#i'm in love with girlboss riza

[harocat]

Perhaps this is inaccurate, but does it ever feel to you like general cdrama fandom takes the FL being a “mature” character as the end-all indicator of the show’s quality? Recently with legend of Shenli I see quite a few people start their praise along the lines of “unlike those other garbage xianxia with their annoying FLs”. And often it becomes clear they’re trashtalking Lbfad specifically

This is not just Cdrama fandom, it's fandom on the whole; the girlbossification of female characters.

I've generally always favored characters that get this treatment. Riza Hawkeye (badass) vs. Winry Rockbell (immature), Sango (badass) vs Kagome (immature). Sorry those examples are anime, but they're very well known so 🤷

These are also often healer characters, which is a trope that tends to be... sort of maligned. How dare a women be relegated to just being a healer! But IDK, I'd rather have a well written healer than a generic, flatly written warrior any day. XLH would definitely fall under the healer class.

(One good thing I've noticed is that while all the above mentioned girls got a lot of hate back in the day, as time has gone on, they've grown to become beloved characters. You rarely see hate for any of them nowadays. It's great.)

Keeping in mind fandom's general disinterest in women, so naturally the appreciation that does exist is often extremely shallow. Characters that tend to catch their attention because of this are ones that are 'badass' or that they want to 'step on them' or whatnot. A character that starts out more mature is more likable to them because they don't need to look beyond the surface to see how 'cool' she is.

This is not an implication that Shenli is a shallow character (I am only on ep twelve, so I'm not here to give any kind of overall impression), but just that she from the beginning has more traits that are easy for people to glom onto as a 'strong female character' Do these specific people (this is obviously not all fans of Shenli) who say 'finally a mature character' write meta about Shenli? Do they gush on her and share fanworks and create and all the like. Generally no, because in my experience people who like characters for 'girlboss' reasons don't really appreciate them beyond the surface.

These people will gripe about characters like XLH, sing the praises of 'strong female characters', then go back to only caring about male characters 90% of the time.

Xiao Lanhua takes too much work for these kinds of fans. Obviously we know she is strong, we know she is badass and brave, but the XLH we meet at the beginning is silly, immature, and boy crazy. To appreciate her character fully, you have to do more than just look for five seconds and go 'wow badass'. She's a layered, richly written character, but she doesn't start out as the kind of character that fits a girlboss reading.

On the other hand, almost because of this, you can find pages and pages of meta, fic, and fanworks about her, and almost any fan of hers can give you a plethora of reasons they love her that have actual depth.

On the subject of maturity, it's often a case of the kind of immaturity that's acceptable. Dongfang Qingcang is deeply immature at the start of the series. I don't need to explain why.

But his immaturity is appealing to fandom; cute, likable, and funny. It's good immature, cool immature. And I think this is because in addition to being a male character, we're also taught that being immature like Xiao Lanhua is--- is like... a horrible thing to be? But that's not the case at all. It's just normal! Again, back to girlboss feminism. Women and female characters are held to an impossibly high standard. Female characters that act in a way that might be seen as cringe (if they aren't also badass)? Yikes.

Yes, Xiao Lanhua starts out flighty and silly, but she's also a hard worker, and even from the beginning, she's courageous (despite her timidity when confronted with bullies). She's a good character, even at the beginning; she is lovable, charming, and so, so funny. People just refuse to see beyond their first impression.

The goal in writing a female character should be to make them well written, and in that sense, Xiao Lanhua is a great character. She just happens to also be extremely brave and badass, but some people are too shallow to see it. At this point in time I don't even argue with XLH haters. I'm just like 'well fine, I'd rather not have you here anyway.'

[littlewitchbee]

FMA 💚💖

💚 what does everyone get wrong about your favorite character? there's a lot to say about Riza but I'm getting tired so I'll keep it short - we do a huge disservice to her by reducing her to "girlboss"/team mom/etc". There's a pattern to these answers lol

💖 what is your biggest unpopular opinion about the series? probably not that unpopular and I love an angsty ending as much as anyone but I think the whole idea of royai being executed after reaching their goals is antithetical to the story's entire message about having to live with the sins of your past to become a better person + trusting the people around you to keep you accountable and make a better world (I'd like to think that post promised day they both kinda realize that their desire for self-sacrifice is at its core self-gratifying and that they can do more for the people alive 🤷‍♀️)

[bonesandthebees]

HARD agree on the fullmetal alchemist. God after seeing so many shonen anime butcher females it was such a breath of fresh air to watch Winty and Riza kick some serious butt. I am also watching Jujutsu Kaisen atm and they're doing really well with the females too and I hope it keeps up!!

Also mannn I relate to the to watch list so much!! I got into a new anime, (bungou stray dogs, it's a seinen show) earlier this year and I've just. It's taken over my brain and it's the only "new" show I've watched this year besides keeping up with jujutsu. I've watched madoka magica, death note as well and they're some of my absolute favourites too!!

:DD

Also excuse you I did end up finishing differentiation, I am NOT procrastinating, hehehe

- ❄️

yes exactly!! I could write an entire essay on this, but the thing I love about how fmab writes women is how nuanced they are. they're not just #girlboss but there's a variety of what they're like and who they are. riza has a really complex moral nuance to her with the way she's trying to atone for her war crimes through the way she supports mustang and the personal connection she feels both for her own actions during the war and what mustang did as a result of her own father's work that's quite literally branded onto her back just- fuck I'm rambling already

and winry!! she's independent and has her own life and career and is a genius in her own right with automail but she also holds so many stereotypically feminine traits that aren't shown as a weakness whatsoever. she represents home for the brothers. she tries to kill the man who killed her parents and can't bring herself to do it, and ed tells her her hands were made to create and heal not kill. she helps delivery a baby and that is shown as something incredible.

then even with the stereotypical 'girlboss' characters you get nuance. olivier is an ice cold badass but she holds onto what she thinks is right and protects the soldiers under her command and uses the expectations men have of women to her advantage. and izumi is badass and harsh but also she committed alchemy's greatest taboo just for the chance to be a mother and she's not weak for that. she's not weak for wanting to be a mother, and she proudly declares to anyone around her that she's a housewife right before beating their ass to a pulp.

ok yeah do not get me started talking about the way women are written in fmab i'll never shut up

I've never watched jjk but I've heard good things about it and I'm glad the female characters are being handled well!! and I've heard of bungou stray dogs too and it seems really cool!

i'm proud of you for finishing your differentiation you are our strongest soldier fr o7

[mncxbe]

EVEN BETTER

I'm currently watching it :3

And ahh

Al baby <3

I'm in love with Ed

And Winry is so cool

omg Al sweet baby. i totally agree Winry was so badass but also Riza. go go girlboss🫂🌷

[tsaritsa]

and delivered a crime (ch2)

Sometimes he thinks that it’s too easy a plan — too simple, too obvious for it to actually work as intended. He trusts Hawkeye implicitly in all matters concerning his life — literally and otherwise — but previously her contributions to their long-term plans had been of a more pragmatic eye than an idealising one. She was the one that would poke holes in his logic, tease out any hint of weakness and exploit it to the fullest. Perhaps he had grown too comfortable with the expectation that she would remain there, patiently but methodically cutting through his heart’s instinct to react and instead honing it into a well-oiled weapon ready to aim wherever he pleased.

Once again though, he finds himself marvelling at just how accomplished his Captain is. Pregnancy becomes her: if you knew she was pregnant, it would be obvious. But the people who answer to her, those in the immediate office — all seem oblivious to the slight-but-if-you-just-look-this-way angle that fills in her jacket, the healthy glow that seems to emanate from within. Maybe it’s all in his head. Maybe the uniform does hide all manner of sins. There is power in her voice that he hasn’t recognised before, a quirk in her smile as she hands him the dossiers of the day from high command. The two of them are drowning and delighting in the secret, though privately Mustang wonders if it will all come crashing down once the intended recipient of these actions catches wind. He knows there are eyes in this office that will chatter elsewhere if he so much as comes down with a runny nose; it seems beyond comprehension that they’ve managed to carry on the way they have without raising some alarm bells somewhere.

“Sir.”

He looks up to see Hawkeye close the door to his office with a quiet click, arms not characteristically full of research papers like he has come to expect of her as of late. The Eastern sector is almost done with the State Alchemist’s re-certification for this quarter, and the two of them have been running ragged cross-referencing and interviewing academics to ascertain the validity and originality of research. All alchemists under his immediate purview have passed, but there are a number under a Brigadier General stationed at New Optain that will require further investigation. A smile pulls at his lips at the thought. Although his responsibilities were equally split between East and Central, Major General Hakuro had struggled to regain credibility after his actions leading to the late President’s train bombing assassination attempt. Grumman had little patience for the man as a General, and even less now as Führer. It would be nice to do a little needling under the guise of looking out for his fellow General.

“What can I do you for Captain?” He leans back in his chair, stretching his neck side to side.

“I’m going to let the office know I’m pregnant.” She could’ve been describing the day’s weather report for all the gravitas she places in this announcement.

Mustang jerks inelegantly, and struggles to maintain his balance in his chair. “What? I — uh, why — why would you — what?”

read the rest on ao3

[fantasyforbeginners]

Just wondering, you don't have to answer if you don't want to <333

What are your favorite character dynamics in books and movies? Or character tropes, either limited to one character or affecting character interactions?

Oh I have been waiting my whole life for this question, thank you so much! As always tropes depend equally upon execution (we've all seen them poorly done or read/watched something we Should like, by all means, that just didn't click with us) but here are some of my favourite dynamics / character archetypes w/ recommendations

Dynamics

Platonic Power of Love / Platonic soulmates. Please see: How to Train Your Dragon, Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Loveless by Alice Oseman

Ties into found family, that is my #1. Bio siblings who also choose each other, unconventional extended family dynamics, workplace families, misfit families, just all the found families. Give it to me, every time. Please see: every recommendation on this list, Ducktales (2017), Six of Crows duology, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Grump X Sunshine but like in the specific "Grump has abandonment issues, Sunshine is like a golden retriever or paragon that helps them believe in life again, and the Grump's eventual opening up helps reaffirm / reward Sunshine's belief in people" way. Please see: The Dragon Prince, Inside Job

Mid-20s something who is too young to be a parental figure to the scrappy pre-teen kid they just found but someone's gotta parent the child, they Guess. Please see: vaguely Crazy Ex Girlfriend

Opposite but related trope of Adult trying to protect and raise their Chosen One child, trying to cope with the reality that they can't protect their child and that the kid ultimately belongs to the world. See: Aang and Monk Gyatso from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Christianity (hi Jesus and Mary)

Friends to Lovers. Even if they're enemies, there's gotta be a strong friendship stage / component, or I'm rarely gonna be entirely convinced. (But I'm also on the aromantic spectrum, so that defs influences me). Please see: Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Dragon Prince, Heartstopper

Villains / antagonists who are competing against one another or are reluctantly working together. I love the instability, the way it can make one villain work with the heroes, the snideness and differing goals. It's so good. Please see: Trollhunters (Tales of Arcadia on Netflix), Spider Riders (2006)

Platonic or Romantic "I was just going through the motions of my life until you woke me up and changed Everything," I love that transformative shit. Please see: The Dragon Prince, Infinity Train (s2)

Basically just "There are people you haven't met yet who will love you" every time. Please see: The Good Place

Foil sibling relationships, and if it's also intergenerational? Chef's kiss. Please see: Gravity Falls, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Dragon

Slightly more serious older girl and more carefree younger boy. He helps her to lighten up and let loose, she helps him mature. Also angry girl and soft boy. See: every ship I have almost loved, Infinity Train, The Dragon Prince, Peter Pan 2: Return to Neverland (aka where my ideals for love came from when I was five, feminist girlboss movie of my childhood)

Love of any kind transcending death and time, Please see: How To Train Your Dragon franchise, Titanic (1997), Julie and the Phantoms

Loyal dutiful Knight / Lady or royal dynamic. Please see: The Legend of Zelda games

On that note, co-leader character dynamics. They have the same goal and uniquely mirror each other's devotion and drive, they're willing to put duty and share that maturity with each other? Eat that shit up every time. Please see: Shiro and Allura from Voltron if the show hadn't ended up being terrible, The Dragon Prince, Julie and the Phantoms, Roy and Riza from FMA (which I still need to watch)

If there is a big possibly scary creature and they have a tiny human and they love each other, I will fall for that friendship every time. Please see: How To Train Your Dragon, Transformers: Prime

Basically please watch The Dragon Prince if you haven't already, it's everything I've ever wanted or needed in a show.

Character Archetypes

So much of this just comes down to "Selfless leader burdened by duty and responsiblity" just with variations so keep that in mind

Older character haunted by memory / knowledge, knowing they are an unfitting protector to the new younger generation who needs them, re: The Giver by Lois Lowry

Team leader who feels like it's their responsibility to take care of everyone else whether or not that's actually plausible / the case, re: Rayla in The Dragon Prince

Paragons in general, re: Optimus Prime, Aang, Ezran

Strategist leader who is smart as all helll, if a little (or a lot) ruthless, re: Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows

Moses archetype who returns to liberate people from physical or emotional servitude / abuse, re: The Prince of Egypt, what Finn from Star Wars could've been

Character who's a little egotistical and a tad dim, but they really care about / will protect their family and comes through when it matters, re: Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman, it was foundational for me; also Louie and/or Dewey from Ducktales (2017)

Driven angry girl with goals who will do anything to achieve them so long as it doesn't mean diminishing herself, re: Jane from Peter Pan 2 was my blueprint, Reagan from Inside Job, MT from Infinity Train

Just any woman with goals (and a man who supports those goals), re: Grace and Simon from Infinity Train until it got fucked up in the best way

Female tough girls and bullies with a softer side, a la Clarisse La Rue from Percy Jackson (not Amity from Owl House)

Exiled / outcast character with a massive guilt complex, re: Aang from ATLA, Rayla from The Dragon Prince

Nurturing characters with fierce tempers, re: Callum from the Dragon Prince

Chosen ones. I know it's cliche and I do not care, that shit can be compelling as hell. Honourable mention to: main character is trying to protect the chosen one (a sibling or friend), or there are multiple chosen ones running around

If they're a really good older sibling I'm probably sold, re: The Dragon Prince, Over the Garden Wall

Soft spot for gentle giants and lancers who can call the protag out on their shit while also knowing when to support them, re: Cyborg from Teen Titans

Grandmothers who have no time for anyone's shit

Women getting to have more 'masculine' roles unquestionably, men being satisfied in more 'feminine' child caring roles, re: The Dragon Prince

Revolutionaries, misfits, anyone rebelling against a system or two with a splash of solidarity as a bonus, again, most of the things on this list. (Milton's Paradise Lost is so fun)

Heroes and Villains who have actual similar personalities and flaws and it's not a superficial "we're not so different," re: Luke and Percy from Percy Jackson

Also that thing fantasy does where like, all the different groups and peoples will pitch in and come together for a common cause, it's so good and I will go for that shit every time. Truly one of my favourite tropes for all time

This might be more general than like, specifics (i.e. characters tending to each other's wounds) and I could honestly do a list like this all about like, Themes I love the shit out of, since I write from Theme first in a lot of ways and character second, but I hope you enjoyed my very specific list!

[pencilofawesomeness]

For the ask game, how about 001 for either fairy tail or fullmetal alchemist?

Fam, I couldn't decide, so I'm just going to do both XD. I'll separate them on different posts though, so here's the first:

Fullmetal Alchemist

Favorite character: Greed. 100% Greed.

Least Favorite character: Uhhh... General Ravens I guess? He was just a bitch (and not an interesting one) but he got what was coming to him so it's all good.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Royai (Roy x Riza), Royai, Royai, and Ro— Okay so I'm biased towards Royai, but for realsies, it would be them, Maes x Gracia, Izumi x Sig, and definitely Winmail.

Character I find most attractive: *aroace start-up noises* ...low-key Hughes, ngl.

Character I would marry: Frickin Kain Fuery. Man’s just a nerd who loves dogs? I vibe with that. Just chilling with a bunch of rescue puppies and kittens and play video games or whatever. He seems like a thoughtful and chill dude.

Character I would be best friends with: Al. We would be snarky little shits together and befriend allll of the cats and team-up to be everybody’s support group.

A random thought: Al 100% has several named and cared for strays in East City. Fuery or Hawkeye probably care for them when the Elric brothers are gone. Ed has no idea.

An unpopular opinion: I don’t feel strong about this (and I don’t know if it’s could be considered “unpopular”) but I actually wanted a “power of friendship” ending to the series, in a way. Essentially, instead of Ed trading his ability to use alchemy for Al, after Hohenheim offers his life for Al’s, people start chipping in that Ed could use some of their life force instead of taking it all from Hohenheim. So it would be a call back to that time Ed used some of his life force to get out of being impaled, as well as a reflection of how Father made the homunculi. So instead of any one thing being traded, it would have been offered bits of dozens upon dozens of people that Al and the Elric brothers touched in some way, which also would have been a parallel to the philosopher’s stones (i.e. a mirror of the many lives for one method). So the culmination of “what is worth a life?” question would somewhat literally be all the different ways that life can affect others, represented just by little pieces of everybody else. I thought that would be neat. Though the somewhat tragic ending of Ed giving up his alchemy is also meaningful in its own way, so I’m not mad or anything. It’s just something I think about.

My Canon OTP: Roy and Riza, all the way. Very few ships make me actually invested in them, and they are one of the few. They’re so close and they trust each other wholeheartedly but also tease each other relentlessly. They’re friends and partners and the care they have for each other is palpable. The “ship conflict” isn’t about whether or not they will kiss or not, but rather, it’s just a matter of them vocalizing what they both know, and freaking surviving until the end of the manga. I just think they’re neat. A+ power couple imo. 

My Non-canon OTP: Uhh, I don’t really ship much at all in FMA (or many shows), but you know what? Heinkel and Darius. They got mad dad energy and they work well together. Yeah, I’m going with them. 

Most Badass Character: Ooo this is a tough one. There are lots of contenders, but it’s a close battle between Olivier and Riza. Olivier girlbosses gatekeeps gaslights stabs a man and cements over his body, but Riza is just an all around badass sniper and she keeps Team Mustang afloat. Yeah, I think Riza wins for sure, but shout-out to Olivier’s sheer metal and audacity. 

Most Epic Villain: Kimblee. Man wasn’t even involved in anything, he was just crazy, but in the most compelling way possible. He wasn’t random. He had some points. But he was just the incarnation of human apathy in a show about being driven by emotions and ambitions, and that was really interesting. 

Pairing I am not a fan of: Uh, besides anything that ships the kiddos with the adults, or siblings together, I guess I’m not a big fan of Al x Mei or Greed x Ling as ships. I like the friend synergy but it doesn’t feel deep enough to be a ship I guess? That and Greed is an adult imo so that’s just... mmmm noooo

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Honestly? I can’t think of anything. Arakawa out there slaying. 

Favourite Friendship: Now the friendship between Green and Ling is interesting. Greed’s the bad-influence big brother and Ling is the crafty young one that ends up teaching Greed how to have his cake and eat it too. They’re both on the same page low-key and they both use the other to learn how to care for people more? It’s just neat. The childhood friends dynamic of Ed, Al, and Winry is also nice. Like Al and Winry teaming up at Ed’s expense? Ed and Al being gremlings and Winry being responsible? Ed and Winry bantering and Al choosing sides at complete random? Classic. 

Character I most identify with: Winry, probably. She’s just chilling, focusing on her interests, and her friends pop in with problems without warning and suddenly she’s got to deal with it, but she loves her friends greatly and she’s not about ribbing on them. I get it. 

Character I wish I could be: Xiao-Mei. Oh, to be a smol panda, capable of rational thought but also not obligated to do anything. Jaws of steel. Can win fights and make grown men cry. Yeah. 

[envythepalmtree]

[ID: Discord screenshot.

Edventure: I really did write it though trying to just be like "Okay, what all did I really like about FMA? Yeah, more of that."

Aure: fuck yeah!!

(strikethrough) lmao my fic is almost the opposite of that

"what is everything I don't like about fma? let's do that bitch"

Edventure: Our fics are like... yin and yang!! Like, you delved into worldbuilding the past, and I delved into the future

Aure: NO LITERALLY

I love that

I love that so much

Edventure: I've been thinking that while reading, like, "wow, Aure just went in totally the opposite direction as me but with just as much dedication, lol"

End ID]

Seriously when I was reading @edisacornball's fic Labyrinth of Shadows I kept going "damn we were writing such similar things at the same time but like. different."

Labyrinth of Shadows is about post-canon Ed and his daughter, Aurora (who is my name cousin and a little shit just like me). And what's super cool about it is it takes elements of mangahood canon, like the significance of October 3rd, commentary on ethical science (like chimeras. especially chimeras oh my god), Al's crisis over whether he's real, and more. And ramps it up. The sci fi elements? I found them terrifying. It's a page turner (screen turner? page clicker? idk man) and I fucked up my sleep schedule because I couldn't stop reading, lol. It's very much genre fiction.

don't you dare look away, in case you didn't see me constantly posting about it, is about pre-canon Roy if he were Xingese and ADHD. It's a character study so it's very character-driven, and I found it leaning a lot closer to literary fiction. I had a lot of fun taking the elements of fma I don't like and framing them in a way that criticizes them. It's a fancy new genre I invented called Technically Canon Compliant. For example: Olivier being presented as a hashtag girlboss feminist. Or that scene where Riza asks Roy to burn her back and he's like "how could I do such a thing??" after burning tens of thousands of people to death.

Anyway I'm so obsessed with the fact that we wrote yin and yang opposite fics so everyone go read both of them right now

[springpalettes-art]

I was wondering what Ozaki would have looked like if she lived! Also what ships do you ship? I myself am fine with pretty much every ship (that is legal, not weird and has some chemistry) but I am curious?

Lately I've been into genshin impact ships, especially Lumine coupled with any of the male characters (Lumine harem ftw) and Ayaka and Thoma (malewife x girlboss yes amazing).In Kimetsu the only ship I feel strongly about is Akaza and Koyuki, I absolutely adore their love story. Other OTPs are Roy and Riza (FMAB) Natasha and Steve (Marvel Earth 3490) Shin and Noi (Dorohedoro) Levi and Hange (AOT) etc. (and my own OCs lol.)

Honestly tho I'm not picky and I don't care for the drama and ship wars. I just like what I like and let others enjoy what they like. I even enjoy the weird ships and rare pairs (like yachi and any other guy from haikyuu) so if you come upto me and be like hey this ship is cute, even if I don't like it, I'll probably be like oh nice tell me more.

[tabooalchemy]

I'm speechless after seeing a post of the FMA manga where they are analyzing riza and Roy meta and it shows the atrocities they both commit towards ishvalans, in one panel Roy burns a man, the last ishvalan to resist, who had been shot along with his dog. and the meta analysis... was about how, when the dude he torched with his mf dog cursed him, it became a weight for him to carry and only a brave girlboss can be at the side of this broken man who thinks he doesn't deserve love. Like. do you not see the problem? Jesus fucking Christ I'm like. that's literally how they desensitize you to genocide. wtf