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bimboficationblues · 1 year

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One Piece in Review, Part 1: Break of Romance Dawn! (Ch. 1-41)

Welcome to my One Piece reread review! In each part I’m gonna take a close look at each arc of the manga, what works, what doesn’t, how it relates to the work as a “whole" (such as it is).

First up: Romance Dawn [chapters 1-7], followed by two story arcs which I think follow enough of a similar pattern that they can all be understood as a unit: Orange Town [chapters 8-21] and Syrup Village [chapters 22-41]. Where the grand adventure begins! These make up the first half of the "East Blue" saga, a series of arcs that all take place in the "East Blue" sea.

The first three arcs of One Piece follow a very simple formula: our protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is in need of members for his pirate crew and a ship. This is part of his ambition to become "King of the Pirates," which requires finding the treasure of previous Pirate King Gold Roger. He shows up in a small village or town, often by contrivance, and confronts a local villain who is menacing the locals in one form or another: an authoritarian Marine captain, a ransacking materialistic clown pirate, and a scheming ex-pirate trying to pull off one last job, respectively. Luffy gets involved not out of a desire to be heroic, but usually out of self-interest (such as acquiring a ship or a map of his destination) or to help an interpersonal connection he's made in the area. Along the way he meets an oddball with some special talent or skill who he invites to join his crew, and they eventually agree to join in pursuit of their own personal dream. In this series of arcs, he recruits powerful and stoic swordsman Roronoa Zoro, kleptomaniac and pirate-hating navigator Nami, and inventive but cowardly sharpshooter Usopp.

@canmom recently read through this segment of the story and posted what I think is an insightful perspective about the series’ beginnings, from the viewpoint of someone approaching the series for (approximately) the first time in its twenty-six year history. Her perspective is, I think it's fair to say, a little mixed, both because of the art style's notoriously divisive quality as well as the tone and content of this first part of the story.

These first three arcs kind of wear author Eiichiro Oda’s influences on their sleeve both narratively and visually, especially that of Akira Toriyama's Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball. I also think that some of the concepts are probably inspired (directly or not) by series like JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Outlaw Star, such as the "Devil Fruit" (which resemble JJBA's Stands as a way to give characters unique and wacky powers, though simpler than Stands in general). The linework for characters is generally rounder and softer in shape, a little "cartoony," and it's not always consistent. There's a lot of visual gags, puns, and big reaction faces, though mercifully few lame sex jokes relative to the early portions of Dragon Ball. The strongest visual moments are in the action sequences and spreads (see below).

Similar to Dragon Ball, One Piece draws a lot on folk tales, fables, mythology, and fantasy literature, sometimes subtly and sometimes not so much (as is the case with the introduction of Usopp, a character who is initially both a variant on Pinocchio and the Boy Who Cried Wolf). And yet, Dragon Ball doesn’t really confront the grimmer sides of its story and world until fairly late into the “non-Z” portion. Within the first chapter of One Piece: a child cuts his face open with a large knife to prove his courage, a bandit gets shot in the head by a pirate, and another man has his arm torn off by a sea monster. (All of these are obfuscated in some way in the Toei anime.) None of this gets an especially graphic treatment visually, but combined with the apparent silliness of the power system and visual design, plus some of the more interesting setting details, it definitely establishes that this is a world full of both awe-inspiring wonder AND genuine danger.

And, unlike something like Dragon Ball or JoJo's where a lot of the writing is (self-admittedly) done by the seat of the author's pants, there's definitely a real effort to maintain something like a consistent world-logic - which isn't to say Oda doesn't sometimes abruptly change course. But concepts like the "Grand Line" or the Devil Fruit surface repeatedly, baiting readers to follow and learn more if they keep coming back. Below, Chapter 8 (an early mention of the Grand Line) and Chapter 22 (where it's actually explained in detail):

The settings and backgrounds of these early arcs tend to be sparse, minimal, and rustic: small houses, quiet taverns, little rickety boats, and tamed greenery. This, too, is a tradeoff. On the one hand, it effectively communicates how small this part of the world is, and on re-read this makes these early islands really stand out compared to the kinds of weird or grandiose places that the Straw Hat Pirates will visit later in the manga. It paints a picture of small communities and everyday people trying to eke out a stable existence on the periphery of the world, threatened by a mix of local crime and corrupt authority, which in turn point towards the existence of much larger forces.

On the other hand, those first forty chapters can feel a little drab because of this somewhat underwhelming aesthetic. Once the series starts to really hit its stride in the following saga, I think this is much less of a problem. And, just to defend the thing I just critiqued, @opbackgrounds has a cool write-up noting the differences between the architecture in the different villages, so although the settings aren't the most thrilling, their designs do still communicate distinct class and cultural differences, like Orange Town's obviously greater wealth communicated below, which corresponds to its success as a port town:

This same limitation of scope extends into the main conflicts. They skew small, with relatively minor pirate crews menacing the small towns that I described above. Unlike the antagonists of the "Paradise" [Ch. 101-597] and "New World" [Ch. 598-ongoing] portions of the story, who are admirals, warlords, emperors, and even a self-proclaimed god-king, the antagonists in these first three arcs are trying to acquire petty personal fiefdoms or fulfill private schemes, or in the case of that clown everyone was upset about a while back, reach *well* outside his grasp. It can feel a little "villain of the week," and in at least two out of four cases, with one edge case, that's an accurate label.

The two villains of Romance Dawn, for instance, are completely outclassed by our protagonists. "Iron Mace" Alvida and "Axe-Hand" Morgan never pose a serious threat to our heroes, they're largely vessels for Luffy and Zoro to display what they can do. They have two other useful qualities, though. First, they immediately set the tone for who the antagonists are generally going to be, a mix of Marines or government authorities, and other pirates with alternative worldviews to Luffy and the crew's. Second, they introduce some of the series' basic themes.

Both Morgan and Alvida rule by fear, with the former in particular demanding complete obedience, and using his rank in the Marines as proof of his own superiority and a means to personally enrich himself. By putting Luffy in conflict with these two, it suggests that the status of "Pirate King" maybe doesn't inherently carry the kind of connotation of superiority and command, or control over wealth, that you might assume. In the first chapter, we've seen Luffy glow with delight at the claim that "pirates have freedom." While the themes are a little embryonic at this point, it's clear from the start what direction the series is going.

In this way, most of the villains are direct foils for Luffy and the crew member being recruited in each arc. For example, Captain Kuro "of a Thousand Plans," the villain of the "Syrup Village" arc, is both a foil for Luffy and Usopp, willing to abandon his crew in pursuit of a quiet, shamed life as an ex-pirate rather than live loudly and proudly, and who relies on deception to advance his goals. Buggy the Clown, the villain of "Orange Town," has a boundless ambition for treasure that parallels both Luffy and Nami's aspirations, but while Luffy sees treasure in the variety of places and things that people value because of their history and connections to important people (like his own straw hat), and Nami's money-lust stems from a complicated history of hurt (which is only foreshadowed in this section), Buggy is simplistic and sadistic, incapable of seeing beyond himself.

A random aside: Buggy is an all-time gag antagonist, and unlike the other three, he will repeatedly resurface throughout the narrative. This is part of the core appeal of One Piece, imo. What seem like villains of the week or background characters often end up coming back, often in new roles. In Buggy's case, while he returns first as a minor villain and later an ally, above all he is essentially the series' longest-running gag: a man who is basically incompetent but keeps failing upwards largely through the misunderstandings of others.

This use of narrative foils to push specific ideas within each arc, which then form a web of interrelated themes throughout the whole saga or series, is a common feature of One Piece antagonists, but they get meatier and gain greater emotional complexity or thematic weight as the story goes on.

You might have noticed I've been quiet about the core cast so far, but now that I've touched on antagonists, it seems appropriate to say some words about them. But also, that's partly intentional because in the early days the information about our protagonists is relayed in a piecemeal way. We get basic backgrounds for Usopp, Luffy, and Zoro, but a better sense of who they are unfolds over time rather than in single chapters or arcs: how they behave with each other, the choices they make, what their personalities are like. This lack of instant information is deliberate on Oda's part. Luffy (after learning that Nami lost someone to pirates) expresses that he understands, but also indicates that he doesn't necessarily need to hear about it. These people aren't connected because they share intimate details of their histories with each other but because they have shared values and aspirations, and they inspire one another to pursue their goals.

The way Luffy is written, for example, leaves open a lot of questions around his familial and early life until they suddenly come roaring back into the story way later. But we do learn a decent amount about him in this arc: he's a bit of a dope and not a great sailor, but he's a strong fighter, he has some sense of honor and bravery but isn't above being underhanded, and despite his lack of intellect he has a fair amount of tactical and emotional intelligence.

While he hasn't quite figured out to be the best possible leader yet, Luffy has a sort of natural charisma by virtue of his sheer unblinking willpower. His dreams and aspirations inspire others around him to pursue their own, seemingly unachievable goals. So far, so shonen. But where he stands out from other shonen heroes is that his goals are so defiant of how the world "should" work - a young kid who can't swim, with the silly power of "stretching," from a backwater village in the "weakest" sea in the One Piece world - that it naturally brings him into conflict with that world's social and political order. It'll be interesting to observe how Luffy develops as a character and a leader as the series continues.

Each of the main cast is, fittingly for pirates, atypically heroic or arguably non-heroic. In spite of their position as protagonists, each one has an idiosyncratic personality, a self-interested goal, and a hoard of vices, and what's more is that these vices often aren't always positioned as things they need to overcome. Zoro is incredibly prideful to the point of putting himself in unnecessary danger, indulgent in alcohol, and easily gets lost. Nami is obsessed with making money and has an especially short fuse. Usopp is easily frightened and falls back on deception as a way to puff himself up.

And yet these are the things that endear the characters to each other, and us to them: Usopp uses lies not just to inflate his own ego but to make others feel better or to distract an enemy at critical moments; Zoro's prideful determination to basically defy all medical wisdom has saved the crew's life multiple times, as early as Orange Town; Nami's knack for stealing makes her a valuable asset under pressure, and her short fuse is because she often has to play the clever and rational member of the group.

I'm gonna decline to comment further on the remaining three characters, because I think while each of them gets time to shine in this section of the story, it'll be better to look at how they take shape in the context of the next string of arcs. Which means, once again, I find myself pointing to the long game as justification for what makes this section of the story work.

I think taken together, these qualities of the early series make it easy to see why One Piece is massively successful AND has something of a mixed reputation among non-readers, or people who pick up the first volume or two and then drop it.

My feelings on this earliest segment of One Piece are a bit mixed, myself. What makes it work for me is viewing it as part of an unfolding process, with the knowledge of what's to come and how the seemingly small and less exciting characters or concepts eventually swell in scope and emotional weight. But some of the emotional moments in this early section land with a bit of a thud for me (I've never been a huge fan of Zoro's backstory for instance), and the conflicts and characterization are hit or miss. But, considering the manga I've read that have stronger starting points but ultimately drown as they continue, there's a compelling case to be made that One Piece is a great example of manga-as-process rather than just a series of parts. It benefits from a long-term, serialized format in a way that not all works actually do.

Overall I'd say Romance Dawn is a little wobbly, while Orange Town and Syrup Village polish up the basic formula before it starts to get more complex in the next few arcs.

Next up, Baratie, Arlong Park, and Loguetown (ch. 42-100)!

#op reread #one piece

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shizuedayo · 1 year

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Random thought:

Thinking about CH 23 and the Pinocchio fairy tale from CH 38-14 made me wonder what would happen if “Seele” gives in to the influence of the puppets 🤔

Like, she gives in, the puppet whispers things that led her to become more… yandere? And with her distorted thinking of hers, she tried to shove Seele to the back of their consciousness to ‘protect’ her, not knowing she actually forced her consciousness to dissipate, which basically killed her

And after Kiana kills HoDom, she’s confronted by the fact that she killed her ^^) ✨

Real fun part is what happens after this.

Would she live in denial similar to what happened in CH38-14?

Or would she just, go in a fit of revenge even if she knows deep inside she’s the one who ultimately made this choice?

How would the others react if they know about what happened? 🤔

#honkai impact #seele vollerei #seele #I swear I love her #It’s just that I really like angst #More ramblings w #sometimes I wonder #what leads me to think of #these kinds of things #but eh #it tickles my brain

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nightmaremp · 6 months

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Weremayhem: Song of Beasts. Ch 15: Break on Through

“Try coming a little sooner and I’ll come follow you from there?” said Dr. Teeth. The band was trying to make a new song. Nora and Hannah come down the stairs to see the progress of the band.

“Hey! Moog” whisper Nora.

“Yeah?” he replied.

“I’ve been avoiding Penny’s calls, any updates on the album?” asked the black haired female.

“You know, we’re still kickin’ it, in the idea stage, but I mean. They got a lot of, like…” Moog started to say. “Like bits and pieces?” He finished his sentence.

“Hey, we’ve been working on some killer beginnings. Like this” said the good doctor. “Hit it!” he yelled. They sing for a minute. It sounds good.

“Oh okay. Do you have any other beginnings?” asked Nora.

“Oh yeah! Three, four!” replied Teeth. They played a different beginning then stopped.

“Oh” said Label Lady. “Oh… Okay” she added.

“Ooh, and, like, don’t forget about this one!” replied Janice. They place another beginning then stop.

“Oh! I thought there was more” replied Nora. The band shake their heads no.

“Hey, well, I dig it,” said Hannah. “Like, who is Johnny Ragsdale? What’s his deal?” she added.

“Does it really matter? It doesn’t work, none of it does” replied Floyd.

“Old Floyd’s hard on beginnings” replied the doc. “But, lucky for us, we got an abundance of groovy middles,” he added.

“Like this one” the ginger haired male said. They play again then stop. They play another one after the cycle repeats itself.

“I don’t know about this one,” said Moog.

“I think it’s a big ol’ stinking pile of stink” replied Floyd Pepper.

“I absorb all your negativity, and, like, convert it into positivity” replied the blonde female.

“Cause we also have so many amazing endings!” she added. They did the cycle again. After the third one, Floyd shook his head in disappointment.

“Wow,” said Nora before she suddenly snap her fingers. “Idea” she said.

“What about matching a beginning and a middle with an ending?” asked Label Lady. “You know, to form an actual song,” she added.

“Well, there’s the rub-a-dub-dub. I can’t just commit all will-nilyish” replied Teeth.

“You see, the choices I make today will be my forever obligations of tomorrow” he added.

“Really? Cause you’re singing it. Not marrying it.” replied Nora.

“Well, the at least let us move in together, cohabitate.” replied Dr. Teeth.

“See if we gel, then buy a goldendoodle. Put it in a little stroller and name it something cute, like, puddin’ or pickles” he added.

“Or puddles” added Zoot.

“Or puddles,” replied Teeth.

“Pinky” the dark blue haired male replied.

“Penelope” replied the ginger haired male.

“Pinocchio” replied Zoot

“Ping-Pong” replied the doc.

“Poncho” replied the saxophonist.

“Pup-Pup” replied the good doctor.

“So, yeah. It’s become very clear why they’ve been in such a severe, like, creative drought” said Moog to Nora.

“You know as you see, Dr. Teeth can’t commit to anything. Floyd is just a perfectionist.” he added.

“I think it’s a trash fire. None of it works!” said Floyd.

“Janice is always busy helping others. Instead of, you know, actually helping with the song.” said the black haired male.

The band was now in a massage circle, giving each other shoulder massages. “It’s massage circle time” said Janice with a smile on her face.

“This is the best,” said the red haired male. He tapped his foot a bit like a happy dog.

“Oh, I love this,” said Teeth as he started to purr like a feline.

“Guys, hey, do you mind?” asked Nora. They stop.

“Sorry about that,” said Floyd Pepper.

“How can you be so blocked?” asked the black haired female.

“You’ve written a hit song before, right? “Can You Picture That?” is a classic” she added.

“Classic indeed!” replied Dr. Teeth with a big smile.

“Alas, we penned that righteous gemstone under the stars in the great outdoors many a moon ago” he added.

“Yeah, yeah. Back then, every note we played just felt right” replied Floyd.

“True that” replied Lips.

“Simple times” said the red haired male.

“Then let’s ditch this stuffy studio and get you back under the stars” replied Nora.

“This is totally what we need,” replied Janice.

“A creative pilgrimage, where Mother Nature can replenish us from her sandy, cactus bosom” the blonde female added.

“Perfect. I’ll go online and book a place. How does Joshua Tree sound? Good?” replied Hannah.

“That’s perfect! Great” replied Nora.

“Wait! Who will watch Lewis and Annie?” asked Teeth, a bit worried.

“Who?” asked Nora’s sister.

“They’re Teeth’s kids,” replied Moog.

“Okay” replied Hannah. “I could watch them if you want,” she added.

“Really, Hannah?” asked Label Lady.

“Yeah, it will be no problem.” she replied. The doc smiles.

“Good. I can promise you that they are angels and be on their best behavior” he replied.

Nora turns back to the band. “First, we have to swing by the office. So, I can buy some more time from Penny.” the black haired female said.

“Then, we hit the road,” she added.

“Road Trip!” yelled Animal, excitedly.

“Oh! Okay” replied Nora.

The drummer kept shouting in pure joy. Floyd laughs. “Yeah, he really likes road trips” said the red haired male with a soft smile.

“It’s gonna be a long drive,” replied Label Lady.

Hannah took Lewis and Annie to her house to stay until the band got back. Lewis hugs the band goodbye while Annie plays with Hannah’s phone.

When they got to Wax Town Records, Penny was eating some spicy ribs. JJ was there. “Mmm! Oh, yeah, more sauce. Yeah!” said Penny as she eats the ribs. There was a knock at the door.

“Penny?” asked Nora before she walked in. “Hey. Penny?” she asked.

“Nora! Come on in. Grab a bib” replied Mrs. Waxman.

“JJ surprised me with my favorite hot and spicy ribs.” she added.

“I bought six extra. Have at it, Smooshie” said JJ with a smirk on his face.

“Don’t call me that” replied Nora as she walked in. “Also stop coaxing my boss into selling this place” she added.

“I gave you plenty of time to make that new album,” replied Penny. “And I’ve heard “bubkis” cause you got “bubkis” Waxman added.

The black haired female scoffs. “Not true. No, I mean…” she stopped.

“The band, they’ve got this song about this guy named Johnny Ragsdale and it is…” Label Lady started to say.

“Musical Poetry” said JJ as he stood next to Nora. “Yeah. Nora actually let me listen to some of the new Mayhem tracks on the DL” he added. The black haired female was in shock.

“And it’s the RD,” the male said. “The real deal,” he added.

“Go on,” replied Penny.

“What are you doing?” asked Nora, confused.

“Just being honest” replied JJ.

“Well, I appreciate your honesty,” replied the pink haired female. “And that chiseled jaw of yours,” she added. He chuckles as he puts his hand on his chin.

“I am so confused,” said Label Lady.

“Well, I’m tantalized,” said Penny with a smile. “I’ll give you one more week,” she added.

“Can I talk to you outside real quick?” asked Nora to JJ. The two walked out of the office and she face the man.

“Look, you don’t have to thank me for rescuing you in there” said JJ.

“Thank you?” asked Nora.

“You’re welcome,” he replied.

“Bad!” yelled Animal who came out of nowhere.

“Whoa! Really? You brought the guard dog?” asked the male. The drummer growls like a hound in the junkyard of movies.

“Hey, bud, I told you to wait in the van,” said the black haired as she lay a hand on the wild man’s shoulders.

“Bad!” growled Animal.

“Actually, I just bought your band more time with Penny,” said JJ. “So, maybe JJ ain’t so bad after all?” he asked the drummer.

“Good?” asked the wild man.

“No! Okay, stop trying to get in my head. Our heads” replied Nora in a hateful tone.

“Okay, all I’m trying to do is help you,” he replied.

“Good!” said Animal.

“No, he’s not helping us” replied Label Lady.

“Bad!” said the drummer.

“I've been helping you since moment one” replied JJ.

“How? Okay, you showed up back in my life and tried to buy the label” she replied.

“Bad!” growled Animal.

“Which I offered you to run!” he replied.

“Good!” said the wild man.

“Okay, fine,” replied Nora. “Then you crashed my recording with Zedd.” she added.

“Bad!” said Animal.

“Where I paid for the glass door Animal decimated” replied JJ as he look at the drummer.

“Bad,” the wild man said sadly as he lowered his head.

“Then you called then “old” at our rehearsal” replied the black haired female.

“I offered my help to make the band sound better than ever” he replied.

“Bad?” asked the drummer. “Good?” he added.

“Yeah, I…” she started to say. “Admittedly don’t know how to feel about you right now” Label Lady finished her sentence.

“Well, better than feeling nothing” JJ replied.

“Come on, Animal. Let’s go” said Nora.

“Road trip! Road trip! Road trip!” the drummer shouts excitedly as he jumps up and down.

The van drives down a dusty road as Animal keeps repeating road trips. “How long is he gonna do this?” asked Nora.

“It depends,” replied Floyd. “How long is the road trip?” he asked.

After some hours, Animal fell asleep on Moog’s shoulder. Same with Lips. The drummer mumbles in his sleep. Moog chuckles. “Hey, thank you so much for letting me tag along” said the black haired male to Label Lady.

“This is great,” he added.

“Yeah, you’re welcome.” she replied.

“Also, I can’t feel my arms, or body,” he replied.

“Just hang in there. Only two more miles until our desert oasis” replied Nora.

“Cool” replied Moog.

They finally arrived at the location. It was out of the middle of nowhere. There was a wall with a door and a roof. “So, define “oasis” said Moog as they get out of the van.

“What is this? No, this isn’t what Hannah booked” said the black haired female, clearly upset. Some vulture screeches filled the air.

“Fancy,” said Zoot. Lips nods his head.

“This is supposed to be a luxurious getaway…” she said. “So you could write new music!” she added.

“This is rustic,” laugh Floyd Pepper.

“Yeah, you got scammed,” replied Moog.

“No, not happening. I’m calling the rental company right now” replied Nora as she get her phone out.

“What time is it in Bolivia?” she asked.

“Well, I for one, digify it” said Teeth. “It’s got everything we need,” he added.

“Everything except four walls” replied Floyd as he open the door to show that it was just a wall.

“Ain’t got no walls!” said the red haired male.

“But look, it, like, totally comes with a bag of marshmallows and a shovel!” replied Janice as she held up a bag of marshmallows and a shovel.

“Great, now, someone can bury us when we die out here” replied Nora. Dr. Teeth chuckles.

Moog walks up to Nora. “The Eagle Scout in me feels compelled to tell you that that is not a grave-digging shovel,” he said.

“It’s actually a shovel for, like…” the black haired male started to say.

“Poopadumbums,” said Lips.

“Yeah” replied Moog.

“Hello? Hello?” asked Nora on the phone.

Meanwhile with the others, Teeth looked down at his hand and noticed that fur was growing on it. He realizes that tonight is a full moon. The ginger haired male look panicked as he also realized that Hannah was watching Annie and Lewis. She is unaware of them being wereanimals. He tried to calm down.

“Teeth, you okay?” asked Moog as he noticed the band leader’s panic look on his face.

“Moog, it seems like we may have a problem,” he replied. Nora hangs up the phone as no one is answering.

“What is the problem?” asked the black haired female.

“Tonight is a full moon and Hannah is watching the kids. She doesn't know they are wereanimals! I think we should go back!” replied the doc as his breathing got heavy. Label Lady can tell how he is worried for his kids and their secret.

“Teeth, take a deep breath. Hannah will take care of them regardless. They will be fine, I promise” replied Nora.

“I hope you’re right” Dr. Teeth replied as he sighs.

#the muppets #dr teeth and the electric mayhem #dr teeth #weremayhemau #lips muppet #zoot muppet #muppet mayhem #floyd pepper #animal muppet #janice muppets #lewis teeth #annie teeth #nora singh #moog muppet mayhem #Hannah muppet mayhem #JJ muppet mayhem #penny waxman

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paranormal-potatoes · 1 year

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also

another one would be

Belladonna 🤝 Pinocchio 🤝 John

magic powers temporarily killing someone

#potato talks #potato makes memes #dark parables #ch: belladonna #ch: pinocchio #ch: gerda #ch: john gray

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nani-nonny · 2 years

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Ch.6: Let It Out - Leonardo Come Down

Ch.6 is uploaded! Originally this chapter was going to be called Apologize, but then I changed it after finishing it up. We got some much needed communication occurring albeit a little fast I think? Idk I’m sick everything too fast rn

I’m not okay after listening to Ciao Papa from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio on repeat for 30 min.

Me after this chapter to every character:

#rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt fanfiction #rottmnt future leo #future leo au #future leo returns to the past with casey au #leonardo come down #leonardo come down rottmnt #future leo #future leonardo

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couch-house · 2 years

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Posted chapter 2 of Pinocchio Complex since ch 1 is so short :p

So at least, when it was the middle of the night and everyone else was asleep, when nightmares forced him awake and shaking, he could find a late-night pub and slip in for some chips and soda. Sitting at his corner table, watching the pool players and the dartboard competitions, his nerves would calm and the snarling spitting horrors that shook him before would seem very far away from the warmth of the meal.

Ao3 link

#fleetway super sonic #stc #sth #sonic the comic #sonic the hedgehog #madge and arthur #fic art #sorry i get Impatient esp since ive Already Written This Part #anyway i guesss i should b including little exerpts? maybe? other ppl do that #read my silly little story boy #id in alt text

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themythinglink · 11 months

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Welcome Foolish Mortals!

With Halloween fast approaching, here's a special treat: the Haunted Mansion case study I wrote for my 2013 book, EVERY GUEST IS A HERO: Disney's Theme Parks and the Magic of Mythic Storytelling--available in both print and e-reader editions from Amazon.com. Enjoy!

Tomb It May Concern Haunted Mansion

by Adam M. Berger

Many Disney attractions deliver their thrills by pretending to put you in peril—either personally (as in Indiana Jones Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain) or vicariously (Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Snow White’s Scary Adventures). But the Haunted Mansion is one of the few that purport to send you into the afterlife…or at least offer you a peek into the Great Beyond. Unless you count the “white room” scene near the end of “it’s a small world” (which some guests reportedly assume represents some sort of international “singing doll heaven,”) the remainder of the list is pretty much limited to the finale scene of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and the various iterations of Tower of Terror.

The Haunted Mansion’s ubiquity in the Magic Kingdom-class parks around the world testifies to the attraction’s inherent appeal. Each version is unique in its own ways, with some differences more significant than others. In Disneyland Paris for example, where the attraction is known as Phantom Manor, the sequence of scenes is notably different from its counterparts in the U.S. and Japan, as is the storyline’s emphasis (though the overall theme remains largely intact).[1] Only Hong Kong Disneyland, among the Magic Kingdom-class parks, is devoid of a version of the Haunted Mansion.[2] For the purposes of this case study, however, we’ll focus solely on the Magic Kingdom rendition.

Your first good view of the Haunted Mansion will typically be from the quaint colonial environs of Liberty Square—a Special World within the Special World of the Magic Kingdom (see Ch. 5: Please Stand Clear of the Doors), which, at the same time, represents the Ordinary World relative to the Special World of the Haunted Mansion. The Dutch-Gothic style manor house looms over Liberty Square—a foreboding presence atop a low hill, set apart from the other attractions yet impossible to ignore…especially with its frequent wolf howls serving as a chilling Call to Adventure that can be heard throughout the area and even from Tom Sawyer Island.

Of course no one can resist the enchanting strains of a nice, full-throated wolf howl. And so, accepting the Call, you follow your ears through the wrought-iron gate and onto the manor’s grounds. Traversing the neatly manicured entry drive, you pass a glossy black horse-drawn hearse, which appears to be hitched up to an invisible horse, the contours of its body discernable only by the shapes of its leather harness. Though you have barely crossed the First Threshold into the Special World of the Haunted Mansion, already you are finding that the rules are different here.

Soon, the queue leads you into the family cemetery, where the graves of various loved ones feature headstones playfully hinting at their less-than-virtuous lives and their not-so-dignified demises. But there’s something else that sets this cemetery apart from those of the Ordinary World. For here, the dearly departed refuse to entirely depart. Instead, several of them linger in our mortal realm well past their expiration dates—in spirit, at least—and are fond of making their presences known in whimsically macabre ways. Thus, the pipe organ-shaped tomb of a decomposing composer plays his favorite tune (“Grim Grinning Ghosts”) when you touch the sculpted stone keyboard, while the sepulcher of “Captain Culpepper Clyne,” (who was “allergic to dirt so he’s pickled in brine”) douses nearby mourners with a spritz of saltwater whenever its occupant sneezes. And so it appears that, by entering the domain of the dead, you are already beginning to display a nascent ability to interact with them.

Arriving at the Mansion’s imposing front door, you are soon greeted by a lugubrious-looking butler or maid, who dolefully bids you enter. This time your threshold crossing is a literal one, and it delivers you into a gloomy foyer, where a portrait of a dashing young man quickly ages—“Dorian Gray” style—until the subject is reduced to a putrefying corpse. This, it turns out, will be just one of many transformations you’ll be encountering in the course of your Journey. Meanwhile, speaking over the sound of a mournful organ arrangement of “Grim Grinning Ghosts,” the disembodied voice of the Ghost Host welcomes you and the other “foolish mortals” in your group. He then issues the Haunted Mansion’s first official Call to Adventure as he invites you to step into the Portrait Gallery. It seems that, simply by being here, you’ve already accepted the Call. For as your Ghost Host informs you with an audible smirk, “There’s no turning back now.”

Through much of your Journey, the Ghost Host will be not only be your tour guide, but will also fulfill the dual roles of herald and mentor, announcing each new threshold and explaining some of the paranormal activity you will encounter as you penetrate ever deeper into this supernatural realm. However, here in the Portrait Chamber, he is apparently getting a mischievous kick observing your “cadaverous pallor” as you begin to “…sense a disquieting metamorphosis.” But it’s not your imagination; the entire room really is stretching—including the paintings of several previous guests “…as they appeared in the their corruptible, mortal state.”

And now your Ghost Host is cheerfully pointing out that, “This chamber has no windows and no doors…which leaves you with this chilling challenge: to find a way out!” And so you are assigned your first test on the Road of Trials.

Before you can ponder your next move, the gargoyle lamps are suddenly extinguished as a flash of lightning reveals the gruesome sight of the Ghost Host’s decaying corpse hanging from the cupola rafters, which have suddenly become visible through the formerly opaque chamber ceiling. A clap of thunder and a bloodcurdling scream complete the effect. When the lights return a moment later, you notice that one of the walls has somehow vanished, allowing you and your fellow adventurers to exit the chamber.

Though you are only at the beginning of your Haunted Mansion tour, you are already becoming acquainted with some of the peculiarities of the otherworldly realm inside this place. First, you are beginning to realize that, in this Special World, things are seldom what they seem at first. Going forward, you can be sure that your expectations (based, reasonably enough, on your experiences in the Ordinary World) will be upended again and again. You are also starting to sense that this house possesses a personality of its own—one with a twisted sense of humor.

Now, as you emerge from the Portrait Chamber, you notice that the Ghost Host’s claim that “There’s no turning back now” is not quite true. For just outside the chamber is a doorway with a sign: “Full of fear? Exit here.” If you belatedly decide to refuse your Call to Adventure, this is your opportunity to make a last-minute escape back to the friendly, familiar environs of Liberty Square. But it’s going to take a lot more than a stretching room and a swinging corpse to discourage you from continuing your Journey. And so you bypass the “chicken exit” and instead follow your compatriots into a gloomy corridor where, in the words of the Ghost Host, “…a carriage approaches to carry you into the boundless realm of the supernatural.”

Your “carriage,” of course, turns out to be a Doom Buggy—a ride vehicle painted a fashionably funereal shade of black, matching the tone of the humor you’ll be encountering through the remainder of your Journey. Moments after you step aboard, you cross the first of several shadowy thresholds awaiting you beyond. This one leads to the Portrait Corridor, where flashes of lightning expose the secret monsters lurking within as an angelic young woman turns out to be a horrifying medusa, and a regal knight on a handsome steed is revealed to be a hideous ghoul astride a skeletal horse. It’s a continuation of the transformation theme that began in the foyer. But these portraits also hint at the idea that each of us has a private, hidden self, concealed behind the public selves we display to the world. Just as the well-manicured grounds and pristine exterior of the Haunted Mansion conceal a dark, sinister world within, many aspiring heroes must ultimately acknowledge and deal with the dark inner forces of their own self-doubt, guilt, anger, resentment, jealousy, hubris, or other negative emotions that hold them back and threaten to derail their quests.

Passing beneath an archway, you enter the Mansion’s dimly lit library, which the Ghost Host explains, “…is well-stocked with priceless first editions; only ghost stories, of course.” A bookcase ladder moves on its own while an apparently empty rocking chair rocks back and forth and books slide in and out of their places on the dusty bookshelves. Even the marble busts seem endowed with some sort of life force as they shift their gaze to follow your Doom Buggy’s motion from their bookcase perches.

It seems some of the Mansion’s resident spirits are present, yet you are unable to directly see them, as you are not yet attuned to the spiritual frequencies of this ghostly Special World. Your ever-helpful Ghost Host has a quick remedy however, explaining, “…we have 999 happy haunts here, but there's room for a thousand. Any volunteers, hmmm?” It is perhaps the strangest and most macabre Call to Adventure you will find anywhere in the Disney theme parks. And as if to assure you that he’s serious, the Ghost Host adds, “If you should decide to join us, final arrangements may be made at the end of the tour...” Nevertheless, this is one Call to Adventure you should probably pass up.

Next, you enter the Music Room where moonlight streaming through the large windows reveals the shadow of an otherwise invisible pianist, pounding out chords on a dusty old piano. This shadow, according to Imagineering sources, belongs to the Ghost Host, though it’s never stated anywhere in the attraction. In fact, this particular scene is presented without any narration at all. In any case, you can only perceive the figure’s ghostly presence implicitly as you are still developing the mental skills you will need to directly visualize the Mansion’s spectral inhabitants.

Leaving the music room, your Doom Buggy ascends through a chamber where staircases surround you at impossible angles while glowing green footprints appear on the steps. The deeper you penetrate into the mansion, the more you appreciate how far the rules of this Special World depart from those of the Ordinary World. The strange staircase drives home the extent to which your familiar sense of “reality” has been literally turned upside down.

Arriving at the top of the staircases, you notice malevolent-looking eyes scowling at you from the deep shadows. As you move into a gloomy corridor, the eyes eventually merge into the pattern of the creepy wallpaper. Next, you pass a parlor, where a suit of medieval armor and an easy chair decorated with a spooky, abstract face seem to be watching your every move. Nearby, a flickering candelabrum floats eerily in mid-air in a seemingly endless hallway. The candelabrum is not just another peculiar phenomenon; it’s also a signal, a beacon. Someone—or more likely something—is beckoning you to follow. For now, you decline this new Call to Adventure as your Doom Buggy carries you past the corridor and into the next room. Yet the floating candelabrum implies that, for the first time, one of the residents of this peculiar world (other than your Ghost Host) is making at least a token effort to reach out to you.

Now your Doom Buggy rotates around to face backward as you enter the Mansion’s conservatory, where dead flowers surround a coffin occupying the center of the room. A raven is perched atop a wreath featuring a banner that reads: “Farewell.” However, the eulogies may be premature, as the coffin’s occupant is desperately trying to pry the lid open from within, his gnarled hands illuminated by a sickly green light that spills out of the sarcophagus. “All our guests have been dying to meet you,” says the voice of the Ghost Host, dripping with sarcasm. “This one can hardly contain himself.”

Does the fact that you can clearly see the coffin’s occupant (or at least his hands) mean that you have suddenly graduated to the rank of “ghost whisperer” and are now able to visualize the Mansion’s spectral inhabitants? Sorry, not really. The hands are visible to you because this is not a spirit at all, but merely an “undead” corpse—or maybe even a still-living individual unwillingly awaiting a premature burial. But rest assured, you will be able to directly perceive the “happy haunts” with your own eyes…though you are not there yet.

And what of the raven on the wreath? As you may have already guessed, the dark, menacing creature is more than mere decoration. The raven, in fact, has a long mythological pedigree. In Norse mythology, the father god Odin has two ravens—Huginn and Muninn—that serve as feathered reconnaissance drones, relaying news to him of everything that happens in Midgard (Middle Earth, the human domain). In other words, Odin’s two ravens provide a means of communication between the mortal world and the supernatural realm of the Norse gods. The raven is also a major part of the creation myth of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, who also consider the bird to be a trickster god. And most famously, the title figure of Edgar Alan Poe’s unnerving 1845 poem “The Raven” plays the role of a supernatural messenger, whose repeated utterance of a single enigmatic word—“Nevermore”—is laden with meaning for the poem’s narrator. And so, given its strong symbolic connection with the world beyond, it should hardly come as a surprise that you will be meeting the Mansion raven three more times before your Journey has ended.

The mystical forces flowing through the Mansion now propel your Doom Buggy into a corridor lined with heavy doors. And whoever—or whatever—is on the other side of those doors seems anxious to make a grand entrance on your side. Doorknobs twist and doorknockers pound while grunts, growls, and snarls issue from within. A pair of skeletal hands can even be seen pressing one door outward. Fortunately, as your Ghost Host remarks, “They all seem to be having trouble getting through.”

The Corridor of Doors (WDI’s internal name for this scene) might as well be known as the Corridor of Thresholds. Each one presumably leads into some other part of the Haunted Mansion’s Special World. But in this case, the beings on the other side would rather cross over to your side of the threshold. Which just goes to remind you that threshold crossings can work in both directions.

Just beyond the Corridor of Doors, you pass through the Clock Hall, which features a single grandfather clock. A pair of skeletal fingers that serve as the hour and minute hands rapidly spin counter-clockwise, striking the 13th hour every few seconds. At the same time, the shadow of a sinister claw sweeps across the clock’s demonic features. The creepy scene serves to reinforce the strangeness of this Special World, reminding you (as if you needed further prompting) that the rules of your familiar, Ordinary World do not apply in this ghostly place.

“Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact,” suggests the Ghost Host as you enter the Séance Circle. “She has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied.” Indeed, you are fascinated by the sight of Madame Leota’s luminescent head inside a crystal ball, floating preternaturally above the séance table. The raven from the conservatory, meanwhile, now perches on the back of the chair behind the table, its presence here reinforcing its mythic reputation as a supernatural messenger.

You have caught Madame Leota in the midst of an incantation as she summons the spirits into the visible world, intoning, “Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat—call in the spirits, wherever they’re at!” Musical instruments float through the air, responding to her spell, while a formless green apparition traces a phosphorescent trail in the surrounding darkness.

As the medium that establishes contact between you and the spirit world, Madame Leota fulfills the herald archetype, beckoning the Mansion’s ghostly residents to reveal themselves. At the same time, she acts as a threshold guardian, essentially controlling the flow of spiritual energy between the dimensions. However, at this point in your Journey, you have undergone your own sensory transformation. Whether you are aware of it or not, the prior chambers you encountered during your tour, with their “wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills,” were all tests along the mythic Road of Trials. The fact that you (presumably) endured the succession of frights without freaking out has proved your worthiness. And now you are about to collect your reward.

“The happy haunts have received your sympathetic vibrations and are beginning to materialize,” announces your Ghost Host as your Doom Buggy carries you into the Grand Hall, where the Mansion’s residents are “…assembling for a swinging wake…” This announcement marks a turning point in your relationship with the Mansion’s resident ghosts. They have obviously undergone a transformation, transitioning into a state visible to your mortal eyes. But that transition comes as the direct result of your own metamorphosis, which has enabled you to project your “sympathetic vibrations” into the abode of the dead.

The “swinging wake” proves to be just as rowdy as advertised, with dozens of translucent apparitions waltzing, cavorting drunkenly, swinging from the chandeliers, dueling, and partying themselves silly while even more spooks pour through the ballroom door—all to the tune of “Grim Grinning Ghosts” performed on a ghoulish pipe organ by an equally ghoulish organist. You can now say, with a straight face, “I see dead people.”

The festive mood takes a dark turn as your Doom Buggy is unceremoniously diverted to the attic, where a dirge-like piano version of Wagner’s Wedding March (AKA “Here Comes the Bride”) wafts through the space. “We have 999 happy haunts here,” your Ghost Host informs you. “But there’s room for a thousand. Any volunteers?”

Still in the attic, you pass a series of wedding portraits. Each one features the same bride but a different groom. And in each portrait, the groom’s head vanishes before your eyes. Soon you encounter the bride herself—a smiling, wraith-like presence. “I do,” she says repeatedly in a slow, menacing voice as a gleaming hatchet materializes in her clasped hands. The implication is clear: this is the girl your mother warned you about.

In mythic tales, a wedding generally signifies a major milestone in the hero’s Journey toward maturity. However, if the hero is not ready for the responsibilities of adulthood, tragedy can ensue—as appears to be the case here. Appropriately, the (literal) beating heart of that tragedy has been hidden away here in the attic, which turns out to be the Inmost Cave of your personal Hero’s Journey, and this encounter is your Supreme Ordeal. Moreover, though the Haunted Mansion storyline is deliberately vague on the subject, it’s entirely possible that the hatchet-wielding “black widow” bride may be the epicenter of all the supernatural activities that have taken over the Mansion, with her matrimonial murder spree providing the trigger event that attracted the 998 other happy haunts inhabiting this place. As such, the bride, despite her angelic glow, is actually the shadow archetype in your adventure—a literal femme fatale, as well as a shape-shifter and trickster.

As though sensing your unease in the murderous bride’s presence, your Doom Buggy hastily transports you out of her vicinity via the most direct means possible: by diving directly out the attic window…and into the Mansion’s very unusual graveyard. You are now commencing the Return movement of your Journey, and like many mythic heroes, you briefly “taste death” as your Doom Buggy descends in reverse, making it feel as though you are being laid to rest in an open grave. Meanwhile, the Mansion raven, with its glowing red eyes, watches attentively from the branch of a gnarled old tree.

Nearby, wispy ghosts fly up out of their graves and into the inky night sky, while the caretaker and his emaciated hound stand nearly petrified with fear in front of the cemetery gate. Do they share your newfound ability to visualize the Mansion’s happy haunts? Or is it the sudden sight of you that has them so terrified? It’s anyone’s guess. Meanwhile, an upbeat jazz-inflected rendition of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" lilts through the night air, performed by a graveyard ensemble, including a quintet of harmonizing headstones. Ghastly ghouls pop up on either side of your Doom Buggy, while a stout opera diva, a decapitated knight, a lively mummy, and an ethereal cast of other grim grinning ghosts have “…come out to socialize.”

The musical number serves as a cheekily cheery send-off as the Return movement continues and you approach a new threshold: a stone archway that leads to the Mansion’s shadowy stone crypt. The red-eyed raven joins you one last time, glaring down at you from its perch atop the arch. As the Mansion’s unofficial supernatural messenger, the raven’s appearance no doubt heralds a new development in your adventure. Perhaps the bird is here to remind you of the fact that the Return movement of the Hero’s Journey is often fraught with new perils for the hero.

But what is the nature of this latest menace? “There’s a little matter I forgot to mention,” offers the voice of the Ghost Host. “Beware of hitchhiking ghosts!” By this time, of course, it’s far too late for the warning to be of any value. In any case, the otherworldly forces that have been steering your Doom Buggy all along are still in control, leaving you no choice in your destiny. And so the three ghostly hitchhikers[3] now come into view—and they seem unlikely to take “no” for an answer.

Moments later, you are passing a long wall of mirrors, by which point one of the three hitchhikers has already joined you in your vehicle to fulfill its role as a certified trickster archetype. Catching your reflections, you watch with amused disbelief as the hitchhiker proceeds to interact with you in fiendishly silly ways—swapping your head with his own, popping your noggin like a balloon, and playing other literal head games with you. “They have selected you to fill our quota,” the Ghost Host informs you, “and they'll haunt you until you return!”

With this scene, your assimilation into the Special World of the Haunted Mansion is now complete. You are not only able to see the happy haunts; now you are actually, (meta)physically interacting with them…and vice-versa. But the hitchhiking ghosts serve another function. Mythic heroes often return from their Journeys in the Special World with a boon: a healing elixir, a magical ring, a miraculous sword, or some other souvenir of their adventures. Your token souvenir? A hitchhiking ghost. Mazel tov.

Finally, as your Doom Buggy nears the unload area, a miniature spirit nicknamed “Little Leota” bids you farewell from a shelf overlooking the ride path and urges you to “Hurry baaack. Be sure to bring your death certificate if you decide to join us.” You then exit your Doom Buggy onto a moving belt, which conveys you to the exit.

Yet your adventures in the Special World are not quite over yet. For you must now pass through the Mansion’s outdoor mausoleum, where you are serenaded by an a capella rendition of “Grim Grinning Ghosts” performed as a Gregorian chant. The inscriptions on the vaults continue in the style of the morbidly amusing epitaphs you viewed in the front cemetery, including several horrifying puns. Then, if you glance up at the hillside as you exit the mausoleum, you’ll even catch a glimpse of a fenced off pet cemetery. Finally, you again pass the black hearse with its invisible horse before you arrive back in the relative Ordinary World of Liberty Square.

The mausoleum experience is part of your transition back to that Ordinary World. Once you are beyond the mystical influence of the Haunted Mansion, you are no longer able to “see dead people.” That ability has vanished—at least until you “Hurry baaack,” (unless you count the residents of the nearby Hall of Presidents, most of whom long ago shuffled off their mortal coils). But your memory of the experience remains, and your assumptions about the spirit world may never be the same. After all, “There’s no turning back now!”

[1] The differences between the various Haunted Mansion attractions are spelled out in detail by Imagineer Jason Surrell in his book The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies (Disney Editions, 2003)

[2] Out of cultural considerations involving traditional Chinese sensitivities toward the subject of ghosts, that niche in the park’s attraction portfolio is occupied by Mystic Manor, a dark ride that immerses its guests in an all-new supernatural adventure.

[3] Affectionately nicknamed Phineas, Ezra, and Gus, the three hitchhiking ghosts have become the semi-official mascots of the Haunted Mansion.

#disney #haunted mansion #mythic storytelling #Joseph Campbell

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checkers-dance · 11 months

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hi bestie ... im having a moment. i miss mx. i want to return to my roots (being insane about them) so ofc i have to go back to making weird aus abt them, thats how it works. so once again im mixing them with another hyperfixation of mine for my amusement, im very normal.

idk how much you know about eah, but it was a sister doll line to monster high that was significantly less successful. the gimmick was to focus on the children of fairy tale creatures instead of monsters. interestingly enough, while mh didnt really have much of a plot outside of the basic premise of "monsters attending high school" eah has a weird amount of lore. the main thing you need to know for most of this to make sense is that the characters are not simply the children of fairy tale creatures, instead they're supposed to become their parents and take their place in their stories, otherwise they will all disappear and essentially die. so the main conflict of the story is "do we follow in our parents footsteps out of fear and social pressure even if it makes us unhappy or do we follow our own desires" ANYWAY I SWEAR I AM ONLY EXPLAINING THIS FOR SOME OF WHAT IM ABT TO SAY TO MAKE SENSE JDNSBDB here is my au.

ch*ngkyun: he is cerise, daughter of little red riding hood. listen. cerise is ch*ngkyuncoded and ch*ngkyun is cerisecoded. she's always portrayed as very withdrawn but not necessarily shy. she's sort of a cool tomboy type. the big plot twist with her is that her father is the wolf, so she's part wolf. which is hilarious but also fits ch*ngkyun. im making him part furry like god intended.

j*oheon: i think he should be lizzie, daughter of the queen of hearts. its so perfect to me. lizzie is really cold and mean, which causes other people to fear her and makes her struggle to connect with people. in reality she only acts like this because she thinks it's what her mother would want her to do. deep down she's really sweet, and just doesn't want people to see past her front.

hy*ngwon: i struggled a little bit with this one but i got it. hes kitty, daughter of the cheshire cat. tbh kitty is exactly what you would expect, she's this trickster type that is always sleeping. i simply think hy*ngwon deserves to cause chaos.

m*nhyuk: he's such an easy choice. he's maddie, daughter of the mad hatter. yes eah character names are STUPID. maddie is also what you would expect, she's hashtag weird and chaotic, but also really empathetic and with a strong sense of justice. she's one of those characters that is happy with her assigned destiny but is willing to give it up if it means others can choose for themselves. i think all of that fits m*nhyuk pretty well.

k*hyun: listen. i have A VISION for him. i want him to be apple, daughter of snow white. so her whole thing is that she's this perfect princess girl who really looks forward to her happy ending and so she tries to push other people into also following their destinies, since she doesn't want them compromising hers. the thing is, despite apple's destiny being perfect on paper, it's canon that she's not romantically interested in the man she's supposed to marry in the future, which has some interesting implications. she's also genuinely nice and caring despite her flaws, and part of what motivates her is that she genuinely believes something bad will happen to them if they don't follow their destinies. and she has this really toxic relationship with her mom bc of all the expectations put on her. so she's MESSY. i think k*hyun deserves to be messy.

sh*wnu: idk why but sh*wnu gives me cedar, daughter of pinocchio vibes. she's very warm and sweet, she's one of those characters that has a lot of empathy for those with less fortunate destinies than she does. her main thing is that she can only say things that are true, so she doesn't have any control over her privacy or others. because of this she likes to paint, since that's a safe way to express herself. again idk WHY she gives me sh*wnu vibes but she does.

and ofc bonus w*nho: he is briar, daughter of sleeping beauty. briar is this extoverted and popular party girl. but she's also weirdly angsty. the main reason she's so outgoing is because she wants to live life to the fullest before being put to sleep 100 years and losing all her friends. i think w*nho deserves to have an existential crisis. briefly considered asigning ashlynn, daughter of cinderella, but i cant do that to him. hes innocent.

OK OK BUT LISTEN, CH*NGKYUN HAS DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS A LONE WOLF BEFORE SO BEING A WOLF FURRY DOES KIND OF FIT. And I can see why u'd associate him w the red riding hood character, Idk how to explain it but he just has the kind of "would wear bright red and get lost in a forest while looking for his grandma" vibe. I'm picturing him wearing one of his love killa outfits (little red riding hood but aged up and growing into a mafia boss career)

I can see j*oheon being a sort of mean girl character, I think he has the acting ability to pull it off. Sometimes in mvs he has this...mean, indifferent face on when he's playing a certain kind of role, and I think that would go rlly well w a pastel princessy aesthetic

HY*NGWON BEING THE CHESHIRE CAT'S CHILD IS SO PERFECT ACTUALLY. I can just imagine him w kitty paws in a purple costume. Also I think he has a cheshire cat smile sometimes. He deserves to cause chaos w j*oheon, they would make such a team. Mean but lonely character x chaotic and slightly evil cat companion

Also I love how we're having such an alice in wonderland theme here 😭😭. I feel like monsta x could do an alice in wonderland concept actually, but like, combined w a bdsm dungeon. Don't ask me how those 2 go together they just do. Anyway I can see m*nhyuk as the mad hatter child, I think he's actually made that comparison himself before. Or he's worn a mad hatter hat before, it's one of those 2

Also I support k*hyun being messy, deserves it. I also can see him in the role of a snow white child, he sometimes has this softcore dignified demeanor and this specific smile that goes w it. I think it would be cute to pair him w m*nhyuk as a treat, there's just smth abt ships that involve characters w opposing views and also w an orderly personality vs a chaotic one

Sh*wnu does kind of have pinocchio vibes 🤔. Like there are all the teddy bear comparisons of course (teddy bears and puppets are both technically dolls), but he also has an honest vibe. Also crying, it's so funny to me that u linked w*nho w someone who goes to sleep for 100 years, which mirrors his exit from the group 😭😭

#asks #mx au hell (affectionate)

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