#Hippie bride

[gypsylotusrose]

[harmcityherald]

I did, of course, reach my post limit so it affords me time to write something that's been on my mind. Twitter. lets take a minute and step back to see a bigger picture, if you will. A social media website that was a victim of a hostile takeover by a billionaire capitalist to clear out antifascist or left leaning ideologists like myself and let me tell you I jumped ship pretty quickly. Now I understand you may be weary of hearing about old muskbucket and the twitter titanic but really, hear me out. He did a hostile takeover to vacillate his right wing cronies. we all know it, I say it out loud. Under the guise of "free speech" (which is a phrase many fascists use but rarely afford to others)

then a few weeks later and old trumpidump comes out saying his main platform is gonna be trans rights. which then in florida the Guantánamo kid starts banning books and going after trans rights starting with the young because that's how they did abortions. now....if a billionaire can be coaxed/forced (because I think he was actually) to buy a whole damn website just to burn it down OR make it the bastion of the far right voice, then who is to say they won't be coming for us here at tumblr? we fucking stand for everything they are against. I could go through a list of what I mean but you have to see what I mean. scroll thru your dash and imagine desantas reading it. ok. keep up now. because pretty soon they gonna put the choke hold on us. right now, the supreme court, packed with fucking nazis, is gonna decide if a social media site can be sued for what you do and say on it.

when they came for facebook I didn't care cause it sucks.

when they came for twitter I didn't care because I wasn't part of that....

but then they came for tumblr.....

sound familiar? it fucking should.

If they are going to ban the fucking velveteen rabbit what makes you think they would allow their kids to kick about on the most pro-everything left leaning website to ever exist in these "united states" hmm? lets even go beyond that and include all the western leaning countries. I wholeheartedly recommend every minor to not allow their parents, teachers, clergy, or anybody else with no shoelaces know they have a tumblr. I know that's harsh as shit, innit. well its the same clandestine war they are waging against you. Im saying it now, while I can. While im still allowed to say it.

bla blah you're paranoid, you see that shit everywhere.

that's because it IS everywhere. I would tell you to wake the fuck up but christ, don't call nobody woke. that'll start a fight in the dollar store line any day.

so to cut my rant short.....lets all keep our eyes on the ball. Don't let it consume you as the dreaded election approaches, I will be guarding my own mental health and peace paramount because Im old and close to death. they love that, I can't vote against them then. But you youngins sure can AND you have the power to drive this ship now and I for one would be tickled pink to die on trans island. can you tell Im from the 70s? lol. their most vilified citizen, I like to think. nixons nemesis. reagans nightmare. but all bullshit aside, think about it. think about what we have here, a free exchange of ideas and likes. the fucking freedom to read marx, to each other if we so desire. to know real history. and maybe just maybe to vote every fucking billionaire off the planet. Im telling you to look out because they don't like that. not one little bit.

all I can think is somehow tumblr has once again miraculously flown under the radar. how? I dunno. I bet there's a thousand "nazi computers" scraping the web for everything we freely talk about. We must be on the radar....but why are no V2 rockets coming? they holding a card to their chest? waiting for the right time? wait till the Guantánamo kid finds out about us. They want to torch and shoot up synagogues, drag shows and black churches, why the hell would they allow this website to be near their kids? why not?

pssssst. hey kids......looks left and right....Im a socialist. pro lgbtq pro feminism and Im not a fucking racist. and I would die for my principals and for your existence.

thats why gotdammit.

[katesimblr]

Summer Wedding

The wedding venue is located on a 30x40 lot, next to a decorative church. The location was built in the middle of the green between old ruins. There is a small room for the getting ready of the bride, a place for guestbook entries and two nice places for the selfies and souvenir photos of the guests, a decorative buffet as well as two functional buffet tables, a bar, a candy table, an invisible dance floor, some round banquet tables, a romantic stage with a piano and of course the heart of every wedding, the place of the actual ceremony.

Thanks to all creators who made this lot possible with their CC, like @aggressivekitty, @animefemme69, @chicklet, @tububsubub, @k-hippie, @lady-moriel and @msteaqueen many many more.

Download CC

Download tray files

[bobbie-robron]

Robron Fanfiction Recommendations (Aug-2024)

The below were recommended on Twitter during August 2024.

Front Page News (2017) 29.6K words, lullabelle_moon

Reporter AU. It’s the 1930s and Robert, a small time reporter, wants to break into crime reporting which means trying to get an interview with the infamous Zak Dingle. That path leads him to Aaron who is being used as a scapegoat for a diamond shop robbery with the owner having been shot supposedly by Aaron. During the span of six weeks before Aaron goes on trial, not only is Robert trying to gain support for Aaron through news articles but his attention loses focus from that Zak interview to slowly realizing his heart totally beats for Aaron. Can Robert save Aaron from the noose?

Reunion (2018) 7.5K words, livesybaby

Reunion 2.0 alternative. If you take the events before Valentine’s Day to the day of their reunion and jiggle them around a bit with a callback of Liv’s involvement in getting the idiots back together in 2016, you get this new lovely take involving Operation: Get the pillock back home. Doc pointless being dull as ever makes it all the better 😜.

Reclaim Me! Make Me Yours Again! (2017) 27.3K words, DingleLovesSugdenAlways

Alternative early hell year. In this version, Aaron is still being beaten and taking spice but with more horrors. When a beaten Aaron is hospitalized, Robert has the lawyer work his magic to get Aaron out of prison right away but on tag. What follows is an organic journey of Aaron trying to cope with what he went through in prison both physically and mentally with Robert there every step of the way. There is NO Hippy Henrietta in sight… it’s solely about their journey together!

The Future Starts Slow (2016) 6.4K words, dirtylittlegreasemonkey

It’s Vic’s 22nd birthday and she wants to spend it bowling which Robert hasn’t an interest in. So that leaves her, Adam… and Aaron. Aaron’s going? That changes Robert’s mind right away. Even though he and Aaron are only mates now, he misses him. Well, with having a sister that is rooting from them, a little nudging is needed with the two but will it be enough to push them in the right direction especially when they get stuck on a road?…

A Cold Night in November (2016) 18.1K words, robron_til_the_end

When Liv doesn’t come home as expected, Aaron is ready to call the police until Robert goes out to find her. When Robert does find Liv at the cricket pavilion, she drops the bombshell that she’s pregnant. And from there the story unfolds about the lads accepting her decision about the baby, who the baby’s dad is (and isn’t) and how the situation brings up a traumatic time in Robert’s missing years. It’s all about the little family banding together and growing stronger.

Life As We Knew It (2019) 9.8K words, some_mad_lunge

Enemies to Friends AU. Aaron had been a very close friend of Connor’s for years and then to his husband, Isaac. They even tried to matchmake Aaron (with Robert) but it went wrong big time. Now the couple have died unexpectedly and it’s godparents Aaron and Robert who wind up with custody of their son, Arthur. The dislike is still there but they both are determined to put it aside for the sake of Arthur. Will living together also give them the chance to see each other in a new light to be more just parents to Arthur?

Royal Expectations (2015) 23.4K words, shineistan

Royalty AU. To celebrate Diane’s 60th birthday, the royals throw a birthday party (but for King Jack, it’s also to search for a bride for Robert who has no desire to wed and doesn’t believe in love either). During the party, Robert spots Adam (his sister’s fiancé’s betrothed) with Aaron, and is intrigued right away. What follows are the up and downs or Robert and Aaron with a large dose of Jack using blackmail to get his way (and Aaron away from Robert in the process). Rest assured, Jack gets what’s coming to him in the end…

Be My Forever (2016) 7.0K words, thesalmondean

When Aaron returns from a meeting in Hotten Adam forgot to cancel, he comes across blood at the scrapyard where Robert had been scrapping a car (yes, manual labor shocking). Having left his mobile behind, he learns Robert is at hospital but when he gets there, he is erroneously informed Robert died! Harming himself believing he’s lost Robert, Aaron is shaken when Robert turns up alive and well. Back home at the pub, they talk and reconnect. “But I can promise you I’ll never leave you willingly.” - how true that line became in the end 😢.

[ulysses000]

Hippie 70s AU inspired by the song

I want a Hawkins who embroiders flowers on his shirt and makes jewelry out of beads. I want him to wear loose pants and ankle bracelets, I want him to have his own van and trailer, and I want him to stop in the middle of some deserted highway and sleep in an open-air tent when he goes to a festival. I want him to have a bathtub in his trailer and lie in the sun warmed water in that very bathtub and smoke a joint. I want Drake a military or police officer, convinced of war and that sometimes there is no other way to solve a problem than by force. I want him to have all his patterns torn when he saw Hawkins in the crowd, thought it was a strange woman, and then saw his chiseled face and heard his low voice. I want him to forget about his duty to his country and "delivering democracy," simply because Hawkins has shown him a part of his world that is free of brutality and automatons. I want him to transcend his principles because he wants to understand how it feels to feel so calm and organic in this bloody world… I want him to silently leave his police badge and get behind the wheel of Hawkins' colorful van to take him to the sea.

For his bride does not like a strong hilt His scents are woody

I want Drake to be a cute redheaded girl for Hawkins, and Basil would be a mysterious nymph for Drake.

[rextasywrites]

Aftershow Part 2 (Leon Kennedy x f!reader)

The taxi felt ways too small, too cramped, not giving Leon and you enough space to enjoy each other. The party lasted longer than you previously anticipated, but between laughter, drinks and snacks, hours flew past you as if they were mere minutes. Your lipstick on his collar, staining the white fabric forever. It matched the red of your dress, something Leon was tugging on, his patience running thin.

Find Part 1 here

Warnings: porn without plot, op being horny on main for leon and flueling it into this fic

No matter how hard you two tried, Leon couldn’t fit a date into his busy schedule. One day, he had to be downtown, doing voice over for his latest movie. The next day, he had to be at the other side of the country for re-shoots. His life was a busy one, but at least you could text him. Every so often you laid in your bed, wishing Leon was next to you. You opened your eyes to find the spot next to you cold and deserted, the loneliness inside of your heart making your whole body sting. How much longer could you go without seeing him?

-txt- Hey baby...sorry for the lack of messages lately. Promo time has come and I am glad I am still in one piece, thinking of how everyone wants me on their shows and podcasts and magazines all at once! But listen...what about you come to the afterparty of the premiere? It’s in three days, enough time to find a pretty dress and a make-up artist. Just show me the dress first and I’ll send you the money over. Okay?

Leon’s message nearly made your eyes fall out of your skull, your heart about to leap out of your chest, making a classic exit out of your mouth. But there was no time to find your heart hiding in the room... 

-txt- Leon! Of course I’d love to join you.

You two fixed the time of your arrival at the party, and Leon insisted on paying for your dress and make-up...which you didn’t complain about, finding a good dress and an artist so close to the event was harder than you thought it would be. Thankfully a friend of a friend was a make-up artist, promising you to make you look like a princess.

The dress was a different story. 

*

The changing room was flooded with different dresses, ranging from bride looking growns to short cocktail dresses to hippie dresses to… “Fuuuuuuck, why did I even agree to this?”, you groaned as another dress didn’t fit the way you wanted it to, showing the parts of your body you didn’t want anyone to see or focus on. “Come on, it won’t be too hard!”, your friend laughed from the outside of the changing room, “He is like a sugar Daddy! He gave you money for make up AND a new cocktail dress! You better take advantage of this situation!”, she added, not realizing how serious this moment was for you.

Tears of frustration filled up your eyes as the pile of discarded dresses grew, and your friend poked her head inside of the cabin. “You good there, doll?”, she asked, another two dresses in hand.

“Do I look like I am okay?”, you groaned as you dragged your hands down your face, wiping away any possible tears that could have escaped, giving you a few seconds to calm yourself. “I look like a fool in each and every dress! It’s horrible!”

Your friend shook her head as she entered the changing room, hanging the newer dresses on the door. “You are talking bullshit again, dear.”, she chuckled as she eyed the dress you were currently wearing. She tilted her head before nodding, “But yes, this isn’t your colour. Come on, let's try this red one!”

Oh, how much better the red dress was. It wasn’t as tight as the previous one, but not too loose. It didn’t feel vacuum sealed, it didn’t feel like a potato bag - what a catch. The red complimented your skin tone, a blessing for your tear stained eyes. “That’s way better, babe. When we are done here, we are gonna grab some burgers, okay?”

*

“Well, aren’t you the most stunning woman I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on?”, Leon muttered as he pulled you into a bear hug, tight enough to crush your ribs, puncturing your lungs in the best way. And by the gods he was right. If one wouldn’t know better, they’d say you were the star of the movie judging by your appearance alone. A princess, a beauty, breathtaking, taking the oxygen right out of someone’s mouth. In his eyes, no one and nothing came even close to the goddess in front of him.

After trying and failing to match Leon’s bear hug, he let go of you, his smile never fading. “How have you been, little one?”, he asked as he took your hand, pulling you into the crowd. People talking and drinking, having a great time, the noises mixing together into one big mess. “Ah, you know…just surviving”, you winked at the taller man in front of you, a grin spread over his lips. Of course you’d quote one of his movies! What a clever one you were! “Let’s go to the bar, shall we? I made sure they’d have your favourite tonight…and some finger food too. I hope you like onion rings!”

Between laughter and smiles and onion rings, you didn’t realize the pictures taken of you two.

*

The taxi felt ways too small, too cramped, not giving Leon and you enough space to enjoy each other. The party lasted longer than you previously anticipated, but between laughter, drinks and snacks, hours flew past you as if they were mere minutes. Your lipstick on his collar, staining the white fabric forever. It matched the red of your dress, something Leon was tugging on, his patience running thin.

“Hey you two. No fucking in the back of my car! We’ll be at your address in a few minutes, keep it cool!”, the driver’s voice ripped you two out of your dream-like state, the ecstasy and joy pumping through your veins, replacing every drop of blood with need for each other. But the driver was right - just a few more minutes until you’d be at Leon’s place and you could rip each other’s clothes off with no thoughts or concerns for others. Even if you’d like to keep the dress, it was expensive after all.

*

You never realized how good Leon’s face looked with your juice all over it. With a naughty grin he came back up from under the blanket, wiping the last bit off his lips. “You taste just as nicely as I remember.” You also never realized how sweet the feeling of waking up next to someone you liked was. That was something you could get used to. “Leon…”, you groaned, the last waves washing over you, crashing you against the shore of lust. Leon just chuckled and pulled you back into his arms, “Let’s sleep some more? It is only nine in the morning…and our night was long. Why did we even wake up in the first place?” “Cause you were hard and poking your dick against my sore ass, Kennedy.” “Sounds fair.”

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

(don't drop the gif - I might write it) au victoria/bella prompts please

... Do you really mean AU as in Alternate Universe? Or uh... anything else.

I'm not sure I'm the idea fairy you're looking for but I can give it a shot:

Canon Divergent

That Time Victoria Got Bella and... No One Cared

New Moon happens, Bella's been dumped, the Cullens flee town and Edward forbids Alice from looking in on Bella's life. Victoria manages to get to Bella before Bella knows about the wolves/when she's real deep in depression (Bella's Port Angeles adventure ends up being Hallucination Edward telling her not to wander up to Victoria clearly watching her across a street. "Hello Darkness, my old friend" is what Bella says to that)

Victoria, delighted, prepares to kill Bella but realizes... no one's here... Revenge doesn't mean much if the person you're getting revenge on (Edward) isn't around. At first Victoria assumes he must be watching his precious human, but time passes and... he doesn't show up. The humans have accepted Bella died, where are the Cullens?

Victoria goes on a quest to find them, and there's a slow redemption arc as Victoria and Bella spend a lot of time in each other's company.

That Time the Hunt Went on Longer

Bella doesn't go to Phoenix when hunted by James. As a result, her father's murdered as is her mother and Phil. Bella lives out of hotel rooms, Edward refusing to turn her when Alice has admitted that James would have immediately stopped and gotten bored if Edward had done that. Bella realizes the rest of her life will be lived out of hotel rooms. She starts falling out of love with Edward as the situation becomes increasingly stressful and awful.

On the other side, this is getting spicy even for Victoria, as James is obsessing over this human girl and destroying her personality making it clear that Victoria's just an accessory/useful gift to him. Victoria is forced to realize James doesn't love her and is destroyed by this.

Victoria turns Bella in revenge against both the Cullens (who enabled the destruction of her life) and James (who proved he wasn't her savior after all).

Edward now has vampire Bella despite his best efforts and for all Bella tries to make it work they fall apart. During this she forms a shocking friendship then something more with Victoria.

Victoria Joined the Cullens

James never came across Victoria and hunted her down and at some point Victoria made the acquaintance of the weird hippies called the Cullens.

Desperate, Victoria trades human blood for protection and finds herself (along with Jasper) the very black sheep of the family who is a little less gung ho about this diet than the rest of them. It's cool not killing people, she guesses?

Bella finds herself first drawn to Edward in Biology but then meets his hot older sister (red hair, it's the role Victoria gets) and finds herself drawn to the mysterious black sheep of the family.

("I ate so many people with my coven that we started the witch hunting epidemic" - Victoria)

Things get extra spicy when Edward dumps Bella.

Awful AUs No One Should Ever Write

Bella's a Barista and Victoria's a customer with an awful boyfriend

It's Little Shop of Horrors and James is a plant Victoria keeps in her flat and Bella her clumsy coworker dating a questionable dentist

Victoria's a bride of Dracula (James) and Bella is a sad sad virgin sacrifice given to James to be another bride.

They're all human in high school. Edward's in orchestra, Bella's the shy wallflower who thinks he's so intellectual, Victoria is a punk delinquent with a shitty boyfriend. Aro's the principal. He's constantly accused of tyranny.

They're all working in the same company as humans. Bella doesn't know how the Xerox machine works.

Bella's a vampire now and Victoria's the human!

It's a mafia movie now. No, there's no vampires, it's just a mafia movie.

Victoria's a rock star with a secret identity and Bella's her biggest fan! There's a subplot where Bella dates Edward who is the band's pianist and Victoria hates her life.

[smilesrobotlover]

Well now I want to see Talon and his wife in that "bride and the ugly groom" meme. That last picture was adorable by the way

Haha, I don’t think they’d fit the meme. Faima is a beautiful ethereal great fairy while Benji is some hippie who hasn’t bathed in days. Talon and his late wife were both well kept but not too fancy beauty wise lol.

But thank youuuu!

[tuulikki]

Thank god our good buddy who’s with us on this trip is Slovenian, otherwise my alternative sample size of the other three Slovenians I’ve been travelling with would make me think they’re all assholes. We have:

One ship’s captain who gets furious at us for not magically intuiting the rules of his ship. And who, like a Chill Bride™️, says he’s “okay” with everything but is in fact a passive-aggressive 60-something brat. He also thinks dictatorship is the best form of government, e.g., is mad at the US (valid) for invading Iraq (valid) because Saddam had the best regime in the world (hmmm).

Two hippies who think the “delusional” trans people are going to derail society’s chance at reasserting (??) some sort of mystic matriarchy which they believe will heal the scars of patriarchy. Also that the Jews are secretly controlling Turkey. Also my poor Indian friend is being treated to the most amazing Orientalist views on “Eastern religion.” Proving once again that the wellness/New Age/crystals crew are never to be trusted to have progressive views.

[gypsylotusrose]

[canecorset]

whitelist

Scream, The Witches, Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, It, Corpse Bride, Coraline, Gremlins, Goosebumps, Breaking Bad, Fallout, Air Buddies Spinoffs, Pup Star Movies + Puppy Star Christmas, Men In Black, Ghostbusters, Venom, Jumanji, Paddington, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, Vampire Dog, Supernatural, Zootopia, Any Monster High Media except the newer ones, Yo-Kai Watch, Back To The Future, Rick and Morty, Powerpuff Girls, The Matrix, Fight Club, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Ring, The Shining, Good Omens, Needy Steamer Overload, Sucker For Love, Class of '09, Any Chilla's Art game, Any Puppet Combo game, Genshin Impact ( i will give any natlan or sumeru character their melanin back ), Honkai Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero, Pokémon, Kirby, Any Legend of Zelda game, Animal Crossing, Doki Doki Literature Club, Five Nights at Freddy's, Tuck Everlasting, The Outsiders, Lord of the Rings + The Hobbit, Pirates of the Caribbean, Doctor Who, MCU, DCU, My Little Pony, Frankenweenie, The Nightmare before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, The Grinch, Phantom of the Opera, Disney ( i do not support the company, it is merely ingrained in my childhood and i enjoy the whimsical stories of old school Disney ), Smile, The Mandela Catalogue, Possibly in Michigan, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hannibal, Vtubers ( no nijisanji ), OCs ( must provide artwork, if it was drawn by someone else, tell me who ), Demon Slayer, Jujustu Kaisen, Bungou Stray Dogs, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Sailor Moon, Death Note, Chainsaw Man, Reverse: 1999, Resident Evil, The Last Of Us, Call of Duty, Red Dead Redemption, God of War, Devil May Cry, Detroit: Become Human, Doom, Madoka Magica, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Nier: Automata, Spy x Family, Darling in the Franxx, Panty & Stocking, Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun, Overlord, Wuthering Waves, Dark Souls, Halo, Fundamental Paper Education, Final Fantasy, Vocaloid, A Land Mine Vampire's Overbearing Love, I Wanted to be Hurt by Love, Zom 100, The Case Study of Vanitas, Sanrio, Cherry Crush, Danganrompa, Mean Girls, The Walten Files, If It's Not On This List Or Blacklist, Ask First!

blacklist

The Coffin of Andy and Leyley, Boyfriends Webtoon, Dori ( genshin ), Makima and Himeno ( chainsaw man ), Homestuck, South Park, Mori ( bungo stray dogs ), Anything Pedophilic, Incestuous, Abusive, etc. Anything With Toxic or Harmful Intentions ( stalker x victim, etc. )

greylist / restricted

Any non-SFW media but if i'm able to find some content that isn't explicit, i suppose i can edit it. I won't do ship or Hu Tao related content unless we are moots.

DNI

Basic DNI, anti-mspec / "contradictory labels", radqueer, safequeer, aggressive stans, misandrists, deny transandrophobia, "irl yanderes", demonize PDs or believe in narc abuse, etc. TERFs, if you're here to start discourse, ed / sh blogs, femcels and incels, NSFW blogs, nasty people.

prioritize

Transmasc, Transsexual ( masc, male, etc. ), Sappillean, Gaybian, Boygirl, Demigirl, Black Exclusive Labels, Rabbit Hole Miku, Vampire Miku, Ghost, Fairy, Water, Dark, Fighting and Flying Type Miku, Indie Kid, Kidcore, Lovecore, Dark Academia, Weirdcore, Horror, Clowncore, Americana, Morute, Southern Gothic, Biblical Imagery, Vulture Culture, Cybercore, Scenecore, Nonhuman, Otherkin, Otherhearted, Bat Related, Bug Related, Monster Related, Loser Related, Freak Related, Mutt Related, Aro + Ace Related, Anything Cute, Aquatic or Fluffy, Mean Girls, Desaturated Colors, Occult, Cyber Y2K, Hippie / BoHo, Low Poly, Forensics Aesthetic, Feminine Masc, Austism Related, BPD or AVPD Related, 80s Aesthetics, Burlesque Aesthetics, Gender Non-Conforming, Drag, Deadpool, Wolverine, Batman, Moot Requests.

things i'll do

tumblr layouts, character pride icons, mogai flags, aesthetic carekits, dual flag + music suggestion, rentry graphics, dividers, blasian / darkskin edits upon request.

things i won't do

alt system terms, discord or twitter layouts, rentry directory graphics.

[tellurian-in-aristasia]

A Somewhat Condensed Timeline of Aristasia.

Aristasia is sometimes very difficult to grasp, because there are many parts in motion, and it's been many different things, either at the same time or in different eras. In Aristasian lore, time and space are one. Western Aristasia butts up against our reality, and the further east you walk, the further back in time you go.

The sun rises in the East. The early-to-mid 1970s is where it began with a group of girls in their twenties who were deeply into the idea that the earth had an ancient, secret, matriarchal history and that God was a woman. Several different groups with this same belief got together to publish a magazine that explored these beliefs, writing as if they were part of an ancient and secret matriarchal society. There were scriptures, songs, holidays, and personal histories being presented in this magazine as an attempt to legitimize their belief.

By the early 80's some of these people had formed something of a hippie commune in Ireland, and attempted to live what they had preached in their magazines for the better part of a decade. These were called the Rhennish. They were a little bit like Amish hippies, rejecting modernity and living spiritually. Their spiritual beliefs were referred to as Lux Madriana.

Only a couple of years later, by the mid 1980s, the men had been kicked out of the club and the aesthetics had turned very Victorian. In this era they still claimed to exist without electricity, but they also published a number of text-based adventure games for computers. This was the St. Brides era. This was the name of their publishing company, as well the name of their "school" that ran week long events. It was a bit like a role-playing game or a LARP. Women would pay about £ 120 to spend the week reliving their school days for fun. The inhabitants of the St. Brides School called themselves the Silver Sisterhood.

The late 1980s saw an Aristasian off-shoot that included men called "Romantia". They held similar anti-modern values to the Aristasians. They produced some newsletters and zines about their world view and perhaps hosted events. Aesthetic wise, they tended to drift further into the 20th century than the Silver Sisterhood's pseudo-Victorian role-play. The groundworks for what would later become familiar in Aristasia were laid here, but they referred to themselves as "Olympians" when they didn't call themselves "Romantics". What would later be known as "The Pit" or "The Void" was known as "Babylon".

The early 1990s saw the end of the St. Brides School. They seemed to have had some disagreements with the landlords, stopped paying rent, and then left one day, leaving a lot of their stuff behind. The early 1990s also saw an assault charge against the woman who would become Miss Martindale, for some whipping her live-in-maid, who was acting as a maid in order to learn about the female-divine religion that they popularized in the mid-70s and still seemed to practice behind closed doors. Newspaper articles came out about some very problematic materials found in the house, including correspondence with National Party members and anti-semitic publications, as well as BDSM pornography, catalogs, and equipment. They largely denied this had anything to do with the Sisterhood, and insisted it was junk mail sent by perverts and things their boarders brought into the house without them knowing.

Things were quiet for about a year, until the girls came back in full force in the mid 1990s. This was Aristasia's first big day in the sun and the height of the Wildfire Club, their lesbian publishing company that leant heavily into BDSM and master and servant relationships. A large portion of their most well known books were published in this era, which were largely erotic stories interspersed with Aristasian lore. There was a lot of push and pull between releasing racy material, calling attention to it, and then insisting it has nothing to do with sex. I believe this was the first time they called what they did "Aristasia". Aesthetics in this era largely shied away from the Victorian and focused more on the glamourous 30s-50s. There was a big focus on vintage stockings. Aristasians began setting up early websites in this era. The infamous "A Weekend with Miss Martindale" was aired on late night BBC.

This era kept on rolling into the late 90s throughout the early 2000s, with Aristasian nights at local lesbian bars, as well as fetish clubs. They sold fetish supplies, vintage clothing, vintage style stockings, as well as their own books and other fetish books. This was the height of Aristasia-in-Telluria, with several households of Aristasians living together as Embassies. Girls could schedule appointments online to meet with Aristasians to see if they were a good fit for their world. The woman who was known as Miss Martindale was something of a celebrity and had gained international renown for the brief BBC documentary about her from 1996, although she had perhaps moved to America in the late 90s.

The mid-2000s put a screeching halt to Aristasia-in-Telluria and their embassy was moved almost entirely online. The girls gradually seemed to move away from real-world events, and perhaps each other, and they moved their Aristasian adventures to forums, chat rooms, and the Second Life game, where they set up their Aristasia-in-Elektraspace. Operation Bridgehead was announced in late 2005, which seemed to make a very big statement about Aristasia: It was a real place, Aristasians are aliens from that planet, and all that spanking stuff was just a big misunderstanding and not that serious at all. This is the era of Aristasia Pura. The game got very serious: the religious parts came back out in the open, the world building got elaborate, more websites popped up, and more girls started showing up to play in their sandbox. A mysterious girl known as The Mushroom Princess was the Aristasian welcome committee on Second Life and seemed to play a big part in charming new girls and directing the game. The mysterious Mushroom Princess was, in fact, one of the girls who played a major part in creating the religion that was the underlying belief that linked all of these eras together.

The mid-2000s also saw the Miss Martindale BBC documentary go online, being uploaded to early Youtube, seeming to attracting a mixed group of people to Aristasia. Some people saw it as an intense group of friends where they could create a fantasy world together online, complete with a built-in spirituality, and others were seeing the racy 1990s erotic and stylish club of ladies in vintage clothes aggressively rebelling against modernity with their femininity. Something of a fanclub for Miss Martindale popped up online, completely separate from the true Aristasians, with a big emphasis on their Romantia and Wildfire Club days. Small Romantia revival meetups pop up in the UK after people online, particularly men, discover the old Aristasia and want to experience it for themselves. The old Romantia magazines are put online. These new groups were completely unaffiliated with Aristasia.

Things chugged on, more or less the same, through the late-2000s with the Aristasians-in-Elektraspace becoming more and more interested in Anime and learning Japanese language. The fall of Second Life perhaps shrank their numbers, because in this era they seemed to put out a lot of sites attempting to entice people into their belief system, without outright calling it Aristasia. You see them making "femmekin" blogs to attract otherkins, multiple Filinist/Deanist religious blogs, several sites about Amazon warriors, and other "all girl world" websites.

Things start to get rocky in the early 2010s. The last remaining true UK Aristasians, who seemed to have receded completely into elektraspace at that point, sell their vintage school girl supplies on Ebay to fund a move to America. Anime and Japan becomes more and more important to every conversation they have. Their aesthetics change to the kawaii. Discussions in the forums often take place in Japanese. However, despite this, they start Sun Daughter Press, and publish two fiction sci-fi adventures that seem to harken back to an the early days of Aristasia Pura.

In 2013 the boat is thoroughly rocked, the seas are stormy. Old-style Aristasians, and the Miss Martindale fan club, are sick of talking about anime and kawaii things, they have noticed the gradual change and don't understand why the game has changed so drastically. They miss the old Aristasia and notice the name of their homeworld is hardly ever mentioned any more and their old ways are downplayed or utterly erased. Critical blog posts are made. "Turncoat" and "traitor" accusations are made. There's evidence an Operation Bridgehead Version 2 was in the works. The old URLs that were allowed to lapse were bought by Aristasian purists, perhaps the people that had come in from the mid-2000s, who were looking back to the 1990s. All their old archived sites were put back online to preserve the old ways. Even the near-pornographic sites that were associated with the 1990s Aristasian empire are back in the Aristaisa Preservation Project. Almost immediately after the APP goes online, Aristasia changes its name to Chelouranya. Operation Bridgehead Version 2 is, presumably, cancelled. The old Aristasia is dead, and is claimed it never really existed, Chelouranya reigns supreme. Those who have been shut out of the new Aristasia suggest starting "Nova Aristasia" to revive the old ways, but it never comes to pass.

Chelouranya is quiet throughout the mid-to-late 2010s. It's a small group of girls who are devoted to Japan. Or rather, to the Aristasian version of Japan. They learn Japanese, The Mushroom Princess visits Japan and has something of a religious awakening where she realizes that Japan is as close to their lost Motherland of Aristasia as they're ever going to get, they speak in Japanese. They start teaching Japanese to outlanders and it's surprisingly successful. The early proto-Vtuber Cure Dolly is created for this purpose and controlled by The Mushroom Princess. She has a successful patreon. If any more Aristasian world-building happens, it's done privately. The woman formerly known as Miss Martindale lives in America, her husband (for that's why she left for America) dies in the mid-2010s, she dabbles in hosting non-Aristasian spiritual retreats in California, she does some art, hosts some plays. Meanwhile the mysterious mushroom-shaped figure who brought anime into Aristasia continues teaching outlanders to speak Japanese and the former Miss Martindale helps her out, and perhaps even lends her her home. In the late 2010s and early 2020 there is a bit of a revival of the Filianic beliefs, with several independent Filianists, some of which used to be involved in the offshoots in the 1980s. Through some intense research they make all of the old 1970s religious works available online, release their own version of the scriptures, and untangle the complicated web of the authorship of the early Filianic works.

In late 2021, the Cure Dolly Patreon made a vague announcement implying that the little Mushroom alien controlling Cure Dolly has died. There is some debate amongst her online patreons, who have probably never heard of Aristasia and couldn't tell a Blonde from a Brunette, whether or not she has really died. Shortly after this the woman who was once Miss Martindale hosts a meetup called "Wonder Woman's Island Society Recreated", with an emphasis on the ancient knowledge of the Amazons. The sun has set in the West, and is rising in the East again, but Aristasia very well may be empty of loyal subjects.

[coulsons-fullmetal-cellist]

A Whimsy of a Wedding

I had this dream last night and had to write it down. I may have added bits to it but I can’t quite remember as sometimes I start adding to my dreams soon after having them and then they all meld into something like this weirdness.

Warnings: some whimsy, someone gets hit in the face, a clown gets mentioned, Marcus Pike comes with his own warning

Well this was the whimsiest wedding you’ve ever been to. And you were attending it alone as per usual (sarcastic yay)

Walking up to the outdoor location, you notice a number of random items scattered around, no rhyme or reason as to why they are there, having only a slight acquaintance with the couple but naturally honoured that you were invited.

Now that you were here, you’d wondered whether you got the address right. This looked more like a school or church fair than an outdoor wedding. A stage was set up and the seats arranged with no aisle. No aisle at a wedding? Well, this was a first.

The other wedding guests had already seated themselves towards the front, leaving the back row all for yourself. As soon as you sat, you felt the awkwardness of being here by your lonesome. Looking around you noticed a bunch of teddy bears. You decided they must be feeling lonely as well so you toddled off to collect them as your row companions. May as well add to the whimsy.

You’d gotten yourself comfortable while ceremony music started, hugging the one bear that couldn’t get a seat. You noticed two bridesmaids standing to the side of the stage looking a little too formally dressed for this outdoor theme.

You felt a small tapping on your shoulder, so you peered around enough to register that a man shaped blur was standing close behind and you heard a soft, manly voice behind you.

“Sorry to bother you but, I don’t really want to sit by myself but I also don’t want to upset any of your friends” he said gesturing to the teddy bears, “Would you mind?”

You shook your head and gestured to the seat next to you. You sensed that the man shaped blur had moved himself next to you and was hugging the bear he displaced.

“You with the bride or the groom?” he leaned in your direction.

“I know the groom”

“Oh, I know the bride”

At this, you heard a soft rumbling noise. Everyone turned to see a van drive up. More specifically, it was a repurposed milk float. Did people still get their milk delivered? That’s something they should bring back. But back to this weird reality of a wedding, the bride removed herself from the milk float and made her way to the stage with her bridesmaids. She looked like an elven princess, very much in theme.

You were beginning to think that maybe she was being jilted when an even louder rumble was heard. Everyone yet again turned to see a motorbike. You had very little knowledge of motor vehicles but you could guess that it was the type biker gangs liked to use. Although the driver did not fit the typical biker as she was a very beautiful looking woman. Her companion got off from the side car and removed their helmet with a dramatic flourish of long hair. This was the groom. And he was wearing a short white midi dress. Well, he definitely had the legs for it. He looked like a very stylish hippie so again, fitting with this theme, whatever it was.

The ceremony went along without any problems. It was a little hard to follow as the one doing the ceremony was a Buddhist monk or, at least someone who liked to dress as one. It was hard to follow along with all the chanting but, the couple did the kiss, and everyone was clapping so it seemed rude to not follow suite.

They both then skipped off the stage to the other outdoor entertainment which was all tents. So many tents. The guests didn’t seemed bothered by this so you stood to join them, almost forgetting about the man shaped blur that was next to who was now talking to you again.

“Sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier. The man is Pike, Marcus Pike. Sorry, didn’t mean for it to come out that way, I don’t even like James Bond”

You were shaking his hand and you looked up at the now named man. You were glad you didn’t look earlier because you would not have stopped looking; you didn’t think men were this handsome, they only existed in films and here was one standing right in front of you.

You managed to give the gorgeous man your name without sounding like you were on the verge of swooning.

“So how do you know the groom?” he asked

You were both wandering around the area, occasionally glancing at the many tents pitched around the grassy area.

“Oh, he’s a patient of mine”

His gorgeous face looked gorgeously confused at your answer.

“I’m a music therapist, and he comes to me to help with his anxiety”

“Oh, wow, that sounds impressive”

You just shrugged in humble embarrassment. “So, how do you know the bride?”

“She used to paint forgeries, good ones, until my unit recruited her and now, she works as a consultant in my department”

You just laughed at the absurdity until you realised he was serious.

“Are you an agent?”

“A special agent; I deal mainly with art theft”

You looked at this gorgeous man wearing a formal suit in astonishment.

“Well, you’re definitely dressed like a special agent. I don’t know why I said that, I don’t like James Bond either”

You both just laughed in adorable awkwardness. It’s a good thing you were both still holding the bears, so you at least had something to do with your hands. By this point, a clown on stilts emerged from a tent, much to your horror so you gestured to move away from this. Marcus managed to find a tent that looked like it served refreshments. Several drink coolers were standing around filled with various bottles holding what looked to be homemade beverages. No labels, of course, meaning everyone had to risk either getting accidentally drunk or suffering a bad tasting drink.

All the guests had gathered in a clearing surrounding the bride and groom. Clearly, they all had gotten an itinerary that you were unaware of. Marcus just shrugged at your identical confusion but you both joined the crowd.

“Gather round lords and ladies, princes and princesses” Wow, an actual town crier. Did they still exist?

“We shall now behind the game of succession! The couple requested that no bridal bouquet be thrown to the ladies unwed. Instead, all unattached souls are welcome to join”

This was the part of weddings that you hated as you were one of the few made to be humiliated on a lonely ballroom floor. At least maybe, you’d have some fellow lonely souls.

You stepped forward but kept to the back. Marcus was still next to you which seemed impossible because surely, someone as gorgeous as him wouldn’t be single.

The town crier held up and object in his hand. It was a miniature basketball.

“Now the one who gets final possession of this object will be blessed with luck of future matrimony”

This was new.

“Let the dance of ball bailiwick commence!”

He threw the ball into the air and chaos ensued.

You were glad you were taking the relaxed, staying away from it approach.

“Well, this is certainly different” You agreed with Marcus. “I hope this means there won’t be a garter toss. I hate those things”

You turned to look at him but then felt a sudden whack to the side of your face. The miniature basketball had hit the side of your nose before falling into your arms which was still holding the teddy bear so it was trapped. You noticed none of this as all you felt was pain.

You were only vaguely aware of your surroundings as Marcus became a man shaped blur again, taking your hand and leading you somewhere. Later, you found yourself sitting on a bed. In a tent. How many tents with beds were there? What kind of wedding had tents with beds in them?

“Here, hold this”

The man shaped blur became Marcus again as he held a handkerchief of ice to the side of your face. As the stinging subsided, you took a better look around. Both the teddy bears that you’d been holding were sitting next to each other at the head of the bed, along with the miniature basketball that had caused your injury. A small table had one of those drink coolers on it and you suspected that’s where Marcus had gotten the ice from. You then noticed that he removed his jacket and had rolled up his sleeves, revealing gorgeous arms. Yes, you kept using the word gorgeous, but there was really no other word you could use to describe him.

“I don’t think anything is broken. Hopefully no stiches, just a bruise”

“So, I’ll just look ugly for a while?”

“Oh, that’ll be a hard thing to do”

By the time it took you to realise what he said, he coughed and moved over to the drink cooler.

“Are you thirsty? You must be thirsty? I’m definitely thirsty. Sorry I didn’t get glasses; I didn’t have enough hands”

As he handed you the now opened bottle of unknown liquid, you immediately noticed his hands: they were huge and gorgeous. How much stuff could he fit them? You quashed this thought down as you took a sip; you tasted floral and citrus but not much in the way of alcohol.

“Not bad” you said as you handed Marcus the bottle.

You then had a pleasant conversation on the drink, coming to the conclusion that it at least contained elderflower and grapefruit, until the bottle was empty. He had another look at your face, being surprisingly gentle, given his giant hands, and took the Macgyvered ice pack away.

“Is it feeling better? It’s looking better”

You nodded, taking a little sniff and moving your face around, feeling for anything off.

“Yeah, now the stinging pain has gone away, it’s just a dull ache. Thanks for helping me, by the way”

“I wasn’t going to leave a beautiful woman in distress.”

“Was I in distress?”

“Well, you got hit in the face with a wedding ball.”

“That sounds like the most embarring thing to be hit in the face with.”

You both chuckled again. The mood definitely felt lighter.

“This might sound weird but, I’m enjoying your company.”

“Me too.” You replied

“I’d certainly like to get to know you better. Would it be too forward if I ask you out to dinner?”

You thought about this for all of two seconds.

“Well, there’s a good looking buffet tent, does that count?”

[sims-and-counting]

SO! Fundie Sims Gen 7 is a go :) Below is a summary of what the game plan is:

As you may have noticed, we’ve skipped Gen 6. I ran out of inspo plus none of the Gen 5 kids were particularly fundie-esque. I played with Emma as the heir for a bit, but just didn’t like where it was going. 

If you check out the PlumTree (spoilers!), you can see which line we’re following. 

The story is that Anya (the eldest Blake) married Toby Carr, an actor, and moved to San Myshuno. 

They had a daughter, Kelsey-Anna Carr. 

However, Toby cheated on her and generally treated them badly, so Anya left him and moved to Sulani. In Sulani, she decided to start a hippie/yoga-esque commune. 

There, Anya had a second child, Josiah Arnold (born Ocean Child Arnold - he changed his name when he was baptised). Although raised on the commune, he scorned his upbringing and became a conservative Christian after meeting a missionary while travelling. He started and, at the start of our story runs, the Sulani Mission. 

Enter Emmi Santiago. The youngest of a large conservative family from Selvadorada, her father and Josiah became prayer partners, after which he suggested Emmi as a bride for Josiah. Josiah wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but thought it would be a good cover for his “unholy inclinations”.

And there we are! Emmi will be our narrator for Gen 7. Hope you all enjoy the next part of the Fundie Sims Story :)  

CONCURRENTLY I will be sharing the story segments for screenshots I took with other parts of the Blake family just to wrap that all up. But Emmi/Josiah will be the main story.

[osharenippon]

70s Japan Trends Through the Music Charts (Part 2)

During the 1970s, the Japanese music industry was in the process of forming its identity. In addition to mirroring the musical preferences of the nation, the charts also served as a reflection of the prevailing societal trends and ambitions of that era. In this series, we chronicle the most significant musical trends of the decade.

70s Japan Trend Through the Music Charts (Part 1)

Trend #4: The Impact of Discover Japan

In 1970, Osaka hosted the World Expo, marking a significant milestone for post-war Japan following the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. To accommodate the influx of visitors, the government expanded the rail network, enabling over 60 million people—half of the nation's population—to journey to the World's Fair. However, as the Expo drew to a close after six months, concerns arose about the railways becoming obsolete. So, with the help of the ad agency Dentsu, they devised a campaign to stimulate domestic tourism by rail. The result was "DISCOVER JAPAN," one of the most iconic campaigns of the decade (which, curiously, was partially inspired by Ivy Fashion brand VAN).

"DISCOVER JAPAN" profoundly impacted Japanese society by popularizing solo travel and igniting domestic tourism, particularly among young women who ventured out on their own. This trend was further fueled by the launch of the first female fashion magazines, AnAn and Non-no, both of which regularly featured articles on charming touristic cities across the country. Cities known as "Little Kyoto," which retained their Edo Period architecture and charm, were particularly attractive to these travelers.

Influenced by fashion magazines, these trend-conscious women journeyed to towns throughout Japan, earning them the moniker "AnNon" (a fusion of AnAn and Non-no). Their impact during the 1970s was significant enough to be mentioned in a song by Sada Masashi, one of the decade's prominent folk singers.

"DISCOVER JAPAN," the print and TV campaign devised by Dentsu, is one of Japan's most successful and era-defining marketing campaigns.

Sada Masashi rose to fame in the early 1970s as part of the folk duo Grape before launching a successful solo career. In 1977, his song "Ehagakizaka," which paid tribute to his hometown of Nagasaki, mentioned identically dressed stylish young girls in denim, clutching AnAn and Non-no magazines while photographing their surroundings. This song vividly captured the aspirational girl culture of the 1970s, characterized by "healing" domestic trips in pursuit of tranquility and small pleasures, hippie and boho-inspired fashion, and folk music as the soundtrack.

Masashi Sada's song and the AnNon-zoku tribe aside, "DISCOVER JAPAN" had an immense impact on different layers of Japanese society. And that included the music charts. In 1971, the two best-selling singles, "Watashi no joka-machi" by Rumiko Koyanagi and "Shiretoko ryojou" by Tokiko Kato, surpassed 1 million copies sold. Both perfectly embodied the campaign's spirit in highlighting the hidden beauties of Japan.

"Watashi no jokamachi," or "My Castle Town," marked Koyanagi's explosive debut, selling over 1.3 million copies. This enka-infused kayokyoku ballad paid homage to cities with Edo-like architecture, often centered around a feudal lord's castle, evoking a peaceful, melancholic atmosphere in its lyrics. Rumiko continued to sing about regional Japan's charms the following year with another hit, "Seto no Hanayome" (The Bride of Seto). Meanwhile, the folk-inspired "Shiretoko ryoujou" (Shiretoko Journey) celebrates the unique beauty and culture of the Shiretoko peninsula on Hokkaido Island.

In the same year, other artists also succeeded by spotlighting provincial Japan. Enka superstar Shinichi Mori delved into this theme with "Boukyou" (Nostalgia). At the same time, Yuuko Nagisa found success with a Japanese rendition of The Ventures' "Kyoto Doll," titled "Kyoto no Koi" (Love in Kyoto). She would go on to have another top-selling single with her version of another Ventures song, "Reflection in Palace Lake," transformed into "Kyoto Bojo" (Kyoto Longing).

Trend #5: The Legend of Momoe Yamaguchi

"Aidoru" or "idols" are cute girl/boy-next-door types who sing, dance, act, host TV shows, and star in countless commercials. They stand as one of the cornerstones of the thriving multi-billion yen Japanese entertainment industry. The 70s was an essential era for consolidating this type of star. And one idol, in particular, shone the brightest: Momoe Yamaguchi.

Momoe is a legendary star and an example of an "aidoru" who excelled at everything, exuding sophistication, talent, and sex appeal. The fact she retired from public life at the height of her fame cemented her mythical status.

Momoe Yamaguchi in her prime, the idol industry's gold standard.

In 1972, at the tender age of 13, Yamaguchi auditioned for the talent search TV show "Star Tanjou!" (A Star is Born). Her crisp singing voice and mature beauty immediately captured the industry's attention. Hori Production, the entertainment agency, and Sony CBS label swiftly recognized her potential and signed her. In May 1973, five months after her televised audition, she made her official debut with the single "Toshigoro" (Adolescence). Although Sony had a history of immediate success with newcomers, Momoe's first single received a tepid response, so her label decided to court a bit of controversy for her sophomore outing. "Aoi kajitsu" (Ripe Fruit) had the innocent-looking 14-year-old girl singing, "you can do whatever you want to me, even if they say I'm a bad girl." The racy lyrics worked, and the single was a success. 

A few months later, Yamaguchi's backers repeated this formula with "Hito natsu no keiken" (One Summer Experience). The song began with a suggestive promise: "I'll give you the most precious thing a girl has." The lyrics were laden with double entendres, describing a "sweet trap of temptation" that can only be experienced once. She sang, "if the person I love is pleased, then I'm happy. I don't mind if you break it," which could be understood as a reference to a girl's heart or hymen.

The single was an explosive hit, propelling 15-year-old Yamaguchi into the A-list. For the remainder of her career, she was frequently asked about the "most precious thing a girl has," to which she'd always offer a stern-looking reply: "Her devotion."

The young, mature-looking girl singing thinly veiled songs about sexual awakening with a dark, serious-looking image set her apart from the prevalent happy-go-lucky idol aesthetic. However, it wasn't merely reliance on gimmicks that transformed her into a legend. In 1976, after firmly establishing herself as a star, she parted ways with her frequent collaborators, lyricist Kazuya Senke and composer Shunichi Tokura. Beginning with the single "Yokosuka Story," she partnered with the husband-and-wife duo Yoko Aki and Ryudo Uzaki.

Ryudo Uzaki, the frontman of the popular enka rock band DOWNTOWN BOOGIE WOOGIE BAND, infused her kayokyoku tunes with a rock edge. Through her lyrics, Yoko Aki redefined Momoe's image as a confident, clear-eyed girl transitioning into womanhood. Sony initially opposed Momoe's desire to collaborate with Aki and Uzaki, but the partnership ultimately helped her reach her commercial peak.

"Yokosuka Story" was Momoe's first single to reach the number 1 spot on the weekly charts. The Aki-Uzaki duo penned several other hits for her, including "Playback Part 2" and "Sayonara no mukougawa" (The Other Side of Goodbye), and opened doors for her to collaborate with other luminaries of Japanese music. Two of her most memorable hits, "Cosmos" and "Ii hi tabidaichi" (Beautiful Day Departure), both released in 1978, were penned by folk superstars Masashi Sada and Shinji Tanimura of Arisu, respectively. The latter became the theme song for the iconic DISCOVER JAPAN TV commercials.

Speaking of commercials, idols worth their salt can't limit themselves to music. Momoe earned millions as the face of Toyota cars, Fujifilm photographic films, Casio watches, and Glico confectionary products, among others. She also starred in highly rated TV dramas and ventured into the world of film.

Starting in 1974, she appeared in two romantic films per year, always paired with Tomokaza Miura as her co-star. While Momoe pursued various ventures, Miura's acting career primarily revolved around being her on-screen romantic partner. Their undeniable chemistry and the box-office success of their films led to them being known as the "golden combination."

In a concert at the end of 1979, Momoe stunned her audience by revealing that her on-screen partner, Miura, was her real-life boyfriend. In a subsequent press conference in March of the following year, she confirmed her intention to marry him and retire officially. In September, she released her autobiography, which sold over 1 million copies in a month. In October, she bid farewell through a series of TV specials and a concert at Nippon Budokan. Her farewell concert reportedly earned Hori Productions over 20 million dollars, according to figures provided by the agency to Billboard magazine at the time. Momoe's success allowed HoriPro to become one of the best-established entertainment agencies in Japan, a position it still holds today. Her final performance took place at HoriPro's 20th-anniversary event, where she sang "Ii hi tabidaichi." In November, she married Miura and disappeared from the media.

The Japanese public obsession with her never waned. Paparazzi tried to capture her at her son's kindergarten graduation ceremony and doing classes at a local driving school. Many speculated she'd eventually come out of retirement. She never did, which only helped feed the obsession around her.

During the 1970s, Yamaguchi enjoyed immense success, but she was one of many popular female idols. The narrative created by her retirement elevated her to the status of a larger-than-life legend. She became the gifted, beautiful young woman who succeeded as a singer, a TV actress, and a movie star before choosing the ultimate happy ending: marriage. By choosing love, Momoe Yamaguchi, the legendary idol, transformed into an ordinary woman—a real-life fairy tale that resonated deeply with Japanese society.

Her decision was driven by profound motivations. Momoe revealed in her autobiography that she was raised by a single mother, the product of an extramarital affair. Her challenging upbringing and her father's late appearance to capitalize on her fame instilled a deep desire for a traditional, happy family life. She also grew weary of the relentless demands of stardom and the repetitiveness of performing the same songs. Thus, she made a heartfelt choice to relinquish fame and public life to give her husband the most important thing a girl has: her devotion.

Trend #6: Idols' Rise

The term "idol" in the Japanese entertainment industry finds its origins in the French film "Cherchez l'idole" (1963), which enjoyed immense popularity in Japan. Initially, "Aidoru" was used to describe the film's star, Sylvie Vartan, before it evolved into a general term to describe youthful-looking triple-threat domestic stars.

Before the coining of the term, "idol-like" stars had already existed. In the 1930s, Machiko Ashita attracted crowds to the Moulin Rouge Shinjuku and served as the face of several brands. In the 1950s, rockabilly stars enjoyed massive popularity among the youth, and the 1960s saw the rise of manufactured "group sound" bands and the female duo The Peanuts, comprised of twin sisters. Legendary stars such as Hibari Misora, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Teruhiko Saigo, Yukio Hashi, and Kazuo Funaki thrived as both movie stars and successful singers.

However, the 70s marked the consolidation of the "idol" aesthetic and career path, paving the way for the "golden era of idols" in the next decade. Essential for it to happen was the widespread adoption of the medium where idols shine the brightest: television.

TV allowed entertainment agencies to aggressively push their young, fresh-faced talents in front of a broad audience. They populated music and variety shows, commercials, and dramas. They were immaculate, life-sized stars ready to play the part of the nation's sweethearts.

Although history has crowned Momoe Yamaguchi as the ultimate 70s idol, she was just one among many during most of that decade. A closer examination of the numbers reveals that, among female idols, Mari Amachi had the most significant short-term impact during that time.

Amachi was first introduced on the popular TBS TV drama "Jikan desu yo" (It's Time) in 1971, playing "Tonari no Mari-chan" (Next Door Mari-chan). She played the minor role of a cute girl who lived close to the show's primary setting, a family-run public bathhouse, and often appeared by her window, playing guitar and singing. By October, with the backing of the biggest entertainment agency of the era, Watanabe Production, and Sony CBS, 19-year-old Mari Amachi officially debuted with the single "Mizuiro no Koi" (Light Blue Love). It was a hit—the first of many. Mari would be 1972's best-selling act, achieving high sales with four albums and five singles.

Mari's image, characterized by an innocent aura, a happy-go-lucky personality, and frilly dresses as stage outfits, became the prototype for female idols. Her short hair and chiseled smile earned her the nickname "Sony's Snow White," evoking the image of a fairytale princess. Unsurprisingly, she was particularly popular with children, leading Watanabe Pro to license her likeness for various goods, including the coveted "Do-Re-Mi Mari-chan" Bridgestone Cycle bicycle, highly sought after by young girls in the early 70s.

Despite her rapid rise to fame, Mari's time at the top was short-lived. By 1974, another Watanabe Pro idol, Agnes Chan, was already surpassing her in sales. In 1977, Mari's health deteriorated, and she took a lengthy hiatus, officially attributed to thyroid issues but later revealed to be depression triggered by her waning popularity. In 1979, she attempted a comeback, even bagging an endorsement deal for an ultrasonic facial device, one of the year's hit items for women. But her time had passed, and she didn't find much success. Eventually, Mari's career took unconventional turns, including involvement in a softcore porn movie, the release of nude photobooks, and a transition to becoming a "fat" talento (TV personality), followed by a weight-loss book.

In 2015, in her last public interview, she revealed that, at 63, she was living in a retirement home in the Tokyo suburbs. Her fan club covered her expenses, while her daughter provided a modest weekly allowance. This marked a stark contrast to her glamorous peak years and serves as a reminder of the challenges idols face in the Japanese entertainment industry, particularly women, and how easily discardable idols can be. It also shows how wise Momoe Yamaguchi was, bowing out gracefully at the right time.

However, Momoe Yamaguchi and Mari Amachi represent two extremes within the realm of idols. While Mari achieved record profits for two years before facing decline and eventual obscurity, Momoe maintained relevance for nearly a decade before choosing to marry her on-screen partner, retire, and become a living legend. Most other 70s idols did not experience such remarkable destinies.

In 1971, two other young idols, Rumiko Koyanagi and Saori Minami, made their debut alongside Mari Amachi. The trio was collectively known as the "shin sannin musume," or the "three new girls." Their joint concert at the Budokan on Christmas of 1972 solidified their shared nickname.

The Shin San-nin Musume. Clockwise: Rumiko Koyanagi, Mari Amachi, and Saori Minami.

Rumiko Koyanagi had her skills honed at the Takarazuka Music School. Takarazuka is a very traditional, all-female theater group, and their training academy is known to be highly rigorous and selective. Koyanagi graduated top of her class but wanted something other than a musical theater career. Instead, her goal was to debut as a solo singer. So she left the Takarazuka Revue and signed with Watanabe Pro and Warner Pioneer label to fulfill her dream. Her first song, "Watashi no joka-machi" (My Castle Town), buoyed by the "Discover Japan" boom, surpassed 1 million copies sold, becoming the best-selling single of 1971.

Rumiko's repertoire predominantly featured enka-influenced kayokyoku. Her classical sound may not have been as appealing to the youth as some of her peers' slightly more modern tunes, but it ensured her stable sales throughout the decade. In her sixties, Rumiko has reinvented herself as a passionate soccer fan and a glamorous senior lady, sharing lifestyle tips and her love for Chanel and Lionel Messi on Instagram. She also conducts dinner shows, a lucrative type of intimate concert usually held at luxury hotels, where fans pay hefty prices to enjoy a multi-course dinner while listening to nostalgic hits.

The third "shin sanin musume" is Saori Minami. Minami didn't have a million-selling debut like Rumiko, nor did she become an instant sales behemoth like Mari. That didn't mean she was less impactful. Quite the opposite. Hailing from Okinawa, still under US occupation during her debut, Saori impressed Japan with her exotic beauty. In 1971 and 1972, she outsold every other female idol in bromide sales. Bromide is the local terminology for photographic portraits of celebrities, and historically, its sales are the best way to gauge how popular an idol is.

Her first single, "17-sai" (17 years old), became a classic and enjoyed enduring popularity, with several artists covering it over the decades. After retiring in 1978 upon her marriage to legendary photographer Kishin Shinoyama (known globally for his portraits of John Lennon and Yoko Ono), Saori made a comeback in 1991 but has made only sporadic public appearances since then.

Two years after the emergence of the "shin sannin musume," a new trio of newcomers known as the "Hana no Chuusan Trio" or the "Chuusan's Flower Trio" (a reference to the fact all of them were in Chuusan, the third year of middle school) came into the spotlight. Masako Mori, Junko Sakurada, and Momoe Yamaguchi were all revealed in the talent search TV show "Star Tanjou" (A Star is Born). In 1975, by the time they were in their second year of high school (kou 2), they co-starred in the successful film "Hana no Kou 2 Trio."

The Hana no Chuushan Trio: Momoe Yamaguchi, Junko Sakurada and Masako Mori.

At 13 years old, Masako Mori secured her place as the inaugural "Star Tanjo" grand champion in 1971. The following year, she debuted under Hori Production and swiftly soared to success. Mori's music was deeply influenced by enka, and by the end of the decade, she had solidified her status as a fully-fledged enka star. In 1986, she tied the knot with enka superstar Shinichi Mori, leading her to retire from the entertainment scene. However, in 2005, following her divorce, the former idol made a comeback, embarking on tours and participating in TV dramas for a few years before ultimately deciding to bid farewell to her career once more on her 60th birthday in 2019. Notably, she shares three children with Shinichi Mori, including TAKA, the lead vocalist of the famous rock band ONE OK ROCK.

Junko Sakurada clinched victory at "Star Tanjo" in 1972 at 14. Subsequently, she signed with Sun Music agency and Victor Music, marking her official debut in February 1973 with the release of "Tenshi mo yumemiru" (Angels Also Have Dreams). Given their similar age, niche, and close debut dates, the industry and some fans pitted her against Momoe Yamaguchi despite their behind-the-scenes friendship. Both idols enjoyed substantial popularity, with Yamaguchi usually holding an edge in sales. The exception was in 1975 when Junpei, as fans affectionately knew her, dominated as the best-selling female idol in music and bromide sales.

In addition to her music career, Junko excelled as an actress. In 1983, she opted to conclude her singing career to dedicate herself solely to acting. A decade later, in 1993, the former idol shocked Japan by announcing her participation in a mass wedding ceremony organized by the controversial South Korean Unification Church at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul. Her husband had been chosen for her by the church.

Her association with the cult brought her career to a halt. With her image becoming closely linked to the church, TV networks and advertisers distanced themselves from her. Consequently, Junko relocated from Tokyo, devoting herself entirely to her faith and family. Since then, she has made a few comebacks. In 2006, she published a highly-publicized essay book, and in 2013, she celebrated the 40th anniversary of her debut with a special concert. In 2017 and 2018, she returned to the stage, coinciding with her musical comeback and the release of a new album, "My Ideology."

After this project, Junko has remained out of the spotlight, with an official return unlikely unless she completely renounces her ties with the United Church. The cult's controversial image became even more repellent following the murder of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July, committed by a young man who attributed his family's financial and psychological turmoil to the church. Consequently, the cult's unethical financial practices and ties to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have become widely discussed topics in the country. For Junko Sakurada, her affiliation with the cult has overshadowed her otherwise successful decades-long career.

Completing the trio alongside Junko and Masako was Momoe Yamaguchi. Although Yamaguchi's career has eclipsed that of almost every other idol of the 1970s, she initially experienced the least success among the three young girls. Unlike her peers, both of whom had claimed grand champion titles at "Star Tanjou!," Momoe secured second place at her final showcase. Moreover, her debut single was the poorest-selling among the trio. However, she would ultimately emerge as the definitive idol, and her retirement would serve as the perfect conclusion to an epoch-making career.

While Momoe, Junko, Masako, Mari, Agnes, Rumiko, and Saori, among others, collectively set an impressive precedent for future female idols, male idols also played a significant role in the era. In terms of profitability, male idols reigned supreme, thanks to the unwavering loyalty of their female fanbase.

Johnny Kitagawa, the late founder of Johnny's Jimusho, eventually became the most influential figure in the entertainment industry. He monopolized this niche for decades with his boybands. However, during the 1970s, Kitagawa was not among the most powerful. Although his agency achieved considerable success with the boyband Four Leaves, it was soloist Hiromi Go who briefly held the nation under his sway between 1973 and 1974. Unfortunately for Kitagawa, this period of dominance proved fleeting, as Go departed for another agency in 1976, signaling that Johnny Kitagawa still had much to accomplish to solidify his authority.

With Johnny's domination still on the horizon, Hideki Saijo emerged as the most influential male idol of the 1970s. Saijo enjoyed success with several hit singles, including the ballad "Chigireta Ai," released in 1973, and 1979's "Young Man," a cover of Village People's "Y.M.C.A." Demonstrating the power of devoted fangirls, Saijo became the first domestic solo artist to perform a concert at Nippon Budokan. His popularity quickly transcended the Budokan, propelling him to the status of a stadium headliner and solidifying his position as the decade's top concert ticket seller.

The loyalty of fangirls meant that male idols consistently outperformed any act in ticket sales. In the 1960s, The Tigers, considered one of the pioneers of the "group sound" movement and regarded by many as Japan's first idol group, became the first domestic act to hold a stadium concert. By the following decade, the "group sound" era had ended, but some former band members successfully transitioned into solo careers.

Kenji Sawada and Hideki Saijo, the two stadium-selling male idol superstars from the 80s.

Kenji Sawada, the former lead vocalist of The Tigers, remained a constant presence on the charts throughout the 1970s. Under the guidance of the influential Watanabe Pro agency, Sawada succeeded as a singer and actor. He brought a rockstar aura to his performances, incorporating impactful and extravagant visual elements and pioneering the use of makeup, drawing inspiration from David Bowie and glam rockers. In doing so, Sawada laid the groundwork for visual kei, a movement that would revolutionize Japanese rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Nicknamed "Julie" since his early days in the 1960s due to his admiration for Julie Andrews, Sawada continues to thrive as a prominent music figure in Japan, one of the few stars from that era still capable of selling out stadiums.

While girls' adoration often paves the way for male idols to enjoy lengthy careers, there are exceptions to this rule. In 1974, Finger 5 became one of the best-selling idol groups in the country. Comprising five young brothers from Okinawa, they were marketed as Japan's response to the Jackson 5 and consistently churned out hit singles. However, just two years later, their popularity took a nosedive. Several factors contributed to this decline, notably their heavy reliance on the two youngest members, aged only 10 and 12. These youngsters not only grappled with exhaustion from relentless work schedules but also faced the challenges of puberty, causing their voices to change and preventing them from hitting the right notes in their songs. Consequently, Finger 5 lost its appeal.

Finger 5's brief career underscores a crucial aspect of the idol industry: the importance of youthfulness. In Japan's gender-biased society, some male idols from the 1970s were granted the opportunity to age gracefully, evidenced by a few who maintained success well into their 60s and 70s. In contrast, female idols invariably confronted the pressures and inevitable decline associated with aging.

This brings us back to the quintessential idol of that era, Momoe Yamaguchi. By choosing to retire and steadfastly resisting any temptation to reenter the public eye, Yamaguchi effectively became frozen in time at 21 years old, her age at the moment she bid farewell to both showbiz and the public. This solidified her status as a legendary and unattainable icon—an idol who never aged.

70s Japan Trends Through the Music Charts (Part 3)

[therevengeoffrankenstein]

@madphantom

horror recs aaww yeahhh. mostly a peter cushing, christopher lee, and vincent price show bc i tend to fixate on them and their films a lot.

note: it kinda goes without saying that some of these have problematic elements and themes. i consume media critically, which should also kinda go without saying!!

feel free to hmu me for trigger warnings, but i can't guarantee i'll remember everything in the films.

HAMMER HORROR RECS

+ 'the curse of frankenstein' (1957) and just. the whole hammer frankenstein series, especially 'the revenge of frankenstein' and 'frankenstein created woman.' ('created woman' leans more heavily into the sci-fi aspects, but is more of a revenge slasher at heart.)

you can skip 'evil' and 'horror' (unless you're a completionist) bc they are the worst and aren't super important continuity wise ('horror' is totally outside of the main continuity bc it's a reboot!!)

+ 'horror of dracula' (1958) and 'the brides of dracula' (1960) are two of my fave films ever. they perfectly encapsulate that distinctly hammer-y gothic horror atmosphere, and are full of frills (pretty women) and thrills (scared silly men.)

most of the sequels are kinda meh BUT

'dracula ad 1972' (1972) is somewhat of a cult classic. it asks the vitally important questions 'what if dracula was fucking around in modern (aka 1972) london? and what if the writers absolutely detested hippies?' johnny alucard is a #bisexualking.

'satanic rites of dracula' (1973) isn't very good, but it is funny, and a somewhat direct sequel to 'ad 1972' so it's worth it imo.

and i wouldn't recommend any of the other sequels unless you're a completionist (like me,) but 'taste the blood of dracula' is pretty good.

+ 'the mummy' (1959) more gorgeous hammer decadence set and costume wise. christopher lee is insanely good in this, acting totally through his eyes and body language (which he also does a lot in some of the weaker dracula sequels when he refused to say lines he hated in the scripts lmao.)

+ 'the hound of the baskervilles' (1959) is a thriller take on a classic sherlock holmes story. not totally book accurate (hammer usually doesn't do super accurate adaptations,) but peter cushing is absolute fire as holmes. it's one of his career-best performances imo.

+ cash on demand (1961) is a christmas movie/pseudo-scrooge tale about a bank heist. it's more of a claustrophobic psychological thriller than a horror movie, but it has a bunch of strong performances and it really makes the most of itself. one of my personal top ten movies ever.

+ captain clegg (1962) is more of a swashbuckler/mystery than a horror film, but it's so much fun and a big 'comfort' movie of mine. i love pirates and parsons and smugglers ❤

+ 'the vampire lovers' (1970) evil canon lesbian/bi vampire ladies and pretty period fashion. it's part of the karnstein trilogy, and is probably the most accurate to the source material, 'carmilla.’

i do not recommend ‘lust for a vampire’ unless you are a completionist. it doesn’t even have peter cushing in it.

'twins of evil' (1971) is the final karnstein film and is a prequel. it might be the horniest and most gruesome tbh? but it's pretty good 👍

+ 'fear in the night' (1972) is a sneaky favorite of mine. psychological thriller that handles the topic of mental illness and its mentally ill characters pretty well, imo.

+ 'captain kronos - vampire hunter' (1974) do you like swashbuckling vampire hunters and fabulous twin nobles? then you'll like this one. 'kickass' and 'badass' are the main adjectives i'd use to describe it.

AMICUS RECS

(NOTE: amicus borrowed a lot of actors from hammer, so they are kinda similar vibe-wise on occasion.)

+ 'dr. terror's house of horrors' (1965) horror anthology with tarot card readings as its framing device, which is such a whipass concept.

+ 'the house that dripped blood' (1971) horror anthology about a cursed house or smth :) and while it is pretty good over all, i'm recommending this one mainly bc the 'waxworks' segment is one of the finest pieces of cinema i've ever seen.

+ 'tales from the crypt' (1972) horror anthology based on 'tales from the crypt' comics, and it has a couple of really good ones. great primer for getting into their anthologies.

+ 'madhouse' (1974) one of my lowkey favorite movies bc i love gay old horror actors hamming it up and having fun and making fun of themselves. and i love projecting onto herbert flay and paul toombes so much <333 #lovewins

OTHER RECS

+ 'frankenstein' (1931) and 'bride of frankenstein' (1935) if u haven't seen these two you have got to fr fr. 'bride' is a perfect score in my book and just. holy fuck. one of the most insane, profound, beautiful movies ever. stg. dr pretorius is everything 2 me <33 i ❤ heart gay old men.

+ the invisible man (1933) i get the feeling you've seen this one? but it's lots of fun :) claude rains is amazing as the titular invisible man. honestly i kinda prefer this movie to the book.

+ 'psycho' (1960) a classic, one of the og slashers. i'm assuming you're seen this one just bc it's so popular? but it really is That Good.

also 'psycho ii' is fucking amazing. i haven't seen any of the other sequels yet, but 'ii' is just. so so heartbreaking. a near perfect sequel that really dives into the aftermath of the events of the first film.

+ 'corruption' (1968) absolutely not the best but it starts strong and is just damn fascinating. about a dysfunctional couple tearing each other to shreds at its core.

+ 'the abominable dr. phibes' (1971) a revenge slasher kinda considered to be a precursor to 'saw?' idk lol. but it has some fucking epic kills. vincent price really delivers here emotionally as the title character and it drives me up the wall.

'dr. phibes rises again' (1972) is also pretty good. weaker kills imo but a stronger protagonist.

also while i don't think you Have To watch 'dr. phibes' first (i didn't,) 'madhouse' is kind of an homage to it.

+ 'the wicker man' (1973) folk horror/musical masterpiece about a devoutly religious cop investigating the disappearance of a young girl on an island inhabited by pagans. if you haven't seen this just know that it is a 10/10 must watch.

+ 'house of the long shadows' (1983) about an author who's dared to spend the night in a creepy house that was once owned by a super fucked up family. doesn't really kick into gear until all the old people start showing up, but it's fun.

+ fright night (1985) epic vampire movie pastiche B) peter vincent means the world to me fr. it makes me cry sometimes. the sequel is pretty good too!! but i wouldn't really recommend the 2011 remake.