#category: editorial

[evanniversary]

A Basic Guide to Nadia

Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water

ふしぎの海のナディア THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER, released in English as simply Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, is a show created by Gainax for NHK that ran for 39 episodes á 25 minutes from 1990 to 1991. It is in my opinion one of the most underappreciated anime ever. It directly prefigured Evangelion, it's almost completely singular in being an Adventure story that directly confronts the colonial underpinnings of the genre, and it's often one of the least talked about entries in the filmographies of the people who made it.

It's not unproblematic, no african people were involved in its production, but neither were any europeans, so its cultural insensitivity is a good bit more even-handed than many of its contemporaries in the Adventure genre.

While there are different releases of the show, they don't vary hugely. The biggest difference is that newer releases don't include the "Next Episode" previews, which featured postcards sent in by fans.

ふしぎの海のナディア roughly translates to "Nadia of the Mysterious Sea"

Fushigi no Umi no Nadia Gekijōyō Originalban / The Mystery of Fuzzy

ふしぎの海のナディア劇場用オリジナル版 , released in English under a few different titles including Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water: The Movie, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water: The Motion Picture and Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water: The Secret of Fuzzy, a theatrical film released two and a half months after the show's conclusion in 1991, set three years after the show. It was largely outsourced, it's barely over 80 minutes, including a good 20 minutes of clips from the show, it's not very well regarded but I personally actually quite like it, its janky animation just has a certain gap moe appeal, and it weirdly introduces a lot of ideas that show up again in Evangelion, despite neither the writer nor the director of the movie going on to work on Eva.

Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Nautilus Story

ふしぎの海のナディア　ノーチラス・ストーリー is a re-edit of the show by Anno Hideaki that condenses the story into three two-hour movies. They were to my knowledge only officially released once in Japan in 1991, but there is a fan re-creation of the films using HD footage from modern releases of the show that has English subtitles and is very easy to find if you know where to look.

As is usual for recap movies, these are a fine way to get the main plot of the show, but especially the first part ends up feeling incredibly rushed and you lose a lot of thematic and emotional depth. 39 episodes is long, I get that, and I'd rather people watch the Nautilus Story than nothing at all, but you really should watch the show.

Movie 1: Ep. 1-9

Movie 2: Ep. 11-22

Movie 3: mostly Ep. 35-39

Nadia Omake Gekijō

ナディアおま��劇場 (Nadia Bonus Theatre / Nadia Specials) is a series of 10 shorts included on physical releases of the show, some set between episodes of the show, some set after the show, and some that are completely non-canonical. To my knowledge they've never been officially released outside Japan, but someone uploaded them to YouTube and there's fansubs if you know where to look too.

Fushigi no Umi no Nadia Film Comic

ふしぎの海のナディア　フィルム・コミック is a comic/manga adaptation of Nadia using visual material from the show with 7 volumes in total, released from 1990 to 1991. To my knowledge it has not been translated into English, although I think I have seen an Italian translation somewhere, but most of the dialogue is probably taken from the show so it should be easy enough to follow, and copies are fairly affordable.

Volume 1: Ep. 1-4

Volume 2: Ep. 5-8

Volume 3: Ep. 9-10 & 14-15

Volume 4: Ep. 20-22

Volume 5: Ep. 23, 26, 31

Volume 6: Ep. 35-39

Volume 7: The Movie

Nadia novels

There are six novels based on Nadia. The first three are adaptations of the show, the fourth is an expanded version of the film's story, and the last two, titled Nadia Stories, are completely original stories set seven years after the TV show. These all almost certainly have not been translated into English, there are no official translations and fan translations of entire novels are pretty rare.

1. 小説ふしぎの海のナディア上　青い光を抱いたプリンセス (1990) (roughly: Princess in Blue Light)

2. 小説ふしぎの海のナディア中　未来を夢みる大海戦 (1991) (roughly: A Great Naval Battle That Dreams of the Future)

3. 小説ふしぎの海のナディア下　はるかなる高い空 (1991) (roughly: The Far Up Sky)

4. 小説ふしぎの海のナディア NADIA THE MOVIE　ー海から来た妖精ー (1991) (roughly: Fairy From the Sea)

5. ナディアストーリーズ１　ジャンとナディアのいちばん長い日 (1992) (roughly: Jean and Nadia's Longest Day)

6. ナディアストーリーズ２　ふしぎの森のマリー (1992) (roughly: Marie of the Mysterious Forest)

Albums

There's obviously soundtrack albums, as well as two albums of original songs titled VOCAL COLLECTION and two remix albums titled Mixed up NADIA and HOOKED ON NADIA, but there are also two narrative albums, Bye Bye Blue Water, released in 1991, and Good Luck NADIA 〜Bye Bye Blue Water PART 2, released in 1993, that feature audio drama segments interspersed with music. The first part mostly contains segments taking place during the story of the show, while the second part is mostly set after the show's conclusion, ending in 2005 with a descendant of Nadia named Itō Nadia living in New Tōkyō. Considering the similarity to NGE's setting, and that NGE started development in 1993 as a sequel to Nadia, it's possible this was at one point intended to be a setup for the show, with Itō Nadia most likely being developed into Misato when the rights to Nadia couldn't be obtained from NHK.

Interestingly, unlike most Nadia media, which used the Fushigi no Umi no Nadia branding, these albums use the English THE SECRET OF BLUE WATER logo. However, despite this and their titles being entirely in English, there is no English version of these albums, or even a text translation, at least not that I've been able to find.

Lastly, there's also an audio cassette titled やったらこうなっちゃったナディア (roughly: This is what happened when I tried it, Nadia) that I haven't been able to find out much about, but seems to also contain audio drama segments set over the course of the show.

Others

徳間アニメ絵本 (Tokuma Anime Picture Book) - A series of children's books based on children's anime films and series, particularly those made by or somehow with the involvement of Miyazaki Hayao. Books 7 and 8, released in 1991, adapt Nadia.

Famicom game: Appears to be a strategy game with Nadia characters & vehicles as units. Doesn't seem to have much of a story to speak of. Released in 1991.

Mega Drive game: An RPG adaptation of the show, but with a different ending based on earlier drafts of the ending of the show, due to the fact it released in March 1991 before the show's actual ending aired. It was re-released in 2022 by way of being included on the Japanese version of the Mega Drive Mini 2.

コミック・ブルーウォーター / THE SECRET OF COMIC BLUE WATER - An anthology of short Nadia manga created by various staff and other artists, released in 1992

ARE YOU THE ADVENTURER?.......THEN PURSUE ME.　THE SECRET OF THE BLUE WATER - PC adventure game developed by Gainax, released in 1992 for PC-98, followed by ports for X68000, FM TOWNS CD-ROM and various mobile devices, telling an original story set around episode 14 of the show.

PC Engine SUPER CD-ROM² game: Visual novel released in 1993, telling an original story set around episode 29 of the show, centring a new character named Physis.

You may have noticed that all of the above released in the years 1990-1993. After Neon Genesis Evangelion started development, Nadia as its own franchise basically died and mostly only lives on through its ties to Evangelion, with characters from Nadia being featured in games like the 1998 mahjong game Eva to Yukai na Nakamatachi and Super Robot Wars X, as well as Evangelion artbooks and calendars. However, there have been two new pieces of Nadia media released in the 21st century:

ふしぎの海のナディア 〜 Inherit the Blue Water 〜 is a game released in 2005 that adapts most of the story of the show, mostly taking the form of a visual novel interspersed with gameplay sections and clips from the show as cutscenes, while also weaving in an original story about a new character named Sofia Rockfeld, who Jean can end up in a relationship with depending on player decisions.

Wikipedia also lists a visual novel for mobile devices that released episodically in 2006, but is, as typical for mobile apps, no longer available and poorly documented.

ふしぎの海のナディア　コミックアンソロジー (Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Comic Anthology) is another anthology of short manga by different artists, released in 2012, and the last new piece of official Nadia media to date, at least that I've been able to find.

Over the coming years, I hope to be able to write individual posts about each of these, and as I do so, I will add links to those posts to this one, although currently my Japanese knowledge is not good enough yet to be able to talk in-depth about the untranslated works, nor do I know if I'll have the time for all of them, so if anyone would like to help with that, it would be greatly appreciated.

[rockyp77mk3]

[thepeoplesguidetoanime]

What you need to know about anime demographics

[katanahime]

Reading Bernard as Queer in his Early Comics

Bernard Dowd is, frankly, VERY easy to read as queer way before he started actually dating Tim Drake, and right back to his literal introduction in which he is quite literally checking Tim out, let's not lie. Followed by a lot of stuff that can be read as flirting.

But to me the most definitive moment that I point to is actually when he implies that he thinks Tim is gay, and it's because of the way he says it.

"We're two modern, enlightened men in the third millennium, Drake. No need to make up imaginary girlfriends." [Robin #123]

Tim has at this point rejected Darla, certified hottest girl in school, explaining that he already had a girlfriend, Stephanie, and he's happy with her. Neither Darla nor Bernard believe him (Darla thinking the reason he lies is because he's afraid of her mob boss dad, interestingly also revealed to be a reason Bernard told her for why guys don't ask her out in general), and with Bernard here thinking she's a cover for Tim being gay.

And while that certainly isn't an odd thing for a straight guy to assume, when you think about straight boys in the early 00's, I'm sure you'd know pretty well that this would come out more directly like "what, are you gay?"

And Bernard in particular does not have a history of beating around the bush about accusations he isn't actually sure are true. Like when he just went "admit you have an abusive father who beats you" about Tim's black eye.

What he actually says accomplishes three things.

One is clearly implies that he thinks Tim is gay without actually saying the word, which is kind of inherent to this time period's queer culture when talking in public spaces.

Second is that he indicates he is a safe person to tell.

And third, and most importantly for this particular essay, he indicates he is part of the same category.

Now I'm sure someone could argue that what he's actually saying is "we're both not the type of people who would CARE if someone's gay", but I think that falls apart in the context of using this sentence to tell Tim he thinks he is.

Because how do you backtrack from that if Tim was like, "yes, you too?"

And I think the answer is that you don't.

My best guess for if Bill Willingham really didn't intend Bernard to be queer is that he only avoided the word "gay" and phrased it this way because in the public medium of comics he didn't want Bernard to come off as rude as actual teenage boys would to avoid complaints. (Or editorial stopped him.)

But whether intended or not, Bernard declares himself queer here.

And so when people are curious as to "Why Bernard?" in the subject of out of all the guys Tim was close with, for one to be chosen to end up dating him, I point to this.

It's this.

This this this this THIS

And so we get blessed with this smug asshole (affectionate):

[Tim Drake: Robin #7]

And I love him

[contemplatingoutlander]

It has fallen to me, the humor columnist, to endorse Harris for president

Isn’t this what a newspaper is supposed to do?

I love that The Washington Post satirist Alexandra Petri took it upon herself to endorse Harris for her paper after Bezos pulled the plug on the editorial board doing so. This is a gift🎁link, so feel free to read the entire article. Below are some excerpts:

The Washington Post is not bothering to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. (Jeff Bezos, the founder of Blue Origin and the founder and executive chairman of Amazon and Amazon Web Services, also owns The Post.) We as a newspaper suddenly remembered, less than two weeks before the election, that we had a robust tradition 50 years ago of not telling anyone what to do with their vote for president. It is time we got back to those “roots,” I’m told! Roots are important, of course. As recently as the 1970s, The Post did not endorse a candidate for president. As recently as centuries ago, there was no Post and the country had a king! [...] But if I were the paper, I would be a little embarrassed that it has fallen to me, the humor columnist, to make our presidential endorsement. I will spare you the suspense: I am endorsing Kamala Harris for president, because I like elections and want to keep having them. Let me tell you something. I am having a baby (It’s a boy!), and he is expected on Jan. 6, 2025 (It’s a … Proud Boy?). This is either slightly funny or not at all funny.  [...] Well, that world [the baby will be born into] will look very different, depending on the outcome of November’s election, and I care which world my kid gets born into. I also live here myself. And I happen to care about the people who are already here, in this world. Come to think of it, I have a lot of reasons for caring how the election goes. I think it should be obvious that this is not an election for sitting out. The case for Donald Trump is “I erroneously think the economy used to be better? I know that he has made many ominous-sounding threats about mass deportations, going after his political enemies, shutting down the speech of those who disagree with him (especially media outlets), and that he wants to make things worse for almost every category of person — people with wombs, immigrants, transgender people, journalists, protesters, people of color — but … maybe he’ll forget.” “But maybe he’ll forget” is not enough to hang a country on! [...] I’m just a humor columnist. I only know what’s happening because our actual journalists are out there reporting, knowing that their editors have their backs, that there’s no one too powerful to report on, that we would never pull a punch out of fear. That’s what our readers deserve and expect: that we are saying what we really think, reporting what we really see; that if we think Trump should not return to the White House and Harris would make a fine president, we’re going to be able to say so. That’s why I, the humor columnist, am endorsing Kamala Harris by myself! [color/ emphasis added]

How far The Washington Post has fallen into the "darkness" it used to work so hard to ward off to help keep our democracy alive.

[edited]

[dontforgetukraine]

russian invasion of Ukraine: 24.02.2022 - 24.11.2024

Crimes of russia against the media and journalists in Ukraine.

-762 crimes against the media and journalists were committed by Russia in Ukraine during two years and nine months since its large scale invasion of Ukrainian territory.

Categories of Violations

92 journalists and media workers killed in total; 12 of them died while performing editorial assignments

14 journalists are currently missing

29 times journalists were kidnapped

41 journalists were wounded

2 attempted murders

21 TV towers shelled

44 incidents of shooting into journalists

22 editorial offices sized/ruined by russians

35 incidents with switching off Ukrainian broadcasting

83 death threats, intimidation of journalists

94 cyber crimes

329 media outlets closed down due to Russia's invasion

10 digital blockades of Ukrainian media in russia

26 incidents of legal pressure

[pcyren]

WHAT YOU HEARD pt 2

LANDO NORRIS

summary ★ : streets are saying yn finally broke up with her loser boyfriend and guess who couldn't be happier? if you guessed lando, you'd be wrong, it's actually her (but lando's a really close second).

category ★ : smau.

notes ★ : as always times and dates are irrelevant and spelling mistakes are intentional. longer than the last part but worse 🫶. and when i use those harry styles and taylor russell pictures again, mind your business🤫 poll at the end!!!

pt 1

tagged: visavni

Liked by landonorris, monaspencer, zendaya and 1 154 748 others

yn_ln back to your regularly scheduled content of my face 🤗 did a fun little shoot with with a friend

View all 4 755 comments

user ugh face cardddd

user it's giving retro realness

user ur face card rlly is sum serious

visavni this was sm fun!

yn_ln thank u for always delivering

user always something amazing when y'all collab

user 1st slide is giving scream for some reason

user real "please don't kill me Mr Ghostface, I want to be in the sequel" vibes

user serving 70s editorial

user Already added to my Pinterest board 💞

user gagged, died, dead

user And I eat it up everytime.

landonorris real

user ofc instagram user landonorris on a yn_ln post

user not even f1 driver💀

user seeing different concepts from you is my absolute fav thing ngl

landonorris you look leng.

user anyone else side eye at this comment?

user honestly? not really, i'm sure he's said worse things

user legs are legging...

user what does this even mean

user the girls that get it, get it💋

user gah dam why are you legs so long🤤

user she's so overrated

user now why are you manspreading 🤨 do you want people to sit in ur lap???

user me wondering if that seats taken

monaspencer you've done it again! it's giving everything it's supposed to give🔥

yn_ln tysm ml🫶🏾

landonorris so she gets a reply but not me🫤

yn_ln now what was i supposed to say?

landonorris thank you?

yn_ln you're welcome.

landonorris oh that's no- ykw, you're right, i should be grateful

user damn right

user if he's not like this i don't want him

user He really said when a bad bitch tells me to shut up, I do it.

user i just know that ezra is somewhere sick to his stomach

user personally, I'd never recover

zendaya your shoots are always so good

yn_ln tysm queen. means a lot coming from you<3

user girl you do damage to me🥴

user amazing shoot 😍

yourfriend7 slenderman proportions🤩

yn_ln and if i kill myself, what then?

yourfriend7 😘

yn_ln spawning in your room🔜

yourfriend7 not beating the allegations pookie

user 😭😭😭

user love seeing your face pop up when i open insta

user the only reason people care about you is bc of ezra

user you're joking...

user you're delusional just like ur fav

user and yet here you are, on her page

tagged: landonorris, yn_ln

motormouth Lando and Y/n spotted out and about via friends and fans. New wag or just friends hanging out? Let us know what you think!

Liked by user, user, user and others

View all 854 comments

user tagging them is so messy.

user well it is a gossip page

user but still... the audacity

user man like lando norris yeah

user friends can't hang out?

user The way that one picture looks really romantic until you realise Mona's cropped out

user Ezra was right to dump her😒 She never deserved him and she's mid anyway. Never did and never will get the hype.

user stacy why aren't you watching your kids instead of commenting on things that don't concern you? user yeah stacy, why aren't you being a mom to your kids? user stacy is a man who, instead of paying attention to the kids he only gets to see certain times, is out here dick riding someone who doesn't know he exists. user damn, someone named a baby boy stacy? user Well, my mom wanted to be Stacy's Mom but only decided on having one kid, and unluckily for me, I was that kid user born in 2003, named stacy and has kidS (multiple!), yeah, no wonder he's on a gossip page instead of watching those kids.

user he really wasted no time

user i hope he knows he's probably a rebound

user the way y'all purposely hid the fact that mona was also there in the 3rd slide 😐

user this the type of timing i need to be on

user i just know that one twitter user is laughing rn

user she's just using him😕

user he's so weird for this, like she just recently got out of her relationship and now this??

user love the fact that they get to hang out more

user It's still too soon since her last relationship, so I'm thinking they're only friends.

user she probably broke up with ezra just to be with lando 🤢

user did she or Ezra tell you that? no? yeah, shut up

user and who would blame her? NO ONE

user mona erasure, i will not stand for this!

user the way he's looking at her😵

user fellas is it weird to hang out with your friends?

user only if your friends are the opposite sex, it seems

user they're probably laughing at this (if they even see it)

user i just know lando is giggling

user fr, like dating rumours with her?

user mans is kicking his feet

ezragallagher has uploaded to their story.

user: what you over here being messy for ???

user: bro move on!!!

user: i support you, toxic king🙌

user: ezra, baby, you can do better

sashabardot: really ezra? what the actual fuck is wrong with you

user: bros going through it

user: this is kinda pathetic don't you think?

user: someone's paying attention to their ex

user: babes this isn't your cf

user: don't you have work to focus on?

user: the way this would make me get back with you

user: ☕☕☕

user: this feels targeted

user if only i had half the confidence and audacity that you did🙂‍↔️

user: this is an... interesting song choice

user: see, me personally, i would never show my face on the internet but you do you💪

user: better as in you?

user: hope you guys get back together 🤞

user: God, I see how you've given some people the courage of lions😂

user: might as well have tagged her

user: just how i like my men... toxic and pettty 😍 *pretty but petty works just as well

user:

yn_ln has added to their story.

user: uhhhhh

user: is this what i think it is?

user: oh!

user: please tell me this is in response to ezra

user: beabadoobee mention!!!

user: I love this song.

user: the way fucking batman wouldn't be able to get this out of me

user: this is wild

user: stop being so cryptic! is this about ezra or not

monaspencer: messy asf😭

yn_ln: he started it, so idgaf also, it could've been worse

monaspencer: true, you could've posted to still your best

yn_ln: lmaooo, can you imagine💀💀

user: taste>>>

user: have you ever thought that maybe you were doing something wrong if he cheated on you?

user: oh no

yourfriend: do you ever wonder...

yn_ln: YOU'RE FUCKING SICK😭😭😭

user: You know what you're implying w this right?

user: publicizing the fact that you've been cheated on is insane

user: ezra fucking gallagher, count your days.

user: ok i alr know this is about ezra but who is the girl???

user: are you not embarrassed?

user: 🤨

user: ik you guys dated and everything but he wouldn't cheat🙄 you're just making up lies to slander him

tagged: lukacyr, yn_ln, landonorris and 3 others.

Liked by lukacyr, yn_ln, landonorris and others

monaspencer spent some time with some of my favourite people... and lando

View all 1 787 comments

user you and luka are so 🥺

lukacyr that's my baby!!!

monaspencer 🩷🩷🩷

user dare i say... couple's trip???

yn_ln hot girl alert!!!

monaspencer love youuu

user lando catching strays?

lukacyr so gorgeous, im so lucky🩵

monaspencer i love you pretty boy🩷

user wish i was that cat

landonorris and lando? damn i thought we were besties😔

lukacyr we all know she loves you

monaspencer 🤥

landonorris thanks luka, knew i could count on you for the truth❗

user wait, whose cat is that?

user love how they're all just living their best lives.

user oof uno w yn and luka? I just know there was lots of yelling

user them making up their own rules and frustrating those of us who play the game properly 😭

lukacyr sorry you guys are boring 😔

user ughhhh miss spencer you are looking teww damn foineee 🤤

user sprinted to this post when i got the notification

user mona + yn = the prettiest friends. ughhh, love them

user you and Luka make me feel so single and im in a relationship!!!

user that's -

user just smile and wave

user game night is back baby!!!

user adding the song to my playlist immediately

user slayyy

lilymhe can't wait for the next dinner!

monaspencer you and alex are hosting nexts babes

yn_ln i have a meeting that night

landonorris me too

lilymhe alex will be cooking

yn_ln i will be in attendance

lilymhe hey! i'm not that bad

lukacyr sureeee

alex_albon you are not talking, mr i once set fire to water

user how tf

user i love tht Luka buys her flowers whenever he can

user i have so many questions

user do you and Luka want a third?

user 🔥🔥🔥

user your nails in the first slide is everything to me

user not mona and yn having matching rings,,, i love them😭😭

user very on brand for them

user they all look so cool, I wish i was apart of their friend group

user real, they all look like so much fun

user TV girl>>>

user face beat is so FAB imo

user wait what's happening to me... 🧍‍♂️🚶‍♂️🧎‍♂️🐈🐾

user the dress from the last slide is EVERYTHING

Liked by monaspencer, landonorris, lilymhe and others

yn_ln 1st slide is me after thirdwheeling my (girl)friend and her boyfriend 😴 and the last slide is literally them, I'm sick😞

View all 1 853 comments

user girlll

user this said so much and nothing at all

user how can someone be so cute and hot at the same time???

monaspencer ik you're not talking lol

user what does this meannn

lilymhe i would never treat you like that bbg

landonorris don't you have a boyfriend? matter of fact ﹫alex_albon come get your girl

lilymhe snitch😒

alex_albon lily???

maxfewtrell dinner was great, sending mine and p's thanks again

yn_ln tell her she needs to join us for game night next time and you're invited too ig

maxfewtrell im starting to think you like my girlfriend more than me

yn_ln i do!

maxfewtrell fairs, i like her more than you

user last slide unlocked a memory

lukacyr and proud of it

lukacyr you're just mad she likes me more

yn_ln thats so funny considering she's in my bed rn

landonorris should've been me

user I jus know Lando took that 5th photo

user and you know this how...

user idrk but you can always tell when he's the one taking her pictures bc something about it just makes her look.. especially stunning ya know? like you can tell someone who's in love w her took the pic

user you're actually so right

landonorris a whole slide of just me? yeahhh you want me so bad

user i aspire to be this type of delusional

yn_ln oh absolutely

landonorris so glad you're admitting it to the world😌

user i cannae tell if this is sarcasm or not

user it's ok, neither can lando

user in the words of one troye sivan, "face card, no cash, no credit"

user when he sang "look, look at you", he meant her

user and when he sang " baby, I'm first in place" he was singing about Lando

user swear i saw you guys at that restaurant but was too nervous to make sure

user i would have said hello ngl

user i didnt want to disturb and like i said, i was so nervous.

user have i mentioned that i love everything that is happening here, bc i do

user genuinely thought the 2nd slide was y'all eating sushi and was amazed that you got lando to eat it

user same! but i didn't even question it and just scrolled

user would honestly be flattered if i was compared to arnaz and breanna, they were such a cute couple

user true but i still can't get over the fact that her dad was called Flex lmao

user eye cant get over the shows theme song, like i still think it's good

user not to mention Breanna was in her fashion bag, girlie was serving LOOKS.

user Check out my profile for art of your favourite artist's favourite artist!

user omg that's crazy haha, i have 10 lambo's btw, like i am super rich and you'd never be tired around me bc i'd make sure you get 10 hours of sleep (2 extra hours bc you deserve it, must be exhausting being so gorgeous)

landonorris this person literally set fire to my house and is stealing from their job. please report them so i can have some peace of mind🙏🙏

user YOOO, this is NOT TRUE, NOBODY REPORT ME FSTHSNTH

user idk man, why would Lando lie :/

landonorris exactly, for what reason?

user ik this is a lie but imma do it anyway lmao

landonorris why would i lie?

user bffr.

user: i know we're all focused on yn's beauty(and rightfully so) but can we take a moment to appreciate that picture of lando???

user: like hello, he looks so hot

user 💖

user LIVING it up

landonorris: you ever see someone so beautiful you start barking violently? cause thats me rn

landonorris: got me acting unwise❗

yn_ln: please calm down you freak

landonorris: mmm call me a freak again😩

user: what the

user: he's so real for this

user: jesus h christ

user: think i've had enough of instagram today, peace out✌

landonorris has added to their story.

user: mona's miss steal your girl well not really your girl🤣

landonorris: blocked

user: i want someone to look at me like that

user the art in the background is so pretty

user: damn, you're never making it to relationship status

user: she's wearing orange... interesting...

user: art and art/two masterpieces in one photo

user: guess i need to ask Mona and Yn if they want a third instead

user: i'd say deserved 🤷

monaspencer: you're both such liars

user: waitt,, the fits are eatinggg

user: they literally look like they're in love

user: women *sighs dreamily*

yn_ln: damn, i look good wait when did you take this picture

landonorris: yeah you do. orange is really your colour, you should wear it more often

monaspencer has added to their story.

user: not them getting "this you"-d💀

user: they are never beating the dating allegations

user: exposed in a single photo

user: you're an absolute legend for this

user: this just in, yn ln is a LIAR!!

user: i don't know why you're friends with her🙄

yn_ln: you make my ass itch

monaspencer: funny, i was thinking the same thing about you

yn_ln: why do you do this to me?

monaspencer: suffer x

user: my otp!!!

user: ugh, what a eyesore(i'm violently jealous)

user: They look so good together, they should just date already smh.

user: now it definitely seems like y'all went on a couple's trip👀

landonorris: send me this🙏🏻

whatyouhe4rd has posted a new article, based on your likes, this may interest you. check it out?

landonorris has uploaded a story.

user replied to your story: you're jokinggg, this is a joke

user replied to your story: you didn't actually post this, im clearly just seeing things im just gonna pretend that it didn't happen since you deleted it

user replied to your story: When I tell you I burst out laughing seeing this, I'm not lying.

maxfewtrell replied to your Close Friends story : you did not delete the 1st one just to post it on your CF

landonorris: it was an accident?

maxfewtrell: an accident that's going to end up on hundred's of gossip sites

landonorris: rachel is going to kill me, isnt she?

maxfewtrell: seriously surprised she hasn't already

yn_ln replied to your Close Friends story : Rachel is going to kill you

landonorris: i just told max the same thing, we're soul mates fr

yn_ln: i'm being serious

landonorris: so am i but did it make you smile?

yn_ln: yes?

landonorris: then it was worth it and i'll die happy

yn_ln: you're so cheesy🙄

landonorris for you i will be mozzarella, parmesan, chedda, gouda, brie, cottage, feta, swiss, burrata, cream, etc.

user replied to your story: this is iconic, lando norris, my fav malewife

randomfriend replied to your Close Friends story : i think you've been on tiktok too much

charles_leclerc replied to your Close Friends story : your head must be a fascinating place to be in, how do you do it?

landonorris: my brother in christ and racing, you can not be talking

user replied to your story: you're so right and you should say it

user replied to your story: Sometimes we don't have to share what's on our mind with the world

user replied to your story: I'm fucking creasing

⤷ end note ‧ ★ : heyyyy, how y'all doing🧍... sorry for the wait, i really did have most of this done and in my drafts but then writer's block hit and i left it for a while. also, i kinda suck at making articles lmao. thank you to everyone who reads and/or interacts with my smaus, ily<3.

taggingᯓ★ : @firelily-mimi and @appl3-0rchard

[muffinlance]

PSA: If anyone is considering paying for Tumblr ad free to escape the ads...

The ads are excluded. From exclusion by ad free. As an opportunity graciously permitted to us, apparently.

Actual reply from Tumblr support:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about our Netflix One Piece partnership.

You may notice a temporary dashboard tab featuring content about the show, and some sponsored posts throughout your feed for a limited time.

Tumblr Ad-Free Browsing excludes a few featured post formats on the platform. You’ll still have access to sponsored posts made by users as well as special features such as editorials and/or Tumblr takeovers.

Hey @staff got anything to add? Oh, sorry, to ad?

So yeah here's the place to complain loudly and often, I used multiple drop downs to test (and because I am filled with spite) and, unsurprisingly, the only one I got a reply on was using the category "Paid Options".

So everyone, feel free to go to Tumblr support, select Paid Options as your category, and complain in your preferred degree of politeness about how you...

CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER!

Are going to cancel your subscription if they keep advertising on ad free

Were considering ad free but became aware that it's not actually ad free, so bad Tumblr, no cookie money

[if-whats-new]

What's New In IF? Halloween edition! Issue 26 (2024)

By Brij, Dion, Bex and Jen

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

~ EDITORIAL ~

Boo! Did you get scared?

Well we hope we didn’t scare you away! Our favourite time of the year is here and with it a Halloween themed Issue! Next to the regular WNIF stuff we included a recommendation section full of the best games to play in this time of the year, so be sure to check it out!

We want some feedback!

As we’re starting to get a hand of things, we would love some feedback from you guys! What you enjoy, want more or less off, how we could improve... Anything goes! We even have a nifty form!

Still looking for members!

Due to the severe changes in the Zine team, we are once again looking for free hands with a couple of hours to kill, and minds, looking to make a little difference in the community!

If you too would like to help us out in a more official capacity, please shoot us a message! You can check out the available positions here, but if you’d like to help in any other way, feel free to contact us as well!

No Small Talk for some time!

We hope you have a terror-ific time reading this issue!

BRIJ, DION, BEX AND JEN

~ BE A PART OF THE ZINE ~

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

Contact us through Tumblr asks, Forum DMs, or even by email! And thank you for your help!!

~ EVENT SPOTLIGHT : ECTOCOMP 2024 ~

La Petite Mort or Le Grand Guignol? Either way, it’s going to get spooky!

Ever since October 2007 spooky-game enthusiasts all over the world have a chance to participate in ECTOCOMP, an annual competition for interactive fiction celebrating the SPOOKY MONTH OF HALLOWEENTOBER. Whether you celebrate Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Saint's Eve, or just love ghost stories and creeping people out, this is your time to shine!

Previously organized by Jason Guest for ADRIFT games, the jam is now open to all development platforms. Since the beginning of this initiative, there has been a motivation to unite and strengthen ties between international communities in the IF world. Creators can submit games either in one of the four main languages - English, Spanish, French and German or any other!

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Ghostbusters. Named after the Ghostbusters’ car license plate number ECTO 1, this year the jam pays tribute to the film that inspired the title! Some other subthemes and inspiration prompts are: Spooky adventure, Sweet supernatural, Halloween fest, Día de Los Muertos, All Saints', All Souls' Eve and any other festivity or mythology around the world.

As per tradition, Ectocomp has two categories:

La Petite Mort, for those who want to speed-write their game in 4 hours or less.

Le Grand Guignol, for games that, for whatever reason, took longer than 4 hours to write.

When the jam is over, all of the submitted games will be uploaded to the IF Archive.

~ ENDED ~

The voting for IFComp ended and the winners have been announced! Congratulations to the first-place winner, The Bat by Chandler Groover! Check out the complete results for this year's competition.

Another edition of the Bad Art Visual Novel Jam is upon us! Check out the two entries!

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

Entries have been submitted for the 6th Spooktober Annual Visual Novel Jam! You can vote for your favourites until October 27th! Every October Friday you can also watch Chizu's sponsored Spooktober Stream where she plays through all submissions!

Find inspiration in dusty old decrepit corners, revivify the forgotten - the Revival Jam 2024 is here! You can now vote for your favourite entries!

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Strip IF to it’s bare bones and all it become beautiful text. That’s what The Bare-Bones Jam is about.

It’s spooky month and with it comes the annual ECTOCOMP 2024. If it’s spooky or supernatural why not submit it?

Running until Halloween, the Phantasia Jam is a three months game jam to create a fantasy narrative game, with the theme of “Hidden Magic”. It accepts both VN and IF.

On the CoG Forum, Halloween is already there! Until Oct 31st, you can submit your projects to the Halloween Jam - but don't forget the theme! VAMPIRE, Murder, 70’s Disco!

Disabled Rep VN Jam has a very simple premise but a very important message.

Once upon a time, a game jam was held to create stories around the theme of fairy tales… and that game jam is the Once Upon A Time VN Jam. It’s running from October 1st to January 31st.

Concours de Fiction Interactive Francophone 2025 is for all French-speaking enthusiasts. Submissions are accepted until March 3rd 2025.

Are you perhaps a fan of more somber, melancholic themes? Then check out the Dying Year - Visual Novel Jam! You have until the end of the year to participate.

The Black Visual Novel Jam is all about working with creative professional developers who work in visual novels to bring more Black stories to life. The goal is to create a space where Black creators can show their unique storytelling through visual novels.

Bare your teeth and sharpen your claws because the Monstrous Desires 2024 Visual Novel Jam is here! Dedicated to the love of entities, horrors, and monstrosities, this jam will be full of romantic Visual Novels (VN) that heavily focus on a monster may it be original or from classics, folklore, modern media, etc.

~ OTHER ~

Jams are a great way to find new games! Don’t be afraid to check out submissions from previous years as well. There might be some gems hiding between them!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

Heavens’ Revolution: A Lion Among the Cypress (CScript) is a flintlock space fantasy inspired by eighteenth-century Iran.

Love and Death in the Shadow of the Demiurge (Twine) is an interactive tale of self-love and self-hate, beauty and the lack of it. @infimace-blog

As the Eye Can See (Twine) is a short story about the day before Halloween. @skyshard13

Larut (Ren’Py) is a fictional work retelling of the Indonesian folklore and mythological figure, Nyi Roro Kidul.

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

You're only 20 when suddenly your life goes bam! Throwing you into a whole new city, a different country even. Can you find your place in the world and restart or lose yourself in temptation? Time to find out in Paved in Ashes (CScript)! @pavedinashes-if

Spotlight (CScript), navigate the red carpet, bloodthirsty paparazzi, cut-throat tabloids and complicated relationship dynamics with A-list celebrities (who may or may not be completely unhinged.)

Exit Through The Gift Shop (CScript) is about the arc of your life, from beginning to end, as experienced through the lens of trips to the museum, with each chapter moving forward one decade.

Blood of the Living (CScript), the first public demo for Blood of the Living, sequel to Fields of Asphodel is here! @chrysanthemumgames

Bridge Ices Before Road (CScript) Finding your place again in your old hometown might sound tough, but nothing is tougher than being an Olympic athlete. You have to juggle training along with all that, but you try not to let it get you down. After all, skating is your passion! @bridgeicesbeforeroadif

Fortuna Favours the Bold (CScript) is a low fantasy, high stakes, romance forward tale about self-discovery and hidden secrets. @fortunafavours

Being the only homicide detective around for miles, it’s up to you now to find out what exactly happened to your brother, why it happened, and who did it in A Bouquet of Chrysantemums (Twine). @abouquetofchrysanthemums

it's been a long, long time (CScript), a group of three find themselves reunited through their shared past, grappling with the haunting memories of a tragedy that shattered their bond. @haynahkho

In Spices of the Heart (CScript) you step into the shoes of an ambitious chef who has landed a job at a prestigious restaurant known for its innovation and artistry. @when-life-gives-you-lemons-if

Love to be Forgotten (RPG Maker MV) is a visual novel inspired by historical figures like Lucrezia Borgia and eerie vampire folklore, such as the tale of Jure Grando.

~ UPDATES ~

Keyframes (Ren’Py) released a patch update. @blankhouse

Shepherds of Haven (CScript) alpha preview has been updated. @shepherds-of-haven

One Knight Stand (CScript) released Chapter 2 Part 3. @oneknightstand-if

Weeping Gods (CScript) added new content to Chapter 2. @jcollinswrites

The In-Between (CScript) released Chapter 10. @dalekowrites

Space Captain (CScript) released updated their demo.

Hunter's Requiem (CScript) added new content to their demo. @huntersrequiem-if

The Inn Between (Ren’Py) released an extended demo. @catslilypad

When Stars Collide (Ren’Py) released Episode 1. @steamberrystudio

Made Marion released Will’s route. @velvet-cupcake-games

Wasteland Pony Express updated their Patreon demo. @katieaki

~ OTHER ~

The Halloween Sale 2024 on Itch.io is here!

Are you a Girls! Girls! Girls!? fan? You can now pre-order an artbook!

The Retro Adventurers podcast released Episode 9, where they have a conversation with Robin Raymond about the project Kingdom of the Seven Stones, a sprawling text/graphic adventure.

Studio Mansoon Games is hiring! Are you a Programmer or a Game artist? This is your chance! @allieebobo

~

As always, we apologize in advance for missing any update or release from the past week. We are only volunteers using their limited free time to find as much as we can - but sometimes things pass through the cracks.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Viatica by @fir-fireweed (Twine)

Wonderful prose, interesting worldbuilding, lovable characters! Chapter 10 was recently updated and it tore my heart out 10/10.

//submitted by Silly//

Do you have SALT? by BRXKEVN (Steam)

I wanted to tell you about the salt.

//submitted by Oreolek//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

H/T = Horror/Thriller H = Halloween themes S = Supernatural C = Creepy

~ RECOMMENDATIONS (COMPLETE) ~

It gets so lonely here (H/T) by ebi-hime (Ren’Py)

Yuri yandere visual novel, what else needs to be said? //submitted by Remm//

Deepest Grievances (H/T) by 17 confused villains (Ren’Py)

Equal parts murder mystery, eldritch horror, and office satire. This is a great adventure-style VN with a puzzle that made me gasp when I figured out the solution. //submitted by Natasha//

Hanna, We're Going to School (S) by Kastel (Twine)

You and your ghost friend go to school and everything goes sideways. My favorite piece on queerness and rage. //submitted by Emerson//

Last seen online (H/T + S) by qwook/sochinstudio (Three.js)

It is a very great and short game. It includes puzzles that are both satisfying and sad to solve. //submitted by anon//

Escape from Hell (S) by Nils Fagerburg (???)

Switch between monsters and use their abilities to help you escape! Elegant design with fun puzzles. //submitted by Sera//

Neighbourhood Necromancer (H/T) by Gavin Inglis (CScript)

Command the undead to take revenge on the suburbs! Perhaps you’ll start by taking over a convenience store.

Yûrei Station (H/T) by Atelier Sentô (Unity)

A girl takes a night train heading to an unknown destination…

Everyday Horrors (H) by Jacob Aberdevine (Bitsy)

A short Halloween game about fear and uncertainty.

Ghosterington Night (H/T) by Wade Clarke (Inform 7)

Danger-filled Ghosterington Manor appears atop the same cliff each year on Samhain night. It’s hidding four poems that are worth a fortune, and you, famous adventurer Jubilee Grief, are determined to find them.

Forever and Ever (H/T + H) by @PetricakeGames-IF (Ink)

Halloween night comes to a close and you're just settling in to get a good night's sleep when your son Lucas lets you know there are monsters in his room.

First Bite (S) by firstbitegames (???)

One night. Three (very hot) vampires. Make a deal with Death or die trying… (Alejandro Saab is in it so you know it’s good. Also very 18+.) //recommended by Dion [team]//

Well Tended (C) by danielle taphanel (Bitsy)

A short storybook simulator about wandering through death's shade-filled garden, following the spiraling path of poisonous plants to the center.

Witches x Warlocks (H + S) by Nifty Visuals (Unreal Engine)

Seven days until Halloween! Seven days until Fay Nightshade gets booted out of school for being the only witch unable to cast a single spell.

Eat me (C) by Chandler Grooverr (Inform 7)

In this castle, you'll eat or be eaten. May contain dairy, carnage, puzzles, nuts.

~ RECOMMENDATIONS (WIP) ~

We Wretched Creatures (H/T) by @darkfictionjude (Twine)

Who can you trust? What’s the truth behind your family? What are things that you see in the dark?

Sentience (H/T + S) by @sentience-if (Twine)

After a near-death experience at the hands of a crazed angel, you're suddenly thrust into a conspiracy surrounding a corpse-worshiping cult, divinely mad saints, and something buried far, far beneath the earth.

Fervency (H/T) by @fervency-if (CScript)

After getting cured from a vicious plague, you begin to feel some strange and unfamiliar cravings - namely a fervent desire for flesh or blood.

The Story of Sin (H/T + S) by @devilishmango (Twine)

You are the spawn of Satan and The Devil. You decide to defy them once again, and just like always… they aren’t exactly too happy about that. This leads them to decide to punish you one last time- only, this time, the punishment is deadly.

Reanimated Heart (H/T + S) by @doubledeadstudio (???)

Figure out how to build a life from scratch in a strange dimension where the sun never rises and supernatural creatures live freely.

Van Helsing (S) by @vanhelsing-if (Twine)

You are the last of a family of elite slayers. When you get tasked with slaying an ancient Entity in four months, will you remain the indomitable Van Helsing of legends or will this finally be your breaking point?

SLAUGHTER☆SQUAD (H/T) by @harlequinoccult (Twine)

For the most part, you’re a pretty normal mid-20-something year old who lives in a shitty apartment in the city. Well, except for one thing. Your ”Associate” Carter “Dollface” Abernathy. Who is a murderer.

Did we miss your favourite game? Don’t worry, there’s still a chance! Fill out this form and we will include it in our next Halloween issue.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank: Silly, Oreolek, Remm, Natasha, Emerson, Sera and the awesome anon!

For sending us their game recommendations and highlights!

And as always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on last week's issue! What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We now have a Linktree! Accessing all of our links has never been easier.

And see you again next week, even more spooky!

BRIJ, DION, BEX, JEN

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 26

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Types of Writers

Generally, writers fit into one of 2 categories: fiction and nonfiction. Within those two categories, there are many different writing styles.

From fiction writers who create works of imagination to business journalists who report on breaking news, writers use different types of writing to achieve specific goals.

Novelist: A novel is a long piece of fiction, typically more than 40,000 words. Novels often include complex story arcs with multiple characters and span genres such as romance, science fiction, and historical fiction. Novelists are people who write novels; You can be a career novelist or write novels outside of your day job. Novelists generally fall into two categories: plotters—who meticulously plan the elements of their storyline and characters before starting; and pantsters—who are more spontaneous and “fly by the seat of their pants.”

Poet: Poets are writers of poems— a form of literature that conveys a thought, describes a scene, or tells a story in a concentrated, lyrical arrangement of words. Poetry can be structured, with rhyming lines and meter, or freeform (which follows no formal structure).

Songwriter: Songwriters craft lyrics that are set to music. A songwriter may be employed by a musician to provide lyrical accompaniment to a song, or they may write both the lyrics and musical notation.

Playwright: Playwrights craft stories that performers act out on a theater stage. The market for aspiring playwrights is competitive, but for those wishing to see their stories come to life, playwriting can be a gratifying experience.

Short story writer: Short stories are concise pieces of writing that tell a story in less time than a novel. Short stories are often published in magazines or compiled together in anthologies. The average short story runs anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 words but can be anything above 1,000 words. Flash fiction is a short story that is 500 words or less.

Screenwriter: Screenwriters write original scripts for TV shows and movies. They may also write an adapted screenplay based on a book, story, article, or some other source material. Screenplays follow a specific format, and they tend to adhere to three-act structure.

Blogger: Bloggers self-publish content online. Though not exclusive to non-fiction writing, blogs tend to provide curious readers with fact-based knowledge on various topics, including food, travel, entertainment, and technology. Whether you’re a creative writer looking for an easy way to publish stories online or an entrepreneur looking for a way to promote your business, learning how to craft a blog post to reach your target audience successfully is a valuable skill.

Business writer: Most business writers work for newspapers or magazines that publish content for specific industries. Business writing can be a profitable form of writing if you’ve got a knack for networking and in-depth knowledge of industry-related terminology and concepts.

Copywriter: Copywriting involves writing copy for marketing and advertising purposes. Copywriters can be in-house employees at a company or advertising firm, or freelancers contracted to create copy.

Ghostwriter: Ghostwriters specialize in writing for other people. This requires the unique ability to be able to write convincingly in another person's tone of voice. Ghostwriters work with their clients— such as high-ranking government officials and media personalities—to craft a narrative and tell their story in the first person.

Journalist: Journalists write everything from op-eds to news stories. There are many kinds of journalistic writing; for example, a reporter uses an expository style to report facts on a news story. On the other hand, a features writer or editorial writer may use more a persuasive tone and share their point of view to influence an audience on a particular issue or topic.

Nonfiction book writers: Nonfiction is a popular writing form that combines in-depth research with compelling writing prowess. Common nonfiction formats include autobiographies, biographies, scientific writing, and more.

Technical writer: Technical writers are often in-house employees for businesses and corporations. Technical writing involves producing copy for instructional manuals and system documentation. This kind of work often requires the writer to have hyper-specific knowledge of a given field or industry.

Translator: To be a translator, you must speak two or more languages fluently and be able to accurately translate one to another. Translators work across numerous fields and have different specialties—you can be a translator for a technical manual, a novel, or even poetry.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[evanniversary]

Placing Iron Maiden in the Evangelion timeline

I'm not planning to do daily posts again, but I've been rewatching Neon Genesis Evangelion and recently played Evangelion Iron Maiden, so I've been trying to figure out where it falls in the show's timeline, and figured I might as well co-opt this blog to share my findings.

I'm working off of these two posts detailing the timeline of the show:

https://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa305/secondgryphon/Sketches/EVA/NGE-calendar-v2.gif

https://www.tumblr.com/qmisato/97427931769/timeline-of-evangelion-week-by-week-breakdown?source=share

Iron Maiden is split into two segments, with a significant timeskip inbetween them. the first part covers a week of school leading up to Shinji's date with Mana on Sunday, and then the following two days, i.e. Monday and Tuseday. in the beginning of the game, NERV are testing the Simulation Bodies, meaning it has to take place after the B Wing was constructed, but before the Angel Ireul infected it. QMISATO places the construction of the B Wing as being mostly concluded by at the earliest Monday, October 5 and the Ireul attack is placed on Wednesday, October 14, which perfectly fits the timeframe for the first part of Iron Maiden, meaning we can confidently place it as happening from October 5 to October 13, with the Ireul attack happening the day after Shinji last sees Mana before she goes into hiding.

the second part takes place across two days, and it features both Kaji's watermelon patch, which he first shows Shinji in episode 17, and Tōji, who is severely injured in episode 18. episode 17 and episode 18 take place right after another and cover 4 days in total. for everything to make sense, the second part of Iron Maiden would have to take place on the second day of episode 17 and the first day of episode 18, identified as Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30 in the above posts. this isn't impossible but there aren't any mentions of the disappearance of EVA-04, the arrival of EVA-03, or the selection of the Fourth Child in Iron Maiden, nor of course is there any reference to Mana or the TRIDENT in the show. it would however make sense for Shinji to be paralysed at the idea of having to fight another EVA after Musashi and depending on the ending possibly also Mana had just died in just such a battle the day before.

as far as the endings go, the Asuka ending is the easiest to fit into the story of the show, the Special Edition ending definitely doesn't fit with the show, and the Mana and Kaji endings don't openly contradict the show but it's difficult to find a place where they fit. placing them between the Bardiel battle and the Zeruel battle would probably make the most sense.

[vampyrochor]

full length comment i am responding to found under this post!

Here's why I don't believe Red Robin offers more compelling stories to Tim's character than Robin;

I totally get the feeling of Red Robin being an “unfinished song,” but I’d actually argue that’s part of the problem with it — not just that it stopped too soon, but that the direction it was going in didn’t serve Tim as a character long-term. It wasn’t a natural evolution; it was a reactionary patch to a narrative hole left by editorial shifts, and while it gave him some solo space, it also started to fracture the core of who Tim was.

Red Robin, as a mantle, leaned harder into making Tim “Batman Jr.” than Robin ever did, but without the stability of Bruce, Dick, or a real team. It pushed Tim into increasingly grim territory, doubling down on trauma, paranoia, and obsession in a way that edged away from what made Tim unique — his emotional intelligence, his compassion, and his belief in people. Instead of evolving, his identity started unraveling.

It’s not just that DC threw everything in a blender after Red Robin — Red Robin was the beginning of that blend. The shift from a clever, morally-driven detective to a rogue solo act willing to manipulate others and act outside the Bat-family was less “growth” and more erosion. It was Tim losing parts of himself without narrative support to rebuild. So when the reboot hit, there wasn’t a solid identity to anchor him back to — hence the hollow, unrecognizable Tim we’ve had in more recent iterations.

Focusing too heavily on Red Robin as the defining Tim era risks canonizing a version of him that was already falling apart — not by design, but by neglect. It gives weight to a direction that DC never truly committed to and ultimately abandoned. That’s why, even though YJ98 Robin, 90s Robin, and TT Tim all offer a strong foundation, Red Robin doesn’t quite belong in the same category. It feels substantial because of the aesthetics and angst, but narratively, it’s brittle.

And yeah — the two Robins thing just makes it worse. It undercuts both Tim and Damian because it refuses to resolve the tension that should exist between them, which was central to Red Robin’s arc. By erasing that, they erase the stakes of that transition, so even Red Robin becomes contextless. At this point, “Robin” might be a temporary title, but Red Robin is the ghost of a transition that never landed.

So why not talk about Tim as Red Robin? Because he was breaking under that title. And maybe the real work — the compelling stories — come from figuring out how Tim puts himself back together after all that, not while he’s still falling apart.

[dunmeshistash]

Ryoko Kui Exhibition & ''Delicious in Dungeon'' Exhibition pamphlet

Transcript under the cut

Disclaimer is that I used an image to text website and then proof-read it myself and made corrections where it got the text wrong. There was a few typos in the original text (like writing fied instead of fried) but I kept those in just in case I interpreted something as a typo but it wasn't.

[page 1]

Ryoko Kui Exhibition & "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition Introducing Ryoko Kui (1) Manga artist. After working through her website "Nishi ni wa ryū ga ita" (A dragon in the west) and her own dojinshi (self-published works), Kui made a debut with "Ryu no gakko wa yama no ue: Kui Ryoko sakuhin-shu" (The dragon's school is on top of the mountain: Ryoko kui works) published with EAST PRESS in 2011. Then published "Kui Ryoko sakuhin-shu: Ryū no kawaii nanatsu no ko" (Ryoko Kui collection: Seven Little Sons of the Dragon) in 2012 with KADOKAWA, and "Hikidashi ni terrarium" (Terrarium in Drawer) in 2013 with EAST PRESS. In 2014 she started her first long-running series "Dungeon Meshi" (Delicious in Dungeon) in KADOKAWA's magazine Harta. In January 2024, she released her book, "Kui Ryoko rakugaki bon Daydream Hour" (Ryoko Kui's sketchbook: Daydream Hour) of illustrations she made while working on "Delicious in Dungeon" as well as illustrations from before her debut. She has a diverse range, from science fiction and fantasy to historical dramas. The world building in her fantasy works is particularly unique, as they merge the extraordinary into the everyday to create an overwhelming realism and persuasiveness through meticulously refined settings. Kui won the Excellence Award in the Manga Division for "Terrarium in Drawer" at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and "Delicious in Dungeon" has been awarded numerous accolades, including the 2015 Comic Natalie Grand Prize, TAKARAJIMASHA's award for This Manga is Amazing! 2016 Men's category 1st place, the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' most Recommended Manga of 2016, and the 55th Seiun Award in the Manga category, which is awarded to outstanding science fiction works. Introduction (2) Delicious in Dungeon" is a hugely popular manga; over 14 million copies have been sold.* To celebrate its anime adaptation, the large-scale exhibition "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition was held in Tokyo and Nagoya from April 2024. This exhibition is a continuation of the touring "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition, with the addition of the Ryoko Kui Exhibition; the first exhibition of artwork by the original artist Ryoko Kui. In the Ryoko Kui Exhibition, you can see her outstanding character designs, realistic settings and the unique narrative developments which have captivated readers, through reproductions of manga manuscripts and interview exhibits. We hope that you enjoy exploring the fascinating world of Ryoko Kui. In the "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition, you can enjoy photo spots, and impressive three-dimensional monster displays from the labyrinth adventures undertaken by Laios and his companions in the first season of the anime. We hope you will enjoy the fun of the original manga, the anime, and the exhibition to your heart's content. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ryoko Kui and the original editorial team, including everyone involved in the anime production and everyone who helped with the planning of this exhibition.

Ryoko Kui Exhibition & "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition Executive Committee

As of April 2024, including digital editions.

The dragon's school is on top of the mountain (3) This is Ryoko Kui's debut work, and her first collected volume of works. Published in 2011, it collects seven of her stories previously published on her website and in doujinshi (self-published works), as well as two new stories. It includes a trilogy of tales which may have taken place behind the scenes of the heroes' adventures in a Role-Playing Game; and which follow the conventions of an RPG. These are "Kikyō" (Return home), which portrays the sorrow of a hero having returned to his hometown after defeating the Demon King; "Mao" (The demon king), which tells the tale of the Demon King from his birth to his downfall; and "Maō jō mondai" (The problem of the demon king castle), which depicts the course of events surrounding the demon castle having lost its master. The story "Gendai shinwa" (Modern myths) depicts the daily lives of coexisting horsepeople (centaurs) and ape-people (homo sapiens), told from the perspectives of a centaur and homo sapien married couple, and a female homo sapien company employee and her junior male centaur. It comically depicts real-life issues such as anti-labor regulation demonstrations, and the disparity between retirement benefits and life expectancy, and as such can be considered satire of the diverse issues faced by modern society. The title story "The dragon's school is on top of the mountain" is set in a university that has the only "Faculty od Dragons" in Japan. It depicts the members of the dragon research society who seek out ways to use dragons, which apparently have no demand in modern society. They explore uses for dragons, such as for food, as pets, and as advertising media. Other highlights include Kui's sad love stories, told from unique perspectives, such as the fairytale-esque "Daikon yama no yome sagashi" (A bride for Daikon mountain) which tells the tale of a man's efforts to marry a female god in order to bring fortune to his poor village, and "Shingaku tenshi" (School-going angel) which depicts the woes of a high school girl with angel wings.

[page 2]

Seven Little Sons of the Dragon (4) This collection of short stories includes self-published works and short stories published in KADOKAWA publishing's magazine Fellows! throughout 2011 and 2012. The collected volume was published in 2012. The stories are set in different countries and time periods, featuring supernatural beings such as dragons, mermaids, gods, and werewolves. "Ryū no Shōtō” (The dragon turret) is set in two neighboring mountains and sea kingdoms. A dragon builds a nest and lays eggs on the border at the only crossroad connecting two warring nations. The nations declare a ceasefire in fear of the dragon, but as peddlers are also unable to come and go, supplies become scarce. A Sea Kingdom soldier who was taken as a prisoner of war by the Mountain Kingdom is tasked with transporting supplies between the kingdoms, and in time he becomes close with a girl of the mountain Kingdom. But the time for the dragons to leave their nest is approaching, meaning that the war will begin again. “Ōkami wa uso wo tsukanai" (Wolves don't lie) starts out with the premise of being a parenting manga by a manga artist whose son has "werewolf syndrome", then suddenly turns into a story told from the perspective of the son, who is a werewolf. The feudal drama "Kane nashi Byakuroku" (Byakuroku the penniless) tells the story of an elderly gifted artist who always leaves out one eye because otherwise his creatures come to life and pop out of the paper. He is deceived by his apprentice and left penniless, so paints both eyes into the only work remaining, counterfeit picture of a samurai. He enlists the somewhat incompetent fake samurai who has come to life, to help him raise money, and misadventures ensue. Each of these precious seven stories depict the bond between parents and children, family members, and loved ones. While humorous, they are also emotionally stirring.

Terrarium in Drawer (5) This is a collection of short stories that were published in the literary web magazine MATOGROSSO (EAST PRESS), as well as the cat anthology “Nyansolo” (EAST PRESS), Aoharu (Shueisha) and doujinshi. The story “Ryū no gekirin" (Wrath of the dragon) portrays the process of cooking dragon cuisine from preparation to seasoning with trivia about the ingredients. "Kigō wo taberu" (Eating symbols) depicts unique ways of cooking symbols such as circles being fied whole, while squares are sliced thinly and served with sashimi soy sauce. A motif that is also common in "Delicious in Dungeon" can be found in these stories. Other chapters include “Kawaiku naritai" (I want to be cute) which depicts the makeup techniques of a cat who wants to be beautiful; "Shōtoshōto no shujinkō" (A short, short story's protagonist) which is a meta perspective comedy while having many twists and turns; and "Yume no aru hanashi" (A dreamy story) set in a Santa Claus temping agency during the busy season. You can enjoy 33 diverse stories with creative perspectives and approaches, ranging from science fiction to fantasy and fairy tales. Another charming aspect of this book is the wide variety of styles it showcases, from shojo manga, to horror, gekiga, and even a simple touch of experience-based manga. The homages to famous authors and their works are also quietly amusing. In 2013, this collected volume won the 17th Manga Division Excellence Award of the Japan Media Arts Festival, organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, which is awarded to outstanding works of art and entertainment.

Delicious in Dungeon (6) This is Ryoko Kui's first long-running series. It began serialization in Harta published by KADOKAWA from February 2014 to 2023, spanning a total of 14 book volumes. The story is set in an expansive labyrinth that suddenly appeared on an island one day. The main character Laios is an adventurer whose sister Falin is devoured by a Red Dragon while exploring the labyrinth. Falin casts a final magic spell which lets Laios and the rest of his companions escape the labyrinth, but they return to rescue and resurrect Falin. However, having lost their equipment and supplies, the group decides to become "self-sufficient” by cooking and eating the monsters they defeat along their way, as they adventure deeper into the labyrinth. Grounded in the familiarity of classic fantasy RPG elements, the series adds its own unique settings and meticulous world building. Its monster cooking scenes are illustrated alongside detailed cooking instructions, making it a never-before-seen labyrinth gourmet manga, which has become an overnight sensation. According to Kui, the motif of "cooking monsters" was born from an idea she had of wanting to depict what falls between the lines of adventures, such as meals and camping, which are typically not depicted in roleplaying games*. The manga has been adapted as a television anime series to run for two seasons from January to June 2024. A second series has also been announced. The series was produced by TRIGGER inc., who also produced and animated a commercial for the manga in 2019.

First published in an interview in Newtype, February 2024 issue.

[Map showing the numbers from each ection from 1 to 8]

[page 3]

"Delicious in Dungeon" Artwork (separate post with pics) Cover illustration draft, vol. 1 Since this was the first volume, I tried out a few different drawings and had the editor and designer choose which ones they wanted, then made small adjustments. I personally liked the top-down draft, and the one of the cooking processes (back cover) the best. But looking back, I sincerely think it's good that we didn't go with those. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 2 The format was decided for volume 1. So, volume 2 came together quickly. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 3 I thought it might be cool to make the character Chilchuck darker in the foreground, and the background brighter! But it didn't quite work out the way I had imagined. I think it could have been a bit better. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 4 I remember that the overall shape of volume 4 came together very quickly. The character Senshi's hands didn't fit nicely, so I moved them backwards and to the side. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 5 I thought people might start to think "how many have I bought?" so I wanted to create a slightly different impression with this volume. I decided to put the character right in the center and try putting it together all in blue and green hues. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 6 With the Red Dragon defeated, have we reached the halfway point in the story? With this in mind, I thought of how many volumes were left to go, and the number of characters, and decided to pair up the characters Namari and Shuroiro. In hindsight, it would have been fine to have them on one cover each. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 7 The image is of focus lines converging on the character Izutsumi. This is the kind of cover, with upside down characters, which I've always wanted to try once(?) I submitted it as a trial, thinking that at this point the cover wouldn't dramatically influence sales. However, in the end, we decided it would be better not to have it upside down. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 8 I tried blurring the mushrooms in the foreground, then I accidentally saved over it, and couldn't go back to the original. I remember apologizing that it was probably tacky, when I submitted it. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 9 I don't think snake meat is marbled at all, but if it has an unfamiliar look, people might not recognize it as meat… so I made it look like beef to make it easier to understand. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 10 I thought it might be interesting to have more than one of the main characters on the cover again, so I added the character Falin. I remember it wasn't badly received, but it still ended up just being Thistle on his own. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 11 I wanted this cover to be covered in shiny gold. After I finished it, it didn't have enough color, so I painted the tablecloth green, and it ended up looking like Christmas colors. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 12 Up to this point, the covers have featured one of the main characters holding cooking utensils in the foreground and a monster in the background, but I thought it might be interesting to reverse the format just before the final volume, so I drew this cover with that in mind. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 13 volume 13 was meant to be the final one, but it was too thick to be published as a single volume, so we decided to split it into two. The question of “so, what should I draw next!?" may be at the forefront of volume 13. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 14 I had decided that the final cover definitely needed to have everyone eating together on it, but because I was publishing two books at the same time I was pressed for time, and it was difficult to have a cover with so many characters on it. I also submitted a rough for an illustration that didn't need me to draw any crowds, but such obviously easy ideas are never adopted. (Kui)

TV anime "Delicious in Dungeon" About the ending illustration. I drew these based on the director's instruction "This kinds of pictures." I hardly ever have the chance to draw color illustrations, so it was a valuable experience for me. (Kui)

©Ryoko Kui ©Ryoko Kui,KADOKAWA/Delicious in Dungeon PARTNERS ©Ryoko Kui/ EAST PRESS CO.,LTD. Translation by Kyoto International Manga Museum

[page 4]

Interview to celebrate the opening of the Ryoko Kui Exhibition (7) (separate post) About Delicious in Dungeon: Story making

Q1. Your first long-running series has lasted for about 9 and a half years. Has it been different from your previous experience drawing short stories? A1. Compared to short stories, the series has been easier because the same characters appear each time. But I was surprised to find that I got tired of drawing the same characters too many times.

Q2. You have said before that the overall structure of the story was decided before serialization began, but how much of that had you communicated to your editor? Also, what kind of communication did you have during the series production? A2. The goal was something we discussed and had decided on from the beginning. The goal itself was simple, but the path to get there was more difficult and took longer than imagined.

Q3. Regarding the overall story concept and development, did you write out or put anything down in writing (such as the plot)? A3. I did, but it was simple.

Q4. Did you come up with the dishes based on the monsters you wanted in the story? Or did you come up with the monsters based on the dishes? A4. It depended on the story, but usually the story came first followed by the monsters or food. I feel like that was most often the order.

Q5. As you progressed in drawing the series, what elements of the characters, story, or world expanded or grew in the most unexpected way? A5. Nothing particularly unexpected perhaps. When I used to draw web manga, I tended to think up inconsequential settings. So, from the beginning I tried to restrain myself as much as possible and not expand too much. I was surprised when my editor said "Let's expand it more," in the second half of the series.

Q6. "Delicious in Dungeon" starts with a relatively simple setting, but as the series and the labyrinth exploration continues, the map slowly expands little by little in the readers' minds. It becomes more three-dimensional, revealing the secrets of the world, and taking on a multilayered structure. Are there any sources that you used as a reference, or which influenced you in creating this multilayered structure? A6. A long time ago, when I was working on my personal web manga (fantasy), I drew it however I wanted, thinking that "Only people who can read this will read it," but I regularly received feedback that it was "unreadable", so I tried to make it as easily. accessible as possible.

Q7. The series combines many elements, including "fantasy", "gourmet", "battles", and "puzzle solving", but I think it's also important that it is a "comedy" which makes people laugh. Could you let us know if you have a creative commitment towards depicting humor? A7. My hopes are that I can make it fun for people to read.

[page 5]

About Delicious in Dungeon: Drawing manga

Q1. Please tell us about the drawing tools you currently use, both digital and analogue. A1. In terms of analogue tools, I use a light box, a G pen, a round pen, and a brush pen. And for digital, I use CLIP STUDIO PAINT and a Wacom LCD tablet. Screentone pasting is always done on the computer, so ultimately it all ends up as a digital manuscript. Q2. Do you have any rules or reasons for using digital and analog separately? A2. I'm always looking for ways to draw better and save time, so the exact approach is probably different for almost every chapter. Personally, I feel that analogue methods create more appealing lines, but I feel like digital saves time, so maybe I'll do a digital rough sketch and do the inking by hand… I might have been using a G pen, and maybe I'll try out a turnip pen, or this time I'm short on time so I'll draw it entirely digitally, but with digital I can redo it over and over, so maybe analogue is still faster, and so on and so forth. I'm indecisive in this way and so haven't developed a consistent process.

Q3. I understand that you prepare 3D data for your assistants to draw the backgrounds. What kind of data did you make for "Delicious in Dungeon" ? A3. You could call it 3D, but it's not a proper model, just something to help with the rough sketching. I line up cubes to share the perspective and sense of scale, and they use it as a reference.

Q4. At the beginning of the series, the characters and backgrounds were somewhat simply drawn, and it seems like they became richly detailed over the progression of the story. What was your intention behind using these different styles? A4. It's simply that my technique isn't stable. I thought I'd put a lot of effort in at the start. I remember being confused when my editor asked me to add more in to the drawing, and I wondered "Where…?"

Q5. Thinking about the food, were there any menu illustrations that you were particularly satisfied with, or which you struggled with? A5. I've never liked my own food illustrations. But the times when I read other people's manga and thought "That looks delicious," I think it's been more an influence of the movement, the staging, and the situation than the drawings.

Q6. For the world maps and the terrain of each continent, did you refer to any maps of the real world? I feel like the shape of the 'island' is similar to the shape of Fukuoka Prefecture or Kyushu. A6. I didn't reference any specific geography, but I did try to put thought into things like whether a developed city would be near a river or the sea, and what the coastline would look like. I'm pleased if it feels similar to a real place, because it means my interpretation was pretty accurate.

About Delicious in Dungeon: Other

Q1. Which is your favorite monster? A1. Nightmare.

[page 6]

Q2. I'm sure you have received a lot of feedback from readers in countries and regions outside of Japan. Please tell us if there was anything from them that made you happy, was unexpected, or which made a lasting impression on you. A2. When you play foreign games, there are times when you think "Why did they translate it into Japanese like that?" But having been on the side of having something translated, I've realized some things are unavoidable, or endless, and there are many things that don't matter either way from the author's perspective, so it was interesting.

About Ryoko Kui's short story collections and herself Q1. Dragons are a consistent and important motif in your work. Was there any particular work or experience which inspired this? Also, are there points about drawing dragons which you find interesting or have had to work hard on? A1. It's less about liking dragons, and more that I'm interested in the worlds in which dragons exist. When I draw dragons, the depiction in itself has a sweet feeling to it. I have never had a pet reptile, so I don't have a very good understanding of them.

Q2. Unomiya University in your story "The dragon's school is on top of the mountain" has a Faculty of Dragons, Department of Environmental Studies, and Department of Technology Studies, and a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. If you were to enroll in the university, which department or faculty would you like to enter? A2. I probably wouldn't be accepted….

Q3. The collection includes a short story staged as an essay manga. Are you a fan of essay manga? Please tell us about any genres of essay manga that you like. A3. I love all kinds of essay manga. I read them often.

Q4. If you were to make your own game, what kind of game would you like to make? A4. I prefer being a player when it comes to games.

Q5. When did you first start drawing illustrations (doodles)? A5. I don't exactly remember when I first drew a picture, but I think I started drawing manga around the fourth or fifth grade of elementary school. in my notebooks and had my friends read them.

Q6. What is the most fun part about drawing manga? A6. Every part is fun and hard in its own way.

Q7. Please tell us if there is anything you "just can't stop no matter what". A7. My procrastination habit.

Q8. Could you please tell us if there's something you want to draw now? A8. I've been working continuously since the serialization, so I'd like to take about 2 to 3 months to just draw whatever I want.

[end]

[comikas-fandom-dump]

Thoughts on the Third Hokage?

He is an incompetent coward.

...

Okay, okay. Real answer. Before I go onto a full-fledged rant about all (or at least the gist) of my grievances with the Third Hokage, let me explain. I personally consider Hiruzen to be the "victim of the plot".

In spite of an earlier, much more sympathetic characterization, Hiruzen gradually became less and less likable as the story went on. But Hiruzen's fall from grace, so to speak, didn't strike me as Kishimoto's "goal", rather than a plot necessity. Konoha itself falls into a similar category.

It is no secret that the story is always positively biased when it comes to everything Konoha. Whether it is child labor or straight-up genocide, the story will always find a way to conveniently gloss over the fact that the Village of the Hidden Leaf is actually the Village of the Hidden Horrors.

None of this was done to fool the audience, however. Naruto's story simply grew more complex. Characters were in need of compelling backstories to make them sympathetic, and they needed compelling motivations to pit them against our heroes. In order to achieve both, systemic issues were introduced to the village's world-building and, as the village's head honcho, it was physically impossible not to have that reflect back onto Hiruzen. The village's grievances would always either act as proof of the Hokage's incompetence or complicity.

This is why I view Hiruzen primarily as a tool of the plot rather than his own character. As for my thoughts on Hiruzen as a character, that one is far more complex.

The Murder Grandpa

As I explained just now, Hiruzen's characterization is driven by the needs of the plot. Initially, he is introduced to us as this benevolent, wise, old man with a silly streak. He spends time with his subjects, advises them on their personal struggles, and is one of the few people who express their sympathies for Naruto's plight.

But that's only until the Chunin Exams roll around.

Notably, the exams were an editorial adjustment that was added later on as Kishimoto planned out his story. According to an interview, Naruto (the character) was supposed to meet other 4-man cells on individual missions. Editors suggested the Chunin Exams be added to speed up the process of introducing characters.

Regardless, exams are no mission environment. Whereas it is entirely believable for characters to encounter dangerous situations on a mission (due to unpredictable encounters while out in the wilderness), a contained, supervised exam cannot turn lethal without the conductors' permission or negligence. Yet, the story likely needed the danger to build stakes, resulting in Hiruzen needlessly enabling death and murder.

Sure, the shinobi world is supposed to be this unforgiving place with no friendships - Only armistices. But, if a so-called "replacement war" must be fought to protect the balance between their nations, why does it have to be carried out on the backs of their youngest and weakest? Why burden them by convincing them that they are carrying the prestige (and by extension, the well-being) of the village on their little backs?

Sure, it makes sense from a logistic standpoint to sacrifice fodder first before wasting your most powerful resources - But Hiruzen still claims to care about the lives of his subjects, declaring the citizens of Konoha as his family. So, for some reason, while condemning Orochimaru for abusing his subordinate's loyalty for his personal gain, he simultaneously has the nerve to take advantage of his Genins' aspirations and loyalty for the village's gain.

It's that same attitude that Madara already criticized on Hashirama. At some point in time, the abstract concept of "village" replaced the lives of its inhabitants in Hashirama's visions for the future. Both Hiruzen and the Hokage before him have forgotten that wars are fought so the weak and innocent don't have to die, only to sacrifice the weak and innocent so that wars don't need to be fought.

And, while I addressed this in a different post before, Hiruzen very much had the choice to conduct a far less brutal Chunin Selection Examination. In fact, he has held them before, albeit during wartime, and with far more guardrails in place than there were during Naruto's era.

Where Team Minato simply had to battle other teams, under the supervision of proctors, Team 7 participated in a 5-day-long survival training amidst man-eating animals and ninja teams from rival (if not downright hostile) nations and with no proctors.

So yeah. This was a deliberate choice on Hiruzen's end.

The Disaster Hokage

We've already discussed Hiruzen's hypocrisy in regard to the Chunin Exams. Much like his peers and predecessors, Hiruzen has forgotten the purpose of the village and what "protecting Konoha" ultimately means. He ended up resigning himself to the idea that true peace can never be achieved in the world of Shinobi.

It's... not something I like but it's a clever justification of a character's cruelty: By making him a pessimist. But oh boi, he's not just a pessimist and it's getting worse once you really dig into it. Here's a small list of other things that Hiruzen screwed up:

Permanently bestowing political offices onto his unqualified friends and former teammates in what is best described as nepotism.

Waging war on smaller nations or their territory and inflicting lasting damages both to its land and inhabitants.

Trafficking children to forcefully turn them into Jinchuriki (人柱力 = "Power of Human Sacrifice").

Failing to implement the mandatory inclusion of a medical-nin on each team, even long after two world wars with massive casualty counts.

Lowering Academy graduation ages to send literal elementary schoolers to the battlefield.

Neglecting orphans and allowing them to be harassed by the village.

Permitting the practice of slavery for the sake of "clan traditions".

Condoning and sweeping a genocide under the rug by blaming it on the minor he and his friend had been manipulating since (at least) the age of 11.

Failing to hold Danzo accountable for repeatedly forcing children into killing their friends and families and blackmailing a literal orphanage.

Failing to deliver justice to Orochimaru after kidnapping, experimenting, and killing dozens of children, besides committing various other crimes against the village.

Now, I doubt that I need to go into full detail. You get the gist: Hiruzen sucked as a Hokage.

Once again, and much like with Konoha itself, I doubt that Kishimoto ever really intended to give Hiruzen this bad of a track record, or, at least I doubt he did so initially when he first created the character. Even then, he probably hoped to save his characterization by making him an ineffective leader rather than a malevolent one.

Still, the staggering amount of mistakes and downright atrocities committed during his reign, right in front of his face, make it hard to believe it was all just due to incompetence. Some can perhaps be explained or maybe even excused with the "cruelty and unpredictability of the ninja world", ends-justify-the-means-style, but we never even see him try to circumvent that ugly fate even though he is, supposedly, the most powerful man in the village. You can use that excuse for a child or a mere cog in the system, not for the Hokage himself.

And yet, here we are.

[redjaybathood]

Honestly, through what we saw so far about the upcoming series, you kinda just... Can't tell whether it will be good or not. Like, on the paper, Dark Trinity was a shit idea by a proven shit writer. The first 25 issues tho? Unexpectedly good both as a story and as a Jason Todd story.

So at least we can predict that: Helena Bertinelli's fans *will* be pissed no matter what Felker-Martin does. They never liked Jason to begin with, mostly (there's some overlap, but it's not that big, and they're less on tumblr and more on, I dunno, Reddit). Remember all these posts about Jason stealing something from female characters, or Jason fans actually, deep down, wanting to read about someone like Helena (Selina, Cass, Steph, whoever), but they just hate women too much, or whatever. Yeah, I don't think this (very loud although small in numbers) category of fans will love it no matter what's written. Expect the same complaints that Koriand'r, Artemis and Roy's fans made. It's just unavoidable. But that's gonna be less about a story and more about how her character was reimagined* and put into a book with a guy they don't care for.

*(if it will be - which, with what the author says about not liking superhero genre overall, well, I'm not sure of it is from experience with the genre or just overall vibe. Even if she didn't read much Helena comics... She could have done a tonn of research about Helena, read the best work with her. Maybe the end result will not be considered a reimagining. But, I am not so sure, even if that was happening, that it will help with the disregard canon attitude, prevalent in fandom and dictated by the medium itself (i.e. Huntress in New52 isn't the Huntress in '88)

What about Jason fans? Ehh. Look, I honest to god seen fans who LIKED Cheer. And that's just shows that there will be someone who liked it (not necessarily the same ppl who liked Cheer, it's just - it boggles my mind someone thinks it's a good JPT story). And there will be some who did not. The proportion, though...

What do we know so far:

1) Jason leaves Gotham. Which, yay! Wasn't it what a good chunk of us asked for? Except, of course, those of us who like: why does he have to leave? That's his city.

2) Jason partners with Helena. Which, yay! Wasn't it what... Yeah. It was. Because it is indeed compelling, for a Jason story, to put someone to be juxtaposed against. It doesn't work that well with Bruce past UtRH, never worked with Tim and Dick, wasn't really a thing with Cass, Steph, Damian, or Duke - and like, I get it, Jason's fans are mostly adults, and the last two have a much younger audience, on average. It won't mix well, if you want to really dig into similarities and differences.

So, on paper, Helena is a good choice of a partner!

3) There might be some romantic relationship between Jason and Helena. Which, maybe the biggest thing that wasn't on anyone's list. Like, if you are inspired by Nick Robles' cover - here it is on bluesky - I don't blame you, but if you gonna say "let women fuck whoever they want" I need you to remember that Helena is an imaginary woman who will want to fuck whoever her author or editorial mandate wants to fuck. And sure, maybe we shouldn't let pesky things like her being Dick's ex stop from being open minded. Because let's be real here, that relationship wasn't of that much significance at least for Dick. And yeah, the dating pool, if you are choosing between supers, is fairly small. She couldn't be written dating, I dunno, Dr.Fate, could she? I mean, she could have, but... It would be a even more surprising pairing.

I don't necessarily agree that a book should include dating? Like, it can very well be written without. If you know me, I was very against jaytemis, for example, even if I love them separately and together. And yeah, I am a jayroy fan, but that doesn't follow that I want Jason and Roy to have romantic or sexual relationship in canon. I am not against them being married with kids, tho. For tax reasons or not to testify against each other, or just pooling resources, or just for companionship... But okay, I am going to syop right here because this post isn't supposed to be about my ideal book that won't ever be published, okay. The example is just to showcase a book can be easily written without romance.

So, tldr, I sincerely hope that the romance either going to stay on an alternate cover, or that it makes narrative sense. I don't see how it would, and I have to admit i am sceptical. But it might.

4) Politics. So the investigation about serial cop killer, Felker-Martin is a pretty hard ACAB person. So from the point of story overall, the cop killer won't be an unsympathetic villain at the very least. Who knows, it might be Helena herself (unlikely, since Jason is hunting a telepath). Cops being murdered can have a broad appeal if you write them realistically enough. Look: "Sweat, blood, and powder burns. Broken bones and mind control. A city rotted from the inside out." That's about corruption of people with authority, right? Cops very likely is either a symptom of the rot, or a cause. And the telepath might be surgically removing it. (Upd: on second thought, Jason might be hinting that telepath either not because they're the serial killer but because they are behind the mind control and rot. Like a politician or a business man; or he does hunt the telepath killer but the mind control theme is also shown through, again, mainstream politics and business; sp it's not a given that the killer will be sympathetic but it doesn't matter for Jason fans either way. Point is, nobody will cry for those cops - unless they were "good ones" who were trying to change the system and the system literally removed them, and used their deaths for a political purpose etc). At least, that's the vibe I am getting. So this is not a worry of mine.

However. When talking about politics, what I'm worried whether the story will mostly serve as exploration of fascism - with Jason being the fascist. Not the cops only, or "the powers" (which, honestly, call me paranoid but it does not sound good in the current climate, as overall, but especially now, it basically is a dog whistle). Because let's be real, this accusation is not new for Jason. And, again, be reminded that she most likely views the genre as a whole to be, well. Fascist propaganda.

Which - weird choice to go and work for said propaganda, either it is too ambitious (to change the company from within) or. Not consistent. Especially with her being happy that editorial "let her get away" with something. She is not Pavlo Tychyna, one of the few survivors of Executed Renaissance by, among other things, writing only the things the party allowed to get away with.

That's not only thing she said about superheroics in a negative way. You seen that post with bsky links, the quote above is somewhere on there as well. I was drawn to this recent reblog.

On the other hand, she didn't say all that much, it's not like she's going over and over about how she hates it/condemns the industry. And like, it's a fair criticism, yk? Sometimes superhero comics are fasc propaganda. A genre created by Jews amidst the fight against Nazism and fascism... Now it's not always carries that spirit. Batman franchise, anyone?

I wouldn't agree it's all in service of fascism and inaction. But it also drives home the point how limited and skewed her perception of the genre and or industry is. Because there's a whole lot of different comics. Maus being certainly not pro fascist, for one (upd: correction , sp apparently it's only the superhero comics that are the issue so Maud as an example isn't a good one; hmmm a good chunk of Green Arrow, Swamp thing, Superman comics then). It's like saying that Cdramas are a tool of xenophobic propaganda, or romantasy is pushed by Mormons for anti-women rights reasons.

So yeah, I dunno, from the politics perspective it's my biggest concern, not gonna lie. It's not the politics themselves, it's - will it be a good story of the author isn't that familiar and or hates the genre, and might have not read much about the title characters, or got from what they've read - "it's copaganda" / "Jason is pro death penalty" or whatever Tumblr lefties ranting on about nowadays. I am afraid it's gonna carry into the story in some way.

But, I mean, nothing can be worse than "Jason was doomed from the start" patronising hand-wrangling victim blaming bullshit. Not to point fingers on another recent Jason thing I am hesitant about.

So to summarise: most of what I've seen people worried about - don't be. She's award winning novelist, so it might end well for everyone involved. And yeah, not everyone is gonna be satisfied but nobody ever is. People hated the Red Hood: Outlaws webcomic! Arguably the best Jason's work in the last five years! Which - yeah I know I'm in the minority here, let me be. It only goes to show that not everyone gonna be happy, but someone will have the time of their life. And honestly - good for them.

[boyfridged]

tumblr might’ve eaten my ask in the process of submitting it so i want to send it again just in case but i loved burning money! it was so so so good! something that was interesting to me was mai (and the others’) disgruntlement with the foundation—which makes sense, big corporation encroaching on small community—but it’s the first time i’ve really seen a stance like that in fics? so i was curious about your thoughts on it! mostly because the foundation is usually depicted as doing good and nothing else, which isn’t true, of course, there is more depth to it, and i really liked and thought your depiction was interesting (even if it was intended to be a one-off thing) so i wanted to ask you about it :) if you don’t mind!

it seems it did eat it, so i'm glad you sent it again!

i absolutely do not mind, and i am happy to elaborate on that -- not only in the context of the fanfic, but also in terms what i think of the canon and fanon depiction of the work of the wayne foundation, and bruce's philanthropy.

that scene in burning money is, after all, symptomatic of my own politics. but as i always say, there was also a time when dc attempted to take in-world politics seriously -- leslie is a sign of that! so i do not see why i should not, given batman is an inherently political text, more so than most superhero comics (where the power fantasy elements are not as pronounced in their relation to class and the category of crime). and batman is just impossible to read without a consideration for these elements of discourse.

the love that contemporary comics (and i do think it's much more emphasised nowadays; the editorial seems to feel a need to continuously justify bruce, and there is not an ounce of modesty in how charity is portrayed) and fanon have for the foundation is something i find perturbing; the excitement regarding it even in the more progressive fandom spaces, the willingness to indulge this narrative of saviourism is really hard to ignore. and that is a narrative i have little patience for -- i, personally, like bruce as a multi-dimensional character, his flaws included. and that does not exclude keeping in mind that he is in a position of power.

the wayne foundation is not a grassroots organisation; and as such it is bound to have it's problems at the very core of its mission. the main issue is that it has a huge potential to become an instrument of biopower; that is to say, that people in charge get to say what sort of help the area will 'benefit' from most; and that is often a calculated choice that has little to do with the existing structures and even simply the wishes of people in question. while not directly related to the foundation, this is also something that i wanted to come across in the paragraph about the plan to make the crime alley into the entertainment district (btw, my rundown of the history of east end is by no means a canon one; i took different elements and mentions from comics and even adaptations into it, since it all remains vague otherwise). even when providing the people with a new (albeit limited; there was another bit that i ended up cutting out, about crystal being a nurse and the foundation putting a lot of money into nurse training programmes, since it is productive) range of opportunities, what it often leads to is yanking the populace around according to their latest charitable ideas, rather than providing long-time support.

here is also another thing to consider, that being -- no matter bruce's best intentions, he also cannot control everything that goes on in the foundation (which again, he should not -- but that also means that his 'stellar morals' will not save it from corruption and even just administrative troubles -- like the 'queues' that arlo mentions in burning money).

and about the scene you bring up in particular -- i want to say that this principled (!) reluctance to engage with the foundation it is not supposed to reflect the attitude of the community as a whole, but some part of it. mai, especially, has a personal connection to willis (and jason); this is very much a matter of pride and resentment regarding jason's death.

i have another wip with a scene of a somewhat similar, if not more open, conversation -- that one starring benny harlowe, who mentions that after jason's death the foundation seems to have doubled down in their efforts to 'fix' the alley (a trope somewhat popular in fanon, along with catherine todd/jason todd foundations), and he says: "The whole time I was thinking, why now? What was it, our boy’s trust fund? They murder our kid and then come back with a check?"

while I do not (obv) think the whole crime alley knew Jason (neither as jason nor robin; canon does not give us much reason to think that bruce would approve of robin-era jay venturing into the alley), nor do I subscribe to modern-era exaggeration of bruce's celebrity status, I do think most people in east end would hear about a billionaire adopting a child off the streets and the child dying not that long after; and there is surely some bitterness and distrust to come with that knowledge. is this what they are -- disposable charity cases? this is, needless to say, not true to bruce's feelings -- but what does it matter? there is little dignity to be found in this whole situation (with the system) to begin with.

this got ridiculously long... sorry about that! and thank you for reading!