#regarding others as individual people with feelings and thoughts and complexity

[amaurotine]

in a world of ppl who can perceive aether (and therefore possibly the impact of emotions upon the soul in real time); in a world where everyone is polite to a rehearsed and almost rigid degree at times, in a world where being too straightforward could be considered unkind/improper and therefore poetic vagueness is often necessitated for the sake of propriety, i think it would actually be nice to be told, point blank and with no room left for ambiguity or misinterpretation, that you are loved and needed. that you are loved and needed, outside the context of you being someone's friend or wingman but for yourself and the other things that compose your essence and your person.

i think it's smth that hyth really fucking needs to hear and i think so much abt ppl interacting with him just to ask where e.met or a.zem is (which, to be fair, is a natural question bc the two are often inseparable and it is generally widely assumed by everyone in ama.urot that hyth knows where ha.des is, due to him also being notorious for keeping tabs on most of what goes on in ama.urot) but it's also kind of painful because he would like to be needed and loved for himself and not because he's someone who can someone else for you bc he is friends with that person,

#🧋 — spillin' on ur dash. #and yes perhaps to some degree this happening so often is his own fault bc he resigned himself (gladly) to #being a support role. to being THAT friend. #but i think it's also valid to be kind of :/ when he just wants to hang out and ppl immediately ask him where ha.des or az.em is. #i think he deserves to be cared for outside of just the context of his relationships with other ppl and its kind of painful #when you realize that your love and friendship with certain ppl is. in others' eyes. your sole defining value. #like nobody is interested in who YOU are as a person outside the fact that you're friends/lovers/etc with certain better-known individuals #and this isn't coming from a place of begrudging a.zem or e.met anything; he's proud of them and loves them more than anyone #it's. like. hard to explain. but there is something kind of painful abt ppl defining you this way and this way alone. like you dont exist #or have importance outside the context of people you're associated with. #regarding others as individual people with feelings and thoughts and complexity #vs. simply regarding others more or less as a means of finding someone else... #like. is he hythlodaeus to you or is he just emet-selch/azem's best friend??? #(and yeah i get that he is very much Both Of Them but which comes first in your eyes?? that matters in how you regard someone.)

[youremyheaven]

The 12th House in Astrology 🧜‍♀️🧚‍♀️ 🦋

(this can apply to both tropical and vedic placement of 12th house because regardless of the system employed, the energy felt and experienced is the same :-)

Most people have a lot of prejudice about the 12h and its energies. There is a largely negative portrayal of it in the mainstream astro community and very little nuanced discussion of the same. So, I thought I'd make a post exploring the 12th and final house in astrology and add more to the existing narrative regarding it.

The 12h is commonly described as the house of loss, liberation, isolation and decline

This house is said to governs misery, waste, expenses as well as divine knowledge, sympathy, Moksha (final emancipation) and life after death. It is also the house of detachment.

Now those are a lot of very contradictory terms. How could a house govern both loss and divine knowledge?

The 12th house and water houses (4h, 8h & 12h) in general are very complex and easily misunderstood. The thing about water is that it has no shape or form of its own, it takes the form of whatever vessel its poured into. another thing about water is that its the most easily polluted element. Water energy is one that must be precariously balanced because these natives easily absorb the influence of others (good or bad), this is one reason why the 12h is the house of "loss" because it truly is the death of the individual. you know those quotes about "i am an amalgamation of every person ive met, every book ive read, every song i loved...." 12housers are actually built like that.

being a 12h native can be rewarding because you absorb absolutely everything like a cosmic sponge but on the other hand, its very easy to lose all sense of self.

especially natives with 12h stelliums may often find it difficult to not take everything so personally. this is not because they think the world revolves around them but because its hard for them to separate themselves from others and their actions. they're personally of the type where everything they say or do is tailored specifically to the person they're interacting with. they may not even be aware that they're doing this, they pick up on energies almost by osmosis and guide their conduct that way. however they must realize that this is peculiar to them and is not something others are naturally accustomed to doing.

there is a reason why Venus exalts in the 12h. you lose all sense of self and give yourself completely to your lover with utmost devotion. love is sacred and profound to them, they will do absolutely anything for their love. which is why they have to be so careful with picking their partners. they have limitless capacity for giving but if you give to the wrong person, you'll be drained. when you merge with the right person, your cup never goes empty with your giving because your union satiates you completely.

if we were to think of houses 1 to 11 as a path of linear development, starting with the 1st house of self & identity and ending with the 11th house of friendship, community & legacy, then we will understand that after an individual goes through all these stages, the only thing left for them to do is seek liberation from this cycle; this is why 12h is the house of Moksha. once you've fulfilled your material desires, you will feel a lack in your life and the only thing left to do is pursue the path of spirituality. Moksha is however not given to one; one must strive for it.

this journey is a deeply personal one and liberation from one's ego and earthly pursuits is far from easy. no matter what these natives do, ultimately, they wont feel satisfied unless they've nourished themselves spiritually.

sometimes these natives may indulge in drugs or other substances to fill the void but as they evolve they will understand what theyre truly yearning for is the spiritual truth.

more often than not, these natives experience "spiritual awakenings" completely unprompted. god decides its time and it happens. much of their early life can be very dark and this "awakening" marks the beginning of a shift in their life. this happens in stages depending on the level of their spiritual evolution.

the 12th house is the house of isolation because what these natives experience is not something that others can understand easily. they are the most likely to develop psychosomatic conditions, simply because their energetic body is so susceptible to influence.

think of the vast endless ocean. can one individual possibly drink up all of that water? its absurd to even consider it. thats kind of what its like to be a 12h native. there's a limitless reservoir to tap into, the energy is so vast that its confusing and disorienting and you have no idea what to do with it. its very easy to be misguided as well. this is why its the house of decline. you have to constantly be on the look out in order to avoid the pitfalls, otherwise its easy to stagnate and easy to harm yourself.

There is a Latin quote that goes as follows:

"What nourishes me, destroys me"

This sums up 12th house energy pretty much. Its the energy of opposites and paradoxes. You need this endless reservoir to function, its the thing that feeds you but if you're not careful, it can also lead you to your own ruin.

Fun fact: Angelina Jolie has this quote tattooed on her. She is a Revati Moon. Pisces occupies the 12th house.

remember that Pisces' symbol is of two fishes swimming in opposite directions. this shows that the innate nature of these natives is to be torn between polarising energies and opposing forces. it is a balancing act to say the least.

these natives are easily misunderstood, simply because there is SO much to them. whatever you think they are, thats what they're not.

going back to the cosmic ocean metaphor, its easy to see how such abundance can feel like an excess and lead to misery and wastefulness. its simply a LOT to handle, not just for others but even for these natives themselves. this is one reason why so many of these natives tend to keep to themselves.

even the more sociable 12h natives often have an interior life that no one will know about, they have a whole another side to them that they keep separate, just because they want to assert complete ownership of this private side as something that belongs only to them and the other, more "public" side that they give to others.

these natives are the most empathetic and if you look at the charts of most "legendary" actors, they'll either have pisces/12h luminaries. empathy does not quite cut it, they can not only feel what others are feeling but embody it fully and experience it as their own. this is what makes them incredible actors. even non-actor 12h natives process things this way and often find that others around them are insensitive or lacking the same capacity. they do not understand why others don't feel as deeply as they do or understand situations the way they do. they find society at large to be very callous and apathetic.

a 12th house native is also capable of feeling apathy and absolute indifference but this is very selective; the 12h is the house of detachment because as it is, they're tethered to the world by a thin cord and are only very mildly connected to things. they're in this world but seldom inhabit it. another side to this is that they're wildly imaginative. although mercury debilitates in the 12h, it does not affect the native too badly, as they simply channel their thoughts into other forms. they are gifted at communicating abstract ideas and make excellent artists due to the same reason. robbed of any sense of what is "practical" or "realistic", they roam free in the realm of the mind. many abstract, surrealist and expressionist artists have either Pisces or other water sign placements in their big 3.

these natives live a life of non-being, as they're already so detached from everything, including themselves; this is not negative on its own and will manifest differently for different individuals; this can mean that they're extremely empathetic or detached to the point of inaction and passivity in extreme cases; they dont find a lot of things to be meaningful and its hard for them to apply themselves because of it. this gives us a glimpse of what life is like after death.

the 12th house also represents spirituality, introspection, foreign travels, hidden enemies, & the subconscious mind and it is the house of endings and undoing.

12th house natives are always intrigued by all things foreign, they feel like they do not belong to the place they're from and feel connected to cultures and people that are foreign to them. since they themselves feel like an alien or are made to feel that way, they feel naturally at ease in foreign places and cultures where everything is alien. they often settle overseas.

these natives court attention wherever they go, because the 12h energy is a very distinct and potent one. a lot of celebrities have it and its a very common fame indicator. due to this reason, they also attract enemies who remain unknown to them. these natives are seldom if ever, engaged in actual feuds with people and if they are, its usually for righteous reasons or because the other person started it. theyre wayyyy too peace loving and lowkey to pick fights with others. this is why they dont know who is speaking ill of them behind their back. they're always minding their own business and it surprises them that others are not doing the same.

everybody is guided by their subconscious and one major part of spirituality is to try and make ourselves more conscious. 12h representing spirituality (the cosmic ocean) makes even more sense considering its opposite (2 fishes swimming in opposite directions) which is the unknown, the subconscious. to be spiritual means to seek truth and to seek answers and swim towards the subconscious to shed light to it and understand it better.

lastly, it is the house of endings and undoing. 12h being the final concluding house represents the end of the cycle. when a cycle ends, the energy is of a complete transformation. only when something has reached completion can it come to an end. the butterfly does not emerge unformed but as a completely fully formed butterfly. the end marks the beginning. the 12h gives way to the 1h.

the creature in the cocoon was not a butterfly. it only became a butterfly when it emerged from the cocoon and to do so means loss of an old identity, loss of self, loss of all that you've ever known. this is your undoing. in order to become somebody else, in order to ascend, we have to be willing to undo ourselves. this is essential to any spiritual practice. we have to rid ourselves and our flimsy shell of identity in order to grow further.

for the same reason, 12housers are constantly transforming. they're the type of people who seem to have lived 10 different lives in one. be it their style, lifestyles, jobs, you name it, they're constantly undoing and transforming themselves. it seems to be the only way they know how to live. once theyve gathered all they can at one place, they outgrow it and change themselves almost entirely afterwards as they venture into something new.

thats it for now. i hope this shed some light on the 12h condition hehe<333

#astrology notes #vedic astro notes #astrology observations #sidereal astrology #astrology #astro observations #astro notes #astroblr #12th house #twelfth house #pisces #astro community

[astrojulia]

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DISCLAIMER. These general free readings are made in good faith for entertainment purpose. I may have missed a he/she instead of them in the translation.

How to pick a pile

The pick a pile order is Pile 1 - Pile 2 - Pile 3. When you have different cards to choose from in pile 1,2,3… look at each of those cards. Wait until someone reminds you of a memory. Perhaps a character’s outfit resembles one of your own. It is this pile that has its message. What if they all remind me of something? Go for the one with the strongest memory, one might look like her earring but another might be the favorite candy you got from your grandma when you vacationed at her house. But what if none reminds me of something? Take a deep breath and wait a little longer, without charging yourself or creating worries. Relax, some will awaken some memory in you, I promise!

Pile 1 - Kuromi

(Three of Wands - The Fool - The Dream - Terra - Uranus - Taurus)

Great news! You're traveling abroad! However, there's a slight catch: your future spouse is a foreigner. But don't worry; you still haven't met your future spouse (FS) since you're currently in the same place. Once you embark on your journey to explore other cultures, you'll get the chance to meet them. I say "other cultures" because it might not necessarily involve traveling to a different continent; sometimes, even within the same country (like Brazil, which is vast and has distinct regions like the North and South), you can encounter diverse cultures.

So, during this trip abroad, whether it's for work or vacation, you might cross paths with your Future Spouse.When you meet them, you will be in a moment of happiness and expansion and it will be difficult for you to have to stay in one place to maintain a relationship and this feeling will cause you distress. It will be a time of many things to be done at the same time if you want to have it all.

Some potential signs to look out for are: Sun, Ascendant, or Venus in Aquarius or Taurus; a dominant Earth influence (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo); or a strong 11th house stellium.

Safe travels, and may you find happiness and love on your journey!

Pile 2 - Pompompurin

(Four of Cups - Judgement - The Shield - Saturn - Mars - 2nd house)

You have not yet met your future spouse, and until you find that person, it requires a long journey of self-development and meditation to ponder, "Who do I really want as my partner? Am I asking for too much or too little?" Defining a path regarding the kind of people you want to involve yourself with and identifying the values you cannot compromise on is crucial. Consider this because you may encounter individuals who do not share the same values, resulting in a problematic relationship.

What are your dreams and goals, and how far are you willing to go to achieve them? Would your future spouse need to be someone who accompanies you on your journey, or would they be someone who knows how to lead their own life independently? Reflect on how complex it is to envision the type of person we desire to have in our life; taking the time to think about it is necessary.

Give some thought to the specific traits you truly seek in a life partner. As you continue your search, be aware that some possible signs of your future spouse could include: Sun, Ascendant, or Venus in Aries, Capricorn, or Aquarius; Mars aspecting Saturn; or a stellium in the 2nd, 6th, or 10th house.

Keep in mind that finding the right person may take time, but it's a journey worth investing in to build a fulfilling and harmonious relationship.

Pile 3 - Sweet Piano

(The Lovers - Seven of Swords - The Windy - Libra - 6th house - 1st house)

I'm not sure if you're currently in this situation or if you might encounter it in the future, but it seems that your future spouse could be someone you have feelings for, yet they are currently in a relationship with someone else. It can be disheartening to find yourself attracted to someone who is already committed, as it may feel like they are constantly taking away your chance at love. It's frustrating to think that just when you find the right person, they are already involved with someone else.

However, it's essential to handle this situation with integrity and respect for their current relationship. I advise against attempting to make them cheat on their partner or making inappropriate advances. It's crucial to honor their commitment and not disrupt their existing relationship.

Instead, be helpful and supportive when they ask for assistance, but refrain from being overly flirtatious. Provide your help sincerely and discreetly, then focus on your own life. To make a strong connection with this person in the future, you need to work on self-improvement. This includes how you present yourself to the world, such as taking care of your appearance and pursuing personal growth and accomplishments, such as education and career development.

Potential signs of your future spouse may include: Sun, Ascendant, or Venus in Libra; a stellium in the 1st or 6th house; or having a dominant Air influence (Gemini, Aquarius, Libra).

Remember, focusing on self-improvement and respecting others' relationships will create a positive foundation for your future and potential connections. Love and relationships take time and effort, so continue working on becoming the best version of yourself.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

#i only made this pick a pile because i made one for soul mate and i wasn't talking about love and everybody reads just for love #LOL #astrojulia #astrology #witchblr #astroblr #astro community #witch community #pick a pile #pick a card #divination #tarot reading #tarot readers of tumblr #free reading

[azathothsdreamgrrl]

you see! the thing is! revolutionary girl utena and the riot grrrl movement actually showed up around the same times, but during the early movement riot grrrl ideology was kind of rocky. it mostly focused on white women and rejecting a general upper/middle class upbringing, plus it has a bad history of excluding trans people and overall sparking a really extremist take on feminism that boils down to replacing the straight white men in power with straight white women that still embody a corrupt system.

the movement has improved itself overtime but the thing is that revolutionary girl utena, for all its flaws that i admit it has, kind of hit the ground running with a take on feminism that was ahead of its time. first of all anthy is a rare instance of a dark skinned character in an anime that isn't drawn like a racist caricature, and also one of the only dark skinned protagonists of that era. (dumb) people can debate that she's a flat character but the truth is that the whole story is for her; it's her life being brought a revolution. no one in rgu is white cuz obviously it takes place in japan, but it still rings true that the story aligns with the complexity of intersectional feminism that benefits to all women today, because what utena thought was empowering to all girls actually harms anthy and so on and so forth; even more so, what utena thinks is empowering her is actually hurting her all the same in the long run, turning her into the man she thinks she's fighting against that want them both crushed under it.

rgu also touched on the fact that putting women in a position of power instead of men wouldn't solve anything, because the system itself is rotten. even more mature of it for its time was that the show had a realistic ending where even after utena dedicated her last moments in the show to trying to free anthy, the coffin still fell away from her reach, and the swords turned on her. to akio this was a failure, and this is how a lot of people see fighting against corrupt systems to end: the system always ultimately wins against the individuals, and people lose hope that change can ever happen. however, utena's beliefs inspired anthy to leave ohtori, and then in the movie you see that the student council is given hope to leave as well. change, revolution, is gradual, but that doesn't make it any less worth it. in a lot of punk media i see this ending where the heroes can alone end the oppression in the movie, but that's just not how it works in real life, but there are moments of victory that inspire others to pick off where they leave off, and a better future is imaginable.

i think finally, in regards to the riot grrrl movement, rgu is way more nuanced with gender. you honestly just have to look at the fans to see that utena's gender expression gave trans people who watched rgu more vocabulary to express themselves. more than that though, i think the show was careful with how it approached both gender and femininity. the prince and the bride are both gendered roles, but masculinity and femininity aren't intrinsically toxic for each other. the show doesn't punish utena for being masc, and likewise even after escaping her role as a rose bride, anthy likes dressing fem. it's the way heteronormativity has made us think of these expressions: that masculinity has to come with aggression, and femininity means subservience. neither is a bad thing for the other, and people should be allowed to present how they want, not how they feel their personality means they have to.

all in all i think revolutionary girl utena is a relic for punks and riot grrrls and it isn't considered as such by a lot of people. the show really was ahead of its time. i hope this was coherent!

#revolutionary girl utena analysis #revolutionary girl utena #shoujo kakumei utena #sku #rgu #rgu utena #rgu anthy #anthy himemiya #utenanthy #utena tenjou #feel free to add stuff or something cuz i get vague when i write essays

[beanghostprincess]

I need your brain to help pick apart a thought that I had in mind. What would happen if Shuggy was raised with the Whitebeard pirates? Idk what their rules are about carrying around kids in the seas but let's say they don't get docked onto the nearest island (i mean marco is in there too so)

Would Buggy be different? I think a big part of why he's insecure and why he's a "coward" is because he's standing on the shoulders of giants, he's part of the best crews of the seas and yet they expect him to be a monster like everyone else is in that ship, but in reality what if he just wants to go on adventures and get treasures without the need to sacrifice his limb and life for it? I love the Rogers pirates, and would love to believe in my heart of hearts that Buggy is as equally loved as Shanks but man, thinking about their flashback and seeing how Shanks gets the hat, and Shanks is praised by Roger and Crew, I don't think they completely understood the emotional side of how to raise children.

Which leads me to believe that Whitebeard probably knew better than Rogers and Rayleigh in that regard, he's got like so many found family kids and they're all willing to go to bat and die for their dad, and with Whitebeard wanting a family and calling his children his treasure, I think he'd be more sensitive about the feelings of his children. I think Whitebeard would help buggy understand how he differs from Shanks, but that does not make him inferior. He would probably encourage Buggy with all his inventions and bombs and slight of hand tricks.

Would Buggy also feel less alone because he sees other people in the crew who are also Whitebeard's children, and therefore he has brothers? Would he consider them family?

I haven't thought ahead with how much Shanks would change under Whitebeard, but I doubt it would change. Shanks is still star-pupil shanks, but this time instead of the crew praising him like Uncles to a nephew, it's adopted big brothers to a prodigy (also I brainrot buggy more but I think there can't be buggy without shanks and vice-versa, so they are a Do Not Separate pair)

Maybe it's just me desperately wanting buggy to have a father figure who loves him. My heart wants to believe Rogers and Rayleigh was that for him, but the manga chapters really doesn't show much about them giving him that attention, so I naturally drifted to the Dad Pirate of the Series, Whitebeard.

Thoughts?

You have a point, actually! I mean, imo, I've always thought (or liked to think) that Roger and Rayleigh loved Shanks and Buggy equally. They just treated them differently because they do have different personalities, after all. As somebody who understands Buggy's POV a lot, I think we shouldn't have to take it as the only, pure reality of all. We basically just have his POV on this situation and of course, for him, Shanks is going to be the favorite and he is going to be treated unfairly. I think most of that perception comes from his inferiority complex toward Shanks. Because yes, he was obviously the star-pupil and did get the hat and it's understandable that Buggy feels inferior. But that is not the whole truth and I don't think everything is Roger and Rayleigh's fault because of their way of raising them. I think that no matter the crew, Buggy would have still felt at least a bit of resentment and jealousy when it comes to Shanks. Shanks is just that type of person.

HOWEVER! You do have a point and it is that the Whitebeard pirates are way more family-focused and they seem to want to get the best of everybody individually. The reason why Whitebeard is so loved by his crew isn't really because of his power but because he gives them a place to belong and grow up. Roger's crew is a family too but as you said, they're giants and of course, Buggy is going to feel like a little bug in comparison if they expect him to be the same and praise Shanks for just existing when Buggy has to actually work to be seen that way.

I think these two being in that crew would've changed their personalities a bit. Buggy being more confident in himself and being raised with positive reinforcement and an environment that is actually a family would've been good for him and his self-esteem. His personality would clash with Shanks' a lot still, but you know, that's just how they are. Also, Shanks I think would be the same except that his need to please/save people would not be that strong since he doesn't have the responsibility of the world on his shoulders and no hat to deal with.

Don't get me wrong, maybe the break up would still happen. It would certainly happen, actually. Of course Roger's death wouldn't be the same for them in this context because originally he is basically their dad, and they don't have a crew to go back to and that fact adds more layers to their fight, but Buggy would still be ambitious and want to go for the One Piece, and Shanks would want to wait. And I think that no matter the context they're both stubborn and emotional and refuse to talk things out. Although maybe being with Whitebeard would help them in that context but, you know, I think Shanks and Buggy are the type of duo that NEED to break up for them to work later on in the story.

This whole AU has a lot of unsolved questions like-- Buggy's fruit and whether they'd like to leave the crew or not etc etc. But. I think the point here is more about their dynamic, right? I think they'd be more emotionally stable after all. Maybe they're more open about their issues too, and Buggy probably wouldn't have the "he made me eat the fruit and lost my map" excuse to hate Shanks. I think the big change here would be Buggy actually being dangerous and using his full potential instead of holding back. That is... Worrying. I love him.

#i mean this whole thing would basically change the whole story but let's not think too hard abt it #whitebeard my beloved #shanks is just-- that kind of person that radiates light. buggy's inferiority would still be there. i think. #but he'd have a lot of support in that crew and it is more family-centered sooooo #one piece #buggy the clown #red haired shanks #shuggy #whitebeard pirates #ask-bean!

[acupofqueercoffee]

“With her sweetened breath and her tongue so mean”

Andromache the Scythian x Witch Reader

gif ▸ queen-shuri ( i don’t know how to link a gif ㅠㅠ )

request ( found here ) by @nightly-polaris

i left her powers to your imagination though i did play around with the idea of them being soulmates. wow it did take me a while. this was harder to write than i thought. frankly, i’m not very pleased with it. i went too long without writing and i feel like i’m getting rusty. i just hope that i managed to do your idea justice 🥹

(=^･ω･^=) leonora the cat made a cameo appearance

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Myriads and myriads of millennia. That was how long the Scythian had been walking the earth. There was not a corner of this world where her soles had not touched. Many a time had the sky borne witness to her downfalls, and thereupon, her immediate beginnings. Throughout her journey as an immortal, she had seen it all, privation, plenty and everything in between. The wonders and weirdness of the world could no longer provoke in her a sensation that would otherwise have six thousand years ago.

Regardless of her very old age that could have her certified as a living fossil, and the boundless knowledge that she had collected throughout her very long life making her a walking encyclopaedia, there existed many mysteries that even Andromache had yet to see. Amongst them, magick was a concept that still remained foreign to her; therefore, a threat. Unfamiliar though it was, it was not entirely unheard of. After all, she herself had been caught in the crossfire while trying to free the accused from the witch trials. In the end, they were just that: accused. There ended the extent of her experience regarding witchery or anything supernatural for that matter.

The only occult phenomenon that she knew to be bona fide was their immortality. The rest was sham. That was, until her team notified her of the all too familiar dream. Until a family of four bar Quynh and Booker, became a family of four, plus a hazardous, peculiar individual.

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

The arcane parts of you that had remained concealed for the better part of your life had only recently come to light when you unfortunately faced your demise.

The cause of your death had been as good as silly, slipping on a wet tile and cracking your head open on the edge of your bathtub, but it had shed light on an important piece of information nonetheless.

One second, you were dead, and the next, you woke up in a pool of your own blood. To you, who had been revealed to the bombshell of an information about a week ago, that you were a witchling, you were just in assuming that it was part of your newfound identity.

However, on the following day, with the arrival of a mysterious woman on your doorstep, your life was turned upside down. Going with her had not been of your own free will, having been meticulously knocked unconscious and finding yourself on an unfamiliar bed upon awakening.

The root of your sudden perturbation stemmed from the absence of Leo, a majestic Somali cat with gorgeous red mane that resembled a smaller version of a fox. She had been your greatest companion long before you had been made aware that she was your familiar. It appeared that the bond between a witchling and her familiar became only stronger once a witch unlocked her true potential. Only when a fluffy ball of scarlet hopped onto your bed could you calm.

In addition to, quite frankly, the charismatic complexity of a woman that you eventually learned named Andromache, you met three other people; Nile, who looked the closest in age to you, Nicky who had the kindest face out of the four, and Joe who appeared the most laid-back. All five of whom, four who you had just met, and the remaining one who, as explained by them, was away to carry out his punishment, were not entirely unfamiliar to you. You had seen them in the dream that had sought you right after your very first’s death.

Regardless of your non-involvement in being here, the decision to remain here was done of your own free will, reached by not only your instinctual feelings but also the support of Leo. Growing up alone, you had no one to miss you, and no one to be missed by you. It seemed sound to stick with those as peculiar as you were, than to stick out like a sore thumb amongst the ordinaries, or so you had believed.

Oh, how terrible of a mistake you had made by assuming that being immortal would make you the same as them, or them the same as you.

Although the others welcomed you warmly, making you feel at home as best as they could, your confession about your true being was not received kindly by Andy as the others called her. In fact, even the nickname was a privilege that was beyond your reach.

“That’s Andromache to you.” so she had corrected, lips the very picture of a straight line, when you had made a slip of your tongue.

Being forced out of slumber one night by a curious dream, similar in kind to the one you had on your death’s day, led you to seek the group with a question in mind. No sooner had you set foot in the room than the Scythian made herself scarce without so much as acknowledging you.

“Andy, albeit not being the most open person, can be ridiculously protective of her team. You are now one of us which means that she cares.”

“Humans harbour fear of the unknown. Even Andy cannot be entirely immune to it. Give her time.”

“She’ll come around. Take me for example. I had been killed once, beaten to a pulp, and had my bones broken by that woman, all of which transpired within the same day.”

Despite the reassurances from Joe, Nicky, and Nile, you would rather she kill you than disregard your existence altogether. Her aloofness stung you all the more for you felt oddly, albeit rather profoundly, connected to her.

You wanted to believe that it was time she needed, and time, you gave her, but when you were being actively avoided by her like you were the very plague, it only made sense that your tolerance would eventually run thin.

Unlike the Scythian along with Joe and Nicky who had been protecting humanity for centuries, and Nile who used to be a marine, you lacked experiences when it came to being a warrior. Additionally, being a witchling meant that you were a complete novice in magick. During one of your first missions, due to an error on your part, you had hindered your team by causing their unnecessary deaths.

You were not oblivious to the fact that the Scythian’s immortality had reached its end. In fact, it was by dumping all your attention onto the woman that you had not a dot to contribute to your part of the task. Although the mistake was borne of your all consuming concern for the Scythian’s safety, appreciation was the farthest thing from which you ended up receiving.

“Andromache, I keep having this dream of a drowning woman. Is she someone like us?”

When you had brought the question to her with a flimsy hope of instigating communication, sapphire green eyes had coldly held your soft-eyed gaze.

“There is no us.”

Such had been her words, thickly laced with venom that it rendered you absolutely crestfallen.

Thereafter, you were left alone in the room along with your question neglected. The answer to which was being delivered to you presently in what you could only describe as the most unkind fashion.

“You wanna know who that woman in your recurring dream is? That’s Quynh and if I could, without question, I would trade you for her. You should be the one locked up, not her. Quynh isn’t a witch. You are!”

“I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-“

“Every day, I worry over whose immortality will be stripped away next now that you’re in existence. What use are your abilities when you can’t even make good use of them? A hazard to the team. That is what you are! Nothing but a liability.”

Razor-sharp and poison-bitter, her frankness certainly did a splendid job of maiming you.

Despite not only being shunned, but also having your sorry little heart wounded by the very kingpin of the team, withering was the last thing that befell you. If it did, you were doing a good job of putting up a front, fragility hidden behind a tough facade.

You trained more. You smiled more. Always so cheery, always so carefree until one day, a relatively trying mission brought about the shattering of the mask that you had painstakingly put in place.

“Have I done something wrong? Why does she loathe me so?”

Having been bursting at the seams with bottled up emotions, it was no wonder that your heart reached its breaking point.

“I can’t. I can bear it no more.”

An endless leakage of tears marred your features as you came apart at the seams, revealing to the team the depth of the wound the Scythian’s coldness had burned into your psyche.

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

You were different as they were but at the same time, you were different from them altogether. The Scythian had her suspicions to begin with when, after swiftly sketching the picture of the one who had visited their dream, Joe had handed her the book in which a familiar face stared eerily back at her.

Losing her immortality meant that she was no longer privy to these interconnected dreams. However, there was no mistaking the face that had been plaguing her dreams for years. Andromache did not know what it suggested for them, and it was disconcerting to say the least. Then, once the fact was made known that you harboured powers beyond immortality alone, with her suspicions solidified, you were deemed a threat.

As was with Nile, there, too, was a strong possibility of you coming to be at the cost of one of the veterans’ immortality. The staggering awareness that it could very well be Quynh was a bitter pill to swallow. It did not make it any more palatable that Quynh was unfairly accused of being a witch, and locked up in the bottom of the ocean for centuries upon centuries only for a real witch to take her place.

If her rationality had not been muddled by stress, and the deeply rooted guilt and resentment of having to lose Quynh, she would see that her judgement about you had been done with extreme unfairness. Cruelly subjective instead of reasonably objective.

In the end, Joe and Nicky had to play the role of an eye-opener.

“What’s wrong with you, Andy? You’re being unreasonably cruel to the kid.”

“She proved hazardous to the team.”

“She is a part of the team!”

“She’s not entirely like us.”

“That’s absurd!”

“I lost my immortality upon Nile’s arrival. Quynh is next in line. What if she-” Brushing her palms over her face, a sigh was heaved into the cocoon of her hands. “The innocent has to suffer while the guilty takes her place? Don’t you think it’s unfair?”

Joe levelled her with a glare that screamed incredulity while both of them sounded truly disappointed.

“My god, Andy, are you hearing yourself?

“Where is the Andy I know who’s endlessly caring to her people?”

“Your anger is dreadfully misplaced. It is those pea-brained bastards that should be rightfully crucified, not an innocent kid.”

Even amidst being chastised, Andromache could not help but be awed by the couple as they effortlessly supported each other.

“You’ve been nothing but, to be brutally honest, a heartless bitch towards her, and yet, she’s always been heedful of your safety. Despite her lack of experience, the kid’s been tirelessly pushing herself. Can you not really see? Or, did you blatantly choose not to?”

“The way you treat her is cruelly unfair. You know it to be true. You can’t tell me otherwise. Whether she is a witch, or- or say, a vampire, or whatever the hell she is, she’s irrevocably one of us.”

“Poor kid’s devastated by your actions. You would do well to own up to your mistakes and ask her for forgiveness.”

Slowly but surely, the Scythian was beginning to see the errors of her actions, but it was only after having been knocked some sense into her by her very family could she truly grasp the extent of her callousness.

And thus, she came seeking you, a mission that was accomplished rather swiftly.

The sight that she had walked in on forced her to a stop. Keeping herself hidden behind a wall, she was caught off guard by a pang of…perplexity, she decided to name for now, that started pounding against her ribcage.

You were locked snugly in Nile’s arms, face buried in her chest as you dissolved into tears. Seeing you so broken, and knowing that she was undeniably the culprit behind your suffering did something inexplicable to her, but when the pang only intensified, her mind was transported back to a period of time many many moons ago. She had found the amour who she was particularly fond of mingling with someone else, and needless to say, it had not sat well with her.

The green-eyed monster had taken possession of the Scythian then.

Now, the same monster was knocking on her door, bringing with it an unpalatable sensation.

Confused and overcame with labyrinths of emotions, Andromache who had never, in her immortal life, willingly backed down from a challenge experienced her first surrender. Incapable though she was to approach you, the Scythian’s night was spent fruitfully as she dissected her puzzling reaction.

By morning, the puzzle was solved, and her feelings, understood. The pang of perplexity, as it so happened, turned out to be a pang of jealousy, followed closely by guilt and something else entirely that she was not yet ready to admit out loud.

The question however was, had she been too late in realising her mistakes, and thereupon, her feelings?

She had every intention of talking things out with you, but the sudden emergence of a mission compelled her to put it on hold.

Joe and Nicky took care of driving, and as much as she disliked seeing you stick to Nile the entirety of the ride, she knew that she had no rights interfering. For that, she had but herself to blame.

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

Raining down around Andromache in a violent downpour were bullets. None of them were offered a chance to reach her, for as she fought with her foes, her team had taken it upon themselves to guard her. They were playing defence while she did the offence. Although at first, their strategy was working remarkably well, as the troops multiplied on the opposing side, their stance faltered.

Being a burden to her team was the last thing she wanted, and having had enough of her team suffering in her stead, she took off from the formation, aiming instead towards the enemy line with her beloved labrys in hand. At her lead, her team followed suit, coming to grips with the enemy team. They covered her, as one after another, the opponents were annihilated by the Scythian’s effortless execution.

Everything had been working in their favour until, all of a sudden, Andromache found you planted firmly in her way. Although, if only for a moment, she was confused, she learnt just as quickly that a bullet had found home in your flesh. A moment later, and her axe, too, found sweet purchase directly between the eyes of your aggressor. Together, you made light work of defeating your opponents. As you kept them restrained with the help of your powers, she delivered finishing blows.

Between using your powers to assist her in combat and taking damages for her should the assaults were to prove lethal, one too many times had you use yourself as a shield. As a result, your body was riddled with many an injury which the Scythian noticed were taking longer than necessary to heal. Through the wounds leaked blood, and it made Andromache nauseous with worry.

What she perceived next, she heard it first, before she saw it. A loud bang of a gun that sounded from behind you.

Almost instinctively, her hands found home on your hips, soft flesh yielding beneath her calloused fingers as she quickly did a swap of positions. If a bullet were to hit, it would be her instead of you. The inevitable pain, which she was bracing for, never came. She understood why by the time her eyes fell on you. Tendrils of glowing green were dancing to your fingers’s desire as a protection was conjured around the pair of you.

The mission, once again, accomplished, she took the time to admire the delicate blossom of a smile on your lips. A feeling that quickly dissolved into worry upon hearing the little whimper that escaped them. By the time your eyes slipped shut, and your legs gave out, with her heart in her throat, she caught you in her arms.

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

The shock Leonora the familiar felt upon seeing you in the Scythian’s arms only continued to crescendo when you were carried not into your room, but, hers.

“She isn’t healing. Why isn’t she healing?”

The question was evidently for her, and so, she answered.

“Immortality doesn’t grant her immunity to damage done by her mate. A mate’s rejection to a witch is quite possibly the most harrowing form of torture. It leads to deterioration of the body.”

Her response took a while to come. “How can I find them?” Leonora eyed the Scythian curiously as plethora of emotions flashed across her face before the words were hissed through gritted teeth. “Her mate.”

“A witch’s familiar cannot be understood by just anyone. Only her true mate can.”

“What are you implying?”

“You’ve been seeing her in your sleep, have you not? Long, long before her immortality came.”

By the way she was looking at her, sage green eyes shimmering with shame, she almost felt bad, emphasis on almost, because in the end, she did not shy away from rubbing salt on her wounds.

“Given your time on this earth, I had surely believed that you would know better than to jump to conclusions. I’ve overestimated you, it seems.”

“My time on this god-forsaken place is precisely why I can’t trust people outside of my team. On more than one occasion have I been led to plight by pity and my sense of duty. Some of which have caused me my comrades.”

“And you thought it wise to reject one of your own?”

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

“I fucked up, I know. But I don’t want to fuck up any more than I already have.” The Scythian’s voice was laced with genuine upset as she pleaded with your cat, eyes desperately beseeching. “So, tell me, please. How can I fix this?”

“There are quite a few things you can do. That said, physical contact with her mate is the easiest and the most effective way for a witch to replenish her energy. I would strongly advise cuddling.”

Thus landed the Scythian into her bed that was presently housing your unconscious frame.

Only now, as she was lying face to face with you, did she realise how little she had looked at, let alone appreciated, you.

Tentative fingers touched a cheek so soft to unveil your face curtained by a few strands. Battle-hardened though they were, they executed the task with tremendous tenderness.

The scars that her eyes discovered upon wandering down your neck had the effect of jogging her memory. With the long forgotten memory now dug up and on the forefront of her mind, she was transported back in time.

During one of her travels, she had chanced upon a house on fire. Even though, normally, she would avoid involvement in fear of exposing herself, and consequently, her secret, she felt compelled to enter the roaring flames. What, or rather, who she found was a little girl trapped inside a room. Instead of crying as any child in such predicament most likely would have, she was busy murmuring reassurances to the little kitten that was cradled protectively in her tiny little arms. There was no doubt that she was in intense pain if the wound that had been leaking blood on her neck was any indication.

Now that she thought about it, the familiar dreams began on the very same night. It had been so dark in the house that she did not get a chance to properly see your face. Nevertheless, your cat was right. Andromache should have known. If she had only taken the time to think carefully instead of rushing to conclusion, all the suffering would have been spared. After all, in all the dreams that she had of you, you had never so much as harmed a hair on an ant’s, let alone, a person’s head. How big of a nitwit had she had to be to harbour the thought that you would be capable of intentionally sabotaging them.

With your face as sweet as Baklava and your heart so golden, you had to be the quintessence of innocence, pure, unsullied white, sent into her life to remind the Scythian, who was tainted with darkness and death, that the world was not only teeming with war and wickedness. In contrast, she had to be the wickedest of them all to be able to trample a delicate little bud without giving her a chance to prove herself.

She had, Andromache admitted, oh so cruelly, snuffed out the little shimmering ray of light. Come hell or high water, it was now the Scythian’s duty to chase away the heavy, stormy clouds that were threatening to devour the little sunshine.

If you were to allow it, she would, in fact, declare you her sunshine.

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

Meanwhile, feeling rightfully smug, Leonora the cat revelled in having her head scratched as the ginger fur-ball lounged in Nile’s lap.

She might have made a drama out of a crisis while playing cupid, but what she had said, in her defence, were not entirely incorrect. She would be a fool not to make the most of a stellar opportunity if it meant making her best pal happy. After all, unlike you who was annoyingly upright, she was a firm believer that if used wisely, trickery always bore the sweetest of fruits. Plus, if you finally found someone to cuddle with, then, she would hopefully, thankfully be spared the odds of being squeezed to death.

And viola! If love was on your side and luck on hers, you would win yourself a girlfriend, while she got to experience freedom. It might just be the best example of killing two birds with one stone, if Leonora did say so herself.

━━━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━━━

Waking up to a muscled body pressed against yours, and strong arms cocooning you, you had half a mind to believe that it was a by product of your sleep-ridden mind.

Only when you heard Leo’s voice in your head did you realise it was in fact not a hallucination.

“You really don’t have to do this.” Unlike your utterance, your actions suggested otherwise. As if possessing a mind of its own, your face had sought solace in the warm dip of her throat. When you spoke again, it was but a murmur. “I’m aware that you love Quynh.”

Her reply came a moment later in the form of a merciless stab to your heart. “I won’t lie to you. I do love Quynh.” Your endeavour to escape from her embrace was doomed to failure. “But, it is no longer the kind of love that I felt once upon a time. Loving her doesn’t equal falling in love with her.”

“It was hard, losing Quynh, and I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive myself.”

You were wounded, and thereupon, healed by her words. The choice, essentially, lay in her hands.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive myself either if something were to happen to you.”

She coaxed your face out of its little haven in favour of her soft-eyed gaze roaming over the planes and hills of your face.

“You must have felt scared. Lost. I was supposed to be there for you.”

In addition to the collapsed eyebrows, her voice had a sad lilt to it as a thumb gingerly caressed your cheek.

“I know a simple sorry cannot fix all the pain I’ve caused you, but if you’ll let me, I truly wish to earn your trust.”

Since the mood had been too gloomy to your liking, you opted for a lighter, more benign route with your response.

“Now, now, Andro-“

“Andy, please. Call me Andy.”

“Andy.”

Her name tasted sweet on your tongue.

“You were saying?”

“-someone might think you’re trying to woo me.”

You came dangerously close to disclosing your desire, and if you were being honest, you had been entertaining the idea of confronting her after your facade fell in front of the team. It was an all-or-nothing decision.

After everything she had said and done, you would be lying if you said you were not hoping for her to ruthlessly reject you. At the same time, saying that you were not foolishly hoping for her to miraculously return your feelings, too, would be a downright falsehood.

“What if I am?”

In the end, it was neither foolish nor impossible, though, it did feel miraculous all the same.

You liked her. Tremendously. And although it was true that she had hurt you, you knew for a fact that her reason for doing so was not ill-intentioned. It was done out of worry for her team, and blaming her for it would be ludicrous. You did admit that she had been terribly unkind to you, but you knew that she was altruistically caring at heart. Not only could you feel it, you liked her too much to deem the errors of her way irreparable. Mistakes came to be in the first place as an opportunity for one to learn from them. You were all to willing to give her a chance.

“Well then, Andromache of Scythia, luckily for you, I’m not very hard to please.”

“Kiss me as much as you’re sorry, and I’m all yours.”

You watched, giddy and gleeful, as a smile bloomed on her handsome face.

“With pleasure.”

Fanning the flames of heart palpitations by bombarding one with kisses, as sweet, and soft as soufflé, should be included in the ever-growing list of ways she knew how to kill a man. Of course, she was allowed to use this delightfully tantalising technique on you and you alone.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

this is how i imagine leo would look like as a cat

#andromache of scythia x reader #andromache the scythian x reader #andromache of scythia #andromache x reader #andy andromache of scythia #the old guard #andy x reader #lady lesso x reader #leonora lesso x reader #lady leonora lesso x reader #lady leonora lesso #lady lesso #leonora lesso #character x reader #charlize theron x reader #charlize theron #fanfic #soulmates #joe and nicky #joe x nicky #nile freeman #yusuf al kaysani #nicolo di genova #booker #quynh the old guard #quynh #labrys #light angst #leo the familiar

[herrscherofmagic]

A look at the past & future of Honkai design: Simplicity vs. Complexity (Part 1)

Link to the YouTube channel of the person whose thumbnail I yoinked off of Google Images for this; it was the best image of the new Hyperion that I could easily find which is why I used it for this.

TL;DR:

Original Honkai Impact 3rd designs tended towards large, simply shapes that gave battlesuits (and other stuff) a strong "mecha" vibe. Many newer designs are trending towards more complex designs that do away with these simple and recognizable shapes, instead using more overlapping textures and ornamentation to create detail. Some designs balance the two, using large and relatively simple shapes that still carry enough detail to stand out as newer while still keeping the original vibes.

Because of this, I think there's gonna be a very clear visual split between Part 1 designs and the APHO+Part 2 designs because of this split between simplicity & complexity, and some Part 1 designs feel off because they stray too far from the original design motifs, making them feel out of place even if they're still good designs on their own.

~

I've been thinking a lot about the design philosophy of Honkai Impact 3rd for quite a while now. As someone interested in concept art and illustration and who's played video games for more than 3/4ths of their whole lifespan.

And obviously I'm not alone in this, given how often I've seen discussion of Honkai's character design. Whether it was the march of the pastel battlesuits or the techwear of the part 2 cast or the upcoming Garuda Fu Hua battlesuit, many people have had many opinions both positive and negative.

But I've wanted to do a sort of "deep-dive" for a while now, because I think HI3rd is a really interesting case where we can see the co-existence of (sometimes drastically) different designs made years apart from one another. It's normal for the style of a franchise to grow and change with time- my personal example is Halo, with obvious differences between Halo CE, Halo 3, and Halo 4 in mind. But typically that has been done over the release of different games over many years, not so much in consecutive releases within the same game. HI3rd's not alone in this regard, of course :)

I don't want to label anything as "bad" or "good". I can like or dislike something, and that's my personal opinion. Of course I COULD try to label designs as bad or good, but I'd want to back that up with serious analysis and get the opinions of other players, and that's way too much effort for a reddit post. Instead, I want to present some different designs in Honkai and share my thoughts, so others can feel free to agree, disagree, elaborate, etc. More of a matter of casual discussion rather than trying to present some solid theory, I guess you could say?

What I will say is I intend to label designs based on whether (or how) they fit into HI3rd's aesthetic(s), so that's the main point- not so much whether an individual design is good or not.

To start with, I'd like to talk about the simplicity vs. complexity of Honkai designs because I personally feel like this is the biggest problem I have with HI3rd, outside of story issues that is. Not because of designs being "good" or "bad", but because I feel like Mihoyo has been moving towards a new design philosophy that's different from what I loved most about HI3rd when I first started.

I opened with the comparison of Hyperion because I think it's a perfect example of this concept, and if we can understand what the difference is with Hyperion then I think it'd be more apparent with battlesuits as well. I also have another image that highlights some of the biggest differences between the two models:

I had mixed feelings about the reveal of the "new and upgraded" Hyperion during the moon arc. It's a neat design I'll admit, but I felt like it deviated a lot from the original Hyperion, not as a difference in fidelity and detail but rather as a difference in the fundamental design of the ship.

What I like so much about the original Hyperion is, as you might have guessed by now: its simplicity. Hyperion was comprised of much larger, blockier shapes with more clear silhouettes. It's actually the same reason I love the design of Halo's UNSC frigates, funnily enough. I'm a huge sci-fi fan and I absolutely adore spacecraft and vehicle design, so I really appreciated the design of Hyperion cause to me it felt very original.

The new Hyperion retains most of the same characteristics, and it's still recognizable as a version of Hyperion. But it bothers me just how much the design was changed. Many of the simple shapes of the design were broken up into smaller parts or almost totally changed, like the cannon going from a sleek polygonal barrel to a spikey... thing.

To me, it feels like Hyperion was redesigned with the idea of trying to make it more "futuristic" or "tech-y", or perhaps it was even designed with some retro anime motifs in mind like the Space Battleship Yamato. But it seems as though this was done by adding many objects that broke up the original silhouette, as well as inventing lots of new detail instead of adding details to complement what was already there. The shape of the winglets was greatly changed; the vent-like structures were totally changed; the barrel was completely changed; most noticeably, the bridge was drastically changed.

The new Hyperion model is technically "better" in terms of fidelity and the amount of detail it has, no doubt about it. But I think changing the fundamental shapes of Hyperion so much really hurts the charm of the original design, to the point that I was actually quite disappointed to see that Mihoyo used the new Hyperion design in the CG of the Captainverse Hyperion farm event. It seems as though Mihoyo wants to consider this as the new default impression of Hyperion, and not a special one-off thing from the moon arc.

I think this can be seen across other aspects of the game, too. In general Mihoyo has moved away from simple designs and towards complex designs, and I think there's been a lot of hits and a lot of misses with this.

For instance, I'd like to compare the three Herrscher Kiana battlesuits: HoV, HoFS, and HoFi.

There's a clear trend of an increase in complexity across the three battlesuits. HoV's design uses fewer and larger shapes, HoFS adds more and smaller shapes, and then HoFi is almost totally devoid of any large clear shapes.

To me, this is what distinguishes a battlesuit that "feels like Honkai" from one that doesn't.

Everyone starts the game in Chapter 1, and most long-time players have spent more time with older battlesuits than newer ones simply because they were playing the game before these newer battlesuits were even released. I think it's safe to say that even though HoFi is the grand "Kiana in her greatest form" battlesuit, most players will still have seen HoV's design more often because of the years that it's been around, and its prevalence in story content.

Most of those older designs were rooted more heavily in the mecha vibes early Honkai had. For instance, even though HoV is obviously not wearing a mecha battlesuit, the large blocky shapes are still reminiscent of armor, two examples being the large frames on her wings and the large white pad-things(?) on her sides. There's other obvious cases like White Comet being a skin-tight battlesuit which used glowy energy bits for its attacks, but I use the example of HoV because it shows that HI3rd was fully capable of creating battlesuits within the mecha theme without being limited to literal "mecha" designs. HoV's battlesuit is far from mecha in its nature, yet still fits perfectly with that aesthetic.

HoFi has pretty much none of that, though. It's a pretty design for sure, but it's also nearly completely divorced from that original aesthetic. There's few easily-recognizable shapes on her design, with the (very little) clothing she wears being almost entirely detail and ornamentation. It definitely fits the "Princess Kiana" or "Goddess Kiana" theme in isolation, but I don't think it delivers on that theme in the context of Honkai Impact 3rd.

Yet look at HoFS. HoFS definitely has more detail than HoV. Yet there are still lots of large blank areas that define clear forms; for instance, the armor on HoFS' waist. It's reminiscent of that of HoV while still adding more detail. This gives that same effect of a slight mecha vibe. It's still an appealing design and it still feels more modern than HoV, but it also manages to retain much of the same design language.

That being said, I have to admit I ADORE the Honkai wings that HoFi has, though I wish they were a little higher in the air. That's one thing that I think Mihoyo absolutely nailed with HoFi, and I wish more of that aesthetic was kept in the rest of her design.

What's also interesting is that (in my opinion) neither of the other two main Herrscher Trio designs suffer from this. For instance, consider Mei's battlesuits:

I've included Lighting Empress as a reminder that old =/= good. I'd like to make it clear that just because it's an "original" battlesuit doesn't mean it's a good one. I said before that I didn't want to label stuff as good or bad but this is a clear exception and I hope y'all can understand why, lol

We can certainly argue about whether HoO Mei's design really fits the image of Raiden Mei. It's a vast departure from her other battlesuits when it comes to her palette, for better or for worse. I didn't like it at first but it has grown on me, and I think part of that is because of that concept of simplicity vs. complexity.

HoO has way, way more detail than the other two Herrscher Mei battlesuits, no doubt about it. But it also retains many large and recognizable shapes. Nothing on this battlesuit is bulky like HoT or other older battlesuits, but it still gives off the feeling of being armor despite being so thin. Much of the detail is created not by overlapping layers of ornamentation and texture, but rather by using intricate shapes with clear silhouettes and light detail inside that outline.

And HoTr is obviously a mecha design, so I don't think we need to elaborate on that one :)

The point is that it's absolutely possible to make detailed and beautiful battlesuits without getting rid of the original shape language that HI3rd was built on. HoFS is a bit dated now but still much newer than HoV, yet it keeps the vibes. HoO is also far newer, yet it still fits the theme of battlesuit. HoFi, though... not so much.

Finally, I want to talk about the elephant in the room: the Part 2 character designs.

Once again, here's the link to the YouTube video by Matt Is Playing, where I pulled this image from!

Much like HoFi, there's very little trace of the OG Honkai mecha aesthetic in these battlesuits. It's not to say that they are inherently bad because of that* , but it doesn't quite feel like "Honkai Impact 3rd".

*except Dream Seeker, I'm sorry but what the heck is going on there???

But the thing is that this design philosophy isn't even new. In fact, it's years old by now... because we see this in APHO.

For a long time now, APHO has had battlesuits that tip-toe on the very edge of the original Honkai aesthetic. So the designs of Part 2 aren't actually some new and drastic shift in Mihoyo's design philosophy- rather, it's reinforcing a design philosophy that was introduced with APHO.

These new characters all feel out of place if we compare them to the original battlesuits. They don't use the same simple forms, instead using dense and overlapping details. But if we compare them to the APHO cast, they fit right in. We can argue about the merits of the new character designs in other terms, but I think these discussions have to keep in mind this context.

I'd say the APHO designs work well in the setting of APHO because they're following the same aesthetic. As we enter Part 2 and once we see more of the story and setting of Part 2, it's very possible that these new character designs will feel more natural and more like "Honkai Impact 3rd".

But it's a different Honkai Impact 3rd.

This is why I think the idea of "simplicity vs. complexity" is so important to understanding Honkai Impact 3rd's designs. I think Mihoyo might be trying to emphasize two different phases of Honkai through this design philosophy. These are going to be two very different halves to the same game, with the designs of Part 2 possibly becoming as distant from Part 1's designs as Part 1 is from HSR.

You have the OG mecha action vibes from the good ole St. Freya days, and we have the sleek tech-wear of the era of exploring Mars, world-hopping in the Sea of Quanta, and fighting literal aliens.

For better or for worse? Only time will tell.

As a bonus, I'd like to include some extra comparisons, though I won't be adding any more analysis. It's more about having extra examples to keep in mind. Also, I think these ideas can apply to enemies and weapons as well, but that's a larger discussion I'm not yet ready for so that will come in a follow-up later on!

#honkai impact 3rd #hi3rd #honkai 3rd #honkai #honkai discussion #as if that's even a tag people use lol #long post #Kiana Kaslana #Raiden Mei #Bronya Zaychik #i just realized after posting this that I used the wrong image for stygian nymph jgkldaflhflhadfhagh too late to change it now!

[fyreflys]

Everyone tries to compare the characters from TBOSBAS to Katniss and Peeta, because we like to try and draw literary parallels & analyze and find meaning where there may or may not be. And I feel like that kind of detracts from all the characters. We try to fit them in a box by saying “so-and-so is just like so-and-so!” When in reality all the characters are so drastically different. Sure, Peeta and Lucy Gray were the performers. Sure, Lucy Gray and Katniss were the singing mockingjays from the seam. Sure, Sejanus and Katniss both pushed against the Capitol control. Sure, Jessup and Peeta were the gentle protectors, who got hurt and needed nursed. We could go on and on and on, but (to me at least) it feels like trying to shove puzzle pieces together that don’t fit but still make up part of the same picture. Yeah there’s similarities, but the differences seem to outweigh them, so saying they’re parallels for each other just doesn’t seem fair to the complexities of their characters. It strips them of their background and the meaning and impact that they serve in their individual stories. I think we see the few nods and foreshadowing Collins throws at us for the original trilogy, and we immediately want to say everything is symbolic of each other, because history and art repeat themselves, & perhaps the idea of Snow reliving everything he went through when he was 16 is a satisfying twist for a corrupt character. But the truth is it is its own story.

HOWEVER- I’d still like to offer my own spin/parallel, just for shits & giggles.

I don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention how similar GALE is to SNOW. Again, far from a perfect fit, but there’s a lot about Snow and Lucy Gray’s story that reminds me of Gale and Katniss.

Gale seems to view Katniss as belonging to him; he’s possessive, and jealous of Peeta. He wants Katniss where he knows she’s safe. He is the cage, and she is the bird. Just like Snow is Lucy Gray’s cage, not wanting her to be free, but rather his. In control, belonging to him, and jealous of even the idea of another man or thing in Lucy Gray’s life (man gets jealous of a fucking goat, thinking it could be a person, let alone Billy Taupe). Additionally, despite Snow and Gale seeming to be on completely opposite sides of the spectrum (Snow is 100% for the Capitol, & Gale is 100% against the Capitol), they seem to value the same things. They want power. They want control. They want attention and recognition. Gale goes searching for that in the form of joining the rebellion and it’s highest ranks. He helps develop and plan bombs with little to no regard of the civilians they might kill, literally telling Katniss that it’s a price worth paying, an eye-for-an-eye type thing. He buddies up with President Coin (who, we could say, for parallel sake, represents evil & tyranny and totalitarianism, like Dr. Gual). Snow does it in the way of sucking up to anyone and everyone he can (Dr Gual, Mr Plinth) in the name of gaining positive recognition & money (or whatever else he might want) & constantly playing politics. He also shows little regard over the deaths of others. He kills Bobbin, and doesn’t seem haunted by that whatsoever, just sees it as a stain on his name. When faced with the possibility of having to open fire on the civilians of district 12 when they show anger at a hanging, his first thought is “do I remember how to shoot a gun?” and not “I don’t want to kill people”. Both of them fawn over a girl who is quite clearly not theirs, nor anything close to a “perfect match”.

By no means am I saying Gale is as bad as if not worse than Snow; we don’t know Gale’s inner thoughts and workings, and he does seem to act out of the kindness of his heart & show selfless qualities, and he’s not nearly as controlling and possessive when it comes to Katniss as Snow is to Lucy Gray (at the end of the day, Gale cares about Katniss being happy- Snow cares about Lucy Gray being his). But I think the comparison is interesting to consider regardless, and I haven’t seen anyone talk about it. :)

#the hunger games #the ballad of songbirds and snakes #tbosbas #tbosas #spoilers #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #gale hawthorne #coriolanus snow #lucy gray baird #literary parallels #character comparison #analysis

[olderthannetfic]

I've read through the End Racism posts (not all, but a good part of them) and think the people behind it do have good and honest intentions, and that a lot of things are being blown out of proportion. I don't necessarily agree with some of the ideas regarding out of archive harassment and AO3's responsibility, but I can see the thought process. Same with a lot of other things. I'm very wary of Stitch being cited, but can likewise understand why people may not fully clue into why there are.... so so so many issues with that. If you haven't been hyper involved in fandom (included those you're not in) you miss things. Which is a whole other issue lmao. But overall, I don't think anyone is being malicious

That being said, there's a lot that seems.... overly optimistic? Or perhaps very central to where the creators behind End Racism are from and their own biases and education. People have brought up HOW on earth what is or is not racist (beyond the incredibly obvious examples) can be decided, or how you can know who's writing a fic and why (is it a racist bigot, someone writing about their own experience as a POC, or someone who doesn't know something?) and the answer, as another anon mentioned, is never really stated. Because there isn't an answer in many cases, but that hasn't been acknowledged

I also worry about the insistence (in some responses to questions and in notes I've seen even in the asks you've received) that a diversity consultant will help as much as people seem to think. Yes, it's a step forwards.... but a diversity consultant cannot be an expert in EVERYTHING. I suppose the argument is "get more diversity consultants to volunteer" but that still causes it's own issues. I was in a server with someone who frequently read over fics as a sensitivity reader, and was extremely well educated and respectful. But even they flat out said they made a hell of a lot of mistakes once they stepped out of what they knew, and wouldn't give feedback on certain things. I worry a diversity consultant would be, well, very american centric, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, people have brought up how it could be, and those concerns are being completely brushed to the side.

I think there's just SO much to this, and so much more complexity than they're willing to admit. Again, other anons have brought this up, but there's a ton nuance in this. We're talking international views on majorly complex issues, with endless cultural lenses, people writing and reading from countless backgrounds, and so on. It really just feels like they don't want to even acknowledge that

I don't think most behind it are trying to actively push for censorship, or are operating in bad faith. That's my impression from reading on my own. There have been some individuals around tumblr that have been horrific about it (the anti-semitism that came out is.... something), but overall I think there are good intentions. But so many pertinent questions aren't being answered, and the very valid concerns people have brought up have been ignored.

I support the idea behind it, and having a diversity consultant on staff certainly isn't a bad idea, but the way in which they're going about things, the concerns they're ignoring, and the dismissal of people who are raising said concerns as racists is. huh. Well, it makes me wary to actively support.

--

[letsatomicbanana]

Can I have some advice? I'm trying to write Ink as canonically as *possible. How should I go about his personality? He's a very complex character after all.

Oh boy where i go.

First off i want to say that i'm extremly glad you want to search about Ink's character to portray him as accurate as possible! Not many people do that and writing Ink can be very trick (but you get used to it after some time i swear-)

Like you said Ink is indeed a very complex character so the phrase "How should i go with his personality?" can be a very vaque question, Ink can be many things regarding certain situations and people he meets/talks too. But to answer this matter i divided in sections how he acts generaly and in some situations/individuals!

To start off

...

Ink with another characters! (strangers/new monsters and humans etc....)

If you want to write Ink meeting another person i feel this section is just for you!

Ink does NOT bring a good first impression to people he first meets. He's often described as being "a jerk on accident" and surprising people by his level of 'quikness' and 'weirdness'....

The first thing to make your characters notice about Ink is his social problems and social obliviousness that plays a HUGE part on how Ink communicates and interacts with people. Because of this matter, he's often blunt about his thoughts and visions in which Comyet herself clarifies that it is linked to or even caused by the social problems he presents.

| So if your character is ,for example, extremly tall Ink WILL point out how tall the character is, even if its clearly not appropriate to the situation in hand|

He also doesn't often presents himself to people. Ink doesn't go "Hi, my name is Ink! Nice to meet you...", but instead he says "You have a funny face! Want to be friends?" (It's probable that the character meets Ink and doesn't even know his name, since he doesn't present himself). Keep in mind he doesn't do that intentionally or slyly, it's genuinely something he accidently does. And he also tries to befriend a lot of people but he often fails to do so, because of his social issues of course!

|Also, he doesn't seems to have much of a ' social filter. Calls everyone 'Pal' even when the person clearly isn't his friend. And yes he calls bad people 'pal' too|

In short, the person is more likely to meet him by first impression and think he is an idiot of some sort (yes, his social issues are bad like that)

On the other hand, when said character meets Ink by the second time it's likely they'll start to think Ink as an 'endearing' person. That's what happened to Top!Gaster for example! He thought Ink was strange at first but learned to love Ink as time went on. Speaking about that...

It's important to learn that INK NEEDS TIME!!No one is going to instantly loves Ink!!! In order to build a relationship with him you .need .to. give. him .time!

But If your character never meets him ever again, they will think Ink is a jerk 'till ever.

....

Ink with close people! (family)

This part will be short because Ink doesnt have much close friendships with anyone in particular.But Ink can come off as completly different with strangers and with close people.

For example, Ink is canonically Top!Gaster and Zephyr!Gaster (or aster) adopted son! Like i said, they saw Ink as a weird person at first but learned to love him and respect him by the way he is! He is in short very tender with them!

You need to put in mind that Ink BARELY gets emotionaly attached to people, he's kind with them but he's not particullary attached to anyone. The only two situations where this isn't true is with his fathers (thats why their relationship is so important!)

But when he DOES get attach to them the relationship will certainly last through tick and thin.

Ink (individual)

For this part i really recommend looking through Ink's FAQ "Personality section" for more information in details! But i have a specific advice on this matter!

Ink can be anything! He's a very grey character than can do both good or bad, but It doesn't mean he's good or bad. Don't be afraid to write Ink as very flawed and complex!

I think this ask answered by Comyet in 2018 says it all.

So yeah, hope i helped with something!

#ink sans #inktale #undertaleau #inksans

[schizoidvision]

6 Key Reasons Why Schizoids Are Indifferent to Praise or Criticism

The psychological landscape of individuals with schizoid personality dynamics is multifaceted and often misunderstood. One of the intriguing aspects of this condition is the apparent indifference to praise and criticism. However, this does not imply a complete emotional void. While acknowledging that under certain conditions, schizoids can indeed feel impacted by external feedback… Here, we explore six key reasons behind their general indifference:

1. Deep-Rooted Distrust of Others' Intentions: Schizoids often have an inherent distrust towards others. This skepticism is rooted in their formative years, where they might have experienced neglectful or abusive environments. Such backgrounds lead them to question the sincerity of others' feedback, whether it's praise or criticism.

2. Intrinsic Valuation of Personal Beliefs: Individuals with schizoid tendencies highly value their own thoughts and opinions. They often regard these internal beliefs more significantly than external viewpoints, reducing the impact of others' opinions on their psyche. This strong sense of self-reliance and internal validation can make them less responsive or interested in others' opinions.

3. Emotional Detachment from the External World: A defining trait of schizoid dynamics is the lack of emotional attachment to the external world, including people. This detachment manifests as a buffer, making them emotionally unresponsive to praise or criticism.

4. History of Manipulative Feedback: Many schizoids grow up in environments where praise and criticism were tools for manipulation or control, rather than genuine feedback. This past experience makes them skeptical of the true intentions behind any form of feedback they receive in adulthood.

5. Alexithymia - The Emotional Disconnect: Alexithymia, a condition common among schizoids, makes it difficult for them to identify, read, and express emotions. This challenge extends to processing and responding to emotional cues from others.

6. The Schizoid Defense Mechanism: Developed early in life, the schizoid defense is a psychological strategy developed early in life to maintain a safe distance from others. It involves creating an emotional barrier, thus shielding their true selves from potential harm. This defense mechanism contributes to their seeming indifference to external validation or critique.

In Summary...

While the above points outline why schizoids often seem indifferent to praise and criticism, it's important to recognize that this is not an absolute. Sometimes, when schizoids perceive the feedback as valid and respect the person providing it, they may indeed feel internally affected. However, due to a restricted range of emotional expression and the other factors discussed, their external response may not be apparent. Thus, while schizoids are generally less affected by praise or criticism than the average person, they can still experience an impact under the right conditions. This nuanced understanding is crucial in appreciating the complex emotional world of individuals with schizoid personality traits.

Video From My YouTube Channel: Schizoid Indifference to Praise or Criticism

#schizoid #schizoid adaptaions #schizoid dynamics #schizoid pd #schizoid personality disorder #schizoid vision #cluster a #szpd

[full-of-malice]

miguel o'hara & trauma

a little character analysis + my thoughts about him idk he has ptsd because i said so brief general content warnings for death, trauma, grief, suicide, and there is atsv spoilers idk if i should put warnings for that or not

miguel o'hara like all individuals with trauma, especially ptsd, has intense reactions to anything regarding his trauma. he also carries intense fear, anger, grief, and guilt, common emotions that many trauma survivors struggle with.  examples of his fear include how he fears for the destruction of the multiverse. the intense anger reactions when someone doesn't understand the weight, and the very intense anger directed at himself.  the grief that he can't seem to escape, as he's constantly shown with the heavy weight of his daughter's death on his shoulders. he is also  his guilt is what drives everything. his grief fuels him, sure, but his overwhelming guilt for his daughter's death causes him to want to make sure it will never happen ever again, at whatever cost that it takes. it's the only way to ever repay the wrong that he had done. miguel's guilt and rage are the only things that are driving him through his day to day life, since he feels he has the entire multiverse on his shoulders, and the devastating guilt of his daughter's death on his mind, leaving him in a perpetual state of exhaustion. does this excuse his actions that he made in his intense rage such as physically chasing teens? no. does it give an explanation? yes.  understanding miguel's trauma is important to understanding why and how he functions. it goes far beyond sad silly man, it leans into a moral debt and spiraling emotions that lead him to do what he does. he's constantly in an environment surrounded by what caused his trauma, which is an incredibly triggering and stressful work life. he is never given a chance to take a step back or separate himself from it. always surrounded by something that hurt him in a way that cannot be undone but his sense of moral debt and heavy guilt doesn't allow him to remove himself from the situation to give himself a break or allow himself to get the proper help that he needs while this is already an intense and struggling situation to be in mentally, miguel struggled a lot before even finding the dimension where he had a daughter, he has a very strong and intense implied prior trauma. going off of some of the world building and my slight knowledge of the comics [i'm. not a fan of the comics!miguel but simply going off of world building] there is a lot of corruption, with the top layer of the worlds being perfect areas for the wealthy, but only for the poor or lesser peoples living below the surface of the earth. this is briefly implied through the chase scene in atsv when miguel is chasing down miles.  so in this world it's already messed up. he's implied to have had a hard life. miguel had turned himself into a spider person, and often viewed himself as a monster. he couldn't come to terms with who or what he was, could never fully be okay with the fact that he wasn't human anymore. this self hatred it came to a point in the comics were he was even suicidal.  not to mention that he likely has a strange complex that comes from the borderline psychological horror of invading a person's life and not being the person that they think you are, when he replaced gabi's father in the other dimension.  all of this comes to the point where on top of already having mental health issues, he also had to death with the death of his daughter, and having that weight and guilt on his mind.  all in all he makes for a very sympathetic character who does things that are wrong and inexcusable, in a misguided attempt to do the right thing.

if you read this whole thing thanks a lot for deeming this incoherent mess of words worthy of your time i had a lot of fun writing this actually

#character analysis #or smth of that sort #blorbo #my blorbo #miguel o'hara #spiderman 2099 #atsv #spiderman atsv #atsv miguel #tw suicide #my post #silly #atsv spoilers #malice rambles #shaking you around [gently] i'm only kind of unhinged #me when i'm feral about something that doesn't exist #so what if i'm projecting my ptsd onto him that's not the fucking point #so what if i have an obsession and a want for random tragic parent figures to adopt me i'm aware that i need therapy so it's okay

[kslenvs3000w24]

The Last and Final Blog

Over my past 4 years here at the University of Guelph, the environment has been at the center of my focus. Immersed in this for 1460 days has truly shaped me into who I am as a person and defined what my ethics and values are. For every job I applied to, the question I always got asked was, Why is this something you want to pursue? My answer is always the same; By being a student who is immersed in this knowledge and knows the complexities of the environment down the molecular level, I feel that it is my moral duty to relay this information and educate others. As an interpreter, my personal ethics encourages me to help educate people on ways they can learn about their impacts and how to help. It is important to look back on the daily decisions you make to see how you are either contributing or helping the environment. Some situations can be exempted. For example, they say you should buy electric cars, however, CTV News reported that the average price for an EV vehicle has reached 73,000$ (Bickis, 2023). When the price of a car is this high, you cannot blame individuals for using their gas cars to get to work so they can put food on the table for their families. Understanding that not everyone is as privileged to live a fully eco life is one step closer to stopping the blame and a step in the right direction for education on how you can become environmentally friendly with your living status. Being taught about the imbalances in the environment as a result of human disturbances and the effects they can have is very scary. Constant exposure to this kind of content every day can seriously impact your thoughts and beliefs about life and the world. In my case, it became very motivating. It drives me to want to help educate others and contribute to organizations that are focusing on the preservation and conservation of our earth. 

This course has been a very pivotal experience for me. Although I love taking courses about the environment which includes biology and chemistry, this course forced me to look beyond just these numbers and the analytical lens. It forced me to think more intuitively regarding interpretation and environmental science. Understanding the needs of our earth and how much we impact it starts with admitting to yourself that there is a problem whether created by you or someone else, and that it needs to be addressed. Today, there has been lots of greenwashing which tends to turn people away from wanting to advocate for the Earth. There is such a divide between the general public knowledge and students/scientists. I can't tell you how many people have said to me “Oh, so you want to save the Turtles” when I told them I was in environmental science. This statement right here goes to show the lack of understanding between preservation and protecting the planet. Environmental science falls under a huge umbrella. It encompasses so much that goes beyond just implementing reusable or compostable straws. 

When I have conversations with people who are out of touch with reality, I feel nothing but sad for them. That they are not as fortunate to know what I know or that their motivations might be driven by something else. But I cannot blame them, knowledge is power but it's also money. I believe it is my right as someone who holds this kind of knowledge, to help people understand and become engaged and involved with the environment. However, I do also believe as people of this earth, it affects us all, and doesn't matter what your social status, race, gender, etc. is, it is something we should all be working towards understanding. Let's just put it this way, a hurricane doesn't care if you're a billionaire with a nice house. Beck et al. (2018) state that there are immense educational benefits associated with acquiring knowledge that can result in “an enjoyable and enriching experience” encouraging a more meaningful relationship with the topic of interest. It doesn’t matter who you are, you will be affected directly or indirectly and therefore I believe we all have an innate calling to preserve and protect the earth not only for us but for the generations to come.

Nature has been a huge component of my life whether it was in the classroom or my own personal outlet. I was taught from a very young age to appreciate nature in all its glory. Over the years I have become increasingly empathetic towards the environment. When I read about things in the news I can’t feel anything but sad. It's so disheartening seeing our earth become hurt and have to constantly rebuild itself. I constantly ask myself when. When will we learn? How long does it take for us to make a change? What brutal disasters need to keep happening for us to stop? Going back to first-year environmental science, we talked about nature having intrinsic value and I couldn’t agree with this statement more. Just like we learned in this course, even if we do not gain any materialistic value from nature and it does not directly or indirectly benefit us, it still has a purpose and is still valuable on its own (Rea & Munns., 2017). Many people are motivated based on economic return and unfortunately, the environment is at the centre of those decisions. The understanding of intrinsic value is based on an ecocentric standpoint which is developed from having a serious concern for the environment, something many people lack (Rea & Munns., 2017). This concern can come from upbringing and experience that shape how one views the world. For people who are struggling to put food on the table, the state of the environment is not typically their biggest problem. Effective interpretation as described by Beck et al., (2018) involves building new knowledge, values, and beliefs. Being open-minded to adopting new concepts can truly work wonders.

Finally, I feel it's my responsibility as an interpreter to educate. Social media is a very powerful tool in today's age and being able to raise awareness about situations regarding climate issues is a great way to expose the general public. I just hope we can create a sense of unity when it comes to caring for our planet and that it gets the attention it deserves because we only have 1, but 1 is enough if we do it right! 

Thanks, everyone for a great semester I enjoyed reading all your blogs! 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, (pp. 42). 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, (pp. 91). 

Bickis, I. (2023, October 22). EVs are getting easier to find -- but with price tags out of reach for many Canadians. CTVNews. https://www.ctvnews.ca/autos/evs-are-getting-easier-to-find-but-with-price-tags-out-of-reach-for-many-canadians-1.6612044 

Rea, A. W., & Munns, W. R. (2017). The value of nature: Economic, intrinsic, or both? Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 13(5), 953–955. https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.1924

[junesaintfrancis]

"Mother God," the Ultimate White Thief [ramble]

I was aware of Amy Carlson's death when it first hit the news (and subsequently AskAMortician’s YouTube channel), and I laughed and brushed it off. I so often fall into the trap of simply dismissing cult-related deaths, of thinking, ‘Well, another idiot died and it’s no one’s fault but theirs.’ But I watched the HBO docuseries and was left feeling somewhere between disappointed and pissed off at the pandering they did to these batshit, evil, and racist individuals. 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I, myself, am white. If you are interested in yoga, meditation, or other non-Anglo spiritual practices, please learn them from people who belong to the culture from which they originate, and be mindful; do not appropriate from other cultures.

SECOND DISCLOSURE: This is a ramble post. These are just my thoughts and observations; I have not looked at academic literature for this post, and neither is it properly sorted. I may turn it into an actual piece eventually. 

I could talk about the mechanisms of cult hivemind all I want, but something else caught my attention. I think Amy Carlson and LHW is a fantastic example of white [Conservative] women co-opting [appropriating] Eastern spirituality for their own malignant gain.

Watch this amazing, in-depth video that gives much more context and history if you don’t know who I’m talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f81Az_2Fvek I won’t be discussing the history of Love Has Won; this is simply me pointing out how common it is to see appropriated Eastern spiritual principles within these Neo-Nazi white ‘spirituality’ groups and talking about why this phenomenon may be so common. 

I don’t think religio-cultural appropriation is always obvious, either. Yoga is incredibly mainstream (and there’s even a massive Christian population who bitches about it being ‘demonic’), and so is meditation; but both of these have been appropriated by the Anglo world from South Asian spiritual practices (and other indigenous cultural beliefs) with zero regards to their cultural origins. I mean, think of all the little plastic dreamcatchers you can buy at the store. Think of the growing popularity of “healing crystals” and how now even stores like Claire’s and Target sell jewelry meant to balance, or heal, or ease anxiety. These practices are beautiful, complex, and meaningful--and they are now becoming mass-produced, watered down, and stolen by some of the most insidiously evil and/or stupid folk on the internet. 

Conspirituality is the term for this. Not the appropriation, but the mixing of it with a conspiratorial obsession with alternative beliefs, big government conspiracies, paranoia, 5G, aliens building the pyramids, you name it. It’s especially dangerous when white people are the perpetrators--now, not only do you have someone stealing from another culture and using those cultural practices to actively harm others, but this person, in their whiteness, now has social power over the oppressed groups who actually own these practices. And it gets rebranded as “new age spirituality.” The new age spirituality provides a sense of community and panders to the Covid fears -- and pre-existing racism and antiSemitism -- and provides someone, or something, to blame. Thus we begin heading towards the antiSemitic point of no return. “We declare peace on earth” my ass. 

And obviously, Love Has Won is guilty of all of this and more. If you’re familiar with Amy and LHW, then you’re probably already aware of the time she went to Hawaii and then claimed she was [Tutu] Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire, and the creator of the Hawaiian Islands. She is clearly not afraid to appropriate whatever indigenous culture she can in order to build her facade of being a god herself, and it’s specifically her whiteness (and perhaps schizophrenia and plenty of drugs) that emboldens her. This just scratches the motherfucking surface. 

Here, Amy takes credit for her Chakra system ‘cleansing’ sessions (which may or may not include poisoning yourself with colloidal silver). Further down the document, she mentions opening your third eye. Zero mentioning of the true origin of these practices, nor their cultural weight.

This is the third page of her “5D Healing Guide” document. Not only is she claiming Chakra knowledge and healing crystals, but . . . I mean, come on. You can’t use Sanskrit and then claim the fucking practice. Also, nowhere on her websites nor ‘guides’ includes the Sanskrit words for the Chakras.

Like I said before, this shit is dangerous. The watering down of these beautiful spiritual practices and then subsequently claiming and disfiguring them is almost always tied to Neo-Nazism, QAnon conspiracy theories, and a rejection of common-sense medical philosophy. Why do white women in particular so often fall into this wellness-to-Nazism pipeline, even if they weren’t overtly racist before? It’s because these white folk will always fall into the comforts and power of white supremacy; and make no mistake: much of this ‘mystic spirituality’ is white supremacy. The power to take from cultures and claim it as your own -- and the immunity to criticism -- is also white supremacy. White supremacist spirituality isn’t just a spiritual belief, either; it’s a thriving market that is powered by racism and medical Orientalism. 

But still, why? ‘Buddhism and Whiteness: Critical Reflections’, edited by George Yancy and Emily McRae, has a wonderful chapter [titled ‘The interdependence and emptiness of Whiteness’ by Bryce Huebner] which discusses the emptiness and fragility of whiteness, the teachings of Buddhism, social castes, and their interconnectedness. Whiteness has no connected culture; it is a feeble social category. What ethnic culture do white Americans belong to? Most cannot name one. Rather than connecting with their ancestral cultures, white Americans often choose to steal from others which are closer, and those from which they have the power to steal from.

And, as I’ve made abundantly clear by now, this is exceptionally dangerous. White wellness culture so often leads into the paranoia, the distrust, and feeds off of the pre-existing racism that is ingrained into every white American. 

“It’s the same thing with the Jews. It’s like Hitler knew the truth…” (said by Ashley Peluso). They explain that the dark forces conspiring against them, the ‘Cabal,’ don’t have souls. This is rhetoric that has excused entire genocides of people. Have you seen ‘NPC’ dramas in spiritual circles? This is that cranked up to the max.

A bunnnnch of antiSemitic bullshit. The ‘Cabal’ is a common QAnon talking point; the Cabal are members of a Satanic, baby-eating, pedophile ‘deep state’ (and Donald Trump will save humanity from them??). Who is the deep state, you might ask? Well, usually it’s Jewish people. 

“Hitler didn’t want to go into the same banking system as the cabal. He didn’t want to join their mafia, so they took him out and they blamed him. They are the ones who bombed the concentration camps, created dysfunction, lied, faked the numbers, they did it to themselves and blamed it on them just like they lie about Trump.” Those are the words of Ashley Peluso. It always, always, always comes back to hating Jews. In other videos, she claims that Black people are “out of control” because of Jewish “programming.”  

Jason Castillo, the co-leader of LHW, is also on video saying the N-word repeatedly. He says, “There’s nowhere to hide, cockroach. A [N-word]. That’s what a cockroach is. An [N-word].” Love Has Won members also subscribe to the “All Lives Matter” BS, and claim that BLM is a ‘cult.’ How ironic.

And I won’t even get started on the racism of believing aliens built the fucking pyramids. 

And, finally: 

I don't doubt it.

#amy carlson #love has won #cult #religion #appropriation #cultural appropriation #ramblings #rambles #rant post

[tamelee]

NARUTO TOPIC: (NON-)'CANON'

In regard to this ask by @isabeldc (and a lot of recent Anon asks about Canon).

(Very long post. [a lot of warnings])

Eh.. I feel like I might be the only person interested in this topic from a p.o.v. that talks about what goes on behind the story. And that is fine this is my personal view. But I think it is vital in a conversation like this because that is where it starts. I still hope this answers the Canon asks I still had though. I apologize, I have studied marketing and am studying storytelling, so this post is kinda theoretical.

Disclaimer: What is Canon is not up to you or me, but your truth will always be yours.

Yes, this post is intentionally color coded.

WHAT DOES CANON MEAN?

Canon is original (and official) source material. 

So, as 'Naruto' became an entire franchise based on that original source material- this means: the Manga.

However, additionally Canon also means: material derived from the original source that matches the same narrative. Kishimoto's narrative. (His work.)

A common misconception is that narrative is the same as storytelling (skill) or plot. A plot (chronological) is part of the story. It is a sequence of events (beginning → end). The complete narrative can be more seen as the story itself, a structure and a means to help you understand the creator's perspective and their values. Aka, again: Kishimoto's narrative, his p.o.v. By definition all literature is narrative. This is a very complex topic and yet despite 'Naruto Canon' being easy to define- some people are confused. I also know it's not that serious, I'm making this because I find the topic interesting. That's all.

What made it so confusing for 'Naruto'?

When you experience a story (reading/watching/listening) you use two ways of thinking: paradigmatic and a narrative one. It means logic (facts/truth) and the narrative way of thinking which deals more with human intentions, feelings and personal experiences. They play a part in your interpretation*.

A story's structure reflects the way we, as a learning individual, give meaning to (or make sense out of) personal experiences. Also why humans benefit from learning through narrative (story) as it is more easily absorbed by our brains.

Hence, in our case, when you observe an absurd amount of mental gymnastics or out-of-context reasoning to force 'boy loves girl' despite evidence, (heteronormative thinking), what is really happening is that someone is trying to mentally connect pieces of information to an existing related thread of thoughts. This through concepts, feelings, images, sensations, metaphors etc. An element ('Naruto's story) is ‘wrapped’ and connected to existing narratives in our head. Often biased. (s)

It is not always ignorance or ill intent. Not always.

Such idiosyncratic interpretations* of Canon and other contradictions that only live in a fan's head are Headcanon.

*Note: stories play a very important role in interpretation. And while the mind is a personal thing that in itself is not an excuse to create false narratives on purpose. (Cognitive bias.) These are obvious as they lack in sufficient and accurate information. Your "interpretation" isn't source-material-truth (as in Canon) by itself.

That's why it has been easy to ignore marketing material until now because:

Whoever controls the narrative has the power to influence the reader/viewer. (Depending on target-audience. And yes, I'm talking about what you think I'm talking about.)

(Gretchen Busl did a TEDx talk about control in narratives.)

Which brings me to..

Ownership

Viz Media (terms are incredibly long) says that Kishimoto and Viz Media LLC/Shueisha co-own 'Naruto's licensing. Viz Media (led by Ken Sasaki) is also the one that oversees the financial and operational concerns, controls, buys and handles all the affiliations (which also means hiring third-party employees), licensing and broadcasting businesses as it is the parent company.   And well, this is normal. Kishimoto is a Mangaka, not a business man.

What I'm emphasizing here is that Kishimoto does not have full ownership of 'Naruto' (which has its own rules) as it became more than a story. A franchise. Something that became a profitable source due to the story's success. Even as he was creating the Manga, he mentioned in interviews that he had to argue with the team about details/scenes (Naruto's sexy Harem Jutsu- guy version etc) and that he felt pressured about x, y and z.

A popular book about screenwriting ("Save the Cat!" by Blake Snyder) talks about pre-sold franchises. It is when studios produce sequels/remakes that an audience is already "sold" on. A built-in fan base. In the early '00s big companies already had trouble grabbing a viewer's attention as the average attention span was cut down to 30 seconds. These days it is down to less than 5. (Newer studies say it's more an issue of us becoming more demanding, an adaptation of sorts.) People quickly give up on new shows if it doesn't grab them immediately and it is hard to cut through all the traffic that competes for attention. I even notice myself finding it hard to get into new shows lately and needing to really sit down in order to give it a chance. 'Naruto' has everything that Hirohiko Araki (creator of JoJo) describes as 'the Royal Road of Manga', so decision-makers just don't think that you're out there always wanting to try something new. They're not willing to gamble without research. (That's not smart anyway.) And this happened a lot throughout Shippuden with the help of polls, (most popular female character for example which was a huge one) collecting data and doing thorough quantitative research to predict a future and hopefully spot a trend. Hence the existence of 'Boruto'.

So what do you think? How genuine is 'Boruto' anyway?

(Having done research doesn't mean automatic success.. as we are the built-in fanbase.)

This also is happening as I write this post. (Though the current poll seems highly busted as the cult found a way to vote multiple times a day.)

You may constantly hear people say "Boruto is only made for profit" and that in the end is true, yet there is more to it. I hope you can see why. And it is important to understand the underlying intentions in my opinion when it comes to a discussion about something being genuinely Canon. Which is why many people refuse the sequel to be Canon in the first place.

.. Storytelling and building a franchise around the original work (incl. business, marketing, adaptations) are different things. 

In all definitions for something to be judged as Canon, as a general rule, official material has to be genuine. Preferably made by the original creators themselves. If it goes against the narrative (the story) or if it doesn't add anything that matches the same narrative as the original source material, then it is non-Canon.

THE ANIME

'Filler lists' for Anime are made by page contributors which you and I can register for too. Despite 'Naruto' finishing in 2017, the most popular lists get updated regularly and not too long ago.

Why you ask? Personal bias and confusion created around its messy sequel 'Boruto'. They've added 'Anime Canon' (it makes no sense) which simply means Filler (non-Canon). Episodes based on novels (every episode after 484) are now marked as 'Manga Canon' and previously were not as there is no Manga nor is it Canon.

Hence, people are bringing up the Canon-question lately. Things in 'Naruto' are being changed in discussion for the sake of its sequel. "If that in 'Boruto' is true then this for 'Naruto' wasn't right either!!" They say. Hello????? Its foundation is being reworked instead of the other way around. And I don't know about you and this has nothing to do with Naruto or Sasuke as characters only, but that's pretty damn sad. (And yes I know, what exists already can never be changed, but this is still a matter of controlling the narrative which I'll explain.)

To produce an animation a lot of people are involved. (Literally hundreds.) Don't take my word for it though, there are plenty of documentaries about the process that you can look for. I also have a few examples from ASO College group Japan. The pics are from their animation course. To understand how a change in narrative (or deliberate control) can happen, it helps to know a bit about the process.

This is just a general overview but all of these are vital for the production of animation. Everyone has their own role but first, before anything there is a planning phase. Someone who schedules and does the finances etc. 

The Producer.

Aka Studio Pierrot (and Aniplex) for Naruto (Shippuden) 4 years after the Manga was published. Well, the planning started probably earlier but that’s when the Anime first aired. (2002) 

Then, you need a director who will grasp the entire image of the work and control the production to make sure that everything progresses smoothly.

“The director has the right to make the final decision on many aspects of the animation project.”

The narrative of the Manga will always be kept in mind (of course) but this is true!!! Kishimoto is not the director of the Anime. It is not his job. (Although as a Mangaka, you are also a director of your story in the Manga as well.) And at the same time he was still extensively working on the Manga without rest.

For ‘Naruto’ the director was: 

Hayato Date

For ‘Naruto Shippuden’ the directors were:

Hayato Date (1 - 479)

(Note: interesting choice to switch director here, no?)

Osamu Kobayashi (480 - 483) 

Chiaki Kon (484 - 488)

Toshinori Watanabe (489 - 493)

Masahiko Murata (494 - 500)

‘Naruto’ has 30+ episode directors who are in charge of the individual episodes themselves. ‘Naruto’ Shippuden around 77 (!!).

Only when everything is decided planning-wise, then they start the process. They need someone to fill in all the details and spoken lines.

That’s the amazing work of a screenwriter. 

“Even if the work is being adapted from an original Manga or novel,”

“Modifications are almost always needed for producing the animation.” 

Of course, a scene needs to be filled as blocks of narratives are missing between panels or even rewritten in order to produce an episode. In the case of 'Naruto' entire fight scenes needed to be choreographed. Dialogue needed to be added in order to compose an entire episode out of a few panels. Entire Seasons of Filler arcs exist. Who do you think wrote all that?

These people:

This is relevant because it means that more than 30 people are involved in the process of 'storying content' based on their own judgement of the original Manga. If you ever wondered why some episodes are very much in favor of one narrative and seemingly against the same one in another- this is why as well.

"Can you kill me calmly(/softly)? Sasuke.."

Some things didn't make it into the Anime. Other things changed that modify the context a bit like having the other Shinobi help Naruto during the War by animating all those hands. Or have Naruto show regret after "dying" because he promised Jiraiya he would become Hokage. That changes a lot because in actuality he didn't mind dying with Sasuke, that was his choice. Having him show regret in front of Sasuke would make Sasuke feel guilt, (that's what some people thought) as if he was blaming him for it. That wasn't the case at all, yet, if you haven't read the Manga I can see why you'd think that as it gets brought up in conversation. They completely missed the mark in my opinion. And well, Sasuke's entire confession.. it would've explained a lot for Anime watchers. During VotE2, Sasuke's emotions were dulled compared to the Manga as well as in the panels, he was shouting while punching Naruto.

Then of course there are certain scenes that were glorified and characters which background stories are completely made up. And yet, those episodes are marked as 'Manga Canon' (when it should be 'Mixed Canon/Filler'.)

Which is fine, the point is that the Anime is created by an enormous team. Even the slightest modification changes the narrative and it is inevitable as so much script is added or at points, lost. But arguing for Canon based off of a list is completely pointless for these reasons.

Currently as I write this, 197 - 222 from Shippuden are all marked as 'Manga Canon' except for 213 (Mixed Canon/Filler) and I don't think it was that way(?), which is perfect because I want to talk about that one and 212.

The story at this point is Sakura running after Sasuke and Kiba told her where he is. She knocks out her comrades whom she asked for help, leaves them to die in the middle of a path in enemy territory so she can go after Sasuke herself and thinks she can kill him with a useless poisoned kunai even though he is immune to it. (Confirmed by Kakashi.) Now, please take note of the image that the OP called 'lovers' is painting ↩

Ah yes the love-triangle. Except, no one is paying Sakura any attention. The OP/ED’s have their own directors btw.

In this arc, both Naruto and Sakura set their own resolve in how they are handling their current situation and decide what to do in regard to Sasuke. More importantly how they feel about it. The Anime decided to split up their decision-making into two episodes in order to show you the contrast deliberately. 212 'Sakura's Resolve' (Manga Canon?) for Sakura, and 213 'Lost Bonds' (Mixed Canon/Filler'?) for Naruto.

First, Sakura deceived, hurt and manipulated (yes, she did, your meta's defending this don't make sense) the people around her so she could run off on her own. Naruto sneaked off without Yamato knowing, although he got annoyed, his little white lie saying he "slept" didn't hurt anyone. In fact, if he wasn't on time Sakura would've died. They both got 2 panels in the Manga running towards the bridge where Sasuke is.

In the Anime however majority of ep 212 shows Sakura running while we hear her thoughts about the matter. The same for Naruto in ep 213 although he is in despair while lying in bed first which is prolonged too.

They add scenes of Sakura as a child where she tells other kids, including Ino that she picked Sasuke to be her crush. For Naruto it is scenes of him picking Sasuke to be his rival.

We see a ton of "Team" 7 flashbacks while we hear their thoughts. Sakura asks herself when she fell in love with Sasuke, that being teammates didn’t change her, how she was “so hopelessly in love with the cool Sasuke..” as we see some scenes of her staring at him:

.. yada, yada..

As for Naruto, he says the reason he picked Sasuke to be his rival is because he was so different from himself (as Sasuke was so good at everything at the time and Naruto wasn’t) he wanted to become like Sasuke. (He confessed this in Canon.) Naruto explains that Sasuke was always one step ahead of him and that the reason why he trained so hard was because he wanted to catch up to him. He’s his strength. (Do you see where this is going? Do you already notice the insane contrast with the previous episode and how it feels?) Instead of Sakura's shallow thoughts and selfish love they show Sasuke acknowledging Naruto which is also Canon (Chunin Exam). Something he realized he wanted since Chapter 3.

“It was the first time Sasuke acknowledged me as an equal.” he says.  

Then, in Sakura's episode she reflects upon how she never gave a thought to who Sasuke really was “behind that pensive face” and when she realized “the shadow he carried” it was too late. Thus, Sakura gives up on Sasuke. (But that is Canon.) She also goes on about Naruto knowing more than her and her trying to catch up with them but that Sasuke isn’t Sasuke anymore. Her thoughts here, although not in the Manga word for word in the same Chapter, still match Canon. She doesn't know anything about Sasuke and Kishimoto has her confess this again after the war, that all she could do was cry.

Naruto’s thoughts, confessions are actually also in the Manga and he repeats them later in the scene which is under the bridge both in the Manga and the Anime.

Naruto reflects upon what he knows and came to learn. Then Sai is shown (who’s character is used also to help readers/viewers answer questions about Kishimoto’s version of “bonds”), as he says that both Naruto and Sakura must have a reason to pursue Sasuke so desperately even though he doesn’t understand it all that clearly yet. Because he doesn't. This to emphasize the point of the episodes.

While Sakura had set her resolve to kill Sasuke by herself, Naruto is still in despair about the entire situation and previous events. He mulls over his bond with Sasuke (this extension of the pining isn’t in the Manga) while we see some more flashbacks (Retrieval Arc, Canon). He accepts that at the time he didn’t understand Sasuke as he thinks over his words during VotE1 while they show scenes that are in the Manga:

We get to see more flashbacks from characters who press Naruto about his bond with Sasuke as they all tell him to give up on him. As they tell him to focus on his goals to become Hokage which can't include Sasuke and that he's a fool that should become wiser if he wants to survive as a Ninja. As not only the whole world gives up on Sasuke and Naruto's faith in Sasuke, even Sakura who supposedly loves him so much says that he's is too far beyond their reach... Yet she comes to realize after Naruto’s speech under the bridge that it is only Naruto that is able to reach Sasuke, that only Naruto never gave up on him and that her resolve to kill Sasuke in comparison to Naruto who wants to bear Sasuke's hatred and die with him.. is not only weak- they made it pretty clear how irrelevant she is to him. As she says herself: She's the one not able to reach him, but Naruto can. And she said this before 'Sasuke's retrieval Arc' too.

Conclusion:

Naruto already said he'd rather be a fool his whole life.

So, the Anime tells it slightly differently than the Manga, neither episodes are entirely 'Manga Canon' and don't follow the original structure. However it is all based on Canon, so how would you judge this? There is a reason why I bring this up.

It would almost be impossible for an Anime to be completely 'Manga Canon' because your Anime would be really short yet what you can do is be genuine and stay true to the narrative. Which is what happened here. So why is everyone simply accepting how every episode is marked by a random person anyway? Why are some episodes marked differently when it's the same? That list is biased as hell.

For that reason I'm very selective about episodes being Canon or not. Some scenes within an episode are, some aren't.. But in the end every episode despite Fillers up until Shippuden ep 479 the message didn't change. Hinata and Sakura still were ignored in the end and dudebro's ran to the internet to complain about Naruto and Sasuke's fixation on each other. And so for me it doesn't really matter much.

And also, I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I wouldn't mind a Naruto remake. If they could do it well at least and follow the Manga completely without so many flashbacks and leave out all the fillers? Make it like the bingewatch-Anime's like they make these days? It's just that I don't have a lot of faith in it. But if they could with a non-bias director? (At least one that understands the Manga well.) I'd love to see it.

MOVIES

For the same reasons I don’t consider the movies Canon. Not even if Kishimoto worked on them. So many people work on these movies even at the planning stage alone and then hundreds including the animation, voice acting, production and music... Plastering Kishimoto’s name on it and saying “he worked on it” doesn’t really say much tbf.

The only exception is ‘Boruto the Movie’ (if you count that in the first place), because Kishimoto was very vocal about it being his personal project. He did not only write the story, but also did the screenplay. (!) Which is very different from vaguely saying "..he was involved in the writing." And it shows because the ‘Boruto’ Anime, with their weird shipping-agenda, re-did the scenes to make them look less gay. Which is insulting tbh. 

And no, 'the Last' is not Canon, Genjutsu my ass.

We all know why it was made and if you go back to the meaning of ‘Canon’ (“material derived from the original source that matches the same narrative”) that’s not it. Genjutsu worked on Naruto before he could control Kurama's Chakra. Explain to me why Kurama, whom had a perfect partnership built with Naruto at the end of the series, hated Naruto all of a sudden and refused to break him out of that lame guilt trip other than stupid plot-reasons and you may have a point. I'll wait.

DATABOOKS

Vague, includes subjective commentary by staff and are highly inconsistent. I guess they’re fun to use when discussing powerscaling between characters. You can quickly check a character's Chakra nature or profile which is useful. For things like that I guess they can be helpful.

For other data though.. why not use the Manga? All the data is in there already. While it is true that the books use the Manga as a source and it is nice to know their birthdays, the commentary includes words that literally don’t make sense. Temari can “blow away the Universe” (subjective) and Sakura sees Naruto as “a troublesome guy that courts her insistently but only wants the best for him and never doubted him.” (wrong) Hinata is described as a “pure white lily whose feelings of love reach towards the future in place of her resolve” (my god). There is a reason why people use these Databooks so insistently while ignoring the Manga. It is glorified and untrue. 

Therefore, sure they may be fun to have (I guess) because they’re meant to show you a summarized overview of a character through spiced up vocabulary like they’re selling them to you, but that’s why Databooks can’t be Canon. 

INTERVIEWS

You have years worth of story and a little interview is what should invalidate or support that entirely? Everyone has their own bias/characters after all. Characters that Kishimoto openly mocks. Kishimoto's earlier interviews seem very genuine and he goes in-depth about his story and how he’s thinking about ending it too. As early as 2006.

He leaves little stories about his life in-between Manga Chapters and they're enjoyable to read. Some interviews are also in his art-books. But around the time they started to press him about ships in the middle of Shippuden? He stumbles around words, says contradicting things, constantly mentions feeling pressured and starts hiding. I think it is clear why this happened. But that's why I try not to use them in arguments because it is easy to counter his words with his own damn words said in another interview :')!

I do use his interviews when it comes to his art-form/writing because I, as an aspiring writer, love to take inspiration from him. But no, interviews are not Canon as Kishimoto himself, has been too contradicting. Which is why I don’t use them if possible, not even in SNS’s favor. 

Of course, this applies to VA's etc- too.

NOVELS

None of the novels from the Naruto franchise (though maybe Itachi Shinden? Not sure) are truly made to add something new that was in character. Truthfully I haven’t read them all but novels are non-Canon. Yes, no matter what label they give them in order to fool you into getting interested in its dumb sequel. This never used to be a question in the first place. Not like this anyway. The only fandom that is questioning this is.. *drumroll please* the Naruto/SS/Boruto-fandom. Wow, I wonder why. Are you surprised? Are you questioning this? Ok. Google something vaguely like "are novels canon?" and see what comes up. Ikr? And you didn't even mention 'Naruto'. And I know, I'm sure there are plenty of people saying the novels are Canon nowadays, hence this post. And hence the changes in the Filler-lists.

There is one I have read in its entirety though, the one that made that all happen, which author (mostly known for the Retsuden series) made sure to note it is in fact, NON-Canon.

And this is probably the only thing I'll agree on with Esaka.

These aren't Esaka’s only tweets claiming the novels to be her own. As in: singular. Or her own interpretation/story/not an extension of the original Manga. What people don’t understand is that plastering Kishimoto’s name on a novel as “by Masashi Kishimoto” is a marketing ploy because it sells well. It makes 'Boruto' and in this case a ship that has no development more legit despite still having no development.

It makes us talk about it more. Joke's on me. I'm aware thanks.

Because they know that people do care about things being Canon even if people make posts about them not caring about things being Canon or not. Wdym oxymoron. Showing off the Mangaka's name means the story (the original Manga) is by Kishimoto not the story within the novel but they don’t have to specify that on a cover. Why? Because they CO-OWN the licensing. They hired Esaka who got into 'Naruto' only a year before writing her fantasy novel. He didn’t sit next to her to write her trash garbage (anti-)fanfic. (Spoiler). Why is that so hard to understand? 

Check WSJ, 27th issue if you must, “she (Esaka) returns” after having written Sasuke Shinden and Kakashi Retsuden. 

These novels are simply made to create more income for the company and the quickest way to do so is by picking a target audience and satiate their needs. Kishimoto mentioned he had no clue how to get SS together as Sasuke only has rejected her and had no reason to love her (Canon) and so they hire a SS-shipper to write that story.

"So?" I hear you say. "He couldn't think of anything, so they hire someone else, what's the big deal."

Oh. glad you asked. Well for one, we already had 'Gaiden' where Kishimoto made the dynamic between the characters as adults pretty clear. Secondly, this novel was a response to 'Gaiden' and went directly against the entire narrative including the original source almost as if to debunk what was already there. Like she was saying that Kishimoto was wrong about everything and that her ship is sailing strong regardless while taking his scenes AND dialogue used between Naruto and Sasuke but then using them for SS. This, because Esaka seemed a little bitter about it. So therefore already, 'Retsuden' can't be Canon no matter what. Thirdly, she is a well-known Naruto and Hinata hater who openly likes tweets mocking them and supports the idea that Naruto is a third wheel who is not really that important to Sasuke. Engaging in such (anti-)fandom behavior as a "professional author" hired by the franchise and holding quite the influence for your sub-fandom is just disrespectful. She agrees with fans who beg for official smut novels and art from her and Kishimoto and I just don't think she should is all. (This, and don't laugh, is also marketing research, she can, if the company can profit from it, actually make it happen. Because it already did with the adaptations. But doing so with this type of behavior, doesn't mean the narrative-change is Canon.)

Also, Kishimoto drew the cover but didn't even design it himself. He got the assignment by email. That's how much he was involved. Kenji Takahashi from the design company ‘Terra Engine’ is in charge of the designs and JJ-books interviewed them about it in 2019. (S)

I might one day make a short summary of a long post I made about Retsuden because that one is a mess. I don't encourage you to read it. I do have to say, if you think Sasuke with 2 arms, or Avatar-filter screenshots are bad, from what I've seen, those adaptations are 1000000x better than the novel 😂💀 and that's saying a lot.

Anyway I talked enough. 🌷

#naruto analysis #naruto canon #canon talk #episode 212 #episode 213 #I hope I answered all the anon asks about canon in this #can't possibly have made this longer anyway 💀 #should I add more disclaimers and warnings #or nah #nah #just don't read if it is a topic that bothers you much I guess #also I don't like retsuden #hope that helps

[opia-tarot]

Hello 👋🏽 I adore the way you write posts, could you please create one on Pluto Conjunct Ascendant, I truly appreciate it thank you🖤

Hiya! Aw thank you, i appreciate it!🖤🖤

pluto conjunct ascendant

This aspect is what i would name the intense reactions aspect. These are the people who garner attention for simply existing. Now considering the conjunction is the most potent aspect, they don’t always get positive reactions from people. People feel strongly about them and this can be confusing. They have a very intense energy about them and it evokes this sense of uprooting towards other people, basically people feel sort of analysed or exposed. They usually have a natural sex appeal. They either love or hate this. They are persuasive. They have a natural understanding of people, they know what makes people tick. When i post my ascendant theory post this will make more sense, but anyway these people are drawn to intense experiences. They don’t want shallow connections or shallow experiences, they want to feel the tangibility of intensity. They want it all. Now pluto conjunct asc also means pluto is opposite their descendant. If they’re perhaps avoiding too much intensity in their lives, it’s almost like fighting something beyond their control. They have seemed to attract, from early childhood, intense experiences and people. Honestly, power struggles could have been a theme in childhood among other things i won’t mention. If not this, then they could experience power struggles in romantic relationships or friendships. They can feel like they are trying to establish their individuality within the constraints of power struggles. It’s a recurring theme. They can attract overly possessive individuals or people who want to sort of own them in an obscure way. They are resilient and because of this they seem to have to climb bigger obstacles than other people. But they always keep pushing. They’re fighters. They are like onions. No i’m not going to quote shrek😭. But their exterior can give off a potent magnetism or a hard shell. When you peel those layers oof let me tell you. These people are so interesting to me. These are the people who usually have a hobby you wouldn’t expect. They are researchers, detectives. Please don’t bother lying to them. They can spot it so easily. They usually have some sort of intensity within their appearance. They can be drawn to topics regarding human function, such as psychology.

They like to learn. They’re obsessive when something interests them because they like to have a deep understanding of people and things. They can easily get lost in their thoughts. You’ll catch them staring in the distance thinking about their latest interest. They like to people watch, they like to stare. They can sometimes feel left behind within their own existence, like they’re waiting for the big moment where they find their place. They sometimes struggle to fit in because they matured from a young age and they always have seemed to have a more advanced or perhaps intense perspective. While other people take face value, they peel the face and look underneath. They usually have a moral system they stick to, not religious per say, but definitely beliefs of some sort. These people can easily explore the occult, they find it interesting. I think this is because the occult explores the complexities of existence, and the border beyond black and white, tiptoeing more to the grey. You already know i need to mention this. Their eyes. Their eyes are so intense, almost like they can severe your facade. Their stare makes people squirm. I don’t know how to explain it exactly, but these people have this sort of magnetism about them. It’s like bees to honey. I can’t really resist it. And let’s face it, these people can’t be ignored. When they harness their intensity and their differences, they can make a big impact and make a big difference. Once they exit survival mode and focus on how they can navigate their unique traits, they can bulldoze their way to success. These people are intelligent, deep beyond simple reiteration, understanding, resilient and observant. They are what is necessary in society to encourage perseverance and to actually believe in change. They can influence people so easily. We need pluto conjunct ascendant people to show us it’s possible to have such multi faceted capabilities even when struggling against adversity.

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