#(esp when compared to that... OTHER live action)

[tragicclownwrites]

🤡

[a-queer-seminarian]

I made these charts to provide an easy reference guide for comparing the four Gospels! Feel free to share around wherever.

I think tumblr's crunching up these images so visit here for crisper versions (plus they're table format instead of png format).

Alt text version is under the readmore, necessarily formatted slightly differently but with all the same info.

TEXT ONLY / NON CHART VERSION:

Images show two charts, each credited to Avery Arden with a note that the material largely derives from the abridged version of Raymond E. Brown's An Introduction to the New Testament.

Chart 1: Comparing the Gospels, Part 1 – historical context

Mark

When: 

Late 60s/early 70s

Who:

Jewish

Multi-lingual — peppers Aramaic into the Greek

Where:

Rome or Syria (clearly unfamiliar with Palestinian geography)

To whom:

Mainly to Gentiles new to Christianity who were experiencing persecution

Priorities:

Encourage audience and show them how their suffering fit into Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom of God

Matthew:

When: 

Late 70s/80s

Who: 

Jewish 

Also multi-lingual, with Aramaic phrases;

Greek more polished than Mark’s

Where:

Probably in or near Antioch (in Syria); possibly Galilee

To Whom: 

Mainly to well-educated Jews who were debating internally about how Jewish tradition fit into following Jesus

Priorities: 

Promote Messiah Jesus who fulfills audience’s Jewish scriptures

inform church life and structure

Luke

When:

mid-to-late-80s

Who:

Gentile (possibly Jewish convert)

Educated Greek “historian” familiar with Septuagint; no use of Aramaic; expert use of Greek

Where:

Probably Greece; possibly Syria; also unfamiliar with Palestine

To whom:

Mainly to wealthy Gentiles influenced by Paul’s mission; living in an urban setting

Priorities:

Promote Isaiah-like Jesus; challenge audience to live out faith more actively (e.g., by redistributing wealth)

John

When: 

90s / as late as 110

Who:

Jewish 

Student(s) of “the Beloved Disciple” (the “Johannine school”)

Where:

Traditionally Ephesus; possibly Syria

To whom:

To a mixed crowd of Jews & Gentiles, at a time when tensions between Jews who did & didn’t follow Jesus had reached an all-time high

Priorities:

Promote Jesus’s divinity; strengthen unity in a group increasingly defining itself as separate from Jewish ones

Chart 2: Comparing the Gospels, Part 2 — Thematic Content

Mark

Emphasizes Jesus as:

Jesus as miracle-worker / healer; human being 

Unafraid to depict human limitations & emotions in Jesus

Other defining attributes / content:

Focuses on Jesus’s actions, e.g., his miracles; as well as on his suffering and death

Originally ended with the empty tomb & fear; no resurrection relief

The disciples often fail to understand Jesus; Jesus is frequently secretive about his identity

Matthew

Emphasizes Jesus as:

A Moses figure, Messiah, Son of God; teacher

Removes descriptions that make Jesus seem limited, naïve

Other defining attributes / content:

Beatitudes (ch. 5); judgment of the “sheep and goats” (ch. 25); 

Instructions for intracommunal relationships; forgiveness; “Great Commission” (ch. 28)

Polishes Mark’s depiction of the disciples to present them more favorably (esp. Peter as the “rock” of the church)

Luke

Emphasizes Jesus as:

Self-aware Son of God; prophet of the poor

Removes descriptions that make Jesus seem emotional, harsh, or weak

Other defining attributes / content:

Beatitudes (ch. 6) — with added “woes”; frequent warnings about risks of wealth

Also depicts disciples more favorably

Favorable depictions of tax collectors as sinners on the way to redemption; 

negative views of Pharisees as rejectors of Jesus, juxtaposed with stories of Gentiles who express faith

John

Emphasizes Jesus as:

Divine, the Word / “I Am” made flesh; lamb of God

Often misunderstood by disciples & crowds due to his use of figurative language

Other defining attributes / content:

Poetic format, full of symbolism; similarities to Gnostic texts that arose in the same era

Lots of “testimony” and “signs”

Despite Jesus & his disciples being Jewish, John depicts “the Jews” as being against Jesus; his Jesus says things like “It is written in your law…”

[meerey]

what anon said!!! while i was never particularly a lewis fan, i always rated him highly and appreciated his presence in the sport and his activism. in a sport full of sexist homophobic white men, as a queer poc woman its natural of course. but yeah the more u look through the cracks, the more fake and ingenuine it looks. i’ve kinda hesitated on talking abt this until recently cuz it felt like no one else understood. it feels like ppl usually ignore this stuff abt him so it always felt uncomfortable to talk abt it. he just says things but his actions are completely different. feels like all talk no action. i also feel like a lot of lewis fans talk abt him as if he’s morally superior compared to the other drivers when he engages with controversial/disgusting things just like the rest of them. it’s hard not to be disappointed in him esp considering the activism is like his entire persona. but yeah i get u guys.

He's a rich man who lives a rich life and wants to get richer. I'm not surprised or disappointed by that, I want him to thrive and land successful business deals.

But a little more research and better background checks wouldn’t hurt. It was his choice to build his image on activism and inclusivity. It’s not about dragging him, I just want him to do better because I know he can, he's shown it before.

[victimized-martyr]

Did you ever mention how you got into kyman? Personally speaking, I got into it (again) around 2020 when I rewatched sp, and I basically fell down the rabbit hole. I’ve been into it on and off since then.

I probably did somewhere, but I'll say it again!

I wanted to see what SP was all about so I decided to just watch the most recent episode/special at the time-- post covid. But I realized, it was a story that wasn't forgiving for newcomers, and I had NO idea who was who. I have vivid memories of being weirded out by the redhead guy being upset about the rabbi dude's wife and kids. Then when he said "did you know that he once snuck into my room and gave me fucking aids?!" I GASPED bc one, it was super out of nowhere, super crude, and two, I falsely assumed like, OHHHHH they're gay exes... that explains this weird behavior. I'm sorry what else was my dumb ass supposed to assume! And I watched the rest of the special viewing them in that context hgkd But when I started to properly watch the show from the beginning/ hop between episodes, I felt embarrassed for myself, I was like HOW on earth could I have made that false assumption. I was actually grossed out by the thought of kyman at the start! I knew that Cartman was obsessed with Kyle, and that they did care for each other as friends, but I couldn't fathom Cartman's obsession being anything genuine or Kyle reciprocating. I even made a post abt it on my main as I was watching the show, it might still be in there somewhere lol. I was happy just watching the show as is and I was like, dang! This might be the first thing I get into without shipping anyone! Then, my buddy @shpadoinkle-day texted me what was practically the kyman manifesto and urged me to "wait till seasons 20/21, it'll change everything"

at the same time, an irl buddy watched THAT moment in Manbearpig w/ me for the first time and went "that's... kinda fruity" and I was also like?? yeah?? damn... Then I saw seasons 20/21 and it opened up my eyes. I think it was the only seasons I was so enthralled with to completely binge in one night ghfksd and I. was. floored. Kyle crying over cartman? during a montage of couples breaking up? Kyle being speechless when he saw cartman get a gf? Kyle questioning if he liked heidi, Kyle's stupid ass "we're all going out with Cartman right now", how he inserted himself in the relationship so hard, yet when taking heidi from cartman, talks as if he wasn't doing it for Heidi. His frustration at Heiman was at the very top in list of justification at bombing a country (yes, Kyle says he's upset a girl he liked turned into cartman... but there's layers in that statement, esp. compared to kyle's actions). Kyle memorizing the day they got together, confronting Heidi and asking how Cartman is doing as a boyfriend, what specifically she finds about him that's redeemable (and we all know how Kyle is about finding the good in people), batshit insane things a normal person (like stan) wouldn't ask his friend's girlfriend. And then of course, Kyle dropping all that effort when they break up. Insanity. I realized the obsession was mutual, and rewatching the show in that context completely rerouted my watching experience with the show. It kinda made it funnier for me too lolol. I started picking up on all the evidence I saw shippers point at, and I got what they meant fr. Kyle and Cartman are assholes and poke at each other's insecurities, have hurt each other, yet will not let the other die, Kyle is usually the first one to call for cartman if something happens to him, he saves him when he doesn't deserve it, and Cartman, as stated by Stan, cannot live without him. And it's subtly shown he wouldn't keep kyle just to rag on, bc if that were the case, he would not hesitate to hold it over Kyle's head. Their feelings for each other are very complex, and--if you really pay attention to the show--mutual.

[feuqueerfire]

Wandee Goodday Ep 7 Live Blogging

Whoop whoop 2nd week in a row that I'm managing to watch the show right after it airs. Although I did consider not watching it for 1-2 days so that I can finish my binge watch of Unknown (I'm so excited to see petty Yuan in ep 8 heh) but thought I should just watch this one before I find out everything that happens through tumblr and twitter posts.

I'm in sort of an angsty mood, esp after the last few Unknown eps that I've watched, so I'm expecting some angst here too. Eps 5-6 of Wandee have been happy and fun while they ignore their feelings and problems, so I need some of that to burst and cause issues.

Ep 7 (June 15)

7-1

showing a little support for psychiatry, though idk how helpful it is to make somebody go when they don't really wanna go

Does Yak want a mouth kiss if he wins?

Yak finds a photo of Ter and Dee in a book and it casts doubt in his mind ig

ohhh Dee was planning on throwing it out but in the end kept it and he had even written "love Dr. Ter the most" on the back

pls Kao's frustration as the audience stand-in

"...might lead to losing them"

Did Ter hear the part that gives away that they're not real bfs

well, he knows they're not dating fr anyway but still the audacity to confront Yak like this

Ter using his knowledge about Dee gained for the past 8 years against Yak, agh. like you knew him all this time and must have known he liked you and yet now that he's finally moving on, you can somehow take action? piss off

both Unknown and Wandee have boxing

what is up with these grown ass adults not being able to live without seeing each other for a few days T.T you shouldn't even be thinking of not going to Japan bc you won't see Yak for a couple days

Why is Dee basically he sniffing Yak's armpit in the gym showers

7-2

Yei just watching Yak sneak out lmfao

fuck I think Ter's gonna somehow be here? I didn't watch the preview but I saw a screencap of Ter and Dee while Dee was in the tiger outfit or whatever, though I think somebody mentioned it was at Ter's place

speak of the devil...

oh, Yak's got a keycard to Dee's place, did we know that?

why is Dee at Ter's bruh

let's fucking kill Ter, I actually cannot anymore

I do think it's funny how neither of them are commenting on Dee's literal tiger sex roleplay costume lmao he's even got a headband!

Dee needs to snap out of it, get up, and leeeeeaaaave

now Kao is here too?

the costume isn't for you to appreciate, Ter stoppppp >:((((

why the fuckkkk did Ter start leaning in, I actually need this man dead and gone, get off my damn screen

and then spilling wine on himself and wanting Dee to help cleanup and now he's practically naked in his fucking boxers, I wish I could be normal about just disliking Ter but I am immature about my hatred for him the same way he's immature about his ways trying to get Dee

TER IS OPENING THE DOOR IN HIS BOXERS?!?!? AND DEE'S ALSO IN HIS TIGER COSTUME IM GONNA LOSE MY SHIT AGHHH

[Linguistics] oh damn Yak uses meung with Ter in anger

aw man T.T I get Yak, why did Dee say Yak always uses violence? I don't recall Yak being violent before this???

Yak breaking up, returning the keycard, taking the necklace back, ouchhhhhhhhh

Yak leaning on Taem

Aw man, Dee being sad at the necklace being gone

I think I would like it if for the rest of the ep + some of next ep, they're separate about doing their own stuff and missing each other and spending time with Ter & Taem only to realize they don't feel the same as they used to and when they come together again (hopefully sometimes next ep, I don't want it to be solved this ep tbh), it's with real feelings and confession. I think I also want Dee to confess/start the conversation since he's the one who fucked up (I know I ragged on Ter but how did Dee even let it go through all those steps omg)

fuck I saw 1 second of the preview and aghhhh I hate Ter, who could've guessed. I have some stuff to do so I'll be back for the next 2 parts later, though they're quite short compared to the first two parts.

7-3

back to watching but I'm having lunch so I probably won't type much

T.T

Ter realized his feelings alright. i don't know that i believe you lol, though maybe it's true since Ter's drunk while he's saying it

okay Ter accidentally fell, I thought he was gonna attack Dee from the 0.2 sec preview

dang, Yak's the one who leaned back and didn't kiss Taem. It seems like Taem wouldn't have been opposed to it?? Did she fall for him some time in the past few eps

7-4

oops was checking at the bottom timing bar how many minutes the show actually is before previews start (9mins) but got spoiled for the last scene of the ep

Damn, Yak's imagination of Dee and TEr really has him facing a humiliating defeat against Luke's character

I get P'Yei like despite everything going on in Yak's life, this is still his job and him winning was necessary for himself, the gym, money, etc. or at least put up a fair fight, not whatever that was bc of a fight with his fwb-fake bf that he has real feelings for

Aw, Wandee came back immediately and found Yak at his favourite place or whatever

Yak crying nooo

why am I suddenly paranoid that this is also Yak's imagination lmao

ah, indeed Yak had asked for Dee's first kiss

and Dee kisses him even though he lost

the kisses are mid but it's fine

damn, a hospital ball next ep? and how is Ter even in the show still wtf

I wanted angst and sadness and I got that but the way we got there was fairly contrived. Ter's sliminess I understand but Dee going through so many steps without just... leaving is like ?? I get that he may still have feelings for Ter that makes him not think straight or whatever but c'mon... am I supposed to believe Dee would actually go to Ter's place and have dinner there in his fucking sex roleplay clothes that he put on to have a candlelit dinner with Yak? and the violence comment was like... no? Yak's pathetic fight was also like... why.

The first kiss was also not impactful because we've established for 7 episodes that it's something very monumental to Dee + it's something that he wants to do with only somebody he really likes, so to have it 1) be a "consolation prize" and 2) come before they discuss their feelings or anything is resolved feels incomplete. It's not a grand or romantic moment the way their first kiss should have been. I don't wanna go back to goofy dance show or whatever next ep...

idk, this ep was a bit of disappointment in terms of storytelling and the way we're exploring emotions, I hope they can turn it around. They have 5 more episodes and so theoretically they have time to do stuff well but also... they have time to drag everything out lol

The necklace though T.T

[d0etickk]

Bio for Violet, all but her full story-form backstory.(outdated)

(made this moodboard quick lol)

Name: Violet Annabeth McCain

Nicknames: Vi, Violet in Wonderland(affectionately named by her paternal grandmother after her habits of wondering off/zoning out as a kid before it all got way too creepy), Alice(same reason)

Age: Around 23 when first turned. Few years older in most I write about her.

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Pansexual/demiromantic

Nationality: American

Height: 5’8

Songs I associate with her: The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen, The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails, Fool - Bôa, Zero - The Smashing Pumpkins, Rotten Apple - Alice In Chains, Mustard Seed - Kidneythieves, All I Want - The Cure, Freak On a Leash - Korn

Personality: Fascinated with death and decay.

Feral barn cat vibes. Can come off as curt or bitchy. Afraid of showing weakness/vulnerability(partly trauma and partly instinct, scared of being further hurt/exploited), but painfully craves safety and genuine connection. Self isolates as a coping mechanism.

A standoffish person, until she’s really comfortable. Can be blunt and/or out of pocket without realizing it. Deadpan sense of humor.

Addictive personality; lives dopamine hit to dopamine hit, has trouble telling herself “no” when nobody is there to interject. Craves catharsis(usually destructively).

“I can’t fix him, but I think I could top him and maybe that would calm him down” energy.

Can be flighty, relishes in escaping consequences. Lives in a cycle of numbness/denial, misery, and borderline mania. Copes with feelings of powerlessness/hopelessness with violence and/or isolation and vices. Grudge holder.

Love/hate relationship(kind of a phobia) with deer.

Mental illness: Struggles with disassociation(formed when she was young as a coping mechanism, persists into adulthood). Anxiety stemming from living in an abusive household.

Fun facts: Large birthmark on her left hip. Sometimes whistles when she talks. Says certain words differently(picked up from her grandparents lol) - ex. "warsh". Has an old pickup from her grandparents that she was fixing up before being infected. Always uncomfortably warm to the touch.

A time after her infection, she discovered she wasn’t the only Host THE STAG had. Vi spent a chunk of time hunting down and killing off another Host, which had conflicting reactions from THE STAG. While entertaining and impressive for a weaker Host to manage, the actions still warranted punishment and repayment. That is why present day Violet is far more mutated and ravenous than what she should have been in her stage of infection. She was forced to stop rebelling as such to not lose more of herself so rapidly(for now at least). She remains avoidant and hostile toward other Hosts.

Important family: Mother, Donna McCain(dead). Father, Bob McCain(deadbeat). Maternal grandparents Bonnie and Steve Sweeney-Graham(alive), which she stayed with her teen years onward.

Strengths: Survival knowledge(hunting, tracking, foraging, etc.), first aid knowledge, good with a hunting rifle, decent at stealth. Little more than average knowledge on fixing cars.

Abilities: Heightened senses: can track basic scent trails, can see fairly well in the dark, high stamina/endurance, heightened pain tolerance(or at least ability to mask pain), quicker healing process with greater capability(Hosts are pretty hard to kill), heightened immune system, ability to digest raw meat without issue. Teeth regrow(Knocked one out? Give it a couple weeks, it’ll be back brand new).

Weaknesses: Frequent headaches and body aches. Not as effective in close combat compared to shooting ability. Gets hungry much quicker, has to consume a lot of calories to sustain herself(body weight fluctuates quickly, especially in the winter). Doesn’t get much sleep, always a little sleep deprived. Injury prone(since she was a kid, but more so now that body is less mentally restricted), sensitive to light and noise, zones out/gets distracted easily, especially by animals(on the flip side, gets super focused on one thing and becomes unaware of surroundings), quick temper, foggy memory/can be forgetful.

Fighting style: A stealth and endurance hunter. Prefers to hunt long-range with her hunting rifle, or use traps. Tries not to directly confront, but gets real flexible about that the hungrier she gets. When confronted directly, fights like a cornered animal.

Brief backstory(subject to change as I write the actual story, of course):

Violet lived with her parents for the first decade of her life. Her mother working part-time, her trophy hunting father being an abusive drunk who made existing around him borderline impossible. At 11 years old, Violet's parents divorced - only for her mother to fall ill months later. She became bedridden, and Vi went to live with her maternal grandparents part-time(her eccentric "Grammy" and borderline dooms-dayer Grandpa), while seeing her father, paternal grandparents, and cousins on the weekends. This is when The Stag began stalking her - starting in the woods behind her paternal grandparent's country home, where her father was now living, persisting even as she went back home(albeit less intensely).

Vi was an extremely troubled child during this point of her life, becoming obsessed with death, and imagery of deer. On weekends, she would often disappear into the forest while the other children played around the neighborhood, coming back dirty and glassy eyed to grandparents worried sick. At home, she’d draw pictures—the same kind every time—and stare endlessly out the window into the fields beyond the streetlights.

The child eventually began having behavioral issues; becoming irritable, territorial over her food and belongings, picking fights with other children, and wondering off without permission. The very last straw was when she was caught by one of her cousins in the trees, smeared in blood, chewing on a dead bird.

She was then pulled from visitations and schooling and put into therapy. These issues were chocked up to strain from the divorce and her mother's illness worsening pre-existing conditions, compounding on bullying in school. These claims were solidified as the child’s issues slowly eased with consistent counseling and isolation from wooded areas.

Counseling, however, could not fix the wound The Stag had inflicted on her psyche. Violet’s time in therapy mainly taught her that she did not enjoy being the center of attention—that it was better to conceal things, pretend like nothing was wrong, and save herself the trouble.

Violet, as she aged and The Stag could no longer verbally communicate with her, lost a lot of the memory of her childhood(both organically from trauma, and purposefully from The Stag). She’d forgotten much of her outbursts, and of her time in the forest behind that house. Violet simply tried not to think about the missing pieces, as they both unsettled and humiliated her. The Stag’s voice instead faded into her subconscious, intending to continue influencing her now in subtle ways.

By high school, two years after the Stag could no longer verbally communicate with her, she had become a quiet, well-mannered, if a bit strange kid. Isolated, little friends, trying to salvage what she had of a quiet schooling experience, despite the lingering issues with her mental health(that she learned to push down and mask, if she wanted any kind of peace with her family).

This time of her life was when she really got close with her maternal grandparents, especially her grandpa. Her mental state was at an all-time high. While not saying much, it gave her the chance to bond over shared interests and develop essential life skills: such as underage use of a firearm, canning homegrown foods, and being forced to learn mechanic skills if she ever wanted to drive. Her grandpa even gifted her an old broken down pickup to eventually use, teaching her how to fix it up.

Months after her 18th birthday, Violet's mother passed away, as her condition had gradually worsened over the years. Violet herself had mentally prepared for this, rationalized it completely out enough to numb herself. Her grandparents, however, did not do as well. Her grammy went into a depressive spiral and became all but a recluse, and her grandpa kept himself busy with work and chores to mask the grief.

It was harder to deal with the shift of her grandparent’s personalities than the death of her mother itself. At home was the only place Violet didn't feel like a ghost, or some kind of freak.

It didn’t get much easier in the years approaching her 23rd birthday. While she wasn’t taking care of her grammy, or trying her best to have a real conversation with her grandpa again, she kept herself busy. Busy shooting, working, and most notably fixing up the old truck—which felt like an utterly empty task without her grandfather’s help.

She grew distant with her friend-acquaintances after graduation and wondered aimlessly trying to figure out what she wanted to go to college for, if she even wanted college, or something else. She certainly didn't do good enough in high school for any scholarships—and her track record wasn’t the cleanest either. That didn’t stop any of her still present family members from badgering her about finding a career path, and furthering her education, instead of reclusing and scraping by working minimum wage.

To make things even worse, missing fragments of her childhood had begun to gnaw at the fragile strings of her mind. She’d recall things — images, voices in nightmares, overcome with a sense of nostalgic dread, awaking as if the darkness of her room and the moonlit fields outside her neighborhood held a thousand eyes, all staring at her.

At that time, Violet couldn’t manage a single full night of sleep.

She eventually, despite knowing about the addiction that ran in her family, found vices to escape her worries, upon her own worsening mental health and relapse into past negative habits.

Violet felt like spectator walking through her own life, watching from third person. Too depressed and cowardly to rekindle past friendships, reduced to an afterthought within the walls of her own home. Tormented by a sickening sense of purpose she just couldn’t place. She felt like a nobody, spiraling deeper and deeper into a black hole of terrifying, confusing nothing.

The Stag did not feel the same way.

Isolated prey are the easiest to pick off, but Violet fell to a much less merciful fate than death.

Deep in the trees, Violet came to know the feeling of being prey—and the purpose the hunter had for her all along.

(Present Vi is a couple years after her infection, having fled home to live a life on the outskirts of society, in the woods half of the year, venturing outside when she can blend in. She remains as distant as she can manage while handling the grief of the life that was ripped away from her, the uncontrollable hunger and mutations she was now plagued by, and the parasitic entity that forced it all upon her.)

[horizon-verizon]

Elizabeth I's equivalences with Rhaenyra and Dany are not 1:1. For example, Elizabeth's success was due in part to her own insight and cunning (Dany) and knowing how to choose good advisors (I think they both chose well with the information they had).

What I find a little strange is the way they are trying to present Elizabeth's level of education. Daenerys has hardly been educated, everything he knows is based on observation and intuition, but like Rhaenyra Elizabeth also received good education.

"Elizabeth did not enjoy a happy family home until her father's sixth and final marriage, in July 1543, to Catherine Parr (ca. 1512-1548), who took charge of the welfare and education of her stepchildren, which for Isabel included the study of French, Italian, Latin and Greek, as well as theology, music, moral philosophy and rhetoric (which would later be useful for her speeches as queen, written by herself)."Mark Cartwright, 2020

She was separated from her during her brother's reign and imprisoned during much of her sister's, yes but it is not fair to Dany to compare her to Elizabeth. because although she was not raised with the intention that she would govern in the future, she had a very, very good foundation.

The glorious thing about Elizabeth's speech is as the other anon pointed out the way she empowers herself, I can think of other women who gave speeches during battles But they were fighting not for themselves but for their fathers or children, because part of their duties was to give these speeches. They may not have been expected to lead on their own, but most expected these women to be eloquent.

Anon talks about this anon/post.

Elizabeth I's equivalences with Rhaenyra and Dany are not 1:1. For example, Elizabeth's success was due in part to her own insight and cunning (Dany) and knowing how to choose good advisors (I think they both chose well with the information they had).

Hmmm, yes this was niggling at my head but I didn't put it into words. Thanks. I wasn't trying to make as if Dany was the exact same sort of person as to Elizabeth, bec as you said, different available resources, diff values even with the a good level of cunning is shared between them. I was thinking more Rhaenyra vs Elizabeth, how Elizabeth follows through with her words through her own actions whereas Rhaenyra "I will have my throne or I will have his head" does not build onto her own words with her own actions. Elizabeth at least presented herself in armor at the back of the battle and stirred her followers. Rhaenyra? As this anon states:

There’s no sense of balance to her, she does basically nothing but the wrong political moves, when she’s supposed to be the protagonist of this story.

And this anon:

GRRM in part wrote Rhaenyra as a litmus test for the readers’s misogyny but in my opinion it falls flat because he gets caught up in doing that and forgets to give Rhaenyra some dignity or respect as an individual character. And it’s honestly the same issue he has in the main series. Pathologizing motherhood in particular, esp. in relation to women who are also in politics while being mothers. Fathers are never “too mad with grief” to rule competently or make good decisions; only mothers are.

And it's GRRM's fault. The presence and loss of kids do not preclude women from militant projects or being, to be repetitive, active in their own campaigns.

So yeah, I don't have or blame people for not liking Rhaenyra even taking into account how F&B is written to discourage female rule. Because even with that being true, we know about histograhpies about Queens (of all kinds) like Olga of Kiev, Urraca of Castile, etc. who were both praised and reviled and had probable truths twisted about them but a few of both interpreters of their lives and actions still included and explained how these women were beginning wars, leading armies, or were heavily involved for their own interests. GRRM definitely could have had an imperfect victim who also did impactful logistical or strategic or tactical moments as she is also having to face the pressures of having her kids killed. They don't even have to always succeed, but be there!

(And some kind of can't bc again Rhaenrya has to die & for it to be a little her own fault [Nettles] for this story to work.)

Letters, journal entries, etc. just as Daemon and Otto did in the Rogue Prince--those letters, or their excerpts rather, were also included/referenced by Gyldayn in F&B. GRRM had his options. He chose otherwise.

[pescado-diabolico]

HELLO CORRECT OLD MAN OPINION HAVER i would like to hear YOUR thoughts on rei as well 👀

Thank you for bequeathing me the honor of being the correct old man opinion haver lol let's get started

Send me a character and I'll list some things about them

favorite thing about them

oh gosh what don't i like about rei... i love his design, i love his voice, i love how shady and skeezy he acts, i love that he does bad things!!! and yet despite all that he has a heart buried deep deep deep inside, he still cares for his sons in his own way, he cares for his division mates (even if they have to kinda. drag him back to them), he loves his wife and does terrible things for her ^/////^ rei amayado character of all time TO ME

least favorite thing about them

this isn't. something i dislike about rei specifically, it's just something i worry about with kr handling his story. i don't want rei to be forgiven for his actions and revealed to be good all along, it doesn't seem like it's going that way but WE SHALL SEE after the 3rd drb

favorite line

several! though more like "favorite moments" as opposed to a single line

1. i like when he calls the waitress "onee-chan" in aikata back again when he's meeting with sasara for the first time

2. i like when he refers to himself as papa when talking to jiro and saburo (hits esp hard in the stage show)

3. i lov!! his scenes with rosho and sasara in aikata(s) back again when trying to reunite them. i love that he compares them to himself and nayuta, his gentler touch with rosho vs his harsher, more direct attitude with sasara seems, to me, to mirror that he sees more of nayuta in rosho and more of himself in sasara in their dynamic and he's trying to make up for his mistakes. yes he's trying to get them to cooperate for his own benefit but! it's his care and concern for his teammates seeping through even if he doesn't want to admit it to himself yet

4. from the laugh back drama track: i love him and rosho being silly together and figuring out the best way to prank sasara, in the early days of dotsuhon's introduction, a lot of fanworks depicted rosho as being more antagonistic to rei (not. wrongfully so considering rei roped in one of rosho's students in a scam), and it seemed to persist even after aikata(s) back again, so having a drama track with just them together hanging out getting into shenanigans together was super fun

5. hypster drama track that was released around the 8th live where rei sets up a series of clues for sasara and rosho to figure out that ultimately lead to them meeting rei at the zoo bc he wanted to go but didn't want to be by himself because he'd stand out too much on his own. can't just ask his friends to hang out, no, it had to be a whole production. old man i SEE how moe you are, you can't hide from me

brOTP

saving dotsun waxing for the otp section BUT i love rei and hitoya hanging out as like. not quite friends but if rei's in nagoya he'll get a drink with hitoya even if hitoya doesn't trust him and they'll have a fun night together

i also like the dynamic of rei, samatoki, and doppo from the mixed up drama track, i like rei and samatoki encouraging doppo to do some. less than legal things to his manager at work and doppo humoring them by indulging his fantasies of revenge and venting a bit about work that way

OTP

me of course barring selfship, i can't bear to split up dotsuhon ot3 as a group. it's not as strong as fling posse ot3 and my ideal dotsuhon dynamic is sasaro with rei as their platonic emotional support old man third who they also have sex with sometimes, they're so precious to me and to each other that i don't want to see them separated (which is why i don't like rei/sasara or rosho on their own as pairings nearly as much bc it makes me sad to split them up ;w; i do prefer reiro to reisasa admittedly)

nOTP

rei is my fandom bicycle so i ship him with pretty much everyone lol i definitely have my preferred ships but i could squint and make up AT LEAST a fwb type dynamic with him and anyone else <3 love this slutty man

random headcanon

i think he has a line about it in arb but i love the headcanon that rei reads manga and that's where ichiro got his love of geek media from. also i think rei is down for anything in the bedroom but he's not an outright sadist daddy dom type (daddy yes), not quite a service top but he'll rock his partner's world for the night, whatever that means for them

unpopular opinion

feel like liking rei is a bit of an unpopular opinion on its own since he tends to rank at the bottom of character popularity polls lol THAT ASIDE i need rei to actually like. look like a middle aged man who spends his free time drinking, smoking, and eating bar food so give him more wrinkles and a gut and body hair!!!

song i associate with them

you get... four!!! this and this for selfship purposes, this and this for character purposes

favorite picture of them

there are truly SO many to choose from so i'll pick a few

this face!!! from the anime was my discord icon for the longest time, he's so cute

apologies for the poor image quality (this is from. a spoon 2Di magazine that i own but i can't take a better pic bc i'm out of the house) but i like his outfit from the splatoon event in arb, he's stylin

and of course... mad scientist rei, the card that almost made me download arb (but i resisted for a bit longer until my mental health was a bit better)

[sharpsuite]

Something I really like about this scene is how quickly it establishes Ann's value of other's lives despite Ann's cold seeming attitude and calm in this game. Especially compared to the other characters. It's easy to miss this when watching (esp if you've never read the manga beforehand along with the vaguely unfavorable first introduction we had with her) because she DOES seem cold and that she's asking more of this because she's criticizing Arisu's method rather than anything else. ( And her offhand - "Or six, I guess" since that one girl electrocuted herself takes away from the actual impact of the words). But at its core, she's saying ' You think seven lives are worth a guess?'. Which is the point she makes in the manga too "Using that calculation, our odds of survival are 66%. Not bad, but a bit risky for four people's lives, don't you think? "

Yes, she IS criticizing Arisu, by no means am I saying she ISN'T. ( Except manga wise it's some other character, but the point remains regardless.) She is criticizing the approach taken. But we see how much she does value other's lives. She's one of the QUICKEST to be shown she genuinely cares about the lives of others, even if she doesn't know them or isn't personally close to them. Even I missed it my first watch through, mostly bc i snorted in amusement at the "seven...or six" comment to really register it but it's something I've thought a lot about since. Despite Arisu being present live action wise and not manga wise, this scene is at it's core the same for presenting Ann's value when it comes to human life.

[tojikai]

OH GOD KAI… (sorry in advance for the thesis that is this message)

I know that Satoru always plays it safe with condoms/plan B but birth control isn’t 100% 😭 she could still be pregnant 😭

I’m going to find comfort in the fact that Satoru probably would’ve had a more emotional reaction on the spot if Naomi was pregnant. (I’m coping so hard right now) I’m hoping that Satoru finally cuts his mother out for good and let’s his father know how fucking disgusting she is.

I can’t imagine what Satoru was thinking. The woman that raised him using him as a security blanket for her own selfishness and then the woman he thought he could have a companion in proving that she’ll do whatever it takes to tie him to her even if it’s not what he wants. aside from himself… who does he really have as a support system? he has his therapist yeah, but that’s not the same as having your person. my heart definitely goes out to him.

What the fuck was Naomi calling his mom for??? “Hey I tried to r*pe your son and it didn’t work and he’s really angry what do we do now?” YOU made the decision to follow through with it knowing damn well he doesn’t love you, you own it. don’t try to blame literally everyone else for your cruel actions because no one forced her to do anything. she made the decision to take the decision away from satoru and for that, she’s scum 🤷🏽‍♀️

i sincerely hope Satoru does put Naomi behind bars… and his mom, or at least gets a restraining order on the two of them. they’re horrible people worth less than the ground they walk on and i hope satoru’s dad lets him rain hell on them two.

now toji… i’m happy they’re both open about not being each others first choices but that’s Yui’s dad. he has every right to be uncomfortable with the fact that Satoru has openly confessed his love for y/n but i hate that he invalidated her feelings of being uncomfortable and told her to get over it when it came to a pet name she didn’t wanna be called. y/n even said it’s not the fact that he talks about his late wife in general, it’s about HOW he makes her feel when he does mention her. there’s a big difference because he only does it in a way that compares the two. and then weaponizing her pain to drive home his point??? that’s definitely not cool.

it’s safe to say the honeymoon period is over and now they’re going to be dealing with the baggage of their past relationships. satoru is always going to be a presence in their lives and so will megumi’s mother (through toji’s words) whether they like it or not. i kind of hate that satoru is willing to give up time with his daughter to make sure toji doesn’t get upset (don’t punish yui 😭) communication is going to be key and they’re going to need to see if they want to work through it because love isn’t enough sometimes.

i wonder what y/n would do if satoru told her what naomi and his mother tried to do… i think she probably should know since it involves yui’s grandmother and who knows what that crazy bitch will do (to yui) to keep satoru. personally, i think that y/n should beat the shit out of her, for EVERYTHING that woman has done. to y/n, to satoru, to yui, to satoru’s dad? i know for a fact she wouldn’t let him deal with everything alone if she found out and part of me hopes they can rely on each other for this.

i’m still hoping for a gojo endgame with a reunited family myself, but i mostly just want everyone to be at peace regardless of what happens 😭 i think satoru has shown actual progress and willingness to ensure y/n and yui’s happiness at the cost of his own and i’d love to see them reunite and get through this stronger than ever 🥹

you killed it again kai! i have so many emotions and thoughts and i can’t wait to see what happens next. thank you for sharing your work and i hope you have a fantastic week! much love 🥰

OMGGGG i enjoyed reading this a lot !! esp. the part where you pointed out how yn's problem was not just toji mentioning his late wife. but rather, how it makes her feel. it wasn't a surprise to her that he'd talk about her at times since she knows about his past, what made yn sad was how it seems like he was trying to tell her to do what she does. that's why she said she felt like a 'placeholder.' :'(( and yeah, the betrayal satoru felt when he found out how his mom spoke w naomi abt it is just too much, and the fact that he has to bear it by himself too :((( as for him giving up their time together w Yui so as to not upset toji, does not only show selflessness but also his hopelessness. he's thinking abt long term, like the school events thing mentioned, which implies that he really thinks that he's got no chance w yn anymore yet he's still trying to make it all up to her 🥹 i feel like satoru's been through too much during these past few chapters😭 anyways, thank you much for sharing your thoughts and for your support <33 it took a bit for me to respond to asks, but i hope you're doing well~ take care !!

[zzencat]

Hii, can I know which Kpop idol my future partner/husband most resembles and I don't even know if it's possible to know from tarot cards, but I would like to know what is the academic status of my future husband? Meaning how educated are they??

🍭🔮🤎, ♑, SS

Thank you 🐭

Sending you lots of blessings and love 💕

hi SS!! i love that kind of question it’s interesting af hahah thanks for sending it in!! it’s pretty long but count it as your morning newspaper or bedtime story:

kpop idols your future partner/husband resembles (personality):

has leadership qualities and spends a lot of time alone

might be gullible or spends a lot of time browsing shopping catalogs (most of the time for retail therapy), falls in the rabbit hole of “oh that looks interesting too…and this one…hmm, do i need that one? i might need it…maybe…oh but this one-“ you get my point hahaha

^ but they have an innocence to it. like naiveness to things like that. they’re incredibly open minded, which pulls me more toward the possibility that they could be a leader of something

this person should remind you of an old friend, a very home-y and comfortable vibe — a person that would do anything and everything for you

like the leaders that engage with fans on their lives and get shy-ish easily

action oriented!! bro is productive af and creative. workaholic too

daddy vibes

this person…works wayyyyyyy too hard. they’re very hard on themselves and never rests. it’s like they have this never ending ambition to chase their dreams and goals, pursue their creative desires—it really sucks bc everyone can see it, how they’re trapping themselves in a cage that only they can get out of. if you tell them to take a break, they’ll look at you with bloodshot eyes (after like what, 2 hours of sleep for 3 days?) and a bright smile and they’ll be like “nah, im not even tired! i still have more to finish!” but in an optimistic voice still. they never wanna see you worry for them, but inevitably, you do. anyone with or without a brain can see how much heart they put into their work. 😔

and there’s a lion on my strength card —> could have prominent leo placements? but also lions are often called “king of the jungle” -> leader/leadership skills. they’re very strong people and don’t give up in the face of adversity. they stay strong in order to protect the team as well

i think they also romanticize the idea of how love is supposed to be so they’re are naive to it. they’ll get their heart broken easily and might get confused or thrown off guard when a conflict arises, and then they’ll try to win back the other person (which, let’s just assume is the toxic one for example). they’ll fall into this abyss of overthinking and feeding themselves negative thoughts — but that also leads us to another thing: they’re very prone to taking criticism to heart.

^^ relating to this point of the ceaseless abyss of ideas, they’re very introspective people. they often reflect on their actions and see what they can improve on. people who criticize them can’t even compare to this person’s own demons, living in the mind rent free. even though these people are extremely thoughtful and considerate of literally EVERYTHING that they do, they are very very veryyyy perfectionistic and negatively affect their self esteem. it’s a terrible cycle, and they might not ever take in a single compliment that they receive seriously, because they’ve been put in a position of too much responsibility, knowing how to decide for everyone else, except for themselves. (leads to lack of knowing your own boundaries and limits)

chances are this person has a younger sibling(s) and they’re the oldest, so maybe they felt a need to protect the people they love (esp in an abusive household)

this person throws themselves in the middle of the crossfire bc they’re like a shield with the mindset “if you’re gonna attack anyone, attack me” 😮‍💨

DOES NOT accept help easily. believes that they can do it themselves and don’t want to burden other people. (this is super frustrating tho)

some examples (male): rapmon from bts (damn i feel so old calling him that…used to call him that back in like 2016 omg), but like rapmon from the old days, not recent years; bang chan (skz), he gave me the most vibes; mark lee (nct) kept appearing in my head randomly when i first started reading your ask but i can totally see it; taeyong (nct. but not all qualities listed above), scoups (svt); hyunjae (the boyz. he’s not the leader but he displays a lot of leadership skills. i’d say a big difference is that he has wayyy better self esteem and is good at setting boundaries for himself and others)

academic status:

pretty unclear. they make a lot of money, but they either have gone to school (small hunch: had a prestigious/wealthy or nonconventional schooling, maybe even homeschooling) for only as much as they needed before leaving to start some kind of business venture before returning to school way LATER on OR they did enough to take over a family business. either way, family is involved in their continuing or discontinuing of school, but they’re apparently wealthy so they have no big worries about your fs’s job. something huge happened and the family was blessed with a sudden influx of money. whatever their education is, they have a lot of money at the moment as backup.

thank you for waiting so patiently!! i hope this clarifies things for ya :)

[aresmarked]

(Clears throat) Villain?! Haha, I’m honored to be remembered out of the blue. At the time of this ask, the full version hasn’t dropped yet, so I’m probably going to mention it after it drops later. But actually, I really should read more card stories. I didn’t realize Shizuku and Mafuyu shared so many Moments in them? Do you have a list of some for me to read or watch? As for Mizuki and Mafuyu, yes!! There are plenty of ways they can have Mafuyu start on that topic, so I’m curious about which they’ll take, especially now. Would this period of living with Kanade allow her to Feel Again? I find it fascinating how she retained the desire to help others as a nurse despite not understanding why. I’d love to see some domestic or at least day to day interactions between them actually.

Mafuyu is already significantly more emotive, just based on the last few events and her talk with her mother, I imagine there will be a bit more 'unification' in her behaviour, or at the very least, a better ability to recognise 'oh this is how I feel about this'. Cause as you say, it's not like she didn't stop caring, it was that she so suppressed her own desires that she couldn't recognise if she was doing something 'because she cared about it' or because 'this is what a good girl is supposed to do'. honestly some of the most satisfying moments is seeing actions on her part that she doesn't even realise she's doing cause she likes it.

And just speaking from an 'objective' point: people who've suffered abuse, and are taken to a safe place away from that? That's always going to be a huge shift. Especially kids/teens. It can be startling, how dramatic an effect having a stable place can be, but you see it a lot.

Gonna be messy (i'll try to order em in the rough 'timeline' of the game) since I don't have vid links, but these are more or less the Shizumafu interactions we've had so far in cards:

Shizuku's init 3 card, which establishes the fact they're at the same club and share a link through 'troubles from how people perceive them'

Mafuyu's Moon Rabbit card, not a huge deepdive but it does give the sense of how they talk to each other.

Mafuyu's Mirage of Light card, in which Shizuku hits a crit perception roll and is the first to note both Mafuyu feeling unwell and wondering if it's from working too hard.

First round of birthday cards, I love when people give those little handmade things, and also go past surface level to offer praise. Esp important in the context of these two.

Mafuyu's card from Tie a Ribbon, when we've got Mafuyu becoming a little more aware of how home feels compared to other parts of her life, she's feeling a little strange and Shizuku once again rolls a crit perception. This is a fun one for me.

Maf's 2nd Anni card, good on so many counts just as a Mafuyu-centric event and her seeing and feeling the difference between her and multiple other folk. I know I'm focusing on SzMf, but you need Shizuku and Emu to triangulate Mafuyu's emotional state, and the latter was a real MVP with Rui this event for that purpose.

Shizuku's 2nd Anni card was just plain amusing and heartwarming. Bit of Hinomori sibling cuteness, with them appreciating each other's shows, and some fun with showing just how much Shizuku talks to Mafuyu about Shiho.

Second round of bday cards, Maf's not in Shizuku's story aside from the end comments, though it's interesting to me how again, like her Tie a Ribbon card she's reflecting again on the relationship of siblings. That's another post though. Mafuyu's bday story has a bit more, and then some, with this girl gradually having her friend circle open up.

Draw Your Bow. Man. Maaan. This event fed me on so many levels, but fundamentally it's about Shizuku being another person Mafuyu gets warmth from. They did something they don't usually do with card stories here, where all of them are linked and providing a sort of epilogue. Very fuzzy. But especially the second parts of their respective card stories.

Now Mafuyu's Immiscible Discord card, distinctly does not have Shizuku show up. However it's worth highlighting on the note that Mafuyu thinks to herself she's glad her mother didn't stop her from going to club activities, which, hoof. aside from that being in the realm of possibility, and a fear for Mafuyu... well it would've been interesting seeing Mafuyu try to quit and break down over it. Honestly, I wonder if the writers were planning to have that too but it got cut due to the Everything going on with Maf in the following events. But who knows, maybe it'll be coming up again.

Pandaemonium event... them just getting to hang out, Airi looking at Shizuku and just being 'ah, thinking about Asahina-san again'. this really was an event for the second years (sans Ena, poor Ena), they got to have fun here.

[a-menaceinpink]

rewatched star wars ep 1 recently (i have many Many things to say but that’ll come in another post) and i’ve concluded that part of the reason (there are many, mostly relating to pacing, world building and general quality) the new live action properties suck is that there’s a significant loss in the weight to their fight choreography. and i don’t mean that in like an plot relevant sense (altho that is also true) i mean the choreography LITERALLY looks less weighty, like it kinda seems like everyone is just a step too slow in everything and taking a couple too many breaths. the blade crossings don’t have as much of an impact. while that is to be expected w Sabine as a padawan it is very much NOT what i would expect from Shin OR the other guy Ahsoka kills OR Ahsoka herself, esp when compared to like Anakin in episodes 2/3 or Obi-Win thru out

the change really stuck out to me in episode 4 and it just makes the whole thing feel less like star wars and less weighty and it does the cast itself an injustice. i actually think the casting is really well done (natasha liu bordizzo <3) but the literal Everything Else ab Ahsoka in particular is disappointing

[zaruba-needslove]

Been watching the original Mission: Impossible drama series by Bruce Geller and a part of me wished that there could be a remake of the tv series using the same format while also adapting to the modern settings. And before people start pointing out the film series, I don't really like the more serious grimdark approach in the films compared to the drama series.

While I did watch the first movie and some of the latter ones... it's not smtg I'd enjoy watching too often. And the drama series kept it fun despite the occasional serious missions...

I mean I really love the concept of most of the IM Force agents being part timers who also had other careers outside their secret agent lives yet those things rarely affect the missions. And it's still amusing to have to see the sequence of the team leader (Dan/Jim) taking out a dossier of all the freelancer agents acting like he's ordering some takeaway and then taking out the usual four-ppl team (Rollins, Cinnamon, Barney, Willy) with the occasional guest agents. Not to mention all the quirky techs and gadgets they used every different episodes.

The film series at times felt like trying so hard to be like the 007 series aka trying to make Ethan Hunt too much like James Bond, that the concept gets old after a while. Rewatching the drama series again I start recalling what was it that I like about the Mission: Impossible series.

I especially love the concept that the IM Force agents consist of part-timers and not fulltime agents. (Cos the films don't really give you the feel that these IMF agent really were doing these impossible missions as a SIDEJOB). At first glance they don't look like professional agents but just a ragtag group of civs. Like Rollin was a master of disguise, Cinnamon was a model, Barney was the tech and weapons expert, Willy the strong man and so on like they're not your typical secret agent archetypes... which while the film do employ more or less the same concept, I feel like the film series put too much emphasis on Ethan's character while the rest of the team play second fiddle. Like the tv series allowed each member of the IMF team to shine equally doing their part in accomplishing their mission yet you don't see that in the film series, cos half the times the plot just mainly focused on Ethan.

I know compared to the Tom Cruise film series, the drama felt more childish or simple (like some of the missions wasn't even as grand as the ones in film or chockfull of stuntwork) but there's something about the drama series that felt like it had more charm. Like Rollin most of the time had the more critical role in the missions yet the success of the mission don't always depend on him as that part was covered by the rest of the team (like the burden of carrying the mission wasn't just up to him. It's the TEAM). Heck he's not even the team leader. You don't get that with Ethan, like a lot of times Ethan carried the whole plot of the film/mission (he's the one receiving the mission, also the one choosing the team members, also the one leading the main operation, he's the one who takes most of the risks and doing the most action... what's the point of the other team member aside from being MINOR support? Like even Jim Phelps din monopoly everything THAT much) Which personally... gets dull after a while. Like yeah wee cool stunts by Tom Cruise but aside from that it's just meh.

But then i recall something about how Cruise was like gatekeeping the show and not wanting anyone interpret the series other than how he did it... we can just forget about the possibility of a new remake of the series using the same format ever happening. But still it's a shame. Cos it would've been fun to see a remake of the 1966 tv series set in modern times. Ah well, perhaps after finishing the OG series... I try to look for the revival series (1988) and rewatch them. Esp since I barely remembered watching them when I was a kid.

And then I read that of all the OG characters that was brought back in the first M:I film was Phelps and they made him a traitor (and reason why the og actor refused to reprise the role) and I just... that's why back then those scenes about how many of the agents got compromised and killed rubbed me wrongly. Also the whole focus on Ethan. Like back then I did kinda enjoy the first watch cos I'm also a Bond fan. But viewing the film as an M:I fan, the excitement just dull a bit cos unlike in Bond movies the main appeal of the M:I series was the setting of "a ragtag group of free agents from different expertise work together to complete a mission that seemed to be impossible". It's not just a series about a spy doing spy things, the emphasis was on the TEAM. It wasn't just a show about a group of part-time spies doing missions deemed impossible, it's a show about these part-time spies being given impossible mission cos they happened to be the special team who as a team had abilities that allowed them to complete missions that were normally hard to complete by other spies but these team can do it! Hence they were called the Impossible Missions team.

[notesofarichlycolorednight]

atla exists in such a weird place for me right now

bc on one hand, it was created by two white men. and anyone should be free to criticize the live action compared to the animated original

on the other hand, i'm tired of white ppl talking about media that's set in a culture that is not white/western, but most especially the live action bc i know that the cast being all asian and indigenous makes them more critical of it bc that's just how it goes unfortunately

but i also realize that i may still disagree with an asian or indigenous person who criticizes the show bc of my own personal feelings, even if they're objectively right. which is to say, i'll actually probably agree with them. i'll just be gwumpy about it.

having watched the live action and rewatched the animation recently, i don't actually think the live action is that bad. there are some changes that i didn't think work, and ofc i disagree with the decision to take out everything that's going on in ba sing se (which mind you, we haven't even seen yet), but it's not actually that bad of an adaptation. and yes, i do think that the white ppl i've seen complain and criticize it are being a bit too harsh on it bc there are no white ppl in it.

there's a very important conversation to be had about the weird compulsion of studios these days adapting animation into live action, and if those adaptations work from a technical standpoint. and a very important conversation about who exactly they chose to play specific characters, esp those in the water tribes (i.e. not all of them are arctic indigenous when that's really what they were going for in og atla).

but, in general, i feel like i'm not allowed to enjoy the live action for what it's worth bc it's not good enough, strictly when comparing it to the og animated show. when really? it's just nice to see something with only asian diaspora and indigenous peoples in it that's in the fantasy genre.

bc i'm diaspora specifically, sometimes i do want media that explores diaspora experience and the racism we face in the west. but sometimes, i also want to see ppl who look like me go on fantastical adventures and not have to worry about racism being a talking point. bc maybe sometimes i'm tired of my life being boiled down to a talking point.

[real-life-senshi]

I realized that I was so focused on getting the subbed versions out, I never actually shared my own joy and thoughts about the reunion, which is odd coz that's kinda my thing esp with liveblogging etc. lol

So here's my belated thoughts:

I LOVE THE LADIES SO MUCH. I could not help the giant grin on my face when I watched Miyuu's video and the reunion program itself! Having the program is like a dream come true as a long-time fan, I could cry tears of joy. Beyond the brilliance of this series itself, PGSM really holds an extremely special place in me like no other for many personal reasons. :'D

I'm really thankful for Miyuu's behind-the-scene video, giving us another chance to see how the Senshi dynamic looks organically without external "interference". As much as the TV program is a gift for us live-action fans, it feels like Keiko and Miyuu hogged a lot of the screen time. That in itself is NOT an issue as I LOVE every moment with them, but I do wish we heard from Rika, Mew and Ayaka more. (Like if this program was actually 5 hours long, I'd still watch it and sub it. lol) I have two thoughts why this is the case: (A) The production team probably wanted to capitalize on Keiko's fame as an actress to generate views for the program. (Miyuu and Ayaka have continued acting but mostly in smaller productions, Mew has only been doing modelling after PGSM, and Rika had recently started getting bigger acting roles, previously mostly focused on modelling) (B) It's as Miyuu said, the 5 of them were talking so casually and organically, that they even talked over each other. Focusing on the other 4 all the time would have made the show hard for viewers to understand. Even in Ayaka's post after the program aired, she re-emphasized how easily the 5 of them usually would go off on tangents and talk over each other. lol Keiko, in her experience as an A-list actress, has had many opportunities to appear on variety shows and guest talks, so it wouldn't surprise me if she was intentionally trying to steer their group into new topics or wrap up their chatter per topic with a concise comment to keep things moving. You can also tell Keiko was trying to pass the conversation to her friends to make sure everyone got to talk. In Miyuu's behind-the-scene video, Keiko seems to take more of a backseat (comparatively) and the group's dynamic seems even more randomly free-flow.

^But also, Keiko being the one to hold the group accountable and make sure they are on track is very "Hino Rei" of her. XD

Also, I laughed so much seeing the Senshi struggling to take a group selfie together! Just imagine them struggling and going through the same process at each Senshi Reunion. LOL

I love how Keiko and Rika are so physically touchy and clingy with Miyuu (behind-the-scenes), and how Miyuu is SOOOO clingy with Ayaka, talking about how she went to Sendai to find Ayaka coz she misses her (reunion program).

The story of Rika possibly causing a rift when they were surprising Keiko with their wedding gift was the best story I've heard. (and possibly another example of the group being in shambles if Rei Keiko's not there to keep them in line lol) Rika being the baby sis, pampered and teased by the other 4 is cute and glorious. And big sister Mew keeping it real is shocking and awesome! (It's common knowledge to folks who follow Mew and Rika's social media that these two are super tight. They've even gone on vacation trips together before.)

When Ayaka said "Seriously" (hontoni) after Keiko said just coz they are young doesn't mean it's okay, I really felt that. It's glorious to see her display such strong feelings about it, especially knowing she had claimed it was her weakness. LOL Girl absolutely can't stand the cold and I respect that. And Keiko and Ayaka's bond over being jealous of the others wearing boots. XD

That they mentioned they've all seen Keiko's daughter, especially soon after Keiko gave birth, while no surprise, is so heartwarming to hear. Ayaka's "So tiny~" when thinking about Keiko's daughter... I'm in tears from how beautiful and heartwarming these ladies' relationship is. <333333

Can we talk about how Miyuu, Keiko, Ayaka and Mew all got their roles from the audition without doing anything that resembles what people would think to do in an audition? Air basketball, carving a stamp out of yam, table tennis and doing the split... And yet Keiko and Ayaka both thought they were screwed because so many other auditioning girls were singing or dancing is hilarious in hindsight, but so understandable. There is a slight chance I listened and translated wrong, but the fact Rika supposedly sang for her audition, but yet had to re-audition, is so funny to me. lol

Mew muting the Senshi LINE chat notification… Savage and amazing. XD I absolutely love how the 5 of them can't stop chatting with each other and know each other so well.

Everyone teasing how Miyuu would tell everyone she misses them while they are on their way home from a Senshi Reunion is so wholesome. <3

SAILOR SENSHI 20TH ANNIVERSARY ALUMNI REUNION - FANSUBBED

EDIT on Jan 3rd: SORRY. I couldn't stand how many mistakes I see in my edit despite multiple checks I've done before Jan 1st... I ended up reuploading the videos instead. Can't guarantee it's perfect now, but it's much better (from the creator's perspective.) Anyone who reblogged before Jan 3rd will have the old link that's now broken.

This is the TV version, aired on CBC in Japan on December 25th, 2023.

Due to YouTube's upload length limit, the show has been split into 3 parts based on the provided commercial breaks. The videos are unlisted on YouTube, so cannot be searched, instead only accessed by the proper web link.

Some notes & disclaimer:

1. I’m not a fluent Japanese speaker, but I do know Hiragana, Katakana, basic Japanese grammar and kanji, and a few good tools to use for translation. All’s to say, all mistakes are mine. Sorry if there’s any!

2. I’m also not a professional translator. Due to the grammar differences between Japanese and English, some sentences will sound awkward in English for the conversation to make sense.

3. This really was a casual chat for the ladies, so they kept talking over each other. I tried to highlight all the chit-chats with colour-coded subtitles matching their Senshi colours. Because of this I tried different formatting and decided on the layout you see now, even if it's still a bit messy, and some subtitles are quite fast-paced. Sorry if it doesn't look good or is tough to read. :(

4. The character “会”(kai) in “戦士会” (senshi-kai) can be translated into: - “Club”, a noun for group; - “Meetup” or “reunion”, a noun and synonym for “event”. Depending on context, you will see “戦士会” (senshi-kai) translated into “Senshi Club” or “Senshi Reunion.”

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

Upcoming:

I will be working on a subtitled version of Miyuu's behind-the-scene video of this program. (JAN 7th EDIT: The subbed version is available here!)

A Director's Cut version will be made available in Japan on Jan 9, 2024. I'll keep an eye out if there's a copy floating around. If there's any difference in that version, I'll also make a subtitled version for sharing as well. If there are any translation mistakes I've made in this current round of subtitling, I'll also take the chance to rectify them in the new version.

PLEASE ENJOY, REBLOG AND SHARE! 🌙