#there was so much background expression in this scene it was phenomenal

[18catsreading]

Alex/Kingskin: as we're leaving, is Doug still by the door, or has he --

Brennan: Doug is still by the door as you walk out.

Alex/Kingskin: i whisper to him, pull a car near the station downtown. We'll see you in a bit.

Brennan/Doug: you got it. [As Bennan]: you see as he looks at you, he also looks at you Usha and goes

[as Doug]: hey, can i have a hug goodbye?

Rehka/Usha/G13: i don't hug

Ally: oh my fucking god!

Brennan/Doug: okay [as Brennan]: he waoks away

Alex/Kingskin: hey, wait, hey

Izzy: [unintelligible] with something?

Alex/Kingskin: i do a side hug for Doug

Brennan: yea, he gives you a little thing. He goes [as Doug]: that hurt so bad.

Alex/Kingskin: hey don't take it personal. Don't take it personal.

Brennan/Doug: that hurt so bad

Alex/Kingskin: he's going through something

Jacob: it's probably like a handoff situation

Rehka: oh he's going to hug me to slip me something helpful?

Ally: that's the vibe I got

Jacob: or take something that we don't want missing

Rehka: got it. Should i do that?

Jacob: its too late

Ify: too late

Ally: i think you have to make out with him now. Now he's insulted.

Brennan: yeah

Rehka: i didn't read the cues. The incel vibe is taking over.

Jacob: i think that's fair

Ally: i think you're allowed to do whatever you want and there's no wrong answer

Jacob: you made the right choice and i'm sorry to make you doubt that.

Ally: yeah, same

Jacob: i apologize

Rehka: can i try to call him back and give him these items?

Brennan: You're just right there, it took three seconds, the whole interaction, so you're still right there.

Rehka: give him what?

Jacob: your call. I shouldn't have put that on you.

Rehka: no!

Jacob: i apologize

Ally: i screamed "oh my fucking god" afterwards, and i'm not proud of that, because i really respect you as a player.

Ify: i don't like the decision.

Jacob: silent!

Rehka: okay! Okay!

Ally: and the adventuring party starts now!

Rehka: okay, okay.

Ally: no, you're an incel. Someone's like "can i have a hug" and you're like -

Rehka: but you know what?

Jacob: don't hug me

Rehka: what about --

Alex: no

Rehka: a firm handshake?

Brennan/Doug: who are you, my dad?

Rehka: makes this amazing confused/derisive face

Brennan/Doug: face crumples into the saddest fucking expression ever

Jacob: fuck, Doug, no!

Rehka: G13 has one moment where he thinks about it --

Jacob: no, Doug!

Alex: Doug!

Brennan/Doug: we just weren't a hug house.

Izzy: fuck, Doug.

Ally: if this ends up just being a hug, Brennan.

Brennan: face twitches, almost loses it, continues to look super fucking sad

Ally: Brennan! If this ends up just being a hug for Doug,

Brennan: makes a reallllly coquettish expression and does his cute hands pose to peace signs

Ally: and i've done this to Rehka, my friend

Brennan: cute uwu shrug

Rehka: because Usha is not full incel yet --

Brennan: yea

Ally: you're gonna make it just a hug! I can feel it!

Rehka: she gets these cues from her friends that are like, these items might go missing

Brennan: shrugs mischievously at Ally

Rehka/Usha/G13: i'm too thin, i don't have enough ass cheek to hide this in my ass or anything

Alex/Kingskin: i now don't think we can trust Doug. Doug's being weird.

Rehka/Usha/G13: you're giving me brain melt. He gives you a very firm, firm handshake, and slips these items to you.

Alex: oy vey

Izzy: fuck me

Brennan: holds up the box of doom. Call evens or odds.

Rehka: evens [rolls a 12]

Brennan/Doug: hell yea, boss. With my family, it was never just a hug.

Alex: what does that mean?

Rehka/Usha/G13: that means that his family always had hugs that involved slipping information. G13 does look at Doug, this flash it realizing what it does look like for someone to not have outside works connections. Its not quite dawning on him yet because Usha is kind of becoming G13. But there's a flash of it.

Brennan: as you hand this away, Doug, who you see is basically not being handled by the FBI, he is just sort of being shunted off to the local police who you think Doug can probably handle. He takes this, slides it in. You no longer have your MacGuffin.

A light on the table goes from green to red. 🚨

[tuffmallowinteractive]

Tuff Mallow Update 4/18/24

Let's talk about all the things.

I've always been a "tell you like it is" person to a fault. I have never had a problem being direct, even if it has been awkward sometimes communicating.

So if I haven't had anything to say, you can be sure something serious is up.

Most recently I moved. And it was necessary. I was in a previous living situation that made game dev nearly impossible. I'd kept trying though, even as the world was crashing around me, while trying to keep up a front that everything was good. My dev friends were like "JmB, things are not okay."

It was a hard pill to swallow. So I doubled my efforts, took on more work and finally moved and wow have things been moving fast since then!

I went to GDC 2024!!

Having peace of mind in my own home was already awesome, but then the opportunity to go to GDC arose and I couldn't turn it down! I traveled to San Francisco and attended the week long event for people of the gaming industry, via a scholarship initiative by Black Voices in Gaming! I learned so much and made so many connections with talented phenomenal game industry professionals. But most importantly, I came to understand that this little Mallow has a place in the gaming industry. That the way I am is valid. That I don't need to be perfect, and that other game professionals want to see other creatives succeed and are also actively working towards that goal. It was inspiring and humbling and I never felt more a part of a community. It just reminds me to try harder to build up the creatives around me because if we all come up together, we come up strong!

Well Now We Are Back in Action!

I am back home. Finally stabilizing a workable schedule. And finally able to finish the things I promised! I owe people content!

- The Closet Door main release

- Background art to clients

- Chibi art to a supporter

- Some art for upcoming jam releases (shhhh)

There's so much going on this month!

I want so desperately to promise that TCD will be out next month- I mean all I have to do is finish coding the game in!

But for now...

I'm just taking it one step at a time.

You'll definitely know when I release this game (as well as announce the other projects I've been fortunate to be a part of, as well as the solo projects I've been working on behind the scenes. Because I am SO READY!!

As soon as I can officially make a beta version of The Closet Door (late April or Early May), things will move pretty fast! So at that time I hope you will still be with me on this journey, as it's been hell for us all getting here. I'll most likely announce it on all media channels.

Professionals Do... Their Best

I'm thankful. Always thankful. I would never have made it this far without the kindness people have shown me.

I am not perfect.

Professionals are not perfect. And I refuse to attempt perfection anymore, as I've learned just how toxic that can be to anyone's physical and mental health.

Best believe at any point that I am striving to do the best I can. I will always give the best of what I've got to my work and to others if I can help in any way.

And I will continue to strive towards being genuine and expressing those beliefs in everything I do and make.

I probably won't post another very personal dev post like this again. But it needed to be said.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm AlwaysJmB.

And I am doing my best. 💗

Until next time~

[tequiilasunriise]

Okay more screaming about Wednesday specifically THAT moment during the final ep:

Enid walks out of a forest, covered in blood and wounds from her previous battle for her life. Enid was shown to be (incredibly justifiably) afraid of creepy shit like exploring spooky ass mansions or going in the woods, but homegirl did not hesitate to RUN through those dark, murder-filled woods in order to find Wednesday. I believe her wolfie form was triggered by not just the powerful blood moon, but also her deep sense of protectiveness over Wednesday. Like, she literally JUMPKICKED Hyde!Tyler’s ass when he was choking out her moon even though this is her first shift and she has no prior experience with controlling her wolfed out state. That’s…. Pretty fucken gay and the fight scene was pretty fucken AWESOME with how visceral it got. Apollo really looked at the ao3 fics we were pumping out and said, “Bet.”

Furthermore, the fact that Wednesday instantly recognized Enid in the midst of all of this adrenaline rushing and shadowy scenery? How Enid initially snarled at Wednesday but seemed to pause and calm down a little upon recognizing her ? Calming down to the point where our beloved ray of sunshine got distracted mid-fight and gave Tyler an opportunity to strike back? Also super fucken mega gay behavior, like yes Enid my darling that’s your girl I know you were so worried over her bUT MY GOD FOCUS ON THE SERIAL KILLER RIGHT BEHIND YOU BABYGIRL I KNOW THIS IS YOUR FIRST SHIFT BUT GODDAMN!!!

I will never shut up about the Hug Scene™️ and its buildup. Enid stumbling out of the woods all blood covered and even though she’s in Ajax’s arms she isn’t like, “Thank god you’re safe” or whatever. No, she takes one look around and immediately asks in a soft, shaky voice, “Where’s Wednesday?” AND THAT TINY MOMENT OF DISTRESS ON HER FACE WHEN NO ONE ANSWERS HER. ARGH. EMMA PLLEASSEEE YOURE FEEDING US SO WELL. When Enid sees Wednesday walking out she a) is the first one to even recognize Wednesday’s silhouette against the fog b) HER IMMEDIATE RELIEF IS SO PLAIN TO SEE ON MY GOD c) does not hesitate to pull away from Ajax and fucken sprint into Wednesday’s arms.

The.

Slow.

Motion.

THE SLOW MOTION YOUR HONOR.

Gods, that just emphasized the sheer gravity of this moment SO MUCH, after so many attempts to hold her moon close Enid finally says, “FUCK IT” and goes right in because fer all she knew Wednesday could have been dead by now. The way she tightly embraces Wednesday before pulling back with so much relief and T E A R S, my god Emma you understood the assignment so well. Wednesday’s wide-eyed stare shifting into equally intense passion as she suddenly pulls Enid back to into her arms and they just CLING to each other with amazing shots of how emotional their expressions are. So fucken full of love and relief and wanting. I especially love the way you can see everyone in the background smiling at the pair. Shit dude, even Ajax shared a knowing look with another student, like even HE knows that Wenclair reigns supreme. The whole school be approving of Wenclair fr fr they witness this devotion-filled hug scene and collectively go, “Yeah, those two belong together. We ship it.”

The hug was so fucken tender. My god. It was a choice made by both of them, a choice both Enid and Wednesday made with equal fervor. They didn’t need words anymore, Jenna’s phenomenal acting gave Wednesday a longing stare that said it all. The way Enid’s hands spread across Wednesday’s back as she clings close, Wednesday’s eyes squeezing shut as if she’s just begging for this moment to last without any visions to get in the way. The final shot of the two embracing with her heads tucked so firmly into the crook of the other’s neck. Seriously, I’ve read some VERY top tier Wenclair fanfics, but none were as so potently, “Fuck… I almost lost this. I almost lost her” as the canon Hug Scene™️. I was losing hope for any Wenclair goodness that could balance out the sheer throw up that was Enid and Ajax making out, but the Hug Scene™️ literally broke into my house, dragged me outta my bed by my scruff, and went about beating the living shit outta me in my own kitchen at 5 am in the morning and it was AMAZING. Wenclair Slowburn Truthers rise up, because my god do we have a solid foundation to work with.

[clarinartiste]

Let’s talk about “A Guy Like You”

This might be an unpopular opinion(??) but I genuinely think that “A Guy like You” is a really sweet song, but it was put in the worst possible place that it could have been. I also want to say, I believe that part of appreciating a piece of media is also exploring criticism of it, and I love this movie a lot. I say this with all the love in my heart.

Thoughts and suggestions below!!

I feel like it has merit as an encouraging song for Quasimodo and his self-esteem. I think it’s well written, well composed, and the voices sound great. It definitely has good intentions for Quasi. But it’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, and like I’ve said before, it absolutely kills the momentum of “Hellfire” and the burning of Paris.

“Heaven’s Light” leading into “Hellfire” is SO masterfully done, I absolutely love how it contrasts Quasimodo and Frollo, and the music and animation is phenomenal. And keeping up the frightening visuals and motives expressed in “Hellfire,” Frollo and his obsessive hunt for Esmeralda is also amazingly executed, with the Latin background singing and the fiery imagery really adding to the terror of the scenes.

This is the pivoting point in the film where Stuff Gets Extra Serious, and if we went directly from the hunt through Paris to the part where Esmeralda brings an injured Phoebus to Quasimodo, it would have kept up that tension so well. Combine that with the brilliantly done—and very tense—scene with Frollo visiting Quasimodo with grapes, the urgency to warn Esmeralda in the Court of Miracles, the Court of Miracles scene, and the stellar climax of the film, and you get a second half of the movie that feels faster and even more dramatically intense than the first half, a natural movement of the story pushing forward.

I feel like it would make more sense if it was placed before “Heaven’s Light” and “Hellfire,” after Quasimodo helps Esmeralda escape. Like, after Quasimodo makes Phoebus leave, the gargoyles congratulate him, “Way to go, lover boy!” Quasimodo bashfully protests, “Lover boy? Oh, no, no. Look, I appreciate what you’re all trying to do, but let’s not fool ourselves. Ugliest face in all of Paris, remember? I don’t think I’m her type.” To which the gargoyles respond by trying to raise his hopes up, encouraging him by singing “A Guy Like You” (of course, adjusting the lyrics with Paris being on fire, which are not fitting for the plot right now)

Have “A Guy Like You” as this fun, bombastic song hyping up Quasimodo. Then, in a quiet aside, Quasimodo inwardly continues to express some doubts about his chances of being with Esmeralda, while still holding on to his wistful and innocent hope. He sings about his romantic desires in a more soft and gentle way with “Heaven’s Light.” And cut out the gargoyle parts during “Heaven’s Light” so we can have a greater emphasis on Quasimodo singing, focusing on his affection and appreciation for Esmeralda. Which then, in turn, is sharply contrasted with “Hellfire” and Frollo’s emotional torment and obsessive lust.

I watched the Director’s Commentary and I definitely get where they were coming from—setting up this song for Quasimodo right before he sees Esmeralda and Phoebus kissing, and gets his heart broken—and making that whiplash all the more stinging. But I still feel like that set up for the fall could have been accomplished without a tone-breaking song. Maybe instead of the gargoyles singing a cheery, upbeat song in this very dark and heavy moment, we have Quasimodo look out worriedly at the city on fire, talking to the gargoyles about how concerned he is about Esmeralda, explaining just how much he cares about her and loves her.

Continue the film as normal with Esmeralda coming to the bell tower and asking Quasimodo to help hide Phoebus, then Esmeralda and Phoebus kiss and the reprise of “Heaven’s Light” plays over the sight of a heartbroken Quasimodo so we still get the emotions of the scene, his hopes dashed.

At the end of the film, Quasimodo finds acceptance, kindness, and companionship. And this concludes this plot thread of the movie :)

What do you think? Do any of you have different opinions? (I’d love to hear your thoughts!)

[beefscrap]

Bro’s fed up with the monologue Souleater’s been spewing in his head for the past hour (I don’t blame him smh- she’s way too enthusiastic about ‘scorching pyrrhia to ashes- so that only those that know true power remain’ pfft)

Insight is definitely not the type that’d be manipulated by Souleater lmao, I doubt he’d ever entertain the idea of ‘completely erasing those you loath from history, in exchange for freeing me’ when it’s obvious from Souleater’s mind that she should probably stay stuck on that island 😒

She’s been so sleepy eepy for so long that her shocked face just looks like she’s about to bite someone 🤷 skill issue amiright

I have no clue what I’m doing /silly /gen 😎✌️

EEEAAUUU THIS !!!

Starting with the art- I love it. Obviously. Your style is so SHARP but also really expressive!! And it’s superrr fitting for Insight omg. HIS EXPRESSION IS PHENOMENAL as well as Souleaters. And such an awesome design for her btw. The way she looks so menacing- then so baffled by tiny little Insight AUGUGH. THE FONTS they give so much extra personality. Big heavy and bold is perfect for insight and I can HEAR Souleaters voice! I really like how you were able to highlight both dark dragons on a dark background. Plus, it adds to the scene!!

HED BE SO FED UP I CANT wait to get more into Insight reading minds, since there’s dragons to do that now! He may be a little emo but I’m sure he’d get tired of her values very quickly 😭. So YOURE TOTALLY RIGHT! I think he’s generally pretty tough to manipulate (I mean, considering the entire trope of his character) and even if he’d love to erase everyone in the animus organization, I agree that he’d see past her lies. Her shocked face is so funny. I just love how she still looks so menacing even when you can tell she’s stunned

[whereismyhat5678]

I finally watched the Russian Stage-play of Pizza Tower and

OH MY GOD

IT’S FUCKING AWESOME- 💥💥💥💥💥

Rant about how much I like the play at the bottom 👇

First of all I gotta give credits to the actors cause they were phenomenal- second-

THE COSTUME DESGIN-

I REALLY liked Pepperman’s costume and Vigilante’s and Noise and Noisette’s and just GRAAAAHHHH

Speaking of which I loved each and every one of them!!!

Pepperman was so fun and funny and I loved the part where Gustavo is telling Peppino how to defeat him and you can just see him painting casually in the background it’s so funny- and just in general I love his actor he was so funny and I loved his outfit 💓💓💓

(I’M MAKING A SEPARATE POST JUST ABOUT THE VIGILANTE BECAUSE HE’S SO FUCKING COOL 💥💞💥💞💥💞💥)

I ADORED the energy that Noise and Noisette gave off during the play THEY WERE PARTNERS IN CRIME THEIR LOVE WAS ADORABLE I CAN’T EXPRESS HOW MUCH THEY MADE ME JUST GO AAAAAHHHH THEY’RE SO CUTE 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

And I really need to give props to Fake Peppino, he was talking in reverse that must’ve been hard af!!!!! AND THE ARMS THEY’RE LANKY AND CREEPY AND I LOVED THE REVEAL OF HIM HE’S SO SCARY I LOVED IT I ACTUALLY GASPED WHEN I SAW HIM HE’S THAT CREEPY AND COOL 💥💥💥💥💥

Don’t think I’m gonna forget about Pizza Head either because HE WAS SO GOOFY AND EVIL HE WAS A MIX OF GOOFY AND EVIL AND I LOVED IT SM HE WAS SO COOKY AND WACKY AND CARTOONY AND I LOVED THE COSTUME AND ACTOR HE WAS SO FUNNY AND OMG I CAN’T EXPRESS IT BRO 💞💗💖💥💝💓💕

And don’t think I’m forgetting about Peppino because the actor did a great job just capturing the angry Italian man that’s also really anxious 😂 He did a great job and he made me chuckle a bunch of times 💕😂💕😂💕

AND FINALLY, the person that played Gustavo (and Brick too please show Brick some love 💖💖💖)- HE DESERVES THE WORLD JUST LOOK AT HIM LOOK AT HIM AND TELL ME HE ISN’T THE SWEETEST-

I CAN’T FATHOM HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM IN THIS PLAY HE’S SO FUNNY AND CUTE AND GRAAAAAAAAAH- 💗💖💓💝💖💥💝💓💝💖💖💗💝😭😭😭😭💝💓💖💥💗💓💝💕💥

I SERIOUSLY HAVE DOZENS OF PHOTOS OF THIS PLAY IN MY PHONE IT WAS THAT FUN AND I CAN’T IMAGINE HOW INCREDIBLE IT WAS TO SEE IT LIVE-

The actors and behind the scenes actors did so good I immensely only show respect to them and they probably had as much fun as the viewers did seeing it, please go check it out it’s amazing 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

(And like I said I’m gonna do a separate post for Vigilante since I ADORED his character, and I did sketch him as well so- 😗💓)

[animehouse-moe]

A Sign of Affection Episode 2: To Affection

God, there's so much to talk about with this episode. Ajia-Do and Morishita have absolutely maximized the potential of anime as a medium in expressing this story to its fullest, and that leaves me with endless amounts of things to talk about, so I really just want to get right to it.

How about I talk about Yuki's world first. This is a very very broad topic, but I think it's incredibly important in understanding other aspects of this story.

Yuki herself expresses a very key point: she doesn't want her hearing to define her world. It's not that she detests it or anything, but that she has an insatiable desire to explore a world outside of her own, and the episode expresses that wonderfully.

Also, can I just speak on the visuals for this sequence really quick? Incredible double edged sword. The idea of the glass mural as a reflection of the outside while providing visuals of Yuki's experience at the school for the Deaf that she went to is phenomenal. It alludes to the fact that a greater world exists outside of what she's experience as a person so far, but intends to reflect the protected world that Yuki's only experienced up until now. Really really incredible idea of framing her experience and desire to grow within something so simple.

Anyways, that desire manifests in her decision to go to college, to experience the things that she only saw in TV dramas or manga, to explore a life outside everything that she's known up until now.

So that explains Yuki's approach to life post-secondary school, but there's so much more to her experience of that life. We as viewers are secondary to the characters of this world, and the series continues to express that wonderfully through perspective.

Where you might use visual isolation to express a character's focus, A Sign of Affection takes it a step further, in several senses of the word. The idea of Yuki's "focus" differs from the way that a traditional anime will focus in on something. While both worlds are honed down to their essentials, the idea is expressed much more casually and symbolically with Yuki. And of course, it hinges on her hearing. At times, when with the perspective of another character, we'll hear a lot of background noise- people talking in different languages, the clamor of a busy room, and all sorts of other things- but all the while we'll remain visually isolated from that noise. It's a wonderful expression of the layered approach to Yuki's world. Visually we're meant to follow her experience, but there's time where the episode wants to emphasize the difference that hearing makes in a scene, and it's great. It's a perfect balance of all sorts of things that adds a great deal to how we contextualize the scenes in which Yuki focuses on things like Itsuomi.

And then there's the more explicit and spoken aspects. In the same way that there's style and intonation to speaking, Yuki points out those aspects within sign language to add more depth to the experience. Instead of stumbling over her words, Yuki talks about how her fingers are moving awkwardly, or how Oushi's (her childhood friend) sign language tends to be very pointed but also has more frail and weak pieces that betray his concern over Yuki.

I really love these sequences because in the same way that you might look to a face for emotional expression, they keep that focus on the hands to express the slightest details for viewers to cue in on. It's such a wonderfully conscious execution of the work.

You know what, since we're on Oushi we'll start the dive into his character because boy is it good.

He's meant to be the childhood friend of Yuki, and you immediately grasp the connection that the two share as we begin with a translation of their sign language conversation between one another before moving into fully voiced dialogue. It's really really great at showing the experience and understanding the pair share, and is perfect against the backdrop of the lack of translation when either uses sign language with another person.

It shows the lengths that Oushi goes to communicating with Yuki and Yuki alone, and that his goal is to explicitly meet Yuki where he believes her to be most comfortable.

And that's a hugely important idea. It's not necessarily that Yuki herself prefers talking exclusively in sign language, but that Oushi engages with her exclusively through it. The context clues given in regards to other characters greatly supports this. Her mother talks directly to her and Yuki will sometimes use a white board to communicate, Rin and Yuki use a mix of sign language and typing to communicate, and even with Itsuomi there is a variation in how they converse.

And that idea is perfectly personified by this comment made by Oushi later on.

This series is all about Yuki's world, and how people view and interact with Yuki within that context. And in this case, Oushi believes that Yuki's world needs to be protected no matter what. That she's a frail girl that lives in a dangerous world and that she shouldn't be putting herself at risk like that.

It's just such a great and nuanced idea to place in the series. Oushi's seen Yuki grow and develop from a young girl, maybe even struggle with learning or meeting the world head on. He still sees the young girl that could struggle or be alone out there, and he can't shake that idea from his head. He'll always see Yuki as that even though Yuki has shed that form.

And then the episode places that sentiment against Itsuomi? Incredible incredible idea. Where Oushi represents a closed off world for Yuki, Itsuomi is the representation of her dream to experience something greater. He meets her head on and engages with her in neutral terms. That is, he'll interact with her both in how he's interested in (e.g a lot of physical contact and proximity) and in how Yuki prefers. He puts effort into learning sign language, simplifies his sentences to make it easier to read lips, but then he'll also use text a good deal in the same way that Yuki does.

That value in how the two approach interaction with Yuki creates a wonderful picture that's summarized with how Yuki views her experiences in their respective worlds. Oushi's is a very gray and lonely one, while Itsuomi's is a open and bright blue sky.

And let's not forget Rin! I love her character and her engagement with Yuki, you can really feel the depth of their friendship vs Oushi and Itsuomi.

Rin initiates a lot of conversation with physical touch (like tapping on the table or poking Yuki), and makes sure to use a good deal of visual cues when talking verbally. She also has no issues with conversing over text, but she's a little less inclined to work with sign language. And then there's the idea of Yuki sharing emotions via physical contact, it's a really subtle idea but it's wonderful expression of her character and her familiarity with Rin.

All the same though, Rin is still learning and making mistakes here and there, as Oushi points out. It's a simple piece, but it's really great at showing that while nobody's perfect, it doesn't mean that you can't learn or grow within that context.

And just to tie a neat bow on this before I can go off the deep end and talk even more about things: this little bit of symbolism with birds.

For reference, this bird is a Japanese Wagtail, so the it's not just the idea of freedom that's expressed with these birds.

Of course the first image is meant to embody that idea as Yuki and Itsuomi out in a wide open blue sky, but the second image provides much more detail and value.

For example, the idea that one bird exists in shadow while the other is in light. It's the simple idea of the separation between Itsuomi and Yuki while Itsuomi is in Laos. You can also take the idea of them sitting on tree branches versus in the sky as a lack of freedom or openness because Itsuomi isn't around for Yuki.

Anyways, a Japanese Wagtail is a bird that within Eastern cultures such as Japan, is meant to symbolize the ideas of hope, renewal, and perseverance.

Evidently, the species of bird isn't the piece that symbolizes the romance, but rather the resilience of Yuki within this context. However, you could take the idea of how aggressively wagtails defend their territory from other potential suitors as the idea of the bond or romantic connection forming between Yuki and Itsuomi, but that's a totally different story.

But there it is, another incredible episode of A Sign of Affection. It's really outstanding how well Ajia-Do and Morishita have come together to create such a full bodied experience for viewers. Such a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

[rebloggedsunsox]

HOLD IT!!!

SPOILERS FOR THE FNAF MOVIE UNDER THE CUT!!! PLEASE GO WATCH THE MOVIE IF YOU HAVEN'T AND WANT TO BEFORE READING!! This is your given warning!

Thoughts I'm scrambling together as fast as I can just off the top of my head. Im back from the cinemas, and I first off can't say anything other than wow.

~

That post I made earlier about waiting a week to talk about it? I lied I'm talking now I can't not talk about it I can't wait the brainrot is far too strong LMAO so heres my ramble.

• The movie actually didn't feel out of place or too mashed together with series and new content at all. Some choices were definitely confusing from a game and lore background knowledge standpoint, but in its own universe and continuity it didn't hinder the overall quality of the movie. Still an extremely enjoyable time that didn't leave me frustrated or unsatisfied! And s big mention also to the fact that I went to see it with 2 friends - one who knew the lore like me, and one who didn't. The latter loved it as much as the former and I, no problems in understanding either! Lots of questions on what we knew afterwards, but no complaints all around!

• I think it's really good that they blatantly established that the animatronics, as kids and not when they were controlled by Afton, were just that: kids. They liked pictures and play and never wanted to hurt their new friend Abby. Golden Freddy is definitely a seperate problem that I'll get into, but they were all so cute together it warmed my heart so much :']]

• Mike was played very well by his actor (except for that one scene with Vanessa and the dry delivered "What are you scared of?" line), and I did grow to enjoy his character in the end. Definitely took me a while to get there though. I don't think his emotional connection with Abby was established very well in the beginning, but I think it was still remedied enough to be satisfying after everything had happened.

• The Balloon Boy bit was hilarious. He absolutely is that goddamn creepy, and they somehow MADE HIM CREEPIER in the film! I'm glad that he didn't end up posing an actual threat and stamping over the terror of the main 5, but I was definitely considering it in the back of my mind.

• Wow. Golden Freddy was intense. All the way through. From the phenomenal work of the child actor who played him throughout most of the movie, to the TERRIFYING animatronic who made its mark without even being in the movie that long? Wow. I'm definitely still confused about where the movie was trying to take the plot point of Golden Freddy's existence since a lot was left out and not really explained, but again, overall didn't make understanding the movie much harder. Just leaves me curious as to why they went with what they did. That scene at the very very end of Golden Freddy closing the door on Afton convulsing in the back room? Chilling. That actor played the part perfectly.

• CAMEOS!!!! Claps and cheers for Cory and the very brief Employees cameo! My theatre erupted into screams so loud that when MatPat was on screen in the diner, I kid you not I have 0 idea what he even said. Gonna have to rewatch it and see for myself. My friend who had no idea who he was got jumpscared by the theatre crowd itself and it was very, very funny.

• THE SONG!!! THE song for the end credits!!!! I broke out into singing so fast man, literally the best feeling and a wonderful way to bring the movie home right back to those who had been waiting for it for so long.

• The animatronics were incredible. Just amazing. All practical effects, fully built they were for most of that, right? Regardless, they really took my breath away in that movie. From their movements to expressions to their funny "haha uhoh robot moment" scenes. So so awesome.

• Vanessa's whole deal was probably where I was left the most confused. My whole crowd audibly gasped when she outright said that William was her father. So, the problem that I came to was,,,, basically all of it. Vanessa was told, by Afton, to make sure that Mike never found out what was happening at the pizzeria and to kill him if he got to close. Why hire him there then? Because he wanted to kill him himself? In order to get him to take Abby there to kill her? But non of that would have been something he was going to make happen if not by chance like how it did! She had no problem with Abby being there and playing with the animatronics one moment, and then made Mike ensure she was never going back the next. And the whole "I wont be much use to you if I go with you" said by Vanessa. I was assuming it was a Vanny mind control type sitch, but literally nothing happened? They argued, she shot him, he strangled her, he stabbed her, basically end of confrontation between them. She didn't do anything to hurt Abby or Mike at all? And her somehow knowing about Mike believing his dreams could change the past. Her connection was to Afton, not really the kids, right? Someone please tell me how they interpreted that whole thing, I really couldn't nail it down. Again, weirdly didn't damage my experience much? I guess I'm just used to some things not being understandable within the fnaf lore, huh. Im also just not hugely invested in Vanny/Vanessa's deal in the games either, so maybe that's why lol.

• Abby handing Bonnie the heart, and then Bonnie showing it to the others was the single sweetest thing oh my god. So adorable.

• It's me on the mirror. Glitching in the training video to show Golden Freddy. Mwah chef's kiss. Don't really know how the Its Me bit ties into this version of the lore but I really don't mind. The callouts made me giggle.

• That whole scene with the men trashing the place and getting murdered was madness. The tension was so thick, I love the atmosphere and how they really nailed it where it mattered in that part of the movie. The girl(Max?) Getting literally chomped in half was so unexpected. Poor Max, I can't believe she got roped into it. Also the???? Auntie said nothing about the disappearance of any of them either??? What???? Im only just realising that???? Why was she at all those court discussions with the lawyer again????

• No Honk Freddy's Nose bit. How dare they.

I'm gonna be thinking about this a lot, but thats all the points I have to make right now! I'll definitely comb over all my thoughts again, maybe post about them some more, we'll see. Really good all round, can't wait to watch it again when I get my hands on a copy of it!!! Id love to hear everyone elses thoughts on it too, and the possibility of a sequel? Thank you for reading!!

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: Friends On The Other Side

This was one I was ridiculously eager to get to, because it is an absolute visual treat!!! Layne and the rest of PattyCake Productions really went all out with this video, and I think that it might actually be the most movie-accurate video for a Disney cover that Voiceplay has ever done (and although some things are changed, it's all so amazingly cool that you don't care in the slightest!). Also J None came back for this one to take the lead as Dr Facilier! Heck yeah! Let's get into this! (Oh and nearly forgot to mention: this was uploaded in mid-October of 2021 and was Voiceplay's Halloween upload for the year).

We got Cesar as Prince Naveen (perfect casting btw) (also he looks a bit different without more of a beard, but I don't hate it), and Eli as Lawrence, Naveen's servant (also another Eli Eyebrow Raise! And a strong one, too!)

PattyCake Productions has their own YouTube channel where they create videos based around Disney movies and Disney characters (often writing original songs for them) and it shows. They really went off with the costuming and set design (better than Disney would do with a live-action version of their own, almost definitely)

(Also peep Geoff lurking in the background, which I don't think any reactor has noticed when watching the video)

A more full-body look at J's costume (and cool staff!), plus Geoff and Layne as voodoo spirits! (Also note how Geoff is, once more, the one with the most-exposed arms/shoulders (love that for him 👌)

Geoff was asked on a Patreon Q&A or something like that if the thumb-down-the-side-of-the-head movement had any meaning to it, but no, he just thought it up himself as a little interesting/spooky/cryptic gesture (I mean... it worked??)

(Also there's so much detail to his outfit and I love it! The subtle patterning on the vest! The things that may or may not be fingerless gloves! The metal boney-finger things hanging off the shoulders! All the things around his neck! (And yes, he's still wearing the necklace he wears all the time)

And shoutout to Layne, who as you can see in the photo above this one, is wearing basically just as much stuff around his neck as Geoff, and he's got a (fake of course) bone through his nose as well? (I know the official audio is all overdubbed anyway, but I wonder how hard it is to beatbox with something like that on/in your nose?)

Now this is goddamned clever. How do you split the vocal lines of a single character up between multiple vocalists while still making it make sense in-universe? Well in this case, you have Dr Facilier work some voodoo magic so that he and/or the spirits are singing through Lawrence and Naveen, kinda sorta possessing them! The video is enhancing the song itself!!!

I actually went and watched the original Friends On The Other Side scene on YouTube (which I haven't done in ages), so I could better make comparisons, including screencap comparisons!

"I got voodoo-"

"-I got hoodoo-"

(also rip Hei Hei)

"-I got things I ain't even tried!"

Man they really did nail this, huh?

Also I just realised that after "Naveen's" little "I got friends on the other side" solo, while "Facilier" is echoing it as he sits down, "Lawrence" is attempting to get "Naveen's" attention with his eyes, and making facial expressions/head movements that can basically be summed up as "Hey! We need to leave! Now!"

(Seriously it often pays to focus on different people when rewatching Voiceplay stuff (or in my case when scanning for interesting/screencap-worthy moments, to rewind specific parts to focus on different people))

"The cards! The cards!"

Geoff was absolutely hamming it up during this section. It's kinda hilarious and I love it. Go off, my dude 😂😁

Very smooth editing!

Pfft 😆

(Also Eli's acting was phenomenal in this and I swear he kept one eyebrow raised for at least half the whole video)

I love the expression on Geoff's face here that no reactors have seemingly picked up on, like he's both expectant and eager for "the real fun" to begin

Also check out the details in Layne's outfit! It seems that he's got the same things on his shoulders as Geoff does (except over sleeves instead)

Geoff: "Oh yeah now it's my time to shine!"

Okay so I'm definitely counting those as fingerless gloves. Also shoutout to Eli for the lighting once more!

"Reformation central!"

There's a lot going on in this picture. And also this moment made more sense after I rewatched the original scene (just that Voiceplay are swapping out the amulet for a shrunken head (fair - it's probably a lot harder to find an amulet that bites 😂))

Firstly, nice bit of acting/visual storytelling from Eli and Cesar there, and secondly, hey that's the magic lamp from Aladdin in the background on the left there!

And I haven't talked about it a ton here, but J 100% understood the assignment when it came to playing Dr Facilier. He even did some of the same kinda dancing/moves as in the original scene, like the side-to-side head movement on "I hope you're satisfied" (it was so smooth!)

Man, what a video. Disney could NEVER

Voiceplay always does something mind-blowing for Halloween. It might not always be something you expect, but it's always something that gives us plenty to talk about!

[arthurslesbian]

anyway, as someone coming at this movie from not having read the book but being an avid rom com fan, i kind of don't like how rwrb is being called not original or not creative or not inventive or silly or basically not good

i mean. i get if you don't like rom coms. i do, they're truly not for everyone. but like. this movie was really fucking good. maybe rom coms just don't get credit for how hard they are to do well?

like idk actors repeatedly say how comedy is harder to do than dramatic, serious scenes, which is probably why there's a whole group of actors who are known for doing comedy, because it's really hard and a specialized skill set. getting those comedic beats right, the expressions that have just the right amount of irony and im in on it is hard!

and with romance, you need to have that chemistry, that rhythm it's really hard to do well because there's nothing external to the characters to distract from their performances there's no cool effects or world at stake plot or menacing villian

and rom coms?? really hard to get right. the whole genre has been in a decline for like the past ten years if I've been honest. so many recent rom coms have not been good at all! horribly written, terribly edited with really bad pacing, the flattest acting with no chemistry and not to mention uninteresting sets and costumes and stagnant camera work

meanwhile. rwrb is brilliant. it's written so well, with hilarious one liners (thank you zahra) and so much humour and comedy from the couple, the actors went all out with phenomenal performances, the shots showed so much care and attention to each scene, and the pacing was perfect for what it is - a rom com.

like so many recent rom coms take 4k way too far and it looks so bad, but rwrb looks so beautiful in every still. every single background was gorgeous every set, every detail with costuming. and this is important in rom coms! the two leads look so incredible!! taylor looks like a greek god with his long legs and his abs and his eyelashes to his nose while nick looks like a beautiful angel. (sorry it had to be said)

and the thing is, this is really hard to do. I believe rom coms have been in decline as the industry grapples with how much technology has pervaded dating recently, from dating apps to communicating constantly through things like texting and facetime, which it's really struggled to show convincingly on screen. the last good rom coms were before things like smartphones really took off

and rwrb did that so well!! romance as a genre in books recently has kind of been leaning into the tropes we're nostalgic about while incorporating those more recent aspects of relationships, and rwrb translates that so well on screen. the way they did the text messages was honestly innovative!!

the way it kind of led up to having henry physically in the room was an amazing way to capture growing closeness and how we now perceive text conversations to be just like real conversations, while still highlighting the kind of difference of actually being there which is actually really hard to portray and not really something the industry has figured out how to show well imo.

i loved the chemistry in that scene, and i loved how they did the emails as well because those are two different things!! and how it was able to show their togetherness while they were apart. even the way that ghosting works and alex literally storming a castle was shown so well!! that's not easy or done before!!

all this to say, i for one really appreciate matthew lopez's vision and will be rewatching this movie just as much as movies like 27 dresses, bridget jones' diary, and the proposal and i can't wait for a new wave of (queer!) rom coms

[444lpblue]

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End #6 - The Hero of the Village

Screenplay: Tomohiro Suzuki Storyboard/Episode Director: Tooru Iwazawa Chief Animation Director: Reiko Nagasawa Animation Directors: Keisuke Hiroe, Akiko Takase Key Animation: Mayuko Kandori, Ayaka Satou, Airi Takahashi, Dana Akahara, Hidekazu Ebina, Toshiya Kouno, Kohaku (Yutaka Nakamura), Kai Shibata, Hironori Tanaka, TOMATO, Keisuke Namioka, Ruoyu Wen, Tsutomu Miyazawa, Yukiko Busa, Eiji Yamamori, Rai, Keiichirou Watanabe, Hiroyuki Kobashi, Toshiyuki Satou, Yoshiko Matsumura, Shun Enokido, Chris (Yen bm), Mark Kenta Corcoran, Takahito Sakazume, Mami Takaishi, Youko Tsukada, Hiroo Nagano, HAHI, Houjicha, Saho Miyano, Shingo Yamashita, Tatsuya Yoshihara, Ruochen Liang

IT WAS SO GOOD, IT WAS SO GOOD..Uhh mhmm.

This week's Frieren episode was a showcase of the animators that the show continues to hold, top-tier level animators who you would typically see creating "sakuga" moments for just a few moments in a show. However, they are constant animators throughout the entirety of Frieren. And while you should have already been impressed, the Stark fight scene against the dragon truly showcased their talents.

An underrated role that people don't typically mention is the animation producer, who is mostly responsible for gathering the animators for a show. In this case, it's Yuuichirou Fukushi, who has been the animation producer for Sonny Boy, takt op.Destiny, One Punch Man, and more. The staff he assembles for his shows is simply top-notch almost every time, and I felt like I needed to mention that, especially when he is now responsible for two of my personal top shows, Frieren and Sonny Boy. Takashi Nakame is also listed as an animation producer for the show, but I don't know as much about him. Nevertheless, he should also be mentioned. In the Stark fight scene alone, you have Hironori Tanaka, Keiichirou Watanabe, Shingo Yamashita, Tatsuya Yoshihara, Chris (Yen bm), and Yutaka Nakamura. That's a team of multiple superstar animators that you wish one of them would be in your own show, but Frieren has all of them together, and the result is something you just have to see for yourself.

While I never really read Frieren's manga for its fight scenes, I was excited to see the action scenes in the animation. We did see it in the four-episode debut, but that was a more stationary wizard magic battle (which was still very cool). However, Stark vs. the dragon feels greatly enhanced compared to the manga. Just from the moment Stark runs to engage, the camera naturally follows him as he charges in, continuing to track him as if it were a boss fight in a video game. The fluidity and character acting amidst all of this action are phenomenal and it's all done in completely 2D including the backgrounds and dragons which is rarer nowadays.

The decision for a closer, more dynamic adaptation of the fight scene can be credited to Tooru Iwazawa, who is the action director for this episode. He also storyboarded and directed the entire episode.

Setting the action aside, I loved the episode as always. The attention to detail in translating the characters' expressions from the manga to the anime never ceases to amaze me. As someone who used to collect Fern's funny faces in the manga, I'm delighted to see all of them in their full glory. It's also heartwarming to witness the budding relationship between Fern and Stark in this episode.

[mayashesfly]

Can I just say how much I absolutely LOVE the attention to detail and symbolism packed in Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss? Especially with the time constraints Hazbin Hotel has, the usage of visuals and the wonderful background details is phenomenal and I can't express enough how it makes me insane just how wonderful the visuals are for Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss are.

Sure, not all scenes have symbolism but that's unneeded because just the sheer amount we already get despite them being easily unnoticeable at first glance makes me insane.

I just want to fucking eat the visuals so much I love it so much

[lords-of-mayhem]

hey all im saying is that if you write a thesis about how loc made you unwell i would read the hell out of it

like ik how it personally is making me worse, i need to know what its doing to others desperately

Okay, so. I'm gonna just throw all my thoughts that I currently have here. No promises on how coherent I'll be.

A lot of it is just based off of how violence is portrayed in the movie.

The parallels and foreshadowing in this movie fucks me up so much.

The scene of Euronymous simply saying "Scorpions?" to Varg and walking away from him paralleled by him telling Varg later, "I attracted people by saying you can't have this, you're not worthy."

Euronymous saying "nothing could stop me" cut immediately by Varg staring in the mirror???

The way Euronymous gives a speech that Varg overhears in the restaurant that Varg later parallels in the bar, trying to get the same adoration and it just doesn't happen?? Ough

Euronymous: We're not just a fucking metal band. I'm sick of all those speed and death metal bands, all that Swedish shit. All they do is celebrate life and party, they should just call it life metal. We play black metal, true Norwegian black metal. Varg: Exactly, posers claiming to be Satanists when all they wanna do is drink beer and have a good time. I hate that, all those death metal kids with their stupid Morbid Angel t-shirts. Making a trend out of something that was meant to instill fear.

Also I know I've said this before, but SOMEBODY in production has a blood kink. I refuse to believe otherwise.

There are at least 15 separate shots of men with blood splattered across their faces in this movie. I didn't even carefully examine every scene, I just kind of skimmed through the parts I knew of right off. (The show scene, Faust's murder, etc.)

And the way blood/violence is presented is so horny for no reason?? Like Occultus having his mouth wide open while Pelle's blood is actively pouring onto his face? This????

Who asked for this? ^^^^

Another thing is the parallels between Pelle and Ann-Marit. I KNOW I've gone on and on, but it fucks me up. There was no reason she needed to look so similar, down to their outfits being similar.

The multiple shots of Varg ass naked and fucking?? (This caught me so by surprise the first time I saw this movie, like why did they need to do that lol)

Euronymous pinning Manheim down while he encourages Necro to cut him? Lives in my head rent free.

The pure sexual tension in the Varg/Euro church burning scene. Like they had a cute little date and then the most homoerotic stare-downs ever. The way they smile at each other and the little hug :(

Then this gay shit

On the note of gay shit, there's not a single reason why Faust needed to touch Occultus as much as he did, yet here we are.

On the topic of Faust, there was also not a single reason why he needed to double take watching Euronymous piss. (keep your eyes to yourself girlie <3)

Emory Cohen also being so phenomenal at expressions really fucked me up in this movie, particularly him breaking up with Euro and him killing him later. He's so talented and it makes me so insane

Emory Cohen in general is just such a fantastic pick for this role, he's hands down my favorite casting. He's similar enough (especially irl Varg's arrogance that he captures) while also making the character his own is such a good mix. Plus, knowing that having a Jewish actor playing him pissed irl Varg off is a bonus.

Side note, but Pelle's dad leaving that voicemail while he was killing himself? It gets to me, man. It gets to me. (And while we're on the topic of parents, Faust's mom yelling in the background while he's getting arrested? Oh lord)

The Varg/Euro tension while they played with Atilla??? Hello???

Blackthorn decorating Varg's room for when the interviewers come by is also something I think about a lot. It doesn't fuck me up in the same way the others do, but I love that little scene. And him offering tea at possibly the worst time

They were sharing the same brain cell in this scene fr

The ending will always fuck me up the most. The shots of them all having fun intercut with Varg/Blackthorn/Faust getting arrested, Euronymous' memorial, etc. If you want to be really emotionally unwell, I highly suggest listening to this while watching it.

Everyone's reactions were sooooo good too

If you want something depressing to think about too, you can think about the fact Necrobutcher was probably just finally moving on from Pelle's death, only for Euronymous to die as well.

[morganas-pendragons]

this episode of the last of us is phenomenal. not only do we get more background for Maria, we also get Jackson at its peak, the drop of Joel singing - DOES THAT MEAN WE GET TO HEAR PEDRO SING?!!?!?! - and SO much game dialogue, plus two of the most painful scenes to witness in the entire first part. Not to mention the diva cup. Like.. C'mon. I'm 24 and have NEVER seen periods mentioned in media the way they've done in this.

ALSO. THE SONG AT THE END.

The lyrics are SPOT. ON.

“I’m taking a ride with my best friend, I hope he never lets me down again. He knows where he’s taking me. Taking me where I want to be.”

She knows she's gonna be making a difference by getting to the Fireflies so a cure can be made, so that's clearly where Ellie wants to end up. She didn't think she'd love Joel at any point during this.

She does.

He let her down with his words and so sharply stating she's not his daughter and he's not her father. Then Joel ends up weeping alone because this feels like it's turning out to be like Sarah. That he's letting himself love again, and he's terrified he's gonna be the end of Ellie. Sarah died and Joel couldn't save her. He can't even entertain the same thing happening to Ellie.

The emotion in this episode by Pedro is fantastic. I knew he'd kill it just off of what I'd seen him do for Din before, but...

the brilliance

also, can we talk about the fact that Joel's struggling with panic attacks?

that makes his motivations during the entire episode so much more different. the whole conversation with Tommy about fear? The raw anguish in his expression, in his eyes? the way he is so terrified to have to witness another child be torn from him because he dared to let himself love again?

DRUCKMANN I AM AT YOUR DOOR

[samasmith23]

Evangelion: You Can (Not) Marathon — (Part 12)

Neon Genesis Evangelion, “Episode 12: The Value of a Miracle is.../She Said, 'Don’t Make Others Suffer for Your Personal Hatred.'”

Continuing my Evangelion re-watch marathon with NGE, “Episode 12: The Value of a Miracle is…/She Said, ‘Don’t Make Others Suffer for Your Personal Hatred..’” For my thoughts on the previous episode, click the link to the post below:

With that out of the way, let's dig in!

Dang! What a perfect way to start this episode! After the theme song we immediately cut to a flashback set 15-years prior to the start of the series, going back to the year 2000 where we witness the first-hand experiences and memories of a young Misato Katsuragi, who was in Antarctica during the events of the Second Impact! There’s just so much to unpack with this opening prologue!

For starters, the cinematography on display here is FREAKING phenomenal! For instance, following a series of time-stamp cards (utilizing white text in the center of an otherwise empty black background; which is a reoccurring visual motif throughout NGE), the camera then cuts to a view of the planet Earth from outer space. As the camera slowly pans across the surface of the moon, we quickly see a tiny white flash of light emitting from the Earth’s South Pole. This effectively communicates the sheer size and destructive scale of the Second Impact, since even though it appears to be a tiny speck of light when viewed faraway on the moon, it shows that the energy generated by the awakening of the 1st Angel, Adam, was so massive that it was visible from space.

Additionally, this prologue also provides crucial context to both Misato’s backstory as well as her motivations in the present-day which will be heavily explored throughout the rest of the episode. We see Misato’s father, completely battered & bloodied, desperately carrying his similarly injured daughter as he limps towards a capsule which bears a striking resemblance to the Entry-Plugs that the EVA Units use. Once young Misato is placed within the Entry-Plug, she regains consciousness and can’t help appear confused as she looks up to see her father standing over her before he closes the capsule and shields it with his body as Adam generates the massive Anti-A.T. Field which completely obliterates the entire Antarctic Continent. 

The fact that Misato seems to question the idea of her father saving her helps convey to the viewer that these two have some kind of strained relationship. It’s not explicitly stated outright, but the implication is effectively communicated through both Misato’s dazed and confused facial expressions, as well as her line, “Is that you, Dad?” 

It’s once again a perfect example of how Evangelion is able to communicate so much through so little! Master-class storytelling and characterization!

This flashback not only allows us to witness the sheer scale & terror of the Second Impact from both an orbital and ground-level perspective, seeing the Adam’s gigantic Angel wings spreading out wide and breaking through Earth’s stratosphere as well as Misato looking up towards said-wings as her Entry-Plug aimlessly floats across the lifeless ocean where Antarctica was once located, but also portrays how this traumatic event completely reshapes Misato’s life in the present-day. 

Immediately after the prologue, the scene then cuts to a now adult Misato putting on her bra as she stands in front of her closet mirror, allowing the viewer to see the massive scar which stretches across her chest (which was previously revealed during the hot springs scene back in Episode 10). This visually communicates the lasting physical damage that the near-apocalypse left on Misato, whereas the deep-seated psychological scares are audibly conveyed through the sound of a thunderstorm outside her bedroom, as Misato sternly stares at the mirror while a flash of lighting disappeared over her cross necklace that’s resting the nearby nightstand, further symbolizing the conflicted relationship that Misato has with her dead father (whom we now know was the one who gave her that necklace during the Second Impact).

Overall, these two opening scenes do an incredibly effective job at setting up the main conflict for this episode, which centers around Misato’s childhood trauma associated with both her deceased father and the Angels!

I’m curious as to why Toji & Kensuke came over to Misato’s apartment during the middle of a rainstorm? Maybe they were coming over to accompany Shinji as they walk to school together like in previous episodes? If so… I hope at least one of them has an umbrella…

Yeesh! Asuka might be an obnoxious brat, but Toji insulting her by comparing her changing clothes behind a curtain to “a snake changing its skin” is just dickish and rather sexist on his part!

Huh… Misato exited her bedroom wearing her NERV Uniform instead of her casual tank-top and short-shorts, and is acting much more serious than she usually does within the confines of her own home. This honestly reminds me a lot of when she first appeared to Shinji wearing a military uniform before attending the “Old Tokyo” conference back in Episode 7.

I love how Kensuke is the first person to notice the new pin on Misato’s neck-collar which indicates her recent promotion from captain to major. It’s perfectly in-line with Kensuke’s characterization as a geeky military otaku!

Also, while I do rightfully rag on Kensuke and (especially) Toji’s sexist behavior towards Asuka, I can’t help but admire that Kensuke is frequently portrayed as being more observant than most people give him credit for. Just how he pointed out to Shinji in Episode 7 that Misato acted more slobbish in front of him than others because she considered him to be a part of her family, Kensuke here notes that Misato is placing a heavily workload on herself, struggling to balance her duties as a commanding officer at NERV and being a surrogate guardian to Shinji & Asuka, and even chastises the latter two for failing to notice.

Kensuke’s observation here is also reflective of the show’s overarching themes about the struggles of human connections, and how when we fail to pay attention to and understand each other’s thoughts and desires, it’s therefore difficult to form meaningful bonds with other people. A self-perpetuating cycle of isolation and loneliness. A true Hedgehog’s Dilemma…

I love the interaction between Misato, Ritsuko, Maya and this one nameless NERV employee as they’re conducting harmonics synchronization ratio tests for the three EVA Pilots. Ritsuko & Maya notice that Shinji’s synch ratio is increasing at a faster rate than normal, which leads to the aforementioned nameless scientist stating that, “It’s almost like Shinji was born to be an EVA Pilot.” And Misato can’t help but object to that statement, proclaiming, “But that’s not what Shinji wants. I know he’s not really happy here.”

While this again illustrates Misato’s legitimate concern for the physical and mental well-being of Shinji that was heavily explored in previous episodes, it also neatly contrasts with Misato’s willingness to put the EVA Pilot’s lives at risks in order to destroy the Angels by any means necessary. An opposing desire which was previously alluded to during Asuka’s fight with Sandalphon inside the middle of volcano during Episode 10, but will serve as the primary thematic focus here in Episode 12!

Also, I like how when Ristuko specifies that Shinji’s synch-ratio is rapidly catching up with Asuka’s, Asuka puts on her usual smug demeanor of talking down by stating, “Enjoy your victory while it lasts Third Child,” and condescendingly calls him a jerk-face when Shinji’s clearly not moved by her previous comment. Even though it’s all a facade to mask her own internalized sense of inferiority, Asuka is able to present herself as being cool & collected while also acting smug & condescending.

The car-ride scene which immediately proceeds the synch-ratio test is incredibly fascinating. Not only does Misato state that she’s, “Not too thrilled,” about her promotion to Major, but when Shinji states that he feels the same way for the praise he received earlier for his high synch scores due to being insulted by Asuka as a result. This leads to Misato stating that Asuka’s insults bother him simply because, “[He] cares too much about what others think of him.”

I’m of two minds when it comes to Misato’s comment here. On the one hand it feels like a rather condescending retort to Shinji’s feelings of discomfort. But on the other hand Misato’s words are pretty insightful in regards to how people can sometimes obsess and worry too much about how they are perceived by others. While it’s perfectly rational, and even necessary, to care about what other people think of you since it can improve your own behavior and interactions with others, dwelling too much about said-concerns can generate so much anxiety that it results in stunted relationships and personal growth. 

It’s honestly something that I can personally relate to as an individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder who struggles with anxiety…

Lol! Kensuke once again continues to be such a military otaku, secretly arranging a surprise party at Misato’s apartment to celebrate her promotion.

However, despite what I said earlier Kensuke still has his shortcomings when it comes to keenly observing the behavior of others, as he didn’t seem to notice that Misato is trying to suppress her feelings of discomfort and embarrassment while feigning excitement, something that Shinji immediately detects given that he feels the exact same way she does when being praised by others. They really are two peas in a pod!

I love this quiet interaction between Shinji & Misato at the party while everyone else is laughing and arguing over each other, as it nicely juxtaposes the previous car-ride conversation. While Misato is a lot older and wiser than Shinji in many respects, she simultaneously struggles with the same feelings of self-loathing and loneliness that he does. Even though Misato tries to present herself as being all put together and having the answers to Shinji’s problems, said-display is also partially a performance to mask her own insecurities in front him. This kind of behavior is reflective of how parents sometimes interact with their children, trying to present themselves as perfect role models who can provide all the answers for their kids, when in reality parents are still human beings with flaws and limitations.

Misato’s display of parental strength and masking of human weakness is further conveyed through her response to Shinji asking her why she joined NERV, replying that, “It’s been so long I can’t remember.” Shinji’s smart enough to know that’s a lie and that Misato is clearly hiding the true reason.

Also, this scene briefly fleshes out Asuka & Hikari’s friendship, as not only did Asuka invite her to the party without Kensuke or Toji’s knowledge, but Hikari is shown to harbor a similar crush towards Kaji just like Asuka.

Also also, the way Asuka refers to Kaji as a “real man” in contrast to Shinji, Kensuke, & Toji further highlights how Asuka places herself on this false pedestal of maturity and emasculates the three boys as mere children who are beneath her.

Also also also, we get a little bit more of Kaji’s problematic behavior towards women (though thankfully far less skevy than the elevator scene from Episode 9), as he makes a kind of misogynistic micro-aggressive comment that’s supposed to come off as playful and flirty, stating that he now, “needs to show [Misato] respect,” due to both her promotion and being left in charge of NERV HQ while Gendo & Fuyutski are out of the country.

Speaking of which… oh boy, the scene where Gendo & Fuyutski are commanding a UN naval fleet to retrieve a certain object from the desolate and lifeless red sea where the continent of Antarctica was previously located! 

I’ve always loved the ominous and chilling (accidental pun, lol!) tone of this scene! Not only do we see the direct and immediate results of Second Impact on full-display here at Ground Zero of the event, with nothing but giant icicles emerging from the depths of the ocean that has been transformed into a pink/blood-red hue which Fuyutski describes as being, “A true Dead Sea where no life can exist,” but it also provides some keen insight into Gendo’s true motivations.

Although Fuyutski despairs at the sight of this post-apocalyptic wasteland and it being the result of humanity’s folly and hubris, Gendo boasts about how its thanks to humanity’s scientific knowledge and advancements that they are able to return to this desolate Hellscape triumphantly. 

This exchange between the two presents an opposing dichotomy in Fuyutski & Gendo’s respective ideologies. On the one hand, Fuyutski rightfully lambasts humanity’s over-reliance on technology & pursuit of power being the direct cause of the Second Impact, stating that he’d rather have other people around him than all of this scientific progress. This functions as a brilliant continuation of the themes proposed by the previous Episode during the Tokyo-3 blackout, directly connecting humanity’s current depressing and authoritarian status to the near-apocalypse that was caused by the reckless pursuit of power under the vein of scientific progress.

But on the other hand, Gendo continues to dismiss Fuyutsuki’s arguments by elevating said-scientific power as the ultimate savior of humanity despite it nearly causing their extinction 15-years ago, even going as far as to describe the Second Impact as, “the cleansing of the original sin.” 

Not only does this line foreshadow the true nature behind Adam & Lilith’s origins as well as the Third Impact & Human Instrumentality during The End of Evangelion, but it also conveys Gendo’s god-complex and desire to be the one who ultimately leads the course of humanity’s future in order to fulfill his own selfish desires that become the major driving force of his conflict with SEELE for the rest of the series!

Also, Gendo’s theocratic doomsday rhetoric here is sadly perfectly in-line with the kinds of beliefs held by the Republican Party and the Evangelical Right who are currently trying to actively transform the United Stares into a Christian fascist theocracy.

Maybe that’s another reason why I hate Gendo Ikari so much… ya know, aside from, him being both the WORST father in the history of fiction and a total sleaze-bag. It’s because he’s such a human villain who could sadly easily exist here in the real world…

On a much more lightheaded and snarkier note though, if the ruins of Antarctica are the “real Dead Sea” like Fuyutsuki describes, does that therefore mean that the water here is even more salty than the actual real-life Dead Sea in Jordan (whose water is already much saltier than the ocean)? 

And just as Gendo & Fuyutsuki their philosophical debate over humanity’s right to exist, the UN fleet gets a radio transmission from NERV HQ back in Japan detecting the largest Angel ever depicted in all of NGE, the 10th Angel, Sahaquiel!

Like seriously… Sahaquiel completely dwarfs all the other Angels seen so far and since throughout the course of this series! Appearing high above Earth’s orbit, this gargantuan monstrosity is to be massively large. Despite having a somewhat bizarre orange and gooey amoeba appearance, Sahaquiel not only spouts this gigantic cyclops eye in its center that’s about the height of a single Evangelion Unit, but also has a surface width that’s wide enough to cover multiple city blocks! 

Furthermore, Sahaquiel immediately demonstrates that despite Yoda’s famous words of wisdom from The Empire Strikes Back, sometimes size truly does matter considering that this Angel not only generates an A.T. Field large enough to completely obliterate nearby satellites in a single burst, but that it’s also able to detach and drop smaller pieces of itself which rapidly descend into Earth’s atmosphere and create enormous nuclear-level explosions and tidal waves upon impact!

And to make matters even worse, Sahaquiel also conveys how each successive Angel is smarter than its predecessors, as NERV HQ determined that Sahaquiel is testing and improving its trajectory as it continues to drop a trail of bombs from the Indian Ocean closer and closer to land as it makes its way over Tokyo-3. And according to Ritsuko & the Magi, the explosion generated by Sahaquiel’s bombs would be powerful enough to completely submerge all of Tokyo-3 back into the depths of the Pacific!

Also, in relation to this Angel’s name, according to Wikipedia, “Sahaquiel is listed as one of the seven great archangels in the Third Book of Enoch from the Apocrypha of the Hebrew Bible, described as, ‘the guardian of the fourth heaven ... prince of a heavenly host... attended by 496,000 myriads of minstering angels.’ Sahaquiel literally means Ingenuity of God.”

So in addition to Sahaquiel’s arrival and approach providing a real sense of peril and suspense, this particular Angel’s presence is also serves an important role in developing Misato’s character, since this is where her aforementioned opposing dichotomy between her roles as a surrogate-mother and duties as a military officer come into play! Despite the MAGI supercomputer system declaring an almost 0% chance of success for the EVA’s to defeat Sahaquiel, Misato uses her newfound promotion to not only order a full evacuation of Tokyo-3’s civilian population, but orders all 3 EVA Units to directly engage Sahaquiel as both its bombs and the Angel itself descend upon the city!

While Misato tries to justify her actions as being both within her authority as Major and her having “trust in the EVAs,” Ritsuko criticizes the former’s recklessness and seeming lack of concern for the pilot’s safety in this situation, even responding to Misato’s claims that she’s doing what she has to do and that destroying the Angels is her duty with, “Your duty? You must be kidding! This is to satisfy yourself, isn’t it? This is just your revenge against the Angels!”

Also, this heated exchange between Ritsuko & Misato shows the beginnings of he growing rift in their friendship which will only continue to increase as the series progresses!

Oh boy! It’s time for another insane yet creative battle strategy to defeat the Angels, and I’ve got to say this new strategy that Misato has devised might be the craziest and most risky one yet! And considering that we’ve previously seen the Evangelions fire a sniper rifle that’s powered by Japan’s entire power grid, going fishing with an EVA while deliberately sinking two battleships to aim missiles into an Angel’s mouth, using Dance Dance Revolution to train for a fight against asexually-reproducing Angel, and even scuba-diving into an active volcano to retrieve an unmatched Angel egg, that’s really saying something!

So get this… in order to defeat Sahaquiel, all 3 EVA Units will be forced to run towards the designated drop-zone in Tokyo-3 and combine their A.T. Field’s together in order to halt Sahaquiel’s fall and pierce through the Angel’s own A.T. Field, essentially catching the Angel with the EVA’s barehands and destroying its core through direct contact.

Like… this plan is riddled with so many variables that can go wrong and has such a nano-margin of success, that Asuka & Shinji can’t help but accurately point out how easily this plan could fail and result in their deaths.

Also… geez! I know that Misato is trying to remain calm and stay optimistic in a stressful situation in order to not raise a panic, but it’s honestly a little creepy just how cheerful and unwatered she’s acting when the kids are understandably concerned about dying in this mission. She even mentions how the EVA Pilots are supposed to write a will for themselves, and she says it all with a smile on her face. There’s being hopeful in a stressful situation, but this is really pushing it! 

Misato took Batman’s words of being “positively grim” from Justice League International way too literally…

Still though, I love how even though the kids act excited over the prospect of a steak dinner if they do manage succeed, as soon as Misato leaves the room Shinji & Asuka immediately shift gears are unimpressed with the idea of going out for steak as a reward. Asuka’s line mocking the standards of the Second Impact generation is absolutely hilarious!

And while this scene does provide some lighthearted humor in the face of impending destruction, it also reveals some more insight into Rei’s character, who declines to attend said-dinner because she hates eating meat. While Rei being a vegetarian might seem like a tangential detail, it’s actually another example of subtle foreshadowing to her true identity as the reincarnated soul of humanity’s progenitor Lilith (from whom animals also spawned from, which explains why Rei would not eat meat because that’d be like cannibalizing her own children).

Lol! The plan to defeat Sahaquiel is becoming even more outrageous since due to just how massive the Angel’s A.T. Field is, the 3 EVA-Units are going to be dispersed at 3 random points outside of the drop-zone area, based not on any data but a mere guess on Misato’s part!

Double lol! Shinji’s comment about Misato not being good at the lottery! Does he think that she’s “the Legendary Loser” Tsunade from Naruto or something?

Dang! This elevator ride scene is so iconic! Not only the visual imagery of the three EVA Pilots standing side-by-side to each other as they view their respective units also lined-up together outside the window, but also for the conversation between Shinji & Asuka questioning each other’s respective reasons for becoming an EVA Pilot, which as I said previously in my coverage of Episode 6 is a reoccurring motif throughout NGE!

When Shinji asks Asuka’s motivations for becoming a pilot, she responds that it’s, “To show the world how great I am,” to which Shinji deduces as her wanting to prove her own existence to others. Not only does this reaffirm Asuka’s superiority complex, but it also highlights that she and Shinji are two sides of the same coin, as both pilots utilize the Evangelions in order to validate their own self-worth and and gain recognition from the eyes of others. This was a conclusion that Misato pointed out in relation to Shinji back in Episodes 3 & 4, and something that Shinji himself previously questioned when he asked Rei why she piloted her EVA back in Episode 6, which she stated was because it was representative to her bond with all of humanity.

Speaking of which, when Asuka discovers that Shinji previously asked Rei the exact same question, she in-turn questions why Shinji pilots his EVA, to which he states that he, “doesn’t know,” inferring that he’s indecisive and still trying to discover what exactly his true purpose is for existing. Very insightful!

Also, that smug head-tilt and smile of Asuka’s! Classic!

Huh… even though Misato in this episode is portrayed as being far more reckless than before in relation to putting the pilot’s lives at risk, she not only suggests that the other NERV personnel evacuate HQ so that they’re not similarly burdened by her vendetta against the Angels, but Misato also points out that Evangelion’s A.T. Fields actually make the units the safest location for the pilots to be.

One could interpret this as either blind excuses or excessive optimism on Misato’s part, but it can also be read as Misato genuinely having faith in her plan and the pilot’s ability to successfully defeat the Angel. It once again brilliantly underscores that dichotomy between parental figure and military officer which heavily defines Misato’s character!

And it’s here, right before the impending fight with Sahaquiel, that we reach the apex of Misato’s arc in this episode! As Shinji’s sitting in Unit-01’s Entry-Plug awaiting orders, he thinks back to a previous conversation between him and Misato that occurred shortly after the celebration party. Overlooking the Tokyo-3 skyline, Misato finally answered Shinji’s question about why she joined NERV, revealing that as a child she always hated her father since he was a total workaholic who constantly obsessed over his career and avoided interacting with or getting too close his wife and daughter. Despite Misato’s negative feelings about her father being set in stone, she experienced a severe feeling of whiplash and confusion when her father sacrificed himself to save her during the Second Impact. Now conflicted over whether or not she hates or loves her father, Misato has made it her life’s goal to destroy all of the Angel’s in order either avenge her father’s death or to put her conflicted feelings about him to rest.

This flashback is incredibly important in regards to Misato’s overall characterization, as we are not only provided the first major details about her childhood and love/hate relationship with her father, but backstory also serves as the foundation for her present-day motivations as a major for NERV, explaining why she’s willing to go to such great lengths in order to destroy the Angels. Similar to the reoccurring question of, “Why do the kids pilot the EVAs,” Misato’s motivation for why she joined NERV plays a similar role in exposing how these characters seek to validate and find meaning in their own empty existences rather than for altruistic purposes like preventing humanity’s extinction at the hands of the Angels. 

I also love how similar to Shinji, Misato is also indecisive in her motivations for wanting to destroy the Angels, as she is conflicted on whether or not she’s doing so because she now loves her father and wants to avenge his death, or if it’s because she still hates him and simply wants to absolve herself of this confusing burden.

Furthermore, Misato’s hatred for her father not only perfectly parallels Shinji’s strained relationship with his own father, but Misato’s description of her father as,  “A weak person who didn’t want to to face reality and that avoiding his family was easier than dealing with it,” is also reflective of Gendo’s reasons for abandoning Shinji which will later be revealed in The End of Evangelion.

I also really appreciate Shinji’s responses to Misato’s confession during the flashback, as he not only realizes just how similar the two of them truly are, but because they are the same Shinji back in the present-day states with calm determination that he won’t fail in his mission. Similar to Rei back in Episode 6, Shinji is demonstrating that he is capable of putting aside his own selfish motivations for piloting the EVA if it means validating the existence of another person with experiences similar to his own.

And I especially love how the shot of Shinji’s determination is perfectly mirrors the animation from the “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” opening!

Man oh man is the battle with Sahaquiel another phenomenal banger of an Angel fight! For starters, sequence of each of the 3 EVA Units rapidly sprinting across the Tokyo-3 and Japanese countryside provide some of the most iconic & gorgeous animation and scenery presented in the series so far (seriously, I absolutely adore the shot of EVA Unit-01 jumping over the mountainside). The sheer weight and speed of the Evangelions as they each rush towards Sahaquiel’s drop-zone is simultaneously breathtaking and exhilarating, aided by triumphant yet foreboding soundtrack which increases the tension of reaching the Angel before it drops itself onto Tokyo-3!

And once Unit-01 reaches the drop-zone, the tension only continues to increase as the sky begins to glow purple and pink due to the rapidly increasing proximity of Sahaquiel’s A.T. Field, and the Angel’s cyclops eye eerily looming directly above as Shinji begins extending Unit-01’s own A.T. Field in order to counteract Sahaquiel’s field and halt it’s decent. And seeing Rei & Asuka’s units quickly come to Shinji’s aid as he rips open he Angel’s A.T. Field, allowing his and Rei’s Units to grab onto the Sahaquiel with their barehands while Asuka plunges her progressive-knife straight into the Angel’s core, killing it!

I absolutely love it! Yet another testament to Evangelion’s ability to create such uniquely inventive & thrilling mecha-on-kaju action scenes!

And seeing the plan actually succeed despite all odds going against them, I guess Misato truly is like Naruto’s Tsunade in that the only time she’s actually good at gambling is whenever she places her life on the line (or in this case, Shinji, Rei & Asuka’s lives)…

I do love how Misato not only shows a sincere heartfelt smile when she sees that Shinji. Rei & Asuka all survived their encounter with the Angel, but even accepts full accountability for her irresponsible behavior during this mission when NERV HQ is contacted by Gendo & Fuyutsuki.

And this “Sound Only” (EPIC FORESHADOWING!) transmission leads to another important scene where Gendo for the first time ever not only requests Shinji’s presence during the call, but even tells him, “Good work Shinji.” 

In addition to being one of the rare moments where Gendo displays genuine recognition and appreciation towards his son, those three simple words also instill Shinji with the false sense of hope that he might someday be able to truly reconcile with his father, therefore confirming his true reason for piloting the Evangelion.

That true reason being: to receive praise from others and in particular, from his father.

While Shinji describes this as the “positive aspect of being praised” which Misato referenced earlier in the episode, I still can’t help but think back to her previous words about Shinji caring too much about being praised since… well… the idea that he and his father might reconcile is a false hope… at least in the original NGE and The End of Evangelion timeline…

Also, that was a nice gesture of Asuka’s for once (if a bit condescending), to surprise Misato with a ramen shop instead of a fancy steak dinner to celebrate defeating Sahaquiel. Not only is she following Kensuke’s previous advice by paying attention to Misato’s workload and limited finances, but she even takes Rei’s vegetarianism into consideration! Some rare generosity on Asuka’s part!

So that was NGE “Episode 12: The Value of a Miracle is.../She Said, “Don’t Make Others Suffer for Your Personal Hatred,” and… holy FREAKING crap! 

Not only had I forgotten how phenomenal and tightly written this episode was, but upon rewatch and careful analysis, this might actually join the ranks of my personal favorite episodes from the series, right alongside Episodes 4, 10, 18, 19, 22 & 24! I originally thought of this episode exclusively as “the Misato-centric episode” since it focuses heavily on fleshing out her backstory and motivations. And while that is definitely true, I was incredibly impressed by how much care and attention was given to Shinji’s character development as well! In addition to further illustrating how Shinji is essentially a younger version of Misato, this episode further delves heavily into the reoccurring theme of the kids questioning their reasons for piloting the EVAs as a metaphor for self-discovery, while also highlighting some small glimmers of light in the otherwise nonexistent relationship between Shinji and his father Gendo. Additionally, Hideaki Anno and Studio GAINAX are on their absolute A-game in this episode, as the cinematography and animation for scenes like the Second Impact flashback prologue and the fight with Sahaquiel are breathtakingly top-notch! 

Overall, I adore the heck out of Episode 12 for both its deeply interwoven plotting and theming, as well as its character-driven storytelling focused primarily on two of the series best characters, Misato & Shinji! Next time it’s Episode 13!

[something-tofightfor]

I wanna turn it around to something more positive there’s so much negativity going around rn and like you while I agree with everything you say the more I think about some moron trying to ruin something great the more it bugs me soo anyway let’s not talk about s3 for now I wanna ask, what’s your favourite episodes from s1 and s2? I have a hard time picking my favourites but always enjoy hearing others!

Also how’re you doing? Have you been watching anything new/good? I’m in a cycle of rewatching shows I like rn it’s probably so unhealthy but it’s so easy😂

Favorite episodes from season 1 and 2? That's easy.

1: The Sin. This is where we see Din begin to change his behaviors toward Grogu, and even toward himself - and when he goes all in ... he's all in. This also shows that even when the other Mandos are upset with him, they'll protect him and do the honorable thing for one of their own. I do wish he hadn't let Pershing live, but oh well. I love Din's armor upgrade in this episode, and that extended scene where he destroys all the stormtroopers room by room and then when he's holding Grogu and defeats all of those guards with the Whistling Birds?? Chills. This was also where we saw a lot of Grogu's personality - his confusion as he's floating away from din and through the doorway? The way he reacts to Din protecting him, because I'm sure he can feel what's going on under the beskar? It's perfect.

2: The Believer. I love this episode for a lot of reasons, but mostly because Bill Burr is PHENOMENAL during that conversation in the cafeteria, and so is Pedro. The mannerisms and the facial expressions and just the absolute resignation at what is going to happen and has to happen and did happen? Both of them deserved awards for that, and again it proved what Din was willing to do to get Grogu back, no matter the cost. Mayfeld owed him nothing - didn't have to keep his secret, and it was the first thing that he said as soon as they got out of the firefight. That tells you what kind of loyalty Din inspires in people, even after he's fucked them over in the past. I also LOVE the holo message Din sends Gideon.

And I'm doing good! Glad it's starting to get a little warmer out and staying light later. I hope the weather just gets better and better. What about you, are you doing alright?

I've reached the bottom of the barrel when it comes to TV. I'm working my way though True Blood because I am determined to actually finish it for the first time. I'm watching Law and Order SVU from the beginning as background noise, and I'm in the middle of like ... season 4? I think?

I just finished Daisy Jones and The Six and LOVED it, even though I couldn't stand the book. I got through 5 episodes of Shadow and Bone Season 2 and then got distracted by The Night Agent and binged that entire 10 episodes in 2 days, and really liked that ... and still haven't gone back to S&B.

I need something else to actually focus on, so if anyone has any series recommendations, please let me know. I've heard White Lotus is good?

(Not Ted Lasso or Succession. I've had those suggested a ton of times and at this point I'm just going to wait.)