#i think asterius is my favorite fight

[narsh-potatoes]

Hades fans I am looking upon you with my dearest of hearts and my most sparkling eyes goodness

[randoimago]

Hades for ask game

So freaking excited for Hades 2, ngl

Ask Game Here

3 male characters I love: Zagreus, Dionysus (those freaking thighs oof), Achilles

3 female characters I love: Artemis (I literally simp for her in the game. She gets all my nectar and I get nothing 🥰), Persephone (mommy sorry mommy sorry mommy--), Nyx (same thing as Persephone ngl)

3 romantic ships I love: Orpheus/Eurydice (the amount of nectar and time and love I spent to get them to sing together), Achilles/Patroclus (the amount of nectar and time and love I spent-), Zagreus/Thanatos/Meg (Hades 2 better have a poly as well is all I'm saying)

3 platonic dynamics I love: Zagreus/Minotaur (I really do love the convos and the mutual respect they have even with Theseus's bitch ass there), Skelly/Zagreus (the fact that it's the same voice actor still kills me every time, kind of like how I kill Skelly--),

3 favorite moments in canon:

Being tricked into thinking I had to fight Cerberus and feeling my heart break only for me to let out the biggest sigh (and then deal with the most annoying enemies in the game. They've killed me more then freaking Hades has)

First time hearing Orpheus sing and it's the same song Eurydice sang. The chills I got from his version and how unbelievably sad it sounded. I made a 3 part fic just because of this damn song and the different versions.

The record scratching and music completely stopping after stealing from Charon's shop. I just saw it and didn't even think about it. I barely saw that it said "Steal?" before I had already clicked it. It was just so fucking funny and I definitely let out an "Oh shit" and died to him the first time cause I was not ready.

3 favorite headcanons:

This is another series that I've done so many romantic headcanons for (and I ended up being swamped in requests too, fully expect that for Hades 2 as well)

Hypnos sharing his autograph book with Thanatos. He's just so proud and happy and saying things like, "Well, I got the Asterius's autograph" and Thanatos staying quiet even though he's definitely met Theseus and Asterius several times.

Persephone getting Hades and Zagreus a "Get Along" shirt. No way in hells would they wear it, but it would be such a funny thing for her to do and then she'd explain about the memes of the mortal world (which I can only imagine the memes of ancient greece)

Zagreus trying to teach Thanatos and Meg how to fish. Thanatos actually does a good job, but Meg gets frustrated a bit and scares off the fish (they all cheer when she does eventually catch one).

3 least favorite things about it:

Zeus is in it 😔 (yes I understand that Zeus would be in the game based on greek mythology, but anyone that's into greek mythology or knows a bit about it knows that Zeus is the literal worse).

Apollo isn't in it (I love sun daddy so much. I know he's going to be in Hades 2, but I really would've loved the interactions with Zagreus and choosing one sibling over the other. I just hope Hades 2 Apollo isn't like Lore Olympus Apollo)

I wish there was some more variations with the cast. Like I know there's different dps effects or you get more based on certain things, but I wish that it could have some aesthetic changes depending on which deity you have a boon from.

[shmuzzieheart]

Hope you feel better soon!!! As for a question…….what animal symbol do you think the orange side will have??(Sanders Sides)

Thank you anon :]

I've put probably too much thought into the orange side's animal symbolism. My top three are a bull, tiger or wasp, but I've also looked into animals that are naturally orange like foxes, cats, monarch butterflies, and clown fish.

The bull and wasp ideas partially come from how the other dark sides have animal symbols that are typically viewed as scary or gross (people tend not to like spiders and snakes, and then there's the giant squid/kraken angle for Remus' squid/octopus). Wasps are hated and seen as just angry aggressive insects, and you have the trope of a bull in a China shop, always angry and running after people. The tiger idea started with, y'know, it being orange and all, but tigers are also smart, powerful predators and I was definitely inspired by Shere Khan from The Jungle Book. Also, with the focus on eyes the Orange Side has and how it seems he's sort of lying in wait ready to pounce, I think the tiger would be good symbolism for him. Plus, he could wear stripes!

The bull idea might be my favorite, though. Bulls are associated with short tempers and anger, and are seen as huge, dangerous animals that are used in bull fighting. I think it would work to immediately give the orange side an intimidating edge. But bulls also protect their herds, which I think would be cool for the orange side if he ended up being a protective kind of guy (especially toward Thomas). And his anger is in reaction to wrongdoings, like how a bull is aggressive to a bullfighter because of the movement of their cape setting it off, not the color of it. Also, it would be interesting how the bull symbolism works into his looks, like a nose ring or a more "cowboy" -like outfit, which would set him apart from everyone else's outfits.

Plus, I've toyed with the idea of him having the symbolism of the minotaur Asterion/Asterius. He was trapped in a labyrinth because the king thought he was disgusting and dangerous, trying to keep him away from the public. In Dante's Inferno, that same minotaur guards the seventh circle, which represents Violence. I think it'd be interesting if the orange side wasn't just hidden from Thomas, but sort of "locked away." It'd also be cool if his name was "Asterion" to match with the core sides' "-an/-on" name endings, but later he changed it to "Asterius" to match with the dark sides' "-us" endings.

[glittergoats]

Pokemon: go

Aka how’s your Pokémon going?

Dude honestly I'm having a blast with Scarlet!!

It had a very rocky start with the performance issues (and I also ran into a glitch that froze my game and I had to start over because I turned off autosaves, thankfully was only in the first 30 mins of the game), but as I've gotten further in its been really fun.

I have my gripes, particularly with the fact the towns have absolutely zero interiors. I miss being able to run inside people's houses, and considering how beautiful the starting house is it's a real shame you can't enter any houses!! I understand it was so the game could run smoother but really there are absolutely ways around this (BOTW and PLA both had enterable interiors).

Ofc the performance is very lackluster at times. Load screens are abysmal, battles feel so slow especially coming from how snappy PLA was, and there's some wicked frame drops occasionally.

And yet, I'm having a hell of a time with the game?? It's not the prettiest in the world but it's still appealing to the eye and the atmosphere and music has been great. The chatacter writing so far has been charming, I really like Nemona and Arven!!! And all the leaders besides Katy have been a delight (she's just boring sorry). I LOVE Team Star, everything about them has been great. The grunt theme is fantastic, easily one of my new favorite pokemon tracks.

I've been rotating teammates for my playthrough, which I've never done before, so it's been really interesting to try out. It's made it so I've been consistently underleveled but that's kind of exciting honestly, made for some great battles (The third (?) Nemona fight was very very close for me).

The crew is: Namor (Quaquaval), Paprika (Pawmot), Yamaha (Lokix), Armani (my shiny Espartha!! caught him as a flittle), Chuunosukes (Maushold), Edward (Clodsire), Asterius (Tauros), Tidus (Palafin), and Thalia (Orthworm)

Had a few other team members I don't use anymore but this is my main core, everyone is around level 43-44. We just did Great Tusk and are about to take on Tulip! So we're nearing the end, I've been trying to follow the level curve (though I did take on Mela at first not knowing Giacomo would be the lowest level Star boss).

But yeah I'm excited to see where the story goes. This game has been a breath of fresh air in many ways and very frustrating in other ways. I think it's getting a lot of flack from people who are just seeing funny glitches on Twitter and don't really know what the games are actually like sadly.

[daxieoclock]

Top 5 personas

ty for the ask!

Honorable mention is Yoshitsune. He's got meh style but I do like the two swords dealio and also the fact that he's got the single most busted attack in basically every Persona game he's in. Charge + Hassou Tobi is an easy button for a whole lot of fights.

#1. Arsene. It's Arsene. It was always going to be Arsene it was never not going to be Arsene, it's Arsene. Holy fuck does he look so stupidly cool. I even like his dumb stupid too-big top hat. He's got talons and cool wings and a rad red suit and glowing eyes and g-d everything about this guy is so cool. Ren's inner self has indescribable style and more gender than anyone could conceptualize.

#2. Hecate. Boob spikes aside, Ann's ultimate Persona (pre-Royal) is...so fucking cool. I love her too-many wierd scary eyes. I love her bat-wing cape. I love her DOG HEAD PETS. She's also just awesome to use in-game, I fucking love Ann's late game damage output. She and Makoto really are the MVPs of every P5 playthrough I do.

#3. Asterius. BIG FIRE MINOTAUR DEMON SEND TWEET.

#4. Orpheus F. Minako's starting Persona just has super great style, a simple and haunting design and I just think she's neat!

5. Shiki-Ouji. My absolute favorite early-game Persona in P5, this guy has carried me through (late) Madarame, Kaneshiro and Okumura's Palaces more times than I care to count. He's absolutely phenomenal, got a fucking great design and really great resistances and skills. I even made him the Persona of one of my OCs, Max!

[klvrgavin]

Tbh the theseus destroys his only meaningful relationship subplot is bringing me a lot of joy tbh

[glassamphibians]

rating every Hades Game boss:

Meg: 8/10 bad bitch. she gets points off bc she’s mean to me but she gets away with it bc im in love with her a little bit.

Alecto: 4/10 she looks cool but i hate fighting her with every fiber of my being what the actual fuck are those razor things put them AWAY.

Tisiphone: 10/10 i literally want to be her. i know she’s deeply haunted but thats just part of the aesthetic. also she’s the best sister to fight i love when we go into the little separate rooms it makes me feel like we’re friends!! she’s taking me to her room to hang out :) violently:)

Lernie the Bone Hydra: 13/10 genuinely my favorite part of the game he’s so fun to fight and looks amazing!! i feel like we’ve become very close bc it took me around eighty decades to kill him the first time. he would be 20/10 but sometimes he spits literal skeletons at me and i find that a bit rude.

Asterius: 6/10 bc he’s better than spear boy but still annoying. i don’t appreciate him charging me and he tries to kill me twice in one escape attempt which feels unfair but points for dedication i guess.

Theseus: 2/10 calling on the gods when you’re losing is MY thing so idk why he’s doing it so much smh. also a shield?? really?? i hate this man. he gets two points bc he’s funny sometimes.

The Little Zombie Rat: 9/10 i think i dreamt this one??? he showed up once and i havent seen him since but he was absolutely horrifying. i love the mystery!! who is he?? how is does he fit so much power into such a small body?? i dont know but i love him for it.

Cerberus: 26367486252/10 good boy!! best boy!!! when i thought i was going to have to fight him i cried real tears so uh. and the “cerberus vanquished” banners always make me laugh.

Hades: 0/10 bc i haven’t beaten him yet. also killing ur son is mean?? stop doing that?? and he throws things sometimes?? i think we need family therapy.

[heckpuppyy]

It’s quiet.

The musings about a prince at a breaking point. Everyone deserves to breathe, even those who... uh, don’t.

TW// Mentions of intense negative emotion, mentions of blood, mentions of past Temporary Death, crying CW// Light physical affection, mute!reader

He was tired. His muscles ached, his mind was hazy, and his body bruised and bloodied. Zagreus had tried six times to escape again, but to no avail. It was always something that would come up... be it small like not moving away from one of the blasted traps in time and being sent straight home, or something more disappointing like losing to Champions he’d bested time and again from previous attempts. Nothing quite stung more than the mocking from Theseus when he couldn’t dodge quick enough and he was struck down.

This time, however, felt especially difficult. He only just managed to get away from Alecto and nearly was sent home by the Bone Hydra in a rather embarrassing fashion... but now this? Butterflies. Butterflies had left him within an inch of his life as he pulled himself through another door towards another challenge that he knew he wouldn’t survive. Frustrated, tired, and sore he continued into the room and surveyed the area as best as he could. It wasn’t long before he heard movement beyond his field of vision, immediately putting him on edge. He pulled Coronacht closer to him, knocking one of the divine arrows as he inched closer. Maybe if he could get the jump on it he would be able to survive... though that seemed very unlikely.

He pressed his back up against the phoenix statue and peaked around the corner, though what he was greeted by was not what he was expecting. A shade dressed in red and black gathered water from the healing fountain in a pitcher that looked freshly fired. He relaxed a bit, standing up to his height and taking the figure in a bit more. The shade turned and met eyes with the Prince.

And then it clicked.

Zagreus stood there for a moment so he could take everything in. The Shade who he had come to know and care for was behind the door he was convinced would surely take his life for a seventh time... in front of a fountain even! He couldn’t help himself from starting to laugh. It was comical, really. Convinced one of his family members or some other cruel entity was playing some kind of joke on him... putting him through such anguish to only have exactly what he needed when he had essentially given up on himself this time around.

‘Zagreus...?’ you signed, putting down your pitcher and taking a few tentative steps towards your friend. He was bruised, bloodied, and his eyes were reflecting something you had never seen in them before... hopelessness? No... maybe just exhaustion. Whatever it was, you certainly didn’t like it. Zagreus forced a smile as best as he could and settled his bow on his back as he moved towards you.

“Hello there, Shade. I, uh... wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He spoke, trying not to react as you knit your brows together with a frown.

‘What happened? You look rough...’ you reply, quickly going for the cloth attached to your belt and dipping it into your pitcher. Zagreus shook his head as you reach up and dab some of the grime away from his wounds on his face. You sighed, knowing it’s not your place to force him to talk about it but, at the same time, you really wanted him to...

He noticed the change in your demeanor and sighs himself. He moves your hand away and holds it in his for just a moment.

“I, uh... Can we sit down?” he asked, lowering his head to stare at your hand in his. You soften your expression and nod, gently leading him over to the edge of the fountain and settling yourself on it’s edge, Zagreus deciding to sit on the grass next to you. He doesn’t let go even now, almost feeling a sense of grounding having something that’s positive within reach of him.

“I... Haven’t had any success lately,” he starts, still focusing more on your hands than anything else, “And it’s starting to get to me, I think.”

“I was able to get out of here once, but I... couldn’t stay. I had to come back. When I wasn’t getting anywhere then, it was different. I was still learning, still strategizing... Everything was new and I had time to figure it out.”

He moves again, but this time it’s involuntary. He’s trembling a bit and something wet hit the back of your hand. Was he... was he crying? You reach out with your free hand, but hesitate. Not really knowing where physical boundaries of the Prince of the Underworld lie with friends, though really feeling like even a bit of reassurance would help. You let your hand rest on the back of his head, gently running your fingers through his dark hair in an attempts to sooth whatever could bring such a fierce and mighty champion to upset like this.

This gesture, however, was apparently all that Zagreus needed to understand he was safe. The tears flowed freely now, though he wasn’t sobbing. Just a release of emotions and frustrations and tension he was so bound and determined to hold onto. Like if it weren’t for that bundle of feelings he would’ve lost his fire.

“It’s been such a long time and I just...” he sighs, the breath shaky as he continues to let himself decompress. The rest is understood. ‘I just need a break’. He allows himself this moment to just let it all go, pride aside. The gentle touch from his friend feels so comforting when all he’s felt lately is just disappointment and physical agony. He can feel his heart beat against his chest as the negativity begins to seep out of him, the physical release of finally letting himself feel what he had been ignoring almost euphoric against everything else.

The two of you stay like this for a long while. Eventually, Zagreus looks up to finally meet your eyes. Kind and understanding, they truly felt like the only thing in Elysium he cared about at that moment. You smile, your cheeks would color if they could from such a loving gaze gifted to you. You pull back from him, moving to the cloth again and dipping it into the fountain. Zagreus relaxes as you dab away the dirt and grime from is wounds, the more superficial ones closing from the healing qualities of the water. You hand him the pitcher of water and he drinks deep, polishing off the container as if he’d never had a single drop to drink his entire life. You stand, helping him to his feet and fussing over his tunic for a bit before placing a reassuring hand on his arm.

‘Your failures do not define your success.’ you begin, ‘You made it out once, and you will do it again. Setbacks will continue to happen, but will not be the end. If not this time, maybe the next or even next after that.’

“Shade, I--”

You put up a finger and he quiets. You weren’t finished.

‘You’ll make it to Theseus and Asterius and I will be right where I always am. As your number one fan... and your friend. I will always be here, and not just because I’m dead.’

He laughs. That’s better.

‘Now go get them. I’ll be waiting for you at the Colosseum, and praying to Athena for your arrival. If I don’t see you this time, I will simply come right back here and wait until I see you on your next try. You can do it!’

Zagreus pulls you into a sudden tight hug. It catches you off guard for a moment, You relax and return the gesture, holding him until he finally releases and pulls back on his own.

“Thank you, Shade... I guess I didn’t realize how much I needed this. I’ll... I’ll see you soon. Whether that be with Theseus and Asterius or in this clearing once more. Take care of yourself too, alright?”

You nod in a promise you will. He takes a deep breath and holds it just for a moment before slowly letting it out, mentally steadying himself for the next leg. He lifts your hands up to his lips, gently placing a small kiss to the tops of them before pulling away. He smiles, a tinge of pink to his cheeks before he turns and heads off through the door down another leg of his never ending journey.

You smile to yourself and just watch the door close behind him, reveling in the stillness of your surroundings after. You soon move to collect your pitcher and gather some more of the fountain’s water before heading off on your own path again.

After all, the colosseum is a bit of a walk away. You don’t want to be late to see your favorite Champion claim another victory from the King and his Bull. There was no doubt in your mind it was going to be his best fight yet.

Well! After a bit of a rough week at work, I finally managed to finish this small drabble of mine. Working through some frustrations of my own is kind of what inspired this... but also having some really bad runs myself! As always, critique and feedback is appreciated! I hope you enjoyed! - Baph

[samcybercat]

2021 Fanfic Meme

Tagged by the most incredible dealer of problematique content @pandirpus Word count for the year:  169,593 ...That are on AO3! A large chunk of my writing atm is for projects that I can’t yet post publicly, so it’d actually be a bit higher than that. Number of stories posted to Ao3: 22! Pairings written for:   Theseus/Zagreus Theseus/Asterius Zagreus/Asterius Theseus/Zagreus/Asterius Momus/Heracles Dionysus/Ariadne Meg/Aphrodite Asterius/Hypnos Hades/Persephone Theseus/Momus Ares/Hypnos Achilles/Patroclus Zagreus/Momus Charon/Hermes Zagreus/Sisyphus Ares/Achilles ...And also Ares/Skelly, but I can’t post that one just yet ;) Fandoms I wrote for: Only Hades Game this year Most popular story: That’s definitely the prince with specific tastes; the king with specific regrets - which is easily the most popular fic I’ve ever written! I’ve never written anything that’s gotten much attention before, so I am incredibly honoured by folks liking the story so much. Story I’m most proud of: Same as above! I feel like I was possessed by something when I churned that whole fic out in a little over a month and bypassed all the usual problems I have with multichapters - I’d mapped it out before starting, I’d done my research, I’d forced myself to only focus on five main characters instead of going off on a tangent about a million of them. Also, I’m proud of how self-indulgent I allowed myself to be with the Heracles & Momus bonus content. Funniest: Two answers for this. The first is that Ares/Skelly fic that I can’t post yet, but has hilarious dialogue that I’m very excited to share. The second is this Ares & Mario crossover crackfic that I wrote when Cyrus Nemati asked for it on one of his streams. Kinkiest: I don’t think I wrote anything particularly kinky, but maybe the Sisyphus/Zagreus fic? Saddest: Hmm... I guess it depends. A few contenders are:  letter from icarus, which has Icarus writing a farewell letter to Asterius that Asterius is never able to receive, making it seem like his friend had abandoned him. the one who made and ruined me, which is typical Achilles raging over Patroclus’s death angst, with a side of Ares gloating. and if found please return to the underworld, which while isn’t the saddest of the three, does have a bittersweet ending where TheseZag can only see each other occasionally and also Momus & Heracles are separated indefinitely. So it’s sad for me lol Least Popular: letter from icarus again, which doesn’t surprise me too much, since it’s a t-rated platonic fic between Asterius and an OC version of Icarus. Most Cringe-Worthy: ALL OF IT Favorite Opening Line(s): Hypnos doesn't even know why he's bothering to try, because he's never once won any sort of fight with Charon during their long existence and a staring contest isn't going to be the first one that he does. Favorite Closing Line(s):  Might as well live for that thrill, right? (That’s technically cheating, since it’s the last line of one of the Momus/Heracles bonus chapters from THE BIG THESEUS FIC, but if you count the bonus chapters as standalone stories, then it’s still kind of a closing line?) Top Scenes from Anywhere You Would Choose to Have Illustrated: Look, literally any scene featuring Momus and/or Heracles, because those are my boys and it feels personal when folks draw them. I’ve been lucky that a few kind souls have drawn some of their scenes already! But a few scenes I’d particularly like to see illustrated are: - Momus having transformed into Dusa-with-body to fail(?) to seduce Zagreus in champions; prince and bull - Momus & Heracles’s farewell in if found please return to the underworld - Any of the Momus/Theseus scenes from prince theseus, ariadne and dionysus (also there is a catboy) Story I haven’t yet written, but intend to: Once I’ve completed various exchanges, trades and zine fics, I hope to start another damn TheseZag multichapter, this one focused on time-travel shenanigans. As well as this, I want to write a final bonus chapter for the one year anniversary of specific tastes and maaaybe an incredibly self-indulgent Dionysus/Momus oneshot, because fuck it, why not? Fic-writing goals for 2022: Same as the above, as well as finishing off any zines/exchange/etc fics in a timely manner. ...Hmm, I’m trying to think of any writers I know are active and haven’t been tagged yet (but also, no pressure if you don’t want to do this!), so I tagged @ofbleedingink @101flavoursofweird @krokonoko​ and @yallemagne

[ziggyzagreus]

do you have a favorite piece of music from the game? what about a favorite level? (tartarus, asphodel, etc.)

OOH this is such a good one!!!

Music is really important to me, as well as one of my favorite parts of the game, so I don’t have a particular favorite, there are so many things I like about each piece. I will list the ones that actually made me stop and listen the first time I heard them, though!!

I also listen to these when I write and study 😳 I have an entire Hades-themed playlist on Spotify that includes the actual OST as well as songs I listen to that make me think of the characters...

Anyways!

The opening title, “No Escape.” The first time I heard it was when I opened the game and I almost crapped myself, it was so cool. Every time I open the game, I always have to wait till 00:08 for that first base line because that shit hits differenttttt at 2 am on weekends which is when I play this game. 10/10 good shit.

“Lament of Orpheus,” the first song we hear Orpheus actually sing... It’s so beautiful, and I’ve always personally loved the actual myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, so hearing that in such a haunting tune tugged at my heartstrings in a particular way. I’ve heard some people find Orpheus’ voice annoying???? But I really love it. It sounds like mist. It’s terrifying in such a heartbreaking way and very fitting for his character.

“From Olympus,” or better known as “that song that plays when you find Patroclus and he’s muttering about his lost husband.” I love the cadence of this piece because it’s very fitting of Patroclus’ vibes - it’s downtrodden, paced and methodical, there’s a tune to living in it, but it lacks any jarring beats that the other tracks have. I feel like it really encapsulates Patroclus’ dead inside vibes and I love that for him tbh. Very mellow, very chill, very soothing in my opinion.

“Good Riddance,” both Eurydice’s solo version as well as the duet with Orpheus. Again, the first time I heard it, I was absolutely stunned that they had like - good songs with lyrics in this game, so I just stood outside her door for 2 minutes to hear the whole thing. Every time I meet Eurydice I stay to listen to her song before going inside. If you guys can’t tell from my Icarus OC Fic, Eurydice is one of my favorite characters because of how motherly and calming she is. I feel so safe in her presence, and that’s not an exaggeration - even IRL I get a sense of peace when hearing her sing. This song is also in my Crying playlist on Spotify, as it hit me in a personal emotional spot as well as a Good OST spot.

“Final Expense” holy shit, Charon’s theme HITS DIFFERENT. It has like - a dual effect on me. On one hand, I get the same feeling from it as I do Eurydice’s song - I feel very safe and content listening to that tune, and I feel very safe in Charon’s shop. This piece is in one of my “so you’re crying about school and need to calm down and feel safe” playlists, it’s just got that wholesome effect on me. But it also makes me want to go fuck around in a Spencer’s store with my friends, or go to an arcade, and I love that too.

“Final Expense (Payback Mix)” AKA Charon Drip. That shit hits so hard. I love it so fucking much and I fucking love fighting Charon in Erebus anywaysssssss

“Hymn to Zagreus,” if you guys can’t tell, I love Orpheus’ voice so much... and I love the legend of Zagreus anyways!! This song is just so fucking cool and brings so much new edge to the story and Zagreus’ origin (as well as his connection to Dionysus like holy heck aahHHHhhhHHhhHh) i love it sooo much

“Last Words” I LOVE THANATOS SO MUCH. The first time I heard his voice I had to put down the game to process how much I loved him, and so I associate his theme very much with that experience. I love the harpsichord in it, and how the theme itself is very different compared to the other tracks - it has a lot more modern instrumentation, as well as just a generally different and more dangerous, energizing vibe to it and I love that so so so so so much.

“The King and the Bull” I don’t have much to say on this except Theseus and Asterius is my favorite boss fight so I just love this track haha

“On the Coast” I just.... I cried the first time I reached the surface and once again, I associate this tune with that experience. And the sunrise and the snow, just... wow. Just wow, you know? Also I can’t tell if that’s an oboe or an English Horn but I think it’s an english horn - either way I love double-reeded instruments. (Or if it’s a soprano sax then good on them, I have so much respect for sop sax players)

“In the Blood” is just.... so good. And Orpheus and Eurydice duetting hits me in the feelings so hard. I also love this song because it brings so much explanation to the game as a whole, like - Zagreus is the fucking life of the Underworld and that has SO many deep connotations that I have pages on pages of headcanons/thoughts written out about... it’s so cool... wow. Just wow, you know? Also that lyric “Run all you like from the place you belong...” is such a haunting line, it just - wow. Wow. WOW.

I realize I just went on a full rant about most of those pieces to the point that I just started typing “wow” to make up for not having words, but music is very very important to me so I think about it way too much... Anywaysssss.

As for your second question, I do have a favorite level!! Elysium!!

Tartarus is really fun for me because it’s not very hard, and I can just smash through all of the chambers... Asphodel is SO irritating because of the magma, and there’s this one chamber that is literally ONLY witches and it has island terrain and the witches always float out over the magma, so you can’t get to them unless you go out there and it’s just SO FRUSTRATING. I love the aesthetic of Asphodel but hate playing it.

And I hate the Temple of Styx just because of stupid poison and stupid rats. It’s just - not my bag. 

Elysium though!!! It’s bright, it’s pretty, it’s super challenging with the levels of foes you face there, and I love seeing Pat and I love fighting Theseus and Asterius!!! I love Elysium so much... ALSO I love seeing my Good Shade!!! Every time!!!! My love....

Thank you so much for the ask, this was super fun!!!!

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: The Top 10 Fight Scenes of 2020 According to YOU!

  One of the defining features of anime as a medium are the fight scenes. From their diversity of visuals and dramatic staging to their use in narrative development to the off-the-wall powers and techniques their characters employ. Watching weightless CG battles in superhero flicks, it’s hard not to feel like Hollywood is decades behind. Let’s fix that by letting YOU decide who gets some accolades.

  If you’ve read this article’s companion pieces on 2020’s OPs and EDs you know the drill. What follows is a list of the Top 10 fight scenes of 2020 as determined by viewership on the Crunchyroll Collection YouTube channel, weighted at 30 days so anime from earlier in the year don’t get an advantage and to balance flash-in-the-pan popularity vs iconic moments that will continue on in the fandom’s consciousness. It’s not a perfect metric but I’ve gotta say, the results do show some great taste ...

  10. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? - Ais vs Asterius

    Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? has always been measured with its action, honing its greatest moments into dramatic peaks, so it was great we were able to finish 2020 with not only some of its biggest battles, but Ais finally stepping on the gas for the first time on television since 2017 by battling the legendary minotaur Asterius. Ais didn’t disappoint, as she shouldn’t with her place at the very top of the adventuring world and an unreachable ideal Bell aspires to. Also, opening the fight by shearing off her opponent’s arm may be the most brutal kickoff to a Danmachi fight we’ve seen yet. This battle topped 500k in its first 30 days and I’m confident will make a lasting impression.

  9. Tsugumomo2 - Kazuya vs Kyouka

    Tsugumomo’s second season delivered some absolutely huge battles, but I gotta say I’m surprised the top fight wasn’t Kanaka terrorizing the entire cast of the series with their hunt for blood. That said, Kazuya’s battle against Kyouka had some spectacular effects, a few creative obi adaptations, a divine possession, and a shorted punch to secure the victory so it had all the primary features that make Tsugumomo fights great … And for fans of the series, yes it also had that … This fight drew 600k views in its first 30 days to secure its spot on the list.

  8. A Certain Scientific Railgun T - Level 6 Mikasa vs Touma and Sogiita

    A Certain Magical Index and its various spinoffs have a penchant for going completely off the rails very quickly. This fight in spinoff A Certain Scientific Railgun T is every bit as absurd. Mikasa is pushed into Level 6, giving her godlike power and sending her into a berserk state that only Touma’s magic destroying hand can take down. We also get a guest appearance from one of the series' best side characters in Sogiita whose ability to literally turn guts into power is impossible not to love. 

  Basically, the fight was amazing, Mikasa’s Level 6 form and its absurd power were wonderfully adapted by JC Staff and Touma and Sogiita showed off some amazing combo attacks to prevents the destruction of the city. In particular, Sogiita’s “Super Amazing” punch and princess carrying Touma drew 700k viewers in its first 30 days.

  7. Golden Kamuy - The Stenka

    The most common phrase I hear from Golden Kamuy fans is that the series is underappreciated and, as a Golden Kamuy fan, I’m inclined to agree. This series is so violent, I’m constantly surprised by what it gets away with. I’m hard-pressed to think of another series that has aired in the past five years with the same level of brutality. Basically, I’m saying I’m overjoyed to see Golden Kamuy made the list, even if it's from one of its most tame battles that is simply a no-holds-barred free-for-all where everyone gets their nose broken by a berserk Sugimoto. 

  Might have been the JoJo's reference (not really) but this battle got 700k views in 30 days and just barely beat out Railgun T by ~1k views.

  6. JUJUTSU KAISEN - Gojo vs Sukuna

    Another series I’m unsurprised to see on the list but with an unexpected battle. I would have imagined Gojo’s battle against Jogo might have drawn more attention, or perhaps more recently, Itadori’s battle with Mahito. This clip does make sense after a fashion. It was a breakout moment where MAPPA showed they really meant business adapting JUJUTSU KAISEN and the fight was between two characters that have become fan favorites. 

  Definitely, a defining moment that pulled in double the seventh placer's views at 1.4 million in its first 30 days! Since JUJUTSU KAISEN is still attracting new fans and already topping popularity lists, I imagine it would have been even higher given a bit more time in 2020. Gojo vs Sukuna has continued its upward climb to almost 3 million views, putting it only a few days away from claiming the Number 4 spot in lifetime views. Not bad for an anime in the year's final quarter!

  5. Boruto - Sarada vs Sakura

    BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS has delivered spectacularly animated battles for just about its entire run that prove this anime is no afterthought to the Naruto franchise. Despite a wide selection of quality battles that dropped in 2020, I must admit I knew this one would be at the top. What self-respecting Naruto fan wouldn’t be interested in seeing a less-than-friendly mother/daughter slugfest between Sarada and Sakura? Although theoretically a training match to help Sarada develop her Sharingan, the amount of destruction makes it clear that one wrong move and even Sakura’s medical Jutsu would have trouble putting either of them back together again.

  The Uchiha family battle secured its place with 1.5 million views in its first 30 days. Sarada's family moments, even the ones without fighting, are always winners and Sarada vs Sakura is the third youngest clip on the list so I'm guessing this one is going to withstand the test of time.

  4. One Piece - Zoro vs Hitokiri Kamazo

    One Piece has been on a tear since the beginning of its much-anticipated Wano Kuni arc. Even after delivering a huge battle between Luffy and Katakuri at the end of Whole Cake, there has been a notable bump in the frequency and quality of standout animation in the long-running series, which is great to see since the Wano arc is a series of back-to-back skirmishes that can be elevated by some explosive visuals. 

  No moment this year stands out more in my memory than Zoro’s battle against Hitokiri Kamazo and it seems the fans agree. Zoro borrowing his enemy’s weapon to pull off an amazingly animated Purgatory Onigiri may be one of the coolest sequences in One Piece’s almost 1,000-episode long run. This moment also got 1.5 million views in 30 days, narrowing beating Boruto by about 13k views.

  3. Black Clover - Everyone vs The Devil

    Black Clover has grown as a production to develop a unique visual style for magic-heavy battles and really deliver some hugely impressive battles. It’s ramp up hit a peak in 2019 with the battle between Julius and Licht and it’s been riding high ever since. The top fight of 2020 is an obvious one, as the climactic moment of the series' insanely escalating arc kicked off by Julius and Licht’s battle. It seems like half the cast piled into Hell to take on the unnamed devil and his overpowered word soul magic. To be honest I was surprised the series kept going at all after a moment this climactic (I’m not complaining though).

  The final attack of this battle drew 1.6 million views in its first 30 days and now sits proudly in the Number 2 spot for lifetime views on this list at over 5.5 million!

  2. The God of High School - Jin vs Jaegal

    With its sheer number of lovingly animated battles, The God of High School was a shoo-in for this list and might represent 50 percent or more of its total entries if I hadn’t limited it to one entry per series. Jin vs Jaegal is a natural choice, as the climactic battle of the fast-paced fighting series which delivered on the much-anticipated reveal of Jin Mori’s charyeok. This one really put the god in the high school, jumping far past One Piece to pull 2.1 million views in its first month.

  1. My Hero Academia - Endeavor vs Special Nomu

    My Hero Academia had a huge climactic battle to cap off the winter season, so I gotta say I’m surprised to see it’s the other one that secured the top spot as the Number 1 battle of 2020. Deku vs Overhaul was a huge moment for the series and definitely sits in the upper half of this list, if not the Number 2 spot — but something about Endeavor fighting a Nomu really pulled in a crowd, even putting the clip on YouTube’s trending list. It continues to creep upward at 7.5 million views. One of the most-watched moments of the entire year!

  On reflection moments that show a theoretical power ceiling of a series are always impactful, such as Orochimaru’s battle with Sarutobi or even My Hero Academia’s own battle between All Might and All for One. Endeavor definitely pulled out the guns for this battle to leave an impression before the long wait until the next season ... Or maybe it was just because he said “plus ultra?” Regardless, Endeavor blasted past even the Number 2 spot on this list at 3.7 million views in its first 30 days.

  Those were the best battles of 2020 according to you and, consequently, the last of this series of Top 10 lists. When it comes to fights there’s a lot more to look forward to in 2021. Boruto, Black Clover, and One Piece have all been building toward their current arcs' big conflicts and each seems primed to pull the trigger early next year. If that weren’t enough JUJUTSU KAISEN is about to kick off its school event and MHA is set to make its return.

  That does it for 2020. Hope to see you all at the same time next year.

  If you feel the fandom has missed a great moment, feel free to share it in the comments below!

      Peter Fobian is an Associate Producer at Crunchyroll, writer for Anime Academy and Anime in America, and an editor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Peter Fobian

[aq2003]

am going to do all of these because no one can stop me and i love posting my opinions on tumblr.edu

1. overall i think the bow is the best weapon, i'm fairly good at all of the aspects and there's no one aspect that really sucks

2. i think all of the weapons have at least one good aspect but overall i'm the worst at the fists i think. mainly bc i just started to get the hang of them really and also i Hate the gilgamesh aspect

3. ASPECT OF ACHILLES BABEYYY it's fast it's sexy and it does lots of cast/attack damage. great for mobility too. i know that technically aspect of eris is the most op weapon in the game but i like achilles spear better bc it gives your cast a boost too

4. the worst aspect is uh. spear aspect of zag lmfao. it's just weirdly slow and choppy . the spear used to be my least fave weapon before i unlocked the rest of the aspects and this is why

5. companion battie/meg! it does lots of damage and it's the best combatant against the witches' circle miniboss in asphodel (like it can strip the armor off of 3 of them instantly) its great!

6. companion rib/skelly i swear to god skelly WHY do you also take damage from my own attacks please

7. probably the spiked collar from cerberus. it's freeeeeeee health babey!

8. the shattered shackle from sisyphus. i hate it so muchhrbdhdksnfbckd why is it even in the game

9. really depends on how my run's going but most of the time? centaur hearts lmao i want Free Health

10. ares and athena. my favorite murder siblings

11. UHHH . i mean it depends??? if i'm going for a particular build there will always be one or two gods i want to avoid

12. divine dash, curse of agony, electric shot, tidal dash, and merciful end

13. UHHH somewhere around the 140s-150s

14. UHHHHHHHH i think i'm just over 100 now

15. probably either zag or achilles. i just really like how they were characterized tbh they're so good

16. i would say theseus but i got to the homewrecker arc with him and it was so funny and the va was going so hard i can't help but like him a little

17. usually for a run i'll have maybe one or two hammers i want to use, so i would normally take a boon over it tbh

18. god mode off because i'm a powerful epic gamer

19. hell mode off because i'm not actually a powerful epic gamer

20. tartarus because it's the easiest onehrhdhdhsksn

21. temple of styx I !!!!! HATE!!!!! POISON!!!!! SO !!!! MUCHHHHH

22. probably any one of those bloodless monsters that throw bombs they're easy to avoid and fun to kill

23. can i cheat and say hades. (it's actually the satyrs i hate poison so much)

24. meg :) love fighting my canon hot gf to the death

25. alecto bc she's mean to me every time

26. damage control, tight deadline, and benefits package

27. heightened security, routine inspection, and approval process

28. tartarus: the two bomb throwing dudes / asphodel: barge of death / elysium: butterfly ball (as long as i have the meg summon) / styx: the armored bomb throwing rat

29. tartarus: armored sneak / asphodel: witches' circle / elysium: asterius with extreme measures 3 / styx: the armored satyr

30. i think that orpheus and achilles should talk more. like they're both music lovers and they both have relationship problems due to things not working out in the underworld hhrhfjdksbc. they'd have a lot to talk abt and their hypothetical dynamic has a lot of potential to be interesting

[1million]

1, 2, and 22 also i havent played hades so do you recommend it? ٩(^‿^)۶

1 & 2: answered!

22. best enemy to face?

i think it’s obvious from my previous asks but theseus and asterius is my favorite boss fight. i love how you get to fight two separate bosses with their own different techniques at the same time that’s just a shit ton of fun, especially with all the dialogue that gets sprinkled in during the fight!! i also like the bone hydra

as for if i’d recommend the game, yeah. absolutely. i received it as a gift, but i will say that had i bought it i wouldn’t have regretted it in the slightest. it’s really just an amazing game in so many ways and is honestly worth the hype it’s getting. even if greek mythology isn’t something that interests you heavily i still think it’s just fundamentally a really great game to play

[tieflng]

chocobox 2021 letter (wip) under the cut! hello gifter who is probably one of the five people i know in the pyre fandom

general likes: worldbuilding, canon or headcanon-rich fic, surrealism, intricate explorations of place or character or relationships, atmosphere, explicitly lgbt characters, neurodivergence/autism and gender headcanons, adventure, friend shenanigans, strange or unusual aus (give me a good noir detective au, etc), philosophical or moral dilemmas or conversations, slow burns, eldritch or unexplained aspects of canon, unreliable narrators, nonhuman traits of nonhuman characters, working in background characters/large ensemble casts, small intimate moments, courage in the face of insurmountable odds, fic with an intended soundtrack, anything rich and vibrant and full of heart.

as far as nsfw goes: please don’t write me nsfw if you’re under eighteen! assuming you’re over, i’m really here for the tenderness-- not into hardcore or degrading kink, but okay with lighter stuff. my main concern is that everyone is onboard with everything, nothing is unsanitary, and nobody is being hurt or degraded. very much into the before and after-- cuddling, aftercare, discussing boundaries, awkward dorks trying for a smooth seduction, etc.

DNWs: detailed hand/eye trauma, unsanitary mentions or descriptions, detailed descriptions of spiders or insects, mentions/references to coronavirus (fictional plagues/diseases are fine), fantasy OR historical/irl homophobia or transphobia, requested characters in m/w relationships. for pyre, khaylmer rope-caller as a mustache twirling villain/without nuance, for hades, zag/meg or zag/than, olympians in relationships with cthonic deities, hades as a sympathetic character of any kind. for ace attorney, manfred von karma as a sympathetic character of any kind.

for nsfw DNWs:  dubcon/noncon including under the influence, infidelity, humiliation/physical pain of any kind.

pyre:

gol & khaylmer / khaylmer & soliam / gol & khaylmer & soliam: i Very much picture this dynamic as shoulder devil vs shoulder angel, gol and kahylmer bickering about politics over the head of a disinterested/totally out of it soliam, gol and khaylmer spy-versus-spy bullshit maneuvering around each other (usually khaylmer trying to get gol assassinated/otherwise killed, let’s be real). and then soliam is like ah, my most trusted servants :) who both undoubtedly get along :) while the palace staff is setting gol & khaylmer’s dinner places without knives so they don’t spring across the table and stab each other. the interesting thing here is that a) soliam really does care for them both, inasmuch as he’s capable of caring for anyone topside (khaylmer as an uncle/surrogate parent/stable mentor figure, gol as.......okay a Lot of romantic tension and a lot of disregarding his feelings but Some level of interpersonal fascination), and also b) gol and khaylmer, pre-gol’s character development, are more similar than either of them would like to believe. they’ve both definitely got cold, calculating, do-anything-for-the-empire sides, and also their own irrational hangups and quirks. i’m DYING to know what the sahrian imperial court was like, btw!! write something about the sahrian imperial court!!

khaylmer & the tattered mantle: janna compared this to a mutually toxic relationship, both of them being hurt and hurting the other and making each other just worst. i have my own ideas about what the mantle is and how it was formed but i would love to see yours, see an exploration of how it was corrupted and what happened to it as it became the imp-titan. and maybe also khaylmer’s corruption, too? was he once Less of an absolute awful human being? surely at some point, right? i’d very much like to see a deep-dive into khaylmer’s psyche and also the mantle treated as its own character. also if you could sneak in the isle of khaylmer and the imps....something about the two of them overlooking that rites venue forevermore?

ha’ub & gol: let them be friends!! let them be goofy bastard friends!! let them fight titans and exchange cultures (imps clearly have culture) and bond over trauma and pull soliam out of danger! i think the scribes were all Readers, and ha’ub’s Reader-ness/his Accursedness manifested as him being an intelligent imp-- unable to fully connect with the others of his kind on a 100% level, and the loneliness that must have involved. and then along come some strange Big Friends that he can get some of what he’s been missing from. and gol downside is like well this all might as well fucking happen i guess and then finds a strange and unexpected little ally with a big ol’ heart. it’d be cool to see them do battle with howlers or titans or sisters of the arch, or conversely to cuddle up in gol’s bedroll against the cold and gossip in imp so other people can’t understand them. also if gol/soliam (please gol/soliam) ha’ub absolutely thinks they’re already dating/pair-bonded/imp married and there’s a lot of skree-hee-hee!! (just kiss him!!!) going on.

gol & chae: please call the vagabond girl chae!  i loved her basically at the moment i saw her and her arc means a lot to me. she’s autistic coded but her belief in the scribes– in actually hearing and speaking to the scribes– is never undercut by the narrative. and she’s immensely strong! she’s survived in the downside by herself from 17-19! and imo at least the scribe known for being strong and resilient and untiring, not to mention idealistic and loyal, would admire the absolute fuck out of her. i’d like her childhood as moontouched/homeless and displaced, her topside ending as a religious leader and inspiration in the sahrian union, wandering alone in the downside, her role with the nightwings– i just really want to see what conversations these two would get up to, i want them to learn from each other, i want chae to have support and encouragement and comfort from everyone’s favorite nomad scribe. what does she ask him? what does he tell her? passing messages from ti’zo or the heralds? looking for advice/help on behalf of the nightwings, or just comfort when she’s feeling out of place? god, the fact that she’s in the companion class that parallels khaylmer– do they talk about that, or how does gol feel? there are so many damn good interactions here. please don’t infantilize her or portray her beliefs and reactions as nonsensical or weird.

gol/soliam: Please Write Me Gol/Soliam And I Will Love You Forever. their topside will-they-or-won’t-they, extreme chemistry/tension there but always not quite seeing eye to eye/soliam just being a scumbag person who doesn’t really care, courtly love flavored by a nasty entitlement/disillusion combo. their downside will-they-or-won’t-they, a sloooooowww rebuilding of trust on gol’s side, going from ‘i jumped over the edge of the world to kill this asshole’ to, eventually, ‘maybe he deserves my love and affection after all’. and then soliam of course has loved him this whole time, since being saved from the sisters, the drama......!! the wonders of unrequited mutual pining. nsfw wise i just very much think soliam’s a bottom/sub, okay, don’t @/me, and i want to see him take care of gol and gol take care of him-- they’re just soft idiots who found each other in the downside. or maybe they’re horny idiots at the imperial court, it’s up to you.

hades:

asterius/hypnos

asterius/shade

asterius & persephone

asterius & ariadne: siblings!! siblings!! let them love each other and feel bad about what happened/glad that they’re both doing okay now! getting theseus or dio in on this would also be great-- what do you mean you’re best friends with (dating?) my shitty ex now??

tisiphone & zagreus

ace attorney: 

i’ve literally only played the first two games so maybe go easy on spoilers. honestly don’t have too much to say here, just would like legal shenanigans/pining dumbasses if applicable. gay lawyers/two gay lawyers and a detective, or steel samurai fans bonding over a shared love of the franchise (and another dumbass lawyer), or siblings in an absolutely awful house leaning on each other to get through......go ham!

[ziggyzagreus]

What's your favourite type of shade? Eg, the generic ones in Tartarus/Asphodel/Elysium. Although you can answer what your favourite shade is in total, too. I mean, aside from Red Shade who is everyone's favourite shade.

Ooh! This is really interesting!! Man, I swear you guys come up with the best questions, I’d hardly even consider a favorite type of shade unless someone asked!

I mean, the Shades that are actually characters like Achilles and Pat and Eurydice and Orpheus and Theseus and Asterius and Sisyphus and Skelly are the best. I love them all so much, but they’re like, actual characters so that’s obvious.

Clearly, My Good Shade up in Elysium is my favorite of all time, though. I want to romance that Shade. That shade is a sweet angel and I want to know what their backstory is. What are they like? Who were they in life? How did they wind up in Elysium, and most of all, how did they get the courage to be my only fan??? Honestly, I would give my whole life for that Shade. I’m actually considering developing them a character and writing some drabbles/backstory for them.

As for fighting... I LOVE fighting Numbskulls!!!!! As you all are probably well aware, my favorite Infernal Arm is the Fists, and I LOVE running up to one of the clusters of skulls and using the Dash-Upper, and watching them all fizzle out!! It’s just a burst of serotonin, I love that satisfaction sooooo much. So that’s definitely my favorite for Tartarus. And... I think that’s it, honestly. The witches in Asphodel and Elysium piss me off too much and I hate the Temple of Styx so so so much, so like - it’s mostly just a battle to the surface there. Tartarus is where it’s at, I’m telling y’all.

This was an interesting ask!!! I’d love to talk more about my Good Shade in the future, if anyone is interested!

[1million]

13, 20, and 30!

13. how many escape attempts so far?

last i checked i think it was somewhere in the realm of like...45? i think?

20. which area is your favorite?

i think elysium has to be my favorite!! i think the enemies there are just hard enough to always keep the fighting interesting, and i just. i fucking love theseus and asterius they are SO fun to fight

30. share an opinion about any part of the game.

i would risk it all for eurydice. i would.