#this is also another reason for me to be sad about Jinx and Viktor never *really* interacting | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

arcane-temp-fandomblog · 3 years ago

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Thank you. :D

#I'm not sure if I agree with every point

Firstly, good. I'm happy to hear that. Engaging in other people's interpretation of media should always be critical even if there's agreement with points and as much as I try to write only about the text of the show (ie. what is there in dialogue/visuals/framing) and add as little as possible of conjecture about characters motivations. I have to assume some things about authors ideas and direction. And I'm a person on the internet, I do play favourites with both political theories and angles on characters.

Secondly, I don't even agree with my past self on the blog. As I changed my mind a lot as I rewatched the show. I'm not very attentive viewer.

Thirdly, I don't even agree with myself 100% in most of these notes. But I would have to make more sweeping assumptions where character arcs are heading.

Which who knows, my only assumptions are:

1. that while the show will be bitter-sweet - it's not going to be grimdark or tragedy. It'll be pain but good pain. For now at least this show has remarkable logical realism - character's take suboptimal/irrational actions but the outcomes are not unexpected or random.

2. No one from main cast will die. Again - this show after act1 seemed to have: anyone can die vibe - because they played it so straight with Mylo & Claggor (thou at least the latter was pretty telegraphed with Ekko & Vi in lol having his glasses in splasharts). But we have very little actual death from named characters, and even that is after the character has been given a lot of outs. Notable exception are Greyson & Benzo. But aside of it:

a) Vander - had option to join Silco in his "rebellion & scaring Piltover. with monsters" after being kidnapped by him. But didn't because whatever reason - he wouldn't fight. That's why he couldn't protect all his children. If he did imo. the story would unfold more alongside enemy video.

He's not even dead yet anyway.

b) Marcus - has years of time to come clean. But even if there was more at play than just Silco to not to - ie. also some of Piltover's dealings, he should have come clean at the barricade.

Instead he shot Ekko - that is the main point why he died.

c) Silco - if he grew out of "everyone abandons us" scar he had after Vander left him - something that stifles Jinx's growth, and what makes his relationship with Jinx so clingy - as Sevika points out. If he only trusted other people aside from Jinx that have his back.

And that's core reason he died.

But anyway, while we don't see it - these 3 characters had years to figure out growth. Yet they never did.

Ah and one exception: Sky Young. But that is sad (since she was such a great character) and mostly realistic inversion of the trope of what happens if someone saves another person's life at the cost of theirs. Not so heroic and upbuilding, is it? And if Viktor died in the last episode, he would have taken her research notebook - the thing that she worked for so long personally as a scientist - and the thing that may be timeless source of good even if she passed away - with him. That would be a second part of Sky's death tragedy.

And ime. someone dying is low stakes in most stories, that's why no character in Arcane has it as their goal. Even Viktor's possible and surely approaching death is never framed as "what if he dies, that will be sad". It's always within the context that he did not see any progress for people/areas that counted for him.

But if I had to pick characters that could die - making Arcane even less canon, it'd be in this order of likelihood:

Ambessa > Sevika > Jayce > Ekko / Viktor

but prove me wrong Arcane, I dare you.

3. I assume most characters, sans Heimerdinger maybe, will have positive character arcs. Definitely not what we and character's themselves expected but positive none the less. I think that because positive realistic arcs in the world they set up are harder to write, and because if it was all to spiral into negative character arcs - they already gave too much away. Like nothing worked as intended this season and next season also nothing works out.

Instead what I think they're shooting for is a positive angle to write:

Season 1 - nothing worked as intended even with best intentions

Season 2 - nothing works out as intended but the characters learned enough in season 1 about the reality that they choose more in line with themselves and have more optimal paths. The more they learn the better outcomes they get. Growth is rewarding character arcs.

I also watched the show with subtitles in 2 other languages I speak or semi speak, and eh - intentionally or not - some of translations take out ambiguity from characters speech. Which is really imo. is there intentionally to feel like everything is possible with how character arcs unfold. Understandably this show is written english first, but english is very imprecise language, and that can be lost in translation either due to translator's errors or having to go with underlying meaning instead of what is said at face value.

Otherwise I don't see a reason to write all characters aside from Jinx, Ekko & Mel, going from fail to fail. To show they fail? I mean it's entertaining. But if nothing come from it, then what was the reason? Jinx already got to her lowest point ending in act 1 - in writing theory kind of way, that's how she became the facilitator of change.

Vi is there or nearly there, Viktor maybe?, and Jayce and Caitlyn are nearly there too. Mel & Ekko will probably get to theirs sometime mid next season, as for now imo. we only got their character arc setup. At which point imo. Mel & Ekko may become parallels - one topside / one undercity. Anyway, that's a lot of assumptions.

For all intents and purposes everyone in the council may die, and Season 2 we get Caitlyn & Vi R18+ bedroom scenes for 9 episodes. Which is a win?

Or all character development for everyone will be wiped by the council rocket.

Arcane framing / Piltover political speech / Diplomatic solutions

Characters in Arcane are cute, but my love will always be the politics in it. The speech and behaviours are as if watching real world politics, but at safe funny distance. Every single council member in this story, aside from the disaster man which is Jayce, sounds so reasonable and measured. Yet, the town is at a boiling point - something that everyone outside of Piltover can see. Thank you whoever are Mel's friends oversees and Ambessa. The the cherry on top is vying for economic perks over safety of their own city. Chefs kiss.

But since the whole political mess involves the undercity, what is actually the status of people of the undercity. Is it a district of Piltover or not?

So they are their constituents even if not preferred. Truly the council represents everyone equally in “Piltover the land of progress, equality, innovation.” (this is forever going to be my catchphrase, thank you Jayce).

I mean they are, until they show any bigger dissatisfaction with Piltover because of something that was done through the decree of Piltover's own not-president on advise of sheriff Marcus.

Apparently that's enough for people in the undercity to not be Piltover's people. They're the other people now. Like being from the undercity is pretty precarious situation all the time, as was shown in Act 1 - when even the leader of the Lanes had to make a choice to sacrifice either himself or his children.

I think 'own countermeasures the Piltover edition' don't need to be explained but just in case this is how countermeasures against undercity looked already, barricades & all:

I'm just pretty sure Mel, who may not think high of other councillors but thinks highly of Piltover - the city that represents more humane and upstanding governance than what her mother's rule is (or appears to be - like I'm not fan of Ambessa conquering ways, but I'd pick her over Piltover), does not realise it. Countermeasure are this, taking arms agains own civilians that are dissatisfied ends up like this in Piltover. Bloodshed and traumatised children, while the Piltover's council room is even spared looking at the carnage because of the smoke. It's always easier when one doesn't have to see the cost of war with own eyes.

Mel just wasn't in Piltover at the point of opening rebellion imo. and “Piltover the land of progress, equality, innovation.” would most likely hush extents of such events to the public. Appearances, Piltover can never do any wrong. If she ever discovers the truth - oh, she will be so pissed.

She's the newest addition to the council (aside form Jayce) and they defanged her over time with the way they have no vision. You can be the best political player in a room but if the game everyone is playing is self-interested shit - you can only play that one. And if someone is to blame for that - it's the father of Piltover - Heimerdinger.

But the peace - apparently - is broken because of inaction. I'll make small injection that the show clearly conveys that the inaction is the created economic disparity. But it has been created and there's no going back.

Or...

... they invade. I mean I always bark out ugly laugh that they consider going to a district they govern over an invasion. Yet, here we are - even to the political body - the undercity is a foreign land. Which it became in everything but name under Silco.

"The peace is already broken but it could trigger war". I do want to know what is name of a state that is neither peace or war? Anyway, jokes of this shows that include political speech/logic like this are golden.

This of course triggers in Mel reaction - same she has against her mother's invasion governance techniques. See countermeasures sound nice, invasion sounds like war. Same difference for the people in the undercity. But ie. to give real world example, highly precise drone warfare sounds much nicer than what it actually entails. Not to mention whenever governments decide to take actions against people they preside over.

I'm going to interject, that war against own people should never be last resort. That is a failure of governance within the country on the governing body. But as the Arcane shows us- undercity people are only sometimes Piltover's constituents and sometimes are not their people. Depends how wind blows.

And they will then become not their people in name too.

For now everyone agrees that war is a no, any other diplomatic solution is not proposed either. They all sound so reasonable. In this scene in comparison to Jayce, they are for sure. But just personal opinion - reasonable speech does not imply reasonable actions. Lack of action is action too.

And imo. aside from Mel and Jayce - some of these councillors were around for first rebellion. The strategy is to wait to boiling point and send the enforcers to clean up.

But that doesn't happen... because this does:

Look at these two idiots go "fix" the problem of the undercity.

This also results in the funniest Mel's and Ambessa's fight to date (these two give me life together), when Mel thinks Ambessa said something to Jayce to influence his actions, and Ambessa is like 'I accelerated the process you started'. The issue is Ambessa, while being honest about her opinion on Piltover's system with Jayce, said less to him than Mel.

The person that accelerated the process was Vi. I swear no one in higher up Piltover's politics thinks about undercity folk as people with agency.

Anyway thanks to the fiasco of the two disasters, Jayce & Vi, a diplomatic solution is proposed. Not by the council, but by Jayce. Without anyone's input from the political sphere, he goes to Silco

Well this took Jayce only two whole acts to learn.

After all the trial and tribulation, as council wanted - there will be no war and diplomatic solution can be reached maybe.

The diplomatic solution:

And the response, to this preferred to war, diplomatic solution from the councillors is as expected - elation and sigh of relief to have averted further bloodshed:

That's what winning looks like, right.

Is this not what they wanted?

He went and did what you asked of him in the end councillors.

Jayce Talis discovered economic lobbying and leverage power of Hexgates (right? why else they vote for Zaun's independence?), it's super effective.

That is why everyone on the council, maybe aside from Mel who - if Jayce leaves politics - will become the head of it and has a vision, votes for undecity's independence. Like what are they going to do? Not use Hexgates. haha... lobbing can be so fun. But not in real life, just in Arcane.

Anyway Jayce and Viktor will probably pay for this little stunt next season, but for a moment it was fun.

Arcane politics give me life, I hope it's continued next season. I really want to make a big post about cait & vi - non love angle centric - but too many screenshots.

also: I just adore Miyavi & PVRIS - Snakes song lyrics that imo are from Jayce's pov - boy at the tender age of 30+ discovers that not all people have his best interest at heart. True gold.

Whoever wrote this line, chef's kiss

'I’m nice but I can get wicked'

btw imo. first part is for Vi, rest is for the council? I think - in that song. Vi part below:

Know you got my blood running Turn the heat to 600 (...) My friend karma’s a bitch She’s got some lessons you’ll learn ‘em

Other posts by me - Arcane meta analysis posts - mostly politics, tech and character parallels

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courage-a-word-of-justice · 8 years ago

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Grimoire of Zero 10 - 11 | Royal Tutor 11 - 12 (FINAL) | Kado 10 | Boku no Hero Academia 25 | Tsukigakirei 10 - 11...plus summer 2017 anticipated anime.

Just gonna put this here so it gets more attention while it’s open.-> http://www.strawpoll.me/13311671

Grimoire of Zero 10

Geez, the staff pulled a Kado 0 - 1 on us here…i.e. the ending of one ep is the same as the opening of the next ep. It’s just to a lesser extent than Kado did.

Seriously, who is Him??? They still haven’t told us!

Welp, there’s my answer. It was too obvious to centre a 12 episode series around, I would’ve given a plot point like that about…3 or 4 eps, tops.

Grimoire of Zero 11

The thing about this show is that you can just turn your brain off and watch along. It’s a tad slow, but enjoyable and that’s why I’ve stuck with it.

LOL, I understand what it’s like to have “messy, wormlike handwriting”…

I don’t believe a wisp of that karate chop, Holdem. The hand was at the wrong angle.

Finally, the show gets funny again. There’s the Zero we know.

I love the sense of scale the animators have demonstrated with the spells. Just saying that before I have no more chances to.

Ooh! Oh, that man. I actually side with Holdem on this one, he deserved that punch.

“I-“ – Ooh, at that moment I got completely engrossed in the cliffhanger. Normally shows don’t cut off in the middle of a sentence, do they?

Royal Tutor 11

I can’t believe they forcibly took Gregor. Isn’t there some kind of legal offence for-oh wait. That’s called kidnapping. (partially sarcastic)

I’ve always found it interesting that the princes have to refer to the king as such, rather than “dad”. That seems to be a problem in every single piece of media you get about royalty, although these guys have a conscious sort of “I am no longer the king, but your father” (and vice versa) switch which is controlled by Viktor.

Oh, so it’s basically all the Dickensian stuff you get in Oliver Twist…(I haven’t read it, but you know how it is with classics *rolls eyes*).

Heine’s movements are believable, but there’s some suspension of belief needed for Viktor’s (because he faints a little too fast, I think).

Welp, this ain’t quite crying material, but I can tell there was a “climax” where the audience was expected to cry. Knowing this is anime-only material keeps my eyes dry, I guess. However, knowing that Heine’s resigned as Royal Tutor really made my heart drop…after all, this is the second last episode, and I’ve really had fun watching these princes and their diminuitive tutor.

Royal Tutor 12

Bruno really likes Gendo poses, doesn’t he?

Heine’s voice is great for a noob VA. It really sells the character.

I always thought “hai-neh” was a weird pronunciation, but that’s what it says in the katakana.

Seeing Heine tell others their strengths really makes me feel like I’m missing them already, in a good way. I’m not tearing up yet, but it’s real heartwarming and I know if I were in the same situation, I’d cry too.

“Goodbye” isn’t quite “excuse me”, but I guess it works context-wise.

This is one of those shows where “show, don’t tell” works well and I think the show’s nailed it for the most part.

University degrees don’t necessrily make good tutors. Any student knows that, especially in uni.

I can see why even the author cried at this now, even though I’m still not crying.

W-Who’s that? With the dark hair? Eins???

Ah, there’s my answer. It was indeed Eins. Why does he have dark hair???

Welp, there’s one finale for the spring season over. The anime staff really couldn’t have done too much about Eins, though, which sucks. Come back another time for a different show, ‘kay?

Kado 10

I’m in that weird stage where I want to like Kado, but because everyone’s jumped ship, I won’t want to like it either…what a weird thing peer pressure is. *feels like crying*

I feel like I’m in Superhero Project (one of my stories) where protag Keisuke wakes up in a white expansive room to be trained in his powers. Only this time, they gave the room fractals.

Interesting. It’s like an alien LINE convo.

Sarasouju tree…apparently, it’s this thing. Commonly known as “sal”. I’ve never heard of it, though.

“Humans are ephermeal creatures.” – You remind me of Haibara (Detective Conan).

“There’re guns everywhere in America!” – LOL, that sure ain’t the truth, as much as America has gun problems.

Let’s play another common anime game. It’s called “Spot the Main Character from their Hair Colour”.

(SPOILERS for White Parasite from now on!) zaShunina’s still teetering on “cuckoo” from his facial expressions here. It’s sad, because I wanted him to be mysterious and beautiful like La Luna forever...that’s why I killed La Luna off!

*sigh* Okay, evil mastermind pretender, put your hands back on and please just negotiate like you wanted to in the beginning. (*on the brink of tears* Hey, I realised something. I keep making comparisons to White Parasite, but people find it confusing. By making those comparisons, I seem to have almost jinxed Kado to be this way.)

*crying because Shindo* La Luna’s force of living was the goodwill that it used to create its powers. Does that mean the anisotropic run off trust in the same way? (By the way, please don’t resurrect Shindo. That would break the laws of reality as we know it – even anisotropic laws.) (end spoilers)

Welp, I guess not. B-But, my dreams just got ruined by Saraka kissing Shindo (although the Kado tag spoilered it for me anyway)…

Pffffft. Okkkkkkay, Captain Shang, hold up!

Shindo’s angry face at Saraka wearing his shirt had me dying. He really is Captain Shang.

Kado. You were so beautiful at first. I placed my faith in you. B-But you changed, and now all I can do is see you through as you become a cliché fest I could have easily created with my own hands. In fact, I did create a Kado with my own hands - White Parasite. So I am the one to blame…I will have to see this through as I have seen through White Parasite.

Boku no Hero Academia 25

Well, that certainly threw me for a loop. Between two forces of roughly even power, it’s unpredictable who’ll win, but the ability to humanise a character comes with weaknesses. I know that already, as a writer and reader of hero stories.

All Might is such a fatherly type. I don’t think I could write a character like him – both OP yet grounded at the same time.

Plus Ultra!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait, the woman with red streaks is his…aunty? Sister? I’m not sure at all.

Aw, this Shouto segment was just too good. I’m worried about Iida though, because from the Stain stuff I’ve seen floating around, he will not take the defeat of his bro lightly. Also, amazarashi is coming in the next part of BnHA! I loved Speed to Masatsu, so it’s good to meet him again here.

Tsukigakirei 10

“An Encouragement of Learning” is a Fukuzawa work.

From Kawagoe to Chiba it really is about 2 hrs. Look.

Oh great. Bad CGI people strike again…

Monzenyokocho.

Did Hira have kawaii eyes just as the other people thrust trash at him?

Imokoi is a Kawagoe specialty involving…wait for it…sweet potatoes. That’s why the sweet potato mascot makes sense.

My eyes!!!!!!!! Bad CGI people stand out more in night scenes (compared to day scenes, of course).

Toki no Kane, apparently also known as the Bell of Time.

The “game” in question, that rock paper scissors, was probably a batsu (penalty) game.

I guess I should’ve guessed Kotarou would’ve gotten angry at Hira eventually. I just didn’t think it would be now.

That shot of Kotarou walking down the street looked a little awkward because it looked like he was walking on a flat surface when it’s actually slanted.

It’s not just my video, is it? Akane’s crying got sped up and that pulled me out of what was meant to be an immersive scene.

Chotto matte means “wait a bit”, but I feel like “I’ll be right there” is warping the meaning a lil’ too much.

Well, I never expected this show to portray anger. It pulled Kotarou’s anger off really well.

I never thought I’d see the day where Kotarou would rely on the potato mascot, either. I like a show that goes out of its way to be unpredictable like this. Too bad it came a little too late in the game.

Tsukigakirei is all about following the heart and not necessarily the mind, so this is a pefect way to show it.

Oh! That was another good unexpected thing, but then they’ve been teasing that since the fireworks. Too bad they kept part of Kotarou’s face hidden right after it.

This end of ep LINE convo is about a couple that can’t sleep, so one of them starts talking about their part time job…then it gets cut off.

Oh, so that’s how Sakura is related to the main events…okay.

Tsukigakirei 11

“To decide that I’m hopeless before I even begin is nothing but laziness.” - Wise words, Dazai.

Were there always two potato mascots at the top of 13.70? I think one appeared there when Kotarou first received his, actually, although I’m not bothered to look…

The people aren’t CGI now…or I’ve somehow gotten used to them…? Either way, they’ve stepped up their animation game (in exchange for ep 12 being late, according to a note on the CR page).

That’s a cute jumper, Akane.

The fact Kotarou changes his message is something I can relate with. Even one forum post can take hours to type, even though time is always never on my side.

What’s that purple thing on the onigiri plate? A pickled plum? No, those are red…

A “root for the underdog” story is a classic, so I can see why Roman’s rooting for Kotarou.

Hahaha…yeah, let’s just sat I can’t understand the science for the life of me and leave it at that. That stuff’s chemistry, I haven’t touched it since I was 14 or 15.

The stuff about circles appears to be on segments, equal angles and so on (you know how you find the angle of a triangle based on where it is in a circle? Yeah, stuff like that).

Oh yeah, I never thought this but…Kawagoe Seminar. It’s named like Sailor Moon’s Crystal Seminar, and for good reason – both are cram schools.

There’s a grade score near Kotarou’s wrist, so understandably he got an A in Japanese.

Parents aren’t like that, Kotarou. They don’t always hope for your failure, they just hope you’ll do well in life…says someone whose parents have aways supported them.

Instead of having CGI people moving, they’ve finally done 2D people. However, the tradeoff is that now the people are not moving, which is just as weird if not even weirder.

“PoPo” is such a weird name for a shop, LOL.

No wait, I take part of my comment about 2D people back. There is still CGI, it’s just less prononced now they’ve bothered to put in 2D background people as well.

That scarf goes well with his outfit…says someone who sucks at coordinating outfits.

Why not just talk with her when you’re ready, Kotarou? If The Royal Tutor taught me anything, it’s that it’s always good to talk things over if you can’t understand each other.

Aitai can mean “want to meet”(like you’re meant to do to make the fish a heart), but the ai is in hiragana (so it doesn’t mean anything) and the kanji for tai used means “red snapper”. As in, the fish.

There’s a lot of ganbaru (try your hardest) used in this ep, and Kotarou says benkyouganbaresou in this “Sorry it didn’t turn out so great” convo. The nuance is therefore lost in the translated version, “I feel like I’m ready to study again starting tomorrow”, although I can’t suggest a better alternative.

Yeah, Kotarou’s mother is right. If you have a normal sleep schedule, you’re able to work better, despite how great it may be to sleep in.

I get easily lost on public transport, so I understand the vibe Kotarou’s parents are giving off.

This ep’s ED LINE convo is two people (one’s a guy, the other I don’t know the gender of) talking about studying and, at the start of the convo, the guy’s mother being angry. At the end of the convo it turns out the guy’s notebook was blank (and that’s the punchline to the convo).

Well, I’ll confirm my lineup for summer here and now. Licensing’s already being doled out as we speak so some of the lineup’s set in stone already. In order of hype:

Definite hype:

Boku no Hero Academia 2* (carryover)

Katsugeki Touken Ranbu*

Reflection*

Nana Maru San Batsu

Kaito x Ansa (already binged Nazotokine to prepare)

Nobunaga no Shinobi ~ Ise to Kanegasaki-hen ~* (see below, carryover)

Medium - low hype:

Vatican Kiseki Chousakan

Princess Principal

Jikan no Shihaisha (seen the first chapter or so of the manga)

Isekai Shokudou*

18if

Youkai Apato

Clione no Akari

Konbini Kareshi

Zannen Onna

Asterisks mean licensing’s been confirmed already for me as of this post - I’ve asterisked anything confirmed to be by CR this season, because that’s likely to be worldwide bar Asia. Katsugeki is the only known show out of the asterisks that isn’t a CR stream.

Funi’s opened up its services to my region (due to the CR x Funi merger), I could probably watch 18if there, but 1) I feel like Funi doesn’t have a good enough player, and 2) I feel like it’ll show up on a service that has a better player.

You’ll notice Nobunaga no Shinobi, a carryover from the last season I previously didn’t care for, is on the list. I was looking at YouTube videos of people’s favourite OPs and I fell in love with Shirayuki (by Renka, it’s the OP for the current season) recently, so I binged the existing content in one day. However, it being a short series means it’s not eligible for simulcast commentary and I’ll have to make a separate ranking for short series once I make my year-end rankings (to include ~ Ise to Kanegasaki-hen ~, and because watching Kenka Bancho Otome has screwed my rankings over enough as it is). After all, my 2016 ranking policy was “a show I saw at least once over in 2016 and had at least one seasonal entry in 2016″, which if applied to this year would make Nobunaga no Shinobi eligible, but it would be unfair to pit it against any shows with standard 24 min eps.

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