#and to learn how to draw braids in general lol

[kunerey]

cooked up smth quick

[psiirockin]

so sorry if you arent giving art tips; but how did you learn to draw poc hair?? i need advice and yours is so cool

Thank you! And I would really mainly recommend studying how other (POC) artists stylize hair, and simultaneously referring to photos of people of color for inspiration + understanding texture.

I think, it's all about the context of your style really. I learned a very looong time ago when I was a kid on how to draw curly hair specifically because I had big ol' curls myself + I was subconsciously studying hair styles of the like in cartoons or media I enjoyed!

The thing is, just don't overthink the shapes. At least for cartoony styles like anime, or one like mine where the texture mainly comes from the coloring + rendering, the structure can be super simple to follow if you don't overthink it.

^ Taking this newer WIP of my OC's really quick for reference! If you look closely, the shapes are mostly just little bumpy cloud-like chunky strokes! And while this isn't rendered hair yet, you can still read it as the texture it's intended as.

......................... ...

^ An older doodle of my other OCs to show other hairstyles.. While I draw braids + locs a smidge differently now, this was still composed of wobbly lines that I defined a bit with other squiggles! Not so hard I promise! And obviously, I can always do better + I will continue to study/improve.

Some artists I have been particularly inspired by when drawing textured & POC's hairstyles are here if you wanna check them out: southpauz / kidciitrix / p0nyplanet / xavier illustrates / likelihoodart / toorurii .. ETC.! (I love how they draw hair in general LOL it's all so good..) Hopefully this helps a bit!

[mscherub]

Am I just being delusional? Chances are likely…

This thought won’t stop eating away at my brain, so let me be more delusional than usual for a second here. What if someone who practiced witchcraft, the type that’s practiced in our world even today, ended up in Twst. No, not the “bad” witches, not like the Sanderson Sisters, either(that was just an example, lol), but like actual witches currently. Witchcraft is technically a way of relegion and is even apart of some religions today, it’s just not a widely accepted ideal by many. Exhibit A, take a look at the Hoodoo religion! It’s so beautiful to me, and that’s an example of magic and sorcery being practiced within our current society. But I won’t be mentioning hoodoo or anything of the likes at all when I write because that is a closed practice to those of that religion and descent, and I am not apart of that, but I was still so enthralled with it when I learned about it! <3

(Respect the closed practices ppl, iykyk)

So some examples as to what I’m thinking of for writing this out is protection spells, moon water, crystals, tarot readings, protection plaits(braids), hexes, reading palms, reading tea leaves, the likes, and that’s just the general stuff I’ve listed out that I know of— HEAR ME OUT ON THIS IDEA PLZ, DONT GO YET!!!!

Just think about it! Two ways of “magic” interacting with one another. Well, the magic we know is all about intention and channeling that inner power within you, and it’s not quite…visible. Plus, the boys would be fucking confused…like, “why are you drawing that symbol on your hand?” “It’s a protection rune!”, and I can just imagine them staring at you like “wtf. How’s that shit gonna protect you…”

So if you’re interested in this idea, let me know what you think, give me ideas too if u want, cause I’m considering writing abt this and hopefully make it a series.. Ok, enough yapping, I just needed to get that idea out to the world so then maybe I’ll have the energy to write it 💀

Edit:

I MADE PART 1, GO READ HERE!!

Part 1

[ordinary-barbie]

Billy Hargrove x black!fem!reader headcanons

summary: just a few headcanons about Billy and his black gf ♡

tags: modern au, college AU, allusions to smut, some racism (not from Billy), usage of "I love you", mention of Neil's abuse, some slight insecurity from both Billy and reader

note: this ended up being so much longer than I expected, lmao. Enjoy!

Billy would argue that he was the one who fell for you first—and the one who fell harder. The two of you met during college after your best friend Nancy dragged you to a frat party. You'd been wary of frat boys, but Billy had some special quality that drew you towards him.

Billy was absolutely smitten with you after one conversation, already intoxicated by your beauty as well as your sharp, sarcastic wit. Billy had never been a relationship guy; he preferred to keep things much more casual, a few hookups at best. But you had him wanting to have, like, actual conversations and shit.

The two of you were texting buddies and social media friends before Billy mustered up the courage to ask you on a date. He didn't want to fuck this up, so he turned to Max for advice, and she'd told him to actually get to know you first.

You loved sending TikToks; it was basically one of your love languages. When Billy told you "nah I dont have that app lol," you'd erupted in mock outrage, jokingly demanding he get the app. Surprisingly, he actually listened to you, and the two of you spent many nights exchanging TikToks back and forth that reminded you of each other.

After about a week, Billy finally worked up the nerve to ask you out, breathing the biggest sigh of relief when you'd said yes. The first date was fairly simple and cute: you'd had dinner at a local pizza place near campus and took a walk afterward.

The first date was sweet, but it was the second date that sealed the deal for you. You'd suggested minigolf, and the two of you had a blast, especially when you deserved that you were both competitive as fuck. (Did he win? Well, yes...but you were the one who got kissed at the end of the night, so let's call it a draw)

Billy in a relationship is the most doting man. He's always getting you snacks or little knickknacks, or offering you a massage if you need one. Whenever you thank him, he gets flustered, not getting why it's such a big deal. You were his girlfriend and he loved you. Why wouldn't he do shit for you? But he'd be lying if he said it didn't make him happy to see how the slightest act of service or small gift absolutely made your day.

We already know from canon that Billy takes great pride in his looks, especially his hair. I feel like Billy would be obsessed with your hair: not in a weird, "white person touching your hair without your permission" way, but he genuinely thinks your hair is beautiful, whether it's straightened, braided, or in your natural curls.

Billy would be fascinated watching you take out your braids, and watches a bunch of YouTube tutorials to learn so he can help you out if needed. (He also thought about doing your future kids' hair, but he didn't want to freak you out with that conversation yet.)

Before dating you, Billy was someone who would post on Instagram maybe once a month, if we're being generous. But in no time at all, you started to occupy his feed, to the point where Max jokingly asked Billy if he was running a fanpage account for you.

He will always hype you up in the Instagram comments but gets huffy when other guys do the same. ("Babe, Steve is like one of my best friends! I promise he's not hitting on me," you assured him one day after he noticed Steve complimenting your new haircut.)

Won't tolerate anyone talking shit about his girl. He'd nearly gotten into a fight at the frat house once because Jason Carver's dumb ass wouldn't shut up about how you didn't look like Billy's "type."

You were so nervous about meeting Billy's friends, but they love you, especially Tommy and Carol. Tommy thinks you're hilarious and Carol basically becomes one of your besties.

Your friends take a little bit more time to warm up to Billy, but he eventually wins them over. You're pleasantly surprised at how much Billy has bonded with Steve, and it’s especially amusing when they start nerding out about basketball.

Teases you over how much you love pop music, but you've caught him singing along to or humming some of your favorite songs. He especially loves Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, and Halsey.

Is big on PDA. Will kiss you anywhere, any time. (With your consent, of course.) However, he does get extremely flustered and shy when you say cute things to him in front of his or your friends. It's honestly adorable.

It hurts his heart whenever you're insecure about your looks. You see some of the sorority girls Billy's hung out with in the past on his Instagram and can't help feeling like you don't compare, with your lack of blue eyes or beautiful, straight blonde hair. But Billy wants you, and he's determined to make you feel special every single day.

In turn, you're there for him whenever he feels insecure about not being enough for you and worries that his father is right, that he won't amount to anything. It absolutely breaks your heart and you fantasize about punching Neil in the face over all the shit he put Billy through over the years.

Waited after a month of dating before sleeping with you for the first time. His frat brothers were shocked when he'd told them you two hadn't had sex yet, but Billy was genuinely trying to be a gentleman and not rush things. You honestly didn't mind waiting, and that was all that mattered to Billy.

Billy made sure your first time was slow and gentle. (And used a condom, obviously—he wasn't trying to fuck around and find out.) But after a few times sleeping together, you'd shyly told him you wouldn't mind if he went a bit rough sometimes. And if Billy was a good lover when he was gentle, he was even better when he was giving you a good fucking.

Billy said "I love you" first, six months into your relationship. It happens during sex—the two of you were on the verge of an orgasm, and the three words just slipped out. Billy had freaked at first, but you felt overcome with emotion. You were absolutely in love with him and were ecstatic that he felt the same way.

After that night, Billy decides to introduce you to his family. Not Neil—fuck him, forever—but Susan and Max. Of course, they loved you, because how could anyone not adore you? What Billy wasn't so fond of were the times when you and Max teamed up against him, giggling when he didn't know a pop culture reference or casually roasting him. But even though the two of you loved to conspire against him, it warmed Billy's heart that two of his favorite people were able to bond. (A few years ago, he would've never imagined being close enough to Susan and Max—especially Max—that he would care what they thought about his girlfriend. But Billy was different now, less angry at the world.)

Billy is so nervous about meeting your family and is desperate to make a good first impression. He buys a bouquet of your mom's favorite flowers and gets your dad a set of glasses with his favorite sports team on there. If you have siblings, he's definitely giving them small gifts too, like gift cards to their favorite stores.

The first dinner with your family pretty much goes swimmingly. Billy is a hell of a charmer—even your dad was impressed by him. Your mom asks when the wedding is going to be, to your deep mortification and Billy's amusement.

Billy wants to get your name tatted on you but you vehemently shut him down. So instead he gets something that reminds him of you: maybe your favorite flower or a constellation of your zodiac sign.

His friends tease him about being whipped for you, but Billy doesn't care. You're the best thing to walk into his life. You're it for him. He can't wait for both of you to graduate so you can truly start the rest of your lives together.

[i-willstealyourtoes]

tf2 matchup pleas pleas pleas??? (bats big eyelashes) ^^ I'm 20, a cis woman, i go by she/her pronouns, pisces, i'm on the chubbier side, I weigh around 80(?) kg. I'm unlabeled when it comes to my sexuality. I am from Australia, and I'm mixed with Italian/croatian, as well as North/South Indian. I do have the Australian accent though! But I live near the city. I have honey, warm toned skin, with dark dark brown hair (almost black!), which is just below my chest, and I have curtain bangs and layers. I have a wave pattern, and brown eyes. I have light to medium acne/acne scars, lips on the fuller side, and a round face. I have a little, singular freckle on the tip of my nose, and one beneath my lip. I dress in multiple different styles, and can never choose just one. But my main styles are Boho, whimsy twee. I have two sets of glasses. One black pair, one clearish-violet pair. I'm a pretty insecure person, but i'm willing to make an effort in a relationship. I have Autism and ADHD, and I can be pretty loud sometimes when speaking (unknowingly). My love languages are...idk, all of them?? I'm not super experienced with relationships (my last boyfriend was HORRIFIC), but I love making my partner feel worthy of love, and generally good about themselves. I need to often feel reassured, and I overthink frequently. I linger on arguments on accident, and I have a hard time talking about it. I FREAKING LOVE MOVIES!! My favorites are V/H/S 94, Splice, and American Psycho! I love to draw and scrapbook, as well as going to the nature reserve near my house. I listen to a few different genres of music, but I have a few favorites such as: Dazey and the Scout Destroy Boys Weezer The Bloodhound Gang Fiona Apple Creed Amyl and the Sniffers Reel Big Fish ------------------ Into abserdism. I believe our reason to be on this earth is to experience its wonders, and prioritize your own joy. Big ol introvert. I hate public spaces. I get extremely overstimulated, resulting in me becoming a little irritated with others around me as i'm overwhelmed by everything. Not the best relationship with my dad, great relationship with my mum. ------------------- I play video games such as; Postal Series Minecraft Splatoon Multiple pokemon games TF2 Sims 4 ( ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ ) thank you!!

You did technically send this when I had my inbox closed, but no worries; the penalty is just a shorter piece lol X') I hope you still like it though !!

Matchup for Movie!Anon

Sniper

You both like nature and both are just a little insecure about things (me too tbh)

Oh also you're both Australian by nationality! When you two first meet, he's immediately put at ease upon hearing your accent :)

He would love to do little movie dates, where the two of you just sit on some bean bags or something and cuddle up at night :)

Sniper's not used to all those big dates and so on, so he's much more comfortable with you in his arms in private

He would absolutely learn how to braid your hair if you want.

Although, don't tease him about it (or do), because he will get all pink in the face X)

"Just.. just turn around and let me do it, alright...?!"

I'm not sure what exactly Sniper listens to, but I think he'd enjoy indie rock so you're in good company when on road trips !

He would definitely take you on trips where the two of you can be alone and just explore nature together

He's not exactly an arts and crafts person, but he thinks it's so cool that you do scrapbooking and draw

He will totally watch you as you sketch or glue things on with hearts in his eyes :)

If you want, he'll bring back things from nature or bring you to certain places to draw/scrapbook !

If you draw him, he will absolutely get all flustered about it, maybe even trying to cover his face with his hat

"..You really did this for me..? Love.."

Also believes in absurdism; life is what you make it, and he's happy where he is (with you), so he doesn't really care about a higher purpose as long as you're with him :)

Demo

He will absolutely chill with you on the couch (with a couple beers) and watch movies till you both pass out

It's his favourite kind of date, where the two of you can just commentate on some random stupid plot or character and laugh about whatever together

Also he loves the freckle on your nose !! He will constantly be booping it and kissing it :)

"I can't help myself, really! It's like an 'x marks the spot,' love."

He likes the colours in your outfit !! He likes your hair too, although he might not be good at braiding it like Sniper...

He isn't exactly big on nature but he'll totally get you some wildflowers in hopes you'll like them (he's trying)

Demo will totally play Splatoon with you. He likes the chaos.

Although don't expect him to go easy on you; he is competitive and you are not safe

"HAH! Take THAT ya wee- Oh, sorry love. Love you...!"

He will try scrapbooking with you. Emphasis on try

He just really wants to see you smile, and if you ever feel anxious about things, he will kiss you repeatedly until you feel better :)

He also doesn't really care that you're chubby; to him it just means better hugs :,)

He is also quite loud, so he doesn't mind at all about your lack of volume control ! He will probably swear at someone endlessly if they insult you about it X)

He's your personal hype man, what more can I say?

[karasucatt]

HELLO! Big fan of your Lion Narinder. Any lion behaviour to expect from him? Love your artstyle. What species of Lamb is yours? How do you depict the Lamb, the way you play them, or your idea for fanart? Do you have any outfits reference for those two? Will Narinder ever grow out his mane again? How does the modern AU of them pan out? Does Narinder get released from his chains? What are their favourite weapons and curses? Does Narinder have any side effect from being chained? I got inspired to make one of my Narinders a lion because of you as well, after @bluecheems lion Narinder.

Have a good month come to you and eat your meals regularly.

YES YES THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO RANT WITH SO MANY QUESTIONS

Any lion behaviour to expect from him?

Once Nari starts getting comfy he will nuzzle the Lamb a lot more, both in greeting but also in an affectionate way. He also roars on occasion!! Mainly on missions or when the Lamb takes him on Crusades and they loose him lol. He’ll groom the Lamb as well, commenting about how dirty they get during crusades and that he could spend his time doing something more productive(The Lamb knows he’s just being difficult. Every time they return Naris waiting to clean them up before they show themselves fully to the cult)

What species of Lamb is yours? How do you depict the Lamb, the way you play them, or your idea for fanart?

The closest I can get to answering the first question is actually a goat! The way I draw my lamb is heavily inspired by the Dreamurr family(specifically Asriel) so really they’re more like a goat with fluffy hair lol. As for how I depict them, well I love me a good codependent relationship turned two assholes learning how to heal.

My lamb sees themselves as the faithful servant to TOWW at first so they don’t speak(unless it’s to Nojular to announce to the others or during sermons), keep their wool short, and focus only on crusades and keeping the cult stable. It’s once they defeat Kallamar that they start opening up. The crown speaking to them gave them a new boost of confidence(and a tad bit of inanity) so they began speaking more, directing the cult, and focusing on their relationship with their followers more then crusading. With the indoctrination of the cults brand new Therapist(No one asked Focalor to do it they just took up the job themselves), the Lamb was able to work through a lot of their issues.

Now with Nari in the cult, they’ve started their ascension into godhood. This takes a big toll on their mental state, causing more murder episodes and mood swings. Nari knows how bad the ascension process can fuck someone up so he’s helping where he can. The Lamb appreciates it a lot.

Will Narinder ever grow out his mane again?

Nari actually likes it short!! The Lamb asks him this same question all the time and Narinder always says he likes it short. Though he does grow out parts just so the Lamb can braid and decorate it.

How does the modern AU of them pan out? Does Narinder get released from his chains?

I have comics and things planned for the Modern AU so stay tuned for those!! I can say that Nari does get released from his chains by the Lamb on accident. Now he has to learn how to live among mortals and the Lamb is marching straight to their Professor to try and learn more about the formerly sealed god.

What are their favourite weapons and curses?

I generally don’t use curses actually!! I prefer things with high speed and high damage so my best answer is that I like Swords!(I despise guns and hammers they so slow for my lambs nimble ass)

Does Narinder have any side effect from being chained?

He has PTSD from the imprisoning battle and gets the phantom feeling of chains on his wrists from time to time. While he likes his alone time he’ll actually cling to the Lamb once he’s spent more time in the cult. He’s terrified of being alone even if he won’t admit it.

Thank you so so soooo much for this long ask I really wanted to info dump lol! I do have my own outfit designs for them and I’ll leave them below(the Lamb is based off of when they first save Leshy from purgatory. The more recent design you see is based off of when all four bishops have been saved. I’ll make a proper reference for it one day lol)

[all-hallows-street]

Lingzi's Odaibako/Twitter Answers Collection Volume 2

Continuing the compilation of Lingzi's Odaibako answers. Click here for Part 1.

You can still send questions/comments/requests through Odaibako but please be respectful and mindful! As the author stated they will not respond to any questions or suggestions about future content! Also do not spam, Lingzi answers in rare bursts so they might not get to answer your comment any time soon.

A few clarifications. I will skip some doodle requests/drawn answers and will compile them later in a post with all of Lingzi's twitter drawings. Everything with [] marks an edit so the English sounds more natural.

16. Hello. I have a question. There is a scene where Nini imagines (delusions) having a child with Lily. Can demons and angels actually have children? Is there a mix of devils and angels? I was curious because angels themselves don't seem to reproduce.

Yes, that's just Neil's fantasy. Angels don't have the ability to reproduce~

Source

17. Hello Teacher Lingzi I'm Japanese and I'm learning Chinese. I would like to translate your manga All Saints Street into Japanese. But I understand copyright. Can I translate your comics and quote your images? (Also cite sources, of course.) Or is it difficult for an individual to do this?

Ah, sorry, I haven’t looked at the question box for a long time 😂 I don’t know if it’s too late to answer now 🙏🙏😭 If it is only for the purpose of learning and communication, it is no problem to translate comics that have been released for free! 👌👌

Very important answer for me lol.

Source

18. Do you have the names of the demon representative and the vampire representative? (Other representatives too) I like it very much😭

That's a new character created by the animation team, and I don't know him either... (laughs)

Source

19. Hello! I am Japanese. I learned about Halloween Street through anime and fell in love with it! I particularly like Ira. I want to know what kind of woman Ira likes🙇‍♂️💕︎💕︎ I like your comics❣️

Does it mean love in love...? I think he might not be interested in women... nor other genders... He is mainly not interested in relationships, but if I have to choose one trait, I think he might like [loves and is good at playing games] 】Female w

Source

20. Seven-year-old Anna looks similar to a seven-year-old human, so Damao must be in his twenties? How long is a werewolf's lifespan?

The lifespan of a werewolf is almost the same as that of a human, and Damao should be around 25↑🤔

Source

21. Hello Teacher! In the anime, Neil's age is stated to be 16 years old, but I read that in the original story, the devil is 80 years old and becomes an adult. Are the age settings different between the anime and the original?

Regarding this... I checked with the screenwriter of the animation before. They forgot the setting of the comic, so they wrote it according to the age of human beings 😂😂 So just think that the settings of animation and manga are different!

Source

22. Hello, teacher! I don’t know if there is a detailed setting for this, but I am a little curious about whether the ice cream that the devil eats (the name is really apt) is a real soul (?) Can the devil in the All Saints Street world eat human souls?

It’s a real soul 😂 But what’s frozen into ice cream should just be the soul of the fruit (everything is alive👌) Yes, they should like evil spirits and the like.

Source

23. I really like Neil's design. I love Neil very much and I have all his belongings around me. Neil has one side of his hair braided. Why does he braid it? I like it because it's very pretty. Do you think this is fashionable? (I'm Japanese so the translation may be different)

The setting is because Neil's mother's family has the habit of wearing braids for generations, so he and Nick both have braids. (But the real reason is that I like to draw braids and think they are cute)

Source

24. Hello, Teacher Lingzi. Does FENZ have any guidelines for doujin activities? (I would like to know if there are any rules like HMCH, such as distributing doujinshi but not producing goods.)

As far as I know, it has never been posted🤔...So I can't give a formal answer to this question. It's just for reference...As long as you don't take the official pictures privately ( Official comics + animation) should be fine if you print pirated copies and sell them, and do fan activities...

Source

Two similar questions are answered at once.

25. Hello! I recently learned about this through an anime translated into Japanese. All the characters are really cute and I really love them! Will a Japanese translation of the original manga be released…? I really want to read the original… When will the Japanese version of the Manseonggae original comic be released?

Because there are really many people asking about the Japanese single volume, I will give a unified reply here: Thank you for your interest in comics, but… I really don’t know! 😂😂😂 I basically won’t be involved in anything other than [conceiving + drawing] comics, so I really don’t know…but I haven’t heard any relevant news yet, so it should be…not available yet Plan it!

(It's been a year since and there are still no news about an official Jpn manga publication)

Source

26. Hello, excuse me for asking! Previously, you answered in the question box that angels do not have the ability to reproduce, but how are the genders of angels determined? Sorry for the Japanese. I would appreciate it if you could answer. My favorite work🥰

Being infertile does not mean that you have no reproductive organs🫢(probably) I think you can imagine the body of an angel as that of an infertile human 🤔

Source

27. Hello Teacher! Does Abu have a sense of pain? If there is something that everyone has that Abu doesn't, or something that Abu has that everyone doesn't? Please let me know!

I still feel pain, but it’s a special place... Maybe it’s because I’m less sensitive to cold and warm. Even if I only wear T-shirts all year round, it’s OK, but I still wear them with the four seasons in order to better integrate with everyone. To change clothes.

This is being answered through Abu's perspective or the translator is confused af. Source

28. Hello teacher~ I just discovered that there is a teacher’s account on Twitter a while ago, so I looked at all the pictures on Twitter. The series on Ira is really warm and cute, but at the end I saw Ira lying on Teacher Lin’s shoulder. It made me think, is it possible for him to lie on top of others like this (stealing) and moving (lazy)? After all, hiring someone to hold a parasol in summer is equivalent to getting a free taxi without having to prepare sunscreen. Although I don’t know how to deal with the clothing issue.

Haha, it’s because of the clothes that he usually doesn’t do that. Although it’s really convenient... If you can change clothes at home, the probability of turning into a bat is higher. Forget it outside, the clothes will fall off. On the ground~

Source

29. Can devils go into church? 🤔 for example if someone they know gets married at a church do they just have to stand outside? wwww

Oh I never thought about that before, but I think you are right[.] They may not be able to get into the church

Source

30. Hello teacher, I’m interrupting you again (although I am anonymous). I want to ask this time, will an angel still be an angel without a halo? To be more specific, it probably disappears. Also, can angels share halos?

Logically speaking, the angel's halo will not disappear, but it may be damaged and destroyed. If it is broken, just go back to heaven and apply for a new one😌👌It's not a big problem. Yes, Lily also secretly used Teacher Lin’s aperture.

Source

Continue in Part 3

[misc-obeyme]

hihi I'm back again, and here to ask who in the cast you think has the skill to do hair/up do's?

I'm 5'9, but my hair is now down to my mid thigh, and like around three feet long ?? I haven't chopped it since 2018, only trimmed it. Yet I only know how to do a simple braid, my hair basically lives in a low ponytail lol (though my mom will still do my hair if I ask her for help, which I'm grateful for)

anyway I got to read vol 2 of the manga and I remembered that the artist drew their interpretation of Lilith. So, it made me wonder if Beel or Belphie would know how to do hair, since they were the closest to her, and if she ever asked them for help?

I think Levi would be able to follow any tutorial, or figure out how to do something by trial and error since he cosplays (I bet he made his ruri-chan wig himself). I'd love to show him a picture of the heroine from whatever anime I'm watching and ask if he could help me recreate their style

Asmo we've seen in the dame cards, he's done some cute hairstyles!! I bet I could go to him if I had a fancy event.

I still think about Mammon's dame card... The chokehold it has on me is wild. We saw him do his own make-up in the art, and I think it was said he made his own outfit. So he's a maybe I could go to him? Or he'd put a lot of effort into learning because he knows it'd make me happy lolol

Barbatos also looks really pretty in the dame card !! I haven't read that devilgram, so idk if he did it himself, but what can't he do? I know in TTWF devilgram he literally makes MC's outfit and it made me SWOON

my last thought is if you can just do stuff with magic instead. Does it drain your energy to keep the style, or is it a one and done kinda spell, and don't gotta worry about it? Could a really powerful sorcerer change their hair color, and never have to worry about it fading? That'd be really cool, since I need to re dye the streaks in my hair. That would save lots of money LOL

okay I'm done 😅 time to wait ten billion years for my hair to dry now and try drawing (aiming for every other day to create something new to get better!!)

- ✨ anon

HOW do you handle having hair that long?!?

I'm 5'7" and I used to have my hair down to my low back. It was during the pandemic when I couldn't exactly go get it cut, so I just let it grow lol. And it grows dang fast, but I don't think I've ever had it past the low back area??? Do you accidentally sit on it sometimes? Or is it usually okay because you have it tied back?

All I know is I was so relieved to chop it all off lol! It's super short now, which is how I like it. It takes me ten minutes to wash and style it. I just don't have the patience to maintain it when it's long. And it's naturally curly, so having it short also means I can just let it curl and not worry about it. Ah but I am pretty envious because I always wanted to be able to have one of those really long, thick braids...

Anyway, getting off topic here, back to the question! I do think magic can be used to alter hair! I think sometimes you can get stuff that's temporary (I do believe there was a daily chat about this where Asmo put some kind of potion or something on Lucifer and Mammon?), but I would be surprised if there wasn't some kind of magic spell to permanently keep your hair whatever color you want. I think it's probably just a one and done situation so you wouldn't have to maintain it. Or at least, they'd want to develop something like that because otherwise it wouldn't be worth it right?

As for the characters, I agree with your assessments! I do think in a general sense, they'd all try their best to do your hair if you needed them to.

But as for who would already be capable without having to learn first, I think Asmo is a top contender. Barb can absolutely do anything and I don't doubt that styling hair is something a good butler should know.

I think Levi is another good option for the same reasons you said! I think he probably does have some skill at wig styling! And due to his ability to do costuming in general, I kinda think he'd be able to do a good job on real hair as well if he wanted to.

I love the idea of Beel and Belphie being good at it because of Lilith. Like I'm imagining they only know some really basic styles that were her favorites, but they're happy to do them for you any time. Maybe they get a little misty eyed while doing it because it reminds them of her so much. Awww...

I actually think Lucifer would do a good job, too, but expect to be sitting around for hours because he's gonna make sure no hair is out of place. Only perfection will suffice.

I think Mammon probably mastered whatever style he needed for his dame outfit, but I do think he would learn for you if you wanted him to.

Satan probably already learned from a book or maybe just from watching Asmo doing his hair. But I could see him wanting to do really elaborate styles or maybe using magic to style your hair.

I think Solomon would also be someone you could try, but he would absolutely use magic. I think if you really wanted him to, he would know how to do simple styles by hand. I could see him being really happy to carefully braid your hair by hand. But he wouldn't be able to resist a little bit of magic, maybe to give it an extra sparkle or a streak of color~ I think he'd develop all kinds of hair styling magic if you wanted him to lol.

Diavolo strikes me as willing but perhaps not the best at this particular thing... he doesn't exactly have experience with his own hair.

And I'm not sure about Simeon. I feel like he's pretty competent (except for technology obviously), so he would probably be able to learn how to do it fairly easily. But I don't know if he'd already have some knowledge. Same with Raphael. Though I love the idea of both of them like... doing the hair of little angels~

Mephisto would know about a bunch of fancy Devildom styles, but would he be able to do them? I think you might end up with your hair braided like a horse's mane instead.

Thirteen would know how to do everything. She's got her own long hair and there's no way that she hasn't experimented with it over the years! I love the idea of her doing your hair and her own hair in the same style so you match.

Anyway, I hope you have been able to get some drawing done! Every other day is an excellent goal! I'm rooting for you!!

[alavenderleaf]

Tagged by @gilliebee <3

Name: Lavender and Leaf interchangeably

Pronouns: he/him and she/her interchangeably (but genuinely okay with whatever, I’m genderfluid c: )

Where do u call home? Dubai, UAE. Even tho it was meant to be a temporary arrangement I’ve lived here my whole life and now any other emirate feels off lol

Favorite animals: goats. You ever jumped around with a baby goat??? Peace and love on planet earth 🥺💕💞💝💘💖💗💓💓💘💝💞💕

When it comes to birds: chickens and pigeons. Everytime I see one I’m like that’s so me. I’m them. They’re me. We are one.

Cereal of choice: anything with chocolate bc I’m still 5 years old

are you visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner? visual for sure, my ears don’t work right and I freaking love diagrams.

First pet: I’ve never named a pet except my current cat (xiexie!!) so my first pet did not have a name. It was a smol baby chick that grew up to be a mean ass spoiled ass fucking rooster who’d peck everyone except me <3

he was raised as a girl bc whoever gave me the chick told me it’s a chicken not a rooster and my dumbass did not recognize the signs of him being male and would argue with everyone who tried convincing me otherwise 🤠 denial is one hell of a drug bc how could I see the tail and mohawk (?? Tf u call that thing on its head) and be like “yes this is a chicken :) I see nothing wrong about this” anyway trans king. He’s just like mommy <3

I did have to give him away eventually :( he was taken to some uncle’s farm and got a chicken harem like the high value alpha male I knew he always had the capacity to be 😌 (ofc until another rooster was brought over and he lost the fight. He was plucked naked and shunned and he passed away featherless and bitchless. But we don’t talk about that)

Favorite scent: ………… lavend-*gun shots*

do you believe in astrology? Not really? But it’s so much fun !! :) I am a Capricorn sun Taurus moon and Leo rising, so do with that as you will <3

how many playlists do you have in apple music/spotify? I don’t use Apple Music. Spotify is purely for my friends so we can send playlists back and forth but I hate that everything is paywalled and it decides to choose shit for me. Like bitch. I did not add any of these songs to the playlist get tf away from me. Also why can’t I listen to my music offline???? I hate u. Anyway I just checked I have 87 playlists ???? 🤠🤠 When. How. Who are all these people I literally don’t know any of them?????

Sharpies or highlighters? Sharpies!!!! I love markers in general but sharpies always fire up my creative neurons

song that makes you cry: I’ve never cried to music but Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens makes me so. :(

song that makes you happy: not to be a stereotype but Bastans by Miami band. (It’s a staple wedding song lmao)

and finally: do you draw/write/create?: YES!! My artistic skills are. Fine. But I do write a lot! My ao3 is lavender_petal and I’ve been learning how to create gifs over on my hockey side acc @gaybroons Also! I started making little braided bracelets lately :) they’re not perfect but they are fun!! I do try my hand at some Arabic/English translations from time to time but I’m not the best at it lol

I’m tagging: @loulucifer , @lindholmline , @earth-to-sway , and anyone else who wants to do this, but no pressure <3

[vibrantfangz]

Wam-Bam!!!

You’re one of my favorite artists, so I hit you with the alphabet of

Questions

A- Are you feeling ok?

B- Barnacles! (What makes you the most peeved?)

C- Color scheme (What’s your favorite color scheme?)

D- Dashing (What fictional character are you most attracted to?)

E- Effortless (What’s your go to hairstyle?)

F- Favorite fantasy world?

G- Girls or boys or neither?

H- Hate (Who do you hate the most?)

I- Intern (If you could be an intern for anyone in the entire world, who would it be?)

J- Jokes (What’s your type of humor?)

K- Kids (How do you feel about kids? Annoying or endearing?)

L- Love (Have you ever been in looooooove?)

M- Movie (What’s your favorite movie?)

N- Nightmare (What’s your worst nightmare?)

O- Obviously 🙄 (What’s a random fun fact that you know?)

P- Powers (If you could have any power, what would it be?)

Q- Q-T-Pie (What’s the cutest thing on earth, would you say?)

R- Really ugly (What is the ugliest feature of a person?)

S- Sad (What’s something that makes you sad?)

T- Tiktoktiktok (What do you like to do in your free time?)

U- Understanding (What’s the most redeeming quality someone can have?)

V- Violence (How much do you traumatize your ocs?)

W- Weather (What’s your favorite type of weather?)

X- IDK WHAT TO DO FOR X I’M SORRY 😔🙍🏻‍♀️

Y- Your biggest hyperfixation rn

Z- Zoopals! (Favorite animal?)

OHHH THOS IS SO SWEET IVE NEVER GOTTEN ASKS LIKE THIS <333 TYSM

A- absolutely! I'm doing fantastic :] how about yourself?

B- Eugh that's a hard one, even though I get peeved easily haha... in terms of art, something that irks me is Art Drama and artists gaining clout over mean trends

C- OOOH pastels!! Rn my favorite combo of colors are yellow, pink and blue!! Aka my signature colors haha

D- Tech from the Bad Batch is the first to top my mind, but when I was younger, I had a huge crush on Darth Vader LOL

E- Oftentimes in a ponytail!! But I used to wear braids ALL the time in middle school

F- OOOH that's a hard one, but probably strange and whimsical ones like the World of Studio Ghibli and The Wizard of Oz, as well as Genshin Impact!

G- If this is about sexuality, I'm currently unlabeled! I know I'm queer and I like everyone, but I don't quite care for labels. Although I did go through a pansexual, omnisexual and lesbian phase haha

H- Definitely 'pray the gay away' conservatives and just unaccepting people in general. Also weirdos like MAPs and Zoos, blegh

I- I've never thought about this!! It's something I'll save for later

J- Humor? Probably really random things LOL, but I find all types of humor unique!

K- Annoying and endearing at the same time. It depends. But I've met some really sweet ones at work! They make my work experience pretty funny sometimes

L- I've been in love a few times! I think- im still figuring out how feelings work haha. Of course, I've had a few childhood crushes, but the most notable was probably with an online friend I sadly cut off. We dated for a few weeks back in 2022 I think?? Ever since I cut them off I've sworn not to online date ever again LOL

M- OOOOH right now it's The Wild Robot, but I also like anything Studio Ghibli!!

N- I've had worse ones than this, but I like to tell this story a lot - when I was little I had a dream that the Cat in the Hat made my toys cone to life, and when I told my parents about it he got mad and made my toys turn on me with pitchforks LOL

O- the insides of figs are lined with dead wasps (yummy)

P- The ability to draw worlds and make them come to life!

Q- CATS!!! I have five, I love them dearly

R- I don't like to say any physical feature is ugly! The only ugly thing about anyone is the evil in their hearts.

S- Probably the thought of those i love passing away, especially my cats and mom </3

T- Draw, daydream, talk with my friends online and browse social media!

U- Learning from their past and choosing to grow from it.

V- A lot, haha :,) but I also love wholesomeness so I add in a good balance! Fret not, my ocs are in good hands!

W- FALL WEATHERRR <33 it's so cozy!!

X- LOLLL DW X IS A HARD ONE

Y- Probably SCAD... its silly but I've been researching Savannah College of Art and Design all week nonstop, and it's my first thought in the mornings

Z- Cats, hehe!! Like I said, I've got five of em!!

Wow, that was a lot- thanks for asking!!! I love to interact with my community ^0^

[demigod-shenanigans]

That particular anxiety situation had indeed passed thankfully, however I’m in the middle of my university exam phase and constantly stressed so these are extremely appreciated regardless <3

also please never worry about long lists of headcanons I eat stuff like this up it literally physically cannot be too long for my liking

-Leo’s body heat being naturally higher has been a hc of mine for a while so yes definitely agree there. -Also Jason is just. An immensely fussy friend and partner he’s so worried Leo will end up sick and Leo just grins at him and puts a warm hand on his cheek all “chill out Superman I’m going to be fine”

-Despite his jacket and being all packaged up in winter clothes somehow Jason is the one who ends up sick. Leo ends up playing hot water bottle boyfriend for like. A week

-I’m going to start weeping over Thalia teaching Annabeth how to braid her hair. Now I also can’t help but think about her trying to do it all by herself for the first time after Thalia is gone and I just feel so so ill about it all my poor babies.

-Ooooh yeah it’d make sense that she’d probably at least be able to catch snippets from other languages. She’d also definitely get some stuff mixed up tho (English is not my first language and it was… very funny learning some of the words that sound similar to German words but actually mean something completely different lmao)

-Agreed on the crushes thing lmao. In my head whenever I think of the Cupid scene Jason just looks at Nico confused all “is that not a normal reaction to have to Percy Jackson”. I think the one exception might be Leo because he was too busy definitely not crushing on Jason to pay much attention to Percy or Annabeth lol

-I feel like Leo fell out of a tree at least once

-This is the second farsighted Jason take I’ve seen in two days and yeah the more I think about it the more I agree actually

-Let! Nico! Doodle! I also wonder if he’s ever tried to draw mythomagic fanart/custom cards before.

-I found out recently that the wiki has Nico listed as one of Frank’s fears which is really funny to me because now I’m just imagining a mildly terrified Frank being pulled aside by Nico having no idea what this is going to be all about and then Nico just starts absolutely rambling away about mythomagic and suddenly they’re bonding!! This is fine actually and yes he will absolutely help Hazel’s slightly terrifying brother get her into his favorite card game (Frank also knows Hazel’s always looking for excuses to spend more time with Nico since they didn’t get to grow up together and so she’s immediately down)

-I need more Leo Reyna friendship content always. They’re so fun to me.

-Rick knew Reyna and Annabeth would be terrifying if they properly got to join forces and therefore had to separate them again immediately lmao

-Addition to that: Leo also does this (gesturing at that bit in ToA where he’s casually all “one time I slept under a bridge for a month” mid-conversation). Leo and Nico will just drop random traumatic shit in the middle of the sentence and then go “oops I forgot I only told specific people about this”. In my head Nico just moves on and refuses to elaborate most of the time lmao. Leo defaults to making stupid jokes about it while everyone looks at him very concerned

-Jason does it too but that’s because he just straight-up doesn’t recognize some of the stuff he went through isn’t generally considered normal. He casually talks about his time with Lupa when he was like two and is so confused when Frank and Hazel and Percy look at him like WTF because “you all went through Lupa training too why are you looking at me weird” “We were teenagers. You were a toddler whose mom ditched him in the woods”

-Now I want to pull my copy of MoA out to check but I’m pretty sure Leo would have been more freaked out by the whole underwater centaur situation (and just in general the whole boat situation) if he couldn’t swim. However, if for one reason or another Esperanza didn’t get around to teaching him to swim when he was little, I wonder if Jason and Piper took the time to teach him over their six months at camp (considering they knew they’d spend a bunch of time in a boat that would be a very reasonable thing to do). That’s a fun thought.

-Please feel free to elaborate on deaf Will hcs if you want to I’m 👀

-Thinking about tiny Nico and Bianca with their mom is always so devastating to me I’m glad he got a bit of closure but ughhh this poor kid.

Thank you for all the lovely headcanons!! As you can maybe tell I really enjoyed them haha

Trying not to make the same mistake as last week and be a bit more well-prepared this time, so asking in advance: tomorrow will be horribly stressful and I would really appreciate getting some kind of fluffy headcanons or asks or something that I can distract myself with :)

[screwpinecaprice]

In the city!

Commission for  missyuniverse_ for her fanfic at Wattpad! ( account: Kittens_escapism or juanitasuniverse ) 😊😊😊

[brickercupmasterx3]

@rosesonapond asked for a HansAnna kid for the If They Had A Kid Meme~ (I will be working on these slowly, and in separate posts/asks. I’ll get to the Justney one later.) -- Not particularly into Frozen anymore, but these two are still considered an OTP to me. // Don’t like the ship? Ignore this post. -- Name: Emery Gender: Female General Appearance: Emery has fair skin like her parents, and inherited her father’s freckles. She has blue eyes like Anna, and auburn hair like Hans. Her hairstyle is somewhat of a half-braid, she likes to keep it loose and just minimally braid it. (I’m bad at describing outfits, so be on the look out for a lil’ drawing of her sometime in the next few days.) Personality: She’s cheerful, compassionate, and kind. She loves making friends, but she’s also really naive, so she’s pretty easy to take advantage of her. It's why she lacks confidence at times, because she’s been hurt before and wonders if anyone thinks less of her for it. Special Talents: Archery, horseback riding, baking. Who they like better: She adores both her parents equally. May be found mostly with Hans, because her father wants to keep her safe. Who they take after more: Definitely Anna. She has an insane love for chocolate, is pretty naive like her mother used to be (Anna lost most of that naivety the more time she spent with Hans), and a hopeless romantic. (which is dangerous, because while Hans learned from his mistakes, he fears that his little girl could fall for someone similarly to how he got Anna to fall for him. So yeah... just protective father here.)  Personal Head canon: N/A. (kinda gave a gist of Emery & Hans’ father/daughter dynamic. lol. I think that counts?) _______________ --- I told myself this was gonna just be a random fankid, but I’m already kinda attached? ---

[clatoera]

Hi! I just saw your reply from the anon asking about your thg story! I'm not usually one to send asks or even post on tumblr (never was tbh), but this just hit so close I felt the need to say, me too! That's why I followed you initially, I just gasped at your bio and thought "there's more people like me on here!" and pressed follow!

I too was that insufferable 14 year old. I could not get away with wearing any form of braided hairstyle without being teased that I was trying to be Katniss (I probably was half the time haha). My friends, family, school teachers, everyone knew I was obsessed with the Hunger Games.

It fizzled out gradually for me too. I think it was just the natural progression with the films coming to an end etc etc. It never left though, obviously.

I re read the books before reading the prequel. I'm so with you on these books being a whole different experience now that we're closer to Finnick's age than Katniss and Peeta's. 16 seemed so so old to me, so imagine what i thought of characters like Finnick and Johanna. I can't even comprehend having gone through something like they did at my age now, let alone at 16.

I think back then, the main draw for me was definitely Katniss and Peeta's relationship. It still is one of my favourite things about the books, but after rereading them and the prequel, I agree that there is so much we missed, just by simply being too young to fully comprehend it. I find that I now have a larger interest in the political scope of everything and just the world in general (like...how tf did they rebuild the whole country after mockingay? need to discuss!!)

anyway, sorry for the long "ask". i'm so excited to see another tumblr returner on here! i've been coming back every so often to get content for other things i love, and have only recently taken the plunge and become a little more active.

I suppose there is a sense of shame a lot of us were made to feel about liking the things we like and coming on the internet to form passionate communities around it. I feel the same, it very much is a service to my teen self to come on here and find joy in rediscovering the things I love as well as using this site to explore my new interests. A reclamation, I suppose. I'm a bit more confident now. Back then, I would never, ever have sent asks or made my own posts. I think my 14 year old self is very happy for me, for this little

hope you're having a good day/night, whatever time, where ever you are in the world! :)

Hi hello! I read this as soon as it came in this morning, and wanted to respond, but wanted to be sure to give it the enthusiastic and lengthy response it deserved, that my brain could not formulate at 4 am when I read it.

I am so glad others feel the same. I remember in the early days, I was on Tumblr ( my main blog has existed since 2012 lol), but not active in fandom spaces. I was a fanfic writer. And on Facebook I was REALLY active in fandom and was literally participating in like..Hunger Games RP in Facebook comments. Wild. I was so into it.

Whats really settled with me, as a 25 year old woman, is like..the way mentors had to feel. My baby brother is 17 years old. He is a baby to me. He is just a child to me. I cannot imagine being Johanna or Finnick or Annie, mentoring at my age (or younger, actually), to kids my brothers age. Teenagers feel like Kids and I feel such an immense sisterly, guiding, mentor-ly role to them. Even college kids, I've been a mentor for pre-medicine students in my sorority for years, and those 18 year olds vs me, at 25? massive difference. I cannot imagine watching someone my little brother's age fight to the death. I cannot imagine someone my baby cousin's age, who is 12, fighting someone my brother's age. I cannot imagine watching someone my brother's age lead a war, lead a rebellion, and go through the things Katniss does. I can only imagine the horrors the past Victors learned to feel, and the emotions attached to their tributes every year.

more things that I am horrified by?

Katniss and Peeta. 16 years old. About to be MARRIED in the Capitol.

Gale, 18, working in the mines.

Again, Katniss and Peeta, with the (albeit fake) baby. 17 with a child? I remember being 16 years old, my best friend in the world had a baby. I was there. I remember watching her become a mother far too young, and I have watched ever since the way she has struggled and what it did to her mental health. Two 16/17 year old kids, having a baby, is a horror that should be addressed beyond what I at 16 thought it was. I was so team yes let there be a baby! as a child. But now? Now I see the horror of that. I Have delivered the babies of girls that age. I have held their hands as they are alone in the world. I'm going into a field specifically to help girls and women, in this position especially.

I think to that letter Plutarch wrote Katniss, where he literally says he would put her all through it again for the same outcome.

The youth of these tributes is haunting. If there were capitol doctors around they would be pediatricians. Let that sink in. The things these Victors would need is a pediatrician (also a psychiatrist and a surgeon probably).

Please message me (anyone can actually to talk about this) to talk about these things. The hidden horrors that are missed at 15, that stare you in the face as you reexamine as an adult. I'd love to talk about it in depth. I'd love to talk about how it has shaped me.

But seriously HMU because I want to talk about that most mockingjay rebuilding :)

[inabsentiiarch]

' if they had a kid ' for freia and lucan 🥺

send me a pair name and I’ll tell you what I think it would be like if they had a child. ( accepting )

Name: Asterin Erkrana

Gender: Female

General Appearance: She takes a lot after her mother. Her hair is long and light blonde, often kept in a neat braid or let loose. She is quite petite in frame but stands tall and elegant. She has her father's smile and her mother's eyes. Sometimes she likes to wear flowers in her hair.

Personality: Asterin has her mother's pride. She knows her virtues ( her parents won't let them forget them ) though she also has his father's kindness and curiosity. Sometimes, she can be seen as a bit naive, which is not completely a lie. But regardless, Asterin knows how to stand her ground when needed. She is quite intelligent, only found reading and trying to learn about the world she is, and wants to have an impact on it. Asterin likes helping people, and has a talent for getting in trouble because of her adventurous spirit. Like Freia, she's a talented flirt and has no issue drawing people's attention to her.

Special Talents: She is a pretty good singer like Lucan, and is surprisingly good at wielding a sword. Animals also seem naturally drawn to her. She has asked Lucan to teach her how to use the bow and arrow and may become a ranger in the future.

Who they like better: I think both parents are very loved by her, though she is a little closer to Lucan and that probably has to do with how much Lucan spoils her and her mother lol. He dotes on both and is very protective of them.

Who they take after more: Asterin seems like a pretty good mixture of Freia and Lucan and she shares things with both.

Personal Head canon: She's a hopeless romantic and would like to have a love like her parents' one day. She is also fascinated by the stars and has learnt a lot of things about them from Lucan and her grandmother.

Face Claim: Sarah Gadon

[baya-ni]

The Queer Appeal of Sk8

Recently @mulberrymelancholy reblogged a post of mine with a truly galaxy brain take about how Sk8 “is a show made for queer fans” and generally how sports anime often depicts love and relationships in a way that’s more accessible and relatable to ace/arospec people than other mainstream media does.

Just, *chef’s kiss* fucking brilliant. I urge you to read their post here (note I’m referring to the reblog not the actual post).

And basically, it got me thinking about this concept of Sk8 as a Queer Show, and the kinds of stories and dynamics that tend to attract queer audiences in droves, regardless of whether its queerness is made explicit or hell, whether that queerness was intended.

And that’s what I’ve been pondering: What are the cues, markers, or coding, in Sk8 that set off the community’s collective gaydar?

I obviously can’t speak for the community. So here’s what aspects of the show intrigued me and what, for me, marks Sk8 as a Queer Show beyond the subtextual queer romances: a punk/alternative aesthetic, Found Family, Shadow as a drag persona, and The Hands.

1.) The Punk Aesthetic

All three of the above screenshots are taken from Ep 1, and every single one of them depicts background characters. They’re nameless and ultimately unimportant characters, yet each of them designed so distinctly and so unique from one another, one could mistake each of them for the main character(s) of another story.

Of what little I know about Punk subculture, I do know this: that the ethos of Punk is heavily built around a celebration of individuality and non-conformity. Sk8 seems to have incorporated this ethos into the very fabric its worldbuilding, and the aesthetics and culture upon which it takes inspiration appeals specifically to a queer audience.

I don’t really need to explain why Punk has such deep ties with the queer community. For decades, queer people have found community and acceptance within punk spaces, and punk ideology is something that I think is just ingrained in the queer consciousness as both lived experience and a survival tactic.

Therefore, a show that adopts punk aesthetics is, by association, already paying homage to Queer culture, intentional or not.

Queer fans notice this- like recognizes like.

2.) Found Family

This also needs little explanation.

Too often, queer individuals cannot rely on their “born into” families for support and acceptance. Too often, we are abused, neglected, and abandoned by those who we were taught would “always be there for us.”

And so, a universal experience for queer people has been redefining the meaning of Family, having to build our families from scratch, finding brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers in people with whom we have no blood relation, and forming communities tied together by shared lived experience rather than shared genetics.

And this idea of Found Family is also built into Sk8′s narrative.

Like, for example, the way that Reki promises MIYA that he and Langa will “never disappear from [his] sight,” filling the void that MIYA felt after his friends abandoned him.

And in the way that JOE becomes a paternal figure for Reki, teaching him ways to improve in skateboarding, and ensuring that Reki doesn’t self isolate when he’s feeling insecure.

And in the whole Ep 6 business with Hiromi acting as babysitter to the Gang.

Hell, even ADAM (derogatory) is associated with this trope. Abused as a child, he finds solace in an underground skateboarding community and culture he helped create- his own found family (or some powertrippy version of it anyway).

Again, queer fans see themselves depicted in the show, but this time in the way that the show gives importance to Found Family relationships between its characters.

3.) Shadow and Drag

This is one that’s more of an association that I personally made. But I was intrigued by the way that Hiromi adopts his SHADOW persona. He wears SHADOW like a mask, and adopts a personality seemingly so opposite to his day-to-day behavior.

Further, the theatricality and general “gender fuckery” of his SHADOW persona, to me, just seemed so similar to a the characteristics of a drag persona (I don’t know a whole lot about drag but enough that I’m drawing superficial similarities).

There’s also this aspect of a “double life” that he, and actually all the other adult characters of the show, have to adopt, which is a way of living that I’m sure a lot of queer viewers see themselves reflected in.

4.) The Hands

Ohhhh the Hands.

One of the things I noticed very early on is the way the show constantly draws our attention to Reki’s hands, which I thought was a little strange for an anime about skating. After all, skating doesn’t really involve the hands, or at least the show doesn’t really draw attention to hands within the context of skating.

I count 3 times so far between Eps 1-9 in which hands are the focus of the frame.

First, when Reki teaches Langa how to fist pump after Langa lands his first ollie, second, when Reki and Langa make their Promise, and finally, when Langa saves Reki from falling off his board.

And you know what they say, twice is a coincidence but thrice is a motif (no one else actually says this I think I’m the only one who says this lol).

I’m not really certain why hands seem to be such a shared fixation among queer people (at least among those I interact with). All I know is that gay people are just fucking obsessed with them.

I have a Theory as to why, and at this point I’d love for other people to chime in and “compare notes” if you will, but I think it basically has to do with repression. And in the same way that queer people have had to redefine the meaning of family, we’ve also had to redefine intimacy.

Being overtly physically affectionate with someone of the same sex, even if they’re your significant other, or often specifically BECAUSE they’re your significant other, can still be dangerous, even now despite the “progression” of society. Queer people know this, this vigilant surveillance of our environment and ourselves, always asking ourselves, “Am I safe enough to be myself?”

Already, Western culture is pretty touch-averse. That is, it’s considered taboo to touch someone unless they’re a family member or a romantic partner. And to touch a person of the same sex in any way that could be misconstrued as romantic (which is most things tbh) is a big no no.

There’s just A Lot to unpack there.

But basically I think that queer people, by necessity, have had to learn to romanticize mundane or unconventional ways of being physically intimate so that we can continue to be romantic with one another without “being caught” so to speak.

Kissing and hugging is too obvious. But a handshake that lingers for just a second too long is much more likely to go unnoticed, braiding someone’s hair can easily be explained away as just lending a helping hand, touching palms to “compare hand sizes” is just good fun.

But for queer people, these brief and seemingly insignificant touches hold greater meaning, because it’s all we are allowed, and all we allow ourselves, to exchange with others.

God, I’ve gone off and rambled again. What’s my point? Basically that the way the show draws attention to Reki’s hands, and specifically how they’re so often framed with Langa’s hands, is one of the major reasons why I clocked Sk8 as a Queer. It’s just something that resonated with me and my own experience of queerness, and I know that I’m not the only one who noticed either.

~

So in conclusion, uhhhh yeah Sk8 the Infinity is just a super gay show, and it’s not even because of the homo-romantic subtext (that at this point is really just Text).

Because what’s important to understand is that Queerness isn’t just about same-sex romance.

Queer Love isn’t just shared between wives/girlfriends, husbands/boyfriends, and all their in-betweens. Queer Love can be two best friends who come out together, queer siblings who rely and support one another, a gay teacher who helps guide one of their questioning students, a queer community pitching in to help a struggling member.

And that all ties with another important thing to consider, that what we refer to as the “queer experience” or “queer culture” isn’t universal. In fact, it wrongly lumps together the unique experiences and struggles of queer BIPOC all under one umbrella that’s primary White and middle class.

So I think what drives a lot of my frustration about labeling a show like Sk8 as Queerbait is this very issue of considering queerness and queer representation within such narrow standards, and mandating that a show must pass a certain threshold of explicit queerness to be considered good representation.

I get that someone might only feel represented by an indisputable canonization of a same-sex couple. That’s fine. But labeling Sk8 as Queerbait for that reason alone ignores the vast array of other queer experiences.

The aspects of Sk8 that resonate most deeply with my own experiences of queerness is in the way that Reki and Langa share intimacy through skating (intricate rituals heyo). For me, them officially getting together ultimately doesn’t matter- I’ll consider Sk8 a Queer show regardless.

Similarly, @mulberrymelancholy​ finds ace/arospec representation in that very absence of an on-screen kiss. A bisexual man might find representation in Reki, not because he enters a canon relationship, but in the depiction of Reki’s coming of age, growing up and navigating adolescent relationships. A non-binary person might feel represented through CHERRY’s androgyny.

That’s the thing, I don’t know how this show will resonate with other members of the queer community, and it’d be wrong to make a judgement on Sk8′s queer representation based on my experiences alone.

That being said, Straight people definitely don’t get to judge Sk8 as Queerbait. Y’all can watch and enjoy the show, we WANT you to enjoy these kinds of shows, and we want you to share these shows and contribute to the normalization and celebration of these kinds of narratives.

But understand that you don’t have a right to tell us whether or not Sk8 has good or bad queer representation.

And even members of the queer community are on thin ice. Your experience of queerness is not universal. Listen to the other members of your community, and respect that what you might find lacking in this show may be the exact representation that someone else needs.