#Orient Mako

[moghedien]

MINAKO

[diversewatches]

Timekeeping with a Maritime Spirit: The Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C Watch

Discover a timepiece that embodies the essence of the sea—the Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C Watch. With its nautical-inspired design and precision engineering, this watch seamlessly blends style and functionality. In this blog post, we delve into the features that make the Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C the perfect companion for those with a maritime spirit.

Embracing the Nautical Aesthetics The Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C watch captures the maritime spirit through its design elements. The deep blue dial evokes the mesmerizing shades of the ocean, while the luminescent hands and markers represent the guiding lights of coastal beacons. The unidirectional rotating bezel, reminiscent of a diver's watch, adds a sporty touch and provides functionality for timing water-related activities.

Precision and Reliability Timekeeping accuracy is essential, especially for those with a maritime spirit. The Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C watch is powered by an automatic movement, ensuring reliable and precise timekeeping without the need for a battery. The watch also boasts a robust stainless steel case that offers durability and water resistance up to 200 meters, making it suitable for various aquatic adventures.

Functionality for Water Enthusiasts The Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C is not just a stylish timepiece; it's also designed to meet the needs of water enthusiasts. The screw-down crown and case back ensure a secure seal, enhancing the watch's water resistance. The day and date function adds practicality to the timepiece, allowing users to keep track of important information while exploring the seas.

Versatility for Land and Sea While designed with a maritime spirit, the Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C watch transitions effortlessly from the sea to the shore. The sleek stainless steel bracelet offers comfort and durability, while the classic design makes it suitable for both formal and casual occasions. Its versatility allows wearers to showcase their maritime passion wherever they go.

A Timepiece Steeped in Heritage Orient has a rich heritage in watchmaking, known for its craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C watch carries on this tradition, combining modern technology with time-honored techniques. Each timepiece reflects the brand's commitment to producing high-quality watches that stand the test of time.

Conclusion: If you're someone who resonates with the maritime spirit, the Orient Mako III RA-AA0009L09C watch is an excellent choice. Its nautical aesthetics, precision timekeeping, and water-friendly features make it the perfect companion for your seafaring adventures. With its versatility and heritage, this timepiece combines style and functionality to embody the essence of timekeeping with a maritime spirit.

[unforeseen-idiot]

I am a Mako stan

I just finished Legend of Korra, and honestly at some point I just started loving this awkward firebending guy. At first I found him kinda annoying and standoffish, plus both of his relationships weren’t exactly great, due in large parts to him being jerky, and the fact that his girlfriends were lesbians(?)However once season 3 started he really turned around for me. It was subtle but I found his scenes funny and good, his bonds with Bolin and Kai (whom I also stan thank you) to be strong, and his bending to be pretty awesome. Then season 4 starts and I freaking love the guy. Him and Prince Wu have the best dynamic period. And his scene in the finale actually brought tears to my eyes. Anyway this is a long way of saying that Mako is really cool.

[monsterblogging]

List of Official/Official-Adjacent Pacific Rim Media

Here's a list of Pacific Rim media for y'all Pacific Rim fans who want to check out as much of it as possible!

PACIFIC RIM (2013 FILM) Usually considered the primary text of this franchise. Pacific Rim fans mostly agree it's good.

PACIFIC RIM NOVELIZATION BY ALEX IRVINE The novelization of the 2013 film. The book's writer, Alex Irvine, had texts from Legendary Pictures work with, but some of the information was outdated. Furthermore, the book has a cynical, smug tone and comes off like it's written for the type of audience who thinks CinemaSins is actual media criticism. The only thing it's really good for is for scraping out lore, but it's full of contradictions and occasionally uses outdated lore, so you have to compare/contrast it with other materials.

TALES FROM YEAR ZERO Authored by Travis Beacham, this comic explores the origins of the PPDC and the Jaeger program. It's interesting for lore, but story-wise, it might not be engaging if you aren't into Travis Beacham's particular romantic storytelling tastes. Also, if you're a puritan who gets offended when main characters are kinda fucked up people, this isn't for you.

TALES FROM THE DRIFT Authored by Travis Beacham, this comic tells the haters-to-lovers story of Duc and Kaori Jessop, pilots of Tacit Ronin. Mildly interesting for lore, and another romance-oriented story. (Beacham loves those.)

PACIFIC RIM: MAN, MACHINES, & MONSTERS The official artbook. Has some interesting information and lore, though it also contains a few typos and references outdated worldbuilding.

TRAVIS BEACHAM'S TUMBLR After Pacific Rim's release, Travis Beacham answered many fans' questions. While he was often cryptic and straight-up refused to answer certain questions for fear that he'd spoil a future story, he still provided quite a bit of insight. You can visit his old blog at travisbeacham.tumblr.com

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING Largely panned by fans of the original film. Partway through production, the sequel to Pacific Rim was handed off to another director, and many plot elements were hastily changed with little to no regard for the rich worldbuilding developed by Travis Beacham and Guillermo del Toro, or even story coherency. The film never gives really your brain space to breathe, so it's very difficult to follow the story. Moreover, it misses the thematic and allegorical tones of the first movie, and lacks its occult influences. Overall, it's a hollow followup to Pacific Rim.

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING NOVELIZATION BY ALEX IRVINE Fundamentally, it's the same story as Pacific Rim: Uprising. The upside is that Alex Irvine's writing is significantly improved, and the story is much easier to follow in novel format. The downside is that you don't have John Boyega's acting talent.

PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING JUNIOR NOVELIZATION BY BECKY MATHESON It's more or less the same as above, but edited down for a younger audience.

THE ART AND MAKING OF PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING The PRU artbook. I've never read this one, so I couldn't tell you what's in it aside from the very obvious.

PACIFIC RIM: AFTERMATH A prequel comic to Pacific Rim: Uprising written by Cavan Scott, Aftermath tells two stories: one focuses on Jake Pentecost and his relationship with his father; the other on what happened to Hannibal Chau and Joshua Griffin (one of Vulcan Specter's pilots) after the kaiju war. The comic makes excellent use of the lore, and the stories are great.

PACIFIC RIM: AMARA A prequel comic that focuses specifically on Amara Namari. I have mixed feelings about it; the mini-Jaeger designs were great but I felt that the actual storyline was a little melodramatic. I dunno, read it for yourself and see what you think.

PACIFIC RIM: ASCENSION A prequel novel to Uprising by Greg Keyes, this story gives life and focus to many characters who didn't get a lot of attention, including the Kaidonovskys and the cadets. Mako Mori is given the narrative respect she deserves, and Hermann Gottlieb's characterization is top-notch. The author makes use of the lore provided by Legendary Pictures to weave a rich and fascinating narrative that puts the actual Uprising film to shame.

MAKING OF/BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE There's a number of videos out there on YouTube, which you can find by searching up.

PACIFIC RIM CONCEPT ART There's quite a lot of concept art out there. You can start here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, or search Pinterest or whatever search engine for Pacific Rim concept art.

PACIFIC RIM: THE BLACK A cash grab produced by Netflix, The Black disregards Pacific Rim's rich worldbuilding and follows bland, generic cartoon protagonists through a bland, generic cartoon plot loosely - loosely, mind you - based on the films. It tries to be dark, but it has all the skill of a sixteen year old edgelord about it. Also, the production values are nonexistent. You will miss absolutely nothing worthwhile by skipping over it. If for some reason you really want a Pacific Rim story where child soldiers are framed as a good thing, just read Pacific Rim: Ascension. If you want dark, watch Pulp Fiction or From Dusk 'Til Dawn. If you want a story where somebody makes a religion out of turning people into monsters, watch Midnight Mass or play/watch a no-commentary playthrough of Resident Evil 4 or 8. If you want an AI that looks after two stranded children, watch 3Below. Seriously, there is nothing The Black does that something else doesn't do infinitely better. "But most of these aren't Pacific Rim stories-" Wrong. Any story can be a Pacific Rim story if you're not a coward. And just about anything is a better Pacific Rim story than The Black.

PACIFIC RIM: BLACKOUT Prequel comic to Pacific Rim: The Black. Haven't read it, but it's written by the same guy who wrote Aftermath so it's probably a sight better than The Black.

[wasted-women]

ROUND 1C, MATCH 3 OUT OF 8!

Causes of Death & Propaganda Under the Cut:

Tara Maclay

Cause of Death: Shot in crossfire

Propaganda:

Ok so idk if she actually counts but I'm submitting her and please throw her out if not. Here's why I think Tara was fridged: the sole purpose of her death was to further the plot and cause pain to other characters. Now, because it's Buffy, these other characters were women. So her death was only to cause pain to her girlfriend (ex-girlfriend? They were broken up but mending) Willow, cause her to relapse into magic, and then make her essentially the big bad of the season. All of this was then to cause Buffy, the protag, to have to fight her best friend and be told she needed to either stop her or kill her. So while Buffy and Willow are both women, Tara's death was solely to cause them pain as significant other and protagonist and to further the plot. (It's also bury your guys and Joss Whedon sooooo). Tara literally was killed sloppily for no other reason than as a plot device in a desperate "well we already killed our protag and brought her back to life, how do we raise the stakes from here" ploy necessitated by crappy writing. If she doesn't count, again please throw her out, but I feel like she counts as fridging esp when looking at how Joss Whedon rights Buffy in this season to essentially bc a self insert of man pain but as a woman.

this is the only lgbt example I can think of but it definitely counts imo. link to death scene here (scene starts a minute into the video, with obvious trigger warnings for death and blood and gunshots): https://youtu.be/01NxsKojYyM?si=dxZvcvOhp3x6S8ha

Stuffing a woman in the fridge is one thing, but stuffing a queer woman who was one half of a beloved same-sex couple on a TV show famous for its strong female characters for the sake of drama while enforcing negative LGBT+ stereotypes in the process is really something else.

Her girlfriend, Willow essentially plays the role of the man in the relationship. Tara dies to facilitate her villain arc. Xander is also sad about her death and he is a man.

Mako Mori

Cause of Death: Exploded in a helicopter

Propaganda:

The Mako Mori test has been proposed as a "better" version of the Bechdel Test (which I'm well aware of the bechdel tests point and common misuse) she has a full, rich arc that is not romance oriented in the first movie. Also she pilots a giant robot. In the second movie she's textbook definition fridged.

Daenerys Targareon

Cause of Death: Stabbed by her lover for becoming a tyrant

Propaganda:

I'm just. I can't believe she hasn't been submitted yet. Classic example of end game fridging, where she *had* to be killed by her male lover to bring him pain and Man Tears TM. Clearly it effects him (sad) more than her (dead). Now obv Dany had a whole plot prior to this, but her death itself is such a classic example of fridging that I have to submit her, it legit only happened for a stupid "plot" to bring Jon ManPain. It was a death so stupid that GOT, what once was a cultural touchstone, isn't talked about except in how bad the end was

[headmatespawner]

PLEASE A SHARK GIRLFREAK WHOS A PROTECTOR 🥺🥺🥺🥺

I hope she's perfect for your system! -☢️

Names: Mano, Finley, Mako, Marin, Harbor, Delta

Age: 28

Pronouns: She/her, Bite/bites, It/its, Smirk/smirks, Chomp/chomps, Swim/swims

Title: PRN who bites, Queen of the Ocean,

Genders: Girlfreak, Natatiumdeorsu, Fiaspec

Orientations: Lesbian NMLNM Polyamorous

TransIDs: TransHPD, TransIED,

Non/Alterhumanity: Shark-Human

Source: None

Roles: Protector, Translator

Origin: Deniagenic Altpackgenic

Hex: #829dcf

Picrew:

[aretheyqueer]

Is she bi?

disclaimer: this is a hc, not speculating on what the writers intentions were.

[thatonebirdwrites]

The neurodivergence of Legend of Korra: Asami Sato

Perhaps others have noticed this, not sure, but I thought I'd write about it because it's why I love these characters so much. I'd like to go through all four of them, but we'll see.

Asami Sato

Her behaviors and characterization

When we first meet Asami Sato, she has run into Mako literally. We also see how her flirting is basically dialed up to 11. There is no subtlety about it at all. In fact, this will be true the entire series and comic run. She simply cannot do subtle flirting. It's either all or nothing.

We also see how she is essentially acting for her father. When she's alone with the group, especially during the racecar scene, she drops her socialite mask. She's more down-to-earth, more compassionate, more playful, and tends toward what I call her 'observation mode' where she analyzes a situation to try to discern solutions. She's also very justice oriented.

Her strong streak of justice is what pushes her to turn on her father. Although that scene shows her struggling with the decision, everything up to that point had left clues that she would not side with her father on this. She found the accusations Korra made unjust and confusing, and she worried that her father was being targeted due to being a nonbender -- this is all worries rooted in a sense of justice. So when the moment comes when she discovers Korra is correct, her father has betrayed the city and is harming people, her sense of justice flares again. She looks at the people she had befriended, how hurt they are, and how they are being rounded up like cattle. And she chooses justice.

This is a common theme for her. She chooses justice and Korra again and again. She is incredibly loyal. Stubbornly loyal.

She also struggles with social situations. Her interactions with Varrick in Book 2 for instance show how easily confused she is in social situations that are a bit chaotic. She tends to prefer more ordered social interactions. She at this point has been unmasked around Team Avatar for several months, so she also struggles to bring up her socialite mask around Varrick. Her palpable relief when she's done interacting with Varrick shows how draining these situations are (which is also an indicator of her being an introvert).

All of her eye rolls are the typical eyerolls you see for autistic characters and people in real life. There's actually an interesting post about how autistic people actually "roll" their eyes for the eye roll because we're interpreting it literally. While non-autistic people don't do that - they look up then down. I find this pretty accurate for a lot of us, to be honest.

Asami hyperfocuses a lot. She has special topics that she can infodump on for hours. Some of the few times she talks a lot in the series is her discussions relating to her engineering.

She is visibly uncomfortable in large crowds, and you see this especially in Book 4, where she is shown uneasy and frustrated by the crowds (and then Wu) at the train dedication ceremony. She is relieved and relaxes ONLY when someone she trusts appears - Mako, but even then, she's still on guard. You also see this in Book 3, where she hangs at the edges of crowds during Korra's press conference about the vines -- she is there to support Korra but shows hesitancy in getting any closer to the proceedings.

Her quiet watching of the Krew is a common trope for autism in cartoons. The quiet, thoughtful, loyal, smart person who is present and only talks when needed. The way she talks is also highly that of a neurodivergent person, in that it is very direct and uses language that doesn't fit the typical norms that non-autistic characters used.

Like in Book 3, where she tries to parse Bolin's somewhat confusing explanation of why they had lost Kai, so she turns to Mako and asks, "Can you interpret that?" I noticed that she behaves this way if the speaker talks too fast or blurts out a lot of information at once. She has to take time to process it, and so tends to be more of a planner. Her replies are always measured and rarely does she blurt out things. She analyzes the situation carefully, thinks it through, and then comes to a decision. This actually is what makes her the perfect foil for Korra.

She prefers strict/rigid schedules and when those are disrupted she struggles with finding balance. This leaves her on edge and insecure (you see this in Book 1 and 2); however, in Book 4, when her schedule is disrupted to work on the hummingbirds, her reaction is anger and irritation, due to her character development. She's become secure in who she is now, so disruptions no longer bring out insecurity but instead her irritation. (Every time she deals with Varrick that irritation toward him is apparent, because he adds an element of chaos that Asami does not like. Plus I don't think she ever forgives him for the bullshit he pulled on her in Book 2).

Asami hates dishonesty. You see this in Book 1 especially, where she's angry at Mako because of his dishonesty. She is never angry with Korra, because Korra was never dishonest with her. Even when Ikki shares that Korra likes Mako, Korra never disputes it, she's honest and shows that she still wants a friendship with Asami. So Asami respects her for this. Asami is always honest and direct in her interactions. If she is subtle, it's in a playful way or because she's uncertain on how exactly to proceed in the interaction.

All of these can be common traits for autistic folks. These behaviors, her speech, her reactions, and how she is shown to stand and exist in scenes were all used when I went through a few diagnostic tests for her.

Diagnostic Tests

There's several types of tests for autism. One that I had for my evaluations (as an adult), is a variation of this one here: Autism Spectrum Quotient When I went through that test and examined each question based on Asami's words, reactions, interactions, and actions in the series (transcripts are useful for this as well as rewatching), Asami scored between 36 and 42, which is above the typical autistic mean of 32.

The reason this was a range is due to the fact some of the questions reference situations that was never shown in the show or comic run, so I had to think through how she reacted in a similar situation to try to discern whether she'd agree or disagree with that question.

Social situation questions The social situation questions were also a struggle to decide on if she'd agree or not. When she is masking in Book 1 for her father, it looks like she enjoys them, but as soon as she turns on her father and unmasks for Korra, Mako, and Bolin (she slowly unmasks through the rest of book 1 and 2), she no longer looks at ease in social situations. In fact, she looks more and more uneasy, and she becomes more and more quiet.

Another important example for social interactions is exemplified in the Book 1 scene where Ikki shares with Asami that Korra likes Mako. Korra is horrified at this because she hadn't wanted to make things awkward between them, but Asami just looks thoughtful and replies, "I wasn't aware of that." She misses these clues partly because she is taking in data about how Korra reacts to her and not to Mako. This scene also reveals how subtle details in social interactions escapes Asami's notice unless she is hyperfocused on observing the situation to gather data. After that scene with Ikki, Asami pays much, much closer attention to Mako. Not Korra. She knows where Korra stands, but she doesn't know where Mako stands. She goes into what I often call her "observation mode" where she observes the proceedings, and then once she has a better handle on it, she starts to interact/react.

She also tends to talk more when she's with people she trusts -- the Krew for instance. Otherwise, she's fairly quiet in discussions with other people -- such as planning meetings with the Krew, Lin, Tonraq, and others in Book 3 -- where she only speaks up out of concern for Korra. Otherwise, she is quietly listening and observing proceedings.

Patterns

There are some other questions in the test that are outdated as noted by the authors of that website (who are autistic clinicians). So any questions related to "dates" I interpreted as noticing numerical and other types of patterns, which Asami does.

Asami is excellent at noticing patterns and odd details in the environment. You first see this in Book 1 when she comments on a detail in the environment that is odd, or her behavior shows her noticing the detail and reacting to it. Before she can fully process what it means, it's often too late (like the electric invisible fence where Asami noticed a detail that she found odd, but it was too late, and they all get knocked out). This happens other times in the series as well.

Hyperfocusing and empathy Her engineering knowledge is definitely her special interest, and when asked about it, she gladly talks far more than any other time. Her hyperfocusing on tasks often to the exclusion of all other tasks and bodily needs is pretty common for her -- one of the reasons why the fandom is convinced she forgets to eat due to this hyperfocusing, so then Korra saves the day by making her eat.

This hyperfocusing also shows up with how she cares for Korra at the end of Book 3/4. She is super, hyperfocused on being there for Korra and is willing to drop everything to be with Korra, even to head South with her. (It's also because she's in Love with Korra, let's be honest there, but it's that tendency to hyperfocus on what/who she loves that also plays a role too I think. I know I can do that myself where I hyperfocus on the person I love, and then have to dial back.)

Some might claim that because Asami is highly sensitive and perceptive of other people's emotions, then that is a sign she isn't autistic. I, however, argue that is actually a good indicator she is autistic. Autistic people are not lacking in compassion at all. In fact, we're the opposite. We feel too much, and that can be overwhelming to the point of deadening emotions or causing us to fall out of sync with our emotions. We also take in too much sensory data, and that can also overwhelm us. So when people make the claim that we lack sympathy or compassion, it's because we are often in an overwhelmed state because we are feeling too much of it. We want to help, but until we stabilize or limit the sensory overload, it's harder for us to articulate and make it clear how much we care.

This is also why our sense of justice can be so strong. We care so much, and we find arbitrary rules to be frustrating. We want to know why something is the way it is, and if there isn't an answer that makes sense as to why things are that way, there is a tendency for autistic people to disregard that rule. We prefer just and fair options, and prefer direct and honesty because it's easier for us to interpret and process.

Now there is ALWAYS nuance to this as not all autistic people have the same traits nor do our traits manifest in the same way. But there is strong correlations that we all share, and Asami shares as well.

Anyway, I could go into further depth and do some scene analysis, but I'll stop here because my pain has flared up again, and I need some rest. Thanks for reading!

[greengrungeemo]

I know the most emotional tale in Avatar Last Airbender tends to be Iroh's tale, especially because it's in honor and memory of his original VA, Mako! Iroh's my favorite character hands down. Toph too!

So, a scene I think about A LOT and get emotional to in ATLA is Katara & Toph's tale in Ba Sing Se. Specifically, after when Katara and Toph go to the spa and get their well-deserved break! They treat themselves to an awesome makeover and feel pretty. What's heartbreaking is that within 20 seconds (I counted) of them walking out of the spa and mentioning how they feel girly and good about themselves, they encounter a group of bullies who say, "Nice makeup", to which Toph thanks them, and they follow with, "... for a clown!" 20. SECONDS. They only had 20 seconds outside where they felt pretty, to be put down soon after. This results in Toph and Katara getting revenge and having a nice bonding moment afterwards.

It just bothers me and actually makes me cry every time I watch it. I know that's weird to admit, but bullying someone, especially a badass blind/disabled person, and making them not feel pretty when they were feeling pretty about themselves... just hurts really badly. I also know it's fiction, but it seems incredibly telling of a society we are when open-handed comments like that are thrown about carelessly, without ANY consideration of how the receiving end would feel, and how it would ultimately and potentially affect their entire day. Toph knows who she is deep down, the strongest bender around, and I think we all know who we are deep down to an extent, so it just sucks when people assume things about you and put their energy into putting you down unnecessarily. Be kind, have empathy! It's not hard! Women as a whole deserve to feel pretty about themselves and feel safe. We need to stop putting each other down.

I tear up the moment Toph has a tear fall from her face, because it's a sharpened painful tear from a lifetime of emotional burden. You can tell it really hurt. I'm gonna be there like Katara is for Toph, for all my friends and loved ones, always.

If anyone ever put you down for your appearance, how you dress, how you present yourself in any way, or for your disability/race/orientation, know for a fact that you're beautiful. Don't let any carelessly thrown about remark define you.

[romanceyourdemons]

conan the barbarian (1982) is, as far as i can tell, more or less the pinnacle of 1980s sword and sorcery films: the sets, costumes, and casting—which includes arnold schwarzenegger, james earl jones, max von sydow, and mako—were all elaborately and archetypally done. indeed, in many respects it is so in line with the quintessence of the genre, in its trajectory from pulp fiction to dungeons and dragons, that in many respects there is not much to talk about regarding this film in isolation. like much of the genre, it builds its setting on a foundation of orientalism and oriental aesthetics, contrasting the brawny european lone heroes with the sinister, exotic, effeminate leader-villains. women are, of course, present only as sex objects and the self-sacrificing scaffolding used to build a monument of gaudy, muscle-bound masculinity. forms of wagner are thrown around, more for aesthetic reasons than anything else. but one thing particularly noteworthy about the film is the way its narrative balances a deep reverence for family (or the idea of a nuclear family) with a fundamental distaste for and suspicion of loyalty to religion or government. the family conan is devoted to is dead to a man, allowing him to be act completely self-determined even while apparently loyal; the show of infinite strength in his revenge takes the form of filial piety, but does not actually entail his submission to any higher authority. the villain, the religious leader thulsa doom, agrees that devotion to higher authority is the greatest source of strength, but, unlike in conan’s case, he actually demands this devotion and submission, rather than merely posing it as an abstract concept. this is unacceptable to conan and to the film. this emphasis on the idea of family values, paired with a disgust for anything limiting the practical freedom of the handsome white male assumed audience—whether the limiting factor is a government or a god—is a very clear manifestation of the pop conservatism of the 80s. conan the barbarian (1982) is an interesting film and a strong link in its genre, and, in the end, i am glad i watched it

[watchgalaxy]

The Orient Mako III Automatic Maroon Dial RA-AA0003R19B is a men's watch known for its stylish design and functional features. It has a maroon dial with English day and date display, stainless steel case, and bracelet. The watch features 22 jewels, luminous hands and markers for visibility in the dark, and a sapphire crystal for durability. With a screw-down crown, automatic movement, and uni-directional rotating bezel, it offers water resistance up to 200 meters, suitable for various water activities.

[systuffs]

requested headmate inspo #01

prompt: masc marine biologist, blue hair & neopronouns

disclaimer: there is a high chance that headmates formed/introjected/etc will not be the same as written - and that's okay! made for willowers & for existing headmates looking for an identity to latch to. <3

WE ARE ANTI RADQUEER.

names: aether, lumine, neptune, mako, orca, finn / fynn, kai, gray, mori, corsair, cerulean / verulean, azure, keto species: human / fishboy pronouns: co/cove, sea/seas, shou/shore, oc / ocean, sai/sais, dea/depths, au/aqua, mar/marine, hy/hydro, jelly/jellys genders: transmasc, deepseaian, seafrillacic, sharkcomfic, MARINboy, aquarine, marinegender, seacreatureboy, auramaric, genderocean

orientation: gay man personality: inquisitive, curious, logical, workaholic, passionate, knowledgeable, intelligent, stoic, eccentric, gentle hobbies: researching marine life, collecting sea shells, taking notes, teaching others about marine life fun fact: knows the scientific name of most sea animals inspo: sharks, deep sea aesthetics, navy blue, jellyfish

faceclaim idea: [ picrew ]

[opalsiren]

ultimate #hatermoment but i can't stand rikki's costuming in mako mermaids

why is my tomboy queen flitting around in 1950s-esque sundresses and high heels with perfectly styled hair. where are the androgynous silhouettes, the near refusal to wear any colour that isn't red or black, the vaguely alternative-inspired chic. why does her hair look Like That.

as a femme stereotype i will say there is nothing wrong with adhering to a certain standard of feminity, how and ever rikki has never been the most femme girlie in the room. she likes to dress up from time to time but mostly prefers to look edgy and punk-adjacent than typically feminine

yes it has been years since we've last seen her by her stint on mako mermaids, and personal style can change, i just think a few small tweaks could make this woman look more like rikki. if her dresses were red or black and her hair was a little frizzy, she would actually look like the rikki chadwick we know and love, not some girlboss in a flowery dress

the implicit message seems to be that any style that isn't 100% feminine is something you 'grow out of,' that young people who like to dress mildly tomboy-ish will eventually and inevitably end up dressing like the ideal of hegemonic feminity. dare i say a freezing cold take from a so-called 'girl power'-oriented franchise

[driftwithme]

Right now I'm kinda sick which means I have no brainpower to talk about this properly or at least how I want to.

Subject at hand: Mako, Chuck and Raleigh all had an specific item in the movie that kinda explains or contains them as characters.

Mako and her relationship with swords is the obvious example. If you'll permit me to call it her motif, then let that be it. For the sake of storytelling, Mako is given an object that is the summary of her struggles and dreams, of her traumas and her hope. Swords are part of her heritage, given that his dad dedicated his life to making them. An item capable of both great damage and impossible beauty, the movie even adapts it to be more like the girl itself: chainswords that stay hidden and silently away for their turn to strike, capable of flexibility and quick adaptation, they are almost unbreakable, used to support others in need, cut straight through the heart of the enemy and provide a sure win even under great underwater pressure or up in the sky.

Mako is the girl welding the sword and she's the one crafting the sword from scratch designing it and she's the sword itself, okay?

Mako's a weapon in the context of she being a soldier. She's deadly, trained to kill, efficient with a perfect score in combat simulations, one of the brightest in the Jaeger Program. But she is also a craft in the sense of being someone intricate, because her story is way more complex than people imagine. She is beautiful as a woman, delicate in her ways of treating others, elegant in her movements...

In this case, the objectification serves a more artistic purpose. Whenever you think of the chainsword, you think of Mako and the other way around. Her scene killing Otachi in the name of her family is her breakthrough in the movie, where she achieves her dream/goal, when all she has gone through pays off. Then the scene where she uses the chainsword to oin Slattern to G. Danger is the culmination of her arc to say so: now she will kill the Kaiju that killed her adoptive father and will finally put an end of the apocalypse.

Without having to make it explicit in the film, you know that Mako gave those chainswords to G. Danger during the restoration program hoping that it'd be somehow her jaeger, that she'd finally become a ranger piloting it, etc.

Now, I said something similar can be found looking at the depiction of both Chuck and Raleigh in the movie. That's because, to me at least, the narrative does something similar in Chuck-Max and Raleigh-his photographs.

Raleigh is our narrator, our protagonist, we see the world through his eyes. I guess the thesis hear is that Raleigh is the man behind the camera, guiding our perception of this fictional world. Photographs can be intimate, int he way they reveal the interest of the one taking them. In sharing with us the concept of Raleigh having photography as his hobby, the story reveals us a man oriented to details and sensitive to the art of framing an instant, telling a story in one snap.

It also tells just how sentimental he is, how much he loved his home, his brother, 'cause he was surviving with rations at the end of the world but wherever he traveled, he took his pictures with him, put them on the walls of his residency. He's then a man who likes to take a look at the past. He said it himself: he spent 5 years on the past, never thinking of how the future would be. Nostalgic or even melancholic, but ultimately willing to make new good and bad memories and capture them for posterity. Loyal, down to earth in the sense that he knows where he came and what made him the way he is, sensible and patient, likes walking around cities or touring maybe, which is interesting really. For all the cocky American dream of a man the movie suggests he was, he didn't have posters of action movies or pics of him in fights or any of that. He had pics of architecture, nice tiny shots that suggest calmness, a steady hand and a more passive spirit. It really matches Mako Mori in that sense.

I could dive more into the subjects of how his photographs characterize Raleigh Becket, but I'm not lying when I say I'm feeling sick and my brain is kinda foggy.

I'll close this post talking about Chuck and his relationship with Max instead.

One of the first things I noticed on my last rewatch is just how many times Chuck and Max are practically switching roles in the film

As in Chuck gets treated like a dog and Max gets treated like a son. As in they are one and the same sometimes, given that Max is the vehicle of Chuck's repressed emotions, since he refuses to let them out openly. As in Max is the representation of the intricate rituals the Hansens use to communicate the things they cannot say but want to.

I'll try explain it quickly using two scenes from the movie, okay?

First one: when Pentecost and Mako were showing Raleigh the jaeger bay on the Hong Kong Shatterdome and the Hansens arrived just in time to greet the newcomer, Herc tells someone to stay but he is not talking to Max.

His clipped tone given as a short command surprised me because it sounded like the one you'd give your dog when you see someone or some other dog approaching. Now, if you know your dog is a troublemaker and if you have trained, you could give the command to tell him to stay away from the trouble.

But Max runs freely to Mako and Herc only jokes about how Max is always slobbering over pretty girls, a comment you'd expect from a dad about his teenage son. He doesn't tell Max to stop. He doesn't even look at the dog as he's talking with Raleigh.

The one who stayed behind, grounded, was Chuck. This alone tells us so much about the Hansens and their stiff relationship. Chuck is the dog who might bite, the one you need to pull the leash to avoid him attacking. Herc is not a perfect man but here it's obvious he did fuck up as a dad. He gives orders like he's a commander and Chuck a subordinate. Stay.

(I can't remember exactly the dialogue, so you might forgive any discrepancy. What I know is that Herc told Chuck to stay behind while he greeted Raleigh, meaning that Herc knew Chuck might cause a scene. What did he know about Chuck and Raleigh and why did he tell Chuck to stay behind?).

The second scene: on the farewell moment before Operation Pitfall, Chuck kneels to pet Max one last time and tells him to take care of Herc (or was it the other way around?).

I choose this moment to defend my point because here? Here Chuck is assigning Max as his replacement. Not in the mean way, of course, but he acknowledges that his dad might lose his only son and trying to soften the blow, he gives Herc one last mission: to take care of Max and also let Max take care of him. Max is an extension of Chuck, so it's a way of saying that their bond stays there and they will ALWAYS take care of each other, it doesn't matter if Chuck dies during Pitfall.

It's also telling that Chuck kneeling to pet Max is a metaphor for Chuck asking Herc for forgiveness. All his intentions go to Max in that sense. Now Chuck has become Max and Max will always be Chuck. Now, man and dog are one, because the dog has taken Chuck's place as Herc's son and Chuck is the dog that gets send to die at the bottom of the ocean, some fucked up version of Laika up in space.

That's why we see almost every pilot eating at least once in the movie, but not Chuck. He was feeding Max and once it was over, they both walked away like the food was not on Max's belly but Chuck's. That's why Max and Chuck almost never interact with someone at the same time.

Chuck is the kid who got instructed but not raised by his dad. He's the war dog with an impressive killing count that doesn't get to brag because he barks too much and he's not nice to strangers. He is, to any means, just an scared animal behaving like he was taught to. He is confused and jealous when Herc gives his attention (and affection in Chuck's eyes) to someone else. Chuck is desperate to be told he's a good boy, he's enough, he's loved and appreciated. He lashes out when he feels threatened or cornered and he gives puppy eyes meaning "sorry" when he knows he has fucked up, etc etc etc.

An if it feels abhorrent to reduce Chuck to the role of a dog, it speaks volumes about the way he got treated in the movie. In the end, the only thing he really wins during the movie is to be called his father's son. You can argue "but Shan, doesn't he also wins the respect of most characters?" and I'd tell you that it's a sad sad thing that the only way you can get others to acknowledge you as a good man is by exploding yourself at the bottom of the ocean.

I'm not talking about Mako or Raleigh here, because through Max, we know that Mako and Chuck could be friends but in the movie all we get is a tense relationship summarized in maybe one exchange of words (that got Chuck beaten up by the way). And when it comes to Raleigh, all the resolution we got was a silent apology and the equally silent acceptance of such after the Double Event, if we don't count that Chuck was on Raleigh's left side during Stacker's motivational speech

But you know those metaphors of pets being like children? From that angle, Pentecost and Herc are always treating Chuck as an spoiled brat. Which he is, but c'mon. It's not like Herc can talk much being that he failed Chuck big time and it's not like Pentecost wasn't there to witness how the youngest ranger ever to be graduated survived 5 years of actual hell and achieved the best killing count. You don't get there for being a kid. You don't go so far without maturing hard and fast. Chuck is not some annoying puppy picking fights because he's bored. He let's Max sleep and eat and okay to his liking because that's the side that Chuck himself can't be: carefree, soft, selfish in the sense of being self-indulgent.

Mako had to shape herself into a sword to avenge her family and make justice and even survive in a world that tried to kill her when she was still just s little child. Raleigh had to freeze his memories in photographs because he's by now used to tragedy and not having enough time, things ending fast, his happy days going away, losing his home and family. Chuck gave his dog the comfortable life he wishes he could have, he devoted himself to the task of giving Max all that he felt Herc failed to give him, and finally gave Max his place as Herc's son.

Which yeah, pretty much is what I tried to say in many clumsy words ejdjdkjfkfkdn:

Mako, Chuck and Raleigh all had an specific item in the movie that explains or contains them as characters.