#was a guy. but you know what. maybe it's positive character growth

[genericpuff]

wait wait wait, regarding that Minthe post, you're telling me that Rachel literally wrote the character as having BPD.....and portrayed her as an abusive mean piece of shit??? WOW. fucking WOW. sorry for being so angry, but even if she "retconned" that - it's still so god damn disrespective. as someone who has BPD it hurts so much to see my mental illness villanised :(

ugh I'm so sorry pal. and I don't blame you for being angry about it, like I don't even have BPD and I'M fucking pissed LOL like I can understand why Rachel might have wanted to backtrack from that knowing fully well that Minthe's story wasn't gonna have a happy ending, but writing her with BPD in the first place and then BACKTRACKING from it as soon as she likely got heat for it (or just realized it wasn't a good look) isn't much better because it means now all she's done is written the stigmatized negative effects of BPD into her character without showing the more positive outlooks of healing and managing. Maybe that was doomed to happen considering Minthe is someone who doesn't get a happy ending in the myths, but it begs the question of why she'd write her with BPD to begin with because in hindsight it really does seem like she just wanted to use it as a way to make her "evil".

But like, when you read the actual episode, you can SEE the potential there for character growth, you can SEE that she's aware of her actions - but doesn't understand why she's "like that" which is a VERY common feeling among people with undiagnosed mental illnesses - but it was never meant to be.

Like jfc not only is it HEAVILY IMPLIED, but again, the episode is literally called "Splitting". And we see exactly that with Minthe, who can't seem to rationalize with herself that she messed up.

But... that leads me to another point that I failed to mention in that first ask response: she DIDN'T mess up. Like, yes, she messed up by escalating it to the point of slapping Hades, but it wasn't her fault that she didn't make it to her date with Hades. Whose fault was it?

Continuously throughout the first season we see Thetis being an awful influence who manipulates and gaslights Minthe. They're "friends", but it's clear Thetis does not have Minthe's best interests in mind. In this very scene we see Thetis manipulate Minthe and even attempt to get her so drunk that she won't be able to show up to her date. And then of course when that plan works and Minthe freaks out, Thetis spins it around on Minthe in a very passive-aggressive way.

But of course, the narrative has to find a way to turn this whole thing on Minthe being the bad guy. Hence we get the slap which shifts the focus entirely away from what led up to it back onto Hades who has, in a lot of ways, put her in a situation that she can't control. And of course, being in those kinds of situations does not help with mental health.

Like, sorry, I'm really going off here now, but... the slap happens in Episode 76.

When is it finally addressed again? Episode 103.

It took Rachel nearly THIRTY EPISODES to finally bring it back to Minthe, and in that time the reader has spent SEVERAL EPISODES reading about how sad and lonely Hades is, and about how cute and lovey he is with Persephone. The reader has not had ANY time to reflect on Minthe's circumstances, because it completely pivots away from her to focus on H x P as a sort of distraction from the fact that Minthe is a victim in her own right.

And when it DOES return to Minthe in 103, we get this harrowing reminder that her entire life is dependent on Hades-

And once again, here comes Thetis to the "rescue", reinforcing the negative feedback loop that Minthe is trapped in where she's put in unhealthy situations. She drags her to a bar and the whole time Minthe is not having fun because she's understandably still reeling from what happened.

Now we DO get some character development here, where Minthe realizes exactly what I've just finished explaining, that Thetis isn't her friend, that she'd rather not have Thetis as a friend than continue being talked down to and manipulated.

But then, as we know, because Rachel still needs Minthe to be the "bad guy", the breakup between Hades and Minthe winds up being all about Persephone from a POV that attempts to villainize Minthe for being "jealous" (rather than focusing on how shitty Hades actually is for having an emotional affair with Persephone to begin with) and then Minthe goes right back to hanging out with Thetis anyways for the sake of having the "evil other girl" who wants to "ruin" H x P's relationship.

It's not until Season 3 that we finally see Minthe tell Thetis to fuck off for good, but by then it's too little too late, and Minthe has lost an entire character arc. Rachel tries to go "see! Minthe's life is so much better now that she's taking care of children!" but that's an entirely different solution to a problem Minthe never had. She never got treatment for her BPD. She just got away from H x P which, while is a good thing, isn't actually analyzed as such. It's treated more as a "good thing" for H x P and the readers, because now they don't have to be subjected to Minthe's evil scheming anymore, something something "the evil is defeated". And don't even get me started on this comic's problem with constantly resolving female characters' story arcs through motherhood.

It bums me out so fucking much. Minthe deserved so much better. She's one of the many characters in LO who make it so painfully ironic when they're done dirty, because despite Rachel's attempts to write a "feminist retelling" that focuses on "moving on from trauma", she's inadvertently done more damage to feminism and the stigmas around mental health and trauma through her assassination of grounded and realistic and relatable characters like Minthe and Demeter who are shown ZERO empathy or understanding for their actions (unless it can be done so by making Persephone and Hades into the heroes). It happens so often throughout the comic it almost feels like how the comic markets itself as a "progressive feminist retelling" is some sick joke that I'm just not getting.

[persephonesdreams21]

NSFW Alphabet with Kyle

A/N: So like, I’ve had this in my drafts forever and I finally got around to tidying it up(sort of) and finishing it. In a perfect world where I had free time, I’d love to do headcannons for all of Timmy’s characters. In reality I’ll probably only get a few more in,

Warnings: NSFW. Smut- def talks of dom/sub undertones and just generally horny themes. I mean, the title is very self explanatory. Kyle x AFAB! Reader

After Care(what they're like after sex):

The first time you have sex with Kyle, aftercare isn’t a practice he’s ever partook in. He comes and makes you come and then is ready to pop a cigarette in his mouth and call it a night.

This rubs you all the way wrong.

Has you wobbling out of bed and pulling on your clothes in a furious, flustered silence.

“What are you doing- hey. Y/N. What the hell?” He watches you, big green eyes accusatory as you prepare to leave. Your steps shaky and uncoordinated. He hadn’t exactly gone easy on you. “Sit down, you can barely walk”

“Like you care” you scoff. “it’s fine, I’m just gonna go”

He sighs, not one for dramatics that aren’t his own. “You’re gonna hurt yourself”

“I’m not some random piece of ass that you can screw and discard, Kyle. Fuck you very much for thinking so” your words are venomous and sharp, but your bottom lip is wobbling. Your eyes are stormy and still slightly unfocused and woah.

Holy shit. He’s a douchebag but he’s not an idiot. He spends way too much time online and he’s able to put together what’s going on pretty damn quick.

You’re dropping.

He can’t let you leave like this. Hell, you shouldn’t be up from bed much less driving in this state..

Kyle doesn’t do aftercare, we’ll at least he hadn’t before.

It’s all kind of clunky, him bullying your purse from your weak hands and batting away any resistance. Him sitting you on the edge of his bed and leaving, just long enough, to return with a glass of water and a stray granola bar. He sits close by, hovering. His hand a solid, but silent comfort on your thigh.

You don’t cry, won’t in front of him, but god do you want to.

You end up stripped back down to your panties and under his plaid comforter once he deems you hydrated enough.

He still smokes his after-sex cig, but this time he has you tucked into his side. Your cheek smushed to his chest as he puffs on nicotine. The fingers of his free hand dancing along the skin of your back.

He’d deny it, but he’s a sucker for aftercare now.

Body Part)their fave body part of theirs, and of their partners

Kyle likes his height. He enjoys towering over crowds, being the tallest person in the room. It makes him feel strong(and like when he was little he was a shrimp- he had a late growth spurt in 9th grade)

Kyle likes your hands. They’re all teeny and delicate and he tends to play with your fingers absentmindedly. He also likes the pudge on your sides. They’re called love handles for a reason. Any time he reaches for them you screech and shy away but like. That doesn’t stop him ever.

Cum(anything to do with it)

He’s the first man to ever make you squirt and yeah, that goes to his head a little bit. He’ll finger fuck you until youre sobbing and clawing at his arms, whimpering at the mess that he seems to love.

Dirty Secret(self explanatory)

He’s a panty thief. Will literally steal your panties and keep them(and sniff them, often). You complain about it, because he’s such a weirdo and because cute underwear can get expensive! He doesn’t care.

Experience(how experienced are they? Do they know what they're doing?)

For how much sex he’s had he lowkey wasn’t great at it when you guys started fooling around. Or maybe it’s that he never cared- to get good at getting his partner off. Kyle is a selfish lover. You def teach him all the tricks in your book on how to make you feel good. And once that boy knows? He KNOWS. He’s able to flip you over and make you come in two minutes flat.

Favorite Position(this goes without saying)

Kyle loves doggy. He wants you bent over, unable to do anything but take him. Also partial to reverse cowgirl.

Goofy(are they more serious in the moment? Are they goofy?)

He is soooo serious it’s almost laughable. He gets offended when you laugh at the smoldering look on his face while he fucks you. It makes you nervous- you can’t help but giggle.

Hair(how well groomed they are)

Very well groomed. Neatly trimmed. He can’t pretend he doesn’t care about societal norms all he wants, Kyle is a total preener and loves taking care of his appearance. I mean, look at his hair. You just know it takes him a ridiculous amount of time to do in the morning.

Intimacy(how they are during the moment? The romantic aspect)

At first- intimacy isnt even in Kyles vocabulary. He doesnt know how, he doesnt understand it. It makes him feel awkward as hell. Slowly but surely as your relationship developes he starts to crave it. He wants you to stare into his eyes while you ride him, your fingers interlocked. Its tantric. Addicting.

Jack Off(masturbation headcanon)

Porn addict. All conspiracy obsessed, internet surfing boys are. He loves reading Manga and watching anime porn. You’ll indulge him and watch it with him sometimes.

“Hey, I have a toy that looks just like that!” You make the offhanded comment as the two of you watch an animated girl with big tits in a school uniform getting railed by a tentacle monster.

You’re immersed in the video. The raunchy sounds of high pitched squealing and skin slapping fill the quiet room. The blinds are drawn and the two of you lie cuddled together in his bed.

Kyle stares at you. His brain short circuiting.

You’d said it so casually. You have a toy- that looks just like the giant tentacle on his computer screen.

“You’re lying” he deadpans and it makes you giggle.

“Maybe one day I’ll show you” you shrug and like. What the fuck. Where did you even come from?

When you send him a short video of a pink glass tentacle dildo sliding in and stretching your wet hole…well let’s say that he doesn’t have to turn to his anime porn for spank bank material anymore.

Kink(one or more of their kinks)

Kyle loves overstimulation and edging. Both him doing it to you and you doing it to him. Like full on tears, shaking, emotional breakdowns, orgasms that are so good they hurt. Ugh. It’s his favorite.

Location(favorite places to do the do?)

Anywhere. Although, he def has a thing for sliding inside of you after a show. The adrenaline of playing live still coursing through his veins as he crowds you into the handicapped stall of some grimy venue bathroom and fucks you raw, his jeans around his ankles.

Motivation(what turns them on? Get’s them going?)

He loves it when you’re jealous. He's not ignorant to the way that women(and men tbh) look at him. React to him. It's always been this way, really it doesn't phase him anymore.

But you? You hate that shit.

You hate the way you can be holding his hand, and still girls will come up to him. Wink at him from across the room, waitresses leaving their phone numbers on napkins. Its maddening,

Kyle reassures you with words, with kisses and promises. He’s yours. He isn't interested in wasting energy on any of them. You're his only girl.

Still, the way you stake your claim makes him feral. When you suck bruises into his throat or wrap your arms around his waist. Don't even get him started on the time that you threw a drink in that girls face at that one party(she’d told Kyle he had like, the best hair, and reached for his dark curls. Her hand never even made it close) its just so hot. Knowing that you want him that much,

No(something they wouldn't do? Turns off’s)

So he likes it when you’re jealous, right? But you making him jealous? Is completely off the table. He will, and has, freaked out about it. He could never do threesomes or any kind of group play, he’d lose his shit.

Oral(preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc?

Kyle loves getting head. “Selfish lover alert”. It’s a chore you’re happy to perform, you love suckling at his big cock. Playing with his pink tip-

But like. He also enjoys going down on you. When the two of you first started sleeping together, you were really self conscious about it. Something about your shitty ex not liking the mess. Which like, he’ll never understand.

Your pussy is so gorgeous. All puffy and pretty for him, swollen and sopping wet. Hes such a tease with his quick tongue and little kisses. It’s not until you’re writhing and begging and forcing his dark haired head deeper that he really goes to town.

Pace(are they fast and rough, slow and sensual?)

The mans good with his hips, it's the musician in him. He has rhythm. But he is still just a young man, and he does end up getting sloppy and messy towards the end. Chasing his high like a mad man

Quickie(their opinions on quickies, how often?)

Loves a good quickie- but you’re not a huge fan. He’s very good at convincing you though, at dragging you into dark corners and palming at your body through your clothes.

Risk(are they game to experiment? Do they take risks?)

Yup, he loves that shit. He's such an exhibitionist You warn him that it is in fact, illegal. That public indecency can end in heavy fines, “The sex offenders list, Ky! I’m serious!”

But like, you always end up caving. Letting him fuck your brains out in his car. Spreading your legs when he reaches under the restaurant table, his fingers grazing your soft inner thigh, playing with your clit through your panties. If you wore a skirt for easy access…well thats your own business.

Stamina(how many rounds can they go? How long can they last?)

He’s a lazy little thing, I just know it. You get a couple rounds out of him and then he’s laying back and demanding you ride him, your turn to do the work.

“You’re my pillow princess, huh, baby?” you purr as you climb ontop of him, rubbing your wet slit along his flagging erection. You know he’ll get back to full hardness soon enough.

For now, he lies back, hands behind his head. Lounging, barley awake, his long eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks. You give his plump lips a wet smack and they twitch up in amusement.

“Princess? Whatever” He sasses, feigning offense. Even as he lets you do all the work, reaching between your own legs to fist at his cock, leading the head to your waiting hole.

“Prince then” you smile as you sink down and he groans, the veins in his neck straining as he throws his head back into the soft down pillows. He’s more than happy to let you do all the work.

Toys(do they own toys? Will they use them?)

He’s bleh about them. I think he’s inquisitive by nature, and likes to think of himself as explorative but like- he doesn't want anything but his cock filling you and making you feel good. He does enjoy watching you use them on yourself,

Unfair(how much they like to tease)

He is the absolute WORST tease. He loves riling you up. It makes him so hot, the way he can get you so desperate for him.

Volume(how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc)

Kyle’s a quiet lover, he grits his teeth and lets out long sighs You love getting him to crack, making him moan and writhe and gasp.

X-Ray(let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

I’d hate to say this because he already has a massive ego, but he has a pretty big dick too. Maybe right above garage. 7 inches. Long, but heavy.

Yearning(how high is their sex drive?)

When he wants it- he NEEDS it. Like. He’s very dramatic and takes high offense to you withholding yourself from him. Its as annoying as it is flattering.

Zzz(how quickly they fall asleep after)

He’s knocked the FUCK out. Quickly. This man has fallen asleep with his softening cock still inside of you. He’s your big baby and once he’s drunk on your kisses hes a goner.

“Your pussy’s better than indica, baby” he tells you once, only half joking and you snort and hit him square in the face with the nearest pillow.

[brucebocchi]

Ranking 2024 anime, Pt. 4: #20-11

hey, this post is also available on my ko-fi, so please check it out and consider tipping/donating as i do this for free and am currently between jobs. you can find part 1 of the list here, part 2 here, and part 3 here. thanks!

You know, I'd really planned to keep my re-reviews much shorter but I'm finding it harder to do so when I get into the anime I actually liked. Maybe that's a good thing.

And away we go.

20. Solo Leveling

Portal isekai, sad loser secretly gains crazy powers and instantly becomes a stoic gigachad, menu screens everywhere, entry-level power fantasy. You’ve seen it before. Honestly, Solo Leveling is total slop. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you’ve watched a couple isekai, like, ever, you’re not going to find much new here. There’s some interesting enough worldbuilding outside of the dungeon stuff; I did find myself intrigued by the degree to which this preponderance of portals would influence Korean economics and politics, and even moreso that much of the story so far revolves around how those corrupting powers can lead to hunters using dungeons as their own playgrounds for personal gain at others’ expense. There also seems to be a larger malefactor behind all of the menu screens driving protagonist Sung Jinwoo’s growth and titular leveling, so there’s the hook.

Even putting aside the few interesting parts of the otherwise boilerplate story, Solo Leveling both looks and sounds pretty darn good. The soundtrack is laden with Hiroyuki Sawano’s trademark build-ups and drops, and though the character art and dungeon designs aren’t always the most eye-catching (early on it did look like A-1 Pictures was going to default to “fuck it, we’re making money anyway” mode), the action animation goes absolutely bonkers in its best moments.

The second season is already up and running, and although I can barely remember anyone’s name outside of the protagonist (maybe that’s on me, I consume very little Korean media and am not great at retaining Korean names), I’m in this for the long haul. Great turn-your-brain-off action schlock.

19. Wind Breaker

At this point you could put a sign that says “DELINQUENT WITH A HEART OF GOLD” underneath a box-and-stick trap and I’d walk right in. I am not immune to your Josukes Higashikata, your Ryujis Sakamoto, what have you. The angry and violent type who will nevertheless stick up for what’s right and remain fiercely loyal to those they care about. Wind Breaker is rife with characters who fit that archetype, but it’s not exactly a delinquent anime so much as it’s a Dudes anime. More specifically, a Dudes Rock anime.

Yes, Wind Breaker’s ensemble cast is almost entirely Dudes, and they do indeed Rock. Protagonist Haruka is a self-inflicted outcast, and his tsundere ass does not appreciate all the positive attention he’s receiving after proving himself in street combat prior to his transfer to an all-delinquents high school. Nevertheless, he wants to fight his way to the top of his new environment, and if that means sticking up for the little guy along the way, all the better. 

I love that Wind Breaker’s overarching messages of self-improvement and helping the weak without expecting a reward are basically anathema for the base power fantasies that largely come from light novels over the past decade and change, but even moreso that Haruka, loner that he is, keeps having to learn that he’s not going to get anywhere without surrounding himself with the right people and relying on their support. Battle shonen are usually pretty blatant with this stuff, but to see it spelled out so clearly in a series like this just hits right.

Wind Breaker looks terrific at just about every step, too. Every single thing I’ve seen from CloverWorks from the past few years has been a bop, which makes it that much more maddening that this is the studio that bungled the Persona 5 anime and supposedly botched The Promised Neverland in its second season. I get that not everything works out as planned sometimes but I find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop sometimes. I’m glad it’s been smooth so far, at least. Some pacing issues and a weird place to end the show, but I know for a fact I'll be there when this comes back in spring.

18. Laid-Back Camp, season 3

I am not immune to the Cute Girls Doing Cute Things genre, and when all is said and done I think Yuru Camp could very well stand alone at the top. A show this directly responsible for the uptick in camping culture and countryside tourism in Japan clearly holds some sway over pop culture, and it’s clearly deserved.

Returning to the present day after the 2022 film gave us a look at the Outdoor Club in adulthood, Yuru Camp’s third season gives us exactly what we wanted: More of the same. We largely focus on the solo expeditions of Rin, Nadeshiko, and the latter’s hometown friend Ayano as they trek to their collective meetup spot, and as the seasons change we get the entire gang together for some springtime hanami. It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s whimsical, it’s Yuru Camp. You know what you’re getting into at this point.

With studio Eightbit taking over the series in its third season, Yuru Camp still largely looks the same, and wonderfully so, but it can be a bit off at times: CGI vehicles look far more distractingly out-of-place, and for as gorgeous as the background art was in the first two seasons and movie, it can come across as a bit more uncanny this time out. I don’t know whether some of the shots of sakura branches were traced or run through some kind of AI post-processing from archival photos, and I hate to speculate on that, but given that this is the same studio that bafflingly under-animates the money printer that is Blue Lock, I can’t exactly put it past them.

Production quibbles aside, I can’t really complain about more Yuru Camp. It’s a bit lighter on plot than previous seasons, but this is a series that was light on plot to begin with. We get to spend time with these goofs, learn about camping and the Japanese countryside, and then maybe go touch grass ourselves. That’s a good message for a Cute Girls Doing Cute Things series to have: Go do your own cute things.

17. NieR: Automata Ver. 1.1a, part 2

The second half of this adaptation was going to be the metric by which fans of the 2017 action-RPG judged the whole work. The first half in 2023, covering the game’s A and B routes, was a solid if troubled production that did a good job of covering the narrative and action, even implementing surprising easter eggs from NieR Replicant along the way. Sloppy CGI integration in early episodes and a COVID-induced delay hampered things, though, so there were some nerves about the show’s return.

Any fears were quickly allayed once the second half of the series began, covering the real meat of the story in routes C-E. Ver. 1.1a immediately looked exceptional, with expressive character animation and fluid action sequences. Real pathos was instilled into the route’s early tragedies. Most welcome of all was the serious work put into expanding A2’s character and role in the story (as well as her backside). It felt like she’d gotten the short end of the stick narratively in the game, so it felt right to spend more time with her, tie her story in the present back to the past that was hinted at in the Resistance flashbacks, and just get to see her be a tsundere a couple times. I’m gonna have to go back and rewatch the whole series dubbed because I just know Cherami Leigh crushed it.

I’m of two minds about Ver. 1.1a as a whole: On one hand, this is just about as good an adaptation of the game as we probably could have gotten. On the other, a big part of what makes the NieR games’ narratives work so well comes from the fact that they could pretty much only be told through the framework of a video game. While Ver. 1.1a does a perfectly fine job of delivering the game’s narrative and providing its own take on the game’s extremely video-game-y ending, much of what makes NieR’s tragedies so impactful is the player’s agency (and occasional lack thereof) in these matters. 

Nothing can replace actually playing NieR: Automata as a means of experiencing its story, but Ver. 1.1a is a darn good companion piece, and one that may even hint at the future of the Drakengard/NieR franchise. Now if only Yoko Taro would focus on something other than gacha games and death game anime for two seconds…

16. Train to the End of the World

The writer/director duo behind Squid Girl came back to give us one of the best and most bizarre original anime this year. Train to the End of the World is overtly and unapologetically weird, and that’s the way I like ‘em.

This weird and wonderful trek across a warped and wildly varied landscape dazzles the eyes and rots the brain in unexpected ways, but it’s a stellar character comedy through and through. Shuumatsu Train’s oddball protagonists are goofy, galaxy-brained, and sometimes flat-out mean in ways that only teenage girls can be. The dialogue is expertly written and some of the punchiest I’ve ever seen in anime. The girls bicker, mess with strangers, and engage in the kinds of inane conversations you only have when you’re the most bored you’ve ever been in your life.

While rarely laugh-out-loud funny, Train to the End of the World is intrinsically hilarious. The sheer absurdity on display is the kind that leaves you just shaking your head in disbelief. One episode they’re playing House of the Dead to get out of a real-life zombie situation, and in another they’re acting out their favorite fictional anime that you, the viewer, are just expected to know about already. It’s a stupid show in the smartest ways; a classical Homerian epic with ruminations on the future, but also one where the girls threaten to wipe out a Lilliputian colony by peeing on it. It’s both eschatological and scatological. With the recent discourse over modern adaptations and interpretations of The Odyssey, this anime might as well be the nuclear option.

Train to the End of the World was a standout in a strong spring season, but it didn’t shake out super high in a long and darn good year of anime. That’s fine and all, but I really hope it ends up attaining the cult hit status it seemed destined for. 

15. Mayonaka Punch

This one had been distant on my radar for a couple of weeks after it premiered, but as soon as I found out it was a P.A. Works original, I picked it up immediately. Any original series by the studio that gave us Akiba Maid War’s glorious gut-wrenching insanity (as well as last year’s exceptional Skip and Loafer adaptation) is going to get my attention, and although Mayonaka Punch doesn’t quite reach the same highs as Akiba Maid War, it does try to match the latter’s most madcap moments.

I don’t have a better pitch than “Canceled YouTuber starts up a new channel with a house full of lesbian vampires,” nor do I really need one. Mayonaka Punch’s comedy largely revolves around the personality clash between the disaffected, avoidant Masaki and the pushy, hyperactive Live (who definitely wants Masaki for more than just her blood), but the whole cast is a riot. Throwing in a baby day trader, a taciturn fujoshi, and a big-titty pachinko fiend are just the right spices to make this a particularly tasty stew.

Chaos naturally ensues, and watching these women try to channel it into a successful YouTube channel is an easy recipe for comedy. Everyone has terrific chemistry and I was rapt with attention every time we got to learn more about each of these vampire girls’ history. What came as a huge surprise, though, was how potent some of the emotional hits ended up, even when it involved characters outside of the main pairing. The fact that the biggest one came in just the fourth episode was a masterstroke; I was already on board for the comedy but just like that I was fully invested in a character other than the one who wants to suck the protagonist dry. I’m not rephrasing that.

This one absolutely deserves to be a cult classic, and the door is left open just maddeningly enough at the end that I can only pray for more. Mayonaka Punch is a boatload of fun and deserves way more attention than it’s gotten. You can change that. Right now. Watch this show.

Prior to writing this, Fairouz Ai (Live’s voice actress and a huge presence in a handful of the shows I’ve already discussed) announced that she would be taking a hiatus from VA work following a PTSD diagnosis. I wish her all of the time, recovery, and support she needs.

14. Urusei Yatsura (2022), season 2

The opening salvo in the ongoing Rumiko Takahashi revival (weird thing to say about a mangaka who’s still alive and working, I know) returned this year for the second half of its “all-stars” run, marathoning us through retellings of the classic manga’s greatest hits, the oddest of its many oddballs, and its spectacular, heartfelt conclusion. More Lum is always a good thing.

I’ve written plenty about Urusei Yatsura’s remake following each cour except the first, and I don’t have much more to add at this point. It’s a classic for a reason and it laid the foundations for dozens of jokes, tropes, and standards that are fundamental to comedy in anime to this day. Even when some of the jokes may come off as trite or tropey, it’s easy to see just how and why it made Takahashi so successful. The exaggerated slice-of-life hijinks, outsized slapstick, and time-and-space surrealness are just as much of a treat as the deep, eclectic cast. And to top it all off, here’s Ataru and Lum being a couple of freaks who deserve each other.

Even though the 46-episode run certainly feels truncated compared to the 191 episodes, six films, and ten OVAs that came before it, David Production did a fine job of putting a modern touch on such a classic work and highlighting its strengths. And even though most of the run was an abridged run through the greatest hits, I’m really glad the studio made sure to dedicate the last few episodes to the manga’s final arc, bringing Lum and Ataru together in a beautiful and (briefly) satisfying climax.

And even for as satisfying as that ending was, it was nearly overshadowed by…

13. Ranma ½ (2024)

…the revival of Takahashi’s biggest hit.

Yes, right on the heels of the ending of the remake of her landmark romcom classic, came the announcement that her even BIGGER landmark romcom classic was also getting a remake. Ranma ½ is one of the hallmarks of 90s anime writ large, working late-80s Japan’s fascination with Chinese martial arts (partially due to Dragon Ball’s success) into a romantic-comedy framework that also accidentally served as the genesis of the harem genre. I’d somehow never actually engaged with Ranma prior to the remake, so I was happy to get in on a new ground floor and I was immediately sold.

As the youngest daughter of the Tendo Dojo, Akane Tendo is put in a predicament when her father betrothes her (at her sisters’ urging) to his friend’s son, Ranma Saotome. Though both are skilled fighters and a good match in that regard, Akane is a bit of a hothead and doesn’t much care for boys, so she’s not a fan of this arrangement, but it’s made all the more bizarre by the fact that Ranma is also a girl sometimes. Thanks to a bizarre accident in China, Ranma turns into a girl when soaked with cold water and back into a boy when hit with hot water. Shenanigans ensue as Ranma and Akane’s contentious relationship hits innumerable peaks and valleys, all the while fighting off an ever-growing menagerie of powerful, fight-happy suitors gunning for the hands and lips of Akane and both versions of Ranma.

MAPPA of all studios being the one to re-adapt Ranma came as a surprise, and you probably could’ve convinced me David Production took over this Takahashi adaptation as well. Ranma’s remake adopts several of the same visual flairs you’d see in Urusei Yatsura, including the Ben Day dots, color inversions, and manga-style onscreen onomatopoeias. On the other hand, while most of the moment-to-moment character animation is pretty much what you’d expect from any given anime, several of the action sequences are very well-animated to MAPPA’s typically high standard. I just hope the animators weren’t getting the Chainsaw Man or Jujutsu Kaisen treatment.

Ranma ½ is as hilarious as ever, but it can get a little wonky thematically when it comes to gender politics, boundaries, and expectations, as I’d been made aware before ever engaging with the work. I also knew from the Urusei Yatsura remake that this was basically Takahashi’s wheelhouse, as there are a couple of pretty genderbendy characters in there as well. Several of the male antagonists in Ranma are more than a little pushy when it comes to women who catch their eye, and a lot of the humor around Ranma’s gender swaps revolves around how their male socialization affects the lack of modesty with which they present their female form (more on that later). People who are much better versed in gender matters than myself, both academically and personally, can speak on the positives and negatives of these things much better than I can, and it’s too early in the series for me to really make a judgment call. I do think it’s odd, though, that even with the central romance, Akane doesn’t seem to remotely entertain the thought of getting involved with Ranma’s female side, and unfortunately I don’t really see that ever happening. So far, all of these things just come across as flat-out silly and more of a product of its time than anything nefarious. 

The original Ranma ½ adaptation remains a seminal work for a solid generation and a half of anime fans, so of course a remake was going to be met with some criticism. Some didn’t appreciate the more muted color palette compared to the late 80s/early 90s Studio Deen version, and while it’s certainly missing some of the flair of the hand-painted backgrounds and saturated lighting effects the medium has missed since that era, I personally like the softer hues; I find them a lot more reminiscent of Rumiko Takahashi’s own colorations for her art outside of the manga. It’s not as technicolor as the Urusei Yatsura remake, but I think that actually helps set the new Ranma apart rather than riding the former’s coattails.

The main difference people seem to be complaining about, however, has more to do with boobs. Takahashi has never been shy about including nudity in her manga, and in an era where uncensored bazongas were perfectly fine to publish in boys’ manga magazines, she was typically more matter-of-fact about the female form instead of pursuing titillation. As such, a story like Ranma’s, in which its title character is typically blase about presenting their female incarnation modestly, had a lot to work with on that front, and the original anime played along.

Not so with the MAPPA version. Nipples are conspicuously missing in scenes that legitimately do call for nudity, and an ass crack appears to be missing from an early scene as well. Personally, I don’t mind the Barbie doll treatment, and as I’d been reading the manga as the anime’s story progressed, I didn't find all that much missing in the transition from page to screen. Weebs tend to convince themselves they’re the most oppressed people on earth, so of course there were cries of censorship, which is a claim I don’t really care to entertain. These are different times, broadcast regulations in Japan are almost certainly different from what they were 35 years ago, and Netflix and/or MAPPA likely didn’t see the need for it. Could be any of those things. I’m not losing sleep over it.

And with that, I’m done talking about Rumiko Takahashi (for now). I’m grateful for everything related to her work, even tangentially, that came out this year, and my life is richer for it. I’m glad to have gotten into her work in earnest this year, and I can say with all conviction (hot take incoming) that she’s one of the greatest mangaka ever. I look forward to diving further into even more of her work.

12. The Elusive Samurai

I’d have been perfectly happy if Wind Breaker had been CloverWorks’ only beautifully-animated oddball shonen hit this year, and then they went and outdid themselves the very next season with this one.

The Elusive Samurai is a gorgeous, timeless-looking piece of historical fiction beginning at the very end of the Kamakura period, following the last survivor of the Hojo clan, the young Tokiyuki, as he’s urged by an eccentric priest to lead a pack of freedom fighters and take revenge. Despite coming from a prominent family within the shogunate, Tokiyuki was an impertinent kid and preferred to play hide-and-seek instead of attending any combat training. The priest, Yorishige, receives a vision of the future that predicts that Tokiyuki will fell his family’s usurper not by becoming a powerful warrior, but by doing what he’s already best at: Being a squirrelly little shit.

I just gushed about how good this show looks three months ago, and even now I’m thinking back fondly on how well it blends whimsy with brutality. You can have Yorishige and the kids goofing off and cracking jokes one minute and vibrant crimson beheadings the next. Even little Tokiyuki makes a joyful game out of slicing a bandit’s veins to ribbons later in the season. It feels like a callback to anime films and OVAs of the 80s, with the film grain effect to match. Almost every single thing about this show looks and sounds incredible.

Of course, there’s the CGI. I really don’t like complaining about that sort of thing, but it was such a blatant and unnecessary cost-cutting move that it almost cheapens the rest of the show. Look, I get that horses can be a pain to hand-animate after a while, but having characters’s CGI models speaking while riding on horseback is just enough to take me out of the show, especially when they already look as bizarre as, say, Sadamune. How that passed muster with the rest of the show’s standard is beyond me.

So, maybe I did dock it a spot or two for that, but I see that as a wrinkle that can be ironed out. The Elusive Samurai is absurdly promising, and its debut season is a tremendous statement. Can’t wait for more.

11. Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!

As I made clear last year by putting 100 Girlfriends’ debut season in my top ten for 2023, for as much as I love a good straight-up romance story, I have ample room in my heart for trashy dipshit romcoms as well. Makeine shares that affection and forges its own identity from it, establishing its own throne atop a hill of garbage.

This is not a “yeah it’s good if you can look past the tropes” show. Makeine is firmly on its bullshit, and it is firmly about its bullshit. It’s not nearly as off-the-wall as 100 Girlfriends, few shows are, but it’s well aware of your expectations and leaves you guessing whether you’ll have them expertly subverted or just thrown right back in your face. Even the protagonist, the light novel fanatic Nukumizu, is calling out the tropes as they happen, but it’s been a fun time watching him learn that he’s more than just a wet-blanket LN protagonist. He thinks he’s just along for the ride like any other blank-faced self-insert in these stories, as gets roped into the personal lives of these poor girls and learns that, yes, they are real people and that, yes, he is too.

I could go on and on about Too Many Losing Heroines’ idiosyncrasies and offbeat characters and punchy dialogue, but I did that plenty just a few months ago. Instead, I want to call attention once more to just how freakishly well-made this show is. A-1 Pictures had zero reason to go this hard on a goofy, trashy light novel romcom adaptation, and yet here they were, throwing their A-team at the whole project. Character animations are intricate, background art is sumptuous, lighting effects immaculate, and music on point at all times. The OP is an earworm (and one of a surprising number of ska intros and outros I’ve taken in this year), and having each of the main titular heroines perform her own story-appropriate ED was a masterstroke. Even the visual gags are perfect and allowed to land on their own.

I already cannot wait for more of this. If A-1 has given us all we’re going to get of the Kaguya-sama anime, then I’m as all-in on Makeine as they are. Not the best romcom out there, but easily one of the best-made out there.

[dropintomanga]

The Green Space That Is Green Yuri

As some of you may already know, I'm a huge fan of Sumiko Arai's The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All. It's the yuri manga that has taken the manga world by storm. The manga has a cute romance story, some cool characters, and stylish artwork. I want to talk about the artwork and I'm not talking about just the characters and setting. It's how both reflect a central concept - the usage of the color green throughout the manga.

The series is affectionally known as "Green Yuri", which I will use to reference the manga since the title name is pretty long to write out. Green is everywhere in this manga. The covers and background panels are in green alongside the black and white character drawings. This gives the manga a very energetic and rebellious feel that makes it stand out among the crowd.

I did some research about the particular kind of green being used in Green Yuri. It looks similar to a color trend I read about recently. So it's called "brat green." The color blew up in the summer of 2024, thanks to mega pop-star Charli XCX's "Brat" album cover being that particular shade of green. Brat green represents freedom and the energy of being alive, according to the designer who helped with the color. Brat green is noted to be brilliant, intense, and rich.

But even before 2024 and the official international localizations of the manga, Green Yuri blew up online in Japan when it was serialized in pixiv. Green is often associated with all things natural and reflects a sense of calmness in the face of chaos.

If you follow the manga, you know that both main characters, Aya Osawa and Mitsuki Koga, are trying to be themselves in high school where they're not exactly themselves. Aya comes off as a gyaru-type while Mitsuki comes off as a very shy introvert. What's natural to them is their love of rock music. Rock music is what allows them to be calm to a degree. Rock music is the "green" that makes both Aya and Mitsuki feel refreshed to take on the day.

The usage of green in Green Yuri can also mean motivation. You see Aya and Mitsuki make several attempts to talk to each other despite these attempts ending up in awkward fashion. There's a constant green light for the two to connect with one another. Mitsuki is also driven to make music and we see her hard at work in songwriting.

Not all things green are good. Green represents envy. This becomes apparent in Volume 2 of the manga where Aya meets a long-time female associate of Mitsuki's and notices how close they are to one another. Things do get resolved, but there's a interesting conflict growing where Aya notices Mitsuki's attempts to be her true self (i.e. more self-acceptance) and she starts to become jealous of her. Green can also represent greed and from what I've seen, maybe Aya is like this because at times, she wants Mitsuki all for herself.

The positives outweigh the negatives anyway. Green is definitely about growth, but is also about renewal. And this is apparent in a side chapter featured in Volume 1 where the reader learns about Mitsuki's past before she met Aya. Back in junior high, Mitsuki never bothered to wear skirts because of her desire to not fit in as she loved rock music and its themes. Unfortunately, she loses friends as a result due to not following stereotypical norms. Mitsuki was content to just let life drift by without friends because she felt that there was no one out there who really syncs with her. It wasn't until she sees Aya come into the record store she works at and asks about about a CD from the American rock band Nirvana that her opinion changed. In a sense, this encounter brings a newfound sense of renewal in Mitsuki - a renewal in the belief that she can find someone who can match her rhythm.

Finally, I will say one thing about brat green that really brings the manga together. It's a color that reflects both the past and the present. Brat green gives off a classic vibe, but it doesn't feel like it's "old-fashioned" as you can definitely use it in a modern setting. It's a color that blends in perfectly in whatever time period. Green Yuri is basically using the past and present to create a very fun "green space" setting where two characters defined by both to create a future for themselves that takes the best of both worlds. Notable rock songs and acts from the '70s'/80s/'90s are referenced throughout the manga and its promotional material. The girls share Spotify playlists of some of the songs featured to each other. Spotify also has a green logo. This manga is literally going green for the betterment of all.

Green Yuri is a green space series that I hope benefits all of those who read it because in a world where the colors black and white seem to dominate so much thinking, green represents much-needed healing and a sense of optimism that we can grow and bloom naturally into something better for ourselves and those around us.

[intothestars23]

So I finally finished Onyx Storm a few weeks ago and have been wanting to write out my overall thoughts, and I'm finally getting to it lol (I've been so busy between work, theatre, and home stuff😅)

Anyway so my general overall opinion is that I enjoyed it for the most part, but I definitely enjoyed the first 2 books more. I also felt some personal frustrations while reading, but I'll talk more about those in the reblogs or something. I just wanna keep the main post about the positives for now😊

!Onyx Storm Spoilers!

What I loved:

Dain fucking Aetos. If you had told me going into this book that Dain would be one of my absolute favorite parts, I would've said "lol yeah sure" but here we are. He delivered gold in every scene he was in tbh and I loved it. He really showed up, quipped a bit, got publicly disowned but handled it like a champ, supported Violet without question, struggled with being a translator, got salty when Aaric showed him up, and partook in some serious sexual tension with Sloane and I love that for him. Character👏 growth👏 I love his character arc over the 3 books and I hope he continues to grow. And maybe Dain & Sloane are the real enemies-to-lovers haha❤️

Violet & Sawyer finally got some one-on-one time! Before this book, if I recall correctly, I don't believe they ever had a full scene that was really just the 2 of them. Usually if Sawyer was there, so was Rhiannon and/or Ridoc. As one of the few Sawyer fans, I've been dying for a scene with just Violet & Sawyer to show more of their individual bond with each other; and that chapter between the 2 of them where he finally mounted Sliseag was one of my favorite chapters in the book, if not my favorite. It was so cute and sweet❤️ And I loved the interaction between Sawyer & Sliseag, too, because we got to see a little bit of their dynamic. And the fact that Sliseag apparently blames himself for Sawyer losing his leg??🥺😭 I wish we had found out what Sliseag said to Sawyer to get him to finally accept the accommodation, though. I thought we would find out and I'm kind of bummed that we didn't. Either way, I'm glad Sawyer accepted the accommodation and finally came to understand that it doesn't make him a lesser rider❤️ I just love Sawyer tbh

Violet being a boss occasionally. I lived for the moments where Violet stood her ground. It doesn't matter who she was talking to, I just live for women standing their ground and telling people how it is. Whether it's demanding her & Andarna's wants/needs to the Senarium, telling the guy with the tigers (can't remember his name) how it's gonna be, or simply saying that she doesn't need a protector. I ate it up everytime bc that's my girl. I just wish she stood up for herself more, you know?

Cat & Trager were so cute...😭 It takes some talent to take 2 characters I initially couldn't give a shit about, make me not only care about them but genuinely like them, make me root for them and be happy for them... and then rip my heart out (or rather shoot an arrow through my heart) all in the same book🥲

Violet living for the tea in other people's love lives. Every time someone blushed or made some insinuation, my girl really went👀 lmao so real of her tbh

Rhiannon & Ridoc teasing Sawyer about Jesinia was one of my favorite scenes. The squad getting Sawyer out of bed to alter the wardstone was another favorite, especially Ridoc's little brotherly tough love speech he gave him aghh. I'm telling you, Rebecca could just write a whole book about Violet & her friends and I would happily eat it up, I love these 5 so much❤️

Rhiannon being a certified badass at every turn

Ridoc being Ridoc at every turn

If anything happens to Broccoli/Carrot, we riot😤

Speaking of which, Mira being the best kitten mom and giving her little chin scratches🥺 Also, just Mira❤️

Ok the reveal of Aaric's signet was kinda cool. I had been wondering if he somehow had some sixth sense. I didn't know precognition could be a signet but I suppose it makes sense if retrocognition is one lol. My only gripes with it are: 1. Did Aaric not realize that was his signet? Why else would he not just tell Violet that he was able to see the future. Why wouldn't he mention it at all if it could possibly help them? Lmao Aaric wth💀 2. Why would Violet not take just a second to open the box he gave her right away. I know it's for dramatic storytelling purposes lol but still. My curious ass would've opened it right away😅

Those are my thoughts for now! I might either reblog or make a separate post about the things I wasn't crazy about, but I just wanted to talk about what I enjoyed first❤️

[nite-puff]

you’ve asked US.. but what are your thoughts on each of the captives??

OOOOOOHHH. yippeeee. i’ve spent so much time talking about certain captives to my friends in private. might as well talk about them here too!!

let’s get the ones that show up out of the way:

komaru: girly!!!!!! love you teenage girl protagonists that act like teenage girls. gotta be one of my favorite genders. i do have to refresh myself on udg to really get a better grasp on her nuances and growth throughout the game. but from what i do understand. she’s so nice. top three protag!!

yuta: wish we got more time with him fr!!!!! i do wish they kinda tried to make him more different from aoi. because they’re both kinda just hyper sports kids (at first glance. ofc aoi becomes more than that. maybe yuta would too if he stuck around more). it’d be nice to see what separates them. can’t believe he’s the only character death in udg. like wtf (taichi doesn’t count). he was still a nice presence when we had him. fly high, king.

taichi: fun fact. i actually don’t have many opinions on taichi. i know there are people who very much do. but idk. he didn’t really stand out to me. and that’s a me thing. not saying he’s a bad character or anything. i do think he’s funny when juxtaposed with hiroko and takaaki. loving husband and father who’s still happily married and the two most divorced individuals on earth.

hiroko: HIROKO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HER! I COULD TALK ABOUT HER FOR HOURS. i came to the realization recently that she’s probably my favorite female character in all of dr. she’s in my top 5 favorite dr characters for sure. she’s who mondo wishes he was. she’s so kind and loving but also cool and badass. there’s so much about her that i want to know. which sucks because the writers don’t really want to develop her beyond “hiro’s hot mom” other than the fact that she’s an ex-biker turned nurse. which is. really cool!! i love her and want to know more please!!!! ultra despair hagakure 2: hiroko edition please!!!!! rando headcanon: she has a tattoo sleeve from her biker days. there’s a prevailing fish motif in it, to go with her jacket design.

okay. now the other guys.

takaaki: i mean. cmon, it’s takaaki. of course i have thoughts on him. i tried to abstain from voting in the poll, but then accidentally voted (i’ll say who when i get to them). but if i voted on purpose, i would’ve voted for him. he’s just…. man. a friend translated his beta design sheet recently and found out that they went into his design with the intention of making him look like the saddest old man ever. and yeah. they succeeded. i feel like a lot of people want takaaki in a game because it feels like what we already know about him implies a lot of nuance and character growth. he’s the only captive we know of that has a weapon on him (other than protag komaru). and he seems very serious, but is capable of having the same sense of justice and emotional highs as kiyotaka?? and they even point out how unlucky the guy was/is in the main game. like there’s a lot already going on there. what’s it like to be the son of a disgraced businessman/prime minister?? how does it feel to be the father of an aspiring prime minister (who fucking DIED. at the hands of someone trying to make money off his death)?? man…

takemichi: my rotten soldier. my sweet cheese. my good time boy. imagine your one job being to protect your best friend and lead your gang in his absence, but you indirectly fail at both of those and lose everything in one fell swoop. yeah, it wasn’t takemichi’s fault. but imagine if he still internalized the fuck out of that. if you can’t tell by the fact that he’s literally my pfp. i also have a lot of thoughts about takemichi. it’s almost like mondo and kiyotaka are the two characters that ive been hyperfixated on for the past 4-5 years. i feel like they were setting up the “cute but deadly” trope with him, what with them hyper focusing on his short stature and boyish looks but also his positions as head of the elite guard and mondo’s bodyguard. and i like that trope when it comes to him. he’s mondo’s cool best friend, and they both know that. i also can’t help but imagine his dynamics with other characters. his dynamic with takaaki is a given. mondo and kiyotaka were a standout duo. so it’s only natural that people like to think about what the dynamic between their respective closest persons would be like as well, especially with the whole “cop and delinquent” thing. i also love to imagine what his dynamic with hiroko was gonna be like. it’s clear that she’s automatically endeared to him. like she automatically gives him a nickname, something she doesn’t do to any other captive save for protag komaru. (i love “michi” as his fanon nickname, but “ruru” will always have my heart). also they’re both past and present delinquents. they’d obviously bond over that. just let me see them have one conversation please!!

kanon: uuuhhhhhhhhhhhh… i know that she’s the victim of an author who just wanted to write a fetish novel. and she could’ve been a way better character had someone else handled her. but man. i can’t get passed how she was written in udh. it also kind of breaks how we’re supposed to view the respective student-captive relationship. like every student thinks fondly of their respective “closest person.” and then there’s leon. who’s made very uncomfortable by his. sucks for him ig. by that logic, i can’t get behind the idea that her portrayal in udh was what was always intended to be her character. like that can’t possibly be the case right?? like they must’ve had another idea before handing her off to a writer who wanted to write a fetish novel. then again, udg’s writing in general tends to get weird. so who knows atp. also who knows if udh even happened. it feels like they retconned it in the dr3 anime by having hiro there and never mentioning the events of the light novel.

ayaka: she’s the one i accidentally voted for. and i mean. i wasn’t that hung up on it. cuz ayaka’s neat. people brought up some really good arguments for why she would’ve been included in the main game, very notably bringing up how she could’ve paralleled kotoko when it comes to how it’s like to be a young girl in the entertainment business. also obligatory “komaru was a fan of her girl group, so that interaction would’ve been fun to see.” there’s definitely something you can say about her being the least popular out of her girl group, but also being the only one left alive after everything. like imagine that being the one time you stood out among your peers?? it’s also fun to imagine what her friendship with sayaka looked like. there must’ve been something unique to their dynamic if she was the one chosen as a captive and not the three other girls. wonder what it was… only negative thing i have to say is that i wish they gave her a different name. just don’t have it be one letter away from “sayaka” please.

grand bois chéri: cat :3. that’s it really. nothing much going on there. there was no way he would’ve effected the plot if he was kept in, yet he was scrapped anyway. so there can’t possibly be much there.

aloysius: as we move down the list, i start to have less to say about these characters. yeah, i don’t have much on aloysius. i do think his potential dynamic with byakuya is interesting, considering the two have a better relationship than byakuya has with his family (which, i know why that is, but it’s still fun to think about). there’s something to be said about him being close to the elites of the world, but still only as a servant to them. like there could’ve been something cool there. does byakuya still only think of him as a servant, despite him apparently being the closest person to the heir?? much to think about. (side note: i just figured out how to pronounce his name not to long ago. it’s aloysius as in. o’hare.) (also obligatory “alfred reference”)

fujiko: i think she’s very silly!!!! she has a really cute design, and for that reason alone, i wish we could’ve seen more of her. i think her interactions with komaru could’ve been really nice because, again, komaru is a fan of her work. and i feel like the whole writing debate hifumi and toko had in thh would’ve been rehashed for a conversation between fujiko and toko. i can’t trust that the dr writers would’ve done something worthwhile with her, and i think that’s what’s really holding me back from discovering her full potential, writing-wise. tho i know there are fujiko fans who have really good arguments for what she could have going for her. and for that reason, i think she would’ve been neat to see. also the design. the design is really cute.

fuhito: another character i don’t have many thoughts on. i haven’t read the kirigiri novels, but i know they get into some lore on him. i don’t know how big his presence is in them but still, maybe that’s why im less privy to wanting to see more of him. still when it comes to thh grandpas, there’s definitely worse.

kenshiro: i feel like he’d definitely give off a more hiroko vibe if he was in the game. like a calmer presence to offset all the chaos. would also love to find out how he’s managed to survive during all that. it’d get turned into a lesson about hope and persevering despite it all. i feel like he and takemichi would get along. i can see them having a very danganronpa-like conversation where they promise to spar after everything goes back to normal and kenshiro gets better. death flags are raised. i always pictured him as stoic but very kind, very much like sakura. idk where im going with this. he’s not my personal pick for “character i want to know more of” but i wouldn’t be against finding out new information. he’s just neat.

kameko: bug. idk. once again, not much more to say.

and those are my thoughts. i’m, of course, biased to the characters who are close to the characters i have a hyperfixation on. but i think they all have potential to be cool characters (save for like. the animals). some didn’t live up to that potential, while others didn’t get that chance in the first place. but it’s cool that fans are interested anyways. tbh i really love the fans that are really into the captives. they’re insanely creative when it comes to crafting their ideas about these characters that the writers have most likely completely forgot. but it’s fun to imagine things anyway. anyways, someone go bother kodaka and ask about what the hell is up with these guys.

(this is also an invitation for people to talk to me about the captives more. please. my inbox is open.)

[homestuckreplay]

Jack Noir, Star Of Hit Movie École De Rock

(page 949-973)

The slow zoom out of Homestuck is very fun. It’s hard to believe that a few hundred pages ago we were confined to a single room, and now this story switches back and forth between planets. In these pages, we cut from John exploring Dad’s room over to what Dad’s actually doing and back, meet some loser monarchist, and poke further at the meta layers.

So all those years, while you believed he was out busking up the corners with hilarious antics, he was working as an ordinary business man all along. He was just a man trying to make a good honest living for his son. Maybe he was too embarrassed to tell you the truth? Or maybe it was just that you'd never bothered to ask? You guess you always just assumed... (p.949)

This really reads like it’s setting up a growth moment for John, when he realizes the truth about his dad and the different ways he should have acted towards him, and I am NOT buying it. This sketch of Dad in a jester’s hat and tie juggling on the street is masterful, and John has lived with Dad and spent time with him for 13 years, and John’s image of Dad based on that time spent together is real and meaningful, and I don’t like that the narrative is suggesting that it isn’t?

Son. If you are reading this, it means you are now strong enough to lift the safe. You are now a man. As such, you are entitled to what is inside. I know you will take this responsibility seriously. I am so proud of you. (p.546)

For some reason, Dad is associated with lifting safes. He can not only lift them, but launch them through walls, and take down guys who can lift even bigger safes. Being strong generally, and safes specifically, are not culturally associated with either dads or businessmen, both of which are more often seen as sedentary. Bakers, harlequins, even street performers are not especially physical. If Dad was just a businessman his special skill would be typing really good or memorizing schedules or processing spreadsheets super fast. And yet.

From there we meet Archagent Jack Noir, overseer of a ‘dark kingdom’ also known as an ‘ominous planet’, who has a spade on their clothes. They are not named Spades Slick, but the similarity is explicitly acknowledged. A few panels later we see one of Jack’s ‘burliest agents’ (p.957) who has a heart on their outfit and looks exactly like Hearts Boxcars, also from the Midnight Crew (p.833). Possibly the Midnight Crew are the ominous agents’ LARP characters.

The Midnight Crew is a comic within the Homestuck universe, and it’s bleeding outwards, its characters entering the main story. At the same time, a set of yellow fingers types commands from the position I’ve been calling the ‘player’ – this player is bleeding inwards to the main story. And both things happen right as Jack Noir’s fourth wall has been stolen. (Jack looks directly out of where this wall would be, at the reader, when he rejects the name Spades Slick, and the yellow hands appear as though in a POV shot).

Jack Noir is the opposite to the Wayward Vagabond; he has a blind devotion to the monarch (who we also get a glimpse of!) and considers them a ‘wise and just leader’ even while disagreeing with them. But they both have a lot of interiority, compared to the imps which don’t appear to have much thought or personality beyond the prototyped clownish spirit. The imps also had their harlequin garb appear automatically (p.424) while Jack was ‘ordered’ to wear the clothes (p.956) and could decide whether to obey. He also doesn’t appear to have adopted a jester’s personality. So I think we have two types of Sburb NPCs, the minions and those with wills of their own.

I was thinking about the names ‘Jack Noir’ and ‘Spades Slick’ and the idea of being an archagent for an ominous planet or plotting a heist in an underground hideout and how this is a very different genre to the rest of Homestuck. So I looked up the Wikipedia page for ‘noir fiction’ and found this interesting quote, which, if this genre is played straight, could be the type of story that unfolds with Jack Noir. It tracks so far with his position between the monarch and the minions, but it’s very early days.

A typical protagonist of noir fiction is forced to deal with a corrupt legal, political or other system, through which the protagonist is either victimized and/or has to victimize others, leading to a lose-lose situation.

John gets more birthday gifts!! I love this. In real time John has been waiting months to open these. And he loves all three of them, just like he loved the Little Monsters poster, showing that for the most part Dad knows what John likes, and the harlequin doll is the one exception. The photoshop job on the fetch modus control deck is so good, this absolutely looks like a real product (possibly an edit of a Star Trek toy?) and the idea of combining the properties of different fetch modi is so chaotic. Do NOT give this to Jade. If she combines memory + operation + ouija it’s all over for us. It is also funny that there is a modus (array) that just works and is easy to use, and everyone willingly opts for worse options (‘array of distinct queuestacks’ is ridiculous).

I think fetch modus technology is the backbone of Homestuck worldbuilding. Right now it’s not super plot relevant, but it establishes rules that other aspects of the world follow too – and this idea of combining properties is something we’ve seen with alchemy too. In the same way that the pogo ride and hammer could be combined in two different ways (adding or subtracting) to give different outcomes, these fetch modi could be moved around in the deck and reconfigured into a queuestack of distinct arrays.

John getting excited about a Gushers birthday gift is perfect, no notes, fits perfectly with how I see him. But I was surprised at first by his excitement about the suit. John does have ‘a lot of clothes’ (p.115) but never struck me as a fashion guy, until I remembered his movies. I think John is excited about owning a suit because a lot of movies feature Cool Characters In Suits, and now he can pretend to be a Nic Cage in Face/Off or a Matthew McConaughey in A Time To Kill.

Dad beating up the ominous planet’s agents, lifting safes and breaking out of jail is also a cool action movie thing, and a lot of John’s movies do feature fathers who go to extreme and heroic lengths for their kids – notably, Con Air’s whole plot is a father trying to get home in time to give his daughter a birthday gift, while imprisoned on a plane with guards and maximum security criminals. So I don’t know what’s going on with Dad specifically, but I do think John’s action movie dreams will come true.

> John: Take important phone call from the President.

[kismetconstellations]

Because I'm still bitter... The first time I consciously verbalized that "I hate this show", came when, as I predicted, there was absolutely no acknowledgement of Shiro having no living family on Earth, come the Atlas's "launch date" at the start of Season Eight.

We get shots of each of the Paladins interacting with their families, including Allura as a part of Lance's family, which is a sweet touch.

Then, there's a passing shot of Shiro standing alone and isolated on the Atlas's bridge that he isn't even the focus of.

I had a feeling this would be the case when, ahead of the finale of the second season, the Paladins are cheerfully reflecting on their growth and the challenges that they've overcome preceding what they believe will be their final fight with Zarkon.

Shiro, however, is dead silent, back turned to the others, and, when we do see his expression, he's stone-faced and seemingly deep in contemplation. Something that no one acknowledges, or seems to be in any way concerned about, even with Shiro's history of thoughts that he loses himself in being distinctly unpleasant ones.

When he does speak, it's to somberly offer the definitive statement, "You realize, once we defeat Zarkon, the universe won't need Voltron, anymore." The kids naturally express wanting to see their families, again, once the burden of defending the universe has been lifted from their shoulders, even if it means, for Pidge and Keith, going out and finding them.

Shiro, though, voices no such desires. He dons the Fearless Leader/Black Paladin mask and encourages his underlings that they can't fail, and that's that. Cue them looking dramatically out over the horizon before the credits roll.

One could hem and haw and offer any number of supposed explanations for the unsettling absence of any lifegoals for Shiro outside of "defeat the bad guy and defend the universe", especially viewing this scene in hindsight.

"Shiro and his long-term partner split up before the Kerberos mission. Maybe it would be awkward for Shiro to see him, again, and Shiro doesn't want to discuss that with a group of teenagers, especially as their commanding officer."

"Maybe they intended for Shiro's family to show up later and simply didn't have the time to include them, or he has a strained and/or estranged relationship with his family and wasn't too concerned with going back to them."

"He's been declared legally dead, and the cartoon made to sell toys to kids didn't want to bog their child audience's brains down with the confangled nuisances of bureaucracy."

"Maybe Shiro had no personal desire to return to Earth, and would have assisted Pidge in looking for Matt and Sam had he lived."

And, any of these would be more interesting than what we were actually given, which is nothing, because the showrunners didn't know how to and weren't equipped to handle the sheer level of complex and compounded trauma they had afflicted Shiro with. It was easier to brush it all aside, as that shot of an out of focus Shiro so deftly displays. Especially once Shiro had been killed and effectively permanently replaced as the Black Paladin, then brought back to life and retired to "boring adult" status. They killed his partner off-screen, following the dissolution of the relationship, and briefly showed Shiro mourning the loss,

and I guess that was their "emotional pathos for Shiro" quota met for the rest of the show.

After that, he was gifted his own ship and the position of Captain/Admiral aboard it to sequester him off with Sam, Iverson, Veronica, Slav, a similarly unceremoniously demoted Coran, and the rest of the side characters, under the guise of him being promoted to a position of actual significance. And, as much as I love Shiro having his own ship, and the figure he cuts in that stylish and immensely flattering Admiral coat, it shouldn't have to be said that this is both a massive insult to his character after he had the most narrative significance and pathos of anyone during the first two seasons, and a cheap, cowardly tactic employed to avoid the reality that the writers have alluded to Shiro seeing himself as having no purpose if he isn't performing a heroic duty to others, and being passively suicidal when no such duty exists.

"Don't look too closely, everyone! Let's not linger too long on this!" Otherwise, you'll realize that Shiro, in fact, has no one to support him outside of people who already have families of their own. And, "The universe won't need Voltron, anymore", was really Shiro saying, "The universe won't need me, anymore."

And, damned if the brain trusts behind this show didn't try to prove how little they needed Shiro, only for their story to fall apart at the seams after killing him, and the quality to, fittingly, take a nosedive straight into the abyss once they committed to nerfing and sidelining him while having other characters pitifully attempt to retrace steps that he had already taken, stumbling over his distinct and unforgettable bootprints.

[fandombymanynames]

some season 7 thoughts mostly focusing around the disaster that was Runaan's second trip to Katolis...

buckle up lads, it's gonna be a long one

First of all, do i think Ezran was wrong for locking up Runaan?

absolutely not

This kid just had his entire kingdom burn down and is now staring at the man who killed his dad seemingly but that's another matter. He's allowed to be pissed, and he's well within his rights to arrest Runaan. I was honestly shocked he was the ONLY one acting upset. I thought for sure the second Soren saw Runaan that he'd be drawing steel, since if I remember correctly (and i could totally be wrong, it's been a while since i watched it thru from the beginning, so have mercy), Soren actually fought Runaan while trying to defend Harrow??

So Ezran's actions are not what bother me about the whole plot point. What bothers me is that this is only happening now??? Like, I'm not even convinced Ezran fully knew who Runaan was other than the assassin that killed his dad. Did Rayla ever tell him that's her dad and I just forgot? Did Callum ever tell him 'hey we're trying to free Rayla's dad (the man that killed our dad) from his coin prison that Viren put him in, just a heads up so you can digest that'? That seems like a massive thing to just spring on a person when you've been planning it for several seasons at this point. Couldn't have written him a letter even... smh

And then on top of that...they bring Runaan to Katolis like absolute dumbasses. Like if you're not going to have the decency to warn your brother that you're planning to break Rayla's dad out of coin jail, the least you could do is just let Ezran keep his blissful ignorance and peace on the matter. It was just an objectively stupid move from all three of them (Callum, Rayla, and yes Runaan himself like wait outside my dude). As the saying goes, play stupid games win stupid prizes. Naturally you bring the guy who killed the king to the kingdom...he's gonna get thrown in jail, and it was all perfectly avoidable if they rubbed even two brain cells together.

okay maybe that was a little mean, but it was a stupid thing to do and i hope we can all agree on that.

but it's what happened so we move on to the next domino in this disaster: rayla breaking runaan out.

Was I all for it?

Yes. Let me be very clear, Runaan is my favorite and he and Ethari's reunion was literally the only thing i cared about this season

Was it ALSO a stupid as hell thing to do?

YES

Like you didn't even wait for night?! You're MOONSHADOW ELVES! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT????

I wanted to strangle someone.

The only good thing, imo, is that she did tell Callum ahead of time. That's growth! She knew what she felt she needed to do and let him know. And very critically, she did not want him involved because she knew this was going to hurt Ezran and didn't want to put Callum in a position to directly pick her over his brother. It is so clear that Ezran is in turmoil and he deserves to have his brother there with him. Callum SHOULD have stayed with his brother, but they had to be stupid and stage a prison break in broad daylight like absolute bafoons. I just...it's so dumb.

I get that the idea is to not keep Ethari waiting 'one minute longer' than needed, but come on guys. You can still race back to the Silvergrove while taking reasonable precautions to ensure you actually make it back to Ethari alive. I think he'd prefer that actually.

It just all felt contrived for drama, at the cost of characters acting reasonably intelligent especially my man Runaan who's a fully grown adult and should have known better than just walk into Katolis, ffs man critical thinking skills

What's my take away from this long mess? That this should have been a building conflict within our original trio starting from the moment Rayla got the coins and understood what they were. Ezran should have been involved in the discussions on freeing Rayla's parents, especially Runaan. If that's too much to ask for, we should have atleast seen some conflict out of Callum on the matter (Harrow was his dad too). It's a fumbled arc in my opinion, thru and thru

but hey that's just me, just needed to put some thoughts to paper as it were. hopefully this mess makes sense

[lovetommyactually]

Im so confused ??? Now seeing people say buck is being ooc??? He is GROWING IN character people

Lol, this became a rant, but whatever ..

If you really love/like him, you will know that he is the same big hearted, passionate guy. He is just growing and healing into loving himself and prioritizing himself. Which is literally what he was NOT doing. He always waited for someone to love him, and sometimes he put himself last or in danger to gain that love. buck always put everyone else before himself, his happiness, his needs. And yes, maybe at a point that WAS what brings him happiness, and what he felt he needed, so at the time that what he did. But if you do that, you reach a point of breaking because it never was what you needed. You were just covering it with something else. Even when he did something prioritizing what he wanted (the lawsuit), part of why he did it was to be around the safe and comfort zone he knew. And when he did it, everyone hated him for it. After that, i don't think he was in a position requiring him to choose drastically between his happiness and someone else's needs (tbh i don't remember, but maybe i need a rewatch lol), until s7 happened and we saw him being more grown, breaking up with Natalia, every thing that happened with tommy, dealing with bobby being in the hospital (yes we didnt see a lot but we can assume ig). He choose himself and his happiness, he chose to be with tommy when he needed it, he knew how much he have to "help" eddie, pointing out things and guiding your friend is actually enough! If i am doing something wrong, i don't need my friend to force me in the path they see right, i need them to point it out and let me think and decide by myself.. anyway, Buck is growing in his character. i dont care if you love or hate him, just dont ignore the growth and work he is done and doing on himself 🤨

I just think people who say that want him to be the same play boy from S1...

[babyboywinchester]

Nvm I didn't know you were gonna refer me to one of the most vile bullies in fandom. I also can't believe what terminally online speak I'm hearing. Queerbaiting, really? He does something fans enjoy and continues doing it, I don't see the harm. As for his personal sexuality, that is private and clearly isn't so black and white when you look at what he's said. I don't understand the nitpicking. I agree re the Js though. I'm just genuinely bummed by how antagonistic fandom gets

@nancylou444 has never been vile or a bully to me and anything I’ve seen of hers has been defending other wincest shippers or going toe to toe with terminally brain dead destihellers. Lmao… terminally online? I’m a working and married mother of two. I can assure you I’m not “terminally online”. That’s the EXACT phrase he and the hellers have used when referring to how Destiel has got such a shit go of things so why are you attacking me over a phrase such as that when I am just using literally the same term these blowhards use?

Listen, dude, if you don’t like what I post or who I associate with or the opinions I have then go somewhere else… I don’t know what else to tell you.

He made his sexuality a topic of public discussion when he PUBLICLY insinuated he was bi, had to PUBLICLY retract said statement, and then had to PUBLICLY come out as straight. So, do not get onto me about it being a “private” matter… he did it in the public sphere and therefore it is open to ridicule. If you don’t want those things talked about then you… don’t talk about them. Funny how that works…

Everyone is capable of making mistakes, doing bad things, and growing. Misha has shown, to me, no growth and continually doubles down on his questionable and creepy behavior. He does charity? Cool good for him. Neat. He campaigns for Ukraine? Also a great cause. He still makes overtly sexual comments about his costars about a fetishized gay ship that Jensen himself has repeatedly said he finds no basis for and then gets attacked when he points out that it’s not canon, not how he played the character, and it’s not how the character was written. I do not like Misha. I find his pandering, entitlement, “look at me I do good things I’m a good guy” attitude to be abhorrent and distasteful.

I also do not like how vile fandom can get, but luckily I’m a wincestie and a lover of both brothers with a Sam leaning attitude… so, I’m surrounded by great mutuals and like minded people who I’ve went out of my way to cultivate an online experience with and so generally my online experience has been very positive.

I suggest you do the same and maybe not come to my blog, especially not on anon if you’re not going to have the courage to face me, if I am not your cup of tea. No one is forcing you to view my opinions and content. You alone have the power to curate your own online experience. If you want to come off anon and talk so be it, but the next ask sent on anon will just be deleted because I’m not going to continue you this conversation especially if you’re accusing me of being “terminally online” for using a well-used phrase outside of online life… like seriously grow up.

Have a wonderful day. Godspeed.

[papagabu]

Theme ideas for Metal Breakers Mangey!

1) Feelings/Emotions/Love + Supporting/Care/Sweetness (I just stuck these all together)

Tails: Basically, his heart. He cares deeply for his friends and the wellbeings of others in general. He's very capable on his own, but tends to fill a supportive role because he's just a cool helpful dude like that. He's just a good guy; pretty basic part of his character.

Metal Breakers: Tails seems to still have his sweetness at his core, but it's buried underneath all his baggage, self hatred, trying not to look vulnerable, ect. I get it from his motivation for everything still being his love of Sonic. I get it from him saving the chao species. I get it from his relationships with his friends that he clearly loves despite lashing out a lot. Also, the fact that he's leading the rebels against the Metal empire. Maybe out of obligation/duty (to Sonic or otherwise), but I figure he still cares about the wellbeing of his people, too.

Mangey: Despite being a feral, bitey little creature at first, Mangey shows the most sweetness, sensitivity, and caring compared to the other Boscage inhabitants. When Sonic was trying to convince them to make peace with Thorn, he was the only one that Sonic seemed to get through to (and quickly- I got the impression he may have already wanted this and/or missed her despite everything). And, of course, the "FEELINGS~! OwO" scene. xD He also befriended Sonic very quickly despite their initial encounter. (Mangey hiding behind Sonic and holding his arm just a bit later, helping Sonic out of the test chamber after he exhausted himself charging the dome, ect). Unlike Nine who got really attached to Sonic because no one even gave him the time of day before, Mangey seemed to like Sonic just because he's a friendly, sweet lil guy. I'd say he has his heart on his sleeve the most of any of the Tails' variants, even Tails himself. Perhaps because he's kinda feral, his feelings are always very transparent. Growls when he's pissed, whimpers when he's scared, snuggles up against others when he wants comfort. He doesn't play games; he's all open.

2) Growth/Healing/Change

Metal Breakers: Basically, these are all things Tails desperately needs. His guilt, grief, and self-loathing from what happened to Sonic are destroying him. He has not healed at all. He can't forgive himself, make peace, or move on.

Mangey: The Boscage storyline revolved around conflict resolution, coming to terms with past mistakes + moving forward, healing, growth, change, and forgiveness. The focus was on Thorn, but the themes are applicable to the whole Boscage cast. Mangey even had his own special scene to highlight this: when he took flight for the first time alongside Birdie. There's also a lot of implied growth and change for the group moving forward as they continue to communicate better. Maybe Mangey will learn to talk. Maybe he'll get even more Tails-y and start inventing cool tech with what's available to him. Which leads into my next theme-

3) Hope for the Future

Metal Breakers: Again, something that is in short supply. Their world is pretty bleak.

If Nine is past trauma, maybe Mangey can be hope for the future. We left Boscage on a very positive note with a lot of room for growth and… Hope! While Nine's story is telling us something we already know, the potential for the future is unknown. But still looking much brighter.

This is sorta all of the previous points lumped together under a more nebulous title. I was specifically trying to match how you described Nine's theme. :3

4) Love for Nature: Pretty self-explanatory. Plus, y'know, Tails straight up dated a plant once.

Hopefully one of these sounds interesting to you, or at least gives you more ideas to jump off from for Mangey/Boscage.

I’m just gonna say it now, whenever I get to adapting Sonic Prime into Metal Breakers, Tails will already have gone through a character arc that leads to him settling most of his problems and he’ll become a happier and nicer character who’s much more akin to Sonic, since he’s intended to fill the role of Sonic. He won’t be the same he’ll be more mature and calculated, he’ll be himself with a bit of Sonic sprinkled in.

That being said the first one is a great idea, I could see a feral Tails that’s very protective of the other boscage maze inhabitants, but then also has a soft side. I think I’ve seen some art of like a boscage maze Sonic that was in his wereform the whole time. Maybe I could take inspiration from that and make Metal Breakers Mangey like a werebeast that ferociously protects the others and then when there are no threats he just rolls around happily and gets pets and love from the others.

[ladysomething]

“Where you go, I go, remember?”

you did the thing!! you did the thing!!!! such a nice contrast between the moment when it was an attempt to threaten charles into submission in the very beginning and this one when it became a sweet reassurance of his love for charles. i love them so sooo much i need a gun to protect them myself

and they talked!! oh god they talked! no miscommunication this time!! they talked and they both know what happened and how the other feels about it!! they grow up so fast i might actually tear up

He’d not even realised he was calling him alpha. He hates this. He hates what Fred has done to him, what being an omega has done to him.

oh charles :( i already said it last time but again every reminder of how deeply he’s traumatized hits hard. and now when his relationship with max is good and i don’t have to worry about that, i can finally spiral over it. he had to go from being someone to being barely a person (i mean to the public), and everything he had — his talent, his money, his self worth, his dreams and plans for the future, his whole life basically, — everything he was, became absolutely meaningless overnight. one day he had free will and the next… well we all know what happened. and you can’t just rewire your brain into accepting the new reality, it’s bound to fucking explode. so i guess it will when he (we) hits the lowest low? but!!!! it has to be so fucking over for us to be so fucking back!! so, can’t wait!! (said through tears)

anyway, back to business! i find it so funny how both max and charles at some point go “and fuck those useless betas” lmao 😭 when charles trew lando’s inability to take max’s knot right in his face, and now with max saying he absolutely can kill fred bc he’s just a beta. and they are so right, i wholeheartedly support their every unhinged thought and action 🙏

i know with the way things are going there was no space for pierre in these chapters but i do wonder what is he up to… somehow his absence made me less suspicious of him. will we see him soon?

fred .... has probably slightly less complicated motivations than that.

so he’s not even a properly evil creepy grandpa, he’s just stupid grandpa... that’s even worse!! i could maybe respect (not respect respect obviously, but like give credit where it's due) him for being smart and evil but he’s just delusional 😭 oh god max just kill the guy no one will even notice

the recurring "where you go I go" motif is honestly one of my strokes of brilliance for this fic. I remember when I was trying to come up with the title for this fic, I got that idea (to title it wygig and use the motif), and I was like ........ do I be so bold. the answer was yes, and its honestly one of my favourite elements of the story. I can't WAIT for the final title drops that I have planned, ya'll are gonna be gagged.

no miscommunication! this is what we call *character growth* 😏 of course .... we do still have some tender spots where maybe trust hasn't entirely been restored .............. but we'll see how that plays out later.

also re Charles' trauma .... I know we're all scared about ch 32, but honestly it's one of my favourite things to happen in the fic ENTIRELY BC it catapults Charles into an ACTUAL journey of healing. not just suppressing everything, but finding himself again and dealing with his trauma properly. our poor boy has been through so much, and he really needs to have his breakdown. he deserves it.

AND them saying fuck the betas ......... one of the biggest themes is how us vs them gender dynamics are. like Charles is basically abandoned by the betas in the beginning when it comes out that he's an omega. even jean-luc said "fuck alphas" when it came to Jos. and then Charles has slowly taken this position of "ugh betas." like the divide is not the focus, but it's so clearly there!

and finally fred - we'll finally get to see a resolution with him soon too, though we do have a slight wait ...

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 15: PAINFUL RE:BAKE - Episode 10: Best Shot Update

Taichi: Hmmm… Not again…

Taichi: (I figured it’d be, but… It sure is hard to get accepted….)

Taichi: (From Japanese mini theater movies, to local station mini dramas and graduate students’ films…)

Taichi: (I applied for the roles introduced to me by Sumeragi Agency and the ones I found by researching myself, but I failed all of them.)

Taichi: (... I knew I wouldn’t pass in one shot, obviously, and I haven’t lost heart just yet.)

Taichi: (My audition pilgrimage’s only just begun, I’ve gotta keep my spirits up.)

Taichi: When Mucchan failed his audition, he got even more motivated and improved his skills at the workshop…

Taichi: Instead of moping around, I should use these failures as motivation to keep goin’!

Taichi: Let’s go!

Taichi: (Maybe I should start by looking through my failed applications… Updating my profile pic might help…)

[Door opening]

Omi: …

Taichi: Hm? Welcome back, Omi-kun!

Omi: Y-Yeah, I’m back.

Taichi: (I wonder if he’s tired? He’s kinda spacing out...)

Taichi: Oh yeah! Omi-kun, you’re free tomorrow, right?

Omi: Yeah.

Taichi: I’ve got a favor to ask of you for my challenge…

Omi: Got it. You want me to take you somewhere? Around what time–

Taichi: At night, obviously!

-

[Motorcycle speeding]

Taichi: The wind feels so good! GO! GO! Yeah!

Omi: This reminds me of back when we did “Stranger”.

Taichi: The two of us toured like this back then too!

-

Taichi: So! We’ll be taking the ultimate updated profile pic with the ocean and sunrise as the background!

Omi: The seaside would be best, then. Try moving around over there a little.

Taichi: Ok! I wanna look like I’m the main character in a movie!

Omi: The splashing of the water adds some nice movement.

[Splash, splash]

Taichi: Like this!?

[Snap]

Omi: Yup. Looking good.

-

[Taichi steps out of the water]

Taichi: So? Did they turn out good?

Omi: This one’s the best shot.

Taichi: It’s so good! The sunrise’s light is also perfect! Only the best from you, Omi-kun!

Taichi: Oh, this one looks like the pic we took that day.

Omi: You’re right. Since the composition is similar, we can clearly see your growth by comparing them.

Taichi: If we take a pic like this every year, it’ll look like a record of my growth!

Omi: Haha, you’re right.

Taichi: I was able to get the perfect updated profile pic thanks to you, Omi-kun.

Taichi: Ah, I know that the world isn’t so kind that I’ll be accepted just ‘cause I’ve got such a good pic, of course~

Omi: Auditions, huh…

Taichi: Everything I’ve applied for has been a bust. I knew it’d be tough, but it still makes me kinda sad.

Taichi: So, thanks for coming with me today, even if it was just under the excuse of having my picture taken!

Omi: I’ll do this much for you any time. It helped cheer me up, too.

Taichi: But, y’know, after failing so much, it got me thinking…

Taichi: MANKAI Company’s the best, for letting all of us be lead actors as if it’s a given.

Taichi: It’s an important place I’ve got to cherish no matter what.

Taichi: That’s why, I’ve got to give back to the company and the Autumn Troupe twice as much as I’ve been given.

Taichi: If it’s to improve his popularity outside the troupe, attract more audience, and improve our ranking, Taichi Nanao will get up no matter how many times he falls!

Taichi: I’ll keep doing my best on my audition pilgrimage~!

Omi: … You’re amazing. Even after failing, you keep moving forward.

Taichi: … You still haven’t found a challenge for yourself, Omi-kun?

Omi: … Yeah. It’s not something I can talk to everyone about yet, but there’s something that’s been eating at me and I can’t focus on myself.

Omi: But don’t worry, we will be holding the workshop. The administrative position’s a nice change of pace that I’m grateful for.

Omi: Once things have settled a little, I’ll definitely find something to use as an opportunity to grow.

Omi: I can’t have you guys leaving me behind, after all.

Taichi: … You can take it slow. You won’t be late even if you end up behind us.

Omi: … Yeah, thanks.

Omi: For now, I’ll be praying all of you succeed from the bottom of my heart. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.

Taichi: I’ll do my best and lead the Autumn Troupe’s charge!

previous episode | masterpost | next episode

[sincerelyyadere]

Jinx review [no spoilers] 1/10

Sportsman x physicical therapist, no fluff, angst no comfort, hurt no comfort, mma, dom is a dick, enemies to lovers(?), enemies to lovenemies, sport, nsfw, smut

Tw: rape on rape on rape, plot is rape, people fighting and raping basically, nsfw

PLOT ☆☆☆☆☆ STORYTELLING ☆☆☆☆☆ CHARACTERS ★☆☆☆☆

Wow. Just… wow. For something sold so high, all over the pinterest, tiktok and tumblr i didnt expect this manhwa to be so… shitty. I dont even know if it deserves a review, really. I expected another Painter of the Night, and i got something worse than BJ alex. And you know what? THIS SHIT IS WRITTEN BY THE SAME AUTHOR AS BJ ALEX AHAHHAHAHA WHAT THE FUCK.

Lets maybe list the few things in this manhwa that were not fucked up by the author:

- MC is good at his job, and is a pretty likable character that makes sense

- everyone beside ML are likable.

Thats it. Now lets get to the point.

When i was reading the manhwa i almost felt as if i was reading psychological thriller, with the amount of romanicized rape that was happening. And not the cnc shit, i mean full on rape. At some point of the manhwa the author even has the audacity to make the readers get the impression, we should divide the ML from the “bad rapists”, as if he’s any better. I rarely get disgusted reading yaoi or mlm, cause i'm used to authors justifying rape or sexual harassment, but that was just too much. Like, what the fuck, seriously.

The only reason people keep reading enemies to lovers is cause they crave the point when the ML and MC start to understand each other, and they both realised what caused each others' actions.

None of this here. No character growth, no explanation, just the ML being a dick that should be in jail. I dont think theres one positive trait he has, besides being a good mma player. At some point i had to give up reading to the mindless scrolling in hope that at SOME point, the comic will get better.

It didn’t. In every chapter was happening the same thing over and over again, no change, the sex scenes were disgusting, the ml sucked, everything sucked.

And you know what i hate the most? That ML was SUPPOSED to be likable. We were SUPPOSED to feel satisfiad with the bare minimum he was doing like letting a GUY HE WAS RAPING VISIT HIS DYING GRANDMA. Wow, how virtuous. Fuck that guy, lock him in jail.

Dont read this shit. Lenzin, you should be embarrassed.

It's funny how MC is therapist, when, really, ML is the-rapist

[heroictoonz]

king I've been putting off a rewatch of s15-17 for ages do u think its worth it

My instinct is so say no save yourself but like jokes aside I think that’s up to you like, I always said that they gave the RvBs a “bad ending” and that they ruined Tucker’s character post Chorus however, that was back when season 16 was literally first coming out

Flash back here but so when s16 was coming out I was just getting more and more upset with the writing of the show especially and honestly almost specifically Tucker. Somewhere near the end of s16 I stopped watching (didn’t even finish the season) and then after a bit I heard that the next season was gonna revolve around whole new characters

Now this, I only recently learned was weird miscommunication. See I’m trash ass shit at keeping up with news of shit even shit that I like so for the longest time I thought the story of this group I’ve been following since I was a teenager ended at s16 which KILLED me inside so I swore off the rest of the show and vowed to never watch it. Instead I mostly just rewatched Chorus or s1-s13 if I wanted to rewatch the “whole” show. Basically just watching till the end of Chorus and stopping. Every time I tried to go rewatch s15 to mmmaybe finish the show I kept remember how bad things got and kept running away

I’m gonna give some vague spoilers from here on out but it’s cause I do genuinely wanna talk about how I feel having literally only a few minutes ago finished s16 and s17 for the first time

I decided to finish RvB LITERALLY last night like no joke and it’s cause I saw spoilers out of context for s19 and I was like fuck it I need to see what the hell that is show is over anyways might as well finish it. So I am doing that now

I rewatched/finished s16 and fucking hated it. The good parts were Wash being cute and silly and my favorite guy ever of all time and forever. There’s also Grif and this character named Huggins they’re like on god one of my new brotps of all time damn RvB writes some good ass season specific supporting cast cause holy shit man. Also! I liked that Kai was in it! I enjoy Kai so so so so so much! I’ve always wanted more of her in the show! UNFORTUNATELY!

Tucker is so hard to watch. It’s so honest to god painful to watch. Maybe that’s what they were going for I don’t know. But, having now seen season 17 I get what they were TRYING to do I just don’t fully like how they did it.

In s17 Tucker admits to himself that the reason why in s16 he was acting so weird and gross and toxic masculinity “I have to have the biggest and most talented dong in the room at all times or I’ll kms” character ever is cause he was trying to be a leader

It’s sounds stupid and personally I think it IS stupid but now that I know what they were TRYING to write it makes these post Chorus seasons more bearable.

Basically, Tucker spent all that time in Chorus forced to be a leader. Once he finally got comfortable in the position of one Chorus no longer needed them. He wanted to keep being a leader keep feeling like a leader and it went to his head. He tried acting cool and tough and macho cause that’s what he thought a leader was and he says this! Out loud he admits all this to himself in s17! And honestly? That’s SUCH a good fucking concept it’s super fucking interesting and I really dig it plus with Tucker FAILING at being the leader it gave Donut well deserved character growth. I’ve always hated how sidelined Donut got compared to the others cause I’ve always liked him but s17 is definitely Donut’s season and to see him finally get screen time and respect and also have genuine moments of connection with the others was honestly really fucking awesome

So, do I like s16? God no. Do I recommend it watching it? Hard to say. You have to watch it if you wanna finish the show. Is finishing the show worth it? Honestly I dunno yet I haven’t seen 18 or 19 so it’s to be seen rn. But s17 where not perfect was definitely better than 16 and gave better insight on what they were trying to do. I don’t like the execution I don’t think it was as done very well but I like the ideas I like what they were attempting

S15 I admittedly do not fucking remember at all cause again it’s not a season I’ve rewatched more than maybe twice cause I kept stopping cause I just did not wanna deal with what I knew was coming. And I know me I know myself I know if I tried rewatching the show from the start or even s15 in an attempt to finish it I’d ever fucking do it so instead I just started from s16 and went forward

I don’t remember out right hating s15 but similar to the above I think there were good ideas and not all of them were perfectly done in writing. Also there’s this like really cool interesting thing that is about Tucker that then ends up being a stupid child support payment joke and that sucks so much it makes me so burningly livid I don’t even have a joke here it just makes me mad

But! It brings in the concept of other reds and blues other soldiers that were left in the rubbles of project freelancer which is super interesting again I think they coulda done more with specific parts of it and the “Tucker doesn’t pay child support for the buncha kids he fucked into existence” joke sucks especially when they CONSTANTLY SHOW HIM AS A VERY DOTING AND LOVING FATHER it’s fine I’m not mad I’m not bitter I promise

But uh yeah honestly if you like the show a lot I say watch it even if it sucks. Some of my biggest special interests are GARBAGE shows with writing so bad it makes me wanna commit actual arson. But, I love the characters I love the settings and I love what could have been maybe that’s why I always keep sticking around in stuff like this lol even if it sucks I like to imagine what could make it better cause I love it! And if I didn’t love it I wouldn’t care to put as much energy into wanting it to be better as I do! That’s the same with RvB! I wish it was better I wish SSOOOO BADLY that it was better but it’s cause I love it so fucking much not out of any sort of hate if that makes sense?

Idk tldr it’s up to you and you might suffer a bit but if you love the show I say go for it

Aaaand it’s 2am and I read ur ask wrong I thought that said “watch” not “rewatch” but? Points still stand I’m the kinda person that will rewatch even the seasons I hate to remember why I like the ones I love (I’m looking at you Ninjago season 3 you hot fucking garbage that I’ve sadly seen more times than I would like)