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horsetailcurlers2 · 8 months

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do you have any headcanons about reginas upbringing with cora and/or her relationship with the king? i know it can be a sensitive topic on here but imo theres no way they both didnt abuse her in some way shape or form

yes i very much do and they are all objectively awful and sad. i’m a bit hesitant to answer for a couple of reasons. the first reason is that i definitely have an idea of what she went through in my head but to write it out is very different than to just have it in the back of my head when i think of or read anything about her character. the other reason is that my headcanons aren’t anything new. they’re all things lots of other people have thought or written about. however, i do have thoughts so i will try my best. TRIGGER WARNING for child abuse, marital rape, and mentions of eating disorders.

-cora was abusive. hands down, there is no ifs, ands, or buts. even from what they show in the show (it’s an ABC sunday night family show. when it comes to the especially dark topics, they are usually vague or just stick to heavily implying things), we see her manipulating and gaslighting her daughter, being extremely controlling and critical, and physically restraining her in aggressive and violent ways. i think cora was definitely physically abusive- she often used magic instead of her hands because she rarely wanted to mar regina’s beauty.

-i can see her doing things like restraining regina when she was very young if she ever “misbehaved”. i have an image in my mind of little regina being tied to a chair and forced to endure hours of etiquette lessons. cora probably would direct painful bursts of magic at her if she ever misstepped. she’s definitely struck regina before- probably mostly slaps. but she probably would heal the marks with magic (besides maybe the lip scar but i don’t have one solid headcanon about how she got that)

-regina definitely grew up hearing the philosophy that children should be “seen and not heard”. she rarely got to do anything childlike. maybe she was allowed to play with dolls or indulge in dress up games if cora was in a good enough mood to ignore her for the day, but cora probably started telling her she was too old for things like that when regina was around eight or nine.

-regina was probably also very isolated as a child. she rarely socialized with other children outside of rigid balls and parties. she spent most of her days with private tutors or learning how to be a “proper lady”.

-image is extremely important to cora. the only thing cora truly valued about regina is her looks. this has resulted in an complex about her looks even in adulthood. the regina we see in the show is clearly a person who values her appearance. even as the evil queen, she presents a very carefully curated image to the world. if there is one thing that cora has beat into regina, it is that appearances matter. she rarely likes to be seen without makeup and she is very particular about her outfits.

-i also think this contributes to a complex about her intelligence. her mother was always belittling her and calling her a “stupid girl” and her so called husband never had any interest in hearing what she had to say about anything. this is part of why magic is so seductive to her- she can prove that she is more than just a pretty face. (i also have dragon queen headcanons about mal being one of the first people other than daniel to be interested in her intellect)

-i also believe that cora was probably cruel to regina about her darker complexion and would make her wear light makeup and powders and avoid staying out in the sun for too long. same thing with her hair- she taught regina to dislike her natural curls. she always had to iron them out straighter or reshape them into more “perfect delicate ringlets” (like snow’s hair), or hide them with braids. this all feeds into a fucked up whitewashing thing cora definitely perpetuated.

-and her body. especially as she got older, cora was very strict about what regina’s body was supposed to look like. she was supposed to be beautiful and desireable to male suitors, which in cora’s mind= thin. cora would control what regina ate on a daily basis and essentially had her on a starvation diet. i definitely headcanon regina as having issues with eating just based on a few comments she makes in the show and one line in “regina rising”. even as an adult, regina can still hear cora’s voice in her head when she eats or looks at her body in the mirror. to cora, regina’s body has always been a commodity and it has to be maintained like one. this is a very very hard mentality for regina to shake.

-i have very complicated feelings about henry senior. on one hand, he was the only loving presence in her life for a very long time. on the other hand, he was never strong enough to protect her- not from her mother’s abuse and not from being sold off to a fifty year old man. i think that although he was the thing she loved most, she also resented him a bit deep down. (side tangent: i think regina has a deep seated complex about single fathers because of this. like, look at her issues with jefferson, hansel and gretel’s dad, and owen/greg’s dad. it’s almost like she is punishing them all for not being able to protect their children). and he felt a lot of guilt about never intervening until it was too late and she was consumed by darkness- i think he was in a way resigned to his death. he didn’t fight that hard against her killing him because he felt like he was finally making a sacrifice for her happiness or he was paying some sort of penance.

-the king. ughhhhhhh. okay i have made a few posts before about how creepy king leopold is but let’s just state it very plainly: that man raped her. what business does that man have marrying an 18 year old stranger? she looked visibly distressed when he proposed. there is no way he thought she was super into it. “snow needs a mother”?????? one that is barely eight years older than her?? when she has a perfectly good nanny taking care of her. no, that man has a thing for young girls (just look at eva in those flashbacks) and he wanted a beautiful young wife to warm his bed.

-this is horrible and dark, but i believe regina’s wedding night was her first sexual experience. as much as i would have liked daniel to be her first time, there’s almost no way she would have gotten away with it when cora kept her on such a tight leash.

-he treated her like an ornament. he dressed her up and paraded her out to balls and parties only to ignore her all night and dote on his daughter. if cora treated her like a commodity, then leopold treated her like a doll. something to entertain snow during the day and to entertain him at night.

-snow of course was ignorant to all of this darkness until many years later. she thought she had a very happy childhood with her father and stepmother. this is part of why she has such a hard time reconciling her kind and loving stepmother with the cruel and evil woman who wants her dead.

-regina learns early on not to refuse him. that it is easier and less humiliating if she lets him have his way. i can’t even describe how awful and traumatic i think her wedding night was.

-i really don’t know if he would have been physically abusive in other ways. i think he had an inflated ego and probably bought into all the people calling him a “kind king”. he thought that he had a right to her body and she was the one out of line for not happily obeying him. but i wouldn’t be surprised if he got physical with her in other ways, considering the way he canonically locked her up in her room and read her diary.

-his is the one murder she will never regret.

-she likely had long lasting trauma surrounding sex. after the end of her marriage she is so consumed by her rage and thirst for revenge. she gorges herself on the freedom of finally having control over her own body for once in her life. this is a big part of why she goes so crazy as the evil queen.

-i personally think that regina never really thinks of her marriage in terms of what it was. like, she knows she hated it and leopold was awful and disgusting. but she never attributes the word “rape” to it al until many many years later. she still has it ingrained into her mind from her mother and her husband, that she was his wife and it was just her duty. she doesn’t even fathom that it’s possible for a husband to rape his wife. i think she eventually goes to therapy or one day she is watching something on tv and they talk about marital rape and something just shifts within her. suddenly she feels so vindicated. she can finally put a name to it. for years, she thought she was being dramatic and that rape was something that happened with strangers and not within a marriage bed. it is both terrifying and incredibly cathartic to finally name what she went through.

ugh i’m sorry to end on such a sad note. regina has gone through way too much (obviously this doesn’t absolve her of all the evil she has done, but it definitely explains a lot of it and nobody should have had to go through all that).

#regina mills #ouat #once upon a time #fuck you cora!!!#fuck you leopold!!!!#she was a baby #sorry if this isn’t as well articulated as i would’ve liked. i’m very tired lol but i saw this and got fired up #i’m writing a character study of sorts in which regina goes to therapy if anyone is interested #tw: abuse #tw: ed mention

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dragon-ball-meta · 2 years

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Regarding Krillin’s PTSD

Yes, I’m still on this, because people keep insisting that he doesn’t have it, and if he’d had it, it would have shown up “long before Super”. I disagree that it never really showed until then but regardless, that’s not always the case, as is evidenced by Mayo Clinic’s definition of what PTSD is.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967

Frankly, this is quite evident in him and his characterization, but just to drive it home, let’s take a look at some of the symptoms here and compare it to his behavior in the series, hmm?

This one’s pretty obvious, imo. We’ve seen Krillin have flashbacks. We’ve seen him remember things unbidden. We’ve also seen him physically and emotionally react to triggers of these memories, such as when he froze up and his mind blanked out upon seeing Freeza and his army again, or when he freaked out and tried to hide seeing old enemies in the forest of terror again despite being far stronger now than many of them should have been. Visceral, visible reactions.

youtube

Now, let’s move on a bit:

This one we also see in the same scene above, as well as throughout the series. Krillin’s initial avoidance of Cell Max, for example, or when he froze up initially during the battle with Freeza’s army. But even back in the original Dragon Ball, when he encountered two of the monks who used to bully him back at Orin Temple, he instantly wanted to leave. He became quiet, more reserved and timid, and wanted to quit and get out of there. Instantly. This is a thing he’s struggled with, to varying degrees, his whole life, and later trauma has only served to amplify it. It’s something he’ll likely have to face for a long time to come as well.

This set he has two aspects in particular: Negative thoughts about himself and lack of interest in activities he once enjoyed. Krillin loved being a martial artist and prided himself in honing his skills. As time went on, however, we see that interest start to fade, starting in the Buu arc and coming to a head in Super. He simply loses his drive for it. Slowly fizzles out in him. As for negative thoughts about himself... well, he is an abuse survivor. He’s had those drilled into his head since he was a child. This is a trend that continues on into adulthood, down to him feeling he’s not strong or skilled enough to even beat opponents he realistically would have no trouble beating. It’s also quite possible these may come into play in explaining 18′s growing frustrations with Krillin’s state of mind and behavior later.

The final category here is actually quite interesting, as I feel that it very much applies. Krillin is very easily startled and frightened, and overwhelming guilt and shame are things he’s felt since at least the Saiyan arc, and we see that continued into Super. But I also can’t help but wonder if him becoming careless in his job, taking more risks and not paying attention would be classed as just as trouble concentrating, or possibly even self-destructive behavior, at least at a subconscious level? I mean, he was behaving more recklessly, kept his defenses down and let himself actually get shot as a result. But I’m not a psychologist so that’s not really my purview. We do know however that he experiences several of these symptoms as well. In short, I think there really is, medically speaking, a lot more evidence that Krillin is indeed living with PTSD than there is against the idea. Just felt I needed to get this out there.

#Krillin #Kuririn #PTSD #Dragon Ball #Dragon Ball Super #Dragon Ball Z #DB #DBZ #DBS #Dragonball #Dragonball Z

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tapioca-puddingg · 1 year

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Broly, the Legendary Super Saiyan: A Brief Dragon Ball Z Analysis

EDITED 3/12/2023

Yo, it's me again. So I'm still on a break from my Drakengard analyses, which I haven't forgotten about! Those require a lot of research and time, so I'm keeping them on the back burner for now. But instead, I'm here with a pretty unexpected analysis. I've never talked about Dragon Ball Z on my blog before, so this'll be the first time. Today I wanted to talk about Broly from the original Broly: The Legendary Super Saiyan movie. The reboot was a fantastic movie and they did a great job at making him more human. I may very well do another analysis on the new Broly one day.

I wanted to give my take on Broly's character from the original movie, since the movie itself doesn't even attempt to. Let me preface this by saying that this is just my opinion based on the character's backstory and behavior. I'm certain someone will disagree, which is fine. Do let me know your thoughts and let me know if I get something wrong. SPOILERS AHEAD: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

The Start of Broly and Paragus

So, let's talk about it. By now, everyone and their mother has already criticized Broly's original backstory, and for good reason! It's literally the worst backstory I've ever seen, so fans are right to dislike it. Lemme explain his backstory briefly: when Broly and Goku were born, Broly had an abnormally high power level of 10,000. King Vegeta felt ashamed that his power level exceeded that of his own son, so he sought to have Broly and Paragus (Broly's father) executed. I don't know why he would try to kill him and not just make use of him later on, but okay. So Paragus and Broly are attacked and left out to die. That also happened to be the same day that Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta, and Broly managed to get them both to safety. Paragus wants revenge on Vegeta (understandably), but Broly wants revenge on Goku for disturbing him with his crying when they were newborns.

My take on this: All of that makes sense except for Broly's... strange fixation on Goku. This heavily implies that he had a high level of sentience as a newborn; to be able to acknowledge that another newborn is crying near him and remembers this newborn well into adulthood. As humans, we don't gain that level of self-awareness until age 4 or 5. We see this again when he saves himself and Paragus. Although I don't think he knows exactly what's happening, I believe he is aware that they are in danger, and he sorta goes into fight or flight mode. So by that logic, would he not remember that King Vegeta nearly stabbed him to death? He was able to recognize Goku's face and name as an adult, so would he not recognize that Vegeta looks exactly like his father? The more I think about it, the more it doesn't make sense. Anyways though, let's move on.

The Life of Broly and Paragus

It goes without saying that Broly and Paragus' lives have never been easy. Broly has always had this unfathomable amount of power inside of him that he can't control. He's a loose cannon, to put it mildly. And this overwhelms Paragus. Rather than Paragus training him to hone this power, he chooses to use a mind control device as a quick means of "calming" Broly when his temper gets out of line. What lesson does this teach Broly? It teaches him that his anger is unacceptable; that his emotions are wrong. And it also forces Broly to be completely dependent on Paragus, stunting his maturation and effectively making him a man-child. Even though Broly is the same age as Goku (mid to late 30's is my guess), he never leaves his father's side for very long and only speaks when spoken to. This is such an abusive parent-child relationship.

Even when Broly is first introduced, he appears docile and unassuming. When he speaks, his voice is devoid of any emotion, with a lack of emotional facial expressions to boot. He's been forced to suppress his emotions for years because he will be punished for doing so. No doubt that this may have caused some deep-seated resentment. But alas, his strange hatred for Goku made him snap. The device broke and there was nothing to hold back his rage. What happens when a child who has been raised by a controlling parent gains freedom? They lose control. He lost control. It is the first time in his life that he actually has autonomy. The dam had been broken, and all of his pent-up rage and emotions came flooding out, and nobody could stop it. Paragus' lack of trust and fear of his own son brought about the very fate that he had hoped to avoid. It was a disaster waiting to happen, and boy did it.

Aside from completely wrecking the shit of our main heroes, he also finds and kills Paragus as he attempts to flee; he crushes him inside the space pod and hurls it toward the nearest planet. I believe that deep down, Broly developed feelings of hatred and resentment towards Paragus for all the years of abuse he suffered. And when he snaps, it's like "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The seemingly harmless Broly is no more, but is instead replaced by a savage, ruthless and cold-hearted killer. Or in other words, evil. It's for the best that he was put down by Goku. Who knows how much more destruction he would've caused had he still been alive? Let's not forget that he decimated an entire galaxy at the very start of the movie.

Now, I sympathize with both Paragus and Broly at times. I understand that they both had incredibly difficult lives. Between being wrongfully mistreated by King Vegeta, left out to die after almost being killed, losing his entire home planet in a matter of minutes, and having to raise a son whose power level is beyond the scale of anything that he's ever dealt with, it makes sense that he would turn out this way. And then here we have Broly, a person that was raised by a toxic, controlling parent who never let him express his emotions or act independently. Their story is one of tragedy. It doesn't justify either of their actions. It's just an explanation. I could talk more about how Saiyans are raised in families devoid of love and affection, but that's another analysis for another time. But hey, that's just my two cents.

Final note: If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading and giving this the time of day! I do hope that you enjoy my take on things and be sure to leave your comments if you enjoyed. I wanted to pop in real quick and talk about this. I've had some feelings about this for some time and wanted to get em out there. Until next time!

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thedigitalpen · 5 years

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My 10 favourite... beefcake animes!

Okay yes, I realise that this is a rather weird title. I had originally thought to call it something along the lines of my favourite martial arts or fighting animes, but because the animes don’t always fall into that category, I decided to call a spade, a spade (or a beefcake, a beefcake) and admit that, most times sometimes, I just enjoy animes with muscular guys in them. That’s not to forget the ladies though because some of these shows also feature some rather muscular ladies in the mix too. So there’s something for everyone!

So, in no particular order (because the genres are sometimes different so making comparisons wouldn’t be fair):

1. Street Fighter series.

Hardly a surprise considering that this is a series that has a legacy firmly placed in the gaming world. Although you don’t really need to know who’s who in order to watch these shows, it doesn’t hurt to know a little about the characters before you jump in - mainly because the creators assume that those who watch it are fans of the show. Expect a fair amount of fighting (the name gives that one away), lots of bromance (Ryu and Ken 4eva!) and the eternal fight of good vs. evil (which is usually the plot of every show/movie)! Even if you aren’t familiar with Ryu & co., the show won’t lead you astray so you can watch without worry. Oh and let me just say - Chun Li is ma gurl! If you want to see a woman that’s not only beautiful but can also kick your ass, then watch these shows - especially Street Fight II the movie!

2. Hajime no Ippo.

One of my most favourite sports animes of all time which tells the tale of Makunouchi Ippo and his rise up the ranks of the boxing world. He starts off as a kid that just wants to get stronger so that he can fend off the bullies who harass him. Sick of his weak self (and after a couple of incidents here and there), Ippo joins a boxing gym, starting from scratch and going through basic training. His coach sees his potential and helps shape Ippo into a power boxer who fights head on and never backs down from the fight. Throughout the series, we get to know the other boxers in the gym as well as the competitors that they face, and we watch them battle it out in the ring. It’s a story with a great balance of sports, a sprinkling of slice of life (well, the life of a boxer) and comedy. And, of course, boxing boys come with boxing bodies... and I’m not complaining! And if you enjoy this and want more, try either “Ashita no Joe” (old school classic) or it’s more recent spin-off, “Megalo Box”. Oh and in terms of strong women - no one beats Ippo’s mom! She’s a powerhouse!

3. Baki the Grappler.

More of an MMA vibe with this one - it’s about a kid (he’s like 13 when we first meet him) who has been raised to be a fighter since he was born - his mother gets him the best trainers and equipment money can buy. He eventually feels like he’s outgrown the traditional training method and starts to find other ways to become a better fighter, which includes following his fathers footsteps - training the same way he did and with the people he did - and taking on some of the other fighters he meets along the way. After an altercation with his father (using that term rather lightly), Baki’s path eventually leads to the underground fight scene where challengers can test their strength and face off against each other in an anything-goes type of fight, using whatever techniques, power and skills they have at their disposal. And Baki’s ultimate goal? To defeat his father! It’s got some family drama as the foundation, but when it comes to beefcakes, there’s no shortage here - even if it is a 17-year old kid looking like a grown-ass man. Oh, best to be aware that (excluding the OVAs) there 3 seasons of Baki - the anime series from 2001 and the 2018 Netflix version which covers the "Most Evil Death Row Convicts" arc.

4. Kengan Ashura.

When I first started watching this, the first thing I thought was - ahhh! this reminds me of Baki! And, indeed, there are quite a few elements that are similar. There isn’t any family drama here but there is an underground fight scene where anything goes in terms of fight style. However, the premise here is that the fighters don’t fight for themselves (well, not officially anyway) but that they fight for various companies who settle their business disputes via these types of organised “kengan” matches. It eventually reaches a situation where some of the other businessmen wish to get rid of the current Kengan chairman, and so this chairman organises a huge battle royale for any companies that wish to enter. The prize? The owner of the winning company gets to be the next chairman! This sets the stage for a number of one-on-one showdowns between the various fighter representatives. In terms of background stories, we have two main protagonists and their stories. The one is about a salaryman (turned “CEO”) and his life, as well his relationship with his son, and the other is about a fighter and the vendetta he holds against another fighter for a past incident. Personally, I love the way the fights are presented in this show - not only because of the eye-candy - but because it really does feel like you’re at a grand show! Oh, and unlike Baki, at least most of the fighers are adults.

5. Golden Kamuy.

Bring on the boys! Honestly one of the most entertaining shows I’ve watched in a while (and one where I demand that there be another season at least!) and also culturally/historically interesting too. It’s set around the time of the Russo-Japanese war and follows the story of Immortal Sugimoto - a soldier who left active service and finds out that there may be Ainu gold hidden somewhere in Hokkaido. The only problem is that the map has been tattooed in pieces, onto the torsos of various prisoners, most of whom have dispersed to different areas. Nevertheless, thus begins the hunt for the map! Along the way, Sugimoto meets various people along the way - making allies with some and enemies with others - all of whom are associated with each other in interconnecting ways. And all of whom are working toward one goal - get the gold! It’s a brilliant show that’s got some fighting, some mystery, some espionage vibes, some comedy (some of which is could be considered dark and/or weird) and some feels. It balances it all out and makes for an interesting and entertaining watch. Oh, and let’s not forget - a very enjoyable watch too! Mm mm mmm...

6. All Out!!

Another sport anime here, but this time it’s rugby! As someone from a country where rugby is a staple, national sport, this was totally up my ally! The premise is similar to most other school-based sports animes - a kid who’s self-conscious about his height joins the rugby team and learns to get along with the other boys as he trains and works together with them as part of the team. This is not only so that he can help the team improve, but to also prove his own worth. The team goes through training camps and they play against other schools, getting to know some of the opposing teams’ members and establishing some rivalries along the way. It’s pretty typical fare, but damn are these boys stacked! It’s pretty accurate though since rugby is a contact sport which requires some power (and apparently some short, tight shorts) to get the job done. It’s a light watch, but that eye candy is truly sweet!

7. Tiger Mask W.

From rugby to wrestling! This actually a continuation of sorts to the original Tiger Mask and Tiger Mask II series, building on the legacy and keeping related in the same sphere, but not directly incorporating the older characters. Unfortunately, the original series is hella hard to get hold of but even without it, you can watch Tiger Mask W without much of an issue. So the story is about a guy who had decided to join a wrestling gym and was pretty happy there until the gym was destroyed by another rival gym. Vowing to take that other gym down, he strikes out on his own and eventually joins one of the national wrestling associations, working in their match roster. But it’s all so that he can reach his goal of taking down that other gym by defeating the players supported by them. Enter into the ring various wrestling friends and both friendly and unfriendly rivals (including an old friend - bromance anyone?) and you get plenty of matches, plenty of muscles and some satisfying action! They also don’t forget the female wrestlers, which is a nice touch! Another one that’s light enough to enjoy at face value - much like how you’d enjoy real wrestling too.

8. Gifuu Doudou!! Kanetsugu to Keiji.

A historical vibe with this one - it’s actually based on the spin-off of the original manga, “Keiji” which was created by Tetsuo Hara. And if that name doesn’t ring a bell, check number 10 on this list and you’ll know who I’m talking about - that’s right, it’s the guy who worked on Hokuto no Ken - and that should immediately give you an idea as to why this show is on the list. It’s a period piece about the friendship between Maeda Keiji and Naoe Kanetsugu - both of whom found their accomplishments on the battlefield. It’s told in hindsight, where they sit together, have a drink or three and reminisce about their younger days and what it took to get to where they are now. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it was pretty entertaining - especially when you see just how clever these guys were when it came to political maneuvering as well as in a fight. Of course, they’re pretty high in the beefcake stakes so if you like your men manly, then you’ve come to the right era.

9. Dragon Ball series.

I’m pretty sure that I don’t have to talk about this anime, but in the interest of completeness, let me give you the wiki breakdown about what this anime is about: “The series follows the adventures of the protagonist, Son Goku, from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts. He spents his life far from civilization, until he is found by Bloomer, a teen girl who encourages him to explore the world in search of the seven orbs known as the Dragon Balls, which summon a wish-granting dragon when gathered. Along his journey, Goku makes several friends and battles a wide variety of villains, many of whom also seek the Dragon Balls.” (source). Of course, this is continued throughout the various series that follow, where Goku has his own family etc. But when it comes to the muscle factor in this show, it’s got it where it counts - everywhere! It’s a classic for a reason so even if you aren’t into beefcake guys, you should still probably watch it if you haven’t already.

10. Hokuto no Ken.

It just wouldn’t feel right if I had to leave this off the list because when someone says “manly anime”, I’m betting that 99.9% of the time most people think about Hokuto no Ken / Fist of the North Star. It’s the post-apocalyptic era and times are tough, with everyone fighting to survive with what little there is on the planet. Some guys want to be rulers, some guys want to be thugs, but one guy just wants to find his fiancee and do what he can to right the wrongs of the world and make a difference to the people he meets. That one man is, of course, Kenshiro. It’s full-tilt action, usually incorporating martial arts through the various fighting styles of the characters - whether it’s Hokuto Shinken, Nanto Seiken or sometimes just brute force and good old hand-to-hand combat. There’s a few female characters here and there who also kick ass so it isn’t completely one-sided, but they usually end up getting saved by the dudes so take that with a pinch of salt. Post-apocalyptic world or not, these guys sure can maintain their physiques. And when it comes time for a fight, you best believe they pull no punches! If you like pure fighting animes where you get to see people explode each episode, followed by the most epic line ever said in anime, then this is the one!

Honourable mentions.

...because, can we really do without more muscular men and women in our lives?

1. Terra Formars - if you’re looking specifically for that muscular vibe, then try season 1. While I enjoyed both, season 1 had better animation (for me) and they all looked badass when defeating those nasty roaches - both the men and the ladies! 2. Hinomaru Sumo - a sports anime that revolves around a newly formed high school sumo club and the career path of the main protagonist. Informative if you don’t know much about sumo and, as expected, loads of meaty guys aiming for victory and aiming for the position of yokozuna. 3. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure - another show that hardly requires an introduction and would probably take way too long to explain considering how many Jojo’s there are, but rest assured, the guys are packed, stacked and ready to attack! 4. One Punch Man - if only because there a few characters who fit the beefcake category perfectly, e.g. Suiryu (hello there!), Garou and Tanktop Master to name a few. An anime that’s some parts serious, some part hilarious but always flipping shounen tropes on its head. 5. Sengoku Basara - also, not completely beefed out, but there are a few characters who would make the grade, e.g. Maeda Keiji (dejavu from number 8?) and Oda Nobunaga. Another period anime, based on a Capcom game, that uses a lot of poetic licence to make it an exciting watch with very memorable characters. 6. Free! - “Make us free na Splash! Kasaneta... 👏 👏 !” Swimmers bodies - that is all. If you’ve ever seen a swimmer’s bodies in real life, you’ll know what I mean ‘cos they have muscles in all the right places. A slice-of-life sports anime that revolves around high school boys (who eventually become college boys) who engage in competitive swimming. 7. Air Master - The ladies take over in this one, which is a show that revolves around street fighting and the goal of those various street fighters and martial artists to become number 1 on the Fukamichi Rankings. It’s more of that underground fight scene vibe but the main protagonist is a gymnast-turned-street fighter who takes on anyone who’ll challenge her (man or woman) and usually kick their ass. It’s got a quirky/weird sense of humour to it, but that’s part of why I liked it.

Well, I’m pretty sure that there are other shows that I’ve missed, and mountains of characters who have that A-grade beef, but I tried to choose shows that specifically have that muscular aesthetic as a default setting in the show. Hopefully I hit the mark here, sharing my faves with you, but if there’s some show or character that I absolutely must see, feel free to let me know! Because just like Tanigaki’s shirt, I’m always open to suggestions.

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themosleyreview · 3 years

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The Mosley Review: Raya and the Last Dragon

Ya know what's one of the most refreshing things in the world, a major studio delivering something fresh and original after constantly double dipping from its own well. Although it may not feel as original or inspiring at times, it still is a worth while adventure that shouldn't be missed. The mysticism and magical origins of many South Asian tales are always fantastic and are ripe for greatly layered storytelling and this tale is one of them. At times the film came off a bit cynical and delivers the subliminal messages of adulthood and the not so subtle themes of loss and trust, but it wasn't without its charm. The film truly takes us on an adventure across the lands of a new world that is full of colorful characters and beautiful landscapes, but there is a sadder and sometimes darker underlining theme of not trusting anyone that is sometimes beating you over the head. The story sometimes comes to a halt for moments of exposition that re-informs the audience of the direction the story is taking and of world they’re in. It was alright as we got to each region, but it does take away from what could've been some great moments of character discovery. The story does have a number of wonderfully crafted heartwarming moments, comedy, outstanding animated action scenes, but it is pretty predictable. Its not a bad thing, but I would've liked a few more curve balls thrown in towards the end of the 2 half of the film.

The voice cast was truly fun and I loved that it was made up of mostly South Asian actors. Kelly Marie Tran was awesome and fierce as Raya. She brings to life the heart of the character and her strong will to save her family and make her father's dream come true. Daniel Dae Kim was heartwarming and great as her father Chief Benja. As the Cheif of Kumandra's Heart Land, he carries himself with grace and I loved the moments he had with Raya. The chemistry between them was genuine and heartfelt and you fall in love with him every moment he’s on screen. Awkwafina was fun as the water dragon Sisu. I loved the genuine level of discovery and fun she brought to the character and to the film. It was a piece of the film that I wish was shared with the rest of the characters. Her scenes with Raya brought forward the themes of trust and the truth of the world around them and in some hilarious ways. Benedict Wong was good as Tong and I liked that he wasn't your typical brute. He has a strong heart and his story was tragic and I liked that he became a voice of reason at times. Izaac Wang was excellent as the young entrepreneur Boun. He was fun and charming as he constantly was promoting and inviting the team to dine in his Shrimporium on his boat. His story was particularly tragic as he had to learn how to survive on his own after the Druun attacks. Gemma Chan was great as the warrior princess of Fang Land, Namaari. Even though they're enemies, the chemistry between her and Raya was great as they kept trying to one up each other in witty insults and combat. Their fight scenes were a blast to watch and had an emotional depth.

The score by James Newton Howard was excellent and epic in many sprawling scenes, but it was particularly powerful during the backstory of Sisu. Visually the film was stunning to see on the big screen and all the colors of the characters and region designs really popped. Like I said before, the story was very predictable as it progressed and sometimes I felt it dragged on and became uninspiring at moments. It was still a good adventure overall and good action driven animated Disney film that surprisingly had no musical moments. It was almost like a throwback to what the old days of Disney animated films were like. This film is currently in theaters and is streaming on Disney+ with Premiere Access. Let me know what you thought of the film or of my review in comments below. Thanks for reading!

#raya and the last dragon #kelly marie tran #akwafina #gemma chan #benedict wong #daniel dae kim #Disney #disney animated films #disney plus

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caslikescoffeeandfreckles · 4 years

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Stealing is a Good Habit

#spnstayhome Monday 3: thief @pray4jensen @bend-me-shape-me @helianthus21 Read on Ao3

Elementary

The first time Dean steals from Cas, they’re five years old and blowing off steam on the playground before nap time. Cas is playing with his action figures near the swings, lost in a world of talking puppies and grand adventures.

He’s distracted for only a moment when a little boy falls off the swing and everyone holds their breath to gauge his reaction. Luckily, he just brushes himself off and jumps back on the swing. No teacher intervention needed.

Cas goes back to his toys only to notice that one is missing.

Instant panic floods his body and he feels sick, his heart beating, as he gazes wildly around the swing area. He knows he had his toy. It was just here a second ago!

And that’s when he spots it - just a tiny flash of orange clutched in the hand of another kindergartner. It’s not a lot to go on but Cas just knows deep down that’s his toy!

He’s up before he can even think, dashing to the other side of the swings where the boy sits. He’s moving the toy through the blades of grass like it’s on some amazing jungle adventure, whispering nonsensical dialogue to himself, but Cas doesn’t care.

“Hey, that’s mine!”

The boy looks up at Cas’s shout, big green eyes round with fear. “W-what?”

“That’s my toy!” Cas shouts, pointing at the figurine still in the other boy’s hand. “You stole my toy! My big brother says stealing make you a thief!”

“I’m not a thief!” the other boy shouts back, looking less scared now and more angry. “I found it!”

“No, you stole it!”

Unlike the kid falling off the swing, this argument does require teacher intervention. Cas and the other boy are taken off to the side where they continue screaming at each other until Ms. Summers is finally able to get them to take a breath and explain themselves.

“I’m sorry,” the boy who Cas has learned is named Dean says, in a very soft and quiet voice. “I’m sorry for being a thief.”

Big, fat tears well in his green eyes and Cas can’t find it in himself to be mad anymore. “Hey, it’s okay,” he soothes, the way his mommy speaks to him when he gets upset. “Don’t be sad. I’m sorry for yelling.”

Dean had relinquished the toy a while ago but now Cas offers it to him, smiling brightly and moving closer. “We can share if you want?”

Dean doesn’t seem to believe him at first but when Cas tilts his head and keeps smiling, Dean starts to smile too, all crooked teeth and crinkled eyes. “Okay!”

Middle School

Cas is sitting alone at his unofficial lunch table. His tray sits in front of him, mostly untouched, as he chooses to immerse himself in the library book he brought with him. He knows most people find him weird for liking to read, especially when he could be eating or talking to friends, but Cas had never minded. He prefers stories to the company of others. Well, except for one person.

Another tray claps down across from him and Cas waits until he finishes the paragraph he’s on to lower the book and greet his best friend.

“New book?” Dean asks casually before shoveling a handful of fries into his mouth.

Cas hums and flips it so Dean can see the title. “I got it from the library yesterday. It’s about a boy who rides dragons.”

Dean’s eyes sparkle. “Oh, dragons? I’ll have to check it out after you!” Dean has always been a sucker for tales of fantasy and anything with a dragon is a literary masterpiece to him.

Cas smiles. “I’ll make sure to hide it for you.”

They both grin, remembering the last time they got chewed out by the librarian for deliberately putting books in the wrong spot so no one else could find them.

“You going to the game Friday?” Dean asks as he continues to eat.

The mention of it makes Cas wrinkle his nose. He’s never been a fan of sports and has nothing but bitter memories of his older brothers’ hectic schedules and stinky laundry and late nights spent shivering on cold metal bleachers while people kick, throw, and hit balls in every such direction.

It was not what Cas would consider the ideal way to spend a Friday night.

But then Dean had joined the soccer team. At first, Dean hadn’t been happy about it either, knowing his mom was making him do it as a way to blow off some of that 12-year-old energy. But over time, Dean has come to actually enjoy the sport and his teammates, likes the competition, the motivation it gives him to keep working and building his skills.

And Cas likes anything that makes Dean happy.

“I’ll be there,” Cas says at last, not trying to hide his put upon sigh. “But will it take forever like the last one.”

“Depends on how good the other team is,” Dean says.

“Then I hope they’re just awful because I would like to get home before it becomes an ice age again.” It was getting too late in the fall for these kinds of games and Cas could only carry so many blankets into the stadium.

Dean chuckles and reaches over to Cas’s tray to pluck some of his fries. “Told you to join the cheer squad. They always manage to stay warm,” Dean teases, his eyes sparkling, and he tosses the fries into his mouth.

Cas rolls his eyes and whispers, “Thief,” but then smiles. “And I’m not joining the cheer squad. I would look awful in those skirts.”

Dean laughs, head thrown back and eyes watering, and Cas watches, a voice deep in the back of his mind whispering about how he hopes he can always have Dean like this even if he’s too young to understand what that means.

High School

No one ever talked about how oddly relaxing school dances could be. Cas has always avoided them, always believing they were loud overwhelming affairs, too hot and too crowded. And they certainly are, he notes as he steps into the high school gymnasium transformed into an impressive ballroom for their senior prom. But there’s something about the volume of the music, the darkness, the heat... it’s like being deprived of your senses and so Cas is able to quietly melt into the background, surrounded by people he’s known all his life and yet alone at the same time and he just watches.

He watches friends and couples dance, line up for picture, toast sparkling cider in their plastic glasses like this is the last and greatest night of their lives.

Dean finds him at some point, face covered in sweat and grumpily pulling at his collar.

“I’m so fucking glad I never have to come to another one of these again,” he grumbles before stealing Cas’s water bottle and guzzling half of it.

Cas smirks and eyes the crowd. “I think it’s charming.”

Dean rolls his eyes. “Because it’s your first and only high school dance. Trust me, the charm wears off by your second one.”

“But this one is different, isn’t it? It’s just for us. The tired seniors about to embark on the journey of adulthood.”

“I guess so?” Dean shrugs and turns so they’re pressed shoulder to shoulder. “Where’s Meg?”

“Making out with someone somewhere,” Cas says, waving his hand toward the locker rooms. “Said it was one of her last chances to finally get through the sad art kids before they go discover what a personality is.”

Dean throws his head back and laughs. “Carpe fucking diem.”

Cas hums. He knew the risk of being ditched was high when he invited Meg to accompany him to the dance as a friend. Well, really when Meg made him ask her because, as she had reminded him so kindly, just because you can’t find a date with a dick doesn’t mean your gay ass can’t suffer with the rest of us. No one could ever accuse Meg or being unthoughtful.

She didn’t need to know that Cas had had his eye in a date. The perfect date, really. Someone he’s known since he was five. But someone he also couldn’t have because, well...

“Where is Lisa?”

Dean snorts and glances around the gym. “Hopefully somewhere with her friends forgetting who the came with.”

“Do I sense relationship problems?” Cas asks, trying to sound concerned but playful.

“Yes... no,” Dean amends. “I mean...” He runs a hand through his hair, letting it rest on the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I think I just haven’t been feeling it for a while? I actually kinda... wanted to break up.”

“With Lisa?”

Dean nods and Cas can see his shame, feels his own shame for the coil of excitement warming in his chest.

“Why did you come with her?” he makes himself ask.

“Because she asked me to prom before I could end things and I didn’t want to be a dick. But I think I’ve just made myself a bigger dick by leading her on?”

Cas can only hum and nod gravely like he understands. He’s never had to deal with relationships, one of the few reliefs when you’re one of the few gay kids at your school. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to do the right thing,” he assures his friend.

“Even...” Dean starts rubbing his neck, nervous now. “Even if it’s because I think I might... like someone else?”

Well this is interesting news. “Does Dean Winchester have a crush?”

It’s not that Dean’s never had a crush before, but with his looks and personality they never had to wait long before something came of it (i.e. Lisa, Tessa, Anna, even Cassie from sixth grade — that one had stung for reasons Cas had been too young to understand).

Dean glowers at the teasing. “Don’t be a jerk. It’s... I really like them. I think I’ve liked them for a long time.”

“Like a few weeks?” Cas hedges, trying to get a grip on both his and Dean’s emotions. “Months?”

“Um,” Dean looks away, “more like years?”

“Years?” Cas nearly shrieks. “Dean that’s really significant. And you never told me?”

“I didn’t really figure it out until a little while ago. It’s... hard to explain.”

He’s looking at the floor so intently, hands into his pockets now and Cas knows a defeated Dean Winchester when he sees one. Whoever this person is, they’ve done a number on his friend without even realizing it.

“Dean,” Cas says at last. “You know you don’t have to tell me anything, but if you ever want to talk about it, I’m always here for you.”

Dean nods. “Yeah. I know, Cas. Thanks.”

The way Dean says it is as if Cas’s offer is fruitless and it hurts to think that he can’t help his friend.

Dean looks up suddenly, eyes guarded and pensive ans Cas doesn’t look away. Dean is thinking about something, deeply and carefully, weighing his options. Cas knows because he’s seen this look when Dean is playing soccer, trying to figure out the best next five moves. He’s always been a critical thinker, scarily so.

“Cas, I-”

“Dean!”

Cas doesn’t even have to look to know it’s Lisa, could recognize her pleasant tone anywhere. What does surprise him is Dean’s reaction because he practically bristles at his girlfriend’s voice. And he doesn’t look away.

“Dean?” Cas asks carefully, eyes shifting to wear Lisa and her friends stand just outside the throng or dancers, looking at them expectantly. “Lisa is calling for you.”

Dean’s eyes close and when they reopen, gone is heavy burden of his unmade decision. He looks crushed. Lost. And then smiles. “Yeah, I guess I better go.”

“I’ll be here,” Cas calls after him, more than a little confused at the way Dean walks way from like like he’s marching toward his death.

He’s left alone again with nothing to do but ponder the news that Dean has a crush. A pretty big one from the sound of it. He can’t help but wonder who she could-

Wait. Them. Dean has said them, not specially she. Interesting.

Before he can think more of it, Meg crashes into him and he can smell the liquor on her breath before she even speaks.

“I take it sad art boy and his friends managed to sneak something in?” Cas asks.

Meg just grins. “We all have our role to play,” Meg says. “And speaking of roles, I’m about to roll out.” She thumbs over her shoulder to the the doors.

“Will you be safe?”

Her snort is not surprising. “Please. I had like one beer. I’ll be fine, Cas.”

Cas doesn’t bother to argue. Meg has always been bullheaded and impulsive but never reckless. “Okay. Call me when you’re home if you remember.”

She stretches out on her tiptoes and smacks a kiss on his cheek. “No promises!” And then she’s gone.

The dance starts to wind down in another half hour, the music slowing and inviting couples to wrap each other close and sway.

Something in Cas’s chest drops as he watches the show of high school love and affection, marvels at how simple it looks but knowing just how complicated and nerve-wracking it truly is.

And how he’ll never have it.

Deciding that’s his cue to leave, Cas finally pushes himself away from the wall and starts for the door.

“Wait, Cas!”

He turns when he hears his name and waits for Dean to catch up with him. He frowns when he sees the near panic in his friend’s eyes.

“Dean? What’s wrong?”

“Are you leaving?” Dean asks instead.

“Yes? Figured I’ve experienced about all I can at a dance by myself. Are... you leaving?”

“No- I mean- I wanted to uh...” he trails off, hand rubbing his neck again.

“Dean?” Cas asks again, carefully.

Dean’s shoulders shoot back and he sucks in a deep breath before looking Cas in the eye and asking, “Cas, do you want to dance with me?@

It takes Cas a moment to decipher the words and even once he knows what Dean said he’s still not sure what Dean meant.

“I... what?”

“Dance,” Dean repeats, face falling. “I understand if you don’t want to but I- I wanted to ask.” He starts to back away. “I’m sorry, I’ll just-”

“Dean,” Cas says, just barely catching his friend before he can escape. Dean is terrifyingly still in his grasp and when he looks back at Cas with fear and apprehension, pieces start to fall into place. Cas smiles. “I would love to dance with you.”

They stay near the outside, not really interested in sharing this moment with their classmates. It’s awkward at first, neither sure where to put their hands until Cas finally decides to wrap around Dean’s shoulders and Dean’s arms naturally fall around Cas’s waist.

They sway slowly, not attempting any turns or fancy steps, it’s enough to just hold each other.

“I know this isn’t the time to ask...” Cas starts slowly and hates himself for asking at all, but it will drive him insane if he doesn’t. “But where is Lisa?”

Dean blushes something furious. “She went home with her friends.”

“Oh.” Cas nods. “Is you two... okay?”

“We broke up,” Dean confesses. “I told her I might... be interested in someone else. That there’s always been someone else.”

Cas’s breath hitches and he looks down at his toes where Dean’s word have warmed his entire body. He feels like he’s tingling all over, body alight with excitement and longing and every feeling he’s ever kept repressed and secret.

“Hey, Cas?”

Cas looks up and before he can blink there are lips on his, so soft and Cas’s enter body temples under it, under the weight of his first kiss with the first boy he’s ever loved.

He thinks even saints don’t get moment’s this perfect.

When the kiss ends, they’re both blushing.

“I-I- I’m sorry,” Dean sputters. “I should have- shouldn’t have asked before...”

Cas feels a little drunk, his body looser than before and leaning closer, until their lips just barely brush again and he whispers with all his affection, “Thief.”

Dean huffs a laugh. “Bad habit.”

Cas pushes his lips closer, taking a kiss for himself. “Never stop.”

College: cas steals dean’s sweater

The alarm clock is utterly unpleasant and Cas feels no remorse slapping it into snooze mode multiple times. Until he sees the wrong number in the hour position and has to scramble up. He starts throwing on clothes before running to the bathroom to brush his teeth and throw some water in his face.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Dean greets from the kitchen as Cas barrels out of the bedroom.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Cas snaps, struggling to slide his shoes on.

Dean arches an unimpressed brow. “Because I would like to live to see the grand old age of 22.”

Cas just rolls his eyes and starts looking for his backpack. At a whistle, he turns to Dean who is holding it along with a thermos and some toast in a napkin. “There’s a granola bar and an apple in your bag too.”

Cas is not unused to Dean’s we’re gestures but he still finds himself tearing up as he slows down for the first time since his feet hit the ground and approaches his boyfriend.

“What would I do without you?” he asks, burying his face in Dean’s neck.

“Probably starve,” Dean says lightly. “Other than that though, you’d be fine.”

“No,” Cas argues. “Not even a little.”

He shifts so he can kiss Dean, short and sweet but just as loving as their first and hundreth.

Dean’s hands have fallen to his hips he he looks down with a dopey smile, eyes lighting up. “Is that my sweater?”

Cas looks down and recognizes Dean’s high school soccer hoodie. “Oh. I hadn’t realized.”

“Now whose the thief?” Dean teases.

Cas rolls his eyes and steals another kiss for good measure before accepting Dean’s offerings. “I’ll see you later. Thank you!”

“Love you,” Dean calls after him.

“Loved you first,” Cas returns, smiling and dashing out the door.

#spnstayathome #monday 3: thief #destiel #deancas #drabble #fic #au #friends to lovers #first kiss #childhood friends #fluff

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duboissisters-pkmn · 3 years

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Ok so we have the three sisters Honey, Weiss, and Bronte Dubois. The three are originally from Hoenn, though they’ve all moved since reaching adulthood. They’re all in their mid 20s. {Content may update occasionally}

First is the eldest sister. Stern and serious, Honey managed to complete her gym circuit (though defeated by the Hoenn champion) and had a successful run as a Pokémon Contest star, then settled into a career as a professor’s assistant and teacher at the region’s trainer school. Currently, Honey has settled into a job on @prof-peach ‘s Dōtaku Island, serving as a guard to prevent intrusion into the northern half of the island and to prevent poaching. Her team is as follows:

Janus - Girafarig (purebred). Honey’s partner pokemon. Brave nature. Is the leader of the team and unafraid of going toe to toe with much larger pokemon, favoring close combat unlike most members of his species. Very protective of children and small Pokémon. Keeps a chew toy for his tail. Big enough to ride on these days due to age and stored energy. Uses Crunch, Zen Headbutt, Return, and Thunderbolt. Has Inner Focus ability.

Plum - Crobat (Swoobat mix). Zubat!Plum was the first Pokémon Honey caught on her journey. Hasty nature. Enjoys racing more than fights, but in a battle is a high speed long-range nightmare. Swoobat ancestry results in a lighter color, some fluff, bigger wings and eyes, and a bigger focus on Sp. Attack moves and access to Psychic. Very cuddly and affectionate. Knows Hurricane, Leech Life, Sludge Bomb, and Psychic. Has Infiltrator ability.

Omen - Absol (mega). Contest winner and efficient battler. Impish nature. Met by chance while he was trying to warn people about an upcoming landslide despite being attacked by humans who didn’t understand. Asked to come along with her afterwards. Mega stone found by chance in mountains. Believed to have Mightyena ancestry, resulting in fur markings, bigger teeth and claws, and shaggier coat. Helps with classes that help break Pokemon myths and stereotypes. Knows Night Slash, Sword Dance, Shadow Claw, and Psycho Cut. Has Super Luck Ability.

Honeycrisp - Appletun (honeycrisp). Sweet old lady. Docile nature. Caught at an event held by farmers who raise apples and Applin line variants. Has a tendency to mother the other team members, even though 4/5 are twice her size or more. Honeycrisp variant results in slight color change and a sweeter aroma. Knows Apple Acid, Dragon Pulse, Recover, and High Horsepower. Has Ripen ability.

Glimmer - Sylveon (ruffled). Diva and contest superstar. Sassy nature. Raised from an Eevee and was VERY insistent on becoming a Sylveon. For some reason evolved to have ruffled ribbons instead of the standard. Knows Moonblast, Play Rough, Draining Kiss, and Mystical Fire. Has Cute Charm ability.

Lucky - Lapras (shiny). Last to join the team. Quirky nature. Found being stolen by poachers; quickly rescued and brought to local specialists for injuries. Ended up bonding w/ Honey during this time and decided to come along. Used to be a spokespokemon for Lapras conservation and anti-poaching. Knows Surf, Ice Beam, Body Slam, and Sing. Has Shell Armor ability.

Weiss is the middle sister. She immediately fell in love with Ice types as a child and became a Type Specialist. Yes, she does dye her hair that color for the Aesthetic. Earned all her gym badges in Hoenn but decided against challenging the Elite Four/Champion. Despite her type preferences she’s a very warm and friendly person, and loves to travel, though she’s settled in Alola now. She’s currently petitioning for a position in the Island Challenge, though has settled for writing about her travels in the meantime. Her team is as follows:

Yuki-Onna: Froslass. Bronte’s partner Pokémon since a Snorunt. Quiet nature. While not a species variant, the patterns on her and her Snorunt form were circles instead of the usual shape. Holds many Contest ribbons. Knows Blizzard, Aurora Veil, Shadow Ball, and Hail.

Wave: Dewgong (Walrein variant). Caught during a seasonal migration during her Pokemon journey. Careful nature. Walrein ancestry results in bigger fins, larger tusks, and a fluffy ruff as well as a predisposition towards melee combat; as such, he prefers to fight rather than perform. Tends to act like the leader of team. Knows Dive, Iron Tail, Aqua Ring, and Drill Run.

Jumbo: Mamoswine. Caught as a Swinub. Bashful nature. Has always been a shy Pokémon, despite his massive size. However, no one should mistake that for a lack of power; he is the team’s main physical powerhouse. Often helps clear fallen trees and such. Knows Earthquake, Avalanche, Ice Fang, and Ancient Power. Has Oblivious ability.

Flurry: Ninetales (Alolan, Shiny). Caught as a Vulpix when Weiss first moved to Alola. Calm nature. Is rather vain and likes to be groomed. Prefers to never let opponents get close, specializing in long range combat. Knows Dazzling Gleam, Ice Beam, Extrasensory, and Hex. Has the Snow Warning ability.

Grace: Aurorus (caped). Acquired via wondertrade as an Amaura. Has a frill that extends down her back and smaller frills on the back of her front legs. Relaxed nature. Is a very zen Pokémon who is difficult to provoke and is very fond of naps. Knows Freeze-Dry, Ice Beam, Protect, and Flash Cannon. Has the Snow Warning ability.

Gloria: Frosmoth. Caught as a Snom while visiting Bronte in Galar. Bold nature. Is a social butterfly and likes to hang out with visitors. Took the longest to evolve, so occasionally forgets she isn’t a tiny Pokémon anymore. Knows Quiver Dance, Bug Buzz, Blizzard, and Hurricane. Has Ice Scales ability.

Bronte is the youngest sister. High energy with a loud personality, it isn’t any wonder she ended up as an Electric Type Specialist and a big Pokémon Contest star. Ended up moving to the Galar region and settling in the city of Jouleburough, home of the minor circuit Electric type Gym. She worked her way up the ranks to eventually take over as Gym Leader, and now has her eyes set on getting onto the Gym Challenge circuit, famous for her “Electric Terrain” and “Speed Demon” double battle formations. Her team is as follows:

Zeus: Raichu (Alolan, purebred). Bronte’s partner Pokémon since he was a Pichu. Evolved while visiting Weiss in Alola, resulting in his variant evolution. Part of Bronte’s “Electric Terrain” Double Battle formation with Beacon the Ampharos. Knows Electric Terrain, Psychic, Electroball, and Volt Tackle. Has Surge Surfer ability.

Leo: Luxray (brindle). Found abandoned as a Luxio in a power plant. Adamant nature. Has a brindle coat rather than the standard. Part of the “Speed Demon” Double Battle formation with Zap the Boltund. Is fiercely protective of Bronte and the rest of the team. Knows Thunder Fang, Wild Charge, Crunch, and Fire Fang. Has Intimidate ability.

Beacon: Ampharos. Caught as a Mareep. Quiet nature. Part of the “Electric Terrain” Double Battle formation. When not in Gym battles likes to wander the woods outside Jouleburough and use her tail light to guide lost people back to the city. Knows Thunder, Power Gem, Zap Cannon, and Dragon Pulse. Has Static ability.

Zap: Boltund (purebred). Acquired via Wondertrade as a child, inspiring her interest in the Galar region. Jolly nature. Part of the “Speed Demon” Double Battle formation with Leo the Luxray. Pure of heart, dumb of ass. Knows Play Rough, Thunder Fang, Bulk Up, and Psychic Fang. Has Strong Jaw ability.

Joulie: Galvantula. Acquired as a Joltick. Rash nature. Believed to have Ariados ancestry due to purple striping on legs. Is overly friendly, loves cuddles a bit too much for her size, and acts impulsively. Knows Electroweb, Bug Buzz, Giga Drain, and Thunderbolt. Has Compound Eyes ability.

Reverb: Toxtricity (amped). Gifted as a Toxel for rising up the ranks at the Jouleburough Gym. Quirky nature. On the rare occasion Bronte battles somewhere capable of Dynamaxing, Reverb is the go-to choice and can Gigantimax. Is a bit of a jokester and loves hanging out with the kids who come to the gym. Knows Boomburst, Overdrive, Toxic, and Venoshock. Has the Punk Rock ability.

#pokemon #pokemon oc #hi this is my main reference post

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gins-potter · 4 years

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(not sure if tumblr ate my ask so i'm sending it again) what do you think the relationship between Marion/Oritel and Vanessa/Mike would be like? Also, why Vanessa and Mike did name Bloom Bloom? Was it supposed to be her original Sparx princess name?

ANON, TUMBLR IS CONSPIRING AGAINST ME IT DOES NOT WANT ME TO ANSWER THIS ASK. Okay, so I was halfway through my answer to this and tumblr crashed out of nowhere so I’m gonna try and recreate my answer as best I remember.

Your ask did not get eaten by Tumblr by the way, don’t worry, I’m just painfully slow at answering asks sometimes, so never worry if you don’t get an immediate answer, they’re always sitting there, in my inbox...... judging me..... forever.....

So a little bit of context before I get to the actual answer to this ask. The working timeline for post s3 is SOTLK pretty much as is, except the ball at the end doesn’t happen because it’s meh and nothing happens there that I particularly want to keep. Then we go into season 4 and all that jazz with the wizards happens. Then we go into Magical Adventure, and so the night where Bloom goes home to Mike and Vanessa, and Oritel and Miriam follow her, is actually the first night they all meet. Roughly a year has passed from the end of SOTLK by this point, and Bloom has tried to get them all together, but they’ve all made excuses for it not to happen; Oritel and Miriam have a fucked country to get back on track and 17 years worth of magical drama to catch up on, Bloom’s dealing with crazy bitch ass wizards for a solid chunk of that year, and Mike and Vanessa can’t exactly casually pop round to Sparx to meet them.

So by the time they actually do meet, they’ve all sort of built it up in their heads a little bit. They aren’t exactly resentful of each other, but there is some weird tension there; Mike and Vanessa didn’t expect to ever have to deal with Bloom’s bio parents, and when Oritel and Miriam came back and realised their baby was now a 17 year old, their first thought wasn’t exactly about the adoptive parents who raised her. They’re all a bit thrown by the knowledge that the other set of parents are out there, they’re a bit insecure, and they all have to re-examine their role in Bloom’s life a little bit.

Miriam, surprisingly, is almost as shaken as Oritel. She’s usually the chill one who can get along with everyone, but the idea of Bloom having another mother kind of sets off some feelings that are somewhere between protective and jealous. But don’t get me wrong, she’s so so so glad that Bloom had loving parents to raise her and she got that family, but she can’t help but feel a little replaced (even if that’s completely irrational). But these feelings don’t last long once she actually meets Vanessa. I mean, come on, it’s Vanessa, it’s impossible not to like her. And it also helps that the first thing Vanessa does is pull out all Bloom’s baby books and home videos to help Miriam catch up on everything she missed. And on the other side while Vanessa is a little intimidated by the idea of this glamorous, royal mother that Bloom has, she realises pretty quickly that Miriam is really down to earth and they aren’t that different in terms of personality.

Of Mike and Vanessa, Mike is probably more cautious towards Oritel and Miriam in that he wants to be sure they’re treating his baby girl right. And he only gets more worried when she comes home complaining about them, especially Oritel. But he calms down a little once he actually meets them. He trusts and respects what Bloom is saying and feeling of course, but he also knows it’s hard to be objective when you’re emotional. And yeah Oritel was acting like a dick for a lot of Magical Adventure, but Mike understands parenting a teenager is hard, especially when you just became “undead” and are meeting your kid for the first time and she’s pretty much moving into adulthood. There was always going to be growing pains. That being said Mike and Oritel aren’t exactly best buddies. They just don’t have a lot in common really. They can make small talk, and be perfectly friendly towards each other, but they wouldn’t choose to spend time together just the two of them. The one thing they really have in common is Bloom, and that’s okay with them.

To answer your second question, anon, naming Bloom was completely Mike and Vanessa’s thing. I don’t really have an explanation for why they chose Bloom, except maybe she was so tiny and delicate when they first saw her that she reminded them of a flower? And flower --> bloom? Idk, that’s the best I got lmao. Bloom never had an official name from Oritel and Miriam, because Sparxian custom is to not name babies until they are a month old, they have a big naming ceremony when they announce it, and it’s a big celebration. Bloom was only a couple weeks old when Sparx got destroyed so she never had an official name from them. Oritel and Miriam probably at least had some ideas but it doesn’t really matter because by the time they have a chance to give it to her, Bloom is 17 and quite happy with the name she has lol. They did have a nickname for her though, which was Kaida, which means ‘little dragon’.

#answered #winx club #winx rewritten au #bloom #oritel #miriam #marion #mike #vanessa

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thelastofgala · 4 years

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I started The Last of Us, Pt. 2 last night, and here are my first impressions, musings on parallelism, Naturalism, Ellie’s characterization, Joel’s characterization, the “presence” of Riley, gameplay, story development, and more:

***SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT***

Starting with Joel. I always imagined The Last of Us 2 would begin at the end of Joel’s journey, though I will say that I did not expect to pick up so close to the end of the first game. I thought they would start us somewhere COMPLETELY out of context. Like I was prepared for much deeper flashback. In this way, I really felt like I was playing a sequel, which is not a bad thing. I just had no idea how they were going to frame this. The compelling thing about starting with Joel is that it immediately sets up parallels between Joel and Sarah, the character we start with in The Last of Us. There’s no way this was not a pointed decision. Just like it was with Sarah, Joel is our point of reference in a new, strange world. His point of view in this new world is all that we know. We don’t know what the new special world contains, and we don’t know grown-up Ellie at all. Plus, old fans will have missed him. It is a comfort to be Joel, and like a daughter protected by her father, a false and short-lived comfort. We are also now thinking of Joel as, like Sarah, someone who is in danger, whose agency is compromised, who, for whatever reason, is weakened this time around, and who may not survive the story.

I will say, too, that I really loved that after the 4-years-later cut, Joel is held off-screen. He and Tommy are out on a patrol. They are out there, in danger, and that sort of restraint is really effective. We are ALWAYS looking for Joel, just like we were in the run-up to the release, because he is the only person we truly know in this strange, new world. ND knows and takes advantage of this.

There are many parallels between Joel and Riley. Both Joel and Riley sneak up on Ellie during their first interaction. They’re even wearing similar colors. Both Joel and Riley lied to Ellie in the previous story, and both betrayed her as an act of self-preservation. In Left Behind, Ellie is somewhat chilly toward Riley in the beginning, even as her younger, more optimistic self, just as Ellie is chilly toward Joel in the beginning of The Last of Us 2. Still, you can tell through Ellie’s dialogue with Dina that she and Joel are knitted together—he defended her against the bigoted bartender, and she appreciates this even if she doesn’t outright say it. They share taste in movies and have plans to watch a movie together soon. I haven’t interacted with Joel in the current timeline, but I do know that in Left Behind, Riley has to earn back Ellie’s trust and take measures to reenter her good graces, and that this is a large part of their relationship arc. I also know that, by the time they reconcile, it proves to be too late. The world will not let them have what they want, and nothing is simple. All of these parallels worry me a lot, as Left Behind, while still driven by a strong undercurrent of love (it is a love story, interwoven with Ellie’s desperate search for medical supplies in a bid to save Joel’s life), is a much bleaker, sadder story than The Last of Us, and it has a tragic ending.

Joel's conversation with Tommy feels important. I was very glad to hear Tommy say that he would have made the same choice, in terms of saving Ellie or letting her die for the possibility of a cure. It shows that Tommy is more like Joel than perhaps we knew. Plus, Maria will have taught him something about love and commitment, as the notion of saving the one you love above all else should make more sense to him now that he has foregone the youthful idealism of the Fireflies in order to focus on the practical wisdom of family. As a parent, I understand Joel’s decision to save Ellie at the end of The Last of Us and know I would have done the same. I also understand why Joel lied, even though I think it was the wrong choice. Hearing him confide all of this in Tommy was cathartic. It was also very characteristic of Joel to respond that Ellie “didn’t say nothing otherwise” when Tommy asks if she believed him. In all of his denial, Joel chooses to believe what is conveniently in front of him, even if he knows it’s untrue. Also, I couldn’t tell, but was that a Firefly logo on that guitar he’s shining up? Maybe I hallucinated that. But if it is, I do wonder where he got it.

Ellie’s character is much more deadpan and ruminative in young adulthood. She seems tired, and a little lacking in self-esteem and sort of immediately defeated by what happened during the experience with Joel. When Joel sang, we could see her return to that place, just a glimmer, and her response—that it “didn’t suck”—shows how she still shields her heart with sarcasm, something Dina points out to her later on (“Did I ruin your punchline?”). Joel has been broken down by the events of The Last of Us and now bears his soul to her with his music, unabashed and dedicated to her, and Ellie is now the stoic one, unshakable, sealed inside a heavy, protective armor that seems impossible to pierce. I look forward to getting to know Ellie as a young adult and, ultimately, crying a lot. She is artistic and honest and still a little soft underneath. You can tell by her early interactions with Dina especially that she can still blush, and she can still come undone.

I love the snowball fight lol. I am always so frustrated when these big environment games, like Red Dead 2, Dragon Age, etc., don’t have any kids running around. Why don’t these stories pay attention to kids? Kids exist. They are an important part of almost any open world or quasi open world environment. I love the presence of kids in The Last of Us 2, because the loss of childhood innocence is an important theme for Ellie as a character. It’s also clear we’re trying to set up the edenic innocence of Jackson. It is childhood, in a way, and just like childhood, it will come to inevitable corruption. The scene, too, reminded me of Ellie and Riley on their teen dream adventure, romping through the Halloween store at the mall, trying on masks and talking to the magic eight ball.

I’m really pleased by all the parallels with Left Behind and Ellie’s portion of the journey in The Last of Us. Winter was her season, and that’s where we’re starting now. The horseback riding, the blizzard, and all the blood in the snow bring flashbacks of Ellie hunting on the woods, Ellie alone in the frozen mall, David, and the Lakeside Resort, all of which layer the current moment with a lot of emotional tension for the player.

The opening is, I think, sprawling. I’m having fun but there’s this sense that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the story. Like Joel in the first game, Ellie is also big-timing me a little and I feel far away from her. I know this will change soon, and I’ll warm up to her, but for now, like Joel, we’re all being held at arm’s length. I actually like the POV shifts we’ve gotten so far and the multiple POVs is something I predicted a while ago, based on ND’s tendencies in the first game. Ppl are going to give The Last of Us 2 shit for being too cinematic but tbh it sometimes feels more like a playable novel than a traditional video game. We’re on a cable car headed straight into disaster and there’s nothing we can do. In this way the game is using the medium itself to perpetuate its Naturalistic themes. We play and we play, and we fight and we fight, but the environment entertains no interest in our struggle and the outcome will always be the same. There is no free will in The Last of Us.

On that note, the gameplay so far is, I think, pretty fun. I have played a lot of stealth games and am always looking for ways the genre is reinventing itself. Like Sekiro and Tomb Raider, The Last of Us 2 is increasing the verticality of the map with rope climbing and scaling up obstacles (though I do miss using Joel’s immense upper body strength to move those dumpsters around lol). In a stealth game I want creativity and problem solving to be central to the gameplay. I don’t want to be magically handed tools and weapons on a constant basis, to meet every individual need. I want to be forced into resourcefulness, and I don’t want to enter a shoot-out unless I absolutely have to. That said, I’m nearly to the tower checkpoint with Dina, and I’ve only fired my gun twice. The dodge/melee mechanic is neat, but more than anything, having real, actionable help from an AI enables stealth kills even in zones crawling with enemies. On that note, I am playing with a headset, and I’m glad I am, because I find the sounds of the goddam clickers to be all-encompassing this time around and a LOT bigger and scarier than they were in The Last of Us. Holy shit. They’re absolutely terrifying. I can only imagine the horror to come lol.

Now, finally, Abby: I don’t have much to offer on this yet. Abby is not who I thought she’d be. I’ll just say it. Still, the melee battle with her and the runners in the woods was AWESOME. For me, the most fun I’ve had yet, because it was completely different than anything from The Last of Us. Playing her, however, I will say, filled me with foreboding. I didn’t want to be there. I didn’t want to help her. She seems beyond desperate and while deeply sympathetic, she is a new character and her loyalties are not mine...so far. I could be very wrong, and please don’t correct me if I am, but I get the sense she might be a Firefly, or somehow associated with Marlene, and she is looking for Joel, in vengeance. Her group was small and rogue, and they seemed new to the area. All I know is that ND is creating a moral dilemma here, and as to what will become of this, the jury is still out completely.

One small personal criticism, take it or leave it: I don’t personally love that the kiss with Dina and scene with Joel defending Ellie was kept off-stage in the game and left to the trailer. We could have started at the dance. That would have taught us everything we need to know about Ellie, Dina, Jesse, and Joel and Ellie’s relationship state. This is my only criticism of the story so far. From a writer’s perspective, it’s just inefficient and clumsy to try and cover all that in expositional dialogue, taking into consideration that many casual players will not have seen all the trailers. Even still, it’s not hurting my experience in any way. Just an observation and maybe a bit of personal opinion on the fact that perhaps the choice to reveal so much scene in pre-release trailers might be a great way to build hype but might not be the most efficient choice in telling the actual story. My two cents!

In the end, I’m overall super excited and can’t wait to keep playing. These are just my own personal thoughts, and I’ll be back with more thoughts soon!! PLEASE NO SPOILERS OR SPOILERY SUGGESTIONS IN THE REPLIES!! I am NOT privy to the leaks and I do NOT want to know what’s coming. Thank you!! ^_^

#tlou2 #The Last of Us 2 #tlou2 spoilers #the last of us 2 spoilers #the last of us part 2 #gala's thoughts

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jokerfan99 · 3 years

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My Top 10 Favorite Anime Heroes (Updated) by DarkChild316

“Guess who’s back…back again! DarkChild’s back, with 10 more friends!” LOL, sorry for that lame-ass joke, but I was listening to some Eminem earlier today. Anyway, my terrible sense of humor aside, I thought it would be a good time to give my list of “My 10 Favorite Anime Heroes” an update, figured since I did one for the villains I thought shit, might as well do one for the heroes too! Now once again, this list is strictly for the men only, if you want a list of my favorite anime queens, check out my list of “My Top 10 Favorite Anime Heroines”. But in the meantime, enjoy this updated list of my favorite anime heroes:

#10. Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia): One of the newest (and quite literally) entries on my list, Deku is a character who dreamed of becoming a hero in spite of being born without a Quirk or any kind of powers in a world dominated by heroes with them. Only to be chosen as successor to the greatest hero of the age, All Might. A humble yet caring fanboy at heart, if All Might represents the Golden Age of heroes, then Deku represents the future of heroes in the Modern Era. He may be a socially awkward cinnamon roll at the best of times, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that he’s not willing to stand up and do what’s right when the chips are down and the world needs a hero to stand for, no matter what form of villain is in the way! The only reason he doesn’t rank any higher on this list, is because he’s still relatively new to the scene and time will tell where he stands in the Patheon of anime legends.

#9. Inuyasha (InuYasha): He’s half dog-demon, half human: put it all together and what do you get? A sword-wielding hybrid who knows how to take care of business. Originally wanting nothing more than to become a full demon, his human heart trumped his selfish desires, leading him to fall for the modern-day schoolgirl he vowed to protect. Fighting through feudal Japan to recover fragments of the Sacred Jewel, InuYasha can be both cold and rude, yet heartfelt and compassionate. Plus, he makes us all laugh whenever we see this happen.

#8. Alucard (Hellsing): There have been a shitload of vampires in modern anime, yet all of them owe their debt to this tall, dark, well-dressed man. There has never been a vampire as delightfully sadistic as Alucard but unlike most vampires, there’s a method to his sadism that makes him truly brilliant. He isn’t truly evil, he’s just a monster who revels in destroying other monsters in any sadistic way he sees fit. And he truly revels in it, making his victims (most of which are evil Nazis and powerful demons) believe they actually have a chance by damaging them before regenerating and wrecking them in devastating fashion. This isn’t to say he’s totally heartless though, as he’s shown a great deal of fondness for the members of his team who are just as devoted to ridding the world of the evil forces that threaten it. Even though the anime version of Alucard mentions that he doesn't entirely understand humans anymore, he seems happy to work in the service of them, and to protect them from devils who aren't as honorable as he is.

#7. Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin): When I was a kid, Rurouni Kenshin was my favorite anime growing up and Kenshin was my favorite character. Having had a chance to revisit this anime recently during lockdown reminded me once again why that is, Kenshin is easily the most compelling character I had seen growing up as a kid and he was a refreshing change of pace in the samurai genre. Firstly, he was quite feminine to the point that many mistook him for a woman. He was also one of the politest characters in anime history, frequently putting others before himself and speaking to them with the utmost respect and patience. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think the guy would be better suited as a florist that a samurai. But underneath that smiling exterior hides a dark secret, Kenshin is a man haunted by the demons of his past. A former mercenary who killed countless foes, he makes a vow to never kill again, and is repeatedly tested on that vow time and time again as less virtuous people endanger the country’s peace. When Kenshin's hand is forced, he can go to incredibly dark places and fall back into the habits that made him known far and wide as the most fearsome swordsman in the land. Although Kenshin’s momentary lapses make him a complete badass and set the stage for some of the most epic sword battles ever animated, Kenshin always goes back to his sweet persona once the danger is gone. But in his solitary, quiet moments, he's gripped by his greatest fear; that one day he will permanently revert to his former self and become a manslayer once more.

#6. Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop): I’ll admit, it had been a long time since I’d seen Cowboy Bebop, so naturally I had forgotten about how cool a character Spike Spiegel was. Thankfully, this pandemic has allowed me to revisit it, and I find myself being just as in awe of Spike as I was when I was kid in the 90’s, he’s that awesome a character folks! Spike was an amalgamation of influences (from Bruce Lee, to Lupin III, and a little dose of film noir), and the result was a creation greater than the sum of its parts. In a series like Cowboy Bebop, which was itself a combination of cultural influences from around the globe, Spike was the essence of the story. Voice actor Steve Blum launched his career into new heights when he gave the performance of a lifetime in the English dub of the series, giving Spike a sense of smooth, effortless cool that many argue surpassed the original Japanese version.

Spike proved to be a versatile character; he was an expert pickpocket, a gearhead who worked on his own spaceship, a clever detective, a badass fighter, and even a bit of a philosopher. But what made Spike most interesting was his past as a gangster, and a man hopelessly in love. His relationship with Julia, and the tragic end of that relationship, haunts him throughout the series and shows us what truly mattered to him all along. When Cowboy Bebop reaches its powerful conclusion, Spike goes out in a blaze of glory that is unmatched in the history of anime (all I have to say is “Bang”).

#5. Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach): The first of the shonen “Big 3” to appear on my list, you’d think being born with the ability to see ghosts would be enough, but not for this high-school bruiser. After a fateful encounter with a Shinigami, Ichigo gains the power of a god of death, and is tasked with defending his home from the malicious spirits known as Hollows. As his seemingly endless battle stretches to other planes of existence and some truly frightening enemies, both Quincy and Hollow, this orange-haired swordsman will keep fighting to protect what matters most to him no matter what.

#4. Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): The second member of the shonen “Big 3” to make my list, this straw-hatted rubber-man takes my vote for his carefree spirit and his big heart. With the dream of grabbing the title of Pirate King, Luffy is a man who thinks with his stomach and fists rather than his head. Always in the pursuit of adventure, this happy-go-lucky guy may be the last person you consider when you think pirate captain. But you’d be wrong: You mess with Luffy’s crew and he’ll declare war on the entire world to save them.

#3. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto): Talk about a rough childhood. After having a powerful demon sealed inside of him, Naruto was a social outcast in the shinobi village he grew up in; even though people despised him for being the vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox demon he did not take the darker path in life nor did it deter him from pursing his dream of becoming the village leader to gain the respect and admiration of those who once shunned him. Naruto’s growth as both a ninja and human can be seen throughout the series, as it was this good nature of his and the will to protect everyone close to him that slowly changed the attitude of people towards him as the bonds of friendship he forges make his dream worth fighting for.

#2. Edward Elric (Fullmetal Alchemist): Wildly ambitious, wickedly smart, and wise beyond his years, Edward Elric entered the stage with a fresh, but interesting take on the modern shonen anime hero. Unlike those who came before him, he wasn’t this lovable idiot with a heart of gold. He was smart, calculating, arrogant, and shrimp sized. But most daring of all was the fact that Edward is technically handicapped, having had both an arm and a leg lost in a tragic accident fueled by love and hubris. In Edward we had a character who unlike most anime heroes was truly multidimensional. He could be comedic and pull off wild takes and sight gags. He could be placed in the most tragic circumstances and portray the deepest kind of sadness. He could be a complete badass, but he could also be the nicest guy on the planet. And most of all we saw Edward discover harsh truths about the world and learn that he didn’t know nearly as much as he thought he did.

#1. Son Goku (Dragon Ball): With the greatest respect to those like Luffy and Naruto, none of those characters would have ever been possible without this man (and the creators of One Piece and Naruto have even admitted this themselves). The prototype for shounen lead characters, Goku was somewhat of an anomaly back in his day. When the plucky, pint-sized kid Goku first appeared in Dragon Ball, the trend for male heroes was to have larger than life muscle heads (which Goku ironically turned into in his adulthood). Goku also grew up; another drastic change in a time when characters rarely changed much. But Dragon Ball Z is where Goku truly earned his fame. Goku isn’t even the most popular character in DBZ sometimes, but he is the foundation of the series. His heroism, strength, and dedication make him the perfect core for a kid’s show where the themes are meant to be pretty simple. He may not be the most complex character in anime history, but he’s perfect for the goal he was meant to accomplish. But Goku isn’t my top hero so much for his character complexity; it’s his influence that cannot be denied. He was, in many ways, a character that bucked the trends of his time and defined the direction of shonen manga/anime for decades, and that's why he's my #1 anime hero of all-time.

So that's my list, what did you guys think about it? Love it, hated it? Go on and tell me what you think and let me know who your favorite anime heroes are. See you soon!

Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/darkchild316

#izuku midoriya #my hero academia #inuyasha #Alucard #hellsing #kenshin himura #Rurouni Kenshin #spike spiegel #cowboy bebop #ichigo kurosaki #Bleach #monkey d. luffy #one piece #Naruto Uzumaki #naruto #edward elric #Fullmetal Alchemist #goku #dragon ball

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duckielover151 · 4 years

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Some Early Yu Yu Hakusho Thoughts

I just started Yu Yu Hakusho for the first time. (Seriously, finally.) And I want to preface this by saying that I did only ever hear praise for this series. Even so... Somehow I didn’t expect it to be this good. I’ve literally only seen up through episode 7, but a lot of things have already really impressed me.

For one, the story is just really interesting and engaging. I know I have this totally backwards, but it’s a little reminiscent of Noragami for me. (Second to the punch-you-in-the-face Dragon Ball vibes, of course.)

But more importantly right now... is how great the family stories have been already-- and they’ve barely even had a chance to develop yet!

I love what they’re doing with Yusuke’s mother. Which is probably super weird to hear, given she’s this irresponsible drunk who’s just made a total trainwreck of her life so far. She’s already gotten more screentime than I’d expected her to, so maybe I’ll be spoiled with a deeper look into Atsuko and how her life got to this point... But even if that’s not the case, I’m already kind of impressed that they’re taking the time to explore and develop her a little. She really felt like the kind of parent who was going to be introduced and then written off-- just as soon as it was made clear to the audience that Yusuke couldn’t rely on her for much.

But the show has made two things clear:

1) Atsuko’s a bad parent.

But 2) Atsuko does love her son.

I don’t see that kind of parent-child dynamic explored very often, so I love to see it represented here. Because those two things aren’t necessarily contradictory. But it’s much easier to write them that way. If it’s not too much to ask, I’d even like to see her grow a little over the course of the series. Clearly, Atsuko’s not someone who handles hardship well. And early reports after her son’s been returned to life aren’t promising... But old habits are hard to break. Maybe she will see this second chance as an opportunity for herself as well and straighten things out.

AND THEN!!!

Okay, so I had this coworker, years ago, who loved Kurama. But I barely knew anything about the series, so everything she did tell me kind of went in one ear and out the other. (Sorry.)

But I just saw episode seven-- the one that gives you the first real look into his character-- and I’m loving what I see already. What a fascinating setup!

A really brief explanation: Kurama was a demon who ran into some trouble with some other demons and had to escape to the human world as a last resort, transforming into the fetus inside an ordinary human woman. He was then born and matured as a human would, being raised as this woman’s son, with her none the wiser about his true nature or origins. But he does grow to care for her over time. When we meet Kurama, his mother’s dying from some unspecified disease, and he’s plotting to use the spirit relic (whatever you want to call it) that he stole-- which is basically what got him into this mess in the first place-- to save her life. In exchange for his own.

It’s a really sweet story on its own. But as he’s explaining it, he had this one line about how he sympathized with her... How hard it must have been to raise a child who was always looking down on her...

That just jived really well with me. I’m a longtime lover of fanfiction, and I’ve enjoyed a few reincarnated OC stories in my time. That particular point: how hard it would be for the OC-- some of whom had already grown to adulthood in their previous lives-- to adapt to having new parents along with everything else. It’s not the most popular thing to explore in that sort of story, but that particular inner conflict is one of my favorites. And I hope it also gets explored more and this isn’t the last we see of Kurama’s human mother.

I’m seriously still so early into it... I haven’t even been properly introduced to Hiei yet, who I can tell is the other main character. Yu Yu Hakusho has more than lived up to my expectations so far. I’m excited to see what comes next.

#Yu Yu Hakusho #Can we get a drumroll for today's anime ramble?#early thoughts #spoilers up through episode 7 #yusuke urameshi #Kurama #Family stories #Also a little fanfiction talk #the usual

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enicr · 5 years

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KAMUSTA, KAIBIGAN! Hello, I’m Nana, and I’m super duper excited to be a part of this group!! I have here mah boii ENIAR HARVEJYAL who’s an old muse (once described by my friend as a ‘BEAUTIFUL SAD STOIC NOBLE MAN’) that I never got to develop fully until now. NOTE: to the first person who’s gonna read all of this, can you please proo read it for me because i am lazy?? lma0 danke!

APPLICATION | STATISTICS

family

Eniar is a Harvejyal because his father has always loved his mada - even before he knew it himself. He has heard of his father - King of Numor - and the first time he had laid eyes upon his mada , and how he knew -- just knew -- that he would build his dreams for them and around them. They loved with a love that invited envy and admiration; they loved with a love that invited songs and poetry and bedtime stories. They loved with a love that produced a son -- not an heir -- but a son. Eniar is born of their love and they showered him of it; and when Eniar’s then-small arms could no longer take more than his due of affection, their love blossomed to bear another child. And then mada dies.

childhood

Children of Numor do not play -- they train. They mount brooms and run off with their peers to imitate dragonhearts and their dragon in battle, they pick up branches and hold them like swords. Dollhouses are only ever good for rainy days, when the mud becomes too thin and watery that it can not form balls to be thrown like balls of fire. Children run, climb trees, trek marshes, and bleed -- their scars and scabs are something to take pride of. Eniar is a child of Numor, through and through; and prince by title he maybe, his mada had ensured he would have this with him. Eniar spent a good deal of time outside the castle walls and played with villagers’ children, garnered bruises from play-fights he took home to show to his parents ( show them, just always show them, for kings do not play in the mud, and mada remains weak). It was a good childhood, it was a healthy, happy childhood. And then mada dies.

adolescence

Mada dies and father dies with them. Numor cries for their queen for 4 days and 5 nights. Father never stopped crying; and though tears stopped streaming down his face only after half a month since mada’s burial rites , father never stopped mourning inside. Eniar wants to be sad, too; wants to mourn his mada’s death for he, too, had lost his family; but father seems to be doing all the mourning for them. He had to be strong for father, he had to be strong for his little sibling.

At 9, Eniar sits in his father’s place for the first time. It was the anniversary of mada’s death and father refused to address anyone, calling them traitors for not respecting the queen’s day of passing. Eniar plays king as nobles and generals and all-important players of the game talk about Numor’s state in lieu of the upcoming storm season. They use words that he could understand, and he thanks them for it after. He would sit in father’s place two more times again (always on the same day of the year) before father emerges from his sorrow; and when he did; he was no longer father, he was the king -- and the king had plans for Eniar.

Climbing trees have to stop, trekking marshes have to stop. No more bruises, no more scabs. The king prepares for his heir through private lessons, military training, and political discourse. Eniar becomes a permanent counsel to the king at age 15. The king demands, and the prince supplies. Eniar’s father is replaced by a tyrannical king obsessed with “protecting our own.”

The next time he would see his childhood friends again would be when he becomes Captain in the Numoran Cavalry and they his men.

adulthood

He is different now. He stands firmer, stronger. His sword and lance -- extensions of himself. He fights like a man with everything and nothing lose; most of all, he fights himself within. The only time her ever feels like himself is with his younger sibling and when he’s in the company of his very small circle of friends. For his father to create the perfect prince, he had to kill his son.

title of royalty

Power lays in his name before he even knew the word, before he was even given a name. The royalty of Numor does not pride itself in splendour and glamour. Shiny things do not win battles and survive the land through winter -- but power does. The Harvejyal House have made the throne theirs since the Ancient Dragons flew over the mountains and the marshes of Numor, and will still have the throne long after dragonhearts finally get to rest their bones.

Eniar is made for the throne. He is a stern man, a persevering man. Father sees this, too, and is proud, for these are traits that father had so carefully taught him; but father is cautious for Eniar has his mada’s heart and compassion -- and compassion does not protect its people from wars and the dark creatures of the forest. Eniar, with his reigned in political power, is both far too soft and far too much of his mada for his father to entrust him yet of real authority.

ultean-kebastan war

No one wins in war. He knows this, and he believe this. Numor’s court knew that it was going to happen: war is inevitable between Ultea and Kebasta, what with the decades-worth of tension building between the two. Numor knew of it, Eniar knew of it: foreseen it as it peered from its highlands and down to the conflicts that incited the spark that started it. The king knew and did not want to be part of it; Eniar knew and hated it. When news of the war breaking out reached the Numor, Eniar sits with the small council of the king to discuss how to furthermore secure their harsh borders. ‘No sword comes in, no sword go out,’ the king says, and the small council agrees for now.

A year into the war, the first of the refugees pour in. Eniar, captain of the cavalry unit assigned to guard and protect the kingsroad, meets them with water and food and furs. He writes to his father of this: of the human hunger and emotional poverty. He seals the letter, sends his second fastest rider. The king replies with a prompt: ‘send them away immediately’. The king demands, the prince supplies. It take years of suffering and atrocious and tyrannical autarky before the king even considers letting refugees in. By the time Numor openly accepts whoever braves the journey to the North, the war is at near-end, and Eniar starts to hate his father.

andera forest issue

He hears the stories. He is not deaf nor arrogant enough to pretend that he is. He hears the stories of foul creatures breaking through the barrier of the dark forest. He hears them from the war refugees, the trades merchants, his own father. He hears them before Ultea and Kebastan halted the war to fight the common enemy, and he is furious. The king would not do anything. Numor is unreachable, untouchable, invincible. They would burn the beasts with dragonfire before they can even set foot inside Numoran soil. His father is assured of this: they are safe and must stay safe -- even as the world burnt around them.

Eniar is not deaf. He hears what his own men say, he hears what his own conscience says. He knows the king is not deaf, as well, yet the king remains adamant that ‘we must protect our own.’ Eniar hears and yet he remains silent. He would never speak against the king -- he is no heretic to his own father; yet, yet --

The empress of Ultea dies. Though the king stays true to his refusal to be involved, he sees the loss for what it is and extends his grievances in the form of his two children; but the king is not innocent. He extends his grievances in the form of his two children, whom he has tasked to report back to him: of the conflicts, of the cease fires, of the so-called dangers of the forest -- all in the cautious interest of Numor’s safety, but none in the light of helping the other nation. Eniar is a good prince, a good son -- he is made for the throne; but he is borne of compassion that refuses to be watered down.

Here, in Ultea with his entourage, Eniar is far from his father’s controlling authority. Eniar knows that Numor is not untouchable; Numor is not invincible. And so he plots -- day and night, rain or shine -- how to use the influence he has to make the agree king reconsider his firm stance on not helping out the nations threatened by the darkness of the forest.

stay in ultea

He often forgets that he belongs to royalty. When with his cavalry knight, he is with his brothers and sisters: Numor’s finest and fiercest. This he takes pride of constantly and consistently. No one can ever take away from him nor his company of cavalry what they have earned through battle and hunts and expeditions -- a quite, contenting glory. It is then quite a shock to him that the culture of Ultea seems to celebrate his title rather than his hardwork. PRINCE OF NUMOR. Back home, being a prince is a responsibility, not a privilege. Here, they bow, they flirt, they dance. They greet him with such reverence. It is surreal, and though mada has taught him to be well-mannered, he refuses to believe all of it to be true. War makes people unkind, and the kindness they show him raises suspicion.

He knows the king knows of it too, and that’s why he had sent one of Numor’s finest captains with him and his younger sibling. The king has been asked time and time again to step out of neutrality, and now that the most precious people to him are beyond his sovereignty, it is not impossible to pressure the king into engaging Numor out of it with a bit of foul play. And though Eniar can and will defend himself, he finds that it is best to surround himself with people he can trust to ensure that no harm would befall him and his younger sibling -- such as being kidnapped and used as a bargaining chip against the Numoran king. There is always a peaceful and diplomatic way, and Eniar will find it -- if he can’t, then he’ll make it.

state of mind

EMPATHY / AUSTERITY / PRIVACY: He feels a lot. He feels a lot and he drowns in it. Sometimes he would drown in other people’s problems and feelings, too – like the mad oceans that erode Numor’s coast. He’s emphatic to a fault. His mada once told him, when she was still alive, that he can’t be like that all the time, that: ’darling, you wear your heart on your sleeve and IT IS BLEEDING. We must not let them see we bleed, child, so how about you tuck it under your fur?’ He feels so much and he hides it because he’s afraid that if he threads its waters any longer, his limbs will tire and he will forget how to swim above it.

DISCIPLINE / RIGID / HONOUR: He must do what is right for if not him, then who? If not now, then when? These do not come naturally to him: he had to learn how to be firm and decisive for he knows if he cannot swim through his emotions, then he must be able to find higher ground. Yet this high above, what seems right is not always true; what seems right is not always there. The more Eniar climbs higher, the more he sees the need to reform what he morally believes is for the best -- but how can he? To go against the principles and laws old than him would be to go against his sense of duty and honour. He has fought himself within more than he has fought battles; and until the day comes that he knows he has own, he must stay firm and keep climbing higher.

TL;DR: Enair is the prince of Numor, a nation that refuses to be involved. However, he wants to be involved and help out. He’s a very disciplined and conscientious person, believes in hardwork and all those knight-in-shining armour things. If he were an emoji, he would be a mix of (￣^￣)ゞ and (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و

#noble.intro #idk how it got this long but im sorry im gonna make another?? (is that legal)) intro post tomorrow thats SO MUCH shorter #also those emojis are supposed to be a salute emoji bc my boii is a honourable man and a work hard emoji bc he wants to do the right thing

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thesinglesjukebox · 5 years

Video

youtube

HATCHIE - STAY WITH ME [8.08] The album's called Keepsake, and it's one we might want to hang on to...

Ian Mathers: I don't care what the lyrics say when you look them up, in the moment of listening I cannot decide each time whether "Stay With Me" starts with "it's all better, now you're gone" or "it's no better". I don't think the song can decide either. It's far from the first song to have that sort of power, just like the drum machine-and-synth, loop-and-swoop approach, while beautiful here, isn't exactly new. But I've heard dozens of songs like this (some even by Hatchie) since the last time one made me feel the way "Stay With Me" is making me feel right now. And isn't that maybe the only true miracle of pop music: that mere human beings can make "just another song," one that on the surface isn't that different than a bunch of others we merely like, and yet it can hit us just as profoundly, as heartwrenchingly bittersweet, as hopefully, as this one is hitting me right now? I could write an essay about the things in my life "Stay With Me" connects up to, people and times and places and songs, but it wouldn't make much sense to anyone else even if it wasn't incredibly, tiresomely self indulgent. But the experience I've been having with "Stay With Me" is among other things a reminder of the worth of staying connected and engaged with the world, in art as in all things, and not just going back to listen to all the things I already love instead. The chances of any other given human being having this reaction to this particular song today ("if I met you in a different moment/if I met you would I be this broken?") are small, sure, maybe even tiny. But god, I hope we all get to keep having those moments, and that we recognize the wonder of them in each other. [10]

Katherine St Asaph: I know this was written as a deliberate experiment in writing a pop song (or so they say; I too have claimed my paychecks as experiments), and thus I know the exact places the mechanics are there to get you (unending wistful chords, the yearning "Everything Is Embarrassing" vocal, with an octave jump exactly where it needs to happen), and the places the mechanics clank a bit too loud (the ending sags before the [perfect] bridge; "I'm not done / I've come undone" is kind of circular, kind of on its own nose). It's also been out for months. But the second time I heard this song it just happened to catch me at the exact moment of flood of memory, of accreted stupid unrequited crushes and breakups and failures and regrets, until I was in tears in a cab, which is really the ideal setting to hear this song. [9]

Edward Okulicz: Oh god, this hits me so hard in my heart, it hurts. "Stay With Me" would have been incredible had it been sung by someone like Foxes as a glass-shattering EDM epic, and it would have been incredible done as a shoegaze number by an alternative universe Lush, but it's also perfect as it is, midway between those two extremes. The lyrics are simple, but they're no more complicated than they need to be. It's some heavy-duty yearning but at the same time it's as light as air. I want to go dancing somewhere this is playing and stare down at my sneakers all night. [10]

Ashley Bardhan: This feels like pretty straightforward dream pop. Super soupy, drowsy vocals over a synth loop. It's very fine, very reminiscent of making out with a 23-year-old mattress boy named DYLAN. [6]

Julian Axelrod: Hatchie's ability to craft grand, immersive synthscapes is impressive, rivaled only by her commitment to pushing semi-formed lyrical conceits past the four-minute mark. [6]

Will Adams: There's a heartbreaking circularity to the lyrics ("you're the one who's won"; "I'm not done/I've come undone") that nails the sense of uncontrollable spinning that comes from an unrequited love. The vacillation between confidence and doubt, the paper-thin façade of indifference, the endless what-ifs and agonizing of what could have been had the cards fallen differently: they all add up to a devastating crush song that, despite never resolving, nonetheless sounds like a massive, necessary release. [9]

Alex Clifton: Drenched in reverb, gorgeous synths and a lovely vocal line, and feels like a beautiful dream. It sounds like the end of a movie where there's a montage of the main characters heading off into the sunset, unsure of their futures but exchanging significant looks with one another. I hope this blows up, makes it big, becomes as iconic as it sounds -- everyone needs to hear this song. [8]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: With a sturdy and prominent drum loop, "Stay With Me" brings to mind My Bloody Valentine's "Soon" and the sped-up Zeppelin sample on Chapterhouse's "Pearl." The key difference is how Hatchie's vocals are always front and center, clear enough that each word can permeate every synth pad and twangy guitar line and snappy kick drum with a melange of hopeful desperation and knowing despair. That spacious, ever-comfortable void that her voice rests inside reveals itself to be a place of unnerving contemplation. Despite this, Hatchie convinces you that this purgatorial dream state is far more desirable than the living Hell that is life spent all alone. [9]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: The art of the fadeout is an intentionally obscure one. It's the art of making the encroachment of silence into an instrument of its own, of stretching a song's end into a beautiful eternity. "Stay With Me" has a gorgeous fade-out, ending in a heartbeat of a drumtrack as its shoe-gaze-leaning guitars depart, but it in itself feels like a fadeout, taking the dying hopes of some vaguely sketched relationship and letting them sprawl out before you. It takes a while to get going (it didn't click for me until the bridge), but it's the kind of song that deserves your patience. [7]

Alfred Soto: So THIS is the synth pop bauble that Chvrches have failed to write for six years? It stinks of the past, peeks through v-shaped fingers at the future, and in Hatchie's sweet lies ("It's so better now you're gone") an ever-present present. [8]

Joshua Copperman: The tedious, nearly bass-less first half of "Stay With Me" surprised me, especially as so many TSJ colleagues were raving about this song. The lyrics are concise without being cliché, the production is a mostly interesting mix of Madchester drums and modern dream-pop, but I'm left living someone else's nostalgia. Like Snail Mail and other, similar acts, I'm an outsider for not having the same childhood as every other music writer. That doesn't make this a bad song: Once the live drums and harmonies kick in at 2:51, it becomes difficult not to fall in love with the song. But even that is probably because it evokes my own nostalgia -- it sounds like "Wake Up," and not the "Wake Up" indie rockers used to reference. (A bit like this pre-"Radioactive" Imagine Dragons song too, which I loved when I was 15.) And I still remain locked out; the YouTube comments claim that "listening to this song feels like being in a club on ecstasy in the 90's." But really, this feels like hearing someone else remember that oft-reminisced-upon time period, reminding me once more that things were apparently better before I got here. [6]

Vikram Joseph: From sixth form through much of my twenties, I thought I didn't really like dancing; far too late, I realised I just hated having to fake it in bleak, sticky-floored provincial or university clubs, damp with straight machismo and broken dreams. These days, I can lose my shit to "Dancing On My Own" and "Make Me Feel" in queer spaces I feel safe and happy in, and that's wonderful. It stings, though, to have missed out on a kind of transcendence I feel like I should have experienced on the cusp of adulthood, and "Stay With Me" speaks directly, powerfully to that part of me. Those "Born Slippy" synths feel soft-focus and hazy like inebriated happiness itself; Hatchie's vocals in the middle eight feel like they're grasping for something intangible and impossible, chasing every lost night and doomed love into the first glow of sunrise. This is slow-motion, tear-streaked disco-ball euphoria to remind you of nights you're not quite sure belong to you or to cinema; a fever-dream summer dance anthem that makes me believe that the perfect places we have always aspired to are eminently real, flickering in spaces that our younger selves could never have imagined existed. [9]

Iris Xie: When I review songs, I repeat them in order to sink in their atmosphere and be flooded into their sentiments, because otherwise, it doesn't come clear to me. In this discovery process, I often find myself compelled to sing and ad lib along. For "Stay With Me," at 2:50, I found myself unconsciously singing the bridge when the midpoint of the kicks off into the instrumental, specifically these two lines: "If I met you in a different moment/If I met you, would I be this broken?" I kept singing these two lines over and over again as each repeat occurs, and then I realized that the bridge is the verbal personification of the instrumental, and it is the underlying sentiment that drives all the stark, urgent confessions, so naked in their desperation and knowing that it is futile and they won't be heard, but nevertheless, they must be said. This stands in contrast with the first two lines, which put on such a brave face that contains a bitter heart: "It's all better now you're gone/It's all better on my own." When you sing these lyrics over each other, the synths are so lively and comforting in this melancholy and blend together with warm guitar strums, and solid drums to illuminate these sentiments. Hatchie is in pain from having to deal with such a broken void, and the vibrant singing of the bridge contrasts with the reluctant, forlorn sentiment of the initial verse, so it actually reads: "It's all better now you're gone/If I met you in a different moment/If I met you would I be this broken/It's all better on my own." Even though Hatchie acknowledges it feels wrong, saying "stay with me" is the balm that she settles on to ease this pain of her lover's departure because she's responsible for this pain. The beautiful part about the instrumental is that it reminds me of why music, and art overall, is so deeply important: when one is able to access the space of these heartfelt emotions, and to use the tools at your disposal to create the specific weight and textures of those experiences, it also can help give shape to those who are also feeling these certain ways, and allowing them to release and transmit it. I've shied away from my own private embarrassment and shame about this exact situation for years, and have only recently started talking about it with my therapist and supportive friends, but yesterday, I allowed myself to look through old journals and communications about that relationship. In reality, I never allowed myself to feel comfortable with the endless weight of these emotions and regrets, for I never wanted to be haphazard about the textures of this experience, even in making art about it. I feared it'd only sour the reality and aggravate my anxieties about people not taking the level of pain I had seriously and mocking it. Putting myself in that impossible situation for not wanting to mar those moments, I shut it down for the past few years. But I've had to let those similar feelings wash over me in the past few months to create art and even give justice to the reviews that I want to give on TSJ and elsewhere, so now I have to acknowledge that buried sadness. I no longer feel shame about that plaintive way to express my emotions about those situations, for this song's fuzzy, warm haze of disorientation is so familiar, and now I trust myself to just go, which is what I did with this review today. I guess that's one reason why pop is so lovely -- a salve for private hearts, not ready to debut, until they are. It's clear now. [8]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

#hatchie #TSJBestof2019 #pop #music #music review #writing

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duhragonball · 5 years

Text

Dragon Ball Z 019

Not a hoax, not a dream, not an alternate reality! Goku finally meets King Kai in this episode.

Yeah, I’d be surprised too, if I were Goku.

When Goku first got here, he thought the monkey was King Kai, but no, it’s just King Kai’s pet Bubbles. Bubbles, of course, was named after Michael Jackson’s pet chimpanzee. I looked him up and apparently he’s still alive, although Jackson had to turn him over to an animal sanctuary in 2003 because he was getting to big and strong to keep as a pet. I never knew this before. I had heard of chimp owners getting viciously attacked and losing fingers, eyes, and faces, but I didn’t understand how it ever got to that point. Apparently the chimpanzees that everyone thinks are cute are just young chimpanzees. The adults are much bigger and more aggressive, to the point where humans just can’t control them. At least in the case of Bubbles (the real-world chimp, I mean), it took twenty years for him to get to that point.

Maybe that’s why people think they can keep them as pets in the first place. They don’t realize that chimpanzees have such long lifespans. A cat or a dog might die of old age before getting anywhere close to 20, but a chimpanzee is just reaching adulthood. That’s nuts. I’m 42. If I adopted a baby chimpanzee right now, I’d be in my 60′s right around the time he’s old enough to dismember me and anyone else who tried to come to my aid. That’s just insane. No one needs to be doing that, I don’t care who you are. I’ll bet you a dollar MJ probably waited too long to give up Bubbles, too. It’s probably more like fifteen years and then you’re in moral peril.

Like, big cats, that’s another stupid thing. On paper, they pretty much act like house cats, maybe. Even if that were true 100% of the time, they’re still huge. A house cat will claw you for no good reason. They’re assholes, but we keep them as pets because they’re small enough that they’re not dangerous. If a lion got a little overeager at playtime, he’d probably disembowel you and not even realize he’d done it. Oh he might feel real sad about it afterward, but you’re still dead. I’ve encountered enough sketchy dogs in my lifetime that I wouldn’t want to mess around with anything bigger and less domesticated.

You know what? Horses are kind of bullshit too. People act like they’re totally fine and you can sit on top of one and nothing’ll happen, but that’s insane. Christopher Reeve knew what he was doing and look what happened to him. Forget riding them, I don’t trust their giant teeth. People hold food up to their mouths like it’s no big deal, but I bet a horse could bite your finger off and not even care. You get stitches and have to re-learn how to hold a pen, and Mr. Ed probably gets put out to stud because “You just didn’t handle him right,” or whatever. No. Not me, pal. I don’t hate horses. They’re beautiful animals. Steel Ball Run was great. I just don’t want to be anywhere near one, for the same reason I don’t want to be anywhere near a minefield.

Sorry, I got off on a tangent. My point is that Michael Jackson took Bubbles to Japan for a world tour in 1987, and Wikipedia says Bubbles drank tea with the mayor of Osaka, so I’m betting that had something to do with King Kai’s pet monkey. But I trust King Kai to have a pet monkey, because he’s super strong and Bubbles seems pretty chill.

Where was I? Oh, right, King Kai’s super into puns, which seems to be a stable of Japanese humor, probably because there’s so many homonyms in the language. None of this translates very well into English, which is why the subtitles rely on rhymes instead of puns, or just really, really bad puns. The Funimation Dub just fell back on corny jokes, like “What’s the difference between a jailer and a jeweler?” There’s puns incorporated into the jokes, but from what I can tell the Japanese version is strictly into wordplays without setups or punchlines.

Goku has to fake laugh a lot around King Kai, because he threatens to not train him unless he has a sense of humor. This is why puns suck, by the way. Used sparingly, and with great care, they can be very funny, but too many people try to use brute force in place of comedic timing. “Hey, baby, do you have 11 protons? Because you’re sodium fine?” The words “sodium” and “so damn” sound almost nothing alike, but they share exactly four letters, so someone decided it barely qualifies as a wordplay, but we all know that it really doesn’t. The “joke” is actually that it’s not a very good joke at all, since the setup takes forever to execute, and it telegraphs the punchline, which requires a lot of mental gymnastics to even interpret as a punchline. It doesn’t provoke laughter so much as a feeling of “Oh, I guess that is vaguely a word play, so it’s mildly clever.” The real satisfaction of telling this is to irritate people. You can either laugh at the joke and pretend it’s funny, or you can no-sell the joke and everyone gets a tickle out of how “humorless” you are, when no, it’s the joke’s fault for not being funny.

What makes King Kai a funny character is that he’s the gag. Humor is about reversing expectations, like when you read an anime liveblog and the guy starts ranting about how you can’t trust horses. Goku was sent to train under this guy because he’s like the god of all the Kamis on every planet in the universe. He’s supposed to be the best possible instructor there is. Then Goku runs all this way to meet him and all he wants to do is talk about puns. He sounds exactly like the narrator (or, if you’re watching it in English, he sounds like Goku doing a funny voice, which is also kind of freaky when you think about it.)

But the biggest punchline is that he’s not even that powerful. Oh, he’s stronger than Goku, sure, but the Saiyans heading for Earth are still stronger, so Goku will have to surpass King Kai just to stand a chance. And it took Goku over six months just to get here. He’s got 158 days to close the gap, and he just wasted ten minutes on a free comedy lesson. The world is going to end. But not yet. One sells watches, the other watches cells.

First thing’s first, Goku needs to get acclimated to the intense gravity of King Kai’s planet. As small as the planet is, the gravity is ten times that of Earth, which is why Goku is having such a hard time moving around. But the other Saiyans all grew up on a planet with the same gravity, so it’s just as well that he get used to this now. King Kai tells him to chase Bubbles around until he can catch him, and once he pulls that off, he’ll be ready to train in earnest.

Goku struggles at first, but then he remembers to take off his weighted training clothes to make things easier. He wasn’t even wearing those when he died, so it’s kind of weird that he got to keep them.

Goku also asks for a meal, since he hasn’t eaten since Princess Snake’s place. King Kai finds it unusual that a dead man would be hungry, which sort of makes me wonder about all the other Saiyans who have died. Do they hunger, even without their bodies? Best not to think about it.

King Kai tells him to put his weighted gear back on, since it’ll make the training more effective. Goku isn’t keen on that idea, but King Kai explains to him how dangerous the Saiyans are, and how he’ll need to do whatever it takes to defeat them.

But Goku’s not worried because he’s a Saiyan himself. That... hasn’t exactly helped him so far, but I like his confidence.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Piccolo is still training Gohan. Gohan finally manages to score a blow on Piccolo, so I wanted to make note of it here. Good hustle, Son.

BEST GREEN DAD

BEST GREEN UNCLE DAD

BEST GREEN DAD

In spite of Piccolo threatening to murder his father, Gohan tells him that Goku always used to say that the current Piccolo isn’t as bad a guy as the previous King Piccolo. Gohan agrees with that sentiment.

So Piccolo gets all tsundere on him. “I’m totally gonna kill your dad, b-baka!”

Back on King Kai’s planet, Goku indeed manages to catch Bubbles. Even with the weighted training clothes on. Good hustle, Son.

King Kai is impressed. To overcome the gravity in just one day is remarkable in itself.

He even entertains the hope that Goku might be able to master the Kaio-ken technique. But those beads of sweat on his head suggest that we’re a long way from a guarantee.

#dragon ball #2019dbliveblog #king kai #bubbles #goku #gohan #piccolo #dragon ball z #saiyans saga

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beyond-far-horizons · 5 years

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Thoughts on Dany + Jon Post Ending

Can’t get this out of my head so I’ll thought I’d get things off my chest. Doesn’t cover everything about this season and the way the series was handled over all by a long shot.

Spoilers under the cut.

I feel so sad, so heartbroken for Dany. For Jon too but especially for Dany.

I’ve read and seen enough think pieces to see both sides and see how the Mad Queen angle could have worked if things were done a little differently and might have been fantastic if heartbreaking if the turn had happened long before and was supported by better writing and development. Also from things hinted I’m now worried this is indeed where GRRM is going for the books (if he ever gets to the end...), if only because the bittersweet gut-wrenching feeling in my chest is what the Red Wedding would have felt like if I had been a fan at the time it aired. It is so very GOT to get you to invest in the Heroine’s arc, the Saviour, the power fantasy, the Chosen One destiny, just to turn it back on you and show you a villain instead. However the Villain Face-Heel turn has actually been done many times and in many cases much better.

The thing is, as so many have said, it just came too late and was unsupported by the writing especially this season. The seeds were certainly there but they weren’t nurtured and the key thing is we weren’t with her enough especially in the Bells episode to see that crucial tipping point.

But the worse part for me is the tragedy of Dany’s life and her dreams. It felt like ever since she came to Westeros she has been gradually stripped of all that she loves. We have been so anxious for her to come home and claim her crown that she’s heard about and suffered for all her life and ever since she made that journey Highgarden, Dorne and the Iron Islands were lost, Viserion was killed and zombified, Jorah was killed protecting her, most of her Dothraki and Unsullied were slaughtered, Rheagal was killed, Missendei was captured and killed - all through her trying to save her land and her people, all because she listened to Tyrion and co and gave Cercei chance after chance. Finally she was betrayed by the man she loved and stabbed to death while he professed his undying love and loyalty.

That look of shock and Drogon nudging her futilely then going nuts and finally carrying her off into distance all to Ramin’s transcendent score just broke me. It was awful. Awful that her personality just got slaughtered, that she would honestly say ‘they don’t get to choose’ to Jon, knowing what it is like to be sold and abused with no voice. That’s not Dany! Awful that after everything she has endured - the loss of her family and inheritance at the start of her life, the abusive childhood on the run, being sold and raped by Drogo, having to adapt to the Dothraki then losing it all along with her husband and child, wandering in the desert, being betrayed and having to fight and remake herself countless times, struggling to do the right thing in Esso and Westeros and through all that raising three dragons to adulthood and bringing magic back into the world. She deserved better than the shit she got, especially from the Starks in Winterfell - she came to save your damn asses! (or if they are going to be mistrustful PLEASE D & D give them a proper reason - spell it out, talk about the Stark/Targ history, give us some proper Robert’s Rebellion R & L stuff. Jon never brings up in S7 the fact that Dany’s father killed Rickard and Brandon and would have killed Ned & Robert too, not to mention Rheagar allegedly kidnapping Lyanna - it would have been a great way to level her haughtiness and keep the R + L = J theme going as well as highlight the potential Targ madness. That coupled with Sansa’s experiences of being betrayed and the Dothraki etc then yeah I’d get the distrust.)

Anyway I can’t look back at those poignant or badass scenes of hers in earlier seasons now. It makes me feel desolate and frankly dirty to feel I was cheering a tyrant in the making. I love bad guys, I even love tragic heroes that go crazy and kill those they love - (see Wheel of Time - The Dragon/LTT), but Dany never felt like that. Her heart felt too pure for that corruption. She lost herself and didn’t even see it - that’s not Dany no matter how much she has suffered. I possibly could see her losing it and then feeling deep remorse but not full on megalomania.

Also it has to be said I did feel the unconscious misogyny of Crazy!Queen has to be put down by One True Male Heir and Tyrion’s all ‘we tried to guide her and help her with her worst impulses’ like fuck that shit Tyrion, it’s not your fault the writers made you carry the Idiot Ball for the last how many seasons but your shit advice and betrayals have directly led to this, everyone knows Cercei ain’t gonna negotiate, you muppet! The only shocking thing is why she didn’t kill you all those times you were in her grasp! Again like others have said it’s the insidious message underneath - the crazy woman and her crazy emotions, not being able to escape your family history, Missendei dying in chains, Jamie forgoing all character development, saying he didn’t care about the innocent people and he really did love Cercei, Jon being exiled at the Wall again, forever an outsider. GOT has always been about subverting traditional fantasy archetypes and I never expected a happy ending, but this wasn’t the bittersweet finale of LOTR, this felt wrong, even though there were some great moments.

Props must go to Emilia Clarke though - she has come such a long way as an actress and I felt bad for her, reading about all her struggles for the role, fresh out of drama school, having to have brain surgery and everything. In those last two episodes she gave everything she had, she really did Daenerys justice even if the writing didn’t and so did Kit Harington (another actor who I had my doubts about). They really sold that scene and that made it worse.

As an aside I did actually enjoy the alternate reality feeling of the first half of the episode where Evil Queen Daenerys was keeping Pure Hero Jon prisoner and trying to convince him to ‘Join me and together we can rule-’ etc

(The part were he says for the nth time “You are my KWEEN!” and kisses her, I was like NOOOO Jon’s gone full Dark Side WTF?) But ultimately of course we got what we did. Again I was sad for him to have gone through all his Hero’s Journey - the Ice equivalent of Dany’s Fire and then like her to have had it be all in vain, there he is again, alone at the Wall with Ghost and all the other ghosts of his former life from Ygritte, to his family, to the Night’s Watch and of course Dany.

I’d be interested to see where GRRM takes this, I’m sure if he ever does write it it will be far deeper and more in keeping with the grand themes of Fire and Ice which will perhaps do justice to his characters. I hope he does and we get that chance.

For now, sad as it seems, I’m going to need time to detach from GOT and these characters and find a more wholesome, uplifting story.

#got #game of thrones #daenerys targaryen #jon snow #emilia clarke #kit harington #fantasy #grrm

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