#I just really think about the thematic potential of such a crossover situation

[therantingsage]

Ok I've been playing Slay the Princess and I feel like if you removed all the romantic subtext it really feels like the hero and the princess have N and Cyn vibes (or rather the other way around? idk). Like just in the inherent stress and tragedy of it all.

Two pairs of inherently connected characters, forced into a cycle of hurt, and pain, and desperation. Trapped. She's capable of immense cruelty and yet...still such a terrible victim of circumstance. You can't help but want to save her even though it can and will end in your own demise.

N's just that kinda guy about all the people he cares about tho so you could probably make the princess just about any character he cares about and the theming would be the same. But Cyn specifically in that kind of role is the most compelling to me. Change the romantic vibes to family ones and it just.....fits really well

Brainrot says make a crossover au. Also a platonic version of the Slay the Princess situationship genuinely sounds interesting to write and yet....I'm too busy writing one MD au thingy so I don't have the brainspace to write another :/ guess I'll just think about it

[thedivinedemom]

An AU of DC with a mass crossover of PS4 properties.

Provisional name: Players Searching for Detectable Changes (Get the pun?)

The setup:

This is the future of DC, a world where the old guard has slowly withdrawn and the newer generations have risen to the occasion. The original Titans in particular, most of which have formed the new Justice League while many other, very similar teams had started to form across the world. One of which was a resurgence of the Teen Titans, led by an older and purified Raven. She wanted to make the Teen Titans something akin as it was for her, a place to belong and learn to use one's powers.

The first 'class' of such individuals include:

Stargirl (of the now-disbanded JSA and still getting used to the Starrod)

Blue Beetle III (Freshly attached to his alien symbiote and freaking out a bit)

Robin V (to work on his anger issues, mostly at the new Batman's request)

Kaldur (a half Atlantean half metahuman who is struggling with his identity and the surface world, Aquaman feels a kinship for the boy seeing their similarities)

Static Shock (a promising new hero but little experience working outside his city or in groups)

Mary Marvel (she's... she's going through alot. Fresh from a coma, her brother is distant as he acts as the new Wizard, and she may be, sorta kinda, being corrupted by Black Adam's gifted power)

The team was rough and there was plenty of head butting (Mostly between Stargirl and Robin/Damian as one is almost the unanimous leader while the other thinks he should be) but they were getting there. They were more of a clean up crew for the Justice League, they did more than the "kiddie missions" that the Outsiders didn't do, and they meant more than the PR grab that was the International team. Though they didn't seem to amount to more than that. They still did their best, pushing past the silent ridicule, as they went about their missions.

This may be why tempers were so high that day.

One day, outside a little city by the name of Weller's Point, the prisoner transport for the villain Plasmus had an "accident". Released and awakened the creature went on a rampage, heading ever closer to the populated area. Luckily, the mentor of the New Teen Titans could teleport. The new team did fairly well in the fight, though they did struggle a bit as Plasmus was not a being where simple brute force would work. It made the fight tricky and more than a bit... messy.

Messy enough that juvenile and emotionally compromised Mary Marvel lashed out against the downed villain but was stopped by her teammates... things escalated from there. Restraint turned blows and the whole team struggled to stop their powerhouse without hurting her. The ones who do the best are Raven, Stargirl, Blue Beetle, and oddly Static.

While both of the former could use their abilities to restrain her to a very effective degree Static was actively draining her of strength, or at least of the electic aura she was radiating and blasting with. Frustrated, done with the situation, and a bit petty Mary launched her largest attack yet by saying her magical word.

SHAZAM.

Virgil did what he did best, he handled that lightning as it came crashing down towards Mary and the Titans restraining her. Well, he tried. The bolt was just too powerful, too unlike anything he had ever encountered. He could not handle it and it was dissipating, if anything it clung to him or tried to jump towards the girl. He had to get rid of it and he had to get rid of it quickly, safely too if he could help it.

He shoved it into the ground, into the power lines. He did it as carefully as he could, trying to prevent overload or flashover as guided the charge into the power grid.

What happened next was a combination of a few things. 1. The Mystic and transformative properties of the Lightning, 2. It is effectively being filtered through a bang baby, 3. The kryptonite power plant owned by, provided by, and operated by Lexcorp.

This interaction, this new charge, cycling through the power grid interacted strangely with a number of devices but none more so than PlayStation 4s and the devices connected to them. This new electricity changed things, literally. It brought fantasy into reality.

Whatever game was loaded into became a part of our reality in a small way. Sometimes TVs, Controllers, and even the system changed to reflect items from the game but the bigger change came with the Players. If a person was playing their console during the surge then they would become a metahuman with abilities based on the playable character they were playing.

The city, the county even, was now flooded by an abundance of metahumans and items of varying power of devastation. Static felt horrible.

He couldn't help but compare what has happened here to what happened in Dakota City but on a wider scale. And this time it was his fault. His sense of responsibility wouldn't, couldn't, let that stand. He had to fix his mistake and his team was dragged along for the ride.

The story to follow is a mix of Final Crisis and Kingdom Come with a bit of the Young Justice cartoon in events and themes, a few twists and likely a bit lighter in tone but to the DC geeks this should give a rough idea… Maybe a bit of Marvel's Civil War but hopefully not the rushed knee-jerk mess that that ended up being.

But it's here that I start having issues with my planning. One part in worry as outside the set up we start to follow the perspective of OCs (something rarely smiled upon) and another part in wondering which OC to focus on.

Now, one thing I love in fiction is progressive powers and the conflict escalating from the different paths people take in said progression. In that vein, I have a pair of protags in mind as well.

The main two/co-protagonists:

The Lawkeeper- a cop before the change and now a member of a task force made up largely of those affected by the surge. A gamer, a man of color, and a believer of the spirit of the law. He doesn't always get along with his fellow officers but he believes in what the blue does. He believes that an organized response is what is best.

His abilities are based on those of Jesse Fades of Control. Meaning he has tremendous psychic potential but he needs 3 things to reach his full potential.

1.Items to bond to so he can generate these psychic abilities. Jesse's used altered items of her universe to get thematic abilities from them (ex: a safe to generate a shield, a carousel horse for a dash ability, ect). Here he can use items generated by the surge.

2. A patron/partner entity to help guide, give insights, and empower. It also let's the user enforce reality, basically becoming an anti reality warper.

3. A bonded morph weapon or a weapon to come to his hand when called.

The knight- a recent college graduate who instantly decided to go the route of the caped hero. She, after figuring out how to get her powers to work, instantly went the route of a caped crusader. Going out to the streets, saving lives, stopping instances of surge item abuse, and (in the humble opinion of the local Police Department) getting in the way of operations. In her opinion they were taking too long to get things done.

Her abilities are based on those of Prince Noctis of Final Fantasy XV. This means she has tremendous physical and magical potential but like the above she has a number of check marks needed to gain access to the character's full power.

1. A gem/crystal to draw power from.

2. 13 magical weapons to boost strength. The generated game weapons will do and I have most picked out in a way that likely would help the plot progress.

3. The blessing of 5-6 gods.

4. A power ring of some king to channel all this power.

I keep debating the two above as I do like the idea of both of them climbing in power and clashing over conflicting ideals of what to do with their power. At the same time, I think that just smooshing aspects of both into one (which is actually where they started, a single character) and play off the different ideologies of how best to help people from within her friend group and precinct along with internal conflict. Maybe have the one be a fellow officer they butt heads with because of the... precarious nature

Another OC I was thinking on, keeping with the theme of what to do when you have power, is a thief who played Persona 5. Like both of the above they would be crippled in their ability to use their abilities without a way to fake the connection to. In this case, without the Mementos App, they would need an item that could affect or enter the hearts of others. Luckily, more unlucky really, there are plenty of items floating around that can do just that. Namely Keyblades.

Most other Players are an odd mix but most are variations of the Shooter build. Peak physical humans who heal quickly and often have bullet time. But there are enough other variations to cause trouble. Demigods of unreal strength, men and women who can easily tap into a patron for powers from the outside, 2 variations of spider powers, cat eyed men and women who can cast magic with simple gestures, and so much more. But the real issue was the first two, the demigods without a parent to protect them and those easily connected to a divine source.

The disembodied New Gods of Apocalypse were very happy with those groups. For how bad this can be please look at what happened to Mary Marvel in canon Final Crisis.

Thoughts and opinions would be appreciated.

[sodalitefully]

1-30 hehehe

Anon you’re a ballsy motherfucker and I love you.  BUT you didn’t choose a fic for 24-28, or a word for 29!

What was the first fandom and/or pairing that you wrote fic for? Uh, probably Danny Phantom when I was like twelve 😂

Do you participate in any writing events or challenges throughout the year? If so, what do you like about them? Nope bc this is a small fandom and we don’t do many of those.

Do you write fics from start or finish, or jump around? I usually start at the start and then when I get stuck I’ll just skip that part, keep going, and come back to it later.  If I have an idea and I’m afraid I’ll forget it, I might also skip ahead and write it.

Do you outline before you start writing? If so, how far do you stray from that outline? I love outlining more that actually writing lmao, the longer the fic the more I outline.  I usually stick to it pretty closely, which isn’t aways good for my writing...

What is the perfect environment for you to write in? Quiet and private.  Other than that I haven’t figured out the tricks to getting myself to focus :(

If you’re really concentrating, how many words can you write in a day? Occasionally when I’m really inspired I’ll write like 1000, but more often I just write a paragraph or two.

Which part of writing do you struggle with most? Too many ideas, too little actual writing capacity.  It’s hard to focus on finishing fics bc I get too distracted by my other ideas, and I rarely write sequels bc there’s so much I haven’t gotten to share yet.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, share a song that’s been inspiring you lately. Nope, can’t write with music, I get too distracted.  

Do you prefer to write AUs, canon divergence, or canon-compliant fic? AUs!!!

Do you enjoy writing dialogue, exposition, or plot the most? Probably dialogue? Exposition is great bc I get to explain the AU, but It’s not good for the flow of the fic.  Dialogue can be really satisfying to write when you get in a groove with it.

If you could only write angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your life, which would it be? Fluff!

Is there a trope you haven’t written yet but really want to? Oh god so many.  I have notes on tons of tropes I’d like to write... I’d like to do a college AU (and I meant to do it while I was actually in college but oops).  I posted a soulmate AU once but I’d like to do another.  Oh and I have lots of ideas for crossover AUs and I’m still deciding how to handle those.

Is there a trope you wouldn’t write if it was the last trope on earth? Honestly probably not.  I’m not huge on character death, genderbends, or reader inserts, for example, but I have ideas for fics involving all of those. 

If you were stuck on a desert island with only two characters, which would you pick? No one from gnr that’s for sure, that’d be a disaster.  How about... Percy Jackson and idk Wonder Woman?

A Hollywood producer tells you that they want to film just one of your fics. Which fic would you want it to be? Hmm out of the fics that I’ve posted... maybe Sumthin’ for Nuthin’ actually? I abandoned that poor fic but I still really like the plot.  And there’s plenty of longer, more plot-heavy fics I have outlined that would be cool to see as films.  In general I often imagine concepts visually instead of with words.

What is your most underrated fic? Saving Grace didn’t get a lot of notes and I get why – it’s kinda niche and there’s no actual romance.  But I think it’s well-written and I’m proud of it.

What fic are you most proud of? Maybe the whole cat!slash universe?  I don’t think it’s my best writing per se, but I’m still really attached to the concept and it was a pleasant surprise that other people seemed to like it too.

What is a line/scene you’re really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary for that scene. I’ve always been partial to the paragraph in Sweetness that ends with “Their coffee has long gone cold (and so has Duff’s spine - snakes give him the heebie-jeebies), but Slash’s enthusiasm is sweeter than the Duff’s half-eaten bowl of melted ice cream, and Duff is eating it up with a spoon.”  Just... the coffee is cold and so is Duff’s spine, Slash is sweet and so is the ice cream, and using “eating it up with a spoon” idiomatically while it’s also thematically relevant to a sentence about dessert... I really like to layer meaning when I can.

Who is the easiest/hardest character for you to write about? Why? Slash tends to be the center in most of my writing, but actually I think it’s easier to write from Duff’s pov.  Maybe bc when I’m writing sluff I can just channel my crush on Slash through Duff lmao.  Interesting tho bc when it comes to the real people, I find Slash much more relatable than Duff or the others.

What’s your favorite minor character you’ve written? Hah maybe Slash in the funeral home AU, it’s a duzzy ficlet so he’s just a side character but I got a kick out of writing his and Steven’s background antics.

What is the one fic that got away? Well, I really wish I’d finished Sumthin’ for Nuthin’ before I kinda lost interest in Motley Crue, that fic was gonna get more dramatic from there.  Would it be worth it to just post the outline?  Plus there’s a few potential longfic ideas that I’ve put a lot of love into, but I doubt they’ll ever be posted or completed considering the way I can’t seem to focus on one idea long enough to write more than a one-shot :( But hey I guess you never know.

Have you cried while writing a fic? Nope.  I do have some angsty ideas though, hopefully they’ll surface someday.

If you had to remix one of your own fics, which would it be and how would you remix it? Someday I’d like to rewrite the cat!Slash fic from the beginning, make it a real multichap or at least a proper series of vignettes.  Id also be interesting in a darker version of that AU, since there’s definitely potential for that in the concept.  But I’m pretty attached to the fluffy little universe I made, so I’d probably prefer to explore those darker themes in a different (but maybe similar) universe – I have a few ideas.

How did you come up with title for [x fic]? Most of my fics have self-explanatory titles or none at all, the only one I have much to say about is Saving Grace.  Duff needed a miracle to get out of his situation, Slash was his saving grace.  But also, Grace is the name of Duff’s oldest daughter, and Duff’s motive in the story is trying to “save” her.  Despite the double meaning in the title, I avoided referring to the child by name or as Duff’s “daughter”/explaining how they ended up together.  I wanted to maintain some of the mystery of the apocalyptic genre: characters with mysterious origins, found families, aliases, etc.  That’s definitely one of the ways that Mad Max and DOOM influenced this fic.  (Oh, also Serpentine is a dick joke via a wttj reference: “My serpentine.”  That’s it tho, the rest are pretty straightforward.)

Which idea came to you first in [x fic]? Feel free to send a fic for any/all of the next few questions! Generally speaking, my ideas are character driven, I want to portray a character or relationship a certain way and I build a world that allows me to do that.

Which part of [x fic] was the hardest to write?  Always the end.

If you were ever to do a sequel to [x fic], what do you think might happen in it? Whichever fic you have in mind, there’s a very high chance I have ideas.

In [x fic], what is a happy, post-fic headcanon you have about [pairing]? Same as above!

Send me a word. If it’s in your WIPs, include the sentence and a short summary of the fic. – Send me a word anon!

Tell us an idea for a longfic you want to write in the future. Ok, so I have three main longfic ideas, but the easiest one to explain is an AU set in a version of the 1980s where ancient greek deities exist, Axl’s life is parallel to that of Perseus, and Slash is cursed like Medusa.   Lots of drama, lots of influence from greek theater, untrustworthy gods, unrequited feelings, dramatic irony... fuck I hope I write it someday.  

Alright mad respect for anyone who got through all that!  Thanks for the ask, and feel free specify a fic for those last few questions if you wanna

[tammyhybrid21]

MSA(and SD) Flame Types

(Because I am weak for KHR okay)

Alright then! Let’s do this! From oldest to youngest I guess. Also this is half character breakdown, half of me just messing around. As always though, this is heavily headcanon based, so if you disagree then you don’t have to follow along with these ideas and can just decide for yourself on what they fit.

That said, I’m not including Mystery, Galaham or Scooby in this list because they’re... well not exactly humans. Also, I just kind of feel weird about it... But you can assume that Scooby and Galaham at least follow Shaggy and Arthur regarding their flames, because familiars!

Mystery might end up getting his own post to explain him later on, because Kitsune... Anyway! Let’s do this thing!

Now, before I actually begin this thing there is something I should probably say about this. It’s both based on their personalities, but also, slightly on their associated colours... and well, as a result some of them may feel incredibly obvious considering how I have chosen them... but at the same time, some of them may confuse people because uh, how did I possibly come to that conclusion... also to be thorough, I will be explaining the Primary flame mostly, with a small sub-note for potential Secondary/Tertiary flames where they feel necessary... as a result you people will be getting quite a bit of a rundown... also this is just for fun, and just my interpretation of things and you’re allowed to have your own opinion and even point out any flaws in the logic that I have used to determine flame compatibility...

You know beyond the obvious colour =/= exclusive to a flame... but you know... this will be fun.

Vivi Yukino:

First up, everyone’s favourite blue babe!

So, initially my impulse with Vivi was actually to label her as a Storm, which considering she’s blue might be a bit weird to think about, but uh... it kind of made sense considering Storms are Determination... and there is no pretending that Vivi isn’t determined... but at the same time, it doesn’t quite fit. Despite my initial impulse, I pushed that aside and actually considered Vivi. Now for the most part the fandom tends to uh, not exactly put as much focus on her as they could, I guess that’s the fault of the general way that the plot gets laid out... I mean what with Lewis and Arthur being tangled in the whole mess left from the cave, her missing memories, and then Mystery with Shiromori and whatever is happening there...

But anyway, back to the point, what is Vivi’s role? The leader! She’s the one at the helm. Dragging the boys along with her, whether they want her to or not... and I know the sterotype is Leader=Sky, but no. No, let’s not go there, and also it’s not quite right for Vivi... I mean it’s fitting in a thematic sense I guess... but not really. So let’s keep considering, Vivi is the one who plans things, she’s the one who finds the mysteries for them to solve, and well, I guess she has the background to know about how this all works as well... but that said, Vivi is also the most “level” I guess of the team.

She’s reliable.

Loyal, she Perseveres, Devoted, she definitely cares for her team, and oh yeah, she definitely has Integrity.

No doubt regarding those things. No doubt at all. And what does this all add up to? Well, she’s a Rain.

Also, just as a final note, I was in no way influenced to this judgement by the fact that best Rain Takeshi plays baseball and Vivi wields a bat... not at all!

But anyway, Vivi’s a rain, with the blue flames, and the ability to tranquilize others. Something that I’m sure would be useful in the business that she has chosen to take up... also, notably, the reliability that she has that clinched my decision... I think that’s the reason that she’s the leader. They know that they can rely on her, they can count on her. And isn’t that the thing you want your leader to be more than anything else? Reliable...

Secondary flame: Storm.

Lewis Pepper:

(I’m aware that Arthur’s canonically the elder of the two of them, but shh, I am sticking with my original headcanon!)

Mist!

No but seriously, can we just appreciate how much of a showman Lewis is for one second. Like seriously. All the glim and glam for his mansion, not even mentioning the little touches that he adds to things in Freaking Out and just... Lewis stop, stop it! But seriously, he’s fantastic and it’s so obvious I don’t really have to think that much about this, since he’s just... so much of a mist. Not to mention he fits the more mysterious parts of the “stereotypical” mist as well. What with his mysterious past... I mean just seriously.

Dramatic showmanship and just that flare. Lewis is definitely a mist, no one can argue that point okay! No one!

...

Okay, I should probably explain just a little bit more about this before people start grumbling and asking exactly why I didn’t jump to Cloud. And aside the colour association... Lewis just doesn’t feel all that much like a Cloud... not really... I mean, then again, he could kind of be like Skull, a whole lot of showmanship and bark, but still... Mists are Visionary, and Clouds are Independent. So what does this mean in regards to Lewis... well here’s the thing, Lewis works with his family, Pepper Paradiso. He works there, and well also, let’s have a quick look at those traits between the two... All of them, positive and negative...

Indigo: Integrity, sincerity, structure, regulations, responsible, idealism, intuition, visionary, faith, devotion, truth, and selflessness. Fanatical, judgmental, intolerant, impractical, inconsiderate, depression, fearful, conformative, bigoted, avoidant

Purple: Individual, unusual, creative, inventive, selfless, psychic, intuitive, mystery, selfless, future, and fantasy. Immature, impractical, aloof, cynical, pompous, arrogant, corrupt, and delusions of grandeur

I mean, I suppose you could argue either way but... my headcanon definitely leans more towards the indigo side of things... Especially with the way that he reacted upon rising up from the dead... Oh boy was he immediately judgemental, somewhat inconsiderate to... I mean think about it... Also can’t say he might not be scared... and he’s possibly avoiding thinking too much about previous events... as for indigo positives. Think about the kind of family he comes from, what with think about the Peppers as a whole. Also on that note, yes, Lewis is selfless, he’s honest(tells the truth), seemed kind of like an idealist before his death, was the “Mom friend” and all the evidence seems to point to the fact he was devoted to Vivi, and definitely devoted to his family... so yeah...

Primary Mist...

(Also just look at all the flare, and the way he casually does things like summon lampposts to make the fight more dramatic facing off against Shiro!)

Secondary: Cloud

Arthur Kingsmen:

...

Now I kind of automatically want to go with Author Appeal here, go with my first impulse of Sky-Arthur... but I know that there will be someone who comes in all high and mighty talking about how Arthur is obviously a Sun... So I’m going to pre-empt that and talk about this... Again I could go with colour psychology... but actually I don’t think that’s necessary...

Instead, let’s talk about the role both kind of have in a group, the Sky is home, or rather the Sky is the “glue” of the group. And in KHR, that traditionally means that they are the leader... and Skies are all about acceptance... which again, as I pointed out in a prior breakdown, is a two-way street. Acceptance isn’t something that’s fully experienced unless it’s flowing from both... I mean, you can still accept someone without them accepting you, but it’s not quite as nice...

As for the Sun... Uh... mostly support? I mean, the Sun seems to be traditionally the healer. Also somewhat self-sacrificing, using themselves and their bodies to protect the group... Which okay, that fits I guess... but there is one other thing, the Sun is Energy. Mental or Physical, mind or body... which well, that’s something I guess... but ultimately...

I have to go with Arthur being a Sky... and it’s because of the glue thing... there’s just something about the way that the group is... and Arthur truly is the glue. He’s the one who keeps the group working if you think about it... and not just because he’s the mechanic making sure that the Scare-A-Van runs and works so that they can get to wherever the mystery really is... but because he does at least try to stop them from running right into things... even if he’s probably just as curious about things at times. He at least wants to play it safe...

I mean, generally that’s what people go with. He enjoys a good mystery, but would much prefer it if he wasn’t dragged into danger... And he wants the others to stay safe as well, to keep from running headlong into a ridiculously dangerous situation and getting hurt... One of my favourite little discussion/drabble pieces is this one, because well... think about it okay! Think about it...

Now as for the other traits associated with the bright orange of Sky flames well.. Communication, adventurous and funnily enough, optimism along with agreeableness... I might be weird about this, but I do view Arthur as an optimistic person, he might be the first to see how a situation could go wrong and have a generally pessimistic(which haha, pessimism is also an orange trait) of how a situation could go... but he also forces himself to look on the bright side and trust that things will get better. That his friends will come and save him when he gets in trouble, and that a solution can and will be found. Also you can’t argue about him being unadventurous without running into the wall of him still going on cases you know...

Communication, and agreeableness, maybe a bit weird, but Arthur knows social-foo, like any good introvert dragged into conversations. Also, I kind of think of him being good at debating things... because well you know. He’s probably had to before. But yeah.

Arthur’s a Sky, end of.

Secondary: Sun(Because that’s obvious you know).

Now, for the funnest part of this breakdown...

The other crossover, because you know what. I kind of lump them together because well, yeah. I mean, for crying out loud, I use the same tag for both of them, THybrid MSA... partially because it was sort of used first... but also because getting into MSA dragged me back into the whole Meddling Kids fandom... which yeah, aside Scooby Doo, this does count a few other series that I have been rewatching, and generally counting as part of the same continuity... Which yeah... So anyway, that’s why I keep the tag, among other reasons... I am debating changing it to something more fitting though, like THybrid Meddles, but eh...

I think I’ll keep my current tag, since it’s already been established... But who knows... I do have the tag replacer, and it’s only the matter of a small change...

That said, time for Mystery Inc. to get their flames talked about and explained.

Again, some will seem kind of obvious because of colour association, but I will be explaining it... since yeah...

Fredrick “Fred” Jones:

Alright, so Fred was actually the single hardest member to characterize. That’s mainly because with the way he is, I kind of initially went with Rain and didn’t think about it. But since I was keeping myself to a minor rule, Rain didn’t work. So I came back and actually thought about it... and thought, and thought. And the initial conclusion after all that thinking was that Fred is kind of bland and hard to figure out...

I mean, there’s a reason for that, but there is also a reason I initially went with Rain and was done... because it’s the simple solution and Fred being reliable wasn’t something that people could say was wrong... but it’s not right. Mostly because of a personal rule I set while working on this, but also because for all that Fred’s reliable, it’s not really central to him, and if we are associating Fred with blue, then he becomes a bit too passive... which yeah...

So what was the conclusion that I came to after eliminating Rain? Well, Sun.

Now wait a minute, I’m sure that there are some of you now staring at your screens and going what? But yeah, remember that I have a headcanon, Autism, Fred’s Autistic, at least to me. And energy is the thing that goes with Suns. Mental or Physical... and honestly Fred does show both, at least slightly... But anyway, my Autism Headcanon lead me to this, because his special interest is mainly Traps, and have you seen the traps he sets up? Even when they’re just the classic net, he’s good at them. Also aside traps, he definitely has at least a partial special interest in mysteries. I mean he’s the leader and all.

Honestly while he can be a bit scattered, he’s trying. And he is able to link things together when he gets all the pieces, and he thinks. Also, one of my favourite moments, the entire Beach Beastie movie. Like just seriously, I mean sure Fred’s kind of freaking out for a period of it, but well... Can’t say I blame him for that... I mean I know what it’s like to try and deny a special interest, it’s hard, and can be kind of painful on a mental level... Maybe not quite as bad as Fred was throughout the whole thing, but still... I feel it.

Also, on energy, there are two separate occasions that Fred plays vollyball against himself, at least that I can find and remember. (One of which I got help fully recalling, thanks @phantoms-lair!). She Sees Sea Monsters by the Seashore and Reef Grief!

(She Sees Sea Monsters by the Seashore)

(Reef Grief)

Just... Energy to spare. Also, just wow! I kind of also think of this as a kind of Autism thing as well... because I’ve done some, similar things myself. It’s complicated... But anyway, yeah, Fred has energy to spare. Mental is obvious with the focus on his traps, the mysteries that they hunt out and solve, and I guess a little bit dedicated to the Mystery Machine... and Physical... well he likes getting out an about. And oh yeah, Fred definitely fits the other associations with yellow.

I mean seriously, he does. Maybe that’s also why he’s kind of bland most of the time... aside him being somewhat generically the ‘leader’ and well, a bit of a distracted easy-going oblivious nerd. He’s a precious boy.

He’s a sunny boy. So Fred’s a Sun.

Secondary: Rain.

Shaggy:

Author appeal makes me say sky!

Haha, but seriously. Shaggy actually does fit his colour in a weird way. So Lightning Shaggy, let’s talk about this.

I mean, obviously Shaggy isn’t really one who desires much. Not really, I mean he doesn’t have a real ambition according to the profiles. And he doesn’t really have any real goals in the show either... and yet. Yet! There is definitely a desire there. A good time with friends, to be safe and out of danger, and quite possibly to try every kind of food that he can. You know? Also, the desire to protect his friends is most definitely there, and not something that can be hidden.

"To draw damage to himself and away from the rest of the Family, serving as a lightning rod."

"The lightning; one that harshly strikes everything"

Those two quotes are both used in reference to characters who use Lightning Flames, in reference to the role that they take... and while the latter is not something that fits... the former definitely rings of Shaggy. I mean if there is one thing that Shaggy’s mostly consistent with it’s how willing he is to protect his friends, even if it puts him in some danger... I mean, it’s subtle, but you can kind of get the feeling that he would prefer to be the bait rather than anyone else. At least he knows he can deal with it.

Also, the things that I think really support this. Goblin King, Reluctant Werewolf, and Ghoul School... maybe not obvious, but they do have points. Also maybe I would add Phantosaur, although “Brave Shaggy” shows more about how he is more focused on protection than anything else...

But anyway... Guess that doesn’t really explain it. So yeah.

Okay, I suppose my biggest argument. Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get a Clue... I know, I know, generally that series isn’t counted in regular continuity... but I actually happen to like the series, and have a really, really big soft spot for it, because it was one of my first experiences with the series... and let me tell you. Shaggy in that series, shows his strengths when on his own... and yeah, he has desires that he shows... also my little idea of him using his mechanic skills to kit out the Mystery Machine... since he only mentions buying the extra stuff, not hiring anyone to do it... and Shaggy is smart like that.

But anyway...

Secondary: Sky(because gosh darn it, I am weak for the appeal of this, and Shaggy is the heart of the team, so there!)

Daphne Blake:

Cloud.

Just, Cloud.

Also, Daphne being such a cloud, is the main reason I didn’t go with Cloud for Lewis even if he is one... because seriously. S E R I O U S L Y! Seriously, Daphne is a Cloud, not ifs, buts or ors about it. Daphne is the independent cloud striking out on her own and refusing to be chained down. Now I’m sure that some of you will be going what, or how but here’s the thing. Daphne was always my favourite character growing up... and I was exposed to a mixture of Where Are You, What’s New and Scooby and Scrappy growing up, all mixed together... (there was also Get a Clue but that’s another story...) So yeah.

Also, Daphne is not just a pretty face, she’s stubborn, she’s bold, and of course she is the Team Mom, she’s the one who figures things out and finds the solution to problems... and also, she is a good feminine role model. Not scared to be a feminine girl, using her strengths regarding beauty products and the like to solve problems... and not caring about the whole what’s typical or anything about it.

And that’s awesome.

She takes nothing, well mostly. But yeah, Daphne is a Cloud, and she’s awesome for it!

Velma Dinkley:

Well, there’s only one flame left to dish out...

Storm.

Determination.

Freaking hell, I’m sure there are some who’re like really? But yeah, Velma’s the storm. And I can’t even explain everything, but yeah. Velma’s the science kid, and she’s arguably the most determined member of the gang. Arguably... I mean generally this was more by process of it being the only one left, but it does make sense.

I mean, for one thing in Franken-Creepy while she was a bit... uh insane she was ready to do anything to prove what she thought was real. Same in other situations. Once Velma has decided on something, she’s determined to do it. Determined to see it through to the end... and that’s not something that you can just brush off to the side.

Also, she dives into her research with a single minded determination that I can just appreciate... but yeah.

Secondary: Sun

Again, this is only my headcanon, and my interpretation of the characters, and if you disagree that is fine and I am perfectly down for hearing other opinions... also as a quick rundown of all the characters, here’s a bullet point list explaining them, and their flames with them labelled as Primary-Secondary just without the big long explanation to go with them...

Vivi: Rain-Storm

Lewis: Mist-Cloud

Arthur: Sky-Sun

Fred: Sun-Rain

Shaggy: Lightning-Sky

Daphne: Cloud-Mist

Velma: Storm-Sun

Also yeah, it’s just my opinion and feel free to correct me where you wish, because I am always up for hearing interpretations.

[recentanimenews]

It's Time for the GREAT CRUNCHYROLL Re:ZERO REWATCH!

  With the GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH finishing its last chapter, many have asked "Is it really the end? Will you cover another show? Are you going to watch Shippuden?" My dear readers, the answer to those questions are yes, yes, and yes, but we need a little break from all the Naruto watching! We'll dive right back into the ninja action, but we need a bit of a palette cleanser. We're going from ninjas to an Isekai show, and the show we've chosen for our latest rewatch is the popular Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-!

    Natsuki Subaru, an ordinary high school student, is on his way home from the convenience store when he finds himself transported to another world. As he's lost and confused in a new world where he doesn't even know left from right, the only person to reach out to him was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Determined to repay her somehow for saving him from his own despair, Subaru agrees to help the girl find something she's looking for...

    I wonder what she's looking for... and if she'll find it. I myself haven't watched the show yet, so I have no idea what's going to happen! The only thing I know is that there are twins, and people really seem to like one of them a great deal... and that there's a lot of death? Oh geez, what have we signed up for here?

  So here's how it's going to work: starting on September 20th, we'll be discussing 5 episodes of Re:ZERO until we're done watching the show. Each episodes' host will have a few questions for the Features team, and you're also welcome to answer the in the comments! You can also ask us your own questions, which we'll answer in the following week's installment.

Some of our Features team members will be talking about their great journey through Re:ZERO on their Twitter accounts, using the hashtag #CrunchyRewatch. Make sure to keep an eye out for our thoughts as we watch on, and please do join in the commentary on Twitter as well!

Before we embark in our journey, I prepared some preliminary questions for our Features team to answer, and to give y'all a taste of how our discussions will look like! Here's what they had to say:

Do you like or dislike Isekai shows? Do you think the genre gets a bad rap for being overplayed?

Joshua: I don’t think comments about there being too many Isekai shows lately are unfair, and the fact we’re starting to get more parodies probably means there is too much? I still find myself enjoying some of them though, so maybe I’m part of the problem?! For me, it comes down to each individual show. Some are definitely too generic, but others can have fascinating, original set-ups, or nail a simple premise with their execution. There’s some great Isekai shows out there, and hopefully we can introduce you to one of them!

Kevin: In general, I tend to like Isekais. I’ve always loved RPGs, fantasy games and the like (heck, I’m a Dungeon Master for a D&D campaign), so an anime set in basically an RPG video game world is something I’m predisposed to like. There’s almost certainly way too many of them at this point, but I can’t bring myself to hate the trend as a whole. 

Noelle: Admittedly, I think I like Isekai more on paper than in practice. As much as I enjoy the fantasy genre as a whole, and find people being thrown into wild situations really interesting, Isekai more often than not doesn’t really have much to say, I feel. It more often than not ends up feeling like a power fantasy and sure, that’s fine, but I think I’d like my power fantasies to say something meaningful. As of now, the genre is absolutely oversaturated. 

Carolyn: I couldn’t really say. According to top Isekai anime lists, I haven’t seen much isekai. I’m drawn to darker storylines so maybe that’s why? I have nothing against it in theory, but apparently I’ve never been tempted to really check it out.

Kara: I remember once a light novel publisher was running their annual contest and put a nix on Isekai entries because the market was genuinely saturated. I think we’re not getting nearly as many Isekai anime as we are light novels, but if they can make a chibi crossover series like Isekai Quartet, that kind of says something. To be fair, the general concept behind Isekai is much older than anime. That’s literally what The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland are (not accounting for modern modifications to the trope, of course). So I don’t dislike the genre, but there are a couple routes I don’t like seeing it go down that it… tends to go down.

Paul: I have no strong feelings about the Isekai subgenre. I think it's over-saturated at the moment and some series don't deal with thorny thematic concepts (like slavery, racism, misogyny, etc.) in a very graceful manner.

David: I usually dislike Isekai. Even back when it was oriented differently, like InuYasha, I wasn’t a fan. Getting a bad rap for being overplayed though? Absolutely. It has a ton of potential and people shouldn’t write it off as just being a failed genre.

Danni: I’ve honestly had a hard time sincerely getting into the Isekai genre. I do think it gets a bit of a bad rap, though. The same way every genre that rockets to sudden popularity does. In a few years anime fans will look back fondly at the good ones while rolling their eyes at whatever the new genre fad is. It happens every time.

  Jared: I can’t say I really have a strong opinion one way or another. Although I didn’t find a show in the genre I actually enjoyed until this year as some of the more modern shows I tried watching,I didn’t get too far into. I think it does get a bad rap because it seems like one of the more popular genres out there currently, which leads to an influx of series that might not be at the highest of quality.

Austin: Generally, I really like Isekai shows. I tend to get really excited each time a new Isekai anime gets announced and look forward to them as they come around to airing. That said, I do think genre is extremely overplayed and it definitely gets a bad rap for that, it's just an overplayed genre I really like!

Have you watched Re:ZERO before? If not, do you know anything about the series?

Joshua: I watched and loved Re:ZERO while it was being simulcast, and even bought a Rem plush that sits at the end of my bed! I envy those of you who get to watch it for the first time!

Kevin: I have indeed seen it before! In fact, I watched each episode as they came out, and it is one of the shows that I watched with my mom when I was trying to expose her to a bunch of different kinds of anime, watching it myself for a second or third time in the process. You can make the judgement for yourself whether that was a good idea or not.

Noelle: I haven’t watched Re:ZERO at all. I pretty much don’t know anything about the series… except that people seem to like the twins?

Carolyn: I have not seen the show before and I don’t know very much about. I understand there’s lots of dying?

Kara: I’ve never watched Re:ZERO before. All I know is the jokes I’ve seen in Isekai Quartet and that Rem and Ram are really popular. You can’t really go two days in the newsroom without seeing a new Rem figure go on sale.

Paul: I haven't seen Re:ZERO before. What little I know I've picked up from cultural osmosis. I know the general premise and I can identify most of the main characters, but other than that, I know almost nothing of the actual story.

David: Yes! And... no comment.

Danni: I haven’t actually. All I know is that the protagonist wears a tracksuit and that everyone adores the wrong maid. 

Jared: I haven’t watched Re:ZERO at all. I know it was relatively big when it came out and that people have differing opinions on the girls and what not. Other than that, I don’t really have a clue.

Austin: Yes! I watched it as it aired and loved it a lot.

Anything you're looking forward to watching Re:ZERO as a group as opposed to on your own? 

Joshua: Back when the show was airing, the anticipation in the days between each new episode was painful. Now, I’m looking forward to sharing things we may not have noticed before, and watching with twisted glee as new viewers react to things for the very first time!

Kevin: I’m really interested to see how a small group of people react to the more memorable scenes of the show, and how the semi-binge watch style of the Rewatch changes how we feel. As I mentioned, I followed the show each week on Reddit for a while, but the Rewatch will get more of people’s real time reactions, while also allowing for more measured discussion since people will be consuming five episodes per week, instead of one. 

Noelle: I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s opinions! I think it’s really fun seeing what other people manage to pick up that I didn’t, and I’m down for more of that. 

Carolyn: Group discussion for new forms of entertainment is always fun! Seeing how others form their opinions while consuming the same product is always interesting to me.

Kara: I always prefer to watch things in a group. A lot of times it actually changes my conception of what I’m watching. People’s input and enthusiasm has a way of seasoning things. Also, I learned from the Naruto rewatch that the best way to get me through a series is to set a schedule and have “accountability partners.” Which makes it sounds like going to the gym, but there you are.

Paul: Emotional support. I haven't watched Re:ZERO before, because I've heard it's a sad show, and I can't watch sad anime unless I'm braced for it in advance. Hopefully the other viewers will help prevent me from slipping into a media-based depression.

David: Yes! When it originally aired, I showed the first episode to as many people as I could force to sit in front of a TV. I was extremely excited to share it with people, and I’m glad even more new people will be seeing it here.

Danni: Like with Naruto I’m looking forward to having other people to talk with about a show that has kind of fallen out of the spotlight since its heyday. 

Jared: Watching it as a group makes it easier to just start and watch it in general. If I was by myself, I might not try and stay with it if I wasn’t really feeling the first few episodes or so. Plus, it’s much more fun to watch stuff with other people.

Austin: Seeing how people react to all of the things that happen in just two cours! This show can be quite an emotional roller coaster at times so I expect a mix of remembering the highs and lows as they happen and seeing others experience them for the first time.

Considering the last show we watched was hundreds of episodes long, what differences do you expect out of a far shorter group watch?

Joshua: While I didn’t participate in the Naruto rewatch, I applaud my friends for their patience and endurance! Hopefully a much shorter show means our enthusiasm stays at its peak until the end!

Kevin: I’m expecting two things: first, that the questions are going to be much more detailed, potentially each question focusing on a completely different aspect of the show or a different episode. And second, I think any show less than 50 episodes is going to feel like it is over almost instantly.

Noelle: Considering Naruto lasted forever, this will really feel like blink and it’s gone! It’ll be a lot more compressed for sure, but also I imagine this functions very differently than a shonen anime from the 2000s. 

Carolyn: I’m expecting to be very surprised by how quickly this flies by. Also, less filler and probably a tighter story as a result.

Kara: I expect tons less groaning about filler arcs. It’s also going to feel weirdly speedy, I think.

Paul: Since we have less material to cover, I hope we're still able to tackle some interesting questions. It's a big change going from a 200+ episode series to one that's only 20 episodes.

David: I am mostly hoping we are going to go more in-depth on sets of episodes. Naruto is great, and we talked the heck out of it, but there was so much I felt like we didn’t go super far into anything. Shorter watches hopefully means more thoughts, basically.

Danni: Less filler?

Jared: We won’t be stuck in months of filler, which is a huge plus. The weirdest aspect might be that it’ll go by extremely quick compared to what we did previously. Plus, less episodes to watch each week can allow for a more in-depth discussion each week.

Austin: While I've watched very few shows as long as Naruto, I think this show will go by a lot faster—especially with people to watch it with!

Based on what you know of Re:ZERO going in (no spoilers if you've seen it!) from promo images, any particular characters you think you'll like? Descriptions are fine if you don't know names!

Joshua: Temporarily wiping my brain of future knowledge and looking at the promo art like it’s for the first time, I have an all new appreciation of Beatrice. Everyone else looks good but also rather simple compared to those gold curls, that frilly dress, and the striped stockings! She definitely makes a strong first impression.

Kevin: As someone who has seen the full show multiple times, I opt to not give any answer to this for fear of spoilers.

Noelle: The princess with the white hair seems interesting. Always here for pretty girls in nice outfits. 

Carolyn: There’s somebody with blue hair and a David Bowie looking makeup job. That’s pretty neat.

Kara: Not sure, but I have a sneaking suspicion I’m going to like Ram. She seems pretty wild.

Paul: I expect I won't like Subaru very much. Aside from that, I don't know.

David: HARD NO COMMENT!

Danni: When Re:ZERO was airing it felt like I saw it everywhere, but somehow it took me traveling to Japan and seeing a big promotional setup for the new movie to find out it has a rich, twin-drills girl in it. Frankly, I am upset that it took me that long to find out Re:ZERO has its own version of the best type of anime archetype. Where is the justice?

Jared: I think the only characters I actually know of via just social media and what not are Subaru, Rem, Ram, and Emilia (I think that’s their names, that’s how out of the loop I am). No idea which of them I’ll actually enjoy. I’m guessing I won’t like Subaru? That could be just general chatter and what not influencing me at the moment though.

Austin: I really like Emilia! There's honestly a fair bit of bias in that opinion as I'm a big fan of her Japanese voice actress, Rie Takahashi, but if she's anything like I remember I'll probably still end up liking her the most.

And there you have it! Some Features team members seem to be looking forward to the reactions of those of us who haven't seen Re:ZERO yet... Soon we'll know what they know! 

Here's our upcoming schedule:

- Next week (Sept. 20th), Jared will be our host, covering the first 5 episodes as we set off on our journey

- The following week (Sept. 27th), Kara will be taking over as the host

We hope you join us on the GREAT Re:ZERO REWATCH! See ya next week!

Have you watched Re:ZERO? If you haven't watch it yet, what are you expecting from this rewatch? Sound off in the comments below, and do send any questions you have for us as we watch on the series!

    ----

Nicole is a features writer and editor for Crunchyroll. Known for punching dudes in Yakuza games on her Twitch channel while professing her love for Majima. She also has a blog, Figuratively Speaking. Follow her on Twitter: @ellyberries

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com