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historyhermann · 9 months
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Supa Team 4 Spoiler-Filled Review
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Supa Team 4 is a computer-generated superhero action-comedy series. Malenga Mulendema is the series creator and co-executive producer. Trigger Fish Animation Studios, known for the recent animated series Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, and various television specials and films.
Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-fifth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on August 21, 2023.
This series shows its Zambian roots from the get-go, beginning in Zambia's capital, Lusaka. A reporter, Geoffrey (voiced by Sne Dladla) talks about a mysterious tornado striking the city. Former secret agent Mama K (voiced by Pamela Nomvete) brings together all the protagonists. They include a gutsy and agile girl with hair parted into two box-like sections named Temwe Chiti (voiced by Kimani Arthur) who is a bit of a juvenile delinquent" and troublemaker; a smart, organized, and creative techy girl named Komana Mwinga (voiced by Zowa Ngwira); a brainy, industrious, athletic, and tall girl named Zikomo "Zee" Phiri (voiced by Nancy Sekhokoane); and a physically strong, calm, and wise girl with an afro tied at the top named Monde Wamunyima (voiced by Namisa Mdlalose). Each has their own superhero names. Temwe is T-Mlilo, Komana is K-Bongo, Zee is Za-Mpezi, and Monde is M-Kozo.
In some ways, Supa Team 4 is like other teen superhero series in recent years (DC Super Hero Girls, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Young Justice) and classic series from the 2000s (Static Shock and My Life as a Teenage Robot). It comes at a time there are is growing number of Black animated series, like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, Craig of the Creek, Central Park, Iwájú (upcoming), Iyanu: Child of Wonder (upcoming), and Karma's World. The latter series ended in September 2022. There are indie animated series focusing on Black stories such as Defenders of Alodia, Jumbie, Captain Zero, LimeLight, and Diver: The Animated Series. Most are in development or on hiatus like Diver.
The difference with this series is that its stories are completely Zambian and said to be "something special for Zambians." Even so, it is relatable to everyone, like Kizazi Moto, a series primarily produced by the same animation studio. In both cases, the shows bode well for the development of the African animation industry. Supa Team 4, like Kizazi Moto, emphasizes the importance of family, Monde is close to her sister Marjory (voiced by Celine Tshika), sports (through Zee), and political corruption. City residents call for Mayor Sikazwe (voiced by Sne Dladla) to resign, which the villain exploits. Temwe's love of eating food may be relatable.
Like any other superhero series, there is a need for them to keep their real identities secret, even from those that they know well. This is accomplished through their transformation into superheroes wearing specialized super suits ala magical girl style. Unlike any other transformations I've seen, each transformation has upbeat music and a distinctive flair, making it stand apart.
All four girls are chosen after being watched for weeks. It echoes Jerry's reasoning for bringing in Sam, Alex, and Clover in Totally Spies! or "choosing" the Mew Mews  in Tokyo Mew Mew New. Different from that series, Mama K lets the girls choose whether to be superheroes. The girls in that series were experimented on without their consent and forced into the superhero role. In this series, the girls have gadgets to entrap and defeat villains. Temwe's ribbon wand reminds me of Mega Pearl's weapon in Steven Universe Future or Cure Parfait's rainbow ribbon in Pretty Cure.
There is one other similarity between Tokyo Mew Mew New and Supa Team 4: the importance of preserving the environment. Komana builds a carbon-capture machine in the first episode, allowing her to capture a tornado. She receives a scholarship from Lee Magedzee (voiced by John McMillian), owner of a local energy company, Magedzee Power Corporation (MPC). He is impressed by her portable invention. It purifies carbon dioxide into safe carbon-based fuels. He later praises her solar-powered "smart art" that can charge phones and other devices.
Having an A.I. like T.O.M.I. (voiced by Thabe Ntebe), otherwise known as Technical Operations Management Interface, is not unique. Other series have featured A.I. as well. This A.I. is not a be-all-end-all. It is only one of the tools they use against villains, such as Storm Drain, Locus Pocus, Snap Back, Alley-Gator, Trash Man, Otherwise, I liked the role of Mama K's goat, Chomps (voiced by Gary Martin) throughout the series. It is even revealed that he is a secret agent!
Through the series, there is a push-and-pull of responsibilities to family and school. Temwe manifests this by her often run-ins with the school principal, Nkwashi (voiced by Abubakar Salim), who has it out for her. She gets suspended when Nkwashi thinks her ribbon wand might hurt someone. She later learns how to use her "hangry power" during battles rather than provoking Nkwashi's ire during the school day.
The series encourages viewers to believe Nkwashi is the shadowy villain, Bad Magz (voiced by John McMillian). There are hints. He has files on every student at Kamiji Secondary School. In the final episode, Temwe thinks that Nkwashi vanished like smoke. She is convinced he is the villain, after he declares she can't volunteer with Mama K (cover for their secret activities) if she fails a chemistry test. The girls don't buy her hair-brained explanation.
The series opening, first shown when the second episode begins, makes each episode pop. While the series music is by Ben Onono. Sampa the great does the theme music, in collaboration with Mag 44. It has to be one of the best opening sequences that I've seen in some time, and I watch a lot of anime series.
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Following the first episode, Supa Team 4 turns to subjects like nanotech. The team reverse engineers some nanotech locusts for their own purposes. The obsession with popularity, homesickness (in the case of Monde and Marjory), garbage/rubbish collection, vlogging, value of art, education, and mind control are other topics. In the first half of the series, the villain is a shadowy figure not unlike the character of the same name in OK K.O.: Let's Be Heroes!. But, this person is more malicious.
He wants everyone in the city to lose electric power. This leads to random power cuts (load shedding) to compensate for electric energy loss after the hydroelectric dam is damaged. This allows Lee Magedzee to step in, declaring his wind farm will be upgraded and generate more electricity. At the same time, the villain exploits anger against the mayor for his own benefit. All the while, people hanker for more solar power.
Mama K has her own secrets. Formerly, she headed a crime-fighting team at the Intelligence Agency for Zambia (IAZ) and had the code name of Mkango. She, a computer expert named Rhino/Chipembele/Uncle Chi and a confidante (and inventive genius) named Towela, worked to bring down Chusi.
Even worse, this villain steals top-secret information, uploading the information to his mind, and destroys the original documents. As a result, the government didn't have access to their own intelligence! This ends sadly. Chusi used their device, the Brainstorm, to wipe the memories of Towela. It gives her amnesia. He also blinds Chi. Mama K is alone. The four protagonists cheer her up, convincing her they can all take down Chusi, also known as Bad Magz, together.
The Supa Team 4 season one finale blows everything wide open. Chusi gets, thanks to Professor Greenthumbs, some of the tech that Team 4 is using. Principal Nkwashi says that his own goal is to help Temwe. He is worried that she will become like him. He was a feisty and spirited kid who lacked focus. The four team members follow a Baobab tree to an abandoned mine. Greenthumbs deactivates their super suits, takes away their weapons, and pulls them into an underground lair! The biggest reveal is not that Nkwashi isn't the villain, but that Chusi is Lee Magedze!
This unexpected twist shows how devious the writers and animators were, leading the audience to believe that the Principal was the villain. The fact that Lee Magedze is the villain means he has the duality of being a Black leader who is trying to increase people's power and trying to take it away. My prediction is that he will attempt to unseat the mayor. The citizens would elect him if he ran on a Black empowerment platform. Once in office, he will have even more power, as the villain and the mayor.
There are reports that Supa Team 4 will have at least 25 episodes. In fact, the Director of Production at Triggerfish Animation Studios, Mike Buckland, confirmed a second season, writing "hold your breath for Season 2, because it just gets better from here." Such a season will undoubtedly continue to center on African stories, without any White characters, and remain relatable to Black girls and Zambians. The series may lean more into romance as well, as Zee's friend, Chipo Hamoonga (voiced by Daniel "KStar" Lyapa), has a crush on her, and a boy has a crush on Temwe.
Furthermore, the series may influence more Africans to tell their stories through animation, as they may see themselves, and their experiences represented, even as some Zambians claimed the character accents weren't authentic. Supa Team 4 is indicative of how collaboration is important in Africa, as the animation industry deals with many challenges, that "anyone from anywhere can be a superhero," and the great storytelling traditions on the continent. At the same time, I'm glad that the series was renamed from the original title ordered in 2019, Mama K's Team 4, as the current title makes the less about Mama K and more about the team.
Significantly, the series is dubbed in isiZulu. Mama K voiced by Linda Sokhulu. Many of the same voice actors re-appear. This dub promotes accessibility to a new audience. It provides the opportunity for people within South Africa, and other areas where Zulu is spoken, to connect with the characters within the series.
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I find it funny that some complain about threats and violence in this series, since that is common in animation. Such complaints make the series appear more mature than the reality. It is more accurate to say Supa Team 4 is an all-ages series full of adventure, action, and humor, with a diverse cast. In addition, it defies oft-stereotypes of Africa. Others reported that the series draws visual inspiration from hip-hop girls groups and retro 1990s R&B groups. Malcolm Wope, an artist from Cameroon, does the visual design. The series has distinct characters, a real world but futuristic setting, while working through the girls' interpersonal issues.
Despite calls by Morrow for sharing the show, which she called a "project of passion," there is little chatter about the series on Reddit, and only one mature fanfiction written on July 30. There is more chatter on X/Twitter, with one account even as an unofficial fan page. Furthermore, on Tumblr, fans praised the show's animation, described the series as relatable, cute, have listed LGBTQ+ headcanons, drew fan art, and liked the magical girlesque transformations of the four protagonists. There may be chatter on other platforms, like Mastodon servers, but I am not personally aware of it.
Like they do with many series these days, Netflix did the fans of Supa Team 4 a disservice. All eight episodes dropped the same day on Netflix. While this makes it easy to binge the entire season, it creates a situation of catch-up among fans who run the risk of seeing spoilers on social media for episodes they haven't watched. This severly limits the possibility to discuss each episode without spoilers and can ruin pacing for a series. Netflix should have followed the model used for anime: dropping one episode each week. That would have allowed for more community to build around the show, than dropping it one day and moving on. It is irresponsible.
Although I wasn't familiar with series writers Ng'endo Mukii, Khadidiatou Diouf, Voline Ogutu, Maame Boateng, Omotunde Akiode, Tshepo Moche, or Gloria Huwiler, I knew of Vanessa Kanu. She directed the third episode/film of Kizazi Moto entitled "Moremi." It centered on the frailty of the human condition, family togetherness, and the value of one's soul.
Series director Dave Osburne, assistant director Tabitha O'Connell, production designer /art director Alessandro Chirico were names. I did not know series producer Ceri Barnes, head writer Amy Keating Rogers, and story editor Cindy Morrow either. Rogers worked on other girl-power series like The Powerpuff Girls and My Little Pony: Friendship. In addition, Osburne has worked on his share of animated series since the mid-1990s, as did O'Connell. At the same time, Chirico worked on Black Mirror, a series based upon The Twilight Zone. Barnes has been producer since the late 1990s.
For many voice actors, this may be their first voice role. Arthur previously voiced Willow in Nella the Princess Knight. MacMillan provided his voice for video game characters, as did Martin. Salim voiced Zanror in The Legend of Vox Machina. Animators have worked on series such as Kazazi Moto, Star Wars: Visions, and The Amazing World of Gumball, and films (Seal Team and Storks).
I excited to see where the series goes from here. Maybe Mama K will practice Nichiren Buddhism like her voice actor. Perhaps Zee will have Cuban roots like her voice actress or some of the main cast of Supa Team 4 will be queer. Looking through the social media of the protagonists, I am seriously doubting the latter.
In Zambia, same-sex sexual activity, for men and women, is illegal, a legal measure inherited from British control, and reportedly many queer people are closeted. Unfortunately, there is a slim chance for change. The Zambian High Court upheld acquittal of a human rights activist, who called for the country to recognize rights of sex workers and LGBTQ+ people, in 2013. However, a public opinion poll, released in 2010, indicated widespread disapproval of "homosexual behaviour."
Even so, the series is primarily produced in South Africa. After the end of apartheid, it outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation. Furthermore, it is the only African state to legalize same-sex marriage. In addition, there are legal protections for LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in employment and elsewhere. At the same time, the creators may want to avoid making the series controversial and won't have any queer relationships so the show can appeal to all Zambians.
Ultimately, I hope Supa Team 4 reaches new heights in season 2. Maybe it will pave the way for African animation in the Africanfuturist, superhero, comedy, adventure, action, and other genres.
Supa Team 4 can be streamed on Netflix.
© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.
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Conservationists Deploy Vultures to Help Combat Poachers at Zambian Park Lion and leopard populations in Zambia's Kafue National Park – the third largest in Africa – are showing signs of a modest comeback, according to a new report shared exclusively with Reuters. Since 2021, the zoo team has tagged 19 vultures in Zambia, draping tiny backpacks containing satellite tags over their wings.
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bits-and-babs · 1 year
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🗝️ Some kind of a guide seems fitting for him and because it’s me, I always think he’s out guiding a team or just you and all hell breaks loose!
Trekking through the Sahara or the Amazon or the Himalayas. Summoning Everest or just going on a fun outing for a weekend camping. It all seems like such a good fit for a Mills AU because he’s so rugged! Anything you like would be amazing!
Thank you for sharing your talent! 💗
⋆𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄
pairing: TourGuide!Mills x f!Reader
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word count: 2k
warnings: 18+ MDNI, references to slow-ish burn, yearning, 69ing, spanking, dirty talk (he talks you through it 😩)
summary: Heartbreak takes you on a tour of the Zambian safari plains, where you trip into a vacation romance- literally.
mills masterlist | main masterlist | follower celebration | taglist
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Waxing and poetic reviews of the ‘life changing’ tour of Zambia’s safaris had led you to book a flight at four in the morning while three glasses of wine into your ridiculous display of moping heartbreak following another failed tinder romance. Yes, the giraffes interested you, but you’d be lying if the reviews detailing how sexy the tour guide was didn’t sway your decision.
When Mills introduced himself to the group, you swore your jaw nearly hit the grasslands in shock. He was gorgeous, the golden sunshine melting his gilded irises and warming his face. You had mentally scolded yourself on the first day, because you swore you spent more time ogling his, frankly ridiculous, body than observing the herds of zebras that plodded along the dusty tracks.
Delusions set in by day three. Eating the fruits that were provided at the safari lodge, you were convinced he would glance up at you from his cereal, his eyes flicking back down to the bowl that his hands engulfed. Talking yourself out of the absurd notion only got harder when you eventually did catch him looking at you, distracted and enamoured by the mother elephant pushing her calf along with her trunk. His eyes had been warm, honey pots dripping with amusement as he absorbed your excitement, appreciating your interest in the animals he had clearly grown to love.
Day five is when shit hit the fan. In your defence, the sun was in your eyes and you’d left your sunglasses on your pillow back at the lodge— there was absolutely no way you would have noticed the fallen branch from the Baobab tree, even if you had been watching where you were going rather than ogling Tour Guide Mills’ ass. You trip over it unceremoniously, hitting the sun-baked ground with a sickening thud.
Tears spring to your eyes almost immediately, pain shooting up your ankle and catching you entirely off guard. You’re unsure if it was the sound of the impact or the agonised gasp that grabs Mills’ attention, but he’s over by your side in an instant.
“Are you alright?” He asks you, his voice both music and ridicule to your ears. Of course you would make a tit of yourself in front of him, karma loved to keep you on your toes-
“I’m fine,” you wheeze, but you are not. The stabbing pain in your ankle indicates you are far from fine, but fuck, Mills is. When you look up at him it almost takes your breath away, his long black hair tied into a bun to keep the heat of the baking sun off his neck. Strands have come loose in the breeze, framing his face as he leans close to look you over.
“You’re hurt,” he speaks plainly, and you wish a leopard would just launch itself from the bushes and carry your pathetic carcass up a tree rather than face the mortification of being the reason he had to stop the tour.
“It’s just my ankle, I’ll be oka-“
“Phiri,” Mills calls to his fellow tour guide, catching his attention with a wave of his gigantic palm, “Can you continue on your own?”
Phiri must nod, because Mills is scooping you up bridal style before you even have the chance to insist upon struggling through the rest of the tour. Your arms dart out quickly at the height he stands at when he rises effortlessly to his feet, a totally subconscious action that causes heat to swirl in your cheeks as he begins the journey back to the lodge.
It must only be fifteen minutes at the very most, but it feels like hours. Mills smells mind-numbingly delicious, a mixture of the perspiration drawn out by the sunshine and something earthy, woodsy. Soon, despite the fact you were doing nothing other than tremble in his arms, you’re sweating more than Mills is.
You can’t bear to look at him, but you can feel his eyes on you. There’s a rumble in his chest, one that sounds vaguely like a chuckle. Perhaps for the sake of not shrivelling up and dying while the vultures pick at your poor, humiliated bones, you elect to ignore the sound of amusement from him.
Hauling you into the doctor's office, Mills is a silent, hulking presence in the doorway as the doctor checks you over. The professional indicates it is most likely that you have mildly sprained your ankle, informing you that you should be back to normal within a couple of days. He concludes with a devastating blow: ‘You need to rest, though. Don’t walk on it.’
This piece of advice leads to Mills insisting upon carrying you to your lodge. This time, you find yourself leaning into the broad expanse of his shoulder, grasping the cotton of his khaki t-shirt and taking in the oaky scent that you swore if you breathed in any deeper you’d inhale the whole man.
“Here we are,” he says, the man of little words, as he moves to slowly sit you down on your mattress. You clocked the stupid fucking sunglasses on your pillow, just where you remember leaving them.
Mills, as much as he is absolutely not being paid for this, takes his time ensuring your comfort. He props up pillows for your back, your shades placed neatly on the bedside table. When you’re all settled, however, he doesn’t rush to pull away.
His eyes are dancing over the frame of your lips, flicking up to your eyes when he realises how long he has stayed in your personal space. You don’t complain.
“… How can I thank you?” You whisper. It comes out breathier than you plan, a lilt to your tone that makes it sound far closer to a moan than a steady question.
“Don’t mention it at al-“
It’s not him. It’s not you, either. You both crash into each other with insistence, moans of relief bleeding into each others mouths as you finally embrace after days of craving each other. It’s an oasis, whetting the insatiable lust that had clouded your concentration and judgement. There were only so many times you could pretend your fingers were Mills, and you had far surpassed that total only two nights into your trip.
“Hah-“ you gasp softly into the kiss as Mills’ hands wander over the tops of your thighs, squeezing at your hips and tugging your body slightly closer to him. He seems equally as needy, chasing your lips when they part from his for breath.
“Come here,” he orders softly, though it sounds more like a plea. You can’t deny him, delivering kiss after hungry kiss to his open mouth as your fingers fiddle with the hem of his cotton T-shirt.
It all happens so fast, without contemplation. He’s stripping you out of your clothes delicately, making sure to avoid your tender ankle as he carefully pulls the leg of your trousers over it. The groan of delight that rumbles in his chest when he sees your lacy white set beneath your safari garb makes your heart stop.
“Pretty Thing,” he murmurs, tracing your nipple through the lace of your bralette. It’s Mills, and the touch causes a shuddering exhale to creep from your lungs. “Here.”
That order again. It flips your stomach over, and soon Mills is moving you like a ragdoll, with such ease that it’s almost dizzying. Mills spins your body, facing you away from him before grasping your hips and pulling you back towards him.
When his mouth meets the soaked crotch of your panties, you’re arching back into his face without thinking, a loud sigh of bliss escaping you. At first he sucks at your clit through the fabric, but he loses patience and pushes the panties aside, delving into you and enjoying your taste as he laps at you with his tongue. Meanwhile, his hands explore the plains of your body, hands squeezing at the flesh of your ass and thighs. Without looking at them, they feel gigantic against your body, covering an expanse of your skin that puts the distance of the Sahara in the north to shame.
You don’t need prompting. Your hands are pushing the elastic waistband of his boxers down, his cock resting against his stomach as you push them over his thighs. Greedily, you take him into your mouth without even bothering to take in the view, desperate to taste him. The salt of his precum coats your tongue, and you both moan in unison.
“Fuck,” Mills breathes, his palm cracking against the curve of your ass. It’s not too hard, but the spank sends your heart wild, swallowing down his length and whimpering at how he stretches your throat and fills your mouth.
The veins on the underside of his cock pulse against the roof of your mouth, his hips jolting slightly as your tongue traces his frenulum. You’re so needy, letting him fuck your face despite the threat of a gag pulling at the back of your throat. It’s messy, the wet, sopping sounds obscene to your own ears.
Mills’ hands travel all over your body, up your waist, reaching forward and under to squeeze your tits. You’d wanted to make this some form of an appreciation for him carrying you across the safari-lands, but he’s insistent upon making you feel good too.
“Oh, shit-“ he gasps when you take him particularly deep into your throat, gagging around him. Mills’ head falls back onto the pillows, rocking his hips up involuntarily until your nose is pressing into his pubic bone. He’s rambling a sorry, the apology slurred and almost indiscernible over the sloppy sounds of you sucking his dick.
“That’s it,” he whispers, his hand moving between your legs to rub rapidly over your clit. You’re caving inwards at the sensation, hands grasping at the tops of his thighs as he talks you towards your orgasm. “You’re so fucking good. So hot—wanted to drag you into my room the minute you walked in here, giving me those ‘fuck me eyes’ all the time. Can you feel it coming? Huh? Your thighs are trembling. There it is- there it is.”
You cum with a whimper around his dick, mouth stuffed full of him and unable to make much of a sound— but fuck, it utterly obliterates you. Rocking back onto his fingers, onto his face, you sob as he juts his hips up once, twice. He cums down your through with a haggard groan, sinking his teeth into the flesh of your ass in an attempt to muffle the sound he makes.
It becomes a frequent pastime. A long safari ending with a quick, desperate fuck. You discuss what will happen when you return home, the two of you skirting around the fact this has become far more than a vacation hook up. He gives you his number, of course it’s a shitty Nokia phone, but it makes so much sense.
“One of the vervet monkeys took my iPhone,” he grumbles when you arch a brow at his brick phone.
For now, without the stress of leaving, Mills holds you in his arms, your hips slotted between his thighs and head resting on his chest. You’re exhausted, still recovering from your injury while enjoying as many safaris as you can— and fucking Mills every waking minute.
You feel Mills gently touch your shoulder, rousing you from the blissful sleep that almost had you. A whine creeps past your lips, eyelids heavy.
“What?” You mumble, pausing when you see Mills press a finger to his lips and point to the sliding glass doors that he had left open.
A baby giraffe, a few months old, peeks its head into your cabin. Its eyelashes flutter as it looks over the box room, blinking slowly. You can’t help but wake, a grin pulling at your lips as it slowly backs away, unamused by the lack of edible greenery.
“Wow,” you whisper, watching it begin its slow journey back to the herd, tail swishing behind it.
“Worth it?” Mills murmurs, brushing his fingers up your spine softly.
“Worth every single penny.”
END
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canwntfan · 1 month
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Some white girls are being insecure that women can be faster than average and better than other white players... like lol it's not Chawinga's fault that a part of her genetics is to be athletically stronger and faster than yall.
Besides, men can't play with women, I thought we all knew that lol. They get medical tests and hormone check ups, which was an issue with the Zambian striker when she was about to sign with real madrid and they found out her testosterone is too high (she was born female though which sucks because she couldn't even sign for Real anymore).
Just say you're mad an African woman is humbling you lol. This is also the same thing with Mayra (i know shes not african), they look at women of color like animals or men because they aren't their defintion of pretty or want to use their money on things like beautifying themselves. When you make a comment on male player's looks they come up with the 'but but... he's a football player not a model' like yeah? She's not here for you to stare at, she's here so you can watch her play.
All of this!! This happens in EVERY sport and we're tired of it, leave the women alone.
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thecreaturecodex · 2 years
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Mulilo
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“Slog” © deviantArt user Neysun, accessed at their gallery here
[The mulilo is an excellent example of how the game of Telephone that is cryptozoology works. The first documented appearance of the mulilo in English was in an article written for British colonialist journal The Empire Review in 1940, as part of an article about African folklore from the most condescending possible perspective. The mulilo is a dragon that looks like a slug, nests under the rainbow, and is responsible for mysterious deaths in the mines. It’s pretty obviously folkloric; imagine if cryptozoologists claimed that leprechauns were real because they lived at the end of rainbows! The only indication that the mulilo has some sort of physical reality is that pieces of its hide are apparently used as “fertility charms”. And as we know from the yeti (or the unicorn, for that matter), it’s easy to call parts of one animal the remains of a more supernatural one.
The Empire Review article was picked up by Karl Shuker, who included it in his 1997 book From Flying Toads to Snakes With Wings. Anyone familiar with Shuker will know that he’s capable of making a lot of fire out of very little smoke, and so he proposed that the mulilo hides belonged to a mystery animal (although, he reasoned, it would have to be some sort of amphibian or reptile to have a hide, since slugs don’t). This became the modern internet cryptid, where it is just a giant slug, no two ways about it. Also, somehow, its coloration has almost completely reversed, from being black to pale gray. Since I do not have an authentically Zambian account of the mulilo (I don’t even know what ethnic or language group it belongs to), this is the best I can do, “remythologizing” it by putting it back somewhat into context, as opposed to a completely mundane mystery animal (if “six foot long slug” could be considered mundane).]
Mulilo CR 3 NE Dragon This dark colored creature looks like a cross between a slug and a reptile. It has two limbs on which it pulls itself, a thick slimy body, and two pairs of tentacles, one bearing its eyes. Its mouth is large and filled with sharp teeth, and a shine of iridescence dances on its jaws when it opens its mouth.
A mulilo is also called a slug dragon, as befits its hybrid physiology. It only has bones in order to shore up its limbs and skull, and a series of plates along its back, allowing it to squeeze through narrow passages. It secretes slime to ease its movement and to allow it to better stick to surfaces. Mulilos are sapient, but not very intelligent, and are violently selfish, raiding villages for livestock and killing those that come near their cavern lairs.
A mulilo is said to nest in the hills where a rainbow appears, and they do often appear on the surface in the combination of sun and rain that forms rainbows. They can also breathe a rainbow gas, which simultaneously mesmerizes and poisons creatures caught in the area. A mulilo will usually initiate combat with its rainbow breath, and prefers to attack victims incapacitated that cannot fight back. They usually save a second rainbow breath in order to make an escape.
In some cultures, mulilos are seen as embodiments of fertility, and charms made from their skin are taken as tokens to promote pregnancies and ease childbirth. It is true that a single pair of mulilos can lay dozens of eggs at once, and brood clusters of young and subadult mulilos are nasty surprises that miners and explorers sometimes find underground. Catching a mulilo is usually done with traps—a long box set to close when entered, lined with razorblades and baited with a chicken is traditional.
A mulilo is about six feet long when fully grown.
Mulilo   CR 3 XP 800 NE Medium dragon Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +6, tremorsense 30 ft. Defense AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+6 natural) hp 28 (3d12+9) Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +4 DR 5/slashing; Immune patterns Defensive Abilities stability Offense Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee bite +5 (1d6+3) Special Attacks rainbow breath Statistics Str 14, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 12 Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 15 (19 vs. bull rush, trip) Feats Blind-fight, Improved Initiative Skills Climb +15, Escape Artist +10, Perception +6, Stealth +9, Survival +6, Swim +7; Racial Modifiers +8 Escape Artist, +4 Stealth Languages Draconic Ecology Environment warm hills Organization solitary, pair or brood (3-12) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Poison (Ex) Breath weapon—inhaled; save Fort DC 14; duration 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d3 Con damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution based. Rainbow Breath (Ex/Su) As a standard action, a mulilo can exhale a 15 foot cone of shimmering rainbow-colored gases. All creatures in the area must succeed a DC 12 Will save or suffer the effects of a color spray spell (CL 3rd), and are exposed to the mulilo’s poison. A mulilo can use its rainbow breath three times per day, but must wait 1d4 rounds between uses. Stability (Ex) A mulilo gains a +4 racial bonus to its CMD against bull rush and trip attempts.
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charlesandmartine · 19 days
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Saturday 27th April 2024
We awoke early this morning, now trained to go game watching at silly o'clock. I thought the air conditioning must be on, but it was the roar of the Falls that can constantly be heard from our room. The immense spray can be seen rising from the gorge hewn by the water.
The sun beat down on us yet again. 32° on the rich, the poor, the just and the unjust. Our personal guide showed up on queue, bundled us into the back of his minibus and swiftly drove us to the Falls some 1km from the hotel. The Chinese were ahead of us already doing the selfies. Imagine if you will the holiday slide show happening soon in the home of the Pings, downtown Shanghai. What picture is this asks daddy Ping? That's Victoria Falls says Shing. Where Falls says daddy Ping, all I see is your ugly face. You got any other picture of Falls? Shing falls silent for a moment, then brightens and says yes, I took picture of Falls me and Ting. But Victoria Falls is World Heritage Site, is 107m high, 1737m wide and has 1100m3/sec, 300,000 gallons per sec. flowing over it why only picture of ugly face. Was same with Taj Mahal, London Bridge, Sydney Bridge. Last time I pay for holiday! (Names changed to protect the innocent)
This thing is immense and awe inspiring and the most amazing waterfall we have ever seen. It's construction is of several falls: Devil's Cataract used in previous days as an animal sacrifice area in times of hardship, the Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls and Armchair Falls. In terms of scale it is 10th widest and 13th by volume but figures combined make it to the top three waterfalls in the world. The spray from the crashing water hitting the bedrocks far below rose high into the air forming fine rain soaking us through despite wearing cagoules. Whole areas were hidden intermittently due to the low cloud formed. The viewing walkways have been planted with rainforest vegetation and palm trees because after all, it is warm and it rains continuously and ideal conditions for such a beautiful tropical creation. Astonishingly, on the Zambian bank, possibly Livingstone Island, feet from the precipice edge sat a small pool, quiescent from the thunder of the current passing just inches away before crashing hundreds of feet to the melee far below. Those with an incredibly low IQ were able to enjoy this free gratis jacuzzi provided by nature despite certain death so close at hand.
The first European to find the Falls was of course David Livingstone in 1855. The Chobe River we were by, is one of several feeds to the Zambezi which tips over the Zambian side of the Falls allowing the Zimbabwe peoples to get a good look at it. Livingstone, whose statue we passed, spent his life in Zambia, dying in Chitambo in 1873. He apparently said his heart lay with Zambia, so whether he meant this literally or not, we shall never know for sure, they cut his heart out and buried it there and posted the rest of him back to Westminster Abbey. The railway bridge which also forms the border with Zambia, passes close to the Falls and is an integral part of the Cape Town to Cairo railway a dream of Cecil Rhodes. A jaw dropping engineering project from the late 19 century. Well it would be but it ran out of steam, navies and engineers by the time it reached Tanzania due to sickness and being eaten by lions and it didn't get any further. The 156m bridge was designed by the same guys who built Sydney Harbour bridge; prefabricated in Cleveland, England and shipped out in kit form; an amazing achievement in itself. It was completed in just 14 months in 1905.
Now the Victoria Falls Hotel is quite a closed community with its internal staff coupled closely with the outdoor security staff that have the appearance of a small army! They parade around the grounds keeping non-guests, locals, undesirables and baboons firmly under control and away from the bricks and mortar. They are not that keen on guests either and are likely to ask what your room number is. After recuperating from our dousing at the Falls this morning, we spent an hour or so in the sun by the pool and then felt strong enough to escape to promenade the high street. From the minibus it all looked very jolly; full of curiosity shops, the odd eating place and bar. So off we went. Now I'm sure that they are all very nice people in their own way, but I began to understand how an impala felt just popping out to where the lions live. To start with there were stares similar to those I imagine a black person might get in a white enclave. Then the hard sell starts; carvings, little wooden bowls, statuettes and bright African things. All highly valued in their own way but no I don't want one is not the right answer. You are accompanied along the street having the goods yet again thrust in front of you in case you hadn't previously realised just how much you needed one of these. Then there's the person who is convinced you want a supermarket, maybe for water and he's your man to help you find one. Then there's the honest beggars. A call will be heard from inside a shop you may be passing. It's like the entire Zimbabwe economy must depend on what's in your pocket. We felt desperately for these people but we really don't know what we could do for them. We've done as much as we can simply by coming, staying in a hotel which employs local people. I took a photo of a discarded steam engine and we legged it back to the security of the hotel just mentioned our room number to the host of guards patrolling outside once or twice.
Jungle Junction not being for us tonight we decided to eat on the terrace restaurant. The official currency in Zimbabwe is the US dollar although they have in the last couple of weeks announced for the first time ever their own currency although from what I've heard it's plummeting faster than a bucket down a well. Items purchased and meals are unusually expensive here in the hotel probably due to the link with the dollar. Meal last night was not too far short of $100!
ps Zimbabwe flags are all flying half mast because 3 brigadiers were killed in a motor accident.
pps Tomorrow we will be boarding the Rovos Rail for the next four nights to Pretoria. WiFi might be scarce.
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chaoticwholesome · 8 months
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8 and 14 for the ask game!
8. Do you get confused with other nationalities? Which ones and by whom?
Ok so I have an Autism Accent bc i picked up a lot of speech from American TV, so other South Africans, people who are from the same places I am, tend to assume I'm Australian a lot? At least one stranger assumed I was American once even though I wasn't pulling out the rhotic R?? This is compounded by every Aussie or Kiwi friend i have ever had telling me "yeah you just sound normal to me". Assigned Australian at the grocery store.
14. Do you like your country's cinema and/or TV
GO WATCH SUPA TEAM 4 ON NETFLIX NOW!! Go watch the Aau's Song episode of Star Wars Visions, and go watch Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire on Disney+!!! :D
This is a fascinating question bc like. until recently historically South Africa hasn't really produced a lot of its own TV? We have had some shows! Especially soap operas and reality TV! So much reality TV. But like in my field (animation) for example, a lot of South African studios have worked more in service provision for international productions (like local studio BlackGinger doing post production and VFX on some Marvel movies, and now-defunct studio Clockwork Zoo working on individual seasons of established shows (I know people who've worked on Caillou lol)) and a lot of the locally made shows I grew up on were Sesame Street esque puppet shows (Thabang Thabong, Liewe Heksie, Takalani Sesame even) BUUUT we're recently having our place in the sun with a lot of Disney and Netflix deals coming to fruition - see the above shows! Aau's Song contains some of the most gorgeous visuals i've seen in a 3D short, Supa Team 4 follows some Zambian superhero girls with extremely fun snappy animation, and Kizazi Moto is a really fascinating pan-African anthology animation series i have yet to watch but am SALIVATING over. For more animated shorts, also go check out the thesis short films of students at The Animation School, an institution i have no bias towards whatsoever :). Particular standouts are The Sugarcane Man, Don't Drop the Goose, The Other Side, R.I.P, and The Boy and The Robin. Also 'Undone' if you wanna bawl ur eyes out.
For personal taste reasons not a lot of other local TV has excited me this much, but I did used to like local soap opera 7de Laan (7th Avenue) back when it was good and funny lol!
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The N’cwala ceremony- FASHION
It is N’cwala season again and the fashion is giving. N’cwala is an annual traditional ceremony since 1980 by the Ngoni tribe. This year N’cwala Ceremony 2024 dates 22nd, 23rd and 24th February 2024 In Mtenguleni, eastern province, Zambia.
N’cwala is an event meant to pay homage to the chief of the Ngoni, chief Mpezeni and to their ancestral spirits, for fresh fruits and food and to commemorate their victories during their tribal wars when they migrated from the current day, KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa (home of Shaka).
Traditional ceremonies have capturing fashion aside the meanings and histories linked them .The Ngoni people as well as the guests and tourists of the event all garb a history oriented fashion of rich material made from real animal’s mostly wild cats. This culture or trend has never changed since the forever. The animal skin material is worn from head raps, shoulder scarfs, while leaving the strong African chests exposed by both the men and women and finished off with shorts skirts. The N’cwala ceremony fashion is accessorized with animal skin anklets, beaded ornaments, shields and royal staff. It has also spiced up by traditional makeup.
What makes this fashion even more interesting is that it is the original ‘animal print fashion’. The animal print fashion is one seen in all fashion corners across the globe.
Animal printed fashion is not uncommonly seen in the fashion world and modernized to diverse apparel yet the Ngoni people have this fashion in their originality and culture and it is richly paraded at the N’cwala ceremony alongside the dances and other rich cultured practices.
The Ngoni’s N’cwala ceremony fashion is one seen by other groups of people in southern Africa like some parts of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and most popularly the Zulu people of South Africa by historical the shaka.
Social media and the Zambian social environment has since been painted with animal skin attires during this N’cwala season.
However the cultural fashion has been distorted over years with affluence of decency by modern moral beliefs, whitewashing, societal norms among others.
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hardynwa · 10 months
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African animation hits new heights with Netflix series
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Netflix has debuted its first original African animation series, Supa Team 4. The eight-part series is set in a futuristic version of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, and tells the story of four female teenage superheroes who are on a mission to save their city. Malenga Mulendema, Zambian writer and creator of the series, says that she hopes the series breaks ground for more African stories to be told on platforms like Netflix. “The story is similar across the continent - the talent is there and the stories are there but the opportunities are few and far between. “With partnerships with companies like Netflix, you have more chances to create and have the world see your stories.” Cartoon characterNetflixCopyright: NetflixMalenga Mulendema created the series after becoming one of the winners of a pan-Africa talent search by animation company Triggerfish and Disney. Zambian rapper, singer and songwriter, Sampa the Great, has also lent her voice to the series, singing the show’s theme song. “Animation series shaped our childhoods and to know young Zambians get to see what they’ve never seen on TV before is amazing!” she posted on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sampa The Great (@sampa_the_great) Read the full article
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thecastingcircle · 11 months
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The 21st century has ushered in a new era of super heroes across film, TV and comics. Now, Netflix viewers are introduced to the tech-fueled young African heroines of Supa Team 4 in the brand-new official trailer. Premiering on July 20, the stylish CG action-comedy is created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema, who originally pitched the concept to Cape Town studio Triggerfish during an open call for African creators.
Synopsis: Four teen girls living in the neo-futuristic African city of Lusaka are recruited by a retired secret agent still committed to saving the world… even if it’s on a budget. In their journey from school girls tackling homework to undercover superheroes fending off supervillains, they’re transformed from a motley crew of friends into Supa Team 4!
Supa Team 4 features the voices of Zowa Ngwira (Mpali), Namisa Mdlalose (Bypass), Kimani Arthur (Shimmer and Shine, Nella the Princess Knight), Nancy Sekhokoane (Abraham Lincoln, The Woman King), Pamela Nomvete (Andor, Gangs of London) and John MacMillan (House of the Dragon, The Great).
The series is produced by Ciara Breslin, CAKE Entertainment and Triggerfish, with animation provided by Superprod Animation Studio. Executive producers are Anthony Silverston, Mike Buckland, Tom van Waveren, Edward Galton and Amy Keating Rogers.
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Sharp eyed readers should remember when we posted about this when it was called "Momma K's Supa Team".
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thoughtportal · 8 months
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Asked whether he had any kind of concrete evidence like photos or old documents lying around that attest to the Zambian emerald mines, he replied: “To try and compare this to business in Europe or the USA is so laughable that I would not try to attempt it.”
“Think of the early Wild West, except add jungle, wild animals (and wild humans), and many many things that can kill you,” he added.
Finding anyone from northern Zambia who could attest to Errol’s tales is tricky. Mineralogical maps and satellite imagery could not locate the mine, and long-shot attempts to track down any living officials from the mining ministry in the 1980s were unsuccessful, but Errol’s anecdotes are consistent with the situation on the ground at the time, according to an expert.
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historyhermann · 5 months
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No. 6 on my list of top animated series for 2023: "Supa Team 4"
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I only heard about Malenga Mulendema's Supa Team 4 on a whim, on social media. I'm glad I did because Netflix continues to inadequate promote this series. Although I don't always like computer-generated animations, this superhero action-comedy series remains one of my favorites for 2023. This series, produced by Trigger Fish Animation Studios, shares some characteristics with other teenage superhero series and classic 2000s series from the 2000s. The story is wholy Zambian and centers on four girls with different (and sometimes clashing) personalities: Temwe Chiti, Komana Mwinga, Zikomo "Zee" Phiri, and Monde Wamunyima. They are brought together by a former secret agent named Mama K.
Similar to other entries on this list, Temwe, Komana, Zee, and Monde feel obligated to keep their real identities secret. They have one of the coolest superhero transformations, with upbeat music and a distinctive flair. It is only rivaled by Sailor Moon, series within the Pretty Cure franchise, and magical girl works. Themes like environmental protection, family, work-life balance, value of art, and obsession with popularity are key. They face off against a villain who tries to steal the city's electric power, while masquerading as a "Black empowerment" capitalist. The second season premieres on December 21 and will continue centering African stories.
excerpted from "Burkely's Top Ten Animated TV Shows of 2023"
© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.
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Day 2 - Orientation and exploration
After a long travel day yesterday, everyone was relaxed and refreshed after a good night’s sleep and eager to explore the area around Nsobe camp. The first of our two activities this day involved a game drive to try and catch sight of some of the local wildlife. We drove through the bush and were rewarded with some wonderful wildlife. Not only was seeing the animals so visually rewarding, we all learnt much more about the different breeds and behaviours of what many just knew as the ‘deer’ or ‘antelope’. We were all reminded of our urban home city by the literal ‘zebra crossing’ and we were amazed at the size of some of the termite mounds.
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After lunch we had some time to learn about the common Zambian customs such as acceptable dress and a stress on respect amongst people. It is considered rude to keep hands in pockets or wearing hats when greeting someone, and one should aim to not stand over an older individual. We were also delighted to hear about the traditional foods and how they are prepared and we are all looking forward to trying some nshima later in the trip. Some of the teachers from one of the schools that Beyond Ourselves works with also took some time to give us some language lessons and we are all working on our Bemba so that we can try this out with some of the local people we will be working with. We have all at least mastered the greeting - Muli shani.
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Afterwards, we went on a trip to a local village. This part of the trip was a real eye opener compared to our comfortable homes back in London. We had the privilege of being able to experience a very brief taster of a few hours in the life of rural Zambian culture. Our short excursion involved walking the crooked and ankle twisting path from the local school to a particular village. Once there, we were taught a few basic skills. First we were shown the technique of separating the maize seeds from the rest of the plant, then  where to acquire water from wells, and how to water the village farms. Lastly before departing, we were given a display on how to make the bricks the small buildings surrounding us were constructed from. This visit gave us an insight into the labour and effort that goes into everyday tasks and maintaining the village. We were allowed to make one brick, of which sweat was dripping and lungs were pumping, and the locals would make over 250 a day. Balancing all these tasks from before dawn to after dusk, simply to survive, was truly humbling for us. Many people also have extra jobs in teaching, or are students themselves. What really makes this experience so moving is that despite all the effort and the hardship, every individual met us with smiles and handshakes in abundance, highlighting the cultural emphasis on genuine respect, shared amongst the friendly Zambian locals.
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To sum up the first day of orientation and exploration, we embarked on a bush walk around the local forestry. We climbed a small hill to witness a stunning sunset, quite the picturesque conclusion to an exhausting, but inspirational day. We were met by some of the antelope outside our tent before bed which clearly developed a liking for us. It is fair to say the trip is off to an amazing start and we are excited to get involved in the local community.
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sailorbunglejuice · 1 year
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Yo does anyone really hate how teen dramas are based EXCLUSIVELY around high school? Like, secondary school is really fuckin shit no cap. Basis of all my trauma, insecurities, shit like dat. And i was so excited cuz id be bingin shows like victorious and icarly (which obvs were crazy ass premises for bein nickelodeon shows lmao) and be hyper excited for crazy stuff to go down. But nah, just long, grey hours of being forced in a classroom in a subject you dont like, teachers who dont like you, and people who are annoyin af. But producers were like "yo, THIS is where all the ideas and moneys are goin".
I personally never really watch reality dramas, mainly cartoons, anime, adult swim shows, sci fi, underground movies, that stuff. I just dont see the appeal in somet as mundane as family issues, or workplace shit (unless its a comedy lmao) and DEFINITELY not school stuff. Like secondary school is so borin my dayz fam. None of that crazy shit happens ever, not even in college rn (college in the uk is the last 2 years of high school). Most people are focused on revision and schoolwork cuz everyones failing and if your not failing youve got ur job. If u dont got ur job ur being normal and doin shit like hobbies, hanging out w ur mates, shit like that. We dont really have en masse parties every week cuz those take the piss. Like a 600 quid speaker got broke at a motive i was at and we all got kicked out lol. And were not that focused on doin drugs all the time cuz thats expensive af, even if u want to. Were all poor lmao.
We do talk about it alot, sure but like, i think its cuz life imitates art to a degree. Weve always been doin taboo things, but because the skins lifestyle is practically glamourised people wanna do it more. And no lie, its fun. But all the baggage attached being glamourised to... naurrr man. I know mates who are recovering from bein addicted and on tt theres ppl talkin about the health issues they got from that life. Yo like i was w people who were practically about that shit and after that sesh i never talked to them again cuz they scared me that much (was fun tho, chillin in the woods at 10pm). Eh moderation n tingz ig.
Nah u know what would be great - shows based around teens, but not in high school. Like all i wanna do is get out of college and go to uni somewhere else cuz ded city and shit place init. Its like handcuffs, even tho im in like 3+ hours most days. I just think to myself on how, compared to shows like euphoria, skins, sex education (not even a bad show just for comparison), movies like Tekkonkinkreet, city of god, smoke signals, books like wonder all hit DIFFERENT. Like DIFFERENT DIFFERENT. It is mad. These are all media which talks about tweens, teenagers, young adults but completely seperated from school. Not in the unrealistic sense either, grounded to reality, whether it be in a realistic or surreal sense. They also connect to me more and make me more interested than a majority of these high school shows out here.
For example, smoke signals, a story about two indigenous boys from the coer d'alene reservation who travel across phoenix when one of the kids dad dies to get his ashes. That movie was insanely good. INSANELY good. I felt such a connection and my nerdy ass was analysing motifs and themes real time because the composure is so good. Themes and emphasis circulate around the nature of memories, dreams, stereotypes, culture and much more in the realms of the indigenous community in the US. Its been a year since i watched but i need to watch it again. Like as someone who has had a pretty shit upbringing, been kicked out by mum, have estranged my dad for ages until i came to live at his, the concept of what makes a family, how you see your parents compared to others or the culture really hits home, especially bein 2nd gen zambian uno. Like the emphasis on parenthood and the righteousness of parents is WILD.
Another movie i also wanna talk about is city of god too. Way more darker and grittier than smoke signals, taking place in Brazil instead of the south. Its a movie about the coming of age of many youths, specifically an aspiring photographer and an evil ass villain growin up in the favelas of rio de janeiro. It explores the cultural issues of gentrification, gangs, drug abuse, crazy ass shit which is exposed to kids at a young ass age. From what i remember its narrated from the photographer, and it makes SOOO MUCH sense bro. Like the dramaticisation of characters, the loose ends, how some characters fizzle out of the story, fizzle in, even the mindset of some really reminds you that this is comin from the eyes of the few who did survive - the photographer. He literally wants to be a journalist bro, like ofc hes gonna sensationalise. Whereas the thing in euphoria, whilst it was kinda cool with rue narrating everything, especially cinematography wise, kinda didnt make much sense as it went on. Like how u know about cals childhood girl, how (hate how he got an episode and not his sister or somet). Nate defo didnt tell her lmao.
What constrasts greatly with skins n euphoria n i think what breaks euphoria is how w skins, these guys are all a friend group, at least from what i know only watchin 1st gen. Whereas with euphoria its a weak link tyin all these guys. Euphoria falls in that sense cuz these guys arent really that close and are too different to be close. Not really in personas but like, maddy in season 1 literally just knew rue cuz she od thats it bro. If they were a close friendship group i think it wouldve worked way more. Like, call me crazy, if nate was established as a mate to rue who became a massive dick as we see in season 1 it would make a lot of sense as to why rue knows so mucha bout him. Hell it would probably clue us more into why hes so villainous (love that word). Cuz in city of god, for example, the photographer was in close proximity to the lil dice (my ass finally looked up his name 😂) by literally growin up on the same neighbourhood as him and even having so much respect as to have him photograph his gang.
Man u dont understand, my fav parts in euphoria was when the girlies were having fun and just bein themselves bro. Like the maddy kat and jules trio is something so beautiful even tho short lived. Hell, its so weird how theres the lack of proper proper friendships in euphoria. Sure u get banter and them acting cool, acting sexy, but never really acting stupid or dumb, or bein embarassing around each other apart from say jules and rue in season 1. Like even adults do that, and it shows the comfort ppl got around each other. Like jules and kat knew each other from summer camp or some shit, SO MUCH couldve been done with that. Couldve been that she was a mate of kat as well as rue, the bridge between rue and maddy, cassie, kat, that type of ish uno. Theyre both pretty alt as well, couldve had an episode of them finding their people. Euphoria is hole nother hellhole i will rant abt when i care but thats just one example.
I just find it dumb how this is really wat teen life is reduced too. Sure we have sex, do drugs, party, get into bad things but not ALL the time. And i kinda hate how that is what determines "fun" really, nowadays. Most of me and my mates times is spent in waterstones for gods sake 😂 there are some good shows which are pretty balanced on all aspects like on my block, and it shows that makin teen dramas about teen life really works. Brings in a more diverse array of backgrounds, knowledge. Yo id kill to be in a writing room for a show. Thatd be sick
Anyone whos made it this far, proud of you, u now know what my mates have to sit through lol.
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bigstargems · 1 year
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9.50 cts Natural Zambian Emerald ✨✨ For more information Dm me #rutile #rutilequartz #rutilatedquartz #amethyst #housekinokuni #quartz #etsysellersofinstagram #anime #quartzcrystal #etsyseller #rosequartz #garnet #crystalhealing #phosphophyllite #etsy #crystal #crystalsforsale #antarcticite #padparadscha #stevenuniverse #lapis #crystals #crystalshop #peridot #pearl #pinkdiamond #bluediamond #goldenrutile #reels (at New York City U.S.A.) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmttg2MSaBg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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hyperions-fate · 2 years
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It's quite something that the Where the Crawdads Sing author is actually a Kurtzian white saviour type who went to Zambia to do 'conservation' work, went full Jospeh Conrad, and is now wanted in connection with her and her husband's torture and murder of native Zambians. It's as if every white, misanthropic animal lover is predetermined by fate to become a colonialist killer.
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