#I really love Wu's design here

[mtkay13]

Back to the human world

I have many thoughts and feels regarding what happens after Zhou Zishu has come to rescue Wen Kexing ("gather his corpse") after the battle on Mt. Fengya.....

Zhou Zishu, healthier after having taken Da Wu's medicine for 3 months, now, has been tailing the scorpions for a while, too. Infiltrated them. He's the closest to his peak that he has been in years. And Wen Kexing, who is now free, unburdened, so close to dying... And they each have one question for each other.

"He [Zhou Zishu] looked at Wen Kexing in the eyes, and said : 'I'm asking you. Do you want to live?' Wen Kexing silently looked back at him for a long, long time, then answered : 'Will... will you leave me?'"

他看着温客行的眼睛道：“我问你，你想不想活？” 温客行沉默地看着他，良久良久，问道：“你……会走么？”

They will both live, and they will both stay. Wen Kexing is then brought back into the light, to the human world. The fragility in that scene, in the both of them. How I'm also convinced that when Wen Kexing sees Zhou Zishu arrive, fight, and then come to him, when he says his famous "There's a light on you" ('你身上有光') line, he pretty much falls in love all over again. How later, then, he tells Zhou Zishu how the one thing capable to defeat a ghost is the human heart... (Gu Xiang's, Zhou Zishu's, Zhang Chengling's, his own...) So much!! In that scene!!! I wish I can one day do way more than a few illustrations and concept arts. I wish I could do so much more to translate just how much I adore this ending (granted, what comes after is a bit rushed-- BUT! That leaves SO much space to imagine how then Zhou Zishu has taken care of Wen Kexing while he was recovering, and the following journey to Mt. Changming.... SO MUCH!! TO IMAGINE!! AND CREATE!!!) Here are a few additional designs :

What I imagine Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu look like at Mt Fengya. Wen Kexing, in his "dark red" Ghost Valley Master robes. The sword... actually isn't there, but I liked the look. And then, Zhou Zishu, disguised as a scorpion. He kinda looks like a sith, but I really like that haha. His cheeks and frame are fuller, because I consider that on top of having been taking the meds for 3 months now, he has also been preparing for the surgery (so he's been eating more and better).

Following an idea from Bichen, I imagine the tree Wen Kexing sits under to be a giant willow tree (among other willow trees). The scorpion confrontation happens while the sun is rising. Also, isn't it poetic that it is under a <willow tree> when Zhou "Xu"'s name means willow catkin? I just really like that.

That's it for now. I'm certainly not done with this whole passage, but... Yeah. So much to do!!! So little time!!!

#tyk #wenzhou #wen kexing #zhou zishu #zzs #wkx #meta #tian ya ke #design

[kimbapchan]

Hihi!! I just wanna start off by saying I. LOVE. The designs for your roleswap. You have given me many of The Thoughts. One thing I’m a bit curious about: where exactly does Quan Yizhen stand here? You’d expect him to remain a Heavenly Official, but Yin Yu being in Ling Wen’s spot raises questions.

**SPOILERS AHEAD. RUN NOW FOR ALL YE WHOM STILL READ**

With The Brocade Immortal, It’s likely Ling Wen was no longer the one to ‘create’ the Brocade Immortal, so perhaps that ‘honor’ falls to Yin Yu? But then that begs the question of who is the Brocade Immoral in that case? Would it still be the same person as the main novel or would if be someone else? Who could that someone else be? If my initial gut feeling is right then Quan Yizhen being the Brocade Immortal would be neat. Yin Yu feeling guilty for the loss and trying to bring Quan Yizhen back. (If you already mentioned QYZ at some point… whoops..?)

Also pretty curious about the dynamic between the Ghost Kings (well, the Calamities). We can suspect that Xie Lian, Shi Qingxuan and perhaps Mei Nianqing (if MNQ is present) are all on tolerable terms with each other, which isolates Lang Qianqiu, especially since it’s still incredibly likely that Xie Lian was still his teacher assuming Xie Lian wouldn’t continue on his warpath (this is also assuming Xie Lian remains the Crown Prince. But it seems likely because Mei Nianqing would likely have a certain title for Hua Cheng like cannon Jun Wu had given cannon Xie Lian. Plus: The increasing likelihood of Feng Xin and Mu Qing being ghosts supports the theory because if they both *died* rather than abandoning Xie Lian, I don’t think he would’ve held back…

But this is all just a theory! An AU-I-Read-Too-Far-Into Theory!

~ MC Anon (you don’t need to tag it… I just leave a little signature so that I REMEMBER that I was the one who wrote the ask, lol)

I really REALLY love your theories! thankyou for sharing them with me! I already have a comic drafted with Quan Yizhen actually! He is definitely one of my favorite characters in canon story. He reminds me of a very mellow Binghe hehe. I look forward to showing you guys his design in the AU! <3

Oh and yes, of course I would love to show the calamities/ghost kings interact. We haven't seen much of it yet since every comic I've done so far are sort of on Hua Cheng's POV. I'll hopefully make a comic in the future with Xie Lian's POV!

[ghostherlig]

i am very slow with writing atm with being sick and also my wrists are starting to hurt more now that it's getting colder- but here's some silly goofy random headcanons while im recovering!! (for johnny, kenshi, raiden, and kung lao) under the cut bc this really ran away from me- (collected over the course of this entire day as things popped into my brain, i apologize for the mass of words you're about to read :'))

johnny can play piano!! he has a grand piano that he really loves and he plays anything from classical to ost's to his own little tunes whenever he thinks them up- he has a recorder attached to it so he can remember them or maybe post his own song one day

(based off the previous hc) if/when kenshi is over/moves in he'll play at night and let kenshi listen in- but randomly johnny will transition what he's playing into the jaws or michael meyers theme and that's kenshi's cue to start running- because now the house is in hide and seek mode, and as soon as johnny stops playing, he'll be searching

kenshi used to play the violin growing up, but he dropped it once he was old enough and competent enough to commit himself to the yakuza- he can still remember some of the songs he used to love to play. he hums them from time to time and has been caught doing the motions of playing the violin before

kenshi loves animals but has an extra soft spot for cats and bunnies especially- he's a cat magnet in places where strays are common, they always flock to him (he for sure keeps catnip in his pocket when he can)

johnny loves his action and hero films but kenshi enjoys romcoms and horror- romcoms for the stories and drama, and horror films because the sound design usually slaps- he also can tell you what fruit or vegetable was absolutely destroyed based on the sounds alone

lao and raiden are way too good at Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes- raiden is on the manual while lao is on the bomb and they can crack the normal mode in like 45 minutes (they're a little slower when they swap places but they can still do it impressively fast (fastest speedrun time is sub 30mins)

johnny knows how to play mahjong after taking a role and having to play on-screen for five minutes- he wanted it to look authentic and thought "there's no better way than to actually play"- raiden and lao found out and now they're all trying to teach kenshi with specially made tiles with braille in the corners

kenshi is ridiculously good at poker- he brought a deck of cards with braille stamped on them and him and johnny played strip poker for a night- needless to say kenshi was smirking to himself as he switched his button up for johnny's

johnny can do pitch and diction perfect impressions of people he's heard talk for long periods of time- you can bet that a lot of his free time at wu shi was spent scaring his fellow champions by talking to them in liu kang's voice from behind a wall-

(based off the last hc) johnny only does it around people he knows well or as a party trick with different characters from pop culture- most often his power is used for evil though

raiden isn't a morning person and actually is super groggy in the mornings- the first thing he does on early days is take a cold shower to wake himself up

(based off the last hc) lao is a morning person and is usually the one to wake up raiden by ripping his blankets off of him- he's lucky he has survived this long, but he tells everyone that if looks could kill, raiden would have killed him long before he made it to wu shi

we all know kung lao eats for a family of five, but that man also naps like a divorced dad after an all you can eat buffet- he is OUT after he's done absolutely fucking up like five full plates of food

raiden really likes boba!! kenshi took him to get some after an errand run and he fell in love with the taro flavor- he also really enjoys winter melon and the regular thai tea

johnny always gets his boba with coffee- he doesnt really like tea flavors and no matter how many sips of kenshi's tea he has, he will always prefer his coffee

kenshi bought johnny a really nice espresso machine that he uses every morning- johnny didnt buy himself one before that bc he never thought he would enjoy making coffee at home and it was easier to just stop by the local cafe since they always had his order ready early- but he finds it really calming and really nice to slow his mornings down and make a latte before leaving for work

johnny, to return the gesture, bought kenshi a really nice kitchen knife since he knows the man really likes to cook- it sees a lot of use as it's a santoku that he basically uses like a chef's knife (it's his sharpest and most well treated kitchen tool, right next to his 8 inch cast iron)

kung lao owns maybe three articles of clothing with sleeves- all of them are coats for when it rains- oh and one hoodie that he stole from raiden that somehow survived when he went into his wardrobe and cut and hemmed all of the sleeves

when kenshi visits, johnny makes him coffee in the morning too but since kenshi doesnt always like the bitter coffee flavor he'll add some fun home made syrups- he has plain vanilla, but also has seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice, snickerdoodle, sugar cookie, white mocha, peppermint, etc.

kenshi LOVES mint chocolate flavored things- he especially loves the kitkat flavor and the pocky flavor, as well as ice cream- johnny CANNOT stand it, he's never liked mint outside of gum and even then he prefers cinnamon or clove gum (the first time kenshi kissed him he was confused bc he tasted like spices)

johnny keeps a jar of butterscotch candies on his desk for when he needs to brainstorm ideas- he finds he thinks better when his mouth is occupied (oral fixation haver)

(based off the previous hc) kenshi bought him some violet (the flower) flavored candy after he found out johnny always kept a stash- he also will refill the giant glass jar with butterscotch candies when he knows johnny is busy and will forget

(also based off the candy hc) lao and raiden also buy him hard candies- they get him ginger and lemon ones that johnny falls in love with immediately- he has two jars on his desk now, one for butterscotch and one for ginger

raiden really likes sketching and coloring- lao bought him one of those adult coloring books with mandalas and really intricate shapes and raiden finished all of it in like two weeks- he used to sketch in his free time and has an entire sketchbook dedicated to drawings of lao and his features (a lot of his arms, hands, eyes, and smile) it's hidden under his mattress

kung lao shaves his own undercut when it gets too long- normally cant let it grow out for longer than two or three weeks. sometimes, raiden will offer to do it for him so they can spend a bit of time together and just talk and be close <3

johnny definitely really enjoys washing kenshi's hair- johnny has a bit of a curl to some of his hair but he never uses the products he's supposed to or the methods he's supposed to when it dries- so it's pretty straight, but kenshi's is pin straight and doesnt tangle the way his does sometimes, so he really loves running his hands through it and has even convinced kenshi a few times to sit so johnny could put coconut oil in it for him

johnny loves coconut flavored things and purposefully buys ice cream bars that have coconut cream based ice cream- kenshi was unaware of this and was offered one and said yes thinking that it was vanilla- kenshi does not like coconut, so it was a very sudden and unpleasant surprise

kenshi cuts fruits as his way of showing love very often- he washes and cuts fruits for himself when he's stressed but preps it for others out of love and will often take apple slices, peeled oranges, cut melon (of any kind), or strawberries and grapes up to johnny's in-home office while he's working

johnny buys kenshi small gifts year round and goes crazy for the holidays and his birthday- he asked kenshi how he would feel if johnny bought him (technically them) a house back in japan- kenshi drew his line in the sand and capped johnny's gift prices at $2k per holiday/birthday (which he had broken before)

raiden keeps taxidermy bugs!! he always loved butterflies as a kid and his first framed butterfly was a gift from lao

please excuse any typos, it's later in the day now and my eyes are a little strained- i hope this was comprehensible, lol

#ghost's ouija board #johnny cage #kenshi takahashi #johnshi #raiden #kung lao #railao #could be seen as them being poly #but that's up to you #mk1 2023 #this is a mess #please enjoy my sick ramblings about the gays #long post #whoops

[sgdlr-asdfghjkl]

Link Click Musical content 120

(it's been a busy time, so let's do a summary)

Because of Chinese New Year holidays, the musical is currently on a break 🐲🌟 There were just a few last performances and now they're resting 🙏 However, some extra content came out, so let's go through it (all video links in replies as always :*)!

LC Musical got media coverage on CCTV (Chinese Central Television - main national tv station in China). It was a short material promoting the play and the theatre, you can actually watch it on Encore Musicals' weibo and bilibili. The stageplay has gained popularity since the premiere and more people are visiting Shanghai to see it. So this news piece is basically a big shout out and a recommendation 🌟

Another video on Encore Musicals bilibili (and 1st pic at the top of my post) is from when the whole musical crew was drawing red envelopes 🧧 (I didn't know this tradition, so I added the wiki for you too^). Basically Zhang Jiahao and Wang Minhui drew the best gifts and were happy about it ^^

I already posted abt Wang Minhui's vlog with rehearsal scenes, but thanks to @chocolatexiaoshi 💝 explanations and translations from @/Elaraqwq and @/bhd322418 on twt 💙, I can tell you about some fun details about it ^^

⬆ So yea, here Cai Qi really says: "Coincidentally, I'm single too. If you want, I'll be your first boyfriend."

⬆ here Cai Qi starts singing CXS's main plot song "Words can't convey the love", then it cuts to Wang Minhui singing the rest (best thing is, we'll get to see that song performed by Shu Rongbo and Wu Yihan on Feb 10th livestream).

⬆ then he talks about the books they have in sunroom shelves. He points out how the books are all about how to become wealthy and sucessful, with titles like: 'It's performance that counts', 'Project Management Practices', 'Conscientiousness trumps competence', 'Corporate Strategy and Risk Management'. Like, the book he's holding in 2nd pic is written by Jack Ma Jun, 4th wealthiest person in China, you get the vibe... It's such a funny touch and shows attention to details by the crew designing the set ❤ I love the idea of our broke indebted boys having a library of economy coaching books ><'

⬆ (okay... okay, you got this Niebo) Then this part. Wang Minhui is singing a song from another musical (白夜追凶 roughly translated as 'Chasing the murderers day and night') in which they played as twins. Minhui played the older brother who was an experienced policeman.

In order to solve the case, Minhui's character tried to rewrite the psychology of the perpetrator, that's what this song is about. Like he was just imagining the interrogation. So Cai Qi is reenacting what Minhui is singing. It is not the actual choreography to that song 💀

Okay, that's all I had to share about the vlog, thank you Mr Wang Minhui 🧎‍♂️

From minor news, Encore Musicals announced they'll be auditioning for LC Musical cast. It's probably connected to how it's a long-term stage and they'll need more actors. According to choco-xiaoshi, musicals like this can go on for a year or longer, depending on how well the tickets sell. And for now LC stage is selling well 🌟

They also posted the performace schedule for March, with special events marked. And yes, Shu Rongbo and Wu Yihan have birthdays on the same day, March 10th and will be performing then 😌

Also Liao Jingyuan and Cai Lu posted these pictures:

To finish this post off, have this Rock, Paper, Scissors sequence between Bai Zhuoming and Wu Yihan. It's not recent, but I like it and wanted to post all the pics together but always reached photo limit before I could ><

it's missing Wu Yihan hours fr

Okie, hope you had fun ^^ remember to make use of a masterlist~

#link click #link click musical #shiguang dailiren #lu guang #cheng xiaoshi #qiao ling #wang minhui #teng chunpeng #cai qi #shu rongbo #wu yihan #zhang jiahao #cai lu #bai zhuoming #source: weibo

[sketching-shark]

I was curious to know, is there a specific adaptation of JTTW that you particularly enjoy? Whether its good or accurate isnt important but more like in your personal taste

AUGH going to be honest @seasonalsummers in that I don't feel like I can pick just one...there's so many excellent retellings! But I will take this opportunity to present some of my favorites.

So first up we have the 1986 Journey to the West tv series. It is in many ways very goofy and gaudy, but there's just as many reasons why it's considered one of the best retellings out there, from its genuine heart to the adherence to the og classic. And needless to say its Sun Wukong really set a standard for cheeky scheming monkey behavior. You can start watching it here:

Next up is 2016s The Monkey King 2. While this film is one of those retellings that gives the White Bone Demon a lot more prominence than she has in the og classic--and definitely has its own silly stupid moments--it also stands as one of the very few retellings that directly addresses the paradox of Tang Sanzang's mission: that he's trying to get the sutras to help mortals achieve a state of peace all while abhorring violence, and yet its only because of the violence of his disciples, especially Sun Wukong, that he's able to right a number of wrongs or simply go from day to day uneaten. You can watch it here:

And now it's time to give kudos to 2015's Monkey King: Hero Is Back. While this film is FAR from a faithful retelling and (usual refrain) has its own silliness, pretty simple plot, and gross-out humor, it also has so much heart and stands as a wonderful embodiment of the dad Wukong characterization. One also has to give it credit for its main child character, Jiang Liuer, being a genuinely charming kid who's wonder at the world and desire to do good drives the story forward in a sincerely lovely way. You can watch it here:

More recently--and in a work that is at best only loosely following the plot of Xiyouji--is 2022's Lighting Up the Stars. This film follows the story of a Li Nezha coded little orphan girl Wu Xiaowen and a Sun Wukong coded funeral director Mo Sanmei as they go from a very tense relationship to a genuinely loving father-daughter relationship. While there are moments of this film that feel kind of overwrought, it's an honestly wonderful exploration of what goes into dealing with death and the importance of love in all its many forms during life. I also have a soft spot for Mo Sanmei, who from what I've seen is the very peak of explicitly shitty cringefail loser who then genuinely works hard to become a better person Sun Wukong out there. It can be watched here:

Turning away from film and animation for a moment, I simply have to give proper kudos to Chaiko Tsai's comic The Monkey King. Between the gorgeous art, fun character designs, a good sense of how to translate many of the stories of Xiyouji into comic format, and a resolution to the Sun Wukong vs. Niu Mowang fight that I actually prefer above that in Journey to the West itself, this is definitely a comic worth going through! You can purchase it here for about $30.00

And last but certainly not least, one simply has to give due credit to 1964's Uproar in Heaven. It's an absolute gem of stylized Chinese animation, a work with the very rare allowance on the Monkey King getting to go full grandpa for tons upon tons of monkeys at Mt. Huaguoshan, and it's very faithful to the first half of the og classic with the difference that here Sun Wukong does his havoc in heaven and gets away with it. All around its a really fun work to watch and does have a lot of importance from both an animation and a historical perspective. You can watch it here:

So those are my favorite adaptations of Journey to the West! It's but a fraction of the adaptations out there, but I hope other people found these as fun as I do.

#journey to the west #jttw #xiyouji #sun wukong #monkey king #jttw retelling #jttw adaptation #chaiko tsai monkey king #1964 uproar in heaven #uproar in heaven #monkey king hero is back #lighting up the stars #journey to the west 1986 #aaaaaa #to this day one of my favorite things about jttw #is all the incredible adaptations and retellings its inspired #ask answered

[brian-in-finance]

Cait #17. Personally, I think that outfit and look should score higher as well as a few others which are way better than the first 10. Still, she made the list which is good to see.

93 Of The Best Oscars Dresses Of All Time

https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/celebrity-style/g26388237/best-oscar-dresses-ever/

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃 I loved her 2020 ensemble… whilst never losing sight of fashion sense’s subjectivity (a sentiment that really hits home this London Fashion Week 😖).

Here’s Number 17:

Designer: Valentino / Year: 2020

Numbers 1 through 5 are under Elle’s text. Numbers 6 through 16, and 18 through 93, live in the link.

93 Of The Best Oscars Dresses Of All Time

From Barbra Streisand's exquisite Arnold Scassi pantsuit to Halle Berry in Elie Saab, we've collected the best Oscars dresses of all time.

For many, the Oscars awards ceremony is hotly anticipated for its choice of winners. Cinephiles discuss intently if Brendan Fraser's comeback role in The Whale will nab him Best Actor In A Leading Role, or if Paul Mescal will pip him to the post. Others tune in for the meme-making cultural moments, be it a slap heard around the world, or a calamitous misreading of 'Moonlight' as 'La La Land' (it could happen to anyone, right?).

But for us, and we suspect you too, it's the sport of red carpet dressing that keeps us coming back for more. Having the ability to promote (or demote) a near-unknown to a leading lady in the blink of a ballgown, the power of a stellar styled look cannot be understated. Be it Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy in 1954, Michelle Williams in Vera Wang in 2006, or Lupita Nyong'o in Prada there have been some truly marvellous -dare we say history-making - gowns worn by the best actors in the world on the night of the Academy Awards.

So devoted are we to the best dressed stars of the red carpet, ahead of the 96th Academy Awards (taking place on March 10 2024) we've gone through each and every one of them to find the 93 best Oscar dresses ever worn. You're welcome!

Designers: Jason Wu and Messika / Year: 2023

Designer: Alaïa / Year: 2023

Designer: Moschino / Year: 2023

Designer: Rodarte / Year: 2023

Designer: Jean Paul Gaultier Couture / Year: 2022

Elle

Photo: FarFarAwaySite

Remember… Irish actress Caitriona Balfe looked stunning — as per usual — on the red carpet at the 2020 Oscars in Valentino Haute Couture! The 40-year-old newlywed wore a unique outfit that involved a dress and a blouse when she walked the carpet at her first Academy Awards. She stunned in the black, fishtail-style gown which fell straight down her body in an extremely flattering style. But the strapless dress wasn’t the star of the show: it was the sheer pink blouse she wore over the top! The high-neck blouse was made of a very light material, and fell down to her hips. It also featured a gorgeous, oversized bow which she wore to the left of her neck. Stunning! The model-turned-actress accessorized with silver stud earrings and a matching silver ring and bracelet. Caitriona slicked her beautiful brunette tresses back into a tight bun near the nape of her neck, and polished her look with a bold red lipstick, and red nail polish. What a star! — Hollywood Life

#Tait rhymes with hat #Good times #Inbox #Anonymous #Elle #19 February 2024 #Top 93 Oscars dresses #Received 19 February/Responded 20 February 2024

[averygayplant]

Nahhhh, cause listen up Ninjago tumblr, I'm about to take ya'll on a ride

Misako, right? Lloyd's mom, dropped him off at a boarding school designed to teach kids to be completely evil when he was literally a fucking baby, we forgave her for some reason and now she's sorta kinda not really involved in Lloyd's life.

So, here's the issue: Lloyd is a fucking blonde We all know this, it's a funny laugh in the fandom, silly blonde little emo- Take a look at his parents, though. Neither of them were blonde. In fact, both of them were literally brunettes.

Now, obviously this isn't actually indicative of anything, considering that being blonde is a recessive gene and that both Garma and Misako could have easily had it. But then you remember that Wu, who was blond, was actually fighting Garma for Misako at one point, and that she was convinced she loved both of them before that letter got swiped. Then you remember that in her debut, she and Wu had some pretty high-strung romantic tension pretty much off the bat and continued to have it throughout the entire series.

But, hey, maybe Misako just regrets who she chose, she's not a homewrecker and Lloyd is still Garmadon's son.

But then I feel obligated to remind you about how the Spinjitzu brothers acted in their youth. Garmadon is portrayed as responsible and mature since day 1, while Wu is shown time and time again to have been childish and naively optimistic. Even at his lowest points, though, Wu is consistently portrayed as unfailingly good natured and trusting to the point of fault- retaining this trait even as a much wiser man. Remind you of anyone? Because, ya know- But, hey, maybe you're not convinced. After all, Garma was a pretty good person before the poison got to him, and even after that he did his best to make Lloyd feel supported as much as he could, being an evil warlord trapped in the underworld, and all that. Allow me to continue, then. Ignoring the fact that Misako and Wu continued to have a weird flirtatious thing going on and off for several seasons, there's also the fact that, of the First Spinjiztu Master's two children, Wu was the one influenced by the Dragon, by the 'light', so to speak. Then you have Lloyd, the only grandson of the FSM. No matter how hard he tried, he lacked the resolution it took to even properly pretend to be evil, and we swiftly learn this is because he is destined to be the Green Ninja, a wielder of light and energy that is meant to directly oppose the shadows. Anyway, both of them are blond, and while there is no solid proof of Misako being a whole ass liar about who Lloyd's dad is, my personal disdain for her has led me to take this list of thematic connections and fucking run with it-

#I watch ninjago exclusively with my bestie #so this was a joint effort #we may also be incredibly biased and hate misako quite a bit #but that only influences our final decision and not the evidence provided we swear #ninjago #ninjago misako #garmadon ninjago #wu ninjago #lloyd garmadon #or IS HE?? #we may never know #sad face emoji #lance rambles

[the-monkey-ruler]

There is so much Wukong x OC or Wukong x Reader I’m actually flabbergasted. Six Eared Macaque I understand but not the asexual, super Buddhist monkey.

I answered something like this nearly a year ago but I'm still going to have the same answer a few times.

Wukong is a very charming and compelling character so it's not insane to think how people can fall in love with the character romantic or not. Narratively wise there has to be some suspension of disbelief but that is why it is fiction itself, and romance is another genre used to explore character depth. Wukong is a well-written interesting characteristic and I am not surprised that people are drawn to him again whether platonically or romantically, both imply a level of affection they have for Sun Wukong. There has been other media that asks for that 'suspicion for belief' as well.

I've also spoken about how Wukong with a significant other isn't that strange either. For the past twenty years, Wukong has been the object of desire in dozens of xiyouji romance plays and moves ever since the hit film Chinse Odessey, which cemented that Sun Wukong isn't just a hero, but a human being that has his own wants and flaws, and capturing the hearts of millions cause they saw themselves in him and his struggles. I talked about how impactful this movie was in changing Wukong from a fighter to a human here and here. Nowadays with more modern films, the use of romance isn't the only trope to use to explore characters and have them relate with audiences when it comes to love and lost but in the 2000s there were dozens of Wukong romances trying to capture that magic again of Wukong experiencing love and losing it because not matter how strong he is, he is just like anyone else and have heartache.

And it doesn't have to be Wukong from the original book. While Wu Cheng'en was able to provide that Wukong himself is a complex, charming, intelligent, and fascinating individual, there are hundreds of movies and shows that also wish to explore such a transformative character. I still see how popular Hero is Back 2015 Sun Wukong was and still is as one of the most fan-favorite Wukongs. There are many different Wukongs in different media that can be fan-favorites and really stick with audiences but that doesn't necessarily mean these are meant to be Wukong from the book as movies/shows could add or subtract certain elements from the Book Wukong in these adaptations. It would be unfair to both the book and the artists to say they are the same as the novel was created 400 years ago with heavy themes and saturated in symbolism, while movies and shows are created by artists for a generation, each media a time capsule for their audience and a reflection of the directors that wish to still be unique in their designs. While I have no doubt that many people adore Wukong from the novels I can't say that anyone hasn't been influenced by other media in how they interpret Wukong as well.

That rambling aside, what I'm trying to say is that Wukong and romance are nothing new, and seeing people ship themselves with Wukong is also nothing new. Six Ears only has two chapters and only really shines when movies or shows give him screen time, which is highly skewed due to the SHEER amount of Xiyouji media with just Wukong there is making that statically Wukong of course is going to have more fans, both back then and now.

#anon ask #anonymous #anon #jttw #journey to the west #sun wukong #xiyouji #ask #the quote are from #Transforming Monkey #Adaptation and Representation of a Chinese Epic #Transforming Monkey Adaptation and Representation of a Chinese Epic #Hongmei Sun

[senseioftheseidiots]

AU NUMBER TWO! May i present, the lovely CASINO AU! This one ive had alot of fun with since i first thought of it, the whole idea was there's an underground area which used to be a place for peace, where all the leaders could just talk and settle disputes diplomatically, after the fsm died, wu found this long into season 1 and decided..he needs a fucking break man- at first, it merely became a small spot for him to rest, giving it a few bits of decor he found cozy, but then, after roaming around ninjago he finds a little casino, and he thinks, hey- why not? If the place was first used as a place for peace, why not have a similar idea, but with something more...fun? An underground casino, open to all those who seek chaos and madness, and need time to just chill. At first only the smaller bad guys, underground hidden gangs just stay at the place, making sure to follow the three rules given, no destruction of property, all fights must be taken to the designated rage room, no underage drinking. And most of all, what is done within the casino, stays within the casino. Everything else was free game. And the people respected it, after all, it also served as a place to hide from the authorities, and most of them stayed there even overnight, and then, the bigger bad guys began showing up, each after their debut, always somehow finding this place, and there mostly after their defeat, is where theyd usually stay.. every time a bigger bad is defeated, they usually stay within the casino to ease off, scheme, or rant about the ninja. Its a safe space for villains after all, why wouldnt they take advantage of such a place? Its accessible to everyone, even those who were put in the departed realm with the help of the travellers tea, of course here they still respected the rules, and especially the anonymity of the owner, which was wu. Noone even thought to question who could run such a place, they must be powerful if they could keep everyone at bay, when in reality they just respected rules put there for their sake. Sooner or later wu might reveal himself, when, i dont know yet, but just know when he does, everyone is both shocked, and just ticked off enough to be pissy about it. But in this certain scenario garmadon got a little too curious, and finally on the hunt to see who exactly the owner is, finds wu in an unfortunate time. But, really, if he were to tell..who would believe him?

#ninjago #ninjago fanart #ninjago au #ninjago wu #garmadon #ninjago garmadon #silly little casino #i really liked how his silly lil outfit turned out #lego #lego ninjago #ninjago art

[balanceoflightanddark]

Kuvira and Bryke's Problem with Moral Ambiguity

I will be honest with you...I really like Kuvira.

She is probably one of my favorite characters from Legend of Korra. I like her design. I like a lot of the ideas behind her. And I think Zelda Williams did a great job with the character. So I can understand why Bryke wanted to do something different with her and try to redeem her.

Here's the problem. I love Kuvira...but she's also indicative of one of the show's biggest problems. Mainly the inability to commit to a morally ambiguous conflict.

Again, the whole point of Kuvira's character was that she wasn't a wholly irredeemable monster. That her methods, while heavy handed, weren't entirely in the wrong and her heart was in the right place. And we do see evidence of that early on with her forces giving relief to billages, stamping out bandits, and outing corrupt officials. Heavy handed and early warning signs sure, but nothing too over the top.

Then they made her into a power hungry dictator.

Yeah. Kind of hard to sell her as sympathetic when she takes imagery from real life oppressive and fascist political parties and governments.

Sad thing is, Kuvira here is not the exception to this. Throughout The Legend of Korra, we are presented with many antagonistic groups that are responding to some injustice or moral qualm which doesn't paint the current status quo the heroes are defending in a good light. Non-bender discrimination led to Amon and the Equalists. Unalaq was a response to mankind losing touch with the Spirit World. The Red Lotus were spurned by corruption in high places. And Kuvira was restoring order to a broken Earth Kingdom full of anarchy. It's clear that Bryke intended for all of these groups and characters to have some kind of point to generate moral ambiguity. Asking whether or not Korra and Co were truly in the right.

Yet when it came time to deliver, the antagonists were almost always portrayed as being in the wrong and often were portrayed in a way that makes it difficult for the audience to truly sympathize with them. The Equalists and the Red Lotus become terrorists. Amon is a bender with flimsy reasonings. Unalaq literally fuses with the Avatar equivalent of Satan. And again, Kuvira becomes a dictator. While their points are given some credence, the characters themselves always become a final boss for the heroes to triumphantly defeat. Which...muddies the message since it becomes difficult to see the villains' argument when they're treated the way they are.

Now admittedly, it is difficult to write a character like this. Balancing out the character's reasonable and sympathetic traits with the need to be an opposing force to the protagonists who audiences are normally predisposed to root for. So the question remains: how do you go about finding this equilibrium?

While I'm not a professional writer, I can think of at least two good methods. The first is allowing the antagonist to do genuinely good things that seems at odds with their position. This could include a concern for civilians or their comrades, limiting their violence, or throwing themselves in the line of danger for the sake of others. Kuvira does demonstrate this a few times with sending relief to civilians who need it or choosing to face down the Avatar herself rather than ordering her men to do it.

The second is actually giving a concrete reason for why the antagonist is escalating things. Maybe the situation is just that bad where the antagonist feels the need to escalate or is a response to something that the heroes did. Perhaps the antagonist's grievances are legitimate and they have a solid reason to fight. Again, this is explored with Prince Wu's incompetence and the attempted assassination on Kuvira's life by Suyin. While her methods are heavy handed, you could see why she may need to employ them.

The foundations for a solid character are there. If they expanded on that, we could've had a fairly compelling conflict where neither side is entirely in the right nor are they in the wrong.

And then they introduced re-education camps and had Kuvira invent the Avatar equivalent of an atomic bomb.

Uh...hate to be that guy, but why the hell is Kuvira sympathetic again? Especially when other villains who did far less evil get crapped on while she gets a redemption arc in the comics?

glares at what they did with Azula

...I'm sorry but no. Korra wouldn't have ever turned out to be a fascist And trying to say the villain can be redeemed because they're like the hero raises so many flags for the franchise as a whole that I'm surprised they didn't do the same with Ozai. What? He's who Zuko would've ended up as if he went too far.

I get what they were getting at with Kuvira. I really do. And with better writing, maybe she could've been that character I mentioned. The groundworks are all there. But the problem they ran in was consistency and commitment. They failed to keep her sympathy and anti-villain status consistent by making her too horrible to properly feel for. And they never actually committed to fostering this morally ambiguous conflict.

Trust me, I'm not knocking against Kuvira and her fans. I'm really not. I understand the appeal. I even think a lot of her fans have better interpretations and ideas than Bryke (trust me, Kuvira has some pretty good fanfics out there). But if they wanted to redeem who we saw in the series, we needed more than a single comic trilogy. Especially when other characters don't even get a chance at that.

#kuvira #lok critical #lok salt #i guess #kuvira meta #anti bryke #anti lok comics

[morroodle]

You may or may not have noticed but I kinda have a lot of aus

Unfortunately due to having the attention span of a watermelong most of these aus end up abandoned after one post and are lost to the void but occasionally there comes a post or au that catches attention, either mine or yours, and the brainrot begins.

Introducing my morros, also known as the skrunkles that live in my head rent free and occasionally eat my thoughts (in no particular order

Misc Redeemed Morro

Completely incoherent, not a solid au/story/design or anything else but I felt like I should mention him anyways

Hes just a silly little guy

Lives with the ninja/wu and is sometimes on the team

All my headcannons apply here

Blorbo

Mechanic Morro

Movie au where morro is the one who built the ninjas mechs

He is absolutely insane, mad scientist style

Could absolutely take over ninjago if he wanted but much more interested in inventing new guns

His mech animal thing is dragonflies, he has them in 3 sizes

Not actually the master of wind in this au but he is wu's adopted son. I don't know how the whole green ninja thing works but he has a pretty decent relationship with his family and the ninja

His main goal in life (aside from making an ungodly amount of mechs/guns) is to dissapoint wu as much as possible. Petty bitch.

My baby! My son! Don't tell the others but he's my favorite

Baby Morro

Somehow morro gets reincarnated as a lil baby man and wu finds him and adopts him

He has some memories of his past life but theyre not solid, more like vague feelings (ex: being afraid of the ninja because he remembers they are threats, wu is his dad). Sometimes he has dreams about particularly memorable events from his past life

Hes like 5 and an absolute menace. He will bite ankles.

I didn't actually intend to make more than one post about this au but people really liked it and kept asking for more so I love him now

Blob Morro

Not an au at all. He's literally just a blob

He is a shitpost that now lives in my head

I love him

Lizard Morro

Hes not actually mine I stole adopted him from @mochinoodle

Morro is brought back by harumi and the crystal king using the storm amulet. As a result he has wojira like traits and much stronger powers

He hates harumi and is very petty about it

Also not too thrilled about the whole C.O.C.K. thing, ends up giving them the ol' razzle dazzle (betrays them)

The fic is a work in progress and I have the honor of beta reading/helping brainstorm

Hes called lizard because he has 4 limbs and a tail but its a joke he's actually a serpent

The lizard brainrot is strong

#ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago morro #morro #ninjago au #blob morro #baby morro au #redeemed morro #mechanic morro au #lizard morro #art #ninjago headcannons

[graceful-not]

The fact that they really had a fatherhood arc for the ninja ahsgjahdhd. and also. a childhood arc???? which isn't a thing bc childhood is just a state of being it's not really a journey unless you count coming of age??? oh my god Sensei Wu had a fucking coming of age arc I can't 😭 LLOYD HAVING TO FIGHT HIS DAD AGAIN??? THIS MAN CANT CATCH A BREAK FR also I love how one of the big things that gave him hope and kept him going was the possibility of the ninja coming back home. Lloyd being sooo insanely dependent on his family despite being the all powerful chosen one gets me bro he loves them so much he. he kind of needs them??? bshshs as he grows more independent. but like what would he have done if they never came back. the whole thing was "survive until the ninja get here" (I LOVE HOW THE SHOW STILL EMPHASISES THE THEME OF THE NINJA BEING HIS PROPHESIED PROTECTORS!! THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO THE PROPHECY AND NARRATIVE EVEN AFTER THE CROWNING OF THE CHOSEN ONE WHICH ALMOST NEVER HAPPENS) but what if they never did. like what would he do. also AUAUAUA HIM USING THE ART OF THE SILENT FIST IM!! IM!!!!!!! God. him and his dad are so. they literally did a straight up Came Back Wrong plot!! THE FACT GARMADON HAD TO BE TOLD BY HARUMI THAT HE HAD A SON AT THE BEGINNING!!!! her weird manipulation makes me insane she's. subservient to him but she also is responsible for all of his current goals and his worldview. ALSO THE THING WITH LLOYD WAS SO. SHE DIDNT HAVE TO DO THATTTT 😭😭. wait if garmadon pseudo-adopts her does that make her and Lloyd stepsiblings. or was Garmadon saying "I have no son" a pseudo-disownment. WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS GODDAMN FAMILY!!! I hate how Lloyd nuzzled into her a little bit during the "getting the mask of hatred" scene WHY. AUGH. HOW OLD ARE THEY WHY DONT THE NINJA HAVE A CANON AGE WHAT THE FUCK DOES "GROWN UP TEENAGERS" MEAN??¿????? but seriously the fatherhood arc was so funny. like I absolutely ADORED it (their different parenting styles and the way they meld together and clash and also their unique concern for him as a charge to take care of but also respect as their Sensei but he's also just a kid!!! AUAUAUA. AND THEM TEACHING HIM LESSONS IM SJISHSJS I loved how. bitchy Wu got here??? Like when he went "but you... taught me a lesson as well. You taught me how to lie. Did you really think the dragon armor would control Firstborne? She accepted my father because she sensed good in his heart. what does she sense in yours?" that was badass as hell!!) but if you think Abt it for 2 seconds it's hysterical. Sorry there's too much going on in this season I'm. my brain. I loved the return of the elemental masters they are so💖💖 Karlof Neuro Shade Skylor Griffin my beloveds... ALSO THE BOUNTY HUNTER DESIGNS ARE SO COOL FOR NO REASON??? I LOVE ALL OF THEM LIKE???

#ninjago #ninjago sons of garmadon #ninjago hunted #grace gvoices gthings (nothing starts with g and i wanted alliteration) #ninjago liveblog

[dailycass-cain]

I have time, at last, to talk about Spirit World #1! So what did I think about the issue and all the Cass within it?

I do like that this series is two-fold where you have both plots where Xanthe/John Constantine are trying to figure out a way into Spirit World and you have Cass venturing into the world itself.

Spirit World itself is a fascinating place because you can have all sorts of wonky mystical creatures inhabit it or have it as another plane of the afterlife. It just works perfectly.  Like these two sisters who pester Cass early on in the issue. The sequence reminded me of a mixture of "The Bride with White Hair" and the "Evil Dead" movies. I almost was expecting a viewpoint from the sister who was pursuing Cass's pov as the latter is dodging her.  Given how she's crackling on how she'll devour her even to the bones.

What fascinates me is how the spirits can tell of her moral qualities and well how it makes her a greater meal. Which writer Alyssa Wong leans heavier when Cass is saved by folks who know of Xanthe and Cass tells them how she got here. It's a little moment but artist Haining captures how slaying the creature still weighs HEAVY on Cass.

It's something overlooked (aka JL Elite), or not shown as much (DCeased: Dead Planet hinted at it but never fully went there).  

Even a mythical creature so many years old and evil, and it still destroys Cass inside that she had killed it.

Once again, Wong just GETS the character of Cass.  In ways that make me squee. Like, part of me hopes we get SOMETHING of Cass's past rearing their head in the Spirit World in good or bad.

I know my friends discussed a theory that the mysterious "Mr. Hong" who shows up might be someone whose a voice Cass recognizes be this bastard.

Honestly? I'd be down with that as it would separate David Cain from the mercs that seems like a ocean of them at this point.

However, my own theory, if someone is gonna show up from Cass's past, would be:

I mean that would be chilling to have a soul you murdered showing up as a spiritual lord in Spirit World.

The action has even consequences for after death they became nastier and more powerful.

The other possibility is well...

I know it's highly not gonna happen. But I just feel like Cass meeting Carolyn would be neat.  You could have the Wu-San sisters being forces both in the Earthly and Spiritual worlds.

I think the reason why I want a Carolyn showing is more due to well Rebirth's lost plot of her being a self-help guru and even in death Carolyn is mending fences.

Anyway, another element I do love is Wong weaving TWO of Cass's other identities.  Both one with a sly mention of Orphan and the other basically being a better Black Bat design.

Then again, I feel this new outfit is a clear homage to fan art attempts of another costume for Cass. But hey it keeps something flowing around her belt area. Even if it isn't a scarf. 😝

As for Po Po and Bowen interest me as both characters remind me of Studio Ghibli characters. I think for Bowen it's the mark across his chest we see.

It highly reminds me of the demonic mark Ashitaka had in Princess Mononoke.  Is it a sign of he was feasted by Spirit World creatures before Po Po saved him?

Po Po is another character that fascinates me as well as she (and Bowen) are connections to Xanthe's past. I like how it's all connected and the way Wong spins the stories as we learn one aspect of the new character's past and we get another with a cliffhanger.

Not only that but teases of just when Xanthe became nonbinary as her mother deadnames them by issue's end.

Like, I'm glad Wong is showing the origin of Xanthe in full both in glimpses on the Cass side, while also in their attempt to save her.

This was a REALLY good first issue that continues introducing a really intriguing new character to the DC mystical mythos (with their own area to play with) that intertwines with Cassandra Cain and something that the character just well barely has ever dealt with: mystic hijinks.

Like we sort of did (in the tail end of her ongoing) aka one of the worst stories involving the character. So I'm glad Wong is taking something that was once a negative for Cass writers and finally going back to the well with a better story.

The fact that so many fans are talking about it. Shows just how much Wong has got us, and they've barely even brushed the surface of Spirit World and even gone into full details with Xanthe.

The only negative, I could even think is the most minor of nit-picks. In that, I hope Bowen doesn't become another male love interest for Cass. He does look a little smitten of her with what she's done. Buuuuut...

Given the little glances we have of him, I don't think Wong will do that, unlike other writers in the past. I think that's why many are thinking that angle. I think Wong is going for subversion here.

Regardless, I highly enjoyed this series and if you're looking for a new angle of DC mystic this really was something! BUY THIS BOOK AND SPIRIT WORLD #2 NEXT MONTH!

#dc comics #cassandra cain #my thoughts

[purplehanfu]

Self Indulgent Birthday Post: 2023

notes: Spoilers!, probably. Yay, it's my birthday again! Enjoy some of my finest unfinished work!

Oh? You have both my interest and attention!

Booooo.... (this disappointment brought to you by The Young Brewmaster’s Adventure, which happens to be the prequel to Blood of Youth)

Recap Recycle Bin

So many dramas and never enough time to write a full review. Read on! 

Dominator of Martial Gods

tl:dr for this drama

Each episode is 35 minutes long, feels like 3,500 minutes, and delivers maybe 10 minutes worth of story. Impressive! 

We waste a great deal of time in the first few episodes watching Qin Chen and the bootlicking alchemist refine a needle that will allow our hero to activate his bloodline. Intriguing, because you often hear dramas refer to treasures being refined into weapons, but you never see the process. There's a reason for this- it does not make for compelling viewing. But that does not stop us from standing around arguing about the specs and adding things to the oven. This process was more fun when Chu Wanning just takes you up to the lake. On a technical note, I am enamored of the way the ever present green screened background makes no attempt to be in scale with the human actors.

My Deepest Dream

Ooh, a plot with a time loop, evil birds, superpowers, getting sucked into the Marianas Trench when you just wanted to go on a scuba diving excursion and JIN HAN!!! But, as always, there's a glitch in the matrix.

Our heroine realizes she has lost a year of her life and no one has noticed. No one except the astrophysics PhD candidate turned car mechanic Wu Yu (JIN HAN!!!). Wu Yu divulges that he can read a phone screen at 10 kilometers. But mostly he uses his special eyes to keep an elaborate dossier on the comings and goings of the FL, who lives across the street from the garage he works at. Is that creepy or romantic?

don’t be silly, if it were a Marvel movie we’d be having an interminable CGI sky battle 

Till the End of the Moon

Meet Tantai Jin. As you may have noticed from his costume design, he's totally evil.

He's a goal-oriented CEO who's turned the Devil Sect into a high reliability organization that generates impactful customer experiences (annihilation). I bet he's evil enough to use six sigma. But where Tantai Jin truly shines is personal branding. You may not be buying what he's selling, but product recognition is through the roof.

Tantai Jin seen here working out of his travel office: a flaming, flying boudoir with melting skull detail. This is why CEOs should never make more than 10x what the average worker does.

Circle of Love

I can see why the Republican period was relatively short. Everybody setting fire to each other's estates, staying out late ballroom dancing, getting uniforms tailored, making sure there are enough manacles to chain the female lead to a bed... it doesn't really leave a lot of time for governance.

We start out, as we generally do, with a clean sweep of the FL's family, in this case via a big ol' raging house fire. Where is everyone? Or even anyone? Even Maid's Revenge scraped up some extras to be dead family members.

My Kung Fu Girlfriend

Slow your roll, it ain't GL.

You know what they say- it's not whether you win or lose the MMORPG, it's how you min max all your stats and then act like an ass in chat about it.

Meet Huang Xiao Yu. She clearly did not pay to win because she is the low XP real life martial sister of a kung fu champion. In this drama, she'll level up in love and life with the help of an OP MMO NPC who escapes her game and shows up uninvited in the real world.

The Antarctic Octopus

Not to be confused with the 2020 film Big Octopus. I guess that's the great thing about having an audience of over a billion people- even the most niche interest has plenty of content.

This is how you dress when you visit your Uncle Pete in Antarctica.

In this movie: monsters, explosions, a supercharged ice jalopy and a dedicated ignorance of the laws of physics usually only seen in a Fast and Furious film. But credit where it's due: The Antarctic Octopus delivers. Only 12 seconds in and we get our first tentacle!

available free on youtube although how bravely they were fighting is up for debate

Bonus Content: Superlatives

In the Day We Flipped

My post of the year!

Getting over 500 likes on a review? Unexpected.

Forgetting to add a link back to my other recaps? Priceless.

Bloody Romance

still my favorite drama

when your grandma’s a zombie and she was left in a cave to guard a tiny box with one (1) restorative pill in it and she’s suspended by her hair but her hair is also like tentacles that can kill people and she thinks you’re your mom but she still loves you. 💚💚💚 But then she starts screaming and tries to strangle you with her hair.

Heroes

2nd favorite drama

you know something’s good when you have a file called ‘sappy su mengzhen yang wuxie edits.txt’

go get your man, Wuxie!

pinboard full of recaps!

#holiday special #till the end of the moon #my deepest dream #JIN HAN!!! #dominator of martial gods #the young brewmaster's adventure #circle of love #my kung fu girlfriend #the antarctic octopus #bloody romance #heroes #in the day we flipped

[terezis]

hiya it's me again, the anon with ~questionable~ taste in fictional men i guess (is this really how i want to be known help)

thank you so much for the recs!! i've read/am reading some of those, but i've dutifully put the rest onto my read list—cannot wait to dive into some new stories o7 (also, i used to do a similar thing w/ranking stuff, except in a notebook LOL lost the notebook after i moved and my life has been in shambles ever since. but i digress.)

if you're up for offering some book recs as well i am most certainly 👀 !! i haven't lost myself in a good book in so long & i really miss it.

anywhoo, gonna cut myself off here before my rambling gets outta hand. sending you lotsa good vibes, cheers!

LMAO i'm sorry but that's your official title now. questionable taste in fictional men anon. hello <3

i hope you end of liking them!!! i am going to make ur to-read list a bit longer now hopefully. most of these are ya but to be fair ya fucks

gideon the ninth by tamsyn muir OBVIOUSLY

only a monster by vanessa len - i think the romance falls a little flat which does seem to be partially by design, but the premise/world/plot are all SO fun and fascinating and i love her draco malfoy-knock off friend

the scarlet alchemist by kylie lee baker - i have read a couple of wu zetian stories now and i think this is definitely one of the better adaptations. the pacing IS a little weird but i feel like the twists are interesting enough that i was fine with it LOL

the cruel prince by holly black - i love the cruel prince and that's all there is to say. ruthless protag done believably imo. fairies. romance with a questionable man

every heart a doorway by seanan mcguire if u haven't read it already

the beholder by anna bright - big fan of this one and its sequel bc it does not do what u expect it to do as a ya romance, in a very nice way

tiger, tiger by petra nordlund - bonus webcomic rec, volume one is published but also you can read online on her website for free. IT IS SO GOOD i read it all in like 3 days and now wait on the edge of my seat for new pages

#Anonymous #me banging my fists against the wall vanessa len PLEASE let your protag kiss her draco malfoy knockoff friend

[sketching-shark]

This may or may not have asked more than once but I wanted to ask— what is your favorite alternate universe or stories of jttw in Tumblr? I've seen the glorious works of Kaijufluffs and kiri with her monkey business (may be some lmk here and there), but so far that's the only things in my list. There was also that one jttw artist and their au but like, it was from the 2015 movie (I think) and somehow integrated w the west pantheon too (their name might've been sun or something)

If you do and can, can you list down ur fav AUS and what you think of them? I've been following ur blog for a while and wanted to ask (but I've just been too shy)

Thanks for the question anon! And yes! There are definitely some fun JTTW aus out there; people on this site are incredibly creative.

So to begin, are you talking about the aus made by @sunny-days-and-warm-mournings? Because I know that they've come up with a number of AUs, and that from what I've seen they're all bangers with all sorts of interesting takes and flavors, from making everyone's favorite monkey more a god of food to a terrifying death deity! As you can imagine this has led to many a stellar design from the whimsical to the horrific for all of these monkey kings, each of which is fully worth checking out. tbh I feel like you should just scroll through their gallery to find them all & will promise that you won't be disappointed.

If you're looking for something a little more lego show flavored, then you should check out @digitaldoeslmk's "by the book au!" Its Monkey King is extremely fun sized, and it's really neat for the way it explores heartfelt sides to MK and friend's stories in a Monkie Kid scenario where JTTW happened according to Wu Cheng'en's story and where reality isn't constantly in danger so we see fun stuff like lion dancing and putting on plays and the warm interactions that come with it (& also where everyone isn't routinely yelling about how awful & incompetent SWK is fsgreafw).

I also have to give a shout-out to @violetvirus for their JTTW cyberpunk au! It's got a very fun and bouncy cartoon vibe to it, and I love how SWK, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing look as robots <3. There's hints of some interesting ways the JTTW scenario works with a cyberpunk setting, as well as some moments of silliness like this banger:

Last but certainly not least, and while its been awhile since he posted, I would definitely recommend checking out @antidotefortheawkward and @antidotefortheawkward-art's blogs for his JTTW AUs! Seriously, his blogs are cornucopias of wonderful JTTW aus, from an actors AU to a triad AU to a Lotus Lantern AU to a post-JTTW JTTW au! Each of these really shows a lot of attention and care for the characters and the details of the world they inhabit from clothing to religion to history, which as you can imagine opens up multiple opportunities for some really lovely, heartfelt, and overall great interactions. A few personal favorites include this comic of an conversation between Sun Wukong and Liu Chenxiang of Lotus Lantern fame:

A comic about Sun Wukong's reactions after first learning that Xiyouji included details about his time as Puti Zushi's tudi:

And to end on something a little darker, a comic for his JTTW-ish/Macbeth au.

So those are the JTTW aus I can think of at the top of my head, but I sincerely hope you find them as fun and interesting as I do anon! And needless to say if anyone has a JTTW au that they think worth sharing, please do so.

#anon answered #jttw au #man #pretty incredible just how many different stories Xiyouji has been the inspiration for #from multi-million productions #to people on tumblr