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bigskydreaming · 2 months

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Imagine looking at a character whose entire premise is that in every stage of his life, he's made every version of himself into someone that inspires people to such a degree that EVERY SINGLE VERSION OF HIM has people wanting to literally follow in his footsteps in some way or another.....

And coming to the conclusion that like.....the most important things about him are the sum of all his trappings. His entirely homemade developed from scratch could not exist if not for what he already was and brought with him BEFORE crafting this newest version of himself trappings, with his greatest trait throughout all of it being his adaptability; his ability and willingness to roll with the punches and not try to simply weather any opposition or changes to his life but instead reshape himself as needed to better fit INTO whatever new shape his life and the world around him takes. All while managing to carry the most innate, fundamental and necessary aspects of himself from one version to the next. Thus every single version of himself is different but simultaneously every single version of himself is also undeniably the same person.

The strength of this character, to me, will always be that he can be so many versions of himself, he can become so many things, all without ever actually losing or discarding any of the aspects of himself he considers most essential, the things he's not willing to lose or give up just to keep going. Finding that road not taken by most, usually because most never even think to look for it as an option. But one that he's always able to find because the one trick he's mastered in his tumultuous life is threading that needle of not just digging in his heels in an unproductive way but rather being selective about when and where he makes a stand and decides "this is not a thing I'm willing to compromise about" but here are places and ways I can and will change and evolve and adapt in order to make it possible for me to hold onto these parts and keep them as they are.

And that's why its always so mind-boggling to me that so many writers can't seem to think of anything else to do with Dick Grayson other than invent some new reason for him to just....not be that person, or to like just take the character whose most basic fundamental trait he's NOT about to compromise on is willingly giving up his spot in the driver's seat of his own life.....and make him just a passenger in his own life and stories.

Dick Grayson at age nine....at age nineteen...at age twenty nine....the one core thread running through all versions of him is the only way he's standing back and letting you call the shots for him or putting him on the sidelines in some way is over his dead body.

HOW he goes about that, what that looks like, who he becomes and what aspects of himself he plays up at some times and what traits he lets fall by the wayside at other times when they offer less in service to his primary goal here....that changes constantly. He changes constantly.

But those changes are almost always (or at least they used to be/should be IN MY OPINION) made with the intention of keeping certain things about him or his life as consistent as possible.

That's the duality of Dick Grayson that I'm here for. The inherent contradiction of him that COULD allow for endless conflict and breaking new narrative ground in all sorts of ways if mined properly:

His eternal willingness to compromise....but only ever in pursuit of doubling down on the ways he's not willing to compromise.

Forever walking that tightrope in ways that only a kid born and raised in a circus could ever hope to.

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michaels-reality · 5 months

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Diversity talk around Dungeon meshi makes me feel insane because all that was done is drawing normal looking white people. I can count the people of color on one hand and most of them are ambiguously brown, and on the other hand I can count the fat characters and most of them are specific fantasy races.

Ryoko Kui has a remarkable art style and everyone is drawn with love and I really admire it, but I feel like it shouldn't be the pinnacle of diversity for some of you. Falin isn't fat, she's just a big normal looking lady. Laios also isn't fat, he just has a regular looking muscular build without the dehydration six pack. The fat characters we do see are dwarves and orcs, which seem to make it look like the only way you can be fat is to a specific fantasy race. That may sound like a reach and may actually be a reach, but it is a little sus to me </3.

Characters like leed, namari, and senshi mean a lot to me but I wish we saw more fat humans or elves or etc. I know Ryoko Kui does explore more body types for different races in the art books but I'm a little disappointed it wasn't in the actual manga.

Not to mention the lack of black people 😭 Like I'm usually not expecting to see black people in anime and manga, I know that I can't always be asking all that from this kind of stuff, but seeing Kui actually draw black people in some of her studies in the art books and not seeing them present in the manga made me a little sad 😭. Like the brown characters we do have are KiKi, KaKa, Thistle, Kabru, and Cithis (plus a few extras that show up for like 2 seconds). Most of them are ambiguous, talking about the elves. Like we have brown elves but also we have pitch black elves, that makes me think they are only brown cus they are dark elves.

People like to argue like "Oh but it's fantasy and these are fantasy races so what do you expect?" but I think there is something to be said how it's always white people in these fantasy settings and brown and black people taking a backseat. I love dungeon meshi, I really do, but it is in no way revolutionary, it is just the standard.

IN MY OPINION ANYWAYS!

#blah blah ramblings #dunmeshi #also when i say people of color im not talking about characters from the eastern region #they are people of color but it is the norm for a japanese author of a japanese manga to write characters based of their japanese culture #so that doesnt really apply here </3 #i really love how ryoko kui adds elements of japanese culture all through out the story and characters though #its really good

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corntired · 2 months

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Fanfiction is so goated actually

No monetary incentive, just writing in one's free time. Some incentive for like kudos and comments, because who doesn't want to hear that someone else enjoyed what they wrote. Just writing a story that is good and/or enjoyable, no real-life pressure to keep it going because god forbid you and other people are depending on it financially.

Writing a story because you want to write a good story, so you can write what they want the way you want, at a pace that is realistic for you, with exactly the plot pacing you want there to be.

#c*rny posts #thinking about this after the my h*ro academia leaks lmao #i have read barely a few chapters of the manga and then kept up with it through tumblr osmosis #i was interested in how its gonna end #and after reading the leaks i was like 'well its up to the fanfic writers to write a good ending now'#cause. it was kind of underwhelming. like some stuff made sense and some things were just done badly #which is realistic considering h*rikoshi is apparently burned out to hell #and i was thinking. man. if i had to write AND illustrate a story for like ten years straight. because its my bread and butter #and there are other people depending on the story doing well to make money #it would 100% get to me. i would rather end it all lmao #which is why i think fanfic is so great #just writing a story that you want. that makes sense to you. that has elements you want. that is exactly as long as you want.#and there isnt even a possibility of really monetizing it so there is no drive to make is 'succeed' or make it as long as possible #this could be applied to just writing a 'regular' story also that is not intended for publishing #also kinda makes me think about h*ikyuu #i kinda do feel the timeskip and the ending were a bit rushed #but like. if it was me. i would have rushed it too lmao #after so many years of working on one thing and one thing only i would have been so done. just so done #and h*ikyuu ending to me wasnt even bad. it was good with good resolution of everything. with characters evolving and achieving their dreams #not necessarily volleyball related (like tenma)#the progress made realistic sense #but it did feel a bit rushed #anyway #fanfic and writing for yourself is great #and manga authors face way too much pressure from people dependent on them. from fans. even from society in general

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vynnyal · 2 months

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This is a pretty good point in the wip to share this, methinks :]

Map part for the hole dwelling map, starring... Not my ocs! I wanted to use ocs, but I don't have any-- so I just used the characters from a fic I was reading at the time 😂

Turns out, the symbolism was so much fun to twist into the 11 seconds I had to work with, I ended up going way more complex than I meant to. If you wanna read the fic this was based on, please do!! And tell the author I said hi! :D

#Hole dwelling map #animation #video #art #Wip #rain world #Artificer #five pebbles #I ofc got the go-ahead from the author on disc. They really enjoyed it yaaay #Fun fact btw- the author is a better artist than I am but doesn't share their art 😭😭😭 I had to personally request to see it #Mood tho #As for the story: it good. me likey. mucho gusto. Basically its a parallel story #So half the story is the distant past and the other half is the distant future. It starts with them being totally disconnected #But by this point- chapter 14 I think?- it's like OOOOH SHIT IT MAKES SENSE NOW #It's personally one of my fav fics and I'm glad I found it :> fr up there with 'taking life as is'#and the other top fic about pebbles getting anxiety attacks over Talking To People /pos #I wasn't kidding about using these characters purely because I was reading the fic when I signed up for the map. My thought process was:#Hey wouldn't it be funny if I just made an entire map part about this random thing? And I was right. It was #OH before I forget. I forgot I left a ref image of the Creature™ in the first shot- that's the authors art :] I'll animate it later #Sure enough I put this in my drafts for like a week lmfao. There's some missing elements and it's scuffed and it's a WIP LOL

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puppyeared · 4 months

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i feel like im not making any sense but does anyone else feel like there are stories that let u run with them and ones that spell everything out for you

#im reading that post that says artists are directors of audience reaction and not its dictator:#'you cannot guarantee that everyone viewing your work will react as you are trying t make them react. a good artist knows that this is what #allows work to breath. by definition you cannot have art where the viewer brings nothing to the table ... this is why you have to let go of #the urge to plainly state in text exactly how you think the work should be interpreted ... its better to be misinterpreted sometimes than #to talk down to your audience. you wont even gain any control that way; people will still develop their opinions no matter what you do #im thinking abt this again cuz i was thinking maybe the thing that lets adventure time work so well the way it does is cuz it doesnt #take itself too seriously that it gives the audience enough room to fuck with subtext and then fuck with them back yknow. i think it was #mentioned somewhere that they werent even planning to run with the postapocalyptic elements that are hinted in the show but changed their #mind after the one off with the frozen businessmen and dominoed into marcy and simons backstory. on the other side there are stories that #explain too much to let the story speak for itself and i think it ends up having to do more with the crew trying to lead ppl in a certain #direction than expand on what they have and i see a lot of this with miraculous. like when interviews and tweets are used as word of god in #arguments and it becomes a little stifling to play around with it knowing the creator can just interject. u can say its the crews effort to #engage with its audience but it feels more like micromanaging. and none of this is to say there ISNT room for stories that spell things out #theyre just suited for different things. if sesame street tried abstract approaches to themes and nuance itd be counterproductive #a lot of things fly over my head so i need help picking things apart to get it- but it doesnt have to be from the story itself. ive picked #picked up or built on my own interpretations listening to other ppl share their thoughts which creates conversation around the same thing #sometimes stories will spell things out for you without being so obvious abt it that it feels like its woven into the text. my fav example #for this might be ATLA using younger characters as its main cast but instead of feeling like its dumbed down for kids to understand why war #is bad its framed from a childs point of view so younger audiences can pick up on it by relating to the characters. maybe an 8 year old #wont get how geopolitics works but at least they get 'hey the world is a little more complicated than everyone vs. fire nation'. same for #steven universe bc its like theyre trying to describe and put feelings into words that kids might not have so they have smth to start with #especially with the metaphors around relationships bc even if it looks unfamiliar as a kid now maybe the hope is for it to be smth you can #look back to. thats why it feels like these shows grew up with me.. instead of saving difficult topics for 'when im ready for it'#as if its preparing me for high school it gave me smth to turn in my hands and revisit again and again as i grow. stories that never #treated u as dumb all along. just someone who could learn and come back to it as many times as u need to. i loved SU for the longest time #but i felt guilty for enjoying it hearing the way ppl bash it. bc i was a kid and thought other ppl understood it better than me and made #feel bad for leaning into the message of paying forward kindness and not questioning why steven didnt punish the diamonds or hold them #accountable. but im rewatching it now and going oh. i still love this show and what it was trying to teach me #yapping #diary

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rustchild · 9 months

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one of the wild things about people’s stubborn insistence on misunderstanding The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas is that the narrator anticipates an audience that won’t engage with the text, just in the opposite direction. Throughout the story are little asides asking what the reader is willing to believe in. Can you believe in a utopia? What if I told you this? What about this? Can you believe in the festivals? The towers by the sea? Can we believe that they have no king? Can we believe that they are joyful? Does your utopia have technology, luxury, sex, temples, drugs? The story is consulting you as it’s being told, framed as a dialogue. It literally asks you directly: do you only believe joy is possible with suffering? And, implicitly, why?

the question isn’t just “what would you personally do about the kid.” It isn’t just an intricate trolley problem. It’s an interrogation of the limits of imagination. How do we make suffering compulsory? Why? What futures (or pasts) are we capable of imagining? How do we rationalize suffering as necessary? And so on. In all of the conversations I’ve seen or had about this story, no one has mentioned the fact that it’s actively breaking the fourth wall. The narrator is building a world in front of your eyes and challenging you to participate. “I would free the kid” and then what? What does the Omelas you’ve constructed look like, and why? And what does that say about the worlds you’re building in real life?

#ursula k le guin #omelas #There are so many ideas in this story that simply do not get engaged with!#I’ve heard it argued that a central element of anarchism #as a political philosophy #is the expansion of the imagination: what is truly possible if we forget the structures we are raised in?#if we forget what we have been told is or is not possible?#le guin wasn’t an anarchist but her work is heavily inspired by anarchist thought #Also the idea that the compassion of citizens of omelas is possible only because they are able to see themselves in relation and contrast t #the kid #very interesting stuff there #arguably a searing critique of moderate liberals #who feel compassion from on high but rationalize the ways in which those who suffer cosmically deserve it #in order to maintain structures of suffering #This short story is breaking the fourth wall Constantly to grab you by the collar and ask #what do you think is possible in the world and what do you think is good and what do you think is necessary #If you want to free the kid then what! What does that mean!#ALSO if omelas is a place being constructed as an idea #are the ones who walk away meant to be literally deserting a place #or are they rejecting an idea #hmmm much to think about

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sleeplesssmoll · 5 months

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Schneider returns as a Carbuncle.

This is the first chapter of the Schneider Caruncle fic I've been screwing around with. The whole thing may never make it online, but I can share this bit (until I get embarrassed and delete it).

The story is called Tarocco.

Orange orchards.

Doves in flight.

Bullets and bloodstains.

Her thoughts shifted into abstraction before she could collect them. The river of time flowed steadily and she drifted on its current along with trickles of Dust. How long has she been here? Perhaps she's always been here. It didn't matter since she will never know the answer.

Or so she thought.

A two-dimensional line appeared before her, beckoning her to grab hold. Someone's calling her. She grasped the line and it reeled her out of the currents of time. Dust convened around her, giving her spirit a physical body but it wasn't enough. She needs more before she reaches her destination wherever that might be–

Crimson eyes opened to the sight of a golden spinning wheel. The currents of time were neither cold nor wet as they receded away from her.

“The wheel summoned a Carbuncle?” A voice asked from behind her.

She sprung onto all fours–

Fours. That didn't sound right. She looked down at her chocolate colored paws and then behind her at a ridiculously fluffy tail.

She can't fight like this! She's no bigger than a kitten! How did this happen? She glared at two young women observing her. One's wearing a ridiculous top hat concealing her face. The other had a head of fiery long hair.

“Shall I take care of it, Timekeeper?” The redhead raised her wand. Green eyes honed in on the furball in front of her like a hound on a rabbit.

The Carbuncle extended her claws in response and bared her fangs. She won't go down with a fight against this! This! Old woman!

“That won't be necessary, Sonetto. The wheel must have brought her here for a reason.”

Her words failed to allay the Carbuncle’s hostility. She's been in this situation before. She can't remember when or how, but the feeling of being cornered felt at home in her anxious body.

She's going to slash that stupid hat into ribbons and scratch out her target's eyes the moment she gets closer. If she's lucky, the bodyguard will be too busy helping her friend to chase her while she makes her escape.

Top Hat crouched down on one knee like a prince about to propose. “Hello, my name is Vertin and this is my assistant Sonetto. We're not going to hurt you.” Sonetto nodded but her gaze didn't soften in the slightest. She tensed as Vertin lowered herself within the bristling Critter's reach. Sonetto's free hand gripped the back of Vertin's jacket, ready to yank her away at a moment's notice. What a protective little dog this “Vertin” has.

A memory laced in gold and coated in slime pricked at the back of the Carbuncle's mind but it refused to surface. She's too focused on the opening before her to dwell on them. She approached Vertin cautiously.

The gullible fool extended her hand. “Can you understand us? Nod your head if you can.”

The Carbuncle resisted rolling her eyes. What next, roll over? Play dead? She nodded and nudged the offered hand with her head. Feather light fingertips scratched under her chin in a way that was loathsomely comforting. Stick to the plan. Be strong. She's not a pet! Ugh, this form is messing with her mind and Vertin finding the sweet spot behind her ears wasn't helping her focus. A genuine purr escaped her throat against her will.

“See, Sonetto? She's friendly. We should bring her back with us.”

That snapped her out of her trance.

The Carbuncle locked eyes with her prey, finally able to see past the brim of her hat–

Hair like threaded silver. Tempestuous gray eyes rivaled storm clouds. A sweet splattering of freckles across her nose.

Oh no, she's gorgeous.

Vertin gave a small smile when the Carbuncle nuzzled her hand. “Would you like to come home with me?”

An echo of a memory played in her mind.

“What if I say, I can provide you with shelter?”

The Carbuncle pushed herself into Vertin's arms. Shelter. This person will protect her. She can feel it.

The scent of rain. A red umbrella. A stolen kiss.

Vertin scooped her up and held her against her chest. “I'll take that as a yes. You'll be safe with us while we figure out why you're here.”

The rhythm of Vertin's heart stirred something in the Carbuncle.

“Don't forget my heartbeat on the right.”

The memories slipped away as quietly as it came when Vertin pressed her face into her fluff. An interesting decision for someone she just met. Not that she was complaining.

“She's so soft! Sonetto, you need to feel this.”

Now she's complaining. She hissed as the other girl neared.

Sonetto yanked her hand back. “It appears she only likes you.”

“She'll warm up to you, right?” Vertin said, removing the fluff from her face. “Let's head back with the others and introduce our newest member.”

The introductions to the other members were anticlimactic. It seems as though a Red-Eyed Carbuncle isn't the strangest thing Vertin's brought home.

Vertin gave her a grand tour of her land. Apparently the entire space around them existed in her Suitcase and she provided shelter for her crew of arcanists. She gave them sanctuary like a benevolent lord over their people.

And now Vertin is her lord too.

“And this tower collects Dust,” Vertin explained. The Carbuncle perked up. Maybe if she gathers more Dust she can take on a more useful form! Seeing her excitement, Vertin shifted her in her arms to give her a better view. She knew she was supposed to be admiring the tower but now she's so close to her lord's face.

What a view indeed. Her eyelashes are so long. They reminded her of feathers when she blinked.

“A growing Carbuncle needs their fair share of Dust. I'll make sure you get get your fill.” Ah, what a generous lord. When was the last time someone took care of her? Memories of dollar bills and black coats spilled into her head.

Eleven older sisters. A stressed mother. An unanswered prayer.

She provided for all of them. Does that same family float amongst the currents of time like she did? Her ears flattened against her head as she struggled to put names to blurry faces.

Vertin stroked her head. “Are you alright?”

She isn't.

But she's better off with Vertin for the time being. She'll gather as much Dust as she can until she can find herself again. She purred to assure her keeper that she's fine.

Her lord didn't look convinced. “Maybe Mr. Apple can make a translator for you. He told me stories about a puppy he made one for in the past.”

“Vertin, are you still playing with that Dust bunny?” Regulus shouted from the direction of the main building. The self proclaimed rock pirate raised her shades. Amber eyes settled on the duo. “C'mere and crack open a Dr. Papper with me! It's a new flavor.”

“Ok, but let me show her the orchard first. Last thing, I promise,” Vertin answered. “She's one of us now so she needs the whole tour.”

“She?” Regulus balked. “How can you tell that's a little lady in your arms?”

Vertin looked down at the Carbuncle who met her eyes, just as curious. “I don’t know. It felt right.” She lowered her voice like a guilty child. “Did I get it right or…” The Carbuncle licked her cheek and extinguished her doubts. It's the closest thing to a kiss she can give. “Regulus, did you see that?” Vertin scratched behind her ears again. “I was right. You're such a good girl.”

Tingles ran down her spine. Perhaps life as a Carbuncle isn't so bad.

The burnette shook her head. “Yep, after seeing that I'm convinced that's another girly alright.”

“What do you mean?”

Regulus smirked without elaborating. “Don't keep me waiting too long!” She vanished inside before Vertin could respond.

Vertin tightened her grip on the Carbuncle. “One last stop.”

The orchard had a few different trees. A peach tree, an apple tree, a plum tree. However, near the back was an orange tree.

It smelled like home.

“Do you like this one? It's my favorite too. Tarocco blood oranges. They're supposed to be the sweetest oranges in Sicily.” She walked over to the tree and placed her palm against it with a somber shadow in her eyes. “Sotheby and Druvis made this orchard possible. The trees will bear fruit if we give them a special potion.” She glanced back at her fuzzy friend nestled in her arm. “Although, I'm not sure if you can eat these.”

The Carbuncle would have gasped if she could. She mewled and caressed Vertin's cheek with her own. Simply being near the tree brought her images of a grand orchard. Her…uncle's?

The branches were so high and her hands were so small. An older sister helped her pick the ones out of reach. Another helped her carry the overflowing basket.

The more she struggled the more formless the memories became.

This must be a sign that she is exactly where she is meant to be. Dust, shelter, and bridges to old memories. Vertin was right, she must be here for a reason.

“Are you trying to persuade me by acting sweet?” She received another mewl in response as well as another Carbuncle kiss on her jaw. It worked. “Alright, alright. I'll let you try a tiny bit. If all goes well, you can have more.” She made her way back to the main building. “I never asked your name. Do you have one?”

Probably. But she doesn't remember. She shook her head.

“Is it alright if I give you one for the time being?”

She nodded. Her lord could call her Fuzzball or Pochi for all she cares. As long as Vertin holds her like this, she can be anything. “Tarocco, because you're so sweet.”

It's sappy. Lame. Almost embarrassing.

And it made Tarocco melt in her arms.

#reverse 1999 #reverse 1999 fanfic #good god it has escaped onto Tumblr #vertin #sonetto #schneider #i usually try to follow elements of the main story #this is the first time i've introduced new concepts into a pre-existing world #but Schneider doesn’t exist in that one so i tried

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