#you love these characters so much and yet you discredit one of their most recognizable traits!!! their readiness to DO WHAT THEY WANT!!!!!!

[fisherrprince]

do you have more thoughts on keyblade fighting that you need to put somewhere, because i have two hands ready to catch Should The Need Arise

anon: hey I heard you mention you’d analysed the combat styles in KH and what you said in the tags was already alluding to really neat stuff, but I for one would love to hear more of what you came up with!! so if you ever wanted to share any of your analysis then the floor is yours

aHAH, MY EXCUSE!!

Okay, so first some words on “standardized wielding styles”. These are styles shared by Terra, Aqua, Vanitas, Riku, and Xehanort and every other scala and daybreak kid. I will make the argument that the red style is the fanciest standard style, while the purple is seen often to make it easier on the little chibi sprites. BUT, I cannot discredit Eraqus, who uses the purple variant in bbs, nor can I discredit half of the Foretellers (Gula and Ava, at least, use this. Invi and Aced use the first type). So, two standard styles. For simplicity, let’s say one for primary offense, one for primary defense. The standard offensive style really wasn’t popular before Scala-era society.

check this difference out, specifically between ava invi and gula:

then between eraqus, hermod, and xehanort, and eraqus and terra.

These two were likely popularized and standardized for education in Scala ad Caelum for their predominant lack of obvious weak spots.

After this, we have unique styles. Those include Sora Kairi and Xion’s (similar to standard defense, but more mobile at the expense of form — Kairi takes after Sora but less confident, she hasn’t been hit that heavily yet), Ven’s (backhand, heavy range and mobility), Roxas’ (modified for two keyblades, but takes after Sora), and Axel’s (taught himself, comfortable with chakrams).

So! Let’s go.

.

Standard (offensive)

All styles have sub-variations, of a sense. Different wielders can choose where their keyblade points, and how they hold it exactly, based on what makes them most comfortable. Terra and Aqua point theirs downward, while Vanitas and Riku hold theirs above their head. What is recognizeable to this style is a hand for the sword, and a hand for guarding/blocking/items/magic.

It’s incredibly efficient. With only one hand on the weapon, you not only free up a hand for other things, but increase your range of movement with said weapon. Test it out yourself! The keyblade hand is always your dominant hand, held behind you for increased power when attacking (since you lose a significant amount of it by choosing not to grip with both hands). This style also decreases the speed of the defense you have, but with that increased mobility and swing power, along with a hand free to brace against the keyblade (defense strength up!), it makes up for it. Many people who use this also have strong barrier spells — both a testament to their preference for coverage and an acknowledgement that any directional block will take a little longer and be weaker if they try it with one hand.

The pointy end, though. What difference does it actually make, the height it’s at?

I think it’s half a matter of attack style preference and half intention. Riku, Vanitas, and Xehanort stab quite a bit. Aqua and Terra slice more. Not that they don’t do both, but it’s the first instinct. Aqua and Terra are also likely taught to hold their keyblade neutrally, in a safe position, until someone starts attacking. It’s polite! Eraqus also holds his one-handed, neutrally, until he gets into position. Riku and Vanitas learned to fight assuming everyone was out to fight them. Invi and Aced may like this style because of range (i hc she’s blind and strikes very very quickly, and he’s already very powerful with just the one arm and wants better motion).

and on character specifics: Terra often switches to two-handed, to copy his dad and add extra power to his hits without always sacrificing the empty hand. Vanitas likely was forced to relearn how to fight, as instead of solely being trained to be better at withstanding, he was constantly being made to better his own attacks. The moves Xehanort uses would best be replicated in the same style. Vanitas is wild for holding the massive spiky x-blade like that.

Now, what‘s good on this style does not correlate to what’s bad in the other. The two standard styles simply have different ways of dealing with each con they create or taking advantage of each pro.

(Here’s an interesting side note — Gula uses standard defensive, but in this instance, swaps. One hand… likely to display confidence! Wrong move, but hey. He got cocky. He’s also doing it wrong, and swaps back to two-handed to take Aced’s attack.)

.

Standard (defensive)

The main detriment of this style is the lack of ease of long range movement. Hold a wrapping paper tube out in front of you with both hands, then run. It goes to the side, or tucks in to your stomach, right? Dodge. Your legs will get in the way unless you know where to move that sword. It requires, interestingly, a little more discipline. You’d think Aqua would like that, but no, she wants movement and practicality, and she loves magic, and remember that you must take a hand off this style to grab a potion. You’d think young Eraqus wouldn’t, but remember that he’s a fancy royal lad.

The main draw, though, is tankiness, readiness, and power. You don’t need to move as much if nothing dares hit you! Ava and Gula might be attracted to this style because they’re not as physically strong, but want protection in close-quarters fighting. Using this style when your muscles aren’t as big but you still want to Hit Things Good, or when you want to be a boy you can’t knock over with a pail of water (horse stance rules), is probably solid advice.

Traditionally, this is a lot less like fencing, and a lot more like a samurai sword or kendo. Your blade is held in front of you, giving you very easy access to blocks and frontal attack/defense. In losing some twirly spinniness, you gain power and minimize your opponent’s ability to parry and block.

you gotta dodge master Eraqus so mcuh

All styles will swap between one and two hands for different moves. Eraqus, notably, swaps to a stance very similar to Xehanort when channeling a metric ton of magic.

Both of these styles require a degree of upper body/core strength, as does all swordfighting. I would be interested to see someone whose keyblade style relies on leg strength.

.

Sora, Xion, and Kairi

please look at the difference between the foretellers’ or eraqus’ two-handed grip and Sora’s. Do this with your shoulders and a top-heavy object.

They’re both in a hard stance, but hon. What are you, a gremlin? Anyways, a traditionally taught master would have… better form, even if it’s harder to learn at first. It’s habitual. Sora nearly crouches, and holds his keyblade back-pointed with two hands, which makes it easier for him to dodge roll, push off his feet quickly, and pull off those spinning combos he loves. It‘s really gonna hurt his muscles, in the future, though, since he’s doing a squat for like…. hours. Pulling on those shoulderblades and neck. Xion, too. Replicas had better have correct muscle dynamics. Kairi is brand new, so… maybe Aqua can teach her how to hold a sword so it doesnt hurt you.

Okay, now look at the grip itself. Held in front versus held to the side-back. They’re really attempting to combine both standard styles subconsciously, giving themselves more attack power while really wanting to keep that hard defensive parry, wanting to prevent all attacks to the front while also wanting mobility. It’s working for them really well, they fight like an anime character, and manage to get the best of both, with a minor sacrifice of length range that they don’t care about. We’re flexible and full of magic, baby! Holding the blade like this makes it pretty easy to let go with one hand without sacrificing that crouched defense position.

Now, Sora, specifically, is very adaptive. He’s had two keyblades, claws, guns, yo-yos, and a giant shield, to name a couple. He retains a bit of that alert crouch no matter where he goes, but Sora knows how he wants to attack and how to balance that with the most effective way to use his current weapon. He’s a smart kid! Sora has the most ridiculous shotlocks, which are also probably due to not always wanting to go standard for it. He also prefers to keep his focus on the enemy, which is evident in his reprisals and lack of very many effective “escape” moves.

Xion is very similar to Sora, but she does have some moves that are all movement. She switches to one handed for strikes a lot — using two for defending, one for smacking. In her data battle I’d swear some of those heavy hits are claymore-like. But anyways, since we’re magic, Xion cares not for the laws of exhaustion, and will ping about as a ball of light everywhere. Short range? Up in your business. Mid-range? In your business with one hand. Long range? Throws a boomerang. Hit her? No you dont. Ball of light. She’s above you and wants to bash your head in. (Vanitas also does this! A lot. It’s an easy way to catch someone off-guard. I’ll argue that the soras are very tough and strong, but not tanky. they want to avoid being hit a lot)

Another interesting note about Kairi. I say “unconfident” not because she doesn’t hit hard, but because her stance is also often tilted back, ready to dodge. It’s two handed, but almost all her moves are one. She does love spinning and throwing the thing! It looks like she’s been taking notes from the wielders she knows. It would be easy to teach her a standard style, I think. See here, she lets go on the strike, and by trying to do both, actually ends up with an advantage (being confusing) and disadvantage (losing both the power of two handed and versatility of one handed).

A counter to Sora and Xion is difficult to pin down. Time? Probably. Lack of heating pads. Something that takes all their attention is about the only way to get a sneak attack in, and then you have to hit hard. A counter to Kairi would be anyone who can knock her off balance. She needs a sturdier stance. .

Roxas

Roxas is interesting. He takes after Sora for the one blade. Wielding two, however, nets him a totally different way of fighting. Roxas’ clavicle muscles n… deltoids and stuff must be Ironclad. Also, two handed means you are very fast and sharp all the time. He has the advantage of standard defense (horse stance), and the advantage of offense (range of one sword, but twice).

Roxas generally attacks in two ways — simultaneous hits, and follow-up hits. Either he hits with both at once, or hits hard with the first one, and adds the second one as a bonus smack. He can attack by hitting in opposite directions with the two, like a drum, but that will be a little awkward and leave him prone to being tangled. That established, the follow-up hit method means he spins a bunch. As do we all.

Roxas gets a little complicated because we are not in the real world. We have magic and turning into light and physics that let you become a circular saw. So, typically, disadvantages would include: being unable to let go of a weapon to grab something or use an item, having just a very big silhouette to attack on, having difficulty with close-range attacks because Oathkeeper and Oblivion are kinda long, and convenience. Roxas gets to dodge #1 (keyblades can be unsummoned) and #4 (keyblades can be unsummoned). Speaking of dodging, he also gets to skirt the difficulty of dodging and rolling with two swords because he turns into a beam of light. But he can’t dodge how difficult it is to use two swords effectively — he needs to concentrate on fighting, and nothing else, or he risks messing up. He has to be very, very coordinated, and undistracted. Luckily he’s pretty good at making his opponents shut up, most of the time. Blocking is another thing — theoretically his blocks could be strong, but Roxas has no real brace: crossing your blades and taking a hefty stab might smack one of them back into your face. He mostly uses reversals and dodges, because of this.

The takeaway to this is Roxas is built for speed and power, and he is very strong. He’s a mid- to far- range fighter who if you’re not careful can snap you in half if you’re too close (be SO careful of that cross blade scissor).

A perfect counter to Roxas would be a tank that can grapple, and also be very distracting. If you can take hits, be talkative, and get close enough to stop his blades, you have a chance.

.

Ventus

This is a bizarre choice, my guy, but I get it.

Backhanded weapons are very impractical for a lot of... attacking, mainly in mid-range combat, and Ven likes to either fight very close or throw the keyblade like a boomerang (and hey, backhand gives it a good whip for throwing). His attacks aren’t meant to one hit KO, but they do come with a bit of power to them, especially on the backslash. Like holding a knife for gouging. It’s for very close defense — pretty good when Wayward Wind and Missing Ache have hooks.

Backhand also, while retaining that empty hand for potions and guarding, gives you an extreme coverage boost. By which I mean Ven’s sword hand now has a nearly 270 degree sweep of “I see you, don’t touch me”, very quickly, based on just flicking his wrist. It sacrifices a ton of strength/sturdiness, but you don’t need that if you’re dodging. You also don’t really need to block, which is slower, but relatively sturdy when Ven does it, as he blocks with mostly the chunky hilt between crossed arms. He sacrifices (again) a bit of strength for coverage — an attack would hurt his arms, not his chest, if he were hit head-on.

His attacks often have him flip the blade around in his hand, too. Quick swaps between standard moves and backhand ones. Basically, Ventus is built for moving, protecting himself, and quick attacks that wear down the enemy, not outclass it. Likely because he’s good at fighting, but everyone he’s fought hits harder than he can! It doesn’t matter how he holds it, getting hit will hurt. So he just. Doesn’t. He’s not a buff little guy — but he is a persistent one. Ven very likely made this up on his own, in Daybreak, and it was too hard to fix his whole style, but it was enough to correct most of his form so he doesn’t hurt himself too much. He is going to have to really stretch that shoulder and wrist (maybe get a brace), though. At least his neck is ok. … not sure about his knees tho dang boy that crouch

A perfect counter to Ven would be someone big and fast, who hits hard mid-range. He’s already been sparring with Terra, though, so when in doubt, try scruffing him?

.

Axel

Theres not a ton to say about him — he‘s not a swordfighter. He uses his keyblade like it’s a frisbee. Because that’s what he’s used to! His neutral is behind his back on his shoulder, which is terrible for readiness, but okay for chucking the thing. It’s good it has a sort of… ripstik like… boomerang quality.

Axel’s fighting style is completely made up, like most of the self-taught wielders’. His strengths lie in some of the benefits of standard offensive style (one-handed), and some of the same coverage stuff as Ven, having a cocked wrist most of the time so no one can sneak up around him without risking getting whacked very quickly, and having an interesting range due to the pointy end being basically on a spinny swivel wherever his hand moves. He’s not going to be good at close-range and he knows it — his attacks are mostly distance. And the guy has ZERO defense, combined with zero coverage when idle, so it’s for the better.

Distance-wise, though, he rocks. Treating the blade like it’s a flaming throwing weapon means his idle is actually great for sudden flick-tossing and attention-guiding for sneakier attacks, and his stance itself (…nonexistent) serves a different purpose: bait. Basically a big "come hit me". Fun, when you have a lot of fire magic and two friends who are beasts and love to take advantage of a distracted enemy — distance on the blade, proximity on the burning.

A perfect counter to Axel would be someone pinging around very close <—> very far and circling him incessantly. Like, data Xion could wreck him, as he has to wait for the boomerang to come back -- he no longer has two spinny wheels. Also someone with water magic.

.

SO! In conclusion! Having a teacher who teaches you correct sword usage rather than instinct may detract from overspecific styles that benefit you most but leave weak spots, but your muscles and your oversights will thank you. Everyone is glad we have the power of the Mouse and anime on our side.

Keep in mind again that I have done cursory research, and have had minimal actual sword instruction, I am not an expert and this is all for fun anyways :]

[aion-rsa]

Paramount+ Streaming Service: Launch Date, Price, Shows, and Movies

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

One day the streaming wars will slow down, but alas that day is not here yet. On Feb. 24, ViacomCBS confirmed all the details of its upcoming all-encompassing streaming service: Paramount+. 

This new streaming service will replace ViacomCBS’s existing option, CBS All Access, and is designed to keep the major media conglomerate competitive with its peers like WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, NBCUniversal’s Peacock, and Disney’s Disney+

“In today’s entertainment landscape, ViacomCBS stands aprt as the only media company to fully embrace every segment of the streaming universe across free, premium and pay,” said Bob Bakish, President and Chief Executive Officer, ViacomCBS. “The launch of Paramount+ supercharges our strategy with a broad pay service that will be home to everything consumers love, all in one place: live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment, at scale.”

Here is everything you need to know about Paramount+.

Paramount+ Launch Date

Paramount+ is set to launch on March 4 in the U.S., Canada, and 18 Latin American countries. Nordic countries will receive Paramount+ on March 25 as will Australia (thought the service will be called “10 All Access”). There is no announced U.K. launch date yet but ViacomCBS notes that additional markets are planned. 

Paramount+: How is It Different From CBS All Access?

To keep things simple off the top: Paramount+ is CBS All Access, just rebranded and expanded. If you currently have a CBS All Access subscription, it should automatically convert into a Paramount+ subscription during the March 4 release date. That sounds simple enough, but as HBO users who went through the HBO Max transition know, there could be some complications. Be sure to check out Paramount+’s website should any issues arise on launch day.

But why is CBS All Access rebranding to Paramount+? Well the name of the game in the streaming world at the moment is consolidation. Major media companies own many different channels of distribution and are seeking to consolidate them all onto one platform. CBS All Access was always more of an “extra” CBS. But the recently combined conglomerate ViacomCBS owns and operates many other sources of entertainment, including: CBS, Paramount Pictures, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and more. Paramount+ will incorporate ViacomCBS content from all of these channels and more, rather than just CBS

Why exactly did ViacomCBS settle on “Paramount” as the brand to incorporate its many subsidiaries? That’s anyone’s guess. WarnerMedia ultimately decided that “HBO” was the most recognizable brand for its streaming service. ViacomCBS, whose demographic usually skews older, perhaps thought its viewers would be most emotionally attached to the iconic Paramount mountain logo.

Many other ViacomCBS properties had their own streaming service like MTV Hits and Comedy Central Now. Those will be sunsetted and existing content will be incorporated into Paramount+. The SHOWTIME streaming service, however, will continue and be offered as a separate add-on to Paramount+ in the U.S. It will come included internationally. 

Paramount+ Price

Paramount+ will feature two different price points but only one will be available at launch. The first pricing tier is Premium at $9.99 and will include complete access to all Paramount+ content, except for the Showtime add-on. The premium tier will also feature live sports, news programs, and access to a live feed of CBS.

The other pricing tier will be available in June and is $4.99. This will include much of the same content but will also feature advertisements. In case you’re wondering what kind of ads you might experience in the second pricing tier, ViacomCBS has announced that its lead sponsors will be General Motors, Expedia, and Procter & Gamble.

Paramount+ Shows

Paramount+’s plans for television series are extensive. Like other similar streaming services, Paramount+ will play host to existing TV series on ViacomCBS channels, while also producing its own original content. 

During the ViacomCBS Streaming event presentation, the company revealed that it plans to launch at least 50 new original series over the next two years, with 36 arriving in 2021. Here is a list of all the announced original series, with descriptions from ViacomCBS:

Drama

Criminal Minds – top rated series in broadcast and streaming returns with a new scripted series that brings the team back together to investigate a single, fascinating case over 10 episodes.

Flashdance – a young woman struggles to make her mark in the ballet world while navigating romance, money, art, friendship, and how to love herself. Award-winning Mad Men writer Tracy McMillan is writing and executive producing the drama series which will pick up from where the story left off, but in present-day. True Blood’s Angela Robinson will direct and executive produce the series with Lynda Obst.

Halo – based on the iconic Xbox® franchise, Halo’s epic universe and cast of characters come to life in this new original drama series. In the new television adaptation, Halo will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.

Land Man – set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Land Man is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. The series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.

Love Story – Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the executive producers of Gossip Girl, The O.C., and Looking for Alaska, are bringing to Paramount+ a series based on the award-winning perennial film, Love Story.

Mayor of Kingstown – follows the McLusky family, power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – the next installment of the popular Star Trek franchise is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the decade before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The Italian Job – when the grandchildren of the legendary Charlie Croker inherit his old safety deposit box, the quest for the infamous Italian bullion is reignited. The series, from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced and written by Matt Wheeler (Hawaii Five-0), and produced by Donald De Line.

The Man Who Fell To Earth – starring Oscar-nominee and BAFTA-winner Chiwetel Ejiofor, is based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the iconic film starring David Bowie. The series will follow a new alien character who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution, and must confront his own past to determine our future.

The Offer – a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making The Godfather. The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (Escape at Dannemora, The Player). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, alongside showrunner Nikki Toscano (Hunters), and Emmy® Award-winning producer Leslie Greif (Hatfields & McCoys).

The Parallax View – a scripted series from Paramount Television Studios, based on the iconic film. The series will be executive produced by Paula Wagner.

Y:1883 – follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one.

Yellowstone Spinoff, 6666 (Working Title) – founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing… The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.

Comedy

Frasier – Frasier’s back – and he’s more exactly the same than ever. Kelsey Grammer reprises his role as the Dr. Frasier Crane.

Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies – with both classic and new songs, and a diverse cast, the series is a prequel to the unforgettable musical film, Grease, and tells the story of how Frenchy’s older sister, Jane, founded the Pink Ladies. The series, from Paramount Television Studios, is executive produced by Annabel Oakes (Atypical, Transparent), Marty Bowen (Twilight) and Erik Feig (La La Land).

Guilty Party – a dark comedy starring Kate Beckinsale as a discredited journalist who finds herself in over her head when she latches onto the story of a young mother sentenced to life in jail for murdering her husband – a crime she claims she didn’t commit.

Inside Amy Schumer – the Peabody, Emmy® and Writers Guild Award-winning franchise returns with five specials starring Amy Schumer, one of the entertainment industry’s leading forces as a stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer and director.

Reno 911! The Hunt For QAnon – a super-sized event based off the long-running hit, critically-acclaimed Comedy Central series. Most recently, Reno 911! received two 2020 Emmy® Award nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series and for Outstanding Actress in A Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (Kerri Kenney-Silver). In 2021, the show is nominated for a Critics Choice Award.

The Game – the popular BET sitcom returns with a mix of original cast and new players, and will offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football.

The Harper House – an animated family comedy that follows an overconfident female head of a household as she struggles to regain a higher status for herself and for her family of oddballs after losing her job and moving from the rich side to the poor side of an Arkansas small town.

The Weekly Show with Trevor Noah (Working Title) – Trevor Noah will star in and produce an initial six episode series looking at stories across the societal landscape and talk with the people behind the headlines: people you know; people you don’t know; and people you didn’t even know you didn’t know.

Younger – Darren Star’s critically acclaimed smash-hit, Younger, follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a talented editor navigating the highly competitive world of publishing — while juggling the complications of mixing business with pleasure and facing the lie she created about her age to land her dream job.

Untitled Beavis & Butt-head Movie – Emmy® Award-winning Mike Judge reimagines MTV’s seminal, Gen X-defining Beavis and Butt-Head who return for another movie adventure to kick-off the new series.

Workaholics Movie – made-for-streaming movie based off the popular long-running Comedy Central series starring Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck.

Kids and Family

Avatar – Nickelodeon’s new animation studio division dedicated entirely to creating content based on the wildly popular world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Led by the series’ original creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, in partnership with the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Avatar Studios will produce for Paramount+ a wide-range of Avatar-inspired content, ranging from spinoffs and theatricals to short form.

Dora the Explorer – a new live-action series based on the iconic character, designed for an older audience of kids 6-11 and their families.

iCarly – a new chapter for the most successful kids’ sitcom of all time, where original cast members Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress and Jerry Trainor join new friends for a look at these characters’ present-day lives, adventures and comedic mishaps.

Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years – the first-ever spinoff of SpongeBob SquarePants, Kamp Koral is a CG animated original series that takes viewers back to when the iconic characters of Bikini Bottom met for the very first time, in a summer camp like no other.

Rugrats – an all-new series featuring Nick’s iconic babies, back together with the original voice cast in new CG animation.

Star Trek: Prodigy – the first-ever Star Trek for the kids and family audience, combining the Nickelodeon sensibility with the action and adventure hallmarks of the Star Trek franchise.

The Fairly OddParents – a live-action take on one of Nick’s longest running and most successful animated hits.

Reality 

Big Brother Live Feeds – offers an in-depth, exclusive pass to the show where fans have the opportunity to watch all the action inside the Big Brother house.

Dating Naked – the most vulnerable social experiment returns to bring dating back to its most honest, unguarded and naked form. Can these modern daters strip back their preconceived notions, carefully curated images AND their clothes to reveal their true selves and find love?

Ink Master – the tattoo competition reality series where some of the nation’s top tattoo artists battle it out in various tattoo challenges that not only test the artists’ technical skills, but also their on-the-spot creativity for the title of Ink Master.

Love Island on Paramount+ – an extension of the popular CBS reality series that takes subscribers beyond the boundaries of what’s shown in the broadcast with exclusive content and live visits to the Villa.

Queen of the Universe – in a singing competition like no other, drag queens from all around the world compete to see who is Queen of the Universe. High heels, high octaves, high competition – this drag queen singing competition will blow your wig off. From Emmy® Award-winning production company, World of Wonder.

Road Rules – back with a new roster of Road Warriors. These strangers will be abandoned in a far-flung location and stripped of their modern-day luxuries by boarding a restricted life in an RV, traveling from location to location. They will be guided by a set of clues, odd jobs and missions for money. If they last to the end of the trip, they walk away with the life changing prize.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars – the best of the best from the Emmy® Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race return to compete for $100,000 and a coveted spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. In each episode, legendary queens will battle it out until only one drag queen is crowned the winner.

The Challenge: All Stars – twenty-two of the most iconic, boldest, and fiercest Challenge All Stars from the original Real World and Road Rules have been selected to return for a second chance at the ultimate competition. All have history, but when relationships are the key to survival, will these legends be able to form new bonds or will their past lead to their demise? With $500,0000 and their legacies on the line, which of these All Stars will prove they are still the best of the best?

The Real World: Homecoming: New York – almost 30 years later, the original “seven strangers” that paved the way for modern reality TV are moving back into the New York loft where it all began. Viewers will be reunited with the cast from the very first season of The Real World in a brand new multi-episode docuseries to find out, once again, what happens when they stop being polite… and start getting real. Series begins streaming on Thursday, March 4th.

Music

Behind the Music – Behind the Music is back! The groundbreaking and prolific music documentary series returns with several new episodes and the best of the vault remastered and updated for today’s audiences with artist interviews, a creative refresh and reimagined visual style.

From Cradle to Stage – this new six-part, unscripted television series from Director Dave Grohl was inspired by his mother, Virginia Hanlon Grohl, and based on her critically-acclaimed book, From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars. The series is a dynamic personal exploration of the special relationship between successful musicians and their moms. Each episode features a famous performer and their mom as well as Dave and Virginia.

Unplugged – MTV’s most iconic musical performance franchise will come to Paramount+ several times a year as special intimate MTV Unplugged events featuring some of the world’s biggest artists.

Yo! MTV Raps – MTV is bringing back its most storied hip-hop series and music franchise Yo! MTV Raps for Paramount+. The return of Yo! MTV Raps will include hosted segments, live performances, cyphers and lifestyle content, and will serve as a comprehensive deep dive into the current state of hip-hop. After its debut 33 years ago on August 6, 1988, Yo! MTV Raps became the premiere destination for all things hip-hop. The advent of the series was crucial to the rise of rap music worldwide, creating a global passion for the genre and greater hip-hop culture, which has since become the most dominant force in mainstream music and pop culture worldwide.

CBS All Access Originals (Which Will Continue as Paramount+ Originals)

No Activity – a half-hour police comedy, starring Patrick Brammall and Tim Meadows, which was previously a live-action series, will be completely animated for season four.

Star Trek: Discovery – the series, starring Sonequa Martin-Green, follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself.

Star Trek: Lower Decks – a half-hour animated comedy series, focuses on the support crew on one of Starfleet’s least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi have to keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies.

Star Trek: Picard – features Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series follows this iconic character into the next chapter of his life.

Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News – a daily news satire series featuring a cast of animated characters, led by anchor James Smartwood, lampooning real-world news stories and interviewing live-action guests.

The Good Fight – the critically acclaimed drama starring Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart follows her next chapter at one of Chicago’s preeminent African-American law firms. The wide-ranging topicality of the series captures the current sociopolitical era as the firm confronts real life issues of today.

Why Women Kill – a dark comedy created by Marc Cherry, is an anthology series that examines how the roles of women have changed over the decades, but how their reaction to betrayal… has not.

Documentaries

76 Days – a look at life in the earliest days of the COVID-19 crisis in Wuhan, China, the Oscar Shortlisted 76 Days focuses on frontline hospital workers and their patients, bearing witness to the human resilience that persists in times of profound tragedy.

Black Gold – from Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa and Emmy® Award-winning Time Studios, this is a true-life conspiracy thriller about a decades-long campaign to trade our planet for profit.

For Heaven’s Sake – blends comedy and crime documentary formats for a unique take on uncovering the truth. The series follows the search for Harold Heaven, who mysteriously disappeared from his remote cabin in Ontario, Canada, in the winter of 1934.

The Real Criminal Minds – a true crime docu series, featuring a former real FBI profiler. The series will examine real cases, and real criminal behavior, illustrated by clips fans will remember from the fictional series.

Watergate – from MTV Entertainment Studios, this series will illuminate a moment in our history that parallels so much of what’s happening now.

Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In – tells the story of the legendary manager of Manchester United, and one of the most memorable figures in European football.

Stories from the Beautiful Game – an original soccer documentary series produced by Pete Radovich, the award-winning coordinating producer of CBS Sports’ UEFA coverage. Paramount+ will release several soccer documentaries every year, starting later in 2021.

Paramount+ Movies

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the future of movie theaters is in question…particularly with major entertainment entities launching their own in-house streaming options. ViacomCBS, however, will not be releasing its entire theatrical slate exclusively to streaming like WarnerMedia has with HBO Max.

Paramount Pictures films will still continue to receive theatrical releases, and then be made available on Paramount+ 30-45 days after the initial release window. Upcoming major Paramount films that will eventually arrive to Paramount+ include: A Quiet Place Part II, PAW PATROL: The Movie, and Mission: Impossible 7. Other recently released Paramount films will be available on Paramount+ at launch such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Rocketman, Bumblebee, and more.

Over time, however, ViacomCBS will produce some films exclusively for Paramount+. The first of which will be The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Sponge on the Run, which is set to arrive at launch. Another announced Paramount+-exclusive titles include new versions of Paranormal Activity and Pet Sematary.

Paramount+ Sports

Access to live sports was always a major draw for CBS All Access and Paramount+ will continue that tradition and expand upon it. ViacomCBS reports that Paramount+ will feature at least 1,000 live sporting events per year. These include:

THE NFL ON CBS

The Masters

NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship

PGA TOUR

SEC ON CBS

The PGA Championship

National Women’s Soccer League

UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League 

Concacaf

Liga Profesional de Fútbol

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 

Paramount+ Apps

Paramount+ will be accessible at ParamountPlus.com and will also receive an app for both iOS and Android devices. Of course, a big issue that many new streaming services have run into is a lack of availability at launch on major smart TVs and OTT providers like Amazon Fire, and Roku. While WarnerMedia eventually cut a deal with Roku to host HBO sometime after its release, it was still a traumatic few months for HBO Roku-users. 

And wouldn’t you know it – references to Samsung, Amazon Fire, Roku, and major gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation are noticeably absent from ViacomCBS’s Paramount+ announcement. The company only notes that Paramount+ will be available “across a wide number of platforms, including smart TVs, connected-TV devices, online, mobile, gaming consoles, and leading OTT providers.”

The good news, however, is that CBS All Access is currently available on Roku, Amazon Fire, and all other major OTT providers. Perhaps it will be a smooth transition for smart TV owners and Roku-users then, but who knows when it comes to streaming!

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The post Paramount+ Streaming Service: Launch Date, Price, Shows, and Movies appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2NF1wdQ

[fashionboys135-blog]

A Beginner’s Guide: 8 Essential Style Tips For Guys Who Want to Dress Better

"I'm simply not normally trendy."

 Does that sound recognizable?

 Here's reality. Dressing great is an expertise. What's more, similar to some other expertise, you can learn it and move forward. Try not to trust me?

 The ghastliness

 Indeed, that is me in secondary school shaking a ghastly pig tail, alongside glasses that were far too little for my head.

 Furthermore, to tissue out the picture, my day by day equip in secondary school comprised of:

 Plaid secure shirts

 Loose pants with tore fixes on the grounds that they were too long and I continued venturing on them

 Cumbersome Rockabilly shoes I found at the shopping center

 It wasn't until the point when school did I begin focusing on my style genuinely. What's more, if that child above could learn, so can you.

 Actually, you have an immense preferred standpoint as an Essential Man peruser. I didn't have a genuine asset, and needed to experience a very long time of experimentation before I've really realized what incredible style was.

 Today I'm offering to you fundamental style tips for folks who need to dress better.

 Regardless of whether you're a total apprentice, or have been dealing with your style for some time and need a refresher, I've refined these ideas and tips in the course of the most recent 11 years to enable you to look great right away.

 1. Understand THAT DRESSING WELL IS A SKILL

 Much the same as cooking or shooting free tosses, dressing great is an aptitude that can really be educated.

 My activity as an individual beautician isn't to purchase garments for folks and send them out the door. I show men how to pick garments that improve them so they can do it all alone. On the off chance that dressing great wasn't an expertise that could be educated, I'd be out of an occupation!

 With all aptitudes, you show signs of improvement the more you hone. What's more, unless you live in some weirdo nudist province (I would apologize here, however in the event that you're a nudist perusing this blog, you're in the wrong place), you have to get dressed regular. That implies you have a chance to practice and sustain the expertise of dressing admirably each and every day.

 WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY: Nobody is conceived in a consummately custom fitted 3-piece suit, or with some supernatural instinct on the most proficient method to dress well. (On the off chance that you require an update, look move down and take a gander at my secondary school picture once more.) Realize that dressing admirably is an aptitude that can be produced through training.

 2. Build up YOUR "EYE" BY IDENTIFYING STYLE YOU LIKE

 Directly after folks reveal to me that they're simply not "normally a la mode", it's frequently caught up with:

 "I simply don't have an eye for assembling outfits or realizing what looks great"

 This is what I let them know:

 "Alright. Is there any individual who's style you think looks great? Something you think 'I'd get a kick out of the chance to dress that way', regardless of whether you don't figure you could pull it off. Perhaps it's a superstar, an artist, a competitor? Indeed, even an anecdotal character. Some of my customers have specified James Bond or Tony Stark previously."

 The person will then rundown off a huge amount of men he supposes dresses cool. And after that I get a kick out of the chance to call attention to that he just exposed his own particular suspicion that he doesn't have an "eye". He just indicated me he can see and perceive awesome style!

 Presently, he won't not know the why yet, and that is frequently the motivation behind why folks reveal to me they don't have an eye. Understanding why is learnable.

 Be that as it may, at whatever point you're chipping away at an objective, it's critical to distinguish and challenge stories you let yourself know. Regardless of whether it's that you don't have an eye for style, you're excessively occupied with, making it impossible to work out, or you're only a bashful individual. The stories we let ourselves know are frequently undetectable boundaries to keep us in our customary range of familiarity.

 WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY: Take 5 minutes. Rundown out at least 3 folks who style you think looks awesome and that is toward the path you'd jump at the chance to go. Regardless of whether you don't figure you can pull it off, show it. It could be somebody you know, a VIP, or even an anecdotal character from a motion picture.

 3. Tackle 90% OF YOUR STYLE PROBLEMS BY GETTING THE RIGHT FIT

 "F*@K Ryan Gosling!"

 This is something a genuine customer said to me once subsequent to seeing the photo of Ryan Gosling above.

 "How the damnation does he look so cool wearing only a shirt and pants?"

 The appropriate response, old buddy, is fit.

 Fit is the most imperative thing with regards to extraordinary style. It's so vital, truth be told, that I tell each one of my customers "wearing garments that fit legitimately will tackle 90% of your style issues."

 At the point when garments don't fit appropriately, they divert from your body extents. On account of the overabundance texture, garments that are too enormous make you look messy, as well as fatter and shorter than you are.

 Men tend to wear garments that are too huge for them since it either "feels more good", or they simply don't know how garments should fit in any case.

 The correct fit is the way somebody like Ryan Gosling (or me, or you) can look easily snazzy shaking a plain white shirt and pants, and how somebody can look appalling in a "decent suit" that most likely cost 20x more.

 This additionally implies on the off chance that you think you require a suit with a specific end goal to look in vogue, you don't!

 In case you're more calfskin coat and pants like me, you can be cowhide coat and pants and look awesome, insofar as you're wearing garments that fit right.

 4. Encircle YOURSELF WITH STYLISH PEOPLE (EVEN IF IT'S ONLINE)

 When rolling out any improvement in your life, particularly something that is physical like your style, the greatest barricade will be the most astounding.

 With regards to the general population around you now, your loved ones, your better half, your associates, there is a high probability that they won't all have a positive response to your change.

 In the event that you need to work with me one on one as a customer, you need to consent to work with me solo. That implies your better half or spouse isn't permitted to sit in to any of our sessions or shopping trips.

 I made this lead in the wake of working with a customer whose spouse demanded she sit in our styling sessions. She would give me input on each and every suggestion I'd give. Her notes and remarks added up to "He doesn't that way, he wants to wear this." Essentially discrediting any exhortation I would give.

 She was empowering his awful style.

 Following half a month, I instantly discounted his cash and made this run the show.

 Change is awkward for individuals. It influences them to confront the truth that somebody is striving to enhance, and it challenges what they're improving the situation themselves.

 One of my most loved statements ever is "You are the normal of 5 individuals around you." Who we encircle ourselves with has a critical effect on our activities, practices, and attitudes.

 This is the reason rich effective specialists have a tendency to be companions with each other. It's the reason fit alluring Crossfitters are encompassed by fit appealing Crossfitters in Instagram pics. What's more, it's the reason hefty guardians will probably have fat children.

 With regards to your style, that is precisely what you require on the off chance that you need to move forward. You have to encircle yourself with individuals with an indistinguishable objectives from you.

 WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY: The most straightforward change you can make is to begin following in vogue individuals on places like Instagram. It'll give you a one-two punch: It'll open you to incredible style and give you some motivation, however it'll additionally make a situation where dressing great is "typical". Need some snazzy Instagram suggestions?

 5. Spotlight ON A CLASSIC STYLE FIRST BEFORE TRYING TO DEVELOP A PERSONAL STYLE

 A misstep people make when attempting to enhance their style is supposing they have to make a unique, 100% one of a kind individual style.

 This is a great case of what's called "Outrageous reasoning".

 Need to lose 20lbs?

 "Ugh. I need to surrender bread, rice, brew, liquor, treat, meat AND need to do some insane crossfit exercise, and burn through 2 hours at the rec center. Disregard it"

 Need to spare cash for a get-away?

 "That implies I need to scratch off my Netflix account, quit going out on ends of the week, concede my understudy credits. I most likely needed to miss some charge card installments on the off chance that I ever need to have a great time. That will destroy my credit. I'm never going to have the capacity to unwind out of town now."

 When you're beginning to enhance your style, consider it like how gourmet specialists figure out how to cook:

 They don't go into the kitchen supposing they have to make some stunning and unique dish never observed.

 They take in the great formulas and systems first. At that point they begin including odds and ends of their identity and interests in to put a turn on them.

 You will do precisely the same with your style.

 Spotlight on exemplary styles to start with, at that point gradually include your very own turn later.

 6. THIS ALSO MEANS BUY CLASSIC STYLES FIRST BEFORE DABBLING INTO TRENDS

 Let me know whether this sounds recognizable:

 You open your storeroom. It's loaded with garments.

 You filter through every one of the holders crushed into your confined storeroom and ponder internally "I don't have anything to wear."

 So you go to the shopping center and purchase significantly more garments.

 At that point a month later, a similar thing happens. You don't have anything to wear.

 You're not going insane.

 This is the thing that I call "Frenzy mode shopping". You open your wardrobe and monstrosity out on the grounds that things are obsolete, they're difficult to blend, and there are such huge numbers of decisions. So you go out and purchase more garments and add to the issue.

 It's an endless loop. What's more, one of the main motivations for this issue is in vogue garments.

 Stylish means what's cool at this point. It's what every one of the web journals and magazines are discussing. It's what's in the stores. Furthermore, in light of the fact that it's new and new, it's a bit of energizing.

 In any case, the huge issue with any pattern is that it in the end fades away.

 Keep in mind how calfskin warm up pants were extremely prominent a few years back? What's more, shouldn't something be said about twofold priest shoes before that? Or on the other hand in case you're old like me, trucker caps?

 In vogue garments resemble that enormous Summer blockbuster that you can't get away.

 The on-screen characters are on each television show. Ads are playing relentless. Publications are all around. Be that as it may, come Fall, we've proceeded onward.

 Works of art styles resemble great motion pictures. The Godfather. Back to the Future. Cabbie. They're most certainly not