#development of family structure in cartoons

[psychhound]

ttrpgs in the classroom (part 1)

so as i mentioned briefly before, i've started teaching composition for college freshman (18yos) and as my school has a lot of instructor freedom, i've themed my class on games and specifically ttrpgs. we're reading and playing ttrpgs in class to talk about narrative, structure, audience, writing, etc

we played our first in-class game on friday and it went really well! so i wanted to do a little write up on how i taught it

the game:

we played the family tree by @rabbit-rays which is free/pwyw so i really recommend checking it out!! it's inspired by the radical face albums of the same name

the game is about creating generations of an interconnected social unit (they don't have to be a biological/adoptive family, just people who are socially and emotionally connected to each other) and coming up with stories about them and their relationships to each other. at the end of the game you should have a "family tree" of interwoven characters

the goal:

teach the students about personal narratives; genre, tone, and tropes; how to work collaboratively; how to focus in and scale back on things that aren't explicitly stated; how to develop story and ask why it matters

the methods:

we had five volunteers make a single round of characters for the family tree. the rest of the class determined the genre and tone they wanted for the game. we went around and made the five characters, and then went around again and made the connections between them. the final part of play was employing the bastards optional rule, and we had a sixth volunteer make a character who was still part of the story but was disconnected from the rest of the characters

at the end they all filled out a worksheet with the following questions:

What do you find interesting about the story we’re telling?

Do you think the story fits in the tone or genre the class agreed upon? Why or why not?

What other story does ours remind you of (TV show, movie, cartoon, book, comic, myth, etc)?

What is something you think is happening behind-the-scenes in this story?

What is one thing you think is happening on a bigger scale in this world?

on monday, when i introduce their first assignment, the personal narrative essay, we're going to use the characters they made to come up with examples of essay topics

the results:

it went really well!! i was a little nervous because they had been a quiet class so far (this was only our third day of class) and most of them had little experience with gaming and we had almost 0 ttrpg experience. this was almost everyones first experience playing a ttrpg or a collaborative and not competitive game

the students were a little nervous to come up with the genre and tone, but once they did, everyone agreed and liked it. the characters the students came up with expanded upon and fleshed out both the genre and the setting this was taking place in. everyone seemed excited about the characters the players were coming up with, and when it came time to make the connections, students other than the players asked if they could jump in and help flesh things out as well. everyone was very intrigued when i brought in the optional rule to have someone make a disconnected character, and while the student who got volunteered (one of the other students pointed to him so i asked if he would) was a little hesitant to participate, he ended up making a character everyone really liked

when we filled out the worksheet, i got a lot of interesting answers back, and we had some running themes in what else the students thought was happening in this world. most of the students thought the characters did fit the genre and tone and could explain why. i got back answers of more connections they thought were happening that hadnt been fleshed out and why the disconnected character was still an important part of the story

everyone was very disappointed we had to leave these characters because they had a good time playing

SO A BIG SUCCESS FOR OUR FIRST GAME!! i'll be back to report future ttrpgs we use and how!!

[fly-pow-bye]

Warner Bros. Discovery announced a bunch of greenlights at Annecy, including a reboot of a certain Craig McCracken show! No, not one involving kindergarten superheroes.

Foster's Imaginary Nursery has a new name: Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends. While Variety says Cartoon Network Studios, the poster shows Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. This is the preschool spinoff of Foster's, which is interesting to see after what they did to Jessica's Big Little World, and we can only hope this doesn't have the same fate. Craig McCracken has promised that it will have the same fun pace, but with a simpler structure and with less cynical humor.

Adventure Time may have had an adult-focused spinoff with Fionna and Cake, but that doesn't mean Adventure Time's original demographic will forever be left out: Adventure Time: Side Quests. Unlike the last few Adventure Time series, these side quests will be episodic, and probably better for reruns.

One greenlight we know absolutely nothing about, and one that came as a complete surprise, is Untitled Regular Show Project. How are they going to continue Regular Show after that regular epic final battle? The only things we know is that J.G. Quintel is still heading it and it will feature characters from Regular Show.

Along with greenlit shows, they announced some projects in development:

We got another Scooby-Doo show in the works. Go-Go Mystery Machine involves Shaggy and Scooby going to Japan, accidentally unleashing a bunch of yokai, and having to get help from Scooby's uncle, a Shiba Inu named Daisuke-Doo and his two friends.

Adventure Time isn't just getting a new school for the kids, it's getting a show for the younger kids, too. Adventure Time: Heyo BMO stars BMO in a new neighborhood with new friends as he goes on a quest to learn and fill his database. (Variety says this is from a description; Cartoon Network's pronouns for a non-binary character, not Variety's or mine.)

Other projects: Untitled Barbara Throws a Wobbler Project. Another one for preschoolers, and one based on a book. The Adventure Time Movie is still going to happen, with Rebecca Sugar of Steven Universe and early Adventure Time fame serving as creator. Bad Karma, a family movie project set in a mythical fantasy world. Finally, the only one in this article that is not a kids show: Lovey Dovey, a show by one of the writers of Harley Quinn about a dove who wants to look for his true love that ends up getting stuck with a bunch of streetwise pigeons who want to, quote, "screw the large bird from a popular kids TV show."

The Amazing World of Gumball has its own panel tomorrow, and Annecy has banners proclaiming that "more Gumball" is coming.

[gravegrime]

WRITEBLR INTRODUCTION

👻 Welcome to the graveyard 👻

Hello!  I’ve never realized that there was a wealth of passionate storytellers sitting right under my nose this entire time.  I kinda figured this community was more for novelists and not… well whatever the hell you’d call me.  Figured I’d outstretch a gnarled hand to see if anyone’s brave enough to take it.

ABOUT MY WRITING

I’m not a huge fan of sticking the things I make into boxes as most of them sit in weird nooks and crannies that make labeling them specific things feel a tad inaccurate.  As a general trend however most of my stories have some flavor of horror influence in them.  Something is never quite right, but to what degree depends on the story.  They’re often set in completely original fantasy settings bearing little resemblance to what we would consider normal.  I have a trend of child or young protagonists (probably the cartoon influence coming in there) figuring out their place in the world or something fundamental about themselves.  Coming of age stories, stuff like that.  Found family is also abound in many shapes and flavors across my many half developed stories.  

My stories are almost exclusively long serialized affairs focusing more on character development than plot intricacy.  I won’t claim them to be simple but the thrust is definitely on character motivations.  I like to write stories about people being people without a looming calamitous threat or great quest they must go on.  There’s something charming about normal people dealing with the cards they’re dealt the best they can.  I definitely have stories about fantastic quests and imposing dangers it’s just a bit of a coin flip which one you’ll be getting with me!

I also have a small list of concepts I make a point of not attempting in any of my writings.  Time travel, prophecies, immortality, and resurrections are all things I avoid for various reasons.  You’ll likely never come across them in any of my stories.  No hate towards any of these concepts, except time travel, they are just some ideas I don’t find any real enjoyment in including in my works.

ABOUT ME

Oh what’s to tell?  Name’s Alex, but if real names wig you out Grave or Grime work just fine.  I’m a twenty eight year old professional animator, but you won’t be hearing much about that here.  I like to keep work and hobbies separate.  Here I’m mostly an artist but I’m going to be trying to branch out to share more about my stories.  Keeping all this nonsense up in my noggin has got to be a bad idea, ya know?

Regardless, despite my focus on art on the social medias my real passion has always been storytelling!  Stories have been my life blood for as long as I can remember. From my mother reading me stories before I went to sleep, to trying to write my own short stories in middle school, to a brief but passionate fling with filmmaking back in highschool.  The latter serves as the base for a lot of my writing practices and techniques to this day!  In truth my switch to comics/animation/arts was primarily a practical choice as I feel those mediums allow me to best express my ideas with the least reliance on other people.

I’m a fan of the weird and strange with an emphasis on the fantastical and horrific.  Cartoons are my bread and butter, they’re something I can talk endless hours about the merits of them as a medium, but there isn’t a medium of storytelling I really shy away from.  I love the craftsmanship behind the construction of stories and characters and am always very eager to go on long conversations about the fundamental structure of storytelling.  Also a big fan of hypotheticals and working out plot/character/world points with anyone willing to put up with me.

MY WIPS

Time for the meat and potatoes, let's get into it!  I have a lot of stories, all receiving a varying level of attention, and because of this I tend to run two or three stories I’m actively working on at this moment.  I’ll be detailing two of three stories that I’m focusing on right now.  The third is a new work that I haven’t unveiled to anyone yet.  I’m giving it time to cook before I show it off, but rest assured it’s shaping up very well!

Grimm Deeds (GD)

A long form story following the adventures of Corny, a young boy with the ability to interact with ghosts, ghouls, and spirits, after being taken under the Grimm Reaper.  Though there seems to be an ulterior motive behind the reaper’s tutelage.  Tons of crazy and macabre escapades await the relatively normal boy as he learns what his abilities truly mean.  

Grimm Deeds is like a love letter to halloween and all things a little bit spooky.  It’s jam packed with magic, monsters, and all those spooky delights I love!  I really think it shines through in its characters though.  Without tooting my own horn too much I think they have a surprising amount of depth given how goofy the whole thing appears on the surface.  It being about the Grimm Reaper and his position in the world it also deals with death as a concept quite a bit.  Something I always have a good deal of fun exploring!

In the Dominion of Hate (DoH)

An animatic style story about the unfortunate misunderstanding that befalls Lilium of Bliss leading to her being cast from her home into the Dominion of Hate.  Wishing to prove her innocence, and encouraged by the abstraction Query, she embarks on an epic quest across the black sea of turmoil to find a way back home!  Primarily a story about self discovery, even if Lilium isn’t fully aware at first, in the Dominion of Hate is a swashbuckling adventure across the strange and surreal sea of turmoil.  Watch a young lady with no conception of the world but a willingness to learn befriend horrific monsters and gods of conception because she’s just so darn charming!

I’m sure people don’t like to play favorites like this but Lilium is actually my favorite character I’ve ever made.  She’s got a very unique but fascinating way of thinking thanks to her equally bizarre upbringing and I can’t wait to share that with you all!

FINAL WORD

I have so many stories that I’ll likely be creating a master list as an intro to them all at some point soon.  If this writeblr intro strikes your fancy please feel free to stick around!  I’m always down to talk shop with anyone and really don’t care how people interact with me!  I’m just kinda here to hang out and have a good time.  We vibin’.

[jknerd]

DISNEY STUDIO AU: Powerline

Full Name: Kyle J. Macken

Other Names: Powerline (Stage name)

Occuaption(s): Singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer

Residence: Indiana, USA

Family: Mr. Macken (father), Mrs. Macken (mother), 8 siblings (unknown)

Relationships: George G. Goof (role model), Maxine Goof (fan)

Likes: Dancing, singing, social working, interacting with his fans/children, cartoons, Goofy’s shows/performances, Wings’ Winks/Glory B’s songs

Dislikes: Overwhelming schedules, paparazzis

Abilities/Talents: “Irreplaceable” singing and dancing, charisma, analyzing observation, 5 foreign languages

Kyle J. Macken, AKA “Powerline”, is a globally famous pop star. He is the idol/celebrity crush of Maxine Goof and majority of her peers, heavily regarded as one of the greatest musicians in genres pop, soul, R & B, rock, disco, dance-pop, techno, and so on. Other than his musical career, he engages in social works; most likely participating in social services to help the disabled and the orphans, occasionally donating as well. Currently, he is also a record producer of “Powerline Recordings”. Throughout, he has released total of 40 songs.

He was known for having his parents and 8 siblings. Being the youngest of working-class family, he was isolated and alone most of the time until he stumbled upon television channels showing the series and performances of Goofy. With Goofy as his role model and one of few that made his childhood happier, Kyle decided to pursue a career of entertainer/performer since then. Initially began as lounge/club performers, he was discovered by the recording agencies and was scouted to becoming a teen idol. His first song “GO - I’m Falling Out of Love” has become a hit, and has released more popular songs. Whenever he felt down, he would visit the broadcast channel to watch Goofy’s performances and shows, listening to songs of Wings’ Wink and its lead vocalist Glory B. At one point, he expressed his condolences when Glory B passed away. During Maxine and her friend PJ’s pre-teen years, Powerline has sang several openings and endings of popular cartoons/series as the two developed great admiration of his songs. 

In Maxine’s teen years, Powerline has released his two songs “Stand Out” and “I 2 I” that has made simultaneous hits. Maxine listened to the song and realized her crush Rox shares common admiration for Powerline. With an idea, she decided to impress him by her performance of “Stand Out” for last day of school. During the process, she analyzed Powerline’s vocal structures of songs, choreography and stage manners before self-coaching and rehearsing as her two friends PJ and Barby would set the cameras and projector for the last day of school pep rally. The result lead to Maxine become increasingly popular when she performed “Stand Out” as later, Rox complimented her performance. In addition, Stanley was holding a party where she invites many students to watch Powerline’s concert live pay-per-view on TV. Although Maxine was thinking of going to the party with Rox, she was disappointed to learn of her dad already planed a week-long trip with her and Jr, losing a chance to be with Rox. On the other hand, Powerline was informed by his manager that in his concert at Los Angeles, California, he would perform with a guest star but didn’t tell exactly who. At Saturday evening where the concert took place, Powerline performs for wide scale of audiences but was briefly in state of surprise to see Goofy joining onstage in a middle of his song “I 2 I”, finally realizing he was the guest star dancing with. In addition, Goofy’s daughter joined along in a performance. Shortly after, Maxine and Jr had a chance to meet Powerline backstage by Goofy and the said singer’s manager, surprising both when hearing him actually a great fan of their father’s performances/series. As Goofy asked for his autograph in behalf of his daughter, Powerline delightfully accepted. 

In the aftermath, Powerline watched the filmed video of Maxine’s “Stand Out” performance during the assembly uploaded in the social media, and was impressed of her singing voice and choreography. At the same time, he found her singing voice sharing uncanny resemblance with Glory B. Years later, in Maxine’s college years, it was revealed he had founded his recording company “Powerline Recordings” and has been looking for potentials with great talents. He was seen looking at Maxine’s videos of song covers and choreography with interest.

[themoleofmarco]

Magic as Security in SVTFOE

But magic isn’t an allegory for capitalism in Star versus the Forces of Evil. Besides the fact that a one-to-one allegory is boring (”I’ve always been looking for the quadruple entrende, what Shakespeare could do,” as Courtney Love says, and Shakespeare scholar and literary beacon, Marilynne Robinson has said as much in interviews), it just doesn’t make sense as a direct allegory. The show’s observations about financial situations were actually pretty direct: Rich pigeon’s character and his kingdom’s quick rise in Mewni society is clearly not hiding the show’s thoughts about capital power (and it’s actually one of the more nuanced takes on capitalism, without ever endorsing it). But Star and her family are part of a feudal system, not a capitalist one. The writers have something else up there sleeves, at once more relevant to their young teen audience and more all-encompassing of a kyriarchical structure than a simple take-down of capitalism. 

Instead, the whole show starts to cohere when you see magic metaphorically standing in for a sense of security. It may seem like I just made my own one-to-one allegory, but the way it’s applied in the series is anything but some pat moralistic offering. In the first season, the influx of magic serves to free Marco, “the safe kid,” from his rampant anxiety. In fact, Star and her magic early on, when read as a metaphor for security, serve to distinguish security from safety. Marco’s desire to be always prepared but never in danger is radically flipped by fiery rainbows, laser puppies, and giant monster squirrels. He has to make peace with chaos and trust (that is feel secure) in his abilities to accept the unpredictable nature of his new reality, find means to respond to the chaos (rather than avoid it), and get through to the other side of his efforts and often pain. Cartoon logic of course helps with his survival but the theme of developing the emotional security to face one’s problems stands pretty sturdy. 

This idea of security evolves with the show to depict the role fear and safety play in constructing gender roles and racial hierarchies--and how the gift of emotional security can allow exploration and disruption of these prejudices. It’s infinitely queering (an aspect that the show explores in many, many ways). I want to point out here how integral security and imagination are to one another. The well of magic is a source of comfort for Star, eventually for Marco, and for many other characters who get to be close to it, in the way it explodes and rejects norms to privilege an individual’s emotional landscapes, which then find unique manifestation in their spells.

How does something so beautiful eventually go wrong, then? One place to look for an answer is the council, who manage imprisonment, travel, and time-space. The first two, have a pretty clear parallel to contemporary institutions--prison systems and immigration--that purport to provide security, and in many ways, do, for the members of their nation. Time-space might be harder to parse out, except that when we consider that Father Time is a distinct entity from time-space. Time-Space is not time itself but the concept and practice of alternative realities and multiple chances, as seen in the “Mathmagic” episode. It’s a similar philosophical belief to many afterlife concepts. All of these systems privilege the Self and provide emotional security, but do so at the cost of others’ liberties. Capital, as it is now, functions along those lines, which is why I think many made the connection between magic and capital; it’s not wrong, but it’s not broad enough--we named it a square but didn’t acknowledge that a square is also a rectangle and a quadrilateral.

When magic is destroyed in the end, the rulers of Mewni gave up security. They give up security in their own safety, the safety of their people, and assurances of happiness and life, itself. Required for this act: trust and emotional security. It’s the paradox at the heart of the show that magic is required to destroy magic. Emotional security is required to let go of emotional security. On the other side is a more dangerous and strange world but where everyone is in peril together, and doing their best to address it together, too.

There are deeply queer feminist , democratic, antiracist, and globalist implications to this conclusion that got drowned out by shippers in the fandom. And many, perhaps invested in a grassroots-led and enacted revolutionary movement, were turned off by the finale and turned on the show overall because of it. (Others have complaints about rushed pacing, which is funny to me in a show whose core humor relied on manically-paced jokes and plot lol) But more narratives of revolution, especially one’s that acknowledge anticolonial struggles, like Andor, are beginning to acknowledge the solidarity across groups and classes historically required to ignite change (and svtfoe, with it’s references to the Mexican revolution among others, which I wanna address in some later essay, certainly fits in this category). The world at the end of the series will never be the same, which is a revolutionary promise without the fantasy of utopia. It’s gonna get a little weird and a little wild, and we can figure it out together.

[mayflowers515]

(Wholesome AU) Smiling Critters Cartoon Details!

I have some ideas for how the structure of the cartoon would go in my AU! As always, I will update this if any new ideas relating to this come to mind :)

Basic Plot Summary: I feel like the cartoon would follow an episodic format for the most part. Though I would also like it to have more plot-related episodes that can tie in together. Probably nothing too heavy, but something to give some stakes for the cartoon. I imagine there will be trouble from the big bads every now and then, too!

Characters Present:

The Original 8 Smiling Critters! (and their families)

Other Smiling Critters (I feel like there are others besides the OG 8 with their own scents and powers, though maybe not as strong as the others. I hope to develop the explanation to why that's the case)

Historical figures of the town (ex. Critters who had the current Critters' powers, maybe important people of note that helped develop the town to what it became)

Villains (I might get inspired by the Care Bears in order to make these big bads sometime, possibly MLP too!)

Other residents of the town (not just inhabited by the Smiling Critters, but other residents like humans, insect-like creatures, maybe some mythical ones, too!)

Other characters from neighboring towns or ones from completely different locations!

Planned Lore: Since I mentioned the cartoon will have lore, I imagine it has some things relating to the history of the town itself as well as the powers of the Critters. Here are some ideas I have that I hope can be turned into episodes!

More information relating to how the Critters came to be as a group (I feel like this could be scattered throughout the cartoon, whether through implications or flashbacks when necessary)

Background of the Critters before the events of the 90s cartoon

The powers of the Critters (there are many people in their town, so maybe it would be important to address why these eight children were specifically chosen to hold their particular powers from their pendants + their scents)

Past Smiling Critters (basically the retired versions of the Smiling Critters before the current 90s ones came to be; this would fill a smaller portion of the cartoon specifically in the beginning, but maybe the other Critters would like to know who had their abilities before them and learn from them? I was thinking they could be like mentors to them in a sense TvT')

The plans of the big bads (Nothing TOO dark of course since it's a kid's cartoon, but there will definitely be information relating to the villains' backgrounds and what their goals are)

Episode and Season Length: For episodes, they can range from being mini segments (around 10 minutes each) or, depending on the episode's subject, they can be a two-parter (20 minutes or longer). If the cartoon were to have specials, they would be kinda standard with length (possibly 50 minutes to an hour long). As for seasons, I feel like it would have maybe three seasons or more! I can imagine it got good reception that it was able to continue for a while. The seasons could have a maximum of 48 episodes (counting the mini episodes as their own episodes of course). A full season may not actually reach 48 episodes, though (already mentioned that the format may vary).

Extra Details!:

I thought it would be fun for the end of each episode to have a picture of the Critters after they got what they needed resolved. One picture for each mini episode, and pictures after each extended episode reached its proper conclusion (so, in that kind of episode a segment where a mini episode could be expected wouldn't have a picture. Maybe a "To be continued..." text in the background of a cliffhanger scene or something-)

I plan all these pictures taken at the end of the episodes can add up to something wholesome that can show up at the end of the show's runtime (won't spoil that yet, though ;>)

Every main Smiling Critter will have at least ONE character arc. In light of character arcs, they may be foreshadowed in episodes that may not be connected, but then the arcs could more properly flesh out in episodes that expand on them (more likely for two-parter episodes I'm thinking-)

The Gacha designs I made for the Critters wouldn't be how viewers in the AU see the Critters (those are just concepts for how I think the Critters could look like in that way, and it's how I plan to personally portray them in my blog). Some aspects of the 90s Gacha designs I made for them may show up, but I'm genuinely not sure if the Smiling Critters would actually wear full on clothing as Critters.

As much as I think the different ships of the Critters are all really wholesome, I'm not gonna really include them in the actual AU itself. Mainly because I feel in the cartoon it would focus more on friendship than anything. So no heavy romance between the OG 8 here. Though a couple of the Critters having crushes on each other doesn't hurt ;) (if you guys have different opinions about this, that's fine too!)

Not too positive about this, but I think the cartoon in the AU could last from mid 1991-1995 or 1996? (they wouldn't follow real time physics with aging though I wouldn't think-)

That's all the information I have for now! I can't wait to do actual episode ideas surrounding these details and share them sometime! (Because canon doesn't exist to me for these guys and they deserve to be happy ;v;)

🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

[94erz]

A totally unimportant rant about new Mang versus old Mang

I adore new Mang a lot but I can't help but think Mang didn't need changing...Mang now is just Hoseok. Mang before was a dancer too but that was like, their only similarity between creator and character. Most of the other BT21 characters are the same, they have similar qualities but are not just the members in cartoon animal form.

Koya - Namjoon: Smart, kinda chill. RJ - Jin: Likes eating. Shooky - Yoongi: Is a rapper? Small? Chimmy - Jimin: Caring? Values their friends? Tata - Taehyung: ?????? Cooky - Jungkook: Into boxing/sporty, strong

These are all surface-level things. Whereas Mang is now a dancer, into cleaning, got into journaling, can't lie/no poker face, these are all just qualities of Hoseok. Even his family structure is the same, which is not the case for the other characters...

I also just really loved Mang as a horse. The chipmunk is cute but the BT21 characters aren't just animals associated to the members. At least they didn't need to be, Chimmy is a dog (Jimin is presented by chicks), Tata is an alien (Tae by a bear or tiger), Shooky is a cookie (Yoongi by a cat), RJ is a llama (Jin by a hamster), the only ones whose animals overlap are Koya/koala for Joon and Cooky/bunny for Jungkook.

I'm frankly thoroughly angry at the artist that changed Hoseok's horse design for Mang that they wore a mask and put him in a position with a story to ''remove the mask'' when Mang could have just been a horse!!!! They could have stayed a horse!!!! Conn and Gwang are unicorns anyway, so Mang was already ''different'' and didn't fit in, like the story could have still worked just minus needing to remove a mask...

Mang, regular horse, insecure about not being a unicorn like their mentor would still need to develop confidence through being in BT21...like it's still right there...it's the underdog story, normal horse rises to stardom in a world full of unicorns!!!!!!! If anything they could have even created some lore about how the dancing abilities Conn and Gwang have are like, associated to their horns, so other horses would tell Mang they couldn't ever be on the same level, but it'd be bullshit as it requires hard work and determination, which is why Conn as a mentor supported Mang! It would make the story between Gwang and Mang more interesting too, like instead of having Gwang cheat he could just be genuinely better and assumes he should be recognized as the best and also wants to be acknowledged by Conn, but since Mang gets Conn's encouragement instead he's resentful (which IS true, this part of the lore is already here). But Mang works hard regardless and does their best and succeeds anyway because they never give up!

Like damn it, don't make me write BT21 fanfiction...but seriously, so much of it worked so well before. It was just that damn mask element...

[robotlesbianjavert]

i’ve been following you for a while and i love your blog! got a question however: i see you blogging moral orel and i’ve never seen it but from what i’ve read on wikipedia, how would you compare the bad dad to bnha’s bad dads. is he fit to join the club. looking at him gives me afo vibes somehow.

eyyyyy thanks for following and keeping up !! you're a trooper. anyways clay puppington is way way worse than the bnha bad dads. like easy clear. one of the best characters! but definitely the worst dad.

moral orel primer

The thing about Moral Orel is that it's an edgy-ish mid 2000s satire about hypocritical fundamentalist Protestant environments and how badly one eager and god-loving kid can be lead to misinterpret the bible. It's got that irreverent humour. Skip the episode "God's Xhef" if you ever watch it. To set up my point, one of the running gags for the series is that at the result of Orel's shenanigans is Clay taking Orel to his study to belt him. And then his pants fall down! haha.

The series then takes a swerve, starting from the first season Christmas episode and leading into the third season, for a darker, more character-driven narrative. It delves more into the citizens of Moralton, the impact that their Christian environment has on them and their relationships with each other, and bits of history to understand how they turned out the way they did, etc

One of the characters most impacted here is Clay. While he's always been the second-most prominent character after Orel himself, and their relationship is central to the story, it's with this new take on the story that Clay really becomes the deuteragonist of the series. He becomes that much more fascinating a character, and his treatment of Orel and his family becomes that much more vile. Sadly the third season is cut short, reportedly after execs saw a particularly dark episode (not Orel or Clay related!) and thought. hm. that wasn't funny.

I lay that all out to explain that while Moral Orel starts off as a pretty silly, shock-value cartoon about how weird Christians are, it also depicts a lot of serious subject matters, and the treatment of that is much more frank and realistic and difficult as the series progresses.

So while he becomes a much more developed character that the audience can understand, Clay's abusive behaviour loses a lot of that wink-wink satirical irony. He's also CRAZY pathetic.

also it's got the mountain goats! that's how i first found moral orel!

how comparable is it to bnha?

First things first, I do think there are largely interesting things to say about how BNHA depicts abuse, despite the downhill trend of writing in the third act that I complain about all the time. I don't think every aspect is perfect, but it's like. I do think there's more positive to say there than how other stories depict abuse. There's actually lots that I love about what the series does, or think that it could do were it not hobbled by things and stuff.

Ultimately, there isn't really a bulletproof way of comparing fictional abusive situations to another, because respective to real life you can't compare one abusive situation against the other.

But one can compare things like the genre and structure of a story, who the intended audience is, what the production of the story is like, how much time and focus can be devoted to certain subjects and what the actual focus is meant to be, etc etc.

Moral Orel can pull together different elements of abuse, like the suffocating environment of Christian fundamentalism, the abuse of a self-destructive alcoholic, the neglect that comes from mutually disaffected and inept parents, the generational nature of abuse, so on and so forth in a sincere way. Meanwhile BNHA, as a weekly serialized shonen battle manga whose creator has become increasingly rundown, has Things To Say, but doesn't necessarily have the same capacity to devote its power to those things. Abuse is vital to the themes of BNHA, but it's not the center of it the way it is for Moral Orel.

So when Clay does his thing, stripped of the fantastical couching of BNHA's bad dads, it just feels more real and it feels worse as a result.

anyways.

clay SMASH bnha's bad dad club

Never a question that Clay is a worse dad than Enji lmao. However one feels about Endeavour's arc, or how well-written or 'deserved' it is, or how successful and genuine Enji is in his efforts, at the very least he's realised that he's done wrong and wants to atone for it, while also grappling with the fact that there may be no way for him to do that. spoilers but clay shan't do this. you get flickers that he has regrets, but he'll NEVER change baby.

I guess Clay gets a one-up where his marriage with Bloberta is mutually destructive, harmful, and toxic in comparison to Enji unambiguously abusing Rei though. so failmarriage win.

Kotarou is actually similar to Clay though! Lots to say, to compare and contrast. I'm actually kind of obsessed, especially because what I said about Clay being more realistic also applies to Kotarou - Kotarou just gets less screentime. They're both deeply affected by their childhood and relationships with their own parents in ways they take it out on their children (the "explained but not excused" idea behind fictional depictions of generational abuse). They also project an image of the upper(?)-middle class family man and Patriarch of the household, either to make up for the failings of their childhood or because it's what expected of them as a man in their world. (Wee bit of conjecture on Kotarou's part but I think it has solid grounding.)

But there's also significant differences. Physical abuse is normalized as corporal between Clay and Orel, on top of the emotional abuse, manipulation, and neglect. Kotarou's abuse of Tenko is largely emotional, with the big slap implied to be the first time that abuse manifested as physical and a line crossed for the rest of the family. And while I'm sure some people would debate this, the idea that Kotarou promised Nao a home full of joy feels genuine. He did want that, the happy family full of smiles he lost as a kid, only for his own resentment to poison everything when Tenko can't obey the rules Kotarou created and enforced to achieve it. Clay, on the other hand, like. There's bits of him implying he loves his family but doesn't have the means to show or act on it, but when he has a whole speech about the sacrifices he makes for his family, family never rings as more than an obligation that he has to put up with for the appearance of manhood.

And Shigaraki can have xyz feelings about his dad forever, but he accepts and espouses the one true lesson Kotarou taught him, that heroes can't do shit all. His father was always a scary and domineering figure, but it feels like while he will never forgive him, Shigaraki does understand him more as an adult. Meanwhile, Orel tries as hard as he can to honour thy father until he can't anymore.

Again, I think that Clay and Kotarou are probably most comparable in terms of being the Bad Dad with some similar hang-ups and relationships to their kids, but part of what makes Kotarou interesting is that we don't know what he would have done had Tenko's quirk not triggered how and when it did. With his family finally willing to push back against him and himself feeling regret for hitting Tenko, could he have changed? We don't know! But much like I said when talking about Enji, Clay's never going to change.

All For One has become more of a cartoon villain that I am determined to turn into a dress up doll for my own amusement than a bad dad and is more evil guardian or whatever. BUT there's one thing that I almost forgot about when I was first writing this up, but realised is actually soooo interesting.

There's a lot to say about AFO and Clay being the primary "teacher" to Shigaraki and Orel! I that while AFO does influence Shigaraki's villainous ideals, he also lets society and Shigaraki's experiences speak for themselves. And frankly, Shigaraki has a lot of leeway and agency in evolving his ideals through his own experiences, particularly after AFO's incarceration. He sees AFO for what he is, probably has for a long time, and is determined to establish his own identity outside of AFO regardless of what Shigaraki has learned from him. Clay is much more strict and obvious about imposing his worldview on his son, but while Orel is desperate for his dad's approval and love and can be led to do things that feel wrong for that love, Orel never absorbs those lessons the way that Clay wants him to, and separating himself from his father and come to terms with what Clay has done is a much more difficult process.

but mostly i just think that clay could do this

and afo could do this

beautiful world.

[sparklystarlightpatrol]

14 Cartoons About Basement Development Edmonton That'll Brighten Your Day

In the dynamic city of Edmonton, where real estate is at a premium, homeowners are progressively counting on basement development to maximize their building's possible and develop flexible space. Edmonton's unique environment, with long wintertimes and also short summer seasons, makes a well-designed cellar an important addition to any kind of residence. Basement development not only broadens living locations however additionally increases home value, making it a sensible investment for homeowners. In this post, we'll explore the advantages, considerations, as well as trends in cellar development in Edmonton.

The Growing Trend of Basement Development

Cellar development has arised as an attractive option to attend to the city's real estate requirements. With a currently existing structure, cellars use an affordable way to increase the functional square footage of a building without modifying the house's total impact.

Expanding Living Spaces

One of one of the most considerable benefits of basement development is the capacity to develop added space tailored to particular needs. Whether it's adding additional bed rooms, a home office, a leisure location, or a visitor suite, cellars can be transformed into flexible areas that cater to the unique lifestyle of each house owner. This development of living spaces permits family members to comfortably suit their changing demands without the inconvenience of transferring to a brand-new property.

Enhancing Property Value

Cellar advancement is a tactical financial investment that adds value to a house. When done right, a well-designed as well as totally completed cellar can considerably enhance a property's resale value. Possible buyers are commonly attracted to the concept of having additional practical area that they can utilize quickly. Property experts note that a completed basement can boost a property's worth by approximately 10% in Edmonton's open market.

Getting Rid Of Design Challenges

Edmonton's weather, particularly during winter months, present unique obstacles in basement growth. Ensuring appropriate insulation, wetness control, as well as air flow is important to preserving a comfortable and usable space. Hiring experienced specialists and adhering to building codes is necessary to address these layout obstacles and create a basement that's practical as well as comfortable year-round.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fb7d8b_0d74b14127404c0c9600bbacef1cfac0~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0

Legal Considerations and Permits

Prior to starting a basement development project, property owners in Edmonton need to recognize the lawful considerations and also acquire the necessary permits. Edmonton's city regulations and building regulations describe details requirements for cellar development to make certain security, structural integrity, and also compliance with zoning laws. Working with a licensed professional familiar with these regulations is important to prevent possible lawful concerns.

Accepting Sustainability as well as Energy Efficiency

As environmental issues continue to gain prominence, cellar programmers in Edmonton are welcoming sustainability and energy-efficient practices. Incorporating eco-friendly building strategies, such as energy-efficient windows, LED lights, Kitchen Renovation Edmonton as well as boosted insulation, not only decreases environmental influence yet additionally causes long-lasting cost financial savings for home owners.

Cellar advancement in Edmonton supplies a superb opportunity for property owners to unlock the hidden potential of their properties. It's critical to navigate the legal factors to consider, style challenges, and also sustainability aspects to make certain an effective basement development project.

[derekfoxwit]

Quite The Discourse Oddity: Le Threshold, or How I Realized That Too Many Discussions Lacked A Sense of Scale

As someone who has come to appreciate the art of animation, it’s really common to see discourse that has to stress that the medium isn’t just for children. Over my time online, however, I’ve felt that there tended to be an obsession with creating an image of self-righteousness or entitlement with select projects that were able to appeal just as much for adults as children. Whether it’d be due to insecurities or genuine ego, so often I’ve felt too much animation discourse (especially from the late-2000s to early 2010s) would seemingly rely more on the image of SOUNDING smart rather than the ability to engage the subject with depth, how their artistic lens or media literacy developed overtime, or even if they have any real sense of scale. Sometimes to the point that the idea of whether one’s actually calling a work a job well done can be questionable. Welcome to......QUITE THE DISCOURSE ODDITY!

It’s quite ironic....in a frustrating sense. For how obviously important in-betweens are to the very structure of animation, it’s been WAY too easy for me to find animation discourse that lacks any clear idea of an in-between. Just....some incredibly unclear, sometimes non-existent sense of scale. Like, you wouldn’t BELIEVE how frequent I’ve seen such oddly warped thresholds of what was “too much” (Mr. Enter has entered the chat). One minute, Gaston is being called one of the worst Disney villains because “as a feminist, I hate his advances at Belle,” yet the next, Frollo’s getting a pass and there’s even a joke about wishing that they could be Jafar after seeing what slave outfit Jasmine got put in. 

Broadly speaking, this has been the cornerstone of the issues I’ve recognized with animation discourse online, but I still wanted to highlight some key examples of how this could get in the way. Going back to the last part of Quite The Discourse Oddity, the central problem I had there was how, often, the discussion surrounding mature content or more adult-leaning jokes in children’s animation tended to come down to the mere audacity to incorporate the thing. Frequently, that same (deceptively) generalizing emphasis would be treated as the be-all of why any couple of cartoons were placed as cream of the crop material, despite the lack of any clear scaling of how much better of a job one work may have done compared to another. It may be cool to see, but....it’s clear there was something more structurally that allowed one kids’ cartoon to catch on more than another. This can get even weirder when, frequently, those same discussions seem to forget the potential issue of getting gratuitous with the degree of edginess there is. Even with just general comedy, there tends to be this implication. Sure, that tends to be the problem with adult-skewing works that have vaguely Family Guy style faces, but it’s not like that’s the ONLY place you can call something gratuitously edgy (or especially just plain offensive). If anything, keeping such a complaint exclusively to those works can make such discourse more lacking in nuance or depth. Even during the select occasion where the “sexual innuendo in kids’ works” discussion actually does bring up the possibility of going too far or otherwise being awkward as hell, where the line’s drawn is usually kept rather hazy anyway.

You wouldn’t BELIEVE how frequently I’ve seen such oddly warped thresholds of what was “too much” (Mr. Enter has entered the chat). With one of many anti-SJW Tubers that ragged on Turning Red, they were complaining about the film’s allusion to menstruation by saying “sure, it’ll fly over kids’ heads, but the parents that know would be shocked,” suggesting THAT is enough to argue that what the movie did was too much or that it lacked tact. In practice, however, the argument was going no further than using an example with a banana being used to showcase male puberty…..in a manner that’s clearly seeing an extreme that wasn’t there. Hell, much of the disdain going into that portion of the film came down to laser-focusing on that one part of what the transformation was supposed to mean thematically. That’s the keyword here: PART. Not the only thing going on! Within the comments of that same YouTuber’s Turning Red video, one of them was basically going “oh look, women get to be the leading writers, and all they can think is periods.” Y’know that is something that GIRLS have to know about when they reach their teens, right? If you WERE to write about girls coming of age and becoming a teenager, it’d only make sense to WANT to have a menstruations discussion, even if the execs. ultimately prevent that. That same video was even concluding with this statement about how telling it is that these parental reactions toward the film could still happen in a post-Shrek world........but how is this ‘telling’? What is that supposed to say? What about a parent reacting negatively toward Pokémon because ‘eVoLuTiOn’? Or even just fighting, due to seeing it as “killing”? Ever thought that, maybe, it’s just another overreaction of that nature?

I do think there are times where the work can, indeed, be too much for the kid(s) despite being under the “Family” umbrella, like perhaps The Incredibles being shown to a 5-year-old (something Brad Bird himself would’ve discouraged. Looking back, I was probably close to his perfect recommended age when that came out). I can sure as hell get not wanting to show a little kid the original Tom & Jerry completely uncensored due to a certain racial stereotype of a side character. But often, there just seems to be a problem with arbitrary, usually over-generalizing thresholds based on shaky anecdotal evidence or of-the-moment emotions. For example, one blog review I found for Toy Story (which I could not find again after a while) gave it a negative score, but the review essentially just equated to “this scared me especially as a kid due to creepy living toys,” as if that’s enough to say it’d be too much for them. I can get the cartoon being a bit of a turn-off as a kid due to some elements that frightened you, but that doesn’t tell us much about how solid of a film or show the cartoon even was. There are plenty of family/kids’ television works have those strange moments that could easily scare one as a kid (Courage the Cowardly Dog basically being that as a full series). What about those? What about Mufasa’s death? Another odd example can be found in this “western europe vs eastern europe animation” video from the previous post. Throughout the comment section, you’ll see various users implying that children ARE capable of handling genuinely violent battles and the type of content that the older versions of fairy tales provided, yet also acting like showcasing LGBT-related stuff is just too much. Several of them do emphasize that it has more to do with HOW the message is spread, yet their idea of drawing the line only really amounted to “tons of flags everywhere make it look like cult shit.” For all the discussion about kids being able to handle heavy topics, along with how much animation has proven that it can offer deeper story-telling within the last 15 years, there’s a weird habit of arbitrarily deciding what’s too far without any clear nuance.

Even without the notion of children being able to handle darker themes, this kind of strange flip-flopping can get in the way of whether some element should be critiqued in the family/kids’ product (or even in general). In one Discord I’m in, there were a couple of conversations relating to Pokémon. They were about how much (or little) the games were able to change up gameplay-wise with things such as the Physical/Special split in Generation 4 (Diamond & Pearl). One of them brought up how that and some other changes that the series did make over the years weren’t really necessary or substantial since the kids playing or some casual folks wouldn’t be able to notice. A while after that, I started noticing that, while technically not wrong.....doesn’t feel all that informative of any sort of quality, or more specifically, whether you had this major issue or major change in how a piece of media pans out. There are just tons of areas where some kid or even someone who’s on the more casual side has a great chance of not noticing an element of so many pieces of media. PLENTY of takes from “more casual” folks are gonna have their clearly under-informed standpoints, such as a misconstrued idea of a project’s contents; some of the same inner depths found in some video games; full-blown stigma; or just taking stuff at face-value in general. In turn, there are plenty of elements, whether actual flaws or additional merits found within a narrative, that kids may not actually pick up until they get older. But now we’re saying that not noticing due to age or being casual means that the respective element wasn’t substantial or a big deal? How so? Where’s the determination? This is just putting it in such broadly speaking terms, that, at best, the line being drawn is blurry. Especially since you can’t necessarily count on every show, film or video game that was enjoyed or at least experienced as a kid to hold up (though that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy it while acknowledging such stuff). There clearly had to be some sort of deeper detail within the scenario, even if that depth is only by a moderate extent.

And then there are the times when those anti-SJW types have something to “say.” When basically foreshadowing a then-upcoming video, YouTuber Diregentleman made this comment about how Toph would’ve likely been called “woke” if Avatar TLA was released today, and one of those anti-SJW Anime YouTubers made this pointless video “responding” to the comment (as shown by the other screencap). In that same Anime YouTuber’s video, there were predictably numerous comments about how that wouldn’t be the case since you got yourself writers that knew not to do things like “shoving it down your throat” or “making it about character and not the agenda.” However, more often than not, when it comes to these outcries, there’s next to no clarity over when the line is drawn or what the threshold is other than face-value dismissal or otherwise vague accusation, likely basing things more on nostalgia than much else. That last part could especially be the case when plenty of those same people would inaccurately exclaim how “no one was demanding a strong female character back then.” I already alluded to him, but not too long after his fiasco with Turning Red, Mr. Enter actually made a video titled “Diversifying Diversity,” where he......tried?......to argue how cartoons from before the 2010s were better with diversity, mostly by being more diverse. Yet, throughout that video, the only ‘clear’ detail he really had to express why is that no one made a fuss about whether the diversity is there, once again seemingly going off of anecdotal evidence that isn’t very accurate. It didn’t help that (1). his point of how good of a job certain cartoons did literally amounted to “they had this ethnicity in the cast,” and (2). he randomly brought up how they were able to tackle serious subjects through metaphors, but said talking point also amounted to just highlighting that it was there. It was an ultimately confused, cherry-picky and even contradictory video that just furthers emphasizes how, looking back, he wasn’t necessarily that great at going into detail or having much of a critical sense of scale.

In fact, it frequently seems like one’s indicator of higher quality come from whatever extreme attitudes they’ve subconsciously developed for certain facets of media, as well as expecting oddly specific prerequisites based on the youthfully familiar media that was already consumed. In case of getting more oddly specific, it can feel like, even with some highly acclaimed cartoons, the set precedent that would proceed doesn’t necessarily come from the methods that led to making the project great, but rather just simply.....being that exact project. One example of this would be these writing tips Lily Orchard posted in late 2020, where on top of how apparent it was that she was merely venting about certain cartoons more (Steven Universe; She-Ra; Korra), she’d give out weirdly specific and arbitrary ‘tips’ in an attempt to combat against said cartoons. Ironically enough, however, one of her better tips (although clearly said to further rag on Korra), would help highlight this aforementioned issue the series of tips is guilty of. More specifically, the one about not trying to “do what Avatar did,” and primarily, the takeaway that was obtained from the commentators of the video linked above. They brought up how you’re just fundamentally doomed from the start if you try to approach a project like it’s going to be the “Next Avatar” or “Next Star Wars” or whatever. The reason I’m highlighting THAT part is because, in addition to how oddly specific in prerequisites one’s indicator of higher quality can feel with animated works, it has often felt like there’s a subconscious expectation of “The Next X, Y, or Z”. Whether it’d be Avatar, Lion King, Teen Titans 2003, whatever else is listed in the immediately above meme, or some other animation. And if the work isn’t giving this near-immediate reassurance that the vague and particular thresholds were met, then the guilty party will more likely than not dismiss the work as not worthwhile. Honestly, from what I can tell, this feels like a Nickelodeon executive to me. Of course, this isn’t to say they’re not all that great or anything, and it’s good to learn what makes the greats great. HOWEVER, a good chuck of the time, it’s felt to me that it’s based less on the content and more the recognition. Sure, one might show themselves as a fan of Avatar, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a good grasp of certain elements or even have a strong sense of media literacy (COUGH JUSTAROBOT COUGH).

In short, I would consider all this to be the largest factor behind the particularly poor animation related discourse I’ve seen online over the years. Too often, there just seemed to be this reliance on painted extremes or broadly speaking terms that fundamentally deny a lot of critical nuance within a discussion. This can be surprisingly common with material that provides a passionate degree of either respect or frustration. Hell, in case of the latter, it often reads more like a raging hate-boner (and/or hate wagon nonsense) more than analytical discussion. Every now and again, such a problem can also be quite telling of how limited of a media perspective one may actually have.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Speed Racer (2008)

I can understand why Speed Racer wasn't well-received in 2008. Having heard only negative things, I sat down with it fully expecting a catastrophe. It isn't. I’m not going to go so far as call it visionary, but it's certainly bold in its structure, visuals and direction. Like many of the Wachowski’s films, it has a lot to offer and if you go in with an open mind, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You may even love it.

Based on the television series of the same name, itself based on the manga by Tatsuo Yoshida, 18-year-old Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) has been obsessed with racing his entire life. After his brother dies during the Casa Cristo 5000, Speed embarks on his own racing career when he is approached by E.P. Arnold Royalton (Roger Allam), owner of conglomerate Royalton Industries. Speed declines the corporation’s luxurious offers and now, the family must band together to win the Grand Prix, or lose everything to the corporate giant.

If there had been even a drop of cynicism in the 135-minute running-time, Speed Racer would've crashed and burned. Like its protagonist, the film is determined to see itself through. This picture is wild even before we get to the unusual editing, story and structure. Speed’s parents (Susan Sarandon and John Goodman) run an independent company called Racer Motors along with their youngest son, Spritle (Paulie Litt) and his pet chimpanzee Chim Chim. You’d expect the kid sidekick and his monkey to be cheap comic relief, but they’re integral parts of the story. They're never annoying because their presence never hinders Speed. Also living in their home is their mechanic Sparky. No one is ever taken aback by this or the various costumed racers participating in the multiple races seen throughout. It makes for a bizarre kind of world with its own logic you just get into. After the initial shock settles, you're surprised that the seemingly simple relationships and characters expands as the film goes. The whole thing is a cartoon, but what a cartoon it is.

Once Speed gets into his Formula One car and puts the pedal to the metal, it’s like he’s driving down that corridor of light at the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s a dazzling, dizzying burst of twists, turns and sweeps so incredible they’re nearly overwheleming. It moves so fast you wish you could slow it down and catch everything, but the fact that you can’t is what makes it fantastic. The Wachowskis have thrown the rulebook on how to make a racing movie out of the window and by leaving the beaten path, they’ve reinvented moving vehicles on-screen with Speed Racer.

For the three impossible, big, flashy courses featured, the picture is worth seeing but there’s much more for you here. It’s unconventional, at times a little bit too wild, but when placed in this world that looks like a cross between a Terry Gilliam project and Lazytown, you accept it. The film is packed to the brim with moments that further develop the relationship between Speed and his family but never at the expense of the white-knuckle racing. A perfect example is in the very first competition. Speed gets so far ahead of his competitors he come face-to-face with his brother’s ghost. Not a spirit; a digital hologram of the best driver who’s ever been on that track. In the moments that follow, we learn how good Speed is at driving by comparing him to the record holder. We see how long the record has held so we understand just how big a deal it is. We get a display unlike any we’ve seen before and come to understand how much Speed respects, misses, admires and loves his brother all at once.

Speed Racer displays such imagination in its structure and racing sequences. While the film is sometimes difficult to follow because of its no-holds-barred approach, I think it may be one of the best racing film’s I’ve ever seen. (On DVD, April 7, 2018)

[twinsoulvisionary]

Kalluzeb 'Themed' Artwork for The Last Fear   

AO3 link.. https://archiveofourown.org/works/40497552/chapters/101458806

Photo Realistic Art Title:

The Younger Kallus / Sasha Kalavsky

by TwinSoulVisionary

-Spoiler Alert!-

The Last Fear / Chapter 11:  Gratitude

Excerpt..

Dan had accompanied Jenson to his daughter’s wedding in March. Poor Dan had to dress in a traditional grey tux coat and tails, Annika wanted him to look as grand as her father on her special day. Dan tugged constantly at his cravat throughout that day and night complaining it was too tight and that he would be strangled by it in the bathroom stall while taking a piss, he could barely move his neck.. Jenson teased him much that day, the fitters got his neck size wrong.. Oh did Dan grumble, but at least they had a good time and got very drunk... The best parts of the wedding, aside from seeing his beautiful daughter marry Harrison was seeing how his ex wife squirmed and struggled with the act they pulled off of still being together, not overtly, but he felt he had to fake it for just that one day.. Even Dan had fun with it as she stared him down in hatred every chance she could get, Dan took it in stride with a calm ease.. Toward the end of the evening Dan had finally unbuttoned the first few inches of his shirt, abandoning the cravat on one of the close family dining tables and there he surprisingly found a date. Sasha Kalavsky was ex special forces militia and a cousin of Harrison on his Croatian Uncle’s side of the family. When Dan introduced Sasha he was blown away at how he looked uncannily like himself. They all sat together talking about fighting styles for the rest of the night.. Dan drunkenly kept calling Sasha Agent Doppelganger… Sasha thought it strange and funny after Dan finally explained to him that he had the exact same hair colouring and tall muscled body structure as a Sci-Fi TV cartoon character named Agent Kallus.. He just didn’t have the sideburns or beard growth at that time.

End Excerpt.

Look forward to having your Kalluzeb, but with a different Kallus. Well how about a purposely developed plot?!... Author snickers and says.. "Go, go read The Last Fear and enjoy the twist and turns in the road!" ;D

[characterdesignillustration]

Character narrative

Setting

Drive/Motivation

Alignment

How the world informs visual components or vice versa

Personality

OUR GIVEN CHARACTER: AMETHYST

sources: https://steven-universe.fandom.com/wiki/Amethyst#Abilities

20 Questions

1 How old is your character?

~5,000 years

2 What's their relationship with their parents? (if their parents are dead then detail the story and their past relationship if you can find it) (if they have a different back story again, then enter that here)

She was created on Earth to be a soldier in the Gem Empire’s army but emerged after the kindergarten (people factory) was abandoned. She was then found by Rose Quartz and the Crystal Gems after living within the planet’s cave systems for roughly 500 years which stunted her growth.

3 Who raised them (ignore if listed in 2)

The Crystal Gems, specifically Rose Quartz as a main mentor figure.

4 Do they have any siblings? - If so, describe them and their relationship(s)

Not really siblings, but the Crystal Gems appear to be like an adopted family for Amethyst, treating the other two like siblings. Garnet is stern and ridged which can clash with Amethyst’s chaotic and hedonistic nature, Amethyst also feels insecure (character arc) in comparison to Garnet’s physical power of which she is jealous of. However, she does seem to have respect of Garnet’s authority and person(s). Pearl is the other third of the Crystal Gems, is structured and clean, which clashes with Amethyst’s impulsive and often mess behavior, but the two are still friends on a deep level, which further develops outwardly as the show progresses and as Amethyst develops self-confidence.

5 What is the main thing, or some things that challenge them?

The main thing that challenges Amethyst is her creation and being. She feels as if her very existence is a mistake and feels weak and inadequate when compared to her fellow Crystal Gems. She was made in a kindergarten (what is essentially a people factory for the purpose of creating armies) but came out “wrong” as she spent ~500 years underground. Her insecurities show up in her personality, hedonism and chaos can represent a lack of care for someone’s being, and she can be hostile to others at times, pushing them away. Over the course of the show, she develops out of this insecurity accepting herself for who she is and rejecting the shame she places on herself.  

6 Describe two or more relationships with other characters – what characterizes those relationships?

Greg Universe – Father of Steven Universe: The main element that characterizes the relationship between Greg and Amethyst is grief as they were good friends before they lost Rose. Afterwards Amethyst expressed her grief through anger towards Greg, but through interaction the anger was lost and the two became friends again.

Steven Universe – Main Character: Amethyst can relate to steven as their personalities overlap in multiple ways, both being quite hedonistic and carefree, and both feeling a level of insecurity concerning their abilities as Crystal Gems. As such Amethyst holds Steven in high regard and Steven helps Amethyst with her self-loathing.

7 Does your character have children – if so, how does your character relate to them?

No.

8 Does your character have a mentor?

Yes, Rose Quartz probably.

9 How has your character’s upbringing shaped their view of the world?

She sees Earth as her world, the one she was born into. She engages and enjoys human activates because of both her hedonistic and carefree nature and being brought up around people.

10 Does your character have chosen accessories / clothing / tools / weapons

Amethyst can summon a whip which she uses as a weapon. She can be seen in some variation of black tank top and both shorts/trousers. She is purple.

REFLECTION:

Using my sources

[horwathgolf]

The Role of a Miniature Golf Expert in Elevating Your Entertainment Business

The Role of a Miniature Golf Expert in Elevating Your Entertainment Business

Running an entertainment business of any kind can be challenging, given the fast-paced, ever-changing whims of the consumer marketplace. One of the best ways to expand your operations and grow potential revenue is by developing and introducing a miniature golf course.

Mini golf is a beloved, time-honored pastime that families enjoy. Given the variety of themes and technology you can introduce into this pastime, it allows you to easily add a new revenue stream that attracts clients and keeps previous customers highly engaged. The best way to do this is to collaborate with a team of miniature golf experts capable of transforming your entertainment business using a modern course design.

Understanding the Role of a Miniature Golf Expert

You wouldn’t hire a baker to build your house, just like you wouldn’t try to design a miniature golf course without an expert in the field. These professionals are designers, contractors, marketers, and social engagement geniuses.

Besides having specialized knowledge in the various details of course layout or crafting a thematic environment for your customers, there is also the application of the miniature golf course in your overall entertainment business structure. They can help guide you through introducing this new feature to the community and what advantages it brings to customers.

Then, there is dealing with the actual development process. A well-constructed miniature golf course must consider things like lighting, water elements, local ordinances, business regulations, and even the sun's course across the sky to lower your electric bills.

Enhancing Course Design and Themes

An experienced miniature golf expert is your best support to cultivate an immersive golfing world. They can guide you through the difference between open IPs and securing the rights for popular properties like TV shows, cartoons, movies, music, or other storylines. 

They understand firsthand that the best miniature golf courses worldwide tell engaging stories, so players feel involved from the first time they step onto your course to sinking that final putt on the last hole. This creative approach is what you need to attract your target audience. Those themed features are what you will see on the shared social media videos and photos that bolster your organic marketability.

Incorporating Technology and Innovation

To succeed in today’s miniature golf world, you need an expert who can bring in modern technology. This could be as simple as having a photogenic spot on your course where people can share Instagram-worthy photos of their families and friends or using GPS or Bluetooth-connected water and lighting features as a customer moves through your course.

Odds are you have already seen an indoor or outdoor course using incredible technology features that are widely shared online. That could be a specialized course that looks like a pinball machine with all the lights to make it more engaging or a glow-in-the-dark course with RFID lighting features demonstrating where you should set your ball for the first putt. It all comes down to technology.

Final Thoughts

The point is there are many moving parts to adding a mini golf course to your entertainment business. Everything from terrain to how to install the water pipes so that they are most efficient for various features comes into play. 

Hiring a miniature golf expert from our team at Horwath Golf is the best decision to move forward and ensure you get the quality advice and support you need to integrate this new business feature into your growing business. Contact us today, and let's get started!

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Painting by Numbers: A Classic Art Experience for All Users

In a world dominated by computers and electronic distractions, it is essential to provide children with hands-on, creative experiences. Kids paint by number kits have become an increasingly common and interesting artistic activity for children. These kits provide children with a controlled yet enjoyable approach to exploring their artistic talents and developing useful abilities. It requires precision and control. As they use small brushes to fill in the numbered areas, children improve their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and grip strength. These abilities are necessary for jobs such as writing, drawing, and other manual activities.

Cartoon paint-by-numbers kits provide a structured yet imaginative outlet for kids to explore their creativity. By painting their favorite cartoon characters, children can express their unique artistic ideas and experiment with different color combinations. This fosters imagination and encourages them to think outside the box; these kits include prominent and iconic characters from animated shows, movies, and comic books. Whether it’s the Powerpuff Girls, SpongeBob SquarePants, or superheroes like Spider-Man, these supplies allow fans to create their favorite characters with their own personal flair.

Butterflies, with their delicate wings, brilliant shades, and elegant flight, have long captured the human mind. Butterfly paint-by-number genre enables artists to express and celebrate these insects’ ethereal beauty on canvas. Butterfly paint by number kits let you recreate these wonderful insects in incredible detail, whether it’s the vibrant colors of a monarch butterfly, the intricate patterns of a swallowtail, or the whimsical charm of a blue morpho.

Paint by Numbers provides a delightful artistic journey for everyone and encourages people to explore their artistic abilities, discover new skills, and create amazing pieces of art that bring joy and beauty into their lives. It provides an excellent environment for social interaction. It can be enjoyed along with friends, family, or other members of the art community, promoting communication, teamwork, and the chance to appreciate and discuss one another’s works.

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Embark on a Colorful Journey with Paint by Numbers

Paint by numbers is more than just a craft; it's a creative journey just waiting to be explored. This idea has had a rebirth recently, capturing the attention of both art enthusiasts and amateurs. This unique style of art offers a perfect harmony between structure and self-expression, enabling people to participate in a relaxing and immersing creative process. Regardless of their level of experience, anyone may produce beautiful works of art by following the numbered parts and using the proper colors.

Millions of fans all over the world have fallen in love with the epic space saga of Star Wars. This universe has grown to be a cherished source of inspiration, from the recognizable characters to the stunning scenery of far-off galaxies. Now, Star Wars enthusiasts can embark on a creative journey by fusing their love of the franchise with the calming and engaging experience of painting and get a special chance to recreate their favorite scenes from the saga with Star Wars paint by number. These kits allow them to bring back these legendary sequences while adding their own personal flair, whether it is the thrilling lightsaber battles between Jedi and Sith, or the touching encounters between cherished characters.

Just like Star Wars, Anime has captivated audiences around the world with its distinctive art style, compelling storytelling, and imaginative worlds. The colorful and dynamic visuals of anime lend themselves perfectly to the world of paint by numbers anime, offering fans the opportunity to capture the essence of their favorite anime series and movies. From the iconic characters to the mesmerizing backgrounds, this category showcases the most beloved characters from popular Manga, top-rated anime, and cartoons.

Disney has been enchanting audiences for generations with its beloved characters, captivating stories, and magical worlds. Disney paint by number offers fans a delightful way to rekindle the magic of their favorite childhood memories. From timeless classics like Cinderella and Snow White to modern masterpieces like Frozen and Moana, these kits bring beloved characters to life in a whole new way. Whether it's a family painting session or a group of friends coming together to reminisce about favorite Disney movies, these kits facilitate bonding and shared experiences.

This concept has developed into a fun and well-liked art form that breaks boundaries of age, talent, and prior artistic training. It provides a route to creativity and self-expression due to its organized method, therapeutic advantages, and accessibility, offering an engaging and satisfying experience, regardless of whether you're an aspiring artist or just looking for a soothing artistic activity.