#they think there's just no consequences for writing making and enjoying that stuff without care

[reshirfuse]

there's ways to write and engage with nuanced "problematic" topics in fiction without being a harmful asshole about it. Writing sensitive situations with care and realism is not that fucking hard, and it's not hard to understand the genuine harm and trauma these situations cause in both reality and fiction. This is not some perfect fantasy or an inconsequential action. In fact, showing how ugly it is and how much trauma it can cause makes the whole thing so much better and gut wrenching anyway i don't understand people who actively ignore this they're just assholes who don't care about hurting others.

[mint-yooxgi]

Promises - Yandere!Kraken!Felix

Yandere AU & Kraken AU - First Person POV

Genre: Mature, Smutty Themes, Internal Monologue

Pairing: Felix X Implied Chubby!Fem!Reader

Words: 1,958

Warnings: Implied violence and shipwreck, kidnapping, Felix is a type of Sea God in this, mentions of past sexual relations. Tentacles. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: Did I base the start of this drabble on the ending scene in Dead Man's Chest? Perhaps. Is this a bit tamer than the others. Maybe. Either way, I still hope you like it! I've been slowly easing myself back into writing, so I'm happy with what I've been able to do. Plus, I just fucking love the banner I made for this hehehe... Anyways, Feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy!~

The Thirteenth of The Feral Drabbles

They thought they could keep you away from me.

They really thought they could keep you away from me.

It’s laughable. I thought it was a known rule for sailors not to anger the sea, but alas. Here we are.

The frantic screams and shouts don’t deter me for one second. I know what I came here for, and I’m not leaving without you. You’re mine. I warned them what the consequences would be, yet still they refused to give you to me. Even after we promised ourselves to each other! Can you believe that?

Oh, that sounds so harsh. It’s not like you didn’t also choose me. It’s these… these… things keeping us apart. They don’t understand our love. Think I’m corrupting you, or something.

Such bullshit. The only thing I’m corrupting is their ability to live.

They hid you on the third level, thinking you’d be safe within the deepest confines of the ship. Little do they know it’s the worst place you could be. It’s like they want you to get hurt, like they want me to kill you. Such things I would never do. 

Still, despite my anger as I tear this floating piece of wood apart, I’m careful. Your safety is my top priority, and I’ve already ensured that. Right now, you rest, cocooned inside a few of my tentacles. Magic surrounds you, ensuring none of their attacks have any effect on me or you. Like hell I’ll allow them to disturb you now. Besides, you passed out shortly after my assault started on the ship, but you don’t have to worry. I’ve got you.

I can still remember when we first met, how you told me you didn’t fare well with sea travel. Yet another offence they’ve made against you. I’ll never forgive them for their transgressions. Sinners need to pay, and I am here to pass my divine judgement on those that would call themselves ‘heroes’.

Do not fear, My Beloved. Once I finish smashing apart this pathetic excuse of driftwood, I’ll take you home. 

Where you’ve always belonged. 

With me.

These planks are so brittle, it’s almost laughable. Your captor’s pathetic attempts to defend themselves are cute, in a way. If not for the fact that every time I start to pull you out of the wreckage, more of them show up to try and hinder me. I don’t know why they’re so obsessed with protecting you now when they’ve never done so before.

I’m the one who always saves you. I’m the one who ensures you no harm. Not them.

No matter. They haven’t seen everything that I can do. My capabilities far surpass what their puny, closed off minds can comprehend. I’ve got magic beyond the darkest depths of the ocean, strength greater than the harshest of tides. There is no being, save myself, that could keep me away from you.

I don’t even know why they try.

Finally, I’m able to pull you out of that godforsaken wreckage and unleash my full wrath upon these wretches. The boat snaps like a twig as I pull the debris and all remaining survivors below the surface. 

None will survive. They don’t get to. I won’t let them.

Honestly, it’s kind of fun tearing stuff apart. I’ve always enjoyed making a mess of things. I only wish you could be awake to see just how strong your lover can be. After all, I’m doing this for you. I warned them about what would happen should they lay their filthy, traitorous hands all over you. I’m simply staying true to my word!

You know firsthand that I’m a very truthful guy. I would never lie to you, My Pearl. I would rather be slow roasted over an open fire than even think to deceive you.

Aren’t I so loyal?

Oh. Right. You aren’t awake to hear my teasing. Teasing which you seem quite fond of whenever I’m with you.

I think you just like hearing my voice…

That’s okay, Beloved. I will speak for as long as you desire me to. Besides, the feeling is quite mutual.

Gods- I can’t wait to see your face when you wake up in our home, and I get to tell you everything that I’ve done for you. Finally, we can be together, free of oppressive opinions and suppressive stares. Where I’m taking you, we can be ourselves, and the magic of my ocean will keep you safe. Eventually, when you’re ready, you’ll even become like me, too. 

Won’t that be incredible? Just thinking about it makes my whole body tingle.

Or maybe that’s just the change in depth.

I promise my home isn’t too much further out, and it’s in a safe area. You’ll be able to live here with me free of any restraints. I’ll be your comfort. I’ll be your guide. I will provide for you everything you will ever need. 

There is nothing stopping our love now.

I’ll even make sure that no sliver of the wreckage I just caused gets to you. The currents listen to me. They’re my friends, and soon they will be yours, too.

Either way, I’m glad that’s over, because now I can focus on you! I know that you’d be celebrating with me if you were awake, but for now, I’ll simply revel in this sweet victory alone. Having you safe in my arms is enough reward, and when you wake, the true celebration will begin.

Hmm, I wonder what we should do first? Should I take you to the reefs so you can see all of the colourful coral that I’ve grown just for you? Should I present you to the schools of fish that always seek refuge around my house? Get them to revel in your beauty? Or maybe I’ll worship you in the den of our own personal sanctuary, where nothing - no one - will be able to interrupt.

My Beauty.

My Beautiful, Beloved Pearl.

I’ll admit, there’s a certain ring to those names that I enjoy. It calls to me like the cavernous songs of the sirens. An enchantment I can never seem to escape: you.

Not that I want to. 

No. Never. Not since the very first time I laid eyes on you.

You’re addictive, you know that? One glance caught my attention. One melodic note of a spoken word, and I was hooked. Your eyes are deeper than the darkest sea, and I could swim in them forever. You hold me, transfixed, with your gaze whenever you look at me, and I never want it to stop.

Honestly, I can never grow tired of you looking at me. I want you to look at me, and only me. I want to be the first thing you see in the morning when you blink those glorious eyes open, and the last thing you see when you go to sleep at night. I want to wrap you in my arms and hold you close, whispering the sweetest words of all the worlds in your ears, and hear you do the same for me in return.

There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Beloved, and I will never hesitate to prove that to you. With me, you will never have to settle for less than what you deserve, for I will always give you every single thing your heart could ever desire.

Fuck- I can still remember the way your body trembled from the very first touch. The more I trailed my arms over your body, letting the tips of my tendrils caress your skin, the more your whole being warmed. You fit so perfectly in my hold, that I long to always touch you - to always be near you, and obey your every whim.

I am but your loyal servant, sent to worship the very depths of your soul. Your entire being calls to me, and I could bathe in your warmth for all eternity. Right now, it’s that warmth that I crave more than anything. That glorious nectar that seeps from between your legs beckons to me. One taste isn’t enough. I need to feel you flooding my every sense once more.

Sweet.

Addictive.

I could spend ages defining it, but nothing could ever truly put into words just how ethereal you are to me.

People always thought my existence was mere myth itself. Rumours and legends only meant to scare those away from pursuing adventure on the high seas. Nothing more than a fable to tell their children at night to ensure they don’t go off swimming in the bay alone.

They have always been, and will always be, wrong.

I’m as real at the tide, as sure as the sand that resides against the ocean floor. There is nothing in these waters as deadly as I am, and all those that oppose us will face my wrath.

Well, where we’re going, we won’t have to worry about being disturbed at all. Plenty of room for the both of us. Plenty of privacy. No one dares disturb that which should be left undisturbed. At least, those smart enough to.

That is, of course, unless I use my magic to let those sirens get a taste of their own medicine. Water echoes even the smallest of sounds, and yours should be heard for miles around. I can still hear your glorious voice calling out my name as you bathed me in your own sacred waters, and I want all to know that you are mine, and I am yours. For all eternity. 

I’ll admit… I’m addicted to you, and I can never get enough. Though, from the way I remember your hands clinging to me that night only days ago, I don’t think you can get enough, either.

Good thing we have forever to spend fully satisfying each other!

Ah… looks like we’re finally getting close to home. I can see the familiar drop off up ahead. Don’t worry, Beloved, there’ll be plenty of air for you to breathe inside. I won’t always have to keep you covered in a veil of magic. Though, I would always like to have an arm around you. Feeling your skin pressed against my own is a sensation unlike any other, and I long to never let you go.

Perhaps I should tidy up a little more before you wake. I always have way too much energy after destroying a ship. Something about adrenaline and all that.

Perhaps when you wake up you could even help me with it… You might be a bit tired and disoriented when you wake, but my magic can help with your exhaustion. You seemed to like that that last time I used it on you.

How else could we have gone as many rounds as we did?

Oh, you flatter me by pulling yourself in closer to me subconsciously when I shift into such a basic form. It easier to move around like a human within my home when it’s drained like this, and besides, I haven’t exactly shown you my entire true form yet. The last thing I want to do is scare you as soon as you wake up. You’ve already suffered the trauma of being stolen away from me today. I don’t want to make things worse.

There. All you need to do is rest now. 

In my arms? Well, who am I to pull away from My Pearl when you’re clinging onto me so tightly in your sleep? 

I truly can never say no to you…

Just rest, Beloved. This creature shall keep you safe, tucked away deeply in his heart for all eternity. Once you open those glorious eyes of yours, our own adventure will start.

Just you and me, forever. 

I promise.

[speedierthanasubmarine]

Finished heaven official’s blessing and I really enjoyed writing an analysis on helluva boss I want to make this a regular thing because it’s fun so here’s my thoughts on

Heaven Official’s Blessing

Spoilers (duh)

I think it’s incredibly impressive when someone can make an overarching narrative in which different seemingly disjointed events are significant without A) putting a giant exclamation mark on top saying “REMEMBER THIS IT WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER” and B) Significantly over or under emphasizing the importance of the scene in the moment. Each event stood on its own and I liked that.

There were several janky sentences and word choices but that’s a translation issue, this writer clearly knows what she’s doing.

Characters were a lot of fun and distinct, my favorites were Feng Xin, Pei Ming, Qi Ying, and Ling Wen whenever they were on the page I was like Ah yes, these pages are gonna be enjoyable and I was right, they’re all delightful (cept the brocade immortal stuff, but like I don’t care, Google assistant is fun) Xie Lian and San Lang are delightful, love them, and San Lang is so effed in the head it’s enjoyable to try and imagine what unhinged thing he’ll do next

Tbh there isn’t much plot breakdown I want to do with this series because it knows what it is, it’s a fanfic ass book with good times, trauma, gay fluff, and fights. Need I say more? That’s not a detractor, it’s a strength. Be what you are and own it because a house with a house’s foundation is a great house but slap a building on that house’s foundation and it fails in both regards.

The only aspect I’m going to analyze is the narrative voice the books are written in because holy crap is it super impressive. Xie Lian is a super mature (or ditzy, depending on your point of view) character, he doesn’t dwell on things, doesn’t hold grudges, doesn’t really care that much about people’s histories or even their present, doesn’t focus much on externals and it comes through in the way the book is written. I noticed this when throughout the books San Lang would do fucked up stuff like make it rain blood and kill a pit’s worth of people and Xie Lian kinda didn’t really seem to care and at first it pissed me off, why isn’t the author letting consequences occur because of these peoples’ actions, but then as it held consistently throughout the book and other people kept being super concerned about stuff, like Pei Constantly asking after Shi Qingxuan (I don’t know how to spell their name, it’s so hard to keep track I’m so sorry) or people bringing up Banue, I realized this is just Xie Lian, other people in the book are regular people like me, this one guy is just experiencing things, going “Well, ain’t that something” and then just moving on. Honestly iconic, but also I was halfway through book six when I realized. Especially since whenever they do flashbacks Xie Lian does all normal stuff. He describes settings he’s in, he mentions events that happened a few pages ago, he tells the reader how he feels, it’s after he experiences all his shit he goes through that this all kinda slips away. In “present” scenes he’ll reference things as they come up but like in the flashback after Mu Qing leaves they talk about it a few times and I find that aspect of acknowledgment to be noticeably absent in the “present” scenes. After the black water arc there is a complete lack of discussion about the frankly trauma inducing event that just transpired but sure Cie Lian, you and San Lang have to not hold hands for the billionth time. At first I thought is this author high but then I realized what shes doing is characterizing through prose which is IMPRESSIVE AS HELL. This may be a point I noticed and am now misremembering the entire series just to bolster my take and if that’s the case then I shall sheepishly shrug and say I’m sorry. I’m not rereading 8 books to write a tumblr review. Maybe if I ever start a YouTube channel

I don’t know, I just find it to be an incredible feat of actually good writing when a story is being told through the lens of the main character and you can characterize that character by simply reading the story and seeing how it’s written, not even through dialogue and action. It’s kinda like the Great Gatsby or a Separate Peace, and it’s super cool that a book like this can accomplish the same thing that makes those classics great. There isn’t as much symbolism or analytical potential but those books wouldn’t be nearly as impactful as they were without great execution, which this book pulled off in spades.

[unclassedguy]

I don't think I really enjoyed the latest chapter, and honestly from the way things are looking I'm probably not going to enjoy Jujutsu Kaisen's ending either....

I obviously like the characters, I like Yuji, I like Nobara, Megumi is alright.....I get wanting them to be happy. A lot of the stuff I draw in fact involves putting characters I like into silly situations as though they aren't in constant suffering in the source material (I'm immune to being serious 💔).

However, I feel like I'm not really vibing with this 'the trio is alright and they'll all be happy together' ending it seems Gege is setting up. I think part of it stems from the way Nobara and Megumi have been handled these past chapters. There was so much hype for Nobara's comeback.....I get it, she's a badass and fun character who's time in the story was cut awfully short.....I really do understand why so many people would want her back, but I just don't really like how close to the ending her return was and also the fact that up until that point it seemed pretty heavily implied that she had died. Not only that but her 'death' was such an important moment for Yuji and part of what made Shibuya and Yuji's story so tragic and Mahito so reprehensible as a villain. Nobara coming back so suddenly without even proper time dedicated to her (as in actual hints that she was alive and more chapters to explore the dynamics of her return and her contributions to the battle beyond one move) to make it feel even a smidgen satisfying just didn't sit right with me. The first thing I thought of upon seeing the chapter of her return was that it felt like fanservice. It felt like the type of thing a fan of the story would write for the 'hype' and not a choice that made sense. It was the same thing as Yuta returning in Gojo's body. People like Gojo, and having a chapter make it seem like he was coming back of course got the fans' attention. But in the end the story could've still worked well, maybe even better, without Yuta-jo's addition to the fight. It was unessecary.

Then we have Megumi who's been through so much for a good chunk of the story now. His body was taken over and used to hurt people he cares about, most of all his sister who is pretty much the center of his world, the person he loves the most. He'd given up, he'd sunk to the lowest depths submerged in Sukuna's evil. I feel like he sprung back pretty quickly......I don't think I'm as iffy about Megumi's return as I am with Nobara's considering Megumi actually at least got some pretty good and decent scenes with Yuji getting through to him and now also a talk with Sukuna.....but I dunno, I still don't know if I enjoyed how it was handled, particularly the fact that he just kind of comes back with no consequences after all the shit Sukuna's put his body through. I mean, he has a couple of scars sure but is that really all you'd expect after the world class beating he just got?????

Then we have Sukuna, reduced to glob of flesh. I don't mind Sukuna getting a pathetic death. After all he's done I think he deserved getting flung off his high horse and trampled on the ground. It still felt really abrupt though and like it didn't get enough time considering he's been such a big pain for months now and is one of the major antagonists. He's just suddenly gone and it felt anticlimactic and unsatisfying. I would've also liked to see at least a bit of what he was like in the Heain era.....

Hakari and Uraume too 😭. We really got none of their fight and when Sukuna is gone Uraume just....evaporates???? It honestly felt like Gege was just trying to get them out of the way so the series can end already and not an actual conclusion to their character. I wish they could've gotten more depth beyond being just Sukuna's loyal servant.

Them there's of course all the things Gege still hasn't touched such as Jin being Sukuna's twin, Kenjaku being Yuji's mom, the merger etc. Those things I guess I'm not as sad about because I'd already come to terms with the fact that Gege isn't going to get into them, at least not to the extent I would've wanted. It still sucks though.

Maybe I'm just a hater, maybe I don't understand what Gege was trying to do, maybe it's just a matter of preference. I think Gege probably tried his best with jjk using what he had and I don't think it'd be right to hate on him. And even if I am kind of dissapointed in where this story is going I don't blame anyone for liking it.

I may just not like 'happily ever after' endings or something. Not to say Jujutsu Kaisen is some super uplifting story even if the main trio has survived. There's still characters who have died and stayed dead, but it's still definitely a happier ending than what I expected.

At the end of the day, I like stories that put their characters through the wringer. I like stories that destroy everything their protagonist has ever had and turn their world upside down and accept no half-assed reparations to the damage they've caused. I like stories that fuck up everyone involved but still let at least one of them be smiling by the end, even if they're alone, because life is still worth living. Honestly, I would've preferred Yuji move on by himself than for a happy ending to be squeezed out of jjk's remains in a way that didn't feel satisfying. Though maybe I wouldn't be so sour about an ending where the trio gets to live together if we had just had more time to make it feel right. To make it feel emotionally impactful and like it wasn't just hype. I'd take a bittersweet but well-done ending over a half-assed good ending and a well-done good ending over a bittersweet ending....y'know?

Well, that's just my opinion.

[wizardfrog69]

Hello! I saw that you opened requests so I thought about making one (if they aren't please ignore this) could I request some Fyodor, Dazai, and Sigma with Reader who's got absolutely no sense of self-preservation, they're not suicidal or anything, they just don't think about the consequences before doing anything, like jumping off heights without considering fall damage, runs on the road regardless of light's color, and carelessly hold weapons (things like that)

My requests are open again :) thanks for requesting!

'•.¸♡I'm just having fun♡¸.•'

Fluff

Masterlist

Enjoy!

Feat. Fyodor, Dazai, Sigma

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor finds your lack of danger amusing. If you want to juggle with fire, go for it! He will gladly sit back and enjoy your show of chaos until you get seriously injured.

If it gets to the point where you are knocking at death's door, Fyodor will remind you to maybe not do what ever you are doing.

He doesn't really worry and hopes you won't decide to jump off a cliff someday.

Osamu Dazai

Dazai is worried for you, less than how Sigma would be, but he would still worry well enough. (Sigma would be very worried)

Dazai might join you in your activities, depending on how dangerous they are, but he makes sure you don't go too far.

He will try and stear you away from dangerous objects and stuff

Sigma

Sigma is worrying about you constantly. He doesn't want you to get hurt.

He will try and remind you to be careful and to think about the consequences before doing something.

Respectfully, he doesn't let you hold a knife or cook or do anything with dangerous things.

If you do dangerous sports such as rock climbing, he will always tell you to wear protective stuff and is absolutely terrified that you might want to jump or something.

༺♥︎༻ ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ *ೃ༄ *ੈ ★ ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ *ೃ༄ *ੈ ༺♥︎༻

At least I'm revealing my feelings in a normal matter now, by writing.

This tool longer as I was busy and then tired.

Have a wonderful day/night, and sleep tight!

-love, Az

[kanekoii]

hi! :3 FIRST OF ALLLL I just recently found u andWHAT THE HECKYYYY I love love love your fics, THEY ARE AWESOMEEEEE!!!!! Thank u soo much for being one of the BEST writers on Tumblr!!!!! I'm not sure if you currently do requests (if not just ignore this':D)

But could you do an Ike Eveland x gn!reader with a lot of cuddling and hugs

I hope you're currently doing well with all the mini stuff going on!!!!!! Please take care!!!

mika’s notes -> ough i’m still so not used to the amount of support i’ve gotten for my writing :cryign: but feel free to join the silly discord if you wanna be part of the Kanemmunity (i just came up with that rn)

pairing -> ike eveland x gn! reader

genre -> so much sweet fluff it’ll rot your teeth

song -> pink cheeks - eldon (is it obvious yet that i love this song?)

warnings -> sink the yacht, lowercase intended

when the last thing he wants to do is leave your side, dates with ike consist mostly of him just always wrapped around you in one way or another. one arm around your shoulder or waist, maybe holding hands, or it could be his arms around your shoulders resting his head on top of yours and awkwardly toddling around behind you.

ike doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would really enjoy physical affection much, but behind closed doors, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. it’s just how he shows his undying love for you!

before he had expressed his feelings for you, every conversation felt like another step in an endless staircase. at the top of that proverbial staircase was your love and affection, and it really did seem endless until he blurted it out one day without thinking about the possible consequences that might arise from his careless expression of love. making the plan for a date was scary at first, but he came to enjoy just even talking about all the places he’d take you, even if those daydreams never came to fruition.

he’d want to understand the inner workings of your mind, just wanting to know how you think and how different things will make you feel.

and that brings us to now, when you and him were on a simple coffee shop date. the atmosphere was bright, yet tranquil with the warm sunlight shining through the windows. it managed to add to the warm coffee shop and contrasted the brisk and cold air outside perfectly. ike couldn’t help but admire the way you looked as you sipped- or chugged- your drink of choice. everything from your hair, your skin, your eyes, your lips, your clothing, your hands, any accessories you may be wearing. you really were his one and only, after all.

he couldn’t help but get up from his seat and move it next to yours, placing his head on your shoulder as his soft hair tickled your face, his slightly muscular arms wrapped around your body as he smiled gently. you really are his favorite thing in the world, aren’t you?

[showtoonzfan]

Another new critique video I mostly agree with, this is made by the same person who made that “How to waste a villain” Stella video. I’m sorry but the female characters just don’t get the proper focus and time the same way the male characters do. They’re all obstacles for the male characters, mainly Stolas and Blitz because the show is fucking revolved around them. Octavia can’t be a character on her own or focused on alone without be attached to her father, Millie has the personality of stale bread and is attached to Moxxie, having absolutely NOTHING going on for her other than being a southern bad ass fighter, Verosika is just a standard tool for Blitz’s “development” to show that he’s a 2 dimensional character who deep down “cares” despite Verosika not even showing up since episode 7, Loona is an unlikable bitch who never changes even when the show tries to give her a sad backstory and have her be “lonely”, and mainly only gets focus when the show wants to dive into her relationship with Blitz despite that never changing either, and finally Stella is a one note boring bland villain who could have been a 2 dimensional character that actually had a relationship with her daughter and still been the antagonist, just EXPLORED more to make her actually interesting, but we can’t have that since the all the show wants to do is suck off Stolas and Blitz and paint them in a godlike light where they never get the consequences of their actions and get praised for being “2 dimensional”.

The funny thing is that I say Millie has the personality of stale bread, but honestly? This is just my opinion but I think almost all of Viv’s female characters have the personality of stale bread, or they’re at least so by the numbers like I said before. I literally don’t blame the fandom for favoriting the male characters more because the female characters are so bland and uninteresting compared to the males, and that’s the writers faults because you can smell the favoritism. They all try so hard to make characters like Blitz and Stolas into 3 dimensional characters that they push the others to the back and only focus on THEIR perspectives and are so AFRIAD to actually paint them as flawed beings that can be in the wrong and do bad things that aren’t excusable. I think that pretty much sums up Viv’s outlook on her male characters as a whole. She tries so hard to make most of them either 3 or 2 dimensional, especially the ones she favors and are her “babies”, she adds so many things to them, once again being an overly ambitious writer, for example look at all the things she’d added to Angel and Alastor’s characters over the years compared to Charlie or Vaggie. Even fucking Husk has more stuff to him than Charlie or Vaggie does. This is why everyone thought Charlie was so fucking boring compared to Alastor or Angel because she is. She only has one thing to her and isn’t developed enough to even be interesting compared to them. While the majority of her male characters are either 3 or 2 dimensional, her females are either 2 dimensional (but flat) or 1 dimensional, having basic labels to them like “the nice but snarky one” or “the edgy mean bitch”.

Viv just clearly enjoys writing and developing her male characters more and that’s been clear even before Hazbin came along. I don’t understand why both her male and female characters can’t be interesting. What’s so hard about creating a female character that’s on part with her males? What’s so hard about putting the same energy and effort she does for writing characters like Angel, Blitz, and Stolas for a female one? What’s so hard about making her females 3 dimensional and engaging? I’ll never get it. In my personal opinion guys, I don’t think the show is sexist nor do I think Vivzie as a person is, but one thing is clear, whenever she creates a female character, she sees a VERY limited option on what they should be like. It’s like she doesn’t know ANY other kind of tropes or character quirks outside of being eye candy or extremely edgy, and that’s the problem. No character should be so damn limited or by the numbers, any character can be many things as long as you put your mind and effort to it, and that’s something Viv and HB writing team hasn’t done. They would rather focus on their male twink yaoi fanfiction soap opera that HB has become, and as for Hazbin? I’m expecting the same thing honestly, just the female characters to be mainly flat and the males being more dimensional and developed.

[anasexualsunpopularopinions]

Tokyo Revengers Headcanons for Hanma Shuji

Hi! Omg Thank you for all the love on my first post! I currently have requests open and two pieces in the works for halloween(those maybe late but who cares, here we are spooky bitches) Anyways, enjoy some Hanma headcannons!

Hanma is an adult in this piece 

Nothing that I write is for minors, but I feel like Hanma is warning enough

There’s a few other characters in here, but only in relation to Hanma

Hanma has a love hate relationship with his “Reaper” title

He definitely is friends with benefits with Smiley 

He likes to take candid photos on his smartphone, especially during fights. Fight photos are specifically taken in black and white

He likes tongue piercings- Hanma would not get one himself, but he does find them attractive.

Does not like people standing behind him

Hanma should not have caffeine. It makes him a special type of hyper. He will not stop shaking, and bouncing and will talk your ear off more then usual. But because he knows he’s ten times more annoying when caffeinated he will occasionally have it . He doesn’t “need” it like others, but he will make a point to drink it in front of you so you know you’re fucked.

As just stated Hanma doesn't need to caffeinate. He's not a morning person he's just an "I'm awake" person and has no problems staying awake once he's moving.

He doesn’t play video games, but he swears up and down he’s a Mario kart champion. This is only brought up when it is beyond the point of irrelevant in a conversation he was not paying attention to

Hanma once kicked straight up to get someone's jaw, but he put too much force into it then he meant to so his leg swung harder then he thought and while he did hit his intended target he did also knee himself in the face.

That was the day he learned he could do the splits, another thing he flexes when it’s not relevant

Hanma would get “fuck around” and “find out” on his knuckles if he hand more fingers to get “around” on one hand. He is weirdly bothered by the fact he doesn't have enough fingers and will occasionally grumble about how he can never get his "dream" tattoo.

He has 100% considered seeing what happens if he gives Draken’s braid a good yank. He’d label it as a “social experiment” and whatever consequences he may have for the action would be deemed worth it... for the experiment of course... for science.

Hanma definitely has “lucky you” embroidered in the fly of all of his pants.

Hanma loves dad jokes, but only when he’s the one telling them otherwise they are stupid and boring, it’s stupid of you to think that’s something anyone would find funny. But if he told the joke, he would be d y i n g

Hanma is scared of the dark and doesn’t like sleeping without a light source

When Koko and Inui were homeless he 100% found their hideout and thought it had been abandoned. He stayed the night since no one returned, but the two got back in the morning and caught him raiding their stuff. Hanma got his ass kicked, partially because he was caught off guard, and partially because he was laughing his ass off at the fact Koko’s money greedy ass was homeless. Inui kicked him harder for making fun of Koko.  

Hanma likes the idea of getting into the pants of every known gangster he can. He has tried to get into Koko’s pants multiple times, and while Koko does find Hanma to have a weird sort of charm Koko always tells him. “You couldn’t afford me.” and ends it there.

Hanma knows how to pole dance.

[crimeronan]

hi I saw you posting about the silt verses. it sounds interesting so I googled it but I'd like to hear what You have to say about it!!

(I'd also like to ask if it has any emphasis on bug-related horror bc that's a huge no from me, but if it doesn't I think I'll take a listen)

oh lord i have So Much to say about it. asking me what i have to say about the silt verses is like asking me what i have to say about call down the hawk or the owl house, like. it's a piece of media that is so immaculately conceived and well-executed that i can meta about Literally Every Single Line. if you've followed me for a while you probably know that i have high standards for horror media bc it's my most-consumed comfort genre; the silt verses is my fave piece of horror media Of All Time.

as for bugs, they don't play a huge role in the overarching story, but i do FOR SURE remember some imagery about parasites, insects, and people being transformed into bug-like creatures. so i'd look up episode warnings prior to consuming it, i can't remember off the top of my head which episodes specifically involve that.

the silt verses is, on the surface, a typical horror story about another world where gods are created through belief & fed through sacrifice. different gods have attracted cult followings, some gods are outlawed, some are not. it's stuff you've probably seen before if you're an avid supernatural horror fan.

however the writers then take the time to do absolutely Vicious and Scathing social commentary about pretty much every leftist topic you can think of. cult abuse, late-stage capitalism, corporate "we're all a family" speak, war, fascism, the creation of Unpersons with unhoused and mentally ill populations, prison violence, police violence, copaganda, generational trauma, environmental catastrophe, rural vs city mindsets and the political manipulation behind them..... Every Single Plot Point and piece of imagery serves a social commentary purpose. every single god and political movement is a transparent metaphor or allegory for our own world.

but what really keeps me coming back to it are the character arcs. from a horror writer's perspective, i can see exactly how carefully those arcs were sketched and plotted out. each of the narrators is dynamic and goes through a huge amount of character development -- positive for some, Horrifically Negative for others. characters are frequently caught between a rock and a hard place, forced to choose between two things they've always wanted...... and they also frequently choose Wrong.

and then they have to live with the consequences of those choices.

the protags are all messy and flawed and complicated, the antags are all messy and grounded and Very Real, and the relationships between people grow in organic ways that make me go MMM... before falling apart in equally organic ways. if you've ever enjoyed the same kind of desperate codependent and messy relationships that i most often write, HOO BOY you will have a good time with this podcast.

and if you like stories about people who are Genuinely Trying Their Best In The Face Of Impossible Circumstances, you'll ALSO get a lot of mileage out of this. it's a show where people make a lot of terrible decisions but also, people care So So So So So Fucking Much. really hits that sweet spot between nihilistic "everyone sucks" media and saccharine "everyone is always good at heart, all the time" media.

it also features some of the most stunning voice acting i've ever heard, not just in podcasts but in any media, ever. méabh de brún, b. narr, jimmie yamaguchi, and lucille valentine in particular all fucking KILL IT. like DAMN

and i can wholeheartedly recommend it without adding this, but if it's important to you: like 98% of the characters are queer. lots of trans cast members, lots of gay relationships, ace rep, los jibbities who get to be just as Fucking Terrible and embarrassing and hopeless as the characters in my fave White Man (TM) tv shows. u know how it is. i want queer people who are shitty bitches, always. and the silt verses DELIVERS

it's just. really good. i realize that this doesn't even get into the intricacies of who the characters are and what they want and what happens, bc like i said, i can talk about this show for a novel's length of meta. but these are the broad strokes of what has me in love with the narrative. it's So Good.

[picnokinesis]

could you tell me (without major plot spoilers -- details about characters and character dynamics are fine) what you loved most about 13's era? <3 I've started my first major who rewatch since I fell off the bandwagon (somewhere along season 11), and I'd love to know what I can look forward to!!

Oh my days hello!! Welcome to my blog! :D Be careful scrolling around because there are a LOT of spoilers (one character in particular is a walking spoiler rip) but oh man hMMM this is such a good question okay because I'll be 100% honest with you, I wasn't actually the biggest fan of s11? Like, don't get me wrong, there are certain episodes that I absolutely love (The Woman Who Fell to Earth is a prime example) and I know there are a lot of people who love it a lot, but on the whole I was pretty 'meh' about that season. It's a great set up, though, for what comes next - because you know how in s11 the Doctor is very much, on the surface, all happy go lucky and everything about the universe is wonderful? Well, that's one hell of a façade, and I really love s12 and 13 because we gradually get to see that mask start to crack under pressure, and it's SO good to see how the Doctor just...steadily losing her ability to keep it up. And she's so SO terrible with vulnerability - I said it in an ask yesterday, but I'm certain that a LOT of that comes from Grace dying so fast after she met her, newly regenerated, as well as losing Bill at the end of s10, and it means that she keeps everyone else at arm's length and won't let anyone see her vulnerable, because she has to keep everyone safe and she can't let anyone else die she can't lose anyone she can't do that again. And in s12 and 13, you get to see some of the consequences of her not actually being upfront about everything with her companions.

On a similar note, I really REALLY love the key thematic threads in the last two series! There's a lot about memory, identity, trauma and grief in s12 particularly, but also in s13 too, and I absolutely LOVE stories that delve into those. For me, it's been such a treat to have storylines that really dig into these ideas and explore them. There's also a general anti-imperialist theme, especially in s12 and 13, which I really enjoyed. There is some pretty divisive additions to Gallifreyan/Doctor Who lore in s12 and 13, but I personally really REALLY love it - I think it really adds to the story and expands the sandbox, so to speak, whilst also doing this INCREDIBLE job of 1) adding new layers of angst to old episodes of Doctor Who reaching waaaaaay back into Classic, whilst preserving the episodes as they were before so you can read them either way, as well as 2) taking odd bits of canon that didn't make sense and weaving them into a coherent storyline. It's genuinely really cool, to me at least. So I would say go into that with an open mind.

There's also some WONDERFUL characters in s12 and 13 - I won't say who or what or where, but there's a lot of fun stuff. I don't know how you found my blog, so you might not know that I write a lot of fanfic, and I've had a whale of time exploring some of the side/recurring characters in s12 and 13, and they're such a joy to write :) But of course the MAIN characters are so SO fantastic - I absolutely ADORE thirteen, she's awful and a massive hypocrite but also just doing her best and trying to keep herself together (and failing), and she's so great to write. I've written over half a million words (literally) about her now, so I think that should tell you how much inspiration Thirteen and this entire era has given me. And the companions are just fabulous. ALSO!! There's a LOT of telepathy and other tropes in this era that I've reaaaaally really loved.

Also - and this is just a little thing, but whilst I love Moffat's era, he did have a tendency to overuse the TARDIS cloister bell - which, I mean, that's fine because I love it HAHA but in Chibnall's era, I think we only hear it......once? I think? I may be wrong, but I remember the one main time we hear it is pretty far into his era and I was like YOOOOOOOOO because we hadn't heard it in so long, right? And so to suddenly hear it again.......it was like 'oh frick, this is REALLY BAD then', and it just gave me chills, yknow? So I liked that a lot!

There are probably a bunch of other things too, but I reckon that gives you a sense of it. I think one thing to really remember with Chibnall's era is that the more you dig into the stories and engage with them, the more you discover and the more it rewards you. A lot of storylines that can seem really simple or sparse on the surface can end up being SO rich once you sit with them for a few minutes. I think I've particularly discovered this as I've written fanfic, but also just thinking about stuff and how it all connects - within itself as an era, but also back into previous eras too! It's such a celebration of the entire show - especially the last episode - and it's very VERY obviously been made by a team of people who had an absolute blast making it, and were all very supportive of each other. I've also really appreciated that there's been a genuine strive towards diversity, both in front of and behind the camera, and whilst there have definitely been some pretty blatant missteps, from what I've seen and heard (for example, during Gally One panels) these efforts were done with good intentions behind them, and all the time actively striving towards something better? And I personally think that a flawed end result is much better than one that plays it safe with no diversity at all. It's a step in the right direction, at least - and, post Doctor Who, Chibnall pretty much immediately went to set up a project that trained up new producers because he said that 'too many showrunners are people like me' - so I think that suggests (to me, at least) that his money is where his mouth is.

ANYWAY that ended up being long....hope this helps, though!! And I really hope that you enjoy watching this era as much as I did!! :D I've loved Doctor Who since 2005, but s12 and s13 just catapulted me into being absolutely obsessed with it again, and it's been so wonderful to get so much joy out of something that I've loved since I was a kid

VERY QUICKLY THOUGH - list of some of my favourite Thirteen episodes, in no particular order:

War of the Sontarans

Spyfall (parts 1 and 2)

Village of the Angels

The Woman Who Fell to Earth

Survivors of the Flux

Ascension of the Cybermen

Fugitive of the Judoon

Eve of the Daleks

The Power of the Doctor

[theoxenfree]

Do you care about what others think of you? Sometimes, I really dislike myself for being so sensitive.

Unfortunately, if I ever have to confront a man who is not a family member, I know I won’t be able to do so without facing consequences. It’s not that I’m physically weak as a short woman; rather, I believe the law wouldn’t protect me adequately, and he might not face proper repercussions for his actions. Additionally, I would likely encounter severe victim-blaming, gaslighting, and guilt-tripping. Essentially, there is little support from the legal system unless one has money.

I wish I had been born in the USA. While that country also poses risks for women, it seems like a much better option than my own. Here, people prioritize protecting the country’s tarnished reputation over acknowledging the harsh realities we face. The way men in my country sexualize Russian women is truly disturbing. I still recall a boy asking a friend about a girl, questioning if she was Russian, a euphemism that implies prostitution because of her light coloured hair, and speculating about her price( basically they think white women are easy especially russian). I had no one to share this experience with without fear of judgment, which is why I’m confiding in you.

To the girls, especially white women dating 1st generation South Asian men, please keep in mind that our society is often regressive, and it’s very rare for people in our country to marry outside their religion, caste, and social circle.

Sorry,for trauma dumping, I won't do it again.

hello! I'm assuming you're same anon who asked me about how I handle shit men, yes? if not, I apologize.

to answer your question: sometimes I care what others think about me.

do I care that people think I'm highly efficient at my job and able to do what needs to be done in emergencies? absolutely.

do I care that I have a great rapport with the doctors and anestheists and other hospital staff? yes.

do I care that people know I'm a safe person to approach if someone is in danger? yes.

do I care whether my friends think I'm a good friend or not? yes.

do I care if men find me sexually attractive or approachable? no. do I care if I hurt shitty men's feelings and call them out? no.

but, I'm human. so, I do have my moments where I care if people perceive me as this big, scary woman without any softness bc that's not who I am at my core. and, people who know me find the dichotomy between how I look vs how I actually am absolutely fascinating.

the amount of times I've had people say they're genuinely "surprised" that I enjoy hobbies like writing, reading, crafts, and video games is insane bc they all assume I'm just into hardcore stuff, y'know?

so, the answer to your question is a very complex yes and no. bc I'm a woman born into a society where I don't fit into the neat, nuclear box of traits that I should have and outwardly exhibit. people either love it or hate it and that's on that.

onto your overall ask: thank you for confiding your life experiences in me and telling me these things. sometimes, it is easy to forget that the world is as large as the cultures, societies, and people in it and that it's not all homogenous.

I know what I have to say isn't helpful in the slightest, but I am not... worldly enough to give you a strong opinion on these matters since my life experience is limited to living in the U.S., but you're doing what you can with the system that is in place where you are.

I believe that it's the small things that we do to make changes that amount to larger ones in the end. subtle acts of kindness to other women, hard conversations where we are firm in our convictions and we don't let men gain an upper hand over us when we speak. protecting other women however we can.

the fears that you have about repercussions are very real, and I wish more than anything that they didn't exist and that you could speak out how you want and need to. but, please don't forget that, sometimes, you don't need to be the loudest person in the room.

at the end of the day, as much as I could encourage you to go for the eyes, I understand that not everyone will be able to do that and receive an outcome that won't be overall detrimental.

so, what I'll tell you is: simply do what you want and care for the women around you. and, above all else, be safe.

you're so much stronger and resilient than you give yourself credit for. I sincerely wish you didn't have to be, and that the place where you lived would protect you and other women better, but thank you for what you do do and taking care of yourself in the process

the euphemism about russian women is fucking awful, btw. I'm terribly sorry you had to hear something like that. but ty for taking the time to write this out to me and share it.

I'm always open to folks unloading their troubles into my inbox if that's what they need in the moment ❤️

[ps1demodisk]

I’m sorry, but I’m still genuinely wondering what your motives were. You literally gaslit and manipulated and entire server just trying to have a good time, abused your mod privileges, got multiple people wrongfully kicked and/or banned, and basically turned everyone against each other until the server crumbled and shut down.

What was the reason /gen? Did someone write a fic you didn’t like? Make art you didn’t approve of? Your docs barely explain shit and we’re all still confused.

I'll answer this one as a formality i guess because it seems genuine but I'm still ignoring every other one that comes through because yall are getting weird about your threats in the ask box

The reason you cant understand my motives is because I didn't have one, you're looking at it as if I was intentionally trying to mess things around and hurt people which is why it's not making sense to you

Also kinda not understanding how now it's gaslighting instead of whatever it was before, gaslighting is intentional and for something to be intentional you have to do it on purpose. Manipulation I guess yeah can be unintentional so I'll take that one.

The other thing, with the doc and stuff, how that doesn't give you answers? That's because I still don't know what I did, and even less so at the time I wrote it. No one spoke to me (except the server owner but that was just for themself and not about what everyone else seems to be on about) no one posted anything that was comprehensive enough for me to grasp what all was actually going on, they just made me out to be cartoonishly evil and went on about how everyone needs to heal and be protected from me and how god regrets me gaining consciousness ig but when someone asked what I did because they were scared, they weren't told anything, people acted weird about it, and from what I was told then even initially tried to play it off as nothing happening.

Honestly the only things I take responsibility for here is 1) the fact I wasn't careful with how I spoke to [the server owner] and that it made them feel pressured to agree with me on stuff when they actually didn't agree. and 2) that I let my issues with other people's behaviour escalate into shit talking instead of just keeping it as normal complaining between friends, because yeah I can say "well they did it too" or "they did it worse" but at the end of the day that doesn't negate the fact I also did it? I played my part, and regardless of whether or not Peachy and Sky want to own up to their parts in it, I need to own up to mine. Even if my issues were valid with people it wasn't a pass to be outright rude about them and name call.

I stand by what nut said being racist and I stand by the fact hob sending porn doujins of aged up 17 year olds without telling people that's what they were and shotacon noncon that they feigned ignorance to being shotacon noncon and trying to manipulate our other friend with pretty shitty messages and is weird!

Sorry not sorry this answers probably none of your questions but it's literally the best you're gonna get outta me, I still use the same discord account by the way I just changed the name to @ ps1demodisk in case you still think the name change was to "hide from consequences" or something and not just because I felt like it.

These are the conditions I was forced to write under too so! I'm literally watching these beasts run head first into my glass cabinet like total idiots while I try to get them fed and watered, so if nothing else at least enjoy the bastard children I guess?

[fractualized]

what's your favorite form of batman? meaning, do you prefer the comics, the movies, etc? i'm really curious to know if you like any of the cheesy stuff, like batman and robin... famous nipple costumes... or if you like more of the serious stuff, like the original source material... i know you really like comics but when it comes to the ideal flavor of batman, what kind of story do you most enjoy?

For my favorite, I always go with Batman: the Animated Series, which feels inevitable for anyone who grew up watching it as appointment TV with obligatory commercials, but I've never done a poll. lol Even watching it now and noting its imperfections, it's the gold standard for me. The art deco aesthetic, the storytelling, the characterizations, you can really see how much care went into it and the respect for the lore. Not that I knew much more than the lore basics at that age— but I didn't need to, because it was a well-done show that drew me in on its own. And in terms of serious vs cheesy, it had a good balance.

And really that's my preference! I don't need Batman to be dark and dour all the time, but I also don't want it to be nothing but goofs. I like a story that has stakes and knows when to be serious and also knows when to lighten up. Bruce's costume shouldn't be the only signal of how he was affected by his trauma, but when his behavior turns shitty, it shouldn't amount to him just being a rageaholic. Joker should be a dangerous villain but he should perform and make jokes because he's a friggin' clown, like come on.

Not that I'm against takes that lean harder on comedy. Er, nowadays. Back in the day, I thought going too funny with Batman just didn't fit, and it should be avoided unless it was parody or fanfic. So I enjoyed Batman Forever, but Batman & Robin veered too campy for me, and I wasn't interested in the '66 series. I guess eventually I got a better sense of humor, or maybe it was batmedia as a whole seeming to get too gritty after the Nolan movies, but now I'm all for being silly with it. You can't ignore that you're watching a bat fight a clown forever.

Though I still want a comedic version to be, like, good. I've seen many episodes of Batman '66 now and I think they're great. Hopefully one day I can get around to watching the whole thing. I saw Lego Batman in the theater and was thrilled.

Batman & Robin… I still think is bad. Less because of the camp and more because of the plot and the takes on the characters. Another example is the Harley Quinn animated series. I enjoyed much of it for the first three seasons, but ultimately I had to stop watching because the serious/comedy balance was off for me. Too often it had these serious moments that would affect character growth, and then it would throw them away for a sake of a joke later on rather than… just making a different joke that fits with your plot, I dunno.

It feels hard to say that I "like comics" since they're such a mixed bag by the nature of an 80-year-old franchise. I am certainly not having much of a good time right now. 😂 And as a consequence of Batman being represented so many ways over the decades, if I said I prefer the comics over other iterations, would that really mean anything? … Well, I guess by saying that, it could mean appreciating the fact that there's been so many takes over the years and that the medium allows that flexibility, that it is like fanfic (or exactly fanfic) and lets someone new come in and say, "But what if it happened like this?" That is a conflict I've felt when enjoying and not enjoying comics. It allows for change… but that can lead to a frustrating lack of continuity, change that comes not from where you understood the character to be from previous runs but almost from wholecloth. Which is all to say, my appreciation for comic Batman is in constant flux.

I can't close out without mentioning Telltale Batman, of course. Enemy Within is the game that brought me back into fandom and writing. A fresh new universe with a lot of room for reinterpretation, not as weighed down by the source material as the comics. (And a heartbreaking batjokes relationship that I still haven't gotten over.) Obviously with the choice system, the tenor depends on how you play, but once again it's a story with stakes that takes the time to add some silliness, so it works for me! (And I let BTAS Bruce guide my primary playthroughs. Except for my first go at the end of Enemy Within. I know Bruce would let Alfred leave but I couldn't do it gaaaahhhhhhh)

[ru5t]

knowing your partner can potentially make writing together a lot easier !

– BASICS.

♡ NAME: Hannah

♡ PRONOUNS: she/her

♡  AGE: 25+

♡  TIME ZONE: CST (GMT -5)

–THREE FACTS.

♡ I moderate a(n overw.atch) twitch channel/community! It's good fun and very dear to me but also sooooo so frustrating, sometimes.

♡ When I was little I was convinced I was going to grow up to become a veterinarian. I do not think the level of schooling or the uhhhhh amount of strong stomach it takes is actually for me.

♡ I strongly suspect I have an anxiety disorder and ADHD(? or a similar symptom set) but have no official diagnoses. At any rate, executive dysfunction you bitch.

–EXPERIENCE.

♡   HOW LONG (MONTHS / YEARS?): I have been on tumblr since 2011 but I've been storytelling/rping basically since like. ... You know how most kids act out their imaginative play? I did a looooooooottttt of "explaining" (/narrating, whatever you want to call it) and very little physical playing-things-out. Yes, I know what that is a common early indicator of. I'm unpacking that one shhhhh.

♡   PLATFORMS YOU’VE USED: uhhhh paper (as in i'd pass a notebook back and forth with school friends), IMVU, dA, various dms, twitter, forums, tumblr, a chatroom i forgot the name of we'd use for tumblr 'events', discord, wire

♡   BEST EXPERIENCE: Actually just the experience of rp in general. I have learned a lot through writing and the people who gave me grace in the process of it.

–MUSE PREFERENCES.

♡   MASCULINE OR FEMININE: I don't think I have a preference, per se? But I do seem to gravitate toward guy canons, whereas my OC roster tends to be waaaay more fluid and diverse, but I don't think there's any particular reason for this? Just the pattern of characters who appeal to me tend to be dudes in popular media, I guess? I did almost write Liz from Hellb.oy and Nomi from Sens.e8, in addition to the other canon ladies I have on the multi+Kiri's blog.

♡  FLUFF, ANGST OR SMUT: I actually kind of like. what I will call exploring? You put two characters in a box. Sometimes you shake it, or put a blanket in there, but mostly you just.... see what happens. Also tho I'm the fluff queen ♥ Good angst/whump has to come from somewhere and go somewhere else, I don't like to force it or just throw it around without reason or consequence, if that makes sense? And I like smut in theory but I don't have a lot of practice and my comfort level is a verrry narrow ledge I'm working on building up better, because genuinely it seems fun and interesting.

♡   PLOTS OR MEMES: I enjoy a little bit of bg plotting but also sometimes just really want to completely wing it and feel out the chemistry before committing to anything. Once we have a ground floor I like to build (and spiral)!!! I struggle with doing a bunch of memes when there's no floor to stand on, it starts to get really challenging in an un-fun way, and I feel like it's repetitive and uninteresting to write and to read. If a dynamic never has footing it can never evolve, y'know? Gotta give me something, something has to stick at some point.

♡   LONG OR SHORT REPLIES: No preference! Even when I start out 'short' I find I often end up unspooling into longer stuff but it doesn't have to I'm just wordy. I don't care if I consistently get shorter stuff back, as long as it suits the like. Yes, and. of it all. As long as there's something to work forward from I'm chillin!

♡   BEST TIME TO WRITE: I don't have a conscious preference but I do seem to have more success in early morning hours. No idea what that's about.

♡ ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S): Sometimes. A lot of them get teeny tiny bits and pieces of my views or opinions. I have never felt more Seen by a show than when Luke Pat.terson ghost-apparitioned into my life, even if his One Thing is not my One Thing, but we don't have to unpack that. Me 'n Henry have some childhood traumas in common (except he lives in a fairytale where he gets a thing I don't get) but I don't know that he's particularly like me. Maddy did super duper on a technicality start out as a form of self insert, but it's complicated because also super duper on a technicality so did her mom (who actually existed first! which is rare. Normally I build center-out but this time it was a generation back and Tech just sort of happened, which was crazy and fun), and they both really migrated away from that sooo quickly that it's weird to me to think that was ever even technically true. In the long run Maddy got more of 'me' than Mayhem ever did but it has always been in a hyperbolic and/or metaphorical way. She's definitely grown with me, which has been an Experience and a half. All of them, by virtue of being written by me, are subject to my sense of humor in the narrative parts of the writing, whether they would think it's funny or not.

[wordsandrobots]

Notes on Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Season 1

Hmmm. So we’re calling that a season, are we? OK then. I may as well write up my thoughts, if only to get them out of my head.

There are parts I’ve enjoyed; however, overall, I've found this to be a good-looking but extremely slapdash show. Which, well, it's from the guy who wrote Code Geass so go figure.

Spoiler-filled commentary after this cut.

The main star is the gorgeous animation. Not just the overall style – the animators really nail so many little moments of visual composition (in the latest episode, the choices with Suletta’s interactions with her mother are truly brilliant).

There are also plenty of interesting characters. Miorine Rembran makes for a great deuteragonist, striking a nice balance between sympathetic and unpleasantly prickly. The show quietly but deftly builds up her deep-rooted sense of right and wrong in a way that makes the final stinger to episode 12 hit really hard. We *know* by this point that she will call out things that go against her personal morals, so her reaction to Suletta killing someone in front of her is no trivial matter.

Meanwhile, I think Lady Prospera may be the most successful recapitulation of the Char archetype there’s been in the Gundam franchise. I can sit here and stan for McGillis Fareed all day long but his Char-like characteristics are ultimately an act to cover genuine emotional connections that get in the way of his plans. Prospera, on the other hand, embodies the mix of charm and utter, unrepentant ruthlessness that makes Char compelling in Gundam '79. Plus, she's got a defined, active familial connection to the heroes, something left as mere flavouring in the original.

Sadly, I’m far less enamoured with nominal main character Suletta. She has plenty of nice moments where her awkwardness switches from being a comic trait to a rather sad one. But I can’t get past how she bimbles around the plot with such a profound lack of curiosity. Clearly she's meant to care more about people than politics; nevertheless, it feels unsatisfying to have her not question a lot of stuff that's going on. Her backstory about wanting to better the Mercurian situation barely comes up, replaced wholesale with her feelings towards Miorine. And we're told over and over that she talks to Gundam Aerial and treats it/her as a sister, but we never *see that* outside combat. This relationship drives many of Suletta's actions but the show doesn't show it as anything more than a power-up. You'd have to read a prequel text story to know Aerial can, in fact, think for herself.

I get part of this is how they’ve chosen to deploy the idea of a mind-controlled protagonist. Clearly Suletta's obliviousness is the point. But I think there should have been more interrogation of the incongruities in her personality ahead of the reveal her mum can turn her into a smiling killing-machine at will.

(It’s too early to say how well-handled the idea of a controlled/conditioned protagonist is going to be. In principle, it’s a smart move for a franchise that has always had those kinds of characters but only as tragic secondary foils to our heroes. It’ll be a very different kind of horror to that embodied by the likes of Heero Yuy and Mikazuki Augus, which is more about people consciously choosing to do horrible things to themselves and/or others.)

The place I feel this show falls down hardest, however, is in how it constructs its setting. By which I mean, what the ever-loving heck is even supposed to be going on here?

We are shown in the prologue that Gundams are considered a big enough threat to the dominant powers, those building them are branded as witches and hunted down with crushing military force. Yet however many years later, two companies in the Benerit Group are able to develop Gundam machines with relatively little consequence. Big boss Delling Rembran makes a song and dance about destroying every Gundam without hesitation, then indulges his daughter’s tantrums and put her in charge of developing the original medical application for the giant robot technology. So Gundams are at once a massive military-grade problem and something safely entrusted to the sixth-form entrepreneur club. Which, I mean, fair enough if Delling is making some kind of point from the position of god of his little world, but then we find out the Earthian terrorists have two Gundams of their own and . . . if that's the case, what has Dominicus – the supposed elite witch-hunter squad – even been doing all this time?

All of which are things that could have any number of possible explanations. It’s fiction, you can write yourself out of any corner. Yet I find myself profoundly lost as to the context for all this.

Take the school Suletta, Miorine and their peers attend. What is it for? We barely see any lessons taking place, but it seems to be a muddle of business college, engineering university and pilot training academy. Where honour duels between mobile suits decide important stuff because . . . Delling said it was OK? So is it meant to produce the next generation of military operators? Is there a war on? There seems to be, sort of, with the Spacians oppressing the Earthians who they’ve left behind on a polluted planet but . . . I mean, we see one protest and then a spectacularly well-armed terrorist group show up to make mincemeat out of the Spacian soldiers. If the playing-field is that level, why isn’t the war a bigger ongoing presence? Half of Earth House is described as war orphans but that’s literally the only time the possibility of large-scale armed conflicts happening off-screen is brought to the fore.

In combination with Code Geass, I suspect this may simply be a writer who can’t be trusted to place school drama in a broader sci-fi world with any grace. Nonetheless, I find myself unreasonably bugged by the number of questions I can ask of what happened in this first season.

For example: Benerit Group’s competitors. We’re told they have some, yet the different companies in the group seem to be producing more than enough mobile suits between them to fulfil any military needs going. Who are they selling to, that they could be in competition with someone else? Is there a government? Is Dominicus beholden to someone higher than Delling? Why did you ever pin who gets to inherit the mega-corporation on the outcome of schoolyard fights if you are in sufficiently dire straits that letting teenagers handle the cursed technology is a remotely sane idea?

Similarly, Vim Jeturk, head of Jeturk Heavy Machinery, suffers involuntary patricide at the hands of fail-son Guel because he decided to jump into a mobile suit and go fight the terrorists. He says he worked his way up to the top as an explanation for why he'd join the battle. But – my dude – you are an arms manufacturer. What, your company does the fighting with the mecha it builds? That’s not how that works! And if it is how it works, in this setting, where are the receipts? Are all these companies also employed to oppress the working classes (in a direct, stomp on the head sense)?

If there had been previous mention of Jeturk Senior being a pilot in his youth – or even if his sons being pilots had been presented as more than nepotistic self-promotion of his company's products – then his jumping into a cockpit after weeks of scheming behind the scenes would have been a natural progression. As it is, it looks suspiciously like a choice in service of needing Guel to kill him in a fit of desperation in order to set up a character arc for next season.

And . . . OK, there's an extent to which that sort of thing doesn't matter. I like Code Geass and it's a bonkers mess of plot swerves in service of getting characters to shout at each other dramatically. That's fine. But Code Geass has an incredibly straightforward set-up. It's got a cleanly defined world, split between an empire and the oppressed, with obvious ways for that division to be eroded. I won't say that erosion is handled well. It . . . isn't. Nevertheless, I didn't feel like each new step the story took flat-out contradicted or rendered meaningless everything that had happened prior.

I'm saw someone else on tumblr bring this up at the time: in the space of the first few episodes, we go from duels being something that happen whenever the students get pissed at each other, to requiring a formal process between two parties and a ritual evocation of the scales of justice, to being utterly meaningless because the disputes they're meant to settle can be overruled from on high at any time. This isn't inherently contradictory and could be a commentary on the unfairness of the system. Yet without any indication of how things got to the start of that sequence, the stakes don't so much escalate as arbitrarily shift however is most convenient for the plot.

That's how all of this reads to me. Arbitrary, in ways that don't feel like they have a solid foundation connecting them yet.

Now, I don't particularly want to do this, primarily because comparing something I have found intermittently fun to something I am unreasonably fond of is objectively unfair. However, Iron-Blooded Orphans was the last entry in the franchise, making it a comparison worth making. So: IBO is not elegant in expositing its setting (even if it is relatively careful to build in character reasons for the information to be spelled out) but it is definitely efficient about doing so. By the same point in its run that G-Witch is now, twelve episodes in, we have been clearly told and shown that:

Mars is in the grip of a brutal colonial occupation by quasi-police organisation known as Gjallarhorn.

Gjallarhorn is internally corrupt.

There are factions vying to take advantage of a growing independence movement.

Ordinary people on Mars struggle to make ends meet.

Private military companies use child soldiers as expendable labour and those children see it as a better option than begging on the street.

There are worse options in the form of slavery as 'human debris'; that Jupiter is home to a powerful mafia-like organisation.

That organisation is also interested in using the independence movement to its advantage.

They know routes between planets outside of those Gjallarhorn controls.

Said routes are dangerous because of pirates.

Pirates are a main source and user of human debris.

At least some people in Gjallarhorn are willing to use said pirates to achieve their ends.

Gjallarhorn practices arranged marriages resulting in nine-year-olds being engaged to twenty-somethings.

All this is relevant to the plot and either gestured at earlier than it appears, or fundamental enough as to be obvious. It builds to the point where each revelation coheres with what's come before. This is a world in which everyone is exploited, with clear hierarchies laid out between the different factions. The details flow such that we see why characters are making the decisions they do, even if we don't necessarily think those choices are right or know where they are ultimately leading.

Twelve episodes in to G-Witch, I remain baffled as to why anybody is doing anything. Sure, Prospera (probably) wants revenge for the death of her husband and everyone else in the prologue. But there's no indication as to why Delling is willing to make choices that play into her hands, or why Jeturk should be so gung-ho about trying to supplant him every other week, or – and I know I keep harping on this but come on – why allowing literal children to market a hyper-dangerous technology makes a lick of sense.

The key reason I'm getting so caught on this is that G-Witch sets itself up as a particular type of horror story. We see this in the move from a very bloody prologue to the bucolic school setting. By convention, we might expect the peaceful setting to be gradually peeled back to reveal the violence we already know is lurking underneath, with the attendant peril for Suletta and Miorine as they come to understand the reality of the world they live in. This seems to be where the signposts are pointing. Yet the key to that kind of horror is the reality beneath makeing sense of incongruities on the surface. And that isn't happening. Yes, Suletta being mind-controlled explains a great deal about her, personally. But the rest? As I said, it seems arbitrary, to the point where the reveals themselves become incongruous.

Why, for instance, should Elan Ceres need to send duplicates to school for him? Because it's a point of pride the company heirs pilot their top machines? Then why not perfect the machine away from the school first, so it doesn't kill the real him? Or is the school actually a test-bed for advanced tech? OK . . . but why is it the best option when Elan's backers are developing extremely forbidden Gundam-like mobile suits? Answers on a postcard, please.

Of course, one can construct such answers for oneself, in anticipation of the writing. Take Delling. Based on the latest episode, I wouldn't be surprised if the explanation for his erratic behaviour is simply a very unexpressive man poorly handling genuine feelings of duty towards his daughter. He does shield her from a chunk of debris after all, getting injured in the process, right after making sure she gets into a spacesuit during a crisis, and it would make sense of him indulging her on the Gund-Arm start-up. Trite, but it'd work. The bastard turns out to honestly care for his child while the 'nice' mother figure views hers as a mere tool. Play it again, Sam.

There're just . . . so damn many questions and none of them are really very interesting. It's all A-moves-to-B stuff that should either be invisible or an explanation unto itself. I don't want to be sitting here perplexed by the minutiae of the corporate intrigue the story is dressed up in; I want to be appreciating the final image of Suletta cheerily joking about slipping in the blood of the man she just smashed flat. It's extremely frustrating.

I shall probably keep watching when it comes back in April, out of sheer stubborn curiosity. I can see the shape of a great idea here and the character work is better than I've given it credit for.

But I really could have done with a decent 'ah ha' moment where the details began to click together and so far? It's simply not there.

[bonesandthebees]

Chapter 29 of stars is such a nice filler chapter. I don’t think there’s a lot to analyse for me because most of it deals with resolving the ripples of the fight which puts a lot of things already out there.

Tommy didn’t know, he knows now, but since both of them are going to die, there is not much he can do about it now. We finally learn why Tommy started trusting Techno. Open communication really could have saved them from this awful decision. Honestly, it’s so nice to learn that Tommy and Techno had field trips too, regular ones, from what I understand.

And Tommy doesn’t get mad, because when Wilbur explains it, he realises that’s how he came to trust Techno. That’s a parallel too I suppose. Both of them trust their respective mentor while not understanding why the other does the same. And it’s sad too, because the more they talk the more they realise this was a bad idea. Which they already know for obvious reasons. But if they hadn’t overheard Ranboo and Techni, they would have talked this out sooner and realised.

Tommy: “Why does Phil call you little bird?”

Wilbur: “How about we don’t talk for a while?”

But seriously, it’s nice to see them talk about it without judgement. Part of that is because judgement won’t save them, so why bother? And part of it is that their imminent death is forcing them to accept what they were in denial about. That Phil and Techno did care. That it was real.

And of course, we get some closure on Tubbo too. It’s not his fault. It’s Eret’s and it’s easy now for Eret to say that they didn’t mean for this to happen (they did, but still). And then Eret’s admission that they were glad the boys were safe on Zephys IV knowing they gave that up because they didn’t feel safe due to the fallout of Eret’s betray. It hurts.

-🎄

yup it's more of a filler chapter and just tying up some stuff we haven't gotten a chance to resolve yet

we finally get a bit of insight into what was going on between techno and tommy!! yes, their field trips were pretty regular. wilbur always just assumed tommy was off training but no he was picking cool ice cave berries with techno lol

the ranboo reveal really happened at the worst possible moment for them. they would've gone over all of this way sooner if that hadn't gotten in the way

THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP IS SO FUNNY BC WHEN I WAS WRITING THIS I WAS MESSAGING ELI ABOUT IT AND

lost my shit at this thank you @vague-idea

but yeah, overall they just don't see the point in arguing or judging each other anymore because they're going to die. they don't want to die being mad at each other over stupid stuff :(

tubbo really didn't do anything wrong like he was put into a bad spot and just did the best he could

eret meanwhile is a lot more complicated, and that's what I like about them as a character. their motives were not innocent. they wanted power, and they were perfectly okay with the brothers being exiled to get it. but they had limits, and they never wanted it to go this far. also, in the months that Essempi has controlled Eldingvegr, they've definitely realized that making a deal with the devil has consequences

I'm so glad you enjoyed though spruce!!