#cultural blending

[cinnamon-flame]

Starting off the new year with I think the most background heavy piece I've ever made! I think Rainwings and Nightwings would celebrate their traditional holidays together after the events of The brightest night. So this drawing is meant to show their cultures kind of blending together during a very joyful time. I remember talking about this concept with someone on tumblr a year ago but when I went back through my posts I couldn't for the life of me find it - so if your reading this, I remember you and this drawing stems from that conversation so thank you!

Close-ups:

[boa-hemian]

its weird beiing autistic because i think i have normal interests then i go up to someone my age and they have no idea what im talking about.

[bunabi]

one must experience hardship (Solavellan mentioned) to attain glory (Kal-Sharok mentioned)

[lilyginnyblackv2]

What are Kazuki and Rei’s Options? - Buddy Daddies - Episode 10 - SPOILERS!

In Japan, same-sex couples cannot adopt children:

Text:  Adoption and parenting Same-sex couples are not allowed to legally adopt in Japan. Lesbian couples and single women are unable to access IVF and artificial insemination.

(From the Wikipedia page on LGBT rights in Japan, which will be linked in the comments.)

However, fostering children is currently an option for same-sex couples:

Now, in another sign of increasing acceptance of the LGBT+ community, it’s come to light that the city of Osaka has awarded foster care of a child to a same-sex male couple. While city administrators confirmed the couple’s foster parent status on April 5, 2017, the pair, consisting of one man in his 30s and another in his 40s, were approved as foster parents back in December of last year. Foster parent certification falls under the jurisdiction of local authorities, but Japan’s central Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare says that it has no previous record of a same-sex couple being awarded foster parent status, so the decision by Osaka appears to be the first of its kind in Japan. The Ministry also confirmed that its guidelines regarding foster parent selection make no specifications barring or giving preferential treatment to same-sex couples.

(Source: All About Japan - “Same-Sex Couples Can Now Be Foster Parents,” full article will be linked below in the comments.)

This is basically what we see Kazuki and Rei do, as of right now, with Miri. They foster her for a year, and she has returned back to her birth mother.

Now, what will happen next is unknown. There are options like Miri never returning to them/staying with her mom, one or both of them dying, etc. etc., but we aren’t going to be looking at those possibilities right now. Let’s look at ones where Miri is a part of their lives.

If they want Miri back in their lives then Kazuki and Rei will have to take care of the Organization and their connection to it, and then find alternative jobs to support themselves. Buddy Daddies takes place in modern day Japan, that is the setting, and they are treating the situations as functioning within the framework of what can and cannot be done in modern day Japan, in regards to childrearing, childcare, and so forth.

Unless they go the route of having Kazuki forge paperwork to be her birth father, since they look very similar:

Of course, this option would be a bit more convoluted. He couldn’t take on Miri’s birth father’s actual identity because he was a mafia boss and is currently, very much so, dead. But, they might be able to change it so that Miri would be Kazuki’s daughter. Then, Kazuki and Rei would be able to raise her, since she would be Kazuki’s birth child. 

But, unless Misaki were to pass away due to her cancer (which is a possibility, especially since she mentioned that it was spreading), the end result would still be a blended family situation:

Because even if Misaki had given Miri up for adoption or had abandoned her, the birth mother is still the legal guardian of their child. Unless the birth mother dies or goes completely MIA or the child isn’t put into the system at all (essentially just living on the streets), then there isn’t a way, in current Japanese society, for a birth mother to be completely divorced from their child.

That being said, blended families do exist in Japan, especially in the modern day when divorce, remarrying, and same-sex relationships being recognized are all becoming more common place. But, we rarely see blended families being portrayed in anime (specifically, I’m sure there is some exploration of this found in manga), and certainly not at a central level of any kind (like with what we have been seeing with Buddy Daddies and how it has been centralizing its focus on childcare and childrearing).

An blended family ending would still be just as queer and progressive as before. This sort of family dynamic would exist outside of the norm, and outside of the nuclear family expectation. The framing has been interesting too, because Miri’s mother is the one that essentially has to prove herself to both Kazuki and Rei and to Miri. She was brought back into the picture because it was the safer option for Miri at this moment, not just because she is Miri’s birth mother.

So I feel like, if a blended family situation does end up happening in the end, they won’t approach it in quite that way. Though, I also think that would be a point of contention at times (especially between Misaki and Kazuki) that wouldn’t be that uncommon for a blended family situation. Navigating issues like that is very common, I see my friends who are step-mothers and step-fathers have to navigate those waters often. If it were depicted in anime, even if it were for a brief bit (or in more depth if there were a second season and this is the route the series ultimately goes down), then that would be pretty neat.

Something else to note is that when Misaki states: “If you consider yourselves her parents as well,” she uses the word “parents,” 親 (oya), not guardians, 保護者 (hogosha) or other similar/related words. 保護者 (hogosha) does mean parent, but in a more inclusive way that is also referencing legal guardians as well. But she is acknowledging them as parents, the same as her.

Of course, there are some who are weary and skeptical of the integrity of Misaki. I think she is talking honestly and sincerely here, along with the rest of the episode, but if she’s not, then what will happen to Miri is that she will likely go to live with her grandparents or, like I mentioned before, the series goes a bit more of a convoluted and complex route with making Kazuki’s Miri’s “birth” father through forgery and the like. Or, they break the more realistic boundaries they’ve been working within so far, and make it so that Kazuki and Rei can just magically adopt Miri, but given the “realistic” mentions in a lot of the interviews with Uchiyama and Toyonaga, I don’t think that is likely.

If the series does go the route of having Miri go to live with her grandparents or mother and Kazuki and Rei aren’t brought into the family in a blended family way, but more so kept out (maybe with only the occasional visit or something). Then another possibility, especially if they do end up leaving the Oraganization and kind of “starting over” with new jobs and the like, is them becoming foster parents in general. 

Miri would be the first and the most precious one to them, but then they find a “normal happiness” with each other and become foster parents to other kids in the future. It would be a nice way to really show them changing right, in the sense of, instead of taking human lives, they would be caring for and fostering children - the future, and hopefully helping them turn out to be good people. That’s always a possibility, especially if there is some kind of large time skip in the last episode. 

Of course, the series could instead go in the direction of criticizing the cruelty that same-sex couples cannot adopt and therefore are basically only left with the option of fostering, unless they have a blood-related child through natural means of birth. That is always a possibility as well, and is something that I feel they do kind of hit on a bit in Episode 10, especially with Rei’s line here:

(Rei: “To say that after we’re all attached...it’s cruel.”)

But yeah, thinking about it, when it comes to positive outcomes, in the sense of Kazuki, Rei, and Miri living and Kazuki and Rei being able to escape the Organization, then I think the ending options are going to be one of the above. Everything in this post is pure speculation, since the series is anime original, we don’t know for sure what direction it will ultimately go in.

But these options here are the ones sticking out the most to me at the moment (once again, if we only look at potentially happy endings, rather than any potential overly tragic/bad end ones). It’s also possible that they may be critical of something (like with Rei’s words on the cruelty of it all), while also still painting an option, like Kazuki and Rei deciding to become foster parents, as something that is still an overall good and positive change for them, specifically. 

I like there is a potential messiness to the situation and overall premise that is presented in Buddy Daddies, because it makes it feel like the series is properly exploring the realities of the situation and the options that are open and available to Kazuki and Rei. It’s bleak in some ways, hopeful in others, and I am intrigued by what direction they will ultimately go in.

As always, feel free to add your thoughts to this as well! :D I always love reading them! <3

[dendroculus]

If I ever talk about Natlan characters this is who I mean btw

[themoonking]

the book trend that needs to be left in the dust for the new year is greek mythology retellings. i am so sick and tired of "retellings" of greek (or roman, but mainly greek) mythology from authors that clearly have a very surface level pop cultural understanding of the myth(s) they're adapting and the culture(s) they're depicting. especially the many that market themselves as "feminist retellings" where the "feminism" is basically just "men bad sometimes", and especially when they're "feminist retellings" that take some of the few mythological women who get happy endings and take it away from them for the sake of saying "men bad sometimes". it's all so shallow and they exploded this year and i'm sick of it.

[stuckinapril]

Can’t wait to visit Iraq and just live blog from there. That will be so fun

[punkeropercyjackson]

[icewindandboringhorror]

thinking about orange juice

[jessamine-rose]

*lovingly tackles Aine*

Read my Yandere! Pierro longfics first ♪( ´▽｀)

Last week, my beloved mutual @ainescribe surprised me with Savior! Darling fan art and AHAI9232@2-!/! CRYING SCREAMING I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS ART AND WORSHIP YOUR VERSION OF SAVIOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BLESSING ME WITH YOUR ART—

*clears throat* Anyway, now that I finally have the time to properly sit down and comment on the fan art, I’ll do just that. Feedback will be in the tags and it will be unhinged. Once again, thank you so much to Aine for drawing this <3

[stlamb]

i dressed so much better in england bc the stakes are so much higher but here almost everyone in atlanta is wearing lulumon or sweatpants or dressing like a 2012 hipster so subconsciously i'm like why bother

[claritys-silly-things]

1/4 Mexican Curtis brothers…

[thisbibliomaniac]

Y'all want to harp on chai tea but are perfectly fine with saying crochet hook 💅

[popculturealtar]

⭐"-everything will definitely be alright!" tea ⭐

disclaimer: these are personal associations, and all ingredients must be labeled as culinary/edible. i don't have specific measurements, if you like rose more then put more rose in it. if you like lavender more, then use more lavender, etc etc. measure with your heart and pay attention to what feels the most comforting.

⭐ what you need:

rose petals - love, self-love, comfort

lavender - calmness, gentleness

chamomile - healing

vanilla extract - passion, feelings of the heart

sweetener of your choice - sweetness, softening of anything harsh, friendship

a piece of cake on the side - familial love, close bonds, warmth, joy

⭐ what you need to do:

measure the floral ingredients with what your heart calls for.

mix said floral ingredients, and let them rest together (in a sealed container) for a full day and night.

during the next day, as the first stars begin to appear in the sky, remind yourself of how far you've come and what you've accomplished, as well as what you've healed and are healing from.

choose your favourite cup for your tea and take a moment to hold it, to appreciate it.

begin to brew the tea however you please. once it is done and hot, add your sweetener and vanilla. if you're like me and like to add milk to everything, do so (associations are the same as cake).

sit back in a comfy chair, play some nice music or hum a nice tune. say in your mind, "everything will definitely be alright." then, say it out loud or whisper it/mouth it.

take a bite of the cake, and repeat what you thought and said. say it as many times as you need to.

It's going to be okay.

[witchofthesouls]

You know what would make the Transformers in a Who Framed Rodger Rabbit Earth even crazier?

A bot is born there but as a Toon.

No one knows how it happened but a random cartoon vehicle someone got intact Allspark energy and came to life. Pure uncanny valley feeling for both factions in my personal opinion. The toon bot can turn into vehicle but operates nowhere close to normal.

Headlights easily shift into cartoony eyes, a large mouth disguised as a front bumper, and use their tires/wheels like hands n feet. Even their Spark acts fucking weird! Ratchet would faint if cartoony eyes and a mouth suddenly popped up on a Toon Bot's spark chamber just to sass him.

Toon Spark: This better be for medical reasons Doc cause patient/doctor relationships are a big no-no.

A Toon Bot would honestly freak out the TFP iterations the most. Especially Buckethead

May I raise the stakes?

What if real-life Toons (and Earth lifeforms in general) existed because of a synchronization effect between Earth/Gaea (born from comatose Unicron) and a Primal Artifact/Allspark from Primus?

And I say this because of Benny the cab.

Benny would be very much their weird space in Uncanny Valley because you already described a lot of the things that would freak out the Cybertronians.

While Cybertronians aren't strangers to transformation sequences, they are very much rooted having at least two modes: alt-mode and root-mode.

Monoformers have much stigma against them as they, either willingly, by medical complications, or natural means, challenge the foundation of their society.

To make it even more unsettling, I propose that mechanical Toons exude spark energy but have no spark.

Sparks are a fundamental organ in Cybertronian biology. It can be physically manipulated and scientifically studied. Toons don't have that real-life and tangile certainty of a soul.

They're more aligned with Earth lifeforms. Yes, we have hearts. But we have heart transplants.

Cybertronians don't have an equivalent of that. There's a process to save a spark by removing it (and the brain module) to a new frame, but there's nothing to be done should both be guttered and destroyed.

Just imagine cyborg Toon with all the bells and whistles got crushed in a skirmish because some mech thought it was a newfound thingmabob, just for the pieces to wail out for help or flirt with Ratchet/Hoist/First Aid and the mech is having an internal mental breakdown.

"Gosh, doc, I wouldn't have taken ya to be a philosopher. Tee-hee." Que a disembodied hand twirling a stray coil from the damaged cavity. It sparks, and smoke forms little heart-shaped puffs.

Ratchet/Hoist/First Aid are holding an equally disembodied helm that inexplicably gained eyelashes to flutter optics: What the merciless Pits is going here!

"I'm more of an art Toon. Tell me, have ya heard about Remedios Varo?"

[the-gateway-to-madness]

As I talked about in this post, I think Wish's plot would have been more emotionally engaging and complete with the inclusion of the star as a shapeshifter boyo, and Asha becoming a star like him to remain with him. SO here's her design!

I wanted a natural hairstyle rather than her braids to try and get a look like a nebula, and also because I suck at drawing braids and I didn't want to butcher them. I did my best to research Amazigh dress and went for a design I found pretty, though I'm not sure how accurate it actually is. The reference I found had tassels, and I thought to replace them with little star-shaped ornamentation. Maybe they're still tassels and just funky, idk.

The notes in the piece, transcribed:

Based on blue stars, rather than yellow stars like the OG star

Her freckles glow

Her brown eyes have an added golden gradient, and possibly glow in the dark?

Genesius/Starboy, for comparison: