassins better known as just the Jailbreakers...

Who I think probably has earned the title of the most nothing group during the story's time span. Which is pretty impressive in hindsight.

(Hey, you see this group of clearly seven people - one's in the back of the dialogue box - right? Keep this group shot in mind)

So who are the Jailbreakers?

The Jailbreakers are a group of...eight(?)ish Tartartus Villains that AFO recruited for the purpose of defeating Deku to bring to him (hence them also being called his hired guns or assassins...even if the latter isn't really correct).

On paper, this is a set-up for an interesting premise as the Dark Deku arc, on paper, is also supposed to show Deku trying to reach out to better understand why people become Villains and to at least try to see if they can be reasoned with. The story also established Tartarus to be a place which has numerous human rights violations. So already you can see the potential brewing for a potential sympathetic angle for some of them. If not that, then at least it should be easy to get invested in knowing former convicts are loose and, given their location, are likely immensely strong and provide some backstory to Hero Society as well.......right?

Well........kind of? Of the two, the former was kinda the most realized...sorta? Not really.

Of the Jailbreakers, Lady Nagant easily holds the title of being the most developed of the eight(?) and most thought out of. She's the one that shows the dark side of the HSPC, its corrupt measures to keep society ignorant of issues that could threaten its image. She's the Villain that Deku manages to reach out to sway back to good. She gets her redemption in the Final War. Sounds good...on paper (again XD).

But, in practice, as much as I like Nagant and what she offers, it's still plagued by rushing her introduction and reform stint in a few chapters, and then leaving her comatose up until the final battle. She's in and out of the story just like that. What should have been foreshadowed long ago, and taken its time to really let simmer, is just suffering under a story going too fast to really want to let her stick around.

Yet, that's still way better than what her comrades got - because, wow, did the Jailbreakers run into trouble before Nagant was finised.

Starting with this damning line right here from Hawks:

From the start we're told by Hawks the Analyst that because Deku has One For All, the other escaped cons besides Nagant should be no trouble.

This right here is the start of the Nothingness of the Jailbreakers. Before we even get to see anyone else besides Nagant, a flashback says that we shouldn't be concerned if one of them runs into Deku. That sentence along along is the most damning thing one should never say in regards to a group that hasn't properly debuted.

It is a writing sin, one that makes any attempt at hyping up future villains go to waste! Because, from the very start, you got it into the audience's head that these guys are no real theat. No big deal, because Hawks the Powerscaler said so. Trading out 7ish potential for one who, admittedly, is still not given the best of their treatment is very much a bad call.

This is actually pretty strange for MHA, since Horikoshi actually got it right concerning the other three squads...for the most part XD The Vanguard he made note that these guys were 'elite' compared to the jobbers of USJ, Eight Bullets were noted to be threatening since they had nothing to lose, the Advisors (as much as the story dropped the ball with them) at least had Hawks the Tier King to say they're stronger than average. All three had the story giving an effort to build intrigue and expectation for these guys...things squandered for the Jailbreakers in favor of just one of their number. It's a strange choice, but its pretty much the start of a losing battle for the rest.

And it really doesn't get better for them since after Nagant, do you know what happens to the other two?

Yeah, no, for both the anime and manga, they just get one appearance. That's it. No real showcasing of their powers, no names, any reason as to why they worked for AFO, no real personality either. They're just...footnotes. It doesn't help both get done dirty in different ways. Gangster Fang guy gets caught no problem off-screen to really hammer in the protagonist can't be touched (which...is just a decision I never agree with - decimates the stakes for the story).

King Sharkman isn't even shown defeated. From manga to anime, he just that one still frame (Bones for S5-6 REALLY did not care consistency/extra effort with the Villains, especially the minor ones and it shows). You probably wouldn't even knew they were Jailbreakers were it not for Hawks giving the almighty report that they were enemies sent by AFO.

It's one thing for have dialogue to say these Villains won't be much, it is a very different thing to reinforce that idea. So with these showings, it's now officially solidified in the audience's mind that these guys are nothing special. Which, again, is a bad thing to be doing for your series, especially when you're in the final act and need credible villains to face (which wouldn't be an issue if over half of the credible villains from the First War wasn't shelved, but...that's a topic for another day).

Dictator, the 4th hitman, isn't much better. Sure he has an actual personality, and a cool power, with the bonus of actually using his moves intelligently (with the whole meat shield trick) and providing a boost for Crust post-mortem. But, like with the other two he suffers a lesser case of being disposed of too quickly. He's OHKO'd by Bakugo and only brought up in passing afterword. Arrived too late and gone too quick.

After that, there's a lull since Deku is saved by Class A. By now, you might think, if you haven't completely written off the Jailbreakers by this point, you would have noticed that, after Nagant, there were three of the seven(?) that went down, right? So four to go right?

...

Yeah, now here's the fun part.

???? Who the Hell are two of them?! There are clearly two extras off to the side, so what gives? Weeeelll...just forget about them.

Unfortunately, they're two things that just...don't get resolved by the end of the story. There's six of them here, Hori likely had some original plan that involved six Jailbreakers all getting stomped out during the War...but I guess he just couldn't find room to add in the two......

Okay, scratch that.

He couldn't find the room to add in four, because aside from the namedropped Kunieda and Gashly, no other Jailbreakers either appears or gets focused on, in the manga that is at the time of this writing. Despite clearly showing at least two others on the level of Gashly...they just are not shown off. This especially goes for the Dreadlock Jailbreaker that you would clearly see as being constantly in shot and is likely this guy below.

He was sent to Gunga, we see him at the start...and doesn't appear again. It's utterly bizarre and that's not even getting into the person next to him whose so vague we can't make out any real details.

But, hey, this is just the manga. Perhaps the anime makes things clearer, right?

Nope.

Instead of six Jailbreakers...they just reduced it five, even though we can blatantly see six in the original panels. On the flipside, without the text we get a better view of Kunieda, Gashly, 'Spike' (for lack of better name - also we now know his Quirk) and two of the other enemies. One is apparently bald and next to Spike, so I assume they are on the Gunga battlefield (they're the ones next to Spike in the first manga panel so the anime thought to add them back in)? As for the cloak one...yeah got nothing. I hope the anime does something with them, but if they don't won't be surprised.

But why get hung up on this?

Well, because the story now wants them to be considered important. As the 'wild card' factor that could make their attempts to stop the Villains be in danger. Or rather, it wants Kunieda and Gashly to be important (since Hori made 3/4 others that just...don't get to be shown off - still better than the Advisors situation mind you).

The problem is that the damage was both already done on top of other factors.

Like I said before, up until the 2nd War, after Nagant, the Jailbreakers were treated like a breeze to get through by Deku or Class A. Meaning their threat level is nonexistent in spite of Johnny Average saying otherwise.

Another downside to the Jailbreakers is that, unlike the other Squads in MHA, Hori was really dead set on not showing off their designs until their focus chapter. Meaning, unlike the Advisors or Eight Bullets who we can at least speculate or gain intrigue from based on their looks, speculation or potential hype for the Breakers is dead in the water since 'vague shadows' is not enough to work off of.

Even when they do show up, its not really to the story's real benefit since the focus is hardly ever on them, even as the War is under way. No one is really expecting much from them, and the story is still going along with making sure that notion isn't really defied.

And it's just sad because, when the story does focus on them, it shows a great layer of promise for what could have been.

Kunieda is the 2nd best Jailbreakers because he, at his least, does fulfill properly the roles of prior minion villains in the past. Kuneida is Aoyama's Villain - an obstacle narrative to challenge his weakness, in this case being his role as a Traitor to UA, and whether is was worth betraying AFO, with Kunieda having fierce loyalty to the Demon Lord. It also helps that he's allowd to actually, you know, FIGHT - he's not steamrolled like the other Breakers before him, he's allowed to beat others. Granted, it was off-screen but its still something that earns him his second place medal.

As for Gashly............

Yeah, I won't lie. Gashly got a raw deal. If Kunieda barely got anything, Gashly just got the scraps. Crumbs of what could have been. He's shown way, way, way too late for him to ever matter (why wait until legit the final fight to show him off). His Quirk, while just as destructive as Kunieda, suffers from taking up too much similarities from Twice and Skeptic (also people who summon clones). And, to top it off, he's worse off since not only does he not get to speak, he's not tied to any of Class A or important cast to triumph against. Tokage and Kamikiri are the ones to take him down. Not Sero, Ryukyu, Thirteen. They just do not effect his defeat and he's a little more than a foot note before the grand finale, even though he outlasted pretty much every other Villain besides Shigaraki.

And that's kind of the problem with the Jailbreakers in a nutshell:

The story treats them like nothing, even when it also wants them to be something, yet takes every avenue it can to prevent them from ever rising above 'oh, right, they're here too'.

It's a rather pitiful decision that drags down the story a bit since the final act was in serious need of threatening villains to wrap things up...and the Jailbreakers just could not deliver. Which is a shame since they had real potential behind their concept. Villains locked away for being that wicked or perhaps spouting truths the government didn't want to see the light of day. There's a lot you can do with escaped convict villains, but sadly in MHA's rush for the end, the Jailbreaker's threat level are another casualty.

[pluckyredhead]

Red Hood and the Outlaws #4 (2011)

Back on Lobdell's bullshit!

There had been vague references to Roy being a "screwup" in the first three issues of the book, but this issue confirms that he is, as he was pre-Flashpoint, an addict in recovery. There are two major differences, though: one, his sobriety seems a lot shakier than it was pre-Flashpoint (at least, before Lian's death), and two, he is now an alcoholic, rather than a narcotics addict. Pre-Flashpoint, Roy was regularly shown drinking casually and sometimes even actively drunk (Ollie's bachelor party), and it was never depicted as a problem for him, though Kyle at one point gently teases him about staying away from booze. (Interestingly, Ollie is occasionally depicted as having an unhealthy relationship with alcohol himself, but no line is ever drawn between his potential addiction and Roy's, in any continuity.)

I'm of two minds about the change. On the one hand, though I have a strong attachment to the original "Snowbirds Don't Fly," it was very much commenting on a specific cultural moment, as well as being very deliberately designed to open up conversation about drugs and drug addiction in comic books (prior to "Snowbirds," the depiction of drug use was banned by the Comics Code Authority). There's no reason to stick specifically to heroin, other than tradition. I hate to praise Tom King, and I have quibbles with him giving Roy an addiction to prescription drugs in Heroes in Crisis (if injuries in the field led to Roy's reliance on and then addiction to prescription painkillers, why is he the only superhero to develop an addiction? it should be like a third of them!), but it's a choice that feels very current, the way that heroin felt very current in 1971. (People obviously still do heroin, but you know what I mean.)

Making Roy an alcoholic instead of a heroin addict provides an interesting opportunity to compare the two addictions. Alcoholism is much more culturally accepted (and, you know, legal), easier to hide, and carries far less stigma, both when using and when in recovery. And yet RHATO depicts a Roy who appears to be in greater disgrace with the superhero community than pre-Flashpoint Roy ever was. It would have been interesting to explore the difference in how the two addictions are received, in getting and staying sober, in the dangers of using any substance to excess, even legal and widely accepted ones. A thoughtful writer could have told a really moving story with this change.

Of course, we're talking about Lobdell here, so the change feels completely arbitrary and downright lazy, especially since Lobdell (and King) has a habit of doing zero research and changing things at random. Both the alcoholism and the prescription drug addiction wind up coming across like all addictions are interchangeable, which is...shitty.

But, you know. It could have been good.

On the other hand, here we have the debut of the single best thing about all of RHATO: the Jaybird nickname. Drink it in, friends.

Meanwhile, Kori gets attacked by this guy, Crux:

She's TAMARANEAN. In fact, the word "Tamaranean" is used later on the same page. What a shitshow.

Crux is a human whose parents were killed when a random Tamaranean spaceship hit their car (why were Tamaraneans just cruising by Earth? no idea), so he devoted his life to destroying aliens in general and Tamaraneans in particular, including using alien DNA so he can turn himself into a giant bat-lizard at will.

Meanwhile, the hot lady sheriff turns out to be an Untitled, and she and Jason frisk each other sexily before she turns into a monster and attacks. It's boring.

The issue ends with Roy going to help Kori, who is losing her fight, and Jason facing off against the Untitled. So to sum of the events of the issue, two fights start and Roy calls Jason "Jaybird" for the first time. It's amazing how little story you can tell in when you average like two panels per page!

[cookiepotofchaos]

Some long(ish) ramblings and thoughts about the England vs Ireland game and U19s England vs Lithuania games below the cut.

I'm glad the U19s games are becoming more available, it's interesting to watch and see up-and-coming players.

U19s England vs Lithuania, Final Score 10-0

Difficult to really assess a team's quality when even the commentators pointed out that Lithuania would never normally be facing a team like England at this stage of a competition. It must be a bit disheartening going into a game you are fairly certain you'll lose substantially in.

Lithuania really did struggle; there were moments of sparks, where the ball was driven forward with intent, but lack of follow-up or people to pass to just meant it always ended up back with England. Darija Mikuckytė had such a hard shift in goal - the 25 shots on target do not tell the full story of pressure she dealt with. Kudos to her for continuing to throw herself at the feet of players to prevent them getting shots off even as the scoreline increased.

But, as I said, it's tricky to tell how well a team plays when they are so totally in control of the game. Vivienne Lia looks a clever player out on the wing, she had a decent number of well-placed crosses in and got a goal of her own. Arsenal have got some quality youngsters coming through for the upcoming season; as well as Lia, I've seen decent things said about Michelle Agyemang and Katie Reid, with Agyemang getting a hat-trick in this game alongside City's Poppy Pritchard.

They face Serbia on Wednesday, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare in that match.

England Vs Ireland, Final Score 2-1

Pleasantly surprised to see Weigman use all 5 substitute slots available, with all but one well before the end. Good to see some players who haven't seen much, or any, international minutes get time.

I find it interesting how there's still a lot of "such and such is benched, they're washed/out of favour/not good enough/no longer first choice" in football discussions, rather than just that some people are better against certain opponents, play styles, tactics, or so on. Rotation is good and so is flexibility. The England squad could probably benefit from some more of it, though there will be the teething problems and inconsistencies that come with that learning curve. Which was apparent against Ireland.

Park was fantastic, making and finding space in the middle, nipping in and out, strong passing and vision; probably player of the match for me. She seemed to have some indecisiveness when nearer the goal, at times keeping the ball for too long when she should have passed earlier, and at other times passing the ball when I think she may have been better positioned to take a shot. But that's something that'll come with age and experience, which hopefully she'll get more of on the international stage.

Thought Le Tissier was pretty decent in RB, made some good runs with well chosen and placed crosses in and forward to help open up chances. She seemed more confident when she was a bit further forward, making those long runs down the right, and a little less certain deeper in the England half. When she was tracking back, she seemed less sure and more prone to just passing back (though...that was a bit of a feature of the back-line overall). Overall, I think she put in a solid 90 minutes and shows decent potential.

I was delighted to see Naz get her debut, think she's a great player (sympathies to poor Kirby though, she looked very unwell when the camera panned to her...). Naz had good anticipation, read the game and momentum of play well, and used her pace alongside that to make runs that caused trouble for the opposition. She nearly got a shot on goal with her first (?) touch, and Ireland took a yellow card to stop her sprinting off on a counter attack (probably sensible, because she would be gone). I'd love to see her get a solid spot next squad call, and not just be a reserve, though I know the quality of players available makes the decisions challenging sometimes.

Didn't get to see enough of Beever-Jones (her coming on earlier would have been great), but she got straight into play with crosses and passes into the box which showed sparks of her potential. Hope she plays more as well.

On a wider scale, moving away from the newer players, it was a bit inconsistent in places. Which, with so many changes and so many usually core players not playing there was always going to be some wobbles. But you've got to try new things sometimes.

I've seen a few comments about it was only 2-1 because of the penalty, so could have been 1-1, but the penalty was given because Hemp was pulled down when she had an open goal in front of her. Without Hemp being pulled back, I don't think Brosnan would have gotten back in position in time to make a save. I think it would have been a goal either way.

There does seem to be some hesitancy or uncertainty or...something near the box and with taking shots on goal. I think this is where England miss James the most and it is difficult to replace a player like James when she's not available.

Other players seemed to have some wobbles, Greenwood had some great tackles and defending and then wobbled in other place, Carter and Charles both had interspersed moments of solid defending and then some heavy touches and misplaced passes. I wondered if the collision Carter had in the box after her shot on goal may have been a bit heavier than first realised, she seemed a second off her usual after that. And Charles is coming back from an injury, so there will always be some shakiness there.

Hampton was also a bit shaky at times. Made some solid saves, interceptions, and crosses collections, but some definite indecisiveness on the ball and her long-ball distribution was not great which meant there was a lot of short passing. Under pressure, you can see the same couple of shakes and errors start to creep up for Hampton. And, of course, there was that panicked moment of heavy touch that she had to race to fix and, thankfully, kept focused and did.

It felt at times like the defense were over-relying on Hampton's reputation for long-ball distribution to get the ball forward and when, for whatever reason, that wasn't working for her, it left Hampton getting the ball more than was fair, which made the indecisiveness worse.

Interesting to see what happens against Sweden.

[helluvapurf]

*claps* Just finished the newest HB dropped today, lets talk about it! :>

TL;DR version: Found it a... "decent" ride overall (prob among the "better" eps of the S2 lineup so far), though nothing really to write home about compared to other fave eps-

Longer Version: *warning ahead for spoilers*

So, positives out of the way first!

-Striker's back again... and YAY, didn't end up dying after all 🙏😭Was kinda scared with him going against Stolas they were gonna start watering him down to a "mwaha I'm macho~" cliche, but imo he remained pretty competent from start to finish (and even still carried that whole "f*ck the monarchy" attitude towards Goetias while interacting with Stolas (whilst simultaneously working under Stella)... which I really hope the show builds on more for any future appearances down the line)

-M&M themselves got to lead the show in chasing Striker/fighting him (no Blitz or Loona intervention whatsoever), which was also pretty refreshing! 👍 I enjoyed their antics in the Wrath ring and the eventual fight scene itself proved a fairly entertaining one too (*that music change midway though lol*)

-Ngl, I was kinda worried that with Stolas' "damsel" bit it was gonna get old quick... but I'm pleasantly surprised to see the guy actually bite back fairly strong in his own way (both with words and a bit with physical strength too like the stone-stare attempt). And with the inclusion of that "heavenly" rope voiding his powers, it helped offset him feeling too "woobified" compared to past eps .3.

-Blitz and Loona stuck together throughout their visit to the hospital, which proved sweet & funny to watch too ^^. Always nice to see some vulnerable sides in this girl aside from just being moody all the time imo.

-We finally get Andrealphus' canon debut, and he proved to be a fairly decent villain himself too. Being smart enough to recognize the risk in killing off Stolas too quickly (esp. while Via's still his only other heir), and seems to be generally manipulative in steering his sister in the "right" direction (while talking down to her at the same time like a ditzy child), which I'm curious to see played out as well as the season progresses further.

-Bit more of a "minor" point, admittedly... but yay! A Via mention~ 🥺Looks like she'll eventually be more involved in Andre & Stella's plot in the far future, so that'll be interesting to see~ :o

Now... for the negatives? ...Weeeell-

-Stella... just, *sighs*. What more can I say about her that others haven't done so before? 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️While I never really minded her being a bitchy villain tbh, I was expecting at least a little competency written in to her role trying to tear Stolas (+Blitz) apart... but, now? She's... literally just so one-tracked & immature onto wanting Stolas dead (not even reacting to Andre mentioning her daughter during their "plan"), that even her own brother is calling her out of how stupid she's being...? 😐Just... yikes, man...

And like, even all this I wouldn't so much mind if HB was a strictly comedic cartoon/Stella herself was just a one-off threat (like Martha & those old guys from the "Cherub" ep)... but with Stella clearly being framed as the new "big bad" of the series after first calling that hit on Stolas back in "Harvest Moon" (framed all dramatic-like both there and later on in "The Circus")... its otherwise embarrassing that Stella's about as complex as a slice of white bread... 😒😒

(*Heck, if you think about it I don't get why we couldn't have Andrealphus be Stolas' evil ex since he's clearly gonna be given more substance than his sister by the looks of it (esp if those potentially dangerous ice powers of his are any indicator)... but, idk I'm just rambling at this point lol >>*)

-I feel like some of the emotional beats didn't... quite hit as they should've, at points? Like, that last shot of Stolas browsing through his phone messages w/ Blitz seemed like it was trying to address what happened in "Ozzie's" (with Stolas even seeming to respect Blitz' boundaries better while their "deal" is still ongoing)... but then with the sad music playing and Stolas just turning away all sadly at the end, I wasn't sure whether to take that as hopeful or... just angsty, I guess? .-.

-In terms of the humor this time, while def a step-up from the last couple eps... I feel like some of the jokes didn't land as strongly compared to others? Like, for every decent bits like Striker (then later Millie lol) telling off the annoying music band, others like the... erm, "endowed" Striker statue & the karen fight Blitz had at the hospital just felt a bit too... "on-the-nose", I guess? 🤷‍♀️

-While I don't really mind this being a shorter episode, pacing-wise I feel like got a bit rushed at certain points (Like, I'm surprised Andre just kinda randomly showed up right at the first few seconds with how "hyped up" his initial concept was lol). Which could easily be fixed by just tweaking down some of the unnecessary filler bits imo.

[faceglitchsworld]

A MV with a good potential story

Ok, I know that Xeed's music is cool and all but can we talk about the Dream Land MV for a second?

I know that it doesn't tell us that much BUT it gives us some crumbs that can work perfectly as the beginning of a story. Or at least this is what I think after watching it a couple of times.

We have this four agents/mercenaries and each one of them has a specific role: we have the mind/leader (Roni), the hacker (Doha), the weapons expert (Jaemin) and the bomb expert/defuser (Bao).

Now, each member has their own gadgets but there's a particular one that makes me think so much and I don't know exactly which is its role.

If you noticed, both Doha and Roni have a pocket clock in many scenes. At first I didn't understand why they have one, especially Doha, who has already a watch. Now, the pocket watch can basically mean anything: it can be a device that can let you travel through time (the most obvious one), open a portal for another dimension or being a communication device between Doha and Roni. This last statement is for me the most plausible.

Since Roni is the member who is behind the lines and his major role on the team is making plans and doing research about the mission's targets, he can't be with the others physically. That's why Doha is there with the rest of the team despite having a role, the hacker, that normally would let him behind the lines with Roni. He is the one that makes sure that everything will go according to the plan and he's the one that needs to tell Roni everything in case there are problems. He's the oldest and probably the member that Roni trust the most. That's why he is the only one that has the pocket watch beside him.

We don't know for which agency or entity Xeed work yet but we can think (or, well, theorize) about where their missions took place most of the time. If we use the title as an hint it means that Xeed work in another dimension where dreams play a major role in the story and the EP seems to role us on this direction.

Not only for Dream Land and Mirage, which are the tracks more explicit about the dream theme lyrically speaking, but if you pay attention to the music on Stargazing and A boy from the future, you can feel a certain dreamy melody to say the least.

Now, there are of course a couple of questions that's need an ask: for who are they working for and if they have a recurrent enemy. And I must say that I don't have any clue because the MV itself doesn't show us anything. I think we might get answers only with the next comeback, maybe with some trailer that will give us some hints about Xeed's goal.

As you can see, Xeed isn't only just a group that debuted with a strong EP. They have the potential to develop a very good concept with a strong storyline and maybe lore too. I really hope that the group will keep this concept and try to expand it because there's an huge possibility that they can stood up here on this industry thanks for it.

[l3tterk]

REVIEW: Whirlybird - Dove is a Pidgeon

Dove is a Pigeon is the debut album by New York/Atlanta based band, Whirlybird.

The group consists of one Avery Milner who serves as lyricist, vocalist and plays guitar, as well as Matthew Hare on bass and PJ McFarlane who is (primarily) on lead guitar.

On this LP, Milner and the group work with long-time collaborator, Matt Mattson of Pendulum Studios, who takes charge of production, engineering and mixing. Finally, this record was mastered by Greg Hendler of Meadowlark Audioworks.

I first found out about this project back in 2020 as they performed as part of a charity live stream hosted by fellow New York/Atlanta based band, Lowertown (who you may recognise as former Dirty Hit signees). At that point, Whirlybird’s discography was fairly small, being comprised of one EP (Hot Flashes) and a series of covers and singles uploaded between Soundcloud and Bandcamp. The set was good, Milner showcased strong vocals and guitar work as well as perseverance through what I understood to be technical difficulties.

What particularly struck me during the set, however, was the newer works that were premiered - songs that later came to be known as “Borough Trash” and “New Bird Call”.  In the weeks and months following this introduction, I delved deeper into the Whirlybird back catalogue, picking out new favourites in “Corner of k and 22nd” and “I’m green (ode to trees)” but all the while still humming the tune to Borough Trash as it soundtracked my own travels to and from the “suburbs”.

It would be another two years before we received a studio version of that song, and during that time, we were treated to a spattering of song ideas on TikTok (in a collection aptly titled “song yard”), a cover of Liz Phair’s “Flower”, two live recordings as part of the “Eat, Dog Eat!” Festival (June 2022) and finally, a short (but very sweet) set of demos titled “Carriage House Sessions”.

After that, we had the rollout to the album that I (soon!) will be reviewing today.

At 8 songs and 31 minutes, this LP is very tight - with little meandering into half-baked ideas, providing a concise showcase of what I believe to be a lot of potential.

We start with “New Bird Call” which, as I mentioned was premiered some time ago. This is a straightforward acoustic opener, both introducing us to, and highlighting Milner’s vocals, which have subtle, old-timey flavour. The tempo ebbs and flows as we move between sections, giving off a distinctly human feel.

What I really enjoyed about the studio version of this older track is that Milner and Mattson opt for a stripped back approach. The instinct in many cases would be to try and build this instrumental up, fleshing out the landscape with extraneous bells and whistles, but there’s a remarkable sense of restraint in the production choices - it’s very honest, and feels as though we can hear all the details of the room in which it was captured. There is even background chatter, which again bolsters the human quality of this song - and speaking of bells and whistles, there’s actually a solitary “bell” sound on this which punctuates the instrumental perfectly. Lyrically, this track sees Milner work in some beautiful poetic lines, with favourites of mine being “Warm wet rain fills my head, tossing, turning inside me” and “the weeping willow decides when tears will fall”.

On “Morning Do”, we pick up the pace a little, introducing shakers and drums. I liked Milner’s doubled vocals - a staple of alternative guitar music.  My only gripe is that I felt it to be a little short, Milner does well to lyrically illustrate how time can often be felt to accelerate when around those we love (so perhaps that was the point of this track), though I would’ve wanted to linger in the moment a bit longer.

As I said earlier, “Borough Trash” has been one of my favourites since I first heard it. There's something about this one that feels bright and nostalgic (not in an overbearing way, though) and it never fails to put me in a better mood. The distortion on the guitar gives the track a nice sense of warmth and the panned slides make for some nice ear candy. In terms of the song’s musical progression, I’m a sucker for major-to-major movements on guitar, so when it goes from A to Am on the refrain/chorus I’m a very happy reviewer. I was grateful that they added the extended outro because it is my favourite part of the song and when the single version omitted it, I was slightly disappointed. Overall, this track is just a solid jam, and my favourite lyric must be "If time makes no sense, then spring forward and fall back again”.

“Reciprocity” was the last single dropped before release day. I really love the tempo shifts in this one - it initially took me out of the experience, but as I kept listening, it grew on me. Lyrically, there’s a real sense of proximity both emotionally and physically, with mentions of “sharing an orange”, “watching tv” and of course… being sick, which I think nicely communicates the depth of the connection Milner describes.

“Bridge under water” This one sees, Milner describe dealing with a flood in one’s residence. There’s a nice swing to this, almost as if we, the listener are bobbing in the water alongside Milner’s possessions. I’m loving the line “I brought a show dog to a gun fight” – suggesting that Milner (or the speaker of the song) was ill equipped to deal with the flood. I’m also a big wordplay fan, so the section that ends in “Water under the bridge” is highly enjoyable.

In the case of track 6, titled “Ghosts in the Garden” I feel as though this is sort of the spiritual successor to “Too Early” off Whirlybird’s first EP, the gurgling low-end on this number has an addictive quality to it, and I love the flashes of distorted guitar – hinting at a stormy, emotionally turbulent mood that contrasts nicely with the steadiness of Milner’s voice.

“Sidewalk” I heard this track as part of the “Eat, Dog Eat!” compilation tape that dropped in 2022. The guitars have an interesting ambling pattern, reminiscent of walking. I like the addition of tambourine and piano - its subtle, but effective, with the piano being so delicate that it but fleetingly catches your attention.

“Hunting song” is a wonderfully penned closer, Milner completes the throughline of bird references that suffuse the record with flying colours. I loved the line “I'll send the cat to go catch your tongue” and the way the instrumental explodes after “Now there’s a moment” is simply wonderful.

Whirlybird have come through with a very respectable record and I hope to hear more in the future!

Listen here:

Apple Music

Spotify

Youtube

[kimberlyannharts]

Give it to me straight because its gonna be FOREVER til I can make myself catch up w/ the PR comics… did the Death Ranger end up being cool or interesting in any way? Bc i remember seeing them announced and then never seeing a WORD about this character beyond “and did you know they are nonbinary?”

um........yes and no?

They had a strong start in their debut in Charge to 100, where they were the main villain; they had a decent backstory that explained their species doesn't recognize death like we do and thus couldn't accept the passing of their friend, and then a somewhat morally gray motive in killing and zombifying the modern day Omegas because they believe the team is doing more harm than good in the universe and decided to take matters into their own hands. Of course they're defeated, but as they're already dead, they just exist as a consciousness until their next appearance.

skip ahead to the Darkest Hour event and they were given a body and recruited by Rita to serve Dark Specter, which they did so happily and willingly with no mention of how they previously wanted to SAVE the universe from threats like Dark Specter. (Like, literally, in Charge to 100 they namedrop Dark Specter as one of the threats they have to stop.) They capture the Wild Force Rangers and have a very interesting interaction with Kim until they're called back, beaten by Dark Specter for stepping out of line, and then Rita blasts them away. It's unknown if they're perma-gone or if they'll come back later.

So, like........I'd say Charge to 100 was a good start for them, with potential to flesh them out in further appearances, but Darkest Hour didn't do that. They ended up turning into just another one of Rita's evil mooks, which is a shame, especially if they really are perma-gone now. At this point yeah they're really just carried by their zombie-making gimmick and being non-binary

[ohwiseswami]

WARNING: LONG POST.

NCT Wish is the most compelling boy group to debut in awhile and that's no shade to any of these other boy groups. They just have a perfect combination of talent, potential, good production/vision for what they're going to be, charisma, hyung line visuals, and it-factor.

Like when Sion performs he serves in a way that reminds me of Yeonjun. Man dances his ass off and adds his own sense of musicality to every move. His lines are always so precise and his body shape adds to the look of the moves (long ass legs).

When Riku exists, his face card and charisma is unmatched. And he performs like old-school YG idols. Plus, he has that confident idgaf but am grateful for my opportunity vibe (lmao) that is so hard to cultivate in kpop idols. I straight up cannot name a single idol, ever, let alone one that has debuted under SM, that has that type of it factor.

Vocal Line. Their vocal line is solid for 4th/5th gen standards and I can definitely see them improving to the NCT standard. But what they already have with a 19-year-old leading the pack is wild already and covers different tonal ranges (Yushi and Daeyoung for the higher register light and round vocal, respectively; and Ryo and Sion for the lower register light and round vocal, respectively).

Rap Line. Flow-wise rap line is already one of the strongest in SM. Listen, we all know that's not SM's strong suit so it's not a high bar to clear lmao. But even within NCT--with SM's strongest rappers--you can see Wish's rapline's placement. I think Riku and Sakuya are really only second to Mark and Taeyong and we shouldn't even argue this point. Also, Wish's rap line has rule of cool w/Riku fronting which adds a lot. Cherry on top is that, like other SM rap lines, Riku and Sakuya also have pleasant vocals (especially Riku) to go along with their nice rap style.

Dance Line. Dance line is led by one of the most musical and natural dancers I've seen in awhile (Sion). Then there's a lot of young talent in Ryo and a cool/confident-efficient style in Riku. Some might consider Yushi to be one of the best dancers in Wish but--and I say this respectfully--no. (S/n: Respectfully, their dance ranking is like this: Sion, Ryo, Riku, Yushi, [a brick wall] Sakuya, Daeyoung. I think Sakuya's big problem is his taller height making him look a little awkward at times--but that can be overcome with age and practice). A Sion-Ryo-Riku dance line has potential to be one of the better dance lines in their generation (though Ryo will need to grow more since sometimes I notice his small stature physically limits him, and Riku will have to execute every move with the same power and fluidity as he does in killing parts).

Overall Performance Skills. Their overall performance style is energetic and visually interesting, if a bit stiff/awkward sometimes (probably due to nervousness). But one thing I can really appreciate is their stable live vocals while dancing. No one else can do that in the past couple of generations' boy groups and I commend them for that. And they've gotten some really unique choreographies so far that would look stupid if performed by anyone else, yet look nice on them (kind of like some of SHINee's choreos). Lastly on this point, their sound is very appropriate and matches their voices.

Variety/Personalities/Image. As for their variety skills, we haven't seen much from them and SM is obviously pushing certain images on them. Like it's clear what they're going for:

parent-type leader Sion

hot guy/possessor of a single brain cell that sometimes works Riku

complete idol/perfect role model-type Yushi

pure vocal/older brother-type Daeyoung (or Jaehee, whatever they're wanting him to go by)

super baby genius/atheletically gifted Ryo

chaotic maknae Sakuya

Despite the personalities SM is assigning them, their real personalities seem to shine through (which heavily contrasts their assigned roles in the group). This is a good thing. And as they get more experienced, I expect that what seems to be their real personalities will come out more in variety, social media, and interviews (a la TXT). This will do wonders for them because everybody knows that SM's assigned personalities are always boring and patronizing lmao.

The Issue All The Dumb People Have With Them. Now, the elephants in the room: the two 16 year olds and predominantly recent trainees under the NCT brand. Honestly, this doesn't bother me as much as it does other people. I know people want a mature/suave concept but like...that doesn't mean the kids aren't talented? I admit I'd like to see Sion and Riku do something a little more akin to 127 style but what they have so far is actually pretty good and very on brand with 127. Despite the fact that they skew younger, they don't sound too kidz-boppy like when Dream first debuted.

And when it comes to watching their content/you hoes wanting something to thirst after, you can just choose to only pay attention to hyung line lmao. Like the group as a whole is super talented and ready to debut to the world. HOWEVER, to me, clearly Sion-Riku-Yushi catch your attention very easily, with Sion and Riku feeling like damn near generations apart from Sakuya. I've watched some of their variety and Sion and Riku give similar vibes with Sakuya as Taeyong & Doyoung do with Mark & Haechan. And when it's just Sion and Riku, you feel a completely different vibe than when they're with the other members. I like that, so I tend to gravitate toward Sion-Riku (and sometimes Yushi) content.

I find the line of thought that you have to bias every single member weird because it puts people in fucked up positions. You don't have to force yourself to be interested in every member. Of course there's even downsides to that (like people thinking you only like, say, Sion, for his visuals/so you can thirst), but it's not nearly as dire as the other scenario. If you naturally like Sion more, even if it's for a superficial reason, you shouldn't feel bad about being perceived as an akgae. You don't have to want to get to know all the members. Plus, if someone is policing the way you consume your entertainment they're a loser lmao.

Also, that being said, if you're over 18, it's not that you can't find Sakuya/Ryo entertaining. You can obviously think they're talented, funny, etc.

Also want to say that all the people mad at this group for existing because of their ages are moving real weird because half of y'all stan enhypen and also stanned older groups when they had underage maknaes (despite you yourselves being adults at the time). It comes off as hateration.

Then there's the folks mad at them for not being RIIZE lmao. Those people are just weirdos that honestly don't even deserve to be addressed. Like who cares that SungTaro aren't in NCT? They got to debut, didn't they? They're successful, aren't they? And they will probably continue to interact with 127, Way-V, and Dream more than even Wish will lol. You can still ship RIIZE with NCT folks (since that's really what this is about...), calm down.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Wish and hope SM will give them bangers.

[lotlvision]

Time for a full listen to all the Eesti Laul 2024 songs!

The reveal only gave us snippets of them all so I haven't done a proper ranking yet, so here we go! I'll listen to them all first, then you can find my rankings here!

1. 5miinust & Puuluup - "(nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi"

surprising no one, i fucking love this. this is what i want to win. this is what i want to go to malmo. nothing else left such an impact on me from the previews that were shown, and if spotify was still collecting data for my wrapped i assure you this would be my number 1 song. 10/10

2. Anet Vaikmaa - "Serotoniin"

i stand by my original opinion that the artist and the video are giving avril lavigne vibes, though the song isn't quite as rocky as avril. i don't remember my first impression of this one. it's fun enough, i like her voice. it doesn't feel like there's anything special it can pull on for fun staging or costume, so i'm not sure if i'd want it to win, but it's a nice enough song to listen to. 7/10

3. Antsud - "Vetevaim"

as a song, this is not my usual taste. as a potential eurovision entry, i love it. it's weird, it's whimsical, the staging and the costumes and the lighting all have such high huge potentials. i hope they don't just do the band standing around like they have in the music video, i hope they bring the phil is not on fire whiskers and do something insane. this has the potential to be either a huge let down, or be a surprise winner. a hopeful 8/10

4. Brother Apollo - "Bad Boy"

the only other song that got added to my esc '24 playlist from the preview alone. it doesn't take itself too seriously, but the song is still good. i hope they'll take that attitude into the performance, it could be really fun to watch. 8.5/10

5. Carlos Ukareda - "Never Growing Up"

look. the song is fine. i am a swiftie through and through, but if it sounds like it should be on debut it's probably not a eurovision song. for that, a very harsh 5.5/10

6. Cecilia - "FOMO"

this is (very faintly) giving me lights off vibes. i don't hate it. it doesn't stand out to me really as a eurovision song, but it's catchy, it's got a good beat, it's fun to dance to. 7.5/10

7. Daniel Levi - "Over the Moon"

it's a ballad, so i'm not immediately enthralled by it. however, this is a ballad that could grow on me. i think the staging will be beautiful, if the live vocals are polished and everything lines up, this could be a really strong contender. i don't want to admit it, but this is a 9/10

8. Ewert and the Two Dragons - "Hold Me Now"

this gives "dead last in the semi final" vibes, but there's an issue with that. the music video is clearly made up of videos of (what i assume to be) their fans, who've responded to a call from the artist asking for videos of people hugging to be submitted. and if that's the case, then they clearly have a lot of fans, so they'll get a lot of votes.

it's not a eurovision song. it doesn't build, it never really changes, it just feels so damn repetitive. it's boring. 4/10

9. Inga - "No Dog On a Leash"

the music video gives hatari vibes, the artist gives ke$ha vibes. i'm not sure the song is really something that stands out at all, but if the music video is anything to go by then i think the staging will capture people's attention. if her voice sounds good, the song itself might not matter that much. 7/10

10. Ingmar - "Dreaming"

i don't like this song. his voice is good! but the song just feels so boring. it's the usual schtick in a eurovision ballad, there's nothing that makes it stand out, and i just can't pretend there's anything about it that excites me. 5/10

11. Laura - "Here's Where I Draw the Line"

i also don't like this song. and i like it less than ingmar's song. 4.5/10

12. Multikas & Ewert Sundja - "Oblivion"

the opening is unsettling but in a way that makes me quite curious. i do think the song is a little bit underwhelming, personally? the intro really piqued my interest and i don't think the rest of the song holds that, which is a shame. 7/10

13. Nele-Liis Vaiksoo - "Käte ümber jää"

admittedly, the song isn't for me: it's a ballad, no one is surprised by this. objectively, it's a fairly nice song. it doesn't feel special enough to really grow on me though, but it's not bad. and it's actually in estonian, which is always a bonus! 7/10

14. Ollie - "My Friend"

full disclosure, knowing that this is one of the more popular songs - and a real contender for malmo - i am naturally biased against it. i don't want it to win, so i'm probably going to be harsher on it than i have been with the other songs.

it's a darker version of venom, i think. it follows the same sort of structure (which, i have to imagine, is because it's the same artist xD). it's not got the eurovision pizzazz i like, and it's in english rather than estonian, but aside from that i don't think there's anything i can really critique. i will be fair and give it 9/10, but i will not be happy if it wins over (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi

15. Peter Põder - "Korra veel"

i am SO torn about this one. the song itself is pretty plain, the real selling point with it is the visuals. it could be great staging, but i don't think that would be enough to qualify in malmo. also, some of the graphics in the video are really off-putting. the merge from the guy's real face to his edited face is actually quite scary! i think i have to go 6/10 here

16. Silver Jusilo - "Lately"

this is just kind of boring. i don't think there's anything else to say here. 4/10

17. Sofia Rubina - "Be Good"

look, i'm not under any illusions that this is a good song. it's not even a good music video. they just got a bunch of scantily clad women to shake their butts and - for some reason - and american flag. i wrote those sentences with the hopes that there'd be a "but", but there isn't. it's bad. 3/10

18. Traffic - "Wunderbar"

y'know, i'm not quite sure how to feel about this one. it feels like it'll have fun staging, but it's another one that feels more like club music than eurovision. another one that gives me "lights off" vibes. the star in the video gives me vegas sphere vibes - that doesn't really do anything but i thought i'd mention it. 7/10

19. Uudo Sepp & Sarah Murray - "Still Love"

another one that's just a bit too boring for my taste. i don't really have anything else to say, again. the line "you live rent free in my heart" did make me cringe substantially, though. it does feel a bit like they're trying to be "down with the kids". 4.5/10

20. Yonna - "I Don't Know About You"

last but not least! at least, i hope not least.

usual ballad disclaimer. not my kind of thing, but objectively not a bad song. 6.5/10

[theninthdoor]

Believe me that the final line up of r u next it’s really bad in therms of fairness and marketing strategy of success.

Hybe had the opportunity to make a balanced /strong /mature/slay girl group. The best of al , the girls had an amazing teamwork and friendship together. They wanted to debut together.

Chanelle, minju, jiwoo, jeemin, youngseo, jihyun, yunah - this would be the line up most of the people wanted and it matched the fairness and balanced we all wanted and they deserved.

As for wonhee - instead of debuting her now because it’s obvious she wasn’t as prepared as the other girls, she had good vocals but she really lacked stage presence because of her short training period and she wasn’t comfortable with cameras yet. Which it’s totally understandable, i don’t hate her but it’s obvious unfair she got to debut unprepared while there were many amazing and well trained people.

I do think that the judges could not debuted her now and keep her as a trainee for their next girl group she would have the necessary time to get comfortable with cameras and improve stage presence because she has high potential to be a great performer and possibly a main vocal.

That’s what got me mad

the company or wtv picked 4 out of the 6 girls, isn't that right?? like, they rigged it "legally", at plain sight 🤡

[127-spring]

since we're at most only two weeks away from having the official line-up for nct's japan unit, i figured i'd share my thoughts on the potential members now before the final lastart episodes air.

sion - he's already confirmed for debut which i'm happy about because he strikes me as very talented, and his (on camera) personality is charming. he's also very much bringing team leader vibes, which would be great except idk how to feel about the japan unit having a korean leader.

yushi - also confirmed for debut, which i'm happy about too! he's a fantastic dancer, and his voice strikes me as different in a pleasing way, but i also agree with some of the critiques he's received about how to improve his vocals. also, i love that he was so happy to meet xiumin that he cried.

jungmin - my favourite of the trainees, he's got wonderful vocals, kills the high notes every time, and i feel like he has really good stage presence. i'm confident he'll make the final line-up.

riku - he really does feel quite blatantly earmarked by sm as the unit's main rapper, but he has the skills to back it up and he always grabs my attention when he performs. i think he's a good fit for nct's general style.

minjae - i really do feel like they're too harsh on him for his dancing when overall he does a good job, and especially considering his vocal skills are so strong. unfortunately i don't think he'll make the line-up, but i am rooting for him.

ryu - i know he'd only been a trainee for two weeks when the show started filming so logically he could probably benefit from more time... but he's also very talented already and has so much potential for further growth. i don't think he has good chances of making it into the group, but i'd like it if he did.

anderson - he's a nice kid (so far as we see on camera, at least) and he's got great enthusiasm for performing. but something about him just doesn't really strike me as ready for debut? i can't explain it. regardless of my opinions, i do think he has good odds of debuting anyway. (and admittedly yeah, it would be pretty fun if the nct canada line doubled.)

kassho - i agree with one of the comments made in his last mission evaluation, he works hard at his role but he doesn't stand out much... tbh i don't tend to remember him, and i feel like he'd benefit from more training.

haruta - like kassho, he doesn't stand out a whole lot, but i do think he's stronger, performance-wise, and he can be striking sometimes. there's still room for a lot of growth in terms of developing an individual performance style, and grabbing more attention during his parts, but he has good potential.

daeyoung - he's definitely got strong vocal skills, and i'm impressed by his ability to keep up with the others given his short training period and having been dropped into the show halfway through. i do suspect sm wanted him to debut from the beginning, hence the big attention on him as soon as he arrived, and he'll probably make the line-up.

heitetsu - look, i agree with a lot of the critiques he's getting, but at this point it's ridiculous, the way he ranks at the bottom every single mission. he's not that bad.

sakuya & ryo - they're both very talented and their 'chewing gum' performance was freaking adorable, but neither of these kiddos should even be thinking about debuting yet. let them live!! unfortunately, sakuya in particular seems likely to make the final line-up...

[hirocimacruiser]

ARISTO vs SUPRA

go fast or have fun

Aristo vs Supra lap time comparison

ARISTO

1'11'33, 1'11'84, 1'11'84, 1'12'41, 1'11'19

SUPRA

1'11'79, 1'11'95, 1'12'51, 1'16'65, 1'13'00, 1'12'85

After all, the Aristo was faster... I didn't feel like it was when I was driving, but I was able to get a good lap time..." It's a word. "But I think the Supra is better when it comes to the fun of controlling it."

Recently, the surroundings of the car called Aristo are harsh. It is said to be the monster of a sedan with the largest torque of a domestic car.

As the voice grows louder,

I really wanted to confirm its ability.

Driver Takayuki Kinoshita, against Supra Twin Turbo R

And the stage is Tsukuba. Now, the actors are ready.

Text/Takayuki Kinoshita, Photos/Akira Takahashi

"It seems that a terrifyingly fast luxury sedan will be born, and it is said to be a sister car of the Crown." Is it true?

Indeed, in the Japanese automobile market, sporty cars with unparalleled potential are making their debuts one after another. However, even if Japan is a privilege, is it possible to establish a sporty model that belongs to the ultra-luxury car genre? If true, how much performance is hidden? I waited with bated breath for the appearance of the new model.

The engine, which combines an in-line 6-cylinder 3-liter DOHC unit with a two-way turbo, is the heart of a sporty car. It can be said that it is the real thing without any extra value. It exhibits excessive tenacity at low revs, and it blows all the way up to high revs.

An engine that draws a flat curve like NA

In addition to being given characteristics, maneuverability is somewhat

This is based on excellent stability that will not cause bankruptcy. Despite the fact that it has such extreme characteristics wrapped in oblate, it cannot hide the high power performance hidden inside. Although seemingly obedient, once it turns its fangs, it will turn into a ferocious wolf. It exuded an atmosphere similar to the killing that is peculiar to meat-eating animals. In that case, I want to release the chains and let it go wild. I want it to run around thoroughly. It is only natural to be seduced by such impulses. Therefore, there was no hesitation in running this kind of model with saloon characteristics.

Fast or slow? Fun or shrew?

In order to evaluate it, I ran it with Supra's top sporty grade "2.5 Twin Turbo R" on a circuit where there was no room for false intervention.

Aristo: There is something I would like to confirm before making an impression. "The Aristo is better than the Supra.

It was fast!" is the fact. It certainly did quite well on public roads. I feel the outstanding speed with my whole body. There was also the thought of “What if?” However, when it becomes a reality, Aristo's latent strength

I have no choice but to do it. Most likely, when I thought about running it on the circuit, I already had a premonition that Aristo would win. Or perhaps, somewhere in his heart, he was hoping that the refined driving that he experienced on the public road would lead to a lap time. Just making us think that is enough, isn't it? But Aristotle doesn't give up. In a world where there is no excuse for one lap time, the Supra was mercilessly thrown into the dust.

On the backstretch, the speedometer needle was pointing at 170km/h. Despite being a 4-speed AT, which should have a disadvantage in startup acceleration, it slightly exceeds the speed of the Supra. What's more, the four-wheel bench disc with hydraulic servo exerts a braking force approaching that of Gran Turismo in recent years. Therefore, it is possible to push deep into the corner.

The 245/40R16 tires (ADVAN HF-TU Type F), which are one size larger than the front, are overwhelmed by the rear, and will not break easily even at such times. Slightly higher speed than common sense

ARISTO IS DIGITAL AND SUPRA IS ANALOG

Even if you invade while creating a strong front wheel load from the road, you will still be firmly gripping the road surface. That's why you can attack without worrying about it. The grounding of the rear around here is at a high level that is by no means inferior even compared to the recently debuted sporty bike.

Sustainability at the front is similarly high. The responsiveness of the steering is tailored so that it cuts directly. The Piezo TEM S setting works to increase the roll rigidity from the beginning of the turn, so it does not roll more than necessary. As a result, it is possible to obtain handling that responds quickly and a feeling of turning without feeling uneasy.

However, it seems that the front response during cornering is set to be moderately lost, and understeer due to the pushing out of the rear wheels is slight but always occurring. Therefore, even if the throttle is opened roughly, the tail does not get in the way, and this setting allows the car to stand up with a stable tendency. I felt that the reason for the superior time was the excellent stability that allowed us to actively use the brakes and power. However, if you ask whether it is fun to run, the answer is "no" at this point. Because stability outweighs power, the driver doesn't feel like he's in control. There are almost no scenes where the tail sticks out and is pushed down on the counter, and it is driven within the range that does not exceed the performance of the car. Even if you try to force the tail slide and drive hard, the behavior will only become nervous as soon as the tire limit is exceeded. It is even more difficult to determine power drift within the limit

Moreover, the fact that information is transmitted only digitally is a factor that spoils the enjoyment. Steering always maintains the same steering force, so it is difficult to grasp the feel of the tires. Even TEMS, which is effective in ensuring squeezability, does not have a linear roll feeling, leaving a sense of incongruity in sporty runs.

It didn't feel like the car was lapping faster than the Supra.

As for my impression, "It's leaner than the Supra, but it doesn't look too fast." This is similar to the impression felt by the driver.

TWO DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES

In terms of this fun part, on the contrary, the Supra is leading by a large margin. Especially the fans who come from the high controllability near the actual world.

Verticality was overwhelming.

Certainly, the grip limit is inferior to Aristo

However, the flow and convergence of the rear wheels are poignant, and they are conveyed as if they were picked up. that's why,

Feel free to drift even in high-speed corners

All about driving

He clearly communicates his feelings analogically to Wakelists under his control.

To conclude, the Aristo is fast, but that's it, and the Supra is a fun car to drive.

However, the point that I do not feel fun with Aristo,

I have no intention of denying that it was inferior to the Supra's speed for this one shot. each

It's because the personality that can be put in is different.

The Mercedes 300E, BMW M5, which Aristo says is a rival, also cuts down on the fun of swinging at the price of outstanding stability, and even with the Z, which is a competitor of the Supra.

In addition, the control

Emphasis is placed on rollability.

If the concept is divided into the big genre of sporty cars, the concept becomes ambiguous. have a distinct personality

It's a sign of what you're trying to do.

As a means of transportation to safely reach your destination, Aristo is one of the world's highest standards.

become a car. If you want to enjoy the journey,

It's the world of the Supra. "Aristotle

or the Supra's time is slow."

That's what I mean.

PIC CAPTIONS

Aristo's corner link at the second hairpin in Tsukuba. As far as I can see, its behavior is stable and does not make me feel uneasy. Let's call it "quiet" cornering. It is so calm that it sometimes feels lacking in power. On the contrary, it will be a run with plenty of room.

Compared to the corner link of the Aristo, Supra, which also runs in the first hairpin, the behavior is greater. On the contrary, it also gives the impression that the driver is controlling the car and driving it.

[thebandcampdiaries]

SMG presents WGACBA (What Goes Around Comes Back Around)

The second diss track from SMG in response to Talha Anjum's behavior and in defense of fellow rapper NAEZY.

SMG is a talented artist from Pakistan, and he has a vision: telling powerful stories through his music and connecting with the audience on a much deeper level. He started his journey in secret as a teenager, writing and composing for independent artists without really getting his name out there. He continued to work this way for quite some time now, and eventually, he actually moved to an even more professional arrangement with his songwriting work. SMG signed with a label and created almost a thousand songs. However, his demo tape was never released, so he never had the chance to showcase his work to the public as an artist. Despite that, he did not get discouraged. SMG kept writing songs for others, helping artists unlock their full potential. Finally, the wind of change brought SMG an opportunity to release a song. After some ups and downs in life, he finally debuted on May 14, 2021, with the song "MAA BABA," which got over 225,000 streams on YouTube. The music video also got millions of views, inspiring him to keep creating emotional and relatable music. This was a stunning success for SMG and a great example of the power of perseverance. By believing in ourselves, there is truly nothing that we can't accomplish! He continued to release amazing music, and his most recent track,"

WGACBA (What Goes Around Comes Back Around)" is yet another example of his talent and artistry. WGACBA (What Goes Around Comes Back Around) is the second diss track by SMG aimed at Talha Anjum. This is a follow-up to his first diss track, "Talha Chomu." Just to give people a little context, this whole feud started when Talha Anjum got upset because NAEZY, in an interview, said he didn't know who Talha Anjum was. Talha Anjum then began dissing and trolling NAEZY online, leading SMG to react with his own diss. The title of the song is a reference to how actions have consequences in life. If someone does something bad, it will eventually come back to affect them. In this context, SMG is actually talking about how Talha Anjum's behavior and actions will come back to affect him, and the diss track is all about how he should have more respect for other artists in the community and avoid harassing or bullying people online. This is even more poignant, especially in the wake of how NAEZY had been experiencing some struggles, which prompted him to take a temporary break from music. However, Talha Anjum always seems to be using feuds with other artists as a way to start a fuss and promote his music and himself. SMG, on the other hand, is an amazing example of how great the Indian rap community can be. It's all about artists standing by each other and supporting each other rather than putting each other down! On WGACBA (What Goes Around Comes Back Around), SMG also questions Talha Anjum's credibility as an artist and accuses him of being insincere.

Musically, the song showcases SMG's variety and his amazing flow as a rapper. He has a lot of versatility on tap, and what makes his style quite special is that he is able to seamlessly switch from more melodic lines to rapid-fire lyrical lines that are really impactful and strong. Considering that this is a diss track, he was really able to set a high bar and come up with a powerful and memorable twist, which makes the whole song even more remarkable. This release stands out not just because of its edgy and engaging performance but also due to its high-quality production. The mix is well-balanced and detailed, creating a lively and bold sound. Overall, the song has a really well-executed instrumental, with a deep, tight low end and a smooth, clear top end that really makes a difference. In other words, WGACBA (What Goes Around Comes Back Around) showcases SMG's rap chops because it truly stands out for its modern sound, with polished production that remains unpretentious, allowing many natural and "human" elements to bring liveliness to the mix, thus highlighting the artist's unique style. He sure won't back down from a challenge, and this diss proves that he is ready to take on even the most established rappers in the community!

With this success, SMG continues to keep evolving its sound, aiming to connect deeply with listeners!

Find out more about SMG, and do not miss out on 

WGACBA (What Goes Around Comes Back Around) is going to be available on some of the best digital streaming services very soon.

[enterprisewired]

From Sponge to Success: The Story of Scrub Daddy Shark Tank Pitch

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How many of you have dreamt of starting your own business after seeing pitches on the TV reality show Shark Tank?

The TV show “Shark Tank” in America has helped many people with cool ideas to start their own businesses. It’s had such a big impact that now many young people want to be their own boss instead of working a regular job. One person who did just that is Aaron Krause, who came up with Scrub Daddy. In this article, we’ll talk about how Aaron pitched Scrub Daddy on Shark Tank and how it became really popular after being on the show.

The Scrub Daddy Shark Tank Pitch

The Birth of Scrub Daddy

Before we dive into the pitch itself, let’s understand what Scrub Daddy is. Scrub Daddy is a smiley-faced sponge that changes its texture based on water temperature. When exposed to hot water, it becomes soft, making it ideal for gentle cleaning. In contrast, when exposed to cold water, it becomes firm, perfect for tackling tougher stains and messes. This ingenious product was invented by Aaron Krause, a self-described “serial entrepreneur” who had a history of creating unique cleaning products.

The Shark Tank Pitch

Scrub Daddy made its debut on Season 4, Episode 7 of Shark Tank. Aaron Krause entered the tank seeking a $100,000 investment for a 10% equity stake in his company. As he presented his product, the sharks were immediately intrigued by the smiling sponge that could adapt to different cleaning needs. However, Krause faced some tough questions and negotiations.

Mark Cuban was concerned about Scrub Daddy’s sales and profitability. Lori Greiner, known as the “Queen of QVC,” saw potential in the product and offered Krause a deal of $200,000 for 20% equity. This offer set the stage for a bidding war between the sharks. In the end, Aaron Krause struck a deal with Lori Greiner, accepting her offer of $200,000 for 20% equity.

The Scrub Daddy shark tank pitch showed not only the uniqueness of the product but also Krause’s ability to convey its value to potential investors. With Lori Greiner on board, the journey of Scrub Daddy was about to take a remarkable turn.

Scrub Daddy Before and After Shark Tank

· Pre-Shark Tank Struggles

Before appearing on Shark Tank, Scrub Daddy faced its fair share of challenges. Despite having an innovative product, the company was struggling to gain traction in the market. Sales were inconsistent, and the business needed a substantial infusion of capital to scale up production and marketing efforts.

· Post-Shark Tank Surge

Lori Greiner’s investment and mentorship proved to be a turning point for Scrub Daddy. With her guidance and the exposure gained from Shark Tank, the company experienced an incredible surge in demand. Sales skyrocketed, and Scrub Daddy became a household name in the cleaning industry. It didn’t take long for the product to be featured on QVC, where it became a best-seller.

The unique appeal of the smiling sponge, combined with Lori Greiner’s marketing prowess, propelled Scrub Daddy to new heights. The company expanded its product line to include variations of the original sponge, catering to different cleaning needs and preferences. From scrubbing dishes to cleaning surfaces, Scrub Daddy has become a versatile cleaning brand.

· Beyond the Sponge

Where is Scrub Daddy Today?

· Ongoing Innovation

Scrub Daddy has continued to innovate and expand its product line, introducing new cleaning solutions and accessories to meet the growing needs of consumers. The company’s commitment to creating innovative, effective, and eco-friendly cleaning products has solidified its position in the market.

· A Global Presence

Scrub Daddy’s success isn’t limited to the United States. The brand has expanded its reach globally, making its products available in various countries. Its international presence has been marked by strong partnerships and collaborations, further cementing its reputation as a leading player in the cleaning industry.

· Awards and Recognition

Over the years, Scrub Daddy has received many awards and accolades for its innovative products. These awards validate the quality and effectiveness of their cleaning solutions and serve as a testament to the company’s commitment to excellence.

· Giving Back

Scrub Daddy has also shown a commitment to social responsibility. The company has been involved in charitable initiatives and partnerships that aim to make a positive impact on the community and the environment.

Certainly, let’s dive deeper into Scrub Daddy’s journey, its impact on the cleaning industry, and its enduring popularity among consumers.

Industry Disruption

Scrub Daddy’s success story is not just about a quirky sponge; it’s also about how innovation can disrupt traditional industries. Before Scrub Daddy, cleaning sponges were mostly mundane and uninspiring. A smiling sponge that changed texture based on water temperature changed the game altogether. It challenged the status quo and proved that even in a market as traditional as cleaning products, there’s room for innovation and improvement.

The Power of Branding

Scrub Daddy’s success isn’t solely attributed to its innovative product design but also to its branding and marketing efforts. The smiling face of the sponge, along with its eye-catching colors, made it instantly recognizable. The branding conveyed a sense of approachability and friendliness, which resonated with consumers.

The company’s clever tagline, “Change the way you clean,” became a mantra for those who embraced Scrub Daddy. This branding strategy not only helped Scrub Daddy stand out on store shelves but also contributed to its status as a household name.

Lessons from Scrub Daddy’s Journey

Scrub Daddy’s journey through Shark Tank and beyond offers several valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders:

1. Differentiate Your Product: Scrub Daddy’s success began with a unique and differentiating product feature which is the ability to change texture based on water temperature. Entrepreneurs should focus on creating products or services that offer a clear advantage over competitors.

2. Effective Pitching: Aaron Krause’s Shark Tank pitch was interesting because it effectively communicated the value of his product. Entrepreneurs should be prepared to convey the benefits and potential of their offerings to investors or customers.

3. Strategic Partnerships: Lori Greiner’s investment and mentorship played a pivotal role in Scrub Daddy’s success. Building strategic partnerships can provide the expertise, resources, and guidance needed to scale a business.

4. Adapt and Innovate: Scrub Daddy’s ability to adapt and expand its product line shows the importance of innovation and staying responsive to changing consumer needs and preferences.

5. Strong Branding: The branding and marketing efforts behind Scrub Daddy played a big role in creating a recognizable and memorable brand. Entrepreneurs should invest in branding to establish a strong market presence.

6. Sustainability: In an increasingly eco-conscious world, Scrub Daddy’s commitment to eco-friendly cleaning solutions has resonated with environmentally aware consumers. Sustainability can be a key selling point for products and brands.

Conclusion

In the competitive business world, Scrub Daddy’s journey stands as an inspiring example of what can be achieved through innovation, effective pitching, and strategic partnerships. From its humble beginnings as a unique sponge to becoming a global cleaning brand, Scrub Daddy’s story continues to captivate and motivate entrepreneurs worldwide.

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Marks & Spencer has embarked on an innovative CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) campaign called “Shwopping” to revolutionize the fashion industry’s approach to sustainability. In this article, we will delve into the details of the Shwopping campaign, exploring its origins, goals, impact, and how it has influenced the fashion industry.

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