#I've been thinking about this image since I first designed them...

[ladycremecaramel]

My BOTW/TOTK OC Ideas and personal rambles

I'm dumping all of my oc loz ideas here for my sanity because they've been bouncing around in my head for a long while.

So, I still can't draw very well, and ZoraMay is over, but I have an idea for two Zora oc's. One is inspired by @gargoylesister 's OC Littol. I never once thought about the possibility of tiny zora and I thought "Omg I wanna make one too!"

Zora OC 1's design is based off of a neon tetra. I always loved neon tetras since I was a little girl. I remember growing up with a freshwater fish tank with many fish and one that was a constant were neon tetras. They didn't always last long, but they were so pretty swimming in a school and how their scales reflected in the light. No name rn

Zora OC 2's design is based on my favorite fish. The red wagtail platy. I dunno what it is about this simple fish but they make me so happy. They were also common in the big fish tank my family had growing up. I vaguely remember always watching one swim up and down in a corner of the tank like it was trying to find a way to escape.

Also no name and might be full size or just as small or bigger than the Tetra Zora.

Some of you remember me talking about Rito OCs. I still have 2.

Rito oc 1 is Leela. Obviously I still want to keep the shadow puppeteer idea. And i like the idea of her pairing up with Harth. :>

Same bird design. The Chinese bulbul

Rito oc 2. This one would be my Ritosona. An Atlantic Puffin.

I always liked puffins. They're kind of the best of both worlds. They can fly AND swim.

My last OC . Besides my Hyliansona, Tabitha (not my real name), I have one other OC that isn't from Hyrule at all. I see her as one that can be easily put in most if not all fandoms.

I've talked about her before on my tumblr page as a potential character for the dragon age fandom and I nicknamed her Puddles.

Let's see...🤔

She was made for an original role-play forum that was freeform combat and the story is X-men inspired/superheroes teenagers going to a school in NYC. I think the RP was called Zankoku. This was in 2010

When I was invited to play, I knew next to nothing about how superpowers would work irl or the physics...stuff like that. So they told me to RP with a style I would be most familiar with and I chose water bending from the Last Airbender.

If I had to pick an image for what she would look like, it would be based on the cheerleader from the TV series Heroes, Claire Bennet.

Long curly blonde hair (curlier than the gif), gray eyes, tanned skin, thunder thighs, and was pretty tall for a 15-year-old teen. I think I made her height 5'7''.

Her name is April May Mickadoo and she had the powers to control water and ice (hydro and cyrokinesis). She was my most extroverted and emotional OC I think I ever created. Out of all of the characters that were created for the RP forum, she was one of the more friendly (if not the friendliest) of the Xhuman teens. She was definitely the most extroverted. Especially in the beginning. A lot of the Xteens were loners or generally stuck with one or two other characters to interact. April however, spoke with everyone thus giving everyone a reason to interact with each other in the story.

Compared to the rest of the Xteens, I think she had the most "normal" childhood. By that, I mean divorced parents, mostly raised by a single parent, moved because of their parent's work. That kind of stuff (from her POV at first). Others who discovered their abilities early in their backstory were subject to racism, bullying, being shunned, harassed in public, taken away by the government, and/or killed.

She wasn't consciously aware of her powers until the start of the RP. I was not very good at writing out combat/ fight scenes with my character in a balanced way (either god mode or weak and the RP didn't have stats, it was freeform). So because she learned of her powers much later than others, she was pretty weak with them. Physical fighting was average at the start. She did have power surges when she became distraught. In the beginning, she could only control water until a lucky roll from the mods and a very traumatic event, that she unlocked cyrokinesis. Due to other events during the RP before it suddenly died off, she obtained a 'break the cutie' trope under her belt and depression (or grieving). Depending on how things would've gone, there could've been a sanity slippage episode at some point.

There were perks with her powers. Underwater breathing, can handle the cold very well, and can turn her whole body to water and/or ice (hence the nickname Puddles). Those are the ones I can remember.

Her personality: when I say emotional, I mean she had pretty much all of her emotions on her sleeve. You knew when she was happy, sad, angry, etc. If I had to pick an alignment for her, I would say neutral/lawful good. She LOVES music. She was always ready to dance, sing, or play the piano (later on, she started learning acoustic guitar) when it came to music.

there is more of her backstory and events of the RP I'm not revealing because I want to weave it into whatever story I add her in and it would be post-events after what I could imagine more trauma that the mods had in store. For her, the rp was pretty much a trauma conga line.

[t34-mt]

pilots have had an overall, fun fact. I don't think I've posted about them publicly for a while. freaks from moon sat'tchuckthuck (kyhuine given name in their study of astronomy on altuyur)

22-08-2024 edit: extra colors examples and an actually rendered version (oc)

you can view the evolution of their design under the cut ->

these have never been posted before because i thought they sucked, and also just because i didn't feel like doing it. several sophonts existences in the solar system are friend-only information atm lol

the first version has been posted on their first post, as much as i still like the mecha design by itself (despite the fucked up leg placement) , i think it should only have a single pilot, and i also don't think there was much thought put behind how people sit in there etc.. So it looks a bit awkward overall. their first design was just a quick doodle i need to draw as fast as i can before i forget the idea, so it's not good LOL. its wonky, very wonky.

this one is from march 2023, there isn't much change between the two but i still think they're interesting to have in the row. the clothes look awkward, i don't think i thought about how they'd be put on by the pilots, the layering, and so on. what used to be manipulator limbs look award too

this is when i was trying to make them more fun. i shortened them, made them longer and blabla.. but in the end, they just looked like corgis/ dogs to me and i wasn't satisfied with that. Not that i think sophonts can't look like x earth animal, this is just me wanting to feel satisfied with my own work and not wanting to make dog 2. i don't know the exact date of this drawing, but im assuming its in late 2023

in may 2024, the current design of pilots was made. funnily enough, it just came to me one day. My brain flashed an image and i tried to draw it as fast as i could. compared to the top drawing the limbs for carrying their youngs weren't finalized.

the crest changing between every drawing / versions doesn't matter. because their crest changes color constantly to communicate and speak with each others. like a sort of cuttlefish skin effect, i guess pilots can still be fully white. it's just their coat for when temperatures drops. But since their moon is going through an ice age their body keeps is disoriented constantly. Workers who stay outside all year will have a winter coat constantly. But people who work / stay inside all the time are in heated environment, thus their winter coat never start up. and so on with that

heres test of the freak with winter coat ->

their texture would be horrible, the end bits of their fur is harden, its so thick and packed and feel like velvet. even the non winter coat still feel like velvet

Despite the current design having longer legs, they're still small guys because that's more fun. Pilots are 100 cm (3ft) tall. you can pick them up (they might be sized wrong on the doodle whatever)

[alllgator-blood]

AS OF TODAY IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE I POSTED MY FIRST BISHOP REF SHEETS AUGHH!! Thought it'd be funny to do like a comparison thing of how they've changed or stayed the same after 365 days of drawing them. Gonna be SUPER lazy and just take their ref sheets from then + now and put the pngs side by side lmao.

Also gonna add a poll to the top part of this because ALTHOUGH I FEEL LIKE AN EGOMANIAC ASKING, this is the one day it feels appropriate to ask:

idek what I mean by iconic. Maybe just who you like best/whose design is your fave/who you think of first if you think of my blog? I've seen artists I like put up this same poll and I always wanted to try :')

ANYWAY. COMPARISON DRAWINGS + LONG RAMBLING BELOW THE CUT:

I think leshy has stayed the most consistent in my comics. He has some sad moments (because NOBODY'S safe), but when nothing is actively upsetting him, he's a very happy guy. He is NOT bogged down by the reality of his situation; he just likes to host bonfires, dance stupidly, draw comics and shake his followers to death between his teeth. I somehow have not altered the fact he's a stack of 6 wooden balls with limbs attached, I wanted him to look like a wood carved toy and frankly it's a pain in the ass to make art of him. But he's worth spending a million billion years drawing wood grain lines for <3

Generally he looks about the same as he did a year ago? The paws definitely changed but I like these guys to look more animal than humanoid, so the vaguely human-ish hands + feet had to go. It doesn't really come across, but his feet are now caterpillar suction cups to help him climb trees!

HEKET MY BELOVED. I really feel like I do her a disservice by not making much art of her and putting her really long angst comic on hold cause I wasn't happy with the ending, BUT I DO LOVE HER. Her personality hasn't changed much since her first iteration, which is to say she's still "generally pissed off and fairly arrogant, but loves her family and knows when she's gone too far".

But her ROLE in the comics definitely changed a lot. I have multiple unfinished comics and a ton of sketches where she acted as shamura's caretaker because kallamar was too squeamish to do it himself? That's why in my comics that take place in the infirmary, you can see her temple motif. BUUUT that ended up changing so now, as the second-most chronically ill of the family, she's too shook up to visit shamura in the hospital because all she thinks about is how that might be her someday.

KALLAMAR IS SO DIFFERENT. MAYBE THE MOST DIFFERENT OF THE FOUR. I made a lot of quality of life edits to these designs, mostly making the crowns shorter and removing the crosses, but kallamar's lumpiness had to go because it was so annoying to draw and I hated the implication that he was just a big writhing ball under his robes lmao. I also transed my kallamar's gender pretty early on (genderfluid...) but never outright said it I don't think? Initially I felt cringe for doing that but nowadays I've seen a LOT of people have transfem kallamars so like. I do feel better about it!

Kall went from generic "guy who sucks + is anxious + everyone hates him" to "the underappreciated glue that holds the entire family together, but silently grapples with the most feelings of impending doom" and I'm not sure how it happened. I'm very happy though because initially I didn't like him, but he fills gaps that the other three really can't fill, and I don't know what my comics would be like if I clearly hated his guts??

There they are.........my blorbo....the big cheese.....the eeby deeby. They were so obscenely silly in their first version, I literally forgot they used to look like that and burst out laughing when I found the old ref sheet.

I had no way of knowing that after drawing this image, I'd draw these stupid idiot cartoon cult leaders every day for the next 365 days, so initially shamura was just "haha funny senile spider" I think? I don't really remember when I settled on "senile spider that switches between kindly grandparent that tells old war stories / ETERNAL UNENDING SUFFERING. SALVATION SHALL NEVER COME FOR A THING AS WRETCHED AS I"? But if you told early 2024 me that I'd eventually make them like JACKED I wouldn't believe you lmfao

I dunno, I think about this character a lot so I'd be here all day if I talked about them. Both my headcanons for them, and the actual canon details are just. MWAH. I love them so very much. They're so tragic and I ball my fists and go "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH" when I think about how sad they are in the game. I love it.

I originally wrote a long thing about my personal life here but I felt like it was too overshare-y, so I'll just say that fixating on this game kinda saved my passion for comics. I think 2023/early 2024 were the absolute worst years of my art life; nobody was reading anything I made, I was too depressed to draw, and I stopped giving a shit about any of my OCs. But art/comics was my main way of coping, so it was just a neverending loop of "I'm too sad to draw" "but I'm sad so I want to draw" "but I can't because I'm sad" and nothing ever got done. Those silly shitty ref sheets were pretty much the only thing I managed to make during that whole time, I had NO idea it'd turn into a hyperfixation.

I figured it was weird to make fanart and not share it, so I started up this blog after posting to reddit. And a TON OF PEOPLE SAW THE FIRST ART I MADE. Idr how many but it was so much more feedback than I'd gotten like...ever?? Really it didn't pop off that much compared to other people's posts, but it was monumental for me. So that in combination with the hyperfixation's death grip on me got me to finally start regularly drawing again. Things are still shitty and it's hard to make it to the next day a lot of the time, but when I sit down and draw a silly worm or a big frog I feel a lot better.

I love these characters so so much, they're the perfect blend of cute and tragic, stylized but simple, and they have clear personalities but a lot of room for additions. ALSO they're weird species of animals, and I spent years of my life drawing exclusively underappreciated anthro species. I'm just very happy this game exists and came out when it did, because I definitely would've given up on comics by now if I didn't glom onto these characters.

This is getting really long. I know the anniversary of starting a fuckin blog not that deep but I don't really have like, a social life or support system or anything, so genuinely people sending me their art/ideas or saying they like my comics or just asking me about my headcanons is the best shit ever. Feels good to finally have something I care about that I can also share with people. I get overwhelmed easily and can't respond to everything even though I want to, but I promise this is so much better than the eternal feeling that everything I made wasn't worth reading.

So ah...if anybody is reading this, please know this silly cult game is the main source of my joy rn and just by looking at my art + comics, you've helped me more than you might know. Thank you

[catghoststories]

Frank, Eddie, and the Tell-Tale Heart

So, I know the main focus of this update was Poppy, which I was happy to see (though I'm not happy to see what happened to her).  I do have a theory cooking about her, Sally, and the Commedia Dell'arte, but Frank n' Eddie are my favorite pair, and I've been stewing over this particular theory since the July '23 update.  This tiny line from the Looky-Loo storybook is what cinched it for me.

Source: Merchandise Page, Looky-Loo Storybook

This line isn't read out loud, but we can see it at around the 9 minute in the video, above Eddie, looking so polite.  It reads,

"Villains!" I shrieked, "I can deny it no longer! I admit the deed!—tear up my flower bed!—here, here!—it is the ticking of my beloved alarm clock!"

This isn't the actual line from The Tell-Tale Heart.  The original line reads "Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of his hideous heart!"

Source: The Tell-Tale Heart

The Tell-Tale Heart is about someone murdering their roommate, cutting him into pieces, and hiding the evidence under the floorboards of their house. 

And I think this is what Frank is going to do to Eddie, in an attempt to protect him in a perverse, misguided way.

This rewritten lines seems very specific to Frank and Eddie.  We know Frank loves his garden.  And who's the only character in the Neighborhood who owns a clock?  Eddie.

At the end of the Homewarming video, Frank sees how distressed Eddie is.  As many have theorized, Frank seems to be somewhat aware of what's happening, although we don't know to what extent.  But he sees that Eddie is now in the line of fire of The Powers That Be, and he becomes worried for him.  

I think Frank will dismantle Eddie and hide him in his garden until he deems it 'safe' for Eddie to come back, once the 'eyes' are off him.  (Kind of reminds me of the Eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings).  An unintentional—or perhaps intentional—side effect of being dismantled and put back together, with new parts, is that Eddie doesn't remember things well. 

Including, possibly, his and Frank's relationship.

This goes along with the theme we've seen several times in WH now, including this new Halloween update.  The puppets unintentionally—yet seriously—harm their loved ones in order to protect them from something they deem far worse—whatever that may be.

As these posts by kykudos, oniongrass, and nikkiiiscute discuss, there is an image from one of the hidden bug clips of Frank's garden with 9 clothespins—one buried in the dirt.

Source: Welcome Home Hidden Audio ('til it's back on the official site :3)

And there's the references to burial in Bug-a-Bye and Goodnight, too.  This post by the-nosy-neighbor goes quite a lot into this song very well, especially how it might indicate Frank could put Eddie into a suspended state!

Source: Transcript Page, Bug-a-Bye and Goodnight

Now I have been thinking about this dismantling/reassembling thing for a long time, especially since the last Halloween update.  Eddie is one of the puppets with a new costume, and he is Frank(enstein)'s monster.  And he has a big yellow band-aid on the back—Frank's color.  If Eddie is taken apart, Frank will patch him up again.

Source: Clown's Tumblr

(Also, I'm curious about the blue hand and face in Eddie's costume design. That's Barnaby's color. Does Frank use Barnaby's spare parts to put Eddie back together?! 😳 Especially since I feel like Barnaby's time on Mister Bone's Wild Ride is fast approaching—but that's yet another post 😅)

But based on the Tell-Tale Heart line, Frank may have been the one to do the dismantling in the first place, which is quite dark.  Based on the below picture from the former staff member page—clearer image here from Clown's Tumblr—Frank may be aware they're puppets and made up of various parts.

Source: Welcome Home Wiki until it's back on the official site :3

There is also an intense piece on Clown's Ko-Fi here (please support Clown if you can!) that shows butterflies doing SOMETHING to Eddie. Are they putting him together? Or taking him apart to join them in their hibernation? 🤔

Frank also likes gelatin. As he tells Poppy in their hidden audio, 'it holds perfectly sliced fruit beautifully'.  Perfectly sliced, cut up fruit, eh?  Gelatin is a preservative that we also see in the cookbook recipe, and we all know Eddie has an unholy encounter with his single pea.  So yet another symbol of suspended animation that is related to Frank and Eddie.

Source: Merchandise Page, Cookbook

So it seems like Frank has some experience in preservation, hibernation, etc. and knows how to use it, if it comes to it.

The next big update will likely be spring-themed.  A long time ago, Clown posted that Frank has a holiday in spring. Of course this isn't canon until it's on the website, but either way, I think Frank will have an important role in the spring update, which I believe will also focus on Julie.  We may see him wake up Julie from hibernation...and Eddie from his dirt nap.  

Source: Clown's Tumblr

(I've been so curious about that shadow behind the flower.  At first I thought 'OMG, it's Eddie's hand!', but I don't think so. 😅 I dunno what it is, but it doesn't quite seem flower like to me...🤔)

This Ko-Fi post (again, please support Clown if you have the means!) was posted around Easter this year and had a bunny/Easter theme.  Clown says "What is there to say though... Well! We know what the next holiday is in our Home Sweet Home, I'd say."  A huge theme of Easter/Spring are Rebirth and Resurrection.

As this post by serene-hatterene so beautifully details, Frank may feel pressured to kiss Julie to wake her up to prove his heteronormativity.  Maybe to further protect Eddie, too, to prove they aren't a thing.  Seems like Julie's family may show up this update, too, and we know family can cause a lot of pressure for couples during holidays. 😬

My last item isn't that strong, but I have been thinking of since the July '23 update.  In Eddie's Big Lift, Frank says the following line:

Source: Transcript Page, Eddie's Big Lift

The tense of "You always did work too hard" always bothered me.  Why doesn't Frank just say, "You always work too hard!"  And Eddie doesn't seem to know what he's talking about. Frank sounds almost wistful here.  It's like he's talking about his ex—a former version of Eddie, pre-dismantling, perhaps?

(Also, 'Enjoy the ground, Mr. Dear'? Dude, if this theory is right, that line is even more screwed up than it already was. 😳)

Here is my order of how I feel these events actually happened:

Secret Bug Audios (Eddie and Frank flirting) -> 1st Halloween Audio (Eddie still seems like his chipper, knowledgeable self) -> Homewarming -> Springtime (and Eddie's Resurrection)? -> Eddie's Big Lift

Not quite sure where this last Halloween update lands, but I feel like it's later.  Eddie seems ignorant of the potential adverse effects The Brickening (TM) could have on Poppy.  I feel like he's been more sensitive to Poppy and others in the past (but maybe I'm wrong, I'm biased towards him, heh).  Perhaps after his Reconstruction, his memory has now been reset, and he has "fallen into line" with the other Neighbors and their weird, pile-onto-one-person ways.

Anyway, what do you all think? 😬😬 I do hope I'm wrong, since Frank is my favorite, and this would make me feel very differently about him. 😬😬😬 Please tell me your own WH theories, too! I find them so interesting!

[the-world-annealing]

The rise of AI has caused incredible damage to art, or: what ate up their brains and imagination?

(Surface Level, by me just now)

This used to be even longer, believe it or not. A bit more personal than I thought it was going to be and there's a few sections where I mostly talk about myself - the bored reader is invited to simply skip those.

I enjoy worldbuilding. I've written probably a small novel's worth of worldbuilding Tumblr posts by now (especially if we're including Dawn of Worlds, a collaborative worldbuilding RPG that I played in 2023 and 2024). Other creative hobbies of mine include writing one-page TTRPGs, or designing custom Magic: the Gathering cards, or designing fakemons, or fangames, or whatnot. None of this is good enough to sell, nor do I need it to be. I simply enjoy working on it.

As I understand it, 'art' is increasingly synonymous with 'creative expression', so I suppose I might be a capital-A Artist, but I don't really use that term for myself. 'Creative' feels more neutral, and more honest. 'Tinkerer' captures how it feels to me, having all these pieces and trying to crystallize them into an arrangement that makes sense. That's what I named myself after - the world annealing, see?

Back on topic: I might not call myself an artist (for visual arts specifically, the picture above is as good as it gets) but I think I share a lot of the key motivators. I enjoy creating. I enjoy displays of skill. I like making something that others can use and giving it to them for free. I want to make good, useful, or interesting things, and I want them to look nice. Most of all, I want to add my own ideas to the endless conversation that humans have been having since the dawn of time.

One of my favorite authors is Alexander Wales (whose tumblr you can find here), best known for giant-sized webnovels like the 1.6 million words Worth the Candle. In a post fittingly titled The AI Art Apocalypse, he writes:

["Art is a communicative act. It’s a conversation. You see a picture and it makes you feel a certain way, and yes, sometimes you silently process that art, but most of my favorite aspects of art as discussing it with other people, wrestling with the art in public, teasing out what it’s trying to do, or what it’s doing without trying. I generally think that this is one of the best parts of being an author or an artist, this very public back and forth."]

I agree with this completely.

-----------

That was as good a bridge as any, let's talk about AI now.

A lot of the points leveraged against AI art are kind of bad. Gaming for an hour on a decent consumer PC consumes about 0.5 kWh - generating a hundred images with stable diffusion takes 0.005 kWh (other models are less transparent due to their proprietary nature, but given that it's ultimately corporations paying the power bill I don't see why electricity costs would be needlessly higher). Arguments that focus on the training data being used without permission need to contend with the fact that fully licensed generators are a reality now.

But those arguments are also not why people are against AI art in the first place. That goes back to all the subjective, intangible values I brought up in my introduction - the desire to create something personal, or interesting, or new, or inspiring, or useful. The desire to have an audience, however small. The desire for individual expression, for something other than Extruded Corporate Media Product, forever. For art that speaks and invites response - for conversation.

-----------

Creation is compromise. As I said, my real interests lie in the directions of prose writing and game design. If I was also a skilled visual artist, I could create illustrations to accompany my stories and games and 180-card custom MtG sets, and this would almost certainly improve them.

But I'm not a skilled visual artist, and I don't have infinite free time, and even if I could draw real well I think I would prefer ten hours of writing over four hours of writing and six hours of illustrating it. Nor do I have the money that would make it realistic for me to commission a hundred and eighty digital paintings. So it goes.

-----------

In Dawn of Worlds, each player takes the role of a god and helps shape the development of a world. My character was Haebarik, god of travel, a lanky red-haired giant with skin the color of slate, born from a tree on the world's first island. Distraught at the emptiness of the early world, he tore off his right arm, and cast it over the horizon, and where it landed it became the first continent. I liked this beat - it felt very mythic, not like a sanded-off modern fantasy narrative.

This was my own creation, and I am proud of it, even though it's irrevocably tainted.

See. when the game started I decided that I was going to need some kind of visual reference of my character, for the benefit of the other players if not myself. I spent some time prompting and tweaking the then-new stable diffusion, and eventually got an image I found acceptable - except that, in the wonkiness typical of such models, it'd only drawn a single arm. But seeing it, I was struck by inspiration, and in the end it made my work better.

(and to reflect the myth, the continent I drew on the map was shaped like an arm, and that shape inevitably influenced the other player's actions, and after a while I created a species that like their god only had one arm, and all of this enriched the conversation we were having and the art we were creating - or did AI poison it all?)

-----------

As I mentioned, I'm in a lot of creative spaces that aren't for visual art per se but that are often adjacent to visual art. There's a lot of people there who've clearly put a lot of effort in their craft, whose work has genuine passion and genuine personality. And sometimes I see those people reach for AI art because they've decided that illustrations would improve their work, and then they get brigaded for it.

What are we even defending here? Not beauty (it doesn't have to look good, just don't use AI), not authenticity (it doesn't have to be yours, just don't use AI), not even individual vision (it doesn't have to look like you want to, just don't use AI). It's so depressingly negative - art not defined by the presence of a human, but the absence of a machine.

More charitably, I suppose these people are asking for 'effort' or 'personality', but by what standard does a 1-minute MS paint doodle count as effortful and personal, but not The Secret Origin of Wally ManMoth? Are we guarding individual expression, or forcing it into a straitjacket?

(TSOoWM of course also doubles of a beautiful example of how DALL-E's 'overcooked plastic' look is not inherent to AI - and how someone skilled at 90% of a creative process can use it to fill in the gaps)

-----------

I'm not afraid that AI will kill art - it can't do that; nothing can. But this post's title wasn't a lie: I really do think that something awful has happened. There's an ever-sharpening divide between the communities willing to experiment with this new tool and those vehemently against it, a divide that might actually be sustainable in this age of algorithmic feeds and walled gardens.

Art is a communicative act. We are seeing the emergence of a side that would not merely cut off communication with the other, but deny they are worth listening to - deny they could speak, definitionally. If people actually started to believe that, it would betray a greater failure of imagination than any glassy-eyed slop ever could.

[3rd-shrike]

another theory of who the @askoverkill director is: siffrin. obviously!

but, well. specifically ISAT siffrin.

i've been giddy since loop's reveal, because it means that this theory i've been holding onto since i read through the entire blog a few days ago holds more water!! i mean, there's a lot of evidence to touch on!!! (so please expect this to be lengthy and FULL of images... sorry!!)

references on a character design level to specifically events related to ISAT's siffrin, loop's attitude towards the siffrins (including themself), and a buncha other things like choices in worldbuilding that might be me nitpicking but still lend the idea a bit more credence... this au makes me insane i think.

i'll be discussing it down here:

✦ "regarding the director's character design..."

let's start with the most direct and blatantly obvious reference to ISAT sif!

the star on their chest.

unlike loop's current star (which has remained mostly consistent with their star in ISAT), this one is lopsided & more reminiscent of a crack, with the edges spreading outwards in lines. and gee, i wonder where we've seen that star before...

the star that happens when siffrin & the king attempt to say their country's name. i should also point out that these kind of cracks are similar to the ones seen in the sky once you get past the king in act 5, which are a result of siffrin's just-about-giving-up of his wish.

not only that but the spiraling eyes! the 2-lined white star!

i also wonder who that could be referencing...

(please disregard the empty box, that's where the battle sprite is)

while you could argue that the spiral can be taken from loop's image when you lose the act 6 battle, i'd say that mal du pays' spiral eyes have more significance, since we often see loop with mostly normal eyes, while the only close-up of mal du pays eyes we see is a spiraling one, and they are literally a representation of siffrin's fears and self-hatred.

the star, too, is drawn differently to the way loop's star is! loop's eyes, both in ISAT & in overkill, are drawn with a more average, rounded star. siffrin and the director's star pupils, in comparison, are drawn very simply with just two intersecting lines. no rounding, no sharpening of the points, just a cross.

and a bit more conceptually, in contrast to loops' star head, the director's head is described as a black ball, and when combined with the black & white mask + the shining light... it almost feels like an eclipse, or a black hole (though this one's a bit of a reach).

✦ "regarding loop (and the siffrins, a little)..."

a bit more abstract & loosely connected to the theory, but loop exists!!! seeing as their star has barely changed from its usual upright four-pointed glory (other than it becoming rougher/frizzier & looking more like a blood splatter at sometimes), i'm inclined to believe that this is still loop-as-in-saap-siffrin.

(as mentioned previously,) they also have the rounded red star in their eyes that they get in the second phase of their act 6 boss battle (and in their special attack frame), and the double spike + closed eye seems to be taken from that too.

and if we take into account their heavy experience with guiding the siffrins (and genuine shock at there being a kid), their mentions of a 'usual' script for them to follow, absolute resignation and exhaustion with having to lead these siffrins to their deaths over and over and over again... it really feels like loop's been there from the start. you'd be preeety hard-pressed to make a copy of loop specifically, so that leaves either ISAT sif or another siffrin we've not known yet, and i'm more inclined to believe the former's more likely, given the (probably mocking) reference to loop's "royal we".

✦ "regarding other things referencing ISAT events..."

there are a few things to mention! first of all: the sky breaking. the world ending.

this all reminds me very heavily of act 5's... everything, really. the sky breaking into the signature red, the mentions by the party & loop of sif's wish ending/breaking the world. it all feels waaay too relevant to ignore, and that word choice definitely feels on point.

and then there are the curses! the theatre & blood curses. turns you into a puppet, and makes you rot while alive. very thematic. very reminiscent of a certain someone's spiraling thoughts.

and more recently, the explanation for the outer & inner loops!! this one fucking blows my mind away, bc jegus christ that's so cool??? but it also makes sense if you consider a LOT of ISAT siffrin's thoughts about the time loop in act 4 & 5:

the director's not only got siffrin dying over and over, but they've got the entire play repeating again and again. it makes sense, especially if ISAT sif felt like that was basically the highlight of their lives (in true king fashion), not to mention the reason all of them ever met. and if mira is considered the director's "favourite actor", then it's only natural that the outer loops (likely triggered by zem) would start from the beginning of the crisis, from mirabelle's dormont, when the play truly started.

finally, there's also the little bits of words we can see in the director's reference sheet! (courtesy of @shadowedfaith048)

likely hinting towards this being post-ISAT in some way! and bearing in mind the "a bad wish" at the bottom, it can be assumed that a lot of this might be the unfortunate result of wishing (and maybe wishes being broken, who knows!)

✦ "in conclusion..."

i believe that, in some way, the director is ISAT siffrin after something went awry with their (or even just a) wish. maybe it isn't even just ISAT sif! ze could be two or more sifs stuffed in a trench coat! and maybe the worst possible ending happened during the act 5 battle w/ bigfrin, and the ensuing world-ending & destruction from giving up their wish was amplified by a hundred. maybe this happened after act 6, some time after sif did get his happy ending. i do believe that at the very least, this had to have happened after ISAT's act 4. too much red in there for me to believe otherwise.

i might reblog & update the evidence list as the story progresses, so please don't take this as final!!! new evidence could come out that might result in inconsistencies for this theory, lore drops could further push it to be true, (again) who the hell knows!!

and for myself? i'm just having the time of my life connecting possible dots and going insane over this au lmao

[maream-zaream]

Don’t know if this is still going on, but here’s a (kinda) quick drawing of Ink in that one haori in that post by @letsatomicbanana !

Additional notes under the cut (be warned though it’s a lot lol):

So when I saw the post I ended up reverse image searching the photo in order to see in what context this haori and hakama would’ve been worn in (though it didn't really matter in the end, as I just ended up drawing Ink painting on their sleeve). Just to like get an idea of what kinda thing I wanted to draw Ink doing in it and stuff, as well as just to get a better idea of how it’s supposed to look when worn. Now, for this specific one I’m not entirely sure, as since it seems to have been reposted on like a bajillion different websites, with many of the ones listed in the search not being in English. So needless to say, no clue where this thing came from!

However! My search wasn’t for naught! From the list of suggested links from the Google search, one was for a haori and hakama set from a rental clothing company called “Keio” (I think… keep in mind I’ve still been using google translate since the website was in Japanese lol). The specific outfit in question was this:

Now, this looks very similar to the one Banana posted, so I’m going with the assumption that the two outfits were probably made for similar purposes. Especially since not many adult haoris are made this these kinds of intricate designs (at least none that I could find). Anyways, this ensemble was listed under clothing one could rent for their child to wear for the Shichi-go-san (literally “seven-five-three” in English) Festival.

((Now quick disclaimer for the following: I am not Japanese nor any sort of expert on Japanese culture and history! As such, take the following with a grain of salt and I very much encourage you to look more into this festival on your own, as learning about this holiday was quite fun and informative and I would be 110% be happy being corrected for any misinfo, whether that be in the tags, reblogs, or any other method most preferred! Also, I've listed the websites I used here at the end of this post for y'all to check out after reading, apologies though for no footnotes.))

Continuing: During Shichi-go-san, parents bring their children of ages three, five, and seven to visit a Shinto shrine to celebrate the children’s growth and to wish or pray for good fortune. Why these ages? Glad you asked! It’s because three, five, and seven are considered auspicious ages in East Asian numerology, with this also making the date this festival is held— the 15th of November— especially lucky! It’s also interesting to note how the festival was originally exclusively done by the aristocracy and samurai families, though the tradition spread to the common people by the Edo period (1603-1868), though how the festival is currently held evolved from the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Now for the actual visit itself, traditionally five year old boys wear hakama and haori like the one pictured above (as traditionally this was the age that first allowed them to wear hakama in public), with seven year old girls going wearing a kimino with an obi (similar reasoning to the aforementioned boys; seven was the age where girls would traditionally begin wearing obi). For the three year olds? Girls may wear a hifu (a type of padded vest) and both genders seem to be able to wear hakama kimonos (take the three year olds dress stuff with a grain of salt though, not 100% sure on it lol). Also interesting to note is how in the past the age of three was the last year that parents kept their kid’s head shaved before allowing it to begin growing out more, though this practice of hair shaving seems to have fallen out of fashion around the 1800s.

In more modern times, many of these aspects are still upheld (except obviously the aforementioned hair shaving) during the Shichi-go-san festival, of now of course though with the modern addition of parents taking this opportunity to get lots of photos of their kids in formal attire lol. Additionally, parents also often get their kids some chitose-ame (longevity candy)—a type of sweet hard candy—after the shrine visit!

Slightly unrelated, here’s a quick sketch I drew of Ink eating this candy cause I thought it’d be funny:

He is NOT getting his rental deposit back (…is that a thing? Idk I’ve never rented clothes before lol)

ANYWAYS, I just wanted to put this stuff down cause I found learning about this festival really interesting and thought it to be relevant with the whole Japanese-attire thing lol. And again, don’t be afraid to correct me on anything and/or add your own additions to the info written above!

List of sources:

Tsukihana

Kids Web Japan: Shichi-go-san

Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia

Wikipedia page for Shichi-Go-San

Have a great rest of your day/night if you got this far!

[xi-xi-chen]

do you think you would ever eventually draw a grown up version of jinx, lux and isha? seeing all the headcanons about them made me start thinking about how lightcannon would handle isha through her teenage/young adult years,,,,, like half of it comes from my desire of wanting to see lightcannon's dynamic as they become a bit more mature and their trauma/hurt is less raw? (if that makes sense? like being able to see them as adults who have grown to be a bit more grounded and secure 🥹) and also wanting to see what isha would look/act like as she grows up bc ... she was robbed of that in canon 🥲🥲🥲

btw i don't mean this as a request or me pressuring u to draw them !! i just wanted to yap about them bc im in my lightcannon + isha sappy feels 🫠

(sidenote: do we have a name for the lightcannon + isha found family relationship?? they literally mean everything to me ☹️💕)

Aw, no problem, I've been wanting to get around to this anyway. I went back and did a rough character study and tried to keep as much of the same features in. However, I tried not to worry too much since this is essentially a transformation from child to semi-adult.

The inspo mostly came from my own hairstyle, I've got curls similar to Isha's at the top, but it strengthens at the ends and back. So with enough length, I sometimes put tiny braids in, so that's where this particular design comes from, of course, with some help of reference from chosen Pinterest images, too. I also wanted to leave Isha's imitation, I think she'd still want to copy Jinx's hairstyles once in a while and implement the same cuts on a smaller scale.

As far as maturity goes, I think they'd communicate pretty efficiently, but of course, to a degree for some needed independence once in a while and all that jazz. However, I imagine they'd also be a tightly knit together family, close enough that they'd want to always carry something around that reminds them of the other. I think for Isha, that's in the form of images and colors, so hair dye and accessories.

I see Jinx growing out her hair eventually, like a wolf cut style, because even I miss my long ass hair from way back when, but Iove the tapers, so a shaved side of the head would follow along. Lux would probably get the cut just shy of the chin and finally use hair dye for the first time. But I can't decide if she'd go as far as to get an undercut as well. I think Jinx would want some kind of trinket for them, so she'd probably go onto wearing piercings, and they'd follow the idea. So, yeah, just little things that represent one another.

These are just a very few rough drafts, I really wanted to draw them, so I'm glad you've shared your thoughts with me, it helped me push through to get something up and running.

(I don't know any new names

for the lightcannon+Isha 😔)

[theamberplumbob]

My Thoughts on Inzoi

I figured since my post about the whole Inzoi terms of service debacle blew up in a way that I never would have predicted, I should probably give a more nuanced explanation of my stance on the game and the discourse around it in general.

First off, I will just say right off the bat that I am not a fan of Inzoi, and unless some very big changes are made to the game, I am not interested in playing it.

I also want to make clear that my dislike of Inzoi is NOT motivated by any sort of love or loyalty to EA or The Sims. If there's one good thing to come out of Inzoi its breaking the monopoly that EA has over the life sim genera and giving The Sims competition. I also want to say that I despise EA for what it has done to the Sims franchise, and while I have played an absurd amount of hours in The Sims 4, I think it is objectively a bad product.

My biggest problem with Inzoi, first and foremost, is it's the use of AI. Inzoi allows players to use generative AI to make custom textures, designs, and paintings within the game. You may not agree with me on this but I am fully of the opinion that real artists should have been hired and paid to create all of the textures/paintings/designs for this game. Allowing players to upload their own photos and videos is one thing, but Krafton, a multi billion dollar company, chose to not support real, professional artists so they could save what is essentially pennies to them. All this results in, frankly, ugly and uncanny looking generated designs plastered all over the furniture and decor. For this reason alone I do not support Inzoi, but there's so much more to it than that.

There's also the fact that we have no idea how their AI is trained. Krafton apparently has an "AI Ethics Committee," but we have no clue what their actual code of ethics are. While it's bad faith to assume, they could be using stolen artwork for their AI. It is also very likely that whatever images you upload into the game, as well as any use of their facial scanning feature, could also be used as material to train their AI. This could lead to all sorts of ethical and legal issues I don't even know where to begin.

Secondly, I have to say, looking at the early access footage from youtubers and everything else I've heard about the game, it feels like its only going to repeat most of TS4's mistakes. In youtuber NotMalcolm's most recent video he discusses Inzoi's overly sanitized approach to various aspects of life, most notably that you can't try for a baby unless you are already married (source). Just like TS4, Inzoi is appealing to a younger demographic and sanding down the rougher aspects of life in order to cater to them. I fear that Krafton is likely taking it a step further and not only watering down the game for the sake of potential child players, but also using them as an excuse to enforcing extremely traditional values on its players. I have no interest in playing a life sim that only allows me to play out a single, socially acceptable way of living.

It also, like TS4, feels like a Young Adult Wish Fulfillment Sim™. The gameplay looks shallow, and it feels like it exists more to make aesthetic screenshots than it does to be an actual game.

I think when people say that Inzoi is missing the "quirky weirdness" of the Sims, what they actually mean is that Inzoi is devoid of personality. One thing that stuck out to me immediately is that the animations are so stiff, robotic, and lifeless. Again, everything is made to be ~*Aesthetic*~ with no regard to an actual sense of identity or personality.

I know people will say that its only in early access, but given how close public early access is to release, I highly doubt any significant changes are going to be made to improve what will be given to us when the time comes.

On a similar note, there's the fact that Krafton has never made a game before now that hasn't been riddled with micro transactions. I personally predict that Inzoi's monetization strategy will be just as, if not more predatory than TS4's is. The fact that we are drawing so close to public early access and have not heard a single word on their method of monetization speaks volumes. I simply do not trust it.

Now, of course, I need to elaborate on the whole Terms of Service Situation. I understand fully that Krafton's terms of service is industry standard and not too dissimilar to EAs, however, this post highlights that whats really concerning about Krafton's ToS is how difficult and confusing it is for players to access and review it. I find it understandable that Krafton's proud use of AI makes people a lot more nervous as to what their data could potentially be used for, and are going to be a lot more weary of Inzoi's ToS. Though I understand that it is only speculation, many have made the assumption that Krafton may use user's personal data to train AI.

I did not expect my post on the subject to make so much traction, and I now regret how impulsively I made the post. I feel I've contributed to fear mongering, even though I feel my concerns at the time were valid and I felt like people had the right to know. I could have done more research and given more of an explanation for what my concerns were instead of basically saying "Yikes..." and leaving it at that.

I was also told through an anonymous ask that the auto accepting of the ToS on closing the game was a bug that had apparently been fixed the first day the character creation trial was available. I of course cannot verify this myself, but I will take them on good faith.

I would also like to touch on two other talking points that have been very prevalent in the Inzoi discourse:

Diversity - I think this links back to my previous point about the game's goal of being as ~*aesthetic*~ (and marketable) as possible at the detriment of everything else. The game is clearly catering to a very specific, very pale and thin standard of Korean beauty, and I think that everything that doesn't conform to that standard was sidelined as a result. I will be fair and say that the Inzoi team still has ample opportunity to fix this and add more options over time. TS4 was also severely lacking on release, but over the years has made great strides in regards to representation. However I would have hoped that Inzoi, a game planning to release in early access in 2024, would do a lot better than a game that was initially released in 2014.

Partnership with Curseforge - I've seen many people accuse critics of Inzoi's partnership with Curseforge of being hypocritical, since TS4 also has a partnership with them. Of course, one would have to ignore the massive, community wide boycott of Curseforge, and the pressure the community has put on CC creators to stop using the platform for that claim to hold any water. I also think there is a notable difference in EA choosing to partner with Curseforge before the Israel/Palestine conflict began, and Krafton actively choosing to partner with Curseforge now, during an active genocide taking place, in which Curseforge's parent company, Overwolf, actively advocates for and donates to those committing said genocide.

In conclusion, there are a lot of valid reasons to not like/be suspicious of Inzoi. Of course I can't tell you what to do or what games you play, nor can I force you to agree with me, but don't be so quick to write off or demonize those who are simply trying to raise awareness or drawing boundaries regarding Inzoi and those who choose to make content with it.

I also encourage you to consider the points I've made and maybe think twice before investing yourself in yet another game that will very likely exploit your attachment to it in the very same way that EA and the Sims has. You need to make them deserve your time and money, which is why I'm encouraging you to advocate for a better and more ethical game.

You deserve better. We all do.

[unikhroma]

i got the idea to make a bingo thing for spamton fan designs after my friend showed me some bingos for other deltarune fan stuff :] basically i gathered a bunch of canon-divergent/not confirmed/otherwise notable* design aspects i've noticed in spamton fan art these past years and put them in. feel free to fill it out if you want!

addendum: this is mostly intended for your interpretation of spamton during or post ch2, which is why some things like "not even a puppet" are in there (it's p heavily implied that he wasn't a puppet at some point but is now)

*under the read more cause i'm trying to keep this section brief

filled out card + a lot of rambling below:

*obviously there's nothing wrong with being canon-divergent and putting your own spin/interpretation on a character, i draw spamton buff and with huge tits it's fine lol. i may have my opinions but it's whatever; i'm not an authority i'm just some guy. also i put in trans/gq in as a design thing since that often does factor into a person's presentation/looks

----

also here's my filled out card:

(i guess i should've put some images of him at first whoopsie)

----

did i rig it so i can win? technically yes but technically no

i wanted to arrange the card to have common traits that i saw together in bingo-winning lines, but i soon realized that it was impossible to get everything to fit together that way. especially with contradictory squares like tall and microscopic or puppet-exclusive features being in a line with the "not even a puppet" square

i couldn't fit in everything i thought of either. i actually wanted to have "100% canon compliant" on here cause i thought it would be fun. i think the people who stick really close to his canon design are just as interesting as everyone who does their own spin

idk i think this is all interesting! the deltarune fandom is unique in that everyone has to interpret character designs from a small size, so people almost Have to diverge from whatever may have been intended for a character, and that results in a lot of different interpretations. it's definitely helped me strengthen my own sense of character design as someone who used to be kind of a hardass about fan art accuracy

[hotwaterandmilk]

I’ve had the Wedding Peach DVDs for 20+ years, but I only recently noticed something interesting on the DX disc of the SARUBIA box set that has me intrigued. I’ve never come across any mention of it before, so I’m not sure if I’m missing something obvious—but here’s what I found.

The bonus content on this disc includes a very limited selection of low-quality settei from the DX episodes. What stands out is that the designs for the characters' revived Fighter Angel forms are labeled "NEO Fighter Angels". Below are the images, though they’re not very clear:

NEO Fighter Angel Peach (NEO ファイター エンジェル ピーチ)

NEO Fighter Angel Lily (NEO ファイター エンジェル リリィ)

NEO Fighter Angel Daisy (NEO ファイター エンジェル デイジー)

NEO Fighter Angel Salvia (NEO ファイター エンジェル サルビア) [This is the least clear of the four, but it's still somewhat visible.]

Wedding Peach has been a passion of mine since childhood and while I'd like to think I know a decent amount about the series, I'd be the first to admit I don't know everything. However, even I—as a pretty avid fan—had genuinely never heard of the revived Fighter Angel forms in the DX being referred to as "NEO Fighter Angels" anywhere else before.

I’ve looked through a lot of official sources—like the 'Secret File' artbook, the settei from the LD sets, and the mixed settei in the DVD collections—and none of them mention this term. These forms aren’t named in the episodes themselves either (the characters call themselves "Love Angels" and "Fighter Angels" only), nor in any contemporary magazine articles I’ve come across. Even the Anime V settei special for the DX just calls these forms the standard "Fighter Angels" - see here.

I've searched through online sources too, from the Wikipedia page through to individual social posts and online archives. I genuinely can't turn up anything that mentions "NEO ファイター エンジェル" as a term in association with the series.

I want to be clear that this doesn't mean I'm the only one that has been bored enough to squint and read those LQ digital settei over the years, or that I haven't just missed something else online in my search, or that my interpretation is the sole acceptable reading of this text. I also don't think this label for the DX Fighter Angel forms fundamentally changes anything about the series or the characters, but it interests me in the sense that this is akin to stumbling onto a note that says "Eternal Sailor Moon" on her character design from Stars after people have been referring to this form as "powered up Sailor Moon from Stars" for 30 years. Or something.

So if the Fighter Angels from DX are only referred to as "NEO Fighter Angels" in producton artwork from this release, why might that be? All I can do is speculate. "NEO Fighter Angels" may have been a working title for these powered up forms that ended up being dropped before production finished, or perhaps shorthand for the animators to differentiate between the TV and OVA forms when animating (given there are scenes of the original Fighter Angel forms in the first episode)? It's honestly not clear.

If anyone has any information that might confirm or contradict what I've found about the NEO Fighter Angels, I’d love to hear from you. Discussing Wedding Peach is one of my favourite things, after all.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Mino

Debut: Tetris

Tetris is all about blocks! You know that! Did you know that those blocks are called Tetriminos? Maybe you did! Geometrically, they are tetrominoes, shapes formed from four squares connected at the edges. "Tetrimino" is the official spelling of the ones used in Tetris specifically, which is a little confusing, but it's ok. Don't worry about it unless you are making your own game about tetrominoes! If you do that, be careful.

But what about the little blocks that make up the Tetrimino? These are geometrically called monominoes, but in Tetris, they are simply Minos! Humble little things. The game is named after Four, so what place does a measly One have?

If you ask me, they have all the place, because they are all over the place! There are no Tetriminos without Minos. Together, Minos are powerful, some of the most iconic and recognizable shape clusters in the world! Even in the form of a plush, The Tetris Company almost ALWAYS ensures that the individual Minos are visible. It is a part of the Tetriminos' designs at this point! The only exception I can think of is in situations unable to use their distinct colors, where other design factors are used to distinguish each. In this case, all but the I Tetrimino have their Minos visible, while I is just a solid color. Come on now, I. The most universally beloved Tetrimino, and you can't show some appreciation for the little guys who made you who you are? Sheesh!

While yes, Minos are a bit overlooked, they do indeed get the spotlight every once in a while! In game modes with items, you can expect that there will be one that turns all of your pieces into Minos, allowing you to instantly fill in gaps wherever you like. They are not particularly powerful, only able to clear one line at a time, but they ARE very convenient and easy to use!

Tetris Friends, my dearly beloved and departed Tetris Friends, uses Minos as the base for most of its avatars! I have already talked about these specifically, but I just want to point out these VERY default ones, each a piece of one of the classic Tetriminos, based on color... until the end, where we get what appears to be a Domesticated Mammal Mino! What are the implications of this? Have members of an intelligent species selectively bred the most docile of Minos together? Do Minos reproduce? Am I way off the mark, and is this Mino actually made of cookies and cream ice cream?

Finally, the reason I've been thinking of Minos in the first place! Here is a photo of the Tetris board game, with a single gray square in the Matrix. That's right! A Mino! In my opinion, this game is the most special Minos have ever felt. In this version, Tetriminos are dropped straight down into columns in the Matrix, and so they aren't as maneuverable as virtual ones. They can't be rotated while falling, and can't be slid into place to fill in any little notches.

This is where Minos come in! They are a sort of compensation for the lack of extra control, and can be placed to fill in extra space before dropping a Tetrimino. This is especially useful if you start with a Z or S block, since in this game, dropping one on a flat surface would leave a space no matter what! With a Mino, you can make a nice little ledge for your block to land neatly on.

This game's use of Minos really stood out to me! They're a major gameplay mechanic, they are explicitly named in the instruction manual, and, most importantly, they get their own PIECES. Physical, officially licensed, single Mino objects! They even get their very own color! A humble gray, not flashy like the rest, but distinct among all the others, and practical. A gray not to indicate a lack of interesting qualities, but instead, great potential!

There is no "official art" for Mino, so I just made the post's top image by editing some official Tetrimino art. Also, I have distinct memory of SOME official Tetris game, possibly Tetris Friends, referring to them as Tetrimonos. Does anyone else remember this? Please tell me if you do!

With that, we have reached the end of this post. But this is not the end of my fascination with Minos. In a way, it's only the beginning. In my Mino research, I have discovered some truly incredible things. Look forward to reading about them next week in Minos post part 2!

[marsberrysoda]

SOTM has confirmed Tales from the Pizzaplex is NOT canon

...and what that means– especially for GGY

SOTM has revealed a few things that are... interesting, and very inconsistent with the TFTP series. I've slept on my thoughts and figured out what I think is going on here.

Maaaajor big big spoilers below the cut!! You've been warned

Secret of the Mimic shows us some things that aren't consistent with the books, and there's one major detail that's changed; Fiona's death. In the story 'The Mimic', it's stated that she passed away during childbirth:

In SOTM... this is not the case. She was alive while David was, and passed away during Fallfest– I presume it to be a fire because of all of the smaller hints at this being the case, but also this specific part of MOON.exe (excuse the Dawko in the corner lmao)

A burned seamstress shop– and what was Fiona?

A seamstress. It's also directly stated that she designed Chica and we find a sewing kit as a collectable, so it makes sense that she was behind the costumes at MCM while Murray was behind the mechanical side of things. For that reason, the burnt down seamstress shop points in the direction there was a fire at fallfest; let's also not forget the burning carousel level of Help Wanted 2 (excuse the poor quality, I could only find one image of this on short notice)

The other evidence as to this is all in audio logs so I'd have to look through footage again to find them, so maybe I'll add this post later if needed.

The mimic began mimicking Fiona after her death, and seemingly did not do so before fallfest– so it wasn't the Mimic the whole time, or anything like that. There are differences in how the Mimic as Fiona and Fiona herself talk, mostly how the Mimic lacks the same amount of emotion (in both Mimic1/MXES machine and Mimic2 form)

The seemingly canon ending of the game has the Mimic leave the MCM facility with the data diver, then walk away from it– not back to it. This is inconsistent with how the Mimic is taken by Fazbear Entertainment in the books, too. I think they definitely get their hands on it eventually, but it's another important point that things happen differently here than they do in the Tales books.

So what gives? What's up with this? Why does it matter? To put it simply, I think Scott realised most people really do not like the implications of the books. I think they are being retconned on purpose. I believe there are things in the books that are VERY important for us to think about, but we can't trust every single detail– much like the novel trilogy before it.

I believe Scott and Steel Wool are using the next few fnaf games to explain things in the books that are relevant to the story. To align them with canon in ways people can't deny and take out any details that don't fit the story they're trying to tell.

These relevant things are The Mimic and GGY.

We have gotten plenty of content on the Mimic now, to the point we know nearly every detail prior to its first game appearance in RUIN; sure, The Storyteller and Tiger Rock now have shaky details since we can't say what is 100% canon or isn't... however.

GGY is what we know the least about, but from what we DO know, it is connected to The Storyteller, to the animatronics, to everything we don't understand prior to Security Breach and post Help Wanted that involved the Mimic anyway. So yes, a GGY game could fill in those blanks for the Mimic AND for GGY. We have had multiple hints to GGY in one way or another in recent entries to the franchise post-SB, too; for examples:

Faz-Pilot Gregory in FIS3 that specifically has CDs in the boss fight to mirror patient 46 (who is theorised by everyone at this point to be GGY),

the GGY achievement in Help Wanted 2 for getting a high score,

this dialogue from Into The Pit,

and of course, the recent release of Escape the Pizzaplex– a choose-your-own-adventure book that appears to be focused on GGY tormenting Cassie.

TL;DR: Tales from the Pizzaplex appears to be non-canon to the games timeline. Rather, it's its own timeline, much like the novel trilogy and movies. Many of the details can still be used to theorise, but it's hard to call some things fact.

There's now mountains of evidence towards GGY getting a game, the very next game quite possibly, that may also serve to explain how the Mimic1 affects the Pizzaplex and what is going on with Mimic2 in the sinkhole beneath it while it's at it.

We've lost, but won? Depending on how you feel about the books, I suppose. I don't think this necessarily decanonises characters like Lucia, for starters– I think the games are just rewriting some of the details to better suit a narrative.

If I'm missing any details or I have something wrong, please be nice to me in the replies and reblogs. I don't use my brain for fnaf theories very often and I'm not looking to make people angry or upset!! But, I do think it's important we think about this.

[glowettee]

HIIII MINDYYY!!! how are you doing?

i love your guides and advice so much, i wanted to ask you if you could make your own guide to writing in a diary? like diary writing tips, making it pretty, girly diaries, etc etc etc.

thanks so much for ur time and ily!!

hey glam!! omg i'm so excited to answer this because diary keeping is one of my absolute favorite things to talk about (and do!!)... i've been keeping diaries since i was 9 years old and i have boxes of them under my bed that i sometimes read through when i'm feeling nostalgic or need to remember who i used to be. so yesss, of course glam, i'd love to give you a little guide, i hope this post answers your question well <3

✧ mindy's guide to keeping the most magical diary ever ✧

first of all, let's talk about WHY keeping a diary is literally life-changing:

• it's like having therapy but it's free and available at 3am when you're spiraling

• you can say things you'd never say out loud (and sometimes just writing them is enough to feel better)

• it creates this beautiful archive of your life that future you will treasure

• it helps you notice patterns in your thoughts and behaviors that you might miss otherwise

• it's the perfect place to dream without anyone's judgment (including your own)

✧ finding your perfect diary format:

the biggest mistake people make is thinking there's only one "right" way to keep a diary. there isn't!! here are some formats i've tried and loved and hopefully you like it:

• the classic narrative diary: just writing about your day, your thoughts, whatever comes to mind

• the bullet diary: quick points about what happened, how you felt, what you're thinking

• the themed diary: keeping separate journals for different parts of your life (one for dreams, one for creative ideas, one for processing emotions)

• the question diary: answering the same set of questions every day to track how you're evolving

• the art diary: more visuals than words, perfect if you process feelings through colors and images

• the structured diary: using prompts and templates to guide your writing (i'm actually going to be selling prompts + journaling templates on my gumroad soon)

personally, i switch between formats depending on my mood and energy levels. some days i write pages and pages, and other days i just jot down three bullet points before falling asleep. both are valid!!

✧ making your diary absolutely beautiful:

• invest in a diary that makes you excited to write in it!! (this is so important... if you don't love looking at it, you won't reach for it)

• create a "diary aesthetic" with special pens, stickers, washi tape, pressed flowers, etc.

• designate a special spot in your room as your "diary corner" with good lighting and cozy vibes

• develop little rituals around writing (i light a specific candle and make rose tea before i write. i also love putting on the soundtrack from legally blonde on or sometimes even harry potter music, weird right?)

• don't be afraid to make it messy!! perfect diaries are usually abandoned diaries

• use different colored pens for different moods or topics

• leave space for future reflections (i leave margins so i can add notes when i reread)

• include little artifacts from your life (movie tickets, dried flowers, polaroids)

✧ what to actually write about (for when you're staring at the blank page):

• write a letter to your future self or past self

• document the tiny beautiful moments that would otherwise be forgotten

• write about what you're learning right now (about yourself, about others, about the world)

• create lists (things i'm grateful for, things that made me laugh today, things i want to try)

• write about your dreams (both the sleeping kind and the aspiration kind)

• describe someone you love in detail

• write about what's worrying you and then write advice to yourself as if you were your own best friend

• document your current favorites (songs, foods, people, places, outfits)

• write about the version of yourself you're becoming

✧ how to keep it up long-term:

• lower the bar for what "counts" as a diary entry (sometimes mine are literally two sentences)

• connect it to an existing habit (i write right after i brush my teeth at night)

• don't try to catch up if you miss days (just start fresh where you are)

• give yourself permission to be boring, repetitive, and contradictory

• read old entries when you need motivation (it's so magical to see how far you've come)

• remember that you're writing for YOU, not for some imaginary reader

• create seasonal "check-in" dates where you review and reflect (i do this every equinox and solstice)

• experiment with different times of day to find when your thoughts flow most easily

• use voice memos when you don't feel like writing (you can transcribe them later)

✧ making your diary extra girly & coquette ✧

i know this was your main question, so here is a long list of a bunch of things i personally do to make my diaries cute and girly <3

• use pastel gel pens for different moods (pink for happy days, lavender for dreamy thoughts, baby blue for sad reflections)

• decorate your diary cover with pressed flowers, lace trim, or tiny pearl stickers

• create "pretty borders" around special entries with delicate doodles of flowers, hearts, or ribbons

• use strawberry or rose scented stickers as entry markers (scratch-n-sniff diaries are elite!!)

• add little bows or ribbons to mark important pages (i tie tiny satin ribbons to the corners)

• press flower petals between pages (roses and lavender dry beautifully and make your diary smell divine)

• use a soft pink book light for nighttime writing to keep the aesthetic consistent

• write in your prettiest handwriting for entries about things that made you happy

• add little watercolor washes as backgrounds for special memories

• use heart-dotted i's and swirly flourishes when you're feeling extra

• create "memory pockets" by gluing tiny envelopes to pages where you can tuck away small mementos

• draw tiny butterflies or hearts in the margins when something good happens

• use coquette-core stickers (bows, ballet slippers, swans, cherries) to categorize different types of entries

• spritz your favorite perfume very lightly on special pages (just a tiny bit so it doesn't damage the paper!)

• decorate with vintage-looking lace tape along the edges of important entries

• use a pink silk ribbon as a bookmark (i attached a tiny crystal charm to mine)

• draw little crowns above dates that were particularly magical

• create a "glossary of feelings" in the back with different symbols for different emotions

• use glitter gel pens for birthdays, achievements, and other celebrations

• write quotes from your favorite romantic movies or books in fancy lettering

• create little "note to self" sections with pink highlighter boxes around them

• use strawberry-scented erasable pens so your diary always smells sweet

• add tiny pearl or rhinestone stickers to mark especially precious memories

remember that "girly" means whatever feels feminine and special to YOU. there's no right or wrong way to express your femininity in your diary!! the most important thing is that it feels like a beautiful, safe space that you're excited to return to every day.

✧ the deeper magic of diary-keeping:

the most beautiful thing about keeping a diary is that it helps you become friends with yourself. you start to notice your own patterns, celebrate your tiny victories, and hold space for your struggles. you create this ongoing conversation with yourself that grows deeper and richer over time.

your diary becomes this sacred space where you can be fully, messily, contradictorily yourself. in a world that's constantly asking us to curate and filter our experiences, there's something revolutionary about documenting your life exactly as it is. beautiful, boring, confusing, and real.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

p.s. if you're worried about someone finding and reading your diary, i have a whole system for that too!! let me know if you want me to share it in another post!! 💭 thank you so much for this ask glam! <3

[accio-victuuri]

xiao zhan gucci mfw interview with vogue ❤️

Q: How do you feel about seeing GUCCI's fashion show again? Do you understand the message that this fashion show is trying to convey?

🐰: First of all, I just arrived in Milan the other day. This time feels very special. Because I really like the design of their venue. It's unique. The design of the venue is like the GUCCI logo and has a circular concept.

Q: How did you choose the outfit for today's fashion show?

🐰: When I just arrived in Milan, they gave me an outfit to choose from. In the end, I chose this one. I think it's quite special. It's a very sophisticated jacket, and the combination of leather and materials is very special. There are also accessories such as sunglasses and a necklace. I think it's very GUCCI.

Q: But I think the highlight should be your inner shirt.

🐰: This shirt? Hahaha, it's okay.

Q: The style is different from the last fashion show.

🐰: It's different. This time, we wanted to do something different from last time.

Q: Milan is a city you've been to many times. Before, did you walk around here or did you just work?

🐰: If I remember correctly, this should be the fourth time. Actually, every time I come here, I go for a walk. This time is the same. If I have time, I'll go for a walk.

Q: Where did you go?

🐰: A secret.

Q: Can you recommend some must-try local food for people who come to Milan?

🐰: Do you want me to recommend some?

Q: There are many good Sichuan restaurants in Milan. I even had hot pot.

🐰: Oh, look. I have no idea. I think everyone should recommend to me. Because every time I come here, I eat local food, like pizza and pasta. But I've never eaten Sichuan food in Milan.

Q: What are you having for dinner?

🐰: I haven't thought about it yet. But since you mentioned Sichuan food, I'll try to find it.

Q: I saw a tram on the street in Milan with your name on it. This is a gift that fans gave you. Have you seen it?

🐰: I saw it. I was shocked, but also very warm and touched. I have to thank them for preparing this surprise for me.

Q: Fashion is not just about clothes. What is your opinion on fashion?

🐰: After watching the fashion show today, I have a similar idea. It is a classic that has been around for a long time. Under the brand, it is distinctive and has its own uniqueness. We can still change a little bit.For example, this time I dressed quite simply, but in the past I chose contrasting colors, so I’m looking forward to the next image.

Q: When you take on different characters and gain a lot of life experience, has your idea of ​​fashion or aesthetics changed?

🐰: It hasn’t changed that much. I don’t think it’s changed much. It’s not much different from when I first debuted.

[cliperry]

"Hi, my name's Harry."

This is how the man who needs absolutely no introduction greets the audience at every one of his sold-out shows. The 1 million people who have bought tickets to see his concert are mostly fans who have adored him for almost a decade. Many attend multiple shows, line up overnight, have tattoos inspired by him, and know him better than they know their own siblings.

The room adores him, and he loves them back—a sentiment he makes sure to share with every crowd. But the most important thing he tells his fans is that he wants them to feel comfortable and confident to be whoever they want to be when they are with him.

Fans who have known and adored the curly-haired boy since he was 16 understand that when Harry is on stage at his headline shows, it's also where he finally feels confident to be the person he wants to be.

From "The X Factor" to Confidence

Harry today is a very different person from the young boy who auditioned for The X Factor. Fans vividly remember when he cried on camera and said: "I've always wanted to be one of those people who didn't really care that much about what other people thought about them... but I, I just don't think I am."

To watch him now proudly sing the lyrics: "The boys and the girls are in, I mess around with him and I'm OK with it" from his unreleased song Medicine, dressed in flamboyant and glamorous designer clothing, and dancing with a rainbow flag during What Makes You Beautiful is to witness a young man who is comfortable in his own skin. He has finally become that person who doesn’t care what others think.

A Long Road

It’s been a long road to get here—one heavily influenced by media and the myth of Harry Styles. The most prominent myth? That he is a serial womanizer.

This narrative has plagued him since The X Factor, where even on the show, a behind-the-scenes bit showed him on fake dates with several female contestants. The "womanizer" image is one the singer despises and has fought against so frequently that there are lengthy supercuts on YouTube of all the times he has protested and called out interviewers for pushing it.

The narrative was further fueled when British GQ interviewed him, pressing the then very young boy to reveal how many people he’d slept with. After being backed into a corner, Harry said the number was two. Yet, the magazine ran with the coverline: "It’s definitely less than 100… he’s up all night to get lucky."

Facts are of little relevance to British tabloids, which prioritize clicks over truth. The two main offenders frequently run headlines claiming the star is "smitten" with every woman he's ever been in the company of.

Pushing Back

Over the years, everyone from Chelsea Handler to Kyle & Jackie O has made Harry’s supposed "womanizer" status the focus of their interviews rather than his talent as a musician. Fans collectively groaned when he performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, knowing it would ignite a storm of articles about him sharing the runway with a "long list of exes."

Seven years of this questioning has taken its toll. Harry is now armed with a remarkable ability to deflect and dodge. When asked by an ET reporter, "What do you make of all the ladies?" Harry simply replied: "It’s my first fashion show and, uhhh, it was definitely different."

What the Public Doesn’t See

What the general public often doesn’t hear about is how respectful Harry is and how much he loves his fans. He makes sure to tell them how beautiful they are and how grateful he is that they’ve chosen to spend their night at his show, supporting him and letting him do what he loves.

Something else that’s frequently overlooked is the incredible achievements Harry has accomplished as a solo artist. His first single, Sign of the Times, was incredibly well-received by both audiences and critics. Rolling Stone magazine named it the #1 Song of the Year, and it is platinum-certified in the US. Harry also won his 7th Brit Award for the ballad in the Video of the Year category.

Record-Breaking Success

His self-titled debut album made history in the US, achieving the biggest debut sales week for a UK male artist’s first full-length album. It topped official charts at #1 in more than 55 countries.

In a predictable move, the music media attempted to push Harry into saying he was embarrassed to have come from a boyband and wanted to move on to an older audience.

A Common Theme in Harry's Solo Career

When Harry made his solo debut, one topic came up frequently. It's a rare question that Harry answers directly, without leaving anything open to interpretation.

When asked by Rolling Stone, he responded: "Who's to say that young girls who like pop music—short for popular, right?—have worse musical taste than a 30-year-old hipster guy? That's not up to you to say. Music is something that's always changing. There's no goal posts. Young girls like the Beatles. You gonna tell me they're not serious?"

Love for One Direction

In his Behind the Album documentary, Harry confirms he truly loved being in One Direction, which, for the record, he is still a member of. On his solo tour, he performs three of the band's songs, including their first-ever single, What Makes You Beautiful, a track from Four (Stockholm Syndrome), and If I Could Fly from Made in the A.M.—the band's fifth album that they have yet to tour.

A Record-Breaking Year

Since One Direction went on hiatus, Harry has made his acting debut in Christopher Nolan's critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film Dunkirk and became the first British artist with a #1 debut song, album, and film in the same year. He knows who made this success possible and won’t allow the media to condescendingly portray his fans as "crazy teenage girls."

When asked on the red carpet at the London premiere of Dunkirk if his fans follow him everywhere, Harry, without stopping to invite further questioning, replied: "They're the best people in the world."

The Fans Know the Real Harry

The general public’s perception of Harry versus his fans’ knowledge of him are polar opposites.

The "best people in the world" know him as a dorky boy who watches romcoms, buys carrot cake for Stevie Nicks, paints his own nails, writes letters on his typewriter, loves sappy (but fabulous) '90s ballads like Still the One and Savage Garden’s Truly, Madly, Deeply, adores his mum, and tells the absolutely worst jokes in the world—and finds them hysterical.

They also know he has the kindest heart and is incredibly generous with his time.

A Kind and Generous Soul

While many celebrities are involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Harry goes above and beyond. He doesn’t just see children once; he ensures that every time he visits a city for his show, he invites them to attend the concert and catches up with them backstage.

Fans who have been lucky enough to meet Harry often say:

He never breaks a hug first.

He genuinely listens to them and cares about how they are.

He humbly introduces himself every time.

Credits

Words & Styling: Bree Player Styling Assistant: Sammy Stewart Photography: Pablo Martin Supplied: Twitter/@HarryStyles Illustrations: Skye McKenzie Custom Art: Kelly Maker

Here’s the reformatted text for better readability and flow while keeping the words unchanged:

A Space of Safety and Confidence

If the general public's perception of Harry is so vastly different from the fans who know him, perhaps he introduces himself because so few people know the real him. He has worked hard to make fans feel safe and loved in the space he has created for them, and it’s become the space where he feels most comfortable and confident, too.

The 2018 World Tour

We’re at the halfway point of his 2018 world tour, and an especially dedicated (and large) group of fans tunes in to every show by watching live streams on Twitter. There’s a total of 88 shows, and aside from the rare occasions when there’s no stream (some arenas have no signal... We’re looking at you, Qudos Arena), they are glued to their phones, tweeting and Instagramming every detail of the show.

One of the most anticipated moments for fans is when Harry’s outfit for the evening is revealed.

A Bold Fashion Evolution

For a guy who wore monochrome jeans and tees for most of his time on stage with One Direction, the bold and beautiful suits he wears now are at the other end of the fashion spectrum—and fans can’t get enough.

Harry’s talented stylist, Harry Lambert, has curated a selection of custom couture suits, mostly from Gucci, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Calvin Klein. Knowing he has a fervent audience with notifications switched on, Harry Lambert posts the outfit details like clockwork a few minutes into each show.

Stan Twitter and Instagram quickly become a sea of reposts, accompanied by captions that might seem incoherent to the general public but are fully understood within the fan community.

Standout Looks

Harry Lambert has also commissioned several looks from lesser-known designers, and some of these have made the biggest impact:

The exquisite flared pants and frilly blouses by Harris Reed worn in Amsterdam and Manila.

The matador-inspired look by Palomo Spain for Madrid.

And the unforgettable Scottish kilt in Glasgow (despite Harry previously teasing, "I’m saving that for later, darling," when asked if he’d ever wear a kilt).

Dancing with Wild Abandon

Fans couldn’t be happier to see the boy who once cried when he read mean tweets about himself transform into the man resplendent in Harris Reed frills and high-heeled boots, dancing with wild abandon on stage.

Harry’s flamboyant style draws comparisons to all-time greats like Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Freddie Mercury. His stage presence, signature moves (like the Kiwi pose and the whale), and his ability to captivate audiences from start to finish—even those beyond the room—show all the signs of a rock icon.

Grateful to the Fans

Most importantly, his truly brilliant debut album is evidence that he deserves to be compared to the greats, complemented by his humility and kind heart. Harry acknowledges this by saying he knows things like this don’t happen to guys like him very often, and he’s so grateful to each and every one of his fans for making it possible.

The Intangible Quality

But Harry was never going to be a baker—or a cashier. The curly-haired boy has that intangible quality that can’t be faked… which, ironically, is the X-Factor.