#Pokemon Horizons is so good at characterization

[livegastrodonreaction]

Oh my god. Oh my fucking god. Liko in Episode 9 knows deep down that the Volteccers will leave her in Paldea, because that was her job, but she wants to stay with them because they are like family to her and she's changed so much since episode 1 and she WANTS to experience and grow more. But she buries that thought and doesn't confront the Volteccers about it because she thinks she'll just be inconveniencing them. Ever since the beginning of her journey she's had the lingering fear that she is nothing but a burden to the Volteccers, that all she is doing is putting them in harm's way, that they'd be glad to get rid of her because in her mind she's not "useful" to them. Liko thinks that she's a burden to everybody, that she doesn't DESERVE to be able to go on an adventure, putting everyone else's needs before her own. That's why she doesn't talk about her interests. She thinks she will inconvenience people with her "rambling". THAT'S WHY, partly, she struggles with connecting to people so much.

Oh my fucking god, please get this girl therapy, I'm going to bite my fucking arm off. 10/10 characterization, 10/10 relatability.

p.s, this is something very commonly seen in neurodivergent kids, ESPECIALLY girls (and I am speaking from my own experience here too). Which adds to my headcanon that Liko is autistic!

[ecargmura]

Pokemon Horizons Episode 51 Review - It's Hard Being The Big Sister

This is a nice transition from all the action-packed Terastal Course battles. While the battles were good, Horizons does an excellent job with more laid back episodes like this one. It’s nice to see the kids bond with their Pokemon; this episode focuses on Liko and Floragato.

It’s amusing how the kids are excited to do their homework for Jacq. Dot’s actually enjoying camping this time around! It’s nice to see them being able to take care of themselves from setting up their tents to cooking for themselves too. It seems that Roy’s in charge of cooking as shown in the last few minutes of the episode. Will the person in charge of cooking change or will it always be Roy?

I feel bad for Floragato. She normally gets a lot of Liko’s attention, but now that there are more Pokemon for Liko to take care of, she got relegated to being the older sister of Liko’s party. That means she won’t get as much attention from Liko as before. I mean, she did get jealous often when she was still a Sprigatito, but now as a Floragato, I do like that her jealousy hasn’t gone away. It’s still a part of her in a sense. While this is a nice source of conflict for Liko and Floragato, I didn’t like how Liko still didn’t figure out what was the cause of Floragato’s bad mood. It feels like Liko’s character progression of wanting to understand Pokemon’s feelings took two steps back. All she got from this episode was that Floragato was in a bad mood and then she wanted to see the flower pillar so that she can cheer up. She never realized that the lack of attention towards her partner Pokemon was the reason. This does feel like it’s going to be a set up for a future episode, though. I also like how Floragato’s Pokedex entry of having hardened fur depending on the mood is implemented here. It’s prickly when she’s upset or in battle mode, but when she’s calm, it’s soft.

If there is one thing I would’ve liked to see, it’s seeing Hatenna be utilized more. Hatenna can sense emotions, so it would’ve been great for her to be the voice of reason and help Liko understand why Floragato was so moody. Alas, she was only used as a source of tension. In fact, are we even getting a Hatenna-focused episode? Other than her debut episode and episode 38, Hatenna doesn’t get too much focus. I think that’s a bit of an issue I have with the kids’ non-partner Pokemon in that they don’t get too much focus while their partners have a plethora of characterization. Like, when was the last time Wattrel got focus? How about Tinkatink?

One of the worries I had for the third arc did come into play here: Terapagos getting lost. I did worry about it getting lost would be used as a source of conflict and this episode did just that. What I worry about even more is that I know it’s not going to end in this episode. Oh no, it’s going to be used as a conflict for future episodes. I can feel it and I am not going to like it.

Now that the nitpicks are done, let me talk about the things I liked in this episode. The first was Liko and Roy roasting Friede. They called him Professor “Actually-Doing-Research” Friede and Professor “Doing-His-Job-For-Once” Friede. Damn. They burned him so hard that he became a Pineco in this episode (Friede’s voice actor Taku Yashiro voices the Pineco in this episode as mentioned in the credits). It’s nice to see the kids being comfortable enough to take jabs at him. The second thing I liked was the debut of Toedscool. They’re so goofy. I also loved the bait of them being conflicts, but they weren’t. Toedscool are timid Pokemon, so I did feel like they wouldn’t attack Liko. I did like that Liko did understand that they want the vines to be cut and that’s how she found out that they’re the cause of the mysterious flower pillar as it’s just a way for them to remove their flaps. I think this was a fun way to introduce them. I loved the animation of how they were walking. They always did have goofy running animation in the games and I’m glad that it’s still funny in the anime.

Overall, this was a nice episode, but I think my gripes outweigh the positives—which isn’t bad. I just hope that Liko will understand what causes Floragato’s bad mood in a future episode and that it actually gets resolved one day and not in a haphazard way. What are your thoughts about this episode?

[midoriyasbones]

ten songs i’m obsessed with at the moment

i’m so sorry, this is all pokémon soundtrack stuff... because i just got back into the games and literally logged 12 hours on pokemon super mystery dungeon within the past 3 days so like... i really don’t know what to tell you...

(tagged by @lo-tor!)

1. Main Theme - Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

god i think one of my favorite things to listen to is orchestral fanfare and flourishes stuff like this. it’s just!! it’s heroic and epic. you listen to it and it’s like a dawn. a big boom on a new horizon of adventure. i love it so much.

also! the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky version is... fucking beautiful... i will be arranging this... mark my fucking words. i arranged undertale i’ll arrange this too

2. It Is What It Is - Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon 

this is just playful as fuck. the whole smd soundtrack is just so playful, i usually giggle when i listen to certain songs on it. i think it’s really fitting considering it’s story is told from a very childlike perspective!! this is the first game i’ve ever played where i felt like a kid again, not a teen playing a kid’s game. it reminded me of the first time i ever picked up a pokemon book or played pokemon ranger! it’s so fun to listen to, especially this track. it’s just a lot of ‘well... that’s what it is! let’s roll with it!’ this The Children of Serene Village and Whoa! never fail to make me smile. they’re so bouncy!!

side note!! bouncy is one of my favorite words!

also i’m putting What to Do here too bc... IT BELONGS

3. Over the Mountain - Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

this song is just really peaceful. it’s just like the title says! just... even if you’ve never played pokemon just close your eyes and listen to it OKAY?

4. Title Screen - Pokemon Ranger Shadows of Almia

say what you want about the ranger games!! but if it’s anything bad my reply will be fuck you fuck you fuck you and fuck YOU!! shadows of almia was my first pokemon game ever. i think i was in the 3rd grade and my dad took me to best buy so we could get a new printer. my dad is... not nearly as attentive as my mom, so he just let me be alone as long as i stayed in the ds games section.

now, i’ve been in love with pokemon since the first grade when i found my brother’s hand book with the original 151 pokemon in it. i used to read that book at night bc if i read it in the day and my brother saw me he’d KILL me. i’d make up stories about the pokemon in their even though i’d never seen the games or show before. i only knew about it from the cards my brother had (he had way more yugioh cards though, but i never got into that really) and this book. i loved it so much, you have no idea.

anyways, as a kid i wasnt really allowed to do much by myself so i actually had no idea the pokemon games existed, but there i was, 8 years and standing in front of the ds game case for a solid 15 minutes, just staring at the little box. i was in love. it was new at the time, and there were the sinnoh pokemon on it and i’d never seen them before! i’d memorized all the names of the 151, and now there were MORE?? i was blown away.

i begged my dad to buy it for me and promised him i’d get him the money from home for it. it’s no secret that i’m my dad’s favorite (sorry bro, but even you admit this is true), so he did, and i kept my promise. as soon as i got home i broke open the tin i kept my birthday money in and repaid my dad the $25. then... i put it in my ds cartridge and became a pokemon ranger. i was hooked.

i guess you can say ever since then i’ve been really into the side games over the main ones. my first main one was platinum and i got it for my birthday that year. i’ve played the shit out of it, and i love my infernape to bits and pieces. the sinnoh region will always hold a special place in my heart, but it’ll never top the breath taking adventure i experienced in almia. god i love THAT FUCKING GAME!!! i love pokemon ranger shadows of almia and i loved guardian signs and i’m so upset they never made a fourth.

other good ranger songs: the forest theme, the water theme, the vottanage theme, almia restored

5. Partner’s Theme - Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

shut the FUCK UP. as much as i hate how much trouble riolu gets me into, i’d fucking Die for him. do not insult my son or you will perish at my hand.

also here it is as a music box!!!

6. No Frustration No Giving Up! and With Big Hearted Kindness - Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

okay, so if you’ve been here for a while you’ll know that some of the most common compliments i receive are about my compassion and my resilience/bravery. i’m not afraid to admit those are my best qualities and... im sorry but i’d be lying if i didn’t say it really hit me that the traits your partner really displays are resilience and kindness. i think those are two of the most under appreciated characteristics we really need today. people are trained to fear failure and despise set backs, but in the game you’re forced to accept them and move forward despite them. it’s actually a really common theme in pokemon and... i love it. lovE THESE FUCKING GAMES!!

in the game you’re also called to fight the Emissary of Darkness, a fucking god pokemon, for these two shit heads who basically bully you and your friends all the fucking time. you’re forced to accept people who do bad things as real people and to move on and not to characterize them on their actions. i love these morals. that’s what big hearted kindness is!! fuck me up!

7. On the Beach at Dusk - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Darkness and Sky

oh god... i cry when i hear this theme. it’s so fucking beautiful and it carries so many goddamn memories. you meet your best friend with this theme. you come back to the dead to this theme. it’s just... it’s heart breaking and also just so healing to listen to.

this and goodnight :’)

8. In The Hands of Fate - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Darkness and Sky

i also cry with this one... fellow players won’t need a reason

10. Don’t Want to Say Goodbye - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Darkness and Sky

IM LITERALLY BAWLING AS WE SPEAK

tagging @saltyshiro @dr-chalk @aphroditeallura

[megacircuit9universe]

Relative Charisma & the Incel

WED SEP 30 2020

So the first of three debates between Trump and Biden happened yesterday, and it was... as CNN’s Jake Tapper so aptly put it, “A hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck.”

I didn’t see it, because I was at work, but I’ve heard enough sound bytes, and seen enough post debate coverage to know that... history will remember this one and play back those clips for centuries to come... of Trump, behaving like an angry, wounded animal.

For some context, despite my last entry, in which the indy left media (TYT mostly) was crying that Biden was losing the election, based on two stand alone polls that had Trump up a tick in two states... Biden’s lead in those and all other states is actually holding, or slightly growing.

I should disclose that my information is coming from an independent YouTube polls analyst whom I’ve come to trust over the past few years.  There are many such channels on YouTube, but this guy eventually won me over, because he’s thorough, transparent, always has receipts, and pretty good at calling trends, while keeping expectations grounded in reality.

In my experience, news outlets... be they mainstream media, or indy news sources, only present polling data that they can sensationalize.  

Right wing media just deny reality and convince their viewers all news of Trump being behind is fake.  But Mainstream media always wants you to think it’s a dead heat... because that gets ratings.  Meanwhile, the indy left news wants you to think Biden is losing, to fuel more activism and more participation.

And none of this is the subject of the entry at hand, but... it’s important to get this out of the way as we move into October, when the polling data is really going to be indicative of what happens on Election Day. 

I vetted a lot of different YouTube analyst channels and settled on the one I have, because... I trust this guy.

So... when I sit here an say that Biden has a significant lead in all critical states, has several paths to 270, is ahead in national polls, etc... I’m getting that from a trusted source.  It’s not just me being blindly optomistic based on some things I happened to pick up here and there.

Okay...

Back to context for Trump behaving like a wounded animal in yesterday’s debate...

On the one hand, yes, Biden is still way ahead, and looking like he’ll be the clear winner... which I’m sure Trump doesn’t like.  But on the other hand, Trump was also deeply humiliated this past Sunday when The New York Times published a bunch of his tax returns... going up to 2017 and 2018, when he was, of course, President.

And the story reveals that he’s drowning in debt, and has been for quite a long time... with most of it being owed to mysterious unknown parties... which is a security concern.  It also exposed how little taxes he’s paid... which may or may not be tax evasion, technically, but is not a great look for a populist President.

Quick sidebar here... Presidential tax returns are never normally news, because all Presidential candidates since Nixon have willingly published theirs upon declaring their candidacy... until Trump.  

So it’s not like he’s being singled out by the New York Times for exposure of his private business. 

On the other hand, the tax returns weren’t exactly a bomb shell.  More like a fizzling sparkler.  No personal check from Putin, with, destroy democracy, written on the memo line.

Yeah, he pays almost no taxes, but... we already knew that’s par for the course for all billionaires.  It’s kinda the reason the progressive left exists.

But in terms of context for Trump being a wounded animal... it’s the drowning in debt thing he never wanted to go public.  For Trump... it’s an unspeakable humiliation, like getting pantsed in public, only to reveal that you like to wear Wonder Woman Underoos or something.

It’s a massive blow to the image he’s created for himself, and defended so dearly... of being a legitimate billionaire, who used his shrewd instincts, and financial brilliance to amass deep pockets of untouchable wealth... self proliferating, tax free, multi-generational wealth.

Instead, he’s just an idiot, billions of dollars in debt, forcing the US government to pay millions to his Mara Lago resort, for hundreds of golf outings (around 200 to date) and he’s still in the red... at Mara Lago!  Forget his other debts and failing ventures!

A quote from Iron Man 2 is very apt, here...  

Ivan Vanko : [laughs] If you could make God bleed, people would cease to believe in Him. There will be blood in the water, the sharks will come. All I have to do is sit back and watch as the world consumes you.

That was Ivan’s rationale for attacking Tony Stark at the racetrack.  It’s also been interpreted as a foreshadowing of the scene in Infinity War, several years later, where Tony Manages to punch Thanos hard enough to scratch his cheek and get a single drop of blood out of the mad titan.

Here in 2020 reality, the New York Times did get that single drop of blood... on Sunday.

And going into his first debate with Biden... who has been stubbornly leading in the polls all summer long... Trump was so furious, he could not keep his composure.

And this, at long last, brings us to the matter of relative charisma.

I’ve talked about it several times in the past, saying that, if you want one simple rule of thumb for predicting the next president... it’s that, whoever has the most relative charisma will win the election.

Relative, in this model, meaning... relative to the opponent. 

A great example of this would be George HW Bush (Bush1) who had way more charisma, relative to stodgy, stuffy, Michael Dukakis, in 1988.  But four years later, the same George HW Bush, looked himself, quite lacking in charisma compared to his new opponent, Bill Clinton.

It’s happened in every election of modern times.  Carter had more relative Charisma than Ford, but far far less relative charisma than Reagan... and on and on back to FDR.

It was also, obviously true that in the match up between Trump and Hillary Clinton... Trump had all the relative charisma. PT Barnum levels of charisma!.. as the happy, quippy, rude, outsider... to her... boring gramma persona saying, “Pokemon Go to the polls!”

And early this year, during the primaries, when Bernie Sanders was still in the running, I said several times that Trump would, “mop the floor,” with Biden in a debate.

But... that was before Covid19... and 200,000 dead.  Before record unemployment and record evictions.  Before the Black Lives Matter movement caught fire in the streets, facing off with fascist police with tear gas and batons all summer.  Before Biden sailed through all the insanity, staying ahead of Trump in the polls, to get the nomination.

And it was before Trump, in recent months, sent thugs to kidnap protesters in Portland, threatening all other democratic cities with the same, began knee-capping the post office, was exposed for calling our soldiers suckers and losers, refused to accept the election results if he wasn’t the winner, refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power unless we, get rid of the ballots, and... was exosed as swimming in debt.

So in Tuesday night’s debate... while he did try his level best to mop the floor with Biden... Trump came off as... well, an incel*.

We all, sadly know how incel’s debate, having suffered them like a bed bug infestation in every comment section on the internet for the past ten years, and in last night’s debate... Trump was, incel personified!

Moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, even gave Trump the chance to back away from the event horizon of the black hole that is at the heart of incel culture, by asking him to simply denounce white supremacy.

And not only could Trump not denounce white supremacy... after dancing around the quesion, he wound up saying that a group of white supremecist incels known as the Proud Boys, should, “stand back, but stand by!”

In other words... he’s not only banking everything on the incel vote... he’s calling on the incels to join Beta Force, and be ready... to intimidate voters in person on election night... and to create mayhem when he loses.  

Please stand by, incels... but you understand, this is not a paid gig, right?  I’m kinda tight on money right now, so you’ll need to be fighting for me out of the prematurely ejaculating spite in your sexually inadequate hearts!

The point here, is that the question of relative charisma between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has finally been answered.

Incel vibe, is not charisma.  It’s the opposite of charisma.  It’s a combination of wounded spite, bitter frothing at the mouth, and indefensible stupidity... all the things that make normal people want to puke.

So, while Biden may not have much in the charisma department... he does have a few charming attributes above the base line for a decent human being capable of empathy and logic.  

And in a match up with the Trump of October 2020... that means, Biden has all the relative charisma... and he now has it on lock down.

We can talk soon about Trump’s incel chances of stealing the election by incel force, and the true threat that his army of incels present to our democracy, but for tonight... Trump is an incel... and incels have zero charisma.

I’m going to bed.

*Incel is a portmanteau for, Involuntarily Celibate.

It refers to straight, cis boys or men, most often white, from 15 to 35 who, despite deeply craving to engage in sexual activity with counterparts of the opposite sex, fail to attain it.  Such males believe they are entitled to sex with the partner of their choice, and are thus baffled and aggrivated by their inability to obtain it consentually.

Incels are characterized by their extremely toxic interactions, which go beyond the mysogyny one might expect, to encompass all of society.  For, in their mindset, it is not simply women who are to blame for their lack of sex, it is the entire framework of society... and that framework is also to blame for every other wish they perceive as being unfairly denied to them.

Incels resort to harassment, often thinly veiled as debate or argument, in order to torment those (most) who will not recognize their entitlement, and dream of reforming the societal order, such that their bullying rules the day... often waxing nostalgic for imagined times in the past when men such as themselves ruled without question.

They are thus, quite attracted to all forms of fascism, including, but not limited to white supremacy.

In the modern day, incels are widely regarded as a scourge, and considered by nobody outside their circle to have anything resembling charisma.

[kekisu]

YO ITS TOOTH BACK AGAIN howre u & whos ur fav from dn n why.. for me its light. i really like his characterization.... the lads didnt need to go off that hard creating him but they did and i am so grateful they did. also did u have an emo phase& are u still in it. alsO do u.. Game

IM DOING GOOD AHWBHABWEAHB my favorite is also light, relieved to know we both have superior taste. i have the same reasoning THEY DIDNT HAVE TO GO THAT HARD but they did it anyways ……..they really fucking did it. they said This ones for the gays and then made light

i think im in my emo phase but i cant exactly express myself because my parents are quite judgemental 3 its been a while its just me now . ALSO. SOMEWHAT?  IM NOT   A GAMER the only games i play rn are new horizons and minecraft BEHABDHBH  i also play pokemon shield sometimes but it stresses me outtttt so i dont play it often I ALSO USED TO BE HEAVY INTO COOKIE RUN but i dont consider that a Game game u know. i still like it but Maaaaaaan its either boring or overwhelming now

[blauliebling]

hello toads @asrekt bullied me into doing this questionnaire for my apprentice asphodel and we’re ride or die so i gotta

Part 1.) Characterization. Use these questions as a way to flesh out some of your character’s personality, background, likes/dislikes, etc.

Their surname?

Sabbagh !

Halloween costume?

Oh fuck idk ?? probably some sort of like, elemental being maybe? 

Familiar/animal friend?

He has a spotted gecko named Diego! Lil boy lives in his pants but it’s always the pants he’s not wearing 

Big spoon or little spoon?

My main pairings with Ash are Asra and Portia so he’s lil spoon w/ As and big spoon with Porsh 

Religious?

Not really nope

Favorite fruit?

Grapefruit! Eats them at breakfast 

Idea of a nice date?

Literally anything. He’s very easy to please. He just wants to hold ur hand

Favorite season?

Summer b/c it’s warm 

When is their Birthday?

August 23rd!

Favorite carnival ride?

Swings

Favorite emoji?

The flame emoji

Like to do in their free time?

He really likes to just. See sights and go exploring and that good stuff. Broaden his horizons 

What sports would they play?

What kind of car would they drive?

How do they treat their significant other when they’re feeling unusually affectionate?

You got a puppy on your hands and I am so sorry he’s going to be sooo cuddly and whiny 

Favorite manga?

I haven’t read enough for this but I’m feelin Heart No Kuni No Alice 

Main store to shop for clothes (if they lived in our world)?

Forever 21 probably 

What were they like growing up?

The lizard and mud pie child

What kind of drunk are they at a party?

A giggly one 

Reaction to someone telling a dirty joke?

Probably blush and be surprised but then laugh because it’s still funny as fuck

Reaction to stubbing their toe?

A Scream

Favorite color?

Purple, surprisingly 

Favorite See’s chocolate?

A truffle I’d like to say, or something fruity 

Favorite poptart flavor?

Chocolate strawberry 

Favorite hobby?

The Lizards........

How they sing at karaoke parties?

Horribly 

Preferred social media platform?

Probably instagram 

Opinion on puns?

Absolute comedic genius ironically 

How do they typically deal with their problems?

BOTTLE THAT SHIT AND CRY IN PRIVATE LATER 

Spice girl nickname?

robin said twinky spice but he’s baby spice truly. or lizard spice 

Personal hygiene routine?

Bathe and drink water that’s it 

Favorite alcoholic drink?

Favorite genre of music?

Acoustic shit no matter whether it’s the original or not 

Modern AU job/career?

This is typical as fuck but probably a fire breather at like Cirque du Soleil or something 

Favorite musical?

Of the few musicals I personally know probably uh. Matilda 

How would they celebrate their significant other’s birthday?

The best date EVER aggressively trying to top every previous year

Would they rather turn into a tiny rhinoceros or a giant hamster?

Tiny Rhino 

What would they do for their significant other for Valentine’s Day?

Same as birthday but with saucier sex probably 

Pros and cons to having them as a roommate?

Pros: a sweet important good boy who always wants to accommodate u

Cons: u are now the proud parent of at least ten lizards and other reptiles 

On a scale from 1-10 how Extra are they?

A 0.2 everything he does is genuine 

Favorite meme?

THE COOL GUY MEME

Favorite three pokemon?

Kecleon, Cyndaquil, and Charmander 

How tall are they?

5 feet 8 inches 

Part 2.) Scaling. Using your best judgement, where does your fan apprentice fall on these scales?

[Example: Shortest to tallest?

Portia, Asra, [MC name here], Nadia, Lucio, Julian, Muriel]

Most to least superstitious?

Portia, Julian, Asphodel, Nadia, Lucio, Asra, Muriel

Most to least excited to be at a WWE event?

Portia, Lucio, Asra, Julian, Nadia, Muriel, Asphodel

Worst to best at handling children?

Nadia, Lucio, Muriel, Asra, Asphodel, Portia, Julian

Worst to best alcohol tolerance?

Muriel, Asra, Asphodel Lucio, Julian, Portia, Nadia

Best to worst at keeping secrets?

Asra, Muriel, Nadia, Asphodel, Lucio, Portia, Julian

Best to worst dancers?

Asra, Portia, Asphodel, Julian, Nadia, Lucio, Muriel

Most to least likely to slap you for stealing a mcnugget?

Nadia, Lucio, Asra, Portia, Julian, Muriel, Asphodel

Least to most likely to eat something weird on a dare?

Nadia, Julian, Muriel, Asphodel, Lucio, Portia, Asra

Least to most old?

Asra, Asphodel ( he’s 21 so I don’t fuckin know ) Portia, Muriel, Julian, Lucio, Nadia

Part 3.) Extra characterization tidbits (whether you want to make a description or insert a photo for these is up to you!)

MC as a:

•MCR song

Fuck as cliche as this is probably teenagers but I don’t know that many 

•vine

the cowboy bebop lizard vine

•a piece of furniture

ffuck probably a lamp

•character from the Labyrinth

I DON’T KNOW IF HE HAS A NAME BUT THE FUCKING BLUE WORM WITH A SCARF 

•character in a cliche Noir film

the sad mail room intern 

•Tarot card

strength probably 

•Michael Jackson song

SMOOTH CRIMINAL BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ONE VINE 

•character in the play “Cats”

•Panic! at the disco song

i feel like golden days is something he would dance to

•cliche high school student stereotype

honestly idk but he’d probably wear a shit ton of crop tops and have a lizard in his pocket 

•furby

•flight rising dragon breed

•deadly sin

sloth

•DnD class

•character from Mean Girls

•hogwarts house

his interests say slytherin but his personality says hufflepuff 

•cryptid

Nessie is his gf 

•monster factory character

slime grandma from da:i

[kendrixtermina]

Baby Reacts to “Voltron Season 3″

SPOILERS

Episode 1

So That's Zarkon without his helmet

It seems that a timeskip has taken place and that everyone has been taking up Shiro's absence with a stiff upper lip

Alluras 1000 yard state

Note how when everyone mentions how important meeting Shiro was to them, Keith again doesn't explain about their earlier meeting

So the BoM guys just jump out. Yep, yep, I can see Keith being related to some of them.

Seems like the Paladins and the BoM are fully allies now, they interact with Kolivan rather casually here

So hunks claw thing can attack defensively, too!

Interesting how we get to see this whole bunch of Galra & their range of features, something of their society

act merciful then reassign him to space siberia. That's one establishing character moment right there.

But one interesting thing here is that while he's sneaky and manipulative he IS a fighter.

Keith is not the world's most diplomatic person but what he's saying IS the truth

Episode 2

I guess a theme of this episode seems to be that the characters are all capable of more than their straightfoward designated 1D roles. 

It's not just lance they were all sorta identified with their niches.

Hunk loving Yellow so much is so adorabs tho

Reminds me of this thing in guilty crown where a once wimpy character was inspired to „become“ a more confident one

Quirky miniboss squad has varied designs.Lotor has such a punchable face

Episode 3

So they go in when they can barely fly... They were fairly ragtag when Shiro took over tho – It wasn't TOOO bad thinking from Keith, he thought of placing the tracer

So Lotor's a genius pilot, too. They even THINK similarly „Don't waste the enemy's time of weakness.“

Again the formation gag

Allura is REALLY not good at this

So there is a „Voltron Feeling“, intersting

I feel ya so much Keith. I can't into group activities either.

Thing is he is actually a good planner he can even bark out orders well but he's used to risking & utilizing only himself with no further consquences.

I just hope the discourse squad isn't gonna hate on him too much, like, he said he wasn't cut out for it he's improvising as best as he can

There's a little Zethrid in all of us

Lance has this complex of not having a special role, but, he's kinda the ~Versatile~ guy, stepping into whatever roles are needed (just like water flows & changes shape)

& right here he's trying hard to be the glue

It's sort of a reversion because usually it's the charismatic guy who's the leader and the prioritize-the-mission guy who is number two (See Kirk & Spock)

Still I would like to stress that what Keith's doing here is his consistent trait of prioritizing the objective

I did not expect Allura to get this deep character moment but it makes sense

I wonder what we can infer from this about lance; Blue remains mysterious

They're all getting into it~

Oh Transformation sequence, how I missed thee

„I'm a leg“ Yeah now we know we've seen Allura without her mask

I must admit I got a mild case of the feels at this point

Opportunity, heh? He's got a plan. Probably capturing it for himself

Ep 4

Well this one cuts to the chase right away. Not much downtime this season.

Again I didn't expect Allura to get the focus this season.

Not having Shiro as a co-leader is srly fraying her nerves & making her feel the burden of her task. From the beginning she was always characterized as somewhere being an ordinary girl put portraying strenght because of the burden of her father's legacy – When you think about it, she is so, so stranded & this possibility is gonna compromise her bigtime

It's kinda like the plot of  „The Doctor's Wife“

There comes another favorite, the negative space wedgie

I like it when the technobabble includes references to how they are actually determining things („Gravity isn't being diverted“ etc. )

Its like a magic Event horizon!

Poor Coran what has he done to deserve this

Aaand the creepy abandoned ship trope! Delightfully Star Trek Esque

Aaand the apocalyptic log trope

Aaand the Paralel Universe! They're sampling all of TOS here

That's it I'm officially christening this episove Vol Trek

Yep, it's the Mirror Universe! Please tell me Mirror Keith has a beard

Im glad I know enough to catch the „Sven“ reference

I did not expect Alternate Realities to actually show up

I wonder, was there some historical crossroads where Alfor makes the deal with the Devil rather than Zarkon? Are we gonna meet Good!Lotor as this 'verses Allura?

And lool the alternate Sentries

Im SO LOVING THIS EPISODE I CANT EVEN

It's not Alfor, it's ALLURA who's alternate Zarkon? That's gonna screw with her head

Her whole Arc in season 2 was growing out of the black & white Mindset that Zarkon's betrayal left her in (ie, realizing the BoM and Keith are good, finding out the evil Haggar is Altean) but this takes „For Want Of A Nail“ even further

Didn't we see that blue haired altean techie in the background in one of the black lion's flashbacks?

Aaaand we're getting more detail on what Voltron even is

A VOIDSHIP now we're doing Doctor who, too?

Are they not evil or is Allura just not getting it? Poor girl she's in for a schock especially since the Galra homeworld was supposedly destroyed – Did Zarkon act out of revenge, too?

Aww Slav has faith in them... kind of.

UGH They are WORSE than Zarkon because they have more advanced technology

OOHHHH THIS IS GOOD THIS IS GOOD THIS IS SO GOOD

Also Mindfuckey

Do they have their own BoM counterpart, too?

I did not expect this how did they do so much in so little time

Aww the Space Mice hugging each other :(

Ah and now Sven is gonna die for a continuity joke

Any moment now, they're gonna say „He was rather like our Mister Spock.“

Iwho knew Slav could be cool?

It's also worth mentioning that Keith kickied lots of butt in this ep

Lotor's plan kind of allmost got his whole universe invaded by brainwashing dimension hoppers tho

So it WAS a trap

Damn Lotor's manipulative. He knew this would get Allura.

Ep 5

A tank? Are we now going Pokemon? Or possibly Evangelion?

This started slow but now it keeps sucker-punching us

SHIRO and he's got Hermit Hair.

OOOH Not AgAIN This must be so retraumatitzing for him

We've gone F.E.A.R. As it would seem.

No, It's fucking LAIN

Ohh I do love symbolic mindfuck sequences

He's supposed to look all ragged but he's so hot with this hair lenght

Everything about the cinematography here is just perfect

So there's Haggar-

Kuwagamon is that you?

Interesting perspective with Lotor's faction & the rest

I just noticed that Lotor does, just slightly, have fangs.

Ohh I see Shiro's PoV is happening in parallel.. they were so close!

Shiro is badass as usual

Ohh Lotor, do I sense daddy issues? Or maybe just a drive to prove himself.

Haggar's right tho, with all his ideas & somewhat obsessive/ singleminded tendencies he's actually a lot more like his father than his demeanor suggests.

Again Paralellism to Allura & Keith trying to fill the shoes of Alfor and Shiro respectively

So in the end Shiro found THEM before they found HIM

Still, a bit anticlimatic; I'd expected more of a finale than just „The lion senses him“ & no explanation for what happened, or will that be filled in later?

Alien Ramen.

So... that didn't contain what I think it would & contained lots of stuff I didn't see coming. In a way it was a huge break from the format, really nonstop plot instead of the previous slower pacing & focus on character interactions.

I would have expected the revelations from season 2 to play more of a role (Keith's origin, Allura's newfound magical capabilities, who or what is Haggar)

I mean it makes sense because it's an exceptional situation with Shiro being gone & Lotor hot on their tails. I wonder what season 4 is gonna be like, thankfully it might be there soon.

It's been a bit since we had a Hunk or Pidge episode & I was looking forward to less utilized interactions such as Shiro with Lance & Hunk or a episode where Pidge & Keith go on a mission together

IDK there's so many dangling plot threads and now there's MORE but even so most of this was  good writing when seen for itself.

There wasn't a lot of Pidge content which isn't that bad given that she got to be showstealingly hypercompetent in the last two seasons but they better give us a Hunk episode in October.

Ep 6

Ahh, Sharpshooter

Let us appreciate Keith's casual massacre skills. He tough

Cool thinking Lance!

So Allura's weapon is a flowy gymnastic ribbons thingy... kinda like a shinier version of that whip Zarkon's so fond of tho

I'm glad we got to see her kick butt with it before handing the Blue Lion back to lance

This fight scene well utilizes the bunch

AH now there's explanations, or at least an aknowledgement of a need for one. And again we see that Keith & Shiro sort of have a special confidence between them. Shiro allows himself to sound audibly distraught here. He looks to weird in such casual clothes, too. We never saw his pajamas in ep 2 so I guess now we know.

At which point during these last few eps did Keith acquire those bags under his eyes? Is it me or does he seem a lot more in control? Or perhaps its just the familiarity.

That moment at the end tho, aww. No one minds saving you, Shiro, because they all LOVE YOU TO BITS, especially Keith.

Ahhh I wanted him to keep the hair. But I guess he is the proper sort/ feel a bit less like a plant when he's clean-shaven. Yes bby tell them how proud you are.

Pidge and Hunk talk engineering why Lance makes a face in the background <3 All the nerd conversations plz

No. No. NOOO LANCE WHAT ARE YOU SAYING

It shows how much both have matured but, NO. I did not see that coming ouch nor did that conondrum occur to me. Hence I see why Shiro coming back was not the final climax

That moment when Shiro & Keith talk at the same time out of habit tho.

What's going on THERE? Sabotage by Haggar?

I didn't think they could wrap much up but it's going fast.

...Keith has always been quick to just pack up & withdraw hasn't he? I guess that quote about Alfor becomes relevant again here.  Aaand another plot twist why do I even bother with the pause button. How's this even gonna continue, is Shiro just gonna do mission control from now on? I'm gonna miss Keith doing Keith stunts if he's gonna be tied up as the boss man.

Even so, the teleport question is still no answered.

Was Shiro Ayanami'd somehow? (replaced by a clone or something)

I was beginning to think they couldn't wrap up THAT much in just 2 episodes but they seem to have taken this as a challenge. T'is a rolacoaster.

Hey isn't that the guy from the first episode? In any case you almost have to sympathize with that random Galra comander.  Poor bastard. Two invading parties. +Is there gonna be a confrontation now? Keith Kogane and the Halfblood Prince. Ohh this buildup of epic music cant be good

the four way battle with the generals was interesting/ pretty cool like theres one for each of them to smash. Are they setting up miss scaultrite thief for a high heel face turne? I hope not that would kind of be trite.Some are saying she might be part of his long-lot family, but wasn’t Keith’s mom supposed to have been with Marmorites instead of the Empire? 

Keith PLUS mission control Shiro would seem to be its wholly new desaster to adjust to. Keith did not ask for nor deserve this you can tell he hates every minute of it.

Ep 7

At this point its srly weird how the opening is still the same, especially after they set up all those elemental associations for everyone's original lions.

So lotors mom WAS altean but it wasn't Haggar herself as far as I can tell.

I'm smelling a gendo ikari type backstory here but i hope theyll be creative about whatever they do. And ooh, allura's parents in the backround her mom looks just like her.

There goes my headcanon that the original green paladin was olkari. But also ooh backstory.

But hey I think Pidge's predecessor was also a girl? And Lance's is... also very obvious. Alchemy!

Oh wait it is Haggar, and that WAS, indeed, the Galra homeworld. Classic „overdid the black magic“ backstory & went bonkers backstory Though Zarkon seemed to be lowkey authoritarian & obsessed with destructive potential well before he went bananas. I suppose the series has stuck to classic tropes.

Interesting choice to top it off with the backstory & let that be the twist/ finale with the character arcs themselves being left dangling – Last we saw of Keith, it seemed like whatever sense he had that he was getting the hang of it had just kinda crumbled away again and he seems so miserable, like, glancing away even at the end of the conversaton with little resembling a resolution.

And we still don't know what actually happened to Shiro. Did we even see how Zarkon got his scar? 

Also, did our Evil Overlord Couple make Lotor before or after they turned into zombies? 

[ms-m-astrologer]

Transiting Saturn turns retrograde

Timetable (current events in bold): Saturn enters retrograde zone: Friday, December 30, 2016, 21:11 Sagittarius Saturn retrograde: Tuesday, April 5, 2017, 27:48 Sagittarius Saturn direct: Friday, August 25, 2017, 21:11 Sagittarius Saturn out of retrograde zone: Friday, December 1, 27:48 Sagittarius

Saturn almost always hurts, and backwards Saturn really hurts. We focus the planet’s energies inward, at ourselves. Astrologer Steven Forrest (tersely) delineates a natal retrograde Saturn as follows: “Deeply rooted self-sufficiency. May indicate a ‘loner.’ Enormous reserves of inner strength. May have a hard time saying ‘no.’” Ms M has her natal Saturn Rx in Sagittarius and can testify to the accuracy of those statements.

Saturn began its transit of Sagittarius between December 23, 2014, and June 14, 2015, when it ducked back into Scorpio one last time, with the “once and for all” Sag ingress on September 17, 2015. We’ve seen globally the rise of virulent, strident nationalism (one downside of Sagittarius), as well as increased power of the conservative, fundamental religious practitioners - particularly the “Abrahamic” ones, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. (Aside: a former colleague once dismissed all of them as “quarreling over who Dad likes the best.”)

I’ve been walking around with Saturn Rx in Sag all my life, and its negative aspect can be summed up in the word judgmental. Merriam-Webster defines “judgmental” as “characterized by a tendency to judge harshly,” and further explains it for English Language Learners with, “tending to judge people too quickly or critically.”

Saturn shows limitations, and in Sagittarius it is limited by its failure to understand (or condone) the other fellow’s point of view. If it’s powerful enough, it imposes its “my way or the highway” agenda upon all and sundry. There’s also a disinclination for adventure which - given that it also distrusts “too much” education - frankly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. How the heck are you supposed to gain any experience if you don’t have adventures? Saturn shows what we fear - and in Sag, it fears experience.

Saturn in Sag is very concerned with being morally right - and that can be the saving grace for us all. Despite the plethora of religions and spiritual practices throughout the world, there are (when the intentions are honorable) areas of common ground. We might think of the Golden Rule, controversial though it remains - perhaps “Do no harm (but take no shit)” is better suited to 2017!

This is going to be an excellent time to “restructure” (Saturn) ourselves as more globally-oriented citizens, too. It’s amazing how wide-ranging the little ripples can be, the ones you make which seemingly affect only your own neighborhood pond.

Though the aspects I’ve listen below have “exact” dates attached to them, we can consider them as being “in effect” for the duration of Saturn’s time in Sagittarius. They have an influence on The World As A Whole, but not so much for one measly individual, unless these planets hit something in your natal chart - to “count,” it should be a personal planet, an angle, or the Nodes.

Sunday, April 30, Chiron/Pisces square Saturn Rx/Sagittarius, 27:18

Second of three. Saturn-Chiron cycles last anywhere from 60 to 180 years; our current one began on April 13, 1966, at 23:52 Pisces. It’s a pretty interesting chart - Mercury and Pallas were close enough to count, making it a quadruple conjunction; all four planets were square Jupiter/Gemini. They were all trine Neptune in Scorpio, too! That’s a lot of hippie idealism, isn’t it?  I’m reminded of a Grace Slick quote, which is, approximately, “It’s a bit difficult to get hippies organized into anything.”

This means that the current square is similar to the Last Quarter lunar phase. Some of those hippie ideals have gone mainstream (environmentalism and LGBTQIAPK rights, for example); too many are still “just” dreams. We’re just as wounded (Chiron) as we were “way back when,” and we know we’re responsible (Saturn) for letting down not only ourselves, but our sisters and brothers.

Astrologer Dena DeCastro summarizes this square as “the opportunity to become more spiritually grown up,” while in her forecast column for “The Mountain Astrologer,” Pam Younghans writes, “This is a larger picture aspect, representing the battle between society’s old, limiting belief systems and the potential for healing that will enable humanity to embody more enlightened qualities such as compassion, selflessness, and humility. As we work with the energies of this square, we are challenged to transcend our own judgments and biases, the first step in creating global oneness.”

(The next conjunction is June 9, 2028, in Taurus; perhaps at that point we’ll become “doers of the dream.”)

Planets/Points affected lie between 26:18 and 28:18 of the mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces; and between 11:18 and 13:18 of the fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.

Thursday, May 18, Uranus/Aries trine Saturn Rx/Sagittarius, 26:23

Second of three. Again, we have to think in terms of the wider world and the longer view. The two planets were last conjunct in 1988, in very late Sagittarius and very early Capricorn. This is therefore a waning trine, and expresses energies in the manner of a Disseminating Moon (waning gibbous) lunar phase. We’re anxious to “finish up” and pass along the knowledge we’ve gained over the past 30-odd years; additionally, we’re harvesting the “fruits” of what we planted way back then.

Think, for example, of how thoroughly technology (Uranus) has become integrated (Saturn) in our daily lives. (Ms M has been an adult, over age 30, for that entire time period, and her pea brain boggles.)

The “fruits” of this technology are both good and bad. We walk around with the entirety of human knowledge in our back pockets. We’re able to communicate instantly with all kinds of people, all over the planet, learning about them and beginning to understand them. On the downside, it’s easier for the governments to keep an eye on our private lives - and it’s easier to disseminate propaganda and lies. (Cough 2016 cough cough.) We’ve also seen an increase of extremism of every kind.

Another unexpected “problem” is actually thousands of years old: the problem of inclusion and intersectionality. The more we see, the more we understand how (1) we in the “West” are privileged and (2) most other people aren’t. If we don’t begin immediately to address this, the waning square aspect between these two (2021) will make us address it the hard way. For now, continue to enjoy the benefits of broadened horizons, but learn a little more and fight like hell for inclusion.

Planets/Points affected lie between 25:23 and 27:23 of the yang signs Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius.

Saturday, June 24, Eris/Aries trine Saturn Rx/Sagittarius, 23:48

These cycles take 30 years to complete. The most previous conjunction happened in 1997/8, in the middle of Aries. During that time period, the first Harry Potter book was published; Princess Diana was killed in an automobile accident, and the world erupted in mourning; terrorists Timothy McVeigh, Ramzi Yousef, and Ted Kaczynski were convicted (or pled guilty) of their crimes and sentenced; Japan gave us both the Toyota Prius and Pokemon.

It’s another waning trine, and again, it’s obvious what we’re harvesting from this. Those cultural phenomena are still going strong. I can argue that the same “celebrity culture” which cost Princess Diana her life, has now cost the US (at least) a Presidential election. The extremist terrorists are still there, too.

Eris at her worst is “The Other” striking back for being ignored - at its best, she shows her concern for those “Others” and protects them. For example, the chunk of the US between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains has been collectively “Othered,” and we saw the fruits on Election Day: transiting Eris was sextile Dolt 45’s Sun-Uranus-North Node/Gemini/10th. Since then we’ve seen some attempts to address the concerns of Middle America, notably by Michael Moore (natal Eris square his natal Moon-Mars conjunction). At the same time, we can’t ignore how the more “traditional” Others (non-whites, women, non-Christians) continue to be “Othered.” This trine can be utilized to further entrench and solidify the existing systemic “Othering,” or it can be used to bring all the “Others” together.

(The next Saturn-Eris conjunction happens in 2027/8, and will still fall in Aries - Eris is a very slow mover.)

Planets/Points affected lie between 22:48 and 24:48 of the yang signs Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius.

[sage-nebula]

Fire emblem or pokemon. For the ask please!

I’m going to do Fire Emblem: Awakening. If you want Pokémon, please send that in another ask! (And specify games or anime---it matters!)

My favorite parent-child relationship

Chrom and both Lucina and (male) Morgan. I know there’s a tendency in fandom to characterize Chrom as this bumbling, clumsy dad who has no idea what he’s doing---but in canon we actually see that he’s a loving, supporting father who can get stern when necessary (that cockroach incident), but also cares deeply about both of his children and tries incredibly hard to be there for them. While we don’t get to see as many interactions between Chrom and Morgan as I would like (we only get their supports since Morgan doesn’t get to be involved with the actual plot), I still do love the supports, and the potential that is there for drama and conflict given that, in some timelines, Grima!Robin spirits Morgan away in order to raise him to be her perfect little soldier. (I even have an AU in my head for a scenario in which that happened, but then Morgan later falls into the Shepherds’ custody. There’s quite a bit of strife, particularly since Chrom and Lucina are adamant about not harming him, but others such as Frederick and Severa feel that he’s a threat, and Morgan himself is quite messed up due to all of the years of psychological abuse that Grima laid on him. I’ve never written anything for it, but damn do I have it in my head.)

So yeah, definitely Chrom with both of his children. My family. ♥

My favorite sibling relationship

LUCINA AND MORGAN, HANDS DOWN. Man, words can’t describe how much I love their relationship! Aside from the supports being adorable, there’s potential for conflict and development here that doesn’t exist in Lucina’s other sibling relationships, and that potential lies in the fact that---over the course of the plot---Lucina attempts to kill their mother. Obviously she can’t bring herself to follow through with it regardless of what choice is made, but she still draws Falchion against their mother, which is something that I feel Morgan would have a very negative reaction to, particularly given how much he adores Robin. (Of course, he’s not allowed to participate in the plot and so we never see him find out, but even still.) I do think that this would all be smoothed over in that same scene (I actually wrote a fic of that once, but it’s no longer on Tumblr---I can repost it if anyone wants), but all the same it would definitely cause conflict and strife, and that conflict simply doesn’t exist if Lucina’s mother is anyone else.

There’s also the fact that Morgan has amnesia, which is something that I think would also add more depth to their relationship. Lucina remembers all of the horrors that existed in the Bad Future, and Morgan doesn’t---and in a way, I think Lucina would be grateful for this, that her little brother was spared the memories that give her nightmares and keep her up at night, that motivate her to keep fighting for a better future, while plaguing her with anxiety and vicious fear all the while. But at the same time, Morgan losing his memories of the Bad Future means that he also lost his memories of her, and I think that would hurt. He regains some over the course of the plot---he does remember her, at least to some extent---but many of his memories are simply gone, and since I imagine they were very close, I think that would probably hurt Lucina a lot, too. (And Morgan himself would feel guilty, even as she assured him that he shouldn’t.)

And then there are the AUs---some of which we even see in-game, such as in Future Past---wherein Grima!Robin takes Morgan away, and Lucina has to keep fighting on without her brother, and if the are reunited at any point, he has been abused and warped to the point where he’s actively trying to fight and kill her despite how badly she wants to save and protect him. God, the angst quotient is off the charts here, so on top of the two being sweet and loving, how could I not love this?! BEST SIBLINGS, HANDS DOWN.

My favorite family relationship (other)

I have to admit, though, that I really do love Chrom and Lissa’s relationship. Their supports, wherein he takes none of her self-deprecating bullshit about being a bad princess (and insists that she’s a great princess, and proves it by having her talk to the others around camp) is very sweet, and I love how we get to see them support each other throughout the game as well. To that end, I do consider Frederick to be a pseudo part of their family (in the way that Zazu is to the lions in The Lion King, kind of), and I love his relationship with them as well. Frederick is best family babysitter, by far.

My favorite friendship between two people

I’m really attached to Robin and Gaius in this regard, largely in part due to my headcanon that they were childhood friends from ages 12-15, though Robin doesn’t recall it during the amnesia. This, of course, causes some angst on Gaius’ part, but even setting that aside I just love the way they bounce off each other and I really enjoy the friendship, even if a large part of my enjoyment comes from that headcanon.

But that said?

I also really cherish Chrom’s friendship with Gaius! I think that Gaius is a very important relationship for Chrom, because aside from the fact that Gaius is his future brother-in-law Gaius broadens Chrom’s horizons while at the same time making no illusion to the fact that he’s not doing this for Chrom’s benefit, he’s doing it so that Chrom can stop inadvertently rubbing salt in existing wounds due to Gaius’ own low, underprivileged status. Chrom isn’t trying to be insensitive in his supports, but he is nonetheless---and Gaius makes it clear that his actions in showing Chrom the seedy underbelly of the world are to stop those microaggressions and open Chrom’s eyes to what he’s doing, while at the same time doing so in a way that isn’t as harsh of a shut down as he originally dished out. Gaius offers some reality to Chrom, in other words, and this helps Chrom grow as a person. I really enjoyed their supports.

My favorite friendship between a group

THE JUSTICE CABAL, OF COURSE! Specifically, Owain, (male) Morgan, and Cynthia. All of their supports are absolutely fantastic, and the amount of shenanigans that they can (and do) get up to are unreal. I actually still have an idea for a birthday fic wherein Cynthia and Owain give Morgan a Justice Cabal birthday (shenanigans GALORE), but I haven’t written it yet despite having the idea for several years running now. Maybe I’ll do that this coming May.

My favorite mentorship

Mmm, is there one? I suppose the closest is Robin and Morgan, with the way she tries to teach him various tactics and strategies even as he tries to surpass her. It doesn’t get very much focus, though.

My favorite rivalry

Hah, probably Chrom and Vaike, if only because I can’t think of another one, and Vaike is pretty insistent that Chrom is his rival throughout their supports. (Meanwhile, Chrom tries to pretend that he doesn’t reciprocate, but let’s be real . . . he does. He reciprocates a lot. That cooking contest proves it.)

My favorite hatred/antipathy

MMMMMMM, honestly? There are quite a few good ones that I could name (such as Chrom and Gangrel, for instance), but I think the one that catches my attention the most is the one between Grima and Chrom.

Like, honestly---Grima against the royal family in general could work, because obviously there is a lot of antipathy between Grima and Lucina due to the Bad Future, and between Grima and Robin due to the fact that Robin was bred like a prized dog in order to be Grima’s vessel---but I focus on Chrom because I feel like Chrom stands to have the most to lose here, particularly in a timeline where Chrom and Robin are married and have their children. If Grima possesses Robin, then Chrom loses his wife. If she takes Morgan, he loses his son. Lucina could die. Chrom himself could die, and in my Risen!Chrom AU, well . . . he meets a far worse fate at Grima’s hands. When you consider the fact that Chrom is the Exalt during the vast majority of the plot and the fact that he is the one that wields Falchion and carries the Fire Emblem, that also marks him as Grima’s primary enemy, even though Robin is Grima’s primary target. They’re not quite at foetp level for me, but there’s definitely a ton of antipathy there, and I think it’s quite fun to work with.

My favorite potential relationship between characters who never talk in canon

The DLC chapters actually give us a lot of interaction between characters who don’t otherwise have supports, and so technically these characters do get to talk in canon, but I’m still angry that we never had legitimate supports between Lucina and Severa. There’s no excuse for it and I’ll never be over it, especially since Future Past heavily insinuates that Severa is Lucina’s second-in-command. There was no reason not to give us supports between them, IntSys. None.

[recentanimenews]

Crunchyroll Favorites 2017: Video Games

What a wild year it's been for gaming. Nintendo has thrown down the gauntlet with the Switch and its unbelievable roster of exclusives but they're far from the only company mixing things up and putting out some astounding exclusives. Following Part One about our favorite anime and manga, Part Two will cover our favorite video games from the plethora of hit releases in 2017!

PETER FOBIAN (@PeterFobian)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: The obvious choice (get used to seeing it on this list). Breath of the Wild probably impressed me more than any other game this year, taking Zelda and the open world platform to new heights in the most clever, brave way imaginable. This game lets you do whatever you want, giving you access to an immense number of tools to drive you to solve problems in ways the designers probably never thought of. Or, at least, you might believe they hadn’t if the world wasn’t brimming with small interactions we’re still discovering to this day. Even the story is a clever take on the usual defeating Ganon formula. I felt Nintendo was slipping during the Wii U days but they easily dominated this years releases.

NieR: Automata: Or, at least, I say that, but now I’m gonna talk about a bunch of PS4 titles. NieR was quite the narrative journey and did some immensely cool things with its story you could only see in a video game, replaying the same events from different perspectives then building upon them into brand new arcs. The game had its aesthetic sense on lock, complete with one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. The glimmer of hope residing at the end of such an oppressively sad world was a tremendous conclusion. I just wish there had been more. There are elements in the game where I feel Yoko Taro teasing DLC content that he knew would never come. That asshole.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Another open-world game that was willing to invest in its setting. The world of HZD is awesome, aesthetically, functionally, and narratively. It also feels complete. Rather than the usual fetch quests you can expect in this sort of title, every mission has its own story and serves to expand your understanding of the various cultures of the world. The main plot is a wonderful dive into the history that brought this world about featuring a partnership of convenience between two characters whose arguments I could listen to for hours. The relationship between Aloy and Sylens is fantastic. The gameplay is fantastic. The world is fantastic.

Nioh: This game got a lot of flak out of the gate for being a Souls-like but it’s risen to that challenge and done some great things all its own with a deeper combat system featuring a variety of stances, combos, tools and unlockable techniques. The aesthetic is also spot on and, while it doesn’t have the same cinematic approach, delivers a cool environment with enemies just as frustratingly hard. If I have one complaint, it’s that the game went for a more numbers-heavy approach featuring RNG drops and complex crafting system that kept me in menus while I’d rather be exploring. All-in-all the game felt great to play and never felt like it was slowing down. You could even collect pokemon!

ECHO: I feel like I’ve been waiting for the release announcement for this game for an eternity since I first played a demo at PAX two years ago. This game touches on all my favorite aesthetic hallmarks, taking place in a nightmarish superstructure that is equal parts Giger and Blame!, alternating between immaculate palaces and criss crossing walkways over a dark abyss. The story is a particularly satisfying space opera and includes a unique gameplay mechanic controlling the enemy AI that feeds right into the horror of the setting. It’s a horrifically beautiful achievement and a MUST. PLAY.

Persona 5: My first experience with the Persona series has been memorable and I definitely now understand the obsessive following these games have earned. P5 has a crazy awesome sense of style and a great cast of characters with individual stories that build up to some seriously anime cathartic moments. Pretty much every characters unmasking was a memorable highlight and synced up nicely with the games through line of defying oppressive authority. I wish they’d gone a bit further, done a few things better, and loosed up a but on what players can do in the game. All the same I’ll be right there with everyone else in 2117 when Persona 6 comes out.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice: I love this game not only for what it is but what it represents. Long time fan of Ninja Theory and this game makes me a diehard. Hellblade's aim to release an “independent AAA game” is just what the industry needs right now with franchises and studios falling victim to microtransaction based monetization and getting gutted by major publishers. I hope to see a ton more of these in the year to come. The game itself was well-worth the price tag, a fascinating descent into hell that had a few clever tricks and an interesting representation of auditory hallucination that added to the atmosphere. More of this, more Ninja Theory.

Guilty Gear Xrd 2: Everyone has their fighting game and mine is Guilty Gear. The franchise went through a notable low point releasing Guilty Gear Xrd without Baiken, but thankfully ArkSys recovered and is back with part 2 and the good content. They’ve tightened some of the bolts from the previous releases along with character specific changes. I’m loving the new kits on all my main. ArkSys’s 3D/2D style continues to set the visual standard for 2D fighters. The only thing I’m not crazy about is Millia’s hat. If they add ABA then this will truly be the perfect game.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Although I’d never played Wolfenstein before this year, I was understandably attracted to the marketing efforts of Bethesda to promote this title. I was wholly unprepared for the over-the-top narrative experience it provided, coming closer to Saints Row levels of ludicrous plot twists and characterization without compromising it’s blood-in-the-dirt aesthetic. The writing walks a razor's edge between horrific and hilarious while fearlessly drawing similarities between the Wolfenstein world and modern day America. It’s wild that Blazkowicz feels so real, even melancholic, with everything that surrounds him.

Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy DLC: Lost Legacy solved what was incontrovertibly the biggest problem with Uncharted 4. No Chloe. It pulled one better by bringing back the best new character from the main title, Nadine in an unexpected partnership that worked better than I could have imagined. Rather than a fun side mission, Naughty Dog spent a lot of time using past events to build a compelling narrative around both characters and their unlikely partnership with all the same cinematic highlights as the main title. It wasn’t quite the unforgettable experience as Uncharted 4, but it was quality DLC that barely exists in a industry chopping up IPs to sell them in pieces.

RENE KAYSER (@kayserlein)

Persona 5: There are three titles that I carry as the triumvirate of “Games that changed me in who I am”. One of these three is Persona 4 which helped me get through the worst part of my youth. And while never got tired of Atlus’ spin-offs of that title like some people did, I certainly was hyped for the new entry in the series. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me that 3 and 4 did but it gave me an absolutely fantastic 99 hours of thievery and intrigue. I just wish they’d given us more Social Events to hang out with the entire group …

NieR: Automata: It’s quite something to not only get one but two sequels to life-changing games in a single year (Number Three in my triumvirate is Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII which introduced me to Japanese games in general). The original Nier broadened the horizon of what you can do with videogame storytelling for young 16-year-old me and while Automata didn’t hit me that hard, it still managed to let me reflect a lot on my actions as a gamer (I still feel bad for getting *that* trophy). I just hope that Square remasters the first game one day so I can reunite with its characters once more.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: No franchise in the world means as much to me as Zelda. I went through every single entry (not counting the CDI ones - I’m no maniac!) and know almost every dungeon by heart. BOTW has recaptured that old magic of (re-)conquering an entire kingdom and sucked a whopping 120 hours out of me before I knew it. It may have certain weaknesses (mainly in the story department) but that doesn’t take away from the utter magnificence Nintendo has gifted us with. I only wish they’d tell us something definite about its timeline placement (My money’s on the Convergence theory).

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Kazutaka Kodaka is a goddamn genius. He, Kotaro Uchikoshi and Ryukishi07 are probably some of my favorite writers ever and in the newest entry of his murdery series, he once again presents us with this unique mix of comedy and horror only he can concoct. Its second and third case slow the game down a bit but the final two will turn anyone’s brain upside down and put it through the blender in a way you’ll never forgot. To write anything more, would delve into spoilers but if you haven’t gotten into this franchise until now, you’re definitely missing out!

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: I have a long-standing love for fictional (!) nazis. Part of it is certainly due to the gruesome part of German history which lets you easily villainize them without any need for characterization but also a remaining excitement of of the forbidden (all nazi content is stripped out in the German version of the franchise, so I have to resort to imports). Shooting nazis itself would be fun enough but Machine Games’ reboot trilogy somehow still gives it one of the best and most moving video game narratives in years which leaves me yearning for its final chapter. The cherry on top of the already delicious cake is the German dialogue which was voiced by fantastic German actors (who were sadly replaced by less fitting ones in the local version) which enhances the atmosphere tremendously by not copping out with using American actors with a funny accent and no actual dialogue like every other game with nazis. Even if you’re not into shooters, you should give the Wolfenstein reboot a try - it might really surprise you with its story.

Super Mario Odyssey: Here I go thinking that Nintendo just put out something that they can hardly match again for at least half a decade … and they do it within the same year! BOTW was already great but Mario Odyssey cemented 2017 as the year Nintendo returned to form. Not since Mario 64 did it bring me this much fun to play as our favorite plumber (though he did quit that job) and I find it highly possible that his newest game might even go down in history as being superior to his first 3D outing.

The Nintendo Switch and basically everything on it: This list of mine already carries two Switch games on it - but I could easily put down everything else on the system. While its portability might seem like a gimmick to outsiders, it opens up every system you play on it incredibly. Even if you’re mostly at home and work from there (like me), the comfort to pick it up and play another 30 minutes in bed before you’re sleeping adds so much to the experience that I can hardly put it into words. Skyrim, Doom, Xenoblade, Stardew Valley, Splatoon 2, Resident Evil - the list goes on and on and each week I’m overwhelmed by new announcements of both indie games I’ve been meaning to check out for a long time but also ports of bigger titles on this hardware. Not since my PS One have I been so in love with a system itself and with how things are going, the Switch might easily become my favorite gaming console ever created.

KARA DENNISON (@rubycosmos)

Resident Evil VII: This game messed me up something fierce -- in all the best ways, of course. I can understand why opinion is divided in some cases, but it’s so atmospheric and so entrenched in its own lore that it’s just fascinating to get lost in. And I love a game that blurs the line between gameplay and cutscenes to the point that you’re not even sure what’s under your control anymore. That’s some good horror.

Doki Doki Literature Club: The first release from indie studio Team Salvato, an OEL dating sim with a poetry-driven storyline. And -- funny story -- it just magically appeared in my Steam gifts. I still don’t know who sent it to me. But whoever it was, I owe them big thanks because it was just the kind of VN I love. The art is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s got a great story you’ll want to explore multiple times. High points of the game: hanging out with Sayori, a long weekend with Yuri, and finally getting some time alone with club president Monika!

Fate/Grand Order (US release): Of course this was going to make my list: I can build an army of nothing but different female King Arthurs. The story is entertaining for history and folklore buffs, and it’s also a great (read: inescapable) entry point to the Fate franchise.

NICK CREAMER (@b0bduh)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: From the first moments I started playing Breath of the Wild, I realized this game signaled the end of one era and the beginning of another. Through its gorgeous world, incredibly rewarding base gameplay, and infinite secrets to discover, Breath of the Wild redefines what we can expect from open world games, solving the issue of vast yet unsatisfying worlds in one definitive strike. I can only hope that future games steal as much as they can from Breath of the Wild’s bountiful innovations.

Nioh: Nioh’s appeal is pretty simple: place the satisfying, skill-intensive combat of a Dark Souls-style game in the circular loot-grind context of a Diablo-like, speed everything up by about thirty percent, and let it fly. The end result is likely the most successful riff yet on the Souls/Bloodborne subgenre, a game that can happily stand beside its spiritual inspiration.

Nier: Automata: Automata is undoubtedly the messiest game on this list, containing a vast number of minor gameplay failings and larger issues of overarching pacing and structure. And yet, no other game I played this year can match Automata’s narrative ambitions, or its soaring dramatic heights. Automata brings you to your lowest possible point in order to drive home that even at the end of everything, hope survives. Technical issues aside, a message told this creatively and well deserves all the accolades it can get.

Persona 5: Persona 5 was also messy in a variety of ways, like its occasionally unsatisfying dungeons, and especially its frustratingly conditional perspective on society’s “outsiders.” But from its endlessly endearing cast to its utterly best-in-class art design, Persona 5 also offers a vast array of astonishing strengths. I’ll still be thinking fondly of my time with the Phantom Thieves for a long time to come.

Resident Evil VII: Sometimes saving a franchise means going back to the drawing board. So it was with Resident Evil VII, which ditched all the bloated excess of the franchise’s recent entries in order to zero in on the fundamentals of horror: intimacy, isolation, implication, and, uh, insects. Lots of gross insects. Vast segments of Resident Evil VII play out as a horror experience so tightly composed that it really feels like you’re trapped in a beloved horror movie. It’s like twelve straight hours of opening a door that you really, really, really don’t want to open.

  THOMAS ZOTH (@ABCBTom)

NieR: Automata: Nier: Automata isn’t my favorite Yoko Taro game, but it’s the one that has established him as a creative voice and given him the tools and funding to keep delivering punishing Drakengard games for me, so I am beyond thrilled by its reception. Taro is truly a gaming auteur who enjoys playing with the expectations about what videogames must do and must be, frustrating and infuriating players with his obtuse cruelty and making them love him for it. Once you’ve finished Automata, play Drakengard 3 and the original Nier as well.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Xenoblade sneaks in just under the line, and I haven’t made it very far, but both Xenoblade and Xenoblade X were my favorite games of their respective years, so it’s safe to say I will love this one all the way through. Not as big a fan of this game’s more kawaii artstyle, but the story is still willing to go unexpected places and allow you to explore gigantic, overwhelming worlds. Plus, the game’s awful map system is getting a patch so I have no real complaints. Xenoblade is my favorite modern RPG series and one that’s not to be missed.

Super Mario Odyssey: A game that feels like the direct sequel to Mario 64, allowing for the feeling of exploration Sunshine and Galaxy lost. I love the possession mechanic, I love the bizarre uncanny valley situations where Mario interacts with humans, and I love New Donk City’s Festival. I’ve cooled on Mario platformers a lot in recent years but this reminded me why I spent so much time collecting 120 stars in Mario 64.

Persona 5: I know all of the problems with Persona 5, gameplay-wise, narrative-wise, and character-wise, and I agree with all of it. The game is massively flawed, and could have been so much better. AND YET… AND YET the fundamentals of Persona 5 are so strong that even with this burden it’s still one of my favorite games of the year. The gang of misfits that made up the Phantom Thieves are my family and the music is divine. I hope the game spawns all of the 100 spinoff cash-ins that Persona 4 did, because I will probably get them all.

The Legeond of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I hate open world games, because they always present a procedurally generated landscape of vacant mountains and palette swapped ninjas. You are free to go anywhere, but there is nothing to do. Until Breath of the Wild, that is, which has a marvelous curated world made with the help of the wizards at Monolith Soft. The game has three problems. When it rains, you can’t climb. Running depletes stamina, making it hard to fast travel. There are horses, but riding a horse is pointless, because you have to leave it behind to go exploring. That’s it: Everything else is perfect. Play it.

JOSEPH LUSTER (@Moldilox)

Super Mario Odyssey: Odyssey is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise Super Mario 64 made over 20 years ago. As much as I loved the Galaxy games, Nintendo went even further on Switch, providing the ideal playground for Mario and his absurdly athletic abilities. Taking control of enemies is always a pleasure, and I still haven’t uncovered half of what’s hidden within Odyssey’s jam-packed worlds.

NieR: Automata: Yoko Taro is a genius, and NieR: Automata deserves all the success and acclaim it has received since launch. There may be moments where some things don’t click just right—including the fairly repetitive combat and some dull locales—but the whole is so delightful that it’s tough to really care about those faults. The immense soundtrack is icing on this introspective, humanity-questioning cake.

Resident Evil VII: The latest entry in Capcom’s storied franchise is a return to form in many ways. Despite the perspective switch and an ever-so-slightly more grounded setup, things get buckwild pretty fast. Throw in classically stupid objectives like finding three dog heads to open an old rural house’s door and you have exactly what I want from survival horror.

Nioh: Team Ninja is back! Nioh gave me the first good taste of their sweet, sweet take on action games since Ninja Gaiden II, all with a heaping helping of FromSoftware inspiration on top. Nioh is much more complex than it appears on its surface, so even the most dedicated of players should have their hands full unraveling the various systems and making them work in each increasingly challenging scenario.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Guerrilla Games’ PS4 hit is hands-down the most gorgeous game I played all year. While the main story is worth pursuing, the thrill of the hunt is at the core of Horizon Zero Dawn. It’s always exciting, and occasionally frustrating, to run into a mechanical beast you have no hope of toppling… only to emerge triumphant! Those moments never get old, and the variety of locations makes this one the poster child for Photo Mode.

ISAAC AKERS (@iblessall)

Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey: My pick for game of the year isn’t one of the big JRPG titles, but the second in a trio of understated games from Gust commemorating the Atelier series’ 20th anniversary. I was inspired to pick up the game thanks to a beautiful article written by a friend of mind, and I was delighted to find one of the most expansive, relaxing, engaging, and rewarding game worlds I’ve ever experienced. Firis isn’t the flashiest game of the year, but the way it allows you to just sink into its comfortable rhythms astounded me.

NieR: Automata: I’ve got my reservations about Automata as a story, but one thing I can give it uninhibited praise for is its ability to create vivid experiential pockets within its world. Automata is not just rich in its colorful conceptualization of its world, but also in ideas, and the blend of themes, incredible music, beautiful locals, and its tendency to bat for the emotional stands resulted in some moments that stand out as truly stunning amongst my gaming experiences of the year. The ability to create those moments, whether they last a few seconds or a few minutes, ought not to be overlooked amongst Automata’s other strengths and flaws.

Uta Macross: To balance out my unusual engagement with actual console games, I must of course return to the place I spend most of my gaming time: mobage (which I found out this year is pronounced “mo-ba-ge” and not “mob-age”). A Macross rhythm game has been a wish near to my heart for years, and with the 35th anniversary providing a clear justification for it, it finally happened. At last, I can tap my phone screen to the rhythm of “Ikenai Borderline,” “POWER TO THE DREAM,” and “Universal Bunny.” It actually wound up being a little less exciting than expected since I already listen to Macross music constantly, but a long-standing wish fulfilled is nothing to sneeze at.

Tokyo 7th Sisters: On the other side of the spectrum is a mobile game I’ve been playing for longer than I can remember – Tokyo 7th Sisters. Although I played quite a bit during the year (it was my game of choice in my hotel room during long work trips), the most rewarding part of being a fan of the game came with a wholesale update of the whole thing, from the actual rhythm game to the way gacha points are handled. All those changes have gotten me back into the game in a big way, and excited for what mobage BS the game will give me in 2018.

CALLUM MAY (@CanipaShow)

Persona 5: In 2014, I bought a custom t-shirt based on the original teaser trailer of Persona 5. It had 4 chairs on it with balls and chain attached to the legs and one white chair in the middle.  It was a bit of cool symbolism for the game’s eventual themes and I was so impatient that I didn’t want to wait for the official merchandise, I wanted to make my own. When the game was released in 2017, that t-shirt had faded beyond recognition and is now just a red t-shirt with a white chair on it. Everything I love about Persona 5 has probably already been written above, but despite how many times the game was delayed and despite how much that shirt faded, it still became my favourite game ever.

Danganronpa V3: Never have I wanted a game creator to kick me in the shins more than Kazutaka Kodaka. He wouldn’t do it upon prompt, instead he’d kick me down at the most ironic and heartbreaking of times. He never does anything in halves. It’s always better, crazier and more dramatic than ever. I often promise to myself that I will pace things out, that I will try to balance work and playing through the trials of Danganronpa. But in the end, I always end up engrossed in an ever expanding spiral of mystery that delights, confuses and surprises me, sometimes even up to the early hours of the morning.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: I’ve steadily been warming to the Xenoblade Chronicles combat and world design over the past two entries, but Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the first time I’ve felt like I really need to see this through to the end. With a large, but manageable diverse world set atop titans wading through a sea of clouds, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 exists and strives with its own set of distinctive rules. The sea is made of clouds, the cloud level rises and dips because the Titans are always moving and if you’re a main character, your outfit is ridiculous. All very important rules that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 sticks to. Existing as a more streamlined version of previous iterations, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a brilliant adventure that succeeds more than it fails at keeping you on track.

  NATASHA H (@illegenes)

NieR: Automata: What to say about a game where already so much has been said? Nier: Gestalt was one of my favorite games of all time, so I had big expectations for the sequel, and it easily surpassed them. Haunting, nihilistic, melancholic, and searingly human, Nier: Automata encompasses so much of what I love in a good post-apocalyptic story about androids and robots. And yet it’s so much more than that, constantly evolving on nearly every structural level possible and delivering an emotionally exhausting but satisfying game about empathy, violence, and what it means to be human. Aided by a stunning soundtrack, beautiful visuals, and fantastic voice acting, this game will hold a special place in my heart for years to come.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I’ve always liked Zelda games, but BOTW surpassed all of my expectations for what the game could be like. Rarely has a game felt like it was tailored for me while also respecting me. The amount of things there are to explore, to experiment with, and to interact with are beyond me, and yet, 70 hours in, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. The game invites curiosity in ways I’ve never seen, and I’ve got plans that may take up months, if not even years, of gameplay. There is something so delicately beautiful in Breath of the Wild - a world worth exploring and saving, and I can assuredly say that it’s my favorite game of the year (if not many years) alongside NieR: Automata.

Final Fantasy XV: I wasn’t sure what to expect of a game that’s been in developmental hell for almost a decade - at one point I was fairly convinced it was never going to happen. But happen it did, and while Final Fantasy XV is filled with flaws, technical and story-wise, it also has some of the most emotionally intense highs I’ve seen in a Final Fantasy game. Square Enix easily sold me on these four boys and their friendship, and I shed many tears along the way of their tumultuous and strange journey. They’re good boys, Brent.

Cuphead: I have only two things to say about Cuphead. One: The animation is sublime. Two: It is absolutely infuriating(ly addictive).

  SAM WOLFE (@_Samtaro)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I know that just about everyone else contributing to this article is going to write about this game, and rightly so; The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was spellbinding. After being delayed from 2015, to 2016, to “when it’s ready”, Breath of the Wild had a lot to live up to and yet still surpassed almost everyone’s expectations. Nintendo took a very big risk in deviating from their standard Zelda formula to give players a game that trusts them to be competent. In the first few weeks of release, I kept hearing the same thing from my colleagues playing the game “this one is really hard”, “the combat is like a puzzle,” “it’s so difficult!” Breath of the Wild doesn’t pull any punches, it expects players to meet it at its level. It allows you to get lost, it allows you to make mistakes, it allows you to wander around Hyrule for hours doing whatever you want, yet still somehow results in you having made progress.

Breath of the Wild’s bleak setting is also fresh to the Zelda series. You, Link, the hero of whatever timeline this game takes place in, have woken up one hundred years too late; the party’s over, and the bad guys won. While the NPCs you encounter still have the same Zelda charm you’d come to expect, they’re all a little fatigued. Almost no one believes you are the hero  you say you are, and nobody expects things to get any better. It’s a cynical world that only you have the power to fill with hope again.

More than anything else though, Breath of the Wild rewards players for how much time they spend in the world. I think the simplicity of the final scene is brilliant, calling out players who may have sprinted towards the ending. I won’t spoil it, but I will say that when you get to the final cutscene, it’s short, it’s simple, and if you’ve spent enough time in Hyrule to remember why you started this crazy quest in the first place, it’s satisfying.

Hearthstone: Kobolds and Catacombs: Hearthstone dropped three big expansions this year, but none were as impactful and fun as Kobolds and Catacombs. A love letter to Dungeons & Dragons, Kobolds and Catacombs introduced the Dungeon Run, a solo experience where players get to build a deck out of the coolest cards the game has to offer as they progress through the kobold empire. In addition to a slew of new cards, this new way to play was made available for free, meaning you can download the game and start playing with some of the most exciting cards the Hearthstone team has ever created, all without spending a dime. Thank you, little kobold, I will take that candle.

Sonic Mania: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is one of my favorite video games. Period. The bullies who say there are no good Sonic games have simply forgotten the glory days, and who can blame them? Sonic hasn’t been doing what he does best in several years. Sonic Team themselves even forgot, throwing a bone to fans of the original games, effectively saying “if you think our Sonic games are no good, why don’t you do it?”

So they did. And it blew everyone away.

Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic’s Genesis era. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles returned in spectacular fashion, reminding everyone of a simple truth: it’s fun to go fast. With exceptional level design and music you’ll bop your head to, Sonic Mania succeeds where almost every Sonic game in recent memory fails: it’s fast, it’s fun, and it keeps you coming back for more. I’m not sure if a Sonic Mania 2 is in our future, but if it takes us another 13 years to get there, I’ll still lace up my running shoes when the time comes.

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That's it for Part Two of our three-part series! Be sure to check out Part One and stay tuned for PART THREE: EVERYTHING ELSE! If you're still in the mood for past CR Favorites, check out the previous years' features here:

  Crunchyroll Favorites 2016 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2015 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2014 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2013 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2012 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll News' Best of 2011 Part One Part Two

  What were your favorite video games of 2017? Comment below and share with us! Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST OF list, so there's no wrong answers!

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Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[ecargmura]

Pokemon Horizons Episode 17 Review: Not Getting Along

I liked this episode a lot! A lot happened with a lot of foreshadowing to come for future episodes. There’s a lot Wattrel development as well as Roy and Fuecoco too! I think that having this episode centered Fuecoco and Wattrel was good! I like seeing Pokemon get their time to shine!

The conflict between Wattrel and Fuecoco was briefly shown last episode, so this episode decided to show that the conflict persists. I actually like that these two don’t get along. In the previous anime, we always see Pokemon caught by Ash and his friends getting along with each other instantly after capture, so to see that Wattrel hasn’t gotten along with Fuecoco three episodes after its capture is nice to see. It shows that not everything will work out well in the beginning and that some conflicts take time to be resolved. Wattrel’s issues with Fuecoco is that it invades its personal space a lot. Wattrel likes having its own space. An issue I have with this is that no one realized that Wattrel didn’t like Fuecoco invading its personal space, which was why it got mad at it. Everything gets resolved at the end and Wattrel even joins in on Roy and Fuecoco’s singing. Hopefully, their bond will deepen after this episode.

While the episode revolves around both Pokemon, I feel like it’s more of a Wattrel-focused episode as previous episodes already established Fuecoco as a character. This episode was needed to establish Wattrel more. Wattrel is a bit stubborn and still cannot fly well.  The main antagonist of this episode was the turbulence, giving the literary conflict of man vs nature in effect here. Wattrel’s inability to fly well caused it to struggle a bit, but with the help of Roy, it gained confidence to use the wind to generate electricity and destroy the large branch coming their way. My gripe with this portion of the episode was that the adults clearly told everyone to come inside for shelter but Roy did not move despite being told to do so. I just feel like the way this was executed was a bit weird, but since it was beneficial for Wattrel, I can let it slide just this once.

The battle between Roy’s team and Captain Pikachu was nice to see. I like that the first battle was a disaster due to Fuecoco and Wattrel’s inability to get along, but after the encounter with the turbulence and noting that Wattrel’s electricity gets stronger in the wind, the second battle actually goes a lot better once Roy gets the idea to stack the two Pokemon onto his head for Wattrel to get a higher altitude to generate electricity for Spark. While Roy didn’t win the battle, he, at least, blew off Cap’s hat off of his head. That’s an achievement! I know that if Roy keeps trying, he’ll defeat Captain Pikachu one day!

In regards to other characters, Liko is now a bit shy towards Dot after learning her true identity. She’s even nervous when she and Roy come into Dot’s room for the very first time! Dot is also caring in this episode as she’s the one giving advice to Roy and then watching them from afar to check up on him. It shows that Dot is growing and that the development she got last episode wasn’t one note. The writers are doing a good job with making characterization consistent.

There’s a lot of foreshadowing in this episode. The first one is Orla asking Liko if she is thinking about wanting a new Pokemon. Liko has never thought about getting a second Pokemon until Orla brought it up. Seeing how Roy, Fuecoco and Wattrel are getting along, she’s all for the idea of getting a second Pokemon. There’s a special trailer for the Galar arc that shows that Liko’s second Pokemon is hinted to be Hattena. I was thinking that it would be Galarian Ponyta, but Hattena was my second choice if the former wasn’t going to happen. This will definitely give Liko more development in future episodes. The second foreshadowing is Roy mentioning how Captain Pikachu looked as if it was flying during their battle. This is going to be addressed next episode as it is dedicated to how Friede and Cap met and how the Rising Volt Tacklers came to be. I’m honestly excited for next week’s episode as it is an origin story; I really like origin stories!

One last thing I like to note is that Roy actually uses his Rotom Phone to see what move Wattrel was using. The fact that the characters are relying on their technology and not correctly  guessing what move a Pokemon used is something I liked seeing. In the previous anime, they only use the Pokedex to look up Pokemon entries, so to see a character like Roy use his technological device for advice is a nice touch to the changes in the Pokemon world and how reflective it is to our world.

While there were minor hiccups that I didn’t particularly like, I still enjoyed the brunt of this episode. I hope to see more Pokemon-centered episodes in the future. What did you think about Wattrel and Fuecoco’s conflict? Did you like how it was resolved? Are you all ready for what the Galar arc will bring to the table? Let me know your thoughts!

[cryptoga-blog]

Crypto Collectables? Ethereum's Up coming Killer App Is on Its Way

http://www.cryptoga.com/news/crypto-collectables-ethereums-up-coming-killer-app-is-on-its-way/

Crypto Collectables? Ethereum's Up coming Killer App Is on Its Way

As foolish as it might seem, the common CryptoKitties app might foreshadow a effective up-and-coming use case for ethereum – electronic collectibles.

Immediately after its start very last week, CryptoKitties swiftly grew to become the most common ethereum app – so common in point that there’s now CryptoPuppies (for those people that desire man’s “authentic ideal close friend”),  and CryptoPets (which allows consumers opt for any variety of electronic animal pet they desire).

But though some in the crypto neighborhood are skeptical of this new trend (“Pricey god no,” reported a single reddit user to the strategy of Pokemon on the blockchain), other individuals see CryptoKitties as an not likely pioneer in what could be a single of the platform’s greatest programs.

Blockchain thought leaders these kinds of as litecoin creator Charlie Lee and Gain.com CEO Balaji Srinivasan, to identify a number of, argue the app is “basically crucial,” simply because it demonstrates the promise of working with the blockchain to quickly transfer all kinds of assets with out a 3rd social gathering.

Lesser identified, while, is that you can find explanation to imagine a authentic uptick in usable, consumer-pleasant programs could be on the horizon. That is simply because the technique for creating these collectibles hinges on a technical regular very similar to ERC-20, the similar tech that sparked the growth in initial coin choices (ICOs) in 2017.

Unusual as it might look, your preferred furry fluffball is built probable by a effective technical regular underlying CryptoKitties called Ethereum Ask for for Responses 721 (ERC-721).

“Persons have been chatting about [ERC-721] for a long time, but no a single carried out it prior to. CryptoKitties took place to be the to start with,” Philippe Castonguay, developer relations supervisor for cryptocurrency trade protocol 0x, advised CoinDesk, introducing:

“You will find a quite major industry incoming for ERC-721.”

The utility of uniqueness

According to quite a few crypto developers, ERC-721 is greater suited for electronic collectibles than ERC-20.

For starters, tokens developed with ERC-20 are “fungible,” this means each individual token is just as excellent as any other token, like each individual U.S. greenback is just as excellent as any other U.S. greenback.

Although this is a essential assets for a currency, it is not suited for “crypto collectibles” like CryptoKitties, since diverse cats need to have to have exceptional attributes, these kinds of as age, breed or colour, forever connected to them. In this way, some combination of attributes inside particular cats can come to be super unusual, producing them not only highly sought just after, but also remarkably beneficial.

A person these kinds of cat on CryptoKitties traded for $110,000.

Secondly, ERC-20 tokens are divisible, this means consumers can divide them up into little amounts for purchasing, marketing or buying and selling.

Although this assets is, again, helpful for currency, it is not handy for collectibles, since collectibles are typically only as excellent as their affliction.

In CryptoKitties, 50 % a cat wouldn’t be that enjoyment or beneficial to have.

All that reported, there are nevertheless questions encompassing ERC-721. Though, it really is swiftly attaining traction and is now becoming applied,  it really is not nevertheless entire and several developers are unsatisfied with the code as it stands currently.

As these kinds of, Castonguay expects the regular to evolve:

“It will mature into a a lot more sturdy and a lot more appropriate regular about time.”

From punks to kitties

That reported, the ideas underpinning ERC-721 usually are not entirely novel, but are alternatively iterations on now operating electronic collectible programs.

For example, CryptoPunks created its possess non-fungible token for buying and selling pixelated punk heads about ethereum (CryptoPunks has even viewed a spike in use since CryptoKitties launched).

Next the good results of CryptoKitties, startups and developers are starting to specific interest in ERC-721 as a way of producing crypto assets less complicated to use.

James Martin Duffy, co-founder of startup LoomX, which is functioning on scaling infrastructure for ethereum, advised CoinDesk, he has programs to deploy projects working with the regular going forward.

“I see [ERC-721] tokens obtaining big possible in the realm of electronic collectibles and on the net game titles,” Duffy reported. “You could use them for electronic playing cards … or in-game merchandise in a massively multiplayer on the net part-playing game. The tokens could characterize the swords, armor and other objects that your character has in his inventory. “

And it doesn’t prevent there. According to Duffy, ERC-721 could also aid the tracking, buying and selling and management of authentic-earth assets these kinds of as residences or cars and trucks.

He is not the only a single that’s psyched about the possible, while.

Developers of 0x, a decentralized trade for ERC-20 tokens, see these kinds of a promising potential for ERC-721 that they are planning to increase assistance for the token before long. In this way, ERC-721 tokens can be traded for ERC-20 tokens and ether as very well.

Castonguay concluded:

“We see a potential where all of these diverse kinds of tokens can be exchanged seamlessly.”

Toys picture by means of Shutterstock

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The chief in blockchain information, CoinDesk is an independent media outlet that strives for the optimum journalistic expectations and abides by a demanding set of editorial insurance policies. Fascinated in presenting your know-how or insights to our reporting? Get in touch with us at information@coindesk.com.

[ecargmura]

Pokemon Horizons Episode 4 Review: Roy and Fuecoco Are Adorable

This episode introduces the second protagonist, Roy. I think Roy is adorable, honestly. His voice is cute. His lively personality is cute. He’s such a cute boy. His interactions with Fuecoco makes him even cuter.

Roy is from an island just offshore of the Kanto region. He longs for adventure and such, but he doesn’t have a partner Pokemon yet. He’s energetic, positive and pretty much the total opposite of Liko, but their meeting shows off their synergy. They get along from the moment they met.

Roy’s voice actress is Yuka Terasaki. Terasaki voiced Corrina in the previous series, so for her to make her return here as one of the main characters is interesting. I really love the way she voices him. She really does a great job of making him lively that’s not annoying but also sounding like a convincing ten-year-old boy.

His main schtick is that he has a mysterious Pokeball, which is his greatest treasure. It resonates with Liko’s pendant, hinting at a potential connection. Other than that, it wasn’t explored as much as this episode is to show off Roy as a character and not his Pokeball.

Fuecoco is absolutely precious. It’s the cutest thing ever. The way Daiki Yamashita voices him is pure cuteness. The way it behaves in this episode is super adorable. The fact that it has more characterization than just being an air headed fire croc is cute! Other than its admiration for Charizard, It likes to sing, but it doesn’t like to be seen as it’s not confident. The fact that Roy was the only one who liked its singing started off an instant connection between the two. I also love how the tufts on its head acts like an antenna. Fuecoco is an absolute darling and must be protected at all cost.

I’ve also noticed that Fuecoco cannot breathe out fire properly in this episode. I think someone on the airship says that Fuecoco just came to the ship because it liked Charizard. I assume it’s a wild Pokemon without a Trainer—which is just screaming “Roy’s going to catch it”. 

Liko finally changes into her main outfit in this episode. As a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers, she’s in charge of small tasks like patrolling during daytime and feeding the Pokemon during breakfast. I think it’s cool that Liko’s doing all she can but not too much to the point that it’d look like child labor in viewers’ eyes. I do like how she’s very observant in this episode as she noticed Fuecoco has gone missing and using clues, she realized it fell off the ship and spends the entire episode looking for it.

While she’s still reserved and such, she made big steps as she’s more active. She runs away from Pokemon, but still trying to assess why the forest Pokemon were angry. The way she decides to forgive the Pokemon and give them a new set of berries after realizing Fuecoco ate their food supply is a nice move on her part. She may not be a great battler yet, but she’s very understanding.

Friede seems to know Roy’s grandfather. It’s also revealed that he’s a professor, but he doesn’t like being called one. I do hope we get to know more about Friede as a person as well as everyone else in the Rising Volt Tacklers. Why doesn’t he like being a professor? Why is he on an airship? He has so many questions on him that definitely won’t be answered until many episodes in.

The Explorers have a submarine, just like Team Rocket. However, unlike Team Rocket, their vehicle looks more menacing. There’s also a new character introduced. He looks to be another of Amethio’s subordinates, but more of a mission control type of person? They’re still aiming for the pendant, but I do wonder if they’re also going to aim for the Pokeball, which means that Roy’s going to be a possible target alongside Liko.

I can’t wait to see what Roy will bring to the show and how he will bond with Fuecoco and Liko. The writing of this episode was good, but my only gripe was that the Pokeball’s resonation with the pendant was just one off; I know it’ll be explained in the future. Other than that, this is a good introductory episode for Roy.