#an actual consistent style is coming into view <3

[venusvity]

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  ...     PRE-RELEASE SINGLE - DRAMA!

DRAMA is one of two pre-release singles for VENUS' fourth full studio album. DRAMA will be promoted for TWO WEEKS until the next single is released.

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  ...     MUSIC VIDEO AESTHETICS.

The DRAMA music video received 45 MILLION VIEWS in 24 hours and would remain number one on the Youtube trending page for 6 days. The video follows the girls through a technicolored cyberspace as they fight against a virus only known as "DRAMA" which is depicted as a dark and rapid-moving shadow.

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  ...     DRAMA LINE DISTRIBUTION.

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  … BAEBI = 28.20 SECONDS

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  … BLISS = 19.26 SECONDS

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  …  CHLOE = 49.15 SECONDS

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  … SENA = 17.29 SECONDS

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  … JIAH = 38.12 SECONDS

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  ...     PROMOTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS.

The girls were promoting DRAMA consistently for two weeks. For a solid two weeks, the girls were at music shows or other schedules promoting their upcoming album, which they revealed the name of at the end of their promotional period for DRAMA.

The album is called "VENUS VICTRIX" and will have 11 tracks. The creative direction for the album will be handled by long-time VENUS creative director Adrian Reyes. This differs from their last comeback, Burn The Witch, which was fully controlled by Venus themselves. While on Knowing Brothers, Chloe admits the girls experienced a lot of stress from handling all aspects of the album. "It was too much. We would be up until 5 AM almost every night trying to get everything to work, and we agreed that for this album, we want more rest!" which earned laughs from the hosts and from fans alike.

During an episode of "Visting Venus," they had Adrian come on to explain the lore of the album to them in a classroom-like setting with the girls at desks and him at a chalkboard, pointing with a stick and aggressively writing with a red piece of chalk.

"It's basically, like, Venus' Victory. The girls are trapped in a harsh cyber world but manage to break out and transform the landscape into something habitable," Adrian would explain, drawing a loosely thrown-together professor-esque outfit and round specs. Klara, drawing a school uniform and thick-rimmed classes, would raise her hand. "And how will we break out from this world?" "Easy," Adrian starts, pulling down a projector screen that has three big words on it in comic sans font, "Dance, music, and friendship."

The video was a massive hit with fans and had them on the edge of their seats waiting for the album's release.

Though they gave it their all at every performance, it was clear the girls were tired and being overworked. In most vlogs, you'd often see members sleeping on one another during their breaks at music shows or expressing how sore they were from all the performing they were doing. The Venus members, with the exception of Klara, would assure fans they were fine and liked working especially. Klara, however, would go on to post a singular mirror selfie of herself at 3 AM on her Instagram story with the caption, "just got back. can't wait for my powernap before i have to go back lol" but the story was quickly deleted and followed by a video of the maknae laughing and apologizing.

"That was meant for my close friend. My bad, my bad! Stop worrying. I'm just complaining! I swear to God if y'all mass email Flowerbank I'll have a tantrum. Don't worry about me!"

While this moment went viral on stan Twitter, constellations couldn't help but to worry for the girls. However, their worries were seemingly quelled once they got another stage of DRAMA to entertain them.

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  ...     LOOK BOOK.

.ﾟ۪ ♡ ۫  … LEFT 2 RIGHT: BLISS, BAEBI, CHLOE, SENA, AND JIAH

The girls wore wigs during their promotions, concealing their actual hair colors. While sometimes the wigs looked natural, especially Sena and Jiah's, there were times when the wigs looked straight from Party City. Due to their status in the industry, people called this style choice "camp" and praised them for it.

YOU CAN GET YOUR DRAMA PHOTOCARDS HERE!

#╰ * venus : discography ⧽ burn it to the ground . #ficnetfairy #fictional idol group #fictional idol community #kpop fanfic #idol oc #kpop oc #fake kpop oc #kpop au #idol au #kpop addition #idolverse #oc girl group #bts addition #fake kpop girl group #fake kpop idol #oc kpop group #stray kids addition

[xoxitgirl]

˚⊹₊ ⋆ updated manifestation routine ₊˚｡

2024 it-girl manifesto

hi all! so my last manifestation routine I feel like I missed a lot + have a new mindset now so I’m going to break it down in a better way lol. a lot of my mindset has been developed through esoteric philosophy, teachings of neville goddard, and edward art.

the foundation—

so this is what i base my thought process on, everything is mental. this is literally the first principle I learned of esoteric philosophy—mentalism. the mind has effects over all; mentally, spiritually, and physically. for anything to be/exist it has to come from the mind, this is also considered the “law of self” or the “law of one.” since our minds literally can’t comprehend what is imagined to be experienced vs what we’ve actually lived through, we can literally change ANYTHING through consciously shifting our awareness. some things may be viewed as “harder” or “more difficult” but in essence its the same exact process every time. and I only mean like conscious manifestation and not like past events/trauma.

rule one: find what works for you and practice consistency.

rule two: if you have it in your mind, it is already yours. feel it, touch it, smell it, embrace it. use your senses.

rule three: what is inside of you is outside of you—let it reflect without desperation, fear, or pressure.

intention comes first

if you lead with no direction where will you go? being able to understand what it is you want is a necessity to me when it comes to manifestation. I like to think of it as a mini ritual; writing or deciding your intention and then diving into the mindset revamp and everything else in store.

journaling, journaling, and more journaling

I journal literally everything in every style—meaning; when I start journaling I write short paragraphs expressing gratitude for my current manifestations. for more in depth desires, I will write pages about the experience of getting my desire, the feelings I felt, the people involved, the setting, etc. similar to gratitude letters, I just write gratitude vaunts. when I’m not vaunting I’m setting goals. goals can easily help us understand what we want and what we can do in the meantime to feel like we have it. I also journal sporadically, I read through all the things i’ve manifested through a couple months—for some reason this works insanely well for me.

state akin to sleep

SATS or state akin to sleep is basically being completely relaxed/in a drowsy state and envisioning your desire so its like you’re falling asleep in the wish fulfilled. this is useful because when you’re in this state, your mind is more accepting and receptive of your desires. neville breaks this idea down in depth but in short, there will be less opposition because you experience having your desire in this state and as I love saying; as above so below. as you continue this method the mental and physical planes will align.

subliminals + affirmation tapes

I always binge listen to subs for around a week to a month and then stop for at least 2 weeks minimum. idk why i just don’t like repetitive tasks but this way of sporadic listening has always helped me manifest better because I allow my manifestation to come to me. especially if it’s something I think is more of a material manifestation like a new car—I made a car sub and stopped listening after like 3 months of constant listening and my dad told me to clean out my car for my dream car.. like let it come to you babes.

detaching!!!

in my mind detaching is equally as important as intention. if you’re obsessing over something its more likely you’ll focus on the lack in the 3d instead of the abundance you have in the 4d. I force myself to not worry about my sp, put my phone down when I’m worried ab sales, and just relax because what is mine will always be mine. ways to detach… going on walks, drawing, focusing on hobbies, working out, yoga, listening to music, hanging out with friends or family, going for a drive, literally anything that brings you back to center and allows you to stop thinking excessively about your desire.

affirming 24/7

im always asking and telling myself how I would think as my most desirable self. when i’m worried about the weather, my designs, if my dates will go the way i want, or if my packages will arrive on time I affirm immediately, “the weather is always so amazing. I love driving in my area’s calm, nice weather. everybody always loves my designs, why wouldn’t they? I’m literally one of the most famous designers in the world. I always have picturesque fairytale like dates with my SP because he loves me and wouldn’t let me settle for less tff” and like its been mentioned before, we have thousandss of thought a day so a negative thought literally cant hurt you or your manifestation but affirming can be extremely helpful for those with anxiety or intrusive thoughts imo.

manifestation lists

i write a list of everything I’ve manifested every month to remind myself of my power. at times ill even throw in a few things that I am wanting at the moment to remind myself it’s already mine. every time I manifest consciously I scroll through the list just as like a confidence booster I guess.

visualizing + vision boards

im constantly visualizing what I want in my present. literally money in my hands, my new computer in front of me—visualize, visualize, visualize. thats definitely a really big part of my routine, also making vision boards and having them on my phone, on my walls, etc. using apps to make it more convenient like vsco, pinterest, notion.

sigils

making sigils helps me kinda detach too! this is definitely not a necessity, I only remake my sigils every year or when I feel uneasy about something. over time i’ve noticed that with ones i’ve used for safety/peace, I have to actively choose which energy to embody. nobody will come into my space causing me to be in a stressful mood unless I allow it—imo it helps a lot with conscious creation.

challenges + rules

I make a lot of challenges that I do privately and every time I stop/revert to thinking about the 3d I have to restart. I always give myself repercussions for feeding into a lack mindset because why would I do that when I live a life of abundance? im not like hard on myself or anything its just about maintaining the idea until it saturates. I also use like 10-20 manifestation rules that I have and follow on a daily basis, I would also recommend making your own list of rules because if you don’t have a standard to follow its harder to stay focused. some of mine are—

ᥫ᭡ everything I desire manifests the second I desire it.

ᥫ᭡ I manifest anything I want instantly.

ᥫ᭡ only my desired thoughts manifest.

ᥫ᭡ nothing can stop me from getting what I want.

ᥫ᭡ the 3D changes instantly for me.

ᥫ᭡ I have such potent undeniable incredible power.

ᥫ᭡ I always manifest what I want on the spot.

as above so below, as within so without.

itgirl ⊹ ࣪ ˖

#vzn #xoxitgirl #manifestation routine

[medics-secret-shipfic-folder]

Just wanted to say that I kinda just obsessively went through your saucy tag and wow your art improved so much last year! Like, obviously it was really awesome to start with, but your recent work? Kinda jaw dropping. Your art style really speaks to me

Thank you so much! For the longest time I thought I was just kinda stagnating, but it's a relief to hear that my work actually has improved!

I think most of it comes from me finally using a "looser" style, if that makes sense.

This drawing is the best example of what I mean, because it was when I first started trying this new style. The eyes aren't solid circles anymore, there's significantly more variation in line thickness, the expressions are more fluid, I finally learned how to draw pupils and irises without cramming thick lineart into such a small space - overall, it's not nearly as rigid as what I was doing before.

Compare this to my old style, and...

It's not bad, per say, but everything is VERY stiff. If I had to point to why my old style was so rigid, it was because I was trying way too hard to keep consistent shapes with certain characters, and those shapes got in the way of dynamic posing and expressions.

Best example would be the way I used to draw Cmedic's hair. It's a series of very sharp shapes that do NOT lend themselves well to angling his head in any way that ISN'T a neutral 2/3 view. But in the newer piece, his hair is much simpler and "swoopier," making it much easier to draw him in a number of positions without his hair looking off.

This is just a long way of saying I leveled up in art lmao

#anonymous #team fortress 2 #tf2 #take back the fortress

[oddygaul]

Scavengers Reign

Holy shit, good western animation that’s not comedy and actually has a focus on aesthetics, setting and craft??

Seriously, I still can’t believe something like Scavengers Reign got made. This feels like a student thesis film you’d see on Vimeo, not a full 12-episode series with a healthy production schedule.

I loved this show. The artstyle is a clear rip of Moebius, but that’s… fucking sick? I mean, given how little that style has been successfully adapted for animation, I’m all for it, especially when it’s done with this much care and skill. Seriously, some of the longer environments shots could genuinely pass for later Moebius illustrations. The colors are also gorgeous throughout, managing to make each biome feel distinct (and thus sell how far our characters have traveled) while maintaining a consistent, muted vibe over the course of the story.

The star of the show, obviously, is the ecology and creature design. Even with no added context, the designs are all very cool, from the little rolling polyps we see everywhere to the stampeding ungulates. But the thing that sets this show apart is the clear ecological niche we’re shown for each species. Nearly every creature we see, we learn something about: their source of food, their natural predators, the unique behavior they’ve adapted to thrive in their environment. And the comparison to nature documentaries doesn’t just stop there - they even directly ape the style, editing and content of documentaries, like when the show focuses on territorial disputes between members of the same species, or highlights a predator taking advantage of its prey’s weakest moments to strike.

Some of my particular favorite ideas: 1. All of the various white-coated creatures near Azi’s desert encampment that blend seamlessly into the spires for camouflage 2. The seafaring creatures sucking up their young for protection during the lightning storm, and the parasites that come in to gorge themselves while they’re defenseless 3. The fact that the little Grey-looking gecko-apes (Hollow’s species), given their intelligence and powerful telekinesis, could clearly become apex predators and take on prey many times their size… but instead use their hypnosis to force other species to get food for them, because it takes way less energy expenditure. That’s nature, baby!

The show definitely drags a bit around the halfway point. The start of the story is explosive, as we follow the viewpoints of 3 different groups of survivors and their drastically different situations. The character dynamics are great in the beginning - Ursula and Sam’s early mastery of the wildlife during their expeditions, Azi’s reticence contrasted with Levi’s developing personality, and the slow horror that unfolds as Kamen is taken in by Hollow. For the first few episodes, we have no idea where things will end up, and it’s exciting watching things play out.

By the midpoint, we’ve basically lost Kamen’s point of view, as his arc is put on ice until the end of the show, so we’re just bouncing back and forth between Sam & Ursula’s perspective, and the group Azi finds herself falling in with. Sam & Ursula’s narrative feels like it gets stuck in a rut here, as Sam gets infected with two different parasites back to back; I really feel like they should’ve committed to one (preferably the plot thread about the previous survivor) rather than trying to land the same emotional beat twice in a row. On Azi’s side, while I understand what they were going for with Kris and the other newcomers, their story never really got compelling for me. Scavengers’ strength is the planet and its bizarre alien life. Levi, with their dawning sentience and growing connection to the natural world, really fits into those themes; replacing that with a ‘Humans were the real monsters scavengers all along!’ subplot is a tough sell, especially when the characters driving it are about as charismatic as a puddle and have some of the most awkward acting / writing in the show.

There’s even some form issues in the middle section. In classic anime fashion, the visuals take a bit of a hit; there’s less standout background work in the 2nd act, and the character animation suffers at times. I also found the editing distracting in this section; with only two points of view to go between, the constant cutting between the A and B plot started to feel artificial and distracting. Also, since we more or less have an idea of how the stories are going to come together by this point, there’s a sense of inevitability to the proceedings.

Fortunately, things come back together in the end; Ursula leaving Sam behind is every bit as bittersweet as it should be, Levi’s resurrection by the planet-flowers is fascinating, and the sequence where Hollow is returned to its natural self, courtesy of a Levi-supplied Total Perspective Vortex, is just goddamn gorgeous. Seriously, if anything can become iconic anymore in the constantly shifting hell that is today’s media landscape, it’s this breathtaking animated montage of life germinating and evolving on Vesta. Well, that and the buckwild life-to-death flower pollination sequence in episode 3. Fully expecting to see those posted as captures on random forums one, five, ten years from now.

Here’s hoping for season two, or anything more from this creative team! They can’t leave us hanging with the fuckin Imperium of Man showing up at the end like that, can they?

#will's media thoughts / virtual brain repository #shows #scavengers reign

[cutieeeszn]

Hobby’s to pick up:

Okay, if I’m being honest. I am very inconsistent with my hobbies. I end up dropping them all. But having hobbies and activities really help you in multiple ways. Finding new friends, learning new things, disengaging from electronics. (I see y’all) so here are a few hobbies to look into. Some of them ive tried/been trying to get into. And these are the ones I’m most consistent with. :)))

Crochet

Crochet or knitting is so calming. And really not that expensive. It’s simple to learn. And you can do it over playing some music. Let me know if there’s any crochet tutorial accounts you’d love to know!

Drawing

- ah. This one is simple. Many tutorials available. I’d say, begin with finding out your art style. Experiment. Go crazy. You can trace some drawings first, as practice. Slowly move on to actually drawing. And remember, be creative. Finding your own art style is so important and influences how good your drawing may come out.

Learning a new language

This one is fun. Duolingo…my best friend right now. I’m doing French. It’s a beautiful language, and after a while of learning French. (3 weeks) when I’m listening to songs I can understand some parts. I also find it so entertaining comparing them to English words and how they link. 21 days forms a habit. So, doing duolingo. Kind of an habit now.

Embroidery

Again, calming. It’s beautiful to see how the images end up. And it’s more fun when you draw your own images. Really cheap I believe, varying from where you’re from. But making pillows, frames and little pieces is so lovely with embroidery.

Writing/ Poetry

This one is good and interesting as a hobby, personality trait. And for your mind. Training your brain to express its thoughts in different words, sequences and hidden under other meanings. Is so beautiful.

Digital scrapbooking

My instagram is filled with these. Actually, I only have one post. But it’s a digital scrapbook. Using CANVA and 17v28 to make these scrapbooks are so fun. Not messy, and so easy.

Dancing

Not only does it look snazzy. Dancing has so many health benefits. Hip Hop to ballet to jazz. Now I think about it, I miss being a dancer.

Reading

Be a book warm, have no shame about it. Really. Let me know if you want some book recommendations. Books take you into another world, let you view things. It’s trust beautiful when you find the right kinda book.

Creating a tumblr blog

I just started this. It’s fun though. That’s all I can say.

Fashion Designing

I sewed a shift dress. Well, kind of. It’s so fun making clothes. Although, fashion design was a school subject. It’s very fun to do. You can remake clothes at home. Turn an old skirt into a shirt. Go crazy. (Btw, when you take classes you start noticing fashion design features in your clothes. I noticed seam allowances, overlocking.)

Learning to play an instrument

I’m guilty of picking and dropping instruments. Currently, it’s guitar for me. I was really good at clarinet, and eh and piano. But now, I’m going back to guitar. Learning and instrument has many benefits. Study wise, talent wise, im pretty sure mentally too!

Normal Scrap Booking

Same thing as digitally. Just pulls you away from the screen ;)

Photography.

Capture those moments. Cherish them. Post them. Print them. Annotate them. Write about them. Just capture them.

Sincerely,

bliss5tar.

#aesthetic #black girl luxury #hobbies #new hobby #feminism #girl advice #biblical femininity #crochet #for you #my hobby #advice #girls icons #that girl

[pearlsofthec]

While not as celebratory as October (MY B-DAY MONTH!) and not yet as festive as December, November is a month that’s always full of promises to me. It’s the month when I usually swear to myself I'll get everything done, so I can try to relax when it's Christmas time. While my productivity levels aren't as consistent as I'd like them to be, my will to be productive certainly is. I'm definitely a list kind of girl, loving making them just as much as I enjoy reading them in magazines and on archive blogs from the 2010s (classygirlswearpearls and rookie magazine, I’m looking at you guys). So what better way to start the month and try to get myself together than by writing a big ole' list? My November Guideline:

To be inspired

On TV: Spencer Hastings, Blair Waldorf, Tanner Hall

I may have only watched a season and a half of Pretty Little Liars, but that absolutely doesn't stop me from loving and pinning essentially every single outfit ever worn by Spencer Hastings on television, EVER. I love the way it's simultaneously classic and dated. I've never been one to fear a dated style or outfits that might one day make me sigh and go, "Oh my God, that was so ten years ago for me." I guess that's my way of contributing to history and experimenting with the millions of inspirations I'm constantly bombarded with via social media. I specifically love this aspect of her style, how she wears what she wants, what she loves, but always communicates a deep appreciation for a more traditional way of dressing. 

A lot of the same things can be said about Blair. Again, a character from a TV series I haven't watched all the way through (I can't make it past the first few episodes of season 3, sorry!), who was a pillar of preppiness back in the day, and is still wildly beloved, despite having committed a few fashion faux pas in my opinion. The craziness of it all and even the grandma-ness of it all actually fascinate me about Blair's wardrobe. How she constantly projects a vision of who she needs to be. Spencer does the same, obviously, but with Blair, it's almost like she viewed every day of her life, every problem she needed to face, as a new plotline of an old movie that needed to unravel. For each plotline, she reacted as a different heroine would, and each heroine, naturally, expressed herself differently through fashion. I just love these characters she creates for herself, and I feel like I often have the same instinct to curate an outfit like that when getting ready.

Tanner Hall, directed by Diane von Fürstenberg's daughter, Tatiana, is in the same aesthetic line as the previous mentions. The movie is set in a quintessential New England boarding school, where beiges, browns, and muted greens seem to be the only existent colors. The whole wardrobe is gorgeous, designed by DVF, and the holy grail for all those who are obsessed with an old-time preppiness. While the movie's plot may be flawed, its attempt to portray the delicious whimsy and melancholy of a girlhood that tries to expand inside the claustrophobic gates of the school is genuine and comes from what, to me, is a mixture of personal history and folklorized memories. I really like the softness of it all; you can almost smell the crisp apple scent through the screen.

On the web: 2010s Emma Watson, Silly Lettuce, Eva Meloche 

I can't really explain my current fixation on Emma Watson, but I have the feeling it has something to do with the fact I've been looping her Burberry campaigns practically every day. The songs are so reminiscent of a carefree city life, going on long taxi drives in the rain and putting your hands over the steam of your coffee on a cold day in the park with your friend, wet fall leaves on the cement sidewalk. I used to admire Emma Watson a lot when I was younger, and it's nice to rediscover this fondness for her. And let's be honest, she is definitely one of the founders of the gamine community; all I have, I owe to her!

Now, my current admiration for @silly_lettuce on Instagram is totally aesthetic, and I'm not afraid to say it. Gorgeous girl, gorgeous outfits, what's not to love. I could go on and on about her style in general, the silhouettes she wears, the boots, the knee-high socks, but instead, I'll just urge you to check out her page! So timeless, yet so young, fun, fresh, and COOL!!!! 

Eva Meloche is a YouTuber I've been watching for as long as I can remember, and not only do I adore the calm energy all of her videos exude, but I also really love her travel stories and spot recommendations in general, which always come in handy. Oh, and, of course, she has impeccable taste. Even though her style is different from mine, I guess I use her content as a way to explore.

To wear 

I think it's totally healthy to have an everlasting lust for new clothes and new products. Maybe it's because the holiday energy is already lingering in the air, or maybe it's because I'm fresh out of a father and daughter trip to Paris, but recently, I've been loving to revisit my old favorites. And by old, I mean back-when-I-was-twelve old, which includes:

Red Valentino patterned A-line dresses

Ok, I know they may be a bit too young, but if you get it, you get it, I guess. With some ballerinas or Mary Jane pumps, a cute overcoat, and a nice pair of sunglasses, you'll look positively '60s. Honestly, any A-line dress works, but RED V makes me remember my trips with my grandparents and going shopping with them.

The Cardi-blazer 

So basic, I know, but I cannot stop thinking about the Ba&Sh Gaspard cardigan and Guspard blazer. I just love how it elevates a basic outfit. With a pair of jeans and a trench coat over it, it has infinite potential. I can definitely see myself wearing it to a lunch with friends, for some afternoon shopping, or just for a coffee run. I love the Ba&Sh cardi-blazers, specifically because of how cool they look without ever being an "in-your-face" type of item. The buttons are nice and discreet, and the style is put together but not excessively frumpy.

Flap Brogue

Maybe it's the Miu Miu enthusiast in me, but ever since they released the new collection of shoes with Church's (my dad's fave), I've been loving all outfits that include a pair of brogues. I already had a pair of light brown oxfords (which are my one true love), but I really wanted something in black and thought that a pair of flap brogues would be a nice addition. They're perfect to wear with sheer hosiery, a mini jean skirt, and a cozy black sweater to tie it all together.

Statement sweater

Talking about sweaters... I just have so many cool statement ones living in my brain recently; it's a bit concerning. What's better than wearing a huge sweater that screams "look at me" when going out with friends or having a nice dinner party? I've been specifically lusting over two models: the Kritzia glittery, oversized turtlenecks with animal motifs and the Zadig and Voltaire Alma "rock and roll" red one.

Statement everyday shoes 

It's so 2016 to talk about Golden Gooses, but... I just love them. I happened to buy them after quite a bit of time resisting after I found myself with soaked ballerinas after a violent rainstorm, soon-to-be late to my lunch reservation. The Golden Goose store was my knight in shining armor, literally, offering me shelter and shoes. And maybe it was the desperation, maybe it was the pink sparkly star, but all I know was that I left that store in a glittery haze, enamored by the sneakers I'd just impulsively bought. No regrets!

To Discover

Maison millais (The Eloise perfume specifically… i need it)

Armocromia

Isak Zenou

Brai (pyjamas)

Louvini

Sekiguchi dolls

#blog #monthly guidelines #november

[heejinkwan]

FALLEN ANGEL is the second mini album by ASTELLA, a South Korean soloist. It was released on February 23, 2024 by StarShip Entertainment. The album consists of seven tracks, one including title track NOBODY KNOWS. It is available both physically and digitally.

ASTELLA promoted the album for 4 weeks total, promoting NOBDODY KNOWS and b-side MANIAC for 2 weeks each. NOBODY KNOWS peaked at 2 on the gaon charts while MANIAC peaked at 11. although unpromoted, Kingdom Come and Lucid Dream also charted, peaking at 19 and 25 the week after the album's release. The album received global attention as well, peaking at 10 on the US Billboard 200, also charting in 20 other countries including Japan, Brazil, FinLand, Thailand, and the UK. ASTELLA won a total of 9 music show awards for this album, NOBDOY KNOWS winning 7 with MANIAC earning 3.

˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ i. the tracklist !

i. ✭ .   nobody knows ( title track )

ii. ✭ . maniac

iii. ✭ . rewind

iv. ✭ . lucid dream

v. ✭ . kingdom come

vi. ✭ . automatic

vii. ✭ . thirsty

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ get your photocards here !

*ੈ♡⸝⸝ ii. the styling !

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ iii. the reception !

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ iv. the notes !

₊˚ෆ the concept of this album was basically an omen to her performance on fictitouscore, her being a fallen angel, like the title of the album says.

₊˚ෆ the album was automatically a banger, earning a 7.2 score on pitchfork, astella garnered many new fans off of the release of nobody knows itself.

₊˚ෆ a lot of stellars believe that they should’ve made kingdom come be the title track, seeing that it’s gone so viral, but others understand why nobody knows was chosen for the title track.

₊˚ෆ astella blew up on tik tok! people already saying that nobody knows is soty and that it was the best release so far!

₊˚ෆ she did many challenges with julie and hanuel of kiss of life, karina of aespa, joy of red velvet, and yeji of itzy.

₊˚ෆ she made many new friends including yeji, who she met from being friends with karina.

₊˚ෆ and all the rumors are true! the album may or may not be about yeonjun, who she has been rumored to be dating ever since 2020 west they had a minor acquaintance.

₊˚ෆ she began being close to him while being in promise, but after leaving he was one of the only people she talked to all the time, the rest being her family, the promise members, and karina.

₊˚ෆ they began officially dating in 2022 but never actually confirms it so nobody knows is like her saying it but not actually saying it.

₊˚ෆ when it peaked number two on billboard, heejin’s family called her and they celebrated with a cake, congratulating her on her success.

₊˚ෆ she literally did a live at like 1am happy, which turned into her crying because of how overwhelmed and happy she was that the song was doing well, the comments were congratulating her and telling her not to cry.

₊˚ෆ during maniac promotions, a lot of people felt like the song did not fit the album and complained that it was being promoted and not kingdom come, which was gaining more streams than maniac.

₊˚ෆ starship released two videos of the recording process of both nobody knows and maniac, which gained so much traction on twitter and tik tok with videos with over 1m+ likes and views.

₊˚ෆ even though she hadn’t planned it, heejin ended up finding out that she will be performing at coachella 2024 in california alongside other kpop artists such as lesserafim and ateez.

₊˚ෆ even though no one expected it, rewind also ended up getting popular! after many stellars posted the song in a sped up version, making people who did even stan heejin wonder what the song was, it even got non kpop fans bopping to it!

₊˚ෆ after catching onto it, heejjn ended up posting a lyric video of rewind on her channel, and after a week it charted at number 8 on top 100: south korea on apple music, youtube music charts at number 1, and gaon chart at number 5.

₊˚ෆ stellars can really say this is their favorite era of astella so far, when the music is good how can you not stan?

₊˚ෆ very much inspired by this by @dr3amluc1d

#◟ ⋆ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 › discography ! #◟ ⋆ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 › activities ! #◟ ⋆ ◟ ⋆ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 › heejin kwan ! #◟ ⋆ 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 › stan twitter ! #fictional idol community #fictional idol oc #kpop oc #fake kpop addition #fake kpop gg #fake kpop girl group #fake kpop group #fake kpop member #fake kpop oc #fictional kpop community #fictional kpop idol #fictional kpop oc #fictional idol group #fake kpop soloist #fake kpop company #fake kpop idol #fake oc #idol oc #kpop original character

[danothan]

@cessmaga i felt like this could be its own post!

this is so funny bc i've said this all before but for some reason it hurts me to read it </3

incoming pondering

i have mixed feelings. the punching bag portrayal of hal definitely feels… selective compared to other characters. lauren faust has said that the way she figured out everyone's personalities was to take their most popular iterations and exaggerate them into distinct roles. and it honestly works well for the show! yes even when it’s ooc! superman being a proud hotshot? well he did have a bit of an ego on him when he was younger, and this superman is 19-20, so that checks out! wonder woman being a fish out of water? i mean, she was even the audience stand-in for g1, it makes sense from a writing standpoint! hell, even "playboy bruce wayne" and "theater kid oliver queen” feel random and ooc, but it’s hilarious and plays on some recognizable tropes of the characters, so i’m definitely not complaining. it’s more important for an adaptation to hold up on its own than be a 1-to-1 reference to the source, and i think there’s smth for both comic fans and first time watchers to enjoy

but hal is more complicated. i didn’t get this impression from him when i first watched dcshg. i can see why they chose him for the jock character, someone had to fill that role after all, and i can see how his moments of silliness in the comics can add to the Dumb in Dumb Jock. like i get where they’re coming from. but it became more abt making hal fit the jock role than making the jock role fit hal

i don’t think it’s all bad tho. his debut ep endeared me upon my second watch. like hal was SUCH a senior, it was mean-spirited, but seniors are just like that 😔👊 sometimes it felt like they were pushing it, but it serviced karen’s character. they’re not making a show called dc superhero GIRLS to make it abt the boys (and i’m certainly not asking them to). so there’s definitely a right way to do it, but i feel like they lost the plot somewhere down the line. how did he downgrade so hard lmao, i can accept the premise but you have to actually like your oc too

this problem isn’t just a hal thing ofc, other decisions felt questionable to me too. like why is diana boy-crazy. the whole “she came from an all-girls island so she fell for the first boy she saw” thing is WILD for her specifically. she came from an all-girls island, connect the dots.

but i do feel like hal consistently gets the brunt of it. maybe it’s just my hal vision, but it feels targeted. how come barry gets to have all these barry-specific quirks and references, but hal is just some generic jock. they’re best friends in the comics! if you know sm abt barry, SURELY you knew that too!

bad characterization aside, my main problem is his (mis)treatment in the show. it’s straight up unpleasant to sit thru, he’s a metaphorical AND literal punching bag. the contrast going between an episode for hal vs anyone else is crazy, it’s like someone read only the worst versions of him and decided to punish the character for being poorly written. oh my god it’s like zack snyder making a superman movie. waittt it’s exactly like that oh god 😭

design-wise… he’s so ugly, every friend i’ve shown a picture to always responded in disgust 💀 and after watching g1, the choices in his redesign speaks volumes to their view of his character. but here’s the thing…

it’s actually rly grown on me I KNOW I’M SORRY. like, okay, his hair style is not doing him any favors (idek what version of him it’s supposed to be inspired by??), and anyone that changes brown eyes to blue/green is my personal enemy. buuuut… he still has his signature cleft chin <:) and his raglan tee is a clever translation of the cut of his GL suit <:)

idk, going from g2 to g1 back to g2 gave me more of an appreciation for the tooniness of the style. we think g1 is better bc it’s inoffensive. it’s bland. i def think the slapstick for hal in g1 felt like laughing with the character instead of at him, and his overuse of constructs is sooo classic hal, but in terms of visual personality, i didn’t get much just by looking at him. i miss that damn jacket tho, no idea why they didn’t keep it

but picture daze wrecked me so bad that it gave me rose-colored glasses and now i can’t remember what it was like to ever think he was ugly

is it so wrong to think he looks like a sweetie :( a silly little guy :(

sidenote, i haven’t seen this ep before but wth is this:

this is not a 17-18 year old highschooler, this is a 30-smth divorcee. i think that might be the joke, but tell me why his hair looks more recognizable here than the default 😭

all of this to say: world’s biggest hypocrite over here defending dcshg hal after talking essays worth of shit abt him LMAO. i accidentally gave him a consciousness and now it feels like he’s the victim of bad writing rather than the perpetrator of it. i’m not even mad that they made him a dumb jock anymore, i just want him to be happy ☹️

#dcshg #hal jordan #green lantern #dc #danbles #idk how im going to redesign him now that i actually like him #woe is me for having terrible taste in characters 😔👊

[nebulouscoffee]

b'elanna torres for the character ask game?

B'lorbo!! Thank you for picking her <3

one aspect about them i love

So B'Elanna's got this very specific brand of angst I find enormously compelling, she's literally a walking collection of contradictions- like she craves stability, but also feels threatened by it; she seeks out families and organisations because she wants to feel accepted, but also sabotages her chances so that no one can let her down again; she both suppresses and hides behind her Klingon side; she enjoys feeling good both physically and mentally but only really feels right when she's in pain; she deeply respects and resents both technology and tradition; she's so confident in her abilities yet struggles to view herself as "working" correctly as a person; she sees herself as two "halves" and too much yet still somehow not whole- ugh there's so much going on! And nothing makes me latch onto a character faster than desperate attempts at masking an inability to handle change lmao. In other news, I will be founding the Cries Like A Baby While Watching 'Extreme Risk' Club, who wants to join me :D

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

She's kind. She is literally KIND. I don't blame people for being left with the opposite impression, because the script keeps telling us she's aggressive and perpetually in a bad mood and difficult to be around, but like- EVERYTHING we see points to nearly the exact opposite! I'm not saying she doesn't have flaws. It's just that- well, from what we see of her, these just aren't her flaws. She is open and open-minded. She is social, she's literally FUNNY, she's very easy to both work and get along with, she actively devotes time to helping her friends (like?? in 'Real Life' she agrees to have dinner with the EMH's holo-family and even gets invested in them and offers him honest feedback. How many people would do this? If she really had no patience, she just wouldn't!) Tbh on the show B'Elanna is consistently compassionate as hell; there is not a SINGLE time someone asks her for help that she refuses- and I'm including more than one occasion where she was literally kidnapped ('Flesh and Blood') or forced to by circumstances ('Muse'), but still chose to go above and beyond for those in need anyway. Also, that episode where she uncovers a genocide through those telepathic dreams? Literally would not have hit as hard with any other character, for precisely this reason! She cares about people, she's deeply passionate about justice- and imo, she's actually extremely forgiving. Her friends matter to her so much, and after a lifetime of feeling repeatedly abandoned, she treats the people she's got very, very well

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

Her hair is naturally curly! She started straightening it when she was very young, because she didn't want to look like her mom (the mildly wavy version we sometimes see is simply her not having the time or inclination to keep up the straightening properly). The S6 Curls were a result of her thinking of her mother a lot leading up to 'Barge of the Dead', and they sort of represent a lil self-acceptance arc? And because I want good things for her, I see the straight hair from S7 as merely a style choice, no longer a compulsion :)

one character i love seeing them interact with

Chakotay! They have such a complex, loaded, intimate, weirdly undefinable bond that I find very interesting. I also notice it's a recurring motif that whenever something's going on with either of them, it's the other who usually comes through with the correct insights after several others fail to. It's sweet!

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

I definitely crave more interactions with both Seven and Harry, but I'm going to say Kes- simply because they didn't really interact at all, and there was so much potential there! When I think of all the conversations they could've had- their complex experiences with self-determination- with rage, and living with it, and being considered scary and violent for things beyond their control- with parents, with conformity-based romance, or ageing, or spirituality, or what sort of pranks they should play on the EMH-

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

She and Janeway have a book club. You cannot convince me those two aren't constantly exchanging the nerdiest, most physics-and-mathematics-heavy sci-fi on the regular, right alongside the quadrant's most melodramatic romance novels. In fact? I bet Janeway was inspired to make that one Irish hologram dude after reading a few too many of those lol

#ask game #sorry this got so long!! I really went full blorbo mode huh #thank you for the ask friend :D

[l-1-z-a]

Emergent narrative in The Sims 2

Matt Brown at AIIDE 2006

Notes from Matt Brown's (EA/Maxis) invited talk at AIIDE 2006, entitled "The Power of Projection and Mass Hallucination (Practical AI in The Sims 2 and Beyond)".

The general gist of it is that The Sims 2 is a sandbox world that provides some small bits of narrative-promotion to try to encourage emergent narrative sequences to actually emerge, by matching them against pre-authored snippets that seem desirable. In general, Matt Brown has a very AI-minimalist style of AI design.

Some points and claims:

Perception is key: how to seem intelligent, not how to be intelligent ("Big A, little i")

Complicated behind-the-scenes computation is usually interpreted as random behavior by the player, so don't bother

Players have short memories and quickly move on, so your AI should too

Correlary to the above: Local intelligence is good enough, at least for something like The Sims. Just focus on making sure everything makes sense in relation to what comes immediately before and immediately after, and players will fill in appropriate long-term stories themselves.

Consistency leads to player storytelling and ascription of personality

Some randomness helps avoid brittleness; keeps you from getting stuck in repeated or easily exploitable weird behaviors

The Sims/NPCs react to player-driven momentum, rather than initiating much of anything

Much of the local behavior is organized around story trees

Story trees are explicitly authored bits of story, very short

In their experience, the important thing here was the authoring tools, not the AI: given good tools, a few human authors can quickly create and maintain lots and lots of story trees. Important features were sorting of story trees by roles, easy searching/comparison/etc., batch creation/edits, and variable bindings.

He was pretty adamant that it's much easier to write authoring tools to make writing extensional definitions of "good story" feasible than it is to build a generative system with an internal notion of good story, since you'd have to do a lot of manual fiddling on the latter anyway.

Events are matched against all tree prefixes simultaneously, and of high-matching trees, the events that that tree says would come next in its story snipped is scored against a model of player interest ("player likes [x] events") and personality of the NPC, etc.

Players find it easier to give specific outcomes rather than traits — answering "likes hiking (y/n)?" is easy, while "x/10 for extrovert?" isn't.

Focus the player on the details you will actually use; in character design and personalities, don't try to faithfully model things that don't matter very much to your game

Anecdote: They had a complicated model for which urinals Sims would use: if there's 3, and someone's at the leftmost one, the Sim is supposed to use the rightmost one, not the middle one, unless they have some sort of weird personality. It wasn't reliably getting the responses they wanted, so they ripped it out and replaced it with a random-number generator, which people were just as happy to make up stories about and ascribe personality to.

A bit of an admission in the conclusion: As a sort of aimless "sandbox game", The Sims only really needs to make sure something interesting happens, but it hardly matters what. The player is responsible for making up stories (this is their sandbox after all), so the story-AI part of The Sims is only intended to provide some prompts and play off what the player does. That might not be the case in other types of games.

Follow-up: Maxis ended up deviating significantly from this view of Sims narrative with The Sims 3, bringing in Richard Evans to do a less AI-lite version of the AI, which included longer-term planning rather than purely emergent narrative. Evans has given a number of talks on that, which I unfortunately don't have good notes on, but here (archived) is a brief writeup someone else did of his AIIDE 2007 talk.

Mark J. Nelson, 2006-06-21.

<Note index>

Comments welcome: [email protected]

Many thanks to @andrevasims for searching in this post:

#sims 2 beta #sims 2 #ts2 #Emergent narrative #The Sims 2 #AI design #AI #artificial intelligence #article #sandbox world #storytelling #authoring tools #story trees #event matching #player interest #NPC personalities #game design #game development #gamedev #game dev #Matt Brown #ea maxis #Mark J. Nelson #simblr #ts2 simblr #the sims 2 #sims2

[emcandon]

Em I just finished TAU! What a ride, thank you for the incredible journey! Coming here after reading (and adoring) Ronin, and I am once again blown away by your elegant writing style😍 Even the acknowledgements and your author blurb are just😍😍

I was especially enchanted with the amount of worldbuilding you did for this novel. Just out of curiosity, how much of the Lay did you actually work out/write down? You include several Leafs, but I was wondering if there were any that didn't make it into the final copy of the book.

Alsooooo I am SO interested in everything about Cradle, and I hope we get to learn more about it in future books! <3

(Thank you for reading the acknowledgments; I really try to make those worthwhile <3)

The Leaves!! There are a number of Leaves that were written only to be cut, so they may or may not be canonical -- I generally think of them as extant in the world but apocryphal. Overall I tend not to write the actual Leaves (or let's be real, their summaries; I'm v shy of actually trying to write in verse) until pretty late in the draft. I'll have something like [insert Leaf evoking X and Y emotions with Z imagery], or [something something the greed of grief] and come back to fill in the gaps later. Other times I'll write a Leaf, find I love it, and desperately try to work it back in if its scene gets cut.

It's mostly that I fucking adore making up fairy tales because they're my favorite way to worldbuild. They can be such a window into the mentality and texture of a v specific cultural point of view. Like the Lay is consistently morbid, and at once haunted by and content with the eldritch infinite. Which I guess is just what happens when you live in a world festering with miniature apocalypses and also these weird, weird god-robots!

Re: Cradle I'm going to try to hold my tongue a bit more because I'm not yet sure what's going to get said about it in this sequel! But I suppose I've already admitted in a number of places that Book 2 is headed to the Immaculate Empire -- which is relevant bc the empire was founded by the largest chunk of survivors who fled Cradle during recolonization, and it remains the seat of Cradle-born power...

#the archive undying #ask reply

[alackofghosts]

a little while ago @crackinthecup tagged me in this bookish meme, which i have been saving for a rainy day - apparently a very literally rainy day in this case. thank you friend, i do so enjoy rambling about books <3 also tagging @hong-ara, @gloriousmonsters, @fatalism-and-villainy if you guys fancy having a go at it (and anyone else who wants to, i love reading others' opinions on books too)

An estimate of how many physical books I own: um. at least 2000. mom did some inventory once all the way back in 2006, and this was the point at which she got bored of it. i have always lived in a library and even though that many books has certainly been a nuisance, i also find it difficult to imagine a living space without them

Favorite author: honestly a weirdly difficult question. i feel like while i do read a lot for the style of prose, i don't very often go on a frenzy to read everything by the same author. but of course you all know my deep and abiding love for richard brautigan and lately i've been so obsessed with mary oliver. ...picking poets for this is easier :')

continued under the cut

A popular book I’ve never read and never intend to read: it feels funny to say this because i have literally not even once encountered talk of this author on tumblr Organically - which tends to be my benchmark for popularity - but seeing as she's all over every other bookish corner of the internet: i have absolutely no desire whatsoever to read anything by colleen hoover

A popular book I thought was just meh: WHERE DO I BEGIN... i've talked about some of these before but a new(er) addition to this list is in the dream house by carmen maria machado which ONCE AGAIN i feel so bad for not being wildly into! i think it's mostly due to the fact that internet at large painted such an interesting picture of it in terms of viewing ones own life/instance of abuse through the lens of different genres/tropes, but actually reading it, each segment was so short and the stylistic exploration didn't really come through. like it wasn't a bad book by any means and certainly covered an important topic and one that people generally shy away from, just. not at all what i expected it to be.

i tend to pick books based on genre and maybe like top few lines of the summary so i can't conjure up expectations, and obviously with popular books that's somewhat unavoidable :')

Longest book I own: extremely boring answer but my dad's bought a bunch of those 1001 books/movies you need to see before you die compilation books over the years and those all hover around the 1000 page mark

Longest series I own all the books to: if we mean series in terms of consistent cast/story, then i think it's the saga of darren shan by... darren shan, which has 12 books that i absolutely devoured when i was 13. otherwise, while i don't own every single goosebumps book (by rl stine), i do have most of them. i was very obsessed when i was 11-12 - these were actually the first books i ever read in english!

Prettiest book I own: um. honestly no clue, my family has never been one to buy books for the covers or for the special edition-ness and even now i feel like i can't picture any of them in my mind lol

A book or series I wish more people knew about: green bone saga by fonda lee!!! ...though again this might be down to the metric i use to gauge popularity, but even so! it has such wonderful worldbuilding and intricate family dynamics and even though i have big big book fear, i practically devoured them

Book I’m reading now: the silence of the white city by eva garcia saenze de urturi. it's pretty good so far! i've had such a year of thrillers and mysteries, i feel

Book that’s been on my TBR list for a while but I still haven’t got around to it: ...ancillary justice by ann leckie. i've started it a couple of times, but the Stars Were Not Aligned on those days. so i wait.

Do you have any books in a language other than English: most of the books i have are in estonian, actually. there's a pretty decent amount in english (mostly due to me...), and a small handful in swedish and finnish.

And lastly, paperback, hardcover or ebook? eboooook. often when i read an ebook i find myself daydreaming of a physical book, but then when i actually read one i find myself getting so irritated by not being able to find a comfy position lol. i also really love audiobooks, for the multitasking value...

#long post #meme tag #book chatter tag

[isabelpsaroslunnen]

My best friend and I are both Star Wars fans, and we have an ongoing amicable debate about the merits of A New Hope vs Return of the Jedi.

We tend to agree that ANH is the smoother of the two films in terms of executing its vision and general craft. It doesn't have the unevenness of, say, the somewhat bloated Jabba's Palace sequence or the weird pacing and structure of some aspects of the Battle of Endor sequence. ROTJ, on the other hand, is (in our view) the more ambitious film, and when it does manage to fulfill those ambitions, it's better than almost anything in ANH. The characters are more nuanced, their dynamics are more intense and complex, the great scenes are just, by and large, richer and more evocative. When ROTJ is bad, it's worse than ANH, and when it's good, it's better.

The debate for us is not about whether those things are true, but whether the consistent quality of ANH or the more ambitious and (sometimes) powerful quality of ROTJ is "better." At the end of the day, the distinction is not incredibly important and both of us love both films. But it is interesting, to us, to think about the merits of execution vs ambition in storytelling and craft.

I was thinking about this, of course, because I read The Thief and then The Queen of Attolia in rapid succession, and I feel like there is something of that ANH-ROTJ dynamic between them. The Thief is the smoother, more precisely crafted book, IMO, but The Queen of Attolia is doing so much more.

There's so much development of the characters (especially my favorite, Attolia/Irene), so much more intrigue and just substance, so many wild twists and turns along the way, and the last quarter was both gripping and just swept me off my feet. I loved The Thief, but there's nothing in it that I felt as strongly about as I feel about ... I don't know, 2/3 of QoA.

But I also have some gripes with QoA that I don't really with TT—I think the use of secrets, whodunnit-style semi-unreliability, and unexpected revelations, was structured better or at least more smoothly in TT. There were points in QoA where the "aha! actually, the whole time..." revelations started to feel repetitive to me, and certainly points where I would have preferred to see more onstage development, or at least more hints coming earlier, and less shocking twists.

That said, the escalation of intrigue, the deeper characterization, Eugenides's recovery, the glimpses of young(er) Irene along with her development and fantastic maneuvering, and basically everything Helen chooses to be, made it not only worth the price of admission, but feel like the richer and more substantial work of the two. It's not as "clean" as TT, much as ROTJ is not as clean as ANH, but it does realize many of its ambitions in a more powerful way.

#isabel talks #text: the queen of attolia #text: the queen's thief #text: star wars #text: a new hope #text: return of the jedi #isabel recommends #ch: attolia irene #ch: eugenides #ch: eddis helen #artist: megan whalen turner #i was thinking about how very very little in all of sw gives me the intensity of feeling of anakin's pyre in rotj #and i don't think anything in anh does even though i love anh #and qoa was like that! the plotting was not as perfect as tt but. damn. #long post #sff recs #sff chatter

[natsmagi]

I love ur art!!!! really its so gorgeous and the style brings me sm joy, its so soft and cute!! and ofc fem ntsmg is THE GOAT!!!!!!

BUT I JUST WANNA ALSO SHOW APPRECIATION FOR HOW U ANSWER ASKS AND STUFF AND IDK JUST UR WHOLE PERSONALITY IN GENERAL?? I love reading ur text posts especially when u kinda analyze the characters and stuff like its so fun to read and tbh, both natsume and tsumugi are characters that I feel are often mischaracterized in the fandom, and like idk I feel like u get them so perfectly and its sooo !??!?! Awesome getting to read ur awesome takes when new events come out and stuff like YOURE SO RIGHT ABT EVERYTHING, i be reading ur posts and going "you!!! YOU FUCKING GET IT!!!!!!!!!!" *happy stimming*

if you honestly did like a proper character analysis for them one day just now i would be so here for it and read it over and over again probably. Im currently hyperfixating RLY HARD on ntsmg so sometimes i just go through ur entire text post/ask tag and read everything over and over again 😭😭😭 I JUST LOVE THIS BLOG IN GENERAL KEEP DOING WHAT YOURE DOING, YOURE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME AND VERY MUCH BASED USER NATSMAGI!!!!♥️♥️♥️♥️

OIUGOHGOOHH OH MY GODDDDD ANONNNNNNNN THIS IS SO SWEET I HARDLY EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAYYYYYYY 😭😭😭😭 THANK YOU SO MUCH U HAVE NO IDEA HOW HAPPY THIS MAKES ME 🥺🥺💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

im a very chatty person so im very glad u like hearing what i have to say 🥺!!! and im glad u like my personality too since i feel i can come off as harsh or arrogant sometimes AKJHFSKJH THOUGH TBF I DO TRY MY BEST TO BE KIND......

ID LOOOVE TO ANALYZE NTMG MORE !!! main reason i dont do it as often or hold myself back a bit is because admittedly its been a While since i read alot of the stories, a majority of which i have only read once, and when i make actually Proper analyzes i like to have reread the material and see if i maybe misinterpreted something on my first read or am misremembering, bc when given new info other interactions can be read differently and all that. and i also wanna actually do them justice and not accidentally spread misinfo AJHSFKJH AND I UNFORTUNATELY HAVENT HAD THE TIME NOR ENERGY TO DO THIS </3 but even without remembering every single piece of dialogue verbatim i like to think my grasp on them is still somewhat decent, and im very glad u like my interpretations 🥺❤️

it always makes me so incredibly happy when people view the characters similarly to me aswell bc like u mentioned they Are kinda prone to getting mischaracterized in some ways...... i think it mainly comes from both natsume and tsumugi having MANY factors to their characters though, and the mischaracterization comes from only highlighting one aspect of them and failing to think about how their different attributes overlap (although this can probably be said for the entire cast tbh). like an easy example that im sure everyone gets by now is natsumes little tsundereisms. if you only focus on him being rude to tsumugi it can look like hes just some edgy guy with anger management issues, but when you take into account other factors such as him having a rather spoiled upbringing both by his parents and nii-sans, and his distaste towards feeling "weak" (also caused by his upbringing, since he was frail as a child and raised as a girl) you start to see that oh. alot of that is just him being defensive and emotionally immature. since he had such a comfortable upbringing those hints of discomfort and vulnerability are threatening to him as someone who always had everything handed to him. and when you dont know how to deal with situations like that ASWELL as being afraid of being seen as "weak" youre Gonna start resorting to harsher words and sometimes even get physical because you have no clue how else to handle this. its also why the natsumes character consists of him being pretty obsessed with "growing up" and "not being a kid anymore," because he knows how immature he could be SKHDGJH he doesnt have bad intentions he just. doesnt know how to be vulnerable with people

#IM VERY GLAD U LIKE MY THOUGHTS SO MUCH AWAWA #THESE LIL GUYS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME SO IT ALWAYS MAKES ME VERY HAPPY WHEN I GET TO TALK ABOUT THEM WITH PEOPLE........... #❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #ask

[formerlyanon]

man like. ok. I'm really really frustrated at the ongoing fallout about the gaylor stuff (because i hate hearing about it, i was fed up with this years ago) but the last few days has also shifted things into perspective for me about representation and why it matters. More and more lately I've been trying to get a read on what I find offputting or unsettling about summaries or explanations of media that get boiled down to what representation they have, right? Because that still doesn't tell me anything about the actual media. And that has been met with varying levels of emotion when I talk about it, but mostly ranging from apathy to frustration.

Celebrities are fandom and that's been the case for decades. The public eye and coverage of events or interviews generates material for fandom to feed off of. Fanart, fic, and other media follows, because it is media-space to play in. I chalk it up to kayfabe and move on. Right now these particular fan bases are falling apart because of this built up over arching rampant speculation about her personal life had turned into personal stakes for those fans, who needed her to be gay and queer and closeted and struggling, basically. They needed it to be a reality. But why did it need to be a reality to the point it had personal stakes?

Taylor's one of the wealthiest pop stars in history, has been active for over 15 years making commercial music, and consistently been successful in the mainstream. She's not an underdog. She's put in work, sure. She's still not an underdog, is not queer, is not secretly crying out to her fans for help, does not need saving from a cruel uncaring world.

Now combine all that with the need to have representation, the conflation of an identity being a hallmark of quality. All I can think right now is that quite a few people needed their pop superhero to be gay because that's what representation is, right? Because someone that they find so wonderful and relatable and charming or whatever, needs to be like them, and needs to have the hallmark stamp of Representation. Because something that seems so perfectly crafted about you the listener's life, clearly needs to be also directly, in real life, not a production not a crafted storyline way, Actually Gay.

I think her music's fine. It's inoffensive at best. I know very little about her except for her record of commercial success and various publicity stunts she maintains for her kayfabe and image. I do know she's been frustrated at the blurring of reality and public storyline, and addressed how not every song has to be rooted in reality and sometimes she can just be a storyteller writing fiction. She's also been very public throughout her career about publicity stunts sparking this or that song/fashion choice/era/album, so hey, it's not entirely on the fans here, aside from the fact that in this case there's basically nothing to it except projection.

Representation matters for the sake of understanding different points of view to get nuanced stories and experiences told. The lion's share of my frustration comes from the idea that:

1) a checkbox being hit automatically means a media is good

2) it's led more than a few times to someone telling me to check out media and giving me literally no information about it

3) people are really out here inventing oppression conspiracy theories for literal billionaires so they can do mental gymnastics to explain liking the work produced instead of just liking it

4) All this is used to prop up white straight artists to make them out to be intrepid underdogs bravely pretending to be straight so they can have careers

like holy shit! what the fuck!

Billy Porter has called out the racism and privilege of Harry Styles being given opportunities long denied to GNC men, especially men of color. Meanwhile a lot of Harry's outfits pull from different queer non white communities and he's hailed as an icon the likes which has never been seen before. Katy Perry's been routinely awarded for lgbt activism over literal out queer artists.

Taylor herself been noted as an icon of feminism and a queer ally, and it comes across as the same level of shallow - carefully crafted kayfabe to push a business narrative. Nothing especially noteworthy to indicate that previous gaffes were one-offs. It comes off as incredibly callous to me as a whole, but hey, I don't have to steer the ship of a literal billion dollar brand that revolves around my likeness.

Representation matters because it gives opportunity, voice, and paying work to those with less privilege than straight white cis artists. It's not that you as the consumer have a moral imperative to only consume media by underprivileged artists or else It Sucks And Is Bad, and you consumed the media wrong. Enjoy Taylor's stuff if you want but if it is this mentally distressing to come to terms with your commercially successfully pop star fave not being gay, I really recommend using this as a chance to look up other artists - queer artists, artists of color. It very clearly matters to you on a personal level, and you can find fulfillment elsewhere while still listening to and enjoying your favorite white blonde cis straight billionaire popstar.

#like. i kept it to just musicians here i could have gone the fuck on with books and movies and actors #in terms of how at the end of the day way more 'credit' gets given to white media creators for shit they cannot 'represent' #enjoy what you like but stop giving them credit and if you want representation you need to actually go to those who have talked about it #and claimed whatever labels and experiences that you are seeking media about #swings bat at hornets nest. hello public diary. it has been a minute.

[twistedtummies2]

Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes - Honorable Mentions

Welcome to A Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes! During this month-long event, I’ll be counting my Top 31 Favorite Fictional Detectives, from movies, television, literature, video games, and more!

With that said, the countdown shall start tomorrow. Before we get to it, I want to go over some Honorable Mentions. These were Twelve Terrific Detectives who ALMOST made the cut, but not quite…

Benoit Blanc.

Combine Tennessee Williams with Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, and you’ll basically have Benoit Blanc. Played by James Bond himself, of all people, Daniel Craig, Blanc is probably the most significant old-school detective character to come out within the past few years. The central sleuth of the film “Knives Out,” and its sequel, “Glass Onion,” Blanc is a Southern gentleman detective; a slightly eccentric private eye whose somewhat cartoonish attributes bely a steely mind and equally iron-clad will. The films are actually inspired by Christie’s works, and give a sort of Americanized view of the same sort of fiction. They play out with a similar sense of humor and style, but with a few unique twists of their own. I’m mostly including Blanc here because I’m 90% certain that if I DIDN’T, someone would call me out on it; nevertheless, he’s definitely worthy of praise.

2. C. Auguste Dupin.

Of all the detectives to come throughout this event, arguably none are as IMPORTANT as C. Auguste Dupin. This French gentleman sleuth was the invention of my favorite author, Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote three short tales featuring this character. The Dupin Trilogy – consisting of the stories “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Mystery of Marie Roget,” and “The Purloined Letter” – is widely considered to be the birth of the modern detective story, and Dupin is just as widely credited as the first proper detective character in literature. Characters like Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown, and the aforementioned Hercule Poirot likely never would have existed if it weren’t for Poe’s “studies in ratiocination.” While this definitely makes Dupin worth noting – especially since I am a huge fan of Poe, and two of his Dupin stories (“Marie Roget” is sort of underbaked, in my opinion) – there’s not that much to say about the character, and he hasn’t captured the public imagination as strongly as other detectives who would follow him. Therefore, I don’t think I can, in all fairness, give him a place in the Top 31. For being the first of many, however, he has at least earned an Honorable Mention.

3. Eddie Valiant, from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

I’m specifically talking about the movie version here; I’ve never read the (much darker) book the famous film is based on. On that note: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” is a bizarre little picture, which combines literal cartoon hijinks with the trappings of a film noir styled crime story. The story focuses on hard-boiled detective Eddie Valiant – played by Bob Hoskins, in perhaps my favorite of all his roles (well...more like second favorite) – going through the wacky world of Toontown to try and solve the titular mystery. He’s joined on his quest by Roger Rabbit himself, Roger’s human bride, Jessica, and a talking taxi cab. (Because why not?) Throw in encounters with tons and tons of famous cartoon characters, from Mickey Mouse to Bugs Bunny and so many more in-between, and it’s not a surprise this film has become so beloved. Eddie, himself, is a really fun character; much of the joy of the picture comes from the fact Hoskins generally plays the character pretty straight, which makes his reactions to the zany insanity of the cartoon world around him all the more hilarious.

4. Encyclopedia Brown.

I felt I had to include at least one “kid detective” in the bunch, and out of all the characters I could have chosen there, perhaps none are more emblematic of the genre than Encyclopedia Brown. The titular protagonist of a series of children’s detective books, Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown is a highly observant and intelligent young man, who sells his deductive abilities the way most kids stereotypically work lemonade stands. Encyclopedia is the son of a police chief, who works and lives in the fictional seaside town of Idaville, U.S.A. Despite his youth, Encyclopedia often seems smarter than his old man, as he is extremely skilled at noticing little details that other people miss, and thus uses these inconsistencies to piece together the problem. He even has his own Mini-Moriarty to match wits with, in the form of a cunning but nasty town bully known as Bugs Meany. (Yes, that is apparently his real name.) While not especially complex, the Encyclopedia Brown books are still staples of children’s literature, being reprinted and pastiched numerous times since the 1960s. When I think of kid detectives, he’s probably the first character that comes to mind.

5. Jake Gittes, from Chinatown.

Jack Nicholson as a noir-style detective in some slick shades. (pauses) Do I really need to say anything else about why this one is awesome? I think that pretty much sums it all up in a nutshell. XD Honestly, more people are probably curious why Jake here isn’t in the actual countdown. Well, the fact of the matter is that I just don’t have a lot to SAY about Jake, and I blame this partially on the fact he only shows up in one movie. Most (though not all) of the detectives on the main countdown come from serialized pieces, having multiple episodes, installments, or general stories to their name. With only one film to his credit, Jake isn’t a bad detective, but it’s just hard to think of a whole lot to talk about with him, specifically, and he doesn’t stand out AS much compared to all the others who have so many appearances and so much more development behind them.

6. Johnny Dollar, from Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.

Most of the detectives to come are the residents of film, television, and literature, primarily. However, there’s one medium that I feel doesn’t get enough credit nowadays: radio. Back in the golden age of radio, especially in America, detective radio programs were VERY popular; crime and mystery were hot topics, and there were TONS of shows and detective characters to choose from. One of my favorites was Johnny Dollar. Dollar is an insurance investigator, whose desire to help his clients often leads to him taking on cases larger than one would expect, and he has to adventure and snoop around a great deal to figure out the problem and bring those responsible to justice. The character was so popular, they would even have him break the fourth wall of reality at times, with guest stars who literally just played themselves (such as Vincent Price, who, in one episode, joins Dollar as a guest, acting as both client and sidekick at the same time). The character was played by several actors over the series run, the most popular arguably being Bob Bailey, who tackled the role for five whole years out its near-fifteen-year run. Johnny Dollar was so popular he would later be adapted into a TV film and a graphic novel, but most people will remember this intrepid investigator best for his radio adventures.

7. Mark McPherson, from Laura.

Played by Dana Andrews, Mark McPherson – the NYPD police detective protagonist of the classic film “Laura” – is a character who is sort of in the same boat as Jake Gittes. I absolutely love this movie; much like “Chinatown,” I think this is one of the absolute best examples of film noir storytelling there��s ever been. Not only that, but the film actually works as a legitimate mystery, with a couple of surprising twists and turns; something a lot of people don’t realize is that noir-style detective fiction doesn’t always focus on the mystery aspect of things, so it’s cool to see something that does while having all the other elements of that field. I also find it interesting how Mark’s character develops across the film, particularly in terms of his relationship to the titular character. However, beyond all that…again, I just don’t have a lot to say about McPherson, so I don’t think I can, in good conscience, give him placement in the Top 31.

8. Mike Hammer.

One of the most renowned noir-style detectives, private eye Mike Hammer really does live up to his name. He was originally created by author and actor Mickey Spillane, who wrote for Hammer in a series of books. Unlike some other sleuths of the era, such as Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe (the latter of whom won’t be on this countdown, apologies), Hammer isn’t just a hard-boiled cynic with a biting sense of wit that’s as sharp as his mind. He is a person with an outright vendetta, who goes after criminals with a stone-cold sense of focus and intensity. He is fiery and ferocious, not simply stopping but ATTACKING crime, as he harbors a deep-seated hatred for those who hurt other people for their own evil ends. His sense of morality and justice is a bit more ambiguous than most, as he is willing to bend and even break laws in order to see what he perceives as justice done, but at the same time has great respect for the police and is a highly patriotic figure. There’s a lot of gray areas to Hammer that make him stand out amongst the crowd of snap-brim-hat-toting detectives of this style and period. The character has been played excellently by a few actors, including Humphrey Bogart, Stacy Keach (my personal favorite, pictured here), and – get this – Mickey Spillane, the creator, himself! Talk about great casting!

9. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.

I already talked about kid detectives with Encyclopedia Brown, but we mustn’t forget the ever-so-slightly more advanced stage of things: teenaged detectives. When it comes to that sub-genre, few have been as long-lasting as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. These characters were the invention of Edward Stratemeyer: he was the head of the self-named publishing company Stratemeyer Syndicate, and acted as its editor and chief writer. Stratemeyer first created the Hardy Boys under the pseudonym “Franklin W. Dixon,” then later – wanting to create a female counterpart to fit into their universe, to appeal more to ladies – also thought up Nancy Drew, under the pseudonym “Carolyn Keene.” These pen names were important, as they allowed later ghost writers and other creators to publish the characters under the same oft-used pseudonym, that way Stratemeyer himself wouldn’t grow overtired due to all the other work he had to deal with. (This was a common practice back in the day.) The Hardy Boys were made in the late 1920s, and Nancy Drew first appeared in 1930; despite this age, not only are books still published and reprinted featuring these characters, but they’ve even been adapted to other media many times! In fact, as recently as 2019 there was a new Nancy Drew TV series, and in 2020 Hulu began airing a Hardy Boys series! That shows you, doesn’t it?

10. Richard Diamond.

This character was the invention of Blake Edwards, who is probably best-remembered today – especially when it comes to detective stories – for his comedy film series “The Pink Panther,” starring the determined but utterly dull-witted Inspector Clouseau. Before the antics of Clouseau, however, Edwards put his spin on the film noir genre with the radio production “Richard Diamond, Private Detective,” starring Dick Powell (pictured here, in costume for a promo photo). The series was a sort of semi-satire of the noir-style detective story, with a sarcastic and often tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, but also with a dark and dangerous edge that was typical of the genre. Even though what happened in it could be very funny (one of my favorite running gags was Elmer Fudd himself, Arthur Q. Bryant, as the voice of Diamond’s conscience), and the plots were sometimes absurd, it didn’t treat everything like a joke. When things got serious, you never doubted people could be hurt or worse. The radio show was so well-received that the character was later adapted into a TV series by the same title, featuring David Janssen as Diamond. The TV version was even more deliberately campy in tone, with Janssen’s Diamond as a somewhat “softer” character than Powell’s. Both are great (though I personally prefer the radio version), and well-worth looking up.

11. The Question.

As I said in the rules during my opening post, superhero characters are not going to be included here…depending on which superheroes you are talking about. Many superheroes can qualify as detectives, when you get down to it; most, if not all, are essentially fulfilling that role in their universe, by tackling crimes and facing foes that typical police can’t handle. However, there’s a big difference between a character like, say, Wonder Woman…and a character like The Question. True name Vic Sage, the Question is one of those characters you can basically consider a “super detective”: yes, they are included in the vein of the superhero genre, but the way they work is more like a classic detective than someone like Superman or the Grene Lantern. I use the DC analogies, by the way, because that is the company the Question hails from: originally created by rival company Charlton Comics, the Question was one of many Charlton characters “adopted” into the DC Universe when DC eventually bought out said rival. With his faceless demeanor, courtesy of a special mask, the Question is just as much a mystery as the crimes he seeks to solve. One of the more interesting elements of the character is that he has changed quite a lot over the years, with different writers putting a different spin on Vic Sage’s core philosophies and the kinds of adventures he goes on. Indeed, nowadays, Sage is not the ONLY Question; for a brief time, Gotham City police officer Renee Montoya – who had developed a romantic relationship with Vic – became the second Question. In typical comic book fashion, however, this was later retconned and Sage put on the mysterious mask once more. I was sorely tempted to include this character in the main list, but I actually haven’t read very many actual COMICS with the Question, so I don’t feel like it would be fair to do so.

12. Vincent Price’s Version of “The Saint.”

Our last Honorable Mention is kind of a case of cheating, I’ll admit, and that’s the main reason he IS just an Honorable Mention. Once again referring to my rules, I declared that characters like Arsene Lupin or William James Moriarty wouldn’t count here: while they have detective ELEMENTS, those characters I feel are really very different. They are what I would call “noble rogues,” characters more similar to Robin Hood than the aforementioned C. Auguste Dupin. The Saint is one of those characters…in his original format. In the books by Leslie Charteris, from which he originates, as well as in many other interpretations, Simon Templar – a.k.a. The Saint – is the so-called “Robin Hood of Modern Crime.” He is a gentleman thief who commits crimes against other criminals, for noble goals of his own. This, however, was NOT the case in the RADIO version of The Saint, which starred Vincent Price in the role of Templar. In the radio version, the character was softened up to be a more typical private detective, whose title of The Saint came from his impeccable manners and many good deeds. I absolutely loved this radio show; it’s one of my favorite detective radio programs of the period, and among my top ten Price pieces. HOWEVER, since this version of the Saint was an outlier to basically every other take on the same character, I didn’t feel like this one really ought to count in the Top 31. Sorry, Simon. I still love ya.

Tomorrow, the countdown begins in earnest, with Number 31! For clues in this event, I’ll be using quotes uttered by each detective featured in the main list. CLUE: “Be careful, Brain! Those are probably priceless fake artifacts!”

#list #countdown #top 31 fictional detectives #gathering of the greatest gumshoes #honorable mentions #literature #movies #film #tv #animation #video games #anime #manga #radio #best #favorites #the saint #vincent price #the question #dc #comics #richard diamond #nancy drew #hardy boys #mike hammer #mark mcpherson #laura #johnny dollar #jake gittes #chinatown