#whats sad though is how many people on twitter seem to think the songs were written for the movie

[scithemodestmermaid]

so strange magic is a movie i remember seeing trailers for, thinking “thats weird looking,” and then forgetting about it when it bombed spectacularly.  until this year, when all of the sudden i have kids at work telling me about how good of a movie it is.  it also started popping up on my twitter feed randomly.  so i gave it a watch, and it is an excellent entry into the “weird little goblin dude” genre.  george lucas made a jim henson film and i am happy about this.  song selection was excellent, character design was excellent, animation was excellent, retelling midsummer night’s dream was excellent, romance development between the two leads was excellent, and i have no idea why we didn’t like this movie back in 2015.  

i also have no idea why the kids like it so much because they wouldn’t get the songs and the pacing is kinda boring and sappy for a kid but you know what, whatever, i’m glad they’re watching something good.

[starsintheendlessnight]

The beauty

And pain

Of remember

A person always has one or several memories that they keep with them no matter how time passes. It’s a universal experience that we have all experienced at some point in our lives, it doesn't matter if the memory fades as the days go by bc they are not perfect, in the end they are narratives in construction that in some way marked us as people.

Remember something can be both a beautiful experience and a painful feeling.

Remember helps us to better appreciate things and to understand both our values ​​and past experiences, whether those are moments with family or friends or simply having a good time. They are moments that we adore and keep in our minds with affection but these can also be transformed into a feeling of sadness, a part of us that was taken away from us, a piece of our identity away from us for who knows how long or even forever.

Many times “remember” makes us feel empty bc of what we no longer have and it is because emotional pain doesn't follow a specific script and cannot even be explain only in physiological terms, it’s something more complex and irrational and looking for a specific reason would be like looking for water in the middle of the desert. It hurts us emotionally to have to remember those people who are no longer with us or those happy moments that will never be repeated. Although within that same pain you can find beauty, it is still something irrational and meaningless bc yes, you remember with love and affection but you still feel pain bc of what those people or those moments represented for you and they are simply no longer there.

A memory can appear in many ways, whether it be from a song, a simple word or… Flowers.

Sunflowers are beautiful and radiant flowers that always seem to catch the eye, they are a small reminder that Eurylochus keeps of his home while he resided in Olympus, bright and so cheerful they were the only respite that Eury kept from his already distant home, he took care of them and adore them for the love and nostalgia that they transmitte to him at those moments from which he was separate. Little by little his appreciation turned into pain, a sweet memory of his home transformed into sadness and guilt.

He refused to go back to his flowers, remember his home only made him feel worse about himself. How could he long for something that he did not deserve? The pain stopped being just that and turned into guilt. He did not deserve those flowers, he did not deserve those seconds of escapism and as he did with anything that caused him pain he just turn away and ignored it thinking that everything would be fine if he did not think about it.

As the weeks went by, Eurylochus needed a moment to himself again and he remember his flowers. He wasn't in his best moment and he needed to try to feel again that peace that he felt the first time he saw his sunflowers, but it was too late... His flowers were already dead, he felt distressed bc the only memory of his home was withered before his eyes. He felt pain, but not only because his flowers died. That pain is not going to heal by simply planting others and then as if he hadn't let them die. That pain is about what those flowers represented for him and how he let them go in the face of that pain that made him feel inferior.

Pain is irrational. They may seem like just some flowers, but for Eurylochus they represented much more than that, and it’s in the memory of what he lost that he appreciate and love what gave him calm at the time. His flowers are dead, he let them die but he loves them for the peace of mind they gave him, even though the pain and nostalgia of his far away home is still with him at least he can appreciate it a little more even though he feels sad for remember those good times.

.

.

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I feel like I'm VERY annoying with the ClosureAU (mostly on Twitter) and I apologize for that again, a new year started and I felt like I needed to do something decent, something meaningful not just a doodle or a funny video. No idea came to mind until I watched some videos of my fav youtubers again and this idea came up. I'm sorry if I'm being so annoying with all the angst I'll try to make not so sad content of the AU I promise. Happy new year to everyone I wish you all the best and thank you for supporting me at all times, I love you all so much 💚

[shiningwonderland]

Natsuki Shinomiya (Repeat)

Translator: Raz (Twitter: agnadance)

Proofreader: Nadie (Twitter: nmoniag)

Editor: Mae (Twitter: itoshikimaegirl)

QA: Rei (Twitter: wolfe_raine)

True Love End - Imbroglio Palpitation

Natsuki Shinomiya: … Thank you.

Natsuki-kun bows his head.

The next moment, the entire hall erupts into cheers.

Everyone gives him a standing ovation.

Although it's the graduation audition, Natsuki-kun's performance was so magnificent that everyone has begun calling for an encore.

His singing overflowed with emotion and exquisite rhythm.

It melded with the recording of the violin and viola he played. 

He charmed each and every person who listened to him.

When I closed my eyes and listened to him, I could see the Southern Cross clearly in my heart even though I've never seen it with my own eyes before.

Also, those lyrics…

I only knew some of the lyrics up until now. This is the first time I heard them complete.

I've always been curious what kind of lyrics would grace our song.

He promised we would see the Southern Cross together one day.

He also promised that we'll do the waltz that we missed out on.

Happiness, sadness…

Hope and despair, past and future…

Everything that brought me joy and sorrow, all of it…

My memories with Natsuki-kun are overflowing in my heart.

The extent of how much I love Natsuki-kun... and the way he loves me just as much.

So much resonated with my heart and the tears kept flowing down my face.

After the audience has finally calmed down, everyone who performed begins to line up on stage.

This time, since there were composers and idols who performed together, including myself, I also stepped onto the stage with everyone else.

For the graduation ceremony, the winner is decided by the votes from nine judges, including the principal, and the audience.

The nine judges each score the individual performances out of 10 points.

The audience votes for which students they think had the best performance. The one who gets the most votes wins ten points, second place gets nine points, and this continues up until tenth place.

The person who receives the most total points wins. They become a new idol at Shining Agency and proceed to aim to become the top idol.

For the ones who do not win, they can still join Shining Agency as long as they have over 85 points.

Also, there are people from other agencies who come to see the audition…

So even if one were to not get into Shining Agency, there's a chance that they would be scouted by a different agency afterwards.

This is where it's decided whether or not you can become an idol…

I think Natsuki-kun will be okay, but…

I'm getting nervous from having so many eyes on me…

Haruka Nanami: Uuu…

Natsuki Shinomiya: It'll be okay… I'm here, so relax…

While standing next to me, Natsuki-kun whispers softly into my ear.

It's time for the results to be announced.

We both reach out for each other's hands and grasp them tightly.

Shining Saotome: The winner for this year's graduation audition is… da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da daaan! Natsuki Shinomiya!

Ringo Tsukimiya: Congratulations! Here's your trophy!

Ringo Tsukimiya: Oh my, you were sublime! You two are geniuses! That's the first time I've heard such an amazing song!

Ringo Tsukimiya: I was moved from the bottom of my heart! Hehehe, but really, congratulations! You two will definitely be great professionals!

Natsuki Shinomiya: Thank you!

Haruka Nanami: Thank you.

We exchanged smiles on the stage.

Once night has fallen, Natsuki-kun takes me up to the rooftop.

We lie on the roof shoulder to shoulder, looking up at the starry night sky.

Natsuki Shinomiya: That's Orion. The constellation over there is Gemini. The one over there is the Big Dipper.

He gently points at the sky, reciting the names with his beautiful voice.

Waving his finger like he's a conductor as he talks about the stars makes it seem as if he's composing a song only he can hear.

Haruka Nanami: You know so much about constellations.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Yes, I love the starry sky. Since long ago, I would look up at it when I felt empty.

Natsuki-kun, lying to the right of me, turns his face towards me and grins.

His smile is different from his usual calm demeanor and is more dignified.

Haruka Nanami: I… also love the stars. I feel healed when I look at them.

Natsuki Shinomiya: But now my light isn't the stars but you… Your existence heals me.

Natsuki-kun sits up a little and peers at my face.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I wish I could make the starry sky into a bouquet and give all of it to you…

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ever since I met you, every time I looked up at the night sky, I would think that…

Natsuki Shinomiya: I'm not the god of the sky, so I can't make flowers bloom on the spring constellations…

Natsuki Shinomiya: But I thought I could give you fireworks as a present, which was why I brought you here that day.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I wanted to show you that starry sky and the fireworks.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I wanted you all for myself–to embrace you in my arms and take you to a faraway place where there's nobody else…

Natsuki-kun holds my hand and intertwines his fingers with mine.

He hugs me tightly, but holds my hand so gently…

Natsuki Shinomiya: I strongly wished that I could fly to the moon, but… I lost to the weak side of me.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I fell into despair from being rejected by you once and retreated into my shell… I was betrayed by someone I loved a long time ago…

Natsuki Shinomiya: I think, after that point, I couldn't trust people anymore. I loved you, but I couldn't truly trust you.

Haruka Nanami: Natsuki… kun…

Natsuki Shinomiya: After that, I hurt you, then I lost my other half.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Satsuki always took on all my pain… My other self…

Natsuki Shinomiya: But I wanted to protect you even if I may get hurt. I wished to be with you.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I thought I'd put all my hurt and love into song. I decided that if my feelings reached you…

Natsuki Shinomiya: I would… confess to you once more.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Did my song touch your heart?

His fingers grip my hand more tightly.

Haruka Nanami: Yes. I felt your emotions and connection.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I'm glad…

Natsuki-kun relaxes, then grins.

We're truly understanding each other. This is the first time I've felt something so wonderful. 

I feel myself breaking into a smile once more.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Haru-chan, the only one I see is you now. I love you more deeply and passionately than anyone else. Will you swear our eternal love with me?

Natsuki-kun peers at me, replacing my view of the starry sky with his smile.

His eyes are more beautiful than any stars twinkling in the night sky… I can't take my eyes away from him.

Haruka Nanami: … Yes.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Deep… I want to feel you in the deepest ways… Mm…

We share a kiss under a sea of stars.

This is our eternal vow. We make the vow that we couldn't fulfill that summer day–and seal it with the most gentle kiss.

The next day, we are called to the principal's office.

It seems that we get an extra prize that comes with getting first place at the graduation audition and we can choose what it is.

Tsukimiya-sensei asks Natsuki-kun what he wants with a smile.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Anything is okay?

Ringo Tsukimiya: As long as it's not impossible, but to be honest, I don't think there's much that Shiny's unable to grant!

Natsuki Shinomiya: Then, I would like to have her.

He smiles at me.

Haruka Nanami: …! N-Natsuki-kun!

Romance is against the school rules… why?

Ringo Tsukimiya: What?! Haru-chan?! I've never heard of a wish like that! It has to be her?

Natsuki Shinomiya: Yes. I want her to be my personal composer from now on…

Natsuki Shinomiya: She's my muse. I need her music, or I can't sing… sing of dreams, hope, or love…

Natsuki Shinomiya: That's why I need her no matter what.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I can only shine with her music. She gave me love when I had nothing, so please, I beg of you.

Ringo Tsukimiya: Ahh, I see, you mean as your composer! But it does seem you're smitten with her–as if you're in love. So what's the verdict, Shiny?

Shining Saotome: Hrm…

The principal crosses his arms and thinks.

W-what's going to happen? A-are they going to figure out that we're lovers and expel us…?

Shining Saotome: That's…

Haruka Nanami: That's…?

Shining Saotome: Love! Love beats all! So I'll allow it!

Haruka Nanami: Huh?! I-is it really okay?! Ahh, this is like a dream!

Ringo Tsukimiya: For real?! Really?! Amazing! This is a first in the academy's history! I'm happy for you two!

Haruka Nanami: Yes!

Natsuki Shinomiya: Thank you so much! Haru-chan, let's do our best from now on! I won't let go of you anymore. I'll make sure to make you happy!

Now, we are hired by Shining Agency.

I've become Natsuki-kun's personal composer.

The principal left me with a comment.

Shining Saotome: YOU are needed to prevent Mr. Shinomiya from going berserk, so I'll give you two special permission to be in a relationship!

Shining Saotome: BUT please keep within reason.

We accepted his gracious offer and became an officially recognized couple in the agency.

Since we graduated, we had to move out of the academy dorms.

We've begun to live in separate rooms in the agency dorms.

However, our rooms are next to each other and we often visit each other, so it doesn't feel like I'm living by myself.

Today Natsuki-kun and I are planning to eat dinner together again, so we are preparing dinner in his kitchen.

Natsuki Shinomiya: No, Haru-chan, I'm in charge of washing the dishes. Your hands will get dry.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Please add the flavoring to the hot pot.

Haruka Nanami: Okay!

Natsuki-kun loves cooking, but he always has me add the flavoring when we cook together.

Haruka Nanami: I think this is it!

Natsuki Shinomiya: Hehe, it looks delicious! I'll cheer you on from behind~

He hugs me from behind.

Haruka Nanami: Ah, um… This is dangerous… The stove's on…

Natsuki Shinomiya: It's okay. There's nothing that burns hotter than the flames of our love.

He whispers into my ear and lightly kisses my hair.

I'm ecstatic but… I'll never get used to this!

Natsuki Shinomiya: Hehe, Haru-chan, you're bright red.

Haruka Nanami: … Whatever!

Ignoring Natsuki-kun, I put in the flavorings in the pot, mix it a bit, then taste the soup with a scoop of a spoon.

Haruka Nanami: … Yes, this is good.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I want to have a try. Can you give me some?

Haruka Nanami: Ah, umm…

Natsuki Shinomiya: My hands are full, so feed it to me…

He opens his mouth widely.

Haruka Nanami: … Your hands are full because you're hugging me…

Natsuki Shinomiya: Because I don't want to let go of you… Please?

I'm unable to resist when he starts whispering into my ear.

Haruka Nanami: … Just for today…

I scoop up some soup with the spoon, blow on it to cool it down, and bring it to Natsuki-kun's mouth.

Haruka Nanami: H-here you go. Open up…! Um, do you like it?

Natsuki-kun grins.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Yeah, it's tasty, but I don't want just the food–I want to gobble you up, too.

He kisses me on the cheek.

Haruka Nanami: Huh? Satsuki…kun?

Natsuki Shinomiya: No… I'm not Satsuki anymore. I'm Natsuki.

Haruka Nanami: Huh? B-but… you're Satsuki-kun… right? Huh? Natsuki-kun is Satsuki-kun…

Huh? What? What's going on?

Natsuki Shinomiya: You talk too much as usual…

Then… Natsuki-kun chuckles with a grin.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Nn…

He pulls in my waist and kisses me with force.

Haruka Nanami: Nn…

When our lips part for a brief moment, I push him away and flee.

Haruka Nanami: Haa… haa… W-what…? W-why is Satsuki-kun…

Satsuki-kun… He's alive inside Natsuki-kun…

But why? Does that mean they've split into two again?

Natsuki Shinomiya: Heh, calm down… This time is different. I'm Natsuki–a part of Natsuki.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I'm not a separate personality. I guess I can say that I'm just a little wilder version of Natsuki…

Natsuki Shinomiya: I'm only like this because I felt like it… Anyway, let's continue where we left off…

Haruka Nanami: Huh? But, you already…

Natsuki Shinomiya: … I'm not fulfilled with just that.

Haruka Nanami: … You can't…

Natsuki Shinomiya: Why…?

Haruka Nanami: This isn't good for Natsuki-kun…

Natsuki Shinomiya: You don't understand yet? He's me, and I'm him.

Natsuki Shinomiya: I want you. We're thinking and sharing the same thoughts.

Natsuki Shinomiya: You don't need to hold back. The reason why I'm here is because he's yearning for you.

Natsuki Shinomiya: You should just let yourself be inside my arms.

He pulls me in by the waist again…

Haruka Nanami: Nn…

He locks lips with me once more.

Haruka Nanami: Ahh…

He puts his hand behind my head and entangles his fingers in my hair.

He moves his lips down to my neck…

Natsuki Shinomiya: Nn…

Haruka Nanami: Ah…!

My skin where his lips touch is hot and feels like it's going to melt…

Drowning in ecstasy, I let myself go in his arms–so warm, gentle, and strong…

Natsuki-kun and Satsuki-kun… I feel like I'm going to be at the mercy of these two every day for a while…

Fin

[storkmuffin]

Ahh so is Wooyoung your bias? He’s a menace but so very funny and headstrong. Yes! Those are all such good songs and I hope you’re able to catch a show someday because they are performance beasts. Halazia is an out of body experience. Dune, Sector 1, Silver Light, Dazzling Light, MATZ, and Fireworks fall into the same vein as the other songs you listed.

As for my other question, there’s threads upon threads on Twitter and Reddit dissecting their every move with one other from their Instagram posts to the way they look at each other during variety content or at concerts. I don’t know if it’s the mlm lore striking up again but a majority of fans really do believe they are in love with one another. Personally I feel like it’s a strong bond just like they have with the other members since at the end of the day only all 8 of them know exactly what it feels like going through what they go through day by day. The interactions between Matz is a bit exaggerated by fans since most of the interactions are common actions between friends but because it’s from seonghwa to hongjoong or vice versa it’s seen as different and that they’re openly dating without confirming that they are actually dating which feed into the frenzy that the shippers go crazy over. I agree with you on how they have to play into some role in order to get more coverage so I find that some fans have the lines too blurred and cross into some uncharted territory but maybe that’s just me. It’s also hard for me to wrap my head around them being head over heels in love while they work together but again maybe that’s just me. If you do come across more Matz shippers dissecting, I would love to hear your thoughts after that though if you do happen to come across any of those discussions!

Yes, I think San has also expressed that he wants Ateez to go on for numerous years so I feel like they all just really love being together in a group. They all work together harmoniously and boost one another up where someone else lacks so I feel like they know that they all benefit by being in a group.

I'm learning a lot of (frankly, kind of trashy, but fun) Korean words as I 'learn' how to do Idol stanning (덕질). In Korean, Wooyoung is my 입덕요정 - introduction fairy, literally. (FYI, apparently this is San's role for many.) I haven't decided on a bias yet. Ateez seems like a really rich group to me because rather than just one super interesting stand-out, I keep 'discovering' things to be invested in about people I didn't really consider at first. Just as an example - I initially thought Mingi was both too loud and scary-looking, but several weeks of mainlining Ateez content has me going, OK, now I see why the Western girlies are all about Mingi.

I think it's so adorable, actually, that people want romantic relationships to be real between band members of any band. I also understand the urge to like, crush out on a couple rather than a particular individual. It gives you an additional layer of emotional protection, since the two people you're crushing on are into each other. I think it's a neat little mental trick to prevent yourself from going fully into like stalker-criminal psycho-delulu mode.

It's also not entirely outside the realm of possiblity, right? In the history of rock, there are people who were actually really in relationships with their band members - No Doubt, the Mamas and the Papas, Fleetwood Mac, The White Stripes etc etc. Members of dance companies, both ballet and modern dance, also frequently marry and date within the company.

The flies in the ointment to this for Matz and any other Idol group are:(a) the Korean reality is that as of now, it would be career ending for either guy to come out as queer, if they are, publicly and clearly, which is sad

and

(b) we can never forget that the Idol industry continually find ways to make literally everything marketing, in the interests of maximizing engagement and turning that into income and therefore may be forcing people who just want to be singers and dancers to make an excessive amount of their off-duty selves and time entertainment, which is cruel and exploitative.

But I mean. If Matz are making eyes at each other and playing it up to make the audience scream as part of their on screen or on stage performances? Then obsess! Go feral! They want you to.

[itsasweater]

HSMTMTS thoughts before season 4

So I recently finished my re-watch of season 1 through 3 before the final season airs so that things are fresh in my memory. I wanted to make a couple of posts on my thoughts on the seasons in general and possibly some specific topics like the characters themselves. This one will be about each season.

Season 1:

I hadn't seen this season since when it originally aired and let me just say, it was kind of a grind to watch. I feel like the season didn't really start until the Homecoming episode which was ep 5. I also forgot this season had 10 episodes. The whole Nini/Ricky/EJ triangle storyline didn't really hit for me. Ricky's home problems with his parents, everything changing around him (which he clearly hates) and how he dealt with that was probably the best storyline of the season, as sad as it was to see his character go through it. The music in the season was decent, Nini had some really good. I think a lot of nostalgia comes in to play with the way people talk about season 1, it is overhyped. I also think a lot of it has to do with the very weird Jolivia obsession that still to this day for some reason resides in the fandom, I see the PFP's and twitter user names smh. Overall, new shows tend to struggle out of the gate and need a while to find the right path so I'm at least glad that they got more seasons to continue that journey instead of being cancelled like many shows do without getting the chance to do so. It certainly seems like they were not sure whether they would get renewed or not after season 1.

Season 2:

It really is a shame that this season has the most episodes because I feel like it is definitely the weakest season. It was a struggle to get through this season on the re-watch. I appreciate what the cast and crew went through while filming this season though because I know they started filming in Feb 2020 and stopped in March because of the pandemic and had to return towards the end of 2020 until March of the next year with under strict conditions. So, maybe the pandemic played a role in the quality of the season but I feel like this was even the casts least favorite season with the way they talked about it. Nini's YAC storyline felt out of place and just didn't keep me engaged, the lighting for this season was also very dark lol. I do think this season did a nice job of continuing to show Ricky's struggle with his home life from season 1 and the fact that things were still changing in his life which the show continues to mention just how much he hates that. Ashlyn getting the leading role as Belle was nice and her dealing with her insecurities about that was good. The season Finale fell flat though, it seemed rushed and I think it was ranked as the worst episode in the whole series. This season did however have 2 of my favorite songs of the whole show, the trio of Kourtney, Gina and Ashlyn coming together to sing 1-2-3 was great. The 4 main characters (Nini, Gina, EJ and Ricky) singing Second Chance was so good, they meshed well together.

Season 3:

This season is probably my favorite. I know some people in the fandom don't feel the same about the season because it felt different from the first 2 but I think that is a good thing. Sometimes shows need a change of pace and they did that with this season. Making it a summer season out of school at a camp was something different and the show had a different tone because of it. It was definitely more lighthearted compared to season 2 and the cast seemed to have had great time filming together. Also going from filming in Utah to filming in LA was probably a nice change for the actors since most of them are based in LA. I know the whole documentary storyline thing was an adjustment for people but they clearly had a plan for it to be a springboard for the plot in season 4 and connect them together. Besides that, Kourtney's anxiety storyline was a highlight for me as I'm sure lots of people could relate to her, the phone call with her mom was great and I'm interested to see if they touch on this more in season 4. Some of the disappointment in the season comes from favorite characters not being in it like Seb and Big Red which is understandable but it's also realistic that not everyone in the group would go to the same camp in the summer, when people usually have different plans. Also, the show clearly felt like they weren't as important to tell the story in season 3 which was used too set up season 4. It was nice that Big Red, Seb and Miss Jenn did make cameo's though, with how big the cast is and the length of the episodes that are not that long it's hard to fit everyone in with meaningful storylines. The additions of Maddox and Jet this season were probably the best new characters that the show has added during the 3 seasons, the actors playing them are great as well and seem to have really bonded with the cast which is really nice to see. WDYKAL was probably my favorite performance of the season, it was very non Disney like lol The tension and chemistry was kind of crazy lol I feel like they could have shown more of the Frozen performance but Kourtney playing Elsa was also a great moment in the season. I'm really excited for season 4 because they seem to be going with a really META storyline for the season and I'm excited too see how the documentary from season 3 has affected the characters.

Anyways, this turned out longer than I intended it too but these are my thoughts on each of the 3 seasons after my re-watch, I will probably make a couple more posts on singular topics like the characters or the ships later. I'm always up for discussions, so if you have anything you want to say please do. I know this place can get out of hand when discussing this show within the fandom but I have thicker skin than most and I don't mind having a discussion but I also understand I'm not the norm lol

If you have read all of this, thank you. If you at least read the title of the post, thank you. Even though you will not see the thank you lol

[stormblessed95]

Hi Stormblessed,

Dug up tumblr to ask a question on my mind. You are the most ot7 I know. So for context, I don’t think I’m ot7 well I don’t know. I like BTS as a group, I listen to their songs and watch run BTS content. I love them as a group and have even watched them in concert.

But the only person I’m really interested in as a solo artist is Jimin, I found your blog because I was curious as to what was going on with JK, but for the most part I don’t really care too much about his private life, but I am a big fan of what Jimin brings to the table.

By the way, I have given the other members songs a listen. I liked Astronaut, wildflower, rush hour and closer, those are in my daily playlist. Some of suga are nice too.

I like Jimins voice a lot , his song Promise is what gave me the push to look into BTS’ music, and is still my favorite. I love his voice, artistry and respect for my members.

Since I like Jimin and keep up with his activities, especially on his album, I get a lot of Jimin biased things on twitter. Some of them can be mean, putting down the other members, I don’t like that…but for the most part they seem to be just caring about Jimin. Those are the ones that get the most likes obv.

The issue I am having is why is there this divide between army’s and as they call it “solos”. I understood it before when the boys were a group, but now it’s every man for themselves. I can understand disliking the haters, but I hate the idea of putting a whole group in a box.

And I feel like this issue needs to be nipped because they are going to be more “solos” as they are some people who won’t care for BTS and just care for a specific member. Or like me, a specific member led to their intro to the group.

This ask is long but it bothers me as it seems hypocritical. Many persons who could like BTS are thrown off because they hear Army is a toxic fandom, and even though I wouldn’t classify me as an army, I spent a lot of time defending them on YouTube saying only some are like that, don’t generalize the group.

So to see some fans refuse to take money from a well meaning account because it is Jimin biased and not ot7 really rubs me the wrong way.

This account has $10,000 to support Jimins album and some people who are broke(like me lol) could really benefit.

I think it leads to a bigger problem. Which is that these army made “ot7” rules and regulations do not fit with the fact that there is no BTS right now. BTS is on a break. The boys are solo and will get some fans who only support them and not the rest.

And it is a difficult transition but that’s just how it is. It’s sad some of the members solo fans hate the others, don’t really see how that works, but every artist has those obsessed fans like that. Those “my artist is better than yours” people, just look at Cardi and nicki fans.

I don’t know, maybe cause I only care about Jimin in that capacity I’m biased so I’m hoping after this epistle you can help me to see a different angle.

Hi, I don't have a ton of time to really write a whole essay on this for you honestly right now. But I will say, BTS are still BTS. They are focusing on solo work, but it's not every man for themselves. They are all supporting each others solo work ALOT. Hyping each other up. Streaming and reacting to each others songs. Encouraging people to listen to each others songs. Etc. And continuing to talk all the time about how they love getting to do and showcase their individual work, but that they want that in conjunction with BTS as a whole too and they will be coming back together after military service. Solos are often haters. Some are just more blatant about it than others. But solos are usually people who view the other members as direct competition against whoever their favorite member is. And will often think badly (aka be a hater) towards the other members. I touch on that in this post here. Briefly

The other thing is that while I can understand the sentiment, and the desire to have everyone just take the money to support Jimin no matter what. It's not always that easy. The exchange of money comes with the exchange of personal and private information, that of given to an untrustworthy person, can end badly. @beautifulpersonpeach actually did a post breaking down this in way more detail with way more examples and explanations and rather than trying to figure it all out myself in ways i could explain well here too, I'm just going to send you to her post

I'm not saying all this drama is deserved with the funds account I think you are referencing in your ask or that people shouldn't use funds from them. I don't know the account or their history or anything else to really give an opinion one way or the other. I just know I'm here for BTS. I'm here for Jimin. I'm ready to support him as much as I can. So as for using funds from any funds donation account, that should be a personal decision one makes for themselves. No one should influence that decision for you since it's your own money and information you are dealing with there.

And I also know that @chikooritajjk has set up a really nice FACE masterlist with links and information set up to help inform about funds, purchasing, goals, streaming, charting, etc. It's all well done and I'll link that post here as well because they did an amazing job and put it all together way better than i could and everyone should see it if they are wanting to promote and support Jimin in the best ways for it to count numbers wise. And they have a donation guide post coming soon

^ hopefully both those links work. Both tagged accounts are great accounts and resources too. They are both so knowledgeable and kind and know a lot and are OT7 with various bias lines and just love BTS and love music.

I apologize again for my absence (which will continue over the next few days, I'll try to be here when I can) lately. I'm on vacation and enjoying time with my family. The down time I have is usually just going straight to catching up on whatever Jimin has dropped that day or the other members have surprised us with. Lol

[dearweirdme]

I feel sad for Tae, this is obviously a stunt and I doubt he agreed to do it for clout and exposure, he didn't seem happy to do it and he is not feeding it in any way so that leave of some other options, I think it was more about providing a cover for tk, I don't think it's a coincidence that it happened just before both of their solo debut, jk's being international makes things more high scale too, so jk is also benefiting from this without dealing personally with the hard stuff, I won't argue that this has made tae even more popular but he's being attacked constantly, people making everything about him about this woman and prepared to make his hard work about her too, calling him a coward and making fun of him with 5k likes, always being on the news bc of "dating" it's also not necessarily a good thing, your fans calling you a liar and thinking that you are ball less when you are one of the bravest ppl out there mustn't be nice, ppl insulting even his family and this situation created a bunch of ppl obsessed with his privacy and personal life, like some army won't admit it on public but they have whole gcs for gossipping and he is the focus, and all bc yg and hybe are using him for this media circus, and this all before caring about his artistry and considering how Tae has been acting like him posting that wake up song tht has a clear message just after the Bruno Mars concerts when all the social media rockus was about tn, him coming out of the airport and doing a live immediately to show us that he is alone....yeah I doubt this doesn't bother him at least a bit, he is someone with a lot of integrity, what I'm saying is that it pains me to see the situation and it started to annoy me to see everyone benefit from it, jennie and YG, jennie is being victimized big time in twitter and every critisism done to her about stuff like her actions and lack of effort in concerts it's pin down to ppl 'jealousy' of her dating Tae, no critisism is valid now even the ones coming from her own fans and ppl are super defensive of her, even more than before, and jk too....this lifted some of the gay rumors just in time for his international debut ( I don't think this is coincidental) and I know this bc when Jennie dropped those pics so many comments from different accounts not even armys or shippers were ppl cheering bc 'tk is so not real' and ppl thinking in what should be just a typical gay kpop ship first thing everytime those rumors break tells me that deep down a lot of ppl thought or feared that there was some truth in tk and are relieved and happy that it's being 'debunked', I guess this is part the goal, a bit of protection for the both of them but yeah I don't like it that's Tae just dealing with all the bad stuff and jk only getting the benefits, at least that's how it looks bc obviously we don't how he feels emotionally but facts are facts and the one dealing with the worst of all is taehyung, lots of new ot6 accounts, ppl didn't leave jk bc of this rumor as much as tae, ppl aren't calling him liar and a pussy in mass scale, he doesn't have to see his face on the news bc of dating rumors, he is seeing it bc of the success of his music that hybe pushed ( which I think it's really deserved bc he has worked hard his whole life) but things don't look fair to me in regards of Tae,how fitting it was Tae saying that he would take the responsibility sometimes I wonder if that's the dynamic of their relationship.

Hi anon!

Yeah, this is the worst part of being in showbizz really. I agree that Tae probably isn’t unaffected by this, though I hope he has maintained a bit of distance from social media. The way it looks now, I think he agreed because it’s a fairly short stunt (only one walk for him, and the rest is mostly done by fandom) and it probably allows him more freedom in the long run. I feel his post with the Disney hoody is rather pointed. Reclaiming his true self a bit. I don’t think it’s been mainly to hide Taekook, but rather to make it seem that he (also) dates women. I’m quite curious to see how the launch of his album will go (in general, but also regarding this).

I don’t agree that Jk benefits from this without doing anything himself. Jk has been deemed ‘straight’ the last couple of weeks because of Seven. He didn’t need Tae to do Taennie, since to most of fandom and the general public Tae and him are just friends. They’ve successfully hidden that way for years now, and only now something like this is happening. I really suspect it’s because of Tae’s album, and because he wants to be able to be more himself in general. People are sadly enough more inclined to accept/ignore a hint of queerness when a man very publicly dates a woman. We’ll see soon I suppose, since his album is probably going to be released soon.

I think Tae and Jk are very connected. Jk’s tears when Tae’s grandmother died tells me that he is not immune to Tae’s hurt at all. I therefore think that Jk will also have hurt because of this Taennie thing. If not for himself it will have been for Tae. There’s no benefit in standing by while your partner is rumored/shipped with someone else. That hurts! Jk is also a very feeling, emotional person.. it took him quite some days to come on live again after the Paris stuff. You don’t come this far in a relationship (that is already complicated) by letting one person carry the brunt of it.

[chaoxfix]

🌿✨️💫

ty for asking!! <3

🌿 how does creating make you feel?

hmmm... interesting question! i think, more than anything else, it makes me feel focused in a way i rarely get otherwise. when im really in the zone i can just write for 3 hours and its all usable, because i know exactly how the characters are behaving and what they need to achieve in this scene. when im unfocused it's difficult to write at all because i lose that channel into my own imagination. and then i feel relieved that it's written and that i succeeded at capturing what i needed to, and glad to share it with others, if its something shareable

✨What's a fic you've posted you wish you could breathe life into again and have people talking about it? (or simply a fic you wish got more credit)

ohhh ... man, i mean, in a lot of ways i think i'm pretty spoiled. people talk a lot about my fics as it is, so i dont feel like i need to ask for much attention or validation, seeing as im already extremely grateful that so many people like my fics as much as they do.

buuuut, on the other hand, there are patterns of fics that people don't really give a chance.

so i think, i would love it if people got really into prime numbers, or the fic i posted recently with sonic and sally post-genesis wave, or my forces 06 au (still a wip but i lose motivation for it bc. well. its another sally fic that'll get ignored). people just don't really care much about sally.

and on this note, ... id also love it if people liked the one with amy more, the one i did for platonic fairytale week. idk if the name weirded people out (all the titles were from major songs in the disney movie about the same tale) but like. damn. a few people really really loved it (and thats really all i need) but i do think it shows some sad trends. people just don't really read fics about girls as much as they do ones about guys. (the exception seems to be with rouge fics, which perform about as well as other fics.)

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

ahh... for this one, again i will say that i've been VERY spoiled, but there are a few readers who, when they comment, it's frequently like... a 5 page MLA formatted essay analyzing characterization. the type that actually make me red-faced from being perceived, but in a really great way. imagination-junkyard and featheryDragons have left several like that, and every time i see them in my comments i get giddy because they really point out line by line through the entire fic what they like. but because i know those kinds of comments take ages (i know bc ive left comments like that before and . yeah - it takes a long long time, you have to truly love a work to spend that much time reacting, it really is a labor of love) my second favorite type of comment is the ones that tell you a lot about how a line or two made you feel along with just the entire vibe of the fic. <3

though -- its also a trip when i google myself and find stuff about me/my fics on platforms im not even on (like twitter and tiktok). like... ur saying nice things? even where they literally have no idea if i'll see it? you really do like it? omg...

thank you again for asking!!!

[roadkill0433]

some bullshit idk. a meditation on recovery, maybe. but it's pretty fucking long and im not expecting anyone to read it. it's got a pretty limited audience, anyway

i’m really trying to be better – i promise. even through the lingering moments of spite; through the careful feeding of her hair-thin needles into the center of my skull. (which, as she reminds me in exactly as many words -- as twitter's character limit allows -- is not the right shape or size to be adored.)

i’m trying even though you don’t believe me – on either front: my determination; her cruelty.

i’m trying even though you don’t want me, knowing it’s pointless if i can’t have you.

because the alternative is a mercy kiling that i can’t give myself.

i’m trying. even if most days end with me wishing you’d killed me when you wanted to.

your hands around my throat, eyes trained on mine –

a much more beautiful, intimate death than freezing to death, alone, in bed.

but i’m not thinking about that right now. right now, i’m walking to the frontrunner station. i’m on my way to a therapy session; listening to the song i’m learning choreography for in class.

(see? i told you i’m trying.)

you would hate it – it’s clean, shiny, pastel pink; obnoxious. i would tell you i hate the title, though: rizz me up. you would say ‘of course’, and i would let you have that. i would feel insecure about how much more i’ve listened to this than Acid Bath or Broken Social Scene in the last month.

(i would feel pride in knowing she only started listening to BSS after i tweeted about it.)

(and i would hate myself for that.)

except none of that conversation could happen if you were listening, right now, walking beside me. you’d be watching me snap my right hand’s fingers along to the beginning melody, then restart the track.

snap along, restart.

snap, restart.

you would half-laugh as you ask what the hell i’m doing, because you would be slightly embarrassed by what looks like an overt display of autism in public. i might tell you that i’m trying to listen, synchronize – get my timing right. i will probably be too embarrassed to get into detail and just shrug it off, laughing with you. and either way, i will hold my tongue from following my mind’s lead:

(‘and i have to focus. really hard. i have to try really hard; because when i feel myself lagging, i hear your voice; repeating exactly what you told me years ago. perched on my apartment building’s fifth floor lounge balcony, early night, while we smoke:)

‘if you can’t hear the beat, stop pretending to.’

you’d be confused why i suddenly look very, very sad. you’d ask, and …

it’s fine. i’m good.

i promise.

besides, it’s good advice – practical advice. if i ever dared to tell people what you used to say to me, they would think you were cruel. but they also don’t know if they’re meeting a beat; they can’t tell if they’re pretending. the problem is that i don’t know more people like you – like us –

people who have to keep their progress in check. who push themselves harder, faster, further. 

(though, if i can admit this; the problem may also be that you may be the only person i don’t want to feel that pressure from. it’s like sleeping on a bed of spikes.)

(but i won’t admit that.)

(i don’t want you to think i’m weaker than you already see me.)

by now i’m waiting for the frontrunner to take me to the red-line. i’m running through the basic steps of what i know so far while fighting the urge to lift my feet at all. my hands must stay at my sides. my head is allowed minimum bobbing. i let myself practice the smile i’ll have to perform. If nothing else, i can always practice smiling – it’s the most vital element, i think.

control your breath. relax your face. smile. i struggle with that.

once, while relating this to my therapist, she attempted to relate to me.

‘That has to hurt, right? That’s a long time to be smiling. Do people even really notice that?’

they do, i said. trust me.

‘That seems rough on the face. Your cheeks must be so sore after.’

It’s alright, honestly – and i mean that when i say it – the music really guides your emotions.

you feel it when you do it. And besides, not every song is so… cute. playful. Naive.

i get to ‘feel’ a lot when i perform. it relieves its own stress.

‘So… In a way, you get to experience some catharsis, as well? If one song makes you force yourself to soften your face – your movement, your body language – into something… ‘cute –”

– then vice versa, yeah, i interrupt. it's annoying when she shows her cards two turns early. most therapists do this – it makes the hour of an appointment feel like a tedious practice round. except it leads to nothing – there’s no advancement, no progress. you just play this game of chess with a child every week and hope it does something.

‘So… What would that look like to you? What is an expression for you that feels both cathartic and joyous; something that would relieve the tension of having to play that innocent, naive, you know, whatever role?

i stare at the ground for a moment as if this is some kind of revolutionary thought process for me. Really, i’m considering how much i can get away with before she pulls an alarm.

‘Try thinking about it like… Maybe you just got off work, you’re exhausted; you’ve been interacting with a lot of people today who you maybe don’t really mesh with.’

she says it as if i didn’t understand the question; it irritates me.

honestly?...

i would place myself where i know i’ll have the most eyes on me. I’d rip my knife off my belt; carve a large crescent across my throat. i’d laugh through the blood spraying from my ruined neck. i’ll revel in the few seconds of confusion as those around me process what just happened – as the shock spreads further behind them. in my final moments of consciousness, as i begin to falter, then fall to the floor, i’ll watch my coworkers run like panicked mice. i’ll feel their cheap business-casual shoes dig into my back as they trample over my body, as if they forgot who they were rushing to save. in those final moments, as my blood pools beneath me, i’ll feel the tension in my body withdrawal with it. and i’ll never break my smile.

except i don’t say that. i’m not fucking insane.

i could never cut myself deep enough to kill myself – i hate the texture of blood; i hate the idea of dying in a pool of it. i hate that anyone would walk their target flats across my customized yellow uniqlo jacket; the one with the ‘X’ patch i designed.

and it’s also obviously a shitty thing to do to someone. but i hate having to say that –

i hate that we’re faster to assume someone is depraved enough to do that than we are to believe they’re laughing at our shock. a symptom and perpetrator of societal decline.

no. instead, i shrug. i chuckle a little at myself – it adds a humanizing element to my response.

i don’t know, i guess… i like Acid Bath.

‘Who?’

i laugh again – making sure it’s clear i’m laughing at myself.

sorry. i’m annoying. rock, i guess i mean. because i don’t want to have this conversation.

i don’t really know if going to these sessions is helping. at all.

it feels really fucking stupid, actually. only amounts to an hour-long ‘acting human’ exam, really.

but maybe that’s what people like us need; rituals of tedious monotony.

small, routine challenges of middling difficulty to keep us human.

and besides, i like the commute. i like getting to talk to the ‘you’ i carry in my head.

both of us waiting for the train, listening to music, and practicing our performance.

control your breath. relax your face. smile.

and i’m really trying. i promise.

[balladofchloe]

Heartfelt Performance Sparks Speculation: Chloe Hyland’s “Astronomy” and the 5 Seconds of Summer Fallout

Celebrity News | July 2, 2014

(Chloe Hyland at her London show on June 26th)

During a recent stop on her This Is What It Feels Like tour at London’s Eventim Apollo, Chloe Hyland delivered an emotionally charged performance of an unreleased track, Astronomy, leaving fans both captivated and curious. Alone on a stage, armed with just her guitar, Chloe introduced the song by candidly announcing, “I feel like f**king around right now, do you guys mind if I sing an unreleased song?”

Before diving into the song, Chloe offered a heartfelt explanation. “I wrote this recently. It’s about relationships, and friendships, and growing up and apart from people you thought you’d have for life, and how much that hurts. So this is Astronomy.” The raw vulnerability in both her voice and lyrics resonated deeply with fans, who immediately took to social media to praise the performance. However, the track’s themes of growing apart and lost connections have also ignited a firestorm of speculation.

The Lyrics Fans Can’t Stop Analyzing

The poignant lyrics—“Stop trying to keep us alive / You can’t force the stars to align when they’ve already died”—paint a vivid picture of a relationship that has irreparably drifted apart. With Chloe’s widely publicized falling out with the members of 5 Seconds of Summer in late 2013, fans have drawn a direct connection between the song’s melancholic tone and her past with the band.

Social media was ablaze within hours of the performance. One fan tweeted, “There’s no way Astronomy isn’t about 5SOS. It’s too specific to be a coincidence.” Another added, “Chloe’s lyric ‘as much as it seems like you own my heart, it’s astronomy, we’re two worlds apart’ HAS to be about Luke Hemmings.”

5 Seconds of Summer Weighs In

Adding fuel to the fire, a recent interview with 5SOS has reignited interest in their estranged relationship. When asked about Chloe’s viral performance of Astronomy, the band members gave varying responses.

Drummer Ashton Irwin diplomatically replied, “I think Chloe’s an incredible artist. She’s always had a way of turning her feelings into something beautiful.” However, fans noticed bassist Calum Hood shifting uncomfortably in his seat while guitarist Michael Clifford quickly moved the conversation to their own upcoming tour.

The most telling reaction, though, came from Luke Hemmings. While he remained silent, his expression seemed to betray a mix of sadness and lingering affection when Chloe’s name was mentioned. Fans were quick to dissect the moment online, with many noting the “fondness” still evident in his demeanor.

Twitter exploded with commentary:

• “Chloe writing a song about growing apart and Luke’s face when he heard? I’m crying.”

• “Astronomy is clearly about 5SOS, and the way they all handled that question proves it. Something big went down.”

• “Luke Hemmings still loves Chloe Hyland, pass it on.”

A Past That Won’t Stay Buried

Chloe and the boys of 5 Seconds of Summer shared a well-documented friendship before their fallout in 2013, which reportedly stemmed from tensions surrounding her and Luke Hemmings’ intense romantic relationship. Though none of the parties involved have fully addressed the details, their breakup seemingly created a rift between Chloe and the rest of the band. The release of 5SOS’s Amnesia in 2014 only fueled rumors, as many fans believed the song was written about Chloe.

Fans Divided Over the Drama

While some fans are celebrating the vulnerability and artistry of Astronomy, others are questioning whether Chloe’s choice to perform the song so publicly was an intentional dig at her former friends. One fan wrote, “I love Chloe, but this feels like a subtle callout. If you’re over it, why bring it up in such a public way?”

Others defended her, with one commenting, “She has every right to write about her experiences. If they didn’t want her to, maybe they shouldn’t have hurt her.”

What’s Next for Chloe and 5SOS?

With Astronomy quickly becoming a fan favorite, many are wondering if Chloe plans to officially release the song—and if the drama surrounding it will prompt any sort of reconciliation between her and the 5SOS boys. For now, fans will have to speculate and wait to see if either side is willing to address their tangled history more openly.

[longlivelindsay]

It's me. Hi. I'm the problem. It's me.

Actually, my mental health is the problem. I've been so depressed lately.

I've been listening to a lot of music lately. And writing A LOT of poetry. Honestly, writing poetry and listening to @taylorswift (well, not ONLY TS, but she's helping the most) is the only thing getting me through this bad patch. this is me trying is basically my biography right now. And I'm obsessed with hoax. I love "Don't want no other shade of blue but you. No other sadness in this world would do." I mean, the whole song is great, but since I use blue so often as a metaphor in my poetry for my first love, it hits me hard. Because even though I don't want to be with him -- we would be a trainwreck!!! -- he'll always be the one that got away. Which is why I am constantly listening to the 1 also.

I wish one day I could meet her and talk about writing and what inspires us to write and whatnot. And we seem like we have a lot in common from what I've seen in interviews and her lyrics... which surprisingly mirror my poems often. So it would be very cool to talk to such a successful writer about that.

And talking to new people on the internet has really helped... there are so many interesting people in this world that you wouldn't otherwise met, and I love how websites like Twitter (both my political account -- liberaltakes12 -- and my new Taylor Swift fan account because the followers of my political account were going to behead me for continuing to talk about Taylor Swift -- longlivelindsay) and Reddit have introduced me to them. Hopefully, Tumblr will, too.

I also love that I'm 37 and Tumblr is for young people and so I feel young and cool being on it. Like I totally had a mini-breakdown about my age yesterday because for some reason, I LITERALLY JUST figured out that I was turning 40 in three years. (I somehow didn't realize this on my birthday, but I'm blonde.) It was one of those nights where alcohol was actually necessary!

When I was bored the other day, I made a list of my top 100 songs of Taylor Swift's in order. It was HARD, but made for a hell of a playlist. I'm SO going to do it for my other favorite bands, but NEVER in order again!!!

Spotify:

And the superior Apple Music:

(I think it says I only have 99 songs because I have "You're Losing Me" on there. Whatever. Apple Music is still superior.)

Now I sound like I'm an obsessed fan. I'm not. I am an obsessed fan of the shows Lost, Friends, and Dateline, though, so I'm still insane in at least three ways.

Well, my cat is crying for me to love her. She's just sitting next to me on the bed purring and meowing because she needs some attention. And if Penny Lane wants something, she always gets it. Because she is perfect and my cat is better than yours.

I'll show you a picture!

The most perfect cat in the world, Penny Lane.

[aaronsewards]

A BLUE ROAD IN THE NIGHT 

Voyage in the blue night

Some years ago, never mind how many exactly, I had a really good thing going with painting, writing and research. A Gallery in Kurobe, a small city up the coast from Toyama where I live, was planning an exhibition around a poet — Fuyuji Tanaka (1894-1980) who lived in and wrote about Kurobe. Somehow the curator had heard of my painting and asked me to contribute something — she gave me a small brown book of his poems in Japanese of which I could understand absolutely nothing, I carried it around asking my wife, her friends, strangers and once some teenagers in an English lesson 1 to translate bits of just give me the gist of random pages. On the internet I found some works translated, here are seven poems from Poetry magazine and a very helpful end notes explanation of the figure in the first poem

I tried to read about Japan at that time, poetry magazines and movements, about Kurobe and this region, Hokuriku. It was a great time for printing stuff out at work and then reading it on the train, all the poetry groups and their magazines reminded me of Bolano novels, but it wasn’t very clear to me how to make some paintings yet

Luckily the curator, Mariko, started to translate the poems in book for me, like the one above, and i started to get a sense of the book and his work. I made lists of nouns and other lists of plants and birds, these translations were immensely helpful. I printed them all off at work and carried around a folder and read and write a bit in between my day job or in the evening. Then a few times when I had a free day I would take the train to one of the stations in Kurobe and take a long walk up towards the mountains through the rice fields, past old houses and huge new supermarkets and then following one of the rivers back towards the sea. I took a lot of photos, the ground was all brown and green and red and rusty, people were making fires and drying out vegetables. I picked up stones and listened to a little music or to some podcasts about the news and the faff of the world then. 

My memory of that time was that it was suddenly slightly hopeful that something actually good could happen in politics, in the very narrow sliver of the world I read about regularly, something might change 2.  

Life out of balance

This was all in the autumn, I was anxious to visit Kurobe as often as I could before the snow came, but that was the only winter anyone can remember where it didn’t snow in this region of Japan, in January the trees were bare and grass was all yellow and brown and strange — it seemed pretty sad to think about what Fuyuji san would have made of it, the regular order of small things happening throughout the year being such a constant in his poems. Koyaanisqatsi I thought to myself, a word I can think but not say or spell, I know it means life out of balance though, for some reason it was one of a few videos I was allowed to watch as a child.

If you want to remember you better write down the names

One night while searching online I found a reference to a James Kirkup translating some of Fuyuji’s poems, I think in a book called Burning Giraffes, I spent a long time trying to find a pdf and failing, James Kirkup seemed a really interesting person, Id still like to read his books on Japan especially.   Another poet who I read about was Mitsuharu Kaneko who wrote something called the shark or sinking shark, a political attack on the government of the late 1920s in Japan. Every once in a while Id get some more pages of translations of poems from Mariko and Id read a bit more and do some paintings.   

I made quite a lot of paintings that were part of that group of work. Somewhere near the end I saw people on twitter talking about a new very long Bob Dylan song about the JFK assassination, something I couldn’t believe was actually real and then once I heard it I couldn’t believe how much I loved it. I listened to it on the seafront after taking all the work to gallery and seeing the beautiful art Yukako Kashiwai and Satoshi Oka — The two other artists in the show. That was around the time the schools all closed suddenly and Corona was all over the news, there was a few months delay and then the show opened in the spring, everything was totally different in Kurobe, wild colors in the gardens and on the water, birds were everywhere.

That spring came late — but it comes all together at once — becomes lively

1

it was a really good time in fact, they both knew quiet a lot about Japanese poetry of different periods and we tried translating some famous haikus in different ways.

2

a year or so before this, in the summer while cherries were being sold in the super markets here, I cycled to a kindergarten listening to the BBC News live as the election results were called in the UK, ultimately Jeremy corbyns labour party didn’t form a government but for a few days and that afternoon especially it seemed very close to being real.

[fushiomi]

Here’s a video on how to reach Liber/Eng staff about the termination of the English server:

[Video ID: Player is in the A3! app, the songs “Insert the Sunshine” and “Slowly Flowing”, both OST from the game, are playing. The player click on the profile icon, (the content isn’t important). They click on their bio and write “Hi” with a kaomoji on the side, then they write a letter “i” and hesitate before deleting it and click off. They exist their bio and leave the profile page. They instead click on the “Support” button which leads them to a page titled “A3! for Appstore inquires”, there’s a hyperlink that reads “For feedback regarding the ceasing of operations”, and below that in smaller writing it reads “Frequently asked questions (FAQs)”. There are four options viable to the viewer, “I want to play on another device”, “I have received my purchased Gems”, “I can’t login. / I got error 904/905/906.” The player clicks on the hyperlink that leads them to a page to give feedback, it has a green banner and says “For feedback edgar ceasing of operations. Below it reads: “Players that have any opinions or feedback on regarding ceasing of operations can do so here. A disclaimer is below that reads “*Although feedback from users will be reviewed, we cannot respond to individual users”. Green text above a box is present after scrolling, it reads “Please input your feedback here.” The user types in “don’t please ahaha you’re (stylized as ur) so sexy” with a winky emoji, they then access their emoji keyboard and place a broken heart. They can clarify “Actually write something serious though (written tho) with a kaomoji of a smiling person, then press done (two exclamation points) don’t spam and remember to be kind (two exclamation points)”. They then click off the page and settings, the video ends with them on the main page of the game. End ID]

Bellow the readmore is what I ended up (actually) submitting, if you want to copy and paste it, please make a few changes! But ultimately what I felt like was needed to highlight:

- Marketing issues and comparisons between other games that handled international marketing.

- The sudden nature of the announcement and how it impacted the player base.

- The fact the game does have a fanbase and has a market (leads back to the point of bad marketing), and that the success in Japan is an example that the game does have ability to be a hit.

- Other options that don’t include terminating the server (such as a temporary hiatus).

—

Other ideas: Events to connect with the fanbase (example: art contests where winners get “X” amount of gems), twitter events (“Y” amount of retweets in “Z” days will give “X” reward”), subtitles of the stage play so international fans have more content to interact with, etc.

DISCLAIMER: I wrote this while still drowsy from crying and sleep medication, so if you’re able to, please help us write something better than… this.

“Hello, I hope this review/feedback finds you well.

As you can imagine, this is about the ceasing operations of the A3! English/International servers, and the opinions and ideas I (as well as other players) have.

I’ve been observing the way the player base has reacted to the news and, not so surprisingly, the reaction has been pretty negative. A lot of players feel overwhelmed with the sudden news, many disappointed at – what feels like – the sidedness of the decision. While we are all thankful for the amazing localization of the game, we can’t help but feel deeply saddened and, in more extreme cases, betrayed at the decision. The game has garnered quite a community, notably in social media sites such as Twitter and Tumblr, as it became quite a vital and comfort game for many.

Alongside seeing the way the player base has reacted, I looked at the graphics and economical side of things and noticed how players in the server have been lowering. Which, alongside the pandemic and loss of profit Cybrid and Liber have been experiencing as of the last two years, is what I imagine is impulsing the decision to halt activities.

With all of that in mind, I personally still think that terminating content to the English server is a bad idea — in the long run, that is.

The last two years have been quite a financial struggle for many, and to decide to end the game due to loss of profit seems hasty. While I understand it’s not possible to continue operations, I think halting operations until further notice would be a better idea.

Instead of completely pulling the plug, halting operations while focusing on marketing would honestly work better.

The marketing of the game has been, for lack of a better word, quite messy. I think there were lot of missed opportunities, marketing the game as found family and card game — where you accompany a group of people to achieve their dreams — would have been a better strategy than saying it was an otome game - which is what led to a lot of player joining and then leaving due to the lack of romance wh the characters. A good example of marketing, in my opinion, would be the Obey Me! franchise or games such as Cookie Run.

I’m saying all of this, but what I mean is, if the team behind it focused more on the advertisement on social media’s such as twitter and ads on youtube where the nature of found family and the true nature of Mankai (a company where family and brotherly love blooms) the game would find and flourish in the demographic, since it’s not unheard of players wanting a game like that — especially in the west.

Basically, what I’m saying is that I think the idea of terminating operations on the English server is a bad idea especially when there is an obvious marker for it, and A3! really does fit it. Personally, I think halting the events and focusing on marketing the game further — truly pushing the game with ad’s (which could include in game CG’s where we see how the boys grow and connect as a family) where the nature of A3! is shown clearly, A3! English server could absolutely bloom into something amazing.

A3! is about not giving up, even when things get tough, and to try and reach an audience – which is why, I guess, seeing you guys give up on it seems… sad and like a truly missed opportunity.

As someone who’s been with the game since launch, the game has so much potential, so please, please give it another try. Focus on the marketing, push it with ads on youtube and instagram, put the boys’ face out there and make the focus of the story known.

Look into the way games such as Obey Me!, the idol games (mostly female based), and other successful asian/japanese games have marketed themselves and try to adapt it into A3!. An example, instagram ads where you can see parts of a CG (let’s say the Muku and Yuki from Act 1) where Muku comforts Yuki, the voice lines there as you hear the game music and subtitles playing. Be honest about the gameplay, it’s not the most exciting, but market it as fun, add more rewards for when you train the actor — more gems or maybe trophies if you train “X” amount of times in a day instead of just a training card. You can even make more Eng server exclusive cards to insensitive Japanese players to also engage with the English server.

I feel like there are so many ways to go about it that don’t include shutting down the game, because shutting down the game truly feels like the easiest way out… but it doesn’t mean it’s the best way.

Anyway, I hope nothing in this feels malicious, I'm simply passionate about it as someone who’s invested hours and hours, almost 700 days of their life, onto this, A3! and the Mankai company feels like a part of my life, and as many others feel as well, I don’t want to let go. Not when I know there’s so many events and games, gachas and character, left for us as international players to experience.”

[shinazugawaswife]

If You Love Him - Harry Styles

This is based on the song If You Love Her by Forest Blakk

This song breaks my heart every time I listen to it, and I just thought of this idea. It honestly made me so sad to write and I really got in my feels, so I’m sorry beforehand if it’s too sad, but I’m actually really proud of it so I hope you enjoy<3 (Olivia Wilde appears in this, and it’s in no way meant negatively towards her) 

Summary: you have a hard time living without Harry, and when you find out he’s seeing someone else it breaks your heart and you write a song to his new lover

Warnings: none, it’s just sad:’(

Not my gif, so creds to the owner

You sat in front of the piano, fingers brushing the keys, just barely touching them. You've been crying all day it felt like, and now you just felt numb. You were absolutely drained of all your energy and you felt like you could fall asleep on the spot, but every time you tried closing your eyes, old memories flooded your brain a thousand miles per hour and prevented sleep from taking you with it.

You missed him, fuck you missed him so much. It was so hard just breathing without him and it felt like climbing a mountain just getting through one day without Harry beside you. You barely slept, just the thought of waking up and not seeing him in bed next to you, was enough to start a waterfall of tears streaming down your face. Every day you were in physical pain too, your stomach was in knots, your head was pounding from all the crying and your body had gotten so used to just laying in bed that your muscles had started hurting too from lack of use.

Every day was a hell to go through, but today had been the worst without a doubt. Nothing could ever compare to the feeling you'd felt when you’d checked Twitter that morning and saw rumors that Harry had found someone new. It had been all over the internet after a picture had been caught of him and someone else from the night before. Even though your brain had begged you to stop looking at the pictures and just turn off your phone, you'd spent the entire morning reading articles and fan theories. Eventually, it had hurt more than you could bear and you'd put down your phone and spent the rest of the day soaking your pillow from your unstoppable fountain of tears.

Now it was some time in the middle of the night, maybe around 3 a.m? You honestly didn't know. You hadn't touched your phone since you'd tossed it away earlier and you hadn't moved from your bed until an hour ago when you'd made your way to the piano in your living room.

One time what felt like an eternity ago, Harry had found you absolutely devasted after you thought a heavy argument with one of your close friends had led to the end of your friendship, and he'd told you: "some times emotions are easier to feel if you express them through music" and he'd made you sit down on the same piano bench you were sitting on now, listening while you wrote a song about every emotion that you'd felt. You remembered how he'd been right, that the feelings had actually been more bearable after you'd sang the words. Maybe it would work that way this time too? Honestly, at this point, you were willing to try anything to minimize the painful aching in your chest.

You'd just been staring at the piano in front of you for the last hour though, no words coming to mind that could express exactly what you were feeling. You kept thinking of Harry with this new person: was he with her right now, lying next to her in bed? Were they cuddling? Did he pull her tight to his chest while his head rested atop of hers as he'd always done with you? Were they having deep pillow talks till far into the night, like the two of you used to? Did he touch her the way he'd touched you? Did her entire body ignite whenever he kissed her, as yours had always done?

You knew who she was, Olivia Wilde, the director of the movie Harry had worked so hard on the last couple of months. You remembered the day he'd come home, so excited that he'd gotten the role in the movie, and you'd been equally as excited for him and so fucking proud. Not once had you imagined that you'd be sitting here now, while Harry was starting a new relationship with her. Was she treating him right? You fucking hoped so. Even though you wanted to hate her with your entire being, you couldn't seem to be mad at her. Maybe she was giving him what you couldn't, maybe he was happier with her. God, he deserved to be so happy.

Suddenly a thought formed in your head and the fingers that had only been lightly touching the piano keys now pressed down to make the instrument play out a soft melody.

Take it If he gives you his heart Don't you break it

Your voice was weak as it escaped from your lips. You hadn't spoken to a lot of people the past couple of weeks, having barely used your voice and you couldn't even remember the last time you'd been singing. Losing Harry had made you shy away from your passion for music and writing, too many memories.

Let your arms be a place He feels safe in He's the best thing that you'll ever have

You kept going as the words formed in your head, directing the song to Harry's new lover. Even though it brought you so much pain to see Harry with someone else, you were willing to let him go if she was for him what he needed. All you wanted was for him to be happy and complete, you wanted him to have the world and you'd never been able to give him that.

Memories started appearing in your head like flashbacks behind your closed eyelids. Memories that you and Harry had shared, memories that made you smile slightly even though it shattered your heart to know that you would never share moments like them with him again. While being with Harry, you were the happiest you'd ever been and maybe you were never gonna feel that again, but it was okay as long as he was happy.

He always has trouble Falling asleep And he likes to cuddle While under the sheets

You'd spent many long nights next to Harry in bed, running your fingers through his hair and speaking softly to help him find sleep when it had been so hard for him. He'd always told you how there was no feeling that could compare to being curled up to you in bed, holding you so close to him that you could hear his heartbeat. The most peaceful moments you'd ever experienced with him were these intimate moments where you never wanted to move out of his embrace, praying that you could just stay in his arms forever.

Reality hit you now, that those moments were long gone, but you just wished with all your heart that she would hug him just the way he loved it and that she would be there for him during those sleepless nights he had when adrenaline wouldn't stop running through his body after working too much, or whenever a storm of thoughts in his head was keeping him awake.

He loves Pop songs And dancing, and bad trash TV

Harry's taste in music had always been something else. It was so wide, almost every genre of music was presented on his playlist, but you remembered you'd been surprised when you found all the cliche pop songs on there. You knew, of course, that Harry had spent five years in a boyband, singing pop songs, but to you, he just hadn't seemed like the type to listen to Ariana Grande and Katy Perry, but you'd been so wrong.

You couldn't count how many romcoms and shitty reality shows you'd watched with Harry during your time together. He'd always found them very enjoyable, and you would be lying if you didn't enjoy the times you'd been cuddled up to him on the couch while watching Love Island and discussing all the people you voted for and all the people you absolutely couldn't stand with each other.

He loves love notes and babies And likes giving gifts

A single tear escaped your eye and ran down your cheeks at the thought of all the love notes Harry had given you in the past. After you'd started dating, you'd worn his clothes so much, just because it smelled like him. His hoddies, shirts, sweatpants, jackets, you'd stolen it all from him, you're excuse being that it was more comfortable than your own clothes. Harry had never minded though, in fact, he'd always loved to see you walk into the kitchen in his shirt in the mornings or walk out of the house in a pair of his sweatpants paired with something like a white tank top.

At some point, he started putting little notes in the pockets of his hoddies or pants, knowing you'd put the items on the next day and find the sweet notes he hid. It was just small things like I love you or have a great day, love or excited to see you tonight, but they had always melted your heart, making you love him just that more.

Has a hard time accepting A good compliment

Harry had always showered you with compliments, every chance he got, always making you smile. You'd always made sure to tell Harry what an amazing person he was and how talented he was, how beautiful his music was and how absolutely gorgeous he looked, and every single time a sweet comment like that had left your mouth, Harry had blushed slightly while looking down at his feet. He would start making excuses, saying that it was nothing special every time you were amazed by a new song he'd written, and telling you he didn't know what you were talking about every time you'd told him how good he looked.

Knowing that he'd never been good at receiving compliments, you'd made sure to attack him with them all the time, and even though he never admitted it, you knew he thought about your words with a lot of consideration, eventually, you hoped, he started believing them.

You just wanted her to keep telling him those sweet things every day because he needed to hear them.

He loves his whole family And all of his friends

You thought of Harry's family and how he'd been so proud when he'd introduced you to them for the first time. He always put his family above everyone and though he didn't see them as much as he wanted to, he made sure that they never questioned how much they meant to him.

You'd admired the relationship he had with his family, especially his mother and sister, you could just tell how much he adored them. You'd never really had a home with that kind of love. You were an only child, so no siblings, and your mother had passed away while you were still young, leading your father into years of alcoholism and depression.

You'd never felt safe and loved until you met Harry, he was your family. That was probably the hardest part for you to let go of, the feeling of safety you'd had whenever you were wrapped in his arms or from simply being in the same room as him.

He was such a giving person, never asking for much. He had a lot of friends and they all adored him, how could they not? He had this ability to make you feel so special and he was such a good listener too, giving you all his attention whenever you told him something, not letting anything distract him.

So if you're the one he lets in Take it If he gives you his heart Don't you break it Let your arms be a place He feels safe in He's the best thing that you'll ever have He'll love you If you love him

You sang, and god, the words hurt. It felt like your chest was being pried open and your heart ripped out and shredded into pieces. You had to mov eon though, for your own good. You never wanted to forget Harry, he would always have a piece of you, but this grieve that you were feeling had to decrease, you could barely live a life when it hurt so bad.

If Olivia was the one for Harry, then so be it, if she made him happy you couldn't argue. Obviously you hadn't made him as happy as he'd made you, but you hadn't realized that until he'd walked out the door and it was too late. He had let go of you and now it was time for you to do the same, you just wanted, no needed her to treat him right.

On days when It feels like the whole World might cave in Stand side by side And you'll make it He's the best thing that you'll ever have He'll love you If you love him like that

You always thought that Harry and you could get through anything, and your relationship had been put to a lot of tests throughout your time together but never had you thought that one of these obstacles would actually get the better of you.

You remembered that day so clearly. The day your whole world fell apart slowly with every step Harry took towards your front door, and it all crashed down on you when he sat down in his car and drove away without even one last glance in your direction. You hadn't talked to him after that, but still, he remained the single thing on your mind 24/7. It hurt you how quickly he had moved on, but you couldn't be mad because you felt at blame for your relationship ending in the first place.

Harry had always said that as long as you stood together, then absolutely nothing could come in the way of you two, and the only time you hadn't been side by side, that's when you fell apart. You'd always appreciated him so much, sometimes you'd thought it was impossible to care so much for another human as you cared about Harry.

Your hands started shaking a bit and you could feel the tears slowly appearing in the corner of your eyes. You would never stop caring about Harry, he had such an impact on your life, what were you supposed to do without him? God, would this pain ever stop? As you started the second verse, the tears escaped your eyes and silently ran down your cheeks.

Kiss him with passion As much as you can

You missed kissing Harry. Just his touch had been such an essential part of your day and now that you didn't get to feel that, you needed it more than anything. When you thought of it, it was as if you could still feel his lips on yours, kissing you softly.

You'd kissed a number of guys before you met Harry and you'd thought all of them had been fairly good, but that was until you kissed Harry. You'd shared your first kiss one day while you'd been chilling at Harry's and he just couldn't stop himself as you'd stood in his kitchen and looked so beautiful. You knew Harry had experience, but you remember being completely taken aback by how comfortable the kiss was. It wasn't too wet, but not entirely without his tongue roaming your mouth either. He'd grabbed your waist while your arms snaked their way around his neck, and he'd tasted good after the smoothies he'd made for the two of you earlier that day. You hadn't been able to get enough and he had seemed to have the same problem because you'd barely taken your hands off each other for the rest of the night.

Harry was a very affectionate person and he’d loved holding you, kissing you, just touching you in general. It had made you feel so loved and now where that feeling had belonged in your chest, was just emptiness. You were certain no one could ever make you feel the way Harry had, he could make your entire body feel like it was on fire just by holding your hand.

Run your hands through his hair Whenever he's sad

It wasn't often Harry had been sad in front of you, let alone cried, but it had happened a couple of times, and many times he'd come home and you'd been able to see that something was wrong, but he would deny it. It wasn't because he’d been embarrassed to be sad in front of you, but he’d often pushed it away because he didn't want to burden you. You knew him well though and you could tell the second he would walk in the door, that something was wrong. If he didn't want to talk about it, mostly you'd just put a romcom on the television and pulled him into your arms while you'd cuddled on the sofa, gently running your fingers through his soft curls. You would do anything to brush your fingers through his hair right now...

And when he doesn't notice How amazing he is Tell him over and over

So he never forgets

On the outside, Harry had always made a great effort to appear confident and independent, but when you'd managed to get to know him behind that exterior, you'd discovered that he had a bunch of his own insecurities. He always questioned if his music was good enough, if his performances were good enough, if he was a good idol, if he deserved everything he had, if he was good enough.

Once you'd found out he felt this way a lot of the time, you'd always made sure to tell him how absolutely extraordinary you thought he was. You hoped that she would tell him too, help him build a better image of himself in his head.

You managed to get through the chorus again before your feelings became too overwhelming and you had to stop. Your fingers halted on the piano while your tears had become slightly more uncontrollable.

You couldn't help but think that you were pathetic for sitting here when Harry had clearly moved on with someone else. You'd realized how much your joy had depended on him, but you had to be able to live a life without him. How could you move on when Harry had completed you though?

It was cliche, but you felt like you were missing a part of you and without Harry, you would never be able to get it back. It was like he'd been too good for you, so he had been taken away from you. You had always known you didn't deserve him, but you'd tried your very hardest to be worthy of his love, but you weren't and now someone was making you pay for those years where you'd been granted his affection without actually deserving it.

What were you supposed to do? How the fuck were you supposed to live a life when your source of happiness had been taken away from you?

With tears still in your eyes and your body shaking, you removed yourself from the piano and went back to bed, hoping that maybe tomorrow would be the day he would come knocking at your door, because moving on from him clearly wasn’t an option...

——————————————————————————

A/n: I've got a bunch of requests that's been sitting in my inbox for so long and I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to them. A bunch of them are with JJ and I just haven't been in the mood to write for him lately, I've just kinda been diving deeper and deeper into my Harry obsession (when am I not), but I'll get around to them at some point. Again I'm really sorry, school is just really stressing me out too, so I haven't been writing much at all, please don't stop requesting though<3

[ladyloveandjustice]

Spring 2021 anime overview: Quick Takes

Now for my Spring 2021 anime thoughts! I’ve decided from now on if a season’s like, 20- to-24 episodes I’m just going to wait ‘til it’s done to review it unless I feels super passionately, so though I watched To Your Eternity (it’s good!) and MHA (eh), I’ll comment on them next time. Also, for the record, I watched the first eight eps of Joran: Princess and Snow of Blood but I dropped it because it had clearly crossed the line from entertainingly dumb to boring dumb. 

I will probably give Supercub and some other stuff a shot later, this was a stacked season! May give updates on all that later, but this is what I have for now.

ODDTAXI

Quick Summary: A mild mannered middle-aged walrus taxi driver is drawn into a case involving a missing girl, yakuza, Youtube clout-chasers, manzai comedians and idols with big secrets.

It’s rare to walk away from media and be like “that is a singular experience I will definitely never see repeated again” but ODDTAXI is definitely one of those. A tense noir thriller murder mystery starring cartoon animals that spends an entire episode detailing the one (cat)man’s very fall into darkness triggered by addiction to gacha games and an online auction for a novelty eraser? Also there’s a porcupine Yakuza who speaks entirely in rap? Also there’s tons of meandering conversations about stuff like manzai comedy and the struggle to go viral on Twitter?

Admittedly, I had a hard time getting into the first episode, the dry meandering humor not being enough to hold my attention while I was sitting still, but once I watched this while I was working out at the end of the season, I found it an easy binge. A ton of characters with dark secrets or dangerous ambitions, each with their own part to play in a tableau of intersecting events- and it all actually comes together really well.(As for the female characters, it’s a pretty dude driven story, but they do get nuanced characterization and even some good heroic moments from one of them.)

 It’s a great example of a carefully planned narrative paying off, with all the twists appropriately seeded and foreshadowed to reward viewers who paid attention. Even when it ended on a perfect “OH SHIT” moment and denied me closure, I couldn’t help but respect it. If you that all sounds interesting to you, definitely check out the first couple episodes and see if you like it- you’re likely to have a memorable, satisfying experience!

Shadows House

Quick Summary: Emilyko is a ‘living doll’ who’s told she was created to act as the ‘face’ of her shadow master, Kate. The shadows and their ‘dolls’ all reside on the mansion and are required to pass a ‘debut’ to prove they’re a good pairing. If they don’t pass, they might be disposed of. And so the mystery of the Shadow mansion grows...

This slice of gothic intrigue was my favorite of the season, tied with ODDTAXI. With an interesting premise, slightly tense undertones and a strong focus on character building and relationships, it kept me hooked the whole way through. And for any squeamish fans put off by the hype about it, don’t worry, while there are some suspenseful elements, I wouldn’t qualify it as horror. I thought the relationship between Kate and Emilyko might end up being a completely sinister one, but it’s thankfully a lot more complex than that and it’s really interesting to follow how both their characters and relationship grow. The focus of the show is, unsurprisingly, on the “dolls” slowly discovering their autonomy and personhood as they struggle under the rigid system imposed on them by the mysterious elders of this weird Victorian mansion. Can they develop a more equitable relationship with their shadow “masters” (who are also shown to suffer under this system)? There’s a lot to dig into there, and the show has the characters develop through learning to understand and appreciate each other, which is pretty heartwarming. Our hero, Emilyko, is the typical plucky ball of sunshine (they even nickname her sunshine), but she’s also shown to be clever in her own off-the-wall way and she bounces off the far more subdued and cynical Kate well, not to mention the other ‘dolls’ she ends up befriending. 

What’s more, the show spends plenty of time to developing several other character pairings and combinations, and they all have their own interesting dynamic that makes you want to see more of them. Same-gender bonds are at the forefront of this show, and many of them are ripe for queer readings (I definitely appreciated the healthy helping of ladies carrying ladies), but even outside that it’s nice to see a show where a strong, complex bond between girls is at the forefront. My only real complaints about the show are the anime original ending is noticeably a bit rushed (though it’s not too bad, and leaves room for a season 2) and I wish the animation used the whole “shadow” theme more strikingly (like the opening and endings do)- instead the colors are a bit washed out which makes the shadows blend into the background sometimes. The “debut” arc also drags a bit in places, but it makes up for it by having a lot of good character integration.

I hope to check out the (full color)! manga soon and see more of this quirky, shadowy story. There’s some physical abuse depicted, sad things happening to characters and naturally the whole “oppressive familial system” thing, but otherwise not much I can think of to warn about. I give this one a big rec, especially If you’re a fan of gothic fairytales and stories of self discovery.  

Zombie Land Saga Revenge

Quickest summary: In this sequel season, everyone’s favorite zombie idol group must claw their way back into prominence after a disastrous show- the fate of the Saga prefecture LITERALLY depends on it!

This was a fun follow-up to the first season- if you liked the first zombie-girl romp, you’ll probably enjoy this one. In fact, there were a couple areas it improved on- namely, Kotaro failed, ate crow and embarrassed himself a lot more this season, which made him more likeable (as did the fact the girls gained a lot of independence from him). This season also shed more light on what the ‘goal’ of this zombie raising project is and what kind of shit Kotaro got involved with to make this happen, and it’s appropriately off-the-wall and ridiculous. We finally got some backstory for Yugiri too! I wish it had focused on more of her interiority, but she got to be a badass in it, and it was a treat to see this zombie idol show turn into a period piece for a couple episodes (also her song ruled).

 Tae also got a cute focus episode and there was a particular SMASHING performance early on! Also That revelation last season that had the potential to turn creepy hasn’t yet, and hopefully never will. The finale was heartwarming with big hints of more drama to come- I’m definitely down for more zombie hijinks!

Vivy: Flourite Eye’s Song

Quickest Summary: A songstress AI named DIVA (nicknamed Vivy) is approached by another AI named Matsumoto, who says he’s from the future and they must work together to prevent AI exterminating all of humankind 100 years from now.

This show is absolutely gorgeous visually with some really nice action scenes, but when it comes to the story my feelings basically amount to a shrug. It’s fine! I guess! Vivy starts out as an interesting layered character- and I guess still is by the end- with her stoic but stubborn determination bouncing off her fast-talking bossy partner Matsumoto well. She never listens to him, which is delightful. The way the show took place over the course of 100 years was an interesting conceit as well. However, it bought up a lot of themes and then sort of... dropped them. For instance, Vivy interprets her mission (PRIME DIRECTIVE if you will) as protecting humans at all costs, no matter how destructive said humans are or what their fate is supposed to be, and is perfectly willing to murder her fellow androids to do this, showing she inherently thinks of androids (herself and her own people!) as less worthy. Which is a little alarming! There’s a very dramatic point in the show where they bring this up as a potential conflict for her character but then it’s sort of...dropped. Pretty much.

Actually, despite the premise, the show doesn’t dip into the “AI rights” as much as you think it would with the main theme being more about Vivy’s search to find her own creativity and discover what it means to ‘pour your heart into something’. Vivy herself doesn’t actually care if she has rights or anything. Which is in some ways fine, because ‘AI as an oppressed class’ has been done to death, but IT’S ALSO KIND OF IN THE PREMISE, so that means that the show just shrugs really hard at a lot of the questions it brings up  basically just going “humans and AI should work together probably” and that’s it. There’s a lot that feels underexplored. The antagonists in the show also either have motivations that don’t really make sense or have boring hackneyed motivations. In the finale in particular, it feels like a lot of things happen “just because” and it falls a little flat.

I also have to warn that one of the arcs focus on a robot ‘pairing’ where the dude-coded robots actions toward his partner are straight up awful and rob her of her autonomy, but it’s played like a tragic love story. I suppose you could read it differently too, but it definitely made me go ‘ew’ the story seemed to want me to sympathize with this robo dude,

Overall, I wouldn’t anti-recommend this show, it’s an all right little sci-fic romp (and definitely SUPER pretty). My favorite element was definitely the episodes where Vivy develops an entirely new (an loveable) personality, because it played with the idea of of an AI getting “rebooted” really well and interplay between her two “selves” was done really well. But there are a lot of other parts of the show that just feel...a little underexplored and empty, making me have an ‘eh’ feeling on the show overall. It’s definitely an ambitious project, and while it didn’t quite stick the landing, there’s something to be said for a show that shoots for the stars and falls short over a show that just languishes in mediocrity.

Fruits Basket The Final

Quick summary: The final season of that dramatic drama about that weird family with a zodiac curse and the girl who loves them.

It’s very weird that after not cutting a lot out, they kinda sped through some material for, you know, the finale. I guess they thought they couldn’t stretch this final arc to 26 episodes? Or weren’t cleared for another double cour? However, though there were a couple places that felt awkward, despite being a bit condensed it mostly held together pretty well for a D R A M A T I C and ultimately heartwarming conclusion. I was really disappointed they kept the part where Ritsu cut their hair for the ‘happy ending’, I thought  their intro episode not showing them in men’s clothes meant the anime had decided their presentation didn’t need to be “fixed” but WELL I GUESS NOT. That was the only big upset for me though, otherwise the adaptation went about how I expected, sticking to the source material. Furuba has a lot of bumps, from weird age gap stuff to ...gender, but it also has a lot of important feels and great character arcs. It was a gateway shoujo for many and has its important place in animanga history, so I’m glad it finally got a shiny, full adaptation.

[stormblessed95]

Hi Storm!! This has been on my mind so I thought I would send in an ask. Idk if you are a swiftie, but I am. Taylor has a new album coming out next month (crossing my fingers that PJM1 doesn’t drop the same weekend because I want Jimin to have his own moment) but onto my point…

There was a major uproar from fans after the speculated that this album would have even more queer undertones and a possible “coming out” from her with Midnights. And there was even a Rolling Stone article talking about her rumored queerness which brought a huge twitter controversy and a shit ton of homophobia. I hate that people are assuming that she will come out with this album release or pressuring her too, I really hated even more that people were so homophobic adamant that Taylor is straight. The homophobia and heteronormativity extends beyond the BTS fandom into other huge fandoms too. It really made me mad and sad. And I’m sure Taylor is aware of both sides of her fandom.

Idk what my real point to this is other than this is a huge patriarchal society problem clearly. The way some swifties dismiss any possibility of her being apart of the LGBTQIA+ community is giving the same energy that the members of BTS receives when someone speculates that *cough Jikook* could be in a romantic relationship and it’s disgusting. This is why pressuring anyone, especially those in the spotlight, to come out is never okay.

Hi! So I do really enjoy lots of Taylor's Music. But I am generally not involved in the fandom nor do I keep track of what goes on with her. I just enjoy the music when it drops. I do have friends who are Swifties though and you best believe my bestie will be getting a call asking why they didn't share their fandom drama with me this time. Lol

Honestly though, I did go look this all up and read through some threads and see reactions to things etc and wow. Yeah, there is a lot of uncomfy discourse happening. I don't know Taylor enough or about everything to honestly give my own opinions over it all though. I don't feel informed enough. Sorry!

I will say that the Bi colors show up alot around Taylor though that I've seen. Her lyrics has raised my own eyebrows here and there on occasion but can also be easily brushed off at times too. So again, I don't know enough. I know she writes all her own stuff though I'm pretty sure and is huge on Easter eggs and clues and hints etc. And there are so many queer coded hints that I've seen and I wouldn't even consider myself part of her fandom. But again, who knows. This music video DOES exist though lol

And yeah, hardcore ally all day. I love it. But the gay song during pride month and she did it with Bi colored hair? 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

I don't know anything about her upcoming album release though honestly. But no one can force someone out and no one can assume someone's sexuality. So the people insisting she has to be straight aren't in the right. She has the right to her own privacy though as well. She doesn't HAVE to say anything to anyone about anything either. I do think there is a difference between assuming she might be coming out vs pressuring her to come out too. Talking about the queer undertones in her music and gay fans being excited about it, relating to it and wondering if this means she might say something diffinitive about it now. Isn't the same as insisting she say something about it or come out. I'm sure there are people doing both because fandoms can suck sometimes, but don't downplay every queer fan for hoping for a more queer album or maybe a coming out as them insisting she do so either.

But again, I don't know enough so Idk how much I can really say! All I know is that she seems happy in her relationship, my hardcore swiftie bestie tells me she is and that she has been throwing herself into these latest albums. So I just hope she stays happy and enjoys her life to the fullest and if nothing else, I hope she is a good ally.

Sorry fandom drama and homophobia is everywhere anon. That's nothing new 🥺