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pearl-kite · 2 years

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19, 20 and 21 for the artist asks!

Good ones, thank you <3<3

19. how often do you draw

I've been forcing myself to do a 100 day challenge to draw something every day that I started in March. I'm due to finish up on the 9th, and I've managed to be consistent with it. I'm being very lax on the definition for it, though, so sometimes it's just the littlest bit of doodling. The other week I forgot and ended up doodling for five minutes in bed before I went to sleep o3o

I don't want to get into that habit of 'MUST DRAW SOMETHING EVERY DAY' because it can get self-destructive, but with the super lenient definition of 'something' I feel like it's helped keep me in the habit of moving a pencil around, which makes it easier to draw bigger things when I want to. I did a challenge like this in 2020, when I had been doodling something only once every month or two, and it's been really nice just kind of setting up a low-stakes routine for myself.

20. a piece from this year that you’re really proud of

So far definitely this one:

The wings were incredibly fun to detail, learned a neat trick doing them, and the halo was fun to tweak and mess with o3o

21. something you would like to improve on

I want to learn how to draw interactions and/or sequential things. I wish so badly that I could do comics, even little mini ones, but doing things consistently enough to be a sequence is difficult. I also can't really draw more than one person existing in the same space at once soooo uh, I need to practice o3o;;;

I also feel like I've been struggling with the second eye on faces lately, and it's driving me crazy, but not crazy enough to do anything about it yet =3=;;;

#ask games #thank you I like these questions o3o #but the drawing every day thing #like... I still marvel at people who whip out complex themed monthly challenges on the daily #that is not at all what I'm doing #I'm tweaking or sketching or adding onto something a little bit each day #that lineup I did of adrian recently covered like ten days of just fiddling with no real goalpoast #I can't come up with something complete or resembling complete that quickly and I think it would be unhealthy for me to make that a goal #like personally for me anyway #and I probably would be drawing a bit less if I was employed right now o3o;;;;;#also I really want to learn how to draw multiple people at once #like really desperately #but I'm so lazy about actually practicing it ;3;#but again thank you for asking 😘#impossible-rat-babies

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kingdomoftyto · 9 months

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I'm crying laughing, the DVDs are even worse than I remember... Season 1's menus are silent with a single static jpg of the same key character art they use for everything else, and the episodes on the Season 2 discs don't even match what's listed on the box! Absolutely stunning lack of shits given. Truly unparalleled. But I really shouldn't be surprised given... well... everything about how this series has been treated since the very beginning.

Time for a quick ~✨PHANDOM HISTORY LESSON✨~ to give newer/less hyperfixated folks more context for why the graphic novel being as great as it is is such a HUGE deal:

Danny Phantom was one of Nickelodeon's MAIN cartoons, in its time. It was a central pillar. One of the top three or four of their lineup, which is saying something when the competition includes the cultural juggernaut that is Spongebob.

Despite this, and despite its superhero theming making it perfectly marketable, it got basically ZERO official merch.

What little we did get was often ugly and very, very cheap. The dedication at the start of the graphic novel that jokes about collecting the Burger King toys? That's because it was some of the most notable merch the franchise EVER had. (I sadly do not have any of it. There was no BK in my hometown. Here's a pic from the internet, though, to give you an idea.)

If you think I'm exaggerating about that being the most significant physical merch to come out of the series, consider that the first video game had an entire menu option specifically for the Burger King promotional tie-in:

That video game, by the way, was one of only two ever based on the show. The first was an adaptation of "The Ultimate Enemy" in the style of a short sidescrolling beat-em-up, and the second was themed around "Urban Jungle" and (as far as I can tell--I've only played the first couple levels) was an arcade-style scrolling shooter. Both were for the Gameboy Advance, and both are...... fine, as far as cash-grabby video game tie-ins to kids' shows go. This was pretty normal for the time, so I suppose we did okay in that department, actually. They're not GOOD, but they're playable and have at least a bit of effort put into them.

But besides those two video games (plus a handful of simple, long-defunct Flash games on nick.com)? In the decade and a half since the show ended?

Nothing.

No books, no games, no comics, no web shorts--unless you count mega-crossovers with every other Nicktoon (a la Nicktoons Unite), or soulless promotional material like "Fairly Odd Phantom" (which, trust me, despite being the first new DP animation in over 10 years was not even worth the effort of watching).

...I think there was a limited edition FunkoPop once?

So yeah.

A Glitch in Time is not just the first cool, well-made thing we've seen from the franchise in a while. It's the first THING we've seen since the show. PERIOD. And arguably the first worthwhile supplementary material to EVER come out of the show, depending on how you feel about those GBA games and the Nicktoons crossovers.

This franchise is widely beloved even now, almost 20 years after it first aired, and it feels like that fact is now, finally, FINALLY getting some official recognition.

PLEASE read A Glitch in Time. Tell other people about it. The series--no, the fans--deserve this (and more of this, if the folks in charge see enough of a response and decide to grace us with any followup). It's LONG overdue, but better late than never.

#Danny Phantom #this is why I've been losing my mind repeating ''please buy it'' over and over btw #this is the FIRST and maybe ONLY time we'll ever get to directly show support for the series #it is a uniquely huge deal for this fandom #it's totally fine if you can't (or just still won't) buy it of course but I am begging folks to consider it IF they can.#not for any moral guilting or anything just.... for me. for the fandom. (for yourself because it's a cool story lmao)#long post

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theminecraftbee · 3 months

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also i think i'm going to make the final lineup for the school rescue committee as follows (with the actual mythological/legendary/literary figures for each persona being a thing i'm willing to take suggestions on; they're all meant to be famous lovers/members of pairs, though, to fit with the theme of this persona game being 'bonds between people'):

joel: our protagonist and wildcard, he is whatever the party needs him to be, as is typical for a persona protagonist. his first persona, however, is still pygmalion (and is the only one i have strong design opinions on; if there's ANY opportunity to make empires references...) uses knives.

skizzleman: physical damager. also has agi skills but he's in the vein of like, chie junpei or ryoji, in that he mostly just gets those to make battles a little easier early on, and he REALLY should only be doing damage with heavy physical skills. i'm sure this doesn't have a self-sacrifice metaphor in it at all. has enkidu as his persona. uses brass knuckles.

scar: early-game magic user, largely focused on magic and status ailments, although he gets some healing too (largely because he had to when it was just him and grian, is the implication; once another healer joins the team it becomes abundantly clear that the correct tactical move with scar is to use him as a magical nuke and ailment setter). leaning towards majnun for his persona. uses bows.

grian: dark and light skills, with a particular focus on instakills. i think he's the "balanced" earlygame party member, with an equal spread of physical and magic skills and fairly even stats... which ironically makes him good earlygame, but much worse lategame. he's probably a little fine with that, though. his persona is signy. uses lances.

impulse: our party healer! gets zio skills. not too much to say about him, his stat spread is "party healer", just mentioning its a little unusual he joins late as the party healer. i am REALLY UNCERTAIN with him for what his persona should be; for some reason my brain is offering "odette" but i'm not sure i can justify it. uses axes.

mumbo: NAVIGATOR! mumbo is the navigator. he's like, trying his best, man. also not much to say here, a navigator is a navigator. his persona is ariadne.

gem: a late-game powerhouse and bufu user, as well as the late-game guy who comes in and gets almighty skills. she's focused on pure damage i think, but also gets a number of interesting buff skills maybe? i'm picturing her in the same general combat archetype as like, naoto, for the record. her persona is atalanta. uses swords.

and i THINK that makes the entire magical mountain crew, for the entirety of the school rescue association!

#smallishsona au #i am having. SO MUCH FUN with this au guys.#including some behind-the-scenes concepts for my back pocket for later.

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extra-vertebrae · 3 months

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Hello! I followed u an eon ago on a different account, and am so excited to see ur art come up on my feed again. Idk if this is the best place to send this; Id feel awkward sending a whole email for this and I dont have a twitter anymore (dumpster fire.) i love all ur designs, but I keep coming back to ur pokemon ones. I’m so fond of them. It makes me want to experiment w body horror art.

I know ppl have sent u mean-spirited asks in the past abt them. I just want to say: I went thru ur old art and said a variation of “aww, a cutie!” Or “oh, poor babyyy :(“ in the occasion that their breeding has created things like chronic pain. At no point was I thinking. Idk, they were ugly or mean (to the pokemon franchise)? To me, ppl like that just have bad taste 🤷🏽‍♀️

I do wanna see more of ur original stuff, certainly! Im just being nostalgic rn.

Thank you so much for your message! I'm glad you still enjoy those old designs, and that they're inspiring you to give body horror themes a try!

Thankfully most of those types of messages are gone, though I'm sure my lack activity in the Pokemon space since then has probably helped a lot in this regard.

Haha, I still find a lot of them pretty cute, too. There's some good design shapes and ideas in some of those older pieces that maybe I can recycle and refine or develop into something new someday.

I definitely would like to share more original work; I'm going through a sort of transitional phase with my art at the moment, so there isn't much to share that I legitimately feel like posting. I can, however, share this lineup of vehicular characters that were sketched up some weeks ago for Funky Town:

I've always had a general appreciation for mechanical shapes and design; I've learned that that general appreciation runs deeper than anticipated, so hard surface focused / adjacent design has been where my mind has been at recently.

#ask #that thing called art #digital #funky town

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kradogsrats · 9 months

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If Soren seems to have gotten sick when he was a toddler, do you think Lissa left shortly after Claudia was born…? Maybe that doesn’t quite line up, actually…

Okay so I saw someone ask Aaron Ehasz a similar question about the timeline of Soren's illness re: Viren's dream vs. the events presented in Puzzle House, and I cannot remember where it was but his response was something like "hm... well you should probably believe the show."

Which immediately made me go "oh my god was Soren actually dead for like three to five years and Kpp'Ar was looking for a unicorn horn to resurrect him in a manner similar to the Star magic spell that 'restores bodies to separated spirits' and then instead Viren stole Ziard's staff from him and used that??????" which is a) insane, and b) has several reasons it probably isn't the case. But it's a thought I had.

Anyway, let's look at our contrasting sources:

Puzzle House

Puzzle House establishes the following sequence of events:

Soren is ill to the point of dying

Kpp'Ar disappears

Soren gets better

Lissa leaves

It's also implied that this was all pretty recent, between King Atticus's concern for Viren and Soren's for Claudia:

So, how old are all these extremely precocious young children in Puzzle House?

Well, Sarai is... quite pregnant. She's got a pretty small frame, but I'd still put her at like 30 weeks, minimum. Ezran is pinned at 10 in the official character lineup. (In s4 he says he was "nine years old" when Harrow was killed. Given his March birthday, he is probably fudging that a bit since s1 starts mid-May so he was pretty recently 10 at the time.) Viren also puts Harrow's coronation and Sarai's death at nine years earlier, at which point I would estimate Ezran at roughly 6-8 months, given how he is portrayed.

Also given the mid-May start to s1, we also have Claudia at almost 17, and Soren at about 18 and a half. Soren is about 18 months older than Claudia. So between all of that, we can probably ballpark Puzzle House at about one year before Harrow's coronation. This puts Soren at about 8 and a half, and Claudia at almost 7. (And Callum at about to turn 5, if anyone's keeping track.)

Given the way it's spoken about, I would not put Soren's recovery at earlier than 6 months prior, and probably more like 3 or so. This roughly lines up with the estimates I had for everything before, so idk go me or whatever.

Strangers

We do also have a third source for details on Soren's illness, which is the Strangers short from Reflections. This establishes that Soren was old enough to remember details about that time:

If Soren was the age he appears in Viren's dream, then a) he probably wouldn't remember any of it, and b) Claudia would have been an infant. Now, an infant can definitely cry in their room until morning, but I do think the implication here is supposed to be that she was old enough to understand what was happening and have emotions about it.

Additionally, Soren thinks of the slow breaths practice as something he did therapeutically for a long time:

Basically, I think it's pretty clear between this and the info in Puzzle House that the Puzzle House timeline is accurate, but Soren initially developed what was actually a chronic illness much earlier.

Viren's Dream

Now, what about Viren's dream?

It's incredibly difficult to pinpoint ages of children in animation purely visually, so I'm mostly basing an estimate of 2-3 years old for Soren during Viren's dream off of his demonstrated stage of linguistic development and the fact that he's able to run. He could be delayed in one or both areas, though.

Viren dreams of Soren turning to stone, similar to how Thunder did (and how Viren does in the opening). This is interesting in that the implication is certainly death, but it also has heavy ties to dark magic and the other themes of Viren's dreaming, which I would say put it as more related to something along the lines of a "sealed fate" rather than literal death. Dreaming Viren knows what he didn't know when Soren was that age, and probably developed his first recognizable symptoms—that this illness would come close to killing him, and Viren would give up everything to save him.

There's also a possible implication there that dark magic was actually what caused Soren's illness in the first place, which could be something interesting to explore. (And I've definitely seen people explore it, before.)

Anyway, like most of Viren's dream, it's accurate but not literal.

TL;DR: Dreams are fucking weird, and Claudia was still probably between six and seven years old when Lissa left the family.

#i'm definitely going to fuck up some extremely basic math here #anyway basically the only thing i was wrong about was that kpp'ar disappears before soren gets better rather than after #the dragon prince #the dragon prince spoilers #tdp spoilers #s5 spoilers #soren #claudia #lissa #viren #puzzle house

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justafriend-ql · 10 months

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2024 gmmtv bl + gl predictions/wishlist

okay okay, i know it's only july. but i'm a little crazy, so i'm already thinking about the 2024 lineup. some general observations that are informing my predictions:

the 2023 lineup features 9 bls and 1 gl (out of 22 total series). 2 of the bls are ensemble casts (our skyy 2, only friends). so we can probably expect ~10 ql series next year.

as a general rule, it seems like gmmtv's main pairs will get a series every other year or so, although some popular pairings may be mains two years in a row.

they also seem to give lead roles to one or two new main pairings per year - usually pairs that have been floated as side couples in series that aired the year prior (e.g., milklove, perthchimon)

*please note that this is entirely speculation and i don't intend to start any wars in the notes. also: i will be talking about the pairs from an analytical/business perspective; if that makes you uncomfortable, i recommend you just keep scrolling*

bl predictions (in no particular order)

winny x satang series

rationale: given the success of their pairing in my school president and the many fanmeets/brand sponsorship events they've had together this year (including some solo events abroad), this is almost a guarantee. genre prediction: i'm guessing it will be a romcom with a bit of a darker/angstier edge to it, since winny and satang are great at the enemies to lovers trope and are talented dramatic actors.

2. pond x phuwin series

rationale: since fish upon the sky, these two have been a very popular pairing (particularly in thailand, it seems). along with joongdunk and geminifourth, they're part of the 'new gen' group that gmmtv has do a lot of fanmeets/brand sponsorship events (which means $$$ for gmmtv). their last series, never let me go, aired mostly in 2023 but was scheduled for 2022, so a 2024 series would be in keeping with the every-other-year rule. genre prediction: i think their next series will lean more towards the romcom end of the spectrum, given that never let me go was a lakorn and (regrettably, in my opinion) wasn't as popular as fish upon the sky.

3. gemini x fourth series

rationale: this is another no-brainer, really. this pair is so wildly popular that they're already having a solo concert together. both are very good actors (and performers) despite their young age. gmmtv would be stupid not to capitalize on their popularity and skill. genre prediction: probably still romcom, but with a little more "maturity" than my school president. they're young, but that hasn't ever stopped gmmtv from upping the intensity of the physical intimacy, in particular (e.g., phuwin was 19, about the same age as gemini and fourth, when never let me go was filmed).

4. first x khaotung series

rationale: though these two certainly aren't bound to the branded pair model, they excel when they act opposite to each other. the eclipse garnered a lot of popularity for them, and that's only going to grow after only friends. genre prediction: these two can carry heavy, emotional scenes and dark themes extremely well, so it'd be great to see them in a darker genre (the eclipse, while dealing with heavy topics, still had a lot of lighter romcom moments). personally, i'd love to see them lead a p'aof production, which might be likely since p'aof worked with (and was impressed with) the two of them on moonlight chicken. a period drama with these two would be super interesting.

5. neo x mark series

rationale: these two are the wildcard pairing in only friends and were originally the side couple in cooking crush (before they switched out mark due to overbooking him). this is consistent with gmmtv's tendency to float a couple in a series or two before giving them a series of their own. they're both in the same boat, having been relegated to the "funny side character" role for a while, but they have tremendous potential to do more, and gmmtv seems to recognize that now with their decision of casting them in only friends. genre prediction: hmm this one is tricky, since these two can do romcom and drama equally well. if i had to guess, they'll give neo and mark an "edgy"/"sexy" sereies because they're willing to go there and they can execute it well, which isn't necessarily true of all other gmmtv pairs.

6. force x book series

rationale: okay, i know i said gmmtv usually doesn't give pairs a main series two years in a row. but in forcebook's case, i think it's likely. for some reason that i don't personally understand, enchante didn't seem to resonate with a lot of people, but their popularity has skyrocketed since a boss and a babe and will only grow more when only friends airs. i think gmmtv will go with the momentum and give them another series in 2024. genre prediction: forcebook have done two romcoms already, so hopefully they'll get to branch out into another genre. personally, i think a mafia-type series led by these two would be really sick.

gl predictions (in no particular order)

gmmtv is testing the gl waters with milklove-led 23.5 this year. given the popularity of idol factory's gap the series (which surpassed 2gether's viewing stats by a wide margin), gmmtv will need to invest in the gl market in order to remain competitive. that's why i think there will be at least 2 gls in 2024, rather than just one.

view x june series

rationale: view and june will star in dangerous romance and 23.5 this year, indicating that gmmtv is looking to brand them or at least give them main roles in 2024. they're both talented actresses who have a lot of experience and can easily handle heavier material. it's just a matter of how well they're received as a pair in the series that air in 2023. genre prediction: we don't know what their dynamic will be like in their 2023 series, but i think a lakorn-style, enemies to lovers narrative would suit view and june well and give them a chance to showcase their great acting skills. a sci-fi series would also be really neat!

2. sizzy girl group series

rationale: this one might be more of a personal wish than a likely prediction, since gmmtv hardly gives sizzy the time of day. but! jan and aye have played queer characters before, and ciize has repeatedly expressed interest in doing a gl (even talking to jane about being paired together). they're all great actresses and performers (sizzy concert when??), so it really would be amazing if they got their own series. genre prediction: i'm feeling a rom-com for them. my personal dream is a series about a literal girl group of performers (like sizzy itself) so that there can be original music for each episode like in my school president. bonus points if nanon can guest star as their slaytastic manager (i'm never getting over their love score collab).

ensemble predictions (in no particular order)

given the growing number of branded and un-branded pairs within gmmtv, gmmtv will have to lean more into ensemble series (like only friends) in order to give everyone screen-time.

a light-hearted romcom (like our skyy 2)

rationale: this would be an opportunity to give airtime to any branded pairs that don't have their own series, or more work for popular pairs. a light-hearted romcom with a stacked ensemble cast would be a huge moneymaker for gmmtv with lots of fanmeet/concert opportunities (like my school president). cast predictions: we could see many members of the my school president gang (geminifourth, markford, potentially also aun and prom) here. this could also be a chance to float new gl pairings!

2. a more mature, jojo-style series (like only friends)

rationale: other production companies are ratcheting up the heat of their series; gmmtv will do so too in order to stay competitive. for better or for worse, sex sells, and like only friends, a series like this would attract a lot of attention and excitement on social media. cast predictions: this is where some of their older, more established pairs come into play. we could see jimmysea or offgun here. or even joongdunk or pondphuwin, since these two pairs are being pushed in the direction of higher heat. this could look like a mafia or gang-war style series, or maybe something with paranormal/horror themes.

bonus: things that probably won't happen but i would desperately like to see

namtan, tu, ploypach and/or prim gl (please i'm begging i would DIE; can you imagine a period piece with these four?? the costumes alone would have me on my knees)

joongdunk/pondphuwin vampire series (i don't care if it's cringe; did you see joongdunk's dumdum performance??)

breaking up branded pairs (imagine, for example, if joongdunk/pondphuwin switched partners; or winnysatang/markford; or jimmysea/forcebook)

fluke pusit main series (i mean, come on)

midnight museum season 2 khathadome canon (not brothers, please be serious)

okay, that's it. feel free to add your own predictions/wishlist. remember: these are just my own ideas and opinions! don't take anything i say too seriously haha

#i don't know why i made this post other than to get all of this out of my head haha #lemme know what you think #looking forward to coming back to this post in november and seeing how far off i am #gmmtv 2024 #gmmtv #gmmtv actors #predictions #long post

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raayllum · 7 months

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Loyalty and Love :: A Miyana Meta

In S4 and S5, one of the most interesting side characters introduced, upon further reflection, has definitely been General Miyana of the Six Horns. Although mostly there to be a trusted confidant and sounding board for Karim, in S5 she's allowed to be a lot more active and interplay a lot more with themes the show is steadily more explicitly exploring in regards to love and loyalty, which is what I'm gonna talk about today.

So without further ado, let's get into it.

The first time we see Miyana is in the tent with Karim for Janai and Amaya's initial engagement announcement / celebration.

It is worth noting, I believe, that Karim initially didn't want to tell Janai about is concerns over her marriage, but Janai urged him to be honest with her about what was bothering him. (Talk about a catalyst for unwanted consequences). Given that Karim is clearly close to Amaya to have seen her effect on Amaya ("Well sister, it can finally be said: you have met your match... Janai, I have nothing to criticize about Amaya. I love Amaya! She is strong and funny, and she makes you happy") as well as for Amaya to consider the marriage merely "officially" making him her little brother. Miyana and Karim might've shared similar reservations and worries about the humans' continued, growing presence in 'New' Aurea, but we simply don't know enough to say; perhaps she brought muttering from the other Six Horns to him, and that was the initial seed (or the other way around).

When the incident with the architect and the Soul flame candle happens, though, Karim starts to lose his impatience.

K: This is the problem! Like all the other humans, even your wife-to-be thinks this is a joke. [...] You know what must be done. Call a Tribunal of the Six Horns.

And this is also where we start to see the political implications of Miyana and Karim's relationship. But first, a few assumptions:

Miyana is close enough to the queen to be sent to report news to her, something we see only Kazi and Gren do to either Amaya or Janai (5x07)

Janai trusts Miyana with the Sun Seed and is comfortable operating on a first name basis (5x07), particularly in Amaya's absence

Miyana leads the lineup of the Six Horns, likely indicating either senior-ship or authority among the group

Karim and Miyana have likely been together for a while, but are seemingly not wed. Janai refers to him as "kid brother" which indicates a more prominent age gap between the siblings (anywhere from 7-10 years in my experience) and does not mention Miyana when she says, "I'm supposed to criticize your love life, not the other way around" (4x02)

Either Karim and Miyana have kept their relationship entirely secret, or Janai knows but does not disapprove, and assumes she still has Miyana's loyalty due to her continued presence at camp even after Karim's exile / not helping him when he asked in 4x09. I personally lean toward her not knowing due to their late night scheduled rendezvous, but you can interpret it both ways

Either way, they clearly care about keeping their relationship secret as when he goes to her quarters in 4x08, Miyana says, "What are you doing? We shouldn't be seen together" (showing that they are both politically minded enough to be willing to stay a secret for no other apparent reason, too).

Given that Janai and Miyana have both worked as prominent generals and her close relationship with Kairm, Miyana has likely known the Sunfire royal family for some time (possibly since childhood)

Miyana is not the first to cast judgement, either, at the trial's end, with everyone else changing their fire first. (This could indicate the opposite of what leading the line did, and that she is in reality the lowest of the Six Horns, or could not be custom at all - who knows?)

After all, we know the outcome Karim wants - punishment and "justice" and that by calling the Horns, he will likely get what he wants, as he knows Miyana will likely side with his choice as well. This is supported in canon since the Horns likewise unanimously vote that Lucia is guilty even with Amaya's testimony; it is singularly Janai's decision of what she is being sentenced to that spares her.

It's implied that when Karim left the tribunal angrily, he was waiting at the wall to meet Miyana when Janai intercepted him, given that it's his and Miyana's meeting spot later than episode, and she playfully chides him for being late.

Miyana doesn't seem particularly upset herself about anything that happened at the Tribunal, even if Janai certainly didn't go with what sentencing Miyana had had in mind when choosing guilty as a verdict. She also doesn't seem super shocked that Karim is going to well, conspire to go against his sister (which is treason) but to be fair, she is mostly there to 1) establish that they're in a relationship and 2) so Karim has an excuse to say his thoughts out loud so the audience can hear them. You can, however, also read this very laid back reaction as one of well - future loyalty, as we'll soon see, but also perhaps a sign of caution, which is Miyana's most valuable trait in contrast to Karim's more impatient nature. And if the previous implications are right - Miyana and Karim both putting their political power over being open about their relationship, it would make sense that they must politically agree / have values that align beyond just "your values should match up when someone is your partner" y'know?

"These things take time." This is, of course, the last thing Karim wants to hear after learning about Janai's 100+ year plan to restore their people's peace and security, a day that neither them nor their potential children will leave to see, so he doubles down accordingly.

Miyana being more cautious/patience makes sense, too, given that she's not nearly as irate about Janai and Amaya doing well, anything, at this point as he is.

Miyana's emphasis on "Did he win?" (a focus on securing victory and hedging your bets/choices correctly) over Karim's "He did, but the point of the story is not who won. The duel stopped the war" and stopped the clash between siblings, which is ultimately what Karim wants. He never thinks that Janai will accept the duel, but that she will abdicate, leave with her wife, and they can both get exactly what they wanted, particularly since as Janai said, "I never wanted to be queen" (4x02) a perspective that has changed because of the Tribunal he urged her to call and because of her growing bond with Amaya (4x08).

So by this point in the story, we know that:

Miyana is close to the royal family

She cares about her own political values and power enough to be willing to hide her and Karim's relationship for their mutual political gain, particularly in situations like the Tribunal

She's caring, patient, and less irritable than her partner

She's cautious and plays the long game - not stepping in to help Karim in 4x09 when she sees the tide has already turned against him, knowing she'd be more valuable remaining at camp until she can make her own play

She thinks through more of the angles (such as questioning what will happen if Janai accepts the duel, which Karim never really considers as an option)

S5 doesn't really give us any new information - it just doubles down on all of these, but allows her to do so independently without Karim's own pushing. Rather, Pharos arriving and almost implicating her serves to tell her what Karim wants, even if she doesn't know why yet.

This 'demand' tells us more about Karim in some ways than it does Miyana. It shows that he misses her, it indicates that he trusts her still which this episode later proves, and it's a way to give her an excuse to see him again, which we know he desperately wants (but we're gonna talk a lot more about their final scene, just you wait) that she may not be able to take without causing suspicion otherwise.

It's also why he cries when she does show up in 5x09, because when she didn't in 5x08, he thought she'd truly betrayed him and changed sides (hence why he was maybe more angry at Janai and Amaya than he previously ever had been before, given what he'd 'lost' to them), believing retrospectively that his love had truly forsaken him.

But she hadn't. Because she betrayed Janai instead.

Karim isn't in a particularly good place at the end of season four, either, with losing his duel (but having his life spared) and his political machinations and future for his people blowing up in his face. But he's in an undeniably worse one (at first) in 5x09, having tried to legitimately kill his sister (which wasn't the initial plan in 4x09) and failed, enlisting a dubious assassin who also abandoned him when it suited her, getting his ass kicked by Amaya, his plan to heal Sol Regem and get his aid indefinitely stalled without the sun seed, losing the love of his life, and losing his mother's ring, to boot.

It is quite literally only because of Miyana that absolutely anything gets turned around and even before Miyana reveals that she's absolutely changed the game in his favour, Karim is still emotional and overjoyed to see her (and we start to see their, let's say Parallels, come to light...)

Amaya: You abandoned him. You broke his heart.

Callum: Well, some things have changed, but not everything: I would do anything for you.

Opeli: Don't you want to know what she was up to? Why she did all this? Callum: If she didn't tell me, she has a good reason. [...] Rayla, I was wrong. I waited too long. I hope you know—

In spite of less than ideal appearances, in spite of perceived or actual abandonment, in spite of apparent indifference, they've stayed loyal to one another through everything. As they clarify tearfully to themselves, Miyana's Love for him is Synonymous with her Loyalty. They are one and the same.

You might say that she would Do Anything for him. Even when quite literally everyone and anything else turns against him, she is in his corner - and makes all the difference. I dunno about you, but I kinda have to respect it.

Which, okay, yeah Miyana is loyal to Karim because she loves him. Duh. Why does this matter thematically? How does this develop one of the other major explorations / notions of the season? Well...

(Cut lines from Finnegrin's Wake) Finnegrin to Callum: Seems to me that love's got a tighter grip on you than those chains round your wrists. So I'll do you a favour and set you free.

A slave to your loyalties.

Your loyalty? My love.

Interesting, don't you think?

TLDR; Miyana's love and loyalty to Kairm helps reinforce the "in the name of love" motivation that we increasingly see the main cast be embroiled in over the course of Arc 2, for better or for worse, with interesting implications for her history with the Sunfire Royal Family, and possible reaffirmation setup for Callum and Rayla moving forward.

#tdp #tdp miyana #prince karim #miyana #the dragon prince #karim x miyana #analysis series #s4 #s5 #arc 2 #in the name of love #with a bit of rayllum at the end. as a treat #even soren's 'dad is dead you don't have to do what he Wants anymore' to claudia like #we're Well past that sor-bear (unfortunately)#rayllum ignoring direct orders from a queen. ezran likely putting his foot down about the starscraper #LIKE GEE I WONDER. I WONDER WHERE IT'S GOING #one of my fave lil realizations of the season tbh. excited to finally write it down in more detail

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project-sekai-facts · 1 month

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Isn't there Minori's image color on the logo? Like there's paw prints and minori is the only character who has a dog besides hona. Would they do that? Could they pull that off? Since they dgaf anymore?

i'm dying over on discord about this rn

those aren't...member image colours. those are VBS/WXS/MMJ/LN unit colours.

Rui and Nene work too, but it’s pretty much confirmed that Tsukasa and Emu are the fes cards, so is clpl cruel enough to put 3 of 4 wxs members on lim rateup 8 days after wxs lim rateup?

I need to stop saying things...surprise rui lim? even if it's not rui or he's just 3* or something I still don't think it would be Minori. She already has 6 lims. I mean they could give her a 7th but there's still characters on 4 lims, that feels a little too unfair even by colopale standards.

Under the assumption that it is indeed all units except Niigo then Akito/Rui/Honami (based on the title colors) + anyone in MMJ except Minori for the 3* (based on green being a secondary color). However if you wanted to say those were member colours... Akito/Honami/Nene/.....KAITO (???).

I'm gonna tentatively say Akito/Honami/Airi/Kaito still, but I wouldn't be surprised if the lineup was Akito/Honami/Rui (darkfes 2.0) with no 4th card to balance the fact there's 3 fes cards. Then an MMJ 3* card. Basically there’s no Niigo and that’s all that we can tell from the logo.

Also I think it might be sports themed? There's a frisbee and some dog paw prints so maybe like that frisbee dog game from wii sports resort LOL. Akito gets over his cynophobia event.

#asks #speculation #oh they also posted a news thing earlier confirming they don’t care that much about balance and such which. nice to hear clpl. nice to hear #/s. colopale please fix ur shit you cannot burn out on a game designed for longevity #I’m overexaggerating a bit but it wasn’t a great statement and even JP fandom seems irritated by some of the things they said

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yuzukahibiscus · 10 months

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Jewels of Takarazuka – Makaze Suzuho-san [Cosmos Troupe] (from Fujingaho March Issue)

This series documents the "jewel-like" words of Takarazuka Top Stars, and knowing about their hints of living in the current age. This is a special version of Makaze Suzuho of Cosmos Troupe who will be graduating in June and we will learn more about her as an otokoyaku, as a Top Star, and the optimum of her radiance. From early on, she has been sprinting on the stairway to become a Star no matter what, and she has a diligence to never be satisfied with herself. She is full on inclusivity, warmly embracing the atmosphere of the theatre. That Makaze-san ponders [the understanding of] "herself". We will also deliver photos of her otokoyaku charm.

The latest episode 1

When I choose my outfit, depending on the colour and theme of the current season, I would be aware of what I like to wear and what I want to wear. Including some of the small details in my daily life, and even as to my approach in choices, I would understand myself deeper and from those external [circumstances] I was able to [know myself] in this approach. There are definitely some painful and sorrowful things in life. In those times, when you know about your preferences, and what makes you happy, then that would be better.

The latest episode 2

I've had some foliage plants at home. Before I might talk only a little [about the plants], but now I have more time to be at home due to the pandemic, I realise how much the plants have grown! For the soil or for the wood, it's said that it's good to touch nature, but in fact when I take care of the plants, I once again felt the power of life. I tend to forget it, but taking a walk is also how I can feel nature, and I'd also cherish the time to inhale deeply.

On this day also, the theatre receives the great glow that Makaze-san radiates. It's not a sharp blinding glow, rather it's a great, embracing, [warmth] glow. You can also feel this greatness in a person called Makaze-san. Of course she was welcomed with [the fans'] attention since her underclassmen times in Star Troupe, but even when she's already appointed Top Star, she continues to say that "there are yet many goals that I have". She announced her graduation in June and we wanted to know if there had been any changes.

"Since I'm starting to see that graduation [is near], I continued to feel how there are things I could learn every day, so that felt good to me... I once again felt how Takarazuka is really a place where you could learn a lot"

In previous coverage, she used to say that she entered Takarazuka with an admiration like that of a monk going to a [retreat] study. This reveals the diligence of Makaze-san and an episode [story] touching on the humanity required of a Takarazuka star.

"I suppose (LOL). But that's exactly how it is. It's about the technique of a stage performer, but I feel that more than anything the "study" of a person is a continuous [process]. Our lives is about learning for the whole of our life, but I truly think that it's great I could devote myself to this place. I felt that being Top wasn't originally a goal of mine, but even after becoming Top Star, as a stage performer, every time we face a new performance, it doesn't change that we start everything from ground zero. Even looking back, when I recall my previous roles, it goes without saying that there are countless different types of performances I got to do and this was the environment where I was faced with various challenges."

From myself, the people that I act along with and the audience. There are numerous chemical reactions on stage.

From original manga works to Hollywood popular movies, Broadway musicals... From the moment she became Top Star, she had a lineup of multifaceted genres of works showcasing the wide range of Takarazuka.

"Speaking of the stage, it's where you could have countless number of chemical reactions happening every day. Even though this is obvious, the stage cannot be created by one alone. It's through how the actors put their souls [in the performance] and interact with each other that creates this essential flavour of the stage. And also combined with the chemical reactions of seeing different audience members every day, that it's almost like you can't see yourself from yesterday, because every performance became unique on its own. As I stayed longer with the revue and with the many experience I accumulated, I feel much more from these chemical reactions. There's an interesting relationship in looking at the complexity and difficulty of these chemical reactions."

In order not to embarrass myself tomorrow, I want to live well in the moment now

She has been a Top Star for over 5 years. What is Makaze-san's motivation in all this?

"It would be so cool if I have this sense of justice in myself, but specifically it's because there's no definite right answer in this world, in the end it's about what I think for myself, "In order not to embarrass myself tomorrow" I want to live well in the moment now. I hold respect and gratitude to the friends and sensei and staff members who made the performance [possible], and for the things I want to show to the audience in the performance, I always hope that it could become some kind of strength for someone. Because I've had that feeling towards many people, so I always cherish that thought in my heart."

It may be easily forgotten that staying true to oneself is very important to the people who are creating the stage performance together and making the stage performance appear true to the audience.

"If you're observing everything around you, you might become uncomfortable and if you push yourself too much then you might end up being stressed out. That's why, you should first stay true to yourself. If you don't this, you'd be scared and you won't be able to stand on stage. I was able to think this way because my friends have helped me with my insecurity and weaknesses. By staying true to myself, I was able to create better chemical reactions with different kinds of people.

The turning point in Takarazuka is definitely the Corona pandemic

Corona pandemic was an opportunity for her to think again.

"What's the turning point in my Takarazuka life? If you ask me that, it would definitely be the corona pandemic. In that time when the performances and rehearsals were suspended, it was a time where I could rediscover and reflect upon myself. Before [the corona pandemic], I've had some Top Star experience, but after experiencing this change, I believe that this change made me doubt myself than I ever would before. Because of this difficult time, the bonds with my friends, the connections with the many fans who have been supporting us, the love I have for Takarazuka became stronger, and it was a stronger emotion that as part of [Takarazuka], I wouldn't be embarrassed and would continue doing my best."

Even to the underclassmen, I want to support everyone of Cosmos Troupe who's working hard at any circumstance

After this difficult time, how is the Cosmos Troupe team now?

"There are more constraints in rehearsal and more things we have to be careful, but to show a better performance than ever, each of us tried to think of one or two ideas and tried to deliver it on. Despite that, everyone of Cosmos Troupe are really enthusiastic and reliable, that I want to support them all. The troupe and I, we're aiming forward like arrows and it would be great if we could present that complementary effect to everyone."

The graduation performance is James Bond. It's a role that I could do only at this time.

The last performance is playing 007 James Bond, whom everyone in the world knows about. "Like playing this kind of role that the whole world knows about...even to the end, this is a great challenge for me. The scale of Bond is unprecedented, that you can feel his gentleman aura (dandyism), his humour and his chill vibe... Even more I wonder what would be the approach of Koike (Shuuichirou)-sensei in these 3 hours. This is a challenging performance that could only be challenged with the experience I've accumulated. I, Makaze Suzuho, will soon reveal the Bond I'll be playing and would hope to discover and hone more of my performance."

#soragumi #cosmos troupe #takarazuka #takarazuka revue #makaze suzuho #hibiscus translates jewels of takarazuka #hibiscustranslation

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demonecelestiale · 1 month

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hello fancure community!

so. my new fancure team is still WIP. BUT i have some more to show because:

i finalized the girls designs! yay!

i'm working on a poster!

i have the mascot and his own magical item!

i changed a bit the cures' transformation items

i decided how to handle the collectibles of the season (yes it's a loona ref. and also a legend of zelda ref.)

as one kind user suggested, i leaned into the videogame theme even tho is not Thee Main Theme of the season

but i still have some more work to do before i formally introduce them to everyone! for example:

i still have to think about their cure names. i like two out of three for now

i have to make their school uniforms (casual outfit are not necessary yet)

i want to make the mascot's human form (i like the trope)

i want to design the villains too!

i also have to choose a lot of colors. for Things

other things that i'm forgetting

anyway. here is all i have for now. kinda. maybe i cut someone out of the lineup in the first picture. who knows. bye :D

#fancure #precure #precure oc #magical girl #sketch #sketches #art wip #magical girls #my art #artists on tumblr #d.art #i'm taking things slow sorry i have a fuckass job #they are sooo cute btw i'm proud of myself

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pikachugirltits · 4 months

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Magic x Marvel: Idle Speculation

I have a lot of random thoughts about the upcoming Magic the Gathering x Marvel crossover, and I thought it would be neat to just ramble about them in a post, especially so I can hopefully find that post again later when the sets release and see how much I was right about. I'm just gonna bullet point this because this is kind of a stream of consciousness sort of deal:

We know that we're getting multiple "tentpole releases" a.k.a. more than one full set for this particular crossover. I'm thinking at least one is going to be a straight to Modern draftable set similar to the LotR set, but I don't think they're necessarily just doing that for all the sets. I speculate that the other (or one of the others if there's more than two) set is going to be a gimmick draft set, such as 2-Head Giant or Commander draft.

I personally am hoping one of the sets is a Commander draft set, and that our partner variant for the set goes the Stranger Things route and just creates a subset partner variant. I propose the name Team-Up, to represent the ubiquity of team up storylines in comic books. (I actually made an entire post about this but Tumblr's wonderful search function is choosing not to find it on my blog.)

Ooh, if they do go the Commander draft route they can make the Prismatic Piper equivalent a Skrull or something

I really, really want a Squirrel Girl card that makes squirrel tokens that I can jam into my Chatterfang deck. Squirrel Girl is my favorite superhero and I just want her on a card so, so badly.

I think it would be cool to have a Mjolnir equipment that in addition to its other effects also has a bit of trinket text along the lines of "equipped creature is a God in addition to its other types."

Thor and Loki and any other Asgardian that represents an actual god should have the creature type God. It already exists. Like sure, we could make Asgardian a creature type if we wanted to, but that's the coward's route.

I saw someone make a comment on Reddit about adding Hero and Villain as creature types, but I really, really hope that doesn't happen. It runs the risk of making the creature types in the set super repetitive, and we're already gonna see a lot of that from the sheer number of human characters. Sure, we'll have some mutants and aliens and robots to occasionally break things up, but it'll be much worse if the class types among cards aren't varied.

Like seriously, let's use the movie Avengers lineup. What's better...having four Human Hero cards, a God Hero, and whatever we do with the Hulk...or a Human Soldier, Human Scientist, Human Archer, Human Rogue, God Warrior, and whatever we do with the Hulk

Yeah, actually...what are we gonna do with the Hulk and related characters? In a vacuum, I would probably type the Hulk as Mutant Berserker...but for IP reasons I wouldn't be surprised if the Mutant creature type is reserved solely for characters with the X-Gene. I don't have an answer for this, just wondering...

Oh, and since I mentioned the MCU, I do want to say one thing, if they're smart they'll base the sets on the comics and not the MCU. Gives them a lot more material and characters to pull from

Booster fun treatment should lean into this and be comic book themed, but I think they would also be smart to offer some Secret Lair drops featuring alt art versions of the characters based on the MCU...if they're willing to deal with the likeness rights and whatnot.

Multiple tentpole releases does mean multiple commander precons. Some themes I could easily see them basing decks on: the Avengers, X-Men, Spider-Man/Spider-Verse, Guardians of the Galaxy+other space themed characters, a deck for a bunch of the more mystical Marvel characters probably led by Dr. Strange, S.H.I.E.L.D., A.I.M., Villains in general (from my memory Marvel doesn't really have a singular Legion of Doom type team up of its iconic villains, but I'm definitely picturing a Villains deck that tosses a bunch of iconic villains together in one deck...you could call it the Masters of Evil as a deep cut though.)

If Gambit gets a card, he should have an ability that lets you discard cards to deal damage to a target to represent Gambit throwing cards at his enemies. (This is the kind of wink at the camera stuff I love in UB products.)

Koi Boy should get a card purely because he's a canon trans man and Magic really needs some trans masc representation.

#lexi rambles on #magic the gathering #Universes Beyond: Marvel #Magic Set Speculation #saving this for later

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ystrike1 · 2 years

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I'm Dating A Psychopath - By NoSleepAreWe (8.5/10)

This is an independently published series, and the team behind it is not messing around. The artist behind it has a reputation already and a Patreon and experience+++. This has the potential to go mainstream because it's a crime drama. It's not a romance. Obsession and disturbing themes will be involved, and the author has specifically warned the audience. They seem to know that their art has lured in romance lovers, but that's not what is happening here.

This is not fluff.

Finn is weird.

She's an unpleasant, unsociable girl that doesn't like to look people in the eye. She's pretty enough, and she has a decent job but she's introverted in an unhealthy way. When people do try to speak to her she gets annoyed.

Unpleasant female characters are a thing for me. When I see one I expect good or higher quality writing. Why? Well in most webtoons of this nature the female characters tend to fall into achetypes. Finn doesn't fit into one. She makes people uncomfortable. She's not a cute girl or a sweet older sister or a broke college student. She doesn't fit in...but not in the usual way. Finn cannot be fixed with a makeover or a date. You'll get it if you read it.

Finn is really into serial killer documentaries. She can also take insults like a champ. The two women in front of her are NOT malicious. They are NOT stereotype fueled bullies. They're two friends who sometimes eat lunch with the quiet Finn. Finn is the outlier. The woman with no close friends. The women whisper about how Finn doesn't listen when people talk, but it's not in a mean way. They don't know how to deal with her. They're all adults so they just quietly eat and stop trying to talk to Finn.

Finn sometimes does feel...regret about her weirdness. She wishes she could grin easily like everyone. She practices smiling in a window, and that's when we see her stalker. His name is Isaac, and he's her co-worker. He's popular and handsome and brand new in the office. She isn't interested in him or anyone, so she doesn't even greet him. This scene is a little off, but I didn't think he was stalking her at first. He might not be. Isaac wants to "play games" with Finn. That doesn't mean he's interested in her personally. That just means she's a fun target.

There's been a sting of violent murders. The cops know it's a serial killer. Finn boldly confronts Isaac when he follows her home, and he has a lineup of excuses ready. Isaac is very good at acting normal. He also tries to use romance as a tool to get close to Finn

Isaac insists he's not following her. He has proof. His new apartment is in her building. He starts talking about destiny and how unlikely and romantic their meeting is. Finn just wants to go inside and ignore him, but he keeps talking. Finn says destiny is nonsense, and Isaac changes course. He praises her for her logical thinking. He says he was lying, and that she's right. This isn't destiny. He's stalking her, and he knows alot about her. Then, before she leaves he says he's just kidding.

There's alot of arrogance lurking inside Isaac. I don't think he's the wealthy genius type, so he has to blend in and have a job. He can't do anything drastic, but it seems like he wants to. I don't know if he's the serial killer. He is connected to Finn though. Finn was traumatized by a killer, who has resurfaced. Her obsession with studying killers is a way to cope. In my opinion being arrogant is much worse than being awkward, but...society doesn't work that way. Finn won't be able to expose Isaac easily, because she's weird and he's popular.

Finn is in contact with the detective on the case. Scott is like an uncle to her. He's a frazzled man who has seen alot of shit, but he's very kind. Finn visits him at the station because that's where she feels safe.

Finn dreams about getting beaten sometimes.

Is the killer on the loose her father?

We don't know.

Finn doesn't know Isaac, so there's no clear connection between them. The beginning is just snapshots from Finn's perspective, and she doesn't know anything.

She's afraid.

Isaac is extremely bold, arrogant and manipulative. He told Finn's manager that he wanted to ask Finn out. Finn's manager is a nosy, kind thirty something that thinks a date will fix Finn. Isaac uses that. The manager accidentally/casually??? reveals Finn's address. She's a sucker for love stories. She is the reason why Finn has a dangerous neighbor.

Isaac even tells that manager about his I'm-your-stalker "prank". This is where dread seriously sets in. The manager smacks his arm and tells him he won't get a date with creepy jokes.

That confirms it.

He can do what he wants for the time being. He does things like this as a test. I'm certain of it. He wants to know what he can get away with. A weird person like Finn would get whispers if she made a stalker joke. Stalking is not a joke, but apparently it's a silly mistake if you're sweet enough.

If you're handsome enough.

If you can blend in well enough.

#yandere #male yandere #yandere male #yandere boy #recommendations #recs #rec #recommended #webtoon #I'm Dating A Psychopath

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theneighborhoodwatch · 1 year

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i see a lot of speculation on this blog but its kinda hard to see where you're coming from when there's so little out, is there somewhere specific you look for secrets? a lot of the spooky images on the artist's main website are beta designs that will be changed (perfect example is the baphomet image of wally where he has 5 fingers instead of 4 and poppy's neck is still bent down-ward, also we know images with wally's cross cuff is beta and not up to date).

i'm liking your theories btw, this is not me critizing you, i think what you're saying is genuinely interesting but it feels,,, too easy? we know that the story itself will have something to do with the idea of "home", what it means, etc, etc. if you wanna talk more in dms i'd love to chat, im just very confused and feel like something is missing from the source. if you want we can work together to compile evidence about the story and stuff. it might help a ton in laying out the story as it progresses.

[2nd ask] omg i totally didnt see the resource doc, that's so embarrassing. dms are still open tho

no worries! although i will admit i was VERY confused for a second there lol (and quite frankly, a bit wounded that you'd think i'd forget the importance of The Home in the grand scheme of things!)

you do bring up a good point about it being a risky move to cite concept art as evidence, since there's always a chance of Something getting shuffled around or outright scrapped in development. even now, i don't really like looking at WH's concept art from a literal/Plot-Heavy perspective just yet; i tend to look more for recurring visual motifs, possible symbolism, that kinda thing. to help myself out, i have a very basic sorting system when it comes to combing through concept art, which looks something like this:

concept art from around 2018-2019: pertains to a now scrapped version of welcome home. harder to find since it was all on clown's old blog before partycoffin. you likely won't find much here that applies to welcome home as we know it today but it's fun to track those little Evolutionary Changes through it.

concept art from around 2020-2022: home is introduced! the cast lineup is finalized! the Themes begin to take shape! i keep an eye out for Motifs here, but it's important to keep in mind that if there's any era of concept art where shit gets shuffled around the most, it's Probably this one.

concept art from site launch (feb. 14th 2022-onward): the most dependable era. concrete plot details that can be gleaned from concept art alone are still scarce, and to be honest, i don't mind that at all - but the visual design, and any recurring motifs by proxy, seem to be set firmly in place. it's like a chew toy for my brain.

as for your offer - i have plenty of folks in the discord and friends from elsewhere trawling through the site with me, but if you have any findings that haven't been recorded in the observation document or any theories that you'd like to discuss, then yeah i'd be happy to dm!

#ask #nek0mancer #welcome home #is this wh speculation? it's more talking About speculation than anything else. oh well.

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black-arcana · 21 days

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Ex-DELAIN Singer CHARLOTTE WESSELS Explores 'Heavier Sound' On Upcoming Solo Album

Charismatic Dutch singer/songwriter Charlotte Wessels is set to release her new studio album on September 20, 2024 via Napalm Records. The LP's first single, "The Exorcism", will arrive on May 16, 2024.

Wessels's album promises a cohesive exploration of fear and liberation, as well as spellbinding melancholia and dark, catchy elements meeting progressive and heavier soundscapes. Charlotte and her band will bring this story to the stage on October 4, 2024 at Utrecht's TivoliVredenburg.

The former DELAIN vocalist's earlier solo endeavors, "Tales From Six Feet Under" (2021) and "Tales From Six Feet Under Vol II" (2022) already gained Wessels a remarkable number of devotees, but for the upcoming release, Wessels is raising the bar significantly. While still writing and producing the songs in her Six Feet Under basement home studio and sharing their first incarnations with her patrons, now she's taking the songs to the next level with a band of her fellow ex-DELAIN cohorts Timo Somers (guitars, additional arrangements),Otto Schimmelpenninck Van Der Oije (bass) and Joey Marin De Boer (drums) as well as Sophia Vernikov (piano/hammond),contributing to the new, heavier sound. The album also features arrangements by Vikram Shankar (SILENT SKIES, PAIN OF SALVATION),cello by Elianne Anemaat, mixing by Guido Aalbers (MUSE, COLDPLAY, THE GATHERING) and mastering by Andy VanDette (PORCUPINE TREE, VOLA, DREAM THEATER).

Wessels states: "This album is significant, for on the one hand, telling such a deeply personal journey — through its unintended theme of fear and obsessive thoughts — and at the same time, representing the joy of finding the song's true forms with everyone involved in the making of this record. There were moments in the studio with the band that truly reminded me of why I love making music in the first place, and I don't think I've ever been as excited about music going out into the world. This is the album I want to re-introduce myself with, and I'm so glad to do it with this amazing team."

In a 2022 interview with Spain's The Metal Circus TV, Wessels was asked how she feels about the fact that DELAIN made a comeback with a new lineup. A short time earlier, DELAIN released a single, "The Quest And The Curse", featuring keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt alongside new singer Diana Leah, original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, plus bassist Ludovico Cioffi. Charlotte said: "I'm trying not to engage with it too much, honestly. I've seen positive responses about it, which I think is good. But I do try to keep some distance and just focus on what I'm doing rather than checking that out, because I still don't feel like that will make me happier per se."

In February 2021, Westerholt announced the dissolution of DELAIN's previous lineup. At the time, he explained: "For the last year or so, the collaboration within the band ceased to work as well as it once had. Some of us were no longer happy with the current roles in the band. We all tried very hard to find a solution for over a year, but sadly we were unable to find one. As a result, we will all be going our own ways and pursuing our own endeavors.

"I am very sad our cooperation has come to end, but at the same time I am very grateful for all the years we were able to work together. Together we toured the world, shared highs and lows, and met with many successes as well as times that pushed us to learn and grow. We all enjoyed meeting our fans and making new friends all over the globe."

At the time, Wessels said about her departure: "I know that you might have questions about the 'why' in all of this. I fully understand and respect that. Simply put, it is the sad conclusion of more than a year of trying to find solutions to built-up grievances. Part of me feels like I'm letting all of you down, I'd like you to know that this decision was not taken lightly and I apologize to those of you who had high hopes of seeing all of us together live on stage again after lockdown. Until recently, I thought this might still be in the cards for us as well."

The new DELAIN lineup made its official live debut in August 2022 at the Riverside festival in Aarburg, Switzerland.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe

#charlotte wessels #the exorcism #interview

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