#they simply are the most bros and homies ever like its not even about being Straight™ bc Ash does shit like call him my pablo | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

makeste · 3 years

Text

literally just another giant post of Bakugou faces.

so I did this last year, but I only got up to chapter 120 before I ran out of steam. happily, though, this left me with an additional 190 chapters’ worth of glorious gremlin faces to choose from for this year’s edition! which I figure I had better do, before tumblr finally pulls the plug on my poor sweet image limit.

so without further ado, happy birthday to Kacchan, and happy birthday to Kacchan’s asymmetrical HAH face where his eyes do the thing like ( ◣益◢).

why I like it: so this is from Kirishima’s flashback in chapter 133, where Kirishima was getting all down on himself because his quirk Only Does One Thing, and Kacchan was all “nah bro don’t worry about it because your One Thing is totally fucking rad, and you’re strong enough to withstand anything.” so that of course was incredibly sweet, and one of the few times we’ve seen him give an actual heartfelt pep talk without so much as a single insult thrown into the mix. but what really puts this scene over the top for me is the fact that you can see the ever-so-subtle hints of guilt and regret when he talks about All Might and Kamino. for just a moment, he gets this distant look in his eyes, and his expression turns soft and contemplative. basically this is a rare collector’s edition Kacchan face you will not find in many other places.

why I like it: because this frankly needs to happen in every damn fight until this kid finally gets it through his thick skull to ditch the mask so we can see every fantastic facial expression in full 4k glory. work with me here please Kacchan.

why I like it: because character growth!! this was our first big moment of post-DvK2 Kacchan development, and the payoff was well worth the wait. it only took him 166 chapters to realize that it’s hard to grow as a person if you’re determined to be a humongous dick to every single person you meet!! lmao, but it’s progress though.

why I like it: these two panels are criminally underrated. the way his face transforms when Deku gets the answer wrong dlkjfldk. this is easily one of the funniest subtle gags in the entire series.

why I like it: “hey Bakugou do you want to play in our band?” “fuck you, no.” “pretty please.” “fine, but I refuse to call it a band.” “well then what do you want to call it -- ” “MURDER.”

why I like it: GONNA MURDER EVERYONE BY PLAYING THE DRUMS!!!! SOMEHOW WE’VE SUCCESSFULLY COMPARTMENTALIZED THIS SCHOOL-SANCTIONED DISPLAY OF PERFORMING ARTS AS A DEATH MATCH. OH TO UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF THIS YOUNG MAN’S MIND.

why I like it: hah?! I love how he has to tilt his neck all the way back every single time he does this. he’s so cute I love him so much.

why I like it: somewhere around this point in the manga Kacchan decided to do away with being handsome and decided to just be a full-time gremlin in every single panel. this persisted for the next 90 chapters or so and he was very dedicated. I’m pretty sure he was going for vulgar and intimidating, but unfortunately for him he’s too inherently adorable and so the end result is just endearing and almost charming in its own way.

why I like it: this was from chapter 194 when Aizawa was announcing that they’d have a special guest for the Joint Training arc, and so Kacchan was all “BOY OH BOY A NEW ASS TO KICK.”

why I like it: more character development! and just look at that confidence! he’s fully recovered from his low point after Kamino and the provisional exam. he knows what he’s about now, and he is THRIVING. and once again you can see how his conviction inspires the people around him and makes them more determined. just, he is going to be such a good number one hero you guys.

why I like it: it’s the three little “!!!” lines hovering in the corner next to his head for me. “oh my god it’s All Might, All Might saw me being cool and Saving To Win and stuff, what’s he gonna say what do I do omg quick act natural.”

why I like it: QUICK HIDE YOUR FEELINGS!! WE CAN’T LET THE NEIGHBORS KNOW WE CARE. fjkdlsjklk

why I like it: this is his expression when he first sees Deku activate Blackwhip for the first time. it’s one of the few unguarded expressions of complete surprise that we’ve gotten from him and I love it thank you.

why I like it: classic asymmetrical HAH face. he truly has perfected this look. look at him, casually clinging to a pole for no reason other than to look dynamic. this boy truly cannot sit or stand or walk or do anything normally. he spent three months working his ass off to catch up to Deku and the others, and now that he finally has he’s filled with so much pent-up energy that he simply cannot hold it back anymore and he’s gotta climb a pole. he’s just gotta.

why I like it: because he is so fucking good at saving people now you guys, he’s like a whole-ass professional and shit, and yet it hasn’t changed who he is one single iota. he will save your life and he will SCREAM AT YOU WHILE DOING IT and you’ll sit there and be grateful goddammit.

why I like it: o noo he was caught unawares. All Might was all “I’m gonna have a dad moment and nobody can stop me” and he walked right up to him and put his hand on his head because he’s All Might and so what is he even gonna do about it. nothing, that’s what. you got played, Kacchan. outmaneuvered and outfoxed. all he can do is stand there and make that grumpy face he makes when he’s receiving unwanted affection (҂⌣̀_⌣́).

why I like it: more unwanted affection. now they’re even feeding him ffs. how could he let this happen. mm chicken.

why I like it: GREATEST ASYMETRICAL HAH?! FACE OF ALL TIME. out of all the people to befriend him against his will, Todoroki is by far the most confusing to him and it’s just so great.

why I like it: this is when Hawks is staring at him in chapter 244 because he fake-killed his mentor and stuff and he feels sorta guilty about it. but meanwhile Kacchan just thinks he’s trying to start some shit, and so he’s all “I WAS FASTER THAN YOU BACK THERE YOU KNOW” and Hawks is all “hahaha okay little buddy you just keep telling yourself that”, because as previously discussed Kacchan is too adorable to ever be intimidating.

why I like it: this is from 246 when he’s in the middle of arguing with Burnin’ and all of a sudden Endeavor calls to him and he’s just like o shit what’d I do.

why I like it: because Endeavor’s mentoring them and shit and he’s just casually sitting there eating his lunch like yeah. with his lil hamster cheeks lulz.

why I like it: the look that instantly became iconic. this panel cured me of the misconception that Bakugou “goes to bed at 8:30pm” Katsuki was a morning person. the truth is he loathes all times of the day equally.

why I like it: this one is a team effort because Deku’s faces are equally as good. I’m genuinely shocked that this family dinner with the Todorokis didn’t prematurely unlock Danger Sense. you can tell that he and Deku have a silent agreement to call a temporary truce on their rivalry for as long as they sit at this table as outsiders in this strange land. this is by far the most hazardous meal Bakugou has ever experienced, and yet the mapo tofu is too good to go to waste, so he’s just shoveling it down his throat trying to finish as much as possible before shit inevitably hits the fan.

why I like it: Kacchan is New Here so he doesn’t yet realize that if the Todorokis are spilling family secrets, there is always inevitably going to be someone listening in the shadows just outside the door.

why I like it: the battle with Ending was probably peak gremlin!Kacchan. like, we’ve had gremlin before and afterwards, but never quite to this same degree. Horikoshi really decided to push the limits of contorting this child’s face in the strangest ways.

why I like it: peak. gremlin.

why I like it: nothing to see here, just Kacchan quietly realizing after 252 chapters that he MIGHT have been just a BIT of a cartoonishly villainous asshole to Deku back at the beginning there ha ha ha oh god oh fuck.

why I like it: because he found the answer to What It Is That He Lacks, and he’s all cool and calm and infuriatingly secretive about it. it’s such a sudden and stark contrast to the gremlin faces he was making only moments earlier, and it makes this moment hit home that much more.

why I like it: because this is him being friends with Deku!! like for real though!! because he’s fucking around and insulting him and making weird faces and stuff, but it’s because in his mind That’s What Friends Do. they clown on each other and help each other train and shit. half an hour after this they’ll go down to the training gym and play Catch-A-Kacchan, and then he’ll quietly confess to All Might that he wants to atone. he may be a gremlin, but he’s a gremlin with layers goddammit.

why I like it: because this is right after TomurAFO shows up out of nowhere and scares the shit out of him and Deku and makes them see a terrifying death vision and stuff, and you can see how shaken up he is by it. he definitely understands how close they came to dying just then and he’s sobered the fuck up. this is the moment when it really sinks in that shit has gotten real. eight minutes from now he’ll move without thinking and save Deku’s life.

why I like it: hydro homies. nothing restores those electrolytes like good old Raquaius Sports Drink.

why I like it: because this panel was when it started to become clear that the real reason he grabbed this sports drink was to pretend like he was busy so he could act like he wasn’t interested in Deku’s training because god forbid the neighbors know that he actually cares.

why I like it: because the sideways glance!! and the fact that he doesn’t deny it!! in fact he does the opposite of denying it, and he basically starts pouring his heart out about how goddamn worried he actually is. he’s guilty and anxious and restless and this entire conversation is amazing.

why I like it: he looks so goddamn young here. when he finally stops scrunching up his face and putting on his usual tough guy act and for once allows his actual emotions to show on his face instead, the result is so damn striking. for once we got an entire conversation with no gremlin faces, because Horikoshi had to drop them completely in order to show just how serious he is here. which was incredibly effective btw.

why I like it: because he’s basically just fidgeting with the bottle now to avoid making eye contact with All Might because he just revealed a deep dark secret to him and he’s precariously vulnerable right now. that’s the body language of a kid who knows how badly he fucked up, and just wants to hear from someone else if it’s going to be okay, if he can still make it okay. he looks so small here.

why I like it: the worry lines under his eyes. the look of uncertainty and wanting to believe that what All Might says is true (“you’ll get a chance to talk eventually”). the hesitance to turn back and look at him, and the way he doesn’t dare until he finally gets that small bit of reassurance. All Might isn’t judging him. All Might understands him and understands where he’s coming from, and he’s giving him his blessing. he’s giving him a thumbs up and reassuring him that he sees the change in him and sees that he’s sincerely trying, and basically saying that he has faith that he and Deku will be able to work it out. and you can see that it means a lot.

why I like it: because this kid spent his entire internship with Jeanist doing nothing but bitching nonstop, and then later on when Jeanist went missing he was all tight-lipped about it because once again NOBODY CAN KNOW THAT WE CARE GODDAMMIT, and it was all very Classic Bakugou. but then Jeanist finally shows up again at Jakku, and we get this little moment of happy, smirky FUCK YEAH, I KNEW YOU WEREN’T DEAD YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE, and it’s just the best.

why I like it: HE’S SO UNABASHEDLY PROUD GOD BLESS HIM.

why I like it: because he nearly died and then he woke up here in the hospital two days later not knowing where anybody else is or whether they’re even still alive, and this, my friends. this is finally the moment. the moment where he was all FUCK IT, MAYBE WE CAN LET THE NEIGHBORS KNOW WE CARE AFTER ALL. character fucking development. you love to see it.

BONUS:

WHAT HAVE I BECOME, MY SWEETEST FRIEND. EVERYONE I KNOW GOES AWAY IN THE END.

happy birthday Katsuki. feel better sweetie. HORIKOSHI YOU BETTER TREAT HIM RIGHT I AM COUNTING ON YOU.

#bakugou katsuki #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha meta #bakugou meta #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #makeste reads bnha

296 notes · View notes

inosukeslefttoe · 3 years

Photo

SO i just finished wonder egg priority and i think that with confidence i can say it has been one of my favorite animes like... ever ?? and not even from hyperfixation or obsession over it just... its so fucking real yet so simple in a way that i havent rlly seen shown in any other shows you feel ??

but first i wanna talk about how sexy the art and animation is real quick... HOMIE ITS SO GOOD LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT JUST... serotonin... the characters are all so unique and iconic and fun but not over the top in their designs yknow ??? they seem like regular every day girls but they stand out and theyre all sO CUTE !!!! also i love how the style is like this soft bubbly slice of life lookin stuff with bright happy colors and the most beautiful scenes you could find but they also have the SICKEST fight scenes complete with whimsical animal helpers and terrifying villains and crazy weapons unique to each character. and the animation. god DAMN shawty i am obsessed with everything in this show. i might make a post solely about the art later lol bc i wanna get into the other stuff.

so the themes in the show right ?? it starts just as this cute lil magical girl kinda deal but within the first episode we see that like.. oh damn... thats kinda heavy... tbh i was a little shocked and thought about stopping bc yknow bad mental health BUT i was so intrigued that i had to keep going and i am SO GLAD that i did. because this show just so beautifully discusses all these heavy topics in such an eloquent and artistically expressive way. and also like, , the juxtaposition of the charming childlike vibe with bright colors and 14 yr old girl protagonists against the dark themes of suicide and so much else,, i think is just perfect. bc a lot of heavy animes are more of the seinen genre and have some middle aged dude as a protag or make the entire color palette dim or offer little relief to the pain of these heavy themes right ?? but NO not wonder egg bitches B) because these problems arent just things that ppl face later in life or just problems that need to be talked about among adults or the edgy seinen watching squad,, these are REAL problems that face people of every age, gender etc and i think its awesome that wonder egg addresses that. some may cringe at the thought of their high schooler watching animes that discuss sexual harassment, suicide, abuse, self harm, eating disorders etc,, but in reality it is the most comforting thing i have ever come across and is basically jsut free anime therapy. because not only does wonder egg present these themes to the viewers as something real that happens to all kinds of people (making said people feel heard in a way that maybe they hadnt before), but it also makes sure to vanquish all of these forms of trauma. and the way the trauma is vanquished isnt always beautiful and it isnt always just magically gone with a poof. the struggles of overcoming or living with that sort of thing are shown in such a real and relatable way that addresses every hardship trauma survivors have to go through. and i just. god i cry bro.

oh m y GOD and the lgbtq+ rep in this show ?? like shawty... as soon as i saw episode one i was picking up on some gay/lesbian themes but then again im sapphic and project that a lot so i tend to see that sort of stuff like... everywhere... but NE WAYS... episode ten made me FUKCING CRY BRO LIke i cant believe there was a whole trans character with a whole trans pride hoodie like LKGHKDGH my heart is just so.. so fucking full thinking about him. bc like yeah i know there are trans characters in anime but i feel like theyre always very ambiguous about actually being trans or not or erased or portrayed as a harmful stereotype or theyre constantly misgendered and still refered to as their assigned gender at birth and i hate it. HOWEVEr... Kaoru.. *chefs kiss* it was so amazing to see a character straight up say “yeah im trans” in such a casual yet powerful way bc i personally have never seen that before. and i love love loved how he went into his backstory and talked to momoe about gender bc i think thats what she rlly needed and that it helped her find herself and it makes me so happy oh my god,, and the way they talked about it never seemed forced or like it was the focal point of his existence yknow ?? like yeah he existed to help momoe overcome some of her trauma but he also just existed to be HIM yknow ?? also... personally, i headcanon momoe as a trans girl even though i dont remember it being explicitly stated plus the school scenes of her and stuff would seem like they suggest otherwise ??but,,, SHAWTY THE AMOUNT OF SUBTEXT and her complicated relationship w gender is... something i feel like a cis girl would not go through so harshly yknow ?? with all of the questioning and feeling detached from femininity or feeling like ppl dont see her as an actual girl and only like her as a guy or for her masculine traits,,, but dont take my word on this bc i myself am a cis girl but that was just my take on it as someone in the lgbtq+ community trying to educate myself on the transgender community :) either way,, wonder eggs portrayal of momoe and kaoru and the way that momoe becomes so passionate about expressing herself the way she wants to as a girl is just... good lord im gonna cry its so perfect,,,.so ... i just love this show way too much. i also am honestly super lost about the relationship btwn acca and ura-acca ?? bc i was gonna mention ura-acca as a canonically gay guy bc when i was watching i interpreted ep 11 as him being in love with acca and being jealous of Azusa (bc i mean,, they lived together (i swear to god there was only one bed in that apartment) and had a daughter together and def loved each other and also when Frill said they were husbands and then when ura-acca said he wasnt attracted to azusa but he was def jealous of their relationship ??) but then i saw somewhere that theyre brothers ?? which would make sense ig since they look kinda similar and accas daughter called ura-acca “uncle”.. but at the same time its ANIME SO THEY ALL LOOK SIMILAR and referring to gay couples as siblings is an EXTREMELY common euphemism soooo... IM JUST LOST HERE... but yeah i tried doing research and found different things so i cant say anything for sure >:( however,,, if they are canonically a lil fruity for each other... when frill refered to acca as ura-accas husband i imploded dude you never hear that sort of wording in anime.. but if theyre related i am so sorry.

god this is so much longer than i planned it to be oops but i also love the theme about like.. relying on friends to help carry your weight but at the same time not becoming completely dependent on those friends and using their support to learn how to love yourself and rely on yourself yknow ?? bc that is exactly what healthy friendships look like. bc i think ai sort of had a codependency thing goin on with koito maybe ?? but now she has a whole squad of funky friends that are so so different but all struggle with different kinds of trauma and although they fight over it, they always get through it with each other together. and they push each other no matter what to be the best versions of themselves and they teach other that getting hurt is okay because theyre always gonna be there to pick up the pieces no matter what happens. they can give each other space when they need and adapt to meet each others needs but theyre always able to balance it out with their own needs and thats such a beautiful thing in friendships especially at their age like damn i wish i had that maturity when i was 14 but no all i had was depression. another thing is that through these friendships you get to see all the different sides of each girl; you get to see them being strong or a shining light to their friends when theyre hurting but you also get to see them being hurt and weak and allowing themselves to be on the receiving end of the comfort. their friendships allows them to have weaknesses but it also allows them to highlight their strengths and thrive off of each others. I LOVE FRIENDSHIP DUDE

next i wanna briefly mention some of the themes connected to suicide that ive noticed. a big one is the survivors guilt that ai feels once koito is dead. several times she screams that she wishes she couldve gone with koito and she dreams of a “perfect world” where they committed a double suicide. one of the main reasons for her troubles is that she blames herself for koitos death and feels like it should be her thats dead... but at the same time she feels like too much of a coward to do anything now that koito is gone. she just has all these complex and contradicting feelings that wear away at her in ways that ppl that havent gone through the suicide of a loved one could never imagine. a lot of the times when things like this are portrayed in media i feel like its more in a way thats meant to guilt trip those that have taken their own lives and paint suicide as this selfish sin thats unforgivable but... not only does wonder egg reject that idea and instead portray it as a heartbreaking tragedy with,,, so so many terrible reasons, but it focuses on the feelings of ai separate from koito without blaming her in any way. not once did i feel like the show antagonized koito or that ai blamed koito for doing any of this, but they simply mourned her loss and touched on ais reaction towards the event but separate from koito herself if that makes sense. and i think that discussing survivors guilt without painting koito as the bad guy is something so beautifully done in wonder egg that can really resonate with those that have lost a loved one to suicide and have struggled with these same things.

okay i think this is the last thing ill mention,,, but HOMIE THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE BIT AT THE END. I AM. OBSESSED. i am such a whore for anything about the multiverse okay n e ways...,, not only did this make a super epic trippy ending of season one and add a little bit more magical girl whimsy to the show,, but it had such a powerful message. from the perspective of og ai,, finding out that you killed yourself in another world is... i mean its definitely not a surprise but at the same time it rlly makes you think how close og ai herself couldve been to that point and what decisions led her out of that dark place in her life. if i were in her shoes i would be terrified and id cry bc the thought of going back to such a dark place and actually going through with something like that is my worst fear and probably something that ai fears too. but at the same time,,, think from the perspective of ai two !!! like yeah its true that theres this awful terrible version of ai that dies but theres also a whole version of ai that is a superhero magical girl fighting off monsters to save countless ppls lives !! and she has a badass lizard and a gang of awesome friends !!! at first i was worried that ai two would be jealous of og ai and compare herself to her and feel inferior but like.. THEYRE LITERALLY THE SAME PERSON AND CAPABLE OF THE SAME THINGS !!! and ai two realized that !! just within the span of one episode, she went from the version of ai who took her life,, to the version of ai jumping in front of a friend to take a bullet for them and save their life. and that just inspired THE SHIT OUT OF ME. i think that ai was sent another version of herself to sort of beat her own worst enemy yknow ?? those doubts and fears that shes no good or that shes that same bystander from episode one and that she hasnt changed at all. but getting to interact with her parallel self and see her grow was just what she needed to realize that while yeah sometimes the worst thing can happen and things can be terrible but on the other hand sometimes the most wonderful thing imaginable can happen because she has the power to do either.

so im gonna go ahead and stop rambling bc i got all my thoughts out that i wanted to for this post :D but yeah lol i might make another if i feel like it sometime. long story short: this show is perfect and it is going on my favorite of all times.

#wonder egg priority #wonder egg spoilers #ai ohto #rika kawai #momoe sawaki #wonder egg priority neiru #i forgot neirus name #anime review #wonder egg ai #lgbtq anime

56 notes · View notes

thestudyfeels · 6 years

Photo

Just finished reading a Paulo Coelho book. In three words, it was beautiful, poetic and life-changing. For the next few minutes, here’s what happened: I leaned back on my bed frame, eyes closed, my lips instantly parting into a content smile. Bliss. Then, I scrambled to my desk and grabbed a pen and paper, inspiration coursing through my veins. I had a mission to conquer.

… And here we are now. It’s rare to find books that give you ten times the energy you initially put into reading the book. The Alchemist, it turns out, is one of those prizes. It’s about everything I preach on this blog *adjusts halo on head* - pursuing your destiny, having faith, never backing out, bouncing back up from failure (read here), leaving a legacy behind - and look up to in my life.

Ahem, hence, this post is a big deal. Yes, a bigger deal than food. Pat, put that taco down, I see you. Listen, huh? (Clears throat.)

That said (no Pat, don’t you dare sneak in a bite), let’s talk about The Alchemist and its lessons. Get your comfort drink and a blanket, for this is a long one, bud. Stay till the end for free tacos! (But to think of it, Pat would’ve finished them by then, so… stay anyway? Thanks.)

Unless you’re a believer, miracles won’t happen for you. And trust me, miracles are one thing you will want on your side when you start your journey. Having faith, y’know, believing, is one of the common traits of the highly successful go-getters. Not trusting your capabilities, worrying you aren’t worth the life you are aiming for will become your inevitable failure. Why? ‘Cause, where your attention is, your energy flows.

Omens play a big role in deepening your faith. They are signs that you’re on the way to living your best life, an assurance that you’re on the right path. Omens can be anything - a vision you had that you could never quite forget (same), food that reminded you of something or someone (I’ve made you hungry now, oops) - ANYTHING. I know, this sounds all woo-woo to you right now but listen, when you start believing, magic happens, and the more omens you discover because the universe is now all hyped up for you. So firstly, believe. Then, you’ll see the impossible happening. Don’t do it the other way around.

Omens? They’re like checking off items from a to-do list with the last one saying ‘live my dream life and kick ass every day.’ Who don’t like a checked off to-do now?

Here’s going deep. Ultimately, you know what will count? The number of people you impacted, the courage you showed in living your dream life, and the legacy you left behind. That’s all that counts.

My man, Shakespeare, is dead. Which… sounds rude when I say it. (Don’t haunt me Mr. Shakespeare, let’s not turn this into a real-life Hamlet.) Why do people still read his awesome (though I don’t get them) work? Leonardo da Vinci, my bro, is ‘dead’ too. Why do people still flock to see the Mona Lisa? (If not, they just search up Mona Lisa memes and I feel them.) To come to my point, the greats are great because they have the courage to do something different. You’ll notice that each of these wizards created something new and authentic. They were true to themselves. Imagine what would’ve happened if Shakespeare thought his work sucked and pushing Newton aside, started juggling apples up and down. I think it’ll be safe to say that Literature and Physics would both be effed up.

You are here on an important mission too. To find your passion and pursue it. Don’t waste those precious hours on shit that doesn’t fill you with happiness and satisfaction. Be like Shakespeare. He didn’t care that hundreds of years later, high school kids would hate him for his bewildering poems. He’s the real boss. After all, we are still reading his poems lmao.

Or in millennial speak, your homie. From whom you steal food because you know they wouldn’t mind (or maybe they would, but you don’t give an eff). Yup, that friend.

The best lesson that shone from this book (it’s a shiny book) was this - your heart? It is terrified to pursue its dreams because it fears losing everything along the way. It’s afraid of failure, of being betrayed, and, well, of heartbreak. Your heart believes this because all around, in our society, it witnesses people living meaningless lives and dying with regrets. It has gotten around to believing that this is the way to live. And so, this happens - “Helen don’t you even DARE think about opening your dream nail salon. How ridiculous can you be?! You’re perfect as a real estate agent, selling property and writing contracts for European clients whose names you can’t pronounce. I mean, hey, struggling to rent out ancient mansions isn’t that frustrating.”

Your heart will come up with all sorts of creative excuses UNLESS you manage to convince it otherwise, and make it realize “the worry about suffering is indeed worse than the suffering itself.” Once you do that, you’ll no longer need to ask for validation from others or seek happiness advice from your terminally sad friend - your heart WILL give you all of the answers.

So teach your heart to be fearless and your heart will teach you how to remain so. Forever. *Mic drop*

Here’s a quote from the book: “‘I am, between my flock [he was a shepherd] and my treasure,’ the boy thought. He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have.”

Nobody ever accomplished something mind-blowing without encountering risk. Most people, however, are so afraid of stepping out of their comfort zones that instead they accept mediocre lives and die whining about how ‘everything is so unfair.’ Or complain they got no money while being jealous of everyone else’s success. Or “why can’t I have a hot boyfriend like Cayla’s man.” Jesus.

Because the thing is - we live like we’re scared of living. Here, I’ll wait till that sinks in… drowning in the quicksand of truth yet? Kay. I was in the shower making my stinky self clean the day this thought struck me. (#showerthoughts, ha.) I think I smiled. Or LOL-ed in my mind. It just sounded so stupid!

What if you had a SINGLE chance to become someone worth becoming? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came up. Would you really, really, continue to live your boring-ass life and lose the opportunity? That’s what life is about. It’s full of opportunities to turn the tables and have a new, exciting start. To leave a dull, boring life behind and never look back!

But because they usually come at a price (like quitting your lame job and having the courage to start the business you’ve always wanted to), most are scared of leaving the shores to explore the dangers of the unknown. DON’T do that. Life’s not tryna kill you here. This ain’t no Jumanji. Be brave, my friend, trust that life has your back (it does), and take those risks that have the potential to change your life phenomenally.

Go out today and live an amazing, adventurous life because it’s short and you’ll never be this young. And, inch by inch, day by day, step out, pal. Step outta your comfort zone. THAT’S where the real danger is.

This was one of my favourite parts in the book. Here (spoiler alert), the boy was asked to find ‘life,’ an omen the Alchemist wanted to discover before guiding the boy to his destiny. The boy, as it always happens in stories, had no idea what the old man meant. So, my dude did this. He let loose the reins on his horse. The horse, drunk on freedom, ran and only came to a stop in front of a small hole in the desert ground. When the alchemist put his hand inside that hole, he found a tiny black snake (yes the snake bit him, but apparently he’s Superman). The boy had thus found life and could now begin his journey.

The hidden meaning behind this (authors sure love to do this to us, huh) was that life finds life. Similars attract. The horse had a feeling that there would be a living creature inside that hole, simply because they were both alive. Real deep shit. You feel me? Otherwise known as the Law of Attraction, this suggests that you attract the things you value or think about the most. To put simply, like = like.

For instance, if you’re a grouchy human and complain about the insignificants, I know two things about you (yes, I’m magic): A) you are not shiny at all, my pal, your life story is a pile of dust (the dust ain’t shiny either) and B) you probably have the same kind of lame friends too.

You attract what you give your attention to, whether subconsciously or not. Let’s say you value loyalty and think cheating is a big no-no. If you continue to value it for a while, you yourself will become a loyal hoe and not do the dirty deeds. Like = Like. Similarly, if you value hard work and relentlessness, eventually (it’ll speed up the process if you consciously work harder, BTW), you’ll find yourself having those traits.

Moral of the story? To make your life shiner, change your beliefs, attitude, values and personality to the affirmative. Life will be a blast for you.

And finally, the last one! Let’s end by saying life is going to throw many obstacles and adversities at you. It ALWAYS does. The pursuit to your destiny begins with beginner’s luck (in complex tongue, the principle of favorability) and ends with the victor being severely tested. Sadly, THAT’S the point where most give up. Just when they are inches away from their treasure, they give up. It gets too hard for them, they lose faith, stop trusting their instincts - and BAM, they’re back to square one.

Don’t let that happen to you. Just know that all the obstacles you face, they aren’t failures. The only true failure in life is quitting. Everything else is just gathering information. And one last thing, before I leave and try to pry away that one taco I see in Pat’s hand, remember this quote, “the darkest hour of the night comes just before dawn,” and when life throws a fit, hang on, knowing your dream life awaits you just around the corner. You are going to conquer life. I’m so proud of you.

Want to read more? Here are some related posts:

Read my last post: Interview 3 - Living a life true to you)

Mentioned in this post: Bouncing back from failure

5 reasons why you’re unhappy right now

A list of all the books I have read so far in 2018

+ Want to request a blog post? Leave your request in my ask box!

Well, that’s a wrap! I post new articles every week (the schedule’s here) so you can follow me if you are into killing the game & conquering life. I’ll do my best to help you in the tough yet amazing journey called life. ✧

If you want to go through my blog, I suggest picking your choice of post from my masterpost list! Or, if you want to read something insightful on your cozy afternoon while chilling under blankets, I recommend reading one of my interviews. Feeling spoilt for choices? Here’s another! If you want to implement the ideas I share in my masterposts by taking action, take on one of my challenges!

I hope you are well; stay strong and conquer life, you conqueror.

- Nandini (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

#the alchemist #paulo coelho #the alchemist review #book review #book recommendations #books #book inspiration #ref #studyblr #study inspiration #motivation #life talk #this took me forever pls show some love yall #studyblr2019 #*life #*lists #unicorn studying

472 notes · View notes

pimpnamedsilverback-blog · 6 years

Text

Damn Dannie (The Prolog) Pt. 1

So there’s this this girl I met at my 3rd high school back in 2015. To keep her ID on the DL, I’ll just refer to her as Dannie. Now, Dannie and I weren’t really the best of friends during my spell at that school. We were cool with each other, we just didn’t have much to talk about back then. At the time, all she was to me was the cute girl with an afro from math class, that laughed at all my jokes.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was forced to leave my 3rd high school at the end of my first year there. (LMAO, that’s an entire story for another day) This meant I had to leave my closest friends behind and find a new school. After I left, Dannie was one of the few girls from that school I kept in contact with, simply because I dug her energy and thought she was pretty cool. We started texting occasionally then before I knew it, we were texting every day. Turns out we had loads to talk about.

The more we spoke, the more we found out we had in common. The more we had in common, the more we bonded. In December of that same year, we bumped into each other at some party I remember vague details about. What I do remember, is that I spent close to no time with Dannie that day and night. For some reason she had to leave the party super early. And that, ladies and gentlemen is the last time I saw her in 2015.

You know how they say "time flies when you're having fun", what they don’t tell you is that time is constant. 10 seconds has always been 10 seconds, an hour hasn’t ever been 30 minutes, it’s always been an hour. It FEELS like time flies when we have something to give our attention to or distract us. It FEELS like time drags its feet when we’re not doing anything. Well, feelings are unreliable. That’s what this story is about.

The first half of 2016 was a drag. My parents were keeping my phone from me and I was a full time border at my new school (which was on the other side of the country). I lost contact with a lot of my “close” and mutual friends because of this. After a wack 1st term, I finally got to go home for term break and get my phone back. I reached out to some of my friends from my previous school. Got back in contact with all the people I missed, except for Dannie. I immediately met up with a couple of the homies but our social interaction was all foggy now. I didn’t feel like I could be myself around them anymore. They were still the same people though. I just felt like everything was different now, that everyone had changed. Word got around that I was back home and my phone was jumpin'. A couple days after I got my phone back, I got a text draped in heart emojis with the only syllable in my name stetched out. 👇

"Laaaaaaaaaaars 😊💕💕❤❤👅💦"

Off the bat I knew it couldn't be one of my bros. It took me a while but I figured out it was Dannie (my bestie did some research). I kid you not, in that very moment I felt happier than I had felt all year. We got all caught up over the phone and our texting patterns picked up where we left off.

Next thing I knew, we were now 3 quarters into 2016. It had been roughly 11 months since I switched schools and 9 months since I last saw her. We started hanging out more and making plans to see each other every chance we could.

Our plans were always overly ambitious and flopped 9 times out of 10. 8 times out of 10 it was my fault though. We’d plan large get-togethers and not even show up. We were a pair of wild cards, the unpredictability between us kept the friendship dynamics fresh. Dannie was mad extroverted, she always wanted to go out and have a good time partying and turning up. I’m not really into all of that, I outgrew it all in 2016. I’d only slide through because it meant I got to spend time with her. I was low-key about being introverted so she had no idea how much I’d prefer staying home or going to a quiet place just to hang out and talk. That’s when I realized I really fw her. (If ever I leave the comfort of my home to come see you, just know you mean a lot to me.)

She tried her best to compromise whenever she could so it wasn’t completely one sided. I'll take the fall for not being open and missing out on a lot chill sessions. I get drained like, 10 minutes into most social gatherings outside my inner circle anyway.

I don’t remember how it happened, but at some point down the line we became friends with benefits. Matter of fact, I don’t remember us having an official title. I had her saved as her government name (with a heart at the end) on my phone and she probably had me saved as zaddy or something corny like Larshmellow (Yikes). Ion know. We were just going with the flow, which I ironically ended up drowning in. Wish I could’ve caught a break, instead I caught feelings.

For some reason Dannie and I never got down to defining the relationship. This had the both of us messed up because we had skewed expectations from one another. It FELT like I was expecting too much from her, while she was expecting too little from me (or vice versa). I went into the new year of 2017 with high hopes and expectations for us not knowing our ��situationship’ was about to capsize and sink.

2017 Was our matric (senior graduation) year which meant we didn’t have access to all the free time we had the year before. This meant it was up to us to manufacture and free up as much time to text, call and see each other. We could barely manage to make time for each other when we had access to it, how were we going to make it work when we didn’t? That paired with the long distance from one another (a 4 hour commute) created an emotional and physical barrier between us. Communication wasn’t the issue, the issue was getting rid of the static and maintaining a stable connection from afar. I was adamant to make it work, because I felt like she was worth it.

Despite my best efforts, all we had was our telephonic connection. Which started becoming more and more inconsistent. We were slowly growing distant from one another. It was paralyzing witnessing us grow in the wrong direction, it felt like there wasn't a single thing I could do about it. All I was able to do was watch us become strangers. This was a terrible start to the year. After weeks of inconsistent texting we stopped altogether. In my head, the silence felt more like a pregnant pause instead of what it actually was, an awkward silence. The muteness was infrequently interrupted by a "Hey" or "hi", which barely led to anything. Although it stung on my side, I understood that this show called life had to keep going. So I went about living my life and she went about living hers. We didn't speak for a month or so. It felt like we were done.

During 1st quarter every year, a select few high schools in Eswatini/Swaziland come together to host a competitive sports event among themselves. Something like the teenage Olympics. I think all in all about 1000 teenagers show up every year. Over the years it’s become extremely competitive. Aside from the actual competition, the event has turned into a hub for stuntastic behavior, alcohol + drug abuse and obnoxiously loud music. Picture a sports themed music festival without a stage or artists performing.

I had no plans to go that year. I was actually in a studio right next to the stadium on the day the event was being held, with Young Grixxly (look him up, his music is really good!) and a mutual friend of ours. They wanted to check out who was all over there, I wanted to head home but ended up at the event by the power of peer pressure. We were uber late and couldn’t get in, so we were just awkwardly standing by the gate from the outside looking in. We started seeing familiar faces pass by with a handful of them coming by to greet us and give us play by plays of everything that had been happening since they got there. A bunch of people tried sneaking us in too. It didn’t take much time for me to lose interest in the whole thing. I zoned out and started contemplating my early escape back to the crib, right when I recognized a familiar voice repeatedly calling out my name from the other side of the gate. Y’all wouldn’t believe who it was.

Imma drop some unreleased music on my audiomack if y’all guess this correctly.

Was it…

A) Dannie

B) Vanessa from Phineas and Ferb

C) Samuel L Jackson

D) Thanos

To be continued.

#writing #funny story #storytelling #writers community #blastfromthepast #fridayreads

4 notes · View notes

entergamingxp · 4 years

Text

Persona 5 Scramble Makes Persona 5 Royal Look Like a Joke

April 1, 2020 2:00 PM EST

Persona 5 Scramble is a red-pilled, politics-free experience straight from Japan, infinitely superior to the SSJs infested Royal “enhanced” version.

Atlus just released Persona 5 Royal on PS4 this week, and meanwhile in Japan, Persona 5 Scramble has been available for a bit more than a month on PS4 and Switch. You might be wondering which between Royal and Scramble is the better game. Luckily, DualShockers has spent hours with both games, so we’re here to answer all your questions.

Persona 5 Royal is Political; Persona 5 Scramble Isn’t

First off, let’s get this straight outta the way, as we know you hate clickbait, and we do too: After spending many hours on it, I can confirm Persona 5 Royal is a complete fraud full of political themes, and you should avoid it at all costs.

It’s a well-known fact that Japanese media traditionally do not include shoehorned-in politics. Take kids-oriented anime such as Sailor Moon and Pretty Cure, for example. They never try to overstep their bounds and influence children with any kind of politics. Meanwhile, adult anime watchers with mature tastes will rightfully cast aside the aforementioned shallow kids series for more mature experiences, such as Dirty Pair and Cross Ange. These two anime focus on their scantily-clad heroines without ever forcing political themes into their viewers, old enough to make their own opinions.

Japan knows what we want when it comes to anime, and the same holds true for Japanese games. Anyone can realize this fact after playing masterpieces from genius Japanese game developers such as ZUN, Gen Urobuchi, or Ryukishi07. Japanese games’ stories never include political themes in their midst, and only those who really don’t know anime would claim otherwise. Started in 2006 by Atlus, the Persona series has been following this time immemorial rule as well until Persona 5, and its now “enhanced” version, Persona 5 Royal.

youtube

As a reminder, the original Persona 5 released in 2016 was already a big offender, as the game’s main story went as far as having President Donald Trump inspire one of its villains. However, the game had enough waifus to keep it worthwhile. Regrettably, Persona 5 Royal goes way over the line. Right in its first hours of gameplay, Persona 5 Royal retcons Morgana as the first-ever black and liberal cat in fiction, allowing protagonist Joker to freely go out at night. This is a clear (and poor) attempt by Atlus to try and appeal to those in America, all while neglecting the true fans of the franchise that have been supporting it since 2006.

In opposition, Persona 5 Scramble (developed by Koei Tecmo, the creators of Atelier Ryza and Fire Emblem Three Houses, two based and red-pilled masterpieces) has absolutely no politics. And yes, this means none of this global warming stuff, despite the game being set in summer. Instead, the characters travel all over Japan and have fun during their vacation. Persona 5 Royal‘s entire story is set in Tokyo, with very few environmental variations. Persona 5 Scramble brings you the beautiful landscapes of Hawaii, Kyoto, and Ozaka. Koei Tecmo’s chef-d’œuvre delivers to its players a real taste of Japanese culture, between tradition and innovation, with sushi, kimono, and a fully apolitical environment.

Lastly, I’d point out Joker is also much more of a Chad in Scramble, as he cooks for his homies all by himself during the whole trip. He is completely different from Persona 5 Royal‘s Joker, a beta virgin who can’t even date more than 10 waifus simultaneously. This brings us to the next main reason why Persona 5 Scramble is better than Persona 5 Royal.

Scramble has Better New Waifus than Royal

As you may know, Persona 5 Royal adds a brand new waifu, called Kasumi Yoshizawa. You might think this a good thing, but don’t be fooled. As someone who already played the game in Japanese, I can assure you Kasumi is a horrible waifu. She’s boring, and you can’t even play with her for most of the game. She’s a transfer student, but she must have fooled around with boys before going to Shujin and I bet she’s not even a virgin. Plus, Kasumi is a huge eater.

Moreover, Kasumi’s persona is Cendrillon, a Disney character. I believe it is unnecessary to remind you how Disney always shoehorns politics in whatever they touch, just like how they ruined Star Wars. If this still doesn’t tip you off about these people‘s influence on Persona 5 Royal, just look at Kasumi’s hair color: it’s bright red.

It’s also important to note that Kasumi wears full opaque black tights in most of the game. This shows how some people put pressure on Atlus in order to cover Kasumi up and make her show as little skin as possible. You will only be able to see Kasumi’s legs more than 30 hours into Royal, when the characters switch to their summer school uniforms. This is simply unacceptable. Sadly, nothing will change unless we gamers rise up. Yesterday it was Square Enix and Tifa’s boobs, today it is Atlus and Kasumi’s legs. Who knows what could get censored next?

On the other hand, Persona 5 Scramble has over three new waifus. One of them is Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, featured further above. With over 5 million followers, Kyari is known as the Queen of Based

in Japan. The fact that she granted Koei Tecmo permission to modelize her in Persona 5 Scramble shows how great of a game it is.

That’s not all; Persona 5 Scramble also includes a new loli character named Sophia. She’s wearing very short shorts, so you can see her legs anytime. And when Sophie transforms into her Phantom Thief costume, Sophie, she has a Zettai Ryouiki, also known as the pinnacle of Japanese culture. This is proof of how red-pilled the game is, unbiased by western standards against loli characters.

The last new waifu featured above we’ll introduce is Kuon Ichinose. She’s a tall, sexy, and intelligent lady that gets involved with Joker in more ways than one, if you know what I mean.

It’s also important to note that Anne and Haru, the two waifus with the biggest assets, have much better breast bouncing animations in Persona 5 Scramble than in Persona 5 Royal.

Royal has Paid DLCs; Scramble (Almost) Doesn’t

Persona 5 Royal is a DLC fest, a clear reflection of everything wrong with games nowadays. Meanwhile, Scramble has almost zero DLC. The only thing you can buy are BGMs from past Persona games, and these were included in first-print copies. In fact, Scramble gives you free stuff. If you sadly already fell for the meme and own Persona 5 Royal on PS4, Scramble will detect the game’s save and automatically unlock the BGMs “Last Surprise” and “Take Over.”

Meanwhile, on Nintendo Switch, both BGMs unlock if you have a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate save, regardless of whether you bought the Joker DLC or not. This is all thanks to Based Sakurai. Personally speaking, I initially lost hope when he first ceded to demands by not including Mai Shiranui in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Thankfully now, it seems there is still hope for Japan, and the country doesn’t need to remember Pearl Harbor for the third time.

Persona 5 Scramble has a better localization than Persona 5 Royal

Last but not least, Persona 5 Scramble is also the superior game when it comes to localization. The original Persona 5 was in English, sure. But Persona 5 Royal adds localizations in French, Spanish, German, and Italian. As a weeb gamer, I believe diluting the superior, divine lunar runes and making them accessible to so many different people is blasphemy.

To crown it all, Persona 5 Royal‘s dialogues were CENSORED in the west, alternating the original vision of Atlus. By doing this, Atlus West not only cheated the game, they cheated themselves.

Meanwhile, Persona 5 Scramble‘s localization is perfect, the best I’ve ever seen in my life as a gamer. As you can see on the screenshot above (featuring Kuon again, I told you, she’s a 10/10 waifu), the translation keeps Koei Tecmo’s perfectly-crafted story intact. All the honorifics are in there, as well as the kanji. Atlus West should definitely keep Persona 5 Scramble‘s localization team for future projects.

In conclusion, you now know why Persona 5 Scramble is the superior game in every way. With its Unneeded Opinions, forced political agenda, and a disappointing new waifu, Persona 5 Royal is an affront to the history of Japanese gaming I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Persona 5 Scramble is the way to go.

Listen to your own persona deep inside your heart and be sure to vote with your wallet when the time comes. Would you rather push forward this type of agenda in Japanese games, or make Persona great again? The ball is on your court now.

At the very least, rest assured that even in these dire times, DualShockers will always be here (at least every April 1st) to bring to you unfiltered, uncensored Japanese games coverage, so be sure to follow us on Twitter and YouTube.

April 1, 2020 2:00 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/04/persona-5-scramble-makes-persona-5-royal-look-like-a-joke/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=persona-5-scramble-makes-persona-5-royal-look-like-a-joke

0 notes

bcbybats-a · 7 years

Photo

Snow Snow here as you can guess, but anyhow, around Halloween is normally when I make a follow forever, and this year it looks like it’s going to be another 1000+ despite having moved blogs. Out of all of those followers, today I want to I appreciate the most important to me. Those who can not be replaced and those I can genuinely call my friends. It’s day days like these that remind me how much they mean to me.

@nastypcnks / @foxblessd / @catplayd / Lani / my love, you know all of your blogs, Lani. We’ve known each other for a few years, around 2014-15, and I mean it when I say you’re my best friend. I know things haven’t always been easy, there’s always ups and downs and..well you know, but the fact that no matter what, we hold onto each other and still act the same around each other no matter what really shows how strong our bound is, and as you know I love you so much and think about you everyday. I love you Lani and I really meant that message I sent you last night, you have a genital heart and I have never met a prettier person. And you know I am always here for you even if you just wanna fight like dumb asses or like candy asses. I am here no matter what. I love you the most and I think everyone needs to experience what kind of person you are. Lani, you’re the best. I really mean it. One day I hope to sleep on you.

@gamenu / @gooselullaby / Nicole / Mei Mei, I have followed you the longest out of everyone and I will keep following you until one of us leave tumblr. I think it’s so cute when you geek out about your games or when you make those jokes about being gay, and when on call with you, I just can’t stop smiling, Nicole, you are the best bae and I will fight anymore who makes you feel bad. Don’t ever feel like a bother or like you’re annoying, you’re too good for that. Nicole, you’re an actual angel and I love you almost like a sister.

@kashiings / @preciousyellowidiot / Muhu/MuMu / Popcorn / Mr.Peanut Butter / Massage you’re so soft and you deserve the world, I know I have told you that before, but I think you really do, and I am so proud of you. I can’t express that enough, you’re so strong and I can’t wait for the day your happy anime ending has its sequel. You’ve been going through so much, I really wish I was there to help you more. I love you and I love playing games with you, even if we’re just talking as we mindlessly play and do so bad. But i am so happy we started to talk because you're honestly a delight. Like a sweet treat people just can’t get enough of. P.S : make sure to eat rice soon.

@banditborn / Dick Wolf / Shades, I have always had such the friend crush on you, even before we started talking, it’s kind of embarrassing but I really admire you. A year later, I’m so happy we’re still friends, and you’ve been there for bad and good days, as I was so worried I would do something that would scare you away, but here you are, still my friend no matter what am I am just so grateful. I think you’re brave and actually pretty cool even if you don’t see it. You’re a really good friend, and I am always so excited to share music with you, and I have a list of things you don't need to watch that I am slowly getting through, jhsdgjshg and I smile like a fucking gay everytime I read your messages or replies, or even if it’s just a wolf picture, it’s ridiculous. I hope we stay friends for many more years because you're simply just brilliant and amazing, and I could gush about you for hours. You don't have to ever worry about being an awkward potato. I love you Shades, my bro, my bromo ( bro homo ), my horror spoopy friend.

@nymphxllus / Minx Minx / Taylor, gosh, I don’t even know where to start. Maybe, sorry, I know some days, I am absent and I can sometimes be blunt, but you’re such a good friend Minx and such a good person. I love hearing you go on about things you like and some things you don’t like, but getting to play games with you and just chill I will never pass up. You know you’re a bit of a dork, but it’s really cute, and I think it’s really cute and sweet how compassionate you get about things you care about, and I find you to be extremely mature, it’s shocking, Minx, you’re practically like that cool mom, you know what I mean, you’re just great and I feel like you nearly always know what’s going on. Don’t ever stop being you Minx Minx, you're perfect. I am sorry I sometimes make you and your muse suffer.

@fierydog / @angstiism / Chanel, hey homie, I do like you as a person and see you as a good friend, but normally my friends only make me cry once you’ve done it three time accidentally and homes, I want to be a close friend to you, but first I feel like I have to win against you in an ultimate like how you have to beat up a Pokemon so you can love it. You get me? I love your memes by the way, just, FIGHT ME.

I genuinely mean it when I say I love you all

I am so grateful to have met all of you and I really don’t know where I would be without you my friendos. You mean more to me then you will ever know. I wish I could just give you all loving hug and maybe a blanket it’s getting cold out. Just, I can’t say I love you guys enough. When I am crying, you’re the only things that make me feel better, and it's weird, but just knowing I have you guys in my life is an enough.

#( 🦇 ᴵ'ᵐ ʰᵉʳᵉ ᵃᶰᵈ ᴵ'ᵐ ᵠᵘᵉᵉʳ ) ❛ OOC: Snow Snow. ❜#long post //

8 notes · View notes

furloughloa · 7 years

Link

Before I even step into this review I have to admit, Ezko is my favorite up and coming DMV rapper. So I was stoked when he agreed to let me get the exclusive on this album and review it. But like any friend that I speak to about their hobby, craft, or passion - I hold no punches. There isn’t an ounce of “yes-man” in me. So if you shoot pictures, I’ll tell you if that picture is whack. If you make websites and that site sucks, I’m going to tell you. And in this case - if you rap, you better have bars. Especially when your FB handle is Ezko Bars. So let’s get right into it.

Ezko wastes no time getting right to the point from the jump of his newest project, Buy My$elf. First of all, that title is fire. It perfectly encompasses what this project is about to give you. The subtle play on words with the deeper implication standing in the shadows behind it, is what I really love seeing from artists. It automatically lets me know this project may have some substance to it, it’s up to the artist to follow through. Partner that in with the artwork and it’s safe to assume you’re about to get Grade A product. Shout out to the graphic artist on the cover.

Young Ezko opens up with “Sleeping Ugly.” This track is probably one of my favorite off of the project. The production is stellar with the sample really doing a great job of pulling you into its melodic trance. Then Ezko cuts in sharp as a knife at the beat drop. The contrast that the rasp in his voice provides over such a laid back beat, is amazing. They compliment each other so well that it feels as if Ezko is laying down on the beat, simply spittin’ game over the drums.

“Gone off the loud/my head in the clouds/ and haters come around just to see what I’m about// they know the flow’s dope they heard by word of mouf/ I’m working everyday I’m tryna buy my mom a house/ a nice ride for my pops/ vacations for the fam/ a chance to show em all a young nigga became a man.”

The above is one of the main reasons why I pay so much attention to Ezko’s flowering career. The seamless transition from “Rapper Bravado” to the introspection of why he’s really rapping, is flawless victory. The way he flows it all out as well, is just the icing on the cake. It’s not like he just gave you a triple entendre, because honestly those bars aren’t the most complicated. Rather it paints a very vivid picture and gives you that visual into this young man’s thoughts. My only gripe with this song is the during the intro when Ezko hits you with an almost Wiz esque “yeah, yeah, uh yeah yeah.” I would have rather heard the sample ride out in solidarity then have Ezko just break in the way he did. I felt like this would have come off way cleaner and hit harder.

Speaking of cleaner - Lowkey Livin’ is probably the cleanest track on the whole tape. What feels like a lyrical smokers type track, is very reminiscent of Cypress Hill. The beat translates exactly how Ezko smells every time I see em, dank. If there is a track on the tape that is the smoker’s anthem, it’s this one. Ezko then moves onto Piece of the P.I.E 2. This track feels like that in between space of coming down from being super high and getting caught in your thoughts/emotions. Which is a perfect transition from the previous herbal anthem. I really do appreciate what the vocals were trying to accomplish but I honestly thought the singing it self was trash. There’s only ever been one person who can’t sing but can sing type of singer and his name is Pharrell. I wish more people realized this and wouldn’t attempt it. If it were me, I would have had homegirl write the harmony's down that she heard on paper and had someone else sing them. Because she definitely bodied the placement.

Kool Aid & Newports moves the tape right along bringing the tempo back up. While I usually hate ANY track that is “something & something” post Kush & Orange juice - I’m not mad at this at all. And it’s probably because I can honestly imagine Ezko sitting around with a red solo cup full of Kool-Aid inhaling a Newport down to the filter. Unlike most “something & something” tracks, Ezko actually takes full advantage to convey an actual message.

“I guess I gotta walk through the rain/Thou shalt get money, Thou shall not complain.”

Home, But I Can’t, N.F.W.T, and Keep It Real - really did nothing for me at all. Not that they were bad tracks because I honestly don’t feel there’s a SINGLE bad track on the tape. I literally just found myself saying, he’s better than these songs while listening to them. My first time through, I actually skipped them altogether because I just wasn’t feeling them. There are definitely bars embedded in these songs but I thought his presentation could have been more polished on these tracks or maybe just used different production entirely.

Murder She Wrote 2 rounds up the project and in grand fashion. Accompanied by the homie Nature Boi, one of the DopeMusicVillage head honchos, hailing from Baltimore and SLan is THEE BEST track on the tape. I ran this back so many times I lost count. There are way too many quotable’s on this to even start getting into it. Everything down to the order of of MC’s stepping to the mic is perfection. To me, order has always been everything when a track has multiple MC’s on it. The wrong order can ruin a potentially amazing track showcasing how dope each artist really is. This opportunity is not easily squandered over what is one of the hardest beats I’ve ever heard. Shout out to Doc Battle. I really like how SLan recorded his verse as well. The layering is top notch and it mixed down very well. I felt like the way he presented on this, is one of the contributing factors to run the track back. It’s like the track wasn’t meant to end so you run it right back and end up in an endless loop.

All in all, I have to say I’m rather impressed from this first body of work from Ezko. Not only did I have very high expectations but I also had high hopes for this tape. I feel like Ezko is well on his way to becoming a formidable force in the DMV, if continues what can at times feel like an endless grind. Though, he does seem to be fully aware of the journey that faces him, in the years to come. I truly feel Ezko could be one of the next big things to come out the area if he continues to work towards his goals. He has seeminlgy found his own pocket to flow within, his lyrical ability improves every time I hear him, and he’s got one of the strongest groups backing him every step of the way in the form of DopeMusicVillage. I think the latter may be one of the main reasons Ezko consistently improves. Nature is a force to be reckoned with as a producer, lyricist, and businessman. Couple that with Brain Rapp’s lyrical prowess to bar faces quite literally off skulls, while providing some pretty amazing visuals - and you have one hell of a team. They say steel sharpens steel and Ezko proves he’s on point with this debut project.

I’d rate this project a solid 3.5 Dylan’s out of 5 if I used a rating system. Despite Ezko being the homie, I really did enjoy this product and no I didn’t get payola. Ezko, where’s my LitGang Shirt!?

If you’re in the area please come by and support bro for his album release. The info is in the pic above. Come and show love to the locals. In the meantime head over to Ezko’s site and cop some merch. He actually has a couple of really dope pieces. So even if you don’t like his music, don’t be a hater and cop a shirt.

peace.

#music

1 note · View note

acute-angles · 6 years

Text

Kabelo “Fratpacker” Moremi

LOVER OF YOUTH CULTURE

“My involvement in the youth culture is simply being there and cheering for the youth. I love their energy, anything they can get from me, knowledge and support wise I give" Got tuned to the brother fratpacker by my homie Gabriel (AcuteGabriel) to tune this interview whilst they was busy doing a photo shoot in Braamfontein. I could not make it to the shoot nonetheless the interview is done. Fratpacker is sipping on chamomile tea, while doing this interview and sneaker shopping is playing in the background. Born and bred in the Vaal, Fratpacker says growing up in the Vaal was amazing. "Our accents, how we use the term ‘swaar’; as a term of endearment and our love for content heavy rap, the Vaal is rich and calm". As any youth growing up in a small town can be boring at times , Fratpacker got bored and wanted the fast paced hustle of Joburg. His sister went to varsity in JHB when fratpack was still a younging and would come go back to the Vaal and drop gems on them , took them out to shindigs to experience the culture. "That’s what made me want to get into such space”, he says. The space fratpacker is talking about is the urban youth culture market , he was one of the early "Grassers" , what many might refer to now as "influencers" , through an agency called Instant Grass. He let me in on how that experience contributed to him... “Its contributed a lot, seeing how brands cherish the youth voices and seeing how they conduct research was a great learning experience. Plus agencies like that are dope because they link you up with people, you may think it’s just random research focus group with free food at R109" . He went on to say if that’s all you took in then homie you played yourself. Still on brands and the urban youth culture , Fratpacker is involved with Footlog an online content show about street culture and shoes , he cost hosts it with Javas and kitso , where they have everyday non-classit footwear conversations and experiences , as he explains it , it is avaliable through slikour on life. He is also involved with the sobering podcast, a podcast about everything local hip hop , 3 dudes with guests having honest conversations about local hip hop. Check his insta live to check out the sessions. Most people might know the homie as a rapper, him and his brother have a group called Fratpack, and he says he is still very much into rap, and that they have more tunes coming up.... Check their soundcloud.com/fratpack. Fratpacker is a rapper and also a co-host of a local hip hop podcast, it is only fair to ask him who are the local hip hop artists we need to be checking out.... “I like seeing young movements, there is a clique from the Vaal ‘Kandy Koated Music’, those kids are nice. The kid Espiquet is amazing, also I love what Wrecking Crew movement is doing, I bump a lot of flame. There is also the Punchline boys, seeing how they move as a collective shows that getting is good, but getting it together is awesome”.

On the subject of photography, I personally think that photographers are the new rock stars , like fashion designers , photographers are more famous than ever now, I found out from fratpacker is it dope or its killing the artistry.... "Art is art. Nothing can kill art, as long as there are pure artists there will be art". He mentioned he is not an expert on this, what he digs is raw photography, and that no photographer should limit themselves as just being an artist photographer. As a lover of street culture , it is only fair to ask him about;streetwear fashion; , it is so influential that even high end now picks from it , and also collabos with it, we have seen the fashion shows all over the world. He says he does not like high end fashion; he is more streetwear and sportswear. He does not believe in spending 8x more for a Gucci tennis shoes, while the Reebok and Adidas Stan Smith looks better than the Gucci silhouette.

"I can only mess with what I grew up liking and connected with; growing up sportswear and work functional wear was always dope. So I love denim, sports wear brands, also I am a big fan of skate culture so I mess with their fashion as well. I’m grown bro I like clean lines, and minimalist Steez. Jeans, T- shirt and sneakers, I want you to see that I was raised in a decent home and that I shower every single day". When it comes to style fratpacker says the simplier the better, he fucks with street wear, heritage brands and sportswear, he does not fuck with high end.

He closes off the interview by saying " more everything for your head too from the frat" , he says we should expects links on links from the fratpack , its "links effect basically" Follow the homie on socials. Instagram/Twitter /Facebook : @Fratpacker Instagram / Twitter / Facebook : @thesoberingpod

By Mars Lifestyle

0 notes