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iamafanofcartoons · 7 months

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RWBY Fans talk about what makes RWBY enjoyable for the FNDM.

I want to take a moment to thank the RWBY Fandom for coming together on post

www.tumblr.com/iamafanofcartoons/714857308133441536/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

and discussing why RWBY was an enjoyable show for each of them.

Everyone here had a fantastic reason, and I am grateful to each of you!

@hmvw2015 : For me, RWBY filled the void left behind by Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

It’s one of the few shows I’ve seen (aside from Adventure Time) that grows up with its audience.

The fight scenes are so incredible! They’re lightening fast I would have to rewatch the same episode at least twice or thrice! Easily rivaling those done by Studios Gainax or TRIGGER, or Titmouse.

Since every character, place, and object have connections to fairy tales, mythologies, folklore, and classic novels, it did a great job portraying them to their root inspirations. Plus, I’m always digging deep into their designs and backstories.

The music is almost top tier to the music from the Disney Renaissance Era. Maybe even better than that. The songs add another layer of foreshadowing for the characters, and they’re fun to listen to~!

It tackles issues like self-worth, abuse, and death.

The series basically screams “Women’s Rights” and “Gay Rights” and proud of it. :D

www.tumblr.com/hmvw2015/715987868852666368/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@ammy246 :

I've always enjoyed the characters, and I like how there are 4 badass female protagonists who are each enjoyable to watch. I also like how the villains are actually threatening, so the heroes have to put effort into earning victories unlike many works of fiction. The animation always excites me, because you never know what you're going to get. And, don't even get me started on the amazing soundtrack.

@cinnamonrollfuckhead :

it tickles all the right things about me. i got in trouble for reading in classes when i finished my work early at school, it was nearly always history or mythology. i was an ancient Egypt kid. i read outside my age group. if Snapple wanted to employ me to write factoids for their caps i would take it. i was hooked on RWBY immediately despite being older than any of the main characters. i found an unlikely character to relate to in Jaune. i loved how it balanced serious and goofy themes.

@satoshi-mochida :

Some stuff I like about the show is that it's pretty fun and entertaining to watch, has constantly improving writing and animation(the CRWBY recognizing ACTUAL criticism, and working on those), with smarter and deeper than some may think moments, well-done characters, great music and songs, and probably more. I even cosplayed as Jaune(and the 'HuntsMan' with a Wonder-Zwei plush)with my then-girlfriend before COVID hit and other stuff happened, and enjoyed doing that.

@haunted-meatsack :

I'm waaaaay behind but I started watching for the fight choreography, music, and battle skirts. Plus I'm a sucker for small girls who kick ass with GIANT weapons. Then the story and characters kept me coming. I need to catch up.

www.tumblr.com/haunted-meatsack/715895495101497344/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@bumblebyfan :

I like RWBY due to a lot of reasons, for starters, the relationships between the main characters, and how they constantly help each other, I also really like the whole fantasy setting and how funny it is at times, I also really liked how they handled Ruby’s arc during season 9, as someone who has had... intrusive thoughts

www.tumblr.com/bumblebyfan/715730749688561664/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@xlbingo10 :

one thing that i particularly like about rwby is that the characters aren't dumbasses. i feel like so often in shows i watch there's an episode conflict where the characters make an obviously terrible plan that will clearly backfire horribly just for the sake of the episode plot and it's always painful to watch, so it's really nice to watch a show where that doesn't happen.

www.tumblr.com/xlbingo10/715707865708527616/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable.

@sir-somewhat :

I love the cast.

I honestly can't say there is a character I am not fond of in some way and that includes the villians.

I love the idea of semblances and the faunus.

Also I want more faunus lore. Given the existence of the Ever After I have to wonder if the Faunus came from another world created by the Brothers.

www.tumblr.com/sir-somewhat/715323283721076736/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@ghost-of-sparda :

Rwby was a show I found in college that I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy, but as I watched it- I found myself completely enthralled in the world created by Monty Oum and his friends. It’s story has me on the edge of my seat every episode, and it’s anime vibes make it a treat to watch. It’s not perfect, I will admit that- and there have been times where I didn’t agree with a direction of story telling at first. However there hasn’t been a show that gets me as excited as RWBY does since I was a kid.

If you grew up watching anime, or grew up watching anime- I’d give RWBY a go. If you are still not over the Owl House/ She-Ra/ ATLA/ LOK/ Naruto/ or any other amazing series with crazy fights and an amazing story: I recommend Rwby as your next obsession.

And if you want to give anime a try, but are still dipping your toes into the medium- Rwby is a good half way point for newcomers.

www.tumblr.com/ghost-of-sparda/715237926532956160/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@aspiringwarriorlibrarian :

I really like the characters and their arcs, tragic villains, the triumph of hope and healing, and the fantasy elements.

www.tumblr.com/aspiringwarriorlibrarian/715056039519830016/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@miki-13 : I love how they use fairy tales and myths as inspiration but execute them in really interesting ways, as well as how human and grounded everyone feels while inside such a fantastic setting.

www.tumblr.com/miki-13/715136165044469760/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@thatringboy :

For the same reasons above, I’m also in love with the complex motivations behind the antagonists. Mercury hated the world and needed an enabler, Emerald needed security, Cinder snapped after a lifetime of abuse (just like Mercury), Hazel wanted revenge, Lionhart wanted to save himself, Raven wanted to save herself, Tyrian is just insane (based), Watts wanted petty revenge, Neo wanted revenge but doesn’t know what to do afterwards, CC wants to fulfill their cruel purpose, and Salem just wants to finally die. Torchwick was a comical villain who posed a dangerous threat, the Malachite sisters were doing their jobs, Ironwood was a victim of his own paranoia, Cardin was just racist, Cordovin worships her superiors, the Fennec brothers too, Adam wanted total control over everything and everyone in his life and would stop at nothing to get it, Ilia believed in a cause, Tock was following orders, it’s all so varied and exciting!!

www.tumblr.com/thatringboy/715138435689676800/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@pyrokinetic-murder-hobo :

I honestly fell in love with this project immediately back when the red trailer was first introduced to me.

Though the animation for RWBY was simple and understandably a lot of people regard it as not the best. Even V1 and the original 4 trailers had a living soul to me and there was a certain charm to the characters and the animation.

What kept me coming back is I find myself being unable to predict where the show will go and it honestly keeps me drawn in that my thoughts and predictions are completely circumvented. The show doesn’t follow the trajectory of really any other media and Monty navigated it masterfully.

There’s so many relatable characters and the situations they are put in are approached not perfectly but in a human way as to be a human (even if you have copious amounts of power) means you’ll definitely trip up.

But simply put I’ve loved this project since the beginning with the 4 trailers and could write a dissertation on why I love this show and include a long list of different things I love ranging from OST to characters to design animation. But maybe a talk for another day

And it made me some awesome friends on tumblr of course too which is a major plus (you better know who you are lol)

www.tumblr.com/pyrokinetic-murder-hobo/715072709057478656/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

iamafanofcartoons:

For me, RWBY is a change of pace.

It allows for women to be shown as independent characters, just as smart and strong as male ones.

It doesn’t use fanservice , you don’t have internal monologuing during fight scenes, you don’t have people screaming random attack names, and the music and designs are great.

I appreciate the humor, its not toilet humor or degrading humor like a lot of anime.

It also tackles difficult themes like abuse, leadership, morality, and debate.

It also takes the white male savior trope so common in the fanfics that people use to promote their OCs, and takes a giant dump on that garbage. If anything, when people say “the fanfics are better than the show” you’ll see them promoting a white male savior trope above all else.

Finally? Its a pro-LGBT show on many aspects, which amusingly infuriates a lot of straight shippers who defend their straight white male character who they put on a pedestal.

www.tumblr.com/iamafanofcartoons/715040015347040256/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@grimmgrinningghouls :

for me RWBY is a comfort

It has been for 10 years

I literally would not be who I am today without this show

I'd probably still be a closeted lesbian living in a conservative household with an abusive father

and a mother who hated me

hell I may not even be here

But instead I'm living across the world from them and I'm okay

As okay as I can be

Its helped me through so much and its introduced me to people I have become life long friends with

These funky little lesbians are part of my life and they will be till the day I die

www.tumblr.com/grimmgrinningghouls/715064091163721728/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@snowqueenofmyheart :

Agreed to the above, as well as being able to enjoy a story that centers women in a way that doesn’t reduce them to simplistic tropes or fanservice. I’ve been looking for more female-centered material over the last several years, and stumbling upon RWBY turned out to be a real joy in that regard. Across the board, you have so many compelling female characters, heroes and villains alike. Not to mention two main characters being explicitly in a queer romance is a delight and a relief.

www.tumblr.com/snowqueenofmyheart/715058819349233664/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@youraveragecatastrophe :

well first i love fantasy so we're off to a good start between the monsters heroes and magic

the characters are a very strong point of this show. they're well fleshed out

(even many secondary characters including villains and despite the big cast!)

and they get the opportunity to develop and evolve

i love the themes! love and hope and caring about each other and all that

the fights are really fun to watch especially with the unique weapons and everyone's different fighting style

the story is really compelling and well written too!

also gayness. can't forget the queerness

really this show has everything

www.tumblr.com/youraveragecatastrophe/715058708953071616/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@foulfirerebel :

The music was what first made me get interested in RWBY. The hard hitting rock that also carried quite a bit of meaning into it if you truly took a moment to listen to the lyrics.

So, from there I watched V1 at a friend's house and felt it was good. It did a good job with the action scenes, and setting things up for the characters.

Volume 2, however, is where I truly fell in love with the show. The appearance of Cinder, of Ironwood, the food fight, the investigation into Torchwick and the White Fang, the dance and hacking sequence! Everything pointed to something more going on. Something hidden waiting to spring forth!

V1 was a great entry point, V2 convinced me to stay and hooked me, and when I finally marathoned V3 I was EAGER to watch V4 and onward. Any and all quibbles I may have had melted away when the Fall of Beacon happened.

So, long story short, I love the story. I love how things are built up and come back further down the line (Jaune's issues, Ruby's issues, etc.). I love how the characters do go through a lot and need help getting back up. I love how sincere and earnest everything is without a hint of irony.

I love the slow burn relationships, and that the show doesn't end with those relationships just being established. I love that, despite everything, this one little indie show has continued going past everything that's happened in a decade since it started. I love that the story is engaging, the characters are deep, the writing is great, and that I'm even feeling bad for the villains which I don't normally do.

RWBY may not be the most perfect thing ever, but frankly I love that the writers do see and incorporate feedback into their work. I love that, unlike how Halo or Star Wars do things, you don't necessarily need to have read all the side content to understand things too.

Most of all is I love how this show has improved on every level: animation, writing, voice acting, etc. It's just so refreshing. It's the Little Engine that Could continuing onward and getting better as it goes.

And hey, being a Bumbleby shipper since V3 and being vindicated in V9? Cherry on the sundae. It's been a wild ride, and I'd love it to continue.

www.tumblr.com/foulfirerebel/714989613562904576/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@maor-koren :

RWBY is one of my favorite shows, it take a unique concept and make it very enjoyable to watch.

The main and side characters are all unique in their own way and very enjoyable.

The story is really good.

The animation, fight scenes and the design of the characters and places are all very pleasing to the eye.

And the music is phenomenal.

Don’t let other people make your opinion! look at the show and see for yourself if you like it or not!

www.tumblr.com/maor-koren/714954350873788416/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@but-a-humble-goon :

Rwby is, in a word, earnest. Its characters are unashamedly sincere, affectionate and vulnerable and the show understands not only that these things are not a weakness but that there can be no greater measure of strength. It’s a story overflowing with heart that categorically rejects stoicism and nihilism and never once apologises for itself. Nothing has ever hit me harder and I do mean that.

www.tumblr.com/but-a-humble-goon/714953671346176000/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@mikey-polo420 :

I watched RWBY Because i was drawn in by the trailers when Monty was alive and i liked the idea of cute girls fighting monsters with giant weapons, then i wanted to see their journey through beacon and now i've become invested with the Messages of hope the show presents, i love each of my precious children and want to see them achieve their happiness , i want to support RWBY to it's conclusion because that's what Monty wanted, it's what his friends wanted and they deserve to complete his Brain child.

www.tumblr.com/mikey-polo420/714951464721743872/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@mooninoir :

i started watching when vol. 1 was still going, with a fansub (!) working hell and back to translate each episode as they came out. i remember waiting every week to see a new episode, and when the last episodes came, i was entirely invested in this sci-fi fantasy series with fairytale elements and wanted to know what would happen next.

and, for me, it's an endearing series that i enjoy watching, even with its flaws. it's fun, but it also has a heart. i like how it didn't shy away from telling a broader story. vol. 3's gut-wrenching finale was for me what made me realize i was not there just for the amazing fights and cool soundtrack, but for the characters and how they live in this crazy world. it was amazing to watch its worldbuilding evolve to such great lengths and see the characters i like to grow and learn and evolve along with it. they are done well and don't feel misplaced in the narrative. it just flows nicely and i guess the latest volume proved that to me (the themes, the motifs, the characters' choices, and the visuals) everything comes together, y'know?

and i just... like it. i like rwby. i really do.

www.tumblr.com/mooninoir/714949733681102848/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

Tumblingxelian:

Why do you watch this show?

I watch RWBY for the cool characters, interesting setting and engaging overarching story and arcs, plus some gorgeous animation, sets and awesome music.

What makes it appeal to you?

Women, including queer women, are center stage and given tons of dynamic personality, agency and exploration in ways I rarely see done in other series.

www.tumblr.com/tumblingxelian/714943623381303296/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@feifiefofum :

look, the ad on the tin was cute girls doing violent things and looking great while doing it. that was the impetus for me to follow the show, i was there when it started with the famous red trailer to yellow trailer.

the writing then wasn't bad, a bit condensed because, y'know, shoestring budget so everything was very tight time wise. but y'know, you didn't watch the four trailers and get sold on the story- which was good by the by, but it wasn't exceptional. it was by the numbers, hitting what they need to hit, but good. you didn't think it was spectacular.

but then volume 3 hits you out of nowhere, and you realize, oh, the writing is phenomenal actually.

rwby has deceptively good writing that on the surface is good par for the course that lulls you into complacency, and then manages to sideswipe you with incredible twists that you don't see, but on looking back, the seeds for the twist were planted from book 1 on. the world is slowly and meticulously rolled out to the viewer, the characters shine, and the action, while still spectacular, become secondary to the characters and the world.

i started watching rwby, expecting cute girls doing violent things. and they deliver on that, and if you come watch rwby just for that, it delivers that. i didn't come in for hearty world building, intrigue, and lore so deep you can get lost in it. the writers write on a razor's edge, giving enough lore for a backdrop and setting the stage, but if you decide to dig at any trail, you can get lost in it. the concept of dust, the name of the world itself- frankly i think it's a masterclass in giving enough to keep the story going but having enough in the back that every new twist that they lay out can be found to have grown from a seed that was planted in an earlier volume.

i dunno who traded their soul away to keep track of all that world building and lore, but that excel sheet must be something to behold. rwby throws u-turns that you don't expect at you, lulls you with a sense of 'okay, i see your tricks now' and somehow manages to turn you around again, and have it make sense.

frankly, it's a little frustrating, i've been bamboozled and led by the nose.

and i love it for that. i'm delighted by the ride i'm on, and i hope the show keeps going.

www.tumblr.com/feifiefofum/714920887601790976/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@aspennntree :

I watch rwby for several reasons- mostly for the characters, i find some of them really relatable

also i just genuinely enjoy the story and the visuals and find the show very comforting

i also like the people i’ve met in this community that are kind and i like having people to share my interests with

i’ve made many new friends being in this community and it’s something i’m very passionate about, i just really enjoy it genuinely

www.tumblr.com/aspennntree/714906439613906944/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@tokufan400 :

Even with everything, I can't bring myself to stop watching RWBY. I got back into it after talking with some friends in highschool, and I've been doing my best to keep up with it since. I have love for the characters (Weiss is the best), and I do feel a sence of amazement that a western project like this ha s grown so much. Not to mention the amount of art, comics, manga, and fanfics that have spawned from the show.

Do I have problems with RWBY? Yes. I will probably never stop ranting about something the show does to tick me off. But I do the same for Star Vs and Kamen Rider Zero One, both shows I still hold a love for. Hell, I might do the same for Amphibia and Owl House down the line if I do a re watch.

So yeah, still love RWBY and I want to be around to see how this story ends.

www.tumblr.com/tokufan400/714910475313446912/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@howlingday :

So, I was in high school and I was watching Red VS Blue. Then I started watching Rage Quit. Then Achievement Hunter. Play Pals.

Then my sister and my high school crush were like, hey, try out RWBY. I mocked them by saying "It should be Ar-Dubyoo-Bee-Why". Then I got into it and, well, I liked it the more I got into it until I was caught up to Volume 2. Then Death Battle had the Yang VS Tifa fight (PLEASE, NO REMATCH), and I was rooting for Yang. Then I saw Volume 3, and I was shocked, dismayed, and devastated at the sudden heel turn. I've been hooked ever since.

So, to answer your questions.

I watch RWBY because it's fun, and I want to know where the story goes. I loved the fun had at Beacon, and I want to know what happens next.

The appeal comes from the desire to see these group of friends fight to save the world from the Grimm. I want to see them thrive against a world where everything is stacked against them! And I want to see them flying kick someone in the face to the sound of the most amazing butt-rock since Crush 40 Sonic (No offense MGR)!

So, yeah, I love watching RWBY because it's a story to be told. And I'm going to openly sob when the story finally comes to an end.

www.tumblr.com/howlingday/714865441082851328/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@gorillageek27 :

i watch because, okay i was kinda turned off by it at first, just "what is this anime shit?", but i watched it and it's the most out there animated thing i can think like. Rwby is a show that somehow got me appreicating animated projects and you can tell the writers and animators have fun with it.

www.tumblr.com/gorillageek27/714864574777671680/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@lithominium :

Its endearing, the lack of amazing animation in vol 1-3 is made up for in how much love was put into it. The characters are fun and loveable and the writing is goofy but unlike some other media ive watched its very good at knowing when to keep the tone consistent. Its very gay and i love gay and its got one of the greatest slow burns ive ever seen with great payoffs which always happen when they should. I like the setting and the lore and the weapons and the semblances. Its such a good show

www.tumblr.com/lithominium/714869719134535680/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@everafterfrisk :

I love RWBY for a ton of reasons but to keep it short:

• The Facial Expressions of the characters match really well with the tones of each scene

• Amazing character designs that can just tell you so much about them before you get to know them

•The animation: RWBY imo is best 3D animated series, most of the time 3D animes tend to be stiff and lifeless

But RWBY gives its fights alot of finesse and creativity to go along with

Like here's a few examples:

(V9)

Weiss and Blake using gambol shroud's blade to propel Yang while simultaneously having Yang use Arma Gigas's Sword

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9RQnk7Oueo

(V3)

Yang closing Flynt's Trumpet making his quartet backfire on him

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLu3_LKG_A8

(V4 Short)

Ruby using the recoil of her weapon to bounce out of the way from a Grimm and trip him up using her Scythe catching him into a Hurricane formed by her semblance (13:54)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivns4_clQ_c

There's even a full in depth analysis on the fight choreography from the earlier volumes to check out

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMQfm0RsY6o

• Themes of Unity,Self identity,Acceptance,Loving oneself, Finding hope in the most dreadful scenarios and the list goes on

• The Protagonist Ruby Rose is a breath of fresh air similar to say Deku from BNHA where both know the world isn't exactly kind but still try to help the best they can; even if it results in them destroying themselves to get there as their series's goes on

•The Villains are all pretty realistic in their motivations being not afraid to fall victim to arrogance while simultaneously being victims of either the world's actions or their own

°The show doesn't swindle you into thinking that just cuz they have sympathetic backgrounds that they're immediately good

They have to work for it and atone for misdeeds such as Ilia,Emerald and Hazel or doesn't believe their actions are unwarranted like Salem and Cinder or has a lack of empathy for the world around them like Mercury or Tyrian or Wants to do the right thing but lets the ends justify their means(Ironwood) or Living only on the fear of your actions(Lionheart) or The world has dealt so much injustice to you that you felt giving it by ten thousand fold would remedy it ( Ilia and Adam)

▪︎ The Music is just PEAK for me

The Sound design,everything just speaks volumes of the scene

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS4HvQ5BP-1gKp4Ou4PRkqdEDvnNqdTGS

www.tumblr.com/everafterfrisk/714883876389044224/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@blakistan :

I think RWBY was first suggested to be me on the grounds of “lots of really cool fights” which, while not ultimately the point of the show is still a big plus! Monty was an absolute wizard when it came to fight choreography and CRWBY has done a fantastic job keeping up that legacy. Ofc that was only the thing that got me to look at the show in the first place - what made me stay was the incredibly well done character-driven story. Following along and exploring the arcs of all the different characters in the show helped me through tough times and shaped a lot of who I am as a person today - Blake and Weiss’ stories in particular did so much in helping me find hope that I could grow as a person because that what the show is: hope. So uh yeah, if you like deep, interwoven character narratives that don’t shy away from growth, change, or the ugliness that sometimes crops up along the way with those things, definitely give RWBY a watch

www.tumblr.com/blakistan/714867196992585728/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@proximio-5 :

Tbh, I don't know, there's something about it that I can't explain, I started watching it in 2018, but somehow it's one of my top 3 Favorite animated shows, it can be because of the story or maybe the background, like the people behind it and everything they've done and how far they've come

For example, Monty; first he made the Haloid animation, then he became director of animation in Red vs Blue, and then he created this masterpiece that will be a big part of me

The animation itself is one of the best things about the show, I mean looking back at the style of background in V1 and more recent volumes, saying it has improved would be an understatement, I mean just look at it, you can see how much effort the've done for it

Another reason is the development or the characters, they've changed and matured in many ways. (Speaking of, I really hope Ruby comes back different but keeping at least some of her previous self)

So yeah, this show is far of being perfect, but then again...

What isn't?

www.tumblr.com/proximio-5/714866831427567616/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@kereeachan :

I’m generally a fan of animation, and it’s been neat seeing how it’s improved since volume 3 (when I got into it). The story intrigues me, and I love the wide cast of characters and their development. The alternate universe is a neat one, Grimm are fascinating as a take on Evil Creatures to me, and the designs have always been cool, bar a few that never flew with me (Blake’s 1-3 outfit just kind of always looked a lil too sexy for my tastes on a “huntress” and I initially thought Nora’s 4-6 look was a downgrade before it grew on me)

I really enjoyed Ironwood’s slide from well-intentioned, if incorrect, hero to villain. Honestly his foreshadowing in volumes 2, 3, and 4 was some of the best I’ve ever seen. Maswartz above has commented on how they fool you by having him take facistic actions against people we hate more to hide how far he’s falling fast until we actually GET to Atlas and Mantle and realize it’s gone full Police State (if it wasn’t before). Genius.

I also adored Penny, she was my baby, she was amazing as a character and I’m so happy we got her back for a few more volumes before losing her for good (as much as anyone is ever truly gone, of course, she still looms large over vol 9). As one of the “weird girls” of the world who took a long time to come into my comfort with being a girl due to teasing and bullying (autism, baby. they always know) Penny just always SPOKE to me. I’m glad she not only proved her Real Girl bonafides as a Maiden but even got to live outside a metal body for a few episodes before her death, finally feeling the warmth of a hug.

www.tumblr.com/kereeachan/714863784387297280/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@sevenofreds :

It's a genuinely fun and enjoyable show that can mix multiple genres together without it being jarring. There's action and comedy, there's horror, there's mystery and drama, and it all makes sense for what's happening. It has a layered and complex plot where things almost always turn out to be more nuanced than they first seem, and almost every twist/big event is subtly foreshadowed in some way. The shorter length of episodes compared to other shows also makes it really fun to binge watch.

www.tumblr.com/sevenofreds/714860874339352576/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@crowwrites2140 :

Of course it has its flaws like every other piece of media, but I genuinely find RWBY both entertaining and just a good show in general. I love the "AHA!" moments when you something is revealed that has been hinted at for volumes. I love the music and could listen to it for hours. I love the characters; their designs, their motivations, their relationships with each other and their character arcs that span the show. In regards to the protagonists, I also enjoy how they all seem so human. The writers allow them to make mistakes and fail. They aren't always the perfect heroes. And in regards to the villains, they are believable too. Nearly every one of them has some kind of motivation that drives them to want revenge in destruction. I love the plot, despite its flaws. It's complex and ties in with countless allusions. And lastly, I love the fanbase. Not the toxic side, honestly it makes me sad that a show like RWBY needs positivity posts because its hate fanbase is just so large. But there are so many in the community who are incredibly creative and create hilarious memes, beautiful art, and amazing stories, and I'm grateful to be a part of that.

www.tumblr.com/crowwrites2140/714860089114312704/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@the-god-of-nihon :

RWBY is a special show to me. I’ve been with the series since it premiered at the end of RvB Season 10, and ten years is not an inconsiderable amount of time to be a fan of something. And unlike the “critics” or RWDE, I don’t stick around to hate-watch because of the sunken cost fallacy, or “to learn what not to do.” Or just for a reason to complain, more accurately. I simply enjoy the series. I have since it began, and I still do, and I’ll continue to do so.

While I don’t like everything about the show, or agree with all the creative choices; I don’t automatically assume that something I don’t like is wrong or bad. I happily take RWBY for what it is, and not what I think it should be. I, by no means am blind to the flaws and missteps, but none of them hinder my enjoyment to the degree that I feel like the show overall is a negative experience, even at its lowest points.

I watch the show because I like it. It has been a consistent source of enjoyment for me, and even now. I’ve enjoyed growing alongside it from an indie web-series into what it is today and seeing how it’s changed and improved with every volume.

I enjoy and am invested in many of the characters. I like the world and the bits of world-build and lore we get throughout the main show and supplementary material. And of course I can’t not touch on the fights and character designs. Its vibrant and narrative-relevant use of color, and how that’s effected the shows aesthetic development. And Monty Oum’s classic high-speed, frenetic and intricate choreo, that’s yet to be replicated. And how while different the post-Monty fights are still interesting and engaging for the most part.

I love the depictions of friendship and platonic/familial connection in the show, most prominently for me personally, Ruby & Jaune’s bond. As it’s so rare for a male-female friendship to be purely platonic and still be so genuinely well-written and integral to both characters. Although, I think RWBY is largely hit or miss with the way it handles romance, I think its friendships & familial bonds are where it excels.

Ruby, Yang, and Jaune are my top three favorites characters in RWBY, and how their characters and arcs have been so endearing and intriguing to watch. Especially as since V7, and what is being done with them current.

www.tumblr.com/the-god-of-nihon/714867324298182656/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@lostdemifiend :

The biggest thing for why I love RWBY so much it is "oh that makes sense!" when something unexpected happens BECAUSE everything was set up previously that would result in this eventually, and none of it feels forced.

At the same time, its gleeful deconstruction of common shonen anime tropes adds to that sense of surprise. Subconsciously, one goes in expecting certain things to happen, but it defies that expectation in a way that feels like a natural consequence.

There's so much more, but I can't even start to unpack just exactly why I love this series so much.

www.tumblr.com/lostdemifiend/714857897499164672/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

Thank you all of you for showing everyone what makes RWBY fantastic to all!

If you want some youtube channels that discuss RWBY in analytical or philosophic detail? Or if you want comic dubs?

Xel Writer on Youtube aka @tumblingxelian for analysis videos

@marylizabetha on Youtube for philosophy videos

and @markzschiegnerii or Mark Zschiegner on youtube for comic dubs!

I love you, RWBY Fandom, you've made my life rich with joy.

#rwby #rwby is a good show #let people enjoy things #please give rwby a chance #give rwby a chance #mark zschiegner #markzschiegnerii #xel writer #tumblingxelian #marylizabetha #iamafanofcartoons

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synergysilhouette · 2 months

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What are your hopes for "Frozen 3"?

Aside from wanting amazing music (because I know we'll get it; we've got the same team as the last two films), there are a couple things I'd like to see:

Making me fall in love with Kristanna again. "Frozen 2" really botched this for me; Kristoff's arc was about wanting to propose to Anna and how much he loved her, but their relationship was barely focused on, to the point where the proposal felt unearned.

2. Don't introduce too many new characters. The Northuldra people were mainly just there for lore building rather than feeling like actual characters. I'd enjoy fleshing them out, particularly Honeymaren and Ryder, who are kinda like Disney's Sokka and Katara (the "at home" edition).

3. NO BACKTRACKING! Progress isn't linear, but shoehorning Evil Elsa into the storyline (which some people have suggested) feels like Elsa confronting her feelings again--which can happen IRL, but it can be repetitive and boring for a storyline.

4. Give us a legit villain--not a twist villain (unless it's done SUPER well, but why take the risk?) or the villain being a metaphor for fear. I want someone who's present and dangerous. I'd prefer they weren't human, since it'd be less exciting to me, personally. Plus the two previous films give me renaissance vibes (fight me if you must), and a menacing villain would be AWESOME. I'd prefer avoiding the cliche idea of having them using Elsa as a weapon, though. Oh, and a villain song is needed as well.

5. The magic mirror needs to make an appearance. Granted, it could risk retreading similar ground of fear, but maybe flip it: instead of it being an object of fear, it's a mirror people covet, and Elsa is quickly deified and worshiped as a goddess. As someone who's fought for acceptance, being celebrated rather than tolerated/used for her powers could be a nice change for her.

Lemme know what you'd like to see in the film!

#disney #disney animation #frozen #elsa #anna #kristoff

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year2000electronics · 4 months

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its so wild seeing trolls band together become an actual big thing, as someone whos seen the original a million times bc of something called a little sister (the script doesnt leave my brain send help) if i may ask: what is the appeal exactly for band together? like what made people like yourself catch on? ive heard is simply velvet and veneer but i thought asking might help me understand

WELL my own personal theory is that like. you remember how trolls 2 was a weird pandemic release right, where in order to make up the bulk of movie ticket sales it was basically the first movie you could buy on VOD for a fixed ticket price. for families of like, 5, or just multiple households in general, only playing $20 was actually a great deal, but for people like me who would only be watching it on their own, i’d be having to pay $20 for the privilege to watch a movie Once at home where i’m not even able to own it digitally after the fact. so a lot of people didn’t see trolls world tour as it came out

but then movie theatres opened up again, and trolls 3 managed to get some good promo in before the writers strike (it was a trailer bumper for BARBENHEIMER) so like. people were actualy motivated to see it more ig. especially with like, going to the movies with your family or going on discounted ticket days. it’s the Experience. there was also a bit of buzz around the fact that wish’s villain song sucked MAJOR ass, so people were kinda turning to trolls 3’s villain songs that had dropped like “ha. ha ha. isn’t it funny how this baby movie for little babies has FAR better villain songs than disney’s big prestige anniversary movie” but there was also buzz around velvet and veneer in general because people tend to really be fans of rubberhose style things imo. so like velvet and veneer really caught on as a phenomenon and a lot of people who saw the movie stayed v&v stans but a lot of people who saw the movie to see if the villains were all that ended up falling in love with the entire thing (like me!)

going back to the pandemic release vs theatre release thing i genuinely believe trolls world tour could have sparked a renaissance of trolls’ image like this if it hadn’t been dropped the way it did. because trolls 1 was a Fine Enough fantasy world but it was just about going to and from bergentown and neither pop village nor bergentown were very cool locales. but trolls world tour had COOL LOCATIONS and REALLY COOL LORE and AWESOME SIDE CHARACTERS which is a lot of stuff band together has too! ike i firmly believe that trolls has more of an appeal now because it’s shifted into a true fantasy adventure series it’s just that the one that actually started this trend was trolls world tour. because people LIKE thinking about the politics of the different troll tribes and they LIKE thinking about the sibling dynamics of brozone and it’s a lot more meat to bite into

either that or maybe people just really like velvet and veneer to a supernatural degree. who’s to say. who’s to say.

#mothra answers #trolls

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mask131 · 8 months

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Alright, after all this time, here is my opinion (kind of review?) of Netflix's The Monkey King, aka The Monkey King 2023 (at least one of the Monkey King movies of this year). I haven't done movie talk in a long time, but here we go. Also, spoiler-free!

Let's begin with the question everybody wants to know about. Is this movie bad? Definitively not. You cannot say in good faith and honesty that it is a bad movie. If you really disliked the movie, the most you can say is that it is "average" and not average as in a "mediocre, okay, decent, basic" kind of way - average as in "the bad elements are balanced by great ones". But if you ask me, the movie is good. Or more precisely it is "Good, but not without its flaws". It does have some little flaws here and there that prevent it from being an excellent or perfect movie, but it is a good/great movie.

Let's talk already of the little flaws first. Many people have already pointed them out before, so I won't expand on them much. I will say that I watched all of the movie in one go, without stopping, without even realizing how time went by, I truly watched the movie with ease and in one go - I originally just wanted to watch the first part and then stop and take it back later, I ended up binging the whole thing, so you know, classic Netflix type of product where you just do it all in one go (which is a good sign!). There was just one moment I cringed a bit, and that forms the weakest segment of the movie for me, and it is the second part of the "fake orchard of immortality" scene. But this is tied to the way the Dragon King and his minions are handled.

The Dragon King is a very cool-looking character based on an excellent idea, but I have to admit that it is one of the most... surprising elements of the movie because while in some scenes he is written as a great character that works, in other scenes he dangerously borders the overdone cliche. Overall he is an enjoyable villain and a good character that fits in the whole created world, but I admit some of his jokes fall a bit dull for me (though the finale made hm even greater than before - in all the senses of the term). It is a bit in the image of his villain song, "Take the world by storm": when I first heard it I cringed at some lyrics and jokes in the beginning and wondered why this song was here, but then I re-listened to it, loved it and it can't get out of my head. It perfectly translates the Dragon King character as a cool concept and great idea that sometimes is pushed a little bit too much when things should have been a bit more subtle or shortened. Another thing that I would call ambiguous is the heavy influence and references to Disney movies, of which the Dragon King participates as he is the most Disney-villain villain a Netflix product ever created. I think all this Disney influence will split people in two - on one hand some people will dislike it because they will see as just copying what has already been done before, and perceive there a lack of true imagination ; on the other hand some people will love it because they will get back the feeling of the Disney renaissance movies and will appreciate the homage and having back traditional Disney villains and characters "as they used to make".

For me the biggest "flaw" if you can call it a flaw - which isn't really a flaw because it doesn't "hurt" the movie, it would be rather... the biggest "blend" of the movie is the way the new plot is handled. Because the writers of the movie took no real risk, took no chance when devising a new plot to convey the movie. I am not talking about the adapting part - because they did a wonderful job at adaptating in a simple and concise way the entire whole first part of Journey to the West, into a simple, easy to understand, one hour and a half movie mostly aimed at a young audience. And that is definitively one of the good points of this movie, because it isn't an easy feat at all! But as a result, to make sure they reached this state, they went with a plot that is absolutely "classic" in all the senses of the term. Everything was expected, nothing in terms of plot-twist or plot-advancement felt new, I could already guess what could happen and where things were going. Mind you, I am an adult who watched numerous Disney and Pixar movies and who knows Journey to the West and several of its adaptations, so of course I wasn't going to be surprised. Again, this movie clearly is aimed at a young audience - one without an extensive cinematographic knowledge, and one probably unaware of Journey to the West, so I guess for this target audience the "generic-ess" or "bland-ness" of the plot won't be much of a problem. Plus, I am forced to concede that the new plot to convey the events HAD to be as simple and classic as that, because this was the best way to again, simplify the original material to create an easily accessable, reachable and understandable movie for an audience unaware of the source material or not familiar with the culture it came from.

Some people have also pointed out that "the cultural mix sometimes work, sometimes doesn't". I agree with this too. Because one of the specificity of this movie is that it tries to truly be a modern piece (and thus goes with the Percy Jackson, Asterix and co treatment of having more modern elements in Ancient China), and it tries to truly be a Chinese-American movie, by mixing purely Chinese landscapes, material and characters with American references and influences (such as the Disney one). Sometimes it works in funny way (I can't stress ow hilarous it is to have Sun Wukong live in a Disney-like universe), other times it makes you wonder if this was a wise decision.

So anyway, that was the little flaws that prevented the movie from being perfect. As some reviewers said "It is great, fun, fast, hilarious and cool-looking, but a bit odd from time to time."

But what about the GREATNESS of the movie? Oh, the things I saw, the things to say!

If the creators of the movie did not take any risk plot-wise, on the contrary they took all the risks with the visuals. Can I just say first that the animation is absolutely gorgeous and wonderful? And I want to stress something that many cynical or worn-down reviewers tend to forget: today's technology, and today's animation, is something wonderful and majestic and a prowess of technology and technique. I remember when everybody bashed on "Elemental" for the plot or the characters, and nobody took the time to point out how GREAT and FRIGGIN AWESOME the visuals and the animations were. Hopefully I have a bit of an "anchor" here in the form of... my mother. Because my mother stopped watching animated movies around the 80s or so, and only started back looking at some from the late 2000s onward (and mostly because I watched them as a youth), and every time I share with her a new animated piece, she keeps pointing out how amazed and shocked she is at animation style or animation processes that, for me, as a kid who grew up with the wonders of the early 21st century, were just "normal". It really puts into perspective how far we got into the animation world and how exceptional these movies are today - even if the content is bland, the creation, the material and the effort put in them is wonderful.

And Netflix's The Monkey King is definitively one of those movies that benefitted from the recent boom in unusual and daring animation experiences these late years (Elemental, the last Puss in Boots movie, the recent Spiderverse animated pieces, this Disney movie which featured the first openly gay character and that was completely ignored by the press and whose name I forgot about...). They truly played all the cards, with fast-pace action combat, unusual designs, vibrant color palettes, a true work on camera angles, daring to shift animation from 3d to 2D for some sequences, gigantic landscape works, etc etc... Now, I noticed that some people were put-off by some design choices in this movie. It is true that due to their choice of more cartoony designs for the supernatural beings (to contrast them with the human beings), some of the Immortals in particular can come of as better-versions, but still a bit off putting, of some of the 3D animated Addams Family designs. I admit this might not win over everyone - but at least that is a risk and a dare the anmators chose to still go into the unusual and bizarre. Again, the uniqueness and work and daring risks with the visuals truly complete and "excuse" the "genericness" and "expectedness" of the plot.

The other great thing about this movie is the characters. It has been a long time since any children movie characters grew on me, but their handling of the Monkey King was a perfectly simplified and child-suited interpretation of the original Monkey King - not sweetened up, but without playing too much into the horror aspect either, and using perfect metaphors to convey in a simply way what the character is about (the metaphor of the teenager more irresponsible and unwise than an actual child, the concept of the wild child that was never raised or loved by anyone and so got on his own all throughout his life). There is no real subtlety in the characters, just like in the motifs (the HAND! THE HAND IS EVERYWHERE!), but at least they don't try to do overtly subtle or complicated stuff - they know they are doing a simple, down-to-the-point, let's-go-and-have-fun-and-not-think-too-much, type of cast and story, and they do ther best to do something simple but efficient, unbsubtle but fun without being overtly blunt or hitting you too much on the head either. And the character of Lin actually grew onto me a LOT, much more than I would have expected. I actually liked the character - and the fact that she is a child depicted as intelligent, mature and reasonable might be part of this.

People also heavily praised the music, which I agree, the soundtrack is really cool. The movie is very fast-paced - which did bother some reviewers who said they couldn't just pause and breathe - but personally I enjoyed it, because again it works with their simplification and heavy reliance on visuals and characters more than plot, the fastness of the action and the quickness of it all allows you to just take the whole movie whole, without anything dragging on too much. Again, simplicity is key - and for example the whole "end of the fake orchard sequence" felt somehow cringe, precisely because there they slowed down the action and took a bit too much time on something that truly wasn't worth as much.

When I talked about the risks they took with this movie, I shall include one risk that I had doubts about but actually kind of paid off - the stick. It is not a big spoiler, but Sun Wukong's magical staff is here a full character, a sentient being, and acts as the "make some weird noise mechanical companion" to the hero, which has been a character archetype ever since Star Wars, the original Clash of Titans, and other American movies of this era. I had BIG doubts at first, but ultimately it didn't felt very cringe or badly handled, and it worked quite fine. Ultimately, I also have to admire the team for going this route because I do not think this iea had been ever brought up in any adaptation or retelling of Journey to the West - I think this is the first time the magical staff is treated as a character rather than a prop, and this participates in the uniqueness of this movie.

Of course, let's also conclude by the big effort made by this movie to have a majority of Chinese-descending participants for this piece. In fact, I will conclude my review on this final thought: I am quite certain that there are lots of Chinese cultural references I, and others, missed in this movie, due to not being familiar with Chinese culture. Everybody saw the Disney influence ; but I had to dig up and research to find out the influence on this movie of other animated pieces of China. For example, I discovered that this depiction and incarnation of the Dragon King seems to have been heavily influenced by the famous Chinese animated movie of the 70s, "Nezha conquers the Dragon King", a movie I have to shamely admit I had no knowledge of the existence prior to a few days. So I am fairly certain there must be other easter eggs and references to Chinese movies, animated pieces or mythological adaptations out there.

#the monkey king #monkey king #sun wukong #netflix's the monkey king #netflix's monkey king #monkey king 2023 #the monkey kign 2023 #journey to the west #journey to the west adaptations #jttw #animated movie #review #movie review #my opinion #netflix movie #chinese culture

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ladytemeraire · 4 months

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Actually no re: that post from @kintatsujo, one of my favorite details in Hunchback of Notre Dame comes at the end of Hellfire

Because yes, Hellfire is the one of the greatest villain songs of our age, I will die on this hill; Frollo is the most terrifying and monstrous Disney villain of Disney in general and the Disney Renaissance in particular because there is no magic, no mythology, no godhood – there is just a man and his bigotry and his lust struggling against his sacred duty —

And yet —

At the very end of Hellfire, Frollo holds the last note of "she will be mine or she will burn" for a ridiculously long time, long enough for the main chorale leitmotif to play out in its entirety, and even before he drops the note the choir has disappeared and Frollo is left alone in a cold-toned stone corridor.

There is no Inquisition here; there is no sacred choir, there is no church or Church (he's not even in Notre Dame, he's in his own personal quarters), there is no promise of divine retribution, there is no Hellfire. There is simply a man in the cold dark stone corridors of his quarters, squaring with his own insatiable desire and guilt against the responsibilities of his office and the divine calling, with nobody to hear or witness but the wind whistling.

(Contrast literally all of Sanctuary, where Notre Dame herself and implicitly the saints and even God work to free Quasimodo, rescue Esmeralda, and subsequently protect and defend those who stand against injustice, and thus excoriate and ultimately destroy those who oppress the innocent and oppose the will of God. The choir absolutely demands a plea for salvation from the fires of Hell over the course of this scene from long before the moment Frollo ignites Esmeralda's pyre, culminating in "Save me, immolated Savior, who opens the gates of heaven; hostile wars oppress, give vigor, bring salvation; be the glory everlasting, glory, glory, always glory, in the highest" with the sopranos absolutely belting sanctus sanctus in excelsis landing as Quasimodo frees Esmeralda and bellows Sanctuary — the compassion and will of God comes down embodied in Quasimodo to free one injustly condemned, and then continues in Quasimodo and in Notre Dame herself to defend holy ground and repel injust invaders looking to desecrate her grounds in the name of false piety. What counsel shall be called to defend, when even the just man can hardly be secure?)

Frollo spends the entirety of Hellfire justifying himself and his actions, begging for forgiveness and absolution and justification, and at the end it's just him. He has been offered sanctification - every time he pleads "it's not my fault, I'm not to blame" the choir echoes mea culpa, mea maxima culpa (by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault), and so in the end It's just him. It is his own finger-pointing and condemnation turned inward, and it's such a good visceral and physical representation of how isolating that rigid mentality and false piety can be from actual repentance, forgiveness, and grace.

#ladytemeraire talks about fictional characters #The Hunchback of Notre Dame #favorite movie alert #formative influences #small in the presence of glory #here I stand; I can do no other #anyway Hunchback is GOOD and I will go to the mat for it any day of the week #the defense of Notre Dame can go toe to toe with the defense of Hogwarts do not @ me

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cogentranting · 4 months

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I went to see Wish a little while back, and it was... fine. I had a good time watching it, but probably wouldn't watch it again on my own. It's visually beautiful, it's funny, Magnifico is a good villain, the story mostly works. But it feels a little flat and hollow. And I wanted to parse out what I think the problem is. In short, I think the problem is Asha. And I think that problem is twofold.

A. Personality and Motivation

I heard a lot of complaints about Disney always doing 'adorkable' princesses now (I will note, of the post-renaissance princesses, there's a pretty even split of adorkable and not- Rapunzel, Anna, Mirabel, and Asha on the one hand; Tiana, Elsa, Moana, Raya on the other). But I don't think that's the problem in itself. The problem is, that adorkableness is Asha's only clearly defined characteristic. Rapunzel, Anna, and Mirabel all have traits beyond that. And that's clearest in terms of what the characters want. Rapunzel wants to see the floating lights and that transitions into wanting the freedom and love that Gothel has denied her. Anna wants to connect with her sister (or really anyone-- Hans, Kristoff, Olaf...) and to protect Arendelle. Mirabel wants to feel useful to and accepted by her family. Asha wants to help everyone else want things. It's entirely focused on what other characters around her want. She wants other people to have a shot at getting their wishes. In theory that means she's selfless and cares about others. And that's all well and good but it creates this void around Asha herself that makes it hard to connect with her emotionally. What does she want for herself? If the King weren't hoarding people's wishes, what would Asha wish for? What would she dream about? What does her happy ending after the King is defeated look like? It's very hard to tell. A character can be selfless and focused on helping others and still have things they want for themselves. Look no further than Asha's "I want" song This Wish. It's so vague.

B. The Relationships

The other half of the problem with Asha is that she doesn't have a central relationship. Rapunzel has a broken relationship with her 'mother' and finds love and trust and partnership through her relationship with Flynn. Tiana is driven by her relationship with her late father, and finds healing in her relationship with Naveen. Moana is in conflict with her father and finds her confidence and independence through working out her friendship/partnership with Maui. Raya can only regain the relationship with her father by working through her trust issues with Namaari and learning from Sisu. Mirabel working through her relationships with her sisters, and interacting with Bruno allows her to confront her relationship with Abuela.

Asha has a lot of relationships, but none of them is really allowed to take a central place in the story. She's got 7 friends but there's not really room or a need for growth in any of those (except Simon, but that's kept more peripheral and really exists more to demonstrate that Rosas really does have a problem that needs to be fixed). She's got a dead father who forms some kind of inspiration for Asha, but it doesn't drive her the way Tiana's father does. She has a mother who matters to the story very little. There could have been key relationships between her and Magnifico and/or Amaya (and I think you can see hints of that) but that's not developed either. Asha's grandfather is important to her in some way, but again that relationship is not allowed to come to center-- he's the closest we have but even if we allow that he's occupying a role similar to that of Raya or Moana's fathers, that's still only half the equation. Asha still wouldn't have someone to interact with and grow alongside in the way that Moana had Maui, and Raya had Namaari and Sisu. The story is missing a deuteragonist.

And I think that contributes to the first point, to Asha feeling flat. She doesn't have anyone to define herself in relation to. She has a bunch of generally positive relationships and so is only defined by a general kindness and altruism.

There's been some concept art bouncing around of a human version of Star, so it seems that an early version of the story HAD its deuteragonist, partner for Asha to run around with and interact with a learn from (and in some sense to receive what she needs on a personal level-- in the way that Rapunzel receives the love she needs from Flynn, or Moana gains confidence in her leadership by having Maui choose to follow her-- which would help Asha recover a personal motivation). But when Star changed from having a human form to being a little blobby thing, he moved from deuteragonist to cute creature sidekick. And the story lost a key component and didn't replace it.

There are other smaller problems too-- some of the songs feel off (and none of them are great), the friends are sometimes annoying, Amaya's characterization doesn't quite work right, some of the easter eggs don't work etc.-- and I do think the thematic core of the movie has issues (but that's another post in itself, and I don't think the issue is what other people have claimed it is). But I think it would all come together reasonably well if Asha herself had come to life a little bit better. And that is a shame because I think her character design is good and I think Ariana DeBose does a good job playing her.

#disney #wish #disney wish

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 1 year

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Psycho Analysis: Judge Claude Frollo

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

The Disney Renaissance was home to some of Disney’s greatest villains. Scar, Ursula, Gaston, Jafar… The films from 1989 to 1999 all redefined what it meant to be an animated antagonist. But while there were many great villains during that time, one in particular managed to be regarded as one of the darkest and most terrifying villains in the entire Disney Animated Canon: Claude Frollo, the sinister minist—er, judge who serves as the main villain of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The man is heavily entwined with the more complex themes of the movie as well as a lot more cold and vicious than one might expect from the company that brought you Mickey Mouse, but what exactly is it that makes him such a great villain? Well, read on, because I try my best to explain it.

Motivation/Goals: Frollo is a horrible, bigoted prie—er, judge who wants nothing more than to totally eradicate all of the filthy Romani from Paris in the name of the Lord. Unfortunately, he ends up falling hard for one of them, Esmeralda, after watching her do a saucy dance routine. From there, Frollo is consumed by a single-minded lust for the woman that drives his actions, with his conflicted feelings on the matter leading him to blame her for giving him sinful thoughts and determining that all of Paris needs to burn because he is… well… he’s a

I get a lot of mileage out of that gif.

Performance: Tony Jay was picked specifically for this due to his memorable bit role in Beauty and the Beast, and boy does he manage to prove that that was the best decision Disney could have made. His naturally magnificent voice lends Frollo the class, dignity, and intimidation it deserves. One could even say that Dr. Lipschitz is off his shits for this one.

Final Fate: As he attempts to slice through a gargoyle and sent Quasimodo and Esmeralda tumbling to their dooms, he loses his footing and ends up clinging to his gargoyle for dear life. Said gargoyle comes alive, breaks off, and sends Frollo hurtling into a river of fire below, which ends up being a pretty spot on interpretation of his attempted one-liner: “And he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!” With this in mind, it’s pretty easy to interpret what happened to him as karmic divine intervention—Whether you think it’s God Himself, the spirit of Notre Dame, or something else entirely enacting it upon him is up to interpretation, and ultimately unimportant. What matters is he didn’t go to heaven where the angels fly; he fell in a lake of fire and fried. And we definitely won’t see him again on the 4th of July.

Best Scene: It is really not even a contest here. “Hellfire” is without a doubt the greatest Disney villain song ever made (and maybe even the best villain song period) and is a prime showcase of Frollo’s internal struggles and motivations, so of course it is his best scene.

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Best Quote: When finally he has Esmeralda at his mercy near the film’s end, he echoes a line from “Hellfire” and says ”Choose me or your pyre.” It’s such an unsettling line that really highlights how deep into his lustful entitlement Frollo has fallen, and what’s more these words echo the real life sentiments of certain disturbed individuals. It’s a truly timeless villain quote in that regard;there are men who would rather a woman die than not be with them, unfortunately, and Frollo is the poster child for that brand of manchild.

Final Thoughts & Score: At the start of the movie, Chopin asks, “Who is the monster, and who is the man?” in regards to Quasimodo and Frollo. While the answer is fairly obvious even just after the opening number—Frollo attempts infanticide after murdering a woman, after all—the way the movie goes about expounding in the two characters in a way that explores this question is deeply fascinating.

Frollo is an incel to put even Gaston to shame. Almost immediately after seeing Esmeralda for the first time, he begins to obsessively lust for her, but his bigotry and zealotry leads him to condemn her because he’s unable to get a grip on his emotions. He ends up being the latter extreme of the Madonna-Whore Complex, contrasting Quasimodo as the opposite extreme. It should come as no shock that Quasi picked up some negative traits from the guy who raised him, but thanks to being a supremely nice guy his incel traits manifest as venerating a caricatured ideal of Esmeralda rather than condemning. There’s a reason the end of “Heaven’s Light” segues right into the start of “Hellfire;” both men have toxic views of Esmeralda, objectifying her in opposite yet equal ways.

It is how they deal with these toxic mindsets that ultimately resolved the question posited at the start, as well as cementing Frollo as one of the darkest villains Disney has ever done. Quasimodo, while not happy at being rejected, still cares for Esmeralda and does all he can to help her, culminating in him saving her from being burned at the stake. His experiences lead to him accepting Esmeralda and Phoebus as couple gracefully, shedding away his toxic mindset. This ends up reaffirming his humanity, earning him the adoration of Paris and the end to the loneliness he’d experienced for so long; he is the man.

Frollo, on the other hand, deals with rejection by going on a racist, genocidal rampage against the Romani, setting the city ablaze simply because his perverse affections aren’t reciprocated. This culminates with him offering Esmeralda either death or to give in to his advances, and when rejected conclusively he doubles down on his murderous rampage, which ultimately leads to his doom. His inability to see Esmeralda as a complex human being instead of an object to lust after, an inability brought on by his own bigoted views, is what ultimately peeled away his humanity and revealed him as he truly was: A monster.

And Frollo is a monster in a very resonant, chilling way. In this day and age, we see people like Frollo all the time. They’re in our schools, seething when the girl they like rejects them for another; they’re on the internet, spewing misogynistic bile because they can’t get dates; they’re in our churches, preaching intolerance to their mass while desperately trying to bury their own sins; and they’re in our government, using their power to oppress and demoralize those with less power than them. “Choose me or your pyre” is the sort of attitude you see in the incels who end up on the news for committing or planning to commit atrocities.

And this is what makes it so good and cathartic to see him fall. We want people like him in real life to face the consequences of their actions, and we can only wish that said consequences are falling into a river of molten lava. It ends up being all the sweeter if you interpret his fall as being an act of God, as mentioned above.

Tony Jay apparently described his role as Frollo as his “bid for immortality,” and it’s safe to say he succeeded. He pretty much singlehandedly elevated the film he’s in so far above its flaws that it’s astounding and proved to the Disney Renaissance, all while giving us a villain song more incredible than any seen before or since. Thank God I’m doing fractions now, because this man deserves a 10.5/10. He’s not quite an 11 because I wouldn’t call Frollo one of the most important and influential villains in the vein of, say, Darth Vader, Count Orlok, or Fu Manchu, but he’s still a cut above the rest when it comes to villains. He’s easily the second most incredible antagonist Disney has ever made, and the only flaw he has is that you don’t get to personally beat his ass in Dream Drop Distance, which is especially bad since he straight up racially profiles Sora before immediately calling him a slur.

#Psycho Analysis #the hunchback of notre dame #claude frollo #tony jay #Disney #Youtube

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