#transformer martial artists

[pluralsword]

Windblade in Transformers: Cyberverse is so good at fighting that she defeated sword wielding Slipstream by using her two turbine fans as melee/throwing weapons.

Obviously there is a comparison/nod to be made to the martial arts/historical warfare use of Japanese 鉄扇 (てっせん, romanized: tessen, meaning iron fan) because they’re fans and because Windblade’s design is inspired by onna musha (Japan has quite a history of pre-Meiji period women warriors, we actually wrote about this for a paper years ago back in undergrad on women warrior groups and individuals prior to the Cold War but anyway). From what little we know of tessenjutsu (definitely not something familiar, when it comes to hand-to-hand we are more familiar with e.g. taekwondo and longswords, so if anyone wants to comment please do) the fighting techniques of an iron fan are rather different due to being able to use the fan folded for e.g. stabbing and the fact they aren’t round when unfolded... so this is also Windblade using her transforming robot plane anatomy to fight in a way human bodied people don’t (do you have a return to thrower buckler shield at home that also is an engine for flying and can blow away opponents when attached to your wings?). 

This is a long way of saying that in martial arts terms; Windblade is extremely badass.

We wanna see her and jetpack using dual wielding sword Arcee spar in a duel it would be so beautifully gay equivalent...

ID: an image from Transformers: Cyberverse Season 1 Episode 14, “Siloed,” of a combat focused Windblade from the chest up with wings out, in a duel with Slipstream, who isn’t visible in this shot, only the pink curved energy sword Stormfall (Windblade’s) that Slipstream stole is visible, clashing against one of Windblade’s turbine fans she’s holding in her right hand, just as she is holding one in her left. The background is dramatically streaking lines of green, which started earlier in the fight when the two were running in parallel, waiting for someone to make the next move. End ID.

[primepaginequotidiani]

PRIMA PAGINA The Jerusalem Post di Oggi mercoledì, 04 dicembre 2024

[o4o41]

Females in media (Guilty franchises, Tropes vs Women)

We can create a list of women-actors trying to carry and make their characters interesting and fight for their characterisation (in other worse cases: franchises feeding to that progressive-now-feminism presentation (females showing strength, authority, being active and logical and **!!HAVING/showing AGENCY!!**, badassery, mechanic, crafts(wo)man, DIYer) only to steal that away with bringing back harmful and disappointing strawman tropes and ideas, like, later immediately making them sexy slaves; erase them or only just get them married and no further development or dreams from their part, past that.)

#women doing a good job while their female character has a lackluster portrayal.

[autobots-one-half]

the Nerima Wrecker Crews' Guide to Ranma Fandom for Newcomers

With the release this month of a brand new anime adaptation of the eighties manga Ranma ½, a lot of new fans are joining an older fandom that may leave them...confused about some details.

See, when the Ranma manga began in 1987, series creator Rumiko Takahashi was already solidly-established from her success with the runaway hit Urusei Yatsura. It only took two years for an anime adaptation to begin airing....for a mere eighteen episodes, before being canceled. If you go back to the '89 anime, you will almost certainly notice some drastic shifts in art style and tone from the first eighteen episodes to the remainder, and that's because only a single season was produced by Studio DEEN before production shifted to a new directorial crew, who dubbed the following season Ranma ½ Nettōhen (Fierce/Hot Battle Chapter).

The thing is, between the original eighteen episodes being made while the manga was still relatively early in its nine-year run, attempts to draw in better ratings by heavily promoting fan-favorite characters, a need for filler episodes to let the manga catch up to the pace of the anime's releases, and even the biases and friendships of the respective directors and writers...some things wound up being different.

And as a result, the Ranma ½ of the Eighties and Nineties is very different from what we're going to get with the 2024 anime. The 2024 series is based on a manga that had been finished for decades, and between the official releases so far and some unfortunate early leaks, it shows plenty of signs of being far more faithful to the original manga.

So, we of the Nerima Wreckers' Crew are here to introduce you to a few of the things you might run into as a new Ranma ½ fan exploring the existing fan content that has accrued over the past few decades!

Be aware: you're about to read spoilers for a four decades old manga. Questions about something that we don't cover in this post? Leave a comment asking for more, after the jump!

Something to get out of the way first: we're the NWC as an in-joke: as both Transformers and Ranma fans (and in some cases, fictive introjects), we wanted to combine the 'Wreckers' group name from Transformers with the English-language Ranma ½ fandom's nickname for the group of martial artists, students, teachers, monsters, and other characters who populate the series:

The Nerima Wrecking Crew.

The principal setting of Ranma ½ is Nerima, a ward of the metropolis of Tokyo. There are 23 special wards, and Nerima is a real-life one that is found in the northwest of Tokyo—in fact, it was the 23rd and final ward! In English-language communications, the local government identifies the ward as Nerima City, so that's how we'll speak of it here.

Nerima is a large city that still retains a very suburban, even exurban character stretching back to its history of farming. There are even still farms within the city limits, including at least one dairy farm last we checked! It's part of Tokyo, but it has a kid of old-fashioned peaceful character...that makes it the perfect place for anime characters to disrupt. That kind of disruption led the English-speaking fandom to dub our favorite crew of violent martial artists the "Wrecking Crew", presumably after their propensity to bust down walls and buildings.

A lot of anime and manga take place in Nerima. Takahashi's previous hit series Urusei Yatsura, the cat-robot classic All-Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku-Nuku, the anime adaptation of Stop!! Hibari-Kun, even Tokyo Ghoul...okay, some of these are not quite the same genre as the others.

This is often attributed to the large number of anime studios based in the city, but Ranma's adventures in Nerima have a special bond with the environment that seems to go beyond, stretching back to the original manga. Ranma is often seen walking along (or falling from) fencetops above canals just like the above image from Wikimedia, and scenes set in nearby parks map fairly well to specific ones in Nerima City, so we can generally assume that the neighborhood where the Tendō Dojo is found is roughly in the Ōizumi area along the Shirako River seen above.

More specifically, it's in an imaginary neighborhood somewhere nebulously within those boundaries, a neighborhood that parts of the older fandom know as Furinkan-chō, AKA "Furinkan Town", after the Furinkan High School that Ranma and Akane attend—drawing a connection to the more official identification of the cast of Urusei Yatsura as living in Tomobiki-chō and attending Tomobiki High School.

A sober, dignified edifice to education...populated by a bunch of martial arts lunatics.

Some of whom are probably going to be pretty different in the new anime!

Meet the principal of Furinkan High School. Yes, this is a native Japanese man. Yes, he has problems.

Principal, Headmaster, or in Japanese Kunō-kōchō (no given name provided) is, unfortunately, the unfortunate father of the equally unfortunate series mainstay Tatewaki Kunō. The Principal here visited the USA for a while in order to learn from our education methods and came back an even worse problem than he'd left, becoming obsessed with the trappings of Hawai'ian tourism and the English language. In the original Japanese, his dialogue is heavily peppered with random English words and phrases (and an obnoxious Woody Woodpecker-style laugh).

The thing is, it's hard to translate a character randomly speaking English...into English. So, the official English translations of the original manga and anime had the Principal badly pepper his speech with Hawai'ian Pidgin phrases. It's going to be a little while before he shows up in the new anime, so it's hard to say for sure how he'll be translated...but it probably won't be that. So, new fans: you're probably going to encounter a few fanworks where there's a random fake-Hawai'ian man threatening teenagers with bad haircuts.

Teenagers like Hikaru Gosunkugi.

This is Gosunkugi. You'll probably see him next season, because we're going to perform acts of supervillainy if they don't make a second season. He shows up pretty early on in the manga, and has an important role to play in a major storyline...but he didn't show up in the original anime for 94 episodes after he was supposed to appear.

What we got instead was Sasuke Sarugakure. There's some debate about exactly why the anime-only character Sasuke was added: a diminutive ninja with thick eyebrows, prominent whiskers, buck teeth, and a miserable lot in life as the Kunō family servant. Seemingly...the only servant. Sasuke's role in the original anime seemed to have been not only to fill in for Gosunkugi in an early storyline, but to act as a comedic foil to the overblown antics of the Kunō family—especially absurd since the anime took the already comical wealth of the Kunōs from the manga, and exaggerated it to an absurd degree that seems all the more ridiculous when you learn that Sasuke sleeps in the crawlspace and gets by on fewer than three meals a day.

Oddly, this characterization as a comically impoverished ninja is a recurring bit in Takahashi's stories: Urusei Yatsura featured the job-hunting missing-nin Kaede, and the last few volumes of the Ranma ½ manga introduced the threadbare kunoichi Konatsu.

Get used to this image. It's probably all you're going to see of Konatsu for a good few seasons...because the original anime never got to that part of the manga.

Konatsu is a thorny topic in the fandom due to matters of gender that aren't helped by the original anime never getting to those stories, and the original manga chapters taking forever to be available in English. What can definitely be said is that Konatsu A: identifies as a kunoichi, specifically a title for female ninja, and B: is AMAB.

But this is a series that's all about playing with gender.

For example...

The Girl. An anime-only episode of Nettōhen presented a story of Ranma taking a blow to the head, waking up not long after and insisting on actually being a girl—identifying her life as a boy as being something akin to a bad dream. This version of Ranma knows she was assigned male and turns back into a male body when splashed with hot water, but she demonstrates a visceral dysphoria about it that is painfully relatable. The episode's plot is concluded and the status quo is restored when the pacifistic girl is struck once more in the head at the end, restoring the Ranma who is a confident martial artist and self-identified man among men...but an increasing number of highly-rated fanworks reference this single-episode anime-only story.

This isn't the only time an anime-only episode touches on the idea of Ranma who is solely identified as a girl:

Ranma and the Evil Within starts off with Ranma joking about staying a girl forever, only for it to be taken seriously by the recurring problematic antagonist Happōsai (seriously, he's just the worst, and for some reason the original anime production team decided to make lots of anime-only episodes featuring him). A magic incense is brought into play, splitting off all the femnine 'yin' from Ranma's masculine 'yang'.

This split-off half is characterized as unbalanced, magically powerful, and a threat to Ranma's life. So of course, she looks sick as fuck. But just like The Girl, she's a one-off character. Don't worry: if the anime runs long enough to cover all the manga storylines, we'll still get a story about a female-only duplicate of Ranma. But it's going to be a little while.

Speaking of girls in Ranma ½, let's touch on Akane's female friends!

Mostly going unnamed in the manga, Akane has several female classmates and friends who received more prominent roles in the old anime.

(gif by @roseillith)

The two most notable of these are Yuka (lighter brown hair), and Sayuri (darker brown, often in a ponytail). These names do get called out in the old version of the anime, though they don't seem to have much personality beyond "girls who are friends with each other and Akane".

This role is sometimes filled by others in the old anime. It's much harder to find episodes where any other girls in the class are named, but due to two of them recurring, fanworks often bring them up as Akane's other friends:

Meet Asami (wavy shoulder-length hair) and Hiroko (short hair and freckles)...or is that Makoto and Shikako? Sources vary on these names, and English language websites disagree on which are the 'official' names. If anyone can track down an episode where either one is named on-screen, we'd appreciate it!

Akane isn't the only one with school friends: Ranma's got a few recurring acquaintances among the male students, as well.

In the old anime, these two are specifically named as Hiroshi (lighter colored hair and wider eyes) and Daisuke (dark hair and narrow eyes). They're often treated by both the source material and fanworks as Ranma's sole "normal" guy friends, and in general behave like stereotypical high school boys...including openly lusting after Ranma's girl form, even after they learn that she and the male Ranma are one and the same.

Hiroshi and Daisuke show up more consistently as a pair than Akane's friends in both the manga and the original anime, and fanworks often pair them romantically with Yuka and Sayuri. But even with how common Hiroshi, Daisuke, Yuka, and Sayuri are (down to their incredibly average names), they deserve mentioning for new fans...

...Because the new anime renamed them all! "Hiroshi" is now "Shingo" (しんご), "Daisuke" is now "Kiichi" (きいち), "Yuka" is now "Noriko" (のりこ), and "Sayuri" is now "Tomoyo" (ともよ).

That's it for now, because there's a brand new episode out that we haven't had a chance to watch while we wrap up this post on our lunch break. Until next time, this is the Nerima Wrecker Crew, signing off!

[punksocks]

Astrology Observations: No.20

*just based on my opinions, only take what resonates

I feel like 2nd house overlays can make you overly forgiving towards the person with planets in your 2nd house. It’s a Venusian house and that can bring a sort of desire to see the best in that person (7th can have this effect to a lesser degree imo bc Libra is focused on balance, so there’s affection there but it’s less likely to skew into being overly forgiving)

Chiron in the first can be a very beautiful person when they’ve really healed their wounds. A person who has a sort of glow from their inner light.

Earth moons in general like to receive and give gifts and Capricorn moons tend to be hyper fixated on giving the right gifts to the people they’re close to

5th house Venus could make you more creative in a relationship

7th house venus/Taurus/Libra definitely creates more in a healthy relationship

Mars conjunct MC could mean being known for a career in violence, like martial artist or action star

Lilith MC could mean success in a taboo career, like s*x work or just some alternative field (I’m a tattoo artist :0)

People with planets conjunct your south node are definitely tied to your past life and may be destined to do certain actions towards/with you

North Node overlays can also be tied to past life but they’re usually here to make sure you grow in some capacity/move towards your destiny.

Your Venus sign could show the most beloved features of your body (Sagittarius Venus- a lot of people may notice your legs, Libra Venus- a lot of people may notice your butt, Virgo Venus- a lot of people may notice your hands, etc)

Moon conjunct Jupiter could make you very empathetic, could also make people see your emotions as big whenever you express them

Imo Virgo shows where you are a minimalist (Virgo Asc usually has a minimalist approach to fashion/accessories/tattoos/etc, Virgo Venus or Virgo in 11th could point to having a circle of only a few friends, Virgo in 4th could show a minimally decorated home, etc)

Aries risings tend to have big heads/foreheads or their heads are the first things people notice about them (my mom used to get called tweety bird bc she had a big head and a little body which was mean, but so is she so…..)

Pisces moons tend have this look like they could cry at any time (like their eyes always look wet and sad if that makes sense lol)

Wherever Pluto aspects (trine, Sextile) your personal planets shows where you can be the most transformative (or obsessive/possessive lowkey, especially for harsh aspects like square/oppositions— conjunct feels the intensity of both). Moon can show that your emotions push you to transform, Venus is this for your personal/romantic relationships, Saturn is how you use the lessons it teaches and how it affects your self discipline, etc

Leo in 6th could point to dealing with performance anxiety

Cancer in 8th could point to trauma around family (Scorpio over 4th could point to this too)

Gemini in 8th could point to trauma with neighbors/siblings/cousins/the education system or communication in general (Scorpio over 3rd could point to this too)

Sagittarius in 8th can point to having religious trauma or having intense/taboo experience with religion (Scorpio over 9th could point to this too)

Capricorn can show where you start to lose yourself and can’t go through with when your stressed (I have Capricorn in 3rd and I literally lose my voice when I internalize stress, it’ll start cracking so fast it’s spooky. Capricorn in 5th could mean you absolutely cannot relax when your stressed. In 6th your health starts to act up immediately and you catch colds. In 1st you may have issues with your skin/breakouts when you’re stressed out.)

Mercury in 12th could stay up all night overthinking or experiencing intrusive thoughts

Virgo moons that oversimplify are underdeveloped

The mother of a Capricorn moon views love as super transactional (like if you don’t give them a hug you don’t love them, instead of the child being a person who deserves their own autonomy)(I was watching Beef and I got frickin triggered when Ali Wong’s character said her daughter was “supposed to love her forever” but wouldn’t give her a hug when Ali wanted her to, so she thought her daughter’s love was conditional— I was like holy sh*t I’ve heard that before!! Lol Saturn moon gang lol)

[miriadalia]

Okay I wasn't going to post anything about this since haters exist everywhere but I can't take any more disrespect.........

People are being so disrespectful towards Mary Mouser in other social networks, even telling the producers they should fire her and this MUST STOP

They call her fat and lazy because "she says she trains so hard but then can't stop putting on weight"

BRO, SHE HAS DIABETES!

And even if she hadn't have it or if she had never told us anything about her condition that doesn't give you ANY RIGHT to disrespect other people's bodies or assume they aren't "trying their best"

Plus, no every martial artist looks the same. Ones get more muscular, others skinnier but fitter... It depends on SO MANY physical factors!!!

Argh, I know I shouldn't let them get to my nerves like this but I've already seen like 10 comments only on X messing with Mary and I'm really pissed right now....

Let's transform this into a Mary Mouser appreciation post:

[ysrwii]

Gods and Goddesses from Wakfu

Goddess Cra, her followers are archers (read "Cra" backwards and you get "Arc", French for "Bow")

God Ecaflip, his followers are gamblers (read "Ecaflip" backwards and you get "Pilface", French "Pile ou face" means "Heads or Tails")

God Eliotrope, God-King Yugo. His followers use portals. His followers are not actual people, they are his mirror images created through incident, through time warp during his fight (read "Eliotrop" backwards and you get "Portoile", French for "The Portal")

Goddess Eniripsa, her followers are healers (read "Eniripsa" backwards and you get "Aspirine", French for "Aspirin")

God Enutrof, his followers are obsessed with treasures and gold (read "Enutrof" backwards and you get "Fortune")

Goddess Feca, her followers are great "tanks" ("Feca" is an anagram for "Café", French for "Coffee". She was named after 1 of 3 favorite snacks of creators. Another version is that battles of Feca goes for so long that you need several coffee not to fall asleep during it)

God/Goddess Huppermage, its followers are mages who can use all 4 elements, plus Light (it's a not an actual God/Goddess, but some mysterious and invisible force called Krosmic Balance)

God Iop, his followers are warriors/brawlers ("Iop" is a reference to "Yop", brand of yogurt drink from Yoplait, 2nd of 3 favorite snacks of creators)

God Osamodas, his followers capture and summon creatures, they use whips, and can transform in semi-dragons (read "Osamodas" backwards and you get "Sadomaso", an acronym for "sadistic masochist")

God Ouginak, his followers can transform into werewolf-like dogs ("Ouginak" is a reference to dog food brand)

Goddess Pandawa, her followers are martial artists who love to drink ("Pandawa" is an anagram for "Padawan", Jedi apprentice in the Star Wars. Another version - short for "Panda Warrior")

God Sram, his followers are stealthy assassins (read "Sram" backwards and you get "Mars", a reference to 3rd of 3 favorite snacks of creators)

God Eugor, his followers are bandits who use guns and bombs (read "Eugor" backwards and you get "Rogue". He is Sram in disguise)

Goddess Sacrier, her followers are brawlers/berserkers ("Sacrier" is a reference to "Sacrieur", French combination of "sacrifice" and "crieur" - "a person that shouts", they used their own blood for attacks in Dofus and some of their attacks damage them back)

God Sadida, his followers are tree people, who use dolls (read "Sadida" backwards and you get "Adidas", a reference to shoe and sportwear brand. Full name of class is "Sadida's Shoe", but funny thing is that Sadida followers don't wear any shoes)

God Foggernaut, his followers in Dofus are humans, in Wakfu they are robots with human souls. But it is speculated that only part of them are robots and they are atheists, while some of them are still humans and worship the God (its name is derived from Phileas Fogg and The Nautilus)

God Xelor, his followers use time magic (read "Xelor" backwards and you get "Rolex", famous expensive watch brand)

God Masqueraider, his followers use various masks (their name comes from "bal masqué" (masquerade ball), which participants attend wearing a mask, like Masqueraiders do)

[prokopetz]

Concept: cartoon about an underground duelling club at a vaguely aristocratic college, except every club member is from a different genre. You've got the transforming magical girl; the monster tamer with the adorable little pet killing machine; the apparently mundane but freakishly competent martial artist; the angsty gunslinging vampire who makes the show's art style go all post-modern whenever they power up; and, of course, the protagonist, whose determination to join the club isn't initially taken seriously because her native genre has no obvious duelling applications, but who will soon Show Them All.

[crezz-star]

So… I finally made a One piece OC.

All due to the idea I've been imagining today. A what if Luffy and the crew met someone who, very uncanny, looks and sounds like Ace.

Thus… Jean was made. ✏️✏️✏️

Info at read more ( it is a messy ramble format so beware. )

He was born as a slave to the celestial dragons, after his parents was caught while his mother was pregnant to him.

He grew up with an isolated understanding that he really was just that. A slave, until he died. his parents would die just a few years in from the torture done to them. While Jean still lives on. He would meet Boa and the others who was like him telling him that there was more to the world than their servitude. But he was way too unmovable with his mentality that he will die like that, that he thinks they're just being dumb he would get depressed as time passed, so when the freeing of slaves at Mary Geoise by fisher tiger came, he was too weak to even move and being mistaken as already dead, he was left there.

but he is still alive and would later then be dumped on auction houses by his current owner. where he would, surprisingly be given better treatment by his fellow slaves as well as taken care of.

he would meet different kinds of people in the auction houses. where he would learn about the world and eventually wanting to be free.

Jean is at the auction house at sabaody, the place where luffy destroyed and punched a celestial dragon. he's in his cat form. and thats the moment he finally achieved freedom.

he hears about the man who freed them and made it his missiong to thank him. maybe even join the adventures of his savior if allowed the two years he spent wandering around, would be the time he would stumble upon the graphite graphite fruit, which what would also help him get stronger, learning to fight on his own as well.

once he deems himself strong enough, he would seek out luffy and his crew to finally and hopefully thank him and ask to join him. hoping to be able to create drawings of the landscape in the places they would visit.

how he met the crew:

after punk hazard. on the way to dressrosa ( they arrived at a small island where Jean is currently in, to restock ). Jean saw their ship, transformed into his cat/tiger form and went into the ship.

once the crew left the island. he's already there. and when everyone saw him. they just though he was some cat.

chopper was the first who was talking to him and chopper thought he was a stray and Jean just went with it for a while.

everyone treated him like some pet. until one morning where he poofed back to his human form.

everyone was in panic. but when he showed that he was their pet. ( he was VERY PROUD to be called the pet of the strawhats ) everyone was a bit freaked not because of that but he looks and sounds like ace.

everyone is very shaken especially luffy and thught he was some evil guy using ace's face

jean explained that they saved him at sabaody, that he was one of the slaves at the auction house.

he would always use his cat form after seeing how shaken luffy is with him. not minding being in cat from one bit. so long as he lets him join them.

luffy does eventually let him join. at first only referring to him as 'pet cat' to finally calling him by name 'jean'

Jean is part of the mature group of the crew.

he does have similar personality as Ace but he likes to tease the younger ones a lot. especially making Zoro feel jelly by being too close to Luffy

yes this is ZoLuccentric

Jean is pushing Zoro and Luffy to realize their 'feelings' for one another.

JEAN BITS

Jean is 28

Jean loves hot chocolate as it reminds him of his mother. the only thing that his mother ever made him.

Jean's weapon of choice is his foot. making his battle style a bit similar to Sanji ( careful not to harm his hands anymore, wanting to paint )

but he does still use his hands when he uses his devil fruit. he fighs like a martial artist'

Jean's devil fruit is a good conductor of fire so he always have a lighter with him. he sets fire to his graphite which creates the illusion that he uses fire. ( another thing that makes him unsettling for Luffy and the crew.

his devil fruit is logia type. his graphite can be sand like crocodile and or liquid ish like candle and or can be solid as well.

Jean would most likely always be found at high places in places they visit, to paint / draw

jean is 6'5"

he and usopp get along well because of their artistic side.

he can do recon missions well because of his ability to transform to a cat

[sombredancer]

Asian dramas and Love tropes

There are my favorite characters and their love stories as a list. Enemies to lovers

Drama: Her Royal Highness/长公主在上 Characters: Gu Xuanqing x Li Yunzhen Screentime: Main A boy is sent to be a servant in the unruly princess`s palace in order to find some dirt about her and to help his master to overthrown her, but something goes wrong... The HE is attached.

Drama: The Legends/招摇 Characters: Li Chenlan x Lu Zhaoyao Screentime: Main A leader of a demonic sect died trying to get demonic sword. Her soul returns to the world full of wish to get revenge on the current leader of her sect, who, as she thinks, killed her in the past. Found the way to be close to him, she learns that he wasn't the reason of her death and, moreover, desperately in love with her for many-many years. This is an adaptation of the novel "Ostentatious Zhaoyao", which I love more than a drama, but it's a good story in both variants. The HE is attached (although it`s a little bit obscure in the drama).

Drama: Till the End of the Moon/ 长月烬明 Characters: Tantai Jin x Li Susu Screentime: Main A boy who is destined to become a Demon God and to destroy the World tries to fight his doom. In a process, he falls in love with a transmigrator, who was sent 500 years back in the past to prevent his transformation into a Demon God. The irony is,making him falling in love is the only way to kill him for good... It`s an adaptation of the novel "Black Moonlight Holds the BE Script", which I like way-way-way more than the drama, not the least because the drama has BE and the novel has HE. I just watched it as a visually beautiful fanfic to the novel.

Drama: Love Between Fairy and Devil /苍兰诀 Characters: Dongfang Qingcang x Xiao Lanhua Screentime: Main My favorite drama of all times! Trying to save her love, a girl accidently falls into a secret prison for immortal criminals, revives the most fearsome demon of all times and heals his ability to feel. Later, forced to spend his time together with the girl from the enemy camp, the demon finds out that he actually likes her... The HE is attached. I wrote A LOT about them and made recap of the whole drama from the point of their relationship development in these posts: one, two, three, four, five and six.

Drama: My Journey to You /云之羽 Characters: Gong Shangjue x Shangguan Qian Screentime: Secondary In order to destroy the martial artist's clan, a female assassin was sent in there. While she is trying to seduce one of clan's young masters, he tries to expose her lies, but, eventually, falls in love with her. Unrequited. Maybe. This story has an open ending. My analysis of their relationship is here.

Drama: Butterflied lover /风月变 Characters: Ling Changjin x Bao Zhu Screentime: Secondary A wicked nobleman marries a princess because of her miraculous blood: it`s able to bring his zombie sister back to life. The princess allows him to treat her bad because she has been in love with him for a long time and believes he is a good person. Bit by bit he starts believe in it himself and begins to cherish his wife more... The ending is obscure (in a traditional Chinese way).

Drama: The Blue Whisper /与君初相识 Characters: Li Shu x Xue Sanyue Screentime: Minor A cat demon prince infiltrates the valley of demon hunters in order to set free the great demoness, but falls in love with one of demon hunters. Mutually. The ending is traditionally Chinese - they met again in another life. Т_Т

Drama: Immortal Samsara / 沉香如屑 Characters: Xuan Ye x Ran Qing Screentime: Minor An Asura king infiltrates the Heavenly Realm in order to steal the artifact that can help him conquering the world. The keeper of this artefact is a brave and honest goddess and he can't help but fall in love with her. After, he needs to choose: to be with his lover or to rule the world. He wants all at once, but there is no way to get it all. No HE for this pair. Pride and Prejudice

Drama: Lighter and Princess / 点燃我 Characters: Li Xun x Zhu Yun Screentime: Main A girl from a rich family with an anxious type of attachment falls in love with her classmate from a poor family with an avoidant type of attachment and tries to win his heart. It`s a problematic ship in a full meaning of these words and I like it this way. Yummy! The HE is attached.

Drama: Derailment /脱轨 Characters: Qi Lian x Jiang Xiaoyuan Screentime: Main A boy accidently meets his school sweetheart after many years of radio silence and understands that something is wrong with her. It turns out that her body is occupied by a transmigrator from a parallel world. At first he hates transmigrator for replacing his lover, but bit by bit he learns, that a transmigrator has not only the same appearance but the same habits and way of thinking, and falls in love with this new personality again... The story ends with HE but not in a way that you may think it would.

Drama: The Love by Hypnotic /明月照我心 Characters: Li Qian x Li Mingyue Screentime: Main In order to build relationship between two countries an emperor arranges marriage for his son. His fiancée is from a barbaric tribe: she is good at horse riding and archery, but knows nothing about palace etiquette and ladies stuff. It`s a light and sweet story about finding a path to each other's heart. The HE is attached.

Drama: The Long Ballad /长歌行 Characters: Hao Du x Li Leyan Screentime: Secondary A tsundere of a low background with a poker face does his ruthless job in a court, that's why a young princess thinks he is an awful man and is scared of him. But in reality he is a loyal servant and son and, moreover, secretly in love with the princess, who can't stand him... The HE is attached.

Drama: Miss the Dragon /遇龙 Characters: Xue Qianxun x Qingqing Screentime: Secondary A very naïve bird demon girl accidently meets a tsundere god of netherworld and turns his well ordered life into havoc. He starts liking it, though. The HE is attached. Forbidden love

Drama: A Frozen Flower /쌍화점 Characters: Hong Rim x No Guk Screentime: Main A gay king needs a heir, so he forces his lover to conceive a child with a queen. In a process, a boy, who was groomed as a king's lover from his childhood, finds out that he likes women much more than men. A traditional Korean tragedy. Very beautiful and full of feelings, though. (No GIFs because they all would be erotic ones).

Drama: 100 Days My Prince /백일의 낭군님 Characters: Moo-yeon x Kim So-hye Screentime: Secondary An assassin who is working for a wicked court official is secretly in love with a wife of a crown prince, who happens to be a daughter of the killer of his parents. Forbidden love doubles! But it's mutual, unfortunately for him. It's a very beautiful and full of desperation and feelings story. No HE, we die like Koreans. More detailed story of their relationship is available here, here and here.

Drama: The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity/晴雅集 Characters: He Shouye x Zhang Ping Screentime: Secondary A woman, who is destined to restrain the undying evil within her body for eternity in solitude, falls in love with Yin-Yang master. Her love is mutual, but her lover can't be with her forever, so he leaves with her his guardian demon to brighten her loneliness. Protecting her for ever starts being the only goal of demon's life... A tragedy, but a beautiful one.

Drama: The Legends/招摇 Characters: Gu Hanguang x Shen Qianjin Screentime: Minor "The Legends" once more! The main doctor of a demonic sect is in love with a leader of a righteous sect. A girl is not allowed to love anyone, otherwise she will suffer from the poison, so he anonymously sends her packages of medicinal herbs. She is curious about anonymous sender, too. But nothing can be kept in secret forever... Unfortunately, no HE for these two. In the novel he is safe and sound, but he has no love plotline at all. So is a price of love Т_Т.

I will talk about my other favorite characters and tropes in the next post.

Also you can see: Enemies to Rivals/Lovers recipe Asian dramas and relationship dynamics (Pt. 1) Asian dramas and relationship dynamics (Pt. 2) Asian dramas and my favorite types of characters

[vescana]

I love the Doctor, Missy, and Clara but they don't have shit on the Paternoster Gang like yeah they have two immortal fucks and one school teacher BUT do they have a reptilian detective, her cool ass wife who is literally a martial artist, and a grumpy ex-incel alien that they transformed into their bff and butler/nurse??? I think not !

[luckshmi]

Exploring Mars in the 12 Houses

Mars, the red planet, holds a prominent position in Vedic astrology. Known as Mangal or Kuja in Sanskrit, Mars is revered as the planet of action, energy, and vitality. Its dynamic and assertive nature imparts a fiery intensity to our lives, shaping our ambitions, desires, and endeavors.

It signifies courage, strength, and determination, urging us to rise above challenges and pursue our goals with unwavering resolve. Mars inspires us to embrace our inner warrior, empowering us to confront obstacles head-on and emerge victorious in the battlefield of life.

Mars governs various aspects of our existence, from our physical vitality and sexual prowess to our ability to assert ourselves and take decisive action. It rules over attributes like ambition, passion, and competitiveness, fueling our drive for success and achievement.

Mars, with its fiery temperament, resonates with the color red, symbolizing passion, power, and vitality. Its corresponding gemstone, the red coral, is believed to enhance Mars' positive influences and mitigate its malefic effects.

Mars is associated with the divine archetype of Kartikeya, the courageous and valorous son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Kartikeya embodies the martial spirit and represents the triumph of righteousness over evil, serving as a potent symbol of courage, leadership, and protection.

1/ Mars in the 1st House: Mars in the 1st house embodies dynamic energy. Individuals are natural leaders, exuding confidence and assertiveness. Devotion is expressed through self-expression, taking bold initiatives, and leading with passion.

2/ Mars in the 2nd House: Mars in the 2nd house infuses vigor into financial matters. Individuals express devotion by actively managing resources, taking action to secure financial stability, and asserting themselves in matters of values and possessions.

3/ Mars in the 3rd House: Mars in the 3rd house fuels communicative prowess. Devotion is shown through assertive communication, taking initiative in relationships with siblings, and being proactive in intellectual pursuits.

4/ Mars in the 4th House: Mars in the 4th house brings dynamism to the home. Devotion is expressed through protective instincts, taking action to create a secure home environment, and passionately caring for family matters.

5/ Mars in the 5th House: Mars in the 5th house ignites creative pursuits. Devotion is shown through passionate self-expression, taking risks in artistic endeavors, and actively engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfillment.

6/ Mars in the 6th House: Mars in the 6th house channels energy into service. Devotion is expressed through taking action to help others, actively participating in routines, and asserting oneself to overcome challenges.

7/ Mars in the 7th House: Mars in the 7th house emphasizes relationship dynamics. Devotion is shown through assertiveness in partnerships, taking initiative to maintain balance, and actively working together to achieve shared goals.

8/ Mars in the 8th House: Mars in the 8th house dives into transformative experiences. Devotion is expressed through deep emotional connections, taking action to explore the mysteries of life, and facing challenges with courage.

9/ Mars in the 9th House: Mars in the 9th house fuels adventurous pursuits. Devotion is shown through taking action in spiritual exploration, passionately pursuing higher knowledge, and actively participating in philosophical discussions.

10/ Mars in the 10th House: Mars in the 10th house energizes career endeavors. Devotion is expressed through ambitious pursuits, taking bold steps in the professional realm, and asserting oneself to achieve recognition and success.

11/ Mars in the 11th House: Mars in the 11th house energizes social connections. Devotion is shown through actively participating in group activities, taking action to achieve shared objectives, and passionately supporting friends.

12/ Mars in the 12th House: Mars in the 12th house navigates spiritual realms. Devotion is expressed through inner strength, taking action in solitary pursuits, and actively engaging in practices that foster spiritual growth.

[weeb-polls-with-pip]

Anime Horse Tournament Round 1 Match 3

Propaganda:

Fuunsaiki -

"Fuunsaiki is the horse of Master Asia, the DBZ style martial artist mentor of the protagonist of G Gundam. Fuunsaiki pilots a horse shaped mobile fighter, confusingly also named Fuunsaiki. To do this, Fuunsaiki goes through the hilariously horny G Gundam mobile trace system, which covers the pilot in a thin membrane of nanomachine goo to directly translate their movements to the mobile fighter. Fuunsaiki (the mobile fighter) works only in a support capacity as a giant robot horse by being ridden by other mobile fighters. It can transform into a platform mode that can be stood upon by other mobile fighters."

"Not only is he a beautiful horse, but he's intelligent (can sense his allies in danger), has saved his master's live many times, and he (a horse) has his own mech (which also looks like a horse). He's a horse but a Gundam pilot. Fuunsaiki is amazing, please vote for Fuunsaiki."

Mini Horse(s) -

"The greatest unsolved mystery of Steel Ball Run, are they alive? toys? Steven Steel's stand? the world may never know."

[viadescioism]

The Black Karate Federation (BKF)

The Black Karate Federation (BKF) emerged as a response to the events surrounding a pivotal tournament held in 1969, which featured a match between two prominent martial artists, Joe Lewis and Sijo Muhammad, who was then known as Steve Sanders. The establishment of the BKF was motivated by a desire to address issues of unequal opportunity and representation within the tournament circuit, particularly for African-Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities.

The BKF aimed to level the playing field by providing a platform that offered equal opportunities for martial artists from underrepresented backgrounds to showcase their skills and compete on a fair and inclusive basis. In doing so, it sought to break down the barriers and biases that had historically hindered the progress of minority practitioners in the martial arts community.

One of the significant contributions of the BKF was its commitment to fostering the growth and development of young people through martial arts. Recognizing the transformative power of martial arts training, the organization offered karate lessons to young individuals who may not have had the financial means to afford such opportunities. This initiative not only provided access to valuable self-defense skills but also promoted discipline, self-confidence, and personal growth among the youth, particularly in underserved communities.

"Our mission is to create a greater sense of awareness of both physical and mental health, to assist individuals, including at risk youth, in reaching their potential and expanding their social consciousness by establishing goals, building confidence and developing a strong self concept."

[bunn1mi]

Ranma ½: A Heartwarming Blend of Humor and Gender Fluidity.

Camila Campos Vargas.

Recently, I started watching the reanimation of Ranma ½, and what can I say? I’ve been loving it. For most of my life, I never had much interest in watching the show—I thought it was too old and sometimes a bit ridiculous. Plus, as a closeted kid, I couldn’t understand why Akane would love Ranma even in his "girl form."

Ranma ½ began airing in Japan on April 15, 1989. The series was produced by the animation studio Studio Deen, a company known for its work on manga adaptations. The anime is based on the manga of the same name by Rumiko Takahashi and was originally broadcast on Fuji TV. The series was split into two parts: Ranma ½ and Ranma ½ Nettohen, totaling 161 episodes.

The story revolves around Ranma Saotome, a teenage martial artist who, after a training accident in China, is cursed to transform into a girl whenever he is splashed with cold water. He reverts to his male form when exposed to hot water. This transformation creates a complex and humorous dynamic in his life, particularly with his (forced) fiancée, Akane Tendo, and other characters.

The series is known for its blend of action, slapstick humor, and romantic comedy, often revolving around the chaos created by Ranma's transformations, the complicated relationships between characters, and the search for a cure for the curses.

So, what’s my opinion about it? To put it simply: I love it. I think the "ridiculous" yet silly humor is refreshing, especially in a time when most mainstream jokes seem to revolve around (in my opinion) being a perv. I also think the series is revolutionary in its views on same-sex relationships, as well as the fluidity of gender itself. Of course, the main couple, Akane and Ranma, is still "strictly heterosexual," but the way the story addresses love, gender, and gender fluidity with Ranma is something that... in a way, heals my heart.

I wish there were more series like this—just light-hearted fun, love, and the freedom it brings to us viewers.

By: Camila Campos Vargas.

[unluckycactus]

Preview:

Choi Han fucked up.

If you were to point out his two major character flaws, the first would be that he couldn’t act. The second would be that he had a short fuse.

He was not a brute, thank you. He knew how to use words. But if words didn’t work the first time, Choi Han wasn’t the type to bother with a second attempt.

When words failed, he issued a warning.

After that, it was a ‘fuck around and find out’ situation.

… and that’s how Choi Han ended up rubbing his temples and cursing in the middle of an alley after beating up two professional athletes.

Truth be told, he hadn’t expected them to be so weak, so now it looked as if the whole thing had been premeditated on his end.

‘Youngest korean gold medallist secures win by dishonorable means,’ the oh-so-predictable articles would say. His relatives would never let him live down this one, either; they would bring up this story every damn family gathering, teasing him for making this kind of mistake at twenty-five. He just knew it.

But more importantly, Choi Han could get suspended or banned from tournaments if this situation came to light, so he had to clean up this mess before he got caught.

As the martial artist thought this—

Creak.

One of the back doors leading to the alley opened.

The light hurt Choi Han’s eyes momentarily, but they quickly adjusted and a third person appeared in his field of vision.

… so much for not being found out.

“...”

“...”

He stared at the stranger in despair, silently torn between knocking him unconscious —no, what the hell, Choi Han?— or pleading his case before the other man reported him to the police.

The other person seemed to swear at Choi Han with his eyes.