#whoops i was planning for this kind of thing to be at least biweekly but then life happened

[ker4unos]

Media & Mythos #2 - Renamon

The fox spirit is one of the most prolific creatures in the mythology and folklore of the Sinosphere, or the culture of China and the areas surrounding it, like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. This legendary creature has persisted even in the modern day, and thus, has manifested into many pop culture depictions. Some of the more eminent depictions are Ninetales from the Pokemon series, Ninetails from Ōkami, and, the example that most exemplifies the extensive myth of the fox, Renamon and its digi-volution line from the Digimon series.

This writing is going to be put underneath a ‘read more’ due to its length.

To preface, one must acquaint themselves with the true nature of the fox and how far it has been spread. One idea that many people have is the superficial thought that the Japanese ‘invented’ the kitsune, or that the myth originated with them. However, the myth actually came from China, who called the fox spirit huli jing or, earlier, “hujing”. This Chinese myth most likely spread to Japan in the 8th century C.E. via trading merchants. 

Another idea that many people believe is that the fox spirit was always a malicious or mischievous force. However, that is far from the case. The Nihon Shoki, a Japanese text written in 720 C.E., described the fox spirit as an auspice of good fortune. The kitsune then became associated with Inari, the Shinto kami of rice. Still, there is much debate on the true nature of the fox in East Asian folklore, so much so that there may be no overarching goal to the fox spirit.

“[Foxes] vary in their characters and motives just as much as people do, as becomes evident in the wide range of accounts of fox-human interactions. Fox-spirits are so plentiful that they and humans commonly become friends, cohabit the same house and even marry.” (Martin Wallen’s Fox)

Many posit that the fox represents the divide between civility and wilderness, between convention and unorthodoxy. In truth, the fox is a wily creature that cannot be defined as good or bad, only as it is. 

Renamon and its digi-volution path are representative of this variation of the behavior of the folkloric fox. If you are unfamiliar with Digimon, then it is important to note that Renamon’s evolutions branch out into two paths - the “virtuous” line that starts with Kyubimon and the “evil” line that starts with Youkomon. More information on Renamon and its differing forms can be found here.

Starting with the Fresh form, Relemon, the myth of the kitsune is present even in its undeveloped character. It is noted to be nocturnal and shy, coming out only during the night. It is said that it could shapeshift into anything in order to defend itself. However, it could never conceal its tell-tale tail. This lines up with the legends of the kitsune, whom could shapeshift but used their powers to mainly transform into humans. They would assume the roles of people, usually taking the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce men. However, one part of their body that they could not hide was the vulpine tail.

“Travellers at night who are solicited by a beautiful woman are probably being ensorcelled by a fox. The only way to find the truth is to observe whether the lady has a tail - the only part of its anatomy the animal is unable to transform.” (Michael Ashkenazy’s Handbook of Japanese Mythology)

Kitsune transformation stories are incredibly numerous among the body of Japanese lore, from the story of Abe no Seimei to the exploits of the famed Yoshitsune. 

Viximon is the In-Training form of Renamon, still with a rotund and globular form but now donning stubby legs and pointed ears. Like its former form, it is noted to be incredibly shy, to the point that it is considered an illusion. However, it can be lured out if you set out a plate of fried tofu. Fried tofu, or abura-age, is a favorite food of kitsune.

Viximon has an attack titled “Killing Stone,” or Sesshō-seki, where it changes into a stone that spouts poisonous gas. This is directly based off of the legend of Tamamo-no-Mae, one of the most infamous depictions of the kitsune. The vixen’s characteristics have changed throughout the centuries, due to her everlasting popularity as a classical subject for art and writing, but she is most commonly portrayed as a power-hungry schemer. However, in the 1653 (C.E.) text Tamamo no sōshi, she is portrayed as a rueful and submissive character who wants Buddhahood above all. It is in this text that the Sesshō-seki also originates.

“While the first two texts are relatively similar, the third text, Tamamo no sōshi, published by Nishida Shōhei in 1653, contains an addendum to the original story: an account of Tamamo no mae’s spirit embedding itself into a rock on the plains of Nasu after her death. This stone is said to have become dangerous, emitting poisonous gas to kill every living thing that came near. It was thus that the legend of the Sesshōseki, or the “killing stone,” came into being.” (Ian Stuart Ferguson’s The Evolution of a Legend - A Comparison of the Character of Tamamo no mae Portrayed in Muromachi Period Otogizōshi and in the Late-Edo Vendetta Tale, Itoguruma kyūbi no kitsune (The Spinning Wheel and the Nine-Tailed Fox))

After her death, a Zen priest named Gennō finds the stone, where he is approached by the spirit of Tamamo no Mae. Tamamo no Mae tells the priest of her strife, and, taking pity on the fox, Gennō frees the spirit by exorcising her. He splits the Sesshō-seki and allows her to be at peace. Tamamo no sōshi is, notably, one of the only texts that describe her in this way, as the popular notion is that she is a devious fox who desires power. Still, her tale, told time and time again, is one of the many ways the fox spirit pervades irrelevance.

Renamon is a Rookie form Digimon that takes the form of an anthropomorphic golden fox. The fact that it is golden is quite significant in the lore of the Japanese fox, for that is the color that a fox achieves when it turns one thousand years old. In East Asian myth, there are many cases of animals transcending past their natural lifespan, living hundreds of years as an “enlightened” beast. In the fox’s case, a fox grows another tail for every catastrophe that he survives. This “catastrophe” occurs every 100 years, but not every fox makes it through this trial - in fact, the number of nine-tailed foxes are very small. 

"...[I]f he is not caught by the Heavenly Court, nor killed by the human cultivators, after 100 years, the nine-tailed spirit fox will become a thousand-year-old celestial fox and officially obtain the canonization of the Heavenly Court and obtain the Immortal Rank.” (”How long does it take for a fox to become a spirit, how can it be cultivated into a spirit fox and a celestial fox?”)

In this legend, it is clear that the fox is seen as a holy animal that is capable of enlightenment, rather than a malicious creature than spreads misfortune and deceives humans. In Chinese myth, there are a few stories of the fox abusing his celestial power for evil, but for the most part, they are seen as forces of benevolence, or, at the very least, of sanctity. 

There are several references to Renamon’s inspirations in the attacks that it uses. For example, the attack “Power Paw” (Japanese: Tōhakken) is a reference to the Japanese sansukumi-ken (East Asian hand game that uses three different hand gestures) known by many names, including kitsune-ken (fox-ken), zaigō-ken (village-ken) and Tōhachi-ken. Like many of the similar sansukumi-ken games, kitsune-ken concerns a triangle of characters that are either weak or strong to the other.

“In this ken the fox (kitsune), an animal with supernatural powers, defeats the village head (shōya, nanushi) who is superior to the hunter or gun (karyūdo, ryōshi, teppō). The hunter can of course shoot a fox, and the sansukumi circle is closed.” (Sepp Linhart’s The Culture of Japan as Seen through Its Leisure.)

In this game, the kitsune is seen as a powerful and malevolent force that takes down the village head. However, it can still be bested by mortal weapons, and thus, is shot by the hunter’s gun. Like the sansukumi-ken games, Renamon often utilizes its hands (and feet) in its attacks, in a form of martial arts. Unlike the depiction of the fox in kitsune-ken, Renamon has a calm and collected personality, which fits the archetype of the disciplined warrior that it seems to embody. It should also be noted that Renamon’s Attribute is Data, which serves as a sort of neutral ground between the Vaccine (Good) and Virus (Evil) Attributes.

From this, Renamon’s digi-volution can take two paths. The first is Kyubimon, or the quadrupedal Champion form that shares Renamon’s golden coloration. This form has nine tails instead of Renamon’s one, which ties into the longevity myth that was stated above. It is feared as a harbinger of destruction, but in ancient times, it brought peace. One thing to note is the yin-yang symbols upon Kyubimon’s body that can also be seen on many of Renamon’s other digi-volutions. This symbol originates in China, though has been spread around to other Sinospheric cultures such as Japan. It symbolizes the balance between two opposing sides, the harmony between light and dark. In Chinese myth, foxes are often seen as creatures of the yin, so much so that they worship the moon that the yin is associated with.

“Everyone knows that foxes are yin and need a lot of moon essence. Only the yin qi can be cultivated, so many movies and TV dramas have scenes of foxes worshiping the moon.“ (”How long does it take for a fox to become a spirit, how can it be cultivated into a spirit fox and a celestial fox?”)

Notably, it is surrounded with ghostly purplish flames. These are likely a reference to the kitsunebi, or an atmospheric ghost light that can be seen in the Okinawa Prefecture. It is said that every fox in the Kantō region gathers on the Ōmisoka (Japanese festival that is held on the last day of the year) and visit the Ōji Inari shrine. The kitsunebi would follow in a spectacle, and many would count the ghostly flames to predict a good or bad harvest.

Kyubimon may also be a reference to the “Sky Fox,” or the amatsu-kitsune (which roughly translates to “heavenly fox”). In the Edo period, the amatsu-kitsune were considered to be the most powerful of all foxes. The Sky Fox was considered a messenger of the kami Inari Ōkami. 

As mentioned before, Renamon has two paths of digi-volution. Its other Champion form, Youkomon, has a very similar appearance to Kyubimon, though it is colored purple instead of golden, and its flames are orange instead of purple. Unlike Kyubimon, it is a beast that brings nothing but destruction in its wake. Youkomon is a reference to the bewitching and evil nature that the kitsune has taken in Japanese spirituality, especially in later eras.

Kyubimon is able to digivolve into the Ultimate form Taomon. This time, it takes the form of an anthropomorphic fox with clothing. It is noted to be proficient in magic, attacking with spells and talismans. Most curiously, it uses the art of onmyōdō, which is a Japanese magic system that is based on Chinese Taoist beliefs - namely, the yin-and-yang and wuxing (the five elements) system. 

Taomon is likely based on Abe no Seimei, one of the most prolific onmyōji (practitioner of onmyōdō) in Japanese history. In legends, Abe no Seimei is said to be half-fox, with his mother Kuzu-no-ha being the fox. In Abe no Seimei Monogatari, Abe no Seimei’s father, known as Abe no Yasuna, met a fox near Shinoda Forest.

“A beautiful woman suddenly appears at his house and asks him to marry her. She bears Dōji and assiduously helps with the farming, bringing prosperity to the home. Then one summer day she writes a poem on the shōji and vanishes.” (Janet E. Goff’s Conjuring Kuzunoha from the World of Abe no Seimei)

This half-fox heritage gave Seimei heightened magical ability, including the power to command demons and speak the language of animals. This, along with many other Japanese legends concerning vulpine blood, view the fox as a source of divine power or potential for sorcery. 

Taomon’s more “evil” counterpart, Doumon, is most likely inspired by Ashiya Dōman. Like Taomon, it is proficient in magic, attacking with spells and amulets. Unlike Taomon, it specializes more in “black magic,” using curses and assassinations. Dōman is portrayed as Seimei’s ultimate rival in onmyōdō in multiple texts. Multiple kabuki plays concerning Seimei and Dōman end in a great competition of magic, with Seimei coming out victorious in the end.

Dōman is certainly not as popular as the heroic Seimei, and thus, not much is known about him. He is seen as a foil to Seimei - every hero needs his nemesis, after all. However, Ashiya Dōman Ōuchi Kagami, a prominent puppet play written by Izumo Takeda I, features Dōman’s name in the title. The title of this play roughly translates to “The mirror of the [Imperial] court in Ashiya Dōman’s time.” Despite Dōman’s name being in the title, the play focuses more on the story of Kuzu-no-ha and her son Abe no Seimei.

For its final digi-volution, Taomon can turn into Sakuyamon, a humanoid Digimon donning golden armor that heavily resembles its predecessors. Bearing the same proficiency with magic that its previous forms did, it is able to summon kuda-kitsune, which roughly translates to “tube fox” due to its small size. These kuda-kitsune can be seen as Sakuyamon’s shikigami, or the ghosts that an  onmyōji can summon and command to do their bidding. 

Sakuyamon’s name is based on the story of Konohanasakuya-hime. Konohanasakuya-hime (who is not explicitly named as such in this telling of the tale) is the main heroine of Yosoji’s Camellia Tree. She is none other than the great kami of Mount Fuji. The story takes place during the reign of Emperor Go Ichijo, which had been remarked as a time of great strife for the throne. Wars and fires raged through the land. In 1025 C.E., a large outbreak of smallpox ravaged Japan. From this dreadful backdrop comes a story of hope, however.

In the small village of Kamiide, a young man named Yosoji endeavored to help his mother, who had been stricken with smallpox. With his father dead, it was Yosoji’s responsibility to care for her. In desperation, Yosoji approached the magician named Kamo Yamakiko. Yamakiko instructed the boy to travel to the southwest side of Mount Fuji, where a shrine dedicated to Oki-naga-suku-neo (roughly translating to the Kami of Long Breaths) is located. By the shrine, there was a river that could cure his mother of her sickness.

As he ventured to this shrine, Yosoji came across a path forked into three. A fair lady of white then approached him and led him to the river. Yosoji gathered the healing water from the river, and the woman led him away, telling him that it would be unwise for him to be there at night. Yosoji gave his mother the water, and she was cured the very next day. He returned to that river five times, giving the water to all of the villagers of Kamiide.

To express his gratitude, Yosoji ventured to the same forked path at night, and, upon not seeing the fair lady in white, went deeper into the forest. However, when he came to the river, he found that the river had dried up. Still, he thanked the woman who had saved his mother and his village. When the woman came to greet him, Yosoji asked what her name is so that he could truly express his gratitude. So, the woman showed him who she truly was.

“The beautiful maiden swung a wild camellia branch over her head as if with a beckoning motion, and a cloud came down from the top of the Mount Fuji, enveloping her at first in mist. It then arose, showing her figure to the weeping Yosoji, who now began to realise that he loved the departing figure, and that it was no less a figure than that of the great Goddess of Fujiyama.” (Yosoji’s Camellia Tree)

The goddess gifted Yosoji that wild camellia branch, and he planted it and cared for it. And thus, a place of worship for Oki-naga-suku-neo was erected, and the dew from this tree’s leaves are said to be able to cure all afflictions of the eye. Sakuyamon seems not to have much connection to Konohanasakuya-hime, aside from Sakuyamon’s divine nature and goddess-like temperament. Perhaps it is more akin to Yosoji, as Sakuyamon is said to act as a shrine maiden and thus, an agent of divine will. 

In the fashion that Taomon and Kyubimon follow, Sakuyamon also has an “evil” counterpart: Kuzuhamon. Kuzuhamon looks identical to Sakuyamon, save for the darker skin and purple-colored armor. Only a small amount of Taomon and Doumon are able to ascend to become Sakuyamon, and all of the others just become the “lesser” Kuzuhamon. This is, perhaps, another reference to the amatsu-kitsune. Only a small amount of foxes ever truly reach this sort of “godhood.” 

Curiously, Kuzuhamon also wields, alongside the arts of onmyōdō and Shinto magic, the knowledge of Shugendō. Shugendō is a relatively new, still-alive tradition that was heavily influenced by the arrival of Buddhism and Taoism from China and the already-prevalent Shintoism. Practitioners are called shugenja, and they mainly live within the mountains of Japan. Like onmyōdō, it is a practice of religious magic. 

Shugendō encompasses a wide variety of activities, from fortune telling to divination. One of these activities are the exorcism of ghosts, or tsukimono otoshi. This type of exorcism focuses on healing ailments and illnesses, believing an evil spirit to be the cause of it. These spirits, or tsukimono, are able to be controlled by the shugenja.

“There are some cases of possession, however, which cannot be resolved through ceremonies of tsukimono otoshi and require the more demanding ritual of exorcism called chōbuku (”subduing” of spirits). An example of this ritual is the kuji (”nine letters”) ceremony which utilizes nine mudras and nine formulas to draw on the power of supernatural deities.” (Miyake Hitoshi’s Religious Rituals in Shugendo: A Summary)

Chōbuku is based on Taoist practices, yet it is one of the most important practices in Shugendō. This fact directly links to one of Kuzuhamon’s attacks: Taizoukai Mandala, which translates to “Womb Realm Mandala.” In this, Kuzuhamon creates a purifying barrier with its staff, exorcising any evil spirits. It is unclear if Kuzuhamon draws any power from the gods, but shugenja believe that they are doing so when they perform their rituals.

Kuzuhamon’s name is also a play on another famous fox spirit, and one that has already been mentioned here before. It is a reference to Kuzu-no-ha, and her story is told in Ashiya Dōman Ōuchi Kagami. She is the mother of Abe no Seimei, the prolific magician. However, she must leave him, for she is a messenger of the gods ad she cannot have any close contact with humans. In a display of compassion (that so many seem to believe that the fox lacks), she promises to always watch over Seimei. 

Her story is so grand that there is a shrine dedicated to her in the Osaka Prefecture’s Izumi. This shrine is said to be the place where she departed from her son and wrote her parting poem.

“If you love me, darling, come and see me. You will find me yonder in the great wood, of Shinoda of Izumi Province where the leaves, of arrowroots always rustle in pensive mood." (Kiyoshi Nozaki’s Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance & Humor)

Kuzu-no-ha’s shrine and the surrounding areas have been designated a place of great historical significance. Despite the many stories of the kitsune’s wrongdoings, it is clear that the people of Japan still venerate the fox spirit as a symbol of the celestial and the almost-saintly. 

The kitsune are an important creature in the mythology and folklore of Japan as well as other countries such as China, Vietnam, and Korea. Even in the 21st century does the past reflect into popular culture, with stories of the kitsune’s exploits bleeding into many forms of media. Renamon and its forms are simply one of many references to the kitsune, and a testament to the versatility of the fox spirit.

#original content #japan #east asian #renamon #digimon #whoops i was planning for this kind of thing to be at least biweekly but then life happened #also trying to write like a blog post because that's what i'm going try make this sort of thing similar to #hoping ill get the hang of it / make the writing seem less stiff as i write more

[tenacioustooru]

About Me As a Writer

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean? Well, if y’all know me by now y’all know I love Oikawa Tooru. I was deep within the Haikyuu fandom (still am, actually) when I came up with it. So in essence it’s just Oikawa’s first name and the fact that he never, ever gives up on his teammates and what he believes in. Which is why he’s... tenacious. *ba dum tss*

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos).

under the antique sky is currently my most popular work with 7,466 hits, 660 kudos, 156 bookmarks, and 252 subscriptions! It’s the most recent fic I’m working on and the one I most readily update.

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

My icon is Oikawa holding a toddler!Hajime and I chose it because I was writing my second Haikyuu reincarnation fic Beyond the Stars and I wanted my icon to fit the AU I was writing for.

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

I do! I’m not sure if they have tumblrs otherwise I’d tag them but @aizawa-shoutas and @saltysvga consistently scream to me about my stories so 

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

I often go back to read Leryline’s Three’s a Crowd series because UshiOi and because it’s just so beautifully written I can’t help but go back and read it again and again so please go check it out!

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

Uhhh I have four pages of subscriptions (don’t know what that adds up to) and 62 bookmarks (I often forget to bookmark and just subscribe whOOPS)

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

Probably the kid reincarnation AU I managed to conjure up. I’m probably gonna end up writing one for every fandom I’m a part of so I’ve got my work cut out for me

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

55 are subscribed and 425 bookmarks!

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

Uhhhhh honestly I’ve never given this much thought so I’m afraid this question is gonna be a big fat N/A

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

I’d love to write actions scenes and smut better. And replying to comments. Ever since I started working I’ve been horrible at responding to comments.so I’m sorry for that

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

Mostly rarepairs! Especially for the Haikyuu fandom. But for BNHA I find myself writing for the more popular ships (TodoDeku is life okay?)

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

A whopping seven!

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA too fucking many

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

I have to write them down. Like. My memory is so shitty I have to write down everything that comes into my head. Even if that means texting my friends at four in the morning to scream about it to them and screenshotting it so I have a picture and can refer back to it later because I’m too damn lazy to get up and get a pencil and my notebook

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

No but my friend Aja and I have a plan for a story so maybe we can get on that soon! Be on the lookout!

16. How did you discover AO3?

I was searching for SasuNaru fanfiction and after digging through the limited reserves of FanFiction I stumbled upon a link to AO3

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no. Not even.

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

That’s a thing?

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

As far as famous authors go I would say Michael Grant and Jodi Picoult inspire me to be better every day. I love their books. And as far as fanfiction authors go, I would definitely say @aizawa-shoutas (novocaine-sea on ao3) 

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

Keep your head up! There may be days where it feels like your inspiration is so low where you have absolutely no energy to write but keep your head up! There will be days where your creative tank is empty but don’t push yourself. Remember to rest and do something else you enjoy! Pick up a book, binge watch your favorite series or movies -- do whatever makes you happy. Inspiration will return.

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

Uh, both. I write out what I’d like for the chapter to contain in one of my many journals but sometimes the story takes a mind of its own and it goes in a completely different direction.

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

Oh yeah, definitely. I honestly just ignored it. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life when so many people have said such nice things about my stories.

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

Action. And smut. I’m trying to get better at both. But I get so embarrassed writing smut. Not because I think it’s disdainful (you should see my bookmarks). It’s because my skills are so below par that I just cAN’T

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

under the antique sky is my main priority at the moment! I try and update biweekly since I’m working now. But then my OiSuga shapeshifter AU grey havens is next on my list.

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

...........I don’t appreciate being called out like this.

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

No because I’m trying really hard not to push myself since I’m teaching 8th grade but I aspire to write a couple of sentences a day before I crash out. It’s better than nothing

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

Sweet Jesus yES. I go back and read my work from just a couple of years ago and I want to burn it all.

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

Beyond the Stars, probably! I’m not sure if I should count under the antique sky just yet because it’s not done but those two are definitely my favorite.

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

...Remembering Sunday. Which I’ve gotta delete. And fix. Hella.

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

Hopefully with my novel published! I’ve already got the first manuscript done I just gotta work out all the kinks.

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

Probably characterization for me. I love exploring characters’ personalities and then tearing them apart. Angst is my lifeblood.

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Uhh again it’d have to be action scenes. I just. I can’t do them all that well.

33. Why do you write?

I write as both a hobby and a therapy -- and ultimately to bring other people joy in the fandom as much as they bring me! It’s something I’ve been doing since 2nd grade and I don’t ever see me giving it up for the world.

Tagging: literally anyone who wants to do this have at it!

[byuluno]

Looking back: 2017

hello! at the close of this year, I wanted to take a second to look back (hence the title of the post...). so this is going to be me gushing about byuluno in 2017 :D

short version:

in this year, I’ve...

• learned to make gifs, color gifs, do text effects, and use textures, all in GIMP

• made edits/gifsets for VIXX, Ladies Code, DAY6, Oh My Girl, Z.Tao, Mamamoo, Lee Hi, and my color project

• had a post receive more than 600 notes! dang

• started posting a long-term project (kpop by the colors)

• received kind support for my creations! really, thank you to everyone who liked or reblogged or replied to my posts. validation keeps this blog running, lol. (I really do appreciate it!)

I also want to say that, though I run this blog on queue much of the time, I am always keeping an eye on it. if you ever want to talk to me about anything, I’m here ^,^

long version under cut:

when I think about it, I’m quite proud of how this blog has come along this year. I started the blog as a space where I can work on edits and learn about gifs and graphics and such, and when I think about it, I have learned a lot this year. in April, I made my first gif edit (for VIXX Ken’s birthday); in October, I learned more about coloring gifs (for the anniversary of Ladies Code’s “The Rain”, and also an edit that has not been posted). just a week ago, I learned to do the text shadow thing for my Christmas VIXX edit!

this year, I’ve had my first post to receive more than 600 notes (Mamamoo anniversary edit), which is still unbelievable to me. and I’ve had posts that I still get notifications for, months afterward, and I feel a little glow of validation every time XD (especially the Lee Hi gifset and the VIXX rainbow)

I have been working on the color project (“kpop by the colors”) for pretty much the whole year now - I started posting it in the fall, but I’ve been taking notes on MV colors and planning gifsets and making them for months now. as a long-term project, I’m quite pleased with how it has turned out. for me, some sets are more satisfying to look at than others, but they all grew out of months of watching all new releases closely. the color project has gotten me to check out quite a few songs I wouldn’t have otherwise, and I’m glad.

random aside: I just went back to look at my previous blog announcement post, and wow, looking at anything I’ve written in the past is weirdly cringey, even from earlier this year. anyway, I think that overall, I have accomplished what I wanted to this year. I finished an edit for Ken’s birthday! and I really did learn a lot about making gifs.

so fandom update: still a Starlight (VIXX), ARMY (BTS), and Moomoo (Mamamoo). I guess I’m kind of a Melody (BtoB) too, but it feels weird to say that, because Melody is my actual name XD I’m getting into Ladies Code and Dreamcatcher, interested in Pentagon... I’ve certainly fallen into Produce 101, but I don’t know if there’s a fandom name for that? anyway, there’s a lot of musicians I follow more passively whom I also like, so expect a lot of multifandom content from me in the future.

plans for next year: I’ve been trying out a biweekly edit schedule, and it has worked fairly well so far. I have some definite edit plans for the coming year: Dreamcatcher, f(x), BTS, BtoB, Melanie Martinez... oh, and I intend to make an edit for my favorite tracks of 2017 (though it’s not going to come out in 2017, whoops).

this has been both a triumphant and a difficult year for us, in many ways, but we will keep moving forward. to a happier and healthier 2018!

(tw: death)

I didn’t have the collectedness to write a post about Jonghyun before, but I feel that I should at least say a few words now. though I am not a Shawol, I have always appreciated Jonghyun’s music - I feel that his musical aesthetic is similar to mine, and he truly had important things to say in his music. as I follow a fair number of Shawols, I can see how much he means to people, as an idol, as a musician, and as a wonderful person. though I cannot possibly understand what he went through, I really respect him for his efforts and achievements, and I value the music and joy he has brought to the world.

#quoth the turtleduck #2017