#updated with a non-flashy gif :))

[entertainment]

happy 🧊 hell is freezing over day 🧊 to all who celebrate

[active-mind-15]

I was playing Sky: Children of the Light recently and thought about the Teiko gang + Kagami playing it together

Before I start with my headcanons, I'm sure some of y'all don't know what Sky: Children of the Light is, so I'll explain briefly.

Sky is a social adventure game where you play as a child from the now-desolate Sky Kingdom. Through exploring the seven realms of this kingdom, you restore the light back to the remaining spirits while unraveling the lore of the kingdom and figuring out what happened to it and where all the people went. You can play this game solo if you want to, but it's best played with friends. You can also play with up to eight friends on one server, and the Teiko gang + Kagami is exactly eight people, which works out perfectly! So this post will be me talking about the type of players I think all of them would be on Sky and what type of hijinks I think they'd get into if they decided to play on the same server. The rest will be under the cut. Enjoy!

KUROKO

Very diligent about playing Sky on a regular basis but doesn't play super long sessions unless he's playing with other people. Totally fine with playing by himself since he likes to wander the maps and find quiet secluded places to sit.

But sometimes he also "people watches" in the game and categorizes people based on how they play Sky. Ever since he started people-watching for basketball, it translates into pretty much everything he does, so social video games are no exception.

But when he's taking a break from solitude, he's helping moths (a term of endearment for newbies in Sky) navigate their way through the game and complete quests. There are probably a few he befriends and sees from time to time when he opens Sky, and he kinda feels like a proud parent each and every time he runs into them and sees how much they've leveled up.

Since he's an avid reader I would think he'd be a big fan of worldbuilding and lore and so I think he'd really like exploring the lore of Sky. He follows the official Sky pages on Twitter and YT to keep updated.

In terms of what Kuroko would look like in Sky (since you can customize your Sky kid's outfit and hair), he would dress very simplistically. His fit would almost always be something from the regular accessory constellations. Nothing flashy or out of the ordinary. The only non-default accessory he consistently wears is a pair of sunglasses he got during one season (a season is a period where you can do limited-time themed events and be able to get special cosmetics and emotes). He's pretty frugal in-game, so even though he has a fair number of candles (the in-game currency), he doesn't spend it that much. And the things he spends it on are small accessories and other trinkets.

Somehow, his Misdirection translates into Sky as well because most people really don't notice him, so it's pretty difficult for him to open special doors that require the help of at least two people. That's why he always befriends people who notice him. He knows that they've got his back and he's got theirs.

In Sky, you can also leave messages for other players to read. They usually take the form of paper boats or cranes you can place in any body of water in Sky, and you can write whatever you want on them (within reason of course). So, I can imagine Kuroko would always leave encouraging messages for others like "Don't give up!" and "You can do it!" Those messages always get so much attention, but nobody ever knows who writes them.

KAGAMI

Is almost never on by himself. Most of the time, he's online when Kuroko is online and they do quests together.

Since he's more of an infrequent player, he's often confused about certain aspects of the game and will need Kuroko to help him out.

He likes the game for the pretty scenery and nice music but doesn't really engage with it on a deeper level since he's not super informed about The Lore™. As a result, he's constantly asking Kuroko for explanations as to why certain things in the game are happening.

The rare times he is on by himself he's kind of awkward in navigating the maps and making friends. I would say he's more of a moth than anyone on this list, which means that whenever he's by himself, other players feel more inclined to help him out, which is how he kind of gets adopted by multiple different players. He would log into Sky and check his friend constellations to find that multiple people have gifted him light (you need light to be able to forge hearts which are a more valuable type of in-game currency that buys you more extravagant cosmetics compared to candles).

I would say he often gets sidetracked while doing quests. He'd see somewhere that he hadn't explored and drop everything to go check it out.

The way his Sky kid is dressed is a mixture of regular and seasonal cosmetics that he's managed to snag. He always tries to make himself look cool on Sky, so he cares a little bit more about his appearance because of that.

He is perpetually broke on Sky. Almost always less than 10 candles to his name. So when the time comes for him to buy a cosmetic that he really likes, he's constantly having to hustle last-minute and collect enough light around the kingdom to forge candles.

KISE

Either plays by himself or with the rest of the gang however he much prefers company and is not above pestering the others to come online and play with him.

Also a regular player because the game is cute and fun for him. He probably plays it a lot while he's on break during a modeling session or during lunch breaks at school.

He knows the basic lore of Sky but doesn't go any further. He's not one to create theories like that because he also kinda takes it at face value.

He's the type to unlock all the nodes in his friends' constellations so he can do cute things with them (unlocking friendship nodes means you can initiate gestures with friends like high-fives, hugs, piggyback rides, and more).

Because he's so used to being followed and chased by fangirls due to his modeling career, he likes the anonymity of Sky because it gives him the freedom to approach and chat with other players as an equal.

He is the flashiest Sky kid out of everyone. If he's not grinding to get all the seasonal cosmetics, he's using real money to splurge on some of the cosmetics you can't buy with in-game currency. The others sometimes are embarrassed by how much he sticks out, but Kise never lets that deter him from being the most fashionable person on the server.

He also likes leaving messages in paper boats, but they're usually generic messages like a "hi!" with a bunch of emojis. Anyone in the gang who finds his messages will screenshot them and send them to Kise via text to let him know that his messages have been spotted.

MIDORIMA

He plays this game on and off, but when he's on, he's on.

He usually plays with other people since he's more likely to play if there's a group session, but it's not uncommon to catch him doing quests by himself or simply just exploring parts of the map he's never been to before.

He strikes me as someone who'd be super deep into Sky lore and making his own theories. But his tsundere ass would pretend like he's not into it and swears that he only got this game because Kise and Momoi begged him to, even though there are too many occasions of other people in the gang asking if he wants to join them to do daily quests and Midorima responding that he's already done them, and everyone wises up that he likes the game far more than he lets on, but they don't call him out on it.

He only bothers playing with actual friends. He doesn't really interact with other strangers on the server. So, if he's on Sky by himself, he's truly just doing everything alone. Any nodes unlocked in his friendship constellation are unlocked by other people in the gang. He'd rather die than use his candles to unlock a hug emote with any of his friends.

Since there's a set limit to how many candles you can forge per day (there's a limited amount of light you can collect across the seven realms to forge candles and it refreshes daily), he takes note of where the biggest/most candles are and remembers that if he needs to forge a bunch of candles in a hurry but doesn't have time to collect every single fragment of light across all the realms.

In terms of what Midorima's Sky kid would look like, he'd be dressed very smartly. No matter what outfit he has on, he always seems to look like a scholar of some sort. Even his hair is well put together. He's not one to shy away from seasonal cosmetics, but they're not the over-the-top outfits like Kise would have on. He dresses a lot more modestly like Kuroko but not in that "default setting" sort of way.

He sometimes hoards spells (in Sky, you can purchase/be given spells that can allow you to give your Sky kid temporary boosts or powers like recharging your wings faster, making you taller or shorter, or even giving you a different outfit. These spells can also be shared with friends if you hold their hand while activating them.) He sometimes uses the outfit spells as a test run to see if something looks nice on him. And if it does, he'll save up enough candles to buy the real thing.

AOMINE

Very infrequent player. He'll log on once to wreak havoc all day before disappearing for weeks at a time.

He never plays unless someone else in the gang is also online. Especially if it's Kuroko.

Doesn't give a fuck about the lore at all and because he plays so infrequently he never has any idea what goes on.

He also doesn't have that much winged light (the more winged light you collect the more energy you have to fly) but somehow he manages to explore just as well as everyone else in the gang. It's kind of impressive.

He has no problem charging into the more dangerous areas of Sky. In fact, it would be better to say he likes to get himself into danger on purpose for that sweet, sweet adrenaline rush.

In terms of what his Sky kid looks like, I would say he also has very default accessories like Kuroko, not because he prefers them but because he's so infrequently online that he never earns enough seasonal candles to buy specially-themed accessories. However, trust and believe he will still make do with what he has. He seems like the type of person to prefer all the goofiest-looking cosmetics like beards and bushy eyebrows. It almost annoys the others how unserious his Sky kid looks at all times, but he never pays them any attention.

Sometimes when he's bored he'll try and exploit glitches in the game to see what they do or to try and get into an inaccessible area of the map.

MOMOI

Another frequent player. She loves this game DOWN. After school, she likes to get cozy in her room and hop online.

She enjoys playing both by herself and with the rest of the gang, she's not biased toward one or the other.

She really enjoys the lore of Sky and does things like analyze the appearance of each realm so she can make theories. I bet she has a notebook where she keeps track of all the lore and her interpretations of it. She exchanges theories with Kuroko a lot. Also Midorima, too, but he'll pretend like he's not interested in it.

She mainly likes to play with the rest of the gang but she's not opposed to making friends with a couple strangers on the server here and there. Sometimes if nobody from the gang is online, she'll do daily quests with these other players and sometimes add them to her friendship constellation.

You will never catch her broke on Sky. She does regular candle runs to replenish her earnings (going on a candle run means you travel through all the realms and collect all the available light so you can forge it into candles. You can typically earn about 20 candles in a day if you do a full candle run). She is probably the most consistent with gifting friends light and hearts, too. She's also the best person to ask about upcoming seasons and other Sky-related info since she follows the developers and the official Sky page on YouTube and Twitter.

Her Sky kid is the prettiest out of everyone's. Since she's such a frequent player, she has a bunch of seasonal cosmetics that she loves to alternate between. Every time the others see her, she's in a new outfit. She's just constantly decked out to the nines. She and Kise sometimes coordinate their outfits.

She has accumulated a lot of placeable props in her inventory (placeable props are decorative or functional items you can place on the ground in Sky. They could be anything from a cushion to a swing set.) She also loves to make shared spaces (shared spaces are little shrine areas that you can create and decorate as your space using props you have acquired. These spaces can also be accessed by other players). Her shared spaces are always cute and well-decorated. She likes to create them in secluded areas of the map so she and the rest of the gang can just hang out in those spaces together away from everyone else.

MURASAKIBARA

Not a super frequent player but more active than people expect. I peg him as a fan of cozy games.

Most times he prefers to play with other people, but sometimes he will have days where he'll just go off by himself and get up to God knows what.

He loosely follows the lore but doesn't really care about theories the way some of the others do. He doesn't really play Sky to think too hard about anything. He mainly just plays it to take his mind off other things.

Candle runs are so much work so sometimes he waits for others in the gang to come online before doing them for the sole purpose of holding onto their hands in-game and letting them do all the work on his behalf.

He loves accepting gifts of light and hearts but almost always forgets to return the favor. Kise complains about it the most.

His Sky kid is surprisingly well put together. When choosing hairstyles, he'll always go for the longer-haired ones out of habit. He sometimes likes wearing the pigtail hairstyles, too. In terms of cuteness, his Sky kid is second only to Momoi's. You will never catch him lacking when it comes to outfits.

He likes to antagonize Kagami when Kagami shows ignorance in something related to Sky. A simple "Huh? You didn't know even this much?" would be enough to send Kagami spiraling for ages. It's a very hilarious sight to see walls of text above the head of Kagami's Sky kid as he argues with Murasakibara through the in-game chat function.

AKASHI

Another unexpectedly frequent player. It's a refreshing change of pace from his busy life.

He has fun playing solo and playing with friends, and it astounds the others what he can get up to when left to play alone. He could probably tackle some of the more dangerous realms singlehandedly.

He is another person big on lore and exchanges theories with the other lore fans of the squad, focusing on even the most minute details of the map and the characters to make inferences. Sometimes he'll think of theories that the others hadn't even remotely considered. He also follows the official Sky page for updates, too and will (along with Momoi) be one of the first to know about new Sky-related info.

He has the best control of his Sky kid while flying out of everyone. He's just really good at maneuvering tight spaces or windy currents. Also really good at diving. The others never have to worry about him if they're traveling around the map. It's actually them who have to keep up with Akashi.

He's not one to officially befriend a lot of other players per se, but he does use the common areas scattered across the map to talk to people sometimes. He enjoys the idea of being able to approach whoever without worrying about people being intimidated by him. Being able to just be treated as a regular person feels nice.

His Sky kid is always dressed so stylishly. Not too flashy like Kise but not too proper like Midorima. Akashi lets himself get creative with the outfit coordination. He especially loves the different masks you can wear and loves collecting those the most.

You can also have instruments in Sky that are actually playable, so during group gaming sessions, he likes to sit down and play songs for the squad. You can either go buy the sheet music you can unlock through constellations or you can just play whatever random notes you like. Either way, Akashi finds a way to entertain his friends.

HOW WOULD THEY ALL PLAY TOGETHER AS A GROUP?

First of all, Akamomo as the canonical activity planners of their friend circle would be the ones to reach out to everyone for availabilities so they could arrange a group gaming session.

Most of the time they do full group sessions during new seasons where maybe new parts of the map are unlocked and they all get to discover it together.

Aomine is usually the one who puts everyone else's safety at risk in the more dangerous realms. There are a few realms with dark dragons that knock winged light out of players if they spot you, and Aomine sometimes deliberately provokes them. Most of the time he isn't able to dodge, which leaves everyone else to grab his winged light for him after he gets knocked out.

Sometimes Murasakibara disappears mid-game to go grab snacks so you'll see his Sky kid just snoozing while he's inactive.

Kuroko, Momoi, Akashi, and Midorima have fixations on cave paintings in Sky and will sometimes spend several minutes going back and forth on theories and interpretations of lore.

On occasion, after all of their daily quests are done, they like to find secluded parts of the map to just chill and talk. They like utilizing Momoi's shared spaces for that specific purpose.

Sometimes Kise manages to convince everyone to coordinate their outfits,

Kagami constantly has to be saved by the Teiko gang members when he runs out of energy to fly, and it humiliates him to no end. Especially if Aomine ends up saving him because he hates owing Aomine favors.

Kuroko loves using the high-five emote a lot, especially with Kagami and Aomine.

Kise refuses to go into scary parts of the map unless someone holds his hand in-game.

Aomine will sometimes break off from the group and come back holding a crab that he picked up from who knows where.

Akashi is the one who scopes out an area for potential danger first before letting the others start wandering around. If he feels like somebody in the group is about to be in danger, he'll start calling out to them to come back.

Midorima is constantly shepherding the others whenever they get distracted from doing their daily tasks. He will always make his annoyance known whenever the rest of the group is not doing what he thinks they should be doing. He sometimes enlists Momoi for help.

All in all, they're chaotic as fuck when they play altogether, but they admit that it makes everything all the more fun.

[whatstruthgottodowithit]

Just Go With It

Fandom: Actor, RPF, American Actor, 

Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader

Characters: Chris Evans, Reader, Florence Pugh

Word Count: 2094

Rating: Mature

Summary: Reader and Chris attend the Oscars.

Tags/ Warnings: Oscars, Oscars Party, Vanity Fair Party, Flirting, Established Relationship, Implied S*x, Kissing, N*dity, Love, Fluff, Angst, Arguing, Long Term Relationship, Envy, Jealousy, 

Notes: updated 9/22 

Requested By @h-a-j-i-m-e-ru​:Waking up (reader x Chris) w/ the prompts “Come here.” and “I’m fine with where I am now.”

The air was battering the sides of the building causing a steady whistle through each and every window of the hotel. Y/N sat in the armchair by the balcony window watching the world go by from afar. She had wanted to sit outside but a cup of coffee on the balcony was made far less romantic and comfortable when you have to bundle up in thermals and a heavy coat. It was nice to just sit there though. The room was silent apart from the street noise that managed to penetrate through the windows into the room and Chris’ light snoring. 

Y/N sat there, curled up on the chair and clutching a cup of coffee, thinking. Last night hadn’t been good. She and Chris had been to the Oscars which should have been amazing but like most events they attended, she had been pushed aside and spent most of the night lingering awkwardly with Chris’ manager. He never meant to do it, she knew that, but it was hard to keep doing. She loved that he was a successful actor and she knew how lucky she was to be going to the Oscars but the night of glitz and glamour was anything but. It was quite the ordeal. 

It started with having to arrange a whole night away. They always stayed in a hotel close to the venue seeing as their home was quite a trek from Hollywood. They had to find a hotel and though Chris was always catered for she had to spend hours trying to find a perfect dress as no designers were interested in dressing the girlfriend of the star. It then came with dressing up, packing herself into Spanx and layers of makeup for a three-minute walk down the red carpet followed by a half-hour of loitering whilst Chris was captured by the press. Not only that, but the ceremony was also long and arduous and chalked full of people she didn’t know. 

She did enjoy herself but from 4 pm through to the early hours it was non-stop socialising whilst packed into a dress she could barely move in. Chris, of course, moved through these functions with ease. Though he wasn’t out there and brash he was certainly able to flip a switch in these situations and light up the room. She supposed being such a good actor gave him this knack.  

She hadn’t meant to start an argument but the frustration and the amount of booze they had both consumed caused one to bubble over as they left the vanity fair party. Chris had been talking to Florence Pugh, a gorgeous 20-something who was a young up-and-comer for sure. She had come to him, fawning about his career and expressing her love for Marvel and his talent. Chris had been welcoming and polite and offered his similar praises as Y/N stood there watching the two become enamoured in conversation. Florence paid her no attention and Chris didn’t even introduce her so she lingered at the sidelines awkwardly waiting for the two of them to finish. They stood and chatted for a good half an hour whilst Y/N sat down at an empty table and kicked off her shoes, seething. She ogled the two of them from her seat. Chris was red-faced and sweaty from the drink. His bow tie hung loosely around his neck and his top button was undone. His gestures and facial expressions were loud and animated and Florence lapped it up, her hand trailing up and down his arm as she laughed at his jokes. She was gorgeous. Her dress clung to every curve and the dip in the front was flashy and enticing.  

As Y/N scrolled through her phone she looked up occasionally until she noticed a man she didn’t recognise getting in between the two to embrace Florence warmly. There was an exchange of pleasantries before she disappeared into the party on the arm of the man and Chris started scanning the crowd for his date.  He came across to where Y/N was sitting and sat on the chair next to her where she was picking at a napkin that had been discarded on the table. 

‘Hey,’ he said before checking his watch, ‘you wanna head out?’  ‘Oh you’re bored of the party now your lil friends gone?’ she said.  ‘What are you talking about?’  ‘I’m talking about Florence or do you call her Flo?’ ‘Are you jealous?’ he asked incredulously, ‘we were just talking.’ ‘Do you talk to everyone who rubs your arm and wears low-cut dresses? Or is it just when you can’t be bothered talking to me.’ ‘How can you think that I was talking to her for that reason? She’s nice and she was being friendly,’ he said leaning in so no one could hear, ‘you’re being crazy!’  ‘Oh am I? Well, why don’t I get out of your hair? I mean I’d hate to ruin the party that you’re so in love with you leave me like a lemon whilst I’m crammed into the tiniest dress and most uncomfortable underwear!’ she said throwing the napkin she had been picking at on the table and storming through the crowd. Chris sighed and rested back against the chair as he ran a hand through his hair. 

Y/N stormed through the crowd until she was out onto the street unsure of where to go. Her hands fumbled through her clutch bag to find her phone so she could order an Uber. After a quick ride, she was at the hotel and heading upstairs. She didn’t stop until she slammed the hotel door before she kicked off her shoes and collapsed onto the bed. Her eyes stung with tears but she refused to be sad and let anger overcome her. She sat up and fumbled with the zipper yanking it down and peeling the dress off until it was no more than a heap of fabric on the floor. After yanking down her spanks and tossing off her bra she jumped in the shower and let the water wash away her makeup. After she finished she dressed in her pyjamas and tied her wet hair up in a ponytail. She climbed into bed and lay there in the dark, thinking of the night over and over in her head. A couple of hours later she heard a click of the door and Chris entering. She kept her eyes closed and pretended to sleep as he pottered around the room and then climbed into bed. She lay there listening to him as his breathing got heavier and more even as he fell asleep. 

The rest of the night was fitful. She kept waking up, unable to stop fretting about the fight until she eventually gave up and crawled out of bed to the armchair she was currently sitting in. It was nice to see the world around her waking up. She didn’t scroll through her phone and she didn’t allow her mind to recap the night’s events as she simply watched the cars below and the people coming out onto the streets to start their workdays. She made a cup of coffee with the hotel supplies as soundlessly as she could though she doubted a bomb would wake Chris when he was like this. He had always been a heavy sleeper but it was worse when he was drunk and he could sleep until noon if not woken, which she would have had no intention to do if they didn’t have to checkout. 

She rang down and ordered room service which appeared with great speed. She thanked the bell boy at the door and wheeled it into the room before tucking into her pancakes on her chair by the window once more. She wolfed it down, not realising just how hungry she was seeing as she hadn’t eaten since the Oscars dinner last night. She had just finished her last bit of the meal when she heard movement behind her and looked around to find Chris sitting up in bed. His torso was bare but he had the sheet wrapped around his waist though she had already seen his discarded boxers on the floor when she got up so she knew he was nude. He looked at the trolley that was set at the end of his bed and spied the covered dish upon it before looking at her.

‘You got room service?’  ‘Well yeah,’ she said coolly, ‘we gotta eat. It’s not long until we have to check out.’  ‘Right,’ he said reaching forward to grab his plate, ‘you got my favourite.’ His tone was lighter than hers but she paid him no attention, still mad from last night. Chris was going to delve into a conversation but his hunger got the better of him as his stomach growled at him to eat the meal as soon as humanly possible. He choked down his french toast and the cup of joe that was lukewarm but nice nonetheless and collapsed onto his back full to the brim. He rolled on his side and watched Y/N as she stared out into the open air, not taking him on. 

‘Come here,’ he said watching her as she looked at him. He was watching her with a small smirk on his face. This was a bold move considering the atmosphere in the room but he knew she wasn’t really mad at him. If she was she would have let him sleep longer and eaten downstairs without ordering him anything. ‘I’m fine with where I am now,’ she said curtly. He sighed as she turned around. He pushed the sheet off and slid off the bed walking towards where she was sitting. He knelt next to the seat and watched as she turned to him. 

‘What?’ she said.  ‘You’re mad,’ he said. ‘You got that huh?’ she said rolling her eyes. ‘Oh come on,’ he said, ‘it was a little fight. We were drunk and stupid let’s just forget it.’  ‘Oh it was just a little thing, is it? You would think that seeing as you stayed out for another two hours whilst I lay awake all night.’ ‘Baby,’ he said leaning in to kiss her jaw. She folded her arms and he kissed along her jawline before he raised himself off of the ground and scooped her up in one fell swoop before moving her to the bed. She was laying on her back and he hovered above her peppering kisses along her neck and chest. 

‘Chris,’ she sighed. ‘You forgiving me yet?’ he said. ‘No.’ ‘Look I’m sorry,’ he said pulling back and watching her.  ‘Are you?’ she said.  ‘I’m sorry but I wasn’t flirting with Florence. You’ve gotta know that right?’ he said.  ‘It’s not about that. Don’t you get it?’ she said resting on her elbows, ‘I’m not mad about that. I get that you’re a big-time star and I’m happy that you get to go to these kinds of things but don’t you get how lonely it can be for the people on the outside looking in? I’m always stuck at these things watching you be larger than life and have all these gorgeous people coming up to you telling you how great you both are.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said sincerely, ‘but you know what it’s like. You can’t be shy and reserved at these things. I act like that and get drunk so I’m not so shy. That’s all. I’m sorry if I forget about you sometimes.’ ‘It’s okay,’ she said laying down and reaching up to run a hand through his hair.  ‘And you can’t think that I like Florence more than you? I mean did you see that ass in that dress,’ he said with a wink.  ‘I’m glad you liked it,’ she said, ‘I couldn’t breathe for most of the night in that thing.’  He leaned down and kissed her deeply before peppering kisses along her jawline and down, caressing her curves as he did. She could feel his length throbbing against her, ‘why don’t I show you just how much I liked that dress huh?’  ‘Don’t we have to check out like dangerously soon?’ she said. ‘Just go with it,’ he said sucking on her neck making her groan. She nodded, allowing all the memories of last night to be washed away with this new one. 

[buildercar]

New Post has been published on http://www.buildercar.com/first-drive-2018-toyota-camry/

First Drive: 2018 Toyota Camry

NEWBERG, Oregon — The roads that slash through this verdant green, mountainous stretch southeast of Portland are billiard-table smooth — delicious ribbons of asphalt any enthusiast would get a kick out of attacking. Another squiggly ribbon sign with the requisite low speed number warns of more curves ahead. Here we go again. Brake hard, ease off, turn in, look ahead. Get back on the gas. We’re having fun. We’re in the 2018 Toyota Camry. Wait, what?

Toyota’s choice of roads to showcase the all-new, eighth-generation Camry is not lost on me — or anyone else in attendance. There’s a determination from group vice president Jack Hollis on down to show that the Camry can be a little bit fun and flashy in addition to everything else it’s come to represent — after all, there’s a reason it’s been the best-selling car in America for the past 15 years, with more than 388,000 sold last year.

The Camry has made its name on being a well-built, reliable, affordable, and safe midsize sedan. But when you play it safe, you also get a rep for being boring, bland, and beige. Additionally, the sedan market is softening considerably and the RAV4 may overtake the Camry as the brand’s best-selling vehicle for the first time. The perfect time then for Toyota to shake things up a bit.

As you’d expect from a new generation car, the 2018 Camry is a ground up makeover, and it starts with four letters: TNGA. That’s Toyota New Generation Architecture to you, and the Camry is the first Toyota to fully employ what Toyota officials call a “new philosophy” around how it develops its vehicles. From how it performs (a newly developed 2.5-liter four cylinder and eight-speed transmission) to how it’s constructed (improved sight lines, quieter cabin, lower height and center of gravity) to what underpins it (a new independent rear suspension and platform). Think Mazda’s Skyactiv, only without all the marketing hype. While the latest Prius deployed elements of the emerging TNGA strategy, the Camry is the embodiment of where Toyota is headed with it.

What you aren’t going to see are turbocharged engines and all-wheel drive, two elements that are increasingly being adopted by other automakers. Toyota product folks we spoke with dismissed all-wheel drive as unnecessary, and given that you can get your Camry in the fuel-sipping Hybrid form (an excellent 51/53 city/highway in the most frugal LE trim) and that most four-cylinder gas trims hit an impressive for the segment 28/39 city/highway, the need for a turbo engine other than to maybe boost horsepower seems superfluous. Want more power? That’s what the 3.5-liter V-6 with 301 hp and 267 lb-ft is for (22/33 city/highway in XLE trim).

What you are going to see though are two distinct looks for the Camry — especially up front. Dominating the face of the volume models is a blacked out, seven-slatted grille along the lines of the full-size Toyota Avalon (and maybe a high tech razor), only much wider and without the chrome trim. XE and XSE trims come with a sportier, hourglass shape reminiscent of modern Lexus vehicles, only with less hour to the glass. Both versions feature subtle creases on the hood, v-shaped snouts centered by the Toyota logo that dip into each lower grille area, and trapezoidal headlamps that venture into the front fender (LEDs are standard at the rear and at the front on most trims). At the side, the dominating feature is a sharp character line that bisects the door handles.

Out back, the defining features of the XE and XSE are twin tailpipes at each end that frame a diffuser look (we could do without the black trim piece at either side of the rear bumper, but the color-keyed sills are a slick touch), while the rest of the trims feature a more restrained, traditional looking rear bumper and single tailpipe setup at each end. And for the first time, 19-inch rims are available on select trims. All-in-all, while it no doubt cost more time and effort, the two looks offer more choice for the buyer.

Don’t expect performance changes though to go along with the appearance differences. Other than the obvious power pump the V-6 offers (which about 10 percent of Camry buyers have traditionally opted for), the overwhelming majority of customers will gravitate toward a model powered by the updated 2.5-liter four cylinder with 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, 25 more horses and 14 more lb-ft then before, hooked up to the new eight speed automatic. Depending on trim level, paddle shifters, and an eco/normal/sport button option is available.

We spent most of our time out on the Oregon roads in various iterations of the top trim XLE model with the new “Dynamic Force” four. Dynamic isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind when you put your foot to the floor, but with direct injection and Toyota’s variable valve timing, it does an ample job of motivating the Camry (the XLE is rated by Toyota at 3,351 pounds). We’re guessing it hits 60 mph from a stop sign in a tick or two over 8 seconds. Like most four cylinders, it doesn’t exactly emit a sonic symphony under hard acceleration, but it isn’t too thrashy, either. The new eight speed automatic kicks down with authority when called upon and shifts smoothly and easily in every other situation. Press the sport button and, as you’d expect, shift points change and feel a smidge more aggressive.

Speaking of sport modes, the new Camry Hybrid has one if you pick the right model, and the SE even has paddle shifters to lend the CVT the feel of a six-speed automatic. Yes, you read that right, paddle shifters. At 208 total system horsepower, the Hybrid deploys a similar version of the new 2.5-liter four, detuned to 176 horsepower and 163 lb-ft, working with the electric motor to boost power under hard accel and optimize mpg in low stress situations. Additionally, the battery pack has been repositioned to under the rear seat from the trunk (the LE’s battery is lithium ion and the SE and XLE nickel-metal hydride) thanks to the new TNGA architecture improvements. The system’s power control unit has also been optimized to reduce energy loss and was repackaged as well, helping to lower the hood height. In fact, the Toyota folks we spoke with said the Hybrid’s new packaging actually helps make it a little more dynamically balanced than the gas models.

Indeed, through the tight bends and sweeping curves, the Hybrid proved relatively fun to drive. Yes, you read that right again, fun. Kinda, sorta. And paddle shifters. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the stronger structure and the Camry’s new platform. In addition, the MacPherson strut front suspension and new double wishbone rear, with anti-roll bars front and rear further aid the cause. Let’s be clear, this is no sports sedan, but it’s no wallowing beast either. We hustled it harder than probably 99 percent of Camry owners ever will and it almost never felt out of its element. The electric steering firms up quickly into turns, the brakes (12.0-inches in front, 11.1 at the rear) bite down adequately when called upon. We tried looking for some roads to upset the suspension, but there was nothing but glassphalt on the routes. We found a few bumps, but not enough to really gauge how the car would roll over rough stuff. Given its stiffer, sportier feel, we suspect it will be a little harsher than the previous car.

The only time we felt the limit of the suspension in the twisty stuff was in the six-cylinder car while attacking the route at higher speeds. We were in a unicorn Camry XSE with the 19-inch wheels, V-6, painted black roof option, and hot red interior trim with a panoramic sunroof. Of course, the 3.5-liter V-6 makes the car notably quicker than either of the other models. Turn off the traction control, and you can get the front wheels spinning pretty fiercely.

While the Cockpit Red interior popped some eyes, the volume models will be across the Ash and Black spectrum primarily, although there’s a beige, ahem, Macadamia option, with multiple interior trim finishes (wood grain, mesh, metal) and seating options, from fabric, to SofTex to leather. Every model we were in had a pleasing, diverse color and trim combination that was far from the cold gray or black wall of yesteryear, with plenty of soft touch surfaces throughout. While the seats felt a little stiff for our tastes up front, they were attractive and relatively supportive — and the rears fold down in a 60/40 split.

Dominating the front of the cabin is the Camry’s new “S-curved” center stack and console design that houses the latest generation of Toyota’s Entune system (with a 7 or 8-inch screen) and other vital interior controls. Apple CarPlay or Android Auto aren’t available, but Entune has a solid lineup of apps including Pandora, Facebook, and Scout GPS, which allows for turn-by-turn directions in non-navigation equipped models.

Step up to the 800-watt JBL-equipped sound system and you won’t be disappointed. It’ll blow your ears out, in a good way. Other features include either a 4- or 7-inch info screen in the middle of the instrument panel, vastly improved steering wheel controls, three USB ports, and an available, 10-inch head-up display. It’s a driver centric arrangement that makes some things harder for the passenger to access like the volume controls and front cubby, but overall, the setup is relatively easy to get used to and operate.

From a safety perspective, all Camry models now come standard with Toyota’s Safety Sense suite that has more nannies than a Beverly Hills elementary school parking lot waiting at 2pm. Standard features include lane departure, pre-collision with pedestrian detection, blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control and 10 airbags. Depending on trim, you can get blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, an electric parking brake, an around view camera system, and a sonar system that detects objects approaching from the front and behind in low speed situations and works with a rear cross traffic braking system to alert the driver and can slow the car if necessary.

So what will this all-new Camryness set you back? It all depends on how you spec it out, of course. The bare bones Camry L starts at $24,380, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone buying that car. The sporty look but lower line SE model is $26,085, the well-equipped XLE starts at $29,335, and the top of the line XSE V-6 rings in at $35,835. The cheapest Camry Hybrid L is the $28,685, with the top spec XLE hybrid $4,450 more.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in this spread of models, with the two distinct exterior trims, V-6 and hybrid, et cetera, you’re not looking hard enough (OK, maybe a V-6 with a true sport tuned suspension would make sense at some point, we know Toyota’s NASCAR star Kyle Busch would approve). The new Camry is unquestionably improved across the board, offers more versatility than ever, and is even a little fun now. Not so beige anymore, more like Macadamia.

2018 Toyota Camry XLE Specifications

ON SALE July 2017 PRICE $29,335 (base) ENGINE 2.5 DOHC 16-valve I-4/203 hp @ 6,600 rpm, 184 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, FWD sedan EPA MILEAGE 28/39 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 192.1 x 72.4 x 56.9 in WHEELBASE 111.2 in WEIGHT 3,351 lb 0-60 MPH 8.2 sec TOP SPEED 129 mph

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