#but I tried to do a bit of a mix of angsty and heartwarming scenes

[weirdthoughtsandideas]

How DCLA characters read + write fanfictions

Won’t do everyone but will do many.

Violetta can read all kinds of fics, although she knows her limits and if she gets uncomfortable, she stops reading. But, if she finishes a fic, she leaves the most heartwarming comment known to man. When she writes herself, she plans it out beforehand and basically writes the wholeass fic before posting the first chapter. Every title and author’s note has a song lyrics.

Ludmila refuses to read anything over 5000 words (unless it’s multichapter, but in that case she wants every chapter to be around 2000 words max). HOWEVER, she writes the LONGEST fics known to man. Her longest fic is currently 140+ chapters, the original plot disappeared LONG ago and now it’s simply characters doing slice of life things. But she has a dedicated reader fanbase that sometimes have rereads and they make memes and quote stuff daily.

Luna never checks how long fics are and have accidentally ended up reading a 100k fic in one night. She does read all kinds, but that’s because she doesn’t check the tags or ratings either, so poor girl has seen things… She also writes long comments that are just filled with emojis and exclamation points. She does post fics, but it’s very spread out and it’s rare that a fic gets updated. She posts new fics the second she got a new idea and then never update them. Her longest running fic got up to 5 chapters and that was only because she was very hyperfocused on that very fic. All fics are very slice of life and G-rated. She also very rarely writes any romance. If there’s romance then that’s not the main focus at all.

Ámbar only reads angsty stuff. She needs to FEEL something. She has read the most heavy, gory and graphic fics with a straight face. She never leaves comments but she’s there… reading it all… She also is not capable to write any fic herself without it being angsty. She has tried to cut it down, but every fic eventually has to change the rating to M or E. And… yes, she has 100% written smut.

Bia does not write fics herself, but she does like to read some others and often draws fanart of their fics. She’s known in her fandoms to be ”the fanfic artist” and everyone secretly hopes she’s gonna draw scenes from their fics.

Camila reads anything and everything, but instead of stopping when she doesn’t like a fic, she finishes it and then leaves a comment telling them she didn’t like it. In her words, they should KNOW she didn’t like it and why. She has BEEF with fic writers because of this. She also found Ludmila’s fanfic account and she LOVES to leave cryptid comments hinting that she knows her irl. With her own fics, she loves to create shock for the readers. She often kills of a random character, make people cheat, make people break up… and she loves confusing people, especially if they point out they are confused - then she’ll confuse them even more!

Pixie doesn’t read others fics because she is extremely picky with what she likes. So, that’s why she only writes them herself. It’s often VERY self-insertive, you notice she often writes about specific characters and it feels like she’s projecting whatever is going on in her life on them. Her readers often feel pretty touched by her fics though, thinking she just makes them feel so ”real”, and she only gets nice comments

Yam primarily reads and writes anything gay, ofc. She’s in a mix of fandoms, so the bigger fandoms are usually the ones she reads more in, and then she writes fics herself for the smaller fandoms, who would need some fics. She says she can read anything, but the second a fic gets a bit steamy she gets awkward about it and kinda has a hard time continuing to read.

Nina reads the most stuff, but she prefers reading romantic fics, especially about ships she likes. She has no problems reading smut, although writing it herself? No, she gets a bit more self-aware and can’t really do it. Since we’re on an agreement Nina is an author later, I think a lot of her fics are kind of ”first drafts” of her later published books (where she ofc has changed the names of everyone).

Francesca loves reading romance fics a lot, especially the fluffy ones. She also writes primarily romantic fics herself, although she often takes them down because she didn’t like how they turned out. So people often ask ”why did you remove your fic?”, especially because people generally like her stuff. But, if she doesn’t like it, she takes it down. She’s also known for uploading the same fic like 4 times and then removing it again from the website.

Helena was an active fic reader and writer when she was younger, and then sort of fell out of it. But then, sometime in her adulthood, she got back into it again. She often spends time looking for old fics she either remembered reading when she was younger or find some new fics she missed out on while she stopped reading. She also found an old fic she posted in like 2007 and then decided to update it with a new chapter all these years later, and literally started her author’s note with ”hi so I lost my memory for a solid 10 years and built my life back up again here I am! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!”

Maxi often reads his own friends fics because he’s supportive. He also really much likes to read crackfics simply because he thinks they are funny. He himself often writes chatfics because he thinks it’s a good flow in them. Also because he’s more into dialouge than description.

Simón is a person that likes to read fanfictions out loud. He’s the only one in the roller band who’s into fics, and he often finds the most odd ones to read out loud to his friends. He has read them as bedtime stories to Nico and Pedro, and sometimes him and Luna read a fic together out loud, taking turns doing voices for the characters. The only fanfictions he has written himself are self-inserts about himself and his friends.

Benicio never writes fics, and only reads some to mock them, only to drop comments like this

Diego only reads Ludmila’s fics and she does not know that he knows she has a fanfiction account. But he figured out it was her right away. He does not write fics himself.

Naty does not read a lot of fics, only occasionally her friends’ ones. She and Camila conspire that Ludmila has put OCs in her fics that are supposed to be parodies of them, but they can’t be sure yet. Naty has written probably the best fanfiction ever, but she does not post it because she’s not confident enough about it. So, it just sits on a document on her computer, unaware of the power it would have if it was posted.

Celeste read a lot of gay fics when she was younger and was like ”haha I don’t know why I’m doing this… why do I feel like this…” And then she kinda started to work on a gay fic herself, about a character Celeste personally felt connected to, figuring out her sexuality. And as Celeste wrote, she kinda projected her own feelings on it and realised her own sexuality while writing it.

[thecrazyanimegirl]

Winter Anime 2019

And here is the seasonal review! There were some amazing second seasons, mob psycho, kakegurui, fukigen na mononokean, but also some great new ones!

We try to give our opinion on the new anime this season without too much of a synopsis (you can get that anywhere) and just our comments ~ Of course, your view of an anime might be different, but we hope we made it easier for you to decide what to watch next  (＾▽＾)

{ Winter ‘18 }  { Spring ‘18 }  { Summer ‘18 }  { Fall ‘18 }

Adorable Food Goddess 

Totally expected just food and more food, but it actually has an interesting plot. It’s also hilarious and the main girl is great, funny and capable! Which rarely happens in this kind of genres. So it’s a big plus! So, romance, food and laughs, a good combination ^^

Boogiepop Phantom

Somewhat weird at the beginning and through the middle and the rest... xD BUT it has that interesting eerie aura that keeps you yearning for more and go through till the end. Also, keep in mind if you plan to watch this that you should begin with the 2019 version first and then switch to the older one since that is the chronological order of events (also try to remember the names of people because the art style is different so that you don’t suffer like me xD).

Dimension High School 

This one is really special. A stupid kind of humor some people (like me hehe) might enjoy, but others will consider utter rubbish. The mix of 3D and animation is weird and the whole story is a bit dumb, but it somehow works in their favor. If you like stupid humor, you might like it. You can tell right from the first episode because all the rest have the same feel to it. (I don’t regret watching it, it did make me laugh and I actually looked forward to relaxing a bit watching it every week ^^ just don’t expect anything amazing)

Domestic Girlfriend 

A romance and drama story about a boy in love with his teacher and then he tries to get over it by sleeping with a girl he meets. Soon, both of them become his sisters due to their parents marriage. It is angsty and has a lot of drama, and even more unresolved complexes considering their sexuality, affection and relationships. Also, who let these teachers be teachers? haha. It’s a drama, sometimes too awkward and slow, but there is a lot of fanservice with the girls for those interested and the story develops in an interesting way that makes you continue watching it. It also does well in portraying the characters development and the more psychological side of the story. 

Dororo

Amazing and ingenious! Loved it! One of the best this season. It is a bit on the darker side and has some gruesome scenes, but it’s extremely interesting, the story is well paced, the battle scenes are great and there are some heartwarming ones as well (also Dororo is precious). Looked forward to this every week! Beautiful and compelling to watch!

Gen:lock   

A mecha story done right! Rooster teeth never disappoints! Maybe it doesn’t fit in this list, but it’s still amazing and interesting! The characters are also extremely different and lovable ~ 

Gotobun no Hanayome  

An anime about a guy being a tutor to his harem that happen to be quintuplets. Not really that interesting, but not too terrible. It’s okay for one episode a week, but probably couldn’t binge watch it though.

Grimms Notes The Animation 

It’s pretty generic anime, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good, just doesn’t have the wow effect. It doesn’t stand out, but the idea behind it all is good! The main characters venture into the world of different stories, everything from Little Red Riding Hood to Alice in Wonderland and show an alternative side to the well known tales. Cute and amusing, just not binge-worthy material.

Kaguya-sama: Love is war

A not so typical romance story where the two protagonists really seem to be made for each other, but their pride keeps getting in the way xD There is also the funny commentary from the narrator that quirks up the already comedic scenes. Definitely worth the watch, it’s hilarious! (I looked forward to this anime and it even exceeded my expectations!)

Kemurikusa 

Okay, we really loved this anime. The first episode was confusing, but the more you watch the more interesting it becomes. It has a really interesting and imaginative plot. Everything is really well done, from the characters to the world. The only thing that will probably deter people the most is the animation, but you get used to it with time and it’s worth “suffering through” it for the story ^^ 

Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka    

Once again there is a dark magical girl anime in the season! The plot is not too deep but interesting enough if you are into this kind of story. The only difference is that this anime leans more to the military type of battle, rather than just magic. Be prepared to see lots of blood, boobs, tragic backgrounds and some yuri teasing! 

Meiji Tokyo Renka

A typical otome of the season. The MC is pretty blank, but they tried to make it lovable by giving her cute traits like tripping (all the time) and loving food lol But aside from her and her main guy, the side characters are pretty sweet and interesting (they are the reason I continued watching this)! 

So well, a sweet romance story, but the bickering of everyone else but the main couple is priceless! 

My Roommate is a Cat

This anime is really fun to watch if you own a cat (or are a passionate lover of felines) because you can easily relate to the daily life of Haru. You get to see her reactions, from the point of a cat, on various situations and easily laugh or cry over the fun and sentimental things she goes through with her owner (who is also very relatable). A lot of feels, a lot of cuteness, loved it! Both easy going and filled with emotions and character growth. 

Near Death!! Ekoda-chan 

A 3 minute anime about Ekoda and her everyday life. Each episode has a different director and voice actor, but they all do a very good job portraying Ekoda. It’s short so it doesn’t get boring, even though the episodes are sometimes completely random and sometimes they are incredibly relatable. Overall, liked it ^^

Psychic Princess

Still haven’t watched enough episodes to truly say it’s amazing, but so far it is! The main heroine is finally capable and independent. She can fight and speak to ghosts and will let no man near. It’s still a romance story, with plenty of datable guys. And it’s also very funny ^^

Shingeki no Bahamut: Manaria Friends

15 minute long episodes that tell the story of two (girl)friends in the Mysteria academy, in the SnB universe. The plot isn’t connected with Virgin Soul so you can watch it even if you haven’t seen the other seasons. The plot is somewhat yuri oriented and concentrates mainly on school life.

The Promised Neverland

Probably everybody knows about this anime, that is just how good it is. It will always leave you on the edge of your seat. It is really interesting and well made. The characters are great, the plot is great. Loved it!

The Rising of the Shield Hero

Not your typical I-got-teleported-into-another-world anime because in the very first episode there’s a really good plot twist. It’s really interesting to follow the character development and each episode leaves you yearning for more. Although everyone seemed hyped for this anime adaptation, I didn’t think that it would leave me so amazed at the very beginning and excited to see more!

Dropped:  Ueno-san wa Bukiyou,  Kouya no Kotobuki Hikoutai,  Endro!,  Cost of Smiles 

[beckytailweaver]

Avatar: The Last Airbender (fic stuff)

Since I’m trying to work on something (ANYTHING!) and I seem to be in an Avatar mood of late, I’ll throw this up here.

These are fics, potential fics, and mostly-concrete ideas that have existed in the back of my closet for a very long time, since the good old days of watching ATLA when it was shiny and new and cool. Most of them are also so old that LOK didn’t exist yet or was in its infancy.

Note: These are mostly gen fic. If pairings come up they are not the central goal of the piece; they will be mainly canon as it existed at the time the fic was outlined. Treat them like the scenery (no ship war drama allowed in my workroom, that’s what stopped me participating in the fandom years ago).

I’d kinda like to put some feelers out and see what folks think would be most interesting to work on.

Read on:

The End of the Circle Post-canon continuation, my oldest ATLA fic, conceived and outlined before comics or LOK existed. Does some headcanon worldbuilding based on what was available at the time of the original series. Dragons and spirits and legends coming to life, oh my!

Status: outlined, some scenes written, firm endpoint, world built.

Summary: Roku warned Aang that he could not die in the Avatar State, or the cycle would end. Azula’s lightning killed Aang in the Avatar State. To their good fortune, Katara’s spirit water was able to bring Aang back to life, but there are Consequences—for the Avatar and for the world.

Wild Fire Canon AU/semi-rewrite. Also born before LOK was a thing so Druk doesn’t exist. It borrows some concepts from the idea of Toph and her badgermole family. It breaks some TLA canon around the edges but it’s all in good fun.

Status: outlined, many scenes, ending fully plotted.

Summary: The young Fire Prince was burned and disowned by the Fire Lord, cast away and abandoned on the hostile shores of the Earth Kingdom before his kindly uncle could aid him. Disfigured, angry, and lost, young Zuko finds solace in the wilderness when he is taken in by a most unusual protector: A dragon.

Phoenix Legacy Not-a-time-travel “time travel” fic. It was born after seeing Season 1 of Avatar LOK and...kinda liking it but not? (I mostly lost interest in LOK after S1.) And wanting to add some more classic feel to the season. No information from subsequent seasons was used to outline it (thus there is no Druk) but recently I have gone back and “fixed” Zuko’s daughter (giving her the correct name and appearance), and added her nameless daughter (Iroh II’s sister) for lulz. Basically a rewrite of LOK Season 1 with a TLA character along for the ride to shake everything up, because at the time I was disappointed that there was only Katara and no other Gaang members out there kicking the new Avatar into shape.

Status: outlined, a few scenes written, ending plotted; not to be a rehash.

Summary: A phoenix cannot die by fire—it can only be reborn. When Ozai claimed the title of Phoenix King, he had no idea what sort of spirit he might be invoking. When he lost his ancestor’s war and his crown, the spirit’s blessings were unknowingly conferred upon his heir: The hapless Fire Lord Zuko, determined to bring his nation to peace. Seventy years later, there’s a tragic explosion in a tea shop in Republic City, and exiled traitor Fire Prince Zuko wakes up to an unfamiliar world full of unfamiliar faces. The last thing he remembers is an Agni Kai under a Comet, catching lightning to protect a friend.

The Prince’s Prisoner Another ficling born before the comics or LOK were really a big deal and/or I didn’t know about them. Basically during TLA S1, rather than fleeing Prince Zuko’s clutches, Aang decides to remain his prisoner. The original reasoning for this was a kind of modified Peggy Sue: Aang effed up his final battle with Ozai for reasons, his soul is sorta sent back in time to do-over from his iceberg wakeup. The problem is that this is not a perfect process and he doesn’t actually remember everything, only some very important faces, feelings, and concepts. The idea of Zuko as a dear friend/teacher/trusted person is one of these things. Thus, in defiance of all visible logic, Aang trusts S1!Zuko with his life and keeps his promise to go with him. In spite of his Water Tribe friends continuously trying to rescue him, Zhao continuously trying to capture him, and Zuko himself continuously trying to avoid being befriended by his ticket home. (”I’m your prisoner, not anyone else’s.”)  Intended to be a funny and heartwarming friendship/journey story taking a different angle at the series.

Status: tentatively outlined with very few scenes skeleton’d out, season 1 definite, endpoint undecided but can continue throughout the series. The premise mechanic is a bit flimsy; it’s less concrete since it’s supposed to be fluff, angst, and friendship.

dragon!Zuko AU fic Everybody has to write one of these, it’s like a law. Here’s mine: Ozai’s cruelty during the Agni Kai with his young son invoked the wrath of Agni, bringing down a magic from a time before memory and no one knows if it’s a blessing or a curse. When Zuko’s face burned, the fire didn’t stop there, and when the flames went out a young dragon was left on the floor of the arena. Uncle Iroh came to his rescue before the rest of Court could gather their wits, and then had to get him on a boat and out of the Fire Nation before Ozai could decide whether to make him into a pet or a trophy. Part 1: Rather than going on a mission to hunt the Avatar, Zuko and Iroh are on a road trip to keep Zuko alive and secret from the world (Ozai wants to usurp his brother’s title of Dragon). Iroh and his crew end up raising this stubborn angsty dragon prince; since he can’t turn back into a human he has to come to terms with being a dragon most of the time (which can’t talk), and he can often be Very Dramatic about it. Part 2: Years later, there’s rumors of the Avatar’s return and Zuko (who has sort of learned to take a human shape again) sees an opportunity to spare his own life and go home by offering his father a bigger prize than a dragon’s head...

Status: very general outline, some scenes conceived and a general plot/endpoint. Part 1 is in the 3 years pre-canon, Part 2 is during canon, including the grumpy dragon hiding out in Ba Sing Se.

Years Gone/Avatar kids AU S1/pre-canon rewrite. Some whim of fate cracks open Aang’s iceberg three years early (a storm, a passing boat, pure chance?) and he tumbles out into the world in the same year that Prince Zuko was banished. Despite befriending some Water Tribe children who would love to go adventuring with him, he’s got to get home to the Southern Air Temple and that’s where he runs into young, angry, raw-wounded Prince Zuko on his first visit. The tiny chase ensues up and down the entire temple. Aang will of course be friendly but escape. And this begins a probably-ill-advised adventure with a lot of kids who are entirely too young to be camping across the world on a bison (but it’s exciting!), chased by another kid entirely too young to be leading a manhunt. The Comet is three years away so there’s plenty of time for adults to tear their hair out over this. Zuko is a tiny ball of determination, rage, and tears. Aang feels bad for him and tries to make with the befriending even as he’s dodging the fire tantrums. Occasionally during adventures Zuko just gets scooped along for the ride in Appa’s saddle, no one’s sure how these weird truces get called, but Iroh sips tea and directs the crew on a new heading and they’ll pick up their prince at the bison’s next stopover most likely after the kid pendulums back the other way and remembers he’s trying to nab the Avatar again. So Zuko spends 50% of the time yelling and chasing the Avatar and 50% of the time sitting in Appa’s saddle learning tentative smiles and being offered berries and seal jerky, all the way from the South Pole to the North. (It’s slightly terrifying to realize that Aang and Zuko are currently the oldest kids in the party and are actually in charge of this terribly irresponsible expedition.)

Status: general outline, a couple of scenes written, particular S1 plot points, no endpoint yet. Possible bonus content: Toph and/or Suki come along for the ride because why not.

The Blacksmith of Ba Sing Se This is a very old Lu Ten Lives! story. Lu Ten always knew Uncle Ozai envied him, but secure in his position he didn’t really care about it until he took an arrow in the back during the final battle of the Siege of Ba Sing Se. With unknown assassins among his own ranks and no safe place to retreat in the melee, the wounded prince decides to fake his own death by hiding in the rubble, and then swapping clothes with a slain Earth Kingdom soldier half crushed in the ruin. At first, it’s only to get to safety until he can get to the bottom of this. But Lu Ten is picked up by the EK medic teams after the surprising withdrawal of the Fire Nation troops, and ends up spirited away into the heart of Ba Sing Se—where he discovers that it’s hard to escape. He also discovers a whole new world, and a whole new perspective, and, keeping out of the authorities’ notice, eventually manages to make a life for himself as Chang the Blacksmith, a humble craftsman with a wife and kids. This...is much nicer than war, death, and Court politics. Years later: refugee Zuko walking home from his job at Pao Family Tea Shop runs across a little boy crying over his broken toy in the dusty street...

Status: nebulous outline with a few particular sketched scenes. Takes place mostly in Ba Sing Se, outcome indeterminate. It could be mixed with the Lineages concept from below.

Lineages / not Ozai’s kid AU Not really a concrete plot so much as a campy idea from long before the Avatar comics blundered through Ursa’s backstory. There was a phase in the fandom (I think the Search comics drew off of that) where it was popular to imagine almost anyone else than Ozai as Zuko’s Secret Real Dad (the boy deserves a better father) and Iroh was often selected as primary candidate. (I know, Iroh is already the real dad and stepped into Ozai’s cold empty shoes like a pro.) Me, deciding that I had to be different, decided to offer up Lu Ten on that altar. Justifications: Iroh and Ozai looked to have a pretty extreme age difference and there was no solid age for Lu Ten at the time of his death, but his picture looks mature enough. Deals with family secrets and the political issues of muddying the lines of inheritance in the middle of a war. Also takes a crack at Ursa having a clever hand with Azulon’s last will and testament on Ozai’s behalf, with provisos.

Status: nothing really more than a vague concept without enough plot to stand on its own. Without a viable framework, it could work better/well folded into The Blacksmith story, above.

I’m open to opinions and/or asks about these. Trying to get a spark going! (I need to be working in a fandom, ANY fandom at this point! ^_^;; )

[zetalial]

My top 10 favourite FMA 03 episodes

Hey, I figured I’d make a list. Everyone likes lists, right?

This was going to be just the list but then I decided to add some thoughts and add pictures so now this is a long post… I’ll be counting down from my tenth favourite.

10. Episode 23: Fullmetal Heart/Heart of Steel (whichever title you prefer)

Odd choice, much? This is only a breather episode yet for some reason it’s one of my favourites. Maybe it’s because the characterisation of everyone is just great. You’ve got Edward, Maria Ross, Hughes, Winry and Alphonse all interacting and going through all the aftermath of Lab 5 and it’s just the kind of episode that appeals to me. It’s got some moments of humour as well as the angst. I’ve already made a separate post on this episode actually.

There’s a negative in that Al’s identity crisis is present here and that’s not my favourite arc. That actually gets more focus in the next episode though. I wouldn’t exactly call it an eventful episode either unless you love intense conversations like me. (Hughes is the best, by the way.)

9. Episode 8: The Philosopher’s Stone

Better known for being the Barry the Chopper episode. It also comes immediately after Nina so a lot of it deals with the aftermath of that. Of course, where Fullmetal Heart is a breather, this is the opposite. This is where the evil writers decide to twist the knife that was the Nina incident by putting our beloved 12 year old hero through even more emotional turmoil. As a lover of angst,  and exploring fallouts, I loved this episode. (I debated including the Nina episode, Night of the Chimera’s Cry, for this list but chose this one instead.) The encounter with Barry is always very striking, seeing how worked up Ed gets and how unnerved he is. Meanwhile you’ve got Al keeping a clearer head trying to move on while Ed’s not ready to yet. Meanwhile you’ve got other characters around but not able to provide comfort. Mustang, Riza, Winry, even Hughes.  Seeing human Barry adds to the lab 5 arc later on too.

Negatives might be that it’s too angsty, I can see it being a turn off. Villain is very blatantly evil. I personally don’t mind that sort of thing though. Also Winry is present but doesn’t do all that much.

8. Episode 17: House of the Waiting Family.

I swear this list isn’t all Breather episodes! But, yeah, this one deals with the fallout from the Scar battle some and does a bunch of other stuff. I’ve already made a separate post about this one too. It’s an episode of recovery, and family. Ed and Al embracing the past they’ve left behind once more. You’ve got Ed visiting his mother’s grave, Winry encouraging Ed and Al to come home again, Ed almost confessing his guilt about the transmutation to Al, Winry finding Ed’s watch and the message inside, Al having trouble remembering the past, Ed and AL reflecting on their home they lost. It’s a good reflective episode. Family is one of the central themes in FMA, and this episode certainly gives that feeling. It’s a pleasant episode with only a little angst and plenty of humour and heart.

7. Episode 31: Sin

I feel like this might be another odd choice? This is the moment where they reveal the origins of the homunculi and how they do it is absolutely enthralling. Izumi explaining how she tried to bring back her unborn child. Wrath letting himself be led to the island. Izumi attempting to strangle him, but unable to do it. Wrath strangling her. Ed and Al’s horror and instinctive denial as Wrath reveals what the story has been building up to. And there’s all the other stuff that’s going on to. Sloth and Envy fighting Greed. Kimblee and Archer meeting and agreeing to work together. Lust and Gluttony in a group of refugees, intending to cause trouble. This episode is so named to focus on the Homunculi and it very much does. The scene between Envy and Wrath is absolutely enthralling. These are the stories that FMA 03 thrives on, in my opinion.  It ends with Al of all people furiously attacking Wrath, so it’s hard to resist not going straight to the next episode.

6. Episode 47: Sealing the Homunculus

This one is right near the end of the series. I was sorely tempted to go with 48: Goodbye. These two are pretty equal in my mind really. This one is more exciting though. Lust is incredible, her fight with Wrath is one of my favourites, she can switch between being utterly ruthless and vulnerable in an instant. Her end completed her character arc in such a compelling way. She’s one of my favourite characters and you can see so much of it in this single episode. But she’s not alone! It’s also got Sloth and we finally get to understand her motivations and feelings while she also meets her demise. Ed and Al both go through more emotional turmoil even though it’s framed as a triumph for them. Wrath is being Wrath. And it leads so tantalisingly into the next episode.

Negatives might be how Al defending Sloth is a touch frustrating. Also Wrath is being Wrath. Yes that’s a positive and a negative.

5. Episode 13: Fullmetal vs Flame.

What’s that, a light-hearted humorous episode with only a small amount of angst? This episode is a gem. It pretty much ties up everything that came before and leads very naturally into everything that comes after. I’ve been thinking that if people wanted to watch 03 but have already seen BH, this one wouldn’t be a bad place to start if you don’t want to retread the beginning at a slower pace. (Though you do miss out on some nice episodes). Beyond that, this episode is loads of fun. The fight displays Mustang’s abilities well, shows off the relationship between him and Ed, Hughes is awesome as usual, Al has a cute cat and did I mention the scene where Mustang loves dogs? The little bit of angst mostly comes from Mustang and some trauma he has from Ishval, leading into the Scar battle next episode very well. He’s being built up great. This episode is simply awesome.

4. Episode 3: Mother

Ah, there’s the mix of darkness and family I love. I’m always mentioning this episode and I love how it explores Ed and Al’s past and shows their characters and how they decided to perform the human transmutation. At first it’s heartwarming and then it’s heartwrenching. Ed and Al have always been my favourite characters and seeing their backstory explored in such detail is wonderful. Have I mentioned the part where they walk away from their burning house while Bratja plays with Al narrating? How about Ed coldly standing at the grave swearing to bring their mother back while Alphonse is crying?

3. Episode 51: Laws and Promises

Right to the opposite end of the series. The last episode is so very striking to me. See Ed and Al sacrifice themselves for each other is spectacular. Dante’s plan so quickly unraveling and I’ve talked about how much I love Envy’s final scene before. The epilogue ties off the series fairly well while still leaving things open-ended. Mustang’s fight with Pride is awesome. His scenes with Riza are lovely. Ed’s scenes with his father are interesting. Dante’s demise. Wrath getting to live and getting automail Winry made for Ed. Izumi teaching Al more alchemy. That final speech that closes the series, where the title of this episode comes from. It’s strangely optimistic and hopeful. It’s nice.

2. Episode 28: All is One, One is All.

Another backstory episode. It features Ed and Al’s survival on Yok island with older Ed and Al reflecting on the past. I think this episode builds to its climactic point of Ed and Al coming to understand what Izumi wanted to teach them very well. I’ve made a post about this episode too. (I talk about episodes I like, okay?) The appearances of Wrath leading up to another nice cliffhanger ending are also nice. It’s another episode of reflection and I love it. Young Ed and Al are always great.

And finally:

1. Episode 22: Created Human

I loved the aftermath of Lab 5. I loved the origins of the homunculi. I love when Ed faces emotional turmoil. And I absolutely love this episode where the Lab 5 arc reaches its dreadful conclusion. Everything about it is great. The moral ambiguity, the homunculi’s goals, Ed getting pushed to the brink, physically and emotionally, just everything that Envy and Lust do, even the older Slicer brother advising Ed. Everything has been building to this moment and it’s executed brilliantly. It makes you start to feel sympathy with the homunculi when they compare themselves to Al’s own inhuman state. It makes you feel Ed’s desperation to save his brother. Al protesting but everyone ignoring him. Envy and Lust talking about equivalence. When they reveal that everyone the brother’s has been working for was leading them here. That moment at the end where the military steps in to save the brothers. Scar doing his own stuff and deciding to help them. There’s even the delightful moment where Mustang breaks the fourth wall at the beginning.

Yeah it’s my favourite.

[juniper-and-lamplight]

Recent Reads -- May 12, 2019

It turns out that I start to feel itchy if I don’t do a round-up of my various one-off recs every few months or so? Though there are some new recs on this list too (helloooo, Lix Storm). As usual, it’s a multifandom mix--DGHDA, Harry Potter, The Hour, and just a bit of Sherlock and The History Boys. Recs under the cut, so you don’t have to scroll unless you want to :)  Enjoy!

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency I'm So Queer I Can't Even Think Straight (But To Be Fair, You're Not Helping) - @dont-offend-the-bees - 2.2k, T, Dirk/Todd "'His mind was buzzing, his heart pounding, his lips tingling, even now five, ten, however many minutes later. But if nothing else, he’d got past the phase of the whole holy shit Dirk just kissed me thing going round and round in his head, stuck in there like a bad song. But holy shit Dirk just kissed him.' In which Todd shows his hand, and Dirk takes a leap." So funny and charming that I’m almost mad about it? The Comic happened, we all lost our minds, and Bees was there with fic on the SAME DAY.

A Thousand Butterflies Can't Be Wrong, (But I Think I Might Be.) - electricteatime | @kieren-fucking-walker - 6.2k, G, Dirk/Todd "It’s a lot, he knows it’s a lot, and he almost wishes he’d stopped to think about his answer before just blurting his feelings all over the place. But then he supposes he’s always been a little like that, and it hardly makes sense to change that now. If Todd feels the same he already knows what he’s signing up for. If. For two small letters, it really is a big word." OF COURSE post-s2 Dirk thinks that Todd and Farah will be together and leave him, because historically, that's how things go for him...bless his heart and his inability to cope with Todd's eyebrows.

Leave What's Heavy Behind - electricteatime - 5k, G, Dirk/Todd "A semi-poetic semi-character study of one Todd Brotzman, the lies he tells himself, and the truths Dirk Gently knows." So beautifully, painfully REAL?!? I may never stop having feelings about this fic.

song for the heartsick (better days are near) - embraidery - WIP, T, Bart & Suzie Boreton "Suzie Boreton, rescued from death at the hands of the Mage's goons by the dirtiest woman she's ever seen in her life, faces a question: would she like to go on a road trip with her savior? No, Suzie thinks, but when she opens her mouth, Yes comes out. And so begins the weirdest road trip ever." This is such a fascinating premise, I can't wait to see where it goes.

To sleep, perchance to dream - @flightinflame - 2.4k, G, Mona & friends "Mona is sick, and loses control of her abilities. She tries to hide it, but it becomes too much to ignore." This is? So soft?! And also quirky, and playful, and just plain heartwarming.

the intricacies of triangulation - reptilianraven | @actualbird - WIP, T, Farah/Dirk/Todd "'Todd. Us. Us and Todd. We need a plan for this,' Farah says. Or the one where Dirk and Farah get together (they’re surprised about it as well) and try their best to get Todd to date the both of them in the most roundabout ways possible." In just one chapter this fic had me HOWLING with laughter.

or make a home - reptilianraven - 6.6k, T, Dirk/Todd "Or Todd’s adventures in dating Dirk Gently, the mundanities of which unsurprisingly turning out to not be very mundane at all (featuring, among other things: intergalactic wormholes, regular periods of lying down on the floor, and several annoying habits that concern toothpaste and toothbrushes.)" With a combination of absurd humor and honest emotion, this fic absolutely nails the joys (and annoyances) of loving/supporting/living with another person.

put that baby back where it came from, or so help me - reptilianraven - 7.6k, T, Dirk/Todd "A case drops a telekinetic baby into the agency’s care and Dirk feels...overwhelmed whenever he sees Todd competently, wonderfully, lovingly taking care of a child." Tropey and ridiculous, but in the BEST WAY. My favorite line in this fic is ALL of them.

Though Your Breath Racks Your Ribs and You Throb with Pain; There's a Juice on My Lips for Each Purple Stain - @sexycoinkidicks - 7.4k, E, Dirk/Todd "In which Dirk shows Todd where it hurts. Angsty emotional smut, based loosely on a scene from the play Kiss of the Spider Woman (VERY loosely- no prior knowledge needed!)" Claustrophobic sadness and Extreme Emotional Intensity, with a slight edge of hope.

An Interlude; or, Compulsory Heterosexuality Made Me Do It - @teacupsandcyanide & @gallantrejoinder, - 1.6k, G, Farah & Todd "Farah and Todd did, in fact, make out while on the run. They also both realised some very important things about themselves. But not the things you might expect." Todd and Farah are glorious disasters, and I love them <3 This fic made me giggle from start to finish.

The Situation - teacupsandcyanide - 8.5k, M, Dirk/Todd "Todd raises his eyebrows at him. 'You gotta admit. We would get into this … situation.' 'What, the situation where we flee from the weekly hired goons into a badly aging knock-off of the Ritz, get shut in an empty room with no escape, and find ourselves compelled to make loud, gratuitous sex noises in order to put the aforementioned lackeys off the scent?'" In which Dirk and Todd have wildly different interpretations of Dirk's "coming out," and the only thing preventing them from getting together was their inability to have an honest damn conversation. Sensual and full of Big Emotions, as is only fitting for these two.

The Butterfly Effect (Love Is Love Is Love Is Love) - teacupsandcyanide - 7.2k, T, Dirk/Todd "Dirk kisses his best friend on their balcony in front of the Pride Parade. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Things escalate wildly into identity issues, old hang-ups, anguished declarations of love, and inopportune sabotage of the situation by their tiny bastard cat." This fic left me an incoherent, keysmashing mess. I might have actually clutched at my own heart after reading it.

Harry Potter Midday, Midnight - @aryastark-valarmorghulis - 8.5k, T, Remus/Sirius "During the summer of 1976, between fifth and sixth year at Hogwarts (and after The Prank), Remus goes outside the Lupin's cottage and he finds a big, black dog in his garden..." The character voice in this fic is so authentically teenager-y; Remus is so deep in his own head. I also enjoyed all of the sensory details, which create such a vivid image of the Lupin home, and the feel of a summer's day (and night).

Aural Gratification - birdsofshore - 10.9k, E, Harry/Draco "Harry's not gay – he just likes listening to exciting stories about Aurors. It's not his fault that the narrator's voice is so smooth, so expressive... and really rather hot." I know I’m waaaaay late to the party on this one (as I often am with Drarry fics), but worth it. As a person who listens to audiobooks for both fun and profit, I could not resist it :)

Letting Go - LuminousGloom - 6.1k, E, Remus/Sirius, Remus/Kingsley, Remus/OMC "A number of lusty, intimate encounters. Although for Remus, it's really only ever been about one person. And it's never quite right, until it's right." I love that each of Remus’ encounters is not only distinct and sexy, but also that each highlights different facets of him: forthright, secretive, curious, ashamed, conflicted, joyful, soft, rough, broken, and (eventually) unbroken.

like tea and knitwear - @songofwizardry - 2.4k, G, Remus/Sirius "There are probably easier and faster ways of showing one's affection than learning how to knit so one can make the object of said affections a jumper. Fortunately, Sirius has never been fond of picking the easy route." As soft and warm as a hand-knit jumper, but with just enough snarky humor that it still feels Marauders-y.

Sky Full of Song - @writcraft, read by semperfiona - 2k, 13min, T, Harry/Draco "Draco turns up at Harry's birthday party unexpectedly and Harry takes a leap of faith."  A wonderful blend of angst and humor and realistically messy emotions.

The History Boys Don't you know you're life itself? - Philipa_Moss - 5.5k, M, Scripps/Posner “Dakin thinks you’ll get bored of me,” Posner says, out of the blue, and Scripps says, automatic and habitual, “He doesn’t.” This fic feels so perfectly lived-in--all of the relationships (partnerships, friendships, whatever) are well-worn, complex, and shaped by choices in a way that rings true to life, and to the characters.

The Hour (Guess who watched all of The Hour this winter and was left wishing that there was another series entirely about Lix Storm?)

The Small Hours - deathorthetoypiano - 1k, T, Lix/Bel "Lix stayed at Freddie's funeral, despite her instincts - and old habits - telling her to leave. She stayed for Bel, because she might need rescuing or a shoulder to cry on, someone to make sure she was alright, or at least as alright as she could be, given the situation." A quiet, bittersweet coda.

My thought is not changeable - @lbmisscharlie - 1.5k, E, Lix/Bel "Freddie will return – sometime – he must – and Bel is never aimless when Freddie’s around, not like she is now, eyes intent on Lix’s mouth and one stockinged foot rubbing uncertainly against her calf and their smallest fingers just touching where their palms are braced on the floor." Sharp poignancy and tons of sensory--a perfect stolen moment.

Light gathered in you - lbmisscharlie - 1.4k, E, Lix/Bel "Bel looks at her, sidelong. Her lashes are long, mascaraed dark, and her mouth coral pink. “I did wonder,” she says. “If you were – a Sapphist.” She says the archaic word so delicately that Lix has to laugh, which makes Bel pink up and drop her gaze. “I’m – not fussy,” Lix says. She shifts her weight just so, her forearm brushing Bel’s elbow. Bel doesn’t look up, but takes a breath, lifts her glass to her mouth, and swallows her wine down." Everything about this--tone, dialogue, dynamics--feels spot-on.

The Most Marvellous Place to Get Lost - peninsulam - 8.5k, E, Lix/Bel "It is late spring in Tangier, and Bel feels as far from home as she has been in her life." Gorgeous, poignant, evocative. You know, just generally breathtaking.

Immoral Support - @thisbluespirit - 420 words, T, Lix/Bel "Bel winds up where she always does after a bad day; in the safest place she knows..." This is lovely, and manages to nail their dynamic in fewer than 500 words.

I'd like to explore you - rainbowsuomi - 604 words, unrated, Lix & Bel "Lix’s mind is already somewhere else when Bel tells her to think about it and exits the office, picturing herself in front of the camera, describing bars where girls had their hair cropped and styled with grease, smoking cigars and slipping their hands, elegant, long and white, under flowing, frilly skirts, caressing stockings and corrupting young ladies." A beautifully characterized slice of life (and Lix’s history).

Sherlock Roads, Not Shrouds - verdant_fire | @viridiandecisions - 3.4k, T, John/Sherlock "He's perfectly happy to live out the rest of his life in monastic devotion, feeding John and loving John and provoking John just enough to distract him from what Sherlock did to their kitchen table." Lovely and lyrical and heartfelt (without getting treacly).

Further fic recs | Fic bookmarks

[tumblunni]

Wow i had such a weird dream?? The story itself wasnt too unusual, just an emotional moment of an anime that doesnt exist, but the way the dream delivered it was really confusing!

The plot of this apparant anime was that there was some sort of ragtag group of monster people wandering the earth looking for a place they could belong without being hated. And i got the feeling here that they'd just found a place where things were going good, but the show's recurring villains appeared and revealed their secret to the town and now they had to flee again as everyone they thought was a friend took up pitchforks against them.

And the main focus character was really interesting? I dont think he was actually the protagonist but he got the focal role in this episode. Cos the monsters had to disguise themselves as humans to live in this town, and this was the youngest monster who didnt know how to do that yet. He had a really emotional struggle of pushing himself so hard to try and master this skill, because he was actually unique amoung the group for being a monster that was actually once human. So it was a combination of frustration at being a burden to his new friends, with desperation to finally see his own face in the mirror again.

And I feel like maybe before he became a monster he was bigoted against them and scared of them? Within the dream i recalled watching that other episode some other day, and apparantly it was super emotional. It started off just seeming like another 'we find the town of the day along our journey and meet some friends and/or solve a conflict' type thing. And this kid was mostly antagonistic through the episode, a dumb naive kid who believed everything negative about monsters and now struggled with the situation of being the only one who knew the truth that these guys are monsters but also now theyre doubting whether they should reveal it because these people seem so..normal?? And scared?? Starts to doubt whether all the other monsters executed by the corrupt church in their town were fully sentient too, and every time the 'nice' priest was teaching them how to spot liars he was really teaching them how to kill innocent monster people who were just as scared as the humans are of them. But the roots of gaslighting and abuse from this priest ran deep, so the kid struggled with the choice and ultimately made the wrong decision. Also i think maybe theres a reveal that the priest was actually their biological dad too, just for even more levels of why theyd make that wrong decision. And more reasons why its horrifying that the priest dad just treats his kid like shit once they outlived their usefulness. Im thinking something like the kid tries to make up for their mistake and save the protagonists but they get captured by their dad and like.. Ok holy fuck this dude is outright willing to murder his son and he's eminantly aware that these monster people are 100% sentiebt because he's using the threat of killing his son as a way to get them to lay down their weapons and agree to be recaptured. And then i think there was something super messed up when it was revealed all the monster attacks that happened to the town to get them so scared and paranoid were actually orchestrated by the priest as a form of control over his citizens. He had some sort of Ominous Doom Science to both turn people into monsters and control them to do his bidding. And like the predictable asshole he is, even after the protagonists gave up in order to save the kid he still killed him anyway. And after snapping his neck he threw him down into the prison cell with the protagonists and was like 'lets torment them by making them fight the kid they wanted to save'. Because it turned out he'd been doping the kid with a special dose of the monster formula ever since birth, and he was his 'secret weapon' all along without knowing it. Ultra super mega concentrated doom form of the artifical monsters he uses in his army, activated upon the moment of the kid's death. But then it turns out the ultimate experiment was too much for him to control and the kid was able to keep their mind in their new form, and turn against him to save their new friends. But when they realized what had happened to them, they broke down in fear. And everything was super depressing cos the protagonists knew this poor kid was now doomed to share their fate as monsters, and theyd have to take them away fron everythung theyd ever known in order to keep them safe. But also heartwarming at the same time because the kid had never known a truly loving family before, and as they passed out in the arms of main protagonist mom friend werewolf they felt like maybe this is what having a real family is like...

So anyway that led to a bit of an angsty team dynamic with this new recruit? The kid was obviously all new to monsterness and terrified of everything. But also even now they were struggling with that 'what if my abusive dad is right' instinct drilled into them from all those years. They still struggled with really believing that monsters arent evil, and like 'no i must have only disobeyed him because i was infected and i didnt know it, monsters are evil and i became one because i'm evil too'. Unwilling to believe that their dad did that to them and trying to find excuses where it would be their own fault. Maybe the kid was even tricked by another villain at some point who lied about having a cure? Like even whenthey became more able to trust their new monster friends they were still like 'theyd be happier if they became normal right?' Lots of angst and messing up and this poor kid feeling not only weak and useless to the team but also outright toxic to them.

So all of this led to this situation where disguising yourself as a human is a skill all the other team members already mastered and this kid is struggling real hard to accomplish it in order to save the day. Ans its extra depressing cos they havent seen their original human face in months, and theyre trying to cling onto the memories but scared they migjt forget what it was like to be human. And then i cant really recall all the details but i feel like the writing and cinematography were just super amazing emotional on this scene of the kid struggling to Do The Thing in time to save their friends, and like.. Atone for all their mistakes.

Also i think like the kid had this big super kaiju ultimate chimera form which was what their dad designed them to be, but also most of the time they were poofed into a tiny mascot sized version of that. And theycd never actually managed to control their powers enough to turn into their battle form willingly until now. Just this super depressing and also uplifting scene of this fuckin tiny monster kid being pinned to the ground underneath the villain's heel, trying desperately to turn human again to save their friends. And i think it was an awesome moment where they did manage to regain their old face for just a few seconds, but instead of actually learning to master the human transformation they learned to master their battle form instead. Like, accepting that that old face isnt who they are anymore, and it wont help like they thought it would. What they really need now is their REAL face! Some sort of dramatic badass speech about this that cuts the villain's philosophy right in half, and then a badass scene of tiny kid finally being able to control (and not be scared of!) their beast form, and fight the whole damn army singlehandedly to save their friends!

Also i think there was an extra emotional moment somewhere along the way where one of yhe villain generals was like 'no, stop, i want to see if they can do this', and actually started motivating the kid. Like i think they were a brainwashed soldier of the old priest bastatd who was sent to kill these monsters supposedly to avenge the priest's dead kid but they were actually starting to have doubts when this terrifying monster that 'killed them' seemed to act so much like a child. So this was the big moment of them finall believing the kid, and getting to see proof it really was them and the priest really was a manipulative evil bastard all along. So i think they switched sides and joined super powered up kiddo in fighting their fellow knights, giving them the keys to go free their friends. And possibly this knight person also joined the team after this and was the first proper human ally theyd ever had? And probably had loads of emotional plots of atoning

ANYWAY that was the cool really engaging story of my dream that i wish i could watch a real anime about!

But the weird part was that this was all delivered really fragmented cos of how little sleep ive had lately. I was seeing it in the form of (for some reason) laying down on the stairs at my abusive father's old house, listening to it playing on the tiny tv he had in his room. And you may have noticed i kept mixing up the kid's pronouns, thats because everyone in the dream was represented visually by a character from some other franchise and it was REALLY confusing! The kid was like an amalgamation of all the dudes from Wolf's Rain which i guess is where the concept of wandering monsters in human illusion came from. (Tho they werent all reverse werewolves like in that show) It was weird cos i knew this character was meant to be a child but they looked like five ripped teenagers smooshed together? Cos i havent seen that show in ages and couldnt even remember the protagonist's name. (Was someone called Hide or is that a guy from tokyo ghoul? I think they had the outfit of the tokyo ghoul guy.) And then predictably the evil priest dad was cornello from full metal alchemist mixed with my old doctor who had the same name. But less predictably the redeemed villain holy paladin knight guy was replica riku from kingdom hearts?? Ans specifically his medal from the app game, like he came with a floating medal attatched to his waist like a mermaid who was also a coffee table.

Also it just ended with a floating box of hair dye that turned to face the camera and it was actually coffee in a hair dye package. Like an exact replica of the blonding bleach i usually use, right down to every detail, but all the text was replaced with coffee info. I..i dont know what that has to do with anything else that just happened...

Oh also i think maybe one of the other teammates was a big cuddly 50-something circus ringleader type guy? He was the friendly comic relief but actually deep downn the most tormented of all of them. He'd been imprisoned as a circus attraction for most of his entire life and dressing up like a ringleader now he was free was kinda a way of coping? But yeh i think he bonded well with the kid cos they both didnt have much experience with being free and everything seemed new and scary. This guy also didnt have much experience of monster society either cos he'd been enslaved since he was a child. Man this anime sounds so fuckin intense and dark and emotional but also full of powerful friendship!! Why cant i watch any more episodes!! give me a sequel dream!!

[friskarm]

on episode 1, i guess

Well, that’s gay.

Well, the year is nearly over, and Sunshine Season 2 is finally here. Can you believe it’s been two and a half years since Sunshine was announced?

For those of you who don’t recognise me, I used to go by @mikimikimii​ but there’s a change of username. It’s still Miki, don’t worry! Last season I recapped some Sunshine episodes outlining the good, the bad, and the gay. I’d like to do the same here!

Episode 1 leaves me with mixed expectations - our production budget has seen even more of an increase, and the backgrounds look genuinely beautiful this time around. We’ve got KanaMari, ChikaRiko, and par for the course of Love Live, angst.

Let’s get into it.

I told you it was pretty!

The episode starts with Chika reflecting on what exactly it is that makes people shine - note that, as per last season’s decision, this is no longer about following Muse, which is such a good decision. A lot of issue I took with last season stemmed from the fact that the show could not let go of Muse. I have enough trouble with that myself, thanks :v.

A paper plane flies around this very pretty light source, and eventually towards it, whilst Chika tries to chase after it and falls into nothingness. I really have no idea what the paper plane’s significance is - that their world is fragile? I...don’t know.

Regardless, this scene builds up some of the feeling the rest of the episode tries to capitalise on - the feeling of being just short of reaching your goal.

And the meme queen herself decides to break the 4th wall, because why not.

Chika realises that she’s late for school as she wakes up from her oh-so-symbolic dream, and walks in to have Mari declare to the entirety of the school that she’s late. Which is only like, 30 people maximum, but still. 

Interesting word choice, here. Too late are words that become meaningful as the episode goes on, but here, Mari delivers them cheerfully. Unintentional (likely) or foreshadowing (unlikely)? Who knows.

Oh, and in an almost forgettable fashion, we find out that yes, Aqours really didn’t make it past prelims. None of them seem all too upset about it, though - after all, they went there to have fun. In Chika’s words, to shine. So no harm done.

The next Love Live is announced, and of course, we have an extended sequence where everyone waits for Chika to say that yes, we’re going to enter Love Live again. Chika harks back to their pivotal decision back in Season One - they want to shine as themselves.

On another note, why is Love Live twice a year? I know this was a problem back in Muse days, but like. Seriously. This seems like an annual event, not...biannual. The plot demands what it demands, I suppose.

Some pointless fun facts:

There are 12 first years.

There are 24 second years.

There are 36 third years.

That makes for a total of 72 students, presuming no absences.

That is a very tiny school.

The opening sequence isn’t super memorable, honestly. I did like that it was a lot more dynamic that in previous seasons, but that can just be attributed to the the ramped up production budget.

Good god, this show is pretty.

We continue with Aqours practising on the roof, whilst Chika stares wordlessly at a poster of the upcoming open house, where Aqours intends to perform to incite new members to join. This is a leftover plot thread from last season, and as much as I hate that this is a repeated plot thread from the original Love Live series, it isn’t entirely out of left field - as seen before, this is a Very Tiny School.

Please don’t break her, Kanan.

Dia is the one to propose performing, whilst everyone else is thinking about the next Love Live. Dia’s way of thinking here is a very, very necessary thing here. I have no doubt the rest of Aqours would get stuck daydreaming about things far in the future instead of focussing on the now. God bless Dia Kurosawa.

However, the show quickly brings out the angst, as Mari gets a mysterious phonecall, and she does not look happy about it. Usually the center of Aqour’s shenanigans, this time she’s a little removed. It’s a different side of Mari, and one that I really hoped we’d get to see, based on the very first Aqours PV. Back then, Mari was portrayed to be a bit of a loner in the crowd, and that’d be a really interesting trait to see get developed here.

i feel u yohane i hate it when my parents try to talk to my online friends

One thing I do really like is getting to see more Aqours parents! We got to see a ton through the course of the original Love Live series, and it’s been a bit odd that we only got to meet Chika’s mother very briefly in the original series. It does a lot to humanise the girls to see them in their own habitats, with their families. Yohane in particular, considering her vivid online life.

This entire scene is a little weird - we get some fun development with Yoshiko from Riko’s interaction with her parents, but other than that there’s nothing new. Aside from Kanan being the only one to notice Mari is standing angstily at the end of the little pier. Are the other seven members of Aqours blind? Come on guys :v.

I suppose you could argue it’s because of how divided into year groups Aqours currently are, but Dia certainly should have noticed.

Apparently the right way to shine is to leap off a pier in your uniform.

Chika monologues a bit about what performing at the prelims taught her - what it means to shine. Then, in a callback to the previous season, we get Chika running off the pier at full speed with a rotating camera, Susume Tomorrow-style, to boot.

However, this scene doesn’t really...work. It doesn’t fit in with the rest of the mood of the episode, or Chika and Riko’s next conversation.

Afterwards, Riko catches her just barely, in a throwback to when Chika thought Riko was about to jump, back in Season 1 Episode 1. Nowadays, Riko has found what she needs - Chika - and this time it’s Chika who’s searching for something.

I’d like to point out Mari’s body positioning here - hunched in on herself, vulnerable, which leads up to what’s coming, as Mari puts down the phone and once again, sees the light flashing on the pier.

I didn’t like the use of the light on the pier, honestly - back when it was used in Season 1, it was a painful yet heartwarming memory of their childhood, used in an attempt to rekindle their romance friendship. Here, there is no meaning other than “I need to talk to you”, which could just as easily be communicated via text. They have each other’s numbers. The light on the pier means something a little different, I think. It’s a waste to burn out the impact a scene like this could have had if placed later in the season, during an emotional high.

Kanan, in a stellar turnaround from last season, cuts the bullcrap.

Kanan confronts Mari about what’s been upsetting her - and if Mari’s determined to stand on the end of piers and be angsty, so be it, says Kanan, we’ll talk here.

This is by far the funniest thing to ever emerge from Mari Ohara’s mouth. The only way this could be funnier is if she said it in Japanese instead of English.

Mari continues to be evasive, trying at first to pretend there isn’t a problem, then deflecting with a weight comment.

Seems like you lost a shoe there, Mari.

Which leads us to this, which I imagine makes any KanaMari shipper very happy, just in case you had any doubt about which ship was going to be teased more than anything else. This is excuse to disprove Mari’s lie about gaining weight, which implies that Kanan bridal carries Mari enough to know there’s a difference or not in how much she weighs. That’s gay, my friends.

However, despite the fade-away shot as Mari cries into Kanan’s arms, things still feel rushed. Kanan barely has time to say Mari’s name before the scene cuts away, diminishing the impact of this scene even further, which is a shame.

We cut to the girls in their club room, where the third years vanish without a word. Kanan points out that Dia should know what’s going on, because yes, yet again, Dia has been left out of something very important concerning her supposed two best friends.

Something I really hope this seasons fixes is the disconnect between Dia and her peers - she was the only one to remain at Uranohoshi, whilst Mari studied abroad and Kanan took time off of school to help out with her dad’s shop. It must have been very lonely, and the show has yet to account for this. Currently, though, the prospects don’t look fantastic.

And finally, after thirteen minutes of dancing around the issue, the truth comes out: the open day will be cancelled, and the school will be closed. No second chances.

The way the show presents this isn’t great - it’s not immediately apparent that the lack of open day means the school is closing for good, and it wasn’t until Mari said herself that they would no longer be accepting new students that I understood why everyone was so upset.

And then, sort of subtly, Mari drops the not-bomb that is actually the focus theme of this episode: having fun, and trying to shine in your own way, is not enough to save the school.

It’s an unfair thought, really - the task may have been impossible from the start. Muse had the advantage of being in a location where there were already lots of students. Aqours does not. Regardless, the issue stands: they were not enough, and they did not achieve their secondary goals. Because, remember, their big goal was to shine in their own way, to have fun.

But that doesn’t feel so good now, because you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Muse centered on one purpose in the first season - saving the school, nothing else. It wasn’t until their second season where they realised - “Hey, we don’t actually have a reason to exist anymore. Let’s just be idols for ourselves - for fun.”

It’s very weird that the show is framing this as a failure, because by the nature of how the first season turned out, they weren’t trying to win. They weren’t trying to save the school by being the best. They just wanted to be idols, in their own way.

This whole theme of the episode feels almost off, because I want to say, well, what did you expect?

Here, we’re told that Mari has been working super hard behind the scenes to try to save the school. Which is great! I love knowing that Mari is very hardworking behind closed doors. The problem? We never, ever see any of that. Eli we knew was hardworking because we saw her constantly trying to plead with Principal Minami to take action. We saw her write speeches, we saw her constantly doing things. Mari we haven’t seen doing anything like this. It’s a bad of telling, not showing, and whilst it doesn’t feel dishonest to how Mari could be, I can’t bring myself to truly believe it, either.

Then, Chika goes home, and sees all the paper cranes that her classmates had made for Aqours for the prelims. And so it sinks in further: what they did wasn’t enough.

Riko continues to be inexplicably hilarious. That’s such a mood.

Chika and Riko talk again on the beach, whilst Chika mopes.

Something nice I’d like to point out is the reenforcement of the beach as Chika and Riko’s place. It’s where they have their important talks, where they can find each other in need, and where they met. Similarly, the end of the pier also holds meaning for Kanan and Mari. It reallys adds to the depth of the relationship between these characters. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear them refer to it as “our place”.

Riko rehashes their goal from last season to Chika - and Chika rejects it, completely. Riko acts goofy, to cheer Chika up. It’s very sweet - “You’re smiling again.”

But it’s not enough - Chika goes home and she’s still upset. Because, they weren’t enough. They didn’t save the school, and it’s over.

And then, after moping on her bed, Chika runs to the school, and yells her heart out. And the rest of Aqours is there, too. There was a scene like this in the original anime, too - “I guess we were all on the same wavelength.”

It feels odd here, I will admit, but Chika finds everyone waiting for her, as if to say, the answer was obvious to everyone but you.

I will admit, the music here got me pumped up.

But Chika’s right - they haven’t really done anything yet. Sure, they got to prelims, but not past it - there’s no need to give up when they have time and a goal to strive for.

Let’s strive for a miracle!

And so, Aqours reaffirm their goal: to struggle as hard as they can to save their school, no matter what. To strive for a miracle. Zero to One isn’t enough.

Well, that’s that.

I won’t go over the ED because it’s like, 7:30am and I still haven’t slept.

Overall, though, mixed feelings. The anime is certainly even prettier than last season, but I feel like it wasted itself showing a few too many of its cards. However, it’s only the first episode, so things can only get better.

I would really, really love to see some more focus put onto the Kurosawa sisters this sister. Ruby got shafted in her focus episode when Hanamaru usurped her as the true star, and Dia has been shunted out of the spotlight time and time again. I’d also really like to see some interaction in between the year groups, too.

Well, thanks for reading!! I hopefully will do more of these, at best one for each episode, at worst only for the ones about which I have a Lot to say.

Let’s all have a gay time, now.

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