#and the battles are refreshingly fast paced

[doubleedgemode]

I decided to dip into Darkstalkers: Warriors of the Night and after two hours of getting beaten up by this annoying, unjust fireball-thrower vampire I must say, after having finally defeated him*:

Fuck you Demitri

*I admit I had to use savestates inbetween each match that I could finally win in order to not lose it, which took me a good while on itself

[spider-mandaily]

Alright, so I've been receiving many asks about my review for the first 2 episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and I think that now is an appropriate time to do it!

Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man reinvents the classic Spidey formula by making a daring change to Peter Parker’s mentorship. Rather than being guided by Tony Stark, this version of Peter finds himself under the watchful eye of another billionaire genius—Norman Osborn. That’s right, the man who is best known in the comics as the Green Goblin, Spider-Man’s greatest foe. This fresh, alternate-reality take on the MCU’s Spider-Man is what makes the show so compelling. It introduces a unique dynamic that sets it apart from the countless other Spider-Man adaptations across television, film, games, and comics. By altering Peter’s traditional superhero journey, the series injects an element of excitement—and just the right touch of menace.

Interestingly, while Marvel already has an animated series dedicated to exploring alternate realities—What If…?—this new show delivers one of the most intriguing "What If" concepts in recent memory, even though it’s not officially part of that franchise. The world of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man shares plenty of similarities with the MCU, but key differences emerge in surprising ways as the story unfolds. Even Peter’s iconic origin story gets a dramatic revamp, with his fateful spider bite now linked to a chaotic Midtown High battle featuring none other than Doctor Strange and a mysterious creature.

Rather than retreading the familiar beats of Peter first discovering his powers, the story skips ahead by three months, sparing audiences the usual montage of web-slinging trial and error. By this point, Peter is already balancing school, financial struggles, romantic troubles, and the everyday chaos of being a young superhero. His talents soon earn him an internship at Oscorp, setting the stage for his uneasy yet fascinating relationship with Norman Osborn.

Beyond the shift in mentorship, nearly every aspect of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man takes a fresh approach to the Spider-Man mythos while still preserving the essence of what makes the character timeless. The show’s animation style, inspired by the legendary work of Steve Ditko and John Romita Sr., bridges the gap between nostalgia and innovation, making this bold new take on Peter Parker feel both familiar and refreshingly different.

I think that the 3D cel-shaded animation in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man does an impressive job of replicating the aesthetic of classic 2D hand-drawn comics. It truly feels as though the art of Steve Ditko and John Romita Sr. has been brought to life. The action sequences are fluid and fast-paced, occasionally incorporating comic panel-style framing as a fun nod to Spidey’s roots. Adding to the show’s charm is a great deal of physical comedy, as this version of Peter Parker is particularly accident-prone. His web-slinging is thrilling, packed with breathtaking acrobatics—though, if we’re being nitpicky, his skills seem a bit too refined for someone who’s only been a superhero for three months.

That said, while the animation mostly delivers, it isn’t without its flaws. Some character movements can feel a little awkward, and the background details leave something to be desired. It’s certainly not at the same artistic level as Arcane, but for the most part, the visuals serve the story well and capture the right energy.

One of the biggest shake-ups in this version of Spider-Man is its supporting cast. Longtime favorites like Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, and Flash Thompson are absent, but their absence isn’t strongly felt thanks to a fresh lineup of new characters that bring their own unique dynamics. While Peter has navigated high school many times before, he’s never done so with this particular group of friends. His closest ally here is Nico Minoru, a sharp-witted and sarcastic presence that Marvel fans will recognize from Runaways. Meanwhile, Harry Osborn has been completely reimagined—he’s now a wealthy teenage social media influencer. Taking over the traditional jock role usually reserved for Flash is Lonnie Lincoln, a standout character who defies expectations. Instead of being a stereotypical school bully, he’s an intelligent, friendly, and supportive teammate to Peter. (A word of caution—if you want to avoid spoilers, steer clear of looking up Lonnie’s comic book history!)

Moreover, Peter Parker’s high school experience has been explored countless times, but Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man gives it a fresh twist. While he’s still the same science-loving dork at heart, this version of Peter isn’t the social outcast we’re used to seeing. Instead, he’s well-liked, even respected by the kind of jocks who, in other iterations, would’ve made his life miserable. While it’s refreshing to see Peter embraced by his peers, this shift comes with a trade-off—he no longer embodies the struggles of the underdog, the bullied, or those who feel like they don’t belong. The classic theme of perseverance in the face of social alienation feels noticeably absent.

Among the show’s teenage characters, Lonnie Lincoln unexpectedly emerges as one of the most compelling. Torn between his aspirations as a football star and the pressure to become involved with a gang to support his family, his journey closely parallels Peter’s own internal battle with responsibility. Their friendship becomes one of the show’s emotional anchors, with each difficult decision they face carrying lasting consequences that build toward dramatic turning points.

Lonnie’s arc is also one of the show’s most grounded, touching on real-world challenges, particularly issues that affect young Black men, such as racial profiling by law enforcement. Interestingly, the Osborn family is reimagined as Black in this version, yet they don’t experience the same struggles—likely due to the protection their immense wealth and influence provide. This subtle inclusion of social commentary adds depth to the series, especially within a superhero story that largely revolves around action and adventure. The show also does a commendable job of portraying a genuinely diverse New York City. However, compared to animated series like Static Shock or Avatar: The Last Airbender, which more directly engage with themes of discrimination and systemic inequality, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man only scratches the surface. There’s untapped potential for the show to explore these themes more meaningfully, should the writers decide to take it in that direction.

The animation in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man does a remarkable job of evoking the look and essence of classic hand-drawn Spider-Man comics.

Firstly, the title cards for these episodes are masterfully crafted, brimming with visual storytelling and homage to Spider-Man’s comic history. The first card, where Peter is swinging through the city while holding a panicked Harry Osborn, immediately sets a playful yet action-packed tone. It cleverly underscores Peter’s dual roles as both a friend and hero, capturing the essence of their dynamic in just a single frame. The vibrant colors and comic-inspired framing make it feel like a panel straight out of a classic Spider-Man issue, and I absolutely adore how it uses Harry's exaggerated panic to inject humor into the heroism. What’s particularly clever is how the card subtly echoes the Amazing Fantasy #15 cover, where Peter swings into action in a similar pose, giving a nod to Spider-Man's very first appearance. The reference adds another layer of depth, blending the classic with the contemporary which really demonstrates that we, as viewers of the show, are about to really know who Spider-Man is and will be.

The second title card, referencing the Brand New Day comic cover, is another brilliant nod to Spider-Man’s comic roots. The pose of Peter in mid-swing, paired with the backdrop of Oscorp Tower, not only mirrors iconic imagery from the comics but also hints at the deeper narrative threads involving Norman Osborn. The Oscorp logo looming in the background serves as a subtle reminder of the tension and conflict brewing in Peter’s world. This card encapsulates the blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling that makes the show shine.

What I truly love about these title cards is how they celebrate the artistry of Spider-Man’s comic legacy. Each card feels like a love letter to longtime fans (like myself) while also welcoming new viewers into the fold. The way they encapsulate the episode’s themes and relationships in such a visually engaging and referential manner is a testament to the creators’ understanding and appreciation of Spider-Man’s history. It’s little details like these that elevate the show and make it a joy to watch for both casual viewers and die-hard fans.

Furthermore, as expected from any Spider-Man story, the theme of responsibility plays a central role. What sets this series apart, however, is the way Norman Osborn presents his own take on Uncle Ben’s legendary lesson about power and responsibility—one shaped by the mindset of a calculating and authoritative businessman. Watching Peter’s early superhero journey unfold under Norman’s morally ambiguous guidance results in some of the season’s most compelling moments, highlighting the weight of their mentor-student dynamic.

Both lead performances bring a striking level of authenticity to their characters. Hudson Thames, reprising his role as Spider-Man from What If…?, gives Peter a youthful, slightly scratchy voice reminiscent of Tom Holland’s, capturing his earnestness and big-hearted nature. Meanwhile, Colman Domingo—two-time Academy Award nominee—delivers a commanding portrayal of Norman Osborn, blending authority with an unsettling amount of warmth and charisma. His performance makes it easy to see why Peter, still inexperienced and eager to improve, would be drawn to Osborn’s mentorship. There’s an almost sinister dramatic irony in their relationship; longtime fans know exactly what Norman is capable of, yet this version of Peter remains oblivious to the danger lurking beneath his mentor’s polished exterior. It’s almost easy to forget that he’s supposed to be the Green Goblin; it’s no surprise that the young and impressionable Peter Parker is so quick to accept his offer to help him become a better hero.

This take on Norman Osborn is more layered than just another maniacal supervillain. He’s portrayed as a calculated industrialist, a deeply flawed father, and even—strangely enough—a compelling motivational speaker. Seeing how he perceives the sudden emergence of superheroes as a problem, and how he envisions Spider-Man as the solution, adds another layer of intrigue to the story.

At the same time, the series does a fantastic job of weaving in references to the wider MCU while keeping its focus firmly on Peter and his personal struggles. Even the surprise superhero cameos enhance the narrative rather than overshadow it. In terms of timeline placement, this reality branches off just after the events of Captain America: Civil War. The show cleverly integrates this context by having characters debate and discuss the aftermath of the Sokovia Accords—the divisive legislation that sought to regulate superheroes under government oversight—through headlines and conversations rather than direct exposition.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man rises above the countless other Spidey-related shows, games, movies, and comics in a truly remarkable way. The series expertly introduces multiple villains throughout the story, carefully developing them over time and establishing them as real threats to Spider-Man. One villain, in particular, whose potential was never fully realized in the MCU, is brought to life here in a way that genuinely had me worried for Spidey’s safety. The character designs for these antagonists are also outstanding, with some taking a fresh approach while others seem to leap right off the pages of a classic comic. Every villain is a standout in their own right. Even some of the most infamous, known for their evil genius and calculated plans, are given welcome new depth, including a surprising dose of humor that adds a refreshing twist to their personalities!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is an absolute blast to watch. By replacing Tony Stark with Norman Osborn as Peter Parker’s mentor, the show delivers 10 episodes of deviously fun superhero entertainment. The way it concludes shows that Marvel has a treasure trove of exciting (and unexpected) ideas they’re ready to dive into in the upcoming second and third seasons, which Disney+ has already greenlit. This series offers a fresh and thrilling spin on Spider-Man, packed with unexpected twists and delightful surprises, including fun superhero cameos and jaw-dropping plot developments. The incorporation of real-world issues adds an element of authenticity, though it’s mostly just a backdrop for an action-packed show filled with great characters. While the animation has a few odd quirks, it overall works well, contributing to the lively pacing. With razor-sharp writing and a knack for delivering both laughs and gasps each episode, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man delivers exactly what we fans need—especially for a character whose stories have been explored so extensively. I strongly recommend anyone to give it a try! It's a must-watch!

[magnorious]

Hazbin Hotel is the Perfect Musical for People Who Hate Musicals

*Spoiler Free!*

I watched this on recommendation and the pitch was “the cast is filled with Broadway performers, also there’s an aro/ace and he’s amazing”. Broadway is never an enticing detail for me.

I heard the name “Hazbin Hotel” and assumed the plot would be about “has-been” performers staying at the hotel trying to regain relevance through a series of convoluted musical numbers and big dance numbers and boy, was I completely wrong.

Charlie, Lucifer’s daughter, is attempting to redeem souls in Hell so they get a second chance at going to Heaven to save them from extermination by the forces of Heaven, because Hell is becoming overcrowded with sinners. She created the “Hazbin Hotel” as sinner rehab to save her friends.

The show reminds me a lot of Phineas and Ferb in that every single episode features a song and dance, in a show about kids living up their summer vacation building wild and wacky inventions while a pharmacist battles his arch-nemesis platypus in the B-plot. That the show is at all a “musical” is just icing on the cake — not the entire cake.

I might not like Broadway, but I respect it for the art form that it is, and still this show didn’t feel “Broadway”. The songs were explicitly not-meta, no huge cabaret dance and chorus, and except for one single track, no song felt mis-matched to the images on screen (Carmilla’s power ballad felt a little over the top, if great independently).

And, like Phineas and Ferb, everything was so sincere that it went so far into ridiculous and came out the other side wildly entertaining. There was not a single boring character, a single dull voice acting performance, a single scene where I lost interest.

This show is hysterical if you don’t like comedies either, because the dialogue is so fast-paced and witty, throwing insults and slinging dry humor in blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments. I have to watch it again just to pause and catch all the background details.

And speaking of details! This show is also a perfect example of why animation is not inferior to live action. It’s so refreshingly un-Disney in its character design and so far removed from attempting to ground its animation. I did have trouble at first distinguishing characters from background elements because their silhouettes are so zany, but that faded fast. Arcane and Spiderverse are beautiful achievements in animation, but this is a cartoon through and through.

Every single character (except Adam, his minion angel, and the English Vee demon) are adorable and every silhouette is unique. For a show that’s four hours long, every major character gets the chance to shine and they pack a ton of characters into four hours. Every single character is sincere in who and what they are, fully marinated in this wacky world that would crumble if any one performance didn’t embrace the craziness.

And among the performances, every time they cursed and sang about wildly inappropriate content, I pictured posh Broadway performers in the recording studio having the time of their lives in a role they could never put on stage in front of mass audiences and it was hilarious.

The main cast is also fantastic. Main character – Charlie – could so easily have gone from endearing to annoying with her optimism but she rides that line perfectly. Characters might find her annoying and her rank as the Devil’s daughter is her shield, but no one who calls her their friend makes fun of her behind her back. They know she cares, and they care about her.

Four hours isn’t enough time for plot contrivances and the show knows it. Anyone else would draw out the “liar revealed” plot line for drama and filler fodder for an entire episode and Hazbin doesn’t. Another show would have the double-agent act do more damage and not get them discovered immediately. Another show would draw out a heroic sacrifice with rousing violins and horns and slow motion — not Hazbin.

The rest of the main cast – Vaggie, Alastor, Nifty, Husker, Angel, Sir Pentious — have incredibly strong personalities in the time they were given to shine and even the side characters aren’t lost in the shuffle. I think Alastor is most everyone’s favorite and he’s mine as well. I liked that, as I said above, he genuinely cares about something he probably shouldn’t with the success of Charlie’s hotel. He’s plotting and scheming in the background but he’s not a liar or a pretender and everyone is aware of those plots and schemes. A lesser show would have made him a shrewd villain. I was rooting for everyone to escape their lots in life and succeed almost the moment they appeared on screen, endeared to the entire main cast in seconds because this is a group of friends that are genuinely friends.

The show is Amazon’s, and with that comes permission for all manner of foul language and mature content and it does get dark but never gratuitously dark like Amazon’s Invincible or The Boys. There’s a very polite and considerate content warning for depictions of assault and while I guessed the character it happened to, I expected a lot worse given the platform I watched it on. It didn’t need to be violent or graphic to get the point across, so kudos for respectful restraint.

Lastly, the musical numbers themselves. I grew up watching the Disney Renaissance movies and I have seen productions of Broadway shows. It’s the culture that bothers me, not the performances. So I never anticipated hating the songs and, save for one sung by a random minor character in Heaven, every single track was a banger with incredible variety. The lines are sharp and witty (and take full advantage of being rated 16+) and insanely catchy.

I already feel late to the party with this review and the season just wrapped up. For anyone else who either looked at the title, or the art style, or heard “it’s a musical” and kept scrolling, Hazbin Hotel will surprise you at every turn with its refreshing sincerity, incredible animation, and endearing characters you can’t wait to see more of in season 2.

[polyamoryisbestgirl]

Mato Shihei no Slave

TLDR: Slave to Hells Soldiers is a really fun adventure full of flashy action, well thought out characters, and a story that makes you want to dive deeper or (in my personal opinion) even inspire you to add to the world

Summary: When the monster-filled world of Mato opened in modern day Japan, the whole world is threatened by the Shuuki that inhabit it. Even more mysterious are the peaches found in Mato as they give women who eat them special powers. Yukki Wakura is an average student who when walking home one day, worrying about his future as an office worker, a gate opens before him. During his rescue the captain of the demon corps 7th unit Kyouka Uzen grants him extraordinary strength and a monstrous form... as her slave. 

Romance: StHS is action first and romance second, but that's not to say that the romance is bad!. With the strong characters and the dynamics built between them, there is a great foundation that the authors build upon very well. 

Action: StHS action is extremely well done, maybe even some of the best I have seen. It is flashy, and fun, and builds to be larger than life. Refreshingly, you can really feel the growth of the characters through practice and new techniques, rather than getting a new big power up right before the big boss.

Slave to Hell's Soldiers (Mato Seihei no Slave, officially localized as Chained Soldier) is an erotic action manga with romantic subplots, written by Takahiro and illustrated by Youhei Takemura. This review will be up to chapter 125 as that is what I  have access to unless some major things do change.  When I read it a year or two ago I enjoyed it enough, but, coming back and rereading for this review had me falling in love. The story is quick but done very well, with very few scenes that don't build the story, the world, or the characters and their dynamics. It's a prime example of efficiency in writing. When not building up the story or characters, it is pure action and - sometimes - pure fan service. The Action is fast and fluid - doing a good job of keeping you on the edge of your seat. Even if you know who will win (and there are times where you might be wrong) StHS keeps you wondering what will come next. StHS has built enough faith and trust with me to feel that my recommendation is worth it.

If you look at the story from just a beat-by-beat perspective, then it really is not too out of the ordinary. How those moments are crafted, though, really brings the whole manga to life. The efficiency of the story comes from author skill and maximizing the use of every scene. Most if not all scenes fit multiple purposes, never is there a moment of dead air. A good example of this would be the fan service: It starts off purely for the erotica, but as the audience and characters would be getting used to its presence, Takahiro adds more elements to it. A good example is how everyone reacts to having to do sexual favors as a reward for Yuuki.  Another example is how the characters talk about the latest battle - or what their plans for the next battle, thus adding even more characterization. 

There is an exception: the action. StHS is about action first and foremost; and it takes the  time to let you really enjoy it. There is still some characterization and story in these moments, but the focus never moves away from the fight. Unlike a lot of other action stories that have the protagonist get stronger with a power up seemingly out of nowhere, the reader sees Yuuki and the rest of the Mato Corps train and think about new strategies - even if we don't see them in action until the next large threat comes along a few chapters later. Allowing the growth feels earned and worked for in the quickly paced story of StHS. 

Even when we look at the action as isolated moments instead of as a whole, it is larger than life, often with threats that could take out entire cities if not more - and you really feel the threat. There is not a major fight that is one sided. The person in control is passed back and forth as both sides use different strategies and learn to fight each other mid-combat. That is, with the exception of The Commander of the Defence Corp, who can seemingly take out any threat that comes her way - to the point that no threat that even makes her worry has come yet. It's hard to write a character so overpowered whose strength is still felt. Slave to Hell's Soldiers accomplished it. The protagonists don't win every time, they don't lose in a major way where someone dies or is injured in lasting ways (mostly due to healing powers), but even without that threat you stay on the edge of your seat, biting to find what happens next.

Right after a large fight things need to wind things down and let you rest before the action kicks up again, StHS does this by having Kyouka Uzen's slave ability give a "Reward". This reward system is described as giving a fitting reward to the slave for the work they did based on their latent desires. For Yuuki, this tends to be erotic. There is some level of dubious consent - as the people giving the reward have no control of their bodies - but after Yuuki learns what the reward tends to be, he talks to whoever would be using the power and they have reason they would be ok with the sexual acts. Oftentimes they see the rewards as a means to an end. Others like Yuuki enough that they would do the same acts even without it being forced. In the case of Tenka, she just joins in without any need to, though I would love to see the form Yuuki takes under her control. 

This does bring up the problem of age, though. Yuuki starts the story as a highschool senior, and the character ages are never stated in the story or even in the character bios between chapters. There are hints that time has passed and the cast has since aged, such as when Yuuki calls his friend and they mention that they haven't talked since they were in high school - as if they were in college or were an office worker. With younger characters such as Nei Ookawamura - who is in elementary School they tone it down to the point that it is no longer sexual. She only gives him a kiss on the cheek or head pats. 

The reasoning Slave to Hell's Soldiers provides for having its erotic moments is very light, and it's obvious that it is only there as much as is needed, as it doesn't build on other parts of the manga. It never becomes a point of conflict in the story, but it does build on the lighthearted tone that the series has. 

Outside of the erotic moments, the romance is done very gradually, and hasn't taken the focus of any chapter. There is a lot of character building and showing the relationship growth between Yuuki and the rest of the cast, giving StHS a stable foundation for when the romantic relationships do take a more solid form. Having established that they do care for each other a lot, but explained to the audience (and the chief to herself), as being a fellow soldier or worker rather than romantic. This stays the case until Kyouka starts becoming jealous of Yuuki spending time with other girls. 

Jealousy In stories is a double edged sword. If done well, you can have characters show more emotions - which is especially useful if the character keeps emotions hidden away from others and themselves. Done poorly, it leads to the audience being annoyed at a character and the plot entirely, as the easiest solution of communicating with each other is avoided. In Slave to Hell's Soldier's, it is done beautifully: as they set up the jealousy to where Kyouka doesn't know why she would feel that way; and before she could act on it, Yuuki decides to avoid Lending (the power that lets others control Yuuki and change his form) unless necessary. Even when the plot point is brought back up, by learning that the Lending process powers up the base form as well, Kyouka and Yuuki talk about it and decide together what to do. 

An interesting choice the author makes is that the two people first to  fall in love with Yuuki - and who are most open about their love - are Shushu Suruga and Tenka Izumo. Yet, these two never really use Lending. Shushu often even stops other girls from trying to seduce Yuuki, despite not really getting many moments of just the two of them after she falls in love. Tenka Izumo on the other hand, jumps into others' rewards because she wants the skinship. She even treats Yuuki’s sister as her own, acting like she and Yuuki are already married.

Writing aside, the art style is really cute. It starts off round and expressive, only to calm down and become more generic after the first chapter. It is still really good and the forms that Yukki takes contrast their surroundings by being very sharp and angular, causing  them to stand out and stick in the reader's mind. These forms, either through lending or with Himari Azuma, are distinct and representative of each character, keeping you excited to see the next form. Inspirational in the truest form, I kept Imagining myself in the world and thinking about what powers I would have.

Slave to Hell's Soldiers is an absolute blast of a read that I would recommend to anyone interested in a Erotic-Action-based Harem, especially if you like making fan works. With artstyle so round that sharpens to make stunning characters and monsters. A simple story that is so tight and sleek that it does what it wants and does it amazing. 

I will keep reading it as it releases and have high hopes for where it is going.

[linuxgamenews]

Gelluloid Domination: Build Your Gel-Powered Army

Gelluloid Domination the fast-paced strategic and tactical game is coming to Linux with Windows PC. Thanks to Tractor Set GO for their brilliant creativity that makes this project shine. Which you can find on Steam already. get ready to dive into an epic cell-battling adventure with Gelluloid Domination – the latest fast-paced strategy now live on Steam! Developed by the creative minds at Tractor, Set, Go! from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, this title is due to test your strategic skills and also keep you on the edge of your seat with fast-paced tactical moves. In Gelluloid Domination, you kick off your journey with a single, fragile cell. But don’t be misled by its small size — this little cell is your ticket to building a massive, gel-powered army. Your mission? Grow, adapt, and conquer every inch of the network. Every move you make matters. Will you expand your territory, or will your rivals steal your thunder? The choice is yours, and every decision writes the story of your domination. And a native build is on the way.

Porting to native Linux is definitely in our short-term roadmap (we expect 4-6 weeks from now).

Tractor Set GO's nearly there – Gelluloid Domination is 98% ready for Linux. They just need to tweak a few shaders and do some extra testing. Since they're using Unity 3D, porting it has been a smooth process. The game mechanics are refreshingly simple. All you need to do is transfer gel to capture nearby cells and manage your gel production. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s an easy ride. Timing is everything in Gelluloid Domination. You must constantly watch your opponents, plan your moves, and be ready to switch strategies at a moment’s notice. It’s simple on the surface but packs a punch with layers of challenge and excitement.

Gelluloid Domination Official Launch Trailer

One of the best things about the gameplay is that it offers over 80 hand-crafted missions. Since every mission has been designed with care to throw a unique challenge your way. Whether you’re dominating in classic mode, tackling survival challenges, racing against the clock, or filling up reservoirs, there’s a fresh and fun twist every time you play. No two battles are ever the same! This title also features a deep tech tree that lets you upgrade your arsenal. Unlock offensive mutations like Medusa, Spike, and even explosive surprises, along with defensive upgrades such as turrets. With dozens of enhancements available, you can tailor your play style to suit both casual gaming and hardcore strategy sessions. Feeling competitive? The Gelluloid Domination smart AI opponents are ready to fight hard just like you. You can crank up the difficulty for a heart-pounding challenge or dial it down if you’re in the mood for a more relaxed play session. And for those of you who like to tinker with every little detail, there are advanced features like Continuous Send, Chain Linking, and a toggle between Passive and Aggressive modes. Plus, handy cell information panels give you a clear look at the numbers behind your moves. At its core, Gelluloid Domination is all about making bold moves and watching your empire grow. It’s also a fast-paced strategic and tactical game that mixes straightforward controls with a dash of drama, and endless replayability. So grab your controller, call in your friends, and get ready to dominate the network. Your cell empire awaits on Steam. But coming to Linux with Windows PC.

[vapedubaihubae]

Why Juul Pods Menthol Are a Top Choice for UAE Vapers

When it comes to vaping, finding the perfect balance between flavor, quality, and convenience can feel like an uphill battle. For vapers in the UAE, Juul Pods Menthol offer a refreshing solution, blending smooth nicotine delivery with a cool, crisp flavor. Whether you’re a seasoned vaper or making the switch from smoking, Juul Pods Menthol deliver a premium experience that’s as reliable as it is satisfying.

At Vape Dubai Hub, we know what vapers need: authenticity, variety, and unbeatable convenience. That’s why Juul Pods Menthol in UAE are one of our top picks for vapers seeking a clean, refreshing flavor with every puff.

What Makes Juul Pods Menthol Stand Out?

When it comes to vaping, not all pods are created equal. Juul Pods Menthol have carved a niche for themselves by delivering a vaping experience that’s refreshingly smooth, incredibly convenient, and packed with quality. Here’s why these pods are a game-changer for vapers in the UAE.

A Refreshing Menthol Flavor Like No Other

The flavor of Juul Pods Menthol isn’t just minty—it’s a perfectly balanced coolness that lingers in the best way possible. Ideal for the UAE’s warm climate, each puff delivers a clean and crisp sensation that feels like a breath of fresh air. Whether you’re an ex-smoker looking for a familiar cooling effect or a seasoned vaper in search of a classic menthol hit, this pod never disappoints.

Smooth Nicotine Delivery

For those transitioning from traditional smoking or seeking a consistent vaping experience, Juul Pods Menthol in UAE provide unparalleled nicotine delivery. The pods are designed to ensure a smooth throat hit without the harshness, making them an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced vapers.

Mess-Free Design

Nobody wants to deal with leaky pods or sticky e-liquid spills. The Juul Pods Menthol feature a pre-filled, leak-resistant design that keeps your vaping sessions clean and hassle-free. This thoughtful feature makes them the perfect pick for vapers on the go, ensuring every puff is worry-free.

Ready to Use, Anytime

Gone are the days of fiddling with e-liquid bottles and settings. These pods are pre-filled and ready to snap into your JUUL Device. Whether you’re rushing to a meeting or relaxing at home, Juul Pods Menthol offer the ultimate convenience—just click, vape, and enjoy.

Compact and Portable

Life in bustling cities like Dubai demands products that match the fast-paced lifestyle. With their sleek and lightweight design, Juul Pods Menthol fit perfectly into your pocket, making them the ideal travel companion for busy vapers in the UAE.

Why Juul Pods Menthol Are Perfect for UAE Vapers

The UAE’s fast-paced lifestyle demands convenience, quality, and reliability—qualities that Juul Pods Menthol deliver effortlessly. Whether you’re navigating Dubai’s busy streets, taking a breather during a long day, or looking for a refreshing puff in the warm UAE climate, Juul Pods Menthol offer the ideal solution for vapers seeking simplicity and satisfaction.

Compact and Travel-Friendly

One of the standout features of Juul Pods Menthol in UAE is their portability. Designed to fit seamlessly into your pocket or bag, these pods are perfect for vapers who are always on the go. Whether you’re commuting, traveling, or out with friends, Juul Pods are always ready when you are.

Refreshing Minty Flavor

The crisp, cooling sensation of Juul Pods Menthol is tailor-made for UAE’s warm weather. Each puff delivers a refreshing escape, making them the perfect companion for those hot, sunny days. It’s no wonder they’re a favorite among menthol lovers in the region.

Hassle-Free Vaping

Life in the UAE moves fast, and vapers don’t have time to deal with leaks, refills, or complicated setups. Juul Pods Menthol come pre-filled and ready to use, ensuring a mess-free experience. Just snap the pod into your device, and you’re good to go.

Perfect for Every Occasion

Whether you’re enjoying a night out in Dubai or relaxing at home in Abu Dhabi, Juul Pods Menthol fit effortlessly into any scenario. Their sleek design and refreshing flavor make them a versatile choice for vapers who want a reliable, high-quality pod for all occasions.

By combining portability, premium flavor, and user-friendly design, Juul Pods Menthol cater perfectly to the needs of UAE vapers, making them an essential addition to your vaping routine.

Why Buy Juul Pods Menthol from Vape Dubai Hub?

As a trusted name in the UAE’s vaping community, Vape Dubai Hub is committed to providing vapers with top-quality products and exceptional service. Here’s why we’re the best place to buy Juul Pods Menthol:

Authenticity You Can Trust

We ensure all our products are genuine and sourced directly from reputable manufacturers, so you can vape with confidence.

A Wide Selection of Products

At Vape Dubai Hub, we offer a diverse range of vaping products to suit every preference and need, from Juul Pods Menthol to the latest vape devices and accessories.

Competitive Pricing

Looking for the best vape price in UAE? We offer competitive rates on all our products, ensuring premium quality without breaking the bank.

Fast and Reliable Delivery

When you’re searching for a vape shop in UAE, convenience matters. Our fast delivery service ensures you get your Juul Pods Menthol when you need them, no matter where you are in the UAE.

Customer Support That Cares

Our team of experts is always ready to help, whether you’re new to vaping or a seasoned user. From product recommendations to troubleshooting, we’re here to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Who Should Try Juul Pods Menthol?

Juul Pods Menthol are versatile enough to appeal to a wide range of vapers:

New Vapers: Their simple design and pre-filled pods make them ideal for beginners.

Ex-Smokers: The smooth nicotine delivery mimics the feel of traditional smoking, making the transition seamless.

Menthol Fans: If you love the crisp, cool sensation of mint, Juul Pods Menthol are a must-try.

Busy Professionals: With their compact and hassle-free design, they fit effortlessly into any on-the-go lifestyle.

How to Get Started with Juul Pods Menthol

Using Juul Pods Menthol is as easy as it gets:

Insert the Pod: Snap the pre-filled pod into your Juul device.

Inhale to Activate: No buttons or complicated settings—just draw and enjoy.

Replace When Needed: Swap out the empty pod for a fresh one when it runs out.

This intuitive process ensures a smooth and hassle-free vaping experience every time.

Conclusion

For UAE vapers seeking a clean, refreshing flavor and hassle-free convenience, Juul Pods Menthol are the ultimate choice. With their premium performance, smooth nicotine delivery, and compact design, they cater to both beginners and experienced vapers looking for a reliable, high-quality option.

At Vape Dubai Hub, we take pride in offering the best vaping products on the market, and Juul Pods Menthol are no exception. Whether you’re exploring menthol flavors for the first time or looking for a trusted daily vape, these pods deliver on every front.

Ready to experience the cool, crisp satisfaction of Juul Pods Menthol? Order now from Vape Dubai Hub, and discover why they’re a favorite among vapers in the UAE!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What makes Juul Pods Menthol ideal for UAE vapers?A: Juul Pods Menthol are compact, travel-friendly, and offer a refreshing minty flavor perfect for UAE’s warm climate. They are hassle-free, pre-filled, and designed for convenience, making them ideal for vapers on the go.

Q: Are Juul Pods Menthol suitable for beginners?A: Absolutely! Their easy-to-use, pre-filled design makes them perfect for beginners. Simply snap them into your Juul device, and you’re ready to enjoy a smooth vaping experience.

Q: Where can I buy Juul Pods Menthol in UAE?A: You can purchase Juul Pods Menthol at Vape Dubai Hub, your trusted source for authentic vaping products in the UAE. We offer competitive pricing and fast delivery services.

Q: Do Juul Pods Menthol provide consistent flavor?A: Yes, Juul Pods Menthol are known for delivering consistent flavor from the first puff to the last, ensuring a satisfying and refreshing vaping experience every time.

Q: How long does a Juul Pod Menthol last?A: The longevity of a Juul Pod Menthol depends on your vaping habits. On average, each pod can last for several days, providing reliable and long-lasting performance for vapers.

Tags: JUUL Pods, JUUL Pods Menthol, vape dubai hub, vape shop near me

[meals-on-wheels-tales]

La Qchara Vs La Cabaña: A Battle of Latin American Cuisine

In the fast paced food truck environment in Melrose, Massachusetts, two Latin American food trucks stand out: La Qchara and La Cabaña. While both offer authentic tastes and experiences, they both have their curved authentic niche from different parts of South America. La Qchara derives from traditional homemade recipes from Central and South America with a large online presence, while La Cabaña specializes in Mexican and Salvadorian dishes, as a smaller, family-owned business. Here is how these food trucks compare in food, marketing, service, all while both should have a prioritized spot on your next food truck experience.

A Culinary Showdown

La Qchara is a blend of Central and South American specialities with a twist of modern tradition. For instance, their famous gluten free arepas, home-made with stuffed corn-meal cakes filled with an abundance of freshly prepared ingredients: Venezuelan seasoned shredded beef, cilantro lime shredded chicken, chorizo, queso, sesame dressing, and much more. These Arepas range from $7-$15 dollars depending on filling. These cuisines are appealing to foodies who wish for hearty, bold and innovative flavors. As someone who is always looking for an allergen friendly restaurant, I tried Reina Pepiada Arepa which is served with cilantro lime avocado chicken, with a house salad topped with homemade sesame dressing. This cuisine comes in at $12.95 which is reasonably priced for the large portions you receive. This fluffy, rich cuisine fulfilled a craving I didn’t know I had. This cuisine and many of their other menu items are perfect for people with allergies who worry about being given an unsafe item. La Qchara has homemade coffee, smoothies, raw juices, teas and refreshing traditional Mexican drinks, desserts like churros, pie, lemon bread, and many more. Every dish at La Qchara seems to embrace a unique balance of traditional ingredients with a fresh twist, catering to those who enjoy Latin flavors but with a gourmet touch.

In contrast, La Cabaña shares authentic Salvadorian street tacos, quesadillas, bowls, and even houses American traditional cuisines such as wings and burgers. There is a rich, comforting feel to the menu due to the array of traditional items from different parts of the world. La Cabaña shares some allergen friendly ingredients as many of their tortillas, pupusas, and sauces are gluten and dairy free. They take accommodations, but are not able to honor all dietary and other requests. I tried the Carne Asada Plate starting at $20 which holds a refreshingly simple, yet flavorful skirt steak with cheese, beans, guacamole, and scallions. As this is a more pricey item, there are additional items that are more budget friendly if you are looking for quick, tasteful, and authentic meals. If you are looking for a quick, cheaper option they have their homemade tacos starting at $5 dollars each offering ingredients like grilled steak, chicken, guacamole, and a choice of your own spice. If you are looking for a more hearty American cuisine they offer their famous “Big Al” which is made with lettuce, tomato, cheese, pineapple, raw onions, jalapenos, sausage, and even ham. Lastly, to fully embark the true home style feels, there is a family taco option which comes in at $55 for 12 tacos of any meat of your choice, where you can order different meats to fulfill the full 12 tacos. La Cabaña’s approach to flavor is straightforward and soulful, staying close to traditional recipes. It’s evident that their goal is to preserve and celebrate the classics, and for those craving Mexican or Salvadorian comfort food, La Cabaña hits the mark every time.

Scenic Experience

La Qchara’s atmosphere is as bold as its menu. The truck is enhanced through their old wooden grained spoon graphic stemming from the meaning of their truck which in spanish “La Qchara” means “Large serving spoon” which stays true to the truck's values of hearty, authentic meals. On the side of the bright, fire truck red mobile vehicle is “La Qchara” written in an old Latin American font. Underneath the large text is written “El Nuevo Latino” referring to a modern twist on traditional latin cuisine and identity.

All age groups are drawn by the truck’s popular Instagram and website, lingering around snapping photos and chatting. The double ordering windows surrounded with beautiful stainless steel and welcoming faces creates La Qchara’s key identity. The truck’s sleek, modern feel, combined with its active social media presence, makes La Qchara a favorite for those who seek a lively, contemporary dining experience. La Qchara is filled with a welcoming online presence with the owners, employees, and customers interacting online through TikTok, fun videos, trends, and glamourize visual presentation of eating their amazing cuisines.

When walking up to the food truck you will be greeted by a friendly, outgoing employee who is fully prepared to educate you on each menu item. If you are lucky enough to be visiting at the same time as owners Emily and Lorenzo Tenreiro who will gladly speak about their story and values around their business.

La Qchara’s food truck offers catering services for your individual needs. Not only is the truck available for private booking, but you can also find them at popular outdoor venues and events located in Salem, Beverly, and Melrose Massachusetts.

La Cabaña, meanwhile, is a small, more private scene located in the heart of Melrose, Massachusetts. The setup feels more intimate and welcoming from all aspects due to their graphics on the truck housing many traditional cuisines from worldwide. The logo is a small cottage style house with “La Cabaña” written in an old style cursive as if your grandparents had written you a letter and signed it in their handwriting. The graphics of the truck encase a coffee brown color which is weaved through wooden panels with a clay tile roof in a mimic of a cottage home.

It’s a quieter experience than La Qchara, providing an ideal space for anyone who prefers a laid-back meal with friends or family. The translation of their name means “At the Cottage” which is engulfed in the ambiance, and feels like an extension of its close-knit, family-run nature, offering customers a taste of home.

You can find this warm welcoming food truck stationed in Melrose with the hours of 11am-6pm Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesday through Saturday 11am-8pm. They also do local public events in Melrose Ma, and can be booked for private events as well.

La Qchara and La Cabaña both embrace their own traditional Latin American cuisines in very different styles. Each is a great option if you are looking for a quality meal served from loving and welcoming staff.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #510

Top Ten Halo Games

Can you really do a Top Ten of Halo games? Really? Well, yes, I think you can. There have been, to my knowledge, six mainline “Master Chief Saga” games; two spin-offs; two Halo Wars RTS games; and two top-down twin-stick shooters. Maybe I’m missing something even! But that adds up to More Than Ten, so away we go.

Anyway, Halo. It’s in the news a lot at the moment. There’s a new one out! And it’s good! It’s very good! Halo has been one of the biggest games for the last twenty years, and probably on balance remains my favourite FPS series. It seems as though tastes have shifted a lot since the first one came out – first in favour of serious, gritty, semi-realistic military shooters, and then in favour of large Fortnite-style Battle Royale games. Halo has always remained refreshingly old-school in its basically jump-about-and-shoot gameplay, and that’s the sort of thing I like; fast-moving fire-from-the-hip kinds of games, where tactics are made up moment-to-moment rather than planned out in advance.

All that being said, it’s wise to remember that when the first game came out twenty years ago, it was a revolution, tearing up the FPS rulebook. Gone were deep inventories of multiple weapons; gone were genre staples such as health percentages and armour collectibles. The combination of only having two weapons plus a rechargeable energy shield changed the dynamic of gameplay just as much as the open outdoor levels and vehicular combat. I imagine some of these decisions were at least in part informed by its status as a console shooter; and it’s as a console shooter that its legacy is assured. Back when console FPS games were mostly looked down upon (Rare’s twin landmarks of GoldenEyeand Perfect Dark notwithstanding), Halo gave us a console title that looked and acted like a PC game. And once we got onto Halo 2, with its Xbox Live functionality, we had online multiplayer just like a PC game too.

The series has been a mainstay for me, one of my favourite ongoing game franchises. I just love the crazy fast-paced combat mixed with the tactics of the enemy, who behave relatively intelligently. I love the fact that it’s silly; bunny-hopping around landscapes, batting away jeeps, firing little pink darts at people. I really like it’s insane, convoluted story, that I barely understand; playing each game for me is like watching non-concurrent episodes of Deep Space Nine several years apart. I also feel that in a gaming landscape dominated by intense, gritty, violent games aimed at adults, here’s an accessible sci-fi franchise that, despite a militaristic setting, is tonally closer to The Last Jedithan LA Confidential.

So, with no further ado, and to celebrate the release of Halo Infinite, let’s set off on our own Great Journey, and chart my favourite games in the franchise.

Halo 3 (2007): the dynamic, emergent combat pioneered in the first game reaches its apex, with some truly spectacular set-pieces, and vehicular battles that feel truly open-world. The chunky, explosive combat is at its best, but it’s combined with a tone and storyline that just feels suitably epic. Has that “final part of a trilogy” feel that you get from The Return of the King; all bets are off, and I wasn’t even certain going in that the Master Chief would make it out alive.

Halo Infinite (2021): maybe it’s too early to judge (I’ve not completed it), but the transition to a “true” open world has done wonders. Seemingly random encounters carry the weight of a Halo 3skirmish, the sheer vastness and verticality of the Zeta Halo calling to mind Breath of the Wild, and in the Grappleshot, you’ve got a mode of traversal just as cool as any of Link’s horses. Plus the multiplayer is a back-to-basics fine-tuning of everything Halo does really well, making it a sheer delight (dodgy progression system notwithstanding)

Halo: Combat Evolved (2001): the game that sold me an Xbox! Just a sheer joy to play, right from the start, and back then it was revolutionary. Phenomenal graphics combined with fast, reactive gameplay in lush outdoor settings, it did everything we’d wanted from games for years, but which felt impossible. Packed with iconic, era-defining moments, it also boasts a twist so huge that its existence has kind of become a defining landmark in the franchise, as the game suddenly shifts gear from being Quake to being Resident Evil. One of the most important games of all time, right here. Everything Microsoft has done in the gaming space for twenty years is built on it.

Halo 3: ODST (2009): the first game to shift focus away from the Master Chief, this was a change of pace for the franchise, with a slightly grittier, earthier tone, as your souped-up Spec Ops soldier makes their way through encounters in a ravaged, occupied city, traversing larger urban hub-style levels. Boasted a starry cast (hi, Nathan Fillion!) and debuted the series now-iconic Firefight horde mode.

Halo 2 (2004): coming along like a superhero sequel, this was a bigger, bolder Halo, taking the fight to Earth. Boasted gameplay tweaks (dual wielding weapons! Exploding vehicles!), it had a punchy, propulsive campaign, famous for its early-doors twist that saw the Master Chief share screen time with his supposed enemy, the Covenant Arbiter (a revelation that was spoiled for me by a review in Empire magazine, of all places). This is where – depending on your point of view – the overall arc of Halo’s plot either became thorny and interesting or just batshit crazy, with our two heroes at one point expositioned to by a giant talking weed.

Halo: Reach (2010): often cited as a high-water mark by fans, this was Bungie’s swansong with the franchise, their last game before jumping off the good ship Microsoft and handing the Halo reins to 343 Industries. Personally, despite the improved graphics, presence of a familial squad of Spartans throughout, and the ability to craft your own bespoke character for the first time, I just wasn’t as invested here as with the mainline Master Chief saga. Does everything right, and has a suitably melancholy story, but kinda feels a bit like a redundant and unnecessary prequel.

Halo 4 (2012): the first game under stewardship of 343, this sees long-discussed ancient race the Forerunners take to the stage as, really, the main set of antagonists, with their own enemies and weapons to add to the human/Covenant arsenal. I found the storyline interesting, as Chief’s longtime AI companion (love interest?) Cortana is either dying or losing her mind entirely. Never quite hung together for me the way other prior Halos did, but it’s still a very good, very enjoyable game feels resolutely Halo-y.

Halo 5: Guardians (2015): once again splitting protagonist duties between the Chief and new character Locke, this is totally fine, with reliably fun Halo gameplay, and some chunky, hefty weapons leading to some chunky, hefty fights. But the decision to bisect the narrative feels like a failed attempt to add drama; we know the MC ain’t bad, and for me the Chief’s whole arc was way more interesting. Despite my not loving it as much as other titles, it’s still unfairly lambasted in some quarters; I’d say everyFPS Halo title is a four-star experience at least. This one has the mostbaffling plot since 2, though. I genuinely don’t remember what it really ended up being about.

Halo Wars 2 (2017): so we move on to another genre at last! Yes, Halo is at its core an FPS franchise, but their segue into real time strategy is not without its successes. It’s hard to delineate the two games, but I think things were just a bit slicker second time around, and the Brute-lead Banished forces offered a reassuringly nasty threat, casting a shadow of grim foreboding over the whole game.

Halo Wars (2009): there’s a hair’s breadth between the two games for me, but I feel the gameplay of part 2 to just be a bit slicker and more user-friendly. But this first one is still great, proving that the Halotemplate works in an RTS, and proving that an RTS can be made to fit a console.

[amratsu]

alright these girls have haunted me for about a whole month now time to break it all down for anyone vaguely interested in them

hololive/vtuber 101 below the read more

THE FUCK IS HOLOLIVE?: An idol agency except all of its roughly 20 or so girls are youtube streamers who have their identity protected by a live2d avatar. They recently had a very fun live concert and all of them have or will have 3d models, but the majority of content is just them streaming whatever's their fancy at the time. (As of 2/17/2020 a lot of them play a lot of ARK, thank Coco for that) Therefore, they're part of the new form of niche culture called Vtuber.

THE FUCK IS A VTUBER?: Virtual youtubers. Like a normal streamer but, again, live2d portrait instead of their actual face. That's basically it. Content is about as varied as any other youtuber.

ALRIGHT, WHO WE GOT?: Hololive's split into OG Tokino Sora, the girls alongside her who are also primarily 3d, and then 'generations'. Just plug in their names and you'll find their channel easy. Again, variety differs between all the girls, but expect a lot of Nintendo games, chat streams, karaoke, and Minecraft across the board.

-Tokino Sora OG mom slash idol, debuted all the way back in 2017. Probably the only proper idol in all of Hololive. Warm, friendly, relaxing. She mostly does 3d variety streams and song debuts so she's hard to follow without advanced japanese.

-Roboco(-san) Pose happy killer robo with a notably smokey voice and calming demeanor. Plays a large amount of minecraft and first-person games in general; recent streams include ARK, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon remaster, Apex, and Fortnite.

-Sakura Miko ELIIIITE MLG miko idol with a tendency to swear a bit. High energy, fully embraced 'press f', gives herself sunglasses during streams, great friends with Pekora. Also notably into eroge. Did a full playthrough of Papers Please lately and is one of the most addicted to ARK (21 streams at around 4-5 hours each.)

1st Generation -Yozora Mel Sleepy vampire with the occasional killer instinct. Soothing, gentle, kind of lewd. Very much into nintendo games with Smash, Ring Fit, SwoSh, and Mario Kart being her latest content, but she's a little slower with the output. Part of the lewd blonde club with Aki, Haato, and Choco, who were demonetized until recently.

-Aki Rosenthal Cyber elf with detachable twin tails. Pretty similar to Mel in disposition, though less sleepy and more...I want to say 'fantastical'. Recently gained popularity due to her buck naked superhuman beefcake character in ARK, with Kerbal, Go Home, and some ASMR rounding out the rest of her content.

-Natsuiro Matsuri Eternal 17 year old cheerleader from the class next door, Matsuri is a high energy raging lesbian who's also a complete sweetie. Her infamous bandaid clip is what got a lot of western fans into Hololive. Plays a wide variety of games but also twitcasts at random times of the day like when she's in bed or in the bath, just to chat with her viewers about what's on her mind. Well loved.

-Akai Haato The ESL transfer student, girl next door, Haato is, well, exactly that. Commonly traveling for studies, Haato is a bubbly girl with a fine sense for aesthetics; you'll catch her making elaborate builds in Minecraft or playing visual novels during streams, along with a smattering of other games. Notable in that she's the only girl that'll do purely English streams, likely to help with her own education. Also kind of a baka.

2nd Generation -Minato Aqua Disaster masochist maid who's actually stupidly good at video games sometimes. She's both mischievous and hard working, massively popular in China, and, again, stupidly good at games. Soulsborne speedruns, PUBG, ARK (also one of the most addicted), Minecraft (seeing a pattern?), League if you catch her bilibili streams...but she's also the one who will spend a stream calling the other girls and asking them to bully her. Wild card gremlin.

-Murasaki Shion Genius mage who doesn't do a lot with her magic. Pretty well known for her 'neeeeeee', with a distinctly smug avatar/voice. Pretty good at games too, with a variety of Pokemon, retro games, Minecraft, Smash, horror, Mario Kart, etc. Excellent singing voice too, would recommend her covers.

-Yuzuki Choco The totally-not-a-succubus demon nurse at your highschool, Choco embodies :sweating:. Obviously she's lewd, but there's also a silly and petulant side to her that's fun to watch too. ASMR is her specialty. She's also, surprisingly, really into Dead By Daylight, so if that combination sounds fun to you hit her up.

-Oozora Subaru If Haato is the girl next door, Subaru's the bro next door. A very down to earth but energetic and sporty tomgirl, she recently spent three streams and sixteen hours on trying to take down Sans. Other recent things include Live A Live, The Witch's House, and GTA. Refreshingly easy to relate to compared to the other girls sometimes.

-Nakiri Ayame Hello, honored humans~ Hololive's millenium old oni. Has a peculiar way of speaking, especially in her pronouns, which lends a certain charm if you can got on board with it; happy go lucky, easy to like, and really cute on top of all that. Recently recovered from sickness (as of 2/26) so was the last to get on the Ark craze, she's actually very fond of multiplayer games as a way of 'getting to know mortals'. Apex Legends, Mario Kart, Splatoon, etc.

GAMERS: A sort of generation on its own, and also a kind of weird designation when all the girls game so frequently. Oh well!

-Shirakami Fubuki Fox. Not a cat. Super cheerful, makes a lot of weird noises that people turn into youtube poops (that she encourages), and also a helluva gamer. Plays plenty of battle royales, ARK, and of course Nintendo/Minecraft stuff. Infamous for her absolute feral hunter instincts in Project Winter, where she commonly massacres the entire map on her lonesome when she's the traitor.

-Ookami Mio Mom wolf who has to play tsukkomi (straightman) to basically all of Hololive sometimes. Which makes it all the more hilarious during her semi-common charisma breaks, like during Haato's recent English Exam stream. Has been into EDF, Pokemon, Ghost Trick, and Splatoon lately.

-Nekomata Okayu The sleepy smug cat with the most chill personality. Notably very, VERY close with Korone, and in general kind of a playboy in general. Never denies it or any of her myriad transgressions though. Her Mother 2 run has been fun recently, but really you could just tune into her frequent chat streams and relax that way.

-Inugami Korone Dog. An oddball who kind of just goes at her own pace, playing all sorts of weird games like Nyanpo (the pokemon prototype) and weird PS1 retro games. Shows a disturbingly violent side sometimes; her ongoing Blasphemous run and recent RE4 runs have shown how much she's into that kind of stuff. But also she's still a dog, so really don't worry.

Inonaka Music: -AZKi AZKi is closely associated with Hololive but is really more of her own thing, being even more idol than Sora is. Doesn't stream much if at all, has her own album out, does music collabs more than anything else, etc. Helluva singer though.

-Hoshimachi Suisei The vtuber idol who's totally not a psychopath, and totally a goddess at tetris. Like Fubuki, made a name for herself with her psychotic rampages in Project Winter, and also very much unfazed by horror games. Really fucking good at tetris too, doing 98v1 streams lately in Tetris 99, and a godly songstress too. Her karaoke streams are to die for.

3rd Generation: Also known as Hololive Fantasy. These girls are particularly close to each other. If you can find translated clips, I definitely recommend their host club streams where they compete in seducing other Vtubers. (Yes. That's serious)

-Usada Pekora AH^HA^HA^. You'd think she was a cute rabbit, but no! It's a Tewi level shitposter combined with some legit video game skills. She likes playing the heel deliberately just for shits and giggles, like when she nearly walked off with Miko's Nether Star. She's in fact very close to Miko, their relationship being both great friends and great rivals. Definitely one of the most addicted to ARK too; she's been making headway in conquering the ocean.

-Shiranui Flare Handsome half-elf archer, Flare's the designated tsukkomi of the third generation. She's definitely the most down to earth of them, charismatic to boot, and does as she pleases with a relaxed personality and husky, smokey voice. Very very VERY close to Noel. You'll find some really fun playthroughs of various action games like Dark Souls, Bayonetta, and Sekiro on her channel, and thanks to her picking up game mechanics fast they're fun to watch for anyone.

-Shirogane Noel Knight Captain of the Shirogane Knights, Noel's...kind of an airhead, actually. But she's definitely a pleasant, softspoken sort of person who's incredibly relaxing to listen to. Also a big eater, you'll hear her talk about beef bowls and muscles a lot. Just try not to stare too much at her 'pectorals.' As mentioned, VERY close to Flare (they just had a two day long date to a ryokan). Plays whatever with no focus in particular.

-Uruha Rushia The cute, soft, innocent apprentice necromancer, Rushia occasionally comes out of the gates roaring with rage filled screams before chilling out. An absolute cutie though, who loves her fans very much (though really every Hololive member does), her attempts to be cool and reliable lend to some great comedy. She's got a great singing voice if you can find one of her bilibili streams, and otherwise plays a wide variety of things.

-Houshou Marine A~hoy~. The completely safe for work, modern, not-cosplay eternal 17 pirate...and everything I just said was a lie. Most of it anyways. Marine's a riot of a lady with an incredibly dirty mind and dirtier motor mouth, great voice acting ability, and knack for art that she'll happily show off (among other things). Definitely one of my favorites, you'll find plenty of chat and art content on her channel, along with some of the most Ark addiction and a full array of Touhou game playthroughs.

4th Generation: Hololive's newest five girls, it's been a month and change since they debuted. They're notable for working together on some of the most wild content Hololive's put out so far, all helmed by a certain dragon. But we'll get to that.

-Tokoyami Towa The little devil that does whatever she wants, Towa's known for a couple of other things at this point: refreshingly honest personality, Pokemon playthroughs with an eclectic choice in team comp, and her charmingly atypical tomboy voice (though her mic's not amazing). Great singer, super funny if you can find the rare translated clip of her, and was an absolute menace at the recent Hololive werewolf/mafia game. How she managed to fake being a Seer from day one and nearly win, I'll never know.

-Tsunomaki Watame Hololive's bouncy sheep. Ram? Something like that. A very girly, friendly, lightly ara-ara personality, she's an honest and open with her feelings sort of girl. Earnest laughter at chat and games, real emotional tears while watching the live concert with her generation mates, Watame's a total sweetheart who streams a bit of music everyday as the pre-show to Coco's Morning Shitposts (official name). She's also gotten very close to her senpais in some regards...but above all she likes singing, chilling out in Minecraft, and recently playing through a couple Kirby games.

-Himemori Luna If you want to see a completely innocent cinnamon roll looking character say things like 'ass' and 'don't f*cking take crystal m*th', Luna's your gal. Her high pitched, almost childlike voice takes a bit of getting used to but she's a sweetheart that just has fun no matter what she's doing. But she'll also say a bunch of really funny shit while doing it just from sheer juxtaposition of her voice/appearance and the vocabulary. Surprisingly good at video games too.

-Amane Kanata PP Tenshi. Perfect Pitch, Powerpoint...Kanata's a bit of a sheltered honor student sort of girl who has an incredible vocal range, so much you'd be forgiven for thinking she was a professional voice actor or singer. She loves playing along with jokes even if she doesn't get them some times, and is really close with Coco. If not for said dragon she'd be the biggest memelord in the 4th generation, but alas; her channel has lots of collabs with fellow members and a series of cute 'research' videos on the various generations of Hololive. Unfortunately untranslated though.

-Kiryuu Coco The one, the only, the President of Nishinari herself, Coco has been a force of nature since she debuted. Her vulgar sense of humor, rapid fire jokester nature, fluent English speaking, and complete conversion of Hololive to the wonders of dinosaur taming in Ark has made her one of the most subscribed girls in a matter of weeks. Every day at 6am JST or 1pm PST, she does a quick 20 minute gig called Coco News (officially translated as Coco's Morning Shitpost) where she reports on the various ongoings in Hololive. This ingeniously brings attention to the silly crap everyone's been up to, really fostering a sense of community between the girls you don't see elsewhere, while also being a riot to watch as she roasts everyone for their silliness (with full permission). Other notable memes include her stalwart boycotting of Nintendo Switches, her desire to fund a Hololive house, and her recent Hitman 2 run.

[rebelsofshield]

Star Wars: Queen’s Peril- Review

EK Johnston follows up her stellar young adult novel, Queen’s Shadow, with a prequel following the early days of Naboo’s most famous monarch. While fans of The Phantom Menace and Amidala will likely be pleased, Queen’s Peril disappoints with awkward structure and lack of focus.

(Review contains minor spoilers)

Padme Amidala has just been elected queen of Naboo. One of the youngest queens in years and the first in a generation to make galactic politics a major platform of her administration, Amidala looks to change Naboo for a more hopeful future. Captain of the Royal Guard Quarsh Panaka finds himself in new territory as he tries his best to shield this willful new queen from harm. Together, the two devise a support group of talented women that will function as both aides and bodyguards. These handmaidens become fast friends and invaluable assets to Padme as she navigates being a young woman and a head of state. However, when invasion makes its way to Naboo, this ragtag team is put to the limits to protect their queen and their planet.

For many, myself included, Queen’s Shadow was the shot in the arm that the character of Padme needed. After being such a standout in The Phantom Menace, Amidala had become mired in a nonstop parade of awkwardly executed romance, damsel in distress plots, and a death scene that has been rightfully criticized over the years for its melodrama and misogyny. E.K. Johnston’s young adult love letter to all things Padme reminded many of just what made this character, and her associates, special. Queen’s Shadow managed to make an emotionally complex and mature character study of Padme’s transition from planetary to galactic government in a way that felt politically prescient without sacrificing the fun and pathos. It transformed the various handmaidens, Sabe in particular, into compelling individuals in their own right. Even Padme’s iconic and intricate outfits were rendered with attention to detail and given their own on page beauty.

Johnston has a palpable affection for Padme and for The Phantom Menace and the decision to tell a prequel to her previous novel seemed like a natural idea for success. Just as the transition from girl queen to adult senator proved dramatically and thematically rich, surely the story of the turbulent start to Padme’s reign would prove just as interesting? I really wish that were the case. There are many things about Queen’s Peril that do work, but the end result proves surprisingly clunky and awkward.

As always, Johnston’s writing is sharpest when centering on the dynamics between the young women at its center. There’s a certain joy in seeing a group of friends form out of professional relationships. Discovering and building the emotional bonds between Padme, Sabe, and the rest is a highlight. While none of the handmaidens prove as dramatically rich as they did in Johnston’s prior novel, there’s a parade of iconic girlhood moments that give Queen’s Peril, at its strongest moments, a coming of age vibe of the best kind. The handmaidens help each other with periods and social awkwardness. Escape from the Naboo castle to dance at a local concert. And get in each other’s way as they test out the waters of early (and refreshingly queer) romance. It’s light and fun and offers a more down to earth and playful side to the Star Wars universe.

Outside of these individual moments of relationship dynamics, much of Queen’s Peril finds itself building towards and dealing with the climactic events of The Phantom Menace. Lore hounds are sure to enjoy the inner workings of the political crisis that lead to the Battle of Naboo, and Johnston gets to play with voice and style as different bit players get brief moments in the sun. The point of view rotates throughout the novel to characters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jar Jar Binks, Typho, Darth Maul, and most surprisingly Darth Sidious himself. They don’t necessarily provide anything revolutionary in their understandings of the different characters, but there’s a novelty in seeing Johnston adapt her voice so fluidly to each vignette.

However, it’s this preoccupation with The Phantom Menace that ends up being Queen’s Peril’s downfall. For over half of the novel, Johnston spends her time putting the various pieces into place and ratcheting up a feeling of tension and even foreboding. It works as a constant reminder that all the preparation our young queen has gone through is going to be put to the test. However, once The Phantom Menace arrives, the carefully laid pacing deteriorates.

While Johnston makes, the likely correct, assumption that most readers will be familiar with the events of the film, her barebones approach to describing the overlap can’t help but feel rushed and disjointed. Large swaths of the movie are skimmed over or summarized. On one level, it makes sense to tell the story from the perspective of Padme and her handmaidens. They wouldn’t be privy to the inner workings of the Jedi Council or specifics of the larger conflict. However, instead of keeping us anchored in a continuous perspective, Queen’s Peril opts for an approach that skims over story elements that it deems inessential and drops in for moments hidden in the nooks and crannies of George Lucas’s original script. It’s not unlike watching a movie and fast forwarding only to the scenes you want. Even then, the selection of which scenes to skip and which scenes to show is bizarre. Key moments such as Padme’s call for no confidence in Chancellor Valorum or her first meeting with Anakin are more or less relegated to footnotes. It’s understandable that Johnston wouldn’t want to double back over moments that we have already seen, but this approach has the unintended consequence of obscuring what information is important to the reader and ends up severing much of the novel’s building tension. When key parts of character and plot are quite literally off the page, Queen’s Peril transforms from a good, if inessential prequel, to a clunky and awkward collage of deleted scenes.

The end result is something that’s more than a little disappointing. Queen’s Shadow was a mature and lovingly crafted delight that was one of my favorite Star Wars media from last year and arguably one of my favorite young adult novels in the canon. There’s even the potential for a good book in the structure of Queen’s Peril, but its inescapably messy final third clouds over what joys were present. For fansof the character or the early eras of the Prequel Trilogy Queen’s Peril is likely to please in small bursts, but regrettably, most readers can let this one pass.

Score: C+

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: Ultra Q

After working with Toho to bring such iconic monsters as Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah to the screen, Japanese special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya started his own company, Tsuburaya Productions. His first production was Ultra Q, which brought his spectacular effects to the small screen. The black-and-white series ran on Tokyo Broadcasting System for 28 episodes in 1966, setting the stage for Ultraman to launch later that year.

Each episode is book-ended by brief, sonorous narration akin to The Twilight Zone to set the scene. Predating the X-Files by several decades, the show's through-line features pilot/writer Jun Manjome (Kenji Sahara, Rodan), journalist Yuriko Edogawa (Hiroko Sakurai, Ultraman), and co-pilot Ippei Togawa (Yasuhiko Saijo, Son of Godzilla) investigating supernatural phenomena throughout Japan.

The series opens strong with "Defeat Gomess." Like many episodes, it's essentially a kaiju movie condensed into 25 minutes. Not beholden to a feature runtime, the story is refreshingly fast-paced. It wastes no time showing the monster, Gomess, which is revealed immediately following the prologue with a series of ominous closeups flashed during the opening credits before being shown in its full glory. If Gomess looks familiar, it's because the creature was made from a recycled Godzilla suit. A second monster, the prehistoric bird known as Litra, later appears for it to battle.

While each episode is a creature feature in some way, the tone vary as the plots bounced between genres. Many episodes play up the monster action, others focus on drama, some take a science fiction/fantasy approach, and a few skew toward comedy. Horror is also accounted for, of course; my personal favorite episode, "Baron Spider," is a full-on Gothic horror tale featuring giant arachnids.

Any animal that could conceivably be turned into a monster was turned into a monster for Ultra Q. Birds, spiders, octopi, monkeys, turtles, seals, moles, stingrays, plants, aliens, and even humans themselves were all transposed into giant creatures, not to mention a variety of entirely original entities. As he had done with his existing creations for Ultra Q to save on budget, Tsuburaya redressed and reused several Ultra Q monsters for Ultraman.

Although their screentime is somewhat limited, the creature effects are quite impressive considering the restrained time and budget. Comparable to the monster movies of the time, Tsuburaya utilized suitimation, miniatures, and puppetry. The series cuts out a lot of the fluff that often bogs down kaiju film pacing while maintaining the social commentary that regularly sneaks in.

Ultra Q's complete series has been released on Steelbook Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray via Mill Creek Entertainment, who recently acquired the North American rights to the Ultra library and will continue to release its content over the next several years. (The original Ultraman series is also available now.) The complete, original Japanese broadcast edits have been remastered in high definition with lossless DTS-HD Master Audio in its native Japanese with English subtitles.

While 16mm film was the standard at the time, Ultra Q was shot on 35mm and boasted a budget three times that of a standard program. As a result, the high-definition restoration of the show looks miraculously clear, so much so that the wires used to manipulate creature limbs can often be seen. The four-disc set also includes a 28-page collectible booklet, which features a brief history of Ultra Q by SciFi Japan's Keith Aiken along with guides to the series' episodes, monsters, characters, and technologies.

More than just a conduit for film-quality special effects on television, Ultra Q offered compelling content beyond the spectacle. The groundbreaking series paved the way for Ultraman and beyond, launching a global phenomenon that continues more than 50 years later. In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records cites Ultra as the record-holder for the most number of spinoffs, with over three dozen and counting. This milestone of Japanese entertainment can now be enjoyed from the beginning in its original glory.

Ultra Q is available now on Steelbook Blu-ray and Blu-ray via Mill Creek Entertainment.

[thebookbandwagon]

Skyward book review

Book summary:

YA sci-fi set on another planet

flight training school

1st person PoV of a teenaged girl

society that glorifies war because it’s constantly being invaded by aliens

main character learning what bravery truly is and when it is and isn't useful

a snarky talking AI thinks humans are weird

teamwork and friendship feelings between the pilots in training

[book review & illustration video here]

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson is a Young Adult sci-fi novel about a teenage girl on another planet who joins a military airforce training school.

I have a hard time enjoying YA sci-fi or fantasy books, but I usually find that I’m more likely to enjoy them if they’re geared towards the younger end of the spectrum rather than the older end, and that was absolutely the case with this one. The writing style feels very easy to read without being patronisingly simplistic and it was very easy to get sucked into, with refreshingly short chapters and a pacing so fast the hardback didn’t feel anywhere near the 500 pages it was.

It’s told from the first-person perspective of a teenage girl called Spensa who struggles with the reputation her father gained. Previously a fighter pilot just like she aspires to be, he became infamous for abandoning his team and taking off during an important battle. Now Spensa is branded the daughter of a coward and her peers and mentors expect the worst of her. Spensa is so determined to prove her bravery that she is often reckless and headstrong, acting rashly and being quick to formulate (sometimes unjustified) opinions of people.

Spensa’s character development was very satisfying to read. She begins with all these internalised ideas about the glory of war and how the best thing someone can do is to die in battle, but her experiences at flight school shape her and teach her that maybe this isn’t the case.

Despite being a book that’s very fun and full of action, and, in places, humour (mostly with all the scenes involving the talking AI), it still has more of its fair share of serious moments. For every group of pilots being trained (roughly around 10 in each group), only an average of two become fully initiated pilots because of such high mortality rates, injury, dismissal, and resigning. There are a number of characters in this book that die, but the overall tone is not at all depressing or grimdark. The pacing is fast enough that we get to feel Spensa’s emotional reaction to these events, but we don’t linger there and neither does it cast a shadow over the story.

I enjoyed the feelings of comradery within the flight group. Every person picks a callsign, which is a one-word nickname for them to use over the comms system. Those within the group come from a variety of different backgrounds and it was great to read their skills slowly developing over time and them working together as a team, forming their own areas of specialisation, as well as their friendships and evolving group dynamics. My only slight nitpicks are that while every member within the group has their own background, sometimes the differences between their personalities don’t feel immediately different from each other and with all the names (their real names plus their callsign names) it can get a bit confusing. There’s also what I believe to be the setup for a romance and while I’m not opposed to a relationship between these two characters, I wasn’t keen on how it was implemented.

My favourite character ended up being Cobb, the tough-love style flight instructor, which is odd because I don’t usually end up especially liking those types of characters so much. But Cobb is one of the few characters who seems to act against the attitude that pilots shouldn’t eject and that it’s better to risk death in order to save the expensive ships, and though he’s emotionally distant, you still get glimpses of how much he genuinely cares about these kids.

I had no plans to read this book and ended up picking it up from my library on a whim and I’m so glad I did because I had such a good time with it and ended up giving it 4.25/5*s. It was a great deal of fun that also had emotional depth and I appreciated how the author managed to address the aspect of glorifying war without it coming across as if he was trying to explain or preach it to the reader. Some of the supporting cast’s characterisations not being as in-depth as I wanted them to be held this back a little for me, but it’s also the first in the series so there’ll be plenty of time for that later. I’m also not sure how I feel about the reveal of one of the mysteries at the end because I don’t fully understand exactly what happened and I’m not sure how intentional that was.

The only other books by Brandon Sanderson I’ve read have been the first two in the Mistborn trilogy which I’m on the fence about because while the plot had loads of things I should’ve liked, I had very little emotional attachment to the characters so I didn’t enjoy reading the series. I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the Skyward series when I can, and it’s also made me want to try out some of Brandon Sanderson’s other series too.

[douxreviews]

Legends of Tomorrow - ‘Egg MacGuffin’ Review

"I’m sorry that our first date got ruined by Nazis."

The Legends of Tomorrow episode title game is really on point this year.

Forgive me in advance if this is overexplaining, but I'm not entirely sure how well known the terms are and it's going to become relevant in a minute. If you already know the terminology better than I do, and I'm sure many of you do, I beg your indulgence.

A 'MacGuffin' is the term for a plot device that exists solely to provide motivation to the characters in a story. The example that's most often cited at this point is the titular Maltese falcon statue in The Maltese Falcon. This is a subtly different thing than 'phlebotinum,' which we discussed a few episodes back. Generally speaking, phlebotinum is a made up thing that facilitates the character's journey, for example, polyjuice potion. A MacGuffin is a made up thing that motivates the character to make the journey, for example the sorcerer's stone. Or philosopher's stone if you live in a country where the publisher wasn't afraid of accidentally teaching children the word 'philosopher.'

The real takeaway is that Legends of Tomorrow has now given me an excuse to explain both of those terms, and regularly allows me pretentiously discuss semiotics, and is therefore the best thing ever broadcast. But I digress.

The genius of this week's episode title is that the golden egg that Nate and Zari are looking for at the Adventurers Club is unequivocally a MacGuffin with no significance of its own beyond that (at least this week). ��In fact, part of the plot of that storyline explicitly involves Nate and Zari questioning exactly that point, and they come to the conclusion that it is a MacGuffin that Sara planted just to give them an exciting first date. Which is clever because it isn't a MacGuffin within the story we're watching, but it absolutely is a MacGuffin from the outside perspective, and you know it might actually be possible to be too clever about these things. Whatever your personal tolerance for post-modern narrative gameplaying, I really enjoyed it.

Now, in the past I've complained a bit here and there about the fact that the Legends' reduced number of episodes in a season often makes them condense what could be two or three episodes worth of plot into one. I'm not sure if I've just gotten used to it or if they're getting better at it, but I've really begun to enjoy the fast, breezy clip at which these episodes move. Nate and Zari are really just doing an extended Raiders of the Lost Ark homage, and a nice zippy pace is essential for that kind of romantic adventure fiction. The Ark of the Covenant itself, while we're speaking, is another classic example of a MacGuffin. I'm certain that was not coincidental.

In any case, I think I'm pretty well sold on the Zari and Nate romance, and I think it's down to one particular moment in this episode. When they realize that Sara has set them up on a romantic mission, Zari offers to call it a night and return to the ship, and Nate says, 'Or we could see where this mission takes us.' What he's clearly really saying is, 'Hey, I'm open to exploring whatever this is going on between us if you are, but there's no pressure.' I don't seem to go a week without mentioning how refreshingly adult the characters on this show are.

In fact, part of why the aforementioned fast and breezy pace felt so appropriate this week all around is because the show has romance stories on its mind. We have Sara and Ava, thankfully post-argument, making an effort for one another in the little ways. We have Mick and Charlie at Romanticon, attempting to cash in on Mick's authorial alter ego, Rebecca Silver, without actually having to reveal himself to his fans. Which is so completely on brand for both of them that I loved every second of it. God bless Mick, both for actually caring about his fans and for being willing to admit the fact when pressed.

Then finally we have my current relationship on the show, Ray and Nate. I realize I went on a bit about this last week, but I just can't say enough about how great their friendship is. Thank you, whoever on the writing team made the decision that Ray would give up his soul to Neron in order to save Nate's life, as opposed to Nora's. Neron said he would make Ray kill someone he loved in order to break him, and the show went with Nate as that person. Is it possible to platonically 'ship a couple? Because I am totally team Palmwood.

That was an unfortunate first attempt at a couple name. Please leave alternate suggestions in the comments.

Which leads me to the painful part. There were a number of little clues as to what was coming for Gary, but I really only noticed them in hindsight. When Sara is discussing who the murderer could be in book club, she mentions that it must be the dogwalker because of his pent up frustration and being treated like a doormat. The shot transitions from her to the next scene halfway through the line, which means we're hearing her but looking at Gary. The subplot about Vincent the Adventurer's assistant is basically a mirror of Gary's position. And Gary is clearly crying in the bathroom – a thing that he had just told us he often did – when Ray calls him and he drops everything to go help.

Gary Green, on paper, should not work as a character. He should come across as a caricatured doofus, occasionally good for a comic relief moment. But Adam Tsekhman invests him with something undefinable and real, and he just fundamentally works as a tragic figure despite all the reasons that he shouldn't.

Also, whoever planned out that Gary's nipple returning from Hell would be the final temptation that makes him give in to Neron is a mad genius and should be our leader now.

Everybody remember where we parked:

The Waverider did some proper time travel for the first time in what feels like ages and took most of the team to the Adventurers Club, 1933, in order to retrieve that golden egg. Mick and Charlie, meanwhile, take the jump ship to Romanticon, 2019. Gary uses his time courier to flit between 2019 and the Waverider, and Neron and minion-Gary appear to lift Damien Darhk's old time travel stone from Constantine and use it to leave for destinations unknown.

Remember when time travel seemed like an exclusive and exotic thing?

Quotes:

Sara: "Honestly, with Neron gone, catching fugitives has never been easier. I thought it was gonna take all week."

Zari: "It was that awkward, huh?" Sara: "Even the mummy thought it was awkward."

Nate: "Excuse me, my good man, could you point me to the nearest facilities? I have an urgent need to… uh... relieve my bowel."

Nate: "Wait. Trip wires. This is going to require one of us to squeeze through these trip wires, maneuvering our bodies in unexpected ways." Zari: "Are you asking me to do that?" Nate: "No, I’m asking you to hold my coat."

Ava: "Honestly, I usually just drink rose and let Mona go on and on."

Gary: "I may not be a master of the dark arts, but I am an intern of the dark arts."

Ava: "Were you guys about to hook up?" Zari: "No. no, no, no, no." Nate: "It was definitely on the table."

Bits and Pieces:

-- This show just doesn't do misunderstandings for dramatic effect. Nora immediately told John that Ray was possessed as soon as she woke up. Neron repeatedly goes out of his way to clarify that he's the one doing evil things, not Ray, even when it would really be in Neron's best interest to let the Legends think otherwise, thus driving them apart. That might be the thing I appreciate most about the writing.

-- It seemed odd at first that Mona didn't already know about Mick being Rebecca Silver, but on reflection it makes sense.

-- Loved the Garima cosplay at Romanticon.

-- How many books has Mick had time to write by this point? I mean, I suppose time travel would help with that, but I lost track of how many different titles they mentioned. I particularly liked Raw Hides.

-- Mick's final speech to the con about how all anybody really wants is to feel a connection was a lovely piece of writing, well performed. And a hell of a good underscoring to what was happening to Gary at that moment.

-- I get why they didn't do it, but it would have been smarter for Charlie to have shape shifted into a neutral third party to portray Rebecca. That said, I adored the Rita Skeeter vibe she had going on with her outfit.

-- Outside of the Rita Skeeter vibe, we also had phoenix feathers and a dragon egg. I'm sure there were a few other Harry Potter nods that I missed beside those. Anyone?

-- And speaking of the egg, it's a neat bit of long term plotting that what was just a MacGuffin this week is clearly set up at the end to be relevant to a different plotline later.

-- It's entirely in character for John Constantine to be rude and speak to Gary like that in a moment of stress, but the whole sequence of events felt sadder to me when I thought about the considerate way that he sheltered Gary's feelings last week.

-- I've noticed that they've gotten into the habit lately of consistently leaving someone on the Waverider to 'Quarterback' the mission. That's not only hugely useful for splitting up the characters and facilitating different schedules, it's also a really sound battle tactic.

-- Note added after the writing of this review.  Apparently 'Egg MacGuffin' is the official name of this sort of thing as cited on tvtropes, and not an original pun coined by the writers here.  Ah, well.  Still a clever title for how it was used here.

I loved this episode from beginning to end.  How can we only have three more left?

Three and a half out of four, and the only reason it's not higher is I suspect I'm going to need a higher number to go to in the next few episodes.

Feel free to mention your favorite MacGuffin in the comments.

Mikey Heinrich is, among other things, a freelance writer, volunteer firefighter, and roughly 78% water.

[study-with-nina]

[taken from my blog]

I'm an avid reader. There's nothing I love more than diving into a new novel, whether it be nonfiction about a recent scientific discovery or a centuries-old classic. In 2018 alone, I read 46 books, and started three more that I will finish in the new year. Since making a commitment for my New Year's resolution to read 40 books in 2018, I have read some astonishingly good novels. Here are ten of my favorites, in no particular order.

[in the interest of transparency, I will note that any books purchased through the links provided will provide you with a discount as well as give me a small commission (:]

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This book was actually the first book I read this year, and it still has a special place in my heart. The Book Thief is a story about a young German girl growing up during the Holocaust, and her love of reading that pits her against Hitler's regime. It was refreshingly somber to see the Holocaust era from a new view -- not that of a Jewish person, nor a soldier, but a civilian child growing up surrounded by hate speech and propaganda. Liesel's actions and her love for her little family tugged at my heartstrings many times, and this book is one of the few that makes it onto my "reread someday" list. (P.S., the movie is incredible as well, and is one of the few that seems to follow the book as accurately as possible.)

2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I actually finished this book in record time -- I just could not put it down. The Hate U Give is a gritty, realistic view into what it's like to grow up black in America, and the unique set of challenges that black people face in regards to police brutality and everyday racism -- from friends as well as foes. After 17-year-old Starr witnesses her friend's death at the hands of a cop, she must decide whether to keep her mouth shut or risk bringing attention -- mostly negative -- to herself. Who will believe her, anyway? This book was so profoundly impactful while being written in the voice of a teenage girl, conflicted and alone. Definitely one of my top books of all time.

3. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Honestly, I didn't have high expectations coming into this book. I had seen posters for the movie, and assumed it was just another 3-star read with a profitable idea to make into a movie. I am glad to say that I was wrong. This book, set in the year 2045, follows the adventures of teenager Wade Watts as he navigates the world of the OASIS, an online utopia in which citizens live out their lives, in search of a formidable prize hidden someone in the OASIS's thousands of worlds. Wade is a lower-income resident, and the OASIS is all he has -- so he's willing to risk it all for the chance to win the prize and discover the secret of the online universe's creator. This novel is fast-paced and well-written, and is a must-read for anyone who loves anything 80s, as the challenge is focused around 80s culture. (Call Ferris Bueller -- we're going on one heck of an adventure.)

4. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Despite the books listed previously, I typically tend to read nonfiction or classic literature, and don't often branch out into contemporary fiction. But I had heard rave reviews of Little Fires Everywhere, so I decided to check it out, and it quickly became a favorite of mine. The narrative reminds me of that of East of Eden by John Steinbeck, my favorite novel of all time, in the way that it follows the struggles and interconnectedness of a family, somehow without having an explicitly describable plot ("I don't know, they just...exist") but still managing to pull you in just as deep. Like East of Eden, Little Fires Everywhere follows the story of two very different families: the Richardsons, a large, wealthy family with multiple strong, conflicting personalities; and the Warrens, a small, close-knit mother and daughter duo who never lay roots in any one place. The story has a sort of coming-of-age feel to it, as the lives of the Richardson and Warren teens and their age-appropriate struggles are discussed, but also a hint of mystery as Mrs. Richardson attempts to track down the origins of the mysterious Mia Warren. This book made me laugh, cry, and everything in between, and I was so obsessed that I finished the 11-and-a-half-hour-long audiobook in the span of five days (despite the fact that I worked double shifts most of those days). Again, this book is definitely one of my favorites of all time, and one of the rare stories whose characters you still wonder about long after the book is over.

5. Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler

I have never taken an economics course (though I have dabbled in Crash Course videos here and there) and economics is not an important component of either of my majors (Biological Sciences and Political Science). However, this book was so intriguing that I promptly forgot both of those points. Misbehaving is an excellent introduction to behavioral economics, written simply enough that someone with little to no background knowledge in economics (such as myself) can comprehend, but still intricate enough that the material couldn't fit in a ten-minute Youtube video. Thaler, one of the earliest behavioral economists, describes how the subject came into importance among other economic and business-related topics, as well as how its marriage of economic and financial principles and behavioral psychology lend important insights to businesses as well as individuals. The difficulty of the content is offset with plenty of easy-to-understand examples, and the book reads like a history driven by discovery, with reviews of behavioral economics principles along the way. Though the subject of economics is not one that interests me as much as, say, politics or medicine, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it as an interesting read that serves as a light workout for your brain.

6. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women” by Kate Moore

I'd be lying if I said this book didn't make me cry multiple times. The Radium Girls is a true story of America's dial painters, the hundreds of young women who painted radium onto watches during the First World War, and the consequences of their position on their health and livelihood. In the days of World War I, jobs for women were few and far between, and becoming a dial painter was the most coveted position among women in their late teens and early twenties, unmarried and looking for some pocket money to buy the latest trends. This narrative follows the story of these dial-painters and how their distinct, omnipresent glow of radium dust went from being wondrous to becoming deadly. As the poisonous radium attacked these young women's bodies, causing them to rapidly and irreparably decay, the radium girls fought for the right to be heard, and to stop the radium industry from pulling any more girls into its vehement trap. This book was deeply heart-wrenching, following the lives of a few bright-eyed young dial painters to their young graves, and a valuable insight into the suppression of women's voices in the early 20th century.

7. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This novel was another popular book that I didn't expect to enjoy nearly as much as I did. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a biography of the life of fictitious movie star Evelyn Hugo, as told to the young and relatively unknown reporter Monique Grant. Evelyn unfurls her story, from escaping poverty to begin her acting career in her late teens, and the myriad of men that came into and left her life across the span of her career and its aftermath. I won't spoil the big twist (or two) that the novel provides, but it most certainly wasn't the "straight bullsh*t" I was expecting based on its title. It is an intense, poignant life of a woman who dared to obtain what she wanted by any means possible, only to discover that her heart lied elsewhere.

8. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

This book was a humorous yet momentous glance into the life of a woman named Eleanor Oliphant, who is perfectly fine, thank you very much. Eleanor doesn't really fit in at the office; her harsh realism and her inability to understand social cues make that quite difficult. But that's fine, because Eleanor has it all planned out. Every week, she follows the same plan, never deviating from her schedule of Wednesday night calls with Mummy, Friday night frozen pizzas, and sleeping off a vodka hangover every Saturday morning. However, when Eleanor and her coworker Raymond save the life of an elderly gentleman who fell near them on their way to work one day, Eleanor's life begins to change in profound ways, and she realizes that maybe "fine" isn't the best way to be, after all. Eleanor's story was touching yet hilarious, and was yet another novel that I could not put down. For anyone looking for a novel starring an out-of-the-ordinary heroine and lacking a predictable romance component, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is the novel for you.

9. The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

This fast-paced, gritty novel breaks the wall between the life of a president and the nation, and introduces us to the world of Washington politics and the counterterrorism approach. The President is Missing follows President Duncan, a tenacious war veteran, as he attempts to circumvent impeachment trials brought forth by members of the opposite party while maintaining the secret of a massive, nation-decimating cyber threat from the citizens of the U.S. This narrative is fast-paced, with twists and turns at every stop, and kept me guessing until the end what the outcome would be. The novel reads like a classic James Patterson thriller with the added expertise of a former president to reveal the intricacies of American politics and the battles of the elites.

10. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

My final novel is one that I finished a mere four days prior to writing this post, but one that already has a special place in my heart. Quiet explores the world of introverts, from their underrepresentation in U.S. culture and their hidden talents unique from extroverts. Though I identify as an ambivert (both extroverted and introverted), I felt this was an incredible analysis into the powers of introverts, and why American society should stop trying to force the extrovert ideal on those that are not born to be extroverted. I particularly enjoyed how Cain drew in principles of biology, psychology, and business, and described not only how introverts are wired differently from birth, but their benefits to jobs that are even as high-stakes and fast-paced as the stock market. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who struggles with introversion (if you dread speaking in front of a class, this is probably you) or anyone interested in the biological basis of personality and behavior.

Out of the 46 books I read in 2018, those are the ones that have stood out to me the most, and I would certainly recommend each and every one of them. If you would like more book recommendations, feel free to ask -- I'm always reading something new! Happy new year!

[rickrakontoys]

Pre-Infinity War MCU rankings

How I'd rank the current 18 movies, from my least favorite to most favorite, with some brief thoughts:

18. The Incredible Hulk (5/10): I barely remember this one... and I dont like Hulk's look here. Liv Tyler gasps all her dialogue. Ed Norton did an ok job I guess, but I didnt get much of a lasting impression.

17. Iron Man 2 (6/10): I remember being extremely annoyed by Tony and his behavior, and the blatant Avengers setups. Least we got War Machine out of this. Whiplash could have been great if he didnt have to share the villain role with Justin Hammer. (Also, without this mess, we wouldn't have gotten Jon Faverau's amazing film "Chef", which was made in response to his frustrations making IM2)

16. Thor: The Dark World (6/10): Forgettable plot and villain. Some chuckle worthy scenes. Not sure what else there is to say. You could tell the movie was butchered trying to fit Loki into the plot. There is barely any chemistry between Thor and Jane.

15. Thor (7/10): Decent intro to the characters and world of Asgard. But the movie looks strangely cheap, especially the New Mexico town. I never felt Thor and Jane could be a thing, despite their performances being good. The cast all around was terrific too (Hopkins as Odin is great). Loki was a great, tragic villain though. Thor breaking the bifrost is immediately undone by the Avengers...

14. Iron Man 3 (7.25/10): I enjoyed the deconstruction of Stark and common comic book tropes. What they did with the Mandarin was pretty ballsy and I respect that. I don't even remember the true villain's name... Having Tony deal with PTSD was also interesting.

13. Ant-Man (7.25/10): Surprising that this worked at all. Pretty fun ride, if a tad generic. Cool shrinking visuals. I look forward to the Wasp.

12. Doctor Strange (7.5/10): Again... plot is generic as hell. Forgettable villain. But very cool visuals. And I love the leitmotif and main theme music.

11. Avengers: Age of Ultron (7.75/10): I loved Ultron but felt he could have been a bigger threat. The middle of the movie plods... badly. Some wasted potential for sure. The third act action is comic book action nirvana. You could tell the movie was meddled with by the studio... I don't blame Joss Whedon at all for the film's shortcomings. He was obviously frustrated with it too.

10. Spiderman Homecoming (8.25/10): Gives us a great young spidey and a terrific villain. Seriously... Michael Keaton makes this movie work. The scenes with Peter and Tony are good. The supporting cast is good too. I wish they gave spidey a more memorable theme song for the movie.

9. Captain America: The First Avenger (8.25/10): I don't know why this movie resonates with me more than with other people. The look of the movie is gorgeous. The themes sincere. The music is wonderful. The performances are memorable. This movie showed us that Chris Evans was the perfect man to play Captain America. Hugo Weaving gave us a menacing yet charismatic Red Skull. One too many montages though. "The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan" is seriously catchy! Classic Disney songwriter Alan Menkin helped write it... no wonder!

8. Guardians of the Galaxy (8.5/10): How could a movie with a talking raccoon and a senient tree man be this good? Its all about the building of a family of friends, borne from people with broken pasts. Ronan is utterly forgettable, hence why I rank it here. The supporting cast is otherwise stellar. And the soundtrack... now thats how you integrate it into a movie's soul.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (8.75/10): Took the characters of the first movie to new places. Elevated them, broke them down, made them weep. The jokey dialogue can get grating. But thematically wonderful. Lots of small touches that gives life to even the most minor of characters. Everyone has an arc! Ego is a fascinating fellow, and seems genuinely likeable, until the revelation of his madness. The Sovereign are pompously silly and didn't amount to much of a threat (though I dont think they were supposed to be). The cinematography is sublime. The colors intense and vibrant. The soundtrack used impeccably. Just a wonderful piece of cinema. Others may disagree about it, but I rate it highly. It feels like a personal film by James Gunn.

6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (8.8/10): Truly great and heartfelt while being relevant to the current times. A movie that brought Cap to the modern age, while haunting him with a spectre of the past. It just works on so many levels. Alexander Pierce didnt leave a big impression as the villain despite being played by Robert Redford. Could have been more intimate exploration of Cap and Bucky's relationship. Despite being called "The Winter Soldier", the focus is more on the fall of SHIELD... At least this gave us Falcon and some cute chemistry between Steve and Natasha.

The TOP 5 were very hard to place...

5. The Avengers (8.8/10): That this movie worked at all is a miracle. That it was actually infinitely watchable is amazing. This was the sign that the MCU ahead was heading to good things. The cast was excellent together. The dialogue refreshingly snappy. It made Loki into a staple of the MCU. The Avengers theme was memorable. Lots of fan service without it being intrusive... the middle act can be a bit slow, but it is otherwise nicely paced and tonally even. The look of the movie can border on TV production values at times... but it manages to overcome any shortcomings by being so darn fun.

4. Captain America: Civil War (8.8/10): This movie broke down our well-known heroes and gave us a villain in Zemo that is mysterious, tragic, and understated. Revenge permeates the themes of the movie, but the true heart of the movie is friendship and Cap's desire to hold onto the final relic of his past, Bucky. Motivations are clear between most of the characters and neither side of the conflict is right or wrong. Some Avengers are just along for the ride, but everyone nonetheless has a moment to shine. New characters are introduced (mostly) seamlessly (T'Challa is woven into it naturally, Spidey... not so much but he leaves a great first impression). The airport battle was a fantastic bit of fan service fun before the gut wrenching emotionally driven climax. The final showdown between Cap and Iron Man was like watching two parents fight over a child. This is a comic book movie that had ideas, and though it didn't totally follow through on some concepts like the Sokovia Accords, it did give us an emotional rollercoaster that built upon our pre-existing attachment to the characters. This movie was a true culmination of all that came before.

3. Thor Ragnarok (8.9/10): This movie felt the most fun and thoroughly enjoyable out of all the MCU. It may not be thematically challenging or very deep, but it isn't trying to be. For pure intentions, it accomplished what it sought to: make a fast and funny Thor-Hulk buddy comedy, and reinvent the God of Thunder as a likeable, dunderheaded oaf. Hela seeths with sultry menace. Korg is simply a treasure. Valkyrie is a drunken badass. Grandmaster is.... Jeff Goldblum. The score is the best in the MCU, instantly setting the tone. Led Zepplin's Immigrant song used twice to great effect. Quotable, hilarious dialogue. Korg. Taika Waititi injected new life into the MCU after a few serious installments. This reminds me of the goofy "fun" episode of a series before the finale. I love this movie!

2. Black Panther (8.9/10, bumped up after my second viewing): Epic world building and a villain that outshone the hero for once. It may have its flaws in plotting and pacing (the first hour is meandering), but what it tried to do is highly admirable. The supporting cast is great. The look of the movie is utterly beautiful. The action scenes are the least interesting part of the movie oddly enough due to bad execution and dodgy CGI. It has plenty of ideas regarding Wakanda and its place in the world, and the duty to use great power to help others. Killmonger should have been the chief focus beside T'Challa... You can tell Ryan Coogler made this film with his full heart. This is the only MCU film to make me tear up. With a few tweaks it could have been the best of the MCU.

1. Iron Man (9.5/10): Nearly everything here works. Robert Downey Jr. is perfectly cast, and turned Tony Stark into a household name. There is genuine chemistry between him and Pepper. Obadiah Stane is a likeable yet menacing villain (Jeff Bridges playing a bad guy?! He's terrific at it!). The action scenes are exciting and not too overdone. The score is energetic (why isn't Iron Man's leitmotif from this movie used more often?!). This movie wasn't bogged down with setting up a universe. It was allowed to be its own thing. But from this success, all the rest followed.

[an-author-and-his-books]

`*•.¸(`*•.¸(`*•.¸★¸.•*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´ The Curious Tale of Gabrielle ¸.•*´(¸.•*´(¸.•*´★`*•.¸)`*•.¸)`*•.¸ "Refreshingly unique. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this book." -Amazon reviewer- "On of the few books that I just didn't want to put down." -Amazon Reviewer- ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ →Kindle Link: https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Tale-Gabrielle-ebook/dp/B01BJ5FS06/ →Nook Link:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-curious-tale-of-gabrielle-zachary-paul-chopchinski/1121445311?ean=2940153553979 →Ibook Link:https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-curious-tale-of-gabrielle/id1158738117?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 The First Book in The Gabrielle Series, a YA Fantasy with Time-Travel and Paranormal Twists Steeped in Druid Lore! When Gabrielle moves to the small town of Envisage, she is drawn to a hidden antique shop and its mysterious owner. She's given a strange gift and suddenly finds herself in the middle of an epic battle between good and evil. Follow Gabrielle as she ventures through the lives of many with the experience of only her own. It’s a journey through history, life, and love unlike anything that could be imagined—except perhaps by a curious young girl. "intriguing and refreshingly original" -5 star review "fast paced/fast read gem of a book" -5 star review "One of the few books that I just didn't want to put down" -5 star review Keywords: paranormal, mystery, suspense, fantasy, magic, scotland, english ruled scotland, evil kings, teenage girl, ya, young adult, strong women, curiosity, celtic, druid, time travel, castles,lucht siuil, time traveler, battle between good and evil, →Kindle Link: https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Tale-Gabrielle-ebook/dp/B01BJ5FS06/ →Nook Link:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-curious-tale-of-gabrielle-zachary-paul-chopchinski/1121445311?ean=2940153553979 →Ibook Link:https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-curious-tale-of-gabrielle/id1158738117?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 #book #books #bowtieauthor #bookstagram #booklr #read #reading #writing #writersofinstagram #paranormal #celtic #druid #sale