#Nate’s Japanese adventure

[cartoonfanaticmonsterrobotalien]

My Bio

Age: In my early twenties

Name: Can’t tell you

Birth Date: December 14, 2002

Favorite Adult Animation Shows: Solar Opposites, Robotomy, Rick and Morty, Adventure Time, South Park, Regular Show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Triptank, Lucy, Disenchantment, Futurama, The Simpsons, The Brak Show, Metalpacolypse, Soace Ghost Ciast to Coast, Central Park, Bob’s Burgers, American Dad, Clerks, Duncanville, Great North, Housebroken

Favorite Superhero Shows: Invincible, Villains of Valley View, Koala Man, Miraculous, Lab Rats, PPG ‘98, Hamster and Gretel, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Danny Phantom, Super Friends, Justice League ‘01, DC Super Girls ‘18, Static Shock, Horrorbots, Spider-Man ‘17, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Star Vs. The Forces of Evil, Kim Possible

Favorite Cartoon Network Shows: Amazing World of Gumball, Camp Lazlo, Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Cow and Chicken, Johnny Bravo, Dexter’s Laboratory, Time Squad

Favorite Nickelodeon Shows: SpongeBob SquarePants, Santo Bugito, Invader Zim, My Life as a Teenage Robot, El Tigre, Wonder Park, Modern Life, ICarly, Victorious, Kenan and Kel, All That

Favorite Disney Shows: Amphibia, Owl House, Ghost and Molly McGee, Hailey’s On It, Kiff, Star Darlings, Phineas and Ferb, Milo Murphy’s Law, Hannah Montana, Good Luck Charlie, Kickin It, Lab Rats

Favorite Discovery Family Shows: MLP ‘10, Aquabats Super Show

Favorite Streaming Shows: Centuarworld, Glitter Force Doki Doki

Favorite Food: Steak, Fries, Burgers, Chicken fingers, doughnuts, pancakes, bacon, fruit pastries, French toasts, fried chicken, turkey, duck, baked potatoes, hash browns, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, pork chops, ribs, Korean BBQ, Japanese chicken, steak fillet, Doritos, Ruffles, Cheetos, CC’s Chips, banana bread, Cheez-It’s Snaps, Goldfish

Favorite Sweets: Ice Cream, Hershey’s Chocolate, Reese’s, KitKat, Toffee, Cake, Cupcakes, Ice Cream Cakes, Skittles, Starburst, Cookies, Crumble, Cookie sandwiches, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream pops, animation character ice cream pops, sundaes, Nestle’s chocolate, Oreos

Favorite Fruits and Veggies: Asparagus, Carrots, broccoli, potatoes, strawberry, raspberry, lemon, like, grapes, apples, lettuce, cherry, bananas, coconut

Favorite drinks: Mountain Dew, Water, milk, root beer, coca-cola, tab’s, Mr. Pibbs, Pepsi, Dole’s juice brand, Fanta, Crush, Dr. Pepper, soda floats, Nesquick, smoothies

Favorite Actors: Patton Oswalt, Dan Stevens, Thomas Middleditch, John Gemberling, Will Forte, Charlie Day, Mike Sinterniklaass, Roger Craig Smith, Dan Mintz, Josh Gad, Dee Bradley Baker, Rob Schrab, Nate Corddry, Rob Corddry, Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Brian O’Halloran, Justin Feilbinger, John DiMaggio, Billy West, Oded Fehr, Michael Cusack, Zach Hadel, Phil LaMarr, Robbie Daymond, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Matthew Lillard, Kevin Michael Richardson, John Mulaney, Antanio Banderas, Richard Steven Horvitz, Brandon Rogers, Sam Riegel, Jon Heder, Andy Daly, Zeno Robinson, James Marsden, Dana Snyder, Fred Tatasciore, Rob Paulsen

Favorite Actresses: Felicia Day, Mary Mack, Lacey Chabert, Brenda Song, Stephanie Sheh, Kate MiCucci, Riki Lindhome, Kari Wahlgren, Grey DeLisle, Jenny McCarthy, Melissa Fahn, Cristina Vee, Lana Condor, Sandra Oh, Odette Anaboe, Edie Mirman, Cathy Cavadini, Tara Strong, EG Daily, Olivia Olsen, Hynden Walch, Christina Hendricks, Libe Barer, Marieve Harrington, Sarah Nicole Robles, Kimberly Brooks, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Vannessa Hudgens, Tika Sumpter, Reba Buhr, Erica Lindbeck, Vivian Nixon

Favorite Music Genres: Rock, Classic, Pop, orchestra, country, funk, techno, dubstep, heavy metal, Christian

Favorite Band: Ice Nine Kills, Adelitas Way, Bowling For Soup, Hansen, Disturbed, Slipknot, System of a Down, Hollywood Undead, Kiss, Queen, A Day to Remember, Thousand Foot Krunch, Nightwish, Evanescence, Seether, Imagine Dragons, Skillet, Newsboys, Simple Plan, Play, Nickelback, BTS, Blackpink, aespa, Black Eyes Peas

Favorite Singer: Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, P!nk, Katy Perry, David Quetta, Jennifer Lopez, Sia, Halsey, Kelsey Belleriny, AJ Michalka, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, China Ann McClain, Ashley Tisdale, Avicci, Kelly Prickler, Aloe Blaccc, Lil Naxx, Post Malone, Eminem, Kelli Monologue, Paul Simon

Favorite Tv Genres: Animation Drama, dramedy, slapstick, comedy, animation, sci-if, romance, buddy, superhero animation, manga, anime

Favorite Movies: Hulk ‘03, Sky High, Kim Possible: So The Drama, Clerks, Incredibles, Ruby Gillman, Boy Who Cried Werewolf, Ratatouille, Alvin and the Chipmunk ‘07, Muppets in Space, Kickass, Belle, Elemental, Madagascar, Rugrats Go Wild, Wild Thorn Berrys Movie, Peanuts Franchise, Turning Red, Encanto, Emoji Movie, Ice Age Franchise (but not the Buck Wild one), G-Force, PPG Movie, Ben 10 2008 movie live action, South Park The Movie, PeeWee’s Big Adventure, Captain Underpants, Napoleon Dynamite, Jay and Silent Bob, Mallrats, Finding Nemo, Frozen, Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mitchells vs. Machines, Veggietales, Cars, 102 Dalmations, Romeo + Juliet, Small Soldiers, Godzilla vs King Kong, Godzilla: World of Monsters, Van Helsing, Hotel Transylvania, Secret Life of Pets, Sing 2

Favorite Wen Series: Annoying Orange, SMG4, Sunset Paradise, Helluva Boss, Hazbin Hotel, Meta Runner, Amazing Digital Circus, Eddsworld, Murder Drones, Most Popular Girls in School, Summer Camp, Summer Camp Island, Villanos

My Skills: Typing

My Weakness: I can’t draw

Favorite Monsters: Aliens, Kaijus, wereanimals, Kaijus weremonsters, robots, werewolves, vampires, mutants, giant beasts

#my bio #favorite things

[izroulia]

The inspiration behind the characters

Aries: L Lawliet, Hiccup Haddock, the mermaids from POTC.

Icarus: the coconut girl aesthetic, 2000s mermaid media, merliah summers.

Pandora: the classic tomboy of the group in 2000s tween media.

Zagreus: Howl Pendragon, this one beach fashion shop near me.

Haru: Toothless, the aadams family, the goth aesthetics.

Micha: Nate River, Sebastian Michaelis, the classic timid boy with a dark side trope.

Styxx: literally some pretty guy I saw in Pinterest.

Willow: 2000s surf media (blue water high, blue crush etc)

Sage: Deuce gorgon, watching Steve Irwin’s documentaries as a kid.

Momo: the cottagecore aesthetic, old fairytales.

Carmen: Lolita, the virgin suicides, Lana del Rey.

Ankhamen: Ahkmenrah, anime catboys lol, ancient history.

Lucky: Japanese clover stationary from the 2000s (very specific and odd I know)

Wren: Hecate and Charon (hades game), old magic based virtual worlds

Agnemetra: classic fairytale villains, evil femme fatale aesthetics.

Yet to be revealed ghost: creepy cute aesthetics, ghost stories in general.

Bes: also a ancient history, classic adventure game protagonists.

Naddaha: the myth of the Nile river sirens.

#izroulia #original character #author #autistic author #independent author #lgbt author #my oc story #original book #original characters #original story #fantasy #fantasy oc #fantasy characters #fantasy story #my ocs #my oc #my oc stuff #my oc character

[bailesona]

aaaand go ahead and give this post a like if u want ur muse to get some gifts from the squad! below the cut there's a list of what to expect from each character!

victor: flowers and plants. dried flowers, pot pourri, essential oils derived from his flowers. jams, dried fruits, fruit juices, chutneys, how-to books, seeds. he's got u covered for the flora.

eli: video games, cheat codes, music, playlists, mixtapes, movies, tv series, discontinued series. anything digital, really; he built aisling's computer from scratch over a particularly hot summer.

tina: origami and embroidery are her hobbies, as is antique shopping! you might get a paper bouquet, or a cute pillow cover, or a vintage brooch from milan. it's anyone's guess!

tim: usually baked goods or cookery books, although his recent fondness for decorating cakes has resulted in many culinary masterpieces being delivered to friends and loved ones this year.

andrew: his fondness for photography, videography and art means that it'll likely be a copy of a home movie, a framed family photo, or a poster or portrait he found in a store.

gabriela: much like andrew, her love for her family means that she places a huge wealth of value in the position of people in said family. as a result, pajamas, bedsets, mugs and placemats are all gifts she'll likely present to people.

stanley + richard: sweaters, hiking boots, scarves. honestly, they pick one thing and get a few personalized versions of it each year. one time they got wine glasses and aisling's had a sunset painted on it while nate's had a starbucks logo on it. also a hug. the hug is a traditional necessity.

nate: i can't really describe nate's gift language any better than the vibes of a dad who finds out his kid's favorite fruit is watermelon and he proceeds to make watermelon their entire personality for the rest of time.

henri + etienne: henri always attempts to give everyone super obscurely elite kitchen gifts. etienne consistently softens them into something else. japanese kitchen knives in a handspun linen holder? a ramen bowl hand-painted with your name and favorite colours, and a lacquered set of chopsticks.

leo + sammy: usually a gift from their worldly adventures. a boomerang and a marmite gravy recipe book was aisling's gift last year. the year before, they got stanley and richard matching kimonos and a katana with their names engraved on the blade. stanley uses it to trim the rose bushes whenever their neighbors are being pricks. which is always.

ramsay + renée: ramsay isn't accustomed to the idea that "money isn't everything", so renée has teamed up with him this year to stop him from buying people yachts and tech companies. so far, together, they have bought aisling a recorded play list of irish trad music and a framed family tree with stanley and richard at the top, aisling and the squad on the next level, and the foster kids stemming from aisling. needless to say, a very fondly and tearfully received gift!

#reverse meme call #ooc. #mobile.

[theotakufiles]

Yo-kai Watch Manga

"Yo-kai Watch" is an enchanting animated series that takes viewers on a magical journey into the hidden world of Japanese folklore. Join young Nate Adams as he stumbles upon a mysterious watch that allows him to see and communicate with mischievous spirits known as Yo-kai. With his trusted companion, the lazy cat Yo-kai Whisper, Nate embarks on thrilling adventures to uncover the secrets behind these whimsical creatures and help solve the everyday problems they cause in both humans and Yo-kai alike. Along the way, Nate forms unlikely friendships with various colorful Yo-kai, each possessing unique powers and granting hilarious abilities when summoned. From battling malevolent spirits to solving supernatural mysteries, "Yo-kai Watch" is an extraordinary blend of humor, heartwarming moments, and captivating storytelling that will delight audiences of all ages while exploring themes of friendship, empathy, and respect for otherworldly beings. Get ready to laugh out loud as you discover a fantastical realm filled with delightful Yo-kai characters who are sure to win your heart!

Support the incredible talent behind the Yo-kai Watch Manga by purchasing your copy at gekimanga.com today! Immerse yourself in the magical world of yo-kai and join Nate on thrilling adventures. With each purchase, you'll not only enjoy an exceptional story but also directly contribute to supporting the manga author's brilliant work. Don't miss out on this chance to fuel their creativity and keep the captivating Yo-kai Watch Manga alive - get your copy now!

#Yo-kai Watch #Manga #MangaArt #mangaartwork #otakus #art

[jaidonschool]

Work Criteria

For awhile, I wanted to make my work something that would always be fun to do. Now I'd rather have a job that provides well, while affording me flexibility.

If I want to grind super hard, or take a week off and focus on art, or live as a digital nomad, thats great!

My hope is service design is a good fit for this: improving the value for customers, effective processes for business, and integrating technology. It's consulting. We help you realize your vision, find opportunities and solutions.

I will be happy if I make $2k/mo working remote. On the side, I'll do photography, film, music, adventure, language learning, sleeping, anything I want. I hope over time, I hope to earn more and work less.

How does it feel?

I get to connect with the curious and loving souls of others. People like Lester, Milly, Moon, Tanya, Izzy, Noah, Vivian, Shin, Jihee, Sage, Nate, and new friends too.

I get to zone deep into my work. Explore my clients worlds. Map out their business. Interview all different types of people. Then tap out, explore the world, see new things, experience new things, swim, hike, relax, create.

I want a space that rings with freedom. Big open space or big windows, the breeze in my hair, the outside air even if it's hot summer or cold winter. I want to be surrounded by high quality healthy food, a gym for exercise, my own space for meditation. I'll eat noodles, boodha bowls, gallo pinto. I'll wake up and get to eat yummy fried tortillas with fresh vegetables and fruits. I'll be able to give: presents, meals, artwork, colors, support and teaching. I'll hear the sound of birds, sizzling tortillas, the wind, bicycle tires.

Most importantly, I will have inner satisfaction. I will be full of gratitude, have a clear mind, unconditional patience and love for others.

I'll be able to buy whatever I want at the grocery store, including things I won't know if I'll enjoy. I'll be able to spend without worry: get a bike, train tickets, even rent a car without thinking too hard, and I'll just feel excited.

My work life will be social and dynamic. I help facilitate improvement for companies. I get to collaborate with passionate people, serious people, social people smart people. I have meetings, presentations, consulting open chats. I share my knowledge, skills, and experience. I create visuals, graphics, plans. After work I get to reward myself by going out to eat and trying new healthy foods like Japanese pumpkin barley soup.

Work will still feel like work, because it always will. My problems will be having too many clients I have to say no. Having to protect my free time to do art. I will have to get motivated to workout every other day. I'll have to snap into the zone with work. Use forest and livestreams to stay in my zone.

I commit to this being my next goal. I will take the opportunities that come to me, however scary, to make this my life.

I will stop complaining.

[pinerstamp]

Paranormal agency ghosts of wayne mansion free unlock

#Paranormal agency ghosts of wayne mansion free unlock for free

#Paranormal agency ghosts of wayne mansion free unlock download

VISIT US: WATCH US: FIND US: FOLLOW US: www.twitter. Our mapping system allows you to clearly and efficiently sort through just the types of places you’re interested in. ▶ Brave Tribe: Village and Farm Building and Management Several unnerving instances of ghost and poltergeist activity were reported by the management, staff, and customers of the Godfather's Pizza restaurant in Ogden, Utah in 1999-2000, prompting an investigation by Utah Paranormal Exploration and Research (UPER). Assist the PF agency in completing the Mysterious Ghost’s challenges and freeing Joseph from the curse Collect eyes (puzzle pieces) to solve the Secret Room puzzle and access your favorite HOPs. ▶ Virtual City Playground®: Building Tycoon Merry Barrentine, Utah Paranormal Exploration and Research.

#Paranormal agency ghosts of wayne mansion free unlock download

▶ Nightmares from the Deep™: Davy Jones, Collector's Edition Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion Seller: G5 Entertainment Price: -1 Download Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion free via AppsHawk. He’s foreseen that a billion people could die - unless Nate acts. This allows your Sim to venture to haunted lots and take care of the specter problem in. The Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff introduces a brand new freelance career, Paranormal Investigator. ▶ Letters From Nowhere: A Hidden Object Mystery So it’s a shock when members of a powerful secret society kidnap and spirit Nate away to a mansion at the behest of their leader, Vanslow DeGange, who claims to know the future. We walk you through the steps to become a successful Paranormal Investigator including preparation, planning, and the rewards you can earn.

#Paranormal agency ghosts of wayne mansion free unlock for free

Sign up now for a weekly round-up of the best from G5 Games! _Ĭollect them all! Search for "g5" in iTunes! Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion is available for download at the Mac App Store ( Gamers can try the game for free and unlock the full version through an in-app purchase for US4.99 through Aug. Game available in: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese Search every corner of the spooky estate, pick up useful items and solve tricky puzzles to determine if this is someone’s wicked hoax … or a real ghost story! intelligence of armies of humans performing ghost work (Gray & Suri 2019. Ingredients: Beef, Hot Sauce (Aged Cayenne. The townspeople are freaked out, and now the mayor has invited you, an experienced ghost hunter, to investigate the strange and somewhat suspicious events at Wayne Manor. The coding elite advances computation as the key to unlocking breakthroughs in. We push the limits with smoky Ghost Peppers to bring a slow, lingering burn to our flavor-packed house buffalo sauce. Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion (Full) - New App: 4.99, v1.0. Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion (Full) - New App: 4.99, v1.0: 0: 0. Others have spotted shadowy figures on the grounds. Channel: : Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion (Full) (Browsing all 12 articles Browse latest. Some folks say they've heard screams and moans. office: Witnesses say the doors open and close, and even lock and unlock. Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion. The cemetery is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a man holding an infant. The townspeople are freaked out, and now the mayor has invited you, an experienced ghost hunter, to investigate the strange and somewhat suspicious events at Wayne Manor.DetailsPut your supernatural powers to the test in this spine-chilling sequel to the popular seek-and-find adventure Paranormal Agency!Īn old mansion on the outskirts of a peaceful village is reported to be haunted by evil spirits. Paranormal Agency: The Ghosts of Wayne Mansion We are gathering data of your keywords. Others have spotted shadowy figures on the grounds. Put your supernatural powers to the test in this spine-chilling sequel to the popular seek-and-find adventure Paranormal Agency!Īn old mansion on the outskirts of a peaceful village is reported to be haunted by evil spirits. A high-school basketball coach turns a losing team around, then faces criticism for pushing the athletes to put grades first.

#Paranormal agency ghosts of wayne mansion free unlock

[xiil3gendary]

I may have bought more Hololive ハイチュウ….

#Hololive #ホロライブ #inugami korone #nekomata okayu #himemori luna #Japan #food #Japanese food #Nate’s Japanese adventure

[lastsonlost]

All this over the Japanese liking a game they don't like...

Ghost of Tsushima opens with a grand wide shot of samurai, adorned with impressively detailed suits of armor, sitting atop their horses. There we find Jin, the protagonist, ruminating on how he will die for his country. As he traverses Tsushima, our hero fights back the invading Mongolian army to protect his people, and wrestles with the tenets of the Bushido code. Standoffs take advantage of perspective and a wide field of view to frame both the samurai and his opponent in something that, more often than not, feels truly cinematic. The artists behind the game have an equally impeccable reference point for the visuals: the works of legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa

“We really wanted to pay respect to the fact that this game is so totally inspired by the work of this master,” director Nate Fox said in a recent interview with IndieWire. At Entertainment Weekly, Fox explained how his team at Sucker Punch Productions suggested that the influence ran broadly, including the playable black-and-white “Kurosawa Mode” and even in picking a title. More specifically, he noted that Seven Samurai, one of Kurosawa’s most well-known works, defined Fox’s “concept of what a samurai is.” All of this work went toward the hope that players would “experience the game in a way as close to the source material as possible.”

But in embracing “Kurosawa” as an eponymous style for samurai adventures, the creatives behind Ghost of Tsushima enter into an arena of identity and cultural understanding that they never grapple with. The conversation surrounding samurai did not begin or end with Kurosawa’s films, as Japan’s current political forces continue to reinterpret history for their own benefit.

Kurosawa earned a reputation for samurai films as he worked steadily from 1943 to 1993. Opinions of the director in Japan are largely mixed; criticism ranges from the discussion of his family background coming from generations of samurai to accusations of pandering to Western audiences. Whether intentional or not, Kurosawa became the face of Japanese film in the critical circles of the 1950s. But he wasn’t just a samurai stylist: Many of the director’s films frame themselves around a central conflict of personal ideology in the face of violence that often goes without answer — and not always through the lives of samurai. In works like Drunken Angel, The Quiet Duel, or his 1944 propaganda film The Most Beautiful, Kurosawa tackles the interpersonal struggles of characters dealing with sickness, alcoholism, and other challenges.

His films endure today, and not just through critical preservation; since breaking through to the West, his visual ideas and themes have become fodder for reinterpretation. You can see this keenly in Western cinema through films like The Magnificent Seven, whose narrative was largely inspired by Seven Samurai. Or even A Fistful of Dollars, a Western epic that cleaved so closely to Kurosawa’s Yojimbo that director Sergio Leone ended up in a lawsuit with Toho Productions over rights issues. George Lucas turned to Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress in preparation for Star Wars; he’d eventually repay Kurosawa by helping to produce his surreal drama Dreams.

Ghost of Tsushima is part of that lineage, packing in action and drama to echo Kurosawa’s legacy. “We will face death and defend our home,” Shimura, the Lord of Tsushima, says within the first few minutes of the game. “Tradition. Courage. Honor. These are what make us.” He rallies his men with this reminder of what comprises the belief of the samurai: They will die for their country, they will die for their people, but doing so will bring them honor. And honor, tradition, and courage, above all else, are what make the samurai.

Except that wasn’t always the belief, it wasn’t what Kurosawa bought whole cloth, and none of the message can be untangled from how center- and alt-right politicians in modern Japan talk about “the code” today.

The “modern” Bushido code — or rather, the interpretation of the Bushido code coined in the 1900s by Inazō Nitobe — was utilized in, and thus deeply ingrained into, Japanese military culture. An easy example of how the code influenced Imperial Japan’s military would be the kamikaze pilots, officially known as the Tokubetsu Kōgekitai. While these extremes (loyalty and honor until death, or capture) aren’t as present in the myth of the samurai that has ingrained itself into modern ultranationalist circles, they manifest in different yet still insidious ways.

In 2019, to celebrate the ushering in of the Reiwa Era, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party commissioned Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano to depict Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a samurai. Though described as being center-right, various members of the LDP have engaged in or have been in full support of historical revisionism, including the editing of textbooks to either soften or completely omit the language surrounding war crimes committed by Imperial Japan. Abe himself has been linked to supporting xenophobic curriculums, with his wife donating $9,000 to set up an ultranationalist school that pushed anti-Korean and anti-Chinese rhetoric. The prime minister is also a member of Japan’s ultraconservative Nippon Kaigi, which a U.S. congressional report on Japan-U.S. relations cited as one of several organizations that believe that “Japan should be applauded for liberating much of East Asia from Western colonial powers, that the 1946-1948 Tokyo War Crimes tribunals were illegitimate, and that the killings by Imperial Japanese troops during the 1937 ‘Nanjing massacre’ were exaggerated or fabricated.” The Nippon Kaigi, like Abe, have also pushed for the revision of Japan’s constitution — specifically, Article 9 — to allow Japan to reinstate its standing military.

This has been a major goal for Abe as his time as prime minister comes to a definite close in 2021. And from 2013 onward, the politician has made yearly trips to the Yasukuni shrine to honor the memory of war criminals, a status of which his own grandfather was accused, that died with the ethos of the modern Bushido code. Abe’s exoneration of these ideals has continued to spark reactionary nationalist sentiment, as illustrated with the Nippon Kaigi and their ultranationalist ideology. These traditionalist values have encouraged xenophobic sentiment in Japan, which was seen in the 2020 Tokyo elections with 178,784 votes going to Makoto Sakurai, leader of the Japan First Party, another ultranationalist group. Sakurai has participated in numerous hate speech demonstrations in Tokyo, often targeting Korean diaspora groups.

The preservation of the Bushido code that was highly popularized and utilized by Imperial Japan lives on through promotion by history revisionists, who elevate samurai to a status similar to that of the chivalric knight seen in Western media. They are portrayed as an honor-bound and noble group of people that cared deeply for the peasantry, when that was often not the case.

The samurai as a concept, versus who the samurai actually were, has become so deeply intertwined with Japanese imperialist beliefs that it has become difficult to separate the two. This is where cultural and historical understanding are important when approaching the mythology of the samurai as replicated in the West. Kurosawa’s later body of work — like the color-saturated Ran, which was a Japanese adaptation of King Lear, and Kagemusha, the story of a lower-class criminal impersonating a feudal lord — deeply criticized the samurai and the class system they enforced. While some films were inspired by Western plays, specifically Shakespeare, these works were critical of the samurai and their role in the Sengoku Period. They dismantled the notion of samurai by showing that they were a group of people capable of the same failings as the lower class, and were not bound to arbitrary notions of honor and chivalry.

Unlike Kurosawa’s blockbusters, his late-career critical message didn’t cross over with as much ease. In Western films like 2003’s The Last Samurai, the audience is presented with the picture of a venerable and noble samurai lord who cares only for his people and wants to preserve traditionalist values and ways of living. The portrait was, again, a highly romanticized and incorrect image of who these people were in feudal Japanese society. Other such works inspired by Kurosawa’s samurai in modern pop culture include Adult Swim’s animated production Samurai Jack and reinterpretations of his work like Seven Samurai 20XX developed by Dimps and Polygon Magic, which had also received the Kurosawa Estate’s blessing but resulted in a massive failure. The narratives of the lone ronin and the sharpshooter in American Westerns, for example, almost run in parallel.

Then there’s Ghost of Tsushima. Kurosawa’s work is littered with close-ups focused on capturing the emotionality of every individual actor’s performance, and panoramic shots showcasing sprawling environments or small feudal villages. Fox and his team recreate that. But after playing through the story of Jin, Ghost of Tsushima is as much of an homage to an Akira Kurosawa film as any general black-and-white film could be. The Kurosawa Mode in the game doesn’t necessarily reflect the director’s signatures, as the narrative hook and tropes found in Kurosawa’s work — and through much of the samurai film genre — are equally as important as the framing of specific shots.

“I don’t think a lot of white Western academics have the context to talk about Japanese national identity,” Tori Huynh, a Vietnamese woman and art director in Los Angeles, said about the Western discussion of Kurosawa’s aesthetic. “Their context for Japanese nationalism will be very different from Japanese and other Asian people. My experience with Orientalism in film itself is, that there is a really weird fascination with Japanese suffering and guilt, which is focused on in academic circles … I don’t think there is anything wrong with referencing his aesthetic. But that’s a very different conversation when referencing his ideology.”

Ghost of Tsushima features beautifully framed shots before duels that illustrate the tension between Jin and whomever he’s about to face off against, usually in areas populated by floating lanterns or vibrant and colorful flowers. The shots clearly draw inspiration from Kurosawa films, but these moments are usually preceded by a misunderstanding on Jin’s part — stumbling into a situation he’d otherwise have no business participating in if it weren’t for laid-out side quests to get mythical sword techniques or armor. Issues like this undermine the visual flair; the duels are repeated over and over in tedium as more of a set-piece than something that should have a component of storytelling and add tension to the narrative.

Fox and Sucker Punch’s game lacks a script that can see the samurai as Japanese society’s violent landlords. Instead of examining the samurai’s role, Ghost of Tsushima lionizes their existence as the true protectors of feudal Japan. Jin must protect and reclaim Tsushima from the foreign invaders. He must defend the peasantry from errant bandits taking advantage of the turmoil currently engulfing the island. Even if that means that the samurai in question must discard his sense of honor, or moral righteousness, to stoop to the level of the invading forces he must defeat.

Jin’s honor and the cost of the lives he must protect are in constant battle, until this struggle no longer becomes important to the story, and his tale whittles down to an inevitable and morally murky end. To what lengths will he go to preserve his own honor, as well as that of those around him? Ghost of Tsushima asks these questions without a truly introspective look at what that entails in relation to the very concept of the samurai and their Bushido code. This manifests in flashbacks to Jin’s uncle, Shimura, reprimanding him for taking the coward’s path when doing his first assassination outside of forced stealth segments. Or in story beats where the Khan of the opposing Mongol force informs Shimura that Jin has been stabbing enemies in the back. Even if you could avoid participating in these systems, the narrative is fixated on Jin’s struggle with maintaining his honor while ultimately trying to serve his people.

I do not believe Ghost of Tsushima was designed to empower a nationalist fantasy. At a glance, and through my time playing the game, however, it feels like it was made by outsiders looking into an otherwise complex culture through the flattening lens of an old black-and-white film. The gameplay is slick and the hero moments are grand, but the game lacks the nuance and understanding of what it ultimately tries to reference. As it stands, being a cool pseudo-historical drama is, indeed, what Ghost of Tsushima’s creators seemingly aimed to accomplish. In an interview with Famitsu, Chris Zimmerman of Sucker Punch said that “if Japanese players think the game is cool, or like a historical drama, then that’s a compliment.” And if there is one thing Ghost of Tsushima did succeed in, it was creating a “cool” aesthetic — encompassed by one-on-one showdowns with a lot of cinematic framing.

In an interview with The Verge, Fox said that “our game is inspired by history, but we’re not strictly historically accurate.” That’s keenly felt throughout the story and in its portrayal of the samurai. The imagery and iconography of the samurai carry a burden that Sucker Punch perhaps did not reckon with during the creation of Ghost of Tsushima. While the game doesn’t have to remain true to the events that transpired in Tsushima, the symbol of the samurai propagates a nationalist message by presenting a glossed-over retelling of that same history. Were, at any point, Ghost of Tsushima to wrestle with the internal conflict between the various class systems that existed in Japan at the time, it might have been truer to the films that it draws deep inspiration from. However, Ghost of Tsushima is what it set out to be: a “cool” period piece that doesn’t dwell on the reasonings or intricacies of the existing period pieces it references.

A game that so heavily carries itself on the laurels of one of the most prolific Japanese filmmakers should investigate and reflect on his work in the same way that the audience engages with other pieces of media like film and literature. What is the intent of the creator versus the work’s broader meaning in relation to current events, or the history of the culture that is ultimately serving as a backdrop to yet another open-world romp? And how do these things intertwine and create something that can flirt on an edge of misunderstanding? Ghost of Tsushima is a surface-level reflection of these questions and quandaries, sporting a lens through which to experience Kurosawa, but not to understand his work. It ultimately doesn’t deal with the politics of the country it uses as a backdrop. For the makers of the game, recreating Kurosawa is just black and white.

[leviiackrman]

Introducing my latest OCs:

Rob Young: Pinterest | Faceclaim

Sakiya: Pinterest | Faceclaim

Rob is an old uncharted oc I never fully fleshed out (until now!) and Sakiya is my new earthbending baby!

More info under the cut (i apologise, theres a lot of info/context for sakiya...):

Rob Young:

is best friend to J. Drake’s father, being around often when she was little until becoming her mentor later in life (also her godfather)

is the reason she got out of Panama (he bailed her out after tracking down her runaway ass)

helped to guide/train her (left that mostly to lara tho - and yes I like to think uc and tr are in the same universe, lara and nate would NOT get along to begin with)

works as the ‘informant’ in the treasure hunting business - knows the contacts and finds the jobs for everyone basically (including jess + charlie)

old friends with one Victor Sullivan - though they but heads often on how to do things ‘properly’

runs an underground bar where he conducts his ‘fortune hunting’ business, yknow, totally legal stuff...

likes to think hes classy enough for a suit - ‘the business man’ aesthetic,m but then wears dirty jeans/old leather jackets that smell of ash over the top so hes still ‘down with the cool kids’

doesn’t have a family or kids but considers jess his adoptive daughter - later grows to like sam too but deffo does the whole ‘im the dad, i will kill you’ thing

prefers being the ‘stay behind’ type during jobs - leaves his office only if necessary but enjoys a good adventure

is scary to his employees to keep the reputation up, but has the best sense of humour and cuddles

hes about 6′4, so can be intimidating - even to the gangly fucker that is sam

shaved his head when he was younger to be ‘cool’ (*cough* more like more streamlined... *cough*) but soon went bald anyway so it didn’t phase him

is the definiton of ‘bad grandpa’ to jess + sam’s kids - deffo didn’t give tobin a switch blade for his 6th bday...

Sakiya (translates to ‘cherry blossom growing’ in Japanese):

father Chozu was a part of the fire nation military (and experienced fire bender), mother Kaiya was a civilian earthbender from a small village in the earth kingdom

parents met during a patrol, her father was instructed to monitor the village for a few weeks and soon fell in love with her mother

kaiya used a carved staff to channel her earthbending, later teaching sakiya a few tricks with it - and later giving it to her

to keep her safe, he thought that bringing her willingly back to the fire nation would be safest - ‘right under their noses’ as it were... he was wrong...

years pass and they have Sakiya, raised as tho she were fully fire nation

mother worked as a handmaiden in the royal palace

she began bringing Sakiya with her to work to keep her out of trouble, where she later met Zuko and Azula - their mother encouraging she be a friend for Zuko while Azula played with Mai and Ty-Lee

grew friendly with the group over the years, eventually sneaking her pet puma Hayami with her for their play dates (at the other kids request)

hayami loosly translates to ‘rare and unusual beauty’ in Japanese, due to her abnormal puma size and powerful roar - she ain’t a normal puma if ya catch my drift

Azula grew frustrated with her preferring to be best friends with Zuko, and so out of jealously when Sakiya was 12, she discovered her families secret

Chozu was arrested and sentanced to death for his betrayal, while Kaiya was poisoned in their home, later discovered to be by a hired assassin of Azula’s doing

Sakiya was arrested while at the palace (in front of Zuko mind you) and taken into prison where she was interigated (whipped with fire on her back basically, to put it bluntly)

later covered her scars with tattoo engravings of a cherry blossom tree

Hayami - not being your average puma - helped her escape and brought them both to the earth kingdom

kept herself safe by cutting her hair off and running into the woods after being pursued by A LOT of assassins and bounty hunters

found a collection of ‘Elders’ - a group of older woman living in the canopies of the forrest - using the resources around them to survive + make poisons

they taught her how to balance herself emotionally, channeling her wisdom and tranquility into her earth bending skills

had taken her mothers staff with her upon her escape and so utilised her unique bending technique

they also named her Shen (loosly translating to ‘spiritual’ + ‘deep thinking’ in Chinese - to erase her past)

spent 3 years with the ‘Elders’ before leaving the safety of their camp as word of the Avatar’s return spread

saught out team avatar to aid them, proving she could help them through the guidance and wisdom she shared - also her earthbending but she’d prefer to resolve things without using it

she and Toph grew v close - their mix of personalities proving opposites do attract and they were practically besties

also assumed Zuko was involved in her families fall, so held a quiet grudge when he reoccured often in their adventures

saught him out at one point when she heard he was banished but was only faced with his anger - didn’t help the sitch much huh?

didn’t last v long tho as they grew close again when he joined the team

has a new family with team avatar and travels with them often

zuko taught her how to dance because she’s a monk of sorts, so she never knew how

has never seen snow before so katara was keen to show her

later also becomes chancellor to zuko when he becomes fire lord! because besties!!

whole other plot line of how her staff was techincally cursed with a ‘defence’ spell by her mum to keep her safe when she used it but backfired when she activated as it used her tranquility against her, releasing all the anger she surpressed over the years

general point - has never really been attracted to anyone and so never saught out romance, she was content with what she has which is her found family and amazing pet puma *heart eyes*

#oc: rob young #atla oc #uc oc #my ocs #wow i really rambled huh #shouldve just left it for her bio lmao #oh well #i just have sm to talk about for her!!! #like SO many details!!! #anyway #chuckhansen #noonvvraith #radlurk #kerryseurodyne #simonxriley #oc: shen

[mudaship39]

Characters of color of Alpha Centurion War

Characters of color

Current characters of color:

Joanna Jacobson-Kato.  She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is the militant, anarchist, radical, & revolutionary leader of the Rebellion or Resistance that rebelled against the Earth and the Terran Confederation. She is the leader and founder of the Young Radicals or Winds of Change that fought against Earth hegemony and dominion and fought against Terran Confederation subjugation and oppression. She is stateless or someone without a nationality as a result of the revolution and as a repercussion of her leading the rebellion and insurrection against the Earth and Terran Confederation to take them out of power. After the creation of the Federation that composed of the now independent and sovereign Sol, Vega, & Polaris Systems she was allowed to return home by the new intergalactic government of this cosmic alliance after the fall of Earth and the Terran Confederation. She is a partner and spouse of Ryuu Kato/Haruka Kato. She is an honorary member of the Elites and Paragons as a civilian supporter and liaison.

Sultan Nijah Nadra Nadar-Kato. She is a Muslim. She is a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Afgan woman of color. She is also Pashtun and Tajik the two ethnic groups native to Afghanistan. She is Sultan of a Middle Eastern colony off-world on an alien planet. She is a partner and spouse of Ryuu Kato/Haruka Kato. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Shah Sadar Nadra Nadar-Jones. She is a Muslim. She is a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Afghan woman of color. She is also Pashtun and Tajik two ethnic groups native to Afghanistan. She is a partner and spouse of Laurissa Owen Jones. She is the younger sister of Nijah Nadra Nadar.

Sofia Velasquez-Ochoa. The Latinx spouse and partner of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. She is a superhero who’s a member of the Elites and Paragons. 

Maria Garcia Morales. She is a Hispanic and Latinx woman of color. She is the adoptive young adult daughter of Francisco/Francisca. She is Christian. She is a future member of the Superhero, Antihero, & Supervillain United Legionnaire Strikeforce. The SASULS is a fusion of the Elites, Paragons, & Sentinels that was created in the 60th to 70th century.

Takeda Sato. He is an East Asian Japanese Yamato person of color. He is Shinto Buddhist. He is the adoptive preteen son of Ryuu/Haruka. He is a future member of the Superhero, Antihero, & Supervillain United Legionnaire Strikeforce.

Nathanial “Nate” Xuan Nguyen. He is a Southeast Asian Vietnamese person of color. He is Buddhist. He is the adoptive teenage son of Kana’i/Ataahua. He is a future member of the Superhero, Antihero, & Supervillain United Legionnaire Strikeforce

Wraithlike Wyvern or Dragoon Dragon aka Chun Hei Kim. She is a half dragon and half magical human hybrid. One of the main supporting characters. She is a lighter skinned brown skinned woman of color. She is a poc coded magical human. She is a half dragon hybrid. She is Afro-Asian by our standards. She has terra cotta skin tone. She has a dreadlocks hairstyle as a magical human. Some that are covered in draconic scales as a half dragon. She in her world is a believer in the draconic pantheon and regularly prays to Bahamut. She is also a Korean Buddhist in our world. She is 5′6.″ In her magical high fantasy world, she was a soldier for the Alliance and Coalition lands. In her world she was a half dragon fighter who as an adventurer was a dragon knight, dragon slayer, dragon rider, dragon summoner, & dragon mage. In this world she was a space fighter pilot of the Sol System Space Navy. She is a lieutenant in the Sol System Space Navy. Her callsign is Dragon or Wyvern. She is the protégé of Colonel Frederick Darnell Nguyen of the Earth Space Force. In this cyberpunk science fiction world, she identifies as a Black American and East Asian Korean woman of color. In our world she is a singer, songwriter, rapper, music producer, actor, producer, director, model, fashion designer, video game streamer, & video game designer. She is polyamorous. She is cis bisexual. She is the wife of Zhou Zhen, Bernadette Shultz, Elsa Johansson, Valerie Garcia, Maysa Nabila Uzun, & Amelia Himmat Mishra. She is the supporting character of Warring Kingdoms and Alpha Centurion War. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Purple Phoenix (Zhou Zhen) who is a half phoenix sage, monk, & fighter. She is a way of the firebird monk. By our world’s standards she is an East Asian Han Chinese woman of color. She is 5′7″. She is monogamous. She is cis lesbian. She is Buddhist. She is a supporting character of Warring Kingdoms and Alpha Centurion War.

Frederick Darnell Nguyen. He is a Southeast Asian Vietnamese and Kinh Indigenous, East Asian Chinese, & European French mixed man of color. He is Buddhist. He was a fighter jet pilot who served in World War 3, the Nuclear War, & the Robot Uprising for the US Air Force. He was a space fighter pilot who fought in the Human-Alien Contact War for the Earth Space Force. He flew an F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning, F-37 Talon, F-40 Fire Basilisk, F-45 Griffin, & F-50 Nightstorm. He led several squadrons of F-14 Tomcats, F-15 Eagles, F-16 Falcons, F-17 Cobras, F-18 Super Hornets, F-19 Ghostriders, F-20 Tigersharks, F-21s, F-22 Raptors, F-23 Black Widows, F-24, F-25, F-28, F-30s, F-32s, F-35 Lightnings, F-37 Talons, F-38s, F-40 Fire Basilisks, F-41s, F-42s, F-45 Griffins, & F-50 Nightstorms. He is the mentor of Chun Hei Kim. The ace fighter pilot known by his callsign as Zero. He was known during the wars as the Angel of Death and the Grim Reaper of the Skies. Frederick Nguyen is disabled. Fredward Nguyen was shot down by a barrage of hard light missiles over Tahiti during the Human Alien Contact War. He crashed and was severely injured. He was saved when he was found by Captain Heirani Colette Hauata of the French Foreign Legion. The doctors took out the shrapnel that was inside his body. His body had to be healed with nanites and implants of bioware and cyberware technology. The question he had asked before undergoing the surgery was could he still fly fighter jets with the nanites and the implants of bioware and cyberware. He spent time in therapy trying to learn how to walk again with his cyberware and bioware implants. He is a member of the Sentinels.

Andrea Garcia Perez-Nguyen. She is a Mexican Latinx and Central American Indigenous woman of color. She is Catholic. She is the spouse and partner of Freddie Nguyen. She is a fighter jet pilot who served in World War 3, the Nuclear War, & the Robot Uprising for the US Air Force. She is a space fighter pilot who fought in the Human-Alien Contact War for the Earth Space Force. She flew an F-35, F-37, or F-41. Andrea led a squadron of F-22s, F-23s, F-24s, F-35s, F-37s, & F-41s. Andrea Perez was known by her callsign as the Lady Knight and the Paladin. She was a first lieutenant of the US Air Force and later Captain of the Earth Space Force. She is now a Brigadier General of the Earth Space Force. She is a member of the Sentinels.

Layla Turner-Nguyen. She is a Black British woman of color. She is Christian. She is the spouse and partner of Frederick Nguyen. She is a fighter jet pilot who served in World War 3, the Nuclear War, & the Robot Uprising for the US Air Force. She is a space fighter pilot who fought in the Human-Alien Contact War for the Earth Space Force. She was a captain of the US Air Force and the Earth Space Force. She is now a Lieutenant General of the Earth Space Force. She is a member of the Sentinels.  

Blue Bionic or Crimson Cyborg (Amelia Himmat Mishra). She is an Afro Asian Black British South Asian Desi Indian woman of color. One of the main supporting characters. She is a darker skinned brown skinned woman of color. She has umber skin tone. She has braids hair style. She is Hindu. She is 5′8″ She wears a bindi. The reason she wears it is self empowerment as a South Asian Desi Indian woman of color. She wears henna markings on both of her hands and both of her forearms. She is a polyamorous. She is cis bisexual. She is a bionic and cyborg. She is disabled as someone missing a biological right arm and a biological left leg when she was disfigured in combat during war. She later had it replaced with a bionic prosthetic leg and a cybernetic prosthetic arm. Her cybernetic arm comes with a built-in wrist computer, a built-in photon cannon, & built-in wrist blades made out of hard light. She is disabled as a bionic and cyborg. She is autistic. She is neurodivergent with add, adhd, & OCD. She has mental illnesses of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, & PTSD. She has body issues and self-image issues as someone with OCD and disabled who was disfigured. She is a builder, creator, craftsperson, artisan, & designer. She builds prosthetic bionic and cybernetic limbs for disabled people. She designs and builds walking tanks, power armor, mechs for the military. She designs ships for the military. She designs and builds hard light plasma weapons for the military. She is the wife of Maysa Nabila Uzun, Bernadette Shultz, Chun Hei Kim, Zhou Zhen, & Brigette LeBlanc. She and her two older siblings are the champions of the pantheon of the Hindu gods. She has many powers but her best known superpower is ultimate vision. When she uses her powers her bindi glows blue and her henna markings glow red. She pilots a power armor suit. She has spinal implants that allow her to connect directly with a power armor suit to improve reaction time and spatial awareness. Due to the nature of the procedure they can only be implanted in growing children. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Isha Jayesh Mishra. He is Hindu. He is Black British and South Asian Desi Indian. He is the older brother of Amelia. He is an intergalactic spec ops soldier, intergalactic intelligence officer, & intergalactic law enforcement agent. He is the other champion of the Hindu gods. He is a member of the Sentinels.

Lavanya Sunita Mishra. She is Hindu. She is Black British and South Asian Desi Indian. She is the older sister of Amelia. She is an intergalactic businesswoman and an intergalactic politician who represents Earth for the Sol System Federation. She like her younger brother and sister are the champions of the Hindu gods. She is a member of the Sentinels. She is the Black woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Elizabeth Williams. She is Catholic. She is Black British. She is the mother of Amelia, Isha, & Lavanya. She is the wife of Indra Mishra. She was a British SAS and later a black ops and spec ops soldier for the Earth Space Army.

Ravi Indra Mishra. He is Hindu. He is South Asian Desi Indian. He is the father of Amelia, Isha, & Lavanya. He is a laborer. He built and repaired ships for the Indian military and later the Earth Space Army. He now builds and repairs hover cars. 

Scarlet Soldier (Maysa Nabila Uzun-Mishra). She is a Black African Egyptian, Middle Eastern Turkish, & Middle Eastern Iranian woman of color. One of the main supporting characters. She is a darker skinned brown woman of color. She is Muslim. She has sepia skin tone. She has twists hair style. She is 5′9″ She is a polyamorous. She is a nonbinary agender lesbian. She has henna markings on her hands and forearms to match the henna markings of her wife Amelia. She is an ultimate level empath and absolute level telepath. She pilots a mech suit. In the Eygptian military she was a Squadron Leader and later Wing Commander. She is a member of the Sol System Space Force. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Esin Fatimah Uzun. She is a Black African Egyptian, Middle Eastern Turkish, & Middle Eastern Iranian woman of color. She is a darker skinned brown woman of color. She is Muslim. She is the older sister of Maysa Nibala Uzun. She is a member of the Sentinels.

Devrim Keyan Uzun. He is the younger brother of Maysa Nibala Uzun. He is a Black African Egyptian, Middle Eastern Turkish, & Middle Eastern Iranian woman of color. He is a darker skinned brown man of color. He is a Kemetic Egyptian pagan like his father. He is a Black moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Ammon Osiris Salah-Uzun. He is a Black African Egyptian man of color. He is a kemetic Egyptian pagan. He is the father of Maysa Nabila Uzun. His wife Aliye Hassan Uzun is a Middle Eastern Turkish, & Middle Eastern Persian Iranian woman of color. He is a fighter jet pilot who served in World War 3, the Nuclear War, & the Robot Uprising for the Egyptian Air Force. He is a space fighter pilot who fought in the Human-Alien Contact War for the Earth Space Force. He was the former rival and current best friend of Frederick Nguyen. Ammon Uzun he was another ace known as the Al Anqa’a. Ammon flew a MiG-57, MiG-67, & Mig-77. He led several squadrons of MiG-21s, MiG-23, MiG-25s, MiG-27s, MiG-28s, MiG-29s, MiG-31 Firefoxes, MiG-33s, MiG-35, MiG-37 Ferrets, MiG-47s, & MiG-57s. During the war he was a Group Captain in the Eygptian Air Force and a Captain in the Earth Space Force. He is now an Air Marshal in the Eyptian military. He is a member of the Sentinels. 

Aliye Hassan Uzun. She is a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Egyptian, Middle Eastern Turkish, & Middle Eastern Persian Iranian woman of color. She is Muslim. She is the mother of Maysa Nabila Uzun. She is the wife of Ammon Osiris Uzun. She was a soldier in the Egyptian Army. She is a member of the Sentinels.  

Keisuke Tanaka. He is an East Asian Japanese Yamato man of color. He is Shinto Buddhist. He is an absolute level speedster and is a speed embodiment with speedster physiology. He is polyamorous cis pansexual. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is an East Asian moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. He is the partner and spouse of Jonathan Kaven Ruslo, Jessica Croft, & Yoon-Sook Lee.

Yoon-Sook Lee-Tanaka. She is an East Asian Korean woman of color. She is a Korean Buddhist. She is the spouse and partner of Keisuke Tanaka. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is an East Asian woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Keisha Mi Ngo-Tanaka. She is a Southeast Asian Vietnamese and Black American woman of color. She is Buddhist. She is the spouse and partner of Keisuke Tanaka. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is an archer.

Seo-Jun Jeong. He is an East Asian Korean man of color. He is an archer with supernatural sight and superhuman flexibility. He is a Korean Buddhist. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is an East Asian moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Lisa Nhi Nguyen-Jeong. She is a Southeast Asian Vietnamese woman of color. She is Buddhist. She is a spouse and partner of Seo-Jun Jeong.  She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is a Southeast Asian woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Firebrick Falcon (Jason Fujimoto) is an East Asian Japanese man of color. He is Shinto Buddhist. He is an East Asian man of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Kunoichi (Hitomi Kobayashi). She is a kunoichi ninja assassin. She has power over the shadows and darkness. She is the leader of a shinobi ninja clan of male shinobi and female kunoichi assassins.

Asuka Yamamoto 

Samurai (Ruro Suzuki) an East Asian Japanese Yamato man of color. He is Shinto Buddhist. He is an arcane samurai and esoteric gunslinger. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is an East Asian man of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Takashi Yamada an East Asian Japanese Yamato man of color. He is a corporate samurai. He is the iron fist and enforcer for a mega corporation and conglomerate as a private contractor. He is a mercenary and bounty hunter for them. He is a swordsman who uses hard light swords and gunslinger who uses plasma guns. He is heavily augmented with cybernetic parts. 

Ronin (Nanako Hayashi) is an East Asian Japanese woman of color. She is a street samurai. She is a warrior fighting against the police, the corporations, & the criminal cartels. She is a ronin. Her personal code of honor makes her refuse to sell out to authority. She is a wanted criminal for fighting against the dystopian tyrannical government and mega corporations. 

Shinobi (Kenji Oshiro) is an East Asian Japanese man of color. He is a cyborg ninja. HIs body is heavily augmented with bionic and cybernetic implants.  

Lee Hui. is an East Asian Han Chinese woman of color. She is a member of the Sentinels. She is Chief Engineer. 

Chuang Shen is an East Asian Han Chinese person of color. He is a member of the Sentinels. He is a cyber ninja.

Diep Ngo is a Southeast Asian Vietnamese man of color. He is Buddhist. He is a member of the Sentinels. He is a ronin.

Hue Pham is a Southeast Asian Vietnamese woman of color. She is Buddhist. She is Corporate. 

Hank Minh Nguyen a Southeast Asian Vietnamese man of color. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is a Southeast Asian man of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. He is a Hacker.

Steve Minh Nguyen a Southeast Asian Vietnamese man of color. He is the younger brother of Hank. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is a street samurai.

Karishma Patel-York. She is a South Asian Desi Indian woman of color. She is Hindu. She is polyamorous. She is bisexual. She is a South Asian woman of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Jayani Kumar-Patel. She is a South Asian Desi Indian woman of color. She is Hindu. She is demisexual. She is a South Asian woman of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is the wife of Karishma and Zachariah.  

Raji Patel a South Asian Desi Indian man of color. He is Hindu. He is a South Asian man of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Ali Sarwar a Muslim South Asian and Middle Eastern Pakistani man of color. He is a Chief Medical Officer. 

Maira Haq a Muslim South Asian and Middle Eastern Pakistani woman of color 

Carlos Espinoza. He is a Hispanic Latinx Mexican man of color.  

Sophia Castillo a Latinx and Hispanic woman of color. She is a Hispanic and Latinx woman of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. She is a member of the Sentinels. She is a member of the Sentinels. 

Beatriz González is a mestizo and non-native Central American Latinx Nicaraguan and Panamanian woman of color. She is a Latinx woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. She is a Chief Science Officer.

Harlequin Hawk (Jason Peter Rodriguez). He is a Hispanic and Latinx man Mexican of color. He is Catholic. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is a Latinx and Hispanic moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Lola Macias. She is a Afro-Latinx Mexican woman of color. She is Catholic. She is a member of the Sentinels. She is an Afro-Latinx woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Hector Vega a Latinx Mexican man of color. He is a speedster with absolute speed. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is a Latinx man of color ex of Alexander Smith/Alexandria Smith.

Raquel Marina Alonso-Jones a Latinx and Hispanic Mexican woman of color alien hybrid. She is the wife of Laurissa Owen Maximillian Jones. She is a Latinx and Hispanic woman of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Adolfo Ortiz is a Hispanic Latinx Mexican man of color. He is a member of the Sentinels.

Hasan Karim a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Iraqi man of color. He is Muslim. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is a Middle Eastern moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Karam Ahmed a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Saudi Arabian man of color. He is Muslim. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Fadil Nejem a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Afghan man of color. He is Muslim. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Sheeva Kahn is a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Persian Iranian woman of color. She is Muslim. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is a Middle Eastern woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Ayla Demir is a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Turkish woman of color. She is Muslim. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Sayifa Malik a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Lebanese woman of color. She is Muslim. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is a Middle Eastern woc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Omar Hassan is a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Jordanian. He is Muslim. 

Cobalt Crow (Jonathan Kaven Castro Ruslo) a South Asian Romani person of color. He is a Roma or Romani from the northern part of the subcontinent of India. He has European and Hispanic ancestry from Russia and Spain. He speaks a dialect of Romani, Spanish, & Russian. He is cis bisexual. He is Christian. He was a police sergeant and SWAT officer for the Shadow City Police Department. He later became police captain of Shadow City. He then became an intergalactic intelligence agent and law enforcement officer. He is a Romani ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Ulric Hayes. He is a Black man of color character. He is Jewish. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He/she/they is a Black moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Vincent Taylor a Black man of color character. He is atheist. He is a member of the Elites and Paragons. He is a Black moc ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Tamara Harris-Fujimoto. She is a Black woman of color character. She is Muslim. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.

Jasmine Lewis. She is a Black woman of color character. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is a Black woman of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Taylor Davis a Black woman of color character. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons. She is a Black woman of color ex of Francisco Alejandro Diego Garcia Ochoa/Francisca Alejandra Maria Garcia Ochoa.

Sisi Ashanti Badu is a Black African Ghanian woman of color. She is part of the Ashanti people. She is a member of the Elites and Paragons.  

Amara Kaya Badu is a Black African Ghanian woman of color. She is the younger sister of Sisi Badu. She is part of the Ashanti people. She is a member of the Sentinels

Upcoming characters of color:

Mandy Saito is an Afro Asian East Japanese and Black American woman of color. 

Irma Hua Fernadez an Afro Asian East Asian Chinese and Afro Carribean Cuban woman of color. She is a descendant of Chinese brought over by the Coolie slave trade.

Lotse Dema is an East Asian Tibetan person of color. They are Tibetan Buddhist. They are nonbinary.

Ngari Lotey is a South Asian Bhutanese person of color. They are part of the Ngalop people of Tibetan origin. They are Vajrayana Buddhist.  They are nonbinary. 

Ning Hala is a East Asian Manchurian person of color. They practice shamanism. They are nonbinary. 

Khulan Dashdorj is an East Asian Mongolion man of color. He is Buddhist.  

Osol Bayar is an East Asian Mongolian woman of color. She practices shamanism and believes in animism.  

Siho Siharath is a Southeast Asian Laotian man of color. He is Theravada Buddhist.

Keo Manivong is a Southeast Asian Laotion woman of color. She is a Theravada Buddhist.

Lisma Diwe is a Southeast Asian Indonesian woman of color. She is Muslim.

Maraja Anwar is a Southeast Asian Indonesian woman of color. He is Muslim.

Chak Sok is a Southeast Asian Cambodian man of color. He is Theravada Buddhist.

Lai Keo is a Southeast Asian Cambodian woman of color. She is Therevada Buddhist.

Choi Bidaya is a Southeast Asian Thai woman of color. She is Theravada Buddhist.

Prinya Jaidee Southeast Asian Thai man of color. He is Muslim. 

Saikio Bautista. She is Southeast Asian and Indigenous Pasifika Filipino. 

Bayani Mendoza. He is Southeast Asian and Indigenous Pasifika Filipino.

Aun Mar a Southeast Asian Burmese person of color. They are nonbinary. They are Theravada Buddhist. They are part of the Bamar ethnic group native to Myanmar.  

Aja Oli is a South Asian Nepalese woman of color. She is Hindu. She is part of the Chhetri ethnic group.

Singh Majarjan is a South Asian Nepalese man of color. He is Hindu. 

Rita Perera. She is a South Asian Sri Lankan person of color. She is part of the Vedda ethnic group native to Sri Lanka. She is Buddhist.

Raja De Silva. He is a South Asian Sri Lankan person of color. He is Hindu. He is part of the Tamil peoples of Indian origin. 

Harit Banik. He is a South Asian Bengalis person of color. He is Hindu. He is part of the Chakma ethnic people that are native to Bangladesh.

Fatima Kahn. She is a South Asian Bengalis person of color. She is Muslim. She is part of the Marma ethnic group that are native to Bangladesh.  

Miguel Montes is a Latinx character who is a South American Brazilian man of color. 

Elena Alvarez is a Latinx character who is a South American Argentines woman of color. 

Carlos Rojas is a Latinx character who is a South American Venezuelan man of color. 

Isabella Supulveda is a Latinx character who is a South American Chilean woman of color.

Alejandro Gomez is a Latinx character who is a South American Latinx Colombian man of color.

Fabiola Fernadez is a Latinx character who is a South American Latinx Peruvian woman of color.

Manuel Lopez is a Latinx character who is a Central American Latinx Salvadoran man of color. 

Francisco De Leon is a Latinx character who is a Central American Latinx Guatemalan man of color.

Maria Cruz is a Latinx character who is a Central Honduran person of color character.

Vanessa Calderon is a Latinx character who is a Central American Latinx Costa Rican woman of color.

Ronaldo Rodriguez is a Latinx character who is a Central American Latinx Panamanian man of color character.

Melissa Diaz is a Latinx character who is a Caribbean Cuban woman of color 

Luis Vasquez is a Latinx character who is a Caribbean Puerto Rican man of color. 

Ana Rosario is a Latinx character who is a Caribbean Dominican woman of color.

Ernesto Li Perez an East Asian Chinese and Latinx Cuban man of color. He is a descendant of Chinese brought over by the Coolie trade.  

Diego Chao Flores an East Asian Chinese and South American Latinx Peruvian man of color. He is a descendant of Chinese brought over by the Coolie slave trade. 

Juliana Lan Santos an East Asian Chinese and South American Latinx Brazilian woman of color.   

Sophia Barbosa is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro South American Brazilian woman of color. 

Juan Gonzalez is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro South American Argentines man of color. 

Andrea Soto is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro South American Venezuelan woman of color. 

Matias Munoz is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro South American Chilean man of color.

Luciana Moreno is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro South American Latinx Colombian woman of color.

Luis Garcia is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro South American Latinx Peruvian man of color.

Yesenia Sanchez is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Central American Latinx Salvadoran woman of color. 

Stephanie Estrada is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Central American Latinx Guatemalan woman of color.

Santos Flores is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Central Honduran person of color character.

Victor Herrera is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Central American Latinx Costa Rican man of color.

Lizbeth Sanchez is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Central American Latinx Panamanian woman of color character.

Marco Lopez is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Caribbean Cuban man of color 

Valetina Rivera is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Caribbean Puerto Rican woman of color. 

Jose Sananta is an Afro Latinx character who is an Afro Caribbean Dominican man of color.

Eteta Abebe is a Black African Ethiopian woman of color. She is part of the Oromo people. She is Ethiopian Orthodox. 

Kodzo Nikoi a Black African Ghanian man of color. He is part of the Ashanti people. He is Christian. 

Hala Ali a Black African Kenyan and East Asian Chinese woman of color. She is part of the Swahili people. She is Muslim. 

Ixzi Faik Kara a Southwest Asian Middle Eastern Turkish and Black African Algerian man of color. He is Muslim.  

Jioni Zuberi a Black African Tanzanian woman of color. She is Muslim. 

Yari Ganesh Lule is an Afro Asian South Asian Desi Indian and Black African Ugandan man of color. He is Hindu. 

Akinkuotu Kailan Ojo is an Afro Asian Black African Nigerian and Southeast Asian Filipino man of color. He is from the Yoruba people.  He practices traditional African spirituality. 

Zola Mbelu a Black African South African woman of color. She is from the Zulu people. She practices traditional African spirituality.

Laura Kiyoko Ngoy an Afro Asian Black Congolese and East Asian Japanese  woman of color

[waspgrave]

now to finally share detective facts about my girls because I Luv Them So Much. And this is long bc it’s both of them but that’s why there’s a readmore here 

Charlotte Logan

REALLY good at combat and tech/science. She’s very charming and friendly and works well with others! 

Nate and her are ♥. And Mason wound up her best friend.

Good relationship with mom. Could be better, but it’s comfortable. Barely remembers her dad but loves him though most of the time it’s very ‘oh, well he died when i was little so i’m not devastated’. She still keeps pictures of him around and loves what little memories she has. 

She looks A LOT like Rebecca they could probably get mistaken as sisters sometimes. She is a carbon copy of Rook in personality, though, and her name is even a homage to his. She also has his eyes (Hazel) 🥺

Had a bit of a wild streak as a teen and got in trouble quite a bit (which has to be surprising to people) much to Rebecca’s dismay since it was very much an acting out sort of deal. She worked through it, thankfully, and wound up doing a lil bit of traveling after college as a little gift since she made it more than clear she wanted Adventure. She found out she hates big cities in the process.

She’s very fun and charming but also a lil closed off when it comes to personal relationships. The past is the past with her - or so she says lmao. She tends to bury personal shit as far down as possible and shakes it off with forced humor and confidence. Any hurt feelings or annoyance tends to get buried with it, too, so she probably comes off as super chill and tough to a lot of people.

She dates a decent amount though tends to ghost on people or it doesn’t work out after a few dates. The thing with Bobby hurt quite a bit but honestly, it’s something she shrugs over now. 

Nate and her are So Good Together, though. He really gets her to open up and usually sees past her attempts at shrugging things off. 

majored in English and minored in anthropology. Fluent in English and Japanese and is TRYING to learn French but it evades her.

big fan of sleeping in, baking (never pretty outcome but always 👌 in flavor), trying (and usually failing bc she’s impatient) new hobbies and listening to weird history podcasts, and reading up on fun mythologies and history. 

Her apartment is super cute and colorful and she takes a lot of pride in how cute she’s managed to style it. It actually contrasts quite a bit with herself since her fashion is pretty casual and full of darker colors.

it’s no surprise that she was super chill with finding out about Unit Bravo. She’s delighted to work with them! Even the Trapper thing is like “oh wow that’s a thing? Lol” while her boyband - but especially Nate - is just 💀

also she punched Murphy and got bitten but honestly she’s such a badass. no wonder mason is her bff 

Esme Wolfe

Her deduction/knowledge and her people skills are both pretty equal. She’s also super genuine and leader-like.

She and Mason are unintentionally in love. Felix is her best friend! 

absolutely Awful relationship with mom but is open to making it work with time. There’s a lot of resentment there with how little she saw her while growing up. Really looks up to her dad and wants to be something that would make him proud thus takes her job and desire to help people very seriously. 

It’s hard to tell who she physically favors more between him and Rebecca but she definitely has his humor and compassion and big expressive puppy eyes.

Super, super creative! She got super into photography as a hobby p early on and has a closet full of paintings and sketchbooks that she’s actually a lil nervous to show anyone. 

She hangs up a few that she’s proud of and Tina even demanded she buy some to hang up at her own house. 

So sweet and friendly it’s ridiculous. She tends to default to helping others before herself which she knows can be a fault 😔 that doesn’t keep her from being stubborn and no-nonsense, though, so she doesn’t hesitate snapping at someone or taking charge. She’s actually quite bossy and very leader-like and i’m proud of her

She had one other relationship that ended poorly before Bobby. And she gave SO MUCH for Bobby, who absolutely decimated her trust and broke her heart in the process so she hasn’t done anything romantically outside of the one time she let Tina try and set her up with someone. Now she just uses work as an excuse which she was pretty chill with, honestly.

The whole thing with Mason is hilarious though because even if she’s pretty shy, she was totally down with a fun FWB situation because ‘hell yeah no stress’, but then they both wound up Yearning. 

She was majoring in psychology back in college, but wound up dropping out after Bobby stole her thesis work in a class they shared. It was between that and dealing with some Big Embarrassing College Trouble because of it so she went back home with the determination she’d do something else. 

Loves just chilling quietly when she can which means a lot of her down time is spent in her apartment, walking, and hanging out at the park to just people-watch and enjoy some stress-free time. Otherwise it’s painting/sketching - she has a whole closet full of  sketchbooks and paintings the world has never seen (except for UB bc Felix DEFINITELY snooped through the closet back when they were all staying there. None of them but him would mention it tho)

her apartment is colorful in a wild ‘nothing really matches’ sort of vibe. All of her furniture is thrifted and she’s a big fan of owning weird shit that makes people stop and stare in confusion because ‘why do you own a display of antique spoons?’. 

she had a panic attack in the Agency  lol. she wasn’t Scared per se - she already knew UB were trustworthy, but her world definitely got turned upside down for a few days. She’s very protective about supernaturals though but especially UB

#charlie logan #esme wolfe #HONESTLY love their differences in so many things #whoever reads this is powerful #playing twc #OK BYE i'm determined to finish all these busts.

[thegeekerynj]

Beasts of Burden: Occupied Territory #1-4 (Dark Horse Comics) Writer: Evan Dorkin (@evandorkin) and Sarah Dyer (@colorkitten)  Artist: Benjamin Dewey (@benjamindewey) Letters: Nate Piekos (@Blambot)

An Occasional Attempt to Read, Discuss and Review the Wonders of Comics

By: John Rafferty, cranky old man, and Fan of All Things Comics

Riding the IND 

Designed with the intent to acknowledge the Immense Contribution of the Independent Comic Press, and  highlight a more unique stable of products

==========================================

Greetings, Salutations, and Hi-De-Ho Neighbors!

Welcome, one and all, to the Show that Never Ends, the Sideshow that is my desire to report to YOU, Gentle Readers, what is amazing, wonderful and so extremely FAN-Tastical in the world of Independent Comics!

I’ll be your host for what I hope will be an enlightening, joy and thrill-filled ride through the last couple of months of the Indy World where, hopefully, at the end, I may have inspired you to dip your toe into some of the beauty I am describing here…

With that said, let’s begin our descent into ADVENTURE!

_______________________________________________________________

Beasts of Burden: Occupied Territory #1-4 (Dark Horse Comics)

Writer: Evan Dorkin (@evandorkin) and Sarah Dyer (@colorkitten)  Artist: Benjamin Dewey (@benjamindewey) Letters: Nate Piekos (@Blambot)

‘A great spiritual disturbance has arisen in the Zou Valley. There is HATRED there, and DEATH.

‘Only a complete fool would go anywhere near that place.

‘Complete Fools. That’s US, I’m guessin’.  RIGHT?

————————————————————————————————

W.C. Fields has been attributed the quote ‘Never work with animals or children.’

I am certainly glad the creative team has never taken this to heart.

‘Beasts of Burden’, in all its iterations, is the love child of Evan Dorkin. A long running set of stories for Dark Horse Publishing, these tales extoll the virtues of Wise Dogs, Apprentices, and Swifties, Dogs and Cats who have, through the Grace of Nature, been granted power which they use to protect the less fortunate, and humans. 

In many cases, these majestic beasts choose to work with Humans who understand the powers the Dogs and Cats possess, and as a result, all work toward protecting the World, together.

Beasts of Burden: Occupied Territory tells the tale of Emrys, a Wise Dog, and his Human, Jonathan Hope, who venture to Japan post V-J Day, in 1947. They are investigating the disappearance and gruesome murder of some US Soldiers in Northern Japan.

The story is rife with Japanese folklore and mysticism, bringing in mythological creatures from throughout Japan’s storied history. Each being gets spotlighted, and contributes to the story, which is a pleasant surprise, considering many would just drop some of these characterizations in as window dressing. 

As I read these issues, i kept hoping for a Kaiju… but I digress.

Well, let’s begin with the artwork. Benjamin Dewey is a master of this art form. His art style screams ‘Comfortable, friendly, expressive’, while his storytelling says ‘Come, sit  and read for a while.’.  The pages, panels and layouts are PRETTY. There are no steroided out super-dogs, no sharp angles / explosions of characters from the page. This is a TALE to be spun, and his will be one half of the medium to do the spinning.  

I am dutifully impressed every time I see this gentleman’s work. It is a talent that continues to grow, and I really can’t wait  to see where he goes next.

An aside, All 4 of the A Covers for the books are done by Ben Dewey.  His style is so distinctive, the owner of the geekery pointed out to me which covers he did, saying ‘These covers are beautiful. He does such pretty, distinctive work.’  

For me, it was the B Covers that got me, with Jill Thompson doing Issue 2, Stephanie (granddaughter of John) Buscema on Issue 3, and Evan Dorkin doing Issue 4. Every one as pretty as the A Covers, and complementary to the story.

Now, for the tale of the TALE and Tails… Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer really knocked this one out of the park. 

A well told story of two Dogs (a Wise One, and one not so wise) who are out of place, but unafraid to go forth and try to do what is RIGHT, for the sake of all. A tale as old as time, with Tengu, and Kitsune, Tanuki , Oni, Kappa and Jorogumo.

Not to forget the Shibi Inu guardian Temple Dogs.

In a story concerning Japan, it was important to look at ALL the context. The Time, the Placement of the ‘Big Bad’, and whether their reaction to what occurred was potentially warranted, based upon the understanding of the History.

The storytelling is not heavy handed or hamfisted. In many cases, when mythologies from different cultures are mixed, the Writer / s will resort to the typical superhero trope of ‘Let them fight it out, realize they have a common enemy, and gang tackle the Big Bad. 

Happily, this was not the case. the team of Dorkin and Dyer gave each set of characters a sense of rationality and purpose. Emrys and Mullins were investigating the disappearances, they weren’t looking to smash anything flat before talking. The Guardians were protectors first, thinking characters. The Oni and Jorogumo, well, they were serving their baser natures, which is what they were known for; while the Council, and Lord Yamanaya served their people, and not the Outside World.

All in all, Mythology treated with a loving respect which has been seen before from this team, whether on a Marvel Snapshot story, tales of rancid Dairy Products, a group of over the top fanboys… well, you get my drift, I am sure.

The dialogue was natural feeling, one could ALMOST hear a lilt of British accent in Emrys’ lines, where there was a feel of Bensonhurst in Mullins voice. Now, how much of that was attributable to the writing, or in combination with the artwork, I couldn’t say. 

I can say in reading these books 3 times, I heard the accents in my head every time. I’ll attribute it to well seasoned writing.

The most important aspect of this writing, it left me wanting more. Evan and Sarah have whetted my appetite for more stories about these characters.

I am looking forward to the slate of stories which has been proposed, and I hope that when the time / scripts come, Ben Dewey is there to do the pencils and inks.

Thank you, guys. You have made an Old Fat Guy very happy.

Out of 5🌶        🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

========================================================

#dark horse comics #beasts of burden #beasts of burden occupied territory #Evan dorkin

[aion-rsa]

Cobra Kai and the Debate Around Cultural Appropriation

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains Cobra Kai spoilers.

Why aren’t there more Asians in Cobra Kai? 

Since Cobra Kai first premiered on YouTube, The Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, and other publications have called out the series for its lack of Asianness. The series also scored poorly on UCLA’s 2020 Hollywood Diversity Report. Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) and Carmen (Vanessa Rubio) are the only non-white main characters. This was exacerbated when the recently-released season 3 excluded Aisha (Nichole Brown), a major character of color who was a fan favorite. 

Granted, Cobra Kai does have a few non-white actors in reccurring roles. They just aren’t leads. Nate Oh plays Nathaniel, but he is a minor character with minimal development. Kyler (Joe Seo) was the first bully to appear in Cobra Kai constantly harassing Miguel. To their credit, the writers made him a wrestler instead of a stereotypical martial artist, just because he’s Asian. Cobra Kai has revealed character backstories for nearly all the show’s bullies, including Kreese (Martin Kove), but not Kyler. He remains a secondary character, but has potential to emerge as a major villain next season. 

Season 3 also enjoyed some added Asian representation during Daniel’s trip to Okinawa with heartfelt cameos from Tamlyn Tomita (Kumiko) and Yuji Okumoto (Chozen) from The Karate Kid Part II. While both characters figure largely in the canon, their Cobra Kai appearance was too limited to be as Asian inclusions to the main cast. Perhaps they’ll return in season 4. Maybe Johnny (William Zabka) needs to learn Chozen’s pressure point technique too. (I would love to see Johnny in Okinawa.)

This is all to say that Cobra Kai is not as diverse or Asian-centric as one might expect a property about martial arts to be. But that just makes it the latest in a long line of Karate Kid properties that has had to grapple with the reality of how karate operates in a globalized world. 

In some ways, The Karate Kid was groundbreaking for Asian representation when it premiered in 1984. Daniel’s (Ralph Macchio) crane kick inevitably degraded into a mocking anti-Asian gesture. The pose is iconic, but mostly as ridicule. Even Will Smith took a poke at it when Morita made a guest appearance on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And yet, Mr. Miyagi’s (Pat Morita) remarkable backstory in the film brought attention to the plight of Japanese Americans like never before.

In Miyagi’s poignant drunken scene, we discover that he was a veteran of the 100th/442nd Infantry Battalion (a.k.a. the ‘Purple Heart’ Battalion) and his wife died during childbirth in a WWII internment camp. The scene was almost cut because the filmmakers felt the tangent interrupted the momentum of the action. In retrospect, it was likely that this very scene sealed Morita’s Oscar nomination. Manned completely by Japanese Americans, the 100th/442nd was the most decorated unit for its size and service in U.S. history. 

Japan was the enemy, so the Battalion was constantly confronted by racism from surrounding ranks. The Army didn’t quite know what to do with them. They were sent on suicide missions in Europe, but they prevailed and kept coming back for more. They were awarded 18,143 individual decorations including 52 Distinguished Crosses and 21 Congressional Medals of Honor. The Medal of Honor is America’s highest award for combat valor. Miyagi has one. Recognizing the Purple Heart Battalion gave The Karate Kid a lot of soul, but Miyagi’s medal was historically awkward. The real story exposes deeper racial discrimination. 

The Next Karate Kid begins with Miyagi attending a 442nd commendation. In a respectful cameo, appearing as the Senator at that event was Daniel Inouye, an actual veteran of the 442nd who lost his arm in combat. He was the first Japanese American to serve in the House and Senate, and was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. However, The Next Karate Kid came out in 1994, six years before he received it. Twenty of the Medals of Honor that 100th/442nd vets received were upgrades awarded in 2000 after Congress rectified the oversight. The only one prior to that was given to Pfc. Sadao Munemori posthumously. He gave his life jumping on a grenade to save his comrades. When Daniel met Miyagi, no living Asian vets had a Medal of Honor.

On a personal note, my grandfather was Captain Taro Suzuki of the 100th Battalion. Like so many of his comrades, he was wounded in action. His right hand was permanently crippled, and he still had so much shrapnel in his body that he couldn’t pass through a metal detector. I inherited his Purple Heart which I cherish like the LaRussos treasure Miyagi’s medal. I heard his war stories growing up. The Karate Kid was the first time I saw his battalion represented in a movie. Miyagi’s drunken scene is still intensely moving and personal for me. 

Morita died in 2005 so Miyagi only appears in Cobra Kai flashbacks culled from the original movies. Although the series goes to great lengths to honor him, the lack of any Asian leads does give credence to those accusations of cultural appropriation and whitewashing. The thing is, much of the martial arts scene in the Western world has already been, for lack of a better term, whitewashed. And one character’s journey (and the real life figure he’s based on), helps illustrate martial arts’ approach to worldwide growth.

In Cobra Kai season 3, Young Kreese’s journey mirrors the real-life experience of the action choreographer of the original films, Master Pat E. Johnson. Kreese learned martial arts from his Caucasian commander, Captain Turner (Terry Serpico), who learned it while serving in Korea from Master Kim Sun-Yung. It was actually Korean Tang Soo Do, not Karate. Johnson learned Tang Soo Do from Master Kang Lo Hee while stationed as a U.S. Army chaplain in Korea. This is how Tang Soo Do spread westward. Many of the leading American martial arts proponents are not Asian. 

Today, martial arts belong to the world. For generations, Asian traditional martial arts have striven to propagate themselves globally. Judo and Taekwondo have become Olympic events and Karate was going to be added in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It’s still on track when the games are rescheduled this summer. International organizations are found in every major martial arts style now and they are continuing to spread. So, it’s not entirely fair to begrudge the diaspora’s non-inclusivity. 

While The Karate Kid brought martial arts to the San Fernando Valley, other films and shows have spread the martial diaspora globally. The Blaxploitation genre glorified martial arts with its own unique take on the culture. Netflix’s Seis Manos is a Kung Fu based adult animated series set in Mexico. Although it does have a leading Asian role in Chiu (Vic Chao), is this cultural appropriation? Indian movie stars like Tiger Shroff and Akshay Kumar have brought martial arts to Bollywood in force with films like Commando, Baaghi, and Khiladi. That’s not Asian cultural appropriation, even though India is a different region of Asia where we don’t typically associate martial arts. 

Nevertheless, the international spread of Asian martial arts does not give filmmakers carte blanche to deny whitewashing and cultural appropriation. We must not go back to the days of Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins where Joel Grey played Chuin with slant eye makeup. 

Whether Cobra Kai culturally appropriates Asian culture or not, it can certainly increase its diversity. The setting, West Valley High School, is attended by students from Encino and Reseda. While Encino is over 80% white, Reseda is over 50% Hispanic and over 11% Asian. Statistically, the inclusion of Miguel and Carmen isn’t enough. The Karate Kid franchise was pivotal for representation. Conversations about appropriation and whitewashing aside, Cobra Kai can at least honor the franchise’s tradition and increase its diversity next season. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Cobra Kai season 3 is available to stream on Netflix now.

The post Cobra Kai and the Debate Around Cultural Appropriation appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2M2KULR

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

[xiil3gendary]

Walking to work in the mountains of western Kanto aaaaaand there’s this crab just chilling in a support wall.

Japanese friend says it’s cute. How do you feel about it?

#Nate’s Japanese adventure #Japan #Japanese animal #animal #crab

[shinjinotikari17]

Why I love Yo-kai Watch and how Kodomo anime is treated like garbage.

Yo-kai Watch is a breath of fresh air to the Mon genre or at least the children's side of it, where it was always dominated by Pokemon, I love the world building of the games making the towns of Springdale, Harrisville, San Fantastico, St. Peanutsburg, and especially the Yo-kai World, like you can kick cans, help old ladies and chicks, the NPCs change location depending on the time of day and the whether.

The many mini games they throw you to play, you can eat your dinner, play rhythm games, Zombie Night, the infamous Terror Time, Blasters, and getting achievements, that's more content then the Pokemon games ever got (the most they got content wise is BW2), and the designs are a mix of cute, cool, and the creepy.

As for the anime the reason, well let me tell you why the anime stand out. Before the Yo-kai Watch hit the airwaves many Kodomo anime mostly focused on the action and story. Shows like Inazuma Eleven, LBX, and Pokemon are all great shows because of that, but as far as the jokes are concerned they are few and far between and even if they do jokes they're extremely safe ones that only a toddler can only chuckle at.

Yo-kai Watch is a master when it comes to meta jokes with Chilled Cacao being the ultimate example of that, which most anime, let alone Kodomo anime barley gets right (correct me if I'm wrong). the pop culture references that blend in to the show which makes you feel smart for noticing. References found in dialogue is ones you have to pay attention to the most (that's where Shadowside got you covered) They even have heartwarming segments like the majority of the Komasan ones, and even a little education on the side (thanks Koma Brothers for teaching me on what Japan has to offer) even the main segments have these emotional moments from time to time (Sandmeh, Tiered, the Riku/Josh focused episode, and more).

The most controversial part of Yo-kai Watch is the adult humor, even getting complaints from BPOA and that's what made Yo-kai Watch stand out to me. There not afraid to show these kind of things and go OMG they did not just get away with that, like when the boys wanted to watch a late Next Harmoweny Show, Robonyan likes getting rubbed with B3-NK1's spear, Sproink on how to not eat a banana and the graphic death of Manjimutts teddy bear, which leads me to my favorite segments of all of Yo-kai Watch (Komasan Taxi), and it paved a way for Kodomo anime to get away with stuff that even Yo-kai Watch found crass like the main boy from Pascal Sensei pee pees being pixelated  this move from Hero Bank the entirety of Heybot! to even Time Bokan 24 (Level 5 helped with the Mecha and maybe character designs)

Which brings me to this question when is going to far, well going to far, I mean back in the day, Kodomo anime used to get away with much worse nowadays with boys around Nates age not only naked but we get a full frontal view of their pee pees even around the mid 90's heck even the main Yo-kai Watch manga can get away with stuff more than the anime (Gush's nose bleed ability was changed to dripping in the anime due to nosebleeds association with erections) not to mention the majority of CoroCoro Manga , and let's not get even started with the kind of perverted jokes from kids entertainment from the 60s-80s with Go Nagai's Shameless School being a prime example.

Each Yokai movie is different than the last one and takes risks unlike the Pokemon films until I Choose You. One is a standard film, one is an anthology/package film, one is half live action, one is a pilot to the greatest Yokai Watch anime ever with Shadowside with most Yokai having a backstory, awesome action scenes, and the best human characters Yokai Watch has, one focuses on a new cast of characters, and the upcoming one humanizing the Yokai.

Well if you read for this long it's time for my rant on how Yo-kai Watch and Kodomo anime in general is treated

Kodomo Anime is treated like Garbage

We all heard the complaints on how Yo-kai Watch is treated in America so I'll keep it brief, Nintendo decided to release it two years late instead of just one year maximum leading the 3ds games to play catch up before the system discontinued thanks to the Switch. Hasbro made bad plushies and watches and while the first series of medals are fine by me, the zero medals have the yo-motion feature which ruins the art of the medal. Putting it on Disney XD, while better than Nicktoons and what they did to LBX, XD is mostly not available in some households and being put in a morning time slot leads Yo-kai Watch to be one of the most censored anime of all time (did I over exaggerate?), releasing Yo-kai Watch 3 as only one game instead of all three, and N Circle finally releasing the first half of Yo-kai Watch just this year. to be honest I'm fine with Manjuu being changed to Donuts cause they look like donuts and IDK where to find Manjuu in the state I live in?

The thing is that Kodomo Anime like Yo-kai Watch are often treated like trash in the anime community and the anime dubbing industry. Companies with lots of money like Funimation, Sentai Filmworks, Aniplex, Viz Media (which licensed the manga), Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and Netflix will rather pick up Isekai #999, Ecchi #6666, Harem #479890 and whatever Seinen and Josei is available because they rather retain that image of anime being cartoons for big boys than for actual good content like Inazuma, Layton, LBX, the Snack World, and Yo-kai Watch, throwing them to the studios who don't have the budget of multiple episode shows like Blue Water (Oceans budget studio), Bang Zoom maybe and SDI, where lucky Yokai and Inazuma still have the Japanese score and Pokemon couldn't even have that.

It even extends to physical media with anime like DBZ have all the special features like audio commentary and behind the scene secrets, uncut and uncensored, while Kodomo anime they get a vanilla release and Pokemon didn't fully adopt Blu Ray until Ultra Adventures (and the Yo-kai dvd at least have adverts before the dvd menu, there's that).

Well that's all I have to say, hope you enjoy blog post, and have a good day.

#yokai watch #yokai watch shadowside #y academy #forever friends #Level-5

[emmastudies]

Hey! Im looking for a good tv show to watch any ideas?

Oh boy, here I go! I’ll split it up into ones that I really enjoy and the ones that I’ve watched but maybe aren’t my favourites!

Shows I love:

Game of Thrones - I think if you aren’t watching this already, it is the best time to start!!

The Office (US)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The Good Place

Parks and Recreation

The Haunting of Hill House - fking phenomenal! If you don’t mind a bit of horror/jump scares, this is honestly a masterpiece.

Most Popular Girls in School - a stop-motion YouTube series about Barbies. Don’t get me wrong it sounds weird but it is hilarious. 

Terrace House - most are on Netflix now but it is such a cute show!? It is basically just following the lives of 6 Japanese (mainly) twenty-somethings. It is subtitled but I really enjoy that!

Desperate Housewives - I remember sneaking downstairs as a child to watch this through our glass doors! Once I was old enough to watch it, it was so much more intense to the snippets I’d seen. Totally recommend it.

Stranger Things

RuPaul’s Drag Race (+ All Stars & Untucked)

Awkward 

Black Mirror

Shows I’ve enjoyed:

Supernatural - started this a while ago! I got up to season 5 then changed laptops so didn’t have a disc drive and slowly stopped after that. I really enjoyed it whilst I watched it but a lot of people said it dipped after s5 or 6? :(

Pretty Little Liars - a good mystery series but does drag on slightly! That being said, they all have such nice hair which makes me sad :’-)

Riverdale - The first season is pretty solid, it then gets kind of insane. I love it for Madelaine Petsch but part of me constantly feels second-hand embarrassment for some of the scenes :’-) I’ve kind of stopped watching this last season but might try to catch up again!

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

The OA - a very weird but compelling show. I couldn’t stop watching.

American Horror Story - an untraditional show but good nonetheless! I loved Roanoke and Hotel!

Orange is the New Black

How To Get Away With Murder - I watched up to season two and did really like it but got confused so I stopped? :’-) I loved all the Celine bags in it though!

Catfish: The TV Show - I usually watch this with my dad, he finds it hilarious! One of my favourites for casual watching.

Gossip Girl - honestly since a gem of a show! Plus Nate Archibald is such a cutie!!!

Ghost Adventures - I love paranormal shows and these guys are so funny! Probably not legit but hey ho

Bad Education

Unbreakable Kimmy Schimdt

Insatiable - there was a lot of mixed reviews on this but I did enjoy it, Brick Armstrong is so cute and looks like an older version of the kid I had a crush on it year 7 lmao :’-)

Dynasty

Skins

UnReal

Now Apocalypse - totally insane, very heavy sex scenes and stuff but the whole cast is hot hahah 

Arrested Development

The Inbetweeners

Superstore - I started watching it a while ago just on the telly but never got round to finishing it! I’m very tempted to watch it again.

Sharp Objects

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Dark Tourist - a new Netflix show that I really enjoyed :P

Nailed It

Great British Bake Off

Gordon Ramseys …. (basically all his shows) - all these food shows! I love him in kitchen nightmares, hotel hell, etc! It is half disgusting but amazing!

Anything David Attenborough - Our Planet, Plant Earth, etc

A few documentaries I like:

Tickled - I watched this documentary the other day and haven’t stopped thinking about it. The craziest plot twist holy crapalony!

Dead Mommy Dearest (The Act on Hulu is now based on this)

Beware the Slenderman

Making a Murderer

Twinsters - I loved this documentary! It was so heartwarming.

Wild Wild Country

The Keepers

Betting on Zero

The Bleeding Edge

Audrey & Daisy - a serious documentary and so moving. I will put a trigger warning with this recommendation though.

The Hunting Ground - again, a sensitive topic but powerful.

The Imposter

r/documentaries - is fantastic for finding new ones!! Anything by Louis Theroux is usually fab btw :P

I hope that gives you just a few things to watch haha! xx

#q #asked #answered