oliverreviews

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I just watched the new Rocko special on netflix! So I never watched the original show, so my POV more than likely doesn’t represent how old fans might feel, but even as a new viewer, it was enjoyable. A little goofy for my tastes, but it’s made for all ages to enjoy so that’s just the way of things. 

One of the characters from the old show is now a trans woman. Her friends support her and don’t make cruel jokes around her. Her father initially doesn’t react well to her coming out to him, but it’s lovingly resolved by the end of the special with the message “change happens and can be good.”

Also, the big corporate wealth is redistributed to the working class in the end and that’s just beautiful. 

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So I just played through the blue lions route in Fire Emblem Three Houses and while it was a great game, I’m more than a little disappointed mlm rep wise. IDK how much actually romance you get if do a f/m or f/f route, but Gilbert and Alois, two of the three m/m options, are very vocal about how they are married to women. While Gilbert has a highly estranged relationship with his wife, Alois talks positively about his relationship and having those two be romance options is just... uncomfortable. Neither of them particularly even flirt with you as the women in the game will. Even after you openly think about proposing to Gilbert, ring at the ready, the story just ends with him sticking around serving you as a knight. Again, it’s a wonderful strategy game with strong replay value to get the whole scope of the plot, but I am disappointed in this strange bromance being sold to me as m/m love. There’s barely even homoromantic/erotic subtext with 2/3 of the mlm characters, let alone canon text. 

Really, a stronger case can be made for Sylvain or Dimitri being queer.

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So according to the FE three houses wiki page, Alois, Lindhardt, and Gilbert are the mlm options. Personally, I’m pretty happy considering it was rumored there would only be one option. Could it be better? Hell yeah, I wish it was more, but paired with the five wlw options, it’s progress. Slow, painfully slow, progress. I will say, though, idk why people are hating on Gilbert and Alois for their age. I’m twenty one and frankly would prefer someone their age to someone Linhardt’s even with as cute as he is post time skip. Twink, hunk, or dilf, you decide.

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I am... nervous... about how well FE Three Houses is going to handle queer rep, particularly mlm stuff. My copy is pre ordered and should be here in a week or so, but the tension is killing me.

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I just read a summary of the last Throne of Glass book (I gave up when Chaol got his own full novel) and like... I really dodged a bullet there, didn’t I. 

No hate to those who stuck with the series, it just got tiring and all over the place for me. Not even my bisexual husband Aedion could save it. 

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Hello! Let’s get back to reviewing! So I recently read The Last Temptations of Iago Wick and was satisfied enough to write up a recommended review of it here.

“For centuries, Iago Wick has meddled in the affairs of Man for the benefit of Hell- and had a damnably good time doing it. As one of two resident demons in eerie Marlow, Massachusetts, he’s claimed some of the foulest souls for Hell’s legions. Now, with the twentieth century approaching, Iago is ending his tenure as a master of temptation and mischief. His final assignment pits him against The Fraternal Order of the Scarab, a society as secret as it is exceptionally unpleasant. Enter Thomas Atchinson, the mysterious as ruthless inventor-turned-demon hunter with a burning desire to obliterate Iago- how charming. They are quickly thrown into an exciting game of cat and mouse. With the help of his partner, Dante Lovelace, Iago endeavors to topple The Order and unlock the secrets of Atchinson’s shadowy past. What is Thomas Atchinson hiding behind that frigid exterior? Will Iago succeed, or will Atchinson conquer clever Mr. Wick?”

So this novel is a fun blend of historical fiction, supernatural, and steampunk. Iago Wick is a demon with both a love for the craft of manipulation and doubts as to hell’s bureaucracy. It’s subtle at first, but he is in a loving relationship with fellow demon Dante Lovelace. There is also an interracial wlw couple within the series, but I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.

There’s some gore and body horror, but it’s on the mild side and I’ll be happy to give further details on what happens and where to those who might need it. 

So far, there are two books and a short story to the series, none of which are particularly long. While the series is no heaven sent masterpiece, it is a fun romp into a fresh interpretation of demons and those who hunt them.

[oliverreviews]

Sorry about the radio silence, y’all. My laptop blue screened and was only just fixed. 

[oliverreviews]

Reblogging from my a-spec blog.

“It’s the end of an era as Bertie’s boyfriend moves in and her best friend Tuca moves out... right into the apartment above her.”

This adult animated comedy captured different facets of modern life and femininity in a funny and refreshing way. The world Tuca and Bertie inhabit is kooky and fun, yet surprisingly like our own.

Tuca has a polyamorous fantasy where some of the partners are women and some are men. She also openly talks about being attracted to another woman later in the show. Very much the disaster bisexual, Tuca hasn’t had an easy life, but sticks up for her loved ones and is trying to better herself. As far as bi rep goes, she’s touchingly flawed.

There is a married wlw couple in addition whose relationship is solidly canon and perhaps a more stable counterpoint to Tuca.

To me, the first few episodes were a tad slow, but the payoff was definitely worth it. With the episodes being only about twenty minutes each, I’d recommend giving the show a go.

Tuca and Bertie

Hey, so quick heads up. Tuca and Bertie is an awesome show for people who want a more feminine focused Bojack Horseman, but it also comes with some trigger warnings. Without giving away the plot, here’s some things to keep in mind.

-The characters experience sexual harassment and deal with its effects on their work life and self esteem. Aside from sexist comments, there’s also two scenes where a character forces another to stand over a steaming pot as they struggle against them.

-Another character is a recovering alcoholic and there’s a flashback to when they got alcohol poisoning.

-Cocaine use is briefly shown

-In episode nine, and I’m being specific here so anyone who needs the warning can prepare themselves, a character specifically talks about a sexual assault that happened when they were twelve. There are no graphic details, but there is some flashback animation of said character being lead into the woods by an adult figure before it cuts back to the present.

-There’s a verbally, emotionally abusive family member.

If you’re comfortable with some bird nudity and profanity, this is a great show with complex characters and a lot of casual queerness, but just keep in mind that it’s definitely for adults and may contain some themes you might want to be prepared for or avoid.

This also might not be a complete list, just what I remember from my binging the past few days, so keep that in mind.

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So this was kind of unexpected, but since I’m a Dark Souls fan without a ps4, I started reading the Bloodborne comics. The central character evidently has an ambiguous body and when asked if they’re a man or a woman (probably for the sake of getting pronouns), they just reply “I’m a hunter” so you know what, I’m claiming this one for trans and nb people.

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Luck in the Shadows

“When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But the one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhimenee is many things- none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon, Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, towards a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine, and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec’s new mentor, and this time there may be... Luck in the shadows.”

I just finished the first novel in the Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling and really recommend it to fantasy lovers. It was an immensely fun read with well earned twists, yet also wasn’t difficult to get through like some high fantasy can be. Immediately after finishing it, I was itching for the sequel. This isn’t a “let’s go on a quest” fantasy, this is espionage and political intrigue.

I’ll try to keep my write up as spoiler free as possible.

Representation wise, things were above decent. The royal family the characters are involved with is ruled by queens, warrior women. Monarchy also isn’t the be all end all, they openly talk about how bad it can be at times and the horrible choices even good leaders make. Women are soldiers, forgers, merchants, stay at home mothers, anything they want to be. While I’d say the three main characters are all men, we don’t have a lack of women on a LOTR’s level and the women who are present are treated well.

The two main characters come from vastly different backgrounds. Alec is a country boy and from a rather conservative culture where people don’t talk about being queer. In direct contrast, Seregil and those around him are highly comfortable with such things. Seregil is openly bi/pan and two of the four gods mentioned in the book are described as being individuals that are both men and women. Considering this book came out in 1996, I’m counting that as solid trans/nb rep written in good faith. Frankly, with how comfortable Seregil is disguising himself as various types of women, the argument can probably be made that he’s nb or gender nonconforming himself.

To my recollection, none of the major characters were described as PoC, unfortunately. Disabled characters were similarly absent.

I’ve provided some of the big content warnings here. We do get some brief descriptions of torture. There’s a dream where a character is confronted by their parent in a homophobic manner. The main love pairing that’s being set up is between a sixteen year old and a fifty something year old being with a lifespan far longer than a human. While a slow burn is clearly being set up and I doubt anything overtly romantic or sexual will happen until the sixteen year old has matured more, I know that sort of thing can squick people out.

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Halfway through Luck in the Shadows and I’m still having a great time. The earlier hints about queerness are being openly discussed and two of the four deities of the land are described as being both male and female. There’s also more women showing up in the story and man, are they badass

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Hi, all! I’m really excited to get this blog going. Updates might not be consistent given that I’m a full time student who doesn’t always get to choose what I’m reading or have time for games, tv, movies, etc. However, I have a lot of stuff on my list that’s ready to review, so there should be a steady stream of content for a good while.

Currently, I’m reading Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling. I’m only one hundred pages in or so, but I’m really enjoying the action and character building. Alec has so much potential and Seregil is so fun and mysterious! My only complaint is I’d like to see more women in the story, but there’s still time for that to be corrected considering how the main characters are fleeing from trouble at the moment.