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bigskydreaming · 4 years

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I'm having a worse than usual day, so my go to moodlift method is making up headcanons for Dick that don't involve superheroing. You know, the romantic hero, the 'most eligible bachelor' aspect.. gets the focus. Because hey plenty of us had a crush on him growing up. Just for fun, I wanna ask you, do you think he's a slow burn romance kinda guy or intense fiery passionate romance from the get go kinda guy? One more, the age old question, is HE an ass guy or a tiddy guy? Imo he's a thigh guy..

Sorry you’re having a crap day, and uh, hope this didn’t end up not fun, I got lost in the headcanoning and character analysis and zigged and zagged per usual, so……I do not trust my ability to tell, overall. LMAO. But good question, made me think!

I think it depends on the person. I feel like Dick is capable of both, that sometimes feelings just creep up on him for someone over time, but other times he’s just drawn to someone instantly. For me, Babs and Kory is the proof - the instant crush on Babs from day one is more of a Reboot introduction to their dynamic…..in various older continuities, she was more a rival at first. Even as he advocated for Bruce to help train her and not stop her from being Batgirl at sometimes, he still very much was competitive with her, that sort of thing. You could argue it was the schoolboy kinda crush, that idea of a boy pulling the pigtails of a girl he likes because he doesn’t know how to admit he likes her or even realizes himself that he does. But personally, I find that explanation doesn’t really fit Dick, as its more fitting to someone who lacked his early maturity.

The thing is, a lot of people tend to focus on some of Dick’s more immature behaviors and actions, as a grown man and back when he was Robin with the puns and seeming innocence, and just see it as innocence and immaturity…..but I’ve always seen it as a coping mechanism. Dick grew up fast at a very early age, as much as Bruce himself did - they just coped with it in very different ways. People emphasize that Bruce took him in partly to keep Dick from turning out like he did, but they often forget at the same time that Bruce also took Dick in because he empathized with him, saw himself and his own tragedy reflected in Dick’s. Life-altering events had already happened to Dick before he ever set foot in Wayne Manor…..and Dick was altered. He was painfully aware of how cruel life could be, how serious things were, before Bruce ever actually had any ability to halt that realization from ever touching Dick.

The difference between Bruce and Dick and how they turned out, is that with Bruce’s support in those early years, Dick willfully clung to as much of his childhood as was left to him, even if at times it was the ‘fake it until you make it’ mentality. Many of his more immature behaviors are IMO a spiteful defiance of life’s attempt to make him grow up before he should have had to….and Bruce encouraged these things, IMO. He gave Dick the support and shelter, the buffer that allowed Dick to act immature even in the face of gravely serious and dark issues, because quite frankly, Dick cracking puns even while they were face to face with a life-threatening danger is probably a healthier coping mechanism than any Bruce had at the same age, at least in Bruce’s eyes if nothing else.

But my point is, Dick’s youthful optimism and cheeriness even in the darkest parts of growing up Robin in Gotham City….none of that existed because Dick was truly childish and immature as befitted his actual age, thanks to Bruce taking him in and guiding him to turn out better than he did or whatever that line of thought might look like…..rather, it existed because Dick made the willful and deliberate choice to act as much the child as he could for as long as he could…..and I think that in the early years when things were really good between them and they were largely on the same page, Bruce recognized this choice for what it was, this defiance to the cards life had dealt Dick, and he encouraged and defended Dick’s ability to make this choice and act this way.

But you can’t see the kind of things all the Robins saw and actually be as immature and goofy as Dick acted as Robin, untouched by all of that. Dick was right there in the thick of it all along. How can you avoid being touched by Gotham’s darkness, seeing Gotham’s darkness, when you’re punching it right in the face, you know? You can’t. But what you can do, if you choose to, and which is what Dick chose to do….is not give it the satisfaction of knowing it touched you. The real testament of how mature Dick was or not as a young crime-fighting Robin, how aware he was or not of the grim realities of life, was not in how he acted when face to face with villains and criminals, but rather, how he acted when face to face with their victims. THAT’S where the reality of Dick’s maturity shined through, even LONG before he met Barbara in any canon.

Which is how this tangent brings us back to topic, lol….a schoolboy crush being the explanation for some of Dick’s earlier pettiness with Barbara and their rivalry at times, like, just doesn’t track with Dick’s actual maturity, IMO. The actual more likely explanation as I see it is that Dick did genuinely clash with her at times, in the very early years, that his initial attitudes were a confused mish-mash of feeling threatened by her and her possibly getting between him and Bruce, the partnership that was in all but name his unique form of father-son bonding time….but also at the same time still being Dick Grayson and feeling compelled to do the right thing and respect and thus defend her being given the same chance and training he’d been given, to do what they both felt needed doing, that they were driven to do.

So I don’t think he and Babs were instant friends, and I don’t think she was his instant crush….I think it was slowburn with her, he gradually grew to develop feelings for her over time, as his respect for her mind and capabilities grew to outweigh whatever conflicting emotions he felt about her being around, and then eventually blossomed into actual love.

Then in contrast, you have Kory. And I think Dick was instantly attracted to her from the get-go, and their relationship was the very epitome of intense passionate romance and all the ups and downs that go along with it, as befits too of the most primal and passionate people in the DC universe. Dick was drawn to her pretty much from day one, and Kory was as well, and it wasn’t an opposites attract thing so much as two beings resonating on the same wavelength, even if at times from different parts of the same spectrum.

Because here’s the thing about Dick that I think links the two kinds of relationships and makes them both fitting for him…..he is very much a creature of instincts. He goes with his gut, he responds to things on an automatic and visceral level. But at the same time, the other truth about Dick is that his mind is no less exceptional than anyone else’s in the Batfamily, and his instincts are guided by a hell of a lot more intellect and processing power than most peoples’ are. He’s been trained from the time he could walk, even long before he met Bruce, to have exceptional situational awareness, to adapt to changes in his environment and predicaments with a moment’s notice, to take in every possible relevant detail at a glance when the stakes are literally those of leaping off a high trapeze. Dick trusts his instincts, because Dick’s instincts are exceptional, and with reason.

And this applies to every part of his life, not just the superhero parts. So when Dick feels drawn to someone like Kory, I think he trusts his gut and goes with it….he might not necessarily even know yet on a conscious level why he’s attracted to them and they’re someone he could really fall for and have a relationship with, he just knows that he does feel that way, and trusts that its for a reason. And then at the same time, with someone like Barbara, he likely had those same instincts about her, leading to the times he defends her to Bruce even though he might have clashed with her just minutes before, but he knows there’s a reason for him to do that, act that way, even if it takes much longer for that to transition from a mere possibility of actual compatibility to conscious feelings of actual attraction and love.

Its all instinct to him either way….but the person he’s instinctively reacting to has the definitive role in whether or not its slowburn or instant passionate attraction….because the other deep truth about him that I feel is relevant here is that Dick feeds off other people, their energy, what they show him and give him to work with….and his instinct is usually to meet them in kind, give the same energy back, unless say, he makes the conscious decision to override his instincts and power through an antagonistic reception and try and forge a positive bond, like with building his sibling dynamic and mentorship of Damian.

But in regards to his romances, as I said, I think the same instincts might be in play with both Barbara and Kory, but it played out very differently because Babs wasn’t initially drawn to him, not in that way at least. She wasn’t putting forth a romantic energy, and so it took awhile for Dick’s own romantic feelings to emerge and for them to finally be reciprocated in time. In contrast, it was hot and fiery from day one with Kory, because Kory was drawn to him from day one as much as Dick was to her, so there was nothing to slow down or stop those instincts from transforming into attraction and romantic feelings from the second he felt them.

As to the rest of your ask, lololol, sorry to be a cop out, but I don’t think there is a specific physical draw for Dick. I’ve always headcanoned him as bi, which is a bit of projection on my part, sure, but also I just genuinely don’t think gender or even physicality at all has anything to do with what draws to a person, or makes him attracted to them. Yeah, sure, I think he absolutely has physical attributes he loves and might put forth as their best attribute for any partner he’s with, but I think its different with each person because Dick is all about individuality….not just with himself and his own independence, but just….people aren’t interchangeable for him. At any level, I think.

Every person who’s important to him is uniquely distinct in his mind, and I think with his romantic partners, this results in him liking something distinct about them physically, that separates them in his mind from any other partners he’s had. Because I don’t think its physical appearance that’s Dick’s primary source of attraction with his partners….he’s attracted to them first, and then he settles on something physical that’s uniquely attractive to him as well, that’s different in his mind from anyone else.

Because I think the thing that draws Dick to people in all forms of his relationships, but is particularly true and evident in his romantic partners…..is Dick is both drawn and attracted to competence, skill, power, intellect….all the things that make someone hardy. Durable. A survivor in the context of the world of superheroics that he lives in, specifically.

He’s drawn to people he feels he’s less likely to lose. And he’s attracted to people that this is equally true of, and even moreso, to the degree where he doesn’t feel any need to protect them….not because he doesn’t want to, but because it isn’t relevant. He feels and trusts that they’re more than capable of protecting themselves just as well if not better than he ever could.

And he knows better than anyone that nothing’s a guarantee, and even as he surrounds himself with family and friends and romantic partners that all have in common the fact that they’re incredibly skilled, capable and powerful…enduring…..he still knows that doesn’t mean he can’t lose them, that he won’t lose them. And thus IMO they all wind up in distinct categories in his mind.

His family, he’d kill for. His friends, he’d die for. And his romantic partners, the thing that makes him attracted to them, rather than just drawn to them, are those that he has no doubt would kick his ass for ever presuming to do either of those things for them, because they’re more than capable of taking care of themselves, thanks ever so much. He’s attracted to people he feels safe around, in the sense that he’s not always on guard, always worried about losing them, because he trusts in their ability to endure, survive, and thrive. And that he also can relax around, in the sense that he’s not always feeling like its on him to protect them, defend them, that he has to be always to be on guard or watching out for…because its not his job to protect them and it doesn’t have to be, because there’s nothing he can do for them that they can’t do for themselves and wouldn’t prefer to be left to them. And thus with them he can just…be.

Dick Grayson IMO is attracted to one type of person and one type only: his equals in body, mind and spirit. The ones he can stand beside and not feel dwarfed by or lost in their shadow, and at the same time never have to look back to make sure they’re following him because he knows they’re right there next to him keeping up. He’s attracted to those who challenge him, intellectually, emotionally, that he respects on every level, but who respect him on every level too…..with this part being especially key, and the problem he’s had in his canon relationships - they ONLY fall apart on his end of things, make him lose faith in the relationship, when he feels disrespected, that they’re not valuing him or his capabilities or contributions.

Dick KNOWS his own worth, which is why he’s such a unique blend of confidence and insecurity….he can weather a whole society of people looking down on him because he knows their opinion doesn’t mean shit to him, but still be stricken with insecurity when he feels someone whose opinion he DOES value, like a romantic partner, family or friend, seems to question his worth or what he’s capable of.

Dick and Kory are my preferred canon relationship because when they’re ALLOWED to work without editorial mandate to break them up or keep them apart, they embody this most fully for me. Because Kory is massively more powerful than Dick, but never regarded Dick as anything other than her equal in the field in spite of that. There was no question that they both regarded each other as fellow warrior spirits that they trusted to have their back in battle above all others. Kory and Dick work so well for me, because with everything else I said kept in mind, they SHOULDN’T work, not as total equals, and yet they DO. There SHOULD be a power imbalance there, and yet there never was. Not one that was felt, anyway, and not one that was ever in any way responsible for any of their romantic problems. Their issues were disagreements born of competing ideologies….but that both felt equally strongly about. Or issues of trust but only that were externally imposed by brainwashing and shapeshifting and bad shitty writing and editorial mandate that I’ll be ranting about on my deathbed.

BUT I DIGRESS.

Anyway, enough rhapsodizing about Dick and Kory, lol, like that’s anything new. I mean, I could insert rhapsodizing about the potential for Dick and Kyle based on all of the above and other reasons, but that’s nothing new either. And also, whoops, this got super fucking long.

OH UNKNOWABLE UNIVERSE, WHO COULD HAVE FORESEEN SUCH A THING.

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velmautism · 4 years

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Why Do People Kiss Under the Mistletoe?

Velma Dinkley couldn't quite grasp romance. From what she understood, ever since being young, it was one man and one woman who felt a deep emotional bond and kissed a lot.

Honestly, it was a really weird thought.

She never felt like exchanging saliva would be fun.

She also questioned certain traditions. Why was a poisonous berry chosen to kiss under?

She had her first kiss when she was 15 years old.

And it wasn't under the mistletoe.

Daphne had invited her to a party alongside Fred and Shaggy, as well as several other various friends of hers.

After they'd worn out the adults, the group of rambunctious high school freshmen were alone, so naturally someone had the brilliant idea of playing Spin the Bottle.

Velma found herself incredibly anxious before they began. It felt strange and awkward.

She didn't remember much about the game, not until Fred spun and landed on her.

Well, if I have to, she thought, at least he's safe.

He had seemed shy about it, but they awkwardly scooted together and gave each other a peck on the lips.

Some of the girls weren't thrilled she kissed Fred, but they really had no competition from her. She wasn't interested in Fred, not romantically. Thank goodness, he felt the same way.

They never really brought it up again after that, seeing as it wasn't an incredibly memorable experience, despite it technically being Velma's first kiss.

Fred occasionally teased her and she'd poke fun back, but both were more than happy seeing as they both knew it was purely platonic banter.

She didn't care for romance as much, at least not until she had entered her senior year of high school. As people started getting into relationships, she found herself single.

Was it wrong to be single?

Problem is, she had noticed the way people tried to chew the same piece of gum and shuddered in revulsion, imagining some guy's tongue in her mouth.

She usually opted to just remain in the computer lab and do homework. With her frequent visits, she became introduced to the resident computer genius: Eric Staufer.

They talked a lot and became close friends. Before long, students were speculating that they were dating. It was sort of to be expected.

Yet, they'd never considered it.

At least, not until Velma had had enough of the rumors. One day after school, she coyly pushed him against a wall before her lips captured his.

It was strange, because they weren't doing the things other people were interested in.

They were simply there, in the computer lab, pressing their lips together awkwardly.

Afterwards, Velma apologized.

"What for?"

"I don't... I don't feel anything for you. I thought kissing you would help, but..."

"Oh, no! I'm actually glad you feel the same way! No offense."

"None taken." Velma scratched the back of her head, flushing mildly pink.

"You're a really sweet guy, Eric. I'm sorry, again."

"What do you say we just act like it was a chemistry experiment that just didn't react? Seems like something we can both respect without embarrassing the other."

Velma chuckled and shook his outstretched hand.

"You've got yourself a deal, Staufer."

The rest of her year was romantically uneventful, but she and Eric occasionally exchanged knowing and playful smirks in the science lab.

She considered herself lucky that he hadn't felt any "spark" either. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him.

She felt some sort of something the next time she kissed someone.

Daphne had a get-together to celebrate Velma's 21st birthday, and she had already been tipsy when some genius suggested that they play Spin the Bottle for old times' sake.

Most of the group was compromised of girls, so it was suggested that if a girl spun and got another girl, she'd redo it.

Daphne's friend Amelia went first. She kissed Daniel, then Daniel spun and landed on Jenna. On and on the cycle went. Jenna spun to Regina, then re-spun and landed on Miles.

When Jay had spun the bottle, it stopped while facing Velma.

As the girls told her to spin again, she surprised everyone by standing up.

"I'm not afraid to kiss a girl," she announced.

Jay held out her hand. Velma hesitated, then took it. She pulled Velma to her feet, then proceeded to cup her face in her hands and kiss her.

Velma found herself clinging tightly to the other woman's hands, almost never wanting to be let go.

It was warm and comfortable and she tasted of Midori, and her skin was so incredibly soft...

Jay then playfully dipped Velma suavely before they stopped.

Before the dip, there'd only been smatters of awkward chuckles. With Jay's move, people were laughing again.

As soon as it was over, Velma was completely stunned.

She blamed her subsequent pass-out on the alcohol, despite only being a little tipsy.

She forced herself to stop seeking relationships with people she knew, lest she drive them away. If she was being honest, she still couldn't even formulate an idea of interest in a man.

However, a chance encounter came about one night when she met her chosen celebrity crush: Ben Ravencroft.

Naturally, she was thrilled to meet the horror writer. Her excitement developed into an odd infatuation for him, one she couldn't quite place.

Maybe she was really crushing on him.

After all, she hadn't felt this way with a guy before.

He made her heart run laps in her rib cage and she consistently found herself transfixed by his eyes, or his lightly accented words.

While solving the mystery, the group split up. Daphne and Fred tailed that Hex Girl, Shaggy and Scooby followed the mayor, and Velma and Ben went to investigate a warehouse.

It had been an absolute pain sneaking in, but they succeeded eventually. Velma was covered in a light layer of dust from her tumble down the tall window and Ben found himself unable to keep from laughing at the strands of hay in her hair.

Once they'd closed the door behind them, it was eerily dark and quiet. While looking around, he suddenly bent down and cupped her face in his hands.

She kissed back without hesitation this time, but there was something strange about it.

The faint impression of embers lingered in the back of her mind, and he managed to taste like a concept, of deception.

From there, she'd worriedly pushed away.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," she lied as she tried to keep her head from spinning, her stomach from churning.

He reached for her face again and kissed her, but she remained stiff and unresponsive.

It didn't feel good, he was rough and mildly demanding. When she gave nothing in return, he pressed her for answers.

He didn't say anything beyond that, although he tried, a few times, to kiss her again, both in and outside of the warehouse. He even did so when the mystery was wrapped up, in thanks for clearing Sarah's name.

Her friends had seemed quite surprised.

She felt that way, too.

A quick peck on the cheek here and there, a tilted jaw leading to their lips meeting again...

She could tell he was trying to soften up on her, but he still left traces of poison on her each time they kissed.

She still felt nothing more than the presence of danger creeping up on her.

I don't understand, I'm feeling something for him, I've always been! Is this... Is this feeling a romantic spark? If it is... I don't know if I want this.

Then they'd found out his true intentions as soon as Sarah's book was found.

He'd taken pleasure in taunting her when he had his powers, and took whatever opportunity he could to torment her.

Every grab of her wrist, the single kiss he pressed to her lips before tossing her to the ground and surrounding her with fire, all of it burned like before, but much worse.

He even attempted to sway her to his side.

The truth was, she no longer cared for him in any sense. She then pretended, without difficulty, that she was torn between stopping him and helping him.

If he could play with her feelings like that, she'd play with his.

It was fairly easily, actually.

She felt no remorse when he and Sarah burned inside of that spellbook.

Her friends seemed to think she was upset over him, but she didn't give one shit about him, or the romance he'd pushed onto her.

For once, she was glad to feel nothing whatsoever.

She was afraid to tell anyone that, however, for fear they'd think something was wrong with her. She felt that way strongly enough on her own.

Later, that Christmas, she was standing by herself in a corner of the room.

It was a reunion between old friends they knew in high school. Even Eric was there, and he teased her over mistletoe.

It felt overly romantic, as usual, but there was no audible spinning bottles.

She was glad for that.

Otherwise, the party was warm and happy, a lovely respite from their mystery solving.

She held a glass of red wine which she was occasionally sipping at. Her thoughts were already fuzzy, and she didn't want to get drunk drunk.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed someone approaching her.

She smiled slightly at Jay, the girl she'd kissed on her 21st birthday.

Occasionally, the memory raced through her head. It still brought shivers down her spine, but... They were pleasant shivers.

"Hey, Velma."

"Hey, Jay. Nice party, isn't it?"

"Oh, definitely." Jay took a quick drink of whatever was in her travel mug. "Want a taste? I put some peppermint schnapps in some hot cocoa and I personally love it."

"No, thank you. I appreciate it, but I'm worried enough about getting drunk as it is."

"Afraid someone might get bored and use their empty beer bottle for something?"

Velma laughed along with her.

"That is a factor, I won't lie."

"Hey, can I actually tell you something? Well, I'll ask a question first."

"Mhm?"

"Well... When we kissed a few years ago... I didn't make you uncomfortable, did I? I've always felt bad about it, especially after you passed out."

"I'll be honest, a lot was happening at that moment. But... Honestly, no. I wasn't uncomfortable. I've kissed much worse people."

Jay laughed.

"I'll try not to take offense."

Velma's chest was warm, and she wasn't quite sure what factors were contributing to that.

Jay started walking, gently drawing Velma out of the corner she had retreated to.

"I'm glad, though. Can I tell you something, now that I've asked my question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Well... I have a confession, and I feel comfortable telling you."

Velma wasn't quite expecting the next words out of her mouth.

"I'm gay."

Velma nodded, unsure of whether to take it casually, ask questions, or congratulate her.

"...And, I'm okay with you knowing, partly because I've lost some inhibitions by being tipsy, and partly because... Well, I've had a major crush on you since senior year."

Velma raised her eyebrows, really unsure of how to react.

Her pulse was rapid, and her mouth felt dry.

"I only told you, too, in the knowledge that I didn't hurt you back then. Does... Well, does this change anything?"

Velma shook her head.

"Thank you for trusting me... I'm just not sure what to say."

"Don't worry about it. Now, absolutely no pressure if you don't want to, but..." Jay pointed above them, at a sprig of mistletoe.

Velma didn't back away upon seeing it.

"I'll be honest, I've never understood the tradition of mistletoe. Mistletoe is actually poisonous, and the origins of its name roughly translates to 'dung twig.' I personally don't understand why anyone would-!"

She was cut off by a pair of hands holding her face, and then a pair of soft and mildly familiar lips on hers.

She immediately sank into it happily.

There was a faint lingering taste of peppermint coming from Jay that Velma picked up on. Must have been the schnapps. Jay was right, it was a good combination.

Jay was truly a lovely woman, Velma thought. Her skin was always so soft to the touch, and she was always warm and pleasant. This time around, the touch on her face was welcome and felt right, in some way.

Jay didn't taste of disaster or deception. She merely managed to hint at friendship, or whatever this was turning into.

Her eyes were a deep sparkling brown and while neither opened theirs, Velma could clearly picture them. The same went for the dimples that graced her smile.

Her heart was fluttering again, but this time it didn't feel as though it'd hammer out of her chest from anxiety.

It felt...

It feels right!

After a moment of bliss in her new eye-opening discovery, Velma finally understood why people kissed under the mistletoe.

#scooby doo #velma dinkley #my fanfic stuff #scooby doo fanfiction #my fanfiction #fanfiction

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mesaylormoon · 6 years

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Film and Fluff Blogging: A Review of Call Me By Your Name

With the plight of the LGBTQ community being as significant as it is today, Call Me By Your Name is certainly an appreciable film. Although many films with gay characters and stories have been released in recent years, few of them have offered the subtlety, tone, and artistic merit of Call Me By Your Name. In addition to this, the romance in this picture suggests something sweet, heartfelt, intimate. While all of this holds true to an extent, I unfortunately found the film to be unmemorable and lacking in the elements needed to make it more impactful and moving.

Call Me By Your Name recounts the love shared between Elio, a musical prodigy living with his father in Italy, and Oliver, an American doctorate student interning for Elio’s father. Although they originally annoy each other, the two share their interests in the academics and the arts, eventually forming a bond precious and deep. Both only have a limited amount of time to grow closer, however, as Oliver is only able to stay with Elio in Italy for one summer.

Despite the film’s affectionate portrayal of Elio and Oliver’s relationship, the two lack the chemistry and personal interactions necessary to make their bond truly amarous. The couple do share a great deal of conversations, commonalities, and moments of closeness; however, they are not fully realized due to the performances of Armie Hammer and Timothee Chamalet.

Hammer and Chamalet possess the same acting deficits: both our leads appear cold and disinterested on camera, deliver their lines in detached and monotonous manners, and display little to no emotional range in their facial expressions until later in the film. Although Oliver can be clearly defined by his love of humor, athletics, intelligence, and attentiveness as a lover, all of these traits are not properly communicated because, again, of Hammer’s minimum immersion in the role. Elio’s character suffers in a similar way. He is curious, timid, a playboy, and fascinated by Oliver, but Chamalet’s performance does not carry enough substance to make Elio more sympathetic. But these issues are, fortunately, remedied in the film when Elio and Oliver share their closer moments.

As Call Me By Your Name progresses into the second and third acts, Elio and Oliver are not only allowed to grow closer, they are allowed to share more tender, intimate scenes. Not only do these provide more insight into Elio and Oliver’s characters and their feelings toward one another, Hammer and Chamalet are able to truly humanize the people they personify. In any scene Elio and Oliver draw nearer to each other, the expressions and exchanges they share are alive, charged with passion and love. Every gaze is deep and full of longing. Every touch and caress is filled with gentleness, care, and serves as an encouragement for the other to come closer. Every kiss is full of emotion and excitement, and these emotions can be felt by anyone watching. All of this culminates in the redemption of the actors and main characters, and results in a deeper relationship to be seen by audience members. However, because most of the romance seems more believably derived from physicality and not more personal interactions (e.g., the sharing of emotions, identification with another’s problems, conversations of likes and dislikes, etc.), the main characters’ relationship suffers greatly and feels less real. This holds true of any romantic relationship in film, be it between heterosexual or homosexual characters. If physical interactions are the only quality that appear to make the romance genuine, it won’t feel as deep nor heartfelt. The relationship is ironically weakened by its greatest strength, and this does damage the weight of the more sorrowful moments the two have near the end of the film.

The pacing of the film is incredibly slow—more so than any film I have seen in quite some time. This, of course, benefits the story by setting a tone that allows the romance between Elio and Oliver to blossom in the time and feel necessary, but the length at which Call Me By Your Name runs is unnecessarily long. Most relationships in film, independent or not, can easily develop a connection between characters in an hour or two. This film is given a full half-hour longer than most, and the extra time does not help to add much of value to the piece. Because the bond of Elio and Oliver is firmly established and is built upon in a reasonable amount of time, it leaves for far too much screen time to be left to conversations between supporting characters, scenic shots, and interactions between the main characters. While none of these elements detract much from the quality of the film, they don’t quite feel as necessary, and this results in what could be considered a boring experience for viewers. But that is just one person’s opinion. Perhaps this slow pace and peacefulness can only help to build character relationships more, as they might in similar films.

The cinematography is of particular notablitity in Call Me By Your Name. Not only is the environment of the film scenic and beautiful, the naturalistic and urban shots create a peaceful and nostalgic feeling among viewers that would be pleasant and welcomed by all. The scenes in which Elio and Oliver ride their bikes together, or simply talk with one another, are especially aesthetic, with the camera either panning across a tree-lined, sun-filled countryside, or holding still on an environment of aging buildings, bustling city life, and cobblestone streets. Visually, the film is a marvel, and certainly contains some of the best examples of camerawork in 2017 cinema.

The soundtrack of Call Me By Your Name is also quite beautiful. The classical and quieter sound of the score sets a tone befitting of the subject matter and romance of the film, and develops a backdrop full of grace and serenity for Elio and Oliver’s interactions and intimate scenes. Whether they’re speaking with each other in private or enjoying time with locals/friends, it is certainly pleasant to listen to, and suits the artistic merit of the film.

The last noteworthy element of Call Me By Your Name can be found in the ending. It allows the audience to witness Elio’s relationship with his father becoming more developed, and it imparts a sense of heartbreaking reality for anyone needing to say goodbye to a friend or lover. Upon Oliver’s return home, Elio’s father comforts his son with the reminder of how beautiful his relationship with Oliver was. He contends that, although it is disappointing to have to let go of a person or bond with someone, that does not mean that what was created is meant to be forgotten—only to be cherished. Elio’s father then ends with an encouragement to his son to live as he wishes, before he finds himself regretting not having seen a pleasant life. This message holds value for people universally. Saying goodbye to anything or anyone precious and dear is one of the most difficult realities for anyone to face. However, that doesn’t detract from the beauty of the relationship a person had with another, nor does it disallow people from forming new connections with others. There is sorrow in saying goodbye, but there is joy that can be found in looking to the future. I certainly find this lamentation to be one of the moving and inclusive moments in the film, and it can be appreciated by everyone who hears and sees it.

Despite the better elements of Call Me By Your Name, I still found it to be quite disappointing and boring. Although the visuals are stunning, the score is beautiful, and the romance has its genuine and tender moments, the stylistic components of the film ultimately outweigh and define the quality of this cinematic piece. I certainly understand why people enjoy this film, but the underdevelopment of the relationships, characters, and interactions, do limit it from being everything its meant to be. But that may not be your experience. I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t seen Call Me By Your Name to see what it has in store; the amount of care this film is made with is apparent, and can certainly be appreciated by many, many filmgoers. You may even find yourself connecting with Call Me By Your Name in a way you weren’t expecting.

#call me by your name #call me by your name review #timothee chalamet #armie hammer #2017 films #independent films #lgbt movies #lgbtq

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reconditarmonia · 3 years

Text

Dear Rule 63 Author

Hi! Thank you for writing for me! I’m reconditarmonia here and on AO3. I have anon messaging off, but, er, I can answer any questions you might have about my requests in my mod capacity if you contact the exchange email ;).

Fullmetal Alchemist | Machineries of Empire | Moby Dick | Spinning Silver | Wolf 359

General likes:

– Relationships that aren’t built on romance or attraction. They can be romantic or sexual as well, but my favorite ships are all ones where it would still be interesting or compelling if the romantic component never materialized.

– Loyalty kink! Trust, affectionate or loving use of titles, gestures of loyalty, replacing one’s situational or ethical judgment with someone else’s, risking oneself (physically or otherwise) for someone else, not doing so on their orders. Can be commander-subordinate or comrades-in-arms.

– Heists, or other stories where there’s a lot of planning and then we see how the plan goes.

– Femslash, complicated or intense relationships between women, and female-centric gen. Women doing “male” stuff (possibly while crossdressing).

– Stories whose emotional climax or resolution isn’t the sex scene, if there is one.

– Uniforms/costumes/clothing.

– Stories, history, and performance. What gets told and how, what doesn’t get told or written down, behavior in a society where everyone’s consuming media and aware of its tropes, how people create their personas and script their own lines.

Smut Likes: clothing, uniforms, sexual tension, breasts, manual sex, cunnilingus, grinding, informal d/s elements, intensity.

General DNW: rape/dubcon, torture, other creative gore; unrequested AUs, including “same setting, different rules” AUs such as soulmates/soulbonds; PWP; food sex; embarrassment; focus on pregnancy; Christmas/Christian themes; infidelity; unrequested polyamory; focus on unrequested canon or non-canon ships; unrequested trans versions of characters; swapping female characters to male; unequal levels of investment in the relationship (including concerns about same that turn out to be unwarranted), or the idea of a character accepting something they're unhappy with as the most they're going to get.

A note: if we matched on an / ship, I generally don't require you to include a kiss, sex, or overt romantic language if you feel that you'd have to shoehorn it in. I'll trust that you wrote it with shippy intent.

About Rule 63 Exchange specifically: I have no strong preference for character names, with a slight preference for sticking with their canon names; it’s up to you whether you want to justify any resulting names that would be unusual for women or just gloss over it. As far as characters’ personalities and gender expression are concerned, I tend to want to see them as similar to their canon selves, just female. I’m probably fine with unrequested characters also being swapped to female, but feel free to check if you’re not sure. I don't expect, nor particularly want, a big deal made over characters' strong gender identity qua identity as female or whatnot.

It's a little confusing to tell with the AO3 interface, but I've requested General Audiences on everything, and additionally Explicit on FMA, Machineries, and Wolf 359.

—

Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist

Ship(s): F!Roy Mustang/Riza Hawkeye

I love Roy and Riza's loyalty kink in canon so very much, so...what if they were lesbians

There are definitely some worldbuilding-y places this could go - the Amestrian military obviously has female soldiers in it, but not as many as male, especially at the higher echelons, apparently, and we don't see any female State Alchemists; does Roy's status as a powerful alchemist also vault her into a position of command and influence that most women, barring Olivier, don't get to? With regard specifically to how their relationship is different worldbuilding-wise, some kind of document or documents (newspaper, history book) or other outsider perspective on President Mustang and her decades-long professional relationship with Riza Hawkeye, so close they even live together/travel together/entertain guests together, neither of them ever married, that sort of thing? Is Roy's obfuscating public image in this AU still about going with a lot of women, or are they men? (butch or otherwise known lesbian Roy is great, but also not necessary)

But I'd be equally happy to see a fic that didn't deal with that, and that was just canon dynamics but more so and with lesbians. I love their trust and competence and stoically hidden but very very intense feelings, the willingness to risk oneself or the other person, or to stake a lot on the other person’s competence (and willingness to hurt or sacrifice the other person because their shared cause says it’s right, too, all the times that comes up), the fighting together in tandem. Is there a dangerous mission (or intelligence-collecting situation) where their deep familiarity/trust/awareness of each other’s presence and fighting style and communication come into play (god, that bit in canon where Hawkeye shoots two guys right over Mustang’s shoulder), or where they worry about each other’s safety? I love the "protect my back" exchange so, so much (I'm particularly interested in fics set during a time when that is already part of their relationship history, rather than fics set in Ishval or shortly after, and I am not really interested in fics set when they were children or young adults at all) and the way that, eventually, ends up playing out with regard to Envy. I love the intimacy of their work relationship and personal history, on levels from casual to very intense, and would love it with sexual tension in how they notice and appreciate each other’s physicality and presence and competence (hands??? muscles?) Pining up to 11, or resolved sexual tension? (I would prefer Riza as dom if you write a d/s take on this.)

Fandom-Specific DNW: framing of the Ishvalan genocide as a bad situation that happened to the Amestrian characters; canon-typical loss of body parts.

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Fandom: Machineries of Empire

Ship(s): F!Shuos Jedao/Ajewen Cheris; F!Shuos Jedao & Ajewen Cheris

I know sound like a broken record throughout this signup, but I love Cheris and Jedao’s friendship and loyalty kink (“Now and forever, I’m your gun” and the kneeling! aaahhh!) and, you know, what if that, but also Jedao were a hot woman.

I don’t have a lot of specific plot prompts - just a general interest in intense feelings, “codependency” as understood by fandom, loyalty and trust holding up under strain, deferring to someone’s competence or sense of ethics even though you don’t know how it will turn out, making difficult choices, verbal or nonverbal displays of loyalty like the kneeling and swearing and the WHOLE KEL GLOVE THING. I’d be excited to read something set during the Ninefox timeframe when Jedao is in Cheris’s head, but I think I would be most interested in something set post-Glass Cannon when oh my god, they were roommates telepathically bonded, after all the plot events that create that strong Jedao->Cheris loyalty. Jedao’s canonical kinks are *thumbs up* (I’ve requested general audiences fic as well as explicit, so it’s also fine if they don’t come up or if they’re referred to but not, er, acted out onscreen).

Fandom-Specific DNW: I’m aware that there’s a lot of torture and dubcon in canon. I don’t mind if you mention that they exist but I’d like to reiterate that I absolutely do not want any onscreen, or any details of torture even mentioned. DNW (explicitly) male Kujen or Ruo in this AU; if you don’t feel like swapping them to women I would rather they not be mentioned.

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Fandom: Moby Dick

Ship(s): F!Captain Ahab & None; F!Captain Ahab & F!Pequod Crew; F!Ishmael/F!Queequeg

I'd love to know more about these female sailor(s) and what drives them. A female Ishmael might still decide to sign on to a ship whenever she gets the blues, but it'd be socially fairly different, mightn't it? (Worldbuilding-wise, I'd be more interested in a world where sailing and whaling are still typically male things as in our world, even if you make them a little less exclusively male, than an egalitarian or matriarchal world; something that women might do, without necessarily disguising themselves as men, but a GNC thing to do.) Would her already diverging from the "expected" female path in this regard affect her reception of Queequeg as someone who's an outsider to Nantucket society, and the intimacy she offers? What does she still find outlandish? As for Queequeg herself, is her life a typical female life for her home culture, or not?

As for Ahab - just imagine this fanatic, tragic, vengeful character as a woman - with the willpower not only to do all the things canonical male Ahab does but also in a society where women aren't really supposed to sail or kill or lead! Is she the odd one out in an otherwise male crew, or are there more women in the crew by the time she's captain? Was she already a whaler when she lost the leg or, in this AU, did this drive her to become one?

—

Fandom: Spinning Silver

Ship(s): Miryem Mandelstam/F!Staryk Lord

I love Miryem, and I’m so interested in the ways that making the Staryk Lord a woman would change Miryem’s entry into the Staryk world and the romance that eventually develops between them. Maybe same-sex marriage is common among the Staryk, and that’s one of the customs that are new and unfamiliar to Miryem in this new world. Would this be a Miryem who had never imagined being attracted to a woman before but comes to fall for the Staryk Lady, or one who simply couldn’t have imagined being able to marry one and have that be a normal life? (For values of “normal” that include ice lands and gold magic!) How does the fact of the marriage being same-sex affect Miryem’s initial understanding of it as a business arrangement, or for that matter, affect her understanding of the offer of queenship as a marriage at all? What makes them fall for each other?

Canon Miryem wonders what her role as queen is, thinking that she’d know about managing a household and having children and sewing if she were married to a human lord - is it the same if she has a fairy wife instead of a fairy husband, more so because there’s not even the hope of a gendered complementarian aspect to fall back on, less so because the Staryk Lady is there as an example of what a female monarch in the Staryk lands does? Does Miryem try to be more like her, or to find her own accounting-powers-and-personal-bonds niche?

It’s so important to canon Miryem to have a Jewish wedding with the Staryk Lord - what would that look like here? What happens when she comes back to the human world not only the queen of a magic country, but married to a woman (and in love with her, depending on when you set it)?

—

Fandom: Wolf 359

Ship(s): F!Daniel Jacobi/F!Warren Kepler, F!Daniel Jacobi/F!Warren Kepler/Alana Maxwell

My new fandom this year! The SI-5 trio are my favorites, and I'm absolutely wild about the way they openly value and prioritize and trust each other over everyone else who's nominally on the same side. So much of the Kepler/Jacobi dynamic goes directly to my id almost from their first introduction (of Jacobi as Kepler's "good right hand"!) to Jacobi trusting Kepler with his life and following whatever orders Kepler gives and getting angry about Kepler treating him like one of them, not to mention the weird d/s vibes. But I also love their dynamic with Maxwell, not only Jacobi's devoted friendship for her but also the trust and respect Kepler has for her and vice versa (I love the conversation they have about fixing Hera, and the whole episode where Kepler has Jacobi blow up the door to save Maxwell, at the risk of the whole ship because Maxwell is that valuable and Jacobi is that good, and "maybe you were my friend but the Colonel and Daniel were family"). So...f/f? I'd love to see them on some sort of mission or in the aftermath of some sort of mission where that mutual loyalty, even as fucked-up as it can get, comes into play, with Jacobi, Kepler, and Maxwell deferring to one another's judgment and/or orders, protecting each other or deciding when they can risk each other for the sake of the mission, sorting themselves out after... Or just some d/s-y sex, possessiveness etc. Anything really about how they're the only people to each other.

I suppose I envision Jacobi and Kepler fairly similar to their canon versions presentation-wise, which would make them somewhat gender non-conforming as women - there's possibly something interesting there with whatever flavor of performative masculinity canon Kepler has going on - but honestly I haven't particularly given much thought to how they might be different as women, other than that I would find it hot and enjoy a three-way relationship with Maxwell (if that is what we matched on/what you're interested in - I'd be just as happy with Kepler/Jacobi and Maxwell just a friend) more than I would with their canon versions.

Fandom-Specific DNW: role reversal or "subbing to let go/relax" Kepler

—

#dear author letters

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pettyotome · 7 years

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Mystic Messenger Another Story: V Route Review

Spoilers undercut. Proceed with caution. :)

Okay! So I freaking loved just about everything in this route. It’s incredibly story packed with SO MUCH NEW CONTENT that was totally worth 300 HG. From the talented voice acting, new twists, and getting to know the characters-- Cheritz does not disappoint with this one! Don’t get me wrong, this route wasn’t perfect. There were a few things that fell below my expectations, but overall this route was wonderfully written and I’m replaying this shit after this review.

Prologue: So the introduction for this was very unique, same concept, but with a creative twist. When Unknown messages you for the first time, it actually feels like he’s breaking the fourth wall-- but technically he isn’t. I’ll get to that in a bit! He basically tells you to download the app under the pretense that you’ll be playing a dating sim-- but none of the character’s we’ve known up until this point are real. The MC in this route thinks they are AIs. Unknown’s characterization in this route is so different from the main stories because he’s actually much more tolerable. It honestly feels like they’re not the same person, I didn’t even care for Saeran up until this route so I really liked spending a lot of this route with him.

Common Route: Day’s 1-4 are just heaven and hell all mixed together, on one hand you’re trying to make the game branch for V’s route so that you can get a happy ending, but on another hand-- Saeran, known as “Ray” takes you to this place to go play the game, and he is being such a huge sweetheart. I just wondered WHY would Cheritz make Ray act this was knowing that we’re supposed to pursue V!! It broke my heart bc I love the both of them. Through these days, you can see that V is the fastest one to accept you. Mostly because you dropped Rika’s name but still. V hopes the best from you and desperately wants you to be someone he can trust, so he starts showing up a lot more because of you, and you can also see that he sort of opens up, it’s very beautiful to see. And then there’s Ray, who gets attached to you a little too quickly here but he’s always caring about your well being. But don’t get too comfortable. Remember when I said he didn’t technically break the fourth wall earlier..? Well, as you go deeper into this route, the MC starts to feel that these characters are so real that it’s not even funny. And at the very end of the common route on day four, you start to question Ray-- your trust in him starts to waver at this point. At the very last second of his route, V shows up at Mint Eye to save you. He’s not an AI. Ray lied to you. It hurts Ray a lot to know that he’s lied to you more than it hurts the MC, depending on your choices but you’re basically torn bc V couldn’t save you from him but he swears that he’ll come back for you and LORD did this kill me.

V and Rika’s relationship: There was a big corner of the MM fandom that was reluctant to have a romantic V route because of V’s deep love for Rika-- how would Cheritz handle giving V and the MC 11 days to bond knowing that V is still recovering from an abusive relationship? Well, good news. Cheritz tackles this issue head on, no tip toeing around this situation. Days 5-10, when V comes to Mint Eye to save you, there is a scene where he is telling Rika that the two of them used to be obsessed with each other. Key word: obsessed. From the main story until now, V always thought that he loved Rika. This was one of my favorite scenes from this route because Cheritz KNEW what we wanted to be addressed while pursuing V and they delivered. And in the chats, V starts to come to the realization that he might have loved Rika at first, but then later what they had stopped being genuine and just became so unhealthy. He was blind to that at first, but then starts to see their relationship for what it really was with help from the MC.

Romance: As to be expected, this is gonna take some time. Depending on your choices as the MC, you could either throw yourself at V, show him no respect and rush him to forget about RIka and date you-- or you could aid V through his pain and understand that he’s not a bad person for not being able to fully figure out what love is. V’s been dealing with a lot of Rika’s shit for the past six months. While he DOES actually fall in love with the MC, the two don’t even get together until day 11, which is set two years after the events of V’s route. And I loved that Cheritz handled the romance between V and the MC this way.

Rika’s characterization and interactions with her: I’m the minority of the fandom that actually likes Rika. But I’m also the minority of that minority that wanted to beat her senseless for the shit she’s done. What I really liked about her in this route particularly was that you actually get to talk to her for yourself-- not through the RFA’s clouded image of her. I enjoyed reading the VN scenes where she talks to Jaehee and recruits other members in the RFA. Rika actually had some very cute moments and I lived for them! I empathized a lot with Rika about how she felt like she couldn’t show her dark side to her loved ones. Cheritz unraveled a much more detailed story of her and V’s relationship and answered the questions that were unanswered in the main story. BUT BOY DID THIS BITCH REALLY TRIED ME LIKE I WANTED TO DECK HER SO BAD BUT I FELT FOR HER PAIN. There were actually a lot of moments near the end where Rika chats with the RFA members and... man it breaks my heart to see her so hurt. And right after days 8/9, shit goes down at Mint Eye and for the first time we see that Rika actually actually does care for the people she’s manipulated and hurt-- Ray. In the main story, it seemed like she didn’t care for him that much outside of his loyalty to her and Mint Eye. But when there’s a bombing at Mint Eye and Ray seems to not have escaped-- she cries for him. She REALLY HOPED for him to find a place where he belonged and I’m really proud of Cheritz for showing us more of her emotions.

V’s development: Let me just say that you gotta be HELLA PATIENT with this man. V means well, incredibly well, but he’s always carrying the burden of his emotional abuse and the RFA on his shoulders. You learn so many new things about how he met the members, his friendship with Jumin, and you get VNs from his mothers point of view! Not only did we get a completely new story, but we have so many new Jihyun details to gush over and it’s great that we got to see VNs of V as a kid, and how that affected his relationship with Rika. Basically, I felt like V’s relationship with Rika was to prepare him for real love-- love that he would have with the MC. In the beginning V is mourning, in denial, trying to hard to sacrifice himself so that nobody gets hurt. He’s stubborn and self-less to a huge fault. But in this route, you as the MC help him to learn how to love himself and care about himself more. it gets to a point where V shuts down Rika and hopes for her happiness-- but says that it’s over. That what they had was not love. V is finally standing his ground and he’s being so much more honest with himself and with Rika. He admits that he shared some faults within the relationship too, like how he suffocated her with love rather than face her mental illness realistically. And the way he wants to protect the MC from her is literally the best thing ever. V cares about you and is genuinely interested in you, telling you that you made him feel things not even Rika gave him. It’s a slow and frustrating development but the MC is patient enough to help him get there. I just love how V cherishes you so much, to the point where Rika has noticed that V has fallen in love with you. And even V knows this himself, but as I’ve said, the romance takes a lot of time but ultimately he chooses you in the end and comes out a much better person-- following his real dreams and being happy!

Other things: Yo Yoosung pissed me the fuck off a lot in this route bc it felt like he was trying to justify the shit Rika did just because of the good girl image he has of her, and although he does come to accept that she’s beyond saving and even drags her away from drugging people at the party in the end, it was so hard not to be mad at him in this route. But he’s someone I had to be patient with too. Yoosung is a good kid and I love him but he drops her name in this route more than he did his own and THAT’S saying something. I understood that he was grieving but he was dead tryna defend a criminal and that had me all the way fucked up.

JUMINV!!!! Their friendship!!!! And the way Jumin kind of shipped you and V in the end is just the best thing ever, if anyone knows me, I’m a huge Jumin fan so seeing him accept and trust the MC and compliment her strengths had me swooning. OH AND WHEN JUMIN CHECKED RIKA IN THAT ONE CHAT ON DAY TEN, HE WAS BEING SUCH A SAVAGE I FUCKING LOVE THIS MAN. LIKE YES!!!! DEFEND YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!!

Ray deserves to be happy. Ray deserves his own route. I wanna romance this man and help him escape from the Mint Eye ideology. WHY WOULD CHERITZ MAKE A V ROUTE AND THEN HAVE RAY BE SO SWEET TO US LIKE THIS I LOVE THE BOTH OF THEM SO MUCH BUT I HATED HAVING TO HURT RAY.

Draw backs: I felt like Cheritz fell back on Rika’s backstory. When Rika tells you that she’s been bullied or that her parents didn’t love her-- I felt like Cheritz didn’t go into enough depth about it so it was hard to sympathize with vague ass stories. As a person whose been bullied and emotionally abused by my family, I felt like Rika didn’t explain enough of what happened to her and it really didn’t cut it for me. And I was also slightly disappointed that Cheritz built up Rika’s character so much only to give an anti-climatic ending where Rika is STILL up to her Mint Eye bullshit, trying to drug everyone at the party with an elixir, only to get dragged away by Yoosung. Which was probably the only good thing he did in this route if I’m being honest. I felt like we never got any answers as to what happened to Rika or Ray after the party and I hope those questions get answered in new V DLCs and After endings when Cheritz updates again. I’m also a little annoyed that 707 doesn’t find out that the hacker is actually his brother but maybe if Ray get’s a route, that would be addressed? I really hope so bc the route was so perfect up until then, bc it didn’t make sense that they never crossed paths in this route. But that’s pretty much all that bugged me.

In conclusion: Whooping Rika. JuminV. RFA shenanigans. RAY’S BLUE FLOWERS. And Jihyun Kim’s happiness!!!! This route was everything I expected it to be and so much more. It was so fucking emotional and had my heart hurting a lot for the past few days, but I’d do it all over again just to see Jihyun’s smile. Thank you, Cheritz. We truly don’t deserve such a good company.

#v route #jihyun kim #mystic messenger #mysme #mysmes #hikari talks mysmes

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danwensrandoms · 7 years

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Princess Nine a bittersweet review *spoilers- lots of them*

*Warning: spoilers ahead because I don’t think the reason why Princess Nine left so many fans feeling so mixed about it can be explained clearly without massive spoilers. I suggest only reading on if you’ve finished the series.

I don’t think any rushed nor anti-climatic ending has left such a bad taste in my mouth before. For a show that has time and time and seen it’s dorky set of female characters (of various personalities, dreams and background) grow in spirit and courage. Whether it’s Kanako standing up to her Dad; Mao finally catching that pitch with the help of Izumi (who despite being the crazy proud ‘you should do everything yourself’ believer, instigated her teammates’ growth on multiple occasions); and Ryo chasing her dream while learning more about her father and overcoming self-doubts/trust issues. Expect none of this mattered in the last leg of the show. Due to a shoed-in, cliched romantic subplot where the characters seem to act completely out of role leading the series to conclude with the team walking away with nothing, because of ‘jealous’ emotions welled inside the two aces.

Whilst it was pretty obvious that the creators wanted us to see character growth but that went out the window because of the ‘romantic’ misunderstanding that tore our two mains’ morale. Izumi and Ryo, have a far more interesting and complex relationship than the standard love triangle stock affair. Though you wouldn’t have thought that if you only watched the last third of Princess Nine. It’s almost as if when Ryo survived her touch with death - mainly thanks to Izumi bracing a rainstorm in bare feet just to call out to her ‘rival’; it wasn’t even head boy Takasugi that saved her ultimately- the two female characters had a brain wipe because they both loved the same guy (which they only seemed to remember at the most crucial moment of their baseball careers even though both knew before Izumi was even on the squad and her hating Ryo at first had nothing to do with getting jelly over Tagaboy).

I’m fine with them overcoming feelings involved in puberty and all that jazz as that’s part of coming of age. But why on Earth are viewers subjected again to a trite storyline where girls are painted as jealousy-ridden, catty-fools that ignore all previously built friendships and chasing dreams/responsibilities because of a romantic interest. There are enough stories out there already telling girls that they should be jealous and catty that even the heroines will be like this (it’s like we’re cursed to hate each other). But this time it hurts more because the entire story up until now was about girls, mums, coaches, fathers coming together to beat prejudice, to reach for dreams, to show that these girls had as much guts as the boys. Even though you have conflicts between different personalities you learn to not give up and to work towards something everyone loves unconditionally, whilst making life-long friends along the way. That’s the spirit of sports and for women’s sports, it’s especially crucial because of the lack of funding and support from organisations.

Princess Nine, for the most part, told a narrative I’ve been trying to find in animation (west or east) for a long time. For a majority of the show, I had wished nothing more than to travel back in time and tell my younger self to watch this. Because this was the inspiration I needed as a young girl. So that I would’ve the confidence to go and participate in sports at a younger age, despite self-doubt and stereotypes. Right now I’m not sure I’d 100% recommend Princess Nine to my younger self. With an ending that basically proclaimed:

“Everything you worked for becomes non-existent because even the strongest, most compassionate girls refuse to communicate their own envy despite having deep bonds. Because LUV Triangles Imma right?”

Maybe the writers really did want us to understand that saying “It’s nothing” all the time and covering up the truth will lead to an unhappy ending. Which would have worked if it wasn’t pulled out of nowhere and disregarded all previous character development and the growing relationship of the two mains (seriously there was even a bloody montage that insinuated something deeper.) The moment after Izumi blatantly lied to Ryo (a person she clearly treasures) to make her stay away from Takasugi despite her very foundation of her character was to be brutally honest, the damage was done.

I don’t think all stories should have standard happy endings but I felt that Princess Nine deserved a better ending. One that paralleled its themes, that it started out with. About overcoming loss, doubt, earning and learning trust. About the determination showcased by various female characters in the show whether they had dominating personalities or not. About passion for team sports and the desire to get more girls involved in the picture. About feminism, essentially.

It’s ironic that a show that seemed to fight the narrowed minded ‘suits’ trying to shut down the team’s progress due to ‘image’ and ‘tradition’ fall to its own prey. I don’t know if the original creators’ hands were forced to create such an ending and to include such an out of character subplot but it certainly felt like some group at the top said that if they don’t melodramatise the (badly done) romance part, it won’t sell. I hesitantly call it a romance because it tells a pretty shit love story as well, I’m pretty sure a lot of other shows did relationships better and in all honesty, Takasugi’s character is a lot more nuanced till he basically became an age old plot device for the Ultimate Downfall of the Main Female Characters tm.

I mixed heartedly recommend this show but I will say that this is the first time I’ve seen an anime speak about positive group mentality in a team of girls doing something considered especially ‘unladylike’ at the time. For their own sake, for each other’s sake and out of a love of baseball. And it did it without resorting to objectifying the girls (which is what’s popular in modern day female cast heavy anime) and without being patronising. It almost fully captured the essence of women’s sports (coming from a women’s football fan) but unfortunately, I have to hope that in the future there will be another attempt that does this to the very end. For now, I suggest that creators take influence from real world athletes. Tokyo 2020 is approaching so the dream is still alive.

And with that, I will leave it with a memorable and well-done scene from the ending. Koharu prepping the ‘wave motion swing’. A moment that embodied everything she cared about and manifested with a great home run. As unlikely as a sequel is I would love to see more of Princess Nine’s cast of characters again. Because despite all the frustration I can’t say that it hasn’t further cemented my passion for sports. I will take those feelings with me whenever I play.

#princess nine #a bittersweet anime for me #anime #women's sports #long post #i have not ranted about anime for a while #guessed it shows how invested i was in a show lol #sports anime

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thingsthatnobodycaresabout · 7 years

Text

this is something I wrote so I'd have a summary of my general situation

I don’t care about people.

I know this doesn’t sound like something out of the ordinary but in my case it is. It’s not just about not caring about the general public or people from my community, I don’t care about the people that others may consider to be my friends or even my family.

I understand the general concept of sympathy and empathy and I act as though I am feeling these emotions but it’s more of an imitation of what I think society sees as the norm than me actually experiencing it. I’m pretty good at faking emotions and most people that know me would probably describe me as friendly and polite but at the same time also as quiet and introverted. I’m pretty content with this perception that people have of me because it is something that is overall positive but still lets people know that I’m not a particularly social person. That is also the reason that I get left alone by most people that I want don’t want to be bothered by, which is exactly what I want.

It took me a while to figure out that not everyone in the world was doing the same thing as me. It didn’t appear to me that the emotions other people expressed were what they really felt on the inside and not just a set of rules that they abided by in order for our society to work peacefully. Luckily I never was very sociable, not even as a child, and didn’t tell anyone about my thoughts because I would have probably ended up in some kind of mental institution.

The act of caring for one another on an emotional level is still weird to me. From what I understand most people feel a need to be around people that they like or even love in order to be happy.

I never felt anything like that.

I’m convinced that I am unable to love. I don’t love my friends. I don’t love my family. I don’t care for them. I know that I need them to survive or I at least needed them in the early years of my life but that doesn’t mean that I liked them for what they did for me. It was more an appreciation but it also felt like it was their duty to do all those things for me.

I feel similar about my friends. They are people that I generally enjoy being around but for reasons that may seem weird to an average person.

I know that I need social bonds and at least some kind of communication with other people in order for me to not go completely insane. That is why I have friends. They are a way of keeping my brain healthy which is my overall top priority in life. They’re generally people with similar interests to mine and help me get my mind in order.

But I still only care genuinely about myself and want to get the best possible outcome for my life with the smallest amount of effort.

For that the way people see me as a person is very important because people that do not fit into the average public, have it a lot harder in life. That’s why I still keep my whole ‘feeling emotions’ act up. I get satisfaction from other people’s good opinions about myself and want them to think of me as an overall nice and normal individual.

I don’t feel any particular way about the way I am. I don’t like or dislike it. I would say that it has a lot of benefits though. Not feeling a lot of emotions helps me to keep my mental state stable and my thoughts is order.

Love is something that I can’t relate to. The closest thing to it I experience are crushes. It’s almost ridiculous how often I get them. They’re not like regular crushes though, I don’t want to be near the person and cuddle them or kiss them or stuff like that. I just find them interesting or nice to look at in a non sexual way. There are at least three boys that I have a crush on right now and it’s very hard to describe.

One weakness of mine is longer hair and even though I’m convinced that I don’t have a type two of them look very similar. Blonde, tall, blue eyed and the. best. smile. omg. Ok just to show you…this feeling is the most thing similar to emotions that I experience on a regular basis and it makes me crazy.

The other boy is different. I’ve only seen him three times total. I still remember the first time I saw him. We were very drunk. He was not sad that night but I heard the stories. I could tell that he went through some stuff.

Sadness fascinates me. I think it’s because it’s one of the most visible but often also the best hidden emotion. I haven’t experienced sadness on a deep level myself. When I was younger I often mistook my feelings of anger, disappointment or overwhelm for sadness. I don’t think they’re the same. Anger is perhaps the only real thing is feel aside from joy. Then again I haven’t really experienced any tragic events in my life at least none that I saw as such. But this misconception of mine is probably why I’m still so interested in sadnesses. oh well.

He had dark hair and was a lot taller than me and he waited for my bus with me. I hugged him. A lot. And I told him that he matters and not to be so fucking sad all the time. I do that a lot. I think it’s because helping people is something that is considered a very nice thing and it makes me look better. But yeah…he just hugged me back and I don’t even know…it was nice. But yeah. I’d never want to date him, I’m not even sure if I should see him again…I don’t even know if I want to. Every time I knew that he would be there I told myself not to talk to him. I managed once. I didn’t the last time. I got wasted. We talked for hours and i don’t remember what about. He smokes; and he does it in the most beautiful way. If you’ve never seen someone who smokes, not for show or for joy but because they simply do not care whether they live or die then you’ve never seen the beauty of cigarettes. I hate the taste. I tried a couple of times but I just don’t like them. Probably good for me but it doesn’t stop me from finding them beautiful to look at…at least if they’re smoked by the right person. He is. He’s so fucking pretty…I don’t know. I just like looking at pretty things. I thinks that’s something that all people enjoy. For me people that have something intriguing about them are pretty. Like a good taste in music, a fascination with something that I don’t know a lot about, nice hair or some dark secret they don’t want to talk about. I have a weakness for tall, sad boys that don’t care what people think and are funny and smile when I smile and whose laughs makes my stomach twitch.

I’ve known one of the blonde guys since I can remember but I only see him twice a year. The crush thing developed pretty late though. I think it was two or three years ago. He had the good taste in music. Nowadays he also has the good hair. He also played ukulele for me which was great…I don’t think about him in a romantic way though. This crush is more about me wanting to have him as a good friend because he is interesting in a lot of different ways. He thinks a lot. Like me. He also has great friends and does stuff I would love to do here but can’t. He’s spontaneous and just an overall great person. I don’t know.

The last boy is in my school. We only have a few classes together but when we do I can’t. fucking. stop. looking. at. him. He always cuts his hair when it looks the best. When it’s just the right length. When he has to get it out of his face every few minutes. I hate it when he looks at me. I can’t focus when he’s looking at me. It’s like he looks through my eyes. Like he pays attention to everything I do. Like he looks inside my head to see what I’m thinking. And his smile is….really great. He does it a lot but it’s contagious. Just like his laugh…he’s very funny.

Everything he does looks beautiful. Even the way he eats his sandwiches. It’s fucking stupid. He always eats them with just one hand. I guess most guys do. I just only noticed it with him. I like his nose. It’s just the tiniest bit too big. It’s adorable. I have PE with him this year. It’s my last year of school. I have a feeling that if we had seen each other more often things would be different. I don’t know in which way. I would never want to do anything with him though. Other than looking at him. He’s too pretty for me not to look.

Well.

This is the only thing I think is kind of a normal reaction to things that I experience. Aesthetic crushes.

I’ve never experienced any form of attraction except aesthetic. I’ve never wanted to be with anyone sexually. Romantically I think I have. Not in an overly romantic way though. Hugging people is something I enjoy. Being hugged is a great feeling. But I don’t think I would feel a need to go further than that. I think that’s a good trait of mine. Relationships seem so tiring. Also I don’t think I’ll ever find someone that I could spend more than a day at a time with. Most people get boring as soon as I get to know them.

Which is why I don’t want to get close to any of the boys I have a crush on. I don’t know any of them that well. That’s what keeps me interested because even if they still look the same they lose that sense of mystery. The beauty that I see in them would get lost. I don’t want that. These crushes make me feel things. They’re one of the only things that make me feel something, which is a great change from the overall numbness or aggression that is commonly found inside my head. It’s very hard to express all this in words. I hope people understand.

#sis this was not it whew #oh boi

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