#their base dynamic is a lot more different

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

About Malleus new years card, given how heavily Japanese culture it goes into. It might be a hagoromo, a white cloth/scarf that floats in the air around a goddess. Given that Malleus is the strongest mage, it might be a symbolism of that. Even so it's used for goddess, Vil and a few others worn clothing meant for women. It wouldn't be unusual to be used for Malleus.

[Referencing this post!]

These asks are all about the fashion of the New Year’s Attire cards and how they relate to Japanese culture, so I thought to combine them ^^

Since I’m responding to three asks in one post and it takes a while to explain things, I’ve placed everything under the cut :> There’s a lot of discussion of Japanese clothing, culture. and folklore in this, so if you’re interested in those topics then you’re in for a treat!!

To the first ask: Though Twst is fairly gender fluid when it comes to dressing its characters, I'm certain that's not a 羽衣 (hagoromo/"feather garment/cloak"; typically worn by celestial women in Japanese mythos). Hagoromo are thinner, longer, and more scarf-like than what is depicted in Malleus's initial card art. You can tell that he's clearly got a sheet that covers his entire body there. The fabric also doesn't appear to be floating like a hagoromo would.

The first two images depict 被衣 (kazuki/katsugi); the latter two images depict 羽衣 (hagoromo); you can see there is a notable visual distinction between them.

To the second ask: It’s possible that the artists looked at kabuki fashion for inspiration, but they most likely did not base the entirety of the New Year’s Attire outfits on that alone. As Yana states in one March 2023 interview, she and her team try to avoid creating outfits that too closely resemble a single real-world culture or brand. To that end, they seem to pull their inspiration from many different cultures and time periods, which is why you'll see a mixture of traditional and modern Japanese elements in the New Year’s Attire.

歌舞伎 or Kabuki, for those who don't know, is classical form of Japanese theatre which mixes dramatic performances with traditional music and dance. I consulted with a few friends who are familiar with Japanese culture (hereby referred to as A-ko, B-ko, C-ko, and D-ko) about the topic and they had some enlightening information to share. Because I am not familiar with the art form or how to gauge it myself, I will be relaying the information provided by those friends in addition to my own research. A-ko informed me that kabuki used to be co-ed (or at least did feature women; the first kabuki troupe formed was all-women) and modern kabuki is all-men. As for the poses, B-ko remarked that they can be considered common "festival dance poses", not strictly kabuki poses. C-ko added, "[...] There is very little, if anything, kabuki-like about the New Year’s cards apart from possibly SOME of the poses [...] Jack is probably the most kabuki we’re going to get because of the dynamic palm thrust and gaudy composition of his attire."

Overall, the group seemed to agree that the New Year’s Attires lack the over-the-top expressions and elaborate costumes of kabuki. There’s also the more obvious lack of full-face stage makeup, but it’s kind of a given that Twst is wouldn’t go this route, especially since the context of these cards is helping out in a store and not putting on a dramatic performance.

On the topic of Malleus and oni (Japanese yōkai, demon, orc, ogre, or troll), I don't think he's intended to look like one??? Sure, he has the horns, but as B-ko said, "[Malleus] always has those horns." Very little in his actual outfit resembles the costume a kabuki actor playing the part of an oni would wear--unless you count the excessive black, as that's a color typically used for oni, but that black is usually paired with red. As for the hair styling, D-ko explained, "Oni usually don't have hair [...]". I find it interesting that some oni masks I found do seem to have hair, but it's usually very sparse omg balding!Malleus real???? and/or a middle part and not the sideways part that Malleus is sporting. Additionally, while oni do have horns, the shape of them is nothing like Malleus’s.

It's true that fur is rarely seen in historical Japanese clothes, but they don't seem to be that common in kabuki either?? According to C-ko, "fur and pelts [...] were a luxury few could afford. Thus, only those people decorated with furs would be royalty or individuals vying for power.

B-ko suggested that the reason why Jack wears fur in his New Year’s Attire isn’t to emulate Kabuki—which tends to feature fluffy wigs, like the one pictured below—but to emphasize his “wolf”-ness and to keep him warm from the cold. C-ko pointed out, however, that “[…] fur accents (like what Jack has) became the trademark for popular and celebrated figures [...] towards the end of the warring states period; when kabuki came into vogue, many plays were inspired by the lives of such personae as well as the legends surrounding them. This is why much of kabuki is characterized by the term basara—of grandeur and ostentatious eccentricity. The actors themselves would not have had access to furs, so they focused instead upon conveying that same sort of energy through their theatrics and outlandish couture. They still used substitutes, of course.” C-ko also added, “The most memorable kabuki roles feature things like fur—which many associate with kabuki.”

Finally, the group altogether said that, “Vil isn’t [dressed like] a geisha. His outfit bears no resemblance to what geisha wears.” 芸者 or Geisha are highly trained Japanese hostesses who entertain guests with song, dance, and conversation—furthermore, there’s a rigorous training process and a very specific appearance they take on. Makeup aside (if Twst is not doing kabuki makeup, why would they do geisha makeup?), a feminine figure and long, flowing kimono is not enough to get the “the look”. B-ko commented, “[…] Calling Vil [dressing like] a geisha just because he wore a feminine kimono […] Like, damn. Does that mean every woman who wears that style [of a] kimono is a geisha now?” It takes considerable time and dedication to achieve this to earn the title; it’s not meant to be taken lightly!

From D-ko, “Overall Vil’s outfit is kinda westernized.” This is due to the hat, gloves, bows, fishnets, and laced collar. A traditional geisha’s outfit lacks the bells and whistles that Vil’s design boasts. The silhouette also seems to be wrong. Why? “Because technically you try to make your silhouette as not curvy as possible when wearing a kimono,” but Vil’s silhouette appears more hourglass-like. The devil is in the details!!

Lastly, to the third ask: Going to skip over talking about Jack's umbrella pose and the kabuki inspiration, since I already addressed that earlier in this post! I'll briefly add that it's not for sure that Malleus is meant to be a certain thing unless Yana and/or her team come out and say it. B-ko agreed, saying "I don't think you can say Malleus is definitely [Ushiwakamaru], since I literally gave [other examples of what] he's dressed like [...] I can understand 'taking inspirations from', though..."

In the final ask, Anon remarks that Jack and Malleus's looks may be inspired by that of 弁慶 (Benkei) and 牛若丸 (Ushiwakamaru), two characters from Japanese folklore. Ushiwakamaru is the nickname of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, who, according to C-ko, "[...] fought and recruited his loyal vassal Benkei in a fabled confrontation on a bridge." While some elements of Jack and Malleus's New Year's Attires resemble what Ushiwakamaru and Benkei are usually depicted wearing--especially Malleus's veil--not all of it matches up. For example, as B-ko notes, "[...] what Malleus is wearing under the veil isn't what Usiwakamaru is wearing, but looks [like] more of a kannushi (神主/"divine��master (of ceremonies; often Shinto clergy)")." B-ko linked this site and recommended checking it out to make clothing comparisons; the kannushi garb was just an item they picked out for similarities on a cursory glance. This brings me back to a point I mentioned in the second ask: Twst's fashion takes inspiration from many sources and blends them.

"I think it really boils down to [Malleus and Jack] evoking the atmosphere of that famous [Ushiwakamaru and Benkei] print," C-ko continues. They drew comparisons between Malleus, a character twisted from Maleficent (commonly depicted with her raven Diablo), and Usiwakamaru, who is the disciple of a tengu {crow/raven yokai). They also compared Jack, a steadfast and virtuous individual, with Benkei, who is a monk with similar traits. Furthermore, in the famous folklore story, Benkei is depicted as having felled 999 men before facing off against Usiwakamaru, a supernatural force. So, like Jack, Benkei is a powerful combatant up against an even more powerful supernatural force, Usiwakamaru/Malleus.

jxxbisbsjJvsjsb I didn’t think we’d be talking about Japanese fashion, history, and folklore to this extent, but here we are 🤩 I hope that, if you’re reading this, maybe you learned something new and interesting from the post!! I know I certainly did while chatting up my friends.

P.S. Thank you to A-ko, B-ko, C-ko, and D-ko for their knowledge and perspectives! Couldn’t have written this without you.

[tarvek-sturmvoraus]

srsly i'd love to see tim come face to face with the same crises dick has faced when it comes to damian. the same ones we keep judging dick for (yeah me too, i'm guilty). we keep going on about how tim would've been a great mentor to damian and i have a lot of fun thinking about this too but when you think about it, would he really? can he really do better than dick? if the angry child decided to hurt someone and was successful, would tim be able to handle it with grace? i think he'd also be vulnerable to the temptation of bias. would he be able to keep on top of damian WHILE being batman? what if damian comes later on, and he ends up going after duke? wouldn't the same criticisms against dick apply to tim too?

guess i'm just curious about how you see tim reacting to the things dick has had to deal with.

i actually know very little about what dick had to deal with while he and damian were batman and robin and im only saying i think tim would have been a better mentor for damian based on personality vibes, probably a healthy dose of fanon, and also the fact that after like a year of dick mentoring him damian still tried to kill tim by cutting his grappling line. so apparently he didn't do that great a job!

maybe tim couldn't have done better, but he would have definitely done differently. first of all, i think he would have been more likely to reach damian on a logical level rather than emotional - explaining things like parts of the social contract from a strictly utilitarian standpoint on why he should adhere to those rules when damian doesn't or can't understand emotionally because he's a brainwashed child with no context in which to assign these things value.

i also think tim might have done better based on past experience with bruce, whose behavior while out of control after jason wasn't too dissimilar to how damian acts in the field, with a lack of impulse control and general recklessness on top of excessive force. from what i have seen of dick's run as batman, he tended to throw his hands up in exasperation and let damian do what he wanted a lot. maybe i'm wrong about the frequency of that, but we have a significant body of evidence that suggests if he were to take damian on as a responsibility, tim would never relent like that.

as far as all of this happening while tim is also batman instead of dick, i...don't see a major difference? if anything that might go more smoothly since if tim got the cowl, unless we're also swapping which character is going on brucequest (personally i like sending jason in tim's stead rather than dick), he'd have nightwing by his side to help with protecting the city, even if tim is taking charge of damian's training - which they might not have initially realized would also mean becoming damian's primary carer, just based on how that kid understands training/caretaking dynamics.

[indigosfindings]

updates having beaten the game

i also mentioned in my ttyd liveblog that that game's Big Interactive Set Pieces (like the punis and the glitz pit) drastically reduce in number after chapter 3, but spm keeps them through almost every chapter--the underchomp, the dorguys, etc appear pretty late in the game! tbh i get the sense that in terms of structure spm was designed a lot more holistically than ttyd was--hence the insane degree of foreshadowing

i know ive said this like twice already but i really really wish that more exploration stuff was unlocked by the acquisition of new pixls & characters. like, they consistently allow you to access things to complete their respective chapter, & they let you reach the next heart pillar, & that's basically it. it's particularly disappointing considering that it would take very little--toss a block cudge can break somewhere in chapter 3, or have a treasure room in flipside that you cant enter until you have carrie, or even put a peach-related thing in 7-1. then again, in the absence of badges & proper sidequests, what would the rewards even be? more catch cards???

the Chapter Padding/Imposed Backtracking continues to exist, & as i said about ttyd i think that it works best when theres a sufficiently charming framing (eg the overthere stair fruit thing) as opposed to when there's a more flimsy & perfunctory justification (like the hags essentially telling you "redo (part of) this level twice")--it's the difference between feeling like a genuine Quest vs like filling a clunky quota. the dimentio tag thing is like halfway between these two points

the underchomp is kind of fascinating. it's shockingly in-depth (there's interactions for every pixl???) for being essentially a one-off set piece that railroads you to victory

catch cards are mildly interesting but theyre the kind of collection task that's just too herculean to undertake--like, i can only do completionism up to a certain point, & if completing the list is going to rely on a LOT of chance-based rolls then i might as well just install genshin

women really are written in Some Kind Of Way (the hags, luvbi getting in verbal slapfights with tippi & peach, etc)

it would have been really easy to just make the 3d environments be the 2d environments With Extras, so im really glad that they pretty consistently make you lose access to 2d objects and/or add additional hazards

i have found it beneficial to the game experience to just actively Never use hp plus or power plus

"block meal" is so fucking funny

the overthere levels might be the ones where my attention wanders most--tbh ive never really cared for heaven, just like from an aesthetic standpoint

i will say though, the overthere has what might be my favourite background in the game (and that's saying something lol)...... the many, many parallax layers of interlocking circles function almost as an interactive study in adaptive composition

the bonechill fight is a bit of a letdown in contrast to the buildup

i said this before, but i really think all of the "doubled atk" effects ahouldve been +1 or +2 instead, or otherwise all the enemies & bosses shouldve had 1.5 or 2x the hp

the scene where luvbi "dies" was surprisingly heartfelt--her spat with grambi & jaydes produces a sense of emotional authenticity that really elevates the scene beyond the sum of its parts in a way that i dont think any mario game has even really attempted since. yesterday i watched it 2017 for the first time and throughout all the hollow, vapid dead-brother scenes i was struck by how comical that movie's failure to illustrate earnest grief & family dynamics was in comparison to a ~3 minute cutscene from super paper mario

on that note, i really like how after that heartfelt scene when grambi is like "please...... take care of the pure heart............" luigi is like "okeydokey." girl read the room

i LOOOOVVVEEE when dimentio is like "oh btw count, have you ever heard the name 'blumiere'~?" like he didnt gain anything from that it was just pure cattiness, im obsessed with him

i like how the subchapters of castle bleck are themed around their respective bosses--o'chunks's level is a gauntlet, mimi's level is full of tricks & traps, dimentio's level has puzzles & illusions, and bleck's level is like a final labyrinth

castle bleck is pretty similar to the palace of shadow insofar as theyre both largely linear gauntlets rather than "true" dungeons, yet for the most part i like castle bleck a lot better.... i think it's probably a mix of the platformer style being better suited to that kind of level design + the strength of the aesthetic

the final bosses are fun, especially super dimentio. the theme is great, and i LOVE the idea that luigi is like The Ultimate Darkness In Universe & that's just something we're not going to examine further or ever talk about again

between that and negative zone the nintendo wii really was just spoonfeeding luigi to matpat huh

the ending still makes me emotional as an adult! i cant rule out that nostalgia/carrying over the sentiments & attachments that i formed as a kid plays a large part in that, but i dont want to downplay the execution of the scene itself--it's sincere & evocative, it pays off a LOT of buildup, it plays to the attachments you form to the cast, and the music that plays in the wedding scene is gorgeous

nastasia is probably the saddest character. if only she couldve fixed him,,,

replaying super paper mario, sporadic thoughts post-chapter 2:

very easy so far--& although ttyd was also easy, spm's gameplay is sadly substantially less rich thab ttyd's was

having said that the game design in spm is! unrelentingly charming!! the use of platforming as a framework for a varied stream of stage styles (straightforward levels, dungeons, towns, the entire 2-3 Situation) is creative in a way that imo predicts the sort of things the mario maker community later ended up making. chapter 2's set pieces in particular are extremely quirky (the rooms with traps, the rubee thing, the mazelike basement, the merlee game show lmao)

few platformers have boss fights that feel like genuine Combat, so that's pretty cool

i will confess that as a First Dungeon, yold ruins doesnt have half the sauce of hooktail castle--it's much more linear in layout, with far less of that zelda-y "explore & comprehend the space" principle that made ttyd's dungeons hit

in a similar vein, it's kind of crazy how tippi has like a fraction of the personality that goombella had. it's a bit sad for the character doing the vast majority of the talking to just.... not really have any opinions on anything

the momentum of the chapters likewise means very few npcs ever get to stick out. like, even the "first town crotchety old mayor" character was a total one-and-done, one dialogue and you never have a reason to speak to him again (mostly just speaks to the game structure, which is as mentioned a bold enough exercise that i feel i cant really fault it for that)

bringing up a menu to use items In A Platforming Context is not at all natural to me, so im finding myself just not really using them

this game is a masterclass in visual design imo. the npcs & enemies & pixls being made of primitives that reconfigure themselves into different shapes really elevates the interplay of 2d & 3d, the backgrounds/environments are extremely aesthetically satisfying (the Mathmosphere in lineland, the optical illusion in the sky in gloam valley, all of castle bleck), & i love how the constant "digital/tech" motif (eg the "dragging selection boxes to flip/teleport", the trees & shrubs looking like something youd make in ms paint, etc) is an ingenious progression of paper mario's core aesthetic design

dimentio is so fun

the inter-chapter dialogue flashbacks are surprisingly earnest? for such a tongue-in-cheek game where almost every line of dialogue contains a joke of some kind, those exchanges feel humourless & sincere. that probably contributes to the Space the game occupies in all of our memories lol

i ADOOOORE nastasia

likewise it was really interesting how peach's "escape" sequence after chapter 1 was (while, again, still extremely sardonic) aesthetically & narratively framed with such a sense of Hopelessness. that's not to say like "woahh this mario game is 10x darker than you thought!!!!", more that it's just not a space the series commonly ventures into

the Ancients stuff is being leaned into extremely hard lol. ttyd mostly teases at that kind of "mysterious rpg lore" thing peripherally (the riddle tower inscriptions, grifty, etc) so it's interesting how spm puts it front & centre in contrast, without ever sacrificing the sense of mystique

this game really highlights how interesting the wiimote is as a controller--pressing the A button while holding it sideways (ie removing your left thumb from the direction input to press a button) is something that i cant think of any other controller doing, & it projects onto that button a really interesting sense of, like, Valence

it's the kind of game that seems to beg for one of thsoe posts like "things that ACTUALLY HAPPEN in _____"

[goblins-riddles-or-frocks]

Some Nosferatu (2024) thoughts, with spoilers:

The movie felt much more in conversation with Dracula than either Nosferatu movie. And my common complaint about the former is that Dracula is the weakest part of Dracula, which I think ended up being applicable here

Whereas in Nosferatu, Orlok tends to be a much more dynamic and present character. But the interpretation in Nosferatu (2024) is very flat. Orlok is a force of nature, and I kind of get what they were going for with the line “I am appetite” but I was very much missing the Herzog film’s horrible sort of shame and vulnerability. I also just disliked the accent and emotionless delivery

I did enjoy how they built a sense of unease by cutting suddenly ahead. Seeing Orlak standing to Thomas’ left several feet away and then suddenly reaching around him on his right. The jump from Thomas being at the table to suddenly sitting by the fire

I liked most of the film’s handling of Thomas’ time at the castle and how terrified he was. Nicholas Hoult portrayed petrifying fear and helplessness very well. The dinner sequence with Orlok was very much just from Dracula, but I enjoyed how quickly and sincerely Hoult managed to sell that he was at the point of shaking and weeping in fear by the time Orlok approaches him

That being said the portrayal of Transylvania was… more xenophobic than most. It leaned fully into all the stereotypes which is disappointing for a movie that came out in 2024

I liked Ellen a lot. I enjoyed how much the movie was solely her story. She felt a bit like a bargain brand Vanessa Ives, which, I’ll take it! I did enjoy how the movie handled her relationship with Orlok and it as a metaphor for enduring trauma essentially

The costuming was very good and there were some very fun shots. I didn’t love the color grading and lighting quite frankly and there were a couple of pretty cheap jump scares

Willem Dafoe was a great Van Helsing (Van…Franz? i think?) he was a fun merging of the eccentricities I enjoyed in the 1992 Dracula take, but was definitely a kinder, more empathetic portrayal. He also just had several very funny line deliveries

Aaron Taylor Johnson’s was the standout performance to me actually. I think he brought a lot of dimension to a very generic role while being mindful that he was just a side character. And his unraveling by the end was well done. I was expecting something more to come of him having the odd bit about snatching his hand away from Lily Rose Depp every time she tried to touch him

Ellen’s Vanessa Ives vibe, and there being a general theme of sexual repression, made me think it was going to be revealed that he was attracted to her and treating her poorly for that reason? But nothing really came of that entire plot thread or the larger focus on him being like a condescending patriarch. But he was a fun character!

I liked the ending decently. Though the imagery was simply not as arresting as the Herzog film’s iconic closing shot. I felt in general, that ending with Ellen sacrificing herself was the only real reason this was a Nosferatu adaptation rather than a Dracula adaptation. And I appreciated that as the linchpin of the movie.

Also the choice to never show Orlak’s face lit clearly until the sun shone on him was a very interesting one. And I enjoyed the unflinching emphasis on how much of a corpse he is. Though at times those elements and effects felt very glossy standard horror to me?

Ellen as a doomed protagonist, coming to terms with her this fact, had some shades of Laura Palmer in Fire Walk With Me. The plot and the realization that it’s either her or everyone succumbing to plague/Orlak running free to kill as he pleases felt much more structured and explicitly stated? Which I don’t mind at all, but it’s an interesting difference next to the more surreal vibes based progression of the two Nosferatu movies. In this sense it reminded me more of Penny Dreadful in how much everything was concrete and characters discussed each realization and its repercussions

[23z567]

ok guys dont kill me i need to do some oc posting

[egophiliac]

Since book 7 part 5 (the part where we meet Meleanor/Maleanor 👀) is coming to EN this month, i would love to see your take on lilia’s proposal to meleanor! i mean they were like little kids right? it couldn’t have been that serious…i think the only reason she even brought it up again is because she could tell lilia still genuinely loved her…(even if he didn’t realize it himself?) but, oh well! Let’s think about silly childhood shenanigans to numb the pain! ^_^ (orz)

oh shit?! get ready for a doozy guys, it's comiiiiiing ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

I chickened out of posting the whole thing (look, I get VERY carried away when it comes to these wacky kids and their Tragedy), but I do believe that it probably ended with Lilia getting embarrassed and just shoving the first thing he sees into his mouth to try and cover for it.

(we're just lucky it wasn't a frog this time)

[eternallethologica]

We’ll start with BEYBLADE!! horray

1. The burst anime, which I watched at the age of ten in my basement for the first time in November.

2. THE SICK GIMMICKS!! In other words, the differences in playstyle and design intricately inserted into each individual bey. Fafnir is sick, Spryzen Requiem still makes me want to jump when I think about it, and variaries will always be my beloved

3. Generally happy, though I find difficulties when people have particularly set-in beliefs about parts of the franchise ise I disagree with. It is hard to get along with them because the things we appreciate are fundamentally opposed to eachother. Best to leave them alone.

4. Depends. Might introduce them to the third generation anime, or a custom-made clip compilation showcasing the value and strengths of the burst series. For me, the moment beyblade clicked was when I launched my first beyblade onto the sidewalk just weeks after my introduction to the show. It just felt right, like a stirring feeling inside me that kept me launching and thinking (about) beyblades. From then on, I hyper-focused almost solely on beyblades, until the tragic day my dad had me sell them all. I like to battle a newbie with fun, dynamic, and showy beyblades from the first two seasons of the anime (a chekov’s gun that will fire given continued interest in the franchise). If they enjoy the battle, then they should get into it. If not, then it’s a shame. So, watch the burst anime, and get in a battle with a beyblade you think looks cool.

5. Alright, lots of exposition time. Here we go. Free De La Hoya debuted in the second episode of the evolution season of the burst generation of beyblade (yes all of that is real and important distinctual lingo). His beyblade is Drain Fafnir, andnajajuahahanjajakaka. It’s a stamina type that spins counterclockwise, a rarity in the beyblade world. In the first battle Free gets in with his bey, against the MAIN CHARACTER by the way, he doesnt launch his bey. Like, in the spinning tops game, he just fucking sets it down in the arena, raw dog, no spin. MC launches his bey, hits the non-spinning bey and… it doesn’t do anything. No, wait, it did do something. The attack set Fafnir into motion. See, fafnir has the ability to use the rubber on it’s sides to dampen incoming attacks and gain spin speed from the rotation of the opposing bey, like cogs in a machine. My guy, nonchalantly, just tanks every single possible attack from the opponents and speeds up. He cannot loose unless the opposing beyblade has an attack that can peirce or ovveride his rubber, or if the opponent spins counterclockwise aswell. But you think the gimmick is all he has? Nah, he’s practically top of the verse. This STAMINA type bey, a type that’s supposed to have zero attack potential and little defensive power, has crazy attacks, and can tank nearly everything. He casually one-shots a top-five character without breaking a sweat, one-hit burst finish. When he actually does launch, he’s crazy strong. Like, absurd levels of power. He has no launch gimmick whatsoever, just insane. See, in his fight against Lui Shirosagi, who uses an ATTACK type, counterclockwise spinning bey (a double disadvantage) who is easily top of the verse at this time, he does the sickest shit i’ve ever seen. The tip of his beyblade has a spring in it, you see, called the nothing tip. The intended purpose of this is to negate the spin damage taken via a hard landing with the stadium floor. The springs retract, and contract with the landing, causing the damage taken to be elegant, practically ‘nothing’. Anyway, as you know how physics works, the faster you spin, the more downward force you generate. this force caused the springs to slowly go in, retracting the rounded part of the tip past the base and into it, leaving nothing but a flat tip, an attribute of an attack type bey. So, out of nowhere, this nonchalant mf’s bey just locks down and breaks out with unreactable speed. Super fast, super cool, iajaiaiailove it yayyy. Anyway, he lost that fight, cause Lui has a sick bey and even sicker plot armor, thats just life. These tricks are somewhat realistic though. Spin steal is a real thing in real life competitive play, though there it is known as “spin equalization” as two interlocked cogs of equal size cannot have varying speeds. The nothing driver actualy allows you to trigger a nothing break in a match, with a crazy good launch or a perfectly-hit slope-rise, which is AWESOME! There is much more about Free but thats the basics.

6. Every since I was 10, a time gap I cannot disclose. No doxxing myself here.

7, yesyesyesyesyes. I also have a near encyclopedic knowledge about anything to do with modern psychology including clinical and neurological studies, and a deep love of fighting. love boxing, love kickboxing, love BJJ, wrestling, muay thai, taekwondo, all of it. It’s the only physical activity that is fun to partifipate in. A fight is a beautiful game of strategy and execution and finding openings in my opponent, knocking them out is the best feeling ever. Every single second deserves reflection, you can improve and master every micro-decision in a fight. Getting hurst and beat up in a fight is fun too. Love psych, beyblade, and fighting, along with a mild interest in fighting games and chess

8. Cringe, womp womp

9. How difficult and expensive it is to acquire beyblades of a specific type and caliber. Are you a collector! Well, good luck. Are you a collector 5 years in the future? You are dead in the water. i’m too poor to collect, so odds are i’ll never get to own those pieces of my childhood again. that is truly a tragedy

10. uhhhhh nobody will talk about them w/me. sometimes pseudo-psychological typology systems with outsiders, because they are easy to explain and apply, even if their statistical and logical backing is patchy and flawed. nope. not many, or nobody

Special interest ask game!

What first got you into your special interest?

What is your favourite part about your special interest?

Does it make you happy or sad when other people have the same special interest as you?

If someone wanted to get into your special interest for the first time, where would you recommend they start?

Share something cool about your special interest with us?

How long have you had this special interest?

Have you had any other special interests before? What were they?

Do other people usually find your special interest cool, or do they think its cringey/offputting?

Are there any parts of your special interest that you dont like?

Who is your favourite person to talk about your special interest with? (If they're on tumblr, tag them!)

[bonefall]

If Sasha had left Hawk and Moth with Thunderclan or Shadowclan do you think Tigerstar would have been able to sink his claws that deeply into Hawk?

In ShadowClan, perhaps. Blackstar starts doing his damnest to stamp support for Tigerstar and his ideas out, but Ratscar is a clever cat. A clever, charming one. I can see him easily leveraging his charm to earn Hawkfrost as an apprentice, or the other Thistle Law supporters coalescing around their "young heir."

There would be less chance of Tigerstar getting his claws deep into his boy than RiverClan, which actively has NO reckoning and is deeply politically divided.

Meanwhile, it would be extremely unlikely in ThunderClan. ThunderClan as a whole HATES Tigerstar. Being part of his legacy is NOT something Hawkfrost would have been raised with-- and I can honestly see Sasha, if she realized ThunderClan was a good place to go, ALSO developing a pretty significant bond with Goldenflower.

...Thinking about it, it really would have been the Good Ending for Sasha here. Goldenflower would have learned about everything and felt a deep need to protect Sasha. Tigerclaw took EVERYTHING from her, and she immediately moved to reject him, but he still managed to convince her daughter to leave her side. TOOK Tawnypaw from her, and KILLED their oldest son Swiftpaw.

Learning that Tigerclaw went on to use Sasha would make Golfy sick. She doesn't have to think through it logically to know, deep in her gut, that what Tigerclaw liked about Sasha was that he could control this one. That Sasha was her replacement, to birth him kits he could own. Stealing her own child wasn't enough-- he wanted ones he could instill loyalty in from the very beginning.

There's a precious memory in her mind, of when their daughter Lynxkit caught greencough. Everyone knew she wasn't going to survive. Tigerclaw took his little kit, so small he could cradle her in his paws, and he hummed her to sleep for the last time. EVERY moon, she learns something that cracks that memory a little deeper, a little further, and one day she feels that she will loose one of the most meaningful images she has of her lost child.

How can she reconcile that image, to the trembling, half-starved woman who stands before her? This thin-boned rogue, who believes she is selfish and stupid for the egregious sin of losing a child while desperately trying to raise them alone?

Hawkkit and Mothkit would have had a very different upbringing. I also don't know if Sasha would have vanished back into the wilderness. World hard and cold. Golfy soft and warm.

[dairyfreenugget]

It's not theft if I'm stealing from myself 😎

Also I'd like to thank my friend Saturno and my patreons for enabling my poor financial decision that is buying two closed species MYO tickets

Vernids and base were made by lilaira

[razzledazzletrassh]

no major fic updates just yet guys TAKE MY WOY OC I MADE LIKE. April of last year IM PLUGGING SOME INFO ABOUT THIS GUY IN THE TAGS.

I may also redesign her soon or something. Make her more bug-like with some stuff. I can cook guys let me cook !!!

[cent-scratchnsniff]

More sketchy employee profile images. Mostly made to be able to replace the picrew I had in the template I made since I can draw. I did end up just putting it as back and white though but the color is just nice to have. I'm STILL trying to tweak the template since it is very finicky and there is an example of what it looks down below if you're interested. It is a lot. It will happen. I am just not the quickest

There are typos and inconsistencies I missed but in general it should be fine...

[intersex-support]

Hello! I have a question: Would it be okay for me to describe myself as questioning intersex if I suspect I may have an intersex condition but haven't been able to see anyone about it?

I was assigned female at birth, but I've experienced a lot of anomalies since I began puberty, such as very inconsistent periods (around 2-3 a year, which are always very short), proper visible hair above my lips (along with beard hair, but it's a lot thinner and much harder to notice), and external body changes such as widening hips never occurred. A lot of "female" clothes don't fit correctly, and I've always had much better luck with anything from the men's department. I can't wear a dress without constantly getting misgendered, and misgendering is something I've dealt with all my life honestly (much worse when I was still in school, but I still encounter it).

I've never known what could cause it, although I'm aware I have some medical history when I was an infant (although I don't really know what for). This is something I've wanted to find out more about, but my (cishet male) doctor has never taken me seriously, dismissing all my concerns. I'm hopefully moving GPs soon, but the waiting list there is long and I don't know when I'll see someone considering it's not urgent. So, is it okay for me to describe myself as questioning intersex and interact with the community in the meanwhile?

Hi anon!

This is just my personal opinion--other intersex people might disagree and are allowed to disagree.

I personally think it's okay for people who are questioning being intersex to say that they're questioning intersex/suspecting being intersex /on the intersex diagnosis journey etc etc etc. However, I do think that people who are questioning intersex should be sure that they are being considerate in intersex community spaces, being honest and not misrepresenting themself, and being careful not to talk over people or overstep boundaries.

I think it's really important to there to be places that people who are questioning intersex to find accurate information, and to get support on navigating a very complicated and biased medical system. And in truth, there is just so few information and resources out there that if questioning intersex people want that type of advice, information, and support, of course they're going to come to intersex community spaces and look there! And I feel pretty strongly that part of intersex justice is figuring out ways to get medical power into the hands of intersex people--part of that comes from giving our communities the tools they need to discover that they might be intersex. So that's why I think it's important for there to be spaces welcoming of intersex people, and why I think it's okay for people to express that they're questioning.

That being said, I also understand why there are other intersex people who don't always want every space to be one that's completely open. I think it's important for questioning people not to speak over other intersex people, not to position themself as an authority in subjects that they're just starting to learn about, not overtake all conversations to be about questioning or the diagnosis process, and not overstep peoples specific boundaries in terms of joining specific groups, such as ones that are specifically for people who've survived IGM if they haven't experienced that. (all real examples of things i've seen.) In general, I think most intersex people will be really welcoming to questioning people as long as you're just honest about what you're experiences and show up as your authentic self, rather than trying to mislead people or represent something that isn't true about your experience.

So long story short, I think it's totally okay as long as you're considerate when interacting in intersex spaces! Feel free to check out more of the resources on this page for information to help you on your questioning process, and good luck!

[amelikos]

Thinking about how Onyx and Sango's first scene together had Sango complaining that he had to tag along with her when Hamber told them both to accompany him to the castle back in HZ024.

Yet they are both pretty much constantly shown attached at the hip. Hanging out together, being together during and outside work, oddly being the most domestic in their group (they know each other's quirks and habits and call each other out on them), implied to get food together (not shown but still, Horizons has a theme of sharing food with those you care about and food as a means of connection). Basically, both of them staying together even when they don't really have to.

[bldwspr]

if i keep seeing people nominate small guy as bottom and big guy as top i am actually going to explode.

[averlym]

which is gayer? SIX or Adamandi (real)

adamandi

[mozart-the-meerkitten]

me, reading more of Humanity, a Phineas and Ferb dystopian AU recently: hmm, little redheaded boy who has endured Horrors, hiding from and fighting a corrupt government with help from a fierce(ly loyal) hybrid creature? sounds familiar....

AU Phineas and my OC Oliver from The SOS Chronicles! I think they would get along great. 💜 Oliver would 100% be down for helping Phineas escape an oppressive regime, even though he has 99 of his own problems.

"It's going to be okay." "What is?" "Everything. Not all at once and not right away, but it will be." "How do you know?" "Because I was a slave and I escaped, and you're brave enough and smart enough to escape too."

Meanwhile, while the boys are having a heart to heart...

... Perry and Silvie are a little less sure about each other. Don't worry, they'll be friends as soon as Silvie realizes Perry is as committed to keeping Phineas safe as she is to protecting her friends.

"Are you very brave and fierce too?" "Krrrrr." "And you keep your weak boy safe?" "KrrrrRRRrrrr!" "... Okay. We can be friends. I am Silvie." "Krrrrr." "I think I am supposed to say nice to meet you now, so it is nice to meet you." "Krrrrrrrrr. 👍"

But wait I hear (absolutely no one) asking, where's the rest of the SOS gang? Where are Silas and Cassie? Well...

They got separated from their friends, crawled through some vents, saw one of AU Doof's machines blow up in his face, and he was so upset that Cassie felt bad for him and crawled out of the vents (with Silas trying to stop her) to find out what went wrong with the machine.

"Look, there's two wires on the main circuit board that were swapped, that's why the machine blew up. It wasn't your fault, it was just an accident." "Th-thank you? But you still haven't told me how you got here?" "Through the vents! :D" "Cassie!" "No, I mean... children are illegal. How did you get here?" ".... you hear that Silas? We're criminals on two worlds now! :D" "That's not something to be excited about, Cassie! And what do you mean "children are illegal"?!"

Not pictured: Almitak having a mental breakdown in a corner of Oliver's mind because "NOW THERE'S MORE OF THEM?!"

I'm overall pleased with how these came out! Sideways people are a struggle for me, so having almost ALL of them be like that was, uh, a challenge. But I think for the most part they turned out well. I'm happy with all the expressions except Silvie's, which just confounded me, but Silvie's just a hard character to draw in general, so there's that. Also Silas' face isn't quite right but I couldn't figure out how to fix it (he's also too short shhh). On the plus side Oliver looks extremely empathetic and I LOVE Phineas' expression Idk how I did them so well. Also Cassie just looks tiny and adorable.