#their contrast is so interesting me especially their aces

[newvestroia]

What will happen in the future? Do you think it will be better than today?

#their contrast is so interesting me especially their aces #unfortunately pokemon masters gave me volo brain again #going feral over some of his lines in masters #what is he talking about!!! I need to know #anyways I finally got him at 360/400 scout points #ive got so many pokemon thoughts rn so please send asks!!! #fanart #pokemon #pokemon volo #pokemon cynthia #pla #pokemon legends arceus #champion cynthia #volo #pokemon diamond and pearl #cynthia pokemon #togekiss #garchomp #myart #procreate #this took me 14 hours but the volo card watching over me on my shelf gave me the power to push through it 💪 #reblogs are appreciated!! I’ve very happy with this

[skyefeys]

so fun fact, i'm playing the aa trilogy with a friend right now, and apollo justice with another friend. and second fun fact, i love voice acting. anyway here's a fun little breakdown of ten of my favorite voices to do, in no particular order!

1. cody hackins

i've been told i do a very good young-boy-in-anime voice. it's just very fun! originally he was very back-of-throat and kinda fucked up my voice to do, so i moved it forward more to not kill myself. it sounds virtually the same!

2. dee vasquez

i love the badass, cold woman archetype for voices. i gave dee a lower, vaguely gothic, vaguely transatlantic voice. she's one of those characters who changes tone as she gets mad and lets her demeanor slip, so that was interesting! typically i had her speak slowly and quietly, so when she's worked up, she gets faster and louder, and goes from that low-throat crooning to a more full voice.

3. alita tiala

i made alita vaguely russian, for some reason, but i went with it, because i fucking love accents. this fact will become clearer as this ranking continues. anyway, alita is another character who talks differently as her facade slips. initially, she has a timid, hesitant voice, with a very faint accent. when she gets angry, her voice becomes more stern and confident, and her accent comes out more!

4. lotta hart

accents, man. lotta's especially fun because you can just go fucking crazy with her, there's no restraint on her accent she's so extremely southern. her voice's pitch is pretty regular, so if i were to ever voice nicole, i'd probably give her a slightly higher voice for contrast - and because nicole has a sweeter personality, while lotta is more rough-around-the-edges.

5. olga orly

again: accents!! i literally didn't think i knew how to do a russian accent before her, but then i jumped into it and found out i do, somehow?? anyway, olga's fun because she has two completely different voices. her fake identity is higher pitched and timid, and thickly accented. her regular voice is just a bit higher-toned than my regular speaking voice, and she talks in a much faster and rougher way.

6. truly wright

truly just has a higher, cute voice, and that's fun! hers isn't complicated to do, either; i just pitch up. it's good that she's easy and fun, considering she's around all the time. maya is harder, mostly because she's a delicate balance - i don't want to give her a voice as high as trucy's, but i don't want to give her a voice as low as the one i do for ema. speaking of which...

7. ema skye

i haven't gotten to ema's case in the trilogy yet, but most likely, her voice will be a smidge pitched up from my regular talking voice. as for apollo justice ema, i gave her a lower-toned voice - similar to my own talking voice, maybe a bit lower. this is a nod to not only the fact that she's far more cynical than when she was younger, but also the fact that she can do a CONVINCING impression of kristoph gavin, so her voice must be in the lower range. i think about that a lot. aa4 ema also has a tone to her voice like she's not trying to put up any niceties - she just says what's on her mind. in that sense, she's a bit monotonous - but VERY emotive when she talks about science.

8. miles edgeworth

proZD has a video where he describes the voices he does for every ace attorney character, and he describes edgeworth as "not british, but he wishes he was". this is something i have in mind whenever i voice him. i'm not great with guy voices, since i can't go that low, so i focus on things like intonation and accents. edgeworth doesn't have an accent, per se, but he has one of those vague ways of speaking that i can only really describe as "fancy accent".

9. will powers

i like will's voice because i gave him a pretty unique way of talking as compared to everyone else. i'm self-taught, so i don't really know a lot of vocal terms, so bear with me while i explain this as best i can. will's voice comes from sort of closing my throat, and talking from the bottom half of my mouth. it creates this gentle, shyer, and nasal voice. and speaking of nasal...

10. wendy oldbag

now, i wouldn't say i'm GOOD at oldbag's voice, i could use some practice, but it's fun as fuck to do. it's EXTREMELY nasal, it sits right behind my nose. i find myself scrunching up my face whenever i have to voice her! and as a fun little detail, she's one of those people who pronounces the h first in words like what, why, and of course whippersnapper ;]

bonus: the judge

i don't get to voice the judge a lot, since he's one the three characters my friend has claimed, lol. however, this is my apollo justice friend, so they're not always there for me and my other friend playing the trilogy. my friend does a judge voice that i can only describe as slightly more civilized goofy from nicky mouse. now, i can't recreate perfection, so i went in a completely different direction with my judge's voice. i leaned more towards his anime voice - slightly husky, but not to the extent it is in the anime.

#if anyone's curious about any other voices feel free to ask! i love talking about this stuff #also i'm so down to post dubs of any of these if you guys are curious what they sound like! #i'm determined to learn a german accent to put forth my german accent franzy agenda btw #phoenix is last because his voice is just. my voice #it's hard to give the narrator a distinctive voice without just slipping into my own #ace attorney #apollo justice #cody hackins #dee vasquez #alita tiala #lotta hart #nicole swift #olga orly #trucy wright #maya fey #ema skye #miles edgeworth #will powers #wendy oldbag

[hisui555]

Hazbin Hotel thoughts : Foils 2

(Foils 1 here)

(Foils 3 here)

(Foils 4 here)

Masterpost here.

Crawling back out of my cave because my stupid brain won't let me rest. Synapses fired all night yesterday, I'm sure there's some structural damage in the front lobe from all the fireworks going off and bouncing around the walls of my skull, but mostly color me impressed that my asocial side actually got cowed into submission, by PRODUCTIVITY of all things, holy shit, why can't it happen for job interviews ?

...Anyway.

Aaaand without transition I would like to talk about Rosie VS Carmilla (I'm putting a "VS" so that it's clearer from a couple/team, see Foils 1), especially around Ep 7, which has just this magnificent parallel between them, respectively coaching Charlie and Vaggie (yes, TV Tropes already covered that one, shhhh, don't tell my spark of productivity, it might disappear and play dead for months again). For the A plot, we have Charlie, led by Alastor, who's going to Cannibal Town to meet Rosie and ask for reinforcements - basically getting an army of cannibals to lend a hand, even if it's not theirs and has some bite marks on it. For the B plot, on the other side, Vaggie goes to Carmilla to learn how angels can be killed, and from that on asking her for the appropriate weapons. On both sides, the two girls learn about confidence and fighting for the right thing - Charlie grows into the leader she's capable of being, Vaggie steels her resolve and grows her wings back.

What's interesting about those parallel scenes is how much Rosie and Carmilla contrast each other, and are similar to Charlie and Vaggie respectively yet have differences : again, a square of foils. But let's talk about the (seemingly) older women first.

When we stumble upon Cannibal Town, it has a very gentlemanly aesthetic, streets are clean, people are well-dressed and polite, and if you forget the minor detail of cough eating people cough, they are quite the amicable bunch - something Charlie herself comments on, how "surprisingly nice" it is. The second we meet Rosie, we understand why : she's a councelor, the unofficial mayor and of course the Overlord representing them all. She's a faultless host (again, if you don't care much about her specific ingredients), very accomodating, and doesn't rebut Charlie right away despite her enormous demand. In fact, once Alastor chimes in that her citizens would be not only well-armed but also well-fed, she's happy to give it a go and coach Charlie on how to convince them (well, for the most part. Susan.), showing she knows her community very well. Rosie is shown as more of a knowledge broker : she trades information to Alastor in exchange of favors, seems to know things about him that even our deer friend doesn't ("A what now ?" *Pats your shoulder in ace, buddy. You'll get the hang of it.*), and overall comes off as very well-informed.

In the meantime, we follow Vaggie to the industrial side of the Pentagram, where it seems to be more smoke, steel and craft than rural, pictoresque town. Carmilla doesn't let Vaggie enter until she threatens to spill the beans out in plain view of the street, and once she's inside, Carmilla is immediately verbally hostile and commandeering the whole speech ("Ninety seconds."), rebutting each of Vaggie's claims with clinical precision - rightfully countering that she doesn't want to bring the trouble to her doorstep, and put her loved ones (+ workers) in danger, to which Vaggie counters (also rightfully) that if the Hotel fails to defend itself, Carmilla might still kiss her pointy shoes goodbye. Once the time is up, Carmilla attacks, but it's quickly blatant that she's actually stealthily coaching Vaggie into fighting better, both physically and mentally. She's ruthless, brutal, and elegant, but not with the same elegance as Rosie : Rosie's charm and mannierisms are day-to-day, yet she's a proud cannibal, so her elegance hides a very carnal nature by the way of eating human flesh (even if she wraps it in pretty ribbons in a candy box), while Carmilla's cold and sharp demeanor hides her graceful but efficient fighting style - I mean, have you seen those twirls and acrobatics ? Hot dang, she's cool. Rosie is a knowledge broker that knows damn well how to use her information, Carmilla is a weapons dealer that knows damn well how to use her weapons : no wonder she arms herself (and her daughters) first. Carmilla, on the surface, rejects Vaggie's deal, but after a few moments, we see that she's turning it into her own way of helping.

Now we arrive to the two main songs, Out For Love and Ready For This, who are almost back-to-back. Charlie has had her moment with Rosie, who genuinely helped her through her personal problems and her moment of uncertainty concerning Vaggie's secret, and it's time for the big rallying song. And, Charlie, you're cute and all, but sightseeing and camaraderie aren't the things cannibals are interested in - they might have a child's heart (somewhere in a jar behind a desk), but EATING is where it's at ! Good thing Alastor chimed in, hm ? Which kinda rebounds on his private part of the song with Rosie ("Stick with her, you'll be on the winning side !") : their motivations are more selfish than we think. Rosie is genuinely kind and empathetic, but not altruist : doing the Princess of Hell a solid might be a real advantage in the long run, especially for someone like her who trades in favors. On the other side, Carmilla has it out for her own reasons right away, but does a selfless move by teaching Vaggie and lending the weapons : while she doesn't directly stick her neck out, she still helps from the shadows. Her main motive is to protect her loved ones and avoid bloodshed, while Rosie's and the cannibals are to get their belly full and gain political advantage.

It's really like an hourglass between the two : Rosie hears Charlie (and Alastor) out and accepts to help but actually for selfish reason, actively and directly helping Charlie to assert herself, talking her through therapy and words - a language Charlie is very receptive to - teaching her confidence and leadership (something Vaggie already has). Carmilla on her side rebukes Vaggie but actually for more selfless (even if personal) reasons, indirectly (but still actively) helps her to rekindle with her own emotions and be honest with herself (something Charlie already is), all that through physical training and fighting - a language Vaggie knows quite well. You'd think they have the names of the songs crossed and mixed up, yet they fit perfectly : Charlie needs to be Ready For This and finally face physical confrontation, while Vaggie needs to be Out For Love and honest with her feelings and past. They both complement each other.

The smiles Carmilla and Rosie also give at the news are contrasting : Carmilla hears the news and smiles a little smile, to herself, looking proud that it worked, and proud of her 'student'. Rosie on her side has a charming, calculated, wide smile that seems to spell out 'now there we go' and 'ooh, this was nothing, darling' more than 'good job', complete with a cup of tea. It's like she smiles more at the camera than out of genuine pride, unlike Carmilla who just smiles to herself. You'd think tough-as-nails Carmilla would be the last person to teach people to fight for love, yet here we are, while ladylike elegant Rosie, who does show genuine understanding and kindness, is also planning to use Charlie for her own gain.

Wrapping this up, Charlie & Vaggie VS Carmilla & Rosie : Carmilla is kind of a more experienced version of Vaggie (a figther, determined, devoted to her loved ones), with Charlie's core ideas (love, compassion, avoiding fights) while Rosie is a more experienced version of Charlie (connections, empathy, people person) with Vaggie's way of thinking (strategic, knowledgeable, prepared).

Like Vaggie, Carmilla is a fierce fighter that you don't want to piss off, with people to protect, an expert in dealing with weapons (cherry on top : both about angelic steel), even physically they're quite alike : long white hair (especially when Carmilla lets hers go in response to Vaggie's grumbling), similar tone of skin, palette in dark grays and white mostly (Vaggie has more pink where Carmilla has black), both are also Hispanic. They already (unknowingly) share a duet in Whatever It Takes, with personal reasons very close to one another. Carmilla is the perfect combination of Charlie's ideals and Vaggie's realism, leaning more towards Vaggie's side as a fighter. They also look the less relatively demonic, past some features (like Carmilla's oversized arms).

Rosie on her side looks like an upper-class lady who is the leader of her town and an Overlord (mirroring Charlie being a princess and the founder of the Hotel), sharing some reds in their respective palettes (even if Charlie's is more solid red and Rosie's burgundy), pale hair and a very affable, accomodating demeanor. Rosie is the perfect mix of Vaggie's pragmatism and Charlie's kindness, leaning towards Charlie's side as an informator and councelor. They naturally stand in the spotlight, one way or another, and guide people through their problems. They're also both more "demonic" : Charlie is the literal Princess of Hell and hellborn demon, while Rosie has notable very sharp teeth, pitch black eyes (like the town citizens) and... what was it again...? oh right ! Eats people.

(Don't worry, I'm not always a smartass : sometimes I'm asleep.)

That went longer than expected (...as always), but, well, enjoy. Skyscrapers like those are useful when you have time to kill. I might need to consider doing a masterpost for those... might be more practical for those crazy enough to want to read all of my inane rambling (boredom is such a pain, right ?)

Hope you enjoyed.

Again, Masterpost here.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin charlie #hazbin hotel carmilla #hazbin hotel charlie #hazbin hotel vaggie #hazbin hotel rosie #hazbin rosie #hazbin vaggie #hazbin hotel thoughts

[mobumi]

Who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Feel free if you want to write the reasons or not of why you love them...Thanks if you want to answer.

Hi! Thank you for this ask, it's always fun to answer😊 So these are my current or most recent favorite ships:

Itafushi (Jujutsu Kaisen)

It's my number 1 right now, like i love them so much! Their ship is really cute and i love the contrast between them and how they work so well together as friends and more! I'm always giggling and shit when i think about them even if they're doomed by the narrative :(

Zolu (One Piece Live Action/Animanga)

I really liked their dynamic after watching the live action so i mainly ship opla! zolu, but any content of this ship is cute and catches my interest! This ship literally made me write fanfics again lol More Zolu please!

Miyusawa/Misawa (Ace of Diamond)

Miyusawa my beloved ❤️ The first time i watched this anime it had been an instant ship, their chemistry is amazing, the pitcher/catcher dynamic is chef's kiss and just the development of their relationship throughout the show was the highlight for me! I watched everything again recently and i still love this ship very much, fave fave fave :')

Shiguang (Link Click)

They are everything honestly! The angst of it all and their beautiful relationship is just aaaah and the show is INCREDIBLE?? Whether it's friendship or more, they love each other so much. In my head they're canon, i mean after what Lu Guang did, for me that's just proof of his love for Cheng Xiaoshi... they make me ill

Renga (Sk8 the Infinity)

Sk8 was the anime of the season when it came out, the serotonin was just high with this one, especially during covid time. Reki and Langa's friendship was the cutest thing to watch and it was so genuine and then ep 7 happened and the ship just sailed really hard for me! So many cute moments while a beautiful relationship blossomed in front of our eyes!! Love!!

Kazurei (Buddy Daddies)

A new favorite from last year! The premise of the show was so engaging to me when it first came out and even though i knew Kazuki and Rei weren't going to be canon, we were still fed so well? Like Queerplatonic, same-sex parentality, friends to lovers trope??? we got everything and more, especially last episode like omg they're canon idc!!

Dreamling (The Sandman)

Fell in love with this ship instantly with just one episode and little content... the fandom got my back though, i was well fed and shipped them even harder thanks to all the fanarts and fanfics! i want season 2 right now and more of them!!

EmiSue (Dickinson TV)

Not my first wlw ship but definitely my favorite! From the first episode i knew they were soulmates and i wanted more of them together! The show gave us everything we wanted and i'm glad i got to witness it :)

Satosugu (Jujutsu Kaisen)

They're not Itafushi but they are Itafushi in some ways?? like parallels we can't ignore. It's a big ship in the fandom but i'm not as invested as many stsg shippers are, though i really like the ship, i read fanfics about them and i love their story in the first part of season 2! So much angst though...

Nobamaki (Jujutsu Kaisen)

I love them together, i think their ship is cute and has a lot of potential! I don't obssess with them enough and i should read more fanfics, but they're amazing so they stay at the top of my list!

Other favorites but not current (or more like 'not in an obsessed phase' type of way): Villaneve, Hannigram, Narlie, Willex, Thominho, Kagehina, Daisuga, Asanoya, Kuroken (I watched Haikyuu again so yeah), Furuharu, Sanarai...

Old ships that i used to love, but not as much now or just not at all: Sterek, Merthur, Sasunaru, Spirk, Cherik, Romione, Drarry, Johnlock, Stony, Spideypool, Zarry, Datesana and others I might be forgetting...

#anime #anime fandom #tv series #itafushi #jujutsu kaisen #zolu #one piece #miyusawa #misawa #ace of diamond #daiya no ace #shiguang #link click #renga #sk8 the infinity #kazurei #buddy daddies #dreamling #the sandman #emisue #dickinson #satosugu #nobamaki #asks #answered asks

[bloodofgrapes]

AA thoughts time

I’m the last person to ever “criticize” Ace Attorney for being unrealistic, because a) it’s a story, and thus designed for entertainment purposes, but b) I believe its wild premise allows it to explore real issues, emotions, etc in a way that winds up being beautifully authentic because reality is often stranger than fiction

However, if there’s any one thing that I could change in AA, it's that nearly everyone would be just a tad older. Don’t get me wrong, I think AA does great with what it has--Phoenix being a rookie attorney fresh out of law school, young and headstrong and still kind of naive while being an accidental genius at what he does, contrasting with the fact the Edgeworth burnt out this hard after only four years of practice. But it has this anime problem, where everyone is clearly written to be established professionals in their field (including characters like Gumshoe) while acting like 30 is old somehow.

I could, and possibly will, make an entirely separate rant about all the “prodigy” characters AA has, and my firm belief that Edgeworth is the only one that should have ever been allowed, but I digress

To get personal with things for a moment, I first played AA when I was a teenager, and I remember how it felt then--Phoenix and Edgeworth did feel so old and mature at the ripe age of 24, worldly with education and experience that seemed far beyond my grasp. However, revisiting the series as a man in his mid thirties has been interesting. They do still retain that feeling of being older and mature, but now I can’t help but feel that  their ages ought to reflect that.

@themumblingmouse turned me on to the idea that Phoenix likely worked as Mia’s paralegal through law school, and I could see him sticking with it for some time as he worked as her junior partner, doing all the behind the scenes work outside of the courtroom while she took the lead. More specifically though, I think about Edgeworth’s downward trajectory. As I said earlier, I do think it fits him well enough that it was only four years for him to go from a relatively bright eyed and bushy tailed bratty little asshole to, well... this

But time goes by fast the older you get. Four years is practically nothing. And to be fair to Edgeworth, we could even lend him some leniency and say that his life under Von Karma likely extended that, and we could consider basically all of his time as a teenager to be part of the spiral downward, but again, he was upbeat when he was twenty. It seems far more likely that it didn’t begin until he was working in earnest, slowly forking over little bits and pieces of his soul with every case, racking up that bad (and well deserved) reputation. To my mind, that sort of thing takes time, because you often don’t realize you’ve slipped into a hole until you’ve been in it for some time, especially if you’re the sort of person that’s used to brute forcing your way through life, finding justifications and rationalizations for your actions.

Phoenix was obviously the turning point, but that turning point would hit a lot harder for me if they were both older, I think. This entire post is a little inspired by that request I got about them hugging it out in Trials and Tribulations--the observations in the tags about how desperately Edgeworth needed to just let go are absolutely spot on, and at this point I basically HC that he had at least a decade to spiral down down down until finally hitting rock bottom, with Phoenix to raise both of them from the ashes. Ace Attorney has sincerely brilliant symbolism around death and rebirth, so why not allow them a little time between their lives, so that spiral meant something, instead of being a brief and regrettable footnote from one’s early twenties?

#Ace Attorney #grapes thoughts

[faafi]

I know you mentioned your favourite episodes, but do you have a favourite scene or favourite moment from Loonatics Unleashed? Or a favourite villain?

Admittedly, while writing my response, I realized that my all time favorite moments of this entire show are from fanfictions (LOL). I think that this says a lot about the creativity of the Loonatics Unleashed fandom; this fandom is very willing to experiment with the show's concepts and characters. I love how much this fandom has added to my enjoyment of this show. It fills me with lots of joy to read other people's interpretations of this show's characters and setting...

Okay. With that out of the way, here is my actual answer:

One of my personal favorite moments of the entire show is in the episode Going Underground (season 1, episode 5).

Here is some context for why this is my favorite LU scene:

I became interested in general Looney Tunes via The Looney Tunes Show (specifically the reactions by Spilling the Milk, a YouTube trio that watches cartoons).

My first exposure to Loonatics Unleashed was through this video (Rev and Tech's Best Moments). This scene (shown above) was the third clip of the video. And I vividly recall the SHOCK that I felt when I first watched it.

My jaw was agape. Honestly, I think that I screamed. Even if I didn't scream, I was definitely shocked.

At this time, I still wasn't used to Rev talking so quickly, and so I was caught off guard by how much Rev said in such a short time.

I have replayed this scene an inordinate amount of times, and I can't stop loving it. Everything is perfect. The vocal delivery from Rev's voice actor (Rob Paulsen) is HILARIOUS. This scene clearly shows Rev's best qualities: he is talkative, nice, and accomodating. The other Loonatics walking to view the scene is COMEDY GOLD. Here, Rev's dialogue is PERFECT. LITERALLY PERFECT.

IT'S SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This clip solidified Rev x Tech in my mind.

Other than this scene, pretty much any TechRev interaction is a favorite of mine (especially in The Family Business and The Heir From Up There). I can recite certain portions of Rev and Tech's interactions since their banter is really fun.

Furthermore, most of the scenes that include Rev are my favorites, too. However, there is a special type of Rev scene that vivifies me.

All of these scenes include Rev being overjoyed while he is stimming:

(top: The Comet Cometh; bottom left: Weathering Heights; bottom right: Sypher)

I can only partially describe the glee that I get from these scenes, but I will try...

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I CAN'T HANDLE IT

FJIRKPHMKFSLJMBLJPQJFDFSDFWETJQPEEJGMXZB

JUST LOOK AT HIM

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EVEN ACE IS HAPPY TO SEE REV'S HAPPINESS

IT'S SO PERFECT

MY CHILD DESERVES TO BE HAPPY

LET HIM TALK!

(my live reaction to seeing the these scenes for the first time)

*end rant*

As for my favorite villain, I think that it's a toss-up between Melvin the Martian and Mastermind.

Yes, I know that these two villains are from my favorite episodes, but they both are so good in their respective roles.

For Melvin, it is incredibly apparent that Melvin has full capability of destroying Acmetropolis. And so, the Loonatics needed to use more than their powers or Tech's technology to defeat him.

As for Mastermind, her previous connections with Tech's past and her manipulation of technology is really well done. Her infiltration of the Loonatics HQ is really smart, and if Tech did not have the EMP, then Mastermind would have won.

To summarize, both villains have actual stakes; they can't only be beaten by Tech's technology. This is way better than an episode like Loonatics on Ice, where Tech's "Retro Fire Master Blaster" just fails to melt the iceberg. I have no idea why Tech's technology failed to melt the iceberg. If anything, this just feels like it is discrediting Tech's knowledge.

In contrast, both villains' powers requires the entire team to unite together. It's great.

Also, both of these villains are just iconic. At least to me. They are A LOT more iconic than other villains like the Ice Vikings or Adolpho.

Thanks for the question!

#loonatics unleashed #rev runner #rev x tech #tech x rev #revtech #techrev #ask

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

John Lennon Tribute Songs – Musings and Impressions

I decided this morning to look into what John Lennon tribute songs (+songs about John's death) are out there and found the results quite mixed but interesting. So here's some of my thoughts on them.

Includes songs by: Bob Dylan, The Cranberries, David Gilmour, Elton John, George Harrison, Yoko Ono, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Queen.

All Those Years Ago – George Harrison (1981)

Roll On John – Bob Dylan (2012)

Probably the most classic tribute song on this list, which is why I'm mentioning it first. I think it's somewhat misunderstood, because in my opinion it is far more personal than it's sometimes given credit for, even though it does fall into some clichés with how it references John's songs. It's overall positive, focusing on the good aspects of John and George's relationship as well as of John's legacy as a whole, with a few problematizing nuggets peppered in ("Living with good and bad"; "You had control of our smiles and our tears"). I see how the religious edge might be off-putting to some, but it feels incredibly earnest to me. The rock n' roll guitar riff is a lovely tribute to John's unabashed love for that genre.

(Also, I wrote a bit more in depth about the song and how I think it relates to George's view of John here.)

This is not a song I can justify the existence of. If it had been released shortly after John's murder maybe, but I don't see what it brought to the table 30+ years after the fact. It feels extremely gimmicky, dropping simplistic lyrical references and Wikipedia-page facts, and otherwise doesn't seem like it has anything substantial to say. I don't think these types of songs have to be written by someone who had a deep personal connection with the subject, but none of this feels natural, earned, or remotely insightful and the emotions are rather vapid.

Murder – David Gilmour (1984)

This song is musically interesting and the lyrics are quite compelling, but the centering of MDC's point of view is somewhat uncomfortable, given the actual context of his motivations. I feel this song works better as a reflection on murder as a concept, rather than a specific murder.

I Just Shot John Lennon – The Cranberries (1996)

The title of this one worried me but actually it sounds like it could be on Some Time in New York City if you threw a few saxes onto it; John wrote about tragedies in a very similar way (like the Troubles, which The Cranberries – of course – also wrote about). Despite the directness, this works and feels poignant rather than edgy.

Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) – Elton John (1982)

I like the way this song opens with the metaphor of a gardener, giving the song a degree of universality, not just in the sense that John "belonged to the world" but also that it could be related to any loss. This is contrasted with the bridge ("And I've been knockin', but no one answers…"), where John is finally name-dropped, which adds such a personal touch to the song. It's masterful and heartbreaking, especially given the fact that Elton was having trouble getting through to John during his lifetime as well. A wonderful, heartfelt tribute.

The Late Great Johnny Ace – Paul Simon (1983)

This feels less like a tribute and more like a reflection on history. John's death in 1980 is contrasted with Johnny Ace's death in 1954, as well as John F. Kennedy's in 1963. The music is harrowing and intriguing, which really underlines the senselessness of all these deaths. I enjoy the observed parallelisms and the way Paul manages to make the song personal despite not having a close rapport with John. In that way it kind of reminds me of A Day In The Life.

I Don't Know Why – Yoko Ono (1981)

Life Is Real (Song for Lennon) – Queen (1982)

Like Here Today mentioned below, this is more of an anti-tribute song in my view. Ultimately it seems that to Yoko, the search for meaning in John's death is fruitless. Musically, the song is a bit long and repetitive, but as she sings: "You left me, you left me, you left me without words."

Also, the story the album cover tells is poignant, possibly more so than any song on it: a glass, which could be half empty or half full; the fog like an uncertain future, clouding the New York skyline; a pair of glasses, the ghost of a lost loved one; and vision itself, forever obstructed by the murder Yoko was forced to witness.

Musically, I find this one to be quite wonderful and I think I can see how it was influenced by John's sound to an extent. But it also appears to be so personal to Freddie Mercury as well as rather cryptic that it feels odd as a tribute, per se. That's not really a problem in my opinion, but it's notable that without the name-drop it wouldn't even be obvious this song was about someone – let alone John Lennon – having died. This makes the "(Song For Lennon)" part of the title feel a tad performative.

Here Today – Paul McCartney (1982)

It was thinking about this song this morning that prompted me to go listen to the other entries. While "All Those Years Ago" is a song in which George seems to proclaim that he understands John better than most people, on "Here Today", Paul discredits himself as a source on John basically immediately; within the first few lines of the song, he asserts that John would laugh in response to Paul claiming he really knew John. He's in a sense shooting down the idea of writing a straightforward tribute like George's because he does not appear to trust himself to make absolute statements on who John was. Instead, he shifts the focus to his own experience of their relationship, declaring that he loves John and is thankful, despite their possible lack of mutual understanding.

The song is fiercely personal and does not leave space for someone to relate to it as an uninvolved fan of John's, or even as one of John's loved ones who is not Paul, like Empty Garden and All Those Years Ago do. And yet Paul plays this song every night in concert as a tribute. It fascinates me deeply, not to mention it is lyrically one of his standout pieces as well as immensely moving musically.

#fiona.docx #paul #john #yoko #george #music talk #meta #my analysis

[ramshackledtrickster]

What are your favourite AC characters?

In no particular order:

Ratonhnhaké:ton/Connor (overall favorite, aspire to be more like him love everything about his character and story. I love his performance and subtleties in posture and ‘business’ such as how he keeps his hands busy and scratches at himself. Incredibly tragic, but despite everything he still fights to protect what he loves. Done a major disservice by,, everyone. I love him so much. I love big men with an even bigger heart!! I talked enough abt him in general u already know)

Leonardo da Vinci (aspire to be like him, lovely charisma, fun and silly, I see a mildly dark potential conflict with him, gender and voice envy. Major sentimental value because this character inadvertently helped me realize more about my own identity. I wouldn’t be so sure of who I am today if not for him, so he’ll always have a special place in my heart for that.)

Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad (Sentimental value with all three of Altaïr, Malik and Maria since they remind me of my partner!! I like ac1 too for it’s moody atmosphere and I associate him with that. He has incredibly great character growth. Plus he’s autistic he told me himself)

Malik Al-Sayf (loooove his voice and performance and design. Love his design and I love his character growth. He deserves more love and the set isn’t complete without him he’s like glue.)

Maria Thorpe (one that reminds me most of my partner I love thinking about her own character journey and redemption. Her dynamic with the other two is incredibly fun to think about and I wish we got more of her. :)))

Ziio/Kaniehtí:io (I see soooo much potential in her. She’s done dirty by the writers and I wish there were more thoughts and headcanons on her in general. Love her actress and voice and overall performance and design. I wish she better haunted the narrative, and I can see so so so so many parallels between her and Connor. I wanna flesh out her backstory and her side and perspective of just. Everything. Since I’ve been replaying ac3 I’ve been rotating her in my head nonstop.)

Kanen’tó:kon (underrated!! I really love the conflict set up between him and Connor and I love tragic fallouts between friends. I just wish it was handled better towards the last leg of their story instead of Lee’s contrivance— and I wish Connor didn’t have to kill him. I absolutely adore his character design, and his voice and performance is wonderful. I love how his development contrasts Ratonhnhaké:ton’s)

Achilles Davenport (I don’t know rogue well so sorry in advance, but yeah I know he fucked over the brotherhood majorly. And he knows that too. I know he’s meant to be more tough and not very welcoming, but I’m a sucker for tired and grumpy mentor figures. I like to see him as a father figure for Connor and have that be elaborated upon. He’s not perfect and when he and Connor fight, I can’t help but feel and understand where both of them come from. He’s worn and jaded from past failure, but it’s nice seeing him come out of his shell in the homestead missions and grow to become a mentor again, and hopefully learn from Connor too. I love his design and I’m absolutely in love with his actor, performance and voice.)

Haytham Kenway (FANTASTIC villain and antagonist. Tragic backstory doesn’t justify how he became who he was tho. He’s a very successful unreliable narrator type, and he’s interesting to study critically. Hands down has one of the best voice performances in the game. Love his design. He’s very fun to root against. I love him so much as a tool in the narrative to drive home the idea that you can’t always fix someone, especially if they belittle and manipulate you. He’s incredibly scary in that sense, but very well done. I love how Connor triumphs over him and how his own hubris and stubbornness leads to his demise. Best Templar in the series imo.

Desmond Miles: silly. Trauma from childhood and he shouldn’t have to forgive his piece of shit dad. I want him to chill and relax. He’s lived so many lifetimes in the span of a few days,, he’s tired. But silly. Love his voice and the music accompanying his dream sequences in Revelations

[creamsickle-writes]

Alright, I know ideally you want to give everybody a fair turn in the middle in a good foursome, but since my horny brain decided it was "wrecking Sanji" hours:

Ace/Zoro/Sanji/Reader foursome where they all take turn fucking Sanji. Zoro or Ace putting Sanji in a mating press and plowing into him, fast and hard and merciless, filling him to the brim with cum

. Or any other position, really, so long as they can get off (and get Sanji off, of course). Reader fucking Sanji between their (Ace's or Zoro's) turn, either pegging him or riding his cock. The way Reader fucks Sanji is slow and gentle, to better contrast (and better highlight, once they get their turn next) the other men's deliciously brutal pace. Or they could all just switch off on that! Everybody deserves a chance to vary up the pace- it keeps things interesting. And they each deserve a chance to ride on Sanji's cock. And his face.

And he'd look so CUTE! Poor, sweet little chef, absolutely WRECKED and covered in sweat and tears and drool and cum, body trembling from the exertion. He'd look especially cute if- and I'm borrowing this from another ask I sent Lo, just because I like the idea- you use his belt to tie his dick down, so that way when he cums it goes all over his stomach. Or, depending on the angle, his chest, or his neck, or his face. He'd look so pretty~ 💖

Also, biting. Cover the love cook in three different sets of bite marks, so that way afterward he can look through them and try and remember who gave him which ones. And because he looks good covered in them ❤️ especially combined with everything else 💖

Other idea, for when Sanji was too exhausted to fuck up into you while you ride his cock, if you wanted to be mean: Cockwarm Sanji while Ace or Zoro fucks your ass. Poor boy, he'd whine so much from you teasing him- be nice and let him stroke your clit and thrust up into you, even if he can only do it weakly. Maybe taunt him about it when he cums from Ace or Zoro fucking your ass so good you clamp down on his cock like a vice when they (Ace or Zoro) makes you cum. I'm not sure if pressing his face into your tits while this happens would be cruel or not, but I'm sure it'd feel good, either way, feeling the vibrations from whatever noises Sanji makes while he tries to suck on and kiss at your tits. Bless him, he's such a sweetheart ❤️

-🍓

Strawberry anon you’ve hit gold once again

Love the idea of torturing sweet Sanji, fucking him until he can’t move anymore, even his strong legs being unable to support his weight.

And with that kind of foursome, at least with my headcanons, I’d imagine Zoro, Ace, and Reader would make good use of both his hole and his dick. Zoro fucking him while Ace rides his cock and reader sits on Sanji’s mouth? Oh, he’d be the best toy.

Something in me says that Sanji loves being treated like an object, being a toy used only for other’s pleasure. He wants the three of them to milk him until he’s sore, to stuff him with cum until no more can be contained inside.

When he’s done, he looks like a perfectly glazed cream filled pastry, just like the ones he cooks in his kitchen

Oh and the bite marks? I’d love the idea of the three of them discussing that beforehand so they can keep track of where they bit him. This way, they can have him look at each bite mark and ask him “who gave you that one?” And if he guesses wrong, he gets spanked 🤤

Ugh this whole thirst is amazing, thank you strawberry anon!

#cream's corner #cream creams

[pluckysidekick]

I’m back with Part 2 of my in depth breakdown of The Maiden’s Rage, Episode 2 of Nancy Drew Season 4. Part 1 is here. When I rewatched closely I realized how much was packed into every frame, hence this ridiculously detailed analysis. Starting Part 2 with the moment Ace accidentally splashes Nancy with the poisoned water.

Trigger Warning:

.

.

.

TW: I will be going into the transformation Nancy goes through that leads to abusive language and behavior toward Ace in this post.

Kennedy posted this monitor shot where they captured the moment of contact perfectly.

Now why Nancy is affected the way she is, is still in question. She posits later that it’s because Logan’s frame of mind latched onto her. But why? If the poison is related to the sins of the past - does Nancy not have any? Or is she somehow channeling one of her Hudson forefathers? And did she take on this persona not just because of Logan’s repressed memories, but because of her high handed treatment of Ace? It’s not the same as what she becomes of course, but she did take away his agency in the name of protecting him.

This car scene of course evokes the 3x13 forecast scene. The contrast of their happiness in the forecast and their strife here - even before the whammy takes hold - is painful. I do love how Ace stands up for himself and doesn’t let Nancy go unchecked as she continues to stonewall him.

Now when Nancy leaves Ace behind after they visit Logan, if you notice, he’s doubled over. He’s in shock at being left. She leaves Ace on the side of the road, where in 313 she cradled his body. This time he’s alive, but psychically injured by her toxic behavior.

Jade and Nick’s date was super awkward but they are adorable together. I’m interested to see where it goes. I love Fanson and would like to see them come back together, but I really like the friendship George and Nick are developing too.

When the whole crew come together it’s always gold. The way everyone just so casually accepts that Nancy has a supernatural thing going on, even Nick, is priceless. He’s come a long way from the scene in 206 in the same kitchen when Ace was about to autopsy the lamia (a classic Nick reaction shot).

Speaking of Ace, while there are some very difficult moments in this episode for him, his taking offense at the idea of he and Nick being classed with toxic dudes was so meta for me. One of my favorite things about this show is that our male heros are not traditional alpha male types (and we love them for it). The characters actually acknowledging this within the story is awesome.

Of course Nancy (and Kennedy) gets to go full on comedy here with the Nan-spreading. Kennedy’s performance is so effortless in this episode. She is so convincing as Bro-Nancy it actually makes us uncomfortable as the episode goes on. Seeing her treat sweet Ace this way is as heartbreaking as it is hilarious, especially in the tenuous space they are in right now with their relationship.

I swear the writers are reading fanfic 💀. The scene preceding this where George and Nick are so respectful of each other is the polar opposite of Nancy’s whammy induced behavior here. There are tons of great GIFs from this scene and of Nancy’s jealousy.

Now this is the moment where Ace has had enough. It’s beautifully played by both actors - look at their contrasting expressions. Ace, ever the respectful gentleman, simply walks away. The torture he’s been put through in season 3 and so far in this season is really too much for one person. That apology had better be good (we will discuss later!).

This was one of my favorite moments in this episode - Bess assuring Ace that his feelings are valid, and their Platanchor-ness is a beautiful thing. Still - we hear Ace excuse Nancy’s behavior here, mirroring the way victims of abuse sometimes try to rationalize their treatment. Ace saying he would “put on the armor” is a clue to what’s about to happen.

This entire fight scene is tough to watch (for me anyway), but it was masterfully done by all involved. The setup of a domestic scene with Ace in the traditional feminine role and Nancy as the abusive male partner was so real - from Ace’s body language (holding his hips, opening the oven, looking downward), to Nancy’s quick progression from conciliatory (“how can I make us OK?”), to suggestive (“I’ll tell you all about the time we did get together”), to accusatory (“are you rejecting me?”), to Ace’s soft voice and firm “I’m done”, it’s simply devastating.

The actual fight is fast and furious. It certainly evokes the Ace and Bess sword fight from 215, with Ace defending himself without hurting Nancy, but it’s more personal, and honestly for me more upsetting because we’ve been waiting so patiently to see them together.

While the fight is of course supernatural poison-induced, the issues of Nancy and Ace’s power imbalance, and their natural tendencies (Nancy to boss, Ace to be passive aggressive), are real, and I hope we get to see them work on them throughout the season. I truly believe they are soulmates and perfect for each other - but that doesn’t mean they are perfect, and they will need to navigate their relationship to have the amazing life together we all want for them. I am confident we will get to see come to fruition.

The quiet desperation and absurd politeness here - so perfectly Ace!

There is so much more, including that incredible final scene, but alas will have to wait for my final 402 post, becuse I had too much to say and too many screencaps!

I highly recommend @likestosolvethepuzzle’s take on Ace’s POV during and after the fight, Not this Nancy. While it generally follows the show, it also goes deeper into the same issues I’ve discussed here (we’ve had a lot of conversations since the show aired), and gives us the insight and some slightly tweaked scenes with a resolution that I really love. 10/10!

Update: Part 3

#nancy drew #nancy drew cw #nace #ace [redacted] #ndcw #Nancy drew season 4 #Nancy drew s4 #4x02 #kennedy mcmann #alex saxon #nancy drew spoilers

[houseoffourcats]

What Do You Need to Know Right Now? Pick a Pile and Find Out!

14 July 2023

If you enjoy this reading, please consider getting a personalized reading through my Etsy page. Thanks for your support!

Pile One

VI of Swords - IV of Coins - The Magician

The VI of Swords tells me that you escaped something hard if not downright traumatic - an abusive relationship, a toxic family, or a bad job, for instance. The process of getting out of that situation was by itself a long, difficult and even dangerous path. As a result, as seen in the IV of Coins, you’re careful not to lose what you managed to keep through all this. You don’t trust other people easily, and keep your resources - internal as well as material - out of sight so others don’t try to destroy them or use them against you.

The Magician calls upon you to do something new to come into your own after surviving that. In contrast to how the figure in the IV of Coins hides part of herself as well as her resources, his posture is open, his arms where people can see them… though he remains somewhat mysterious, draped as he is in black robes. More than that, though, he’s powerful, channeling strong forces through what he has - though it may not seem like much - to make big changes.

You shouldn’t have had to go through whatever it was you escaped from, and your wariness is completely understandable. When you’re ready, though, you can use the qualities and skills that got you through the difficult times, and any material resources you’ve kept throughout, to reclaim your power. The best case scenario is being able to use your experience in a transformative way, making things easier for other people experiencing what you did or preventing it from happening to others in the first place.

Pile Two

Ace of Swords - Page of Coins - The High Priestess (Reversed)

You have a great new idea, as represented by the Ace of Swords. Maybe it’s a project like a book or an invention, or a new way of thinking about things that informs the rest of your life. The Page of Coins shows that you’ve already set to learning how to put the idea into practice and laying a solid foundation for what comes next.

The thing is, though, you’re still learning, and not everything is intuitive yet - far from it. To make matters worse, there’s some bad advice out there (hopefully not what you’re reading here!), a lot of it coming from people with ulterior motives. The High Priestess warns you to be aware of what you don’t know, including who has your best interests at heart.

Your idea is a good one, even if there’s a steep learning curve. Do your research and think things through. Is that degree program or “boot camp” training a good investment, or is it a scam? Is the person who wants to work with you on this reliable, or will they try to take advantage? Also ask advice from those you know you can trust, especially if you know anyone who’s actually done something like this before. If you make it past this early stage without things going horribly wrong, you’ll get to the point of being able to make decisions in this area of your life with no problem.

Pile Three

Queen of Wands - The Hermit (Reversed) - III of Coins (Reversed)

The Queen of Wands and the reversed Hermit are two very different people here. The Queen of Wands is very driven and confident, and can be more than a bit impatient when it comes to getting things done. The Hermit reversed is directionless and doubting, thoughtful to a fault. The III of Coins reversed suggests here that this doesn’t make for a good partnership, whichever side of this dynamic you’re on.

It makes sense, in a way, why you would be drawn to each other. If you’re the Queen of Wands, you want someone who’s not going to try to usurp you, as it were. If you’re the reversed Hermit, making all the big decisions would be overwhelming, so having someone to do that piece of things is a must. It’s just that you’re too much the opposite of each other to work out, romantically, professionally or otherwise.

When you call this partnership quits, though, see what you can learn from it. Can you communicate your frustration with a delay in a kinder way, if you’re the Queen of Wands? If, on the other hand, you’re the Hermit reversed, can you ask for help making a decision earlier so you don’t agonize over it endlessly before getting anything done? This will help you develop a healthy relationship with someone, where your needs and skills complement one another’s rather than clashing.

—

I hope you enjoyed today’s reading! If so, please head over to my Etsy page for a more personalized reading at an affordable price.

In the meantime, though, here are Arya and Sam enjoying the cool tiles of the kitchen together:

#pick a pile #pick a card #tarotblr #tarot reading #tarot #bonus cat picture

[imsosocold]

Ace Attorney ships I find personally amusing

"I, an aro spec person, have little to no interest in ships" once said a foolish fool.

Dhurke and Manfred:

Genuinely they're such cool contrasts, Manfred is the embodiment of the status quo while Dhurke is the face of rebellion and is all about expression while Manfred is incredibly closed off and ridden with paranoia while Dhurke trusts in others so strongly and the fact they both take in someone else's kid to raise as their own out of their own senses of duty -

Dhurke should've gotten to radicalize that old man and also kiss him methinks.

Matt and Kristoph:

Do you know the quote " he's so stupid, I have to fuck him?" Yeah, that's the dynamic, even though Matt's quite cunning ( which Kristoph and most of the AA fandom don't want to admit). Both petty and paranoia ridden and identityless, thinking they're above everyone else yet being so self harming and sabotaging, completely consumed by the systems they worked in only to get tossed aside by them once their depravity becomes too visible. If you've seen my previous AA posts you know I love the idea of Klavier looking up to Matt and wanting to model themself after him. To Kristoph, however, Matt is the embodiment of the lifestyle that he fears will consume his brother. So even before the whole Farewell Turnabout reveal, there's resentment already there. Poor Klavier is naturally crushed when the truth comes out ( better get used that soon buddy) and admist the rage for Klavier's sake in Kristoph there's also the satisfaction of being right. I wouldn't be surprised if Kristoph visits Matt in prison just to gloat and try to fuel his paranoia but Matt, ever the actor, just bats his eyes and treats Kristoph like he's another fan. Naturally this gets under Kristoph's skin and makes him want to break Matt even more and the duo end up in this perpetual cat and mouse game that's more amusing to them than any other rivalries they've had, even with Juan and Phoenix.

Klavier, watching his brother stamp a pile of letters to Matt Engarde: I think you're more upset about what he did than I am Bruder.

Kristoph : Shut up Klavier, your boyfriend has a dildo on his head.

Kristoph naturally shares all this with Beanix in an attempt to bond with him over their shared hatred, but it has the opposite effect on someone who's dealt with someone also having " unnecessary feelings" almost his whole life. It is 100% what confirms his suspicions of Kristoph and you know once he defeats him he throws in the line "lmao have fun with your boyfriend in prison." ( Which makes poor Klavier even more distraught.) Matt swears the reason he's happy to see Kristoph in prison is purely out of the satisfaction in seeing an enemy of his fall. Anyway, their antagonism in person is even more extreme but with how they're forced to spend time together in prison, genuine time together, things get more complicated and it looks like Phoenix and Klavier were right all along. WELL FUCK-

Geiru and Dahlia:

Girlies who solve their problems with murder and frame those they're supposed to be close to ♡ Dahlia sees this girl getting crushed by the legacy of her family and won't allow history to repeat again.

They wouldn't have to put personas on for once and could just exist without expectation and judgement.

Also the contrast of graceful Dahlia with literal clown girl amuses me <3

Godot and Simon Blackquill:

Manipulative, mysterious hot prosecutors who are up their own asses? Yeah, they need to make out/j

In all seriousness both of them are so fucking tragic, trying so hard to protect the ones they care about and being willing to do fucked up shit to do so regardless of what happens to them. At the same time toxically assuming what's best for other people without their input ( especially regarding female characters) and harshly project their own feelings onto other people. They're sickly similar and I hope they realize this and heal together.

Bikini and Gant:

They're unhinged in opposite directions <3 So interesting that Bikini is similarly part of a corrupt system but hasn't been tainted by it like Gant was, probably because she hadn't gotten to see and experience the extent of it like Gant did. Both so easily could've become the other if their positions had shifted. Any so, Bikini would bring out Gant's more heartfelt traits and they'd definitely joke around together and be annoyances to everyone around them and just enjoy the little things in life. But primarily I'm interested in this duo because the idea of Gant leaving behind his work to join the temple life amuses me XD

Angel Starr and Dee Vazquez:

Fucked up, violent, revenge driven women who are willing to do anything in order to get what they want? Automatic click. Either they'll take over and rule the world together or they'll retire to a seaside town and grow old together. 50/50 chance with these veteran queers.

Larry and Sorin:

I’m a sucker for STEM and artist duos, romantic or otherwise. Their differing interests and personalities would bounce well off each other, making them a comedic yet chemistry filled paring that balances each other out. Also, flanderization aside, Larry is an understanding and caring guy and would support Sorin throughout his recovery and beyond.

Larry and Shelly De Killer:

The idea of cheerful guy who constantly gets accused of murder dating one of the most prolific killers ( also a cheerful guy) sends me, along with the concept of either of them taking the other’s last name. I think Shelly would be interested in Larry’s genuine love for life and continued nativity while Larry is absolutely smitten by how suave and cool Shelly is. 50/50 chance Larry knows who Shelly really is. Justifiably Maya and Phoenix flip out.

Sebastian and Hugh O Connor:

Parallels! Cocky people who believe they’re highly skilled only to realize their parents were pulling strings and while absolutely crushed, they strive to do better and are incredibly loyal to those they care about. They should go “ samesies!” and imprint on each other.

Simon Keyes and Nahyuta:

Love these two cause they’re so similar but complete opposites. They’re both self declared fighters of corrupt systems who are willing to sacrifice anything and everything ( including themselves) to complete their goals. Not to mention having an intense loyalty to their fathers and father figures. But while Nahyuta believed in fighting within the system despite knowing its corruption , Simon, refusing to sink to the level of those he hated, made sure to fight the system from the outside. I hope they bite each other <3.

Richard and Daryan:

Flamboyant queers with weird hair who are both based in their crimes and actually not appreciated enough. They should kiss and do more crimes.

Nahyuta and Matt:

The contrast. I want Nahyuta to look at Matt and see him as someone who was similarly raised into fitting a certain role and was unable to escape it and in turn swearing to save Matt’s soul. Matt is honestly confused but, amused and ever the opportunist, agrees to Nahyuta’s demands. Phoenix on the other hand is pushing Apollo to get his brother to stop, with Apollo explaining he literally can’t change his brother’s mind.

Luke & Ron & Desiree:

Okay, Ron and Desiree are a package deal. Anyway, I imagine Luke believes that having a rival means your relationship with them is naturally homoerotic ( I mean he’s not wrong) leaving poor Ron even more flustered and confused than usual . Desiree would just find it all funny to be honest and probably encourage the antics but if she wanted she could probably roast Luke out of committing anymore crimes and gain another partner in the process. Should’ve left the whole De Masque business to her to be honest.

Nahyuta and Kristoph:

“ You screwed over my brother.”

“ You screwed over your own brother.”

Both being forced to sacrifice so much for their sibling who doesn’t understand the extent of their sacrifices. Both committing horrible acts order survive, believing they alone know what’s best and are the only one who can carry such extreme actions out. But Nahyuta was the only one who got to grow beyond these viewpoints and tendencies while Kristoph only double down. Both of them hate each other but can understand each other and hate the fact that they can, they hate feeling anything for each other. Nahyuta wouldn't ever fall for Kristoph’s shit and Kristoph would hate being so powerless and exposed to him and even more so that Nahyuta doesn’t tear him apart from the inside. Nahyuta should become Kristoph’s architect and rebuild him in his image.

Uendo and Matt:

Matt learns Uendo genuinely enjoys giving performances and needs to know how. I think despite their drastically different experiences and ideals , they could form a genuine connection centered around having to suppress parts of themselves for the sake of their work. Since Matt work centered around entertaining kids and making them happy I think he could also get along with Owen well. I think Matt would have the best relationship with Patches out of all of them with Kisegawa and him having the most antagonistic relationship (but still caring). Honestly while one of the most simplistic parings it’s one of my favorites.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed as I spent too much time on this and I’d like to hear your own blursed ideas.

#ace attorney #gyakuten saiban #ace attorney hcs #shipping #noelle’s rambles #nahyuta sahdmadhi #dhurke sahdmadhi #manfred von karma #damon gant #ace attorney bikini #larry butz #hugh o'conner #matt engarde #kristoph gavin #dahlia hawthorne #geiru toneido #angel starr #dee vasquez #simon keyes #godot #simon blackquill #sorin sprocket #sebastian debeste #shelly de killer #daryan crescend #richard wellington #uendo toneido

[oodlyenough]

fic 20 questions

1. how many works do you have on Ao3? 127...! I have had the account since 2009, lol.

2. what's your total Ao3 word count? 707,519

3. what fandoms do you write for? Generally I only write for one at a time, which is currently Ace Attorney. Not counting the odd one-offs for ask memes over the years, the other big ones were Arcane, Borderlands, Doctor Who and the wizard books.

4. what are your top five fics by kudos?

Commutative Law (Arcane)

Window of Opportunity (Arcane)

Where the Air is Rarefied (HP)

Prestidigitation (Arcane)

Contingency Planning (Arcane)

Lmao, 4 of 5 written in 2022. You can see the power of writing m/m in a popular new fandom VS my entire other library at the time. Admittedly at some point I made a concerted effort to try and knock HP down from top spot, which was successful. For now. Jayvik fandom has quieted down a lot.

5. do you respond to comments? Yes. Sometimes it takes a while because if it's a particularly thoughtful comment I try to give a particularly thoughtful reply, and it can take time to gather my thoughts.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I'm going to discount oneshots because the tone in one-shots tends to be more consistent throughout the piece rather than being about the "ending" yknow.

So probably King and Country, a Doctor Who fic cowritten with @go-ldy way back when. Technically a happy ending if you factor in immense amounts of off-screen couples therapy lmao. But we had originally written something much simpler and happier, and it didn't fit the story at all, so we went back and wrote something heavier for the closing chapter, which is why it sticks in my mind.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I think probably Anachronism, the 95k Borderlands epic. I had always had a rough image of the four main characters happy together by the end, and it was also my swansong in Borderlands fandom, so I wanted it to be an optimistic, happy ending (especially in contrast to whatever the hell is going on in the canon there now lmfaoooo). Plus the rest of the fic was quite angsty, and the ending was hopeful and happy.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Not in recent memory. Once upon a time I got a couple disgruntled comments in Doctor Who fandom, and perhaps funniest of all found people complaining about my fic on LJ in French, unaware I read French.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Nope I'm a big baby who gets too embarrassed. I've written some pretty soft-focus M rated stuff but nothing I think could rightly be called smut.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? I wrote a short joke crossover between Doctor Who and Inspector Spacetime, the Doctor Who parody from Community. I don't think that one made the leap from Teaspoon to AO3 actually.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes, a number of times. It's very flattering. Mostly Borderlands fics and mostly into Russian iirc, but there's been a few over the years. Sometimes people ask, and I say "sure, drop me a link!" and I never hear back, so I'm not sure if they forgot to link or just never finished translating to begin with.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? My longest and best DW fics with @go-ldy way back when! Not so much since.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? I'm gonna be real it always just feels like whatever I'm into at the moment. And, actually, not necessarily something I write fic for -- like Pricefield is an all-timer for me, easy, but I have never written fic and I haven't read all that much either. If I were narrowing to tree, one of "each" lol, probably Doctor/Rose, Pricefield and Narumitsu.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Don't have any. I know I will never finish them (RIP Fixer-Upper and Silly Love Songs) as I've lost interest in those fandoms.

16. What are your writing strengths? I'd like to think I am good at packing emotional and/or character beats into a concise scene or story. Adding missing scenes or elaborating on canon scenes to give some additional depth or meaning without really deviating from the source.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Definitely plot. I will get stumped on the technicalities of things for ages -- I might know an emotional scene I'd like to write, but hell if I know how to get them there. It's why I primarily write one-shots. Also I struggle with any kind of scenery or set description.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I avoid it as much as I can. (Which so far has been entirely, lol.) I don't speak any other languages well enough to write dialogue in them and feel awkward relying on Google translate or hitting up random friends to do that work for me. I am more likely to use the "said something in [language]" approach.

19. First fandom you wrote for? I actually can't be sure but I think it was 101 Dalmatians. The animated one. When I was like, 7.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? I'm gonna cheat and do one per fandom:

Anachronism (Borderlands) -> biggest, most complicated, plotty fic I have ever written, with four main characters and every combination of relationship between them as the focus. Took 3 damn years. Very proud of it.

Unravel (Ace Attorney) -> total recency bias here but I'm very happy with it and it scratched a very particular itch for me, fleshing out a relationship and characters that exist mostly in the fringes of canon, something I used to do lots of but haven't in recent years

Contingency Planning (Arcane) -> an emotional sucker punch fic in my humble opinion, happiest with it

Out of the Howling (Doctor Who, with @go-ldy) -> actually I had a hard time picking a DW fic. But this was our last together and most complex, so it wins. Also the Master is fun as hell to write.

I am supposed to tag people! I am not sure who else has already been tagged. Do it or don't, I'm not your boss, happy new year 🎊 @annalyticall @heavybreathingcatt @sandboxer @mutxnts @tinsnip @tlonista @themirokai

#fic meme #adventures in fic writing

[melloggd]

Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

Capcom • Capcom • 2013 • Nintendo 3DS Read it on Backloggd: (x)

As fans of the series are likely well aware, this fifth game marked the point when a new team took over Shu Takumi's darling mainline series of murder-mystery games. Takumi was preoccupied with Ghost Trick, the Professor Layton crossover game, and later Great Ace Attorney, and the team he previously led for the series' fourth game had kind of just dissolved after finishing up. So, the team behind the spinoff Ace Attorney Investigations duology ended up taking the reigns of the main series. What this boils down to is, that this marked the first time that two different teams were making Ace Attorney games in parallel with one another: The Investigations team now making this game, led by Takeshi Yamazaki, and Takumi's team releasing The Great Ace Attorney just two years later.

The reason for leading with this context, is because I find the contrast between these games to be inherently fascinating. That despite being fundamentally "the same kind of game" they had such different directions as to lead to two wholly different experiences for wholly different players.

Looking at Takumi's games and history in interviews, its clear to me that he values "The Puzzle" above all else (he IS a magician in training, fun fact!). The feeling of working things out in your head, drawing conclusions wholly on your own and submitting your answer to see the game react in amazement at your ability. Ghost Trick and the existence of Herlock Sholmes in general make this the most apparent, but in my eyes "The Puzzle" is only a piece of what makes Ace Attorney what it is, and it is only thanks to Takumi's direction that it has become a focus in his games.

All this build-up, is just to say this: Yes, Dual Destinies easily has the least interesting gameplay in the series. Yes, it will often make it plainly obvious what the solution to a puzzle is, moments before its time to submit the answer. BUT: I believe this is because Yamazaki's priorities were elsewhere in production. In my eyes, Dual Destinies focuses far more on its own narrative, mysteries and character drama than it does puzzle-solving, detective sleuthing and experimenting with game mechanics. This in my eyes is neither "better" nor "worse": Its just the result of a CHANGE in direction. But it IS a change that happens to be to my preference.

For instance: There's no Soseki Natsume-type case here that, as Takumi loves to do, exists SOLELY to be a fun puzzle to unravel. Instead every case feels as if it has more of a point to it narratively, having them all fit together well thematically. Characters return, dynamics are explored, themes reinforced in interesting ways and generally I rarely got the sense that--story-wise-- my time was being wasted with any of the cases I was playing. This was an issue I felt plagued AA3, despite its attempt to be dramatic and conclusive. Its mainly because of this new direction that I feel Case 2 in this game is the worst one: It seems intentionally set up like a "puzzle-box" mystery typical of the most devious puzzles in AA1-3, yet as I've explained that kind of focus is not one Dual Destinies typically wants to have.

Because of the baggage that both the series' prior game and Capcom high-ups gave the team, Dual Destinies' story was almost destined to be one that attempted a lot of things, yet I don't think I could have predicted that it'd pull those things and more off...surprisingly well. I know the whole "Dark Age of the law" setting has been derided by a lot of fans, but what I found especially commendable with this direction was that they used it as a tool to go in and clean up a lot of things that...Apollo Justice just kind of handwaved away. Like...if Phoenix was disbarred and shunned away from the law world for seven years, how was he able to set up all that he does to take down Kristoph in the end of Apollo Justice, including the debut of the wholly untested Jury system? Why was Phoenix so casually doing extremely shady things both in the development of this system and while in court in Case 1? And, of course: Why was a supposedly story about Apollo becoming the new face of Justice instead written to secretly be about Phoenix being this mastermind?

By retroactively framing Apollo Justice as ALSO taking place during this Dark Age, suddenly things begin to click: Apollo defending nothing but criminals in that game becomes more than a neat coincidence, and Case 3 in that game suddenly becomes more about showing that corruption. The grimy world of Apollo Justice aside, I find all the cases in Dual Destinies in some subtle way show how the perception of the law has changed (which is a big part as to why Case 3 is my favorite in the game). The world itself hasn't changed: People's perception of it has. Culprits commit crimes not because they're in a position of power to where they're able to get away with it (AA1) or because they seek revenge (AA2), but simply because they now feel its the easiest way to solve their situation: because the current law system will not catch or punish them. Kristoph in AA4 is an excellent, shining example of this, going to lunatic lengths to commit a crime because he knows that a law world run the way it is in this age will never catch him.

Dual Destinies shows a world where people see little benefit in being truthful, because their "champions of truth" in the most recent times were also the ones who used fake evidence in a murder trial, who defended nothing but criminals for a whole game's time, who deprioritized their duty as a lawyer over playing in a rock band - and one of them was even convicted of murder themselves.

That's a really cool yet understated part of Dual Destinies: Almost every character, new or old, are hiding away the truth or their true selves, not because they have done anything, but because they are afraid of what will happen once that truth is revealed. They're scared of what honesty will do to themselves, their relationships, and their careers, and instead keep it to themselves. Because to them, what happened to Phoenix, their guiding light in an unjust world, seven years ago, was the truth about him coming out, and as soon as it did his career and public perception of the law plummeted. This feeds into Blackquill's backstory as well and how he willingly turned himself in as a murderer, rather than having him be exposed: The moment these guardians of the law world come clean about their honest nature, the world came crumbling down, thus a world of secrecy and distrust was seen as the only way to live.

In terms of playable characters, I feel like the 3DS Home Menu diorama best showcases the game's direction: With Phoenix's story now told (and told again) with AA1-4, and Apollo having been introduced, its his and Athena's story now being told with Phoenix as mentor and motivation. Apollo and Athena are shown fighting in court, with Phoenix at home in the office. This is even reflected in the ending cutscene of the game, with Apollo and Athena being the ones celebrating as Phoenix just watches and smiles. The Dual Destinies the title is referring to is the two young lawyers overcoming their inner doubts and no longer hiding from the truth, no matter how scary it may sound, thanks to the help of their mentor, channeling Mia's positive mentorship.

I've heard people (mainly Athena fans) say the game feels crowded because of the trio-setup, but I find everyone gets a very comfortable slot in to tell the cohesive story. Phoenix is a passive figure as the plot delves into Athena's life alongside Apollo's inner turmoil. Given that AA4 didnt really...establish much of any goal for Apollo beyond meaningless family relations, this game works as a springboard for him, with a character moment so perfectly executed and befitting of him that he shot to the top of character popularity polls after launch. Following AA4 up with another game just starring Phoenix and Apollo and..."exploring" those family relations could've been a safe and easy direction to go in, yet Yamazaki's team committed to an ambitious idea of two kinds of character growth: DUAL DESTINIES, so to speak.

This is why I don’t mind Apollo’s “new backstory” in this game being so brief and, in a sense, discardable. Because the point of the backstory is to drive his actions and growth as a character: Not to give him a goal to pursue. You aren't meant to sympathize with him on a personal, "I-knew-how-good-of-a-guy-your-friend-was" level, because you're just observing the mental effects its having on Apollo, and trying to help him from the perspective of two people who really don't know the pain he's going through. Its what starts his internal turmoil and it does that well.

And putting a bow atop of it all is presentation that feels almost a cut above Ace Attorneys typical stellar pedigree: The composer of AA3 paired with the sound director of AA4 leads to whats pretty easily my favorite sound in the series, narrowly beating Great Ace Attorney purely by the element of variety. One of my biggest issues with AA4 was just how...dislikable a lot of the interacting cast was (again, is retroactively made more interesting with the Dark Age framing), and Dual Destinies remedies this with some absolute top-of-the-line new favorites (Simon + Case 3 my beloved) All the characters animate beautifully, and I admire the restrictions the team placed on themselves regardless: Characters like Filch and Fulbright will still snap to animations to retain the snappy timing of the original games, something I felt The Great Ace Attorney was comparatively lacking in due to reliance of "natural" motion-capture.

But then we come back to that point, that interesting contrast in direction: The Great Ace Attorney’s character models have far more detail and a whole new sense of fluidity, giving it more of a sophisticated feel, wheras Dual Destinies’ more simple designs and harsh cuts lend themselves to a different vibe altogether. The game’s anime cutscenes are a great example of this. The simpler designs lend themselves nicely to the occasional shift, and it does wonders to help drive the story. TGAA gets half as much cutscene runtime and accomplishes precious little with it, mostly just feeling jarring and out of place; Again, different direction.

So let's summarize: A fantastic story that retroactively makes the Ace Attorney game I have the most issues with click better and established three Top-5 favorite characters, paired with the best soundtrack in the series and a really nice visual direction for the mainline AA series. And crucially, while as I explained before the game fumbles in puzzle design, it NEVER shows its hand too early. This is my distinction between “the puzzle” mentioned earlier and "the mystery”, and the mystery is always excellently paced out across each case whilst driving a good story to boot. The points at which the game nudges you toward what to pick aren’t several steps before said event occurs, but rather often right after a major new unveiling has happened within the story. THIS is why the handholdy design doesn’t bother me.

Neither Takumi or Yamazaki had an easy task on their hands. Takumi had to introduce and build a whole new world, knowing full well it and its new characters, story and games would likely always live in the shadow of what would occur in the mainline series. Yamazaki, on the other hand, had to tie together the tangled web that Apollo Justice established, and carry the torch of the mainline series forward with a wholly new team with a distinct new flavor for the series, whilst also making an impactful game in its own right for both new fans and old. The results of both efforts are ones that, in a way falter where the other succeeds. Dual Destinies just so happened to land on the side of the pond that I happen to vibe just a bit more with, with all due respect paid to Takumi’s equally impressive effort.

I feel its best summarized with this: TGAA’s new mechanics like the Jury and Herlock Deductions lead to deviously clever puzzles and fun character interaction. AA5’s Percieve/Mood Matrix are very lacking in substance, yet are both used to pull some of the series’ best storybeats with incredibly satisfying ludonarrative harmony. And just the fact that Dual Destinies even HAS those abilities, on top of it all, to me speaks volumes on how passionate the team was to honor and respect the old, push forward with the new, and give it their all.

[Playtime: 35 hours] [Key Word: Admirable]

#melloggd : reviews #game reviews #game review #video game review #video games #gaming #game writing #phoenix wright #pwaa #aa5 #ace attorney trilogy #dual destinies #ace attorney 5 #apollo justice #apollo justice trilogy #aa4 #aa6 #spirit of justice

[viktorclawthorne]

Why I think the Garp, Koby, and Helmeppo side plot in opla is great - a silly little essay

This includes One Piece Live Action spoilers as well as a bit of Marineford

B4 we start: this is all just my opinion and thoughts I had while watching the live action.

I might've gotten some stuff wrong, or you may disagree with me. Also, English isn't my first language

I'm not expecting anyone to actually see this, I just need to write it down

Firstly, I find the choice of including Koby and Garp more early on very interesting, they did a great job showcasing the corruption within the Marines and also how toxic and even abusive Garp is (Helmeppo literally says so).

Koby is the first character we see be friends with Luffy, making us like and empathize with him. They go separate ways and after that, they parallel each other in many ways; Koby has a very strong sense of justice, just like Luffy, He wants to protect people, which Luffy is shown to do a lot. Other than Koby however, Luffy prioritizes his freedom, while Koby joins the Marines because he believes he can protect people that way.

They tell each other to “Be a good Pirate” and “Be a good Marine”, With their similarities Koby serves as a great tool to show throughout the season how corrupt the marines are, especially compared to the freedom of pirates like Luffy.

We meet Mihawk in the context of him getting a call from Garp, immediately showing the connection between Marines and Pirates. When this gets explained to Koby - and therefore also the viewer - he first realizes how corrupt the system of the Marines is. Helmeppo explains: “Warlords exist, so the marines don't have to do the dirty work”.

In Shells Town we’re led to believe that Helmeppo is “stupid and bad” and Koby is “smart and good” but later on we learn that Helmeppo was aware of how the marines work from the start and therefore wasn't enthusiastic about joining, his rank, or his duties like Koby was. When Koby finally learns the truth, he considers quitting, showing how far from his ideal of protecting citizens the navy is.

Garp literally says himself that as a marine, you operate in a cruel and unfair system and have to compromise your morals and ideals (which is why all marines are inherently immoral). He also states he could have been fleet admiral (aka highest-ranking marine) but turned it down bc he would “have to do it their way” and it would “take away his freedom” which shows his similarities to Luffy and Dragon. It is also bullshit bc he HAS to mostly do it their way, all Marines serve the world government / celestial dragons and not the people, which therefore means you cannot be free within the Marines.

In the Liveaction we see Garp let Luffy go, which is his idea of “doing things his way”, he seems to think by declining to be fleet admiral he keeps at least some degree of his autonomy; however, I personally think he is being ignorant, wanting to ignore how functioning in a corrupt system can never be moral, and you inherently lose your freedom.

Garp still believes the marines are necessary “to protect order” so he can't completely disagree with the system, clearly setting him apart from pirates like Luffy or Roger and the revolutionary army (who of course exist in contrast to the marines, showing and, well, rebelling against their cruelty).

Zeff points out the similarities between Luffy and Roger to Garp, who then mentions how Roger died, implying he’s just trying to protect Luffy. Garp seems to have a twisted view on protection; since he believes it is wrong as well as dangerous to be a pirate he physically abused Luffy from a young age, trying to stomp out his dream and make him follow in Garp's footsteps (same goes for Ace and somewhat Sabo of course).

This is also shown by how he acts in Marineford where he first tries to stop Luffy but then lets him through, isn't able to kill Ace, and has to be held back in order to not attack Akainu. Deep down, he seems to really care for those whom he considers Family, which clashes with his belief that Pirates are inherently immoral / bad.

I do believe his pursuit of Luffy throughout OPLA wasn't just him testing Luffy, as he states at the end. Garp gets really mad when he finds out Luffy has become a pirate, and still really wants to make him into a marine. The scene with Zeff would've also not been necessary, I think Garp really intends to protect Luffy (like Ace).

When he sees Luffy’s determination, however, he accepts that he can’t change him, showing that Luffy's strong will is more important to Garp than protecting him. This is also supported by the events in Marineford when Garp lets Luffy pass after seeing his resolve.

The moment Koby decides to stay in the Marines, he accepts that he’ll have to compromise his dream and agree to give up his original morals to some degree.

However, he’s still very similar to Luffy, and at this point also mirrors the “good” sides of Garp. He questions if they should really go after Luffy and stands up for his own beliefs when he gets the order to arrest the strawhats.

This way Koby (as well as Helmeppo, who does the same) showcases the corruption and unfairness of the marines because not like him the other marines present follow the irrational orders of their superior blindly.

Garp states at the end of OPLA that following orders doesn't make you a good marine, following your code does. He congratulates Koby and Helmeppo for standing up for what they believe is right, even when their orders said the contrary.

Concluding it’s safe to say that Garp, Koby, and even Helmeppo all show similarities to Luffy, they have strong beliefs, disagree with the way the marines are run and even go against their orders because of this. Showing these three as the side plot in OPLA drives the point Home how corrupt, immoral, and unfair the Marines are, and with the context of the world government and Celestial dragons, this gets even more weight.

[kingofthewilderwest]

I like the new kids! Tom seems a mixture of Hiccup and Astrid, Jun isn’t a copy-paste Astrid and provides knowledge and myths beyond Viking history, Alex is a ray of sunshine who gives me aro/ace vibes, D’Angelo is unfortunately the weakest development wise in my opinion. I thought Eugene was obnoxious, but now he’s grown on me as that annoying, idiotic, comic relief brother carácter. I hate Buzzsaw. His motivations (?) are stupid. I like the parent cast, but I’m not a big fan of the dragon designs.

I also feel like some of the dialogue between the cast is forced and unnecessary, but I don’t mind the plot as much as I thought I would. Oh, also I’m starting to wonder if the realms are entrances to different worlds and not just supposed to be caves deep inside earth because they all have their own atmospheres and ecosystems. Plus doesn’t realms mean worlds? As in dragons are from a different world than humans originally, but the entrances are crossovers?

I enjoyed reading all this and I'm really happy to discuss things like this with other dragon nerds. I'm going to respond to topics with bullet points. Each one of these bullet points could be its own separate conversation. XD If anyone wants to keep babbling!

TNR Character Cast: Kids

The kids are good! I have appreciation for all, especially when considering their personality set-ups beyond the writer's execution. Each kid is built off good concepts.

Plus, the interests and beliefs each character has would allow for fascinating duo and team dynamics (did TNR do a better job handling it). For instance - Tom's impulsiveness contrasted with D'Angelo's rigidity and respect for regulations means the two have opposing values sets, the perfect set-up for interesting interactions.

I find Tom the weakest character concept because they bank too hard on the "Hiccup is Tom's ancestor" concept. Having your protagonist be a character who's conceptually copied off of your last protagonist, and where his main character conflict is a quest to find his ancestry (an external conflict as versus something that promotes internal character growth) is weak.

I love Jun's concept. She has tons of unrealized potential. *SHE* is set up with good character conflict. She has a mother who wants her to live in the practical world and a brother who doesn't share her interests, whereas Jun's greatest dreams and desires lie in mythology and mysticism. The fact that running into the dragons allows her to pursue her desires (against the desires of her mother, who's the head of the research facility) is way cool. And Jun being a voice for dragons in Chinese culture and the broader world of mythology makes great expansion to HTTYD-dom.

D'Angelo is a cinnamon roll, too good, too pure, to darling. The idea of a lawful good character and a character who has veterinarian knowledge is fantastic. I agree with you they haven't developed him as much as they should, especially the last few seasons. This holds true for all TNR characters, but especially D'Angelo.

Alex is a ray of sunshine in our hearts, but let's be clear: her character is one with fantastic darkness, too. That element helps make her refreshing. Like her saying, "Big business would exploit them [dragons], reducing them to a tiny column of profit margins on an ENDLESS SPREADSHEET OF DOOOOOOM."

I love Eugene because he's obnoxious! Give me all your obnoxious children! Give me your team tensions! His portrayal's a bit lame (and they partially intend that), but I can get down with the concept of a reincarnated wet rat pathetic Elvis Presley. I don't like how hard they've had him want to be leader (or the idea of "we need a leader" in this group at all). Also, I never am a fan of making a character be only comic relief. I want them to give Eugene serious and heartfelt moments, too.

The adult cast: Buzzsaw is so annoying he makes me wish Mildew were back. I do not like what they're doing with his character arc. Let's also bring up the angering stupidity of Evil Science Lady. In what world do scientists act like catty ten-year-olds? Please drop her into the abyss and forget she appeared on the show. Lots of the adult cast I have less attachment to, but their concepts are fine, and I like that we're following both a kid group and an adult group.

The dialogue is extremely poor in TNR. Agree with ya. I'm also in the same boat with you about plot: it's not something I care for, but I'm not offended by it as some people are (some things in S4 went over my very lenient allowances, though). I'm fine to chill and let things be as they are. Just sit back and get more Dragons content.

As far as entrances to other worlds: yes, that could be one explanation, especially banking on the underlying Norse concept of nine realms... but one of the things that's a hallmark of HTTYD has been its underlying realism. It's a world where dragons fill ecological roles and you can observe their evolutionary adaptations to survive in the world. HTTYD hasn't been a story of magical portals or other fantasy-driven elements. Ergo, having realms be literal would be stepping outside the worldbuilding boundaries we've had since the first movie, in my opinion. It'd be a way cool concept in a fanfic, but not something that I'd want to see in my official lore. Especially given the heavy focus on environmental adaptations to our world.

#long post #TNR #The Nine Realms #analysis #my analysis #Tom Kullersen #Jun Wong #Eugene Wong #DreamWorks Dragons #httyd #How to Train Your Dragon #D'Angelo Baker #Alex Gonzalez