#This is such a good Kaos quote

[beados10]

Skylander incorrect quote

Kaos: Hey.

Eon, reading some papers: Hello.

Eon, realizing that Kaos isn’t supposed to be here:

Eon: HOW did you get in here, AGAIN?

Kaos, grabbing a book: don’t question my methods.

[c0smiccom3t]

SURPRISE PORTAL MASTER! It's me again, KAAOOOS! And I have an update! This just in, YOU'RE DOOMED!"

[kaos-living]

I now have a passerine quote as my background

If anyone recognizes it, they can't say anything about it, considering they recognize it.

[minugasakuranohana]

Blue mackerel Dazai

Have you ever wonder why Chuuya calls Dazai mackerel? It's mostly because real Nakahara did it but what if not only? And why writer Dazai was called like that? I started thinking about it since i first glanced at kanji 鯖 / saba — mackerel 🐟

Let's analyze kanji! It has two parts: 魚 / sakana / fish and 青 / ao / blue 。Pronunciation seriously attracts my attention because… hmm、look: saba — 'Samu — Osamu。And blue mackerel is 青い鯖。There is also another word: 青鯖 / aosaba、dictionary says it's archaism which also means mackerel。And aosaba is more similar to Osamu。

Headcanon: Dazai calls his partner by his name (not a surname) and Chuuya just a little changes name Osamu)

Unfortunately, godness know when did 青 run away from 鯖、anyway I guess two-kanji-word used to use in the first part of the last century。But what came first: the nickname or the alias?

Tsushima Shūji (the real name of writer、津島 修治) had used name Dazai Osamu (太宰 治) since 1933 when he published novel "The Train"。

We know about Dazai and Chuuya first meeting and "mackerel" from Dan Kazuo's book about Dazai「小説 太宰治」 (or not because I can't find it 😔 Does anybody have this book in English or Japanese? I would be grateful if I could read it in Russian, but it's just a good dream、it's not easier than found the Book from anime。I found only one little translated story from the book)

Also you can find Nakahara's quote about Dazai in Japanese Wikipedia:

「青鯖が空に浮かんだような顔をしやがって」 「Aosaba ga kuu ni ukanda youna kao wo shiyagatte」

青鯖 / aosaba means mackerel。空 / kuu is the sky、and 空に it's "in the sky"。 浮かんだ / うかんだ — past plain form of the verb 浮かぶ / ukabu、to float、to show up。 ような is the thing that we can use to express similarity、in this sentence similarity with 顔 / kao / face, facial expression。 やがる / yagaru is slang curse word indicated contempt, hatred、and やがって is て-form of this verb。し / shi is from verb する、to do。

Well, Chuuya said 「Damn it, bastard with face looking like mackerel floating in the sky」or something like this。

Chuuya! Don't ruine my headcanon! 😡

Huh… Mackerel face? Fish with the blue stripes 🐟🐟🐟

By the way、those stripes and one of popular anime backgrounds are lookalike、isn't they? And that face everyone sometimes makes because of Dazai — 😰

Yeah, got it! I really hoped there could be an idiom about mackerel but it still can be called a metaphor。In that situation it could mean 「Fucking idiot with your scared face」— Dan wrote Dazai seems like he could start cry that moment。And 'cause Kafka Asagiri-sensei often creates reverse version of lifecanon-people maybe port-mafia-Chuuya called Dazai mackerel not because Osamu was scared but because he liked to scary others。

Imagine BSD wan for example where when instead of usual blue background the blue mackerel shows up in the sky。It's funny) Nakahara was genius, don't you think?

[hughungrybear]

Thai BL Favourites List Tag Game

Why would you inflict this torture and cruelty on me, @lost-my-sanity1 😭😭😭😭

Favourite BL:

I said it before and I'll say it again, SOTUS holds a very special place in my heart. Say what you want about the storyline, plot, and actors (although, I will have your head if you come for my beloved Singto). I truly believed that the Thai BL landscape changed remarkably (for the better) when GMMTV released SOTUS in 2016. If you have been watching BLs as long as I have, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Image source: Icvr)

Favourite pairing:

Pat and Pran (OhmNanon) have revived something in me that I thought died with so many underwhelming BLs that had gone before them lol (hello, BBS Episodes 4 and 5) 😅 Although MLC's Heart and Li Ming (GeminiFourth) also had me in a chokehold.

More underrated actor:

Sing Harit. If you don't believe me, just look at his very extensive filmography. Also, Slam Dance, The Revenge, and Not Me. Enough said lol

(Image Source: My Drama List)

Favourite character:

In a Thai BL? Again, @lost-my-sanity1, just why???? Have I offended you in some way? Well, if you really must know then Sun (Chimon Wachirawit) from My Dear Loser: Edge of 17. Look, the way that Sun just accepted the fact that he'll never be number one - not with his family or with his beloved In (who sends Sun mixed signals every chance he gets, played by Pluem Purim), sends me into a downward spiral.

(Image source: Pinterest)

Another character that I love is Oh-aew (played by the ultra-talented PP Krit) from I Told Sunset About You. I'm just soft for characters who are oblivious that they are in a toxic relationship, okay? 😅

Favourite side character:

Definitely Pearmai (Aye Sarunchana) from Be My Favorite. Look, it has been a staple in a Thai BL to have (cis) female villains who are caught in a love triangle with one of the main characters (looking at you, Plern Pleng/Aim Satida of Together with Me). She admits she's not perfect and also cries when she found out that Kawi and Pisaeng are a thing. However, she didn't let it affect her friendship with the two. She even turn down Not's not-so-subtle invitation to be an effing rebound guy ("I'm disappointed, not desperate" will be forever etched in my mind).

Favourite scene:

I have so many. I can't just pick one 😭😭😭😭

Favourite line:

Have I talked about the script from Tale of a Thousand Stars? Because I really need to talk about how each effing episode is a nugget made of quotable quotes (For Pete's sake, from the very beginning, Torfun's "Where we are happy, we are home" sends tears to my eyes).

Most anticipated bl and why:

Only Friends because Jojo Tichakorn. Also, have you seen 3 Will Be Free???

Healthiest relationship in a bl:

PatPran. No explanations are necessary.

Most toxic relationship in a bl:

LOL. Where there is MAME anywhere near the writing and production crew, there is guaranteed toxicity in the plot (and not in a good, entertaining way — more like "you should have gotten a restraining order yesterday").

Guilty pleasure series:

I have to admit that I have watched 2 Moons 2 an embarrassing amount of times when there was basically only 2gether The Series in my semi-decent BL list.

Bonus! Most underrated series:

Dark Blue Kiss. I do not get all the hate TayNew has gotten over the years, but really the Kiss Me, Kiss Me Again, and Dark Blue Kiss were all worth watching simply because you can see how Pete and Kao grew as a couple.

(Image source: Pinterest)

Also, 3 Will Be Free deserves more YouTube views.

That's it. That's the post.

And since misery loves company, I'm tagging @dribs-and-drabbles, @telomeke, @ellasaru12, and whoever wants to undergo the same torture as I did when answering these questions lol

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

Reply Part 2

As Part 1 was already very long, here comes part 2 with replies to @winged-wolf-dreamer questions:

Quoting only those not answered already from the question:

"[...]Yuzu and Nathan weren't competing, how did the men's field feel without the two titans? And any other thoughts on the season (and also Shoma's season in particular if you want)"

How did the season feel without Yuzu and Nathan?

Weird. 😂 I mean Yuzu has been competing for 12 years in seniors. I followed his skating closely for the past 9 years. He is the reason this blog exists so without Yuzu it was weird at first. I miss Yuzu dearly. But ofc I also miss especially seeing Yuzu and Shoma together at competitions. They have been my emotional anchor for so long. It's quite sentimental. An aera was closed. 😢

And also Nathan being the consistent Gold winner for the past 4 years definetly had a big impact on the competition.

But ofc when one door closes another opens and Shoma walked through in amazing fashion. Shoma was always a force to be reckoned with when Yuzu and Nathan were competing. He may not have been as consistent as Nathan or as superior in overall packaging like Yuzu, but he always had all the abilities to compete with them. It was only logical in theory that he would step in as the men field leader, BUT it doesn't mean it would happen because it's not an easy thing to carry those expectations alone on your back. Shoma walked this season with confidence and a sense of chaos. Like I said in my previous answer, isn't it amazing that he is finishing the season undefeated though he didn't perform his full content? His development in the past year is so crazy. Call me sentimental, but Yuzu once said at the 2018 Olympics: "If I'd say today that I retire [...] I know I could leave it to Shoma, but for now I think I should stay and take care of him a bit longer[...]" and so it seems Yuzu did take care until Shoma could handle it on his own. (it's not a direct quote I'd have to search for the direct quote but this was the gist of what Yuzu said) When Yuzu retired Shoma was ready to take over the spot of main character where Yuzu left a space. Of course you cannot simply take someone's place, everyone has their own right and own impact and stories to be told and Shoma already had impact in skating when Yuzu and Nathan were still competing, BUT at this point there is no doubt about who is the leader in the men field. His name is Shoma Uno!

In general I think ofc the level suffered with Yuzu and Nathan gone and also with Yuma not being able to compete. The other male skaters are good, but where there used to be 3-4 skaters at the top, there is only one now - Shoma. (I hope Yuma can return at full potential next season!) Ilia - though highly anticipated and hyped up - could not fill the gap that was left. Also Team Japan men field is very deep and each of them is really good, but no one is at Shoma's or even Ilia's technical level. Technically Ilia could have surpassed Shoma but not with the lack of artistry and packaging and with being so young and inexperienced. (the kiddo had a lot of pressure and also experienced quite some unwarranted hate) Also Yuzu and Nathan gone did give way for some new breakout stars in the season. We had some medal surprises in a lot of competitions. Men was never predictable besides medals for Nathan and Yuzu but now the medals especially when Shoma was not competing were very open. It was not a few competing for 1st but sometimes 6-8 potential medal winners. I like that. 😁

Any other thoughts on the season and Shoma's season in particular?

I think for a season after the Olympics where many skaters retired or chose not to compete it was a great season. Some new breakout stars like Kao Miura, Ilia Malinin, Isabeau Levito, but also skaters coming out of the shadow like Sota Yamamoto or Shun Sato did make this an interesting season. It was never boring, it was hardly predictable and most importantly it was a full season without major competitions being canceled or postponed. Covid is overall not an issue anymore which is just a thing itself to celebrate.

About Shoma's season - I can only repeat myself that Shoma had an amazing season result wise - undefeated champion. He carried the men field on his back and many skaters named Shoma as the skater they were looking up to. He really is the main star of the current competition.

Up until JNats everything was going smoothly. Shoma paced himself well to finish the GPF strong and confident, also Japanese Nationals worked well considering the GPF was close. Worlds was not as confident as the GPF due to his injury. The outcome however was a Gold medal as expected. The finish of the season was ofc not the best way - ending the season with a withdrawal is never how you want to end a season and it's also his first withdrawal ever bc of injury in over 50 competitions. The ending however doesn’t take away from the great performances he showed throughout and most impressively that he never backed down, never eased his content when he could have won with less BV, never any minute did not give his all.

I personally was the most happy at the GPF. It was just amazing to see his practices and competition and the way to support was in person and that always feels special. Worlds was worrying especially because of his interview, but considering his condition you could really not have expected it to end any better.

I think Shoma at this point of his career knows exactly what he is capable of and knows exactly what he wants to do and how to train. I also think you can see this in the way that he doesn't need a coach to permanently support him at daily practice. He mostly needs it right at the competition as moral support. Also shoutout to Demi-san who I personally think is more important than even Stephane for Shoma's wellbeing. I think without Demi-san Shoma may have not been able to compete at Worlds.

Japan is lucky to have such a strong field and I think that also motivates Shoma. I also think having Ilia in the competition who is able to do just as many quads is a good motivation for Shoma too. And Shoma is a great motivation for Ilia as well as Ilia said he saw that only quads won't do it and he has to work on his artistry as well. If Shoma brings more attention to artistry then the men field can only benefit. Same for the ladies where you had great performances and you can see that you don't need those quads in ladies to have a good competition.

Thanks to all the skaters for an enjoyable season! 😊

Thank you @winged-wolf-dreamer for your constant asks in my inbox!

And thank you dear followers for reading my posts! Thank you for your support! ❤️

[puff-world]

I'm gonna rank every skylander and ripoff @jelloapocalypse

This will not be based in gameplay but design because fuck that noise any how les go

PART 1: MAGIC

Wrecking ball: [insert dead joke] -6

Voodood: dood you are like totally forgettable 3

Spyro: [insert joke about his face] 6

Double trouble: despite being forgettable, you survived -6

Pop fizz: he drinks mountain dew, truley a gamer 7

Ninjini: ok your fucking cool 8

Trap shadow: who 1

Star strike: yall remember those egg theives from spyro? 7

Hoot loop: CRAZY ASS -8

Dune bug: my apologies to trap shadow, who are you? -1

Enigma: you look like a wow boss 9

Deja vu: cute pigtails lazy name 5

Cobra cadabra: COBRA COBRAAA 7

Blastermind: kaos what are you doing here 4

Splat: dranie bob Ross 6

Pain-yatta: how are you magic dude: 7

Mysticat: eh 1

Buck shot: and eh 0

Over all score: 5

PART 2: UNDEAD

Hex: who's goth gf is this? 7

Ghost roaster: why did they scrap you? 7

Cynder: why are you here? 6

Chop chop: he has a bone to pick with you 7

Freight rider: you look like a common enemy 5

Eye brawl: ok ngl really fucking sick -9

Roller brawl: my bad this is the goth gf 5

Rattle snake: yall ever watch rango? 7

Night shift: I dont get it 7

Grim creeper: dopey but cute -6

Short cut: hesh gonna gecha! -7

Krypt king: chop chops top boyfriend 8

Funny bone: play dead! -6

Bat spin: bleh both literally and figuratively 4

Fiesta: drip 9

Wolf gang: London 8

Pit boss: this sssssucks 3

Chopscotch: your pun name is your saving grace or grave -1

Over all score: 8

PART 3: LIFE

Zook: [insert soldier tf2 quotes] -5

Stump smash: neat -7

Stealth elf: porn bait 6

Camo: you're not very camouflaged 4

Tree rex: man going hard 9

Shroom: mama mia -7

Zoo lou: uhm 3

Stink bomb: gross 5

Grilla drilla: isnt a drill counter active to the eco friendly drip 5

Bumble blast: [buck bumble theme] -7

Tuff luck: furry bait 4

High five: hesa pupper 7

Food fight: trigger happy rip off 5

Bushwhack: whack off! Wait? 3

DONKEY KONG: DONKEY KONG 9

Thrillipede: he gives a 1000% 8

Crash bandicoot: WOAH 9

Chompy mage: dr livesly walk 9

Boom bloom: coolio 7

Ambush: not expected 7

Over all score: -7

PART 4: FIRE

Sunburn: sqwaaaaa 6

Ignitor: kinda lit 7

Flame slinger: the writers were blind making him 4

Eruptor: I finna puke, in a good way 7

Hot head: kinda dopey but also really neat 6

Hot dog: stop drop and roll over: -5

Smolderdash: yall watch moana 8

Fryno: I'm kimda loving it -6

Fire kraken: he so dopey I love him -7

Blast zone: ignitors top boyfriend wait didnt I make this joke already 7

Wildfire: anduin if he liked fire 7

Trail blazer: my little arson 7

Torch: she hot literally 7

Ka boom: compensating much 7

Spitfire: lit but not in the good way 5

Bowser: look up @were-Ralph 9

Tae kwon crow: is this a fried chicken joke? 5

Flare wolf: furry bait 5

Ember: she was better in danny phantom 7

Over all: 7

PART 5: WATER

Zap: alotta spyro ripoffs 6

Wham shell: dont look at me with those big ol eyes 6

Slam bam: for being so chilled hes kinda hot 8

Gill grunt: this man goes hard 9

Thumpback: thumpback mountain 9

Chill: not really cool tho 7

Swash buckler: disney lawsuit 9

RIP tide: here comes the crimson chin -7

Punk shock: kinda cool kinda forgettable 5

Freeze blade: "I like your cut g" 7

Snap shot: yall play pokemon 7

Lob star: is mayonnaise an instrument 5

Flip wreck: [vulgar dolphin noises] 4

Echo: zap became a goth gf 6

Dive clops: scooby doo vibes 7

Tidepool: meh 5

King pen: 7

Grave clobber: excuse me what 0

Over all: 7

PART 6: EARTH

Terra fin: did he get fatter over time 8

Prism break: the pun was under utilized 8

Dino rang: picks up phone* "what's your favorite dinosaur" 7

Bash: awww rock pupper 8

Flash wing: theres the spyro rip off 5

Crusher: blag blag blah prism breaks top boyfriend 8

Slobber tooth: a pale imitation of bash 6

Scorp: sorry I'm a scorpio -6

Rubble rouser: uga uga -7

Doom stone: sorry but naw 4

Wallop: furry bait 5

Rocky roll: a lil guy 8

Head rush: I want her to kick my ass 9

Fist bump: hows it going bros its [insert n bomb] 4

Smash hit: yall watch ice age 3? 6

Tritip: pick up the phone a lil kid wants to talk dinosaurs 5

Golden queen: yasss queen 8

Barbella: once again hit me 8

Over all: 8

PART 7: AIR

Whirlwind: spyro ripoff again 4

Warnado: I like turtles 7

Sonic boom: good show 6

Lighting rod: move that cloud so I can see that lighting rod: 7

Swarm: buck bumble literally 8

Jetvac: kirby still better 7

Scratch: again 4

Pop thorn: oh hey it's that balloon I lost -7

Free range: I thought it was a piss joke

Boom jet: human??? 6

Thunder bolt: lighting rods less slutty brother

Gusto: oh my 6

Flip kong: MONKEY!!!! also Nintendo lawsuit

Storm blade: she so pretty 8

Wild storm: I dont get it 4

Bad juju: why are you here? 0

Air strike: bird shit every where -6

Over all: 6

PART 8: TECH

Trigger happy: he has a gun -8

Drobot: another one 4

Drill sergeant: show me your war face 7

Boomer: pfft 7

Sproket: kenzie from saints row 8

Bouncer: DR LIVESLY IS ALIVE AND HE IS AN IRON GINAT RIPOFF 10

Wind up: hit him so hell shut up -8

Spy rise: [sam Fisher voice] 8

Magna charge: yoooooooo 9

Countdown: soccer fans be like -6

Tread head: how do you drive that -5

Jawbreaker: he looks like an orc made him 9

Gear shift: robo waifu 7

Chopper: dinosaurs!!!! -7

High volt: he has a little blue line flag on his car 5

Robow: ok this goes hard 9

Dr neo cortex: jaundice 9

Dr krankcase: gangrene 9

Chain reaction: robo viking 10

Over all: 9

PART 9: LIGHT

Spotlight: must I say it 7

Knight light: palidins be like 6

Astroblaster: the only space themed skylander 8

Blaster tron: what's light about you? 0

Aurora: at this time of day in this part of the country 8

Over all: 7

PART 10: DARK

Knightmare: death knights be like 9

Black out: despite being a spyro clone hes really cool 9

Night fall: Lovecraftian ass 9

Starcast: slam bams emo cousin 7

Hoodsickle: you should be undead 0

Over all: 9

PART 11: KAOS & OTHERS

Kaos: DESTROY US ALL DESTROY US ALL DESTROY US ALL 10

Cyclops snail: theres a reason he was scrapped -10

Over all: 10

PART 12: RANKING TOP 10 AND WORST

10. Cyclops snail

9. Eye brawl

8. Head rush

7. Jaw breaker

6. Chompy mage

5. Fiesta

4. Black out

3. Kaos

2. Chain reaction

1. Bouncer

THE WORST: buckshot

PART 13: thoughts over all

So..after ranking every skylander, no I will not do enemies or trapped bosses, I can kinda get a method with them

Magic are based on religions and the arcane

Undead are often dead or malicious

Life are based on flora and fauna

Fire are based on fire, magma, and explosives

Water are based on ice and marine life

Earth are based on rocks and Crystal's with a few rough boys

Air is based on flight, avians or weather

Tech is based on machinery, metal and demolition and man made things

Light is based on holy and benevolent forces

Dark is based conversely on lovecraftian and malicious things

I originally intended on looking at all scrapped skylanders too but I realized there were too many so I only covered the one that was most well known scrapped skylanders

I also noticed some of the sensei's in imaginators were really independent of their element

And another thing was that some skylanders were dropped. In the original generation they had 4 skylanders and then replaced one for giants then again for swap force but the ones they keeped were given ultimate versions that sometimes looked wholly different and then in superchargers some where brought back again ang given new armor.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this look into skylanders history thank you and have a nice day

[an-odd-idea]

Oof, Kao. 7th place strikes again. That was, to quote Kaetlyn Osmond “not the skate he was hoping for” but it coulda been a lot worse and he still made the free so we’re good (I really like his free program)

[lantai-kampoeng]

Mencintai seseorang adalah seni yg paling sederhana tuk menderita. Dan ujung-ujungnya jadi orang yg cuma reply story Good luck and stay positive bro !! _ Semoga bermanfaat, Salam, @lantai_kampoeng ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 👉 Harga: ▪️ Satuan = Rp. 100 ribu/pcs ▪️ 1 lusin (12 kaos) = Rp. 90 ribu/pcs 👉 Kalimat quotes dan warna desain dapat dirubah sesuai permintaan. 👍 Bahan: Cotton combed 20's dan 30's (Adem, menyerap keringat, dan nyaman dipakai) 👍 Jenis Sablon: ➡️ DTG Soft Printing (hemat & awet) ➡️ DTG Sharp printing (warna tajam & tak terbatas) 👍 Tersedia: 🔹 Size M, L , XL dan 4XL (+Rp. 5.000) 🔹 Lengan panjang (+Rp. 5.000) 🔹 Raglan kombinasi warna (lengan 3/4) 🔹 Banyak pilihan warna 👍 informasi & pemesanan: ▶️ @lantai_kampoeng ✍️ lantaikampoeng@gmail.com ✔️ Clenoro 0895-2541-1915 (Wa) ▶️ Lokasi: Rawamangun, Jakarta ▶️ Pengiriman menggunakan J&T dan JNE ⠀ ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🌷 Follow @lantai_kampoeng 🌷 🌷 Follow @lantai_kampoeng 🌷 ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ #murnisetya #poempm #poem #poetry #penulisindonesia #bicaraasa #catatanstory #bicara_rasa #sastrajeda #ayosemangat #lantai_kampoeng #rintisanindonesia #marimembaca #sajakcinta #puisiku #motivasionline #literasi #pemudahijrah #quotes #gagalmoveon #semangat #bisayokbisa #janganlemah #perempuankuat #jagahati #stayhome #indah #lakilakihebat https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci-Y_23rtoY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[theneedlemouseconnection]

On August 11, 2022, kao/s brand of Attack laundry detergent launched a sweepstakes where they/ll be giving away 10 parent/child movie ticket combos for Sonic the Movie/Sonic VS Knuckles. The tickets can only be delivered to a Japanese address, so if you/re staying in Japan from August 12 - 18, enter, if you can!

Simply click this link and watch the trailer. Count how many times you see a bottle of Attack ZERO on the screen. Then, follow kao Attack/s Twitter account and either Tweet or Quote Retweet the number of times you saw, along with the hashtag #アタックカウントチャレンジ (in English, this means [Attack account challenge]).

Instead of announcing winners, kao will simply send your tickets to you. According to the official rules, they will try to DM everyone who wins, but you might not receive a confirmation until late September (??)

Anyway, good luck to everyone who/s able to participate!

[musings-on-aching-flowers]

just finished reading Global University Entrance Examination and I can only recommend it so damn much - especially to those who like TGCF, I think both stories have very similar themes and elements that readers will find enjoyable.

For example, unconditional love over multiple 'lifetimes', the central conflict being a mystery rooted in the establishment of an institution which the MCs work to unravel, and generally compelling storylines overall.

Some of my thoughts under the cut, spoiler-y so be warned:

God,,,,,,,, Qin Jiu is such a romantic. He's such a romantic my heart was literally going hnngnghgdhfhg whenever he broke out the pet names - and the depth of his love just leaps out of the page at you whenever you're reading from his perspective.

Also the documentation of their falling for each other again and again and again had me totally weak, as a hopeless romantic it was so good to experience that idea of being 'soulmates' or fated for each other - not explicitly, just in the way that they could only ever fall for each other.

Some of my favourite quotes courtesy of KKtranslates that just knocked me out (I can only imagine how romantic they are in the original Chinese):

'That’s why they say that love and hate are very mysterious things.

Some have already rotted away.

Others are engraved into the bone.'

'My dear, if I left myself by your ear, would you be able to hear me?'

'I’m not here to save you, I’m here to love you.'

If you've made it this far and you still haven't read Global University Entrance Examination or Quan Qiu Gao Kao yet, what are you waiting for??? Go read it!!!

[heretherebedork]

Quote time!

"and then I'd spoil it all by saying something stupid like...i love you."

Oooo. This is a good one!

I think Namo should say this to Phob. It'd be so cute! And so sweet! And it'd feel very honest for their relationship so far and more cute than anything else. Shut up about them not being endgame, they're way cuter.

I swear Ming said this to Kit at some point and Kit just glared and glared and glared and then, depending on when he said it, either stalked over to grumble and blush or just buried himself in Ming's arms with an incoherent blushing objection.

Tan would say this to Sine and Sine would just assume he was joking because they're math idiots.

I want this to happen with Pok and Tong. Because they're in love but they've hurt each other so, so much that they can't handle it.

Pi does this with Mueng Nan and then got the worst ending so maybe other people should avoid doing this.

Shao Yi Chen says this to himself constantly every time he looks at Jiang Jin Teng. It's a constant mantra in his head.

Mhok does this to Aey and he also gets a bad ending but that's mostly because he's an idiot.

This seems like something Bohn says just to tease Duen and then Duen gets all flustered and annoyed and their communication breaks down and ugh they were so annoying.

Kao's flirty line has been discovered. He use this constantly Phu. CONSTANTLY.

Mitsuomi basically does this with Yamato. Because he loves him and wants to love him so much and just needs him to know.

I mean... this is basically Kongbop's confession to Arthit? Pretty much literally.

Also the entire plot of To My Star.

Fighter to Tutor. Constantly. Even after they're together and snuggling in bed and Tutor just sighs and tells him he loves him and they kiss.

[xcziel]

get to know me

tagged by @vishcount (thank you!!) and i'll follow her format bc making two posts seems a little much - i'm not that interesting!!

(hilariously, this post shows up as blocked for me bc of the tag 'joker' which? tumblr?????)

Part I

name: i'm an internet old, so i never use my real name online, mainly because it's spelled in a very unique way (thanks mom & dad) - i mean like, if you googled it you could find my home address in a few seconds kind of unique - but also, though i do enjoy the spelling, i actually don't like it very much when it's said out loud? (is it weird that my name written down is 'me', but my name aloud has never felt like 'me'?) always wanted a nickname but never acquired one :/

at any rate, i've had the username xcziel forever and i go by that 😊 (pronounced ex-SEE-zee-el, similar to etc. or ex-SET-er-ah! thanks @xia-xueyi for pointing out that it can be confusing to guess!)

rest behind a cut because it got long!

pronouns: she/her

star sign: i don't ... really *do* astrology? but technically saggitarius

height: 5'4" (162.5cm for the intl folks)

time: 5:43pm but these thing take me forever to type out so ... ???

birthday: playing the 'internet old' card again .. but it floats around american Thanksgiving depending on the year

nationality: american

fave bands/groups/solo artists: lumping these together because i just .. don't really do music much anymore. if you had asked me this back in my 20s i'm sure i would have had all kinds of opinions and things to share, but these days i actually mostly prefer to listen music from when i was a kid. part of it is also that as an old, i prefer to buy my music, even digitally, and i don't really use spotify - which does so much to enable diverse music exploration i admit! but i mostly have earplugs in all the time and music does not work for me as background noise, so...

so i guess my answer would be 70s disco and classic rock and 80s new wave artists? i've never liked any artist's entire discography and prefer greatest hits-type compilations, but i guess duran duran and def leppard and depeche mode would be considered formative? i love new order but specifically late 80s new order, NOT joy division. the only concert t-shirt i've ever worn was the cult? i loved sonic temple but i can't listen to most of it anymore though i still adore love removal machine. i think maybe if you get old enough, for some of us there's TOO MUCH good music and we can't pare it down anymore

song stuck in your head: jamiroquai's canned heat

last movie you watched: re: the above, i re-watched center stage, the 2000 one with zoe saldana and the mandy moore soundtrack, bc it's a happy comfort movie and i just got a digital version

last show you binged: i can't really "binge" very often bc after a couple of hours i need a break, so i guess i'd say the tgcf donghua on netflix since it was short enough to get through all in one go

when you created your blog: in 2012 i stopped lurking so i could post about the avengers movie

the last thing you googled: 5'4" in cm? lol before that it was chinese wrapped street food

other blogs: everything is here! i discovered i compartmentalize about as well as i tag reliably (😓) but i do have several automated ao3feed-tag style sideblogs. and i did, very briefly, have a *winces* hockey sideblog too

why i chose my url: ooh i know i've done this before, sorry if it's repetitive, basically it was the username i picked back when my family first got aol: short, unique combo of letters - 14-year-old me really thought about it! and then it wouldn't let me use anything other than my name. thirty-some-odd years later, trying to come up with a livejournal username that wasn't already taken and getting fed up, i plugged it in and went: good enough!

how many people are you following: like 760-something last i checked? although many, many, many of them are deactivated

how many followers do you have: idk i don't like looking at that stuff, but way fewer than i am following

average hours of sleep: it varies too much day by day, my sleep schedule is too wonky, i have no idea what the average would be

lucky numbers: 7? cliché i know, and again not really buying into it, but somewhere in my hindbrain i like it that my first, middle, and last names all have seven letters

instruments: none. i like singing

what i'm currently wearing: giant black t-shirt and baggy black drawstring shorts, standard sitting around the house gear

dream job: don't have one. if i did it would give me something to be working towards *sigh* this is how you end up in retail for decades, kids! but also, to quote a random post i saw in true tumblr fashion "i simply do not dream of labor"

dream trip: covered this one before but: back to the uk and some railway daytrips, or a really fancy northern cruise, atlantic/pacific either one

fave food: uhhh, don't really have a favorite but i'm almost always in the mood for pizza

top three fictional universe you'd like to live in: none really, if i had to still be me..maybe some kind of actually utopian future? but the pandemic has confirmed for me that i do NOT like living in interesting times, so most fictional story universes are RIGHT out. my favorites to read about like discworld or diana wynne jones' worlds would be way to chaotic for my comfort. possibly diane duane's young wizards universe would be safe enough to be okay?

Part II

last song: watching center stage made me think of my dance playlist so sunrise by simply red

last movielast stream: i don't watch streams or youtube often, so it was the same as you, vish! liu chang's birthday stream was SO enjoyable i screenrecorded the entire thing just so i could play it back (and maybe gif sometime if i ever get the drive to actually do it)

currently reading: well i just finished the translated quan qiu gao kao or global university entrance exam novel, which was sparked purely from catching a single rec post here on tumblr and basically just *falling* into this 166 chapter epic that is *amazing* and not coming up for air until i got to the end, which is typical novel-reading behavior for me (yes i was the kid who read through lunch period and got hassled by people who kept pestering me with "what're you reading" questions and yes i realize probably a lot of you on tumblr were too) plus, the new murderbot novel is out tomorrow!!!!! so that'll be where i end up next!

currently watching: the entire dmbj verse (that i can get my hands on) but ... sporadically and stopping at random different parts because the thing is ... this type of show is not really the kind i enjoy so much? so since it's more for "research" and learning character arcs (and let's be honest: shots of liu sang), etc. it's easy to get distracted by other stuff. i'm also watching the sleuth of the ming dynasty, mr queen, bromance, the expanse, re-watching farscape and stargate sg-1, just finished the falcon and the winter soldier, and then anytime something new and short gets introduced it jumps the queue. there are just. so. many. things. to. watch! (now i have to look into anti-fraud league too!? you all are cruel ...)

what is antipoetry to you: i ... don't really think much about poetry? i know what i prefer is usually the more basic rhymed kind like lewis carroll, emily dickinson, poe, coleridge, etc. so i suppose i don't have much use for classifying non-rhyming verse? i can appreciate stuff like rupi kaur which i guess would qualify? or that william carlos williams plums poem? but it doesn't really stick with me the way lyric-like verse does

currently craving: i never know what exactly this is meant to be in reference to ... hmmm, i would love a new high-concept, high production-quality movie like say, pacific rim, to be released, just for that massive, excited energy that comes with something new that hasn't already got tons of disappointing or conflicting history behind it - that would be so fun!!

other than that, right now, i mostly kinda want some fried fish? but that will have to wait until i go to get my second vaccine shot on wednesday since it's on the way there. i'd also like my internal body parts to settle down and fly right but it's been more than a month and they don't seem inclined :(((( maybe once i'm fully vaxxed i'll think about consulting somebody about it

tagging @foxofninetales @xia-xueyi @momosandlemonsoda @memorydragon @thewindsofsong @elvencantation @mylastbraincql @hesayshesgotboyfriend @aurawolfgirl2000 @smaragdine-galaxy and anyone who wants to! but never feel obligated and if you don't get around to it for like half a year that's totally fine, i am still interested!!!

[bucksbisexual]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA OKAY LAST ONE OF MY OPINION POSTS HERE GOES EP12:

[breathes in]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

i’m so fucking happy with this ending

it’s such a good happy ending this is truly what the gays deserve i’m just happiness in physical form rn

i don’t even know where to start but i’ll try to make this as chronological as my brain allows me because my memory do be sucking

i’m gonna put a keep reading because this shit will get loooooong kjshfkf okay let’s do this

so.. we start with PETE EXPOSING NON(T)’S BRAT ASS!!!!!!!!!! FUCK YES THATS MY BABY THATS MY BOY!!!!!!!!!!

kao’s mom being a fucking badass and telling her BOSS how to do shit. i love her yall I LOVE HERRRRRRRR

also kao’s mom telling kao that she wasn’t the most amazing person ever was so cute because you can see kao’s light bulb turning on sjfkhsgsh please i love them

yes i will say i love x after every single one of these u can’t stop me

from the teaser i thought kao would dashi run run run to pete’s house but thankfully he took a taxi lmao

at least he didn’t run there because he had to run from pete’s house (or may i say, mansion) to the POOL my man is a whole athlete oh my god

KAO YELLING HE LOVES PETE!!!!!!!!!!! IN THE MIDDLE OF A CLOSED SPACE WITH PEOPLE IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!! AND HE DOESN’T GIVE A FUCK IF THEY HEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THATS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT BABYYYYYYYY

also a beautiful parallel to the scene from ep1 (i noticed there’s a lot of parallels in this episode we stan character development and repeating things just so the viewers can see how consistent the couples are)

the kiss from that scene............... beautiful amazing gorgeous idk many words in english to describe how i felt while watching and how i feel about it

to that i think we cut to sunmork but i don’t remember what happened because of the kiss KJHFKSL SORRY

anygays i rlly like how this whole episode is sun being a clingy bih and mork gay panicking while trying to act like a confident gay when he knows that sun outconfidentgays him i love them lmao

okay after that i think it’s petekao having food with their parents all together and god i looooooove this scene

pete’s dad being the lgbt ally dad all of us lgbt fellas with homo/transphobic dads wish we had will never fail to make me soft i love that man pls be my dad too

also kao’s mom :-(( i love her she respected her son’s decision on not coming out until he was ready even though she already smelled it (reminds me of my mom lmao) and was always there for him even when kao didn’t say anything :-(((((((((((

petekao bickering will never get old i swear i love every time they do because that’s so..... men it makes their characters more real

i know there’s a lot (not that much because i admit this episode was kinda short?? idk maybe it’s just me) between that scene and this one but THE SQUAD EATING ALL TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!!!!! AND THEM TEASING PETEKAO!!!!!! PLEASE I LOVE THEM

pete literally not knowing how to stop the audio and broadcasting live TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY that time when he told kao he loved him through the teddy bear...... peak pete culture

the fact that ppl love them and they have a whole hashtag on twitter makes me soft because usually when someone is famous in bls the fans hate the other part of the couple but in this one??? oh no honey we stan petekao in this household hate is not allowed it’s actually prohibited illegal

okay let me backtrack a bit skjfhsjf

OH YES I FORGOT!!!! manow wanting to talk with mork was so weird when i saw the teaser for the episode but after seeing them talk i was like oooooh okay i understand

sun saying “what’s your girl saying to my boy” is probably one of my favourite lines of this drama KLHSJFLF

rain reading their lips fskjfjsf and when mork said “fuck you rain” HIS FACE SKJFHKSJSLFJ HE WAS SCARED SHITLESS but also the end of this scene was so cute i love these three

i just did a bit of skipping through the episode to try and actual make an order out of this mess and the petekao+parents thing comes now,,,,,, anygaYS

then it’s more teasing between sunmork blah blah

then MORK SPEAKING THE MF TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! quoting the actual dialogue “it’s my choice to tell or not tell anyone. i should get to decide”

OUTING SOMEONE ISN’T COOL!!!!!!! IT’S NOT OKAY!!!!!!!!!!! NO LGBT PERSON WILL EVER WANT TO BE OUTED!!!!!!!!!!!!! DON’T DO THAT SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rain had good intentions but it doesn’t mean that it was right of him to do so

okay this got serious,, sun going to rain’s bed with not one but Two pillows when barely two people fit in that bed.... oh to be that iconic and carelessly gay

back to petekao because we will never get enough of these two (which is why i’ll probably watch the our skyy episode tomorrow just to cry over these fools)

it’s so weird to see tay being like this after watching him being himself in other things like the live lunch and taynew meal date and other things i’ve randomly watched during this week to retain myself from finishing this series in a night ksfjhsfkshlks

also kao helping pete shave and pete being like do u like my moustache or should i shave it for u my lord SFHKFJ the domesticity and just the feeling of two idiots being in love i love them with my whole heart

kao staying at pete’s house because it’s both of their first days as interns and kao!!!!! he works for pete’s dad!!!!!!! pete’s dad accepted him into his company!!!!!! i love them

also the bickering between those three sjfkhs “hello im pete im from thailand” “that’s all you’ll say today” THAT WAS SO FUNNNY SKJFHSKFHSFJSFL

THE MESSAGE IN THE TEDDY BEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KAO CALLING PETE LOVE PLEASE IM GONNA CRYYYYYYYYYYYY I LOVE THESE FOOLS

okay so the squad eating together is right after this but i already talked about it ksjfhsfh next!!

idk if it’s a big time skip or a small one but guess what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MANOW AND RAIN ARE DATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY STRAIGHT BABIES YES I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU AAAAAAAAAAAAA

manow is so pretty and rain is so cute they’re both so lucky my bisexual ass is crying

pete being “angry” at kao being so handsome,,, a mood

but also.. pete being possessive was h*t

there i said it and i don’t regret it

random but i will miss kao’s annoying ass saying “about aboyz” sjfkhsfh

pete being like “i will have to give u more love bites (ffs gmmtv just say hickies we are all at an age where we know what love bites are) so no one flirts with u” and kao being like “bitch try me” sjfhksfj i’m loving bratty kao

also that scene turned into furry kao real quick KJHDKJFSHJF

okay now it’s: mork’s birthday party time!!

rain and manow arrive first and are the cutest couple around because the two main gays haven’t arrived yet (being gay AND punctual? not possible)

sun and rain fighting in the kitchen was peak siblings culture skfhksjf

mork being ready to leave his own birthday party with a stranger who also plays pokemon go just to have a battle................ dumbass bisexual energy

said stranger is eARN FROM 2GETHER!!!!!! FILM IS IN THIS TOO!!!!!!!! first the girl who plays yuri in yyy and now film who plays earn in 2gether is here too??? damn wlw keep winning (also headcanon: theyre dating/seeing each other because LESBIANS periodt)

okay petekao arrive and wont u guess whats their present for mork,,,,,, the mf TEDDY BEAR and kao rlly says that they should use it since theyre so lip sealed lmao

rain and manow literally gave mork a present not for him but for sun im- i love these two

MORK FINALLY SAID YES TO BEING BOYFRIENDS OH MY GOD DUDE U ACTUALLY HAD ME WORRIED THERE FOR A SEC

also sun being a whole koala and being a horny bitch is so funny sfhskfjskl my man has his priorities set

their last scene is so cute :-(( poor rain will have to live with this until he moves out sjfhksjf

oh boi the ending is near hhhhhhh

kao teaching his class an equation that ends up in i < 3 u is the most kao thing i’ve ever seen

also kAO IS BOOKED AND BUSY BABYYYYYYYYYY GET THOSE COINS HONEY

pete being like “u haven’t spent enough time with me lately >:-(” was cute jhkfjs my man is needy of kao and i understand that because have u seen kao? exactly

kao teasing him with not having forgotten the cup this time and pete being his possessive self was.. splendid

every reference to something that happened with non(t) hurts but also i love how they just tease each other because they know that now their relationship is stronger than it’s ever been and that nothing and no one will come between them

the scenes they show during the last last scenes :-((( BOYFIES!!!!!!

and i love how they decided to end the show with them holding hands in public

i would explain why i do but it’s 6:26 am and i’ve been writing this for at least half an hour already and my laptop is heating up a lot and im sweating because it’s hot in here so get down on the floor pipiipipipipipipi

kdjhkdfhs sorry im not sleepy this is just my brain without a filter it’s just gay shit and a big repertoire of songs

god okay that was my opinion on the last episode of dark blue kiss...........

needless to say that i will eat every bit of content related to petekao after this because writing this i already miss them and i can’t wait to watch our skyy tomorrow idk where but i will

i really really REALLY liked this drama and it’s one of the two bl dramas (not counting the untamed) i’ve given a full 10/10 rating on mdl because it’s THAT good

everything about this drama is just.. chef’s kiss i love it i will probably rewatch it when my plan to watch is empty but it’s a pretty long list so.. hopefully i’ll ignore that and just rewatch sjkfhslf

i’ll of course watch kiss and kiss me again just for the petekao, the squad and rain scrumbs because i’m sure that the petekao compilations don’t show everything

but yeah im just.. i love this show it’s been a rlly long time since i started writing this but i’m still happy because it’s so good and truly gave us a good happy ending and i swear i cannot emphasise enough how important good happy endings in lgbt media are!!!!!!!!!!

anygays im hungry and ready to submerge myself in the dbk tags, see u all tomorrow for my our skyy petekao episode version of this,,,,,

till then, stay safe ! bYE

[whyamistillwatchingtheseshows]

@trixietricoter Thanks for the tag. ;D 

do you make your bed? This is a funny question. 

what’s your favorite number? Two.

what is your job? I’m a preschool daycare teacher

if you could go back to school, would you? Maybe. I do wish I could easily snatch up a Master’s Degree in English and somehow I want to desperately go back for LINGUISTICS, PSYCHOLOGY and/or POP CULTURE studies. 

can you parallel park? No.

a job you had that would surprise people? You want me to say something like garbage collector right? No. Straight outta college and TARGET! Favorite job being a Writing Center Tutor while in university so everything even now as a preschool daycare teacher falls short. 

do you think aliens are real? To quote the lovely that tagged me: “And while I enjoy a good conspiracy story, lbr, Ancient Aliens and shows like that are pretty racist and short sighted.” <They really are? If you believe in aliens then why in the world would they always be looking like white people. Seriously, though, if you want to have fun with the idea of aliens and universes beyond imagination then just hop on the TARDIS. Not saying Doctor Who did any better with diversity, but you at least get this notion like what if all of this existed? 

can you drive a manual car? No. 

what’s your guilty pleasure? Is there one when you guilt yourself over too many things? I’ve learned over these several years (and after a failed relationship) that honey, you did need to check yourself, because some of the very reasons I broke that relationship for (kinky stuff) are actually some of shit I like now. There I said it. Not describing what, but I said it. 

tattoos? To get a tattoo or not to get a tattoo? That is the question. 

Favorite color? Varies? Somehow, I think I often come back to maroon. 

Favorite type of music? I can’t say it’s all kinds of music because there is obviously something out there I am not listening to...but my mood can shift from something like “From this Moment On” by Shania Twain to “We Can Make Love” by Somo.

do you like puzzles? Puzzles with words, but somehow I’ll find myself trying out Sudoku. 

any phobias? Never diagnosed, (and I don’t want to sound like I’m on high horse) but I do think I have spot of social anxiety. Certain types of crowds or at least being in a crowd for too long, even at a packed food court...ew. Also, have this weird spatial thing going to restaurant or some place to sit...if my back is to too many people I cannot stand it, I need the corner or a way to sit in which I have full view of the area...? 

favorite childhood sport? Basketball and unlike Troy Bolton I didn’t take up both so I dropped that for THEATRE. Haha. 

do you talk to yourself? Yes, although generally not aloud< really? not out loud @trixietricoter eek I must be crazy! Haha. 

what movie do you adore? Two movies. PRACTICAL MAGIC and THE TRUMAN SHOW.

coffee or tea? Coffee

first thing you wanted to be growing up? Teacher. Preschool Daycare Teacher is not certified. Now, my ideal job would be...Let’s use Dark Blue Kiss as an example. You know how in the end Kao gets his tutoring job with what some kind of agency that sets up actual classes rather than one on one format? Where’s that job but as an English tutor? 

Tagging @negrowhat @occasionally-writing @cheap-pack-of-cigarettes @enchantingdazepuppy @alicehadthoughts @this-solaris-life @lostinbl 

We all hate tagging, don’t we? I feel put on the spot by it, but hey these games are always up for grabs...for anyone.

[valkyrieprofilee]

Listening Guide - Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange

“The concept behind Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange is uncommon yet simple: mixing in-game voice acting with arranged music. It has given birth to a most controversial game music soundtrack that was "epoch-making at the time", according to its composer, Motoi Sakuraba.” 

TRACK LIST -  (00:59:14)

01.  REQUIEM TO A PREDICAMENT ~ NEGATIVE ROOTS  | 05:08 02.  ANCIENT FANTASIES ~ A HOLLOW HEART  | 03:54 03.  THE CRUMBLING ID  | 01:48 04.  TO THE UNHALLOWED GROUND  | 03:58 05.  OUT OF CHAOS  | 04:36 06.  BOOZE ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT  | 04:41 07.  THE FIRST UNISON  | 04:30 08.  CONFIDENCE IN THE DOMINATION  | 04:13 09.  HEADS MAGIC, TAILS CURSE  | 04:03 10.  CIRCULATE ON A WINDUP DOLL  | 01:33 11.  THE NONSENSE OF REALITY  | 04:26 12.  EVIL TALES AND OBLIGATIONS  | 04:48 13.  THROUGH A THIN HAZE  | 03:46 14.  BLOODY PANIC  | 4:45 15.  THE ROAD TO GLORY AND PROSPERITY | 3:05

Listen Here 

Note: Although this guide aims to help listeners better enjoy and understand Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange, it is recommended you have prior knowledge of Valkyrie Profile’s story/ knowledge of the Japanese language to enjoy this album to the fullest extent.

READ MORE FOR GAME-OST.COM’S REVIEW 

01) REQUIEM TO A PREDICAMENT ~ NEGATIVE ROOTS 

      The very start of the album sounds almost Baroque-oriented, with the familiar tune of "Requiem to a Predicament" played on an harpsichord. Quickly, the first voice of the album can be heard. Lenneth Valkyrie calls her companions to battle: "Shi no, saki wo yuku mono-tachi yo! / To my side, my noble Einherjar!". At first, the voice sounds distants and feeble, then, as voices from other characters start to gather around her voice, it becomes more firm and the background instrumentation grows in strength. At one point, all the energies have reached their apogee and the transition to the second part of the track is made as Lenneth commands "Ide yo! / Come forth!", unleashing the introduction to "Negative Roots".

     That rush gives more room to instrumental action at first, with a solid, rockin' arrangement featuring, where a dreamy synth pad replaces the original flute, and gives the melody much more appeal. Lenneth's voice is heard from time to time, still urging the warriors to fight by her side in the middle of action. At 2:48, the "Requiem..." theme comes back to mark a pause in the middle of the fight. This time, the harpsichord is accompanied by a violin and low drums. These elements, as well as the male voices talking about death, add more gravity to the scene while Lenneth continues to summon more warriors. The drums get louder and louder, and another "Ide yo!" switches back to the dungeon theme, this time shorter, and with even more battlecries. Eventually, "Requiem..." is played for the last time but Lenneth's voice disappears, leaving two isolated voices: a man in great pain and a surprised girl.

     I think this track constitutes a good, striking introduction that starts the story where it should. However, it isn't the best representative of the voice/music pairings that can be found on this album.

02) ANCIENT FANTASIES ~ A HOLLOW HEART

      The pace of this arrangement has been slowed down compared to the original "Ancient Fantasies", and the leading instrument has been replaced by synth strings, so that it protrudes better. On the whole, it still sounds very similar. That same little girl's voice (most probably Nanami) is asking for Valkyrie to wait for her. The volume and reverb of her voice changes to simulate it becoming more and more distant. Freya's voice is leading, sounding as self-confident and direct as Lenneth was in the previous track. Their alternating voices coupled with fast synth percussions makes me think about the runs my party did into the game's vast dungeons.       

     The second part of the track starts as the first reaches its maximum level of tension. The brisk beat of "Ancient Fantasies" is maintained while the quiet mood of "A Hollow Heart" gradually sets in with Freya's reassuring voice. As the beat becomes more regular, words are repeated again and again in the background, as if Freya was trying to hypnotize us. This arranged version has a nice soothing effect that is used quite well as a break between two dungeon sessions.

      The track ends with the second reprise of "Ancient Fantasies", using the very same quotes as the first one. At one point, a few words ("Waga na - Jougen no Shinri / My name - The Extend of Truth") are looped in the background while Freya continues talking. It is the beginning of the end: obsessional chaos seems to set in as layered voices endlessly repeat the same words...

03) THE CRUMBLING ID

     The confusion induced at the end of the previous track couldn't have been better to introduce the ominous tone of "The Crumbling Id". A gigantic, very low noise lurks in the background, as dark sweeping pads and hard drums produce a feeling of despair. The prevailing mood here is anguish; I feel like I'm looking down at a bottomless pit, at something impossible to fathom for me as a human being.

     The voices used in this track reflect that state of mind. Sakuraba illustrates "The Crumbling Id" with cries and supplications of a young man ("Ore no negai kanaete kure! / Please grant my wish!") while a girl is bursting into tears in the background. Her sobbing is emphasized by a strong reverb effect, which gives the impression that her voice is overwhelming the soundscape from all directions. The resulting atmosphere is gloomy, intimidating, and almost physically disturbing, as we don't expect the album to take this sinister turn at all after the first two action-based tracks. This is precisely where it really starts to be interesting: it's getting closer to the drama genre, but still has a strong musical dimension behind. 

     Note that this track is rather short and ends abruptly with a few piano notes. Was it all an illusion?

04) TO THE UNHALLOWED GROUND

     By hearing the very first seconds, we know we're back into electronic action. After a few listens, I'm still wondering what the aim of this track might be. We're provided with a hardly recognizable electronic arrangement of the memorable introduction theme of the game. This version has a minimalist harmony, and focuses primarily on the use electronic samples and the building of a danceable rhythm. The impression of being in a nightclub is all the stronger as most of the voices are combat taunts of female characters. Nothing astounding here.

05) OUT OF CHAOS

     "Out of Chaos" starts quietly, on a low and suspenseful tone. As Arngrim's self-confident voice introduces us to the heart of the track, warlike synth drums enter the stage to play a primitive rhythm. The voice gets distorted, and the track takes off after a final and provocative sentence ("Huh... taoreru made kirikizamu dake yo / Huh... Just a matter of carving you up till you die").

     This arrangement relies mostly on sweeping synths and bass used to create a hectic and surreal atmosphere. Arngrim's reassuring male voice fits rather well in that context. After two loops, the track ends abruptly on his "special attack" taunt: "Teme no kao wo miaki ta ze / I've seen enough of your face". 

Simple yet quite good.

06) BOOZE ON A MOONLIGHT NIGHT

     "Booze on a Moonlight Night" is the first track of the album that has been exclusively composed for it. It's also the first track of the album to have such a nonchalant atmosphere: the four same chords are repeated from the beginning to the end, backed by slow drum loops quite similar to what can be heard in rap music. In the meantime, you can hear all the male badasses of the game enjoying themselves. 

     Their inebriation is simulated throughout the track by several elements: the pitch of their voice frequently deepening all of a sudden, the oneiric feel given by the sound of the main synth, the reassuring — almost effeminate — appearance of saxophone solos, the drums sounding heavier and heavier as time passes by. Sakuraba succeeds in building a thorough and realistic picture of your generic tavern, late at night, clouded with smoke and full of tired warriors looking for comfort into alcohol and women.

07) THE FIRST UNISON

    There's something hypnotizing about the buildup that introduces this track. The main percussion loop seems like giant machinery put in motion. The way the motif created by all the instruments alternates between ascending and descending motif creates a sound disturbingly close to something that emulates a giant breathing. This organic aspect is reinforced by a few "fat" synth notes added at key-moments in the main loop. Behind this monstrous sound, a man — most probably Gandar — can be heard. His voice is as confident as the machinery's motion is unstoppable. He's the main character, and his laugh is the trigger to the body of this track.

     The main melody is quite special: if you imagine it without the percussion, and with a slower tempo, it sounds like a very sad melody. However, forcing its rhythm to a dungeon-compliant pace makes it sound tragic and determined at the same time. According to the quotes that have been chosen, I think that's exactly how the character is like. The dramatic bridge of this track introduces a few battlecries, as well as a quote that will be heard until the end of the track: "Ore wa ore no tame ni ikiru / I live for my own sake". The mechanical drums of the beginning appear again, with this sentence looping in the background. As the end approaches, techno drums, a synth flute, and the man's voice participate in the final buildup.

     I must say that "The First Unison" is the first track that left a totally positive impression on me, because it sounds more elaborated and deeper in meaning than the previous others.

08) CONFIDENCE IN THE DOMINATION

    Those who already know the Original Soundtrack will quickly notice that the pace of this famous piece of music has been dramatically slowed down, and doesn't sound like a battle track anymore. It's as if it has been stretched to offer enough room to paste sentences inside. A few voice effects have also been added to the backing percussion, including male gruntings; at least that's fun to listen to! 

     I'm not very convinced about this one, mostly because I can barely stand its nonsensical new pace. Seriously, it's such a sluggish battle theme... *nays*

09) HEADS MAGIC, TAILS CURSE

    "Heads Magic, Tails Curse" starts with a nice piano solo introducing the soothing voice of Lenneth, with chirpings in the background. I'm not sure about what the latter are supposed to represent (Birds? Shooting stars? The world of dead spirits?) but they surely add something to the serene, almost oneiric atmosphere of this introduction. It doesn't last long, however. As Valkyrie invites us — almost intimately — to follow her ("Isshioni ikimasho / Let's go together"), the dream ends... and the second part literally bursts in.

          Now is that a nightmare or harsh reality? The contrast with the introduction is extremely violent, and we're surrounded all of a sudden by dissonant brass, berserk strings, and aggressive percussion. One thing is certain; what we're facing now outclasses human scale. Lenneth's last words resonate again, yet they are deformed. She sounds heartless, almost commanding. The metaphor is now much clearer; this track illustrates what happens to every character of the game, whose soul is taken at the moment of their death to become an Einherjar, a warrior spirit. From that moment on, their existence is dedicated to fighting demons along with Lenneth, hence that frightening and endless second part.

      The conclusion to this track is some kind of flashback to the initial piano and chirping mood, focusing on one of the sentences Lenneth said at the beginning: "Tasuke... tasukeru towa ittai. Dono yo na koto o sase / To save... to save somebody eternally. What kind of thing do you make me do?". 

Brilliant.

10) CIRCULATE ON A WINDUP DOLL

     This track is a short interlude on the CD, summing up the fight with the dreadful Genevieve. The villain's taunts and laughs can be heard all over the arranged version of her own battle theme, featuring a cool organ improvisation in its second part. As expected, the track ends with a "oh no, I'm defeated!" verbose line, as well as a great organ/violin finale. I don't think it would have been better if it were longer.

11) THE NONSENSE OF REALITY

     It all begins with one of these "ultimate showdown" moods: a monster's distorted voice responding to a man's determined voice, the whole being backed my a massive church organ toccata and electric guitar riffs. It all becomes weird when you realize that both voices are saying the same words.

     The toccata ends at the 1:11 mark to make place for the body of the track; the fight between the man and his deformed self, incarnated by an rousing arrangement in the tradition of Sakuraba's epic prog-rock style. Battlecries and imprecations are well-integrated this time, both in terms of timing and volume. "The Nonsense of Reality" is the most energetic and epic track of the album. But while its form is very accessible, its contents don't reach great depths.

12) EVIL TALES AND OBLIGATIONS

    The first thing one should notice is how the oriental flavour of the original version has been enhanced — and its boorishness put aside — to make the track actually enjoyable. The basic percussion use is still the same, but the samples have greatly improved, and the bass line can now be almost labelled as sexy. Last but not least, the Arabian flute that appears here and there adds a twisted touch to this restless atmosphere. The main character's voice is accompanied by an harpsichord, illustrating its refined cruelty. You've guessed it, the guest star of "Evil Tales and Obligations" is no less than everyone's favourite necromancer Lezard Valeth! 

     In this track, his evil laughs and his disgustingly confident voice are resonating through the hallways of his tower, reaching our ears as we struggle to reach the summit. A true tribute to evil!

13) THROUGH A THIN HAZE

     Staying faithful to the game's spirit, the album continues on a tragic note, representing the death of a hero, illustrated by a grand orchestration of "Through a Thin Haze". More than that, if you succeed in getting into the track, the added voices will find their way to your heart, as they are cleverly used along with the intensity of the music.

     A woman's soft voice enters the scene, talking to someone: "Ne, isshou ni iko yo / Come on, let's go together". At one point, her voice becomes tainted with sadness ("Koko ni kure wa anata no ibashio kanjirarerumono / This sunset is something that makes me feel where you are"), and we suddenly understand that the person she's talking to is no more. She continues to supplicate ("Shini takunai! / Don't die!") until she bursts out crying as the orchestra reaches its climax. A beautiful violin and piano interlude follows to back her silent mourning. After that, a strident noise can be heard as pain and fear rush back to her, triggering another burst of tears. Finally, church bells come in after a last orchestral climax, to add a solemn touch to this moving scene.

     I'd place this track at the same level as "Epic Tale of a Holy Death" from the arranged album. However, I'm conscious of its hit-or-miss nature; these sobbings and cryings can be considered as annoying and ridiculous as I find them adequate. All is a question of believing in what is happening.

14) BLOODY PANIC

     "Bloody Panic" is the second exclusive composition of this album. This one sounds like an ancestor of boorish Gothic metal songs, with its apocalyptic synths and its deep intimidating groans ("Osore, uyamae... waga na ha Bloodbane! / Fear me, worship me... I am Bloodbane!"). At one point, a piano pops in to play a few minor notes that sound like they've been directly taken from these awful 4-seconds-long loops used in cheap rap music. 

     A few measures later, the track switches back to distorted guitars and Bloodbane's growlings to finish on his long-awaited death. Nothing really interesting here; even if you happen to like that kind of music, I'm sure there are better incarnations than this one out there.

15) THE ROAD TO GLORY AND PROSPERITY

     What would be better than the victory tune played at the end of each chapter to conclude this album? This orchestral arrangement is very enjoyable, though rather close to the original version. While the fanfare plays, a small girl's voice can be heard, encouraging us to go on with the adventure ("Watashi wa makenai / I'll never give up", "Watashi o mamori kudasai / Please protect me").  The track concludes after the last cymbal hit, with Lenneth's words "Shiawase ni narimasu yo / I wish you happiness". 

     In my opinion, the track is well-placed but the arranging and voicing effort hasn't been taken very far. It constitutes a decent ending nonetheless.

SUMMARY

     I must say that when starting this review, I had a strong prejudice against the album, having read a couple of negative reviews. However, I hadn't gone through a real listen until I decided to review it. Believe it or not, I ended up extremely satisfied by this musical experience.

     What exactly is Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange, then? First of all, its musical material consists of arranged tracks, plus two new ones that don't belong to the Original Soundtrack. But music shouldn't be the main subject of interest here. What makes this album special are the added voices from all the characters of the game. Valkyrie Profile being extremely rich and deep terms of voice acting, what you'll hear won't be only digitalized battlecries; the chosen quotes cover a broad emotional spectrum.

     I think that people who listen to that album as any other work that can be played as background entertainment are quickly fed up with it because these voices don't stop begging for their attention. Indeed, it is especially difficult to focus on something else, since the voice acting is done well enough for everyone to be able to grasp the emotions of the characters. I'd say the best approach would be to "live" the album as an orchestrated series of plays, rather than a series of musical pieces with voices over them. The spirit of Sakuraba's work will appear by itself when you consider the characters as the centre of interest of each track. Note that it is not the same as a drama album either, because music is way more than background material.

     Should I advise you to get it? It all depends on whether you're a speedy "background listener" or if you are patient enough to actually listen to an album without doing anything else at the same time. One thing is sure, however : the targeted audience is definitely those who are familiar with the game and its story. Having played and enjoyed Valkyrie Profile for at least a dozen hours is highly recommended before you try and listen to the album. Rated 08/10 by Reviewer  ~END OF GAME-OST.COM REVIEW~ _______________________ NOTES

- Tracks 6 and 14 were not included in the original game

- Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange is the third album released for Valkyrie Profile, four months after Valkyrie Profile Original Soundtrack and three months after Valkyrie Profile Arrange Album

- Valkyrie Profile Voice Mix Arrange is the hardest to find of the three albums and is best obtained through eBay.

Alt. Track Titles: 01 – Heaven’s Requiem 02 – Long Generations of Anger 03 – Punishment Creed 04 – To an Anxious Earth 05 – Into Chaos 06 – Booze on a Moonlit Night 07 – The First Unison 08 – Confidence in the Domination 09 – Evil Mortals, Holy Divinity 10 – Circulate on a Windup Doll 11 – Responsibility 12 – An Evil Mechanism 13 – Sadness 14 – Bloody Panic 15 – To the Road of Light and Darkness

Catalogue Number:  FSCA-10134 Composed By:  Motoi Sakuraba Arranged By:  Motoi Sakuraba Release Date: 06/21/2000 Published By: First Smile Entertainment

Cast: Lenneth: Yumi Touma Lucian: Nozomu Sasaki Mystina: Wakana Yamazaki Arngrim/Aluze: Hiroki Touchi Lezard Valeth: Takehito Koyasu Freya/Frei: Maria Kawamura Loki: Mitsuaki Madono Yumei, Celia: Hiroko Emori Aelia, Genevieve, Millia, Claire: Ai Orikasa Jelanda: Kae Araki Badrach, Surt: Mitsuaki Hoshino Brahms, Bloodbayne: Kenji Nomura Nanami: Natsumi Yanase Fuyuki: Daisuke Sakaguchi