#and his voice actor is great ffs

[ganondoodle]

so, doing this as an extra post bc i dont want to spam op nor invite more disaster into their post (sorry)

(i get annoyed, i get frustrated, but i rarely get pissed off, so if this sounds aggressive to you, it is; i have had enough of arguing with people -even if most of that arguing has happened on twitter-)

someone had replied (and later apparently deleted) something along the lines of "well zelda wanted to restore hyrule at the end of botw and what is so bad about ganondorf always being the bad guy in the way that he is?"

so first off, while i know hyrule and KINGDOM of hyrule is often used as an equally interchangeable word to refer to the world there, i dont think she meant the kingdom or its or its monarchy when she said that (does she? i dont have the end in my head rn and pretty sure its a lil different than english anyway) and much more the LAND of hyrule, its still in shambles even if people have found ways to live with it- that is an interpretation of me mostly, you can think what you want in that regard idc

secondly .... im not gonna get into that rant bc you cannot be seriosuly asking what is bad about how ganondorf is presented, treated in the games (espeically in totk) and his role and "writing" (oh geez i dont know maybe all the racism and stereotypes?? also, frankly boring ass writing, if your villain can be replaced by a cloud of toxic goo incapable of speech and nothing would change except saving money for voice actors that dont fit the role that is not a great look- hes never gotten much but totk is a new low)

then theres this reply

astro-shark3113 replied: "You're kidding right? If she cared about reinstating the monarchy then why is the castle still in disrepair after five years? Why does she become a teacher and live in a cottage with her boyfriend instead of taking on duties as princess? She clearly wants to help people and be a leader but she can do that without wanting to be a Queen. Please be real"

i am not kidding and i AM being real, i think you need to look at the game without your rose tinted glasses for a second; the castle is still in ruin? what the hell do you expect, theres no soldiers and very few servants left, repairing anything is quite impossible in that time and frankly not a priority (not proof of her not caring lol) also there is a plan for it at the very least given the camps with the hyrule crest all over it in the ruins of castle town- we dont SEE her as a teacher, or living a "normal" life, that happens in between the game, its flavor text, what HAPPENS in the game is her being taught a lessson on who she needs to be and what hyrule needs to be (pretty in your face too, she gets sent to paradise past of the "first" king that is some supposedly godly thing from the HEAVENS and watches him and his queen die at the hands of the eviiil guy, the last scene in the game mimics perfectly the scene where everyone that god king got under his rule swears undying loyalty to her ffs); she does live in that house, but what other option is there, set up camp in the collapsing throne room all alone?? nigh everyone from that time is long dead and the only one she actually knows is link who happens to have a house (bc impa doesnt care i guess idk), with her ""boyfriend"" is also interesting, a "boyfriend" that apparently is locked in the basement, lives in the woods or straight up dematerlializes when theres no big bad in need of stabbing bc why the hell does no one fucking know him in hateno??? not even the kids that come to the house EVERY SINGLE DAY?? and taking on duties as a princess, she very much does? just bc she doesnt get physically carried around in a castle doesnt mean she isnt doing royal stuff (also, again, that happens BETWEEN the games, not actually in totk), she still sees herself as the princess, everyone calls her that, she herself calls herself that (if the memorial stones are anything to go by) and everyone listens to the most overtly stupid and nonsensical stuff that zelda puppet says (even her friends follow that order without even asking back???) after over 100 years of there not being a kingdom as such its pretty weird how everyone immediately, even the ones not alive for the calamity event, snaps into blindly following her orders

"she can still lead without being a queen", did we play the same game?? totk? TEARS of the KINGDOM?? (its zeldas tears, she IS the kingdom) that game?? the game couldnt be more directly telling you that its whole point is that royal family holy and good and how much everyone has to sacrifice to uphold the holy kingdom bc its the only thing that keeps evil man from overtaking it!! including turnign herself into a farmable, glorified stone pedestal for the entirety of the actual game and then that sacrifice not meanign shit bc she just gets deus ex machina'd back (i didnt need her to stay a dragon, though it would have been the better choice if she still didnt get an active part in the game i would kill for her to have been a capable companion instead of the stupid ghost sages, and you dont even get to actually do anything for it, it just happens), not even the nuclear pebble is lost, how great! she and everyone else that is a leader of their people has a nuclear pebble now!! they will not let a bad evil man be a threat ever again!! like the point to bring her back in that utterly unsatisfying way is that otherwise the royal line wouldnt exist anymore, its a blessing of her ancient ancestors!! woohooo!!

and the thing is, i LIKE botw zelda, i liked her character, that she wasnt the typically maiden princessy type, her struggle (even if i find the way she unlocked her powers lame), i do NOT like totk zelda, after the intro of the game she is a princessy maiden standing prettily at the side of the god king that rules the only thing keeping evil at bay, the level of how much totk disrespects her makes me mad on her behalf but i have ranted about that alone enough as well

and with this i am DONE talking about this game, i have ranted so much about it, made my points carefully clear over and over, said that i dont have the nerves left to be nice anymore about it given how much shit alone on twitter i had to live through just bc i dared mildly critisizing the damn game, if you comment some snarky "be real" thing again im just gonna go straight to blockign people bc i am done with this

[yxlnst]

Viking Adventure w/ Wonwoo

Since alot of people loved the theme park date with wonwoo ff, i made another one!

idol!Wonwoo x readet!y/n

🧸 Word count 🧸 : 676

Fluff

🧸 - - - - - - - - - - - - 🎀 - - - - - - - - - - - 🧸

The theme park was alive with excitement, families and friends exploring the various attractions. You and Wonwoo had decided to spend the day at the Viking-themed area, which promised a mix of adventure, history, and thrilling rides.

As you walked through the entrance, you were greeted by the sight of towering wooden structures, dragon-headed ships, and actors dressed in traditional Viking attire. Wonwoo, always up for a unique experience, had a look of childlike excitement on his face.

“This is going to be fun,” he said, taking your hand. “Ready to explore, my brave Viking?”

You smiled, feeling both excited and a bit nervous. “I think so, as long as you’re with me.”

First, you both decided to try the Viking ship ride, a large swing that looked like an ancient longship. As the ride began to swing higher and higher, you felt a knot of fear tightening in your stomach.

Wonwoo noticed your apprehension and immediately wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you close. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” he whispered reassuringly in your ear.

You held onto his arm tightly, trying to focus on his steady presence rather than the dizzying height. “I’m not very good with heights,” you admitted, your voice shaking slightly.

He gave you a comforting squeeze. “Just keep your eyes on me, okay?”

Following his advice, you looked at him instead of the rapidly changing scenery. His calm smile and the warmth of his embrace helped to ease your fear, and before you knew it, the ride was slowing down.

Once you were back on solid ground, you both laughed, the tension melting away. “See? That wasn’t so bad,” Wonwoo said, still holding you close.

You nodded, feeling a bit braver. “Thanks to you.”

Next, you wandered through the Viking village, enjoying the various exhibits and activities. You tried on Viking helmets, watched a blacksmith at work, and even attempted to weave a small bracelet together. All the while, Wonwoo stayed close, his hand never far from yours.

As the afternoon sun began to dip, casting a warm glow over the park, you both spotted a roller coaster that looked both exhilarating and terrifying. The ride twisted and turned, with steep drops and sharp turns that made your heart race just looking at it.

Wonwoo turned to you, a mischievous glint in his eye. “What do you say? One last adventure for the day?”

You hesitated, but his infectious enthusiasm was hard to resist. “Only if we can sit together,” you said, trying to muster your courage.

He laughed and took your hand. “Of course. I’ll be right there with you.”

As you both buckled into the ride, you felt your anxiety creeping back. The coaster started its slow climb, and you instinctively reached for Wonwoo’s arm, gripping it tightly.

“It’s okay,” he said, leaning closer. “I’m right here.”

When the coaster reached the peak and began its descent, you screamed, but it was a mix of fear and exhilaration. Wonwoo’s arm was a solid anchor, and you clung to it, feeling the rush of the ride.

When it finally came to a stop, you were breathless and laughing. “That was insane!” you said, your heart still pounding.

Wonwoo grinned, clearly thrilled. “You did great! I’m proud of you.”

As the day came to a close, you both found a quiet spot overlooking the park. The lights twinkled in the evening, creating a magical atmosphere.

“Thank you for today,” you said, resting your head on his shoulder. “I had so much fun, even if some of it was a bit scary.”

He wrapped his arms around your waist again, holding you close. “I’m glad. I had an amazing time too. And remember, we’re in this together, no matter how scary it gets.”

You looked up at him, feeling a deep sense of contentment. “Always.”

Under the twinkling lights of the theme park, you and Wonwoo shared a perfect moment, wrapped in each other’s arms, ready for whatever adventures life had in store.

[intervalart]

I absolutely love your art of Sundown, he’s one of my favorites (next to Akira) 🙂 honestly he’s hilarious in the Dominion of Hate, he’ll literally fight Akira for no reason, he’s got this “tired single dad handling 6 kids” energy to him, and he even like…scolds Oersted? It sounded like? (His voice actor, Reagan Murdock, played Aki Hayakawa in this anime called Chainsaw Man, so i guess he has experience with voicing a guy who needs to wrangle teenagers 😅) do you happen to have any hcs for him?

I'M SO SORRY IT'S TAKING ME SO LONG TO GET TO THESE ASKS, i'm packing to move, so that's taking up most of my time and energy ;;;v;;;

BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH WAAAAAAA, I'm glad you like how I draw the schüt man <333 (who has somehow accidentally become The Muse, whoops lol)

Sadly there are currently no in-game dialogues showing how he interacts with the other party members (party banter like octopath is a common DLC request), but Mad Dog has a line about Sundown "being bad with the little ones", which is either Mad Dog's interpretation based on what he wants to see, or Sundown's stoicism and bluntness really does tend intimidate the kids. (I don't watch CSM so I will take your work for it... But I'm sure Mr. Murdock does a great job! He has a great voice for it...)

But from what we do know for sure (from his recruitment quest and his dialogue to Sin when out of the party of the final 4) is he is very tired, and wants nothing to do with you.

tbh that's part of the reason I'm fascinated with him, is in a whole party full of spunky/quirky anime youngsters who have Psychic powers, martial arts, laser canons, ninja powers, etc. (the oldest being Masaru who's usually hc'd at 25 years old for the meme).... there's just. A guy. Maybe late 30s/early 40s. With a gun.

People joke about Masaru being the Straight Man (which is true to some extent), but I feel like he handles the weirdness a bit better than Sundown does, just on account of his adaptable nature. If Mad Dog's reaction to O. Dio's true form was any indication, supernatural stuff is... Not normal for their time period. So I think Sundown is much more the Straight Man in the DoH just cuz he stands out so much from everyone else. (not that he isn't silly in his own way... he's based on Clint Eastwood ffs lol)

...and I wrote all of this text without even getting to my headcanons, so if that isn't any a warning for how much I can ramble about him at length, then let this cut should tell you. (you asked, sorry not sorry lol)

So warning in advance, there's gonna be a teeny bit of overlap with Mad Dog hcs on some of these because of how much the two intertwine with each other. They kinda come as a package deal.

Some of my hcs you've probably seen in this comic. Most notably; not just the survivor's guilt, but also in the panic of the raid on the town and the flurry of using the Hurricane Shot, he's not entirely sure if he only shot the invading bandits. :( He worried he might have gotten some townsfolk in there too. (Mostly illustrated on pages 5-6 when all the figures kinda blend together)

At the time I made the comic I thought it was just a theory that he'd placed the bounty on himself, I somehow missed the fact that it was canon. But the fact that it is canon definitely drives home both the survivor's guilt, and him fearing death despite having a death wish. (There's much easier ways to off yourself homie, you don't gotta have a bizarre death ritual with randos obsessed with fame and glory... </3)

On the earlier topic, he might not so much be bad with kids, as he is... blunt. He doesn't sugar coat stuff, and he's probably very hands-off. If he really was the respected sheriff of [Unnamed Town], he probably had some experience with kids in the past, but I suspect between the trauma and some degree of wanting to keep everyone else safe, he's cold and aloof on purpose. He was probably more sociable before The Incident. (Much like a certain blond knight)

But he does work well with others in the DoH and is brief but polite to everyone, even the younger characters. (I cry every time he says "thanks" or "sorry" when another party member heals him... TT0TT)

All that aside, some of the more domestic hcs:

• I think Sunny is very skilled at sewing!! Living out in the wilds and not having access to new clothes very often/if at all means he had to get good at repairing his own clothes. And between sleeping out under the stars and the bullet holes, he has plenty of practice... (MD called him girly for it once, and with a completely straight face, Sunny said "Why do you think being self-sufficient is inherently feminine...?". MD never mentioned it again.)

• The trade-off however is that he's... Not an amazing cook. Everything is either eaten raw or roasted over a fire, and he doesn't have a ton of access to spices and herbs in the wilds... Very utilitarian in his cooking methods.

• That ties into the next point; the dude's got a cast iron stomach. If the guy can canonically down an infinite number of glasses of milk (LONG after most adults develop lactose intolerance), the guy can eat pretty much anything. Including whatever rattlesnakes (and cactus) he found to eat.

• Sunny is probably a very skilled dancer! If for no other reason other than dodging bullets for years lmao. MD catches a glimpse once. Sunny looks him dead in the eyes and says "No one will ever believe you."

• I've already discussed this, but Sunny probably used to be left-handed, and either due to societal necessity or an injury, he became ambidextrous!

• Now that I'm thinking about it actually, I drew Young Sundown in the comic with much less facial hair to just make him look younger... But it actually makes sense that between the depression (and possibly self loathing), he kinda uses the facial hair as like... A mask? Like, so he doesn't have to see himself in a way? (I might be reading too much into it, the OG art does show he shapes his scruff and it's not completely unkempt, so maybe it started as Depression Scruff, and he just shaves it as best he can with a knife lol)

• I used to hc that he didn't name his horse because he didn't want to get attached. (He just calls it Horse) But after talking to another Really Cool Wild West Artist in the JP fandom, it's not impossible that he could have had the same horse the entire time... So that's not a hill I need to die on lol.

• For obvious reasons, he's a hard guy to get to laugh. If he does, it's usually wry and understated. But on the rare occasion he does genuinely laugh, he's more inclined to stifle it at first, more out of habit than anything else. It takes a lot to get him rolling in the aisles.

...But that's getting into BBFF territory, which is a whole 'nuther post, and definitely not something I have rambled about at length and stored on a hidden discord server.

AND that's not talking about my Mad Dog hcs......

-gripping you anon- Do you see why I am in hell.

[raredrop]

hi tale of food fans and food fantasy fans who might not have been around at the time or just weren’t aware

yes the tale of food IS basically just all male food fantasy with a focus on chinese food instead of the mixture of cultures food fantasy has

both games are chinese made, dont let the voice actors trick you (which isnt uncommon in these types of games anyway)

there is an all female version called cuisine dimension tho the designs in that one are uh...not great, it also shut down

food fantasy came first made by funtoy in 2017, tale of food is by tecent and came out in 2019 (yes i know that is going to set off EVERY alarm in people)

there was an infamous incident with tale of food and food fantasy where bots? fans? were review bombing food fantasy.....this is just a very VERY short summary of the event but i unfortunately dont remember who posted it (if its still even around)

both games have their differences, i suggest either trying both or watching videos on them....unless u already play one or both then uh...okey....

this isnt trying to sway people to play one over the other, as i play both (well i dont really play ff as much anymore but its still on my god dang phone) regardless of all the drama...like idk do what you want im not ur mom

[takavasen]

When talking about characters and whenether i like them or not, i like to put things in two categories:

Liking them as a character

And

Liking them as a person.

I will take Welcome to Night Vale as an example here, since my brain has not contained anything else for the past three months.

My two favourite characters: Carlos and Kevin. I like them for different reasons, both falling into those categories.

Carlos:

I do not like Carlos as a character. I think he is sometimes lazily written. I think Finknor has tried to write him as a person who struggles with his past and tries his best to hide from it while still being a loving person, but it ended up making him feel dismissive towards Cecil.

(Side note: in some of the more "casual" portrayals of him, it kind of feels like Finknor made "science" his only personality trait, but i know that is more just a joke. Also i think it was confirmed that Carlos is written to be neurodivergent in some way, so his science fascination could be and probably is a special interest thing.)

However, i love Carlos as a person. He is so sweet i can barely handle it. Hearing almost anything from him makes me smile (ignoring the implied conflict from the last episode, cough cough). Dylan Marron is a wonderful voice actor for him. He is canonically a gamer and i think that is the best thing ever. He is a good husband and father, while still having his flaws. His interactions with Cecil make my whole week better.

Kevin:

I love Kevin as a character. His story is interesting, and i would love to know more. He is one of the most tragic characters i can think of. He used to be a genuinely happy person, who fought back against an unstoppable force just for the change of saving what is important to him. He failed, and was made a part of that said force. His whole mind and being was twisted into something horrifying yet artificially happy, while he still had pieces of his old self left. He is implied to some day get rid of that force, left forever grieving over the life that was taken away from him by Strex. His story is one of the only fictional stories that actually make me upset. Finknor did a great job with making him disturbing.

As a person however, i hate him with my whole being. It is kind of obvious, isn't it? His voice awakens my fight or flight instingt. Kevin R. Free does amazing job with that. As i said, Kevin is a very disturbing character (surprise!) And i would absolutely punch him in the face if he was a real person. Ffs, he is sexually aroused by blood and moaned when his arm was corroding. What. He is hungry for power and control after he is somewhat freed from the infuence of Strex. He sugarcoats all the horrifying things that happen around him (caused by him).

Okay i think that's enough. Thank you for reading about my thoughts about fictional gay men who have consumed all my thoughts. If you have something to add, please do.

[thischristianguy]

The MCU problem is with getting new characters over. New characters and stories are a risk. If you want an example look at Echo. A good story with a great lead actor I have heard nothing about it but “meh”. And they will continue to struggle with planning those introductions. Why? because the transition in avengers cast and lead actors was thrown into disarray.

They were shot in the foot when Boseman died and the director they’d pinned a lot on refused to recast.

It also doesn’t help that one of their biggest properties is held by Sony who continues to foul the water with failed projects dispersed with a few big hits.

Add Covid, the strikes, and then Majors went and got involved in problems that looked real bad. While Majors looks like he’s doing better, which is great. I don’t see Disney calling for a few more years.

Black men have hurt them. So is that why still no Blade movie after ten years? They can’t put an Islamic black man front and centre?

Nostalgia continues to bring in the cash, but nostalgia can’t last. Eventually that bucket runs out.

In my opinion going back is short term gain. The Russo’s are part of the problem. Getting them back looks like short term gain.

The IP the MCU have is phenomenal. I am sure they are working hard to make the X-Men work. However this current situation has led to the current stunt with RDJ. How big his role as Doom will come to pass. I expect it to be mostly voice acting. And only the FF movie. But it could be more.

Just how desperate are they? Can they get new players in? Can they grow beyond the old squad of aging players? I hope so.

[katyspersonal]

Shabriri for soulsborne bingo

Ohhhh, THAT guy, lol. Yeah, I actually spammed DMs of Kris, @val-of-the-north and @heraldofcrow about this guy when I started to really think about him. There is a LOT to talk about in general on the topic of Frenzied Flame, selfishness/mercifulness of universal despair and his motivations, but I also really liked to analyse the character! I think he already was a skilled manipulator, since he needed to hold enough trust to convince that a whole large national/cultural group of people deserved to be buried alive. I imagine him having been an unpleasant person whom people generally tended to avoid, but who also proven his skills with wits and being right 200 too many times. A type of a person the ruler, or otherwise troubled people could go to for an advice, but a person nobody would want to get CLOSE to. Like, yeah, dude, cool service for the Golden Order, but also when you walk - people jump on the other side of the street just to avoid you fdsjfhsd

I figured his motivation being very depraved, criminal curiousity worked quite well as a motivation for unleashing Frenzied Flame... And after I learned who Allant was, I am even more convinced that "we already have a guy that was just too depressed to NOT ruin the world at home!" and Shabriri better be just evil. xD

There is not much of a 'design' of him besides his face depicted in an item, but also someone basically recreated his face perfectly with the sliders, and even shared so people could copy their homework: ( x ). I mean, LOOK at this:

That's him, ok? Thank you, person

I really love the voice acting, too. Technically it is not his voice, of course, but the VA for Yura and him is soooo great at changing the intonation and vibe that at first I didn't even realise it was the same actor o_o Him sounding so chill and then only breaking with 'MAY CHAOS TAKE THE WORLD' at the end is ICONIC. I also like to headcanon that whereas he takes it quite well if we aggro him (which, I remind you, for him means waiting other several centuries to accomplish his endgoal), like 'eh that's a shame', he would be FURIOUS if someone saw through his facade and called him out on manipulation and inconsistency with his logic. xd

Not to mention the prequel potential in which he talked with Vyke. I wonder in which body he'd be then... But yeah, he is just so interesting to think of. And always trying to find the line where impact of Three Fingers ends and his 'true' personality starts. Being a host/emissary of a force of the nature beyond humanity does that to a person, there is a blur between your will and its will. Like how Malenia holds Scarlet Rot within herself, he holds Frenzied Flame. What is his will and what is its will, and how well they resonate? I think there is a conflict; whereas FF is a self-destructive power of cosmic despair and existential loneliness, Shabriri just wants to see the world burn. xD

Thanks for the ask!

[voicefromthecorner]

Absolutely bang up job from the whole cast! I sang the praises of most folk throughout the game, but everyone was fantastic! Still, my favourite shout outs have to go to Paul Castro Jr., Griffin Burns, Miranda Parkin, Kitana Turnbull, Shaun Conde and Xander Mobus. All of them really brought each of their characters to life in such a vibrant and enthusiastic way whether they were being loud or quiet.

That said, nobody did a bad job and I loved hearing every single voice acted line, especially from the entire returning cast of the first game!

Haven't looked at the cast before now and now that I have that opportunity, what a line up! The Additional Voices line-up had more recognisable names in it! I hardly recognise anyone that wasn't in the original game. Apart from them, only Kanon, Ayano and Kubo have voice actors that I know on sight.

Looking up some of them, it's impressive how small some of the resumes are. Miranda Parkin and Max Udell, Nagi and Susukichi, have hardly been in anything at all, according to IMBD. That's extra impressive, considering they were playing two of the most loud and colourful characters in the cast and they absolutely succeeded at doing them justice! So massive props to them!

It's also quite encouraging to see that many of the original cast have a fairly sparse amount of roles. Folk like Crawford Wilson seems to have not really done much acting in recent years, with a multi-year gap between his last role and this. And Rhyme seems to be one of the most consistent roles that Ashley Rose has done despite only voicing her twice. It's really cool to know that all these people returned to voice their characters and while it was to a limited capacity for some of them, it was fantastic to hear them get to go full voice acting, going from minor clips and single lines to fully acted scenes. It's so great to get to hear them embody the characters to a fuller extent.

And Shiba. Man, I spent the whole game thinking that I must know his voice from somewhere - it was that good and that distinct. But I don't. Shaun Conde has had a few roles, but nothing this noteworthy (to me, at least). However, he's gonna among the new voice cast of the FF Crisis Core remake, voicing Genesis. I know some people are understandably salty about the recast for the remake, but I'm personally down to let some new blood have a go at those roles. And if they've got talent like our Shiba voicing it's main villain, that's a good sign that it's in good hands (or, er, voices).

So one last time, I applaud the work that went into every character in this awesome cast!

[itsvalentinoxh]

Is that (HAILEY VALENTINO)? They look so much like (ARIANA GRANDE). I heard they use (SHE/HER) pronouns and are (CISFEMALE). They also turned (TWENTY-FIVE) years old this year. They’re also famous for being a (SINGER/ACTRESS). I also read that they have (ONE) kid(s) and that they are (BISEXUAL). They are (ENGAGED) to (JACOB ELORDI OR SHAWN MENDES FC).

does Valentino sound familiar to you? if so, you must have heard of the famous and luxurious fashion brand, which is owned by one of Hailey's fathers; Giovanni Valentino. he's actually one of the biggest names in the fashion industry. her second father, Flavio, even if not as big of a name, took the reigns of his mother's (hailey's grandmother) luxury spas company. for that reason, the media has called her a nepo many times… and they aren’t wrong. ff course, there’s no denying Hailey’s amazing singing and acting skills, but she did have the privilege of private classes and easy access to the red carpet world through her family’s connections. as soon as Giovanni discovered Hailey could sing (which wasn’t that hard since she would sing allll the time as a little girl), he enrolled her in singing and piano lessons. She had already started working with an acting agency, as her parents hoped to make their daughter a famous child star. with the Valentino’s connections and Hailey’s talents combined, she did some commercials and voice acting here and there, but it's at 15 years old that she got one of the lead roles in "Acting Out", which was about a group of teens enrolled in a performance arts school and their adventures in the musical theater club they are in as well as in their daily lives*. from there, her singing skills were showcased; she got a role in Broadway, a spin-off of her first tv show with another co-star (wc) and signed with a music record in the same year.

*acting out is like victorious

her relationship with her parents was kind of distant, though, as they were both very busy and often relied on nannies to take care of Hailey and her brother (wc). it was also pretty hard on her to start working so young, and sometimes she feels like Giovanni did this to fulfill his own dreams. of course, he was known around the world for his creations but deep down he had always wanted to become an actor.

as an adult, Hailey focused on her singing career and now has 7 albums out. she's also now engaged with the father of her two year old daughter, daisy. *tba when her pair joins*. but the wedding might be problematic since Hailey started seeing this other person... (wc)

some random facts:

hailey is giovanni's biological daughter; they had her through a surrogate

she has a brother (wc) he can younger or older, adopted or through a surrogate as well

would love some friends, rivals, exes, best friend(s), cousins, etc. for her! i'm always down to plot x

basically all ariana's songs are hers

she loves big dogs; she has a female german shepherd named luna and one male harlequin great dane named tucker

tba

would love these connections for her: friends, besties, frenemies, rivals, exes, ex-flings/one night stands, confident, or dm me on discord to brainstorm x

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #625

Top Ten People Who Could Play Doctor Doom

Hey, did you see that they finally announced the cast for The Fantastic Four?

The official MCU debut of “Marvel’s First Family” has been a long time coming, and very much anticipated. With the original roster of movie Avengers mostly checking out, fans have eagerly awaited the comic book Big Guns coming out to play; specifically, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, two teams that are iconic in printed form and have vast storytelling potential.

The reveal – a beautiful piece of artwork showing the FF together in the Baxter Building, the actors’ likenesses rendered in brushstroke – was subtle but effective, and immediately had nerds poring over the picture to deduce plot details. The biggest takeaway was that the film appears to be set in the 1960s; possibly 1963, which was a Pretty Significant Year. If it is a period piece, what does that mean for established Marvel continuity? Are they somehow from “our” past, but lost in time and forgotten? Or – and this is my personal theory – are they in a parallel universe, another branch of the Sacred Timeline, and come Secret Wars they’ll end up in our universe too?

Anyway, now we know which actor will be adding flour to the sides of their head to play Mr. Fantastic, inevitably we all move our attention along to the next thing. Because the FF themselves are only part of the story; every hero needs a villain, and in the Marvel Universe Big Bads don’t come much bigger or badder than the Fantastic Four’s erstwhile nemesis, Doctor Doom. Presumably if we have the FF, then we have to have Doom, and that’s a hell of a big deal. Doom if such a huge, iconic, powerful villain, that Marvel have to get this right or the whole thing could fall apart. What happened with Kang – both the perceived disappointment of Quantumania and the sad fallout of Jonathan Majors’ personal behaviour – has, presumably, scuppered that character as a going concern; indeed, it’s all but certain now that the next Avengers movie – originally unveiled as The Kang Dynasty and heavily teased by Quantumania’s post-credit scene – is currently being feverishly reworked, and we could see both Avengers movies getting pushed back to accommodate the changes.

This can’t happen with Doom.

So, who can play Victor Von Doom, monarch of Latveria, technical genius, actual wizard, and wearer of the nattiest suit of armour this side of Stark Industries? It’s a tough one. Presumably – I mean, it’s an adaptation so anything goes – they need to be of an age with Pedro Pascal, who plays Reed Richards, as the two characters knew each other in college. But, y’know, that’s not a deal-breaker. All the same, I wouldn’t want some young whippersnapper in the role. So yeah, a guy in his late forties or his fifties, who can do menacing and imposing, who has some gravitas, but – crucially – can offer nuance and shade. Because Doom is a complex and interesting character, who’s not just a moustache-twirling supervillain. They have to have enough presence – and a cool enough speaking voice – to be able to emote behind a metal faceplate for, well, potentially the entirety of their time playing the character. It’s ironic that Pascal has already been cast as Doom’s great nemesis, really; he’s got form for essentially voicing a character in live-action.

One other wrinkle is Doom’s ethnicity. In the comics, he’s Romani; ideally, you’d want that to be maintained. Except I don’t actually know of any very prominent, A-list Hollywood actors of Romani descent. So how do you square that circle? Do a wider casting call to find less-known actors? Or just cast as appropriately as possible, hire writers or researchers with Romani heritage, and try to deal with it as respectfully as you can? I don’t know, really; I’m neither sufficiently knowledgeable about all of Hollywood, or the Romani to be able to answer that. So, well, I’ve kinda ignored it here. These are just ten guys.

(speaking of prominent Romani characters in comic books, Nightwing also has Romani heritage, on his mum’s side; as he’s probably going to appear in The Brave and the Bold before too long, and is of course a much younger character on whom less of the plot rests, I think you really could go all-out to cast a virtual unknown actor of Romani descent. That’d be cool)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, ten guys who could be Doom. Just picture them arguing with Squirrel Girl and you’ll get the picture.

Nicolas Cage: he’s a superstar. He’s a comic book fan. He’s an action hero. He’s a fantastic actor. And look: he can just go for it. I don’t think I need to say any more; think about it. Picture it. Nicolas Cage, doing Nicolas Cage, intoning lines like “Doom shall be master of the Earth!” One. Billion. Dollars.

Keanu Reeves: he can be imposing physically, but he has a sense of serenity that can be menacing if required. He’s not played many out-and-out bad guys before; imagine him channelling his John Wick intensity into pure malevolence? Only downside is there’s probably a sizeable portion of the planet who’d be very annoyed if we never saw his face.

Jason Isaacs: Isaacs, of course, has form playing buggers and baddies – he’s Hook, for goodness’ sake. He can spit venom with the best of them – he’s Rickman-level in terms of being, well, a British bad guy. He’s tall, he looks tough, he can be thoroughly charming when he needs to be, he’s a very good actor, and I think he deserves a role that properly turns him into a superstar.

Adrian Brody: a very good actor who’s mostly shied away from large-scale blockbuster filmmaking, he could bring a sense of wiry intensity to the role. He could totally nail Doom’s sense of superiority and also his insecurities, and Predators showed how he can handle the physical side of the role (he’s a tank in that movie).

Peter Stormare: Stormare is a bit older than all these other actors. But given that Doom has his face covered most of the time, it’s possible (likely?) that a lot of the physical stuff could be done by body doubles, Mando-style (let’s face it, a Thing-vs-Doom fight scene is probably mostly going to be CGI). Stormare can deliver thickly menacing dialogue but is also incredibly funny when called upon, giving Doom a deliciously wry delivery that could make him as charming as he is threatening. Also, let’s discuss accents; I guess Doom should sound like he’s from Eastern or Central Europe? Swedish Stormare is often called upon to play Russian, I’m sure he could do Latverian. But I’ve not worried too much about accents; someone like Isaacs or Brody could change it up I’m sure, but even if Doom sounded like Keanu Reeves you could just say he was educated in the US or something. It’s, y’know… not real.

Joaquin Phoenix: is it a bit first-base to have the Joker play Doctor Doom? Whatever, we know Phoenix could do this; he excels at morally-complex characters where he can double down on shades of grey. He’s very funny. He can do snarling malevolence – his Commodus in Gladiator is a comic book villain for the ages. And his casting would be big news; he’d bring a real sense of gravitas and importance to the role. But would he want to commit to multiple films for maybe a decade or more?

John Hamm: one of the things about Doom is that we never see his face; we know he used to be attractive, but is he scarred and deformed, or is it vanity that causes him to cover up (different stories suggest both or either). So casting someone very good-looking would be interesting. Hamm can do mean and arsey, and he can be very funny and charming; can he be evil? It’d be interesting to find out.

Claes Bang: perhaps an outlier on this list otherwise filled with A-list Hollywood talent, Bang would be a very interesting choice. A Danish actor with a perfect English accent, he’s probably best known over here as Dracula in the two-thirds-good Moffat/Gatiss adaptation. So we know he can play charming, devilish evil. Frankly he deserves a shot at a big Hollywood bad guy.

Denzel Washington: now we’re getting into the realms of feverish fanboy speculation and/or wish fulfilment. Washington – again, a fair bit older than most of these guys – is probably the greatest living screen actor. He can do anything. He could play Doom in a heartbeat; the nuance, the foibles, the inner pain, the bravado. And then he could get all Equalizer when the time came for action. Wouldhe want to, though?

Tom Cruise: ah, here we go. Yes, alright, let’s get it out of the way: he’s not as physical imposing as some of these other guys. But he’s Tom Cruise. Imagine Cruise as a vainglorious, egotistical tyrant-wizard-king, utterly convinced of his eternal rightness, waging war on, well, creation itself. He’s almost perfect to convey that sense of the character. He’s not bad at accents, either (erm, ignore Far and Away). He’s a relentless action star. He seems to be trying to transition into more, I guess, sedate fair; perhaps he’s hung up his IMF badge. Would he take the jump into a franchise, playing a major role? It’d be fascinating.  

Something that’s worth stating is there are quite a few actors – Mads Mikkelson, say – who’ve been, I don’t wanna say wasted exactly, but who are already “used up” as a Marvel villain. It’s a shame, given the size and scope of the MCU nowadays, that certain actors cropped up in one film just once and not given the chance to shine as an ongoing character. I mean, Idris Elba – a relatively small supporting character in Thor movies -  would have been great as Captain Britain, y’know? Or really anyone.

[blast0rama]

What I Liked From The Game Awards 2022

Once again, Geoff Keighley’s celebration of both the art — and economics — of video games is in the books, bookending awards that celebrate gaming with a non-stop deluge of announcement trailers, making sure you don’t just get excited about the games that came up, but dig deep into the hype.

There are other, more fully featured recaps of the awards show, which included an appearance by Al Pacino, a lengthy acceptance speech by God of War: Ragnarok voice actor Christopher Judge, and a surreal stage appearance at the end of the night by some random dude who may-or-may-not be a white nationalist, but at the end of the day, it was about games. And these are the reveals that got me excited.

Hellboy: Web of Wyrd

Technically from the pre-show, this reveal of the forthcoming (and I believe first?) Hellboy game stunned with its cell shaded style that makes it look like Mike Mignola art come to life. Definitely hoping this is one of the good comic-book-to-video-game adaptations.

Hades II

The game which made people love rogue-likes and want to romance its entire cast (and voice actors) is back for a second go, and it looks just as good as the first. I’ve been a fan of Supergiant Games since their first title, Bastion, so suffice to say, I’m going to be in the bag for this. My one bummer? I’m not a PC gamer so I won’t get to be a part of the early access fun.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

I really enjoyed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, so the idea of a more refined, more visually stunning sequel has me on board. I mean, how GREAT does this look? The line between video game graphics and movie CG continues to blur.

Death Stranding 2 (Working Title)

It’s Kojima, so you know from the jump, either you’re in or you’re out. Personally? I’m very in for more of his crazy nonsense.

Earthblade

The devs of indie darling Celeste are back, and it’s a ding-dang Metroidvania! THIS IS MY SHIT.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

FromSoftware games are very polarizing, and like this year’s Game of the Year award winner, Elden Ring, I feel like their next title — a return to their Armored Core franchise — is going to be one I respect more than I enjoy. But this reveal trailer is incredible. The visuals and music are absolutely stunning and worth showcasing for that alone.

Final Fantasy XVI

I’m going to be honest, I haven’t really been a major JRPG fan since I was a teenager and had a lot more time on my hands. But with each trailer for Final Fantasy XVI, I find myself more and more excited for its June release. Maybe it’s because this is the most “traditional” FF in style since, I dunno, IX? All I know is, I was very impressed with its traditional-RPG-by-way-of-Game-of-Thrones vibes, and I’ve added it to my wishlist.

For those who caught the show, what did you like? What didn’t work for you? And would the Academy Awards be infinitely better if it had all the biggest trailers for movies between awards? I say: maybe.

[henrysfedora]

leo galante has been on my mind help me. I so badly, wanna see young leo pull a goddamn daenerys targaryen moment fr, like let me see this mf absolutely pull the rug out from someones feet, like absolutely RUIN somebody, (young leo, not old leo who ruined vito and joe-) I want to see him just completely be a badass, whether it either be being a collected badass; standing there with his coat on his shoulders, gloves still on because rn its below him to take them off to give some bitch a hiding, his men will do it. or; an absolute mess of a man punching someone into the curb. if I don't see him in the prequel I will cry. I wanna see young leo fighting in a boxing ring, yes I want to see him play casual golf, yes his cigarette card from mde lives rent free in my head, the hair, the fit, the everything.

god I wanna see leo in the roaring twenties oml, I wanna see more of him in general from the 1900s up. leo and frank attending a fancy party at night time in the winter, leo cooling off out back of the party, standing in the snow and he gets absolutely betrayed by frank throwing snowballs at him outta nowhere.

I can't get over like a super cinematic, you know leo secretly slipping out back into the mansions now white gardens, tinted by orange lights, just chilling, it was too much in there especially after such a long time and he lost frank in there ages ago. and he rubs his hands together even though he's wearing gloves, it's that damn cold, the camera gets close to the front of him and then WHACK a snowball straight to the side of his face. he almost has a premature heart attack from the suddenness, then another one comes barrelling towards him when he finally sees frank and he is absolutely disgusted and pissed off and it takes him a good minute to start throwing them back because he is so ultimately caught off guard. leo hiding behind a tree with a snowball in his hands is so funny idk why, and there's like classic '20s music playing quietly in the background.

[cherrycheridarling]

lockscreen | t.h.

tom holland x famous!reader

warnings: none just fluff

summary: tom goes on jimmy fallon for a game of 'show me your phone'. being the oblivious child he is, tom forgets about his lockscreen.

wc: 1.4k

"Welcome back! We're here again with the star of the Spider-Man series, Tom Holland!" Jimmy's announcement drew cheers from the audience. "Tonight, we are going to be playing a game called 'Show Me Your Phone'."

Jimmy went on to explain the game to the crowd as Tom sat across from him patiently waiting. Jimmy pressed on the button first and ended up showing the world that his last photo was a selfie taken minutes ago in the washroom. That gained a lot of laughs. Then it was Tom's turn.

"I'm terrified. I don't even know what's on my phone." Tom shook his hands before firmly pushing the button. It landed on the iMessage icon. "Oh? My last text message convo?" he began to unlock his phone. Eyes skimming over his lockscreen.

"Yup, and once it's locked in, you can't touch it." Jimmy reminded him of the rules as Tom quickly skimmed through his last conversation.

Tom ran a hand down his face before chuckling, "Oh, geez. Alright, some context, I needed help picking a tie for tonight and my mate, Harrison, is nowhere near helpful."

He placed his phone in front of the camera as the conversation appeared for the audience to read.

Tom: haz what tie? red or blue?

Harrison: youre ugly either way

Tom: you look like dolores umbridge. pick a tie ffs

Harrison: mm my babe umbridge. jokes. i'd say purple

Tom: you're gross and no help at all

Harrison: have fun babe the bed is waiting for you

Tom: don't make me puke before i go on the show

Harrison: puke on me daddy

The crowd bursted out into laughter along with Jimmy as Tom covered his beet red face in embarrassment. "He is going to kill me for showing that." Tom was laughing as he spoke.

"That's hilarious! Okay, my turn." Jimmy ended up sharing a voice memo of him reminding himself to do chores around the house.

Tom wiped his hands on his pants before pushing the large button again. It landed on the lock icon. "What does that mean?"

"You have to share your lockscreen."

Tom's posture visibly stiffened at the information given. He wished he had gotten some warning before coming on the show. A caution sign telling him to erase everything on the iPhone.

His lockscreen was a memory. A keepsake. You. A piece of his heart. A reminder of happiness and the loving moments you shared with one another. It was taken a little over a year ago at Zendaya's house for a get-together with a few close friends.

You were propped up on the kitchen island, a wide smile on your face. Tom standing in between your legs with his back to your chest. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders as he tilted his head and placed a kiss on your cheek. Jacob Batalon had captured the moment. A heartwarming interaction that you had both done an outstanding job at keeping under wraps.

You had been dating for nearly two years. How you had managed to keep it hidden for such an extended amount of time was a wonder to everyone who knew, including yourselves. It wasn't that you were both set on no one ever finding out, you just never saw the need to. It was your relationship, only meant to be shared between the two of you.

Tom hoped you wouldn't be mad if the world found out, but he enjoyed the privacy and the feeling of having something that was only his. Something he didn't have to share with the globe. Tom debated on his options. Showing the picture and making headlines for the next week or refusing to do so and ruining the game while making everyone suspicious of him.

The former won.

"Okay, um." Tom nervously let out a laugh, "Surprise?"

With shaking hands, he placed his locked phone on the stand and avoided looking into the crowd as reactions varied throughout the studio. Gasps, cheers, 'aww's, even some screams. Both of his hands shielded his expression from the cameras as he allowed the audience to examine the photo.

"Oh, my god! W-what?!" Jimmy stammered, shocked what his eyes saw, "That's Y/N Y/L/N! A-are you two?" his eyes flicked from the phone to Tom.

Tom nodded slowly, "Yeah, yeah. It is and we are. Nearly two years steady." this intel drew more shocked reactions from the habitants of the studio.

"This is amazing! We love Y/N! But wow, how did no one know?!" Jimmy was still in disbelief.

Tom smiled at your name, "I may be loose-lipped with movie spoilers, but this is proof that I can keep secrets."

Jimmy's mouth was agape, "I have so many questions and you are so lucky that we are out of time."

Tom released a breath he didn't know he was holding as Jimmy said goodbye to the cameras and they stopped recording.

As Tom made his way backstage to head to his hotel, his heart began to beat out of his chest as he thought about your reaction.

-

Lounging on his hotel comforter, Tom pulled out his phone once again and clicked on your contact. m'lady. Pressing the FaceTime icon.

Your bright smile lit up the screen, illuminating his mood like the sun on a stormy day.

"Hello, lover. To what do I owe the pleasure of this late night call?" you chuckled while sitting up against the headboard of your bed, Tessa laying beside you.

Tom couldn't suppress his grin at your presence even if it was through a screen, "Hi, darling. I didn't know if you would be awake. Isn't it nearly three in the morning there?"

You nodded and pushed your glasses up on your nose, "Had to run some lines with Tess before filming tomorrow. She's a great actress." you panned the camera over to the sleeping pup.

"Sometimes I think you're only with me for my dog." he joked with a light laugh.

"Shoot. I thought I had you fooled." you teased back, "Why did you call, bum?"

He scratched the back of neck and avoided looking at the screen. That was enough for you to know that something was up.

"What part of your movie did you spoil this time?" you chuckled.

Tom shook his head with a smile, brown curls flopping on his head, "Nothing about my film, love. More or less about us." he mumbled the last bit, but you heard it.

Your shoulders tensed involuntarily, "I'm gonna need more information than that."

"We were playing a game where you have to show certain things on your phone and I had to show my lockscreen and, well, you know what my lockscreen is." his nerves grew with every second that your face stayed expressionless.

"Okay. How did they react?" you stifled a yawn.

Tom's eyebrows furrowed at your response, "Y-you're not mad?"

You chuckled, "Do you want me to be mad?"

"No, no, no." he quickly protested, "I just didn't know if you were ready to tell the world about us and I'm sorry for not informing you before making that big of a step in our relationship."

You smiled at the caring boy in your life. His thoughtfulness overpowering any negative emotions that could've surfaced. You weren't mad at all. Two years was a long time to keep a relationship hidden especially when both of the parties are well known to the public.

"No need to apologize, mi amor. It was about time everyone found out. Long overdue if you ask me. I would've appreciated a heads up, but I'm not mad." you insisted, and it was true.

Tom visibly relaxed at your words, "The audience was shocked and some gushed and screamed. Can't wait to see the headlines and news articles tomorrow."

"I can see it now: 'Spider-Man Actor, Tom Holland and Actress, Y/N Y/L/N's Hidden Love'." you spoke in a mocking voice making your boyfriend laugh.

"Can't forget; 'All the evidence of their relationship that the public overlooked'." he joked in the same tone as you both laughed together joyously.

Your laughter died down while a peaceful smile lingered on your lips, "I'm glad you had fun tonight. I should get some rest. Need to be in hair and makeup at seven."

He nodded understandingly, "Have fun on set, darling. I'll talk to you later. Goodnight, sleep tight, sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, sleep tight, sweet dreams, lover." you gave a little wave before ending the call.

[greenyvertekins]

What do you think of sonic prime

I reserve judgment until seeing an adequate number of episodes but my feelings so far can be summed-up as;

PROS - Sonic's new voice actor. I really like the voice itself and I respect the actor for being truly passionate about the series and courteous. He's a great guy. - The premise. It has tons of potential. The multiverse thing is the most intriguing concept in the series in quite a while. - The CGI quality in general. CONS - Flynn YET AGAIN sticking his dirty little finger in this pie. FFS, why are you giving this guy so much influence SEGA!? - The "snappiness" of the animation. Not my cup of tea. I'd like a little more subtlety, less hyper. - Pollock not voicing Dr Eggman.

[wortverlust]

I'm sorry for spamming your inbox today.... And I seriously hope that you've been taking care of yourself. How are you doing today? Make sure to drink plenty of water, eat food, and get rest!

Right!!! I came here to gush about FF7! And....well I can gush endlessly about any of the games I play but anywho...

FF7 Rebirth was announced for next winter and THIS year they announced FF7 Crisis Core Reunion! My favorite FF7 character is Zack Fair. Reunion will be the remastered version of the 2007 PSP game! I've been waiting for it since after the game first came out. I thought it was so weird that they never offered the game on any other console.

I'm NOT fond of the new English voice actor.....he isn't bad I don't think but his voice doesn't match the character in my opinion. Still I'm excited!

(I miss Rick Gomez....TT.TT (Zack's original English VA))

I'll have to look those games up!!!! X3

I love to watch my sister play Phasmaphobia...lol.

There are so many great games. I'm always up for geeking out about....well.....anything really but yeah...games. Books. Movies. Food. Spicy anything..... IT'S SO SPICY!!! XD (I had to I'm a little sleep deprived)

ILY SWEET BEAN!

Oh ho ho ho…I know what to play then (: (I just played 2 FF games… THIS IS THE ONLY THING I REGRET IN MY LIFE…. but I never had a Playstation when I was younger. I remember starring at the game covers in the store tho~)

So I always plan on catching up with Final Fantasy…but I never have/ had enough time… definitely have to catch up by the way ^^

and Oh OH…I forgot one of my fav games…do you know…Danganronpa? (I LITERALLY WAS ADDICTED WHILE PLAYING ejewpifhwihfewihfw)

and oh…yeah… I know what you mean ^^ … That's actually the reason why I can't watch Attack on Titan in german… Levi has the same voice actor as Castiel from Supernatural AND I SWEAR I CAN SEE CASTIEL WHEN I HEAR THAT MANS VOICE

[finalfantasyix]

Meet The Team Working On A Final Fantasy 9 Remake You’ll Never Get To Play

Final Fantasy 9: Memoria Project is a fan homage like nothing we've ever seen before. “It is no secret that fan projects get shut down all the time,” Dan Eder tells us about Final Fantasy 9: Memoria Project, a fan-driven love letter to the classic JRPG. It isn’t aiming to be a playable remake of the epic adventure though - instead, it’s an aesthetic homage to its timeless world and characters.

It’s somewhat anomalous in the world of community creations, but Eder wants to use this distinct identity to craft something truly special, even if many obstacles stand in the way of making it a reality. But the team keeps moving forward: “Without a doubt, some of the most frequent comments we get from naysayers is ‘have fun with it while it lasts’ or ‘cease and desist incoming’”, Eder explains. “People are understandably skeptical of the longevity potential of yet another passion project. The key difference is that, unlike those projects, Memoria is essentially an elaborate piece of fan art, nothing more - it will have no actual gameplay, will never be released to the public, and is nothing more than a ‘what-if’ scenario. [It’s] no different from any other fan-made piece of artwork. We have never, and will never, make a single dollar out of this project, and are basically doing this for the personal gratification of the fans.”

The genesis of Memoria Project dates all the way back to Eder’s younger years, with dreams of a potential FF9 remake entering his imagination soon after the original game’s launch. That’s no great surprise - millions still regard Final Fantasy 9 as the series’ finest hour. “While it's true that the project really started to pick up steam a few months ago, it wouldn't be a stretch to say I've been planning it since high school,” Eder explains. “I remember scribbling ‘FF9 remake’ on my notepad during classes and writing imaginary new features and battle system mechanics, starting online petitions to remake FF9 for the PS2, sketching drawings depicting scenes from the ‘FF9 sequel’ and whatnot. I could confidently say that my life would probably have been completely different had my older brother not borrowed this game from his friend in the summer of 2000.

“As a non-native English speaker who had never played an RPG up until that point, my first playthrough was a challenging experience to say the least, and I can honestly say that I understood literally nothing of what was going on the first time I finished the game (how I even managed to beat it is a mystery in and of itself). It didn't really matter to me though, since I was absolutely enamored with the incredible cast of characters, jaw-dropping FMV sequences, mesmerizing music, thrilling gameplay, and just the overall atmosphere and charm it exuded at every step. My unconditional love for this game persisted throughout my entire childhood and adult life, and it is one of the central reasons why I chose to become a 3D character artist in the video game industry. In short, this project is my way of thanking this game for everything it has done for me over the past 21 years.”

Eder’s passion for this game can be found across several industry professionals who grew up with games like this and wanted to replicate them, or create something entirely unique to live up to their brilliance. This is very much how Memoria Project found its feet, beginning life as a trivial side activity before blossoming into something infinitely more ambitious. It still has a long way to go, but there’s little urgency to reach the finish line, so the team can take their time and just enjoy the nostalgic indulgence of it all.

“Memoria actually started unofficially as a side project when I reached out to Colin Valek [of] Sucker Punch Studios in early 2020 after I came across his fanart of an environment from FF7,” Eder says. “I had already modeled Princess Garnet, and thought it could be a fun idea to combine our talents to reimagine the opening area of Alexandria. Initially, it was progressing at a snail's pace - we were slowly chipping away at it for over a year without making a lot of progress. While Colin continued modeling the buildings, I created another character - Vivi.”

This glacial pace received a resurgence of sorts in January when the Alexandria scene was finally complete, with Eder and company finally being able to see how much potential the project had if it was opened up to a larger range of creators. “When I posted that WIP screenshot, the response from fellow FF fans was overwhelmingly positive, more than we could have imagined,” Eder remembers. “Very quickly, other people from the gaming industry started reaching out - environment artists, animators, riggers, concept artists. That's when I decided to turn this side project into a full-fledged modern reimagining of the original game, while always making sure to emphasize the fact that this is a non-playable proof-of-concept, since we never have any intention of doing anything to violate Square Enix's copyright. Four months after officially announcing the project, we've grown from a couple of FF fanboys to a huge team of over 20 industry veterans working collaboratively to honor this masterpiece, fueled by our love and adoration for the source material.”

Now, the project has over 20 developers from Sucker Punch, Ubisoft, Rare, Unbroken Studios, and more all diving into this labour of love in their spare time, with composers and voice actors also contributing their talents to help make this glimpse into the world of Final Fantasy 9 worth celebrating. But Eder is aware of being overly enthusiastic, knowing that fan projects like this often doom themselves by undertaking something that isn’t feasible with so few resources.

“One of the most common traps for these kinds of fan projects is being overly ambitious,” Eder says. “Since all of us are actively working in the video game industry, we understand the importance of milestones, short term goals, and taking things one step at a time. For now, we are focusing our efforts on the opening sequence of the game, which mainly revolves around Vivi and his exploration of Alexandria. Where we go from here is still being discussed, but one thing I can say for sure is that Vivi will not be the only main character we're planning to include.” I’m told that Memoria is aiming to look indistinguishable - at least from a graphics perspective - from something you’d see in a triple-A blockbuster, and it seems the team has the pedigree to back that claim up.

Visuals are the entire point after all, since turning this project into a playable piece of media would require far more resources to create. By narrowing its focus, Memoria is able to deliver something special while also hopefully avoiding the ire of Square Enix. “The fact that this is a non-playable project definitely makes it easier for us to tailor the experience in a way that would truly allow the audience to be fully immersed in the world without having to worry about technical limitations,” Eder tells me. “Creating actual functional gameplay is a completely different ball game, one that we never had any intention of even discussing given the copyright limitations. This gives us a lot of leeway with how we are going to portray the world of Gaia in terms of character interaction, camera movement, [and] scene transitions. We have a lot of cool plans for the near future - please look forward to it!”

As for the sad truth of fan projects like this often being wiped from existence by publishers throwing out cease and desist letters, Eder is confident that Memoria occupies a niche where this won’t happen. It’s not a commercial or even playable product - it’s a piece of fan art, albeit an endlessly elaborate one. If the tides were to change, Eder believes companies should welcome the enthusiasm for experiences like this.

“If I were to be completely honest, I think it could be a potentially brilliant decision by Square Enix to do something wildly unexpected and invest in a project like this,” Eder states. “There's a considerable amount of hype, talent, motivation, and pure, unadulterated passion behind it. It's not something I would expect, but I think it could be incredibly helpful in regaining some of the trust and reverence that this legendary company was known for during its golden years.”

(source)