#DR spoilers

[danganronpumilaa]

thinking thoughts. idk something something hinata izuru / human chiaki ai chiaki / komaeda servant

[beehiveofblorbos]

My favorite DR couples are usually the quieter background romance that I like to consider pretty much a trope by now, that two of the students will fall in love.

DR1 pulls double duty on this arguably with sakuraoi and ishimondo. I prefer sakuraoi personally if I had to pick only one but uhh we can have both and it doesn’t even have to be romantic they don’t have to have dtr’d but that right there was nothing less than queerplatonic, nothing less than “you are my most important person”, and friends are a kind of love too

DR2’s is probably supposed to be owamaru or sondam, but I’ll pick fuyupeko. yes it’s more in your face and yes it’s only there for two chapters but Fuyuhiko’s constant thinking of Peko even afterwards and how when you look back you notice her subtly shadowing him and him subtly defending her or showing more investment when it’s her is so so so good

DRV3’s doesn’t have a singular one I favor honestly. Saimatsu convinced me, but then she died… the toxic or unhealthy or uncomfy romances here are plentiful just not my taste. the students fall in love, but the students are also not doing well and most of them needed therapy Before they first walked in on a corpse

DRA’s satsuhiko + hatanaira own my heart without fail. ofc ofc ofc.

[parachutingkitten]

Not an ask per se, just a similar feeling. You’re someone whose Ninjago stuff, here and on YT, I’ve really enjoyed for at least a few years. And I’ve been similarly obsessed with the show for some time. But… it’s as you say — DR is objectively fine, objectively nice, but I don’t feel the same obsession about it and its characters, plot, etc that I used to feel all the time with Ninjago. And I *cannot* figure out why, and it’s also been driving me slightly up the wall. It’s maybe because I genuinely try to give media the best chance when I interact with it, but despite multiple DR rewatches I don’t see what everyone else sees. And the disconnect is a sad, like you mention — I joined the community here because I was so glad to have people who loved this show in the same ways I did, and now it’s like they’re all on a different wavelength and I want to be there but I’m not. It’s definitely strange for sure, made worse I think by the fact that DR isn’t like horrifically bad or anything, I just feel… okay, when watching it, and can’t even explain why.

I don’t know how much sense this makes, but I thought it might be something for you to think about if you’d like. I’ve been tossing around the idea that I don’t love DR because it is… good. It’s good, but too neat — if that makes sense? The new characters — I love them all, but their personalities and backstories and situations they’re put in all remind me of several other stories. The subplots of the episodes always have an end goal in mind, often an emotional realisation, and whilst that’s a neat way to tell stories, it doesn’t feel like, to me, the way Ninjago used to tell stories. Like, the first thing that comes to mind is Sora feeling hopeless and that episode with the djin where she realises that it’s important to hope. And maybe this isn’t a great comparison (as I’m typing it out, I realise that it isn’t the best example oof), but I immediately thought of Zane after Seabound, when he’d turned off his emotions. Sora’s bad feelings, whilst not as ‘significant’ as Zane’s in that context, began just before and were wrapped up neatly in that episode and not brought up again. Zane acts detached from the start of S16 if I remember, and it’s only near the end of the season (I think! I know that it’s a few eps at least) when he meets Sally, talks to her, learns a little about her life, and is able to come to the realisation that he shouldn’t be repressing everything. I think DR, because of the amount of characters it has, especially those that are new, and the amount of new worldbuilding, plot stuff, etc that they have to add in, it being a reboot/sequel type of thing, leaves less time for the nuance and time devoted to the character arcs in the original show. Or maybe I’m just crazy, honestly idk.

Something else that stands out to me is the fact that DR has to establish so much about these new characters and their world that they… they do something that old Ninjago didn’t do, and whilst it’s maybe objectivity a better storytelling choice, I think it’s part of the reason I’m not really feeling it. What they do is that they have the characters act kind of realistic. Arin worries about his parents, often. Sora did too. Wyldfyre and Kai definitely have a few moments where it’s implied that they’re confused about what’s up with their powers. In Ninjago up to s16, because they wrote a lot of it without intending much or anything to come after it, I feel like they thought less about this than the DR writers, who know that they’ve got a few seasons lined up, do. For example — hands of time is when we find out about Ray and Maya, but it was never often addressed by Nya and Kai. It’s brought up in s4, of course, but if they were real kids whose parents had vanished one day they’d probably bring it up more often, like Arin did. But it’s often not done in the narrative because the writers gave them other things to focus on, because they’re storytelling devices and not real kids. There was no real buildup to Nya being the water ninja, for example, but Sora’s said to be good with tech a few moments after we meet her. This ain’t a critique of either show — just a different choice I sort of picked up on, if it even makes any sense. And as crazy as it may sound, I liked that about the old Ninjago — it saw the characters more as storytelling devices, I think, than relatable to the audience (Kai was the hothead, Jay the humour, etc — ofc they were more than that, but they retained that sort of vibe from S1 a little all throughout the show I think). DR, on the other hand, seems to want their characters to be more relatable, more multifaceted, make more sense — which, when coupled with the fact that they’re new characters and that the ninjago fandom has historically thrived on gaps in the show to enjoy it (we’re a very AU, OC, heavy fandom, etc), I think DR attempting to flesh out their characters in the way that we’re often used to doing with the old characters in fic, art, etc means that I like DR a little less because there’s less to ‘work with’, and less that inspires thinking of the characters in different situations — bc whilst relating is nice, it is also enjoyable when the characters are written with some core characteristics in mind and you explore other parts of them or those characteristics in different contexts. I don’t think makes much sense, but I hope that it maybe gives you something to think about — as you can probably see, I’ve been going a little crazy over not liking it and not knowing why, so I know that the feeling isn’t great.

I'm picking up what you're putting down here. My next video has a bit about getting disillusioned with a fandom, and it sucks. It always does. It's heartbreaking when you feel like that special bond between you and your show was somehow broken. I empathies, and it's important to feel it out.

Now, I don't think ninjago was better at character arcs, i don't think having a character arc be longer is better, or even really a characteristic of classic ninjago, but I do think the DR character arcs feel very by the book. They're following the screenwriting 101 guide perfectly, but it ends up feeling a bit lacking because of it? If that makes sense? Now, ninjago was historically very bad at character arcs, but when they got it right, they always had a bit of a spin on things, and interesting visual payoff, whatever. I think the zane's emotions arc isn't particularly great (and the sally piece is sort of at the end of the first half of the season ;) I would argue sora's arc in season 1 about finding confidence is better, but that doesn't mean I find it much more enjoyable.

I will agree that that the characters in ninjago definitely feel more like characters, while the DR cast (old cast included) feel more like people. Neither are a bad thing, but I think it definitely has an effect on the tone. Characters allow for a more lighthearted goofy vibe, because the show is operating on a higher suspension of disbelief most of the time. DR on the other hand, does want a little more vulnerability from its audience on a regular basis.

Lastly, I do think you're onto something with DR being fully planned. The two seasons we have so far feel very indistinct. There is less of a defining singular "adventure" in each season. And again, that's not a good thing or a bad thing, but it ends up making things feel different. Ninjago is an episodic series of adventures. DR is a continual evolving set of circumstances. Those are just going to feel different.

[numberonepartyboy]

b4 the release of drs2 i wanted to make a drawing of pixal being in the backrooms playing minecraft bc i dont think he could be the administrator but like...now kai and bonzle are. are in the ninjago backrooms.

[riptidesblog]

Theory about realms,involves spoilers about Source Dragons:

Source Dragons embody concepts,not just powers,right?Like life,motion,energy,strength and etc.They're also heavily involved with realms:

FSM,someone who created several realms,is a descendant of the Life Source Dragon

They helped FSM stabilize the realms with the Dragon cores

Capture of the Energy Source Dragon is the reason Merge and mergequakes happened

So what if the realms are based on concepts as well?For example,Realm of Madness is based on concept of Chaos.

Now,there is nothing that supports this take( except the previously mentioned points), but I still find it interesting.

Cloud Kingdom could be based on belief,as writers of Destiny believed that their writing affected the world.

Djinjago is a realm of djinns,who fulfill wishes,so the realm could be based on desire.

Cursed realm could be about bitterness and unfulfilled desires(either yours or wronging someone) and other similar things(I'm trying to connect it to Djinjago while also keeping the concept of the realm itself).To add to this,the ghosts whose backstories we know,do fit this: Morro wanted to be the Green ninja,Yang wanted immortality,Garmadon wanted to be a good and present father,Chen wanted power, Anacondrai generals wanted peace.None of those desires were fulfilled(or not fulfilled the way the person wanted).

Underworld is a place for fallen warriors,who couldn't come to terms with their death.So maybe the opposite of acceptance,failure to move on(rejection?stagnation?).

Realm of Madness is probably based on chaos.

Never-realm.A realm that is hard to reach and even harder to leave.A realm of snow and ice.So isolation or maybe solitude.

Departed Realm is an afterlife and as far as we know,the only good one.A place where departed rest and find peace,so that's what I think it's based on:Peace.

Imperium.Could be order for obvious reasons but the Land of Lost Things is also there and it's not really what comes to mind when you think of order(but it's also implied that LoLT was a garbage dump made by Imperium,so the order thing could still fit)

Wyldness.That's a hard one since chaos is already taken and Wyldness doesn't seem as chaotic as the Realm/Kingdom of Madness.I don't know enough about Chima(which is a part of the realm) and nothing in the show is giving me ideas on that one except maybe warmth bc element of heat seemed to have appeared there and Wyldfyre having a family of dragons.

Mysterium.It's in the name:mystery.Could also be magic or wonder.

The First realm.It's the beginning of everything and the realm of Dragons.But there are Oni as well,so creation and destruction.Not balance, because those two were in constant conflict. Birth and death if you may.

Ninjago.Balance,coexistence.That makes sense, since the show is all about balance and the realm is too:balance of creation and destruction, of light and dark and at it's core it very well could be balance and coexistence of wind and water/sky and sea/storm and wave.

[viewlumia]

The ending of Season 2A of Dragons Rising puts Nya in a similar place to where Kai was at the end of Seabound

[trashnotfound]

✨My opinion of ep 6-10 of dr season 2✨

This is probably not gonna go down well but I do not like Geo- he’s annoying and I don’t like how he’s trying to imply that if you aren’t all together your not a family- cole can have 2 family’s at the same time and still love them both dearly. He’s a ninja it’s his duty to serve. Geo can’t be selfish and want him around all the time. Also I wish they’d give him more of a personality?? He’s so lack lustre…. Moving on

Cole calling the lostlings his family and zane going 🤨 YEAH THATS RIGHT ZANE CALL HIS ASS OUT. Boy they aren’t your only family- that’s so insulting to the ninja did you just forget the past 10 years of your life. Is this supposed to be the same cole who was the only one of the ninja (aside zane) to stay in seabound because he loved them all so much and didn’t want to see them fall apart ?! What are they trying to do with his character this makes no sense. Do they know what their even writing for him :/

Wyldfyre and Kai moments my beloved daughter and farther, they are the best things to come from dr so far

Nya and Kai’s flashbacks made me cry

Eryn bby pls don’t listen to the mean old dragon 😭

Wyldfyre having trauma from her family dying from an illness :(((

Zane is so pookie coded this season idk how to explain it I love him

Sorceress I love you, we are one in the same (new kinnie just dropped)

Bonzile and their mama 🫶🏻

Cole as a puppy is something I didn’t know I needed

Cinder is once again really hot

Kai……

Sora helpjg eryn, I feel like this may be what they fights over and I’m dreading it!

Nya and wyldfyre hugging healed something in me

Bonzile and Kai my pookies together 😌☝🏻

Jay, pls just give me jay, stop teasing him

And once again…. WHERE THE FUCK IS PIXEL!????

[fandomsnrambles]

Wouldnt it be so messed up if jay never gets his memories back

Like ik its not gonna happen, but it would be sooo messed up

[laziarteest]

On episode 8 now

And as much fun as I’m having with the actual story, the inconsistencies with characterization and backstories are killing me 😔

Zane’s being so un-Zane

And like

I get they’re trying to make Arin seem more important, but building him up as some kind of Spinjitzu prodigy gets a little annoying

Sure he taught himself the basics, but he still hasn’t progressed

Meanwhile they act like it took Lloyd ages to learn when it literally was like… an accident. While fighting pirates

Like I’ve been chalking it up to Dragons Rising being a soft reboot as a new entry point for kids, but the inconsistencies are still annoying

The references to past events are fun, but it’s kinda meaningless when you ignore other stuff, y’know?

[threemoonwatchers]

Tag yourself:

Authentic toothbrush of the ancients,

Disco toaster,

Fake map of the merged lands that came out of some guy’s mouth

I’ll start I’m Disco Toaster

[master-of-blogging]

who is Janet and why am I getting the sense that she and Gondalaria are exes?

[smithsibsceo]

THE JAY AND COLE FLASHBACK. HEAD IN HANDS.

[parachutingkitten]

The fact that tanner made a video comparing himself to Intelligent George when the clip came out, and then the first thing we learn about him in the actual show is that you would have to be very desperate to turn to his videos for information...

Just perfect.

[r0bee]

DRAGONS RISING FORESHADOWING YOU ARE EVIL. EVIL!!!!!!

[riptidesblog]

15 seasons,a movie,special,The Island,several mini-episodes,first season of sequel series later and we're only now getting magical girl transformations...for three elemental mechs

[magic-glasses]

They can never make me hate you jordana

(Gonna be live posting DR S2 stuff for a bit since I’m literally watching the season as we speak so spoiler warning for the ninjago fans on my acc!)