#in a very problematic nostalgic way :

[waitingforminjae]

just discovered colter wall and wanted to know if you’ve listened to him sinse you’re into country 👀 he’s got a bery cool voice, someone said his music was more of a hobby and he mainly worked as a farmhand

omg yeah!!!!!!!!! i've got two of his songs in my playlist omg

but beyond that i haven't listened to him much, so I'll have to check out more of his stuff! i rlly like these two songs a lot ❤️

[olderthannetfic]

I've seen some posts about what shows first got people into F/F fandom that have said they're not including The L Word in these discussions because "it's problematic." Which makes no sense to me. How does recognizing that something is problematic in 2023 change how you felt about it when it was airing in the 2000s, or when someone online told you about it in the 2010s because it was still a huge part of lesbian pop culture for a while after it ended? It was the show that helped me realize I was gay. Yeah I recognize a lot of its issues with biphobia and transphobia now, but that recognition doesn't mean I can go back and in time and change "the show that made me gay" to a different one. It doesn't work that way.

I've seen this attitude pop up more and more in fandom and it's really weird. Like saying "find something else to be nostalgic about" to Harry Potter fans, when nostalgia is by definition about something in your past. You can read a different kids' fantasy book series now, but that doesn't change that it's not the one you read and latched on to when you were an actual child.

A lot of very influential stuff doesn't stand the test of time and is problematic. But that doesn't mean it wasn't influential. And also, idk, I feel like a lot of younger lesbians and bi women don't really know what it was like to see that show in the 2000s when there were signifcantly fewer shows with all-queer casts, and from what I remember, no other shows with entirely queer women casts.

--

Yeah, for real.

My personal experience was that very few of the women I hung out with ever watched it, seeing it as a show for non-geeks and one with a vibe that just didn't fit anything about them or their queerness, but it's not like we have so much f/f or lesbian media that we can just ignore a major show's entire existence if we talk about pop culture history.

People are desperate to retcon history.

[sylvienerevarine]

WIP Wriday

@nostalgic-breton-girl very nicely tagged me this week! I'm so sorry but once again I am going to inflict another snippet from the BG3 fic I've been writing, tentatively titled Kestrel MacDuff Writes a Bad Romance. I promise I am simultaneously working on my dawnguard fic, particularly in terms of descriptions of weird mushrooms.

---

“You are…remarkably open-minded.” “Well, I’ve always sort of had to be,” said Kestrel. “People don’t go on pilgrimages to Hargrave when their lives are going brilliantly. We got people passing through who’d lost their entire families, who were dying of venereal diseases, who were retired assassins or gang bosses–you wouldn’t believe some of the confessions Mama Bettina heard when she was handing out blessings. After a while you stop being shocked, give them what they need, and send them on their way.” She chewed her lip thoughtfully. “But you know, hearing all those wild stories…I think that’s why I became a writer. I longed to see the world like our visitors did, but I was too afraid to leave, so I just wrote about the adventures I’d have if I could.”

I tag @inkoherentwriting, @stormbeyondreality, @your-talos-is-problematic, and @dirty-bosmer!

[miru667]

hiii!! miruu it's me (AGHDG again) i wanted to tell you that....in ur drawing celebrating a decade for the Onceler fandom you left a link to another publication and I BARELY NOTICED IT T-T... but well the topic is uhmmm

i wanted to say how much i adore that you shared that with us aaaandd HOW I LOVE THE DEDICATION YOU PUT TO YOUR DRAWINGS!!! LIKE every line you made- for example the lines you did on the old onceler's suit, GOD and his chain WHAT (i always go to that drawing because you don't know the feelings it transmits to me) i loved what you say about Onceler Aftermath, about what it represents regarding the fandom and how you added so many references that i know are very significant and nostalgic for the fandom and the people who formed it at the time

apart from that i love that you mentioned everything you referenced in the drawing!!thaaanks for that, i must say that i did not know many of them and i even ended up reading one of the ask blogs that you cited hehe

and the fact that it took you 6 MONTHS AAAAA this drawing deserves to be framed in gold

i REALLYYY love reading the history of this fandom and what it means to you...and i know that even though i wasn't there, i can feel the love you have for all of this

im glad that a person like you is still in this, and willing to explain and convey to new travelers (like me) what all this is :")))

and before i go i would like to ask you a question since i read all this ^^

at the beginning of the fandom... did you ever imagine what would come to be formed and then continue to have an impact on people???

THAT'S ALL AAAA A HUGEEE APOLOGYY for the length of the menssage but there were so many things to say TuT that i didn't even say some , reading the entire post made me smile and inspired

SHAKOOOOOOO 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭 Thank you for reading that behind-the-scenes post omg that means a lot to me TTWTT... it's okay if you didn't notice it before, it's because I only recently attached the link onto the main post AGJSGUD BUT STILL like??? The fact that you've been coming back to that zine piece is so 🥺🧡 it makes me happy that someone likes it that much!! Sgjhjd yes I went pretty insane for this picture since it was the COVER so I felt a lot of pressure! 😭 It was a zine to celebrate 10 years of the fandom so I wanted to draw something to represent those 10 years, and so I decided to play to my strengths and take advantage of my knowledge of fandom history :,)...thank goodness they gave us plenty of time to finish our pieces dchgjd

And for your question: NO I absolutely had no idea what the future held back then, nor did i think about it! In 2012 I simply lived for the moment, moment to moment in a state of obsession. I don't think anyone can predict how things will be looked back on in 11 years while you're just enjoying the moment in present time. The way people engage with fandom stuff has shifted greatly in the past decade, attitudes about "cringe" keep changing too, things that are hilarious to us right now could be seen as problematic in another 10 years and vice versa in ways that you're unable to conceive of at present. People have gotten art careers thanks to improving their art through the onceler fandom, others have gotten married to someone they met through the fandom, and others have been traumatized and feel weird when they see old fandom posts being reblogged...there was no way I could've predicted any of that at the beginning. It was my first fandom, tumblr was still relatively new, and the internet was a very very different place! And I was also a very different person.

[heyyallitsbeth]

so i let the hyperfixation win.

over the past several hours i rewatched Sword Art Online and SAO 2.

(this time dubbed, last time i watched it subbed)

here are my thoughts:

-anyone who said the dub was bad is just wrong. Kirito's VA really shines in the more comedic or sweet moments (like when first meeting Yui), he reminds me of like a Peter Parker. and oh my lord, the breakdown by Suguha's VA was just a masterpiece. Still have chills from watching it.

-i have such a big appreciation for every character. This time it really shined through how good of characters Kirito, Asuna, and Suguha actually are.

Kirito's internal conflict throughout SAO2 is so good, grappling with their actions they needed to take in SAO to survive. and throughout all of it you can tell how much they truly loves their friends and family, and how kind hearted they really are. Asuna definitely fits into that role as well, being so ready to take care of Yui and so desperately wanting her to be safe and loved and cared for.

And oh my gosh Suguha. I remember people absolutely hated her arc because it is problematic, but the fact is, it's played entirely serious, her feelings arent taken as a joke. She has a genuine and real internal struggle for feeling things she feels she shouldnt, and how she feels those feelings arent reciprocated or cant be reciprocated, and having her heart broken twice by someone who she loves and someone who also does still genuinely love her. Its absolutely heartbreaking to watch.

Man, Sinon is still fantastic. She's still my absolute favorite, and I think she is one of the best characters in the show, and pretty much steals the show from her introduction. Her arc ties in so seamlessly with Kirito's and how they help eachother heal and grow is fantastic. Only complaint is we never got a scene of the rest of the Gals being jealous about the grenade hug she gave Kirito. After Kirito and Sinon nearly died, wouldve been some nice relief so you didnt feel like you yourself were dying.

-Speaking of, while there was definitely a ton of fanservice, the pseudo-harem aspect with the jokes were kinda cute, between characters seeing flirting happen around them, getting embarassed over it, its fun. Especially when people got jealous of Sinon flirting with Kirito over Excalibur. That part was very fun, since they did that infront of everyone else, almost like they were trying to get a rise out of them. Theyre not exactly the pinnacle of comedy, its definitely a trope, but theres something nostalgic about it that makes it kinda enjoyable.

-Speaking of the psuedo-harem, guys if all of you are constantly flirting with eachother (not just Kirito surprisingly, happens between the other girls frequently) and jealous of any affection with that, just start a polycule. You're a group of gamer girls playing MMOs together and all of you have slept in the same bed with eachother. Stop snipping at eachother and start dating eachother. Polyamory is pretty cool. Kirito and Asuna can still be the main duo and be the parents to Yui and Strea; but yall gotta work on the jealousy or just do what every other group of girl gamers does, polyamory. Lisbeth you should not be angrily drinking while watching Kirito and Asuna talk. (this is mostly a joke, im not actually saying they *have* to do a polycule, its more of a joke because of how tropey a lot of the flirting and jealousy is, and yknow, gay girls do polyamory, so dont take this part toooooo seriously.)

-Speaking of girls dating girls, the LGBT rep aint half bad. Argo canonically using both male and female pronouns is really cool! Most of the girls flirt with eachother a lot too, which is nice. Between the female avatar, the willingness to pretend to be a girl, the introversion, the desire to be an avatar in a virtual world more than irl, Kirito might be transgender. All good stuff here.

Overall, SAO is honestly way better than I remembered, even if some parts definitely show its age. You gotta piece it together a little bit with headcanons, but i do that with every show, nothing is perfect. Except Sinon. And a world where trans Kirito is canon. Those are perfect.

[loveaetingkids]

Arthur and the Minimoys or the nostalgic movie I would not recommend 

Back when I was little I was a big fan of a cartoon that told a story of a 10 year old boy traveling to the land of microscopic creatures in order to rescue his grandpa.But upon rewatching the trilogy (yes,there are three movies out there) I realized that it has way more problematic aspects then I remember.You may ask:what is so icky about a French cartoon from 2000s with uncanny valley effects that made you want to warn people?Well worry not,for I will explain it to you!

1.Bogo Matassalai

Bogo Matassalai is a fictional African tribe that the main characters grandfather,Archibald Suchshot,helped build an irrigation system.As thanks,they gifted him a bag of rubies and introduced him to their friends-minimoys.What is interesting though,is that both tribes mentioned moved to Connecticut,specifically to the Archibalds yard or nearby,seemingly without any reason (as it wasn’t mentioned in any film).Bear in mind that Arthur’s grandfather is supposed to be an explorer during the 60s,so now the implications are weird.

Another thing is Bogo Matassalais lack of individuality:we don’t learn about their reasoning behind abandoning their homeland to move with Suchshot,their backstories aside from what others told of them,even their names are unknown.The tribe usually shows up when the plot requires them to,helping the main character and then disappearing.What’s worse is the reaction of others towards them:Arthur’s father,Francis,after first seeing members of Bogo Matassalai,ran away frightened towards home where he tried to call the police,and when he failed,Francis tried to explain that he saw “tall and black” figures.His wife,Rosie,isn’t better in this regard:every time she sees the tribe,she either faints or acts as if they could bite her head off.It seems that the crew behind those films wanted to show the bias of Arthur’s parents and ridicule them, but without devoting enough time to this aspect, the audience only sees the shuddering and gawking at people of another ethnicity for the comedic aspect.

It’s also important to add that in the second film,the tribe wanted Arthur to pass the tests of nature,where he hugs trees and sleeps near wild animals.Aside from cultural inaccuracy I’m not qualified to dissect,we also get-

-this.

It becomes pretty clear that Bogo Matassalai are used either as a narrative foil or some kind of exotic “other”,stripping them of any personality or agency.However,this wasn’t the only instance the trilogy did certain characters dirty.

2.Selenia 

Oh boy,where do I even begin?The princess of the First Land was hinted to be Arthur’s love interest from the very start,but upon getting to know her we notice that she’s voiced by a grown actress(Madonna in the eng dub and Myléne Farmer in the french) and is sexualized either through frames that showcase her butt/breasts(like that scene when Arthur took a lace from her top-corset thingy and she had to hold it from falling apart) or through the words of grown men who want to marry her.So aside from objectification of said character,we also get the memo that she’s an adult and Arthur is too young for her.But apparently that isn’t the issue?During their stay with Koolamassai,the princess explains that she’s 1000 years old,but the human equivalent is 10.So now it’s confirmed that Arthur,a 10 year old boy,is considered an adult in Minimoys society and therefore allowed to marry Selenia,a woman who turns out to be a child in human years.So here we have a female character, who,despite being  portrayed by the male gaze,is still implied to be a kid.

Thus here are my reasons as to why watching Arthur and the Minimoys may be uncomfortable for an audience who hopped on nostalgia train or wanted to see something new.

[phuljari]

hii! (hello hi not bye bye!) phuljari here and aapko *brings out puja thali* namaste! *does your aarti* welcome welcome!

not that i'd ever do that irl lol. fancy welcome aside, iss blog ka introduction toh suno:

i am currently very very obsessed with ArShi (kind of new to it but had watched the show in snippets when i was younger!) i have also admired SaMud and DevAkshi. I used to loveeee ArDi and was kinda engaged in the fandom back when it first aired.

i'm mostly here to reminisce about my teenage desi otps cos i couldn't back then and i'm nostalgic rn. most of my fandom contributions have been for the english media but it just doesn't feel desi enough ykwim? so this is a dedicated desiblr (sideblog) just for me and my growing and ever-changing desi interests <3

i know that indian dramas are very problematic and i also know that they have some of the most regressive tones and i don't support any of that just fyi. i hate most of them, and the amount of times i've cringed at some of the stereotypical themes have been uncountable. but, i still want to reclaim the redeemable parts that i enjoyed because being a mainstream english media consumer has kinda been feeling a little incomplete and i love the way things are changing, esp on ott platforms, the international exposure has had a positive impact on the quality of content.

i spent most of my teenage years with the notion that i hate these representations, but now that i'm older, i realise that it's not so black and white, that i could still love parts of these things without it becoming a reflection of me and my values. moreover, i dislike typical fem representations as that's something that i struggle to connect with (i'm averse to a lot of typical girly stuff) but i still want to be able to love the other feminine parts of me without the fear of being stereotyped or feeling misrepresentated.

i wanted to say all of that because i don't connect well with people who are ardent fans of indian tv since a lot of them don't notice the subtle yet problematic themes in the portrayal of these stories. i find that this platform has some sensible people who recognise these facts and yet show their love towards these stories! i'm just here to fangirl, share my opinion, and reclaim the elements of these stories/characters that i love without it becoming a huge discourse on traditions/mythology/religion etc.

[strawberrypoundcake]

Also I dont know if I can really explain why I don't like Hazbin but like Helluva. It actually is weird even to me but it might have something to do with other people's influence into writing Helluva while Hazbin seems overall more self-indulgent for VP. I didn't really think "oh I like this show" until a bit into season 1 too and there's still a LOT of moments on the show I wish didn't exist to put it kindly lol.

I try not to be too much of a hater about it but even ignoring her other problematic behaviors, VP just makes these really weird decisions sometimes that make me uncomfortable and ruin my vibes with either show. I think this is a common problem people have with her or something. Just that Helluva seems to have less of those problems than Hazbin, and I feel like I really start to see the influence of other writers on the show the more season 2 goes on. This is all based on my gut feeling tho but basically I vibe more with it.

Hazbin, however, does weird shit like place an extremely serious and graphic scene about SA... In a show with fun nostalgic cartoon world vibes... And then they go on to sell several merch of the character who was responsible for the SA.........

Like it's a problem with me in Helluva too with them selling merch of Stella, who has already been revealed to be a domestic abuser on the show. But also the way it's approached on Helluva is way more subtle without feeling gratuitous. I can also give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe Stella is going to have a redemption arc of some sort. (still weird tho!)

But yeah it's stuff like this that, besides making me not want to endorse or financially support the shows, makes me not take them very seriously sometimes. Like yeah great thanks you showed that there is a very brutal assault happening to this character on a daily basis, that's horrible and bad, but then you....... sell merch of his abuser on the shop?? Oh it must not be that serious then...?????

[bloody-wonder]

top 5 villains in fiction? Or alternatively, top 5 antagonists, totally up to you.

thank youuuuu :)

lol so i'm very obnoxious about what kind of character does or does not constitute a villain/an antagonist so these are like top 5 that passed that rigorous selection process

graham reid malett aka gabriel (the lymond chronicles). so my problem with villanous characters is that i'm a contrary bitch and when authors want me to really hate someone i usually end up either not caring either way or actively rooting for them lmao. but with gabriel dunnett managed to create someone truly terrifying and compelling at the same time. he's sort of a variation on lymond himself in the sense that he's what other characters think lymond should be - he's a version of lymond that conforms. or seems to conform, to put it more accurately, but that's the horror of it all - being a good man vs. seeming like one, and who's to say what's more important in the grand scheme of things? so the depiction of how any reasonably talented sociopath can charm his way to power and none will be the wiser is very realistic and scary but also - his villain monologues? outstanding. his gaslighting game? virtuoso. the homoerotic tension with the hero? off the charts. yet to be dethroned as my favorite villain of all time.

azula (avatar: the last airbender). i just like how cool and competent and dramatic she is and tbh the gaang were able to beat her only bc she conveniently got a bad case of mommy issues at the end. the last agni kai lives in my mind rent free - truly one of the greatest moments of cinema history.

milady de winter (the three musketeers, especially the 1978 adaptation). i knoooow she's the problematic femme fatale trope or whatever but i don't care. she's the blueprint. she has that sad backstory of being used and abused by men but i don't even particularly care about that either. she's an evil spy ladyboss i connected with on a neurological level when i was 11 and i have loved seeing her winning battles and losing wars again and again ever since.

lord voldemort (harry potter). tbh just a classic nostalgic "i want dominion over everything" kind of villain who at the same time represents evil and insidious real world ideologies that we like to think we defeated once and for all until they rise again - and in a very ironic fashion too, given by whomst this particular villain has been authored. i like voldemort's iconography and origin story but i also like how at the end of the day he remains a "flat" sort of villain with none of that boohoo nonsense. like, seriously, sometimes one needs less snivelling and more "there is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it". i like the trope of having to collect a number of macguffins and do things in a very specific way in order to defeat him - and it does feel satisfying to see the characters finally accomplish it.

shen jiu (the scum villain's self-saving system). lol unlike in the case of milady i do care about shen jiu's backstory insofar as it means he has done nothing wrong ever in his life but he's on this list bc he's the titular scum villain and the book itself is about interrogating the roles people play in each other's lives and how those can be reframed if we change the perspective of the narrative. shen jiu is the villain bc luo binghe is the protag - the book tells us so on the meta level. but then as shen yuan learns more about shen jiu - and especially when we read the extra stories from shen jiu's pov - "villain" does not apply anymore as per my very specific criteria lol. in this regard shen jiu is also notable for asking one of the realest questions: while trying to get him to reconcile with liu qingge yue qingyuan says something like "do him a kindness and he'll return it tenfold" - to which shen jiu replies "ah but that's the thing - why should i be the one to be kind first?". bc if you think about it "why should i be the one to break the cycle of violence?" is one of the fundamental villain questions.

[noa-ciharu]

hey...

Can i recommend this BL to an 11 year old? (She says to recommend her some BL anime)

So... is Junjou romantica an ok BL for an 11 year old?

Wanna do x but she lazy to read manga

JUNJOU ROMANTICA?? TO AN 11 YEAR OLD??

Oke, jokes aside, I did watch Junjou romantica when I was 12-13 and absolutely loved it. Now that I'm older I can se just how heavily cliche and flawed Nakamura's writing is (as well as how she introduces some heavily problematic stuff and then, resolves it in rather anticlimactic ways or glosses over them), but I still adore her works. And I probably always will cuz they'll always be nostalgic to me

Manga is full of smut, but ofc anime is far tamer. Although, Junjou anime was aired in mid 00s I think so there are buncha, how do I say it, too suggestive scenes. Also Junjou has couples that have very rocky start of relationship and some hella big age gaps (ahem, 17yo and 35yo). I was slightly bothered by that when I was 13 but never had some moral crisis or purity police attack bc of that ofc, I had more critical thinking ability at 13 than most adults nowadays have sadly. But idk your friend so idk how she'll react to that, or think of getting jerked off on bed by your 10 year older tutor who is your brother's best friend and also writes BL about himself and your brother as introduction - yea, that happened in like, ep1. Cliche on steroids but keep in mind this was written in early 00s, hence basically set the foundations for BL cliches we know today. Fun time tho...

So instead I'd rec you start with Sekaiichi Hatsukoi instead. It's also a BL anime (manga too), written by same mangaka and even set in same universe. There are some suggestive scenes, some hardcore making out but nothing too smutty. Also characters are fun, there's comedy, plot revolves around manga editors so if she's into mangas/animes altogether she might find that bit fun. Is it cliche af? Yes. But is it fun to watch? Yes, at least it was for me back then.

Now, there are some non-con-ish scenes in SIH too, but since you wanted to recomend her X first I'd say what Takano does to Onodera (in anime at least) fails in every absolute comparison to any homoerotic courtship battle in X and Fuuma licking his crucified bf's neck and stabbing him. Anyhow, if your friend finds series boring and gets too repulsed by certain BL tropes she can always drop the series. I doubt it'll traumatize her anyhow unlike X and Tokyo Babylon

All in all, I'm certain there are far healthier shonen ai animes out there but welp, SIH can be a nice start into BL since it's fun and features adults characters instead of *looks at neverending series of BLs set in hs* school life drama

[all-pacas]

i’m still reading “Prairie Fires,” the biography of Laura Ingells Wilder of the Little House books and uh

did any of y’all know that in her later life, Laura’s daughter Rose was penpals with Ayn Rand, dabbled in fascism and racism and America First propoganda, all while Laura — while less political — generally agreed?

Honestly it’s a fascinating book and fascinating look at these women. Rose Wilder Lane is a mess but fascinating, and the book really makes a case for and explains both the hypocrisy and why a woman like Laura would fall so coldly conservative and hate the New Deal of the 30s so deeply — essentially, she was destitute most of her life, with no government aid programs to lean on and a government that was antagonistic in the general lawlessness of “pioneer times.” Part of it is frustrating, of course — “Oh, of course the childhood figure is Problematic!” — but it’s also frustrating as a figure looking back on them. Weren’t they once starving? Didn’t they survive on charity and neighbors? Why turn around and be so aggressive and hostile to the idea of others receiving help in turn? But of course that hypocrisy is… sort of human nature, disappointing as it is.

It’s a very interesting book. Laura comes off as more reserved and stoic and harder to get a grasp on. Rose is fascinating. I really don’t know that I like her, or would want to spend time around her, but she was in some ways so modern and in other ways so reactionary and difficult and completely lacking in self awareness. The book adds a lot of the politics into the time and era that the Little House series skirts over, and while the “nostalgia for colonization and the prairie” angle has always been part of the books and is a conservative message, it also makes it clear how apolitical the books were: Laura lived a hard, difficult life, and more than anything the stories seem nostalgic rather than intentionally propograndic.

[anotherclown2609]

The insight series. no 1: Bakugo's insight through his small moments.

-> What is this? A series where I look into small details in the novel and the manga of MHA (I don't like the anime) and point out things that define how I view my most favorite characters and ship (it's BKDK) then delivered to you in small doses.

#1 Bakugou and his appreciation of the past, in heavy corelation to the way he unravels his relationship with Deku. 

- He remembers and rethinks.

- He understands and relearns.

- He holds keepsakes of the past: memories and memorabilia.

In this part taken from the "school brief, novel 05, chapter 4 and novel 03, chapter 6", and this cut from the "manga, chapter 362", , I highlighted these moments here as indicators of how Katsuki is one secretly sentimental person over his relationship with Izuku and his admiration of All Might (which are central to his ideals, sense of self and objectives).

Credit to @dekusheroacademia for collecting these snippets.

(school brief, novel 05, chapter 4)

(school brief, novel 03, chapter 6)

(manga, chapter 362)

Or tldr, Bakugou is secretly sentimental.

(1) He remembers and rethinks:

• Remembers:

- His and Izuku's childhood selves from the resemblances towards the duo Takkun and Macchan.

- Theirs bond.

• Rethinks:

- His and Izuku's relationship in parallels to Takkun and Macchan's relationship.

- How Izuku's wish for them to make up indirectly spoke of his wants of mending their bond and Katsuki's feelings in reaction to that. He must have dwell on his thoughts of their relationship and his actions enough for it to pull an immediate reaction out of him.

(2) He understands and relearns:

• Understands:

- Their broken relationship and its problematic nature are not as simple as how it is for the two kids, which can only be concluded after a process of remembering and dwelling on thoughts about their relationship.

• Relearns:

- Izuku's wants of mending their relationships and how it is changing the nature of their relationship moving forward as now Katsuki is slowly acknowledging and giving into it.

- His conflicting opinions of how to deal with the situation as he is indeed more affected by it than expected.

(3) He holds keepsakes of the past: memories and memorabilia.

- He treasures Izuku enough to not cast aside memories of him, memories of their relationship and memories of what got them together in the first place: their shared admiration of All Might. And that is surprising for some, as he is not shown to be someone who lets people in on his vulnerable sides, where he is easily affected by, where his opinions of self and ideals are built upon and destroyed.

- Mind you, he was the kid that was always pushing Midoriya away or trying to run from his bonds with him because his sense of self was threaten by Midoriya's beings. And that kid not only did not erase any memories of Midoriya, but kept it close enough that he could point out resemblances in someone else. He also shown a side of him that is indeed humane and nostalgic too, by agreeing to Midoriya sentiment here, albeit in a very Bakugou-esque way.

But sentimental enough just like anyone else that treasure their memories. For real though, he has kept that card for a very long time and was now revealed to have deeply treasured it.

Conclusion of Bakugo's insight #1:

Katsuki Bakugo is actually one big sentimental guy under all that bravado he puts up. He treasures and puts more thoughts, and actions into his relationship with Izuku more than many like to admit. He is also someone who holds things dearly without ever spoken it out loud. Many would miss this and then judge him as just a brute and not a brute with layers, and multifacets that you need to read closer and deeper to discover.

So please, if you haven't, go read the manga and the novel. The anime do him no justice.

[rachaelmayo]

I realized that it was cruel of me to neglect to post the mutant bunnies after waxing nostalgic about them... These are the Beholder-spawned cursed bunnies that resulted from a misguided attempt to banish a cursed pink rabbit foot by feeding the foot to the Beholder.

Bunnies may appear randomly at the GM's discretion (especially when we're getting too serious, metagaming, or just need some excitement), or by having a priest/ess call upon the Fluffy Cult of Doom, Despair, and General Annoyance for "assistance".

Each bunny color has a "power". Sorta.

Yellow bunny - blonde, cute; has the effect of Power Word Happy on the group.

Teal bunny - thinks it's a duck (a teal is a type of duck), and can fly. Will convince other players that they can fly, too, but just for a couple of minutes.

Red bunny - starts out as a hot potato. When someone tosses it, it becomes a fire-breathing bunny.

Pink bunny - comes with a feather duster or two. Tickle attack!

Chartreuse bunny(ies) - usually occur in swarms; small, round, very bouncy balls of fluff. Get into everything.

Violet bunny - affected with a Curse of Depression, which affects everything around it. Curse can be lifted; becomes a faithful companion thereafter.

Orange bunny - the only evil-aligned bunny. Causes players to vomit up everything, including things that oughtn't be vomited, like shoes.

Polka-dot bunny - speaks in a faux-German accent, and causes everyone to dance the Polka as long as it is playing its accordion.

Green bunny - causes Plant Growth; otherwise acts like an ordinary rabbit.

Indigo bunny - neutral, but problematic - a bunny shoggoth that saps stats each round that it is present. Must be eliminated with a large fairground-type mallet.

Mauve bunny - there used to be a miniatures painting color that was called "Mind-flayer Mauve". This bunny is that color. It feeds on psionic energy and can be used as a weapon against psionic enemies. It likes the pretty sparkles that it alone can see.

Metal bunny - as in, heavy metal. Comes with a boom-box that can be used as a sonic weapon. Not evil, per se, but neither nice nor polite, either. Excellent way to clear a tavern or fill a dance floor.

Gray bunny - comes with its own weather system as a Curse effect. Can be useful; storms produce lightning and potable water.

Black bunny - comes with its own sphere of darkness - and a flashlight. You can only see the bunny when you're within its sphere of darkness and it has the flashlight shining beneath its face. Wears sunglasses after dark.

Brown bunny - BUNNY MAKE SMASH! Giant bunny. Has some kind of earth magic that allows it to move very large pieces of earth.

Beige bunny - same size as a brown bunny, but prefers interior decorating to earth-moving. Very friendly, and often in company with Brown Bunny brother.

Maroon bunny - as in "marooned". When it appears, it will take any players within a certain radius into a random plane for a few rounds. You're all lost and marooned together.

White bunny - always shows up one round later than called. Messes about with causality, but not on purpose.

Crimson bunny - think, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, if y'all remember that far back. Vampiric, but only toward vegetables.

Blue Bunny - ICE CREAM HEADACHE! Gives all players a horrible headache for a round, then you can all have ice cream.

Yes, it's all very silly. Eventually, these went from a curse-effect to playable characters, at the request of just about everyone who heard the story. The GM created a Toon Town backlot setting, let us all pick a color, and then let us romp around creating chaos. It was glorious.

Ink and Prismacolor markers.

[itsavgbltpta]

Should You Watch The Anime? (An Intro Post)

Should You Trust My Thoughts on Anime?

I figure if I’m going to be publishing my thoughts on anime, you may as well get to know some of my likes and dislikes to see if you vibe with said thoughts.  Or, I guess if you don’t vibe with me, you can use my reviews to avoid the shows I do like. XD

I’m still working on a definitive Top 10 Anime list, but I’ll be honest… I may never have that list done as new shows are coming out all the time.  So instead I’ll list out a few of my favorite anime in different genres to give you an idea of what I like.

Heads up that I’m a bit on the older side, plus I got into anime when I was fairly young.  That means there will be shows here from a good span of decades!

Magical Girl: Sailor Moon

It’s a nostalgic pick as this was my first real anime, but it still holds up even today.

Sports: Free!

I tend to like my sports anime 80% character interaction, 20% sports.

Mecha: Neon Genesis Evangelion

A classic for a reason.  I get something new from it on every rewatch.

Sci-Fi: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

Deep psychological stuff mixed with cool technology in an amazingly put together show.

Isekai: Re: Zero

It’s a good and actually unique isekai with more depth than I expect from the genre.

Shoujo: Fruits Basket (2001)

Yes, I like the original better.  It’s got a great mix of funny moments and tragic angst.

Shounen: Jujutsu Kaisen

This show takes the best parts of other shounen shows and puts it all together in one package.

BL: World’s Greatest First Love

Is it problematic? Yes. But I’m invested in the couples and how they will end up.

Horny: Interspecies Reviewers

Surprisingly deep world building and well animated kinky stuff?  Sign me up.

???: Samurai Flamenco

I love everything about this anime.  It defies genre.

Do I Hate Any Anime?

There is a redeeming feature or lesson learned from every anime I’ve watched, so you won’t see me list any hated shows here.  There are certainly some anime I’ve watched that make me think I really could have spent my time better doing anything else, though. >.<

If I get bored or don’t love a show, I will not be afraid to mention that.  I’m not being sponsored by anyone, so there’s no need to curb my own opinion.

My History With Anime

I’m putting this part last because you may not care about when/how I got into anime.  And that’s A-Ok with me.  But if you are curious, here you go.

As a very small child I was exposed to shows like Voltron, but I didn’t know it was anime at the time.  Then Sailor Moon started airing on broadcast television (I didn’t have cable TV growing up), and I got absolutely obsessed.

In a perfect storm, the internet started becoming easily accessible around the same time, so I hopped online to get more Sailor Moon in my life.  In doing this, I started seeing links to other recommended “anime” - which I pronounced as Anne-Nyme at the time.  

Between Blockbuster, Suncoast Video, and the local comic shop (which no longer exists, sadly), I dove into the world of anime. I sank my teeth into things like the Dirty Pair movies, Ranma 1/2, Record of Lodoss War, and even pre-ordered each VHS of Neon Genesis Evangelion as it was coming out. $25.01 for each tape with 2 episodes on it (dubbed, since it was cheaper and I only had my allowance to work with). I was dedicated to the hobby.

I never stopped liking anime from that point on. I ended up leading two anime clubs (high school and college), and I still host a group of friends every week to come over and watch anime.

I'll post a link to my MAL, but it's not complete. I've seen too many shows and have forgotten some along the way. I'm concentrating more on shows I've actually completed on the MAL and probably won't mess with trying to find all the stuff I watched decades ago.

And that about wraps things up for the intro. I've been watching 10-15 shows a season lately (plus whatever we watch in anime club), so I have a lot to talk about. Let me help you figure out if you should watch the anime!

[foxfoots]

@schmem14, I like the way you think. Cool idea, and thanks a bunch for the invite. These are in no particular order. All of these books were chosen because they had a significant impact on how I read, perceive the world, try to conduct my own thoughts and actions. Some of these works are problematic/troubling to me today. I’ve read all of these multiple times and share how my thoughts on them have changed over the years. I hope I’m not too rambly! I'm not tagging anyone, but all who see this are welcome to share.

Coming of Age in Mississippi, Anne Moody. I think was the first memoir by a women involved in the US Civil Rights movement that I read. Moody tells her own life story here in a way that is true and very personal. Her voice and experiences were and are very different from the famous and more lauded male leaders of the movement I’d learned about in high school history classes. The Parchman Prison (and its many atrocities) written about in this memoir still exist.

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. When I saw previews of the beautiful miniseries on A&E network in 1996 I immediately tore through this novel. Reader, I loved it. I still appreciate the author’s complex use of gender and class expectations. Austen has a wicked wit and sometimes sharp tongue- her real life letters are also a good read.

Fun Home, Alison Bechdel. This memoir changed my opinion on graphic novels (they’re not all comic books about men in tights), and Bechdel’s thoughts on pop culture, queer studies, and feminism are thought provoking. The artwork and writing are fab, funny, tragic, insightful.

Cather in the Rye, JD Salinger. When I was 15 I pulled this off the library shelf, read the first page (phony bastards!), and carried it directly to the circulation desk. Holden Cauffield’s character and narrative voice were a modern splash of cold literary water and introduced me to a different kind of protagonist. I think this is the kind of book you read at different ages/stages in life and see different things. As an adult… wow, Holden’s life if full of neglectful and absent adults.

Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, & Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Maurianne Adams et al. These books are/were pivotal in shaping my work as a social justice educator. The teaching guides and bibliographies and articles are designed to challenge bias and privilege and encourage individuals to critically examine institutions and the status quo. They’re now a bit dated and feel very academic…

The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros. This novella is a short read but jam-packed full of beautifully lyrical (almost magical, sometimes) language and life in a working class, Latinx neighborhood. Esperanza shares incredibly insightful observations about culture and prejudice, sexism and sexual assault, gender roles, poverty.

The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley. A book about the Arthurian legends that isn’t dude-centric! This giant tome of a book swept me into a fascination with the various and differing lore of Camelot. Later re-reads seemed troubling in that the violence against women seemed less old-timey misogyny and more just straight up brutal. I can’t read this book anymore because of the revelations of abuse and enabling of abuse by the author- it makes the book’s violence even more disturbing for me.

Coming Home, Rosamunde Pilcher. This is my go-to easy read when I’m feeling nostalgic or sentimental. My favorite of Pilcher’s “Aga Sagas,” this WWII novel clocks in at almost 1,000 pgs and helped fire a lifelong love of stories set in UK.

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee. I now find this book troubling and racist, but at 17 it was powerful and a felt like an exposé of racial violence and prejudice. No one in my life wanted to discuss these topics. TKAM is flawed and a classic example of the white savior. I think it’s worth comparing the overt racism of Lee’s characters to both modern micro-aggressions and the raging violence we see in hate crimes, policing… pretty much everywhere.

Saint Maybe, Anne Tyler. The best of Tyler’s books, IMO. It’s an absolute gem as she explores her main themes of family life in Baltimore. What is family- are we born to it, or can we create our own definitions and bonds? The characters are incredibly well written. This is a comfort read for me, and re-reading it reminds me that I’m allowed to enjoy “beachy” reads.

[tooth-fucker]

hey! first post but i have been obsessed with the internet and internet culture for around 10 years now. i have been mulling over this topic for MONTHS, but today i started seeing a HUGE influx of “musical.ly”s on tiktok, something that just started today. i wanted to share my opinions on a platform that will actually understand what i mean. all the friends i’ve messaged and even my own parents think i’m crazy.

and cont. from the notes app:

“and personally, i think the only thing that’s going to keep this going is if we continue to bring back more musical.ly audios. this won’t be just a one-off thing, this “musical.ly” trend will continue and evolve into early tiktok audios, once again leaving us standing at the doorstep of the 2020s. when we open that we’re going to realize we have hit a dead end. you can’t make nostalgia nostalgic. and that’s all we have been doing these past three years. i know i’m talking in loops and skipping around a lot but my god i’ll scream this from the rooftops if i must. as someone who spent their entire childhood on this internet seeping in memes and irony and curated content, i personally feel like i have a lot of knowledge on the topic. i see memes constantly being upcycled, “created” to fit the new climate of the world, but dude it’s the same damn joke i saw at ten years old sitting on the floor of my bedroom with my sister, scrolling through tumblr, wattpad and youtube on my ipad

“and can we talk about MM3? melanie coming back is a HUGE part of this, and depending on when her album releases it can completely alter the trajectory and impact of these trends. the idol and ICON of the 2010s tumblr music genre. talking about issues that were very prevalent in that time (plastic surgeries, being “fake” to look perfect online,) and near none of these things apply to media today (“clean girl” aesthetic, kim removing her implants, the reverting back to “natural”, imperfection creating a sense of “realness” in online media today). but she’s coming back, and with that she’s either going to bring light to issues with society today (something that will make this 2010s aesthetic hit mainstream media, since radio stations love pretending like “woke music” is something new or exciting (ex. see the victoria secret song, which i hate with a burning passion)), or hit some chord with gen z that will further solidify us falling into a millenialization, pretending like we’re still relevant and our opinions matter when they don’t (sorry millennials i love y’all 😭) either way this is going to skyrocket her popularity (like K-12). she couldn’t have come back at a more perfect time. and to top it all off, it’s almost even better she changed her aesthetic, just to really drive home the whole “we’re doing the same exact shit we’ve gone through but BETTER”.

“internet culture has changed too much. 2010s were a time of seeping in hatred, eating disorders, inside jokes, pretending to be “different”, not like other girls. today’s culture is all about being on the same level playing field as each other. we’re not going to become “problematic” again guys. the 2010s is either going to transform modern culture again or dissipate into obscurity.””

i’m done. thanks y’all. sorry i’m a mess.