#Highbrow Entertainment

[dougielombax]

The Endless Decay of the Abyss when the Unshakable Power of the Human Spirit coupled with sheer fucking stubbornness and willpower walks into the room:

Bottom text.

#dougie rambles #personal stuff #my poor attempt at a joke #remedy games #remedy entertainment #Alan wake #alan wake 2 #control #control game #control 2019 #live slug reaction #what #no context #this sounded funnier in my head #shitpost #when the #human spirit #bottom text #highbrow shitposting #finland #stubbornness #willpower #abyss #the abyss #decay #anti nihilism #unbreakable #nightmare fuel #the horrors #terrors

[july-19th-club]

finally watching dude blood show which is what i call spartacus on starz because i refuse to take it seriously until oh probably thirty minutes into my first episode at which point i will take it more seriously than ive taken any tv show since the last tv show i watched

#me feeling like i should be distanced and insincere about anything i suspect im going to REALLY enjoy lest Someone Make Fun Of Me ... #like it IS a problem and i cant lay it squarely on my brothers although i can lay it a little bit on them #trying to do it less though #like yes some of the stuff i enjoy is over the top and not prestige entertainment or like. highbrow literature or whatever #large portions of the stuff i enjoy. as a matter of fact #i like action i like injuries i like when guys run around with old-timey weapons. i like inaccurate historicals #i like when its dramatic. and i am embarrassed about it! #but im trying not to think that enjoying things is going to bring some kind of hyper-judgement down upon me from everyone i meet

[mihotose]

myu vs proper idols and sute vs takarazuka

#infecting these cultural phenomena with swords #gemitus #not that idols are like. highbrow entertainment but. they literally performed at kouhaku on the same stage as like. akb48 #tkrb #toumyu #tousute

[familyabolisher]

whilst i do get where the urge to semi-ironically proclaim oneself a 'literature snob' or 'film snob' &c. in response to people's claims that tepid and politically neutered repetitive mass media is the only legitimate form of entertainment comes from, i feel like the best way to challenge this idea is surely to attempt to denature the 'highbrow'/'lowbrow' distinction & disseminate ideas and responses to more "difficult" works in such a way that curious & thorough & widespread engagement begins to look like something both enjoyable and accessible, rather than acting in accordance with the suggestion that complex books and films are for people with degrees only

#.txt #i just don't think calling yourself a Literature Snob makes you interesting

[theromanticrationalist]

Some Thoughts on Sheldon Cooper. . .

"Leonard, I am overwhelmed. Everything is changing and it is simply too much. I need to get away and think." | 7x24 The Status Quo Combustion

"Dr. Cooper, while you were away we came up with a solution that would allow you to change your field of study." "Wow. Pouting and running away actually worked! Yeah, I must say, that may not be the lesson you want to reinforce with me." | 8x02 The Junior Professor Solution

"I'm not leaving your world. I'm just talking about living across the hall." "I understand. Either way, I want you to know that I'm aware of how difficult I can be. So, I just want to say thank you for putting up with me." | 8x12 The Space Probe Disintegration

"It just seems silly to eat in two groups." "It doesn't seem silly if you think of that group as being lead by a big, evil baby." *a few moments later and everyone situated around the couch* "Well, isn't this nice. Sometimes the baby wins!" | 7x16 The Table Polarization

"Two years ago I got my driver's license." "What?! Why didn't you say anything?!" "I like being chauffeured around. It makes me feel important." | 10x16 The Allowance Evaporation

These are some of the moments where Sheldon shows a level of great self-awareness. I bring these moments up as showcasing that Sheldon's level of emotional maturity is much greater than his friends (and the writers of this show) give him credit for. One of the main problems is how the narrative often treats Sheldon as if he is completely incapable of growth, maturity, or taking care of himself. The truth couldn't be further from this. Even the narrative itself shows how much Sheldon changed during his relationship with Amy. The primary problem is that Sheldon's personality is so big and overwhelming, he doesn't HAVE to change because he is able to get everyone to do what he wants anyway, which he is fully aware of and exploits constantly. I mean if you are Sheldon, someone who has a mind sharper and faster than anyone you meet and prefer to have tight, tyrant-like control over your reality in order to feel safe and secure, pushing and manipulating people around to do your will is going to come naturally with the territory. The problem wasn't that Sheldon is a stunted adult who can't manage life on his own, but it is in the fact that Sheldon rarely got constructive and encouraging push back for his behaviors and choices. For when he did, which primarily came from Amy, he was fully capable of making corrections to his behaviors and expanding his worldview. It just ended up that he was either treated poorly and abusively or enabled and placated. That's why I really love the moment with Mrs. Davis when he comes back from his train-riding "sabbatical". Changing his field of study was a HUGE cataclysmic event in Sheldon's life and was one aspect that was causing him the greatest distress. Yet even in this reality-altering experience, Sheldon realizes that some of his responses to it weren't healthy, and makes a note of it with her, e.g. don't reward my childish behaviors because I will take FULL ADVANTAGE OF THEM. There was SUCH a missed opportunity there at the end of Season 7 going into Season 8. Penny realizing that she and Leonard needed to let Sheldon go, allowing him to make his own choices and do what he felt was right for him was a huge revelation for the characters. It was kind of a significant, paradigm shifting moment! I naively thought that they would build on that going forward in the show, but nah. Of course not. Any moments that would have allowed for such growth from all the characters were usually walked-back or dropped. It is such a shame, and makes the watching of this show frustrating for me. And yes! I know! I realize this is a sitcom! Why am I expecting such highbrow writing from something that is primarily supposed to be comedic and entertaining? Well, I think this subtext was implied in the narrative despite itself, especially with Jim Parsons. I think his acting conveys a lot of Sheldon's complexity through his body language and micro-expressions. There is SO MANY LAYERS to Parsons' performance, I just do not see how you couldn't possibly get wrapped up in dissecting them and having higher expectations of the narrative you are watching. Jim Parsons MAKES this show, otherwise what else would it offer?

#anyway just my two cents #my thoughts #my sheldon cooper thoughts #sheldon cooper #young sheldon #jim parsons #the big bang theory

[mephinomaly]

[TL] A Snake in one's Bosom/Ibara Saegusa 4*

Character(s): Ibara, Nagisa, Hiyori

Summary: After a recording, Nagisa suddenly and unexpectedly snaps at Ibara. Lost, Ibara asked Hiyori for help. After some shopping, Hiyori reveals what the reason was...

Season: Winter

Ibara: Thank you for your hard work today! As always, working with a jack-of-all-trades is a delight ☆

Today’s recording focused on adlibs and originally I was rather worried about it but now I know that was groundless apprehension.

The staff have prepared some ice cream. Is chocolate to your liking, Your Excellency?

Nagisa: …Ice cream? Thank you, Ibara. This is a reward for today.

(...!?)

Ibara: I look forward to continuing work with the same attitude tomorrow, Your Excellency, if you allow!

Nagisa: ...

Ibara: Is something the matter? You’re making a glum expression but perhaps that is me overthinking?

If that is the case, then please be as harsh as is needed in order for me to improve. If His Excellency so wishes, this Ibara Saegusa will do whatever it takes. Ha Ha Ha ☆

Nagisa: …So noisy. Shut up.

Ibara: Huh…!?

…Sorry? Y-Your Excellency? Why have you suddenly become angry? Did I do something in order to cause it?

If I did, please! Please tell me!?

Location: CosPro Office

Ibara: —And that’s basically it.

Hiyori: Ahaha. How amusing. Nagisa-kun threatened you and you got scared.

Ibara: This is not a laughing matter. His Excellency hasn’t spoken to me since then.

Hiyori: Oh yeah? Then, you came all this way in order to ask me about why Nagisa-kun got angry, hm?

Ibara: Yes, I did. Since today is his day off, I’d like to use this time to get to the root of the issue.

Hiyori: I don’t think you need to be so timid. He was probably already in a bad mood and you set him off.

Ibara: Perhaps, but I do not believe that something like that would be enough to upset him to that degree.

Hiyori: Fufu...

Ibara: What’s so funny? Seriously, this is no joking matter, Your Highness!

Hiyori: Nono it’s just- Ibara is far more impatient than I thought. It’s cute.

Ibara: I suppose I have to be cautious of topics that could potentially upset him despite not knowing what those could be.

Up until now, if His Excellency is angry, I am usually aware of the cause of it. However, this time, I am completely at a loss.

I cannot help with getting rid of whatever is upsetting him.

Therefore, I humbly request your assistance as someone who is the most knowledgeable about His Excellency!

Hiyori: …Wow, this is very honest and laudable for you, hm?

Ibara: If I continue to cause distress to His Excellency, future Eden and Adam activities may be at risk of failure.

Therefore I believe that the best course of action is to resolve this ASAP.

Hiyori: I see. I understand why you’re so desperate.

But of course, I know exactly why Nagisa-kun is angry. So coming to me was the correct thing to do.

Ibara: You’re a godsend! Then please—

Hiyori: However! Simply telling you why is boring, right? Since you’re asking me for a favour, I want you to show me how serious you are about this.

Ibara: How serious I’m being? How would you like me to show that? Would dogeza be sufficient?[1]

Hiyori: Fufu. You have to accompany me window shopping!

Location: Mall

Hiyori: I was able to get a bunch of different cute spring clothes. What good weather ♪

Ibara: I’m glad you are enjoying yourself, Your Highness. However, this is a rather extravagant way to spend one’s time.

Hiyori: Entertain me first before you start talking about extravagance.

I ask you what clothes you like and you give this model pre-generated answer. You know all the latest trends but it doesn’t matter because all you talk about is when it’ll go out of style.

Talking to you isn’t fun.

I try to teach you the joy of highbrow activities but you do nothing but work so I guess you’re unteachable.

Ibara: For me, work produces the same effects and results as your highbrow activities. Rest assured, Your Highness. Hahaha ☆

Anyhow, could you perhaps now tell me what was upsetting His Excellency?

Hiyori: Hm, fine then. I’m just killing time at this point and you’ve practically become my personal baggage carrier.

So you wanted to know why Nagisa-kun was in a bad mood right?

Fufu. So the reason that Nagisa-kun glared at you was—

Ibara: Yes...

Hiyori: He just has a cavity.

Ibara: …Pardon? He has… a cavity?

Hiyori: Well, to be exact it’s toothache. We don’t know if it’s a cavity yet.

Seems that he glared at you that day because he was eating the ice cream the staff provided and it caused him some pain.

But he knew that if he told you that, you’d confiscate it so he kept quiet and just made a face instead.

Ibara: …If that is the case, it was just a cavity that has been causing me all this grief?

Hiyori: Nagisa-kun’s using his day off to go to the dentist.

Look, I think he went to that dentist today. He’s probably about finished now…

Nagisa: …Hiyori-kun, you’ve come to pick me up.

…Oh? Ibara is here too? Why?

Hiyori: Sorry Nagisa-kun. Ibara was super worried that he had offended you so I ended up telling him about your tooth.

Nagisa: …Oh, I see. Sorry for causing you trouble, Hiyori-kun. Ibara too. My teeth are fine so please don’t worry.

Ibara: Yes?... Wonderful, that is excellent news. It is of the utmost importance that your teeth are in good health.

Nagisa: …Ibara. I’m sorry for before. I was too harsh on you.

Ibara: It’s fine. Now that I know the reason for you being upset, I feel relieved.

However, Your Excellency, I will apologise in advance for my rudeness.

But after today, you are banned from any and all desserts and sweets!

Nagisa: …Banning them isn’t necessary. It wasn’t a cavity, I just have hypersensitivity.

Ibara: It doesn’t matter! Whether a cavity or hypersensitivity, they both cause you pain!

Nagisa: …The dentist showed me the correct way to brush my teeth though. Therefore there isn’t a problem?

Ibara: No, I have already made my mind up. No matter what you say, I will not overturn it. My decision is final.

For the time being, I will be closely monitoring when you eat and when you brush your teeth!

I will even brush your teeth for you if it comes to it!

Nagisa: …You’re pushing your luck, Ibara. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - I am above you, you are below me—

Ibara: That threat will not work on me this time. The reason for this failure was mismanagement on my part!

I have allowed you too much freedom as of late. I will fix this.

Nagisa: …What should I do, Hiyori-kun. Ibara’s scarier than usual.

Hiyori: You two have swapped positions. Dealing with Ibara is such a bother, so run away with me, Nagisa-kun.

Ibara: You will not be. No more of this farce! This will not be happening again!

dogeza is where u kneel on the floor and put ur forehead to the ground in a bow. Google it for a reference. Mans prepared to beg on his hands n knees

#enstars #ensemble stars #translation #ibara saegusa #nagisa ran #hiyori tomoe #mephi's translations #unfortunately oissu n the html is broken #kicking and screaming

[why-is-prethinker-unavailable]

Greetings, simple-minded users of this website. For a Suit as brilliant and well-known as I, the Prethinker (still trying to figure out how to attain that username,) an introduction is nothing but superfluous.

I am Brian.

Seeing as I have nothing to entertain my genius intellect, and since I've been so-called "suspended" from Creddit for being so-called "antagonistic to other users," I shall humor you dim-witted chumps and whatever dull questions you may have until I've succeeded in reinstating my Creddit account. But be wary! Only the smartest of you will be selected for my highbrowed responses!

NO NITWITS ALLOWED. OR GEARLOOSE HATERS.

#prethinker #toontown #toonblr #cogblr #toontown corporate clash #ttcc #ask blog #art #toontown ask blog

[babyangelsky]

BL Challenge 2k24 ✨Day 5✨

Hello and welcome to @negrowhat's 15 Day BL Challenge! Full challenge can be found here.

Biggest Flop: Beyond the Star (2023)

*long sigh*

Listen, I don't exactly have what I'd call highbrow taste in dramas. I wouldn't even say I have good or consistent taste. I have the taste of a radioactive raccoon living in a Waffle House dumpster and the consistency of Texas spring weather. I have the kind of taste where I haven't watched I Told Sunset About You but I've seen Work from Heart twice. Questionable taste, to put it nicely.

(As an aside, yes, I know ITSAY is a masterpiece. Everyone says it's a masterpiece and I'm sure it is but I've seen the experience of watching it be compared to being run over by a freight train and it's hard to go into something knowing it'll make you cry and piss you off and possibly give you second lead syndrome (I think?). Maybe that's just me, maybe it's a skill issue. I don't know. What I do know is that Work from Heart doesn't feel like getting run over by a freight train and also I only watched it because @poetry-protest-pornography made a post about how great and sincerely horny the love scene was and I always show up for genuine and sincere horniness because that's the kind of degenerate I am. But I'm getting off track.)

I'm an easy girl to please. The only thing I ask of any media I consume is that it entertain me, and if a piece of media can do that, then it has done its job. I try not to go into any show with expectations and generally, I'll give most things a chance if they pique my interest. I think I've only dropped about three shows in my year and change of watching BL.

But having said all that, even an inconsistent degen radioactive raccoon like me couldn't get through more than two episodes of Beyond the Star. Actually I don't think I even made it that far, I might've clicked off halfway through the second one.

When I first saw the pilot I thought, "oh boy, this is going to be a messy fun time!" And I love a messy fun time! But then the trailer came out and I saw that they'd seemingly cut the storyline I was looking forward to the most and I started getting a little nervous. But I still had hope! Maybe they just hadn't shown it in the trailer.

Then the show came out.

It wasn't a messy fun time, it was just a mess. Watching the first episode was such a bizarre experience. I can't remember ever watching a show that just...didn't introduce any of the characters? Like they genuinely gave us nothing in terms of exposition. It felt like we were starting off on episode two or three instead of episode one.

We had no idea who these boys were, why they were here, how they were connected, why the hell we were supposed to care about any of them, NOTHING! Not a blessed thing! And that's not even mentioning the stiff, weird dialogue and acting, the odd pacing, audio issues, and editing.

Genuinely the only enjoyable part of what I saw of this show were the fucking cityscape transition shots.

Like look how pretty that is.

From what I understand there were production issues and scheduling conflicts that resulted in things having to be cut and restructured which obviously affected the final product. I took a look at the reviews on the MDL page just out of curiosity and the general (scathing) consensus is that this show just wasn't it. Things started off bad and just never improved.

#BLChallenge2k24 #beyond the star

[catchyhuh]

You once told about crying, so let's talk about the happier scenario: LAUGHTER. We were shown them sharing it a lot in canon but maybe you have some additional thoughts? Who would have the most twisted, dark sense of humor? Or maybe the cringiest? Who would laugh his butt off while reading some stupid text on the birthday card on the local shop? Does any of them snort or hiccup while giggling? Are any of them ticklish on some unusual spot? Do they prank each other? And what do they do to actually cheer up the others? Those kind of headcanons!

oh my god. i want to hug you. you’re right we DO need to talk about this!! peace and love and joy on planet earth!!!! all of them laugh when they see a guy walk headfirst into a glass pane and only two of them sort of kind of feel bad about it

lupin:

it takes almost nothing to make lupin laugh. and he’s not even fucking with you either he just sincerely thinks THIS much is funny but he has more of a control over his giggles than people might assume. he CAN stop laughing but he knows its obnoxious to people so he DOESN’T 

he knows how to weaponize levity. like, he really does have more emotional maturity than people give him credit for (not that he’s GREAT about it, just better than people give him credit for!) and it’s been shown multiple times that he tries to use laughter to pull people out of their emotional pits of despair. he exaggerates his gestures, he makes weird faces, and since he’s already such an animated person you wouldn’t even realize it’s an intentional thing unless you really knew him

lupin arguably pulls pranks every day, but not on his gang. at least, not the standard kind. it turns out people with nightmarishly fast reflexes have um. pretty wild kneejerk reactions if you pop out from behind a corner to try to scare them! usually he just replaces unimportant items for the hell of it. sour cream in the yogurt tub. pens replaced with black straws. shit that’s annoying but never WILD. he saves that for the heists 

jigen:

jigen laughing is (like so many things) ENTIRELY dependent on his mood. if he’s grouchy it’s almost impossible to make him laugh, even if it’s something he normally finds hilarious, but if he’s easygoing on this particular day it’s not. i mean its a REASONABLE level. it’s reasonable. honestly a lot of it has to do with the person it’s coming from too so it’s like. there’s factors. there’s factors to what makes him laugh. and oddly enough none of it has to do with his sense of humor. although in THEORY he would be the pickiest. it’s not HIGHBROW good lord not highbrow humor by any means, but he’s like. unimpressed with absurdist meme humor. probably because so much WAY wackier shit happens to them organically every damn day BUT YOU KNOW HOW IT IS

jigen. is a very loud laugher, when he gets to that very sincere point. like if he’s outside checking the mail or whatever and you’re standing in a bedroom upstairs on the opposite side of the house, and he sees a squirrel fall out of a tree flailing wildly before it just lands on its feet, blinking in confusion… you’ll know. you’ll know he saw that. and so will any house that happens to be in a 1 mile radius of the hideout. full lung capacity, clutching his stomach, pointing and everything. 

fujiko:

it is not impossible to get fujiko to laugh. difficult, but not impossible. especially because she’ll just do that laugh that indicates “that was funny/entertaining” but doesn’t actually like. turn into real laughter.  but fujiko sincerely, fully breaking into a laughing fit is like a haley’s comet level rare, beautiful event in nature. i know i said she never CRY cries but her eyes water up almost immediately the minute she starts laughing laughing, and her face gets all red and streaky. it’s exceedingly undignified. it’s so great

fujiko does admittedly find things funny the most in a like. objective sense. she’ll watch a movie and grin and be like “that was funny” and it’s like. ok then why aren’t you laughing? SHE JUST HAS A HIGHER COMEDY TOLERANCE. it’s not even one of those things she’s trained herself on. it’s just. being around these idiots for so long she has come to realize if she actually did start cracking up every time one of them did something stupid, intentional or not, she would have fractured a rib by now, and that’s just not super ideal for anybody really,

tied with jigen for the darkest sense of humor, easily. of course, again, unlike jigen, she won’t immediately start losing it, but her eyes will widen with this like flash of humor and she’ll just kind of smile tightly because she KNOWS she shouldn’t laugh at generic dead baby joke number 482938 but unlike jigen she cares at least a little about not seeming like a total ass. just a lil.

goemon:

less giggly than lupin, more giggly than jigen. goemon’s sense of humor is kind of hard to pinpoint, even for him. it could be something as simple as someone deliberately mispronouncing a word that gets his smile all twisted up, it could be a stupid pun, but he INSISTS he does NOT find others getting hurt funny. he insists. and then when lupin actually trips and eats shit and jigen immediately bursts out laughing goemon turns his head away like No No No it's not funny i will not laugh. i won’t BUT IT’S TOO LATE. WE’VE ALREADY LOST HIM. not above finding others’ misfortune funny in other ways though, he just (says) bodily harm isn’t funny. someone trying to step out of the rain and getting an entire awning’s worth of water dumped on them though, he will admit that shit is funny as hell

when goemon really REALLY starts laughing like, uncontrollably, can’t stop laughing, he just stops making noise. but he hates how stupid he must look with his mouth hanging open and no sound coming out, so he tucks his chin and halfway tries to cover his face, his shoulders just shaking the whole time. of course it takes a lot to get to that point like a LOT lot, so it’s amazing he’s as concerned about it as he is

zenigata:

zenigata WANTS to be like jigen in the “this is serious i'm mad at you. stop giggling” sense but he’s. not as sturdy in that department. he like draws his mouth super tight to stop from smiling and he’s like “this is not funny. stop. stop it. ITS NOT F--” and then he puts his head in his hands to try to stop laughing but it’s too late the dam has already broken

like with crying, he doesn’t ever really feel the need to stop himself from laughing outside of I’M SERIOUS CUT IT OUT type situations. like he gets giggly just when he’s in a good mood and nothing funny has even happened yet. and like with literally everything with him he’s loud. very loud. almost anything can get him to laugh, nothing is too stupid or juvenile despite what he insists. also sometimes laughs when he’s nervous, and it’s like, the only time he’s at a semi-average volume doing it. because he’s fearing for his life. it happens.

#i didn't get into it tooooo much cuz like you said it's pretty much spelled out for us just. IN canon. BUT WE LIKE TO HAVE FUN HERE #WE LIKE TO GET SILLY WITH IT. PART 2 LEVELS OF SILLY. MAYBE EVEN PART 3 LEVELS IF WE DARE TO DREAM #lupin iii #lupin the third #lupin #jigen #fujiko #goemon #zenigata #asks

[dougielombax]

Yeah.

Yeah, apparently the park rangers got an emergency alert late last night.

No.

No it wasn’t because of drunks or a lost tourist?

No.

No!

No, apparently they got a sighting of Alan Wake showing up on the trail cam again!

Yeah. We’ve sent a couple of guys out to check.

#dougie rambles #personal stuff #my poor attempt at a joke #Alan wake #alan wake ii #alan wake 2 #what #no context #this sounded funnier in my head #shitpost #highbrow shitposting #remedy games #remedy entertainment #remedy #control #control remedy #control game #control 2019 #park rangers #trail camera #trail cam footage #cryptids #possibly

[animebw]

Short Reflection: Winter 2023 Anime

Is it just me, or did this season of anime kind of blow? Yes, anything would be a step down after the absurdly stacked Fall 2022 roster- and in fact, two of my favorites this season were continuations of shows I already liked from fall (Blue Lock and MHA)- but man, there was just a stench of failure around so much of Winter 2023′s offerings. Not just in how many of them turned out to be disappointments, but in how many of them didn’t even get to finish in time! Barely a week went by without another show suffering long delays, production after production crumbling under the weight of mismanagement and corporate apathy that doesn’t care how many animators are worked to death for an inferior product as long as they can make some extra cash from rushing it out early. I mercifully managed to avoid all the victims of these delays (well, almost; RIP Kubo-san Won’t Let Me Be Invisible), but even existing in the same space as them felt like it took a toll on everything else. This was a rough one, folks. But there were still some gems worth highlighting, so after spilling my thoughts on Onimai, Trigun Stampede and MHA Season 6, here are my thoughts on the rest of the anime I managed to finish this season!

(Also no Vinland Saga review yet cause I’m waiting for the season to be over, but spoilers, it’s still really fucking good. You’re shocked, I can tell.)

Tokyo Revengers Season 2: 1.5/10

You know what? I give up. I gave Tokyo Revengers every opportunity to finally pull itself together and turn into a good show. But not only did it drop the ball so hard the shockwave registered on the Richter scale, it felt like it was actively going out of its way to suck as hard as it could. Every single plot thread in season 2 is bungled so horrendously, from Takemichi’s increasingly unforgivable stupidity to the insulting cul-de-sac fights that change nothing about the status quo to the truly infuriating mishandling of every female character (Hey, I know, let’s give Yuzuha a panty shot while she’s being beaten by her abusive brother! Great idea!), that there is no possible way this show can ever recover. Even if the next season is somehow a masterpiece that fixes all the series’ issues- which it won’t be, let’s be honest- it won’t change the fact that Tokyo Revengers has established a new low for lazy, intelligence-insulting storytelling in shonen. The only reason it managed to get so popular is that it keeps making you think it’s about to do something really cool and meaningful with its high concept. But at this point, it’s all but proven that it never will. Fuck this show, fuck the manga it’s based on, and fuck everyone who accepts this barely-animated hackjob slop as anything close to acceptable entertainment.

The Fire Hunter: 2/10

Between this and Mars Red, I’m really starting to hate studio Signal MD. They’ve got a habit of turning fascinating highbrow fantasy premises into some of the dullest, sloppiest, most poorly produced pieces of pretentious dogshit that think they’re high art imaginable. And this one’s directed by Mamoru Oshii! He’s supposed to be a veteran director who knows his shit! How did he turn out such a colossal flop? Almost nothing in The Fire Hunter works on an audiovisual level; the animation is embarrassing, the direction is incomprehensible, the editing is somehow even worse (I have never seen such poorly timed painterly insert stills), and the whole thing is smothered under a droning soundtrack that drowns every scene in the same overbearing, tuneless sonic dead air. Even the best script in the world couldn’t survive this cataclysmically bad production, and suffice to say, this is very far from the best script in the world. It’s equal parts mind-numbing exposition, dull narration, and pointlessly mean characters with no interesting internal struggles or worldbuilding to justify the air of arrogance about the whole affair. The Fire Hunter desperately wants to convince you it’s art, but it’s just crap. Skip it.

To Your Eternity Season 2 (2nd Half): 3/10

I’ll give it this: the second half of To Your Eternity’s second season is unquestionably better than its first. Not a very high bar to clear, I realize, but after the utter slog that was Bon’s introductory arc, it’s good to have actually interesting things happen for a change. Unfortunately, for all the fresh air the siege of Renril brings to the proceedings- new characters, new kinds of stakes, a bonkers re-imagining of what Fushi’s powers are even capable of- it’s nowhere near enough to save this show from running itself into the ground. Whatever magic To Your Eternity once had is well and truly gone, buried under a flood of terrible production compromises and questionable story choices that have lead it down a path it can never recover from. No matter how much future arcs might try to turn things around, they’ll never escape the lesson this show has somehow forgotten it used to preach: when something dies, it can never truly return. To Your Eternity is dead. It’s over. Let it rest in piece while it still has some faint shred of dignity left.

Giant Beasts of Ars: 3/10

Did someone open a time portal to 2006? Giant Beasts of Ars feels exactly like the kind of original fantasy anime that studios were pumping out two decades ago- and unfortunately, that’s not a compliment. It gets off to a good start with a strong introductory episode that sets the tone well for a fun magitech adventure with some giant monster fighting, but the second that adventure gets under way, pretty much everything goes to shit. The characters are bland. The world itself is dull and uninspired. The action is lifeless thanks to a weak production that can’t give these fights the oomph they need. And the plot escalates from understandable low-key stakes to some of the most asinine “suddenly we’re fighting god now” swerves I’ve ever seen. Seriously, the way this story loses all sense of scale in its final episodes as it barrels head first toward a climax left me stunned in disbelief. Never mind the fact it ends on an asspull cliffhanger that’s almost certain to never get resolved because nobody’s going to want a second season of something this limp and underbaked. What a waste of time.

Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: 3.5/10

I was really excited at all the fantasy anime coming out this season. After being swamped in the isekai sewers for so long, it was such a relief to see the industry remember they could tell stories about actual fantastical worlds and not just, you know, reskinned Dragon Quest knockoffs. So imagine my how immeasurable my disappointment was when one by one, all these promising series let me down. Kaina’s Naussicaa-inspired world of snow seas, giant spire trees and steampunk skiffs navigating an allegorical prayer for co-existence with nature and rejection of militarism should have been an easy slam dunk, a new Miyazaki for a modern landscape. Unfortunately, as beautifully realized as the world is- Polygon Pictures is no studio Orange, but their impressive background art and environmental storytelling continue to make a strong case for CG anime- the writers forgot to populate that world with anyone worth getting invested in. The characters are the stockiest of stock archetypes, photocopies of photocopies of tropes that have already been worn to the bone by decades of misuse and overuse alike. If you’ve seen even one generic fantasy anime, chances are you’re already sick of these characters, and there’s nothing fresh or particularly meaningful here to make up for the lack of originality. Don’t get me started on how poorly the princess is treated, yegh. Is it too late to unplug the concept of fantasy anime for a few years and hope it recovers some steam before we plug it back in?

High Card: 3.5/10

There is no excuse for High Card being as lame as it ended up. A Kingsmen-style goofy gentleman spy action comedy written by the author of Kakegurui in which secret agents in dapper suits fight with the power of magic transforming playing cards? And the entire world is themed around cards and card games (the country is Fourland, the spy organization is Pinochle with its office on Old Maid street)? This should have been a camp masterpiece every bit as delightfully unhinged as Kakegurui. This should have been the most gloriously Anime Bullshit (affectionate) experience of the year. But instead, it was mostly just Anime Bullshit (derogatory). It takes so little advantage of its concept, wasting episode upon episode on trite plotlines and cliche developments, jumping between so many tones and focuses without ever settling on a single one. I came here to see Twink Bruce Wayne summon bazookas out of thin air with the power of Instant Interdimensional Marketplace, not slog through the umpteenth iteration of “the stoic katana girl needs to open up to her male colleagues” or “tragic little sister with an incurable illness.” The bouncy ED, which sees the main cast all singing together in the car, was the one consistent bright spot, and even that started feeling more and more like an insult as time went on. If only the rest of the show were as loose and freewheeling as those painfully short 90 seconds per episode promised.

Don’t Toy With Me, Nagatoro-San Season 2: 3.5/10

Look, I’m no prude. I’m not above trash. Nagatoro’s first season was far from a masterpiece, but it had enough actual charm and character depth that I didn’t mind coming along for the ride. But the thing about trash is that just like every other show, you still have to do it well. Nagatoro wasn’t ever entertaining because it was a shallow wish-fulfillment rom-com for masochists, it was entertaining because it found something recognizably human in spite of being a shallow wish-fulfillment rom-com for masochists. And sadly, whatever spark made that first season work didn’t survive the transfer to OLM studios. There are fun moments here and there, but the overall package is just too half-hearted to care anymore. Not even the introduction of Nagatoro’s sister keeps the proceedings from feeling increasingly mindless. What’s the point of this show, really? What does it offer that I can’t get better elsewhere? Because if the only appeal is the teasing gimmick, well, Teasing Master Takagi-san is right there, people. You could be watching an actual good show about a girl mercilessly teasing her crush instead of this flavorless assembly-line mushburger of an anime. Just saying.

The Tale of Outcasts: 4.5/10

There’s something strangely endearing about The Tale of Outcasts, despite its many flaws. Does it read like every thirteen-year-old girl’s embarrassing stash of unpublished Ancient Magus Bride fanfiction? Yes, unquestionably. But you know what? There are far worse things to be. Maybe it’s the isekai exhaustion getting to me, but there’s something so refreshing about a cringey wish-fulfillment fantasy adventure populated by stock archetypes and hacky plotting that’s actually, like, wholesome? That feels like it was made out of genuine amateurish love for Victorian splendor mixed with demon furries instead of incel resentment that the world isn’t catering to their every whim? Yeah, it’s still cringe, but it’s charmingly cringe, not revoltingly cringe. I still can’t really recommend it unless you’ve got a real soft spot for deep-voiced daddy beast people who can be your angle or your dveil, but out of all the bad shows I kept up with this season, this was the one where I never minded clicking on that next episode button, and that’s gotta count for something.

Urusei Yatsura (2nd Half): 5.5/10

I think it takes a change in mindset to really appreciate Urusei Yatsura. True to its 70s roots, this is not an anime to watch for a constant sense of forward progression. This is a show to be enjoyed as a reliable weekly comfort, 25 minutes of mayhem every 7 days with a familiar cast of characters bouncing off each other endlessly. If you come in looking for a tightly woven narrative that’s always driving toward a forseeable endpoint like most modern anime confined to single cours runs, you’re likely to be disappointed. But if you let yourself just enjoy the chaos and don’t worry about what might come next, I think you’ll find a lot to like here. If nothing else, I appreciate Studio David sticking to that old-fashioned spirit. But I have to admit, I might’ve preferred a more streamlined adaptation that doesn’t waste a second of runtime. What can I say, I’m used to modern anime pacing. Or maybe I’m just annoyed by yet another instance of a tomboy character who wants to be more feminine. Which, you know, not Ryunosuke’s fault that particular trope has gotten so beaten to death these days, but still. Sometimes making changes for modern times isn’t such a bad thing, you know?

Revenger: 6/10

So y’all hear about this Gen Urobuchi guy? Apparently he was pretty famous back in the day or something, IDK. He’s been plugging away at his goofy Taiwanese puppets show for the past few years and slapped his name on the story concepts of a few high profile projects for extra buzz, but now at last, he’s returned to grace us with a full story and script from his own hands! ...and apparently from 17 years in the past as well, because from what I’ve heard, Urobuchi originally wrote Revenger back in 2006, well before the one-two-three punch of Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero and Psycho-Pass that would make him a household name. And boy does it definitely feel like a trial run of those shows. Not that it’s bad by any means; it’s slickly produced, the cast has good chemistry, and the Booch is clearly having fun coming up with creative ways for evil bastards to be mercilessly slaughtered. But that’s really all it is, with little of the staggering depth and emotional complexity that would later earn him a place among the greats. It’s a first draft of basically all the thematic ideas he’d later perfect: the corruption of systems of power, the failure of blind heroism, the necessity of finding hope even in the darkest corners of the earth. I still recommend it for any fans of creative edgy violence, but don’t come in expecting another Madoka. It’s a bite-sized snack of an Urobuchi show, not the main course. And I’m totally fine with that; it’s entertaining enough on its own modest merits to be worth a look.

Play It Cool, Guys (2nd Half): 6/10

Yeah, I knew this one was gonna grow on me. There’s nothing like a really good low-key deadpan comedy to put me in a good mood at the end of a long day. Really, I think Cool Doji Danshi’s secret weapon is how much it appreciates the mundane awkwardness of everyday life. I have been in many situations much like its titular characters, little moments of confusion where the pieces don’t quite line up how they’re supposed to and before I know it I’m putting my umbrella in the fridge because I momentarily mixed it up with the groceries. And also like its title characters, I’ve learned just how damn important these moments are to my life. None of us are perfect meat machines 100% of the time; in many ways, our clumsiness is what makes us human far more than our accomplishments. And there’s something so wonderfully comforting about watching these boys (and men) come to appreciate their own imperfections much as I’ve done of myself. We need more shows that celebrate that simple silliness as well as this one does. So if you’ve been looking for something to lift your spirits in this increasingly grim world, I cannot recommend this show enough.

Sugar Apple Fairy Tale: 6.5/10

Do my eyes deceive me? A non-isekai, shoujo oriented fantasy that’s all about slavery being a bad thing? Stop the presses, we’re defying all the norms over here! Between this and the new season of Vinland Saga, it feels like we’re finally starting to push back on the noxious floodgates that Shield Hero pried open, and I could not be more thankful for that. Now, is Sugar Apple Fairy Tale a perfect depiction of the dynamics of slavery? Fuck no, it’s a young adult wish-fulfillment romance about a hot sulky fairy boy falling for the woman that was once his owner, this thing’s as problematic as an Antebellum-era Uncle Tom’s Cabin ripoff. But at least it’s actually trying to say something about the effects of dehumanization on a societal scale and how it manifests, and I’d argue it succeeds more often than it trips over itself. Plus, how fucking great is it to have an actual shoujo romance again? Set in a charming fantasy world with some actual originality? Sugar Apple Fairy Tale’s not perfect, but its charms are evident of a trend I hope to see countless other shows follow. The more fantasy anime looks like this instead of The World’s Strongest Necromancer is Reincarnated With a Cheat Skill In Another World Harem (I just made that title up, but admit it, you weren’t sure at first), the better off we’ll all be.

Ippon Again: 6.5/10

We seriously need more good female-centric sports anime. The guys have been dominating the field with their shounens and seinens while the girls are forced to subside on moeblob table scraps more concerned with being cute than actually telling a compelling sports narrative, or else being handed the absolute bottom of the production barrel (cries in Farewell My Dear Cramer). Ippon Again isn’t gonna right the ship all on its own, but it’s a damn good first step. The characters feel like believable teenagers, their judo matches are given genuine weight and strong animation, and while it suffers from some tired sports anime cliches, it always executes them with heart firmly on its sleeve. At its best, it captures the same freewheeling adolescent spirit that defines the likes of A Place Further Than the Universe, and I don’t say that lightly. It’s no masterpiece, but it’s a damn good time with no caveats, and hopefully it’ll only be the first of many great lady-centric sports anime to come.

Tsurune Season 2: 7/10

If you’ve somehow forgotten about the first season of KyoAni’s pretty boys doing archery show Tsurune from back in 2018, well, I don’t blame you. As a testing ground for the studio’s rookie talent to take their first crack at putting their own show together, it was by far the studio’s most workmanlike production, an all-around solid experience but lacking the insane polish and panache that defines the KyoAni brand. But my god, what a difference five years makes. Tsurune’s second season isn’t just a massive upgrade on the production front, it’s a complete overhaul on the show’s entire look and feel. It’s sweeping and elegant, it’s vibrant and explosive, it’s as expertly poised and shimmering as a bowstring drawn at dawn right before it releases a brilliant arrow. This show has gone from KyoAni’s simplest looking show to one of its most richly cinematic, complete with earthier color tones and revamped score from Fruits Basket composer Masaru Yokoyama. Yes, it’s ultimately still just a show about pretty boys learning to shoot bows well as they overcome their issues together. But with such a massive step up in its look and feel, it’s officially become just as much appointment viewing as any KyoAni masterpiece.

Blue Lock (2nd Half): 7.5/10

Now that’s more fucking like it. Last season I bemoaned the lack of edgy death game nonsense I was promised in this edgy death game sports anime, but once we reached the second selection, Blue Lock kicked into high gear and made good on its premise at last. Betrayals! Allies turned enemies! Enemies turned allies! Overcharged homoerotic rivalries and break-ups alike! Overdramatic shonen boys trying to crush each other underfoot to grow stronger! Self-actualization through rejecting the power of friendship and embracing the power of “Fuck this guy!” This is everything I wanted when I first learned about Blue Lock’s premise, twisting the classic shonen sports formula into an equally blood-pumping tale of clashing egos and selfishness as everyone fights to become the best player by embracing their worst selves. It might have taken a hot second to get there, but now that it’s arrived, this show has become some of the most deliriously entertaining chaos you’re likely to find in the genre. Well done, you mad genius.

Buddy Daddies: 8/10

Man, whoever’s making the decisions on what shows PA Works produces is really on a roll lately, huh? It takes a real genius to look at premises like Ya Boi Kongming and Akiba Maid War and see an opportunity to create something truly special. But even that pales in comparison to the brilliance behind Buddy Daddies, a.k.a. “Hey, so this Spy x Family show is about to take over the world, right? What if we made our own version of that, but mix in the homoerotic buddy-cop energy of Tiger and Buddy to make it stand out?” That’s the kind of galaxy-brain thinking that’s rapidly making this studio a personal favorite of mind. And it’s that kind of confidence and pure solid storytelling chops that make Buddy Daddies just as entertaining and endearing as its most obvious inspiration. It’s not exactly the same- it’s set in modern day, it’s more focused on the child-raising than the assassin stuff- but it’s every bit as good at nailing that specific sweet spot of deliciously entertaining spy action, wholesome family hijinks, and the bittersweet space in between trying to reconcile those two worlds. Heck, Miri’s a way more realistic four-year-old than Anya ever was; you can tell the writers really did their research on what it’s like to care for a child that young. The year’s still young, but I think this show is already a strong contender for the feel-good masterpiece of 2023. Just don’t go in expecting the hot guys to kiss, because you will leave disappointed if you do.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady: 8.5/10

We’ve done it, folks. We’ve finally cracked the code on how to make modern isekai great. Step One: Center it on a female protagonist with an actual personality instead of an empty self-insert male-patterned cooler full of stale oatmeal. Step Two: Make your story all about subverting the exhausting masturbatory self-centeredness of vanilla isekai in favor of a symbolic or literal revolution to give power back to all lovers of fantasy instead of pandering to maladjusted thirty-year-old manchildren. Step Three: As part of that progressive reinvention, make it GAY. AS. FUCK. The Executioner and her Way of Life was a strong step in the right direction, but as good as that show was, there was clearly still room to push things even further. But now, at last, that potential has been fully realized by the stunning tale of a reincarnated princess and a genius young lady coming together to revolutionize the world. Folks, MagiRevo fucking rules. The main leads are wonderful separately and even more wonderful together, the production is strong enough to carry the story’s soaring ambition, and it’s a genuinely powerful exploration of the harms caused by archaic systems of patriarchal power, and how difficult it is- but also how necessary- to change what’s been leading a society down the wrong path for so long. And while it drags a little in the midsection, it all culminates in a spectacular final act and a final episode that had me sobbing in my seat for 25 straight minutes. This isn’t just the best isekai since Re:Zero, this is a triumph of queer fantasy carving its own revolution through a genre that’s desperately needed it for far too long. So come join me and raise your banner with Anis and Euphie, because their journey deserves all the attention we can give. I promise, you won’t regret it.

#winter 2023 sr #winter 2023 anime #the anime binge-watcher #tabw #magirevo #the magical revolution of the reincarnated princess and the genius young lady #tensei oujo to tensai reijou no mahou kakumei #mou ippon #ippon again #to your eternity #tokyo revengers #giant beasts of ars #fumetsu no anata e #tsurune #urusei yatsura #play it cool guys #cool doji danshi #revenger #sugar apple fairy tale #buddy daddies #blue lock #hikari no ou #the fire hunter #kaina of the great snow sea #ooyukiumi no kaina #the tale of outcasts #nokemono-tachi no yoru #don't bully me miss nagatoro #ijiranaide nagatoro san #high card

[seemsablur]

i neeed to know ur favorite lesbian vampire novels. i need recs because there are few and like i need to expand my base from something other than carmilla and the confines of my imagination. i need lesbian romantic vampirism.

i am quite literally reaching through time and space to kiss your forehead for asking this question and allowing me to talk about my favorite things. prepare to get so much more than you asked for because i have no self control.

Lesbian Vampire Fiction

(other than Carmilla, which is so so dear to my heart and I return to it every single October)

A Long Time Dead by Samara Breger: Based in 19th century England; deliciously gothic, moody, and thrilling without being too highbrow or pretentious. The book also doesn’t waste much time on context, the book opens to our delightfully blunt and funny sunshine MC being cared for by a mysterious brooding vampire (also gets smutty by page 10 if you’re into that ✨) if you want entertainment without particularly demanding prose, found family, and the most entrancing sapphic love story i literally can’t recommend this enough.

La Petit Mort by Olivie Blake: Steeped in New Orleans romance and intrigue, MC is bequeathed a house that comes with bizarre terms and conditions attached. TECHNICALLY the MC is not a lesbian and there is a temporary male love interest, but the emotionally unavailable bloodthirsty vampire antagonist is so magnetic I barely even noticed him to be honest (for best experience, use any maladaptive daydreaming tendencies to make him into a butch as you read). I adore Olivie Blake’s writing style, very blunt and easy to put down in a single sitting. I inhaled this book

these are all the ones I have actually read and enjoyed, but my TBR is a mile long so if you’d like more please send me a message and i’m happy to send those over as well x

Honorable Mentions for other Vampire Lit

Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda: Young intersectional vampire trying to fit into society despite her bloodlust. heartwrenching depiction of the alienation and anxiety of being a girl in your twenties that is only magnified by the supernatural lens

The Vampyre by John Polidori / Dracula by Bram Stoker: cornerstones of the genre, required reading blah blah blah

Honorable Mentions for other Lesbian Lit

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield: Just finished this and it absolutely destroyed me. Surreal body-horror about a woman’s wife going off on a research trip and coming back wrong. the portrayal of how love persists against all reason and logic was so devastating

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone: dystopian time traveling sci-fi centering around two queer MCs on opposing sides of a war and also basic ideology. FASCINATING and short read that was made indescribable by the representation. i finished this book and then immediately started it again from the beginning.

Final Honorable Mention: A Certain Hunger by Chelsea Summers. not queer nor vampiric but romantic cannibalism done so well it had to be included. if you want “i support women’s wrongs” and to be inserted into the mind of a brilliant, vicious, sociopathic female misandrist you need to read this.

There’s a million others that fall into these categories but for the sake of keeping this -relatively- succinct i will stop there. thank you for such a lovely ask, this made my heart sing <3

#books #sapphic #gore #this was so fun #ask

[ganymedesclock]

I feel like pikmin is a fundamentally hilarious game when you consider that the playable characters are all highly idiosyncratic weirdoes who should probably not be pioneering research on this alien planet but here they are anyway.

You have:

A floridly underemployed space trucker who talks like he has a phd in xenobiology. He met these fucked up ant-plant-humanoids and immediately decided he loves them with his whole heart and soul to the point of aggressively rejecting any other means of solving his problems. Sometimes he punches predators many times his size to death because they’re messing with his babies. He is also, incidentally, one of the single most gullible people you’re likely to meet. Also highly sentimental to the point he would sooner stay on a death world than leave without the good luck charms his kids gave him. -

Implicitly teenage-or-20something coworker who is noted to be extremely quiet and a bit of a space cadet. He can sometimes be almost malicious levels of thoughtless; other times he is simply quiet and like most late-teens in a first job, does not want to be here. His true passion is cooking, which he takes to with immense zeal and fountains from his usually taciturn nature into elaborate and detailed conversations about how to entertain a highbrow dinner party when you are surrounded by nothing but immensely hostile alien wildlife. He also has eaten highly inadvisable things just to formally tell you not to eat them. One time he was kidnapped by an extremely dangerous boss monster. He implicitly retaliated by eating the monster. -

Spaceship AI that is simultaneously an earnest, compassionate person with a deep and genuine fondness for the company’s president, and an unrepentantly arrogant soul with a shameless willingness to completely lie about products. It hates bugs and has a profound personal yearning to understand what it feels like to drool. It apparently does advanced materials and technology research on the side and sometimes complains when they just happen to find something that’s more advanced than what it was working on. -

Aforementioned company president who at first glance is every indication of a careless, bumbling, demanding boss and yet also is completely willing to put himself on the line either evading debt collectors or personally going to a death world and fighting others. According to accounts from one of his employees, is also a thoughtful and generous employer, which is what earns him such enduring loyalty when he is otherwise extremely bewildering. Extols the virtues of an all-grass diet at one point but seemingly sent his wife on a holiday so she didn’t have to experience any of this. Also did not tell said wife he ran off to go treasure hunting on a death world. -

An actual government research team led by a celebrated hero and crewed by a botanist and engineer. I actually do not know much about the pikmin 3 crew but everything I know about them tells me that they’re every bit as much a blend of competence and absolute clownhood. Charlie’s rubber ducky apparently factors majorly into his heroic reputation. Brittany is willing to assume immediately that he got turned into a bat without any evidence. Alph is probably the babiest out of all of these characters. -

All of these people are or can be party to killing two different eldritch abominations. In one case, Louie tried to eat it.

#Pikmin #absolutely nobody on pnf-404 is normal #and I say this with love in my heart for all of them #I feel like you could do a great series with these characters that has the vibe of a mostly laid-back workplace sitcom #interspersed with the cosmic horror and survival drama elements

[19thcenturyfuck]

"actually all academia and serious intellectual discussion is just elitist and pretentious!" "actually anything other than those things is immature and anti-intellectual!" "you just think you're better than everyone else because you only watch 1920s silent movies about bricklaying!!" "you're just a dumb child with tik-tok brainrot who thinks m*rvel is peak cinema and h*rry p*tter is peak literature!!" "nooooo highbrow things for stuffy academics bad!!!" "noooooo lowbrow things for the mindless masses bad!!!" actually you are all wrong and also dumb.

the whole highbrow-lowbrow dichotomy is a social construct. it doesn't exist. the sooner y'all realize that fanfic, shitposts, memes, shipping, silly pure-entertainment media, serious intellectual discussion and analysis, academia, media with symbolism and deeper meanings, all of it can absolutely co-exist, the sooner media literacy will improve.

#political on main #there IS no dichotomy!! it's made up it's not real #as someone who has both written academic essays analyzing the allegory in moby-dick #and made many many dumb shitposty memes about shipping the characters in moby-dick #there! is! no! dichotomy!