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theshowliveontour · 6 days

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I’ve always been a ‘Team Niall’ type of guy.

Mind you, I wasn’t necessarily the biggest Directioner out there, but there was always something about Niall Horan that spoke to me. It’s easy to credit his voice as a mesmerizing blend of warmth and power, with his distinctive timbre that carries a hint of vulnerability, wherein you could easily note how his vocals effortlessly glide through melodies to evoke a sense of intimacy and authenticity. But still, it was also more than just his talent.

Through his time with One Direction, Horan was evidently one of the most distant and private members of the group, yet there was an undeniable transformation about seeing him come out of his shell when performing live. You could see it clearly from the low-resolution performance videos on YouTube, while some of us were lucky enough to see it nine years ago during One Direction’s 2015 show here. Others were even able to witness it further during his Manila stop for the ‘Flicker’ World Tour six years ago.

But over the past six years since we last saw him, the Irish heartthrob has continued to evolve at his craft as exemplified by his third and latest full-length album, The Show. And from what we’ve seen of the record, adapted live for “The Show” Live In Manila stop at the Mall of Asia Arena, this may very well be the most open and vulnerable we have seen Horan ever –– and perhaps the best that we’ve seen of him as of yet.

As I approached the steps of the Mall of Asia Arena last May 13, you could easily note the years-long build-up of fans waiting to see that side of Horan once more. Whether it was the long line of fans praying to buy any last-minute tickets made available from the booth, or the hundreds (if not thousands) of fans already queuing in line to be the first to enter the venue that caught you attention, the energy outside was close enough to pop off the roof of the 170,000 sq ft arena.

By the time the lights of the arena began to dim, the words “Oh my god, Niall! I love you Niall!” became a uniform chant that was heard all across every corner of the venue, which was only drowned out by the gradual rise of instrumentals that built up the ‘Showverture’ of Horan and his band’s entrance onto the stage. Every shriek you heard was filled with such conviction –– you could really feel the drought that several of his fans felt from his absence.

Kicking off the night with hit track “Nice To Meet Ya,” Horan had everyone hooked from the moment he said the lines “I like the way you talk.” Building upon the energy of the audience, he followed it up with a rocking (and quite impressive) medley of Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” (showcasing his love for classic rock tracks) that seamlessly blended in his performance of “Small Talk”. Hearing him fully embrace that sort of sound with an unabashed confidence was jaw-dropping to say the least, and surely an indicator that Horan has the chops to become a full-blown rock star from the ’70s.

“On a Night Like Tonight” and “On The Loose” were up next on the setlist, perfectly setting the tone for the high-octane energetic evening that was set to take place as the hours passed by further. Addressing those in attendance with palpable excitement, Horan cheerfully greeted them by asking; “Silly question, how are you all feelin’ tonight?” –– which was responded to with an uproar of high-pitched cheers and screams. As he expressed his gratitude to the audience, the One Direction alumnus reminisced about his last visit to the country and marveled at the sheer amount of people in the packed venue. “Thank you so much for filling up this place for me,” he exclaimed in his adorably Irish accent.

“It’s been six years, but I’ve missed you guys. Are you ready to sing as loud as you can?” he challenged the crowd. As for their response, the only thing you could make out of it was an unintelligible series of screaming and cheers that only amazed the Irish singer even more. “We’ll see about that,” he replied –– with a cheeky wink directed at the camera following his gaze.

Horan continued the set by performing the titular track of his latest record “The Show”, taking to the grand piano on stage to perform a soulful rendition of his track. It was a powerful moment that was as affecting as it was inspiring, for Horan’s impassioned vocal delivery rang true and straight into the hearts of his fans with every note. And by the time it hit its crescendo in the track’s bridge, you could already see the sea of lights waving across the entire arena –– which definitely moved me and everyone else present as sentimental as it sounds.

Picking up the energy back up, the Irish singer by inspired live renditions to “Cross Your Mind” and “If You Leave Me” that encouraged everyone to match his energy on stage. In fact, some fans even went above and beyond at the challenge, with their frenetic belting close to overpowering every lyric that was sung by Horan. It was an amusing display of fervor in real-time, even grabbing the awe and attention of Horan as he noted, “Wow, you played a good show [everyone] –– not that I was expecting anything less!”

To cool down following such an energetic exchange, Horan began his more intimate set for the night, delivering heartfelt and acoustic guitar-laden renditions to his hit tracks “Flicker”, “This Town”, and “You Could Start a Cult.” It was a great display of his versatility, channeling an entirely different sound that embraced a vulnerability we’ve only seen flickers of over time.

The rapport built up between the soft-rock singer and his fans was at a whole new level, with an unspoken level of intimacy evident from the soft whispering along the words of these songs, as a welcome accompaniment to Horan’s outstanding performance. Horan’s choice to integrate a rousing violin performance from his bandmate Emily Konhavi only intensified the ambiance inside the arena –– creating a moment of pure connection between Horan and his fans.

As he transitioned into the second half of his set, Horan took the time to interact with his fans directly, reading through the several signs held up from the standing pit of the venue to the full-sized tarpaulins hanging from the lower box section. “I skipped my final exam…just to watch you tonight…” reads the singer, only to burst into laughter at the immediate realization of what he just read. “I do hope they give you a make-up for that one, love” he further added –– showcasing his humor and personality from such a simple exchange

Reading the large-scale “Manila Lovers” banner hung up, he took the opportunity to give a shout-out to the official Philippine street team of Lovers stating; “I just received your special gift box earlier. I absolutely love it, so thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me and this show.” “You guys are absolutely something else!”

Horan then performed a radiant interpretation of his hit single “Heaven”, which had people (even for a grown man like me) kicking their feet up in the air with just how warm and fuzzy it felt to hear the words “God only knows where this could go…Heaven won’t be the same” live and in person –– as if we were deluded into the fact that was singing it directly to us from the stage. “Everywhere” only added to the delusion even further, yet it was his soulful rendition of “Night Changes” that changed the game for everyone in attendace.

When I tell you that the tears were shed during the latter track, I kid you not –– that actually did happen. With a rush of goosebumps flooding my skin, there was a massive wave of nostalgia that came over the entire arena. It’s tough to describe just how impactful hearing that song live after all these years felt, but my God, was it quite the experience. Even by the time the track was approaching its final chorus, the audience made sure not to overpower Horan’s vocals as they joined in singing it –– as if there was an unspoken bond between everyone present to appreciate this moment exactly as it was.

Though his performances to “Paper Houses”, “Meltdown”, “Mirrors’, and “Still” may have seemed like the closing leg of the show, it still felt like it was a bit too soon for the show to end. The crowd knew it and clocked it at that –– beginning an arena chant stating “Isa pa! Isa pa!” the heartthrob had no choice but to return for a just a few more songs.

Though the audience noticeably asked for One Direction’s “Stockholm Syndrome”, Horan decided to perform a delicate and emotional rendition of “Save My Life” –– a track that he dedicated to the Filipino audiences present. “I want to thank every one of you for spending the night here with me – and for spending your hard-earned money on this show. I know concert tickets aren’t exactly cheap in this economy, but I’m so grateful that you’re all here with me,” he quipped.

Teasing his desire to return to Manila as soon as he could, the 30-year-old singer added; “I don’t think we should make the wait six years again, [so] we have to make a deal. Not six years… seven!” –– to which his fans responded with a universal set of jeers and boos. As he laughed at his own joke, he replied back stating; “Alright, let’s make it eight [then]!”

For his final performance of the night, Horan played his debut hit single “Slow Hands” which had everyone clapping or holding up the lights of their phones. As someone handed him a folded Philippine flag, the Irish musician waved it proudly –– eliciting applause and cheers from everyone inside the Mall of Asia Arena.

Even as Horan bid farewell to his fans and took his final bow with his amazing band, it felt like you wanted more from him. Because with every song, every interaction, and every beat, Horan delivered more than just a concert; he delivered an experience — a testament to his undeniable talent and his genuine connection with his audience. Because as the lights turned back up and the cheers faded into silence, there still remained a bittersweet longing — a desire to rewind time and relive the magic once more.

For in that fleeting moment, Niall Horan didn’t just perform –– but he gave Manila “The Show” of their lives, proving just how far and impressive he’s come into his own career. It’s arguably the best we’ve seen from him, and perhaps the most open and interactive that he’s been with his fans (a fact that we absolutely adore).

More than just a welcome display of his talents, “The Show” Live in Manila served as a long-awaited homecoming of sorts for Horan –– with thousands of his Filipino Lovers more than willing to welcome him back to the country with open arms and an open heart. For in those two hours that we spent with Horan and his band –– I haven’t felt anything quite as intimate from the arena setting in the longest of times.

And for that, we’ll forever yearn for just one more encore.

#niall horan #the show live on tour #tslot:manila #review

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burntortilla · 5 months

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Pomegranates and Flesh

(Tw: Can1bal1sm, Pomegranates but it’s also flesh)

Just a silly thing I wrote for lifeline and octane after current events, planned to post it on Ao3 but I’ve got no beta readers.. so how about you all tell me how it is and what I need to change?

2,853 words

“He was biting and eating down as much as he could so the flavor could linger down on his toungue for just a while longer, just enough to last him as much time he needed to process everything.”

Hunger could rise on many different forms; whether if it came from the pit of someone’s starving stomach or the lack of any kind of senses, it was always fulfilled by something or someone.

When not extremely high or recovering from some injury, Octane often enjoyed recalling happier times from his shared childhood with Lifeline, both sharing the same hatred towards their own families for different reasons yet with the same meanings; It was something he’d never thought would matter as much as it did now.

Hot air blew through his arms and body as he was instantly launched up high on the daylight sky, the adrenaline that the vial stuck on his arm provided him for a momentary rush of pure bliss and delight, posing to the camera that captured his every-day movements for the ongoing stream before feeling the weight of his entire body start to crash down to the thick grass in Psmanthe, a loud crack and a small gasp on the background as footsteps began being heard near

For a moment, the stream’s chat began going crazy, some spamming in worry and other users in surprise, until a very familiar drone-like medical robot began whirring blue substances to Octane’s broken smile, a large tube pumping him back to health as Lifeline slowly pushed him to sit up on the soft grass.

“Vieron eso?!” He exclaimed, “That is no challenge for Octane, gente!” The male spoke with a bit too much enthusiasm, raising up his balled fist with his pinky and index finger upwards with great energy, a grin spreading through his half- masked face as Lifeline went over to retrieve the lower-half piece of Octane’s mask with a sigh.

As much as she loved to partake on the other’s activities, there was also a lingering sense of dread that was always followed on with the aftermath- what if she never got to see him properly back up on his feet again?

It wouldn’t be the first time- considering he quite literally did not have feet, but rather robotic legs -But the unnerving lingering feeling of something going awfully wrong still sat down with Lifeline almost everyday.

The day when Octane blew his legs off had already dragged her down by her feet; the gruesome process of nursing him back to health was something she never wished on anyone- All she wanted was for the other to one day just stop for a moment, even for just a little.

“Ey.. Chica?” Octane spoke up, interrupting her from deep thoughts as green-lenses goggles peered from a few meters, distress seemingly having been plastered on Lifeline’s face for long enough for Octane to notice “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, yes..” She sighed, returning back to where the male sat as he placed back on the lower-half of his mask, Lifeline peering into the camera with a change of both tone and voice to something more exciting, “And that’s the closure for today!”

“Oh chica, you must be kidding right?” Octane spoke, looking over at Lifeline with a pout she just knew was hidden behind that mask.

“Octane, you dislocated your arm and are in a need for a checkup-“ The daredevil suddenly interrupted, earning a thin line on Lifeline’s face “But that’s what D.O.C is for! It can patch me up all good and new instantly!”

“ ‘Sana sana colita de rana’ sort of thing, see?” He spoke, moving his supposed healed arm around dramatically as he tried to ignore the leftover stinging pain, Lifeline inmediatly halted the other’s movement with a disapproving look, hand firmly gripping the other’s arm.

Octane wasn’t sure what made him give in, whether if it was Lifeline’s genuine concern for his well-being or the spamming of the concerning messages from the chat, he wasn’t sure.

“Alright, Fine! You win chica.” He spoke with teasing exasperation, earning a grin from the medic; “You’ve heard the daredevil!” She smiled as the camera was taken from Octane, the view of the recording having risen up for the multiple spectators to see them both them in frame; Octane sitting down on the grass hunched over with that someone would imagine a pout under his mask, and Lifeline standing up and recording them both.

The transmission eventually ended, earning a small sigh from Octane; “You know I’m fine! We’ve done this a thousand times before, why cut it short when we can do more?” He asked as Lifeline sat down next to the other, carefully taking his arms with her steady hands as she inspected the other’s half-healed injuries.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, O.” The medic replied simply. Wether if it was from past experience or not, Octane had noted her a bit more paranoid ever since their little meeting involving the rabbit’s foot being proudly worn on his vest like a trophy.

And why wouldn’t he be wearing it? It was a nice little detail the other had given to him.. Something he had quite missed, honestly.

“But you’re here, always to patch me up doc! Nothing can go wrong when you’re besides me.” Octane spoke proudly, gloved hand playfully grabbing Lifeline’s shoulder.

“And you know what happened last time, I got these bad boys settled up by you.” Octane gestured to the robotic legs, “Do you think you would install me some large and buff arms if I were to loose them too-“

“Octavio.” Lifeline sighed.

“Ey, ey! Es una bromita! Small joke, si?” Octane spoke, trying to laugh off the worry and annoyance on Lifeline’s expression, “You know I wouldn’t do it intentionally, chica.”

“And you know I don’t believe it. Now, count to three for me?”

Lifeline’s grip suddenly grew firmer as visible confusion transposed the layers behind Octane’s mask, head tilting slightly at the sudden request from the other, “Count? For what, Che-“

A loud crack followed by a scream let out by Octane was followed, the forced movement of a bone to be right back on the socket was a feeling that Octane wasn’t exactly a stranger with, although it was certainly never welcomed with open arms, “At least warn me first, niña!” Octane yelled in light-toned frustration as he rubbed at his shoulder, a grin spreading on Lifeline’s face.

“Your shoulder was all wrong. See why you can’t always trust D.O.C?” She smiled, Octane nodding bregrudginly.

“Now, how about a light snack? I brought some pomegranates for us.” She spoke as a small compartment was opened on the shell of D.O.C, Two sandwiches and a few pomegranate seeing produced as she took them out, giving the robot a small pat.

Lighthearted smiles were shared until a flash of concern ran through Octane’s head as he removed his gear, the moment of shared horror both the moment where he had jumped from his jump pad and a high as he could and when Lifeline seemingly froze as she went to retrieve one of the pieces of his mask- he had rarely seen her express such concern for something, it somehow shook him further.

Lifeline seemed to catch up to the sentiment quickly, looking over at the male with a confused and worried look on her eyes as he removed his goggles and mask, “Is everything alright, O?” She asked as she picked at the skin of the fruit, a bit more nervously than usual.

“I should be the one asking you that, chica.”

She blinked, “What do you mean?”

“The look on your eyes, It was all.. weird?” Octane questioned mostly to himself as he watched Lifeline’s expression switch into something he couldn’t quite recognize, “You seemed worried, but more than you normally look as.”

Lifeline’s expression shifted into a small sigh before forming a small quiet and worried smile, a small line of guilt and relief washing over her like pouring rain, “I was just worried. I’m always worried whenever you’re out there.”

“You’re always out causing trouble and all, I just wonder if one day you’d be finally be able to go too far to just.. never come back.” The medic mumbled as she looked down at the fruit, Octane looking over at the whole pomegranate and sandwich he was handed over.

Delicate hands gently pried open the pomegranate, slender fingers gently pulling the rich seeds on the napkin laying down on the gentle grass, eyebrows furrowing when the gentlest of the fruit’s crimson juice broke free into her fingers, dripping down like a scene he had repeated on his day-to-day life inside of the games.

Except that this time, no bullets were involved.

“Chica, you know you’re never loosing me.” He spoke, finally an odd gentleness simmering on his voice, a rare occurrence for the daredevil, “We are together on this, always.”

“You wouldn’t be able to get rid of me even if you wanted to, you know it doc.” Octane spoke jokingly with a small smile, earning a jab at his shoulder by Lifeline’s elbow, who was now smiling back as the lingering weight slowly lifted off her shoulders “What? I’m serious!” Octane smiled.

“You promise?” Lifeline asked uncertainly before Octane nodded, one hand grasping at the small rabbit paw dangling from his chest, the view simply made for all hurt even worse for Lifeline.

“Promise.”

Quiet moments like these that followed were something Lifeline was most drawn to when meeting someone; only certain people were able to make silent scenes not awkward but rather comfortable, and something about simply peeling open a pomegranate while watching the cloudy sky besides the one person you trust the most just made it feel so much more relaxing, even if Octane was usually the opposite of it.

Wether if Octane was holding back from running out and doing something stupid for the sake of the peaceful momentum, Lifeline would never know. And quite honestly, she preferred it that way.

Until she saw the mess the other had become.

“Ay, pinché fruta-“ Octane grumbled, catching Lifeline’s attention as she tried to hold back a chuckle.

Velvet was spilled everywhere; the once pearly white interior of the fruit that accompanied the small red globes of flavor was now tinted a rouge pink that spread out all to Octane’s fingers, mouth and green vest, a smile with crimson juice stuck to the victim’s teeth was shown with an akward grin, a chuckle being reciprocated from Lifeline as she grabbed some of the nearby tissues produced by D.O.C, gently dabbing away the juice from Octane’s mouth.

“Did you try to open it with your teeth again?” Lifeline asked, eyes being glazed with a knowing look watched over Octane’s, “What can I say? I’m impatient and hungry, chica.”

“You’re not supposed to open it roughly, It needs to be all nice and kind for so none of the contents spill out.” She spoke, cradling the neglected and abused piece of fruit from Octane’s hands into her own, prying off each meat-surrounded seed into Octane’s willing palm, “See? Nice and slow.”

“Hah! Just like people!” Octane smiled, making the other look over at Octane in confusion.

“Remember that time when we see little, chica? Éramos niñitos, when our parents had meetings and we always had to attend?” The male spoke, gaze settling up high at the sky

“I was always confused on why no one wanted to talk to me, until you did.” He spoke, “One day you told me I was too aggressive and fast and had to slow down, and that it was why nobody liked me.”

“Octavio, we were kids back then.” Lifeline sighed, Octane’s grin just got wider.

“I know, I know! But you told me that, and even if I slowed down no-one came and talked to me, so you stocked with me and look where we are now, chica!” The male suddenly got up from the ground, spreading his arms around as he looked back down at lifeline, “Look where we are!”

“You know I hate slow and steady, but just like that pomegranate- I squeezed people out too hard to where they broke down and bled away, si? But you on the contrary- you went all nice and slow, and it worked.” He smiled so brightly, it almost burned Lifeline’s expression into shame as the crude reminder shaped like a rabbit’s foot dangled right in front of her on Octane’s vest, “Always had a go with me, yeah? And we’re still friends.”

Octane plopped back down next to Lifeline as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, giving her a firm squeeze, “So.. People like pomegranates, ay? Never squeeze them too hard or they might pop!”

“It also goes with the games pretty well, except that you at least see three heads pop open from headshots-“ Lifeline suddenly interrupted with an uneasy chuckle trying to mask shame and guilt behind, “You made yourself clear, Octavio.”

Pomegranates were meant to be pried open by gentle hands, each different bump containing precious bitter material having to be separated carefully by skilled and caring hands, the juicy meat surrounding the pit was a tears that was often short-lived, causing the one being fed to desperately savage in for more so one’s thirst could be quenched.

Sweet, sweet bitter juice flowed down from one’s hands if the fruit wasn’t properly savaged, such material going to waste was often something people did constantly; underappreciating the fruit just to get a quick fix of it.

That’s why the fruit was handled with care on Lifeline’s hands, everything did not go to waste within her range; wether if it was medical supplies or pomegranates, she always made sure for it all to be favored and used correctly and with the most utter respect once could have with the hard work the plant paid off to produce such bitterly sweet offspring to feed everyone.

And yet, she had taken all of the precious seeds from these dear pomegranate she had taken from Octane and crushed them all with a single movement.

And Octane couldn’t understand why.

Red crimson flowed down from his hands, a mimic from her own actions as red lighting blared around every single corner; There on his bare arms, laid the lifeless corpse of a man he had once willingly and lovingly considered his father as he now wished for something from the massacred older male.

He wasn’t sure wether if it was from the shock of having someone he had cared for dearly on his arms, or if the blaring alarms and the multitude of revenant clones were crawling around like roaches searching for the summer sun, but he couldn’t find it on himself to cry.

But the bright red from the other’s body crawled something inside of him, a familiar resemblance to some sort of comforting scene he had recently lived yet was unable to recall.

Slowly and carefully, Octane leaned in and bit down on the bright red liquid, an explosion of familiar bitterness and metallic-like undertones sent him back to various familiar scenic moments on the few past months, crimson poured and poured as he gnawed at the freshly cold flesh of a rich pomegranate, its now pale complexion slowly dripping down into the floor as all of the noise slowly drowned out, leaving only the soft sounds of teeth tearing into pure flesh and skin of the one thing he had cherished and appreciated for so long.

Octane was unsure of what he was doing, but simply couldn’t stop. The slow chewing of the large fruit around the pit slowly became erratic, raw tears of anguish pouring down the broken sides of his green-leaned goggles now also stained with the crimson liquid, the fruit that he had been told to eat with care constantly now being ravished by an animal; by a thing that simply wanted to consume more and more like a drowning man reaching out for oxygen on his unwilling collapsing lungs.

He tore into the skin further until he reached the pit, teeth struggling yet managing to break it down enough for his throat to ignore the roughened edges to pass through, gulping down as he searched for something, as if he was trying to remember the flavor thoroughly by memory, almost to merge himself to be one with the delightful piece of fruit laying still on his arms to be remembered by memory.

He was biting and eating down as much as he could so the flavor could linger down on his toungue for just a while longer, just enough to last him as much time he needed to process everything.

He wanted his grandfather, father or whatever he was to last a little longer; whether if it was on his toungue, or his soul.

And all Lifeline could do, was to stare with wide eyes as Octavio tore down into his own father with tears of regret and longing drifting down his eyes, watching how the pit got destroyed bit by bit.

Octane liked pomegranates, he enjoyed the bitter flavor and aftertaste of them.

Lifeline hated Silva, and wretched at the view of someone willingly giving into the first bite of the old man’s cold neck.

#canibalism #pomegranate #lifeline #octane #lifeline apex legends #octane apex legends #duardo silva #apex legends #apex fanfic #cannibalism #as a way of coping #lifeline apex #octane apex #octavio silva #ajay che

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it-happened-one-fic · 1 year

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Charleston - A High-Octane Performance - Strictly NRC Dancing

Author's Notes: I watched so many Charleston performances to write this and learned something. Also, the Scarabia student mentioned part of the way through this fic is techniqually Scarabia B-kun even though he is not labeled as such. The first aerial inspired by Sadie Robertson and Derek Hough’s Charleston on Season 19 of Dancing With the Stars. The flip from Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Brendan Charleston to 'Rock It For Me' on Series 11 of Strictly Come Dancing.The second aerial inspired by Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold’s redemption Charleston on Season 25 of Dancing With the Stars. Written to “Crazy Stupid Love” by Cheryl Cole. Just like the rest of this AU/series the reader is female for this fic. I hope you enjoy!

If you would like to read more this AU/series, the fics can be found here: Strictly NRC Dancing AU Master-List.

Type: Dance AU/female reader/fluff/can probably be taken as romantic

Word count: 1238

The urge to wiggle non-stop in this flapper dress was incredibly great, and I had a feeling that Crewel had suspected that would be the case when he designed it. I also had a sneaking feeling that Jack was well aware of my wishes too, considering the amused glances he kept casting my way.

But, it was all fine and good since the Charleston was one of the silliest yet most complicated dances I’d learned thus far. For the viewers, the dance looked incredibly fun and silly. For the dancers, it was still fun and silly, but also a very technical and high-energy dance.

I was not the slightest bit worried about Jack being able to keep up with the energy of the dance. The sporty first-year had both stamina and energy in spades, courtesy of his beastman heritage. If anything, he would outpace me and leave me in the dust as he continued dancing on in an unplanned solo.

I was worried about his ability to master the silly angle of the performance, though.

Jack was a fun guy, but he was also quite serious about making a good grade, and I was worried that he was going to let that get in the way of the general silliness of the dance.

But that proved to be an unfounded concern. He kept up with both the speed and the general ridiculousness of the performance with ease.

He stood next to me, grinning as we both matched one another’s kick steps that were inevitably followed by slipping across the floor on twisting feet as we both laughed. But that was the nature of the Charleston. It was almost impossible to not let loose and start laughing as one danced.

Of course, that only added to the exhausting nature of the dance. It was always harder to keep up with a high-energy dance when one added the exertion of laughing to the performance.

On the flipside, though, we had the added bonus of Jack’s considerable strength, which allowed us to pull off some of the more impressive lifts found in the Charleston.

Most of the couples were unable to do such holds and lifts due to weight or awkward height differences. Ace and Jamil, for instance, had only succeeded in the very easiest of lifts, which played off the momentum of the dance.

Even some of my other partners, such as one of the Scarabia students I’d performed with earlier, had been banned from using the higher-level lifts for fear of them dropping me.

Jack, however, proved capable of even the most difficult of lifts, and his immense strength was the only reason I trusted him to do some of the moves we employed.

Such as the one where I ended up with my ankles crossed and both of my legs hooked over one of his shoulders while he spun, swinging me around as I hung upside down.

He sat me down with ease, and I cartwheeled back upright. Feeling slightly flushed from hanging upside down, but still smiling as my gaze met his bright-eyed one while we danced side by side.

Soon though, Jack had shifted around behind me and grabbed my arms as he rolled backwards onto the ground and pulled me with him. It was almost as if I were sitting down on his raised feet to let him flip me on over him where I could then use my momentum to pull him upright.

As soon as my feet had hit the ground, I could hear cheering from the crowd. One of the more notable voices being that of Ruggie’s.

Vargas had been right when he’d told us that our greatest boon would be Jack’s impressive strength paired with my absolute trust in him, which allowed us to pull off all sorts of tricks.

While most of the performers would have one to two flips and/or holds, we were able to keep pulling such tricks off as we trotted around the dance floor to the bouncy beat.

In fact, we even managed to end our dance with yet another hold that involved him scooping me up bridal style before releasing my upper body so that I was once again upside down with my head zipping towards the ground as Jack freely swung me around his body.

I wrapped around his back and grasped his legs while he caught me with his one free arm. He was slightly out of breath as he bent and pulled me the rest of the way around, setting me down in our ending position with me hugging his side.

He glanced over at me, breathing heavier than usual but still bright-eyed from our performance as our fellow students stood from their seats and erupted into applause, “You good?”

I nodded, no doubt flushed from exertion, but still alright and even feeling a little giggly despite the fact I was worn out from performing three Charlestons in a row.

Crewel’s stamina potion had been a blessing today, and, to be honest, I was glad this was my last performance. As much fun as I’d had with Jack, I didn’t think I could handle another Charleston.

“Well done, Mr. Howl! I doubt many of the other students performing the Charleston could have pulled off quite so many aerials and swing holds as you did!” Vargas and Crowley were both over the moon and overly excited as they usually were after a more high-octane performance.

But everyone knew the final word would fall to Sam, the usually nice store-owner who became incredibly hard to impress with any swing dance.

Jack’s tail, which had been previously wagging so fast it was a blur, lowered significantly as all eyes turned to the shopkeeper, who shrugged nonchalantly, “I would’ve liked to see a few more moves typical of the Charleston, such as a flapper walk. But it was still a solid performance, probably a B+. Good job.”

I laughed slightly, turning to face Jack and applauding along with the crowd as he did a first pump and turned, bright-eyed, to see both Vil and Leona congratulating him from their respective seats.

It was almost cute how much his tail was wagging as he received approval from not only the judges, but also his two upperclassmen, whom he so respected.

But then Jack startled me by turning to face me and grabbing my hand in his, “This was your last performance, right?”

I nodded, before responding, still half-breathless from our dance, “Yeah, Crewel said that even with a stamina potion, I could only handle three Charleston's at most.”

He nodded, and I watched as his tail began the wary but hopeful wag that indicated he was fixing to say something else, and he did not disappoint, “Do you want to come sit with me and the guys to watch the rest of the performances?”

I felt a smile creep onto my face as I bobbed my head, “I’d love to! Just let me change out of this dress and I’ll be right over.”

The first-year straightened, his tail now wagging more openly as he responded, “Sure, I’ll wait for you. That way we can walk up to our seats together.”

I trotted off to the dressing area set up for me in the corner of the room, still smiling to myself as a thought hit me.

It seemed like Jack had been making me grin all day.

If you would like to read more:

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hrghhhhhhhhh · 6 months

Note

whats ur octane hcs, I wanna know what you think about the silly!! :)

MAYBE ITS NOT THE OPPORTUNE TIME TO ANSWER THIS ONE BUT we need a little lightness in our octane experiences i think LMAO. HCs: Octavio went to cotillion classes. More like he was forced to. At cotillion, middle school aged kids have to learn proper etiquette for all fancy gatherings, throwing and attending big events, how to eat at a fancy restaurant, and how to ballroom dance. he HATED every minute, until the ballroom part, and he learned how to swing dance. Its so energetic!! ALL that to say: He knows EXACTLY how to behave at galas, but god does he HATE them.

Octavio's ears are kinda fucked. He wears protection in games but never used to. Between Lifeline's loud Flyer Liars shows and his childhood fireworks shows, hes got a pretty big loss of hearing in one ear; this can make you dizzy and prone to vertigo, which fits in with all of his emotes where he gets pukey after bouncing around LMAO

His interpersonal skills are really really complex. He wants outside support and attention- but the second someone seems TOO interested he pulls away; He doesnt want someone to look at him too long and decide that he is actually stupid or boring or all the other awful things his dad-pa used to tell him. Hes got a lot to unpack there :C He started wering his mask and goggles moreoften, almost obsessively- because he started growing into his looks and he had the AWFUL realization: " I look a lot like my old man...." He doesn't like that. on go the face coverings.

I play with the HC of him being ace or aro, demi, etc. but he hates labels above ANYTHING. often when i write for him, and someone asks him if hes gay or bi, he just settles on somewhere between "Does that matter?" or "im just not straight, can we kiss already?" his romantic capabilities feel like theyre fun to play around with :> When i hc him as trans, I dont think he'd do top surgery, its too much down time for the recovery, so he has these massive doodle murals on his binders- MANY legends have signed 'em. <3

#octane sure takes up a lot of my brainspace #im not getting better doc #ty for askin'#octane

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overlordraax · 2 years

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Ideas about Cybertronian funeral rites

(CW: naturally going to be talking about death and dead bodies in this, even the mistreatment of dead bodies just to say)

I’ve been storming up a world building ideas and thinking about things like “What do Cybertronians do with their dead?”. One idea I thought of was the constant mantra of “‘Til all are One”, which suggests that Cybertronians see life as a sort of cycle that eventually brings you all back to one being, whether that’s Primus or the Allspark or whatnot.

It seems likely for them the preferred thing would be for your body to be smelted and recycled so it can be used again. Then your body and components can bring about the potential for another life to take your place. There’s no greater honour than that.

So also conversely, the worst disgrace is for your body to not be used again. You don’t get to become part of the great cycle. So I imagined like... When the Decepticons killed Sentinel Prime they just left his body out in the acid rain so it would rust and there was nothing left to salvage.

One thing to support this idea: There’s a possibility that the Decepticon Crypt we see in G1 doesn’t have any bodies. In ‘Starscream’s Ghost’ when Octane is going around the Crypt we see a statue dedicated to Thundercracker. It seems odd to have one considering technically Thundercracker isn’t dead, he’s merely been reformatted as Scourge. It’s quite obvious there isn’t a body buried there so it would seem the statue in his tomb is more there to remember his legacy than be a place marking a burial.

Also one silly extra idea: there’s no visible difference between an unused frame that hasn’t had a spark in and a deactivated frame. The main way to tell the difference between the two depends on how their bodies are arranged: a deactivated body will have their arms arranged to be covering their spark plating, and an unused frame will have their arms by their side or at least not covering their spark. Basically the body is arranged to be ready for the spark to be put in.

(Just some fun ideas. Happy if anyone wants to borrow these for fanfic or whatnot)

#Transformers #Maccadam #Headcanons #Ideas for au #World building #cw death mention #Cybertron #funerals

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swervesbootycall · 1 year

Note

Now hear me out… robo boobs as extra storage for energon

I’ve seen these in fics! “Auxiliary tanks”. I like them and the potential uses- definitely do NOT like them as a trait solely of “femmes” though. You might notice I never use the term femme despite it being “canon” because that’s stupid and I hate it. The only binary these fuckers have is 1s and 0s they’re robots.

Roboobs on gal formers are fine ofc I’m gay as a June picnic- granted I’m not HUGE into softbody. It’s a little uncanny valley for me. Playing with the structure of auxiliary tank systems Is fun though. Who has them and why? For porn purposes you can slap em (literally if we’re going magnetic attachment) on anybody and the why can be lactation and titty sucking of course like yeah all for Swerve feeding Misfire from his supple chest despite it also being a silly image to me

BUT FOR WORLDBUILDING

There are many ways it could go! I mean who’s to say Shockwave’s single polygon DOESNT store extra energon for science and etc? Or that there aren’t nozzle hookups inside Soundwave’s deck like the marsupial he is? Prowl.

I think if it was just humanoid titties, in the worldbuilding and logistics vein, though, everyone is sleeping on the fact that Octane would have the HUMONGOUSEST BAHOONGALOGAS I’m talking hentai flavor overfilled water balloon hungabungalogs

Logistically

#valveplug #ish speaks #roboobies #soft body mention #anonymous

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void-magician · 1 year

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RUSH! - Måneskin album review

pretty fresh drop here, fellas! i will say that personally i've been looking forward to this album since the first single dropped wayyyy back in october 2021, and it absolutely does not disappoint. since being introduced to these guys by their eurovision win, i've come to love their hard-hitting instrumentation, cutting lyricism, and generally hard-rock-angry-horny vibe, and this record delivers all of that without missing a beat! overall, i'm ranking this one a 9/10, because it is a FANTASTIC record, and i think you all should listen to it. track-by-track review under the cut.

Track by Track review:

OWN MY MIND - strong opener. love the crunchy guitars and the drumline, and putting the lo-fi effect on damiano's already gravelly vocals is a beautiful sonic touch on the rest of the track. the bars in this track cut deeper than i was originally expecting, given that this track is in english, but you won't hear me complaining.

GOSSIP feat. Tom Morello - lord already knows i'm gonna love something that known That Guy Tom Morello puts his guitars on, but this track is TRULY something else. as usual, damiano's fast-paced vocals make this a high-octane banger with a sweet message to boot - i really love the note of cutting out all the instrumentation in the first two lines of the chorus before everything comes crashing back together.

TIMEZONE - the tonal whiplash of the previous track into this one hit me like a truck, so already i'm partial to it. the slow, dragging bassline helps carry damiano's swooning vocals to that place of distant longing that he's clearly in. i love how his voice loses its grittiness in this track, because. he's sad, and longing. no need for those rough edges. definitely a fav from this record.

BLA BLA BLA - this one's silly, and i do like it for that. the opening verse with just the drums behind it is a great starter, followed in by this mildly crunchy bassline to lay the foundation of a brain-off, hands-in-the-air banger. it's not my favorite off the record, but it's definitely fun as just a noisy song.

BABY SAID - this one's FUN you guys. this one definitely hit for me, telling this story about wanting even a slightly involved connection and only running into someone who wants something raw and physical and not much more. the swimmy guitars in the bridge really help take us to this place of unfulfillment before grounding us back between this lover's legs. definite fav.

GASOLINE - ngl, kinda shocked this track wasn't the tom morello feature, because it feels like it's following in RAtM's footsteps. bold, cutting commentary about the world state of affairs over these crunchy guitars and aggressive drums makes for a fantastic expression of rage at totalitarian regimes and selfish dictators. another definite fav.

FEEL - ooooooo baby when i say i like horny rock this is what i'm TALKIN about! every part of the instrumentation on this feels like it's lifting damiano's vocals as he sweet-talks the listener into his bed. or the nearest closed door. i'm getting distracted. solid banger, very fun.

DON'T WANNA SLEEP - another fantastic high-energy, quick lyrics-focused banger, and i love the drive on this one. the sentiment of not wanting to sleep is particularly relatable to me, as is the drive to do irresponsible shit just to feel something.

KOOL KIDS - as a fan of the mountain goats, "white boy mad as hell screaming into the mic" is a favorite niche category of songs, and this one is no exception. love this on-top-of-the-world vibe with damiano just screaming down the mic. according to artist interviews, he was near-blackout drunk recording this one, and i think that just makes the vibe so much better.

IF NOT FOR YOU - i'm always a sucker for a good power ballad, and this one checks all the boxes. extremely yearny lyrics, pithy but cutting chorus, and smooth, weepy guitars.

READ YOUR DIARY - evocative imagery about a fucked up kind of person really send this track home. you can feel the obsessiveness rolling off of damiano's delivery of these lyrics, repeating those key phrases and slurring some of the chorus. loved this one a lot

MARK CHAPMAN - fast-paced banger in their native italian means this one was an immediate fav. lyric translation really locked this one in as a fav, and the chorus is a complete earworm. definitely top fav from this record.

LA FINE - hands down, without question, my favorite track off this album. another earworm, but of a much more righteous and angry bent. everything hits the gas on this track, and doesn't let off till the end, and i LOVE it. imo, best track on this record, and one of their best songs in a while.

IL DONO DELLA VITA - this one slows down the flow of the album, a welcome respite after three hard-driving tracks back to back. the vocals start on this one sounding kind of tired, but it picks up into a robust exaltation of life and joy. fantastic message for the times we find ourselves in, and an all around fantastic track.

MAMMAMIA - gotta be honest, i didn't listen to this one when it dropped as a single, but i LOVE it. another real horny song and this one definitely feels like it was written for the kind of guy that i am. it's a little crazy, a little bit fast, and a whole lotta hot. another big fav.

SUPERMODEL - the sound and the single cover of this song are obviously meant to evoke thoughts of Nirvana, and that's never gonna go wrong. i like the slightly peppier, slightly cleaner sound of this song in contrast to the rest of the grunge and the crunch on this album, but don't take that to mean this song isn't grungy itself. it knows its inspirations and pays beautiful homage to them.

THE LONELIEST - holy mother of god. early 2000s sad rock ass song and boy does it hit you like a truck. this one's a really fantastic endcap to this whole album, even if it did nearly make me cry.

#felix listens #maneskin #rush maneskin #album review

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r-ando-m-w-rite-r · 1 year

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Random Apex Bloopers

im bored so here u go

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*mirage walks into cryptos apartment*

mirage: hey old man...?

*sees crypto and caustic on the ground playing with toy cars*

*looks up* crypto: oh, uh, hey witt..

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bloodhound: why is it that attracted you to me?

*fuse hugs bloodhound from behind and nestles his head between their shoulder and their head*

fuse: because, silly, i love you...and your cooking...

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*loba sees bangalore with valkyrie, theyre talking*

loba: oh, look at my darlings, so cute together

*takes step away from bangalore* valkyrie: ew no!

bangalore: yeah, ew, who would like this ching chong alcoholic?

valkyrie: hey, that was too far

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crypto: shield cells here

*wattson picks them up*

wattson: t-thanks

crypto: a-anytime

*begin to stare at each other before wattson turns away and blushes*

*wraith standing a little distance away, completely confused about what just happened*

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seer: what shall we eat tonight, compadre?

*octane jumps on his shoulder, and seer grunts*

octane: oooh, oooh! i know, obi! takeout! takeout!

seer: silvia, down

*octane hops off and hangs his head like a sad puppy*

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*rampart as she screws in a loose bolt near octanes hip*

rampart: damn kid, what do you do to yourself to get like this?

octane: well, i mean, im all for the danger *pause* and obi is pretty rough

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*bang*

lifeline: what the hell?

*more bangs*

horizon: oh, thats just my neighbor maggie, shes actually quite nice once you get to know her-

*there is a smash and then a scream, and lifeline bewilderingly looks to horizon, who has a doubtful look on her face*

horizon: well, i mean, her first name is mad, after all

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*mirage walking down the hallway with vantage*

*pathfinder suddenly pops around the corner* pathfinder: hello friends!

*vantage jumps slightly and mirage screams like a girl, diving behind vantage*

mirage: get that thing away from me!

*pathfinders monitor portrays a question mark as he approaches vantage and peers behind her* pathfinder: i didnt mean to startle you-

*mirage sees him and screams like a girl again, running off*

pathfinder: uh...

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ash: why are you still following me?

revenant: because i can

*ash sighs, annoyed*

ash: i told you awhile ago to get lost

*snickers* revenant: so what? its not like youre gonna do anything-

*in one swift motion, ash has him pinned to the ground, sword pressed to his neck, face inches from his*

*chuckles* revenant: perfect. just the reaction i wanted

*ash blinks twice before growling and standing back up, marching off*

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gibby: wassup my bruddah?

*mirage sighs and gibby takes a seat beside him*

gibby: cmon witt, you can tell me anything

mirage: well you see...*hesitates before sighing again* oh fine, i just cant pull

*gibby snorts and mirage looks over at him angrily as he begins laughing*

*gibby pats mirage on the back hard, wiping away his tears with his other hand* gibby: oh, elliot *chuckling* get used to it

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rampart: ay, give me a hand, will ya?

*looks away from the image of seer on the screen of the tv nearby* catalyst: oh yeah, sorry, just got into a daze

rampart: is it that seer again?

*sighs* catalyst: how did you know?

rampart: well one, you were staring at him on the news there. two, dont let him get to your head, hun

*growls* catalyst: how am i supposed to ignore the man who stole my planet from me, stole my freedom, stole my livelihood?

*she kicks a toolbox, which shakes slightly before settling once more*

*smirks* rampart: well, he sure seems to be harder to ignore for other reasons, too

*blushes* catalyst: i already told you, i dont like him. plus, you know who my real love is, and shes gone

*holds up hands* rampart: ay, i never said you liked him. but im just saying, i have a feeling that someone may be a little attracted..

*scoffs* catalyst: well, your guess is wrong. he is dead to me, and i hope he does end up dead

*catalyst then turns and storms out, blushing madly and unable to say anything further*

rampart: hey, what about helping me out?

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*newcastle humming as he walks down the hallway*

newcastle: *sings under his breath* good morning usa...

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*octane impatiantly bouncing up and down outside of the fitting room*

octane: chicaaaa cmon i want to gooooo-

*he whines but then abruptly shuts up as wattson slips out in a tight bikini, almost all skin showing*

*blushing profoundly* wattson: well, what do you think? does it fit?

*pauses, unable to comprehend* octane: y-y-yes chica, lovely...

--------------------------------------

thats all for now, tell me if i should do more

#apex shorts #apex bloopers #funny apex #all apex legends #serious and funny #part 2?#thx for reading

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sasorikigai · 2 years

Text

*I’m solely going to focus on Andrew Koji (Yuichi Kimura) and Hiroyuki Sanada (the Elder, Kimura’s father) because I solely went to see Bullet Train to watch my two favorites.

I feel like the first half of the movie could have focused more on Kimura’s flashback; in the book, there are so many intricate and emotional interactions between Kimura and the Prince (one of the antagonists, who pushed Kimura’s son off the roof), instead of giving the viewers absolute minimum exposition required to give Kimura character. Obviously for the movie adaptation’s sake, a lot of precious material was abridged and even entirely cut off from the film, but since the film wields a flashback-heavy structure, it would have smoothed out the narrative so much better.

Indeed, Bullet Train is first and foremost, a cacophony of an action movie filled with chaos and mayhem, and too often fast-paced without coherence at times, thus it took away from having such unique, eccentric characters. Kimura is a Japanese grieving father seeking vengeance after his son was pushed off a roof and the Elder is the boy’s royally angry grandfather who is really out for blood. They really do play their characters with verve and excellence, portraying Kimura’s alcoholic angst and the Elder’s stoic, sagacious, and yet viciously protective character.

The actions scenes, while sometimes thrilling and unique, I really think the director could have utilized and optimized Koji and Sanada’s remarkable talent. Not that I am against giving them katana, for they are remarkable with it and obviously they are experienced martial artists who can properly wield and use such weapon, but for being such a high-octane film with so many colorful and vibrant action sequences, I have to admit, I was disappointed by how little there was of them two engaged in action scenes.

Even after reading the book (and knowing the source material, aka the sequences of events, characters’ backstories, etc.), the pacing from the present to the flashback was making harder for me to follow. It became more exhausting, than exhilarating, and I still could not get away with the fact that the profit potential of a Hollywood blockbuster, however silly, should eases the pain of whitewashing, considering those two are the only ‘Japanese’ characters out of so many assassins on Shinkansen.

While this movie has a multilayered narrative with many characters that can sometimes get in the way of the action, I wish there was more of a balance between the drama and the action. However, despite being an overachieving story with issues with pacing, the film never got really boring. Maybe because I knew where those two would pop up and share the screen and grace me with such remarkable acting prowess, screen presence, and chemistry. At least all the action sequences I’ve seen were dealt with clarity and impact, creating a beautifully nonsensical thrill ride that could have been a complete trainwreck, but I did really wish there were much more of them, especially Kimura, since he indeed IS the heart of the novel.

#✗ breathing iron and rust (outofkombat)#hiroyuki sanada #andrew koji #(bullet train)#(I'd give it 7 out of 10)#(obviously compared to the book. a lot of details and intricacies regarding Kimura's character gets lost)#(I also think having more Japanese actors would've helped but sadly)#(it's Hollywood we're talking about so I essentially had little hope when I walked in)#(still.... those parts with Sanada and Koji were GREAT)#(especially when they share the screentime)

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okayto · 2 years

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Micro-Reviews: Stuff I enjoyed with my Apple+ free trial, Part II

youtube

Best Foot Forward

Scripted show about a kid with a prosthetic leg making the transition from homeschool to public school. It’s based on paralympian Josh Sundquist’s early life (who executive produced the series, and plays a minor role by appearing as the character’s prosthetist), and features a mix of school and interpersonal plot points that go beyond the main character and his friends to include his family--parents trying to be supportive while missing their children, siblings struggling with their own identities while seeing that their older brother always captures attention because of his disability.

Although the main characters are middle schoolers (and it’s appropriate for all ages), it doesn’t go for the high-octane freneticism of a Disney Channel sitcom, leaving room for quiet moments.

(Note: you may recognize Sundquist from his frequently-viral clips of humorous bits of speeches when he talks about things relating to his leg, or perhaps his impressive Halloween costumes that incorporate his missing limb.)

Ted Lasso

What I thought it was: a cringe-inducing show about an American who goes to coach soccer in the UK, knowing nothing about soccer or the UK, and derives humor from the “ugly American” character.

And then my parents recommended it to all their kids, which is a rare event, so I decided I’d give it a try, and I’m glad it did. The basic premise is indeed that an American gets hired to coach soccer in the Premier League (the top English soccer league, like MLS in America), but it’s more interesting and nuanced than a “loud-mouthed American idiot shows up to be rude and ignorant” like I expected.

The titular Ted Lasso was a successful American college football coach before the owner of the English soccer team brought him over--her secret plan is to get back at her ex-husband (the former team owner) by sabotaging the only thing he cares about: the soccer team. And what better way than to get an outsider who knows nothing to coach the team into ruin?

The problem with this plan turns out to be that Ted, despite his lack of soccer knowledge, is a really good people coach. His folksy demeanor belies a good amount of interpersonal and emotional intelligence that, combined with his humor and optimism, make him a lot harder to hate than expected.

I only had a chance to watch the 1st season of the current 2 (a third and presumably final season is currently in production as of this writing in late 2022), but once the third comes out I’m happy to pay for a month’s subscription so I can finish the series.

youtube

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

Fraggle Rock hits this weird nostalgia note for me because I only ever saw occasional reruns of the original growing up--I couldn’t tell you if I’d ever actually seen a full episode. My knowledge was that Fraggles are muppet-puppets who live underground, and that’s it. But I know the theme song, and it’s so frikkin catchy. So I literally turned this on just to hear the theme song. *clap clap*

It’s silly--this is a kids’ show--and musical, with each episode having characters ~learn something~, like about communication with friends, no making assumptions, being brave, whatever. But it’s entertaining (and good for a show on in the background that I didn’t need to pay full attention to), and again: great theme song.

#Best Foot Forward #Ted Lasso #Fraggle Rock #Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock #reviews #recommendation #Apple TV has a lot of scripted shows but I watched very few - but the ones I watched I enjoyed at least

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terribletoonietuesday · 1 year

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Terror Toons 4 (2023)

Terror Toons 4 (2023)Due to several reasons I have not been doing reviews as often as I used to but I needed to write this one. I NEEDED to write it. Let me set things up with expectations. I was a big fan of the first film literally 20 years ago. Not because I thought it was amazing but because it was just shockingly silly , bizzare and that kind of nonsense that would shock normie film fans. It was a lot of fun to show people just for their reactions. Then parts 2 and 3 came and went and I was not too much of a fan. It was a bit of the same and just didn' do anything for me and I'm sure would be too weird for those pre mentioned "normies"… but.. but then came part 4. I was told it was an anthology and the post covid world of low budget anthologies don't exactly excite me anymore. So I went into this worried but only 30 seconds in, things changed… forever.The opening of this film explodes into visual overload and insanity so fast it feels as if Horonamus Bosch met Terry Gilliam in the digital age. it felt like that magnavox commercial where the screen literally exploded in your face. Then the movies starts and the screaming begins. The first short starts and gives us a mixed slash warped origin of the classic Terror Toon villains. It's so much a step up in concept , feeling, pacing and technical excellence then previous with a darker , scarier atmosphere. Imagine watching Adam Wests Batman one week and then seeing a multimillion dollar Batman movie the next week.So not to give any spoilers I will just say it feels like Alex De le Iglesia directed the hell scene in Bill and Teds bogus journey . Douglas Epps take on the less cartoony yet just as insane Dr Carnage is amazing. The killer gorilla Max Assassin is legit scary now. But it's the new sweet and innocent yet completely terrifying character Derrick or was it Eric that we meet that will change your life.I won't explain anything about him but you will know him when you see him. We get several other shorts but they definitely come in second to the first short however they are needed. Brinke Stevens stars and directs a short that is a much more sensible short that may have been fine on its own but felt a bit out of place, again only because the rest of the show was so wild. Brinke had made this short before thinking of connecting it to Terror Toons 4 , I'm pretty sure. It's a nice mellow out and does get us more Linnea Quickly and Debbie Rochon. Hell the cameos in this are wild.The third and fourth shorts come at you wild and fast giving no mercy. After the second short I was literally saying to myself "wait a Joe Castro film with no sexual symbolism, that's weird." but then the short The heads of Mr Switch comes at you and picks up for sexual lost time. This short is shocking, hilarious and ends so quickly you also want to know what happens next so badly. The most original villain in eons, all that and oh my god, Lizzy Borden is back.The final short gives us a 21 gun salute and takes us into the apocalypse . Oh look it's Rob Rhine of Girls and Corpses magazine , but of course he is here again. More cameos from more scream queen and b movie legends than you can shake a stick at in this octane charge non stop visceral explosion into madness as if Aphex Twin remade Monty Python's Meaning of Life.This is a huge achievement for the B movie world and even for those normie film nerds that may not understand this film , they will still be effected and never forget this facedive diving board launch into madness. So yeah I loved it. I'm exhausted.

#B movies #Terror toons #Terrortoons4

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ultraericthered · 1 year

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Star Driver - To The Guy Who Didn’t Get It

It seems like whole decades have gone by since the early 2010s and it makes me feel so old, yet I tend to forget how somewhat different the online fandom/social media scene was compared to now, especially in regards to critiques of then-still running shows done on blogs. And I happened upon one on Blogger (Anyone remember that blogging site? Does anyone still use it?) by an anime reviewer who blogged his thoughts on different anime episodes after they’d aired. And back then in 2010-2011, Star Driver was one such anime.

To say he wasn’t a fan would be almost understating it given the scathing remarks he blogged about it on a weekly basis. While obviously his thoughts and feelings on it and mine could not differ more, I understand that people have different tastes and that’s perfectly acceptable and right even. ...But y’know the saying that goes “you’re entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts and logic?” If your argument for or against something is based in illogical fallacies and disregard for objectivity and truth, even the sort of objective truth in regards to what’s grounded in what is canonical to works of fiction, it’s not a good argument and deserves to be torn apart. It doesn’t help that this blogger was that sort of pseduo-critic anime snob who had some ideas about how good storytelling, character writing, worldbuilding, and overall execution of a made-for-TV animated series should look like that I don’t think has aged very well on today’s online world. So even though it was years ago and on a whole ‘nother site, I just HAVE to rip this hater a new one here!

On Episode 1:

...wait, what the Hell is going on in this show? It's only episode one and I already feel mired in things that I don't understand, a sense of confusion that only feels all the more jarring after the sudden change in gears from comedy school setting to giant robots and people with masks jabbering about Cybodys. I'm sure this sense of confusion is kind of the point, and that all will be explained in due course, but I can't help but feel that this plunge into "the science bit" was a little too sudden - had it come at the very start of the episode it might have worked, but in jerking us out of our previous sedate reverie it just feels wrong.

In Which Anime Blogger Complains About The Entire Effing Point. The series is meant to hook you in here because you’re sent reeling from what’s going on, because you’re confused and don’t understand what’s being talked about and what’s being done, because of the tonal whiplash and clashing between two types of shows that leads to such insane high octane action and unashamed campiness. There is no “kind of” about it, it is absolutely the point. I swear that this came up elsewhere on the blog but this blogger was not familiar with the creators other works, mainly Revolutionary Girl Utena, and it constantly shows. If Star Driver, right out the gate, is How Not To Make An Anime, then Utena should’ve tanked and never recieved all the glowing critical praise it’s gotten over the years because it did all the exact same stuff with its storytelling and presentation. And he thinks the show needed to lead with the Cybodies and the Crux in order to let the viewer know that this wasn’t just some high school romcom anime and that we’d be in for some weird and exciting mecha stuff? Not only is that unimaginative and belittling of the audience’s intelligence, patience, and attention spans, but it misses that one of the earliest spoken lines was Wako saying “I smell a boy I don’t know”. The guarantee of silly weirdness was already given to us right there, we didn’t need to see the costumes and robots yet.

On Episode 2:

we finally come to what I'm guessing might well be our weekly dose of action, as Takuto and his Cybody Tauburn find themselves under attack by opponents looking for revenge, and of course the opportunity to get their more accomplished foe well and truly out of the way. While it looks for a moment as though they might succeed, in typical giant robot anime fashion Takuto steps things up a gear when he needs it most and wins the day once again. Hurrah! Again he shows he’s not watched Utena or any of the Sailor Moon shows, where this sort of usual “weekly dose of action” formula was common. And yes, that’s exactly how it goes. You figured it out!

On Episode 3:

On the other hand, it still feels like we're quite some way from understanding exactly what's going on, and I can't decided whether this is a good thing or not - it's certainly leaving me hungry to know more, but by the same token I feel like I need more information to actually settle into enjoying this show or otherwise.

“Can’t decided?” And no, it’s totally a good thing. If you’re spoonfed way too much information too soon, you coming to see the grand design of the series as it unfolds before your eyes and understanding it better wouldn’t be nearly so rewarding. The best stories give you only the most basic, general and digestible information right at the start, then more pieces of information come at you in gradual doses, big and small, so that the huge perspective-altering bomb drops of later on can come in naturally and feel earned. And once you have all the information and context behind everything, going back and looking over those earlier parts of the story that you’d first viewed through a lens of not knowing all information and context will make you see so much of what you’d seen and heard before in a new light.

Well, we're now three episodes in, and Star Driver remains little more than a pile of nonsense that doesn't know what it wants to be in terms of its plot. One minute it's a high school comedy, the next its some kind of harem show, then it's a drama of sorts before we move to the week's admittedly impressive action scenes where we get to watch some big robots fighting... now with added swords! I keep telling myself that there's something big, clever and more intricate in terms of the show's story just around the corner but I'm beginning to wonder - Star Driver is increasingly looking like some kind of "robot fight of the week" anime with little else to say for itself to the point of being wilfully obtuse.

Star Driver knew exactly what it wanted to be in terms of plot, what conclusions it wanted to reach, and how it wanted to reach them - this dude is the one who didn’t know. The high school comedy, harem and fanservice antics, and human drama aspects of the show are all core parts of the show’s identity when on the island outside of Zero Time and are pieces moving in tandem with one another to service not only the mecha anime action-adventure spectacle but the larger narrative, character arcs, and fundamental core themes. The “big, clever and more intricate something” was always right there, thinly veiled behind the campy, stupid, ridiculous “robot fights of the week” show, as that’s the sort of thing Igarashi likes to do.

A commenter on this blog also had this to say:

Seriously, at this point we can dispense with the rest of the show and just fast forward to the part where that caged girl starts singing. :)

Uh, no we can’t, because if we skipped the island stuff and only took in the Star Driver/Cybody shenanigans in Zero Time, everything the story culminates in by the grand finale, and the two arc finales before that, would have no meaning to us, as such meaning was only found in the parts of the show set within Southern Cross Island daily life.

On Episode 5:

I thought that perhaps the previous episode of Star Driver was paving the way for a slight shift in the show's formula and way of doing things... but no, I was wrong, as episode five proves to be another rinse and repeat affair which introduces a character, ties them in to the Glittering Crux brigade and then finishes with a Zero Time battle between said character against Takuto.

I can actually see his point here, at least. It’s rather strange that “Meaning Of The Mandrake” was placed after “Wako’s Song” rather than before it, ‘cause if it had been the other way around, the latter four episodes of the first arc would feel like they had more momentum of importance compared to the first four. The third arc had a similar issue in terms of where they placed the backstory episode - the middle arc (”Innocent Blue Chapter”) is the only one where they nailed the contents and the pacing pretty much perfectly.

Even though we're five episodes in now, I still can't figure out just what Star Driver wants to be (if it even knows itself) - last week's episode seemed set to shake things up a little before this instalment brought us back to the same old episode layout while playing its plot mostly for comic value, right up to our school nurse being defeated while she's checking Takuto out. Okay, that moment was pretty funny (and there were a few other giggles to be had from this episode), but I have to admit that it wasn't what I signed up to Star Driver for and it needs to do a whole lot more if it isn't going to join the rather considerable pile of forgettable mecha series that decorates the world of anime like some elephant's graveyard.

Yes, Star Driver knows what it is and what it wanted to be, this is a “you” problem here, Mr. Blogger. The fact that it does offer such big shakeups every three episodes or sometimes every other episode shows that Igarashi and co. were well aware of what they were doing and how they wanted to play their cards. And oh, the sheer dumb of those later statements. If you “didn’t sign up to Star Driver” for all the goofy stuff that define it as Star Driver, maybe you should’ve thought twice about signing up for Star Driver! And if by even that point your impression of Star Driver was that it could wind up “forgettable” if it didn’t push for being more than what it was at the start, I just don’t know what to tell you. Youv’e got such a terrible attention span.

On Episode 6:

At last, this feels like a real step forward for Star Driver, away from its sometimes frivolous characters and plot progression towards what feels like a more solid footing.

Yes. That was the whole point. That was the whole PLAN. NIMROD!

On Episode 8:

Herein lies the major problem with Star Driver as it continues on its merry way - no matter what happens to the major characters within the show and no matter what developments emerge, it seems like the series is Hell-bent on keeping its episode format intact. This makes for a tiring and predictable viewing experience where we know exactly what's coming, but we still have to sit and wait for most of the episode for it to happen. This wouldn't be so bad if the build-up to the giant robot scraps were packed to the rafters with fascinating drama and character development, but this is rarely the case, instead leaving us with some rather overblown stuff that doesn't have any real impact. Sugata's plight should have made for a huge amount of potential, yet here we are with that part of the story seemingly resolved and yet virtually nothing was made of it. No matter how much I want to like Star Driver (and those fight sequences really are increasingly impressive), it just seems to disappoint me every time I try to give it another chance.

Once again, see Utena, which did the exact same thing of “Episode Format Status Quo Is God, But Not Necessarily An All-Mighty God”. That show had an entire midsection story arc where the conclusion was that its main villain and events were wiped from having ever existed and from the minds of other characters, as though the whole arc that spanned several episodes straight never happened - that’s something that should be decried as a giant time waster and a Filler Arc, but the effects of what happened in it and where it left our characters mattered greatly to the events to follow. A series doesn’t have to break its status quo and throw game-changing, character-effecting, crucially timed, urgently paced, high stakes developments at us every other episode in order to have narrative depth, character development, and plot progression. Sometimes, this way is good enough, where you have the gist of what the show’s all about and know what to expect and what you might predict, but may still be surprised, enthralled, and delighted by the execution and might even find you weren’t as ready for what you end up seeing as you thought you were going into the episode, meaning it’s NOT always a “tiring and predictable” experience, as you won’t always know EXACTLY what you’re in for in terms of the whens, hows, and whys of what gets played out in the story being told. During my rewatch, I noticed a lot of the good, juicy bits of drama and character development that were seeded into those breather periods on the island away from the Crux’s lair and out of Zero Time, and Sugata’s plight was far from resolved by Episode 8 - it simply was transitioned from one point to the next, as oftentimes when things reach an “end”, it’s actually just a phasing out of something that comes with a phasing in of something else semi-connected. The Adventure Of Life Goes On and all that.

If Star Driver was disappointing him, it’s because he set himself up for such disappointment first rather than go with the anime’s flow.

On Episode 10:

Star Driver has become dull and predictable, and there certainly wasn't anything on show this episode to change that. We're now even at the point where those previously spectacular mecha battles feel run of the mill, leaving us with little to look forward to each week. Something needs to break Star Driver out of its over-used mould, but at the moment I simply can't see anything capable of doing that.

Predictable, yeah. Dull? Hell no, hardly! And “I can’t see anything capable of doing that.” The You twins were RIGHT F**KING THERE!

On Episode 11:

So, another episode of Star Driver has passed, and I'm still utterly bored with its predictable layout and the knowledge that Takuto will always win his battle at the end of the episode one way or another. Even outside of the action, the whole story surrounding "Simone" felt horribly forced whilst proving to be equally dull in its own right. I'm seriously starting to think that this series is entirely beyond redemption now, but can I really drop a show after sinking almost six hours into it?

If he was so “utterly bored” of this show, what was he doing still writing these posts on it? Takuto having to win all of his battles at the end one way or another is a feature rather than a bug, and does not necessarily break immersion or enjoyment - a lot of the oldest comic books and action-adventure TV serials, the sort of stuff that inspired Star Wars, were like this, where the hero is allowed to be put in peril and leave the audience going “Oh no! How will they get out of this one?” without there being any hint of a doubt that they will indeed “get out of this one” in the end so that they can go on to their next thrilling adventure, rinse and repeat. It’s not super dramatic because it’s not made to be - it’s made to be FUN. It’s good old fashioned escapism and entertainment. If that’s not one’s cup of tea, then they ought to stop drinking it for no reason but to prove that they can.

On Episode 12:

While the comedy for this episode of Star Driver was far sharper than anything we've seen from the show of late, that's really all it has going for it as per usual - it got a few laughs, but was otherwise as dull and lifeless as ever. There are brief hints of movement courtesy of Kanako meeting and conversing with Mizuno, but considering we're effectively at the half-way point of this series it would be nice to see something other than the odd glacial snippet of plot progression. I too like to throw around words like “dull” and “lifeless” and “boring” and “tepid” and “predictable” and “frivolous” and “forgttable” and even “utterly” without really thinking about whether or not I’m applying them to anything that actually truly matches the meanings of those words but if they make me sound like a real critic who knows what the fuck he’s talking about then I use them, I R super smart! Again, the Black Rose arc from Utena’s midsection deserves mention here.

On Episode 13:

I really have nothing new to say about Star Driver now - it's utterly dull and lifeless, and the plot of this particular episode was plain to see within the first five minutes of the episode, making Takuto's eventual victory even more of a foregone conclusion then it was already. With no peril, danger or intense action to this show's name, what is the point exactly?

There it is again - “Dull and lifeless!” And in this episode’s case, it’s a Breather Episode and an actually well-placed one at that. I also described already what the point of the show is - to entertain and be fun, sincere and wholesome and even compelling to any who actually engage with it. It’s not a bad show, you’re just mean and joyless.

On Episode 14:

That said, I do have to point out that pretty much everything that was good about the second half of this episode was blatantly stolen from Evangelion (and more specifically its recent movies), but if pinching cool visual concepts and ideas from that series makes Star Driver better than I say go for it.

A mecha anime gets mind screwy and throws in some psychological and existential angst coupled with visual horrors? “Blatantly stolen” from Evangelion rather than just influenced by it! Overall, this episode hasn't left me with renewed confidence that this series has a clue what it's doing or what its end-game is, but it's at least managed to find a little more potential and promise to keep me watching for the time being. If only it hadn't taken so long to do so...

You’d had to have completely missed the underlining purpose of this episode to come to that conclusion. Everything about the Ayingott project and what Marino was doing as Vanishing Age’s substitute leader was thoroughly schemed out by Head and Ivrogne in order to move things to the next phase, which itself ties back around to earlier set-up with Sugata and Samekh, and what’s truly motivating Ivrogne in her actions. The series’ end-game is a clear picture that comes together like a great big picture puzzle whose pieces you weren’t even looking at ‘cause you were too busy whining about the series!

On Episode 15:

What's this? An episode of Star Driver that doesn't follow the exact same pattern of nearly every other episode that came before it almost to the second Stop the presses! After moaning about it for so many weeks, simply breaking out of Star Driver's cycle of drama -> Zero Time -> Takuto wins feels like a breath of fresh air which left me watching the clock and thinking "however are they going to fit a pointless Cybody battle into this episode?". Well, thankfully they didn't, instead giving the rest of the plot some much-needed room to breathe - something it did reasonably proficiently with plenty of angst and drama to lean on whilst also shifting the positions of a few key pieces on the show's chess board, most notably Sugata and our "mysterious" (or not so mysterious) painter aside from Mizuno herself.

Yeah, even this asshat couldn’t not give these episodes their due.

only to enter some kind of Endless Eight-esque state where every time she leaves she simply wakes up and has to start all over again - a situation which leaves her a nervous and bawling wreck in a ferry terminal car park after numerous iterations (again, much like most viewers of Endless Eight after a few episodes).

Including this here because it’s actually pretty damn funny. This alone wasn't enough to make Star Driver suddenly seem like a far more compelling series, but following on from last week's more focused offering the signs of improvement are certainly there to be seen. It has a way to go, but at last there's light at the end of the tunnel of mediocrity from which this show desperately needs to escape over the coming weeks.

If it wasn’t, then maybe it honestly didn’t even need to be? What it did for me was make these episodes themselves, and retroactively every episode that featured and slowly advanced the arc of the You twins, far more compelling in and of themselves. The remainder of the show could’ve tanked and it wouldn’t change how great this section was.

On Episode 16:

This leaves me with an episode that I'm rather torn about - the revelations and story built around Mizuno turned out to be quite a nice twist in the tale (although they arguably weren't used to their fullest extent) and the Zero Time section this week was absolutely stunning even by this show's standards, while the Glittering Crux finally reaching their so-called Third Phase after blathering on about it for several months is as much of a relief as it is a sign of some tougher competition for Takuto. Set against that, the whole flashback element into Takuto's past for this episode felt clumsy and bolted on, leading in to a sudden upgrade to Tauburn's powers that was boringly predictable but unavoidably so.

Fair point. I can see why the action grinding to a halt just to give us some backstory that ties directly in with Takuto’s big finisher of that day might feel off for some viewers and take them out of the whole moment, but I personally liked it and will have stuff to say on it later.

Thus, I don't know what to make of it all - certain elements of the series have moved in some decidedly interesting new directions while others look to be stuck in a rut. Overall I suppose that's an improvement, but it still isn't enough to turn Star Driver into a good series at this juncture, let alone a great one.

See what I said before about these Mizuno arc episodes. And to me, Star Driver was always a good series, and these episodes, plus Episode 20 and the final two, just solified it into a great one.

On Episode 17:

Just as it seemed as it Star Driver had broken free of its repetitive episode conventions, it looks like the announcement of third phase combat last time around has seen a return to the tried and far from trusted episode layout of weeks gone by - high school hijinks, Glittering Crux meeting, big battle where Takuto wins via some previously unknown/unexpected deus ex machina.

“This show...is still Star Driver! WHY IS IT STILL STAR DRIVER?!?”

On Episode 18:

I remain both bored and unimpressed with Star Driver again at present - every time is looks set to do something to come out of its coma of predictability, it somehow manages to ruin the whole thing. For what is supposedly an anime about Cybodies which could change the entire world as we know it if the Glittering Crux Brigade succeeds, there's still no tension or drama in anything we see - battles are finished with the equivalent of a flick of the wrist, and more time is spent on school life shenanigans than any form of character building or plot development. Perhaps someone should get the Madoka Magica team onto a mecha series when they're done with that show? By all accounts they could do a far better job than this effort which seems to borrow from numerous other similar series whilst completely missing the point of what makes those shows great.

Oh my God, this dude.... The anime is not “about” the Cybodies and the stakes of what should happen if Zero Time was broken and they were all active outside of it again. It literally ends with Zero Time broken yet doesn’t make anything more of it than what’s needed for the immediate focus of the final action. This is called “missing the forest for the trees.” There are some shows, even shows with giant robot fights, that are not made to ride and die on the sort of “tension and drama” that this blogger pines for. And in fact, a lot of the character building and slow-burn plot development to set up the next big advancements are in those smaller, so-called “school life shananigans” that he thinks shouldn’t be allowed in a mecha anime. The reference to Madoka here is important because it’s such an apples-to-oranges comparison; Madoka is a anime with plot and character drama that’s very tightly written, and drama and stakes that escalate by the episode, because it was a 12 episode one cours anime where continous serialized storytelling was necessary and breathing room a no-go. Star Driver, meanwhile...is not that. And how ironic that he said that last part when he himself was missing what made this show great because he was too hung up on his own preferences and expectations, likely influenced by other shows!

On Episode 19:

That aside, I felt that the whole "body snatching" aspect of this episode was rather a wasted opportunity - not much was done with a scenario that was ripe with potential, and Kou and Madoka were both so useless in their body switching roles that they frittered away the chance to cause some genuine chaos far outside simply messing with Wako's head.

Another valid, legitimate criticism. Those are more relieving to come by on this blog than outlier episodes are to come by on Star Driver!

On Episode 20:

After frittering away so many (read: almost all) of its episodes, it's nice to see things finally building in an interesting direction at this late stage - although I can't quite get my head around Takuto's parentage at this juncture (is Tokio really that old?), we did learn some significant information about the man at the helm of the Glittering Crux Brigade, finally see a fire (or at least a slightly damp match) lit under Takuto's feelings for Wako, and perhaps most important we got a Zero Time battle that was interesting for almost thirty whole seconds, which is a new record on my watch. With next week's episode also promising to continue in the right direction, can Star Driver pull out a decent ending to this tepid series? It won't be enough to save it from the halls of anime mediocrity, but regardless of that I sure hope it does so that my hours of watching this series don't prove to be in vain.

Tokio’s First Phase slowed his physical aging, which is why he still appears to be college aged at most. Oh, and more throwing in big sounding critic words/ “Tepid”? “Mediocrity”? By whose measure?

On Episode 21:

Not for the first time with this series, Star Driver hits upon something interesting only to render it utterly dull and useless with its staunch refusal to add any kind of peril to proceedings. In this case, we were finally faced with a conflict where someone absolutely had to die, no questions ask or no chance to sidestep this brutal truth... until the episode pulls out a deus ex machina so it can all end without anyone getting hurt. What. The. Fuck. Star. Driver. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why everyone is raving about Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the world it's woven where everything has serious and realistic consequences; this is also why nobody gives two flying monkeys about Star Driver any more. The sooner this show finishes and puts us all out of its abjectly mediocre misery the better.

I cannot with this doofus and his vocabulary. Here’s where the Madoka thing comes back (ironic since that’s the name of the character in question who didn’t get offed), and for one thing, it aged poorly given how Mami and Kyoko, two characters who we saw absolutely definitely die on-screen just come back to life at the end which sort of negates the weight of their deaths (though Sayaka doesn’t for some reason?), the serious consequences at the very end of the series were so mired in the fantastical that you can’t really call it “realistic”, and then after that initial series, everyone came back and a whole freaking Madoka multiverse was established, so it’s not exactly a super grounded, gritty, true-to-life anime experience. And second of all, it exposes how limited this person’s scope of what can pass for a solid, enjoyable, satisfying series with good storytelling even is. If a series isn’t like a steadily building, super tense, dark, bleak, violent and suspenseful “Anyone Can Die At Any Point” affair like Game Of Thrones, or even a one cours quickie filled with darkness and edge, thrills, chills, kills, shocking plot developments, mindblowing and/or soul-crushing reveals, and constant bordering-on-torture-porn misery and despair at every turn every week like Madoka, then it’s just garbage to someone like this. It’s so sad to me.

On Episode 22:

Mark, who is played by Takuto and really doesn't do anything interesting at all aside from getting to kiss Wako at the end of the entire ordeal. Which is, to be fair, a pretty awesome thing to do.

Another moment where even a first class fool can see reason.

Above all though, much of this episode is really just about hammering home the current state of Wako's heart when it comes to choosing between Sugata and Takuto, as though the end of last week's episode didn't make that entirely clear and we needed to sit through all of this to explain things. The state of Wako’s heart at the moment wasn’t about “choosing between Sugata and Takuto”, as she was starting to realize more and more after her birthday that she felt equal love for them both. The real drama that was being shaped here was the idea that Sugata could possibly renounce what his heart was feeling for Wako in favor of finally embracing and using Samekh’s power, which is the future that Keito was offering him and hoping that he would take.

I probably wouldn't be so harsh on this episode if it were ensconced within the first half of Star Driver, but with only three episodes to go the series still seems intent on pissing away what little time it has left on incredibly dull and forced plot devices in the hope of somehow seeming "deep" that really add very little to either the show or its characters. I know that Star Driver is a lost cause now, but there's still so much I want to like about it that even at this juncture I get frustrated by its inability to do anything worthy of note with its setting and the individuals within them. Goodness knows it has enough intriguing, likeable or downright cool characters to play with, so how we ended up with this tepid and clumsy cluster-fuck of a series is becoming increasingly mind-boggling.

You know why that entire paragraph got bolded. Take it away, Luke!

EXCEPT for “Goodness knows it has enough intriguing, likeable or downright cool characters to play with” - those words were right.

On Episode 23:

But what's this? A major plot twist involving Sugata? Wow, I never saw that one coming at all.

A good plot twist is one that makes logical internal sense within the narrative and character-based framework and advances the story in an interesting direction, not just one that you don’t see coming. I mean, he even goes on to say this and thus sound contradictory:

Okay, so Sugata's defection does make things a bit more interesting for the final couple of episodes, and it does also fit in better with the evolving relationship dynamic between the remaining maidens, Sugata, and Takuto.

However, that doesn't make this anything less than another clumsy implemented slice of utter mediocrity where Zero Time also means Zero Excitement and Zero Peril. Nothing has grabbed or surprised me even at this late stage of the game, meaning that the only real excitement I have left is the thought that in a couple of weeks I'll finally be done with this tepid series - fingers crossed it doesn't get licensed in the UK so that I have to watch it all over again though.

“UTTER mediOCRITY!” “Where’s teh EXCITEMENT and PERIL?” “This is most tepid series! TEPID, I SAY!” And of course he’s British!

On Episode 24:

Even a show as largely dull and tepid as Star Driver can't screw up its penultimate episode on account of being too dull... although episode twenty-four certainly tries its best at doing just that before the sheer weight of interesting stuff available to the series finally forces its way through.

And I don’t know what else I expected from YOUR penultimate effort!

Okay, I have to confess, the end of this week's episode of Star Driver was pretty damn cool - once I'd suppressed my laughter at the sheer stupidity of nobody recognising any Glittering Crux member until they remove their mask and go "hey, guess who?!", there were some awesome visuals on show and everything seems set up right to deliver a finale free from all the fluff and nonsense that the series has drowned in up to this point. The fact that it took half the episode to get to this "good bit" remains a blatant reminder of everything that's wrong with Star Driver, but at least for once it seems set to actually deliver on its potential - if only it hadn't left it so late to do so.

I’m starting to suspect this dude might actually end up liking Star Driver: The Movie better than Star Driver: The Show, as it gives him basically what he’s asking for in terms of cutting down on the “fluff and nonsense” and hitting off all the “good bits” of lore and drama and fighting action with marked high stakes and twists and turns and all that PLOT PLOT PLOT!, even when said “good bits” would feel hollow and stripped of all deeper meaning due to what was missed out on with the “building block bits” of the high school and island community content that are there to give you an actual connection to the characters, the setting, and the going ons. Again, reading this feels alien in an age where shows “cut too short” and having a lack of breathers and “filler episodes” is more bemoaned than celebrated.

On Episode 25:

It's taken half a year, but we finally we get the episode of Star Driver everyone had been crying out for from the very start.

................................. This fucking guy just went and said that “the episode of Star Driver everyone (read: he) had been crying out for from the very start”....was at the very end, as in the final episode, the episode that by its very nature had to be built towards and earned by a whole series worth of episodes leading up to it.

Crowning Achievement Of Dumb right there. Who thinks like this? That an action-based and character-driven serialized TV series has to lead with a series finale-worth of material from the offset in order to be deemed good? What is even the point of such a show if it can play not just its full hand but its full deck of cards right from the off-set? This is ludicrous and exposes what an impatient child this guy was. He had zero deep understanding of shit he was talking about!

Okay, it still has an utterly stupid plot (Head's motivations and actions come straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, and Takuto's decision-making isn't much better), but it had lots of awesome action and visual spectacle to make up for that lack of coherency.

That was the whole idea. That was his character, that he was like a damaged piece of art where underneath the deep, detailed, beautiful and enticing surface, at his core were some very simplistic ideas and desires. A seflish, petty, ultimately hollow and lacking man pretending to be a boy pretending to be a man and wanted to be a boy again.

Having seen this example of what Star Driver could have been all about somehow only serves to make the rest of the series all the more disappointing - if only the series had this level of tension and peril written into it from the very start, then we might have been able to forgive the ridiculous dei ex machina that turned up on a regular basis and the distracting slice of life shenanigans that would have served better as a spin-off series in its own right.

Again, ASS. BACKWARDS. It is only because Star Driver was about so much more than the surface level space tech lore and mecha action, because it did not carry itself with this level of tension and peril written into most of its regular proceedings, that this grand finale ends up feeling as grand as it does and carrying such a staggering amount of high quality to it, the quality it feels was built, reached, and earned rather than taken for granted. And if there was anything you found to be “distracting” in the slice of life shenanigans segments, it came from you rather than from the show, which was laying its heart and soul bare in all of those moments, offering up all the smaller pieces that were to be joined together to show you the bigger picture whole of the story, but your mind and your gaze turned away from it.

In terms of wasted potential, this Star Driver must rank at the top of the tree for the last year, and one line in this final episode really said it all: an exclamation of "this battle meant something". At the show's own admission it took twenty-five episodes to have a meaningful battle in a series built around such action sequences - I rest my case.

Twenty-four episodes of a show built around (but not necessarily super focused on or all about) mech battle action sequences were all stocking up its energy and budget as it built up to the Big One, the one that would be so meaningful that it’d retroactively justify and give validity to all the smaller steps taken towards it, at the very end. This sounds perfectly reasonable, yet this guy puts it as though it’s a serious flaw. Absolutely obtuse, illiterate, unimaginative buffoon.

There were also some choice comments I had to pick out:

There was so much potential depth in SD's universe... the Cybodies, the Entropeople, the Seals... and none of it was really explored that much in depth.

Almost as if those things were never actually made to be the focal points of the story, and that the greater depth lied elsewhere?

Not to mention the lack of focus on the characters. A lot of times it feels like they're there just for the sake of being there (i.e. the lesbians).

The characters who needed to be focused on and earn the shits given about them got their focus, though it’s true that some in this cast got very short-changed, the Vanishing Age lackeys especially.

Star Driver isn't meant to have a complex plot or anything, it's meant to be mindless entertainment. People are raving about it anyway, so I don't quite understand that part o.o

I am with the spirit of this post but not the letter. Star Driver’s plot, unlike Utena’s overarching storyline, is not especially complex, its events easy to follow and dictated by certain patterns that make it pretty predictable and its primary purpose is to entertain - to please, to thrill, to amuse and even to arouse. But to call all that “mindless?” Nah, that is giving it way too little credit. I’ve seen it in its entirety more than enough times to say with certainty that there’s a great deal of cleverness, brilliance and meaning behind this camptastic joyride.

Now here’s the blogger again with some imput on his own:

although it's also interesting that both of those posts are suggesting that "people don't get it" without really explaining what we're missing beyond having not seen Utena.

I’d not seen Utena in full by the time I watched Star Driver and I was able to get it just fine, so he’s right, it really is no excuse.

I comprehend the reason for the repetitive way each episode is framed, but to be frank that framing wouldn't be a problem if the show actually had worthwhile content within that frame - witness the reaction to Madoka's early episodes which were similarly repetitive in terms of their layout compared to Star Driver. I'm also pretty sure I "get" all of the allusions the series is trying to present, but unfortunately they're all tired old concepts that aren't remedied by dressing it up in some snazzy outfits.

It’s a purely subjective matter. If the content doesn’t seem worth your while, then OK, don’t engage. It’s not going to be the same for everyone. And yet again with the Madoka reference, even when in that show’s case it only had two episodes worth of standard formulaic Magical Girl layout before someone’s head got bitten off in Episode 3, so it was never interested in playing things straight and sincere the way Star Driver was. Deeper allusions within repetitious framework are just kind of Igarashi and Enokido’s whole thing, same as Ikuhara.

What really holes Star Driver below the water is that for all of its allusion, big set pieces and attempts to build a compelling character-driven narrative, there's absolutely zero tension in Zero Time - arguably any tension disappeared the moment we were told that Takuto dying would mean "game over". We know what's going to happen every single week, and that's where Star Driver makes the jump from "too deep for people to understand" to "dull". There is shed loads of potential in Star Driver, but by this juncture it's been entirely frittered away to the point where I doubt watching a couple of other series will suddenly help it much or cause some kind of "eureka" moment.

He’s argued this ad nauseum and it’s still not holding water. Stories where the hero overcomes their obstacles and “saves the day” on the regular don’t automatically lack tension just because we’re not biting our nails with suspense or even anticipation over who might die at any given moment or itching to see the status quo upended by some destructive instance of successful evildoing that the hero fails to stop. Sometimes, Saturday Morning Cartoon flavor works and is not “dull.”

Lastly, this is who he was responding to, who has some refreshingly solid, well thought out, well understood and very agreeable things to say on the matter. As such, I’ve bolded the ones that hit the best.

I generally enjoy reading your blog posts, and you have interesting thoughts on different shows but really it seems there are things you don't comprehend about Star Driver.

What I mean by saying that you don’t ‘comprehend’ aspects of Star Driver is not that it’s ‘too deep’ but more from a narrative perspective. You’re right in saying that the posts don’t explicitly explain what people are missing. But the emphasis is that ‘plot isn’t the point’ in Star Driver, it’s more about the allusions / symbolism / themes / characters. So if people focus on the former opposed to the latter, they’re ‘missing the point’. And it’s the case that most people relate/understand to traditional narrative. In Star Driver, the audience makes out the story for themselves using the allusions / symbolism / themes / characters rather than an unfolding plot and this is where people get lost, ie don’t understand therefore don’t like it. That’s cool. This way of storytelling isn’t for everybody.

I suppose it bothers me when criticisms like yours are based on a traditional narrative as opposed to the jigsaw puzzle way of Star Driver.

I’ll elaborate. Themes / symbolism / allusions / characters are the devices used for the audience to create their own overall understanding as opposed to an unfolding plot granting them this understanding. Generally speaking, this is how it was done in Utena, hence the comparison in the links.

In a conventional narrative we have conflict/tension/resolution (simplified form). Star Driver doesn’t utilise this as stated above. From your posts I gather that the lack of tension is your major dislike, and what I’m saying (and what the links are basically pointing out) is that Star Driver isn’t designed to have conventional narrative/plot (ie tension). This is why it doesn’t resonate with many people. This is what is meant by ‘not getting’ Star Driver.

Basically in Star Driver, there isn’t a straightforward pan of events that involve conflict/resolution or build tension to ‘tell’ us the story. But rather it’s the allusions/symbolism/themes AND how the characters work within these that ‘build’ the story.

I will use your example above of the lack of content within the repetition. Within the repetition we are given clues to characters’ motives. No, they’re not big world changing reveals. But using these clues (such as reactions, dialogue) and combining them with whatever symbolism is floating around, the audience is able to build the story. Star Driver requires the audience to be cluey and build, rather being given the story. Specific example this episode: Kanako notes that Wako was angry at Madoka for flirting with Takuto in Zero Time. This is a hint that Wako is leaning towards Takuto. Combine this with a frame last ep which shows Wako carrying Takuto’s watch (opposed to Sugata’s knife) reinforces this. The ‘story’ point here is that Wako has chosen Takuto, so the audience wonders how Sugata will react to this. Yes the audience will need to use various clues to work this out.

That is how ‘story’ is told in Star Driver. Putting together the puzzle. It requires the audience to be active and build it. Which is not for everyone. Which is perfectly fine.

It’s not that Star Driver is ‘too deep to understand’. It’s that the storytelling method of Star Driver doesn’t resonate with a mainstream audience. I just wanted to enlighten you to other ways of thinking about it because for me, criticising Star Driver using traditional narrative as your frame of reference (as you are doing), doesn’t hold water.

All of that. Beautifully put. This is the link they put out there too :https://revolemina.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/notes-on-star-driver/

Related: a more recent blogging of Star Driver from “Wrong Every Time”, who ironically seems to get it much more right than this guy. https://wrongeverytime.com/tag/star-driver/

And another great one!: https://randomc.net/category/star-driver/

Bottom line of this post: this person had no love for Star Driver to begin with; that’s why he couldn’t see its actual greatness.

#Star Driver #anime #opinion #criticism #defense #hatedumb #elitism #stupidity #misaimed fandom #completely missing the point

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