#truth in hyperbole

[sneezemonster15]

It's crazy how popular Naruto is. Like damn, every comment section of every video/reel has someone with a Naruto user name. And Naruto gifs in the comment section hahaha. If it's a dog with its owner video, Kiba gifs. If it's a snake video, Orochimaru gifs. All garbage videos have Sakura gifs. Every single crow video I have checked out, and I love crows so I have seen a lot, has Itachi dissolving into crows and disappearing gif lol. All the running videos have the Naruto run gif. If it's a video about someone getting yeeted, Pain sending Hinata flying gifs. If it's a fox video, Kurama gifs. All shark videos have Kisame gifs. All emo type videos/songs/fashion videos have either Sasuke or Pain gifs in their comment sections. All ramen videos have Naruto slurping ramen gifs. All wholesome teacher student videos have Naruto and Jiraiya gifs in their comment sections, and people upvote them with the intensity of me slathering butter on my toast. It's PERSONAL.

I am sure I am missing a lot. But over the years, I have seen Naruto to be more popular than any other anime. How could it be more evident? You will find Naruto fans posting Naruto shit in videos that seemingly have nothing to do with any of it but they will find a connection AND get upvoted lol. Like yes, I see One piece characters, I see Dragonball a lot because it's naturally so meme worthy lol, I see Pokemon, Gintama, Sailor Moon, but Naruto surpasses everyone in terms of visibility. It transcends every class, religion, region, caste, and demographics.

I nerd out freely on a lot of subjects online which covers a lot of ground, and I can tell you Naruto fans are all invasive, they spread faster than mould in the rainy season. I am now beginning to see JJK fans but they are mostly in comment sections of thirst trap type videos, not very widely traveled. Hehehe. And one can see why, Gege has facilitated it with such aplomb after all. But it just doesn't compare to Naruto in terms of visibility of fans.

Naruto fans would post the dumbest shit with so much confidence, it's adorable. No it really is, it shows their conviction in Naruto. This is what it inspires. Unflinching, iron clad loyalty even in the face of ridicule and potential discrimination. Hahaha. This show has something for everyone. You can relate deeply with one or the other character, you root for them and you cry for them. You rage and you laugh and sometimes you get so annoyed , you throw your slipper at the tv screen. You go absolutely insane and willingly remain insane with pride in your face. Like the hot red glowing passion. I would do a lot of things before starting an argument with an Itachi fanboy on Insta.

I could always pivot this whole thing to bring it back to my punchline - Do you still think something like this be accidental?

But this post isn't about that. It's really about appreciating what Kishi has given us. Again, as an adjunct I can also lament about how its legacy is being superlatively clusterfucked by Boruto, especially after its recent developments (the fuck was that about Himawari radiating Kurama's chakra, wtactualf??), but again, this post isn't about that.

Behold Naruto. It's not a show, it's a litmus test. If this show didn't fuck you up a little bit, it's because you have had it easy. There's a reason why there are so many Naruto fans in the world and why they don't give a fuck anymore.

Cue Evil Laughter.

[thekimspoblog]

Is the video game really subverting its genre? Are you sure it's not just doing clever things within its genre, because otherwise the game would be boring and unchallenging and say nothing interesting? I'm just saying, it's cool and all that the internet allows horror game fandoms to overflow into eachother, but not EVERY 2 hour video essay needs to be spent breathlessly sucking off the devs. Sometimes a game is just REGULAR difficult and REGULAR high-quality.

Besides RPGs made over a decade ago, what is the thing supposedly subverting? Clearly not other contemporary indie horror games, because there is clearly a convergent ethos forming of cosmic horror and beginners' traps; that's just what the genre looks like nowadays.

[spokewar]

obi-wan is so:

[twinsunstars]

Remember Me - a small Bad Batch fic

Y'all I'm causing pain right before the premiere tomorrow, don't come for me 😭 I also haven't written in a long while, and I wrote this super fast. Just something I thought of based on a post I posted last week while listening to the song of the same name. This fic takes place during Season 2, so hope you like it!

also up on AO3

There were so many stars in space, Omega wished she could count all of them. The view from her makeshift room–normally the gunner’s loft of the ship–was stunning as always. 

Omega sat in the gunner’s seat, holding Lula close and observing the view of space. She remembered the first time she had gotten to see space all those months ago, the way the tiny white stars twinkled in the vast darkness. Her eyes sparkled with wonder, her heart leaping with delight. 

The Batch had just finished up another mission Cid had sent them on, and it was a long way back to Ord Mantell. Omega could hear Wrecker’s snores from her room. He knocked out pretty easily after long tiring missions. Tech and Echo were likely keeping a watch on the ship’s controls, and Hunter was making sure everything was in order before the jump to hyperspace. She could even hear Gonky making some small noises as he listened to her brothers. 

Flashes of blue streaked her room’s window, the ship now entering hyperspace. Omega stepped down from the gunner’s seat, sitting herself down on the makeshift bed Wrecker had made for her. Holding Lula, she laid down on her back, staring at the golden string lights that lit up her room. The lights made her blond hair glow, and Omega felt comfortable in here. Away from a dark room. Away from a dark laboratory. 

“Comfortable in here?”

Omega looked up to see Hunter giving her a soft smile, leaning his arm against the sides of the room. Omega sat up, crossing her legs and setting Lula aside next to her. “Yeah. Getting a little tired though.”

Hunter let out a soft chuckle. “Get some rest. The others will be getting some shut eye too. I’ll be on watch duty this time.”

Omega nodded, her eyes starting to shut. Hunter closed the curtain, the curtain rings making a small creaking sound as they glided. She laid back down, pulling her blanket over her and tucking in Lula, letting sleep capture her for the trip back home. 

______________________________________________________________

Omega’s eyes opened to a foggy view, and she was definitely no longer inside her room, or the ship. She listened for any snores or voices, but couldn’t hear any. 

“Hello?” 

Her tiny voice echoed in the fog. Omega couldn’t see anything either as she tried to navigate herself through the thick fog. “Hunter! Echo! Tech! Anyone?”

A ceiling light lit up in front of Omega, followed by a line of lights that yearned for her to come after. Omega arched her eyebrow, following the lights. She still couldn’t see anything, but the fog was starting to thin out. 

Lights to Omega’s left and right appeared, displaying large tubes. Omega could easily recognize them. They were just like the ones she saw growing up in Nala Se’s lab. Even in the secret rooms Nala Se would take her to when the Kaminoan needed her for specific help. 

Omega’s heart rate began to grow. She always hated the labs, reminding her of how scary her life was since she was born. It was always wires, tubes, and injection needles, never any warm hugs or toys to play with. 

She kept on walking under the lights, beginning to see unknown figures inside the tubes. Omega looked away and held her arms together, refusing to see all of that again. She didn’t want to be here anymore, wherever this place was. 

Up ahead, a light appeared larger than the rest, displaying a control panel in front of her. Omega walked up to the control panel, which looked exactly like one of the panels inside Nala Se’s underwater lab. A small button was glowing in white, flashing every second. Omega couldn’t help but press the button out of curiosity, and she wished she hadn’t. 

The button caused a larger light to switch on, revealing five large tubes in front of her. Each one of them had one of her brothers inside, hooked up with tubes. Even Crosshair was there, asleep inside the tube’s liquid. 

Omega trembled, stepping away from the panel. “No, no…” Her lips trembled, tears coming out of her eyes. 

“I’m sorry, young one.” A strange voice completely unfamiliar to Omega spoke from the darkness. But there was no figure to be seen. 

“But they have to leave you. They can’t be with you anymore.”

“No,” Omega whimpered. She wanted to run towards them, do anything to set them free. Something grabbed ahold of Omega, preventing her from moving. The unknown force pulled her away, and Omega could see wires wrapping around her bare arms. All Omega could do was scream. 

“NO!”

“Kid?”

______________________________________________________________

“Kid!”

Omega woke up with a jolt, her hands shaking. She was back in her warmly lit room. Omega realized it was a nightmare. A really scary one.

Hunter laid his hand gently on Omega’s soft hair, helping her sit up. His enhanced senses had sensed Omega whimpering in her sleep, almost sobbing. “Breathe.”

Omega’s eyes welled up with tears, still in shock from the nightmare. She looked up at Hunter, letting him see her glistening eyes that were full of fear. She pushed herself into Hunter’s arms, sniffling. 

Hunter held her, letting her cry it out. “It’s okay. It was just a bad dream.”

Omega lifted herself off Hunter’s armor, wiping her tears away. “It felt real. All of you were in tubes, and I couldn’t save you.” She broke into more tears. “I was alone.”

Hunter let her continue crying, pulling her into another embrace. He knew what it felt like to have those dreams. Fearing his brothers were ever pulled into those tubes as failed test subjects. Continued experiments until their blood was drained from their bodies. He never wanted them to come true. 

“I don’t want to lose any of you, ever,” Omega mumbled. 

Hunter had made that same promise to her all the time. At her young age, she had a lot of hope. But reality is something she has to learn. 

“Omega,” Hunter began, putting his hands on her shoulders. “It’s alright, we’re here for you now. But you know we can’t always be. We age faster than you, and death is something everyone has to face in this world, not just a soldier. It is hard, but you have to remember all of the memories. When that time comes, will you be brave and remember what we taught you?”

Omega looked down for a few seconds, then back up at Hunter. She was the only one here who aged normally, since they were designed to age faster for the army to grow quickly. She nodded. Omega never wanted them to leave her, but she was slowly understanding the lesson Hunter was trying to teach her. 

“Come here.” Hunter pulled Omega into his lap, handing her Lula. He stroked her hair and began singing the lullaby Cut had taught him. 

Remember me though I have to say goodbye

Remember me, don't let it make you cry

For even if I'm far away, I hold you in my heart

I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart

Omega was lured back into sleep, holding Lula close and embracing the warmth in Hunter’s arms as he sang. Everything was okay within this moment, and she was safe.

______________________________________________________________

Hunter remembered the last night he had sung that lullaby to Omega. She had grown to love that lullaby, wanting Hunter to sing it for her many times before she went to bed. 

The ship was quiet while traveling through hyperspace. The others were in the front of the ship, silent while thinking about the loss they had just faced. Tech was gone, and now Omega was taken. 

Everything that replayed in Hunter’s mind was when he saw that Imperial ship leaving with Omega inside. The tears that welled up in his eyes while seeing his little sister being taken from him. 

He laid back in his chair, remembering the smiles Omega had on her face. 

“Sing me the lullaby again! Please!”

Tears grew in Hunter’s eyes again. He closed them, breathing in as he began to sing again. 

Remember me though I have to travel far

Remember me each time you hear a sad guitar

Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be

Until you're in my arms again

Hunter felt like he could hear a tiny voice singing with his broken vocals. 

Remember me.

[news4dzhozhar]

I guess the so-called Christians in the US don't really give a damn about this because these Christians aren't white. Or they are just so desperate for their delusional "rapture" that they are fine with turning a blind eye. It is their permanent position after all.

[thepersonalwords]

Truthful hyperbole’ is a contradiction in terms. It’s a way of saying, ‘It’s a lie, but who cares?’ 

Tony Schwartz

[garr9988]

I know he just featured in two comics that came out this month, but I neeed Cooper Coen to have a more regular series of comics focused on him! I adore Web-Weaver! I adore his flamboyancy, that he works in the fashion industry, his costume and secret identity rival romance, AUGH!

[jlf23tumble]

https://www.attitude.co.uk/uncategorised/liam-payne-talks-homophobia-accusations-and-gay-1d-fan-fiction-in-attitude-archive-interview-292644/

To this day, Liam was the only one of the 1D men on the cover of a gay magazine, Attitude in 2015. Now I'm looking with fresh eyes at this magazine interview, it hits different coming from a bi person. He confirmed larry was fake and Louis was excited to become a father, criticized the rainbow flags at 1D shows being for larry instead of gay rights, and said he was disturbed by gay 1D fanart and said writing gay fanfic wasn't a good hobby for young girls. It would be funny (in a sad way) if after all this online sleuthing for over a decade, Liam was the only lgbt person in that band.

What a great article, mannnnn, it's been a while since I read it, and it just underlines so many problematic things he said on repeat for YEARS afterward (weight, addiction, fans) that people just gloss over. But to that point, I have a bone to pick with this seemingly bad-faith read on it vs. mine, so I'll go through this ask, starting with how he didn't actually confirm larry was fake. I read him as saying more that larry was over at that point, and that's the fine line--hey!--many people can't grasp, yes, together at one point! no, not together at another! doesn't mean those cancel each other out! but also, why in the WORLD would Liam Payne confirm larry was real in a national gay mag in 2015?? Ditto Louis being a father, why in the WORLD would media-trained-since-he-was-a-teen-Liam-Payne not talk about the whole "Louis's buzzin' to be a dad!" in 2015?

About the rainbow flags, his quote is this:

When the law changed in the U.S., there were loads of rainbow flags flying at our shows, but I think that was mainly because people think of the Louis and Harry thing [that they’re secret lovers], which is absolutely nuts and drives me insane.

Why does it drive you insane? Jealous much?

No, nothing like that. It’s like when you know the ins and outs of what is going on with people it’s just annoying when it’s so stupid. It becomes like a conspiracy or like a cult, the people who watch them and think that every move they make is a gesture toward them being together, and I know it’s just not true and it makes me mad

...and this is two-layered (to me), like, isn't it wilde to assume that people who are happily flying rainbow flags at that point in time are AUTOMATICALLY connected to larryTM, and that's it?! Also, if at that point, shit was rocky, same thing? Tell us more!

His point about explicit 1d art was that a) he was tagged in explicit art showing Harry/Louis fucking, and b) he was sitting next to his dad when he saw explicit art of him and Niall fucking. And yeah, that's gotta be disturbing! I get it! Stars, they're just like us!

Finally, the part about fic isn't overtly called out as such, but this is the quote, when the interviewer mentions that the girls making such art are so young, some as young as 10:

I don’t think it’s the right hobby for these girls to be enjoying. I find it very strange that someone so young can think up these stories or even imagine these things are going on. That for me is the sad and sorry side of what we have done.

...which is sad to me only because how is that something THEY have done or were responsible for, purely because they just...exist? And by putting it out there that girls as young as 10 are doing this, what ELSE would he say about it? He's not Drake, lol. Anyway, what a weird, complicated beast that level of fame must be, sigh.

As for Liam being the only lgbt person in the band, that's hilariously sad to think about when you compare Harry being "outed" for wearing a newly revealed shirt that's "so loud" to Liam being literally outed in the tragic last hours of his life (if it's talked about at all) but having it washed away as "some people will say anything to escape jail." But yeah, I guess???

[masterkeynobi]

rapunzel's magnificent oratory but the baba yaga knows shes lying... yum

[klavierpanda]

You know that autism thing where you get really frustrated and upset when people get something wrong about your special interest? Half of my degree gets maths wrong

[darlaxfurrr]

Two Var checks actually went our way??? What's going onnnnn???????

exactly i can’t believe this 😭 var checks have NEVER gone our way before my goodness

[hauntedradiotower]

would I be an avatar of the Spiral or an avatar of the Eye? My greatest* fantasy is winning Jeopardy! by knowing most of the answers, and gaslighting the host into thinking my absurd answers are also correct.

screw it I’m spiral AND eye aligned. Call that an eyeral. Eye Roll. speyeral. spyral. hmmm. hm. Through the Looking Glass.

[wolfsummoner]

Appears to be a satire article but it isn't wrong

"No one ever tries to flee capitalism."

Well, that was a lie.

[angel---eater]

i think the universes greatest warriors are those in 10+ year long LDRs cause holy fucking shit. holy fucking shit yall. trying to immigrate for over a decade is. i mean

[news4dzhozhar]

And if they believe hostages are being held in the tunnels they are also saying that they have no issues with potentially drowning their own people.

[lettuce-on-toast]

never going on pinterest comments section again that place is a hellhole