#this captures the whole scene and their dynamic so well actually

[katethisisnotcutlery]

Wednesday Thoughts

So as promised, I said if I watched Wednesday I would post my thoughts, so here they are. All in all, I enjoyed the show, but I definitely had some issues with it. I do lean more positive than negative though! I'm going to elaborate, but I'm actually going to start with the negative before going into the positive.

The Negative

Some of the characters were so bland and unmemorable to me. I genuinely didn't remember Tyler's name until it was revealed that he was the Hyde. I only remember Ajax's name because it's unique. But Ajax, Tyler (pre-Hyde reveal), Xavier, and Bianca were very uninteresting to me, and added nothing to the show other than contrived high school drama.

Speaking of contrived high school drama, the episodes that focus more on that (which is episodes 2-4) were easily the weakest link. Those are also the episodes with the smallest amount of interaction between Wednesday and Enid, and their dynamic was the best part of the show. Without it, the show definitely falls flat at times.

Adding to that, I didn't care for any of the canon teen romantic relationships. Wednesday and Enid have infinitely more chemistry than Wednesday and Tyler or Enid and Ajax. I actually think that works for the former, because it leaves the idea in the viewer's mind that something isn't right. The lack of chemistry between Wednesday and Tyler works because we aren't supposed to trust Tyler. But it feels like Ajax is just there to give Enid a romantic interest when she has a perfectly good one right there!

The sequencing of events around the Gomez murder twist was a bit strange. They introduced the twist in episode 1, and I don't remember it being brought up again until episode 5!

Although they mostly did a good job with the Addams family characters, I didn't like how much they focused on Wednesday being concerned about becoming her mother. That is obviously a very common concern for young people, but the whole point of the Addams Family is that they don't follow the norms of society. The other familial conflict that Wednesday has works for me, but that specific one doesn't.

The attempt to make real-life parallels between the outcasts and real life marginalized groups feels a bit half-assed to me. There's something there, but they never give it its due diligence imo.

Alright, that may seem like a lot of complaints, but I do have quite a bit of positive stuff to point out as well!

The Positives

Firstly, I think one of the best things about the show is the acting. Most of the major characters (Wednesday, Enid, the other Addams family members, Eugene, Thornhill, Weems, even the therapist!) are really well performed. Enid in particular sticks out to me, Emma Myers really captures that bubbly, almost sickly sweet personality. And Jenna Ortega might secretly be Wednesday Addams.

I think they mostly got the Addams family dynamics right. Other than my one issue I mentioned in the negative section, everything else is pretty top notch. Their love for everything creepy and kooky, Gomez's undying affection for Morticia, Wednesday torturing Pugsley but refusing to let anyone else do the same, and Fester being the weirdo amongst weirdos. It's all perfect! The introductory scene of the show is basically exactly what I want from Addams Family, and something I hope to see more of in season 2!

Although the high school elements didn't always work for me, some of them definitely did! The set design in general was pretty good, but the school felt properly spooky. And when the teens were interacting with each other (other than the romantic stuff), I generally was compelled by it!

I've seen some critiques of the mystery elements from some critics, and while I was able to figure out Thornhill and Tyler being involved, I still found the mystery compelling! And the therapist was a decent fake-out, once they "revealed" that she was the one awakening the Hyde, I thought for sure it was true. So even though I suspected Thornhill, I was still a bit surprised by the reveal. Overall, the mystery was definitely aimed at a teen audience, but I still enjoyed it!

This is fairly minor in the grand scheme of things, but it's properly spooky. I've always wanted the Addams Family world to include things such as vampires and werewolves, and they find a way to include those more supernatural elements without drastically changing the zany tone. Sure, the worldbuilding is a bit flimsy if you try to overanalyze it, but this isn't the kinda show you come to for rich worldbuilding. It's exactly as deep as it needs to be lol

I actually think Wednesday's arc is pretty solid! She has to learn that there's more to life than being a loner. I think it works for her character, it doesn't go against the Addams Family lore too much (because she rarely extends this philosophy to her family in the show, it's mostly about friendship), and Jenna Ortega performs those beats well!

I also like how they include Wednesday's psychic powers. There's definitely room to grow for this (which based on the season 2 trailer, they will at least try to do!), but I think for season 1 it's generally solid.

The best thing in the show, for me, is the relationship between Wednesday and Enid (Yes, I do ship Wenclair now!) The chemistry that Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers have is off the walls, and every scene they're in together is just... better. They were far and away the most enjoyable part of the show for me, and I can't wait to see more in season 2. Speaking of which...

Conclusion

Although I definitely had my issues with the show, I would say I enjoyed it more so than not. Ratings aren't everyone's cup of tea, but if that's something you're curious about, I'd probably give it a 3.5/5 (or a 7/10 if you prefer that rating scale). Not perfect, but I enjoy it more than I don't! I also watched the season 2 trailer, and I'm really looking forward to it! It looks like it focuses more on the things I liked (the Addams Family themselves, the spooky mysteries, and more of the Wednesday and Enid relationship!). Most of the characters that I found boring were absent from the new trailer as well, which I'm glad about. This was a very long post, so thanks for letting me be a bit self indulgent lmao.

[i-swear-its-only-ironical]

Sorry guys I have to reblog this again.

OP you actually do not realise how obsessed I am with this edit. I think I watched it every day at least five times since i first stumbled upon it and,,,,,, the song choice, the scenes, the cut right after the kiss that sounds like they're breathing in again because the tension finally broke. I think this thing is one of my favorite edits of all time i am in fucking awe.

Cinderella boy is out now, so i can finally release this edit i made weeks ago for everyone to see! Please enjoy :)

if you’d like, go to my TT to like it over there too, same user but add a 9 at the end

[skysiren41]

Having Jumba replace the role as the villain instead of Gantu and removing all the depth and nuance of his character is honestly one of the worst things ANY of these remakes have ever done (aside from completely ruining the whole message of the film)

Yes, Jumba was a mad scientist but he was anything BUT evil in original film. He was chaotic, egotistical, and at times completely insane yes but he also showed moments of humanity and genuine remorse like when Nani asked where Lilo was after she was captured. I'd even argue that him deciding to help Stitch in the climax so easily is actually pretty in character of him. He wasn't really an evil person, he was chaotic but had a good heart deep down

As the series went on he became more humble and even he and Pleakley became sort of father figures to both Stitch and Lilo. Hell in the second film, we see just how desperate he became when Stitch's begins malfunctioning to the point where his life is at risk. That moment in the end where they all think Stitch had died and Jumba takes him out of the chamber and he just hugs him is legit one of my favorite moments in the entire series. The whole second movie showed just how much Jumba truly cares for Stitch and considers him and the others as family. Also his and Pleakley's dynamic being one of the best parts of the original with how well they bounced off each other (we stan for the gay alien uncles here)

But in the remake it's genuinely uncomfortable and gross just how far it goes out of it's way to make Jumba as irredeemable as possible. I'm sorry but the Jumba we all know and love would NEVER intentionally burn the pictures of Lilo and Nani's parents, the only things they have left of their parents so happily, and he would NEVER treat Stitch so horribly to the point where he tries to stright up erase his empathy. Yes in the original film, he and Stitch's fight in Lilo's house caused it to blow up but that was completely by accident on BOTH of their parts, they weren't actively trying to blow it up on purpose. Even when he was trying to capture Stitch at no point did Jumba actively tried to hurt Lilo (aside from just gently pushing her away when she was hitting him with the broom during the fight) hell one of his most iconic lines "THIS IS LOW EVEN FOR YOU!" Is said when he realizes that Stitch is basically using Lilo as a shield

Also before someone says it yes, I'm well aware of the alternate deleted scene of Jumba attacking Lilo's house where he's a lot more violent and sociopathic. But 1. It was cut and re-edited so the original cut of the scene isn't really canon. And 2. The reason why it was removed was not only was it considered too violent, but it made both Stitch and ESPECIALLY Jumba too unlikeable and irredeemable. Jumba and Pleakley were always intended to help out in the climax, so having Jumba be redeemed despite how he was more than willing to straight-up shoot Lilo during the house attack didn't sit right. Jumba was NEVER intended to be as cruel as Gantu, but they decided to make him EVEN CRUELER than most modern Disney villains in this remake

Removing all of Jumba's nuances and making him a mustache-twirling bad guy so you can force him to take Gantu's place isn't just character assassination, it's complete character annihilation. It's easily up there as one of the worst examples of character assassination I've seen since Velma. Also I think it's REALLY suspicious that they removed an antagonist who was a bad cop and was fired for his repeated brutal methods and putting innocent people in danger, made the SCIENTIST the main villain to the point where they made him more of a monster then the cop

I'm sorry for the multiple posts on this film and if I come across as more angry then I usually do, but I'm just so appalled with how much they bastardised one of my favorite films of all time, as well as one of my favorite characters in said film. I'm at least glad that everyone seems to agree that this film is a pile of garbage

[alexanderwales]

Thoughts on Chilli, Northen Caves, and When I Win? Personally they're probably my favorite things on the whole list, but I feel like they never got as big a reception as a bunch of the other stuff. :(

The Northern Caves: I really really loved the first 80% of so of this. I grew up with forums and their particulars, the ways in which you'd come to know the personalities, and how the superfans would get into these long, drawn out debates that were steeped in the prior histories of conversations. There's something really magical about how TNC does this, and the "found media" elements work really well. It reminded me of the better parts of House of Leaves, I guess, and was also just hugely nostalgic (since I was in high school during the Forum Years). The philosophical stuff was also great, and the series they were reading felt rich, and nost is a great writer with wonderful prose. And then I just did not enjoy the ending at all. I think that in spite of that, I recommend it highly, and think it's one of the things on the webfic bingo card that's most worth reading.

Chili and the Chocolate Factory: I adored this one from start to finish, and also Dahl was one of the authors whose works I was steeped in growing up and also at the time it was coming out I was rereading a lot of Dahl's books with my son and also there are a few references to me and my discord server within the work. So I'm biased heavily in favor of this one, but I also also think that it's got this crazy energy to it, an insane density of ideas and weird things, and a wonderful sense of humor. Remy would probably hate to hear me say this, but I think he's one of the best writers I know. It's really really rare for me to read something and have so many individual pieces of it stick with me. I do wish that it were easier to get people on board with, because I have no clue how to pitch it to prospective readers.

When I Win: A few things here: I am just not a Pokemon guy. Red and Blue came out in 1998, when I was 12 years old, and everyone at my school was obsessed with it, and I just did not get into it, and had to suffer through a lot of Pokemon conversations I wasn't interested in. It's like the opposite of FOMO, then you wish that everyone would shut up about this thing you're "missing out" on. So whenever I read Pokemon fic, it's an uphill battle to care about the core thing, and I have enough Pokemon knowledge to get by, but sometimes it'll end up feeling like homework if I have to look up references or jokes or just understand things. Another thing is, I think Bavitz and I have very different tastes in character dialogue. I noticed this with Cockatiel x Chameleon too, and I suspect that when I get around to Bavitz's other stuff I'll see it there too. The differences in speech seem really exaggerated to me, blown out of proportion, idiolects heightened, and I think I've gotten in disagreements with people over whether this is actually true or not, but it's definitely how it feels to me. I found Cely in particular to be fairly grating whenever she spoke. This is a personal preference thing, and I don't know how much it generalizes to other people; I'm not sure that I've seen anyone else mention it, but I also haven't read a bunch of reviews.

So with that said, Bavitz is a skilled author who goes into a story with Something to Say, who milks the premise and theme for what it's worth, and brings a literary sense to his works. The fight scenes are really well done, even for someone like me who is not a Pokemon guy. There's a lot that I found interesting about competition and stagnation, the capture of competitive drive. Bavitz likes to think about the end of history a lot, and it shows here. It's thankfully a concept that I find interesting. I enjoyed the core relationship of Cely and Toril, it's a good, interesting dynamic. Without spoiling it, the ending worked well for me. Well worth reading.

[xtra7s]

Hi hi omg i love your writing it’s amazing! Can i request a Reneè fic where reader is in a famous band and admits in an interview how much she loves and admires Reneè (yk that clip where Reneè is like “Date me” for Rachel Mcadams) and Reneè responds and they get close and collaborate or whatever you want!

𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐝

Pairing: Renee Rapp x Reader

Synopsis: Y/N, the bassist for Eclipsed, gives Renee some props during an interview and ends up hanging out with her.

Content: mainly fluff

Word Count: 2k

a/n: okay so this one was a bit confusing to write mainly because I felt like nothing was really going on, I didnt know if you wanted smut or something else so I apologize if it isnt what u wanted :(

masterlist

The excitement buzzed in the air as Y/N YL/N, the talented bassist of the rising rock band "Eclipsed," prepared for a much-anticipated interview. The band had been making waves in the music scene, and the media was eager to learn more about the individuals behind the electrifying sound. Y/N, known for their skillful bass playing and enigmatic stage presence, was ready to share their journey.

The interview took place in a trendy studio, with the band seated on a chic, modern couch. Y/N's fingers idly traced the frets on their bass, a well-worn instrument that had seen countless gigs and late-night jam sessions. The interviewer, a music journalist with an infectious passion for the industry, dove straight into the questions.

"So, Y/N, let's start with your musical journey. How did you find your way to the bass guitar?" the interviewer inquired, leaning forward.

Y/N grinned, the memory of their musical awakening evident in their eyes. "I actually started with the guitar, but one day, I heard this deep, resonant bass line that just spoke to me. It was like the heartbeat of the song, and from that moment, I was hooked. I switched to the bass, and it felt like coming home."

The rest of the band nodded in agreement, acknowledging the pivotal role Y/N played in shaping the band's distinctive sound. The lead singer, Maya, chimed in, "Y/N brings a unique energy to our music. The bass lines add a whole new layer, creating this dynamic and powerful sonic landscape."

As the conversation flowed, the interviewer shifted gears, asking about the band's creative process. Drummer Alex spoke about the collaborative nature of their songwriting, while the guitarist, Jake, discussed the influences that shaped their sound. Y/N interjected with tales of late-night jam sessions and the organic evolution of their music.

"We all bring something different to the table," Y/N explained. "It's like a musical potluck. Each of us has our own tastes and influences, and when we come together, it creates this fusion of sound that defines Eclipsed."

The conversation turned to the band's recent successes, including a sold-out show and a growing fan base. Y/N's eyes sparkled with gratitude as they reflected on the journey.

"It's been incredible," Y/N shared. "Our fans are amazing. They connect with the raw emotion in our music, and that's the most rewarding part. Music is a language that transcends words, and seeing people resonate with what we create is truly humbling."

As the interview with Eclipsed continued, the interviewer shifted gears, a mischievous glint in their eyes.

"Now, Y/N, the music world is full of incredible artists, and one rising star who seems to have captured a lot of attention is Renee Rapp. Have you had the chance to meet her, and what are your thoughts on her music?" the interviewer inquired, a sly smile playing on their lips.

Y/N's expression lit up at the mention of Renee Rapp. "Oh, Renee is fantastic! I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her in person yet, but I'm a big fan of her work. Her music has this raw authenticity that really resonates with me. It's always refreshing to see artists who pour their heart and soul into their craft."

The rest of the band nodded in agreement, expressing their admiration for Renee Rapp's talent. Maya, the lead singer, chimed in, "I love how she fearlessly embraces her uniqueness. It's inspiring to see artists who aren't afraid to be true to themselves, both in their music and their persona."

The interviewer pressed a bit further, asking if there were any specific songs or aspects of Renee Rapp's music that Y/N found particularly inspiring. Y/N thought for a moment before responding, "I really connect with the way she uses her voice to convey emotion. It's powerful and evocative. As musicians, we're always drawn to those artists who can create a genuine connection with their audience, and Renee does that exceptionally well."

The conversation then meandered into a discussion about musical influences, with each band member sharing their favorite artists and the impact those musicians had on their own sound. It was clear that Eclipsed Echoes drew inspiration from a diverse range of genres and artists, contributing to the richness of their music.

"And, Y/N, given that you've expressed admiration for Renee Rapp's talent, do you have any comments for her?" the interviewer asked, a faint hint of curiosity in their tone.

Y/N, ever composed, smiled with her teeth. "I do,-" She paused, looking at the camera directly. "Keep your head up, bitch. you're effortlessly you and that shit is wicked. You gotta remember the comments of your loved ones are the only ones that matter."

The rest of the band nodded in agreement, sensing the delicate nature of the question. Maya, the lead singer, added, "Absolutely. It's crucial to separate someone's art from their personal lives. We're all here because of our love for music, and that's what we should celebrate."

The interviewer, quickly shifted gears steering the conversation back toward the band's music and upcoming projects. Y/N, always poised and focused on the music, gracefully navigated through the interview, steering it away from personal matters and back into the realm of creativity and passion.

As the interview concluded, it was evident that the members of Eclipsed were not only talented musicians but also individuals who valued respect and professionalism in their interactions. The episode served as a reminder that, while curiosity about an artist's personal life may arise, the primary focus should always remain on the artistry and creativity that unite the diverse and dynamic world of music.

A few days after the interview, Y/N found a pleasant surprise in their Instagram inbox. It was a message from none other than Renee Rapp herself. Excitement bubbled within Y/N as they read the message.

"Hey Y/N! 🌟 I caught your interview, and it was awesome hearing your thoughts on my music. Your band's sound is killer! Would love to chat more and maybe hang out sometime. What do you say?"

Y/N quickly replied, expressing their gratitude and enthusiasm for the unexpected message. The conversation flowed effortlessly as they exchanged thoughts about music, shared favorite artists, and found common ground in their passion for creating authentic, powerful art.

Renee suggested meeting up for a casual hangout, perhaps grabbing coffee or exploring a local record store. Y/N eagerly agreed, and plans were set in motion for a meeting between two talented musicians who had connected through their shared love for the art form.

As the day of the meetup arrived, Y/N couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. They met Renee at a cozy cafe, and from the moment they greeted each other, it was clear that the connection extended beyond the digital realm. The conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter, shared stories of musical journeys, and a mutual appreciation for the creative process.

Y/N and Renee's casual hangout unfolded into an afternoon of shared laughter, animated discussions about music, and an undeniable chemistry that lingered in the air. The cozy cafe provided the perfect backdrop for their burgeoning connection, with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee enhancing the warmth of the atmosphere.

As they chatted about their favorite bands and musical influences, Y/N couldn't help but be captivated by Renee's infectious enthusiasm. The conversation flowed seamlessly between topics, from the intricacies of songwriting to the exhilarating rush of performing on stage. Each shared anecdote deepened the connection, forging a bond between two artists who understood the unique challenges and joys of their chosen path.

The flirtatious banter began subtly, with playful glances and gentle teasing. Renee's laughter resonated like a melody, and Y/N found themselves drawn to her magnetic energy. As they strolled through a nearby record store, fingers lightly brushing against vinyl covers and sharing recommendations, the air seemed charged with an unspoken tension.

At a moment of quiet contemplation in the record store, Renee's gaze met Y/N's, and a playful smirk played on her lips. "You know," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "your interview made me curious. You mentioned appreciating someone's art without focusing on appearance. Do you always manage to separate the two?"

Y/N felt a flush of warmth creeping up their cheeks, realizing the subtle shift in the conversation. With a coy smile, they responded, "Well, I believe in appreciating the beauty in everything, whether it's in the artistry of music or… other things."

The air between them crackled with a newfound tension, and as they continued to explore the record store, the playful exchanges deepened into a more overt flirtation. A gentle touch on the arm here, a lingering gaze there—each gesture spoke volumes, creating an atmosphere charged with unspoken desire.

As they wrapped up their hangout, Y/N and Renee exchanged contact information, promising to meet again soon. The connection they forged went beyond the shared love for music, evolving into a magnetic attraction that lingered in the air, leaving both of them eager to explore the potential of this unexpected and thrilling connection.

In the days that followed their initial hangout, Y/N and Renee's connection deepened through playful messages and shared playlists. Their conversations became increasingly laced with flirtatious undertones, a dance of words that hinted at a mutual attraction.

One evening, Y/N received a message from Renee suggesting a joint songwriting session. The prospect of collaborating ignited a spark of excitement in Y/N, and they eagerly agreed. As they settled into the cozy ambiance of Y/N's home studio, surrounded by musical instruments and the gentle hum of creativity, the air seemed charged with both anticipation and a growing sense of intimacy.

As they worked on a new song, Y/N couldn't help but notice the subtle shifts in Renee's body language—the way she would lean in slightly, the lingering touches on shared instruments, and the occasional laughter that held a hint of something more. The energy between them was palpable, a magnetic force drawing them closer with each passing moment.

Renee, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, suggested taking a break and grabbing a snack from the kitchen.

As Y/N and Renee took a break in the cozy kitchen, the atmosphere crackled with a potent blend of creative energy and unspoken desire. The shared laughter and flirtatious banter lingered in the air, creating a magnetic pull that neither could ignore. Renee, feeling the palpable tension, decided to take a bold step.

As they stood near the kitchen island, discussing the finer details of their latest composition, Renee's gaze lingered on Y/N's lips. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she leaned in, closing the distance between them and placing her hands on Y/N's waist. Time seemed to slow as Y/N felt the soft warmth of Renee's lips pressing against their own, and their back hitting the counter.

The kiss was electric, a spontaneous spark that ignited a fire between them. Y/N, momentarily stunned, soon reciprocated, their hands instinctively finding each other in a gentle embrace. The kitchen became a canvas for this unexpected moment, a dance of passion and shared connection against the backdrop of a creative haven.

Breaking the kiss, Renee grinned, her eyes filled with a mixture of playfulness and genuine affection. "Well, that was unexpected," she teased, her fingers gently tracing patterns on Y/N's arm.

Y/N, catching their breath, couldn't help but smile in response. "Glad you did it, Renee."

The shared laughter that followed sealed the moment, turning the kitchen into a haven where the boundaries between music and personal connection blurred. As they chatted over a plate of shared snacks, their knees brushed against each other under the table, creating a subtle yet electrifying connection. As they returned to their songwriting session, the newfound intimacy lingered, infusing their creative collaboration with an electrifying energy that promised more harmonies to come. The kitchen island, witness to the impromptu kiss, became a symbol of the uncharted territory their connection was now exploring.

[evilwriter37]

The funniest part to me about the whole viggo thing is that people think viggo was such a big villain. I mean he was evil, but not drago level evil, just save my business evil. Like can you imagine just going about your business peacefully and suddenly one day a teenager from some distant land tries to mess up your business and change it to their wants and needs. And if that doesnt happen, they declare war. And i get that hiccup was just trying to save dragons but to viggo it would've seemed a lot like colonisation or something. And hiccup didnt even try to peacefully negotiate with viggo like he did with drago. He just straight up went to war. Point is in the vigcup dynamic i think hiccup would be the freak and viggo would be the peacekeeper one. What are your thoughts.

I feel like it’s disingenuous to blame all this on Hiccup. Ryker is the one that showed up on Dragon’s Edge, took Stormfly, and then left Astrid to die. I think the steps Hiccup took in Night of the Hunters made sense and were in character for him in that situation. Ryker had already shown that he wasn’t interested in peace, especially not after luring in and capturing most of the Dragon Riders.

And Viggo is such a big villain though. There were so many points throughout the series that prove just how bad of a person he is. He’s not doing things for the better of his tribe, but for the better of himself. In his first episode we see him sentence a man to death for stealing from him for the sole reason that he didn’t have enough food. So not only do we see Viggo willing to kill over something, but we see that he’s not even taking proper care of those under him! Then there’s the Scourge of Odin. It’s not clear how the infection truly started at that point, but what we do know is that Viggo was using it for profit. He was going to extort his own dying people for money. And that? Well, that’s pretty damn twisted in my opinion.

It’s like I said in another ask recently: Viggo truly was a monster, and that is what makes his redemption all the more impactful. Hiccup didn’t coax innate goodness out of someone who had it in them the whole time, but instead planted a seed that we see grow within Viggo during the last two seasons.

I feel like it’s a massive mischaracterization to call Viggo any sort of peacekeeper or to act like he didn’t actually like the business of dragon hunting. We were shown many times on screen that he’s sadistic and, well, a villain. He toys with people and throws them away when he’s done with them, something he made very clear in the scene in which he’s playing live Maces and Talons with Dagur.

I love Viggo dearly, mostly because he’s bad. Been a villain lover since age 3 and I’m sure not stopping now! And Viggo is most certainly a villain, the best written one in the franchise.

[oacest]

oacest scholars, do you have any gcest fic recs for a beginner?

we decided to answer this in brief and limit ourselves to three recs each or, as evidenced by past failures to answer this same simple and straightforward request from other people, we'd spend forever quibbling about our choices and never actually post the dang thing. here, in no particular order, are some good jumping off points:

trill's recs:

1) @snickfic's baby, you're gonna be the one that saves me, aka my fave fic (technically series, it's got two parts) in this entire fandom. in which liam gets knocked up in the mid 90s by someone who's not noel, to noel's intense anguished jealous heartbreak mild dismay. even if you're not really into mpreg this one is well worth it. the characterization is god tier. bal and i insisted that jackie, who staunchly doesn't like mpreg, read it and even she was converted.

2) i could be your lover, you could be all mine, by hapaxlegomena. a collection of unconnected porn ficlets. lots of extremely tasty stuff in here, i reread random bits of it regularly.

3) the D'YA WANT SOME? series by one of our own triumvirate, bal! im sure she's squirming in horror that im including it but it is by far the best, most well-written, most well-characterized, thoughtful, hilarious, hot, fascinating work in this whole fandom imo, and is a perfect intro to the whole concept of pre/early days oasis and what noel+liam might have been getting up to behind the scenes (as it were) before they were famous.

bal's recs:

1) Filmstar, an orphaned fic on Ao3. This one gets recced plenty but for good reason. It's very funny in a deadpan way and the Liam in it is such a perfect little weirdo. It's a great fic to start with, readable even if you don't know all the lore and whatnot.

2) outta sight and outta mind by lustmord. this author writes Trauma and specifically the brothers' trauma in a way I find endlessly compelling. (for all that Everyone Knows about their shitbag dad, it is still such an unspoken and often unpredictable presence in the room; you can't really get into them without tangoing with it in some fashion)

3) Let Me Be The One, by @savageandwise. absolutely fantastic Liam voice, this author just GETS him. I often think about this quote as a literal thesis statement for Noel's whole insane deal:

You think he's perfectly willing to allude to it in public if he's the one pulling the strings. Cause he thinks he's cleverer than the rest of the world. He thinks it's edgy and rock and roll when he does it. It's his brand of anarchy. And when you do it you're just stupid and embarrassing and determined to destroy everything.

jackie's recs:

1) Trying To Find A World That's Been and Gone by @storyshark2005. my colleagues graciously let me be the one to put it on my list because this is Thee fic. as we were all getting into Oasis initially, this fic was our constant companion and teacher, holding our hand as the fixation unraveled within us. it's a present-day fic that beautifully and masterfully unpacks the entirety of their relationship from the glory days to the estrangement and it is so jam-packed with research and details, you can just assume that everything that's being referenced is based on something that actually happened. in my opinion, this is where any new fan should start.

2) If I Had a Gun by @savageandwise. it's probably cheating to put another fic by this author when bal's already done it, but... I don't care lmao. in many ways we're splitting hairs because all this author's fics are worth your time. but I do hold a special place for this one because it so wonderfully captures the tenuousness of their dynamic at any given moment. how they could go from fighting to flirting to hating each other to needing each other in rapid succession. it feels so true.

3) Here's Looking At You, Kid by RedheadAmongWolves. don't be thrown off by the fact that this is one chapter away from completion, it's still totally worth it. the characterizations are great, the vibes draw you in, the UST is delicious. honestly, this is really meant to function as an overall author rec. there were several here I could've chosen. [ETA: this fic is now complete!]

[stars278]

Ok so more here are my ramblings on seeing Elf Cop the other night because he is stuck in my brain now:

-Stewart Clarke’s delivery of “I wAARN YOUu I will not give in” has been stuck in my head for hours now. There’s something about the way he says certain lines that just feel so right and so Javert.

-Probably the best dressed Javert I’ve ever seen. Bradley comes close 2nd. I know they all have the same costumes but I just know a Javert silhouette when I see one and Elf Cop has it perfected. Seeing him at start of the show standing at the top of the ship in his hat with his back to the audience I was captivated, his silhouette was so perfect and I got so excited, he was serving everything before he even turned around!

-Aaaghh when he came down the steps and started singing… there he was, looking incredible and his voice: every word was sung so perfectly and with such precise care and control as Javert would have, and the chin tilt with the baton…

-He looked so young in Toulon and with a younger cast it made me think of what it would be like if Valjean was imprisoned at 18 and Javert was only in his early 20’s at the end of Valjean’s sentence and how that dynamic would work. The older Valverts will always be my favourite but there’s something so intriguing to me about a younger age for them that felt so heartbreaking.

-Also Matthew Dale as Valjean was brilliant, he was also such a girl dad. I know all Valjeans are girl dads by default but some of them just fit the description better than others and he had it ✨

-Ooh the Mayor scenes were so good, I couldn’t stop looking at Stewart Clarke’s face the whole time as he tried to puzzle it out if it was really Valjean. It felt like he knew for certain, they recognised each other instantly but there was a strategy to play and it was so exciting. I noticed Elf Cop watches a lot, he just stares at people and things and looks and it’s gorgeous to watch. He’s so cunning and plans every move and yet he’s a loose canon, he lets emotion run his judgement when it comes to Valjean.

-The way he sung “Honest work, just reward/ that's the way to please the Lord” was so good, it felt like he was reminding himself of that fact and that rule that he lives by. And the “But Monsier Mayor…” lines, he played the subtle confusion and slight annoyance very well, he didn’t give too much away but he just watched.

-The Court scene when Javert took the chain in his hands and stalked off after Javert to chase his prey and hunt him down and pursue him, incredible work from Stewart Clarke. You can tell he loves the thrill of the chase and the capture of something and he’s so hungry for it, even when he gets subdued, it’s all the same for him. (Actually he loves getting subdued he just doesn’t want to admit it, he’s so eager to be put in his place by someone stronger than him and kneel before them)

-Confrontation Scene: I got so excited when I saw Javert grab the chain bc I knew what was coming next…! He was amazing, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him and his movements were incredible to watch! The delivery of his lines was perfect, I only had eyes and ears for Javert. The way he sung “I was born inside a jail, I was born with scum like you, I am from the gutter too” was so interesting to me. It was like I really believed he was from the gutter too - some of the older Javert’s play the superiority/class card too much and it never sits right with me but Stew’s Javert really felt like a lower class child born into misery and violence and poverty in the prison system and like Valjean, he crawled his way out and is still trying to prove himself, still trying to crawl above his birth status and find a foothold in society and I loved that. There’s something about the younger Valvert actors who bring so much nuance to the characters and a world of pain that comes with their youth being taken from them, and I really felt that from this cast and how none of them ever got proper childhoods and were suffering the consequences of that as adults.

-The crawling and sprawling on the floor and getting punched in the face and thrown to the ground really was a work of art. There’s a fanart somewhere of him lying face down with his arm across his back and that’s the exact pose he does. Stew is really good at showing a pathetic man being beaten on the ground and I really appreciated it. He just does falling and getting injured so well and every time he got hurt I winced but it was so entertaining. He never stumbled, he got up so carefully every time and took a stance and balanced himself and righted himself and he was always so careful and that’s such a delicious detail about Javert.

-Then the Paris entrance with Javert appearing through the buildings and the SMOKE in the middle of the street with the HAT and the COAT and the BATON… it was JAVERT. I stopped breathing till he started singing, it was so perfect! That’s Javert’s silhouette !!! It looked exactly like the book illustration and how I picture him in my head and it was stunning. The long pause and stare into the distance and the way he said “Let the old man keep on running, I will run him off his feet…” wow. Chills. Truly a work of art. (Also Stewart Clarke says the word “man” really well in this show, something about the way his Javert speaks about men is captivating to me. )

-Also the baton switch move where he has it tucked under his arm and then straightens it out to point around the street… ahhh I love baton choreography especially majestic gestures from the Elf Cop 😍

-Stars was so pretty !!! I always forget it’s right after the Paris street scene and I was captivated, it looked just like a painting it was beautiful 🥹 The way he sung about the stars and the law the the Lord were so good. “You are the sentinels” somehow got me, it was like he was desperately trying to achieve that same status and be the person he thought he could be after climbing above his birth status. Some Javert’s really embody the law and personify it fully but something about Stew’s Javert was more vulnerable and made me feel like he was constantly battling his inner thoughts and dealing with imposter syndrome, he didn’t have much self esteem at all and was always putting on this officer/law persona to avoid anyone seeing how low-born and pathetic he really was. That’s not something I’ve seen in other Javert’s (Bradley plays it a little but he’s more angry and feral whereas Elf Cop is a bit more lonely I feel?)

-I think that’s a big take-away for me was how lonely Elf Cop is. He feels so isolated and not always out of choice, he really is all alone and I really understood the parallels of Javert and Eponine this time. The way Stew smiles so brightly and grabs Eponine’s hand at the bows made me so happy, it was like seeing Javert and Eponine being friends and overcoming their traumas. Both were born “in the gutter”, the lowest of society and both rose to try and achieve some better status - Javert through the law and Eponine through her connection to Marius. There was something so poignant about the parallel of Stars and On My Own, of two characters being so lonely and looking to the skies and the heavens above to imagine something greater than they were and a future of a different possibility. Also both songs are yearning for a man to be with them so… Javert I think you and Eponine need to hang out and discuss your unrequited love and bond over loving a man who doesn’t love you back…

-I could only watch Javert during One Day more, he was so strong and his voice was still so clear through the rest of the cast singing. Really glad I got a seat slightly to the stage left side because I got a perfect view in most of his scenes.

I’ll do Act 2 in the next post because I have too many thoughts on this…

[13eyond13]

Imagine. A death note anime adaptation but with a longer episode count closer to the other classic shonen animes of its era. Let's say, 350ish episodes? How would you pace it? Filler arcs or just painfully/faithfully adapting the manga. How do you think the showrunners would pace it? I would love a tennis tournament arc lol

Hmm... interesting question that I've never contemplated before!

Well, let's think about this a bit. The Death Note manga consists of 108 chapters total (not counting the future bonus one-shots and such). It's a very briskly-paced story that prioritizes keeping a tense and thrilling plot moving over most other things, and normally has very little in the way of filler content or slice-of-life type scenes.

The first 59 chapters of the manga are contained within the first 26 episodes of the anime, which covers both the L arc and the Yotsuba arc. And then chapters 60-108 of the manga make up the last 10 episodes of the anime, which covers the Successor arc.

It roughly breaks down like this:

THE L ARC (chapters 1-32 | episodes 1-14):

• episodes 1-8: Light picks up the Death Note and starts using it. He meets Ryuk and kills Raye and Naomi and the other FBI agents. L starts investigating and pursuing Kira and working with the task force in person as well.

• episodes 9-14: L and Light meet up in person for the first time and start attending school together and working together on the Kira case. Misa shows up and starts working as the second Kira with Light.

THE YOTSUBA ARC (chapters 33-59 | episodes 15-26):

• episodes 15-26: Light and Misa are confined, Light loses his Kira memories, and then everybody works together to catch the new Kira in the Yotsuba Group until Light finally regains his memories again and successfully kills L.

THE SUCCESSOR ARC (chapters 60-108 | episodes 27-37):

• episodes 27-30: Mello kidnaps Sayu and gets a notebook from the task force. Near is working with the SPK to capture Kira. Soichiro dies.

• episodes 31-35: Team Kira assembles a bit more (adds Mikami and Kiyomi) and the task force starts working against Light alongside Near secretly.

• episodes 36-37: The big showdown finale in the warehouse between the two teams goes down.

--

So if the anime was going to be expanded from 37 episodes to 350 episodes then that means it'd have to be stretched into being about 10 times longer than it is, haha. So maybe you'd be dedicating like 150 episodes to the L arc, 100 episodes to the Yotsuba arc, and 100 episodes to the Successor arc?

Here are a few things I wouldn't mind seeing done:

FOR THE L ARC:

I feel like the L arc is almost perfectly paced and very well-structured in the manga and by far my favourite part of the whole thing, but seeing a little more of Light's home life and school life and spending a little more time with his family and friends would be very interesting to me. Same with perhaps learning a little more about the home lives of each of the task force members and Misa and getting a little deeper into why they wanted to do the things they end up doing in the plot. Ohba always deliberately avoids doing flashbacks or diving much into the emotional drama and personal lives of the characters involved, but that's the part that I often want to know more about and wish we got a little more time to explore!

I ESPECIALLY wish that the university portion of the story was expanded and given way more room to breathe. It always felt like these intriguing situations and dynamics would be introduced in this part of the story, only to be immediately whisked away again in favour of something else. I wanted to see Light and L doing things like having awkward pretend study sessions together at the Yagami home so bad...

The one thing I DON'T think I would like to see more of is L's life being fleshed out and explored and having any of the remaining burning questions about him answered for sure, actually. I feel like keeping him mysterious and extremely ambiguous is very important to his purpose in the story and the overall appeal of his character, and that the stuff that we DID get to know about him in the manga was a satisfying amount of stuff to me. He felt human and real enough to me already without ever actually fully getting pinned down and explained and known personally by anybody beyond a shadow of a doubt.

FOR THE YOTSUBA ARC:

I feel like this arc is a part of the story which can start getting a bit more divisive for fans, particularly when you're watching the anime. Light losing his Kira memories and then the gang all suddenly chasing after a bunch of newly-introduced stock villains that don't offer up a ton of value as characters outside of giving us some new baddies to chase together for a while definitely causes some viewers to find it a bit draggier and less entertaining than the previous arc (although OTHER fans find it fascinating and their favourite part of things, due to stuff like Light showing this whole other side of his personality and how awkwardly domestic their living situation gets).

Again, what I always want to see more of than we actually did was all the human drama and little slice-of-life moments and explorations of the emotions and relationships and so on. How the heck did L and Light cope with being handcuffed together 24/7? How did seeing these new sides of each other change how they perceive everything and everybody overall? And how did the fake execution at the hands of Light's father really end up emotionally affecting Light, etc. I'm a big enjoyer of the Yotsuba arc overall personally because of all the interesting new sides of the characters it introduces, how much quality time we spend with L, and how much both the task force and the Kiras end up having to hang out together in close quarters like that. But my biggest gripes with it are that it's pretty boring to be focusing so much on just investigating the Yotsuba Group itself, and that sometimes I wish that Light's amnesia and his underlying scheme was left a little less of a complete mystery the entire time to the audience as well? Because I think it could still be very good and very tense without having to hide so much about it all from the audience. And gimmicky mystery/whodunit kinda stuff that relies on withholding a bunch of information from the viewers in order to stay interesting wears thin for me pretty easily and really isn't my favourite sort of stuff to sit through after a bit.

FOR THE SUCCESSOR ARC:

The main thing I'd want to do for sure is to give the Successor arc the same amount of time and care and attention as the L arc and the Yotsuba arcs received! Because I DO think it's actually a pretty necessary and enjoyable part to the entire story to me in the manga overall, even if I am one of those fans who also greatly prefers the L arc. I think the Successor arc was the part of the story that by far suffered the most and got the most condensed and rushed when translating the manga to the anime. In the manga it takes up nearly as many chapters as the L arc + Yotsuba arc combined, but in the anime it is squeezed into the final 10 episodes and given barely any time to unfold. I think just giving way better of an introduction to the successors and letting the audience warm up to them more would be great. And unlike L's character, which I strongly believe should not ever be explained beyond a shadow of a doubt, I think both Near and Mello's characters could only benefit from stuff like additional backstory given to them both and a little more fleshing out of the details of the rivalry between them and their relationships with the SPK and mafia members and feelings towards L and Kira and everything like that.

My main idea for how to expand on the Successor arc outside of that would be to do a lot more to show the broader impact of Light on the world and on the average person at this point, too. Sometimes I think it was way too easy to lose sight of just how much of an influence Kira was actually having on a global scale at this point. And I wouldn't mind seeing maybe some characters who weren't directly involved in the Team Kira/Team L war over the notebooks introduced in order to fulfill that role.

[bceventshub]

OK SO I HAVE MULTIPLE SHIPS, SO LETS SEE WHAT WE GET AROUND TO (aka the less popular lesbian ships like kahono and noelle which i love as a ship but we all see it, THIS IS ABOUT YOU SEEING MY SHIPS)

First, the absolute must: Vanessa x Charlotte (Vanette, Vanlotte, idk call it whtvr name you want, even wine and roses or smth)

Essentially, here's my whole like THING (mini fanfic scene) about them: Vanessa and Charlotte THINK they're both in love w Yami, and that their jealousy is the other being close to Yami, when in reality they are in love with each other and are subconsciously jealous of Yami getting the other's affections. Eventually, Yami starts dating someone else, and Vanessa is like "hmm. I don't really give a fuck, that's weird!" and when Charlotte finds out, she just goes "good for them. I feel like I should be sad, maybe I wasn't in love". But thennnn, when they both end up in the same bar (Vanessa is there because vanessa but Charlotte is there because her squad mates think she's heartbroken over yami and want to party to make her forget) and some weirdo tries to flirt with Vanessa. Vanessa is like "hell nah" and Charlotte immediately sensing the creep, storms over and is like "uhm actually, we're together. So you can fuck off" and Vanessa goes along w it for the night. After that, they slowly realize their feelings and then we get a 200k slow burn fic.

Love languages, you ask? Vanessa's mainly verbal and physical affection, where as Charlotte's love language is "anonymous" gifts because she gets too flustered to do it to Vanessa's face.

SECOND SHIP: Dorothy and Mereoleona

FIRST THING WE GOTTA GET INTO IS DYNAMIC! Dorothy is obviously the happy cheerful unconcerned one while Mereoleona is more protective and angry, but they like to fight together in Dorothy's dream world and that's how half of their dates go, while the other half of their dates is them having tea and chatting about random things. Mereoleona is not super good at casual conversations at first, but eventually is able to have a bit of fun in conversations.

Ofc they got together because of a fight in the dream world during a training session. Dorothy couldn't really beat Mereoleona because she was just too strong, so Dorothy was like, "well time to use my extra special never used before technique, confuse and capture her!" So once she found the perfect moment, Dorothy just straight up kissed Mereoleona and our lioness was too shocked to do anything for long enough for Dorothy to win. Then Mereoleona started falling FAST but Dorothy was a bit too carefree to notice her feelings for a while.

Their love languages is as follow: Mereoleona is PHYSICAL affection. She will hug for hours and not let go. Or throw punches. Dorothy's is flirting, I can see her casually flirting but getting lowkey flustered if Mereoleona does it back.

I might write a fanfic for em soon.

THIRD AND LAST SHIP OF THE NIGHT! Apologies if multiple ships in one thing is too long 😥 anyways, last ship: Noelle and Grey

Basically, Grey being self conscious (me too girlie) first had just admiration for Noelle's confidence, but after way too much trying to study her actions to figure out how to also be confident, she kind of fell in love. Noelle fell in love because after Grey tried to ask for help to be more confident, she at first just found her attempts kind of adorable. But after lots of practice and time spent to together, Noelle fell full in.

Both of them didn't confess for like two years because Grey thought there was no way someone as confident as Noelle would like someone as NOT confident as herself. And Noelle was the opposite, thinking Grey would be too shy or intimidated to like someone as confident as Noelle herself.

But after Vanessa helped them both out, they ended up getting together. Their love languages aren't really physical, Noelle's is buying Grey new clothes or gifts or such every now and then and Grey's love language is handmade gifts.

Anyways hope you join my ships :3

Thank you for submitting propaganda for: Mereodoro!

(Don't worry, we'll reblog this post and get to the other ones soon!

To everyone: please consider supporting this wonderful ship during Femslash Month in May!

[shitpostingkats]

Your Lunafreya fan fic "Dear Beloved Stranger" was incredibly well written! You gave Luna such an amazing voice! You capture the frustration and confusion she feels about her circumstances, but also her determination, kindness, and a little bit of silliness too.

Luna's final scene of her laughing among the syllablossoms as she comes to understand her feelings was very heartwarming to read. After spending all this time keeping her true emotions close to her chest, Luna allows herself to let out everything she's been holding inside. She accepts that Noct won't ever her, and neither will she love him, and instead of being disappointed, it's liberating to her. You've written her with much more dimension than what we were originally given, but you still kept the core aspects that make Luna, well, Luna!

Long story short, I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to your future writings!

Hey, thank for the kind words! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

Yeah, I started getting Luna Feelings when I was playing through the chapter in Altissia and you go and see her wedding dress. Like! Up until that point Noctis seems kinda uncaring about the wedding (though he obviously cares about Luna) but it's the first time we actually see him mourn what could have been. And it just hit me like 'Oh! This was their safety net. They both thought of this as their chance at stability.'

And then after that she dies and in that cutscene they both are children, because despite seeing her in-person mere moments ago, he can't conceive of the two of them talking as adults. The juxtaposition of pinning their futures on each other while also being almost complete strangers. And then I started pacing around and the more I thought about their dynamic the more I wanted to chew on concrete.

The amount that themes of rest permeate both their stories. She's the constantly working Oracle and he's the prince of Insomnia. They both die during the main story and get pulled right back to work minutes later. The fact that the ending of the game is them leaning against each other and closing their eyes. I just wanted to keep pulling at and exploring that thread and then I blinked and I had a whole fic in front of me.

Made me more insane about them, honestly. 10/10 platonic soulmates of all time.

[televisionenjoyer]

WHY ARE MOVIES GETTING DARKER I AM ON MY KNEES

Ok fuck it let's go. My amateurish opinions on the three biggest mysteries of film: why they're getting darker, less vibrant and harder to hear. As someone who has worked on camera, montaging, effects and animations, colorimetry when I'm allowed, and on one weird occasion, audio (but I'm an enthusiast ok?)

The short answer is because of technology. The long answer is more nuanced

- Why are movies getting darker?

The "official answer" that filmmakers give actually is technology. Digital cameras allow for much more detail with less lighting required. It also allows videographers to play with different light and exposure settings on the go, instead of having to go with the limitations of the pre-bought film's asa and the precalculated ideal settings. Also film is notoriously bad at capturing dark scenes and responsible for much of the graining we see on analog tv and film.

So basically, they claim it's a stylistic choice. Which could be debated, I mean, after at least five years of everyone complaining about poor lighting, you'd think they'd finally give it up.

BUT there's the whole fact that (certain) special effects are generally easier to pull off when the viewer can't see enough to detect any flaws. They require less care and thus are cheaper and faster to produce. Any studio's wet dream.

Less notably, it's easier to work "down" on colorimetry than it is to work "up." Taking away light from a shot is easier than "creating more light", the latter sometimes leading to very "digitally broken" results. It looks bad. Just grab any video and crank the exposure. It looks horrible.

"But what does exposure have to do with color?" Everything!!! Color IS light!!!

Which leads me to the last reason, HDR. Which leads me to one of the reasons why everything looks so dull.

- Why are movies less vibrant?

So. What is HDR? High Dynamic Range refers to technologies that achieve a much wider light variation. And as we established earlier color IS light, okay? So. More light, more color, brought to you at the hand of display technologies such as OLED and microdimming.

These technologies ramp up the price of domestic screens exponentially. This is why you see domestic televisions that are way above the 2000 dollar mark. And then people will say "oh but my low end television supports HDR, so that's not the issue". Yes. Supports. As in supports files encoded in HDR. Doesn't mean that they have the necessary technology to take advantage of it. Yet they get to put the HDR10 label on their product and get in on the newest marketing fad (it's the new 4k dude. Which is the new 3D. You get what I mean)

And since it is the newest fad, then of course filmmakers HAVE to get in on it. I mean, it's more quality, who doesn't want more quality?

me!!! please stop. not everything has to be aimed at high end equipment (more on this when we get to the audio aspect, aren't you excited?). HDR looks like DOGSHIT if your tv isn't actually OLED. And most consumer TV's aren't OLED.

Tech rant over, I assure you that there is a cultural aspect to this. Don't worry, you're not insane. And it probably is related to the clean girl minimalist iOS style UX modest and demure mentality that is advancing on the 2020s. But it is also related to an art medium shift that we've been undergoing since wayy back when. The sixties.

Yes. I'm gonna go there. I'm gonna talk about Star Trek. I'm going to elaborate on my previous slight outrage.

So. Star Trek marks the beginning of a transition from black and white television into color. It also lands on that weird spot where the whole medium of film and television was still figuring out which elements to import from the ancient medium of theater and which were best left behind.

As a result, Star Trek is very theatrical. And color is a good friend of theater, a medium where everything has to be maximized so that the people in row fifty could appreciate the show almost as well as the people on the first row. Color is a good friend of theater: in wardrobe it helps the performers stand out, boosts up the characters' personality traits, etc. And in lighting, it amplifies moods, conveys emotions and atmospheres related to particular scenes.

The version of Star Trek that you can find on streaming these days is considerably altered from the original product, remastered to make it more palatable to our contemporary brains. As a result, many scenes have been visually altered. The following example shows the original master on the left and the remaster on the right

And while at first I held my head in my hands and asked "why, god, why??" The answer is probably that this reads as unserious as fuck. Having the technology now to desaturate scenes and make certain settings look "cloudy", "gritty", "dark and grim," and so on changed the way we perceive colors in regards to mood on modern film and television. This primary color ass setting in today's context reads as goofy, on a scene that is actually meant to impose concern on the viewers. This wouldn't read this way on theater, but it does on television, because we see them as completely separate mediums.

(however I insist that, star trek being a culturally significant show, making these type of creative decisions strips it of its original intent and shits on its cultural value as a window into how they did television in the sixties. so like. fuck you paramount)

Now, television has been getting thematically darker this century (some call it the post-9/11 effect. I wouldn't know. I am latinoamerican) and our palate as viewers has grown more used to these desaturated settings, to the point where seeing something vibrant like the original star trek makes us feel like we're watching a kids show. And not even a modern kids show, more like teletubbies or barney, because have you guys even seen bluey?? It's so... pastel-y.

It's not just HDR. Movies have gotten less vibrant because we're miserable. Sort of. And television and film have grown obsessed with appearing more serious. (Not that sitcoms and comedy movies have ceased to exist, I'm generalizing.)

- But why is dialogue less intelligible?

Official Answer? Technology. Nowadays we are able to capture subtleties in dialogue, so actors don't have to project their voice 24/7, and we can get more intimate dialogue, something almost intended to be a secret that you shouldn't be listening to, making you feel like an intruder. It's the intent.

Unofficially? Technology (marketing fad edition). It's surround audio!!! That's the real culprit!!! And listen, I love surround audio, I have two 5.1 systems at home that we bought secondhand and work like a charm. All that being said: why is star trek tos in 5.1? (YES I'm still on star trek). Why is everything natively encoded in surround audio on streaming these days, left to be down-mixed in real time by your tv?

I'm going to quickly explain surround to y'all using 5.1 as an example. On stereo (which is how most consumers watch film and television) you have two audio channels: your left and right speakers. 5.1 has six: front-left, center, front-right, rear-left, rear-right, and subwoofer. Most dialogue goes through the center speaker. Downmixing is when your tv takes all these channels and mushes them into two: left channel (containing left-front, left rear, center and subwoofer) and right channel (right front, right rear, center and subwoofer). So your center channel is suddenly competing with all these other frequencies and gets a bit muffled.

But wait! It gets worse! 5.1 is now ancient by technology fad standards. For a while there was 7.1 and now the newest, incredibly expensive marketing fad is Dolby Atmos (you might have seen it as a badge on streaming services such as Disney plus). This protocol supports up to 64 channels. You know, if you're crazy and rich enough.

Dolby Atmos was originally developed for cinemas but it's now being sold to direct consumers. According to Dolby, the ideal sound configuration in your home in order to listen to this material the way it was intended from the comfort of your living room is of at least eight (very fancy) speakers and up to 12 speakers.

So. Even with a 5.1 system your audio is still down-mixed.

In conclusion:

Film and television did not get shittier (well, they have, but that's not the sole culprit of this crisis), it just became less accessible and overall uninterested in catering to the average consumer.

[yourhighness6]

NATLA Episode 2 Debrief (by yours truly)

Hi again! Here's episode 1 if anyone is interested. This is going to be another outrageously long post, just a tw

I absolutely loved the ominous start and then it's just:

They really captured the Zuko/Iroh dynamic the cartoon had in this scene. I hope they keep this sort of thing throughout the show. Also, side note, but for whatever reason Zuko seems a LOT more violent in this version. This child needs some serious therapy.

I guess this is their version of the map joke, huh? Low-key disappointed but not as mad as I thought I would be.

I'm not sure how I feel about the writers prolonging some of the conflicts that were resolved back in the SWT into this episode. I guess it makes sense that they would have to extend the drama, but I'm a little disappointed these thoughts didn't make it into the first episode. I'm glad they're included, but I think at this point team avatar had started to feel like family already in the cartoon, so it's kind of annoying and misses the mark a bit.

Yes I'm so glad they put GranGran's blessing back in! I was really mad when they took it out, but this honestly feels more meaningful than it did in the cartoon. It's a precious cultural artifact rather than just a couple of blankets. This is similar to what I was mad about with extending SWT conflicts, but I don't have nearly as much of a problem with it, as it seems like they're carrying a little piece of home with them rather than just extra drama.

The burial scene was very sweet and sad. It gave us a bit more insight into Air Nomad culture, and a sense of closure the cartoon didn't really give us. A+ for Gordon's acting as well (he is perfect for this part, even if he does still need some more acting experience)

Zuko has officially mastered the "my uncle dragged me here and I'm an agnsty teenager" face. A+ to Dallas for this entire scene. I am absolutely LOVING the Iroh and Zuko dynamic. Never change (jk I wish you a wonderful redemption arc)

Suki looks just as beautiful as she did in the trailer. Unfortunately can't say the same for the Kyoshi statue (I wish it had been made out of wood), but there is something to be said for the little shrines to the avatars instead of a few big ones. I actually kind of like that they changed that element, and I hope they explore it more in future episodes, because I assume some of the spiritualism surrounding them would have to be changed. Side note: but I've seen nothing of the spirit world so far and I'm getting a little nervous. I guess I wouldn't mind if they decided it was some long-lost avatar trick or is introduced in the NWT, but if they get rid of it altogether I'm gonna be pissed.

I'm glad they decided to make Kyoshi Island a matriarchal society instead of having a male leader. It just makes sense based on the lore and I like to see more strong adult women than in the cartoon. Also Suki got a mom! Maybe she'll get some development too!

This Aang speech was very in-your-face storytelling, but I feel like the whole show is gonna be like that so I'm just accepting it at this point. I think it stayed true to his character while getting the point across, and it also kind of helped his character compared to the cartoon. He's very emotionally open and has a charming nativity about him, but he's clearly trying to help. Loved it.

He's so awkward I love it. This whole interaction was really cool, because it expanded on their relationship in a cool way. They're both struggling between doing what their parents expect of them to help their respective villages, but are being faced with a pull to the outside world, Suki with her "big heart" and Sokka with his need to protect Katara. Thishonestly gives more depth to their relationship and I don't mind the writers dragging out first episode conflicts if this is how they're choosing to explore them.

Aww look at these cute little siblings. I like that the writers are giving them more time to progress from strangers to besties. Their interactions seem more natural, and Aang's grief more realistic. It's also great to once again see Katara growing more confident and powerful in her abilities. I love the smell of some good character development in the making.

Look at her face! She's like,"I'm so good at flirting. Mother would be proud." Meanwhile Sokka's scared of her. Anyway I'm living for their scenes and they're making me giggle. (Despite Sokka's sexism being toned down it still exists to a lesser level and I love to see her beating his ass while he tries to flex)

I love the new subplot! I love that flashback! I love this conflict! It gives more credence to his fears as a prodigy. Whatever writer came up with this deserves a hug.

AHH the ship is sailing! I love Sokka learning to be more open minded! I love Suki learning to be more open-hearted! I love when characters in romantic relationships learn from each other! This is giving Suki and Sokka development in ways the cartoon did not without trying to play Sokka's sexism off as a joke and also giving us more screentime and when I say I love it I mean I am doing a happy dance right now!

Okay, so just a quick word on shipping besides Sukka because as Zutara trash I am legally required to do this:

It seems like they are keeping the zutara hope parallel intact, with Katara and Zuko both finding hope in the avatar but in different ways. However, I don't think this really changes anything. So far, there's beven nothing to suggest they're going with ZK instead of KA, and I'm a little worried that they're trying to parallel Sukka and KA wwith the way they're setting up both girls as kind of a "teacher" to the boys in a way and giving both ships a huge amount of screentime in the same episode. Also, and I hate to say this, they might be attempting to fix KA by toning down Katara's anger and her "dark side". She didn't get angry to break the iceberg and they're eliminating her entire waterbending scroll plotline. They're trying to make them a better match for each other by watering her down and therefore increasing her connection with Aang and decreasing the chance of a future connection with Zuko over their anger and shared trauma. It's sad news that I didn't want to deliver, and I've seen spoilers that there is another ZK moment later down the line, but at this point, I think KA is a lot more plausible than ZK. *cries*

In slightly less depressing news, they're inserting the avatar state plotline a lot earlier. This makes sense with the condensed timeline, and I think I like the way they're going with it so far. I hope they keep the concept of avatar guide intact, though, and I'm worried that they're going to play into more of a connection to all of his past lives instead of just Roku. I kind of hate Roku but I do think that's a major concept I don't want them to get rid of, and his inaction during a time of adversity mirror's Aang's own challenges with confrontation. Their dynamic is a good one, and I wouldn't be opposed to changed but I really hope they don't entirely throw it out.

Scratch whatever the fuck I said before. I'm back on my shipping bullshit I can't believe we got a BONUS FIGHT! Also kudos to whoever decided Zhao should burn the village instead of Zuko. I was always so pissed at him whenever I rewatched this episode and now I can sleep easy knowing it was that military dipshit instead of him

I love Kyoshi to an unhealthy extent but I kind of wish Katara had been the one to go off on him. It would have seriously fixed things.

COUPLES THAT FIGHT TOGETHER ARE THE BEST COUPLES CHANGE MY MIND

Also, side note, but I love the hair these in fight scenes:

Most action movies hairspray the shit out of them but these actors are allowed to look a little disheveled while they kick ass. Huge thank you to whoever decided that more natural hair is superior cuz they are 100% correct

THE BONUS FIGHT SCENE IS NO LONGER COOL I REPEAT THE BONUS FIGHT SCENE IS NO LONGER COOL

I think this was the perfect conclusion to Sukka (for now)! Sokka learned something so much more valuable and impactful than in the cartoon, in my opinion. His masculinity is handled very well in my opinion, and even if I would have liked to see him wear the warrior outfit, there's something really great about the way he continues to embrace protectiveness, a masculine trait, while having rid himself of toxic masculinity, such as not being able to learn from others. He's leaving a more open minded and humble person and I love the way they portrayed it.

Okay the speech was a little on the nose but I liked it. One of the best things about ATLA was the way they executed Aang's childishness ending up beneficial for the world. I think the new conflict is expanding on that nicely while staying true to its roots. *pats writers on the head*

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IS THIS REAL I LOVE IT SO MUCH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

IM TRYING SO HARD NOT TO THINK ABOUT THIS LINE AND HOW IT COULD BE ANOTHER PARALLEL TO K/A I HATE IT BUT I LOVE IT AT THE SAME TIME LETS JUST FOCUS ON SUKI SAYING SOKKA HELPED HER AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Also the fan was so cute. That last scene on Appa really wrapped everything up nicely. I like the way they tied in the conflicts between the siblings while engineering growth for Sokka.

Daniel Kim delivered in his two seconds of screentime. Zhao was such a bitch but idk what else I expected. Can't wait to see more of these two bastards in future!

Anyway, to recap:, things I did like:

Aang's new conflicts

Sokka's mini arc

SUKKA

Expanding on Katara's PTSD

Zhao burning the town instead of Zuko

Zuko and Iroh's dynamic

Things I didn't like:

Katara's characterization

Lack of Aang's actual avatar guide

K/A hints and lack of zutara implications

Postponing the Zhao and Zuko agni Kai

Overall, I have to say I think that they're playing into the core themes very well while expanding on the characters. If it weren't for the whole Katara debacle this would be a 9/10 episode, but with the Katara debacle imma give it a 7/10. Still, I can at least understand why the writers made their crappy decisions, even if I don't agree with them. Hopefully certain things are fixed in future episodes, but as it stands I think I'll live (barely)

[greenteahexagrambrooch]

Hello again! As promised, I am continuing to post more of my Phhp-based stuff! (⁠✿⁠^⁠‿⁠^⁠)

After some reviewing and tweaking, here's my Spotify playlist! ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

But first, some things to add, disclaimers and whatnot:

- This playlist is based off The Player Hides His Past novel, but mostly the dynamics between Grandfell and Hoyeol!

- At the moment I really only listen to 50-60s old timey love songs (you can tell where this is going for sure), sooooooo the playlist may not be like an actual series playlist but more ship focused... (⁠^⁠～⁠^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞ

- This also means that even though there are a ton of recent songs that probably capture current arcs or intense battle scenes more accurately, they won't be in the playlist. (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠；⁠) ( I still appreciate hearing about them tho! I have some faves myself :] )

- Most of the songs are kinda based on the vibes themselves, whether in relation to the novel, the changing dynamics between Grandfell and Hoyeol, or some favouritism to the artists (which will be very apparent trust). And other songs have really accurate lyrics to one of these things! In regards to this, I will be further talking about some songs in particular, and also mentioning other songs of interest! (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)

- While discussing this, there might be spoilers involved, which is why I'll put them under the 'read more' section (which I have just learned how to do)! (⁠◠⁠‿⁠・⁠)⁠—⁠☆

- Because these are songs written a while ago, they're not going to be 100% accurate, so please be patient and understanding with me if you're listening! (There's also a ton of fabrication involved regarding their dynamics and personalities so it might come off a bit extreme!) (⁠๑⁠•⁠﹏⁠•⁠)

- I'll likely update the name for the playlist later!! (Hopefully I think of something good or I'm going to call it 'Claudi with a chance of meatballs' (which I would actually find really funny as like an ao3 crack one shot or something))

- If you have any questions or comments concerning any songs, I'd really appreciate hearing them! (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)

That should be enough yapping for now, if I remember anything else to say (my memory might be a bit hazy since it's like 3 in the morning) I'll add it in the comments! (⁠*⁠´⁠ω⁠｀⁠*⁠) Hope you have a splendid time listening if you do decide to give it a whirl! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

Honorable mention songs! (Songs that stood out to me but I didn't add to the playlist for reasons listed below):

1.

For very obvious reasons, this song fits extremely well with the series. But I didn't really want to listen to this song every time I started playing it! ┐⁠(⁠‘⁠～⁠`⁠;⁠)⁠┌

2.

a) I really like this song, it's one of my father's favorites! I also think it fits really well with the whole ship dynamic, but I miight have listened to Olivia Newton John way too much back in 2020, and it would be kinda hard to add her back into this playlist. (Silly reason sorry (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠；⁠) )

b) It fits on multiple levels, but again clashes with the playlist itself due to the difference in genre and time period.

c) One of the recent song examples I was talking about earlier; I listened to it a while ago and I could still see some connections today when Spotify decides to play it, but it would just clash with the rest of the playlist;;; (Might make a semi modern song playlist vers for phhp? If anyone is interested enough because I don't know a ton of songs)

3.

I really like this song, but the subject matter is very ooc (out of character). I typically avoided adding songs where the angst or blues come from:

- Partner cheating

- Finding a new lover

- Losing feelings

- Partner is just pretending to love

- Partner is being manipulative/using the singer

The disconnect just hits really hard with these topics for me (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

This is also why I didn't include the following song! :]

4.

I really enjoyed The Crew Cuts and their harmony in this song, but the novel has proved on multiple occasions in the past, present and future that disloyalty is not in the picture at all. Again a really good song but too ooc to be added to the rest of the playlist.

5.

I could really see this as like a comedic portrayal of Grandfell's noble behavior and language, but at some parts in the song I really felt like I was stretching it, so it wasn't added (Johnny Mercer's other song 'Candy' was tho). (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

Key songs!!!!! (Songs that really changed/enhanced the way I read The Player Hides His Past, and also made me go 'oh my gosh this is their song') !

1.

The Bachelors just absolutely carried my entire novel reading experience. One of the main running jokes in phhp is tea, and the real cherry on top is the novel containing multiple important scenes pertaining to tea drinking together (cough cough chapter 615-617 (⁠╯⁠︵⁠╰⁠,⁠) ), that really enhance the correlation between this song and the actual series. It gives me hope for a happy ending. •́⁠ ⁠ ⁠‿⁠ ⁠,⁠•̀

2.

I also greatly enjoyed Vic Dana's album, and this song and its imagery really gave me a clear scenario picture. ( It's one of my digital WIPs! I might post it as a WIP and finish it later (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) ) The romance in this song's instrumentals and lyrics are so good I swear;;

3.

I really associate this song with The Player Hides His Past's arcs and storyline the most, based on the connection to action and fantasy themes. The imagery is really strong, and the further I read tphhp, the more every single line and lyric started to connect with the actual series. I could genuinely write an entirely separate post analyzing each lyric from this song and how it compares and connects to The Player Hides His Past. Genuinely a great experience being able to listen to this and read the novel in the early morning at my bus stop while the sun is rising. (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)

4.

This song is really amazing with its musical dynamics, and The Mills Brothers really achieved a great vocal harmony and tempo. Regarding the thematic connection to tphhp, I associate it (and many other songs related to time in this playlist) with

*SPOILERS*

the regressions that are revealed to have happened, which is kind of a stretch, but the original meaning of the song also fits too. ｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡

5.

Oh I cried

I cried real bad.

This song played when I was reading chapter 616 & 617, and The Vouges did such a great job with this song, the vocals and musical dynamics enhanced the heartbreak and angst to a staggering degree. The absolute devotion in this song is just so amazing, and pairing it with The Player Hides His Past is such a diabolical combination. (⁠'●⌓●⁠`) (In the best way possible)

Number 6 would be Warm by The Skyliners but I ran out of images!!!! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) Again another great song to read the novel with in the early morning when the sun is rising!!! (⁠✷⁠‿⁠✷⁠)

I can't wait to post more stuff and contribute to this fandom!!! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) Thank you for being patient with me!!!! (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧

[epickiya722]

You know what, season 2 broke a lot of our hearts, didn't it? Well, here's some moments I thought were funny, heartwarming and just off the wall to lighten things up!

Starting with the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death Arc and if y'all want, I'll do a part 2 for the Shibuya Incident!

NOTE: I may have talked about some of these moments before in other posts.

Utahime, just all of Utahime in the first episode. She's awesome, I adore her. "SHOOOOKOOOO!!"

Chibi Satoru and Suguru. Especially the part of Suguru walking up the stairs as the others were talking. "Urusei."

"SENSEI, I SAY WE STOP THIS HUNT FOR THE CULPRIT!"

"SO IT WAS YOU!"

"Blegh!"

Shoko dipping out.

Suguru was really about to jump Satoru with a curse!!!

The fact that Suguru even went from wearing regular-waist pants to high-waist ones from manga to anime is glorious. Whoever decided that knew Suguru was meant to be a fashion icon.

Digimon

That WALK!!! Y'all, those are Special Grade sorcerers!

Suguru scowling Satoru on his behavior, also... "Satorrruuu~" Did he have to purr? That was a purr!

I love Satoru Gojo, I do. But with those glasses, he really do be looking like one of the Three Blind Mice from Shrek.

I don't know how but Toji somehow made saying he took his wife's last name scary. Like, he was very intimidating that it bypass me the first time of how cute it is that he loved Mamaguro a lot.

They actually added Suguru fixing himself a cup of tea in the anime!! This teenager really had that man captured by some Kissing Curse, told him he couldn't be a rice farmer and had himself some tea. Iconic.

Ooh, Satoru didn't have to do Bayer like that. But I applaud him for taking such a selfie!

Shoko trying to explain how RCT works actually irritated Satoru... which is rare!

Riko actually was the first to defeat Satoru. Did him dirty!! Suguru actually laughs at Satoru getting slapped while in the anime he looks shocked. Either way, his reaction is funny as hell.

"You look like a liar! And what's up with those bangs?" Then Riko got jumped for that!

Suguru's bangs ain't that bad, come on!

Knowing how Suguru turns out, it's something he's the one to tell Kuroi that she's Riko's family. Years later, he had his own "family". It's actually heartwarming he tells her that.

That old man didn't even get touched yet and he was already seeing his dead dog from 50 years ago!! Man's life flashed right before his eyes and he even says that! The whooping Suguru put on him was so bad that he was having visions!!

The one time Satoru is shown to have some sort of charm is with a bunch of school girls. The teacher should be locked up though.

Baghead man really had on the All Might cosplay.

Toji didn't have to say a word to that man and he still scared him shitless. Alright, Toji, I see you being all scary!

Satoru really be carrying kids like they're bags of groceries. Did it with Yuji, he did it with Riko.

"I failed!"

Kuroi being rescued! Satoru really stomped on those guys!

The plane scene. Satoru checking each passenger all with a glare. Meanwhile, Suguru was just chilling with a book, sitting there all pretty.

The whole beach scene!! "IT'S A SEA CUCUMBER!!"

Teen Kento having that hairstyle and his dynamic with Yu is just too adorable. He looks like he has Wii music playing in his head all day. Such a good kid!!

I cannot believe that DIO's VA is also Toji's. It's funnier when Toji has had beef with Satoru as a kid and DIO has had generational beef with the Joestars.

I just know that Worm Curse was having the time of its life on Toji's back while he was jumping around and being tossed about. Also, Toji smiling the whole time while fighting.

Suguru actually has mad hops! Did y'all not see that long ass jump?!

Squid gun. Speaking of, where in the hell did all those squids come from?! I need a story on that one!

Toji talking about how he fights for a while before Suguru tells him to shut up and die.

"Am I pretty?" "Sorry, you're not my type." Okay, well, damn.

The Worm Curse pretty much "NOPE" at Suguru.

That kick was fucking personal, I just know it! Also, the fact that Toji actually thought about the curses inhabiting Suguru's body is something. Especially, given later. I actually question that when Suguru dies in JJK 0, did Satoru have to deal with any curses?

Toji remembering Megumi.

Also, if you pay attention to the Worm, that thing sometimes matches Toji's expressions. It's like Reki and his headband (SK8 the Infinity).

Satoru standing all menacingly outside for Toji.

"Is he high?" Well, given that a few moments later he'll be floating in the air.

The fact that people have described Toji's death as "turned into the Apple logo" to "the Rengoku treatment". Y'all are out of pocket! And he looked so disappointed, too.

"Mommy... hug me..." That scene is just...

"I like girls with healthy appetites!" Yu, never change!!

Yuki's reaction to what Suguru tells her about what he has heard about her. "She's pouting."

"I heard you the first time. That's why I said 'huh'!" Bro was just that mad.

Shoko. Just Shoko when she and Suguru meet in Shinjuku.

Heartbreaking as the scene is, you had one lanky ass teenager looking deranged on one end and the other with the "I'm going to the store real quick" fit on having this fight in front of KFC. Becomes even funnier when you remember the slogan "finger lickin' good". What does this have to do with anything? Think about Yuji.

One, where did Suguru get the robes from? Two, given he was born the following year in February after Satoru, if I did my calculations right... Suguru really started a cult at 17. No wonder there were objections. After he killed that guy, I'm sure everyone was like "oh, he's unhinged".

Okay, but the head rubs he gave the twins were so cute!! Look, they may been raised as killers, but it's sweet that they were Suguru's family. He adored those girls and they adored him!

The first meeting between Megumi and Satoru!!

Satoru waking up and seeing his students was just so heartwarming!!!

[skygemspeaks]

I finally got to sit down and finish episode one, and i've got some thoughts!!

I think that introducing garp as a big player right from the get go is a really great idea. His presence at the execution made sense, and his dynamic with roger did well to help establish both of their characterisations

Roger's actor did a phenomenal job with the eerie laugh and his complete irreverance in the face of his own death. I love how he delivered the wealth fame power speech!

It was a bit surprising to me that they showed roger actually getting killed, but honestly i'm in total approval of this direction they're taking with the live action. I really like the more brutal approach, especially because oda's refusal to kill anyone outside of flashbacks pre-marineford is one of the biggest complaints i tend to hear from people. Seeing zoro dragging around the top half mr 7's corpse was so jarring, but it was a good choice

Ilia's perfrmance as alvida was absolutely amazing. I like that they changed her catchphrase from the most beautiful woman on the seas to the most powerful

Overall, i really like the different transitions between plot points, and how this episode set things up in future arcs. All the different things that go on in shells town feel so much more better interconnected than they did in the manga. I'll go into this more in another post, but like one example of what i'm talking about is how the reason zoro allowed himself to be tied to the post was because morgan threatened that if he didn't agree to it, he wouldn't be able to collect any more bounties from any marine bases. It also gives zoro mire of a reason to join luffy - he knows that at this point there's no eay he can continue being a bounty hunter now that morgan has it out for him. So how else is he going to meet other strong swordsmen? By joining a pirate crew of course.

The shanks flashback was awesome! His dynamic with luffy was really endearing, and again i do like that they didn't have higuma attack shanks. That's one thing that never really made sense to me in the manga - i get thst yoy don't have to solve everything with violence, but there's no reason for shanks not to have fought back against someone who was attacking him, even if he did know they couldn't possibly hurt him

Also on shanks' flashback - the scene where he found out luffy had eaten the devil fruit was AMAZING. What a fantastic idea to have little luffy framed in sunlight! And the utter heartbreak on shanks' face as he realizes that there's no way luffy will ever be able to have a normal life now...

Of course, we gotta mention the snippet of Binks' Sake we heard in the scene where shanks is stitching up luffy's cut. I recognized it instantly and it made me really emotional. Love all these little easter eggs they have for long time fans of the series. In addition to this there was alsp the cavendish, foxy, and bellamy wanted posters which we knew about from the trailer

Speaking of wanted posters - what a COOL way to introduce the other pirates!

Morgan going on his monologue about capturing kuro is SO funny know what's gonna happen on a few episodes. Oda played it a lot more subtle in the manga but i like that they came right out and said it here.

And while we're talking about foreshadowing, it was a fantastic idea to include the mr 7 fight in this season! I really hope we get a season 2, just sp we can get the payoff for this great setup.

I'm a little sad that we didn't get to see the luffy and koby hug that was shown in the behind the scenes video (i think that was the one?). I really hope that wasn't cut because i loved that little scene. Maybe it'll happen later in the season?

Buggy's introduction at the end of the episode was SO good. I loved his whole vibe, with him lounging so confidently in his chair, his creepy laugh, everything. I'm excited to see the next episode! They better not have cut chouchou out 😭