#yaoi maxxing perhaps

[fennekuuu]

who up drawing arcane yaoi at the beach

[mylove-thresher]

Queen never cry (I cannot stop laughing)

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

You know what, fuck it: Baldur's Gate 3 Thoughts.

(The world is so so bad right now, can't even name all the bad things, so fuck it, no more bad feels, just some nice garbage right now)

I really love that the big 3 pairings all kinda arrive together:

Lae'zel and Shadowheart are already trapped on the ship together, like they are both trapped by their beliefs. They both know more about what's happening than anyone else and are also perhaps the most frightened.

Astarion and Gale show up stuck and as potential bait. They're both concealing some pretty big problems. The only way to succeed with them is to trust them despite this. And they both badly need to bond with others so they can survive their ordeals.

Karlach and Wyll actually already have a relationship, just one founded on misunderstanding. They can each empathize with each other in ways the others can't and adjust quickly to thinking of a previous adversary as a friend. They both have so much going on that when they arrive on the Sword Coast, they just resettle into business as usual. They've both been misused by those with control over them and seek to break that control, even if that doesn't fix everything, even if it means more loss.

They're all good ships, I love them. And all the other combos are good too, there are no bad options here, but I'm a bit of a sucker for these. Honestly, really appreciate having an entire party of bisexuals. I love that so much <3

Gale and I are the same person ha ha ha FUCK

I do have fic ideas, potentially for Gale & Astarion and Lae'zel & Shadowheart (spoilers below)

Like, I actually have a lot of feelings about Shadowheart being a complete dick to Lae'zel while she goes through a crisis of faith, only to eat pigeon pie later when she gets a crisis of her own.

And I'm obsessed with the idea of Lae'zel learning how to be comforting as she watches Shadowheart crumble apart, as she loses all sense of identity. Because at least Lae'zel has that. Lae'zel lost a lot in parting from Vlaakith, but she didn't lose who she was. Indeed, she left in defense of who she was, in defense of what she knew to be right. Shadowheart doesn't even have that. And it's a wild thing that comes over you, to feel like you've fucked up and lost and to find someone you can actually help. I think it would be a really cool and beautiful thing to see, Lae'zel helping Shadowheart find the pieces of herself. That would just be really, really good.

And then there's Problematic Old Man Yaoi over here

Maybe what I love best about Gale and Astarion is how much fucking WOULD NOT solve it

Like, some people just need to fuck it out and then it's all good, you fixed the issue

And 100% fucking would not solve their shit. Like, it would help, or it certainly wouldn't not help. But it'd only help like... max 20% The rest has to be solved by Talking, Using Your Words, Talking To Other People No Not The Imaginary Conversations, and Admitting When You're Wrong.

I also love that this is true no matter where you think they get together.

Like, let's take Act I: I cannot IMAGINE how Astarion could talk Gale into bed that early. Gale "Never Nude" Dekarios who's never had a crush on anyone who wasn't Mystra. He'd be shaking and fumbling just trying to ask Astarion on a date. And Mr. Emotionally Available over here, who is not ready to be vulnerable in any sense, who uses sex as a crutch because it's so familiar and so easy to dissociate from... yikes, what a combo. Poor Gale would be sent reeling by the hot-cold of it, he'd act insane those first few days after sex as he tries to make sense of how Astarion said yes to everything, but didn't mean it, but also he did? So should he pursue that or leave it be? Is the best choice to let Astarion thaw in his own good time or obsessively work on cracking this because Astarion clearly needs help and just doesn't want to ask for it? Stupid question, OBVIOUSLY the second! I... instant explosion. God, it would go so bad. Honestly, the good version is Gale resists the invitations and instead Astarion sulks for a few days over his blue balls or just fucks someone else, thus giving Gale a new case of mixed signals to obsess over. Jesus, we're just never going to escape that are we? Wizards gotta fixate.

Act II: In which Astarion chooses to ignore his own problems by instead arguing with Gale about his. Not because he's invested, merely because Gale is clearly being an idiot. Gale at first demurs, refusing to be argued out of his guilt, but then when Astarion becomes more insistent, counters with why Astarion cares so much? This would inevitably erupt in some kind of sexual encounter, but the fighting wouldn't stop because despite getting laid, Gale is still sure he's right and Astarion is still sure he's right. Dick actually can't solve this today. The camp mournful of ever finding a solution, they would like to sleep peacefully again someday.

Act III: Make or break time. Both Gale and Astarion escalate as the threat of death or destruction looms ever nearer. Gale now just as dead set on stopping Astarion from destroying himself as Astarion is on stopping Gale from destroying himself. Same threat, very different outcomes. Gale keeps looking at him with those damn puppy eyes and whining about "he'll regret it instantly" and "hate who he becomes" and "I can't stand to see that happen to you" or whatever. Obnoxious. And Astarion keeps trying to convince him that Mystra was wrong, that she "manipulated and groomed" him and "didn't even give an explanation" which he's owed, or some such nonsense. As if an inhuman, all-powerful goddess was out of line for being afraid of mortal actions... wait, was that a logical inconsistency? Damn. I think Gale would convince Astarion first. I think deep down Astarion would hate to be a full vampire too much, I think they both know it, and when Gale promises to stand by him, to take care of him, to always protect him... As much as Astarion doesn't want to trust, knows he's a fool for trusting, he agrees. He won't do it. He won't take the power. Because, damn him, he believes Gale. And what would suck is Gale would go "Cool! I'mma become a god, I can protect you way better then!" like entirely missing the point. And Astarion would be galled, deservedly so, by the hypocrisy. But Gale's so caught up in how sure he's right and how sure he's wrong, he's not even listening. I think it'd piss Astarion off so much, he'd convince the whole camp to kidnap Gale so he can't go sacrifice himself, full "He won't get the chance to kill himself because I'll do it first!" Until we finally get to the Nether Brain and... Astarion lets him go. Because that's the point. Trust isn't real if there isn't a choice. And as much as he hates the fact that Gale might choose what he doesn't want, he has to let him do it on his own. And I think that'd finally break through. That simple act of trust and sacrifice and playing willing to lose would finally make Gale go "Oh... oh god, what was I thinking? This isn't right." The fact that Astarion loves him more for the flawed and fallible person he is than for the heartless god he could become... That would finally make Gale see, Mystra was wrong all along and she never loved you because she can't really love. Not like that. Yeah. That's a personal favorite of mine.

But there's also a lot to be said for post-end, Astarion with nowhere to go and Gale going "You know... I've heard of spells that allow creatures form the Underdark to safely experience sunlight. We could try some of those, I don't see why they shouldn't work on you." and Astarion being floored and not even having the words for everything he feels at that offer. And then the raw sexual tension of living in his tower together as "friends" as Astarion mercilessly pines and Gale blissfully carries on, unaware until Tara finally goes "That's it! I can't take it any more! I'm going to live with your mother until you two sort this out!" and flies off. Leaving Gale to go "Huh... wonder what she meant by that?" Meanwhile, Astarion can hardly stand to be in the same room with Gale because he ends up basically drooling and yet, he can hardly stay away, staring obsessively from the shadows, creeping around wherever he is, looking exactly like the jealous lover he longs to be. Also, Astarion and Gale's mother! Oh, I can't wait! Too funny!

Oh, tower days with Astarion would be so good as he tries to adjust to having a life again. A slow, painful process, but very deserved. He'd need an occupation, he can't have nothing to do. Maybe he can look into magistrating again?

Anyway, there's some thoughts. I haven't finished Act III yet, but I'm close so I guess careful with those Act III spoilers.

Also, for anyone still reading, if you want to do me a solid: There exists somewhere a Bloodweave fic where Astarion walks in on Gale with a construct of himself only there's a twist... and the author is Very Correct about this twist. if you know, you know. But I can't find this fic anywhere! Please help a girl out if you've read the one I'm thinking of.

[mothlau]

Can we have lestappen with CREAMPIE pleaseee? Thank you so much, love ya 😚😚

bon soir anon and happy new year!!!! heres your porn:* old men yaoi style :* (kink meme here)

1214 words

“Please,” Max’s voice comes out muffled, his face buried in one of the throw pillows on their coach. Charles doesn’t have to see him to know how red his cheeks are, he’s seen the same sight enough times to be able to imagine it without much trouble.

Charles feels mean, he can’t be blamed for it. Having Max Verstappen like this, whimpering and shaking as he’s fucking three fingers into him… It does something to one’s brain, it melts it and recalibrates it and by the time it’s over, you can’t go back to how things were before. It happened to Charles, the first time they had sex, and it continued to happen every time since then.

He feels mean and cruel and there’s something in him that’s telling him he should make Max cry.

He pulls his fingers out, watching in awe as Max tries to close up around the emptiness left without Charles filling him. It’s maddening, how loose he is from the countless hours Charles has spent fucking his fingers into him, from how many hours he spent with his tongue in him, giving himself carpet burns on his knees. The same voice inside him is begging Charles to deny Max one more time, just until he’s slobbering all over himself and the pillow and his brain is mushy and melted.

The question is out before he really thinks it through, words harsh yet soft enough around the edges to remind Max they can call it quits. “I think I should try and see how many fingers you can take before you’re desperate enough to beg better, Maxie. Do you like how that sounds?”

Face still in the pillow, Max rapidly shakes his head no. On a good day, Charles would ignore his pitiful attempt to change Charles’ mind, but luckily for Max, today Charles is just as desperate, if not more. He needs to be inside his lover or else he may fucking die.

Scratch that, his dick will fall off, which is worse.

The lube is almost empty, he notices with some regret, as he coats his cock with the cold liquid. He has to buy more, perhaps they will even venture into the flavoured lube territory Alex has been raving about. Bent over the coach, naked and shivering, Max is whining impatiently, pushing his ass in Charles’ general direction. Charles has to throw away any thoughts of buying or even going to grab more lube from their dwindling stash.

First he has to fuck Max, then he can plan their next grocery trip.

He lines his dick up, slowly pushing in, inch by inch, while Max’s breathing turns more rugged with each small movement. By the time he bottoms out, the blond is panting underneath him, face turned to the side to breathe through the stretch.

Perhaps he should’ve spent more time eating him out and fingering Max until he was boneless. After all, it’s usually Charles who bottoms, it’s Charles who is used to the stretch and can take Max’s cock without struggle.

They stand still, breathing through together, adjusting; Max to the cock inside him, Charles to the tightness around him.

After a couple of seconds, Charles starts moving, rolling his hips experimentally, making sure Max is alright. His beautiful Max is pliant under him, taking whatever Charles gives him and then some. It makes him feel possessive, the knowledge that only he can make Max like this, that his is the only cock Max will ever take.

It takes everything in him not to cum on the spot, not to fuck into Max like a wild animal. It wouldn’t be the first time he has, but his back has killed him afterwards, and he has no intentions of making his old man issues worse.

He takes his time, setting a leisurely pace, fucking into Max in long, slow strokes. He knows Max can take it, he’s proved it every time he bent over for Charles. He likes that Max can handle it, that he can take Charles even when he’s not used to it.

It doesn’t last long, because his balls are already tight and ready to burst, and Max is clenching down on him, moaning like the whore Charles loves.

He picks up the pace, chasing the pleasure he knows is building up, trying to get Max there before him. It works, and a few thrusts later, Max is tightening around him and coming, crying out and spilling onto the couch.

It doesn't take much longer for Charles to finish, burying his cock deep inside his boyfriend as he comes, filling him up with his cum. Part of him wishes he could cum again, fuck another load into Max, but he doubts he could go again. Still, as he pulls out, Charles stares as his cum leaks out, first a small dribble, as Max clenches and tries to keep it in, but then, as Max starts to relax, more of it comes out.

It makes him want to push it back in, keep him full, plug him up. He's about to do just that, but his dick twitches pitifully and reminds him he's too old for that.

Instead, he leans down, pressing a kiss to the small of Max's back. "Stay here, I'll get you a towel."

"Aren't you going to plug me?" Max's voice is barely a whisper, and it takes him a moment to realise what his boyfriend is asking.

He's right, this isn't the first time they've done this, and in the past, when they were younger, Charles has kept him plugged, made him go about his day with Charles' cum deep inside him, his belly slightly bulging. Max loves keeping him plugged, if he could he’d keep Charles full of his cum every day, but Charles is different. Yes, he loves it when Max is plugged with his semen, but not always. It’s the thought of Max leaking, of his cum slowly trickling down his leg, that turns him on.

"No," Charles smiles, "I want to watch you leak, baby."

Max blushes, and Charles wonders if his dick will be up to the challenge of fucking him one more time. He's too tired for that, and his dick seems to agree, even if he doesn't.

He sighs, and gets up, grabbing a clean towel and a washcloth from the bathroom.

Max hasn't moved, lying on his front, his eyes closed. Charles wipes him gently, cleaning his hole and his thighs before he rolls him onto his back.

"What are you doing?"

"Shush," Charles presses the warm, wet cloth to his skin, gently rubbing the cum off his abs, "I'm taking care of you, baby."

He cleans him, and Max watches him with sleepy eyes. Once he's done, Charles helps him to his feet, and together they walk to the bedroom.

"Thank you," Max says as he slips under the covers.

Charles slides in next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "You're welcome. You were amazing, thank you."

Max turns his head and presses a kiss to his lips, a smile playing on his lips. “I’m always amazing,” he whispers against Charles’ cheek. “I can feel your cum running down my thigh…”

Charles smirks and murmurs to himself, “Nice.”

[brightest-stars-if]

f!lux i love u but i cant wait for the toxic yaoi i will experience w/ m!lux is i go down the corrupt route perhaps (still debating it.) (going from best childhood friends to two lovers so insane about one another everyone is like EGAD STAY AWAY!)

Max!Corruption MC and Lux are the epitome of "they matched each other's freak" lmfao. They're evil, deranged, and absolutely obsessed with each other. While everyone else is having an absolutely horrible time around these two psychopaths, they're trading love notes written with the blood of their enemies.

The Max!Corruption path will probably be the least played because it requires doing a lot of brutal up stuff, but I do hope that at least people will give it a try. Enjoy your fucked up yaoi, anon!

[absolutebl]

Do you think BL industry will "collapse" this year with how many they are putting out?

Nope.

I do think we are maxing out this year tho. In other words, I don't think there will be much growth this year in round numbers of shows produced over last year. Which means we are at the plateau.

(I said it for JBL specifically, but I think we aren't actually getting more BLs this year over all, so much as we are getting more runtimes of the BLs we are getting - so it FEELS like a lot more because there is a lot more airing at any one time.)

But historically with ET trends we will get to stick here for a few years until the market gets saturated and/or the audience ages out.

Korea has pulled back on BL production, but Japan and Thailand are holding pretty steady on last year's numbers (feels like), Taiwan has ramped up a little bit, and a few others are dipping their toes in.

I don't foresee a collapse.

Generally, barring single point cancellation of celebrity (not in play here), ET trends go out with a whimper not a bang. Then it'll resurge again in 10-15 years (sometimes in a new form/place like yaoi did). (See vampires and pnr for example. Or how Kpop is revamping the music and fashion of the early 2000s right now.)

So what I expect is steady numbers for the next 2-5 years, perhaps a slight decline. The cliff, if it's coming, isn't coming anytime soon.

We in the heyday, enjoy it!

[madomkasak]

My real life problems don't affect my yaoi production, or whatever. He's a bit of reckless thoughts Daniel. It's not even the Daniel plan unfolding, and it's angsty. Perhaps the yaoi production has been affected!!!

Fuck.

Daniel doesn't sleep. Settles in the settee, watches over the circuit, watches the formula 1 circus pack itself back up. Pack Daniel bits up never to unpack them ever again. There’s a lot he wants to say. Doesn't. Thinks about calling Max three times, calls his mother instead. Types the number with his eyes closed and a cold cloth over his face.

His voice breaks at the first syllable. He doesn't even say hello. Swallows, wishes she were here.

She sighs a choked sound that Daniel hears in his throat. But Daniel doesn't talk about the end of it all with her. Curls more tightly in the hotel armchair, talks about Max instead. Unspools the thread on the embroidered Hugo T-shirt. Undoes the flower there like he loves me, he loves me not. He loves me.

He always did, Daniel; his mother says. And Daniel knows. It is him, who was too slow. Too unsure about himself. He won't make the same mistake, won't let anyone tell him what to do. Except Max, maybe. Max is always a little bit bossy, a bit blunt. Daniel never minded it, doesn't mind it now.

It makes the little gestures Max did the last few days even sweeter. Daniel had sensed something, felt it's gnawing in his soul, let Max protect him from it with his little umbrella and aborted steps. Max isn't the one who bit into his gut and let it fall apart. He is the one holding Daniel together, stitches him back up.

Daniel's voice doesn't waver, when he talks about Max. Softens as his mother listens, as she hums when Daniel says he stopped being stupid. Let Max love him back.

“Do you think he will come to the farm?” She asks, and Daniel stays silent. Thinks, untwists the knots in his heart. Thinks that yes, Max would come, if Daniel asked. Daniel doesn't quite know how to ask this - doesn't know yet how to make himself think Max won't be sacrificing anything, to come with him. It feels more painful than to say I love you. Feels raw and itchy, like his body wants to shake it off from the inside, like Daniel is still allergic to the commitment. Like he hasn't been in love since Max was skinny and couldn't grow the stubble he has now.

He isn't sure he is worth any sacrifices, when he’s been chewed and spit out like this. When he has been made everybody’s sacrificial lamb. Honey badger, even, whatever. Curses under his breath and at least his mum doesn't chastise him. Daniel still feels like he is five right now, wishes he didn't have the weight of the world here in this little settee. It might just crack open and swallow him whole too. A death of velvety corduroy that chafed his thigh two nights ago.

[brakingpoint]

i love it when you get sustantiatedly bitchy about things that don't really matter like ships, so i'd love you to talk about some of the ones you feel most strongly about, but tbh now i am also curious what you DO see

strongly tempted to put "i love it when you get substantiatedly bitchy about things that don't really matter" in my bio 👍🏻

anyway i feel like most of my examples are honestly not down to anything wrong with that particular ship but moreso overall trends in f1blr shipping (and i think i have set forward this exact thesis before so apologies for repeating myself but i love getting bitchy as much as you love to read it so i will yap about it again 😁) so it's probably more productive for me to just moan about those. perhaps with examples. just to swing the bat at the hornets' nest a little bit harder

in my opinion all of these trends are also interconnected - although they may at first seem contradictory - and feed into and amplify each other's respective flaws to create one big mess of mediocre shipping

trend one: trying to make fetch (yaoi) happen for every combo of teammates, rivals, drivers who came up through feeder series together regardless of if there is any chemistry or even anything remotely interesting about the dynamic

trend two: when there is no chemistry or canonically compelling feature to a certain combo, instead of doing the tried and true crackship method of getting a bit silly with it and going "hey would this be fucked up/funny/sexy/cute or what" everythingggg has to be about overwrought tinhat soulmateism, which is what makes trend one so exhausting. you can't be telling me you actually think every single teammate combo on the grid are actually star crossed lovers with abundant genuine and compelling yaoi fodder. it's not possible

trend three: everyone on here has the attention span and object permanence of a six month old cocomelon addict and so instead of respecting and sticking to the genuinely fantastic "vintage" (read: they were teammates/friends 2-5 years ago and don't interact as much publicly anymore) ships that exist for several drivers the overwhelming trend is for people to flock to the next big thing (read: whatever two drivers are standing next to each other for this season). it's kind of like migratory slash fandom but it's even weirder because it's happening all within one fandom, and half the time you're abandoning a genuinely good fun interesting ship for something that fits trends one & two and is therefore, to me, a bit shit

anyway examples of ships i just don't really Get for one or more of the above reasons include: a lot of contemporary lando ships (i'm not actually saying this because i'm a lando hater on track. when it comes to yaoi i do not discriminate and i think carlando is an all time banger f1 rpf staple. which is why i'm baffled by so many people acting like landoscar is anywhere near a worthy replacement); certain other teammate ships like britcedes, alex/logan (🕊️), zhou/bottas; even (please don't kill me) lestappen to an extent which i don't mind and have even written multiple fics for but i think people are taylor swift easter egging it a bit too hard at this point

on the other hand some of the ships i DO still like and Get include: strollonso (genuinely top ship to me at this point, peak contemporary teammate ship), piarles (idk if this has fallen victim to the Vintage Ship issue as much as i think or if i just perceive it that way bc half the pierre blogs on here have me blocked), some maxiel (lowkey prefer it when treated as a Vintage Ship as opposed to trying very hard to prove it's still alive and kicking today), carlando as already mentioned, whatever was going on between lando and max fewtrell and their possibly shared girlfriend a couple of years back, charlos (another strong contemporary teammate ship), sebmark, and of course my beautiful iconic eternal brocedes. OH and max/gp 😜

[evilwizardcrab]

Assinging popular UK rollercoasters TMA fear entities.

Because sometimes your roller coaster autism and magnus archives autism combine into a secret, third thing.

Also, obviously most roller coasters are kind of inherently tied to vast/spiral, but for the sake of variety I'll only be assigning those entities when it happens to be really thematically relevant.

All clear? Good. Then in no particular order, let's begin.

1 .The Smiler (Alton Towers)

Figured I should start this out on what is quite possibly the UKs most iconic rollercoaster. At a whopping 14 inversions this Gerstlauer infinity coaster holds the world recor-

The spiral. It's the spiral. Yes, I know I literally just said I would be reserving spiral judgements for certain rollercoasters but just. Just look at this fucking thing:

This is quite possibly *the* most spiral aligned rollercoaster you could possibly make. In fact it might literally be the most spiral aligned rollercoaster ever, because with 14 inversions it literally is the most amount of spiraling you can physically do on a rollercoaster.

I mean, watch the goddamn TV Advert for this ride and tell me Fuckhands McMike didn't have a (yaoi) hand in the creation of this thing. Fuck Sanakov land I'm pretty sure the smiler singlehandedly counts as a failed spiral ritual.

It literally sends you insane! That's it, that's the theming! It's logo is a literal fucking spiral! Words themselves cannot get across how quintessentially Spiral this coaster is!!!! Even the FUCKING MUSIC is spirally!

It's even yellow.

So yeah, 10/10 spiral aligned coaster would ride again.

2. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)

From one heavily themed rollercoaster to another, let's take a trip down south to The Swarm, Thorpe Park. I'm going to be biased off the bat and say that the swarm is absolutely one of my faves (just look at that inverted drop!) not to mention the being only wing coaster in the UK.

That being said, despite my fanboying The Swarm was initially a hard one to place. My gut feeling was the Vast (mainly due to how it emulates the feeling of flying) or the corruption (literally called the swarm).

But then I took a step back,actually looked into the theming and lore itself, and it became clear. The Swarm is the Extinction through and through.

For those of you FREAKS no well aquiantted with Rollercoaster Lore, the story of swarm is as follows - an evil Swarm has destroyed humanity).

Thorpe Park even went as far as to put up fake posters around the park and release ARG Style adverts about it (and this song, because Merlin is nothing if not excessive when it comes to it's parks)

So with that in mind, swarm absolutely embodies the two main aspects of the extinction; both the active destruction of the apocolypse and the fear of something new replacing us (in this case presumeably sentiant rolercoasters)

3. Oblivion (Thorpe Park)

I'll keep this entry to roughly the same length as the ride itself.

You go in a Big Hole In The Ground

It's The Buried.

4. The Roller Coaster Formerly Known As The Pepsi Max Big One (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)

Finally, a coaster entry that isn't from a Merlin park. And being both the tallest and steepest rollercoaster in the world, let us introduce the pepsi max big one.

(off screeen whispers)

Wait what do you mean it's no longer the tallest rollercoaster in the world

(more whispers)

What do you mean, "or the steepest"

(even more whispers)

Wait, what do you mean it's not even the Pepsi Max Big One anymore? The Big One? really?

The Big One is an interesting case to me, in that despite technically being the tallest rollercoaster in the UK, there appears to be somewhat of a relative lack of discussion surrounding it. It's just ... there. Hell, while making this list I actually forgot it was the tallest rollercoaster in the UK. Not to mention the whole deal with its changing, corporate name. It just feels so Bizzare. Strange, even ...

That's right motherfuckers we got ourselves a Stranger rollercoaster! It perhaps isn't the most obvious choice, but I'll be damned if I hand over the tallest rollercoaster in the Uk to the Vast, that’s just boring. Plus, I personally find it quite thematically pertinent. Something about the idea of an object getting so subsumed by it’s corporate identity that when that is removed, it’s left with nothing. Something about staking a permanent identity on inherently shifting factors leading to a [redacted] Big One shaped void. 

If you want to, if you can imagine it was initially Vast before Fairchild enterprises took a hit and Nikola Orsinov swooped in to claim it. 

5) Stealth (Thorpe Park)

We've got ourselves our first pure Vast rollercoaster here folks! Coming in at a hot 5th place we have the 1st most fastest rollercoaster in the UK, that launches you 0-80 mph up 62 meters of pure steel baybe!!

And um.

It doesn't do much else.

But that simplicity is exactly what makes it so vast! The Vast wouldn't fuck around with complex things like "inversions" or "ride experience". It goes up. it goes down. If Simon Fairchild made a rollercoaster it would look like this. Take one look at this thing and tell me it doesn't embody the spirit of Mike "sought out the tallest ride at the carnival" Crew.

If the Spiral gets The Smiler as its quintessential rollercoaster, The Vast gets this.

6) Wickerman (Alton Towers)

Now, the Wickerman is another personal fave of mine, and (in my personal opinion) a key example of how amazing theming can elevate practically any rollercoaster. (To go on a tangent, I'd absolutely recommend riding this during the evening at fright night, if you can. The night serves an already great ride experience into something amazing)

Not only that, but the central theming of said rollercoaster centers around both a) Cults and B) Copious amounts of fire. So, in a manner clearly befitting its assigned entity, it doesn't exactly take an expert to put two and two together and get Ouch. That’s right, it's desolation. 

RIP Agnes Montague you would have loved this ride.

Scratch that maybe not considering how she seemingly felt about her cult. Let me change track.

RIP Gertrude Robinson you would have FUCKING LOVED this.

8) Nemesis (Alton Towers)

What, you thought I could make a UK coaster list without bringing up Nemesis? Surely not,I wouldn’t dare shaft  everyone's favorite (and currently unavailable!) B&M invert. Wait, what do you mean you don't want to hear about how it "holds up amazingly well over 30 years" and it's "Intensity rivals even that of modern coasters"?

Jokes aside, Nemesis was another hard one to place. Like Swarm, I had a very strong initial preference - this time for the slaughter, mainly due to the whole "trapped alien" deal it has going on.

But, once again like The Swarm, another look into the deeper RollerCoaster Lore (TM) revealed another core aspect of nemesis - this time, that of the Buried.

Specifically, the Lore of Nemesis centers around a mysterious alien entity (aptly named nemesis) found Buried deep underground, and having to promptly be pinned down with tons of steel (which also coincidentally, happend to be the exact shape of a rollercoaster). Hell, the lore even had a comic book made of it. 

Not only that, but the actual construction of Nemesis actively involved digging up the earth in order to create the space for it. And if that doesn't scream "buried" it's probably because you can’t hear it under all the layers of dirt. 

Honerable Mentions - Kiddy Coaster Edition

9. Flying Fish (Thorpe Park)

It's everones favourite Thorpe Park Kiddy coaster, Flying fish - a coaster with a title that is only 50% inaccurate.

In all seriousness I only chose this coaster because for some inexplicable reason I associate it with the Lonely. Specifically, Peter Lucas. No, I cannot justify this choice other than the fact that look at it and tell me you can't picture Lucas sitting on this, alone, going around and around. He doesn't move or make a sound. Just sits there. Silently .Having the time of his life.

 I like to imagine he buys out the entirety of the park for a day with the Lucas family fortune just so he can enjoy this one ride without having to see another human being (you wouldn't catch him dead in a theme park otherwise)

And this is probably as good a point as any to finish the list. Obviously there are way more UK rollercoasters you could assign fears to but these felt like some of the more interesting ones to explore. Anyway if you made it this far then damn. Well done, but also thanks for sharing in this incredibly niche magnus brainrot with me :)

[gaylenightingale]

Inuvember 2021

@inuvember

8 Nov 21

Favorite Moment- The long-awaited kiss (100)

Did you ever notice in the Final Act episode 26, that when Kagome returns to the end of the episode there is no kissing between Inuyasha and Kagome?

In perhaps one of the most romantic episodes of Inuyasha, when the well reopens and Kagome finally can return to Inuyasha (fangirl heavy sigh) the dialogue is only an apology from Kagome for making Inuyasha wait and Inuyasha saying “Baka or idiot” in the most loving tone.

Swept away by the crescendo of the violins and orchestra background music, our lovers hug.(heavy sigh)

 Suddenly I feel cheated.  Where was that long-awaited kiss?

 9 Nov 21   not a dribble, drabble or trabble

AU  --  An excerpt from “The Flower Shop part 2”

Sneak peek of the excitement to come. Flower Shop is an alt. universe yaoi story.  OOC, characters are all mixed up

 Police office

Cast: Detective Kyokotsu, Detective Mukotsu, Chief Jaken and Jaken’s wife

 “Now tell me again why did you look into that death?  It was, like, eight years ago?  And it wasn’t even a crime.” Kyokotsu asked as he poked around his partner’s desk.

 “More like seven,” the stocky detective looked at his big lumbering partner.  “Something about the recent car accident reminded me of it.   What are you looking for anyway?”

 Kyokotsu smiled.   “Gum, please?”

 Mukotsu laughed.  “It’s always in the top right drawer.  Help yourself, friend.   Just don’t chew with your mouth open.   You know how the chief hates that!”

 A shouting match was heard briefly before a door slammed.

 The officers looked at each other and quickly grabbed their coats.   Better to be out of the office when the chief was in a foul mood.   Unfortunate for them they weren’t fast enough.

 Another loud slam, high heel shoes stomping off preceded the chief’s call.

 “Mukotsu!   Kyokotsu!   In here now!”

 Whispering the stocky man leaned to his partner, “Ten buck bet she maxed his MasterCard again.”

 “Ten, it was the Visa.”

 The men shook hands and walked bravely into the chief’s office.

 Jaken’s face was brilliant red, his blood pressure undoubtedly so high it was unreadable.

 “Tell me why I’m dealing with the commissioner waking me so early this morning!  His screaming woke my entire household.   My wife is so pissed at having her beauty sleep interrupted that she’s going clothes shopping in retaliation.   Kami knows I’m not rich so this had better be good!”

 The men shrugged at each other.

 “Don’t know Chief.  We’re a little lost,” Mukotsu answered genuinely

 “You’re detectives!”  Jaken was steaming mad.  He was surrounded by idiots.  “Let me clue you in.  What could you have possibly done to tick off the commissioner?”

 Mukotsu puckered his lips and wrinkle his brows as he thought about the question.  He looked to his feet and polished the toe of one on the back of his pants.

 Kyokotsu scratched his ear and looked at the ball of wax before wiping it on his slacks.  “I don’t know boss.   Not much going on.  I’ve been reviewing old cases and stuff.   How’s about you Mukotsu?”

 “Same thing,” the stocky man said to his partner now switching shoes.

 Chief Jaken stared at the two detectives slouching in front of him.   Both wore wrinkled clothes with food crumbs and drink stains.   They were not his top cops but they did progress through the ranks like the rest of his people.   ‘Was it so much to expect they would stand at attention in his presence,’ Jaken shook his head disappointed.  ‘Of course, it would be these two.’  His anger boiled.

 Chief Jaken slammed his hand on his forehead.   “Kami! I’m surrounded by idiots!   Which one of you dunderheads asked the court to exhume Bankotsu’s body?  Judge Jakotsu was on the phone with the commissioner half the night lecturing him on the inappropriateness of the request and how the paper wasn’t done right and the justification was “Piss Poor”-- the judge’s words.     The commissioner called me lecturing me the rest of the night and my lovely bride didn’t get any rest.   And you know if she doesn’t get her sleep, my checkbook—hell, my retirement—gets to take the brunt of her wrath.    Now I’m going on ask again.  Give me a good explanation in the next 90 seconds or I’m going to work your asses to the bone!”  Jaken took a breath as he sat back in his leather chair and pointed to his watch.

 “Chief, Remember the rich guy that died in a car accident seven years ago.  Bankotsu was his name.   He was a real estate czar, owned a ton of land.  Well, I suspect Bankotsu was murdered,” Mukotsu spoke hesitantly.  “I should have waited to fill the papers today after talking to you. I know I’m not good at filling out papers.   When I reviewed the old cases, I noticed some similarities in his car “accident” and a few others.   It dawned on me that they could have been connected.”

 Chief Jaken’s mouth was open, his eyes wide.  In all his days he hadn’t heard or seen Mukotsu do any real detective work, yet this might be a real breakthrough.   He closed his mouth and swallowed. His anger quelled.

 “Bring the cases in here and show me what you’ve got.”

 The two detectives went to Mukotsu’ s desk to gather the files.

 An hour later Chief Jaken made an appointment to talk to the commissioner and Judge Jakotsu.  They would want to hear this.

 Judge Jakotsu nodded.  The exhumation order was signed.

 AN—are you intrigued? Stay tuned and subscribe to “The Flower Shop part 2” currently on AO3

  10 Nov 21

LGBT+  Jakotsu (100)

 Ostracized for his gender choices, Jakotsu lashes out; killing and maiming those who bully him. Always alone he wanders, strengthening his body.  In time he finds a sword that calls to him, but he is still alone. He continues his solitary path until one day he meet Bankotsu. Bankotsu doesn’t care if he likes pretty kimonos or handsome men. He just wants a comrade to kill with him. Finally, Jakotsu has a real friend. He promised himself that he will never turn on his one true friend.  Even to his death he never covets the jewel shards. He covets Bankotsu!

[hotmess-exe]

hi! I saw u in the notes of a post abt male writers getting mad when their audience is largely female & u mentioned racism and homophobia in knb. I totally believe it given how toxic the "aLpHa MaLe" side of the fandom especially can be toward non-straight,non-male fans & the accidentally-queerbaity vibe of the show in general. but I'd appreciate it if you could elaborate bc Idk much abt the author if thats what u meant. if you'd rather not though, feel free to ignore this. have a good one :)

ohh man, it’s been literal years since I was into the fandom like that, but I’ll try to summarize as accurately as I can. (post anon is referring to) and I speak from the perspective of someone who

does not speak or read Japanese

LOVES fictional media with complex and interesting characters and

shipped Midorima and Takao like fucking Fed-Ex.

i don’t use twitter or other social media so i’ve genuinely never interacted with any potentially toxic male portion of the fandom. literally gonna tag my bestie @lia-nikiforov for help on this as i’m sure she’ll be able to fill in the blanks of my memory and recounting. (if you're so inclined, friend 😌) and y’know what?

let me lay this out as a timeline of disillusionment.

2012 - I get into KnB the anime. cool character designs and development, i actually know enough about basketball to enjoy the sports perspective (and how ridiculously camp it is), and it’s my first foray into fandom. Can’t wait for the second season so I get caught up on the manga. I fall so in love with my pairing that I start writing fanfiction for the first time in my life. Make online friends. etc etc me love basketball anime

Then this shit happened:

I’m not going to claim to know what this was entirely about, but it really just seems like some homophobic domestic terrorist trying to malign the yaoi fangirls that were quickly flocking to the IP after the anime came out? for some reason??? [x]

Was that the yaoi fandom’s fault? Nope. Can I see Fujimaki, a cis straight dude trying to write a manly basketball manga, being exhausted, annoyed, and possibly resentful of them for it anyway? Yeah, i can see it. so next...

Hyuuga (Fujimaki’s expy) calling Reo (a fucking angel) a gay/trans slur

this post summarizes that shit from when the chapter came out... i remember being very, very disappointed and rocked

https://akashiseijuros.tumblr.com/post/70004569298/how-can-i-summarize-the-knb-debacle-to-a-friend-of-mine

and this dissects the actual scenes of the manga (left out by the anime because god knows the studios wanted to keep raking in fujoshi cash uninhibited)

https://icecreambat.tumblr.com/post/80582483128/waaait-hyuuga-is-homophobic

this is coming in a manga where the author is well aware, perhaps overly aware of how much gay shipping goes on in his fandom. i mean, i don’t think it’s far off to say KnB set the modern roadmap for how marketing would utilize queer-baiting to the MAX for shows like Free in the future (but correct me if i’m wrong). this garbage was an intentional message to readers and no one will convince me otherwise. specifically since he chose Hyuuga to say this, who Fujimaki said in past interviews (and in the manga itself I wanna say??) that this was the character he most identified with.

Extra Game/Last Game: featuring the Scary Black Savages Antagonists™

this was my final straw—the Americans in Extra Game. I never watched Last Game. the love was gone by then. not only are these literally the only Black characters of any importance in the entire series... they are fucking morons, violent, cheaters, and mindless minions of their white, blond team captain.... like.... wow man WOW. Fujimaki’s greatest talent as a writer, in my opinion, is his character design, writing, and development.

So, at best, these Black characters were either lazily depicted as savages or purposely depicted as savages.

it also didn’t escape my attention, as a Black writer, how Fujimaki further establishes the Americans as villains by having them call the Generation of Miracles “monkeys”....... while depicting the only Black characters like THIS:

I can’t even fight this description because it’s fucking accurate:

this creepy fucking panel featuring a naked Jason Silver, in reference to his natural “Exceptionally Strong Body” skill 😒 🤢

Upon his intro, he’s immediately the most repulsive kind of villain, literally coming after a Japanese woman in the way all anti-Black racists are terrified of

Having these trash Black characters call the Japanese main characters “monkeys” is kind of like giving your own racist ass a pass.... a pass to depict them as barely human, dark-skinned thugs. And I DO mean this in the context of the rest of Fujimaki’s character designs and his general art style—these characters were supposed to all be in the same age group as the Generation of Miracles!! He even made fucking Hanamiya (a certifiable psycho lbR) look like a recognizable, interesting human being, so why the fuck did these Black Americans get smacked with the ogre stick?? It’s also a (barely) subtle way to give any readers who might already be INCLINED to call Black people monkeys the pass to say something along the lines of, oh, idk, “Oh, THEY’RE calling our faves monkeys??!?” and this is not just an assumption, I definitely came across some liberal usage of the n-word while looking up the stupid shit for this post (fuuuuuunnn)

I’m supposed to believe the Black people are calling the Japanese people monkeys. the only fucking Black people that aren’t fucking NBA players. (oh, excuse me, with the exception of the one African character who’s entire personality was a “funny” name and being an arrogant, lazy simpleton with no skill beyond being tall as fuck.) If he wanted to make the American antagonists racist against Japanese people, that is totally his right as a Japanese writer. i’m not, at all, the type to defend the US or Americans just for the sake of defending the US and Americans. If you wanna have racist, ignorant Americans be your antagonists in a story, I got no issue with that. I don’t even care that the Black characters are villains—that’s obviously completely fine because they were always going to be the antagonists to our mains, the protagonists. Make them villains! There are infinite cool ways to do that shit!

But not like this. Jfc not like this. The Black Americans calling the Japanese characters monkeys. Monkeys. MONKEYS of all things and I’m supposed to read that and be like oH OK YEA THAT'S BELIEVABLE

do i think it was all intentional? i’d honestly be shocked if it was. does that make it ok or acceptable for me to sign off on and ignore? lmao fuck no?? I have too much self respect???

ugh to end this unpleasant trip down memory lane

so clearly someone like me (queer, into queer relationships, Black American, African) was never meant to consume this dude’s fucking basketball manga. which y'know, eventually i had to be like fine, whatever. you win, dude, i literally can't even enjoy your IP anymore. guess that’s what you wanted, good for you, gg. if others in the English-speaking fandom had recognized and said any one fucking thing about it, I might have stuck around longer? but a lot of people fell off during and after Extra Game just cause it sucked and the people who stuck with it just... didn't care. either didn't notice or didn't care. which isn't surprising! English anime audiences ignore the fuck out of racist depictions in anime all the fucking time.

it wasn’t an unpopular opinion at the time that Fujimaki had written himself into several corners (at one point he confessed he'd made Akashi overpowered and wasn’t sure how he could be beaten)—which I don’t blame him for! I can't imagine how much external pressure there is when your IP becomes this wildly popular so quickly and in a way you did not at all intend or expect. and before you're even close to finishing it. that's fucking difficult. I can also imagine there were times where it felt like it no longer belonged to him, god only knows how many directions he was being pulled in while writing the final volumes. But considering how much Fujimaki clearly couldn’t stand how gay his fandom was, very little of what I described up there was unpredictable, unfortunately. I do feel it firmly fits into the category of male creators resenting and punishing their female fandom.

However, you could also sense the artist/writer’s fatigue in the way plots were developed and loose ends were tied up, in the interviews toward the end... and the fact that his next project was slated to be a golf manga in a far more realistic style that the KnB fandom wasn’t at all interested in. on the one hand, I think it makes complete sense for him to do something totally different from KnB after such a ridiculously intense bout of success and attention like that, both from a creative and like mental health standpoint, but, again—there’s a lingering sense of resentment.

and to reiterate

i don’t know anything about the non-shipping parts of the fandom. nothing at all. I also can't claim to have been that into the fandom (I ignored and avoided drama and getting super into the voice actors, musical projects, etc). All I can really speak to is my personal connection to the show, manga, and characters, my initial personal respect and admiration for Fujimaki as a writer, and the feeling of both of those things slipping away. Slowly at first, then all at once; and strictly because of Fujimaki’s creative decisions. this isn’t even getting into the fact that Extra Game genuinely was crap from a perspective of character consistency and development on several fronts. again, it felt like a writer who had already fallen out of love with his own work adding this on because there just was the expectation of one... Final Game 🙄

Kuroko no Basuke just makes me feel sad and cold now when I think about it. but at least I made some friends through it, yknow? well, i fell out of touch with most of them. maybe i should tag them here? i stick by what i said here but i’m curious what others who were in the fandom at its peak think.

will you recognize me guys? you still there? i came back to tumblr i don’t watch animes no more lol

@yokofujioka @shunnaoaddict @leona-dracontis

[justfinishedreading]

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san by Honda

As a former Goth, I still have a weakness for skeletons. As someone who works in the publishing industry, I have a weakness for books about books… And as a manga and anime enthusiast, there was no possible way that I would not grab Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san the moment I saw it.

This is a manga created by an author who is, or certainly has been, a clerk at the manga department of a bookstore. The author writes about their experience attending to clients, working with publishers and colleagues. There are stories about giddy yaoi-fan girls, obsessive foreign Japanophiles and pushy sale-reps, sprinkled with frequent references to popular and obscure manga.

The stories aren’t particularly funny or extraordinary, they are certainly amusing and interesting, but clearly from real-life occurrences instead of something hyped up for max entertainment value. I got much more of a non-fiction vibe from this book, helped by the 2 pages of translator’s notes at the back, explaining all the manga references and publisher lingo. I already knew some of the terms and names, but I ended up researching a lot of new manga, and learning about publishing and bookselling in Japan. Which is a good thing.

Something I found intriguing was the representation, or lack thereof, of Honda-san’s gender. Honda-san obviously has a skull for a face, wears neutral clothing, and has a body without curves. From the cover I assumed that Honda-san was a man (this highlights how we’re conditioned to translate “neutral” to “male”). However two or three times, Honda-san makes reference to not being the classic image of a bookseller, this statement is accompanied by an image of a woman, with glasses and long hair, and once or twice Honda-san makes reference to being an older sister.

Now since author Honda, is or was, an actual bookseller in real life, they may want to keep their identity hidden, hence their single author name ‘Honda’, and perhaps that’s also why Skull-face Honda-san’s gender is unspecified. To remain anonymous. Or perhaps in combination with the comment of not feeling like the “perfect” version of an “ideal”, Honda does not want Honda-san to be associated with any gender, perhaps the author does not identify themself as male or female.

This is the sort of detail that I think is more interesting in the way it raises questions, rather than needing a definitive answer, and because of that I was sad to find out that the anime creators had decided to portray Skull-face Honda-san as definitively male. While I understand it’s not easy trying to find an androgynous voice, and that society finds it easier to just attribute one gender and be done with it, I still think they could have tried to be creative, maybe change voice actors every episode, maybe introduce hints like in the book. Admittedly I haven’t seen the anime so I can’t comment further and this is all speculation on my part because I haven’t found many people online discussing the topic of gender in relation to the manga/anime.

Anyway back to the manga, this isn’t the type of manga that propels me to rush out and buy the next volume: there’s no plot, it’s not that funny, and there are so many manga references that I can’t help but stop every other page to look-up them up. However as someone who likes manga and works in publishing I do like reading about the publishing industry in Japan, so once or twice a year I might go out and get the next volume, for when I’m in the mood for something a little more educational, with a sweet, amusing twist and some quirky art.

Review by Book Hamster

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Shield Hero 20 - 22 | Sarazanmai 7 - 9 | BSD 32 - 34 | Fruits Basket 8 - 9 | Demon Slayer 8 - 10 | OPM 20 - 21

Shield Hero 20

Motoyasu getting dragged by Filo was funny…not enough to get a proper laugh though. Just a smirk or two.

Stop narrating and just get on with it, Naofumi and friends…!

“I was saying we should fight together all along.” (from Itsuki) – Were you, now…? (skeptical)

Ass-pull! I call “ass-pull” at the power to swallow the phoenix flame! Seriously, when did the dragon get the opportunity to teach Naofumi how to do that???

How did Naofumi not die after losing so much blood…?

What does the Q even stand for in the queen’s name…?

Sarazanmai 7

The seagulls…so fluffy…

For some reason, I expect a fakeout, but then it never arrives…these boys are really connecting…

I found some kappa croquette thingy online, but it referred to a “Shiki City” which probably isn’t in Asakusa…

The shirt…Kazuki’s shirt says “frog” but I get the feeling it also means “return”.

Shirohasu water. It’s Irohasu in Japan.

Was the lyric to Kawausoiya (the otter song) “gonna take ‘em”…?

Nice ET reference, Sara.

Balls…not just sport entendre, but…y’know. The sort of humour I don’t like as much.

Ooh…Keppi is shaping up to be the bad guy. But what plans does he have? Am I speculating too much and is he being framed? Hard to know until next time…

BSD 32

When Kyouka is eating the sundae, she looks like the Tofu Kyouka from Mayoi…hmm.

Can I confess something? Before I saw the illustrations for s2, I thought Louisa’s hair was much darker than what it is in the anime…hmmm, indeed.

I don’t think we were ever told (in the manga or the anime) what Louisa’s wish was…

This bit with Fyodor…I don’t think it was in the manga.

Subarashi-sou is a pun on “it seems wonderful”. That wasn’t in the manga, but it’s a great pun (because it’s right up my alley).

Fitz laughing at the neighbour’s TV wasn’t in the manga either, but that’s just the anime director’s humour peeking through.

“Blalack Daniel’s”, LOL.

Ohh…a quick Google reveals TJ Eckleberg is from the Great Gatsby. In there, he’s an eye doctor, but here, he’s an engineer.

George B Wilson is also from the Great Gatsby…Here be spoilers, but…George dies in his original work too.

Manhasset is a place in New York…I assume it’s connected to the Great Gatsby as well…

Oh yeah! Random Poe moment. That’s in the manga, so Igarashi (or whoever’s responsible for the terrible humour) doesn’t have to fake that bit.

Cue “Objection!” by Fitz, lemme guess. Even if I know the outcome and how it was done, I’d like to have my memory refreshed (by stabbing in the dark…and making an Ace Attorney joke in the process).

I already know, without googling, that Tom Buchanan is part of Great Gatsby as well…

Bank of Amerigo…LOL.

Fruits Basket 8

“If you show up for the banquet now…”

“The banquet sounds just like the folk tale!” Honestly, subbers, proofread…

Haa-kun and Haa-san. No distinguishing between them (aside from honorifics), even though they’re two completely different people.

Hatori’s squinty face was…hilarious, to put it simply.

Oh…I forgot the dance seems to be something the animal of the year does. So if Yuki was 3 years ago, it makes sense Momiji is doing it this year.

Best seat in the house for a sunrise, huh?

Kimetsu no Yaiba 8

I’ve seen Muzan being described as “Demon Michael Jackson” and now I can’t get that out of my head when I see him…sorry.

Tsukihiko, huh? It translates to “moon’s radiance” or something like that. That name is appropriate for a bad guy, isn’t it?

This is the first time I’ve really listened to the OST (aside from the OP and ED), so it’s…really something.

Ooh, I didn’t realise until now, but Ufotable even imitated the paper Jump is printed on with the next-ep previews…

OPM 2 8 (OPM 20)

Er…I haven’t mentioned it for the past few episodes, but Suiryu is hotttttttt. (No? I said that? Okay, next step.) That’s basically the only reason why I’m watching anymore…I can’t seem to find anyone who thinks positively of this tournament arc enough to do reviews of it that I can read, which has made my own opinion of this beloved series go down the drain…Also, if you weren’t aware, my taste lies not in Suiryu’s huge bulk, but rather in the fact he’s got long hair.

Didn’t Suiryu get pierced in the abs??? Where’s the blood coming from his injuries??? Update: He does have injuries there, they’re just not bloody…that’s all.

The main criticism for OPM 2 is the fact that it keeps cutting between different events, so it’s hard to follow. Well, I’ve had worse (see Concrete Revolutio) so that’s why I’m still here.

People say that clothing changes you – say if you put on a new outfit, you feel like a new person. (Of course, that’s all glamorising and praising consumption, but that’s beside the point here.) I think that’s what’s up with Max and Snek.

Shield Hero 21

“…the Shield Hero is worshipped.”

Really? Boob jiggle, at a time like this??? (Context: Malty is getting th slave crest painted on her.)

Wait, was there ever a Shield Church???

Okay, that felt like a real seasonal ending. What the heck is going to happen in the last few episodes, I wonder…?

Sarazanmai 8

Chikai knows the real meaning of YOLO…heh. I’m only kidding…

To be honest, I think I like Toi best out of the main trio. I tend to like the boys in blue…and no, I don’t mean the otter police.

Kazuki’s service provider is “Kappa Phone”, LOL.

When Reo held up the gun, I was yelling, “Enta! Get it for him!” (i.e. take the bullet) I didn’t expect him to actually do it…

…and here I thought tragic yuri was common enough and we don’t have enough Tragic Yaoi Dudes…

Notably, Toi was registered on Enta’s phone as “Kuji”, while Kazuki is registered as “Kazuki” (katakana) on Toi’s.

Shots fired…!

Update: I didn’t notice this, but the evil dude with kamome written behind him (I think it’s in this episode, but it might have been in the last one instead) must be based on a seagull…because that’s what kamome means.

Bungou Stray Dogs 33 (BSD S3 Ep 8)

I think it was around here I stopped reading the scans, because the series was picked up legally anyway…but I can see the death flags for a certain Port Mafia man…one who stands at the top.

As expected…butt shot. Igarashi (or whoever’s responsible for that shot) likes butts, so between this and Sarazanmai…*imagines image of kappa!Kazuki holding a shirikodama* There’s absolutely no buts about it (LOL), there’s no shortage of butts this season.

“To think that the rabbit being hunted would show its face…” – I think it’s hard for you to say that, Akutagawa, when you yourself have no face in that frame…

Why are both Akutagawa and Fyodor Naruto running today???

“So you’re doing this for that woman.”

What is “Mukurotoride”? I don’t seem to remember…maybe I never learnt what it was. Update: Apparently a tower in Dead Apple is called Mukurotoride.

Conspiracy time! This book sounds like Kunikida’s Ability…so imagine if it were under Dazai’s nose the entire time…

Fruits Basket 9

I love how the synopsis for this episode goes, “Kyo fights Yuki, Yuki fights a cold…”

Hatsuharu’s wearing such an ostentatious fluffy jacket…LOL, I love it.

Holy cow (LOL), I forgot how old Hatsuharu is…so that means he’s 15-ish, right?

Come to think of it…I see Fruits Basket characters in Ro Te O, which I started writing at about this time in 2013. The Azrael of that time was a hybrid of Hatsuharu, Ritsu and Ayame, Tetsuya is basically Yuki and Ryou is Kyou…hmm.

Apparently, Shigure had in the 2001 anime a song that went like, “High school girls, high school girls, cute high school girls for me.” So that’s where it was??? (Context: I haven’t seen Fruits Basket 2001, but read the entire manga.)

Kimetsu no Yaiba 9

Recap time, recap time…so the lady’s in the back room and Tanjiro conveniently forgets the man is in the basement…? Wuh?

Moya was complaining about how repetitive this show can get when it comes to the script (i.e. it repeats itself because it doesn’t trust its audience, but I think that’s because this is originally serialised on TV week by week that people may forget if they’re not bingeing, taking notes or following the manga). I’ll talk more about that in my KnY collab post, I guess…

When Yushiro said “watch your back”…he really meant it, huh?

Temari are the balls, but kemari is when you kick the balls.

“…the eyeballs on his hands are creepy.” – LOL.

Shield Hero 22

The ep title just says “Hero Council”…not specifically that there are 4 of them.

My stream’s been buffering more than usual, so I went “like mother, like daughter” before Naofumi did…

It would’ve ben massively funny to hear Melty call Malty either “Trash” or “B****”…especially the last one, because that’s always a fun way to end a sentence (especially for a girl as young as her). Update: She does, but the way she does it isn’t as funny as I thought it would be (and she doesn’t end her sentence with her sister’s new name).

Wait, I thought they got rid of her slave pact??? I thought it was only for the duration of her trial that she needed it for.

L’Arc and that lady seem like they’re foreshadowing for later…hmm. Update: The next-episode synopsis says “yes”. So does that new visual.

Sarazanmai 9

I can’t believe this show’s almost over…That means I gotta get a move on with RobiHachi, but to be honest? Non-anime things are probably going to kep me busy until…a few days from now. So I’ll get RobiHachi watched then.

Characetrs are dying en masse in this episode, aren’t they??? I saw a spoiler that (well, SPOILER) Chikai’s gonna die, but I don’t know about Enta or Keppi…Update: To be honest, I thought Chikai was going to become the next monster – a gun monster, perhaps. Maybe now that I’ve finished the episode, he’ll become a real zombie. (Hey, see what I did there with the bolding…? How’s that for hiding spoilers, eh???)

Oh yeah…I forgot Enta’s sister was Kazuki’s teacher…

There was a sign behind Masa that said”Hinode Asakusa” – “hi no de” meaning roughly “under the sun” or “leaving the sun”.

Tokarev…? The gun? Gun monster, maybe? Is this a critique of the American gun…(exaggerated voice) Nah, can’t be…this is Japanese.

Lionel…Lionel…for some reason, that name in relation to soccer seems familiar...I just can’t put my finger on who it reminds me of, though. Update: Is it, perhaps, Messi…? Yes, I think that’s the guy I was thinking of…!

Aw…I’m not crying, you are…But these words were running through my head before Toi chucked the bag of money away and yelled, “F***!”: “Everything I do, I do it for you.” Isn’t that cute…?

Bungou Stray Dogs 34

“…one by one?” Junban means “sequentially”, so I don’t see why you have to use the phrase “one by one”. Or “one at a time” would also work.

Hardbank…to contrast Softbank (a phone company in Japan).

Face-stealing aliens strike again…(re: Atsushi)

Oh flip. This reminds me of my Kunikida fic…yeah, I bet you don’t remember it.

Hey, this dude! Apparently he’s from one of Kunikida’s stories. I really am approaching the end of what I know of canon…*gulp* Update: Oops, we already passed that part…

I wonder if the real Fyodor could play cello…? Or is this just a thing to make him ominous and villanous…?

The cross on the wall behind Kunikida…makes this show more like Eva than Kekkai Sensen…exquisite. Absolutely exquisite, isn’t it?

Another cool cross, behind Tanizaki!

What’s a tatamigatana? Also, I didn’t know other people could be synchronised using Doppo Poet and Ranpo’s deduction…

Does Kouyou mean (by “the one I most despise”)…Chuuya? Or herself? It’s definitely not Ace.

Kimetsu no Yaiba 10

Headpats for Yushiro as well! Headpats for everyone!

There’s a lot of Tanjiro being terrified in this episode…

Wait…Kizuki? I thought they were the 12 Moons? (Well, “tsuki” means “moon”, but then what’s the “ki”?) Update: The “ki” means “demon”, so the Kizuki are the 12 Demon Moons.

Being alone with the body…that’s always a scary thought in murder mysteries…for the people who dissect them to determine the cause of death, that is.

Considering the name of the episode is “Together Forever”…nup, I don’t see Nezuko and Tanjiro separating anytime soon…

The Kasugai crow is what happens when you can’t turn off your Google Assistant…or GPS…or Siri.

If Tanjiro knows the name of his crow, how do the crows get their names? Do their trainers (is that the right term for a crow breeder in this case…?) give them names?

OPM S2 Ep 9 (Ep 21)

LOL, that one shot of the ants…JC Staff really don’t care about this series, do they…?

I kinda forgot about Genos after a bit more than a week…sorry, I was watching other anime in between. (More than usual, at least. I started playing Chibi Tamago – a forum game for AniList where you collect badges for watching anime - that’s why.)

Did he (Pri-Pri Prisoner)…store his phone in his butt…?

[absolutebl]

The promo teasers for Red Peafowl kinda made it look like Max Nattapol might be paired with Earth Katsamonnat, and after Tul Pakorn I dunno how I feel about that. It's not so much the MaxTul ship running aground (though I will miss them together), but rather – if EarthMax were actually to be a pairing – well, it's an unsettlingly new dynamic as Earth's more delicate energy is so different from Tul's. Of course nothing's confirmed till it's confirmed, but... with echoes of the macho-macho feels that MaxTul brought to the screen still sounding, do you think Max and Earth might work, or is my sense of dread not unfounded?

I'm thinking it'd be MaxEarth but

go on

you interest me strangely.

I think MaxEarth might be tons of fun.

They both seasoned and solid actors. They fit the classic yaoi dynamic nicely. Perhaps they will get handed a yaoi adaptation?

You know me, (or maybe you don't, but) I absolutely love seeing a ship busted, if only because it reminds everyone that these are branding choices, not actual relationships.

Can't you just see Earth running after Max peeping Phi with those big big eyes, all pathetic and ready to cry as soon as Max's character is mean to him. And you know he'd be hard gangster mean for some dumb arbitrary reason.

Frankly it's not that far off from KaoEarth and they were lovely together.

[absolutebl]

Well from your recent posts I've gathered that you are not a Big (with a capital B yes) fan of A Boss and a Babe so it's probly safe to say this . The reason i haven't watched this series is bcz I find the leads eerily similar looking?? Like if not siblings but atleast like distant cousins ??? Idk why but i can't unsee it now. Help .

Oh I don't think they look alike at all. Sorry, I don't know how to help you.

Maybe focus on specific features? Think of it like you were sketching them as a portrait artist? Like they have different mouth shape, eye shape/placement, cheekbones, and hair lines. Force (left) has a thinner straighter mouth more sculpted, slightly higher more prominent cheekbones, much heavier lidded eyes (he looks sultry and sleepy most of the time), slightly broader nose, longer face over all, and a prominent Adam's apple.

Book (right) has more delicate and finer features, his face is more heart-shaped and proportions are different (where his features fall on his face), smaller slightly pouty mouth, thinner nose, slightly rounder cheeks, close but less deep-set eyes. He's also lighter skinned. For all these reasons he's cast as the uke in their shows, as they are pretty much the same height, age (Book is actually a little older), and deferential politeness IRL, it could have gone either way.

(I don't make the rules, the yaoi gods do.)

Your Moment of Academia

If you're still struggling, there could be more/other reasons for this.

There is something called the Cross-race effect which may be impacting you. (The way to train your brain out of this one is to just keep watching tons of dramas, fashion, MVs made by cultures not your own. More info and discussion on this in this episode of All in the Mind podcast: The human drive to connect – and divide)

There's also Prosopagnosia to consider, although that's a lot rarer than modern peeps make it out to be.

I've also always felt like Dunbar's number may come into play with this kind of thing too. Like perhaps the human brain just has a limited max capacity for facial recognition storage.

So you might do better if you focus on their mannerisms and way of speaking which are completely different. (Siblings usually share vocality and mannerisms especially if they were raised together.) Body language and their way of holding themselves, smiles, eye crinkles, use of eyebrows, etc... Very few actors can move on from these tells.

Book has a more mobile face (which is why he suits comedy so well) but Force's is more emotive and expressive in nuance. He's uses more micro-movements, like little eye crinkles and a little crooked smile.

Their voices are very similar, but Force's is more burred, and a little more monotone (rare in Thai). He has a mellow soft way of speaking especially around the ubiquitous krap. Book has a rounder, wetter way of speaking, his kraps are more sharp and clipped.

All that said, IMHO you don't have to bother to watch either of ForceBook's series. So far this pair has been ill served by GMMTV. So if it wigs you out, there is plenty other, better BL.

Also if you want to actually watch a BL where the characters are some iteration of siblings, I'm sure Japan is there for you. If not, there's always the stepbrothers trope...

I have to say, I tend to way MORE annoyed when characters in a show who are meant to be siblings look absolutely nothing alike. Like bone-structure level "qua?" I know blood siblings don't always look alike, but they rarely look so completely different as we often get in TV or film the world over.

Way back, I did a series of actors in BL who I thought SHOULD play brothers and these are my favorites:

Mark Siwat Jumlongkul and War Wanarat Ratsameerat.

Now those two boys look related. To me, anyway.

(source)

[absolutebl]

Hello ABL,

After looking at your spreadsheet of doom, can you tell us how many shows have been released this year 2022 (including the shows that ended in 2022 like bad buddy) compared to the last 2 years by country. It will provide some perspective.

Thank you ❤️

I can but I usually do exactly that at the end of the year since the number announced is different from the number that actually air, so I have to wait until forth quarter closes.

So can you wait until the end of the year for the true stats in proper analysis?

Here's last year:

BL 2021 STATS & TRENDS BY COUNTRY (I reposted for ya) 

Here’s some rough numbers on the major producers that I track (includes microfilms and added new discoveries to previous years):

THAILAND

2020 = 22 

2021 = 42 

2022 = 108 so far

flipping heck, I genuinely thought their exponential growth would start to plateau at this point, no wonder I am struggling to keep up 

TAIWAN

2020 = 4

2021 = 11

2022 = 5 so far 

I don’t think we are due many more this year, maybe 2 if we are lucky 

KOREA

2020 = 7 

2021 = 17

2022 = 16 so far 

I thought they’d get over 20 this year and I think they still might make it. 

JAPAN

2020 = 8 (but 3 of those are pinks)

2021 = 6

2022 = 17 so far 

This was the biggest trend I did not see coming. I had no idea Japan, of all places, would respond to market pressure like this. Honestly I think it’s mostly a “HAY, we started this, what is Korea doing? Oh, I don’t think so. Let’s show em how its done.” AKA they aren’t taking this like they did Jpop, subconscious attitude. 

My 2022 BL Trend & Growth Expectations from 2021 were:

THAILAND will produce the same kind of thing as they did in 2021 with perhaps a few darker offerings, better queer rep, and a fall off in the pulps as money dries up. I don’t see how they can possibly keep up this level of exponential growth, their overall quality is seriously suffering. If we’re lucky, we will get at least 6 experimental pieces with stronger story and atypical setting (like KinnPorsche). ANNOUNCED? 73 BLs for 2022 (many of these are seed project fundraisers, I expect about half to die in pre-production or move to 2023.)

TAIWAN has increased steadily over years but I think they’ll go down from 2021, and 6 is the max we can expect in 2022. I want them to do a gay spoof on Boys Over Flowers but they don’t have the funds. *sad sigh* (This is assuming China doesn’t carry out its political threats, in which case the world’s got more serious problems to worry about.) ANNOUNCED? 5 BLs for 2022 

KOREA. I expect them to double their BL output next year (from 11 to 20+), perhaps including something a little longer after the success of Light On Me. Of course, imma pipe dream Yuri on Ice staring Enhyphen’s Park Sung Hoon and you can’t stop me (but Japan probably will). ANNOUNCED? 15 BLs for 2022

JAPAN, look I have cried out for years for ninja/yakuza yaoi adaptations and something more adult domestic like Our Dinging Table, and Japan has announced both. BOTH I tell you. I am SO EXCITED for Japanese BL in 2022. Come on Japan, you can do eeet! ANNOUNCED? 4 BLs for 2022

VIETNAM should continue to improve steadily, and give us as many as it can, I’m just hoping it doesn't fall down the Pinoy rabbit hole of no story. They are evolving quickly, if Mr Cinderella is any indication, good things are coming. ANNOUNCED? 2 BLs for 2022

CHINA nothing but a few heavily censored bromances. ANNOUNCED? 1 bromance co-project with Thailand for 2022

2022 BL line up (announced projects, trailers, etc) as of the end of 2021 is here.

2021 audience analysis and thoughts here. I discuss growth in terms of audience, investment, and international market penetration. How I think pandemic viewing #s figured into it. Possible new production models. And changes in BL actors and their pairs. (Pure speculation since I don’t have access to these numbers.)

2021 BL Wrap Up - Top Trends analyzed & discussed