#No seriously though.. and the impaled giants.. with the thorns on them as many have mentioned before | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fictionerd · 6 years

Text

Good to see you, friends!

“WHAT’S THIS!? This isn’t Uma Musume! Fictionerd! Explain yourself!”

Well. I watched this week’s Uma Musume and as I did I had this sinking sensation. The episode didn’t really move me to dig in depth into it the way I have my other long-form posts. So I instead went to watch this week’s episode of Caligula and scrape my scales and call me Seath if it wasn’t about a thousand times better. So let’s all take a deep dive into Episode six of Caligula.

WARNING! I ENGAGE IN A LOT OF SPECULATION THAT MAY BE OFF THE MARK. I REPEAT A COUPLE TIMES IN THE POST BELOW, BUT LET’S GO AHEAD AND GET IT RIGHT OUT FRONT! PLEASE NO SPOILERS FOR THE STORY MOVING FORWARD FROM THOSE WHO’VE PLAYED THE GAME(S). THANK YOU.

We open on Mu preparing the first song of the night aimed at activating the digi-heads and allowing the Musicians to combat the rogues. We get an inkling of how she’s being manipulated by this Thorn character. Her Utopia has been hijacked by the musicians who seem intent upon living within their own delusions for all eternity.

We then get a series of quick establishing scenes showing the various characters and the situations they open in. Ritsu, Kotaro, and Kotono are still at the weird water-world place facing down Dom lady. Mifue and Naruko are where we left them last episode: with the first fake mom Mifue had in Mobius. Suzuna has run into newcomer Izuru and together they are cornered by another of the Musicians who has watched too many action movies and dual-wields massive sub-machine guns. Shogo just barely escapes the digi-heads by ducking into an elevator. We get a brief flash of what appears to be a girl jumping off a building before the elevator stops to reveal the white-haired speaker kid from the first episode. It seems like everyone who’s noticed the world is the matrix is in deep trouble.

After the OP we jump right back into the action with Kotono using her Catharsis effect to fight Dom Lady. The results are lack-luster with Dom flat-out batting away every arrow Kotono throws at her, even when she throws up to four at a time. They take a break from fighting to compare Mobius to an aquarium. Kotono’s all like, “This whole place is fake. I want my real crappy life back!” Dom lady snorts and says, “You’re a moron. Why would you want that sucky real world where you have to work for stuff when you could just stay here and let Mu brainwash you into thinking everything is absolutely perfect?”

I don’t know about Kotono, but my immediate response would be something along the lines of: “Because living in a world where everything is just handed to you is completely asinine, and would lead to the sort of stagnation you normally only get from full-on clinical depression.”

Enough of that scene, though, let’s catch up with Mifue and Naruko. They try calling Shogo to no avail. Sorry, ladies, he’s found himself in a situation he can’t just “cut” out of. You know how it is. You run into an acquaintance from school and they just demand you “Shoot the shit” with them. (I brought up his scene early just to make those puns and I’m not sorry).

Crazy, Pixie Dude shows up and is all like, “Hey you two. Since you know my secret identity I’m going to shame you for your own petty sorrows. Glasses-chick wants to be internet-famous and blandy hates fat people, right? Ooh I do love touching nerves. What you mad? Too bad you can do jack all about it!”

I have serious concerns about the directions they might take this guy in because of the whole “overweight dude living as a cute girl thing”. That’s one fucking minefield of a subject matter that I’d prefer to avoid until and unless we learn more about why he went with that. Depending on how it shakes out there could be some serious problems there. (Oh who am I kidding? There’s going to be serious problems with that character regardless.)

Once more I feel the need to alert those who’ve played the games ahead of time: NO SPOILERS PLEASE. I don’t CARE how the game handled it, because I’m watching the anime.

Okay! Enough of that aside: Back to the fight between Kotono and Dom. They basically continue their conversation from before and Kotono’s ranged attacks continue to be largely ineffectual. I’ve gotta say she seems to have gotten the “Shaft” on this particular matchup. (Jesus why am I doing this?)

Kotaro tries to get Aria to Cathars him up some beatin sticks, but she’s all like. “Sorry, bro, you’ve not got enough edge to work with.” Ritsu, realizing that they’re basically dead weight advises him to run and he’s all like, “But why?”

“Because they keep damaging those tanks and I don’t want to drown, That’s Why!” So they do and then we cut to the source of my puns from before where Crazy-eyes White-hair is trying to make several points to Shogo all at once with what appears to less be a sword and more a collection of random serrations. Fortunately Shogo’s Dirty Harry special is a functional parrying weapon, but his stance is basically shit so he keeps getting thrown around.

I’m seriously confused as to why he’s suddenly at such a disadvantage. Isn’t he somewhat experienced at this? Shouldn’t he at least be able to keep his footing?

Whatever, We jump back to Thorn and Mu who kinda snaps out of a trance.

“Girl whose name is not at all suspicious, why does it feel like the people I brought to my stately pleasure dome are all in pain and anguish?” “We call it tough love.” “Okay then, if you say so.”

And we move on. Wannabe Action Star has cornered Suzuna and Izuru and tries to be all intimidating just to strike out horribly and make Izuru look badass for just staring the punk down as a bullet grazes his cheek. (I’m assuming he got better build up to his introduction in the game. That or I just didn’t notice him in the insanity that were the opening episodes of the series.

At this point the various scenes from around Mobius start to converge in their tone. It’s essentially -

Musicians: This world is perfect! We don’t have to worry about things being hard or frustrating ever again! Rogues: That’s just running away. Sure I may regret this decision later, but I’d rather take a chance at having something real than play pretend forever! Musicians: It’s not pretend so long as we stay here it’s all real! RAAAR

The reason we see the scenes basically bleed together is because Aria is suddenly getting a serious mainline of feels from all the protagonists. She hovers up into the air and begins to glow with an awesome power. “I can feel it! Everyone’s Existential Angst is flowing into me. OH NO!”

And she gets pwned by the shockwave off Dom-lady’s mace. Kotaro runs over to her. We see Mu realizing her friend is still around, but that’s over fast. Then Kotaro picks Aria up and gets teary-eyed, Presumably out of fear that he’ll never get to see what she looks like as a human-proportioned Vocaloid rather than a chibi. Dom calls him a weakling and he’s like, “No I’m not [emphatic pause] Yes I am.” [Sob] Then a few not-so-manly tears fall down his cheeks and splash onto Aria who’s all like, “NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL EDGE!”

She turns into an orange star of “Battle Them” and everyone follows the light while internally screaming in anguish. Aria bundles up all those Feels and everyone but Ritsu undergoes the Catharsis transformation at once. The sudden realization that so many people didn’t like playing in her doll house makes Mu’s record skip before she, too, gives in to the edge. With ten minutes left in the episode we get our title card and all the protags are like, “Sweet threads! Thanks, Aria, now we can whoop some ass.”

And that’s exactly what they do. Maybe I’m just spoiled from watching Megalo Box last night, but up until this point I didn’t think the fighting in this had been much to write home about, but the big battle at the end between the Rogues and the Musicians was pretty cool. I sort of want to skip to the end at this point, but there’s something I need to touch on first. Remember when I mentioned Shogo’s Elevator flashback? The main reason I remember it is because when he’s asked why he wants to go back to the real world so bad he says “Because I’m a Murderer.”

Again No Spoilers! but I can’t help suspecting that he’s blaming himself for something he didn’t have much power to stop. Okay, subject addressed back to the fight.

Ritsu’s the only one who hasn’t impaled himself on his feels, and he’s struggling with this whole “Determination to keep fighting” thing. Everyone around him doesn’t just want to go home, they’re fighting for it. Just as he’s wondering what exactly he is and what he could have to fight for Mu descends from the heavens. She’s basically having a mental breakdown because she doesn’t understand why everyone won’t just let her make them happy. She’s taken all their pain and suffering and made them her problem. That sort of Empathy and desire to help others is admirable, but she’s handling it in the absolute wrong way. She’s trying to help them forget about their pains rather than face them. She’s basically gotten to the point where she’s angry at them for not being grateful for what she’s done. She doesn’t realize that she’s ultimately done more harm than good.

When she just LOSES IT! Words don’t suffice. It needs to be WATCHED.

So she starts overflowing with all the negative emotions she’s been taking from everyone and bottling up inside herself. She can’t hold back and has to lash out. Ritsu sees this, but not I think as the threat everyone else might see it as. He sees the pain that Mu’s in. He sees how misguided and delusional her quest is, and this gives him his motivation. He’s going to stand against Mobius, not for himself, but for her sake. Maintaining Mobius is obviously doing just as much harm to Mu as it is to everyone she’s keeping brainwashed.

So Ritsu fires a massive FEELS BEAM at the giant ball of EDGE Mu has accumulated and seemingly dissipates it. As Thorn flies(?) off with Mu in her arms Mu calls Ritsu a Jerk.

Post-credits scene all the Rogues decide to team up and officially name themselves the “Go-Home Club”. (Which honestly is probably the best and worst pun of them all).

Question! How the heck are you supposed to use club activities to “hide” what you’re doing? The Musicians know who you all are already! What are you worried about sucking other people in? Why?

Ugh, I guess I’ll find out as things go on. Now, if you’ll excuse me, this post may be late getting to bed, but so am I. Hopefully the next two days of playing catch-up will go smoother than this.

Until next post, keep talking fiction, friends! I’ll see you soon.

#Anime #Caligula #Episode 6 #Fictionerd #Let's Talk Anime

5 notes · View notes

hangonimevolving · 5 years

Text

Spartan Race training: status update

I’ve been dying to write an update about my Spartan Race training here. My last post about the topic was when I was in the midst of some pretty serious doubts, insecurities, worries, and PAIN. I’m happy to report that I recovered from that pectoral strain, and have been training steadily since that time. I even trained during the recovery, by resting my upper body a lot and doing more lower body strengthening and running. Its been a slow and steady process, but happily, I’m seeing some results. Videos!

My first Olympus Wall bell, about 7 weeks into training, and many many days of feeling wracked with doubt if I’d ever be able to conquer this thing:

youtube

My first successful foray into Ring Swings - still working on this skill, but I’m making progress in mastering Side to Side momentum, which is an integral skill in tackling many OCR obstacles. This was about 9 weeks into training:

youtube

Here is a list of the obstacles that I have been able to complete successfully thus far. By my count, there are 13.5 obstacles that I am conquering successfully. There are like 3.5 obstacles that remain thorns in my side. I am actually hoping to find a way to get 2.5 of these down, AT LEAST ONCE EACH, before my race in two weeks. Then there is one remaining, that I have a feeling I may not be able to get in time for this race. But I WILL try.

1) 20′ Vertical cargo net - ascent and descent (*the Spartan Race actually has an A-frame cargo net, which my trainer tells me should be easier than this vertical one)

2) Bucket Brigade - carrying a 50 lb. bucket around his entire house three times

3) Sandbag Carry - ditto the above but with a 40 lb. sandbag

4) Hercules Hoist

5) Rope Climb - I mastered the S-wrap technique around 3-4 weeks into training, but about 2 weeks ago, I gave the J-hook a whirl and VOILA - I got it!! This has since become my go-to technique b/c its faster, so less time taxing the arms.

6) Monkey Bars

7) Ring Swing (see above video)

8) Atlas Ball

9) Z-wall

10) Olympus Wall

11) 4′ Wall

12) 6′ Wall

13) 7′ Wall

14) 8′ Wall ***THIS is my 0.5 obstacle, in that I can complete it with assistance, which is permitted when running the race as part of a team, which I am. You can have a teammate give you a boost till you reach the top of the wall with your fingertips, OR you can use this wooden block step at the bottom to reach the top, then pull up to climb. But the hardcore way of doing the 8′ wall - the SPARTAN way - is to get a running start, then use a leg as a lever to boost up till you hook your fingers over the top of the wall. I’ve been trying and trying, but I just can’t seem to master the footing of that boost step quite yet. I am going to keep trying, though - I have gotten SO close, so many times. I just might get it.

Potential obstacles remaining in the pipeline:

15) Spear Toss. This is where you toss a long, 5-6′ spear into this huge hay-bale effigy of a Spartan dude, and you must impale the hay with the spear or forfeit 30 burpees. I WANT TO GET THIS OBSTACLE, goddammit. One tiny flick of the wrist, versus THIRTY BURPEES?! YASSSS. I really really want to get this one. I’ve bee practicing with my trainer, and my aim is excellent, the trajectory of the spear off my hands is good - but I can’t seem to put enough OOMPH behind the spear to make the distance and/or get it to impale the hay. It usually sort of descends and hits the stand holding up the hay, or it just doesn’t cover the distance - I’m about 6 inches short, and it is SO frustrating because I’m SO CLOSE. I really want to get this one!

I’m so committed to getting this one, that I’ve done a crazy thing - I went to a feed and garden store, and bought a giant bale of hay, and constructed a makeshift effigy in my backyard. Then I went to Home Depot and bought a broom handle and a long nail, and I’m making a spear. I’m practicing every chance I get, starting this weekend.

Haaaaaay! (and yeah, that made a mess in my car)

(motivation to make my target - don't want to have to fish my spear out of the lake)

16) The Bender.

This is an obstacle that I *think* I might be able to manage at the actual race, but in practice - it has been giving me trouble. The reason why is because the equipment that my personal trainer has at his facility is actually a more challenging setup of the Bender than what the Spartan organization actually provides to its racers.

My coach’s Bender:

... versus, the Spartan Bender:

So, you can see that on my coach’s rig, the formation is more of a straight X, or two intersecting diagonal structures. The Spartan rig is more of an arched shape. Also, my coach’s rig has this black plywood solid wall type thing at the top, whereas the Spartan rig is a ladder-like thing with bars. These are important differences, because an arch is easier to climb than an inverted diagonal, plus the open areas between bars are much easier to use for footholds, for hooking an arm or leg or elbow around, etc., than a solid plywood structure, which is way harder to grip and maneuver around. So, I’m kind of hopeful about the actual Bender on the race, if it is presented to me. I am *almost* able to do my coach’s rig right now, but I’m not quite there. I went REALLY REALLY hard on it this week, and unfortunately didn’t emerge unscathed - I got seriously banged up trying to climb over that farking plywood thing! When trying to climb, and way high up in the air, you have to use your upper arms and elbows to “hook in” and anchor yourself as you heave your body over. It takes TONS of strength, and you’re also super tense/nervous b/c you’re up so high - its a scary and difficult combination. As close as I came, I just couldn’t get it - and because of the tension and force with which I was trying to keep my “hooks” firm, I managed to bless myself with these gnarly bruises all over my arms:

Oof. Sexy.

But I really believe I wouldn’t have done all this damage if I hadn’t have had to hook in so hard, and if I could have used my legs to step more securely on/around bars. So. We’ll see if I’m right at the race.

And... the final obstacle on my list that remains unconquered, and one that I’m not sure I’m gonna get in time for this race is.....

17) THE TWISTER.

I’ll just leave you with this video, from some random Spartan racer on the interwebz. And all I’ll say is - holy shit. I have tried, a few times actually. And, I definitely can’t do this yet. #notworthy

youtube

Anyway. So, out of 17 listed obstacles, I am hopefully going to be able to give a GOOD, SOLID SHOT to 14 of them, and hopefully I’ll get lucky on #15 and #16. And I will try #17, and eat my burpees if/when I can’t do it. That’s the plan.

Oh, and the plan is to run, of course. A lot. It is a 5K race also, after all. So I’ve been running a lot, and per my trainer and every other Spartan racer’s advice, I’ve been trying to do as much off-road running on trails and natural terrain as I possibly can. This has, delightfully, meant that I’ve gotten to know my local public parks! Its been awesome! My favorite park is one near my house, that has over 12 miles of AMAZING dirt bike paths. With their twisted tree roots, rocky sections, embankments, hills, valleys, rickety wooden bridges, and dusty, tire-worn grooves - its been great practice for trail running and uneven terrain.

Sometimes trail running means encountering REALLY creepy, decapitated stuffed animals that are being used as trail markers..... ?

Considering that only 11 short weeks ago, I was seriously unable to do ANY of this - - I have to say, I’m super proud of myself.

And, aside from the physical skills and confidence I’ve acquired, I’ve also acquired two other things: 1) a large collection of fitness selfies, and 2) SHITLOADS of ripped calluses on my hands. ABSOLUTE SHITLOADS.

Fitness selfies:

And, ripped calluses. OUCH.

WHEEEE, midlife crises!!!!!!!

#spartanrace #OCR #fitness

0 notes