grackleking

[grackleking]

Hey, I forgot, Granny said she’s making stew tonight!

Wow, that’s pretty ideal :^)

[grackleking]

You can get the whole set for less than $200 off of amazon. I swear, it’s the best of both worlds as far as Brotherhood and ‘03 go. Highly recommend!

So, I’m starting a thing.

I’m rereading Fullmetal Alchemist, and I thought it would be fun to talk about my favorite page from each volume! So here’s #1:

When Al sees how much Ed is going through, his first thought is, “I want to share that with you.” Now, Al, despite his warm and friendly character, can be chillingly practical, punching Ed after he tries to sacrifice himself for Al because he needs to keep living so that he can get his body back, and so that he can learn how to save people like Nina. But here he throws that away just so that Ed doesn’t have to bear it alone, even though being chained to the military could make things harder for them in the future. His heart is right next to his brother, and that makes him one of my favorite characters.

Unfortunately, Ed doesn’t really notice any of this, but it’s okay. He already knows.

[grackleking]

About Me Tag

Thanks a billion for tagging me, @icameheretowinry!

name/alias: Chris

birthday: May 21st

zodiac: Taurus (don’t know much about what that’s supposed to mean, but I am definitely the bull in the china shop lol)

height: 6’ 2”

hobbies: uhhh gaming, animating/art, reading good books only, and hanging out with people :^)

favorite colors: Red & Blue! True Hero colors

favorite books: C. S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength), The Man Who Was Thursday (G. K. Chesterton), Phantastes (George MacDonald) and A Severe Mercy (Sheldon Vanauken).

last song listened to: let’s see, the closest thing to a real “song”... Industrial Hysteria (great remix of SNES Donkey Kong Country’s Fear Factory)

last movie watched: Top Gun. It was pretty good.

inspiration or muse: Nintendo games. It’s a little silly, but nothing gets me artistically inspired or pumped for running like some beautiful bgm and high ideals.

dream job: making things? Helping people? Being a hero? It’s ultra cheesy, but nothing makes me feel happier than helping out or making something beautiful.

url meaning: best-sounding grackle-themed name that wasn’t taken. I love grackles!

[grackleking]

So, I’m starting a thing.

I’m rereading Fullmetal Alchemist, and I thought it would be fun to talk about my favorite page from each volume! So here’s #1:

When Al sees how much Ed is going through, his first thought is, “I want to share that with you.” Now, Al, despite his warm and friendly character, can be chillingly practical, punching Ed after he tries to sacrifice himself for Al because he needs to keep living so that he can get his body back, and so that he can learn how to save people like Nina. But here he throws that away just so that Ed doesn’t have to bear it alone, even though being chained to the military could make things harder for them in the future. His heart is right next to his brother, and that makes him one of my favorite characters.

Unfortunately, Ed doesn’t really notice any of this, but it’s okay. He already knows.

[grackleking]

My personal recommendation is always: READ THE MANGA IF YOU CAN!!! So much of the content in the manga is split between the animes, and it’s a lot more coherent to have all the brilliant bits in one storyline, *then* pick your flavor once you have all the context. I’m saying this really strongly, but it’s just my personal opinion and feelings, having read the manga first. (Also, I thought Roy killing Winry’s parents was canon. Huh.)

I love the manga/Brotherhood, but 03 scratched an itch for me, exploring new storylines and separating the brothers meaningfully so that their reunion was really beautiful and impactful. I need to watch it with someone again man

It’s so cool that you like FMA 03 as well! We need more fans like you in the fandom! X3

Awww thank you!! ^^ I can already feel a rant (?) coming on so I’m sorry if this gets long! 

I think I’ve said this before, but fma 03 was the series that got me into the fandom (even before I watched Brotherhood or read the manga). It often gets overshadowed by the latter two works as well. I really wish some fans would give it more of a chance. 

While there is overlap in a significant group of characters and (less so) arcs, it really ends up being a different story. Ed and Al don’t even come off as the same as their counterparts in the manga/fmab. They’re a little bit more immature and prone to succumbing to the frustration and darkness of their situation. And at a critical moment, fma03!ed does something brotherhood!ed would never do: completely give up his life so Al could live on. In fmab, Ed found a loophole that would bring Al back. If he hadn’t, giving up his life in exchange is not something he would do. He’d rather live on and bare the pain alone. With such a fundamental difference between the two versions, can you even call them the same character? Sure, they look the same, but it’s what makes them tick that really matters. 

All that coupled with the fact that Al remembers nothing of their quest to get their bodies back completely shifts the dynamic between the brothers. They end up farther apart in age, and the aftermath of their attempt at human transmutation is a cross Ed is left to bare alone. 

There’s also a lot of aspects of fma 03 that, story-wise, were creative, emotionally impactful, and just done better than brotherhood in my opinion. Ed is a more flawed character by the end, and even though he has good intentions to save his brother’s life, his actions end up negating a lot of what they worked towards, which I find to be much more human than the golden boy Ed we get at the end of fmab. The set ups of Nina and Hughes are stronger in fma 03, and thus, their deaths are more tragic since you have more time to get invested in their characters. Roy being the killer of Winry’s parents also worked really well, and really darkened up his backstory in a way that felt natural. Winry and Sheska’s friendship was the cutest thing on earth, and we got to see a young Ed cry. Ed is a hardass character, but there’s just no way he could’ve kept all that emotion bottled up until the Promised Day. You can fight me on that one.

This series and ending film also capitalized on the cliché of parallel worlds in a way that was ridiculously creative and original. They literally thought WWII au and rolled with it. I love that! Finally, (because this is already an essay lol) while the idea of the homunculi being the manifestations of Father’s sins is a really cool concept, the homunculi in fma 03 being the product of failed human transmutation is incredible. Ed and Al literally had to be around and eventually kill something that had their mother’s face (the very person they gave up so much to see again) be nothing but evil. It’s sick, twisted, dark, and I love it. 

In short, fma 03 deserves all the credit because it’s just as much of a rich roller coaster ride of a story, but with much more flawed characters and a darker storyline. My ideal kind of story really. 

[grackleking]

Is this how it went?

[grackleking]

Rules: Tag 9 people you want to know better!

Aww, thanks a million for tagging me, @icameheretowinry! Unfortunately all of my answers are really lame!!! Time to swallow my pride!!!!

10 Songs I Can’t Stop Listening to:

(I don’t really listen to a lot of music, so this is the best I could come up with lol)

• Come On! - Yoko Shimomura (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga) (look, you can’t blame me if you watch this video)

• Money for Nothing - Dire Straits (questionable lyrics, but I love a good 80’s jam)

• Imagine - Bruch (the only Korean song that I know lol)

• Say You Won’t Let Go - James Arthur (great song in general)

• Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson (yes, still)

• You’ll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins (still great to sing along to)

• Dreamy Somnom Woods - Yoko Shimomura (Mario & Luigi: Dream Team) (one of my favorite pieces of video game music)

• Guile Stage Type B - Super Street Fighter (this still goes with everything)

• Holiday with Mia Fey - OA (my favorite remixes of Ace Attorney music; really carried me through my feelings for the games. Go play Ace Attorney!)

• Dire, Dire Docks - Koji Kondo (Super Mario 64) (but only because I’m always referencing this video for Mario’s animations)

Favorite Ships:

• NaruMayo (Ace Attorney) (I swear to God this makes sense if you’ve played the games)

• Royai (FMA) (the best ship in the whole series....)

• Mario & Peach (look, this has been in my heart since age 5. Let me have this one!)

Lipstick/Chapstick:

Chapstick, but only for work lol

Last Movie:

Men In Black: International (eh, first three were much better)

Currently Reading:

The Rooster Bar (John Grisham, great lawyer novel writer)

oh yeah and THE BIBLE (you got to at some point if you’re a Christian™)

Aaaand I don’t really have anyone to tag, but that’s probably for the best considering all the rules I broke making this, haha. Hope this is acceptable anyway!

[grackleking]

Character Tag

Thanks a ton for tagging me, @icameheretowinry!

Rules: Name ten favourite characters from ten different things (books, tv, film, etc.) then tag ten people.

1. Super Mario

2. Phoenix Wright

3. Superman

4. Alphonse Elric

5. Spider-Man

6. Izuku Midoriya

7. Maya Fey

8. Professor Layton

9. The 10th Doctor

10. Link

Had to do a lot of soul-searching for this one... and it turns out that my soul contains a lot of high-ideal characters without too much personality! But I love them, and I look up to those ideals, and I hope I can be like them when I grow up.

[grackleking]

Get to know me!

Thank a ton million @icameheretowinry for tagging me!

Rules: Bold everything that applies to you!

APPEARANCE

I’m over 5'5". I wear glasses/contacts. I have blonde hair. I prefer loose clothing to tight clothing. I have one or more piercings. I have at least one tattoo. I have blue eyes. I have dyed or highlighted my hair. I have gotten plastic surgery. I have or had braces. I sunburn easily. I have freckles. I paint my nails. I typically wear makeup. I don’t often smile. I am pleased with how I look. I prefer Nike to Adidas. I wear baseball hats backwards.

HOBBIES AND TALENTS

I play a sport. I can play an instrument. I am artistic. I know more than one language. I have won a trophy in some sort of competition. I can cook or bake without a recipe. I know how to swim. I enjoy writing. I can do origami. I prefer movies to tv shows. I can execute a perfect somersault. I enjoy singing. I could survive in the wild on my own. I have read a new book series this year. I enjoy spending time with friends. I travel during school or work breaks. I can do a handstand.

RELATIONSHIPS

I am in a relationship. I have been single for over a year. I have a crush. I have a best friend I have known for ten years. My parents are together. I have dated my best friend. I am adopted. My crush has confessed to me. I have a long distance relationship. I am an only child. I give advice to my friends. I have made an online friend. I met up with someone I have met online.

MISCELLANEOUS

I can fall asleep in a moving vehicle. I am the mom friend. I live by a certain quote. I like the smell of sharpies. I am involved in extracurricular activities. I enjoy Mexican food. I can drive a stick-shift. I believe in true love. I make up scenarios to fall asleep. I sing in the shower. I wish I lived in a video game. I have a canopy above my bed. I am multiracial. I am a redhead. I own at least three dogs.

[grackleking]

Hey guys!

I’ve finally decided on my ~follower giveaway~ set-up! It’s going to be as follows:

FMA(B) Podcast: 

Episode 1 (subject tbd)

Episode 2 (subject tbd)

Episode 3 (subject tbd) 

Art Commissions:

Slot 1

Slot 2

Slot 3

*** I’ll be setting up a poll in a couple days for anyone to vote on podcast subject matter

*** The top three results percentage-wise will get picked

*** Fan art will be fma(b) exclusive (since it’s what’s this blog is about)

*** Slots for those commissions will go live after the 15th

I’m so excited to do this, and I really really appreciate you guys putting up with my nonsense these past three years! So pumped to see what you pick!! 

[grackleking]

ロロの奇妙な大冒険 ( Lolo no kimyōna dai bōken )

[grackleking]

Super Mario Odyssey Wallpapers for desktop and mobile  😎

4k download here—>

https://www.mattvince.com/product-category/wallpapers/

Enjoy!

[grackleking]

Thank you :)

what society needs to understand is that friendship and romance are not ranks, tiers, or levels. they are not above or below each other. romance is not a promotion. friendship is not a demotion. romance is not “more than” being friends with someone. friendship and romance are concepts that exist on equal terms, side by side. sometimes they happen to coincide. other times they never intersect at all. how relationships are classified is up to the individuals involved but like?? neither is inherently more or less valuable is the thing

[grackleking]

Conqueror of Shamballa redraw!

[grackleking]

Last Line Meme

I got tagged for this by @writetobuildtheworld. Thank you for thinking of me! 

I glance. They whisper. To my right, the Eiffel Tower sparkled outside like a tower of stars. The windows of this city are filled with life, and I spend my time looking out of them.

I’ll tag @hagane-no-heart, @the-flame-and-hawks-eye, @lonepiper5758, @jouissezduprintemps, @aheartmadefullmetal16 if you guys want to do it! 

[grackleking]

Haven’t seen Fruit Basket, but that’s definitely true. Kindness is a good and beautiful thing that everyone should have. Even if the “nice guy finishes last” thing is true, it’s missing the point. The goal of life isn’t to “win” or beat everyone else; it’s to grow and learn to be good, and to keep getting up again when everything knocks you down.

So, what I’ve noticed about Fruits Basket (both the original and the reboot) is that it challenges the notion that being kind isn’t a softness or a weakness of someone’s personality. There’s the saying that “the nice guy always finishes last” but honestly, this story is, so far, proving that wrong. It’s beautiful. Those who are kind in this story comfort others, are respected, cared for, and ultimately, valued above all. I know this story and its characters are not without their darkness and issues, but if anything, take away the message of kindness. As Tohru says, there’s a plum on everyone’s back, and I think it’s best if we tell others we can see it too. 

[grackleking]

Got tagged by @icameheretowinry to share my lock screen, home screen, and the last song I listened to. They’re all very unoriginal!!! Thanks a ton!!!!! For real though, I love my home screen, and Guile’s theme goes with everything, including running! (and yes I listen to music on Youtube, I’m too cheap for anything else lol)

Thanks a ton for tagging me.