#technical breakdowns

[theanticool]

Rewatching Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O'Malley 2 and thinking back to the endless promo videos we got before the fight. It's not bad that O'Malley and team were working a lot on breaking grips and trying to use lateral movement and O'Malley's reach to try to circle around to the center, but they probably should have focused more on keeping O'Malley from getting down hill at all.

The heart of this match-up has always been 'Can O'Malley KO Merab before the fight gets out of control and he gets crushed?' As dumb as his "I'll make it look easy" quote was, it was the thing he needed to do if he wanted to beat Merab. Much of O'Malley's success at 135lbs has come because he's been able to punish guys from closing range with that right hand because he is so long and fast. And he has success cause most of these guys just don't have range games like that (Yan and Aljo) or are so inactive it doesn't matter. One of the frustrating things from the first fight was how much Dvalishvili was willing to chill at range until he built up the confidence to shoot, giving O'Malley avenues to score and hold initiative.

Dvalishvili did not do that in the rematch. Forward pressure most of the night. Kind of feel dumb for not realizing how much O'Malley will concede to a guy pressing forward. He is always trying to reposition himself so that he can land a clean counter as the opponent comes forward. A lot of people will just let O'Malley off the hook though, for fear of the KO. Merab was able to use that to his advantage, feinting to get O'Malley to retreat/move before delivering something meaningful. That's how he got to his first takedown here.

Feints with the lead hand and cuts off the cage with the left hook as soon as O'Malley hits the fence. O'Malley tries to turn to run and ends up giving up his back and the takedown. O'Malley gets up a couple seconds later but obviously it's exhausting and it highlights that Merab came in prepared to make O'Malley pay for trying to escape.

Moments later, similar dilemma. O'Malley is not threatening anything, he's in pure reaction mode. He's skirting along the cage. Merab had just landed a nice counter left hook in the center of the cage so O'Malley tries to create space. Instead, he bites on a feint upstairs and allows Merab to pin him on the fence on the double leg attempt. Cut the gif off cause it was too long but Merab is able to drag O'Malley down from here and hold him there for the rest of the round.

Side note: do not like O'Malley's corner advice. They're telling him to get lower and in a more athletic stance when Merab shoots and the idea should be to keep off the cage and take the initiative back. Think long straight kicks up the middle, jabs, and circling back to open space when you get behind the black line. Establish a threat that Merab has to work around. If you know a guy is trying to drown you, don't throw your guy some water wings. Tell him don't let the other guy drag you in the pool.

O'Malley looked better in round 2. Staying with one foot inside the black lines. Moving well and throwing in combos when he can, but was just running into different problems. First off, Merab is just a better striker than he was like 9 months ago. More confident in the pocket and less likely to just completely reset should O'Malley come forward with an attack.

O'Malley sells out on a big right hand to the body but gets caught with his head in front of his feet. Merab is easily able to fire back 3 punches and 2 of them land hard. And now O'Malley is back on the fence.

The reset problem keeps happening, whenever O'Malley tries to reset and create some space, Merab is just tagging him with a punch. He tries to go square so he can circle out to his right and Merab just comes over the top with a right hand. And when O'Malley does try to come forward, he it's like the last gif. He's selling out on a big punch and eating a flurry of counters from Merab.

Twice in the span of 30 seconds. We're back to fight 1 where Sean is trying to time and sell out on one big move. And while Merab doesn't complete the takedown, he's back to pushing O'Malley into the fence after punching him up on the feet.

This culminates in the 3rd. The legs are dead. Dude is not really moving laterally anymore and is biting on all the feints. He can't really distinguish shot attempts from the overhand on the level change.

Basically the end of the fight those there's still a few minutes left before Merab subs him.

Just nasty work from Merab throughout. Man has really built on his game in the last year. The sharp boxing and improved footwork to more reliably pressure, counter and close range is going to make him even more of a nightmare than I think people realize. Not sure how much longer he can fight like *this* seeing as he's 34 at 135lbs but it'll be a treat seeing him in there if he continues to make adjustments like this.

[crimsonmonsoon]

Breakdown gets pleasantly overwhelmed by a swarm of little Knockouts.

Inspired by this picture of Sonic surrounded by all the Amy plushies—

[nite-el-racoon]

[mistermalaprop]

earthspark knockout concept~<3

(This AU has been discontinued; I apologize for any inconvenience.)

Earthspark Knockout is just a portable backhoe passenger princess wrecker!! He was freed from captivity and returned to his favorite little racer (Breakdown), how romantic~

[this continues from this post]

idc if people use this design just pls credit me... @ me... i wanna see the good stuff...

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I feel like Unparalleled Aeons and Far Out songs stands out to me is how both members were given equal screen time (Given they are two). Because I guess the issues with the songs is how they have small amount of time for some. Well I don't blame some not just the number of members but also how some of them aren't professional singers like

Notice how the rest of the songs, the way housewarden sings like being the main singer (make sense on who is twisted version they are) the rest being like back-singers but still have some good solos. Meanwhile, the way Idia and Kalim sings doesn't feel like Jamil and Ortho are back-up singers nor them being main singers but like partners with equal parts. When I listened to the other songs, I can't tell who's who while the Ignihyde and Scarabia I can tell.

I don't hate the songs, but you can't help but notice that makes it interesting. Overall, I love all songs that have their motifs, themes, and lyrics. It's kinda sad these songs couldn't be use in modern Disney that much.

[My personal ranking(s) of the dorm songs here!]

I definitely feel like Far-Out and Unparalleled Aeons had the most evenly distributed lyrics of all the songs. As you said, maybe it was more challenging for the composer to balance larger groups, or maybe the composer was limited in how he could write the songs due to some VAs being less skilled with singing. However, I also have to wonder how much of this was intentional??

These are dorm songs, right? And the VAs are singing in character. So to me, it feels like the songs are storytelling too, telling us about the dynamics of the group through their performances.

Looking back on it, the two most balanced songs belong to the dorms where its members are the most deeply intertwined with one another. Kalim and Jamil are locked into a toxic codependent relationship due to their families' history. Kalim relies on Jamil to do practically everything for him, while Jamil is stuck in a servant position he wants to break free from and always forced to play second-fiddle to Kalim. Idia is constantly haunted by Ortho's death, and Ortho plays a huge role in providing support for his older brother's mental faculties (encouraging him to get out of his room and mingle with peers). Ortho is very reliant on Idia for much of his own identity and presence at NRC (prior to book 6), only allowed to be there because he was registered as Idia's + Idia provided tech support for the school. Idia also designed many new forms (gears) for Ortho.

Many of the songs are structured to feature the dorm leader--which I'd argue is thematically appropriate, as I will soon get into. I have a pretty bad ear too, but I was surprised at how many of the voices I could distinguish. The card soldiers, Silver and Sebek, and Epel and Vil were the only ones I couldn't quite make out. There was enough variation for me to tell the others apart, especially Savanaclaw (no way would I mistake Ruggie for Jack or even Leona for Jack).

Every song not only has its own genre, but also its own vibes. I like that Twst can be its own thing and not necessarily kowtow to Disney's more traditional musical roots. I personally wouldn't want these to be incorporated into modern Disney film or TV productions. When Disney tries to do this, it ends up sounding so tonally dissonant or mismatched with the rest of their OST(s). ... Anyway, here's a very brief analysis of each song's arrangement + some lyrics and how they're divided up-- (MVs not taken into consideration; I unfortunately don't have the time to analyze every frame and how it lines up with the lyrics.)

Heartslabyul's Obedience is interesting in that it is very symmetrical with its vocal pairings. Cater and Trey sing with one another while Ace and Deuce sing with one another. The third years are deliberately paired with each other, while the first years are deliberately paired with each other. Trey and Cater, the original loyalists, have lines about "[playing] your cards right" and how their ruler is looking righteous and smug. Meanwhile Ace and Deuce, the rebels, sing about not being "caught" by their dorm leader's gaze. It's not until the second half of the song where they mix things up (Deuce with Trey, Ace with Cater), but it's still very predictable with the blends (always a third year with a first year). Trey and Deuce, the more level-headed duo, bring up setting the table, while Cater and Deuce, being more of the "hide your true feelings"/"avoid responsibilities" duo, "[hide] behind a smile" and warn to not "get caught with your tongue sticking out". This goes along with the song's theme of following the rules to a T; all the card soldiers are in place! You can even say that the song starting off with the rhythm of a military band indicates the song coming up will be regimented and structured. The only part I would say outright "breaks" this rule is when Adeuce sing with Riddle (around the middle of the song?) but in a way, that also makes sense given that those first years rebelled against Riddle in book 1, but eventually come around in book 7 to become his supporters. Then they of course all chant together for the English portions ("Yes, your Majesty!", "My pleasure, my Queen!", "As you wish, my Queen!") where they express their devotion to the Queen, indicating that these phrases are something "[the Queen wants] to hear". (Riddle chants with them too, to show respect for the rules.)

I think the true chaos of the song comes in the second half. Trey and Cater mention running through a maze and how the Queen's righteousness breaks at that moment, then Adeuce elaborate it scatters like cards. Riddle remarks how this--the twisting maze--"[hides] the true colors of [his] heart". This parallels how there was an elaborate chase through the rose maze in the depths of Riddle's book 7 dream, obscuring his loneliness.

You definitely get the vibes that although everyone has their little solo, Adeuce, Cater, and Trey are there to support their dorm leader. Riddle gets about the same amount of lyrics as the others, but his parts are more embellished and have more vocal flair to them. The lines specifically assigned to Riddle also feel like he's the Queen welcoming you to his territory full of his followers ("This is the path to the Queen's rose garden", "The cards are lined up and awaiting their (next) orders", etc.). The lines assigned to the card soldiers seem intentionally designed--as if the cards are reminding you of the rules so you don't upset the Queen.

DIADEM is reflective of the relationships between its dorm members too, but the relationships are very different than Heartslabyul's. The song begins with Jack singing, followed by a line in which he and Leona sing together. Then Ruggie has a solo line, which is also followed by a line in which Leona joins him. It's only AFTER Leona has already shared lines with Jack and Ruggie that he belts out his own solo, which stresses that they will continue to roar, no matter how many times it takes for their message to be heard. This gives the impression that he swooped in to support Jack and Ruggie with their own parts, just like a benevolent king or mentor figure/senpai might do for his people or mentees/juniors. This is also what Leona essentially does for his dorm in book 2. Then once Leona makes his own declaration, they're all able to sing together, united as one. It's like he uplifted Jack and Ruggie to join his rebellion.

There's an interesting part in the chorus where Ruggie and Jack break away to sing (without Leona) about fate and laughing through the hard times which. Has some heartbreaking implications when you consider that Leona expressed as late as book 6 (and is strongly implied in his book 7 dream as well) that he sees hope in others, but not himself. So??? Him NOT joining Jack and Ruggie in singing about laughing through difficult times seems pessimistic. Around the middle of DIADEM, Leona shouts out commands ("howl" and "roar", respectively), each of which is punctuated by Ruggie and Jack joining him with the English phrases "BEAT DOWN" and "DO MORE". These come off like a leader rallying his allies, and those allies responding with chants for their cause. This is especially the case because right after we get Ruggie declaring that his blood is boiling (ie he's pumped now) and he's eager to destroy a future that has already been decided for him. Then Jack enters, saying that he, too, wants to tear down an unjust world. There is NO Leona in this part, it's ONLY Jack and Ruggie, who have been newly emboldened by his words. The song really highlights how much the juniors are motivated by their strong leader.

In Heartslabyul's song, you get the sense that everyone else exists to prop up the Queen/Riddle and try to keep each other out of trouble by reciting the rules. In Savanaclaw's song, you can see how Leona encourages his dorm members and they react by taking to the words that lift their spirits. Both dorms' members are showing deference to their dorm leaders, but in different ways.

Entanglement opens with Jade imploring the listener to spill their secrets to him. Then Floyd comes in, continuing the charade. Azul takes over from there. This framing makes me think of Octavinelle's usual schemes--that is to say, the twins advertising Azul's "services" and then finally introducing us to him, this supposed "wish granter" (a procedure described to us in book 2). The order of the characters' presentation slots in nicely with this: we start with the more polite and unassuming twin luring us in. Once Jade has set the bait, Floyd, the more conspicuous brother, feels safe to step in and really talk up what Jade laid out in the beginning. Only after both twins are pitched Azul does Azul actually show up to make his offer. Jade and Floyd make up the majority of the chorus, singing together to coerce the listener into making a decision, even framing it like the decision is being made exclusively based on YOUR free will ("It's all up to you"), when really, it's not. Azul shockingly says very little solo in the chorus, only "Now, go on, we're all ears", before the twins join him and they urge you to share your wish with them.

The latter half of the song gives Poor Unfortunate Souls energy; it features Azul telling the listener they won't find a better bargain than this, then Jade saying they're drowning in their own desires and finally Floyd putting on the pressure to close this deal. Azul then mentions paying a price and how his rules are reasonable, which is very similar to how Ursula demands her a toll be paid (how it isn't "asking for much", etc.). The twins also very characteristically warn you what will happen if the contract is broken ("punishment", "squeezing", "no escape"), like the potential consequences if Ariel cannot get the kiss of true love from Eric. Overall, Entanglement reads as the extended experience of you being roped into a Bad Deal.

Far-Out opens with Kalim (the dorm leader), with Jamil (the vice) following. This pattern of Kalim first, Jamil second (which reflects their dynamic in general) also occurs when they speak English in the song; Kalim gets his verse about the magic carpet first, Jamil gets his verse about treasure later. The dual nature of Kalim and Jamil is also made apparent here: Kalim is allowed to fly "whenever [he] wants", while Jamil is only allowed to "dream" about "treasure whenever [he] wants". When the two sing together, this duality persists: "good and evil intertwine", "[falling] into a sea of ecstasy", the part where they list several people of different social standing, etc. The one time when Jamil sings before Kalim is at the beginning of the second verse, before Kalim mentions a scarab flying in front of him. This comes off as if Jamil is leading the way for his dorm leader, like some puppetmaster dangling his puppet and tugging it along by the strings. I think it's very telling that Kalim's opening line is about describing the scorching heat of their homeland but Jamil's opening line is about... TEMPTATION??? Hilariously on-the-nose, seeing as how Jamil is the one with the literal mind control UM and he describes a serpent in the night with sharp eyes in the lyrics to Far-Out (literally describing himself). Meanwhile, Kalim's UM chant seems to be referenced, as he talks about singing and dancing. Both Scarabia boys sing about "giving in" together, but as the song goes on, the framing of the lyrics makes it clear they're "giving in" to different things. For Kalim, it's "the heat" (a stand-in for Jamil's mind control), which is made apparent by Jamil immediately saying "indulge in this feeling until it takes over" and Kalim later says he is "captivated by the heat". For Jamil, it's "treasure", something he repeatedly indicates as wanting to take throughout the song. For example, Kalim sings about endless riches, and then Jamil has a solo line where he says "if you desire it, take as much as you want"--and his dream in book 7 shows him taking all that was once the Asims'. They're both venturing to a metaphorical oasis to seek relief, but seem to be distracted by things along the way ("heat", "treasure", etc.).

Kalim mentions a golden scarab crossing his eyes in one line, and while this is an obvious Aladdin reference, it also makes me think of Jade's one golden eye interrogating him in book 4; this would be another time in which Kalim is taken advantage of by others. First by Jamil, then by Jade. At the very end, Kalim sings about undoing shackles (most likely referring to Jamil's) while Jamil sings about a party (of which Kalim throws many of) that will eventually exhaust. The other Scarabia character is at the forefront of each boy's mind, and it is also where their respective desires (friendship for Kalim, freedom for Jamil) derive.

La Volonté is French for "will" or "willpower", which is a huge theme in the song. Unlike the other songs so far (which open with a solo or duet), La Volonté begins with all members of Pomefiore singing about their "one and only wish", and how they intend to immortalize their beauty. This is fascinating in that all three of them have very different personal goals (Epel wants to be strong, Vil wants to be seen as a "hero", Rook wants to pursue beauty), but they sing in unison anyway, because this validates all of their goals as being "beautiful".

Rook, the most secretive of the trio, mentions a heart locked away in a box, then Vil joins him in speaking of a truth entering his ear--like in book 5, when Rook convinces Vil to go with the more unconventional picks for the VDC/SDC auditions. In one of Epel's solos, he tells of sweet poison dyed in crimson, which is wording that is very close to his UM name. When Vil joins him, they sing, "A little more, a little more...", which makes me think of how Vil intends to "perfect" Epel into a weapon to use against Neige in book 5. The fact that Rook sings about their goal "[being] within reach" is ironic, given that it's ultimately his vote that decides NRC's loss.

Though this song starts off with the Pomefiore boys together, this is definitely one of those songs that centers the dorm leader over the others. There are many parts where it's just Rook and Epel singing ("Let all freeze", "[...] grant eternal slumber", etc.) and Vil joining in later or getting a solo after them. The first "waltz upon white snow" invokes the image of Vil standing over the cold body of his fallen rival Neige, but later on Rook and Epel join in singing about this. I wonder if that's an intentional callback to book 7, when they delved into Vil's dream and found Neige... dying. It's Vil singing somberly about all the hands that seek to pull him down (all his haters, all the people who assume he is as evil as the villains he plays), not knowing "the worth of a true star" (ie himself). It's Vil issuing the order for your breath to still (as if your breath has been stolen away by him; this is also the beginning to Epel's UM chant). And, most importantly, it's Vil vocalizing to end the song--a song which, need I remind you, started off with ALL of Pomefiore singing. Now Epel and Rook have stepped back, allowing Vil, the "true star", to command the stage.

Oftentimes fans—and even the Twst characters themselves—will compare Riddle and Vil on the basis of strictness. This also holds true for the compositions of Obedience and La Volonté. Both songs have their respective queens front and center, but La Volonté is definitely moreso than Obedience. Maybe it’s Vil’s celebrity status that has him commanding the spotlight? It could also be that Rook and Epel are simply more inited under a common front (“beauty”) whereas the card soldiers are more selfish and follow Riddle’s rules as a means to avoid punishment for themselves rather than truly subscribing to his strictness.

Unparalleled Aeons has Ortho starting us off, and it's framed kind of like the middle of an argument between the Shroud brothers?? He seems to be addressing Idia, asking if he will shut himself away again, only for Idia to respond that "[he's] just one soul" and that "[he's] the problem". The fact that the song begins with Ortho and not Idia--the dorm leader--makes me think it's symbolic of many of Idia's social problems "originating" with the original Ortho's death. This would go well with the theme of persisting despair in the early verse. In any case, they continue to have this back-and-forth, with Idia stating that he has known dreams are hollow for a long time (likely a reference to his backstory and how he's destined to be Director of S.T.Y.X. one day, whether he wants to be or not). The two later on talk about sulking in the Underworld, which is something Idia notes is a common trait between him, his father, and his grandmother--previous or current heads of S.T.Y.X., and what awaits him too.

The chorus has both Shrouds singing, and it is very much structured around the book 6 disaster in which they attempt to open the gate to the Underworld, unleash Phantoms upon the world. They reference their "happy end" and Cerberus's engine revving up--perhaps to call attention to Phantom!Ortho, the third "head" and sibling to the Shroud brothers. Idia sings about how his loneliness spawned into genius (could he mean how his grief led him to invent a new Ortho?) too. In another verse, the Shrouds declare they will "rearrange the cosmos" and Ortho jeers about heroes that arrive too late to stop them. They're almost gleeful in the "whirlpool of {swirling) souls", full of despair and chaos as they finally realize their shared dream. Hilariously, Idia and Ortho shout "FEVER TIME", a special state that grants temporary advantages in games--indicating that, at least to the Shroud brothers, they see this all as one big game.

At one point, Ortho has a solo line about how a happy ending with tears is crueler than being forever alone. Is he talking about bittersweet endings here? Does this not describe book 6's conclusion--an ending in which Idia is forced to say good-bye to one brother, while also embracing another brother? Idia gets his own line about having all of the cheats and going at full throttle, which paints the image in my head of him putting together that cheat tool and delivering the weapons + armor to Silver and Sebek via magiwheel in book 7. Ortho's solo line in the chorus mentions entertaining trials and tribulations, which I think calls back to book 6, when he tested each of our little groups with mini games. Unparalleled Aeons is simply packed full of internet lingo and gaming slang, all being weaponized to taunt the listener.

The Shrouds lament about how they've been "forsaken by [...] Fate", then make reference to the Fates cutting a Thread of Life, sending them crashing towards "The End". They also later call to attention knowledge of past, present, and future, which are concepts associated with the Fates too. The cut life might be the original Ortho's death, or it could be Phantom!Ortho finally moving on, and thus Idia pushing past his grief. The chorus wraps up with Idia whispering "Welcome to the Underworld"--very fitting, seeing as I recall him uttering a similar line when welcoming the OB boys to S.T.Y.X. HQ (the domain he will rule in the future) for the first time.

Unlike Far-Out, which has an insidious vibe due to the clashing nature of Kalim and Jamil’s parts, Unparalleled Aeons allows Idia and Ortho to be on the same page. It really feels like a Final Boss and his top-ranked henchman scheming together to destroy the heroes.

Capricious Calamity is technically another song which centers the dorm leader, but not in the same way that La Volonté does. In La Volonté, Vil has many solos, whereas in Capricious Calamity, Malleus is the subject of the song, the one being praised and worshipped (using archaic terminology). Given that Diasomnia seems to be a cult of personality around Malleus, this direction makes sense--and the choice to open with Sebek, THE Malleus fanboy, singing about his master's radiance shining brightly in the night, also makes sense. Sebek also closes off the second verse, declaring "unending tribute" to Malleus.

The first verse slowly evolves with a new character added per line. First there's only Sebek, but then it becomes Sebek and Silver together. It gives the vibes of wandering into an old castle and running into the ruler's guards who are evaluating you before you may be graced with their lord's presence. Lilia (the eldest and most experienced of them all) then gets a brief solo before making way for Malleus. It feels like Lilia showed up to announce their prince's arrival, and how all should make way for him. And of course the first thing Malleus says is that he "knows not of celebration"... This is followed up by Silver mentioning that Malleus "wishes for a miracle" (to be invited/included). Then Silver, Sebek, and Lilia speak of this as a transgression which warrants judgment. Again, Lilia concludes this verse with the line about judgment, which harkens back to earlier, when he seemingly "announced" Malleus.

Malleus leads the chorus once Lilia has summoned him. He calls himself an omen that comes with the lightning (his signature), then his dorm members chant that all shall kneel before his green light. Disembodied voices join in, echoing that the listener should give their entire being to the thorns. It paints the image of loyal knights kneeling before their king and beckoning others to do the same in order to quell his rage. This is also the note that Capricious Calamity concludes on, which just further drives the message home.

Silver starts the second verse, noting Malleus reflected in the dark skies. (Sebek begins the first verse, and Silver he second; the two youngest in Diasomnia are also the "start"--the start of, perhaps, a future where fae and humans can live in peace together.) When Sebek joins Silver, they sing about how Malleus, even at his lowest, burns brightly. These phrases paired together, said by the first two of Diasomnia to "awaken" in book 7, make me think of them staring up in horror as Malleus's draconic form takes to the skies. They're terrified and in awe of his might. There's a part where Malleus and Lilia share a line, commenting on a commotion and the cries of the weak ringing out. These two, the strongest in Diasomnia, remarking on this... It calls to mind their battle within Lilia's dream, or even Lilia intervening when Malleus (as a dragon) intends to strike Silver and Sebek down.

At the very end, Malleus announced another omen, this time harkened by spreading thorns rather than lightning... thorns, like the very ones he summons to drag us all into a deep, deep slumber--the trap he sprung in book 7. I think it's telling that it's Silver that joins Malleus in song before the entire dorm sings together. This duo sings about an aurora that is overtaken by the abyss. Is this meant to be a reference to Silver and Malleus's final confrontation, and how Silver refused to slay Malleus at the crucial moment?

It’s really interesting to compare this song to DIADEM, the two performances featuring a prince. In Capricious Calamity, Malleus is propped up by his dorm members—but in DIADEM, Leona is the one propping up his dorm members. This really speaks to (and feeds into) the idea that Malleus and Leona are opposites of one another. A prince worshipped by his people and promised the throne. but still left lonely and emotionally unfulfilled… versus a prince scorned by his people and forbidden from having the crown for himself, yet he’s surrounded by people who look up to him and trust him to lead them… OTL

[tcifob]

fifatrainingcentre Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Tobin Heath analyses how the two No9s and two No10s in Salzburg’s 4-2-2-2 formation pose a range of problems for their opponents Pachuca – and how their clever movement pulls defenders out of position.

By overloading the centre, they isolate the full-back, then manage to find him in plenty of space – creating a great chance.

Heath also won back-to-back Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012), and her club career includes stints with Paris Saint-Germain, Portland Thorns, Manchester United, and Arsenal.

[puppetmaster13u]

Y'all have no idea how tempted I was to give him four arms like my ancient of space design lol

He's about 2'9" unless you include the full length of his tail, in which case he's about 7' (yes he's mostly tail lol)

If You Want the Colors Here

[knit-by-daylight]

You guessed it, another pair of socks 🧦

[i-have-dots-in-my-brain]

Astarion: *shaking Gale awake at 3am*

Astarion: Time is ever marching forward and your mortal days are running out. Every second that goes by is a second lost.

Gale: …should I be worried?

Astarion: time is an fucking illusion, Darling, the only thing truly real is death.

Gale: go back to bed.

Astarion: what truly comes after death?

Gale: …I’m not emotionally or mentally stable enough for this, go ask Withers.

[takeonmesumino]

My Takumi Ships (+ my opinion on Nozomi x Takumi)

Takumi x Tsubasa (Killing Game Route Spoilers)

THEY ARE SO CUTE!!! SO SO CUTE!!!! Killing Game Route was the first route I played and is one of my favorites as well. A huge reason for it is the relationship between Takumi and Tsubasa! I really liked how naturally it developed, sure it moved very fast but like...they are teenagers, teens tend to do that. They are so supportive of each other and help each other out when the other is struggling and and-

God they are so cute and the only reason I haven't talked about them yet is because I barely see any fan content of them (also Tsubasa stabbing Eito was so fucking based holy shit, yes girl protect your man!!!!)

Also Darumi and Takumi beefing because Darumi was Tsubasa's first kiss is such an underrated moment LMAO

Takumi x Hiruko (minor S.F Route Spoilers)

I've already made two posts about them (one of them is my most recent one too) but god I love these two as well. First things first their dynamic is hilarious. Comedy gold. Girlboss and her loser boyfriend jump into parallel universes, why? I don't know really, the route is kind of confusing.

You know what isn't confusing though? Their ability to fuck shit up because they do that...a lot. Does timeloopers suffer brain damage? Because they are both incredibly stupid (and I say this with nothing but affection for them).

Also learning the context behind that one scene in the Slasher Route was just so peak. Toxic but like...in a gentle way? Oh right...speaking of toxic-

Takumi x Eito (Multiple Eitos Route Spoilers)

I'm assuming if you've read this far you have probably played route 0. I shipped them already before completing that but...hooo boy was I in for a wild ride with them. I came for fluffy feel good boyfriends and left with the most nuclear toxic yaoi I've seen in ages.

The way Eito has felt isolated by his hate for so long. The way he yearns to be understood but also loathe people to the point of letting no one in. He has only ever felt understood after Takumi went back in time exposing him and his true nature. Having someone know everything you've been keeping secret is...intimate. Something he's never felt before. This of course manifests a deep obsession with Takumi, that plays out in many ways across different routes.

I don't think there's any ending that shows this better than the Eternal Hate ending. It shows how Eito loves through hate because hate is all he's ever known. Him and Takumi becoming one and the same in mind, body and spirit...allowing Eito to truly feel seen (although whether or not he is actually understood is kind of debatable lol)

Why I dislike Takumi x Nozomi but still believe it to be the single most important relationship in the game (Truth Route/Second Scenario Spoilers)

I don't like this ship. I don't like it at all.

But at least to me that's kind of the point of it. It's clear from the moment Takumi first meets Nozomi that he doesn't see her as a real person. He struggles with coming to terms with how similar Karua and Nozomi is, often comparing the two over every little thing Nozomi says. He does try to view them differently of course. And he does succeed at it in the first timeline...until she is dying and he misunderstands her dying words as confirmation that Karua and her are one and the same.

From there on he is convinced that Nozomi is Karua, outright dismissing her agency believing he knows her better than she knows herself. Karua and by extension Nozomi is Takumi's biggest weakness, it's what makes him hesitate but also what makes him do many terrible things. His desire to protect her often turns him into the worst version of himself.

It's really only by learning the truth, that Karua was never real but the feelings of friendship he shared with Nozomi when they were kids was real, that he becomes able to see past the illusions and see Nozomi as the person she really is.

His relationship with Nozomi is proof of the evil the scientists at Kamukura General Hospital has inflicted upon them. The two of them are cursed to never stand shoulder to shoulder until every truth is uncovered. Only then will they truly know each other.

And by extension themselves.

[theanticool]

Back with another cut together video. This time showing off some of the wrestling of Tatiana Suarez. Suarez is a former international medalist in freestyle wrestling, an extreme rarity in WMMA. She also doubles as actually being a giant for her division, as you can tell from this video where she's throwing around two former 115lb champions.

The things that Suarez does better than 95% of women in MMA is her chain wrestling and her ability to use the cage to secure takedowns. Compare how she wrestles off the cage to how other strong grapplers like Erin Blanchfield or Mackenzie Dern approach it and it's a stark difference. Suarez isn't smooth, powerful double leg artist. She loves the single leg, particularly the high crotch. Something I feel we don't see a lot of in WMMA or MMA in general. S

Suarez shoots under the cross from Esparza. Esparza actually defends it well. She sprawls out and gets the underhook/hand to the inside to block forward movement. But Suarez keeps wrestling. The ref blocks the view but Suarez arm drags Esparza's left arm across her body trapping it. Using her long frame, she's reaches behind Esparza and grabs her waist. Esparza panics and runs to the fence allowing to get the full body lock and takes Esparza back to the ground.

Suarez ducks another right hand into double leg attempt. Esparza is able to whizzer hard and free up a hip. Suarez continues pushing Esparza to the fence and is able to build up to the high inside single. From there, she steps around Esparza's knee shield and sit out hard to twist Esparza to the mat (running the pipe). This is her primary takedown. She loves grabbing the single and then wrapping the leg, often like sitting into it. It gives her greater control once on the mat then other MMA fighters who like running the pipe (DC, Malkoun) tended to get.

Another body lock takedown. While this is definitely a size move, notice how instead of just trying to explode up immediately, Suarez gets behind and under Esparza with her leg to lift.

Suarez sees Esparza along the fence and shoots a double leg. This is purely to push her into the fence. She gets the high crotch single leg and attacks Esparza's knee shield. Runs the pipe and twists Esparza down.

This is basically #4 again except Esparza manages to secure the underhook on right side. Esparza tries to ride the momentum into a reversal but Suarez keeps turning and gets back control.

An early career example of Suarez attacking with that high crotch single along the fence.

Ignore the numbering. Suarez attacking the single leg in open space and getting it! Andrade does a good job of defending the initial shot, getting the whizzer and putting head pressure. But Suarez has long ass limbs. She's able to use her arm to wrap the leg and then step around to get Andrade's left leg trapped. Proceeds to turn and dump Andrade as she goes to stand.

We've only seen Suarez in limited capacities since coming back in 2023. Two fights is hardly indicative of how she's developed or if she's prepared for Zhang Weili, a woman who has effectively become the best wrestler at 115lbs in Suarez's absence. There are still a number of concerns - how to does Suarez's wrestling hold up to size/strength parity (see the Montana De La Rosa fight)? Can she grapple off her back should Zhang decide to bring the wrestling to her? If she can't force wrestling exchanges, how does Suarez's striking stand up? Does Suarez even make it to fight day given her history? I hope so, cause this fight truly does interest me and is probably the last interesting fight for Zhang at 115lbs. Cautiously excited to see how it plays out.

[maeriquitecontrary]

Renko but make her derp.

Instructions unclear. Drunk Renko emerged instead.

[s1lv3rp4w3dc4t]

I love the ii contestants choosing their real names thing because I do think that fan and test tube would pick their common fanon names (like finn and tessa), but I think that trophy would pick some dumb shit jock name. "Okay so ive done some thinking, and I watched a horror movie. And that movie was inspirational. Im going to call myself jason." and the others are like "I mean sure, thomas was right there but jason works too."

[ghoulspaw]

knock knock, ghoul letter! 📮❣️ delivering a little message from <HAKU> today: beep boop I know you’re busy with classes but remember to take some time to rest!! you’re doing so well!! ily 🥰

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

EUEUUUEEE 😭😭😭 EUEUUHGHEUEG 😭😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺😢😢😢😭😭😭🤧🤧🤧🤧 *gently kisses letter and saves it on the inside pocket of my coat like a wife longing for his husband whos at war and is waiting for his return*

CRYINHB SOBBING QUITE LITERALLY THE BEST THING I'VE SEEN/HAS HAPPENED TO ME all week TODAY THANK U SM LIN I LOVE IT (AND ILY!!!!!!!!!!!) 🥺🥺🥺💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[tcifob]

fifatrainingcentre 🎯 Barrios breaks the deadlock!

Atlético have counter-attacking in their DNA.

Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Tobin Heath breaks down what makes the La Liga side so dangerous: „It’s team-counter-attacking football. This isn’t just one player going.”

Seattle set up for a long goal kick, thinking they’re in control—but in just a few seconds, instinct, intensity, and perfectly timed runs flipped the script. From first contact to fourth runner, it’s classic Atlético: transitional football at its ruthless best.

Heath also won back-to-back Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012), and her club career includes stints with Paris Saint-Germain, Portland Thorns, Manchester United, and Arsenal.

[puppetmaster13u]

SO. Thinkin of This AU/Thread of ideas. Y'know, Halfa Jason adopting the entire liminal class. That one.

But what if, Dragon. Because I am in fact weak to dragon AUs. And I could draw them, but instead have scrys beneath the keep reading bit.

So, Ghosts are Dragons sort of AU. Which means that the people in Crime Alley debate on whether local dad Peter (Who is totally with Red Hood they're sure) & the kids are dragon-based metas, or in fact straight up dragons disguised as humans.

Jason isn't exactly oblivious about this per se, but like, dude also has 13 kids ranging from 4 to 6 who are also both very powerful and also traumatized from the whole GIW experiments going on. So. He's understandable more than a bit Distracted.

Jason [Star Core] & Jazz [Ocean Core] & Jordan [Sun Core]

Kyle [Shadow Core] & Kwan [Wind Core] & Dash [Speed Core]

Wes [Light Core] & Paulina [Fire Core] & Star [Electric Core]

Sam [Life Core] & Tucker [Storm Core] & Valerie [Metal Core]

Ellie [Moon Core] & Danny [Space Core] [& Bonus Fright Knight just Because]

Also have link to the designs of the fam for the base Au

Psspspsps @mkarchin713 @radiance1 @hdgnj @theobliviousshipper perhaps u may enjoy or have ideas