#the same thing also applies op animation

[empty-dream]

Knowing it all, am I destined to fall? Like once you did for me ↳ Vortex - Bai Sha Jaws

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

perhaps a bit of an odd question: so, when I'm scrolling tumblr on mobile, I have a habit of downloading most images i come across, so that I can send them to people who don't use tumblr, especially memes and animal photos. however, i also have severe memory issues, and I may end up forgetting where i got certain images. i know for the photo repository one of the rules is to not repost the photos without any modification- which i might forget, or forget which images on my phone fall under that rule. and while i would guess that that rule doesn't apply to stuff like direct messages or texts, i might forget to tell the person I'm sending it to, who might repost it elsewhere without being aware, or months after downloading i will just forget and use one of the photos in a post I'm making because it felt relevant.

this is something i can pretty easily solve myself by just blocking the photo repository blog, or tags relating to it, but I'd rather not do that because i do really like seeing the photos and all the info and stuff. and i would assume it would be an insane amount of work for you to add something like a watermark to every single photo, so I'm not really sure how to go about this. i like seeing the photos, but i don't want to accidentally break the rules.

You clearly care deeply about doing the "right thing", so, what that tells me is that you're not actually the target audience for that rule. I appreciate all the thought you put into this message. Let's talk about it!

I've been reconsidering if requiring people to get permission for reposting images is the best policy to have and I'd like people to weigh in.

My original reasoning was this: the more I can ensure that reposts are affiliated with credit, the better I can control copyright on the images on the site, and therefore have more ground to challenge any scrapers/fake accounts/AR groups that yoink them for nefarious purposes. The easiest way to do that seemed to be to have people ping and ask, with the expectation of saying yes almost all the time.

But there's a couple problems with that, I think, in practice:

People don't like emailing strangers (I forget this! I have done it for work for so many years it isn't uncomfortable anymore).

This isn't how the internet works. (Tumblr has a specific microculture that encourages crediting creators and not stealing! Once this is shared more widely on other platforms, I don't expect it'll be the same ecosystem).

It actually undermines organic spread of content! (You're less likely to make an excited post about a cool photo if you have to send a maybe-scary email and wait for a response). And I do want there to be lots of eyeballs on the photos.

Realistically, @nexus-nebulae, with the policy right now? If you slipped up and reposted something without thinking, I'd just ask you to add credit to the post so it directs back to the site. The goal of this whole project is community access and engagement - I want to you to enjoy the photos, and send them to your friends! I'm just trying to also protect it from the awful that a lot of the internet has become.

But, I'm also wondering it it makes sense to swap the policy to say that it's fine to re-post images on socials as long as they're appropriately credited and/or linked back to the repository. This isn't the policy yet, but if you're reading this please tell me what you're thinking.

Non-edited image use (like putting them in a scientific paper, using them to build a curriculum unit, or putting them on board game cards - these are just random examples) would still need to be requested; but that's an entirely protective stance and if you ask, my goal is to always say yes.

So OP, please don't worry too much. Enjoy looking at the animals, do your best, and I'll be happy. :)

[junktastic]

I had a drawing months back that went kinda viral I guess, and it getting out of my normal sphere of followers meant that I got to observe how folks far outside of my twitter sphere interact with twitter and others. For reference, I am talking about this image:

The context, besides getting to draw my friend Jenny, was that I saw a picture that was of an anime girl that said "lets be in our early 30s together" and I was like "haha, I will make my own version of this." Part of it was also that I think aging is fine, and we need to stop stressing so much over staying young. "Lets be in our mid-thirties together" is not a joke, I sincerely wanted this image to be warm and inviting, to maybe give people hope that there will be friends and people who love you once you get to that age. I never thought I was going to make it to 30, and I just turned 35 this year, and I'm the happiest I've ever been.

Some responses were obviously teens/early 20s people saying they don't want to get that old, which is whatever. When you're that young the dirty thirty sounds so ugly. No one cool is in their 30s! Well, if you ignore the people who make all the things they like. These responses I waved these off.

I saw the typical twitter experience replies of "this doesn't apply to me?" Ok bitch! Go make your own like I did! And show me when you do, I'd love to see it!

There was a handful of people who were saying "retweet to scare a twink" which I felt was kind of rude. Not to me, but to the twinks out there. Aging doesn't make you less of a twink.

Lots of people were sending it to their significant others or saying they hope to find someone to be in their mid-thirties with, which I love. :3 It makes me happy!

The one kind of response which is what I made this post for and I'm so sorry that I've been rambling, that I found weird was the people who will reply to just you. The OP. As if they are replying to everyone in the thread. I'm not talking about in QRTs, just straight in the replies. "Don't forget how tired she looks in this." Brother I drew the picture. I know. And ever since then I feel like, as someone who loves to read the replies on other people's tweets, I notice this a lot more often. Who are they talking to? Is this what people are referring to when they say "Main Character Syndrome?" Or should I be lumping these together with the "why isn't this about my exact personal life situation" people?

My fiancé says I'm thinking about this too hard (I got engaged last month btw), and he's probably right. I can't help but be curious about how other people choose to interact with the internet and images and people on it. And, I guess, am I supposed to reply? How should I feel about these. I guess I have to decide that on my own.

For the record, you are all very normal/understandable when it comes to what you guys tag my stuff with. That you love the girls (same!), that they're very gender (love this), or wow is this [insert fetish](not my intention but that's the internet). I feel like the slime girls get the "gender" comment the most and you are all so right for that. Every time I see people reblog my ocs I think "Thank you for loving [name]."

That's all! This was a pointless post but I'm unemployed right now so I have too much time to overthink things for no reason. How do YOU feel about how people interact with your posts? Are they weird? Or are they normal about it.

[onepiece-oc-archives]

How to write Luffy in general without him coming across as stupid? I feel like in the animanga when you can see him, it's different from a story, where a reader (like a friend who wants to read your story) who is not a op fan might be confused about why Luffy is acting this way. I feel I write him too childish sometimes... or Zoro being too dumb... but then again I've been accused once of writing Sanji "too normal" because I had him not fall high over heels for every woman he sees and I left out the nosebleed too. How to find the right way to write the characters?

Hiya, thanks for your question!

To say it in one sentence: There isn't one correct way to write a character. You might not want to write things that directly contradict canon but, at that point, are you even writing the same character anymore?

You're definitely right on the fact that a visual format like anime or manga is different from a story though. For example, I would never write Sanji going 100% heart eyes and spinning around the room like a hurricane without human form because that just doesn't sound believable in a story - at least not in my writing style. If you write a crackfic, you can definitely still do that. I'd say: Write characters the way it feels right for you.

How do you find what's write for you? Well, by engaging with the characters. Preferably the main source material, so the animanga or live action, depending on what universe your story is set in. But it can also be helpful to read some fanfic and think: "Hm, do I agree with this? Does this feel right for me? Or does this just not fit the character in my eyes?" In the end, everyone will have their own interpretation of a character and that's okay - and even appreciated! I mean, it would be boring if we all wrote the exact same things, right?

Now, for some character-specific tips. I'm gonna just give a few of my thoughts on Luffy, Zoro and Sanji, since those are the three you mentioned.

Sanji is a great case of what I mean when I say that some things just don't work out in writing, like I already said. What I like to do for animanga!Sanji is to write him like a lovesick fool but without the physical comedy. Because he is a lovesick fool. Or at least he comes across as one. I can't really go into too much character analysis here without derailing the post and diving into spoilers, but he has his reasons for treating practically every woman like a goddess. So, don't be afraid to show that! It's a vital part of his character, so you can't just leave it out. I mean, imagine someone writes Sanji kicking a woman! He would never do that and has repeatedly said so in canon. Well, not yet in OPLA, but I don't see that as a spoiler. Literally look at him and how he behaves towards Nami and Nojiko. Generally, OPLA is a great example of how to make Sanji work without the physical comedy. He's still an absolute fool for every woman but he's not inhumanly weird. I love OPLA Sanji and I will never stop gushing about that - sorry not sorry <3

Zoro! Like with Sanji, you should keep his main characteristics, which is a lot easier for him that for curly-brows, I'd say. Zoro is blunt about his opinions, he has literally no sense of direction and he likes to sleep a lot. So far so simple. I also wouldn't say he's dumb, though he can come across that way. He just... doesn't care. He cares about getting to slice people and has a very pragmatic approach to a lot of problems. But you've gotta remember that he's also very knowledgeable about some things, mainly about swords and fighting technique. As much as it looks like he just rushes into battle without thinking, his attacks are actually thought-out and precise. Put him in the right situation and he might as well be a genius. Unfortunately, that situation doesn't apply a lot of times, so you're left mainly with his pragmatic side. But that pragmatic side actually does a lot of good for the Straw Hats, especially further down in the story.

And now, Luffy... Luffy is actually stupid. Yeah, I mean it, he's not the most intelligent guy. Not a calculated thought in that boy's brain. If he ever comes up with something like a plan, he comes up with it on the fly - and that's not a bad thing! It creates a contrast between him and the more calculated members of the crew. So, yeah, you don't really have to worry about Luffy coming off as too dumb, but you might not want to make it the main point of the scene too often or make it come off as forced. Think about it, how stupid could a human you meet on the street possibly be? Most people don't say nonsensical things all the time. There is definitely rhyme and reason behind the things that Luffy says and does, but he has his own perception of what "rhyme and reason" is. Also, he might not be smart, but he's emotionally intelligent.

I suppose the only way to really "get good" at writing characters is to get really familiar with them and try to understand how they think. Also, to just do it. There have been so many times where I never even got started on writing stuff because I was scared I wasn't going to do the characters justice - but I figured it out on the way, doing what felt right for me, and those fics have become my most popular yet. So, don't be afraid to experiment a little!

There you go, I hope that helped! Have a lovely day <3

[hardworkandguts]

Dirty Pair

ダーチィペア

(Anime)

Sci-fi comedy by Haruka Takachiko

Era: 1980s

Rating: A

Plot: In the 22nd century humanity has expanded through the galaxy, and to help the people with any problem they have, for a price the World Welfare Works Association will send trouble consultants. Kei and Yuri are one such team, codenamed the Lovely Angels, but their propensity to make every situation far worse before successfully completing their assignment earns them another nickname for which they're (in)famous across the galaxy - the Dirty Pair.

Length: 24 episodes, 4 OVA, 1 movie

Thoughts: Ah, one of the first shows I decided to watch on this journey back to anime, only because I recalled from the early 2010s one eyecatcher being used in one of Smash TVs 80s/90s VJ nostalgia fests, and thinking to myself "hah, girls with guns who look like wrestlers, sounds fun". It's probably hard to be more right about something without knowing anything about it.

On the rewatch for this, it really holds up well - their clashing personalities really pop, the assignments are very varied even when they mostly end the same way (something big exploding), we have fugitive hunts, sensitive deliveries, a ultra-smart mouse taking control of the 3WA HQ, treasure hunts, an investigation to a pod that crashed into a mansion and, uh "killed" one of the occupants while knowing they did it... after all, as it says on the OP, "I will solve any problem for you". There are no big arcs (and it is quite short for such a beloved 80s show), and there's no continuity, just one story spanning two episodes, so it can be something to watch little by little. Also helps it keeps a limited cast - outside Kei and Yuri the only recurrent characters are Mughi, their genetically engineered intelligent giant cat/bear, the ship robot Nanmo, and Gooley, their supervisor, always suffering at the ends of their methods but reliant and confident on their skills. It is also a very stylish show, from mechanical design having a lot of varied futuristic vehicles (very informed by prototype cars of the era) and solid character design to music (still bummed I never found a score with the action scene sax music), everything here scores big in that aspect. All things considered, it's a staple of 80s sci-fi anime, and it's not hard to see why.

On to the OVAs, the first, With Love from the Lovely Angels are simply two unaired episodes, and everything said applies. The second, Affair of Nolandia is an hour long episode about a missing girl with powerful psychic powers. It features a slightly different character design and a more serious tone, but... nothing here is particularly great. The animation isn't the bump you'd expect, and the more serious tone kinda takes a lot of what made the show great (if you want individual ratings, C). It was followed by the feature length Project Eden, where we go back to form with great animation and closer in looks and feel to the TV show with a story of an sabotage investigation on a mining planet where the mineral that makes galactic travel possible is found, this being the ideal point of entry for anyone new to the series (A), and later by Dirty Pair 2, which adds 10 new episodes at the same level as the TV show once again, which feels just a bit underwhelming, but hey, more Kei and Yuri (B), and finally Flight 005 Conspiracy, another hour long OVA, only this time it looks like one, and while the story (dual investigation of a spaceship crash and the disappearance of a scientist) becomes a lot more serious as it goes along, it manages to be a far more entertaining watch than Nolandia (B). There was also Dirty Pair Flash but that's something for other time and not covered in this post.

Recommended to: want to see girls with guns exploding everything around them?

Plus:

OP/ED of the TV show by Meiko Nakahara, bangers. The score by Toshiyuki Kimori has a great early 80s synth and space disco feel to it.

Balances the action and humour pretty well

Might go a bit off-model here and there, but the action is pretty solid.

Minus:

It IS quite short for such a beloved show even to this day. Made rewatching it a breeze, but...

[aquaburst3]

I saw another post in the TWST tag where someone sent an ask to OP about incorporating honorifics into their fics to "be more accurate". The OP was happy about it thanks to making posts wishing the game and novel translation would use those. I seen others say similar things in this fandom. I completely and politely disagree with that. To be frank, I think adding those in to any English version would be terrible writing and would do the opposite of what these people want.

The game heavily implies that the story takes place in their version of the west and are actually speaking that world's version of English, so they wouldn't be using honorifics in universe in the first place thanks to that language lacking those. That's why I think things like the White Day Cards, all of the maps and Azul's contracts are in perfect English instead of Japanese—they are actually speaking that world's version of English and the game is just translated into Japanese so it's comprehensible to the audience. Even the Light Novel mentions a similar translation spell happening on Yuu.

The Japanese version using honorifics makes sense. English works translated into Japanese add honorifics, too, and the same would apply here. The same can be said for scrapping them in the English versions, because they would be unnecessary thanks to how that works as a language.

Bringing them in would also cause more issues. For one, randomly tossing them in now would come across as super jarring. If everyone started spouting out honorifics in ANY English version of the story, it would automatically turn the whole cast into giant weeaboos (a westerner who idolizes Japan to a weird, unhealthy and fetishistic degree, especially if the person is white), which, in turn, would make the whole cast super OOC outside of just Idia, especially for ones like Vil and Malleus.

As for the "it doesn't state the character's relationships well enough without honorifics" statement these people spout out, we don't define relationships in English directly with language outside of addressing people we don't know or those in positions of power, but with context clues—attitudes and actions. That still shines through the English versions, simply because of how the characters behave and treat each other.

If you are wondering why I forgo this in my own writing outside of Deuce spouting them out when he's tired and not thinking straight, there's your answer. Normally, I would use honorifics or at least call characters by their surnames when I write fics based on manga/animes to be more accurate to the setting. In this case, the opposite is true, since the story is set in a western analog instead of a Japanese one. If some people have a problem with that, too fucking bad. I don't care. I think handling like this makes the most sense.

[physics-of-one-piece]

I'd like to propose a weird rule for One Piece physics for your consideration.

Ok, so a common complaint about movies, stories, anime, etc. Is a lack of consistency when it comes to the rules of powers, magic, tech, what have you. This is especially true for anime.

Essentially, physics are subject to the whims of plot and narrative. Yes, the protagonist's power should be able to beat the villain's ability based on evidence earlier in the story, but we need to build emotional tension in tue scene, so it's not gonna work right now. So on and so forth.

I am horrible at physics (barely passed in high school), but I do remember something about the rules of physics changing when it gets to the quantum level.

What if, a similar concept applied in the OP-verse? Like, when a certain event or outcome is necessary the rules rearrange themselves?

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but enjoy my brain dump all the same. Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Yes, agreed!

I do want to make like a list of the main speeds of chars, such as Luffy & Doffy. Also, Katakuri's speed when he becomes a donut will be fun to tackle!

Yes, we get a lot the rules rearranging themselves all the time in One Piece as you said bcs of plot and necessity for drama & emotion. Law's Gamma Knife should have been instant death for Doffy, but his strings came in handy. Speaking of Law, I think his room is the only one physics can't explain? That shit is just MAGIC. I mean, yeah, teleportation and all that, but I say MAGIC for Room. I mean, eternal life (though we can argue about the life force and energy being transferred), yeah, that's SUPERNATURAL and MAGIC. I mean, there are other devil fruits like that that genuinely don't follow rules of physics. And healing abilities of Mansherry for another. Then there is Giolla's art, too.

Okay, so we're talking here about a shift from classical physics to quantum physics. The principles themselves undergo a shift.

As you say, it's like a new playground. New playground will have new rules.

A simple example off the top of my head where stuff changes in classical vs quantum is

Superposition

In classical phys, objects are always in a defined, definitive state.

In quantum phys, there exists what is called a superposition of states which means a particle can be in multiple states until measured.

One of the best examples is the Double Slit Experiment. I found this very good explanation of it bcs fuck, quantum physics make my brain hurt.

In classical physics, waves (like water) form an interference pattern through two slits of appropriate size. It's just waves combining.

Quantum version is like shooting bullets one at a time at the slits (even with a large time gap, one per day, say), and each one either passes through or ricochets randomly, and leaves a hole at the target - and then after couple of hundred bullets, it becomes apparent that the bullet holes form a striped pattern. (except in the real experiment, the bullets are individual photons, or electrons, or atoms, or even molecules).

Anyway, yeah, if the plot demands it or the oitcome requires it, physic laws will be broken, and at one point, quantum physics itself may/will come into play ie the rules will rearrange themselves. Huh. That sounds cool, actually. That then starts the debate how much autonomy do such things have on their own without outside influence. There is no suspicion in my mind they have a lot of autonomy, and are naturally gravitating toward each other, craving to interact with each other.

One of the mysteries of the experiment above for the quantum version is how the hell do the particles know on their own to collectively create a distribution derived from the interference of paths going through both slits, when the particles can be sent through the slit one at a time and never interact?

[coredrill]

can u convince me to watch bravern? gurren lagann is the only mecha anime I've ever seen. should I watch it even? thank you.

i can do my darndest!!! 🫡 i definitely think it's worth a watch even if you've only seen ttgl - i've watched bravern with a few friends whose mecha experience starts and ends with evangelion, and they had a fun time!!! it's also standalone and only 12 episodes, so it's a pretty quick and easy watch!

anyways in terms of convincing you the first thing i will include is the OP, because from the moment i saw this i was like. i must watch this immediately. and i have been hooked ever since!!! and also it is sung by bravern (the main mecha) himself and it RULES. it does kinda spoil the gimmick of the first episode (the first 15 minutes or so try to sell the show as like. a serious war drama fslkdjfh) but it matches the tone of the rest of the show much better so i don't think you really lose much:

and i'm also gonna include the ED because everything about the show that ISN'T captured by the OP is shown in the ED…………i swear they made it this to give their audience a chance to wind down from how homoerotic the actual show itself is, LMAO.

in terms of things that might appeal to you as a ttgl fan - katsuyuki konishi (kamina's jp va) has a small but very funny role, LMAO. on the whole, bravern is also very much about characters surpassing their own limitations, and also the show surpassing its own limitations at the same time! i wouldn't say that the plot/stakes are exponential in the way that ttgl's is, what with them going to space and making universe-sized mechs, but it does give a very similar feeling of "surely this is as far as they'll go, right?………..OH NOPE NEVER MIND" imo!!! it's also so very much about the power of love that it got my hater ass rooting for the earnest yet bizarre romance that occurs, LMAO. i'd say that while ttgl's theme of "love conservative" isn't quite as explicit in bravern, it still applies!! overall bravern knows exactly what it's doing and loves every moment of it, just like ttgl does, which i think is a huge part of why i personally got sucked into it so hard LMAO.

also, the show is just fucking hilarious imo. the dialogue has so many funny out-of-pocket moments that made me genuinely laugh aloud and the situations that the characters get into feel like every time the crew behind the show was presented with the chance to make a decision, they chose the most unhinged option available in the best way possible. a non-spoiler example of this is that for some reason, the suez canal is still blocked in the bravern universe????????? like, this took me out when i saw it, because. WHAT IS THE REASON

honestly the one thing that really comes nowheres near ttgl is in its animation (of course), though i will say that bravern's 3d mechs look really good and are some of the best i've seen outside of studio trigger et al's recent work with promare/griduni!! also akira amemiya (who did a good amount of key animation in ttgl) did this cut in the OP which imo rules

i hope you enjoy it if you do check it out!!!! it's such a wild ride on the whole but it's really a special show and it brings me so much joy!!

[skypiea]

(I'm with you with regards to the "quite easily I like it" OP post btw! Just wanna make that clear ^^;;) I almost wonder if the gripes are like, in part people who see how the women are drawn and base All Their Opinions of the series on that. That or they got mad at the clown thing Tumblr did and just decided to hate the series for it. Or they're just a little hater, honestly anything can apply. I'm not a fan of OP, haven't seen a second of it to make a decision, but like. 5 or 6 (including you- im not just a random, im just really shy LOL) of my friends are, and the one thing keeping me off from watching it is the fact that it's one of the longest animes still going- And I almost wonder if that also has a part to play in the "lol how can u watch one piece" thing people have going on. Also, have you seen the bananawanis yet?? I don't go here but I love them.

Thanks for the message! I hope you don't mind a bit of rambling (all that I'm capable of, always).

The thing is, I think there are plenty of things to criticize about one piece. I’ve seen and had many thoughtful discussions about elements of the work that can easily be considered harmful stereotypes, as well as some well-intentioned ideas that I think were executed in a subpar and clumsy manner. Some of these are directly a result of the author being only 1 guy with 1 lived experience, some are the result of broader issues in the shonen genre.

And these discussions are great! Everyone is better off for having thought about these potentially damaging aspects deeper, and it’s incredibly important to be able to recognize that an author you respect and follow isn’t perfect and doesn’t need defending over every single thing. And at the same time, I fully respect anyone who has no interest in getting into the work because they don’t want to put up with any of the parts that are far from perfect.

Personally, what I can’t stand is the tone of condescension people are very quick to take… I do not fault anyone for not digging the show's visual style, it's not for everyone. But I don't really appreciate the implication that I'm like, stupid or misogynist or cumbrained just because I enjoy the work overall. Or even because I do enjoy Oda's art; I think he is a really talented artist, but elements of his stylization are not always my favorite, including both his general figures for both women and men. This is not even starting to mention the incredible talents of many of the individual animators who work on the one piece anime, who all put a lot of their own amazing flair into adapting the work.

On the topic of the latter thing, I've truly never understood the length being a barrier to the ability to enjoy the work. It's always really baffled me...? I don't know if it's like, people who are only interested in getting into OP specifically to interact with the fandom, but in my opinion there's no actual factor that makes you need to catch up to current as fast as possible. In my mind, having so much of a new thing is wonderful for me; I'll have a lot of great story to enjoy, I can take it at my own pace, enjoy watching a bit at a time for a long time. I guess everyone just wants to be done with something as fast as possible these days... Pretty sad... Make it last and enjoy it lots :-)

I've gone on for long enough, but basically, I couldn't care less if anyone doesn't enjoy the same thing that I enjoy a lot--that's life! I simply can't stand being treated like some sort of idiot for liking it, and I'm done basically agreeing with those kinds of people by giving them any ground. None of this is a super serious problem of course, just a pet peeve... but what is a blog for if not talking at length about my silly little pet peeves ;-)

Of course I adore the Bananawani, as well as all the other fun and silly animals of the one piece world. I hope we'll see them again one day, it's been so long... Here's one of my favorite one piece species for you, the Lapin. Love these guys.

To finish off, I'm just going to include one of my favorite recent pieces of one piece's animation. Hope everyone's havin a lovely day ^_^

[elspethdixon]

Even the “trashy” television the people OP is talking about like to judge you for can be too active depending on the person and the situation. If I get stressed enough, I can’t watch new-to-me television shows or fictional tv content in general. Nature documentaries and docudramas about prehistoric life only. “No fannish shows, only this obscure series about a wildlife refuge in Namibia,” sounds smart and worldly, but it’s actually the opposite. “No characters I might get invested in that could have bad things happen to them, no content I’m fannish about that involves emotional investment. It’s time to rewatch the collected works of Sir David Attenborough for the 46th time while fast-forwarding over the stressful bits where people talk about poaching/habitat loss/anything being endangered. Then we can rewatch the BBC Walking With Monsters series again. No need to have anxiety about how humans are destroying the planet and wiping out endangered animals when you’re watching something set before the Mesozoic! Humans don’t exist yet so nothing bad that happens to the fictionalized Devonian and Permian creatures is our fault. Oh look, the orphaned warthog in Namibia was successfully re-released into the wild just like it was every previous time I watched this program, how nice.”

The same applies to reading - when I’m stressed I’ll pass over new fiction on my tbr list in order to read nonfiction because it doesn’t require as much thought/imagination/emotional investment as something with fictional characters and a plot does. Worst case scenario, I’ll just reread the same three books about evolution over and over again. No sci-fi or romance novels, only Donald Prothero’s Evolution: What the Fossils Show and Why it Matters and Nick Lane’s book on the biochemical origins of life for the 14th times

[ghostiegirl56]

Genshin Multifandom Drabble/Rant

Ok I know I mentioned having twisted x obey me chapter 2 done but I had another idea for a mixed fandom fic.

Blame my amazing persuasive skills to convince my friend to play genshin and then her wanting to talk about lore while co-oping.

Kinda spoilers for genshin. Like not really just for a few voice lines and which twin is Canon. (Khaenria'h gets mentioned twice so eh)

I'll be referring to Canon (aether as protag and lumine as abyss

So like Aether hasn't been able to find Lumine for 500 years (talk about giving it a boy look). But what if it's because different worlds keep summoning him and when he gets put back he just keeps getting disorientated.

Like he's searching dragonspine for Lumine, gets summoned to another game/anime and then he's plopped back into schneznya. Doesn't help that lumine's hiding in the abyss.

This has the opportunity for nearly 500 different fandoms and Aether's stuck with them for maybe a few months or heck even a year.

And even more potential for a prequel of the twins visiting each place before arriving in teyvat.

Anyway back to the how of Aether being yoinked, say when first travelling through the other worlds Aether (being the doormat he is) left maybe an artifact that can temporarily bring (the assigned twin) to the other world for like a year and then saying like

"if you ever need help again don't hesitate to call".

And when you consider that not every world they travelled to probably had magic. Those artifacts would never get used and instead be like a family heirloom because A:

Every family has some sort of crazy heirloom that you have to question if it's cursed.

And B:

If two people with magic descended from the sky that's God and you don't (theoretically) call them lightly.

But also at least Aether canonically has all his power sealed and the way visions work mean their use is limited to teyvat (visions need elemental energy and the specific formula for elemental energy is likely only found in teyvat). If Aether's statue powers work the same...

He's just some regular dude who got summoned probably because of someone's desperation. Like the world could be ending and this almighty being that has seen the birth and death of stars (which is surprisingly canon) who descended hundreds of years ago is now a magicless, crop top wearing twink (affectionately) who needs his sister to tell the Macca's employee he asked for no pickles.

I imagine in some worlds they've accidentally started a whole religion around them (more reasons for Celestia to be haters).

This could also apply to Lumine and that's why she spends so much time in the abyss, to make up the time she lost on her summons. Since 1 teyvat day is 1 abyss month (if I remember correctly).

Also if I had a twin and they disappeared on me for 500 after I slept for long enough that (twin in question) pissed of a higher being that sent literal gods to destroy the place. The next time I see them it's a fucking tackle hug them for abandoning me and cause I'd miss them.

The fact Aether is so chill and somehow sane about this implies either A:

He has no capacity to be upset (proven wrong by the chasm quest)

Or B:

This has happened before.

Which lead onto a new headcanon of Lumine and Aether travelling worlds and they'll just randomly fight like

"Noooo it's my turn to overthrow the gods"

"Nuh uh you defeated my evil organisation so I didn't get my full turn"

Soooo after all my ranting basically. Aether or Lumine getting dragged to worlds only to be plopped back in teyvat after their summoning artifact runs out of time.

Obey Me The exchange program

So back to the multifandom part. Imagine that a twin (I'll use Aether as my example) is selected for the human world exchange program due to probably being known for magic in ancient human history books. Then one of two things vould happen.

Barbatos succeeds in summoning Aether because its Barbatos.

or 2

new backstory for a brother of choice, having been given a summoning artifact at somepoint and coming in clutch to summon Aether. Which creates a nice little reunion

and part .5 Paimon can come with and be surprised about archons sharing names with the demons.

If its option 1 I can imagine Aether learning about how much of a dick the brothers father is. Then going like

"Where his he? He needs to know that wasn't right"

(Aether is tired alright pretend its exam season)

Lucifer: "We fought him and lost what makes you so sure you can" Aether: "I've done it before. . ?"

Even if it wasn't specifically Obey me's god. Like it could be and this is how the brothers find out Aether is potentially older than them. Also Aether could totally tell them all these stories about gods he's fought and that its a common thing in each world for someone to fight god.

idk I think that could reasure the brothers.

[honeybeewhereartthee]

PINK KKOMAS KOHAKU OUKAWA 75

Spoiler for my stories

Doll is pulling Sea to joined him have lunch since the other guys seems too focus on his little activity, while they did so. Doll saw blood staring at the ocean while holding his cat again who is now covered with different type of ribbons.

Doll: >.> Hmm

Sea stared at the direction doll stared at: →_→???

Sea stared back at doll who have conflicted face: ←_←???

Doll: (٥↼_↼) that guy is being weird.

Sea gesture something to doll: ヽ(´ー` )

Doll: ...

Doll: I don't understand your gesture. (��^ω^）

Sea, point at Blood again who's dipping his legs in the water: ( ˘ ､ ˘ )

Doll: >.>

Doll look away from the sight of Blood: I can't point a finger at it but he still suspicious.

Sea: (˘･_･˘)

Doll: bee told me stuff that guy said a few days ago. (─.─||）

Sea: (?・・)σ

Doll: >.> I don't know how that world works as a whole but basing what Bee said. Blood or mad hatter implying something about clock. He also said about him and bee being similar.

I can point out that he mean that he and bee have been through a "time" paradox, timeline or whatnot since it's connected to clock.

Doll takes out a notepad as he start to list what his saying.

Doll: Bee is casual about his world story, that guy causally says he become a past tense for hundred of times for his love. Nor did his lunatic side denied that claim of the reason why Bee is "made" __〆(￣ー￣ )

Sea, don't know what to say when Doll went Sherlock Holmes: (・–・;)ゞ

Doll: pretty sure that the concept of time being part of their story is only applied to those two. Bee often boost that their "omae" can return back time and he can access the time labyrinth before. ( . .)φ__

Doll take a deep a moment to think of something.

Sea: (?・・)σ???

Doll: →_→ the case of event of twisted wonderland, it's not a new world, rather it's a world made since long ago. I learn it from snooping around. (￢ ￢)

Sea: (￢_￢;)

Doll: blood always act mostly the most know it all bitch. (`ー´) that asshole knows the back of my hand than I do. Now his acting dumb as baby.

Sea, sigh at Doll wording: (´-﹏-`；)

Doll: fuck, he even able to summon that house of his even in the button of the sea. Or anywhere at all (︶︹︺) I heard that he have shadow hands so he have the same number of limbs/ arms a spider really have and they can carry bunch of things, not carrying about weight withers. ヾ( `ー´)シφ__ IN SHORT THEY ARE OP!

Sea: (─.─||）

The darling Doll continues to write something on the paper

Doll: fuck. I remember that ranking he said. He never stared his rank. He just said Bee as a whole is the OP. (↼_↼) I wonder what's my rank through is this like dragon balls power level or bleach?? Hmm I think watch too many anime with Kana-han.

Sea: (・–・;)ゞ

Do: anyway, I don't want to write more about Blood and waste my papers. σ(￣、￣〃) that guys probably did that to himself or his just plain out acting all this time. Through that time. I think his genuinely weird.

Sea:

Doll: what.

Sea point at Blood who's listening to doll rant all this time since he take out his notepad: (˘･_･˘)

Doll:

Blood: it seems that sweet Dolly detective is on to me. What a honor to the humble me.

He chuckle as he pats Doll who who's about to explode from embarrassment.

Blood: you really shouldn't dwell to stuff that will get you into troubles. It be bad if you follow certain someone footstep... Sigh why does people of your world always stick your nose to business that isn't yours?

Doll:...

Doll, already takes out his blades: YOU BASTARD!! SO YOUR BACK TO YOUR TRUE COLORS!!! (`ー´)

Blood: hmm? What makes you think I acted differently? How amusing.

Doll:ԅ( ͒ ۝ ͒ )ᕤ I WILL AMUSE YOUR FACE WITH MY KNIFE!!!

Doll soon chase Blood around and Sea watch wondering about how people in the surface is odd.

To begin with he already notice something off with Blood the moment he appeared that day beside him in the beach.

He seems free from the usual chains he sees him in before, but that guy put those chain back on himself.

It keep returning as others keep mentioning about stuff connected to the blood they know.

He wonder if, if others don't mentioned what kind of person he was before. Would he stayed the same...

Sea pause on his thoughts as he remembers what Bee shared to the group.

'even if we don't tell him anything, he said it's like something normal occuring thing to him... Sigh... People above are strange. '

He no longer tried to follow doll the Sherlock Holmes footstep and just return on playing on his pearls.

.

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Kishotenketsu & You, Part 2

Did I make this entirely for the title rhyme? No, but it was a factor. Because I’m in the refreshing mood, this is worth a post as well. We’re getting back to some anime fun next few days. Got Jojolands, and the OP Academy panels coming up. Kishotenketsu...naturally you can’t have a part 2 without a first so why write the same things twice? If you don’t want a second essay, it’s a four part story structure with mega deep roots in Asian writing. The Act structure, it works for that and Kiku/Yamato share names with their respective parts. Leaving off with the play wrapping up, the Rakugo narrator...that’s arguably leaving with only three out of four parts completed. Which is no problem! The next island serving as the final is just on brand. One Piece just does use this structure like this, but Wano does use its theatrical themes to be a little meta. It’s lowkey very similar in function to a school play as a penultimate saga in a slice-of-life series. Falls under the wonderfully weird umbrella of “pulling an Utena” as well.

So what are we doing today? Looking at how the structure applies to individual Acts of Wano then ruminating on just how well it does to Egghead at this juncture. So for a reminder, try it for yourself and compare: Part 1 is an introduction. Part 2 develops. Part 3 subverts. Part 4 draws out the point through the way 3 ultimately tied back to 1 all along.

Act 1: 

Ki - Curtains open through Hawkins’s tarot game and the Crane Returns a Favor re-enactment. 

Sho - Okobore, Bakura, back to Okobore & up to Oden Castle.

Ten - Kiku & Kin know each other? The Yama or big climax being the samurai leaping forward in time. Different tone because now we’re back to our main plot that was already established.

Ketsu - Luffy isn’t ready to fight Kaido, he jeopardized the plan by not waiting for the right time.

Act 2:

Ki - Curtains open through the first “wheel” of pairing off Straw Hats and local buddies.

Sho - Those wider Wano stories fleshing out. Yasu’s execution will be the climax of this and it’ll wrap up as the story focuses more on Udon.

Ten - The capture of Udon, an unplanned detour. The big twist here would actually be learning Kiku’s little secret at the climax. 

Ketsu - Wrapping up reaping the benefits of all these stories. Enma, the added reinforcements from Udon, etc.

Act 3:

Ki -Curtains open through the flashback. Easy peasy.

Sho - Kanjuro the Traitor and getting in position. Meeting Yamato. Akazaya v. Kaido. All the way up to around when Luffy/Kiku fall.

Ten - Subtle but we do shift from here into the full mainline shonen part of the arc. Wrapping up fights. The Yama is Luffy’s awakening.

Kestu - The short after the battle segment until the curtains close.

Egghead:

Now, Egghead probably won’t be as long as Wano so Act 2 is probably our best comparison. It’s longer than Zou but doesn’t feel like it has enough steam to stretch past a Punk Hazard or a Fishman Island. And obviously it’s hard to do this with a still-unfolding arc. Still, I feel like we see an existing trick. Act 1, Kiku’s introduction is bounded by mirrored chapter titles. [The Crane/Luffytaro] Returns the Favor. Egghead? [Luffy’s/The Genius’s] Dream. I don’t think that perfectly marks ki giving way to sho, but it’s somewhere around there. We’ll get more entrenched in the battle, the cutaway stories mature but they don’t dominate like we see right now. Wherever sho starts, it ends with 1078 as we’ll pull away revealing the traitor. 

Like we said yesterday, what remains to be seen is the nature of this extended break from our main cast. Six chapters is a lot already and I feel like we have at least two more. One more for Sabo’s story and Vivi/Marco’s groups still lack an update. Maybe we could do all that in one? Marco sorta has a precedent for playing us in so yeah I guess you could say...tie off Sabo’s in one while also showing how Vivi got up in the sky with Wapol (Hey, isn’t that thematically a little like starting her adventure like the next step of the crew’s without her?) and then 1086 starts with Marco leading back into Egghead. That’s theoretically all you’d need. But it could go longer, and we stay away for another round of Tales from the New World that spiral into all being shaped by the Incident at Egghead Island.

[cellosaretheshit]

Hard agree with prev that colorblind casting in itself isn't the problem, but rather that we continue to NOT GET stories of real people of history and/or not get the full histories of how historical people we think we already know, like the Tudors, affected and interacted with people & communities of color in their own time periods, while simultaneously many shows try to hand us "diverse" casting as "proof" of Everything Being Good Now and Totally Not Racist Any More

Big shoutout also to prev's point that, in stories involving oppression etc, "You never see true allyship depicted among the poor and disenfranchised among the immigrants, indigenous, and Black and mixed people depicted in media FOR A REASON" - I'm no longer in school so am w/o the time & resources to research properly but there are REAMS of essays from many schools of political thought examining this point and what it often comes down too, nuances and specific circumstances aside, is about keeping people divided - and, especially when it comes to white people and racism, shielding them from the hArD qUeStIoNs of 1) wondering if not calling people slurs is really enough to not contribute towards maintaining a racist society and 2) why so many (in the U.S. at least) are so in love with supporting the rich white socio-economic ruling class that clearly does not love them back.

***side rant on colorblind casting bc apparently I have more thoughts lol: imo there's a real spectrum of colorblind casting which then impacts how anti-racist its effects can be (especially as it maps onto the range of vaguely-historically situated fiction to Stories About Real Historical Figures). Old-timey but ahistorical shows like Bridgerton are by their very nature of Ignoring Certain Aspects of History making quite different commentary on race and society than a show casting Black people to play real-life white royalty without addressing said royalty's relations with and effects on the lives of non-white people living during the same time period. I don't know anything about the show OP highlighted - but to me the key follow-up info that will determine the casting's impact is whether there's anyone else cast in a 'nonhistorical race,' for lack of a better phrase, and whether the show addresses it/the ramifications at all.

When it comes to plays and musicals, those same questions apply but laid across a secret third thing: that in the theater world (and arguably especially in musical theater) audiences are already expected to ignore the actual and accept the Symbolic - otherwise how else can the transformation of actors into characters that break out into song, or a minimal chair and drapery into a castle hall, be complete? (On the extreme end, think stage productions of Cats or The Lion King: they're obviously not animals. But good-faith engagement with the show means that, at the same time, you accept that these obvious-humans are cats for the next 2-3 hours, and without questioning why cats can now do high kicks or grand jetes)

The nature of theater is that the play remains but the cast is ever-changing - so each new production is a potential new thought experiment with new political commentary and ramifications, AND the venue encourages audiences to be open to the concomitant commentary and thought experiments instead of immediately rejecting 'counter-factual' castings.

I'll put my neck on the line here and address Hamilton because I think it's a good example of that kind of thought-experiment-through-casting. Hamilton is certainly not the Most Progressive show of all time, but I personally think the (non-white!) creators had pretty good socio-political intentions behind the colorblind casting - 1) explicitly centering non-white actors in deliberate opposition to many of the historical setting's mainstream values/narratives and 2) clearly making this policy a rebuke of the many, many 'historical' Broadway productions that have used the history-card as an excuse to ignore non-white actors or shunt them into method/bit parts only. I'm not connected enough to the theater world to know how wide or longstanding of an impact this had on casting practices. But in the sense that Hamilton was THE big-name Broadway-adjacent show of its generation to break into the non-musical theater mainstream, the very fact of a 'color-blind' cast in effect was a massive thought experiment that forced many people in mainstream US society to (re)consider long-held tenets about US history and values; and these resulting questions, and the experiment that birthed them, should not be dismissed as wholly useless or unhelpful.

🗣 DIVERSITY IS NOT SAMENESS.

[kacchancallshimzuku]

So I feel like this kind of needs broaching, and I have a bit of a stance. This will definitely be a call-out for those it applies to as well.

This is about Mirko and her relevance to fandom misogynoir. If you’re inclined to derail or nullify this, don’t even bother reading this op; much less adding input. Spare me, bc i won’t be gaslit for speaking on it.

I find it rather interesting how fandom is far more comfortable understanding Rock Lock as a Black hero with Japanese nationality — but Mirko is such a “toss up” or up for so much debate even tho she could very well be the same racially and nationally? (*Esp considering both their real names are Japanese. Come on.) Like it’s so weird to me that you don’t see anywhere near as much resistance on Rock Lock being Black, but the discourse over Mirko’s relevance in the same context is grounds for non blacks insisting she’s…. not?

Or defending her literally being anything but simply bc Horikoshi didn’t ever “actually specify this himself”? As if she couldn’t also be ethnically Black but born in Japan 😅 Or as if there aren’t actual Black People w those precise origins. She can be a Japanese woman with dark skin (honestly rare as that is), or Latina — but fandom gets so tongue-in-cheek and seems to draw such biased lines at the prospect of her being a whole entire Black Woman. Boooo, lol. On the behalf of Black fandom members this kind of thing completely talks over and gives the true ick, pls cut it out. This is so fucking weird pls check your bias bc let me tell you — that’s exactly what it is.

Y’all do the same thing with Mina too in context (who I see nothing wrong with being surmised as fully or half Black, or even a fully Japanese alien) — but Mirko literally has brown skin, or (in technical contexts hinged on how a lot of societies define fair skin) dark skin. Just like Rock Lock. They’re the same complexion, actually; Mirko’s hair just isn’t textured like his appears. This is so weird like y’all gotta stop w the weird ass bias when it comes to both balatant and lowkey misogynoir in fandom regarding female anime characters w Black phenotypes.

Because the way y’all be so open with how y’all fetishize Black male anime characters in the same breath👀 (or even literally race-bend ones who aren’t even Black in the first place just to give them the kind of “edge” y’all associate with being Black) is soooo telling as to why y’all are so aggressive and divisive w the way y’all regard their counterparts. Y’all never find (create) incentives to bend the races of female anime characters — letalone to push them having a proximity to or identity in Black femininity.

Yall are genuinely so weird about this and it says such dark shit about those it applies to in the fandom regarding how yall perceive Black men and Black Women individualistically irl, as well as Black people in general. Y’all draw that line far more jaggedly when it comes to Black people in the context of anime characters; with males being far better received and regarded than the women ever are — just bc yall objectify the males as foreign or dark skinned sex symbols by default. You guys bring that racist, fetishistic shit right with yall into fandoms and somehow still have zero(?) “conscious/awareness” of it in 2024. And I’m definitely down to call y’all out for it😂 Fuck outta here.

This isn’t just about MHA, either. Not by the looooooongest shot. Anime as a whole has this kind of tone-deafedness around the representation of Black anime characters, esp reducing them to little more than fetishized props to “Black” yalls fandom faves. I am not blind, deaf, stupid or unaware of how this kind of stuff is perpetuated, and I have no illusions about how fandoms prefer the portrayal of Black characters in anime; both male and female. If y’all had the balls to call each other out for it instead of standing in line to reap your own benefit, this kind of op wouldn’t even be necessary. Please get a fucking grip. This is not exaggerated or generalising. Y’all are and have been veeeeeery comfortable doing this.

And I am very ok with calling you biased bitches out for it. Leave Mirko tf alone y’all literally choose to be this weird 🤭 y’all literally go out of your way to be this divisive in fandom. I can’t pretend to be stupid to be likeable.

[madraleen]

Attack on Titan - Season 4 A rewatch commentary (because of course I have more things to say) Full manga spoilers (including the ending)

-i love aot, i'm tearing up :') top-notch story, top-notch animation throughout.

-aot only benefits from rewatches. they only add to the greatness

-you know. pre-time skip!eren would never in a million years have responded to falco by asking if the candidate that he doesn't want to see become a warrior is a girl. his mind just wasn't working that way- romantically. another clue that now romance is part of his life (or unrequited love. or whatever he has going on with mikasa, idk)

-aot has SUCH good music

-"declaration of war" is SO. GOOD.

-L I S T E N tho, when warhammer titan asks for eren's last words and he says "now, mikasa"... TECHNICALLY this applies to what his actual last words could have been had he spoken them.

-i wonder. if eren knows the future, is there any point when he's genuinely afraid for his life? isn't it a given that he'll live to do the rumbling? his surprised reactions when attacked must be just that, the instinctual reaction of surprise and the fear of pain, right? not fear for his life. i'd say, and that's totally a theory, that in marley he is actually worried, because he's only just starting to go on the offensive. but he makes it out, gets even more jaded and settled in his plan, and by the time pieck threatens him at gunpoint, he's seasoned enough to know she won't kill him. and then gabi does -technically- kill him, which he didn't foresee at all.

-the nerve of using galliard as a nutcracker, i'll never get over that

-yuki kaji is so good. i'm never gonna stop singing his praises.

-but why did shirtless wonder escape from prison shirtless? aesthetics aside

-little-shit-eren is lying to armin and mikasa through his teeth i cannot.

-eren's eyes in close-up look disdainful and pained at the same time, respect to the animators.

-the EMA restaurant scene always hurts me so much. so much. it legit makes me look forward to the ending for its (soft and low-key) resolution.

-i mean, eren's not lying to gabi, he actually thinks he can save falco by luring out pieck and co. avoiding an altercation would mean no scream, which would mean safe falco and a successfully incomplete rumbling, which would also mean a safe falco.

-i've been thinking, eren didn't expect marley to attack so soon. it wasn't part of the plan. so what was the plan? eren's plan for paradis didn't involve violence. shiganshina was evacuated, and arguably no one within the other walls would have to die - arguably they would have been held back by the yeagerists, had they not had to rush to shiganshina to fight. eren's going along with the wine plan was a safe option, because zeke was never supposed to scream in the first place; there weren't supposed to be titans and marleyans to fight, just a passage to shiganshina on the appointed time. no one on paradis was supposed to get hurt, or if they had to, the casualties were supposed to be minimal. this chaos and disaster was never the plan. "sit tight, shut up and wait until the gang stops me," basically.

-the satisfaction i get every time, when yelena tells titan eren to come out and not fight and he ignores her. so much satisfaction.

-i love how everyone in the main cast has so distinctive personalities. they’re not archetypes, they’re just distinctive people

-the last-ish shot of eren screaming in the op with his hair getting loose still lives rent-free in my head. it's so raw.

-i just find it interesting how eren is struggling so much (reiner is straddling him at the moment), and he still gasps and tells zeke to wait when he's about to scream, he still protects his people (or tries to). he's not unfeeling or indifferent, nor careless.

-("brothers" ep) i'm like "it's okay, you know what happens, you've watched it happen, aot can't hurt you anymore,” but this.fucking.hurts! i suffer!

-HOW DID I JUST NOTICE THAT EREN SEES MIKASA AND ARMIN FROM SCHOOL CASTES IN THE PATHS

-ah yes, grisha hugging the zeke-shaped air with the accuracy of... something. you get the point.

-the most unrealistic thing about aot is mikasa's scarf making it in one piece and seemingly unscathed until her old age.

-interesting how falco stabs himself with a nail to turn into a titan. he doesn't have the experience nor the unrelenting tenacity nor the wrath of the others to just chomp on his hand

-the "his and hers" ep hurts. a lot. (i don't even care what 4x28 is actually called, it's such a his-an'-hers ep)

-cool cool cool, baby eren woke up crying from his dream as he saw older eren being killed by mikasa in his founder form. nice. cool. this is fine. this is. great. sure.

-i really like the aot cast, man. everyone is so well-crafted, there's no weak character in this damn story.

-eren the paths!calls spammer

-on a side note, i don’t understand how some still believe that eren didn’t accomplish anything and that it was all meaningless. he accomplished all of his goals. he wiped out the titans, stopped the titan cycle, ensured long lives for (most of) his friends and peace for paradis for about a century at least, and he got to experience what he considered freedom. mission accomplished.