parachutingkitten

[parachutingkitten]

But have you considered that ninjago was made... for boys though?

Yes. Yes I have. I perfectly understand that not everything is made with women as an audience in mind. Maybe ninjago should have been, but I get that/why it largely wasn't. But that's exactly why I'm frustrated. It's agrivating that depictions of people like me, designed to be shown to groups not like me, are so underthought, stereotypical, and overall a gross misrepresentation of what women are actually like. That is precisely what makes it important. Because it is representing a group to people outside of that group.

It's not even about representation at this point, it's about stopping blatant misrepresentation.

#don't mind me #just ranting about comments that don't make sense

[parachutingkitten]

Okay, but like, have you considered, platonic jaya? Exs on good terms jaya? Jaya with a bond of friendship forged through extreme hardship which is makes them close beyond the bounds of a romantic connection? Jaya where their relationship helped Nya realize she isn't interested in romance, and Jay's her most vocal supporter? Jaya that actually helps Jay get past his misogyny streak?

Have you considered though???

#ninjago #jay ninjago #nya ninjago #aroace nya #for the win #platonic jaya

[parachutingkitten]

Season 1 really just said "Yeah, my autistic bro, he's got this thing about this one bird, so me and the guys are just gonna like, go follow the bird, like halfway across the country, just to see like... what the bird's up to, I guess. Be back later!"

#I'm down with those vibes #i need more of those vibes #this is what boys being boys is #ninjago #ns1 #zane julien #zane ninjago

[parachutingkitten]

On a previous ask, you mentioned that you had negative thoughts about Seliel? I’m just a bit curious as to what they are? Feel free to ignore though, no pressure.

Quick reading comprehension check:

Yes, okay, that does say "a negative number of thoughts", as in the number of thoughts I have about Seliel is less than zero, a hyperbolic way of emphasizing how much I do not think about her, and have nothing to say, as I have not interacted with the content she is a part of.

This is different to what I assume you read which was "a number of negative thoughts" which would mean I had multiple thoughts about Seliel which were negative. Very different meaning.

Word order is important, kids.

#come on #if i had hot takes i would have given them in the first ask #and the later half of the answer directly contradicts the idea that i don't like her #y'all gotta get those english scores up #ask #thanks anon! #ninjago #/lh

[parachutingkitten]

Not an ask per se, just a similar feeling. You’re someone whose Ninjago stuff, here and on YT, I’ve really enjoyed for at least a few years. And I’ve been similarly obsessed with the show for some time. But… it’s as you say — DR is objectively fine, objectively nice, but I don’t feel the same obsession about it and its characters, plot, etc that I used to feel all the time with Ninjago. And I *cannot* figure out why, and it’s also been driving me slightly up the wall. It’s maybe because I genuinely try to give media the best chance when I interact with it, but despite multiple DR rewatches I don’t see what everyone else sees. And the disconnect is a sad, like you mention — I joined the community here because I was so glad to have people who loved this show in the same ways I did, and now it’s like they’re all on a different wavelength and I want to be there but I’m not. It’s definitely strange for sure, made worse I think by the fact that DR isn’t like horrifically bad or anything, I just feel… okay, when watching it, and can’t even explain why.

I don’t know how much sense this makes, but I thought it might be something for you to think about if you’d like. I’ve been tossing around the idea that I don’t love DR because it is… good. It’s good, but too neat — if that makes sense? The new characters — I love them all, but their personalities and backstories and situations they’re put in all remind me of several other stories. The subplots of the episodes always have an end goal in mind, often an emotional realisation, and whilst that’s a neat way to tell stories, it doesn’t feel like, to me, the way Ninjago used to tell stories. Like, the first thing that comes to mind is Sora feeling hopeless and that episode with the djin where she realises that it’s important to hope. And maybe this isn’t a great comparison (as I’m typing it out, I realise that it isn’t the best example oof), but I immediately thought of Zane after Seabound, when he’d turned off his emotions. Sora’s bad feelings, whilst not as ‘significant’ as Zane’s in that context, began just before and were wrapped up neatly in that episode and not brought up again. Zane acts detached from the start of S16 if I remember, and it’s only near the end of the season (I think! I know that it’s a few eps at least) when he meets Sally, talks to her, learns a little about her life, and is able to come to the realisation that he shouldn’t be repressing everything. I think DR, because of the amount of characters it has, especially those that are new, and the amount of new worldbuilding, plot stuff, etc that they have to add in, it being a reboot/sequel type of thing, leaves less time for the nuance and time devoted to the character arcs in the original show. Or maybe I’m just crazy, honestly idk.

Something else that stands out to me is the fact that DR has to establish so much about these new characters and their world that they… they do something that old Ninjago didn’t do, and whilst it’s maybe objectivity a better storytelling choice, I think it’s part of the reason I’m not really feeling it. What they do is that they have the characters act kind of realistic. Arin worries about his parents, often. Sora did too. Wyldfyre and Kai definitely have a few moments where it’s implied that they’re confused about what’s up with their powers. In Ninjago up to s16, because they wrote a lot of it without intending much or anything to come after it, I feel like they thought less about this than the DR writers, who know that they’ve got a few seasons lined up, do. For example — hands of time is when we find out about Ray and Maya, but it was never often addressed by Nya and Kai. It’s brought up in s4, of course, but if they were real kids whose parents had vanished one day they’d probably bring it up more often, like Arin did. But it’s often not done in the narrative because the writers gave them other things to focus on, because they’re storytelling devices and not real kids. There was no real buildup to Nya being the water ninja, for example, but Sora’s said to be good with tech a few moments after we meet her. This ain’t a critique of either show — just a different choice I sort of picked up on, if it even makes any sense. And as crazy as it may sound, I liked that about the old Ninjago — it saw the characters more as storytelling devices, I think, than relatable to the audience (Kai was the hothead, Jay the humour, etc — ofc they were more than that, but they retained that sort of vibe from S1 a little all throughout the show I think). DR, on the other hand, seems to want their characters to be more relatable, more multifaceted, make more sense — which, when coupled with the fact that they’re new characters and that the ninjago fandom has historically thrived on gaps in the show to enjoy it (we’re a very AU, OC, heavy fandom, etc), I think DR attempting to flesh out their characters in the way that we’re often used to doing with the old characters in fic, art, etc means that I like DR a little less because there’s less to ‘work with’, and less that inspires thinking of the characters in different situations — bc whilst relating is nice, it is also enjoyable when the characters are written with some core characteristics in mind and you explore other parts of them or those characteristics in different contexts. I don’t think makes much sense, but I hope that it maybe gives you something to think about — as you can probably see, I’ve been going a little crazy over not liking it and not knowing why, so I know that the feeling isn’t great.

I'm picking up what you're putting down here. My next video has a bit about getting disillusioned with a fandom, and it sucks. It always does. It's heartbreaking when you feel like that special bond between you and your show was somehow broken. I empathies, and it's important to feel it out.

Now, I don't think ninjago was better at character arcs, i don't think having a character arc be longer is better, or even really a characteristic of classic ninjago, but I do think the DR character arcs feel very by the book. They're following the screenwriting 101 guide perfectly, but it ends up feeling a bit lacking because of it? If that makes sense? Now, ninjago was historically very bad at character arcs, but when they got it right, they always had a bit of a spin on things, and interesting visual payoff, whatever. I think the zane's emotions arc isn't particularly great (and the sally piece is sort of at the end of the first half of the season ;) I would argue sora's arc in season 1 about finding confidence is better, but that doesn't mean I find it much more enjoyable.

I will agree that that the characters in ninjago definitely feel more like characters, while the DR cast (old cast included) feel more like people. Neither are a bad thing, but I think it definitely has an effect on the tone. Characters allow for a more lighthearted goofy vibe, because the show isn't asking you to completely suspend your disbelief most of the time. DR on the other hand, does want a little more vulnerability from its audience on a regular basis.

Lastly, I do think you're onto something with DR being fully planned. The two seasons we have so far feel very indistinct. There is less of a defining singular "adventure" in each season. And again, that's not a good thing or a bad thing, but it ends up making things feel different. Ninjago is an episodic series of adventures. DR is a continual evolving set of circumstances. Those are just going to feel different.

#ninjago #dragons rising #dr spoilers #asks #thanks anon!

[parachutingkitten]

Do you feel any particular way about Seliel?

I have... a negative number of thoughts on Seliel. Haven't read the stuff she's in. She seems fine. Perfectly serviceable extended universe content as far as I can tell.

#ninjago #seliel ninjago #asks #thanks anon!

[parachutingkitten]

50 years old at the youngest or I walk.

I reject late teens-early 20’s Cinder. He’s early thirties to me. The silliness does not stop.

#i ain't going any lower #i will burn everything to the ground before i do #this man has a failed marriage #and grandchildren who are deeply embarrassed by him #i feel it in my gut #he's like 70

[parachutingkitten]

"Maybe not quite at death's door, but closer to it than to anything else"

deserves to be a killer opening line in an existential novel, not the battle status of the shrimp dragon.

#it just smacked me in the face with it's accidental poeticism #'mr. stevens was not yet at deaths door #but he was closer to it than to anything else' #you know? #that's a great opener right there #dimension 20 #fantasy high #fhjy #brennan lee mulligan #shrimp dragon

[parachutingkitten]

Ngl, I keep hearing going on and on about how this season of Dragons Rising is so dark and emotional, but I’m just wondering if I missed it?

Like, I can’t lie…I’m not getting any of that. It just feels like any other season of Ninjago, I don’t quite see what’s so particularly unique about it? Even the emotional bits, it just…kind of felt flat? Like idk if it’s bc of the animation or the direction, but it didn’t really hit me? For example the scenes with Nya, and the aftermath of everything…idk, didn’t hit me.

It’s also just occurred to me that they rarely ever cry or shed tears. And when they do, it’s the kind where a tear rolls down their cheek sort of thing 🤔

Same my friend. It does not seem meaningfully darker than the show previously, there's still death and trauma of the same levels as always. It's just that the show is name dropping it a little more directly now.

I keep going back to the sentiment at the end of the Jenny Nicholson review of Dear Evan Hansen. Like yes, mental illness is in the show but the show isn't meaningfully about mental illness. Same thing with Dragons Rising. They put a lot of dark topics in it, but the story isn't meaningfully about any of those topics, so it really only serves as fan fodder. Granted, it seems like it has been very effective at that. So...

Although idk that ninjago has ever been known for it's realistic crying so-

#reblog if you're part of the dragons rising isn't really clicking foe me gang #it's a very sad group #but it's good to asure each other we aren't insane #ninjago #asks #thanks anon!

[parachutingkitten]

Oh, so this is gonna be a big video. Like a BIG video.

#yeah #I'm gonna need 6 seperate filming sessions #it's a big boi #who knew 15 pages of block text would take so long to read??? #me thinking this would be a quick 30 minute ramble type thing

[parachutingkitten]

I hope random probability outcomes align to your benefit!

#happy monday everyone #ninjago #dragons rising #zane julien

[parachutingkitten]

Forgive me for like yapping at you for a while this is gonna be a long one, and I totally get if you don't respond to this at all and just delete it from your inbox it's just something that has been bothering me sooo much

And before I start I want to clarify this is not hate! I'm just intending to like. Discuss yk?

So in your video analysis of female characters in ninjago I was quite excited to get to the bit about Harumi because she's a really interesting character and absolutely one of my favorites. But when I did it was like you missed every major aspect of her character and motivations and it was especially disappointing because like. The video was worded to accomodate new/non-fans who don't know about these characters! And it's disheartening when a character is completely misunderstood especially in a video where the point is to explain these characters and how they are often misunderstood or poorly represented by the writers

I think you were really hung up on the idea that Harumi had any good motivations for what she was doing which is just. Not true. Harumi never wanted to help people who had similar situations to her. The whole point of her character is that she's held onto her anger and hatred to the point it's all that drives her, which is what makes her death so impactful- It's the moment she sees the error of her ways and the fact that she's only perpetrated the same cycle that hurt her.

You brought up the fact that it didn't make sense for her feeding the poor to be an act. But it does if you think about the rest of the context of the scene. I know it's easy to miss things when you're trying to get all the information together for a video like that so I totally don't blame you for this one, but Lloyd brings up the fact that her room seemed ransacked and her window was blown open. The intent there on Harumi's part was to get him to follow her so he'd see her doing something "good" that'd throw him off her trail. This is something she does OFTEN. Like when the ninja are discussing who the quiet one could be or when Lloyd is shocked by her ability to throw the machete.

Harumi, in the oni trilogy at least is consistent with her motives. They screwed her up real bad in crystalized, but in the Oni trilogy the point of her character was that her worldview was fucked up and she didn't care who she hurt until she realized that she was being no better than the people who hurt her.

I think since there is such a drastic tonal shift when we get to the Oni trilogy, you were probably unintentionally looking at it through the same lense as the rest of the series where the themes and such are very surface-level and spelled out easily so again I don't like hate you for not understanding her motives or hell even falling for the manipulation tactics she employed that the viewer was supposed to look a little more into but I needed to like ramble about it SORRY this ended up much longer than I intended ^^; don't feel pressured to respond or anything

OoOOOooo! I usually answer my asks in order, but this one is real tempting right now, so I absolutely will respond. And before we get into everything, I want to extend you the same exact courtesy you did me. I'm just here to discuss. Absolutely zero hard feelings or hate.

First off, I think that is a great, and perfectly valid interpretation. Have fun with it. It's certainly a little more cohesive than what I got out of the season. I do, however, think you underestimate how much thought went into my video. As a bit of behind the scenes, Harumi was absolutely the piece of the script I was most paranoid about missing something for, because I don't have the same love for the character as most of the fandom, so I was thinking about her characterization a lot. Unfortunately, I have in fact considered all the pieces you have presented here. I just don't think those pieces actually fit together so neatly as presented in the show.

Specifically, I think it's very clear that we are supposed to have some amount of agreement with/sympathy for Harumi. Her backstory in flashback is supposed to be very heart wrenching. We see her child self go numb at the end, not angry, it's not trying to show us the start to a hardening progression, it's showing us harumi, currently angry at what happened to the little girl she used to be. If she were supposed to be a pure evil villain like Aspheera who's just evil because she is, whose justifications don't really line up, they would not have tried so hard to make us cry about her past. The backstory is structured so that it seems to give her a proper motive. She outright states her motive in her villain reveal monologue. If the point was to highlight how far from those original motivations she has strayed, it should have, I don't know, been highlighted in narrative? Have people bring it up? Have people try and appeal to her supposed motivation, have it not work, and then realize how far she's gone?

Harumi going to feed the poor was a move to throw Lloyd off the scent? What kind of 4d chess is she playing? She's got to assume lloyd will come look for her after happening to see a trashed room in a very narrow timeframe, follow her, and then talk with her while feeding children, all so that he... trusts her? After he already very clearly trusts her? All the other examples you bring up are harumi misdirecting attention after they start to catch on to her with minimal logistical effort. This is not that. Feeding the poor would be an insane preventative measure to take with a ton of extra complicated steps, that ultimately doesn't even gain her any new advantages. At that point, it's just bad writing. And if this was supposed to be an example of how she's betraying the motives she claims to be fighting for, again, it should have been highlighted in the narrative. As we have it, it's only brought up as an example of how manipulable the ninja are, not how far she's strayed from her purpose.

Now, is what your trying to say here what they intended to portray? Very likely. That's what the best written version of this character looks like. It's the only way her arc in the oni trilogy makes sense. Which, I do praise once I get to my season 9 bit. I talk about the cycle of hurt, and how good her death is, on multiple levels, and I end with an overall positive outlook on the character as flawed but ultimately impactful until we get to crystalized. But again, that is not what actually got portrayed to us in season 8. Do not give the writers credit for dots that you were able to shuffle around into making sense. I think I make it pretty clear that I understand Harumi isn't supposed to have a reasonable motive in the review. My confusion is at the narrative dissonance this reveal has when we get to it, because of the hints that tell the audience to relate to Harumi as a villain. The backstory, the attempt at a logical motive, and the girl boss feminism twist all point us in the direction of there being something she's actually fighting for. I think they did a bad job at portraying the ideas they wanted to get across, and my goal in the review is to highlight where those dissonances are, because the writing on her character to portray these ideas wasn't done correctly.

That, on top of the basic factual timeline errors in her backstory and logistics around her plan just push my perspective over the edge for me. I wasn't blind to the points your making here, I was intentionally de-emphasizing them to bring attention to the poor writing that tried to show us those elements. My thesis is that harumi was underthought, and I stand by that thesis. I have yet to come across an argument that has convinced me otherwise, though I don't discount that there may yet be one out there.

But even if you do read my analysis as a shallow first time viewer's perspective on things(which again, I assure you it isn't), if the point the writers were trying to get across doesn't translate to a first time viewer, isn't that a problem?

If it makes you feel any better though, one of the top comments under the video is a thread of people trying to explain their interpretations of how harumi's character makes sense, so there is discussion being had about this stuff.

#long post #holy cow #we both be yappin #it's great #asks #thanks anon! #harumi #harumi critical #parachuterants #ns8 #sons of garmadon #ninjago

[parachutingkitten]

OMG THEM!!!!!!

They're so friggin fabulous *chef's kiss*

Zane's suit is so on point! Look at that fade to white! Absolutely gorgeous!

Pixane Cinderella AU so my two favorite ace couples can be one in the same-

#and the matching curl patterns #they're so precious! #a million thanks! #beautiful art

[parachutingkitten]

Is it just me, or it doesn’t really feel like the ninja are close anymore? Or maybe they never were? Like the in the aftermath of the merge, they’re just kind of passively wondering about the others, and they’re like a bit sad. And when they do find each other, it’s kind of…casual? Like it’s only been a couple days, instead of the implied stretches of time? Maybe I’m overthinking it?

I feel like the plot conveniently skipped over the part of the story where they would have been grieving/looking for each other frantically. They usually find each other in high stress situations where they don't have time to have a big reaction. I think it is a bit understated, but I think they've tried their best to write the narrative in a way where they don't have to dive into the whole implications of everything, cuz you know... kids show.

In general I think their closeness level hasn't changed, we have some very heartfelt interactions between the cast, their dynamic feels pretty similar. Which maybe is the problem, cuz it has been like five years, so it's weird that not much has changed.

Do I think you're overthinking it? No.

Do I think it's necessarily a problem with the show? No.

#they've gotta walk that tone line #you know? #asks #thanks anon! #dragons rising #ninjago

[parachutingkitten]

Pixane Cinderella AU so my two favorite ace couples can be one in the same-

#stepsisters could be cry and mindroid #someone just draw them in formal wear #that's all i really want #ninjago #cinderella #pixane #pixal borg #zane julien #pixal ninjago #zane ninjago #pixal in the cinderella dress #but tinted purple instead of blue #i mean come on #tell me you don't want to see that #pixane singing so this is love #feed it directly into my veins please

[parachutingkitten]

Okay, but you don't understand. Prince Charming is at this party which is forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do. He's flaunting his disinterest at his dad. And then he sees this girl wandering around the ballroom on her own, completely clueless, clearly her first time doing anything like this. But also visibly awed and excited to be here, completely devoid of the actual reason for the ball. And he goes "I'm gonna make sure that girl has a good time tonight".

And he goes up to her, and she's surprised, flattered that anyone might want to join her on her day out, and they have a great time, because neither of them have been afforded genuine, unconditional attention in a long time. He is the kid who goes to join the person sitting alone at lunch. She is the girl who had reconciled with the fact that no one would be interested in her. They are asexual children bumping into each other and finally getting what it is everyone is so persistent about.

So this is love?

#this is my comfort movie #i take no criticism #thank you #cinderella #1950 cinderella #disney princesses #so this is love #they are ace #you can't take this from me #it makes too much sense #asexuality

[parachutingkitten]

Say what you will about Intelligent George and there is a LOT to say. But at least he recognized Pixal as a part of the team when even Vania didn’t, and was getting viewers to ask about her.

counter argument- "where's pixal?" in a condescending tone implying she's slacking off and has used the merge to hide in obscurity.

you know, if you still wanna feel good about hating him.

#asks #thanks anon! #pixal borg #pixal ninjago #intelligent george #dragons rising #ninjago #drs2 spoilers #ninjago spoilers