#if you read it

[613rm]

#i want to die but i want to eat tteokbokki #tbh i didnt like the book #i finished reading it only because namjoon recommended it #but i liked this paragraph and i thought it was interesting to share it with you #if you read it #did you like it?

[deathslights]

Guess what your reclusive, non-updating writer was doing this summer?

Well! She was working on a fanfic for the 2023 KinnPorsche Big Bang (@kinnporschebigbang)! If that's something you're into, you can go read it now! It comes with a gorgeous piece of art by @zelenchai 😍 that everyone needs to see. You can read it on my A03 account!

#kinnporsche big bang 2023 #kpts big bang 2023 #@kinnporschebigbang #@zelenchai #fanfic #kinnporsche #vegaspete #if you read it #let me know what you thought of it #and give @zelenchai a lot of love!

[larriescompass]

time can always heal you by iadoresunflowers (@larriescompass)

When Louis wakes up in the mornings, he’s used to having a heap of body weight on top of him. But this time is different, because the heap of body weight on top of him is ridiculously hot. And sweating, Louis notices.

He opens his eyes, slowly adjusting to the darkness of the room. He looks down at the mess of curls splayed out on his chest, low throaty breaths fill the room as he feels Harry’s chest rise and fall. “H,” Louis whispers as he threads his fingers through Harry’s sweaty hair. “H. Wake up, honey.”

“Mmph.” Harry breathes out, stirring a little as he rubs his nose against Louis’ chest.

or

harry catches a fever, and louis takes care of him.

#this is my first finished fic #and i wrote it so impulsively #i finished it within hours and am pretty happy with how it turned out #if you read it #lmk what you think #advice and tips are welcome #my fics #hl #larry stylinson #larry fics #larry fan fiction

[sonicringnoise]

Chapter 2 of that random ass AU about Tess being a spy.

#jak and daxter #jak and daxter au #if you read it #thank you!

[kvtnisseverdeen]

i am FINALLY reading the ballad of songbirds and snakes!!!!!!

#if you read it #let me know what you think #its good so far #i have a phobia of snakes so i wont watch the film #reading is terrifying enough but yeaAH #suzanne collins couldve chose any animal #why would she do this 2 me #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #thg series #text

[kithtaehyung]

hi i’m not a new follower but can you explain what 3tan is? i feel like im missing out on something important 😞

AHHHH hello, babe! don’t feel bad omg it’s just a yoongi series i’ve been working on. the title of it is three tangerines, so the short term is 3tan🍊

here are the details and this is the masterlist link (minors dni!!!!!) so far it’s 213k total words😳

and if you want more context, daechwita and dday yoongis have been the visuals💀 so if you start reading it then that’s who you imagine here!

#if you read it #have fun! #we love any 3tan discussion here🥳 #anon #asks:3tan #three tangerines #*ryenfictalk #mailbox💌

[i-am-the-oyster]

Loretta

Summary: An alternative explanation for that cut-up dress.

Words: 1,485 Chapters: 1/1

---

This was my very first fanfic and I'm really proud of it. It was the reason I created an ao3 account. The story wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it and shared it.

It's the kind of fic that comes out of wallowing in the angst of it all. Don't be expecting the tone of At It Like Rabbits, is what I'm saying.

#my fic #i'm going to be brave and ask for constructive feedback #if you read it #and there's some advice you think might make it better #i'd like to hear it

[dailycupofcreativitea]

Back in high school, when I was obsessed with Yu-Gi-Oh!, I took a class called “Writer’s Craft” where we learned about creative writing. One of our assignments was a book report, and after a bit of back and forth with my high school teacher, she finally agreed to let me do a manga instead of a book, provided I write about some of the unique elements of manga/graphic novels that novels don’t have (like visuals and speech bubbles).

This resulted in a nice little report that I think I can happily call my “love letter to the series”. I poured my heart into writing this report and I think it summarizes everything I really love about Yu-Gi-Oh! 

In light of what happened recently, I’ve decided to post it here in case anyone would like to revisit the series and in case anyone wants a reminder as to how awesome Yu-Gi-Oh! truly is. 

The report is called: Uncovering a Timeless Treasure: A Craft Study of Kazuki Takahashi’s Yu-Gi-Oh! Series.

Kazuki Takahashi’s popular graphic novel series, Yu-Gi-Oh! (English: King of Games), follows the adventures of a timid young boy named Yuugi Mutou who, after solving the Millennium Puzzle, awakens an alter-ego named Dark Yuugi who protects Yuugi and solves all of his conflicts through the use of Shadow Games that reveal a person’s true nature. When the alter-ego is later revealed to be the spirit of an ancient Pharaoh, Yuugi and his friends fight to help the Pharaoh regain his memories while battling in Shadow Games against opponents who wield the other six Millennium Items. In a few words, Yu-Gi-Oh! can really be summed up as “children’s card games and Ancient Egypt”, a phrase that the fandom is all too familiar with.  The novel’s paradoxically round characters, insightful character thoughts, complex game mechanics, and its ability to relate to its readers through the theme of friendship help it stand out from hundreds of other shonen novels which, in addition to its beautiful visual aesthetics, makes it a treasured childhood favourite of graphic novel fans around the world.

Fast-paced, strategic games are what make Yu-Gi-Oh! stand out amongst a plethora of fighting novels. There is complicated strategy, doubt, and dynamics in the games that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Reading about luck versus skill in a heated game is exhilarating and it offers a different way of fighting without really fighting, proving that breaking away from clichéd genres is always effective. Kazuki Takahashi himself states that “The games that the characters played were not played facing monitors, but facing other people. The opponents they played were the mirrors that reflected their hearts. In a basic sense, they fought each other’s spirits” (Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World; 220; vol. 7). As well, games eradicate power imbalance between characters, making the game much more unpredictable and tense, not to mention fun to read. There’s no joy in watching an overly powerful character beat a weaker one, regardless of who is winning; rather, fair fights are much more thrilling. For example, after eliminating his opponent’s source of cheating, Dark Yuugi thinks to himself, “Heh heh…no more tricks! This game will be decided by luck!” 

Despite knowing that levelling the game would possibly end his own life, he continues to play, putting the readers on the edge of their seats with the knowledge that the main character may die. These games also provide a medium for villains and heroes to fight on par with each other and interact in a way that will bring great character development. The intimacy of the games connects light and darkness in one mixed duel, forming an internal conflict which reflects and gives the reader a whole new perspective on the external conflict.

The theme of friendship is what makes this graphic novel relatable to its teenage audience. Takahashi uses this theme regularly to build character, cause conflict, and inspire readers by making friendship the driving force in each characters’ duels and relationships. So many times, when we thought that the characters would fail, it was their teamwork and strong bonds that helped them get through the pain; truly inspiring. For example, Joey’s lecture to Yuugi about the strength of their bond shows us just how much of an impact friendship had on each of their lives, how it saved them from damnation, and how it brought them out into the light. 

If it was not for Yuugi’s unconditional love and companionship, his friends would have gone down dark paths, but he saved them from their fate. Their friendship is a bond that can never be broken, and although it is constantly tested, its strength helps readers realize that their relationships are valuable.

One of the most intriguing parts of Yu-Gi-Oh! is its paradoxically round characters; that is to say, its “evil heroes” and “good villains”. Normally, one would expect heroes to have certain traits such as noble, heroic, kind, and merciful. However, the main hero, Dark Yuugi, is far from these traits despite being considered “heroic”.                                                

The picture and dialogue just scream “heroic” (Yu-Gi-Oh!; 19; vol. 1).

In the beginning of the series, Dark Yuugi constantly cheats during his games in the pursuit of justice over mercy. This is especially prevalent during his TRPG game with Millennium Ring holder Bakura Ryou, in which he exclaims, “If you can cheat, I can too!” (Yu-Gi-Oh!; 63; vol. 7) and considers it completely justified. He also applies a “penalty game” to those who lose, cheat, or let their evil get to them during his Shadow Games, which is incredibly ironic as he displays those same traits. However his reasons are usually justified, as after winning against a greedy man he calmly states: “In a Shadow Game, your heart’s weakness is what ultimately causes you to lose! You had no love for your pet, nor for those precious sneakers, but only for money!” (Yu-Gi-Oh!; 30; vol. 2). Although seemingly evil, Dark Yuugi plays the role of “angel of judgement”; that is to say, he “passes judgement” onto the wicked and puts them in their place, making him ultimately good. As well, Yu-Gi-Oh! villains aren’t completely evil. For example, Dark Bakura—despite being the series’ most ruthless villain—displays compassion for his host body during his duel with Dark Yuugi.

This unexpected result causes the readers to view Bakura in a positive, almost heroic light despite his evil intentions, especially when the hero beings to compare himself with the villain. 

This paradoxical roundness prevents the readers from forming solid opinions about any one character due to the fact that each character has the potential to be evil or good, giving the author the flexibility to create more complex characters who are not burdened by stereotypes.

Unlike many other novels, which tell most of the story through narrative, Yu-Gi-Oh! accomplishes plot, dynamics, character, tension, dramatic irony, and so much more through the use of multiple thought bubbles. Plot is typically implied or stated through this technique:

 (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist; 55; vol. 10)

After Joey was knocked unconscious, the readers became confused as to what had happened. However, Joey sums up what happened with only a few words disguised as natural thought, so the reader understands the plot without being directly told what it is. As well, we are able to enter the heads of multiple characters and explore their goals and interests, as in the example of Kaiba:

 (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist; 75; vol. 18)

He bluntly “tells” the readers exactly what he is planning to do without sounding overly clichéd or unnatural, a difficult feat made easy through the constant use of thought bubbles. Through character thoughts, readers are also able to understand the current situation through the character’s perspective. This can change the way we view the character, the situation, and other characters, which can affect who we sympathize with. For example, Dark Marik thinks to himself during his Shadow Game that “This dark cloud is nothing less than my own hate…my desire for revenge…it will never lift until I kill Yuugi and drag him down into it…into the dark…” (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist; 91; vol 18). Multiple uses of ellipses show us that his train of thought is slow and meticulous, almost as if he is savouring every thought. As well, because his thoughts clearly display a level of darkness unknown to the readers before, it also eradicates any sympathy we had for him about his past.

A graphic novel is nothing without its graphics, and Yu-Gi-Oh!’s visual aesthetics definitely add to the beautifully written piece. Through variations of dialogue bubbles such as spiked ones and round ones as well as the use of onomatopoeia across multiple pages, we can “hear” the story at different volumes and feel different atmospheres. One minute we are following the light, quiet banter of the characters; the next, we are interrupted by a loud scream. The constant, unpredictable change in volume surprises the reader time and time again, as we never know when to expect the next scream or whisper, and keeps the story from falling into a boring monotone. As well, it brings the characters to life; we can almost hear Dark Yuugi’s cheers, Bakura’s laughs, the spinning of a turn-table, and many other interesting sounds. However, the main source of entertainment comes not only from Kazuki Takahashi’s dialogue visuals, but from his stunning drawings.

 Just look at this beauty! (Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World; 2; vol. 6).

His visuals give Takahashi freedom other authors don’t have; he can focus more on developing complex characters and plot and less on developing setting and appearance, as they are given to the reader through his drawings.

Despite its plot holes and childishness at times, Yu-Gi-Oh! remains a timeless classic amongst readers and manga authors alike with its well-blended trinity of love, friendship, and death as well as its unique focus on games, providing an enjoyable and heartening story that has left a lasting impact on the hearts of its fans.

#if you read it #then i hope you enjoyed it! #yugioh #yu-gi-oh! #bakura #yugi #joey #kaiba #marik #manga analysis #literally i love this series SO MUCH #I even used to play the game all the time #i still have yugioh cards but i dont play anymore #anyhoo back to my regularly scheduled dbz content

[lunayuu]

Getting my feelings out

And yes, this is about Technoblade

The actual thing is under the cut Oh and also take care of yourself!! If you don’t I’ll be coming for your kneecaps <3<3<3 (This was originally written at the end but I felt it needed to be above the cut)

I know that so many people are grieving, and I feel like I’m not.

It’s the way that I feel numb about all of the tributes, memorials, farewells from people who knew him and didn’t alike.

I just feel, vaguely sad about it all.

I remember the morning of Friday, 1st July 2022, when I first heard the news. I woke up at 6:20 AM that day, which I was quite happy with. But instead of reading something on Ao3 (like I’d normally do) I went onto tumblr and,, I saw one bit of fanart, I don’t think I can find it, but I do know that I reblogged it at some point. And I just felt this, jolt, like an anxiety-induced ‘oh no’. And I rapidly checked Twitter, and searched up Technoblade, and saw an announcement tweet. It is then when I cried.

Something about me is that I don’t cry, I have a very high emotional pain tolerance, I feel sad at things, yes, but I don’t cry. But when I saw that tweet, I just,, started sobbing in my bed, it didn’t feel real, it still doesn’t.

I didn’t stop crying until I got into school that day, but even on the hour-long bus ride, I was steadily feeling better. I would wince any time I saw people wearing pink (especially my classmates / friends), and I used a red pen to colour my nails in Art, which I would then fix later with actual nail polish at my home. And when I got to bed that night, a distant part of my brain wanted to break down sobbing. I didn’t. And I haven’t felt that way since. Even while writing this, I’m not having that much of an emotional reaction, I feel like I’m writing a piece of creative writing, just that trance I sometimes go into when I’m focused on a project.

I feel like I’m lying, even though I know, logically, that to lie is to have intent to redirect someones beliefs towards a, well, lie. I also know that, even though I can look at things like the tributes, memorials, his friends tweets, without feeling anything but distantly sad, my original reaction to the news proves to myself that I, most definitely, am not lying about this, even though sometimes it feels otherwise.

I still can’t watch any of Techno’s videos post-his diagnosis.

But that’s to be expected, isn’t it?

I have nothing else to say.

Thank you for reading <3

#technoblade #grief #death cw #mourning #i've never really written something like this before #if you read it #thank you <3.

[soracities]

"Absolutely no one comes to save us but us."

Ismatu Gwendolyn, "you've been traumatized into hating reading (and it makes you easier to oppress)", from Threadings, on Substack [ID'd]

#q #lit #quotes #typography #essays and articles #id included #ismatu gwendolyn #youve been traumatized into hating reading and it makes you easier to oppress #threadings #m #x

[pedro-pascal]

ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP (2019)

#bill murray #zombieland: double tap #zombieland #zombieland 2 #filmedit #horroredit #zombieedit #classichorrorblog #cinematv #dailyflicks #junkfooddaily #horrorgifs #userqueen #usergiles #userlex #useranimusvox #nero-neptune #* #this is the funniest trivia i have ever read thank you reddit user tealitall

[beaft]

my mum forbade me to say anything to my dad about the top surgery thing, and it's just hit me how funny it would be if i got it done and didn't tell him and just waited for him to notice. i mean, what's he gonna say? "didn't you used to have tits?"

#obviously she meant 'don't get it done and don't tell him you thought about it' but i am choosing to read it as #'gaslight him into thinking you've been titless all your life' #be shh now #containment breach

[cadaverkeys]

You guys rlly don't realise how much knowledge is still not committed to the internet. I find books all the time with stuff that is impossible to find through a search engine- most people do not put their magnum opus research online for free and the more niche a skill is the less likely you are to have people who will leak those books online. (Nevermind all the books written prior to the internet that have knowledge that is not considered "relevant" enough to digitise).

Whenever people say that we r growing up with all the world's knowledge at our fingertips...it's not necessarily true. Is the amount of knowledge online potentially infinite? Yes. Is it all knowledge? No. You will be surprised at the niche things you can discover at a local archive or library.

#rambles #if you are a person who is into delicate skills #like lacemaking or printing or sewing #you will know fair well just how non expansive the knowledge online is in comparison to written guides from like the 50s #there was a time where at least one person in the household had to know a constructive skill #but in the modern day there is just less ans less demands for comprehensive guides #library propaganda #im stuck doing an essay rn but bc i have covid i cant go to the library and its totally fucked me #i want to source a lot of the stuff i read irl but i just cant go and get it and theres no online ver

[shoomlah]

I have a feeling that beneath the little halo on your noble head There lies a thought or two the devil might be interested to know You're like the finish of a novel that I'll finally have to take to bed You fascinate me so

You Fascinate Me So, Blossom Dearie

#good omens #gomens #good omens s2 #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands #my art #made with stolen time over the course of two extremely busy months but I'm so glad its done #Aziraphale's reading a first folio obviously #cones of dunshire voice: it's about the DETAILS #extremely excited to introduce everyone to this song about DEEPLY YEARNING for someone who annoys the hell out of you #its a banger

[ursulaklegay]

its so scary to put yourself out there but a SINGLE message saying "hi i loved what you made it touched me in some way" makes it all worth it 10000%

#as a writer every time someone dms me saying thank you for what you do its like no THANK YOU for reading it and telling me #writing #art

[atissi]

i don't really like when people say dungeon meshi is accidentally good autistic representation, because while i understand not wanting to make conclusions without explicit confirmation from the author, there's always the weird assumption that non-western authors somehow don't know about things like neurodivergency/queerness/etc. (on top of the assumptions that east asian authors are somehow more naive or oblivious to "western" social issues).

given that dungeon meshi started being published in 2014, it's not really a "work belonging to its times"—it's as contemporary as any other media we discuss on this site, which means it should be fair to assume it engages with contemporary topics (and at the very least, you shouldn't say that the representation is accidental with so much confidence)

but anyways, the chapter "perfect communication" in ryoko kui's "terrarium in a drawer" is some of the most straightforward autistic representation I've seen, and from now on I'm going to assume that laios's character writing is absolutely intentional in that regard:

#beepbeep.txt #dungeon meshi #ryoko kui #this is me trying to explain h/ollow knight lore #also yayyyy reading new things. chapter 18 'spring' is basically UFUT if you squint (sorry for the jumpscare if you know UFUT) #but the last two pages were such a surprising gut punch....it's hard not to see it as a metaphor for both the experience of raising childre #and of taking care of your parents in old age....aughh....