#Cover Appreciation post

[bloodstainedembrace]

random post but i love the covers on the older versions of the vampire chronicles that i have. the cover designs with the little windows are so cool and like . the one on totbt even opens up!!

[kiarazuri]

Cover Appreciation: The Scum-Villain’s Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

This hilarious story of a man reborn as a villain in a fantasy novel series who ends up romancing the male protagonist is now in English, for the very first time. Half-demon Luo Binghe rose from humble beginnings and a tortured past to become unrivaled in strength and beauty. With his dominion over both the Human and Demon Realms and his hundreds-strong harem, he is truly the most powerful protagonist...in a trashy webnovel series! At least, that's what Shen Yuan believes as he finishes reading the final chapter in Proud Immortal Demon Way. But when a bout of rage leads to his sudden death, Shen Yuan is reborn into the world of the novel in the body of Shen Qingqiu--the beautiful but cruel teacher of a young Luo Binghe. While Shen Qingqiu may have the incredible power of a cultivator, he is destined to be horrifically punished for crimes against the protagonist. The new Shen Qingqiu now has only one course of action: get into Luo Binghe's good graces before the young man's rise to power or suffer the awful fate of a true scum villain!

(The Scum-Villain’s Self-Saving System book 1, Amazon)

Beautiful. So so SO beautiful. Both the art-style and the character designs. (My biggest criticism of the latter is that Luo Binghe’s not supposed to look like his dad all that much… but they look IDENTICAL in their pictures 😂 Similarly, I wish there was a picture that showed the differences between Shen and Mushroom!Shen cuz I’m curious exactly how different they look. I know that’s a ridiculous ask but still. I can wish 😂)

When it comes to the font choices I know that when these and the other MXTX novels were announced a lot of people didn’t like that there were so many different fonts on a single cover but I personally think it works well. I like the emphasis/italicization/immaturity(?) of “Scum Villain’s” font versus the really mechanical sans serif of the rest of the text. My only gripe with the titles is that the section of background they’re on is always very crowded (bamboo 2x, cherry blossoms) or a similar color (rocks/ground). It’s not so bad as to make them illegible but it can be a little hard to read. In terms of the title itself I like that they added the pinyin title but I think they should have also had the hanzi... but that’s just my opinion. I know that having all three would’ve been even more crowded than it is so I understand why they didn’t but... still.

In addition to people not liking the fonts... I also remember people were miffed that the first cover wasn’t romantic and I have to say: thank FUCK it’s NOT. LUO BINGHE’S 14 IN THE FIRST BOOK! Besides, regardless of his age, it also wouldn’t make sense story wise. In regards to what’s happening in-story, Luo Binghe and Shen Yuan’s progression from “not touching but still protecting” to “touching but one looks simultaneously like they wanna attack and kiss while the other is just swooning” to “protective handholding and shielding” to “SLEEPING IN LAP” is PERFECT. It’s so beautiful and heartwarming.

The colors follow a similar route. From light and airy with them dressed in matching colors that also match the background (like... there’s a surprising dearth of colors in the first cover. So much so that Sha Hualing’s red outfit really pops out on the back cover) to the shift in Luo Binghe’s clothing to demonic colors and the darkening of the background as the two color palettes mix (white x red = pink, black x green ≈ blue) and then to a neutral background with their color palettes that shows they’re no longer roiling and are instead in harmony. The last book (which is an anthology of short stories about the characters and is actually not part of the main story) is the darkest of the covers but its a very mellow darkness, a sort of warm candlelight that affects their own color palettes so they match even with the background being similar to book one. It’s a very well done color story.

Lets not forget about the back covers. Usually back covers are just meh but these explicitly connect as extensions of the front covers:

The back covers also show that there’s a very clear formula to how everything’s set up:

And I LOVE covers that follow a formula. The fact that all these translations were able to be released together in a row and weren’t dependent on how the book before it did means that the covers were able to be made in tandem which means that they match PERFECTLY. Nothing’s worse than a cover change halfway through a series. Even if a cover style sucks STICK WITH IT for the entire series I BEG YOU. Once everything’s out THEN you can change the covers for the next editions.

I really appreciate the inclusion of character pictures. It works very well with the contents since it often feels like Shen’s in a game rather than a book; he has all these stats for people and access to an interactive computer system so game-like character bios work to help the reader keep this info in-line the same way Shen does. I wish more books (particularly serieses... particularly complicated serieses) did stuff like this.

Before I finish this post I wanna take a moment to appreciate the title of this book in and of itself. I know a lot of people hate how long isekai titles are but I personally love them. I love how straight to the point they are and how you can tell most of what the story’s about just from the title alone, even without reading the description. Personally I think it’d be helpful if more genres started doing this, especially since there’s that gods awful trend of books just having absolutely no summary anywhere on them, and instead just having review quotes that tell you nothing about the actual story. If books insist on doing that, at least tell me what the books about in the title. Thankfully, SVSSS has a descriptive title AND a back summary to let potential readers know what they’re getting themselves into. I think the only way I personally would’ve improved these is by adding some trigger and content warnings (this is also related to the lack of summary and descriptive titles like... why are people against even the slightest, barest, most miniscule spoilers? I beg ya’ll) specifically for the end of the third book (for r*pe).

- Kiara 🌸

[dont-offend-the-bees]

That bit in the comics where Rose is only wearing a bed sheet in her dream so Morpheus shows up in an emo bed sheet and shows some skin. Solidarity, equality, 10/10 no notes

[thefrsers]

OUTLANDER| 4.01 “AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL”

[goldensunset]

haven't okamiposted in a while. everyone should go play okami (2006) it's a great game very beautiful and with great music and SO much fun and it's very cheap on like every system ever

[horse-head-farms]

okay hear me out guys: trans girl Hypno

i have no explanation for this other than 1) i think it is fun 2) it gives the boob window a purpose (future investment for when boobs happen)

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[apnourry]

rediscovering this gem of a pose

[everydaym0nstrosity]

Korn - FOLLOW The LEADEЯ (1997) front cover appreciation post.

Art by Todd McFarlane from SPAWN.

[miodiodavinci]

I made a Vocaloid channel but I'm having trouble getting views. I like making covers for fun but I wish I could get more than a handful of views, especially since I haven't even gotten 5 on my latest ones. I use Vocaloid 6, which may be the problem since not many people talk much about it as much as the older versions

Would you have any advice as to what I can do?

m m m m m , , , , , , i feel like it's hard to say—back in the day when i was doing UTAU work, most of the interaction i got with my work was from my friends from UTAForum. we all sort of just shared our work with each other and supported one another doing our fun little hobby. though the sort of forum culture that spawned that sort of friend circle has kind of disappeared by this point , , , , ,

but honestly, even still—find folks whose work you like and get involved!! share your work on other sites and shout out people you like!! support the folks around you and establish yourself as part of a community

(of course like. don't treat it as a transactional thing. if there's one way to ensure No One interacts with your work it's to. comment on people's things or shout people out and then get passive aggressive expecting a response back. doesn't work like that. you support people because you love them and their work—not because you want something in return.)

but even more than that, honestly just keep doing what you do and the love in your work will come across in heaps and bounds, and someone will be bound to listen. people also tend to get interested the more you put your own spin on something, whether it's creating your own PVs, adding your own harmonies, sharing some of your files, or linking multiple covers together as part of a kind of overarching story. if you make it yours, it'll be yours for good.

like, at the end of the day we can all agree that views are just a number on a screen and are kind of meaningless and no one should base their worth on them, but also yeah it kind of wears you down after a while to keep sharing things you've put a lot of love and effort into with no response.

i'd just like to encourage you not to lose your passion for it—views or not, there's a lot to be gain by pursuing something you love. your VOCALOID endeavors are only just beginning, and who knows where you'll end up ! ! ! ! take the journey as far as it'll take you, and have fun all the while ! ! ! ! ! ! !

also send me your work i want to listen 👁 👁

[satans-knitwear]

Without the corset 💐

Treat me ~ Tip me

[kiarazuri]

Cover Appreciation: A Spider's Mate Trilogy by Tiffany Roberts

He’s spent years as a hunter, but now he’s the one ensnared in a creature’s trap. Ketahn did not want a mate. Fate has a different plan for him. When the queen he despises declares her intention to claim him, he retreats into the jungle. What he finds there changes his world. Small, delicate, and pale skinned, Ivy Foster is nothing like the females Ketahn has known. She’s not of his kind at all. Yet the moment he sees her, he knows the truth in his soul—she is his heartsthread. And now that he has her, he won’t let anything take her away. Not the jungle, not the gods, not the queen and her warriors. Whether Ivy agrees or not, their webs are entangled. No one will ever sever those threads.

(Ensnared, Amazon)

The gorgeous artwork on these covers tells you EVERYTHING you need to know:

The genre (Fantasy [technically Fantasy and Sci-fi] Romance)

That the series follows a single couple. Which is rare among Romance novels (although I've seen quite a few recently while looking for new books to read. I have to be extra careful now since I prefer serieses of standalones with an overarching plot, so being able to tell just by the covers is incredibly helpful.)

The couple’s specieses (human and spider (Oops! Silly me, he’s obviously a Vrix)

What type of monster’s getting fucked (there's literally no getting around that Ketahn's a spider. Not a spidertaur/coptaur/arachnetaur where the upper-half's human and the bottom-half's spider oh no, a full on top and bottom spider with a little big of humanoidness sprinkled in as a treat)

At least one of their genders.

What they look like (the best part of illustrated covers is that they can actually show what the characters look like... unlike a lot of stock photo covers which almost always leave me with a feeling of "that doesn't match the descriptions in the book" )

Their dynamic (big/small, dom/sub; Ketahn's obviously the one in control, look at that body language! In addition to their sexual dynamic being on display you can also see that they get closer and more comfortable with each other with each book. [Ivy's definitely looking up with heart-eyes on Enthralled])

Even the webs in the back change too, becoming more cohesive and put together with each cover. Her outfits also help tell the story, changing from the human clothes she had while on the ship into dresses made from Ketahn's own silk.

I only have a few criticisms. And the biggest one is about the last book. To get straight to it: “Bound” feels… odd. I would have probably named it something like Entangled or Enamored or something. And the reason is simply because it breaks pattern--and instead of putting a flourish on the bottom of the N they chose the top of the U... why? It just bothers me.

Now my next criticism is more so for the trilogy "box"(?) set cover.

It's gorgeous and really embodies their dynamic… except, there is something to be said about the white/black innocent/dangerous dynamic that it gives off that is very watered down in the individual covers. The webs in this one are drawn so that Ketahn's looks like a puppeteer and Ivy's his puppet which is very sinister.

While the Vrix aren’t necessarily Black coded, they ARE coded as non-white and indigenous (possibly Asian). They’re also more “primitive” (🤢) than the humans and the dark/light dichotomy does make me a bit uncomfy. If the other books (Roberts intends to write books about Ketahn's friends and their human mates) continue with the same pattern, ill become much more concerned (I'm especially nervous about what the Japanese girl’s [who's meek and shy personality is already a red flag] book cover's going to have on it).

I checked Goodreads to see if there were any alternate covers and found that only the first book (Ensnared) has one.

I do like this cover, and I wonder if Roberts will make matching covers for the other two as well. The only problem with this cover is that it's... more Horror- than Romance-oriented. That doesn’t mean I don’t like it, but it definitely doesn’t look like a Romance, especially since it doesn’t say “A Spider’s Mate” on it and instead has a very threatening tagline 😂 (having read the books, I think the tagline is great but it really does feed the whole horror-thing this cover’s got going on) as a cover it’s obviously beautiful; the black, purple, green, and white an absolutely gorgeous combination.

As a final note I wanna point out that when I first saw this cover I thought the spider was gonna be asexual because he’s got the ace-flag colors on him.

That is not the case 😅 (though I would love to use that sort of color symbolism in a story someday)

[kunikiiida-kuuun]

BSD Anime vs. Manga

S4 Episode 7 & Chapters 59-61

This is mostly going to be a compilation of the ADA moments, focused on Kunikida in particular, since Bones seems to freely pluck out parts from his characterization that takes away a lot from his personal arc. They have done it before, but in this arc, where each detail sensitive to his entire arc, I find it is quite a shame they were excluded.

Here are some moments that didn't make it to the anime, or simply didn't translate well into the episode because of a number of reasons.

A short disclaimer: I've never written any kind of analysis posts or even theories so I'd say this is more of my personal thoughts rather than a very objective comparison, since I hold Kunikida and the ADA very close to my heart. Buckle up for a really long post because oh boy, I have a lot of thoughts.

1. First signs of despair

(BSD Chapter 59)

Quite contrary to how Kunikida is perceived as emotionless, among all the characters in the room, we get a close up into his mind and thoughts first. They have been just declared as national criminals, and Ranpo, the most vital pillar of their agency was just shot and presumably out of commission. The all-knowing Ranpo who has gotten them out of trouble numerous times has been cut off. They sit there in shock as the realisation sinks in. They have no way out. Kunikida looks at his notebook, pondering out loud, "Is this where...my ideals come to an end?"

2. Kunikida retaliates back

(BSD Chapter 59)

This is one of the sides of Kunikida we may rarely get to see. While he is a character with a strong moral compass compared to the other BSD characters, there are moments when he prioritizes to protect himself and would go to any lengths to to prevent harm to his comrades, sometimes at the cost of his own well being. He wouldn't kill anyone, but should the circumstances call for it, he wouldn't hesitate to remove that obstacle. This is similar to how he shoots a little kid who was firing at him and Atsushi in the cannibalism arc. However the circumstances are entirely different in both scenarios. At that time, his inner conflict was more evident, since the children had been lied to, and instructed to shoot and didn't know any better. He had to protect himself and Atsushi. Over here, he is more or less wrongly being accused, which would explain his actions.

Before this, there's also a gentle look that passes over his eyes, as he reminisces about working along with them, and the fact that they see him as an enemy now.

I do however, appreciate that in the anime, his voice is softer, and not rude or mean to the soldiers they just defeated.

3. Remorse

(BSD Chapter 60)

Just as they are able to escape and catch their breaths, Kunikida is immediately filled with remorse for his actions. There is the special emphasis on the "light in the eyes" that Kunikida refers to, something which is very important to a character in Harukawa sensei's art style. He struck down a person, who was someone just like him, someone who was simply holding up his own ideals for the "good" of the nation, something Kunikida himself resonates with. He questions the justness of his own actions, and is in an inner dilemma about everything he stands for. Despite his "tough" exterior, Kunikida is inherently a person who is deeply vulnerable. He puts up his walls, but these walls even seem to break too easily, caused by his own self doubt.

This internal conflict is completely missing in the anime, and while it may seem inconsequential to the overall plot, it takes away a lot of impact that comes ahead. There is a lack of a dramatic pause that this scene gives, as the horror sinks in not just for us, but our characters as well.

4. Ray of hope

(BSD Chapter 60)

Before everyone, especially Kunikida sinks into complete despair, Kenji speaks up, starting on a completely unrelated and seemingly pointless note. He offers everyone some rice balls, surprising everyone.

(BSD Chapter 60)

Kenji is just such a precious boy. Kenji's logic is eating = happiness so by offering the rice balls, he's literally saying "please don't feel dejected!! I want you all to stay healthy and be happy!!"

Kunikida tries to reason, initially feeling that Kenji was making light of the situation. But Kenji is clearly having none of it and stops him immediately. We unfortunately missed this absolutely hilarious scene of Kenji shutting up Kunikida by shoving a rice ball into his mouth LMAO.

In hindsight, as I rewatch the anime, Kenji's speech is a nice optimistic boost in very Kenji fashion, but it comes across as a touch too happy go lucky in the anime and you can't deny how much more impactful it is when instead of just a random speech, he's purposefully uplifting everyone's spirits.

He isn't just being optimistic and is aware of the grim situation. He understands that he would need to use his ability for the obstacles they may face ahead and forgoes eating the rice balls (as Kenji cannot use his skill if his stomach is full). That's when even Kunikida realises that he is being serious. He understands how everyone feels, and reassures them, essentially saying that the agency will get through, rebuild, and continue on their path no matter how many difficulties come their way.

I have to say, this moment here is even more touching with his backstory that was recently revealed a few chapters ago. Kenji actually comes across as very mature for his age with his outlook on life and his kind and humble nature.

There is an immediate change in Kunikida's demeanor after this. He acknowledges Kenji's words and bites into the rice ball, accepting his 'unique' way of encouraging them with gratitude. And hereforth emerges the leader within Kunikida. I'm working on another post related to Kunikida and his role as the future ADA leader, but Kunikida is truly a people's leader. He spurs into action when he has the trust and support of his comrades and is the most confident when backed and reassured by the ones near him.

Unfortunately I find that this moment completely fell flat in the anime. They included Tanizaki's line about being criminals and it's in response to that that Kenji gives his speech which isn't bad per se....but doesn't give the same impact as the manga. They added some sparkles ✨ as he was speaking which made it a tad bit animated whereas in the manga it seems like the sun is shining on him...which makes me wonder how the anime would've looked if they actually showed a progression of time instead of just sticking to twilight hues...

5. Just your friendly neighborhood terrorist gang...

(BSD manga chapter 61)

And here is the most iconic and probably the greatest scene of all times, which was only partly animated. I'll let this one slide, but imagine how much funnier it would have been if they did include the first part. The fact that they are being pursued right now as the most wanted criminals, and how every second is extremely precious to them if they want to escape safely, and yet, Kunikida would steal someone's vehicle only after confirming they have an insurance for it (and letting them go if they don't).

Even him choosing to take a private vehicle rather than public transport to avoid jeopardizing other's lives...Kunikida is just so good. I love him so much you don't understand 🥹💕

6. Comprehensive personality analysis by Jouno Saigiku (Kunikida edition)

Okay sorry this is just me being salty but like....did they seriously give us an extended fish eye cut for this entire scene??!! I was so shocked I couldn't even focus on the weight and symbolism of the dialogue. I get the fish eye potential of this scene but like why....just why.

It's such a pivotal revelation about Kunikida, not just to us, the audience, but even to Kunikida himself, his deepest and innermost thoughts and fears laid out in the open like that. Jouno tears him down effectively, making him question himself and his ideals.

This part makes me crazy emotional in the manga, because the whole thing about Kunikida's ideals is that it actually weighs so heavily on him that he doesn't really realise that he is crumbling under the pressure of it. Deep inside, he is aware about the futility of pursuing them, as seen from how he admits it himself in Chapter 40 to Katsura, but instead of letting go, he keeps pushing himself. His ideals are not for others to follow, but something he demands of himself, in order to create a better world. And if the people whom he wants to protect are taken away, his ideals would come to an end, hence he'll be "free" from the heavy burden of his ideals.

Reducing all of this into a mere fish eye moment....bones I will remember this 😭😤

However, I do appreciate that they added a scene of Kunikida shielding Yosano from Tecchou, a nice parallel to when Yosano takes a bullet for Kunikida. It was just very heart warming to see all of them protect each other. There's also a small panel that was not animated, one where Jouno kicks Kenji out of the moving car and asks Kunikida and the others to go ahead, and there's a look of uncertainty and despair that passes on Kunikida's face, another instance of his internal conflict not included.

(also what is with all of Kunikida's enemies reading up on him and studying him?? Like I'm no different from these guys tbh I get it, I'm obsessed with him too but back off will ya...🙄)

I'm only considering this fan-made video by cocoa as the true anime scene because wth were they thinking 😭

Additional thoughts Episode 8

Kunikida's final answer

I would recommend going and reading the full manga for better reading experience, but in case you're feeling too lazy, I included the screenshots. I'm mostly satisfied with how this part was animated, but here are some of my thoughts about it anyways. Looking back to this chapter in the manga, it's definitely much more dramatic than its counterpart.

There's a panel where they just show him with his back hunched all alone as he ponders over what Jouno said which is really neat. The look of horror that passes over his face as he sees Kenji being stabbed is much more dramatic. In the anime, Kenji being stabbed was even more horrifying, and obviously more realistic of a reaction than him just going "huh?" as if it was nothing much.

There's even a panel of Kunikida gritting his teeth, until he realises what he needs to do. I loved the way he swung off the helicopter in the anime, it kinda lives rent free in my brain ngl. When Kunikida jumps off and kicks Tecchou, there's a close up of his face, full of determination and light in his eyes... it's just so beautiful because he's no longer hindered by self doubt. This light in his eyes remains the brightest in all the three panels.

While originally I was under the impression that this would be a very sad scene, the anime and the choice of music made it seem more of a heroic moment instead, which the more I think about, the more I feel was a good choice. After a series of unfortunate events and near death situations, Kunikida is faced with the choice to either give up or save everyone. His choice to sacrifice himself was one stemming from his role as a leader and also, most importantly to protect anyone else from getting hurt. This is also his firm answer back to Jouno's words, that he would continue striving for his ideals, even when sacrificing his own life.

And also, spoilers alert: he doesn't exactly die, so I think it was alright if they didn't make it too dramatic or melancholic. Still made me cry buckets nevertheless lol.

I'm not very good at character analyses so I would recommend reading this one over here. It's one of the best character breakdown I've ever seen for Kunikida and they have covered this part of the manga as well!

Of course, another amazing explanation of this scene is by Asagiri-sensei themselves, which you can find here.

Yet another deleted scene...

Kyouka decides to go save Atsushi

(BSD Chapter 63)

If you're curious about when Kyouka decided to go and save Atsushi instead and how they concealed themselves so well in that hole, here's an extended explanation in a flashback that was skipped in the anime. It's no surprise this was deleted, and I was pretty much expecting it as it's not that important of a detail. The most significant part of this scene of course would be the sheer determination in Kyouka's eyes to save Atsushi. I think it is a neat parallel to Atsushi back in s1 who insisted on saving Kyouka, even after Kunikida told him not to. In both instances, Kunikida tries to protest, but eventually relents and acknowledges their will and determination, lending them his aid. The anime also kinda missed giving us a cool render of that page in which Kyouka stands heroically before the military when she comes to save Atsushi (unfortunately I'm unable to add the image because of Tumblr's ten image limit...sigh).

Final thoughts

I've said this before, but I understand that anime has time constraints and other production matters that I'm unaware about, but the number of details that were removed while not surprising, was surely disappointing. My major problem was mostly with episode 7 with how rushed it was. By removing the build up, there's a certain lack of emotional depth in a number of scenes. There are many who did not find the episodes fast paced and rather consider it quite alright considering the theme of the arc, which is totally valid. However it's natural for manga readers to go into the anime with preconceived ideas about how they think the scene will go down. I'm personally just a little sad because firstly, Kunikida is my favourite character and secondly, I think he's one of the best written characters in all of BSD. He is one of the core characters in BSD, so I'm obviously disappointed that many of his parts just get removed since he's not one of the greater "fan favourites".

Of course, I have to give the anime credit where it's due. The animation is amazing this season and the voice acting is simply phenomenal. The OST is also pretty good and I desperately want that track they played for the hunting dogs introduction. They've truly given their heart and soul for this season, and I couldn't be happier as a BSD fan!! I'm super excited for the upcoming episodes!

Welp that's all from me! Thank you for coming to my ted talk! This was initially going to be just a simple compilation, until I started talking and couldn't shut up. I'm really grateful for anyone who reads this. Thank you very much!! If you've come this far, please do drop a comment because I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Lastly, please go read the manga if you haven't already! Who knows, maybe you'll find some other missing detail of your favourite character!

[ghost-inthe-hall]

I BEG

[klonoadoortophantomile]

random assortment of drawings i might as well post