#both visually and tone-wise

[kasumingo]

hazbin hotel gives me so much secondhand embarrassment

[sparticus2000art]

Revisiting my nightmare design and giving him another outfit for fun!

Also some practice with expressions based on the expression sheet by @/capochiino because I need to work on drawing faces more expressively-

I’m not quite there yet, but it’s not doing terribly I think…

Nightmare was made by jokublog

I also drew this cause I wanted to explore a better dressed nightmare- personality wise I feel like it makes more sense to have him be a bit more extravagant or well put together than his cannon design with just the hoodie.

For my own interpretation of him, I feel like it would be interesting to approach his character in a way where he does both- the more elaborate or fancy outfits preferably, but the hoodie fit as more of a crutch for when he needs it, linking his outward expression and appearance to his stability and control over his own emotions/ the corruption.

I think when he first turned, the corruption would’ve made him quite unstable emotionally, and taken away a lot of control- being visually represented by it soaking through and staining all of his clothes to be the same colour as the corruption itself. Kinda showing him being overwhelmed by the new influence. But the more comfortable he becomes, the better he’s able to manage the new state, giving him the opportunity to do things more to his own taste.

This also allows him to experiment with adding some pops of colour to his clothes, though he’d still stick to darker tones to protect his pride- so that it’s not as obvious when his control lapses and the corruption seeps through to contaminate the garments. On particularly bad days he’d revert to his cannon clothing, both to save the clothes he likes from being tarnished, but also as a way to seek comfort.

I’m not sure if I explained that super well lol, but those are kinda my personal head cannons.

[ram-bles]

Plsplspls daisuke and reader romance hcs and my soul is yours

gn/transmasc whichever you prefer thank you so much

daisuke x reader | headcanons

part 4:

Romance edition

pay up anon 🫴👈 /j no, bc I have notes about this already and I saw you pop up in my notifs.

⚠️: 🔞 gn pronouns and masc pronouns* used, fluff, nothing explicit but there is implied sex (don't worry, it's optional. I put it at the end so you can skip.)

*bonus transmasc!reader category

🌺 Mentioned in a previous post. You fall first, he falls harder. He doesn't even notice until later on when he's doing the most mundane task and he catches himself smiling - "Oh."- while thinking of you. "Shiiiit."

🌺 The D in Daisuke stands for dense. Dense, dense, dense. To be fair, you guys are close and everything you've done together was seen as platonic. Heavy on was.

"Are you really bros if you don't cuddle to sleep?"

🌺 C'mon. He'll treat this like a romance visual novel game and you are the main and only love interest. It makes him less nervous this way.

🌺 Daisuke - for the life of him - could not use endearments. It makes him cringe. Will most likely call you by nickname or dude/bro (gnc).

"Babe... Baby... Honey— PFFT-" "Daisuke." Last name mouthwashing. Followed by whatever his last name was. You gave him a warning tone. "I can't help it!" He stifles his laughter but it turns into a fit of giggles.

🌺 Best friends to lovers is a perfect trope with him. I feel like the confession will come in naturally. You become best friends, blur the lines of platonic and romantic without realizing it, and the next thing you know, you're dating.

🌺 Experience wise? He's had a few relationships in highschool. Doesn't even know if he considers it as a relationship if he were honest. More-so flings.

⚠️ Implied sex. Ignore if uncomfortable.

🌺 If I were to lean more on to his mature side, then maybe things got too intimate. No promises of what happens next, but surely, you'd both question it. Don't get me wrong though, definitely an each other's firsts situation still.

Your sports watch vibrates on the table side, its buzz louder against the surface it was on. Groggily, you sit up, stretching and flinching at how sore you were before orienting yourself, unconsciously tugging the blanket closer to you. The faint sound of the shower beside the shared room reminds you of the events last night and your brain felt like it was about to shortcircuit, thoughts silencing quickly as you hear the bathroom door open, making you snap your head back up and you felt like having another wire shorting in your brain at the sight, but you push it away for now. "Mornin'!" And he says your name so sweetly, enthusiastically. Your heart ached. "I didn't take too long right? Did you just wake up?" Your silence scared him, even more so when you hung your head low. He calls your name. "Did you not like last night? Ah, fuck- Is anything painful? I'm sorry. We don't have to do this again. I'm s—" "Daisuke?" "Y-Yeah? What's up? Seriously, you're worrying me, dude. Did I hurt you?" "What are we?"

[ Bonus: Transmasc!Reader ]

🌺 Seeing your binder for the first time?

You two were back at your shared quarters. The day had just ended and you just wanted to change into your sleepwear and crash. "Dude, that looks uncomfy. You sure it ain't too tight?" "Nah. I made sure it fit. I have looser ones just incase. Don't worry, Dai." You were about to remove it when you notice him staring. Before this, you've been changing in the bathroom already, and at times he'd just turn away when you tell him to. He only realizes when you haven't moved for awhile and he instantly flinches. "Oh, sorry- turning riiiight now!" "We're dating already... It's okay." Plus, totally normal to see dudes topless. He tilts his head curiously as he watches and it would be a lie if it didn't make you slightly conscious of your appearance, but you trust him. The smitten look he has makes you feel better. His eyes dart down to the small dents on your skin left by the band and his hand twitches. "Can I massage it?" "What? My tits?" He calls out your name in mock frustration before laughing. "Y'know what I mean!" "Yeah, yeah. Make some space on the bed then."

🌺 Probably would love pressing the marks away. Also, he gets to cling onto you while at it so win-win right?

🌺 Top scars?

"Duuuuuude. That's sick as fuck." His head was hanging by the edge of the bed, watching you change while upside down. "Hm?" "The scars. How'd you gettem? Don't look like it's from an accident." "... Surgery?" "Oh?" He stays quiet for a moment trying to piece two and two together. You wait for him with an amused expression. "OHHHHHH." Right, he didn't know. "Still sick as fuck though."

🌺 feeling dysphoric? he already treats you like a king, but hopefully you won't get too overwhelmed with his advances when he notices you feeling down.

"hey, handsome." "pretty boy!"

🌺 if he didn't know you were trans and you tell him, he'd be confused but in a way that's like, "I still love you, y'know. That ain't changin'!"

[ Updates: ]

🪓 i'm working on another ask at the moment and it involves a pilot intern!reader. they req afab!reader but it's difficult for me to write femmes and i usually go for gn or transmasc readers :(( I hope that's alright. I can try to make a separate post and do femme pronouns. What do you guys think?

it's going to be longer than my usual posts so it may take some time. so yeah! hopefully the anon who req it sees this.

That's all, thank you for reading!

[moxiebrown]

Ian Hecox knows how to compose a good photo; why is this one so shitty?

In which Moxie places the tinfoil hat atop her head at a jaunty angle.

(all screencaps originally from @ian-anthonyupdates )

So this recent photo from Ian’s ski trip is stuck in my head.

Why? It’s extremely generic, one of millions of mediocre vacation shots that gets posted on social every day.

Compositionally, it fails. It doesn’t follow the rule of thirds and the center of the photo is a drab, brick path; the leading lines draw your eye away OUTSIDE the frame, not back towards each other in a pleasing Fibonacci spiral. The lighting is flat, making everything a neutral (and boring) mid tone except for the Pride flags.

Ian had created digital content for over two decades. He’s worked alongside editors as well as art directed several sketches. He’s reviewed the videos on Smosh and given notes. He also indirectly manages several creatives, including photographers, videographers, and designers. He not only knows what a good photo is, but knows how to create one.

For example, these recent public photos are both visually pleasing images. The horizon is in the bottom third in the Austin skyline, and he wisely did not crop the buildings or the street below, giving a sense of scale. His selfie shows us an interesting background and the angle implies a certain dynamic movement that matches the sense of being on a ski slope.

If I were to retake the original photo, I’d focus on the clock tower and the winding path leading to the snowy forest behind it. It’s a charming if generic scene, but this way the clock face is in the top third and the path leads the eye into the forest.

There is no real reason to compose the original photo as he did unless he wanted to include all the pride flags in the shot for some reason, and couldn’t figure out how. Taking a closeup of one flag waving in the snow might be too pointed; when you fill the frame with the subject, you are bludgeoning the viewer with your message. I wonder what message he wanted plausible deniability about instead. 👀

[oathkeeper-of-tarth]

Mod update, at long last! Dame Aylin Kintsugi - Origin version is now up on Nexus (update: should now be visible on mod.io as well). It was inevitable, really, that I would end up doing this.

The mod is now completely standalone and has no prerequisites. Aylin's visuals (head, hair, skin tone, "gold" tattoo colour) are still added to Body Type 3 humans, elves, and half-elves (and some custom race mod aasimar) if you just want to poach some cosmetics.

The kintsugi colour is once again plugged into Horn Colour, which I've added as an option to the above-mentioned races for this purpose.

But for the full custom appearance and fancy texture experience, I've made Aylin a new Origin Character selectable when you start a new game. Her race, class, and appearance are preset appropriately, but not fixed (which allows me to patch in custom/modded races), so you can tweak her a bunch, but for flavour she will have "Aasimar" and "Paladin of Selûne" tags in dialogues no matter what you pick. Her body type and background (Folk Hero) are locked. She has no other special properties, gameplay-wise.

Vestments of the Faithful is a mod that includes her iconic armour, if you want to complete the look.

Update: Along with changing the starting paladin warhammer to a greatsword, I went and added her armour statted as basic plate to her starting equipment, so no additional mods are needed. You should still use the mod above if you want a version of it with special stats and abilities.

It's nicely flexible, you can wear only parts of it. Or, you know, none at all. You do you.

Note that though I gave it a shot very briefly, wings are easy to get to appear, but veeery tricky to get in any way functional, so if you want those you should grab an extra mod that provides them. Let's call it future work for now.

Oh, how the turntables...

Blue is truly her colour.

Ah, the eternal struggle between putting Aylin in cool outfits and armours and wanting to show off my textures. But I did hand-draw every single one of these gold lines, so let me bask, shhhhhh. More under the cut for nudity.

I already spoke about this in a previous post, but everything is both much more high-res and super streamlined now. No more fudging around with body tattoo colour overlays or neck seams or anything. And all the colours are 100% Aylin-accurate, plucked right out of her presets.

To wrap this up, a spicy reward for whoever scrolled this far! Using the succubus outfit from the game as a little tribute to the harness art series by @redelicebeta, in particular this lovely entry.

I couldn't get the colours quite right, but I think it's close enough. And she rocks it.

In conclusion, yeah, Isobel Thorm is a very lucky woman.

But, more importantly, enjoy the mod, everyone!

[sasaranurude]

Okay. I've been playing Tokyo Debunker today, since the release happened to catch me on a day when all I'd planned to do was write fanfiction. I just finished reading the game story prologue (it was longer than expected!), so here's a review type post. If you're reading this post not having seen a single thing about this game: it's a story-based joseimuke gacha mobile game that just released globally today. It's about a girl who suddenly finds herself attending a magic school and mingling with elite, superhuman students known as ghouls. If you look in the tumblr tag for the game you'll see what appears to be a completely different game from 2019 or so: they retooled it completely midway through development, changing just about everything about it due to "escalating competition within the gaming industry."

I'll talk about how this looks like a blatant twst clone at the end.

Starting with the positive: The story is charming. I enjoyed it thoroughly the entire time and am excited to read more. The mix between visual novel segments and motion comics was really nice--it broke things up and added a lot of oomph to the action or atmospheric scenes that visual novels generally lack. I like the art in the comic parts a lot. the live2d in the visual novel parts is... passable. Tone-wise, I think the story was a little bit all over the place and would like to see more of the horror that it opened on, but I didn't mind the comedic direction it went in either. The translation is completely seamless. The characters so far all have unique voices and are just super fun and cute. Of the ones who've had larger roles in the story so far, there's not a single one I dislike. It's all fully voiced in Japanese and the acting is solid. (I don't recognize any voices, and can't seem to find any seiyuu credits, so it seems they're not big names, but they deliver nonetheless.) Kaito in particular I found I was laughing at his lines a ton, both the voicing and the writing.

He's looking for a girlfriend btw. Spreading the word.

The problem is like. The gameplay is the worst dark-pattern microtransaction-riddled bullshit I've ever seen. Hundred passive timers going at all times. Fifty different item-currencies. Trying to get you to spend absurd amounts of real world money at every turn. There's like five different indicators that take you to various real-money shop items that I don't know how to dismiss the indicator, I guess you just have to spend money, wtaf. Bajillion different interlocking systems mean you have zero sense of relative value of all the different item-currencies. I did over the course of the day get enough diamonds for one ten-pull, which I haven't used yet. Buying enough diamonds for a ten-pull costs a bit under $60 (presumably USD, but there's a chance the interface is automatically making that CAD for me--not gonna spend the money to check lmfao), with an SSR rate of 1%. BULLSHIIIIIT.

There's like a goddamn thousand-word essay explaining the dozen different types of character upgrades and equippables and equippables for the equippables!! Bad! Bad game design! That's just overcomplicating bullshit to trick people into thinking they're doing something other than clicking button to make number go up! That is not gameplay!

In terms of the actual gameplay, there is none. The battle system is full auto. There might be teambuilding, but from what I've seen so far, most of that consists of hoping you pull good cards from gacha and then clicking button to make number go up. There's occasional rhythm segments but there's no original music, it's just remixes of public domain classical music lmao. I'd describe the rhythm gameplay as "at least more engaging than twisted wonderland's," which is not a high bar

At least there's a cat in the rhythm bit.

And like, ok, I gotta remark on how derivative it is. Like I mentioned in my post earlier, this game is unabashedly aping twisted wonderland's setting and aesthetic. (That said, most of the stuff it steals from twst is magic school stuff that twst also basically stole from Harry Potter, so...?) However, it isn't exactly like twst: in this one, the characters say fuck a lot and bleed all over the place and do violence. Basically, the tone is a fair bit more adult than twst's kid-friendly vibe. (Not, like, adult adult, and I probably wouldn't even call it dark--it's still rated Teen lol. Just more adult than twst.)

Rather than just being students at magic school, the ghouls also go out into the mundane world to go on missions where they fight and investigate monsters and cryptids. Honestly, the magic school setting feels pretty tacked-on. The things that are enjoyable about this would've been just as enjoyable in about any other setting--you can tell this whole aspect was a late trend-chasing addition, lmao. So, yeah, it's blatantly copying twst to try to steal some players, but... Eh, I found myself not caring that much. Someone more (or less) into twst than me may find it grating.

Character-wise, eh, sure, yeah, they're a bit derivative in that aspect too, but it's a joseimuke game, the characters are always derivative. Thus far the writing & execution has been solid enough that I didn't care if they were tropey. If I were to compare it to something else, I'd say the relationship between the protagonist and the ghouls feels more like that of the sage and wizards in mahoyaku than anything from twst. There's some mystery in exactly what "ghouls" are and their place in this world that has me intrigued and wanting to know more about this setting and how each of the characters feels about it. I have a bad habit of getting my hopes up for stories that put big ideas on the table and then being disappointed when they don't follow through in a way that lives up to my expectations, though.

So, my final verdict: I kind of just hope someone uploads all the story segments right onto youtube so nobody has to deal with the dogshit predatory game to get the genuinely decent story lol. Give it a play just for the story if you have faith in your ability to resist dark patterns. Avoid at all costs if you know you're vulnerable to gacha, microtransactions, or timesinks.

[ariibees]

Continuing my efforts to design Chris' next armor set! Commentary below the cut.

I tried to make the meteor armor set work, but was having to stretch things too far to justify it (completely changing its shape/patterns, dyeing it, layering it with diamond robes to make his staves/tomes build work, etc. to the point it was really meteor armor in name only). So this is a hard pivot -- for this outfit, Chris works with the Guide/Dryad to make jungle armor, and then transmutes it into the ancient cobalt set using the Shimmer. The wings and diamond staff design aren't set in stone; I just needed something simple to get the colors down while focusing on the armor.

This does decrease the impact of the meteor a bit, but hey, Malik will still appreciate some meteor shots I'm sure. And plot-wise, having another moment of the Guide/Dryad both influencing Chris is helpful to set up some following scenes.

I'm definitely happier with this than my previous designs. Swapping "generic metal plate"-star for the diamond-star ties the ancient cobalt breastplate nicely into the diamond staff. And if he picks up the magic missile (haven't fully decided his late pre-hardmode loadout), the outfit design and color scheme fits with that well enough too. This outfit also doesn't suffer from some significant issues the previous ones had (body design too dark and lacking contrast, metal garters too shiny causing a striped look, etc.) because of the updated color scheme. It also displays his worm scarf more prominently (albeit still dyed), helping to immediately justify the Eater of Worlds fight beyond "well the Dryad said so and also you can get a cool pickaxe or maybe a void bag later."

The lunar/celestial imagery is a bit more naturally integrated with this design, such as the "comet/falling star trails" that form the pattern on his breastplate being more emphasized, rather than just "here's a giant star, 'cause he's a mage, get it?" And while dropping the robes look is a significant design shift, keeping his gloves and boots visually similar connects his previous design with this one without seemingly having just palette-swapped his old robes. This is also barely armor -- it's more of an armored shirt -- so it doesn't invite as much whiplash from seeing Chris jump from "mage in robes, albeit with a somewhat heroic cape design" to "wearing straight-up armor."

Color-wise, I did add a small amount of purple to this design compared to the in-game ancient cobalt armor. Magenta/purple is associated with the amethyst set, Nebula pillar, shadow magic, band of starpower, etc. and so I didn't want to make him too blue and muddy the waters (blue is Lunatic Cultist, Stardust pillar, etc.). I also don't want him to blend too hard into the dungeon walls, one reason why the outfit is so bright. But it should still be enough blue to make Chris stand out against the red backdrop of Hell later on. I'm feeling good about the level it's at currently, and I can always subtly tweak it in particular scenes as-needed to make him fit in or stand out as needed. On the flip side, his wings get a soft warm brown tone rather than a cold sheen to contrast his outfit and tie into his skin/eye/hair color to both introduce more color hues into his outfit and make his head less disconnected from the rest of the design.

I did try to minimize the number of different colors overall, but it doesn't significantly impact the complexity either way. This is just a product of how I color characters -- instead of color-picking from a reference image, I have a folder of coloring layers for each character that I copy into each page. So each folder will have, for instance, one layer for hair, one for a character's shirt, and so on. Each layer has a max of two colors so that I can color pick them into my main/sub color icons, clear the layer, and then paint bucket those colors in. So since I'm already handling every layer separately, adding more layers (especially of solid colors) doesn't significantly impact the time I need to spend coloring.

Anyways, that's all I've got. Character design is hard.

[girlonthemoon81]

new to your blog came because you seemed to find the right words that i tend to mix up lol. So wanted to ask:

Do you have any more extensive thoughts on Pearline and Annie?

Hi! Welcome! So, in the posts where I’ve discussed Pearline and Annie, I’ve stated that they both represent different stereotypes in media. Annie embodies the Strong Black Woman, the Mammy, and the sanctified martyr. Pearline represents the sexually deviant woman. She is promiscuous, disloyal, and morally corrupt within her marriage, but that is what makes her so attractive and alluring within the narrative. She isn’t cheating (as far as I know) for safety, security, or survival, but for the thrill of sexual pleasure, which is exactly what makes her disposable under patriarchy. Someone subbed my original post, stating that they didn't agree and that they don’t think Pearline was punished for sex. But she was punished for experiencing Black joy. I honestly found this not only bizarre but also deeply unserious, especially given how her character is written using the most tired misogynistic trope that claims all women experience sex and infidelity as inherently joyful, powerful, and redemptive. This is the kind of liberal post-feminist logic that reframes patriarchal violence as personal empowerment. If you are linking infidelity and excessive sexual availability to Black joy, I seriously question your feminist beliefs. This kind of logic erases class dynamics, male domination, and the commodification of femininity under racial capitalism.

She performs in a smoky juke joint, seductive, swaying, crawling on the floor. The camera lingers not on her talent but on her body: the curve of her hips, her mouth against the mic, her bare shoulders glowing in candlelight. This scene weaponizes the siren trope and reinforces the cinematic tradition of aestheticizing Black women’s labor as sexual service. Her artistic labor is collapsed into sexual performance. Her singing is not valued for expression, skill, or inner life; it’s visual stimulation. Compare Sammy’s singing scene or even the man playing the piano to hers, and you’ll see the difference. The men are treated as complex human beings with talents and dignity. Pearline is just there to be sexy (even though she's extremely talented and has a complex background that could have been explored). People will get mad at this and say, “Oh my god, why can’t women be sexy, hot, and objectified?” Like, use your brain for once. Why is sexiness the only route to visibility? Why do we need to be sexualized constantly just to be acknowledged, touched, or treated as people? One thing I’ve noticed is that when I critique sexualization from a materialist lens, people get irrationally defensive and pretend that we live in a world where sex, objectification, and gender roles are somehow equal and harmless. They want to believe that sexual objectification exists in a vacuum. That women who are being sexualized enjoy it because they’re smiling, and that the people doing the objectifying are just having a good time and are somehow innocent. During the sex scene with Sammy, he’s framed as bashful, pure, and passive. She’s confident, indulgent, and unashamed. The sex scene is tender in tone, but the camera angles are all on Pearline’s body, her sounds, her movements, and her performance. There’s no exploration of why she’s cheating, what her marriage is like, or what this means emotionally, because she is not granted interiority. She is there to catalyze Sammy’s arc.

Annie’s character dynamic is different but still shaped by patriarchy. Annie is introduced through religious and mystical imagery. She’s the conjure woman, the healer, the grieving mother. The lighting is reverent, soft, but it strips her of all erotic presence. She is maternal, spiritual, and wise, which means she is not allowed to be anything else. She is not given space for sexual agency or complexity. Her pain exists for aesthetic purposes. She is written as emotional labor for Stack (or Smoke, I can’t remember which one), and her presence is purely instrumental to the man’s guilt and transformation. This dynamic is not just common in heterosexual relationships; it’s especially common for Black women, who are conditioned to serve as emotional, physical, and spiritual laborers for men’s needs. We are never given room to exist outside of that framework. When we do assert that we want more (desire, peace, or softness) we’re told we’re bougie, selfish, or even white (yes, people actually say this). Her spiritual knowledge is curated carefully for plot function. The film barely explores where she learned it (I believe it is discussed for like 5 seconds in the movie), what it cost her, or how it connects to her womanhood. The sex scene with Stack is the closest she gets to intimacy, and even then, the emotional weight is redirected toward his arc. She expresses longing and connection, but it’s framed around his memory and desire. She’s vulnerable, but her vulnerability is just a vehicle for Stack’s guilt and redemption. She sacrifices herself with hoodoo to save him, not herself, not her daughter, and that’s treated as meaningful and selfless, when in reality it reflects the complete denial of her interior life. Yes, the film briefly questions why the magic saved him and not the women in his life, but the framing still centers his survival as the story’s emotional resolution. She’s the ideal Black woman: loyal, grieving, sacrificial, and sexually inert. This is exactly the type of woman who is praised in the Black community and in heteropatriarchal narratives because she stays faithful to her man no matter what.

A lot of people don’t understand my critiques when I talk about the female characters’ sexualities because they genuinely believe that sex is neutral and harmless. That I’m just a prude who hates sex. But if you look at how people discuss these characters, they don’t talk about their emotional lives or moral complexities. They talk about how hot they are, how many “looks” they served, and how the sex scenes turned them on. That reaction alone proves my point. There is no depth. Women are reduced to aesthetics and arousal. In Black media, especially, people believe that being sexualized and objectified is not only empowering but somehow makes female characters complex.

[clau1r9i]

The Role of Fashion in the Magical Subcultures in The Ancient Magus’ Bride

Hello, I finally ended up writing this, it took me a long time because I read the entire thing, taking notes to write this as best as possible, I hope you enjoy it!!

I think this manga presents a rich and intricate world of magic that is deeply intertwined with various subcultures. These groups possesses distinct visual and stylistic identities that reinforce their philosophies, practices, and roles within the magical society. Fashion in this universe is not merely a means of aesthetic expression but a crucial element that symbolizes power, tradition, and belonging.

1. The Traditional Elegance of Mages

Among Mages we can find two quite distinctive ways of dressing, to understand it better I have separated it into two groups, mages born before the 20th century and mages born after the 20th century (20th century included).

Mages born before the 20th century, often wear long robes, cloaks, and garments inspired by historical periods ranging from the first centuries of the Middle Ages to the Edwardian era. These designs reinforce their ties to ancient traditions and their mystical, timeless nature. 

Magicians born in the 20th century and later have not been as separated as the rest, living through the two world wars or being born after them in a world where the massacre of mages that happened is remembered has made them live more in contact and collaboration with normal humans, sorcerers, witches, etc. In addition, their way of dressing is more aligned with current trends, but they still have a very marked style since although "young" most of this group is still 70+ years.

Beyond individual characters, the mages clothing often incorporates intricate embroidery, symbolic patterns, and high collars, which reflect their reverence for history and knowledge. Some wear amulets, sashes, or belts adorned with sigils, reinforcing their connection to the magical arts. The use of darker, muted colors, combined with flowing silhouettes, enhances the perception of mages as ethereal and wise figures who exist on the border between the mundane and the arcane. Additionally, mages, much like the fae, do not have a rigid concept of gender, and this is reflected in their clothing. They often wear garments that blur traditional gender norms, emphasizing fluidity and personal expression over societal expectations.

The best example of this is Lindel, but actually Elias’ coat pattern is a mix from a woman´s coat pattern of the Edwardian era with like ‘magic’ sleeves, same thing happens with his shirt.

That there are two aspects of such marked styles gives us a clue to the great generational gap that exists within this subculture, in addition to the fact that, on both sides, individualism is so marked that it causes loneliness, since they are the only group that does not have a feeling of community.

This is reflected in how badly they seem to cope with the passage of time (constant memory of the past), falling into constant monotony which makes them have that aura of "I wish we were extinct now" all the time.

2. The Pragmatism of Alchemists

Unlike mages, alchemists prioritize functionality over mystical aesthetics. Their attire is often contemporary and practical, featuring lab coats, aprons, and minimalistic yet refined clothing that reflect their scientific approach to magic. While they still engage with supernatural forces, alchemists tend to favor efficiency and utility, which is evident in their choice of materials and silhouettes.

For example, alchemists are frequently seen wearing fitted garments that allow for ease of movement, ensuring that their work with potions, metals, and reagents remains unhindered. Many also wear gloves, boots, and protective eyewear, emphasizing their role as experimenters and researchers. The color palette among alchemists is often composed of neutral and earth tones, such as browns, grays, and dark greens, further differentiating them from the more ‘flamboyant’ mages and ethereal fae.

Accessories also play a significant role in their appearance. Pouches filled with vials, belts adorned with small tools, and pocket watches suggest a sense of preparedness and intellectual rigor. These elements reinforce the idea that alchemists operate within a structured, almost scientific domain of magic, distinguishing them from the more intuitive and nature-bound practices of traditional mages.

However, the fact that they are the subculture most similar to humans from outside the magical world has its consequences, they suffer from practicing the same social norms, gender roles, prejudices and discrimination.

All this makes the most logical subculture the most illogical at the same time, falling into hypocrisy as can be perfectly seen in the St George family.

It is known that sorcerers come from magicians, that at some point in time the two branches separated, so doing 'mage' things while performing rituals is fine (crossdressing in St George case) but doing it in society is simply unacceptable.

3. The Ethereal and Otherworldly Fae Fashion

The fae creatures exhibit a dazzling variety of styles, reflecting their diverse origins, magical abilities, and roles within their own societies. Unlike humans, who are often bound by practical concerns, the fae express themselves through elaborate and fantastical attire that defies conventional rules of dress. Their clothing often seems to be a direct extension of their surroundings, appearing woven from leaves, petals, mist, and even moonlight.

Some, like Titania, wear elaborate and regal dresses adorned with natural motifs, symbolizing their status as rulers of the supernatural realm. Her attire incorporates flowing fabrics, shimmering textures, and organic elements, creating an image of both grace and power. The delicate embroidery and iridescent sheen of her gowns make her presence mesmerizing and almost untouchable, reinforcing her divine status among the fae.

In contrast, smaller woodland fae often wear garments that mimic the flora and fauna of their environment. Their clothing, though intricate, blends seamlessly with their surroundings, making them appear as though they are a natural part of the forest itself. Their materials may include silk spun by magical creatures, feathers, or even bark, adding an element of the surreal to their overall aesthetic.

Another key aspect of fae fashion is its lack of rigid structure. Unlike the tailored garments of humans, fae clothing appears weightless, as if it flows and changes shape according to their whims. This fluidity of design mirrors their free-spirited and often unpredictable nature, emphasizing their detachment from human constraints and rules. Like mages, the fae do not adhere to strict gender binaries, and their clothing reflects this philosophy. Fae attire often incorporates elements traditionally associated with both masculinity and femininity, creating a dreamlike and androgynous aesthetic that highlights their otherworldly nature.

4. Church-Affiliated Attire and Holy Symbolism

The Church-affiliated magic users, such as the hunters and those who enforce divine laws, incorporate religious elements into their clothing, using their attire as both a symbol of authority and a means of protection against dark forces. Their garments often include long coats, crosses, and modest yet imposing robes that signify their devotion to their cause. The strict, almost militaristic nature of their fashion choices reflects their rigid ideology and their mission to maintain order between the human and supernatural worlds.

The use of heavy fabrics, high collars, and structured silhouettes conveys a sense of discipline and restraint. In some cases, metallic or leather elements are incorporated into their attire, further reinforcing their role as warriors against malevolent forces. The contrast between sacred iconography and the practicality of their outfits highlights the tension between faith-based power and the chaotic nature of the magical world.

Their color palettes are often composed of dark hues, punctuated by silver or gold accents that symbolize divinity and righteousness. These elements create a striking visual contrast with the more fluid and organic styles of mages and fae, making them instantly recognizable as figures of law and order within the magical realm.

So much rigidity when it comes to dressing gives us a clue that the collective thinking of the order is prioritized, where individualistic thinking is not welcome and will be eliminated if encounter.

5. The Wild and Mystical Attire of Witches

Witches represent a balance between nature and magic, and their clothing reflects this connection. Their attire often consists of layered fabrics, asymmetrical designs, and a mix of rustic and mystical elements. Unlike mages, who tend to favor more structured and refined garments, witches embrace a raw and untamed aesthetic that aligns with their close relationship with nature.

Many witches wear cloaks, patchwork dresses, and garments adorned with natural motifs such as feathers, bones, and dried herbs. Their clothing is often dyed in deep, earthy colors—burgundy, forest green, and dark purples—reinforcing their ties to the wilderness and ancient magical traditions. Accessories such as talismans, charms, and animal-inspired elements further emphasize their role as intermediaries between the magical and natural worlds.

Witches also share the fae and mages' fluid approach to gender expression, with clothing that does not conform to strict masculine or feminine norms. This allows them to embody an air of mystery and autonomy, setting them apart from the more rigidly structured sorcerers and church-affiliated figures.

It should also be noted that they are the subculture that seems to adapt best to the passage of time, being the ones who dress the most contemporary and seductive.

If we take the coven seen in Tamb as an example, both black and face veils are used as ceremonial garments, which can also symbolize that when they have to decide about the good of their coven, they have to leave their individuality behind and only think about the communal good.

That sense of community is probably what has allowed them to keep up with the passage of time better than mages.

[scrivenger-grimgar]

"well, the Uzumaki and Uchiha have around 25-ish members again, which would allow them to be reinstated as clans allied to the village by charter right," Tobirama stated, entirely unfazed by the eyes of the many clan heads watching him speak. Itama shifted his tiny (painfully tiny, was he always that small??) body in his hold, gripping on tighter to his mother's fur collar. both he, Kawarama, and Nawaki were heartbreakingly silent through the whole ordeal, even when the resurrection started by way of the lost Hatake boy, Orochimaru.

"but the Hatake and Senju still only have less than 10 and 15 members respectively, meaning that there would be a power imbalance between the four newly resuscitated clans. given the feud that is, arguably, still active to some of us revenant, it doesn't seem wise to leave it be."

and that was the crux of the matter. several members of both the Uchiha and Senju that had been resurrected had died when the Senju-Uchiha blood feud had been ongoing. both his brothers (his brothers!!) had died far before the village had even been a thought in Hashirama's wood cork of a brain, along with Madara's own siblings, like his older brother Hidehiko, Izuna, their younger brother Matsuri and his twin sister Shouko, and their youngest sister Choushi. thats not even mentioning the adult shinobi under the same circumstances; 22 year old Senju Yasuiro and 28 year old Senju Fuushinshi had attacked and injured Uchiha Kouga, and also injured the man's 12 year old niece Uchiha Rukia, before Tobirama, Madara, Hashirama, and Mito managed to tie them all down.

(if Fuushinshi was sporting a break in his arm, in the same place as young Rukia, well. That was between Tobirama and his cousin.)

"Thats not even mentioning the non-clan shinobi who were resurrected, who, in all likelihood, are probably related to one of the four clans in question. if they become affiliated with said clans is entirely by their own choice." he said, his tone brokering no room for argument. Tobirama was honestly surprised that he hadn't been interrupted yet, but it might be the shock of having so many once-dead shinobi in Konoha's meeting hall.

pursing his lips ever so slightly, he looked to Hashirama, holding Kawarama who was making faces at Itama, then to Touka who was standing behind Mito and holding Nawaki. his brother tilted his head and Touka nodded, flickering her chakra in code pattern for 'plan, question.'

Tobirama sighed, mostly as a visual sign of reluctance for the other clan heads present. 'contract, agreement. kill, home-clan; fade, wild-clan.'

Hashirama's eyes sparkled, his smile not fading from his face in the slightest.

"our agreed upon solution to both the power imbalance and the lacking size of the Senju and Hatake clans is to incite the charter's directory number fourteen."

only two of the clan heads seemed to recognize what he was referencing, tjose being the Nara clan head, as expected, and Madara, who literally co-wrote the damn thing with him. Madara threw his head back with thundering laughter, which Tobirama related to on a personal level.

it was extremely ironic that the ones to end the Senju way of life would be the very people who had been hurt by it the most.

Itama jerked in his arms at the noise, so he adjusted his grip to hold him tighter. several eyes landed on the still laughing Madara, who Tobirama knew was not going to explain anything. the Nara head didn't look any worse, so he either knew what the Senju used to be like, or he simply didn't care.

Tobirama had expected most of the clans to not have invested in that particular article after it was written, but... he was extremely unpleased with Hiruzen's puzzled, near silent question of "the what?"

Madara's laughter died off with the (to most) unexpected line of, "wonderful play, Senju." vicious smile almost mocking to anyone unfamiliar with him. which was everyone except him, Mito, Hashirama, and Izuna.

Tobirama simply inclined his head in acknowledgement. he ran one hand through his hair, carefully avoiding the carefully disguised braids he'd tied into it this morning with Hashirama, Touka, and Orocchi.

"to answer your question, Hiruzen, 'the what' is the clause in the village's Constitution that states, 'when a clan is no longer large enough to support itself and its members, an allied clan who is willing and able are to induct the clan into their own, allowing the continued survival of the bloodline. this can be enacted when a clan's number drops beneath the range of the clan's expected member count.'"

clearing his throat, he continues on, projecting his voice to call over the now disorganized shinobi.

"in essence, this means that the senju will join either the Uchiha, Uzumaki, or Hatake clans, as those three have priority over other clans in the village due to both personal and blood relations being closest. thus, to avoid further power imbalance in the number of members to each resurrected clan, the Senju will be hosted by the Hatake clan."

[halastar05]

Y’know what? If you’re a Studio Investigrave fan, reblog this with your personal rankings of the games (add reasons if you can but if not that’s fine)!

Here are mine:

1.) Cold Front ( I’m VERY attached to these boys and their friendship, genuinely top tier comfort characters. I’m a big fan of metaphors and phycological horror, might be my favorite art wise, both endings hit VERY hard in different ways, especially once you get both. It’s also in my opinion the funniest SIG game.)

2.) Elevator Hitch ( I love time loops and escape room games. The humor in this game is also fantastic, all the characters are interesting and fun to think about as well. I love all the capitalism metaphors in this game as well, trying to interpret this game, company and lore is very fun. In my opinion this game is visually the scariest, but I love the horror and trauma my boy goes through.)

3.) Dead Plate (Really like the story in this! Especially with the metaphors (how surprising), I also really love each of these three idiots. I do like Rody and Vince’s dynamic a lot, however even though the gay jokes are fun to make, I do prefer them platonically (I also really like Rody x Mannon, especially with how complex it is once we see that ending cutscene). The art direction in this game is great, especially the colors! I also love the dialogue and comedy in this game, the characters are very well fleshed out, even the one we don’t get to properly meet!)

4.) Eloquent Countenance (Way too underrated ngl, sure it’s the oldest and it’s a tad confusing, but damn it I love this storyline, lore and characters. Angelica and Forcas are way too fun, both together and by themselves. It’s got such a good twist at the end as well and the lore of this game is just fun to think about. I also like the vibe of the game and how even the good ending is more open ended. The only reason it’s this low is because it is kinda confusing at times and the puzzles aren’t the most exciting, but I still adore this game and I really think it deserves more fandom love!)

5.) Rot in Paradise (This was the first SIG game I actually got to play myself! The character designs in this game are probably my favorites, not to mention I love friend groups in media and these guys are super fun! Not to mention the tone of this game is fantastic and does a really good job of setting things up and making you feel for the characters. It does a really good job at the creepy factor as well! I do like how the metaphors tie together, and how we don’t get to know everything about “the rot”, it adds to suspense. However admittedly my lore loving brain kinda wishes we got more about the strange curse. After a while this game will probably get higher but for now I’m not as attached to the characters as the other games yet.)

6.) Married in Red (It hurts to put this game last but I do love this game, art, and story! I think it’s mostly that these characters are probably the most boring out of all the SIG games to me (I do adore Myeong Hoon), I do still get brainrot of them don’t get me wrong! I also think in general this is the the most boring SIG game, cleaning up a crime scene and framing someone is a fun premise, but it’s a bit tedious and I just kinda wish there was more character focus.)

I PROMISE I GENUINELY LOVE ALL THESE GAMES AND THEY WERE SO HARD TO RATE BUT I HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CRITICAL SOMETIMES 😭

Anyways, hope you guys have fun with this, I really wanna see your guys’ opinions!

[opertabry]

wrong number smau ➝ late night calls (full written)

synopsis ➝ peer pressured by your group members, you ask a fellow idol for her number. but when you texted her that night, you realised that she wasn’t the person you were texting. what you didn’t know was that she gave karina’s, aepsa’s hotshot visual and leader, number to you.

bonus ➝ late night calls

you couldn’t help the small smile that formed on your face when karina’s sleepy grin slowly filled your phone screen.

“hey, you.” her sleepy voice was raspier than normal and it made you feel things - things that you did not want to feel but the heart wants what it wants, right?

“tell me you didn’t just quote joe goldberg.”

“who’s that?” you narrowed your eyes at your phone, watching as karina tried to muffle her snicker.

“…”

“y/n?”

“karina. are you telling me you don’t know who joe goldberg is?” you slowly said, making sure to enunciate every single syllable.

“am i supposed to..?”

“yes! how do you live being so uncultured?” you spluttered out, and you were sure you looked ridiculous by the way karina wasn’t even hiding her laugh at this point - and if you saw yourself, you would see how your eyes twinkled with admiration. she looked so much prettier when she was laughing.

“i’m sorry, i’m sorry!” her laughter died down as you both stared at each other from your screens. you don’t know how long you both stayed silent, but what you do know was that it was you who broke it.

“you know, i never apologised for that one time i went out with ryujin when i said i would buy you food. but i promise it was seriously-“

“i know. yeji explained everything to me.” karina cut you off, with a soft look in her eye you couldn’t get enough of.

“oh. and you’re not mad?”

“there’s no reason for me to be.”

“but there is! i just left our plans to go with someone else.” you whisper-yelled, well aware that your group mates were sleeping, as karina giggled at you.

“you told me beforehand, i was just being stupid and petty. that was on me, my own problem. not yours, dork.” there was a teasing tone to her voice, but you knew she was serious nonetheless.

“i’m still sorry though.” you furrowed your eyebrows, still feeling guilty.

“you shouldn’t be. but if it makes you feel better, i forgive you.”

“that does make me feel better.”

“good, so sleep.” and with that, karina turned away from the screen and you stayed silent for a while. you watched as she occasionally went out of frame, and pop back in with the shuffling that you could hear in the background.

“can you sing for me?” you suddenly blurted out, wanting to hear her voice again.

“really? how old are you? six?” karina slowly turned her head to look at her phone, with an eyebrow raised.

“yes, i am.”

“what song would you like?” she shook her head, giggling - you could listen to that sound for forever, you thought.

“anything.” as long as it was you who was singing, you wanted to say. but that was too bold wasn’t it?

“hmm, okay.”

“wise men say

only fools rush in

but i can’t help

falling in love with you.”

karina’s normal raspiness translated to a much deeper tone in her singing voice - something your insomnia appreciated very much, her singing already lulling you to sleep.

“can’t help falling in love? cheesy. what a loser.” you mumbled out sleepily, well aware of the childish grin that now donned on your face.

“shut up and let me sing.” you promptly shut your mouth and laid your phone next to your head.

“shall i stay?

would it be a sin

if i can’t help

falling in love with you?

like a river flows..”

and you weren’t sure if karina stopped singing, or if you fell asleep, but that was the last thing you remembered hearing that night.

previous ⌊ masterlist ⌊ next

taglist ➝ @aeongiies @rd0265667 @kyaitosz @haerinkisser @mightymyo @limbforalimb @yoontoonwhs @i06kkura @sewiouslyz @jisooftme @justme-idle @noooodlessstuff @yerisdumbass @awkwardtoafault @pandafuriosa60 @jiwoneiric @haechansbbg @koeuh

[chaos0pikachu]

Filmmaking? In My BL? - The Horror Influences of Dead Friend Forever

Okay off the bat I'ma say that this isn't me definitively saying these specific films or tv series are what inspired 100% DFF. I simply do not know what stuff the screenwriters were pulling from influence wise when writing the script, nor what the director was pulling from when directing the series, with 100% flawless certainty.

Rather, this is a chance to talk more about horror, from films, comics, visuals, and sub-genres and how these various mediums are what I see in the fabric of DFF's horror makeup. Also, general point, this post will be discussing minor spoilers of: Scream, DFF, and Girl from Nowhere. So like, be aware~~

This post is partially inspired by an ask from @italianpersonwithashippersheart in which the anon had mentioned Scream.

I couldn't really respond to this in detail before cause I hadn't watched the series, but I have now and I can say that the show is very thoroughly nothing at all like Scream. I'm not confident in much - other than my inability to reach the top shelf at the market - but I am confident in saying that lol

But this got me thinking, what type of horror IS DFF? I've seen a lot of folks say it's a slasher, and I both agree and disagree.

Horror as a genre is vast with sub-genres, it's probably one of the most universal and popular genres globally, and every culture has their own horror legends, cult classics, mainstays and shlock.

So that's what I'm going to talk about in this post, the slasher genre, why I don't think DFF 100% can be boxed into that sub-genre, what type of horror I think DFF is, and the influences I see in DFF's filmmaking and thematics.

So if we start anywhere, we gotta start with Scream (1996) since that's a comparison I've seen being made a lot.

The main reason I disagree in the comparisons to Scream is that Scream is considered a work of satire first and foremost. Through the power of capitalism and franchising, it's also consider a "whodunit" series.

“Scream” is the first movie of its kind to execute a satire genre within a horror movie, which is one of the most iconic and memorable elements of the film. The original movie makes many references to other well-known horror films and mocks them, while simultaneously leading the same plot points. [...] Although the following films in the “Scream” franchise do not follow as much of the same mockery of horror films, they are still considered to be satirical because of their use of mockery toward the movie franchise. “Scream 2” mocks film sequels and “Scream 3” mocks film trilogies." (source)

[sidenote one of my favorite examples of satirical meta horror is Wes Craven's New Nightmare]

DFF isn't satirizing anything in horror, it's almost entirely self-serious. Sure there's a couple of moments of hilarity - dick biting, and scooter snatchin' - but overall the show plays things pretty straight (gay sex notwithstanding). I've seen some folks claim it's subverting horror tropes, but I don't see that either (would be interested in discussing that tho cause I'm curious).

I get why people make this comparison though, Scream is a 27 yr old franchise, and probably the most relevant slasher franchise currently. The new Halloween movies were...cute but aside from the first Halloween (2018) the rest of the reboot franchise had diminishing returns; each film made less than the previous, and received lower critical scores.

However, Scream has actually grown as a franchise in the States in terms of box office draw. That said, Scream is actually not a huge earner overseas, Scream IV (2023) earned more than 60% of it's box office revenue domestically. In Thailand, according to reports, it only earned about 300,000 (compared to other international territories like Brazil where it earned around 4,600,000).

So I don't think DFF is pulling much from Scream in terms of setting, tone, or story. I do think the show most resembles Scream in directorial style, specifically in the imagery of the Killer's design and in the slow-crawl mask reveals that have happened so far.

[very obviously spoilers for all the scream films watch at your own risk etc, gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses]

So what is a slasher film or story?

"A slasher movie is a horror sub-genre that involves the murdering of a number of people by a psychopathic killer, typically via a knife or bladed tool (such as a scythe).

In general, the horror genre is known for its fear, violence and terror. It will typically feature a menacing villain, whether it be a monster or a supernatural evil spirit, for example." (source)

Other common but not inherent secondary characteristics of a slasher story will include: young adults as central characters, sex (typically as a means of punishment "sex gets you killed"), the killer is motivated by revenge, lots of gore and/or violent kills and a "final girl".

I point out common but not inherent because the main tenants of a slasher story is the overall body count, female protagonist and a mysterious (typically masked) killer.

For example, in Scream (96) Ghostface is motivated by revenge, however in Halloween (1978), Texas Chainsaw (1974), Prom Night (2008), You're Next (2011) and Wrong Turn (2003) the killers are not.

If there is a western horror franchise or film that the setting of DFF more closely aligns with, it's Friday the 13th (2009). Which was a sequel/reboot to the original Friday the 13th (1980) starring Tumblr's own Jared Padalecki as one of the leads (that was an interesting year as Jensen Ackles also starred in a remake of a classic 80s horror film My Blood Valentine).

In Friday (09) the bulk of the story takes place at a mansion styled cabin in the woods near Crystal Lake owned by one of the characters rich parents. Jason eventually hunts down each of the characters, killing them in various ways, and they even find his home with a shrine to his mother there. There's also like, a lot of sex and nudity in Friday (09) none of it fun or sexy as it's pretty, unfortunately, misogynistic.

Being in an isolated area, like the cabin in the woods in DFF and Friday (09) is also not a requirement within the slasher sub-genre.

Many slasher films, especially American classics during the genres 80s peak, actually take place more often in suburbia rather than in isolated locations like the woods. Which reflected real world anxieties from predominately white communities and a turn towards more conservative politics of that era in America.

"Those same well-kept neighborhoods and quiet backyards of my childhood were also the battlegrounds of the ’80s horror movie, a radical pivot in the genre’s history. The decade’s opening years were bracketed by the kidnappings of Etan Patz (which inspired the Missing Kids on a Milk Carton program) and Adam Walsh (which inspired his father John Walsh to later create the TV show "America’s Most Wanted"). Combined with the conservative turn in crime and punishment law brought on by the Reagan administration, horror appeared to turn from the supernatural curses of the decade before ("The Exorcist," "The Omen") to a homegrown product of our own sins. Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger are psychotic loons but also human beings who come not from afar but from down the street. The possibility that one of them could be lurking just beyond the sliding back door of a sleepover birthday seems too darkly delicious to pass up, a fictional killer standing in for a warning your parents and society gave you about “stranger danger,” real-life evil lurking in the dark." (source)

Isolated settings, while can be a setting in slashers are more often found in psychological horror films: The Strangers (2008), When A Stranger Calls (1979, 2006), Hush (2016). Also the Evil Dead (1981, 1987, 2013).

[The latter has it's own interesting history of wanting to be psychological body horror, to horror comedy cult classic, back to psychological body horror. Honestly if any franchise has influenced the "horror set in a cabin in the woods" it's Evil Dead, which is paid major homage to in Cabin in the Woods (2011).]

Sooooo is DFF a slasher?

Hm, for me, yes and no. Slashers require a high body count and pretty gory deaths. So far we've only had 3 deaths, only two of which were even committed by the killer themselves and not even by their own hand (ie directly).

For me, the slasher elements of DFF exist in the directorial styling of the film, meant invoke a classic slasher film but that's not where the true horror of the story exists.

I'm a big slasher fan, so I'm not trying to discount the sub-genre at all, lots of slasher films are good, and when done well, they're truly scary. But they also tend to be straight forward in design, the fear comes from the feature of being stalked by an unseeable and unstoppable force infiltrating what should be a safe space (your home, your school, your neighborhood, your camp grounds etc).

Which is why slasher films are also the most common horror sub-genre to be parodied (Scary Movie franchise) or made into horror comedies like Freaky (2020), The Final Girls (2015), Happy Death Day (2017), and Totally Killer (2023).

[sidenote slashers have this in common with the zombie sub-genre of horror as zombie films in America have also tended in recent years to be horror comedies or horror action like: Little Monsters (2019), Cooties (2014), Zombieland (2009), Pride Prejudice and Zombies (2016)]

I'd argue that DFF is much more in line with psychological horror than slasher horror. Because it is anything but straightforward and also has a strong emphasis on relationships and isolation as does most psychological horror.

Films like: It Comes At Night (2017), Us (2019), Perfect Blue (1997), A Tale of Two Sisters (2004), The Forgotten (2017), Dark Water (2002) all have similar elements in terms of tone as DFF.

The isolated setting, the allure of the mundane normality being a veneer for the violence lurking beneath the surface, the existence of the paranormal, the use of drugs to increase fear, the unsettling paranoia, and slow burn crawl towards all the characters being unteathered from themselves, the growing distrust between them and their loved ones, the plot twists and turns, the emphasis on human relationships and the horror that comes from those.

The backstory with Non is what pushed the show past slasher horror to psychological horror for me. Because Non's "downfall" as it were, feels more akin to the slow burn psych horror rooted in a lot of Japanese, Thai films/tv shows, and modern A24 style horror films.

The horror of Midsommar (2019) doesn't come from jump scares, or violence, but in slowly watching the protagonist grow more and more unteathered, mistreated, gaslit, more and more with each passing moment, slowly inducted into a horrific cult and being able to do nothing to stop her descent.

A big influence I saw in DFF was Girl from Nowhere (2018); the school setting, the crimes committed by a group of students against a singular student, class exploration, structural violence, the exploration of retribution are all topics explored in the first season of Girl from Nowhere.

Even the series trailer for GFN and the pre-release trailer for DFF are similar in production design and tone:

Titled "BFF" the two-part finale from season 01, is about a high school reunion, where a group of now established adults come back together for a party (their reunion) only to be confronted by their past via Nanno (the shows protagonist for lack of a better term).

Through Nanno we learn about the chars past misdeeds in high school - bullying, physical assault, stealing, the works - and their current crimes as adults. As more and more layers of the truth, lies, and betrayal are revealed, the friend group begins to crack, fracture and turn against each other, growing more and more paranoid and angry.

Nanno tells the group that they've also all been drugged with poison and there's only one vial of antidote left, the "friends" all horrifically murder each other in order to get the antidote. In the end, no one survives. EXCEPT, it was all a mass hallucinate and the group wakes up, remembering everything, and quietly leave one-by-one. No longer friends, no longer not-friends, everyone forever changed by the experience.

It's an unsettling ending that leaves things open ended. This group of friends were responsible for the bullying and death of Nanno (she's fine she's like immortal or something I'm pretty sure GFN was partially influenced by Tomie by Junji Ito) and they simply refused to acknowledge what they did to her, nor talk about her, eventually forgetting she existed until forced too through a traumatic retribution by Nanno herself.

[Nanno from Girl from Nowhere, Tomie from Junji Ito's Tomie series]

DFF has a lot in common, from my perspective, with GFN in terms of tone, themes and even parts of it's story.

Nanno isn't doling out "justice" she doles out retributions, punishments, sometimes they're outright torturous. Whether the recipients "deserve" these punishments or not, is really up to the viewer. The show does a good job of showcasing a wide variety of characters who are unrepentant, sympathetic, and somewhere in between. The fears it plays upon are more slow burn, it boils the characters rather than setting them on fire like slashers do.

DFF is similar in this aspect, it boils the characters. Watching Non's story, you already know at the start it's nothing good. We know from the first flashback something bad has happened to Non, but it's not really something, it's many things - so many things - that have led to whatever tragedy the main group must pay for.

It's these compounding factors one after another that brings Non to a boil, and the same thing happens with Tan/New. The horror of DFF is more about getting under the skin, causing the characters discomfort by forcing them to confront the sins they've committed (is there anything more horrific than being seen? Especially if you ugly?).

I mentioned Junji Ito in reference to Girl from Nowhere, to say Ito has been influential on horror feels like an understatement. His series Tomie has been adapted into 7 different Japanese films, he's won 3 Eisner awards (the highest award you can win in America for comics publishing), along with a slew of awards in Japan, his series Uzumaki has been referenced in super popular anime like Jujustu Kaisen.

A big factor of Ito's work is body horror and psychological horror. His work unsettles, and is very visceral. Since Uzumaki was referenced in DFF I think rather than being influenced by specifically Uzumaki (which DFF doesn't have much in common with in regards to general story) I'd argue the show is more influenced by Ito's desire to unsettle.

[from Uzumaki], 1998]

Also potentially to take symbols of piety, faith and protection (the temple, the cross at the chars high school) and turn them into places of horror for the characters.

Like Ito did with the spiral motifs in Uzumaki, said Ito in an interview:

"The "spiral pattern" is not normally associated with horror fiction. Usually spiral patterns mark character’s cheeks in Japanese comedy cartoons, representing an effect of warmth. However, I thought it could be used in horror if I drew it a different way." (source)

[I am also begging y'all to check out Junji Ito's book Cat Diary it's hilarious, even more so b/c his style of art is so rooted in horror]

I think DFF is actually very Thai in it's exploration of what's unsettling and horrific to youth culture in Thailand currently. The feeling of haplessness, judgement, an inability to exert control over one's circumstances, mental health, consent, bullying, these were themes and topics explored in both seasons of GFN but also some of these were explored in The Whole Truth (2021) a Thai horror/mystery film.

There's a scene in The Whole Truth in which one of the protagonists school friends secretly films their younger sister getting undressed without her knowledge, and when caught, the classmate threatens to release the clip publicly and claim the sister is "a slut". One of the protagonists is also bullied at school - including by this disgusting classmate who they still consider "a friend" - but puts up with it in order to be in a friend group at all (this bullied char also has a physical disability which contributes to their mistreatment at school).

I think DFF is exploring a lot of these same topics but most of the characters are just gay this time around.

Okay I'm losing steam here a bit, this has gotten very long, but overall I'd argue that DFF is much more psychological horror than a slasher, in terms of it's tone, and story. Whilst invoking slasher imagery in it's directorial style.

That said it's much more in line with Thai and Japanese horror than American horror in regards to it's themes. If the series was going to be boiled down just to the basics, I'd quantify it as psychological horror mystery.

And those are my thoughts on DFF and horror, I guess lol I'm not 100% satisfied with this but god damn I'm tired this took forever lmao if y'all made it this far, bless and stay safe out there cause the ship wars are wildin out in these parts.

Check out other posts in the series:

Film Making? In My BL? - The Sign ep01 Edition | Aspect Ratio in Love for Love's Sake | Cinematography in My BL - Our Skyy2 vs kinnporsche, 2gether vs semantic error, 1000 Stars vs The Sign | How The Sign Uses CGI | Is BL Being Overly Influenced by Modern Western Romance Tropes? | Trends in BL (Sorta): Genre Trends

[like these posts? drop me a couple pennies on ko-fi]

[eternaldarknesswitch]

「Valentine special Promot ♕」

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「Welcome, My Dearest Darlings, to Our Valentine's Soirée」

Ah, my lovely little phantoms, my sweet nocturnal butterflies—how delightful it is to see you here once more. Have you come seeking whispers of romance, the brush of poetic tragedy, or perhaps a touch of chaos wrapped in a satin ribbon? Rest assured, you have arrived precisely where you need to be.

As the world prepares to drown itself in a saccharine haze of pink confections and trembling confessions, I invite you into the velvet-lined corridors of imagination. Here, love is not merely celebrated—it is dissected, adorned, and sometimes twisted into something far more exquisite than mere mortal hearts can bear.

In honor of this most curious holiday, I shall bestow upon you a rare kindness. For this Valentine’s Day special, I will indulge your whims with at least four suitors per request. A generous offer, wouldn’t you agree? But do not mistake my benevolence for weakness—I do this not out of sentimentality, but because I so enjoy watching love bloom… or unravel.

Now then, the chosen ones who shall grace this grand spectacle:

Ikemen Villains

Ikemen Vampire

Ikemen Prince

Love and Deepspace

Diabolik Lovers

Obey Me!

Visual Prison

Kamigami no Asobi

Choose wisely, my darling readers, and let us weave together a tale worthy of the gods—or demons—who watch from the shadows.

「But before we begin, my precious doves, there are rules.」

While I indulge in weaving tales that brush against the darker, more tantalizing edges of love, there are lines that even I will not cross. I expect you to respect them as I do.

That being said, there are strict guidelines I must uphold in order to maintain the integrity of this space. While this blog may delve into the more shadowed recesses of creativity, it remains bound by a sense of professionalism and respect.

❌ I will categorically reject any requests that involve:

Encouragement of hate or discrimination, whether subtle or overt, in tone or context.

Any content related to child pornography, the exploitation of minors, or any form of violence—verbal or non-verbal—directed at minors. Relationships between minors and adults, grooming, or any depiction of minors in inappropriate or harmful contexts will be immediately dismissed.

The glorification of extreme fetishes such as vore, necrophilia, and pedophilia. (I don’t do that shit, okay☺.)

Now that we have ensured our sanctuary remains both enchanting and untainted, let us step forward into the grand spectacle of Valentine’s Day. Below, I present a carefully curated selection of prompts—each a doorway to a different kind of love story, some sweet, some tragic, and others teetering deliciously on the edge of disaster.

Choose wisely, my darlings, and let us paint this Valentine’s with ink as dark as night and hearts as red as roses.

🖋️ List of Valentine's Prompts:

How Do Suitors Celebrate Valentine's Day with You? – From grand gestures to quiet moments, how do they show their love?

Love Letters from (Suitor). – What words would they pour onto the page when no one is watching?

Suitors as Classic Romantic Poems. – If love were ink, what verses would they embody?

Valentine's Day Disaster Scenarios. – Sometimes, love is a beautiful mess.

Suitors & Their Ideal Valentine's Day Gifts. – What do they long to receive? What do they long to give?

First vs. Worst Valentine's Day with Suitors. – Ah, the contrast between trembling beginnings and catastrophic missteps.

How Suitors React to Receiving a Valentine from You. – Watch them unravel under the weight of affection.

Chocolate-Making with Suitors: A Recipe for Disaster. – Sweetness, chaos, and maybe a little too much fire.

Suitors' Reactions to Someone Else Flirting with You on Valentine's Day. – Envy, amusement, or barely restrained possessiveness?

Yandere Suitors + Their Valentine's Day Dream Scenario vs. Reality. – Do their grand dreams meet reality, or does fate have other plans?

Now, my dear ones, tell me—which path shall we tread first? ♡♕

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Written by : @eternaldarknesswitch

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[oddygaul]

Zenless Zone Zero

Well, I’ve been playing the shit out of this game, so fair warning, there will be significant brainrot ahead.

Overall, I really dig it. I’m a huge mark for character action games, and well-done life sims tend to suck me in; Zenless Zone Zero is nailing both those aspects pretty damn well. In fact, it’s nailing them well enough that… how do I put this… it starts to slip into the territory of being A Good Game Generally, rather than just a gacha. And while this is a big accomplishment for ZZZ, this also puts it into direct conversation with other full-price games, resulting in its gacha elements causing more friction than Honkai Star Rail’s ever did*.

*I’ll be comparing this to HSR a lot, because I play way too much of both and they’re made by the same developer. I recognize that it is pretty odd and potentially even problematic to A / B compare them when I could be looking at the game through the lens of, you know, Gaming At Large. But hey, that’s why this is a subjective journal and not a holistic review blog! It is what it is.

So, the aesthetic of this game fuckin rules - it’s like, late 90s to early 2000s VHS-core. The main characters run a Blockbuster, for Christ’s sake. Presentation-wise (and systems-wise, and, hell, music-wise), ZZZ is obviously borrowing a lot from the Persona series, but like… great? I’d love it if more things cribbed that style and made it their own, from the confidant hangouts, to the small but comfy explorable areas, to the dynamic menus with edgy character poses. The character design itself is all superb, all the way down to the crowd NPCs - some the shopkeepers here have cooler designs than the main characters of some other games. Even aside from the designs, ZZZ is doing a lot with lighting and color desaturation that really lends it its own unique vibe. They actually have a cohesive artstyle in here! wild.

The presentation of the story is also killer. Sure, a decent chunk of the conversations are just models lip-flapping at each other - although they at least emote and pose a bit here, unlike the Star Rail dialogue scenes with their demure princess waves. In the main story, though, we get not only a heap of fairly lengthy cutscenes, but also this really cool comic panel-style presentation.

I feel like there was a bit of a trend in the PS3/360 era of games to present a game’s story in this comic panel / storyboard style. I understood the motivation: games increasingly demanded a more involved, consistent storytelling approach, rather than the ‘One big rendered cutscene at the beginning and end’ they used to get away with, and the generation’s increased visual fidelity meant that doing even basic, in-engine cutscenes took a lot more resources to make something half-decent. In Spyro the Dragon on PS1 you could get away with a fun little 15-second gag with a barely animated polygonal yeti or whatever; in the PS3 era, you were going up against tryhards like Metal Gear Solid 4. Amidst this landscape, the pitch of having your illustrators pretty up some storyboards and put them in the game sounds like it’d save a lot of work - plus, consoles were finally outputting a high enough resolution that this sort of flat image wouldn’t be compressed to hell.

Thing is, I always kinda hated that approach. In some cases, I think that’s the popular opinion - I fuckin love Bayonetta, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone defend its weird slideshow cutscenes. Even in games where the execution is perfectly fine, though, it rubbed me the wrong way. I think of Infamous - objectively, the art’s solid and fits the tone of the game, and the motion graphics aim to capture some of the dynamism typical cutscenes would provide. Despite all that, it still feels cheap to me - all of the panning, effects, and graphic imagery feel like they’re trying to polish up something that inherently doesn’t fit.

In ZZZ, though, I’m loving every one I come across. It’s obviously still done for efficiency reasons - there’s already a handful of characters that exist only in these panel scenes, saving the team the effort of having to model and rig them. But the freedom this allows for staging and storytelling is huge; the characters are more expressive here than anywhere else in the game, and we’re able to see situations with huge crowds and new locales much more often than would be possible in typical cinematics. And the illustrations are genuinely good, too - full of character, cool poses and creative compositions/angles.

if everything actually had to be modeled, there's no way we would've gotten Legally Blonde Nicole

Plus, the cutscenes are constant, and boy do I love the animation here. It feels so rare nowadays for a high-budget game to do stylized 3D animation of this ilk. Your biggest budget games are all going for the cinematic look, and pushing realism as much as they can - and while I know an immense amount of work and craft goes into animating something like The Last of Us, boy, I just could not care less about something so lacking in flair*. Even bigger properties that use a stylized artstyle these days, like Breath of the Wild, still tend to lean towards fairly naturalistic animation. Zenless Zone Zero’s cutscenes, on the other hand, spin and stretch motherfuckers around like we’re back on the PS2, are filled with forced perspective, and I am absolutely living for it. It’s not even reserved only for bombastic action scenes, either - we get honest to god character acting-focused conversation cutscenes.

*Seriously, take me back to the Naughty Dog that animated Jak & Daxter. Jak’s hero animation is top tier to this day

Of course, the combat animation slaps too; each of the playable agents is absolutely dripping with character. Even characters whose designs initially left me cold won me over once I saw the amount of care put into their movement and combo strings. It’s honestly shocking to me that this is the same studio that made Genshin Impact, a game I dropped after about 2 hours because of how lifeless all the animation felt*. Unique run cycles for every character, actual non-human designs, the flourishes everyone has when stopping mid-combo to snap them back to idle, the absolute synergistic audiovisual bliss of the parry… it’s really impressive stuff from a young team.

*Same studio in name only, totally different team, I know, but still

Mechanically, I have some mixed feelings about the combat as a whole. Zenless Zone Zero is, without a doubt, aiming to present complexity and depth as a team battler - that is to say, it’s more about team synergy, tag combos, and knowing who to use when, rather than soloing as any particular character. Nonetheless, I really would’ve appreciated individual characters having a bit more depth to their movesets; a jump, a launcher, cancels, anything. As outstanding as all the animation work is, there’s some characters that only have a normal attack string on square and one special attack on triangle. Like, sub-Dynasty Warriors level of complexity here. It’s rough.

This is where ZZZ’s gacha nature gets a bit ugly: so far, more complex kits and skill expression are mostly locked behind rarity, which is kind of scummy. In Star Rail, for the most part, 4-star characters are defined as such due to their numbers: they still have mechanics and complexity, they just aren’t tuned as high as the limited characters. Hell, in some cases they have more complexity. Ruan Mei is an almost incomparably stronger unit than Asta, but Ruan Mei’s play pattern is fucking boring: you use skill every three turns when it runs out. Asta, meanwhile, basically has her own risk & reward minigame that demands more thoughtful SP management.

In ZZZ, on the other hand, the lower-rank characters straight up have less going on in their kits. Nicole has like… one tech, sorta. Anby has one single animation cancel to chain her normal into her special quicker. Lucy’s only skill expression is choosing whether to tap special or hold special. Meanwhile, Zhu Yuan, a limited character, has a normal string that bounces between melee and ranged attacks, can be dodge-canceled at any point in the combo to branch into variations of the string, and a hold-normal attack string that’s completely different and has the same branching dodge-cancel tech.

It’s one thing to lock raw damage and meta viability behind a gacha, but locking the characters that are mechanically more interesting to play straight up sucks. If I hadn’t been lucky enough on the standard banner to pull exactly the two characters I find the most mechanically satisfying, I don’t know that I’d still be playing - and this is the point where ZZZ begs comparison to other, non-live service character action games. Sure, it’s probably not fair to compare a random A-rank’s moveset to Devil May Cry V’s iteration of Dante, a feature-creeped nightmare of a kit 3 console generations in the making. But what about Sengoku Basara Sumeragi, my personal character-action GOAT? By all accounts a mid-budget title, yet it offers 40 full characters chock-full of more unique mechanics and animation cancels than you can shake a stick at.

Fuck, can we please get a new Sengoku Basara? Please? I’m desperate out here. I’ll take anything, y’all.

There’s also the inherent issue that plagues every action RPG (usually deftly avoided by the character action genre), which is the delicate balance of player success depending on the numbers vs actual mechanical skill - a balancing act made even more noticeable due to the gacha genre-standard of characters taking weeks of grinding to level up. This is a topic for another day, but suffice to say, a big part of the reason Honkai Star Rail works for me as a very pretty version of Cookie Clicker is because of the Autoplay option. In Zenless Zone Zero, if you’re not willing to grind out the same mob fight for a week or two, you’re gonna hit an endgame roadblock of doing chip damage to a boss you’ve mechanically mastered because you’re underleveled, and boy, that never feels good.

For all those issues stemming from the gacha, I will say, it’s great that the story missions let you use the characters that are actually supposed to be present for those missions, even if you don’t own them. Aside from how nice it is to have an opportunity to put the whole roster through their paces, it goes a long way for actually getting invested in the story. Honkai Star Rail’s storytelling is a hot mess for many reasons, but it’s always particularly jarring rolling up to a sidequest at like, a local theater troupe with a wanted space criminal, the sitting president of a completely different planet, a ten year old child, and a shirtless cyborg cowboy, none of whom have canonically met each other; ZZZ’s approach sidesteps this issue. The proxy angle even provides a pretty valid diegetic explanation for why agents that don’t know each other might be working together.

Now that we’ve sort of meandered back to the story after talking about animation led us on a long detour - the story is surprisingly solid. In particular, I really appreciate how straightforward the writing is. I don’t know if the issue lies with the original text or the localization, but Star Rail’s dialogue, even in simple missions, tends to be incredibly meandering and overstuffed; ZZZ is a lot better about letting all its characters talk like actual humans. It also helps that the plot so far is a lot more grounded, and spends more time focusing on each faction’s group dynamics rather than the overarching plot. These games live and die by their characters, so leaning into those strengths is a smart move.

Zenless Zone Zero is, unfortunately, fully in line with Hoyo’s weird conservative politics - in particular, 1.0 and 1.1 are absolutely stuffed full of copaganda. With how many safety regulation jokes they made at the construction company, I initially hoped they’d lampoon the police faction a bit, or make a commentary on how comically heavily armed New Eridu’s police force are. In a vacuum, Zhu Yuan shouting combat lines like “Stop resisting!” or “Freeze, hands up!” while blasting someone with her gigantic, ‘JUSTICE’-emblazoned rocket launcher shotgun feels like it ought to be satire. Every time we talk to the officers, though, it’s just line after line about their solemn duty to protect the people of the city, how essential and important they are for the community, and so on and so on.

This wholehearted embrace of the world’s current power structure is something Zenless Zone Zero approaches in nearly the exact same way as Star Rail. In both games, your playable character is someone that’s sort of operating outside the law - in Star Rail, as the maverick organization that is the Astral Express, while in ZZZ you work as an illegal proxy. Despite this setup, any time the protagonists come into contact with a governing body, they are no less than thrilled to help them enforce the will of the law.

In Star Rail, you aid the local governments (one of which is an undemocratic monarchy) in committing massive cover-ups to hide their failures from the populace not once but twice. In ZZZ, you aid the police to an obsequious degree - playing along with them to not arouse suspicion is one thing, but helping them organize a fucking community day on Sixth Street? Fuck that. Hell, said community day is even shown to initially be DOA because none of the local residents trust the police - and you best believe we get two full scenes of the MCs changing the resident’s minds, resulting in them spouting shit about “Oh, it was our fault for judging the police too harshly - they really do have our best interests at heart!”

is it tho

There’s an argument to be made that the N.E.P.S. are a little different, given that they exist in a post-apocalyptic world with monsters popping up every day - and ZZZ’s copaganda is certainly a little less flagrant than something like Spider-Man helping the NYPD install civilian surveillance networks in Insomniac’s Spider-Man. And, sure, perhaps this can help excuse why they post fully armored, rifle-wielding soldiers in the Lumina Square DMV, and provides some justification that their existence is more helpful than the real world’s civilian-murdering property guards.

Thing is, though, at every turn you’re hit with dialogue and situations which make it clear that, no, they’re the normal cops. Every other sidequest seems to involve calling the N.E.P.S. in on somebody or helping with an investigation, and for every time we see them handle ethereal activity, there’s two instances of them being called in for petty property theft or something similarly minor - even the playable character has heaps of dialogue choices threatening to call the police on someone*. Much like Star Rail’s reactionary politics were strangely at odds with the ‘blazing a new path’ ideals of the trailblaze, Zenless Zone Zero’s obsession with the police puts a damper on its underground, counterculture aesthetic.

*Including a case where both options threatened this, leaving me without a non-narc dialogue choice.

illustration by Lv01KOKUEN

And finally… I don’t know where to fit this in, so I guess it just goes in its own little section at the end here. Lots of people, myself included, have touched on the Persona inspirations - and they’re certainly significant. One thing I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone mention as a huge influence is Yasuhiro Nightow’s Kekkai Sensen / Blood Blockade Battlefront. From its sense of style to its worldbuilding, ZZZ damn near feels like fanfic to me. Hell, it’s right in the name - BBB? ZZZ? And this is on top of the dimensional crossover / big city vibe, the retro fashion, the different factions. Victoria Housekeeping might as well be Libra 2.0 - Von Lycaon is a damn near perfect 50/50 expy of Klaus and Stephen Starphase. And then Belle / Wise, who assist these powerful fighters in a noncombat role just like Leo, also turn out to have some sort of special magical eyes granted to them by untold powers from within the dimensional rift??

I’m here for it, don’t get me wrong - love Nightow. But that can’t be coincidence, right?

[ultravioart]

First bit: So why did Overwatch allow a mispronounced "Emre Sarioglu" in the comic reading. For a character that is important to Freja's lore you would think they would get Emre's full name right… :< or maybe it was the music being too loud? But Sarioglu was mispronounced as far as I can hear. Like... just take the few minutes to learn how to pronounce the name??? It's not hard.

My thoughts on Freja:

Her visual design doesn't fit her character with the nonsense fanservice genshin impact style outfit (her arteries and heart are shown… she is a bounty hunter from a frigid area? Where is her armor like Cass and Ana lol.), she should have had like… a circular blade copter jetpack to tie into her search-and-rescue past with a 'perch turkey hunter' twist, or at least have a batman style cape that acts like a hang glider to tie into her wind motif instead of a…. high-fantasy cape? Like it looks cool, but it isn't very 'overwatch' because there isn't enough of a tech focus. And if they wanted to go the magical route, at least give her a proper Freja mythos falcon feather veil (but techy, so like hard light or something)? I was surprised her necklace had nothing to do with her lore as it looks like a glowy rune AND both Freja and "GEFN" in Norse mythos have stories about Loki trying to steal her necklace. As of now, Freja is veering too close to Illari's silhouette for my liking (plus the 'woven' visual motif would have much better fit Solar threading for Illari imo), and her head features are not distinct enough to not look like a Widow or Ashe skin from afar. Her face is like a combo of Brigitte and Widow ig? They should have maybe given her an eyebrow scar or something to tie back to her history in the omnic crisis (would have been cool to have the blue symbol over a scared portion of her face). I am sure Freja will get a more so tactical skin that better fits her someday, but I think her base visual design was a miss. I DO like her hair and her distinct accent. I was worried she may sound too close to Brigitte (Freja's effort sounds sound similar) but the accent chosen works great and her tone fits the serious bounty hunter archetype. She looks better in more tactical gear as seen in the comic read out video. I did notice one thing, the belts on Lara Croft's design are the same areas that Freja has a boob window and thigh highs, so maybe it's a stylization? Freja does feel kind of like Overwatch's take on a "Lara Croft" archetype, and I honestly really like the idea of her being a bounty hunter instead of tomb raider.

Gameplay wise she's pretty… simple? And unless I was shown a guide on her skirting roof angles infinitely, I wouldn't have guessed that was her play style. She's like… mechanically Pharah movement but with a Tracer movement mindset, in that her movement is her "interaction" with the environment. I can't say it's really all that exciting beyond the cool cinematic moments of the slowed down scoped shot. She doesn't interact with her environment like widow (mine/grapple launch/team wall hacks) or Ashe (dynamite/coach gun boops you and others/BOB launch) or Hanzo (sonic arrow, wall climb, dragon) unless you get the Freja perk that slows enemies. She has a much simpler kit than Sojourn in that regard, but with more mobility skill ceiling. Even then, I think high mobility 'as the heroes interaction' focused characters work better when grounded horizontally (Tracer, Reaper, etc) OR you have to have some kind of interaction with the environment (Genji deflect and wall climb, even fliers like Pharah interact with the environment via boops, or Echo with sticky bombs and versatile ult). As of now, I honestly think double jump could have been Freja's dash key instead of shift. She doesn't really have any "wind" powers beyond her upward jump. Illari boops feels more "windy" than Freja's kit. I was expecting a wind gust cc ability or something? Her bolas ult also isn't really what I think of when I think of bolas (I would expect it to hit a target and slow a target over time, damaging those around the target into a final KER-KLUNK marble clackers burst damage to all in the AOE to match her scoped shot double hit, not be a tracer bomb with a hinder), but it's a decent ult. Her scoped fire is also what I would rework one shots into, a chunk of damage, then a burst damage or DOT. So idk… I feel they could have cooked a BIT more on her kit? bc her scoped shot is literally what I want Hanzo and Widow one shots to be as to meld better into teamplay.

Also whoever is saying "they want less visual clutter" is lying 100%. Freja launches a whole arrow in you that covers part of the screen. Her ult has a bunch of effects. Hazard also has visual clutter, so does Juno. Mei can definitely have a Frozone style perk, because both Venture and Ashe have to look down to use abilities. Saying visual clutter/not wanting players to look down is not a valid excuse.

Not to mention, I will not trust anyone that says they made the skin basic because they wanted to "preserve the silhouette" when Toxic Venture skin has NO jacket and NO goggles, yet the Avatar collab refused to change Venture's goggles and hair to better match Toph. Same with the OPM Kiriko skin… we had Kriko skins that changed the silhouette out already so. Just admit the budget wasn't there. It's not laziness by the devs, it's mismanagement forcing this, but don't tell obvious lies. People can see through it.

Story wise for Freja: idk why there is discourse, she's meant to be an anti-villain where she did good things for the wrong reasons (thrill of the hunt, to feel useful) and ended up just as corrupt as the "few bad people" she blamed for Overwatch's downfall. As an ex-overwatch agent she knows omnics are sapient yet she STILL chooses to be anti-omnic. The writing was done in such a way where the viewer can empathize with Freja and understand how she came to these incorrect conclusions (she was a child who was traumatized by the first omnic crisis and saw tons of death), without it feeling like Overwatch's narrative is actually endorsing Freja's viewpoint. Freja is a very biased narrator, painting herself as a good person that was abandoned by everyone just because a few bad people ruined it all ("just a few bad apples" is very copaganda-y), and I like that the writing respects the audience's ability to discern Freja is NOT a good person. I also like that Overwatch is exploring more of Overwatch's corruption. Like finally, an anti-villain with no excuses, she instead personally rationalizes away her responsibility with bs logic--THIS is why Overwatch fell. Not just the outright corrupt people, but the people that were complacent. Emre saw Overwatch's malpractice and left, but Freja stayed and kept her head down. (Most likely rationalizing the civilian deaths because her mom had to make hard decisions during the first omnic crisis. But this isn't the first crisis anymore, and Freja knows that.) Freja should not have stayed and kept quiet. She should have left, or whistle blown. But she didn't and she rationalizes this to make it out like she's the 'good guy' everyone turned on. As a viewer you SHOULD be uncomfortable and dislike Freja's outlook of things, that is the response the writing is intending. You are not meant to root for Freja, you should dislike her.

I am curious about where the story with Emre will go, as well as Freja's views on Genji considering that one hero trailer showed that she grouped Genji up with the omnics. Why does she dislike him? Is it because he was involved with blackwatch? or is it because he is a cyborg? What about Sojourn, they must have interacted right? What does she think about members that told the truth about overwatch like Sojourn, is she bitter about that? I want Moira to roast Freja for essentially becoming Widow without any brainwashing needed lol. And I would love to hear Ashe roast Freja for being anti-omnic. I also wonder if Freja will try to go after LifeWeaver because he has a bounty on him…