#Kusari in particular

[colourfulmes]

ALALALALALALAYAUAUAUG

((The voices are telling me to draw my OCs))

[wyvern-art-junkyard]

THE WHOLE SET

Complete.

Now for some interesting facts!

Their father is an Abyssinian who found the four of them as young foals/hatchlings and raised them as his own, teaching them that even though they're different species they are are still brothers. They all currently reside in Manehatten but dream of exploring the entirety of Equestria someday.

Cereb

- Due to being raised by Splinter and being around his brothers he learned to share love naturally and was one of the first Changelings in Equestria to unlock their true form at an early age.

- He is not at all embarrassed by his appearance and willingly goes out in public in his true form. The only time he shapeshifts is for fun, on missions or in order to protect his brothers.

- Because of Splinter's little knowledge on most species he didn't know what Cereb was and it wasn't until later on that Cereb made the discovery himself.

- His carapace has sustained multiple injuries and prefers to wear purple-painted titanium covers when in battle. He only flies if absolutely neccessary. When fighting the Shredder his covers were destroyed, his carapace was scratched and one of his wings was nearly torn.

Defty

- Defty changes his mane and tail's appearance regularly but prefers keeping it fluffy and dyeing the ends in different colors.

- Due to his horn's smaller size he tends to overwhelm himself often. It's only when he's utilizing his kusari-fundo or nunchuks that he can tap into a more hidden and stronger power.

- At some point the group leave the city to learn more about themselves. While his three brothers travel to different locations for a month to discover powers and information on themselves they weren't aware of, Defty enrolls in a particular school to better learn about his magic only to be eyed by none other than Princess Twilight.

- Due to Defty's higher affinity with magic his destiny is sealed as a future alicorn.

Floodflasher

- Flasher's feathers shine with a slick sheen that reflects light particularly well and also aids in keeping his body mostly waterproof as well as aerodynamic. He naturally loves the water but never quite knew why, thinking he was some kind of messed of Griffon.

- Upon leaving to discover more about himself he learns of his true abilities at Mount Aris and returns home to his brothers with a shard of the Pearl of Transformation to show them his new abilities as a seapony.

- During the final showdown with Shredder, Flasher gains the ability to slice portals through the air with his wings.

- After gaining these new powers his eyes and markings tend to glow more in the darkness.

Claymoore

- Clay is the largest of the four yet still has room to grow as he's only a teen.

- While not a true dragon he's what's known as a Drake, a wingless dragon, particularly with an affinity to the earth itself.

- When using his Ninpō not only can he grow to larger sizes he is also able to project a pair of wings from his back.

- After traveling to the Dragon Lands Clay finds himself incredibly out of place. It isn't until later that he discovers he's more in tune with the earth's surface than he is with the heat residing within it.

- He regularly bathes in water and sometimes sleeps in thick mud puddles.

- Despite his large stature and imposing appearance...he's very kind to ponies that need the help. He discovered a deeper kindness while visiting Ponyville.

@mylenapony11

(Bases are not mine. Dragon base belongs to Carolzilla)

[tblsomedoodles]

If Leo was the one to train Angie in ninjitsu, he’d probably be a more competent ninja than his brothers trained through movies.

The reason he doesn’t appear as such is because he’s still a kid and is finally having the chance to hang around others his age, so his skills take a bit of a dive in order to just be a kid with his brothers.

Honestly, I’d say that the only time his skills come into play are when he wants to be alone or if it’s a particular dangerous situation and goofing around is not on the table anymore.

Oh definitely, Leo would have taken training Angie very seriously (especially since he knew he would have to go home eventually, and if his dimension was anything like theirs was in their teens, he'd need the skills.) Not only is he trained in the standard ninjutsu stuff, but also a variety of weapons (each of the 2003 boys take turns training him a bit with their own weapons, just in case. Raphie would insist on training him on sais first, of course. But he takes to the nunchucks a little faster, and, for some reason, the kusari-fundō even faster, which ends up being his main weapon of choice.)

Yeah that's definitely part of it. Angelo would have only really had the chance to play with 2003 April and Casey's kid(s) (depending on 1. if they had any by then, and 2. how old they are.) So just goofing off with his brothers would be pretty new to him.

I think another reason would be (at least at first) Angelo doesn't actually realize there's that big of a skill gap. For a while he's just under the impression they're messing around all the time. By the time he realizes they really don't have his same skillsets, he doesn't really know what to do with the information. He doesn't think he could train them like Leo trained him, and they seem to be doing fine with what they have so i imagine he just... continues just going along with it. This dimension is different from 2003, so maybe this is how things go here. They just goof off until something works.

(Plus, by the time he realizes this, They've gotten their mystic weapons and boy was he not trained to handle a kusari-fundō that randomly catches fire and takes off with him in tow.)

And yeah, i could see him doing that. Like he'd definitely use his stealth skills (something his brothers aren't entirely familiar with) to sneak out of the lair without them knowing, and would keep his guard up more if he was on the surface alone. And if his brothers were in serious trouble? I pitty the dude that was trying to hurt them.

anyways Thank you! : )

[adragoninshiningarmour]

When it came to openings, i always thought of MHA ones. In particular, i always thought of The Day for ADiSA and Odd Future for Holy War. I also immagined an ending for the latter one as "Hana no Kusari" from Saint Seiya Lost Canvas. You think that they fit enough?

The Day is a great song. One of my favourite Hero Academia OPs. There's definitely an argument to be made for that fitting for ADiSA.

Odd Future is an interesting song! It's an untraditional OP for an anime, but it's interesting in that regard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1YojYU5nPQ Speaking of UVERworld, I do actually have an UVERworld song as a theme for a hypothetical Warrior Ten story, "Change"

Hana no Kusari was pretty good! I think it works well for an ED.

I do have a couple EDs in mind for ADiSA and Holy War, but I don't have anything set in stone yet. I'll post the ones that I have soon.

[gwarden123]

Oh god. I was going to make a joke about the ~hue~ of the sleeper ships mentioned in the opening of Freelancer, but I looked StarLancer, the previous game where all that opening nonsense came from, and ♪♫♪guess the nationalities of the bad guys’ side♪♫♪

I wasn’t even looking that up in particular. I just wanted to make a joke about the main character from Bretonia speaking with a pronounced American accent, and I found this when I was trying to check the character’s home planet (it was Leeds, I was correct)

Africa is completely forgotten, of course. For reasons, I am sure. And it certainly is something that Kusari, the Japanese-ish ones, are the final human bad guys that you have to face that have been infected by the aliens before you go on to the main bad guy. It is... something.

[chanoyu-to-wa]

Nampō Roku, Book 7 (52c):  the Kaki-ire [書入].

〽 Kaki-ire [書入].

    With respect to the chū-ō-joku, it should not be used in the wabi setting of the small room¹.  You should understand that it should be used [only] in the shoin, in the kusari-no-ma, and in the 4.5-mat room².

    When this monk was still immature, [I] used the chū-ō-joku with the mukō-ro -- and [Ri]kyū laughed heartily at [seeing] it³.  But [years] later, I heard that doing things like this had become acceptable⁴.  And that really struck me as curious⁵!

    Once [you] come to understand anything really well, you can [usually] find a use for it later⁶.  Things that were “wrong” when you were lacking in maturity are often like that⁷.

_________________________

◎ This kaki-ire, which makes several very important points, might also hint at the backstory behind the creation of Rikyū’s eponymous Kyū-dai [キウダイ = 休臺]*.  While the text is the same in all versions of the text, it is also likely that the basic story was modified (to make it conform to the approach favored by the ancestors of the modern schools). ___________ *The two mizusashi-dana (this is a tana only large enough to hold the mizusashi; the type was ultimately derived from the important half of the fukuro-dana, since the other half was rarely used during the temae), based in the kyū-dai daisu, that Rikyū created for use in a 3-mat room that had a mukō-ro.

    The shi-hō-dana [四方棚] (left) was placed beside the mukō-ro (where its relationship to that portion of the mat to the left of the mukō-ro was the same as the kyū-dai daisu’s relationship to a full-sized kyōma-tatami), and the maru-joku [丸卓] (right), which was created to be used when a furo was arranged on top of the closed mukō-ro in the same room (the maru-jōku elevates the mizusashi to the same height as when placed on the ji-ita of the daisu).

   The old fuka-san-jō [深三疊] in the Shū-un-an (this seems to have been the original room built by Nambō Sōkei’s predecessor, Giō Jōtei [岐翁紹禎; dates unknown], the illegitimate son of the great Ikkyū Sōjun [一休宗純; 1394 ~ 1481] -- who was the posthumous son of the last king of Koryeo, and who revolutionized Buddhism in Japan after his appearance during the first half of the fifteenth century) was possibly the room for which these tana were created.

    While three-mat rooms are now considered to be “small rooms,” this was not always strictly the case -- since the 3-mat room in particular is basically like a 4.5-mat room with the generally useless (when there are 3 guests or less) mat-and-a-half at the foot of the room cut off.  In Rikyū‘s day, even the daisu could be used in the 3-mat room.

¹Chū-ō-joku, ko-zashiki wabi ni mochii-bekarazu　[中央卓、小座鋪ワビニ用ベカラズ].

    Ko-zashiki [小座鋪] is an alternate way of writing ko-zashiki [小座敷] that is seen primarily in Edo period machi-shū writings on chanoyu.

    Ko-zashiki wabi ni mochii-bekarazu [小座敷ワビに用いべからず] means (because) the ko-zashiki (is a) wabi (environment), (the chū-ō-joku) should not be used (in that kind of room).

    The reason why this is stated in the beginning seems to be one key to understanding Nambō Sōkei’s mistake:  a mukō-ro was usually found only in the small room; yet the chū-ō-joku (or any sort of oki-dana*, really) is not supposed to be used in that kind of setting. ___________ *An oki-dana [置き棚] is a portable tana (as opposed to a built-in construction).

    Note that these “rules” were more a product of the Edo period than they were a feature of Jōō’s or Rikyū’s tea.

²Shoin kusari-no-ma, yo-jō-han ni te mo, kokoroete mochii-beshi　[書院クサリノ間、四疊半ニテモ、心得テ用ベシ].

    Some versions separate shoin and kusari-no-ma (書院・クサリノ間), which would suggest that the chū-ō-joku could be used in either the shoin or the kusari-no-ma*, while in other versions they are written as if the word shoin might be an adjective of kusari-no-ma (書院クサリノ間) -- which could be logical, since the kusari-no-ma only existed as an appendage of one version of the shoin (usually as a six-mat room attached to the lower end of an eight-mat shoin, as shown below).

___________ *At least according to the original conception of this dichotomy, the daisu was always supposed to be used in the shoin, and the ro (accompanied by some sort of tana -- preference was originally given to the fukuro-dana) in the kusari-no-ma.

    Kusari-no-ma [鏁の間] which literally means “chain room,” refers to the fact that the kama was suspended over the ro on a chain (the informality of which contrasted nicely with the rigidity of the tea of the daisu.

    At least at the beginning, the sumi-temae, service of kashi, and the service of koicha, all took place in the shoin, while kaiseki, go-zumi, and usucha were done in the kusari-no-ma -- which is what has been shown above.

³Kono-bō mijuku no toki, mukō-ro ni chū-ō-joku mochii-shi ni, Kyū itaku-warai-tamau　[コノ坊未熟ノ時、向爐ニ中央卓用シニ、休甚笑玉フ].

    Whether or not this documents an actual historical event, the fact is that some sort of tana had to have been placed in this way, for the first time, at some point in time.

    And whether or not Rikyū responded with incredulous mirth (assuming he was the observer rather than the perpetrator)*, his exposure to the idea certainly does seem to have set his wheels in motion.  His first solution† was the creation of the Kyū-dai [キウ臺休臺] (the pair of tana that are today known as the shi-hō-dana [四方棚], which was devised for use with the mukō-ro; and the maru-joku [丸卓], which was used when a large furo was placed on the lid of the closed mukō-ro).  This, in turn, would be followed (some years later) by the creation of the tsuri-dana by Rikyū, and the Shū-un-an-tana by Nambō Sōkei. ___________ *Though none of the history of this early period is clear, it is just as possible that it was the young Rikyū who began experimenting with placing a tana next to a mukō-ro.

    While Sōkei’s date of birth is not known, it appears from the Nampō Roku (and chance references found in other documents from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries) that he was at least several years older than Rikyū.  Sōkei also seems to have been among Jōō’s original group of followers, which would have started their association years before Kitamuki Dōchin introduced Rikyū to the master.  Yet this entry certainly implies that Rikyū was the older of the two men.  Thus it would appear that the author of this kaki-ire was deliberately playing fast and loose with the historical record, in order to characterize Rikyū as the dominating tea sage -- which agrees with the direction such narratives were taking during the Edo period (which also agrees with certain linguistic usages found in this entry).

†As was mentioned in the previous post, the most likely actual objection was that the feeling of the chū-ō-joku (which was used by the Emperor during one of the most important ceremonies of the year) was completely out of keeping with the ro (which was adapted from the common-room of a farmhouse).

    Using a newly-made tana that was based on the chū-ō-joku, would have been more in keeping with the setting -- and this seems to have been Rikyū’s solution.  As has been mentioned elsewhere, the shi-hō-dana seems to have come first, and was based on interpreting the idea of the kyū-dai daisu through the space available to the left of a mukō-ro.  That is, when the kyū-dai daisu is arranged on a kyōma utensil mat, the ten-ita extends from heri to heri, while the ji-ita is 2-me away from the heri on both sides.  Rikyū’s shi-hō-dana carries this same relationship between the ten-ita and ji-ita and the heri to the section of tatami to the left of the mukō-ro.  (Note that the modern shi-hō-dana has different dimensions from Rikyū’s original:  the most common version seen today made its first appearance during the Edo period, and was intended to be used in the 4.5-mat room with an ordinary ro.  This version of the tana is too large to be placed beside a mukō-ro.)

⁴Sono ato, kaku-no-gotoki kekkō-naru-koto wo kikite　[ソノ後、如此結構ナルコトヲ聞テ].

    Once word of Rikyū’s use of the shi-hō-tana and maru-jōku began to spread among his contemporaries, acceptance would likely have followed -- so that what had been belittled at first now became increasingly acceptable*. ___________ *It is even possible that the actual use of certain types of chū-ō-joku with the ro would have come to be accepted.

    While nothing is said in any of these posts, in Rikyū’s writings on the chū-ō-joku he specifically states that only those versions of this joku that had two or three legs could be used for chanoyu, while those with four legs were to be rejected.

    His reason was that that if the joku had four legs, the leg would get in the host’s way when moving a hishaku of cold water from the mizusashi to the kama (regardless of whether the kama was on a furo, or in the ro).  According to Rikyū’s densho, the only four-legged tana sanctioned for use in the tearoom was the (shin) daisu.

⁵Makoto ni waga-nagara okashiki-goto nari　[マコトニ我ナガラヲカシキゴトナリ].

    Makoto ni [誠に] means truly, honestly.

    Waga-nagara [我ながら] means something like “if I do say so myself.”

    Okashii-koto nari [可笑しいことなり] means a situation that is amusing, funny, odd, or strange -- the sort of thing that will cause an onlooker to cock their head with a half smile on their face.

    In other words, Sōkei is wondering why something for which he was criticized severely before has now become a completely acceptable, indeed normalized, way of doing things -- and concludes that “the ways of the world” are strange.

⁶Nani-goto mo yoku-yoku-shite ato tori-mochii-beshi　[何事モヨク〰知テ後取用ベシ].

    Nani-goto mo [何事も] means, in this case, anything; whatever (experiences we have).

    Yoku-yoku-shirite [よくよく知りて] means (that we) know very well; (that we) understand well.

    Ato tori-mochii-beshi [後取り用いべし] means should be put into use later; should be used later.

⁷Mijuku no uchi ayamari-ari ha kayō no koto nari　[未熟ノ内アヤマリアルハカヤウノコトナリ].

    Mijuku no uchi ayamari-ari [未熟の内誤りある] means there are mistakes that happen while one is still immature.

    Kayō no koto nari [斯様のことなり] means something like that is how it is, or that is to be expected.

    In other words, it is our lack of understanding that leads us into most of our mistakes when we are still learning (from which it follows that once we have completed our training -- when we have attained maturity in our practice -- we will understand how to do certain things in such a way as to avoid overstepping the bounds of propriety).

    Sōkei's unspoken conclusion appears to be that when we are still learning, we should concentrate on following the rules; but once we are mature in our practice, then things that formerly were “wrong” can now be attempted, since our training will guide us (subconsciously) so that we do not fall into error.  This, of course, was the argument that was being made by the schools at that time (as well as now), so this parable was probably created as a way to reinforce that idea.

[snackugaki]

venus de milo in rise personal funtime mega self-indulgent visdev project part ...2a? 2½? 

this is less development and more enjoying drawing combat scenes again (Venus probably looks more competent from their perspectives than hers @v@)

Lots of people have praised the action scenes in Rise, and for me personally they scratch that very particular martial arts ....cinematography? choreography? itch I get from Jackie Chan’s 80s movies and Stephen Chow’s movies. 

Like one of my favorite moments is when Mikey and Donnie do a combo move on the train where Mikey’s kusari-fundo’s weight loops around Donnie’s bo staff and absolutely wallops Foot Recruit in the face, A+ no notes

While there’s strikes in tessenjutsu, I like the defensive aspect more

....And I just got Storyboarder to run on my laptop.... the urge to board out a quick fight scene is growing.. 👀

[aeondeug]

A thing I have been thinking of while working on a fic and seeing fanart of Harrow Nova is like...What the Chain of Samael is even for. As a weapon. The thing is described as being a chain with two weights on the ends of it (ETA: a correction has been made by an anon, namely that the Chain is described as having only one weight). Which suggests that it is similar to weapons like the kusari-fundo. The kusari-fundo was designed as a compact weapon that could be used when one couldn’t openly carry a sword, which does mean that it’s being used with the idea that you have both hands open to wield the chain. However, it is a chain weapon with two weights on the end which can provide like ideas for how the Chain of Samael might be used in combat.

I make this post with an acknowledgement that I myself have not been trained in the thing and with the acknowledgement that I only have a bit of research about kusari-fundo as a weapon. Still I think that sharing what I’ve found might be of interest to people working on Harrow Nova themed art. Anyway...

So like one of the big things that kusari-fundo and, hell, the kusari part of the kusarigama, is area denial. The chain can be swung in these quick zig-zagging side to side arcs that make safely approaching difficult. Because you might get hit in the head with a chunk of metal just trying to and the person controlling the chain’s movement can alter that flow of movement purposefully to swing into you. There are other ways to use its menace to keep people away too. It is a flexible thing you can swing in a variety of ways that has heavy weights on the ends after all.

Another thing is diverting blades away from you. Granted the blades in question are katana and not rapiers. And from what I’ve seen most of this diverting is done with both hands on the chain. But basically both weights can be held and the chain’s body extended out. This body can then be connected with the blade’s side and the blade pushed down and away. I suppose Nova might theoretically be able to do this while holding the rapier, but it could also be an option if she is, for whatever reason, without a sword in hand.

Kusari-fundo can also be used to strike people at a length in front of you. In a manner similar to a rope dart. Basically the weights are held in one hand and one of them is quickly launched forth with the other hand straight forward. Allowing the maximum length of the chain be used. As it is a heavy weight this hurts. Like with the diverting techniques I’ve seen, this appears to involve both hands but it does give Nova options assuming she does not have access to her sword.

So back to someone that can be done with one hand...You can also strike people with the weights of course. The one weight can be held in hand while you swing the rest of the chain in circular arcs to get it up to speed and power. That power can then be brought down on a target. A weight already hurts to be hit with. A weight with extra oomph from being revolved hurts more. These strikes can be used to potential disarm an opponent. Since like a weight hurts, now imagine that hitting your wrist or hand. Ow. You can hit a variety of things with it for a variety of purposes.

The last interesting use that I can think of off the top of my head is that it’s a chain. So it can be wrapped around limbs. This can be used to restrain limbs, but it can also be used to choke people. Though choking obviously involves use of both hands. But like it is a flexible thing and things flexible like that do wrap around things. Which is a very cool function with a lot of dramatic potential behind it.

Now besides its actual usefulness it’s also a dangerous weapon to an unskilled user. It’s flexible and has weights on it. Nova needs to be good at directing the weight and direction of motion, and being able to redirect it. She’d also need to be good at canceling the power of the swing altogether. Which can be done in a variety of ways. You can swing it down and out, for example, while moving the axis of the swing from your hand to your shoulder by straightening the hand. This helps kill a good chunk of the energy of the chain, which allows one to stop it suddenly without hitting themselves. Nova needs to be careful with the thing.

She’s also not bound to having only one particular hand in front while flattening herself out even while swinging the chain. The chain’s movement can be controlled enough so that you’re able to switch from a left arm back position (we will treat the chain as being in the left since, for the purposes of harrow being right handed as most make her, the chain would realistically be in her left hand) to a left arm forward position. Which gets the menace of the chain’s arc further or closer to the opponent. It likely does Other Things Too, but as I have said I am not trained in chain weaponry. I’m merely someone whose done some reading and watch various videos on the topic.

Anyway. Given that the Chain of Samael is described as having two weights on the end, it’s likely similar to a kusari-fundo in its function. Though there are likely other double weighted chain weapons out there. The meteor hammer also looks like it has two weights on the two ends? So that’s another option to look at. If one isn’t into the aesthetics of a kusari-fundo in specific. Either way though, I did want to share what I’ve found while working on things with Harrow Nova myself. As I think that the Chain of Samael is just kind of really fucking cool. And it’s really neat to see that it does seem to have real world counterparts and those counterparts show a wide variety of uses. And I wanted to share what I’ve found. Again, I’m not trained in the weapon and only have a bit of research under my belt. So if anyone has corrections or additions to make that’d be very appreciated.

[void-inked-pen]

Cowabunga! Its 2012 Mikey VS Rise Mikey Fighting Time~

This post might get a bit long because I wanna put a lot more into it instead of making 3 separate posts. So this will have 2012!Mikey’s fighting analysis and comparing it with Rise!Mikey.

SO! let me just say, I have to analyze them differently from the others. What I mean is, the way Mikey fights in all versions is mainly by instinct and tends to be all over the place. He’s a free fighter, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have some technique.

The Nunchuku is a very dynamic weapon. it requires you to have spacial awareness at all times, especially if you use 2 Nunchucku like Mikey. there’s only one move specifically I’ve never seen Mikey in 2012 do and that’s a closed Nunchuku punch which adds twice the force to a regular punch.

The Nunchucku are also symbolism of freedom and creativity. Wonder why our orange boy got this particular weapon? hmmmmm...

Training with Nunchuku is actually quite intense. Just like the Bo staff, you’re prone to hit yourself... a lot. It’s one of the few weapons that move through the air and require very specific movements. (Rise Mikey can’t even do it)

Nunchucku are actually considered part of the Iron Body training regiment, it makes you tough. When you use a Nunchucku you’re using a very specific set of muscles that most athletes, martial artists, or weight training individuals don’t use too often. These include your ribs, arm pit and other side muscles that are weaker than the rest of the body.

Compared to his brothers, Mikey in 2012 would have the strongest/toughest side muscles and upper arms. Both Donnie and Mikey’s weapons are prone to hitting themselves so both of them would get tougher the more they practiced... too bad the show never showed that strength huh?

2012 Mikey tends to do what martial artists call, “Juggling”. Which means flashy moves that just throw around the chucks and don’t have any practical use. Personally, I think Mikey doing that is actually okay. it fits his personality. from a fighting standpoint tho, you’ll be prone to loosing your weapon.

Also like Donnie, 2012 Mikey has to have extremely good balance. A solid stance and fluid control help our energetic Boi do crazy flips and control his otherwise out of control Nunchucku. It helps that 2012 Mikey uses b-boy moves when fighting. break dancing is actually a very practical way to learn how to hold your own weight and move more freely.

Now, let me talk about 2012 Mikey’s Kusari-Gama (Chain Sickle). Did you know this weapon in particular is meant for assassination? You use the weighted chain side to pull your target towards you and the sickle to quickly slit their throat/decapitate them... Kind of a um... Intense weapon for Mikey which honestly makes him quite scary (ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS PART OF HIS ARSENAL IS HIS MOST REFINED MIGHT I ADD).

There’s only a slight difference between 2012 Mikey’s Kusari-gama and Rise Mikey’s Kusari-Fundo (weighed-chain). Obviously aside from the fact that Rise Mikey’s Kusari-Fundo has pyro abilities.

While Rise Mikey tends to focus on long distance, 2012 Mikey is close and mid-ranged. Let me explain, 2012 Mikey doesn’t really have a super long extendable chain. Where as Rise Mikey’s can extend exponentially!

From what I’ve seen so far (Im currently watching season 2 now), 2012 Mikey doesn’t use his Kusari-gama all that often. And unfortunately, whenever 2012 Mikey DOES show his stellar fighting skills, it’s always when he’s on the sidelines. Never when he’s the central point of an episode. This makes it hard to watch for Mikey at least because they use him as the butt end of a joke more often than not and he’s never really allowed to be serious or have a cool focal point on some crazy fighting maneuver.

The show doesn’t give him the recognition he deserves with his fighting prowess. He’s the most naturally gifted at martial arts IN CANON, but yet they don’t let him show off that skill all that often. I’m speaking from personal bias now because I wish the “B-team” got more appreciation. They are as good if not better than the so called “A-team” who, btw, DON’T FIGHT CORRECTLY! (and I’ll get into that later)

What I wished 2012 would do with Mikey, is let him be free. Let him fight creatively and not have him seem like a complete idiot. Just like Donnie and the rest of his brothers, he should be close to a ‘Master’ in skill level. So why the show didn’t feel the need to use him more effectively outside of a joke is beyond me. (If you want a show that has a comedic character who has serious moments and is done well: look at the ORIGINAL Teen Titans. Beast Boy’s arc is one of the best)

Anyway, hope this analysis was something worth reading. I won’t make a Rise Mikey fighting analysis post cause... this one kinda talks about it already. They both are creative and dynamic. what’s more to say?

I’ll link my previous analysis posts below. Thanks for reading!

How 2012 Donnie’s Fighting Is Incorrect

Difference between 2012 Donnie and Rise Donnie’s Fighting Skills

Rise Donnie Fighting Analysis

[remmushound]

Bay/rise 44!! @errorfreak88 @brightlotusmoon @selfindulgenz @digitl-art-monstr @dakotafinely @sprinklestheditty @sententiously-sarcastic @yarchurr

As a single unit of shadow and speed, the eight soldiers raced across the length of the technodrome. They maintained their formation without fail, stepping in stride with each other as they charged Shredder. Shredder got down on all fours with a growl, ready to meet them with ready claws and an open mouth eager to test out his new bite strength.

They kept up their steady charge until they got within ten feet of the great beast, just slightly out of his strike range, before they quite suddenly split off from each other. Those with the bo staff went to the left, those with the katana to the right. Shredder’s attention kept bouncing between all of them with furious roars, but before he could raise a claw to slash at them, the weighted ends of both kusari-fundo slammed into his legs and made his strike miss. He tried to swipe at the chain fighters instead. They sprinted back to a considerable distance, and Shredder turned his attention back to the ones he had lost sight of. But they were nowhere to be seen.

Shredder growled as the sharpness of his blue eyes searched the shadows with an impatient hunger. “Come out little turtles… I just want to plaaaaay…”

A sharp blow hit one of his legs and Shredder gave a furious roar; it didn't hurt, but it was enough to irritate him to turn and try to swipe at the shadowed ninja before they disappeared from his sight. Then another blow in the same spot made him spin and swipe with the same result. He just kept spinning and spinning and spinning until he got dizzy and stumbled unsteady. The best he could do was get the slightest glimpse of a blur moving before the lights flickered off again, when they came back on, the attackers were lost to him again.

“You are really… gr… ANNOYING!” With a lucky swipe, his paw slammed into one of the katana-wielding and knocked them over. Shredder jumped, his full force aimed to land on the small attacker. The lights went off, and his weight hit the floor and nothing else. Lights back on and they were gone. “WHAT?!”

His neck snapped back to where he had left his previously captured prey and rage bubbled in the pits of his stomach at finding them gone. That meant eight would have turned to twelve, and Shredder could still see none of them. The red light came on and they were all surrounding him at a great distance. Every time the lights came on, he would lunge at the nearest he saw, but when his claws would touch down in the place that he knew they were, they would be gone. The lights would come back on and they would have rearranged themselves, at the same distance, just staring him down with white, lifeless eyes.

Shredder stopped attacking. The eyes— the eyes were his key. The only clue he had to the identities of those beneath the masks. The eyes were the windows into the soul, after all. It certainly wasn’t difficult to tell his new toys apart from the rest— even the shortest of them stood a head taller than the tallest hidden soldier, and they didn't wear the identical garb. Among the hidden soldiers, he saw, were four with eyes that were solid white. Those were the mutants that caused him so much grief, but with their eyes the way they were; he couldn’t quite enough of a look at them to tell them apart.

That was of little matter to him, and in the next transition between black and red, he watched instead the eyes that weren’t white. He tried to make out which eyes were which. One set of eyes almost gold. Two sets dark brown. One set green.

A grin spread across the length of his face as his gaze followed the pattern of the green eyed soldier. Yes, certainly not one he had seen before. Perhaps a weaker link, and he had to test it out. His claws dug into the metal as he watched them run, and he closed his eyes to better follow the pattern of footsteps. Shuffling, each set with their own method put to use. He locked onto the different patterns he heard, counting the paces and then locating the green eyed fighter to check if it belonged to them. It took him three tries before he deduced the shuffling, hesitant steps that belonged to them and, when the lights went back off again, it was his turn to take advantage. He listened to the sound of them moving, and then used the darkness to his own advantage, lunging at the weak link.

***

O’Neil’s chest burned with every step she took, but she couldn’t back down. Leonardo had yet to give the signal and until he did they all had to keep moving. To stop was to be a target, a liability, and she definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of those metal talons. Being suffocated by the mask made it all the harder to breath, and sweat covered her body in an uncomfortably thick layer. But she did just as Leonardo had told her to. Move only when the shadows allowed. Stop when the lights came back on. Like some sort of high-stress game of red light green light. Intimidation was key. She wouldn’t be fighting. She didn't like how the eyes of the great monster seemed to follow her in particular, but she tried her best to trust Leonardo’s plan.

The lights went off and she moved again. Lights back on and Shredder had moved. He was midair, with mouth hanging open and showing the distorted and pained expression of the mutant within. Lights back off and she ran, breaking her ranks but she didn't care. There was a deafening crash just behind her. Light back on and she looked back. Shredder was flat on his chest, his claws still reaching out and trying to grab her. Around his legs were wrapped the other kusari fundo, wielded this time by Leo and Raph working together trying to pull The Shredder into submission.

Lights back off and O’neil still ran. Lights on and Shredder was standing over the two brothers as they strained to hold his weight, swiping a claw that severed their chain half-way. Lights back off, and April felt someone take the kusari fundo from her hand. Lights back on and she didn't manage to get a glimpse of who it had been. Lights off. Lights on. She saw it then, the chain of the last remaining kusari fundo hooked around something unseen while the mutant ninja swung around Shredder and used the chains to secure the yokai’s arms. Lights off. Lights on. Leo, Raph, and the other ninja had rejoined the ranks and continued to circle the confused and furious Shredder.

[webrokethe4thwall]

Can you write a Fanfic where Rupert Swaggart finds his own brooch and gets his live back?

Sorry for the wait @the-deku-guy, but here’s your request!

Brooches before Swine

A large man adjusted his trench coat and fedora as he scanned the stalls of the jewelers’ black market. He was not searching for your standard silver necklace or ruby ring, but a brooch. Specifically, a cloaking brooch. Meat Sweats was once again on the hunt for a mystic cloaking brooch. However, even now as he looked over the charms laid out on the table, his hopes plummeted. Several brooches, ranging from simple to ornate to tacky, were lined up, but none of them were mystic.

He had been through all of the black market stalls, antique malls, and even online auction halls. Each location yielded the same result: nothing. The former celebrity chef released a frustrated groan. He had been so close to reclaiming his old life with the last brooch he had found here. If only those two pesky girls—the curly-headed one and the slime-ball—hadn’t stolen it from him and ruined his plans!

And to add insult to injury, they had trapped him in that backwater barbeque studio. Did those amateurs not understand how to properly prepare meat before cooking it?!

“Rubbish, pitchfork-wielding hicks,” Meat Sweats grumbled, stalking away from the broach district. “Don’t know the difference between brine and a bay leaf.”

Regardless of the past, Meat Sweats was determined to regain his fame, his cooking show, and his previous life as Rupert Swaggart. Nothing and no one was going to stop him! …Well, except for his lack of a human appearance. Meat Sweats continued to mutter under his breath. He had seen other mutants—pardon, yokai—with cloaking brooches. Why was he unable to find one? Maybe there was a recall for some kind of mystical enhancement.

“One moment,” Meat Sweats grunted. “A memory stirs.”

He put a fist to his chin as he thought of a past conversation. It had been a few weeks ago with a tiny worm mutant whose name completely slipped his mind. The fellow had said he purchased a mystical enhancement jewel from some mystic shop disguised as a secondhand corner store.

“If that’s the case,” Meat Sweats mused, “perchance a visit is in order.”

That very night, the pig mutant went to the corner store. He pulled his clothes tight to his frame upon entering the store. He didn’t much care if he looked suspicious; he just didn’t want the police called on him tonight. The first thing Meat Sweats saw was some skinny greasy guy standing behind the counter. This fellow must’ve been the cloaked yokai. Meat Sweats took in the man’s lackluster appearance, baseball cap, and vague scent of chevon. After taking a moment to size each other up, the mutated chef decided to break the silence first.

“I heard that you sell delectable jewelry in this establishment,” Meat Sweats said.

“Oh, we sell all kinds of things here,” the man stated. “Lamps, dolls, and toasters to name a few; but yeah, jewelry is in the mix. The name’s Clem!” He gave Meat Sweats a lazy onceover. “You, uh, looking for something particular, friend? Nudge, nudge.”

“Nudge, nudge?” Meat Sweats asked. “It’s ‘wink, wink,’ matey.” What a peculiar character.

“Clem, get your act together!” The man shook his head in self-deprecation. Giving the password away again because he forgot an idiom. How embarrassing!

Before Meat Sweats could fake curiosity over what Clem meant, the man began shedding his disguise. The now purple goat yokai rang the bell on the counter, revealing hidden compartments in the displays that contained his mystical wares. Clem spread his arms out, showcasing the jewelry on his shelves.

“You said you’re looking for jewelry,” he droned. “What kind?”

“Cloaking brooch,” Meat Sweats stated, tearing away his trench coat. “Can’t really go on live television looking like this, now can I?”

“Wouldn’t really recommend it, no,” Clem said after a low whistle. “I’ve got just the thing.”

He knelt down behind the counter and pulled up a tray laden with stunning brooches. Clem plucked one up and handed it to the pig mutant. Meat Sweats turned it in his metal hands, admiring the star-shaped silver with a shining pink pearl in its center. He pinned the brooch to his collar and gave it a little shine. Soon his body was wrapped up in the soft pink glow of the mystical cloaking energy. Meat Sweats looked at himself in the counter’s shiny surface. It was perfect.

“All kinds of handsome is me once again,” Meat Sweats, now Rupert Swaggart, grinned.

With a wink and kiss sent to his reflection, Rupert threw a few bills at Clem. He had no appetite for goat yokai shopkeepers at the moment. No, it was time for Rupert to reclaim his previous life in full.

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A few nights later, Mikey upped the volume on his kitchen television. It was time for Kondescending Kitchen, and he was determined to make the perfect risotto!

“Are you ready to unleash the flavor?!”

Mikey came to an abrupt halt. That voice…it couldn’t be! He focused fully on the television. Meat Sweats, disguised as Rupert Swaggart, stood front and center for a cheering audience. Not good.

“Guys,” the box turtle yelled, already reaching for his kusari-fundo, “we’ve got a problem!”

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Rupert left the stage with the sound of the audience’s queued cheers pouring into his ears. He smirked to himself as he entered his dressing room. It was quite refreshing to hear after months of absence from his television career. The station manager even said that she was going to schedule an interview about his dramatic transformations and his unexpected final return. Yes, his cloaking brooch shining brilliantly on his apron was working greatly in his favor. The chef grinned as he picked up the night’s winning dish: pork risotto.

“Time to savor my victory,” Rupert hummed contentedly.

“Not a chance, Meat Sweats!”

One yellow and four green blurs swept into Rupert’s vision. No, not these reptilian nuisances and that ruinous girl! While Rupert hadn’t done anything more than reclaim his television program from an undeserving rival, Meat Sweats should’ve known that these pains in his tendrils would catch wind of his return.

“Not you rotten eggs!” Meat Sweats snarled, ditching his disguise in favor of his more combat-ready pig mutant appearance.

“You know it!” April defiantly retorted. “Which poor yokai did you steal this brooch from?!”

Now Meat Sweats was genuinely confused.  He was also annoyed, but he had some modicum of integrity. He never stole the brooch. He didn’t even steal the first one! He bought both pieces fair and square. Granted his newest item was from a slightly more legitimate business. Nevertheless, why are these pests coming after him tonight?! He hadn’t even attempted to eat or poison anyone recently!

Before Meat Sweats could state his innocence, the fight was on. Raphael and Donatello charged him head on, while Leonardo and Michelangelo went for his sides. Meat Sweats easily knocked all four of them back with a swing of his meat tenderizer. He nearly missed April reaching for his rose gold cloaking brooch.

“Hands off!” Meat Sweats roared, stepping away from the girl and raising a protective hand over the shining pearl. “This is me own brooch!”

“Oh, yeah?” Mikey challenged. “Show us the receipt then!”

Meat Sweats, fed up with these annoying teenagers that always seemed to pop up in his life, shoved the seedy secondhand shop’s receipt into the smallest turtle’s face. The turtles and girl clearly didn’t expect this response. All fighting stopped, and it appeared the children were taking a moment to process the strip of paper between the pig mutant’s gloved fingers.

“Satisfied?!” Meat Sweats demanded.

“Wait,” Raph said in disbelief. “You actually, legitimately bought a cloaking brooch?”

“How much does one go for?” Donnie asked, squinting at the too small smudged numbers.

“Enough to get the job done,” Meat Sweats stated, stuffing the receipt back into his pocket. “Now, leave me be before I cook you all into turtle soup!”

“Not so fast,” Leo said. “Why do you need a cloaking brooch anyway. You’ve just been trying to eat and poison people this entire time. Did you want to do that when you were human, too, or is it a pig thing?”

Meat Sweats sighed in exasperation. Maybe he should’ve just let the fighting go on until either he passed out or they ran off. It was too late to find out, in any case. Now he had to converse with, ugh, teenagers about his rather tame plans and not-so-tame eating habits.

“Pig thing,” Meat Sweats stated shortly. He rubbed his cloaking brooch and reactivated his human façade. “I’m taking back what’s mine with this brooch. My show, my fame, and my life need my human face. I’m not about to let some mediocre fry cook take over my kitchen!”

The so-called chef the station had replaced him with was barely out of culinary school his skills were so dull. It boiled Meat Sweats’ blood. Whether those pesky teenagers liked it or not, Rupert Swaggart was making a comeback. Kondescending Kitchen needed him! Meat Sweats just needed a human face to rescue it. While some people were accepting of mutants or cosplay junkies, the public eye required a certain degree of discretion.

“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” April asked. She gave Rupert a distrustful once over.

“Not a problem!” Mikey interjected. He slid himself between his siblings and the returned celebrity chef. “We’ll just enroll him into my Evil League of Mutants Going Good Rehabilitation Program!”

“His what?” Rupert asked, baffled by whatever the exuberant turtle was rambling about.

“It is Michael’s method of transforming our enemies into allies,” Donnie drawled. “It has been showing promising results for Draxum. Though there may be a learning curve.”

“Yeah,” Leo reluctantly agreed, “but Draxum’s the only one that Mikey has worked with so far. How do we know it’ll work on this guy?”

“That’s easy,” Raph stated, fully confident in his baby brother. “Since we know that Mikey’s program worked on one of the worst people we know, we’ll help him with setting Meat Sweats on the right path.”

“And keep Mikey from getting star-struck,” April muttered, eying the way Mikey fawned over the sweaty chef.

Rupert rolled his eyes. What is wrong with these kids?! Were they seriously discussing the future of his moral status in front of him? He didn’t need to put up with this!

“Don’t I get any say in this?” Rupert demanded.

“No!”

All the teenagers glared at him, except for the orange clad turtle who had stars in his eyes. The audacity!

“Rubbish,” Rupert grunted.

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For weeks, Meat Sweats was under the unnervingly close surveillance of the Mad Dogs. A ridiculously unsuitable name for those five obnoxious kids. He despised how involved they forced themselves to be in his life. Telling him what to do and what not to do. It was annoying! Don’t eat the mutant silverfish this, and don’t sabotage your culinary rivals that. He was sick of it and was very vocal about his displeasure.

However, the teens didn’t seem to care nor let up in their efforts to conform him to the moral high ground. The chef didn’t know if reclaiming his glory was worth the hassle. At least he didn’t have to waste energy tenderizing their bones anymore. Michelangelo even had a realistic view of his character in spite of his fanboy attitude towards Rupert Swaggart.

The box turtle never expected him to become 100% kindhearted, if he ever became nice at all. However, Mikey did put limits on Meat Sweats and made him stick to some simple moral codes. Rupert just wanted to get his status as “Most Pretentious Chef in New York” back on track. Unfortunately, the youngest turtle did not allow him to perform any of his deliciously underhanded tricks on his competition.

“Meat Sweats!” Mikey admonished. He had just caught the reforming chef about to pour mystic poison into his delightful pizza puffs. Again. “What are we supposed to do with our culinary competition?!”

Meat Sweats released an annoyed grunt. He was getting tired of repeating his supposed mentor’s lessons, but it was mildly better than the intermittent fighting they used to go through.

“Out-serve them with quality meals, not quality poison,” Rupert droned. It was verbatim from one of Chef Mikey’s many “Maintaining Healthy Competition” lectures.

“Exactly,” Mikey said in a condescendingly sweet tone. He took the poison from Meat Sweats’ grip and yeeted it into the distance. “Now put on Rupert Swaggart, and let’s make filet mignon!”

Meat Sweats rolled his eyes at the young turtle’s antics but went along with it. Michelangelo was a decent enough chef for his age, proving his potential by the way he prepared that salmon when two drooling snakes were baring down on them. Rupert Swaggart activated his cloaking brooch and picked up a knife. He may as well humor Mikey with an attempt to mature his talent.

“Not a bad idea, lad,” Rupert agreed. “Filet mignon with roasted asparagus and,” he smirked, “truffles.”

Mikey’s eye twitched at the traumatic memory. “Not funny, sweat sock.”

Meat Sweats laughed uproariously, and even harder still when he saw Mikey’s annoyance growing. It was fun messing with this one. No matter what the chef threw his way, the young turtle always bounced back with an even snarkier reply. He might make a Kondescending Chef out of the boy yet. With no further preamble, the two mutants proceeded to craft a fine meal of filet mignon over roasted asparagus drizzled with mushroom sauce.

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A month later, Rupert’s program established itself as the most popular food-related show on television once again. Crimes related to a food truck driven by a pig mutant plummeted as the celebrity chef made more public appearances. He had finally achieved his goal. Now Meat Sweats could kick back in his apartment, resting in his easy chair, and let the adulation from his fans inflate his ego, and his wallet, once more. A loud knock on his door broke him out of the moment, and the door being kicked open entirely had the pig mutant falling out of his chair.

“What in blazes?!” Meat Sweats shouted, quickly activating his cloaking brooch.

“Sorry for the door,” April cheered, giving no sign of remorse at all. “But I come baring gifts, and they’re heavy!”

April lifted several plastic bags filled with groceries. Rupert gave the girl an annoyed glare. He got up from the floor, set his door back into place minimal effort, and stared his “visitor” down. The chef didn’t know why she was in his home without her turtle friends, but he did catch the delightful aroma of raw meat, seasonings, and vegetables wafting from the bags in her hands. April immediately went to the kitchen and dumped a few wrapped lamb chops, fresh artichokes, a jar of capers, and several other ingredients onto the countertop.

“What are you doing, girlie?” Meat Sweats asked, dropping his disguise.

He was well used to the turtles’ surprise visits, but they always came in through the window or a portal into the living room. April rarely came by herself, so the chef had yet to learn her favored way of barging in.

“Setting up an apology,” April replied, organizing the meat, spices, and other ingredients.

“A what?” Meat Sweats was taken aback. This teen had been screwing up his life for months. Why was she apologizing now? What was she apologizing for?!

“You’ve been doing pretty good since you got that cloaking broach and went into Mikey’s rehab program,” April snickered. She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “And I started feeling kinda bad about trapping you in the ‘Sauce That Hog’ studio.” Meat Sweats frowned deeply at the memory, and April had the sense to move on to the ingredients on the counter. “So I brought over all the ingredients for fancy lamb chops.” She waved the bag of artichokes enticingly. “Including some mystic artichokes fresh from the Hidden City.”

Meat Sweats snorted at the attempt to woo his culinary pallet. He may not spend much time with the girl, but he knew April could kiss up to anyone’s better nature once she found their Kryptonite. His was fairly obvious, and the chef took great pride in flaunting his cooking skills.

“So you thought that catering to me superior culinary taste with mystic produce and corner store mutton would make up for that torment?” He wasn’t going to let April off that easily though.

“It’s actually hogget from my cousin’s farm,” April corrected. “She raises the best meat livestock I’ve ever tasted, so I thought you might like to try it.”

“No kidding?” Meat Sweats, surprised that April knew different types of lamb meat, looked at the wrapped meats inquisitively.

“It’s sheep meat,” April smirked, “not goat.”

“Why must you pun like the blue one?” Meat Sweats grumbled. “Just give me the ingredients and watch me—”

“Unleash the flavor!” The mutant and teenager chorused.

Meat Sweats wasn’t expecting that either. He gave April an odd look. Mikey was his fanboy, so what was her excuse? April just grinned.

“Mikey got me to watch a few episodes from his favorite seasons of Kondescending Kitchen,” she explained. “What can I say? It’s a catchy line.”

“Yes, well,” Meat Sweats countered, “it’s my line.” He knows it was a lame comeback, but he really didn’t know how to respond. One minute he and these kids are at each other’s throats, the next he’s cooking filet mignon and lamb chops with them. He shakes his head and gestures to the other side of the sink. “Hand me my knife block. I want to chop up these artichokes for a marinade.”

“Yes, Chef,” April saluted.

“Cheeky girl,” Meat Sweats commented.

He and April made a delightful set of lamb chops topped with marinated artichokes and seasoned capers. The chef figured that if the return of Rupert Swaggart meant being badgered by those annoying Mad Dogs, then there are worse fates he could have been forced to endure. They weren’t as awful as he dreaded. If he didn’t enjoy being a jerk so much, he may have been tempted to even call them his friends. He still might. Just not when they were around. He had an image to maintain after all.

[cerastes]

scythes are best utilized as one handed steath weapons esp blending in as a farmer ie kusarigama

RIGHT, it’s time to address the kusarigama, an actually incredibly deadly weapon.

Let’s start with the kama by itself: It is exactly as I have described so far, a “better than nothing” weapon that was your last option if you didn’t have anything else. The kama is first and foremost a farming tool, improvised weapon second. Just like scythes, kama were commonplace among farmers, thus, whenever there were bandits to slice open or a little revolution brewing up to kill a crappy lord of a land, then you were sure to see kama. They were sharp, they were easily procured, they needed no real training to brandish (although training forms for kama do exist, such as in Okinawan Karate) and could produce results in the chaos of battle (keep in mind, Japanese warfare was more chaotic than the more formation-based warfare fought elsewhere). You’d usually wield two kama, and they were not too shabby due to their short length working in their favor: It’s much easier to make use of that particular shape within close quarters.

But it was still an improvised weapon. So, how did it become very, very deadly?

INTRODUCING the Kusarigama.

A combination between a kama and a kusari-fundo, the kusarigama was a very deadly weapon. So why was the kama considered an improvised farmer weapon while the kusarigama is regarded as a deadly weapon (it even has its own discipline, kusarigamajutsu, of which there are plenty of schools, the most popular being the Koga-ryu)? Believe it or not, it was because of the kusari-fundo (weighted chain), actually.

See, the way this weapon was used was by swinging the weighted chain above one’s head to quickly build up centrifugal force. Then, you’d throw the weighted chain at your opponent, and here’s where the magic happens: Your foe has few options at this point, because you just threw what amounts to a whip at them, just look at the length of that chain! The centrifugal force of the kusari-fundo could actually cause heavy damage, such as breaking your foe’s arm or at the very least hurting it plenty, breaking a rib, or even straight up killing him if it hit his head. Dodging it is very difficult, too. So, he uses his weapon to block it... Aaaaand now he has a chain tangled around his weapon. This works to your advantage, since you can unbalance and trip the opponent. The kama part of the weapon was used to move in for the kill, but the real star was the weighted chain, to be frank. Also, no, you never throw the kama, that’s just fiction. VERY bad idea. Risky, easy to block without it tangling the enemy’s weapon, and you basically just give away your weapon (try spinning your chain properly when you threw the base that holds it).

More experienced users of the kusarigama would spin it to their side and could throw the weight directly forward instead of in an arc, landing devastating blows. Remember: Japanese warriors did not wear a lot of armor. A weight chain with a lot of centrifugal force was frighteningly effective.

The kusarigama is one of my favorite weapons ever because it’s actually one of those very fancy weapons that IS actually extremely effective and practical. The mortality rate of the kusarigama is hilariously high. It’s a practical and deadly weapon.

[secretsocietyxmen]

Personal headcanon: while each of the Ninja Turtles were trained in multiple different weapons, each of them had gravitated towards a particular type of weapon, baring a few exceptions.

Leonardo: Swords. Ex: Katana, Ninjaken/Ninjato, Daisho (katana and wakizashi), Tanto/Kogatana, Odachi

Donatello: Staffs and polearms. Ex: Bo staff, Nagitana, Hammer, War Axe, Tech-Bo

Raphael: Close range weapons. Ex: Sai, Tonfa, Kusarigama/Kama, Tekko-Kagi

Michelangelo: Chained weapons. Ex: Nunchaku, Manriki-Gusari, Grappling hook, Sansetsukon, Kusarigama, Chigiriki/Kusari-Fundo

(Never actually internalized how many different weapons Mikey used in his ninja career, including the ones that don’t fit the overall theme. Good for him, having all that variety.)

As well, what type they gravitate towards makes sense considering their personalities: Leo is defined by his honor and adherence to bushido; Don is all about keeping his distance and analyzing before making his move; Raph is a hothead who loves to get up close and personal; and Mikey is a free spirit and wild child who can’t be predicted. Which is why it bugs me when writers deviate from these established characteristics by changing their weapons too much.

[swampyswan]

Mr Enter’s Review of ROTTMNT Is Actually The Worst

I used to be a fan of Enter’s when I was in middle school, but as I went into high school I lost interest and didn’t check up on him for years...then I heard he reviewed ROTTMNT (which I love). I watched his review and then promptly unsubbed.

Look, I think people are allowed to have and say whatever opinions they have, and I don’t think Enter HAS to like ROTTMNT; but virtually all of his criticisms were either very nit picky, very far fetched, or flat out untrue about the show.

It was made apparent that he’d only watched a few episodes and was HEAVILY biased against it because it’s so different. If he was trying to look at the show objectively, he failed HORRIBLY.

Some points he made:

1. “The weapons the new turtles have are too futuristic”. Apparently, the Rise! Turtles have weapons that are not traditional ninja weapons, which is just...inaccurate. Mikey’s Kusari-fundo, Raph’s Tonfa, Leo’s sword and Donnie’s bo staff are all traditional Japanese weaponry. They aren’t necessarily made for ninjas in particular (Leo’s sword is more associated with samurai), but they’re not any less accurate than previous incarnations that use Sai and nunchucks.

2. “April is only black to seem progressive”. This speaks for itself. April is apparently only there for political reasons because...she’s black and exists?? As a black woman, this point just confuses me. The show literally never comments on her being black (why would it? This show is for kids). Her being black is literally just a design element, not some kind of statement. It’s a reach for sure.

3. “April has no reason to hang out with the turtles.” Yes she does. You know what that reason is? Friendship. They like each other’s company. This is another bizarre point that I just don’t get.

4. Apparently to Enter, Rise! Splinter is a “bumbling dad persona”. I’ll give him this one in that Rise! Splinter is kinda this, but where this falls short is that Enter assumes that you can’t have a compelling character out of a cliche. Anybody who watches the show would recognize that there is more to Splinter than just being a “bumbling dad.” By this logic, I guess that would mean that EVERY splinter in EVERY incarnation is bad by default, since they’re all derivatives of the “wise Asian mentor” stereotype. Even stranger is that he makes fun of this Splinter for being “cliche” without acknowledging that virtually every iteration of TMNT is FULL of cliches. That’s not a bad thing; there is practically no piece of media that is free of cliches, and being cliche is fine as long as what you’ve made has a motivated plot related goal.

5. “The animation is bad”. As an artist myself, this one hurts a little. While I can get not liking the character designs, the actual animation is SPECTACULAR. He also doesn’t elaborate on what makes it bad, just complains that it’s “too fast.” It’s because...it’s an action show?? And a comedy?? It’s supposed to be fast?

It should also be known that he only watched like a couple episodes and got all these bad takes from that alone. He could have made it look better if he had titles it “ROTTMNT First Impressions”, because I can understand not liking the first couple episodes, but don’t try and claim stuff about the show that you’re not interested in.

I remember now why I lost interest in Enter; ALL of his criticisms are in absolutes. Everything is either perfect masterpieces (Like Hey Arnold) or completely irredeemable garbage (Like his TTG reviews). ROTTMNT is not perfect, and I’m open to hearing about its flaws, but I don’t find it to be anywhere near the same level as some of the other stuff he’s reviewed. It’s so obvious that he’s in love with the earlier iterations and it’s making him biased.

Edit: I’m not inviting people to harass Mr Enter, and please refrain from saying anything ableist about him. If you don’t like him for his thoughts, that’s one thing, but making fun of his condition is crossing a line.

[ultraclops]

I've been rewatching some of the eps to see what kind of weapons Mao owns besides Geraldine, and I'm not sure if I'm identifying these particular weapons from Ultraclops correctly?

My best guess is from left to right: A kunai, a shuriken (but a different kind than the one used in Boba-Chan), A tantō(?), A double-bladed kunai, a kusari-gama(?) and a sai. The ones with question marks I'm unsure about.

[boukenboy]

#13: 月影の鎖 -錯乱パラノイア- / Getsuei No Kusari - Sakuran Paranoia -

Released in April of 2013, Getsuei no Kusari ~ Sakuran Paranoia ~ is an otome game for the PSP. Developed and published by TAKUYO, GnS is a sprawling, massive tale about the struggles of a small town facing economic decline, xenophobia, taxation, and despair. There’s also a bit of romance, too. As a treat.

Set in the isle of Sangetsutou, a small island far from the mainland, we play as Fuyuura Megumi, who runs a small restaurant in the island’s only city, Koukashi. Megumi is an excellent protagonist - she’s kind, polite, and very hard-working, but has trouble opening up and asking others for help. Relatable. 

But all is not well in this seemingly peaceful town. A massive fire devastated Koukashi a year before the game began, and the town has faced economic issues since. Once known as a tourist destination due to its pleasure quarter and hot springs, the amount of visitors to Sangetsutou has decreased significantly. Faced with economic depression, the town’s unnamed mayor hires a mysterious consultant, Fukami, who offers the town a simple solution: turn the town into a military base. By doing so, Koukashi would not only receive money from the federal government, but businesses, too, would benefit from the presence of soldiers visiting the island and spending their coin. But the majority of the citizens are opposed to this proposal: why should their way of life have to change? Who will really benefit? Is there any other way? What would happen should the country go to war? 

Chief among those opposed to the garrison is Kagurazaka Hibiki, leader of the town’s youth activism group and local hero. Originally a traveler, he happened to be in Sangetsutou during the great fire of last year, and is renowned for stepping in and organizing the rescue and extinguishing movements when the town’s government failed to respond adequately. He is well-educated, stoic but likable, and the town has developed a dependency on him to set things right, for better or worse. Working directly underneath him is Mochizuki Satoya, a diligent youth, who grew up in the pleasure quarters, working as an assistant to the brothels there.  Like Kagurazaka, he cares deeply for the townspeople, though he struggles with envy, as he feels he does not have the ability to lead others as Hibiki does. He’s also short. He doesn’t like that, either. 

Rounding out the cast, we have Inoguchi Wataru and Haruna Nozomu. Wataru works for the military, and I assume he is involved with the militarization of the town, but beyond that, I’m not sure, as I have yet to do his route. Nozomu is initially silent about his motives, but it is eventually revealed that he works for Fukami, but this cynical blue-haired jokester isn’t especially loyal to this colonizer of a boss.

 Unlike other otome games, or at least those that I have played personally, GnK isn’t entirely focused on romance - rather, this is a story of a small town trying to cope with economic struggles, with interpersonal drama sprinkled in throughout each route. Each story-path features Megumi siding with a particular faction within Koukashi: for example, you’ll become a member of Kagurazaka’s activism group in his story-line, while in Mochizuki’s, you’ll spend a great deal of time getting to know the women that make their living as prostitutes in the pleasure quarter. Should you choose Haruna, you’ll spend a brief time working the game’s “villain” of sorts - and if you couldn't guess who that is, it’s Fukami. The world of GnK is a morally grey one - each character is extensively developed, complete with many long, long monologues, both spoken and thought, and you’ll gradually discovery why each character does the things they do, even if you don’t agree with their reasoning. The game respects your intelligence in this respect, and the writers are not afraid to discuss serious issues. This is easily the most “mature” otome game I have played. GnK tackles subjects like xenophobia, racism, economic scarcity, suicide, rape, and the validity of the sex work. Furthermore, this is by far some of the most challenging material I’ve ever read as a non-native speaker of Japanese. This game will break your back if you’re not at a certain level of fluency, but I personally loved the complexity of the text. As somebody who has studied the language extensively, I sometimes feel as though my abilities have plateaued in a sense - almost as if I can’t get any better than my current level. GnK wound up being a rewarding experience solely in that sense - but make sure you keep a dictionary on hand!

The story, for the most part, is very slow-paced and there’s not much “drama” until the latter half of the game. GnK is a slow-burner, which naturally allows for more opportunities to really explore its characters. However, this does not mean that there’s no filler - there is an absolutely absurd amount of text that I felt could have been left in editing without affecting the story. Do we really need to have multiple paragraphs of Megumi describing, at length, the process of preparing tea every time somebody orders it? I understand that this is a visual novel, so shouldn’t the principle of “show, don’t tell” apply even more in this respect?

The game is a bit obtuse when it comes to unlocking routes, as well. On my first play-through, I answered each prompt as I would in real life, as I typically do in games of this type, curious to see who I wound end up with in a natural flow of things. This was a stupid idea in hindsight, because GnK has a number of bad endings lurking to sink an unsuspecting gamer. I would up unlocking nobody, and my game ended after only a few hours. Upon reading a guide, I was a little annoyed by how strict the game expects you to be in regards to following each route - but in its defense, GnK does provide an excellent auto-save feature. I was just too dumb to utilize it properly.

Each protagonist has two “main” endings, and as mentioned above, a small handful of bad ones. Which proper ending you unlock depends on how high the “love” and “dependent” your man of choice has for you. Being self-less, strong willed, and honest tends to raise the “love” meter, while doing the opposite raises the “dependency” level, but it, of course, depends on the character. 

The love endings are full of the schmaltz you’d expect from a game of this type, though slightly elevated thanks to the high quality of the writers at Takuyo. The dependency endings, on the other hand, are absolutely wild, and genuinely disturbing - you’ll experience the exquisite pleasure of burning together in the pleasure quarter, or, conversely, know what it’s like to strangle another human being after you’ve lost your marbles due to experiencing the same trauma your birth-mother went through! They are the definition of extra, and as a whole, felt way way more fulfilling and unique compared to the happier endings.

I wish the game had actual split routes for the two ending types, however, as seeing a healthy-ish relationship crumble within a span of minutes felt a little jarring to me, personally. That being said, if you only have time for one ending, go for the dark ones, as they really pack that molasses-drenched punch.

I love when a game manages to truly surprise me, and GnK did that. The plot, grounded and realistic, free from paranormal influences or deus-ex-machina bullshit, felt super fresh compared to many games in the same genre, and the depth of text kept me challenged and entertained. Each route will take about 10 hours - so it’s well worth trying out! Stay safe out there, and happy gaming!