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miyakuli · 2 years ago

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Triangle Strategy

My obsession since a month. I finished all the routes and played so many hours, I'm finally ready to present it to you and I hope my review will pique your interest and that you'll join me in this then xD (because I LOVE IT TOO MUCH).

Triangle Strategy is a tactical rpg that also flirts with the narrative genre, in which you juggle between fights, cut scenes and choice phases that will influence the fate of Lord Serenor and the future of the continent of Norzelia. Let's say it right away, I devoured the game; I haven't enjoyed a tactical game this much since Fire Emblem 3H! The game has a lot going for it, both in terms of gameplay and narrative, but there are a few disappointing points that could have been better executed by Square Enix.

❤ The story is excellent, very well written and very engaging. The geopolitical conflict is coherent, and we don't just see everything through the eyes of the MC, there are also side moments to follow the plot from other points of view. It's easy to see that the game isn't at all Manichean; each character has their own vision of the continent's prosperity, and as a result, nobody really embodies evil or good. There's a real maturity of writing here, making TS not at all predictable or cliché. ❤ This feeling is reinforced by the choice system, since in wartime, no choice is fair to all, and concessions have to be made. This makes it almost heartbreaking to decide. The game offers us 2 forms of choice. First, dialogue choices to reinforce your character's convictions, revolving around 3 main themes: Morality, Liberty, and Utility. Then, scenario choices that will influence your game, based on a debate with your group; in fact, the convictions you've strengthened will help you win debates. It's an essential part of the story, and adds a lot of spice, if I may say so, as well as replayability (4 endings, including a "true end"). ❤ Let's talk about combat. The tactical aspect is fairly basic and easy to learn. On the other hand, it offers real diversity in terms of combinations. Each recruit has their own combat specialities (2 archers will not have the same attack and defense characteristics, and will have very different skills too). As a result, you really get caught up in studying the field, weather and enemies to come up with the best possible strategy. What's more, the game offers a fair amount of challenge in certain battles, so you'll sometimes have to start them all over again, which really pushes you to persevere and find the best possible combinations; it was extremely addictive for me. ❤ In terms of artistic direction, the 2d-hd pixel art is really beautiful, with superb lighting effects and depth of field. ❤ For the audio, the game is already fully dubbed (Japanese or English), which greatly strengthens our attachment to the characters and our immersion in the story. I played it in Japanese and recognized some big names in dubbing, so it really is a top-quality cast. Now I'd like to turn to the thing that most amazed me about this game: the music. Composed by Akira Senju, whose music for FMA Brotherhood I already greatly admire, he created here an absolutely incredible soundtrack! All the themes are memorable and effectively accompany the atmosphere of every moment in the game. I can say without hesitation that this soundtrack has immediately become one of my must-haves <3

+/- The group's main characters are very likeable and pretty well developed over the course of the game. It's a pity that this is not the case for the other units in our group. Their recruitment is done in a very expeditious way (the characters are accessible as soon as you've increased your convictions enough) based on a short scene like, "Hi, I've come to fight by your side". And then you unlock 2 extra stages if you raise their stats enough, and that's it…at least in Fire Emblem, the appearance of secondary units was done through combat, which allowed us to learn and test their skills, it was much more useful. +/- NG+ is really cool if you want to keep playing and unlock new characters or scenarios. On the other hand, why doesn't the option just appear in the menu, it's pretty confusing to launch (because yes, I relaunched another day and had forgotten about the little explanatory window, but come on!).

✖ Some combat animations are quite slow, and you can't really get past them even when speeding up. ✖ The exploration phases are not very interesting (only 2 phases have a real impact on the scenario, otherwise it's just to recover items). ✖ The game's OST is neither sold on Steam, nor accessible on Spotify or anything else, I want to tear my hair out in frustration. PLEASE SQUARE ENIX, LET ME OWN THIS MUSIC!!!! (;;)

As you can see, after 80 hours of play, Triangle Strategy is for me an excellent game in its genre, thanks to its narrative and strategic qualities, and I can say that I felt a great sadness to have finished it x') However, I'd recommend it to those who like to read, because yes, the dialogues are rich and abundant, and I think that might put off a lot of people expecting more combat and less blah-blah.

As far as I'm concerned, it's this balance between narrative and combat that gives this game its charm and strength, and which I'm sure will convince other lovers of the genre. I'm convinced of it.

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➡ My Steam page

#triangle strategy #I knew this review was going to be SO LONG x')))#thank you to those who took the time to read it (and congrats XD)#I MISSED THE CHARACTERS SO MUCH ALREADY #what to do now.....jk I have plenty of games to try lol #personal #Lola plays games

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twistedtummies2 · 2 years ago

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Top 15 Fictional Trains

In the words of a random bit of silliness courtesy from the Internet, “I like trains.”

(SLAM-HONK-SPLAT.)

…If you got that reference…yay. XD

But seriously: ever since I was a boy, I’ve always had a fascination with the railway. From real-life trains and railways of great repute, to various fictional railroads and their engines found in books, video games, movies, and more. I’m not the only one: the railroad has always held an enduring sense of intrigue for all sorts of people all over the world. Something about these great Iron Horses, racing along the tracks, seeming to fly across the landscape with such grace and speed, remains iconic. From steam locomotives to more modern diesel engines and electric trains, the sense of power, speed, and the symbolization of ever-moving progress they embody will forever be indelible. Whether you’re fascinated by the real history and technical aspects of railways and their engines, or just see them as a fun visual motif, they aren’t going away.

I thought it would be fun to talk about some of my favorite fictional trains and engines, because…well…I just want to. Yeah, I’m not tying this one into anything, there’s no special occasion, I just…want to talk about them. Is that so wrong? I hope not. Now, this will be specifically dedicated to FICTIONAL trains, so you won’t be seeing real railway constructs on this list. And, of course, I have to know about the trains in question in order for them to count. (SPOILER ALERT: “Infinity Train” is nowhere on this list. I’ve never seen it, probably never will, and basically don’t know anything about it.) With that said, let’s get on with it! Full Steam Ahead! These are My Top 15 Favorite Fictional Trains.

15. The Rainbow Sun, from Shining Time Station/Thomas & the Magic Railroad.

It is pure nostalgia, above all else, that gets this train onto the list. The Rainbow Sun was the main engine piloted by Billy Twofeathers: chief engineer of the Indian Valley Railroad. This was the railway line serviced by the titular depot in “Shining Time Station.” The show, of course, was a showcase for the animated series “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends,” during the 1990s; Shining Time and all of its characters acted as a framing device, with episodes of Thomas (usually connected in some way to the central plot) interspersed into the story. In the original TV series, the Rainbow Sun was portrayed by the Union Pacific 844. When the film “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” - which combined elements of Shining Time Station with Thomas & Friends - was made, all of the scenes at Shining Time were shot on the Strasburg Railroad. Strasburg’s 475 stood in for the Rainbow Sun. (That’s the version pictured here, since my guess is more people will recognize the movie than the TV show version.) There’s really not much to say about the Rainbow Sun, I just…like this train. Both versions. Both the movie and the show were a part of my childhood; this train, in each incarnation, is much the same.

14. The Sea Railway, from Spirited Away.

“Spirited Away” is widely considered one of the finest animated fantasy films ever made. Released by the world-renowned Studio Ghibli, this picture - like many of Ghibli’s greatest works - was the brainchild of the mighty Hayao Miyazaki, and is known for its sense of surreal, bizarre, at times nightmarish visuals and scenarios, as well as its fun and fascinating cast of crazy characters. One of the less bonkers elements of the film, yet also one of the most memorable, is the Sea Railway: while the scene where this train appears is brief, it is nevertheless very fondly recalled. In the scene, the main character - Sen - travels with her newfound friend, the mysterious No Face, to find the enchantress named Zeniba. The pair hop aboard the Sea Railway: a double diesel rail car that runs on tracks across the ocean. This is a scene all about visuals, that is both spectacular and yet shockingly peaceful. No dialogue, just the emotions of the music and the animation, as the strange railcar glides across the sea. Like several other trains on this list, its time in the film is short, but the moment is immortal.

13. The Ghost Train, from Casper: A Spirited Beginning.

This is a pretty “bleh” movie, in my opinion. A prequel to the 1995 film “Casper” (based on the comic and cartoon character of Casper the Friendly Ghost), this film tells the origins of the titular character. (They are nowhere near as interesting and exciting as they probably should be.) However, I’ve always had a soft spot for one particular part of the movie: the opening sequence. Why? Well, the movie starts off actually quite promising, with the ghostly Casper - freshly dead (how pleasant) - waking up on the Ghost Train. There have been many kinds of ghost trains in fiction over the years; in this case, it’s a railroad which transports souls to the afterlife. The Train is pure nightmare fuel of the best kind: a battered old steam train, carrying a heavy rake of carriages, with a crimson skull for a smokebox, its glowing eyes acting as the headlamps. Damned souls spew from its funnel in lieu of steam, skeletal limbs act as its coupling rods, and inside its chattering mandibles are a horde of black cats. The furniture inside the coaches is made from bones, only adding to its macabre sense of style. While it’s only onscreen for a few minutes (the opening, plus a couple of scenes later), this Ghost Train nevertheless made a big impression on me as a kid, and it was by far the best part of the film…which gives you a good idea of how bad the movie is, sadly. Still, points where points are due: this train is still pretty epic to this day.

12. The Time Train, from Back to the Future: Part III.

What’s cooler than a DeLorean? The answer is…well…probably the TARDIS, if anything, BUT BESIDES THAT I’d say a flying, time-traveling steam locomotive definitely deserves some credit! In the climax of the third and final pillar of the “Back to the Future” Trilogy, our heroes engage in a daring chase scene involving a runaway steam train. At the end of the film, Doc Brown reappears before Marty McFly, and reveals he’s “recycled” the busted engine to create a time traveling train, colloquially and appropriately called the Time Train by most fans. (It’s also sometimes referred to as the Jules Verne Train, but I’ve always liked Time Train more: it’s catchier and simpler.) While I love the look of the Time Train, once again, it’s not onscreen for very long, and doesn’t honestly do THAT much in the grand scheme of things. It’s not even clear, despite what I’ve said, if this is the same engine as the one from earlier in the film, or just a very similar one, since the aforementioned steam train did sort of…well…friggin’ EXPLODE. Regardless, it’s a memorable engine, and has long been a fan favorite. Definitely worthy of placement in the Top 12.

11. The Soviet Missile Train, from Goldeneye.

One of the few non-steam engines to be mentioned on this countdown, this diesel engine is also one of the most sinister creations on the list. This armored passenger train is interesting in that it actually doubles a mobile secret headquarters: in the James Bond film “Goldeneye,” the main villain, Alec Trevelyan (a.k.a. Janus), rides around in this battering-ram-on-wheels with his henchman. The train is based on real-life armored trains owned by the Soviet Union, but has been exaggerated to give it a more outright evil, almost futuristic sort of look, with a sharpened nose and colored all in black, with blood red Soviet Stars on the sides. The train is destroyed when Bond first derails it with a tank (because of course he does, he’s James-flipping-Bond), and Trevelyan - forced to abandon his mobile HQ - blows up what remains in attempt to destroy his nemesis. The Missile Train made a memorable appearance in the Nintendo 64 video game adaptation of the film, where the players - as Bond - would have to make their way inside and around the train to take out Trevelyan’s goons and save our resident Bond Girl for the evening, Natalya Simova. Whether you love it best for the movie or the game, this big black beast is definitely one of the fiercest things to ever ride the rails.

10. The Wanderer, from Wild Wild West.

Much like the previous entry on the list, this steam engine proves that if there’s one thing cooler than a spy car, it’s a spy train. “Wild Wild West” was a TV series that was a sort of off-kilter combination of the spy film and Western genres. The plot focused on a pair of clever cowboys - Jim West and Artemus Gordon - who worked for a special branch of the U.S. Secret Service. They rode around the country, stopping crimes and committing acts of espionage against evil masterminds. To accomplish this, the pair traveled via a luxurious private passenger train called the Wanderer. In the series, the Wanderer was largely portrayed via stock footage of Inyo, an engine that, at the time, served the Baltimore Locomotive Works. The Train was basically just a mobile headquarters for the duo; it didn’t exactly do much, but it allowed for an interesting“Home Base” location to see in every episode, and it helped make the series a bit more unique. In the later 1999 movie version, starring Will Smith as Jim West (that’s the one pictured here, for the same reasons as the previously discussed Rainbow Sun), the famous engine the William Mason was used to portray the Wanderer. While the film is basically a giant mess, I’ve actually always had a sort of soft spot for it; it’s a guilty pleasure, to say the least. Part of what I liked was the way the movie “suped up” the Wanderer: not only was the train an HQ-on-wheels for the spy-fighting duo, but now it was basically the equivalent of having a Bond Car riding the rails, with all kinds of gadgets and secrets hidden in the engine and its coaches. Even if you don’t like the movie (trust me, you aren’t alone there), or never saw the series, I defy you to say the Wanderer isn’t pretty cool.

9. The Infernal Train, from Alice: Madness Returns.

Not all trains are colorful, whimsical, and fun to ride. Perhaps no fictional train in history has been quite as forbidding as the Infernal Train from “Alice: Madness Returns,” the sequel to the cult classic video game “American McGee’s Alice.” For those who don’t know, the games focus on a grown-up Alice having to traverse through a twisted, warped, morbid reimagining of Wonderland; shaped by her own trauma and insanity into a chaotic nightmare world. At the end of the first game, however, Alice is able to conquer her fears and problems, and seemingly goes off onto a happy ending…but in the second game, we soon learn it wasn’t that easy. When Alice returns to Wonderland, it at first seems to be back to how it should be, but it quickly becomes clear that new threats and new problems are once again causing it to steadily fall into a state of hellish doom. The centerpiece of all this horror is the Infernal Train: a massive locomotive, seemingly built from a Gothic cathedral, which soars through the skies of Wonderland, spreading a tar-like substance called Ruin wherever it goes, destroying everything in its path. Alice’s mission is to find out who is responsible for the Infernal Train, and stop it in its tracks before it completely obliterates Wonderland forever. The Train is almost a character in and of itself in the game; a force of nature, the presence of which is a constant source of dread. It’s one of the most sinister locomotives ever created, and memorably so. It has well-earned its place in my personal Top 10.

8. Casey Junior, from Dumbo.

Whenever I think of the phrase “Circus Train,” the first thing I think of is this whimsical train from the classic Disney movie, “Dumbo.” The whole movie focuses on the adventures of the titular character - a baby elephant with abnormally large ears - during his stay at a fictional circus. The circus travels from city to city, town to town, via the Casey Junior Circus Train, so called after its lead locomotive, Casey Junior. (The name is a reference to the famous engineer, Casey Jones, who would appear in his own animated Disney cartoon…but that’s another story.) Casey is the first train on this list who isn’t just a vehicle, but actually a real CHARACTER, with his own sentience and intelligence. He speaks in a voice that is made to mimic the puffing of steam, and seems to be a hardworking, determined, slightly child-like little engine. And, given the broad smile painted on his smokebox, we can presume he very much enjoys his work. Casey Junior has reappeared several times in the Disney canon since the release of Dumbo. Most notably, a non-sentient rendition of him appears in Tim Burton’s live-action remake of the original film, and there’s also a kids’ ride at Disneyland called the Casey Junior Circus Train. There’s also a water attraction at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World called the Casey Junior Splash and Soak Station. No matter where he shows up, this chipper Circus Train is as confident as he is colorful.

7. Tootle.

So far, all of the trains we’ve talked about have come from screen treatments: movies, TV, and video games. This is our first engine on the list who originates from a book. “Tootle” is one of many titles in the classic Little Golden Books collection of stories, and focuses on its titular character: a rather silly steam train by the name of Tootle. Young Tootle is a brand new locomotive, still a child, who goes to the town of Lower Trainswitch, “where all the baby locomotives go to learn to become big locomotives.” Tootle wants to grow up to become a Flyer engine, a fast express train, so he studies very hard…but there’s one important lesson he has trouble with: “Stay on the Rails, No Matter What.” Tootle is a curious little engine, and he starts leaving the tracks to play in the meadow and explore off the rails. With help from his teacher, an old engineer named Bill, Tootle learns that, while there’s nothing necessarily wrong with dreaming, shirking one’s responsibilities and ignoring safety is never wise. It’s interesting to see stories like “Tootle,” which effectively teach children, “know your place.” At first, that probably sounds overly authoritarian and ill-advised, but in truth, sometimes it’s genuinely important to know one’s boundaries and limits: we all have dreams and desires we wish we could fulfill, but it’s important to know which dreams and desires are worth chasing, and which ones could just lead to trouble. The book is one of the most popular in the Little Golden Books series; in fact, in 2001, it was named the third best-selling English children’s book of all time! The story has been adapted to a PC game, a children’s audiobook, and more. The character of Tootle himself also appeared in the animated series “Little Golden Book Land,” inspired by the entire collection. I read a lot of these books as a kid, and “Tootle” was always my favorite. He and his tale are definitely worth placement in the Top 10.

6. Chugs, from The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town.

This somewhat obscure Rankin/Bass special is a follow-up/sequel to their more popular Christmas TV tale, “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.” Just as that holiday special told the origins of Santa Clause, this one tells the origins of the Easter Bunny. Part of these origins is explaining how the Easter Bunny gets around the world. Cue this little fellow: Chugs, a talking train whom the Easter Bunny - named Sunny - saves from possible scrap. Chugs is a little old engine whom no one ever uses, so Sunny buys him, cleans him up till he’s shiny and new again, and paints him in springtime colors. Chugs is thus given the job of piloting the little white rabbit and his train of Easter eggs, jellybeans, and other gifts for children all around the land. He also brings mail to the Easter Bunny’s home. (Because…well…we had to justify Fred Astaire returning as a singing mailman SOMEHOW, didn’t we?) I am convinced the reason anybody remembers this special at all is ENTIRELY because of this stop-motion animated locomotive. He’s certainly a big part of why I remember the movie; as a kid, I used to wish I could have a toy train of Chugs, so obviously, he’s got a soft spot deep in my heart. Oh, one other thing: Chugs is referred to as “the Famous Little Engine Who Could” in the story, which…I guess means this film technically also counts as an adaptation of that. Go figure. Speaking of which…

5. The Little Engine That Could.

This classic children’s book is actually based on an old folk story, which has been passed down through the generations. The railway folktale has changed over the years, but it’s the storybook publication written by Arnold Munk (published under the pen name “Watty Piper”) that has become the most well-known. In this version of the story, a train full of sentient toys and treats (I guess they must be riding through Toyland) breaks down on its way to bring its cargo to a town full of good little children on the other side of a tall mountain. The toys try to get various other trains to stop and help, but all of them refuse, either being too tired or too stuck-up. Just when all hope seems lost, a Little Blue Engine arrives, and she promises to get the train of toys and goodies to the town. All the way on the journey, the Little Blue Engine repeats a simple mantra: “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” Finally, her determination proves true, and the Little Blue Engine succeeds in pulling the train over the mountain. It’s a simple little story, which teaches a simple little message, but that’s really all it needs to be. The tale has been referenced, paid homage, and adapted numerous times: Chugs, of course, is inspired by the folktale, and even Casey Junior references it in a scene from Dumbo. My personal favorite adaptation is an animated short film made in the 1990s, which expanded on the story as written by Watty Piper, and featured voicework by many veteran performers; Kath Soucie plays the Little Blue Engine, and Megatron and Optimus Prime themselves - Frank Welker and Peter Cullen - also play characters in the story, just to name a few. Another adaptation of the Piper version was made in 2011, inspired by the 1990s short subject; that one featured talents like Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Warburton, and Jamie Lee Curtis, again, just to name a few. No matter which take on the children’s story you look at, its simplicity is as immortal as the tale itself. I think one can say this Little Engine has many more mountains to cross before its story is truly finished.

4. The Rainbow Line, from Ressha Sentai ToQger.

“Hold on a second!” I hear you all cry. “That’s not a train! That’s a freaking robot!” Well, you’re right, and you’re wrong. It is, in fact, a giant mech made out of magical trains. Yes, you read that correctly. No, I am not drunk. Perhaps I should start from the beginning: “Ressha Sentai ToQger” is my personal favorite entry in the Super Sentai franchise. This series is basically the original version of Power Rangers: that show is essentially made, for those who don’t know, by Americanizing the Super Sentai shows in Japan. While both use some of the same footage and costumes, and follow the same basic plot points of colorful heroes fighting rubber suited monsters and using giant mechs for each final battle, the stories and characters are often very different. “ToQger” is one of the few Sentai series that hasn’t really been adapted into Power Rangers (at least not yet), and I rather hope it stays that way. In this one, the visual motif is - you guessed it - trains, with the Rangers using magical trains as their transportation system, as well as the means through which they battle the monsters when “giant mech time” happens. I don’t know what possessed Japan to make “Thomas the Tank Engine: Power Rangers Edition,” but I’m very glad it happened, because this show is amazing. The trains of the Rainbow Line - the good faction of the series (the villains are called The Shadow Line, and they have their own transforming locomotives to do battle with) - are all unique and colorful, and it’s honestly pretty cool to see how they all come together to from the massive machines the Rangers use in combat. There’s a toylike quality to all of the engines (which I think is intentional, given the themes of this series), and I would sincerely LOVE to have real toys of each and every one of them. If a fleet of locomotives that can turn into a sword-wielding, laser-blasting battle mech DOESN’T sound equal parts crazy and cool to you…I would like to know what does.

3. The Polar Express.

The top three choices on this list all have the same things in common: all of them started as trains in books, primarily aimed at children, but have since become massively popular largely due to the adaptations of said works. The first of these is the titular train from the classic Christmas story, “The Polar Express.” Originally appearing in a book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, the story arguably achieved critical mass when it was adapted into the still-very-popular 2004 animated film. The movie was directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starred Tom Hanks in multiple roles. Both are still considered staples of the Yuletide season. Both the film and the book have the same premise: the main character is a Boy who is whisked away by the titular magic train, which transports a group of children to the North Pole. It’s revealed that one of these children will have the honor of being given the First Gift of Christmas by Santa Claus himself that year. It’s a tale of belief and faith, both in oneself and in things beyond our ken. The book is well-known for its remarkable illustrative artistry, and the movie mostly lives up to it. Ever since the film came out, at least, it’s become quite popular around Christmas time for heritage railways around the world to have Polar Express outings, dressing up their engines and coaches to resemble the titular locomotive and its train. I’ve never gone on one of these trips, but even at my age, I’d still very much like to if I ever get a chance. The idea of this enchanted engine, racing through snow and mist to a place only children can understand, remains as powerful as it is entrancing. I dare say Christmas would not be Christmas without some version of the Polar Express.

2. The Hogwarts Express, from Harry Potter.

On the note of the idea of a magical, secret train that carries one off to a land of mystical wonderment…if one such express line can beat the Polar Express on that front, it would have to be the Hogwarts Express. Hidden away at the exclusive, disguised-by-magic Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, and painted in vivid crimson livery, this passenger line is every aspiring wizard or witch’s dream come true. While the train, itself, seems fairly ordinary, many of the most memorable scenes in the Harry Potter stories take place aboard or around the engine and its carriages: from Harry’s first encounters with Ron and Hermione, to a flying car chase scene, to the first appearance of the Dementors, and more, many fans of the films and the novels alike well-remember the mystery and awe of the Hogwarts Express, both inside and out. In the films, the locomotive was portrayed by Olton Hall, a stately engine originally made in service to the famous Great Western Railway. It is currently preserved and on static display in London. Famously, the train was recreated into a full-scale, functioning electric line for Universal Orlando, where it acts as both a mode of transport and its own attraction. The Hogwarts Express there carries guests between the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, with a special show inside the engine that makes it seem like you really are riding the rails between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Having gone on the ride myself, I can safely say it is an experience even casual fans of the Harry Potter fans should enjoy at least once in a lifetime.

1. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.

How many of us first became fascinated with railways, and especially steam trains, thanks to Thomas and his friends? I know I certainly did. Before things like Batman or Alice in Wonderland, “Thomas & Friends” was my first childhood obsession. I collected toys like crazy, gobbled up the VHS tapes (yeah, remember those?), and even read a number of books, including the original “Railway Series” books the TV show was based on (written by the late, great Reverend W. Awdry.) The TV show got started in the UK during the 1980s, and is still being produced and aired to this day. Naturally, over time, it has undergone some changes: originally, the series was produced using animated model trains. Then it transitioned to CGI for a spell…currently, the show has been completely retooled into the series “All Engines Go!” with 2D animation. Everyone who knows about the Island of Sodor has a favorite incarnation, and has grown up with a different era of Thomas…not to mention its characters. From cheeky Thomas himself, to his best friend Percy the Small Engine, to the vain and flashy James the Red Engine, to the villainous Devious Diesel, and so many more. All of them have fun personalities and different quirks that have stood the test of time, one way or another. For me, it’s the original Awdry books and the first six or seven seasons of the TV show that I will always hold fondest in my heart, but I can see the value in other renditions. What’s great about the show is that, aside from its whimsical and fantastical elements that can appeal to children, there’s also a lot of great lore and even connections to real life railways that adults can find interesting; it appeals, in its best versions, to all ages. For me, it’s a nostalgic piece of my soul: anytime I think of Thomas, or revisit the old stories or episodes, I’m brought back to a simpler, more comfortable time, in a way nothing else can manage. For that, and for being the main reason I love trains in the first place, Thomas and all of his friends on Sodor have most definitely earned their place as my number one spot on this countdown.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

Choo Choo Charles. (This monster counts. :P )

The Bioquimek Train, from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow II. (A personal, more obscure favorite train from a video game.)

The Wonderland Railway, from Alice in Wonderland (1985 Miniseries). (Pictured at top.)

Starlight Express. (Wasn’t sure if this stage show should count on the main list, but it’s worth at least an Honorable Mention.)

#list #countdown #top 15 #best #favorites #trains #locomotives #railways #railroads #fiction #film #movies #tv #animation #anime #tokusatsu #video games #literature

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seeingivy · 8 months ago

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Helloess 👉👈 I usually lurk on your (or p much everyone's) blog bcoz I got that online social anxiety xddd and I've never rlly sent an ask before to anyone but seeing your posts lately about interactions and from how much I love your fics and writing gave me some courage to finally send you something!!

Can I just say that you're like my favourite JJK fic writer :') Like your mind is simply awesome— the dialogues you write and the original ideas you come up with are always sooo impressive and THE FEELS!!! The emotions I get to feel from reading your fics is crazy 😭 Especially in the older brother Sukuna one!! I actually discovered your blog thanks to that fic, lucky me :D I love it soooo much!! I re-read it recently and it managed to make me cry again over the sheer amount of pure love and healthy relationship dynamics overflowing from it qwq Like some of the chapters felt like being in therapy fr 😭 the way I had to just pause and BREATHE sometimes coz of how emotional I felt asdfghjkl

The way you touched some heavy topics in the fic too, some of which were very relatable as well, and wrote them sooo beautifully, it all felt so so comforting to me- like I'm not rlly alone in experiencing all these deep feelings, which was just super healing and I just wanna say thank you for existing and pouring your heart out into making such a beautiful piece of work and sharing it with us 🫶 it's so so lovely! Also, I absolutely love it when authors write emotionally intelligent characters and I never imagined ever crushing on and kicking feet over Sukuna of all characters but YOUR Sukuna just made that come true xD 🩷

And I used to be a Geto simp initially but your Satoru Gojo as Taylor series singlehandedly made me fall for him so deep like I've been obsessed for months now 😭 I love all the fics of it so much, I highkey believe I've memorized the scenarios in half of them from how much I re-read them lolol and they still manage to evoke so many different emotions in me each and every time! You're simply an amazing author 👑 To add, I actually have never watched AOT or know anything about it but your content is so addicting that I feel compelled to read those fics of yours regardless 😭 just because I can already guess how good they'd be as well uwu

Like I've read so many fanfics over the years but yours are some of the most wonderful pieces that I've come across and they've become very close to my heart too :') especially bcoz they got me through some very dark times this year by being my wholesome and positive escape hehe 🤍 and I'm so grateful and so glad that you poured the time, energy, effort and TALENT to write all of them, and still dedicatedly put out chapters so frequently on your blog, which always makes me so happy and excited to see btw!!! I, and I believe many other fans, can't appreciate you enough for it!

Sorry it got so long unu but just wanna give you a big thank youuuuu and tell you that you're so sweet and have a beautiful heart and mind, and you only deserve nice and good things, stay blessed <3333 ✨ 💖

oh my goodness!

i put this under the cut because i basically have every intention to responding to every part of what you say!

first and foremost - thank you for lurking on my blog, even to the point where you read the asks that other people send me. sometimes (and for a good amount of time actually) i wanted to answer asks so bad but wouldn't because i was scared i was annoying my followers by answering them all the time or telling people random stuff about myself just because i thought they were just following me for the writing.

tldr. needless to say, that it makes my entire world that you read my asks - about interactions and a lot of the stuff that i've been talking about lately - and that you sent me this ask, because it's filled me with so so much joy and motivation to get back into writing

oh best friends older brother sukuna. god, i can't even talk about what that fic means to me in so many ways, and the fact that it's resonated with so many people has actually healed so many things in me. like i'm not even joking, i've literally talked about that fic and read asks/comments to my therapist to like prove to her that this was like something real and that i put it out all there.

even from a writing standpoint, i feel like in the past i resorted to most of the cliche miscommunication stuff because it was hard to come up with stuff that moved the plot forward. but it was really interesting to write that and make most of the stuff external - and it really made me think about characters/emotions/what motivates people most of the time. yes, miscommunication is a big thing in relationships and not being able to talk to one another effectively will put a damper on things - but other things can to. and damn it sometimes it's nice to just love each other the way you should and handle it with care (which was basically the entire point of that fic anyways)

oh god, it makes my entire world that you called my characters emotionally intelligent. honestly, those topics were never like supposed to be part of the story - and most of the stories i write aren't planned out. i start writing and something came out of me. i was very hesitant to post those chapters, but in the end just chose to honor the fact that they're complex topics, they're nuanced, what i'm saying isn't wrong but it isn't applicable to everyone and that's okay. and even the fact that people find it relatable is validating for me, because almost everything in that fic is derived from a personal experience of mine.

oh gojo as taylor. to be honest, i thought it kind of fell off for a while but GOD everyone loves to see it and it makes my entire world. the first fic that i wrote on this account, almost a year and a half ago now, was literally a gojo as taylor before a gojo as taylor. it's a good omen.

GOSH, i'm so glad you're here and that you've read the things that i've written. you've given me such such kind words about them - most that i feel like i don't deserve - but that mean the world to me nonetheless.

also i've said it before and i've said it again. people like you who take the time to leave asks, or comment on all the details in the chapters, or just leave feedback or say that they enjoyed something means the world. most fanfic writers do this for free. i usually come home from a busy day or studying for midterms or just being frustrated and use this as a way to let loose. and really, as a reader, you could just read it and move past it without any penance to me. readers who take the time to comment, interact, and kind of create this space to me is kind of what fanfic is all about - I feel like I have my own little town of friends who all get and understand what i'm talkng about, and the fact that people want to entertain that and be here with me means the world.

all in all, you are a gem. i'm sorry that my response is so long, but I had to do all of your sweet words justice. I hope you have a lovely lovely day my friend!

#guys maybe there is hope in the world idk #asks

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halesshepardn7 · 2 years ago

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For the WIP game: I'm interested in both 4s... They seem right up my alley. Especially the flirting practice xD

Ask and you shall receive. I picked my favorite parts for you.

Rose and Kays first kiss

They fell silent again as Rose turned back to the window to see the sunset.

Kaidan took a few extra steps to stand next to her and admire the view.

“Wow…have you ever seen something this beautiful?”

Looking to her out of the corner of his eyes, he looks into hers, in her eyes he sees the reflection of the scenery in front of them. The pink hue of the sky makes her skin glow in a pinkish hue. And her red lips are so perfect and soft. “Yes…yes I have.” He says amorously and without even knowing that his mouth even said it.

Rose processes his responce, her smile falling as she understands the true meaning behind his words. She turns her head to look at him, seeing the admiration in his face as he looks at her.

Her? Was he talking about her?

“Kaidan?” Her heart starts skipping. Time seems to slow down.

His wide amber eyes plead into hers, silently asking her not to freak out.

“Rose, you’re beautiful. You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

Her breathing quickens, and suddenly she feels like her body has gone numb. “Kaidan.” She whispers.

“I don’t want to mess up what we have. You’re my best friend and I don’t want to lose you as a friend. But I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t at least tell you that I like you as more than a friend. Seeing you makes my heart feel a certain way that I can’t even describe. And seeing all the other guys trying to get with you almost makes me jealous because they aren’t nice guys.” He pauses a brief moment as he notices she looks scared. Her happy face had turned scared and her breathing was faster. “Oh god I’m sorry Rose. I’m freaking you out.”

Her lip quivers and her heart nearly stops. He’s finally admitted that he likes her, and she’s come to the realization that she likes him too. It was a thought she never allowed herself to feel because they were such good friends. But he’s said it now. And she wants to break that barrier between friends and more than friends.

“Kiss me, Kaidan.”

Flirting practice

This one is still in its basic form with mostly just dialogue. But that’s why this is a WIP game.

She moves so that she’s sitting right next to me against the wall, both our legs touching and a tingle of biotic aura shifting between us. She places her hand face up on my thigh silently asking for my hand. I take my hand and interlock my fingers with hers. We sit in silence as we stare into each other’s eyes, just taking in each other’s features. I look over her whole face memorizing every little freckle and detail in her skin, the way her eyes have little golden specks sprinkled in the forest of green. Her light skin that just reflects the red light from the room. Her biotic aura that sends shivers down my spine as it flows across my skin. I notice her memorizing my details too, moving from my hair, to my eyes and down to my lips. Her eyes seem to linger there for longer than normal. She bites her bottom lip slightly before looking back into my eyes.

“Do you want to kiss me Kaidan?” She says with a breath of a whisper.

“What about taking it slow, Shepard?”

“You can say no, I won’t be offended.”

“No- I mean. . . I don’t mean no I don’t want to kiss you. I do. It’s just, don’t you think we should wait until the mission is over? I don’t want to distract you too much.”

“You’re not a distraction. You’re like coming up for fresh air.”

#mass effect #mass effect fan fiction #shenko fan fiction #WIP ask game #WIP game #shenko

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ryttu3k · 4 years ago

Text

Finishing up SoNY, ‘bad’ end and final thoughts!

But first, the early game over.

Wow, she just gets shot. Not even slurped? That’s rude as hell XD;;

And on to the ‘bad’ end!

Beginning is much the same, ofc.

“You’re too in love with weaving a good story and establishing a seductive narrative to let facts get in the way.” Foreshadowing for the ‘good’ end, maybe?

God that Embrace scene gives me literal goosebumps.

Alright! Last time I did Danse Macabre and Retributive Justice, let’s try The Risks of Swiping Right!

lmao god I’d eat this guy too. Back to the ghost club! That legitimately is a really neat scene. ...Ooh yes so that’s where the girl was from.

Panhard just lowkey dying at the mental image of Katherine Weise in a fast food restaurant is so good.

The sweet scene between Julia and Dakota hits a bit different after the ‘good’ end XD;;

Went to the park, reminisced, and helped out the guy. That was sweet ;_; High-humanity Julia, this time!

‘Fairy God Mother?’ is great but ‘Vin Diesel?’ is objectively the funnier response.

“Shining even more brightly than usual, Aisling.” Samira got a cru-ush~

Poor Julie. It’s probably been tough without Sophie around :(

Huh. Interestingly, refusing to lie to Mia results in Julia actually feeling genuine loyalty to the Cammies (for now, at least).

Believing Agathon is still alive = more optimistic = different dialogue! See, this is how you make choices have consequences, game!

Oooh boy time to meet Adelaide XD;;

“She uncrosses her legs in a strangely seductive motion. In her mind’s eye, it probably looked like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, but in reality, it had all the grace of a tracksuit Slav squatting.” *snickering*

Fight me, Adelaide >:(

‘sup Nastya. Went with the slightly less disruptive routine here XD Huh, she’s an aspiring DJ! Julia is deeply confused as to how being a DJ and being head of security works together.

lmao Julia referring to Hope as a girlboss. That phrase has lost all meaning to me...

The conversation between Julia and Father Leonard is still really interesting. Man, you know who I want Julia to talk to? Anatole. Interesting insights into balancing being queer Catholic vampires there for sure.

lmao oh my god I want to fight this street reporter.

‘I can almost feel my brain losing its wrinkles.’ *snort*

Yeaghhhh the Abyss bit is still so creepy...

Oops. Being honest regarding Tamika and Torque’s relationships gets a fail :(

Oh, or not XD That works! Also, uh, apparently the giant albino ghoul alligator is real, according to New York by Night. He’s Calebros’ pet.

“Because I think I have a pretty good nose for people’s auras. And when I take a good look at you... ...somehow, I have a feeling you’re a surprisingly decent person. Whatever way of unlife you choose, I hope you don’t change it. And that you remember my advice.” :)

“I know.” Oof.

“Hi.” “WAAAH!” lmao sorry Princess XD;; Just trying to imagine Qadir’s face as he tells Julia to find a 1990 glass statue of Scrooge McDuck... dying...

Oh she’s so a Toreador XD Low art options are a fantasy book, an anime DVD, or a video game... those can all be arty, though! And went with the anime DVD called ‘Ririsu no Daibouken’... that translates to ‘Adventures of Lilith’. How on the nose XD “The cover says ‘Lilith’s Carnal Carnival’.” Oh. Yeah, that’d do it XD

“This 90s original video anime presents us with a tale of five big-bosomed samurai warriors travelling through America in search of General Hastavista, The Incubus King. Don’t let all the titillation misguide you: the main draws here are peerless direction, a nearly avant-garde editing rhythm and dialogue that coyly comments on traditional gender roles in anime. Once you see the animation in the final battle, you’ll understand why it never fails to set a sakuga fan’s heart ablaze!”

She’s my new favourite.

“So can I know your name now?”

“Hmmm... Let me think...

No. <3″

I need to stress that the heart appears in the dialogue box. Like. The actual less-than-three heart.

Didn’t investigate the rat this time, so Qadir did and I die. “Glad you’re alright, little guy.” Qadir...

Still not over the drunk blood doll rats.

Kaiser’s still a goddamn creep and this time Julia is not going too far. She still has her humanity, dammit. Final set of traits:

Loyal to the end

Glass half-full

Not into a bad cop schtick

Honesty is the best policy

No more human, still humane

Onwards to the ‘bad’ end! Oops, and Dakota still did the Single White Female thing XD;;

Man I’m still really curious who the ‘good friend’ is!!

Okay! Time for end game!!

So that’s the good friend, huh? “Let me phrase it differently, then. You’re not Ecaterina the Wise, the Agitator of Prague, a Brujah elder causing turbulences all over the world... are you?”

Mention of Christof! Mention of Christof doing shady shit :| Poor Hana.

“An immigrant from Eastern Europe comes to New York City, takes the position she always expected to find herself in, is molded into someone who is no longer herself.”

Julia and Dakota representing Carthage is kind of neat.

I want to say the mention of St Jude is a reference, but I’m not sure what to XD;; Is that from Redemption? Christof could have been the one to tell Hana that.

“Like a two-person human centipede loop or something. An Ouroburos? Or an, uhh, Mobius strip?” No, that’s the other traditionally Sabbat clan XD

That‘s. That’s a hell of a reconciliation XD “Yeah, let’s give it a try. By the way I’m on the run for my unlife, want to go to California and try to find utopia?”

Julia, wear a fucking mask XD

“Hey.”

“Yeah?“

“Do you love me?”

“... Of course I do. For now, at least.”

I still don’t know if I love her. Or even if I can love anyone, for that matter. I’m a fucking monster, after all. I don’t even know if we’ll exist next month. The prospects are not looking good. But although I can’t see myself in the rearview mirror right now...

...I will remember this image of us leaving the city, somewhat melancholic, and somewhat hopeful, forever. And maybe the meaning of this image will be clarified with time. Or maybe I will just force a more positive description on it, and that is what I’ll believe.

No matter what happens... even if oceans of blood lie before us, I will make this a cherished memory.

Whatever possible salvation still remains for me... ...it probably lies in the eyes of another.

Oh dang I have chills.

So the ‘bad’ ending is about the subverted compromise. Julia resigns herself to letting the compromise about the truth of Callihan’s death go ahead. ‘Catherine’ is a walking compromise to hide the Ecaterina’s real deeds. But while Hana is still stuck in her role for now, Julia refuses to accept the compromise she’s made, both the one relating to the investigation and the compromise she made of her own views and morals. It might blow up in her face, yeah. But damn, she’s going to try.

So, final thoughts! For the sake of completion, this is what I said about Coteries:

And of course this is the part where the game all falls apart :-\

Just… god. This is probably the biggest problem with CoNY, and the reason I didn’t bother getting it until it was like… 60% off. The bulk of the game is great - the writing is intriguing, the design is stunning. But the choices themselves are so limited it’s barely worth even getting it at 60% off!

You have three choices of characters, with their own opening chapters and own individual scenes with their touchstones. You have four choices of coterie members, and three sidequests. You can probably get in at least three full story arcs and a sidequest or two, but you’re only ever limited to two of your coterie members showing up at the not-yet-endgame.

So let’s say you decide to play all three protags, which, indeed, is encouraged (there’s an achievement for it). You are going to repeat coterie arcs and side quests, because there simply aren’t enough for three unique playthroughs.

And then you get to the end and literally everything is scripted. You get attacked by the SI. You get rescued by your two coterie members (and then never see them again, despite the game being called Coteries of New York). You meet Torque, you escape the SI, Sophie reveals her plan to Torque, you go to Ellis Island, Adelaide kills Sophie (and despite the fact that you’re given multiple options there, none of them work), Arturo does his spiel, end of game. You don’t even get to choose between ending up blood bound or going “no fuck you” and at least dying with a bit of dignity!

I just. I really want to like it, and there genuinely is a lot there to like! But uuuugh the ending. Like damn at least give the poor protag the option to choose what happens to them!

Anyway. Not sure what’s next. To get all the achievements, you have to finish with all three protags, so that’s three full runs and a lot of repetitiveness (compare to, say, Bloodlines or Night Road. I have eighty-five hours on Night Road and there’s still stuff I haven’t seen!), so I can’t even just… rush it through up to the meeting with the touchstones on the third play. Nope. Gotta finish it :-\

Final rating: 6/10

8/10 characters, 9/10 atmosphere, 8/10 story aside from ending, 3/10 story ending, 2/10 replayability. Final consensus: get it on major sale if you can, otherwise, you might as well just watch an LP. I might do that instead of doing a third run, although I at least want to do a second.

I ended up revising that 6/10 to 5.5/10 after finishing all runs and getting the achievements just out of how goddamn repetitive it was. So, how does Shadows measure up?

Absolutely continued with all the things I enjoyed about CoNY (characters, atmosphere, and writing), and of the bits I hated (cookie cutter protagonists, lack of real choice, repetitiveness, the godawful ending), every single part has been completely improved.

Instead of three fledglings so similar they even have the same internal thoughts, we have Julia, who’s got such a distinct voice that she becomes the most memorable game protag I’ve seen in years, and I’m including non-VtM games in this. This is absolutely her game, and it’s just... absolutely fascinating to read and watch.

Related - actual real choices. There are five key choices that determine the ending, and every single one has actual consequence in-game. You get different dialogue. Different introspection. Different philosophies. And this carries across - if Julia believes Agathon is alive, she’s more optimistic about her relationship with Dakota, too. And of course, both endings are completely distinct and incredibly written - the ‘good’ ending where Julia gives in to her most Lasombra instincts, plays the game, wins it, gets power and respect at the expense of her humanity and avoiding all those wraiths... or the ‘bad’ ending when she listens to her morals, reconciles with Dakota, and leaves for California, uncertain, but hopeful.

Not a lot of repetitiveness. Yes, by design, you’ll probably do two playthroughs. The main plot is much the same, but there are enough options there to get multiple dialogue options and stuff. And for the little sidequests, you can actually get all in with just the two playthroughs, only repeating like... two, I think. Still, I wasn’t feeling actively bored like I was midway through my second run of CoNY!

Loved seeing more in-depth backstory and development for the coterie members. Agathon’s section was particularly fascinating, literally getting into his head.

And just. Atmosphere and music is so, so good.

Final rating: 9/10. Thank you, Draw Distance, you hit it out of the park.

#vampire the masquerade #vtm shadows of new york #ry plays sony

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cgmayra · 5 years ago

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#NotAPrompt saddly:( Anyways hello hope ur having a good! So from an amazing writer to your fellow beginner writer. How do you organize ur ideas or outline it before you start a sonamy story?

Thank you and great question!~

When you start any story, there needs to be a written Outline, or spine, of a story. Loglines also help to organize a clear direction for your story– example: Sonic, a free-spirited and adventurous hedgehog, and his friends must collect all 7 chaos emeralds to stop Eggman and a released, ancient god of destruction from threatening their world. - Logline I made up for Sonic Adventure. A logline is one sentence that clearly establishes a character and conflict.

Once you have some ideas, let’s say maybe you have the middle worked out or the exciting incident, you then create an Outline. Act 1, Act 2, Act 3. Act 2 should be the longest and biggest portion.

In my prompts, I usually hurry through Act 1 to get you to the exciting incident and then smoothly transition through a wrapped up conclusion.

Act 1 should be small, almost equal to Act 3′s plot points. Act 1 is you introducing the normal life before something twists it around, the conflict. The conflict is the starting point to Act 2, where you begin the rising action.

(the most simplest form. There are other arcs, such as ‘Character Obstacles’, ‘Character Tragedy’, and ‘Character Hero Story’. There are a few more too, but those are the ones I write the most of :)b There’s even a romantic one! Look them up and find your favorites in your own stories, comics, or movies ;)b)

For example, in my lastest Sonamy story, the turning point for the characters was when Amy also got sick with Sonic. This changed the normality which was that Sonic was originally sick, and now, the conflict begins of how are they gonna hide from the robots while both being squished together sharing leaves and turning ditzy in their sickness? I then lead that to Act 3, where silliness does ensue but they end up having a memorable, although disgustingly funny, platonic moment together that turned sweeter and even romantic as the conclusion unfolded. (Prompt: x)

Granted, this story is NOT a work of art haha XD I was inspired to make it, but the plot to it was extremely simple, which is why no real ‘action’ takes place and it’s all character emotion that drive the plot forward.

Many ways a character can express or subtly hint at their emotions. Sometimes they’re impulsive and transparent, wearing their hearts on their sleeves. (AMY) Sometimes their shy or subtle, opting to mask their emotions deep below the surface until they can’t help but ‘leak’ their emotions out during the climactic reveal and ‘breaking point’ for their character or plot summary. (Sonic.) Sometimes their so out of it, or not even in tune with their own emotions that they play them off and go cynical with it all. (Sometimes, I see this as Classic Sonic, but not always.), there are many more. Find them all! lol

As for my bigger fanfictions, I do make a summary, which is the full story condensed into a page or so worth of ‘notes’ as I refer to them. It’s not as neat as labeling Act 1-3, but it does give me a basic outline.

For Example, you can’t use your summary outline for your summary to your story. Your summary should have the reader asking questions so they’ll want to engage with the story. Instead, your Summary Outline should look like this:

Sonic and Amy, during a normal fight with Eggman, suddenly mention a tough topic for the both of them that causes some bickering and tension. When the tension accelerates beyond normal teasing, the two end up accidentally losing their tempers and hurting each other. Eggman, deciding drama’s not what he wanted today, sends a fully-armed attack at them while their distracted, thinking it a good opportunity to catch Sonic off-guard. However, though Sonic looks like he’s about to get whammed by the ambush, Amy pushes him out of the way and they survive. Amazed, Sonic rushes over to her, “Amy! W-why… Why did you jump in the way like that? I don’t get it… Weren’t you mad?” He hovers over her as she weakly squints an eye up at him (NOTE: This part is getting more detailed, can you tell? It’s the climax of the story and should have much more detail and notes going on. Even dialogue that can be rewritten or changed. It’s okay to have notes like this for your most dramatic scene, and keep the rest of it generally swift, but try not to go too vague. If you do, you may forget how you wanted to write that part, and that’s NO GOOD! -Sonic reference, lol!) “S-Sonic… Don’t you understand?!” She wobbly gets up to lean up into his face, “No matter how mad you may make me, or how awful our bantering gets, I will still love you no matter what!” (Exciting Incident, Amy’s confession, which will lead to a reaction in not only Sonic but the audience. This is the height of the climax and when things start to go down, but Sonic’s climax is right after this– example: ) Sonic, taken back by her words, suddenly smiles, “I can do no wrong by you… can I?” Amy smiles, and when Sonic realizes she’s not teasing or messing around this time, loses the smile and has his eyes scan her for any sign of humor. When none is found, he embraces her, “…Thank you… Amy.” (This is the point you begin the falling action, which is also the beginning of Act 3, which starts at the ending of the climax and continues towards the resolution, the lasting effect or result of the climax. What has now changed for the characters? What is their new reality? In Drama, there needs to be a few players: Victim, Villian, and Rescuer. Rescuer has to lose every time, then the dynamic will change to Victim as a Villain, and Villian as Victim. This then turns into ‘Creator of the drama’ which is neither victim nor villain, to two supports, ‘Challenger’ <– I usually make this Tails, Knuckles, or Sonic, btw. Who will work together with the Creator to make a solution, or the Coach <— Shadow, Rouge, or Eggman when I write. A Couch does not get emotionally attached to the drama or Creator of it, instead, they usually remain distant with words of harsh encouragement, or sad truth, and power-up the Creator to solving their own issues, kinda like “Suck it up, why are you dragging me into this? Here’s what you can do and you can do it cause you’re strong enough to powerhouse through anything. Now give me 20!” “Y-yes sir!” In this case, Sonic and Amy created the drama, but Amy became the Challenger for Sonic to solve his differences and even go as far as to embrace her in his gratitude. He won’t lose her, so he doesn’t have to worry if they fight. It will work out in the end. That’s how strong their bond is, and Sonic needed that reminder. There doesn’t always need to be three players, but if there is two, they have to become what the other needs during the drama.) Sonic then turns to Eggman, cocky and snarky as usual, but this time, with an arm around Amy’s shoulders. They fight together and beat Eggman, still lightly joking with one another, but not as bad as before. Eggman is confused, defeated, he asks what happened. Amy and Sonic confidently look to each other, and together, wink slyly and say, “Friends fight together!” Before Sonic says, “Doesn’t mean they’ll leave ya if you have different opinions then them.” He smiles to her as she nods and continues his sentence for him, looking to him with love and admiration. “It just means you’re two different people, and that’s just fine by me! Otherwise, the world would be so boring!” (The lesson is usually delivered towards the end of Act 3, maybe not as strongly as this was. Sometimes, the lesson can be subtle and should be too. You don’t want to write ‘on the nose’ unless you’re writing for children very young, but in my opinion, Children are super smart too and pick up on a lot! My advice is to write strongly and powerfully even if it’s just for children audiences. They’re smarter than you think!) “And dull!” Sonic remarks, as the two of them laugh. Unable to comprehend their strange mood swings, Eggman grips his head and ducks down, frowning profusely, “Ahh… Now I have a headache…” (<— Villian usually doesn’t change by end of Act 3, this is to show that ‘Villians’ are labeled as people who can’t get the lesson or refuse to change. Which makes them the Villian, unchangeable, which is bad! All heroes change, that’s how you know who is the true main character of a story, who is going through the most life-changing things right now? That’s his or her story then.)

And by the end, your audience will have understood the climb your characters took to reach that resolution, and they–themselves–reach a conclusion to their emotional relief. (People hate cliffhangers so much because you leave the Audience suspended in their need for closure, but that also addicts them to your story… so Authors can’t help but use it XD But we hate having it used on ourselves!!! Curiosity doesn’t kill your story, only your cat! And the satisfaction of knowing brings it back ;)b)

Was it hard for your characters to reach a conclusion?

Did that help? Lol This plot I made was rather simple, but I hope it taught it some stuff I like to think about when making a story! :D Drama is SO IMPORTANT! Remember to think of their character cores as well, what traits could create conflict in them and in others? What traits could help them learn and cope through that trauma? These are all important, and Romance usually has a ‘revelation’ or ‘impulsive excitement push’ around 10-15 pages/minutes when writing or watching a romance plot. I call it the ‘push’ because you can tell the writer is trying to nudge the two together. In film, you see them get bumped up against each other and then apologize but the girl moves her hair as a distraction and the boy looks away, but both are nervous and awkwardly blushing. That’s another ‘push’ in my book towards the romantic subplot.)

(Then they notice their cute, they keep seeing each other, la-de-dah, even AMY wanted this to happen!)

(Remember, this is Amy’s ‘day-dream’ sequence, it’s interesting how she thinks of Sonic, versus how he actually portrays himself. Useful info for writing Sonamy XD)

Alright! How’d I do? What Sonic and Amy stories will you create, my precious Anon friend? Good luck! And I can’t wait to see the success you find!

#ask cutegirlmayra #sonamy #sonicxamy #sonic #sonic prompts #sonic fanfiction #cutegirlmayra ask #cutegirlmayra #story writing #me story advice #me advice #cutegirlmayra advice

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littlepurinsesu · 5 years ago

Text

V Watches MagiReco - Episode 9 Review

*Spoilers for Magia Record Anime Episode 9*

I... have mixed feelings about this episode O___O While some parts were definitely well-done (like, REALLY well-done), there were some others that left me a bit underwhelmed and wanting something more?

Don’t get me wrong, by no means was it not a good episode, because it was. But I’m gonna try my hardest to pinpoint why I felt that while some parts were amazing, others really could have been done better.

The phone conversation with Iroha and AI had some top-notch imagery going on in the background. As expected of a PMMM spin-off, every single frame probably has some deep and profound symbolism if you really wanted to pause and analyse each one. There’s never a dull moment on screen; even when all that’s happening is a phone conversation, they know how to hold your attention by giving your eyes a feast with that amazingly trippy and surreal kind of art style that PMMM is known for.

I, too, was a bit disappointed that Madoka and Homura didn’t show up, and by the looks of it, they probably won’t be making their appearance during Sana’s arc at all, which makes yet another major deviation the anime has made. But it’s not that huge of a deal to me because I know they’ll appear at some other point and I’m sure they had their reasons for making this change (hopefully for something better!). I’m happy to let the new characters take the spotlight; I actually think it’s a better choice than constantly relying on the Holy Quintet to build hype and satisfy the fans, which could actually draw attention and focus away from the main plot sometimes. This is how I personally feel, at least ^^;;

That being said, although I didn’t mind Madoka and Homura not being there, I did have some issues with Iroha’s entrance into the Rumour. It just happened... way too quickly and suddenly? I expected a bit more dialogue between the characters, especially since Yachiyo’s expression and comment about jumping off the tower not killing magical girls should have been a big indicator that she knows something (wink wink). I think that might have been a good chance to foreshadow the reveal that comes with Chapter 6, and maybe add a bit more mystery to Yachiyo’s unrevealed past. But the biggest problem I had with this scene was the way Iroha jumped lol. She just... jumped. Like it was no big deal. And it was even weirder because she technically “fell” while reaching out to catch Lil’ Kyubey, but there was hardly any reaction xD She also happened to be in the middle of a sentence while talking to Yachiyo LOL clearly that “jump” wasn’t a planned or prepared one xD I just really felt like the dialogue wasn’t finished or something was cut somewhere in there? They were talking and suddenly down she goes. I know I probably sound extremely nitpicky and this is just a minor detail that doesn’t really make much difference to the story (none at all, in fact), but I just found her apathy somewhat unrealistic and strange, which broke the immersion for me during what should have been a very crucial and heart-pounding moment. Unless Iroha’s just super brave and isn’t afraid of heights at all? Maybe? xD

Anyway, back to the positive stuff! Sana’s backstory was depicted really well. Again, absolutely amazing visuals (I especially liked the use of shoes and dinosaurs). And Sana’s bond with AI was portrayed even better than in the game, in my opinion. It was the most heartwarming and bittersweet relationship, and it’s amazing to see how AI slowly changes in Sana’s company. By the way, their chess game with little puppies and kittens was adorable omg x) I’d love to write more on Sana and AI, but I don’t really have anything specific to say except that I just really, really loved how their relationship was portrayed. Definitely the best part about this week’s episode.

And now comes my biggest complaint: Alina’s debut. As one of the most popular and interesting MagiReco characters, I’m sure the entire fandom was looking forward to how the anime would go about introducing her. I don’t know if I just set my expectations too high or anything, but her entrance was extremely underwhelming for me. And a lot of the reasons were exactly the same as my dissatisfaction with Iroha’s jump: too rushed and too many missed opportunities. She just kind of appeared out of nowhere, and while I do appreciate the “shock value”, what annoyed me was the lack of of a proper “introduction” she got. AI stated her name, and Iroha questioned if she was a member of the Wings of Magius, but we didn’t get any answers. There was no explanation on who she was or what she was doing there, how she got in and what her relationship with AI was. Game players would know, of course, but I’m concerned that anime-only viewers will have no idea what’s going on and probably also have no idea that they just met one of the most important and popular characters of the franchise right now. Essentially, they’re just gonna be seeing a very flamboyant and crazy girl enter and wreck havoc but with no explanation about why she was doing what she was doing or what her connection was with the current situation and the bigger picture of the plot thus far. She just comes in and steals the spotlight, and while game players know that she definitely deserves the spotlight given who she is, anime-only viewers are probably going to be left wondering why this random green girl just came in, who the heck she is, and why everything is about her all of a sudden.

Another crucial piece of information that got lost in that very rushed and chaotic introduction was the fact that Alina actually used the word “Doppel”, which is the first time the term has been dropped in the anime. But again, no one even responded or reacted in any way (at least do the cliche thing where the protagonist repeats “Doppel?” or something LOL), but no she just keeps rambling on and yet another crucial piece of information is lost in the shuffle. What makes it possibly even more confusing is that her Doppel really doesn’t look like the Doppels we’ve seen so far; it could pass as her shooting random bits of paint-like oozy stuff instead, so I’m really struggling to see how anime-only viewers are going to make that connection and put the pieces together.

And if her entrance was underwhelming, then her “exit” was probably even worse lol. She just... disappears xD It’s quite anticlimactic considering how it looked like we were gearing up for Sana vs. Alina, and then she just suddenly gets kicked out lmao. I get that she’ll be back really soon, but it still felt way too abrupt? I think my main gripe about everything to do with Alina’s debut can be summed up in two words: too rushed. There’s so much about her character that’s interesting and vital to the story, but everything either gets glossed over really quickly or just dropped here and there with no response from the other characters. Even if they didn’t want to get into details right away, which is also fine, they could still have slowed down and built up some mystery and tension so that we’ll want to find out more about her because we’re interested and curious, and not because we have no idea what’s going on. Her appearance should have brought some answers to the questions raised throughout the story thus far, but instead she just brought more confusion and chaos lol.

But her entrance wasn’t all negative! They absolutely nailed her mannerisms. Basically everything that makes her so infamously crazy was delivered flawlessly. Her expressions, her movements, her voice, her speech, her word choice... she definitely entered with a BANG and she’s no doubt going to leave a deep impression on viewers, whether they understand her deal or not lol. The voice-acting was also top-notch, as expected of her seiyuu. Alina’s one of those characters where you really need to hear her speaking and see her moving to experience the full extent of her "charm”, and I’d say the anime definitely delivered in that respect and portrayed her uniqueness in a strong and memorable way, so props to them for that :D

^ I really wanted to use this image for this week’s review, but it’s technically Sana’s episode so I stuck with Sana xD Oh, and another thing I definitely loved about her entrance was hearing her saying so many of her lines from the game battles ^^

... Wow I just rambled and ranted for four whole paragraphs about Alina’s introduction, sheesus... Onto some other stuff now, shall we? ^^;;

One of the most interesting things to me about AI was how her appearance changes to become more and more like Sana. This is another example where the anime is able to illustrate things that the game isn’t capable of, and while I’m not sure if it’s a change or I simply missed it in the game because of the static AI sprite, I definitely liked this little detail. It not only shows how AI slowly becomes more and more human, but also highlights the fact that her form resembling Sana implies the influence that Sana has had on her. Sana is all AI has really ever known about humans and the “real” world, and all the human feelings and emotions she gains are because of Sana. It makes perfect sense that when she takes on a more human-like appearance, it’s going to resemble Sana in some respect. The little detail with the crown near the end was also really sweet ;___;

I really do think “mixed feelings” is the best way to describe my overall impression of this week’s episode xD Sana’s backstory and her relationship with AI had me in tears, but Iroha’s jump and Alina’s debut definitely had me raising my eyebrows a few times. I can overlook the Iroha part as just me being nitpicky over a trivial detail, but I really do hope that they step up their game with Alina next week. They definitely did her justice on a surface level, but in terms of her significance and relevance to the plot, not so much. She’s such an important character and her appearance marks a major plot point, so I hope we get the explanations and clarifications needed soon.

I have even higher expectations for next week, since not only is the showdown with Alina something I’ve been looking forward to for a while, but I’m also hoping that they “rectify” some of the issues this week lol. Fingers crossed that Alina gets some better writing, and they continue doing the amazing job they’ve done so far with Sana’s story! ^^

Sorry I’m so much more “negative” this week compared to how I usually am with my reviews, but I was looking forward to Alina’s appearance so much and was really sad to feel any ounce of disappointment :( Hopefully next week’s review will be back to just me fangirling throughout hehe~

#magia record #magireco #puella magi madoka magica #puella magi madoka magica side story #pmmm #fandom #mine #anime #review #magia record review #v watches magireco

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moviestorian · 5 years ago

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Im glad the asks helped! I have anxiety and depression and can understand what youre going through. My ask today is what are your thoughts on Bo Rhap as a movie?

Thanks! :) I’m above all extremely happy to see people on this site being so kind and supportive in time of need, it’s a human quality that will never get enough praise! I’m also really sorry to hear about your problems. :( I send you lots of love, I can imagine how difficult it must be for you, but I’m sure you're strong and coping❤️

As for your actual question - that’s some truly excellent and interesting timing, considering that I rewatched BoRhap (with @incblackbird) literally three days ago. :P It was already my third rewatch, and while I enjoyed the movie overall, I liked it quite significantly less than upon the last time I saw it. Of course, there’s been gazillion discourses about BoRhap, whether it’s genius, extremely evil, etc., but since it’s such a broad topic (and I think some of my opinions could potentially outrage certain parts of the fandom), this time I’m going to stick to purely cinematic terms.

Needless to say, the soundtrack is excellent - with music such as Queen’s you don’t really have to do much, but they made a good choice of songs, alternating between their best known hits (We Will Rock You, Somebody to Love, Bohemian Rhapsody) and songs to fit the narrative (Doing All Right, Now I’m Here, Who Wants to Live Forever, Love of my Life). It’s practically impossible to leave the screening of BoRhap without at least one Queen song stuck in your head.

The cast was overall very good, too. My personal favourites in terms of acting were Gwilym Lee (who I liked even more than Rami), Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton and Allen Leech - I think they did a great job with their roles as they were written (whether their characters were well written or not is a subject for a whole another discussion). All the side characters were well acted, too (Mike Myers, Meneka Das and Aaron McCusker, for instance, I found particularly memorable), but I must admit I wasn’t a big fan of Joe Mazzello and Ben Hardy, but even they weren’t bad. So, acting is definitely one of the strongest points of the film.

Moving on, I also think they did a great job when it comes to costumes (Brian lending some of his old clothing definitely helped) and make-up (except for Roger’s wigs, perhaps); the choreography and stage movement for the characters were super well done, too - and it definitely wasn’t an easy task!

Now, let’s discuss cinematography. I will talk about editing in a separate paragraph, so for now I’m gonna stick to other aspects. The composition of shots struck me as rather mediocre, nothing particularly exceptional in either good or bad way, it was pretty basic but rather correct. Of course, there were some shots I really liked, but if I were to start adding screenshots the post would become way too long. XD The colours I really liked, especially in the musical scenes - they were vivid and lovely, and they used a combination of colours that I tend to appreciate in cinema, like various shades of blue and red. Finally, the camerawork - for dialogue scenes it was correct; again, rather average with some use of handheld camera which served no particular dramatic purpose, but it wasn’t nowhere near very bad, also it’s quite a common thing in modern biopics I would say. Handheld camerawork isn’t bad in default, but my comment largely comes from my personal preferences: in most cases I don’t really like it, especially when it’s particularly shaky. Then, there are scenes in BoRhap which display excellent camerawork, namely Live Aid and We Will Rock You scenes. If most scenes were filmed like that, I would give the movie a higher rating.

Before I move to the worst (imo) cinematic aspects of the movie, let’s have a look at writing. It is probably the most divisive thing in the fandom - people seem to either adore or absolutely loathe it; my stance lies somewhere inbetween. The first time I saw the film (I’m gonna remind you that I’ve seen it four times), I had certain objections, but the script didn’t bother me all that much; I was mostly simply having fun in the cinema. With every next watching, the experience was getting gradually worse, but even now I don’t hate the movie. Yes, some of the dialogue is cheesy, trite and makes me cringe a bit - certain parts of the script definitely end on an “overly sentimental” territory, I can’t deny that. Knowing quite a lot about Freddie, Queen and their stories, I generally think they deserve a better script; some characterisation was a bit offputting and chronology was all over the place. Having said that, I understand where some of those narrative choices come from, as scripts for mainstream movies require oversimplification of events, archetypes, and patterns. And quite frankly, I don’t think BoRhap differs any drastically from most modern biopics; it’s not a masterpiece, but - in my opinion - it’s also not bad overall. Regardless the flaws of the script, the movie still managed to emotionally affect a huge, if not major, portion of viewers, entertain and move them, and honestly? I think that was pretty much the point. Btw, there were some lines that I really loved, like “Puritans in public, perverts in private”, and I still think that their decision to cut from Live Aid performance to Ray Foster’s grim face during We Are the Champions was the funniest shit ever. XD Would BoRhap’s script benefit from sticking to historical accuracy? I’m gonna say yes, I think so - the scenes that were the closest to actual events are definitely the strongest - but this approach would require tons of changes, including narrowing down the narrative scope and probably the characters, too. Also, a lot of people keep forgetting that this is not an arthouse, niche film and therefore resorts to narrative and cinematic choice that compromise between satisfying the fans and the newbies; it’s meant to tell a (simple) story and entertain, not educate and provoke existential and philosophical debates. Still, I think the script could have been done a bit better, because some scenes (the tour “Now I’m Here” montage) feel a bit...random?

Finally, the infamous editing. I totally agree that it was one of the most undeserving Academy Awards that year, because some scenes were simply atrocious, with their unmotivated and overly fast cuts and unreasonably ridiculous face that doesn’t fit the dialogue scenes, and those are honestly the worst when it comes to pacing and editing. I think the editing is the worst aspect of BoRhap; but even here, I could point at some examples of pretty amazing editing (Oscar-worthy? Not necessarily, but definitely very good); again, I’m gonna bring up Live Aid and “We Will Rock You” scenes, especially the latter, because less people talk about it. I already mentioned that it has some really nice camerawork AND colours, but also the editing is actually really cool, because it’s cut to the music! Which makes me think: “what a shame!”, because if they went with different editing choices, the movie would be affected in a positive way. The way we have it, it’s either a hit or miss (sadly, mostly miss), and the badly edited scenes are pretty striking, so the ones that are done nicely are unfortunately a wasted potential.

Okay, this is already waaay too long, so I’m just gonna finish with a few general remarks. Well, despite BoRhap’s flaws, I still like and enjoy it. With every screening slightly less, but enjoy it anyway. I don’t think any amount of discourse will ever take away my positive experiences and memories from seeing it twice in cinema. It sparked my previously dormant love for Queen and united me with some people in the fandom and in real life; making this movie made Brian and Roger happy; as a result, I like this movie. It brings back a lot of positive recollections, which sometimes is more important than critical discussions. And boy, do I adore those - I’m often critical and I adore analysing stuff academically; but I think that not all daily interactions require those and depending on who’s asking and what about, I’m capable of switching between the two options. If somebody asks me in 25 years whether I remember the times of BoRhap’s release, I’ll be far less likely to say “yeah, the editing sucked and writing was cringy, I remember the discourse on tumblr and instagram” than “Yes, I remember that chilly evening in December when I had a really fun time and ended up with 10 Queen songs stuck in my head”, because the latter is the experience I want to remember.

Thank you for this ask! Hope it wasn’t overly exhausting to read, I didn’t proofread this, sorry! xx

#answered #anonymous #is this my #the film anon #?#wera talks queen #borhap #welll this ended up longer than i even expected XD #i was trying to be as objective as possible but it's possible that i sneaked some unpopular opinions in there :P #wera talks film

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thelittlehansy · 5 years ago

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My general opinion of frozen 2

Positive (what i like) :

1- pdbfkghzyz (i have no words 😍😍)

omgggg

woaaaaaa

damn !

this is...this...this is incredible !

i...i just cant...right now this is too much beautiful

2- the mythology of the movie

the explore more about frozen/arendelle world and it was great !

i want one !

2-That girl !she is funny ! She is crazy ! She is anna of arendelle and i love her top 5 favorite princess this movie made me realize why i love her personality so much !

3- that little man he is hilarious and he made the whole movie for me and it is coming from someone who didnt find him funny in the first.

samantha?

4-which lead to this point : humors ! i find the humor really great in the movie !

negative :

1- plot

i Find the plot complex confusing a lot of thing where in it and in the end not very well developp

This one is about my personal taste so i cant judge the movie about that but i dont find explaining elsa power to be a big deal at all it had on me the same effect as belle mom arc in the beauty and the beast remake. Pointless to me !

2- the characters understand things a bit too fast ?

Or maybe i m dumb !😅

I dont understand how anna understand that the solution was to destroy the dam so easily ? 🤨 so i go to see the movie a second time and still dont get it.

3-antagonist

i do find also that the movie lack of a antagonist the element were not enough developp to me. then we have elsa and anna grandfather but he was a villain that was already dead and really i would have like to be scared for our characters that something may happen to them. for example in moana , the lack of villain in the plot was what made moana one of my least favorite movie but there was some moment when i was fearing for her and i didnt really have that for frozen 2

this point is really complex because there are a lot of people who really are fan of story without villain , i used to like them but in the end i prefer story with ones, villain are impactful they make the plot even more memorable. so yeah i do find this is a weak point of the movie even tought a lot of people find that this is great thing there was no villain.

4- the song

They were decent i listen to them after but nothing unique i just feel that we cant sing them like the one in the first one. I definitely dont like that much show yourself ( i think this is an unpopular opinion ) the sequence was gorgeous and my favorite from the movie but the song itself i prefer into the unknown. so basically i just didnt find the song memorable.

5- magic

magic is weird in the movie ? Esa power also ? 🤔 all of this are not very well explain. I left the lovie confuse as what are exactly elsa powers.

6- the subplot

i love kristoff and i really think they could have come with something better than the fails proposals for him he has a true personality and could have be more than anna accesory.

there was some response of anna that were not very natural i m thinking about her reaction in the sleight the supblot could have be write better to me.

7- new characters !

i would have love them to be so much more developpp i m thinking especially about matthias ! who i was very impatient to know more about ! but in the end he was not really used in the movie.

8- the end !

so.... this is a big subject XD something that is very controversial in the movie a lot of people like it ! a lot of people hate it ! a lot of people hate this trend disney had to separate character ! ( didnt kew toy story 4 was hate i like it)

so...i was first spoil ! and when i read about them ! i like it ! a like it a lot ! it could have add some melancholy about the movie to have this end and i tought it could a great end for the franchise. 🤔

but now after watching the movie...i change my mind !

one of my problem is Anna ! so apparently the writors made a test for the characters and anna has leaders capacities there was also their wish to make them a queen ( this is what i read) and i tought it was not well executed in the movie. in the movie we saw anna having leaders capacities but neither do we know how anna felt about being a queen and if she wants to be queen in the movie it felt like elsa has found how free herself and then anna accept it because elsa cannot do it anymore. anna is there to do the job that her sister cannot do anymore. it could have be great to know more about anna feeling if she is excited ? if she felt pressure ?

i agree with some people that say this end contradict frozen theme. i get this movie is suppose to be about changes but the thing is that in the first elsa decision to go on the north mountain was show as a bad decision in the movie. everything that she did was suppose to something bad the movie was about family. there was this scene before for the first time in forever reprise where elsa say to anna that her place is in arendelle and anna respond to her than her place also is in arendelle. Elsa respond that no she is mean to stay in the castle. Also it is true that elsa and anna are the center of the franchise so separate them like that could feel strange lets also say that they are not normal sisters they were already separate during 13 years there is still the moment at the end where anna say to elsa see each others for charades but it just dont feel the same they are still separated a the end only share like 8 years together since they are little 🤔 ? So Very mixed about the end.

9- hans cameo

Boring , unnecesserary , there was already previous cameo before like that and i dont like what topic disney has made hans represent in the franchise ( severe bullying ,abuse , physical abuse mockering (the source of hans plans in frozen ) and at the same time using him as a punching back to be mock. Want to laugh about him disney ? do it ! But dont give the backstory he had in a frozen heart. To me this is ironic in a sick way. (Yeah i have read that book the summer before the movie came in theater 😄)

10- dialogue and interaction (?)

I dont have read a lot about them so maybe this is just me..

but i tought the dialogue in some part of the movie were forced , unatural. And had the same feeling about how the characters move when they interact with each others.

Basically the dialogue and interaction bewteen the character give me the same impression that when i watched an episode of pretty little liars or once upon a time 😄😄(no offense to the actors really but the acting is not often great on this show)

Now that i have made the list of what i like and what i dislike i realize they are more nagative things that positive 😅 as a conclusion to me frozen 2 was is a decent sequel with flaws i enjoy it but i prefer the first one who is more like classic disney movie.

#frozen 2 #frozen #elsa #anna #kristoff #disney #queen elsa #queen anna

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lookbluesoup · 6 years ago

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Top 5 Quests? Basegame, DLC, or a combination, if you like. ^^

Oooh good question!! Thank you! :D Okay some of these are sad and some of these are funny (hopefully). It’s hard to pick favorites, I like so many! But these are the ones that spring most readily to mind. Probably WAY MORE information about each than you needed or wanted but I’m in a talkative mood and it’s 4am so self-restraint is basically nonexistent!!!! Also I like sharing!

5. Not strictly a quest? But in Far Harbor, the cranberry bog where you find the map and repair the equipment, and collect journal scraps written by a kid who lived there right before Halloween in 2077. That was so melancholy. Finding the family in their bunker and being able to put together just bits and pieces of what had happened and what went wrong really left an impression.

4. Precipice of War / Rocket’s Red Glare - It hurt me. A lot. Having to kill Haylen was awful, I didn’t want to do it. Even though she doesn’t hesitate. It just, really drove home “war never changes.” That people who could have been friends and allies might inadvertently end up at odds in the worst way. How unfair both sides of the bloodshed felt. And what a devastating thing it is to run out of options for peace, in spite of best efforts. I also didn’t manage to sneak all the way through the Prydwen, and that brought a lot of inspiration for Nate’s canon - Arthur recognizes Nate through the disguise when he detours from the mission to try to evacuate the squires off the ship before the detonation. The two men fight, viciously, but Nate comes out on top (albeit beat to hell) and flees for his life. Deacon and Tom’s banter on the vertibird was great, some much needed comic relief in what was otherwise a very emotionally draining mission for me xD But, draining in a good way. It brings out such a somber mood to think back on. From a storytelling perspective, I love the dilemma of ravaging the Prydwen and ending possibly thousands of lives to protect your Railroad family and a future for synth-kind. That ruined Nate. I’m so sorry buddy.

3. Restoring Order - This quest took me SO LONG because I was in survival but couldn’t find a bed, determined to wear my Shroud outfit to get the special dialogue options with Isabel instead of better armor, and also my game crashed the first time I completed the fight. So I died. A lot. And replayed HUGE SECTIONS of this quest. A lot. I actually ended up using a cheat save just to, make it feasible. By the end I’d memorized most of the robot’s spawn patterns. I was streaming for a friend too, so they got to see me struggle x’D ANYWAY memorability of the experience aside, I love Isabel. I love being able to have Shroud/Mechanist dialogue. I love Nate seeing Isabel had the best intentions but her efforts got a lot of people hurt, relating to that because of his experience with the Institute and Brotherhood, and forgiving her immediately without any reservation.

2. The Silver Shroud - Look this entire thing was golden. Running around impersonating a superhero is too good. I loved every minute. Kent is a BABY and I ADORE HIM. It took every single drug buff in my inventory and a lot of luck/reloading to save Kent in that final mission but AUGH, worth it. I mean Nate’s comedown after that was probably terrible and he was sick for a week. But that’s not the point. We saved Kent, against the odds. We got to be the hero. We learned a valuable lesson about real life not being quite the same as radio classics. Piper snarked along and even approved of the shenanigans. So good. 11/10.

1. Mystery Meat - I am very sentimental this one because, in Nate’s canon, it was an accidental nightmare. I’d didn’t know jack about this quest coming in, so his surprise? Mine also. He’d heard some questionable things about the Cannery, so he and Piper start snooping around after Theodore Collins hires them to clear out the rats. Goes down the elevator. Realizes there’s only a dark tunnel down there. Ha,, Nate’s very claustrophobic, that’s a hard no. Time to go back up. Except now the elevator button doesn’t work. And apparently Theodore Collins can’t hear them calling. And wow, this is starting to smell fishy. Eventually realize that if they want to get out they have to take the tunnels in hopes of finding another exit. Great. Fan-freaking-tastick. So THEN they have to WADE THROUGH deep narrow dark cold half-submerged sewer pipes full of SURPRISE! ghouls! for hours only to find out at the end of mystery horror circus hour what’s really been going on at the cannery. Wow. Yeah. Okay. Nate is 371% D O N E with everything All. Of. This.

By the time he and Piper come shambling back out into the production area, they’re soaked to the bone with rotting sewage water and feeling a little lot like death rolled over. But that’s not enough nonsense. No. Theodore Collins fancies himself a sniper who’s going to sit in his little catwalk perch and shoot them both right there to silence the truth. T h e o d o r e C o l l i n s finishes his Radio Classic Villain monologue and takes aim, and Nate, who is a real, actual, trained by the army sniper, shoots Theodore Collins right in the face. Makes short work of the packaging robots. Walks out the door. And has never, ever, returned to Longneck Lukowski’s Cannery.

#long post #wyn gabs #text #fallout #fallout 4 #nate ronan #ask #top 5/10 #mystery meat #the silver shroud #restoring order #precipice of war #rockets red glare #far harbor

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onewhoturns · 6 years ago

Text

HOKAY time for some thoughts on episode one, in no particular order (even if they started out vaguely chronological to the episode). (Heads up: totally loved it and can’t wait for another episode)

*SPOILERS INCOMING (some, anyway)*

1) Okay, Asriel is not nearly as cold as he is in the books, but I think he still has that element of ‘actually probably not a good role model, really, he’ll fuck you up’ that is essential to the character, but also more funny which I really liked. Could totally tell McAvoy knew the character and it played well. Also lbr his little moment with Lyra on her bed when he was like ‘so now you wake up’ and suddenly got all sardonic again, I loved that. Also, for real, the ‘I’ll break your arm first’ bit - taken straight from the dialogue in the book - I’m really glad they kept that. Cause, like I said, he’s not this ideal role model, he’s not that kind of figure, and that should be clear.

2) So Lyra is already super aware of the armored bears (which she isn’t in the book), but not of Iofur’s lil quirk (which she kinda sorta is in the book). Curious to see how this will manifest later, maybe just the alethiometer giving her the idea?

3) hhhh the Billy/Tony thing... disappointing. I really like having Billy Costa as a legit friend of Lyra’s, and that’s disappointing. PLUS: how great could that sequence of the soft-hands kidnapping and coddling have been? With the letter burning at the end?? like damn, that’s such a good image, it’s a shame that’s not there. Also, fuck, now the Tony thing in the North is gonna hurt even more, and we won’t get the your brother and the Gyptians thing, which is disappointing. And the fox guy? What? Eh. Not feelin it. But I guess if they want a big reveal that’s fair.

4) Also, I kinda loved the thing about the Gyptian community stuff?? Like, admittedly, some bits felt cheesy, but at the same time, whatever her name is who plays Ma Costa -- when she was choking up over them abandoning the search I legit had my eyes watering, she’s good, I like her. Farder Coram was... ehhh, that one Gobblers line... hh -.- A variation on that line is spoken by John Faa later and that felt like a better delivery or maybe just phrasing. Putting the children call them in there, that feels like it takes it from less cartoony to more serious. But I’m sure I’ll like Coram more once we get some stuff with him and Lyra and that. But back to the Gyptians; interesting customs, and I appreciate this idea of being a place for the outcasts even if I always kinda considered them like... idk, sorta like my childhood understand of Romani people? Oh, also; kinda disappointed with the narrowboats, not gonna lie. I was hoping for wood over fiberglass, but whatever. I also am thinking of how I read them as a kid and I always imagined nice wood exteriors. But the change in aesthetic time setting changed as well from the books, I think.

5) THE SCENE WITH THE MASTER AND THE LIBRARIAN! I could practically speak along with them, it’s straight from the book and I LOVE IT FOR THAT, cause the thing with the betrayal- YES. Admittedly, my feelings on the Master.... hh -.- I mean, some accents come easily and others don’t. I really like the actor himself, but that accent is eesh. I do love the Librarian though, I like him so much more than in the books, I really felt his protective nature of her, that was nice.

6) NO ALICE? No Mrs. Lonsdale? This is disappointing, to have the flood at the beginning but no lil Alice easter egg in there. (But I mean, fair, whatever. Having Lyra addressing the college staff and servants by name when looking for Roger served a similar purpose of establishing her as being taken care of by the people of Jordan, but I just miss her. Probably cause I’ve been reading TSC.)

7) “No secrets”?? What?? WHY? That one line I was like wtf Lyra, you LOVE secrets and lies, like what?? I dunno, that line hit sour for me, but they moved past pretty quick.

8) The time setting is a little disappointing to me, not because of losing the steampunky sorta aesthetic from my head, but because LYRA REFUSING TO WEAR PANTS INSTEAD OF A SKIRT was so funny to me as a kid, and really symbolized a huge difference between her world and Will’s, and then Ma Costa is on her boat wearing pants and I’m like... damn. Now we don’t get a stuck up Lyra being like ‘ha! pants are for BOYS’ which I think is so stupid and funny.

9) YES that Siri bit with Lyra was SO FUNNY oh my god. I’d seen comments on here and then when I saw it in the show I started laughing, like it was so funny. Not in a bad way, either, just funny.

10) DAMN Ruth Wilson is ON POINT. I’m trying to remember what the moment was when I thought ‘oh, she’s good.’ Maybe while walking with Lyra after the meal? I mean, even just walking in, that knowing look while she’s taking her time and the scholars are rushing around her, that was great. The thing about bringing Roger along felt so natural I actually wondered ‘wait is that in the books?’ even though I have the books half-memorized from reading and rereading probably like 15+ times in my life. So good work there. OH I remember what it was, the part where she was like ‘are you sure I’m not boring you?’ like HA that was so well acted imo, like it was so casual and felt almost like an actor breaking character in a weird way, like it was so natural. Anyway. Yeah, like her. DID NOT like her recognizing the Gobblers, though. Maybe a weird distinction, but it just felt off for whatever reason. But I suppose we shall see how it plays out. I’m excited to find out xD

Basically: GOOD SHIT, WILL WATCH MORE (of course)

#bbc hdm #bbc hdm spoilers #his dark materials #his dark materials spoilers #hdm spoilers #hdm episode 1

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the-risen-tide · 6 years ago

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OKAY SO, I finally went to see the new Cats movie in theaters. I wanted to give myself a bit to collect my thoughts, because HOO BOY are there thoughts. Not terrible ones though...like my reviews of everything else, I gave it a look with a level head.

Because I can’t really review without spoilers, I’m going to put my thoughts under a cut. Read at your own peril.

Now, I’d promised myself ages ago that I’d go into the movie with an open mind and a clear head. I’d already seen reviews that were divided greatly on it (mostly between people who’d already seen Cats on stage and those that have never seen it ever), but as usual it’s a good idea to have your own opinion.

That said.

I loved it.

The weird part is, at first, I came away from it thinking that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. But everything about it from the visuals to the music (especially the new song, I’ll get to that in a bit) and the story, all of it was still sticking with me after I left the theater, and I began loving it more in hindsight than I did sitting there in the moment, if that makes sense.

Cats has always been one of those shows that breaks quite a few rules of what people think a show should be. More an opera than a musical, more a dance/ballet performance than a story, with a look that allows the audience to use their imaginations, and as such can put more than a few people off of it. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but despite that, it’s memorable, and has a great following. The movie seemed to try to take that feeling from the stage show, strange and mystifying and daunting (maybe even a bit awkward), yet charming and inspiring and heart-catching. In many ways it succeeded, and some ways it didn’t...and where it didn’t was probably mostly the fault of the presentation. And of course, opinions are going to vary wildly on it.

But anyway, for those that know and love the show, it’s a good idea to see this one as just another production, an alternate canon, because you can’t compare each production to each other (much less a movie to a stage show), as that’s where an adaptation fails in everyone’s minds. This one seemed to take inspiration from the original 1981 production and build a new story from the ground up, while of course still keeping the music and songs that everyone loves. The lyrics of some of the songs do call back to the original production (the version of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer used was from that one, and not from the 1998 video and subsequent performances, which I found surprising; but not displeasing, they did it very well), and while I was a little disappointed that Jemima/Sillabub wasn’t an important character as she is in the stage show, I remember Lloyd Webber at first wanting a kitten character with both Victoria’s dance prowess and Jemima’s singing prowess, who embodies the show as a whole. He got what he wanted in movie form with Victoria, and they took the character to a whole different direction than the original, which was interesting.

So, to sum up, one can see this movie as an adaptation of the original ideas for the stage show. It isn’t my personal canon concept, but it’s one I ended up liking just as much. Now, here are my personal likes and dislikes.

Dislikes: The background characters aren’t given as much personality as they are on stage, or at least, aren’t shown as much personality; and with many of them taking on different designs, it’s hard to tell who’s who until you see the credits, where everyone’s named. You only ever know a few of the main characters, their own stories, and that’s it. Not even Munkustrap gets named directly, and he’s still got his role as the sort-of narrator and introduction to the world of the Jellicles. Of course, this is probably a minor grudge, as background characters can’t be as prevalent in a movie version without it going on longer than needed. But, at least they’re still there, and still lend their charm to the setting, and perhaps in subsequent watches I’ll be able to see more of who everyone is and what they’re doing.

Still, leaving characters in the background also means leaving various character relationships behind, save for the main ones. Demeter, who in the stage show is still an ensemble character (but an important one for the subplot of Macavity), has been downgraded to another of many minor characters; Cassandra now mostly fills the role of a forefront ensemble singer, and nobody really seems to have anything that connects one to another emotionally. Basically it was like the relationships common to many of the productions were ret-conned or tossed altogether; the focus is on the main characters. But again, another minor grievance, as it is a movie, and a separate production, and no production is canon...and we still have our imaginations to go on. X3

Also, personally, I disliked that they made Bombalurina evil. On stage, though she’s presented as the “good-bad girl”, attractive and seductive, she’s still a beloved part of the ensemble, friend to quite a few of the queens, and protective in a sisterly way over Demeter. “Macavity” is meant as a duet with the two warning the others of his malevolent deeds; in the movie, she’s not seen until nearly the end, and the song is sung in praise of him while helping him bring the Ball to a halt. It was a good number, though, and the different take on the character probably had to be there plot-wise...but still, IMHO the character deserves better.

Plus, it’s no wonder why Munkustrap was thought boring by his actor; they didn’t really give him his “protector” role. The fight with Macavity is taken out entirely. Again, Munk as a character also deserves better.

Also, Jennyanydots deserves better. X3 She’s presented as a comedy-relief character, and honestly I think they tried a little too hard with that, along with Bustopher Jones; both of their segments were a tad cringey to me...but theirs were the only ones, really. The music in them was still superb, it was just the way they were presented. They could have probably just stuck Bustopher with the comic-relief role (as he is somewhat in the stage show), and that would’ve been sufficient.

I believe those were my only grievances. Now let’s get to what I liked.

THE MUSIC, first of all. STILL awesome. I feel like, really, the movie kept in what made the stage show important...and as with musicals, that was keeping the tones of the beloved songs, from the overture at the beginning all the way to The Ad-dressing of Cats. That plus the impressive dancing. I could still catch some little bits of choreography from the stage show in them, although mainly it was all revamped for the movie...but they kept the music, so that’s the biggest point (though some were edited down a bit to make time for dialogue; understandable, still). Skimbleshanks’ number has to be the most impressive, by far.

Adding to this, the new song, Beautiful Ghosts, written together by Lloyd Webber and Taylor Swift. Wow. You can tell they made a song that would really fit into the show...it’s haunting and sad, and yet hopeful, and the more I listen to it with Victoria’s story in mind, the more I tear up. It’s brilliant.

The story, I also liked. I admit, it has to be hard to try and make a plot out of a musical that has a fairly bare-bones presentation to it, and is mostly comprised of songs adapted from a poetry book about cats. There are many ways they probably could have taken the plot, but they did it very well, in my opinion; plus they still kept the most important events from the stage show: Grizabella’s redemption arc, and Macavity’s trying to derail things, straight down to kidnapping Old Deuteronomy and her being brought back through Mistofelees’ magic; I love how that bit was presented, too. He and the others are expecting a grandiose magic return, and instead it’s off-screen and softly sung, and as the music swells from solemn to joyous, you know it’s just as magical all the same.

I knew that Growltiger would make an appearance in this, but I didn’t realize he’d be made his own character, when in the play, he’s a character that Gus the Theater Cat played in the past...only the first few lines of his song was sung, too. But at least they kept his appearance from the play, down to the “somewhat-missing” ear. X3 That bit was clever, I liked it.

Also, Victoria and Mistofelees are adorable as heck in this one, can’t lie. XD

Speaking of the characters, the casting too is pretty great. Robert Fairchild, I could see actually playing Munkustrap on stage. He has the same cadence and comforting tone of voice and is a lovely singer. Sir Ian Mckellan, I couldn’t see anyone else playing Gus (he even has a very similar voice to the original 1981 cast member)...and Taylor Swift did make a good Bombalu, if in appearance and voice. X3 And of course we can’t forget Francesca Hayward’s performance as Victoria; hope to see her career expand. Dame Judi Dench made a very regal Deuteronomy (and yes, the thought of a female Deut has grown on me), and it’s good to see that she got to be in Cats, knowing her history. And as predicted, Idris Elba made a pretty sinister Macavity. X3

So, all in all?

This movie probably gets so many negative reviews from the general public, because most of the general public has never seen the musical, and really don’t know what to make of the adaptation. X3 This is definitely not for anyone who doesn’t like musical theater, let alone Cats...I feel that the movie was only made with the true fans in mind. And that’s just fine; not everything has to cater to the public at large, because if you try to do that, it’s not really a passion project. Cats has always been unique, and still is, and there are people out there who very much appreciate the hard work that has been put into it. The sets are phenomenal. The CGI could use work, but for an experimental style, it was done pretty well (yes, it’s possible to get past the uncanny-valley looks of the characters, at least it was for me, because they didn’t bother me in the first place). It shows that they tried hard to stay true to the spirit of the stage show, while also putting something completely new into it. And I think they nailed the spirit, which is the important thing in an adaptation: the spirit.

There’s a few things that could be changed, namely in presentation overall...they could have used another director, to be honest...but the casting, the music, the dancing...heck, some of the designs...that’s all good. Actually it’s funny to me to observe how easy it is to make a musical-type movie into a stage show, a-la The Lion King, but how hard it is to do it the other way around. XP

Would I watch it again? Heck yes. Buy the DVD? Heck yes (especially once they’ve put out the full version). Does it hold up to other productions? No, but I didn’t expect it to; it’s a movie. They took all the essential things and rebuilt it, simple as that.

And so, overall, I give the movie a score of 3.5 out of 5. It’s not my canon, but it’s still good, and you can ignore the hell out of the reviewers, they’re all plebs. XD

Thank you, my dears!

#text post #blog post #movie reviews #cats the movie #cats the musical #cats musical #cats 2019 #cats spoilers

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ethanguin · 6 years ago

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Just about everything I want in the BotW Sequel

• Original and memorable music

the music in botw is BEAUTIFUL but most of it isn’t all that memorable, a lot of the music kinda seems similar. some of them are memorable but mostly becuase they’re remixes or include past Legend of Zelda themes.

so new and risky music is basically what I’m looking for (the orchestral music is cool, so maybe emphasize different instruments??? idk,, I would be fine if all the music stayed the same tbh)

• CAVES

exploring more underground caverns and caves would be SOOO COOL in my opinion. with only a torch light to guide you and keese flying around you and stal monster hideouts. AGH so cool!

and then new cave music that makes it seem ominous and creepy,, that’s what I want. and with dropping water echoing through the caverns and more luminous rocks!! and other glowy rocks that are different colors!!! and maybe a black light sort of thing where link’s clothes glow in a cool way and stal monsters glow!!!! that would be cool

and if link has a glowing hand because of whatever happens in the trailer,, it could be a cool place to show of the glowy powers and magic

• underwater

I was disappointed that you couldn’t dive underwater in botw like in OoT,, so a sequel could be a perfect time to introduce this mechanic (a diving outfit?? like maybe the zora armor could incorporate diving like it does waterfall swimming and spin attacks!!).

and they could have underwater caverns and entrances to caves!!! (I love caves,, can you tell??)

• playable Zelda

everyone wants this one,, so it’s not too surprising. It would be cool to add an optional 2-player option, while unlikely it’s fun to entertain the idea

• MAGIIIIC

while I’m not exactly sure what’s happening with link’s hand in the trailer, it would be cool to introduce some playable magic where link’s hand shoots out glowing power or something. link could have a magic bar and stuff and some meals or materials could boost it. just something I think would be very cool (especially because it doesn’t look like link is wearing the sheikah slate in the trailer, so a magic freakin arm could compensate for that)

• Pet the dogs!!!

ya know,, I love those puppers, I wanna pet them. and play fetch!!!! I tried the other day throwing a tree branch and the dog didn’t go get it :/

• OFFICIAL DUNGEONS

I want full length dungeons that are puzzle based. I want new stuff so that it’s not like shrines so I can start over and figure stuff all out again with my amazing problem solving abilities

I want it to sort of be like shrines in that you can choose what order you do them in because I like that open-world feel and non-linear gaming

• a more fleshed-out story

maybe have some more memories to recover that tell the story instead of a linear story or something? I liked the memories because I got to piece together the whole picture and understand the story, so if they do flesh out the story (which I hope they do), I hope we’re still able to have freedom like we did in botw.

I want to have strong and meaningful relationships!! (and I ship Link and Zelda, at least in botw, so even if they develop a friendship where we get to see them open up to each other I would be happy)

• the hook shot

the hook shot was so fun,, just hooking into something and flying towards it was fun. while breath of the wild added some awesome new mechanics, I just love the hook shot as just a weapon you can have maybe like an ability?? or maybe have a different mechanic that pulls you forward like the hook shot?

• voice acting

I liked the voice acting in botw and I think it would be nice to have an actual voice for Link!! if they get the right person,, I think they could pull it off!! he talks all the time in the dialogue boxes and I think he’s got quite the personality (“let’s seal the deal” xD). I would love to see Link and Zelda having conversations and fighting together!! Zelda could have cool tech she makes (maybe with Robbie or Purah) and Link could have his freakin awesome abilities with maybe some magic involved?? his glowing arm?? (you can see now how much I want a magic link arm lol)

and that’s basically it... comment what you’d like to see!!! and ask me about my opinions if you want

#breathofthewild #zelda #zeldabreathofthewild #botw #botwlink #gaming #zelda botw2 #loz botw2 #botw 2 #botw 2 trailer #legend of zelda #zelda breath of the wild #zelda breath of the wild 2 #IM SO EXCITED #I cant wait for this #freakin amazing game

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kihocrystal · 7 years ago

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Winter 2018 Final Impressions

I’m a month late, as usual (whoops!), but here’s my final thoughts on the animes I watched this past season!

The “reviews” will be in alphabetical order!

3-gatsu no Lion S2 - 9.0 / 10 (A)

This second season of 3-gatsu was great! It’s just… a really great drama show about fighting depression (& a bunch of other character storylines)!

First off... THE BULLYING ARC WAS REALLY GOOD

extremely complicated, emotionally complex… this arc brings all sorts of emotions & angles into the forefront

multiple perspectives too: Hina’s, Rei’s, the bullied girl’s, the bully’s, the teachers’, and Akari too!

The art style can pull off both thick-outlined / bright colored style and watercolor-esque style incredibly well

it really is beautiful how it can visually portray both light-hearted and emotionally intense scenes

This season continues to show how good it is at character development for characters both main & supporting!

We get to see Rei moving through the ranks as a shogi player

and also moving through the ranks of conquering his depression! He’s improved more than ever before!

We get to learn about the white-haired master player (Souya); I liked how he has his own quicks and challenges he has in his daily life

Along with the other head shogi guy (Yanagihara)! (& how he shoulders his legacy for his friends)

Even the last episode offered some perspective from the foster mom about Rei & her kids

this show is just… really good at making normally-hated characters sympathetic, hot damn

Aside from bullying arc, this season also showed Hina preparing for the transition to high school

The finale episode was nice and sweet, with Hina saying goodbye to Takahashi and even getting a haircut!

This continues to be one of the best drama anime in recent years! Not to mention SHAFT’s best show since Madoka Magica :3

Cardfight!! Vanguard G: Z - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 (C+)

And so ends the G series of Cardfight Vanguard… this final season I’ll say though is kind of a mixed bag

The plot had interesting ideas and moments at times, but the execution and pacing left a bit to be desired

though I will say it was definitely better than last season (CFV G NEXT)

This season didn’t waste any time getting to the main plot, as Chrono has to face off against a Diffrider right away

the diffrider stuff is continued from last season, but for the most part, it’s a new plot kicking off!

The rollout of all the new Diffrider Apostles (& them showing their strength) definitely made them look like powerful foes

not to mention the Zeroth Dragons, which were also shown to be powerful and very risky to use

Also knowing that anyone in the main cast could end up being The Vessel added some intrigue as well

the reveal that Kazuma would be the vessel definitely was a well executed twist imo~

However the pacing in places felt a bit too fast for me… the Relics subplot felt like it wrapped up too quickly, for example

the final fight against Gyze also kinda felt rushed… Gyze didn’t even have any dying words after his defeat :/

As a final season specifically, I feel like it kinda pales in comparison to Stride Gate, unfortunately

The cast was also kinda hit and miss in terms of how well they were utilized in the plot

some of the apostles definitely had more screen time than others (gredora only got like… two episodes)

plus gastille (the supposed apostle leader) got beaten sooner than like 3 other ones???

some villains carry over from last season too, such as Noa (Chaos Breaker) and the red-head punk kid

I liked all the new villains this season, personality-wise! (Also Yukari Tamura in there is a plus)

also no Am and Luna this season, really…

the previously established OG cast were integrated fine, for the most part

including Aichi and Kai getting the kill against Chaos Breaker Dragon

but the final episodes kinda just shoe-horn in a bunch of cameos that just didn’t feel natural :/

it just felt like “OH SHIT, this is the last season actually! Quick, throw in a bunch of cameos!”

this also applies to G characters, which makes less utilized characters (like Am & Luna, as mentioned before) look out of place :(

Sure, I’m saying a bunch of negative stuff right now, but I REALLY LOVE THIS CAST… I JUST WANT THE BEST FOR THEM

It’s the main reason I love CFV G, after all~

This season was definitely an improvement over NEXT for sure! The plot was interesting, I just wish the conclusion was better

The final episode basically just felt like an OVA, really… aside from the last scene, it didn’t really feel like an epilogue at all

I guess it just bums me out bc the original series got a good epilogue episode, so I know they could do it here, too…

In any case, I’M GONNA MISS THIS CAST, BIG TIME ;A;

In any case, this was a decent season to end the G series with! Not the strongest, but not the weakest either.

I’m gonna look back on my time with CFV G fondly for sure, if for nothing else than the great ensemble cast :’)

It’s gonna be weird going back to the OG cast for sure… I arguably liked the G cast better than the OG one :’D

Osomatsu-san S2 - 8.0 / 10 (B)

The consensus among fans seems to be that this season wasn’t as good as the first season

As for me, I… probably agree with that (though I still enjoyed this season!)

As with most comedy anime, whether the jokes land is pretty subjective. I feel like I didn’t laugh as hard this season? IDK

There were more “seasonal/holiday”-based episodes this time around (i.e. summer, new year’s, etc.)

What stays the same though is that this show is at its best when featuring the main brothers themselves

Skits involving the side characters (like Iyami, Dayon, etc.) didn’t make me laugh much…

I will say though that I enjoyed the second half of the season more than the first half~

Enough about the negatives, let’s talk about this season’s memorable skits / episodes!

The premiere was really good, as it poked fun at the huge popularity the show unexpectedly got xD

plus a bunch of references that *aren’t* gonna get them removed from streaming sites this time!

Jyushimatsu getting an “apprentice” with a little kid was also pretty funny~

The Karamatsu taxi skit, the spooky inn, & all the characters being stuck on an island were also good skits!

Ep. 18 (Iyami, Alone in the Wind) was also a crowd favorite, since it brought the feels for a change :’)

The finale 2-parter pulled a bait-and-switch yet again!

Part 1 was actually pretty serious, but the actual finale just has them trying to break out of hell xD

OH YEAH, I still really like the live-action stuff they do during the ending sequences

the first half’s ED was my favorite (the stop-motion of the brothers riding in the car)

I don’t have much to say about comedies generally, but Osomatsu-san is still my favorite in recent years ^^

Even though this season didn’t hit as hard as S1, it still provided some fun laughs~

Pop Team Epic - 7.5 / 10 (C+)

What can I really say about this show? It kind of defies description ^^;

Ok, yeah, it’s a sketch comedy, but it’s a really… crazy and random sketch comedy

The jokes are hit and miss (and in my experience was a bit more… miss than hit)

I never really laughed out loud at this show either

but then again, the humor here is more “being confused at what’s going on, but going along with it anyway”

There’s also a lot of modern anime references, so you might not get those jokes if you don’t follow most recent anime

Each episode has a long skit in it, plus a bunch of bite-size skits

I personally preferred the short skits over the long ones

There were a couple song parodies which I enjoyed (including the Earth Wind & Fire parody)

Also, this series definitely benefits from having an English simuldub! Some skits I found funnier in English!

OH YEAH, the voice actors (in both languages) change every episode, with female and male VAs in each episode

that enhanced the enjoyability of the sketches too, since I liked hearing favorite VAs do silly dialogue and performances!

I wouldn’t say this ranks among my favorite anime comedies, but it’s definitely unlike any other I’ve seen! ^^;

Your mileage will *definitely* vary with this one, so give it a try and see if it’s for you!

The Ancient Magus’ Bride (Mahoutsukai no Yome) - 8.5 - 9 / 10 (A-)

This was a very enjoyable fantasy drama show! Some people feel this show was overhyped, but I still thought it was really good!

I really liked the cast overall, especially Chise

She has really good character development throughout the show! She really becomes more strong and confident!

Seeing the fantastical world through her eyes was interesting as well!

Especially since those mystical elements were also responsible for her terrible childhood…

Elias was also an interesting guy… he and Chise have an interesting relationship together

Their relationship definitely has aspects that are unhealthy, but they do grow closer to each other by the end

If people can’t get past the whole premise of “him buying Chise to be his bride” though, I totally understand ^^;

They help each other learn too, which I liked to see

The supporting cast was also enjoyable! Not much to say about them individually though

The dragon keeper was nice and we got to learn about Elias’ origins through him

The dragons in general were great! Especially the old one that turned into a tree :’)

He gives Chise some good sage advice, even after death :’)

Angelica, Silky, and Stella (among others, like the other anti-hero duo) were good support characters too~

I liked Stella’s role of “normal girl who learns of the supernatural’s existence”

Cartaphilus was an… okay villain, I guess (though his methods were quite creepy indeed, which added some intrigue)

Some character designs are a bit questionable though… like who approved the vampire’s design? ^^;

Another large appeal of this was the world building of the fantastical elements!

I liked seeing all the different types of locales & supernatural creatures, both good and bad

As a low-fantasy show, this show does a Dang Good Job with the fantasy!

Chise learning more about herself and gaining confidence through these experiences were a highlight as well

I enjoyed each story arc as well, even though most of them were more explorative and introspective

This show can be dang beautiful sometimes, through both its art/animation and its stories (Thanks, Studio WIT!)

Some were better than others, but they all deliver either a heartwarming (or a dark) story

Some favorites of mine were the dragon-based ones, and the vampire loving the old man

The finale was good too! It’s unknown whether this conclusion is anime-original or not, but it was definitely a good S1 ending~

If you love low-fantasy shows, this is definitely one to check out!

Violet Evergarden - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 (A-)

Best *new* anime (that I watched) of this past season, hands down~

Though to be fair, I still need to watch A Place Farther than the Universe… and Yuru Camp… and After the Rain…

Going into this season, this show was hyped and back and somehow… a lot of people were *disappointed* with this show?

I think it had to do with expecting a different show than what we got; as for me, I knew it’d be an episodic drama the whole time :P

But yes, this show has a (mostly) episodic plot with an overarching character arc. If that’s too slow for you, then you probably won’t like this show.

In any case, back to the positives! The first one being how good this show looks visually… as expected from KyoAni~

there’s so much detail in the backgrounds and the character elements (especially the lighting on objects like Violet’s metal hands)

this aspect is one thing *everyone* agrees on regardless, so… yeah, this show’s really pretty!

The main star (and focus) of this show was Violet herself… you can really see how she changes for the better from beginning to end

You get to see how “robot-like” she was at the start of the show, but she slowly learns about dealing with emotions of others… and herself

This character arc is definitely the “main” plot of the show, along with her coming to terms with Gilbert’s death and her war killings

The episodic plots were good in their own right, too!

Ranging from Violet’s start as a Memoir Doll to the different clients she works with, they all teach her something along the way

These sometimes focus on the side characters working at the Doll Agency too, so we get to learn more about them as well

The one that comes to mind first is Iris’ episode, where she (messily) reconnects with a former lover

Not all of them get a full episode in the spotlight, but they do get some focus scenes from time to time

Violet’s clientele episodes were the most memorable out of this lot IMO

ESPECIALLY EPISODE 10… that was the BIGGEST feels trip

I knew exactly how the episode was going to end, but I still teared up at that ending!

The finale was action packed, but also was a beautiful way to show how far Violet has come

I know some people’s issue with this show is that “it doesn’t know what show it wants to be” re: the action stuff, but I was fine with it personally

in any case, it was a pretty good book-end for Violet’s development, since she finally understands (a least a little) what “I love you” means :’)

I understand certain people’s gripes with this show, but this really is a great little drama show that *will* deliver the feels~

P.S. I also watched Fate/Extra: Last Encore this season. It hasn’t technically ended yet, so I can’t give final impressions on it right now. However, my current score for it is a 7.5/10 (C+).

#3 gatsu no lion #march comes in like a lion #cardfight!! vanguard #cardfight vanguard g #cardfight vanguard gz #osomatsu san #pop team epic #mahoutsukai no yome #the ancient magus bride #violet evergarden #Final Impressions

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maxrev · 8 years ago

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Since I haven’t been able to write, so I’m answering these fanfic writer questions. I decided to go ahead and do them all because...why the hell not? I will try to answer from both fandoms I’m in - Fallout 4 and Mass Effect.

It will be under the cut because it’s long ;)

Fanfic writer questions

favorite fic you wrote this year - For Fallout 4: Ode to Eyebrows (fallout 4) - a collab with an amazing artist @marvilus73 about Danse’s eyebrows featuring her f!sole Charlie! For Mass Effect: Think I’m going to have to go with the first one I wrote for the ME fandom - When Darkness Comes. I had no idea I could write angst before this game. It’s fshenko and I’m still ridiculously proud of it.

least favorite fic you wrote this year - Alliance Training for Kaidan appreciation week. It didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to and in fact, I think it was just too long and too detailed.

favorite line/scene you wrote this year - line: I actually have several I’m really proud of but we’ll go with these. Mass Effect AU - “Face it, I’m my own brand of badass and you’d be lost without it. Now turn around and I’ll help strangle you with that.” Scene was in Fallout 4: It’s long, so I’ll link it here if anyone cares to actually read it. Starts with the sentence after the second line break, "Walking slowly and carefully..." ends with "Maybe we could begin again?" -- I love this scene because it’s really emotional for Alice, my f!sole, which is unusual for her.

total number of words you wrote this year - Wow. A lot. I think I’ve been most prolific this year after finding myself immersed in the Mass Effect fandom. So, I will include anything written for A New Reality (Fallout 4) and anything Mass Effect, including NaNo. Basically, not counting A New Reality (chapts 10 through current!) or the endless bits and pieces I have, over 50 thousand words.

most popular fic this year - (By hits) Fallout 4: Confusion. A little drabble about Boone and Danse. Boone realizes that Danse is more to him than just a a fellow soldier to travel with, more than just a friend.

least popular fic this year - Mass Effect - How It All Began. Written for Shepard appreciation week. A brief glimpse at Riley’s beginnings.

longest completed fic you wrote this year - Not counting my ongoing long-fic for Fallout 4, it would be Supergiant (3330), which was written for Shepard appreciation week. An mshenko fic about some emotional upheaval in John’s life concerning his scars.

shortest completed fic you wrote this year - Mass Effect: Haunted (245). From a prompt list on tumblr. An mshenko/fshenko (neutral) drabble.

longest wip of the year - Fallout 4: A New Reality (ongoing). About my f!sole Alice and her journey through the Commonwealth. A lot more involved than that but...yeah.

shortest wip of the year - At the moment? Would probably be a Mass Effect wip -- Shore Leave part 2. An mshenko continuation of sorts to something I wrote for Kaidan appreciation week.

fandom you enjoyed writing for the most this year - Mass Effect. Wow..this game blew me away. The interactions between the characters, the dialogue - serious, hilarious, snarky - all of it. The characters felt like family in a way I didn’t get from Fallout 4 (the only other game I’ve been completely immersed in). It gave me incredible creativity with my writing, getting me to write POVs and emotions I’d never written before. It’s been a wild ride and I’ve enjoyed every single minute!

favorite character to write about this year - Long answer, which you can find here!

favorite writing song/artist/album of this year - I think I’ll go with Breaking Benjamin because their music has been the most consistent influence with writing ME fanfic.

a fic you didn’t expect to write - Anything Mass Effect? I didn’t expect to fall quite so hard into this black hole that literally took over my life. Then, we can go a little further and say anything mshenko. They also took over my life and honestly, I think I’ve done some of my best work writing about the boys and their ME romance. (I was going to elaborate as to why but we’d be here forever lol) I suppose I should list the one that really blew me away as a writer. That would be - A Wonderful Life (AO3 title - Black holes/Neutron stars for Shepard appreciation week).

something you learned this year - It’s okay to lose momentum. It’s okay to step back and take a break. I don’t have to like it -- and believe me, I don’t and I’m really having a hard time with that -- but it is okay.

fic(s) you completed this year - That’s a thing? Endless drabbles/one-shots...whatever you call them.

fics you’ll continue next year - Pirate AU, MEBB fic (which may or may not be used for that), A New Reality

current number of wips - 3 major ones, a lot of one-shots

any new fics to start next year - Not if I can help it! We’ll see what happens ;)

number of comments you haven’t read - Exactly zero. I read them all and do my best to respond.

most memorable comment/review - Damn. I honestly had quite a few that made me grin and/or laugh and it’s so hard to choose! Mass Effect: OH MY GOSSHHH IM DEAD D ECEASED this is so sweet omg !! and your writings absolutely lovely ! Fallout 4: MAX I FOUND YOUR SINS lol Deacon tho. Gotta hand it to him. He scores some devious pointage ;)“Blue, he wouldn’t know fun if it ran straight at him. He’d probably laser it to death.” Fucking yes lmao Verdict: cute af, would read again. you rock

events you participated in this year - NaNo...though that was a bomb lol, Mass Effect Flash Fanwork, Shepard appreciation week, Kaidan appreciation week, Sole Party 2.0 (Fallout), several different themed prompts for Mass Effect, Cactuarkitty’s Mass Effect Romance week. There might be more...it’s been a proliferative year for me as a writer, which may explain my burnout!

fics you wanted to write but didn’t - Mass Effect: Pirate AU for ME, though I have started it. I was trying to finish it for NaNo and get it out before the end of the year. However, that didn’t quuuuite happen xD Fallout 4: Finish Boone’s story after the Institute maybe someday

favorite fic you read this year - Fallout 4: Always By Your Side Mass Effect: There were 2 and I refuse to choose between them. Soldier’s Heart and Wish You Were Here.

a fic you read this year you would recommend everyone read - See above question.

number of favorites/bookmarks you made this year - 6 between both fandoms (AO3).

favorite fanfic author of the year - There are way too many that I absolutely love and go back and reread what they write. I refuse to narrow it down or accidentally exclude anyone.

longest fic you read this year - Mass Effect: (still reading) Zero Hour from @scottrydcrs. To be honest, I’ve read quite a few long fics this year. I don’t remember them all but that is my current one that I’m thoroughly, enjoyably immersed in ;)

shortest fic you read this year - Mass Effect: Welcome to the Suck xD from @nightmarestudio606

favorite fandom to read fic from this year - Mass Effect. The fandom has been around for so long that I keep finding hidden gems every time I search back a little further in various tags. It’s like searching for treasure and always finding a bit of sparkle in places you wouldn’t expect it. I love it!

#fanfic writers asks #writing prompts #sort of?

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