#and then you listen to the va and thats just her voice

[milgram-tournament]

MILGRAM Best Song Tournament, Round 1, Match 3 THROW DOWN vs. THIS IS HOW TO BE IN LOVE WITH YOU

Propaganda for both options under the cut!

Propaganda for THROW DOWN:

silly point is that throw down was my top song for this past year and i havent even been into milgram that long so. good song. also i sang it on stage once so. anyway

Flower imagery!!!! god i love flower imagery

the vocals are good

it has a banger es cover too

"ethics are a delusion" is singlehandedly the funniest line to come out of the t1 songs

the mv is SO pretty like. holy shit

the first note constantly jumpscares me

also i like the clock sounds in the background of the verses

the instrumental,,,,

throwdown is just a really nice. calmish song that still has the whole desperation thing conveyed through his voice props to va for that cuz its relatively subtle but really adds to it imo

im reiterating that ethics is a delusion is the funniest thing to me

also i really like the bridge (the whisper part)

irrelevant to the song itself but i like his fit in throw down i'd wear that irl

gardening/pruning as imagery is so fun for a surgeon character

also vocally i just really like throw down its calm sounding yet theres a hint of like. desperation? despair? in his voice and thats really cool to me

---

Jackalope's note: Only one propaganda piece... hmmhehe. Well, I'm glad our resident pretty girl got tons of asks! But I feel a little bad about Shidou, so let's let him argue his case at least! Oi! Shidou! Get over here! Oi! Sheesh, it's like he can't even hear me! This is why I need to send the reminders early...

(mod's propaganda: While I love both songs very much, Throw Down has a special place for me in that I can actually sing it. You sing way too fast, Mappi!! I also just think using flower imagery both made the MV one of the prettiest ones we have yet and helped distance both the viewer and shidou himself to the reality of his sin... I also really like the ethics is a delusion bit lol)

Propaganda for TIHTBILWY:

okay so like the thing im most in love with: the VOCALS!!!! this song has an absolutely AMAZING singer and AMAZING vocals!!!! the way the conversational talk-singing lines still feel so musical!!!! the cute cute cuteeeee mahiru voice!!!! it brings you so much energy!!!! its a song sung with so much love!!!! mahirus va brings such an amazing feel to the song with such amazing talk-singing!!!! its very skillfully done and it happens in i love you too!! mahiru songs r the QUEENS of musical talk singing

the silly phone call bit. kurururu~!

the little vocal flourish and the way her voice raises up like an excited exclamation in the final prechorus!! daijoubu nante kirai DA!

its such a fast song but everything flows so well!!!! it makes it feel so bright and cheery and peppy!!

the instrumental is so underrated just LISTEN to that catchy bass line thats so pretty in the verses!!!! no for real even if u dont vote this is how to be in love with you go listen to the bass line in the verses it works to move both the song and the listener forward at mahirus sweeping breakneck pace. and the cute keyboard sounding and synth instruments!!!! its SUCH a danceable song!!!! i cant listen to it without bopping along in my seat

the way the ominous bits are subtly hidden? it all sounds so cute but there are just these Things that she sings that are really kind of concerning and unhealthy when she sings them!! and the veiled desperation to be in her relationship- listening to that and the cheery tone and breakneck, quick song pace, it really does represent mahiru SO well. she throws in all these little bits that just go noooo teehee the relationships just fine!! when it REALLY isnt

i would listen to mahiru talk for hours

the MV!!!!!! HER FASHION SENSE THE MAGAZINE STYLE!!!! the magazine style especially works so well with her character!!!! its so cute and stunning and just looking at it you have a blast. also her birdcage!!!! her birdcage and the bright orange and the pink bars!!!! the way everything desaturates and becomes more sickly looking when she wakes up at the end!!!! its such a happy carefully curated and designed dream and then it drains away!!!! also god all her outfits are stunning. mahiru call me

the way she sings "overheat de~!" cutest thing in the WORLD.

the little faces she makes!!!! godddd shes so expressive

actually the whole songs so expressive!!!! shes putting her all into it!!!! her words have so much expression in them!!!! once more praising mahirus va the way her voice can soften and become bright or subtly desperate so quickly is MASTERFUL control of expression when singing and its so underrated. join me in being insane over miho okasaki delivers her lines. shes such a perfect mahiru.

funniest es cover. hands down. funniest es cover.

this is how to be in love with you is FREE serotonin!!!! free energy right there!!!! this is how to be in love with you sweep!!!!!

---

-The song is so cheerful!! I always feel like dancing and singing when this one comes up in my playlists!! Absolute banger, mood definer, kicking sadness in the shin with those high-heels and then hitting its face with a cute purse -THE HIGH-HEELS STEPPING TO THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC IN THAT ONE SCENE (0:50). SIMPLY ICONIC. NO ONE DID IT LIKE HER. -👠💅👝👗 -She is slaying. Look at her outfits. She put so much effort there. She gave it her all. Absolutely serving. -SUKITTE KIMOCHI WAKATTA TSUMORI? NARA KONO MAMA FUTARI O-VA-HI-TO- DE -The storyline of the mv MAKES SENSE and you can form a COHESIVE TIMELINE OF EVENTS (unlike other unspecified contestants' mvs you know 🙄) -look at herr 🥺 she beby 🥺 all she did was love too much 🥺 we all love mappi don't we 🥺 she deserved more let her win this pleease 🥺 -No medical malpractice happened in the making of this mv 👍

---

I care so much about This is How To Be In Love With You- it's visuals are brilliant in the ways it conveys its themes and narrative. I'm never normal Ever about the "Love as marketing" symbolism that is brought in by the use of magazines. It's a lovely upbeat song but the Horrors are Always Lurking under it, the breakup Ritual line is my Favorite Line cause its so horrifying but its said so casually and its so good oh its so good-

[catwyk]

tsv finale spoilers below. i wrote this during my first listen through. its long as fuck. im dead im ruined.

cull calling out to rane instead of faulkner.... rane is truly the real leader now

FAULKNER......

"katabasian rane? sister thurrocks?" im gonna be sick

"hes basically a cow" spit your shit carp

"people in my life keep leavin to serve a cause i just cant understand" BASHES MY HEAD ON THE WALL

"we must love them for fleein from our touch e must not run after them" oh baby :(

this is actually fucking destroying me right now oh poor faulkner. failed by the world.

"of course i recognize you. youre carpenter's ghost" // "yes. i am" // "that must mean that im being punished. arent i?" he sounds so small and young oh my god

"if this is my punishment, then why am i smiling?" OKAY PARALLELS TO HIS VISIONS IN S2. OKAY. IM NOT GOING TO CRY. I WONT.

his monologue is ruining me actually oh god.

"they invented their own faulkner. and they forced me to be him" THATS WHAT IM SAYIN

he called her his sister...

im sure hes gonna die

"you crashed a car??" // "yeeah. i crashed a car." i love her

"they need to fix you, they need to make you better, and ill, ill watch over your bed, ill be there, carpenter. ill pray, ill pray and pray for as long as i need to" christ alive. i need to lay down RIGHT NOW.

méabh de brún too good at acting like shes in pain im abt to dial an ambulance

EM??? EM MENTION. EM MENTION

ok this is fuelling my hc that faulkner reminded carpenter of em in some painful and undefinable way

"i should tell paige that story, if i get to see heg again"

"OUR paige?" CRYING FOR A MILLION YEARS. AND HIS "HUH" AS WELL WHEN CARPENTER CONFIRMS

twin mouths truther forever

"i hate you too, faulkner, i truly do. and i love you, too. in spite of everything" // "always on the very precipice of understanding one another"

faulkner's "DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!" is fucking me up b narr the voice actor everrr

SHES GONNA LEAVE HIM A CAIRN 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

"there'll be a place for you, and itll be beside me" DRIVING STRAIGHT INTO A LAMPPOST AS WE SPEAK

NO HES GONNA TRY AND KILL HER ISNT HE

"yeah. perhaps thats it. do you?" again. coolest fucking character on the planet

"this is when the waters parted, and at last..! at last he understood!" jesus christ. jon ware the writer that you are

"say you were raised in the service of a god of fire. so you feel like the world would be a much better place if more things were on fire" i busted out laughing WHAT a tone shift

"dennis duplace helped. hayward.. dad.. carpenter.. im leaving all of you behind" i am a husk of a person. lucille valentine knocking it out of the park

"best feeling in the world, seeing you walk away" holy fucking shit this is DAMAGING ME.

i wanna write every quote thats making my heart sting but the transcript is already up so theres no real point

every single va is popping the FUCK OFF by the way. i have to keep reminding myself theyre acting so i dont like. kill myself

val saving hayward was NOT on my bingo card what the fuck

"and before she died... she remembered who she was" OHHHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDDD

hayward doing his own rites of the cairn maiden for himself :(

no gods coming for hayward but "fuck it. this one's not... for any of you. this ones for me"

WHY IS FAULKNER BACK. NONONO ITS ONLY GONNA BE BAD. PLEASE NO

i never realized the parallel between faulkner's gardener father and his gardener god

carpenter meant so much to him :(

"Sister! I love you! Where are you going? Dont turn your back on me! Dont you dare- Sister! I need you! SISTER! SISTER! MARCO! MARCO!" FAULKNER NO NOT LIKE THIS NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

FUCK YOU JON WARE (<- COMPLIMENT)

THE FAULKNER BODY FAKEOUT. SEE ABOVE POINT

carpenter's scream...... oh god.. oh méabh de brún the woman that you are

"he could be a face from my childhood. or his" charlie.......

HES BEEN BLOND THIS ENTIRE TIME????????????? i should have fucking known

"but no matter how it starts, no matter how it turns out for us, it can end with love, cant it? it can end with love. it can end with kindness." i said oh my god out loud

the delivery of "and then i let him go" why not just drive a railroad spike through my lungs

"the river is vast, and no dam can block every channel, and ours is a world of miracles." i said jesus christ out loud

i wheezed when she just. got back up this old bitch cannot die can she

not nana glass' song............

FUCKING TAINSLEY. CHEKHOVS TAINSLEY.

oh my god. a final heartbreaking credits scene

i had to just sit and lean back for a second. what a fucking ending. what a fucking podcast. this is one of those pieces of media that takes up residence in your brain forever. im never gonna stop thinking about this

[saym0-0]

oh my god. oh my GOD mechs esmp crossover. this is for SUCH a niche audience the esmp fandom is dead i dont care mechs esmp crossover

LISTEN TO ME okay ill have to add a sci-fi element to my established esmp world i am OKAY with this, grimlands are already victorian steampunk its not that big a stretch to add space travel, especially in the place of dimension travel.

okay so in my esmp lore the emperors are blessed by the gods with conditional immortality and flight, they know a new ruler has been born by if they're born with wings. i bet though i could twist that into the king cole/olympians idea of trading their citizen's lives for immortality. although it is kinda reversed? (mechs immortals tend to stop aging but can be killed, emperors still age and can die of old age, but cant be killed). hmm i mean theres definite differences between king cole and the olympians so maybe its just another variation, or something closer to the mechs themselves? though that ones less likely

honestly there literally is an esmp1 musical so i reckon its interesting enough to attract the mechs

but lets be honest with ourselves here, the only reason im doing this is so i have an excuse to draw grimlands!marius lmao

i think raph would be interested in it too though, with how they're so much more reliant on technical advancement than magical.

ivy would love the rivendell library, and crystal cliffs

hmmm jonny might have fun between mythland and the cod empire,,,

hmmmm brian would maybe like to hang out with shrub in the undergrove? he does like his garden,, maybe the overgrown with katherine too,, or gilded helianthia!

hrm,, i keep wanting to put people in the grimlands but i know thats only because its my favourite so therefore the most developed and also the most similar in vibe to the mechs

with that said though, tim really would have fun there,, like hes the gunpowder guy!! fwhip is the gunpowder guy!! they both r in charge of weapons!! guns, crossbows, same difference really

oough back to raph i think she and fwhip would bond over making their own wings,, fwhip made his to prove that he is fit to rule after gem fucked off to wizard school and raph,, uh actually i never found out raphs backstory beyond the fact im like 78% sure she made her and marius' mechanisms,, although that could be widely accepted fanon who knows not me

i think marius would also enjoy mezelea

but OH MY GOD TOY SOLDIER IN MEZELEA,,, i cant believe i almost forgot it,, i think it would immediately blend in with the clones and pretend to be one right up until they leave the planet, and have the time of its life the whole time,,

i dont know where ashes would go either.. i cant just say grimlands again because theres like four of them there already but,, the explosions!!

maybe mythland, or rivendell, those both seem like they'd appreciate a good mob boss taking over the place tbh

i think brian would get along with pix also

okay this isnt mechs but the fandom is a circle so if theres actually any fans of both out there reading this post, has anyone else noticed just how similar pix and jon's (tma) voices are?? genuinely when i started listening to the podcast i had to double check the va wasnt pix (and imagine my confusion when they share the same name too..)

anyways if anyone wants to scream about this with me please do, or if you want to know more about my esmp expanded universe feel free to do that too! in asks replies or reblogs idm

[thefringespod]

Its another beautiful #AudioDramaSunday so here is my roundup of listens that kept me from losing my mind this week

Starting this week is @thesiltverses which is absolutely taking my breath away every step of the way. Its unsettling and fascinating and just so fucking good. I believe in Méabh de Brún supremacy and The Silt Verses is just feeding my love of her VA work. Its also making me want to do a TSOSK relisten so that's getting added to the never ending list of shows I want to listen to

@doyoucopypod episode 7 hurt me <3 They gave the content warnings and I still wasn't expecting what happened and then I was experiencing every single emotion at once while at my desk at work. I'm absolutely loving Do You Copy and im also SO SCARED of what's coming next <3

Our dear friend Jonathan has returned to @re-dracula and has finally married his beloved Mina and definitely nothing bad has or will happen that would be silly. Even knowing what happens in Dracula I'm still so stressed about whats coming and THATS the power of good voice acting

The show is still in production BUT @souloperatorpod has been releasing official character art all week and it is INCREDIBLE!! I continue to be inhumanly excited for Soul Operator and am prepared to be incredibly annoying when it comes out <3

The fine folks at @chainofbeing are still crowdfunding! They've got about 2 weeks left to meet their goal, please help them get there

@levianpod is in their final week of crowdfunding and also need your help! Their first episode is out now so you can get a taste of this incredible world that's being put together, please show them some love

Recording is still in progress for the Fringes season 2 and bonus content is still being edited! First 2 episodes of season 3 have been written and the whole third season is officially outlined. There's a lot of fun stuff coming yalls way from us here on the Fringes!

And that's all for this week! The week ahead promises more Silt Verses and also new Techonamcy Project which I am definitely a normal amount of excited for (that's a lie I'm ridiculously excited for more Technomancy Project and always will be)

[nijigay]

hiiii :3 I noticed ur one (of a few) ppl who ships boniji on tumblr, and I wanna know if you know any accounts/artists who ships them so I could follow them to satiate my boniji fixation >.< Also, some bocchi x nijika questions I wanna personally ask: what songs do you recommend that reminds you of them? Also, what are some boniji fanfics you recommend/like? I probably already read most of their fics but I wanna know what others like. Lastly, ur personal boniji headcanons if you don't mind sharing... 👉👈

I only ask blogs rarely cuz I'm shy so no need to answer immediately...

I'm just brainrotting over boniji so much! im so normal about them (◔‿◔)

AWAWAWA i love boniji like so much like too much like its become my main personality trait!

but youre right!!! it feels like boniji fans are mostly japan natives and there dont seem to be many english speaking boniji fans! ohhh i wish there was more of a following! imagine a boniji zine in the west! i would pay money to get involved with that

im kind of embarrassed about shoving my ships in ppls faces all the time and this might get long and its just me like rambling about my OTP so like .. gona put it under a read more lol. seriously this post is like almost 2k words long thats longer than my average fanfic chapter

i hate to be a shill but im going to be a shill for my fic recommendations:

ive been working on a lowkey corny boniji hanahaki fic on AO3 and some other oneshots, so maybe you would be willing to check my own stuff out?? (if u want .-. im really amateur with this stuff despite being an art student lol) its been on hiatus for like half a year but im just adhd af and keep restarting. im still working on it frequently tho and im secretly hoping to start updating on a consistent basis soon. but i also liked fics like "Midnight and Daydreams" and "Bubblegum Detergent" and "A Sellout Night" and "Just Enough to be Enough" and "A Kiss is Not A Cure". MANNN i remember that last one fucked me up bad when it was posted. it was only the second ever dedicated boniji fic and like I LOVE angst but with how small the sample size of fics was at the time it was like AUFHAUIJKADGF. all those fics are super super good though! i also love the third one, i love the trans bocchi HC personally

umm as far songs songs tho, i guess the ones i associate with boniji most are:

"veil" by keina suda, i remember drafting some animatic for an angsty AU of Hitori living on post-Kessoku

"STEP&CLAP" by yoshino aoyama (aka yoppi aka bocchis VA <3), i think yoppi making the song speaks for itself but its a rly cute song and i love thinking of Hitori and Nijika like tap dancing to it?? check out the rest of yoppi's debut album too!! her voice is so pretty and i was so happy finding out that there are 11 songs with her voice, instead of the 1 from the anime

idk why but i also think of them a lot when listening to PMMM's ost by yuki kaijuri, like "desiderium" and "not yet" and "mada dame yo"? these r kinda a stretch though but idk!!

i also like compiling music that reminds me of them into spotify playlists, if youd like some inspiration for your own! this one and also this angstier one

i have a lot of boniji headcanons but i feel like its hard for me to like list them all in one spot because they usually come to me with context during relevant conversations?? but ill list whatever i can think of!:

this ones not necessarily boniji but i was thinking about it like an hour ago, but i really like the idea of Seika being a huge boniji supporter. like in the source material she already finds Bocchi really cute, so I get the impression she would really like to be an older sister figure for Bocchi (and probably gets jealous of Kikuri for holding that spot in Bocchi's life lol), and so Nijika being a potential love interest for Bocchi would make Seika double down hard on supporting boniji. she'd probably be the one who brings Bocchi up to Nijika more than Nijika would bring her up to Seika?? i also like to imagine that for Seika she has a similar complex to Yoyoko. but instead of "Bocchi is stealing my spot as Hiroi's younger sister figure," it would be "Kikuri is stealing my spot as Bocchi's older sister figure" LOL . if that makes any sense at all

this ones actually taken from a japanese twitter user, but they moved on from boniji after the anime ended. but they had some headcanons that REALLY stuck with me. my favorite was the idea that Bocchi and Nijika both have inferiority complexes with one another. iirc their (translated) words were along the lines of "Bocchi thinks of Nijika as a pure, comforting light in her life, one that could be muddied if Bocchi got involved with her. On the other hand, Nijika thinks of Bocchi as a reliable hero who outshines an ordinary girl like her." i just REALLY like it. it also reminds me of this conversation that Yoppi and Suzushiro had on the BTR podcast, about Bocchi and Nijika's first meeting! like nijika literally brought light into Bocchi's life awdsfsgdhgfjh

actually that same user above also made a tweet that is the reason why i associate Keina Suda's "veil" with boniji! they made a tweet about an AU idea, where, in the event that Nijika would ever pass away, Seika would give Bocchi her ribbon, which Hitori would wear from that point onwards as she continues to play music to honor Nijika's memory. they also suggested that in the opposite event of Hitori passing away, Nijika would possibly do something very rash out of despair but thats dark hahaha!!!!

i kinda think this goes without saying and i think its actually a fairly common HC for BTR characters in general, but I can definitely see Bocchi being trans

I like to imagine that shortly after Volume 2, Bocchi and Nijika would probably have another conversation

eventually, i'm sure if Bocchi and Nijika pursued a relationship that they'd eventually move in together (or like into the same room? if Kessoku Band had a sharehouse?), and since both Bocchi and Nijika tend to be minimalistic with their room decor, their shared room would again become filled with a ton of Ryo's clothes and items and instruments, like how Nijika's room at Seika's apartment is

i think they'd both end up being really touchy with each other, especially when nervous? Bocchi kind of already does this when she's in new places (eg bringing Kita to Shimokitazawa, or going to FOLT for the first time and being dragged by Nijika), but I think it would grow to them finding comfort with each other?

idk if this is necessarily a HC but i really like how Bocchi and Nijika emotionally support each other, even in source. Nijika is shown to have a really good read on Bocchi (to the point of Bocchi worrying that Nijika is actually a psychic), knowing Bocchi's common thought processes, and picking up from Bocchi's mother during her first visit to Kanazawa that karaage chicken can bring Bocchi out of her anxiety attacks, and seems to be the only character who actually comments on Bocchi's growth as an individual and actively tries to facilitate it; but she also doesn't lovebomb Bocchi with praise, striking what seems to be a good balance for pushing Bocchi but also being a reliable confidant for her too.

one of my favorite details from the anime that i really feel doesnt get talked about as often as it should is when Nijika finally notices that Bocchi is guitarhero! she definitely wasn't the first to notice (Seika noticed first, but it seemed like Seika only knew about guitarhero via Nijika. When she notices that Bocchi's playing sounds familiar, her thought process immediately goes towards wondering why Nijika isn't noticing, and then she just tells them to get back to work) but she was the first one that Bocchi admits it too. but my favorite part is how Bocchi says that she wanted to change and grow as a person before telling them the truth, and she says that she especially wanted to grow before Nijika in particular found out! its just really cute, i love how Bocchi was worried about disappointing Nijika. and i like how, after some growth, Bocchi's dream turns from "becoming popular" to "making Kessoku Band the best band it can be" which is like almost basically the same as Nijika's dream! and so it's really nice when Bocchi doubles down on that goal by not remotely entertaining the idea of leaving Kessoku Band, even when goaded by promises of popularity.

last headcanon! because i ran out of thoughts and just came up with this on the spot. but i also like the idea that as the years go on, Bocchi and Nijika in particular may kind of become more similar in personality. i mean, they'd definitely still be distinctly them, but i like to think that Bocchi would eventually start picking up more optimistic habits and stop grimacing all the time, while Nijika would eventually become a little more lax and not reflexively try to dismiss her own negative feelings via looking at the silver lining. i thought of that when Nijika kinda dismisses her family dynamics with her mother's passing and her father's neglect after Kessoku's first real performance, as well as Nijika seeming to admit after inhaling Bocchi Dust(?) during her and Kita's Kanazawa visit that some of her optimism is performative

ok another one Nijika seems to have her art skills commented on sometimes so i like to imagine she has doodles of Bocchi in her sketchbook (alongside everyone else but mostly Bocchi). like think of like Miles Morales drawing a ton of Gwen Stacy like that kinda deal but with Nijika drawing Bocchi. and like Bocchi finds the sketchbook and Nijika freaks out and Bocchi actually doesnt look bc she doesnt want to do something wrong. but then Ryo or Kita take it and look instead and then show Bocchi and Bocchi melts into a flustered puddle

wowwow this got long! sorry! i really mean it when im like OBSESSED with these two like i think ive thought about them on a daily basis ever since the episode aired where Nijika bought Bocchi a cola. isnt that cute, too!? she picked up on Bocchi's favorite soda so quickly! and her buying a box of energy drinks for Bocchi despite not understanding why at all! girlfriend behavior

i really really want to make more boniji content, i'd like to be more active in posting my fics and drabbles and drawings, someday soon. right now most of my boniji content is just illegible sketches in my sketchbook lol

also thank u so much for like sending this ask im like BEGGING internally all the time to be given the chance to talk about them! i dont think theyre like a rarepair or anything, especially with them seeming to be like the second most popular BTR ship in japan, but i do think that not many people talk to them in the english side of the fandom! theyre super super cute and have really good chemistry.

this entire post is probably like a total carwreck i hope its even readable

ill also use this post as an excuse to post my own HCs for a Kessoku Band's relations chart. it's a bonus for reading this far. i'm sorry for draining 22 HP from you with this brain dump

[12pt-times-new-roman]

c3e60

"That's the story of a wizard, right? My magic is all work." I'm feeling some kind of way about Prism's bitterness about this

"See, scrying is like--" "This one I know. This one I know." So Ashton is familiar with scrying, but Orym is not.

Chetney giving everyone gifts also inadvertently gave them scrying focuses, because those items were technically created by Chetney. If that was intentional, that's a genius move on Travis' part.

Prism is from a thusfar-unmentioned Cobalt Soul branch in Emon! She hails from "Ablieras"? I didn't catch that name. But this means that she knows about the Cerberus Assembly -- she knows just about as much as we do -- but not anything specific, like she would if she was an apprentice at the Valley Archive or the Rexxentrum Archive.

They find a road and a sign. One side points west to Endovar, and one points east to Hearthdale. In older ink, the sign also points east to Othanzia, which is the northeastern part of Issylra of which Vasselheim is the capitol. Dynios identifies the road as the Outer Walk.

On the way to Hearthdale, at a crossroads, they come upon a ruined, long-disused gallows. That always bodes well.

Matt described the leylines as being "caught by the continuing Apogee Solstice."

As they grow nearer to the village, the taste of the air changes to metallic and the hairs on their arms stand up. It feels the same as their approach to the excavation site, and they see that they are approaching a leyline nexus hanging above it.

The locals of Hearthdale seem to be afraid of talking about the nexus, and when the Hells ask about it, they're interrupted by a guard. But someone points them toward two people they can ask about it.

They notice that all of the guards they can see are wearing symbols of the Dawnfather, despite religion-based "police forces" being extremely rare (mostly only found in and around Vasselheim). The town also has an uncharacteristically large temple to the Dawnfather.

They head to Prolef's shop; he tells them that the town lost 11 people, and they didn't have anything obvious in common. The temple has been in the town for a while, but in the past few months, Vasselheim sent guards and specialists to the town because of its proximity to a nexus point. There have also been a lot of Othanzian agents, including at least one Judicator, passing through.

People in this town are of the Loam and the Leaf, led by the Elder Abadena and her family line who communes with the spirits of the hill. It's a more druidic, "pagan" existence, in tune with nature, listening to the spirits of the world. Othanzian agents built the temple to encourage its residents to convert to Pelor's faith; the religion is not forced upon them violently or physically, but its presence in the town is oppressive, and the people have been becoming more and more afraid.

Every single person in this town heard Ludinus' voice. It wasn't telepathic, it came from the sky. So everyone in Exandria could have heard it.

The temple was constructed 20 years ago, but it only increased its guard presence in the past few months ahead of the solstice. They didn't used to walk the streets or listen in on conversations, but the solstice looming changed that.

"Do you have a wizard here?" "Oh, we don't have anybody here from fancy, learned colleges or anything." there's the balance to Prism's bitterness.

Bor'dor buying a very strong laxative has the same vibe as when you're rewatching C2 and Jester buys the dust of deliciousness

THATS what's so familiar about this. The Bells Hells view of the gods is the same flavor as the Mighty Nein's early view of the Kryn. Except the Bells Hells justifying the destruction of the gods is so much more frustrating.

Also, this campaign is kind of the epitome of "the enemy of my enemy." Maybe it's because there are two distinct stances and

"Wizards don't give a fuck about copyright." Liam O'Brien, 2023

(Reminder that we have absolutely no confirmation that the texts that were stolen from Vasselheim by the Grim Verity were not stolen from the Cobalt Vault, the Vasselheim branch of the Cobalt Soul.)

Laudna/Marisha theorizes that the people who were teleported were moved because of their proximity to a nexus, not because of any other common trait. This falls apart at the seams a little bit, because we don't know whether there was a nexus above Emon or the Cyrios Mountains, but it does apply to the Bells Hells themselves and the people in Hearthdale. This would also explain why Frida and Deanna were not teleported, since it tracks that Eiselcross' anomalies would interfere with that.

They arrive at the Knotburrow Cottage, a two-story wooden estate that's wrapped in vines as though nature itself is embracing the structure.

Abadena answers the door, and, when they tell her that they just appeared here, comments that the Bells Hells were "caught up in the winds of the solstice." She is a tall (6'5) half-giant woman in her 60s or so, with long gray hair woven with trinkets. She has deep gray-brown skin and faded tattoos on her arms.

Orym druidcrafts a big white flower. "I know we might be strangers... but that doesn't mean we can't be friends."

Bor'dor speaks giant! Because he's said that he has been in the Cyrios Mountains for most of his life, this implies that there is a pretty significant population of giants, half-giants, goliaths, or firbolgs in that region.

Point of order: We cannot be sure whether Matt means half-giant or goliath here. Because of her tattoos and grayish skin, Abadena fits the physical description of a goliath, but Matt specifically called her a half-giant. "Half-giant" isn't an official race in D&D 5e (the only ones I could find were homebrew), so this may be another case of Matt using his own descriptors in place of Wizards of the Coast intellectual property, which goliaths are (and which he has also done for multiple other lineages, like aeormatons (warforged) and eisfurra (aarakocra)).

Abadena tells them that all magic is amplified beneath the leyline nexus. The people of this town look to her as a spiritual advisor, because she can communicate with the denuthur eidolons, the spirits of the land.

"What do you think of the entities that call themselves the Prime Deities?" hhhhhhh

Orym has the right idea, 110%. The followers are the problem, not the gods themselves. "The problems I'm seeing here, in your home, are a response, an overreach."

ohohoho, a circle of spores druid!

Orym inhales the spores, and Abadena recalls Orym's memories. The key, Keyleth, Otohan, a cluster of experiences until he can't help but cough. (Sounds like detect thoughts to me!)

"We are born free people. It is only those with money and power and wills to exert that rob us of that freedom. And if history has proven anything, there is no higher form of government and control than what begins at the temples of Vasselheim... The nature of existence is to fight, is to struggle. And, yes, should one government fall, history has shown through our nature that another will try to rise. But maybe things need to crumble before they can be rebuilt. I would take a vacuum and the banishing of the greatest oppressors for a chance to remake things better, than to remain under these shackles that have held us down since we were created, yes? Someone with vision has taken steps that I can feel the gods quake at. The first mortal since the Matron ascended to truly fill them again with fear. That is worth something, yes? Is that not an opportunity?"

Orym is having none of it. Like Ashton, like Team Wildemount, Orym wants his friends back.

Abadena exits the house, and points to the north, toward the temple. "You help me free my families... and I'll help you return to yours. Come with me to a meeting. I think you'll hear what you need to hear there. We meet at the brewery in about 15 minutes."

Okay I get the sense that this is going to be way too much dialogue for me to transcribe, so I'll do my best but take it all with a grain of salt. (edit from future Note: incorrect. I'm pretty confident that at least 85% of my transcription is accurate.)

Upon asking how they can trust Abadena, she opens a secret door leading to a bird bath-type construct. Prism notices that it's a scry well, and Abadena says that they can use it upon the completion of their "mission." "There has been a rich history of outsiders promising things and then leaving us... so forgive me for my reticence." She has only had the time to scry on 3 missing members of her village: one lay adrift in the ocean, one walks through the outskirts of a swamp, and the last is amongst snow in the northern edges of Wildemount." With a nat20 insight check, Prism believes that the scry well is working correctly.

(A slight insight to my own thoughts right now, as someone who knows frankly way too much about Exandria (blame the adhd): Orym is the only person here who is differentiating between the gods and their followers. Everyone else is blaming the gods themselves, not the followers of the gods, for the actions of the followers of the gods, which is frankly fucking ridiculous when they are not also questioning the source of Prism's or Bor'dor's spellcasting. Sometimes neither the end nor the means justifies the casualties, and Orym seems to be the only one who knows that.)

Like, I'm not kidding. Every single person at this meeting is right -- the presence of a temple, guards who worship Pelor, and Judicators are oppressive, stifling, and imperialist. But there is absolutely nothing to prove that these actions were of Pelor's command -- and, actually, there is more evidence (via Deanna) to support that all of this is the reaction of Vasselheim itself, not the gods. Of the clerics, the paladins, the worshipers of the gods, not the gods themselves.

Anyway, the Bells Hells attend the meeting that Abadena invited them to.

Locals are complaining about their fear, about the sense that they'll be rounded up, about guards flirting with spouses.

Inside the room, there are about 80 people -- just below 10% of this 1,000-person town.

(Prism is comorbid adhd/asd solidarity and, as someone with both, I stand by this)

In the crowd, there is anxiety and pressure, an emotional crowd, people mourning loss, people afraid it was all a part of a plan. But all of these things are the fault of Vasselheim and Ludinus, and none of them necessarily are the fault of the gods themselves.

Elder Abadena takes the stage at the meeting, leaning on a staff. It appears to be a quarterstaff-like walking stick, but there are runes burned into it.

"We all stand here in the echoes of a terrifying event. We've lost some we care for, some perhaps not until we missed them that they be realized we cared for. I've found a few threads, and some, I can confirm lie safe, if lost. I will continue to bind my will with the eidolons, to bring them home. But now more than ever the ominous shadow of the gods' oppression pushes down upon us, and there is a sense, a growing fear I think, that this was engineered, if not by them then to be bent toward their interests and will. Many of you can feel the growth of possibility, the very vibration of what can ignite change in this world. You heard the voice, such as I did, and looking around, we are not alone. Many people across Exandira begin to awaken. Many who have felt powerless and hopeless stand up for the first time. And the reason that they loom and press and stare and beat and threaten is because they are as scared as the gods that brought them here. For once, the world can sense the fear of us, and we realize their demands are meritless. This opportunity in the solstice, and the distraction holding their eyes and ears across this world cannot be squandered. By the ancient elemental, Eideurns (?), with whom we share the lands, who has long hid from the judgement of the gods since the founding -- I wish to know if we all think of like mine, to seize this moment and drive teem from our homes... I know there is fear in your eyes, but this is the fear we will live with every day, should we not take this moment where the spirits are heightened, where our protectors are stronger than they've ever been. We do this when they are focused to their north, and their retribution will be swift and absolute. We do nothing, and we submit to their will, for we are nothing but resource gatherers for their pockets lined with gold. We do something now -- either we fall with pride, or we take back this hill, we take back this valley, and perhaps, if we are not alone, we take back this world. And we will all be free once more."

"Are there are any in our way? Those who would stand aside, there is no shame in not standing by our side, but I would bid thee, stay safe, while we bid fire to the walls of the unwelcome." Some back away, to the back of the room -- people with children, elders, people with doubt in their eyes. "By outsiders, us being here at this meeting means that we're in." Ashton.... bb....

Bor'dor has never killed anyone. Prism has only killed plants. Everyone else steps up. Prism does too, though she's invisible.

Abadena comments that the Hells are "walking the path of the solstice... and if they walk the path of the righteous, then they walk with us. Lend them your strength, as I am sure they will lend theirs... we can use [pathways] to approach the temple unseen, then, with mercy, we give them the option to leave of their own accord. Should they refuse, should they hear where they are unwelcome and raise their weapons or deny our demands, then we take the temple." Someone notes that the "recent god-amounts," the recent armed Bastions, number 6 within the temple, but 3 are on the opposite side of the village and would not have time to participate in this parlay. Meanwhile, Kiro, the Flame Guide (the head of the temple) resides within, and there are two judicators that have been cited within the town.

The name of the town's guards are Bastions.

With a high history/religion check, they realize that "Flame Guide" is a title usually given to someone who has proven themselves in both combat and politics, which is why they're perfect missionaries.

Essentially, the Bells Hells have agreed to accompany Abadena on her crusade to drive the temple of Pelor to go away. A parlay is on the table -- it's possible that the temple will simply concede and go away, in the face of 60 people (of whom 10 are trained in combat, 30 are farmers with weapons, and 20 are teenagers trying to prove themselves) -- but Prism is not optimistic that it will not end in a fight.

Abadena also notes that the town has had people convert to Pelor's faith, and she refers to them as dissenters and traitors.

Bor'dor offers to talk to the guards at the front, to distract them with alcohol and tabaco. Utkarsh playing into the high-charisma low-int low-wis build is my favorite thing, I stg--

YESSSSS Orym finally pulls the card. People from Vasselheim do not agree with Da'leth, and the Bells Hells have a direct line of communication as well as information from the center of their greatest fear that they can leverage against Vasselheim. Orym is really getting to the heart of it -- the Bells Hells are not fighting against Vasselheim, they are not fighting against the gods, they are fighting against the Ruby Vanguard and anything they can possibly use to gain an advantage there is a possibility.

"Roll up with a wagon full of fun, just to soften the pill of 'we've come from the front line.'" man, thank the fucking gods for Orym, the voice of reason. It's so nice to have a group with an actual voice of reason.

The Bells Hells create a plan that involves distracting guards with booze and weed. Abadena notes that others among them have similar experiences, but she does so unconvincingly.

Prism has an "illegal spell" -- a "really big, unstable distraction" -- which is summon greater demon. But Orym offers a different plan: if they can convince the guards that they should be in Marquet, not here, if they want to do something. So the Hells will go first, before everyone else, and they'll "fuck around... then everyone will find out." The Bells Hells resolve to lead this initiative, so they are the front line, trying to get the people in the temple to leave before the fighting starts -- and the faces of the crowd confirms that they would prefer this.

This is so reminiscent of the Legend of Korra s1, it's insane

Abadena takes a drink. "Gather your armaments, the resources you have... for tonight, the children inherit the world."

Bor'dor and Orym approach the temple under the guise of wanting to convert their faith. An offer of spirits and tobacco (and/or weed? unclear) eases the guards for a moment, as Orym tells of the tension and hardship of themselves and of this town.

THERE IT IS. Bor'dor puts the bottle of laxative into the drinks he pours for the guards, before passing drinks around.

"It's very much appreciated, for you to bring us gifts from the glorious Dawnfather... here's to another sunrise to bring sun to the crops, heat to the world, light to the unjust."

"I come from across the ocean, from the front line of the threat your order fears. I've seen first-hand, with my own eyes, what has transpired, what's taking advantage of [the leylines.] I desperately want to communicate what it is we've seen, and to help your order do what it means to hold up the Dawnfather and the sanctity of their crop. But it must be, must be to whoever's in charge here, because it is of importance." With a 22 persuasion check, Orym convinces the guards that he's serious, he's for real. They agree to go get the Flame Guard, and give another two barrels of alcohol to the scouts on the ramparts.

With Orym's passive perception, he notices two things. First, the mist that shifts and moves on the outside of this temple, almost like it has a consciousness. The thorny bushes and trees that surround the temple begin to grow and press against the walls. Secondly, there are two large groups of people -- the villagers, and the rest of the Bells Hells -- lying in wait outside the temple walls.

In the meantime, Prism has cast invisibility on her familiar to find the Flame Guide, and placed the manifest mind (an order of scrolls ability) within visual range. She tries to prepare a casting of summon greater demon, but does not have the material components -- the same problem that plagued Fjord in almost the same episode of C2 (it was C2E79, IIRC).

With a double nat20, Prism's familiar is absolutely unseen while invisible as it sneaks through the temple and find the Flame Guide. In the central worship chamber, the familiar sees a stained glass depiction of the Dawnfather holding down what can only be assumed to be the Lord of the Hells, as his head burns like a sun.

In here, too, there is research and study, a frenetic energy. There is also a humanoid figure standing 8-10 feet tall, with muscular arms, swirling tattoos, and where their face would be there is a dark, metallic mask with designs moving in a water-flow-type pattern. A Judicator. Prism does a whole series of held actions that will both create her manifest mind within the chamber with enemies and will allow her to cast arcane lock on the door to said chamber.

And yet, the Bells Hells notices one of the rampart doors open, and the Flame Guide exits it. She's a woman in her late 30s, short black hair, a severe expression; a scar that runs behind her eye down to her chin. "So! You have come to our temple this hour, given my men alcohol, and made promises of great reveals. Tell me what it is you wish to say in the next minute, or my men will throw you from this village and prevent you from ever returning."

Orym lays bare what they all saw, lays bare how Ludinus Da'leth is looking to tear the gods to the sky, lays bare how the enemy of his enemy is his friend -- so they are friends, and share a common goal. "Where you want to be, where all of Vasselheim's forces want to be, is the Hellcatch Valley... and you and your order's time is best spent across the ocean, rather than putting your boots on the necks of farmers." To aid, Laudna uses silent image to make Ruidus burn as bright as the burning sun, to allude a sign from the Dawnfather himself.

Liam rolls a 10 on both a Catha and a Ruidus die, both with the same modifier. With a semi-successful roll, the Flame Guard asserts that the Bells Hells and their companions will be brought to Vasselheim to plead their case. They all find this distasteful, and as Prism shoots a magic missile, Orym successfully grapples a guard and slams them into the wall.

Combat begins between the Bells Hells and Abadena's forces against the forces of this entire temple, against a fucking Judicator

As they hear dozens and dozens of war-cries from the villagers surrounding the temple, we end the episode.

[everynya]

when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers or moots (positivity is cool) 💖

HELLO NAT!!!! WAVES MY ARMS AROUND

SALUTATIONS ARSENE!! i’m so sorry i took forever to get to this i was in a very bad headspace, but ty for the ask! no one expect too much from me post wise these days i just felt bad i hadn’t answered this yet (imagine u are my 10 favorite followers and i send this to u 10 times cause ngl…i’m just gonna let whoever wants to do it do it, so oomfies if u see this u get my pass to do this cause i cannot have faves!)

hello and welcome to nat’s current top 5 radio hits. i shall share and explain each one like a maniac (i yoinked my top songs i heard these past weeks from my airbuds app)

⭐️ CamGirl >.<!!! - Villiano Antillano

⭐️ Oh Qué Sera? - Willie Colon

⭐️ In The End - Drake Bell

⭐️ Mr. Bass - A.C.E.

⭐️ Run Away To Mars - Khoi Dao, Geoff Bisentte

5. to start off, even if you dont know spanish i recommend her so much…Villiano is a puertorrican trans woman who has been revolutionizing rap for women and does so especially in her album this song is from called Miss Misogyny, let me say THE SONG IS GOODDDD its about sex work and the control and empowerment and the lack of shame and taboo around these things, its one of her many songs in the album that in an interview she says was made for female rappers to claim rap as their own by writing her own songs that dont put women down and are about the control they should have in their music…ive been listening to Villiano since one of the collab songs she did with a popular dj that blew her up years ago and ive enjoyed what shes done. its a trap song so maybe not everyones cup of tea but yeah

4. this song is really good, spanish song of the week i loop. thank fuck it wasnt a reggaeton song. but this song is by a puertorrican (though the song was originally by a brazilian artist, willie reinterpreted the song after a trip to brazil he had) thats generally about believing in things and finding in a sense a love for the unknown, its a really good song that uses a lot of metaphors

3. I can’t share why for this one, sorry, but anyway it’s a good song!

2. this one isnt in my airbuds top songs this week at all. but. anyway. ace. MR BASS NE MAMEUL ULLINEUN RIDEUM MR BASS DALKOMHAN NAUI SOKSAGIME JUNGDOKDOEGO MAL GEOL MR BAS CANNN YOUUU FEEEEL NE IPSURUI TTEOLLIM MR BASS AAAHH MR BASS AHHH

1. OKAY. OKAY. run away to mars but covered by khoi dao (voice actor) makes me all kinds of levels of crazy and every few days i loop it. first of all, this specific va is the voice claim for my oc f/o actually! khoi is such a great guy and ive always adored his voice and i cannot ever unhear the idea of the stupid idiot i made in my head sounding like him. its a very classic ‘liking a song cause you imagine your f/o singing it’ AND ITS SO ON BRAND FOR HIM ANNNDDD MY SHIP. the song fits him and my insert stupidly well

the song underneath has very sad undertones, i feel i can rlly relate to it rn but ill talk abt it more on my ship. its really befitting of these two (esp emi aka the f/o) given the fact that the song not only has the kind of energy where if you dont listen deep enough you can miss its meaning and just enjoy its energy which is very on brand for him but also its so heavily focused on escapism and insecurity in a way where it KILLS ME. the part of ‘three two one i miss you, im sorry i got issues’ makes me sick cause he would truly apologize over the mere fact of having emotions because he tucks them so far away he doesnt believe theyre even real or his (in a way, hes the one who ‘runs away to mars’)…his escapism in a sense is nayla, in the idea that he becomes focused on her faded colors or more so her issues and so he loses what is home and ‘how long till im discovered’ by not just anyone else but himself, he doesnt find on his own that hes having a hard time with himself.

none of this made sense and theres way more to it, but the amount of times ive been unable to not associate these two w this song…. like sorry that my current obsession rn is a ship of two characters i made and makes no sense to anyone but me

[fictionfixations]

this is the march event

*beep boop beep bop boop beep*

yes, hi, aven?? topaz? jade (...?) (yknow what its kinda crazy we know 3 stonehearts. i mean i dont think we know jade that well but man we have connections.)

can yall fire this dude. hes. genuinely so bad at his job. and gives the ipc a bad name. like seriously

is it legal to just bring mechs in a public area that are clearly very dangerous? he says its for his safety but i say its a threat. like theyre not doing anything but bruh its like he's walking around with some big ass gun out. or a chainsaw. like hello??? (idk if there are people in there but like. HELLO?? if they're bodyguards they dont need to be RIGHT THERE. because where were they before then??)

also oh my god

he doesnt want to look bad in front of clients. but that means his 'clients' are xianzhou people right?

and he just insulted xianzhou swordplay

also you literally got told to not do anything because street fighting is illegal, BY the. the the people in CHARGE OF the lAW

you ACKNOWLEDGE that there is a CLOUD KNIGHT right THERE

you were SPECIFICALLY WARNED

and

that doesnt sound very friendly does it

i swear theres genuinely like a law where youre not allowed to threaten people or something because it could be taken as.. something something???? ??? maybe im tripping and it was actually in regards to death threats but like ... d u d e why make excuses youre making urself sound so bad

are you dumb

im. genuinely so frustrated at thsi guy. i didnt think id still hate him BUT I DO oh my god. like. AT LEAST dont be an asshole where people who have the authority TO ARREST YOU ARE THERE like CMON???? HELLO??? at least make an attempt to pretend to be NOT THAT

let me get this straight

its ONE PERSON vs who knows how many mechs

i dont think thats fair. not to mention those mechs have probably been improved upon time and time again for years, meanwhile march will have only been improving for 15 days

also i have no fucking idea if there are people inside those mechs. b ut if there are. THEN THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE MECH FIGHTING HER. or its not fair. at all. not to mention its probably even more difficult because theres fuckin metal. armor. shit.

LMFAOOO HES NOT OVER IT. dude just let it go i feel embarrassed for you

PREACH

stop digging yourself into a deeper hole im begging you

no offense to the voice actor but genuinely its characters like these that i actually cant listen to their voice because i just. hate them. like the character NOT the va. because they're saying hurtful insulting things and im just like. if i want to actually read whats going on instead of skipping through it (as a person who has done it before and then stopped to read through the log) i genuinely have to mute because the way it infuriates me 😭 (the other time was like i think possessed fu xuan ? cant remember if that one was being super annoying or if i was just having a bad day and couldnt deal with it.)

anyway id like to think im partway through the wardance story so far but i have no idea. anyway i just realized i can do march event now. and also this is BEFORE wardance

and at the story im at like the day before the wardance so uhhh

i should be doing it cause its in order. also im procrastinating because im NOT ready to see everything that happened in the trailer because holy shit that was insane

ALSO because cutscenes keep lagging for me so its kinda irritating. theres videos already of just the cutscenes so im watching them from there because i genuinely cant tell wtf is happening since it freezes in game. which sucks cause i love watching cutscenes sfhdsuifhsf

[pwnyta]

Genshin character Judgement after all these years of playing. I will judge looks, personality, and say my favorite voice! Now with 5-stars, alphabetical order.

(under the cut)

Still a goofy ass design. WHY DIDNT THEY JUST GIVE HIM PANTS? I dont understand. He'll probably never get a costume either since NO ONE FUCKING HAS HIM LMAO. His lore & personality are S-tier tho. Love his relationship with Klee and the brief time he was with Cyno.

I like all his VAs except his CN voice which makes him sound like... 8? girl what? Another rare L for CN casting director.

I fucking love Alhaitham. Hes such a dick.... but hes only a dick to people who step on his toes... which I think is fair. His design is terrific. i did have some pretty high hopes for him... and still kinda do since his design is so sus... but right now his lore is pretty underwhelming. Also hes one of those characters Id think look significantly better with a darker skin tone. Pasty bitch.

I like all his voices but JP is my favorite. KN is a close second.

SEE HYV you can make a sexy character that doesnt randomly show skin in weird places... Funny that. Arlecchino is great. Her lore is great, her personality is great, her design is great, her colors are great. Thumbs up all around.

Her voices are also great! I especially love how masc her JP voice is. Killin it as usual Father.

Ayaka... overall gets a resounding MEH from me.

I like her JP voice best. Which I guess is appropriate!

MY MORTAL ENEMY. never speak to me or my son (Venti) again. (I do like his relationship with his sister and Itto)

They could never make me like you Ayato. (I actually like all BUT his JP voice)

Baizhus design is so pleasant. However I saw someone say it looks like he accidentally put his clothes in the dryer and they shrunk.... and thats all I can think when I see him now. LMAO.

His EN voice is my favorite... I swear i thought he'd be shadier than he is because his voice reminded me so much of James from Pokemon or Pegasus from Yu-Gi-Oh... LMAO I dont even have to listen to his other voices... his EN just cracks me up. His CN voice fits his personality significantly more tho...LMFAO

OOH CHIORI. I dont really care for most of the Inazuma cast TBH... but DAMN Chiori... its like she took all the good design with her to Fontain. Whyd she do that to them. Shes also a BITCH. Its so funny. There was a dude crying because he was grateful for something (I dont remember) and this bitch said '...EW' and I fuckin lost it. Shes so good. GEO never misses with characters its crazy. Geo characters are either perfect aesthetically or personality or lore... most of the time ALL OF THEM (with the exception of Albedo who looks like a fuckin dork but his personality and lore S-tier)

I like all but her JP voice. But her EN voice sounds the bitchiest and its my favorite.

Another design where I saw the concepts and was completely disappointed by the design they chose. Honestly if they didnt go with this blue-purple color palate I probably wouldnt even dislike it... BUT HERE WE ARE. Her personality is great tho and her story with Navia is... *chef kiss*

All her voices are pretty good. I like her KN best! Rare W for KN!

THE BABIEST. I know Ive said this before and I will say it again... buy Cyno is the babiest. I love an Anubis theme. I love the colors. I ADORE his personality. It makes me so sad... in the Windblume festival he said his subdued personality is from when he was a child and the people would judge him for being from the desert region... and that he only tells jokes to people considers his friends... but all his friends dont like his jokes and get annoyed with him. Why do they do this to him... he also has a little tree branch he only brings his friends to... HES SO FUCKING CUTE. The fact a good chunk of the fandom characterize him as some tough dom daddy for Tighnari is fucking DIABOLICAL work. Never talk to me of my son ever again.

All his VAs are good but his CN is best.

Ya know what I JUST said... ANYWAYS DEHYA IS THE BABIEST. She is so god damn cute... and she looks so rough and tumble... I love that shes a girly girl at heart and her relationship with Candace is CRAZY work. HYV did me SO god damn dirty when being sent off to Fontaine by her... and she was so sad... I would NEVER leave her. My sister be damned.

I love all her voices! EN is my fav tho. It reminds me a lot of Beidou.

Oh Diluc... my former enemy turned ally. I dont like how he treats Kaeya... BUT it turned out a lot of my aggression for him was because I was scared Qiqi would be the last standard 5-star I would get.... & it would take forever to get her... tbf it did take until Zhonglis 3rd? banner before I got her. And I got her WITH Zhongli and I have never been happier playing GI. Zhongli saved Diluc for me. I hope you appreciate that man Diluc. I also didnt mind that I got him instead of Chiori.... I wanted Chiori significantly more but... w/e. ANYWAYS great colors, great lore. If he stopped being a dick to Kaeya we might get somewhere with him.

I like all his voices except JP where he sounds much younger... and I dont like it.

Now I dont think Eis design is bad in the least but she just looks like every other female character in Inazuma. In fact she basically has the same exact silhouette as Kokomi but I like Kokos design better. They also kinda dropped the ball on her whole character... Shes never recovered from her second story for me. Still my least favorite Archon. I do like her relationship with Yae tho.

All her voices get a MEH from me. KN is best I guess.

UGH. Some of her concept art was SO FUCKIN GOOD... and this is what we got... smdh. I liked her puppy idea the best... cuz shes a perfumer and also works for the cops... I just think that concept was fun.

I dont know her voices either but HER EN IS DEFINITELY MY LEAST FAVORITE. IM SO SURE OF IT.

I had a hard time warming up to Eula... I found her SO annoying in her quest and her constant 'At least LUCK doesnt discriminate due to clan' or some shit just irritates me... like... GIRL. Your clan was slave owners and theyre still shitty... just fuckin disown them and start a new life bitch. Her relationship with Amber is very cute tho and her design is great.

I dont really care for ANY of her voices but especially JP...

Furina is one of those characters that are annoying but its still hard to hate her cuz shes funny. (Like Fish) and i really didnt like her at first until her story played out... my poor hapless bitch. You didnt deserve any of that.... her design is great. I like her dark outfit significantly more than the light so Im glad its the more useful mode. Her relationship with Neuv is also just terrific.

Much like with Fish... her EN voice is best for me because its so dramatic and comically annoying. All her other voices make her sound way too young for my tastes.

I love Ganyu! I guess shes also in the running for sleepiest girl with Layla and Sayu. Shes super cute... I do have a lot of issues with her outfit design... just cuz it doesnt even look like an outfit. Thank goodness she got a costume... not that I have it but I also dont have her and I would never pull for a Bow DPS 5-star so i never WILL have her LMAO. Still love her to death tho.

All her voices are good! KN is probably my favorite.

I think Hu Tao is one of the best designs in the game. Its so simple but so effective. Shes so cute and cheeky. Love her. Her personality is also top tier. Im so happy she had such a confrontational relationship with Baizhu... cuz that was my headcanon for the longest time LMAO Cuz shes a funeral director with a massive respect for the life/death cycle and he wants to find a cure for death or someshit.... They had to have some sort of clash. And they did. It reminds me of that one Jojo meme.

I LOVE Hu Taos EN voice and her JP voice is also fun. Her CN and ESPECIALLY KR (have I been puttin KN this entire time...) voice sounds too babyish.

MY MANS ITTO. Such a fuckin idiot. His design and character are great its just a shame... when he was first leaked his model was super tall (way taller than Zhongli) which fits how people describe him in game but they pussied out and gave him a standard male design. We coulda had it all Itto.

I dont need to listen to the other VAs Ittos EN VA is just the best. The only way anyone else could have competed is if the JP voice was the same VA as Franky from One Piece.

I used to really like Jean.... but I dont really care for her anymore. Tho I think she looks better in her censor outfit she still inexplicably has the detached sleeves....

All her voices are fine. EN and KR are probably the best.

Kazuha is unfortunately a victim to HYVs inability to implement good cloth movement in the game. The shorts look SUPER goofy but I guess its fine.... I think he'd look better with his hakama tucked in like Itto & Gorou rather than cut short... but W/e besides that his design is great. I like when characters dont exactly have the color of their element and the autumn maple leaf design of Kazu is great. His personality is also great. Super chill in even the most tense moments... with the exception for when Xinyans family were nitpicking her and he got annoyed. RELATABLE CONTENT.

4 good VAs for Kazuha you go Kazuha!

I have an EXTREME soft spot for Keqing... she was my first 5-star and she helped me so much on Dragonspine when I had no business being in Dragonspine. LMAO Detached sleeves aside I rather like her standard outfit but her costume is MUCH cuter and if I had the money... I would have bought it in a heartbeat. I also like her personality for the most part tho she does bully the shit outta you if you stop moving for .5 seconds.

All her voices are pretty good but I still have a soft spot for her EN....

Klee is SO DAMN CUTE. Does her pale skin hair and red eyes make her look like a bit of a troglodyte? YES. but.... I mean... w/e. Shes very cute. Shame about her kit being so fucking clunky. My greatest achievement is incidentally getting Kazuha instead of her... I wanted her for how cute she was but I needed a good Anemo so i figured a 5-star Anemo would be best.... so I got him instead. Then his universal appeal and fun play style really helped me for a long ass time and people begged for his rerun cuz they skipped him. NOT ME BITCH.... anyways Klee is baby.

I think Klees EN voice is one of the most egregious when it comes to the 'this is obviously a grown woman doing a baby voice' and it takes me awhile to adjust to it... but she does have moments when she shines... like the birthday song. Her CN voice is best.

As I said with Ei... Kokos design reminds me of hers but I think its stylized better. Combined with her in-game movements... I think shes one of the more interesting Ina designed girls. She does have a lot of HYV typical girl design elements tho.... Also her lore and personality really didnt meet expectations. SORRY KOKO. I am suspicious about her lack of pupils... Vishap ass lore ass...

I dont really like any of her VAs either...

This is just Albedo in a sluttier outfit. MEH. Lore and personality-wise hes actually great! I love his relationship with his family its really a stand out big brother (ok Hoebedo) vibes.

I dont really mind any of Lyneys voices... his KR VA stands out?

Mona my babygirl. I used to hate her based on her design. I just didnt like the swimsuit look... but like Fish I ended up loving everything about her and she got a censor outfit that is much better and now shes one of my favorite characters. Shes a goofy broad. Loved her in the 2nd Summer event.

Her EN voice is BY FAR my favorite.

My baby Nahida... youre design is so fucking boring.... and I knew that even before I saw your extremely good concept arts. Luckily her personality and lore HARD CARRIES her to top tier.... and also her kit. Her kit is also good... tho I dont get why she got a weird digital aesthetic? Theres so much good aesthetic designs in the Persian empire you could went with so much... howd she end up so boring... I dont get it.

No complaints for any of her VAs but CN is my favorite.

UGH... on the opposite end of designs... Navias is fucking TERRIFIC. I actually love the dark navy blue with this goldenrod. I like her Princess Peach hair especially since in this Summer event she wore a Peach like crown(and a Mario mustache) her Lore is SO GOOD. I knew when she was added to the Summer event cast it AT LEAST would be better than last year the writers have never missed with Navia. AND I WAS RIGHT I loved this years Summer event. I think her character is what Kokomis character coulda been(impact-wise) in Inazuma was good. LMAO

I dont mind her VAs but EN is my favorite!

Similar to Kazuha I sorta just incidentally pulled for Neuvillette since I had been saving to get Zhongli but my computer didnt come until the day after his banner ended so I was like ... fuckit. May as well get A dragon guy... turns out he was VERY good and I havent regretted it. I also managed to get his C1 and his BiS weapon... got super lucky as a reward for missing out on my C4 Zhongli that I had been waiting a year for...His lore and personality were a great surprise too. 10/10 would pull again.

I dont like JP voice... His EN voice is great but similar to Zhongli(hes SO SIMILAR TO ZHONGLI IN EVERY WAY) his EN voice gives a different vibe to his CN its weird. Theyre both so much more soft spoken... especially the fighting noises... whyd they do that? Weird. I love theyre EN voices tho so... w/e... at least they sound soft when theyre speaking normally.

...UGH.

UGH. (I actually didnt mind her in this years event... but Navia hard carried her)

Her CN voice is good.

MY BABY!!!! I wanted her for so long. Thank you Zhongli for bringing her to me!!! ;w; Shes so cute... I love her so much. I hope we get her story quest soon.... her colors are so good... I love cutesy Jiangshi designs ;w; the baby. I also first cleared the Abyss thanks to her!

Her CN voice is SO cute. But I like all her voices... I didnt like her EN voice at first but it has grown on me.

Part 1 END.

[narwhalandchill]

okok so ya know that post i mentioned i was writing on some of the harbinger related leaks that cropped up recently and then mobile fucked me over by publishing the post early by gaslighting me with a "post" button that Clearly read "save" (draft) so i deleted it but managed to rescue the text that was there and promised to finish it and post it later and then its been 12 years anyway? yeah right 😭 Oh well.

BUT. finally. might as well do the thing now in honor of childes bday at the very least KJWJKWDJK. sorry it took this long lmao

jsyk these leaks predate our current natlan beta datamines and some of the questionable story leaks floating around so like, natlan plot wise they dont have shit to do w em there & not bringing up any that ive seen. but ya

(so . attempt 2: recent lazzo VA character direction leaks for the harbingers mostly in relation to childes role in the overall plot. bit ranty and gets Long but idek what yall expected. + ig just potential long term plot implications from these leaks given its the harbingers beware)

aka: mostly concerning the faction stuff + pulcinellas directions for now . if u havent seen em uhhhh

basically tldr: according to (and assuming its not outdated) some information accessed by leakers recently originally provided for the VAs applying to voice the harbingers in lazzo, the group is allegedly split between two factions of "conservatives" and "radicals" . like thats the first thing

now as to what those labels rly mean ppl were overall speculating that it might be sth along the lines of. conservatives as the tsaritsa loyalists who stand united and for the organization and her majestys goals above all (OR alternatively just like. a more cautious take on How to approach the toppling celestia deal) VS those whose true ambitions, loyalty and methods they are willing to turn to are more of a wild card situation . and their allegiances are equally volatile in turn . & i will say imo the radicals are also most likely much less of an united group compared to the conservatives given uhhhhhhh. well you will see

so conservatives are: capitano, columbina, pulcinella, sandrone

radicals are: dottore, arle (see the "radicals might not like each other that much"), pantalone

pierro is neutral, childe is unknown/undecided according to the leaks HOWEVER. his positioning next to the radicals in the shot of lazzo with the harbingers standing around signoras coffin split along those same faction lines found in the leaks may indeed suggest something Interesting regarding his penultimate choice . if it Indeed is intended to be meaningful that he as an "unknown" just happened to take That side of the coffin alongside the 3 confirmed radicals according to this info . like how Curious

And i just. okay okay i have to be Honest theres like. SUCH a toxic childish taking-fandom-grievances-too-seriously part to me eyeing the possibility of ajax turning out to be a radical thats just like. dawei lets this happen and i WILL be the WORLDS most obnoxious fucking bitch about it bc . Listen

i. Have. ALWAYS. thought it obvious as FUCK . that a guy whose ambition WILL NOT stop until it is the very WORLD that lies defeated at his feet. will NEVER be satiated by what the fatui can offer him . like if he really is a radical. i can CONFIDENTLY state that i saw that shit coming in TWENTY FUCKING TWENTY and that Every single doubter owes me So much fucking money 💀💀💀💀💀💀 jkjk but. Duuuude. ever since this faction stuff dropped.... i cant stop thinking abt it

like i just. cannot stand the way its been turned into this . INDOMITABLE 100% factual absolute Truth that CANNOT be challenged. in the fandom. that childe is a tsaritsa fanboy loyalist devout worshipper who couldnt even fuckimg FATHOM leaving his allegiance to her behind . when its been . SPELLED OUT to yall in his fucking profile SINCE 1.1 .

bc like. Listen up. Repeat after me. ik its scary and new after 4 years of Exclusively hearing takes where like childe would rather spontaneously combust to the beat of snezhnayas national anthem while begging for repentance than ever stop taking orders from uhhhh a god. Who he definitely worships devoutly as a god despite 0 evidence on any religious piety on his part Trust (like. ive. Always thought his voiceline for her has been the opposite? its very much. Not how youd speak of divinity. his regard for her is Personal and relates to the tsaritsa as an individual, not a god inherently deserving of worship)

like ik this is a big thing and scary but just. Say the words with me here. It only stings once .deep breaths. okay 1 2 3

"But becoming Tartaglia was far from his end goal. To someone who sought to conquer the world, this was but a tiny step in his journey."

YUP.

BECOMING TARTAGLIA. BECOMING A HARBINGER. SWEARING AN OATH OF LOYALTY TO THE TSARITSA. A TINY. STEP. A TINY FUCKING STEP. AND HES BEEN AWARE OF IT BEING LIKE THIS THE ENTIRE TIME.

THIS HAS BEEN TEXT FOUND IN GAME THERE FOR NEARLY FOUR FUCKING YEARS NOW . AND PPL STILL THINK AJAX ISNT CAPABLE OF SURPASSING AND ABANDONING THE TSARITSA THE SECOND THE BENEFITS THEY OFFER HIM FALL SHORT OF THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF HIS POWER AND AMBITION AND WHAT IT TAKES TO SATIATE HIM .

like im SORRY contrary to maybe popular belief and despite my persistent frustrations w this fandoms approach to ajax sometimes i Do in fact feel actively mean and unreasonably harsh calling 97% of childe "fans" functionally illiterate or at the very least intentionally obtuse to the point its beyond fucking parody in how ridiculous it gets but like. if THIS isnt what a complete and utter failure of basic reading comprehension is I DONT KNOW WHAT IS . like. DUDE 😭😭😭😭😭😭 what IS IT with these people its like genuinely fucking incomprehensible to me how CRITICAL shit about his character like this goes COMPLETELY ignored as if it hasnt been established since Day fucking one its unreal . Unreal 💀

and like. i get bitchy and snappy abt it i know its not the best look always but man its sth thats genuinely upsetting to me too bc . THIS is the fucking dude thats possessed me for the last 4 years THIS is what i love about him his potential to surpass Every Single Boundary that he has begun his journey confided within. that he will transcend it all and surpass his own limits with sheer fucking willpower over and over again until even the few he truly idolized and respected like the tsaritsa and capitano are suddenly so distant and irrelevant compared to the heights He has reached out for in his hunger....... its so peak like THIS is whats had me in a death grip for all this time

and like. for THAT guy that mr childe ajax tartaglia the REAL thing to barely even. Exist. in the minds of such a majority of the fandom its just fucking crushing sometimes. like i wanna appreciate all this abt him man i wanna share all my brainrot abt him and how this dude consumes my every waking thought but then borderline every single comment i see and popular take on him is just oh my pookie wookie babie girl would Never be able to betray tsaritsa ever etc etc etc and just.... Sigh

anyway overshare over sorry for that. yeah my ADHD makes me irrationally attached to my hyperfixations its kinda cringe .

do catch me kissing this man on the mouth Immediately the second his ambition surpasses the fatui and he goes beast mode fr fr on Everyone tho 🥰🥰 dyke license lost forever but itll be worth it

also real talk im like fairly convinced at least like 78% of the omgggg hes forever loyal to the tsaritsa gang are mostly like stuck in this mindset of like. omgggg hed Never Betray Her bc he doesnt like those who break promises uwu and its like. since when did the possibility of ajax outgrowing the stage where the fatui offer him anything worthwhile automatically equate to him betraying her wholesale and completely dropping any and all respect he had for her or sth. like yeah i do agree to an extent that it could end up p uncharacteristic (at least w/o proper plot setup or reasoning) for him to pull off like a complete disney twist villain backstab out of nowhere there but??? thats not rly whats going to automatically happen either???

(nvm that like a considerable portion of these same ppl were prolly writing "omgg ajax my poor victim MUST betray the evil tsaritsa" fics in 1.1 when everyone had the idea in their heads that he hates his job and is only doing it bc his family is held hostage and is also 17 bc of certified english localization moment. but i digress this is just unreasonably petty and im being a loser by not letting this shit go 2 this day💀💀)

bc like. if you ask me. the Interesting thing abt ajax and the possibility of being a radical IS that if hes going to refuse to follow an order or step out of line to follow his own path however it goes. its Not going to be personal. its not gonna be this big dramatic edgelord turncoat villainous moment to him. itll be straightforward. matter of fact. easy as breathing. because if he has moved past each and every benefit the fatui can even fathom offering him. its only natural that he progresses beyond them. thats just how his unquenchable ambition Works. how his black hole of a never-ending desire to devour and crush all in his path operates. its not personal. its not something you can change. its inevitable. he is a force of nature when it comes to the drive burning at the core of his soul.

like i Really dont think hes ever going to backstab the tsaritsa in some dirty play fashion??? if anything its only fitting that hes going to look her In the eye and go. oh my bad. i dont think our agreement serving a mutual benefit really holds ground anymore. apologies. like ofc its going to be something he handles while staying true to the person hes been all this time. kind of a bad guy and perfectly willing to own up to it. selfish and arrogant and with his sights set steadfast on a goal No one will get him to sway from.

and then he elopes with the narwh-------------- yes kill me

basically i just. dont get this whole perceived and persistent incompatibility between the idea of. ajax being a radical (whatever that ends up meaning in the story. IF these lazzo materials remain accurate) yet remaing the same guy we know and love. like guys. ARLE. is a radical. and has all but directly confessed to considering the survival of the house her greatest priority over any loyalty to the fatui and her majesty. yet she STILL regards her with respect and continues to fulfill her duties as a harbinger as expected for the time being. despite her full awareness of this loyalty being on shakier ground and surely making contingencies on the side for the future for When she sees it is time for her organization to sever the ties to the tsaritsa.

like Thats what i mean when i say its always been completely reasonable and even predictable to me that ajax would outgrow the fatui and how that has jack shit to do with his character suddenly doing some wild 180 in order to do so. and why this potentially significant visual alignment he has with the radicals in lazzo isnt surprising at all. bc if it doesnt fundamentally change who arle is (and doesnt make her a dottore fan) that she is ultimately someone whose loyalty to the organization comes second to her house. why would childe be any different lmao.

but like yes if he turns out to be a radical i will be soooooo obnoxious over it jkwjkawdjkwajkwdakjwdjkwdjkdwjk bc like im NOT lying this has been one of the Clearest trajectories ive expected from his arc All This Time . no matter which form it might eventually take in terms of. is it him and His growth initiating the split. or is it a betrayal from or a loss of faith in the tsaritsa herself that kickstarts it. if its canon? yeah i Saw that shit coming and you should all be scared of who ill become if dawei proves me right Again ill be the Worst

Phew that sure went way overboard but yes radical ajax advocacy group in here 100% . and overall even tho i mostly care abt him i Do think this faction split is inherently v fucking interesting and ajax being unknown is just. i wonder if itll end up being significant at some critical moment that his faction leanings are unknown slash undefined at the moment............... where the scales are about to tip and its by his hand that some key moment gets its turning point......... hmmmmmmm

(also its just. before these leaks we got "columbina is conservative" as an out of context statement Before the faction stuff and its still so fucking funny bc ppl were just like. wow i cant believe shes homophobic)

now. pulcinella time

so among the VA direction cards that leaked was his. and like if u didnt see them urself (not gonna post any here. hoyo lawyers love striking Any hoyo copyrighted media in all posts that have leaks in em even if its not an actual leak which this is lol) the setup is basically. theres a few overall notes on each of the harbingers like age, demeanor, characterization and then 3 sample lines of dialogue as well as notes further elaborating when & why this is being said and with what sort of vibe.

and his are. Well. you know how i started this post out being like on god dawei if you go and fatten my ego any further by Specifically vindicating me myself and i & the kinda things id prefer in genshins story and childes role going forward . Personally????

Anyway funny thing as it happens. IF (and admittedly thats a major if.) this VA direction doc from pulcinella holds up. and there isnt like a hidden scheming menacing side to him that wasnt brought up in the lazzo files. in that case . it sure is looking like pulcinella is just. a bit over the top in public but privately genuinely an overworked well-meaning pragmatic guy who deeply cares for and is truly protective of those important to him. INCLUDING. yes you know who and his family. NOTHING in the doc whatsoever implying anything sinister to it. nor wrt pulcinellas character overall.

and i just. nothing personal to scara fans yall are cool and ur guy is too i just simply. Cannot. guys can you IMAGINE being so much of an edgelord cynical embarrassment puppetfailure that ur own mommy issues make you physically incapable of Not assuming the worst of pulcinella caring for childes family leading to YEARS of ppl being CONVINCED hes gonna be this major fucking villain for ajax in the snezhnaya arc i . LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

(my scara liker indulgence Ends the second hat guy speaks shit abt My man if you havent noticed. yeah WHO called who naive and stupid???)

like. if the Plot twist in the snezhnaya arc is setting pulcinella up to be this ominous figure that has ulterior motives w childes family and him overall????? only for him to be just. genuinely well-intentioned. oh my fucking god PLEASE let it happen PLEASE bc the entire concept of that whole plotline existing without said plot twist is just soooooo bland and fucking boring to me lol subverting it is just chef kiss

& sure this leak is. very limited in scope it doesnt automatically eliminate pulcinella manipulating childe and/or limiting what information he gets and all. and i genuinely have made my peace with the probable existence of this plot thread w arles SQ already before this whole thing happened but MAN ill be SO fucking happy if this means they might abandon/subvert it altogether like. let him just have a nice supportive mentor figure in his life in the fatui man 😭😭😭

pulcinella if u really just are a nice person ultimately. you TRULY are my goat o777 saving my man from bland family-is-hostage-waa storylines i have Such respect

anyway u could say its not possible for pulcinella to be like. fully a good guy since arles SQ already showcased him being unreliable w information regarding arle but honestly. i kinda disagree. bc like Especially with the faction thing in mind its not unreasonable at all in my eyes that given the Facts of what peruere did. that pulcinella despite not being this scheming schemer brainwashing ajax or whatever. would Genuinely hold a very negative opinion of arlecchino. and convey that to childe. bc like. pulcinella as stated above is in the conservative side of the harbingers. and arlecchino to the outside eyes rly did like. murder a harbinger and her own "mother" and siblings of the house. like do we even know that the harbingers are Aware of how crucabena ran her hunger games death tournament situation to begin with? and Why peruere killed her????

like. if we assume pulcinella doesnt know those things. and that crucabena in all likelihood was if nothing else then presumably a harbinger that was very loyal to the tsaritsa and very consistent. then from that position. of COURSE. youd consider arle a complete downgrade in terms of reliability . she IS a wild card she IS not someone a careful politician like pulcinella would regard highly At All. So like. i dont think when he gives childe the impression that arle is batshit insane and tells him of her (VERY REAL) murderous deeds. i dont think that would automatically equate to pulcinella Knowingly lying and misleading ajax . bc it seems fairly reasonable that pulcinella just genuinely thinks that lowly of her and thus would OBVIOUSLY want his protege not to involve himself with such people.

bc like thats the other thing. its not just arle. in pulcinellas VA notes and the line he has on ajax there. its very clear that he is actively trying to keep him away and shield him from ALL the harbingers . as he still has to mature and grow into someone who will have a chance at gaining their respect proper on his own. so like. if pulcinella thinks its best for ajax to remain away EVEN from the harbingers he himself considers GOOD to NEUTRAL influences and reliable colleagues. of COURSE hed make Extra sure that ajax is staying away from the knave whom pulcinella Actively considers a shitty fit for the job and an unreliable flight risk of a harbinger 💀💀💀💀

(nvm the way arle actively BOTH confirms pulcinellas distrust to be justified by saying the tsaritsa isnt a priority to her and the house is AND actively admits that he prefers other people believe misleading shit about her. so like fym pulcinella thinking the worst of her is surprising)

so like is pulcinellas pov of her at best Highly biased and lacking critical context on Why she merked so many of her sibs and crucabena??? and thus served as an inherently misleading insight on her character when he conveyed it to ajax??? absolutely. but i also dont think hes necessarily lying at all when it comes to perceiving arle in such a negative way so its less. oh i want ajax to remain in the dark forever so he is easy 2 manipulate. more just. thats his Opinion dude and ofc he wants his protege to follow in his stead and not get any poor influences from people like her. it still makes for interesting development & possible tension that childe Is questioning his views on things by making his own judgements about arle but. ya know. its not black and white.

but yeaaaa to be clear me vastly preferring the possibility of scara just being a cringelord unreliable narrator and this whole pulcinella-is-masterminding-dubious-things getting subverted & hes just a guy is just a personal thing lmao. this is pretty old material and far from all-encompassing in terms of Who hoyo wants pulcinellas character to be and all the layers he might hide. im just really 👁️👁️👁️ at the way this particular description of his character seems to be giving off vibes that they in fact Arent actually going all the way into the ulterior motives bad bad ajax watch out pulcinella and its just. listen theres way more interesting shit for ajax to be doing in the endgame plot than some generic plot like that!!!!!!!11! sorry!!!1 so id 1000% want it this way instead lmao

but we shall see where it goes. at the very least if this desc of pulcinella holds Any ground at all then it does disqualify the most extreme version of hes just basically evil manipulator mastermind so like. im already super happy with that lmao

but ya . sorry this took me forever to actually finish jwjkwdjkawjkwd these leaks r kinda old news by now rip .

[enlighten3d]

LISTENING TO FILE 10 OF THE TRAIN TO CALECO HILL. BE WARNED !! SPOILERS AHEAD!!

will be editing the post instead of reblogging o7

liveblog below the cut (:

oh no. medical room. why.

-

NOOO HIS LEGS. get a fucking mobility aid. (prolly wouldnt have helped in this case lmao)

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YES BE MAD AT HER. THATS SO FUCKING VALID OF YOU.

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the monster WAS her wasnt it...

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yeeessss tash yesssss recognise the faults in relationships you fucking deserve to be mad. you fucking deserve it. yes.

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relatable, tash. relatable. i cant remember anything either 👍

-

NO YOU HAD IT BEFORE. YOU BROUGHT CEDRIC ON THE TRAIN W YOU, TASH... THE TRAIN IS FUCKING W YOU.. how well do you remember the station, tash... you havent mentioned any of the ppl you knew since.. file 2 or 3..... love are you okay.

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THE TRAIN IS HIS HOME HE BELONGS HERE 💥 (for now)

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gods tash sounds so. different this episode. i mean this in the way that hes finally fed up and. hes at the end of his tether. and. whndkxjksdkssjdjf hes. this is good, this is fascinating...

-

this guy needs a shock blanket

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this guy also needs friends

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HE ALSO NEEDS TO NOT DIE AND END UP AT CALECO HILL - (/theory)

-

ooohh the dream changed...

oh thats ominous. different colours?? does that indicate a... Change of some sort? it rly feels like it does.... man.

-

you know who can see (or at least are sensitive to it) ultraviolet light? axolotls. (/j. axolotl tash propaganda /silly)

-

WHAT THE FUCK

OKAY THAT WAS A SLIGHT JUMPSCARE

what the fuck was that

HI OWL GIRL

wait

wait

wait

wait

wait

ait

wait

IS TASH GETTING A MOBILITY AID?? FINALLY???????? AUWBFHZHDNDNZUDIAIDJDKSKCJDJ????????

oH MY GODS

i AM OVERJOYED. ‼️‼️‼️

WEIRD CREEPY NOISES INCE THE DOOR OPENS BUT HES GOT A CANE GUYS AAAAAJSHDNFKF

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SPINDLY LEGS?? WHAT??? WHDJSKFHSJ??

oh he does not trust owl girl anymore

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.spooky. spooky cane... monster cane... oh i love that...

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GLOWING. G L O W I N G

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ALBER!! SPOOKY MONSTER GLOWING CANE HAS A NAME!!!

please do be aware that figg 100% named that after their own cane (which is named albert)

AAAA TASH HAS A MOBILITY AID IM SO HAPPY FOR HIM ‼️‼️‼️

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ahajdjs "please stop glowing.." mate i dont think it will...

i love spooky glowing cane

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exactly the right height... alber i love you you are magical (literally)

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THATS WHAT I WAS THINKING TOO, TASH. NO SOUND OF THE TRAIN ROLLING. READ MY FUCKING MIND AHDJJDD

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WHAT IS W H A T. TASH. TASH.

book??????? BOOOK????

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owl girl kleptomaniac moment

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FAMILIAR?? oh this is not gonna go well.

diary. diary. oh no. ohhh boy. habdjfkd

its his isnt it. it is. isnt it. a.

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june 20, 2019. anna. naming things. this is tash. leave where.the station, right??

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FOREST?? TOWN?? is. is this village tash theory. please say it is. a.

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nooo its not ): its rhe Station (which was also a thought that i had so)

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itttsss tash. his diary. before he forgor

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"hello again, anna" ITS EXACTLY HOW HE SAYS HI TO CEDRIC EVERY TIME AA

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RENÉE MENTION ‼️‼️ wow its been a while

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fuck, tash is desperate to have someone care abt him ):

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cody and lana... more mentions...

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The Train

oh gods. oh gods he does not sound okay. tasshhhh ):

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OH GODS, ME JUMPSCARE- i forgot that my voice is gonna be in this lmao

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lana time [:

(hi its me im lanas va lmao)

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AAND IT JUST ENDS?? OH BOY SHFNDJ

AAAAA OKAY THAT WAS. A LOT. HOLY FUCK???

okay so. recap of what happened: tash is not dead, hes pissed at owl girl (rightfully), the dream Changed, he got a spooky cane named alber (‼️‼️‼️), owl girl gave him his diary and hes Remembered things, lana showed up, theres someone named mr 22

ouhh boy this sure was a finale

THE CLIFFHANGER WHYYYYYYYYY (i fully knew this was coming lmao)

AWHDHSKFUJSNDJANFBANDIXHSJJRKWDK HOW AM I MEANT TO GO TO SCHOOL TMRW WITH ALL THIS BRAINROT

[estradasphere]

listened to the new vacon album!!!!! (i had to make a japanese spotify account cuz it doesnt release in the US until midnight orz) my thoughts on it below, mostly copypasted from when i was liveblogging it on discord lol

HATED JOHN - regret version

i'm not sure if i like this version of hated john better than the original hmmm.... his voice is certainly more dynamic but it doesnt feel like he's used to singing like that haha. a lot of voice effects being used too. i guess it's not better or worse it's just different p: instrumental sounded identical to the original to me but i'll have to relisten, i wasnt paying much attention to it

actually, he sounded like he was influenced by symaG's cover of hated john

2. Woodpecker

2nd song is woodpecker which was the one single he dropped so ive heard it plenty before. still a banger

3. ElecTravel - choo-choo version

electravel starts with a train chugging noise lol he's going all in with the toybox album theme

otherwise sounds pretty damn close to the original so far. vocal delivery is sliiiiightly different. actually i think i like this version better

man he still has that problem where his vocals kinda get drowned out by the instrumental sometimes though

OH he added an extra verse! kinda

4. TOY CHEESE

ok first original song we havent heard before. toy cheese-- WHAT THE FUCK

ok nvm i was just thrown off by the sample at the beginning. this is fun

…this literally just sounds like a jingle for a toy commercial. i think that's what it's sampling

what is he dooiiiiinnngggggg i cant deny that his flow is really good though

5. モーニング・ベーコン - tee-hee version

morning bacon time!!!

yeah he's getting drowned out by the instrumental during the kinda whispery parts. i dont remember if that even happens in the original. ill definitely have to relisten to them and compare afterwards

but yeah his voice is absolutely more dynamic on the album

oh seems like he's changing up the lyrics a bit too

i think i just heard his mic peak 😭

instrumental seemed the same

6. D-D-Donuts

second new original song time

this sounds like a childrens commercial again. vacon i know how you can make boatloads of money just license this to hasbro

very catchy though…

his flow is so GOOD

7. 微熱パレイド

BINETSU PARADE YAAAYY i wonder if saegusa redid her vocals too?

sounds like she did

still whispery but sounds a little clearer to me

absolutely whimsical album this is. the silliest hiphop ive ever heard. dude just wants to rap about food and toys and have a good time i can respect that

8. Afro Man - hold tight version

AFRO MAN-- dude you're too close to the mic

how did he get Less professional. wait thats the problem. these sound like first drafts not remixes. i mean theyre still good songs but

hes getting drowned out by the instrumental again too ahhhhh like yeah his beats are really good but be more confident man

9. Xanadisco

xanadisco… is he gonna rap about drugs please rap about drugs thatd be so fucking funny

PIANO!

ohhhhhhh i really love this instrumental

WAIT THIS RULES

yep this is my favorite song on the album so far no notes

why is it called xanadisco though. its not really disco…

👏👏👏

10. Be-li-va Voyager

another new original now

THIS IS ALSO REALLY GOOD!! why did he save his best songs for the latter half of the album

just say what you waaaant cmoonn~~~

i love the occasional turntable scratch he throws in there lol

11. Love my JANE - repaired version

love my jane… sounds identical to the original so far except the guitar is a little louder?

yeah it sounds like he didnt even rerecord the vocals he just remastered the instrumental slightly?

oh nvm there's like 1 bar of new vocal delivery in here thats it

still a great song. he didn't really Need to do anything to it besides adjust the mixing a little. so he did not

12. RUSTY DRUM BLUES

last song. this sounds like a track from sonic spinball

oh my god it really does HAHAHAHA

not a bad thing. sonic spinball ost slaps

not sure if i like the vocal effects he's using but the delivery itself is good

ooh when most of the instruments drop out for a sec its pretty groovy actually

yeah he's almost belting now haha thats definitely not something he wouldve done like 5 years ago. good for him for working on his voice

ough... definitely sounds a little overwrought at times though

also there was a brief moment of silence and i could just baaaaarely hear him breathe that was awesome actually

fade out aaannnddd album over

[hamable]

Thoughts while watching the new miraculous movie cuz I’m three minutes in and can already TELL I’m gonna be losing my mind:

Spoilers under cut obv

Daddy no :( you can’t take me to school tomorrow with fresh baked goods for my whole class :( that’s so embarrassing :( what would they THINK ?!?!

Marinette: I want a better life (beautiful, picturesque Paris, apartment above your parents bakery, heading to a fancy school) cause I’m so clumsy???

Me: GIRLY ILL SWAP WITH YOU???

God I saw stuff about the singing voice and it’s so tonally and stylistically different from Christina Vee’s VAing that I can’t take it seriously. The singer isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s so clearly a different person.

Aside from the im loving the animation so far. It’s so cool seeing these character I’ve known since like 2017 in a new, more polished style.

Goddamnit we’re still making popular girl no carbs jokes???

DAMN ALYA THATS COLD (oh sorry, do I need to take a number behind the line of friends coming to your rescue?) LIKE YOUVE HAD ONE LINE SO FAR.

Chloe going about this bully/rival thing reeaallll fruity

Emo Adrien just trying to listen to MCR and tune out the normies that just don’t get it 😡😭

NINO BEST BRO

EW WHAT HAIR IS THAT GABRIEL

Nooroo called them the ladybug and chat noir miraculouses, but shouldn’t it be the ladybug and black cat miraculous? I thought they chose their names for themselves, ladybug sticking with ladybug, chat noir coming up with his own?

TIKKI IS SO CUTE OMG

This chat noir so silly and goofy

NOT CARELESS WHISPER ARE YOU KIDDING ME. YALL COULDA DONE A BEAUTIFUL ORCHESTRAL SWELL AND YOU PICK C A R E L E S S W H I S P E R?!?!?!?!

Btw why did Marinette prove her worth while adrien was just like. Doing hw. It’s easy to prove you can use the ladybug for good. Show me why he was chosen to use destruction for good. That’d be so interesting.

PUSS IN BOOTS

Plagg take an antacid plz

SHE THREW IT OUT THE WINDOW

Pop off hawk moth villain song honestly, best one so far

OK HAWKMOTH SING

Nino Dr. Love omg my favorite guy

Golden rule: always stay cool… (voice immediately shoots up an octave when Alya speaks to him)

That’s NOT HOW ROLLERCOASTERS WORK

That’s gotta be at least a few casualties

ASHDJFJF Catches Chloe from a deadly fall only to redirect and chuck her HARDER into a dumpster

Chloe you gotta stop giving off repressed fruity vibes

This movie has not established enough of a connection between marinette and adrien to justify ladybug rejecting chat noir (on the basis of loving someone else, I mean, not that she can’t reject him at all)

Plagg? Not the time.

WTF HAPPENED TO YOU GABRIEL?!?! DID YOU GO ON A BENDER?!?!

The movie has not established enough, if any, disconnect between adrien and gabriel. I love seeing adrien stand up for himself, but it feels kinda weird

LMAO HES LIKE BOUNCING IN PLACE WITH ANGER DONT MAKE ME LAUGH

Adrien with headphones is so fucking funny to me. Head down shoulders hunched, listen to welcome to Nightvale cause no one else gets it

Chloe. Every. God. Every word out of your mouth is so fruity. “There is someone else. And she’s right in front of you.” Someone else for who, Chloe?? For marinette?? I better you’re hoping she thinks you mean u and her huh?

Crush likes someone else. Life not worthy living. Dreams not worth pursuing.

All these songs run together. Except hawkmoths. His kicked ass.

Jesus Christ it’s Armageddon

STOP WITH THE FUCKING CARELESS WHISPER

HAS HE BEEN LISTENING TO CARELESS WHISPER THE WHOLE TIME?!?! THIS FUCKING LOSER OH MY GOD

Ladybug out here in YOUR FATHERS APOCALYPSE and you’re MOPING IN YOUR FANCY HOUSE

It’s the end of the world are you really gonna be salty rn?!?!

Ew why it’s the cataclysm like. An oil slick?!

Oh shit he dead

Oh he super dead

From the top of the Eiffel Tower? Into water?? You’re dead.

WHERE IS THE LAVA COMING FROM?!

SINCE WHEN DO YOU HAVE THE FORCE HAWKMOTH?!

Damn show hawkmoth could never.

Jesus fucking razor winged butterflies

Movie says fuck sentimonster adrien here’s Emilie pregnant

Anyways uh you killed and displaced likely hundreds of citizens so get ready for a lifetime in prison, hawky

OH I FORGOT ABOUT MIRACULOUS LADYBUG LMAO WERE GOOD ACTUALLY

Ok you placed the rubble back together but a bunch of people are still probably dead right

Ya Chloe make a quick exit bc of that gay crisis you’re having. Next year? Back to bullying. What was this year Chloe? Hm?

Overall: cool animation and effects, nostalgic for early lady noir dynamic, writer brain is itching for what could’ve been, but otherwise it is what it is, prob won’t watch it again.

EDIT: SHE DISNT DO MIRACULOUS LADYBUG UNTIL THE END RIGHT???? LIKE AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF HEROING??? SO ALL THE SHIT AT THE FAIR. JUST HAPPENED. YOU CANT TELL ME THERE ARENT LIKE. DEAD BODIES. I DONT THINK SHE KNEW SHE COULD FIX IT RIGHT??? PEOPLE DIED. YOU DESTROYED A CHUNK OF A CITY GABRIEL.

[verycharismaticdragon]

Got tagged by @katie-altman to...

Shuffle your 'On Repeat' spotify playlist and list the first 10 songs that play! (Feel free to adapt to whatever "liked/played recently" version of things you have on something Not Spotify as needed)

...and spent some time bluescreening over which of my playlists to use, as I'm very old man about my music and all my playlists are "a bunch of mp3s in a folder". Went with my background-sound-for-drawing one in the end, which is *checks player* 1003 tracks in total. (And yet somehow almost half of this is music from my gacha games... many questions for my player's shuffle algorithm now.) Anyhow...

Roselia - BLACK SHOUT - music from my gacha games #1. Tho Roselia are genuinely good! I like some of their tracks more than others but I don't remember a single one thats a total miss.

Pokemon (Japanese)OP3 - OK! - everyone whos been here since my pokemon phase is being SO brave by staying up to now tbh...

RAISE A SUILEN - EXIST - music from my gacha games #2. If Roselia never misses, RAS just has an entire discography of bangers.

Kaleida - Think - y'know, I have no idea when or why this got into my playlist. it slaps tho.

Photon Maiden - Be with the world - music from my gacha games #3. Photon is kinda hit or miss for me, and this one is on the eh side tbh. From the top of my head, Into the Storm and 4 Challenges are the ones I really liked

Hozier - Take Me To Church - oh a classic!! link is the exact performance that came up in my playlist btw; i rarely enjoy live recordings but this one is. yum

The Machinist - No Peace - I completely forgot this song but its very good!!! due to the special wiring of my brain i find it nice and relaxing, but ymmv on the death metal screams

Florence + The Machine - No Light, No Light - oh, hadn't heard this one in a while... it still fucks

Toby Fox - Spider Dance - i feel the need to clarify that i never played undertale. the ost just crawled into my computer on its own i think

Afterglow - Redo (cover) - music from my gacha games #4! Listen I won't say I love all of AG's songs but Ran is my favorite vocalist in the game so. Like her va's voice is so good its literally so good and pleasant to the ear!!...

I'll tag uh.... @fismoll7secinv @evugh-draws @overthinkersatelier @lingbinghua @crayuu @annaisu if any of ya are up to it!

[scaredofmyocs]

i am listening to PJ and Parappas album I Scream annd it is silly to me erm here are my silly thoughts that are mostly about the lyrics lmao

Ok first of all. I dont like parappas songs in this game, and all of these use those instrumentals. Its nothing in particular I thought I would like at least one but strangely not? but parappas VA is incredibly talented idc if thats like common knowledge gotta say it when you think it yk. ok now

first song: All We Need Is Music:

i posted the "WITH THE FUCK WITH THE FUCK WHAT THE FUUUUUCK" thing like a second ago and thats like my whole opinion on that song. im pretty sure katy is singing some of it and like i love her her voice actor was incredibly talented again gotta say the obvious. also the beginning where shes like "oh. (chuckles) ok." with like no context is so real so great. also what the fuck is happening in the video.

second song: The New Plan

the lyrics are just "im cool man and so is milk can and heres a bunch of stuff we did" Im very neutral about this one i have no thoughts other than yes you are cool and so is milk can

third song: Life Is Like A Sky

the song is basically just "remember guys behave yourselves!!!" but hearing parappa say "Stay away from drugs" is so funny again not many thoughts

fourth song: Why

THIS ONE IS SO SILLY TO ME bc he starts off with shit like "why. do birds have wings" like ok ok then "why. do boys like girls? girls like boys, boys like toys, and girls like curls?" interesting thoughts parappa "why do we feel hungry? why do we need money?" even further into interesting "Who created sunny funny?" her dad what "Why is fire hot? why does rain fall in drops?" yeah? "why do we have first and last names?" ok ok "And how come people die? And where do we go, from the sky?" damn ok parappa questioning the real shit at late hours in the morning. anyway yeah hes just slowly questioning everything in this song and it sounds really funny to me

last and sixth song: No Cuttin Corners

BAHAHA THE WHOLE SONG IS JUST "listen to your parents guys! go to school! dont do drugs! I hate the dealers at my school! i dont need cigarettes! playstation! Dont drink alcohol! Dont shoot each other! I go to school! my dad is yelling at me even though I did my chores! I have 4 paws but i walk on 2! Talk it out!

OKOKOK TO BE FAIR "We Are Milkcan!" is never going to be beat in terms of all over the place in tone and I love that song so Im sure that this one has its fans. I just think its really funny that parappa sounds like he was paid to make this album so much. Im sure he agrees with certain sentiments in it its just so out of left field given that he wouldve kicked those bullies asses at the beginning of the first game and given what I know about the second game (something about noodle and burger war?) I litterally dont think he cares about this as much as this album explores these themes.

Also parappa talks about school like hes in elementary school and not like. what 15? based on what Ive heard about the anime I dont like this, unless it was a deliberate choice ofc bc then idc as long as rodney or whoever isnt having their creations messed with.

not that I know what Im talking about I am rambling girl. hit post

[archer3-13]

Been playing fire emblem echoes: shadows of valentia again in the last few days. on ocassion i go back to em and see how my opinion might reevaluate on old fe games, but heres some general thoughts:

-as this is for enjoyment im playing on normal which is basically just 'nes balance' mode since its the most overarchingly similar to the original nes game.

-on a pretty sharp if casual blitz i can manage to get to and beat grieth and desiaxs fortresses quickly enough. of the two of them celicas side of the map definitely has the uphill battle to contend with throwing more enemies, more promoted enemies, and more importantly more fast enemies at you then alms side which favours defensive enemies.

-it makes some general sense as celicas side gives you a lot more mages then alms side to use but a larger pattern of echoes design philosophy is 'fewer enemies, but much tougher enemies'. and i stand by that statement even with acknowledging cantors and other enemy summoners, because the enemies those units summon are intentionally chaff fodder compared to the main map crops.

-in terms of grinding i really cant stress enough how bad an idea it is to grind every tier out to lvl20 unless you have an efficient grinding system in mind. the games systems actively work against ya going in that direction, and i dont mind that meself cause im very much an all or nothing type on that kinda stuff so the game slapping my wrist on that is more my speed. that said, i think a median can work pretty well, grindin out or atleast holding out until units reach atleast lvl10 for promotions

-next run ill pay more attention to the story, but with a fresh head/perspective on things the snippets i have been watchin again this time do make me realize that a lot of what people attribute to a misfired thematic thread of 'the station of your birth dont matter', more so has to do with narrative tensions and themes of alm and celica being reluctant or hesitant to actually grapple with their destinies/responsibilities. most of the flavour text of village npc commentary on the happening of things for instance reads more so in the light of emphasizing that to me anyways on recent reflection, village people complaining about how worthless the zofian royal family is to celicas face before praising her unaware of the irony, and the teasing of alms secret rigelian heritage fits into that framework a lot more snugly. and as i noted, theres a distinct reluctance on alm and celicas parts when it comes to facing their fates, celicas trip to see mila noted as being a possible way to avoid making a claim to the zofian throne that people probably wouldn't be happy to see and that celica doesn't want to make. and conversely on alms part well he takes on the mantle of leadership in war theres not much thought on his part put into what comes after kicking rigels teeth in, almost a reluctance to do so even evident in how he shys away from the indications of his royal heritage and downplays the peoples desires for him to become the new zofian king/ruler.

-thats just my current wild thoughts on the matter though, but i do think its a better throughline that makes more sense, especially given how often its alluded to in dialogue with characters such as grieth rubbing it in celicas face that he managed to get so powerful under the royal families noses because the royal family gave less then a shit about doing anything about it, similarly as to how desaix could be the most fragrantly evil/self interested piece of shit around without any repercussions.

-love grieths voice acting, i think the VA also does the voice of the brewer gundam pilot in ibos english dub and hes a joy to listen to. plus grieths just kinda fun with his weird lil henchman in general, really reminds me of a hokuto no ken villain.