#there’s literally one line of dialogue in this lol

[roseamericano]

somewhere only we know

rated G | 1.3k word count | character study dnf

[infriga]

Another thing from the One Piece live action that I have a lot of thoughts about is a certain change they made that normally I might have disliked but actually felt they did rather well.

That being, Luffy listening to crew members backstories.

In the manga Luffy often goes out of his way to avoid listening to crew member's backstories when they're told by other people, because he doesn't like hearing about his crew from other characters and also because he's of the opinion that he doesn't give a shit about their past because doesn't change how he feels about them. All he needs to know is "this person hurt my friend/made my friend cry/has ill will towards my friend". He trusts implicitly that if his friend has a problem with someone then it's with good reason, he doesn't need to know the particulars. He'll listen to the crew member themself if they're the one talking about it, but if someone else is doing the telling he often leaves or falls asleep, with a few exceptions (like Brook's backstory, because hearing Brook's backstory is important for realizing who Brook is, which crew he came from, and his relation to Laboon. I think the fact that the one telling him is another crew member also helps here). This was a trait I liked about him, the way he places importance on hearing about this stuff directly from the person and wants to know what they want and how they feel out of their own mouth. It was a cool, subtle trait that adds some depth to him. It also gives this sense of respect to the privacy of someone who doesn't get to tell their own story, maybe not intentionally on Luffy's part, who doesn't really have a strong concept of privacy tbh, but as a vibe you know? Obviously it's a good way to provide exposition especially if the character isn't the type to tell their own story, but there's still an invasion of privacy on some level even if it's arguably justified.

Nami's backstory is one such instance like this. He refuses to listen about Nami from Nojiko (literally says "no thanks I'm not interested in her past" and leaves). He doesn't need to know about Nami's past to want to help her and he wants to hear that she needs help directly from her.

In the live action however, he listens to Nojiko this time, when she tells Nami's story. And I get why, the way the story is arranged doesn't give as much room for Luffy to wander off and witness Nami's confrontation with the villagers separately, and that aspect of his character would probably be difficult to get across without making him seem like a dick in live action to newcomers, hell it doesn't always get across in the manga/anime either, since I've seen plenty of people complain about him doing it and saying it's a dick move. But! They added a line in the live action that I think managed to get across the same feeling about his character quite well in a succinct way. It was when he says "I'm tired of hearing about Nami from other people".

It brings to mind what he says to Robin in Enies Lobby. "I want to hear it from your own mouth!" he wants to hear about his friends and how they feel directly from them, not second hand from other people. And he wants to hear the truth because he knows when his friends are lying about how they feel. He doesn't care how well those other people know the crew member in question, he cares about learning about them directly from them. And later when they do the scene™ with Nami, it doesn't ring false when she says "you don't know anything about what's going on here" and he replies with "I don't" because to him since he didn't hear it from her directly he doesn't really know what's going on. He just knows that she's in pain and needs him but he wants to hear it from her, that she needs help. It isn't as subtle and doesn't have as many layers of interpretation that the original portrayal of this character trait is able to be, but that's just the nature of an adaptation like this, they have to be smart about what subtleties they keep and what they have to be more obvious/blunt about. There are actually a few areas where the live action are more subtle, like the way they take out a lot of exposition but still manage to explain a lot of stuff about their world through show rather than tell. The dialogue about devil fruits for example, they never outright say that devil fruit users have their power drained when they're submerged in water, but they do have scenes showing the effects and people referencing that aspect of fruits in ways that feel more natural to people who live in the world and aren't giving obligatory exposition. Other people have mentioned this but the live action is surprisingly good with show don't tell, and use it in all the right ways.

I get the feeling that some of the small adjustments they made to the script and exposition and stuff like Luffy's behaviour still feel right and in-character/canon compliant (not literally canon-compliant but in spirit if you know what I mean) to me because they feel like they get across some of the more subtle aspects of his character that a lot of people miss. Like it bugs me when people say the live action made Luffy "smarter" which I'm probably gonna make a whole separate post about. For now I'll just say, Luffy isn't anywhere near as stupid as a lot of people think he is.

Or when people think him not wanting to eat when he's worried about Zoro is out of character, when we've seen in the original series that Luffy actually *does* have a harder time eating or thinking about food when he's stressed out about his friends. In the original series it does generally take a bit more stress to get him to that point, but like I said I think they adjusted it to make this point more clear in live action, that Luffy's love of his friends and crew overshadow his love for food. And it also gives them a small moment to showcase more of Sanji's caring nature when it comes to food when he responds by trying to feed Luffy and convince him to eat, which is a great moment to add especially since they were limited with Sanji's characterisation due to him joining the latest in the season, they managed to pack in so much characterisation for him into a relatively short window and I was impressed by that. And I have some examples regarding Luffy abstaining from food for the sake of others or being more reluctant to eat when stressed, but I think I'll leave that for a separate post as well.

They had less time to develop the crew relationships so they made sure to emphasize their bonds within the scenes they did have, putting more weight on Luffy's worry for Zoro, having Luffy be a bit more outwardly attentive to the interpersonal dynamics of the crew, being a little bit more obvious about Luffy's emotional intelligence, etc. None of these things feel like they actually change anything about Luffy's core character, they just showcase aspects of his character that already exist and are just more subtle in the original, because it's a long running series and can afford to take more time to establish these character traits. Luffy might not have shown as much outward anxiety over Zoro's injury in the manga, but that's because Oda had more time to build up the relationship before that point, so the live action took advantage of the injury subplot to be more overt about how Luffy feels about Zoro, as well as how his one point of anxiety that really gets to him consistently is the safety of his crew and him feeling helpless when he can't do anything because the problem isn't something he can punch away. So in altering that scenario a bit they can still keep that sense of a deep bond between the two despite having less time to show them growing close in smaller moments like the manga does. They probably realised that having Luffy leave or fall asleep during Nami's backstory wouldn't come across as well in the live action or fit the narrative structure changes, but they still took a moment to add a line that acknowledged that part of Luffy's character.

Like part of why most of the changes they did make didn't bother me is because of that feeling that no matter what they changed they were still dedicated to being as true to the characters as possible in the most fundamental ways. I'd certainly much rather have the live action place emphasis on Luffy's emotional intelligence and empathy and care for his crew instead of putting emphasis on him being stupid and comedic and sacrificing some of his empathy and emotional intelligence in the process. Do I love when Luffy is a hilarious dumbass? Absolutely, but that isn't the most important part of his character, so I'm glad they did the opposite of flanderize him, and they still did keep the funny dumbass part of him intact they just didn't put more importance on it than they needed to.

Anyway, this got away from me, but I just wanted to make a post about this because I feel like it's a good example of how the show makes most of the changes work because it still feels like they get the core of the show and the characters. Which makes sense if Oda was so anal about it and had them change scenes or lines if they didn't feel right for the characters. Oda of all people would know what is or isn't in character for them, so I can feel the way these subtle changes still feel right despite the differences.

[dotpyenji]

happy bisexual day to those who celebrate

[honeyhotteok]

summary: you and your boyfriend jake chat about one of his insecurities.

--

You sigh as you trace Jake’s scar on his mouth with your fingertips. 

“That fucking bastard Gun,” you mutter. 

You know that it had been a consequence of his involvement with shady business at the time, but still, you wish you could have prevented him from going through all that pain somehow. Your fingertips move to the scar on his nose. Well, at least your boyfriend had gotten back at the guy who made that one.

Jake grins and pulls you towards him by your waist. “God, you’re so hot when you’re cursing my enemies.”

You playfully smack his arm then pull him closer to you to hug him. “I wish you didn’t have to deal with any enemies, though.”

His gaze softens. “I know, baby. But you don’t have to worry about me.”

You run your fingers through his hair as he rests his head on your chest. He looks up at you again and hesitates. He would never ask any of the Big Deal boys this - he didn’t want to look too vulnerable to them as their leader, and they’d probably just butter him up anyway. But he wants to know what you think. 

You notice the expression on his face, worried. “What's wrong? Is it because I mentioned Gun?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just… Don’t you think I’d, you know, look better without them, though?”

“What, without your scars?”

He nods, wearing a half-hearted smile. He’s too aware of how other people already avoid eye contact with him sometimes, flinch when they’re around him.

“No, you’re still the same Jake I know, with or without them. If anything, you look pretty hot with them honestly,” you assure him.

You wait for another cheeky reply from him, but to your surprise, the look on his face is tender. He snuggles up to you in response and smiles, grateful that he has you to see him for who he is outside of this crazy life he’s chosen.

[raystranslationsfestival]

Blood Banquet (Crestoria OST Addition Version).

Type: Skit (xMA with Misella). Character: Kanata (Third Skit). Characters Featured: Kanata, Misella, Vicious, Aegis, Yuna.

Translation, recording, subbing by Shi. Proofread by Yewfelle.

NOTE: About halfway into the skit, there's a BGM change. This was an edit made by me and is not used in the original skit. The original, unedited version of this is also on my YT channel and this blog.

[vault81]

Just thinking about it, but it's kinda weird how your dead spouse is kinda just glossed over when it comes to the fo4 romances, besides Preston (iirc)

like my partner just died like 4 days ago but let me just romance this guy I just met, as far as I know, Preston is the only companion to actually address this in his romance. Like its just a weird writing choice to me, not to mention that the spouse gets like 2.5 seconds of screentime and gets only a few mentions during the main quest.

[fideidefenswhore]

not being able to reblog any substantial number of edits of elizabeth (howard) boleyn bcus in the past 20+ years she has literally only been given dialogue in one production, is? my villain origin story.

[charlottesweetly]

im so sad my TGWDLM hyperfixation just like faded lmao i have so many fic wips i WANT to finish I jusr !!!! have no motivation bc i can only write for stuff im fixating on apparently

[arolesbianism]

Thinking abt Walter Abby friendship again. 💥💥💥

[charlesemersonwinchesteriii]

@babysgarage He would spell it "clavier", but yes, it's basically the same word! :D Both terms are borrowed from the German Klavier, which comes via French from the Latin clavis, meaning "key". The English word clavier technically refers to any clavichord, i.e. "keyboard" type of instrument, so he could hypothetically also be referring to a harpsichord, but the piano had essentially fully replaced the harpsichord in most settings by the time George was born, so he's most likely referring to playing the piano.

So we must ask: why does he say "clavier" instead of "piano"? After all, even in the 1840s, the latter was the more common term. I don't know enough about the details of Victorian diction to say anything Watsonian, but from a Doylist perspective it's certainly fitting. George is both very wealthy and of very high rank, so altogether one of the most "posh" characters on the show. To a modern native English speaker, "clavier" is the more antiquated term by far, so if you're trying to portray someone in a period piece who talks fancy even in a setting where everyone is talking sort of fancy, it's an ideal choice.

There's also the additional note that "clavier" sounds more "foreign" than "piano" (even though they're both loanwords lmao), and George is very much associated with foreign languages: in future scenes we'll see he speaks French and is knowledgeable about Ancient Greek etymologies.

Also as long as you're trapped in this post with me: the context for this whole line is a LOT. If you're thinking "hm, that's a strange thing to bring up while loading a cannon", that's because it is! Especially since he's responding to the sailors under his command being worried that the supernaturally powerful polar bear might come back and murder more of them. But the thing is, he can't offer them any real reassurance about the bear; all he could do would be to tell them to buck up and stop being scared. We actually see another officer take that exact approach in a similar situation during this same episode (with very bad results), so now is the perfect time for the story to show George's contrasting personality and strategy: he tries to diffuse the tension by distracting them with something lighthearted. So instead of thinking about impending doom, they're thinking about what a weirdo that Hodgson fellow is.

But also, it's not all silliness. It's actual good advice! None of them can control whether the bear attacks, but they can take care against the cold. Between severe frostbite and accidentally touching cold metal with bare skin, the cold itself injures characters three different times just in this one episode. (Another thing about George's strange statements: they frequently foreshadow future horrors. Just Georgie Things! <3) It's an instruction they've doubtless heard a thousand times by now, but his strange delivery of it makes it both more memorable and less of an order.

(The degree to which all of this is intentional on his part is ambiguous, because in the grand tradition of autism-coded characters he is famous for Just Saying Random Odd Shit. But a general demonstration of his leadership style and attitude is still on display here, and it is seen to be effective, while perhaps not perfectly suited to the British Navy (TM). Unfortunately this is the navy, and his attitude will have Consequences Later.)

One final thing to note regarding the piano playing itself, and the fact that George is clearly passionate about and proud of it, is that with the exception of professional musicians, the piano was mostly played by women in this place and time period. Very interesting character detail, particularly when combined with his "softer" touch with subordinates as described above....... and the way he will later be a "damsel in distress" threatened with harm to manipulate one of the heroes......... and his delight in dressing up as a woman for a costume party......... so many totally random and surely completely unrelated fun facts about George <3

So anyways yeah у праву си Ана, он свира клавир!

was making something unrelated but simply had to stop everything to preserve this moment for myself so it may bring me aid and comfort whenever I have need of it

[moss-flesh]

ok caved watched bridgerton

[springcatalyst]

this movie is permanently implanted in my retinas. it's not even that good

[andhumanslovedstories]

An intro to doing crosswords for complete beginners

as told by someone who didn’t do any before this year and now has gotten so deeply into them

with examples pulled almost entirely from crosswords published in American publications this week

A crossword is not a measure of general knowledge or intelligence or skill with words anymore than a Mario game is a measure of how good you are at plumbing. It certainly helps to have the same cultural reference points as the puzzle, but you can brute force your way through a lot of it if you just know how crosswords work

Easiest on Mondays and then get harder over the week

The answer is in the same verb tense as the clue (ex. “doesn’t float” is “SINKS” while “didn’t float” is “SANK”)

If there’s an acronym or abbreviation in the clue, the answer will have one as well (ex. “Toothpaste-approving org.” is “ADA” because that the short way of referring to the American Dental Association)

If the answer is in written like a text from a teen girl with her first flip phone, the answer will be a common texting abbreviation (TMI, OMG, LOL, LMAO, BRB, TTYL, etc) (ex. three letter word with clue “i can’t believe u told me that” is “TMI”)

If the clue is in quotes, it’s dialogue and the response should also be dialogue (ex. the clue “‘That’s it for me!’” is “IQUIT”)

An answer can be multiple words, (see above) so some correct answers can make you second guess yourself because it creates letter combos that seem impossible to be in one English (mostly) word or mess you up bc it’s ambiguous where one word ends and another begins (ex. you have the letters “OWFO” and the answer ends up being “PILLOWFORT” or “UDAT” being “BERMUDATRIANGLE”)

Treat clues with a question mark like they’re going to be puns that make you groan so think about other meanings of the words in the clue (ex. “Volumes you can hear?” is “AUDIOBOOKS” or “Not fancy at all?” is “HATE” or “Remained under cover?” is “SLEPTIN”)

Clues that add hedging language line “they could be called…” or one might use this as…” are telling you to think very laterally. These are the ones that make you a little mad when you get them (ex. “They might be said to be dancing or raging” is “FLAMES” or “They admit they might be punched” is “TICKETS”)

The word “maybe” usually indicates the answer will be an example of the clue, not a synonym (ex. “Pet, maybe” is “CAT”)

If a person is in the clue and a person is the answer, the answer will be from the same part of name as the clue (ex. Trevor Noah replaced John Stewart on the Daily Show. So the clue “Stewart’s successor on the Daily Show” is “NOAH” while “John’s successor on the Daily Show” would be “TREVOR”

No word in the clue will be featured in the answer (ex. “What Beyoncé Knowles goes by” could be “ONENAME” but could never be “BEYONCÉ”)

A answer can be a phonetic spelling of a letter (ex. “Epic finale?” is “CEE”)

Not every clue is going to be tricky and clever, don’t rule out an obvious choice just because it’s obvious (ex. “Do ___ disturb” is “NOT”)

Roman numerals pop up a lot but typically only in clues where a Roman numeral makes sense, so “finale of a play?” could be “ACTII” but “Number of Stooges” is not going to be “III”

There’s a ton of really common clues. If you do enough crossword puzzles you recognize them. (ex. Literally almost anything about oil is going to be OPEC, any variations on “things on a smartphone that someone can download and use” is going to be “APPS”, and anything about a european capital city is probably “OSLO”)

If a clue can be about a cookie, the answer is almost certainly “OREO”

[d-atalog]

so i loooooved scream 7 like love love love but i cannot b the only one who thought the romance between chad and tara was stale as fuck

[raystranslationsfestival]

Blood Banquet.

Type: Skit (xMA with Misella). Character: Kanata (Third Skit). Characters Featured: Kanata, Misella, Vicious, Aegis, Yuna.

Translation, recording, subbing by Shi. Proofread by Yewfelle.

[sobredunia]

Oh boy.