mjhermi

[mjhermi]

Sometimes I wonder why I continue to bother.

I just wish they have the decency to say no if they really don’t want to humor you and your interests, instead of hanging you on by a piece of thread and clinging to whatever last shred of hope you have, only to cut it without a word later on and then somehow finding a way to blame you for your disappointment.

[mjhermi]

Generally how I've been feeling lately.

#sailor moon #sm fanart #minako aino

[mjhermi]

I was in silent lurker mode, as I tend to do for the past few months where I found I was too busy playing to contribute anything. Oh... But oh!!!

Xena... This stirs incredibly fond memories within me. How good ol' local television was far behind what was already being shown in the US, and I had to resort to crappy Internet (which was still on dial-up and barely above infancy where I lived) and Whoosh.org to get my Xena fill. How my best friend gifted me with a Xena-behind-the-scenes of the first season book, after seeing just how much of a fanatic I was (aside from my obsession with Sailormoon and You're Under Arrest), and how I devoured the book in just one night...

But anyway, primary reason why I decided to reblog this particular bit is because I remember reading a Xena-Sailormoon crossover way back then. I think the story went that Minako was somehow teleported to Xena's universe, cracked her head in the process, had amnesia, was adopted by a couple in Potidaea, and grew up to be Gabrielle...

And then eventually, in one of their adventures, she and Xena met with the Moon Queen and Senshi of that time, with Minako eventually getting her memories back, and there being two Venuses, and.... I honestly can't remember the rest, lol!

See now your subtitles really make me want a terrible AU where Rei is Xena, Minako is Callisto, and Usagi is OBVIOUSLY Gabrielle because really if I didn't do that it would be a crime. Which makes me wonder where the hell Ami and Makoto would fall. Who are the most prominent characters in Xena cause all I keep thinking is 'maybe Makoto is Hercules WHO SAVED REI FROM HERSELF and Ami can be Iolaus. Which I am completely fine with Mako and Ami roaming Greece, saving random people just because

I didn’t get around to making a cap with a Gabrielle subtitle on it, but she was TOTALLY getting Usagi’s colours, because I am no fool.

The thought of Minako as Callisto holds a real appeal, but from my hazy memory with admittedly incomplete details, I think she may work better as Autolycus? Quick-witted irreverent kinda-loner with a flair for the ridiculous, heavily invested in his name and brand recognition, flirting with basically everyone, very very good at what he does, always dragging his friends into trouble, impossible to tell what’s true and what’s not with him, PLUS TRAGIC BACKSTORY.

Hubby: Plus the episode where he makes Xena play his slave.

YES TELL ME THAT WOULDN’T BE DIVINE AS REI AND MINAKO

I wish I had more memory to draw on for Mako and Ami. OH WAIT WAS THE AMAZON QUEEN’S NAME. I know I loved her, but I can’t remember a fucking thing beyond “I LOVE YOU”. Would she maybe work for Mako? Particularly with how she totally takes Gabby under her wing and is like “SHE IS OUR QUEEN NOW I WILL FUCK UP ANYONE WHO SO MUCH AS LOOKS AT HER FUNNY” and just so loyal and strong and awesome and UGH WHY CAN’T I REMEMBER HER NAME. EDIT: I REMEMBERED IT WAS EPHINY. Mako as Ephiny? It feels like a good choice, but I may not be the best judge.

Ami, Ami, Ami … Blarg, it’s no good, it’s been too long and I’m getting too tired. Anyone with any ideas?

OH AND I GUESS THE OUTERS TOO LEST WE MAKE CERTAIN PARTIES GET HUFFY IN THE CORNER WITH THEIR POP-O-MATIC TROUBLE

Though I’m no better off, frankly, since I’m back to “I last watched this show like fifteen years ago and I can’t even remember what I had for dinner.”

[mjhermi]

In this particular ramble, I mentioned that although Chrono Trigger was the first English RPG I played, Sailor Moon Another Story was the very first RPG I ever played. Plus how the latter unintentionally taught me how to grind.

I never mentioned how much I loved Chrono Trigger. Which is a travesty that I need to amend.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Chrono Trigger? 

No?

Well then... I LOVE THIS GAME. And it’s still my favorite RPG, 20 years later.

There are so many things it got right. It’s got time travel, but the plot is very easy to follow and doesn’t give you headaches (unlike its successor), but still remains interesting and gripping. The game also delivers a sense of optimism in it that makes you believe that everything will be all right, that your minute actions can change the world for the better (unlike its successor).

And the characters. Holy cow, the characters.

The writers and creators have made it so that you actually really, truly care for them. Everyone - except Crono... though he’s supposed to be representing you anyway - has a background that is relatable, one way or another (unlike its successor... noticing a pattern here?). Yes there is an overarching story, but when you get to those individual character tidbits (that are mostly optional, mind), you just get hit smack on head first with FEEEEEELS. I can’t be the only one who shed a good amount of tears from many of them.

And when the adventure is over, and they gathered around and said their goodbyes... the title of the bittersweet background music at that point can’t get any more accurate. “Epilogue - To Good Friends”. You just know that these ragtag bunch of misfits have become very close friends throughout their journey together, and you’ve become friends with them as well. And when they’re saying their farewells, never to see each other again... it felt like they’re saying the same to you. And... it just really, really gets to you, because you know that you can’t have any more adventures with them either.

Oh, and guess what? The game also has one of the best RPG soundtracks ever. Which is actually how this sudden nostalgia came about - they had just recently released an album commemorating its 20th anniversary, containing arranged tracks for both Chrono Trigger and its successor.

Just listening to the re-arranged live version of the Epilogue theme brought tears into my eyes as I remembered how much I love this game.

Now if you would excuse me, I’m just going to play these tracks on repeat all day and roll around in feels.

#Chrono Trigger

[mjhermi]

BSSM - For The Best by chaneljay

It took me forever to find a surviving post of the entry above... Why is it so hard to use Tumblr? (says someone who hardly uses Tumblr... that's why)

Continuing on with "playing catch-up" with my rough sketches, the above ask was submitted to JW sometime last year on how Luna and Artemis reacted at the end of the first season of Sailor Moon, when Usagi and Minako forgot that they were senshi after they had been revived. Her answer is pretty much the same as a fic I wrote once, but with one key difference - in my fic, Artemis was still Minako's cat. In her answer, he just watched from afar, because he was afraid of her rekindling her memories as a senshi if she saw him.

You know the drill. Heartstrings tugged, couldn't resist, aaaand... drawn!!

Aino Minako, Artemis © Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation

At the end of the first season, when Usagi and Minako lost their memories, how do you think Luna and Artemis reacted to them "losing" their partners? I assume they were still hanging around them but acted like regular household pets (since Usagi recognised and was rather shocked Luna could speak prior to regaining her memories), but that period must have been difficult for both cats.

I tend to put Artemis as suffering a whole lot more than Luna did.

I have absolutely nothing canon to base this on. I think the impression started with the fact that we always see Artemis hanging out with Luna at Usagi’s place, but Luna is never at Minako’s. There are extra-universe reasons for that of course. (Usagi doesn’t have her Senshi right now, and barely seeing them helps to highlight how apart from her lives they are now), but it gives the impression that there’s really only Usagi they’re focusing on.

That makes some measure of sense. Whether or not she remembers, she’s still the Princess, and now she has no one to protect her at all. Evil won’t stop coming, just because she can’t remember it.

I actually had it in my mind that Luna and Artemis BOTH were living with Usagi, but a cursory scan of the pertinent episodes shows that’s not the case. Luna is, for sure, under the guise of a normal house cat.

There’s no sign of Artemis, though. It could totally be that he’s at Minako’s right now.

But you know, I just don’t think so. I don’t think Minako remembered him at all.

I don’t think Artemis really gave her the CHANCE.

Consider how that all must’ve unfolded. The cats know that the Senshi have died. I completely believe that they felt it, Artemis knowing that Minako died well before Luna had any idea. But then, just as suddenly, they’re back.

The cats are still terribly injured and aren’t even sure where to start looking, when there’s Usagi coming home! Luna running to her, just so relieved and happy.

Usagi has no idea who she is.

How utterly devastated would Luna have been?

But Usagi and the girls are safe and that’s the important thing. But now the vigil begins. With no one else to protect the Princess, it falls to the cats. They make regular checks of all the girls, but sleep outside of Usagi’s house, on the roof over her bedroom. They debate/argue about what to do, probably every week or so I’d imagine, but for the moment agree to keep everyone ignorant of who they are.

Meanwhile Usagi, usually about as observant as a bag of Doritos, notices Luna’s always around. A perfect opportunity! Luna adopts Usagi/gets herself adopted. Or maybe it’s even easier than that and the Tsukinos recognize her and keep her inside. At minimum, they won’t question her return

“Mama, Papa, can I keep this cat?”

“What, Luna? Of course, we’d never get rid of her!”

“Luna? What a cute name! I’ll call her Luna!”

“That’s nice, dear.”

“What about Shingo being afraid of cats?”

“Oh why should we worry about that now?”

“Hooray! I have a cat!”

Luna tries to convince Artemis too, but he resists. He’s enjoying his freedom, and he has important things to do. You be Usagi’s 24/7 bodyguard, I’ll keep tabs on the others.

Which he does, faithfully. He makes his rounds. First Ami’s apartment, then Mako’s (she leaves the window open a lot, which is helpful). Rei’s shrine, where he exchanges knowing looks with Phobos and Deimos. Always last is Minako’s.

He’s considered trying to work it like Luna and get Minako to take him in. Minako never really wanted a cat, exactly, but he thinks he could pull it off. He’s pretty good at playing Minako by now, even if she’d never admit it, and he knows just the right combination of meowing and cute eyes to get what he wants.

But Minako isn’t Usagi.

Usagi is a bunny of very little brain. She doesn’t recognize Luna (or she really really doesn’t WANT to recognize Luna), so she doesn’t. Minako though?

Minako might remember.

And Artemis isn’t sure he wants that.

He’s pretty sure she’ll have to remember at some point, because life has a sense of humour like that. It doesn’t have to be right now, though. He hears her talking to her friends about maybe rejoining the volleyball team, wondering why in the world she ever dropped out. He can hear her singing at the top of her lungs when she should be doing homework, but there’s no one to push her into it. She’ll fail her test tomorrow, but she won’t be trying to hide a dislocated shoulder behind a dismissive joke and a false smile.

So Artemis curls up in a tree branch where he can easily see Minako’s room. He can see his favourite sock drawer from there, and that stings a little, but when Minako closes it all the way instead of leaving it open for him, he reminds himself that’s for the best.

#sailor moon #sm fanart #minako aino #artemis #jetwolf #keyofjetwolf

[mjhermi]

I remember, once upon a time, before JW's great Tumblr purge, she and commas-and-ampersands once talked about how Minako's physical interactions with the other senshi showed her level of comfort with them. JW even mentioned how Minako probably wouldn't be like that during the R season, as she was still not that entirely comfortable around them.

Earlier today I was browsing the web when I came across the screenshots you see above. It came from Episode 76, about midway through the R season.

I started to wonder. Was this the first time Minako practically manhandled Rei? Probably. Her expression seems to reflect that she was thinking, "Oops!"

But at the same time, her expression says she doesn't regret it either. If anything, it looked like it was an itch that she was incredibly eager to scratch, and she finally got to do it.

Yeah... unless I find any earlier screenshot, I'll headcanon that this was the first time Minako did it, loved it, realized she could get away with it, and never looked back.

#sm ep 76 #minako aino #rei hino

[mjhermi]

I want Rei and Minako's rings, and Artemis' sweater...

#sailor moon merchandise

[mjhermi]

BSSM - In Case of Emergency by chaneljay

So... uh... once upon a long, long time ago, Jetwolf wrote this. And me being a huge sucker for angst, I drew it, but I never got around to cleaning it up. At least, until now. Hino Rei, Aino Minako © Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation

#sailor moon #rei hino #minako aino #sm fanart #fanart #jetwolf #keyofjetwolf

[mjhermi]

FFXIV - 'Uncle Mags' by chaneljay

Quick doodle and color of my character and her "Uncle Mags" in FFXIV. Llyona Woodhunter, Magnus Matherson © mjhermi, Square Enix

#ffxiv #lalafell #roegadyn

[mjhermi]

When I first saw the Moon Pride video... I'm not sure why, but I got some "Please Save My Earth" vibes from Venus.

Imagine Venus going through the same hell as Shion, minus the part where he gets reincarnated later than the other characters.

Glorious, glorious angst. XD

Wait, I'm confused. Do you think that Venus ever really did die in the SilMil? Or was she alive when Queen Serenity did her reboot thing?

It wasn’t something I’d ever really thought about for my own take on things, or for my personal Silver Millennium headcanon, but I definitely think that’s what Moon Pride is saying, yeah. Venus and Venus alone is left standing at the end.

I don’t know if it’s how I’d keep it for my Giant Sailor Moon Canon Voltron, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t damned appealing. Because I am a terrible person who loves to hurt those she loves.

[mjhermi]

There's something about the art that really bothers me, too.

I feel like their nose when the character is slightly sideways is kind of askew (this was the very first one I noticed, thanks to Mako's art in the livestream, confirmed when I saw other art at the main site). The hair section of their heads look too big (the hair from the hairline to the top is almost as big as their faces). Their shoulders are too broad.

Or maybe that's just really me. I don't know. (-_-)

Okay I THINK I’ve caught just about everything. Most of what’s left is asking about character designs, heads up about more art on the official site, and whole lot of info about the new seiyuus. The other official art and the seiyuu stuff I’ll do tomorrow as I AM SO FUCKING TIRED RIGHT NOW.

I’ll...

#or maybe a part of me was really hoping the art is close to the one in the old anime #i think they're trying to convey some sort of elegance here #look at rei's art for crying out loud! #but the art doesn't seem to lend well to facial expressions #which is kind of sad #pretty guardian sailor moon crystal #i can imagine #a sailormoon that doesn't have incredibly expressive art? #there would be a drought of animated gifs from this series for jetwolf if that happened! #(except for friendship stuff and usagi/rei love of course)

[mjhermi]

TS - Color Practice - Miyuki by chaneljay

I had a dream last night about my favorite character from my favorite anime. For those who don’t know me very well, one would think - by glancing at my dA gallery - that my favorite character ever would either be Austria or Hungary (Hetalia), Starfire (Teen Titans), or Minako (Sailor Moon), but in reality, Miyuki will always, always be the one I love the best.

(You’re still the second one that is closest to my heart, Mina-chan!

Err… that’s unacceptable?

Eep!) I’m not sure what prompted it - goodness knows, Minako is still dominating my thoughts (well… when it’s not preoccupied with playing FFXIV). Maybe a premonition that a new Taiho season is coming? (lol) Okay, maybe I’m still dreaming then. Just to get my fix, I drew Miyuki anyway. Besides, it’s been quite a while since I had drawn her.  The last was… what…  2008? Saw this SAI tutorial online that uses a certain tool I haven’t tried yet, so I took this opportunity to color her as well. Now, back to FFXIV! XD

Taiho Shichauzo (Kobayakawa Miyuki) © Fujishima Kosuke / TBS / Kodansha / Bandai Visual

#miyuki kobayakawa #you're under arrest #taiho shichauzo #fanart

[mjhermi]

Happy birthday, mjhermi! May your day be bright!/(I think I might be a little late, as it is now night!)/Your art is cute and neat and sweet and fills me with joy!/Artemis and his tiny fork--feels, feels ahoy!/Your piece of Rei at the grave--why must you hurt me so?/Then Flying Venus heals me, so I guess I forgive you, though./Please stay wonderful and keep doing what you do!/The fandom is so lucky to have a Moonie like you!

Awww... thank you so much! That was beautiful!

#sailoreuterpe #i'm so glad you've enjoyed my fanarts!

[mjhermi]

Card my 7-year old niece gave me for today. When I was her age, I believe I was drawing Peanuts fancomics, and even then I already loathed doing backgrounds. :XD: Looks like she doesn't have the same problem!

#proud aunt #keep up the good work little one

[mjhermi]

This girl is the main reason why most of my free time is spent playing.

She's kind of paranoid; always worried that she's letting everyone down, especially during battles against Titan, whom she's deathly afraid of. As a result, she doesn't really smile much... but when she does, she's just the cutest little thing. XD

#final fantasy xiv #tonberry

[mjhermi]

I agree with Louchan. I understand Miss Dream is the main source of SM translations today (I haven't really checked her other works other than PGSM and La Reconwhatsits though), but PGSM must have been one of her early works, since a lot of the translations there really bothered me, too.

In terms of video quality, I do think Miss Dream has the best, and since hers are MKVs you can remove the subtitles. But in terms of translations, I still think TV-Nihon has the best ones. They're actually sloooowly re-releasing their subs so that they're using the DVD version (they're currently only up to ep 24). The video quality is still meh, and they're still using hard subs, but that pesky time indicator is gone at least.

Hey, Jet! I don't know if you remember, but some time ago I told you about the problems of Miss Dream's subtitles of PGSM, as they've got a ton of translation errors. I just thought you might wanna know that I just posted a really big rant about those errors, with a couple of examples to go on, if you're curious. Though you should note that the third example (which is also the biggest problem I had) is from episode 16, which you've yet to seen, so be careful of that if you decide to take a look.

Thanks! For spoilers sake I’ll steer clear right now. Like I said at the time though, is there any other subbed option? I get frustration with erroneous translations and I’d like to see it as accurately as possible, but a translation with errors is better than no translation at all.

#i remember making a post about miss dream's pgsm subtitles quite a while back #and wanting to modify their subtitles #i guess i never got around to doing that

[mjhermi]

And so I ended that game with screenshots of Ikuko telling ghost stories outside their house.

Too bad you're a little too late for ghost stories since everyone else was already asleep.

#unless nehelenia had managed to possess her #and she's telling ghost stories now so that the nightmares can visit the senshi in their sleep #teenage simshi game