#I normally type out translations but this is so long ;;; credits in the link as always ! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

emblemxeno · 3 years

Text

JP vs. Localization in Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest

Again, here’s a link to my sources post.

This post isn’t as long as the Birthright one. The reason why is because I think the localization of Conquest is actually really well done for the most part!

Localization as a process is a complicated field. For starters, a direct translation almost never works; even beyond how the languages are built/written differently, people from every culture speak and carry themselves distinctly. What’s normal to say here, wouldn’t be the same in any other place.

The best localizations make sure to 1) communicate the same information present in the source material while 2) making proper re-writes so the dialogue will be comfortable/easy to read for the audience that speaks the respective language. Conquest’s localization does this process pretty well.

Birthright’s localization fumbled because it failed the first part: it doesn’t communicate all of the proper information. It suffered from lots of plot/narrative cuts, character alteration, dialogue replacement/removal and, to be blunt, half-assed line rewrites. Sure, it’s perfectly easy to read as an English speaker, and the main thrust of what the route wants to tell us is still there, but what we’re reading is still of lower quality compared to the source material since the localization is missing that much stuff.

Conquest didn’t have nearly as many of the same issues as Birthright did in that regard. I give credit where credit is due, Treehouse did a much better job with this route. Though it does beg the question what the hell happened to make the localization quality of these two routes so starkly different. It’s really confusing. And this is before I even get to Revelation.

However, there are still quite a few things to point out, with one of the major issues being in regards to how Xander was handled, to the shock of absolutely no one lol.

But no matter my own opinion, I encourage y’all to form your own, too. Be it by going through the sources yourselves, or asking me about stuff you’re curious about (try not to flood the inbox though lol).

Once again, the main part of this post will all be put under the cut. If a chapter isn’t covered, it means I didn’t think there were any differences worth talking about.

I’ll use localized names for characters and locations, unless I feel the need to do otherwise.

I’ll be using she/her when referring to Corrin in this post.

Chapter 7

-Welcome to Round 1 of “Xander Never Said That”!

So, I’ve already argued many times before that Xander as he’s written originally was never the type to go against Garon, be it through not fulfilling his orders or even talking badly about him; all of this is because of his entrenched way of thinking as a result of being afraid of his father.

Treehouse however, did change many of his lines to have him openly defy Garon, even when it doesn’t make any sense. (Though they didn’t do that to all of his lines, cuz that would require reworking the entire story, so Xander just ends up looking like a wishy-washy mess)

In localization, when ordered to kill Corrin upon her return to Nohr, Xander says “I won't do it! I'm sorry, father.” In the JP version, he doesn’t say anything, he only expresses a non-verbal hesitation.

This may seem petty and trivial to point out, but it’s the start of a much bigger issue.

-In the localization, when Xander starts expressing to Garon how asking Corrin to suppress the Ice Tribe rebellion by herself is impossible, Garon responds by saying “If that is so, then kill her now. I will not tolerate insolence.” In the JP version, as Xander is talking, Garon interrupts him and says “I won’t have you talking back to me.”

This is one of many instances where I think Treehouse made Garon too harsh/unambiguously evil. From his tone and the line changes, he just reads as a much worse person, whereas in the JP version, you can at least make somewhat of an argument that he’s just being cold-blooded and exceedingly strict to his children. Still not a good person, but not a total monster yet either. However, I will say this is actually mostly a problem in Birthright as opposed to Conquest, since Garon acting like a cartoonish villain was one of Birthright’s many localization problems.

-Not even at a new chapter yet, and already we’re at Round 2 of “Xander Never Said That!”

In localization, when overhearing Garon’s ramblings, Xander says “...So it is true. I should have known. Father only wishes to make Corrin suffer... in that case, I know what I must do.”

In the JP version he says, “…… Father… No way, was that decree just now all for the sake of tormenting Corrin? If that’s the case… I too have a plan.”

The localized line makes him seem aware of his father being evil, but the JP version continues to have him in disbelief and denial, as he was originally written to be.

Chapter 9

- “Xander Never Said That!” Round 3.

As Garon is contemplating if he should punish Corrin for disobeying his previous order of quelling the rebellion alone, both Elise and Xander offer themselves to be punished in her place. In localization, Xander eventually says “Father, kill me or kill no one. That is all there is to it.” In the JP version, this line doesn’t exist, Xander just remains silent instead.

-In localization, Azura says people with connections to Nohr were banished from Hoshido (or at least she was). In the JP version, she says that people in Hoshido with connections to Nohr were being eliminated. Yikes.

Chapter 10

-This is more of an all-encompassing nitpick I have, though one that I think might be controversial. The localization kind of exaggerates the bad things Hoshidans say about Nohr.

As an example, I wanted to make a mention to Takumi’s pre-battle line where he says “So they plan to fight us, do they? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Nohrians aren't like normal, decent people. They live for the thrill of battle. All the better. I shall delight in putting those cowards in their place.”

I think that line is hilarious and overly dramatic. It’s the same with his boss quote against Corrin, where in the middle he says “My suspicions must be accurate. Nohrians don’t have souls.” Of course, these lines are different/less hammy in the JP version. Whether or not these kind of dramatic insults added in the localization are a good or bad change comes down to personal preference IMO.

Chapter 14

-In the localization, during his post battle explanation to Corrin, Garon says “You finally understand, though you still fight it. I desire only to rule Hoshido. I, and those who follow me, will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I don't care if the peons that fill our towns don’t trust us. They are nothing to me. Those who disobey will die. The rest will quickly learn.”

In the JP version he says, “Ah. My desire is to rule Hoshido. The means used to grant that wish don’t matter. Something as trivial as distrust isn’t significant. Everyone who goes against us will be killed.” So he doesn’t call his own people peons or say they mean nothing to him in the JP script. It’s another instance of Garon made to be more harsh/evil in localization than he already was in the original script.

Chapter 15

-In the localization, when following Azura, Corrin says “That's weird... Where did she go? Into the forest, maybe...? Th-that song! It’s just like the one that performer sang in Nestra. The one that cursed Father... The mysterious singer and Azura... Could they be the same person? N-no, it can't be. That's insane. I need to find Azura right now. There she is... Azura!”

In the JP version, Corrin says “Hmm… Where is Azura. I think she went into this forest, but… Eh…? That song… it’s similar to the one the songstress sang… Could it be… was the identity of the songstress Azura? Quickly, I must find her quickly! …There she is! Azura…”

Localization Corrin denies the possibility that Azura was the singer, while the JP version doesn’t. It’s a small change, but significant nonetheless.

-In the localization, after Gunter explains how he met Azura in Valla, Azura says “When I felt lost and lonely in Hoshido, I often found my way here.” In the JP version, she says “After I was chased out of Hoshido… Wanting some sort of clue and some peace, I visited this place many times.” JP version makes it clear that it was after Corrin’s choice that she found Gunter, whereas localization gives no clear time frame.

-In the localization, when Azura asks Corrin if she’s prepared to conquer Hoshido for the plan to expose King Garon, Corrin says “...My happiness is a small price to pay for the good of the whole world. I will continue to fight for Nohr and follow my father's every command. If I must sacrifice my soul and walk the path of evil to end this war, so be it. Even if no one understands why I'm doing this... Even if they grow to hate me...”

Everything Corrin says is pretty much the same as what she said in the JP version except that first line, “...My happiness is a small price to pay for the good of the whole world. “ That line does not exist in the JP version. I never liked that line in the first place, as it makes it seem like the only price that’s being paid is Corrin’s happiness, when that’s obviously not the case. Learning that it wasn’t in the original script is a relief.

Chapter 16

-”Xander Never Said That!” Round 4.

In the localization, while recounting his memories of Azura, Xander eventually says “Those who loved Queen Katerina were not happy about Queen Arete or her daughter. Camilla and I...and later Leo...were told not to associate with Azura because of this. I suppose Father wanted to protect the strength of his legacy or some nonsense.”

That last line, “I suppose Father wanted to protect the strength of his legacy or some nonsense” is not in the JP version at all. Not only would Xander not bad mouth Garon like that at this point of the game, the line also makes no sense. Garon was never the one who mistreated Arete and Azura or told his kids to stay away, it was the concubines and aristocrats.

-In the localization, Azura says Shura needs to be punished for what he did. In the JP version, she says they obviously need to be cautious around him after what he did. A minor nitpick.

-In the JP version, as Shura’s explaining himself, he eventually says “Someday, if a war started, I’d be able to take revenge on Fuuma (Mokushu). So… I thought kidnapping a Nohr princess was a good way to start one.” This line about him hoping to incite a war by kidnapping Azura is cut completely in the localization.

Chapter 17

-In localization, after the battle Saizo expresses confusion over Nohr’s army showing mercy, to which Corrin says “Then perhaps you don't know us as well as you believe you do. We Nohrians aren't all the same. Just as all ninja aren't as vile as Kotaro.” This line isn’t in the JP version (Corrin remains silent instead) but it’s one of few instances where I think the localization addition was nice.

Chapter 24 (Yeah, there wasn’t any issues I had or major differences that I thought were worth mentioning for seven chapters. Crazy, huh?)

-”Xander Never Said That!” Round 5

I’ve talked about this before in my previous posts about Xander, but this one really does bear repeating. His speech about justice in localization is much longer.

Here’s what he says in the JP version:

Xander: “…Things like justice do not exist. This is war. In this world, there is no right or wrong way of being. There is only… ambition and desire. Moreover, it is what is expected. You would do well to remember that.”

Here’s what he says in localization:

Xander: “Little princess... The sad truth is that justice is an illusion. A child's fairy tale. There is no light path that always leads to good, nor dark path that leads to evil. To believe that—to see the world in black and white—is missing half the picture. All that matters are the choices we make—especially the hard ones. […] Letting innocents die is a tragedy, but so is letting the chance for peace slip away. This is war. There is no such thing as a clean win when lives are on the line. Instead of clinging to a false sense of justice, hold strong to something true... The desire to do what you know is right and to protect the ones you love... And the ambition to see your vision of a peaceful future through to the end. If we allow evil men to let their vision take precedence over our own, we all lose. Remember that, and find solace in it.”

Yeah. Insane difference. Localization goes more in depth on what he means, but a longer speech potentially means more opportunities to poke holes in it. Take this as you will.

Chapter 26

-In the JP version, when Corrin says there’s one more person left to defeat Xander says “What…!? Is our opponent the one who escaped earlier…Princess Hinoka?” Xander thinking that it might be Hinoka was cut out of localization.

-In the JP version, Xander actually asks if Corrin’s intending to double cross them when she says King Garon is the final obstacle. Corrin even responds saying “No, I’m not betraying you to join Hoshido. …Even if I did defect, Hoshido doesn’t have a chance of victory now.” This part of the exchange was cut in localization.

Chapter 27

-”Xander Never Said That!” Round 6

The exchange before the party enters the throne room to expose Garon reads mostly the same, but what Xander says is fairly different between versions.

Here’s what he says in the JP version:

Xander: “…I understand. This whole time, you have led us in this war. So…I believe you. In your words. But, if what you say turns out to be a lie… It will be concluded that you betrayed us, and the entire army will turn against you, as an enemy. I just want you to be prepared.”

Here’s what he says in the localization:

Xander: “Hmm... So be it, Corrin. You have led us this far. The least we can do is follow you just a little farther. I am choosing to trust you, Sister. However, you know what will happen if this all turns out to be an elaborate ruse. If you mean to trap us, your siblings who have loved you all these years... You will be punished, just like any other traitor. I will not allow anyone, even you, to bring harm to my family or the kingdom of Nohr. If you can accept those terms, as I trust you will, let us proceed.”

Honestly, on the whole, the general point is the same. But the word choice in the localization would probably make it easier to get peeved at Xander; especially the line where he says ‘if you mean to trap the siblings who loved you all these years’, since it’s easy to read it as really guilt trippy. I personally never saw it that way, but since this is one of the scenes that get pointed at for Xander being “stupid and blindly loyal to his evil dad”, I think it’s worth mentioning.

-Minor line change. When Leo and Camilla say it’s hard for them to just accept that Garon is a monster and fight him, Azura in localization says “You can't be serious! Don't you see what he has become?!” In the JP version, she says “ そんな…” (Son'na…) which I believe is most commonly used as an expression of disbelief. Localization kind of made Azura’s line a bit too harsh, IMO. Minor nitpick.

-”Xander Never Said That!” Round 7

This one is not as much of a problem than previous ones, but it’s in regards to a crucial understanding of Xander’s character.

Here’s part of Xander’s speech against Monster Garon in localization:

Xander: “It is you who knows nothing! Of my father, of me, or of my brother/sister here. All this time, I have strived to be a good son and a worthy heir. I have faithfully followed your orders, even when doing so tortured my soul. I brushed aside my early memories of Father and accepted you as our king. I fought in your name, hoping one day you would reawaken as the man you once were. But that man is dead and has been for a long time now...”

Here’s the JP version equivalent:

Xander: “You bastard, what do you understand of Father…! …All this time, I had to pretend not to see. I never disobeyed any order. Someday, everything would go back to the way it used to be… I fought believing that. But, the father of those days is already…”

Localization not only kind of embellishes things a bit, but it also removes the line where Xander said he had to pretend to not see the truth. That line is pivotal to Xander’s character, since it proves he has been in denial this whole time, purposefully looking away from the truth because the truth was something he was afraid of. Not having that line (along with the addition of contradictory lines that I covered earlier) makes Xander more of a confusing character to read.

Endgame

-When Corrin is talking to her Hoshido family in purgatory-land, Takumi joins in. In localization, he says this:

Takumi: “Thank you, Corrin. I wonder…what it would have been like to fight on the same side as you. I always wished we could have been close, as you are with your Nohrian siblings. Right up until my last moments, I wanted so badly to call you my sister. To look up to you and love you…and never allow anything to come between us. I wish I had told you that before I died. While there was still a chance… I was just so stubborn, so hurt. I couldn’t admit those feelings even to myself. For that, I am truly sorry. I’m so sorry for letting you slip away, dear sister.”

In the JP version, he says this:

Takumi: “Thank you. If you and I had fought together, I wonder how reassured I would have been. Corrin. The truth is, I really… I wanted to get along as siblings. I wanted to call you sister. I should have said so properly when I was still me… But because of my stubbornness, I was determined not to show my true feelings… …I’m sorry.”

It’s pretty much the same, but that very last line in the localized version “I’m so sorry for letting you slip away, dear sister”, is a line I’m iffy on. It sort of shifts responsibility from Corrin to Takumi, when it wasn’t really Takumi’s decision that affected Corrin’s choice. Just a minor nitpick. Other than that, it’s good.

-In localization, Corrin says Takumi died because of the beast possessing Takumi. In the JP version, she says Takumi died because of her and her party, that it’s the price she paid for choosing this path and that she’ll redeem herself.

-This one has been talked about many times lol. In localization, Hinoka says “I never thought it would fall to me to rule Hoshido. I always took it for granted that Ryoma would eventually be king. And after him, I suppose I expected to pass on the honor to Takumi.” In the JP version, she says “I never dreamed I’d ever take the throne. I always thought it’d be Ryoma’s coronation, or Takumi’s…”

Hoshido has a very patriarchal and traditional social system. Similar instances of women being “lower on the hierarchy”, for lack of better words, happen with Reina (whose aristocrat parents cut ties with her after she chose to be a soldier instead of a housewife) and Hana (who faced many difficulties being a girl samurai amongst boys). Kagero’s situation of only being a retainer because her brother is ill could also be interpreted as such. What makes this strange is that all of the above were kept in localization, but Hinoka expecting to be passed over on being ruler in favor of Takumi was changed to her planning to just give him the crown, like Camilla did for Leo.

-Xander’s speech in the last animated cutscene is actually quite different between versions. In the localization, he says this:

Xander: “You’re just in time. You’ve always had a gift for that. No doubt you always will. There was no sense in this war, only madness and greed. War is monstrous. We are told to make war to support our country. But…it’s a lie. Told by those who profit from bloodshed. In my reign as Nohr’s new king, I vow to seek peace and understanding. With you to guide my hand.”

In the JP version, he says:

Xander: “You’re all just as boisterous as usual. Just like back then… It’s certainly the same now. There was no justice in the previous battles. No, whether or not there was justice is not for me to say. Justice… is a fragile thing, that changes depending on how you look at it. But, at the very least… As king I will maintain the justice I believe in. The one who taught me the importance of that, was you.”

Very, very different. I won’t count this as a “Xander Never Said That!” since there’s merit in both versions of the speech, and because the cutscene was made with the JP dub in mind, so trying to match it perfectly for the English speaking audience is almost impossible.

#fire emblem #fire emblem fates #fire emblem if #fe14 #corrin fire emblem #azura fire emblem #xander fire emblem #camilla fire emblem #leo fire emblem #elise fire emblem #ryoma fire emblem #hinoka fire emblem #takumi fire emblem #sakura fire emblem #hoshido #nohr #meta #treehouse localization

148 notes · View notes

nyx-aira · 3 years

Text

Loving You Is My Destiny

Summary: Melina and you take a vacation after the events of Black Widow

A/N: This is part of the Love of my Life series and I loved writing this (also I might be just yearning for August to come so I can go on vacation)

Slight Black Widow spoilers (nothing much)

PSA: Do NOT copy, steal, translate, plagiarize, republish, etc any of my works on Tumblr or any other platform. Also, do NOT claim any of my works as your own. All of these works are either requests I’ve gotten that people have wanted me to write or original ideas I’ve had for works. If you happen to take inspiration from anything I’ve written and want to write something inspired by that, please a) ask me first and b) IF I say yes, credit me as inspo in your post by tagging me and link whatever work of mine that inspired you. Thanks.

PSA c/@ynscrazylife

July, 2017

It's been tough, the last few years.

After you had helped Melina take care of the widows and make sure they were good on their own the two of you went your own way.

You had never really had free will, a little bit more freedom on the farm but that's it. So the two of you decided you wanted to travel the world, not just short stops for missions but a real vacation.

Your first stop had been Italy. For some reason you had always been fond of that country and Melina liked it as well.

Getting a small apartment in the city and just living a normal life was something neither of you had ever thought was possible.

You would spent the days exploring the city, going to museums and just doing normal people stuff.

Of course it wasn't that easy though. Decades of training wouldn't just vanish just because you had control over your own actions now.

There were better and worse days but you had been together for so long you knew exactly what the other needed.

It was another sunny day, you had just woken up, taking the luxury of sleeping in, the sun shining through the window. Getting up you walked into the small living room where you saw Melina sitting, reading a magazine.

You took your time to look at her. She had never been more relaxed than here, letting her walls down more and more.

"Take a picture darling, it might last longer."

"By your beauty I just might", you retorted as you sat next to her and pressed a short kiss to her cheek, looking at the magazine your wife was reading.

"A cat Melina, seriously, do you miss your pigs so much?" You said with a smile on your face, Melina had always been the nurturing type even if she wasn't allowed to show it.

"You miss them too darling, just admit it." She said, stil focused on the magazine as she grabbed your hand and pressed a kiss to it, the gesture almost second nature to her by now.

"Maybe a little bit", you admitted

The rest of the morning was spent with making breakfast and chasing your girlfriend around the living room as she was constantly stealing the food you were making. It was the most carefree you'd ever been.

After that you decided to go for a stroll in the city, grabbing your sunglasses from the table as it was the warmest day of the week today.

You almost dropped them as you saw Melina walk out of the bathroom, she was wearing a white summer dress and her hair was loose over her shoulders, she looked like a goddess.

Stepping close you wrapped an arm around her and pressed a short but passionate kiss to her lips, you would never get tired of kissing her.

"Beautiful", you whispered as you caught your breath.

With a smile Melina stepped past you, stealing your glasses and walking out with a cheeky smile.

You were still too overwhelmed by her beauty that it took your brain a second to catch up to the present and you hurried after her.

Walking down the beautiful streets of the small town you were staying in you took Melinas hand, thinking about the life that had been and the life that was ahead, knowing that everything would turn out alright as long as she was by your side.

-----

Taglist: @escapetodreamworld @midnight-lestrange @ynscrazylife @procrastinatingsapphictrash @ineffablebean @cliint @wlwlovesreading @satxnsupreme @ycfwmalise14 @eilarch @sapphic-stress @lilian-maximoff @scarjo-wife @booklovinbi

#mcu #marvel #black widow movie #melina vostokoff #melina vostokov #melina vostokoff x reader #melina vostokov x reader

142 notes · View notes

ynscrazylife · 3 years

Note

Hey?? I Recently found you and I most say that I adore your page, I saw that you write for Lena do you think that your write a request for her?. My idea is that Reader and Lena are in a relationship, but Lena has feeling for Kara so Reader decided to leave her, you decided if they go back together or not.

I Wasn’t Enough | l.l angst fic

Summary: Y/N and Lena are in love. However, when Y/N recognizes that Lena has feelings for Kara, their relationship gets put in jeopardy.

Authors Note: Thank you for requesting! I never understand the want for angst

Permanent Taglist: @natasharomanoffismywife @hehehehannahthings @paulawand @blackbat2020 @sybil-moon-is-a-mess @cerberus-spectre @marrymemcgrath @celestialbarnes

DCEU Taglist: @stephanieromanoff @basiclesbianbitch @extraordinary-fangrl @hi-i-1 @mmmmokdok @harrypottercumslut

Request to be on a Taglist (or multiple) here!

DCEU Masterlist | Main Masterlist

header c @/ikromanoff

Y/N hadn’t been able to contain her excitement when she was approved to work on an article on L-Corp and the woman behind it, Lena Luthor. She had found the woman’s story fascinating and wanted to shine some light on the shift from Luthor Corp to L-Corp, and this was her time to do so.

The moment she set foot in Lena’s office, though, she knew she was screwed.

She had seen the woman in pictures and watched her press conferences on T.V, but seeing the magnicant lady in person was a surreal experience, mostly because of how gorgeous she was. Y/N found herself instantly distracted, unable to keep from feeling dazed as she saw the brunette so graciously finish up typing whatever she was typing on her computer, stand up, and offer her the biggest, most charming smile Y/N had ever seen.

“Hello! My friend, Kara Danvers, told me you were coming. I’m Lena Luthor, nice to meet you,” Lena’s voice which almost made Y/N swoon pulled her from her thoughts and she blinked, suddenly remembering what she was here for.

(She couldn’t help but be in awe, though, because of how down to earth Lena was. She still introduced herself like a normal human even though of course, Y/N knew who she was!)

“I’m, uh, Y/N Y/L/N! It’s nice to meet you, too, Ms Luthor - I, uh, apologize, I’m not usually this nervous,” she forced herself to say, lightly chuckling off the awkwardness. Crap, what was she doing?!

She shook Lena’s hand (and nearly fainted right then and there). “Oh, don’t apologize! No need to be nervous, darling - oh and you can just call me Lena,” Lena said, smiling and waving off Y/N’s concerns as she sat back at her desk.

Y/N had no clue what was going on. Lena seemed to have put a spell on her because the moment she said that, Y/N felt better about the interview, having been reassured, but then a whole new worry racked her body: Lena Luthor had just called her “darling”!!! The up and down of emotions was making her stomach do somersaults.

The reporter took a couple deep breaths and cleared her throat so she wouldn’t vomit from being overwhelmed before sitting down in the chair across from Lena, beginning the interview.

The rest was history and, seeing as they were both good friends of Kara’s, it wasn't long before she spilled the beans on her secret identity as Supergirl and the couple became unofficial members of the unofficial group, the Superfriends.

They were having their weekly game night, Lena sitting in an armchair with Y/N on her lap, Kara, James, and Alex on the couch, Winn on the floor, and J’onn in another armchair. Laugher and skies filled the room, accompanied with the faint smell of wine and the lipstick stains on the discarded glasses.

“Damn, Luthor, you’re sneaky,” Kara grumbled as she fished in her pile of Monopoly money to get the correct amount she needed to pay Lena for landing on her property.

Lena chuckled as Y/N took the fake money from Kara and handed it to her. “All apart of business, baby,” she commented.

Everyone laughed it off, but Y/N tensed up. Was Lena flirting with Kara? She looked over her shoulder at her girlfriend and Lena furrowed her eyebrows before a look of realization washed over her face. She quickly shook her head, indicating that the nickname was harmless, and kissed Y/N’s cheek.

Y/N brushed it aside. It was just a meaningless comment. She slumped her tense shoulders, forcing her mind not to wander to the many “What If’s” that could possibly happen. What if it wasn't just a comment? What if-?

“Your turn, Y/N!”

Y/N blinked, taking a second to realize what Alex said, and jumped up to grab the dice (she would have fallen off Lena’s lap had the brunette not wrapped her arms around her, and Y/N relaxed at her touch.

She rolled it around in her hands before dropping it and moving her piece to her own property which she had landed on. As the game continued on, everything was normal. However, it was impossible for Y/N to miss the small talk Lena would occasionally make with Kara and how her comments were just on the line between cautious and flirtatious. She also noticed every time Lena would practically be giving the blonde heart eyes, but just tried to ignore it, telling herself that she’d talk to Lena later and everything would turn out fine.

. . . . . . . . .

“Lena, can I talk to you?” Y/N asked as they sat down for breakfast, both drinking coffee on the late Saturday morning.

Lena glanced up from the newspaper she was reading and hummed an enthusiastic nod before taking a sip from her mug.

Y/N nodded, eyes falling onto the table as she thought for a moment to sort out her thoughts. Taking a couple steady breaths, she asked, “Please don't take this the wrong way . . . Are you attracted to Kara?”

Lena blinked, staring at her for a second before realizing she was serious. The CEO shook her head, forcing out a chuckle. “What? No. What makes you think that?” She said.

Y/N couldn’t decide whether or not to be relived. She sighed. “Just some things you were saying and looks you were giving her last night,” she muttered.

Lena scoffed, biting her lip before shaking her head more decidedly. “Do you really not trust me?” She spat out in a hiss, making Y/N recoil from the sudden harshness.

“What?” Was the only thing Y/N could say as she was dumbfounded.

Lena nodded slowly. “Why did I actually think that you’d be any different from everyone else in my life? You don’t trust me! You think I like Kara!” She said, on the verge of anger overtaking her. She pushed her chair back and stood up.

Y/N shook her head, needing a minute to process what was happening. “I didn’t mean it like that-” she began to say.

“Uh-huh,” Lena retorted mockingly. “I wasn’t planning on going into L-Corp today but I need to cool off.”

Before Y/N had even gotten out of the kitchen to follow her, she was met with the slam of the door bouncing off her walls. She stood, stunned.

What the hell had happened?

She spent the rest of the day in distress, replaying the argument over and over again in her head and each time it got worse. Each time in her mind Lena glared a little harder, was even more ruthless in her tone, or the door slamming was louder. Lena also let her phone calls go to voicemail, leaving Y/N in her thoughts. Was Lena right? Did she not trust her girlfriend? Or did she catch something that Lena didn’t even know about herself?

Did Lena like Kara?

She couldn’t decide.

When the keys were finally jingling in the door, Y/N jumped up from their bed and ran out to meet her girlfriend, her cheeks stained with tear streaks.

Lena didn’t look to happy, either. Her eyes were a little red and puffy and she was frowning.

“I did a lot of thinking today . . . And I talked to Kara,” Lena said, cutting immediately to the point. Her words, combined with her low and defeated tone, gave Y/N a sinking feeling in her stomach. “I’ve suppressed these feelings for a while, I realized, but . . . You were right. I like Kara. And . . . She likes me, too.”

Y/N felt like she was just hit with a truck. “What are you saying?” She asked, voice cracking from emotion as she sniffed and could feel big tears bubbling. “Are you planning to leave me for her?”

Lena didn’t look at her. She kept her gaze on the floor and opened her mouth to say something, which gave Y/N the slightest amount of hope, before it was ripped away from her when Lena stifled a sigh and shut her mouth.

There were a couple moments of silence that just pounded against Y/N’s head. “I should have know that I wasn’t enough for the CEO of L-Corp. That you’d want Supergirl,” she finally settled on saying. It was just filled with disappointment, sadness, and anger, lacking in bitterness or pity, as she realized that the fear she had ignored that Lena would fall for Kara was now painfully coming to life.

“I guess I’ll go pack my things,” Y/N continued, feeling lost and without any hope at all when Lena didn’t say anything, didn’t even try and tell her she was wrong. She sniffed and stomped her foot when her girlfriend was just content for her to walk away. “It’s good I didn’t sell my apartment yet. We’re done.”

With a glare, she turned around and angrily threw all her belongings into suitcases while Lena stood in the same exact spot, looking at the floor.

269 notes · View notes

thepriceofbeingaroseisloneliness · 4 years

Text

Toshiya Interview 「PHY」Vol.17 Translation 1/2

He talks about the negative parts in human beings that the world has no choice but to look straight at. Also, he talks about his own melancholy. “The places, the time, and the people I cherish are not eternal, rather, they can be destroyed in an instant…. that resignation…no…I wonder if there is an awakening about that”

Note before reading: This is the first part of Toshiya’s interview in 「PHY」Vol.17 released last 19th. This part covers half of the interview. You can already read the second part here. You can get the magazine at Cdjapan if you live out of Japan. Please buy and support it if you can. Feel free to correct me if you spot any mistake or any confusing parts. Links or credits to this post when the content is reposted or captured in other SNS is appreciated :) ----- It was the kind of interview that made me believe in them forever. DIR EN GREY's first digital single, 'Ochita koto no aru sora ', it’s a song like a warning bell that appeals to live without looking away from this restraining reality, as well as the desire to bet on a band of five members. Of course, there,the feelings of how each member feels about Corona are included there. In this solo interview with Toshiya (Bass), he talked about the melancholic feelings he is having facing the current situation of the world. In his own words, he feels sometimes hesitant to say his own thoughts, the conflict, the indecision, but at the same time, he revealed the reason why a strongly man like him felt the necessity to be in this band. Text by: Higuchi Yasuyuki Photos by: Sasahara Kiyoaki Hair&Make-up : Yamaguchi Atsushi “Putting their problems aside, we have lived mediocrely. Then, facing this situation, we are unable to compete. But that's the negative part that we have been facing for a long time” -The other day, I was allowed to hold an event at a certain place. T: Thank you. You were really helpful. -It's been a while since I witnessed the scene of the 5 of you reunited together. Your presence in the dressing room at that time, felt like a person who was really at home. T: What do you mean? (laughs) Well, I haven’t been meeting people. -It’s a time that it’s stimulating (meeting people)… T: It’s scary, isn’t it? If you get infected, you will affect those around you, moreover, if you get someone else infected…..you think about those things after all. -Staying all time at home made you feel depressed? T: Not really. Basically, because in the first place, my life is the same as when we are doing our underground activities. -The other members believed the same (laughs) T: So, it wasn’t depressing. These activities were rather normal or even plain. Well, if I had to say something that was different than usual…. thanks to having more time than usual (the single), it was completed very smoothly. -It seems like that. T: Originally, we were planning to record while touring but the postponement of the tour gave me some time and it was very smooth. -Are you always on a tough schedule? T: It’s already rough. And at the very end I always feel like I’m compressing everything so in that sense, it was every easy to do (the single) this time. -If you had made it between tours as planned, wouldn't the single have a different style?

T: There is a possibility. However, I don't think it would be completely different…. I don’t really know. -That's right. Personally, when I listened to this song, I thought about how you would perceive the current situation as a band that can’t see what lies ahead. It’s a song with a lot of power and energy, are you worried about the future of the band? T: I see. About what your personal thoughts…. I think this band will be fine as long as the members are living, like, the band will continue on as long as the members are alive. It might be an extreme reasoning but that's what I think myself. Regardless of the Corona and what will happen after it. -Because you don’t think that just because of this situation…. T: Yes. Because I think Dir en grey is consisted by these 5 people. Well, until now, I used to say it with words in interviews and so, but maybe recently I really came to think that. -It could be. T: In the past, being honest….when I was thinking about the band….of course I know I'm a person that would be in a band but I thought that there was no reason why it had to be these five people. -That way of thinking its not only limited to you, that’s a thing you think when you are young. T: It’s not only related to bands but also to human relationships. For example, let’s say that you insult someone on the internet. Of course, there might be a reason behind why that person got insulted but rather than insulting them, don’t say anything. You accumulate those things inside (the attacks/insults) and eventually that person will….like….* *He is is making a subtle reference to the recent news of Hana Kimura’s suicide after being harassed online. -There was this sad incident…. T: The places, the time, and the people I cherish are not eternal. A word that has no meaning at that time, the words of someone who doesn't understand the true meaning of what they are saying. With a single word that dances around with collective complicity, important things can be broken in a instant. That resignation…no… if you don’t have that awakening, that you don’t need to insult someone or do just as you please…. -Do you think you are the type of person that lets those things accumulate in yourself? T: How should it be? But I want to cherish where I am, I know that this position is only possible with these five people, so I sometimes I don’t express my thoughts, but it’s like that for all human beings, right? - When you started the band, you were more self-assertive but you had to change that in order to be able to continue in this band. T: That's right. After all, I'm basically a very selfish person (laughs), so I feel like I'm going to destroy the place I'm in if I'm a selfish person like I was in the past. Isn’t that scary? - You have that kind of trait rooted in yourself. T: When I was a kid, I was always selfish and selfish, for example, even if I played soccer with my friends, if I had the ball, I would go to the score goal myself. I didn’t pass it to anyone (laughs) -But team playing is an important thing in sports…. T: I had no spirit of cooperation. I was often told that by my parents. Like “As you are not cooperative, you’re better off doing things alone than doing it with others”. -And such a person has been in the same band for over 20 years (laughs) T: That's right. That's why I feel that the band has given me spirit of cooperation with others. If not, I would still be running to the score the goal with the ball (laughs). -But that kind of person is doing the bass in a band called Dir en grey, so I think it’s a perfect balance. T: Is that so? - The members in charge of bass and drums tend to be less self-assertive and more cooperative than vocals and guitars. I think that's probably because rhythm is related to the fundamental base of music and it’s created by the instrument that play it. T: In the past, that was the impression, right? About the bass. Like being a step back from everyone and playing silently. -But you are not that type of bassist. In the first place, each of you asserts themselves on stage. T: I agree. I mean, I've never though that "because I was the bassist I had to take a step back" (laughs) -That’s what DIR EN GREY is. I thought that it must be hard for the band to have a bassist with such a strong presence when I saw the current shooting. T: What it’s hard? -I meant that the individuality of each one of you collides violently. You can’t take pictures like these with 5 people, right? T: That's right. In a good way, it's also the band's mood. That's why I've been playing in this band with a mysterious sense of balance. I'm not going to take a step back, and while I have a desire to go forward, I'm also conscious of not going too far. “I feel that the band has given me spirit of cooperation with others. If not, I would still be running to the score the goal with the ball (laughs).” - You said that you have acquired that kind of balance in this band. T: That’s what I think. And that doesn’t apply just to me, but also to the other four members. Like, everyone is looking properly at others, not only themselves. It’s the same at lives, and of course what you want them to see it’s your playing but what I really want them to see the most is the sight of these five people standing there. That’s what the image of a cool band might be and on top of that, each of us can shine in their own way. - As I said earlier, I think you are really a strong person. And I think that's something that all the members of this band have in common. T: That might be true. - So, your personalities collide violently, and that friction is what creates your sound. However, on the other hand, there are some moments in which you have negative thoughts, or you are not confident in yourself. T: That's right. After all, I don't have self-confidence. - Especially in your case, I feel that you often make statements like that in interviews. T: Is that so?......mmmm…..I wonder why….but it’s like... I think that saying that kind of things doesn’t matter in some cases?.... -What do you mean with “it doesn’t matter”? T: Well, like they ask “are you confident?” and you are, but saying those things openly/loudly isn’t something that is bothering? I think it's only me who knows in what I am confident and in what aspects I am not. But then, do you know yourself well? If you ask me, I don’t know the answer at all. In short, you probably shouldn’t believe the words you are told. -You don’t believe in those words? T: Yes. Everything is a lie or a false image. Words, including lies and truths are mysterious. After all I believe it’s like that. Also, I think of myself as just a shallow/miserable person. Next part

#dir en grey #toshiya #phy vol 17 #phy magazine #translation #toshiyatranslations

209 notes · View notes

takadanobaba · 3 years

Text

Jin Norizuki’s Birthday PriZoom 7/18/2021

Oh the things I do for Jin Norizuki

That was SUCH an experience. I had a lot of fun!!

Main takeaway is that I am now acutely aware of when to YO in a song

(Okay so this is my first time attending a prizoom (or even any kinpri screening outside of Luna’s sss rabbit sessions!) so this is all entirely new to me and I can’t really compare it to much, but I figured that it’d be good to write up a report of sorts to fill in for Luna in a way!)

The prizooms are also accessible to everyone and don’t require any Japanese info confirmation!! If you’re interested in attending please go and support kinpri!!!

(Note: I think about Jin wayyyy too much and interpret them as nonbinary, so I use they/them pronouns for Jin. It’s just automatic for me at this point and feels weird otherwise haha so I’ll be doing that in this)

Jin is my all time favorite character and love of my life who I’m extremely delusional about so when a prizoom was announced for their birthday I went INSANE because I didn’t expect Jin’s birthday to be acknowledged AT ALL given how they’re usually excluded/treated like a side character (+ kinpri’s been putting out little to no content lately anyways....haha....). I was waiting in anticipation ever since it was announced (around June 6th) and even put in a time-off request for my work the day of its announcement just so I could attend!!!! ........ You can imagine my frustration at kinpri waiting until the very last minute to put out details about Jin’s prizoom ^^;

💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙

Also!! I’m a complete ~ foreigner ~ and managed to get tickets perfectly fine with my American credit card (and putting in some very obviously Not-An-Actual-Resident-Of-Japan address info...)! So if anyone’s curious about attending a prizoom but worried about region-locking, it’s possible! Very possible! If you’re interested in it, please go! You don’t need to have a Japanese phone number/credit card/address/etc. to purchase PriZoom tickets on RakutenTicket! It’s such an experience! If you need any help buying tickets then I’d be more than happy to assist!! Please support the PriZoom screenings and help increase the demand for more kinpri content!!!!!!!!!!!! I will personally become a living prizoom advertisement

(Also if any kinpri staff find this: I’m sorry for not respecting rules this time but I just wanted to provide a detailed account of the prizoom event and encourage participation for other foreign fans! I won’t do this again!!!)

💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙

I only attended the first and third showings (consisting of the first movie and Over the Sunshine!) because I wanted to see the new/not currently archived content (the second/pride the hero showing’s bonus was just Jin’s birthday video by Joji which I already revisit little too much ahaha). I also went to the chat-only rooms because I wasn’t very confident that I wouldn’t be awkward with my nonexistent cheering experience and intent to just observe what its like (despite knowing that the cheering rooms are more fun based on what Luna said haha). That, and I was planning on using the EXTREMELY OBNOXIOUS soundboard of ABSOLUTE CHAOS for everything since I have issues with voice dysphoria and figured it’d be good to stick to the room with that normalized as the one and only cheering method so participating would be a little less annoying to others, since we’d all have the same idea ^^;

I’m more active on twitter and follow/am mutuals with pretty much anybody who likes Jin enough to post about them, so it was cool seeing almost everyone there! At least half of them tweeted about this being their first prizoom haha. Jin’s birthday was also promoted as a good introduction to prizooms since the first showing was set at a price point of 718 yen instead of the usual 1,760 yen? So, lots of first timers attending! I guess most people had the same thought process as me about the whole insecure-about-not-being-used-to-proper-cheering/using-their-mic thing? Because most of my twitter following ended up in the chat-only rooms with me! Fun!

Also interesting how most people chose the male voice option for the cheering soundboard feature since there’s actually only 2 men who love Jin like that (I’m included in that number!!) in the Jin-obsessed twitter circle. I guess it was because it sounds kinda Joji-ish? and therefore fitting for an event dedicated to Jin! What with them being meant for each other and all.... Plus being Joji is just a fun way to play off having issues about using your own voice (I... project onto Joji a lot.)

👆 👆 👆

Okay I actually typed up all of the above during the second showing (since I wasn’t occupied attending that one) and everyone had the same train of thought and was definitely being Joji. You know that one “song” in Over the Sunshine- Glorious Schwarz- consisting of Joji just going wild infodumping for 3.5 minutes? Yeah EVERYONE who selected the male voice option was spamming 「おれもー！」/ “ME TOO!!!” during that (including me!). So it was like:

“I weighed 4646 grams at birth! ☆”

“MMMMEMEEMEMMT MEE ME MEEE EMME ME ME TOO M M ME TOO”

SO OBNOXIOUS. I LOVE IT. EVERYONE SHARING THE SAME BRAINCELL. THE JOJI BRAINCELL.

💙

The highlight of the prizoom (in my opinion) was when some guy repeatedly hit よっ！/ YO! to the music in the first movie, which then led to everyone having a collective ~ Realization ~

After that happened, everybody joined in and started YO!-ing along in the other lives. Beautiful.

(Blurred recording of Dramatic Love and Showcase Night just so YO!u can see what I mean.)

(I only did those two to test screen recording after failing to archive the first Jin bonus while using the soundboard feature in the first showing, initially I didn’t intend to record anything but the bonuses and will not be doing that anymore. If you attend, don’t be like me or worse!!!! Please!! I’ll delete these if needed/after a few weeks. Also just wanted to mention that Koi no Royal Straight Flush is up there in Kinpri’s Most YO!-able songs)

I love this soundboard feature. Sounds like hell. Prizooms are truely a new form of art because of it. Amazing how cheering screenings have evolved over a pandemic. Music feels empty to me without the YO!s now. After this I ended up listening to the entire kinpri discography so I could determine the YO!ability of each song. Not sure if every prizoom is like that? But I really want to go to more showings just for the community experience! I’m morbidly curious as to how many people would try to YO! to Platonic Sword. I considered going to Rei’s because they’re showing Shiny Rose Stars, but I probably won’t though since money and sleep are things (They really should make tickets no more than 1,000 yen.... they’re zoom meetings with audio problems....THE AUDIO ISSUES ARE FUN THOUGH! YOU CAN SPAM “GANBATTE” WITH EVERYONE!!) Plus while I do like every kinpri character, none of the street boys are really my favorites and going to every showing regardless of character would be a lot. I assumed that I was only going to try attending Joji’s until they announced that they were gonna do something for Jin!! So if you want to see what it’s like PLEASE get tickets and experience it for yourself!! It’s so much more fun participating !!!! Relying on 1-2 people to post event summaries isn’t exactly consistent coverage of every prizoom either!

\ よっ！/ \ よっ！/ \ よっ！/

So much of this is a community experience that you just have to see for yourself! It’s really cool seeing people go all out for their favorites and just going wild. Notable participants include:

- Two separate people just working out the entire time (one of them doing “Prism Exercise” meaning very high effort full-body cheering and dancing? It was really impressive seeing them go all-out for such a long time!)

- Two (2!) Ai cosplayers!!! One attending the prizoom with a Jin cosplayer!!

- The lady who cosplayed Jin in their cute green pre-retirement prism star outfit WITH A HUGE JIN PUPPET IN THE SAME STYLE AS THE SHUFFLE PUPPETS IN THE STAGEPLAY!!!

- That one person who just had a Minato fish head on the entire time (?!)

- A Victoria cosplayer who showed off a really nice!! drawing of Jin they did during the participant showcase at the end of the screenings

- The person with a REALLY CUTE!!!!! homemade Jin plushie!!

- Two people who attended with 3D/vtuber style models of the Go Go Glorious! (YMT29 subunit) members: Noel Tokyo and Mikado Shibuya (who also had a model of Ai!)

- A really cute Joji vtuber model!

💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙

The bonuses were Jin’s birthday video from 2016 and a birthday message of sorts from Jin!

I actually didn’t manage to properly archive the first one as intended because things went horribly wrong so I ended up with nothing but just a terrible (said affectionately) little recording of the soundboard I linked earlier. But whatever I shouldn’t be doing that anyways. Hopefully kinpri includes that and the other prizoom bonuses in something later.... the thought of any content being stuck as lost media terrifies me. I don’t have a good enough memory or a high enough Japanese proficiency level to type it out but it wasn’t particularly analyzable or anything (telling that to myself to make me feel better about losing it). Just the usual Jin being dramatic and going on an evil monologue. Jin being evil ASMR. I lovingly burned another one of Jin’s evil laughs into my mind too so there’s that.

For the 3rd showing bonus however I did not fail though it’s arguably the less interesting bonus of the two since it’s unvoiced. I really love Jin’s voice. Big sexy. Actual dialogue is pretty similar to each other from what I’ve gathered (ending with one of Jin’s cute little アーーーッハッハッハッ！！！！！’s (the text effect for the unvoiced bonus was an appreciated detail!).

(I’m not very confident in my ability to provide a good translation so I’ll just not embarrass myself)

“ AAAaAAaHAHAAHAAa ~ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! “

💙

Yes Jin I’ll support you in the future-!!! ヾ(>▽ <、 )

I’ll never not be obsessed but it’d still be nice to have more substantial content to gush about and do that with.... Kinpri come back and release an anime continuation.... give me the Jin plot development....kinpri come back my happiness is a little too reliant on you

After the showings you get an email asking for feedback which is cool! I’ve been waiting to complain about how 法月 is written as Noriduki instead of Norizuki for the longest time but I never had a chance until now haha. Makes it so painful for me to buy Jin merch. Also begged for an anime continuation. I wonder how much they take into account feedback? I guess I’ll see when/if they start writing Jin’s name how it’s supposed to be.

ANYWAYS

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO A PRIZOOM, DO IT!

Prism shows really are best experienced with a community!!! If you like kinpri it’s a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to experience what a cheering screening is like with the Japanese fanbase from the comfort of your very own home which is most likely nowhere near Japan!! Everyone should experience prism shows!!!! I have no regrets and I’m still so hyped from the prism sparkle!!!

ANYBODY CAN ATTEND AND BUY TICKETS EVEN WITHOUT JAPANESE INFORMATION!!!

\\ GLORIOUS SCHWARZ! //

#king of prism #jin norizuki #Err try not to spread around my recordings too much #Dont want the staff thinking badly of foreigners and region locking things haha #Kinpri_pr didn't even blur out their recording of the prizooms like me and they record everything for promo purposes anyways #But I'll probably remove mine after a bit anyways #me and my very concerning crush on jin #using joji as a self insert

5 notes · View notes

tipsydipsydo · 5 years

Text

Hello!!

I’m going to start this BTS Dog Hybrid-Series soon and I hope you’ll be interested in it!

It’s gonna be mostly fem! reader fics, I think. (But maybe Jungkooks fic could turn out as gender neutral or for male readers!)

But before you start reading the first fic, you should read the prologue at first to be able to understand this universe and some of the specific names!

The most important Names to understand this Masterlist:

Hybrid: Dog Hybrid Shapeshifter, they’re able to shift their usually human form into a dog.

Vixen: Half-Hybrid. One parent is a hybrid, the other parents is a human. They’re not able to shift their shape, but they’re able to get “Hybrid pups” (fully formed hybrids) together with an other hybrid.

Human: …just a normal human. xD

[Dates]:

Published: 21th January 2020

Last Update: 21th January 2020

『© tipsydipsydo』

All listed and linked work (that includes my writings and my moodboards) in here is my intellectual property and belongs only to my blog tipsydipsydo.tumblr.com!

Do not repost, plagiarize, translate or use any of my work in general!

That includes reposting my content on other social media platforms too, even when you link me as the original author.

Please respect that. I’ll fight any illegal use of my work!

Thank you.

「Information: Only the unique combination of pictures, the colour schemata and editing of the moodboards is my intellectual work! I don’t own the pictures themselves and all credits are going to the rightful owners!」

Restaurant owner! Jin x Baker! & short/chubby! Reader

▪Jin: Gordon Setter! Hybrid

▪Reader: English Cocker Spaniel! Hybrid

Genre: Fluff, Smut

[Summary]

Just a year after the reopening of his grandfathers restaurant, Jin can hardly save himself from all the guests and the prebooked reservations. It’s simply an advantage of being a hunting dog hybrid. He can smell two miles against the wind, if the butcher delivered good, quality meat to him or not. And if it’s not good enough for him, he simply goes hunting by himself. How good that he doesn’t have to worry about you and your exquisite brownies and cupcakes that you always deliver him freshly baked to the restaurant every day. Just like him, you have a wonderful sense for good quality and a fantastic taste. Even if the urge to not only eat your sweet cupcakes, but also something else, to eat someone else out is getting bigger and bigger…

▪read here

Student! Namjoon x Student! & nerdy/virgin! Reader

▪Namjoon: Tamaskan Dog! + Wolf! Hybrid

▪Reader: Human

Genre: Fluff, Smut

[Summary]

Namjoon has often seen you in the library, but he had never dared to talk to you. Every time he sees you sitting at your regular place in the library, you seem so immersed in your book on the table in front of you that Namjoon didn’t want to be rude and interrupt your reading. He prefers to watch you from his seat in a safe distance and have a smile on his lips when he hears that you have hiccups again. The advantage of being a hybrid and even a half wolf! And then he sees his change to finally get to know you better when you desperately try to grab a book from a shelf you can’t reach. Namjoon is tall, he’s still a half Wolf!

…but he didn’t thought that this might be his fate.

▪read here

Soldier! Yoongi x Police officer! & Black/Poc! Reader

▪Yoongi: Belgian Malinois! Hybrid

▪Reader: Rhodesian Ridgeback! Vixen

Genre: Fluff, Smut, Angst

[Summary]

A few years after your high school graduation, on a friday night after your work, you unexpectedly meet your old school-crush Min Yoongi from your grade in the nearby bar. He joined the military after school and had a rapid uprising career as a soldier in a elite unit. And all that in the shortest possible time! After some small talk, a few beers here and a few shots there you get closer to each other than you ever dreamed of. When you stumble into your apartement, kissing each other with hungry lips, you get to know there are so many unspoken things under his cold, quiet and distant facade.

▪read here

Dance Therapist! Hoseok x Shy/Tall/Thin/Freckles! Reader

▪Hoseok: Golden Retriever! Hybrid

▪Reader: Dalmatinian! + Greyhound! Hybrid

Genre: Fluff, Smut, Angst (?)

[Summary]

Like every Tuesday afternoon, you pick your little sister from her weekly dance therapy lesson up. Like every Tuesday afternoon, you will meet the dance therapist of the small dance group, Hoseok. And like always, you will have the feeling that your heart is about to stop beating when he greets you with his bright, sunshine-like smile. Even if you don’t want to admit it to yourself, you’ve had a crush on this young man for already a half of a year or even longer. The person, who’s slowly getting your little sister out of her shell. You fell in love with an absolutely handsome, talkative and extrovert Golden Retriever Hybrid who wouldn’t see anything more in you, except the pretty noticeable appearance of a tall, skinny girl with too many freckles on her face (that couldn’t be called cute or attractive in any way, you think) and never speaks to him.

…right?

▪read here

Epilepsy Assistant! Jimin x Epileptic! Reader

▪Jimin: Samojed! Hybrid

▪Reader: Human

Genre: Fluff, Smut, Angst

[Summary]

He finally did it! After three years of living on a subsistence minimum, he still managed to successfully (and with top grades!) complete his training as an epilepsy assistant hybrid and now holding proudly this important certificate and with it his whole future in his hands. Even if his life was so far a single disaster, fate had been even a little bit kind to him, so that he was given with the rare ability to notice epilepsy attacks at an early stage and so being able to save the life of peoples.

…and now, a week later, he can hardly believe his luck that he was hired by one of the city’s wealthiest families as an assistant for their epileptic daughter. But he didn’t know that she’s at the same age with him and that she’s so pretty and lovely too…

▪read here

Shepherd! Taehyung x Florist! & Wearer of Glasses! Reader

▪Taehyung: Australian Shepherd! Hybrid

▪Reader: Collie! Vixen

Genre: Fluff, Smut, Angst (?)

[Summary]

Taehyung has always been the type for a big family with many children. He comes from a family with many relatives and countless cousins. You would have loved it to fulfill his wish to have a family with you already long time ago. But you have bad eyes, terribly bad eyes. And they are getting even worser, the ophthalmologist had to tell you on your last visit that you could go blind soon. You’d love to have a whole house full of kids with Taehyung, but you don’t want to burden your kids with having bad eyesight just like you and then blindness at an early age. You want your children to discover the whole world with all their senses and not be the reason why they couldn’t see all of this with their own eyes. But after another doctor’s appointment, you can bring Taehyung wonderful news…

▪read here

Mountain Rescue Service! Jungkook x Skier! & Ginger! Reader

▪Jungkook: Siberian Husky! Hybrid

▪Reader: Finnish Spitz! Vixen

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut (?)

[Summary]

Jungkook volunteers on the weekends in the mountain rescue service during the winter, because he loves the snow and the cold as a Siberian Husky Hybrid anyway and because he can see you on this way on weekends too in addition to normal school. You are a passionate skier and in a few weeks the most important competition of freestyle skiing of the season takes place, which is why you spend every free minute on the ski run to Train for it. And even the explicit avalanche danger doesn’t stop you from getting back on your skier without permission of the mountain rescue. Finnish Spitz are just like this, stubborn and with their own will. Of course it happens the way it has to be… how lucky you are, that Jungkook knows you well enough and as a precaution he also went that afternoon to the ski run in the hope you didn’t mess around with mother nature…

▪read here

Links:

My Imagines for your requests!

My official Masterlist!

480 notes · View notes

ferusaurelius · 4 years

Text

Nihlus Fic Headcanons

My latest fic, The husbandry of victory is blood (on AO3), is basically a Nihlus Kryik and Mass Effect mercenary/batarian culture headcanon backstory where @expertmakodriver reacted by asking me to ... please translate w/e I was on about.

So here it is! The English translation of my Nihlus Kryik worldbuilding art project.

In reality, this type of character sketch is something I would normally keep private. But since we need more Nihlus content, both it and the headcanon basis are all public and free to use and/or transform as you see fit without attribution.

Please, I’m begging anyone who might want to use any of these ideas in whole or in part: write it and save me from having to do it myself. You do not need to credit me, but I would appreciate a link to your work so I can promote it! :)

Tfw you actually need to annotate your own fic...

Long post - everything is under the cut!

Organized by the order each element is referenced in the fic, with the divided sections labeled as [NUMBER] on the left.

Edited 5/28/2021 because I forgot some things.

[Title] “The husbandry of victory is blood” - Taken from “Sparta Says No” by A.E. Stallings. I actually thought about using this as an alternative title for another fic, but I figured this background sketch for Nihlus more aligned with the themes. I strongly suggest you go and read the poem without taking my word for the following interpretation: the contrast between growth and destruction, and civilization built through conquest or through agriculture. I enjoy the high-level commentary on society. The metaphorical encounter between farming and war is something I wanted to bring to my work, and I wanted the title to color the tone of the epigraph from Virgil’s Georgics. On a more personal level -- my grandfather joined the military in part to seek out opportunities he wouldn’t have had if he’d stayed on a farm, and I decided to draw on that experience for Nihlus.

[Epigraph] - Virgil, Georgics Book I (tr. H. R. Fairclough) - I picked a public domain translation of the poem and went hunting around for a line that had juxtaposed farming and war imagery. It’s a fairly common classical motif! Wars often stopped and started based on the seasonal harvest and the necessity of feeding the community and supplying the troops. You can’t fight a war and gather in wheat at the same time. Digging up the weapons pf the dead in farm fields is a powerful image. My take on Nihlus draws on the tension between fighting and negotiation that I also connect to the symbolic opposition between agriculture and warfare. The Georgics are also just really neat.

[1] Half-face markings - I could write a whole headcanon post on turian colony markings and how mercenary modifications fit in with them (and I will at some point). You’ll see in this fic that I regularly use terms for how much ‘real estate’ the colony markings cover. My HC is that there are variations of colony markings that can be worn as minimalist (smallest critical details), half-face (upper or lower, may include simple full-face designs without a lot of paint), full-face (both, usually more elaborate), and full-crest (what it sounds like on the tin). These are all just different styles and up to personal preference, though there are a few cultural connotations or stereotypes about people who choose which version. Plus I felt really bad for people who might have super-complicated full versions of markings and wanted to give them something more aesthetically lightweight that would have the same meaning.

[1] Batarian trader patois - An evolving lingua franca with many dialects. Nihlus is uncannily fluent at the one spoken in the Terminus, which is mutually intelligible with the dialect spoken in the Attican Traverse. This is a language without a formal codex that sounds a little strange even to batarians born into the Hegemony. Since batarians have been around and in contact with the Citadel and council races for ~1000 years longer than turians (true if the timeline on the wiki is correct, but I haven’t done the backdating myself), I HC that batarians have a more refined and developed spacer and trading culture. Traders and smugglers are infamous for liking to be beyond Hegemony control and when their government withdrew from Council space, they just kept up with business as usual. Many of them have a shared religion based on debate and argument over the meaning of the Pillars of Strength and the way to live an honorable life.

[1] Terminus languages - They exist, both with and without formal linguistic codexes available to ordinary citizens of Council space.

[1] Hierarchy basic - The common turian colonial language spoken in Hierarchy space. Nihlus was born outside turian space, so he had to learn it from his parents and from educational videos. While he has only a vague accent, certain words and phrases he uses come off as very strange to turians who were raised in Hierarchy space.

[1] Draughts - A popular ancient board game dating back to before the Romans. Pieces move by sliding on the board or jumping over each other to capture. I originally wanted to use river stones as a metaphor, but Nihlus at that age had never seen naturally flowing water. I figure everyone has a version of a capturing/marker/stones sort of game.

[1] Amma and appa - Batarian words for grandmother and grandfather. Nihlus is a bit of a ‘surprise’ baby for his parents. This nice older smuggler couple are longtime associates of the mercenary group and, while they have never done fighting themselves and have no children of their own, they are friends of his mother and father and are absolutely delighted to “adopt” him. He is their smol spikey grandson, they teach him to speak and act like a proper young batarian, and anyone who argues with them about how exactly he is related will end up on the wrong side of an airlock.

[1] Vatar - A canon planet in the Mass Effect universe with a cold and inhospitable environment, located a short relay hop away from Omega (“downtown”) in the Terminus Systems. Mercenary groups have outposts dug into the surface. I rolled with it.

[1] Falx - The turian name of the mercenary group Nihlus is born into. A falx is both a Roman entrenching tool and also the most overhyped Dacian curved blade weapon you’ll see in ancient art and literature. In essence? The word has been used to refer to both weapons and farming tools for a very long time. The group is a batarian-lead mercenary company with a very long history of turian cooperation, which enjoys stable political ties to other such batarian splinter groups. Traders and smugglers often form the links between them. The batarian word for members of this same group translates as “harvesters” or “reapers.” HAHA. And you thought this was a no-Reapers AU…

[1] Truce customs - A batarian mercenary outpost thing. If you’re friendly and in mechanical distress, or if you have something to trade, it’s not unusual to head to a known group of mercenaries and ask for truce on tightbeam broadcast to get someone to meet you or actively flag your ship with their ident codes (aka: make you temporarily register in local space as belonging to their ‘fleet’). This is usually for medical essentials, emergency mechanical trouble, and also serves as an informal way for Terminus merchants and traders to make a living without having to worry about being boarded every time they deliver the groceries. It’s considered a grave breach of etiquette to violate truce terms and those who do are hunted down as examples to the rest. Truce terms make “ordinary life” possible for outposts that are otherwise on the edge of traveled space.

[1] Trade-cloth - A canon quarian cultural object. Mentioned in the the fandom wiki and probably part of a quarian codex somewhere. Intricately patterned cloth is common on the Migrant Fleet, but the personal cloths are seldom given to outsiders. Nihlus’s gift is one used in trade, but displays a pattern with more ‘friendly’ cultural connotations than something that would be sold and mass-produced in a shop. It was made special for him by his childhood quarian friends. It’s something that it would be appropriate for him to wear like a scarf on formal occasions when he’s dealing with quarians, or when he’s invited to quarian parties or festivals.

[1] Colony crescents / Falx sickles - Yeah there’s some repetition here, but it’s mostly to contrast the two. I HC that Nihlus’s base colony markings are already curved. “Sickles” are embellishments which add a cutting or combative edgeline in some places and very overt stylized weaponry to standard colony markings. They are additions or alterations that are unique to mercenary groups and may read as “flamboyant” or “aggressive” because they are noticeably different in appearance to Hierarchy turians. This is more or less on purpose, and is a bit on the taboo side. One does not wear these additions or draw their markings in these styles without genuinely belonging to one of these groups -- the patterns are not easy to reproduce correctly or in the right places, and they are generally a source of stigma in Hierarchy basic training.

[1] Sand-bath - How you clean a turian when water is scarce and everyone has to share it.

[2] Draw and fire from retention - The shooting-sports specific term for “shooting from the hip.” Kinda. This breakdown of a scene from Collateral, one of my all-time favorite Michael Mann films, will give you an idea. All of the referenced gun techniques are also more or less real, and lining up your body posture so that it helps with aiming and putting the rounds where you want them to go is a real thing. Nihlus has a great deal of practice in shooting as self-defense and was training alongside professionals from a young age. Going to the range is one of his hobbies (but not mine, I’m lame and that’s loud).

[2] Triginta Petra - A canon Mass Effect world that is a dustball home to hardscrabble turian farmers. Kavala Kryik’s family were some of the first colonists and they’ve been scratching a living from the surface since she was nine years old. They are very proud of this fact, since it gave them opportunities they wouldn’t have had on their native Oma Ker (also a canon turian world).

[2] Laskaris - Nihlus’s mother’s original family name. Kavala Laskaris. While I don’t have any particular headcanon about whether or not turians do the whole ‘changing surname’ thing when they marry or pair off or whatever, Kavala really liked both the alliteration and the overall aesthetic. Joked with Inaros Kryik, her husband and Nihlus’s father, that she only married him for his pretty colony markings.

[2] Lupulin - Literally, hop acids and the essential oils that you get from ‘hoppy’ beer. A direct reference to hops (Humulus lupulus) and brewing, because why not? Actually is a mild sedative and produces a bit of a chemical high.

[2] Stiletto - A pistol from Haliat armory (turian weapons manufacturer).

[2] Blooded sickles - Worn only by mercenaries who are full / fighting members of Falx or their direct allies. Batarians have their own culturally-coded marks, some of which have been adopted and/or adapted by their turian members as embellishments to colony markings. I HC that newer “commercial” groups like the Blue Suns and Nyreen’s Talons, without a shared cultural background, are imitating this style of marking rather than the other way around. Merc-born turians with old-style batarian trade connections tend to recognize each other through these symbols, which are used most often outside of Council space (i.e. the Terminus Systems and the Attican Traverse).

[2] Pillars of Strength - Canon batarian religious artifact. I treat them as a text or a particular philosophy that values free will and independent action as the signifiers of ‘strength.’ While I don’t have a fleshed out or specific HC for what the ‘tenets’ are, I do know that slave implants are treated as anathema.

[3] Struthious - A reference to Earth ostriches. Some kind of chicken-like prey animal that turians like to cook and eat. Mostly because the thought of Nihlus running around like a chicken to entertain his sisters made me laugh.

[4] Cutter - Bigger than a personal clipper and better armed, with living space for a crew. They come in various sizes and are smaller than frigates.

[4] Cup of mourning - A turian funerary ritual. On Taetrus, performed with a distinctive form of dark ale. Different colony groups have different cultural traditions.

[4] Thalia, Tomyris, and Traian - Nihlus’s three turian siblings. Thalia and Tomyris are his younger twin sisters. Traian is the youngest and his baby brother. While they’re only hinted at in this fic, I do plan to make some references to them in the Air Needing Light arc at some point. There’s also a chance they’ll get their own short!fic appearances.

[4] Hierarchy military grants - A HC pool of money that the Council races put up to fund large-scale basic training for anyone (turian or another client race) completing compulsory citizen service.

[5] Talons and suns - Generic references to other symbols that are common incorporations for mercenary groups. I HC that these were adopted and color-coded by the Blue Suns and the Talons rather than conceptually created by them!

[5] Fuck the cause, we’ll die for a drink! - Profane versions of the turian Hierarchy anthem are popular drinking songs among the merc-born. If it’s a patriotic and well-known song, you can pretty much guarantee turian mercenaries have parodied it. Awkward for colony-born squadmates who find these renditions hilarious and catchy—but also a little horrifying.

[6] Optio Sideris, 85th Atrax Legion, Fifth Cohort Operations Section - A one-off turian Blackwatch OC I may bring back in another fic at some point because I ended up liking her. The Hierarchy military organization borrows from the HCs I use for the Air Needing Light AU: 85th Atrax Legion is a joint special forces organizing legion made up of six cohorts. The 5th Cohort is informally known as Blackwatch, while the “Operations Section” is a generic term used by intelligence operators. Optio is a mid-tier leadership rank.

[6] Batarian body language - Batarian language and manners are highly dependent on physical cues according to the Mass Effect canon. I took this one step further with a HC that Nihlus is essentially a native speaker of turian-adapted gestures that translate successfully into batarian social patterns. This physical vocabulary is most refined and most present in culturally batarian mercenary and trading groups with a strong history of turian association and recruitment. While older turians can learn and approximate the gestures, they are best learned and absorbed in childhood. Nihlus “speaks” a form of gestural batarian that places him as a native of the Terminus Systems.

[6] Interrogating batarian prisoners - No torture involved! Optio Sideris trains Nihlus in a more practical form of intelligence gathering that involves building rapport, establishing trust, and remaining consistent. Even pirates or smugglers who would not normally give information to a Hierarchy patrol flotilla can be convinced to—if not speak—occasionally offer hints about the locations and activity of slavers. Nihlus is notable for actually being conversant in traditional batarian moral interpretations of the Pillars of Strength, as well as being able to walk the fine cultural line between guarded respect and abject deference.

[6] Merc Red - Nihlus’s batarian nickname among the patrol flotilla’s prisoners. A sign of individual respect, since it contains no profanity and is just blandly descriptive.

[7] Broken weapons - A traditional sign of thanks between two non-allied mercenary groups when one has agreed to truce terms. Mostly symbolic.

[7] Tattoos - The permanent marking method of choice when turians are full-grown and have developed a strong preference for the color and personal style of their colony markings. Nihlus decides on a complex ‘full-crest’ Taetran colony pattern embellished with Falx blood sickles. This is more or less him being loud and proud about both his colony origins and his mercenary background, as well as putting them on an even footing by tattooing the entire pattern: mercenary symbols and all.

#mass effect #nihlus kryik #my headcanons #my writing #air-needing-light #long post #fanfiction #nihlus kryik headcanons

12 notes · View notes

thearkhound · 4 years

Text

Drama CD Metal Gear Solid interviews

The following is a series of interviews that were published in the booklets for the Drama CD Metal Gear Solid series. The booklet for Vol. 1 contains an interview with Hideo Kojima himself, while Vol. 2 contains interview with Motosada Mori (the series’s military advisor, who served as the audio drama’s screenwriter as well) and illustrator Yoji Shinkawa. The scripts for the Metal Gear Solid radio drama has been translated for quite a long time now, but the interviews have not until now.

The Metal Gear Solid radio drama is a non-canonical continuation of the game in which Solid Snake, Meryl Silverburgh, Roy Campbell and Mei-Ling continue working for the U.S. military following the events of the Shadow Moses island takeover as they become involved in new missions set in various conflict zones. You can read a translated transcripts on the following links: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

Hideo Kojima

It seems that the story for the Drama CD is set after the events of the game itself.

Don’t think about it too deeply. (laughs) That was my biggest concern when it came to discuss the radio drama. There are quite a few inconsistencies if you think about it seriously. More importantly, I don’t think they [the main characters] would be willing to return to the battlefield after the ending of the game. You’re better off thinking of this audio drama as an alternate story using the same characters.

Mr. Motosada Mori, who worked on the game as a military advisor, seems to had been in charge of writing the script this time...

Originally I was told to write it myself but I wasn’t able to due to various circumstances. So when it came on deciding a writer, it had to be someone who was not only be knowledgeable of the Metal Gear universe, but also be familiar with military and world affairs, as well as firearms... I was wondering if there was such a worthy candidate. Not only does Mr. Mori has the expertise and experience, but he is also a published author. On top of that, he provided entertainment advice on the game itself, so I was confident to assign the job to him. At first I wanted Mr. Mori to employ his own unique gimmick and we thought a lot of what he could add to the script. But then the amount of technical terms he added to the script became too much for the average listener to understand, so we ended up reducing them. (laughs)

By the way, the character of Allen Iishiba was based on someone we knew... When we went to the United States for research, we were able to observe a tank in person thanks to a friend of Mr. Mori in the U.S. Army, so he became the inspiration for that character. [Translator’s note: The person in particular is Tomoaki Iishiba, who is credited as one of the military advisors alongside a Michael Allen.]

Were there any difficulties when it came to the difference in expression between a videogame and an audio-only CD?

Perhaps this is the fate of videogames as a medium, but there is a chance that if you only hear a line of dialogue once, you might not understand it the first time, so we have to repeat things like a parrot during conversations. [Translator’s note: This is why most conversations in the MGS series end with Snake repeating what the other person said in the form of a question] As a result, we end up writing dialogue that would seem out of place in a normal conversation. We had no choice but to write like that in order to make the game easier to understand, but because this is purely an audio drama this time, it covers more acoustics than the game itself. Therefore, the difference between the mediums was not a problem at all.

Finally, can you give us any last words?

I think that the Drama CD will depict a lot of things that could not be done in a videogame. Give Mr. Mori my regards. (laughs)

Motosada Mori

You worked as a military advisor in the original Metal Gear Solid game, but this time you’re writing the screenplay...

I actually played Policenauts when it was first released, so my feelings are rather complicated. I became a fan of Kojima because of Policenauts. While observing the game’s development process, I thought many times about how it would be like to be one of the players anticipating its release. Putting it in another way, I might be wondering if it was going to be a good game and I would wish to play it without knowing anything about it... (laughs) If there is ever a next game, I want to be just a player.

This time you’re working on an audio drama. Did that present any difficulties?

How to depict the world of Metal Gear without the use of visuals? That was the biggest challenge. Moreover, whether you’re listening to just one episode or the one that comes after, you have to write them like a single storyline. On top of that, I intended to write a drama that would appeal to both, people who played the original game and those that didn’t. Nonetheless, it was difficult. Writing the screenplay was an everyday hell. Basically, the story takes place after the events of the game, but like Mr. Kojima said, writing a story that follows the ending of that game was the best opportunity to show off my skills. To what extend can you demonstrate a unique worldview? The results is a kind of progression that proceeds from the video game to the audio drama and vice-versa.

Were there any instances where you based the story or characters on your experience?

Most of the incidents, including the characters who appear in it, are fictional, but some of it is partly based on my own experiences. For example, is it possible to distinguish between good and evil on the battlefield? The characters in this story, like Schultz, Cortez and Ivanovich, all act in their own interests, believe in themselves and try to justify their means. It’s a rule that doesn’t work at all on a normal society, but somehow you can get away with on the battlefield. Those with power seize everything. This is a drama about tragic men who were drunk on a power struggle and were conversely swallowed into it.

Finally, can you give us a few last words?

Enjoy this audio drama and let us know what you think! I want to make the best use [of your feedback] next time... Will there be even be a next time, Mr. Kojima?

Yoji Shinkawa

There are many characters being drawn for the first time for the Drama CD. What kind of mood do you usually have when you design a character?

My creation method varies depending on the character. For Allen Iishiba... well, he was modeled after a real person. (laughs) He was actually a gentle guy, but he became a bit scary in the artwork that I drew.

For Sergei Ivanovich, I originally drew him as an older man in his 50s or 60s, but then Mr. Kojima requested him to be “a younger and cooler type.” When I asked him what kind of feeling he wanted from the character, he answered “someone like Tony Redwood [a character from Policenauts].” I then drew him younger, but he still didn’t stand out, so I wanted him to hold a small arm. I asked Mr. Mori if it was alright if he was holding a knife and he answered that was fine. It’s the same feeling I had when working with Mr. Kojima.

The image of Marc Cortez was that of a brave soldier with a decisive military history. However, since he is a character of questionable allegiance, I gave him a hat that obscured his eyes in order to make him look very suspicious. Maybe it’s just like Roy Campbell and his beret or Master Miller and his sunglasses. Can you recognize a character with just that [an accessory] alone?

The familiar characters from the original game all appear in new outfits here too. Especially Meryl Silverburgh, who looks cool in her sneaking suit!

After the Metal Gear Solid game finished development, I wanted to have [Meryl wear the sneaking suit] and did a drawing. It felt quite right, so I asked Mr. Mori about it. She’s armed with just a single Desert Eagle pistol, so she would need the infinite ammo bandanna to match Solid Snake... (laughs). Just kidding about that. I wanted Meryl to be depicted much closer to her namesake from Policenauts.

Speaking of weapons, there’s seems to be quite an elaboration on them in this Drama CD...

That’s right! Even the AKM assault rifles wielded by the bad guys was chosen by Mr. Mori. I’m pretty sure it was his choice. I always think of the visuals first in my case. We had a few meetings before producing the Drama CD and I was surprised when they brought in an AKM without any prior announcement, as it was very different from how I was imagining it. But it was fun to collect reference materials. I was grinning while drawing them.

#metal gear solid #hideo kojima #motosada mori #Yoji Shinkawa

12 notes · View notes

alotllove · 5 years

Text

Axolotl 101

This is going to be a semi-long, informative post about Axolotls. You will find a Table of Contents with everything I will be covering. All facts have been checked and I will provide references as well. Any questions feel free to submit or send an ask, or even message me directly!

★ Please note this is not a care guide (TBA), however, it does have some care facts as well within it. ★

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Brief History & Habitat

Description

Appearance

Metamorphosis (please read carefully)

Age/Length/Gender

Diet

Axolotl Type (coloring)

Regeneration

Facts

Resources & Sites

BRIEF HISTORY & HABITAT

Axolotls have only ever been native to Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, both found in the Valley of Mexico. Lake Chalco no longer exists whereas Lake Xochimilco is barely considered a lake. Numerous factors such as non-native fish, industrialization, and pollution have all contributed to the rapid decline of the axolotl in the wild. Because of their decline in nature, the IUCN has listed them as a Critically Endangered Species.

In the wild, axolotls who live in Lake Xochimilco live in colder waters; which have shown to rarely rise above 20 C / 68 F. And becoming even colder in the winter. This also remains true for captive axolotls; said to thrive between 15.5 C / 60 F to 18.3 C / 65 F. They also live in freshwater.

Notes

While having trouble in the wild, they have been thriving well in captivity!

They are also being used in research due to their regeneration abilities.

“Meet the nuns saving a sacred species from extinction - BBC News” an interesting video to watch imo.

DESCRIPTION

The axolotl is an amphibian that resembles salamander larvae with a bit of difference; sporting their signature gills, a caudal fin, wide heads, lidless eyes, underdeveloped limbs with long, thin fingers. Unlike salamanders, which grow out of this stage and become terrestrial, they continue to live under the water for the rest of their lives and keep their juvenile appearances even as adults. This is called Neoteny.

Metamorphosis

In some cases, axolotls have been known to metamorphosis for a couple of reasons:

In a lab setting where iodine is injected into the axolotl to encourage a metamorphosis.

Poor water/living conditions that force them to morph to escape said conditions.

I do not have enough reliable information on this, however, some owners claim that Tiger Salamander genes have been bred into their specific axolotl and has encouraged a metamorphosis in them.

Please understand that once an axolotl undergoes the metamorphosis, its lifespan is shortened and it will likely die within the next year or two. Even if there are a couple success stories; no matter what the axolotl isn’t meant to undergo this. This may be a personal and moral opinion, but I hope you agree as well.

REMINDER: PLEASE NEVER TRY TO MORPH YOUR AXOLOTL. JUST BUY A TIGER SALAMANDER.

Age / Sex / Lifespan

Axolotls will reach sexual maturity around the ages of 18-42 months. Although some sources claim it can be as early as 5 months depending on living conditions and food. Their sizes range anywhere from 15 to 45 cm / 6 to 8 inches. The average size is around 23 cm / 9 inches. Axolotls have been known to live from 10 to 15 years when kept in a good environment.

Male and Female axolotls are more easily sexed once they have fully matured. However, I was able to sex my own male axolotls after roughly 9 to 12 months of owning them. One tip I can give every axolotl owner for sexing their axolotl is to be patient. Especially when they are very young or have not reached their adult length it can be very difficult to tell.

Males will have a noticeably enlarged/swollen cloacae. Their bodies will be slimmer than their female counterparts, which is easier to see when looked at overhead.

Females do not have an enlarged/swollen cloacae. Sometimes, the cloacae might ever so slightly give way to a bump as you can see in the second pic. Females will also always be rounder, as their eggs are stored on the sides of their bodies.

Breeding

Upon reaching sexual maturity, which will vary from axolotl to axolotl and shown above, they will be able to breed. Females are said to mature a little slower than males.

For captive axolotls the breeding season isn’t too peculiar; as sources claim December to June is when they’re most likely to mate. However, due to being in captivity it is possible to encourage mating at any time of the year.

If you are planning on breeding your axolotls, it is advised to wait until your axolotls are of at least the ages of 18 months. That gives them time to grow and develop into their adult bodies. Especially for females, as the breeding and laying egg process can be very stressful on your little lady. For males, it is less strenuous, and in personal experience happens very often even without a female between my two males who are homed together.

Diet

In the wild, they eat worms, insects, and small fish. In captivity earthworms and nightcrawlers are well regarded as a primary source of healthy axolotl diet. People argue that bloodworms. Here are some nutrients facts and such for three different worms. Credit to Caudata.org. Click the link for the full list and other facts on nutrition.

Coloration & Types

According to most resources, there are 4 to 5 common morphs/types of Axolotls. This is because Albino’s are sometimes classified between the golden and the white kind, making it either 4 or 5 in the eyes of the individual. Section Source Section Source II

Wild Type

The most basic type.

They can have a combination of black, grey, green, and olive.

They are known to have golden/iridescent specs all around their body that will cause them to glitter and shine in bright light.

The center if their eyes are black with a golden/shiny ring around them.

Their gills can be greyish or purplish.

Leucistic

Also known as a Lucy, or a “pink” axolotl. Arguably the most well known and seen axolotl among those interested or not in the hobby and animal.

Known for their light, pale pink color.

Their eyes are darker (black or brown), making them different than an Albino.

Dark red or deep pink gills.

“Dirty Lucy’s” are the same as a regular Lucy, however, they have numerous amounts of black spots/dots around their face or body. Or both.

Albino

White Albino

They basically look like a Lucy but without color in their eyes, as they have no eye pigment

Gold Albino

Golden or peachy colored body, noticeably shiny patches also called iridophores.

Red/pink gills.

No eye pigment.

Melanoid

Often mistaken for a wild type and vice/versa. Melanoids are actually quite different.

They have increased pigment in their skin. Making them very, very dark brown or black all over.

Unlike Wild types, Melanoids cannot have shiny specs on their bodies.

Their eyes are solid black with no shiny ring around their eyes like Wild types.

Other Types & Morphs

GFP

“Green Fluorescent Protein” gives the axolotl with this gene the ability to glow vibrant green under UV or Blue lighting. Less pigment in the axolotl makes it easier to see. It can be in any morph as long as it is passed on by the parent.

Copper

A variation of the albino. They may have red-tinted eyes, with a brown/pink body color with darker spots along the body.

Chimera

“Chimerism in Axolotls is said to be when two eggs fuse together in development, and each side grows according to the egg it came from, often resulting in a split-down-the-middle appearance. One side can often grow at a slightly slower rate than the other.

Chimera cannot be duplicated in breeding, it is caused by an accident during development. The chances of an Axolotl being a chimera and surviving is a 0.00001% chance. There is also the argument that chimerism in Axolotls don't actually exist, but are actually mosaic and the color variation just happens to be split.”

--Axolotl City

Mosaic

The result of two cells forming in development, showing the phenotype of both the cells.

Piebald

“Piebald is when an axolotls pigmentation goes all down the body and sides, not just along the head and top, like a leucistic.”

-- Axolotl City

Sometimes heavily spotted Lucy’s are mistaken to be a Piebald. However, Piebald’s are very rare.

Firefly

“FireFly Axolotls are literally one of a kind. These Axolotls were produced by Lloyd Strohl II from Indiana USA in 2016. These one of a kind Axolotls are not genetically modified. They are produced by embryonic graphing. The reason for these Axolotls being produced is because Lloyd Strohl II is conducting a preliminary investigation into the distribution and activation of melanocytes in leucistic axolotls and, in particular, in mosaics. More can be read on his Facebook. “

-- Axolotl City

Regeneration

The distinct and unique feature the axolotl has is its amazing regenerative properties. Axolotls, unlike humans, when suffering the loss of a limb, will completely grow it back to normal as if it hadn’t been cut off.

Axolotls are known to regen limbs, their brain, spine, and the heart and other organs.

Picture Source

Facts

They’re super cute!

Unlike other animals, the axolotl is resistant to cancer by over as much as 1,000 times!

Mexico is the ONLY place they can be found in the wild.

To feed, it suctions up its food like a vacuum.

Axolotls can lay between 300 to 1,000 eggs!

They are illegal to own in California, Maine, New Jersey, and Virginia. In New Mexico, they are legal to own but illegal to import to other states.

According to many resources, Axolotl translates to Water Dog!

The Axolotl actually has some mythical background! Xolotl was known as a dog-headed god in the Aztec mythos. Apparently, Xolotl got mixed up in some affairs that made him concerned for his life, thus, he jumped into the lake and became an axolotl.

Resources & Sites

Axolotl.org is a well-developed site just for the axolotl. They have Housing, Feeding, Requirments, Breeding, Biology, and Books & Links for you to check out.

Caudata.org is another site/forum. They have many good, knowledgeable breeders/owners of different newt, salamander, and even axolotl species! Their axolotl forum is very active and can prove useful: forum link.

#axolotl #axolotls #axolotes mexicanos #axolotl 101 #guide #facts #information #axolotl information

9 notes · View notes

fuse2dx · 4 years

Text

June '20

Trials of Mana

Maybe not the highest profile remake Square-Enix have put out in recent memory, but one that was pretty exciting for me. I played a fan translation of the Super Famicom original some 20 years ago, so while it's not particularly fresh in my head, there's just enough there to enjoy some infrequent little pangs of nostalgia. The move to 3D has made for some welcome changes to to combat - jumping adds a vertical element to combat that wasn't present before, and enemy specials being clearly telegraphed and avoidable puts a little more control in your hands. There's still a good amount of 16 bit jank though - combo timing feels unreliable, the camera's often a pain, there's plenty of questionable hit detection, and you definitely wouldn't want to leave your fate solely in the hands of your party's AI. Willing to put most of this aside, what actually mattered more to me was that it still had the kind of playful, breezy nature, it looks and plays nicely, and that it progresses at a nice clip. Party selection will change the way you fight moment-to-moment, but only provides minor and very brief deviance from the main storyline, most of which is the kind of schlocky cartoon villainy that will have you looking for a skip button before it would illicit any kind of emotional response. But you know what? Overall, I still enjoyed it a lot.

So while it may not be revolutionising the action RPG, what it does show is that Square-Enix is capable of acknowledging their history of previously untranslated works, and that they also now have a pretty good template for getting a B-tier remake of such titles out in a reasonable timeframe. Where do I send my wish list in to, team?

Sayonara Wild Hearts

As a one-liner found on the back of the box, 'A pop album video game' is about as on-the-nose as it gets. The old "it's not for everyone" adage is definitely applicable, and its defiance of traditional video game metrics is not in any way subtle. How sophisticated is the gameplay? Not particularly. How long is it? Not very. But how does it make you feel? Now you're talking. It presents a simple but deeply relatable story of a broken heart, and leads from there with a catchy tune into a fast and colourful onslaught of new ideas, perspectives, and concepts. That is to say: it has the potential to make you feel all kinds of things.

One especially celebratory note was how well the game is structured to fit into the album structure it boasts about. Stages flow quickly into one another, and while shorter, more compounding numbers are often about introducing new ideas and themes, moving on to the next is a few simple button presses and a brief, well-hidden loading window away. Inevitably there are more standout stages, those that feel like the hit singles; the longer, verse-chorus-verse type joints that grant the space for more fleshed out visual story telling, and that smartly synchronise their percussive hits, soaring vocals and the like to appropriate beats of play. A lot of the gameplay can easily (and cynically) be reduced to "it's an endless runner", but to liken this to a cheap re-skin of a confirmed hit-maker is to wilfully dismiss so much of what it does better and so much beside. You can play it on damn near everything, and for the time it takes, it's well worth doing.

Twinkle Star Sprites

I've meant to play this countless times before. I've almost certainly passed it by while strolling through arcades, the Saturn version has never been hoovered up into my collection, and the PS2 collection this particular version belongs to - ADK Damashii - is no longer a cheap addition to anyone's library. The digital version of it for PS4 however was however recently on sale at a point that saw me receive change from a fiver. David Dickinson would be proud.

Having now credit-fed my way through the game's brief arcade mode, there's no doubt in my mind that the nuance of its systems are going to be glossed over in this rather ham-fisted appraisal. At least at face value, there's plenty of character and charm to appreciate in its colourful and cutesy style. As a two-player, vertically split-screen title, its a pretty clean break from a lot of a shooter's typical characteristics - rather than 6(ish) stages of hell, its a series of one on one battles - and all the better suited to 2 players for it. As enemy waves come at you, taking them out in chains can generate attacks to the other player; however if these attacks are too small then it's entirely possible they'll be killed off again, and an even bigger attack will come straight back at you. Think of a bit like competitive Tetris, but with shooting rather than puzzling. It's a neat and curious little game, that's likely best experienced properly, with a friend on the other side of the sofa to hurl abuse at.

Blasphemous

Let's get the lazy-but-effective description out of the way: it's a 2D MetroidVania Souls-like. You've got "that" type of map, definitely-not-bonfires and definitely-not-Estus Flasks. You are encouraged to return to your body upon death, the combat system is very reliant on parries and dodge-rolls, and there's even a dedicated "lore" button to use on every item you pick up.

While this likely sounds dismissive, it's more about addressing the elephant in the room. To give some context, these are both types of games that I love, and the end product here has done a pretty good job of bringing them together. The exploration is pleasantly open - gatekeeping is typically done less by specific items and abilities, and more by just which areas you're brave enough to poke your head into. It's a little bit of a shame that most of the new abilities have to be switched out for others rather than adding to a core arsenal of moves, but at the same time its base setup gives you plenty of ways to deal with any number of combat scenarios. This is of course best demonstrated by the boss encounters, which are wonderful affairs - big, gruesome, thoughtful variations on approaches to combat, which drop in at a nice pace to keep you from ever getting too cocky. The theming in general is wonderful, and the name is certainly appropriate - there's a lot of deep catholic inspiration in its gorgeous backdrops and environments, but then layered on top are some chilling elements of religious iconography, along with a cast of disturbing devotees and martyrs to sufficiently unsettle you. It's arguably a small intersection of the gaming population that it'll appeal to, but if you're in there, it's a real treat.

Death Come True

The first thing you see upon starting is the game's central character breaking right through the fourth wall to tell you directly not to stream the game or to share anything that might spoil the story. The first rule of Death Come True, and so on. I consider myself fairly well versed in such etiquette, so to then have the screenshot function entirely disabled for the whole game felt a little like being given a slap on the wrists for a crime I had no intention of committing. I don't envy the team trying to market it, that's for sure.

The reasoning behind this is clear at least - it's a game that is in total service of its plot. Consider a mash-up of a 'Choose your own adventure' book and a series of full-motion videos, and you're mostly there. Unless you were to walk away from the controller or perhaps fall asleep, there seems very little chance that your play time will deviate from the 3 hour estimate - which will certainly put some people off, but is understandable given the production values, and personally, quite welcome in the first place. In terms of replay value, there are branching paths that a single route will obviously skip: as an example of this, in looking up a screenshot to use in lieu of taking my own, I found a promotional image of the central cast, only to not recognise one of them at all. One thing that such a short run-time does ensure though, is that minute-for-minute, there's plenty of action; without wanting to speak about the story itself (rather than in fear of reprise for doing so, I might add), it kicks off with plenty of intrigue, shortly thereafter switching to full-on action, and then strikes a pretty fine balancing act between the two for its run time. It doesn't get quite as deep or as complex as I would've hoped given the team's pedigree, but I do like it, and think it'd actually be a pretty fun title to play with folks who normally don't concern themselves with games. By the same token, it's probably not for the 'hardcore' types looking for something to string out over dozens of hours.

Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight

After the generous main course that was Persona 5 Royal, I figured that I'd follow up with dessert. I did however wait until a weekend where I knew my girlfriend would be away, so as not to trigger any unpleasant flashbacks to looped battle themes, and the chirpy, indecipherable voices of Japanese schoolkids that made it so painful to endure as a non-gaming cohabitant.

Immediately, it's clear that very little has changed since Persona 4's take on the rhythm action genre. The core game, while still functional and fairly enjoyable, hasn't changed a lick. Perhaps the most notable improvement to the package as a whole is in scaling back on a dedicated story mode, and instead just having a series of uninspired but far less time-consuming set of social link scenes that pad things out. The biggest flaw is repeated wholesale though, in that trying to stretch out noteworthy tracks from a single game's playlist into a dedicated music game leads to repetition - and there is a much less prolific gathering of artists involved in remixes this time. I'd be willing to wager that it's a very similar story once again with Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight, but I'm not about to ruin a perfectly good dinner to start with the sweet just to find out, if you'll excuse a second outing of the metaphor. Still, again compare these to Theatrhythm though - where Square-Enix plundered the Final Fantasy series in its entirety, along with spin-offs and other standalone titles to put together a library of music worthy for the one single game. Cobble the tunes from Personas 3-5 together into one game, and you're still coming up very short by comparison.

#trials of mana #seiken densetsu 3 #sayonara wild hearts #twinkle star sprites #blasphemous #death come true #persona 5 dancing in starlight

1 note · View note

maddiviner · 5 years

Photo

Dzień dobry and merry meet!

We’re all different. What works well for one witch might be a disaster for another. I believe keeping a notebook is useful for most witches, though!

I’ve written a lot about why a grimoire and keeping one can supercharge your magical practice.

It’s always going to be something I recommend. While not everyone can or does keep one, it’s always worth trying because for many of us it is so helpful.

The question becomes, though: how? What format should you use for your grimoire or Book of Shadows?

I’ve got an article about different types of grimoires here. Regardless of what style you choose, it can be helpful to keep it organized!

There are many advantages to keeping a binder-type notebook for a grimoire. It allows you to add and remove pages with ease! This means you can create tabbed sections for each Craft-related topic.

You can then add to each as you see fit, without disturbing the rest. It’s also very easy to find information in your grimoire when you need it!

In the past, I used hardbound notebooks. I loved the Peter Pauper Press line of journals, and the Leuchtturm 1917. Over the past few years, though, I’ve come to appreciate the advantages of the binder system.

I still use a normal Leuchtturm for my bullet journal. It doubles as my general magical diary and record.

When it comes to making notes on my research and gathering Craft information, I’ve begun using a binder. It's so easy! You might want to try a similar setup. I definitely recommend it!

Supplies

To start, I purchased a six-ring A5 binder. I chose a coral-colored Carpe Diem binder, because it wasn’t too expensive and I liked the color.

I chose A5 because it fits the size of my hands and my style of handwriting pretty well. If your hands are bigger or smaller, a different size might work for you. I also like A5 because it is quite portable. A three-ring letter-size binder could work, or even a small personal sized folio.

I filled the binder with dot grid paper. I chose the dot grid because of its versatility. If you’re sketching, making diagrams, or drawing, the dots make measurement on the page easy. If you’re only writing, they function as lines to keep your handwriting straight and neat on the page, too.

The dots are subtle and not intrusive, too, making any art you might want to do on the pages very clean and visible. Most A5 dot grid paper is prepunched with the six ring holes, and despite this, you can even print on it!

This is good, because it allows me to print longer bits of information or diagrams. Granted, most files aren’t designed for A5 size. Yet, it’s very, very easy to resize something for that format, even if it includes images.

Organization

I added some blank tabbed dividers, labeling them with different Craft-related subjects. There’s one for Tarot, astrology, spellcraft, spiritwork, etc.

If you do this, your dividers would reflect whatever interests you. I recommend sticking to four or five different topics to start with. Any more than that can be overwhelming.

I've written a bit of study tips for the self-taught here. If you’re a virtuoso who can juggle eight or nine topics without getting overwhelmed, go for it!

I keep the dot grid paper in the very back of the binder. I add pages from that to the different sections as I finished them.

What to include?

Your grimoire is your own; you can include anything and everything that you want! I included the following different sections in mine so far.

Blessings, Divination, and Spiritwork

First, I invoked celestial forces to bless this grimoire. Blessing your tools (including grimoire) can be very advantageous. You can ask the spirits and any deities you follow to bless your work. I used to have one of these at the front of mine, but recently ended up writing a separate blessing for each section.

You could devote a section to poetry or prose inspired by the spirits - I do, though I haven’t written much in it recently. Don’t ask me to ever share any of my poems, though - it ended up being very personal!

I devote a sizable part of my binder to writing about the divinatory exercises I do on my own. In other words, it's for notes on my personal Tarot, Lenormand, and scrying sessions. If you do divination, I recommend keeping such a record of your exploits! I also sometimes keep a dream journal.

Spellcraft Details

Without a doubt, it’s useful to record your own spells and their ensuing results. If you’re starting in spellcraft, you can jot down ideas and brainstorm.

Then, you have a record of the spell’s development from start to finish! This is helpful for refining your approach to spellcraft. It helps you become more effective with it.

If you’re casting spells another witch developed, you can record those, too! Whenever I cast a spell from a book or website, I record it by hand. I include my own notes on it, and any modifications I’ve made.

Of course, I also include a citation explaining where I found the spell and who wrote it, too. Credit where credit is due!

The biggest thing, though? Remember to go back and record the results as they manifest. I recommend doing this in as much detail as possible, too. Keeping track of how your magic flows can help you to develop greater finesse.

Print Information

I also print out public domain texts from the Internet to add to my growing trove of information in the binder. If you’re using an A5 binder, you may have to fiddle with formatting on anything you’re printing so that it’ll fit the page. It’s not hard, though!

Many older translations of Classical texts are public domain now. So, you might include that sort of thing! And yes, most printers will print on prepunched A5 paper!

Some witchblr folks will also allow you to print their work, and add it to your personal grimoire. Be sure to check with the person in question first, though! Always keep track of where each piece of information comes from!

For the record, it’s always okay to include spells <INSERT LINK HERE> I’ve written on this blog in your personal grimoire. That is, as long as a) it’s only for personal use, and b) you credit me, even if you’re only printing it for yourself.

Personal Notes on Books, etc

I’m a big fan of taking notes when I read a book, be it a Craft-related one, or even something else. Everyone has a different way of taking notes! My notes synthesize my readings from several different books on the subject.

I took inspiration from studyblr in formatting my notes. That particular tag on here offers lot of great tips for taking notes that are effective, neat, legible and even aesthetic.

I realize the studyblr “aesthetic” isn’t quite the type of thing you’d expect from a grimoire. I like it. I can find things in my notes with ease, they’re readable, and fun to make.

Spawning

This system works well enough for a while. Soon, you’ll find that the binder gets full, unwieldy, and bursting with information. What do you do then?

When it first happened with mine, I wasn’t sure. I tried taking the pages out, tying them with string, and stacking them on my shelf. This turned out to be awful and messy, and some of them got torn.

The trick here is simply to get another binder. Look through the sections in your main binder and find which one is largest. Then, get another binder and transplant that section into it.

Keep doing this as your main binder fills up again and again. You end up with two or three different binders dedicated to different subjects. This is, to me, an excellent way of organizing things, provided you label the binders! It’s wild binder mitosis!

Thus far, my main binder has “spawned” two more - one for astrology, and one for spiritwork. I suspect other sections in the main binder will someday need to move into new binders, too.

In Conclusion

Keeping a grimoire is fun! I definitely recommend it! This article only gives one way of organizing such a grimoire, the one I use. Your methods will no doubt be different. I hope my suggestions above are inspiring and helpful, though.

Stay magical, and blessed be!

#magick #witchblr #witch #witchcraft #grimoire #book of shadows #studyblr #occult #spellcraft #divination #eliza.txt

144 notes · View notes

that-thing-that-feeling · 5 years

Text

Below the cut is a rough google translate version of the full Vanity Fair Italia Article; there’s interesting stuff in it:

edit: here’s a link to a better non-google translate version, thanks to @irenefantasea!

It happens to every young actor with a tormented air. Sooner or later, the crucial question comes: Charlie Heaton is often compared to River Phoenix: an annoying situation? A long sigh. "What to say? He was an extraordinary actor and it is not the first time they tell me that I look like him. Here, if they really have to compare me to someone, then I am happy to be him.” It is not just a political answer: this 25-year-old who became a star within two seasons knows very well that in some years it will be the turn of another and does not complain: “It is part of the business. After all, if there were not this desire for new faces, I would not be here”. By "here" we mean both the third season of stranger things and the turning point in a career in which things are turning the right way. It could not be otherwise. Very English and with a past as a drummer in a rock band, as well as talent, Heaton has the classic face that people like: men, women, directors, fashion houses that compete to have as guests events he and his girlfriend Natalia Dyer, or Nancy in the series.

What can you say about the third season?

"It's set in the summer of 1985 and this represents a change in the general tone, the amount of light and even the wardrobe. Credit must be given to the screenwriters who every year seek to reinvent themselves and recreate while remaining loyal to the world of Stranger Things.”

So there will be less nostalgia for the eighties?

"Let's say we have moved a little away from the genre Stand by Me, and that of the three seasons, this is the most fun season, but at the same time it is also the darkest one.”

Stranger Things is not just a TV hit, it is now part of pop culture.

"I noticed from the fact that theme parties sprang up like mushrooms, local, bars. even pizzerias with Barb and Demogorgon pizza. Not to mention Lego and Monopoly.”

His character, Jonathan, is a very introverted type.

"I am more mature now and have come to terms with insecurity, but at 19 I looked a lot like Jonathan. I was passionate about music and always went around with headphones, keeping my head down, no girl. The other things that unite me to him are the family and the sense of responsibility. I grew up with a single mom in a small town. I know what it means to take careof one's mother.”

Was he forced to grow up fast?

"I always felt more like my age. At the age of 17 I went out with friends who were 25. I always knew I had a more mature soul than my age. "

In the Comanechi band he was the drummer, that is the musician who is far from the limelight. Isn't that the opposite of what you're looking for?

"In a sense, yes. But it's also true that the drummer uses his instrument to hide, while the actor uses his characters to do it, so in the end the two have something in common. I think that performing, whatever the context, still requires a dose of courage. I for example could never do myself stand up comedian. Here, I find that the most courageous thing of all”

How has the fame gained with Stranger Things affected your personal life?

"I lost my anonymity, people recognize me, maybe “Jonathan” is shouted at me on the street, but in general they are pleasant exchanges, with passionate and very kind fans. However, my strategy for maintaining normality is: head down and work. Feet on the ground and rely on true friends, those who keep you anchored to reality. Now for example I am in London, I take the bus, I go to the places, I see the old friends. I am grateful for my success, I do not want my life to change too much”

So no transfer to Los Angeles?

"For now I live between London and New York. They are cities that resemble each other and I appreciate the human variety. And then they are cities where people walk and take public transport, so it's even easier to mix in the crowd “

Does it scream strategy to last in Hollywood?

«I have been living this life for five years and for now my strategy is to do things that satisfy me creatively. I am aware that they cannot all be successes or big productions, but the important thing is to select interesting things. Take Kristen Stewart: after Twilight, hers were very artistic choices. I would not mind having a similar career. The actor is a very unstable job, you do it because you love and because you are curious .”

Some protagonists of Stranger Things in the first season were children, now they are teenagers, how was it to see them grow on the set?

"It's really crazy to see them today, so big. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Millie, was tiny and now he's taller than me. Not to mention the success Millie is having (Bobby Brown, or Eleven): incredible. they have all been exposed to a lot, but I think they are doing well. They are talented guys, and all different from one another. I believe that it will be fascinating for the spectators to see the transformation, even more because growth is one of the themes of the third season”

She is from 1994, so she can't remember, but Winona Ryder in the nineties was an absolute Icon

"It doesn't matter what decade you were born in. Winona is an icon always and for everyone. My older sister was obsessed with her. Meeting and working together was a dream. A very well-meaning person for me, who did not attend an acting school, sharing with her was the best apprenticeship I could have”

Jonathan and Nancy are a couple in the end of the second season

"Their relationship will be one of the themes of the season".

He and Natalia Dyer, the actress who plays her, are also a couple.

Working with your partner is a fun experience, it's like adding something extra to the couple's experience. And I don't deny that we both care so much that the relationship between Jonathan and Nan-cy is as real and sincere as possible, so what can we say? We are lucky.”

#charlie heaton #vanity fair italia #int: esp career wise and the kstew comment #the drummer/acting thing #and also a little on the season too

29 notes · View notes

itsdanystormborn · 6 years

Text

Orient 18 Full Translation.

Orient 18

This is only a fan translation. Don’t forget to support the official releases of Orient, Shinobu Ohtaka and Weekly shounen magazine.

►[Please don’t repost without giving credits. If you use this translation, don’t forget to share the link to this post!]◄

You can find the scans in @soreita‘s blog!

Orient 18 : “three-way”

Page 293

Musashi: I am Musashi.

Musashi: The man who aims to become the strongest Bushi.

Musashi: Yesterday, after what happened in Kosameda Bushidan…

Musashi: Kojirou and I gained a comrade. A new comrade joined the “bushidan” where there used to be only the two of us.

Musashi: I’m grateful we met her, and I want to treasure our new relationship as comrades.

Page 294

Musashi: That’s what I thought but, suddenly a human relations problem happened.

Page 295

Tsugumi: huhuhu, I love you, Musashi-kun~ <3

Kojirou: Those two… what kind of relationship do they have…!?

Musashi: now, there’s a fracture between the three of us.

Musashi: how the heck did it come up to this? Let’s go back to that day.

Tsugumi: I have nowhere to go so, if it’s fine with you, let me join you in your journey.

Musashi & Kojirou: All right.

Musashi: It was all good at this point, but…

Page 296

Musashi: after that, this girl became very clingy to me I don’t know why.

Musashi: on the other hand, she’s too serious to Kojirou and doesn’t even look at him in the eyes.

Musashi:Why?, she’s pressing her breasts on me this way, won’t it give Kojirou the wrong idea?

Musashi: This is wrong, Tsugumi.

Musashi: Please let go of me.

Musashi: I… i don’t want to push you away you, my precious comrade, in such a cold manner!

Page 297

Tsugumi: ahaha, Musashi-kun… I’m in trouble!

Musashi: !!??

Manuscript: what do you mean by trouble!?

Musashi: why did she take off her clothes!!!? I don’t understand what this girl is thinking at all!!

Page 298

Musashi: It’s not what it looks like, Kojirou!!

Musashi: Don’t look at me like that!! There’s nothing between Tsugumi and I!!

Musashi: I don’t wanna lose our 10-year friendship over this stupid misunderstanding!!

Musashi: But, I order to clear this misunderstanding… I’ll have to expose my “darkest secret”

Musashi: Tsugumi… even if I try to push it off, I can’t get it out of my heart…

Page 299

Musashi: The truth is, I prefer older woman.

Musashi: I can’t get myself interested in girls my age. The origin of this abhorrent inclination started a long time ago, in the dormitories of the mining school.

Musashi: in order for us to focus on mining, we were obligated to strict celibacy.

Musashi: Those who dated town girls or committed adultery were forced to drop out of school.

Musashi: That’s why we desperately kept turning away from that desire.

Page 300

Musashi: However, school rules couldn’t repress the heart of us who were on age of maturity.

Boy: Look at miss Machiko, physical education class teacher!

Boy: She’s a good woman…

Boy: yeah… yeah, her plump body is overflowing with maternity…

Boys: What do you think, Musashi?

Musashi: I... I think Miss Kyouko from ore deposit class is the best!

Miss Kyouko: Musashi-kun got a perfect score, well done!

Text box: Professor Kyouko ( married)

Everyone: I know…

Musashi: our point of interest turned to the school’s female teachers we were unable to get.

Page 301

Musashi: Our fetish was twisted, we were aware of the pity toward us.

Musashi: I absolutely don’t want Kojirou to find out about my darkest secret.

Musashi: I’m specially attracted to people who appear older and more capable due to my parents passing away when I was young….

Manuscript: Younger, 14 years old.

Musashi: Please give it up, Tsugumi… you are cute. But I prefer the older type…

Musashi: I don’t wanna be humiliated!!

Musashi: but, I have to clear this misunderstanding for Kojirou somehow, and dump Tsugumi without hurting her feelings!!

Page 302

Musashi: What the hell should I do!? Please, old man, show me!!

Kojirou: …

Kojirou: Musashi and Tsugumi… have a good atmosphere between them…

Manuscript: He’s all red…it’s the first time I see Musashi that way!

Kojirou: don’t tell me they are together just after a few days of meeting each other?

Page 303

Kojirou: still, that’s no problem.

Kojirou: Musashi has been my friend for over 10 years.

Kojirou: if my precious friend found a suitable girl who makes him happy then, I’ll be happy to give them my blessing…

Kojirou: … I can’t really think that.

Kojirou: This is irritating.

Kojirou: No… I gain nothing by getting irritated…

Kojirou: But I can’t understand…

Kojirou: To understand these complex feelings, I’ll have to reveal my “darkest secret”.

Page 304

I don’t want to admit it but…

I really don’t want to admit it, but…

I don’t have any experience with girls…

At all…

Kojirou: That’s because of my “Bushi household” lineage.

Kojirou: “Bushi households” were the target of discrimination in Tatsuyama town.

Kojirou: People looked down on us, what kind of woman would like to be involved with a man that gets spited on every day?

Page 305

Kojirou: Therefore, Woman have always avoided to look at me…

Kojirou: But being stricken with the sight of this small fry woman choosing Musashi over me it’s somehow…

Kojirou: conflicted…

Kojirou: what’s with these guys? Why are they looking this way and laughing like idiots?

Text box: persecution complex

Kojirou: Something inside me tells me I don’t want to lose to Musashi.

Kojirou: does this mean I’m inferior to Musashi somehow?

Page 306

Kojirou: no… Musashi is definitely a good man.

Kojirou: he has more energy and determination than me, and he has the courage to cut his way through his own destiny.

Kojirou: besides he was a miner…

Kojirou: Miners were the most popular guys of the town. They probably did as they pleased with women.

Kojirou: Musashi almost never talked about it but… ( or maybe I avoided the subject)

Kojirou: I wonder how many women has he dated at this point?

Kojirou’s Musashi: what? Women?

Page 307

Musashi: about 30…

Musashi: or maybe it was 40?

Musashi: I’ve had so many, that I don’t remember each one of them.

Kojirou: I really don’t know how can I complete against him.

Kojirou: but the main point is, why is Tsugumi avoiding me?

Kojirou: Is it too obvious that I don’t have any experience with women? Do I stink to the point she can’t meet my eyes!?

Kojirou: I’m curious to know the truth but if she says that in front of Musashi I’ll never get over it, I just hope she can forgive me.

Page 308

Musashi: I don’t wanna be humiliated…!!

Kojirou: I don’t wanna be hurt…!!

Page 309

Musashi: Tsugumi… what are you thinking!? I don’t know why have you been laughing in such a weird way since yesterday!

Kojirou: Show me Tsugumi! What are your true feelings!?

Musashi: what the hell…

Musashi: is happening…!!?

Page 310

Tsugumi: Please, become friends with me.

Kojirou: …!

Musashi: … what!?

Musashi: Friends!? Aren’t we friends already?

Tsugumi: Are we?

Tsugumi: I…

Tsugumi: I don’t know how to make friends…

Kojirou: ..!?

Musashi: what do you mean?

Page 311

Tsugumi: I… since I was brn I never had a bond with anyone outside the Kosameda Bushidan….

Tsugumi: Now that I think about it, you guys… I realized you are my first acquaintances outside the kosameda bushidan….

Tsugumi: what… what should I talk with you guys about…!?

Musashi: why are you avoiding Kojirou?

Tsugumi: I was worried he had gotten angry… since I called him a “driver” before…

Kojirou: …!

Musashi: why did you undress yourself in front of me like it was normal?

Tsugumi: long ago my sister told me…

Tsugumi: “Tusgumi, when you are really in trouble, undress yourself” …. That’s why

Tsugumi: the truth is that I wanted to get along with both of you but… I was so embarrassed to say it….

Tusgumi: I didn’t want to get hurt so…

Tsugumi: I’m sorry I ended up behaving so weird just now…!

Page 312

Musashi and Kojirou: …!!

Tsugumi: …!?

Musashi and Kojirou: We get it…

Narration: we can understand each other a little better.

Hey! sorry for the delay! please note that i did this very VERY quickly, and i’m sure i can phrase things a lot better in some parts, so please wait for our update and scanned version <3

#Orient #Orient Manga #Orient 18 #Orient Manga 18 #Hattori Tsugumi #Musashi #Kanemaki Kojiro #Kanemaki Kojirou #MyOrientTranslation #Orient Spoilers #sorry for the ugly format and typos #and things that can be better phrased #i'll be sure to fix it as soon as i have time

22 notes · View notes

hetamavi · 7 years

Text

Did England Raise America?

(NOTE: I have spent so much time reuploading this only to find apparently linking sources is a no-no. If you want to know where I got the historical information from, do not hesitate to ask!)

It’s widely accepted in this fandom that England raised America. If you’ve ever seen or, unfortunately, got caught up in a shipping war concerning UsUk, it’s an argument I can guarantee you’ve seen be thrown around.

However, that argument is one I want to call into question. Because, the thing is...England DIDN’T raise America.

Throughout this analysis, I will cover why the two don’t qualify as an adopted family relationship. Both Hetalia canon and historical information will be used. I will also use this perspective to analyze the two as separate characters. All translated images used here are from hetarchive and hetascanlations.

One more thing! This analysis is not intended to convince you of anything as far as shipping is concerned. Whether England raised America and whether the UsUk relationship is romantic are two distinct topics. I have many motivations for writing this analysis. Trying to tell you what to ship is not one of them.

LOOKING AT IT HISTORICALLY

The first American colony was established in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. The American Revolution started in 1775 and ended in 1783. If we were to say the American colonies were still considered colonies until the very end of the war, this would mean that Great Britain and the United States had a colony-colonizer relationship for 176 years. A relatively very short time period for a society to be established and then grow until finally declaring and winning Independence. So.

How did this happen so quickly?

The answer lies in the fact that, from nearly beginning to end, the British left the colonies to take care of themselves. Which makes sense logically when you think about it. Britain had its own regional issues and the distance provided by the Atlantic Ocean wasn’t making governing the American colonies any easier. So, Britain neglected to do so. The biggest British presence in the colonies came in the form of Royal Governors, but even their power was more theoretical than actual thanks to the power over the purse assemblies (which consisted of colonial elected officials rather than anyone appointed by the King) wielded over these governors. If a Royal Governor didn’t comply with the needs and wants of the those in the colonies, their paychecks were cut short. In they were compliant, they would get bonuses. This power over the Royal Governors only increased as time went on until the Assemblies were the main governing power in the colonies.

The most significant attempt at having any form of British policy came in the form of the Navigation Acts which were passed in the later part of the 17th century. The Navigation Acts were an attempt to regulate colonial trade, but what can I say other than they were very poorly enforced policies that failed on every level? Again, due to issues such as distance, it would have been more trouble than what it was worth to actually enforce the Navigation Acts so smuggling became a pretty common thing in the American colonies.

Unintentional neglect evolved into a degree of intentional neglect starting in the 1720s with the appropriately termed period of “Salutary Neglect” (though Great Britain started to loosen up its control even more than it already had starting back in the 1690s). Edmund Burke, who served as a member of British parliament, can be credited with naming this unofficial policy:

“That I know that the colonies in general owe little or nothing to any care of ours, and that they are not squeezed into this happy form by the constraints of watchful and suspicious government, but that, through a wise and salutary neglect, a generous nature has been suffered to take her own way to perfection; when I reflect upon these effects, when I see how profitable they have been to us, I feel all the pride of power sink, and all presumption in the wisdom of human contrivances melt, and die away within me.”

Starting in the 1720s with Robert Walpole’s (Great Britain’s unofficial first Prime Minister) rise to power, Great Britain intentionally started to turn a blind eye to colonial activity, particularly the already mentioned smuggling. The idea was that if the colonies were left alone to flourish, Great Britain would profit. This “let them do whatever” mentality lasted until the end of the French and Indian/Seven Years’ War, when heavy taxation started to take place in the colonies to pay for the war. And, thanks to the poor reception (to say the least) of the heavier taxes, Great Britain, for the first time since the colonies were first established, made more serious attempts to have a prominent presence in Colonial America (with things such as the “Intolerable Acts” and more taxation). This heavier presence combined with the previous long-time neglect is what led to the American Revolution that kicked off only 168 years after the first colony was established.

To sum this all up, Great Britain had a glaring lack of presence in its American colonies that led to a strong sense of autonomy. This sense of autonomy led to the American Revolution.

SO WHAT ABOUT HETALIA?

Now that it’s been established the notion of England raising America doesn’t make much sense from a historical perspective, it’s time to move on to Hetalia itself. After all, Hetalia doesn’t always perfectly match up with history so I can’t just end this on nothing but historical facts.

So, what about Hetalia then? What is the pre-Revolution relationship shared between America and England?

It’s one of absence and rapid growth. Let’s start from the beginning.

Here’s something from one of the earliest canon portrayals of colonial America. The strip starts out with England thinking of all the responsibilities he’d have to take on as America’s guardian. But the strip ends with England coming to the realization America is perfectly fine by himself, alluding to how the real-life colonies were self-sufficient without any British supervision. It’s a quick reference to colonial history, but one telling of what’s to come.

Here’s something a bit more telling. England leaves America and returns to find he’s developed into an adult or almost adult physical appearance. The first thing I want to talk about is young America’s reaction to England leaving him. While it’s not abnormal for a child to be upset when left alone, America is upset to the point of sobbing and begging England not to leave. Is that the type of reaction a child would normally have to being left by someone who was constantly around? No. Because normally the adult figure would return very shortly. But that’s not the case here. America is upset because he knows that once England is gone, he’s not going to stop by again any time soon.

Moving on to the second part of the strip, my first point seems to be proven right. Even with America’s quick physical growth, England must have been gone at least for a few years for such a dramatic physical change to have taken place. Speaking of, there’s that rapid colonial growth I was talking about earlier! We’ll get to see more of that later.

Now we move on to the Davie strip. The comic starts in Davie’s childhood and ends after his death. While I can’t say for sure, I’d guess this was a time span of 60-70 years and, judging by America’s appearance, took place during the earlier colonial years. Which leads me to suspect America’s growth started to REALLY speed up starting in the late 17th century, early 18th- around the time when Salutary Neglect was most prominent. Not long after the likely time Davie passed away.

So, 60-70 years. And America was a colony for only 176 years (less if you want to end at the beginning of the Revolution). And England has only two brief appearances, with each being many years apart going by Davie’s changing physical appearance. I think that information makes this comic the most telling in how often England was around colonial America.

It also makes thing a bit more tragic doesn’t it? The America I see here is that of a very lonely child who craves attention and company. So, he latches onto Davie, who is unfortunately a human that quickly passes away.

Moving on, we get a strip that shows America’s unusually fast growth. By the time he has a teenage body, Canada is still around toddler age. Also, worth mentioning is that America is seen with a book in both latter two panels and Canada’s way of approaching America and his wording in the very last one implies America is constantly busy. This is the diligent America I needed to see to completely match him up with colonial America in reality.

Here we do NOT see England holding his hand throughout this learning process. America is shown taking on the task of learning politics on his own and of his own free will. This is where the “England raised him” argument becomes extremely frustrating to me. Combine this strip with the one with the buffalo from earlier, and we get to see a hard-working, self-sufficient America that brought upon his own quick growth in the absence of his colonizer. A reminder not to take his modern obnoxious personality at face value. He is, in fact, VERY competent.

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

And with that, it’s time to talk about the American Revolution. I want to bring attention to the “I’m no longer your brother” line. This dialogue if often disregarded, since you can’t actually cut off familial relationships with words. However, I don’t that gives the full picture of what he means here. This is NOT a declaration of a sudden, immediate change.

Think back to everything I’ve talked about up to this point. America showing a capability of handling himself at a young age, England’s absence throughout his growth, America growing up extremely quickly, the diligence and dedication he showed in teaching himself throughout that speedy growth…

Again, he is not making any sudden declaration of cutting familiar ties. He’s acknowledging something that has already happened. America has proven he’s more than capable of being fully independent by raising himself up into someone capable of taking a stand against England in under the time span of 200 years. The child England found is gone and England needs to acknowledge that.

With that said, let’s talk about England for a moment. Particularly his state of mind throughout all of this.

In Europe, England had NOBODY. He was the black sheep, the guy with no friends. So, he turned to America, or rather the idea of America, as a source of comfort.

America became his emotional crutch. But, besides such a thing being unhealthy, his relationship with America was, for the most part, not something represented in reality. He liked the IDEA of there being someone there for him. Once you get attached to at least the idea of a person always being there for you, you don’t NEED to constantly be there with them. As long as America is there waiting for him when he does have the time to stop by, his imagination can do the rest with sugarcoating reality. This is an accurate take on the different perspectives of the British and the colonies, with more emotional investment thrown in to make England seem more sympathetic and human. The British thought of the colonies as an entity completely subordinate and loyal to Great Britain. But the colonists didn’t really see things in that way. All the time they had spent left to their own devices had built up a spirit of autonomy.

When the Revolution breaks out, he reacts to the possibility of abandonment violently. Of course, there’s practical reasons to not want to lose the American colonies. But in England’s case, he seems to be driven by his emotional investment and reliance on America. Everything builds up until England finally breaks down in the end.

It’s not the cutting of familial ties that makes this scene so tragic. It’s seeing reality catch up to England. It’s seeing his loneliness and fear of abandonment completely exposed. It’s seeing that he kept fighting even when he had no Army behind him (possibly because everyone else had already given up). It’s seeing even some of America’s soldiers giving England looks of pity. It’s seeing America looking down on him and commenting on his fallen image.

As sad as this is, it needed to happen. Being under another nation’s rule was becoming a hinderance to America’s further growth, and England had become unhealthily attacked to something that amounts only to a fantasy. The bond was a toxic one.

MODERN TIMES AND CONCLUSION

Keeping this section brief, I’ll end this analysis on this scene.

America says he’s jealous of the kids specifically. Because, these kids have something America himself didn’t get the chance to have: a fulfilling childhood loaded with consistent affection.

America didn’t have an affectionate childhood, he was mostly alone. Or put more accurately, he didn’t have much of a childhood AT ALL. His early days weren’t anything you can attach much familial love to. He was more like an orphan than someone under the loving care of a father/brother figure. He was alone, so he had to grow up and raise himself (in this case, that happened on a more literal and physical level).

Saying England “raised him” is a dramatic misrepresentation of what happened and it’s a dramatic misrepresentation of the depth both characters have.

England wasn’t upset over losing a son. He was upset over losing an emotional crutch that he rarely even got to see. He broke down, because of insecurities that were an issue far before the Revolution happened. His miserable appearance during the Revolution wasn’t just apart of some isolated event. It was a look into England’s very troubled and lonely mind.

America wasn’t just some kid who decided to rebel against daddy. He was someone who had thrown away his own childhood, so he could raise himself. Nobody was there to help him. What he accomplished was through his own hard work and he, understandably, wanted that to be recognized.

And to those of you who are still put off by the title “brother” being used in America’s colonial days, remember that it’s a title that’s used very loosely in the series with the biggest perpetrator being “big brother France”. In this way, having a “big brother” indicates having a friendly relationship with an older male, especially one in a higher position of power. Another example of non-related characters using “brother” to describe each other are Norway and Denmark (with Denmark also addressing Iceland as such and overall thinking of himself as a “big bro”).

#hetalia #usuk #APH America #APH England #Axis Powers Hetalia

265 notes · View notes