#suhmayzooka

[caffernnn]

One thing that made free interesting to me was that from episode 1 it's like the opposite of a classic sports anime. the protagonist DOESN'T want to be in a sports anime and everyone else around him is trying to make him become one. like this was the central conflict of s2 (and i thought the resolution of s2 was kinda weak but overall better than FS2 by miles lol). after s2 all of haru's struggle and identity and conflict goes away and is focused on competitive swimming, training to compete, etc and haru's fully into it. it felt like a lot of the interpersonal relationships and inner conflicts took a backseat to the sport, rather than being the center of the story with the sport as the vehicle to convey it... imo by making free more like a typical sports anime where the main goal is to win (? I guess?) a lot of what made fr special in the first place (the characters and their relationships) fell flat

Yeah I completely get that! Part of the appeal is that from the start it feels like a story about wanting to be understood and connect with others genuinely/deeply, and season one hops in when the main group has lost any sense of that because of a complicated past with a sport. It’s interesting because we aren’t given a cast of jocks already deep into a “ball is life, sport is life” hyperfocus, we are given a group of guys (some best friends, some old friends, some soon-to-be friends, some ex-friends) and are asked to watch them rediscover what once made them all drawn to swimming together, and redefine what swimming can mean to them now, as an act of sportsmanship and deep connection. It didn’t have to be swimming, it didn’t have to be a sport, but there had to be something to bring them all together to challenge and inspire and support each other, and it all beautifully happened to come together in a pool because of their own individual connections/experiences with water and the memories of love/passion (of all sorts) connected to it. You get invested because you see from day one that Haru doesn’t want all perceptions of him to be tied to how efficiently or beautifully he swims, and you keep sticking around because all of the characters start to come forward with all of the things that make them unique, eventually informing their teamwork in and out of the pool. That’s why I’m here, at least — I got entranced by the characters and their connections with each other.

When the story starts to shift its focus with the conclusion of S2 with Haru coming to the decision to go to Tokyo and try out the competitive world, it feels weird because all of the concerns that kept him from putting all of his eggs in that basket from the get go seem to get sidelined. He had real fears and concerns when it came to planning a future around swimming, because he knew from experience that you don’t survive that world on athletic prowess alone. You have to have a certain level of grit, of perseverance, and of secure support so that you don’t fall apart immediately. When he chooses Tokyo, I didn’t want to think of that as an abandonment of all of these past fears (and still lingering fears, as we know now), but like… a chance to tell a new story? How he’s willing to give this all a chance because there’s some plan or confidence in figuring out a plan. That he’s working on communicating with his friends more, checking in with each other to not drown alone in all of the new changes happening between them all. That he’s taking a moment to discover more about himself outside of swimming, still finding moments where he can to be a person outside of being an athlete, because it’s largely on him to ground himself with memories and people to create a work/life balance. Y’know, all of the stuff that gets put into post-ES and university au fics, and that showed up a liiiittle bit in s3.

That’s the hard part with Final Stroke, I think. You keep giving over faith to the story because Haru’s frustrated and earnest insistence to take on the world and keep his important bonds close at hand is alluring. The premise of Haru hearing Ikuya call him a hero, having to sit with that knowledge of how many of his friends look up to him (or once looked up to him) in that way, and now grappling with “oh, I chose a dream where I’m going to still have eyes looking up at me, every move I make influencing way more than just me” — that’s fascinating if handled with care! Does he still want to be an ordinary person, and what does it mean to be an ordinary person, really? How much of himself and his core values is he willing to examine, redefine, compromise, and/or let go in pursuit of this dream? Does he know he’s allowed to still change his dream? I was willing to head out the FS storyline, especially when it showed signs of “yeah, Haru’s going tf through it just like what a lot of y’all worried about happening” for the slim (but still present) chance that they’d entertain any of the previous questions. If you’re gonna show Haru, a person who has been steadily becoming more in tune with his convictions and what he wants out of life, get lost in tunnel vision and fall to pieces, you better be prepared to show me the lengths this guy and his core supports are willing to go to to create a new steady routine for this utter creature of habit. If you’re going to frame the story in a way that tries to push this dream being something he truly wants, then convince me.

The strongest parts by the end of the story are the domestic bits of camaraderie almost completely removed from the relay or competitions. Hell, there’s even more charm in the rehab and practices with Makoto and Nao, because they’re still goofing around with everyone and actively showing why their friendships are freakin magic. Those are the moments that make you believe that something awesome is happening by the time they’re in a pool together and making their dramatic proclamations of swimming for their bonds, and you let yourself get lost in the performance of it all. And that’s the thing!! I want to get lost in the friendship sauce and enjoy this movie!! I want it to feel like even if it’s not perfect or conclusive, it’s a send off that honors character progression in a semi-satisfying way. I want to spend time smiling about it in the aftermath and then creating to expand on joy. Currently, I’m operating on a mix of love and spite, and I’m understanding people’s draw to creating fix-it fics. I’ve spent days sitting and chewing on my opinion because I couldn’t bring myself to be comfortable with saying I was critical of it beyond a few conversations, but the time spent coming up with reasons to like it and convince myself that if I keep turning scenes from different angles and squinting that it’ll all make sense I think speaks for itself.

Like, I still want to talk about it and explore what can be said about the characters and their connections with the crumbs we were given. I came to the blorbo end-of-semester dance recital and I want to politely clap at the routine for their sake. I’m just not completely sold right now on what we were given without implanting a lot of outside assumptions and prior character knowledge/analyses in there to fill the holes.

#you get it #fs2 #final stroke spoilers #also it’s hard being a Makoto enjoyer when he was backstage for so much of this leg of Haru’s story #which YEAH WE CAN YELL ABOUT THAT SOON #I just. hmm. they reeled me back into blorbo spamming out of spite #we’ll get through this. canon isn’t invited to the next brunch with the fr! moots #thanks for sending!! #suhmayzooka

[crouton-knight]

for the wip grab bag: anything about devilfish please 🤲🤲🤲 👀👀👀 (i'm sure you've already received asks about it sjjsjsj)

YEEHAW HERE WE GO

Beyond this one I've received zero asks so thank you for being the first!

grab bag meme

Snippet below the cut

"Of course." He lied. He looked up at her but wouldn't meet her eyes. "Thank you."

Marina smiled, sad and resigned, and Remthalas was sure she knew. She pressed her knuckles between his brows, muttered another blessing, and turned to leave.

#fun fact the forehead blessing is a filipino thing #dragonfable #my writing #fanfic #wip grab bag #remthalas #asks #suhmayzooka #small spoiler for devilfish

[makoandharu]

i also love reading your posts, i could not believe what the fuck went on in FS2. i watched it and immediately went to complain on twitter in pure shock. who did this what was the purpose ? keep on hating it's keeping me sane

Honestly I'm so glad to have the fandom and the fact we all stuck together, it's the only thing that's kept me here honestly like I was so disheartened by the movie immediately after i was like bruh do i even like these characters anymore (and do i even like makoharu lol like maybe Makoto does deserve better lmao) but bc everyone's been on same page where we're all just sad about how awful it was, the comradery has been nice and made me kinda remember that i can just ignore this shit bc before it everything WAS good and i do like these characters

And so glad to have all my moots esp y'all are great as per usual

#ask #suhmayzooka #<3

[gallopinggallifreyans]

ASDKJAHDLKASJHD god i wonder.... and it wasn't one of those "DNI if you're racist/a terf" ones either (which i think are.. useless but whatever ashdlajsd who'll be like 'oop i guess i'm too racist to interact!') it was a fandom DNI...whatever you can imagine that's what it said and. just. like first of all why would you connect your fandom DNI carrd thing to your school discord we're adults. second of all. i guess this is a free pass not to interact with an annoying person. if i found out my classmate liked irredeemable fiction i would not care but idk i guess some people might demand you get expelled SAKJHDLKAJSHDLKAS

That’s WILD that ppl would connect fandom carrds to school discord……the confidence? Nay, the inability to maintain a healthy distinction between personal and professional lives.

#suhmayzooka #ana says stuff #this is so wild if I ever saw someone’s fandom carrd on a SCHOOL ACCOUNT #I would go nuts and not talk to them

[purenguyening]

26 for the weird asks!

26. how’s your spice tolerance?

Honestly, I don't know. I would describe it as wildly inconsistent:

I usually garnish rice with Siracha fairly regularly and there are days where I simply do not register the spice at all, and there are days where my brain is like, oh hey there’s is spice in this! 

Vietnamese cuisine isn’t really renowned for its spice but I feel like I could eat jalapeños and Thai chili peppers in something like in a sandwich or a dipping sauce but on its own, probably not. I definitely can’t handle the level of like a Trinidad Scorpion Pepper or Carolina Reaper Pepper (and neither can my gut). 

I guess in conclusion it’s about average, but whether or not I register it is debatable, ahaha...

weirdly specific and unrelated asks to know someone well

#suhmayzooka #asks #thanks for asking!

[7yd1a]

24 and/or 25 for the fandom ask game ^^

Thank you for the ask! 24. how has fandom positively impacted your life? I think fandoms really helped me figure out the whole asexual thing and the nonbinary thing! It's also a lot easier to have your pronouns respected in a game or in online communities. i've made great friends through fandom, too, and fandom (df in particular!) is probably my biggest inspiration for my art and writing!

25. a piece of advice for taking care of yourself in fandom spaces: Protect your peace. Fandom's not that serious. Don't like don't read. Block tags, block people, leave toxic discord servers, etc.

#fandom #:D #asks #thank you suhmayzooka!

[benbamboozled]

I promised @suhmayzooka a Tentatodd moodboard after they read Brothers In Blood! So. Here it is!

#jason todd #tentatodd #moodboard #aesthetic #little a body horror as a treat

[leeyubins]

RULES: When you get this you have to put 5 songs you actually listen to, then tag 10 people!!

I was tagged by @church-of-siyeon, thanks so much! I'll pick non-Dreamcatcher songs just to show some variety :P

Athletic Girl - H1-KEY

Cheeky - EL7Z UP

Somehow - DIA

Love O'Clock - WJSN

Panic Cord - Gabrielle Aplin

Tagging: @lionettscourage @dreamiesiyeon @kpoplover-101 @deukaezip @moon-nighttt @paradiselostsstuff @suhmayzooka @evenyourbreath @moni-byul @vivliotheca

#hannah's rambles #:D

[spinnerofink]

OPHELIAC ERA 2022#5387

@suhmayzooka / @hexgh0ul / @luthwhore & everyone else , that's my discord

#My Tumblr dms aren't working ughhhhhh #<3

[shenyaanigans]

Tagged by: @chidorinnnnn

Tagging: most of my moots were tagged already, but! @ciaran, @aboredprocrastinator, @caffernnn, @suhmayzooka, @alexclaain, @futuresoon, @relationshipcrimes, and anybody else who feels like it ehehe. <3

The rules: Choose one, both or none of the following tropes! bold means i like; underline, bold, italics mean i LOVE.

slow burn or love at first sight // fake dating or secret dating // enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers // oh no there’s only one bed or long-distance correspondence // hurt-comfort or amnesia // fantasy au or modern au // mutual pining or domestic bliss // canon-compliant or fix-it // reincarnation or character death // one-shot or multi-chapter // kid fic or road trip fic // arranged marriage or accidental marriage // high school romance or middle-aged romance // time travel or isolated together // neighbors or roommates // sci-fi au or magic au // body swap or gender bend // angst or crack // apocalyptic or mundane

#kat chats #i ended up picking a lot of them LOL #it's just that i rly enjoy lots of tropes done well #all can be good!!!!!! #but some are REALLY good #some really butter my bread #thank u for the tag!!!! <3 <3

[spiritofwhitefire]

I was tagged by @vreenak, thank you so much!

last song i listened to: Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men. That band is so underrated

currently watching: Rings of Power and I feel insane

currently reading: Light Bringer by Pierce Brown and tbh.... Idk I feel like this series has sort of gotten away from him, that happens when series go on too long

current obsession: Adar from Rings of Power, someone save me

if you want to do it (chosen by: I got notes from you recently): @hyena-frog@tradingjackbs@poore-choice-of-words @suhmayzooka @lecter-lioncourt

[caffernnn]

character bingo: hmmm i was going to say makoto but i feel like that's immediately full bingo.

sousuke!

(oh worm I can’t be normal about Makoto)

SOUSUKE

So I’m not one of the big ssk girlies, but so many people I talk to and follow are big ssk and sourin fans to the point where I know he’d be a Very Dear Blorbo™️ if I looked him in the eye for more than 5 minutes. Liiiike I enjoy how he comes off in a lot of fan interpretations enough to know that on a proper canon rewatch I’d be SUNK, ykwim?

What a guy. Holding him and the other green giants so tenderly. Rewatching while actually paying attention to him (instead of having iwatobi tunnel vision 🏃🏻) would have me falling for him but also wanting more details about his shoulder injury and recovery. Also just… more of him and Haru standing next to each other and getting pissed off about how similar they are. Peak comedy to me 👍🏻

#could’ve gotten a bingo in that fourth row tbh #if I look at him head-on for a few episodes I could probably come back with a bingo chdjdjxj #thanks for sending <3 #ask games #suhmayzooka

[fanadinitic]

Current Fave Songs;

Was tagged by @sammystark​ to post my five current favourite songs, thanks!! *:･ﾟ✧

Tagging: @mothsgaywings @motorcycle-emptiness @witchbabywigg @cold-blooded-bandit​ @suhmayzooka​ and/or any of my other dearest mutuals, pls ignore it if you want tho khehehe

Blue Stahli - The Fall

Three Days Grace - I Am The Weapon

Steve Aoki, grandson, Jasiah - KULT

Alice Cooper - Paranormal

Muse - Supermassive Black Hole

#thanks again for the tag #i really like futureproof and life eternal too! #i checked the others too #they're all very good #my fav 5 always change but this week these were the ones i enjoyed the most!

[makoandharu]

look what you've done. you recommended the sun that didn't set too many times and inspired kyoani

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo @pampilemoon recommend it to me it's not my faulttttttttttt 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

#ask #suhmayzooka

[gallopinggallifreyans]

LITERALLY THESE TAGS like in terms of 1950 white housewife i feel so out of place but i've been looking into getting more desi fashion (i had like...i think a blue lehenga as a kid and now have one single kaftan) and i feel like thatd be my Peak Femme none of this thin waifish blonde girl stuff askjdhlaksjdak

THE SCANDAL I TELL YOU. I like 1950s fashion but definitely not as “peak femininity”. Peak femininity is going to the devil’s sacrament and sucking some Satan dick.

#let’s wear saris #suhmayzooka #ana says stuff

[mestizashinrin]

10 for the spotify wrapped ask!

ohhhh thank you so much for the ask 💜

The song is Undulation by Soushi Sakiyama

It's the ending of the anime 2.43 seiin high school volleyball boy's club. The song is wonderful and the opening of the anime is awesome too. I think you'll like it ;) if you give it a chance, tell me :3

Here the link:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3WcLxnWX9JXQjT5idrcQA2?si=zTDSw3uUSauZum2jUEyFyw&utm_source=copy-link&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A37i9dQZF1EUMDoJuT8yJsl

#spotify #suhmayzooka #thanks again for the ask ✨💜 #2.43 #2.43 anime