#like all the other characters kept saying she was a recluse and doesn't talk much to others

[toonymoon-doodles]

Honkai Star Rail anybody?

I had to have my wisdom teeth ripped out! Had a hard time trying to draw anything for a good bit after and I was only able to play this game (even then that was a struggle) lol.

Anywizzle~ I'm a simp for Ruan Mei. Like holy shit. She did not need to grab me like I was her bitch. And then give me that cake? Fucking won me!! I mean- yeah, she only gave me that so I wouldn't tell others anything about her but she didn't have to give me a delicious pastry to achieve it.

[argumate]

(spoilers for Glass Onion)

the first Knives Out told the tragic story of a fucked up family, and family is always a convenient justification for a bunch of messed up people to be hanging out together and one that most of us are all too familiar with in real life.

Glass Onion told the story of a bunch of college (?) friends who hung out together at a particular bar, when one of them brought in a smooth talking idiot loser who must have had superpowers of some kind as he hooked the rest up with successful careers before becoming a billionaire himself based on her work and then betrayed her with the support of the others who defended him in court.

that's already a little weird! "a reclusive rich guy invites a group of people to his private island for a dinner during which someone will be murdered" is a classic premise but having the people all be college friends from way back doesn't add anything when they're already tied together by the fact that they committed perjury to defend the rich guy in exchange for his support!

business partners falling out is a solid premise (The Social Network) and if they were lovers (were they? I'm actually not sure) then that adds even more drama, but having this quite disparate bunch of characters be college friends only matters if you delve into their relationships and group dynamic, which the movie has little interest in doing.

and it's such a wordcel movie, oh my god, it could not be less interested in how a billionaire becomes a billionaire or what distinguishes a good idea from a bad one, it doesn't try to take its own premise seriously at all, unlike the first movie which was at least about a writer who writes books, solid wordcel territory.

look at the characters:

a fashion model / designer who tweets ethnic slurs, except of course she's not racist, she doesn't realise that they're slurs, that's a much worse crime: she's ignorant! she thinks that "sweatshop" is where they make "sweatpants"! classic bluecheck attitude where actual racism doesn't exist and economic exploitation is accidental and the worst crime someone could commit is being unaware of the proper shibboleths.

a Joe Rogan / Alex Jones MRA type ("sorry feminists") who of course is a manbaby pushed around by his mother; obviously he has to die.

the Elon Musk / Adam Neumann billionaire CEO who is both genius opportunist and shambling moron who can barely speak; unclear whether his garbled explanation of "disruption" represents the intellectual bankruptcy of actual disruptors or the writer's lack of comprehension of the term.

a black scientist who is very smart and plays basically no role in the movie; it's unclear why he would commit perjury given that he's the smartest character and could just go work somewhere else, hopefully not the implication that structural racism prevents him from doing so and the bad guy is the only person who will give him a job (???).

a female politician who commits to a (dangerous?) powerplant design in exchange for campaign funding, the closest time the movie comes to actually touching on a meaningful issue before quickly skittering away.

technology is writing "AI" on a napkin and having that be worth billions of dollars, while knowing the right words to say and how to say them is a Prized Skill that is actually Important.

(it's notable that the woman who is supposedly going to start the next Google ("Alpha") moves to the well-known tech hub of New York after finishing high school, not San Francisco!)

now these may seem like silly points to harp on for what is a silly murder mystery movie but the lack of sincere commitment to the premise undermines the emotional arc of the characters: it could be a comedy about them finally breaking free of the self-interest that has kept them loyal to the bad guy, or a tragedy about the ramifications of failing to break free and continuing their descent into hatred for each other and themselves, but both of those possibilities fall flat if the writers don't really care as why should we.

the hero and protagonist of the story ends up being the victim's sister, but the victim herself is barely given the chance to speak, let alone to explain what she saw in the bad guy, why she made that deal with the devil, and what other compromises she made to create a giant AI tech empire (!).

there are better stories here waiting to be told.

[jaded-quill]

Finally watched "The Batman" and the first thing I gotta say is: WTF that was Colin Farrel as Penguin?!

Ok though, I get the love for it now and how it stands out from all the previous Batman iterations. The biggest thing being Batman himself. Like, I am no Pattison fan. Nothing against the guy, just not a Twilight fan, etc, but he did a great job.

So the character really fits the canon with being Batman, who only becomes Bruce Wayne when he had to. Even more of a recluse than older versions because, let's face it, any modern telling has to account for technology causing issues otherwise.

He's already established as The Bat, but is still learning how to use the persona, and he spends more time being The World's Greatest Detective than beating people up.

I wanted to laugh at his hopelessly emo look when the suit and mask have just come off, but Batman has always been emo. He just doesn't usually look it quite so much.

I love how he runs around in a bulky jacket with a hoodie hood and often biker helmet to lurk in the shadows as a normal dude. His quick change is at least once just shucking the jacket and putting on the cowl.

I love how Jim Gordon is practically a friend, and has kept other cops from trying to arrest Batman, and they have this wary reaction to the Bat, but accept his help.

I love Selina, and the chemistry the two have right off the bat. It feels a little different. She feels a bit different.

I appreciate the badguy mostly succeeding for once, partially because Batman's ego or self-preservation gets in the way and stops him from properly interpreting the evidence at a critical juncture. He was so certain Riddler had figured out his identity, but if he'd really stopped to think, he'd see that the "platonic flirtation" with Batman didn't jive with the attempt on Bruce's life. Instead, he was convinced his cover was blown and very nearly gave himself away because of it. It was a seriously impressive display of barely-masked vulnerability peeking out through his eyes and posture as Riddler talked about Bruce.

Oh and he spends at least as much time rescuing people during the flood as he does kicking ass. Maybe more. The bit with the flare was a stellar set of visuals that told so much without words.

Also, the use of his Vengeance title throughout finall made sense when he realized at the end that he could also be a source of hope.

Like, just stellar writing.

Even his tech seemed advanced in some ways, but mostly the really useful shit like the contacts, which are very likely to be real soon enough if they aren't already.

Nothing too outlandish, really. Also, while he does have a souped-up batmobile, his fancy regular car he takes to the memorial service is a perfect impression of the shape of his traditional ride while still a normal enough car.

Basically, I just really appreciate this movie, a ton. It isn't something I'll rewatch a bunch, but I gotta give judos.

[animehouse-moe]

My Happy Marriage Episode 5: Ripples

Another week, and another solid episode of My Happy Marriage. It's well done thanks to a solid effort from Kinema Citrus. However, it has both the potential to be really great, and to fall into some pitfalls and challenges. Also, the story coincidentally picks up with this episode, so there's a great deal of stuff to talk about.

So right off the bat, this episode is all about character development/progression. They want to give characters something new, to show viewers that these pawns in front of them aren't just pawns. And they do quite well with it, if not making a potentially fatal mistake.

Miyo is the main character, that's undeniable. And she is the glue that binds this cast together. However, with a 12 episode season (and being halfway through it), they rely on her character too much to inspire change in the others.

Kudo becoming more open with his emotions is a solid idea and is inescapably tied to Miyo, for example. However, Kouji's rally against his father and distaste for his actions doesn't need to be. It also really wouldn't hurt to see Kaya do something that isn't about Miyo.

It's a bit vague to say, but My Happy Marriage continues to teeter on the edge of a Cinderella story where I think they have the potential to explore something far greater. With the types of characters involved, especially with the use of Kouji's older brother and Godo, there's potential to explore things that exist outside of the lens of Miyo's marriage to Kudo. They have a unique idea for a world, and have kept the use of it very confined up until the end of this episode. I'm really hopeful that with this experience we'll see a shift in how the characters interact and engage with one another.

Anyways, back to the character stuff! I'll start with Kudo since he's the first one mentioned. I really enjoy how they show how he expresses his emotions. In front of Yurie and a stranger he's all but a brick wall. After all, Yurie's the equivalent of a mother to him, there's no way he'd show his true emotions.

It's nice to see, because it shows just how he interacts with Miyo. He doesn't suddenly become all lovey dovey, but rather it finds a way to creep out of him in other moments. It might slip while he's in front of someone else, or he might let it all out when it's just him and Miyo, but the exploration of how Kudo conveys his emotions and around who is really well done to continue to stay true to that more recluse and cold personality that he's known for.

Following up Kudo we've got Kouji, whose character at this point feels like it really hinges on his older brother. Really, without them, I'm not sure what would become of Kouji's character, as it's really flat without the intervention of someone else's.

Regardless, Kouji steps up in this episode. For the first time he raises a hand against his father in a fit of anger after finding out about Miyo. It's a strong piece that gives Kouji an interesting path moving forward. Though if I'm being honest, Kazushi steals the show and there's nothing to really be done about it. Kouji's character is meant to be the Average Joe, the guy that just wasn't enough, and I think that's really well expressed through Kouji's brother Kazushi. He's weaker than his older brother, less resolved and creative, he's just sort of there. Regret and failure and hesitation are all part of his character. Kazushi is the one that spurs him on, that gives him the freedom and resolve to seek out Kudo to get Miyo back. And to that end, I think that's why I like Kouji throughout these episodes. He has his role, and plays it impressively well with the help of his brother. It's also why I think Kouji's character is one of the better explore through the series since there's a further degree of separation with Miyo when compared to the others.

And then there's Kaya. This is certainly the most Cinderella-esque aspect by far. I think hating a character is a solid trait for a character, but it's simply that. A trait, and nothing more. Kaya doesn't have much else besides that, existing as a spoiled child that had while Miyo had not. It's not that she craves power or anything like that, after all, the reason for her actions this episode are because she thought that one guy was hot and then found out that was Kudo.

I think her willingness to partake in this scheme gives Kaya potential to grow as a character in terms of depth due to potential outcomes, but overall I won't be surprised if they remain shallow. They're the character that's used to draw the ire of the viewers. She doesn't bear ill will in the same way Miyo's father did when he found out Miyo didn't have supernatural abilities, nor does she find intense hatred like Kaya's mother does since Miyo is a child from a previous marriage. She's missing the core piece for that hatred, the raison d'etre, and I'm not sure it will really be discovered with how things are being approached.

Anyways, the last bit of the episode: the kidnapping. Solid idea, good execution that makes use of the supernatural abilities prevalent in this world. I'm just curious to see how they end up using it. Undoubtedly Miyo will remain decorative to the actions taken, but I'm more so curious to see what will come of families facing off so early in the story. Will we follow it up with a deeper dive into a sort of Cold War? Will a tonal shift occur where more focus is placed on abilities? Or will we continue with the status quo? Once more, I think this is a strong deciding factor in the quality and approach of the story at large. There's potential to comfortably shed the pretense of a Cinderella story, but at the same time it's painfully easy to return to it.

Overall, I still think it's a solid episode that can keep the attention of viewers. It's just that for those that look a little deeper the potential for the story hangs in the balance. It's a natural tipping point, so I'm hopeful to see positive and creative change come out of such an important event for the characters. I'm most certainly looking forward to seeing what we end up with next week.

[mayordea]

PLEASE tell me about your Robin headcanons, I'm so curious now.

oh beans i didn't expect a response to my meme! (i mean, it has happened before but my answer was a bit undercooked) normally i'd say my headcanons are cringe and try not to talk about them but THIS TIME i am excited to indulge, mainly to have them written down on my art page :> this may end up being a long boy answer lol

(as a brief preamble, i've pretty much been building off of these robin headcanons since like, middle school or so (at least 5 years) for my smash fanfiction. while the amount of Stuff i've imagined for them might make them a bit different from their original characters, the context of awakening is what prevents me from turning them into full-on oc's)

anyway. i'm not responsible for any damages this may induce. the actual hcs will be under the cut

Both of them

so to start out, both the female and male variants are separate entities rather than like, alternate dimension counterparts. in fact, they're siblings (reeaally starting a bit out there i know). for reference, the girl (younger of the two) is named reflect (a misreading of the japanese name i grew attached to. it is what it is) while the boy is just robin. this is why i usually try drawing them with different clothes so they don't look like clones of each other lol. i like to think some aspects like the shirt and the black robe and tall brown boots are staples of the "tactician" uniform to explain any similarities.

neither have amnesia (since i just.. don't like the trope that much + i wanted to have them remember and reflect on their upbringing y'know). robin is actually a regular, normal blooded dude (which is why i don't really depict him in an evil grima-possessed form). reflect on the other hand did have grima's blood, which tipped off the grimleal in hopes to resurrect grima. however, much like the original awakening story, reflect's mama took her away out of fear of what the grimleal would do to her in pursuit of their goals. due to circumstances that i haven't fully figured out yet, robin was left behind and was raised by daddy dearest validar. reflect was raised by her mama and unaware of the grimleal or that she even had a brother/father at all.

a fairly old but still good ref of their differences. i definitely took a lot of liberties with reflect obviously (i REALLLLY like robin's original design, main reason why i got so attached to the character, so i kept it pretty true to the original with some details i dont like redrawing sanded off). a lot of design elements developed over the years and came from various sources.

(strap thingies on the side were based on cipher art, stockings are based on heroes art of f!morgan, cloak is partially inspired by the grandmaster design (albeit heavily simplified), shorts... i just thought looked cool, blah blah)

ok enough rambling, time to ramble about them individually

Robin

if it wasn't clear by how i'd often draw robin with a tired/exhausted look on his face, he isn't exactly the most high-energy guy :p he's jaded and sometimes a bit of an asshole to people he doesn't know. pretty unapproachable generally. i hope the fact he was raised by validar would explain why. i imagine validar was particularly bitter about the grima vessel slipping out of his grasp and took some of that out on his remaining child.

his strict upbringing helped him become very proficient in tactics and magic as expected... but also a bit reclusive and not much of a people person. he'd travel around after being sick of validar's shit, which is how he crosses paths with chrom. chrom basically takes him in and lets him work as a tactician for the shepherds, which is an act that causes robin to become very attached and loyal to chrom. i'd say he's an established member for a few years before the events of awakening.

he's kind of unathletic (very skinny bastard) and probably has redditor posture (inspired by how slow of a runner he is in smash bros). magic is much more his "asset" ;) his sword game is mid if he's not wielding the levin sword.

he remains single to the end of awakening's campaign, but historians note he was "really good friends" with chrom (he is attracted to men lol. specifically chrom. but then chrom gets married which complicates things 🥴).

Reflect

in comparison to her male counterpart, she's much more free-spirited and bubbly. she's chill and great at making friends, a bit more accurate to the original. she was also raised to be a tactician, though she is comparatively still a novice. still, she's a quick and enthusiastic learner. i also imagine her to be kind of a risky thrill-seeker.

when she leaves her small community to explore the world, she comes across the burning village in awakening's first chapter, which is how she crosses paths with chrom. she joins his gang to further her learning as a tactician and to make some friends yeeaa!! (i haven't written as much about her as i make mrobin 😛)

she later marries chrom and becomes the mother of lucina.

I sometimes draw her with red hair tied in a black bow-- that's related to some non-fe fanfic stuff that is too convoluted and cringe for this already lengthy and cringe post. but it's an alternate look for her i think is kind of cute 😊

~~~

hopefully that's a sufficient enough answer, my brain always gets really scattered whenever i have to elaborate my robin hcs to someone else. i get a bit self-concious about them because i think i'm so far off-base with their original characters (but can't oc-ify them with some elements being based in the world/story of awakening) that i'll become like. public enemy of the greater robin community. but i know that's a bit ridiculous, so i let loose here as a means to get these many thoughts somewhere on my art page as a reference for when i draw these fellas in the future :)

there's also the separate tangent of their offspring, the morgans (or morgan being the girl, and marc being the boy) but this post is long enough as is so i'll just leave it there :,)