#on the one hand his roles are so vastly different but on the other......i'm sensing a theme skdjfha | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ghostradiodylan · 5 months

Note

I'm on a four hour car drive, singing at the top of my lungs (terribly, I'm so congested right now, not gonna stop me though lol), and having quarry brainrot. Who among the counselors do you think can sing well and who do you think can play an instrument?

I looove this question and I have to admit I haven’t thought about it that much so this is gonna be kind of off the cuff, instinctive stuff and I’m sure I’ll refine my opinions if others chime in (please!).

It’s kind of weird we never get any campfire singalong action in the game when there’s a guitar in Chris’s bedroom and he mentions Kumbaya, but maybe they’re tired of that from camp by the time the plot line picks up.

Miles obviously is a musician and Dylan’s the music guy so I’d imagine he’s musically inclined in some way. I’ve seen headcanons that he plays guitar and I could see that but I lean more toward thinking he would have taken piano lessons when he was younger and moved on to keyboard and adding on techie stuff like the Mellotron and Moog synth. I think he loves dials and buttons and weird sounds and he can sing but he’d rather fuck around in the noise. Any instrument he plays is gonna get a bit sad if he loses his hand but maybe he’d get more into sampling and remixing and looping computer generated beats as a result.

I think it would be funny if Jacob had a surprisingly angelic singing voice that was completely uncoached and no one ever expected out of him, sort of like Finn from Glee (RIP) but less auto-tuned. I think he’d be an acoustic guitar guy for sure just for the romance of it. Anyway, here’s “Wonderwall.”

Actual footage of Jacob serenading Emma, feat Abi.

Kaitlyn does not strike me as particularly musical though I headcanon that she and Jacob slay karaoke together. She just kind of shouts into the mic like a 90s riot grrl and sings Alanis or Joan Jett and kills.

Abi is so high school marching band nerd coded to me and I feel like she’s a total flute/piccolo girlie or else clarinet/oboe. Or maybe she plays violin in the school orchestra. Something sweet. She’s good but too nervous to perform or audition in front of people very much so it’s just a hobby she shares with people she trusts.

Emma I think would have a perfectly nice mid range singing voice that she’d wish was better. She probably started her influencer career recording Taylor Swift covers for YouTube but she’s a much better actress and dancer than she is a singer. Not quite triple threat material but she believes in herself so she’s trying.

Ryan has such a unique voice that I can’t decide if he definitely can sing or if he’s practically tone deaf. I kind of lean toward the latter. I imagine he hates his singing voice and rarely sings even for fun but if Dylan catches him singing or humming he’s like smitten times one million about it. I could see Ryan playing drums though, I’d imagine he has a good sense of rhythm.

Max, on the other hand, cannot carry a tune but sings ALL THE TIME anyway. And Laura cringes but finds it endearing all the same. He probably plays the ukulele. He just seems like the type.

Laura was a choir kid for sure and probably got solos in school plays and Max was accompanying her on ukulele and playing unnamed roles or else he was painting backdrops or something. We know Siobahn can sing and I feel like that would carry through with Laura for sure. I imagine them doing elaborate musical routines together on car rides even with their vastly different musical abilities.

Nick reminds me of a bassist I know who is maybe the weirdest human being alive. So that’s where I see him. He can sing a little but it’s definitely a backing vocals voice. I feel like he’d be in a stoner jam band just fucking around, playing the same song for an hour while both the band and audience are too high to know the difference.

Chris Hackett obviously plays guitar and Travis accompanies him on harmonica. Bobby plays blowing air over the lip of a jug and also cowbell.

I LOVE THIS ASK EVERYONE TELL ME THOUGHTS!

#the quarry #dylan lenivy #ryan erzahler #kaitlyn ka #jacob custos #abi blyg #emma mountebank #max brinly #nick furcillo #laura kearney #chris hackett #travis hackett #Nick Furcillo bullying hours #Bobby Hackett #ilu torch thanks for the ask #beautiful asks from beautiful people #miles Robbins #siobhan williams

36 notes · View notes

thesecondplacename · 1 year

Text

Title: The boy with the bread.

Part 2

Summary: watching the games, and finding comfort

Warnings: mentions of committing suicide, and more angst

-----------------------------------------------

He was gone, and I was left alone. As if that wasn't enough to be stripped away from him, we would all be forced to watch the games, to see the interview. I didn't know if I could bear it. How was I supposed to watch him up there?

As it turns out I was worrying about the wrong thing, I should have been more worried of having to hear and see him confess his love to the female tribute of our district Katniss Everdeen. It was confusing watching him talk about her in the same way he used to talk about me, how he looked at her like she hung the stars in the sky. She was beautiful, with her long straight black hair, gray eyes, and olive skin. I could almost understand why he said that he loves her, but we were together and had talked about having a life after the Games. It didn't make sense as to why he would be saying all of that.

A part of me hoped everything he was saying was a lie to stay alive for us, to come home to me. I could almost convince myself of that if it weren’t for the fact that the way he looked at her was so vastly different from the way he looked at me. Stronger, more intense. It hurt, it hurt so much to the point I thought I was dying, here I was waiting and praying for him to come back to me just for him to be snuggling up against her and kissing her throughout the games.

There was only one person who understood what I was feeling. Gale Hawthorne. I don't believe he and Katniss were ever really together, but he loved her just as I love Peeta. So as the games progressed we sought peace with each other, trying to understand what was going on in their heads. Everyday we would stand together to watch the games holding hands as a sort of comfort, afterwards he would hold me as the pain would be too much and I would end up crying into his arms and sometimes the roles would be reversed and it would be me holding him.

As the days passed we became closer than ever, once acquaintances to friends who understood each other in so many ways. The games were coming to an end and it was like a punch in the gut when we all found out that two tributes from the same district could be winners. Only for a second, just for one second I found myself wishing that I missed heard the change of rules because if two people came home they both would come home together and where would that leave me. After all, why would he want me when it was so clearly shown that he could only love her?

Gale kept a tight grip on my hand as we watched both Peeta and Katniss commit suicide together. My hand hurt in his grip but I didn't try to get him to let go as I was fastly becoming numb to everything around me, he would rather kill himself then hurt her he would rather die than come home to me. What did I do that was so wrong, at what point did I matter less than everyone else?

I was forced back into reality when I heard the sound of the games being over, they both were still alive. Peeta was alive, I couldn’t hold myself up anymore, my knees were so weak that I collapsed, or I would have if Gale hadn’t caught me as I was going down.

“He’s coming home” tears were falling. “Gale, I'm scared.” What did that mean for me and Peeta, for our future? —------------------------------------------------------------

Note: I'm having way too much fun with this story! Haha Part 2 is done.

Part 1 link

#katniss and peeta #the hunger games peeta #the hunger games #Gale Hawthorne #angst #x male reader #hunger games x male reader #male reader #katniss and gale #katniss everdeen #thg fic #thg katniss #part two #Peeta x male reader #peeta mellark x male reader

117 notes · View notes

shoujomangathoughts · 4 months

Text

Shoujo Thoughts - Banana Fish

I decided recently to rewatch Banana Fish. I have a lot of thoughts on this series (it's in my top three, if not my favorite series) so I doubt I'll be able to go over everything that I could. This will contain spoilers for the series so here's the warning for that.

I won't spend a ton of time going over Ash and Eiji's relationship because I feel that's the conversational ground that others have covered the most. What I will say though is that I don't really see BF as a BL series or even really think that Ash and Eiji necessarily love each other in a romantic way. This series certainly inspired a lot of LGBTQ+ stories but I've always liked that Ash and Eiji's relationship seems to be in some sort of gray area; it feels ambiguous enough to remain interpretable. I don't want to take away from any queer elements that people may like about the story, but I also think it's sometimes important for media to display emotional intimacy between men, as I feel a lot of stories don't let this aspect exist unless they're romantically involved (or sometimes it's the setup for gay jokes). I like that this series kind of walks the line, though I'm sure many will disagree since BF has had a reputation for being a BL especially after the anime and it's modern popularity.

Something interesting about the relationship between Ash and Eiji for me is the "selfish" reasons they seem connected and how that relates to parts of their character arcs. To Ash, Eiji has an innocence that he tries to protect, as his was trampled on at an early age. It's interesting to see this shift, things like giving Eiji a gun in the beginning to refusing him one when escaping Golzine's mansion. This aspect of Eiji also grounds Ash in a sense - conversations they have like when Ash talks about his fear of pumpkins shows a more innocent side to Ash that can't frequently be on display because of everything around him, but it reminds us of how young he actually is (Ibe notices this as well). Eiji's perspective on things and his experiences are so vastly different that it helps balance Ash out. Eiji, on the other hand, sees Ash and his role in helping him as a way to not quit something. He quit pole vaulting after an injury that also led to some psychological barriers, and in some sense he sees the events that take place as a means of not repeating what he believes to be past mistakes. In some ways, it also comes across a little bit that Eiji almost has a hero complex when it comes to Ash. I don't mean this in a negative way at all, but I think it also demonstrates some of Eiji's naivety (albeit still good-natured) by thinking that it would be so easy for Ash to start over. Their relationship obviously has other layers as well, but I've always found these aspects interesting and they're not as often brought up when it comes to the nuance of the how the characters in this story feel very "human'.

Another aspect I want to talk about is the antagonists. I feel as though characters like Dino come across well and as intended, but some of the others don't or feel as though there might be a bit of missed potential. I feel like Yut-Lung didn't quite live up to his full potential; the way he acted in the beginning versus when he was working with the mafia is a bit confusing at times as he used to use secret techniques and trained moves but then ends up in a bit of a damsel situation. His motivations however are solid and show off what his role is well in my opinion. Fox is the other antagonist that people seem to have issue with. While I think his role is fine and does a good job at reinforcing the fact that Dino really does have connections in all sorts of places (and the parallels to Ash being legally 'dead'), his shift into essentially being the "final boss" doesn't work for some and I see why. He wasn't really built up to be that significant so it doesn't feel as satisfying as it should. Most of the other "villains" in the series are more interesting and end up being more memorable characters (Dino, Arthur, Yut-Lung, Blanca).

Something else that I appreciate in this story is the plot device of banana fish itself. The mystery of the drug is far more prominent early on, but I appreciate that as the story progresses, there is no magic cure developed that makes previous characters feel like they only had a case of bad timing. They outright say there is no cure for the drug and the story sticks to that, which is an aspect I respect. People also say that the plotline with the drug ends up taking a backseat, which I partially agree with, but it's also important to recognize that its role changes. At first, it's the core of the mystery and after that's uncovered, it turns into something that is more political in nature. I feel like some didn't like the change in role it had and that's why they say it's not important after around the halfway point. Not saying that the execution is without flaw, but the drug has a role, even if more in the background, throughout the whole series. The moment when Ash tells Sing to let the briefcase go is the moment Ash decides to let the existence of the drug die with the man that was at the head of it all (not to mention all the scientists and whatnot that had already been killed). It may seem unsatisfying, but Ash would rather just let its existence be wiped than deal with anyone else trying to do something with it, not to mention that he values Sing's life enough to help him even at the expense of something he'd chased the whole series, which shows that being around Eiji probably helped him open up and shows that some of his morals are in check.

The end of the series, while being somewhat controversial for some, is something that I still find myself liking. Honestly, the first time I watched the series I expected Ash to die; from the many moments of foreshadowing and knowledge of other mafia/gang series that show many of these people never being able to truly escape the world they're in. The story on a whole is about Ash and throughout the story he found solid people to love and trust, most specifically Eiji and Max (I'd also say he found strong allies in characters like Sing and Cain as well and Shorter was around before the series began). People always say they wished Ash could go to Japan to start over but I'm not of the opinion that an ending like that would suit the series. I've seen the ending being labeled as senselessly tragic or as some sort of cry-bait but I disagree. I know the mangaka made comments at one point about how at least part of her decision to end it with his death was due to all the death he caused, therefore claiming the ending was justified in her mind because of some sort of karma. I understand why people are rubbed the wrong way by this because of how traumatized Ash is, but I do think that's an angle that makes sense as well (keep in mind not all of Ash's killings were in self defense). Ash gets stabbed in a moment where he saw an opportunity to try again and is then reminded that he still has enemies. It reminds me of the look on his face when Dino dies; he doesn't seem relieved like he probably expected he would. Part of this is probably because he doesn't know what to do with his "freedom" because he's never allowed himself to think that far, but I think another part is that even though Dino is dead, he doesn't really feel free. I know some get upset that Ash gets fatally wounded by a "nobody" character like Lao (which some are under the impression that Ash wasn't fatally wounded and merely chose to bleed out due to a missing line from Lao in the anime), but I think it suits what Yoshida was going for and also reiterates the smaller, more petty enemies that Ash made throughout his life. Dino and some of the other big shot villains being killed did not automatically free Ash of being a part of this world. Ash gets to die knowing that there are people who care for him and that's a feeling that he'd never imagined himself having. He dies a person that experienced genuine care for him after having been starved of it his whole life. It comes across that he dies satisfied. I see why the ending doesn't work for some but I've always thought it made sense.

For now I'll stop here as these were just some observations I was making on rewatching the series knowing how I and others felt about certain aspects. I may end up making another post or something someday on BF because the series really means a lot to me. Thanks for reading!

#banana fish #anime #manga #shoujo #akimi yoshida

16 notes · View notes

shirogane-oushirou · 7 months

Note

8,6,7,5,3, and 9 for whichever f/o you're feeling right now! (for the spicy asks)

i forgot i had that ask game in my queue. screaming crying sobbing. i don't know why this is making me nervous, i'm CONSTANTLY in nsft post tags blabbering on about how i want to give my otter man a brain-melting orgasm to cure him of his Conditions... ;;;

answering these for ren bc he's the one i'm most... in tune with? i COULD answer some spicy asks about some of the others (mars is a good runner-up), but i've never put as much thought into this side of a relationship as i have with ren. SO!!!

whether i ramble on with details nobody needs to know or i just give a-few-words-long answers is up to fate. 🙏🏻 (edit post-writing: ......you wanna guess which option fate went with? 😩 i'm so sorry in advance kjNKJN)

3: Is the sex between you and your f/o usually sensual? Passionate? Animalistic?

more sensual and passionate, if i have to pick among those options.

r!ren's much more passionate from the start, since he isn't forcing himself to play a role and can just be open with his affections. he's the kind of guy to quickly go from a light kiss while we watch something to Full Throttle if he's given the OK kjndfkjn.

doc!ren starts out playful and sensual, and he has more control wrt things like light affection staying light, but as things heat up the mask starts to slip and the passion comes out in him as well.

but, with both rens, we're also very silly. like, he's intentionally being a goof the entire time (see: that one post about an f/o saying "shoot your goo!" when you're about to cum), and if his hands get shaky while he's trying to put on a condom, that isn't gonna ruin the mood... if anything i'd be like, "oh no, he's failing to put the condom on... oooh he's struggling so hard... 💕" and then offer to help with my own shaky hands kjsndkjn. like this is us when something silly happens or we have trouble with something stupid:

5: Do you and your f/o prefer having sex in the dark or with the lights open?

lights on! he wants to be able to see everything... not only in the "i love your body" sense (which is also true), but in the "i want to see every facial reaction so i can figure out what works for you and what doesn't" sense.... whether he's doc!ren or r!ren, he has a mind for study, close examination, and analysis.

and -i- want to see his every reaction bc he's handsome and cute and veeery expressive :3 i wanna see him Fucking Lose It in full hd quality.

6: What was the most embarrassing thing to happen between you and your f/o before, during, and/or after sex?

i can't think of anything in particular that's truly embarrassing tbh. i think there are also things that both of us could feel embarrassed about individually that the other would find endearing, but i don't really count that... :/

idk, it just isn't something i've put much thought into in spite of the fact that something would inevitably happen at some point!

7: Any favourite positions?

nothing too creative! we both enjoy missionary, cowgirl, pretzel dip, and reverse spooning, and he in particular loves giving and receiving oral so face sitting + kneeling at the edge of the bed... really anything that's face-to-face and as close as possible.

and if i'm not up for anything on my end, i'm usually more than happy for us to sit or lie next to each other while i help get him off (often a good chance for some fun power play, teasing, etc) or give him JOI if i'm not up for anything physical at all (ALSO a good chance for power play and teasing lol). he understands that we have VASTLY different "batteries", so even if i'm just sitting next to him while he takes care of things himself, to him that just means we're sitting close and spending time together, yippee~!!

8: Any favourite places (ex. bedroom, kitchen, on a desk, against the wall etc)?

honestly, if it were up to him, i think he'd be up for just about anywhere, and in my wildest dreams i'd also be up for more creative use of space... but because of my pain and health issues, the best places are the bed and sofa ;;; kissing elsewhere for a bit would be okay, but once things really start to get going we need to get somewhere soft and cushioned lmao.

9: Any kinks and/or fetishes?

OKAYYYY. the Big Question. so. i imagine us, when we start discussing the possibility of sex, sharing our most searched "tags" as a starting point to see what we have in common, figure out if one of us is squicked by one of the other's kinks and need to avoid it, etc. the most relevant kinks are:

femdom (no shit lol, we VERY quickly figure out we're a perfectly matched sub top and dom bottom/service dom)

light bondage (nothing too intense, just a "hands tied to the bedposts, blindfold over the eyes" every now and again kind of deal)

edging (gotta make my boy sooooo desperate~)

body worship (self explanatory)

scent (i can't decide if ren's like... a scent guy or a MY PERSON'S SCENT guy... but he loves to bury his head in my hair and neck, especially if we're doing our ro's-battery-is-empty sessions and he just wants to lean into me.)

sound (to complement his scent Thing i guess ksjdkjn voices are a huge things for me, and i think moaning is super cute, and uh. welp...!! he's good at it!!)

i'm not gonna lie, i think it'd be hot as fuck to fuck doc!ren in gloves and his labcoat KJNJLJNKSJM i have a thing for hands and labcoats so the double whammy would knock me out cold.

aaand i simply enjoy seeing my lovely boyfriend blissed the fuck out ^^ my cocktail of being ace, what i can feel, how often i feel it, etc. is a little fucked, but even when everything is at its lowest possible levels, i'd still get some indescribable Thing out of helping push ren to his limits, watching him completely lose it, and enjoying as he comes down from the high. it'd make me feel good to see him feel good, even if the source of that good feeling is different for both of us. 💕

#so wild to just. talk about this shit openly. haven't done that since college KJNKJFN.#📌 [ my posts. ]#[ nsft. ]#[ nsft ds. ]#🍄 [ lying on the blade of an emotion. ]#🦦 [ can't escape it. ]#✨ [ oc lore. ]#[ need to draw. ]#[ asks. ]#🧃 [ who is in control. ]#anonymous #🐸 [ look ahead. ]

2 notes · View notes

eikaeli · 1 year

Text

Part 2/Part 3

Author's POV:

San sat in his room, feeling a little bit anxious about the upcoming wedding. He knew that he was marrying an Angel Princess, and that their worlds were vastly different. He turned to his friend Yeo Sang, who was helping him with his suit.

"Yeo Sang, do you ever feel like this whole thing is a mistake?" San asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Yeo Sang paused for a moment, considering his words carefully. "No, San. I don't think it's a mistake," he said, his tone reassuring. "I think this is an opportunity for you to unite the Demon and Angel realms, and to bring about a new era of peace and understanding."

San nodded, feeling a little bit better. "You're right. I just wish my brother wasn't so...well, you know."

Yeo Sang chuckled. "Yeah, Seonghwa can be a handful sometimes. But you're the one who was chosen for this role, San. You have the support of your people, and you have the strength and determination to make this work."

San smiled, feeling a renewed sense of confidence. "Thanks, Yeo Sang. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Yeo Sang grinned. "You'd probably be lost, wandering around the palace in your underwear," he joked.

San laughed, feeling much better about the situation. The wedding was only three days away, and he knew that he could face it with a clear mind and a strong heart, thanks to the support of his friend.

Woo walked into his sister's room, his arms full of white fabric. "Hey, sis. I brought the dress!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Y/N looked up from the mirror, where she was adjusting her hair. "Thank you, Woo. You're the best," she said, beaming.

Woo laid the dress out on the bed, smoothing out the fabric with a gentle touch. "So, are you excited for the wedding?" he asked, looking up at her.

Y/N took a deep breath. "Yes, and no," she replied, her voice soft. "I'm excited to marry San, but I'm nervous about what's going to happen after. We're from two different worlds, you know?"

Woo nodded, understanding. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But you and San are perfect for each other. You're both kind, strong, and smart. Plus, you're going to make beautiful babies," he teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

Y/N giggled, feeling a little bit better. "Thanks, Woo. I don't know what I'd do without you," she said, giving him a warm smile.

Woo grinned. "You'd probably end up wearing a potato sack instead of a wedding dress," he joked.

Y/N rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but laugh. Having her brother around always made her feel better, and she knew that he would be there for her no matter what.

Meanwhile, Yunho and Mingi were busy trying to convince their mother to let them help in the kitchen. "Come on, Mom. We know how to cook. We can help with the food," Yunho pleaded, his eyes pleading with his mother.

The Queen hesitated for a moment, looking uncertain. "I don't know, boys. Cooking for a wedding is a big job. I don't want you to get overwhelmed."

Mingi spoke up, his voice confident. "We won't get overwhelmed, Mom. We can handle it. Besides, we want to do something to help Y/N."

The Queen considered their words for a moment, before finally nodding. "Alright, fine. You can help in the kitchen. But be careful, and don't burn anything," she warned, her tone stern.

"Yes, Ma'am!!" they shouted making their mother close her ears, sometimes she forgot how loud her kids were.

Yunho and Mingi grinned, feeling grateful for their mother's trust. They knew that they could handle the job, and they were determined to make the wedding a success.

On the wedding day:

As the day of the wedding arrived, Y/N's nerves were in overdrive. She couldn't believe that she was getting married to a demon prince. What if she wasn't good enough for him? What if she messed up during the ceremony?

San was equally nervous. He had never imagined that he would get married, let alone to an angel princess. He wanted everything to go perfectly, to make sure that his bride was happy.

Woo, on the other hand, couldn't sit still. He was too excited for his sister's big day. He kept pacing around the room, making sure that everything was in order and that everyone was ready.

"Mingi, are you ready?" he asked his brother for the tenth time.

Mingi rolled his eyes. "Yes, Woo. I'm ready. Just like I was the last nine times you asked."

Yunho chuckled. "Woo, calm down. Everything is going to be fine."

Woo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Okay, okay. You're right. Everything is going to be perfect."

As they made their way to the ceremony, Y/N's nerves began to dissipate. She couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of spending the rest of her life with San. She looked over at him, and saw that he was smiling at her.

"You look beautiful," he said, his voice soft.

Y/N blushed. "Thank you. You look handsome too."

As they took their places at the altar, Woo couldn't help but feel emotional. His little sister was getting married. He couldn't believe how grown up she had become.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, and Y/N and San exchanged vows, promising to love and cherish each other for all eternity. As they were pronounced husband and wife, Woo let out a loud cheer, tears streaming down his face. The queen needs to calm him down before he becomes a crying mess in front of the guests.

"I'm so happy for you, Y/N!" he exclaimed, hugging his sister tightly.

Y/N laughed, feeling grateful for her brothers' support.

As the wedding reception went on, Woo couldn't help but flirt with the royal chef, trying to charm him with his smooth talk and charming smile. Y/N rolled her eyes at her brother's antics, but couldn't help but find it amusing.

Yeosang, on the other hand, was feeling shy around Jongho, the son of Lord Choi. He had a crush on Jongho for a while now but had never found the courage to tell him. Yeosang kept sneaking glances at Jongho from across the room, hoping that he would notice him.

Jongho, however, seemed oblivious to Yeosang's feelings. He was busy chatting with some of the other guests, completely unaware of the shy demon's affections.

As the night went on, Y/N and San danced together, their eyes locked on each other. Woo continued to flirt with Changbin, making him blush and giggle at his jokes. Yunho and Mingi were busy entertaining some of the younger guests, making sure that everyone was having a good time.

As the night drew to a close, Y/N and San shared a final dance together, the rest of the guests watching as they swayed to the music. Seonghwa stood nearby, proud of his brother and his new wife, with Hongjoong by his side, and of course drinks in his both hands.

Yeosang and Jongho shared a shy smile as they said their goodbyes, promising to see each other again soon. And Woo...well, he was already making plans to visit the royal kitchen again.

Author's notes: Sorry for the mix-up story of Woo, yeo, and jjong, but I try not to make it sounds awkward, just enjoy the story.

To Be Continued...

5 notes · View notes

eternal-aurath · 2 years

Text

Az's MHA Self-Insert AU Introduction

So I've been waiting to post any of my MHA self-insert stuff here because I wanted to make like a masterpost or introduction post that explains both AU versions first, because they're vastly different. So I'm finally sitting my ass down to do that. I don't have as much recent art as I'd like, but I guess that's fine. I can update this later lol

It's gonna be long so have a readmore.

-----

HEROVERSE

The Heroverse was the original AU and I didn't actually intend to wind up with an entire other AU, but I digress. In this AU, my self-insert is Satoshi Suzuki.

(I have no colored art of him on hand right now oops. His hair is dark brown and his eyes are blue. I'll add better art later when I have/find some.)

He's trans and starts the story as Satoko. His Quirk is Sonar. He can hear everything within a mile's radius, and has the sound-based version of an audiographic memory (Can remember anything he hears perfectly). The story starts with him going to a Present Mic concert (I headcanon he's a musician as well), which winds up getting attacked by villains. In a rare moment of bravery, Satoshi approaches Present Mic and Eraserhead and offers to help with the situation, since searching an entire concert venue can take time, and they don't have that. Sonar lets him find the threat easily.

He later meets Shouta again at a cat cafe they apparently both frequent. They keep meeting there until they sort of consider each other friends. And then Shouta brings Hizashi along one day (They're already dating), and next thing Satoshi knows he's actually friends with the two of them. And then somehow the next thing any of them know, they're all dating and living together.

Come time for class 1-A's first year, Satoshi gets offered a job at UA, by recommendation of Hizashi. With All Might joining the school as 1-A's teacher, they need more security. Nezu thinks Satoshi's Quirk would be wonderful for it, since he can hear an entire mile out. There's more to it, though, because Satoshi has a history with All Might, which he gets the feeling Nezu knows about. Nonetheless, he accepts the role with persuading from Shouta and Hizashi. He has no confidence in himself, but they have enough confidence in him to make up for that.

And through the trials and tribulations involved with being anywhere near class 1-A, Satoshi discovers two things; 1. He's not a girl. 2. He wants to be a hero.

So Nezu, All Might, Shouta, and Hizashi pull some strings for him, so he can also learn to be a hero while working at UA as security. He soon meets Hawks, who takes him under his wing and becomes not only the teacher he needed, but his best friend too. They wind up infiltrating the League together, since Satoshi's Quirk is perfect for eavesdropping.

And his hero name? Sentry. Inadvertently given to him by Shouta.

Along the way, he learns that his Quirk isn't actually Sonar. It's Sensory Manipulation. He can adjust the strength of all his senses, as well as those of others by "tagging" them with any part of his palm or fingers. The tag only lasts a few minutes, however, and other people's senses can't go as high as his own.

----

VILLAINVERSE

Okay this is the one that started off as just a fun "what-if" AU. What if Satoshi, Hizashi, and Shouta were villains? Wouldn't that be fun? But then I started actually thinking about backstory... In which I realized I needed to learn more about Tomura and the rest of the League.

Which lead to a rabbit hole of falling in love with the villains and finding comfort like no other from them. Thus this turned into a wholeass AU of it's own, where Satoshi is shipped with Dabi and Keigo instead. Also Shouta and Hizashi are part of the League in this one, just for the fun of it because I still wanted to explore them as villains.

While Heroverse Satoshi has brown hair and blue eyes, Villainverse Satoshi has bright red hair and yellow eyes. Because why not? His father was a villain who worked with AfO. His mother abandoned them when she found out her child's father was a villain. His father's Quirk was the inverse of Sensory Manipulation; Physical Manipulation.

AfO could see the potential of Satoshi's Quirk, and wanted to take his Quirk and give it to his father to make him extra strong. But his father refused, not wanting to harm his child in such a manner. So AfO killed him and took his Quirk. Satoshi witnessed the whole thing via hearing, but AfO convinced him that he heard wrong. He made it up in his head to protect himself from what "really" happened. AfO then adopts Satoshi as his own. Making him Satoshi Shigaraki in this AU.

Two years later, Tomura is also taken in and re-named by AfO. He doesn't expect the two to get along, nor does he care if they do. But jokes on him because they quickly become close and regard each other as legit siblings. Satoshi is the only one who isn't afraid of Decay and isn't afraid to touch Tomura.

As such, they grow up side-by-side, and this AU of Tomura is a little more soft because he grew up with someone to call family. Someone to keep him sane. That being said, they're still both incredibly fucked up by AfO and very much insane villains at first.

They actually both forget that they aren't actually siblings. They can't really remember a point in time where the other wasn't there. And unlike in the Heroverse, Satoshi transitions before becoming an adult. AfO also gives him his father's Quirk when he becomes strong enough to handle it. Thus creating Respec. A rather terrifying Quirk that can allow Satoshi to punch through concrete with his bare hands, or make someone's bones so weak that just pushing them will shatter every single one. It's complete control over every physical and sensory aspect of the body. So, just like Tomura, all it takes is one touch from Satoshi, and he can kill you instantly.

Upon meeting, Satoshi and Dabi don't get along. They actually hate each other at first. But the more time they spend together, the more they realize how alike they are. How much they both need someone to save them. And next thing they know, they can't imagine not being together.

And then Hawks shows up claiming to want to be their inside man. They all agree to use him as much as they can. But Satoshi and Dabi get particularly close to him, and oops they unravel his hero persona and find all the trauma underneath. Which makes Hawks Keigo realize that hero society is actually pretty fucked. And so he legit becomes an ally to the League. But in the process, he starts convincing the League that they don't have to be this evil. They can tear down hero society, but no one needs to get hurt for no reason.

Oh, and Dabi and Satoshi fall for Keigo and he falls for them. And Tomura has to learn to deal with it.

They also wind up adopting Eri in this AU. She happens to show up unexpectedly during a meeting with Overhaul, and Tomura snaps. He sees himself in her. Scared, abused, alone. So he snaps and goes feral, and the whole League just has to react to that. In the end, they wind up kidnapping Eri, but she views it as being saved. The League then becomes her family.

Throughout the story, the lines between hero and villain get repeatedly blurred, and a lot of trauma is unravelled, healed, and dealt out. A lot of identities are lost and reclaimed. And in the end, the villains aren't really villains anymore.

-----

This post is messy af and could use some better structure, but I just wanted to get a little introductory post out there abt my batshit AUs before I start posting art and story related stuff.

Also, some info abt Satoshi that doesn't change between AUs; His birthday is October 24, and he's 5'3". Tho I am considering making him a bit taller in the Villainverse.

If you've read this whole thing I say both thank you and I'm sorry lol I've put a whole ton of effort into these AUs, but explaining them in a way that does this justice is Difficult.

#Ah shit I need tags for both AUs fuck #Um #I'll just use their fic titles for now #;; i need a hero #;; falling from my faith #Fun fact both fic titles come from the song ''Hero'' by Skillet #I name all my fics after songs p much and I find it funny I was able to name both AUs from the same song

1 note · View note

mrsgiovanna · 3 years

Text

Succession (Don Giorno x Wife!Reader)

This request had been sitting in my inbox for way too long (aren't they all), I hope this was worth the wait. All fluff, centering around new dad Giorno. Thank you to the sweet nonnie who requested this, it was what I needed to get back to my roots.

TW: Pregnancy

Word Count: 1.2 K

"Are you all set amore? Here, let me help you, don't strain yourself… I…"

"Giogio, please relax, I'm okay, just a little sore and tired," you attempted to reassure your concerned husband as he helped you off the high hospital bed. It was the day you were set to go home with your beautiful baby, who up until 5 minutes ago, had been safely nestled in your arms, until his father had arrived, looking vastly different to how everyone had gotten used to seeing him- hair scraped back and off his face, bound at the nape of his neck, his sharply tailored suit replaced with simple dark wash jeans and a soft cashmere turtleneck sweater. Perhaps the most precious thing he wore was the expression on his face, a mixture of joy and pride tugging at his handsome angled features as he lovingly gazed at his newborn child peacefully asleep in the clear hospital cot.

Waiting for the last of the release paperwork to be brought to your room you enjoyed the quiet moment in which you three were alone, away from the bustling world, it felt as if time itself had stood still.

Reflecting on the journey to get you to that point, you were so proud of both your and Giorno's efforts to ready everything for your little bundle's arrival. After being married for a while the decision to expand your family was one that came naturally, and after some time of trying, you had finally fallen pregnant. You thought back to the moment you had found out, excitedly rushing to Giorno to tell him your news, only to find him pondering over the best way for him to tell you, having already sensed the flickering life energy growing within you.

From that day onwards, Giorno had started to prepare for the baby's arrival, not missing a beat when it came to your care, being present for every doctor's appointment, making sure you took all your vitamins and satisfying every craving regardless of how outlandish it was (turns out corn flakes and vanilla ice cream makes for the best 3am breakfast). The most precious moments came when you two were alone, safely tucked away in your home. You began to notice how his hugs lingered for longer, his gazes became that much softer, and his touches that much gentler. What you didn't notice was him activating his stand each time he held you to make sure that his child was still healthily growing within you and that your life energy was as strong as he had remembered.

For Giorno, the prospect of fatherhood had presented him with perhaps the most challenging role of his life, however, as with many other trials, the golden Don had taken it in his stride. He was determined to give this child everything he could… Shower them with all of the love and attention he needed at that age. Only the best was good enough, and it wasn’t long before the interiors of Villa Giovanna had been baby proofed, the nursery was built to your exact specifications and your leisure readings were now taken up by various articles and books on what to expect as a new parent.

“Alright, Mr. Giovanna, we just need your signature on this and you’re free to go,”

“Perfect, done, and done!” announced Giorno with a flourish, “Everyone is beside themselves, they really are so excited to see you and the bambino,” he continued, helping you off the bed and picking up his sleeping infant. The ride home was different, it felt different, you were hyper aware of your surroundings and hovered a protective hand over the little one at every turn. Giorno went on excitedly, about how thrilled the staff at the Villa was to be welcoming the tiniest new Giovanna, having taken it upon themselves to have the house ready for your return. There was very little left for Giorno to do other than delegate his work for the next two weeks and see to your needs. You smiled to yourself thinking about how fortunate you both were to have such loving people in your lives, even if they were not connected to you both by blood, they had treated you like family all the same. Emphatic greetings exchanged and after a period of adoring cooing at the new addition to the family, you and Giorno had settled into your shared room. You had asked him to bring a crib into the room, just so that you could be within reach of the baby at all times.

It was only once you had settled in that you realized how exhausted you felt, noticing the way sleep had coaxed at your eyelids, Giorno had gently pushed you down by the shoulders and pulled the covers over you; the gentle way he caressed your face, wordlessly asked you to sleep. It didn't take you too long to drift off into a dreamless slumber. While you slept, Giorno had quietly set himself up to work next to you, tiptoeing in and out of the room to get his electronics and various documents, however productive his intentions might have been though, no work had been done for the duration of your nap. He couldn’t help being distracted by every little movement and sound that had come from inside the crib, eventually giving up his attempt at working in favour of watching over you and the baby. It was still something that felt so surreal to him, even though he could imbue just about any object with life, the fact that you had brought this life into the world was the most precious thing for him.

His reverie was disrupted by the shrill little cry emanating from the crib, which managed to rouse you from your sleep as well.

"It's alright Gio, I've got this one… Well, if he's hungry, I'm the only person who can actually take care of this," you say with a small, sleepy laugh. Smiling at your quip Giorno picked up the fussy infant and brought him over to you, gently placing him in your arms before settling down next to you while you fed the baby.

“You know tesoro, we can’t keep referring to him as “the baby” forever, we need to choose a name for him…” suggested Giorno while he lovingly observed you both. You let the idea steep in your head for a moment contemplating the various options that sprang forth- tributes to fallen comrades, beloved allies that you wanted to honour, starting a new tradition that retained the “Giogio” epithet … There were so many options to choose from.

“Oh, how about Giorgio? Its a strong name,” looking at the handsome don contemplating it, you continued, “and then I can call him “Giogio”, it's perfect actually!”

“But, I’m Giogio too…” said Giorno looking at you with an expression halfway between amused and crestfallen.

“Well, it’s time to move over pal, there’s a new kid in town,” you managed to utter in between your stifled laughs. Looking at the bright green eyes rimmed by ebony lashes, Giorno's gaze softened as he gently cradled the infant's head, softly stroking the tufts of soft black hair, “You know what, I really love that… Giorgio Giovanna... welcome to the world little one.”

363 notes · View notes

oddcoupler222 · 5 years

Note

Nice! I'm curious about "All's Fair" (also, you have lots of wips, that's amazing)

lol in fairness to myself, i’m only actively working on like 2 or 3 of them, the others i just fiddle with and can’t let go of!

an AU in which the council listened to Astra that the planet was going to die, and - no myriad - but started evacuating Krypton. They land on earth, a handful of years before the beginning of the fic, taking over a portion of the US and governing it for themselves as New Krypton (some liberties are taken in terms of timeline as well).

There are tentative agreements between humans and kryptonians, after a few years of unrest, peace treaties… until a kryptonian is found murdered - something they thought impossible - and a human by the name of Alex Danvers, working with human rebels against the aliens, is arrested for his murder, and placed in the prison in New Krypton, run by general Astra In-Ze

- a bit of the beginning of the fic -

“Now that we are all present, let us commence thedisciplinary hearing,” Councilor Marya stated from her seat in the center ofthe line of where the governing Science Council sat.

Astra sat in front of them with her jaw set and her armsfolded over one another, her shoulders tense. There was an odd mixture offeelings inside of her – irritation, acceptance, apprehension – but her faceremained passive.

Astra had been wary of the Council, even back on Krypton; ofcourse, she did not doubt their intelligence, but despite the strides they’dmade in compromise, in viewing mattersin more gray area in the last six years… their viewpoint rarely aligned withher own. That alone, the fact that she was here for this hearing at all, whenshe knew her view of the matters at hand would vastly differ from theirs,rankled.

But, there was also a sense of calm. Most of her morevitriolic feelings had been tempered in the last few weeks, ever since she’dbeen alerted to the investigation into the role she’d played in the events thathad transpired. Calm, because this was nothing she had not expected to happen.

Five of the eight New Krypton Council members were in frontof her, hologram tablets in front of them, projecting data and video, alongwith the section that would soon dictate the hearing. Alura, though a member ofthe council, was not a participant of her hearing, though Zor-El was. Shenodded at him, the slightest bit of acknowledgement, and received one inreturn, before her sister’s husband turned his attention back to his hologram,typing in his information.

“You do realize, General In-Ze, that the mark you bear asone of the greatest military leaders in our history has been dishonored by youractions, and it very well may reflect in the status you hold after we’vereviewed all of the information,” it was Councilor Wri-Qin who spoke now, hisvoice sharp, and she could tell that it was her look of passivity that haddriven him to such.

It gave her a sense of satisfaction, and she tilted herhead, eyes flashing with it, “Do you believe I would take such action withoutunderstanding the possible consequence?”

“No,” he agreed, before narrowing his eyes, “Yet, I know youto take action acting on passion,” hespat the word as if it were dirty and Astra’s irritation boiled up easily.

“My acting on passionis the only reason we are alive, the only reason anyone made it off Krypton,the only reason we exist on Earth,” she replied, anger lacing through her toneand her fists tightened under the table. “My passion is not without reason.”

So, so much strife with the majority of members on thiscouncil…

It was Lor-Em, one of the oldest Council members, who spokenext, “We are well aware of your record, General In-Ze, and it is largelyresponsible for why you are not facing legal repercussion.”

So many words wanted to come out – after all, Lor-Em was oneof the most difficult members to convince about the devastation of their planetall those years ago – but before they did, Zor-El interrupted, his voice evercalm, “Argument is counterproductive at this juncture. I suggest we begin theofficial record.”

Though her brother-in-law’s demeanor could often times touchupon Astra’s nerves, she took a deep breath and nodded tensely, curls bouncingagainst her shoulders slightly, “Yes let’s continue.”

Lor-Em hit a command on his tablet, and the hologramssimultaneously started to the same images as well as taking down transcript,“General Astra In-Ze, currently the leader of the military guild, headquarteredin New Krypton, is here to face disciplinary action for the events thatoccurred twenty-five days past.”

Though Astra was loathe to call the feeling that settled inthe pit of her stomach nerves,because she had forged battle with beings with more than twice her strength,had faced down this very Council many times before – there was an unpleasantfeeling that she could not deny.

Yet, she remained still and stoic, refusing to give an inch.

Lor-Em continued to dictate, “The event in particular to beevaluated is the role General In-Ze played in assisting the escape of aprisoner. The prisoner in particular – Alexandra Danvers, a human imprisonedfor a total of one hundred and sixty days, professedly guilty for the slaying ofKryptonian soldier, Ral-Dar.”

As Lor-Em’s monotonous voice recited on the backgroundfacts, the hologram images continued to evolve with his statements. As such,the hologram was then showed Alexandra’s face – video footage playing silentlynext to the dictation notes.

Astra’s breath hitched and she could not stop her gaze fromfeasting on the image as if starving for the sight. And despite her typicaldisdain for human phrases and overstatement, perhaps she was “starving.”

But… Alexandra’s sharp jaw, the gentle slope of her nose,the cautious, contemplative way her eyes moved to take in every detail – thevisual made Astra feel warm and wistful, her heart speeding up for a beat. Ithad been weeks since she’d seen any likeness of her hu – the human, and thathad been deliberate action on her part.

She missed her.

Viscerally, it seemed, as the robotic device that was monitoringher to transmit her vital signs and assist in detecting if she was telling thetruth relayed her reaction. Betrayer. Hoping that none of the Council membersnoticed, Astra forced herself to take her eyes off of the holographic vision ofAlexandra.

There were a few speculative eyes on her, and despite thefact that she did not want to overly show her hand, she met them straight on.After all, she supposed, this hearing would determine the truth either way.

Astra was not and never had been a liar; she did not intendto start now. Regardless of the consequences it would have.

Marya spoke again, her gaze thoughtful, flicking from theoutput of the device monitoring Astra to her face, “We’ve thus far reviewed allpertinent reports and surveillance, and have conducted interviews with anyonewho came into contact with prisoner Alexandra Danvers during her time in NewKrypton. We would like to hear from you about your interactions leading up toher escape, chronologically. If you would,” she gestured lightly as if tellingAstra to go on, “From the beginning.”

She wondered if it should be difficult to remember. ButAstra did not forget a moment of the time she’d spent with Alexandra. Not even fromthe very beginning.

With a deep breath, she met the eyes of the Council members,straightening her spine. And began to speak.

____________________

The first day the woman is imprisoned, Astra is unimpressed.

#i have 20k of this written and where am i???#still letting it sit in my wips #general danvers

22 notes · View notes

oumakokichi · 7 years

Note

I'm not sure if this was asked before but I'll do it anyway. So, what's your opinion about Danganronpa V3 having three protagonists: Kaede Akamatsu, Shuichi Saihara, and Kibo? Do you think this strategy effective in terms of plot, gameplay, and people's reactions? And which protagonist gave you their most significant contribution throughout the game?

I feel like the multi-protagonist plot twist was very, very effectiveoverall! Ndrv3 is a game about fully subverting and playing on people’sexpectations, and they managed to keep doing this the whole way through. Byputting the game on such a meta scale and very intentionally dealing withthings like audience perception and the expectations people, even in-game, hadfrom each protagonist and each character in the cast, having those expectationsflipped upside down was all part of the fun.

I’ve talked about the fact that I’m not happy with the Kaedebait-and-switch protagonist role in particular, because of how shitty it is topromise a female protagonist and then snatch her away after getting people’shopes up. But I do like protagonist switches in general, when they’re welldone, and thematically, ndrv3 really does well with this kind of thing.

Not only the Kaede switch, but also the switch with Kiibo,and later even with Himiko and Maki, was exceptionally well done. It was meantto catch players unaware, and truly highlight the fact that contrary to “advertisement”or “audience expectations,” every single character in ndrv3 is meant to be theprotagonist of their own story. It’s one reason it was so hard for people topinpoint who the “intended protagonist” was from promotional materials alone:most people’s first guess was Kiibo, but there was also Maki as a close second,and then the “confirmation” about Kaede came. And there were so many characterswith ahoges this time around, further teasing at and playing on the assumptionmost people had that a protagonist would be marked just because of theirhairstyle or a certain physical quality about them.

Momota in particular really highlighted the theme of “anyonecan be the protagonist” super well. Momota is, technically speaking, adeuteragonist, not a protagonist. But hecalls himself the protagonist thewhole way through the game, and many things about his design allude to this aswell. His shirt, which most people took to be a throwback to either Leon’s orKomaeda’s, actually features a design meant to resemble kabuki face paintings. Thecolor red is often used to symbolize characters who are very passionate,heroic, and active: a protagonist figure, in other words.

The fact that Momota is clearly not the protagonist or even aprotagonist, both because of circumstances (his illness) and the fact that therole is clearly already Saihara’s, makes it all the more interesting that herefuses to stop calling himself one. Momota really doesn’t care if people don’twant him to take charge or be the protagonist. He’s going to do it anyway,because that’s what a protagonist is supposedto do, and because he loathes the idea of sitting back passively and justletting things happen when he should be taking a much more active role in hisown story.

Both Kaede’s bait-and-switch, as well as Momota’s veryactive stance as a “sidekick character” who nonetheless calls himself aprotagonist frequently, should tip players off to the fact that “theprotagonist” is a much more subjective role than they might have previouslythought. Saihara, who steps into the role rather unwillingly, was not meant tobe a character who either the players or the ndrv3 audience wanted to become their new protagonist.

It makes sense, then, that Kiibo would be Tsumugi and theaudience’s “ideal protagonist” figure. He was essentially designed as such fromthe start, which is why everything about him is meant to intentionally mimicand yet subvert on Naegi. He’s the same height as Naegi, his robot “talent” issomething beyond his control just like Naegi’s “good luck” was, and he’sultimately destined to be a force of optimism and hope within the group—whetherhe likes it or not.

Kaede’s take-charge attitude, her energy, and herwillingness to get things done was precisely what made her so likable right offthe bat, but Kiibo’s rather innocent behavior, his willingness to believe thebest in people, and his sense of fair play is what appeals to the ndrv3audience and even the players themselves in Kaede’s absence. And what’s more,he’s someone the audience gets to “participate” with. They can considerthemselves a part of Danganronpa as long as Kiibo’s around, and by contributingas his “inner voice” they get to feel as if they themselves are “the hope” ofSaishuu Academy.

This is why the baton gets passed to Kiibo in the Chapter 6trial. Saihara was never meant to be a Hope’s Peak-type protagonist, and whenthings seem utterly pointless, depressing, and crushing, he doesn’t want to goon. He’s tired, moreso as he slowly realizes that any option he could pickwould only be playing further into Tsumugi and the audience’s hands. But Kiibotakes over due to his inner voice, and his own innate desire to do what’sright.

Kiibo might contribute to a very “Hope’s Peak” type of hopemost of the time, since he’s only listening to what his inner voice says, butit’s true that he is a force of hope in his own right. While he starts outrepresenting “the hope of the outside world” by relying on his inner voiceexclusively, Kiibo truly steps into his own role the moment he discards thatvoice in the Chapter 6 trial. By being able to consciously evaluate thesituation, and by relying on his sense of fair play and objectivity which issomething inherent to him, and notsomething that was particularly part of Tsumugi’s or the audience’s plans, heembraces a very different kind of hope.

And that hope is something very simple, and admirable: hewants the rest of the group to live on. Even if Saihara and the others decidethat they’ll “use their lives” as sacrifices once and for all to stop thekilling game, Kiibo wants them to have futures, and wants them to live. This verysimple “hope” is something so deeply ingrained in him and something he wants sodesperately that even after the audience has, for all intents and purposes, “killed”most of Kiibo’s original personality before deciding to blow up the school andend the killing game at the end of the trial, Kiibo retains enough of his freewill and personality to intentionally avoid killing Saihara, Maki, and Himiko,and instead blasts the dome of the school open.

He provides them an option to attain that future with theirown free hands. Even if they’re all only fictional characters, even ifeverything they remember or everything they’ve done was a “lie” or “illusion”in one way or another, Kiibo’s “hope” is ultimately a wish that they’ll live onin spite of everything. They don’t have to give up completely in order toarrive at an outcome that’s neither hope nor despair. They can still end thekilling game without having to end their lives as well.

And this realization that his “inner voice” and that thedesires of the audience who wanted so badly to see a “hope vs. despair”showdown that imitated the Hope’s Peak killing games were wrong is why Kiibohands the baton back to Saihara. If Ihad to pick which protagonist contributed most significantly to the overallgame, I would have to say that it’s Saihara, without a doubt.

Kaede, unfortunately, we only had around for a very shorttime, and while she left a lasting impression on the whole group long after herdeath, it’s impossible to say that she really had a huge amount of autonomy.Kiibo’s contributions are significantdespite only really getting to shine as a protagonist in the last chapter(though there are certainly hints of his protagonist nature even earlier on,and in Chapter 5 particularly), but his largest pitfall was in unwittinglybeing a puppet for both Tsumugi and the audience for most of the game.

Saihara is a protagonist whose entire nature as someone whowas neither wanted nor expected by the players or the audience is the mostimportant point about him. His conflicts, his development, and the answer thathe reaches at the end, are all vastly different from previous protagonists likeNaegi or Hinata. As a detective, there are very different things expected fromSaihara than would be expected for a normal person. And as someone who,according to Tsumugi’s own words, “was supposed to be weaker than anyone” according to the personality sheplanned for him during the killing game, Saihara’s ability to step into theprotagonist role and constantly change himself despite anyone else’sexpectations is hugely important, not only to his character but to the themesof the game itself.

Without other characters there, and without the very reallessons and experiences he lived through alongside people like Kaede, Momota,Ouma, and the others, Saihara would never have been able to come as far as hedid. But it’s precisely because of the others’ contributions that Saihara isable to reach a truth no one else wants to reach, and seek a result thatTsumugi and the audience never once foresaw.

His conviction by the end that they can form “their owntruths,” and that lies and illusions can have a real, lasting impact onreality, gets through to Himiko and Maki to the point where even they become protagonists very briefly inthe Chapter 6 trial. They reach a point of deciding for themselves what tobelieve, no matter what “facts” or “truths” they are presented with, and it’san incredibly rewarding moment to see them all band together and arrive at theconclusion that yes, their lives do have real meaning, and yes, they can followSaihara’s example and do something entirely unexpected from what might havebeen planned or intended for them as fictional characters.

The theme of protagonists, and of what makes a story, andwhose perspective the story is being told from, is so incredibly interestingwithin ndrv3. There certainly are elements I wish had been handled better, butoverall, the protagonist switches were handled very well, because you couldtell it was an extremely important theme of the game which Kodaka had intendedfrom the start. I hope I managed to share my thoughts on it well, because Ihonestly feel like the ndrv3 cast shines so much specifically because so manyof the characters have this potential to shine on their own as protagonists oftheir own story.

#ndrv3 #new danganronpa v3 #shuuichi saihara #kaede akamatsu #kiibo #ndrv3 spoilers //#my meta #okay to reblog #trishiabidaure

57 notes · View notes

plasticnightmaredoll · 3 years

Text

Resident Evil 8: Village review (spoilers everywhere!)

Now, I want to start off by saying I've never been very interested in the "Resident Evil" games. I've always preferred the "Silent Hill" series because of how macabre the games are, the creepy symbolism behind the monsters, and the intense moments of fear despite having weapons (well, in most of the games at least). I like dark, twisted stuff, and "Resident Evil" seemed too...action-oriented for me, I guess?

However, I did finally get involved when I saw the trailer for "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard." I was shocked, but pleasantly so. Not only did it feature new characters, new locations, and a new disease, but it was in first person AND looked like a true survival horror game. I know some people may prefer the third-person perspective for RE games as that has always been one of their key characteristics, but I think horror games are much more effective in first person. They're more immersive because they give you the illusion of being in the game itself.

I really loved RE7, and still do. I actually have begun playing it again, the first time in a few years (I think 2019 was the last time I played through the game). I still see it as my favorite RE games and one of my favorite survival horror games, but I have enjoyed the "Resident Evil 2" and "Resident Evil 3" remakes and may play other games in the franchise just because.

Now, onto "Resident Evil 8: Village," a direct sequel to 7 (lol 8 does come after 7 but I mean that 8 is a continuation of the story introduced in 7. I mean, RE7 was not a sequel to RE6 at all). I was excited to see the franchise continuing with what it started in RE7, and while I did enjoy RE8, it does have some issues...nothing serious but things that prevent it from replacing RE7 as my favorite.

The Good:

There Four Lords and Mother Miranda were truly unique characters despite being bosses. I felt pity for all of them in one way or another and enjoyed learning their backstories. I think they are the most interesting and "human" villains in the RE games so far (at least, from what I've seen), and in games in general.

I felt so much pity for Moreau, though. He was such a tragic character, and I felt like I was putting him out of his misery by killing him. Clearly, there was something wrong with him mentally like his mental growth had been stunted and he thought and acted more like a child. His primary goals were to win the praise of the other three Lords since they didn't like him (I think Donna may have been ok with him but her mental health issues prevented her from expressing her feelings in a more effective and healthy manner) and to have Mother Miranda see him as her son. All these emotions over one character, a boss enemy, and possibly the least complex of the Lords and Miranda herself, I think demonstrate some fantastic writing. I mean, I've very rarely encountered bosses that I felt sorry for, and killing them was mercy.

Donna was a very strange character. She was the only one of the bosses who didn't transform into a monstrosity, and her boss fight was vastly different from anything else in the game. I liked it, though, for the most part, this sort of "calm" within a storm of deadly monsters and bloody battles. Of all the Lords and Mother Miranda herself, Donna was almost just there, like she was observing instead of actually participating. She respected Mother Miranda but, unlike the other three Lords, she seemed to prefer to live in her own little fantasy world with her dolls as her family and friends.

The graphics were, as expected, incredible. If you have a computer that can handle the game with high/max settings, it will look absolutely stunning. Also, the soundtrack was very fitting, but I don't have much concern for this trait unless the soundtrack is truly exceptional, which is rare -- or if the soundtrack is awful, which I have yet to encounter in a game.

I enjoyed the change in environment from RE7. I liked the creepy house in the woods and "ghost ship" in RE7, but RE8 had us in underground tunnels, a rundown village, a castle, a factory, a swamp town...I mean, you went all over the place, but it made the experience diverse and entertaining.

RE8 gave us a lot of answers to questions left by RE7, and, in some ways, enhanced that game's story. Finding out the truth behind Ethan's seemingly indestructible body was a twist I didn't expect. It did provide an answer for just how easy it was for him to literally patch himself up and put himself back together over and over again. It was no longer just "game logic."

Ending Ethan's story made sense. It was clear by the end of RE8 that his character had gone as far as possible, and it was time to switch gears. I'm curious as to how the next game will utilize Rose as a protagonist. She has powerful psychic abilities, unlike her father, and I don't think any other RE protagonist has had such abilities (as far as I know), so that could make for a very interesting gaming experience.

With that being said, I really do hope RE9 continues what was started in RE7 and developed further in RE8. I really do. I think there are plenty of things left to explore, plenty of room for some good twists and turns.

There weren't many puzzles in this game, but I didn't think it was such a bad thing. It was still a lot of fun to play with a reasonable amount of action-oriented challenges. There were so many bosses in this game, minibosses included, yet it never felt overwhelming or underwhelming. I thought the minibosses were fantastic "bridges" to each of the 5 main boss fights.

MAGNUM IS BEST WEAPON. Seriously, what is it with these types of guns and their insane amount of power? I liked the grenade launcher as well, despite how slow it was to reload. The use of flashbangs proved to be much more useful than the grenades themselves, oddly enough. I know they have been in other RE games, but they were much more essential in RE8.

The pacing was perfect. I felt like the game was the appropriate length, not overstaying its welcome nor leaving players underwhelmed by lack of content. I mean, I still wish it were longer but that's only because of how entertaining it is to play. Leaving players wanting more but in a positive sense indicates that the game was planned thoroughly with a lot of attention to detail.

Miranda's and Moreau'sboss fights were the most challenging in the game. Both were endurance battles and required you to move quickly and think fast and basically just survive until they died. Ammo was very important in both boss fights because the right weapons made things much easier but if you didn't have enough ammo for them, well...you're going to have a more intense challenge.

My favorite "location" was the Dimitrescu castle. I like the elegant "antique" aesthetic of old castles and houses/mansions.

Unlike in RE7, RE8 does allow you to upgrade some of your weapons, which makes things easier if just to allow your guns to hold more ammo before needing to reload. You also didn't need to pull out a weapon to open crates. If you "interacted" with one, Ethan automatically used his knife to break it. RE7 made you do it manually which was a little annoying, especially during fights.

RE7 pretty much just had the Bakers and mold monsters as enemies. They all put up a good fight, but RE8 has a much wider range of enemies: wolfmen, zombies, flying zombie bats, werewolves, cyborg monstrosities, witches (well, if you consider the Dimitrescu daughters as witches, and they kind of are), a gross but pitiful fishman, a mentally disturbed doll maker, and an egocentric engineer. Variety added another layer of difficulty and surprise to the game since it wasn't always the same enemy types popping up to get you.

Mixed Thoughts:

Donna's boss fight was unlike any other fight in the game -- or any game, really. It was a morbid hide and seek challenge that was a nice change of pace but I do wish it had been a bit more difficult. I liked the concept, and it suited Donna, but it was the easiest boss fight in the game, almost like it was a miniboss fight instead. Good concept, but weak execution.

RE8 allows you to upgrade weapons, but RE7 doesn't, and while it may sound like RE8 has the upper hand, I disagree. RE7's lack of weapon enhancements/upgrades made the game more difficult because what you saw was what you got, and you had to make do. You didn't have the option to make your weapons hold more ammo or shoot faster or deal more damage.

The Bad:

Most of the boss fights were...rather easy? Minibosses included. The only ones that posed a real threat were Moreau and Miranda. Everyone else was just standard boss fodder, unfortunately. In RE7, I felt that, while there were far fewer boss fights, they all were much more demanding and exciting.

Lady Dimitrescu was such a fun character, and yet, she was only in the game for a short time, and her boss fight was just so-so. With all the marketing surrounding her before the game was released, I expected her to have a much larger role in the game.

They had an opportunity to make Miranda a sympathetic villain seeing as how the loss of her daughter basically drove her to madness. However, the way she was portrayed, I honestly didn't feel any sympathy for her, which was a shame. If she had been portrayed as a more tragic, broken character, then it would have made the final boss fight very emotional since you would feel some guilt killing her knowing what she's been through.

Not very scary. I mean, it's not a terrible thing, but for a game that is part of the survival horror genre, I felt like RE8 focused on the action a little too often. It was an intense experience just not a chilling one. RE7 had so much tension and atmosphere that it truly played out like a survival horror game.

Overall, I do like "Resident Evil 8: Village" and want to play it several more times. It bested "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard" in a few ways, namely with a diversity of enemies and customizable weapons but it fell short in the horror department and mishandled most of its bosses.

Final Grade: B+

For reference:

Resident Evil 7: A

Resident Evil 2 (2019 Remake): A-

Resident Evil 3 (2020 Remake): B-

#resident evil village #re8 #horror game #resident evil #survival horror #lady dimitrescu #salvatore moreau #mother miranda #resident evil 7 #resident evil 8 #re village #queued post

19 notes · View notes