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thepythakorean · 4 months

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parallels between the boy and the heron and this painting, plus general analysis

Arnold Bocklin, Island of the Dead. 1880

i want to preface this by saying i am by no means an art history nerd, i just happen to know some stuff about the background of this painting in particular.

as soon as mahito is sucked into the tower floor he is standing at the shore of an island surrounded by an endless ocean. he is dwarfed by a large set of golden gates that say something like "those who seek my knowledge shall perish" and an even taller forest of cypress trees. these features all frame a white dolmen (primitive tomb usually made of giant rocks stacked like below) that beckons to him.

this scene immediately struck me since it has so many of the visual elements of the painting. mahito is even framed in the foreground to be so very small approaching these giant, daunting structures just like the boat heading for the island in the painting. besides the tombs, the cypress trees are also traditionally associated with mourning and death at least in europe/the mediterranean. other ghibli movies have lavish european aesthetics tied to characters (howl, yubaba, etc.) but it feels particularly intimate here given that mahito's great granduncle, the creator and ruler of this world, is apparently european and can only pass on his role to a direct descendant. (btw not saying the gaudy european decor signature of howl and yubaba aren't important to their characterization, it def is! i'm just saying it stood out to me in this movie especially.) the cliffs full of stone entrance passageways are prominent later in the movie as himi takes mahito through the parakeet's domain, and interestingly, in the delivery room where natsuko is, there is another dolmen behind her (can't find pics since the movie hasn't been uploaded yet urgh).

the backstory to the painting continues to parallel to the events of the story! so there's 5 versions of this painting. the first three versions were painted in a cemetery close to bocklin's residence which was also full of white headstones and sculptures, and cypress trees. one of his infant children, one of many children he lost, was buried there. the one i posted above is the first/second-- while bocklin was working on the first, a the soon-to-be wife of a politician visited his studio, saw the wip, and commissioned her own version with the added white figure and coffin to commemorate her first husband who had just died of diphtheria. already somewhat similar to how mahito's mother died in the hospital fire (well. she died from the fire but presumably she was there because she was sick) and when his father shortly remarried. these were also added to the initial wip and stuck in later versions of the painting. bocklin later wrote to her, "you will be able to dream yourself into the world of dark shadows". the movie is also very dreamlike-- it's a fantasy world filled with strange creatures, alternate versions of people he knows, and passages that seem to alter the fabric of time and space. people also seem to forget about it as soon as they leave even after spending long periods of time in it like a dream. the painting is also very dreamlike, but why? the warm lighting, maybe not in the version i posted but in a couple others, may explain it, but the island itself resembles the curtains and stage of a theater (referencing the audio clip below the description). even if it doesn't look EXACTLY like that to you, it's definitely a too-perfect little scene in a nebulous expanse of space. this theatrical quality is also shown in the movie by the parakeet uprising side plot as well as the scene when himi and mahito collapse in front of the delivery room-- the curtain falls directly in front of the viewer over them as though a stageplay just ended. oh and a friend mentioned to me how this is a classic hero's journey plot and mirrors orpheus in the underworld. island of the dead has also directly inspired NUMEROUS other works of art, including other paintings, stage productions, and symphonic poems. apparently the painting was so popular many people in berlin hung prints of it in their homes (i do too)! as i stated above though, a lot of the visual elements in the painting were already traditional symbols relating to death so i don't want to 100% conclude that miyazaki was directly inspired by this painting, he may have just also resonated with those symbols independent of bocklin which i still think is awesome.

the first time we see himi also reminded me of the painting. she's wearing a white dress and standing at the bow of a small wooden boat, and though her intentions are to save the warawara from the pelicans, she inevitably kills some of them too. visually and thematically she's like the white figure at the front of the rowboat in the painting. she acts as a guide for mahito (analogous to the rower? he traveled to this world of his own volition but needed a guide) for a good part of the movie and is a collage of life and death. she is a younger but kind of omniscient version of his dead mother; she's known all along she is mahito's mother but is about to be born into the world by the end of the movie and accepts her fate happily. she can control fire which envelops her like how she died in the real world, but is harmless to the touch unless she directs it as a weapon, and as we see with the warawara and pelicans it helps creation but also destroys much like fire's role in the natural world. natsuko, though a separate person from himi, is still connected as a sibling, and we see her wandering into the forest at the beginning of the movie while wearing white like himi, back turned to mahito, and that is what prompts him to first enter the tower. the strange nature of her character that doesn't adhere to a proper time or space parallels the way the white figure completely stands out in the painting, at least the ones with darker lighting. another crazy parallel surrounding fire and wwii between the painting and the movie is that the fourth version of this painting was destroyed during wwii due to bombing, again like how mahito's mother's hospital was presumably set on fire by bombing during the war.

the looming effects of war alluded to throughout the movie eventually tie into its resolution, when mahito accepts his new family that he initially rejected, his own imperfect being, and the fact that one must seek out love to be happy in this bitch of a world. his great granduncle is confused as to why mahito wouldn't want to recreate his own world like him. why would you want to return to the world that killed your mother and rejects you as a person? the world that forces your people to die in war and will eventually drop the deadliest weapon mankind has ever seen even a century from now onto your home? you can make everything perfect here! he's created something of a "paradise" himself, full of lush tropical plants, parakeets, and strange insects (some of them looked like the bugs from nausicaa, another fantastical world of lush nature which is also threatened by war. interesting), almost like a garden of eden, and it so happens to be at the very top of the tower. funnily enough, bocklin also painted this several years later:

Arnold Bocklin, Island of Life. 1888

i don't know much about this one so idk if it's an explicit companion piece to the island of the dead but it certainly looks like it. the similarities are now less apparent to the movie if there are any, it's much less lush but there are exotic plants and uh birds and stuff. this is definitely more likely a case of shared inspiration from the symbols themselves rather than movie directly looking at the painting. anyway clearly the promise of a perfect paradise isn't real, as this is interrupted by a war of his own unwitting creation, the uprising of the parakeets he wanted to breed in a paradise that literally bring about the end of the world. no world will ever be perfect when left long enough to its own devices. life finds a way! plus, this world was created through so much death (the construction workers in hazardous conditions, the way the tower keeps spiriting people away. btw in the english sub mahito's dad calls the whole ordeal a "disappearance" but he says "kamikakushi" in japanese which means "hidden by god" in reference to people who mysteriously disappeared as if from supernatural circumstances and yes that's the word they used in the japanese title of spirited away!!!) and is on the verge of collapsing from reality every three days just because of some building blocks?? the real world may be on fire but it'll go out/burn less badly someday, and at least it won't completely disappear in a snap, not in an easily imagined timescale for a human anyway. it's up to you to make the best of it, and this is what mahito decides. there are also visual allusions to other ghibli movies about the constantly present threat or consequences of war. the only other landmark aside from the island mahito lands on is a line of ships which kiriko later tells him are all fake. it immediately reminded me of the stream of planes in porco rosso which were the souls of dead fighter pilots moving on. the shadow people in the swamp were also reminiscent of those in the train in spirited away, which are never explained to my knowledge but the given that spirited away's characters are largely spirits and the way souls are so similarly designed in this movie makes me feel that they were also souls of people in spirited away.

through this imagined otherworld, there is also the blurring of lines between life and death, reality and imagination. himi plus her dyad with natsuko (they're sisters AND they look exactly the same AND both are mother figures to mahito) are great examples of this. mahito's mother is gone, he knew this and set foot into the world anyway. he rejected natsuko as his new mother but in going through the struggles of the tower he comes to accept familial love for her and even keeps confusing "natsuko" and "mom" while reaching out to her in the delivery room. a family is made up of different people but inevitably you will see each other in each person. in the delivery room scene we see the paper hanging from the ceiling lash out to attack and stick to mahito like tape, it even leaves red marks on him. this is one of the best scenes in the movie to me because of its visual contrast to him rushing to save his mother in the fire. in the fire scene, the real world around him is blurred and distorted and at times so is mahito and especially his mother. the fire doesn't seem to burn him or his clothes (i could be remembering that wrong tho) and the scene cuts off before it shows him possibly going in further. in the delivery room, everything is drawn with clean lineart, no stylization. there is no mistaking the reality of this situation even though this world is conjured, the dawning realization upon mahito that this person is his mother is so visceral that he actively fights through the paper literally snapping its jaws and natsuko spitting her hatred towards him. when mahito is ready to leave the tower, himi leaves through a separate door to be born as his mother sometime in the past though she is not a warawara and knows what has happened/will happen, an exception that further demonstrates the nonlinear nature of time and space in the movie.

after coming out of the tower, the heron tells mahito he should forget everything that happened in there. even his grandmother seemed to have forgotten the whole year she spent in there (it seems like tower time reflects irl time judging by the events of the movie). anything that comes out doesn't just disappear, it transforms into a real-life counterpart as we saw with the pelicans leaving as they were (presumably minus the ability to speak) and the parakeets going from big bloodthirsty things to regular parakeets. so mahito can't just forget, especially because he comes out changed from his experiences in there, not just himself personally but also his changed relationships with natsuko and the heron, and also his little souvenirs. then the movie abruptly ends with mahito narrating that they left for tokyo again shortly after the war ended. i like to think that this was a hopeful ending where mahito maintained that character development and was able to welcome natsuko and his new sibling into his family while being able to seek more friends and family in the future. i've seen other analyses talking about how this movie was semi-autobiographical for miyazaki and i can see it, how events early in his life shaped his personality and how he had to fight to find beauty in a world that otherwise treated him poorly, so i'm glad he ended the movie on that note, although in less words. pretty similar to how spirited away ended, although there was arguably more loss involved, but still hopeful, and that's what i find so powerful about this movie. and like this movie, spirited away involves a dyad between yubaba and zeniba as a device for the hardships and beauty of life, how they're not so discreet at times. as a last kindasorta tie-in to bocklin's work, i'll point again to the island of life which was created after the island of the dead, plus a composition directly inspired by the island of the dead, a symphonic poem with the same title written by sergei rachmaninoff. the last time i listened to this was in high school and it's like. 20 minutes long so i'm too impatient to give it a relisten now but from my vague recollection plus some quick searches it's a very somber piece that escalates into emotional climaxes yet still contains warmer tones, and goes back to the same "rowing" motif at the end. it weaves together evocations of life and death in one piece, also illustrating how the two really are so closely connected.

tl;dr, this was me the entire movie because miyazaki SEEMS to be heavily inspired by this one symbolist painting i happen to like a lot:

also also here's a self portrait of bocklin:

yes, all of his paintings are that cool.

#i'm so excited about this painting!!#there's so many freaking similarities in not just the painting itself but its conception #the boy and the heron #kimitachi wa do ikiru ka #how do you live #studio ghibli #hiyao miyazaki #arnold bocklin #island of the dead #isle of the dead #tweet

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themonkeycabal · 7 months

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Highlights from the WoT finale off the top of my head:

SPOILERS obviously.

* Lanfear yeeting Lan and Moiraine out the waygate. ‘Walk, bitches’. L O L Forever

* Rand cutting to the chase with the whole Turak scene. I kind of don’t think he entirely meant to do that, but I enjoyed it anyway.

* Uno being a Hero of the Horn. I got misty, okay? I don’t think the timing’s right for him to be Gaidal Cain, but I’m not dug in over it or anything.

* I see you Birgitte. Vaguely because they haven’t properly cast you yet, but I SEE YOU!

* Mat being a clever boy with the dagger.

* Mat saying he remembered once he blew the Horn. Very good. That got me a little misty, too. That was a nice moment to give to Mat. He goes through quite a lot and he can be a Hero of the Horn as a little treat.

* And on that subject: “Dovie’andi se tovya sagain!” (I might’ve punched the air a bit)

* Elayne reminding Nynaeve that, whatever else, she’s still a Wisdom. Elayne’s so great, I’m so pleased with the casting.

* Egwene’s whole thing on the tower with Renna. Get fucked, Renna.

* Egwene standing between Rand (and Mat) and Ishamael.

* Perrin showing up with the shield to stand with Egwene against Ishamael.

* The way they all ended up on the tower. Ta’veren *nods*

* Moiraine telling Lan she always saw him as the better of the two of them. Bless. I mean, we all knew what she meant, but it made him so angsty. We don’t need so much angsty Lan, much as I do adore the man.

* Moiraine raising the banner. Yes.

* Heron brand. Yes. “Twice and twice shall he be marked … Once the heron to set his path.” Watching the show is kind of like seeing prophecy unfold. I keep looking for the Signs of Things Foretold and am so thrilled when they appear.

* Lanfear looking so proud of herself for fucking with Ishamael’s plans until she realized he fucked with her’s first. Oh lol. Forsaken gonna forsake.

* Moghedien being an absolute fucking weirdo creeper. Perfection. Loved it.

Lowlights:

* We have to wait how long for season 3? Nonsense.

* Not nearly enough of you are watching this. Tumblr, I swear it’s made for you.

#wot on prime #wot season 2 #wot s2 spoilers #wheel of time #wheel of time spoilers

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0mythical-bitch0 · 1 year

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Names that give Valyrian Vibes, Some I’ve made up. please someone use them.

Aedyn- English, Fiery, Little Fire

Aegarax- Valyrian god of all creatures that walk, run, swim or fly, creator of the first dragon

Aeisha- Aisha, Arabic, Alive and Well, Aye-E-Sha

Aelia- Ancient Roman, Sun

Aeliana- Latin, Sun

Aelicia- Spanish and German, Nobel

Aelita- Fictional, Starlight seen for the last time

Aella- Greek, means Whirlwind

Aelora- Elora, Greek, Sun Ray, My god is bright

Aelyx- South African, the Mountain of Strength

Aeolian- Latin or Greek, Of the wind, God of the winds, Lord of the winds, The Rapid, The Changeable, Quickly moving, Changeful, shifting, varied, of or Arising from the wind

Aeolus- Greek, Changeable, Varied

Aerian- of or belonging to the atmosphere or to the air, Aerial

Aeris- French, An earth full of flowers

Aerith- Earth, Flower, Flower-Like

Aerol- Greek, One who is of a Golden Heart

Aeruna- Aruna, Sanskrit and Hindu, Crystalline reddish-brown, Tawny, Dawn, Dawn Light or Rising Sun, Aye-rue-nuh

Aerwyna- English, Friend of the sea

Aeryn- Irish and Welsh, Daughter of Eire, Daughter of Ireland, Berry

Aesira- Arabic, Muslim, Islamic, Brave, Powerful, Fighter

Aether- Greek, Brightness, Bright upper sky

Aethel- Old English, Nobel

Aethra- Greek, The Upper pure air, the bright clear serene sky, the air heavens and sky, one of the Oceanids

Aetius- Latin and Greek, Eagle

Aetos- Greek, Eagle

Anaëlle- Hebrew, God answered

Andrea- Greek, Manly, Virile

Astraea- Greek and Latin, Star maiden, Starry night, Greek goddess of Justice, innocence, purity and precision

Aphaea- Goddess of fertility

Astraeus- Greek, Starry, Titan god of Dusk, stars, planets, the art of astronomy and astrology

Azaelea- Azalea, Greek, Dry, Flower

Azrael- Hebrew, Angel of God, Help from God, Helped by God, Help of God, Angel of Death

Braeden- Irish, Broad, Brave, Wise

Caelestis- Latin, Of the sky, heavenly

Caelius- Latin, Heaven

Caelum- Latin, Heaven, a constellation

Caelus- Roman, Latin, God of the Sky

Caesar- Greek, Head of hair, long hair

Celaeno- Greek, Black, also a Pleiad Nymph

Daedalus- Greek, Craftsman

Daegal- Anglo-Saxon, Dweller by the dark stream, Night dweller

Daelyn- small valley

Daemara- Damara, Greek, gentle, calf

Daemari- Damari, Greek, gentle, fertility goddess, eternal, strength

Daemeter- Demeter, Greek, earth lover, Greek goddess of the harvest

Daemetrius- Demetrius, Greek, follower of Demeter

Daemitri- Dimitri, Greek, earth lover, follower of Demeter

Daemian- Damian, Greek, To tame, Subdue, Day-me-in

Daenali- Denali, Native American, The high one, the great one

Daenyra- Made-up, Great light, the bright one, Dae, Korean, great, big, the great one, shining, Nyra, Arabic, light, light of god, Day-near-uh

Daera- Greek, Gift of God, Sanskrit, Place of Worship

Daere- Welsh, Fiend

Daeriel- Idealism, intuition, romance, generosity, creativity, wisdom and tolerance

Daerius- Darius, Persian, maintains possession well

Daeryn- Made-up, Great ruler, Given ruler, Dae, Latin Give, Korean Greatness, Ryn, Welsh Ruler, Day-rin

Daevina- Davina, Scottish and Hebrew, Beloved, Day-Vee-nuh

Danae- Greek, Hebrew, She who Judges, God is my judge

Elaena- Greek, Shining Light

Esmael- Spanish, God will hear

Feyre- Beautiful, Fairy, Elf, Fair, Fey-ruh

Gaea- Greek, Personification of the Earth

Gaelithox- Valyrian God of fire, stars, moon, sun, and the dawn, rival of meraxes

Haedrian- Made up, leader, sea-lover, wanderlust, Guide of sea-travel, Hae, Chinese, Sea, Drian, Christian, One who takes initiative and loves to travel, H-adrian. Hey-drEE-in.

Hael- Angel of kindness

Haera- Hera, Greek, Goddess of marriage, Air-uh

Helios- Greek, Sun

Hephaestus- Greek, God of Artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes

Heron- Hero

Hyperion- Greek, He that walks high, the god above

Icarus/Ikarus- Greek, Latin, Follower, the one who reaches the sky

Ikaerys- Ikarus, Greek, Latin, the one who reaches the sky, Ick-Kay-Reeze

Jaella- Arabic/Muslim, Hebrew, Prominent, mountain goat

Jaelynn- American, May god protect, Supplanter

Kaeden- American, Fighter

Kaelum- Latin, Chisels the Sky, one who chisels the stars in the heavens

Kaeya- Indian, Monsoon Flower

Laela- Arabic, Dark Beauty

Maegara- Megara, Greek, Grudge, May-Gar-uh

Maëlle- French, Chief, Prince, Ambitious

Maeve- Irish, Intoxicating

Megaera- Greek, The jealous one, one of the furies, deities of vengeance

Mikael- Scandinavian, Who Resembles God

Mikaela- Michaela, Hebrew, Who is Like God

Nevaeh- American, Heaven

Naela- Quranic, Indigenous Australian, Winner, Go getter, Gracious, Charitable, Of Wide Eyes

Phaedra- Greek, Bright

Raphael- Hebrew, God has Healed

Saelena- Salena, Greek, Moon Goddess, Say-Lee-Nuh

Saera- Muslim, A New Star

Salaena- Salena, Greek, Moon Goddess, Suh-Lay-Nuh

Samael- Hebrew, Venom, Poison of God, King of Demons, The Angel of Death

Selaena- Selena, Greek, The Moon, See-Lay-Nuh

Solaena- Solana, Spanish, Sunshine or Eastern Wind, Soul-Lay-Nuh

Vaelencia- Valencia, Latin, Roman, Spanish, Srong, Healthy, Valor, Vay-len-C-uh

Vaella- Old Norse, a lament or cry

Vaellia- Made up, Embrace the unknown, Vael; to dive into the unknown, Lia; relaxed, weary, gentle, Vay-Lee-Uh

Vaelor- Made up, Valor, Brave, Courage, Vay-Lor

Vaelora- made up, Honored one, Victorious Ruler, Vae, Germanic, mighty ruler, Lora, crowned with laurel, honor, victory, Vay-Lore-uh

Vaelyra- made up, Harmonic Ruler, Vae, Germanic, mighty ruler, Lyra, Greek, Lyre, harp, also a Star, Vay-Lie-ruh

Valera- Latin, Valiant

Vallea- Italian, Valley, also a tree in South America

Xaeden- Greek, Flourishing in abundance with god

Xaevion- Xavion, African, Fighter

Zaeden- Arabic, Growth

Zael- Hebrew, house of god, habitation of the lord

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crowswithize · 1 year

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Mini-Rant about my Own Series (Aquabirds)

I'm writing the next work of my Aquabird Series (that's the one where the Justice League misunderstands Danny has two people, my Assumed to Share a Body Fics) and I can't help but rave about how I feel about everybody.

Just about everyone in the Justice League's opinions because, the thing is, the Justice League is fully validated for having this assumption. When you live in a world with people like Etrigan and Enchantress and doctor Fate, it just makes sense. They are treating both sides as well as they possibly can, even if I play it up for laughs, they are doing their best.

In the first work, DUCK, Barry treats Phantom and Fenton as two different entities and tries as best not to think about them as the same person. He doesn't want to think of them as the same person (because it'd be rude) so he convinces himself that they aren't. He treats them as equal as two people are. Sure, that's wrong, but it's still something he made an active decision about so he wouldn't hurt his "friends."

When it comes to Cyborg in the next work, GULL, he is more familiar with Fenton than he is with Phantom, though he doesn't really work with either as much. He still feels better about asking Fenton rather than Phantom because he views Danny as the "smart" one and the one actually in charge of the Ecto-Room. Just a light depiction of how Danny is interpreted. (Also, I added the initial misunderstanding with Cyborg about the blackout as a "ISN'T IT SO EASY TO CLEAR A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH COMMUNICATION?" bit. Just some playful addition).

And lastly, during HERON, Hal's fatal flaw was that he was unable to separate Fenton from Phantom. He understands, conceptually, that they are "two different beings" but when he stared at Fenton, all he could see was Phantom. He lashes out with the intent to hurt "Phantom" when all he is hurting is Danny. Hal's second flaw was picking one side to choose and separating them only then. Again, completely wrong, but it's just how I could contrast him with Barry's opinion.

Danny's entirely unaware that they're thinking all of this because he just code switches every time because he's a hero with a secret identity. But when he does it, they think of it as two different people, because they want to see two different people. Not only that, he has serious identity issues with about if someone's going to use him just to get to his other side. Our boy is lonely and has serious identity issues. I mean, take the Spectra episode where he says that he doesn't know what he is. "Yes, no, I don't know." Boy, that's just identity issues. So he thought of the Justice League as accepting him because he told them his identity from the get-go. He saw them treat him with respect and he thought that meant he was safe. With the realization that they thought he was two different people (in HERON), it broke him because he thought he was accepted as a whole, but instead, he was split into two, like he always feared

Anyway, if you stayed long enough for this, here's my recent idea for the next Aquabirds: Shazam and what he thinks. It is a sort of prequel to HERON as to why the rumor of Phantom being two people was so widespread. Billy actually finds out about Danny's situation but is under a different misunderstanding: Danny wants his help with his identity. So Billy does his good nature-ly thing and convinces every hero Fenton and Phantom are two people. Because, sometimes, help is awful.

#eyesofcrows #mini rant #I just like writing about my own series #its fun to think of dynamics #danny phantom #justice league #dpxdc #dp x dc #dc x dp #long post

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aurantia-ignis · 1 month

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Sometime ago I drew this NaesaLeanne art with their heron daughter and skrunkly raven son, and people have been so, so kind with their comments, so as a result I've been having Thoughts about these children...!

Meet Leila, named (loosely) after her Aunt Lillia. Like her mother, she's curious and occasionally reckless in her search for adventure, which means she sometimes ends up hurting her naturally fragile body (much to Nealuchi's dismay). Leila has a strong sense of justice and a desire to be a hero (which may or may not be tied to her father's very blemished reputation in the past, and the way people treat ravens these days), and as a result, she often feels dissatisfied and frustrated with being born a heron.

Her clothing is mostly based on heron royals' designs, but I added little nods to Naesala's insignias(?) as well. Originally, Leanne dressed her in longer skirts, but since Leila was always running around, the excess fabric was always tripping her up. Despite her pleading, Naesala has thus far refused to give her daggers to wear (so that she could be more like papa).

#naesaleanne #naesala x leanne #oc #oh look it's dai's first oc in goodness knows how many years #I have more sketches and thoughts about her #and her brother coming up later #but for now I'm tired and I just wanna throw this to the wind lol #my scribbles #path of radiant dawn

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moviemunchies · 10 days

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Guy Ritchie made a shoot ‘em up movie about fighting Nazis?! Sign me the fudge up!

Wait, what do you mean it’s more of a heist movie?

The story goes like this: during World War II, Britain needs aid, but the German submarines are preventing both Americans from joining Europe and the British from full naval mobility. Brigadier Colin Gubbins, or M, decides to enact Operation Postmaster: an off-the-books mission to send a strike team to the Spanish-controlled Fernando Po, an island south of Cameroon, where the Nazis store their U-boat supplies, and sink the ship holding those supplies. Leading the mission is Major March-Phillips, known for being a bit off-the-rails, and he recruits a team of other difficult-to-handle soldiers to complete the operation. Meanwhile, agents Richard Heron and Marjorie Stewart go to Fernando Po to establish and report intelligence there.

Despite what the ads for the film would make you think, this movie is not nonstop, Nazi-shooting action. There is a lot of Nazi-shooting action, but much of this movie is about espionage and collecting information. Which is fun, it’s just not what you’re led to believe by the trailers.

The movie has a problem that pretty much plagues all team movies: the development of an entire team of characters isn’t entirely that well-done. I get it–in a limited runtime, it’s difficult to make sure that every character is memorable and has a developed backstory and personality. Still, there are a couple of guys who I kept mixing up, and I couldn’t really tell you much about most of their backstories. They’re still fun to watch blasting away Nazis, though.

Speaking of which: the Nazis in this movie are really, really bad at surviving. By all means, I’m happy to show Nazis as bad at war, but these guys are incredibly dumb. Though they’re not exactly running into oncoming fire, they still are slow to pick up when an enemy is around them, don’t use any cover, can’t hear gunshots until they’re in front of them, and have remarkably lax security protocols. It’s very easy for our heroes to mow through them. It’s not so much that our heroes are that skilled, like in a movie such as the Magnificent Seven remake, it’s that the villains are bad at staying alive. Yes, it makes for fun action scenes, but not excellent ones.

Also, isn’t there a way to intercept radio or telegraph signals? I thought it was a little convenient that the Nazis never picked up on those when the heroes sent them.

Like many Ritchie movies, the soundtrack for the film is pretty great. I don’t think it’s as memorable as Legend of the Sword or Man from UNCLE; however, it’s still quite good, and manages to be unique enough that it doesn’t sound like every other World War II movie. A good soundtrack doesn’t necessarily make a movie, but it’s a good indicator that people behind the scenes cared about the presentation.

The actors are clearly having a good time in their roles. As they should! It’s a fun movie. Henry Cavill is a standout, though–apparently some of his character’s mannerisms were improvised by him, which to me shows that he was having a blast. And that’s good! If it’s not only a good time to watch, but it was apparently a good time to act in.

Random side note about Churchill! I feel as if the Winston Churchill of this movie was a bit underwhelming; I don’t know if that was a miscast, or if it was that we’ve had fantastic actors playing Churchill in the past (Gary Oldman comes to mind) so this one isn’t fair to compare? Whatever. Just a thought.

Overall then, Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a good time. It’s fun, it’s fast, and it’s straightforward. It’s not going to be anyone’s favorite World War II movie, both because it’s not that serious, and because the action, while fun, isn’t particularly clever. It’s still a fun way to spend a couple of hours, and I think if you wanted to see a cool and stylish World War II action heist movie, this film will scratch that itch.

#ministry of ungentlemanly warfare #Movie Munchies #Guy Ritchie #Henry Cavill #World War II

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apocalypticavolition · 2 months

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Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 45: Blademaster

Disclaimer: I am not a blademaster, I just play one on TV. (Spoiler alert: I don't play one on TV. Also this post spoils everything to do with Wheel of Time, I mean seriously this very post will casually discuss the final confrontation of the series and parts of the ending without a care for your virgin eyes.) Let's look at some other blademasters who have graced TV (and the page) lately!

This chapter gets a heron-marked blade icon because Rand is going to become a blademaster.

Sitting on an upended barrel in front of a still-closed ironmonger’s shop, Nynaeve warmed her hands under her arms and surveyed her army.

She is not a blademaster, but I guess the very brief time Nynaeve spent as a queen has instilled a sense of authority in her, to be considering Min, Elayne, and a sack as much of an army.

Once again she resolved that if anything went wrong, she would somehow pull attention to herself while Min and Elayne escaped. She had told them to run if anything went wrong, and let them think she would run, too.

Really, if at this point you aren't at least warming up to Nynaeve a bit, you're deliberately blind to her good sides. For all she worries about the group giving her away, she's much more concerned with making sure they escape.

The damane put a shaking hand to her throat, but before the woman in the lightning-marked dress had time to move, the damane turned and punched her in the face; the sul’dam’s knees buckled, and she almost fell.

More power to this lady. Must be one of the newer damane (or perhaps the sul'dam is especially awful) to still have this kind of response. Probably not an Aes Sedai though.

The four of them stood in a rapidly emptying street, but the people who had decided to be elsewhere were avoiding looking at them. Nynaeve had been counting on that—people doing their best to ignore anything that had to do with Seanchan—to gain them a few moments. They would talk eventually, but in whispers; it might take hours for the Seanchan to learn anything had happened.

Oh no, the villains have planted the seeds of their own defeat, what a tragedy.

Nynaeve wiggled her toes in the boots; they were a little tight. The dress was tight, too, across the bosom, and loose elsewhere. The hem hung almost to the ground, lower than sul’dam wore them, but the fit would have been even worse on any of the others.

It's not often that you see the hero steal a minion's clothes and have a hard time fitting into them.

She thought she would have gone mad if she had had to wear the collar; that was why she could not make her voice sharp with Elayne now.

Another bit of Nynaeve's kinder nature leaking out, though I expect Elayne and Min register it as "vaguely sharp" instead of "monomolecular sharp".

It was not as if she, Nynaeve, felt these things, but in her head was a lump of sensations that she knew belonged to the sul’dam.

Note to self: see how this compares with descriptions of the Warder bond later.

“But an a’dam isn’t supposed to work that way,” Min said. “They always claimed it won’t work on any woman who cannot channel.”

Well they're right, it doesn't. It's just "woman who cannot channel" is not a set category; an a'dam won't do anything to a three-year old even if in twenty years they'll grow up to be Lanfear-tier. They even know that, and they must know about the difference between sparkers and learners, but that's a truth too inconvenient for them to address.

Stark terror rolled across the woman’s face, and Nynaeve’s stomach heaved as she suddenly realized the sul’dam had taken her literally. If she thinks I can, it’s because she knows. That is what these leashes are for. She took firm hold of herself to stop from clawing the bracelet off her wrist.

What does it say about the sul'dam that they can so easily use these powers that Nynaeve finds repulsive? Just how deep does Seanchan propaganda have to go to make people into carefree torturers?

As far as I am concerned, you are worse than a murderer, worse than a Darkfriend.

Of course, as much as I agree with Nynaeve on a gut level, the setting and logic disagree. Darkfriends are still worse than those who wield the a'dam - but I don't think there's much more difference than a step or two. The Seanchan build a society based so much on fear and vice that there's little practical difference between their lands and the world the Shadow would make except that the Seanchan might be overthrown, whereas the Shadow freed possibly never could be.

A gull perched on a piling stared at him; gulls had pitiless eyes.

I'm really all the more offended by Jordan's corvid slander when it's clear that he knows that there are birds that would gladly serve the Dark for a french fry and refuses to use them.

He did not look back to check on them. There was not supposed to be anything to connect them; five men coming into Falme at an early hour, but not together.

Both Rand and Nynaeve are pretty good at spy missions, all things considered. What part of Two Rivers life has taught them all this?

He had not been able to leave the banner behind. He did not think any of the soldiers would have gone into the bags, but he could not say the same for Verin, nor predict what she would do if she found the banner.

I'm pretty sure that Verin would have left your shit alone, Rand. Though I guess the Pattern would have needed someone to show up with the banners if you'd tried ditching them. Still though, Verin really isn't anywhere near as invested in fucking with him as the boy thinks.

“He’s crisscrossed this town,” Hurin muttered, grimacing. “His smell is everywhere, and it stinks so, it’s hard to tell old from new. At least I know he’s still here. Some of it cannot be older than a day or two, I’m sure. I am sure,” he added less doubtfully.

The fact that Fain's spent the past four months scuttling through town like a madman is entirely unsurprising to me.

A banner flapped in the wind over the house the soldiers protected; a golden hawk clutching lightning bolts.

I don't think I've explicitly highlighted the fascist imagery of the Seanchan banner, so uhh... You all know what kinds of symbols Hitler liked, right? Besides the right-angled kinds?

I have to find Fain, too, Rand thought. I have to. But when he looked at Mat’s face, he said, “Ingtar, if the dagger is in that house, Fain likely is, too. I can’t see him letting the dagger or the Horn, either one, far out of his sight.”

Rand not being willing to let the well-being of his friends fall to the wayside for the sake of the mission is why he's a hero and also if you think about it why he's so tremendously bad at the whole prophecized savior part of it.

I mean to have the Horn in my hands before the sun sets again.

He who thinks he turns the Wheel of Time may learn the truth too late.

Wait! A guard. One man. He isn’t even wearing his helmet.

Either the garden has been so safe of late the Seanchan can no longer conceptualize it at as a threat vector (unlikely, considering how paranoid they are), or Fain's influence has got another soldier slacking.

Rand stared at him. The Seanchan was overconfident? The only thing that kept him from going back right then was Mat’s anguished murmurs.

It's a shame Rand never remembers Ingtar as an object lesson in hubris. If anything, he practically learned the sin from this guy.

The furnishings in the hallways were sparse, and seemed all curves. Here and there a tapestry hung on a wall, or a folding screen stood against it, each painted with a few birds on branches, or a flower or two. A river flowed across one screen, but aside from rippling water and narrow strips of riverbank, the rest of it was blank.

I'm trying to decide if the Seanchan are minimalist in their decor or if they just couldn't risk bringing the cool stuff across the sea with them, so they only have a few bits here and there that no one would miss if a storm wiped them all out.

“It is. By the Light, it is! I am saved.”

Everyone is much too busy to realize how strange Ingtar's last sentence there is.

One of the women with a collar around her neck looked up. He was too far to make out her face clearly, but for an instant it seemed that their eyes met, and he knew. The blood drained from his face. “Egwene,” he breathed.

For a pair that aren't fated lovers, these two really have a way of spying each other through windows and across crowded streets.

“What are you talking about?” Mat said. “Egwene is safe in Tar Valon. I wish I were.”

Ha!

It will please me to kill one or two of you for disturbing my morning. Those who survive will tell me of who you are and why you came.

I can't wait for him to die.

I have been suspicious of him since Huan died so mysteriously, and he has always wanted that dagger.”

Oh sure, the ONE TIME the Seanchan's overzealous secret police might have been useful, they're not deployed. Also note that Fain did say he'd kill Huan in his last POV.

The trembling hand he held up in front of his face was turning black, darkness creeping outwards from the bleeding gash that crossed his palm. He opened his mouth wide and howled, clawing at his arm, then his shoulder. Kicking, jerking, he toppled to the floor, thrashing on the silken carpet, shrieking as his face grew black and his dark eyes bulged like overripe plums, until a dark, swollen tongue gagged him. He twitched, choking raggedly, heels drumming, and did not move again. Every bit of his exposed flesh was black as putrid pitch and looked ready to burst at a touch.

Yeah that dagger really ought to be destroyed ASAP. It won't be, naturally, but they really ought to have done it.

“I suspected it might come to you and me.” Turak spun his blade easily, a full circle one way, then the other, his long-nailed fingers moving delicately on the hilt. His fingernails did not seem to hamper him at all.

They might not seem to hamper him right now but I would not be at all surprised if the small lack of mobility they caused as a result is what let Rand win this battle.

The void enveloped Rand. Saidin flowed toward him, glowing with the promise of the One Power, but he ignored it. It was no more difficult than ignoring a barbed thorn twisting in his flesh. He refused to be filled with the Power, refused to be one with the male half of the True Source. He was one with the sword in his hands, one with the floor beneath his feet, one with the walls. One with Turak.

Rand is going to get very skilled at ignoring barbed thorns twisting his flesh before too much longer. It does seem appropriate that saidin is easy to avoid when Rand feels that doing so is an immediate matter of life and death.

The Swallow Takes Flight met Parting the Silk. Moon on the Water met The Wood Grouse Dances. Ribbon in the Air met Stones Falling From the Cliff.

I can picture a couple of these but others... Is it stones plural because there's a lot of jabs, for example?

Lightning of Three Prongs met Leaf on the Breeze.

Yeah these definitely both involve multiple motions.

The Boar Rushes Down the Mountain. Every movement of his blade was an attempt to reach the High Lord; now all Turak could do was retreat and defend, down the length of the room, almost to the door.

Turak's mistake of course was expending the initial effort letting Rand warm up instead of cutting him down immediately.

The River Undercuts the Bank. He dropped to one knee, blade slashing across. He did not need Turak’s gasp, or the feel of resistance to his cut to know.

Well, now that Rand's seeing without looking, we can determine that not only is he a blademaster but he's also a Jedi.

Never before had he confronted a human being with a sword except in practice or bluff. I just killed a man. The void shook, and saidin tried to fill him.

Yeah, it's apparently never easy the first time. I wouldn't know because I've never k-

Because my first time I killed fifty people at once so I just spedrun the cold badassery process. Obviously.

“From birth to death,” they intoned in unison, “I serve the Blood.” And plunged the daggers into their own hearts.

It's good to see that the Seanchan are so thoroughly dedicated to creating as repulsive a society as possible.

What can one girl count, even if you love her, alongside the Horn, and what it stands for?

GRRM would later steal this.

“The Dark One can have the Horn for all I care! What does finding the Horn count if I abandon Egwene to this? If I did that, the Horn couldn’t save me. The Creator couldn’t save me. I would damn myself.”

Remember up there when I said that logic defended the Seanchan? Fuck logic, let's go with our guts. This is where the narrative itself clashes against the inevitable end of "ally with the Seanchan as they are". What does saving the world count if our heroes abandon the damane to this? Despite how bloated the narrative had gotten, Jordan still should have made the redemption of the empire (just like the redemption of the Tower, the Whitecloaks, the nobility, etc.) part of the main story, not try to shove it into a sequel trilogy that will never be written. As is, our heroes damned themselves: it's all well and good to say the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of damane are better off under Tuon's regime that might fall than the Dark One's which might not ever fall, but the underpinning logic of the series is that the Dark One will not ever win this war. The damane could have been saved.

He ran with them. Part of him hated himself for running, but another part whispered, I’ll come back. I’ll free her somehow.

Because this itself could set up an echo for things down the line: Yeah, Rand has to ally with the Seanchan, but Nynaeve could have outed the secret and shook the empire to its foundation in much the same way that she's the one who will save Egwene here. It's not like she was doing much anything else in the last few books anyway.

Ah well. Next time: Redemption!

#let's read #wheel of time #wot #robert jordan #wheel of time spoilers #wot spoilers #nynaeve al'meara #min farshaw #elayne trakand #seta zarbey #bayle domon #yarin maeldan #rand al'thor #hurin #ingtar shinowa #mat cauthon #perrin aybara #egwene al'vere #turak aladon

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crowsyart · 11 months

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Some of these have way more meaning than others some are just vibe based I’m a bird guy I gotta birdify the soul eaters

Maka - Carolina Wren

Soul - Osprey

Black☆Star - Common Kingfisher

Tsubaki - Black Heron

Kid - Black Vulture

Liz - Red Tailed Hawk

Patty - Rough Legged Buzzard

Crona -Kauai o’o’

Ragnarok - Loggerhead Shrike

Medusa - Crested Serpent Eagle

Marie - Buff Orpington Chicken

Spirit - Red Crested Cardinal

Stein - Harpy Eagle

Death - Andean Condor

Justin - Turtle Dove

Giriko - Hoatzin

Eruka - Potoo

Mifune - Snowy Owl

Sid - Ostrich

Hero - Grey Catbird

Asura -Magnificent Frigatebird

Naigus - Groove Billed Aini

Asuza - Western Jackdaw

#soul eater #I’m not tagging everyone there’s too many people here maybe I’ll come back to it later and do it #honorable mentions #kid:collared inca #stein:shoebill stork or bleeding heart dove #asura: adolescent california condor #also important to note I am both a Marie fan and a chicken fan #this is not a diss on Marie I selected the buff Orpington because they’re both a very sweet breed (also orange) and chickens are also tough #obviously #hoatzin for giriko is because the babies chicks have little like dinosaur fingers and also they smell really bad #the kauai o’o for crona is because theyre known for that recording of one singing half of its duet #as the last one of its species and I was like yeah that seems crona-like #crying out for something they’ll never receive #and if you wanna get cute about it maka could learn the other half #speaking of maka wrens are known as the king of birds in some British cultures I believe? so she has a legacy to live up to #black heron for tsubaki besides its color and tallness they make a shadow tk catch fish and i was like yeah rhat seems ninja like and clever #kingfisher for black star is kind of obvious you have king and star type deal plus small and blue #He is a peacock in my beastars au but thats different #hero catbirds are unremarkable and good at mimicry #Justin turtle dove religious symbolism Azusa jackdaws are corvids and therefor clever also they have her piercing eyes #the condor and vulture w kid and his dad are fairly obvious w the death and decay stuff because vultures #ospreys look like awkward teens trying to be cool to me #I almost did a chickadee for soul to match maka being a small bird #harpy eagles eat monkeys so it’s kind of like that dissection of people thing w Stein i guess?#trying to remember all my reasonings is hard I sat on this for a while lol #anywyas hope you guys enjoy #soul eater birds #oh uh frigatebirds being theives and scavengers and attacking other birds I’m sure could be drawn back tk asura somehow like #somehow

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hopefulyellowlamp · 3 months

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dont meet your heroes, gr3y heron is mean af irl

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school-of-all-time · 1 year

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Qualifying Rounds

After 851 submissions and 346 total schools, submissions are now officially closed. The bracket rounds will consist of 256 schools. All schools that got two or more submissions are guaranteed a place in the bracket rounds. Schools that got only one submission will have to go through qualifying rounds to get to the brackets. There are 214 schools with only one nomination, and 125 available spots in the bracket. Following the qualifiers, schools will be seeded according to the number of submissions they received.

Qualifiers will consist of 43 polls, with each poll containing five possible schools. The polls were created using a randomizer. The two schools with the most votes will immediately advance to the bracket round. The school with the third most votes has a good chance of advancing as well, but not guaranteed. There are 38 spots available for the 43 third place winners. Thus, I'll be eliminating the 4 third place winners with the least number of votes (numbers as opposed to percentages).

(I know this all seems very convoluted, but I am an English major trying to do math, this is about as well as it was ever going to go.)

I'll be posting six polls a day (except for the last day where I'll be spicing it up by posting seven!) Below the cut you can see which polls will be posted each day. If the school you submitted doesn't appear in the qualifiers, then congratulations, that means it got two or more votes and has immediately advanced to the bracket stage.

Saturday:

Poll 1: Neptune High (Veronica Mars); St. Claire’s Boarding School (St. Claire’s); Ashford Academy (Code Geass); Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy (Project Sekai); X Middle School (Fillmore!)

Poll 2: The Elgen Academy of Pasadena (Michael Vey), The Magaambya (Pathfinder 2E: The Strength of Thousands Adventure Path), Karakura High School (Bleach), The Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Who Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too (Zoolander), Magic School (Mahou Tsukai Precure)

Poll 3: Tanz Academy (Suspiria), Jade Mountain Academy (Wings of Fire), Seisho Academy (Revue Starlight), Drearcliff Grange School (Drearcliff Grange School), Blue Heron Institute (Pale)

Poll 4: Budo-ga Oka Middle & High School (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Furinkan High (Ranma ½), Malory Towers (Malory Towers), The Guild School (The Monster in the Hollows), Ericson's Boarding School (The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series)

Poll 5: Hemery High (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), The Academy of Unseen Arts (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Discipline Cottage (Circle of Magic), Lawndale High (Daria), Shiratorizawa Academy (Haikyuu!!)

Poll 6: Beekman College Center (Flowers for Algernon), Happy Harbor High (Young Justice), King's Dominion (Deadly Class), Brooklyn House (The Kane Chronicles), Raimon School (Inazuma Eleven)

Sunday:

Poll 1: Wammy House (Death Note), Elite Way School (Rebelde Way), Strange Hill High (Strange Hill High), Westbridge High (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Namimori Middle School (Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)

Poll 2: Yokai Academy (Rosario + Vampire), The School in the Sky (Dragon Tales), P.S. 118 (Hey Arnold), A. Nigma High (Detentionaire), Themis Legal Academy (Ace Attorney)

Poll 3: Cat School (Cat School Worldwide Angkor Wat Secret), Harding-Pencroft Academy (Daughter of the Deep), S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), ACDC town Elementary (MegaMan Battle Network), Boring High (Everything Sucks!)

Poll 4: Welton Academy (Dead Poets Society), Miss Robichaux's Academy (American Horror Story), New Rome University (The Heroes of Olympus), Lanford High School (Roseanne), Shinonome Academy (Dream!ing)

Poll 5: Sinegard Academy (The Poppy War), Haunted High (Monster High), Mars University (Futurama), The Academy of Natural Philosophy (Dishonored), Akademi (Yandere Simulator)

Poll 6: Club Penguin University (Club Penguin), The Professor's School (La Casa de Papel / Money Heist), Seirin High School (Kuroko no Basuke), Sanshu Middle School (Yuuki Yuuna is a Hero), Kamiyama High School (Project Sekai)

Monday:

Poll 1: PK Academy (Saiki Kusuo no Sai Nan), Third Street School (Recess), St. Joseph's Prep (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Flashburn's School of Swordfighting (How to Steal a Dragon's Sword), Salt Middle School (Mob Psycho 100)

Poll 2: Wildcliff, School of the Arcane (Trials and Trebuchets), Mugen Academy (Sailor Moon), Video Game High School (Video Game High School) St. Olga's Reform School for Wayward Princesses (Star vs. the Forces of Evil), Edgar Allen University (All for the Game)

Poll 3: Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Roman Academy (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun), Fukurōdani Academy (Haikyuu!!), Bayfield University (Happy Death Day), School House (Over the Garden Wall)

Poll 4: Strumlotts (BomBarded Podcast), John Adams High School (Boy Meets World), Easton Magic Academy (Mashle: Magic and Muscles), North High (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), You Show Duel School (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V)

Poll 5: Shirahamazaka High (Tari Tari), City College (Community), Itan Private High School (Komi Can't Communicate), Uranohoshi Girl's High School (Love Live Sunshine), Cackles Academy (The Worst Witch)

Poll 6: Royal Academy of Diavolo (Obey Me), Et Fran de Muse Academy (Fairy Ranmaru), Yancy Academy (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), San Dimas High (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure), Academia (Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V)

Tuesday:

Poll 1: Galaxy Garrison (Voltron: Legendary Defender), Echo Creek Academy (Star vs. the Forces of Evil), Alice Academy (Gakuen Alice), Awakened Academy (Eleceed Webtoon), School of Friendship (My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic)

Poll 2: Point Blanc (Alex Rider), Spy School (Spy School), The School (Sparkle on Raven: The Life of Drillgirl), Deepdean (Murder Most Unladylike), Coolsville High School (Scooby Doo)

Poll 3: Barden University (Pitch Perfect), Ella Mentry Elementary (My Weird School), Inkblot Art Academy (Splatoon), Land of Departure (Kingdom Hearts), J.P. Wynne High School (Breaking Bad)

Poll 4: Shuchiin Academy (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War), Oxenfurt Academy (The Witcher), Chamberlain High (Carrie), Gallagher Academy (Gallagher Girls), The Fire Nation Academy for Girls (Avatar the Last Airbender)

Poll 5: Royal Academy (Ascendance of a Bookworm), Wu’s Academy (Lego Ninjago), Glasshouse Primary School (Bluey), Starlight Academy (Aikatsu), Clyde Nite’s Night Knight School (The Adventure Zone: Graduation)

Poll 6: Wellston Private High School (UnOrdinary), Princess Charm School (Barbie Princess Charm School), Avengers Academy (Marvel Comics), Phoenix Drop High (My Street: Phoenix Drop High), Bullworth Academy (Bully)

Wednesday:

Poll 1: Baxter High (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Sakuragaoka High (K-ON!), Ayanagi Academy (Starmyu), Pacific Coast Academy (Zoey 101), Ridgeway Junior High (iCarly)

Poll 2: Hillerska Boarding School (Young Royals), Chalet School (Chalet School), Groosham Grange (Groosham Grange), Kinzville Academy (Webkinz), Gravity Falls High School (Gravity Falls)

Poll 3: Doki Doki High (Doki Doki Literature Club), Massachusetts Academy (Marvel Comics), Tremorton High (My Life as a Teenage Robot), Clone High (Clone High), St. Vladimir's Academy (Vampire Academy)

Poll 4: Brookhants School for Girls (Plain Bad Heroines), Atlasdam Royal Academy (Octopath Traveler), Ikenfell (Ikenfell), Knight Academy (Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword), Whitechapel High (My Babysitter's a Vampire)

Poll 5: Crystal Cove High (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated), The University of What It Is (Welcome to Night Vale), Bayside High (Saved by the Bell 2019), Assassins’ Guild (Discworld), Webster High (A.N.T. Farm)

Poll 6: Cherryton Academy (BEASTARS), Wunsoc (Nevermoor), Kamome Academy (Toilet Bound Hanako-kun), Charles Darwin Middle School (My Gym Partner is a Monkey), The Borderlands (In Other Lands)

Thursday:

Poll 1: Lydian Private Music Academy (Symphogear), Vincent Clortho Public School for Wizards (Key & Peele), Strixhaven School for Mages (Magic: The Gathering), BL University (Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko) The Fire Nation school from "The Headband" (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Poll 2: Seiyo Academy (Shugo Chara), St. Pigeonations (Hateful Boyfriend), Hudson University (Law and Order), Yoba Academy (D4DJ), Forks High (Twilight)

Poll 3: New Mushroomton High (Onward), San Fransokyo Institute of Technology (Big Hero 6), H.I.V.E. (H.I.V.E.), Skolala Refujeyo (Curse Words), Warren University (Bunny)

Poll 4: North Shore High (Mean Girls), Ridgemont High (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), Winding Circle Temple (Circle of Magic), The University (The Kingkiller Chronicles), Spooky Academy (Monster Prom

Poll 5: Ban Ard (The Witcher), Magnostadt Academy (Magi), Blades Academy (Blades and Magic), Bronson Alcott High (Clueless), Moroboshi High (Megaranger)

Poll 6: CHERUB Campus (CHERUB), Haven Academy (RWBY), Nockfell High (Sallyface), Megurigaoka Private High School (School-Live!), Spenser Academy (The Covenant)

Friday:

Poll 1: Nekoma High (Haikyuu!!), Witch University (Return to Halloweentown), Stokely Grammar School (Young Dracula), Atlas Academy (RWBY), Crypt Grammar School for Orphans (Team Fortress 2)

Poll 2: Flying Rhino Junior High (Flying Rhino Junior High), Mayview Middle School (Paranatural), Miskatonic University (Lovecraft), Schoolhouse Rock (Schoolhouse Rock!), Aretuza (The Witcher)

Poll 3: James Buchanan High School (Welcome Back Kotter), St. Freya Academy (St. Freya Academy), James K. Polk Middle School (Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide), Split River High School (School Spirits), La Fiesta Tech (The Sims 2: University)

Poll 4: Konoha's Ninja Academy (Naruto), Suppalo (The Eclipse), Worm College (Adventure Time), Harper Hall (Dragonsinger), Yomiyama North Middle School (Another)

Poll 5: Totsuki Culinary Academy (Shokugeki no Soma), Shermer High (The Breakfast Club), Sycamore High School (The Hatchetfield Series), Creekwood High School (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda), Dotheboys Hall (Nicholas Nickleby)

Poll 6: Lily Piper University (Musical Pipers Webtoon), North High (Malcolm In The Middle), Nevermore Academy (Nevermore Webtoon), Royale High (Roblox), Moperville South High (El Goonish Shive)

Poll 7: Saotome Academy (Uta no Prince-sama), Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children (The Wayward Children), Springfield Elementary (The Simpsons), Jae Won High (Lookism Webtoon), American Eagle Christian High School (Saved!)

#polls #tumblr polls #bracket tournament

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thursdayisbetterthanfriday · 2 months

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Simulations of Cybernetic Meadows - Recreating Life

Part 1 - History of Technology

The New Yorker recently put out a great article, covering the modern day conversations we're having about how "lifelike" AI systems are:

It's a great article, which covers a lot of modern discourse around the last 25 years around how we've attempted to make "lifelike" machines. In an age of incredible speed and velocity in progress, we often forget how things have ended up this way. If you look, it turns out the quest for lifelike machines has been going on for a lot longer than people might suppose.

1st Century Antiquity - Age of Inquiry - The Mortal Hephaestus:

When people think of lifelike robots, they often jump to the robots of the 20th century. The past, however, is deep and full of secrets for those who know where to look.

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Hero of Alexandria was a master craftsman, and mathematician, famous for one of the world's first steam engines, and Heron's formula for calculating the area of a triangle. He also created some of the first known humanoid automata.

This video is slightly misleading, as it shows a combination of his efforts, and that of another, but Hero himself was able to create moving automata that used weights as potential energy to drive wheeled devices around a room. The Herakleidon Museum does also have videos recreating his original mechanism.

The Greeks were, in particular, prolific in their creation of automata which mimicked life.

18th Century - Artisanal Age - Dreams of Automata

The writer is a mechanical automaton, created in 1770, by the aritst Pierre Jacquet-Droz. It is a marvel of early engineering, using a series of what are called "cams" to direct a machine in the shape of a child to write sentences.

It combines the mechanical aspects of writing, with the aesthetic appearance of a child, in order to create a work of art. It is also one of the first programmable machines, using a series of replacable letters to change what words are written.

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But machines with lifelike qualities are not just limited to human motions. Master British automata makers John Joseph Merlin and John Cox created an astoundingly lifelike rendition of a swan in 1773, which preened its feathers, and caught fish from a pond.

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Both of these devices were driven by the creation of advanced clockwork, and machining technologies. As with today's semiconductor revolution, clockwork started off the size of rooms until it was progressively miniaturized into the palm of your hand.

While the 18th century artisans and mechanists were able to create wondrous mechanical motions, they were not truly able to replicate the mechanics of "thinking". The writer is one of the few examples of programmatic "thinking", but cannot independently operate.

20th Century - The Cybernetic Age - Adaptation and Evolution:

The advent of thermodynamics, and the rise of electronics, led to new means by which to create "living machines". In the 20th century, it also led to differing approaches to simulating life, such as cybernetics and expert systems. Walter Grey's tortoise robots are a great example of the cybernetic attempts to create complex behaviours by using simple rules in the form of both a light and touch sensor.

This robotic tortoise was able to exhibit very lifelike behaviours and reach goals without explicit instructed programming, such as with The Writer automaton.

This is a key "adaptation" and evolution from the concept of an automaton. Whereas automatons had simulated the mechanics of life though motion and muscle, robots such as the tortoise started to simulate the mechanics of thought through electronic wiring and circuitry.

The rise of the integrated circuit, and transistor, has been key to allowing modern automata/robots to reach advanced levels of ability unthinkable in pre-modern times.

Shakey represents another branch of 20th century robotics, the expert system, led by ideas similar to the 19th century automata, but updated exponentially. By using several sensors, Shakey was able to navigate around rooms and create internal representations of the rooms it was in, in order to perform objectives.

21st Century - Age of Artificial Neural Networks - Memory and Thought:

Similar to the age of automata, we have entered another age of biomimicry, this time using Artificial Neural Networks. Instead of attempting to replicate the mechanics of actions, we are instead attempting to replicate the organic mechanics of thought. One of the key ideas behind life is that it is self-sustaining - it operates all on its own. 18th/19th century automata weren't able to do this and 20th century automata/robotics did to a certain extent, but were often still viewed as machines with function.

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Sony's AIBO represents a more "lifelike" kind of design - where the entire system is driven by "curiosity" rather than by specific instruction. While it posseses some subroutines, similar to its 20th century counterparts, it surpasses them in how it can also adaptively learn new behaviours to better suit its surroundings, both in practical settings (finding its way around) and social settings (recognising people, and interacting with them in a socially "successful" way). The fields of reinforcement learning and artificial neural networks allow for complex behaviours to be simulated for the first time. Sony's AIBO is an excellent example of this in practice, with the robotic dog able to learn through positive reinforcement verbally, or via tactile methods, to promote certain behaviours.

It can even use computer vision capabilities to recognise specific users on sight, as well as allowing it to create its own internal model of the world around it. Much like the 18th to 19th century automata, AIBO also attempts to replicate the actions of life itself, with its design, and actions, replicating that of a puppy or small dog. Unlike the automatons of old, however, the use of tactile, vision and sound sensors allow its form to play some function in its operation aside from aesthetics.

Cybernetic Meadows - The Future?

As we endow robotics systems with ever greater ability, how will we interact with them in the future, and how lifelike will they truly become? Humanity has always, in some form or another, sought to replicate life itself through the medium of art and engineering. Only in time will we see the results.

#robotic #robot #robotics #automata #automaton #ai #ai research #ai development #ai developers #history of science #cybernetic #cybernetics #Youtube

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wouldyoustilllovemeifiwasawyrm · 7 months

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Blessings of Cotera

Linktober 2023 Day 25: Fairies As the celebration came to an end and the time to move on to visit the other tribes of Hyrule drew near, Impa pulled the two heroes aside, bidding them to undertake a very important task. The Shiekah Chief wrapped Zelda’s fingers around a basket of petals from every flower in Hyrule. “For Cotera.” She said, patting the back of Zelda’s hand. “May she smile on your reign, Princess.”

Wind chimes jingled in the breeze that whistled between the tall hilltops that surrounded Kakariko Village. This village had been their first stop following Zelda’s safe return to her people. The celebration lasted well into the night and on to the next morning. Wine and ale flowed, music rang through the night, and dancing and prayers of adoration filled the streets. For days, Link and Zelda hardly had a moment alone.

But as the celebration came to an end and the time to move on to visit the other tribes of Hyrule drew near, Impa pulled the two heroes aside, bidding them to undertake a very important task. The Shiekah Chief wrapped Zelda’s fingers around a basket of petals from every flower in Hyrule. “For Cotera.” She said, patting the back of Zelda’s hand. “May she smile on your reign, Princess.”

Halfway up the hill, Link slowed his approach. He held out his arm to alert Zelda, who stopped. “What is it?” She asked.

Link pressed one finger to his lips, then pointed ahead. Between the bushes and tall grass, a small, glowing light shone. It bounced from around a wildberry bush, a smear of dull pink juice on its blue fur. Long golden feathered antennae twitched. An owl-like face sniffed at the air. The wind blew down the slope, keeping their scent from the strange creature.

“Oh my goodness…” Zelda breathed. “Do you think- well, I’ve never seen one myself, but do you suppose that this creature is-?” A quick look from Link silenced her, his finger again pressed to his lips to urge her to be quiet. “Ah, sorry.”

He drew his bow slowly, his eyes tracking the blupee as it hopped further into the woods. He nocked an arrow, stepping slowly along the path. Zelda’s hand on his shoulder halted him.

“You don’t mean to shoot that blupee, do you?!” She gasped.

Link stared at her a moment, then raised his bow to show her that he did, in fact, very much intend to shoot it.

“Don’t you dare!” She huffed, grabbing hold of the limb of his bow, jerking it down toward the grass.

The blupee’s antennae shifted toward them. Golden eyes peered out from behind a patch of tall grass. Spotting the Hylians, the blupee jumped in alarm and bolted, running up the hill and bursting into a sparkle of lights.

Link glared at the patch where the blupee had been. While it would have only given him a handful of rupees, that was still a handful more than he would have had before! Zelda no doubt read the expression on his face as she quickly crossed her arms and shook her head in disapproval. “Are a couple of rupees really worth hurting an innocent creature?”

Again, Link could only stare at her in confusion. What part of hunting did she not understand? Did she think the roasted fish and heron came from a fish and heron tree? And it’s not like he was even going to kill the blupee. It was a spirit! Or like a dragon! You could shoot those all day and nothing would hurt them. At least, he was pretty sure. He’d never thought about whether his arrows hurt the dragons. But even if he had hurt them, he imagined the dragons would forgive him.

Zelda started again up the path to the Great Fairy, her basket of flower petals still in her hands. “I realize that you needed to act with more callousness before, but we needn’t resort to violence as our first option anymore. Hyrule is at peace now, and it is up to me—and by extension you—to promote that by example.” She glanced over her shoulder. Her lips pressed together, her tone shifting from lecturing to plain. “Put the bow away, Link.”

He fought hard to keep from rolling his eyes. It was just a blupee! But, ever her servant, he obeyed. He clipped the bow back onto its holster across his back, beside the Master Sword. For all the time he’d spent running wild through Hyrule, hunting and fighting whatever and whenever he pleased, he never imagined that the very object and goal of his quest would tell him to sheathe his sword. If he was a little less in love with her, he might take issue with her requests.

Bright pink petals like toadstool caps came into view as the pair crested the hill over Kakariko. Golds, blues, greens, and many, many pinks shimmered in the midday light. Zelda stopped at the edge of the extravagant display, nervously testing the strength of one of the toadstools on the ramp up to the sparkling pool.

“I suppose we just…go up there?” Zelda asked. When Link nodded in response, Zelda continued, watching her steps as if afraid that her feet might slip between the colorful caps. “You know, I never got the chance to visit any of the Great Fairies before. My father thought it was a waste of time. They aren’t goddesses, after all. And as he disapproved of anything and everything that he decided had nothing to do with my connection to Hylia, he would not approve of my visiting them. Though, in my studies, I did find that the fairies have aided previous heroes, even bestowing magic upon them. Did you ever receive magic from these fairies?”

Had he? Link thought back to his many encounters with them. They’d made his armor stronger, though he wasn’t sure if that was magic being given or magic being used. He didn’t exactly keep that magic. Maybe they were just really efficient tailors. Link shrugged.

When Zelda reached the final platform of soft pink, the pool began to bubble. “What is happening?” She asked. No sooner had the words passed her lips than the Great Fairy Cotera burst out of the pool in a spray of glistening pearls, silver, and opals. Zelda jumped back from fright, staring wide-eyed at the massive fairy.

Cotera’s brown eyes sparkled (all of her sparkled, really) as she eyed up the two Hylians who stood before her. A long twist of platinum blonde hair bounced in front of her face as she rested her chin on her hand, a smile on her red lips. “My my, I was wondering when you’d come to visit us, Your Highness.” Cotera teased. “My sisters and I were beginning to wonder if your little knight was truly successful.” She gave Link a quick wink. “Glad to see him in one piece.”

Link blushed, quickly diverting his attention anywhere but the fairy. Ooh, was that a boar nosing around in those roots? Maybe he could snag that while Zelda wasn’t looking. Anything to get him away from Cotera before she grabbed him. As flattering as he’d found their attention before, they took every teasing remark a step too far. He really thought he was going to be drowned (literally) in their affections on multiple occasions.

Zelda raised her basket of flowers. “Great Fairy Cotera, I apologize for my tardiness in visiting you. I pray that you will accept my humble gift for the beauty of your domain and, in return, that you will bless Hyrule.”

Cotera raised a curious brow. She took the basket of flowers with one massive finger, peering inside like a grown-up might do to the accessories of a child’s doll. “That is very sweet of you, Your Highness. I accept your offering.” She poured out the contents of the basket onto her hand, the petals shimmering into glitter dust on her skin, seeping into the faint shimmer that coated her body. As she set the basket back onto the large pink toadstool on which the Hylians stood, she cut her eyes to Link, a wicked grin on her face. “What about you, handsome? What have you brought me this time?”

Heat rushed up Link’s neck to the tips of his ears. He took a step behind Zelda, averting his gaze. If he didn’t make eye contact, maybe they would leave him alone.

The Great Fairy’s tinkling laugh filled the forest, as luxurious and out-of-place as the rest of her domain in such a subdued village. “Aw, why so shy now?” She teased. “You were never so timid when you came to visit us before.”

“Before?” Zelda asked, turning back to Link. “So, you did receive some magic from them?”

Cotera laughed again, much to Link’s chagrin. He pulled the collar of his tunic up to hide his blush. “Oh, he visited my sisters and I many times. We bestowed a good deal of our magic on him. And he bestowed plenty of his magic on us.”

Merciful Hylia, please kill him now.

“Link, what is she talking about?” Zelda asked, her tone tightening into concern.

Cotera hummed, twirling her golden hair around her large finger. “Yes, Link, what am I talking about? Surely you’ve told your princess all about us.” She leaned down closer, her smile almost as big as his entire body. If she wanted to eat him, he doubted he could stop her. “It would be awfully rude of you not to at least share where you learned how to kiss.”

Zelda’s jaw fell open, her face turning equally beet red. She set one hand on her hip, the other pointed accusingly at Cotera. Despite the difference in size, Zelda’s ire held enough power to contest the Great Fairy. “Now, wait just a moment!” She snapped. “I was Link’s first kiss! Well over a hundred years ago, before he’d met you or any of your sisters, he was my appointed knight! We have been together for a very long time, and it is extremely rude of you to flirt with or kiss my boyfriend! Especially in front of me!”

The collar-shield slowly lowered as Link watched Zelda’s berating in awe. Though she stood no taller than a handful of the gems around Cotera’s neck, Zelda glared and accused, her green eyes burning with fury. Never mind the power of a Great Fairy. They had a pissed-off goddess incarnate to contend with.

“And another thing!” Zelda growled, snatching back the basket that Cotera had set down. “Hyrule was doing just fine in your absence! The royal family had not visited you in my lifetime, and we’re certainly not going to visit you ever again! We do not need your blessings any more than we need your disrespect!” She grabbed hold of Link’s arm, her glare still focused on the fairy. “Link and I saved Hyrule, and we could do so perfectly well without any such blessings from you. Link is the only blessing I need, thank you!”

Laughter once again erupted through the grove. The Great Fairy threw back her head, sparkling tears rolling down her cheeks as she giggled and howled in response to Zelda’s tirade. “Oh goodness! Oh my! Oh, Princess, you are too much! Far too easy to tease!” She steadied herself, soft giggles still on her lips as she once again addressed her petitioners. “My word, I haven’t laughed so hard in ages! I do hope you visit my sisters as well. They could use such amusement.” She fanned herself with a massive hand, her shoulders still trembling with internal giggles. “For making me laugh so, I will bless you and your kingdom.”

“But I don’t-!” Zelda started, her face still red from anger.

Glittering magic swirled around Cotera’s hands, trailing like reeds through flowing water. “For Hyrule, I will bestow bountiful harvests, fair weather, and long days of peace.” A burst of magic soared up into the sky, bursting into a display of light. Cotera smiled, swirling more magic between her fingers, her brown eyes half-lidded as she decided with what to bless Zelda. “For you, my dear, I shall grant you all that you need for a successful reign. Long life!” She sprinkled a dusting of magic over Zelda’s head. “Wise decrees!” She tapped the top of Zelda’s head. “Prosperous coffers!” She flicked glitter at Zelda’s purse, then paused, as if trying to stop herself from spoiling a good joke before she got to the punchline. “And for my own amusement, and Link’s benefit,” She gave Link one final, devilish wink, “an abundant womb!” She poked Zelda in the stomach faster than either of them could react, then splashed back down into her pool. Her laughter burst like bubbles on the surface, lingering and ringing in their burning ears.

Zelda held the basket in both of her hands, her face so red he thought she might faint. She stared, wide-eyed, at the pool, the last of the ripples stilling into a crystal mirror. For several minutes, they stood in silence, the chirping of birds and the rustling of wind through the leaves the only sounds. When the redness started to fade (if only a little) from Zelda’s face, she turned and began her trek back to Kakariko.

“If Impa asks, Cotera wasn’t home.”

#linktober 2023 #zelink #tears of the kingdom #loz link #loz zelda #loz fic

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