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sailorfailures · 4 years

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I fell in love with these postcards from the Girl’s Night Out popup cafe the moment I saw them! I knew I had to get my hands on them, and the lovely @blaze-rocket was able to help that happen.

I cannot get over how perfect these postcards are. To me, this is what Sailor Moon is; a testament to the little moments from the series that made us fall in love with the characters, especially how their personal preferences were reflected in their fashion choices. In a world of merch where it’s easy to just slap a random crescent moon on something pink and say “look, it’s Usagi,” the designer responsible for these graphics went the extra mile to take imagery from the show itself that needles its way deep into our nostalgia-cortexes.

How many references do you recognise? Quiz yourself against this comprehensive (image-heavy) list! 👇

The inners’ postcards all reference the eye-catching sign for Game Center Crown, the iconic arcade where Motoki Furuhata worked and the gang would all congregate to play games and share information.

Starting in R they switched to hanging out at Fruits Parlor Crown, a cafe attached to the arcade staffed by Motoki’s sister Unazuki, which the Inners’ postcards all also reference. They would often get brightly-coloured drinks there, but the drinks pictured on these postcards seem to specifically line up with the real drinks available at the Girls Night Out popup cafe.

Sailors Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto’s postcards all reference “Café Étrangère,” which was the name of the cafe they were seen dining at in the Sailor Moon S movie. Even the logo is replicated faithfully from a scene only a few seconds long.

All the girls’ clothes are hanging on coat hangers shaped like Luna/Artemis/Diana.

Ami / Sailor Mercury’s references:

Ami’s casual outfit is an unusual choice since she only wore it a handful of times over the entire series, and half the times she wore it, it was given a different colour scheme with a green jacket instead of the yellow version pictured here.

Her “mini data computer” is her most iconic tool/weapon/accessory, revealed in episode 009, directly after her introduction.

The pink package is how Usagi and the other girls wrapped up her transformation stick and communicator watch as Ami’s going-away present in episode 062.

The ice cream may be a reference to the same episode, as she shared a cone with Chibi-Usa before she left, and returned to the store to protect her friends from the Droid Nihpasu.

The flash cards are a method Ami commonly used to help her study, and are particularly similar to the ones shown in the SuperS short “Ami’s First Love”.

Rei / Sailor Mars’s References:

Rei wore her casual outfit fairly frequently, starting and most notably in the beginning of the Sailor Moon R movie.

The small red o-mamori charm is from Hikawa Shrine, seen frequently but introduced in episode 010.

The paper ofuda ward was used frequently by Rei to fight evil, even before she could transform, but most notably in the attack sequence for “Akuryou, Taisan” (“Foul Spirit, Begone”).

To my knowledge the purple bag isn’t a specific reference, but Rei did throw a similar purse at a Cardian as a makeshift weapon in episode 048 before she got her Guardian memories back.

The gift-wrapped shopping boxes are the exact same ones as carried by Rei in the Sailor Moon Sailor Stars opening sequence before she trips and falls, right down to the patterns on the paper...

... which in itself may be a reference/callback to Rei’s tendency to make Yuuichirou carry her shopping (maybe so she doesn’t trip).

The phoenix-shaped pendant is a reference to episode 183; it’s made of glazed ceramic, crafted by Rei’s cousin Kengo Ibuki, given to her as a child after she convinced him not to smash it even though he his pottery a “failure”.

Makoto / Sailor Jupiter’s References:

Makoto didn’t start wearing her casual outfit until around S, but she wore it frequently after that, especially as she became more confident wearing “feminine” clothing. They even remembered her iconic gold wrist watch worn over her sleeve!

Her uniquely decorated bento bag debuted in episode 026, her introductory episode, along with the rounded green cutlery. The pouch has been featured a few more times since and its design is a mainstay in almost every Sailor Moon canon.

The teal hairtie and the rose-shaped earrings are two of Makoto’s iconic accessories, some of the only non-magical fashion accessories in the entire series to stay the same whether the character is transformed or not (the other being Minako’s infamous red bow). Her earrings also served a dual purpose as makeshift projectile weapons in episode 025.

The blue book is 月夜の天馬 (Tsukiyo no Tenma, “The Moonlit Pegasus”), a novel which was written by Tomoko Takase and introduced in epsode 134. Makoto knew Tomoko from her old middle school, before she transferred, and was the first one to read her first draft after retrieving it from bullies. She encouraged Tomoko to try and get it published. Makoto meets with her again and helps her overcome her writer’s block to finish her sequel, 天馬幻想 (Tenma Gensou, “Pegasus Fantasy”).

Minako / Sailor Venus’s References:

This is one of Minako’s most-worn casual outfits, especially if you consider the additional outfits based off it. Despite its prevalence, she didn’t start wearing it until the beginning of S.

Minako’s red hair ribbon is her most iconic accessory, but did you know why she started wearing it? The Codename: Sailor V prequel manga explains that she started wearing the ribbon instead of her usual red hairtie on the suggestion of her “first crush” Higashi. But when he turns out to be an enemy in disguise, she decides she looks good with a ribbon anyway, and keeps wearing it for her own benefit.

The red mask is a reference to Minako’s role as Sailor V before joining the team as Sailor Venus. Sailor V was known as a mysterious vigilante superhero and a fictional video game character as early as episode 001, but in episode 033 Minako revealed herself to the rest of the Sailor Team, dramatically removing her mask one final time.

Minako was known to be a skilled volleyball player, especially in the manga, and it was especially relevant in episode 100 where she had to delicately return the serve of an energy sphere containing the Pure Heart of her old volleyball crush, Asai.

The sign with Minako’s name can be seen hanging off the front of her bedroom door in episode 192.

[Manga scan courtesy of Miss Dream.]

Usagi / Sailor Moon’s References:

Usagi wore this outfit in the Sailor Moon R movie, making it a memorable choice. Although the movie aired roughly midway through R, Usagi didn’t start to wear this outfit casually again until the S season.

Usagi is shown eating a lot of food, especially sweets, but she seems to have a particular fondness for crepes, snacking on them in several different episodes.

In episode 143 we can see that Usagi is very technologically trendy - for the times. She’s carrying that blue-and-pink pager which she and Mamoru use to contact each other by way of goroawase, that is, deciphering messages based on the different pronunciations of numbers, a precursor to modern texting. Mamoru pages her the numbers 84 51, which could be read as hachi yon go ichi; reading only the first syllables, and substituting go for the related sound ko, Usagi would interpret the message as hayo koi, which sounds a bit like “come quick” - she’s late for their date. Oops!

By the way, pagers were often called “pocket bells” (pokeberu) in Japan, and became so rapidly popular they even found their way into the lyrics of Rashiku Ikimasho, the ending song for the SuperS season; 「泣きたい時にはポケベルならしてよんで、戦士の休息」 [Nakitai toki ni wa POKEBELL narashite yonde, senshi no kyuusoku] “If you feel like crying, send a page thru the Pocket Bell, take a break from [being a] Guardian”

Chibi-Usa / Sailor Chibi Moon’s References:

Chibi-Usa doesn’t technically have a school uniform, but her casual clothes are often styled after sailor suits as a reflection of both her idolisation of the figure of “Sailor Moon” and of her desire to be seen as older and more mature than she appears. She changes “uniforms” every season, and this pinafore outfit is the version she wears in SuperS. She wore the other outfit in the SuperS premiere episode.

The handgun is from episode 060, Chibi-Usa’s introduction to the series and arguably one of the most iconic absurdist scenes in all of Sailor Moon. The gun itself is actually a toy, probably a transformation of the Luna-P sphere, which Chibi-Usa uses to try and threaten Usagi into giving her the Legendary Silver Crystal. When she “shoots” Usagi, the bullet is revealed to be nothing but a suction-cup flower, also pictured. (By the way, if you were wondering, Chibi-Usa’s fake gun is based on a real Colt M1911A1.) She transforms the Luna-P into a toy gun to shoot Sailor Moon again in the Sailor Moon R movie, this time as a way to motivate Usagi to fight.

The Luna-P sphere was a mysterious gadget Chibi-Usa kept with her for the duration of R and parts of S. It’s unknown where it came from, but it could be assumed to have been created from advanced 30th century technology. It was a combination toy and tool which could transform itself into a variety of objects, formulas, and even weapons, though none were shown to be particularly powerful. It could also be used to communicate with Sailor Pluto at the Time-Space Door. When Chibi-Usa was manipulated into becoming Wicked Lady in episode 085, the Luna-P sphere also transformed into an “evil” and much more dangerous version.

The Space-Time Key was a special tool given to her by Sailor Pluto that allowed her to travel between the past and the future, though it was difficult for her to wield effectively.

The sunhat was given to Chibi-Usa by Ikuko, so she treasured it greatly. In episode 112 it got blown away and was retrieved by Hotaru Tomoe, which allowed her to meet Chibi-Usa and marked the beginning of their close friendship.

The blue-and-red package was a gift containing two manga books (”Drop Drop” vol. 1 & 2 by Ukon Katakuri) which Chibi-Usa intended to give to her new friend Hotaru in episode 113.

In episode 127, Chibi-Usa returned home to the future, and the girls all made her some going-away gifts. Ami made her a floppy disk (lol) to help her study, Rei made her a casette tape (double lol) of her music, Makoto packed her a lunch, and Minako made her a photo album of their time together. Usagi hand-sewed Chibi-Usa the rabbit-shaped backpack using a real outfit she used to love when she was a child.

Michiru / Sailor Neptune’s References:

This is a somewhat unusual choice for Michiru’s casual outfit, as she only wore it for two episodes, and that’s only because they made up a two-part story. But perhaps because the episodes were so pivotal - with Haruka and Michiru almost learning Usagi’s true identity - the outfit itself became more memorable.

Not only do they include Michiru’s violin, but they included the lemon she bounced off the instrument as she played to show off her skills in episode 093.

The teacup, teaspoon and saucer are the same set Michiru was seen drinking from at Fruits Parlor Crown in episode 094.

Michiru and Haruka both reference episode 095, where they had to enter a “true love” contest as part of their investigation. The contestants were asked to find their partner’s hand in an anonymous lineup, and Haruka was able to identify Michiru’s hand immediately.

Michiru used Haruka as a model for an illustration in her green sketchbook in episode 106.

Michiru’s Talisman is the Deep Aqua Mirror, revealed in episode 110 and used in her attack Submarine Reflection. She could also use it to receive prophetic visions. Visually, it was based on real-life art nouveau hand mirrors, and symbolically represented the mirror from the Three Sacred Treasures.

Haruka / Sailor Uranus’s References:

Conversely, Haruka wore this outfit a lot. Maybe more than she should’ve.

The teacup and saucer is the same set Haruka was seen drinking from at Fruits Parlor Crown in episode 094.

Haruka’s postcard also references the lovers contest in episode 095 (see above).

The purple scarf is from episode 096; Haruka was wearing it as a necktie when she almost ran into Makoto on her motorcycle. Haruka used the scarf to bandage Makoto’s road rash, which she returned later, though now smitten.

Not only is Haruka’s motorcycle included, they also referenced (one of) her car(s), the 1968 Toyota 2000GT.

Haruka’s Talisman is the Space Sword, revealed in episode 110 and used in her attack Space Sword Blaster. Symbolically it represented the sword from the Three Sacred Treasures.

Setsuna / Sailor Pluto’s References:

Setsuna didn’t have a school uniform, since she wasn’t a student, so she got to double-up on her casual outfits. Her mauve outfit is her most recognisable, wearing it so often it may as well have been her uniform. In fact, she was rarely seen wearing anything else until Sailor Stars, where she started experimenting with other outfits, including the Time Lord-esque suit on the right.

The potted plant is a Tellun, the energy-draining plant created by Tellu in episode 121. Setsuna was investigating it when it attempted to attack her, but she was protected by her Talisman, the Garnet Orb (also pictured, representing the jewel in the Three Sacred Treasures). She then went on to destroy the remaining Tellun plants and defeat Tellu with the help of Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi Moon, and Tuxedo Mask.

The teacup and saucer are the same set Setsuna is seen drinking from at Cafe Etranger in the Sailor Moon S movie.

In episode 182, the girls are discussing the mysterious arrival of Chibi Chibi while eating ice cream on a hot summer’s day. Setsuna appears out of nowhere to confirm their suspicions... carrying that popsicle of her own.

Hotaru / Sailor Saturn’s References:

Hotaru tended to wear the same thing, mostly all-black, but she did occasionally adventure into rich colours like this bottle green two-piece outfit and iconic raspberry beret.

The sunhat belonged to Chibi-Usa; it symbolises the beginning of their friendship, when Hotaru caught it after it blew away in episode 112.

Chibi-Usa gave Hotaru the rabbit backpack in episode 116, using it to pass a note inviting her on a picnic.

Hotaru collects lamps, and the two referenced here are seen in her bedroom, which she keeps dimly lit to manage her pain.

The window might seem random, but it was random in the series, too - it’s one of the curtained window which looks out from Hotaru’s bedroom, and when a Daimon experiment goes terribly wrong in episode 118 and transforms her house into a Bamboozled-like inter-dimensional maze, one window overlooks a vast ocean while the other overlooks a strange jungle.

Hotaru’s weapon as Sailor Saturn is the Silence Glaive. It’s said that she possesses enough power to destroy the world with a single drop of her scythe.

That’s it! You made it! How many references did YOU know? 🌙

#sailor moon #long post #I couldn't have done this the easy way. I couldn't have just posted the pictures and been like 'ooh look pretty'.#it was fun though and I actually learned some things in the process #I feel like I slipped through time somehow and designed these for Toei and then blacked it from my memory #again: sincere apologies to those on mobile

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violethowler · 4 years

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The Elephant in the Room

In my previous essays, I have covered how the Kingdom Hearts narrative follows Maureen Murdock’s template of the Heroine’s Journey, as well as how various characters and story elements tie in with the overarching themes of the framework. Before I can continue to dig further into other themes and archetypes, there is something I need to address first. While I have avoided directly touching on the topic in my previous essays, I have now reached the point where it is no longer possible to talk about the Heroine’s Journey in full without acknowledging the elephant in the room:

Romance.

In ongoing serialized stories such as TV shows and video games, conversations about potential relationships in canon are often treated as inconsequential to the overall story. Something that is separate from the main plot. At worst, I have seen fans who openly center a ship in their analysis and theories be dismissed and criticized as biased - or worse, delusional. They are treated as being so obsessed with their pairing that they try to make everything about their ship and jump on any excuse to declare that it’s viable in canon.

Among the Kingdom Hearts fandom in particular, this has often taken the form of someone trying to dismiss other fans’ hope for a ship to be canon by saying that the series is about friendship, not romance.

While friendship is absolutely an important theme in the Kingdom Hearts series, to insist that this is mutually exclusive from depicting the development of romantic relationships ignores the continued presence of canon Disney romances in almost every game in the series. In each “main” game where Sora is playable, he has directly or indirectly been involved in getting those Disney couples together in the KH universe. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility for the series to turn the tables and give some attention to his romantic interests for a change.

A story having other major themes is not mutually exclusive from showcasing the development of a romantic relationship. There are many popular movies, shows, books, comics, and video games in which a romantic relationship plays a central role in the narrative but there are still other plotlines going on that are equally as important as the romance. This is especially true for Disney and Square Enix.

The reason why it’s impossible to fully talk about the Heroine’s Journey without acknowledging romance elements is best encapsulated by this quote from She-Ra showrunner Noelle Stevenson about her show’s endgame pairing in an i09 interview after the release of the final season:

“The show’s not a romance show. It is about a lot of things. It’s about choice, destiny, fighting, tyrants, you know, all of these other things. I grew up with so many stories—like sci-fi and fantasy—that I was so passionate about. And it would be considered no big deal to have the hero get the girl and to have a kiss at the end, without it suddenly becoming a romance or ‘Oh, the shippers got what they wanted.’ It was just a part of the story. And to actually see it be a central part of the plot and to fulfill the arcs of the characters in a way that felt satisfying. I really want to take it beyond ‘Oh, the shippers got what they want.’ Like, it’s not just a ship for me. It is a plot point. It is the necessary conclusion of each character’s arc, separate and together.[1]”

While not every story known to follow the Heroine's Journey features a romance for the main protagonist, those that do make the romance an integral part of the narrative. It’s not something thrown in at the end to please shippers, but a central component of the story. Therefore, when analyzing a Heroine’s Journey story, it is vital to acknowledge and discuss textual support for potential romantic relationships in order to have a full understanding of the narrative.

Even if one is not aware of the Heroine’s Journey, Sora’s repeated interactions with Disney romances indicate that there is a high probability that he will be in a romantic relationship himself by the end of the series. Every story I know of that follows the Heroine’s Journey broadly adheres to a pattern in regards to how the romantic relationships of a main character are set up.

By examining the series through these patterns, we can narrow down who Sora’s endgame romantic partner will be.

Because the themes and character dynamics emphasize resolving internal conflict through balance, the Heroine’s Journey lends itself extremely well to Beauty-and-the-Beast, rivals-to-lovers, and enemies-to-lovers relationship dynamics. A major component of the Heroine’s Journey is the main character learning to accept themselves, and since the Animus as a Shadow figure can represent the parts of themselves that they haven’t accepted yet, it is simpler to symbolize that self-acceptance via a romance with the Animus rather than attempting to build a separate relationship on top of the existing story framework.

For these reasons, the Animus is more often than not the main character’s endgame love interest, their feelings for each other made into critical aspects of their respective character arcs. The only Heroine’s Journey stories with romance that I know of where this wasn’t the case are ones where executive meddling resulted in the finale being rewritten to kill off the Animus despite established narrative set up for them to have a happy ending together[2], while the protagonist was either forced into a relationship with a different character or left single.

And like I said in previous essays, the one character in the series who fulfills all criteria for the Animus role within this storytelling framework….

Is Riku.

[Image Description: Sora supporting Riku as they walk toward the ocean on the Dark Margin at the end of Kingdom Hearts II. End Description.]

As mentioned in my earlier analysis, this narrative framework emphasizes the importance of balancing contrasting attributes, which fits in extremely well with Kingdom Hearts’ focus on balance between light and darkness. For stories that follow the Heroine’s Journey in a visual medium, that dichotomy is often incorporated into the characters’ look. Height differences are common, while their color schemes and outfits are designed to make them complement each other. Further adding to the focus on balance between light and darkness, the visuals of the story frame the romantic leads with imagery associating each one with light or darkness to create Yin-Yang symbolism when they are finally in balance.

In Re: Chain of Memories, Vexen openly calls Riku the “Hero of Darkness[3]” as a counterpart to Sora’s role as the “Hero of Light”, and their combination attack in Kingdom Hearts II utilizes moves that reflect both elements. In the Ultimania for the original game, Tetsuya Nomura said that Riku’s look was intentionally designed to balance Sora’s[4], and the contrast between their respective color schemes is maintained in each of their new outfits. In Kingdom Hearts II and Dream Drop Distance, Riku wears white and blue, while Sora in those same games wears black and red. Two different pairs of contrasting colors. Kingdom Hearts III has them both in outfits that are primarily black and grey, but still emphasize the blue and red that have been part of their respective outfits since the first game.

In a Heroine’s Journey, the love interest is typically an active character in the story and usually serves as the deuteragonist. This fits with Riku having been a mandatory playable character in multiple games since 2004. In addition, series producer Shinji Hashimoto said before the release of the HD 1.5 Remix collection[5] that the main focus of the series is how Sora and Riku develop both as individuals and as a pair, which fits with how the central conflict of the Heroine’s Journey revolves around the dynamic between the Protagonist and their Animus.

A common viewpoint held by many fans of the series is that Kairi is Sora’s love interest, and it’s not hard to see why people get that impression. He has sacrificed himself to save her in two separate games now. He’s charged enemies head on in order to rescue her whenever she’s been captured. He even got down on his knees and begged for her freedom when Saix demanded he show how important she was to him. Multiple characters have talked about how special she is to him, and Roxas refers to her as “that girl he(Sora) likes.”

However, there are multiple elements in the narrative that point to them not being the endgame romance. Kingdom Hearts III foreshadows the final shot of them sitting on the paopu together at the end of the game with Sora disappearing from the cover of the 100 Acre Wood storybook, textually framing Winnie the Pooh as a parallel to Kairi. While many fans regarded their sharing paopu fruits in the base game as the beginning of a relationship between them, he still only refers to her as a friend in Re:Mind, and even compares his bond with her to the bond between Ventus and Chirithy.

Sora also does not treat his promises to her with the seriousness he would if they were going to end up together. The promises to return her lucky charm and to come back to her that he makes in the first game are never treated as anything urgent when he awakens in Kingdom Hearts II. Instead, he declines the opportunity to return to the islands and check in with her in favor of searching for Riku. When Kairi says in The World That Never Was that they’ll be together every day, Sora agrees, yet he was content to spend the rest of his life on the dark beach at the end of the game as long as he was with Riku.

Meanwhile, the most consistent theme regarding Kairi in relation to the Destiny Islands trio is the idea of childhood friends drifting apart as they get older[6][7]. This is particularly highlighted in Kingdom Hearts III, with Kairi writing letters to Sora that she never sends, thereby keeping her thoughts to herself. Merlin also emphasizes this when he talks about forging new connections after Sora’s visit to 100 Acre Wood. This parallel frames the ending of Re:Mind as the two of them recognizing they’ve drifted apart and choosing to put in the effort to renew their friendship by spending time together.

On a structural level, her portrayal does not fit with how love interests are typically depicted in the Heroine’s Journey, both as an individual and in relation to the main protagonist. There is no contrast between her and Sora’s designs or roles the way there is between his and Riku’s. Her color scheme is predominantly pink, which does not have the same contrast with Sora’s red as Riku’s blue. Because she’s a Princess of Heart, there is no dark and light contrast, and the combination attack she shares with Sora in Re:Mind only utilizes light-based moves. It took 17 years after her first appearance in the series for her to be made a playable character, and even then, playing as her is not mandatory. They are never portrayed as equals, and she is not an active force in his emotional growth.

The Heroine’s Journey was crafted for narratives revolving around identities that have been Othered by society for one reason or another. Murdock designed her template as a tool to help women deal with being shamed by society for expressing and pursuing their desires. In a similar way, LGBTQ+ people also face stigma from society for expressing and pursuing their desires. So it makes perfect sense that a framework for narratives of people overcoming internalized stigma against important parts of themselves would be ripe for stories featuring LGBTQ+ protagonists of any gender.

As mentioned in previous essays, stories that follow the Heroine’s Journey challenge the biases and blind spots of the audience. A relationship between Kairi and Sora does not challenge anything because she has largely been regarded as the endgame love interest by default since the beginning. Meanwhile, a romantic relationship between Sora and Riku challenges players to recognize heteronormativity within themselves and in the media around them. It challenges people to examine the lens through which they perceive the story and rethink how they look at what’s happening in the narrative.

In summary, the portrayal of Kairi and her bond with Sora is not consistent with how love interests are commonly depicted in the Heroine’s Journey, while the portrayal of Riku and his bond with Sora is. If Sora’s story is going to continue on this storytelling formula to the end, the structure of the Heroine’s Journey narrative leaves Riku as the only thematically viable candidate for the role of endgame love interest.

Now, as some people bring up in conversations about Soriku, there is a potential obstacle in the form of corporate executives. It is entirely possible that Disney will drag their heels and try to force the development team to downplay or remove any open same-sex relationship the series may try to depict. They do not have a strong track record of LGBTQ+ representation that isn’t a minor character who only appears for one scene. Given that their last IP to follow the Heroine’s Journey - the Star Wars sequel trilogy - crashed and burned at the end, executive meddling is my greatest fear for this franchise.

But the thing to keep in mind is that Tetsuya Nomura is stubborn as hell. One of the reasons the long gap between Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts III was because he was holding out for permission to include Pixar movies in the game, outright refusing to start work on KH3 until they were given that go ahead[8]. If you want further proof of how stubborn he can be, this is how he described the meeting where he first pitched the series to Disney in a 2012 interview with the late president of Nintendo[9]:

Iwata: Their ideas were different from yours, naturally…

Nomura: Yes. They appeared to believe that we would make whatever they wanted us to make and came up with rather specific requests such as, "We'd like the game to feature this character." They were really excited, explaining their ideas... To be honest, though, I wasn't really interested in any of them. (laughs)

Both: (laughter)

Iwata: You wanted to borrow Disney's characters in order to make a new game that could compete with Mario 64, and you already had a vision of what this game would look like. I suppose their ideas didn't fit in with this vision.

Nomura: They didn't, no. In the end, I actually stopped a presentation halfway through. We didn't have that much time, and it looked like it was all going to get taken up by various Disney presentations. So, I interrupted them and told them the conclusion by saying, "I won't make such games."

Talk about nerves of steel. This man basically said “we do this my way, or we don’t do it at all” TO MOTHERFORKING DISNEY, AND. HE. WON. If there is any human being with enough force of will to make the Mouse House cave in and allow the depiction of an openly LGBTQ+ relationship in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is Tetsuya Nomura.

I cannot say with 100% certainty how things will go. But everything I know about storytelling patterns and narrative structure is telling me that Kingdom Hearts is a textbook Heroine’s Journey with a romance between Sora and Riku at its core. A relationship between the protagonist and the Animus does not truly begin until the “Integration” stage at the end of the Journey, and we are rapidly approaching the point in the narrative where the two leads traditionally become aware of and acknowledge their feelings in order to be on the same page for the finale.

Sources:

[1] “She-Ra's Noelle Stevenson Tells Us How Difficult It Was to Bring Adora and Catra Home” May 18, 2020

https://io9.gizmodo.com/she-ras-noelle-stevenson-tells-us-how-difficult-it-was-1843419358

[2] “Death of a Dark Youth, Desecration of the Animus”; December 20, 2018. https://www.teampurplelion.com/death-of-a-dark-youth/

[3] Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories. Square Enix, 2007.

[4] “A Look Back: Kingdom Hearts Ultimania Gallery Comments Part 1″; August 30, 2019;

https://www.khinsider.com/news/A-Look-Back-KINGDOM-HEARTS-Ultimania-Gallery-Comments-Part-1-15519

[5] “How Kingdom Hearts III Will Grow Up With Its Players;” September 24, 2013.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/25/how-kingdom-hearts-iii-will-grow-up-with-its-players.

[6] “E3 2018: Tetsuya Nomura on If Kingdom Hearts 3 Is the End of Sora's Story”; June 14, 2018.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/06/14/e3-2018-tetsuya-nomura-on-if-kingdom-hearts-3-is-the-end-of-soras-story

[7] “Character’s Report Vol. 1 Translations”; Jul 16, 2014

https://www.khinsider.com/forums/index.php?threads/characters-report-vol-1-translations.195560/

[8] “Edge Magazine Features Kingdom Hearts III Cover Story”; January 9, 2019. https://www.khinsider.com/news/Edge-Magazine-Features-Kingdom-Hearts-III-Cover-Story-14331

[9] “Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS: Third Party Game Developers, Volume 12: Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance], Part 2: It’ll definitely be fun”; April 2012.

https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/creators/11/1

#kingdom hearts meta #kingdom hearts theory #kh speculation #kingdom hearts analysis #kingdom hearts and the heroine's journey #soriku

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mariisseething · 5 years

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Analyzing Hero Costumes: Girls of Class 1-A

My obsession has spiraled out of control. Let me roast analyze these babes. I’m dumb. I’m tired. I’m gay. Let’s do this.

Warning: I’m a cynical, lazy-ass critic with no consistent taste. Don’t expect a fair analysis.

(This is just for fun, please don’t get mad at me for being an undereducated weeb! I went into writing this with only the knowledge I’ve obtained through watching the show and reading the manga. I don’t know everything about the costumes, and I don’t want to either)!

Ashido Mina (Pinky)

Babe, imma be frank here.

I love her, but—

that shit ugly.

Funcionality: Mina’s quirk (Acid) comes from her hands and feet. If I remember correctly, she has passages in her shoes that her...foot..acid.....can pass through, and her hands are fully exposed. So her costume is “practical”, and works with her quirk.

Design: As I said before, that shit ugly. The body suit has the worst pattern and color combination I’ve ever seen. (Like if Sully from Monster’s Inc. was turned into a cow and hated it). Her tiddies should be popping out any second now, which isn’t great. Her weird armpit vest with it’s stupid fluffy collar is quite reminiscent of Hawks’ jacket, which leads me to believe that their costumes were made by the same designer. (Many of the designers in the BNHA universe put calling-cards in their costumes). Her white mask is pointless, but at least it matches the fluff on her collar. Her boots, though they have a purpose, are ugly as sin. The pale yellow doesn’t match any other piece in the ensemble, and the Dabi-scar colored purple makes me sad. Hate that.

Total Score: 2/10

Her costume does almost nothing to enhance her quirk, and it’s hideous. The only reason it got two points was because of the shoe holes, and the possibility that it’s connected to my boy Hawks.

Seriously, this is some Seasame Street lookin-ass bullshit.

No hate on Mina, she’s lovely, but her taste is atrocious. (see: her bedroom).

Asui Tsuyu (Froppy)

Okay, okay bitch I see you.

I’m here for this.

Funcionality: Tsu’s quirk (Frog) requires a decent amount of flexibility from clothing. Spandex works for that I guess. Normally, I would automatically fail this costume for having goddamn toe “socks”, but for Tsuyu they’re nessecary. Having her individual toes chiseled out helps her grip onto shit when she’s kicking ass. It looks like her gloves are attached to her body suit, which is rad, but I’m not sure what the purpose of that waist belt-thing is. If anything, the chunky pieces of her costume would make it harder for her to swim. I also have no fucking clue what that head piece is. I once thought they were like binoculars or something, but she’s never put them on her face so...they wouldn’t fit....on her face..huh.....I’m so stupid bro.

Design: Lets start with a positive, the color scheme slaps. Everything goes together, and the dark green even matches her hair. The bodysuit has a cool structure, and I can definitely appreciate the slight turtleneck and boot-esq feature; however, the chunky wrist pieces, belt, neck/chest-thing, and head piece confuse me. I guess they’re there for fashion, gutter fashion. Shitty crap face fashion. Ugly butthole fashion. FILTH! I need to calm down holy shit—

Total Score: 6/10

The look honestly only lost points for the random ass statement pieces. Water terrains are Tsuyu’s specialty, and a clunky outfit would certainly slow her down underwater.

The toe shit, turtleneck, thigh-high “boots”, and color scheme are pretty dope though.

(Also, she only has three toes but frogs have four).

(My Hero Academia: Cancelled).

Hagakure Toru (Invisible Girl)

So, here’s the real question.

Is she naked?

Short answer: I dunno.

Funcionality: So she’s invisible, right? A good costume would emphasize that. I can only assume she wears the boots and gloves for comfort and so her allies can see where she is. If she wants to go full invisible, she just has to take them off. At one point, it was confirmed that she was topless during the sports festival, but we’ve had no further updates on her costume. A few people have theorized that her costume is made of her hair (assuming she has hair). We know that this is possible, as Mirio’s costume is made of his hair so he can remain clothed while his quirk is activated. The only issue would be making an outfit out of something you can’t see. If I were Toru, I would choose to fight nude because, I-uh...hmm, I-I can do what I want SHUT UP!

Design: There’s not much to critique here. The shade of blue on her gloves is cute, and the pink stripes don’t make much of an impact. The shoes are just about the most boring thing I’ve ever seen, like why are they beige??? What are they supposed to match? I just—ugh, beige??? What the fuck Horikoshi...smh.

Total Score: 5/10

Since we don’t know if the “hair-costume” thing is canon, I can’t rate it any higher. If that is true, it would be an 7/10. The outfit does its job, but I’m bored and beige sucks.

(Btw I don’t trust her...)

(Sketchy chick right here).

(Sketchy chick with some ugly-ass beige shoes).

Jirou Kyouka (Earphone Jack)

Aww.

She’s cute!

Look at her little face, d’awwwweeeeee!

Funcionality: The lovely Kyouka’s quirk (Earphone Jack), makes absolutely no sense to me. Like, I get that she can hear better and can eavesdrop really well, but how does she...make loud noises??? With the speakers??? Plugging earbuds into a speaker doesn’t make............noise, and the speakers aren’t part of her body. Whatever, back to the analysis. The speakers on her hands and calves amplify sound somehow, and her earlobes are exposed. It’s works.

Design: The speaker boots are basic, but acceptable. She’s got some comfy looking black pants, and a trendy salmon-colored top. Her jacket is iconic, and she’s wearing a choker. (+1,000,000 points for that). The white gloves don’t match shit, but they’re fingerless so I’ll let it slide. Her headphones almost match....meh. I don’t care. (+10 for the face paint).

Total Score: 8/10

Listen, I’d give her a 10 but this costume just isn’t....gimmicky, enough for me? She’s a superhero for fucksake! Now’s the time to dress your goddamn best! The look is practical, and seems to be her taste, I just disagree with her choices. Sue me. I’d either wanna fight in the wackiest most dangerous getup you’ve ever seen, or completely naked. Either way, I’m getting arrested. Jirou needs to get on my fucking level.

Uraraka Ochaco (Uravity)

I don’t know boys,

it seems like she might be...

round.

Fuck sharp angles!

Funcionality: Ochaco’s quirk (Zero Gravity) only requires her hands to work. More specifically, her fingertips. Uh, yeah those are some nude fingertips. *Ahem* moving on. Actually wait, since she often uses her quirk on herself it would be helpful for her to eliminate as much extra weight as possible, so I’m hoping that all of the accessories are hollow. They better be, or I’m gonna start throwing hands with Kohei Horikoshi.

Design: When Ochaco first got her hero costume she was surprised by how tight it was, even saying that it wasn’t supposed to be that tight. Bitch, how could it have been loose? I don’t...fuck it. I like the colors, I like the boots a lot actually, but who cares about that, I wanna talk about her fucking chastity belt. Who she keepin out? (Jesus Christ she’s a child, tone it down Mari). Do you think it’s comfortable to walk around with a chunk of plastic on your crotch?! I don’t know, seriously, is it? Maybe she’s trying to hide something...a hip dip perhaps?! Jk hip dips are stupid, that’s how bones work, don’t be ashamed. Her wrist...spheres... have handles on them, no comment, and whereas I usually LOVE chokers—that one is stupid and I hate it. Curvy little shit.

Total Score: 8/10

I like it overall, but some things are just too strange to overlook. (i.e. the chastity belt, wrist cuff handles, and the ugly choker). This costume doesn’t really scream Uraraka to me either. It’s a bit unoriginal to me.

I just don’t love it.

(Why are her fists clenched? Is she trying to fight? I could snap her like the twig she is and steal her girlfriend).

(Assuming she has one).

Yaoyorozu Momo (Creati)

Oohooohohohoho

hooohohoho

hoooooo mAN do I have some WORDS for this one!

Funcionality: Momo’s quirk (Creation) does require quite a bit of skin to be exposed, but I’m not sure why that skin HAS to be her boobs. She’s got thighs, a stomach, a back, an upper chest, and arms. Why do her Russian nesting dolls have to come out of her tiddies??? Okay, actually, she doesn’t make that many things with her tits. So....why’re they out? This costume definitely lets her quirk run wild, maybe too much.

Design: The red is pretty, and I can tolerate the sandy yellow. Her shoes are unimportant, so let’s just gloss over those. Now, WHAT is that thing? A makeshift, tan colored, plastic tube mini...skirt? I know she has a shelf on her ass that she carries books on, but doesn’t she have a cellphone? Google? Can’t she just remember the molecular make-up of a cannon? (Because she only makes cannons now for some reason). Have we ever even seen her reading those books? Can she read? A large portion of her midsection/chest is exposed up to another one of those weird chest pieces and a neck jacket. Maybe she should cut the neck coat off and glue it to her tiddies.

Total Score: 1/10

Listen, Horikoshi clearly understands what Momo’s costume needs, but he has no idea how to make that. This outfit IS inappropriate, no matter how you look at it. She’s a minor, and I don’t like the idea that she’s running around 75% naked. The only part of this that I like is the shade of red. That’s not good.

I really like Momo, she’s a good character, it’s unfortunate that we have to sexualize her so much. Can’t girls just be smart without also being eye candy for creepy 30 year old weebs?

——————

That’s it for this analysis. I plan on posting more stuff like this since I enjoy writing it so much! You should totally follow me so you don’t miss my future ramblings! 💖

Unless you hated it.

I wouldn’t blame you.

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welllpthisishappening · 6 years

Text

The Baby Was Fussy

I have no excuse for this. I have no idea what this even is. But I had so many questions. And so I wrote the answers myself. Canon is not my usual jam, but...nope, still no excuse. I’ll retreat back to hockey as soon as possible.

Killian thinks it’s colic.

Well, no, that’s a lie. Killian is positive it’s colic, because Killian has read every book about babies and then a few more about only-recently born babies and...the word for that is infant.

God, Emma is so tired.

It’s definitely colic.

There’s been more crying in their house in the last forty-eight hours than should ever exist in one space ever, and Emma swears she can feel the bags growing underneath her eyes, but it’s not the bone-deep exhaustion she’s used to from saving Storybrooke or fighting monsters or even realm hopping.

They don’t have to do that anymore, after all.

It’s the kind of exhaustion that just kind of wraps around her and feels a bit like a blanket and a little warm, like she’s been covered in feelings and emotions and she’s clearly become a giant sap at some point, but Emma has, somehow, smiled more in the last forty-eight hours than she ever once thought possible.

So...by comparison.

It’s definitely colic and it’s not really that bad and they’re absolutely going to be late.

“Swan,” Killian calls from the other end of the hall and she can hear Hope fussing because, at some point, that’s become their theme song.

The website claims colic doesn’t last forever.

Emma is not convinced.

There are footsteps moving towards her, but Emma keeps her eyes trained on the mirror in front of her, trying to convince herself that curling her hair is a good idea. And won’t end with a tiny fist gripping the strands.

“Swan,” Killian repeats like she didn’t hear him, and the floor creaks when he moves into the room. The whole house seems to creak, constantly, no matter where they step or what they touch, and that’s kind of nice too because it feels lived in and theirs and they’ve mapped out every single inch of it, padding out tiny semi-circles in attempts to get Hope to sleep.

That’s worked about as well as this curling iron.

She nearly burns her right ear when she does, finally, glance up.

Emma knows her mouth drops open slightly, breath rushing out of her in a quick huff, and maybe her eyes widen too – just to complete the perfect look of surprise and several other words that are hardly appropriate in front of their infant daughter.

She remembered the word that time.

“Everything alright, love?” Killian asks, but it’s clear he’s not expecting an answer and she briefly considers if she can arrest her co-law enforcement for whatever the hell he’s doing with his eyebrows.

“Aye,” she mutters in a pale imitation of his voice and it gets the laugh out of him she was hoping for.

Emma presses her lips together, careful not to burn her ear – because, honestly, if they go see Doctor Whale again or set foot in one more doctor’s office she may actually scream. And they’re going to be so late.

Killian hums, stepping into her space and Emma doesn’t even try to stop herself from leaning against his chest. It takes some finangling and shifting and she’s not sure what noise she lets out when she notices that pink, plastic monstrosity Ruby bought them as a gift at the end of his hook, but she’s smiling again and Hope is actually not crying.

Emma is not going to question whatever miracle it is.

“You’re not dressed yet,” Killian points out, and Emma’s laugh turns into a sigh. She wriinkles her nose, glancing at their reflection in the mirror, and, she swears, her mouth goes dry.

There was never really a discussion about keeping it. It just kind of...hung in the back corner of the closet and, maybe, did something ridiculous to her pulse every time she saw it hanging in between button-up shirts with slightly absurd floral patterns and leather jackets and the few actual gowns in their combined space because that’s the kind of life Emma lives now.

But there was also no actual, specific discussion about Killian wearing full scale pirate regalia to a royal coronation in a different realm that they can drive to now.

Her life is very weird.

Her life is fantastic.

“And you’re incredibly dressed,” Emma counters, smile tugging at the corners of her mouth and she laughs again when she notices the tips of Killian’s ears go red.

He narrows his eyes, pressing his tongue to the corner of his lips, and Emma has to dig her heels into the floor to stop herself from turning around. The collar of his jacket is popped slightly, which Emma has a fairly strong suspicion is also to avoid it being tugged on by tiny, little hands, and Hope is already clearly fascinated with the charms around his neck.

“Ah, yes,” he mutters. “There was an...incident. While you were in the shower.” “An incident?” “A crying jag that turned into a rather loud ordeal and a forgotten towel for my shoulder and unfortunately that new jacket took the brunt of the damage.” Emma nods in understanding, ignoring the pang of disappointment in her gut because she liked that jacket a lot and that woman Ashley just knew from the Enchanted Forest worked incredibly hard on it. Or Emma assumes she did.

She still can’t quite wrap her mind around fairy godmothers and magic outfits for royal coronations.

Maybe she’ll get there eventually.

Maybe after this coronation.

Maybe after she stops staring at her husband in full scale pirate regalia.

“I can…” Killian starts, taking another step back and Emma finally spins around, the note of concern in his voice doing something even more potent to her pulse than anything to do with the actually impressive amount of black leather he’s wearing.

His tongue keeps darting out between his lips, eyes glancing around the room and anywhere except Emma and she really needs to get dressed.

A fairy godmother made her dress.

“No, no,” Emma says, only slightly embarrassed when she practically shouts the words in his face. Killian’s eyes widen slightly, but they’re also looking at her, which works pretty well and they haven’t been out of the house in the last two days.

They both fell asleep propped up on the wall in the corner of Hope’s room the night before.

“No,” she repeats. “It’s...you look…” Emma is going to arrest her own husband for the look on his face. “Aye,” he says. “Feels almost appropriate doesn’t it?” “Does it?” “Swan.” “I know, I know,” she grumbles, rolling her eyes when his smile, somehow, gets wider. “If I answered a question with a question I’d argue too. Whatever. But, yeah, I guess you’re right. Full circle or something. I’m sorry about your coat, though.” “It’s alright, love. I think we’ve exhausted ourselves completely now, haven’t we?” It takes less than half a second to realize he’s not actually talking to Emma, which is far more endearing than she would have expected. She may sprain several different muscles in her face by the time this is all over.

“Maybe we won’t cause a scene upon arrival then,” Emma says, reaching out to brush her fingers over Hope’s stomach. That earns her a quiet noise too – one that’s inching closer to a giggle every day.

“I think we do need to actually arrive in order to do that.” “How much time are we talking?”

“To travel there or for you to put your gown on?” Emma arches an eyebrow, but she’s only met with a smirk and that goddamn tongue and maybe she’s missed full scale pirate regalia more than she realized. “I don’t know you to be one to complain about my clothing choices choices, Captain.” She will absolutely, positively never admit to doing it solely for the reaction, but that may be exactly why she did it and Killian’s eyes practically flash when he meets her gaze.

Emma isn’t sure flirting is a good excuse for being late to a royal event.

“Never, Swan,” he says, ducking his head and brushing his lips over hers. It’s over before she’s entirely ready for it, and if she chases after him slightly it might not be a lie. She blames the coat. And the cut of his shirt. “Although,” Killian adds. “I’d rather we didn’t begin this new royal reign with wanted posters because our tardiness.”

“Pirate,” she accuses.

“With a fantastic sense of timing.” Emma rolls her eyes, but their daughter is squirming in his arms and neither her hair nor Killian’s charms are safe. “Fine, fine,” she says. “Give me five minutes.”

It takes her four.

And even that feels too long, the quiet creak of the living room floor proof positive of the path Killian’s been tracing for those two-hundred and forty seconds.

He smiles when he sees her anyway.

“Everything alright?” she asks, and it’s kind of a copout and a little cheesy, but they haven’t been outside in two days and her dress is pink.

And so, maybe, Emma awkwardly asked her mom if she still had those polaroids from her first date with Killian. And so, maybe, she brought the dress when the fairy godmother asked for a more detailed look. And so, maybe, this one wasn’t exactly the same, but it was also pink and soft and there was a pattern on it that was so intricate the only explanation was magic.

Killian nods slowly, eyes tracing over her and back up to her face and, possibly, down to her lips and Emma doesn’t bite them, which seems like some kind of victory. She might exhale softly though, like everything is settling or starting and it’s a weird balance, but that’s kind of their lives and she absolutely refused to wear poofy, bell sleeves.

There had to be a line somewhere.

“Stunning, Swan,” he says, voice low and intent when he takes a step back towards her. There’s a baby bag at her feet. It’s nautical theme. Elsa bought it. “You look stunning, love.” Emma grins – possibly so she doesn’t cry, which she may do later anyway because this is supposed to be some kind of event and she’s already seen designs for her mom’s dress too.

“You think I need a coat?” she asks.

It’s clearly not what Killian expects, which almost makes it better but he laughs softly and kisses her again. That doesn’t leave her much room to argue.

“I have no idea,” he answers. “We haven’t been outside in eons.” “That’s only slightly dramatic, don’t you think?” “That’s a pirate trait too, love. I’m afraid, you’ll have to get used to it.” “I think I’m good with that,” Emma says, but it sounds as important as stunning and maybe they can hang her dress next to his jacket when they get home later. “C’mon, it takes real, literal eons to get Hope in the car seat.”

Killian nods and neither one of them moves before they both lean forward slightly and the kiss is quick and normal and it threatens to make Emma’s heart burst, but she ducks down to grab the bag they’ve got filled at all times now.

That’s definitely a Navy thing, but Emma never mentions that.

And she briefly considers how ridiculous it will look, but she doesn’t have anything else and they’re late enough already and Killian’s smile threatens to rival the sun when Emma closes the door behind her – her red, leather jacket on over her gown.

“All good?” she asks.

“Aye, love. Let’s go.”

#ouat spoilers #cs ff #captain swan #cs #captain swan fic #captain swan ff #i don't know i don't know i don't know #i wrote more hockey fic yesterday #so we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming soon #this just would not get out of my head #ALSO #this is an actual drabble #IT'S LESS THAN TWO THOUSAND WORDS #WHAT WHAT #laura writes canon

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myaekingheart · 3 years

Note

How did you come up with Rei’s (and all your other original characters’) design(s)? I sometimes struggle to get a firm grasp of what my OCs look like, especially because I can’t draw.

This is a really good question that I actually love talking about, so thank you, Anon! I hope this helps answer all of your questions but if you ever have anymore, by all means feel free to drop another ask in my inbox!

So, with Rei specifically, the process was kind of two-fold: I thought about the basics of what I wanted her to look like and then I sought inspiration from canon character designs to cohesively put together those basic ideas. For example: when Rei was more of a concept than a character, I knew I wanted her to have red/"orange" hair and green eyes, and that I wanted her to be an ANBU. The ANBU part was easy enough because it already gave me a set outfit to put her in, but the style of her hair and the construction of her face was a little more work. I took inspiration from Ino and Anko for her hair (bangs covering one eye, big fluffy ponytail) and also a little bit of Mei Terumi. Her facial features, at first, were more aligned with Hinata's face in Shippuden but after a while kind of shifted more to what came naturally to me from an artist perspective. Her casual outfit was inspired by Sakura and also a little bit of waterbender fashion from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

For me, personally, I'm a really big fan of using canon influences to inspire an OC's design because even if I take it and totally flip it on it's head (like Mikazuki's shinkantazagan--a third eye in her forehead, and pupils that look like pale green byakugan--that were inspired both by the average byakugan and also Kaguya's eyes), I feel like it's still believable to the rules of the universe if it's rooted in something canon-compliant. Not that you have to restrict yourselves to those rules, which you're by no means obligated to. It's just my personal preference to take heavy inspiration from things in canon because I want to be able to look at my OCs and kind of think to myself "Yeah, I can imagine you easily infiltrating canon and looking normal while doing it, I can imagine you blending in with the other characters and fitting the style of the universe." Though even I'll admit, not all of my OCs fit that bill, either, like sometimes I do genuinely take artistic liberties that reach outside of the realms of the style and rules of canon and that is okay, too.

When creating everyone else, I kind of just played around with personality traits I thought would be interesting to represent and also color combinations/character design ideas. Aside from Rei, the first three OCs I ever made were her best friend Sekkachi, Amai (the waitress at the dango shop), and Hiretsuna (the hospital receptionist) because those were the three contenders I came up with for women that Naruto and Sakura try to set Kakashi up with on a blind date. So the majority of their character designs started around a central personality trait that they're all named after: Sekkachi is impatient, Amai is sweet, and Hiretsuna is basically ditzy. Their first appearances all put them in uniforms, as well, though, which made things a little easier in the character design department because we have canon references to jonin uniforms and hospital attire, and waitress uniforms can have a distinct look that we can turn to. So all in all, I think considering what your OCs career is can be really helpful in figuring out what they look like and how they dress.

And personality can also play a huge part in it, too. I'm a big believer in people using fashion to express themselves and make a point about who they are, and I think that a lot of times fashion can be a really good indicator of what a person is like (or can also be amusingly deceptive, which can be fun to play around with). For example: someone walking down the street in a designer pant suit makes you believe that they have money, and are likely driven and dutiful to deadlines and overall have their life sorted out. Someone else walking down the street in pajamas with their hair in a messy bun makes you believe that they are an exhausted mess who is probably on their way to Starbucks for a much-needed coffee, or they had a really rough night. And another person in athletic wear of course gives the feeling that they overall are an athletic and very health-conscious person. These are absolutely stereotypes but sometimes it can be really helpful to use those as a jumping-off point in figuring out who to present your own characters. You can emphasize that someone is nerdy by giving them glasses or you can hint that someone is confident and comfortable with their body if they're wearing a crop top or showing some skin in other ways. If a character is more athletic or a tomboy, they would likely be more inclined to wear pants or shorts that they can move in rather than a dress. If a character is self conscious about their body or themselves, they may be more inclined to cover up and wear ill-fitting clothes and long sleeves. I think a good exercise for honing in on how fashion can manifest itself as a hint of someone's character can be people-watching! Look at the people who see walking down the street or in the store, and the way they dress and act. You may not be accurate in your assumptions about them, but by analyzing the way they present themselves, you can start to formulate a story or understanding in your head of what kind of person they might be.

Another thing that really helps me out when coming up with character designs is using Picrews and character creators! Even as an artist myself, I always like to go in and mess around with character creators to get a better grasp on what someone might look like in more specificity and also play around with design choices like hair color and style, clothing, and facial features. That was actually the baseline of how I designed Rei, Sekkachi, Amai, and Hiretsuna at the very beginning. I used a (since-defunct) Naruto character creator to play around with design choices and come up with my very first inclination of what these characters might look like. Of course they kind of evolved over time as their own personalities and stories developed, but those first designs laid the basis for all of that.

(And as a side note, it is also totally okay for character designs to change over the years. Characters in a constant state of flux and as their stories evolve and influence who they are and who they become, so can their physical appearance. And don't be afraid to change something about a character if you don't like it anymore, like the way they wear their hair or the type of clothes they wear, because again, characters in a constant state of flux and are always evolving and changing.)

But back to the subject of using character creators, this is one of my all-time favorites to mess around with character design. The anime style can be really helpful when focusing on anime OCs to get a grasp on a more canon-compliant art style for their appearance, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Another option I really love is using The Sims 4 Create-a-Sim if you're a Sims player (I'm not 100% sure if this link still works, but they did at least at one point have a free demo that you could download and play with). With Sims, I really like how you can hone in on specific details that may not come across as clearly in an anime-style because the character design is arguably more on the realistic side (at least compared to anime). Custom content can be really helpful, too, but isn't necessary. This CC creator has a lot of really cool Naruto content, though, that can be fun to work off of and play around with. And of course, Picrew is also an option, and they have tons of little avatar makers to choose from so you can mess around with a lot of variation in style and design to help find what feels best for you and your character.

I know this got really long and I really hoped this help, but like I said before, if you ever have any other questions then by all means feel free to drop another ask in my inbox and I'll try to help out as best as I can ^_^

#thank you for asking!#answered asks #anon #awesome things to refer to

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zexalmonth · 7 years

Photo

Hello all of you lovelies! ^^

For the second year Zexal Month will be hosted by only myself ( @wendymoto ). @yaminoamber has a big big work commitment IN FRANCE CAN YOU BELIEVE IT. Our lovely Amber will be ascended into French territory and won’t be back until December. She’ll have bits and pieces of internet, but work comes first! So please send Amber your wishes and luck. <3

Before I start the information, I would just like to mention that with each week, I will be holding a ‘Content Creator’s Showcase’. Information on how this works and how to ‘enter’ will be posted separately from this information post. Stay tuned!

For the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the ZEXAL MONTH INFORMATION.

This year I wanted to do things a bit differently to allow a lot more creative subjects. and because of this, weeks might look messy. Nevertheless I will learn from it if things don’t go as planned or if anyone has any concerns or ideas for next year, feel free to message me.

How you choose to contribute is entirely up to you.

For example, you could gif, draw, write, edit etc. The options are endless. Participating every day is not required!

Rules:

DO NOT REPOST ART FROM OTHER SITES WITHOUT PERMISSION. This includes artists on tumblr. Do not take their work without permission. These include sites that most reposted art are found. (E.g Paintbucket and sites like it, pinterest, instagram etc.)

Respect everyone’s work, headcanon etc.

Please respect any OC’s, fan characters, self inserts etc. Even if you don’t like them, they would mean the world to the creators. I’ll be tagging as ‘zexal oc’s’ if you would like to blacklist that.

Please tag ‘nsfw’ things as they are. Or triggers if you feel the need too.

ALL INFORMATION UNDER THE CUT

Tuesday 1st - Sunday 6th

Tuesday:

Design a new outfit DAY!

This is self explanatory. Pick characters and draw any and all outfits you like. Put them in some of your clothes if you want! Be as fashionable or as ridiculous as you like (This day was inspired by Yuuma in episode 9!)

Wednesday:

Different Characters who were not Barians or Astral beings as Barians or Astral beings E.g. Draw/write their past or a scene with other Barians/Astral beings.

Anyone who has thought of other characters as the Barian/Astral race, it’s your time to shine! You can use your imagination to experiment with design ideas, backstories, duels, scenes, headcanons and more.

Thursday:

ZEXAL imagines. (From the tumblr blogs)

Pick one of the examples from the 100+ imagines blogs and go with it. You don’t have to use these blogs, they are just examples. Please link to the post from the imagines that you choose.

http://alloftheimaginesblog.tumblr.com/ http://thefandomimagine.tumblr.com/ http://imagines-come-true.tumblr.com/ http://masterofimagines.tumblr.com/

Friday:

Alternate Death Day:

As we know, many characters died in the last arc of Zexal. Today is a day to re-do their deaths in perhaps a more meaningful/impactful/traumatic way. Or if you prefer, plan the death of a character who didn’t actually die at all. How would that go? Let us know on Death Day!

Sat/Sun: Catch up/Preparing weekend.

Monday 7th - Sunday 13th

Monday:

YGO/YGO ZEXAL crossover Day! (Any Yu-Gi-Oh! series crossed with ZEXAL.)

This one is as simple as anything. Only rule is you’re combining Yugioh and Yugioh: whether it’s one of the other series, from Season 0 to VRAINS, or with one of the many YGO movies, anything goes!

Tuesday:

Card game crossovers Day. E.g. Vanguard, Magic of the Gather or even UNO.

Any other card game crossovers with ZEXAL that you would love to show off. This day is for you!

For extra convenience, I have found a Magical Card Anime and Manga list and a mass list of Card Games.

Wednesday:

Take your new/current fandom and ZEXAL and squish ‘em together!

FANDOM’S EVERYWHERE. Fandom’s that you’re in now crossed with ZEXAL. Squish ‘em together in one huge pile and display it for the world! Due to the fact that we already had days for them, other YGOs and Card Game Anime are excluded: pick another fandom for this day!

Thursday:

Question time! Any ZEXAL mysteries that weren’t solved that you wished were solved?

List, describe or show your headcanons for those mysteries if you have any.

Friday:

Free Crossover Day.

Any crossover with ZEXAL that you would like to make, plop them into a post and post it today!

Sat/Sun: Catch up/Preparing weekend.

Monday 14th - Sunday 20th

Monday:

OC/Fan Character Day!

Feel free to do anything with your OCs on this day! Show and explain them. Draw them in an outfit, tell us what they do, what decks they use or if they do not duel. Anything goes with OC’s today!

Tuesday:

Self Insert Day.

This day is mostly an experiment for Zexal Month. I’ve recently seen plenty of fandom’s do these kind of things, so if you like the idea of this day, post as much as you like. Make it successful and I shall bring it back in coming years

If you’re looking for examples, you could write yourself talking to your favourite character about a certain thing. Maybe about another show/anime. Maybe yourself geeking out with Astral over Esper Robin/The Sparrow. Or just a drawing of yourself with your fav character.

Wednesday:

Different Protag Day. What do you think would have happened if somehow Yuma’s protag status was switched to someone else?

Any minor characters you think would be great as a Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonist. Writing, drawing, gifs, headcanons, etc.

Thursday:

Since it is Tasuku Hatanaka’s birthday today (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TASUKU HATANAKA.), on this lovely Thursday will be a tribute to anything and everything Yuuma.

Possibilities are endless with this one. Yuuma is in everything, shipping, AUs etc. Go for it. Favourite moments, things Yuuma inspired you about, Yuuma videos, fanfics, art and AU’s. Or if you would like to share any in real life Kattobingu life moments. Nows your chance!

Also, here is the link to his twitter if any of you would like to give him a message or shower him with love.

Friday:

Wishes that you wanted to happen.

Things that you wish had happened that you would have loved that would have been great in canon.

A challenge is waiting for you all. I challenge you to not think about shipping and ships with this one. As much as the majority of you ship just about anything and the kitchen sink in ZEXAL, what things would be great in canon that doesn’t include shipping. For example, Yuuma’s parents being able to go back home and be with their family again.

Sat/Sun: Catch up/Preparing weekend.

Monday 21st - Sunday 27th

Monday:

One True Pairing (OTP) Day.

SPREAD YOUR OTPS ALL OVER THE PLACE. SHOW THE WORLD YOUR LOVE FOR PAIRINGS IN ZEXAL. SPREAD THEIR LEGS. (Stupid joke Wendy, stupid joke. But yet I still laughed at myself.)

Tuesday:

If a ship was canon, how would it go?

Create all of your headcanons, imaginations, feels, into posts for the fandom to see!

Disclaimer: Dub and Sub day are experimental days. If you like them, make them successful.

Wednesday:

ZEXAL DUB DAY (All dubs, English, German, Italian etc.)

For anyone who loves these dubs, feel free to gif or write anything to do with these dubs. I myself have posted some English dub gifs in the past.

Here is also Eli Jay’s twitter if you would like to send him a nice message about the English dub.

A challenge to anyone who doesn’t really like it, to write ONE or more things that they do like about it. Whether it be a certain voice, a few lines or the fact that they kept Yuuma’s full name.

Thursday:

SUB DAY: (Anything subtitled related.)

Today is more like an appreciation for the original ZEXAL subtitled. E.g. Redrawing a scene/cap into your style.

If you did not participate last year, or you don’t really know what to do for today, you can use the information from Week 1 last year and put them all in a post.

Friday:

Palette day’s. Today and Monday.

Use this palette I created to create any artwork that you would like to do. If you want, you can mix any of the days up with this palette, such as, using the sub day to create art of your favourite characters using the palette here. Or mix it up with the next day as well. I hope you guys like the colours I chose too. Also I would like to thank @metalgeartachyon for helping me with good palette colours. Love you miz miz. :)

Sat/Sun: Catch up/Preparing weekend.

Monday 28th - Thursday 31st

Monday:

Palette continued.

Tuesday and Wednesday:

Words Day’s.

Use any of these words to create any content that you wish. If you want, you can mix any of the days up with this as well. The choice is yours!

Thursday:

Fan’s day!

Send ZEXAL fans that you know and enjoy content from, send them a nice message. Or if you would like to list the content creators that you enjoyed from this month into a post, feel free to do that also. Send them some love. :)

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me on this blog or even on my personal blog at @wendymoto.

We encourage anyone and everyone in the Zexal fandom to try and contribute or reblog others posts.

Let’s continue to enjoy and love ZEXAL for everything that it is and isn’t.

If you would like me to see them, please tag them with #ZexalMonth, #Zexal Month, #wendymoto. We will surely see and enjoy your posts as well. Amber will pop in from time to time to enjoy content.

I’ll look forward to seeing the posts you guys make.

Thank you everyone. <3

With ‘zeal’ Wendy and Amber . <3

#zexal month #zexal #zexalmonth #zexal month 2017 #wendymoto #yaminoamber

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meeedeee · 7 years

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Final Fantasy FXV: Thoughts RSS FEED OF POST WRITTEN BY FOZMEADOWS

When I first heard that FFXV was going to break with franchise tradition by having an all-male central team, I was more than a little surprised. Final Fantasy has always been distinguished as much by its memorable – and central – female characters as by any other element; which is why, somewhat paradoxically, I never felt particularly angry about the switch, either. As a whole, video games are still male-dominated in a way that frequently sets my teeth on edge, but Final Fantasy has a strong line of credit with me: whatever my thoughts on the state of gaming as an industry – and while criticism of Square Enix’s decision in this context is nonetheless valid – I felt I could still attempt the game itself.

Thus far, at roughly eight hours in – which is, I’m aware, not very far at all – I’m enjoying myself immensely, though possibly not in a way that was intended. And in order to satisfactorily explain why that is, I first need to say a little about my history with the franchise.

The first Final Fantasy I ever played was VIII, which always made me something of an oddity among my friends: unlike everyone who started the series at VII or earlier, I had no established sense of how the combat system ought to work, and so took the VIII model, which was a widely-hated departure from canon, as my yardstick for the series. This meant I was not only frustrated by the traditional setup used in VII and IX, but irritated by the more cartoonish character designs. Which isn’t to say that I disliked either game, exactly: just that they were always less beloved to me than VIII and, later on, X and XII, whose advanced graphics and combat systems more closely resembled what VIII had been trying – with, admittedly, more ambition than success – to achieve.

Even now, XII remains my favourite Final Fantasy. The writing and voice acting were both incredible, and even though Vaan, rather than Ashe, was the POV character, I loved the departure from canon that made him a non-romantic participant in her narrative. By contrast, XIII was a clusterfuck, so much so that I quickly set it aside as unplayable: the writing was naff, the voice acting melodramatic (with the single exception of Sazh), the premise confused and the combat frustratingly garbled. I couldn’t understand how the best aspects of XII had been so thoroughly disregarded, and as such, I never bothered with the sequel, which makes XV the first new Final Fantasy I’ve played since 2010.

Aesthetically, then, XV is paying a great deal of homage to my favourite games in the series – VIII and XII – which predisposes me to love it. The opening premise of an invading empire and a missing heir to the throne is evocative of both Galbadia and Archadia, with Noctis’s early quest to recover lost weapons from ancient tombs running a close parallel to Ashe’s quest in XII. The fact that Noctis, Prompto, Ignis and Gladio spend the game driving around in a sports car might seem ridiculous on the surface, especially if you’ve got a preference for the airships of VII, IX and XII, but only if you’ve forgotten the convertibles and jeeps of VIII, where driving on the worldmap was also a feature, and where fancy cars were a staple of the more dramatic cutscenes.

In fact, there’s always been something of a roadtrip vibe to a lot of the Final Fantasy games, and not only in terms of the main party journeying thither and yon across multiple fictional worlds. The many flashbacks to Lord Braska’s pilgrimage in X show him broing it up with Auron and Jecht (to whom Gladio bears more than a superficial physical and vocal resemblance), while their decision to sphere-capture their adventures is a clear forerunner to Prompto’s photography. VIII didn’t lack for female characters, but the initial SEED test features a grumpily all-male party, with Squall, Zell and Seifer forced into a temporary alliance. Squall and Zell were always something of an odd pair, but delightfully so, and their dynamic has been revived – and, I’d argue, improved – in the byplay between Noctis and Prompto. Likewise, Ignis’s dry drawl and dryer expression are more than a little reminiscent of Balthier, though his dutiful priorities make him a closer equivalent to Auron and Basch.

In other words, the four protagonists of XV are themselves a homage to the male relationships of previous Final Fantasy games, and quite clearly so. Together, they interact much as you’d expect of a quartet of twentysomething men, joking and snarking at each other in equal measure. The writing and voice acting aren’t as good as XII, but they’re nowhere near the abysmal mess of XIII. I’d peg them as being on par with X: naff at times, but somehow endearingly so, and overall engaging. Granted, the background plot is complex – it helps to have watched the prequel movie, Kingsglaive, and there’s also an accompanying anime series – but part of what makes the quartet watchable is how clearly established their friendship is: we’re getting to know the characters by how they know each other.

As far as the gameplay and levelling systems go, I’ve got no complaints thus far. Even without being able to run through the full tutorial for fighting – my version kept glitching when it came to learning how to warp – I’ve still found it intuitive to use. It’s a dissimilar combat system to most FF games, in that it’s not turn-based, but neither is it as blindingly fast-paced or poorly-designed as the system used in XIII, and the ability to warp to targets makes for some engaging tactical options. It helps that I’ve just come off a huge Dragon Age: Inquisition jag: my preferred approach to combat in both games can best be described as “running in headfirst with a large sword and hitting things until they fall down,” with magic and projectile weapons left on auto until or unless I’m specifically forced to use them. Players who favour different tactics might have more complaints to level here, but for my purposes, it works just fine.

But what I’m really loving about XV is the extent to which – I assume unintentionally – it’s both hilarious and heavily queercoded.

I’ll deal with the latter first, because it’s arguably the more contentious point. Let me be clear: I’m not for one second giving Square Enix props for deliberately creating queer representation here, because I don’t think for a second that it’s what they actually meant to do – or at least, if they’re trying to muddle vaguely in that direction, then they haven’t had the guts to confirm it. Culturally, the lines we draw been homosocial and homosexual behaviour tend to be as historically arbitrary as they are fiercely policed, with any overlap subject to argument on both sides. But cultural differences is, I suspect, a large part of why XV reads the way it does: the game is originally Japanese, and in trying to cater to both Japanese and Western masculine ideals, Square Enix has wandered into what plays as a rather spectacularly queer compromise.

First and most obviously, there’s the wardrobe issue. Clearly, the all-black leather aesthetic is meant to look Manly and Cool and Deeply Heterosexual In A Traditionally Masculine Way, and if the designs were simple, functional and militaristic, then that would probably work, even given the youth and beauty of the characters (more of which shortly). But Final Fantasy, like a great many Japanese properties, is famous for its distinctive clothing designs, which means the characters look less like soldiers and more like scene kids en route to a metal concert. Specifically: Noctis and Prompto look like they shop at Hot Topic, Ignis is wearing Cuban heeled boots, driving gloves and seme glasses (seriously) and Gladio consistently looks like he’s posing for a Grindr photo. Like. I’m aware that he’s meant to be the most hypermasculine straight male self-identification fantasy of the four, what with the scar and the tattoos and the devastatingly Japanese mullet, but generally speaking, ripped guys in open leather shirts and tight leather pants are more visually reminiscent of Mardi Gras than the military. I’m just saying.

The fact that you can customise their outfits (to a degree), and that picking a new wardrobe changes their stats, isn’t a new development: in fact, it’s something the franchise first introduced with dress spheres in the all-female X-2, which makes its presence in the all-male XV a subtly pleasing symmetry. And yet it runs up against a standard of masculine gaming: changing your armour is one thing, because armour is Manly, but changing your clothes – which, stat bonuses or not, is what we’re functionally talking about – is something else entirely. It’s a truly strange demarcation, because there are plenty of instances where video game characters change outfits of their own accord, in cutscenes or for plot-specific purposes, or where the change represents a specific, all-over upgrade. But the option to alter the appearance of male characters for largely aesthetic reasons – to change how they look to you, the player, in clothes that are recognisably modern and fashionable – is not, I suspect, a common feature of games aimed at heterosexual men, nor is the in-game implication of the characters toting around a bunch of fancy matching outfits a particularly straight-coded thing.

And, okay. Even though we queer folk often telegraph our identities through fashion, there’s a degree of reductive stereotype inherent in judging sexuality on the basis of clothing choice, and if that were the only issue here, I wouldn’t have brought it up. (Except, of course, to point out the truly delightful ridiculousness of watching four goth boys run around the countryside in full club gear, often while complaining about the temperature. It’s like they’re headed for Glastonbury with monsters.) But the queercoding of XV is a package deal: it’s not just the clothes, but the clothes in combination with the characters themselves, the dialogue they’re given, and the way the four of them occupy the game.

Specifically: Final Fantasy is a gaming franchise that’s well aware, historically speaking, of its very large female fanbase. Even though the majority of the games have male protagonists, they’ve traditionally been designed for a straight female gaze – and more, I would argue, a teenage female gaze, given that the characters are usually in their teens or very early twenties – in line with aesthetics more Japanese than Western. Former heroes like Cloud, Squall, Zidane, Tidus and Vaan might be formidable warriors in-game, but they’re never beefed up: they’re overwhelmingly built lean, with much longer, more stylised hair than you typically see on masculine Western characters. They wear jewellery – often visible in their base character designs, and not just as a hidden accessory slot – and offhand, aside from various weird lines around Cloud crossdressing in VII, I can’t think of any real instances of sexism or misogyny from those characters that aren’t actively shut down. In fact, the number of female characters in the earlier games ensures that, in addition to any love interests, the leading men also have platonic female friends – something that’s still damnably unusual in most forms of media, let alone in video games.

All of which, thus far, holds true in XV, too: Princess Lunafreya, Noctis’s intended bride, is his childhood friend, as is Gladio’s sister, Iris. When the game begins, Noctis and his friends are travelling to meet Lunafreya before their (politically arranged) wedding; when everything goes awry because betrayal and empire, they’re forced to regroup and end up hanging out with Iris, who has escaped to the city of Lesallum. That’s where I’m up to so far, and what immediately stands out to me, as someone who spent a not inconsiderable portion of their adolescence and early twenties hanging around single straight guys, is the fact that the quartet barely ever talk about women at all. And the thing is, I can see why it’s been done! Final Fantasy has a heavy female fanbase, and in any case, they’re not the sort of games where the male soldiers sit around reminiscing about sexual conquests. But contextually, because of the way the game is presented – four friends driving and talking shit in real time, mocking each other, while initially on the way to see one of them married – the lack of talk about sex or romance of any kind is jarring.

Which isn’t to say the subject of women never comes up at all; it’s just that, when it does, the overwhelming impression is of dialogue written with a female audience in mind, but without any awareness of the queercoding implications of its delivery by these particular male characters. This means, for instance, that there’s a scene where the boys find a magazine article about Lunafreya’s wedding dress, and all of them start cooing about how beautiful it will be; Ignis notes that the dress is bespoke, designed by Vivienne Westwood, and Prompto starts enthusing about how pretty Lunafreya will look in it. In Hammerhead, the buxom mechanic Cindy, whose character design is clearly meant to please the straight male players, is someone who, in real life, you’d expect a bunch of straight boys on an ostensible stag trip to talk about. Except that they never do; and instead, the one time there’s a reference made to Gladio “chatting someone up,” it turns out to be a grumpily endearing scientist who wants you to go catch some frogs as penance for interrupting her research.

And then there’s Noctis taking a tour of Lestallum with Iris. Throughout this mini-quest, you’re given a set of binary conversational options to either encourage Iris in her enthusiasm for the town, or to disapprove. Then, at the end, she coyly suggests that being on the tour was almost like a date – an assertion you can either play off lightly, or outright deny: pointedly, there is no option to agree. If you deny, she laughs and says “you could at least play along for once,” suggesting that Iris knows Noctis isn’t interested in her and is willing to tease him about it – an odd thing to include, if you don’t want the audience to wonder about his preferences.

A little earlier in the game, Prompto asks Noctis what he ought to take more photos of: apart from declining, the only options are “me” (meaning Noctis), Ignis or Gladio. Again, there’s a gameworld logic to this – the photos are ultimately viewed by the player, who gets to pick which character they want to record the most – but in terms of the impact in setting, this is not an outstandingly heterosexual moment. Very possibly, there exists a group of straight bros whose designated photographer is happy asking, “Hey bro, which of our friends do you want to see more in pictures?” in an established No Homo way, and if so, more power to them. But if you want to find a context where that sort of exchange is an everyday thing, then look no further than the queer regions of Instagram. (Plus, it’s kind of conspicuous how often Prompto, when assessing the day’s photos, comments on how good Gladio the Perpetually Shirtless looks.)

And then there’s the occasional quirks of dialogue and voice acting: choices that, again, would be minor on their own, but which collectively become suggestive of something specific. Early on, Cor sends Gladio, Prompto and Ignis to make a distraction at a military blockade while he and Noctis sneak inside: the gambit is successful, and when the group reunites afterwards, Gladio says cheerfully, “The Niffs couldn’t keep their eyes off us!”. To which Ignis quips, in reference to Noctis and Cor’s arrival, “You spared us their attentions.” Offhand, I can think of about a dozen different ways to word that exchange that don’t remotely brush up against innuendo, and which are far more colloquially and contextually apt besides. The eyes/attentions combo is the kind of thing you’d expect a pair of femme fatales to say after seducing the guards and knocking them out in an action movie. (The fact that we don’t actually witness the initial distraction only adds to its ambiguity.) And yet, this is what they’ve gone with.

Other examples are smaller, but they all add up. Whenever you find new ingredients for Ignis to cook with, he stops to announce, with particular vocal flamboyance, that he’s just thought up a new recipe (exclamation mark!), and whips out a notebook to jot it down. (“I’ll taste test for ya,” Gladio says, in a playfully growling tone that always seems to have one eye on the bedroom.) And then there’s Prompto, who I’m inclined to think of as a confused bisexual puppy, whose voice turns dreamily fanboyish when discussing Cor’s exploits, and who gets just as excited on receiving Cor’s praise as he does at the prospect of seeing Lunafreya in her pretty wedding dress.

Put this all together, then, and what you have are a bunch of young men who are, by Western standards, more pretty than handsome, dressed in fashionable clothes and accessories that are more evocative of queer or queer-friendly subcultures than not, and who care enough about their appearance to have multiple outfits on hand at any given time. (You can, if you’re willing to sacrifice an accessory slot to aesthetics, buy hair gel for them to use.) These men are knowledgeable about fashion, have a platonic concern for the women they encounter, are constantly photographing one another for each other, have zero comments to make about the stupidly hot female mechanic unless they’re praising her competence, and whose idea of “chatting someone up” apparently means “talking to the grumpy frog lady about the local wildlife population”. This isn’t me leaping to conclusions, here: in the immortal words of Buffy Summers, I took a tiny step and there conclusions were.

All of which is a way of saying that, thus far, I’m delighted with Final Fantasy XV, though not in the ways I’d expected. The characters and setting are a homage to my favourite games in the series, and while I worried the absence of female characters would grate on me, our quartet of bumbling chocobros is stupidly endearing. At this point, Noctis is functionally useless as a prince: even when he’s recognised, the local yokels have no qualms about asking him to take their deliveries or run their errands, and while random sidequests are an RPG staple, they’re usually somewhat tailored to the protagonist’s perceived status. In FFXV, everything is rendered hilarious by the fact that Noctis is a prince, and is seen as a prince, and is still being asked to catch frogs in a swamp and grab shit from some random marketeer’s broken van.

(He’s also gloriously introverted: in dealing with people, his responses usually vary from monosyllabic to resigned disinterest, but when you come across a stray cat in need of feeding – a tiny sidequest that’s a deliberate throwback to Squall doing likewise in VIII – he talks to it at greater length and with more enthusiasm than he otherwise displays with anyone.)

As far as I’m concerned, FFXV is a magic road trip with a bunch of queer boys who have their wardrobes together, but not their shit. I can identify. And so, I suspect, can everyone else who’s fallen into the trashpile of this visually beautiful, thematically mishmash game. I honestly don’t care about the random anachronisms, like the fact that they’re carrying smartphones and fighting magic robots, but still using paper maps and newspapers, to say nothing of using a fucking dog as a messenger for vital correspondence through a warzone – or rather, I do care, but only because the clear discontinuity of it somehow plays as a feature instead of a bug. The entire thing ought to be ridiculous, and it kind of is, but pleasingly so, like a cat in a Halloween costume. The characters don’t take each other seriously, which frees the player up to do likewise – to laugh with them, rather than at them. And frankly, I’ll take that over XIII’s self-important melodrama any day of the week.

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