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hollowwhisperings · 11 months

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KH Spec: Princess of Heart as Stars, part 5/?

Before looking into Belle & returning to Kairi, there are still aspects of Princess Jasmine that are hugely relevant to identifying how past & future members of the Seven Lights match up thematically. Part 4 began that process by establishing how the implicit themes within the stories of Snow White, Cinderella & Aurora were made explicit through Jasmine's ability to verbally express what they (due to the expectations of their then-contemporary audiences, due to their lack of consistent safety) could not.

Thusly, Jasmine establishes what themes tie the Seven Lights together & what to bear in mind when speculating on future candidates for the roles. Jasmine's unique ability to embody & express each of the following themes (a result both of the era she was conceived for & who Jasmine is as a character) is likely why Agrabah continues to play a role in each Kingdom Hearts game despite its World's "story" having been completed. Before returning to the remaining members of the "Original Seven" Lights, allow me to lay out the thematic patterns of ALL princesses.

The Themes that Connect the Seven Lights are the following:

the ability to Know One's own Heart, to Imagine the Impossible, to Dream: this is the theme of "Dreaming" and is often represented by Hearts.

the ability to Believe in those Impossiblities, to have Faith in others, to be Hopeful in even the most dire of circumstances: this is the theme of "Wishes" and its symbol is a Star.

the ability to remain Curious about the World & about other people with genuine interest, Without Ill Intent: this is a theme of both Innocence & Kindness but is ultimately one of "Curiosity". It is represented by having Animal Companions and by looking to the Stars of a Night Sky.

the capacity to Love Others wholly & truly, to Inspire Loyalty & love in turn: this is the theme of "True Love" and is represented by acts of Self-Sacrifice and Redemption.

the ability to achieve Miracles, through the strength of Love, Wishes & Dreams: "Miracles" are acts of Resurrection & Magical Transformation. The Power of Awakening is a form of "Resurrection".

and, finally, to be one of the Seven Lights is to be in a state of "Hoping": to continue "Dreaming" and otherwise hold close those seemingly impossible "Wishes"; for that "Curiosity" to go unsated; to "Love & be Loved" with all the potential needed to achieve "Miracles"... the Lights must remain in states of "Hoping", continuously channeling their faith and Love but the realization of their Penultimate Shared Theme out of reach. This "Hoping" manifests as Light and is the guiding Theme for this series of speculation.

this is the theme all others lead to, the theme that all others seek to achieve: "Freedom". While many of the Princesses needed Literal Freedom of Movement, the thematic "Freedom" is one of Leaving Childhood: this is symbolized by "Happily Ever After". Visually, "Freedom" is symbolised by Awakening, Weddings, "riding into the sunset" or otherwise Crossing The Horizon.

The Light of "Hoping"

Without going down the Rabbit Hole of MoM's Mysterious Black Box (which I have previously speculated on), "Hope" is considered both a Gift & Curse in the myth of Pandora's Box.

It is a Gift: it allows people to continue trying in the face of failure & adversity.

It is a Curse: it is an ongoing, thankless effort that can lead to self-destruction.

The Seven Lights are key to the continued existence of the KH Universe in the absence of Kingdom Hearts: the Lights act as Seven "Substitute" Stars for that single, all-powerful and Absent "Sun" (though it DOES look more like a "Moon" in box art).

A Relationship With Time?

To be a host for Pure Light seems to require one's life to be suspended from change: in the case of the Disney Princesses from the Original set of Seven, their Stories & entire Worlds seem to have looped over & over, even before KHX, to keep these Primcesses ever between "Doom" & "Happily Ever After".

Assuming that this was deliberately achieved, the Static Worlds of the Disney Princesses served to protect the Worlds at large to remain in the Realm of Light... at the expense of the Seven Lights themselves, & their respective Worlds with them. This is only speculation: Melody of Memory introduced the concepts of "Unreality" and "Realms of Fiction", while the Mass Crossover nature of the KH series enables many versions of reality to exist simultaneously & in each other's stead: I have assumed the Princesses were kept in timeloops because cutscenes from KHUX seemed to imply that Maleficent became self-aware of such a phenomena & because none of the Disney Princesses met in BBS seemed any younger than they were in KH1. This could just as easily a result of their Worlds falling to Darkness shortly after BBS & by the methods Maleficent employed to capture them. Time Dilation or Time Travel outright are other plausible explanations.

"Passing The Torch"

With this idea of Lights being contingent on "Hoping" as an ongoimg effort, it makes sense that Six of the Original Seven Lights could (& would want to) "pass on" their roles: it was not that their natures changed, it was their circumstances that did. With the Princesses now Self-Aware, the threat of Maleficent gone, the Worlds regaining a Kingdom Key-Wielding Hero... the Princesses Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Alice, Jasmine & Belle could move on with their lives past their Stories.

It is also this theme of "Hoping", something present & ongoing rather than the "Freedom" that their hopes build up to, that explains why characters that otherwise "match" the qualities shared by the Seven Lights (such as Ariel, Aerith, & Sally from Halloween Town) are not Lights themselves: their Worlds continued to experience "time" and their "Hope" could transform into "Freedom", the theme all Lights ultimately hope for.

In Part 6, the conjecture on time & "hoping" will finally address that Belle I've been neglecting and, assuming I do not again become Distracted, the nature of Kairi as "Once & Present Princess" will be explored. Part 7, hopefully, will tie everything together and let me finally share my theories on who could join Kairi, Rapunzel & Anna as the "New Lights".

#kh theories #kh spoilers #disney princesses meta #princess jasmine #princesses of heart #princesses of light #literary themes #the heroine's journey #symbolism in kingdom hearts

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calisources · 2 months

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𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 : here are a list of 55 female names, 55 male names and 55 a song of ice and fire valyrian names and last names. You can do variations to the names and eveything because, you know fantasy, but I chose those that I thought sounded good. If this list is good, I found a generator for more fantasy names centered in ASOIAF for different kingdoms and lands. you don't have to give credit but please like or reblog if you find useful.

Male Names.

Kallias, meaning beauty.

Dimitri, earth lover.

Teivel, the devil.

Kaiser, Emperor or ruler.

Harvey, Strong warrior.

Lysander, liberator.

Erel, angel and messenger.

Asael, made by god.

Laurent, the bright one.

Perseus, avenger, destroyer.

Chrysander, golden protector.

Zale, strength of the sea.

Cahir, warrior, battle man.

Magnus, great and powerful.

Nikolai, people of victory.

Kian, king.

Damien, to tame.

Micah, who resembles God.

Kaemon, joyful.

Arsenio, strong, potent.

Lucius, light or genius.

Loan, light.

Calix, very handsome.

Rowan, brilliant red.

Egan, little fire.

Adonis, lord.

Declan, full of goodness.

Arzhel, bear prince.

Thaddeus, courageous heart.

Alastor, vengeance.

Carden, wool carder.

Leone, lion.

Osian, little dear.

Ezekiel, strength of god.

Zion, highest point.

Asher, blessed.

Kratos, strength, might.

Zadkiel, righteousness of god.

Arwan, king of the other world.

Malakai, messenger.

Acheron, river of sorrow.

Elijah, the lord is my god.

Jace, lord of salvation.

Killian, little warrior.

Cyrus, the sun.

Deimos, personification of fear.

Bryson, child of a noble.

Conan, little wolf or little hound.

Maverick, independent one.

Lennone, keen.

Anteros, god of required love and defender of unrequired.

Denarius, silver coin.

Lorcan, little fierce one.

Ariston, excellent.

Vortigern, high overlord.

Female Names.

Naima, tranquil.

Freya, noble woman.

Alora, beautiful dream.

Danyi, sweet.

Juniper, evergreen.

Arcadia, adventurous.

Cora, virtuous.

Rosela, rose in italian.

Rhea, river.

Kyra, sun.

Solasta, shining, light.

Evangeline, messenger of good news.

Narcissa, flower.

Nyssa, new beginning.

Nyx, night.

Elodie, great fortune.

Gemena, intelligent.

Elis, god’s promise.

Irene, peace.

Samira, wind.

Melantha, dark flower.

Odeliah, praise god.

Aleyah, noble, elevated.

Sariah, princess of the lord.

Ilaria, happy and cheerful.

Odessa, long journey.

Jezebel, pure.

Brielle, heroine of god.

Emersyn, brave, powerful.

Marilla, shining sea.

Braelyn, meadow.

Enora, honor.

Sereia, mermaid.

Seraphina, fiery ones.

Kaena, praise.

Zenaida, of zeus, eternal life.

Isadora, gift of Isis.

Faera, bringer of gifts.

Fayra, gift of god.

Lilibet, pledge to god.

Orlaith, golden princess, sovereign.

Thalassa, sea or ocean.

Visha, deadly poison.

Sora, sky.

Leysa, defender of man.

Cassiel, angel of saturday.

Calia, beautiful person.

Aloisia, famous warrior.

Isleen, vision.

Elowen, elm tree.

Davina, beloved.

Elysia, from the blessed isles.

Gwenna, blessed ring.

Mairween, blessed rebellion.

Esmeray, dark moon.

ASOIAF Valyrian names.

Daenar Tarreos

Baesenyx Barreos

Jaererys Laeraellis

Tyraerion Laenaenor

Jacaegar Laeneneos

Gaedar Aglaeris

Raenor Gonnalys

Rhaegon Maentigar

Vimar Arnalys

Vahaegaron Nargyreon

Laegor Naeltigar

Aeron Taeltheon

Maerya Barnaris

Alyhna Caeneneos

Vysenera Naeltaris

Daessa Baelnaris

Baessa Rahmaereon

Haelera Veltheos

Saerena Arinarys

Alaenna Lenyreos

Elaessa Narnareon

Jaelanya Galgyreon

Vhaenys Dortalor

Saerera Raeldaerys

Visegon Goniar

Jaedor Gaelennis

Malaelor Maentheos

Rahaelon Baeltigar

Maerion Laergaris

Visegon Qargaeron

Vahaeron Arreos

Gaelyx Arlaeris

Garaevon Calnalys

Naelara Dalreos

Eraerla Raenlaeris

Daenenera Maenanyon

Haerys Narnalys

Hera Aergaris

Vysessa Qarareon

Elaerya Aerlaeris

Maeharys Malreos

Tahaenyx Rahiar

Aeganar Gaelralis

Balaevar Lendaerys

Daegar Valanyon

Gaegar Nohaellis

Matagor Vellaeris

Rahaemon Laendaerys

Daelon Aeraeris

Aerena Mallaeron

Daenelys Callaeris

Renaera Raelennis

Daenelys Dortheos

Raevor Daerlaeron

Bamera Caenennis

#roleplay memes #sentence meme #( cali meme. )#rp memes #rp prompt #rp musings #roleplay prompt

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frozen10fanzine · 1 month

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Frozen Through the Years

Yearly Spotlight: 2013 (Part 2)

Written by @toriofthetrees

The world's first exposure to Frozen from the teaser trailer gave almost no indication of what the plot of the movie was actually about. Hans Christian Andersen's “The Snow Queen" is an episodic journey of a young girl trying to save her friend from the powerful, but lonely Snow Queen. Frozen had whispers of that... but it turned out to be a very different story.

The film, instead, revolved around the of-age heroine, Princess Anna of Arendelle, and her journey alongside an unlikely group of allies to save her kingdom from the wintry magic of her sister, Queen Elsa. Anna does this by lovingly thawing Elsa’s frozen heart.

It was released on November 27, 2013.

It was different.

It was a massive hit.

It also brought several groundbreaking things along with it. First, it was only the second movie from Disney to be animated with the help of CGI (the first being Tangled released in 2008). Second, Frozen would go on to become the highest grossing animated film of all time (overcome only by its successor Frozen II). Within a short time, it received an unprecedented amount of awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014.

But most of all, through the love of the sisters Elsa & Anna, Frozen shared the revolutionary message that true love can exist anywhere and with anyone.

To be continued

👆🏻 Click above if you want to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Frozen. The due date is April 12, 2024.

We look forward to seeing your memories ❄️

#frozen10 #frozen #frozen 2 #frozen fever #olaf's frozen adventure #ofa #frozen 10th anniversary #water has memory #elsa #anna #kristoff #sven #olaf #frohana #fandom projects #frozen fandom #moodboard

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princesssarisa · 15 days

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The first of the Love Like Salt tales in Cinderella Tales From Around the World come from Italy, Germany, and Sweden.

We start with seven versions from Italy:

**One version, La Sendraroeula, is basically a perfect cross between Love Like Salt, Donkeyskin, and a conventional Cinderella. After the youngest princess says she loves her father like salt, the king orders a servant to kill her and bring back her heart, but the servant kills a sheep instead, then gives the princess a donkey skin wear as a disguise. She then meets a group of good witches, who give her a magic wand and a nut: whenever she taps the wand with the nut, her wishes will be granted, although the magic only lasts until midnight. Some time later, her father finds her in the woods while hunting, doesn't recognize her in the donkey skin, and takes her home with him out of pity. Thus she becomes a scullery maid in her own father's castle, under the gaze of her own two sisters. Then Carnival arrives, the older sisters attend three balls at a neighboring kingdom's palace, and the heroine goes too in magic finery. The prince falls in love with her, on the third night she runs out at midnight and loses a shoe... and you can guess the rest.

**In most of the Italian versions, the older sisters declare that they love their father "like bread" and "like wine." To some of us, these comparisons might seem just as "undaughterly" as "like salt," but the king accepts them, because bread is essential to life, and in Italian culture the same is considered nearly true for wine. In other versions, though, the sisters are more effusive and say they love their father "better than my eyes" and "better than my heart."

**The Italian versions also tend to have the king order his daughter killed, but a few have him just banish her. In one, The Value of Salt, he doesn't send her away at all, but just resolves to never see her again and has her live alone in a separate wing of the castle.

***The latter tale doesn't have a Cinderella/Donkeyskin-style plot or a love interest for the heroine, since the princess never leaves home or loses her status. One day she just orders the cook to make a supper without salt for her father, and this teaches him his lesson.

**Several Italian versions have the heroine disguise herself as an old woman when she goes to work at the other palace. In one, she meets a fairy who gives her a wand that lets her actually turn herself into an old woman. In another, more gruesomely, her faithful nurse buys the skin of an old woman who just died and has her wear it as a disguise. Either way, she goes to work in the kitchen or in the poultry-yard, but every night in her room she takes off her disguise, and eventually the prince sees her true beauty through the keyhole, a la Donkeyskin.

**In some versions, the heroine says she loves her father "like water and salt" – not only evoking the thing that gives food its flavor, but the thing most important to sustaining life.

**Another version, The Story of the Candlestick, is a "princess hides in a hollow object" variant, and unusually, her mother is still alive and helpful. When the king orders his daughter killed for saying she loves him like salt, the queen protects her by hiding her in a giant candlestick and selling it. The candlestick ends up in a prince's dining room, the princess secretly comes out and eats the prince's food every night before he gets home, etc.

**In yet another version, instead of having the king ask his daughters how much they love them, he sets out on a journey, and of course, asks his daughters what they'd like him to bring back. The older two sisters ask for clothing, of course, but the youngest asks for salt. The wicked sisters then convince their father that she plans to over-salt his food and make it taste terrible, so in a fit of extreme pettiness he banishes her. But when they finally reunite, she reveals that she only wanted the salt to make food taste good.

**Still another variant, The King of France, doesn't have a "love like salt" opening at all, but instead mirrors the Bible story of Joseph and his brothers. The princess has a dream that someday she'll become a great queen and that her father will bow down before her. To prevent this, her jealous father orders a servant to kill her, but he lets her go. A magician in the forest takes her in as his foster child, and the rest of the story is like Donkeyskin. The book only describes this story as a footnote rather than sharing it in full, because technically it's not a Love Like Salt tale, just similar.

*There are just two German versions, one long, one short.

**The longer tale is a lesser-known Brothers Grimm tale, The Goose Girl at the Well. (Not to be confused with the more famous, entirely different tale of The Goose Girl.) This story is a very unusual Love Like Salt variant, not least because the princess isn't the viewpoint character, nor does the Love Like Salt motif appear until the middle of the story, in a flashback to three years earlier. An old woman, rumored to be a witch, and her ugly daughter live in a solitary cottage in a the mountains, tending geese. One day a handsome young count enters the forest, meets the old woman, and kindly carries her heavy bundle for her: as they walk along it grows heavier and heavier, but the woman won't let him rest until they reach the cottage. Then to reward him for his hard work and kindness, she gives him a little book carved out of emerald. The count then travels to a royal palace, where he meets the king and queen and shows them the emerald book. When the queen opens it, revealing a pearl inside, she faints, then tells her family's backstory to the count. The king and queen had three daughters, and the youngest was the most beautiful, who wept pearls and jewels instead of tears. One day, to determine his daughters' inheritances, the king asked each one how much she loved him: the older two said "like the sweetest sugar" and "like my prettiest dress," but the youngest said "like salt," and for this the king banished her with only a sack of salt as her inheritance. Soon afterward he regretted his rash act and searched for her, but the princess was never found and has been missing for three years. Yet the pearl inside the emerald book looks just like one of the princess's tears. The count tells the king and queen about the old woman and the three of them set off to find her cottage again. As it turns out, the old woman's "daughter" is really the princess, disguised in a magical ugly skin. At night when the moon shines, she takes off the skin to reveal her true beauty and wash herself at the well near the cottage. When the count arrives, he sees her do so and falls in love. The king and queen soon follow and reunite with their daughter, the old woman vanishes, and the cottage transforms into a palace, where the count and the princess live happily ever after. The narrator remarks that the old woman was probably a "wise woman" (i.e. a fairy), who most likely gave the princess her gift of shedding pearl and jewel tears when she was born– a gift that "doesn't happen nowadays, or else the poor would soon become rich."

**The shorter German variant, As Dear as Salt, is another version that doesn't have a Donkeyskin element, or a romance, or even have the princess be banished. It simply says that the king is angry when his only daughter says she loves him "like salt," but a short time later, when he gives a grand feast, the princess tells the cook to serve all the food without salt, and this teaches the king his lesson.

*The one Swedish variant is called Salt and Bread. In this version, the princess's wicked older half-sisters slander her to their father out of jealousy and make him doubt her love for him, which inspires his fateful love test. The older two claim to love him "as God in heaven" and "as my life," and when the youngest says "as salt and bread," the king has her stripped naked and left in the forest to die. But a different kingdom's younger king finds her there, takes her home to his castle, falls in love with her, and marries her. After the princess (now queen) and her father reunite in the end, the old king has the two half-sisters left naked in the forest, and the narrator cheekily says "It has never been told that a king came and married them."

**It's interesting that this princess likens her father's value to bread as well as salt, meaning that he's "the staff of life" to her, and yet her father takes it as an insult because bread is so common. It contrasts with the Italian versions where one of the older sisters says she loves her father like bread, and he approves because he realizes it means she can't live without him.

Next we'll look at the versions from Belgium, France, Spain, and Portugal.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @adarkrainbow, @themousefromfantasyland

#cinderella #love like salt #fairy tale #variations #cinderella tales from around the world #heidi ann heiner #tw: murder mention

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sometimesthatsbetter · 3 months

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Recommendation: Yona of the dawn

I've decided on a new tradition, the first story i read this year will be given a review and ooh boy did Yona of the dawn gave me something to write about.

The a story premise is quite simple at a glance. Yona was a sheltered and spoiled young princess who's ignorant towards the world outside the palace. She grew up adored by her father, the king and being protected by her bodyguard Hak, she spends most of her time fawning over her cousin and childhood friend Su-won. Yet on the eve of her 16th birthday her small world was crushed in pieces by a coup d'etat, driving her into hiding.

So let's talk about our main character, Yona. She started out as a ditzy, beautiful young princess who's main concern is clothing and taming her curly red hair. Yona's not exactly a bad character per say, but she just had a very narrow world view, oh and she has a crush on her cousin Su-won... Yeah, i mean it's a historical setting what did you expect. Her, Hak and Su-won were childhood friends, they did everything together, ate together, slept together, fought together which makes it devastating for Yona and Hak when they realized that Su-won betrayed them.

One of the aspects that i really enjoyed was the realistic depiction of grief that Yona went through, like my girl was in a catatonic state when they first went on the run. Like girl was going through the five stages of grief for the first three volumes. And then came the hard truth that her dad was just, not a good ruler, he was a spineless coward who couldn't protect their nation. So on top of now having a bounty on her head, her father being dead she now has to grapple with the legacy her father left behind. And from those hard truths we see Yona growing up.

As she continues her journey of growth she encounters the four 'dragon warriors' from the prophecy, which will be where the reverse harem tag comes in. Oh don't get me wrong i truly adore the cast from the bottom of my heart but I didn't enjoy the romance part very much. It's painstakingly obvious who the male lead is so having all these guys pining away at a hopeless cause makes me feel really bad for em. But besides that they are great characters, i especially like the yellow dragons backstory.

Okay now let's talk about another character that totally captured my attention, Su-won. Su-won is like a guy you could out from game of thrones, like my guy is definitely a 'the outcome justifies the cost' kind of person you know what i'm saying? He knew that if Yona were to take throne as queen she would be an even worse ruler than her father, at least the version of her at the beginning of the story. Everything he did was in the name of the greater good, having no foreign allies he had to choice but to the choose the asassinantion route to the throne. Like yah he could've married Yona but that plan kinds went out the door when she saw him kill her dad. But like, he cares about Yona deeply, maybe not in the way that she would like but he does. But he will always put his country first. That's why he's such a striking character for me, he stands out from a sea of mediocre villains who's backstories are basically 'my family abused me and i'm obsessed with the heroine' that i see in alot otome isekais. Everyone are just pawns on a chessboard to him, even his loved ones and he's willing to sacrifice them all to gaurente the safety and stabilty of the kingdom.

So yeah, go read Yona of the dawn.

Signing off

Josephine

#akatsuki no yona #yona of the dawn #yona #recommendation #manga recommendation #review #otome isekai #rofan #death is the only ending for a villainess #the apothecary diaries #shoujo #shoujo manga

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thezeldapagan · 22 days

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Bring Peace to the World: The Triforce as a Practical Framework for Spiritual Growth

What exactly does it mean to be a Zelda pagan? What is the path and what is the ultimate destination? What are the core tenants and what does a daily practice based on them look like?

For me, the primary driving force functioning as a signpost of my practice is the Triforce and its composite parts. The goal is to live a life that keeps courage, power, and wisdom in relative balance, developing those aspects where they are lacking and tempering over-development of any one with the others. Courage, for example, is a wonderful trait, but not if wisdom is not applied in certain scenarios to allow for balance between the two. Skydiving may be a courageous act, but lacking the wisdom to take along a parachute will certainly land you in trouble. Likewise, applying power without wisdom can lead to precisely the sort of tyrannical entitlement demonstrated by Ganondorf across the franchise.

In her essay “Triforce Heroes and Heroines: Transcending the Opposites Through the Golden Power” from The Psychology of Zelda, Angie Branham Mullins discusses the balancing of the Triforce as representative of Jungian individuation, but it can also be applied to a spiritual practice:

"The Triforce is at the core of many Legend of Zelda games. Generally, the goal of characters in the series is to reunite the Triforce’s three fragemented pieces in order to restore the form and function of this otherworldy item, because when it is whole, the Triforce represents balance and peace in the kingdom of Hyrule. But in order to mend the Triforce and wield the complete relic, the hero must themselves first possess balance between the three qualities the Triforce’s pieces represent: Wisdom, Power, and Courage" (191).

To even possess the complete Triforce, one must achieve personal development that warrants them as a worthy wielder. As we have seen in the games, simply touching the Triforce before one has properly prepared and developed oneself causes the Triforce to split. Without an internal balance, possession is simply not attainable.

That is just one part of the goal, however. As Millins notes above, achieving the inner balance needed to possess the Triforce is followed by spreading that balance outward. The peace wrought by the reunification of the Triforce is the gift of the hero to society at large, not merely to himself.

This goal is seen on a microcosmic level in both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, when after granting Link either a heart or stamina container, the various village Hylia statues tell him, “Go, and bring peace to Hyrule/the world…” The hero receives a boon, and then is directed by the goddess herself to use it on his quest to better the world around him.

These containers are not merely handed out, but must be earned by completing shrines in each game. Link must remain engaged in smaller, incremental acts of self-improvement in order to slowly build his health and his strength and take on progressively more difficult challenges. As Mullins explains, so is it too with the Triforce:

"The pursuit of the Triforce’s reunification serves as a catalyst for Link and the other characters’ growth—their development into their destined roles—and the fulfillment of their purpose" (193).

That ultimate purpose, as dictated by the goddess Hylia herself, is to bring peace not just to oneself, but to society at large.

And that is, ultimately, the goal of a Zelda pagan. Make yourself into a better version of you, using the elements of the Triforce as a framework, in order to be in a better position to improve the world around you.

Ultimately, the journey of self-improvement can be walked in whatever way feels best to an individual practitioner. For me, I prefer to give each of the elements due attention before moving on to the next. It is for that reason that I divide the year up into different “seasons” for each of the Golden Goddesses and their respective pieces of the Triforce. This most closely mirrors Link’s journeys in games, moving methodically around the map, overcoming specific challenges in a set order, and not being able to move on until certain criteria have been met and relics acquired. In this way, the pieces of the Triforce also serve as gates of initiation.

It is also perfectly acceptable, however, to continuously work on all three aspects of the Triforce at once on a daily or weekly basis. For some, it makes more sense to aim for improvement of these features every day than keep them fragmented across months.

The important thing is an eventual sense of balance; without any one piece of the Triforce getting an equal share of development within the self, the whole thing will crumble. As Mullins states,

"To bring the Triforce to its original composition is a balancing act. The Triforces of Courage and Wisdom create the bridge needed to stabilize the third, top triangle, the Triforce of Power. Then the pieces are put in proper relationship to one another, the Triforce is able to experience wholeness; balance is achieved. The wish can be granted" (215).

The best visual representation of the Triforce journey is also in BotW and TotK, specifically at the Temple of Time. From the roof, one can easily see a route up the hill into the Temple:

Here can be seen a set of staircases, starting in front of the fountain plaza toward the upper center, veering (from this view) to just above Link’s head, up another set of stairs to the far right of Link here, then up to the center just in front of the Temple itself. Along this route are smaller temples dedicated to the three Golden Goddesses, in order of Farore, Nayru, and finally Din, thus creating a walkable representation of the Triforce. The small temples are in varying states of disrepair, but they each include the goddess’ symbols on the floors. These can be very difficult to see due to the overall deterioration of the area, but the symbols do peep through:

From Din’s temple are two sets of stairs on either side going up to the entrance to the Temple of Time. Interestingly, on the floor in front of the large Hylia statue within the Temple is the complete Triforce.

The implication here (at least, in my own head-canon) is that worship of Hylia also inherently included first paying respects to each of the three Golden Goddesses, and worshippers perhaps needed to account for the three parts of the Triforce before they were adequately prepared to engage with Hylia, obviously now the primary goddess. It should also be remembered from Skyward Sword that Hylia was charged with protecting the Triforce, and the layout of the Temple of Time and the smaller goddess temples, plus that seal in front of the Hylia statue, is a nice physical and visual throwback to that aspect of her power and responsibility.

Is it required that one arrange their practice in the order laid out around the Temple of Time? I would argue that is up to the individual practitioner. For me, with the arrangement of the Triforce elements across the year, the order is more reliant on the reality of which months best correlate to each element. I am starting the season of Farore now, which will be followed by the season of Din through the summer and early fall (as the hottest and then most colorful months, correlating with fire), and then finally the season of Nayru for late fall through winter (time to withdraw to focus on internal wisdom, as well as a focus on water in its various forms). Obviously not the “correct” order as demonstrated above. However, there are ways to integrate this order into specific ceremonies, or if a daily/weekly routine is utilized that offers more freedom to organize as you see fit. The important part is simply to ensure the different aspects of the Triforce are given equal attention so that they can work together without any one being more or less developed than the others. Through this balance comes personal spiritual completion, from which one can work to enact positive change around themselves.

#popculturepagan #popculturepaganism #hyrule #goddess #pagan #hylia

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khtrinityftw · 3 months

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"How does the original story connect to Disney?" is a question that has often been asked about Kingdom Hearts...and it ought to be asked more often, as the answer shows how the series lost its way.

In the first Kingdom Hearts, the original story is about the Keyblade Master trying to find his lost friends while saving the worlds of the universe from being consumed by a mass invasion of dark creatures, the Heartless, whose evil master ultimately seeks to conclude the invasion by absorbing the Heart of All Worlds assembled through each world's destruction hidden within the Realm of Darkness.

How Disney fits in is pretty obvious. Not only are the worlds in question largely Disney-based, but Donald and Goofy are the Keyblade Master's companions, Mickey Mouse is the leader of a resistance effort who operates the home base where refugees of lost worlds which includes some noteworthy Disney characters take shelter, until he can take physical form the Heartless' master's henchmen leading the invasion are a group of Disney villains that manipulates the Keyblade Master's male friend to the side of evil, and the magical beings who hold the power to unlock the way to the Heart of All Worlds are a group of Disney heroines with the Keyblade Master's female friend being among their ranks! What's more, the original iconography of hearts, keys and keyholes, "gummi" blocks, a money system called "munny", a majestic castle where villains hold maidens captive, and dark creatures with glowing yellow eyes all fit perfectly with Disney's usual sensibilities like an oversized glove.

At first glance, Chain of Memories doesn't seem like it does things as well, since beyond having Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy Cricket as companions for Sora and Mickey Mouse as companion for Riku, whom also has an important moment with Maleficent, the Disney worlds are just memory-based filler episodes in between the main plot progressing. However, said main plot is all about, yet again, a majestic castle where villains hold a maiden captive, the sort of archetypal fairy tale situation that Disney has always engaged with. Yes it's a dark and twisted take on it, but Disney also hasn't been afraid to go dark when necessary. Even the theme of memory is another fitting one for Disney, which has a hold on so many people's childhood memories. It still legitimately feels like a Disney RPG...heck, it feels like a Disney video game, a very specific one at that!

Kingdom Hearts II is about the Keyblade Master's journey continuing (and ultimately concluding) as a new group of villains conspires to destroy the universe through the spread of Heartless and acquire Kingdom Hearts, this time via the Heart of All Beings assembled through the Keyblade freeing captive hearts from the Heartless.

While this story pushes the Square Enix side more heavily, the end result is the perfect balance between it and Disney, which is still being considered. The important Disney characters from the original game remain important plus we get new important characters like Yen Sid, Pete and Scrooge McDuck, a plot point about a virtual world inside a computer at the start is echoed with the new home base world being heavily tied to the world of Disney's Tron, the main villains are spooky cursed beings exactly like the villains in the world of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, and above all the core threat will matter more to players who are Disney fans because it is primarily hearts of beings from the worlds of Disney that the villains are sacrificing for their evil objective. And even if you're not a Disney fan, Sora is friends with all these Disney characters, regardless of how plot-relevant they or visits to their worlds may be, which adds a highly personal stake in the story.

So the KH Trinity aces this test. Moving on to the series beyond...

358/2 Days: If the 1.5 cutscene movie having no actual cutscenes with Disney characters beyond one with Mickey that has literally nothing to do with the story and is only there as set-up for KH2 didn't clue you in, this game doesn't do too well with Disney connecting to the original story. The situations in the Disney worlds are good, bridging the gap of what went down between KH and KH2 quite nicely, but the main characters seldom get involved or interact with any of the locals. The only important thing they do is destroy Heartless to form Kingdom Hearts. It is purely thanks to KH2 and the heavy lifting it did that allows it to feel natural for this story, a direct prequel, to have Disney worlds as settings at all, since otherwise you could place the action in original worlds and nothing would feel off.

Birth by Sleep: This is a true half-and-half situation. Because on the one hand, you get Disney worlds that all connect with the KH Trinity, characters like Mickey, Yen Sid, and Maleficent all being important, the Disney Princess group of the first KH being relevant again, important plot progression happening in said Princesses' worlds, and an "old-school Disney" sort of vibe that even the main enemy creatures get in on with their rubber hose style movements. Even the original plot being a Star Wars knock-off is fitting in retrospect now that Disney owns Star Wars. But on the other hand, the original iconography that once fit Disney so well back in the first KH is now being treated so seriously and less whimsically that it feels like Square Enix is just completely taking it over, with the Keyblade concept in particular turning into something far less unique and magical than it had been before. Also, while the main characters certainly interact with the Disney worlds and characters more than the ones of Days did, it always feels like they're leaving no real lasting impact on them. Maybe that's by design since otherwise they can't be as impacted by Sora and the original elements in KH, but it still sets an uncomfortable precedent to be repeated going forward.

Coded: Give this game one thing, Disney certainly matters to its story, given that it's kind of all about goings-on at Disney Castle with Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale, Maleficent and Pete, and of course Jiminy Cricket and his journal. It's a shame that none of that ends up mattering since the only part of the story that's important to the series narrative happens at the end and, aside from Mickey, is all about a bunch of original characters. But hey, it's still better than....

Dream Drop Distance: You put Disney in a game that's centered around dreams, and somehow make it feel like it doesn't matter aside from Mickey and Yen Sid. Just....how? How do you do that? The visits to the five Disney-based worlds don't matter and neither Sora or Riku have any real impact on any of what transpires there, a random excursion to Disney Castle to face Maleficent and Pete goes nowhere, and the original concepts have officially gone full Square Enix to the point of no longer gelling with Disney. Time travel with complicated rules and consequences whereas before it was just a whimsical door to the black-and-white past. A villain whose master plan is so omnipotent that it renders all the heroes' past victories meaningless and leaves them with no solid way of winning in the future. Clones of characters all over the place. Inception-style dream-within-dream mind screws. The literal cast of The World Ends With You playing the literal Reaper's Game. And a light, optimistic hero dumbed down, trivialized and ultimately deemed a failure all to prop up the dark, angsty hero. Also, I guess Pokémon are a thing now.

X/UX: All the Disney stuff is fake and unimportant. With that said, the fairy tale storybook framing of the main story in the original game / "season" did give off a decent Disney vibe. A shame the second "season" totally ruined that by making it all about Keyblade wielders inside another goddamn datascape, with more fucking time travel!

0.2 Birth by Sleep - A Fragmentary Passage: Mickey and Yen Sid are important characters and we see some destroyed Disney worlds.

Kingdom Hearts III: This story is about Sora and his friends preparing to fight Xehanort and his minions at a desert wasteland, and then they do. That's it. None of the visits to Disney Worlds have anything to do with that or impact it in any way; there's not even any crisis going on in the universe motivating the visits in the first place. Mickey, Yen Sid, Donald and Goofy, Jiminy Cricket, Scrooge McDuck, Remy and Merlin all get to be important to certain degrees, and the game itself is certainly full of Disney goodness for fans...it's just a shame that the original elements feel so divorced from it now. Everything that used to fit in with Disney - Keyblades and magic Keyholes, villains in black coats and the enemy creatures under their command, Kingdom Hearts itself, etc. - have so little interaction, intersection or interest with the Disney stuff that they've taken on their own, far less interesting identity. Even the new Disney worlds feel less like new incarnations of Disney properties set in an RPG universe and more like just....well, those Disney properties.

Melody of Memory: All the Disney stuff is fake and unimportant.

Dark Road: The main character's disgust at the actions of some Disney villains is used to justify him....becoming a villain himself. Because if there's one thing Disney is known for, it's stories where villainy is totally justified if done to keep other villains in line! Wait...

Missing Link: All the Disney stuff is fake and....

Kingdom Hearts IV: FINAL FANTASY VERSUS XIII!

Sigh....Is it any wonder I'm like this?

youtube

#Kingdom Hearts #Chain of Memories #Kingdom Hearts II #Anti-Series Beyond

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kodentsimp · 9 months

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AETHER X Y/N

In which Aether isn't looking for his lost twin and belongs in the world of teyvat no paimon

in the enchanting world of teyvat, there lived a dashing young hero named Aether and a captivating, strong-willed heroine named Y/N. Their paths had rarely crossed, until one fateful day when they found themselves caught in an unexpected adventure. It all began when a mysterious artifact, the Nymph's Dream, was stolen from the royal palace. Both Aether and Y/n, driven by their burning curiosity and sense of justice, independently embarked on a quest to retrieve it and restore balance to the kingdom. Little did they know that their destinies were about to intertwine in ways they never imagined. Under the starlit sky, Aether and Y/N coincidentally found themselves at the entrance of a long-forgotten temple. Intrigued by the possibilities, they decided to venture inside together. The temple, shrouded in secrets and anticipation, seemed to have a mind of its own, slowly drawing them closer with every step. As they delved deeper into the ancient corridors, their connection grew stronger. Their eyes locked in a moment of shared vulnerability, and the silence between them spoke volumes. Their hands brushed against each other, sending electric sparks and igniting an irresistible chemistry neither could deny. The undeniable tension fueled their determination to uncover the truth behind the stolen artifact. In their shared quest, they encountered many challenges - treacherous puzzles, dangerous traps, and daunting adversaries. But together, they were unstoppable. Their strengths complemented each other perfectly, and their trust in one another grew with every obstacle overcome. As their journey neared its climax, a profound connection blossomed between Aether and Y/n. One evening, while resting by a campfire, their hearts beat in harmony. The flickering flames illuminated the depth of their feelings, and they couldn't resist the magnetic pull any longer. In a blaze of passion, they succumbed to the force that had been building between them all along. Their bodies intertwined, exploring the depths of their desires, surrendering to a wave of pleasure they could no longer resist. In each other's arms, they found solace, ecstasy, and a connection that transcended the physical realm. But their love affair was not just driven by lust; it was rooted in a profound emotional connection. They shared stolen glances, whispered secrets, and tender kisses that held promises of a future beyond this enchanting adventure. Through their passion-filled moments, Aether and Y/n discovered an unbreakable bond, their love intertwining their destinies forever.

And so, as they triumphantly retrieved the stolen Nymph's Dream and returned it to its rightful place, their hearts beat as one. United by love, they emerged from the temple, ready to face a new chapter of their lives together. With their worlds forever changed, Aether and Y/n would forever be remembered as heroes who not only saved the kingdom but also found a love that would withstand the test of time.

Note: I have no clue what I just wrote but my brain juice has ran out

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #y/n #aether #genshin aether #fanfic #i guess #anime #video games #genshin x y/n

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okay-j-hannah · 2 years

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Part 2: The Herbalist

The Lord of the Rings : Multishot

Samwise Gamgee x Reader

Word count: 3048

Warnings: some fevers and wounds

Request: “Could I request a multishot with samwise gamgee x reader and sam has always had a crush on her, but on their journey he realizes she's even better than he imagined her to be (like when you stop crushing but actually fall in love)” @ocean-calls-me

A/N: I’ll write the time skips here so you know what’s missing in the journey... I skipped Bucklebury Ferry and the Village of Bree

Part 1: The Forester

Part 2: The Herbalist {You Are Here}

Part 3: The Heroine

Broken twigs and crackling leaves. Tottering stones and disturbed soil. Clopping hooves and trudging feet.

It was all (Y/N) could hear as she strayed from the walking path. The symphony of sounds came from the traveling company on the outskirts of the trees. She could count four pairs of hobbit feet and a pony.

If she strained her hearing, there were the barest footfalls of their new guide. A man gifted in the art of being invisible. It was impressive, even in (Y/N)’s respects. (Y/N) could travel through a forest in the height of autumn – dried leaves crinkling the ground and trees bare of cover – and no one would catch a sight or sound of her.

The man, Strider, made them aware of the dangers Frodo kept hidden in his pocket. And impressing upon them the urgency of keeping the ring moving, Strider led them through wood and marsh to find the elven kingdom of Rivendell.

Sam was all in a tizzy at the thought of being near the elves, “We’re going to see the elves!”

(Y/N) kept her mind busy as she trekked alongside the path, gathering herbs and wild vegetables as she saw them. Anything edible they could snack on to keep their wistful previsions untouched would be helpful.

Although anything edible within the reach of Pippin was at risk of being eaten promptly.

She packed her satchel with handfuls of lavender, yarrow, echinacea, and chamomile where she found them. They sat with the mushrooms and berries she harvested early that morning.

Navigating herself closer to the company of man and hobbits – and Bill the pony – (Y/N) kept just enough distance that she couldn’t be spotted but could eavesdrop.

“… you know I’m still finding reeds sticking between my toes!”

(Y/N) laughed at the sound of Pippin’s complaining tone.

“Be grateful we made it out of those marshes without being eaten alive,” Frodo shuddered, “I hate to think of a poor creature falling prey to those bugs.”

“Poor me!” Merry scoffed, “Those bugs fed enough on me. Look at these welts.”

Sam grumbled, “The sun is getting awful low.”

“What was that Sam?” Merry scratched at his arm.

Frodo adjusted the clasp of his cloak, “Oh, don’t mind him. Sam is just worrying over our dear sweet (Y/N).”

“She’s usually back by now!”

“With food,” Pippin whined, “I wonder if the growling of my stomach will get her attention.”

Frodo laughed, “Leave her be. She enjoys her nature walks – you’re lucky she brings you back anything at all.”

It was quiet for a few more steps before Pippin couldn’t contain himself any longer.

“I don’t suppose Mr. Strider would give us supper with dinner today?”

“He barely gave you a second breakfast, Pip,” Merry said, getting that huffiness that came with parenting Pippin.

By the sound of the clanking pots, Sam was moving his pack around, “Maybe I should go looking for her.”

“Sam,” Frodo laughed, “(Y/N) is fully capable of getting here before dark. She always keeps us within her sights.”

Indeed, (Y/N) jogged a few feet over a hill to find the company in her view. Sam was lingering in the back, worriedly searching the sparse tree line. It made her smile.

And a strange tugging came from her heart. It was the seed of warmth that Sam planted there. It seemed like so long ago that he did. There was potentially something sprouting there now.

The thought made the warmth of her heart travel to her cheeks.

“How much longer are we going to walk?” Pippin asked.

“Well, I believe those are the Weather Hills just ahead of us,” Frodo said, if he recognized their path from the innumerable maps Bilbo owned. “We might rest there.”

(Y/N) had made her way to the back of the company, silent as ever. She gave Bill the pony a scratch behind the ears. “I’d say.”

Sam jolted where he stood, shoulders snug to his ears as he whimpered, “(Y/N)!”

The smaller hobbit laughed where she walked beside Bill, patting his mane. Sam turned to her, shaken, “Must you always sneak up on us?”

“I have to find ways to entertain myself somehow,” she winked. It made her smirk to see that the action turned Sam pink.

“(Y/N)!” Pippin came running, “Please tell me…”

She was already digging in her satchel, “I’ve found some elderberries. They’re tart and will make a nice treat on a slice of bread.”

Pippin held the berries with such care, “Have I ever told you how brilliant you are, (Y/N)?”

“Could be said more often.” She smiled at his rosiness. But her pointed hobbit ears were burning – someone was spying on her face. It was no surprise to find Sam staring at her with a vacant expression, “Yes?”

He shook his head, spluttering, “I – oh, I was just… I’m happy you’re back safe, (Y/N).”

She looked towards her toes, “I find myself assuring you each morning that I’ll return safely and yet you still insist on worrying.”

“Can’t help it,” he shrugged uselessly, “It’s what you get for always being…” But he clamped his mouth shut real quick.

(Y/N)’s eyes jumped to his suddenly wide ones. “For always being what?”

Sam appeared to have lost the ability to speak, falling over his words as he reached for something to occupy his hands, finding his fingers in the face of Bill. The pony was not amused as it searched for (Y/N)’s calming pats.

She snorted along with Bill.

“We have reached the hills of Amon Sul,” came the low voice of Strider, “We shall rest here tonight.” He stood regal ahead of them, clearly unphased by their friendliness in regaining (Y/N).

She peered up at him, still unable to gauge how she felt about his cloak of mystery. “The great watchtower called Weathertop,” she mumbled, giving Sam time to regain his composure, “It used to be the junction between three territorial kingdoms.”

“How do you know that?” Frodo scoffed, amazed. “I thought you never ventured past the free lands?”

(Y/N) shifted to see the attention of the other hobbits, her voice adopting the tone of a much wiser storyteller, “I’ve met a number of Rangers on my many travels. They tell history with accuracy to rival the Gondorian libraries.”

It was difficult to miss the tilt of attention from Strider ahead of them.

She continued, “The watchtower was valued as a point of great intelligence because it housed a palantir – an orb used as a seeing-stone. Many battles and wars plagued the borders of the three kingdoms surrounding Weathertop. It wasn’t until the forces of the Witch-king burned the tower that it fell to destruction.”

Strider surprised them by adding, “And the Dunedain salvaged the palantir and kept it safe in their capital.”

(Y/N) nodded to him, “That’s right. I’ve heard myths of the soil beneath the tower; that the Witch-king ash and the blood of decades of skirmishes created fertile ground for healing herbs.”

“From death and destruction grew the means of health,” Strider muttered, eyeing the coming hills, “Take what you will from myths. For now we will rest and continue our journey tomorrow.”

The company began moving again, but (Y/N) was bouncing behind Merry, grabbing his shoulders, “I fancy a scout of the tower base.”

“And what? You want us to join?” Merry laughed, “You’re barking mad if you think I’m moving after making camp.”

She slung an arm around his shoulders, “But imagine if the growth there had advanced healing properties. I couldn’t pass that up!”

“I don’t think you should be venturing out after dark,” said Sam, “It’s dangerous enough out there in daylight.”

(Y/N) turned to walk backwards and face him, “You really are a worry wart,” she pouted.

He tilted his head and gave her pleading eyes.

“If you’re not back within the hour we’ll come looking for you,” Frodo said.

(Y/N) bounded to him, kissing his cheek, “You’re brilliant, you are.”

“You can’t possibly…” Sam began with growing anxiety.

Frodo held up a hand, “As her first cousin I believe my vote counts more than yours.”

Merry grumbled as the terrain turned into another incline, “But you better be back within that hour, (Y/N) – you best believe I’ll turn up lost going to look for you.”

“I’ll find myself back in that bog with my luck,” Pippin grimaced, feeling another undiscovered reed scratching his pantleg.

~~~

(Y/N) packed her satchel full of valerian root, poppy flowers, and goldenseal. It was enough to make any herbalist happy, but she wouldn’t be sure of their extraordinary abilities until using them.

It was all that consumed her thoughts as she climbed the side of the hill. It surprised her that the hobbits hadn’t come looking for her yet; she was sure it had been past an hour.

That’s when she heard the screams. Unearthly predatory screams. They were accompanied by the clashing of metal.

Her nerves tumbled, fear replacing the happy herbalist. Her walking stick was braced for an attack as she ran the rest of the way to the top.

She could see the rampant light of fire dancing with shadows. It drowned any sound as her focus became finding the hobbits. The focus wasn’t interrupted as enormous, cloaked beings flew around her.

Some were in flames, Strider fighting them off with a torch, others were stalking the edges of the tower. The stragglers were getting uncomfortably close to the hobbits across the way. By the looks of it, Frodo was on the ground, grabbing at his chest.

“Frodo!” she screamed, gaining the attention of the remaining Wraiths.

If there were shouts of reply, she didn’t hear them as she bounded across the crumbling stones. Merry and Pippin were cowering behind a rotting wall, terrified. She felt much the same – only pure adrenaline launching her forward.

Her staff came in between the scaly hands of the Wraith and her frozen cousins. The momentum slammed (Y/N) to her knees, the staff holding her upright and the Wraith retracting its hold. But only for a second.

Breath was fire in her lungs and the chill that seeped into her was mind-numbing. Turning to the source, she cried out – the skeletal hand of a Wraith went for her throat. It was like a split in a glacier.

She clawed at its fingers for a few useless seconds, her veins filling up with the cold that seemed to cascade from its robes.

In the fleeting moments of the adrenaline taking over, (Y/N) dug at the pockmarked stone – her eyes forced to be trained on the Wraith but her hands free below. The darkness beneath the hood was endless, boring into her relentlessly.

She croaked, feeling her airway close off. The image of the Wraith was becoming spotted as she choked.

A gleam of silver shone through the dark and poised for her abdomen.

The Wraith jerked – (Y/N) lunged – and her staff flew to meet the robed arm. It burned. It was bright and it burned.

It was fire. Strider had appeared with his torch and relinquished the hold on (Y/N)’s throat.

She fell into a coughing fit, scrambling to stand but failing. Hands went for her arms, much smaller, gentler hands.

Their voices came foggy at first.

“… all right?”

“… fought them off … needs you.”

She grabbed her temples, “Where’s Frodo?”

Merry supported her side as Pippin beckoned her to the other hobbits. Strider was already giving orders and running to find medicine.

(Y/N) felt ten steps behind everyone as she collapsed to her knees, “What happened?”

“We might’ve lit a fire…” Merry grimaced as he watched Frodo writhe, “And attracted those wraith things.”

Sam was frantic, stretched thin as he fought who to give his attention to, “Are you all right, (Y/N)?”

She wiped at her forehead, still fending off the numbing chill of the Wraiths, “What did they do to Frodo?”

“Stabbed him,” Pippin whispered. (Y/N) didn’t need to look in his direction to know he was pale and faint.

“Here,” she mumbled, feeling for her satchel slung across her waist, “We’ll put some on the wound and make the rest into a tea.”

She revealed tiny bundles of white flowers and another handful of purple petals and stalks. She laid them on the stone floor to free her hands for a mortar and pestle.

A sniffle came from Sam, “He’s going cold.”

Frodo, despite only being wounded for a few minutes, already looked sickly with fever. It must have been no ordinary blade he was pierced with.

The feeling wasn’t quite back in her fingers, and she continually choked on her breath. It urged Merry to take the mortar from her.

“I’ll do it. Get me some water, Pip.”

(Y/N) flexed her numb fingers and found Sam’s eyes on her, “How is he?” she mumbled, inching her way over.

Frodo writhed and gasped under their hands. “I don’t like it,” Sam replied, “He’s getting worse by the second.”

She fished in her satchel again and retracted a handkerchief. Dousing it in a canteen of water, she dabbed at her cousins forehead.

Sam couldn’t help but notice his own initials on the handkerchief. He set his jaw and watched her features.

She was grimacing. She was in pain.

“(Y/N)…?”

She blinked hard and fell into the endless darkness the crept along her vision.

~~~

The first thing she felt upon waking was warmth.

Fire warming her skin. A blanket warming her body. A sickly heat warming her forehead.

A warmth enveloping her hand.

“What…”

“(Y/N)!”

The warmth in her hand tugged as someone shifted in their sitting position.

“Did I faint?”

Sam leaned over her, “You… you’re hurt, (Y/N). One of those Wraiths got you across the stomach.”

A gleam of silver shone through the dark and poised for her abdomen.

Her mind became clearer. So did the pain across her front.

She grimaced, “Ooooooh, ow.”

“Hey, hey…” Sam whispered, “You’ll be all right. Strider patched you up before patrol. He says you won’t end up like Frodo.”

“Frodo,” she gasped, “How is he? Where is he?” She tried to sit up and cried out.

Sam grabbed her shoulders and laid her back down, “You shouldn’t be moving about like that! Frodo will be fine. He’s with the elves.”

“Elves?”

“Strider met an elven friend in the woods. She’s taken Frodo to Rivendell to be healed.” He held onto her hand with both of his, “We’re still a couple days away from them.”

(Y/N) sighed, settling in her blanket.

She let the night air fill her up. She listened for the chirping crickets and burrowing squirrels. A stream was nearby, trickling down smooth pebbles.

She allowed the nature to soothe her, to ground her. She felt back at home in the Old Forest. Except something was interrupting the serenity.

There was a gentle touch to her forehead. It was tentative as it moved to her temple and then her cheek.

Her eyes opened and found Sam gazing at her. It was faraway and achingly sweet.

Until he caught her looking back and his fingers snapped away quick. “Your fever hasn’t changed much.”

She pondered the way he avoided her eyes now.

“It’s the middle of the night.”

He scrunched his brow, “Yes.”

“Why are you still awake?”

“Oh, well – I volunteered to keep watch.”

She laughed and winced, “But isn’t Strider on patrol? I’m sure he has it covered.”

Sam cleared his throat, “I… well, you – you’re hurt. And I would hate to know you needed something and all of us were asleep.”

“You’re going to regret that tomorrow,” she smiled.

He waited a few seconds to respond, gazing at her again, “No, I won’t.” He watched her settle again, grateful she hadn’t mentioned the fact his hand was still in hers. “You should go back to sleep.”

“I’ve woken to a painful wound and an obnoxious fever,” she smiled though her forehead speckled with sweat, “I don’t think I’ll fall asleep anytime soon.”

Sam chuckled and wracked his brains for something to help her. “Where – where do you go…”

She opened her eyes a little to give him a puzzled look.

“When you’re all quiet like that, I mean.” He clapped his free hand over his eyes, hiding his embarrassment.

She squeezed his hand and he perked up.

“I was reminding myself of the Old Forest.”

Sam sighed, grabbing the handkerchief he gave her, “The Shire.” He placed the damp cloth on her forehead and laid his hand there, “I miss it.”

“Already?” she smiled, fidgety with pain, “We haven’t been away that long.” He didn’t respond as he tended to her fever; he was being ever-so-gentle. “What do you miss about it?”

“My gardens mostly,” he mumbled, “I don’t know what it is about a freshly planted garden, but it’s beautiful. To see all the weeds gone, the flowers thriving, and the grass trimmed, it makes me proud. It was almost a crime to see Merry grind those flowers into medicine.”

He trained his eyes on her face to see if she’d smile. His chest swelled at seeing her lips upturn. She could’ve been sleeping if it weren’t for that little smile.

“It’s the sweet and simple things, in my mind, that are the most important. If I’ve learned anything from the outside world, it’s that no one gives the little guys a chance. But don’t they know that one little sapling could turn into a great oak tree?”

(Y/N) hummed her reply, clearly beginning to doze.

“See, some things might seem small and insignificant in the beginning, but they may grow into something more.” Sam put the handkerchief down and instead busied himself with moving her crazed hobbit curls into organized coils. “You just have to give them a chance. It could be so much more if you just give it a chance.”

(Y/N) was taking steady, deep breaths. Her nose twitched as she fell asleep.

Sam’s freckled cheeks were dusted with red as he sighed, “(Y/N)?”

There was no reaction.

“On my mind,” he mumbled, still with his fingers brushing her hairline. “That’s what I was going to say earlier. That’s what you get for always being on my mind. It’s why I worry. I can’t seem to get you off my mind.”

~~~

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Tag List:

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#samwise x reader #samwise gamgee x reader #Samwise The Brave #samwise gamgee #samwise gamgee x y/n #samwise gamgee x you #samwise imagine #samwise #The Lord of the Rings #lord of the rings #the fellowship of the ring #fellowship of the ring

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aikoiya · 5 months

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LoZ - Courage Twins Game

Ya'll, I would actually really like a Zelda game where there are 2 heroes.

Like, Link has a twin sister. Yes, I do mean Linkle, but change the name to Lina or Lara or Lynn or something. Because I really don't like Linkle as a name.

It could be a two-player co-op game, but not like how FSA was a multiplayer where you're essentially playing against each other.

More like It Takes Two, where the better you work together, the better things work overall. With mechanics that facilitates & encourages teamwork. Maybe even having coordinated special attacks like in Kingdom Hearts.

And, maybe they'll bicker sometimes or pester each other.

And maybe they fight differently. Perhaps sister is more long-range or magic-based, while Link is close-range & a heavy hitter? Or maybe if she is a close-range fighter, she's more of a rogue-type who dual-wields daggers or shortswords?

But what I'd especially like to see is Lina/Lara/Lynn actually having literally half of the Triforce of Courage & having been chosen by it just as much as Link was.

We know that a Triforce piece can be broken into pieces from Wind Waker, so why not use that as a plot point here to show that more than one person can be eligible for the role of Hero?

Also, maybe there could be a subplot of the sister feeling a bit inadequate due to her not really being recognized by the people as a hero. Maybe they underestimate her because the legends are always about the Hero?

Maybe the fact that she doesn't have a magical sealing weapon of her own like her brother, also contributes to this? At the same time, it's revealed that while Link is the Master Sword's chosen, the sister is also capable of wielding it, just less effectively due to not being as learned as her brother in the art of the blade if we go with her not being a swordswoman.

Like, she's every bit as skilled & courageous & heroic & helpful as her brother, but due to her being the first woman to be chosen by the Triforce of Courage, she feels a need to prove herself.

Maybe, she wasn't expected, not even by the gods & because of this, they tend to pay more attention to Link.

At the same time, Link is always in her corner & always brings attention to her & always, always includes her.

And she loves & appreciates him for it, but also can't help feeling slightly jealous of him.

Maybe she's the extrovert to Link's introvert? (Essentially doubling as his companion & mouthpiece.)

Or, if we wanna really drum up the emotion. Maybe she wasn't chosen by the Triforce to begin with. Maybe that didn't matter to her & she's on this adventure because that's her effing brother! They shared a damn womb! Like hell, she's gonna let him risk life & limb without her! And maybe people keep encouraging her to go home where it's safe. Even the really important characters & even though she's feeling down on herself, that's the one thing she isn't about to do! Maybe she has to go through similar trials to Wind in order to get the gods to recognize her as being worthy?

And maybe, at the end of their journey, she's come to expect being forgotten about or dismissed, only for Hylia (or at least her bunshin) to recognize her as a Heroine of the Triforce which honestly surprises her.

LoZ General Masterlist

#loz #legend of zelda #link #linkle #fem!link #twin au #twin heroes #courage twins #future game idea

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amaramiyu · 5 months

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[Review] Sing Me To Sleep

Author: Gabi Burton

Synopsis: In this dark and seductive YA fantasy debut, a siren must choose between protecting her family and following her heart in a prejudiced kingdom where her existence is illegal.

Saoirse Sorkova survives on lies. As a soldier-in-training at the most prestigious barracks in the kingdom, she lies about being a siren to avoid execution. At night, working as an assassin for a dangerous group of mercenaries, Saoirse lies about her true identity. And to her family, Saoirse tells the biggest lie of all: that she can control her siren powers and doesn't struggle constantly against an impulse to kill.

As the top trainee in her class, Saoirse would be headed for a bright future if it weren't for the need to keep her secrets out of the spotlight. But when a mysterious blackmailer threatens her sister, Saoirse takes a dangerous job that will help her investigate: she becomes personal bodyguard to the crown prince.

Saoirse should hate Prince Hayes. After all, his father is the one who enforces the kingdom's brutal creature segregation laws. But when Hayes turns out to be kind, thoughtful, and charming, Saoirse finds herself increasingly drawn to him-especially when they're forced to work together to stop a deadly killer who's plaguing the city. There's only one problem: Saoirse is that deadly killer.

Featuring an all Black and Brown cast, a forbidden romance, and a compulsively dark plot full of twists, this thrilling YA fantasy is perfect for fans of A Song Below Water and To Kill a Kingdom.

Spoilers ahead!

Sing Me to Sleep is a phenomenal debut novel and it's the first part of a duology book series.

What I Liked:

Saoirse the heroine of the story is a morally gray assassin and siren. She's clever and it was fun and entertaining following her along on her journey.

By further extension, the rest of the cast of characters this novel has to offer are fantastic in their own right. From Prince Hayes and his other guards, etc.

The world-building is great as well there's a handy map in the front of the book that helps to illustrate the layout of Keirdre. Fae, witches, and humans populate Keirdre.

The romance between Saoirse and Prince Hayes the tension between them and the push and pull was great. The relationship between the two of them is also layered and complex.

What I Disliked:

At the beginning of the book, there's a lot of information dumped on you and at first, it's a lot to take in all at once but eventually, it becomes more digestible.

The only other hiccup that I can think of when it comes to this novel is Carrik Solwey. He's Saoirse's half-human half-water fae friend from the barracks, and it's ultimately revealed that he's working with the Resistance. He's the one who slipped the letter into Rain's Saoirse's sister's bag and was essentially blackmailing her throughout the story. However, after going out of his way to make sure that Saoirse wouldn't find out it was him, he still wears items that would be a dead giveaway to his identity and that Saoirse would instantly recognize.

Recommend: I highly recommend this book I couldn't put it down and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

#young adult #sing me to sleep #gabi burton #book review

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beneaththetangles · 1 year

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It literally took a global pandemic to slow down the rapid growth of anime’s popularity. But the industry has surged back, and after a year during which studios were playing catch-up, 2022 felt like it was largely business as usual and maybe better than that, with dozens of new series released each season, new studios jumping into the fray (a trend that will really take off in 2023), and more anime movies than ever making their way to international release.

This diversity and expansiveness are reflected in our Best of 2022 anime list, which includes continuing series—titles that were notable heading into the year—but is mainly filled with anime that unexpectedly delighted. They feature an introverted rocker, an insomniac who wants to become a vampire, a famous figure from the Three Kingdoms reincarnated to become a young woman’s musical advisor, and teenage assassins who run a coffee shop. And yes, these series were every bit as fun as they sound—and for reasons we mention below, even more wildly inventive, deeply engaging, and personally meaningful than they have any right to be.

Here they are, in alphabetical order (because any other order is too hard to decide!):

BELLE • Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War • Bocchi the Rock! • Call of the Night • Chainsaw Man • Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These S3 • Lycoris Recoil • Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun • SPY x FAMILY • Ya Boy Kongming!

– Honorable Mention –

BELLE

What do you do as a parent when you look out at the world and see a harsh reality lying in wait for your painfully shy young child? Well, if you’re Mamoru Hosoda, you make a film to fill her with courage, hope, and the joy of being alive at such a time as this. You make BELLE. This masterful reworking of the classic fairy tale transforms a simple (and unrealistic) romance into a heartrendingly raw, yet gently epiphanic reflection on loss, fear, and coming of age in an unsafe world. At the heart of Hosoda’s redemptive story—the magic that breaks the curse, if you will—is not romantic love but something ever more vital in this current climate: compassion. Through her vocaloid-like online life as fearless songstress Belle, the heroine Suzu learns to extend this vital grace to both others and herself, and to receive it from those closest to her as well. In this way, BELLE celebrates the capacity of social media to do good and not only harm, while modeling how exactly to live with compassion, a valuable message in an era seemingly dominated by cancel culture. This may be a retelling of ‘a tale as old as time,’ but this is the one adaptation that will, in my books at least, truly stand the test of time—and future generations will be better for it. Thank you, Hosoda. ~ claire

Streaming on HBO Max.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Arc

One of the most epic shonen anime series of all time has finally begun its journey to completion. The previous seasons of the anime ended pretty poorly, full of filler that couldn’t compare to the Arrancar and Aizen arcs. Manga readers will not be disappointed with this final arc adaptation, though! Every episode is a fun ride, full of intense battles that push the captains of the Gotei 13 to their limits. Many long-standing questions are finally answered, as the series prepares for what is proving to be a satisfying conclusion. Ichigo and his allies are pitted against some of the most fearsome enemies in the entire run of the franchise, falling short again and again against the insurmountable power that is Yhwach and his crew. Although the heroes pull out all their best attacks, they cannot avoid taking severe injuries, and not everyone will make it to the end of the season, or in some cases, not even past the first few episodes! The animation by Studio Pierrot is up there with the best, though be warned that it is more violent than previous seasons, so keep that in mind if you are watching with little ones or sensitive viewers. Overall, the action and suspense of this final arc make waiting for Mondays a real challenge, which is a very fitting end to such a blockbuster series! ~ Samuru

Streaming on Hulu.

Bocchi the Rock!

The genius of Bocchi the Rock! is the fact that it’s not afraid to defy slice-of-life conventions to tell the story that it wants to tell. A different show about a high school girl with social anxiety joining a band might shy away from the comedy in favor of wholesome friendship moments and satisfying character arcs. But Bocchi! wants to have its cake and eat it too. And it pulls it off. Interspersed with reflective ponderings on anxiety, self-talk, and loneliness are zany sequences where the pressures of social life cause Hitori to morph into famous paintings, lose corporeal form altogether, or just keel over and die. All this works because the authors love Hitori, even as they poke fun at her social anxiety-induced antics. It works because they understand her struggle to connect with others, even as she deeply desires that connection. It works because they track her growth, slow but steady, as she steps out and discovers what life in community looks like. Add on a lovely main cast and some seriously good insert songs, and we have a show that will be treasured long after the curtains fall. Hilarious yet sensitive, imaginative yet grounded, niche yet relatable, Bocchi the Rock! does it all. Producer Shouta Umehara was aiming for “the pinnacle of slice-of-life anime,” and he definitely hit the bullseye. ~ sleepminusminus

Streaming on Crunchyroll.

Call of the Night

Call of the Night is one of those shows that does an excellent job of capturing emotions and sparking a relatable tone with the audience. From the moment where Ko, the insomniac teenage protagonist, steps out into the night, in awe and amazement at the new world that surrounds him, to the moment he meets the vampire girl Nazuna, who represents the allure and enticement of nightlife and the seductive temptation of being in a world normally occupied by adults—the series is evocative and a little nostalgic too. The outstanding animation quality really captures the feel of being on the streets of a major metropolitan area in the twilight hours. Also, the OP, “Daten” is an absolute bop and held the crown of Best Anime OP during its entire run…until a certain show about a certain dude with a hardware issue came along. While it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting a second season of this one, you owe it to yourself to check it out and instantly get transported to that time when, as a youth on the cusp of adulthood, you too first discovered the awe-inspiring sights and sounds of the night. ~ Josh

Streaming on HiDIVE.

Chainsaw Man

One of the most hyped anime of the year, Chainsaw Man is an example of what happens when the powers that be say, “Okay, here’s the source material and the company credit card. Give us a 13-episode series, make it look pretty, and money is no object.” And they succeeded beyond their wildest imagination. What makes this the best anime in 2022? Simple. No really. That’s the answer. It’s simple. The story of a boy who bonds with a demon and produces chainsaws from his body to defeat other demons is simple enough for anyone to comprehend (“simple” when it comes to anime that is). Still, the characters, combined with the fantastic animation, push this narrative into “must-see” territory, especially regarding our saw-tooth bro Denji. It’s downright refreshing to have a protagonist that doesn’t have any grandiose delusions of wanting to be a superhero and fight for something silly like saving the world. Denji wants to be comfortable and live a good life with someone to take care of him, which is something that we can all relate to. I’ll be the first to say that Chainsaw Man has a lot that can turn people away—the levels of violence and sexuality might be too much for some people, but don’t let that turn you away. Every blood splatter and sexually charged moment is not done just for the heck of it—there is a rhyme and reason for it to be there! Finally, let’s talk about this dub. Can we please give Ryan Colt Levy and Sarah Wiedenheft their flowers? Ryan as Denji is so freaking spot on, I seriously can’t hear anyone else in the role. And Sarah as Power is just downright prodigious! This is a show you owe it to yourself to watch in both languages. ~ Josh

Streaming on Crunchyroll.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These S3

The remake of this classic space opera lives up to the high standard set by its revered 1988 predecessor, bringing updated animation and an excellent English dub to help introduce Tanaka Yoshiki’s saga to a new generation. While the LOGH series is not completely flawless, it achieves untouched heights when the story focuses on its complex political drama and meditations on the cyclical nature of human history. This season reaches one of those high points as Admiral Yang Wen-li finds himself struggling with the moral dilemma posed by his incredible naval victories: are they truly defending democracy or simply saving a corrupt government and apathetic citizenry from their own foolishness? This philosophical drama plays out against a backdrop of Death Star VS Death Star battles as the Galactic Empire conducts a major campaign against the most critical defensive strongpoint of the Free Planets Alliance. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the original Legend of the Galactic Heroes or a complete newbie debating whether or not to take the plunge on this famous but intimidating science fiction epic, get in on Die Neue These. ~ WacOtaku

Streaming on Crunchyroll.

Takina being dragged into the Vortex of Chaos Chisato

Lycoris Recoil

LycoReco is the very embodiment of something that shouldn’t work but, in complete contravention of all logic, really, really does. (A bit like black matter, the placebo effect, or bulldogs.) With enough twists and turns to make a corkscrew blush, and a production history that can at best be described as unconventional, this zany combo of workplace slice-of-life and sci-fi spy thriller is fantastically original. And chaotic. Did I mention the chaos? Plot lines duck and weave like a Dempsey roll and loose ends stick out willy-nilly, but all this serves only to heighten the charm, dynamism, and pure delight of watching the adventures of these teenage undercover government assassins dole out justice while forming fast friendships, devising the most mountainous chocolatey desserts known to Instagram, solving mind-boggling conspiracies, and reforming a genius child hacker. Maybe. At first, the cast seems to slot neatly into familiar tropes, yet as the series progresses (ahem, by episode two), they somehow manage to explode such conventions effortlessly. Chisato and Takina, as the cheerful, bubbly extrovert and cool, self-possessed introvert, single-handedly breathe new life into the most predictable pairing formula known to anime—and steal our hearts in the process. If this is what is possible with anime original series, then we need more of it. A lot more. Hats off to A-1 for taking the risk and doing so with such verve! ~ claire

Streaming on Crunchyroll.

I’m DONE with android deaths

Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun

Surely season two of Made in Abyss couldn’t top the horror and despair of season one and its movie sequel, could it? Yes, actually, it could and it did, in all its face-melting, body-horror glory. But if that’s all Made in Abyss was about, I’d simply file it under “splatter film” and avoid the series for all eternity. No, what makes The Golden City of the Scorching Sun and its predecessors so special, apart from being set in a world wholly unlike anything depicted before, are the glimmers of hope it provides when they are needed most. The series perseveres in finding hope in the most unlikely places: when an impossible choice must be made involving a loved one, when the regrets from past misdeeds threaten to drown, when the road feels too long and difficult to follow. That’s when the series sparkles, as it reminds us that light shines brightest in the darkest of nights—or the deepest of caves. ~ Twwk

Streaming on HiDIVE.

Spy x Family

Voted Japan’s most anticipated anime of 2022 by an absolute landslide, Spy x Family did the impossible and lived up to all the hype. And then some! The series combines action, comedy, spy thriller, and a dash of romance as it follows a fake family where each of the members is hiding a secret—even the dog! They’ve been brought together by circumstances in order to save the world by foiling a war between the East and West in a Cold War-like situation. But as the story progresses, those fake bonds become more and more genuine, as the Forger Family learn to care for one another and no longer hide behind their respective masks. The animation is stunning, while the color design shines brightly and captivates the eye. The production is slick, but captures all the looseness and charm of the original manga, to the point where Anya could rival Bocchi for Best Comedy Faces of 2022. In short, Spy x Family is masterful, creating a fun ride that you never want to end. And here’s the good news: it’s not going to anytime soon! Season 2 has already been announced. Here’s to the continuing journey of Japan’s—and now possibly the entire world’s—favorite fake family! ~ Samuru & claire

Streaming on Crunchyroll.

Ya Boy Kongming!

If there was an award for Most Classy Anime Character, then in 2022, it would have to go to Kongming. Having been a world-leading tactician in his past life, he now uses his flashy intellect and proven stratagems to help young singer Eiko achieve her dreams in modern-day Shibuya. But it’s actually another quieter, hidden ability that makes him such a compelling character, namely, his ability to demonstrate what it means to serve others well, putting them above himself. He more than lives up to the call “to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” In addition to such powerful characterization, this anime also showcases some of the most catchy music of the year! Whether it’s the upbeat and fun opening song “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, the slower-paced and moving “Dreamer,” or the driving rock ballad “Underworld,” there’s something here for every musical taste. Ya Boy Kongming! is genuinely a one-of-a-kind anime that not only offers strong entertainment, but also explores deeper themes in such a way as to leave you thinking well after the final episode has finished. ~ Laura A. Grace & claire

Streaming on HiDIVE.

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Honorable Mention

Our honorable mention anime, perhaps more than even our top ten selections, demonstrate how strong a year it was for the medium. How so? Well, we could have slipped any of a number of these into our top ten without much fuss, don’t you think? And there are a few heralded anime from 2022 that didn’t even make it into our honorable mentions. What a strong year!

Without further ado, in alphabetical order, here are our honorable mention anime of 2022:

Aharen-san was Hakarenai

Birdie Wing

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Drifting Home

Do it Yourself

I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss!

Kaguya-Sama: Love is War -Ultra Romantic-

Laid-back Camp Movie

Mob Psycho 100 III

My Dress-up Darling

One Piece Film: RED

Play it Cool, Guys

Raven of the Inner Palace

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