#good lord this was long I'm sorry

[little-miss-ghostess]

My reviews/rankings of all of Ninja Sex Party's albums after I binged their discography in January

I've been a fan of NSP since 2017, but between 2020 and 2021 I had kinda fallen off of keeping up with them. Back at the start of this year I decided to fix that, and within the span of a few days I listened to all of their albums from NSFW through to The Very, Very, Very, Very Classy Acoustic Album. And during this journey I'd give a review of each album to my Discord friend server as I went.

It was honestly really fun doing this! I like binging things so just sitting down for like an hour or so listening to an album from start to finish was great -- and I know that sounds like the most zoomer-ass thing imaginable, saying "YOOOOO LISTENING TO AN ALBUM IN ONE GO ROCKS!" but I hadn't done that much myself for most of my life honestly!

So now that I'm using Tumblr again I wanna post my reviews from that binge here, partially cause I think it's fun and partially cause I had originally started dumping these Discord ramblings to a site called Listnd but that place seems to have straight up died 🙃

NSFW (2011) — reviewed on 1/3/22

They actually started off decently well. Obviously the tracks here are not as funny or well produced as later ones would be, but there's little about it I don't at least enjoy.

There aren't many tracks here I'd revisit regularly honestly, but even some of the weaker tracks like Manticore and You Can Do Us! sound good and are pretty catchy. I also keep thinking that No Reason Boner isn't that great but every time I revisit it I realize it's actually good.

Favorite Song: Objects of Desire Least Favorite Song: Accept My Shaft Favorite Skit: Introduction

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Strawberries and Cream (2013) — reviewed on 1/4/22

When I woke up, my brain was ping-ponging between BNA and NSP so here we are.

It's a major step up from NSFW. The sound is better, the lyrics are better, and overall the tracks are much more enjoyable. I can't think of a song on here that I flat out don't like unlike the first album.

Some of these songs like Unicorn Wizard and FYI I Wanna F Your A are some of my favorites from NSP as a whole, even if they aren't as super well-produced or full as later albums would be. I could comfortably listen to most of these songs more regularly.

Although it does lose points from me due to the fact that the album only has the first part of Sacred Chalice, which was a 4 part song (part 1 literally ends with "part 2 coming soon"). It's not even one of my favorite songs from the album but only having the first part on there is a buzzkill, especially since there's no full official release of the other 3 parts outside of the music videos which have noticeably lower quality audio. We're going on 9 years since S&C's release so I don't think we're ever gonna get those other 3 released officially, so fan-made compilations will have to suffice.

Favorite Song: Unicorn Wizard Least Favorite Song: Next To You (not a bad song, but I would only listen to it every once in a while), The Sacred Chalice, Pt. 1 (due to the fact that it's only one part of the full song) Favorite Skit: Shredded Metal

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Attitude City (2015) — reviewed on 1/5/22

I didn't intend on this being a daily thing, but as it turns out this was a great goal to set while getting back into Terraria.

Anyway, this is the final album in what I consider "Classic NSP." Back when they didn't have a backing band, their music videos used deliberate stylistic suck to amplify the comedy, and it's the album that I think truly put them on the map for a lot of people.

So... is it weird to say that I found it a bit underwhelming?

None of it is bad, and I'd say that the best songs (Peppermint Creams, Dragon Slayer, and of course 6969) are higher highs than a lot of the best parts of NSFW and Strawberries and Cream, but honestly the majority of the tracks were just alright.

I guess what I'm saying is I could revisit this album occasionally and enjoy it, but I'd probably just stick to the 3 songs I like the most and ignore the rest.

Favorite Song: 6969 Least Favorite Song: Cookies! (it's still funny, though) Favorite Skit: Buttsex Goldilocks

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Under the Covers (2016) — reviewed on 1/5/22

Firstly, brilliant name.

Secondly, while few doubted that Danny and Brian were talented, I think this was the album that made a lot of people (myself included) go "Oh wait they're not just funny sex band, they're fully rounded musicians." Yeah they didn't write any of the songs here, but the musical performances and especially Danny's vocal performance just rock.

There isn't a track here that isn't at the very least pretty good, helped in large part due to them now having Tupperware Remix Party as a backing band so now things feel really full.

My only issue with it isn't even really with the quality of anything, it's just that a lot of these songs don't fully appeal to my personal tastes. Maybe it's cause I'm not nostalgic for them, but again that's not a major issue, it just bumps it down a few points for me personally.

Basically it's tied with Strawberries and Cream for me which is hard to really show on a tierlist.

Favorite Song: The Last Unicorn Least Favorite Song: Subdivisions Favorite Skit: N/A

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Under the Covers Volume II (2017) — reviewed on 1/6/22

Going with two cover albums in a row was an interesting decision that I'm not sure I fully agree with, but hey it's a great album so who cares?

This one is a big improvement from Volume I for me personally cause there's a lot more music here I actively vibe with. The only track here I honestly don't care for is I Wish, but I could easily and happily listen to any of the other tracks leisurely.

Yeah that's pretty much all I gotta say on the quality, it's a great album and I am listening to Your Wildest Dreams as I type this. Only other comment I got is that it's fuckin' surreal that this album is coming on 5 years old cause I explicitly remember watching the music video to Pour Some Sugar On Me when it released during school, specifically during a computer lab trip where I had to hide the screen.

It feels kind of weird giving this the highest ranking so far since it's music they didn't write, but oh well.

Favorite Song: Your Wildest Dreams Least Favorite Song: I Wish Favorite Skit: N/A

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Cool Patrol (2018) — reviewed on 1/6/22

This is one of two NSP albums I own physically, and it's the signed version as well!

Which is sweet cause this is definitely the pinnacle of their discography so far. Literally nothing about this album is underwhelming, letalone bad.

The skits are fun, and EVERY song is a jam. Even GFY which is way more of a skit than a song you're meant to listen to a lot slaps pretty hard. My only real gripes* (*read: nitpicks) are I don't know why the last line of Heart Boner is "Screw you for judging me", and I think the "Madre los mios!" at the end of Eating Food in the Shower is a little out of place (but hey the rest of the song being significantly better mixed than the music video version makes up for that).

Plus, it has arguably the best song NSP has written, Danny Don't You Know, and that gives it a lot of points.

Favorite Song: Three-way tie between Orgy For One, First Date, and Danny Don't You Know Least Favorite Song: GFY (only cause it's more of a skit song than the rest of the album, it's still pretty good) Favorite Skit: Romance Novel

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Under the Covers Volume III (2019) — reviewed on 1/7/22

This is the second and latest NSP album I own physically, also signed.

And it's pretty solid, though I don't think it's as good as Volume II. Again, I'm just not big on some of the song choices. Nothing here is outright bad at all, but some of these tracks don't appeal to my personal tastes. Not much more I can say here that I didn't say for the past two volumes

Favorite Song: Safety Dance Least Favorite Song: Photograph Favorite Skit: N/A

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The Prophecy (2020) — reviewed on 1/7/22

This was my first time listening all the way through this album, as around this time was when I had kinda fallen off the NSP wagon.

And that's a shame cause it is a very strong album.

I don't think it quite reaches the same bar as Cool Patrol as a whole package, but it definitely has some jams here that are on-par. Welcome to My Parents' House and I Don't Know What We're Talking About are still great, The Mystic Crystal is a great musical epic/comedy that may not be as easily re-listenable as 6969 but is still equally awesome, and The Decision Part 2 is a sequel I never knew I needed and it slaps hard.

Even Thunder & Lightning, while still not one of my favorites by any means, is a lot better than I remember it being when it first dropped.

The album is brought down slightly for me by the mixing in a few tracks (notably The Decision Part 2 and Do Math with U) being not the greatest as the vocals can be drowned out by the instrumentals, and Wondering Tonight's mere existence. It's not terrible, it's just....completely disposable. It feels like a throwaway track created to fill out the album a little. It got a couple chuckles out of me, but overall it did nothing for me.

So yeah I can't say it's S tier because Cool Patrol hit homeruns throughout the whole album, whereas this one had a few more issues pop up for me and had one straight up miss, but even so it's still a damn good album.

Favorite Song: Welcome to My Parents' House Least Favorite Song: Wondering Tonight Favorite Skit: The Wishing Bear

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Level Up (2021) — reviewed on 1/8/22

Well well well, if it isn't the Star Wars Special Editions of music.

The idea for this album is great: The first three NSP albums didn't have TWRP as a backing back, so they take a handful of songs from them and re-record them to be more up to their modern standards of quality.

Should've been a slam dunk.

Instead it was a complete miss followed by a faceplant into the court flooring.

I will say this immediately: Just speaking purely off production, this is not a bad album. The songs do sound fuller in a lot of ways. But in terms of quality, especially comparing it to their previous works, this ain't it chief,

The problem is they changed so much for seemingly no reason, and I'm not asking for the songs to be the exact same but with TWRP in the back, but these changes are so asinine and completely remove a lot of the fun from the tracks.

For one, Danny's inflection on a lot of the lines are just so much more lifeless and dull. For example...

"6969" - Attitude City (2015) -- Timestamp 5:52

"6969" -- Level Up (2021) -- Timestamp 5:57

The scene is supposed to be high-energy and intense because NSP is running away from an army trying to kill them, but in the Level Up version Danny just sounds mildly annoyed.

And this permeates throughout pretty much the entire album, especially cause they cut out a lot of the skit dialogue in the songs so Unicorn Wizard just sounds so much more hollow despite having more to it. But they don't cut out all of them??? Unicorn Wizard, Attitude City, and NSP Theme Song have their skits cut, but Party of Three and 6969 don't. I guess cause they're more built into the foundation of the songs, but I guarantee you you could cut out a lot of the 6969 dialogue and have it be on the same level as Unicorn Wizard, which is to say it'd technically work but it would sound way more hollow, so it's weird where they drew the lines.

The worst example though I have to say comes from Road Trip. At the end, Danny dies mid-lyric because he exits his spaceship without a spacesuit:

"Road Trip" - Attitude City (2015) -- Timestamp 2:58

But, in Level Up, they just cut that out entirely so Danny just finishes the song normally:

"Road Trip" - Level Up (2021) -- Timestamp 2:51

Why? That completely kills the joke.

Even the introduction doesn't escape this, cause every original NSP album opens with a comedy piece where Danny introduces you to the album. Here? It's literally just a minute of music with no dialogue, and it's not even that interesting of music.

On top of that Danny's voice drips with autotune a lot in these tracks which really kills a lot of the enjoyment. Unicorn Wizard here genuinely just sucks, straight up. No skits, duller delivery, too much autotune, the instrumentals are mixed to be louder than Danny's voice so mixed with the autotune it just makes it a headache, ugh.

(NOTE: Upon reflection in the months since, I'm not entirely sure that "dripping with autotone" was the best way of describing it. There was something to Danny's vocals that sounded more artificially tweaked than any other album so that felt like the best description to me at the time, but now I'm not so sure cause I don't actually know if autotune was used.)

Dinosaur Laser Fight sounds pretty, but I don't like the ballad direction they took for it cause it's a completely different style than the original and I don't think they lean into it hard enough for it to be a funny juxtaposition. On top of that, it's the ONLY song on the album that is completely different from it's original version, which would be fine if the whole thing was a reimagining of their songs (and if you want to use the term VERY broadly, it is). But it isn't. It's only songs from the pre-TWRP era and every song that isn't Dinosaur Laser Fight tries to stick fairly close to the originals (which just makes the changes more glaring), plus with the name "Level Up" it implies they're the original songs but better.

But they're not.

Oh yeah also they actually added a skit to I Just Want To (Dance)????? Despite cutting out a bunch of others????????????

There's only 1 song here that is genuinely better (or at least on par with the original), and that's NSP Theme Song. Yeah, it does cut out the skit at the end and Danny's comedic interjections, but it actually does sound good, doesn't have worse delivery, isn't drowning in autotune, and the skit at the end was always one of NSP's weaker ones anyway so it's not as missed (though it does make the song end a little more awkwardly).

I have no idea if this was a rush job to put out an album in 2021, but it certainly feels like it. Like, they wanted a different album out last year but it wasn't gonna happen, so they just took this idea and threw it together. It's not lazy, it has effort put into it, but man it clearly did not have enough time put into it to make it great. I appreciate this album and TVVVVCAA for getting me back into NSP but man this was just a dud otherwise.

Favorite Song: NSP Theme Song (only song here I'd actually revisit) Least Favorite Song: I Just Want To (Dance) (weak song not made any better), Unicorn Wizard (for butchering one of my favorites) Favorite Skit: N/A

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The Very, Very, Very, Very Classy Acoustic Album (2021) — reviewed on 1/8/22

The last stop on my NSP journey until their next album inevitably drops, and it's quite a turnaround from Level Up.

I've grown a love for acoustic albums. Partially because my dad has played acoustic guitar for all my life so it's a very comforting sound, but also because just hearing basically the bare elements of songs that were meant to be high energy is just really awesome. So, this was a treat.

Danny's voice shines here stronger than anywhere before, as there's no mixing to try and drown out his voice, no autotune, barely any harmonizing, it's just him and he has a really good singing voice.

This does lose a few points for me cause it's definitely still pretty scripted (the point of acoustic albums is meant to be pretty raw), which isn't terrible but I would've liked it to be a lot more off the cuff and for Brian to actually talk a bit since he still goes silent in this album. At the very least, the framing device of it being a tour no one showed up to is funny.

(NOTE: I later found out that this actually was a live show that they did that they released as an EP, which better explains the scripted nature. I still personally would've preferred a more genuine, off-the-cuff approach, but I recognize that they were putting on a skit for a stage production.)

Dinosaur Laser Fight is better here than Level Up although I'm still not big on it, but somehow I actually liked Wondering Tonight here. Something about it being lofi really helps it out.

My only other comment is that they have a couple songs from Under the Covers here (Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Rocketman) and they have this kinda odd joke where Danny says David Bowie wrote them. It comes out of nowhere and has no real pay-off, and since those are the only cover songs it can be jarring to stumble into.

Beyond that, great album. I don't think I'd revisit it a ton, but even so it's really good, has a very nice sound, and is overall just cool to hear NSP like this.

Oh yeah and Unicorn Wizard here is good that’s a big plus.

(And some skits are still omitted but it’s a lot more reasonable since even with its scripted nature it’s still predominantly done in one take)

Favorite Song: Danny Don't You Know Least Favorite Song: Dinosaur Laser Fight Favorite Skit: Introduction

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And throughout this journey I had kept track of the albums on a tierlist because I enjoy tierlists, although after my NSP binge I switched from an S/A/B/C/D/F ranking system to Amazing!!/Pretty good!/Solid/Average/Below Average/Ugh... because they better reflected my thoughts:

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WOWIE WOW WOW THIS IS A LONGER POST THAN I EXPECTED. If you made it all the way through my fucking college thesis of a post you win a cookie 🍪

I had other album reviews I did in this style over the course of the year that I want to post here, but now I'm not so sure about that since this ended up being so long 😅 But also it's my blog so I can do what I want right? Whatever, time will tell. I'm probably gonna look into a site called Musicboard for this kinda stuff since it looks like exactly the same site Listnd was but with actually care put into upkeep.

Anyway, moral of the story is that NSP is pretty cool. Thank you and goodnight.

[sculkshrieking]

dude your hoffstrahmdon is changing my life! have you ever thought about including adam in the mix for the au? ship thing or not i'm just curious about if he gets to live :-)

teehee i'm glad you like them :D!! I had to think about this for a little bit. Adam generally stays dead in my head because i love the guilt and haunting and also because i don't think John with his barbed wire grip on all three apprentices would ever allow his freedom. HOWEVER we love to self indulge in this house and throwing Adam into the mix sounds so chaotic.

Maybe Hoffman plays a part in getting Adam out which is what makes Lawrence feel indebted enough to come and warn him not to go after Jill (which just makes me think of Lawrence and Adam in the makeshift jigsaw hospital room getting tended to by Hoffman while John and Amanda are off getting bloodboarded).

Lawrence and Adam are insanely codependent because I wouldn't have their post-bathroom relationship any other way. They will bite, kick and scream like frightened dogs if you try to separate them.

With Hoffman, Adam probably has some mixed feelings in a "You're horrible and I can't stand you, but you saved me" type way. Mostly the first part, really. Meanwhile, I think Hoffman just finds him annoying and grating as hell, he wants that twink obliterated and all that.

The Strahm and Adam roasting matches are insane. It's a constant PvP zone in there and absolutely no one is safe. There are parallels between them that they're both doing their best to ignore. Also they can smoke out on the balcony together as a treat <33

I don't know what kind of situation would force them all to have to spend a bunch of time together but i personally would love to see the resulting carnage. I also would love for them to kiss, i just have a hard time imagining all of them liking each other </3. Hate sex is absolutely still on the table however <33. Adam how come your mom lets you have THREE big hot middle aged men around you etc etc.

In conclusion:

[bittersweetresilience]

adrien often being referred to in fanon as “sunshine” and the sun and something about Felix having Moon symbolism. is this anything sunny?

sentitwin sun moon symbolism is absolutely ridiculous. i have thought about it before but never gotten anywhere. this time i consulted @ninadove about it and rotated it in my mind for many hours and i am still not sure about my verdict. therefore i'm just going to ramble a bit and then pass it over to nina. birthday teamwork!

i started out agreeing with the assignment of adrien as the sun and félix as the moon.

their personalities seem to fit the vibes. moreover, it ties into yin and yang.

adrien's miraculous is placed on the yang half of the miracle box, and ladybug's on the yin. his hair is parted to the right, which is the direction of yang, while félix's and ladybug's are parted to the left, yin.

a brief tangent here: even though the placement in the miracle box and adrien and marinette's civilian selves with their white and black outer garments respectively seem to indicate yang and yin, when they become heroes, they swap entirely. ladybug wears red, yang, and chat noir wears black, yin. their powers of creation and destruction are also yang and yin. my theory is that not only are adrien and marinette meant to be halves of a whole as partners, but their hero selves are also meant to halves of a whole with their civilian selves. yin and yang symbolism all around.

back to adrien as sunshine. before félix was introduced, adrien was established as the character in the show with the disney princess golden hair and golden smile, so it's easy to see where this fanon came from.

marinette describes her love for him as three suns in her heart.

then if we want to pair the sentitwins, and we think adrien is the sun, it makes sense for félix to be the moon.

some final evidence in support of this is mirror imagery. the same way the moon reflects the light of the sun, félix reflects adrien. both in his creation as a reflection of adrien's and in his behavior in the show. félix dresses as adrien in over half of his episodes.

but this picture is complicated by several factors. there's a fair amount of evidence that the twins are actually associated the other way around, with adrien as the moon and félix as the sun.

gold and silver color symbolism. one could easily think of gold as the sun and silver as the moon, but in the show, félix and the graham de vanilys are associated with gold and adrien and the agrestes are associated with silver. the wedding rings, the colors of their homes, their camouflaged miraculous, the lighting... anarchist gang talked about this a few months ago and i think nina may want to expand on what we discovered, so i will leave this to her.

another brief tangent here: white and black color symbolism. i have not fleshed out my thoughts on it but i am leaving notes here for future reference. adrien's civilian outfit features white, but this likely reflects gabriel's influence on him. his hero selves wear black. meanwhile, félix is introduced dressed in black and haloed in white as he enters gabriel's sphere. in the play, it's the opposite. at the diamonds' dance, he and marinette wear white and kagami, like lune rouge, wears red. obfuscation? femininity? yin and yang again?

and a third brief tangent here: when chat noir is unhealthy, he becomes chat blanc, who is white, and patte de velours, who is accented with gold. colors of entanglement? of influence? of inauthenticity? are félix's best parts adrien's idea of a perfect self? i am contemplating.

there are more significant reasons for moon adrien and sun félix. in important moments of the show, adrien is frequently associated with the moon. glaciator, chat blanc, kuro neko, new york special... and on the other hand, where does the sun play an important part of the story? in réplique, with félix.

narratively, sentitwins seem to have moon and sun roles. adrien is the one from whom things are hidden, while félix is the one who shines light on the truth. adrien spends most of his time as support, while félix is an active agent. adrien reacts to things, while félix makes them happen, for better or for worse.

nina has an entire essay on félix and the development of his sun associations from lune rouge to the sunrise in représentation, so i'll leave that to her to discuss.

all right. sentitwins are either sun and moon or moon and sun. what does this mean for them?

it intrigues me that adrien is viewed by fanon as the sun when he could be better described as the moon. adrien agreste enjoyers, please get on this.

here is a starting point for your thoughts. if adrien is the moon, it makes sense why he destroyed the moon in chat blanc when he was trying to destroy himself.

and if félix is the sun, it further puts into perspective why he felt guilty about réplique's fate. they were a sacrifice for his goals. he may has well have literally killed them.

role reversal and false impressions are prominent in sentitwins and this complicated picture adds to that.

frequently bought together. do not separate.

in conclusion, yes, autumn, this is most certainly something. fuck if i know what it is, but i love losing my mind about it.

[everlastiingiimmortals]

Notes on Dr. Ratio: Design, Philosophy, and Culture

That's right, I'm back with another big thinkpiece! This time, I'll be doing a very long overdue analysis on Ratio and drawing notes to the real-life inspirations behind his character. I'll be having quite a bit of overlap with existing headcanon posts I've made, so if there's anything I repeat I apologize. I'll do my best to link the major posts I've written before as they come up!

I'll be splitting this piece into three different sections: design, kit and naming conventions, and miscellaneous (that gorgeous E6, his personality and backstory, statues, etc). So, without further ado, let's begin! This will be lengthy, just as a general note, and has a lot to point to, so the notes will be bulleted.

Design:

To start, Ratio has an overall blue and white theme. This immediately struck me as very Greek, especially since the colors in his chiton are of a similar shade to the national flag of Greece.

He has a modernized and modified version of the chiton and himation or chlamys, all of which are traditional articles of clothing in Ancient Greece. The chiton is the blue half with the sleeve, and and the himation is the white cloth. Both are tucked under a zone (the girdle), with it only partially hidden on one side. Usually the whole belt would be hidden under the folds of a chiton, but HYV likes their belts. An interesting note regarding the himation is that it's fastened on his left shoulder, rather than the right as it would traditionally be done.

The button fastening Ratio's himation in place is actually a Roman button! An example of one can be seen here, in the Met.

The sandals he wears are more of Greek origin than Roman, I think. It was hard to find the exact type or name, but this site points to several examples.

Naturally, the owl pauldron is a reference to Athena (Minerva in Roman mythology), the Greek goddess of wisdom and strategy. This is a motif that also shows up on Ratio's codex.

His hairpiece is a representation of a laurel wreath, which were awarded to skilled, accomplished people as a symbol of triumph -- though usually intended for victors of athletic or musical and poetic competitions (and for the Romans, martial victory), they have also come to represent academic success and achievement.

The column he summons in his Ultimate is a composite column, noted by the large volutes (reminiscent of an ionic order) as well as the acanthus leaf motifs similar to a corinthian column.

Similarly, acanthus leaves -- a popular design in Ancient Greece and Rome -- make repeated appearances on Ratio's outfit. We can see some sort of acanthus leaf with volutes on his belt buckle, acanthus leaves on his bracers, and also on the hem of his pants.

Throughout his clothing (particularly the flowy bits) we see endless vitruvian scrolls (also called wave scrolls) on his cape wings and the hem of his chiton. Though I didn't see anything suggesting symbolism, it was a very popular design in Ancient Greece all the same, and was thought to represent the Meander, a winding river in Turkey.

His alabaster headpiece looks nothing like him, but I wonder if it could possibly be modeled after Athena instead? The hair is long enough to be braided and curled into a bun, and it does look vaguely similar to some statues and depictions of Athena. It's hard to say.

He wears a signet ring! While the use of signet rings in academics is largely a tradition within the US and Canada from my research, they date back to the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece and were popular in Ancient Rome as symbols of status. Interestingly, Ratio wears his on his left middle finger, rather than his right (which would traditionally symbolize power and strength).

Ratio has a few gems on his person: an amethyst on his gold neckpiece (??? what is that thing, I still have no idea), and a sapphire or lapis lazuli on each bracer and sandal. Amethysts traditionally represent clarity of mind, while both sapphire and lapis lazuli can symbolize wisdom. Interestingly, all three stones have names of Greek or Latin origin.

Seriously, what is that neckpiece? It has wings that sit below the amethyst, and it occurred to me that it looks vaguely similar to a caduceus, with the chain being reminiscent of the intertwined snakes. It should be noted that the caduceus is not a medical symbol, as is commonly misunderstood here in the US, but rather a symbol of Hermes. It has associations with wisdom, eloquence, deception, and trade, which obviously don't all apply to Ratio as a character, but given his alignment with the Intelligentsia Guild/IPC and his role in the Penacony arc, it's interesting to note all the same.

His codex! This is actually a silly marble (??) version of a wax tablet, popularly used in Ancient Greece. Here is an example of a foldable wax tablet from Byzantine Egypt, but the general idea is the same. They were in Greece, too.

Kit and Naming Conventions:

First off, the man himself: Veritas Ratio. I've talked about this at length, so I'll link the most recent post on his etymology here.

His banner title, Panta Rhei. This is Greek for "all things are in flux," and attributed to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. He was insistent on change and the idea of the world being in constant motion; that is to say, all things being in the process of becoming, but never realizing that final limit. This idea of people constantly changing and growing is something reflected in Ratio's philosophy as well.

Ratio's Lightcone is named "Baptism of Pure Thought," which is particularly interesting to his character. Baptism -- notably the act of immersing one in water -- is largely known as a Christian practice (which did originate in the Roman Empire!). While Ratio himself has never struck me as religious, it's obvious that his baths are an incredibly spiritual and sacred habit for this reason. It's cute lol

His Talent, Cogito Ergo Sum. This is Latin, and translates to "I think, therefore I am." This was most famously used in Descartes' philosophy. Descartes was a French philosopher around the tail end of the Renaissance, and is commonly associated with the rise of modern rationalism and epistemology -- both of these are central to Ratio's character.

Ratio's fifth Eidolon, Sic Itur Ad Astra. This phrase translates to "thus one journeys to the stars," and has its origins in Latin literature. Two noteworthy origins are Virgil, a Roman poet, and Seneca the Younger, a Roman philosopher and playwright. Given how he used to wish to reach for the stars (the Genius Society) and also quite literally travels among the stars, this is a fitting, if a little sad, name.

Ratio's (beloved) sixth Eidolon, Vincit Omnia Veritas. There's no literary or philosophical origin for this from what I saw. It simply means "truth conquers all," a nice, final declaration of Ratio's philosophy.

Miscellaneous:

Ratio's statues from his Technique have three famous real life references. I was unable to find the reference for the one where he's holding his book and lifting his hand up like he's giving a speech, but I saw some speculation that it was in reference to a pope statue. Nothing to really speculate on since I can't find a definitive reference. The flexing statue seems to be in reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous flexing pose, which is certainly A Choice, but it does make sense given Ancient Greek celebration of physical fitness and athleticism. Ratio himself is also fairly muscular and fit, and in his backstory he was noted to exercise frequently on top of his studies, so depictions of said fitness is not surprising. The most important reference, however, is to the Discolobus, an Ancient Greek statue, which also ties back to the idea of athleticism and fitness.

That beautiful, beautiful E6. It's a direct reference to Michelangelo's David. Interestingly, Ratio seems to have quite a number of nods to Michelangelo. Beyond the amazingly lifelike statues -- which Michelangelo is famous for -- he was also known to be generally unpleasant and reclusive, which does fit with Ratio's personality.

The strongest and most important influence, however, comes down to Leonardo da Vinci, and doesn't have any direct references like the others. Rather, the ties to da Vinci come in Ratio's accomplishments, philosophy, and appearance. The both of them are incredibly skilled geniuses technologically and artistically, and have made countless inventions. Like da Vinci, Ratio is a polymath -- that is, a person whose knowledge spans many fields and subjects. This was a fundamental aspect of Renaissance humanism, which posited that humans are limitless in their potential and knowledge and that all should seek to better themself through education and personal cultivation. Through the idea of the individual pursuing their own development, humanists advocated for the autonomy, progress, and equal dignity of all people. da Vinci was one such humanist of the Renaissance; this is something I've said before, but it is absolutely fundamental to Ratio's philosophy and motivations. He is a humanist just the same as da Vinci. Given that Renaissance humanism was a philosophy revolving around the revival of Greco-Roman culture, it is no wonder that Ratio ties back to those influences so strongly as well. (As a side note, like Ratio, da Vinci was supposedly a very beautiful and graceful man, who had a particular fondness for animals.)

Overall, it's really interesting to see how each section can more or less divide his inspirations: his design being Greek, his naming conventions being Roman, and his personality and philosophy being the Renaissance, with only a little overlap. I've mentioned this in passing I believe (I can't find where I initially put it), but Latin overlapping with the Renaissance is actually a very fundamental aspect of education, given that Greco-Roman culture was seen as the pinnacle of philosophy and knowledge during that time in Europe, and knowing Latin was considered proof of a good education and social standing. All this is the reason why I argue for Ratio being a representation of the Italian Renaissance, rather than Ancient Greek and Rome on their own.

Honorable Mentions (not tied to the themes of his origins! Just fun things deserving of recognition):

Isaac Newton's apple in his idle!

Heart statue :)

Jojo pose statue

Jojo pose in his trailer thumbnail

I'll also plug my piece on his parents here, not because they don't tie to his origins but because they're not relevant to the analysis itself.

[lesbianmaxevans]

Ana & Alberto || 1.02 'La Costurera'

[oceanwithinsblog]

i've taken a couple days to try and elaborate my thoughts on the season finale ... still, my reaction hasn't changed.

i firmly believe the acting for this season was REALLY great (especially ncuti and millie's), but the rest of it keeps feeling rushed and not cured in enough detail. plus, as good it was to have a nemesis back from 1975, it feels silly (at the least) to me that suketh has been hiding in the tardis and travelling with the doctor for SO LONG ... they've assisted to so many events and could have taken action wayyyy before to annihilate earth & co. why would they wait for the doctor to meet ruby and find out who her biological mother is? idk the explanation we've been handed in the last episode doesn't fully satisfy me. besides, i would have loved to know more about ms floods but oh well i guess i'll have to wait :) the whole last ep was like an anticlimax, to me.. i wished it had taken another direction, plot wise.

i don't know about you guys, this season felt very fresh and exciting in respect to the returning and brand new cast. at the same time, it was poorly written for some episodes and i personally don't agree with many "artistic choices".

i had VERY HIGH expectations (and i still hold them for the next season) but some of them weren't met. what about you?

[enhanced-operatives-division]

Junicrane/Starstruck Ramble

I will not be brief, all under the cut

To clear some things right off the bat:

No corpse, no proof with Juniper. Obligatory this is set in a canon where he's alive and adjacent to the agency in some way.

Reggie & Juniper are just gay to me, but I don't mind any interpretation of their sexuality

The games are set in 1967/68 to me (based on a couple bits in game) which is before it was legal to be gay in America at least (1971), which is relevant to how I interpret canon as being somewhat grounded in reality, despite unrealistic elements.

This is just an insane amount of headcanons/elements of and AU all culminated into one post. I will talk about some headcanons like they're just facts because they are established in my head, and it saves me over explaining literally everything, however I will explain some parts a little bit for clarity.

Alright. Actual beginning of the ramble:

Juniper is a character to me who had gotten so lost in his job as an actor and a social presence that in the end his whole life revolved around that 'role'. Because of this, by the time he's put into the situation where he's around the Agency, he basically knows nothing about himself, though he doesn't realise at first. Furthermore, what little identity he had has changed in so many ways. He's no longer a beloved famous actor in the prominence of public light, he's legally dead and he tarnished his career just before he was supposed to die, with the bonus of that making him lose the majority of his estate. From that, he also has horrific facial scarring from the electrical burns from literally having his face fried. I believe a friend of mine made a post about this a while ago (I also think they were the first to think it up also), but, to me, Juniper has a permanent trimmer in his right arm (aka his dominant hand) from the electrical current and it is messing with his nervous system.

All in all, he's not doing great, but he's too proud to admit that he's not doing great, because if anything, what's left of his ego is all he has as a defense since he's deep in unfamiliar water.

Before ending up around the agency (I have multiple interpretations of this, so I'm just going to bring it up generally), he'd never actually seen Reggie, and his only impression of him is a single voicemail, which was his only reference he had to later impersonate him. Juniper probably has very little feelings other than the ones he projects onto him because of Phoenix and that, at the very least, he's physically attracted to Reggie to some degree (that's like the beginning of how everything else would tumble into place in this sort of interpretation at least).

And on Crane's side? His feelings towards Juniper are probably very intense and muddled. On the one hand, he adores musical theatre, and that's his now ex-favourite actor. The thought of just casually being around him blows the bit of fanboy in him away at first because THAT'S the GUY, plus the inklings of a celebrity crush which still poke at him. And then there's the rational side of him, which knows Juniper has committed absolute atrocities on the side of Zoraxis, and hates him for that. Then there's how much Juniper comes off as an asshole at first because he refuses to cooperate with anything the Agency tried to put in place. He finds Juniper endlessly frustrating, and yet he's stuck working with him since, afterall, he's the one who knows the Agency's history with Juniper the best. I imagine him acting a lot like how he does IEYTD 1 around Juniper.

At this point, I'm just describing the pitch for a romcom.

I think the start of their relationship with one another largely started with Juniper trying to wind Crane up. It was a way of getting his attention, and I don't think Juniper knows why he's so dead set on that at first, because I don't think he realises he has a crush on 'this grump' at first. (I think that's actually the fun part about these two, because it's almost like a role reversal of the celebrity crush dynamic. This ex-big name actor has a TERRIBLE crush on an average joe and it is KILLING HIM.) But of course the Agency keeps them together because Juniper is at least conversing with Crane, so it's a start.

Through one way or another, they actually get talking casually, at least mildly at first. It takes Juniper a long time to fully deconstruct the wall he's built, and the thing is, Crane isn't the one trying to deconstruct it, at least at first, because yeah, Juniper realises if he wants Reggie to actually like him in any way, he can't keep winding him up. So they talk. Small talk at first, something rhythmic and almost easy to keep to a script. And over time that turns into actual conversations. Genuine ones in which Reggie rips out the occasional one of his jokes which Juniper is endlessly endeared about. The way he smiles just before he makes them, like he wants to chuckle at what he's about to say before he says it. That's probably when Juniper realised that he does have some vague crush on him, and that it wasn't going away.

This is what kickstarts John I can't-buy-you-things-to-impress-you-so-acts-of-service-it-is Juniper to do little things for him. It mostly starts off as him trying to make Reggie his tea how he likes it. However, the nerve damage in his arm makes that hard, as the weight of the kettle and trying to pour is hard all of a sudden. And he refuses to accept that, so he tries for a very long while. Long enough that Crane would go to investigate what was going on. And when he does see Juniper leaning over a cup with the kettle as he uneasily tries to pour it, and when Crane asks Juniper responds so matter-of-fact that his intention is nothing but genuine. And it catches Reggie off guard because Juniper hadn't done anything like that up to that point, and his very apparent vulnerability is so clearly on show.

It shifts something between them.

From that point on, conversations are longer, more familiar. Both of their attitudes soften, and Reggie makes more jokes. Juniper learns how to better use his left hand while strengthening his right back to a point where it could be used again. Slowly, they're both spending time with one another not because they have to, but just because they can. Little bits at first, not too far outside what they already were doing, but those little bits turned into long bits to a point where the other person's company was genuinely desirable.

As time passes, Juniper probably realises that he doesn't genuinely know much about himself or what hobbies he's into, because he never really had the time when he got big, and his home life in his youth wasn't bad, but it wasn't picturesque. I think Reggie would pick up on it, and absolutely try to introduce him to some things he's into. Some things stick, other things don't (corn husking very much stays Reggie's passion, and John will go with him sometimes because it's him, but it's not something he strongly cares for). Crane introduces him to a lot of music, and it's something that becomes a staple between them, with tracks they listen to more than others (tragically, I know relatively little about 60s music so I couldn't really say what). Occasionally they dance, never anything intense, think slow dancing, but the closeness is nice.

Through all of it, Juniper is battling the worst crush of his life, and he can't stand it, because I think he struggles to read people since he doesn't have anything like a script or a director to refer back to, so he has no idea if Reggie likes him back or if he's just desperate for that to be true. I think because of that any sort of confession between them would be incredibly raw, not only because of the time they live in making it hard for them to be truthful about how they love, but because it's a complete show of Juniper who's worked to be this better person. I don't exactly know how that would go, mainly because I don't have one set version of their dynamic, this post is just a generalisation of main consistent points.

Reggie does like him back, because he's gotten used to Juniper being just this guy, not a figure in the public eye, not a Zoraxis lackey, and not any sort of Agency operative (despite being under their care to some degree). He's someone he genuinely cares for, because they've given one another the time of day to learn one another, and I think because Reggie was a field agent, he was a lot better at reading Juniper than Juniper was at reading him. Eventually Juniper's company becomes something he could see around him for the rest of his life, and I think he accepts that he likes Juniper a lot more gracefully.

I think any affection directed at Juniper would at first be met with him feeling a little muddled. Reggie was a very physically affectionate person when he could be, and sure the initial flirting with one another came with the occasional little touches, but everything now was so deeply intentional. I also don't think Juniper would almost ever get over the novelty of being able to kiss him, or many other gestures, because it made the fact that they were together so very real, and it was great. I do think it comes easier to Reggie, and it's a big way of showing how much he cares, so it's important for Juniper to try and show it back because he knows how much it means to the other.

I like the idea of them eventually living with one another, too. I think Juniper would have always had a quiet little daydream of sorts where he does just live a domestic quiet life, and he can with Reggie (well, as close as they can get between the Agency and Zoraxis always being at odds), and he loves that, and he loves him, and it's immense.

I think they cook for one another a lot, it helps Juniper work on his dexterity in a controlled environment, which means a lot because it's a huge point of insecurity (that and his scars). He does improve, and Crane is proud of that and shows it and it's great. I also think they'd probably cook together too, because they can deal with being in the kitchen together and they work well with one another. It's probably a good way for them to unwind because over time they can do it in relative silence.

As I said before, I also think music is a staple in their household, and that Reggie listens to things on vinyl almost all of the time because he likes the background noise. Sometimes Juniper will catch him chuntering along to the music which he finds endlessly endearing. I wouldn't put it past his dramatic ass to also join in to fluster Reggie, but I also don't think Reggie would mind that terribly because Juniper has listened to the music enough to know the lyrics, and that's huge to him.

I don't think they are without rough patches, no relationship is, but I think the good part about them is that they're willing to talk about it (... eventually). They're used to long conversations, and while they're often less fun conversations, they're needed and they know that, and it works out.

Alright. I think I'm done for now. I haven't mentioned everything, but this definitely got the worst of it out of my system. If you ever want to hear any specific thoughts my ask box is open but other than that, behold my general dynamic for these two which has been festering in my head for years. I think they're great

[majouartings]

PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE ZELDA *inhale* PLAYABLE ZELDA PLAYABLE Z

[ask-that-weird-dog]

Kris. Kris. Kris. Of the two, do you prefer moss or potassium more?

* (You get the feeling this is about to be a very, very weird day.)

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[shit-wcue-players-say]

BREAKING NEWS: canon character banned from own series for being "too problematic" (by the same community that also thinks visibly disabled characters(and likely people in general) need to be censored or otherwise hidden because "some people think that's gross" which is a mixed signal at best. Do we care about their feelings or not)

[tobiasrieper]

wo long: fallen dynasty ► hidden village of mt. tianzhushan

[shadowed-yet-vibrant]

If anyone's wondering about my mental health, I'm going to a Catholic mass tomorrow morning.

[candiedstrwb]

from    𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵    to    𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴    !

the    date    is    july    31st    ,    2021    .    you    are    sitting    across    from    the    stranger    who    has    nestled    her    way    into    your    heart    ,    not    that    you’d    ever    admit    to    such    a    ridiculous    thing    aloud    ,    and    i    mean    ,    why    should    you    ?    after    all    ,    she    is    breaking    it    by    explaining    she’s    got    a    one    way    flight    to    paris    .    .    .    one    that    leaves    without    you    ,    and    who    are    you    to    hold    her    back    from    where    she’s    going    ?    you    are    not    braver    than    distance    ,    but    she    is    .    she    is    always    the    braver    of    the    two    of    you    .    she    tells    you    she    wants    to    stay    ,    wants    to    be    with    you    ,    and    so    she    stays    .    she    is    the    first    thing    in    your    life    to    do    so    .    one    year    later    and    you’re    in    the    kitchen    of    your    shared    apartment    (    it    started    with    a    toothbrush    ,    then    a    change    of    clothes    ,    and    next    thing    you    know    your    closet    is    overrun    with    designer    shoes    &    dresses    )    ,    you’re    talking    yourself    up    to    get    down    on    one    knee    but    the    ring    which    has    been    burning    a    hole    in    your    pocket    since    your    first    date    finds    it’s    way    to    the    floor    ,    and    before    you    can    ask    the    age    old    question    she’s    in    tears    and    shaking    her    head    fervently    (    little    do    you    know    she’s    had    a    pinterest    board    made    since    your    second    date    )    .    she    kisses    you    ,    specifically    on    the    side    of    your    head    that    you    hit   last    night    on    the    doorframe    .    you    can’t    stop    thinking    about    how    she    is    always    healing    an    older    wound    in    you    .    how    this    ‘    decision    ’    could    hardly    be    called    that    ,    because    there    is    no    other    version    of    this    story    .    the    date    is    july    31st    ,    2023    .    you    are    standing    across    from    the    woman    who    completes    you    ,    who    has    woken    up    every    single    day    and    beyond    all    sense    and    reason    chose    you    .    you    are    sliding    a    ring    on    her    finger    ,    professing    your    love    for    one    another    ,    you    are    on    a    one    way    flight    to    paris    to    celebrate    all    you’ve    become    .    you    lean    over    and    kiss    her    ,    bridge    the    gap    between    the    two    of    you    and    pray    it’ll    never    be    there    again    .    maybe    ,    you    are    braver    than    distance    after    all    .

good    lord    ,    where    do    i    start    !!!!    i    will    try    to    keep    this    shorter    than    the    NOVEL    i    just    typed    out    but    lord    knows    i    am    literally    physically    incapable    about    shutting    up    about    how    much    i    love    you    !!!!    kayla    ,    my    love    ,    my    angel    ,    my    wife    ,    the    LITERAL    light    of    my    life    !!!!!    ,    i    can    hardly    believe    it’s    been    three    years    of    us    writing    with    one    another    ,    partly    because    i    feel    like    i’ve    known    you    my    whole    life    ,    and    also    because    i    feel    like    it’s    still    been    one    day    since    we’ve    met    each    other    screaming    in    tumblr    ims    over    our    newest    creation    :    paxton    &    sierra    .    because    this    is    just    as    much    our    day    as    it    is    theirs    tbh    !!!!    if    not    more  !!!!    you    are    my    absolute    favorite    person    in    the    entire    world    to    plot    and    write    and    experience    life    with    !!!    staying    up    to    send    musings    that    we    run    to    reblog    and    scream    in    the    tags    of    (    because    who    are    we    without    causing    EXTREME    emotional    warfare    to    even    our    happiest    ships  ,    i’m    looking    at    you    pierra    break    up    thread    )    ,    seeing    each    other    through    our    best    and    worst    days    (    because    you    are    my    rock    ,    my    security    blanket    ,    my    scary    guard    dog    privileges    ,    and    most    importantly    my    best    friend    )    ,    my    inability    to    commit    to    a    blog    (    and    if    we’re    being    honest    indie    as    a    whole    )    for    more    than    a    few    months    and    us    always    finding    our    way    back    to    each    other    anyways    !!!!    i    want    to    thank    you    for    not    only    the    insane    amount    of    ships    we    have    ,    that    continues    growing    by    the    day    because    we    have    no    self    control    ,    for    making    my    time    on    this    hellsite    a    bit    more    tolerable    ,    and    for    loving    me    !!!!    my    heart    literally    beats    just    for    you    ,    and    i    wouldn’t    be    half    the    person    i    am    without    you    !!!!    i’m    super    proud    of    you    and    the    person    you    are    and    will    become    .    you’re    strong    ,    smart    ,    talented    ,    funny    ,    and    literally    every    other    positive    adjective    i    could    list    (    which    you    should    know    is    a    lot    #english    major    core    )    and    i    am    so    lucky    to    get    to    know    and    love    you    the    ways    i    do    .    thank    you    for    engaging    in    the    mortifying    ordeal    of    being    known    so    that    i    may    partake    in    the    euphoric    experience    of    knowing    you    .   i’ll    end    this    by    plagiarizing    the    boys    really    quickly    because    i    feel    like    it’s    the    closest    i’ll    ever    get    to    expressing    my    love    for    you    briefly    :    “    we’re    more    than    that    .    you    are    my    family    now    .    i    want    to    protect    my    family    .    ”    because    i    will    always    be    the    ghost    in    your    corner    miles    and    miles    away    ,    please    always    remember    you    only    have    to    be    strong    until    i    come    home    :)    happy    pierra    day    kayla    !!!    here’s    to    many    more    years    of    making    each    other    our    ships    miserable    and    understanding    each    other    better    than    anyone    .

[number1wah]

ok so like, obviously Nina and Maggie are basically human versions on Crowley and Aziraphale right?? Right. And one wonderful example of that is when Crowley is about to lead everyone out of the bookshop, and Maggie (who has no idea what is going on but knows, knows, that whatever it is is dangerous), decides to stay. She wants to help. And she doesn't want Aziraphale to be on his own. Because she is brave. And because she stays, Nina (who was about to run away leave), also stays. (She's also just so curious about what's happening which is very familiar)

Aziraphale staying (to stop the apocalypse or in the book shop or on earth or in heaven) is him being brave. He's choosing to meet things head on. He's choosing to try and change the outcome. And because of that Crowley also stays.

But they're both idiots and Crowley doesn't understand that Aziraphale leaving for Heaven isn't actually him leaving it's Aziraphel choosing to stay and try and do good.

[flakytartart]

My art exchange piece for @fishatar - Ollie visits an aquarium for the first time :D fish out of water looking at fish in captivity hehe. I hope you like it!

Thank you @yoursforest for putting together the exchange!

[mar64ds]

i am no woman or man i'm just a cartoon rabbit, i promise