#i still think his delivery and how he articulates himself is incredibly off-putting. but i get where it's coming from

[gothicprep]

i can't believe that people are just now coming to the realization that hasan piker has a hamster in a wheel where his brain should be.

like all of his content isn't "um uh ummmm well um uhhh *buzzword salad*. *screaming* *punching furniture* *30 minutes of gamer chair reaction footage*"

i swear to god, the only reason he gets away with half of this is because he's handsome. if you had someone who embodied the aesthetic of a basement-dwelling reddit supermod doing this, the whole operation would be a failure to launch.

[jayeray-hq]

How He Shows You Affection: Sugawara Koushi

Requested by the wonderful @lavenderpup sorry it took so long! I took a hiatus for a while, but I hope you still enjoy it! 😊💖

Post Time Skip/Manga Ending Spoilers!

Warnings: Slightest itty bit of hinted NSFW!

How He Shows You Affection Master List - Character Masterlist

He Rubs Your Cheeks Together

“Hey, sorry I’m late!” you told the group, as you hurried up to them, “The trains were running behind schedule!”

“Don’t worry,” Kiyoko assured you, a kind smile on her pretty face, “You’re not the last one to arrive.”

“Is Koushi not here yet?” you asked glancing around the group. This was meant to be a reunion of the third years from the Karasuno volleyball team, but considering Kiyoko was engaged to Tanaka, and Asahi was dating Nishinoya, it had turned into more of a second- and third-years thing.

A familiar pair of arms around your waist answered your question as you were tugged into a firm chest, your boyfriend’s face rubbing up affectionately against yours as he asked teasingly, “Are you gossiping about me already, honey?”

Tanaka, who’d been standing surprisingly quietly next to Kiyoko politely holding her hand looked utterly scandalized at the display of public affection. If he was a sixties housewife he definitely would’ve been clutching at his pearls, though Kiyoko just looked amused and fond.

You’d grown used to how affectionate your boyfriend was, even in public and didn’t even blush nowadays, which always made him whine a bit, claiming he missed the good old days where you got flustered and stuttered every time he did it. However, you knew he didn’t actually mind given the smitten look he gave you every time you melted into his hold instead of stiffening up the way you used to.

His favorite move, and the one he almost always used to greet you was wrapping you into a hug from behind and nuzzling his face against yours, rubbing your cheeks together in a sweet affectionate gesture that never failed to make you melt.

You’d been a little self-conscious about it at first, especially since you’d gotten a lot of scandalized looks like Tanaka’s given Japan’s views on public displays of affection. However, the few times someone had actually said something about it, somehow your boyfriend had talked circles around them, and in the end, you’d get away with it, sometimes even getting fond looks instead.

A good example of this was your landlady, who’d glared and sniffed every time she’d seen the two of you when you’d first moved in. One conversation with Sugawara later and she’d changed her tune, claiming the two of you reminded her of her and her husband back in the day. Now you got fond looks, indulgent smiles and even cookies from time to time. She even went so far as to scold others who looked sideways at the two of you.

It was completely and utterly ridiculous, something you’d commiserated on with the other third years more than once. According to Kiyoko, Sugawara just had one of those faces that let him get away with anything. Given that she also had one of those faces you took her word for it, and for the most part let him do as he pleased, though you did try to stop if it looked like someone was genuinely uncomfortable.

“Koushi,” you scolded lightly, “You’re upsetting your kouhai.”

“Eh, he needs to toughen up some,” Sugawara told you, snickering slightly at Tanaka’s expression, though he did let go of you after one last affectionate rub and instead laced his fingers together with yours offering you an affectionate smile, “Especially if he’s going to do a good job taking care of Shimizu.”

“Suga-senpai!” Tanaka protested as Kiyoko giggled into her hand.

“Koushi, you know Shimizu doesn’t need him to take care of her, if anything it’s going to be her taking care of him,” you teased lightly, making your boyfriend and Kiyoko both laugh brightly.

“Your girlfriend is just as bad as you are,” Tanaka informed your boyfriend, though there was a definite smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“I know,” Sugawara said, clear pride in his voice as he pressed an affectionate smacking kiss to your cheek, “Isn’t she just the best?”

“Really Suga, you shouldn’t tease our kouhai so much,” Daichi intervened, though he also looked incredibly amused by the whole exchange.

“Tanaka makes it too easy,” your boyfriend told him with a shrug, “Besides someone’s got to give him a hard time now that Kiyoko’s given in to him, that and none of the other second years are nearly as fun.”

“Speaking of second years, where are Nishinoya and Asahi?” you asked, chiming in to save Tanaka from Sugawara’s ruthless teasing as you finally realized who was missing from the group.

“We’re here!” A familiar voice called, and you turned just in time to see the rather comical sight of Nishinoya tugging Asahi down the street by his hand, practically dragging the larger man behind him, “Sorry we’re late we got distracted!”

“We can see that,” Sugawara stated dryly, his eyes tracing over their clearly rumpled and hastily put together appearances, “Asahi, just what have you been doing with our precious kouhai?”

The long haired third year immediately began to splutter as Nishinoya laughed loudly, clearly unbothered at the implication. The group of you set off together, headed for dinner, all of you laughing and smiling as your boyfriend teased his newest victim, with Sugawara’s fingers laced affectionately with yours, refusing to lose contact for even a second as you went about your night.

He Tells You He Cares

“Have a good day at school, and say hi to your class for me,” you told your boyfriend as you casually straightened his tie, and pressed a quick kiss to his waiting lips.

“I will,” he assured you with a bright smile as he scooped up his suitcase though he paused in the doorway to turn back and tell you, “I love you!”

“I love you too,” you assured him with a soft smile, watching as he walked out the door with a cheerful bounce in his step.

It was a routine that the two of you completed every morning almost without fail, and even when you couldn’t Sugawara always made it a point to tell you he loved you before he left to go anywhere. Even if you were asleep or he thought you were sleeping he’d still press a tender kiss to your forehead or cheek and whisper how much he loved you before walking out the door.

With so many repetitions and routine you’d think the words would lose their meaning, just a ritual part of your day with no thought or true emotion behind them. However, it simply wasn’t true.

You’d asked your boyfriend before why he insisted on saying it so often, you’d been curious, especially since Japanese culture didn’t put a large emphasis on saying the words out loud the way other cultures did.

As a teacher your boyfriend was incredibly articulate and usually able to express himself incredibly well. When you’d asked though he’d seemed to struggle to find the right words. He had gotten very thoughtful, and told you that it was because he wanted to remind both of you that at the end of the day he loved you no matter what was happening in your lives.

You’d been a bit confused about his reasoning at the time, and a little unhappy as well. You could understand maybe needing to remind you that he loved you, he shouldn’t need to remind himself that he loved you right? It just hadn’t made sense, and your boyfriend wasn’t able to properly explain, just insisted that it was important to him. You certainly hadn’t minded, and so figured there wasn’t any harm in it even if you didn’t understand.

You kept that mindset right up until your first fight as a couple after you’d moved in together. Sugawara had headed for the door to leave for a while to clear his head and let both of you calm down. However, he’d paused in the doorway and looked back to tell you he loved you.

It had taken away all the sting of him leaving for a bit, and reminded you that not only did he love you, you loved him too, and at the end of the day that was what mattered most, not whatever petty thing you’d been arguing about. The reminder was enough to help soothe you into a better frame of mind for when he returned. The two of you had been able to resolve your fight calmly and rationally after that, with apologies and ‘I love you’s on both sides.

His words about it being a reminder had clicked for you then, and from that point on you made it a point to tell him you loved him before you left too, something that never failed to make him beam at you, warm and full of affection.

It helped that you’d both promised that if ever there was a day when you didn’t actually mean the words that you wouldn’t say them at all. However you were rather almost certain that day would never come. You couldn’t imagine someone better suited to you than Sugawara who reminded you each and every how very much he loved you, and how much you loved him too.

He Surprises You

The sound of someone knocking at the front door pulled you away from the mindless scrolling you’d been doing on your phone and prompted you to pull yourself up from the couch, confused about who might be interrupting you on your day off. Your normal suspect would’ve been your boyfriend, but not only did he have a key, he was at school much to your mutual disappointment. However the day off had been unexpected, so he hadn’t been able to take a vacation day in advance and was not so irresponsible that he would call in sick when he wasn’t. He loved the kids too much for that.

It turned out you probably should’ve continued to suspect your boyfriend, as he was the culprit behind the interruption, if not the culprit himself. The delivery guy kindly passed you a bouquet of your favorite flowers, just the sight of them bringing a smile to your face as you signed for them, and then brought them into the kitchen where you could admire them.

The bouquet came with a handwritten note that read…

I hope you’re enjoying your day off! When I get home, let’s go on a date okay?

Love,

Koushi

You smiled a little helplessly at the familiar writing, realizing your boyfriend must’ve stopped by the shop personally to pick something out and leave a note for you to read. Your heart felt close to overflowing with affection for him as you snapped a quick picture of your flowers and sent him a quick text to thank him and that it was a definite yes to date night.

Your boyfriend had always been a thoughtful person, but sometimes it still caught you by surprise just how thoughtful he truly was. Sugawara liked to surprise people, and he’d told you once that sweet surprises were the best kind. Looking at your flowers you couldn’t help but agree with him.

He was always doing things like this for you, sending your favorite flowers, making you a cute lunch, buying something small that had reminded him of you and bringing it home as a gift. It never failed to make you feel soft, especially since it proved that he was always thinking of you. You loved it, though you’d told him more than once he was spoiling you.

Sugawara had just shrugged at the accusation and sent you one of his beaming smiles, the kind that never failed to make your heart flip over in your chest, and told you, you deserved to be spoiled. It made you want to spoil him too, the look on his face always worth it when you took time out of your day to make or buy something for him.

With that in mind you quietly began to plan a surprise or two of your own, your previously rather boring, if productive day brightening as you daydreamed about the things you’d like to do for your sweet boyfriend, coming up with several interesting ideas. Time practically flew by, and before you knew it, it was getting close to the time school was letting out.

Carefully you snagged one of the pretty blooms from the bouquet you’d been sent, and tucked it behind your ear, grabbing your things as you practically danced out the door. Sugawara was right after all, pleasant surprises were the best, and you were going to start by picking him up from school. You couldn’t wait to get started on all your ideas, hoping you could make Sugawara feel just as loved as he always did for you.

Like this? Please feel free to drop in to my ask box and make requests! Just make sure to read the rules first!

Want to commission me or just support my writing? Visit my ko-fi!

[freddiekluger]

I am all ears for your season 3 cap's big gay awakening ideas 👀👀

alright, you asked so sit down and strap in

before we get started- a few details are recycled/repurposed from earlier headcanons/ask answers (characterisation is like that), and i came up with all this a couple weeks back, so any overlap with other peoples suggestions is totally unintentional! i’ve just been finding the energy to properly write them up as originally i riffed them with a friend late at night lmao

the captain: homo evolution

introduction (scroll down if you’re not bothered for the hardcore analysis/logic)

this isn’t necessarily what i think WILL happen as much as how i would do it. over the past two seasons of Ghosts, we’ve seen the captain’s main character arc being centred around him loosening up, from learning to value mike, alison, and the other ghosts more as equals than soldiers/means to an end to the season 2 finale, where cap is not only expressing an interest in flowers and fashion (distinctly un-soldierly pursuits) but joining the party and other men (the direct opposite of About Last Night, in which cap bah humbugs partying/’gay abandon’ and is left speechless by the mere presence of a mostly naked man). that being said, the captain is still the captain: his character is still centred around this need for rules and structure and he still finds his identity in the archetypal WW2 military man- all of his incremental moves towards a more ‘modern’ perspective have ultimately been made possible because, like Ben said on twitter, the captain isn’t CONSCIOUSLY aware that he’s gay. he has the underlying feeling that he’s different, he knows of his tendency to attach himself to specific men and form incredibly close bonds (and, as demonstrated by his attempts to hide them, is at least somewhat aware that that’s not the norm), but in his mind he’s written that off as merely “not being a ladies man”. 

the captain is from the 1940s- it’s one thing for him to see and be supportive of a same-gender wedding in present day England where gay=legal unions, marketed doritos, and homophobia being still present but generally frowned upon, and another thing entirely for him to have to apply it to himself. we’ve already seen that the captain appears to be stuck in the past more than any of the other ghosts (”the war is over!” “is it, alison? is it?”- he also references the past more frequently than most of the others), and in his past sodomite gay=punishable by imprisonment and chemical castration, back alley hookups, and the constant threat of blackmail and violence. obviously, despite all this, there was a vibrant underground queer history taking place in England during this time & not all of the above is accurate, but it’s what cap would have seen, and the England of the early 20th century is denoted as being a particularly brutal period for lgbtq+ folks (the destruction of the first world war exacerbated rage and frustration, and lgbtq+ people weren’t the only gorup to end up on the receiving end of that, but i digress). this is basiclly just a really long way of me saying that the captain compartmentalising to that degree was, and to some extent is, a survival mechanism. confronting his homoseuxality means confronting what it means for a 1940s man to be a dreaded homosexual, and all of that directly conflicts with the image of ‘the Captain’ he’s built in his mind. 

we’ve seen this in Redding Weddy, where the captain is aware that Havers means/meant more to him than was normal for a captain/2ic relationship (he does attempts to hide his affection- “i shall miss you, Havers. by which of course i mean we shall miss you “he left me, i mean he left for the front”), but is never able to fully verbalise WHY, and it only takes a series of increasingly dramatic prompts before he will even mention the idea of Havers, let alone begin to articulate their relationship. 

all this just goes to prove that for the captain to properly ‘come out’, there needs to be an external inciting incident- he could easily have gone on shadowing attractive men whenever they visit and avoiding interrogating those feelings for another seventy years if Button house remained without alison and mike. 

while at least julian, pat, and robin have noticed that the cap is not the most heteroseual of men (they’re the only ghosts who have visibly reacted when cap says gay shit), they all appear to have decided to just not mention it, which makes alison and mike our wildcards. not only has alison’s ability to see and communicate with the ghosts already connected them more to the modern world than they ever have been, alison, and mike by extension, has a personal stake in the wellbeing/general growth of the ghosts. happy ghosts=happy house, and like it or not some of them are even beginning to become friends. [i probably didn’t need to write all this like explaining my decisions, but i think figuring out the motivations behind everyon just develops the flavour and lets us have a sexy and accurate headcanon]

so,

the episode

while the captain might not consciously know he’s a fruit (derogatory), he is well and truly terrible at concealing the thirst (it’s not his fault things just keep slipping out!)- i love the idea of just having a supercut near the beginning of the episode that just shows that the captain has gotten even GAYER since last season, with slip ups becoming almost a daily occurence, but it’s getting to the point where it’s actually becoming a serious hazard. last week, he was supposed to be looking out for alison while attempted to put up blinds, but one of mike’s friends (who was over ‘helping out’, which mostly meant eating chips and covering himself in paint) walked through the room with his shirt off and paint handprints on the seat of his shorts, distracting the captain from realising that alison’s stepladder was about to give way. 

with the increased presence of non elderly men in the house (the previous owner wasn’t exactly the life of the party) the captain is getting gayer and gayer, but he’s also becoming more and more defensive, while his brisk demeanour and need for control regresses to much more of a season 1 state (a subconscious attempt to regain control as things get close to spilling over). it’s not the first time his repression has almost slipped, he spent much of his life surrounded by soldiers after all, but with no war and no corporeal body he’s got almost nothing to distract himself from it. needless to say, between the safety hazards and the almost agressive defensiveness which derails any interaction, something needs to be done about the captain.

throughout the week, alison tries to find the opportune time to talk to the captain about what’s going on with him for everyone’s sake, but cap keeps masterfully evading any ‘deep’ talk with willful misunderstanding or just straight up dismissal (which at times gets a bit rude), and alison really doesn’t have the time- her and mike are caught up with managing the first official room redecoration and butting heads with a passive agressive delivery driver. insert general shenangigans, but at some point the captain’s whole “accidentally sabotage something by being distracted and then attack anyone who dares even look at him the wrong way afterwards” act causes alison to exasperatedly blurt out “we all know you’re gay! we get it! you like men! you can drop the act!”. there’s no malice or anything but, as we know, when alison gets run ragged things don’t tend to come out quite right.

everything falls silent (and mike is vaguely confused), and the captain just looks like a deer in headlights. as alison catches her breath, pat pipes up with a “it’s alright, cap, we don’t mind- now we can focus on the task at hand”. the captain sort of regains his composure and once again attempts to brush them all off with a scoff and a “i haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about. if any of us is distracted, i-it’s... kitty!” but it’s easy to tell he looks rattled. most of his words don’t come out right, and after trying to blame kitty for their failures (she just had the unfortunate luck of being in his line of sight), he ends up doing an awkward little walk away which quickly turns into a full on sprint. mike, having finished processing alison yelling about gay shit to the air and kind of pieced together what must have happened awkwardly chimes in with “it’s okay to be gay!”- alison just pats him on the back (”yeah no he’s gone, mike.” “gone?” “sprinted away.” “huh”)

the episode continues with the captain flat out avoiding alison and the other ghosts to an almost funny extent as the other plots continue. it takes a bit for alison to realise why the captain reacted so badly (in fact, it’s actually mike who remembers that he’s 1940s ghost- “he’s probably just scared and taking it out on everyone else”). while thomas and julian vote for leaving the captain be so they can have some peace and quiet, fanny/pat/alison/robin decide someone needs to talk to him (fanny surprised everyone but after all, she got murdered because her husband had to live in secrecy- if talking to the captain will avert any further crises, she’s happy to make sure someone else does it for her). kitty’s still upset about being singled out, but she knows better than anyone that sometimes all you need is a friend- cue realisation no. 2.

with the captain avoiding everyone, sending in a regular emissary isn’t going to work. they need to find the least threatening person possible, with no agenda or history other than being there to help (a friend, if you will)- cue everyone looking at mike.

a quick offscreen briefing later, we see mike wandering out to the field where the captain has exiled himself- remember that up until this point, the captain was still in conscious denial about his sexuality, so being forced to confront it head on (and finding out that apparently everyone ‘knew’, which for cap would feel like an intimate invasion of privacy/forced vulnerability) would rattle him to the point of self-exile- he might not be able to run from his sexuality, but he can run from people. the thing is, mike can’t see or hear the ghosts, which means the captain can’t be frightened off by any expectations (mike actually talks to/at cap while facing completely the wrong direction, but consdiering the above point, this works rather well). 

the captain was alternating between pacing, fiddling with his swagger stick, and sitting, but he unconsciously stands to attention as mike wanders over. he’s used to mike not being able to see them, so mike asking to sit down takes him by surprise, disrupting his instinct to flee again.

mike begins a little awkwardly (”mind if i sit?” *silence* “...i’m just gonna assume that’s a no. or is it a yes? yeah anyways i’m just gonna sit. so... heard you’ve been going through a rough patch”), and the captain almost scoffs and wanders off, but something about the clumsy earnestness in mike’s voice, the captain’s vulnerable state, and the fact that it’s been so long since cap has had anyone actually check in on him, that he stays put. he keeps standing and staring away from button house, and mike keeps speaking to the empty air to his left, and alison and the ghosts stay hidden behind their bush a few metres away, but at least the captain is listening. for the first time in weeks, he’s not on the offensive.

“i can’t actually see or hear you, so i’m just gonna talk and assume you’re listening. alison mentioned you have a habit of running away but, um, maybe don’t do that please?”

“my mate daniel's gay. uh, homosexual, you’d probably say- did you have gay when you were alive? did it just mean happy? anyway, he didn’t come out- that means tell people- until he left high school. we all kind of guessed it, the other kids at school gave him a real tough time for it, but he just squashed it down. couldn’t imagine that all the things people were shouting at him were true, so he ignored it. he’s doing good now though. got married to his husband last year, currently runs a bookshop. so that’s nice.”

it goes quiet for a bit. the captain hasn’t moved, and we’re still only seeing shots of him from the back, but there’s a little less tension in his stance than there was before.  mike clears his throat before continuing.

“i’m guessing you’re probably pretty scared right now. i would be- i mean not that you should be, you shouldn’t, but coming from your... situation, i’m guessing it’d be hard. no one’s saying you have to be anything you’re not ready to be, but lots of things that are scary are actually not bad. airplanes, skydiving, clowns- well, not the clown from that movie, but he gives clowns a bad rep- i’m sure there are plenty of lovely clowns out in the world. still give me the creeps though.” the captain makes a captain-y noise of assent about the clown comment- he never liked them either. 

mike glances over to the bush where alison and the ghosts were attempting to listen in (they could only catch every few words- mary got particularly concerned about why mike had referenced clowns), and the captain still hasn’t run away, so alison motions for mike to keep going. he starts telling the captain a story from his uni days. it’s got nothing to do with the captain, or being gay, or self-acceptance, or anything like that- it’s just a standard tale of comedic but inventive problem solving. the captain sits himself down next to mike (to his right, avoiding mike’s gaze, and still staring away from button house), muttering that his legs are getting a bit tired. he sits there for a while, and mike just talks. sometimes he circles back to the gay thing, sometimes he just asks the captain questions, before remembering that he can’t actually hear any answer, but then he keeps asking anyway, thinking that cap might need to talk. he doesn’t at first, but slowly he offers up a word or two. and then a sentence, and then maybe more- mike will accidentally cut the captain off, or leave the silence to long, but the captain doesn’t mind (it’s a nice reminder that nothing he says will actually go on to have consequence). at one point, mike gets out his phone to show the captain photos of his mate daniel and daniel's husband, not just their wedding day but casual photos- couples drinks with him and alison, dinners at each other's places, the bookshop. 

alison and the other ghosts have long gone, and the sun is just about to sink below the horizon by the time the captain stands himself back up with the traditional knee crack and grunt. he looks at mike and nods, giving him a simple thank you before turning to walk (not run) back to button house, head held slightly higher and looking more relaxed than he’s been all episode. the captain has still got a lot to figure out, but at least it’s a start.

[i love the dramatic ending but the implication is that alison has to go and fetch mike bc he has no ideas cap has left and is prepared to keep going lol- also by no means is cap suddenly going to ditch his characterisation and become a yas kween gay right away, i didn’t go into the aftermath bc this is alreayd fucking LONG but let me know if you want follow up????}

EDIT: i've rbed this with the follow up/part 2 attached!

EDIT 2, much later: switched out mike's reference to his 'younger brother' to a school friend, since the christmas special confirmed mike only has sisters and we're all about accuracy here

[sparrowsabre7]

Ok, strap yourselves in for me reacting to an hour long cutscene. Die-Hardman is president now and finally takes off his mask permanently. I feel we've been robbed because Tommie Earl Jenkins has an incredibly expressive face, much less stoic than Reedus and Mads. Looks like all of the preppers and scientists are at the briefing as DH explains that though extinction is inevitable, it is our duty to savour each moment and the promise of tomorrow. Sam steps out of the briefing and Deadman catches up to tell him they used Bridget's umbilical cord to pull him from her beach, but it was too late as her beach had already gone. Damn he was gone a month, meaning exponentially longer on the inside. They followed the revolver connection instead.

"The stick that became a rope" that's a nice way of tying in with the themes of nonviolence and cyclical storytelling. I like that.

Now Deadman's talking about Cliff. His "common law wife" was Lisa Bridges. And says John/DH killed him, which we already knew. Now DH is apologising for killing Cliff and says it's because he loved Bridget so much. He also says he's called DH because Cliff wouldn't let him die and he says he loved Cliff as much as he loved Bridget and is now torn up that BT Cliff didn't kill him. This is some powerful acting here, probably the single most emotionally raw performance in the game. Reedus and Mads are great at what they do, but they do largely stick to the moody, broody thing.

DH says he thinks Cliff brought him back as penance to make things right and Sam says that's bullshit, "if you aren't scared of death, how can you value life" which, while a little cliche actually resonates in this moment without feeling clunky. "That gun won't help you here" is repeated, again, reinforcing the nonviolent ethos of this new America.

Oh damn. Lou's gone. Decommissioning order came through and she's no longer online, as Deadman's points out BBs are not strictly speaking ever alive. Deadman disconnects Sam from the network temporarily, so he can take off his cufflinks if he wants to allow him to go wherever he needs to without being tracked by the UCA but when he takes Lou to the incinerator to prevent a voidout he will be reconnected if he hasn't done so. Sam embraces him and sets out, but Fragile stops him.

She says Fragile Express has been made the first official courier company in the UCA but also that she didn't kill Higgs, she let him choose: death or eternal solitude on the beach, and he killed himself.

I feel like there's a whole lot of expodumping going on that could have been more naturally peppered throughout the story. That Higgs reveal could easily have happened at the time instead of now. It has no punch now it's been at least 4 hours since then if not more.

Ok. One last delivery. Same as the first one. Another breathtaking piece of music to score the final mission as the camera pulls way back to see the full beauty of the world. It is quite powerful and I do almost get a bit teary. Like I keep saying, Kojima knows how to use music to sell a moment.

Sam arrives at the incinerator and connects to Lou and flashbacks begin again. Bridget and John discussing Sam as a BB candidate or a foundation... to build the Chiral network I presume. Repeat of the scene of Cliff giving Sam an astronaut and John comes in and they shoot the shit. More replaying of scenes, Cliff and Bridget arguing, John scheming with Cliff to escape with Sam. For some reason he has to shoot his wife too, I presume because as an act of euthanasia, but it's not really clear. Mads sells the subtle emotion well entirely through expression, showing how far performance capture has come. He kisses her forehead before killing her and I realise I think this is the only time we've seen her face. Does it count as fridging if the woman was essentially never even onscreen or came out of the fridge in the first place? Once dead her soul leaves her body and we see it from the repatriation camera and fly into Sam. So I guess, like Mama sharing a body with Lockne, maybe Lisa does with Sam.

Replaying of Cliff's death, John tries his best to save him and stop the Bridges staff.

Sam is now there in the flashback too, but imperceptible to other characters, except Cliff it seems at the end. Cliff tells him as his son he's his bridge to the future. A hereditary legacy. Clunkily then immediately over explained as "before you I was like any other Cliff a dead end with no way forward," and underlines that Sam brings people together and bridges them to the future.

Bridget shoots twice and Cliff falls to the floor, but bb Sam is hit too in what is probably the most horrible thing I've had to witness in a video game that isn't even that violent or gory per se. Bridget screams and breaks down, thus explaining her comment about the two shots that started it earlier and why she was so desperate to send Sam back.

We follow bb Sam through the seal to the beach. Ahhh, so the cross on the chest of the dolls and Cliff was a mirror of the scar Bridget left when healing his gunshot wound. I'm now trying to think if we ever saw Sam's belly button before now. Cliff is out in the waters of the beach wading out as Bridget places Sam into the sea to repatriate.

We're back in the tank now looking at John and Bridget. It seems in the shooting, being that it severed the umbilical cord, Sam no longer has his ability to be a BB since that connection is severed. John wonders if they should risk putting a repatriate out into the world, but Bridget says she'll raise him as her own.

Back in reality we see Sam has removed Lou from the tank and placed his cufflinks in the incinerator instead. A nice symbolic visual of burning his shackles which is surprisingly not overplayed, but given they seem to have been designed like handcuffs explicitly for this visual moment and literally any other design would have made more sense in-world, probably shouldn't heap too much praise.

He's desperately trying to revive Lou in a hwartwrenching scene before finally succeeding and leaving the facility. Outside it's raining, but the rain is normal and neither of them age. It's unclear what caused this, whether it was because of the separation with Bridget's beach or because Lou's been released but it's a quiet victory all the same, remarkably restrained as an ending that leaves a sense of satisfaction.

So it's all over, but before I sum up I wanted to share one of the more poignant quotes which is actually in an email from Heartman "About Sam's Return" unlocked upon completion. He talks about how in thousands of years, if intelligent life walks the earth again after the inevitable sixth extinction, they would find fossils and maybe even some of our records. "We cannot hope to guess how much the will understand about who we were. After all their intelligence will not be like ours ... (they will have) different conceptions of what it is to die. But it matters not if they never understand who we were. All that matters, in my opinion at least, is that they know we were here."

I think that's the best summary for the key argument of Death Sranding, that humanity is driven by its connections and quest to leave the world better than we found it. A legacy, something to remember and be remembered by. On these themes, I cannot fault it. It works so well in terms of gameplay and story synergy on that front that Ibthink the story would have been greatly improved if it had been significantly streamlined to focus solely on that. However, I can't deny the cool visual and atmosphere of the BTs, Cliff, all that jazz, but Bramelie was character definitely too overwritten and didn't have the charisma nor connection to back it up. She wasn't the Boss from MGS3 she was a mere plot device. Saying over and over "I an the extinction entity" just underlines that. Cliff absolutely worked for me, his whole story, acting, design; superlative.

Higgs definitely shit the bed as a villain. Quirky charisma only gets you so far and I still don't really get why he wanted to blow up the world. The Englert thing just made it weirder. Oh and some endgame journals reveal he was beaten as a child. Whoop de doo, what lazy writing to try and create empathy for a villain, especially when it's all delivered in an email.

Fragile, Mama and Lockne were... there. Typical Kojima women, supporting the protagonist but never really doing anything of their own accord. Their backstories wrought with uncalled for violence and tragedy.

Deadman was fun, good performance by Jesse Corti on vocals, as was Heartman. Given they both served almost exclusively as expobombs they still felt rounded enough to be interesting. I feel it's not entirely a coincidence that Kojima gave his director friends the most interesting characters.

Sam himself was played with minimalism, but not to the point of seeming wooden or unfeeling. Reedus showed surprising depth with relatively little material when compared with some of the support characters.

Gameplay I've already talked about enough, but it does astound me that on approaching 45-50 hours (forgot to check stats) it still remained fun to deliver parcels and traverse the world.

Overall, do I recommend the game? Yes, if you have the time and willingness to be open to something new. No if you hate weird shit and don't like the sound of the concept. If you don't like the sound of it, you probably won't enjoy playing it.

As to this play along. It was a fun experience articulating my thoughts as I went, particularly with a game as long as complex as this, but I did often find myself torn by relaying events and actually commenting on them. It was a lot of pausing for writing and interrupted play and I think, ultimately, I probably wouldn't do another, or do it in a different way.

[sheilacwall]

Legends: Rakim – Hip Hop Golden Age Hip Hop Golden Age

Introduction by @TrueGodImmortal – There are some rappers and MCs that transcend the culture. They become even bigger than Hip Hop in the neighborhood, they become worldwide icons. They become the greatest. They became legends.

One of the first true legends in Hip Hop, Rakim, is our topic of discussion today. Yes, you might know him for crafting classics next to Eric B., but make no mistake about it, Rakim is the premier lyricist in the history of the genre and one of the most influential artists in the entire genre of Hip Hop. Today, we wanted to continue our DAR Legends series with a look at the incomparable Rakim, talk some of his greatest verses, and his legacy as one of the true pioneers of the game.

@CherchezLaPorsh – There are a few MC’s who are frequently mentioned when talking about legends, but there is only one that is widely known and considered as the “God MC”. He’s someone who has influenced hundreds of artists and has established himself as the greatest of all time IMO. Hip Hop would be introduced to Rakim back in 1987 when he paired with friend and DJ Eric B. The two became Hip Hop powerhouses and through each album release, Rakim’s “God MC” claim became clear. Those of us who are familiar with the duo know the standard which they set. Eric B mastered scratching and DJ-ing while Rakim fascinated us with his lyricism. 1992 would give us their last album together “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and while the complications and label legalities were plentiful, Hip Hop said farewell to one of the most influential duos and the only MC that proved he really was “godly”.

So what makes Rakim such a God in Hip Hop? It’s his ease of delivery, the intricacy of his lyrics, the precision in his word choice and metaphors and of course his impressive level of creativity. His articulation and eloquence are still unmatched and while many try to uphold the purity of Hip Hop, Rakim did this naturally and consistently. 1997 would be the year Rakim resurfaced and he was better than ever (if that’s even possible). He dropped his solo debut The 18th Letter and once again fans were amazed. Apart from his early work, this would be my favorite album in his solo catalog.

Rakim has always managed to have impressive production on his albums and this one was no different. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Father Shaheed and a few others made this flawless. Each track met the standard which he set (for himself) so many years before thus making it one of the greatest releases of the year. Every track is great to me but the one that stands out the most is “Guess Who’s Back”, as it’s got impressive tempo, incredible energy and it’s the perfect display of Rakim’s rapping prowess. In fact, the first verse shows exactly why he’s godly.

“It’s the return of the Wild Style fashionist

Smashing hits

Make it hard to adapt to this

Put pizazz and jazz in this

And cash in this

Mastered this, flash this and make em clap to this

DJ’s throw on cuts and obey the crowd

Just pump the volume up, and play it loud

Hip Hop’s embedded

Before I said I wouldn’t let it

But me and the microphone is still magnetic

Straight off the top

I knew I’d be forced to rock

Dance floors just stop, the spot’s scorching hot”

He rhymes words in the middle of each line/bar and at the end, while also changing the rhyme pattern every few lines and he manages to match it seamlessly with the increase and decrease of the beat. It’s flawlessly delivered and so effortless.

Although Rakim was never (and will never be) a big time household name in the mainstream so to speak, he established his ranks in the genre. He’s a favorite of purists and is credited for influencing almost every rapper of the “Golden Age” through his precision, confidence, eloquence and flawless skill. He referred to himself as a God MC and proved it over and over and over again.

@JADBeats – Back in 1985, Eric B. found the perfect MC to take his beats to the next level. Rakim was one of the guys back then that would be unknowingly changing the game before my official introduction to Hip Hop. He’s the guy that my pops, uncles, and older cousins regarded as the best along with the likes of BDK, MC Shan & KRS-1. I really fell in love with Hip Hop around 1993, but growing up I remember Rap City and Yo MTV Raps playing videos like “Paid In Full”, “Microphone Fiend”, “I Aint No Joke”, “Don’t Sweat The Technique”, etc. The TV was always blasting while we were glued to it in awe.

This man had a gift with words. It wasn’t exactly his message but more so how he said it with his relaxed and laid-back delivery with the ability to get aggressive at times. The way he boasts about his style with such confidence showcasing his clever, articulate, and metaphor driven flow with ease was so unique that no one could really copy. There are some rappers who just mesh perfectly over jazz and funk instrumentals, and Rakim is that. Although he has many classic songs, if I had to choose one it would be “The Punisher” of the Don’t Sweat The Technique album. He went absolutely crazy on that song. The song really embodied the title. It is one of those songs that you rewind to catch how dope the lines were. He’ll go down as the innovator of multisyllabic rhymes, internal rhyme schemes, alliteration with letters, referencing and sampling his old songs in new songs.

There are two MCs we regard as the greatest now, who like many others, have borrowed or sampled from Ra like Nas when he says “I’m the N, the A, to the S-I-R/ and if I wasn’t, I must have been Escobar/” and Eminem’s “I am whatever you say I am, if I wasn’t then why would I say I am”, which are both inspired by “It’s The R”. He’s had ups and downs in his career, but has created so much greatness that it is set in stone. It makes me happy that I see producers, rappers, commercials and movies using Rakim & Eric B. songs to carry on their legacy. Ra is my favorite rapper’s favorite rapper or at least in their top 5 lists, so respect to The God MC.

Outro By @TrueGodImmortal – Where do I begin? For a young MC myself, Rakim was a huge influence. Lyrically, his ability to showcase internal rhyme schemes, lyrical dexterity, and an abundance of wordplay is second to none. His influence on my favorite rappers like Nas, Jay-Z, and numerous others needs to be recognized. He’s paved a legacy that is majorly unmatched in the game and though as a solo artist later in his career, he didn’t experience the same success so to speak as with Eric B., I think as a lyricist, his strengths grew even more after this. Now don’t get me wrong, love Paid In Full,  Follow The Leader, Let The Rhythm Hit Em, and Don’t Sweat The Technique, but I wanted to focus on Ra when he was on his own. We hear so much of him with Eric B., and rightfully so, but aside from those 4 amazing albums as one half of one of the greatest duos ever in Hip Hop, Rakim has shown his lyrical growth through the three solo albums he’s had, most notably on The 18th Letter and The Master, his debut and sophomore solo.

This is clear on tracks like “When I B On the Mic”, the DJ Premier-produced banger from the 1999 release The Master. Lyrically, this is one of his strongest performances in the later point of his career. The third verse is the best example of his lyrical strength and growth to me. Take a look at how many rhyming words he fits into the verse. Check it out:

“To my elite peeps

With the murderous mystiques

I hit the streets with beats

And they critique for weeks

They be like, How that kid Ra reach the peak?

Pull out the heat and use my technique to speak

It’s dangerous

Sit calm and explain to kids

What part of the game this is in foreign languages

They hold Ra’s events in different continents

Put my lyrical contents in monuments

In ghetto garments, I rock a towel like a pharaoh

Mind travel, design style like apparel

My fashions last long as a lifetime

‘Cause I can see the future when the god write rhymes

They’re mad ‘cause I managed to reign so long

Like their chance to make money done came and gone

This is strictly for my listeners on the corners at night

And the sisters that be keepin’ this right, when I be on the mic

That is a masterful lyrical work IMO. Another verse that I’ve always loved came from his solo debut The 18th Letter, which has some amazing lyrical gems on it. My personal favorite song from this is the Pete Rock-produced “The Saga Begins”, and Ra kills it all three verses, but the 2nd verse has always stood out to me the most. Take a look:

“Yo, my never-ending epic

Got the world spinning hectic

I quickly spread it

Till the whole city’s infected

Suspense that I supply intensify

Then commence as my daily events go by

You get involved in thisParagraphologist

Paragraphologist

Narrating novelist

Market this, sound marvelous

I’m the star in this

Which means the author’s authentic

Most definite, every episode’s an epidemic

So when you research, check it, here go the evidence

They represent with lyrical negligence for presidents

My science existed, without the fiction

Every inscription is a special edition

So all hail the honorableMicrophone phenomenal

Microphone phenomenal

Persona is unbombable

Trust me son, I continue like a saga do

Bringing you the drama to

Allow you that the chronicle”

I think verses like those showcase why Rakim is a top 5 lyricist of all time and the original complex lyricist in the game. His ability to switch rhyme patterns, stuff line after line into one couplet, and his precise flow is quite possibly unmatched along with a very recognizable voice. While most people would point to the Eric B. & Rakim days for their favorite memories of Rakim (and I understand why), I think more credit needs to be shown to his days as a top tier MC alone. We often overlook some of the greatest legends’ best work based on nostalgia. In my humble opinion, The 18th Letter and The Master, as well as The Seventh Seal gave Ra his own true identify away from Eric B., and solidified him to me as one of the greatest to ever do it even more. There are many in Hip Hop who aspire to legends, and one name that a majority will say is their influence is Rakim. That right there says more than enough.

Source link

The post Legends: Rakim – Hip Hop Golden Age Hip Hop Golden Age appeared first on Hip Hop World Music.

from Hip Hop World Music https://hiphopworldmusic.com/legends-rakim-hip-hop-golden-age-hip-hop-golden-age/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=legends-rakim-hip-hop-golden-age-hip-hop-golden-age from Hip Hop World Music https://hiphopworldmusic.tumblr.com/post/187609090283

[sheilacwall]

Legends: Rakim – Hip Hop Golden Age Hip Hop Golden Age

Introduction by @TrueGodImmortal – There are some rappers and MCs that transcend the culture. They become even bigger than Hip Hop in the neighborhood, they become worldwide icons. They become the greatest. They became legends.

One of the first true legends in Hip Hop, Rakim, is our topic of discussion today. Yes, you might know him for crafting classics next to Eric B., but make no mistake about it, Rakim is the premier lyricist in the history of the genre and one of the most influential artists in the entire genre of Hip Hop. Today, we wanted to continue our DAR Legends series with a look at the incomparable Rakim, talk some of his greatest verses, and his legacy as one of the true pioneers of the game.

@CherchezLaPorsh – There are a few MC’s who are frequently mentioned when talking about legends, but there is only one that is widely known and considered as the “God MC”. He’s someone who has influenced hundreds of artists and has established himself as the greatest of all time IMO. Hip Hop would be introduced to Rakim back in 1987 when he paired with friend and DJ Eric B. The two became Hip Hop powerhouses and through each album release, Rakim’s “God MC” claim became clear. Those of us who are familiar with the duo know the standard which they set. Eric B mastered scratching and DJ-ing while Rakim fascinated us with his lyricism. 1992 would give us their last album together “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and while the complications and label legalities were plentiful, Hip Hop said farewell to one of the most influential duos and the only MC that proved he really was “godly”.

So what makes Rakim such a God in Hip Hop? It’s his ease of delivery, the intricacy of his lyrics, the precision in his word choice and metaphors and of course his impressive level of creativity. His articulation and eloquence are still unmatched and while many try to uphold the purity of Hip Hop, Rakim did this naturally and consistently. 1997 would be the year Rakim resurfaced and he was better than ever (if that’s even possible). He dropped his solo debut The 18th Letter and once again fans were amazed. Apart from his early work, this would be my favorite album in his solo catalog.

Rakim has always managed to have impressive production on his albums and this one was no different. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Father Shaheed and a few others made this flawless. Each track met the standard which he set (for himself) so many years before thus making it one of the greatest releases of the year. Every track is great to me but the one that stands out the most is “Guess Who’s Back”, as it’s got impressive tempo, incredible energy and it’s the perfect display of Rakim’s rapping prowess. In fact, the first verse shows exactly why he’s godly.

“It’s the return of the Wild Style fashionist

Smashing hits

Make it hard to adapt to this

Put pizazz and jazz in this

And cash in this

Mastered this, flash this and make em clap to this

DJ’s throw on cuts and obey the crowd

Just pump the volume up, and play it loud

Hip Hop’s embedded

Before I said I wouldn’t let it

But me and the microphone is still magnetic

Straight off the top

I knew I’d be forced to rock

Dance floors just stop, the spot’s scorching hot”

He rhymes words in the middle of each line/bar and at the end, while also changing the rhyme pattern every few lines and he manages to match it seamlessly with the increase and decrease of the beat. It’s flawlessly delivered and so effortless.

Although Rakim was never (and will never be) a big time household name in the mainstream so to speak, he established his ranks in the genre. He’s a favorite of purists and is credited for influencing almost every rapper of the “Golden Age” through his precision, confidence, eloquence and flawless skill. He referred to himself as a God MC and proved it over and over and over again.

@JADBeats – Back in 1985, Eric B. found the perfect MC to take his beats to the next level. Rakim was one of the guys back then that would be unknowingly changing the game before my official introduction to Hip Hop. He’s the guy that my pops, uncles, and older cousins regarded as the best along with the likes of BDK, MC Shan & KRS-1. I really fell in love with Hip Hop around 1993, but growing up I remember Rap City and Yo MTV Raps playing videos like “Paid In Full”, “Microphone Fiend”, “I Aint No Joke”, “Don’t Sweat The Technique”, etc. The TV was always blasting while we were glued to it in awe.

This man had a gift with words. It wasn’t exactly his message but more so how he said it with his relaxed and laid-back delivery with the ability to get aggressive at times. The way he boasts about his style with such confidence showcasing his clever, articulate, and metaphor driven flow with ease was so unique that no one could really copy. There are some rappers who just mesh perfectly over jazz and funk instrumentals, and Rakim is that. Although he has many classic songs, if I had to choose one it would be “The Punisher” of the Don’t Sweat The Technique album. He went absolutely crazy on that song. The song really embodied the title. It is one of those songs that you rewind to catch how dope the lines were. He’ll go down as the innovator of multisyllabic rhymes, internal rhyme schemes, alliteration with letters, referencing and sampling his old songs in new songs.

There are two MCs we regard as the greatest now, who like many others, have borrowed or sampled from Ra like Nas when he says “I’m the N, the A, to the S-I-R/ and if I wasn’t, I must have been Escobar/” and Eminem’s “I am whatever you say I am, if I wasn’t then why would I say I am”, which are both inspired by “It’s The R”. He’s had ups and downs in his career, but has created so much greatness that it is set in stone. It makes me happy that I see producers, rappers, commercials and movies using Rakim & Eric B. songs to carry on their legacy. Ra is my favorite rapper’s favorite rapper or at least in their top 5 lists, so respect to The God MC.

Outro By @TrueGodImmortal – Where do I begin? For a young MC myself, Rakim was a huge influence. Lyrically, his ability to showcase internal rhyme schemes, lyrical dexterity, and an abundance of wordplay is second to none. His influence on my favorite rappers like Nas, Jay-Z, and numerous others needs to be recognized. He’s paved a legacy that is majorly unmatched in the game and though as a solo artist later in his career, he didn’t experience the same success so to speak as with Eric B., I think as a lyricist, his strengths grew even more after this. Now don’t get me wrong, love Paid In Full,  Follow The Leader, Let The Rhythm Hit Em, and Don’t Sweat The Technique, but I wanted to focus on Ra when he was on his own. We hear so much of him with Eric B., and rightfully so, but aside from those 4 amazing albums as one half of one of the greatest duos ever in Hip Hop, Rakim has shown his lyrical growth through the three solo albums he’s had, most notably on The 18th Letter and The Master, his debut and sophomore solo.

This is clear on tracks like “When I B On the Mic”, the DJ Premier-produced banger from the 1999 release The Master. Lyrically, this is one of his strongest performances in the later point of his career. The third verse is the best example of his lyrical strength and growth to me. Take a look at how many rhyming words he fits into the verse. Check it out:

“To my elite peeps

With the murderous mystiques

I hit the streets with beats

And they critique for weeks

They be like, How that kid Ra reach the peak?

Pull out the heat and use my technique to speak

It’s dangerous

Sit calm and explain to kids

What part of the game this is in foreign languages

They hold Ra’s events in different continents

Put my lyrical contents in monuments

In ghetto garments, I rock a towel like a pharaoh

Mind travel, design style like apparel

My fashions last long as a lifetime

‘Cause I can see the future when the god write rhymes

They’re mad ‘cause I managed to reign so long

Like their chance to make money done came and gone

This is strictly for my listeners on the corners at night

And the sisters that be keepin’ this right, when I be on the mic

That is a masterful lyrical work IMO. Another verse that I’ve always loved came from his solo debut The 18th Letter, which has some amazing lyrical gems on it. My personal favorite song from this is the Pete Rock-produced “The Saga Begins”, and Ra kills it all three verses, but the 2nd verse has always stood out to me the most. Take a look:

“Yo, my never-ending epic

Got the world spinning hectic

I quickly spread it

Till the whole city’s infected

Suspense that I supply intensify

Then commence as my daily events go by

You get involved in thisParagraphologist

Paragraphologist

Narrating novelist

Market this, sound marvelous

I’m the star in this

Which means the author’s authentic

Most definite, every episode’s an epidemic

So when you research, check it, here go the evidence

They represent with lyrical negligence for presidents

My science existed, without the fiction

Every inscription is a special edition

So all hail the honorableMicrophone phenomenal

Microphone phenomenal

Persona is unbombable

Trust me son, I continue like a saga do

Bringing you the drama to

Allow you that the chronicle”

I think verses like those showcase why Rakim is a top 5 lyricist of all time and the original complex lyricist in the game. His ability to switch rhyme patterns, stuff line after line into one couplet, and his precise flow is quite possibly unmatched along with a very recognizable voice. While most people would point to the Eric B. & Rakim days for their favorite memories of Rakim (and I understand why), I think more credit needs to be shown to his days as a top tier MC alone. We often overlook some of the greatest legends’ best work based on nostalgia. In my humble opinion, The 18th Letter and The Master, as well as The Seventh Seal gave Ra his own true identify away from Eric B., and solidified him to me as one of the greatest to ever do it even more. There are many in Hip Hop who aspire to legends, and one name that a majority will say is their influence is Rakim. That right there says more than enough.

Source link

The post Legends: Rakim – Hip Hop Golden Age Hip Hop Golden Age appeared first on Hip Hop World Music.

from Hip Hop World Music https://hiphopworldmusic.com/legends-rakim-hip-hop-golden-age-hip-hop-golden-age/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=legends-rakim-hip-hop-golden-age-hip-hop-golden-age from Hip Hop World Music https://hiphopworldmusic.tumblr.com/post/187609090283