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citadelsanchez · 2 years

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If you'd like too, Rick with an s/o that collects cute things! Like they fawn over cute plush toys and threatens people that try to touch them without permission?

The cutest prompt! Sorry it's a bit short. This is also the first time I've put Rick in a real world setting but it felt fitting for this one. Hope you like!

(Also side note: 'bbs' plushes aren't real, I made em up lol)

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"It's not funny, Rick." You glare at the elder man, your eyes glowing in a burning fury.

His cheeks puff as he starts to snicker before he turns his body away from you to shake with laughter without being seen.

"I CAN LITERALLY HEAR YOU LAUGHING" you say, giving up and stalking out of the kitchen you were both standing in and back to your shared bedroom. Well, technically, your bedroom but Rick might as well have lived there too.

"Boooo, y-you're no fun at all" you hear him say, trailing behind you slowly.

Earlier, you had walked into the Smith's living room to find the absolute horror of Rick dangling two of your BBS plushes in his hands in front of Morty and Summer, giving them exaggerated voices. "I'm M-Mrs. Lumpy Fuckins and my owner Y/N won't brush my hairrrr." This was met with laughter by Summer and an uncomfortable "geeezz" from Morty.

You stood at the doorway with your mouth agape in shock before Rick made eye contact and immediately dropped them onto the couch. You had turned on your heel and locked yourself in his room for a while, giving him the silent treatment even after he portaled inside and prodded you to talk to him, with still no apology in sight in true Rick fashion. And he was clearly still amused from his inability to take you seriously.

"You're no fun for mocking something I love" you scoff, plopping onto the bed and turning away from him once more.

"D-don't be a sourpuss, I was just showing them your interests a-a-and being comedic in the process," Rick says, almost sounding remorseful before reverting back into his righteousness. He sits on the bed now, holding your gaze with a frustrated facial expression.

"Oooh yeah, so funny when I've TOLD you not to touch any of them. I have them arranged the way I want and you can't even respect me enough to leave it be. Don't you remember when Summer wandered in here like two weeks ago on accident and picked up Benji and Phoenix and I yelled at her without realizing?"

"B-because those are the m-most rare ones you have?" He asked and you were slightly surprised that he remembered. It symbolizes that at least on some level, he actually listened to you.

"Yes" you respond weakly, still feeling embarrassed about the entire situation but unwavering on your annoyed outlook.

"O-okay, come with me" Rick belches out, pulling his portal gun out to shoot a green swirl and unexpectedly dragging your hand with him through it.

You go to cuss him but stop when you realize that you're in a strange setting. Very familiar to you but not anything you were expecting from the portal gun. You were surrounded by neon lights on red walls and people pushing carts in all directions.

"Rick... why are we in Target?"

He sighed. "You'll s-see, just follow me."

You furrowed your brows in confusion but didn't hesitate to walk behind him. You know that he hates being in stores- especially ones like Target where there's an excess of ignorant human beings and overstimulating lights and noises. You could practically feel his skin crawling. And you'd hold his hand in comfort but you know that he's not a fan of PDA from previous experiences of your attempts at affection with him around others.

He leads you into the toy section and down an aisle when you see it. Pompa, the newest lion BBS plush that came out a few days ago, which you weren't aware of and only had dealing with Rick's antics constantly to blame.

Rick picked one off of the shelf and petted its head. "It is, uh, kinda c-cute I guess," he says before placing it in your arms instead. "I-I shouldn't have fucked with your plushes earlier, s-so have this as your reward for dEALLing with me," Rick burps out, standing a little sheepishly.

You reach up to engulf him in a hug. "How'd you know about this being released?"

"Just you know, a-ads and shit," he murmured.

You smiled warmly at the gesture and the kind hearted deep down Rick you know. "Apology accepted."

#rick sanchez #rick and morty #rick and morty season 6 #rick sanchez x reader #morty smith

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direwombat · 4 months

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long time no wip wednesday

tagged by various people over the past few weeks, but most recently by @ivymarquis to share some a piece of a wip!

been having a creative dry spell recently, so technically this is a super old piece of writing, but i'm returning to this character study of a fictional mafioso (portrayed by luca martinelli (of the old guard fame)) in FX's 2018 historical drama, Trust, which is about the kidnapping and ransom of John Paul Getty III. I defs recommend it if you haven't watched it. Brendan Fraser plays a cowboy who breaks the 4th wall and also Hillary Swank is in it and she's very good. this is super niche so no pressure to read if you don't want to. i'll go back to the regularly scheduled fc5 fic eventually.

Reggio Calabria, 1982

“I thought you were in Rome,” Leonardo says to Primo in lieu of a proper hello.

You’re always in Rome, goes unsaid, and the exasperated flash of abject terror across poor Leo’s face makes silent questions of What happened? and Why are you here? louder than the blaring horns and ambient noise of the docks. Leonardo never was good at concealing his emotions. Wore his thoughts on his face like a book to be read.

Primo pulls a cigarette and lighter from his pockets. “Everything’s fine,” he says. Then, he lights the cigarette and brings it to his mouth to take a drag. “It’s good to see you too.”

It’s a gorgeous day in late May. The temperature lazes in the high twenties, and the sun shines like a motherfucker over the Port of Gioia Tauro. Just beyond the influx of ships, the waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea are capped with glittering diamonds, rich enough to fill a jewelry store a thousand times over. It’s picturesque and beautiful, something right off the shitty postcards that tourists buy.

If Primo were a more sentimental man, he might have missed it here. But the scenery wasn’t what brought him back to Calabria. The metaphorical diamonds he’s interested in lie not atop the lapping waves, but hidden within the freight and cargo of the metal monsters that came to berth in the harbor.

His harbor.

Well, his and Leonardo’s.

Mostly Leonardo’s.

The Nizzuto name isn’t anywhere to be found on the official paperwork, but the strings gently -- and other times not so gently -- being plucked and pulled in the shadows were moved by Primo’s skilled hands.

Leonardo had wanted to go as legitimate as possible to allow his son a life that wasn’t blood, death, and violence. Primo, who knows no other way to live, doesn’t pretend to understand the reasoning behind Leo’s decision, but he does appreciate a good cover operation and knows an opportunity when he sees one. The best way to get away with illegal business is to hide it behind perfectly fair and good trade.

Leo is still looking at him with an expression that’s waiting for a shoe to drop. From anyone else, the look would have been insulting. Doubting Primo’s abilities so boldly in front of him would get most people a broken jaw. But he’s known Leo long enough that it’s just fun to watch the old man stress himself out.

Primo sniffs, raises a shoulder in a slight shrug. “There’s a shipment coming in today. I want to be there when it arrives.”

The sigh that escapes Leonardo is one of pure relief and Primo rolls his eyes behind his sunglasses as the tension immediately dissolves from the other man’s shoulders. “So you’re here on business, then,” Leonardo says.

“Here on business,” Primo nods.

“I see,” Leo says. There’s no mention that “business” means drugs and guns and other things illegally obtained to be sold on the streets and back alleys of Rome. No mention that the drugs and guns were bought illegally as well. Business is vague and nebulous, not to be talked about in public and only to be discussed behind closed doors, preferably with a bottle of wine, much like most other parts of Primo’s life.

Leonardo lights his own cigarette and the two stand there in amicable, but somewhat awkward silence. He wants to say more; wants Primo to say more, but they both know that Primo has nothing else to say. He’s here on business. That’s all there is. They stand at arms length, never any closer, and watch the bustle of the dock workers and sailors as they haul cargo to and fro.

Eventually, Leo says, “You should come for dinner. Francesco has graduated from University. Business. He wishes to see you again.”

This catches Primo’s attention. It’s subtle: his head cocked to the side, a slight straightening of his spine. “Is he here?” Primo asks.

tagging: @marivenah, @florbelles, @statichvm, @fourlittleseedlings, @wrathfulrook, @harmonyowl, @carlosoliveiraa, @cassietrn, @poetikat, @confidentandgood, @strafethesesinners, @trench-rot, @miyabilicious, @simplegenius042, @g0dspeeed, @inafieldofdaisies, @josephslittledeputy, @aceghosts, @adelaidedrubman, @finding-comfort-in-rain, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @voidika, @strangefable, and anyone else wanting to share a wip! (taglist opt in/out)

#in line with the themes of the show this fic is about legacy #and i felt so clever when i titled it 'primo(geniture)'#having it be a play on the character's name AND having the title relate directly to inheritance #anyway. if there's one thing about me it's that i will latch on to fictional criminals #wip wednesday

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hikennosabo · 9 months

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trimax vol 10 random thoughts (ch 1-4)

usually my method for writing these posts is to read the volume in full, then read it again while writing out my thoughts. sometimes i have to read a volume more than just twice. i don't want to read this one again... mom come pick me up i'm scared

also it's finally gotten to the point that i have to split this post up into multiple parts... lol

why is nightow recycling chapter titles. or is this a translation thing? we already had chapters titled 'wolfwood' (vol2ch4) and 'death omen' (vol6ch4)... heck, the first 'wolfwood'-titled chapter is DIRECTLY REFERENCED in this very volume... anyway.

chapter 1:

this chapter cover FUCKS... it's just the punishers because this is all razlo is... a weapon. to chapel, anyway.

the bullet holes in ww's back... they've healed by now i think, but still, it's so visceral...

i don't know what to say about wolfwood's faith in vash that hasn't already been said. just. fuck, man.

can chapel die please please please please please youre nothing

razlo getting in between chapel and wolfwood is... interesting. even if he just wants to prolong ww's suffering... i don't know. it's not like razlo cares about wolfwood, but, hmmm, i don't know. just something i wanted to point out i guess.

...remind me to count how many vials wolfwood drinks when i rewatch stampede.

razlo's expressions while chapel is talking about how ww needs to die NOW while shooting him and stabbing him with the gun... hmmm... he's thinking...

chapter 2:

i like seeing razlo being pensive.

the way chapel has his talons in razlo... razlo is so loyal to him because he literally shot himself to beg for razlo's life, but this line of thinking tells me there's also lowkey fear there. the level of obsessiveness for which he injured himself so badly is the same one that makes him want to hurt wolfwood so much and razlo knows it. this is how far chapel is willing to go...

razlo... :( all he ever wanted was to be needed. and chapel fully took advantage of that.

ww is trembling here. is this him trying to physically resist chapel pushing his head back or is he trembling out of fear...

chapel is the evilest motherfucker in this whole fucking manga. seriously, fuck this guy.

melanie's words to wolfwood... despite it being a scolding, they're clearly coming from a place of love, not fear or anger. i think other people have already said everything that i could say about this. so instead i'm going to talk about razlo some more, since nightow made it a point to show us that he's listening to this.

i wonder what he's thinking... this chapter opened with him thinking about what happens to those who "betray" chapel... and he's observing this interaction, of a mother, a guardian, not reacting with anger, but with love, to seeing what's become of wolfwood. such a far cry from chapel's unbridled rage. melanie took care of razlo, too, technically. so i wonder if this is another... i don't know how to put it... another way that razlo's belief in chapel is being chipped away at.

and wolfwood thinks of vash, and once again, vash appears. like he's answering his prayer again.

i said this last volume, but i love seeing vash use his feathers to protect. and use his powers willingly. of course i worry about him when he does it, but it's just such a powerful character moment every time. because it's for wolfwood.

chapter 3:

wolfwood reaffirms his feelings about vash - absolute faith, someone he believes in and considers a friend - but doesn't understand why vash would come for him. i'm feeling some type of way. it's mutual, you fucking idiot!!!

razlo's smile is cute...

he's just excited to fight who he deems a worthy opponent... i wish the situation wasn't so dire...

^ how it feels to read trigun maximum (eating glass)

also, i need to share that when i watched stampede for the first time, this is what i said, copypasted directly from the group chat:

"as if the giant cross he carries isnt enough of a death flag on its own, the glass vials he's drinking are like. major flying high death flags."

i was thinking along the lines of "a character taking mysterious medicine is a death flag," but little did i know that the vials would literally be his cause of death. i was closer to the truth than i thought.

someone in the tag said something about ww going "catholic beast mode" and truly this is it. chapel was REALLY sent flying... fuck you fuck you fuck you you deserved that. i do feel a bit bad for razlo though.

a LOT of people have already questioned/referenced the theory that vash can literally hear ww's thoughts, but honestly i think this one is just a case of vash knowing ww so well that he understands what ww wants without doing that.

GOOD!!!!!

i actually do, truly, feel bad for razlo though. chapel was the closest thing he has to a father. thing is, chapel was just as abusive and controlling as livio's parents were. not in the exact same way, obviously, but abusive all the same. razlo has just... not been in a good situation. like, ever. he doesn't know anything else. he didn't see chapel's abuse for what it was.

*head in hands* VASHWOOD.......

they're so fucking stupid. they understand each other so well and yet so little. they can fight back-to-back seamlessly but fall so short when it comes to words. i'm going to cry.

chapter 4:

vashwood banter is back, but oh look, more dread. i've talked before about chapters that use familiar setups/scenarios but have an air of dread over them. 'colorless expression' was one. 'bastards and the blues' was another. i think this scene also falls into that.

what if i microwaved myself.

no!!! no silly expression!!! not when my heart is so full of dread!!!!

vash thinking about his feelings for wolfwood. i can't even articulate anything. i just want to cry.

"i wanted to see tomorrow with him." I WANTED. TO. SEE. TOMORROW. WITH!!! HIM!!!! i feel like shinji on the chair.

he can feel wolfwood's body dying. what if i ate rocks.

the way he clings so hard. he doesn't want to let wolfwood go, literally and figuratively.

the embrace. the hesitation. what if i ate glass.

the apology...... ww knows he's dying and he knows that vash knows. in yet another "i know he knows i know" situation. their whole fucking relationship.

i can't read this chapter without crying, fuck.

even razlo is like, "i want to fight both of you!" but even if vash joined wolfwood against razlo now, it would be too late...

i have nothing coherent to say. this post has become a record of my vashwood-induced mental breakdown, sorry. and we're only halfway through the volume...

#trigunbookclub #trigun talk #june speaks #part 2 is already written i'll post it right after this

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tumblebumblebee-63 · 2 years

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Okay, I want to predict the outcome for Spy x Family chapter 72 rn before it comes out, and I'm writing it here so that, if it happens, I can come back to this and pat myself on the back for being right.

So if anyone's interested, this is what I think will (or at least, should) happen:

The bus comes to a stop with all the police officers surrounding it. Cursing for being caught, the guy tells the kids to all stay put if they want to live, then grabs Anya and Damian and brings them out of the bus.

He tells the officers that he has bombs strapped to their necks (both the son of the wealthy and high profile Desmond family and the girl who just happened to piss him off) and that he won't hesitate to set them off.

The officers lay down their weapons, seeing as they have no other choice. Anya, being the little gremlin she is, yells out that the bombs are fake. Aka, pick up the guns again and save them.

Damian and the guy are equally appalled that Anya would be stupid enough to say that and also how does she even know that??

As the police question whether or not that's true, the man grabs Anya and puts a gun to her head, saying something like "I don't know how you learned the bomb was fake, but this gun is very real." Or something to that extent.

Damian (bless his soul) probably tries to help her, but is ultimately smacked away like the loaf of bread he is.

The police, now again concerned with the turn of events, put their guns down for the second time.

The man smirks and begins to list off what he wants the cops to do if they want the kids to live when something smacks him in the head. (Idk what it would be. A rock, a shoe? Just something.)

He looks up to see a hooded figure standing on top of the bus. "Step away from the girl." He says as he points a very large gun at the man.

"Who the hell are you?" The man responds.

"Someone who doesn't like repeating orders a second time." The gun is cocked. "Now step away from her."

Anya (bless her soul as well) thinks that she should do something to help. After all, that's what Bondman would do. So, like the gremlin she is, she comes up with the most gremlin-like plan she can and bites him. Hard. Just fully chomps down on the man's fingers.

Cursing, he let's go of her in surprise. Damain quickly grabs her hand and yanks her away as the hooded figure jumps on top of him and knocks the gun out of his hand.

The police are understandably confused, but rush to stop the bus driver who attempts to make a run for it when his ally is taken down.

Now that they're apprehended, Anya tries to figure out who the hooded figure is. Was it Papa?

She reads his mind and hears this:

"I may hate Loi-Loi will all my guts and he may never be a deserving husband to someone as great as Yor, but I know she would be devastated if anything happened to her chihuahua girl."

Anya smiles, realizing that the man who came to her rescue was her uncle Yuri. She knows that he is technically her papa's enemy (and possibly her mama's too, even if he doesn't know) but he's still a good guy.

Cue Yuri noticing the look and saying something like,

"What the hell are you smiling for??"

But Anya just says something like

"Thank you mystery man! You saved Syon-boy and I from being dead."

He stiffens a little, surprised at the praise and his relief about her safety.

"You're welcome." He says.

Then we cut to the next scene.

Loid is standing in his doorway, fear and absolute shock in his expression.

"She... What?"

The officers then explain to him (for the second time) what events transpired that day.

He looks down as Yor (in tears) crushes Anya (literally crushes) in a hug, saying how she was so sorry she had to go through that and was so relieved that she was okay.

Loid is furious. Furious at the men who threatened his daughter, but more importantly, furious at the agency for not telling him what was going on. He knew they knew about it.

Unable to even look at Anya, he pushes past the cops and sprints his way all the way down to the agency. He isn't careful to be unseen. He isn't paying attention to any of his lessons and basic techniques of being a spy. His daughter almost died today. That's the only thing that matters to him right now.

He kicks down the door, to which the woman starts her whole "Good day, or rather, good evening" spiel that Loid promptly interrupts.

"You knew." He accuses, "You knew and you didn't tell me."

The woman tells him her reasoning. (He was too far away, there was no point in needlessly worrying him when he couldn't do anything, etc.)

He erupts, yelling at them that he didn't care if he was in the middle of another mission, they should've told him! She's his daughter! He should know if she's ever in danger!

"She's not really your daughter," comes the reply.

A moment of silence.

Silence as he realizes the statement is true and wrong at the same time. Not his biological daughter, sure, but she was still his. She was important.

"What about Operation Strix?" He tries to rationalize (for the sake of his protectiveness toward Anya and to prove that the agency should care about her too)

The agency tells him they have other means of getting close to the Desmonds, whether through Yor's new friendship or through another "backup" plan they had in motion. They imply that Anya is expendable. They say that the mission is more important. They say if it came to saving Anya or keeping the mission intact, they wouldn't hesitate to let her die. For the greater good, of course.

After a moment of Lord's silence, she even goes so far as to say Anya's death could've possibly been proven useful, as the mourning could've gotten Yor closer to Melinda-

A crash.

The woman looks up to see Loid leaving the room, the table by which he'd been standing now snapped in half.

Loid walks back home, contemplating her words. Was Anya really expendable in regards to the mission? Trying to keep his thoughts rational, he plays out how her death would affect it. He sees there are some pros (strictly regarding the goals of the mission) but he shuts those thoughts down immediately.

Why had he been so scared today? If she was truly expendable, why had his heart dropped out of his chest when he'd heard she'd come so close to death?

It didn't make sense, not really.

But when he entered the apartment and saw Yor and Anya still on the floor, still hugging, he realized it did.

Because Anya may be considered expendable for the mission. A pawn in a much larger game of chess.

He falls to the floor and wraps both Yor and Anya in a tight hug, saying nothing.

But she was not expendable to him.

Bonus scene at the end:

Yuri's superior officer knocks at his door. Yuri lets him in.

"Thought you'd like to know, that girl, Anna was it? She's alright. The police handled it."

Yuri, already well aware that Anya is fine and that the police most certainly did not handle it, just nods.

"Thank you for telling me sir."

He just nods.

"However, it seems we have a new problem. You see, witnesses reported seeing a mysterious masked figure helping the police catch the guy. I want you to ID him so we can bring him in for questioning and see if he's an enemy."

The officer is so distracted by his determination to find out about this masked menace, he doesn't notice Yuri is standing very nervously behind him. Sweating bullets.

#spy x family #anya x damian #sxf loid #yor briar #sxf manga #sxf anya #sxf damian #loid forger #good day or rather good evening #yuri briar #sxf predictions #spy x family predictions

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glassmarcus · 4 months

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The Rogue Lite Mexican Stand Off

*All games played in January 2023, Written in November 2023

I've had a backlog of Rogue Lites I planned on checking out for years now. This list keeps growing and I've accepted that I'll never reach the bottom. So I decided to knock out the three I felt were at the top of the genre at the very least. First I played Hades, a title I wasn't super psyched to try because I'm not a huge fan of isometric angles in games. But word of mouth overcame that doubt and I gave it a shot anyway. And yea, the game is aces. I was not led astray. Second on the docket was Rogue Legacy 2. I knew I was going to love this game because of how much I loved the first. To zero shock, I loved Rogue Legacy 2. Last was Dead Cells. A game I was interested in because I heard it be compared to Dark Souls at one point. What got me to finally buy it was the Castlevania DLC which I had to purchase because I'm a huge shill. By the way this game is also pretty good.

I see why this gallery of Rogue Likes are praised so highly and I enjoyed my time with them immensely... But which one is the best? I tried to place them all on the same level in my mind, but that's not how I operate. There needs to be a clear pecking order. A hierarchy must be established and that's exactly what I will do here. I'm going to pit these three Rouge Lites against each other and see who comes out on top. And no, I will not stop using the terms Rogue Lite and Rogue Like interchangeably. I know they are technically different things, but they sound far too similar for me to care. All games that expect you to complete their procedurally generated adventure in a single run are Rogue Likes/ Rogue Lites. That's the definition I'm using here.

In one corner of this Rogue Like Mexican stand off is Hades. Hades is a mechanically efficient masterwork of roguish progression. Not a single aspect is wasted and unpolished. You look at the weapons you get and might think "oh, there's only six of them" only to realize that they only made six because you only need six. Every weapon is completely fleshed out and has its own advantages over others. Swords deal high damage and take out a lot of enemies at once, but require putting yourself in risky situations. The Bow is weaker but safer as you can attack from anywhere in the screen. The Spear is somewhat of a jack of all trades, not as much range as a bow, not as much power as a sword, but enough of both to be worth using. Shields take a different approach in being a middle man by having its normal attack be melee and it's special long range. Fist and Guns act as the gambling man's version of the sword and bow. With Fist, you can get a lot of damage in when you're close, but it's harder to gauge when you should retreat. With Guns you can get way more hits than with the Bow, but you also have to manage your ammo and if you lose count you'll be shit out of luck.

I gotta say, there is no clear best weapon to use. I like the fist the best because obviously I'm gonna gravitate towards the punchy one the most, but I can't say it's strictly better than the others. And I came to this conclusion by naturally trying out every weapon. Hades attributes a point bonus for a random weapon in each run. These points can be used to permanently upgrade yourself between runs. So you have to decide if you want consistency with the weapons you are used to, or invest in the future by trying something new and getting potentially more points. Its a great way to incentivize variety and exploration of the mechanics of the game. The weapon options don't even end there as you get the ability to permanently upgrade your weapons after you've probably found a favorite. And these upgrades can substantially change the way you play as they aren't merely damage increases, but diverse effects that you can take advantage of to great result.

This game could just have these weapons and be perfectly great, but what takes it to the next level are the mid run upgrades you'd expect from any rogue like. Boons, the power gifted from the gods, are what really counts in getting you strong enough to claw your way out of hell. When you understand the advantages of your weapon, the permanent abilities you've acquired, and the effects boons can have, you can figure out which boons cynergize with you the best. As I stated prior, I was a Fist Aficionado. A weapon that hits fast and requires you to get in and out of enemy range. So when I picked boons that worked well with that, I got outstanding results. Abilities that decreased enemy attacks were my go to, because I knew I was going to get hit so I thought I might as well make it hurt less. And figuring out that build myself was when I really started to mesh with Hades. At first I wasn't getting any of the mechanics, flailing around with my standard attack until I dodged. But as I progressed it only kept feeling better to me. They introduce new combat options and improve the old ones. I think the game went from decent to incredible once I got a second Cast.

Cast are such a beautiful mechanic. Somehow both great for single target damage and Area of Effect depending on what boon you choose. But no matter which you choose, it changes the flow of combat due to the fact you have to pick that shit up. Keeping your rhythm despite cast not recharging automatically is the heart of why combat feels so good to me. Calls and Specials are great, but the real heroes are Cast, Attacks, and Dashes. In my experience, that’s actually the order I prioritize these moves. Your cast always have some effect that influences how you attack so that comes first. Then you attack to take advantage of what the cast does. While attacking you are dodging to stay alive. And then the cast wears off and they are left on the ground. And now you must use your attack and dash to navigate through enemies and pick up your cast so you can start the whole thing over again. Once you get into that flow state and start incorporating specials and calls into the equation, the combat of Hades becomes something truly special.

On a gameplay level this is brilliant. And you know what? The story ain't too bad either. Most Rogue Lite stories aren't something to write home about as far as I've experienced. After all, they are kind of the junk food of video games. Short and sweet experiences that don't have time to make an interesting story. Hades is built a bit different. Every run you do progresses the story and everything you do is canon. Games have been explaining away respawning for decades now, but I think this is on a different level. Characters acknowledge the things you did in prior runs. Story lines are moved through both success and failure so there's a palpable sense of progressing delivered in multiple ways. There's dating sim elements. And every character is hot. The story of Hades doesn't just work well, it works in a uniquely video game way. The setting of Hades is roguish in both thematics and mechanics. It's all about taking failure on the chin and accepting any help you can. It drove me to play it even more than I normally would have and made each run unique. It drove me to play it even after I beat it. This game’s story doesn't conclude until you beat it 10 times and I’m not upset about it one bit. You can customized each run's difficulty in a variety of ways after you beat it to add new rewards and content.

It really is a near perfectly crafted game in its genre. The only thing it drops the ball in is music which is a bit underwhelming. Don't remember a damn thing from it. And I've heard praise for the OST too, but it appears to not be my bag. It worked for what the game was going for and it matched the environments well, but it didn't stick with me the way I'd prefer an OST to stick with me. That's really is the only issue about the game I can conjure...but if it was clearly the best one of the three, I wouldn't be writing this.

In the second corner we have Rogue Legacy 2. Rogue Legacy is the inverse of Hades. Its narrative foil in a way. They are both games about overcoming impossible odds with the help from your family and end up being equally powerful despite going separate routes with this premise. Hades is based around Nepotism. You get to know your uncles and cousins throughout the game and your bonds with them push you forward. As such Hades is a more character driven narrative due to how large and important the supporting cast is. The cast in Rogue Legacy 2 is potentially bigger, but they're mostly all the same character. The Premise of Rogue Legacy 2 is that each run follows the latest heir of a family sworn to conquer an evil castle. When you die, you play as your offspring in the next push through the castle. It's a different character technically, with a different class and unique attributes. But one thing is maintained between the end of your last journey and the beginning of your new one: Your Bank Account.

If Hades is about Nepotism, Rogue Legacy is about Inheritance. Your character is given every advantage their predecessors were given and then some, assuring the next generation grows up stronger. Rather than death being equated to a minor setback, it's given real narrative consequence in a way. Every failed run is an echo of your past self. And it's cool that their efforts aren't going to waste. You are carrying the weight of your entire bloodline on your shoulders and it makes it all the more gratifying when you get to your points of respite. It's not as interesting as the standard well written game story, but it's just as powerful as one. When I beat the game and saw 100+ ancestors given their due credit, I felt that shit.

None of this is authentic by the way. Every bit of this was executed in Rogue Legacy 1 prior. The thing is, the sequel is better than that game in every conceivable way that it overwrites its very existence. I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say that there is zero reason to play the first game anymore. I get that it would be embarrassing for a game about improving over generations to not be way better than it's predecessor, but Junior didn't have to go this hard. I'd go as far to say that the first area of Rogue Legacy 2 completely encapsulates the experience of the first game. Everything beyond that point feels fresh and new. So for the remainder of this essay, Rogue Legacy only refers to the second game. It's such a large improvement to an already good game.

Rogue Legacy works because it's unabashedly brutal. Your hit boxes are so small and the enemy hit boxes are so big. Damage values are obscene. Enemies are around every corner and are relentless. Conquering this game is supposed to be difficult so it is designed around failure. It's not fair, but doesn't pretend to be. Your goal is rarely about accomplishing shit on your own and is more about fostering a new generation. Sewing seeds for the future. This game has six areas you need to conquer before gaining access to the final boss. Areas that you can access in a non linear way. It's essentially six separate Rogue Likes glued together. After you beat one area, you can still revisit that area in future runs, only the boss is permanently dead now. Once you've built an heir capable enough, you have the freedom to make short runs where you B-line to the boss or long runs where you scrape each prior area before the showdown. The draw of Rogue Legacy lies in how unlikely it is that you beat it in under a few dozen runs, but because every single run you failed in built towards your eventual victory, it is all the more satisfying.

Rogue Legacy is a game with an insane number of mechanics. Classes, armor, seals, equipment load, bank interest, skill trees, artifacts, upgrades and the list keeps going. Rogue Legacy takes Search Action gameplay and implements systems with the breadth and complexity of a 60 hours long RPG. And it functions perfectly because this is going to be a very looooong game, so the player has time to understand how the systems interact. Unlocking a class you can vibe with and figuring out which abilities and equipment optimize well with it is one of the many joys of Rogue Legacy 2.

Classes define your initial weapons, skills, and spells and additional stats. Class skills and stats basically determine how you're going to play. Weapons are important too, but the skills and stats can't be swapped out the same way weapons and spells can. And much like any craft, they can be improved. You can level up classes by playing them and defeating enemies. This incentivizes focusing on a single class that you've grown fond of so that their base stats will improve. But the random character generation limits your choice in the matter. It forces you to choose different classes. You're always making the best with the hands you are dealt, similar actual genetics. Classes aren't the only thing randomly generated in character creation. Each heir has a genetic trait that has a benefit and drawback. You can be born as a dwarf with shorter weapon range, but makes more money per chest. You can start off with a character who falls slowly, making some sections easier and some a nightmare. Every aspect of build creation of this game has a push and pull.

The armor you buy in this game increases your defense but the set bonus combination for said armors can give you extra stat or ability modifications. Seals are exclusively ability modifications guaranteed to make the game more fun to play with reliable effects. Artifacts fulfill the same purpose a lot of the time, but they are objects you find within the castle runs themselves. Having the right class, armor set, artifacts, and seals can make for a devastating build that will get you far in your adventure. But it's never that simple. Everything in this game has a cost. Armor cost money and ore to make and their weight fills up your maximum armor equip limit. Seals cost money and blood stones and have their own equip limit as well. Artifacts cost resolve and maybe re-rolls to get the best ones, and your resolve lowers if you have too much armor. The lower your resolve gets, the lower your Hit Point Maximum gets, making the character’s stats themselves a form of currency. Nothing in this game is simply handed to you and you have to do everything yourself with the small loan of 1 million gold your dead father gave you.

These systems and how they interact push this to being a phenomenal game, but they wouldn't mean anything without fun gameplay and that is something Rogue Legacy has in spades. Movement is the best part of this game I feel. It really leaned into the Metroidvania aspect. You get powers throughout the game that make world traversal delightful, and become even more fun when you have seals to build off of. Not many games let you do a quintuple jump into a triple air dash, but Rogue Legacy is one of those games. No mechanic you are given is that complicated as they are simply extensions of what you can already do. Attack, Magic, Skill, Dash, and Jump are basically the whole of the gameplay. Just fine tuning those things makes it satisfying to master. But there is one aspect added in this sequel that felt so natural I forgot to list it.

The Spin Kick. The spin kick is essentially a Duck Tales pogo. But you don't get that much height from it. But what it loses in height, it makes up for in surface area. You can spin kick basically any thing in this game so long as long as it's physical or electrical matter. Enemies, projectiles, weird candelabras, are all spin kick approved. Think Cup Head parry, but exclusively down ward, which doesn't seem that great, but it's a platformer essentially. You are jumping a lot. It's really not that different from attacks coming from the side when you are in mid air so much of the time any way. This platformer parry is utilized throughout the whole game to making interesting level obstacles and boss patterns. It is the unsung hero of this game and 3 playthroughs later, I'm still finding joy in executing it.

It's very hard for things in Rogue Legacy to overstay their welcome. Even the procedural level design remains fresh. Lots of variety in the rooms. It's not only a series of corridors where you have to kill enemies in a generated mini level. Some rooms are puzzles. Some are platforming challenges. Some are gauntlets and mini bosses. Some are purely story related. Also the 6 level motifs are distinct both visually and how they are designed. Level 2 almost entirely horizontal while the last area feels like a true dungeon crawler due to how dark and dangerous it is. I wasn't kidding before. Rogue Legacy 2 is 6 Rogue Legacy sequels stuffed into 1 game. And the post game adds another layer to that variety. One of the best parts about a long dev cycle is that entire trends go by in the middle of it. And because of that the creators can be given new ideas. Rogue Legacy blatantly takes the same post game ideas displayed in Dark Souls and Hades and injects it into itself. Rogue Legacy waited until the last moment to turn in its homework and then unabashedly copied off its classmates for an easy A. And god bless it for doing so. With the scaling and customizable difficulty, expansion of rewards and enemies, and completely unique bonus challenges, I'm gonna be playing this one for a long time.

So clearly I enjoy these two games a lot. But what about Dead Cells? What does it bring to the table? What can it do to stand up to these titans. Well. Honestly not much. If Hades is Angel Eyes, and Rogue Legacy is Blondie, then Dead Cells is Tuco stuck in the stand off with an unloaded gun.

Dead Cells is a good game. It looks better than Rogue Legacy. I might enjoy the gameplay more than Hades. But that's where the advantages end. And I'll be honest I haven't spent enough time with this game to truly have scholars opinion on it, thus I can’t write paragraph about its design. But that's kind of the problem. I beat this game in 4 runs. I'm no god at gaming. I'm slightly above average on a good day. The fact that I stumbled upon the ending of this game so early is disappointing. Rogue Legacy, I died a hundred deaths before reaching credits. Hades took me around 14 to beat the first time. Dead Cells gave it away and it was so deflating. I didn't work towards anything. I just sort of won. I never even died to a single boss. Once I upgraded how many estus I could hold, the only thing that mattered was the pick ups I got during the run. I'm sure if I go back there is way more to the game, but after seeing the credits I kind lost all motivation to play it. It's not fair to the game that I did that, but that's how I feel and I got other things to do with my time. It’s too bad I had the idea of comparing these three games before playing all of them.

So it all comes down to Rogue Legacy 2 and Hades. Hades has untouchable presentation and succeeds in everything it attempts with grace in a way that Rogue Legacy 2 doesn't. I can't really break down why, there's an air about it that makes it feel more thought out and seamless. But...I value what Rogue Legacy 2 is more as a game and more over, as a Rogue Like. Sure I like 2D games more than isometric games, but even beyond that, Rogue Legacy has a layer of exploration that pushes it over for me. I find it far more replayable. Hades likely has more condensed quality, but the quantity of Rogue Legacy makes up for it, and quantity is a bit more important for the genre honestly. The depth in content for Hades lies more in the story after you've beaten it, while Rogue Legacy is more in the gameplay. There are more things to do and experience, so it has more value to me. It was likely obvious what my preference was due to how I wrote more about it and made that spot on Dollars Trilogy Reference, but I couldn't really hide it. It's just that damn good.

#dead cells #rogue legacy 2 #hades game

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amplifyme · 9 months

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Really quick update and question (with no care for grammar and punctuation, gotta fly):

Orphans-- love the episode. Brought up the similarity between Cathy and Father again: if an incident is too emotionally scarring or taxing, they wish to burrow away from the world permanently (tying themselves to a person or community rather than to themselves... it makes sense why Vincent and Devin still wished to please their father in that light-- not in a negative way so much as modeling their parent's way of seeking and giving love.) Father's concern for Vincent this episode and Vincent keeping the lines carefully uncrossed and Cathy willing to cross them but holding herself back until she's more sure of herself was an interesting dynamic. Her conversations with Vincent and her Father and the boy and Joe were incredibly well-done; and tying the park not only to Vincent but also to her father was another cool layer. (Also: I see why you said Vincent is kind of like a father to her, like she is kind of like a mother to him. It's that unfailing and undemanding and ultimately soothing love that never wavers or falters.)

Interesting thought: This episode made me believe, for the first time, that if Cathy had just learned a few more lessons from her mistakes and struck out more independently (instead of codependently), she and Vincent might have made a better match. And I really did like her by the end of this episode... but I have a feeling her new streak won't last or won't be significant enough of a change to keep her and Vincent out of trouble.

Okay, one last note: Full disclosure, I've been meaning to rewatch The Outsiders again because I want to figure out why I thought/think Cathy wasn't in the wrong for her choices; and I've been compiling your notes, cross-referencing, etc.... But I can't work myself up to it yet. Tbh, there's something about being stalked in the tunnels that gets under my skin; and that's a first, so well done BATB~. SO, I'll just run my questions by you instead. ;))))

Cathy pushed but ended up respecting Vincent's command not to go Below until Father asked for her to come down; she then agreed to help the children (not to be Below, just to collect them and take the kids with her Above?); and was roped into more by Father's covert ask (for a gun.) Which I liked the dynamic that set up: Father's meditative underhandedness when Vincent's safety is concerned and Cathy's blind trust in his intentions; and that both of them ultimately fired the gun at Vincent, though it was through the hands of a child. (Did I miss a moment where she requested Below to contact her for help regardless of Vincent's wishes; or do you believe her accepting any summons from them was bad in general because Vincent didn't want her Below?) And when she did agree to help, was it with the intent she would technically be "Below"? Is all of that negated when she went searching for Pascal without knowing the full picture and ended up in the enemies' hands? Because if she met all of the above criteria, I see this more as an unfortunate happening rather than willful "I will help because it's my job!" that has gotten her (and Vincent) in trouble before. Enlighten me, oh repeated viewer of this stressful episode! XDDDDD

I'm going to tackle your questions about The Outsiders before I dive into Orphans.

Please don't feel you have to rewatch any episode just to discuss it in more detail. I'm more than happy to fill in any blanks you might have. And remember that I have my own biases, and my take on something may not always match yours. That's okay.

That's correct, sort of. She met up with Father in the threshold of her building, so she wasn't exactly in the tunnels themselves. She was to meet Pascal at the Central Park threshold (Above) to escort the kids to a helper and that was when she'd pass the gun to him. So technically she wasn't really Below (therefore respecting Vincent's wishes) until she made the decision to make the trip down when Pascal didn't show up. The fact of his absence alone should've told her that something had gone sideways (as Vincent had predicted to her) and the last place he would want her was in the tunnels, in the thick of it. But she went anyway, because that's what Cathy does. She's impulsive and hardheaded and doesn't stop to consider consequences. And I can guarantee you that Vincent is extremely aware of that aspect of her personality. It's not the first time she's ignored his warnings or wishes. And who turns out to be right 99% of the time? Listen to the person who experiences prescient visions and dreams on the regular, Cathy!

On to Orphans. One of my favorite episodes in the series because it marks a tangible turning point in V & C's relationship. I concur with everything you said about it. But I'd like to dig into that turning point I mentioned. This is the first time either of them so clearly acknowledge to each other that there is a definite sexual attraction there. They both want to be together that way, and it's beginning to seem like it could happen. Those lingering looks they share when Vincent bids her good-night in the guest chamber are just loaded with UST. Not to mention those moments when Vincent chooses to gather her into his arms in her bed and stays even after she falls asleep. That's a big step for him. A physical relationship is what Cathy is addressing when she asks him later, "Do you think someday... Will we ever be together, truly together?"

Vincent's response is interesting too. "Only if and when we understand how great the sacrifice and how large the fears, and are able to move through them." I think he's talking more to himself than he is to her. Because she doesn't have to tell him she's not scared. He knows that, can feel it in her. It's his own fears that he has to reconcile.

And then this: "Catherine, we are something that has never been, and our journey is one that none have ever taken. We are just now setting out. We must go with courage and we must go with care."

He's reminding her that despite what they'd like to have happen, neither can afford to ever forget there's a part of him that is unhuman and unpredictable, and they've found themselves in an entirely unique position. They're something that's never been because (as far as he knows) he is something that's never been.

This is part of the reason why he's so desperate to make sure he never finds himself having to kill for her - or in her presence - again. "Not like that. Not ever again." Because in those moments after he kills to protect her is when he cannot reconcile himself to the feelings it brings to the surface, that terrifying alchemy of desire and death, the man versus the Other; the battle for his soul and the ongoing struggle to be nothing but a man for her. Because based on his past experience, that hasn't turned out well. Arabesque offers a really good look at how past events have shaped him and why he's so desperate to tear himself loose from Buster.

I told you in the beginning, it gets pretty dark toward the end of S2. This is about the time in the series when George R.R. Martin declared the writing staff to be The Brotherhood of Pain. But When the Bluebird Sings is a lovely palate cleanser in the middle of the season.

Oh, and I can't end this without addressing the kiss when Cathy goes back Above. It was a moment of collective joy in the fandom, and I was making sounds only a dog could hear. But if you look carefully, she doesn't kiss him fully on the mouth, it's more the corner of it. But Vincent still looks totally gobsmacked. I love it. 😊

#beauty and the beast 1987 #season 2 #the outsiders #orphans #discussion

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shuttershocky · 2 years

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What were the things you didn't like in the annihilation route? How were you close to retracting your recommendation? /genuine question

MAJOR Spoilers for AI The Somnium Files, and I'm not going to be kind so don't click if this was like, your favorite part of the game. I must say that it's not that I found it /bad/, but I really disliked its creative decisions.

I was so excited when the early parts of the Resolution route revealed that the Psync machine could be used for bodyswapping, as I already had theories that Date wasn't in his original body and in fact had swapped with #89. But for the bodyswapping mechanic to become central to the murders themselves by being done over and over and over was too much. I think if you introduce a special mechanic like that when you're already more than halfway through the story, you shouldn't abuse it by using it repeatedly when ramping up to the climax or you're going to destroy my suspension of disbelief in the story.

I would have vastly preferred one swap that would have made everything in the mystery fall into place, but instead I got Saito doing it over and over and over again to keep moving while the explanations for how he managed to keep dragging people over to the exact same chemical plant to swap and then get back got harder and harder to believe. You mean to tell me in the night where Mayumi was secretly chasing after Saito (iris) and Ota, Mayumi tailed Saito all the way back to the Sejima mansion unnoticed, Saito met his dad as iris, managed to convince his dad to go with him all the way to the chemical plant WITHOUT the people he did NOT know were tailing him to notice him leaving, swapped himself into So's body, drove all the way BACk to the mansion, made it in again without being noticed, and THEN drove all the way to the warehouse to dispose of So inside Iris' body and that's when he got followed again by Mayumi and the Taxi Driver? Why did he even head back to the mansion in the first place and not gone straight to the warehouse from the chemical plant? Come the fuck on.

It really felt like a twist that focused on its surprise / shock value rather than one gunning for emotional impact as "an event that was happening to characters you have come to care about". And while I won't call it cheap (because it's not there are clues everywhere), I hated it all the same, and I happen to love tragic ends.

I also dislike the Annihilation route because it happening on the left side of the flowchart only solidified something I already disagreed with: the narrative choosing Iris over Mizuki. The Ota and Mizuki routes are honestly incredible and have some of the hardest-hitting storytelling in the game, and the Annihilation route hangs over them like a ghost because you KNOW that means in the Ota route Saito has already killed boss (who was inside So's dismembered body) while in Mizuki route Saito IS defeated (killed in So's body) but the one in Iris body is So, Iris has been dead since they discovered Renju's corpse.

The "true/happy" end of the game can only happen on the right side of the flowchart, where Date is unable to cure Mizuki of her Aphonia by not being able to reach out to her as her parent, does NOT have the talk where Mizuki opens up about her own insecurities and believing her being a weird and bad kid is what led to these murders happening) and instead is left completely alone to grieve while Date goes mystery solving with the teenage genki girl (who is technically also supposed to be a daughter figure but this is one of the twists in the plot). That really pissed me off.

I like Iris well enough, she can be cute and funny in her own right, but the game splits between Mizuki and Iris then ultimately chooses Iris when I find Mizuki a far more interesting character. Iris did not appeal to me much beyond her cute nature and her occasionally hilarious dialogue, but the scene of Mizuki breaking down on the merry-go-round and blaming herself for being weird and annoying and that was why her mother would beat her was /haunting/. I would put it on par with the flashback of Hitomi and Renju in the woods with Hitomi losing her mind at seeing her best friend's body being desecrated by Rohan as the most emotionally devastating scene in the game. You can't tell me Iris is more important while giving Mizuki some of the strongest moments in the game, AITSF.

____

How close was I to retracting my recommendation? Honestly I was ready to quit after finishing Annihilation route. That final Somnium inside Saito (Boss) was a massively unfun pain in the ass, so to get hit with the scenes afterward and seeing my emotional investment in Ota and Mizuki's routes get fucked with the knowledge revealed from Annihilation was even more frustrating.

The only reason I didn't was because only the mystery of the present cases had been revealed, the events of 6 years ago was still a mystery at that point and I was just as invested in it as the modern day events, so I decided to wait and see if that would turn out better. Fortunately, Resolution route was well done. Not as good as the Mizuki route, but very solid and didn't go overboard with the bodyswapping (didn't break my suspension of disbelief). I enjoyed its mystery reveals way more and it had a fun finale.

Saito in his original body was extremely typical and kinda boring, but Date back in his original body was one of those Aha! moments that really made a lot of things click and was just very fun to see. Of course he doesn't know anything about idols! He's a middle aged dude! He keeps acting like a grumpy old man because he is one! Boss keeps casually sexually harassing him (still not cool) not because she's his senior and commander, but because they were close classmates and friends once and she's still treating him like she always has, her equal that she was very probably in love with.

Plus the climax with Date and Aiba was fucking brilliant. Nothing else to say about that.

With the epilogue also turning up the charm and having a ton of reminders as to why I loved AI in the first place (including a finale for all its running gags), I found myself forgiving the game by the time the credits were rolling.

Plus Mizuki's the protagonist of the next game so like, fuck yeah I'm buying AI Nirvana

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mischas · 1 year

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Ah, thank you for your thoughts! I've read it and will re-read a few more times. Would love your thoughts on the lifeguard scene in 3.02 - which I think is the last time they are there together? - Marissa is so mature and understanding, I find it frustrating. I want Ryan to have to explain himself to Marissa but he never does. It's interesting how S1 Ryan is so protective of her and in S3 how he completely fails to understand her and is shut down completely.

I wanted to answer this when I had more time so sorry for the wait! I promise I wasn't ignoring it. Technically they are there together in 3x19 when Ryan is brooding about Sadie leaving and Marissa shows up. He's undoubtedly waiting for Marissa IMO, knowing it's her sacred spot. But I digress.

The lifeguard stand scene in 3x02 needs to be viewed independently of the fight scene that precedes it but they are important to one another. Sandy tells Ryan to go back and listen, and Ryan doesn't really do that, but instead gives us his POV on how he thinks this is his mess to fix. And it's the most we get from him about that whole situation so we have to take it at face value but also contextualize it with how he's been acting. I like that he opens up about being scared of screwing up the chance the Cohens gave him by taking him in. I don't think the show was this intellectual but we could possibly connect this to his s2 characterization. Maybe he thought the Theresa situation at the end of s1 was his 'screw up' and he told himself if he were to somehow make it back to Newport he'd keep his head low and avoid confrontation. I'm not sure, but maybe.

Ryan viewing the shooting as his fault, thus "Now I screwed things up for you" tells us that he really does put this on himself. The entire thing. And he shouldn't. He knows Marissa had no choice but to pull that trigger. When she says in 3x02, "So I was supposed to watch you die?" I think Ryan is really shook that she put it so plainly. Ryan approached the fight in 3x02 with rose-colored glasses and I think he was avoiding that Trey was truly killing him. So Ryan knows she saved him, and feels like he put her in that position. I think his shame in that is partly why he kept his distance during the summer. Not just 'I brought Trey into your life but I made you care for me enough to shoot a fucking gun at someone's back' Like, that's fucking love. And it's an overwhelming feeling.

The earlier fight scene has shades of blame he harbors for Marissa, which he is also ashamed of. No matter what, Ryan still finds it hard to let Trey go and be honest about who Trey is as a person. Thus "There are consequences for me too, he was my brother." He saw the fight between the two of them as back to their old ways, hashing it out with their fists, and in some ways it wasn't even about Marissa's assault. It was the idea that Trey threatened the life Ryan had made for himself. Breaking the trust of the Cohens and of course assaulting Marissa. But it became an allegory for taking from Ryan. In 2x24 Trey says "Yeah, well, you have the good life" and it tells us that Trey's pre-meditated assault did at least partly come from a place of wanting to hurt Ryan. Because he's jealous that Ryan has this new life. This new chosen family. This privilege. Like I said in my 3x01 analysis, Trey can pull Ryan's strings pretty easily. No matter how mad Ryan got at Trey in s2 pre-assault, he always came back around. Other characters interfered, sure, but Ryan knew how manipulated he'd been in the past by his brother but kept forgiving him and kept believing in him. Trey doing what he did meant that the cycle was supposed to stop, that Ryan was supposed to feel comfortable cutting Trey off in his heart. But it wasn't so easy, which is where that 3x02 fight comes in. He snaps, and he knows it was a shitty thing to say but at least it was honest.

"I don't need you to protect me. I don't now and I didn't then" says Marissa. AKA you didn't need to go fight Trey. And in some ways she's blaming him too, which is a thought I don't consider often when I think about s3. We know she's not a fan of his fighting and never has been. I love this scene because we actually get some perspective into how they're both feeling and something RM needed to do was verbally communicate. And they're both ashamed of the things they say.

When it comes to the lifeguard stand, they've both let their guards down and it's nice seeing them so serene and just holding hands. Because no matter how they're feeling deep down about the blame they're placing on one another, they know it's unfounded and they know what's between them is stronger than those things they're ashamed of. Marissa reassures Ryan that Harbor is not the end all be all of her life and he needed to hear that. She's bummed about being kicked out but it hasn't devastated her. I think part of his idea in 3x01 and the summer preceding it was that everything would go back to normal once Trey awoke and school was part of that promised normalcy. And dealing with the school issue was easier than dealing with Trey and everything that came with that.

It's nice to think that Ryan did end up convincing Marissa to go with him to the carnival. I like picturing that. They're both so so into the mythology of their own relationship and it's sick!!!

#ask #anonymous #3x02 #once again this went on too long #also i spent sm time on the fight scene but it has Layers whereas the lifeguard stand scene kind of tries to wrap the fight up with a bow #and i love it ofc and love what it means but i would've loved to hear marissa tell ryan her pov like sandy suggested

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ngmn2002 · 2 years

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Thank you for the detailed response, and also the well wishes! You have yourself a good day too. (Halloween Event hype!)

I wanted to comment on a few things you said in the previous ask I sent:

1. Sakura didn't tell anyone what she was Doing

You said that she told Natsuhiko about her plans to talk with Nene, and I actually agree with that! I kinda jumped the gun there. I think she trusts Natsuhiko a lot (and he likely knows more about her plans than anyone else does) but as proven by her not revealing her true intentions in sending Hakubo there, she still keeps some things to herself.

Still, Natsuhiko and Sakura's shared history is super interesting. Is he like her, and older than he looks? Or did he simply meet her when he became a student, and is still a normal human...? We don't know enough yet, but we can assume he at least leaves the campus... ...so much to learn...

2. Nene seeing No. 6's memories

It's okay if you haven't read Chapters 66-68 in a while! I think they're closer to *Sumire's* memories, technically, which she sees after the village people drug her to sacrifice her. So maybe she's still lacking in the truth about No. 6 himself...? ah, but since the memories she saw of other characters (like Yako and Tsuchi) were tied directly to the yorishiro, maybe the fact that Sumire is his yorishiro works as a technicality...?

There's also the fact we don't know if "finding out the truth" is just a fancy way of saying "destroy all of the yorishiro" yet, so maybe it's only one or the other instead of both...

3. Nene knowing No. 7's past

Yeah, I think if we consider the technical No. 6 "truth" as counting, then Nene should know enough about No. 7 by now. Still, she doesn't know a whole lot about Tsukasa himself, AKA the person Amane's yorishiro memory would be tied to... still plenty of time for that, though. :D

Again, maybe the yorishiro memory isn't even important, or learning the truth behind the school mystery itself, but it would be neat to see Nene still accomplish that goal!

(She also needs to destroy No. 3's, who was eaten and replaced by Mitsuba, but his yorishiro is still the same as the former no. 3 (check Ch. 35)..... many truths to find!!)

4. The key

Not much to add, I just hope you're right and that the key comes back. :'D it's been 6 years since it was relevant in the story.

Anyway, cheers! It's a pleasure getting to theorize a bit with someone.

Hello again, rapidfur !

You're very welcome. ^^

Yes, we still don't know that much about Nanamine and the other one to be sure of anything. You're right. And I don't want to even start thinking about their history or anything, because knowing AidaIro, they will come up with something that you didn't consider and throw all your thinking and theorizing out of the window. So, I would rather not to think anout it. Also, I don't really care about that. Whatever past they may have shared... it's not that intersting to me, to tell you the truth. UNLIKE the twins' past. I want to know about it so much!!! And I'm ready to think about it all day (I do!). It's so interesting to me!

So, as you see, If I were to spend time on thinking about someone's past or anything... I would rather it to be connected to the twins. In fact, I think about them so much. Their past, relationship, etc.

But, I'm glad you agree with me on the point of Nanamine working together with him and them having plans together. I said she trusts him 'almost' with everything. I gave it a degree of about 90%. ^^

Whatever the thing (their past, relationship, plans, trust, etc.) between them may be, I don't really care. At least for now. Maybe in future chapters I will. And maybe not.

Yes, maybe Nene can guess Sumire's imprtance to No. 6 due to her being his yorishiro and all.

"finding out the truth" is just a fancy way of saying "destroy all of the yorishiro" .......... maybe it is like that? It's really intersting to me. I want to know the truth behind that rumor, the 'kami' and the final wish all together.

All we can do here is to wait for what the future will bring to us.

Yes, Nene still has a long way to go to discover all about No. 7 (Hanako + Tsukasa).

About No. 3, no worries, I still remember the yorishiro is still the same.

What I'm wondering about now... is what would happen to Mitsuba when the yorishiro is destroyed.

Will he... disappear?

I have faith it will make a miraculous return! Hopefully, someday, we will see it shine in the story. ✨

**********

Yes, it's indeed a pleasure getting to theorize a bit with someone! It was fun, really. Thanks for your interest in talking.

And if you want to do it again someday in the future (on whatever topic in this manga), it would be nice. ^^

Oh, thanks for the well wishes also!

Have a good day!

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michpeach · 2 years

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Movie magic

When I was 6 months old, my family moved from Zacatecas, Mexico to Southern California. I was too young to speak any language, but my parents and older sisters all only spoke Spanish.

Considering SoCal is so Latino/Hispanic heavy, it wasn’t a huge problem for them to get around, plus we had family here. But my mom recalls being in parent teacher conferences with my eldest sister’s teachers and her (semi) English-speaking and feeling useless.

“Aquí estaban, hablando de mi hija frente a mí y no podía entender nada,” she said, which translates to, “Here they were, talking about my kid in front of me and I couldn’t understand a thing.”

She was determined to learn the damn language. Film/ TV was a big help.

She watched Mr. Rogers with us, and rewatched 80s films (Top Gun was her favorite) she had seen in Mexico, but hadn’t cared enough to pay attention to their language then. She didn’t think she’d ever live in an English speaking country.

My dad did this, too. Of course, he worked most of the day so he missed out on Mr. Rogers and other kid shows, but we’d watch movies everyday.

I guess I didn’t ever realize how many movies I’ve seen in my lifetime, until I started dating my boyfriend.

“I was busy playing outside,” he says.

Well, I wasn’t. My mom was really protective (still is!) and we lived in an apartment complex in a not-so-great part of town. Sometimes, we’d go to the park or the library. But a lot of the times, we’d watch movies.

Movies were enough.

To this day, I watch a ton of film/TV. It’s my favorite art form. Without it, I don’t know who I’d be.

So what are my favorite films, and why?

5) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Directed by Wes Anderson | Written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach

"I think I have this thing where everybody has to think I'm the greatest, the quote unquote 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' and if they aren't completely knocked out and dazzled and slightly intimidated by me, I don't feel good about myself."

Pretty profound words, for a fox.

This film is one of my favorites for a few reasons. In a very Wes Anderson-esque way, the film is just gorgeous and symmetrical which I find mesmerizing. I've always been curious about claymation and seeing a film like this just peaked my interest.

Aside from this, the story is just flat out great. A fox looking for a rush at the cost of his family and community; how does he fix things? Mr. Fox is a really well developed and dimensional character, with relationships that may seem familiar to some watchers, such as the one he has with his wife and son.

4) Frances Ha (2012)

Directed by Noah Baumbach | Written by Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig

"I'm so embarrassed. I'm not a real person yet."

A love letter to women in their 20s that don't know what they're doing with their lives.

I feel there are more coming of age stories about people in their teens than there are about young adults in their 20s, which is criminal because who really matures enough to truly "come of age" at 15/16/17. I know technically you're an adult at 18, but your brain isn't even fully developed?

This film really reassures me, as a 22-year-old, that it's completely fine to not know what you're doing. It's fine to float through life for a while.

It's part of the journey of life, eventually you'll land somewhere.

3) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

Directed and written by Aaron Sorkin

"Since this trial began, 4,752 US troops have been killed in Vietnam. And the following are their names"

Is there one right way to revolutionize?

I've never really taken myself as a history buff, but this film makes things fun. It's a story we don't learn about in classrooms.

The story of eight individuals tried in court for starting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. But was it really them? And did everyone at the defendants table need to be there?

The film itself is a riot. It's quick, but also poses questions about ethics behind badges and benches, which are questions that remain unanswered even today.

2) Little Women (2019)

Directed by Greta Gerwig | Written by Greta Gerwig Sarah Polley

"Life is too short to be angry at one's sisters"

I feel like anyone who has read the novel by Louisa May Alcott can understand what a wonderful and joyous group of girls the March sisters are.

Now mix that with Greta Gerwig's creative hand and some of the most beautiful costumes in the world and you get the 2019 film rendition of this beloved tale.

Aside from the story, the actors were just phenomenal in their delivery. I wouldn't expect less from Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet (whom I'm in love with), Laura Dern, Bob Odenkirk, and the Meryl Streep. Wow! I hadnt even realized how many true stars were in this one. Amazing.

This is another coming of age film for women in their 20s. Sure, it's a different time entirely, but the message is the same. Women will, in their own time, know what's best for them.

1) Big Fish (2003)

Directed by Tim Burton | Written by John August

"I saw my death in that eye, and this isn't how it happens."

"So how does it happen?"

"Surprise ending. Wouldn't want to ruin it for you."

I have only seen my father cry in one movie, and this is it. Could it be the complex relationship between father and son shown on screen resonates with him? Or that is particularly a beautiful film? I've never asked him.

What makes me cry about this movie is that it's a build up to the ultimate ending. You see this man, slightly delusional, living his life through stories and you soon realize that perhaps its not an unfortunate way to live. It could be quite fulfilling.

I don't think I've ever seen another movie about wild imagination past adolescence, but it's a wonderful thing.

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nuttypatrolduck · 2 years

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Chapter 7 Reflections

I've play tested game prototypes before and I have found that there was some level of effort put into the presentation and artwork. Although the designs were not final, and took time and energy from the developers - potentially at the detriment to further progress - as a play tester I felt that it added value to my experience. I'm imaginative enough to have tested the mechanics without as much visual stimulation, but I definitely got a better feel for the vision of the developer seeing more clearly how things might look. I'm also considering where the lines are blurred between physical prototypes and making a game intended to be played in table top. Naturally there are things that can be done with a computer that aren't possible in paper - but dice rolls can generally replicate the randomness that exists in video games (and as established in earlier chapters, many modern games are actually inspired by table top game mechanics such as those in Dungeons & Dragons). Ironically a lot of board games are tested with digital prototypes - especially during the last couple of years where getting together for physical play testing wasn't a possibility. Regarding Battleship (Exercise 7.1) - I recently replicated the mechanics of this game into a 10x10 table format so that it could be played over messenger using emojis. I was able to replicate many other games in this way, such as connect 4, checkers, go and even chess. Any game played on a grid is easy replicable into a chat based format! Super convenient, doesn't require and installation and NO ADS. ;)

I can't help but wonder if there is a catch-22 with physical prototypes where ideas can become too grand. The ease of making them might not translate well to the vast challenges of software development. Working as a developer myself, I know that there is often a clash between the ideas of designers and the limitations of development time. Technically any idea is possible, but some ar prohibited by the challenges of implementation.

Exercise 7.2: Up the River Variation I saw an opportunity here to create another messenger based version of the game - and it works quite well. I guess it's technically not a "physical prototype" but it's just as easy to put together quickly - at no cost - and very efficient to test with friends. I think grids neatly fall into the human desire to categorise things. Up the river isn't obviously a grid at first - but when you break down the game into its components - rows of river and columns (lanes) that the boats navigate... Lo and behold, a grid. Even more complicated computer games - at least retro ones - are tile based, so there's a lot more complexity but they could also technically be prototyped as grids.

Prototyping rules: Always Ask a Question. Stay Falsifiable. Persuade and Inspire. Work Fast. Work Economically. Carefully Decompose Problems.

Super cool seeing a physical prototype of an FPS game. Just looking at the image, before even reading the explanation, I could see that it looked fun and interesting - and how it could give a player an idea of what the real game would be like.

Exercise 7.3: Movement and Shooting I'm not sure why, and I don't play many FPS games, but before even getting to this exercise I was already envisioning a movement style that involved constant running - being able to move forwards, left and right, and backwards - but when moving backwards, slowing to a walking pace. Rotation is possible while moving but by default, if a movement input isn't given, a character will simply rotate on the spot - spinning in place while pointing their gun, and being able to rotate a full 360°. Shooting would be done in the direction the gun is currently pointing, and would involve a slight kickback (with varying strengths depending on the weapon the player is using) that would move them slightly backwards. They'd also be able to zoom in and look through a scope - which would work the same way as real guns do where a shooter must line up the... I don't know the word for parts of guns. But the little sticky up bit - up with what they want to aim for. My reasoning is just that this feels intuitive to me - at least in my head - because I feel like it replicates what is possible in reality, which seems important for a shooting game. A bit more on that before I move on - I think reality is particularly important in most FPS games because it's already imitating something that people can't do in reality (few people want to participate in real violence, but simulated violence can be exciting) even if that takes away from originality. Ironically, lack of originality (and a general distaste for that kind of simulated violence) is why I don't generally play FPS games, so I think if I was making one there would be less focus on guns and reality and more on unique mechanics - probably something colourful and cartoony - although now I'm just thinking of Splatoon!

Being told to refer to Chapter 6 makes me question why we've jumped to Chapter 7 (as far as this textbook being a workshop that implies following the process cover to cover) but I understand that for Week 2 it's important to learn about prototyping and that we'll go back next week. Looking at the Activision core gameplay graphs - they seem to get very messy/confusing very quickly. I prefer the sketches on page 217 that are more like flow charts.

Exercise 7.7: Diagramming Core Gameplay I sketched out a visualisation for the core gameplay of Monopoly:

Exercise 7.8: Diagramming Core Gameplay 2 This is very rough... But it outlines the structure of the gameplay I described in my elevator pitch for my platformer game, Snoot.

Final thoughts about physical prototyping is the question of whether or not some games literally evolved from prototyping. I'm thinking about how Nintendo has experimented a lot with video games where the entire scenes are made out of clay, arts and craft materials, paper, etc. (Paper Mario, Yoshi's Crafted World, Kirby, etc)... It certainly adds an interesting aesthetic. When Super Mario World 2 (Yoshi's Island) was made - Executives at Nintendo wanted to see the advanced "3D" style of graphics that Rare had used for Donkey Kong Country. Instead Miyamoto used a child's drawing style aesthetic - which was wildly successful. I wonder how much they've questioned Miyamoto's experiments since then. :)

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fixation-issues · 3 years

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The Fight Scene

i am in LOVE with the fight scene and probably rewatched it too many times. here's some stuff i noticed.

While Striker did not hesitate to harm Millie and Moxxie, he WAS hesitant about hurting Blitz. When Striker got ready to shoot Stolas, he got surprised about Blitz being the one behind him.

He lost his composure for a second there. And Striker is holding an angel rifle, so it's not like he's at a disadvantage.

BUT HE PUTS DOWN THE GUN TO TALK.

Blitz didn't tell him to put down the weapon. Striker did that of his own volition. And the angel rifle is WAY stronger than the knife he pulls out later and never actually uses against Blitz (explained later).

Instead Striker chooses to talk, and he knows Blitz isn't gonna shoot.

Honestly Striker's speech felt a little pre-planned for me but I'm gonna skip over it. Point was that Striker wanted Blitz to join him. He saw potential and didn't like seeing it go to waste.

AND I MEAN,, HE DID A WALL SLAM. He was interested in more than just a partnership too --

Striker only got violent AFTER Blitz admitted he was just trolling. And even then, Striker aimed to hurt Moxxie (poor dude q_q) and not Blitz.

That's where the knife part comes in. I think Striker wanted to distract Blitz with the knife (not actually use it) to catch him off guard and surprise him into almost shooting Moxxie.

THEN everything falls apart. Blitz gets p*ssed and finally gets violent (he was passive this entire time until the shot). But Striker never went full offensive back at him.

Striker's attacks against Blitz were wayyy less lethal compared to when he fought M&M. He never used his tail as a weapon or broke any bones. And when Striker threw Blitz towards Moxxie, Moxxie technically cushioned Blitz's fall. At worst Striker punched Blitz in the face hard enough to make him bleed (but by next morning the injury was gone, so).

Also this scene.

When Striker got the upper hand against M&M, he threw them into the basement. But here, Striker said "too bad, its a shame" (with an exaggerated shrug and having the gun pointed to the floor and with his eyes closed) in the middle of a fight. Imo he kept giving Blitz chances to change alliances.

AND WHEN HE RAN,, He shoved/moved Blitz aside using both arms. I personally don't see that often. Usually its a careless one-arm shove to the side. IT WAS JUST DIFF FOR ME OK //

TL;DR Striker held back during his fight against Blitz. Striker really did want Blitz to partner with him. And I think Striker is fine with being violent towards most characters, Blitz is just an exception (why i ship it lol fff). But also that's one of the toxic aspects of this ship, imo especially with how much Striker hates (?) Moxxie.

#helluva boss #hb meta #me.notebook #long post #very long post #striker x blitzo #blitzker #i love fight scenes a lot #EDIT: changed wording of the tl/dr #im not comfortable with how i worded it originally #at least not anymore lol

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miss-celestial-being · 3 years

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Ah yes, another submission to the writing challenge :) hope you like it @fairydxll

Utterly Amazing- H.G.

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request | masterlist

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Y/n walked into the library to see her best friend studying. "How's my princess on this fine day?" Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes. "Stop calling me Princess!" Y/n laughed. "My apologies, my Queen." Hermione tried to hid her blush in her book, but it was no use. Y/n laughed and hugged Hermione while she grumbled. "You're gonna want me one day, and I'll be here when that happens." Hermione rolled her eyes and continued reading. Y/n left and looked at her. "Do me a favor and don't start a war while I'm gone." She pointed two finger guns at Hermione and shot them separately. Hermione laughed quietly and Y/n smiled, leaving the room.

Hermione had been asked out constantly by her friend Ron and while she did like him, it was in a strictly platonic way. She finally had enough and went to her best friend for help. "How about we fake date, that'll stop him for sure." Hermione looked at her like she was crazy. "You don’t have to like me, you just need to pretend you do." Y/n clarified and Hermione sighed, nodding. Y/n smiled and kissed her cheek. "See you later, love." Y/n winked and walked off. Hermione's cheeks a burning red.

That night, Y/n thought it'd be a good idea to sneak into Hermione's dorm and hang out. When she got there Hermione's eyes were wide. Y/n held her hands up in surrender. "Relax, nobody saw me.." Hermione huffed and opened her book back up. Y/n walked around her room and looked at some of Hermione's stuff. Nothing interesting really, just books and parchment, as expected. But as she looked around some more, she saw something. "Is that my shirt?" Hermione blushed slightly. "W-why are you looking through my stuff?" "Well technically, this shirt is my stuff." Hermione grabbed the shirt from her hand. "It's mine now." Y/n laughed. "That's alright, you can have it." Y/n smiled down at her as Hermione looked shocked. "R-really?" Y/n nodded and went over to the bed, jumping onto it and laying down. Hermione laughed and walked over too. Y/n patted her leg as a sign for Hermione to sit in her lap and Hermione just looked at her. Y/n sighed and stood up, picking her up and bringing her to the bed, placing her on her lap. Y/n held Hermione's cheek in her hand and smiled. "I cannot find the words to describe how I feel about you." Y/n didn't even realize what she said until after she said it. Her eyes widened and she blushed. "Then don't use words." Y/n looked at Hermione to see her eyes on her lips. Y/n leaned up and captured her lips in hers. The kiss was slow and passionate, making up for the years without doing this. Y/n pulled away, but Hermione went in for another. Y/n laughed. "Jeez woman, I know I'm hot but calm down a little." Hermione laughed. "One kiss is just never enough. I just want more." She leaned down and they shared another kiss full of the same passion as the first. They were both smiling so much that their faces hurt. But it was utterly amazing.

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Hehe second entry to your challenge :) this time with exactly 8 prompts used. I hope you liked this. Pleased request something, link at the top.

#harry potter #hogwarts #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #slytherin #hufflepuff #ravenclaw #gryffindor #hermione jean granger #hermione x y/n #hermione x you #hermione x reader #hermione oneshots #hermione granger #hermione x reader fluff #hermione fluff #writing challenge #fluff #Hermione

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cowboymantis · 3 years

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Let's talk about Kazuto Arase

Yakuza / Yakuza Kiwami , Yakuza 3 side content spoilers. Later on Yakuza LaD too, but I'll give a warning before that especially since a lot of people haven't played that yet.

So I have a lot of thoughts about Yakuza on my mind and just want to scream into the void about it somewhere to write 'em all down somewhere! I'm starting with... Arase.

Yeah, I know, a mostly very hated character (personality and battle-wise) that has so little screen time on top of it all too, is the first thing I'll be talking about.

Hear me out, I actually really love this character and only really started to appreciate him after I went for the Yakuza 3 platinum trophy... I've replayed this game so many times, I didn't mind it when I played through it first but seeing all the hate it has gotten, I went to replay it just in case and with that replayed it again and again because I just somehow loved it so much-

And you know, one part of Yakuza 3, also completion related so there was no way I could've missed it, were the Hitman missions. In general, after playing through all the main games I started to come back to a lot of characters I didn't like or minded the first time playing that are now some of my favourites (other examples are Tamashiro or Lau Ka Long, hell even Katsuragi)!

To come back to Arase, let's start with, well, the start: Yakuza / Yakuza Kiwami.

Introduced already in the very first Yakuza game, Arase is just there for a brief moment in the game, yet has a heavy impact on the game's story and Kiryu. It starts with Arase's oath brother Shinji being shot by Arases subordinate, Mochizuki, at least it looks like it. Shinji came here to rescue Reina, whose corpse then gets dragged on the roof of the Dragon Palace by Arase, Sergeant of the Nishikiyama Family. Now that's a pretty... heavy and sadistic first image for a character introduction, and honestly, his strong personality like that seemed also to be the reason he wasn't exactly loved by other members of the Family.

His battle theme in the first Yakuza game is called "Turning Point" which also puts more emphasis on how important this scene is, Kiryu breaking down, his scream when he sees Reina's body... It's really a turning point in the story.

In Kiwami, his new theme "Virtical Point" is also used as the intro song (or at least, the intro song "Vertical Point" is similar and shortened). Which also once again shows the importance of this piece.

Of course, he's not the most important character in the story, but it's still interesting to see how much there is around him other than his rather short appearance.

Then, his fighting style. Yeah, most hate this too and also the fact that starting from there, other bosses also sometimes use his moveset or a similar one. Like, take Jiro or Jo Amon or Andre Richardson... Basically just the usual dual wielding guns while being an athlete on crack - layout. It is actually not that bad, it's even less bad when you've got the right equipment but I have to admit I didn't really have that much good equipment when I first played all the games and basically just rushed through them because I just couldn't stop!

Arase's goal here of course was also to beat Kiryu but well, just like every other character ever, he couldn't do it and got beat instead.

And that's the end of that... The end of his part in the story and also the end of his part in the Nishikiyama Family, because he got disowned right after his failure.

Which is so... hmm... It makes me think. Many others have tried to take Kiryu down, too. And I mean, Arase was normally a very successful assassin, right? Yet this one failed attempt, at which everyone else too failed, got him disowned? Seems to me like they didn't like him and gave him an impossible task to have a reason to throw him out, huh?

And with that wonderful transition, let's get into his appearance in Yakuza 3.

You get introduced to the concept of the Honest Living Association, in short the HLA pretty much after Kashiwagis death. An association, founded by Kashiwagi to help Yakuza / former Yakuza who weren't meant for this life or just wanted out but just couldn't do in it on their own. For some, all they knew was the criminal life, so having a thing like this is especially helpful. Although, I'm kinda sad this was never a thing anymore after Yakuza 3. The whole concept of it was very cool.

Kiryu gets asked by Ibuki to help the HLA because there is an organisation of hitmen, also known as The Reapers (or The Avengers on PS3) whose goal was a different one than the HLA's, it was to kill Yakuza. The Reapers consisted of former criminals, mainly Yakuza, who were wronged by their superiours and expelled, disowned, you name it. Basically what happened to Arase.

Apprehending those hitmen is a totally optional part of the game and I have to admit, I didn't finish it my first time playing. Which is such a shame because it goes by so fast too when you play it after finishing the game! And the individual stories are all so interesting too, I've really enjoyed this side content and also replayed those missions already. You don't really expect someone like Arase to be behind all of it when it turns out to be him who is the founder and the leader of it all. I was already taken aback by Shinzaki being the lieutenant, or part of it at all. I often stopped by to listen to his guitar playing and talked to him, often asking myself is there's anything else up with him.

And once this one hitman contract came in and guitar playing was mentioned, I was just thinking "It can't be him...?", god, this whole side storyline just was so good. And here people come and say Yakuza 3 was a bad game.

The whole build-up to then reveal Arase was just so cool, honestly. It made me start to look more into his character after this confrontation. The fight was really cool too, just having to fight Shinzaki so many times wasn't really necessary, but Arase seems to like to fight alongside others, so fair enough.

And his theme "End Point" is also just so good. It's more similar to Turning Point than Virtical Point was. The name is also again fitting, since this is the end for The Reapers and Arases power.

It is made clear here that Arase has a strong hatred against the Yakuza and especially holds a strong grudge against Kiryu. He sees Kiryu as the reason he got wronged and had to leave the Yakuza behind, while also seeming to be very aware of the fact that the others there probably didn't like him at all.

He's so angry at him, he holds this whole speech and talks about revenge while Kiryu tries to talk some sense into him, eventually Ibuki also joins and tries to reason with Arase too. Telling him how that's what Kashiwagi wanted, even for Arase to find a new, honest life.

Arase is too strongly lead on by his grudges, so even though it seems like he might be thinking about turning his life around, he decided to not let them help him. Then he goes on about how he will definetly return to take revenge on Kiryu... Well. That's the end of that.

It becomes clear that Arases stubborn way of thinking is kind of childish. Not taking responsibility for any of his actions, thinking that his vile personality and actions are in fact the reason he got disowned. Failing to beat Kiryu was just the final puzzle piece to have a solid reason to throw him out. He's clearly unstable, doesn't think twice before shooting someone, he could turn on anyone and wouldn't be sorry for it. Just, he doesn't seem to really think about what he does.

I guess he probably thinks he's strong enough, he doesn't need to be careful. Also fitting for that is his fighting style in Dead Souls, how when he gets low on HP, he pretty much fends for himself, disregarding orders and just charging head first with full strength.

His Dead Souls appearance is also interesting. Okay, we all know, this game isn't canon, it's a spin-off and just doesn't fit in to the story. But it is interesting how he teams up with Kiryu for a bit and then leaves again. The game itself takes place after the events of Yakuza 4, meaning at this point RGG did remember that hey, they have a rival that swore to beat Kiryu one day. But after that... radio silence.

Really, this is such a shame. Just alone from his short appearances I can talk so much about Arase because he really is an interesting character with so much more potential! The only thing that's good about it is that he didn't die, making him technically one of the longest surviving characters in Yakuza which really is a great achievement.

Okay, we don't exactly know that he's still alive, but assuming due to there not being a mention of him being dead, he's probably alive. He might be, might not. Schrödinger's Arase.

One other thing I thought about is Jo Amon. I mean, his outfit and fight style is also similar to Arase, but that's not what I'm mainly thinking about. So the name Amon is for the greatest assassins, right? And they have a strong hatred against Kiryu at the beginning too.

So, putting those things together, Arase being a former assassin in the Nishikiyama Family, then the leader of a dangerous hitman organisation... Then, to fight Jo Amon in Yakuza 3 you also need to do all the hitman missions other than the substories and the IF7 fights. And to start the search for Amon, you also need to go to Ibuki again, where you got all the other hitman missions.

Yeah, it's a bit far fetched, but ... not too far fetched to think that maybe Arase and at least Jo Amon could know each other. I'd say, they could team up in a future game but. Well... Yeah.

Now some more things I thought about, I'll put a warning here though.

Yakuza LaD spoilers ahead!

Soooo, in this game we've gotten a couple of characters "back" ... Some more real than others... Thinking about Joon Gi's body double.

But one character that survived is Kashiwagi! Now the bartender of a bar named Survive. What a fitting name. After surviving such a heavy attack and believed dead by, well, everyone, it was the best approach to keep a low profile, start a new life. Also, he doesn't seem to be fit for any fighting after the incident.

So Kashiwagi is still there. And, now I just thought about, what if there was a possible redemption arc for Arase? Kiryu is believed dead now too, alone the fact that it seems that Kiryu never met Kashiwagi while being in the same area is kinda sad. I like to imagine they met each other...

I think it could go either way, Arase somehow got information on Kiryu being in Ijincho. He is a professional after all. Plus, by now Kiryu is also, well, not really working with... but. You know, not fighting with the Amon Clan anymore, even having Shin Amon to help determine Ichibans strength with the (True) Final Millennium Tower.

And, now, maybe there can be some other comnecting inside the Amon Clan and some info got out to Arase, ah, hell, I don't know, it's all so far fetched but I just like to have those possible headcanons of Arase somehow coming back!

Another possibility could also be Arase thinking Kiryu has died, just per chance being in the area and just going to the Survive bar? He'd probably be way more open about the thought of redemption and with Kashiwagi probably being pretty good at talking former Yakuza into that, given how the whole HLA was his doing.

Just... Thinking about possible things.

Yakuza LaD spoilers end here!

Well. That's that.

At the end of the day, the chances of Arase returning are pretty much 0, other characters you never thought of reappearing sometimes appear in one way or another, so it can be possible, but probably won't.

But one thing is clear, looking more into this character made me really appreciate him more. I guess that's the fact with a lot of characters, not just in Yakuza, but in general.

The characters in Yakuza are just so well written and even though it has some very weird and silly plot points and plot twists, I just love this game so much and looking more into it and replaying it is just so much fun.

I even started to like the minigames in Yakuza 3, even though I got very hopeless at the last pool opponent and the goddamn Mahjong completion, ugh. But at the end of the day it's all just really fun once you get the hang of it. It hasn't aged too well when you play it after the other Yakuza games, but replaying it on all the difficulties and then casually, then trying to beat it as fast as I can just made me love the game more and more every time.

So, uh... I don't know if it's a blessing or curse for me to often really like the characters that either everyone hates or have almost to screen time. Because well... there's such a lack of content and appreciation but hey that's what I'm writing this for!

I hope maybe someone starts to appreciate Arase more after this - if anyone even reads further after learning that I love this character. :D' I swear I tried to write it with as little bias as possible. I do know he's a morally very very grey character but after all, it's a video game character. (...There's no way I'll ever like characters like Yoneda...Ogita...Or Kume though... ugh)

Well anyway, with that, I go!

#ryu ga gotoku #yakuza #yakuza 1 #yakuza kiwami #yakuza 3 #yakuza lad #kazuto arase #yakuza arase #rgg #yakuza dead souls

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angeloncewas · 3 years

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Some people, when interacting with covid and it’s guidelines, tend to not take it seriously because they think they’re invincible and that both they and the people around them will be fine even if they did somehow catch it. Does that give them an excuse to ignore the guidelines? No, but it is an explanation of why some people would not follow them or not wear masks

I think the thing that bothers me the most about this situation is that most of these people know technoblade, the guy who has cancer and is also immunocompromised. Like they know someone who, if he gets covid, has a high likelihood of landing in the hospital and/or dying

They interact with someone who can prove to their little brains that people can be badly affected by this covid thing but they at most seem to be slightly inconvenienced by it. It just annoys me that they seem unwilling to think about how their shitty actions can affect others really really badly, especially when they have someone right there as proof of that

(I’ve sent something similar to this to someone else but I’m curious about your opinion on this)

I wanna preface my answer with two things - 1. I don't really feel comfortable talking about the Techno of it all. No shade to you and I welcome any opinions/questions as always, I'd just rather leave that topic as it is. I do understand the ways it pertains to everything going on, but it just strikes me as too personal for my type of discussion. + 2. I'm gonna try to speak in really general statements here because I think most people are tired of cc crit and while I stand by everything I said there is a lot more going on than just these specific people yk.

Okay, so -

COVID revealed a lot of things about a lot of people, both in the public eye and in my (and I'm sure many other peoples') personal life. I have a bit of a cynical opinion on society compared to others (Joker moment), so while a lot of the selfishness and similar disregard wasn't really surprising, it's still interesting to look into.

I wouldn't say it's not that percieved invincibility that keeps people from taking COVID seriously (and I don't mean in terms of right now, I mean throughout the pandemic) but I do think there's more to it than just that. People have a very short attention span, especially when it comes to serious topics. There's this statistic I always think about regarding gun violence; how after every tragedy there will be a huge wave of calls for reform that fizzles out as soon as people get distracted. I don't have enough technical psychology knowledge to know if it's a quantifiable thing, but it's definitely observable. COVID strikes me as a lot of the same. I had a decent amount of friends - generally smart and kind people - who got less and less diligent about following the guidelines as time went on. Be it due to their home situation or their mental health or just some kind of urge, they went back to going out and not wearing masks and so on and so on.

In a similar vein, there's also the sort of... unreality of it? Like obviously it's real and damaging and needs to be taken seriously, but I feel like a lot of people have trouble truly understanding something that they've not experienced semi-firsthand. It's not "that would never happen to me" so much as "it can't be that bad" or "well no one I know has gotten it" (which you touch on - sorry I'm rambling a bit) and that makes all the gears click into okay to proceed as normal in their head. It can even happen with people who do have somewhat hands-on experience with it; one of those aforementioned past friends of mine has a heart condition and therefore is very at risk with this whole thing - and yet she was out and about more than anyone else I know because that was the choice she was deciding to make.

And I think one of the big things with COVID is the ability (or lack thereof) to see outside of ourselves. She was making that choice for herself and while I don't think that was right, she has that kind of autonomy. But it wasn't fair for her to be making a choice for every person she interacts with - at-risk essential workers and people who have to go out for x y and z - they're not choosing to risking their lives, their lives were being risked by others. And I think it really requires a person to do that cliche thing of stepping into the people around you's shoes to fully understand that; not even in regards to death tolls or hospital fullness but just on a basic human level.

(I don't think this is quite the answer you were looking for, sorry ;; but thank you for the ask <3)

#angel answers #anon #cancer tw #discourse #covidtalk #death tw #long post #ask to tag ???

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