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popculturebuffet · 1 year

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Ducktales Reviews: Last Christmas!: FINALLY

Happy Holidays All You Happy Ducks! Today we have a special one for you as we're FINALLY talking about Ducktales first full christmas episode, Last Christmas!

This one has a bit of a history with me. For starters I.. didn't see this one when it came out. I have a bad habit of storing christmas episodes for next year if I don't get to them.. and the next.. and the next. Yeah my tendency to let things I need to watch pile up does NOT go great with episodes that have a timer on them. Eventually I ended up watching it a few years back on Disney+.

This episode ended up being cursed for me apparently as this is the THIRD christmas i've tried to put it on the schedule and the first it's actually gone up. I tried doing it the first year I did this, last year, every year something comes up and I had to put this aside. Well it's finally here.

This also has the honor of being the first episode reviewed after getting my copy of Art of Ducktales, which gives a lot of background info into the show, how it was made, that sorta stuff.

It's especially useful here as it turns out Last Chrismtas was orignally planned for season 1, serving as another piece of the Della mystery. Dewey goes back to try and talk to her.. but ends up with her as a kid instead. It was decided it was too early in the series and honestly.. that was probably the right call. Shows CAN do good holiday episodes in their first season, as we'll see with the Ghost and MollyMcgee soon, but most shows tend to wait till season 2 to break out Halloween and Christmas/Hannukah episodes. It makes perfect sense to me as to why: By Season 2 your characters have fully settled into their characterizations and who they are, making it funner to play with. It's especially true in animation: while sitcoms and such will likely get one a year and thus have multiple attempts to do whatever, usually with a cartoon you get ONE holiday episode they can reair forever and ever. This is becoming less of a thing these days as both this show and big city greens have had two, but there's still no guarantee your release will synch up to where you can do christmas twice. Amphibia only got the one and while they nailed it, sometimes that one shot can misfire pretty badly. Ask My LIfe as A Teenage Robot. I.. I dread the day i'l lhave to deal with that mess of an episode but I know it's coming.

So saving the proper holiday episode to season 2 was a smart move and worked out: as the creators put it it allowed them to give us a preview of Della before her full spotlight episode next time out, as well as reintroduce the stakes of her returning from the family's perspective since they woudlnt' be around next time we saw them. Add in a clever twist on a christmas carol and you've got a holiday classic. I will say the Santa episode is better.. .but it dosen't mean last christmas isn't still a masterpiece. They just somehow outdid themselves the nexdt time around As you can probably tell I like this episode so let's get on with the long awaited review under the cut.

Something I forgot is that this episode.. is really two diffrent 11 or so minute stories. Their interconnected and start at the same point, but since the show usually just has it's two plots play off one another, I had it in my head the two went back and forth. In reality it's just two diffrent shorts covering two very diffrent plots with a shared message, theme and antagonist. It's a neat way to do it do: just let Scrooge and Dewey's seperate stories breathe as while their learning similar lessons, their still their own journeys. It also makes the twist less obvious. So starting off

The Setup: The episode starts with Scrooge doing what you'd expect: throwing a big tantrum about not liking christmas. We eve I think eget a ba hum bug. Only Micheal Caine or Dylan Saunders has been this cranky a scrooge. We do get some nice bits thougH: Donald not only being super into christmas to honor his sister, but fighting with an inflatable snowman, Webby only decorating a small portion of the tree, and the fact the ducks have an annual christmas viewing of night on bear mountain, a stellar nod to the story that introduced scrooge which I covered my first christmas. It also implies it happened in SOME form in this universe though how I don't know. Meanwhile Dewey is also not feeling the Christmas Electricity, but mostly because he's missing his mom, sadly looking at a photo of her like he's wolverine. Donald comes in and while he's combative at first because A) he's donald and B) He sees Dewey hiding something once he sees it's a picture of Della he understands and gives the boy space, saying he can join them when he feels like it. Dewey's mopey solo time is interuppted by laughter.. and following it Dewey finds.. Scrooge.. eating, drinking and being merry with three strange figures. There turn out to be the Ghosts of Christmas Past (A cricket similar to Jiminey voiced by Jack McBrayer), Present (A wild pig…)

I know and I missed you. Voiced by Bil Frabrake, of Patrick Star and nailing a nutsack to his door fame, and the Ghost of CHristmas Future Played by

Turns out in a nice twist, the three came to scrooge one holiday, implied to be during the decade Della was lost judging by some Dialouge from past later, thinking he was the other guy, and ended up liking him. So they've come back every year after their usual spiel to party with Scrooge through time and space. Well mostly time but i'm sure they can travel through space too.

Scrooge also explains why the whole hating chistmas deception: He dosen't really.. well except Santa , ex boyfriend troubles amirite?, and that'll be fixed next holiday special. He's just so exausted from taking care of his family, his company, keeping the world serpent Jormungandr at bay, which is still one of my faviorite lines in the series. Fun Fact from what the art of book tells me they didn't have a concrete plan right away, but they did throw this out here knowing they'd do something with it eventually.

Dewey agrees to keep his secret at least for this year as he understands needing some me time, and thus our stories splinter off: Scrooge heads with his boys to the past.. and as we find out later Dewey grabs on to tag along but ends up falling off into the past. We'll catch up with him later. For now

Party of Christmas Past

So Past's idea this year is to go where they left, the mansion but not when (Scrooge is done with all the time travel puns). I also love the touch of Dewey later making the exact same pun in his story.

It's the First Annual McDuck Industries Employee Christmas Party, sometime in the 1960s. So clearly this is when Scrooge Conglomrated everything. HE also wasn't as succesful yet, but they had fun. It's honestly a nice subtle parallel to the party from A Christmas Carol, our hero visiting a happier time. The only diffrence is he's the boss. OH and he meets his past self who brushes it off with an "older me" and a hat tip.

This works out well enough for Present (Who naturally goes to destroy the buffet) and Future (Who Mrs. B, whose got it, hits on), but not so much Scrooge, who can't relax as he has to deal with his board, who apparently decided to going to the office party was part of their evil plans. Look it's free food and booze even evil masterminds and their clones have to eat and get embarasingly drunk. Even seeing Goldie.. ends up going nowhere as buisness calls and he's up to his ass and shit. What is this buisness? A bunch of people pitching stuff. Scrooge is annoyed, feeling he shoudl've stayed with his family and planning to leave. Past melts down a bit over that nad comes up with another idea: Scrooge's very FIRST christmas in duckberg. Just a tend the stars and no one around. Scrooge likes this.. for about five minutes. He realizes that as a lot as they can be.. .he misses his family, and christmas should be with them. It also makes sense why it took so many years: As I said past hints about in a second that Scrooge's family returning changed him. It was a nice escape when he had an empty mansion with only his best friend and someone he barely knew who turns out to be his daughter later for company. He was keeping everyone at arms length. Now his mansion is full of life again: He's let Beakley back in as a friend, taken Webby as surrogate family, reconciled with donald and met and got to know and mentor his nephews. There's also Launchpad whose like the dumbass himbo son he never knew he had nor never wanted but accepts anyway.

Thing is Past.. is a bit of a clingy bitch. It's also a nice take on the character: Past wasn't trying to teach Scrooge the meaning of christmas.. he's pissed someone is going to leave him AGAIN. It shows the strain this job would have on someone: getting to know them, helping them.. only to never see them again because as a better man, they dont' need you anymore. His behavior isn't RIGHT, he's trying to trap scrooge in the past for his own selfish desires and not getting that he can't keep scrooge here and maybe he shoudl find other firends or take solace in his fellow spirits, but it's sympathetic enough. We still want scrooge to win but we at least get why Past has sunk this low. Jack McBrayer also does a great job as a villian. Part of casting him as this was to see if jack could pull it off and boy does he. It's also a nice smokescreen: Given Jack hadn't played a ton of villians at this point, it gets you to drop your guard and not realize Past is going to be a problem till it's too late.

Scrooge of course being scrooge eventually beats him. When a straight up fight just goes in cricles, he simply asks to go back a minute to live the fight over.. thens teals Past's umbrella and strands him. Classic Scrooge. Past thinks Scrooge will just come back..b ut he undferstandably doesn't. Which leads us into

Siblings of Christmas Past

Dewey picks up like I said falliing off future, making a pun, that sort of thing. But now he realizes he's here in the past.. his mom might ALSO be and goes to look for her. instead he finds Grunge Donald Duck

Yeah this came about from Frank realizing the timeline being adjusted meant Donald would be Dewey's age in the 90's, and given he used to be a musician.. he would totally be a grunge kid. Maybe we'll see teen donald on that 90's show. Fingers crossed. At the very least Kev has given me the idea of Della, Donald an the Cbas doing a circle. I guaranteee Donald would be the one who talks about a car that runs on water man.

This was also a golden opportunity for them to bring in a legend that they'd left out of the series thus far. See the one downside, and really the ONLY downside to making the boys unique characters instead of the hive mind that will one day loom over us all as our cruel overlords in all their 90s misogny, was that Russi Taylor wouldn't be playing them. So like most classic actors who weren't reprising their parts in favor of new talent in the roll, the crew found something else for Russi to do: voice a young donald. And once again , just in time as sadly she had passed by the time the episode aired. Just like her apperance on OK KO it was only through sheer luck and good timing that she got to be a part of this and god bless it. She does a terrific job, as you'd expect and it was a nice way for her career to go out: doing something new with a voice she'd perfected so very well.

At any rate Della is apparently out front camping and Donald is moping about christmas. And this brings up a recent problem. See when the episode aired, I like most of the fandom, assumed the Duck Parents were dead. This episode was my biggest evidence: The kids are here on christmas, alone, and Donald moping in his room is clearly supposed to parallel Dewey doing the same because Della, while not dead, is lost to him.

So here comes Art of Ducktales (Or specifically the suplimental interviews I didn't get because I only bought the standard edition because it was almost double the dollary doos. Thankfully fine folks like you put the info from it out there and yeah.. turns out Quackmore and Hortense are alive.

YEAH. I mean i'm fine with it as had Disney not pulled a Disney, and maybe with someone compitent in charge we might get a second chance at season 4, we would've gotten an episode with one of my faviorite disney Ducks and the husband whose atomic hate sex helped them create two of my other faviorite ducks. And Grandma Duck, whose just the best. But even then it raises a LOT of questions that, given the show is over and MAY not come back even with Iger in charge now, I don't think Matt considered when he dropped this fucking bombshell.

Why did they live with scrooge so much then? (As kids anyway). Why did it seem like Scrooge saw them? Did the triplets know them? Did they know Della was lost and if so howd they react? Do they know she's alive? Do they know they have a clone niece now? Why weren't they there at christmas? Were they just going to show up? Were they stuck in the duck version of planes trains and automobiles? Why haven't I written that? And do I know that film was about thanksgiving and not christmas?

We don't know..except the last one. I do but I like that film better than i'll be home for christmas and it fits the situation better. I like to think they were both steve martin and john candy was Goofy's dad. Not the point. It just kinda delutes THIS episode a bit. I thought it was about Donald being in mourning and having to accept that his sister needed him too. About both of them coping. Instead it's just.. Donald bein ga bit of a dick. Which is usual for him but not exactly as satisfying.

That's not to say it still dosen't work: Donald having to get over himself as well as the implication that their parents and Scrooge were both too busy, leaving them alone, still works well enough, especially with the irony that Dewey would give ANYTHING to see his mom in some form while Young Donald is just throwing it away, adding weight ot WHY Dewey is so instiant.. and his relization he's done the same thing. Sure he's in pain, that's fair.. but so are his siblings. And shutting them out is just hurting them. It's a godo message and still works, but maybe they shoudl've thrown in a line or something about his parents being gone just to make it seem like the twins were a touch less orphaned.

Like I said though this segment still slaps. While it's on the crew it came off like Hortense and Quackmore were dead, likely as a deleberate misdirect, it's still a lot of fun. There's a nice load of hints Della wanted Donald to come stay with her and hunt santa: the adult sized tent, snacks for more than one, the letter for him. It also makes her holding him hostage evne as the Wendigo is a comin make more sense: she'd likely cut him and Dewey down if it got too close.. but the answers are BLINDINGLY obvious and only Donald's own arogance and selfishness, rarely seen in this version since he'd largely grown out of them by the time we meet him, force Dewey to hammer it home.

It's still heartbreaking too. Dewey does meet his mom.. but it's not a proper meeting and he ultimately and tragically isn't allowed to warn her. Not because of some contrivance either: Della outright stops him as she's savy enough to know anything Dewey told her could destroy time and space. And the saddest part is there is no right answer: Dewey tells them and Della gets to raise her kids, live her life and Donald isn't under the pressure of raising the kids.. but it also erases the GOOD memories he has raising them and being their dad. I'm not saying Della going to the moon was WORTH all that, but I am saying it's the double edged sword of fucking with history: you loose any good that came iwth the bad and you can't predict how things will change. But your still letting something awful happen to make that happen and not break time over you knee.

The Wendigo itself is clever. This version, for obvious reasons dosen't have the creature formed from Canablisim. And yes that's what makes a wendigo in mythology. And marvel comics. Fun fact that's how Wolverine debuted: hunting a Wendigo and then ending up fighting the hulk.

So instead it's a being created by intense sorrow and regret.. i.e. Past. And luckily our heroes can beat christmas past turned into a mythgical creature because this is the duck family. This is an average christmas for them. Scrooge apologizes, which he really shouldn't have to and gives past his umbrella back and he takes our present day heroes home, where they celebrate with their family.. and Scrooge invites the spirits to join. I'd say this is suprising but the amount of people who have tried to kill scrooge that he now casually parties with is probably pretty tall. IT's a sweet ending though as Dewey and Donald hug with Donald welcoming him back, clearly remembering his help all those years ago, Beakley hits on the ghost of christmas future and we end on something truly special: Mike Peraza, who did Mickey's Christmas Carol drawing and end credits sequence in that style, nicely doing it in the classic style and even using the same parchment he used. Seriously he still had it lying around. Holy shit. Oh and Della wishes her kids merry christmas from the moon I guess that'll be important later.

So yeah as I said up front and will again Last Christmas is great. It's two great character pieces with a good message at the core: Don't push your loved ones away, celebrate with them, Cherish them. Enjoy your time with them. And for god's sake don't befriend jiminy cricket's bastard brother you'll regret it. IT's heartfelt, well acted and a nice twist on an old classic christmas formula. Check it out if you have'nt and have a happy holiday.

#ducktales #christmas #scrooge mcduck #dewey duck #della duck #disney channel #disney xd #disney #donald duck #a christmas carol

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insomniactalks · 2 years

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But that's the thing I don't think anyone believes that Ricky is going to enter a relationship with Gina during this season, I'm at least very confident that the two of them won't officially date until season 4, however being single doesn't mean that Ricky can't still develop romantic feelings during this season. By the time s3 starts (assuming there's gonna be a bit of a time jump), he and Nini will have been broken up for quite some time and we saw at the end of s2 that he made big strides in terms of letting her go and learning to deal with change. Now of course it's entirely possible that Ricky won't have any sort of romantic plot in season 3 but I just feel like it should definitely be considered that just because he is single, that doesn't mean Tim doesn't have any romantic in the cards for him this season...

(This ask was sent prior to the S3 trailer fyi.) Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, anon! ❤ I'm sure many have probably changed their minds about the first thing you said by now LOL 😂 I agree with you that being single doesn't mean Ricky can't or won't develop romantic feelings for someone (Gina in this case) and that that's entirely possible while he's continuing to develop as a character. The problem is, even if Ricky does realize he has feelings for Gina in S3, it's not like he can do anything about it. She's dating EJ by S3 and I doubt Tim is tryna copy and paste S1's entire Ricky/Nini/EJ plotline for S3.🤔 If Portwell break up this season, and Ricky has absolutely nothing to do with it, and PW stay broken up for the rest of the season, then there's deff a chance Rina could date in S4. Because S3 is so short (with 8 episodes spanning 2 weeks), if the show plans to have a Rina romantic plot, they would clearly set that up this season, then probably follow through the next (S4). So like you said, there's definitely a possibility Tim has "romance in the cards for Ricky" this season, but I think there's more to the story. 😅 The fact that Ricky, despite being a main character and first on the call sheet, is sorta absent from the trailer makes me think Tim is holding something major back for Ricky's arc in S3. I honestly highly doubt Ricky's only story this season is being a part of a Ricky/Gina/EJ love triangle and/or causing PW drama/angst. There's more to the story, we just don't know what it is yet...I am really happy to see Ricky more relaxed and seemingly making more of an effort in auditions tho! 🤗

#hsmtmts #hsmtmts s3 #hsmtmts analysis #hsmtmts speculation #ricky bowen #rina #gina porter #ej caswell #portwell #nini salazar roberts #rini #tim federle #thanks anon!

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jackofacetrades · 2 years

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An Estella scene analysis

Months later, I'm still thinking about that scene with Estella in Around the world in 80 days (careful, spoilers for the last episode).

This scene is so incredibly beautiful and sad and true. It's not the found love trope that the whole show had made us expect. It's a lost love. A real lost love, that we so rarely got to see on screen. It's over.

I love that it destroys every expectations we could have.

Sure, it’s over, but they still care deeply about each other, even after all this time.

When Estella approaches him, there’s so much pent up emotions between them, the what-almost-but-didn’t-happened is nearly palpable. We know next to nothing about their relationship, but it’s so clear that these two have a history together, good and bad, full and complex. There’s already so much emotional intimacy between them. It’s nothing like a tension or longing-after-a-woman-from-afar.

When Estella approaches him, she’s not just angry at him. It’s not the first emotion, nor the second, nor even the third. She’s sorta happy, and proud, and hurt. Happy to see him, proud of who he had finally become, but there’s still this lingering hurt about how they parted. She used to be so mad at him, for probably a very long time. But now he’s there, finally, and he looks just like when she left him, a hopeful young man, but now tinted with 20 years of longing and sadness in the small lines of his face. She can’t help but hit him, because it hurt so much, you know? She's somehow had to make her point.

The Mr. Fogg we know from the begining had been so closed up. Sure, we saw him opened up more and more to his friends: first by accident in India; then in Hong Kong for a bit (but barely, we mostly see him hurt by the betrayal); then he tries and opens himself up when there are just them, lost on an island, maybe doomed to die, but he’s still so alone on that rock, still very guarded, still afraid of what it could cost him; then a bit lost in America but his confidence’s improved so much already.

But here? The moment he sees Estella, all his barriers come crashing down and he’s suddenly completely bare in front of us, in front of her. There’s no Mr. Fogg here, there’s only Phileas.

I won’t analyse every single sentence from their dialogue because it would be too long (and it already is) but I could. There’s such subtlety, and openness, and good communication there. Apologies, well deserved and freely offered, admissions of broken hearts, reminiscience of what used to be and of what matters. Acknowledgement of all that could have been, the happiness they could have had—they don’t shy away from it. I can’t believe how much is said (aloud or not) in such few minutes. Every important thing is covered, but never forced, and it just flows naturally. And don’t get me started on the body language and the touches. It could deserve its own post.

It's also a beautiful representation of someone trapped in the past, in a relationship that is no longer relevant. Phileas’s feelings are still there and they’re never diminished, but they’re not reciprocated anymore and have not been for a long time. But Estella never chastises or shuns him for that. Nor does she make him think it’s still possible. There are barely no misunderstanding, not ones that last more than a few seconds. She’s abundantly clear that their story is over, because... well, it is. What they have now are only remnants of what used to be. It’s still strong, and they obviously care very much, but it’s not love anymore, not exactly.

This conversation does wonders to Phileas. It’s breaking his heart and mending it at the same time. Because it sets him free. He’s been living in the past for 20 years, never doing anything and all clammed up, because he’s too attached to her, to the idea of her, of what might have been but never was. Now all is left is forward, his very own adventure, with his friends—not alone. His whole life awaits before him. And he can finally face it head on, nothing holds him back.

It really got to me. I consider this scene perfection, both in writing and delivery from both actors. It was emotional and heartfelt, and I was on the verge of tears.

And of course, it has to be said that actually giving a character in desperate need of a hug and connection, a platonic hug that intense is... the absolutely perfect way to conclude that scene. Needless to say, that was the push I needed to dissolve in a pool of tears.

#I was waiting for it for so long and yet I wasn't expecting it #that's what broke me #they gave us the hug #this two very English people sending propriety to hell #around the world in 80 days #atwi80d spoilers #phileas fogg #estella #analysis #my posts

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honeysucklepink · 2 years

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What if...? Glee edition

You know, I'm a Gleek through and through, and while the show had its faults, there's pretty much something I like about every episode, all the way through the final season. Even the newbies and the new newbies.

THAT BEING SAID...

I see a pattern among folks discovering the show in the past couple of years binging it and not liking it as much after season four. And let's be real, it was weird after season three, when we did that weird split between New York and McKinley. And to be fair introducing new characters and trying to deeply incorporate them into the fold was awkward. What I'm saying is, what if Season Four was the final season, used to wrap everything up? Here's how I would have done it:

First, you would have to rework the last episode of Season Three with one simple change: Kurt and Rachel both get into NYADA.

Next, don't put the break-ups off until episode four. Do them quickly and painlessly in the first episode, before school even starts. No cheating, just a simple "long distance relationships don't really work." Work the couples back toward each other over the course of the season.

(They still hook up at Will and Emma's aborted wedding though)

Move "The New Rachel" to episode two. Forget most of the newbies, except Kitty (for a final round of "Sue tries to bring down the Glee Club" and keep her cartoonish) and Wade/Unique (and beef up her transition story), keep Sugar Motta and bring in Stoner Brett for more comic relief. Finn comes back sooner from the Army to teach the Glee Club.

Focus the McKinley side on our fivesome; Brittany, Sam, Blaine, Artie and Tina, plus the aforementioned Unique story.

Blaine still has an identity crisis when he sleeps with someone, which since he's already broken up with Kurt isn't actually cheating, but he still feels bad about it because it kinda feels "too soon" after the break up plus deep down he sorta hoped he could stay "pure" for Kurt.

No Grease (but Blaine still sings "Hopelessly Devoted" in his audition), we do Little Shop of Horrors instead. Sam is Seymour, Tina is Audrey, Unique is Audrey II, Artie is Mr. Mushnick. Blaine is still in his "villain" feelings so he decides to be Orin (come on, you still get Darren in leather pants, just singing "You'll Be a Dentist" instead).

And we still get the "Will he or won't he go back to Dalton" story with Nightbird.

You can still also have the Diva storyline. I mean honestly, Blaine/Tina/Brittany/Unique are really the new Rachel/Kurt/Santana/Mercedes rivalry-that-respects-each-other's-talent anyway.

Meanwhile...Santana never goes to Louisville. She's the one wandering the halls instead of Kurt, and Sue and Brittany push her to go to New York (so basically, the Blaine-and-Kurt/Imagine Dragons number goes to Brittana instead).

So we get Rachel, Kurt, AND Santana in New York way earlier, PLUS we move up Elliott and Dani and the Spotlight Diner, and the cover band. No Brody, but we still have Adam as a rebound for Kurt.

Sadie Hawkins is pushed back a bit and becomes the prom episode. Tina still gets slushied but by this point Kitty gets a redemption from just being a bitch (since there's no Marley she tricked into bulimia).

Blaine and Kurt get back together right after the wedding hookup.

NO SCHOOL SHOOTING EPISODE.

New Directions lose Regionals fairly against Vocal Adrenaline (with Skylar Astin as their lead) in episode 20, graduation and Klaine proposal in episode 21 (making it clear they won't get married until after college).

Final episode is a flash-forward to FOUR YEARS LATER. Will and Finn take New Directions to Nationals in New York, Klaine wedding, Rachel gets Fanny Brice, gets her Tony for THAT, and comes home to Finn.

#I am avoiding work #and watched a reaction YouTuber #and I got to thinking of this #just one way things could have gone

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angryskarloey · 2 years

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What are your favorite three stories/episodes for TTTE?

Since you said TTTE specifically, you've excluded my absolute favourites, but I'll see what I can do. In no particular order:

No.1 - The Flying Kipper - I'll start with the obvious one. The sets here are gorgeous, especially the spring-y ones, my eyes can't get enough of that:

The whole episode is building on what's already been happening throughout the season, the swift and majestic climax to what might be the greatest arc of the show - being Henry's. (Although, in a small, hurt voice, I must add that they knackered it by not doing Super Rescue.) The first Fat Controller is at his best here - he seems to have garnered an appreciation for Henry by this point that was totally absent in Tunnel. He doesn't arse around the problem any longer by this time - he goes the distance and gets Henry a rebuild (which he's always needed and Hatt could've really done it earlier, but the Welsh coal was enough of a stop-gap to keep him happy.) Owd shape Henry is in his most dire situation ever at this point, the fear of God would have been in instilled in him somewhere between the 4th and 5th bit of brakevan that landed on him, and he'd be a likely mechanical write-off. Henry might be easily forgiven for breaking down here completely, and becoming an emotional wreck. But he comes back after his rebuild stronger and better and harder then ever before, which is a real +1 to his tenacity meter. The crash itself is so beautifully grounded and real-feeling, multiple shots, close-ups, the sound is just real enough to pull you into the scene and for a split-second you feel Henry's pain here. Then the next shot, the cold light of day revealing the damage. Ooh the chills:

I'm aware I'm sorta broken-recording what others have already said (and who doesn't love the Flying Kipper lol) so I'll leave this one here.

No.2 - Escape. I'll start with Douglas - he's deathly afraid of the idea of scrap (understandable, a fate he nearly faced himself), but when confronted with another engine in that situation, he dives in without qualms to help. I can't help but think Douglas sees a bit of himself in Oliver, sometimes. Oliver is great here, he doesn't do so well in later (CGI) seasons, but his earnest, earthy emotions here are beautiful. Although his condition appearance wise isn't at all right - he is a complete rust-bucket, they wayy overdid it. But hey, the classic seasons overdid a number of things. And underdid more. The shot of Douglas and Ollie moving across the frame, only really visible as silhouettes, is hauntingly beautiful.

The tension throughout the scene where they leave the yard is so high I can't get enough. Like you can tell everyone involved was clenching real hard, including the engines, and you in turn probably are as well watching the episode. The sound is amazing, the high-octane music, the subtle cacophony of dog barking and engine... Also barking is delightful to the ears. At the beginning, Edward death-glaring Douglas when the latter had a go at him was a great laugh, then Edward soundly schooling Douglas on the matter afterwards:

Mood. We need more of this. Edward is so unafraid of telling people what's what. Douglas too for that matter, as he technically wasn't wrong in calling Edward out for standing about - but then, he's probably been working all morning, give the poor geezer a break. Angelis' narration here is very good, he was trying with this one. Also, 1400s are nice and preservation is nicer still, I must is give points for that.

No.3 - Rusty to the Rescue. And you kinda go - wait, AS, you're meant to be about realism! This story completely dismantles the whole canon and slings realism out the window! And... idc. If I were ranking on realism Escape wouldn't be on here either. But about RttR. Rusty's character here is the absolute best, he is the MVP of all diesels, don't even @ me. His little 'Shed & Sidings Inspection Diesel' bit is so perfectly done, what a cunning wheeze. The way he is shown to be of caring nature, inquiring into his driver's worries straight away. Also, the 'spring-y' sets are back, better then ever. Who doesn't love bluebelles? (Bluebells? Sp?) Rusty here is also incredibly intelligent - he sees the need for an engine and immediately makes a B-line for Douglas, clever little git. Then when Douglas says there's no chance of a Steam Support Force, our little Ruston takes matters onto his own buffers and rattles off on his own recogniscence. Ok, the narrow gauge line going that far is mental, like, completely radio rental, but I'll forgive it. The set of the Other Railway yard, with the diesel's collective, bellowing voice, and their familiar shapes with backs turned on the camera. Now, for the bit I really wanted to get to - Our Boy Stepney. Discounting the fact he's not BR Black here, his entire little existence here makes me love him. Now, he was hella underused after this, and this story really muddies the water on where he's meant to live, but hey - I'm a sucka for a Terrier, so I'll allow it. His driver being there to keep him company is great. The real Stepney has (or at least, had) her 1960s driver's name painted in her cab, as was the old LBSCR tradition. (The real Stepney is a she btw, don't @ me on that either.) I like to think that after this story, Stepney (the character) carries his driver's name as an eternal thank you for not abandoning him in that scrapyard.

Look at him! With his scarf and flask and smile. MVP of enginemen. Then the next exchange, between Rusty and Stepney:

'Do you like bluebelles?'

'Yes. Bluebelles are beautiful.'

'Good, you'll soon be seeing lots of them because I'm getting you out of here.' The bravery. The determination. The tenacity. Stepney has no power to stop Rusty here. Rusty is unstoppable and Steppers is just along for the ride by this time.

Also this shot:

Totally wrong in terms of gauge, but sodding atmospheric. Also, 'Mission Accomplished!'

#ttte #tbh my favourites change weekly #saved from scrap would've been on here last week #thanks for ask btw jobey #i don't get a lot of those #i spent over half an hour typing this up lol #baby jesus in a manger

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obaby-obeyme · 3 years

Text

*ugly sobbing*

Let’s go

LESSON 60 SPOILERS

Warning: This is gonna be a long post.

*a lot of theses scenes had a few different dialogue options but I’m only posting my first play-through*

STAAAHHHHHHPPPP😭😭😭😭😭

Lesson starts off by Mammon asking you to buy a cake if you’re headed to a bakery, kinda giving you the cold shoulder. Asmo is on his way out so you guys walk together.

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

YESH

You and Asmo split then you run into Satan who is on his way to the bookstore.

You use your magic to grab a book off a high shelf but get distracted causing you to drop the book

He takes you behind a hidden corner and y’all do the kissy kisss

It’s dinner time but Mammon isn’t at the table so you go to his room to get him

why is this so sad?! 😭

I’M ABOUT TO COMBUST

Lucifer’s “reward” for being able to keep a secret (the farewell party) from him haha

Naturally.

Next day- SURPRISE FAREWELL PARTY

Solomon says he has a gift for them

😂😂😂

Oh thank Simeon (The gift was...making the background all sparkly)

You can choose: The Devildom, Celestial Realm, or Human World. I, of course, chose the Celestial Realm to see what it would prompt

I’m pretty sure the brothers wouldn’t want to go back there either

I love it 😂 the younger brothers forcing Lucifer into their scheme

*surprised pikachu face*

SOLD!

Don’t worry Mammon, I’ll marry all of you.

I wanna know what this bad blood is.

Say less King

SAY LESS 😂 This part caught me off guard. Solomon you sly dog 😂

Mammon: “You’re closer to being a Demon.”

Levi asks where Luke went:

Ho my lord that’s just adorable. He went to put the baby to bed 🥺🥺

You go find Diavolo

He says he’s a bit jealous of the bond you and the brothers have. Not that they didn’t ask Diavolo to join the family, but that they asked you, because he wants you to himself.

Then you meet Solomon

This part of the lesson is called “Solomon’s many secrets” but he doesn’t really tell you any. You can ask him about the demons he has pacts with and what they are to him. He answers that at this point they’re sorta like friends now. Any other question you ask him, he gives you very vague answers. If you ask if he’s going to tell you the truth, he answers, “nope.” And also that he’s had a bit too much to drink.

NNNNNOOOOO THE DREADED ENDING IS HERE😭😭😭😭😭

Saying goodbye to the brothers (You can choose to kiss them of hug them after each of them say goodbye) OF COURSE I KISSED ALL OF THEM!

*CRYING*

I know but I’m a hoe so I’m just gonna kiss all of ya in front of each other

You got it bae *crying*

Imma miss you too *ugly sobbing*

Food ain’t gonna be the same no more *cries*

*sobbing*

Lucifer you bastard *ugly cries*

Then they all say goodbye

ROLL CREDITS

as always

Post Credit Scenes

WE NEVER GOT PAID

(at Angel’s Cafe)

-who?!

br-brother????? *GASP*

IT’S RAPHAELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

SEASON 3 END

ALRIGHT YA’LL! One of my mutuals summed up lesson 60 Hard Mode, which gives great insight as what to expect for season 4. Basically, back in Devildom, Lucifer receives a letter from Michael saying that they’ve chose 2 new students for the exchange program. So big yes to Raphael but who else? I wouldn’t say Michael himself would be one of the new exchange students. I don’t remember if there were any other angels mentioned throughout the lessons. BUT DOES THAT MEAN NEW POSSIBLE NEW CHARACTERS?! I can’t-I can’t love anymore characters! ALSO, Raphael appearing at the end like that?! HELLO?! He’s been mentioned a few times but I wasn’t expecting him to show up! At this point I don’t know what to expect for Season 4. All I know is if they give us routes, you bet I will marry all of them in 1 night. If they give us new characters, I will romance them in 1 night. Even if they’re the bad guys. I’ve been a hoe for 3 seasons I can and will do it for another.

So MC is a licensed sorcerer now. All they have to do is learn summoning magic. Which I assume will happen during this “break”. We don’t want a training arc. Although I am not opposed to spending more time with Solomon.

WELL, I’m excited for what’s to come! We also have the anime coming out soon~ Even if it’s short episodes, it’s still something. Also OtakuFm! And I’m pretty sure a bunch of events. I’ll miss main story brothers and everyone else tho.

For now, I’ll use this break to catch up on hard lessons and more fan art.

Look forward to more spoilers and my ramblings when Season 4 comes out✌️

#obey me #obey me spoilers #spoiler #omspoilers #lesson 60 #obey me!#obey me shall we date

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tsukkismoonlight · 3 years

Text

Im in a mood so to break my haitus (sorta) here's some headcanons for dating/'talking' with some hq boys !!!

Kenma-dating

▪︎Not only does he send you random memes that he does the small nose breathe-laugh thing at, but he also sends you a Lets Play episode of some youtuber for you to watch

▪︎ He brings a blanket everywhere, you cannot convince me otherwise. Kenma is constantly cold, so, when you see him trudge up to you with the blanket, you know exactly what to do

▪︎and that is to take the blanket, wrap it around you and then bring him into your lap and wrap it around himself as well

▪︎Late nights are a thing with you two. But around 3am is when you have to drag him to bed, and promise him that tomorrow you can pick up with whatever game/show/etc y'all stayed up doing

▪︎sleeping in or getting up early, when you wake up, he likes to make coffee, or your favorite drink. Its quiet as neither of you are fully awake, but its always a comfortable silence

Nishinoya-talking

▪︎First of all, he acts tough but boy is he such a sweetheart. He has spent countless nights thinking ahead, planning what to say and do, this talking stage is so much more than talking

▪︎he subtlety compliments you, and tells you that you're working hard and to take it easy. He dotes on you and somehow makes it look easy to keep it on the downlow

▪︎Noya just wants to share everything with you. His favorite sport, his favorite comics and his favorite movies. He wants to bring extra snacks and tends to bring an extra waterbottle incase you need it

▪︎He sends goodnight and goodmorning texts, he will wait so impatiently by his phone for you to respond, and then he just grins happily or snickers at your response

▪︎The minute that anyone throws shade your way, or tries to pull a stunt, he is on it. Short king or not, no one gets past him, and frankly, no one really wants to try (he's got those crazy eyes lets be real)

▪︎you go to his games, you cheer the loudest and his eyes always find you easily. Afterwards, you are the first person he texts, and in the night, he'll call you, loving the way your voice sounds when you're tired

Oikawa-dating

▪︎First of all, he literally cannot get his hands off you. This poor boy just wants you. Your hand, your arm, thigh, to hold your face, everything and anything. He'll hug you, give forehead kisses, ofc only when you want them

▪︎That being said, he only ever sleeps well when you're over for the night. If you're not next to him, Oikawa tosses and turns all night (and then complains about it the next day)

▪︎Also, Oikawa is fairly vain, and so anytime you compliment him, it gets him going. He'll blush and then wave his hand as if to say, 'oh stop' but really he means the opposite

▪︎All he wants is for you to keep going, keep calling him cute, or adorable or handsome. He wants to hear you say his name or nickname, and he wants to know that you are only for him

▪︎Which leads us to the fact that he can get jealous easily. The moment another person looks at you, Oikawa flaunts the fact he's dating you. He'll grab your hand or kiss your cheek, when he wants to be painstakingly obvious about it, he just exclaims loudly that you are a couple

▪︎ And in all fairness, you probably love all of it. The hand holding, the forehead kisses, the pet names and his stares. He's so pretty, and when he's looking at you, it makes you feel the happiest and the luckiest

Asahi-talking

▪︎First off, Asahi has never dated anyone before let alone 'talk' to someone before, that being said, things can be a little unnerving for him. He's never sure what to say or when to say it, and he stumbles over his words when in person and misspells when texting

▪︎Not to mention the team is always giving conflicting advice. Tanaka says to go all out while Nishinoya says to play it cool, Suga says to be sweet and Daichi says to be yourself. But in the end Asahi ended up listening to Kiyoko the most, which was to yes be himself, but also to take his time if he needed

▪︎ Asahi makes sure to text you before school and say hello, and to remind you to bring your lunch and a water bottle. When he sees you there, he'll approach and ask if you slept okay and if he can carry any of your books

▪︎Slowly but surely he seems to get ahold of the talking stage, and even starts to get more confident. Confident enough to smoothly grab your hand and interlock his fingers with yours

▪︎Its the little things about him that you love the most, whether its the way he reacts to things or how he looks when his hair is down and his eyes aren't on you, or how his hand isn't exactly smooth but its not terribly rough or calloused, they're all the little things that make Asahi, Asahi.

Bokuto-dating

▪︎Lets get the record straight, Bokuto is the perfect example of a Golden Retriever Boy. He gets excited or everything and looooves any and all attention. When out on a date, he never lets go of your hand and never stops smiling.

▪︎Every little thing you do makes him giddy. Like playing with his hair, snuggling with him on the couch or even just telling a story to him.

▪︎He just loves you so much. Everytime he looks at you, especially when you aren't looking, he just has those eyes, the ones that are filled with dreams of the future, whatever that may hold for you both

▪︎Your favorite thing to do with him however, is when you're both cooking in the kitchen in your pjs, music playing a little to loud and neither of you can really hear the other, besides the laughter that is

▪︎Oh and dont get me started on his hugs. On your best, or your worst days, Bokuto gives The Best™️ hugs. As much as it seems, he doesnt always gives those bear hugs. Rather his hugs are soft and tender. He'll wrap his arms around you with just enough pressure, and hold you close with your head against his chest so you can hear his heart beat

Kyotani-talking

▪︎Okay so contrary to how he is with any other person in the world, Kentaro is actually a bit of a romantic but he just doesn't quite know how to show it. When he does he's a little aggressive, but not in the mean way

▪︎its a lot of "well maybe I want to hold your hand !" Or "you look amazing, okay?!" And honestly its kind of adorable when he does things like that.

▪︎He has to remind himself that you two aren't quite dating so he shouldn't come off too strong, but when you're together he just gets ahead of himself. Especially when someone else tries to butt in.

▪︎The moment someone says that technically, you're fair game since you two aren't dating, Kyotani gets defensive (and a little possessive) fast. If you're there, he'll grab your hand and pull you away, glaring at the person the whole time. If you're not there he'll just spit some nasty name at them and tell them to back off (and who's gonna tell him no?)

▪︎Another thing about him, is that he overthinks everything. He'll bring small gifts, whether its some snacks, or a stuffed animal, he figures that it'll make up for his brash personality, and that hopefully you'll stick around

▪︎which ofc you do. Not only do you know that he is so much more than his harsh exterior, but you know that you can be yourself around him, he isn't into the materialistic, as long as he knows that you're going to love him for him, thats all that he wants.

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imreallyhereforkataang · 3 years

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hello, i don’t know who to ask about this but i’m new to the fandom and saw that you really like kataang. what’s your interpretation of katara’s glance down after the kiss before the invasion? i’m not a fan of the surprise kiss trope but even with that said, i had thought she liked him back. it didn’t seem like she did at that point or through the rest of book 3, and then next thing we knew they were endgame in the finale. sorry for being a bother, i’m just a little confused (like katara i guess haha)

Hi, Anon! Welcome to the fandom! Hopefully it treats you nicely lol.

Ah yeah. I've seen this talked about a lot over the years. And, y'know, I get it. It can seem a little out-of-place at first since, as you noted, Katara shows signs of being romantically interested in Aang beforehand, and now that they've had their second kiss, she doesn't look too happy about it. As someone who ships them, I initially would have loved to see them happy in that moment, to take another minute to themselves just to share grins and maybe laugh a bit because they've taken that step, put their feelings out into the open, and they're both glad for it. To a shipper, or to someone who's rooting for our protagonist to express his feelings, this does feel like a celebratory moment. I'm taken out of the context of the scene for a second because the pretty music has shot in and I'm still surprised at Aang's move and I'm happy to see an actual, mutual (as Katara leans in) kiss between them.

Then again, this situation is a lot realer for them than it is for me. I'm the viewer, I can hear The Cave of Two Lovers' theme, I can see this being painted in a positive light because we see these two come together for a brief moment, and the narrative is, in a sense, praising that. In-universe, though, it's a bit more complicated, and Katara looking sad really isn't so out-of-place.

Remember where they are and what they're doing, what they were saying moments before and what they're about to risk. For them, this is the quiet before the storm, their possibly final goodbye. Aang is about to fly off and face his destiny, confront what he's been training for over most of the year, "since the day we met" as Katara puts it, and determine the fate of the world based on whether he wins or loses. Whether he comes back or not. And he puts the reality of the situation out there. "What if...what if I don't come back?" It's the threat of that possibility that spurs him to kiss Katara. And she figures as much.

Despite the music suggesting otherwise, this isn't a happy scene (and perhaps that's why we don't get the full score until the finale, because this kiss is only foreshadowing what could be). It's tense, and bittersweet, and pretty tragic imo. Aang knows he could die. He says so. And then he kisses her. And I feel like Katara breaking out into a great big smile in that moment, even though she does have feelings for him, would just seem off. Idk, personally I'm not sure how you (impersonal) can celebrate finally kissing the person you like when you remember that what drove them to make their move just now is the very real possibility they might never see you again. That they're about to leave and face that risk, and there's nothing for you to do about it. Seems like an upsetting situation to be in.

There's also the fact that I'm skeptical Katara didn't already know Aang had feelings for her. I'm not saying it was always on her mind or that she paid much attention to it, she may have been putting all that stuff on the back burner or pretending it wasn't there as much as it was (including her own feelings) to focus on more important things, but I think she at least knew it subconsciously. I mean, Aang's not very subtle sometimes lol, and they've shared plenty of moments. So when Aang kisses her and Katara jerks back and her eyes widen in surprise, it's not because she didn't expect Aang to have these feelings (at least imo), but because she was in the middle of talking and is taken aback that Aang broke the unspoken barrier between them.

They're touchy feely throughout the show. Katara's kissed him on the cheek plenty of times, they've even kissed on the lips before now. They have sparks, and they've been dancing around them quite a lot, from the Book 3 premiere at the latest. But they haven't gone that extra step to put it out there too far, where there's no mistaking the meaning behind these gestures. I think, on Katara's end, she would have been okay with putting off making any official moves for a while, given the war and several other possible factors preventing her from feeling able to spend too much conscious thought and emotion on it, and so she's surprised that Aang's kissed her because they'd been keeping their more romantic intentions implicit up until then. She won't be realizing afterwards or celebrating in her head that "omg, the guy I('ve sorta been avoiding my feelings for but actually do) like likes me back," because she’s known this, but it’s been left unsaid and kept slightly quiet in Katara's musings. Now, it's out there in the open, they're past the safe zone, there's little room for ignoring the feelings anymore, and it sucks so much that they had to make their way there now. It's such tragic timing, a kiss that doesn't stem from a smiles and rainbows conversation where they sit down to talk about their feelings and where they want to go from there, but a kiss done out of desperation, out of the possibility that Aang doesn't come back. Through that lens, it's almost like they kissed "too early," especially for what happens next.

See, my impression is that Aang's kiss was meant for two possible scenarios -- Aang loses and thus doesn't come back, which means there's obviously no future for him and Katara. Alternatively, the day is won, the war is over, he comes back and the world is finally at peace; they can stop running, they can celebrate and breathe and talk about where they're going from here in an environment more appropriate for that. And since Katara kissed him back, it seems like she affirmed that there's something there for them, given he returns. But instead, something happens that I don't think they anticipated. Aang does come back, but he didn't win. So, in terms of Katara and Aang, they're now at a bit of an impasse, a situation that their kiss wasn't intended for, and it leads to this semi-awkward limbo because Aang's still alive but ideally that kiss between them wouldn't have happened yet.

Everyone needs to regroup, start it all over again, keep grinding and come up with a new plan. There's no time to get sidetracked, now more than ever. And, to me, that's reflective of what happens to Katara after Aang kisses her and takes off from the sub.

Katara's reaction is to dwell on the kiss. She wants to, but Sokka reminds her that there's no time to. So Katara snaps herself out of it, and she moves on. And then they survive the Day of Black Sun, but the fight isn't over for them yet.

You asked about the DoBS kiss, so I'm not gonna waste your time hyper-analyzing Ember Island Players because there is a lot that's been offered and discussed about that episode. But if you were to simplify the reason for Katara's stance there, it's pretty much just holding up what was established in DoBS.

At the Invasion, while caught up in surprise because she had an expectation that they wouldn't broach the subject this way, if at all, for a while, Katara kissed Aang back, and she kissed him back because she wanted to. But since then, she's had more time to think, and she won't be so caught off guard next time. Aang expresses during EIP that he wants to try a relationship with Katara sooner rather than later, and that he'd thought she felt the same since she kissed him back (as well as the moments they shared before), but Katara is adamant now about this not being the right time. She fully intends to keep her head in the game, like Sokka reminded her at the Invasion. That's essentially what she thinks Aang needs to remember now, too (and yeah, like I said, there are other ideas that can be brought in that contribute to the articulation, but this is the primary point being conveyed here).

Whatever the reason, her response causes Aang to reevaluate his conclusion about where they stand. Even though the war isn't over, he thought that, because he survived and Katara accepted his kiss before, maybe they could try anyways. But Katara still feels stuck in limbo, and she makes that clear. It's also significant to note that Katara doesn't make Aang any promises about being together after the war, which imo was a good move on the writers' part (I have a wip about this but idk when that'll be done lol). Anyways, Aang backs off, following her lead and putting romance aside.

I do want to talk about the second half of Book 3 as a whole, though, not just EIP. I've seen people criticize this portion of the story in terms of Kataang, but I think that, besides the substance of these episodes, it's important to keep in mind that the last 10 episodes of the series (The Western Air Temple and on) originally aired 7.5 months after Day of Black Sun. Not only that, but these episodes all aired within the same week. It was a big, hyped-up event on Nickelodeon dubbed "Countdown to the Comet," and it took place over the course of 6 days. That sort of schedule for finishing a show is...unusual. But it was also intentional here.

Even though the episodes don't have to be watched that way, the final 10 episodes are, in a way, all together the final big bang of the series. They're majorly dedicated to the most critical elements of the main story, including Zuko finally, after 2.5 seasons, joining the gaang and him finding his place in it. I'd say that The Western Air Temple to The Southern Raiders are most generally about that, about Zuko being accepted and making amends especially to the original three members of the gaang (who he's hurt much more than Toph). The viewer is gratified by watching Zuko do what we all hoped for him, forming relationships with Aang, Sokka, and Katara after all this time, merging our most important A and B plots. The other major things the last 10 episodes are for are the final battle, of course, because that's going to be our conclusion to this journey, and Aang's preparation for it.

So yes, onscreen interactions between Aang and Katara are fewer, but by no means does that make the rest of Book 3 an undoing of what they have. All their setup has been established, we're good on that, and we're going to leave that relatively be for now while we delve into the action until we're ready to revisit. And besides, imo, they still have extremely critical moments in the last 10 episodes that I am deeply, deeply happy exist. They're more subtle and less explicitly romantic -- a lot of them take place when they're not even around each other, but they speak volumes to me about how Aang and Katara have influenced each other, and how important the other is to them.

These 10 episodes are like a refocus of our largest priorities, and Kataang coming together is put on hold (again, I think that benefits the main story) for the end. But even though we watch less scenes where they're together, with more scenes of Zuko joining and hanging out with each of them individually in place, there's hardly indication of Katara and Aang avoiding each other after their DoBS kiss, or even post-EIP.

They're still friends first. What they're avoiding is not each other, but a new possibility for themselves, because right now they're choosing to ground their feet in what they have. Basically, around each other, they're pretending what unfolded between them never happened until, possibly, on Katara's say so, it's appropriate to resume that aspect of their relationship.

And after the war, probably into a few months of peace (based on the state of Sokka's leg), she decided it was. She felt ready, and they dove right in.

I hope that clears things up! And don't worry, you weren't a bother at all! I love talking about these two, but unfortunately I became really busy the past couple days (plus this response got deleted and I couldn't salvage it because I saved a copy of a cursed screenshot of Aang and ig it was scary enough to erase my clipboard history :3). Thanks for your patience lol!

#i hate tumblr it happened again #id in alt text #kataang #kataangtag #atla #avatar the last airbender #katara #aang #irhfk replies #oh yes and btw i have LONG been aware of the other storyboard lol #i have also listened to the official commentary for this ep #the girl is sad for him yk #and she been knew he has feelings for her #so i'd appreciate if ppl would not rb the other storyboard. seeing as it's not canon it's irrelevant to the conversation

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murasaki-murasame · 3 years

Text

Thoughts on Higurashi Sotsu Ep1 and 2

After what’s felt like an eternity, we’re finally back to our good old fashioned anime about trauma and murder :)

Like with my posts about Gou, this will contain spoilers for all of the original series.

Anyway, thoughts under the cut.

Continuing on from how the second half of Gou went back in time to show Satoko’s descent into villainy, Sotsu is starting off by going back to Onidamashi and showing what was happening from Rena’s point of view, as a way of basically doing it’s own version of the answer arcs from the VN.

This isn’t 100% the same as either Onikakushi or Tsumihoroboshi, but effectively these two episodes were still almost entirely taken from material in the VN, which reminds me of how I still think that this show is more of a reboot than people would like to admit. Even if in practice it’s probably still better to just read the VN first and then watch all of this. I just feel like a lot of VN readers are going to end up kinda bored with this because of how much of it is just retreading stuff from the VN, like with the first half of Gou.

Anyway, I’m entirely on board with this being a new take on the answer arcs, and thus far I think the execution has been done really well. Rena ended up getting kinda sidelined in Gou, so I like how they’re really focusing on her perspective in this. It’s obviously not quite as in-depth as the VN, especially if this arc is just going to be one more episode long, but like with Gou I think they’re doing a great job of getting across the characterization and development without many internal monologues or anything.

Although this ended up basically playing out the same way as Rena killing Rina in Tsumihoroboshi, it turns out that this version of Rina has gone through the same sort of character development as Teppei did, and now she’s way more sympathetic than she was in the VN, with her wanting to cut ties with Rena’s father out of sympathy instead of just being out to extort all of his money no matter what. The way that this new series has been going about ‘redeeming’ it’s more evil characters has been kinda polarizing with people, but I think it worked out really well here. Partly because they don’t really spell out whether or not Rina has gone through the same process as Teppei with getting traumatized by nightmares of previous loops, and we just see her being a more sympathetic person instead. I think it also makes Rena’s actions here even more tragic, since in this timeline Rina would have left them alone if she’d done nothing, and by the time she found out about that she was already past the point of no return. It doesn’t exactly erase or make up for all of the shit that had already happened between Rina and Rena’s dad, though. It still makes sense why Rena ended up snapping like she did.

Which gets into the whole topic of Satoko injecting her with the syringe, which basically sealed the deal on Rena irreversibly going insane in this arc. In practice she ended up just going down the same path that she already did in Tsumihoroboshi without needing to be injected with anything, but it still raises the possibility that she might have been more willing to abandon her plans if she hadn’t been injected.

Sorta like how the VN was already about the inherent tragedy of how in a perfect world none of these things should have happened and nobody should have resorted to murder, this adds an extra layer of dramatic irony with how Satoko’s looping has caused a situation where the external forces triggering people’s insanity have been slowly going away, but because she’s so intent on keeping Rika in the village by mentally breaking her through continued tragedy, she’s having to go out of her way to force all these things to happen, when otherwise all of these loops might have ended up being ‘perfect’ if she’d just left it alone.

And just for the record, a lot of people seem confused by it, but I think Gou already made it clear enough why Satoko is trying to convince Rika to stay in the village by subjecting her to repeated torture. From a meta perspective, it’s all just about setting up the premise of Rika going through the original arcs again so we can have a part-sequel/part-reboot, but in general her whole plan with this seems to be to traumatize Rika enough that she’ll accept the idea that she’s being punished by Oyashiro-sama for wanting to leave the village. Obviously it’s a pretty extreme and convoluted way to try and convince her to stay, but Satokowashi went to great lengths to show how Satoko tried basically everything else she could think of to stop her without resorting to violence.

And yes, the point of ‘she should be able to just talk to Rika directly and work things out that way’ is an intentional part of the whole tragedy of the situation, lol. If this was a story where people were willing to calmly open up about all of their problems and achieve peaceful resolutions, basically none of this entire story would have happened. And honestly, at least on an abstract level, I can totally relate to that feeling of being willing to do literally anything instead of just talking to people openly, no matter how much extra time and effort it takes.

I also just don’t even think that ‘just talking about it’ would even be enough. Partly because Rika is really dead-set on leaving the village and would prefer to take Satoko with her instead of staying in the village just for her sake [which is the entire premise of what happened in Satokowashi], but also partly because in the long run this is more about Satoko’s personal trauma and her inability to accept leaving her childhood behind. No matter what she does, she’d have to eventually contend with the idea of her friends moving on in their lives, or the village itself changing.

She doesn’t just want Rika to stay with her, she wants to keep everything the same forever because this is where she feels safe and in control. And that’s just not something that you can actually achieve without, well, the ability to loop through time, lol. That’s also why I don’t really think it’s ‘unreasonable’ that Satoko was so willing to sit through Rika’s loops, and to enact her own loops. The looping isn’t just something she has to put up with to achieve her goal, it IS her goal. She isn’t exactly aware of it since she’s so focused on the point of keeping Rika with her forever, but what she wants is to keep repeating this time period forever, and that’s what she’s doing.

Funnily enough I wasn’t really onboard with the idea of Satoko being the villain for most of Gou, but I guess by this point I’m a Satoko apologist, lmao. I just think her whole character arc makes a lot of sense, with her doing everything she can to cling onto the present and avoid the future, but obviously I also get why people think she’s irredeemable.

Either way, I’m kinda curious to see how the next episode goes, since it seems like there’s just going to be one more episode to this arc. It feels like there’s a lot still left to be covered, but maybe I’m over-estimating it. I think they still have to cover the flashbacks with Rena after she moved, her getting more paranoid about Keiichi until finally killing him, and then whatever happened with Rika and Satoko at the end of the arc, so hopefully that’ll fit nicely into one more episode.

I’m still curious to see what happens when we see Rena’s perspective on her fight with Keiichi, though, since there’s been so much speculation about it partly being a hallucination from Keiichi as he rapidly descended into L5 when Rena attacked him. There’s also still the possibility that they’ll reveal that this is an entirely separate timeline to Onidamashi, but I think that’d be a bit convoluted for no good reason. It’s be enough of a twist to just show that the fight scene went differently to how it was originally presented.

Other than that, I think that Rika probably ended up killing herself in despair at the end of this arc, and Satoko kills herself to jump to the next loop. I think that’ll all be pretty straightforward, but hopefully it’ll lead to an epilogue scene with Satoko and Eua.

After this, I guess the next three episodes will be the answer arc for Watadamashi, going by the Sotsu blu-rays being split into sets of 3, 3, 5, and 4 episodes. Unlike how this arc was very straightforward and predictable for people who’ve read the VN, I’m really excited to see what happens in the next arc, since Watadamashi was kinda confusing in a lot of ways, even after we found out about the Satoko stuff. But we’ll get to that when the time comes.

The third arc should then be an answer arc for Tataridamashi, but it’ll be interesting to see if they fit in Satoko’s perspective of Nekodamashi there as well, or if they push that to the final arc, or if the Nekodamashi arc will overlap both arcs. Either way, the fourth and final [unless they reveal more episodes or even another season later] arc will probably then continue on from the end of Nekodamashi and show however things manage to wrap up after that point. It’s really hard to tell how much time they’ll actually need after that to wrap things up, though, which is why I’m not sure if they’ll actually be able to finish things in these 15 episodes, or if we might get more later. Unless we get some major curve balls, I don’t really think it’d be that hard to wrap things up that quickly, but we’ll see.

Anyway, Sotsu is off to a great start, and I’m excited to see where it’s going to go, but mostly at the moment I’m just relieved that the last four months of my life are over now, and I can go back to live-blogging about anime where kids murder each other, lmao.

#murasaki rambles #higurashi #higurashi sotsu

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torivikachu · 3 years

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WARNING UNREASONABLE SHITPOST

recently, I see so much hate everywhere. magnetic storms or what but fandoms are getting rlly nasty when clashing with each other.

I think it is important to understand, that we shouldn't be bashing others, whatever we or they might like, as long as it is not offensive or reasonably immoral - and I stress, REASONABLY! some people believe homosexuality is immoral and that is just /warning! offensive language/ dumb.

as a huge fan of SNS I see a lot of anti's this days - antisakura, antiending, antinarusasu, antisasunaru, antinaruhina, antisasusaku, antiboruto and whatever. and - ugh - as much as I myself hate to admit that.... expectant drums sound.... nobody cares!

I mean - it's Kishimotos work. it's his idea, it's his story, it's his vision and - sadly - we don't get to decide whether he was wrong or not.

whether he should have ended the story with SNS,

whether he should have made female characters more prominent,

whether he should have killed Sakura off,

whether he should have made Naruto a better father,

whether he should have done many other things we all want him to do,

because - no matter how much we love the story or the characters - we are not the ones who created them, not the ones who understand them the most.

I mean, I have written myself a couple of paragraphs on how much I hate what is going on in Boruto - so yeah hi hypocrite! - but I sincerely mean well. yeah it pains me a bit to watch Boruto cuz of nostalgia I feel for Naruto series but I keep on watching, because I can't cut out that part of my heart that is responsible to crave more of Naruto universe even if I hate it.

and I am probably going to keep criticizing every damn thing - like, have you heard the Kara soundtrack? omfg I facepalmed the whole episode after that - and I wish it was better, but I am not going to bash characters for being created that way.

bc you know what? people are shitty. good people are shitty. bad people are shitty. everybody is shitty. so I guess made up characters get to be shitty too.

I mean, bashing Sakura for not having same problems as Naruto and Sasuke and thus not always getting them? - duh! remember yourself at 12, 13, 14, 15, you were a fucking whiner and you know it. and what were your problems? not getting a laptop you wanted? being punished for bad grades? getting into the fight with your parents for being unreasonable?

yeah, like you never said stuff like I wish I didn't have parents. I remember a moment after the fight I wrote a note to my parents before going to sleep that literally said ' sorry you got such a bad daughter I wish you didnt have to deal with me' and then went to sleep. in the morning - having completely forgotten it - I was woken up by my crying mom who said it was the stupidest thing on earth I knew I hurt her with it. and I regret it. it was dumb and shitty and I normaly consider myself a good person, but that was a huge shit I pulled. and I can't take it back. but I was like 10 and I didn't know better at the time.

why would I hold Sakura to higher standards then I hold myself?

then people bash her for being mean to Naruto - well, duh again - KIDS ARE MEAN. she got older and managed to see Naruto for who he was, but people still see her as a bully.

well, if we are not ready to accept peoples mistakes if they have managed to live up to them, I dont want to be a part of that 'we'

next I see a lot of bashing for Sakura being a bad mom - ugh, duh again /what is it, third time?/! how come? yeah she works a lot, since she is a single mother and all, but she genuinly cares for Sarada, even if she gets a bit overprotective at times. she doesn't have a very working relationship with Sasuke - well sure, he is never home!

then there's bashing Naruto and Sasuke for being bad fathers - you might think they'd learn to appreciate a family after being orphans.........

well where do I start. Sasuke is clinically afraid of losing loved ones after he has lost so much, so he is much better off not having many bonds and it is obvious as day. it doesn't make what he does right or good or wrong, it's just who he is. Naruto... well, lets start with the fact that he never had a role model. he had Iruka - at times, he had Jiraya for three years, but he never really had a family. he was a good dad - as we can see - when kids were little and he wasnt a hokage...

but now... he might work too hard, he might overdo it a bit at times, but if you think that he struggled his whole life to get appreciation why would you think he'd stop now? he just wants to manage everything, but he cant, and it kills him but he doesnt stop and its beautiful. yeah, its unhealthy and stupid but beautiful, because that is what the core of his character is. thats what this world has shaped him to be.

BUT THEN AGAIN THAT IS JUST MY PERCEPTION. I am pretty fucking sure Kishimoto and authors had their own reasons for it that are justified and totally okay because these are his characters who he can do whatever he wants to.

just like we people can.

and I can go on, because there is just SO MUCH HATING AND BASHING I just can't take it anymore.

I mean this whole war of sasunaru and narusasu - why would you care who fucks whom as long as both enjoy it and dynamics in bed dont influence dynamics in the relationship.

I mean... fanfics are not real. hell, even Naruto is not real, but fanfics exist entirely separately from the anime (most of them don't even get personalities right) and it is OKAY. they can exist separately to please those who are unhappy with how things go.

but please please pleeease stop bashing everything just for the sake of it. and I don't mean you are not entitled to feel and I am not telling what you should feel but there is so much more wholesomeness and awesomeness and beauty in portraying and seeing Sakura as a supportive friend and Sasuke as a helpless child inside and Naruto as a strong person who just really can't catch a break. and Boruto and Sarada as a way to make SNS canon in some twisted way.

you know? positive thinking.

but Next generation still sorta sucks.

no offense, though

😆

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ser-rctslcyer · 3 years

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Sweet Home (2020)

First of all this is going to major major spoilers from the show, so don’t read if you are still trying to finish!!!

I’d like to start off by saying that this is my opinion, thoughts and feelings about the show(I watched all of it). I will be comparing events in both the Webtoon comic and the Netflix TV series. Also again it’s been awhile since I have read the Webtoon from beginning to end so sorry if there’s some misinformation (apologies if any of the names are spelled wrong or out of order too, I using the wiki page to write out the characters name from the show as they changed names a bit) but here we go.

(1) Pacing Issues

I’d like to start off and say the show has a lot of pacing issues. Throughout the show there are a lot of events that happen so quickly and sometimes bizarrely. From the transformations, to the introduction of characters, and the movement of the plot. One of the odd things that stood out was the bizarre news broadcast which was showcasing weird and scary visuals, as it explained the ‘rules of monsterization’ (you think that for global news that big, you wouldn’t want to cause global panic, but insist on showing the visuals that would put even more anxieties in the people at that time. Also why didn’t they cut it off when the dude first started having a nosebleed).

Next I know Hyun was only supposed to be there for a week before everything started going down, but literally it just felt like a day. It didn’t seem to establish enough of his situation for the audience. I understand that adaptations like this are made for the niche audience of those who have either watched/read the original source material, however everyone should strive to have a story for anyone to view that they could understand and follow. It feels like immediately we get into the craziness that is thrusted upon all of the characters.

Another thing that threw me for a loop was the way the ‘Blind Monster’ quickly transformed, it was just so fast. One moment he is the random human and then the next he’s standing up full monster. I think it would’ve been way cooler to see him transform fully, which I think would have been the first (full) transformation to see on screen. It’s one of the coolest monsters in the comic AND IT GETS PUNKED SO QUICKLY IN THE SHOW!!!

I get making the montage when Hyun met Du-sik, and how he went there to get his weapon made but it felt weird that they quickly figured out that they could use the phones to detect the monsters. It seemed so very rushed, and again one of the many things that probably would give the audience whiplash. Then when he meets up with Ji-su(Ji-soo) and Jay-hun did he teach them that the phones can work to detect monsters??? I mean they talked to each other all of two seconds before going back out to save the kids.

Hyun also went so quickly into his madness phases (his alter)? I swear they just really threw that in there so early by episode 2-3 . It seemed so random again as there wasn’t really much build up to show his ‘desires’ side. It was so abrupt especially because they hadn’t ‘laid out’ Hyun’s character yet, enough to introduce his alter ego fully like that. It didn’t really showcase Hyun’s struggle a lot to defy the his alter; mainly seemed like they used the alter to explain why Hyun is the way he is, which happens in the comic but again the show just kind of makes it feel like the alter is sorta just there to give us more exposition.

There’s a lot more pacing issues which I could get into but I think that would make this entirely much longer than it has to be.

(2) Continuity Issues

There’s also a ton of issues with continuity of the story too. The first glaring one that comes to mind is this both the power issue and the no internet service. In the show it establishes toward the end of episode one that there is no service, as the big group is on the first floor wondering why they are locked into the building. That’s at episode 1, which then in episode 2 opens up to Hyun still playing games on his computer, the group watching the news broadcast and Hyuk reading the initial first article about the outbreak being a ‘curse’. Now I’m not a tech savvy person, but when there’s no service, I’m pretty sure you aren’t able to do any of those things. Then when the Netflix original character, Seo Yi-Kyung, the ex firefighter/special forces decides to send a picture of the dead guy’s body to his family when there is no service; how is that possible? (Also was I the only one who found that to be completely odd and mean, as she saw a picture of his family? I understand it set us up for her story and how she’s trying to uncover secrets from her long lost fiance but it seems out of pocket as well as a dick move.) But that again loops back to the point that there is no service in this place, it’s been said many times so it just irks me more because that is such a big glaring issue, which should’ve been caught by someone reading the script.

Then there is when the power goes out. It shows Hyuk at the cameras when the powers go out and the cameras all shut off. But when he comes back to the camera with Seo Yi-Kyung, the camera’s are back on. Is it possible for them to be running on a separate generator, perhaps. However they showed the cameras going so then again, I can’t believe that there is a separate generator because again they showed them all shutting off; so again another continuity error. During that same scene I also could have sworn the lady also was looking at the cameras and saw the monster on screen, but apparently not because as she returns she punches Hyuk in the chest. I thought it was really weird because again he pointed and even showed which camera it was where she had to turn the power back on, yet she didn’t see the monster at all? Not only that too but I thought too she knew the risk she would be taking, as they were unaware of what other monsters could be in the building, however I guess not since she came back so defensively.

Another issue I have is the strength of Protein. Protein is first shown in episode 3 when Hyun has gone to rescue the kids and bring them back to Dusik’s room. Hyun begins to have a nosebleed and then his alter comes to him in his head and he tells the kids to go on without him. They run into Protein who if I remember correctly knocked Hyun through the door. As Hyun is still dazed and the kids are dragging him away, Protein takes about 5+ hits… to break through a wall. This giant hulking mass of a monster, takes more than 5 hits to finally bust through a wall, does that seem right to you? The later when he fights [the lady who lost her baby] and when he pouches her, it almost feels like a push with how far she flies, even though he reared up for that punch. Anyway later on in episode 8 I believe, when Protein comes back, he quickly demolishes their armored car, so much that it looks nearly if not just like a pile of scrap. One could argue that yes, when he comes back and attacks the group, he’s supposed to be in his ‘rage mode’ of sorts, so that could be what makes him stronger. However he’s a towering hulking monster, seems to not do that much damage, to both the surroundings around him and then to the few people he smacked around. It just seems weird how he had different strengths each time he appeared. I know again that sometimes adaptations do tend to nerf characters, however I found it weird how they seemingly tried to do that in the show. I was sure that Jae Heon’s sword wasn’t able to slice Protein at all in the comic (or maybe he was in his rage mode at that point) either way though the nerfing of Protein’s character seemed to flip flop from whatever they seemed fit.

(3) Monsters

Which this can lead into the monsters. Now each monster in Sweet Home has different power sets and abilities than the other, however one consistent thing in the comic at least is that most of them are actually pretty sturdy and tough for the group to beat. A lot of the monsters, it takes time, effort, and a lot of learning for the group to figure out how to kill them.

Let’s start off with the Tongue Monster. The Tongue monster is one of the first ones the group initially encounters; its terrifyingly tall stature is already unsettling enough, there’s the gaping hole of a mouth with a powerful tongue. Now the effects that for the opening of the mouth were a little wonky, but something I could look past. However my main problem was that this monster single handedly got the most kills in the show out of all the other monsters. In fact he was the only monster to get kills, which is very disappointing to see when you have all these cool monsters that could have different and interesting kills. (I’m not counting Mr. Kim and Jay hun’s death simply because that was a self sacrifice on Jay hun’s part. Nor am I counting any of Jung Wooi-myung kills because he was a half monster also he didn’t go full monster to kill anyone). In the comic, the Tongue monster had gotten 2 kills which one of those happened to be another monster (Mr. Kim).

Eyeball monster was alright, and did what it needed to do.

The Blind monster, who is for a doubt, one of the most terrifying and troublesome monsters in the comic. Like both in the show and the comic, he originally attacks Ji-su first, but then Jayhun comes and saves her by slicing off it’s head. The two leave think it was dead but that’s when the true terror starts as he was monsterized enough to survive it’s head being cut in half but unable to regenerate its head fully. Since it fully relies on sound, it makes it more deadly as it shoots out branch-like tendrils with great speed. This is deadly for the group as they have to make sure they travel quietly as possible to avoid being killed by the agonized creature. I did enjoy how the show included when Hyun first opened his door to it being right there, as that was a very suspenseful moment, and showed us another big threat that the people in this apartment building would face. The Blind monster is only around for 23 chapters in the comic which is roughly he’s in there for about 16.43% of the story (not including the flashback in the later chapters). While that number is small to you, the Blind monster is one of the iconic monsters as well as one that sets an even bigger tone for the dire situation the characters are in. He didn’t feel like much of a threat in the show, as I think also in episode 3 he gets killed by Protein after their ‘cheesy’ fight. In the comic, the Blind monster only killed one human (shown in a flashback as it was the slime monster’s mother) and was killed by Eun Lee. I will say he was one of the better looking monsters in the show and I give props for both the practical effects and special effects they used to create him.

The one I hate the absolute most is, Speed monster. His design was awful to me and sort of out of all the designs in the show he was the most out of place for me and just weird. He served his purpose though, the design they did for the show makes him comical rather than scary. In the comics, he does kill one in a flashback and then is killed by Hyun Cha.

Reach monster is another one I think the show did really well, design wise. However the narration when reading the guys journal to figure out why he had become a monster was a good idea how the execution of it seemed so jarring as we were already moving back to the characters of that scene and ultimately doesn’t get the audience to really get invested into the thought that anyone could turn into a monster over seemingly any desire.

Protein or the Steroid monster is another great and iconic monster from the comic, which in the show he seemed much less of a big deal than in the comic. The continuity with his strength seems to vary all throughout the show. He takes 5 hits to break one measly apartment wall, 1 attack to almost demolish a car (which I think he just smacked away because it didn’t seem like he rushed it), and he ended up getting crushed to death by on-fire debris. The strength and speed of Protein is what makes him another big problem for the group yet in the show, they sort of deal with him quickly. In the comic, Protein kills the Tongue monster in a fit of rage and also Seop Ahn (Seob An) who he crushes his skull with one singular punch. He’s later killed by the criminals that invade the apartment as they ram him with a bus and then eventually set him on fire. Protein was seemingly lack-luster in the show and honestly wasn’t as terrifying as I thought a 10 foot monster should be.

Mr. Kim (Security Guard) is another monster that comes back out of nowhere in the show to kill Jae-heon (Jayhun). I found it weird that they didn’t show Mr. Kim, as in the comic he’s seen a couple times wandering before it comes to the other realization that he’s in fact a monster. Also in the comic, Mr. Kim is a strong and sturdy monster, his thirst for vengeance against the tenants whom some harassed him make him out to be a very tough monster for the group to beat. When he starts rampaging to kill the other survivors it is Jayhun who rushes to try to stop him by tackling him however he’s unable to move him. Mr. Kim threw him to the ground and then stomped on Hayhun’s head, crushing his skull. It takes the Tongue monster for Mr. Kim to finally be weakened enough for them to kill him. Jayhun’s death impacts the group but also mainly impacts Ji-su and Hyun both, however in the show they don’t really show it changing Hyun. I do appreciate the different take of this in the show, in fact I think that is one of the best scenes in the show. I also think Ji-su’s pain and anguish after was really well done. I’m fine with the debuffing of Mr. Kim but I do kind of wish he played a bit of a bigger part.

The live actions’ original creepy crawly monster I thought was a pretty decent design although some of the cgi for it is a bit of an eye twitch but again I can look past it. The monster itself resembled a spider, it uses webbing to capture and hold it’s victims.

The Slime monster I think was also another monster I like how the show did. It served its purpose well, and helped a bit show how some of the monsters aren’t necessarily as evil as the survivors may think.

Seok Kim monsterization form was awful, he just looked like a giant walking talking hairball. At first I didn’t know who it was, and I found it stupid Sun Ahn (Seon Ahn) knew it was him; like how do you tell from underneath all that hair? I’m glad they kept it the same and had his wife kill him. Also wish they showed more of him losing his mind and talking to his alter, as in the show he really turned out of nowhere, kinda odd.

(4) Military Subplot

I hate the military subplot, it’s such a stupid and overused trope especially with adaptions like this and honestly in never really works for it. The whole thing with the military knowing about this monsterization process before the initial outbreak and them trying to weaponize the ‘special infectees’ just really bogs down the story in my opinion. One of the reasons why I love and adore the comic is because it’s about a group of strangers, who don’t really know each other, trying to work together as a unit to survive. They have to learn how to use the materials around them and each other to fight off the monsters. Which they do in the show but when the show’s ‘criminals’ show up and they all have guns, it gets boring for me there (I’ll go into them later). The military subplot I know is setting the series up for a second season and probably will introduce other elements as well but ultimately it takes away what the comic had originally built; the suspenseful tension of being trapped in a building with people who could easily turn on you or turn into a monster and kill you.

(5)Characters and Relationships

Now let’s talk about characters and relationships. Brace yourself, this is going to be a long ride.

Hyun

Hyun was honestly I think is the worst adapted character in the show. The show felt like it dumbed down his character greatly. He’s the main character of the comics but the show treats him like a side character, especially at the beginning of it, as it tries to push some of the other character’s narratives first. From a creator’s standpoint I think it was a poor decision because I didn’t build up the same attachment to him when I had read the comic; most of the time he was on screen I completely didn’t care. The way the show portrays him is almost delicate since he’s pretty socially inept but the show makes him feel boring and plain by this fact. In no way am I saying he was a happier more confident person in the comic but the comic had clearly shown his character development and how his growing confidence pushed him to be a better person. The show however speeds past this process which again gives the audience no emotional attachment to the character. If there had been more scenes with him and his internal struggle, that were fleshed out it would have changed his character development immensely.

Because of how the show did him, he also ends up not making friends with some of the group members as he did in the comic, Ji-su being another one of the things that irked me about the show. Hyun’s and Ji-su’s growing relationship in the comic is a big reason for his character development. Ji-su pushes Hyun socially but also Hyun finds strength to stay human as long as possible and help others. Not to mention Ji-su is one of the few that actually cared for him when everyone was against him. In the show they barely have any interaction and Ji-su acts way more defensively around Hyun. I found it so awkward when Hyun lost control to kill the other half monster and Dusik, and she was talking about how she was glad Hyun wouldn’t have to remember all of that. I know the show was trying to show her caring side for him but ultimately it’s lost to me because they never built up a relationship between the two of them. Jayhun and Ji-su’s relationship completely overshadows anything they had tried to do with Ji-su and Hyun. Hyun and Eun’s relationship in the show is kind of mediocre and I don’t really care for it since Eun’s character is very annoying to me throughout most of the show. Hyun’s closest relationship in the show was with Du-sik and even still they didn’t really build up the relationship that much. They had a couple scenes here and there but they never really showed that connection that the two of them built in the comic.

Hyun’s quick flip into madness or his alter happened relatively fast and also it didn’t seem like he was fighting internally with himself much; again something I wish they went more in depth with, showing how strong Hyun’s character really is. Even with the flashbacks to his past, that they only used for a couple of episodes, they didn’t still do much to grow his character.

The show makes him a total blank slate and a completely flat character throughout the show. He never grows to really be much of a character and is definitely a weak spot in the show.

Ji-su

Ji-su gets a decent amount of focus and attention in the show but her character does seem to be different than her comic counterpart. I think they did a good job on showing the relationship between Jae-heon and Ji-su. I think they capitalized really well on showing that working relationship. I wished they showed more of the growing relationship rather than kinda taking Ji-su out of the game with both her having her first nosebleed and then having her bursting appendix problem. Which I don’t understand why they didn’t have her get hurt in the garage raid like in the comic? They could’ve kept the reasons the same to have the group attempt to go outside but instead they took her out, just to get the group to go out? I get maybe they were trying to ground the show in a bit more of reality by trying to show how no matter what situation anything is truly possible. Still however it kinda suck not seeing Ji-su in action

Another part I didn’t understand is Ji-su’s reaction to people around her turning into a monster. When Jae-heon and her come to Hyun’s rescue and find out he’s becoming a monster, she becomes aggro and tells Hyun that she’ll kill him. However later with Im Myung Sook (the lady with the dead baby girl) who she goes to check on after she watched her attack Protein, she seems so worried. Then when she sees the claws, she goes back to being aggressive and defensive towards her becoming a monster. It seemed odd to me because why was she so harsh with Hyun but then acts worried for a lady she’s seen get tossed by a giant monster? Did she really not think that she wasn’t becoming a monster after that? Those small little character decisions really threw me for a loop because I couldn’t wrap my head around how any other person who acts these two distinct ways to both people they don’t really know. Again I wish they also tried to pursue that relationship with her and Hyun. Overall her character is done pretty well in the show, I still enjoyed her character.

Jae-heon (Jayhun)

The show I think pretty much nails most of Jae-heon’s character. I think they honestly did a great job of adapting his character. Jae-heon’s character is definitely my second favorite, as I liked the way they built him up in the story. I did enjoy the way they killed him off the show, that noble sacrifice was very well suited for him.

Lee Eun-Hyeok(Hyuk)

Hyuk is the most comic accurate character for me and definitely was my favorite from the show. I think they did a great job establishing the coldness of his character but also growing to show his true caring side. One thing I don’t understand was the fact he decided to stay behind. I understand he was going back to see first if he could convince Hyun to go with the group but also that he was turning into a monster. The rest of the group knows Ji-su was becoming a monster, why did he not just go with them as well? I didn’t see the point of letting himself get crushed by rubble whenever the group is also escaping with another person who is turning. I know this is probably to set up Eun’s sort ‘redemption’ arc in the next season and also maybe he could potentially return if they decide to bring him back. Overall I think that they did his character justice for the most part of the show, he was really well done.

Lee Eun-Yu(Eun) Eun is a completely different character than her comic counterpart. She’s a total asshole throughout most of the show up until the last 2-3 episodes though until she finally decides to show an ounce of human emotion. Honestly I have no clue why they changed her character, it seemed like such a weird thing to do for this adaptation. Her character also stays pretty flat too which is seemingly funny because when she tries to do nice things, like comfort Ji-su after Jae-heon’s death, and explain her story of how she’s trying to repay her brother, it all fails to make me want to care for her. She was so aggressive from the jump and insanely rude to everyone. Usually the ‘take no shit’ kind of characters I do tend to enjoy, if done right they can be both badass, hilarious, and one of the greatest characters in any series. In this case however I just wanted her to stop being an ass to everyone. In the last few episodes, I see how they were really trying to show the change that was going to happen to her character but at that moment I couldn’t bring myself to even try to care really for her character. She’s definitely one of the worst adapted characters in the show.

Wook

Wook I feel is an entirely different mess than Eun. I get changing things to make certain, not as fleshed out characters who are prominent in series have more importance but honestly I found it interesting they made Wook one of those, because he has a perfectly fine backstory in the comic. In the show they call him a ‘gangster’ a lot (which happens in the comic) but unlike the comic they never state that he’s an ex-police officer. It seems that in the show he’s sort of like a private detective (if you wanna call it that). The show makes him seem like this cool and collected tough loner who kinda just takes everyone else’s orders. In the comic he’s more of a secondary leader for the group which would have been a good element to see in the show is him and Hyeok butting heads. His character seems almost pointless, as he’s really only there to also do the ‘heavy lifting’ (missions) with Hyun. His character was another sort of 180 from his comic counterpart. I found his character to mainly be comical because he was unbothered by everything; he just didn’t give a fuck.

Seo Yi-Kyung

I’m probably going to be the only one that says this but I did not care nor like her character. It’s because I hate the military subplot to this story and since that’s mainly where her story lies, I can’t honestly bring myself to like her. She’s too plot convenient and honestly I’m still trying to figure out what she’s going to gain when she finds her fiancé she knows was turning into a monster and apparently ‘changed’. I understand it’s probably closure but to go as far to sell out a child who you barely even know, to people you barely even know in hopes of maybe finding your fiancé, to only be again sad when you discover you aren’t going to be able to save him as he’s already a monster, I just don’t get it. It’s a very weak plot line in my opinion and again wish they didn’t add the military subplot. Her character too is another flat character, as she doesn’t go through much change only in changing her mind about selling out Hyun to the military when she realizes that it’s essentially not worth it.

Criminals The criminals are just basic, on their very copy pasted stereotypical villain shit that we must ‘kill all monsters’ but oops we accidentally invited a half monster into our group. They annoyed the shit out of me and angered me even more as they somehow collectively got more kills than the monsters in this show.

Jung Wooi-myung (the other half monster)

So from what I could tell Jung Wooi-myung is like this leech monster that didn’t die when Hyun stabbed him with his arm wing. He also probably infected Wook’s body in the end. He plays the generic role of convincing Hyun to join his side since people won’t ever accept monsters which is true. Ultimately didn’t even care for him.

(6) Hyun’s Monster Transformation

This needed to be its own category for the simple fact that the whole scene sequence was utterly atrocious. For starters why did there need to be a mini eclipse for Hyun to transform ONE arm into this barbed spiked wing? That seemed to be thrown in for aesthetic purposes more so than having an actual reason behind it, as this was something that did not happen in the comics. Hyun’s arms transformation just seemed so bizarre. I would have been perfectly fine if the show black veins rushing through his body and him being stronger because of it, sort of like how the comic does it. However this one arm wing just seems completely dumb to me. Why would you make it a barbed wing? Why not at that point do a blade arm or like something that’s also better at bludgeoning monsters with?

(7) Final Consensus

I had initially come into watching Sweet Home with low expectations as time has taught me before that things I want that get live action adaptations may not always be that good. I set the bar low in hopes that the show would do something ultimately to get me happy and excited for watching it. Sweet home never hit that spot for me though. As I was watching I began noticing how the pacing seemed to just go out of it’s way on some points and there were continuity errors staring me right in my face. The story didn’t captivate me like the comic did, not even in the slightest. I spent most of my time watching, laughing because of the absurdities and then pondering why certain events had gone down the way the show did them. I understand that with adaptations things may change but I feel like with the adaptation with Sweet Home it changed too many key elements of the main story that were important for making the story what it is. My rating for Sweet Home is a 1/10. This definitely is not something I would watch again.

#sweet home #sweet home netflix #just my opinion #there's more i could touch on but i seriously didn't want to write any more

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dukeofonions · 4 years

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Thoughts on the new Asides

Alright, I’ve watched the new video three times at this point and finally have my thoughts together. Also just in case anyone was wondering no.

No I did not get breakfast magically delivered to me and had to eat a bowl of cereal.

Oh well, there’s always next time.

Anywho, spoilers below if you haven’t seen the episode yet I would not recommend reading this.

Ready? Let’s go.

So what are my general thoughts here, I loved it. Sure there were some things that didn’t make sense to me writing wise but overall this was an adorable, funny episode that provided us with a nice break from all the angst of the main series.

Now to get into the nitty gritty.

Right off the bat the art for this was just amazing. Honestly the idea to make this episode as an animatic was a brilliant move. Not just because of how things are right now in the world (but we don’t wanna think about that) but using this form allows the characters to interact in ways that they can’t when filming live. We got to see Roman and Virgil engaging with the world around them and how they interacting with Thomas when he’s not at home. It also gives us an idea of what the world of Sanders Sides is like. Everyone acts a little more cartoony, but it still feels like the real world as well.

Also the expressions on the characters, even the background ones, were perfect. You could tell so much from a quick expression or body language and as an animation nerd, I was in love from the get go. Honestly the team should think about utilizing this format more with these Asides as it allows more freedom for the characters which can help aid the story and can be used for comedy. Not saying every episode should be animated, but if they have an idea that they simply can’t achieve in live action, they now know that this format works.

And now, on to the characters.

So this is a Roman and Virgil episode, none of the other Sides make an appearance or are even mentioned. (Well I guess Janus is vaguely referenced with all the talk of lies going around) But I can understand their absence even though I would have loved to see them even briefly like how Remus and Janus were in Are There Healthy Distractions but besides one character (which I will get too later) I didn’t really mind and it didn’t take away my enjoyment of the episode.

As usual, Virgil and Roman have a great dynamic and are hilarious with how they bounce off one another. I do question the timeline of this episode given how relaxed Virgil is around Thomas, considering the last time they were together they weren’t on the best footing and he wasn’t present at all during Putting Others First. But I’ll probably make another post about that.

Starting with Virgil, it was fun seeing him act more like his pre-AA self. Getting onto Thomas’ case about every little thing was both hilarious and way too relatable (like way to call a dude out) and him explaining introvert culture was just *cheff’s kiss* It was nice to him slightly more laid back and worrying about something else other than whether or not Thomas is a good person and keeping a dark secret about his past hidden. Also the ending with him openly celebrating with Thomas and Roman was adorable. We’ve never seen Virgil with his guard down like this, letting himself be genuinely happy in front of the others. He always hides that part of him and seeing him like this just warmed my heart because that means Thomas himself isn’t feeling anxious and is allowing himself to enjoy the moment. Sure there are some moments of doubt here and there, but it was overall a great scene and I was glad they gave us a scene with them in the apartment.

Now Roman? Oh my gosh I needed an episode where he got his happy ending and it has arrived! Considering the punch to the gut that was POF’s ending I was ecstatic to see Roman finally, finally getting something he wanted. Think about it. Roman recently gave up the callback, which he wanted more than anything, only to have it all blow up in his face and be told that his sacrifice was all for nothing. Like, ouch. But here we see him once again pursuing something he wants, and he actually gets it! He probably thought it was going to be yet another loss for him, all their efforts were for nothing, but it wasn’t! That’s one thing I love about Roman, no matter how many times he loses he never stops trying. Even when he gets knocked down to his lowest he won’t hesitate to grab the next opportunity that comes his way. And as we can see, that will and determination has paid off.

Of course we can’t forget about Thomas himself. He’s so lovable in this, trying to just get through what should be a simple shopping trip at the mall only to have the most minor things continue to interfere with that. We don’t ever really see Thomas outside of his apartment so it’s nice to finally have an explanation for that. The focus of this episode though is his attempts to find out more about the handsome stranger across the food court and work up the nerve to talk to him. One of the funniest parts of this episode (in my opinion) is when Thomas comes up with the brilliant idea to use the stickers and pins as a way to start a conversation (which honestly could have been sparked by Logan who’s had enough of this) only for it to be shot down as a horrible idea because, what else would anxiety tell you? The monologue in the bathroom was another highlight of this episode and just, gosh Thomas’ acting here is just great. Even though we can only hear his voice there’s just so much emotion put into it. It honestly sounds like he’s crying in some parts and I loved it just as much as the bathroom guy did.

And finally, last but certainly not least, we have the wonderful Nico Flores. I did not expect to love him as much as I did but like, my gosh how can you not? He’s that perfect mix of cool while still being a bit of a dork. Like did he just grab a stranger’s food and wander around looking for them to return it? Had he noticed Thomas go in the bathroom and was just awkwardly standing around waiting for him to come out? His relationship with Thomas is already super cute and I hope that he becomes a recurring character and love interest for Thomas. (Note when I say Thomas I am referring to character!Thomas and not the real Thomas) Seeing as Thomas (now referring to the real one) said this episode would be important to the plot of Sanders Sides, I think it’s safe to assume Nico will be making a return and I for one can’t wait to see more of him, along with seeing how his relationship with Thomas develops.

If I had anything negative to say about this episode, I’d have three negative things to say.

I’ll start with one that I sorta brought up earlier which regarded the absence of a certain character that just didn’t really make sense to me, and that character is Patton. Now for Logan, Janus, and Remus, I can see why they wouldn’t be there. Logan doesn’t do feelings. Janus and Virgil would be having a hissy fit the entire time. And we all know what Remus would be doing. Not saying none of them could have shown up briefly, but their absence doesn’t bother me as much as Patton’s does.

Patton is Thomas’ heart, the core of all his feelings, why wouldn’t the heart be present during a time where Thomas is starting to fall in love? He wasn’t mentioned or anything! Not even when Roman was literally telling Thomas to speak from the heart. It just rubbed me the wrong way that he wasn’t brought up at all and the reason for that has to do with another problem I had with this episode, and that was the choice to have the main thing keeping Thomas from talking to Nico was him being a liar.

The episode starts with hitting the audience on the head with this idea that Thomas is struggling with lying. Despite the fact that nothing that happens is really his fault and everything else isn’t really a big deal. I just found it odd that this was the thing they were having Virgil and Roman get onto Thomas’ case for considering, well, we already had an episode (multiple really) that have already addressed this. One could say this was a result of Roman and Virgil teaming up and being upset over Janus’ partial acceptance. The reason I don’t think this is likely is because Thomas said Virgil finding out about Janus would be a major plot point and I doubt something like that would have happened off screen (honestly the timeline for this video is so confusing)

Another reason this bothered me is because Virgil comes to the conclusion that everything that has gone wrong (the rehearsing in the bathroom, the old friend in the food court, the plant, the pretending, the hiding, the god forsaken boiled carrots) are all lies and Thomas can’t build a relationship off of lies.

But... He literally wasn’t doing that?

At this point Thomas hasn’t even talked to Nico yet. He lied to the guy in the bathroom regarding the monologue (who wouldn’t) and he tried to pretend to be a stranger’s friend (which backfired horribly so lesson learned) I don’t even know how the plant would be considered a lie (and Virgil was the one who pushed him over there anyway) I’m not sure what Virgil’s referring to with the pretending and the hiding I can only assume is when they hid in a trashcan (unless I’m not meant to take that literally) and with the carrots Thomas should have just walked away the moment he saw the rainbow pin on the backpack. That was his fault.

But not once did Thomas lie about anything to Nico. In fact when they finally started talking Thomas was nothing but honest with him, embarrassingly so. The thing Virgil was claiming to be the source of the problem just, wasn’t true. It didn’t make sense to me and still doesn’t even after my third viewing. What I had originally thought was going to happen was that they’d come to a conclusion that tied into Moving On, the episode where Thomas dealt with the aftermath of a break up with Roman, Virgil, and Patton.

Wouldn’t that be something they’d be afraid of? Say Thomas managed to hit it off with this guy. They start dating, everything is going well, only for it to end the same way his last relationship did. Wouldn’t it make a little more since for the main thing to be holding Thomas back is the fear of getting his heart broken again? Of losing yet another person he loved?

Which brings me back to previous point of Patton not being there. Considering these three were the ones to help Thomas resolve things in Moving On, why shouldn’t these three be the ones to be by him when beginning a new relationship?

Unless Patton’s been avoiding these two since currently Virgil is still on rocky ground with Patton and after what happened in POF. But again we have no idea since we don’t know when this episode takes place (well as of writing this I have no idea considering how long it’s taken me to write this Thomas may have tweeted about it or something)

Another potential reason for Patton not being there is basically what I said earlier. In Moving On he was the one struggling the most since he’s Thomas’ feelings. He could have been overwhelmed by all the emotions Thomas was dealing with and simply couldn’t bring himself to show up. This has me hoping that we’ll get a follow up Asides episode where we get to see the other side’s reactions to Nico. If not all of them at least Logan and Patton since it’s been awhile since those two had an episode together.

If that’s the case then I can understand keeping Patton out of this one. But that doesn’t change the fact that I find the whole “lies” thing to be a bit ridiculous.

The final thing I have some of an issue with is how Virgil was the one to “save the day” in this. Throughout this episode Virgil was the one causing the problems (which isn’t to say anything bad about Virgil it’s literally his job to protect Thomas and that includes protecting him from rejection and heartbreak) while Roman was pushing Thomas to go take a chance. I dunno, this one isn’t as big of an issue since I still like the conclusion and Roman calling Virgil brave. It just would have been nice to see Roman going for something and getting it himself. Or at least him and Virgil deciding together that they weren’t going to let this opportunity go.

I dunno, I’m kinda impartial on that one. I just want to see Roman succeed.

And there you have it. Those are my thoughts. As usual, you may take them with a grain of salt. But also feel free to share your own opinions on this episode. It’s definitely become a favorite of mine and is up there with my other favorites.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go be sad because bathroom guy had his hopes and dreams crushed and he deserves justice.

#ts spoilers #sanders sides spoilers #dukeofonions

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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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Animaniacs: King Yakko Review (Comission by BlahDiddy)

Hello my beautiful technicolor rainbow! It’s time for Animaniacs, and while there is no balonga in my slacks there is one last christmas review for my friend to finish up, and after two visits to Acme Lab for the spinoff we’re finishing up with a look at Animaniacs proper. Suprisingly for a show that stands so easily on it’s own it’s existance is entirely thanks to another show: Tiny Toon Adventures, which had largely the same staff, including ep and co-creator stephen speilberg and Todd Ruegger, who was brought aboard from A Pup Named Scooby Doo. Since TIny Toon was a colossal hit with tons of awards and merch, including some very good video games I wish Warner would find a way to re-release, I mean.. come on if disney can rerelease the disney afternoon games (If...not..for..switch), and LIon King and Aladdin games (If somehow FOR switch), then Warner, which has it’s own game stuido no less, can put together a collection of the good Tiny Toons games when the new show comes out soon.

Point is it was a mass sucess and Warner Bros likes money, so they had Speilberg try to get Rutger to come up with another show for the two of them to do, something with name value. Rutger found his inpsiration when seeing the iconic warner water tower and taking some platypus characters, came up with our heroes and the rest is history.. well okay he retooled them from plataups’ to early looney tunes and other toons style characters minus the racisim of say bosko the tall ink kid but still, the rest after that is history. And the rest of this review is after the cut

The show was, and KINDA still is, a variety show: taking a page from looney tunes, as well as tex avery’s other work, the crew decided rather than just focus on the warners, to instead create a whole cast with various ensembles to work with so we got Pinky and the Brain, The Goodfeathers, Rita and Runt, the Hip HIppos, Katie Kaboom, Chicken Boo, and my personal faviorite Slappy Squirrel.. and the bane of my existance, Buttons and Mindy.. or rather Mindy’s Mom. The kid did nothing wrong. So naturally the first thing Animaniacs related I cover.. is an episode entirely breaking from format for one 20 something minute Warners cartoon. I do intend to do more animanics stuff in the future, so i’ll hopefully get a chance to talk about everyone, I just feel unlike with say house of mouse most people reading this probably know who they all are, and I can save any deep dives for if I cover the characters specifically. Spoilers: there’s probably never going to be a buttons and mindy deep dive unless someone tourtues me by paying for it.

So with that out of the way, we can dive into the episode.. which I won’t be covering in my usual recap it point by point because the writers have freely admitted that’s not what Animaniacs is about. While some of i’ts SEGMENTS are more story based like Pinky and the Brain, Goodfeathers and Rita and Runt, most are just based on simple set ups to reams and reams of gags. And I love it. I grew up with this stuff not just Tiny Tunes and Animaniacs but the classic Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Droopy shorts.

Their well timed, well executed feats of comedy and most have aged pretty well.. emphasis on MOST. I’m keenly aware why there are several gaps in the shorts for both Tom and Jerry and The Looney Tunes on HBO Max, including all of the Pepe LePew and Speedy Gonzalez shorts. Also all of Droopy is missing.

My grumblin aside though, it is VERY NICE to have all the classic Warner and Tom and Jerry shorts at my fingertips and it was one of the biggest selling points of Max for me. Last year I gained an intrest in the old disney theatrical shorts, hence my various birthday specials, so I BADLY wanted to revisit the theatrical shorts I grew up with. And honestly.. Max is the best way to do that: their in crisp hd, in neat season collections (Though the Looney Tunes one is better sorted, tom and jerry’s seasons are just.. random smatterings of shorts across various eras), and most importantly EVERY SHORT they felt comfortable with putting up there is on there. Every. Single. One. I make a big deal about this because Disney.. has only maybe 30-40 of their hundreds of shorts on there. Now lucky for me the vast majority are still on youtube and I get why some really arne’t suitable.. we probably don’t need the donald duck short where he prepares to shoot a penguin in the face or the Goofy short where his own reflection, the goofy equilvent of tyler durden I guess?, keeps saying “Hey Fat” to him. And yes BOTH of these actually happened. But.. there’s MANY shorts with no clear excuse why their absent like the triplets first apperance, gus’ only apperance, and one a friend told me about.. that time mickey built a robot to box a gorillia. Again not making this up, just wondering why you can’t restore the rest of these for plus. They’ve ADDED shorts ocasionally, but it still dosen’t make a whole lot of sense to just.. not have them all up there. and to not put them in some sorta collection for easier consumption but hey it’s Disney. They either full ass things or half ass it. There is no middle ground. Point is Warner.. actually cares about their heritage in shorts and honors it and thus has everything avaliable in the best quality, so tha’ts nice.

My point after that detour is I really love this kind of humor, and now as an adult I can see the effort the timing, pacing and character chemistry these shorts had takes. And Rugger and co.. they got it. They got it down perfect. And this episode is a great show of that and just how they barely updated this format for the 90′s. But as I said it’s more about the jokes and basic setup, our heroes are slotted into x scenario and just left to run wild. It’s been the basic seutp for looney tunes, tom and jerry and all the gag based greats, and it works perfectly here. Sure there’s some setting and continuity with the warner lot, scratch n sniff, ralph, plotz and in the reboot Rita, but it’s mostly just our heroes go up against “X asshole” and it just works.

And that’s.. entirley what this episode is. The short is an homage to the graucho marx film Duck Soup, which given the warners were based on the marx brothers that isn’t a huge suprise, a film like brian’s song I have not seen, but genuinely want to. The basic setup is the same: An underqualified womanizer, though since htis is Yakko it dosen’t get past hitting on his chancelor, played by hello nurse, constantly, which is still.. ewwwww... but clearly not the same thing, becomes king of a small nation and ends up at war with another country. There were spies and other stuff in the original short but that was left out to streamline things. But this homage stands on it’s own fine: The basic plot is this: Yakko, due to being a distant relative and the last one alive, becomes king of the small happy and very musical, as the wonderful opening number shows, country of Anvilania, which makes anvils and why yes there is one MASSIVE anvil gag as a result at the end. Yakko says he’ll try his best and geninely tries to with the shenanigans you’d expect, including Dot not gettnig Polka Dot’s are a thing and instead taknig any mention of it as a sign to polka, Yakko again hitting on his colleague and wanting ot get a new anthem because the current one by “Perry Coma’ puts people to sleep. Honeslty that gag didn’t do it for me: Partly because I genuinely know next to nothing about Como and he’s far past my generation.. and because despite this, SCTV did a MUCH better Perry Como gag over a decade before this episode that while still left me baffled as to why anyone cared about mocking him, was 80 times funnier and felt far less like you needed to know who he was to be funny.

youtube

That being said it’s one of only three running gags, and jokes period that didn’t land for me. The other ones being the hello nurse bits, because it’s aged really badly to have Yakko harass one of his employees and his age is hte only thing that keeps it from scuttling the episode as he’s just 13 or 14. Maybe 15.

So SO glad I now have that on hand whenever i need it. The other being the “Your highness” joke as it just.. dosen’t make much sense and isn’t very funny. But that’s it: a refrence i specfically don’t get and I doubt most of you will, and if you do fine we all have our frames of refrences, a joke that’s dated very poorly, and one that just.. didn’t land. And even then the Perry Coma thing’s third use to knock out the opposing army DID work for me as did the VERY clever joke of “Sire” “Maybe later”, so even the weaker bits still had some legs. But getting back to what little plot there is the king of the rival country, upon hearing this, assumes he can easily intimidate a child into giving him the throne and goes to a royal reception. Instead, as you’d expect, the Warners mistake him for a party clown, show him no respect and fail to take his delcration of war seriously, and while in a REALLY great gag, and the reason i’m not doing a strict summary is 90% of the review would be me saying something to that effect, Yakkos’ call to action for his troops ends up having them all run off in fear, the Warners take out the army as noted above and then in one of the most GLORIOUS climaxes in the series history...

In which the Warners give the bad guy “all the anvils” as he requested. I sadly coulnd’t find a clip of it but seek it out if you got hulu, my words can’t do it justice as they hit him with anvil after anvil in increasingly clever and insane ways till the guy finally gives up and it .. is glorious. Other highlights not already mentioned include: The opening song, the bad guy dictator from the other nation not being able to hear because of his helmet and his attendee having to lift it, leading to Yakko taking off his helmet just to end the “what’ running gag, Yakko’s bit explaning his distant relation and more. So yeah not a ton to say on this one. It’s a very good, very funny episode but also very typical of a warner cartoon in structure, just stretched over 22 or so minutes. As I said with few exceptions the jokes work, the anmation is crisp as always, and the climax is one of the series best. A crisp, quick watch and a nice quick review after a week of with some really tough ones behind me and ahead of me and a month of rather large ones a few weeks out. So yeah if you like animaniacs, even ifyou’ve seen this one worth a watch, if you have any more animaniacs you’d like me to take a look at feel free to comment or comission and until the next rainbow..

#animaniacs #yakko warner #dot warner #wakko warner #anvilania #hello nurse #king yakko #duck soup #goodnight everybody #hulu #warner bros #kids wb

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eyrieofsynapses · 4 years

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First Thoughts on YJ S4 Panel

WARNING: SPOILERS for the DC Fandome YJ S4 panel!

Okay, before I start chattering away, can I just saw how much I love this title poster? Because I love it. LOOK AT IT. LOOK AT HOW BADASS IT IS.

Warning: this first bit is a teeny bit ranty, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t genuinely love the panel. It was really fun, but I have a few gripes with the amount of information we got. If you wanna cut straight to the cheery bits, check under the cut.

So... uh. I’m not gonna say I’m disappointed? Because I’m not, this was good, we got info, it was nice to see the voice actors. But I’m... underwhelmed. I definitely wasn’t expecting a lot but this was still, mm, not as much as I thought we’d get. No poster, no previews of character designs, not a peep as to when we’re getting the new season, nothing on where it’ll be streaming, nothing as to new characters, nothing as to who’s going to be the villain, and the Q&A session was maaaayyybe 3 minutes long. Oof, guys. Thought you said you’d leave us with something that’d leave us “more than just ‘whelmed.’”

Essentially all we got was the title, and a few snippets of information regarding what the current status of the Team and its characters is. They didn’t really get the chance to talk to us at all about the actual season, either- I think Brandon spoke maaaybe three or four times? He got the title reveal, but, well, we knew that already, not that it’s their fault, but still. I love hearing the voice actors chat about their experiences and we got none of that, so that was disappointing. I’m wondering if there wasn’t some material cut, actually, because I distinctly recall seeing a clip on Twitter with Phil Lamarr talking about what it was like returning to the show, and it wasn’t in this. So what’s the deal, DC? Short-changing us on YJ again? When are we gonna get some actual news?

There is the little problem that their big reveal of the title was spoiled, oh, maybe three or four months ago, and that isn’t their fault, but it does make that revelation more of an “okay, well, glad that’s confirmed” rather than an “OH MY GODS IT’S PHANTOMS WHAAAAAAAT” like I think they were hoping. Still, that’s definitely exciting to hear, and the new title poster looks cool.

I got a “WHAT!!!” moment maaayybe three times, which is significantly less than I thought I would. There just wasn’t that much new info. But I think that’s less of a Grandon/production team problem and more of a world state and DC problem. I’m not annoyed at them, I’m annoyed at DC and at the pandemic, because I’m willing to bet their snippet was cut short by DC and what information they could’ve revealed just isn’t ready yet because of current events. Probably we would’ve gotten character designs if it weren’t for that.

As for the audio play, it was pretty good. They were definitely struggling what with having a distinct lack of people to pull from for a voice cast, but made some tongue-in-cheek references to it to take off the edge. I don’t think I realized just how many people voice for YJ until now... or how many characters each actor does. It’s a bit janky, and weird what with the arguing over who’s narrating the story (why, are they telling us the story, or are they telling it to someone else? Are you breaking the fourth wall, are you not? Make yourselves clear) but I’m blaming that on the fact that they’re more used to scripts than they are audio plays. These are different mediums, so there’s an inherent gap there; this probably would’ve gone better as an actual episode.

So, FIRST watch-through, here’s my HAPPY cheery thoughts and reactions, in no particular order! I might do a second one later, we’ll see. (Under the cut, because it’s long.)

Return of Bowhunter Security!

Clipboard makes a comeback!

The Supermartian marriage has taken place and they’re making reference to taking a long journey with Conner, M’gann, Bioship, Gar and J’onn. So... Mars? Do we finally get to see Mars?

Forager gets to be sassy! And a hilarious narrator! Which, c’mon, it’s Jason Spisak, honestly, I don’t know what I expected.

Ahahah, Jason makes the most delightful faces when he’s voicing Forager. (And a few flubs, but he’s good at covering them.) We all miss Wally, but man, he does a good job with this character. Also, hey, that’s how he does the clicks!

Rocket! Even though she had a relatively minimal presence, sigh. I’m hoping they build her character more this time, she always get short-changed.

ARTEMIS IS LEADING THE TEAM, repeat, ARTEMIS IS LEADING THE TEAM!!! YES!!!

And she also makes a reference at some point to being in this fight for ten years, which, HMM, do I hear a reference point for our time jump? They started back in 2010, so this implies that the season’s caught up to 2020. So... season one was 2010, season two was 2016, season three was... 2018, I think? So does this make the next time jump two years too, or am I off? It also takes place on February 23rd. Eh, either way, it’s absolutely not as long as a lot of people were fearing- heck, I’m thinking this might be the shortest jump yet. Yay!

I’m not sure if the Snapper Carr dialogue is cringy or hilarious. I’m going with hilarious because I’m betting this would’ve been great if it were animated. It definitely loses something without the animation.

Is... is Crispin Freeman playing four characters? Five? Will, Roy, Jim, Captain Boomerang... I think I’m missing someone, I’m gonna have to go back and rewatch this later, but wow. He switches between them so fluidly, too, that’s impressive.

Forget Freeman for a hot second, Nolan North, what are you doing, dude? Conner, Clayface, Mallah, at least one or two others, with a LOT of animal noises included... wow, okay. I definitely didn’t realize how many of these guys do two or three characters.

Phil Lamarr doing Brick, Black Manta and Kaldur all at once is definitely impressive. I’m gonna take a guess and say he likes doing Brick best. He seems to get a little grin sometimes when he’s playing the character.

Ahhh, Danica McKellar definitely likes playing Terrence Terror. Don’t ask me why, I’m just getting that feeling watching her. Villains are fun to play.

...Wolf? Where’s Wolf? Uhh, guys? Where’s our fluffy doggo? Don’t tell anyone but I’m scared.

Oooookay, that was unexpectedly gruesome. Dehydrating a man into sand? I mean, okay, it’s Clayface, but we didn’t know that till later. Eeeewww. Y’all, ik you’re going more dark, but that wasn’t an image anyone needed.

Jokes about Dadbod!Will are... hhh, cringy or funny, cringy or funny... I’m going sorta funny for now. Not enough to make me laugh, but enough to make me smile.

Okay, Will’s definitely still hilarious. Literally that entire scenario with Captain Boomerang was amazing, and only made better by the fact that it was entirely Crispin Freeman. The “are you the Green Arrow fanclub president or something?” “...you have no idea” moment, the “boomerangs are better and Batman said so!” “...okay, FINE,” FLINGING CLIPBOARD, Boomerang teasing Will for his dadbod and Will answering with a wicked uppercut... ah, man. This is 100% Roy/Will Harper and I am here for it.

I can see some people disliking this humor, but personally, I’m gonna just sit back and enjoy it. YJ has some quirky humor, but honestly, if you’re part of the fandom and you don’t like it, why are you even here?

Huh, Raquel’s a vegan and nobody’s making jokes about vegan burgers? Nice!

Oh, my gods, Forager deciding that Lian and Amistad playing with the food is an educational activity is AMAZING, 100% in character, and something I really, really want to see.

(Fanartists? Fanartists, pleeeeaaasse?)

Will and Artemis ribbing each other will never get old.

...wait. Hang on. Is Will the comedic relief character now along with Forager? Is this a thing? I guess it is. If you’d asked me who out of the original Team would replace Wally as the comedic relief back when I had finished the second season, I would not have thought of him first, but I think I’m good with this. It’s definitely in character to his comic version.

Ahh, Conner and M’gann’s relationship is still... interesting. Still not sure how to feel on this one. But hey, they’re married (?) now? Uh... nice?

Nightwing’s off on some mysterious mission, hmm? I’m assuming that’s because of Jesse McCartney not being there, but I think I’m gonna headcanon that there are Other reasons for this.

Yay, Clayface getting redemption! I love this in the Rebirth Batman: Detective Comics, so I’m 100% down for seeing it here.

Tim did that for Clayface! Sweet! Not a plot thread I expected to go anywhere from that one season three episode, but one I am very happy to see used.

...more secrets. Uhh, M’gann keeping secrets from Conner is... icky... again... but granted, keeping them because of confidentiality agreements is, well, a better excuse than she’s had in the past. Still, this is getting old.

Huh, so Waller will let out the Team’s secrets if they tell anyone about Belle Reve. I think this was already covered in the third season, but maybe not so explicitly. The reactions... hmm. Of course Conner’s okay with letting out all their secrets (and M’gann’s willing to... go along with that? ...okay...?), but the others, maybe not so much? Hmm. I wonder what Dick would have to say about that one. He definitely has something to lose. Not sure about Kaldur or Artemis, though.

Jason did NOT get to make any Wally references. That makes me even sadder than if he did make one that made all of us cry. C’mon, guys. Let him have his references.

I’m always a little meh on M’gann, but hey, M’gann gets to be a 100% certified badass! Saving Clayface AND taking down a ton of baddies with telekinesis, yay!

Oh, my gods. LOOPHOLES. WHAT IS WITH THIS TEAM AND LOOPHOLES. I love them so much.

The Team signing on as Bowhunter Security- oh my gods, all of the Team in fucking Bowhunter Security uniforms- oh my gods, so very in-character, so very true to YJ, so absolutely goddamn hilarious, I wanna hug whoever came up with that. That is the BEST mental image and it is a CRIME that they didn’t animate that.

And, of course, Kaldur just immediately goes along with it. The Team’s corrupted him fully now. I mean, we knew that, but he’s done now.

Black Manta attempting to roast Kaldur for his security uniform and Kaldur roasting him back 100 times worse is wonderful. “I wear my dignity on the inside, Father. Where do you wear yours?” KALLIE I LOVE YOU

Ooooo, Artemis is inviting Roy to the Team? This should be interesting. He’s definitely not totally stable, but it seems to me that Artemis should be able to more or less keep him in check. Hopefully. She had to deal with Wally for five years, surely she can keep Roy in check?

...hmm. We’re all thinking there’s gonna be a Red Hood arc... Roy’s joining the team... Roy and Jason did have that run as the Outlaws in the comics with Kory... and this version of Roy has the sort of temper and attitude that I can just see Jason possibly getting along well with... hmmmmmmmm...

Hah, villain shenanigans. Having Task Force X argue all the time is in character and admittedly sort of funny, especially as Black Manta’s sort of pulling a Kaldur and playing the absolutely exasperated denmother. I dislike BM thanks to him being a Baddie and all, but watching (listening to?) him struggle to contain them is enjoyable if only because I like watching him suffer.

Ahh, watching the VAs is fun. It’s definitely nice to see that little view behind the camera. There’s the little smiles, the tiny grimaces at the icky bits, the responses to various bits, the way their demeanor changes with each character, everyone egging Nolan on when he’s yelling for Clayface being disintegrated... I’m sad we didn’t get to see them chat, but watching them interact while they work is fun. Pity Jason and Stephanie didn’t really have any interactions, though, I bet watching them work together would’ve been fun. Ah well. Still fun overall.

There’s a lot of variation in where they are/what setups they have. Some of them seem to have proper studios, some of them don’t but they have mics, Danica’s on the lower bunk of her son’s room with what I’m betting are several sheets hung behind her, and then... well, then there’s poor Stephanie with earbuds and what I’m betting is her phone at her friend’s house XD Also, Greg’s library is really awesome, can I steal it please?

Green title card... I know people have been positing this for a while, but Lazarus Pit? Also, the thing people haven’t talked about: Mars?! Is this a nod to the Martians, since M’gann, Conner, Gar and J’onn seem to be going there?

Lots of speculation regarding Phantoms, but that’s been going around for a while, so *shrug* I’m not gonna spend any time on that for now.

Someone’s gonna have to write this out, methinks, for further examination. We’ll see if I get around to doing that or not before Fandome ends. I’m betting someone will record it and post it on YouTube, but a written-out version of the script would be useful. If I do, I’ll probably post it, so keep an eye out.

So... season 3.9, episode 1? Hmm. Does this come directly prior to the fourth season? I kinda wanna say it does.

I have more thoughts, but I think I need to do a rewatch first, maybe in a little bit. Anyway... not what I was expecting, I sincerely miss Dick and Wally, but lots of funny jokes all the same, and lots of interesting information on the fourth season even if it’s nowhere near the amount we wanted. I might be underwhelmed but I’m certainly not disappointed.

#dc fandome #dc fandome reactions #Young Justice #young justice cartoon #young justice: phantoms #phantoms #young justice season 4 #PHANTOMS IS CONFIRMED #underwhelmed but still feeling the aster #BRING WALLY BACK PLEASE #and no we're not gonna shut up about that

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