#not wanting it to be like one of those weird character hottie designs

[tothesolarium]

Logic: finish drawings im in the middle of

The imp at the steering wheel: RANDOM PERSON WHO IS BIG METAL SCARY HOLY GUARDIAN OF A TOWN AND HOT AND GUNNA KILL A MECH

[how-to-do-it-better]

Sex Should Be Fun, Not Dirty

 A few things that gross me out about porno myths

By LargoKitt. Listen to the Podcast at How To Sex.

What I HATE About Porn

Right up front let me make it clear that I watch erotica, read erotica, and write erotica. Please scope out my stories or poems or even my art and I think you will be pleased. Porn is very ancient stuff. Prehistoric people were making images designed to turn them on, and I'm sure they were sitting around the campfire and telling spicy stories. Motivating people to do the deed and plant the seed has been a major push for millennia. Hindus and Greeks and lots of other folks have gods who celebrate procreation. Heck, the Bible contains the steamy Song of Solomon. And in Genesis, God never said, "Don't fuck." He said, "Be fruitful and multiply."

Don’t Make Me Feel Shitty

Point 1: BDSM. I don't think sex is dirty and I really don't much like stories or vids or auds that portray people who feel like shit for feeling horny. Guys should not have to apologize for hard-ons they get in an honest scenario. Horny is built into the machinery. But hang on, I understand that if you were brought up in a strict religious household where touching yourself or anyone else without a legal contract will cause Old Scratch himself to snatch you by the short hairs and drag you to Hell where he'll fry you till you're a crispy critter; if that's the crap that's in the back of your head when you spot a hottie and the spirit rises; well then I can see how being bad and feeling good might end up in the back of the same pickup truck.

Since religious figures, priests and preachers and missionaries and nuns, are placed artificially off-limits, I can see how getting under that dark robe might be a turn on. But a story about raping a priest or a nun who used to humiliate you in school. That's not erotica. That's a revenge horror story and I hate it being considered a turn-on. And stories about religious folks exploiting or hurting kids is never sexy. It's criminal.

I personally despise stories that feature people despising each other, especially in the bedroom. I might write a story about people playing at humiliating one another. I can imagine people, maybe a woman CEO who is always in charge and demanding of respect, enjoying a fantasy where someone calls her a 'stupid worthless slutty cock-sucking bitch'. Same with a male CEO who likes to be ridden and whipped like a stubborn mule. I can imagine those characters getting relief from constant responsibility. I can see how the sting of a little pain might lift their spirits.

But I switch off when the sex is about the pain. Oh I get how a spanking or being bound and restrained might raise the stakes of sensation. But then the pain is about the sex. And the sex plus pain is for the pleasure of the person being bound or 'punished' not for some nut who gets his or her nut by hurting other people. I understand if your kink swells when you have someone in your power. But for me sex is always a dance with equal partners even if you're playing that it's not.

So. Stories teach. And I HATE stories or videos that teach men that it's okay to treat women like shit. Also stories that teach women that the only way they can tell a man what she wants is to be a cruel slutty dom. Or little girls who need permission from 'daddy.' Or independent women just waiting to be enslaved by a cruel master who "knows just what they want."

Bottom line: whatever your kink, sex should be fun for all members of the party and their members, and fun shouldn't make you feel weird and guilty.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Point 2 -- Girls just wanna have fun. I HATE porn that is all about the man getting his nut with no concern for the woman getting hers. What's up with that? Are most pornos secretly for men who are into men? Why in Baal's name do we always spend so much time looking at dude's dicks? And balls? And assholes?

Maybe a viewer who isn't built like superman likes to pretend he is the buff cut flexing shiny well-waxed, spray-tanned hunk who is drilling a hottie who is lying about what a turn-on he is. But how about, for once, having a Don Juan or Lothario who is actually a role model for how to light a lady's fire? Because if you have the basic equipment, but really know what to do with it your reputation as a cocksmith may grow, and most often it won't be about your cock.

The guy may be necessary in the video to show what turns her on. But then I want to spend lots of time seeing her get with it. I don't want a guys ass between me and the beautiful stuff any more than it has to. And for pity's sake, porn makers and porn writers, show us what is happening with her, how this lick or that deep plunge is beginning to light her up. Some of you dudes may be all about pretending you are this super-stud and this total hottie just wants to be drilled by you until your jackhammer has busted the pavement. But really, that's not as much fun as taking the time to wind her up and truly get her truly excited.

Hard truth: Jamming your dick is the LAST turn-on a woman usually wants to feel to get her off. Everything else you do: flirting with her, complimenting her, giving her a gift, feeding her, kissing her, gently touching her, rubbing her, fingering and licking, ALL are bigger turn-ons than your dick. She may want your dick, because it feels good, fills her up in a way she likes, connects in a powerful way, shows you want her and only her so damn bad, and are eager to feed her your seed. But her orgasm usually comes from the other strokes.

And for lesbian couples this literally goes double. Two loving gals are not usually eager to pretend to be hard dick-jamming men.

Lesbian Porn

Point 3 - "Lesbian" videos (or stories) are not made for women, even though most women now and again fantasize about having it on with another woman. But how often does anyone actually ask the women to write the script about how two women come to get it on? Note how many writers who identify as lesbians or bi, put at the top of the story, something like, "If you just want to get right to the sex you may be disappointed, because this story has a slow build. That is because, gentlemen, that the lead up in a lesbian story is the lust. So how about more videos in which the women take their time playing with each other? Not hours of loud smacky fake kisses and tongue tangling. No. Real attention to all the erogenous zones: the neck, the ears, lots of exploring tender skin, the talking. Seeing each face come alive. And always, take your time. After all; what's your hurry?

Butt?

Point 4: But, but, butt. Maybe there was a time when the idea and the illustration of a man having penetrative intercourse with another person's anus was a strange and exotic turn-on. Now you have to plow through the butt shots to get to any other kind of sexual activity. Enough already. Or put the butt play into a special search for those you don't lift off except when imagining back door action. Otherwise, go easy. And that means planning your camera angles so we aren't looking at someone's shitter when hot romantic sex is supposed to be happening.

Roughly Sensual?

Point 5 - Rougher and tougher is not hotter. Oh, sure, sometimes jamming, and slappling and hurling her (him) around is at the peak of turn-on. Sometimes the opposite is true. The smooth strokes can really reach her. Gentle that breast. Please that little spot on the side of her neck. Sweetly tickle that clit hood. Do spend lots of time on the breasts and nipples. Stroke and kiss and suck them a dozen ways and do it again. Let us see her face and hear her voice as this happens. Talk to her. It doesn't matter if the vid is shot in Slovenian.

All the senses say something

Point 6 - And speaking of voice, let us hear how she is feeling. I don't mean clichés like "Oh baby, you're so big." I mean those personal sounds that tell you she is beginning to feel it. Let us hear her breath slowly get more raw and excited. Encourage her to say what she needs. That last point is important, and very sexy. Not just, "Oh yeah, right there, right there," but, "Grab my tit hard please." "Squeeze my ass." "Kiss me...I need you to kiss me." And let us hear him as his excitement builds and he begins to groan and roar. For lesbian sex it would be good to really hear the couple work out what feels good. "That's good; roll a little to your left. Yeah, move up that way." "Keep rocking. Oh please don't stop rocking." "Just lick inside right there with the tip of your tongue." "Shut up and fuck me hard."

Sprayed vs filled?

Point 7 - The money shot. Time was, you had to know this was real sex, so the dude had to spill the cream at the end. Now I think that's old hat. The real money shot is seeing her get off for real. Now we know that for most women PIV sex is not the true lift off. It may be great, but it is the satisfier that says your man is happy and has really connected. Your orgasm(s) can come any time along the way and are proof that your lover is really paying attention to your needs. And here's a simple dirty secret: most guys watching and probably a lot of women are going to get off when they see her cum more than when they see him cum. And for me nothing is sexier than both partners getting off while they are deeply connected. No need to 'open out' awkwardly so we see all the messy bits. For the last lap let them find each others' rhythm and go for it.

Stay Unselfish

Coda - Make videos with people who know and respect each other. Even if the love play is rough and tumble, have your "actors" know and care about each other and show they care about each others' bodies. Give them time to get to know each other before they shoot the scene. And we have all seen "the four ways to fuck"-- now missionary, now doggie, now her on top, now on her side with him behind, pull out and jizz in her mouth. Yawn. Let them work out what gets them excited.

My Golden Rules: NEVER feature sex with children. NEVER feature enslaved, exploited, addicted, or drugged participants. NEVER treat women like they are second class citizens. NEVER have the talk or action be racist. NEVER show rough sex without the absolute consent of all participants. NEVER confuse torture for stimulation. NEVER exploit young or broke people to make a porno. There are plenty of adults willing to make sex videos for fun and/or profit.

And if you like erotic stories, videos, audios, pix then use the ones that respect people and avoid the ones that don't.

If the maker breaks those golden rules, don't watch or pay for that shit.

I KNOW I am bumping up against some people's favorite kinks, or even the whole reason they seek out porn. That's them. Maybe that's you. Okay, but the stuff I list above is what ruins it for me. I have a simple stance. Sex is good. Sex is fun. People do best when they don't feel angry, or ashamed, or guilty while doing it. You can play football to maim the other player or humiliate them. For me that ruins the game. Our bodies have wonderful built-in toys. Enjoy them.

 The 11 Best Sexual Positions for Satisfying Sex

Tons of sexual positions can bring mutual satisfaction, but do you know which ones both you and your partner can enjoy? Check out these 11 you might want to try the next time you get frisky.

By Ashley Welch

Switch up your sexual routine so you and your partner can rekindle your connection.

There are hundreds of hot sex positions for couples that bring partners’ bodies together for mutual pleasure. Knowing a variety of sex positions can help you be a better and more inventive lover for your partner.

What Are the Best Ways to Have Mutually Satisfying Sex?

That answer is different for every couple. "I would define the best position as the position that works best for the individual or individuals involved,” says Tameca Harris-Jackson, PhD, a certified sex educator, a sex therapist.

"Trying different sex positions actually offers an opportunity to bring different ways of experiencing pleasure into sexual intimacy and a sexual relationship,” Dr. Harris-Jackson says. “You can eat the same meal every day for 20 years, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to get the most joy out of it. You’re just getting the nutrients. But if you try to add a little bit of parsley to that meal, you might taste it in a different way, and it might become a more exciting meal. And that’s what having new positions in a relationship can do.”

There are nonphysical factors to consider, too. Take intimacy, for example. For many people, especially women, intimacy can lead to better sexual experiences because partners are comfortable and trusting enough to ask for what they desire and to try new things.

Many couples are figuring out exactly those benefits, according to research funded by the Kinsey Institute at the University of Indiana.

An online survey of 1,559 adults showed that while people had less frequent sex during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were more willing to try new things, which included sexting, sharing sexual fantasies, and experimenting with new sex positions.

Try New Sexual Positions to Spice Things Up

Stressful periods of time can make it difficult to get aroused and stay aroused, says study coauthor Justin L. Lehmiller, PhD, a research fellow at the Kinsey. “Trying something new can amp up your arousal,” he says. “Trying new things is about self-discovery — what works for your body, your relationship — and that’s going to have lifelong benefits.”

You don’t have to be a gymnast to make these moves pay off. Don’t think “crazy sex positions,” rather “new sex positions” to create more heat between the sheets.

“Not every position is for everyone, and that’s okay,” says Dr. Lehmiller. “But even if the positions described here don’t work for you (maybe you’ve already tried them), that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try new and different things. Novelty is one of the things that keeps us interested in coming back for more. When sex is the same every time, we tend to lose interest. New positions are a handy way of adding an element of novelty and newness to our sex lives.”

1: The Missionary Position or Face-to-Face

Potential Benefits or Caveats Intimate but not necessarily mutually satisfying.

Details It's a simple sex position: The woman lies on her back with her legs spread and knees bent slightly. The man lies between his woman’s legs and guides his penis or sex toy into his lover’s vagina or anus, supporting her body weight with his arms or elbows.

The problem with the missionary position is that it’s not as good at delivering pleasure to women. The pelvis of the partner on top can sometimes stimulate the clitoris in this position, and it offers great intimacy through face-to-face contact. But the angle of the penis does not allow for deep penetration or stimulation of the G-spot (felt through a location on the front wall of the vagina and believed by some experts to be a stimulus for orgasm in women). Some women also complain that this sex position doesn't provide enough clitoral stimulation to experience climax.

In a study published in August 2020 in Sexual Medicine, researchers in the Czech Republic surveyed 1,100 heterosexual people about 13 sex positions and revealed that most people still choose the missionary position even though it does not correlate with orgasm for women.

Try Female-Friendly Intercourse Positions

If the most common sex position is not offering women consistent orgasms, then one important thing to do to is “close the orgasm gap,” says Lehmiller, and try a new sex position. In other words, don't limit yourself to the missionary position.

"In most cultures, it is not the most used position," says Beverly Whipple, PhD, RN, a certified sexuality educator and professor emerita at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

If you are looking to spice up your sexual experience and enjoy better sex, try some of these female-friendly positions. Many afford partners the chance for clitoral stimulation, which is what 35.4 percent of women said they need to reach orgasm.

2: Cowgirl

Potential Sensual Benefits or Caveats Deep penetration and sensations vary; clitoral stimulation.

Details In this position, the man lies on his back while the partner being penetrated faces them and kneels, straddling his pelvis. She can then sit up or lie down on her man.

"This is a great position for a woman to control the depth of penetration," Harris-Jackson says. “It’s also a good position to get multiple forms of stimulation. With the woman’s body upright, the nipples can be engaged, which can lead to extra arousal. It is good for having access to the clitoris for stimulation.”

The riding partner can choose whether to bounce up and down, grind, or make hip circles — each delivering a slightly different sensation. “This is also a good position for a person with a penis if they have back issues because it’s almost a resting position for them,” she says.

6 Easy Ways To Spice Up Your Married Sex Life

Making things more interesting in the bedroom doesn't have to be hard. Try these simple tips to create more heat between the sheets.

3: Reverse Cowgirl or Reverse Rider on Top

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Buttocks play, visual stimulations, opportunities for variations; may cause pain.

Details The man lies on his back while the woman sits astride him, facing his feet, and slips his penis into her vagina or anus. The woman can control the rhythm and pace of the thrusts. This position can be especially exciting for the man, who gets to observe the back and buttocks of his lover. Squeezing or grabbing the buttocks can enhance the experience for both. This position can be tricky to master since it requires the woman to lean back or sit up very straight to accommodate the angle of the penis. “If you’re leaning forward, it can be painful and uncomfortable for the man because it could almost feel like his penis is breaking,” says Harris-Jackson, who recommends having the man bend his knees while the woman holds her hands against her lover’s thighs or waist.

Switch It Up “This may be one of those positions that is better in theory than in practice,” says Lorrae Jo Bradbury, a sex and love coach and the founder of SluttyGirlProblems.com and LorraeJo.com. “You might want to use it as a foreplay position, grinding on his penis before you begin intercourse.”

4: Doggy Style or Rear Entry

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Deep penetration and G-spot stimulation but the position can feel impersonal.

Details In this position, the woman kneels on all fours, supporting herself with her hands and knees. The man crouches and enters from behind. This is the best sex position for deep penetration of the vagina. It gives the man freedom to thrust hard and fast, and allows easy access to caress much of the woman’s body. The position also allows for good G-spot stimulation.

Switch It Up Some people complain that this sex position is too impersonal because there's no face-to-face contact. “If you want closer eye contact with this position,” says Bradbury, move your knees closer to your chest and arch your back so your partner can lean into you near your face and you can make eye contact. Bradbury says you can also try this position in front of a mirror so you can see one another’s faces.

A variation of this can be done standing; using a high bed, dining table, or even the kitchen counter; when a woman lays her chest or forearms upon the solid surface. Many women report laying in wait at the kitchen, when their man comes home. Her sticky panties are dropped to her knees. With his coat still on, she simply orders him; “Fuck Me Now! I can’t wait another minute!” He follows her instructions and sates her lusts. After his spunk fills her wanton cunt, she turns to face him, holds his spent cock, and says; “This rod needs to be ready for round two, after dinner, in the bedroom.

5: The Corkscrew

Potential Sensual Benefits or Caveats Intense, deep penetration.

Details Leaning forward, the woman lies on the edge of the bed facing inward, resting on her hip and forearm while her partner enters her from behind. The woman can keep her thighs together for a tighter hold on the penis or penetrating toy. But if the woman opens her legs, the clitoris is exposed for stroking while the man thrusts from behind. “You’re getting that deeper penetration like doggy style, but this may be an easier and more comfortable position,” says Bradbury.

Switch It Up Your partner can easily lean down to make out with you, and the clitoris is within easy reach, according to Bradbury.

6: Side by Side or Sideways

Potential Sensual Benefits or Caveats Deep eye contact and intimacy.

Details Both partners lie on their sides, facing each other. The woman lifts her top leg so the man can enter her. This position is great for morning sex when you might be a little sleepy, says Bradbury.

It offers intimacy because you are close to each other’s face. The partners can kiss and caress each other during lovemaking. The sex position is relaxing, doesn't require a lot of stamina from either person, and offers an opportunity for good clitoral stimulation.

Switch It Up Penetration can be improved if the woman drapes both legs over her man’s waist, Bradbury says. This allows great access to the clitoris, which can be stimulated with a finger or with a toy. “I think this is a great position for everyone,” she says. “It offers the comfort of cuddling, too.”

7: Flat Iron or Lazy Dog

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Tightness on penetration, intense stimulation.

Details The woman lies on her stomach with her legs straight and hips slightly raised. (You can place a pillow under your hips.) The man enters from behind. When lying face down, the woman’s legs will be closer together, which creates a snugger fit for her man’s penis or sex toy. This can lead to a new, more intense sensation. “This is a really good way to increase the experience of tightness for the man,” Harris-Jackson says. “It’s also good for clitoral stimulation because the partner can reach around with his hand or a sex toy to provide dual stimulation. And it’s a good position for G-spot stimulation because you’re angling the body so that the penis is in perfect alignment to stroke against the G-spot.”

8: Face-Off

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats With intense eye contact and clitoral stimulation, this can be an enhanced missionary position.

Details In this position, the man sits on the edge of a bed or in a comfortable seated position while the woman climbs on his lap face-to-face. The woman wraps her legs around his waist and can control the pace of thrusting. This position also allows for direct clitoral stimulation and eye contact, which can increase intimacy.

Bonus Your hands are free so you can touch and caress your lover’s body nearly anywhere you would like. “This is a really impactful position for people who are aroused with eye contact,” says Harris-Jackson. “It’s like missionary, but you are really face-to-face. It also takes some of the work off the woman because the man can move her up and down by placing his hands on her hips.”

Switch It Up The lotus position is very similar to face-off, only the man sits crossed-legged on the bed or chair.

9: Pretzel Dip

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Deep penetration with potential for G-spot stimulation.

Details The woman lies on her right side as the man straddles his lover’s right leg. The man then pulls his woman’s left leg up and around his left side and enters her vagina or anus. This position allows deep penetration while also allowing the intimacy of maintaining eye contact.

Switch it Up “You can also take your left leg and pull it toward your chest to get a deeper angle,” says Bradbury. “And you have amazing access to the clitoris for both partners.” Your hands will be free, which can allow you to run them all over each other’s body. Adds Harris-Jackson: “This position — depending on your angle — can also offer G-spot stimulation, as well.”

10: Coital Alignment Technique (CAT)

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Clitoral stimulation.

Details If you want to rock rather than thrust, roll with CAT. This position is similar to missionary; the main difference is that the man pushes the base of his penis so that it lines up with her clitoris and the two make contact. Once they do, the couple rock back and forth and maintain constant contact. “It’s a little bit of a different way of having sex,” says Lehmiller. “You rock back and forth rather than thrusting. Doing so prolongs the length of intercourse for the man and increases the odds of a woman having an orgasm because she’s having that constant stimulation.”

11: Sixty-Nine (or 69)

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Mutual oral stimulation.

Details This position involves both lovers performing and receiving oral sex at the same time. Typically, one partner lies on their back while the other climbs on top of them and turns around, straddling them with their genitals above their lover’s face. The person on top then leans forward and begins performing oral sex on their lover while simultaneously receiving. This position can require some coordination and balance, particularly for the partner on top. One way to make 69 a bit more comfortable for both lovers is to lie on their sides during the act.

Keep Switching It Up: Sexual Variety Is Exciting

In our day-to-day lives, we tend to be very goal-oriented, says Harris-Jackson. “We wake up in the morning and it’s go, go, go to get out the door. We go, go, go to eat our food, to go to work. It creates a lot of stress and tension in our bodies and in our minds. Many patients that I see feel that sex becomes one more thing that they have to go, go, go and do. But sexual partners should be really with one another and feel pleasure together. Switching up positions can be very helpful to rekindle that connection. So it can be helpful and fun to try something new.”

By LargoKitt &  Ashley Welch for Literotica and EverydayHealth.

[anakinskywalkerog]

AHSOKA EP. 1 RECAP

hi! so I’ve been like, totally MIA, super busy, avoiding Tumblr at ALL COSTS so I could avoid Ahsoka spoilers until I watched it. and now I am BACK and HERE and I want to share my THOUGHTS so get ready, spoilers for Ahsoka episode 1 under the cut

1. I LOVE SHIN HATI SO MUCH!!!!

you all know I love a darksider and that I also love a HOT darksider and now we have one who is a WOMAN and not a weird alien woman but like an actual badass hot chick who has the dark side EMANATING out of her eyes (I also very much love badass Reva who is hot but not *spoiler* truly a darksider). and Shin Hati is also a PADAWAN and she has a PADAWAN BRAID I’m dying, dark padawan energy? Shin HOTTY am I right (I want to dress as her for Halloween so bad)

2. I’m not sure why they made Sabine into this Padawan character 😂 I’m sorry but it just doesn’t make sense for her to learn the ways of the force!! there are literally lines in rebels about how she doesn’t use/“have” the force.

and like, I understand that there’s a lot of story we missed between her and Ahsoka in terms of what happened after the end of rebels and before now. but it doesn’t make sense for her to learn/want to learn to be a jedi. she’s mandalorian! the scene where she surpasses her mandalorian helmet in favor of her lightsaber? I don’t get it. I absolutely love Natasha Liu’s performance though. she captures Sabine’s essence very well. Maybe I will come around on this whole jedi thing when I watch the next few episodes. I also don’t get why Ahsoka would want to teach her to be a jedi? what happened to “I am no Jedi”??

3. I loved loved LOVED seeing Lothal in live action. So good!! I love how prominent of a storyline Ezra is, from the very beginning. I love that this is a continuation of Ezra’s story. and I LOVE THE LOTH CAT I cried when I saw him (if he got hurt in that battle I will sue)

4. I don’t really understand the aesthetic choices made in the graphic design/the end credits. They’re leaning into this weird ancient/nordic vibe and it makes no sense for Star Wars. I get every show is going to have its own aesthetic but the ancient EUROPEAN?? vibe is literally the antithesis of the original star wars aesthetic and it seems Jon Favreau-y, Marvel-y to me (like it’s okay for them all to share some basic design rules okay?!)

5. on the flip side, I like the soundtrack! it’s definitely different aesthetically but I like how it sort of leans into the epic fantasy vibe. I’m into it.

6. As much as I think Rosario and MEW are doing an excellent job portraying Ahsoka and Hera, I don’t love the costume/character design. the contacts are weird and idk I just feel like it’s such a big budget show and they could have done better!! but I can get over this.

okay those are all of my current and immediate reactions! overall I am very excited and I can’t wait to see where this goes and even when I post things I didn’t love/choices I didn’t understand, I want to make it clear that it is not hate on this show! I am very grateful it exists and excited to see where it takes us. These are just my absolutely unfiltered thoughts. Please comment if you agree/disagree. See you after I watch episode 2!!

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super Manga ch.36-38

Yeah, this manga Tournament of Power kind of sucks.

The big problem I’m seeing here is that there’s so many characters in this arc, and only ten chapters to showcase them, so ultimately nobody gets a chance to really shine.  Vegeta’s a major player in this thing, but we don’t even see him doing anything until Part 4 of this story.

And the scene he gets is pretty basic.  Top and Dyspo view him as U7′s #2 guy, and Vegeta takes offense and fights them until Top has to admit that Vegeta’s at least as good as Goku.  There’s nothing wrong with that, and while I’m only showing the beginning and end of that encounter, there is a good action sequence in the middle.  Still, it feels like it needs something more.  

The anime version solved that problem by having Vegeta constantly distracted by whatever Goku was doing at the time.  So even though he claimed to be U7′s ace, he couldn’t help but notice Goku’s rise to Ultra Instinct.  And the whole thing Vegeta had with Cabba was there too.  We get a little of Vegeta and Cabba later, but not nearly as much.  And if Toyotaro doesn’t have time for Vegeta in this story, then what chance does any other character have?

Again, the action in this thing is really great.  There’s plenty of hard-hitting shots and page after page of clobbering. The art’s not the problem, but the pacing is. 

Let’s look at the manga’s version of Ribrianne.  Here, there is no magical girl transformation.  Ribrianne, Rosie, and Kankusa are just Like This from the start.  Either they don’t have base forms in this version, or they transformed at home before heading to the Null Realm.  That isn’t too big a deal. 

Nor is it a big problem that manga Ribrianne flips the script from her anime counterpart.  In the anime, Ribrianne viewed 18 as a “fellow maiden”, but expressed shock that she would be married to a ugly dork like Krillin.  But here, she thinks 18 is ugly...

... and Krillin is the hottie.  She’s so disgusted that 18 could land a hot dude like Krillin that her attacks begin to weaken, and 18 defeats all three of the maidens.  Oh, by the way...

Rosie and Kankusa have stretchy arm powers in this?  I think this is about all they do in this version, so it’s kind of weird that they’re so fundamentally different.  It exposes some things about the way Dragon Ball Super is written as a whole.  I always want to believe that Akira Toriyama is hammering away at a computer, typing up longform, detailed scripts for everything that happens.  Because that’s how I’d want to do it if it was my story and someone else was drawing and animating the whole thing.  But by all accounts that’s not how it works at all.  A lot of work went into the character designs for the Tournament of Power, and from what I’ve read, Toriyama didn’t even design all of them.  Caulifla was something Toriyama drew as a partner for Kale, who came from someone at Toei, I think.  And Belmod and Marcarita were Toyotaro designs, I think. 

Clearly, some thought was put into Rosie and Kakusa.  They’re Ribrianne’s sidekicks, but that’s about it.  I don’t think Toriyama or anyone else wrote down “They have stretchy limbs” or “They do claws and weird ki blasts”.   It’s not a case of the anime and manga contradicting one another.  There was simply no guidance to contradict. 

And you might be wondering “What difference does it make?  It’s just Kankusa and Rosie.”  Sure, but the point is that if no one was in charge of deciding what powers they have, then no one was really minding the store for a lot of other plot elements.  Such as...

The invisible fighters from Universe 4 knock out Rosie, and Kankusa, and Ribrianne, and 18.   Then Piccolo defeats one invisible fighter and gets taken out by the other, and 17 takes out the second one.  Toei got a lot of mileage out of seven of those characters, but Toyotaro’s just zipping right through them like he’s got a plane to catch. 

As far as the invisible fighter stuff goes, that plays out almost exactly like it does in the anime, so I think that part might actually have been planned out in some detail.   Toriyama’s notes probably look like this:

“18 fights Ribrianne, and Ribrianne is very much into beauty and love.  She’s considered very beautiful in Universe 2, but in our world...?  She is upset to learn that 18 and Krillin are married”.

“Piccolo defeats the invisible fighter by sensing his ki, but when he tries to defeat the second invisible fighter, he fails and gets eliminated!  Then 17 listens carefully, and finds out that the second fighter isn’t invisible at all!  He’s just very, very small.”

“(laughs)”

And Toei and Toyotaro each got a copy of these notes, and went in totally different directions on the first one, but were able to stay fairly consistent on the second.  Toei had Goku help 17 out a little more, while Toyotaro had 17 flip his hair back over his ears, because he’s a huge fanboy who wanted to do a callback to Super 17 in GT.  Respect.

What I’m driving at here is that you end up with two different versions of the same story, and while one of them is bound to be better than the other, it seems strange to me that anyone would want it to play out like this.  For example, in the manga, Kale doesn’t discover her Super Saiyan form until we’re well into the tournament.  Frieza starts clobbering Caulifla, and Cabba realizes that Kale has been holding back out of respect for Caulifla.  She doesn’t want Caulifla to know that she’s stronger than her leader.  But as Frieza defeats Caulifla and Cabba, she loses it and flips out. 

And this is awesome!  No problem here, but what bothers me is how things go from this point forward.

Kale starts going berserk and eliminates almost everybody.  Universes 2, 3, and 10 all fall.  I think I lost track of Universe 4, so she might have gotten them too.  Dr. Paparoni and his three robots combine together into that big guy whose name I don’t want to look up, and Kale literally one-shots him.  It’s like Toyotaro was obligated to use every fighter in this arc, including this combined form, but no one said he had to let them stick around very long. 

Kale even chucks out her own teammates.  She picks up Auta Magetta, which even Vegeta couldn’t do, and when Saonel and Pilina try to reason with her, she throws them out too.  And this is also fine, because fuck Auta Magetta, but also, if you’re going to have a berserker Super Saiyan in your tournament, then let her go berserk. 

As Caulifla and Cabba decide how to handle this, they worry that Kale might self-destruct, so they have to try to stop her.  Then Caulifla drops a pair of Potara earrings,  which she stole from the Universe 6 Supreme Kai before the tournament.  Champa tells her to put one in her own ear and one in Kale’s ear.  In the anime, this was all planned out in advance, but here in the manga, it was blind luck that Caulifla happened to steal these things, and Champa called an audible. 

My beef here is that fusing Caulifla and Kale into Kefla this way doesn’t solve Kale’s long-term problem.  It solves Universe 6′s problem, because now instead of Kale going nuts, you have Kefla, who’s even stronger and retains her senses.  But there’s no scene where Kale learns how to control herself, and no scene where the two of them agree to use the Potara.  A lot of pages are devoted to Caulifla and Kale, but there’s not much character development to any of it.  It’s mostly just Kale going nuts and then Kefla wiping out the last of the small fry in this tournament. 

So you might be wondering: Well what about Goku and Jiren?  Well, the theme of this arc is that Goku’s been going straight after Jiren this whole time, but stuff like the invisible fighter and Kale’s rampage keep interrupting them.  We don’t get to see them fight in this part of the story, but the implication is that they’ve been fighting off-panel.  Then Kefla tries to attack them both, until...

... Gohan steps in and challenges Kefla so that Goku can focus on Jiren.  On paper, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but it really doesn’t work because we’re supposed to believe that Goku vs. Jiren is important but they won’t show any of it. 

Everything is sort of... implied with this adaptation. I can’t put my finger on it, but I get the sense that Toyotaro just sort of took it for granted that his readers already know these characters from the anime, so there was no pressing need to showcase them in the manga.  Anyway, here’s Winger with “Headed for a Heartbreak.” 

Wow, Winger sucks so much ass...

[miraculouscontent]

A genuine question, but do you have any theories as to why when Marinette is crushing on Adrien she's awkward, stuttering, and almost always anxious (I mean as soon as she started crushing on Adrien that's what happened), while with Luka she's pretty much her regular self?

Because she isn’t actually in love with Adrien; she has a celebrity crush on him.

Love isn’t about stammering or getting weak in the knees at the sight of the person. Love is about being able to be oneself around someone and feeling comfortable around them. That’s why Marinette is “normal” around Luka but “weird” around Adrien.

Many of Adrien's other fangirls act similarly around him to Marinette, with the only difference being that they pursue Adrien directly whereas Marinette is too nervous to approach out of fear.

And to touch on that specifically; with Adrien, Marinette is afraid of being rejected because she’s not good enough. She’ll go on and on about how much of a “disaster” she is, which tends to be associated with her crush on Adrien or her screwing up around him. Her “crush” on Adrien is damaging to her self-esteem.

Marinette in “Gamer”: Um, no no no, I... No, you're so good. I mean, I'm the one who's not good. I mean... I'm lucky, that's all.

Her crush should be making her feel good about herself; it should make her feel loved and respected, which is how Luka makes her feel.

Luka in “Frozer”: Personally, I think a girl like you deserves to feel more like this. (plays a happy tune) And whoever made you feel this way is nothing but a--(plays a bad tune)

Marinette: (giggles) Thanks, Luka.

He made her feel so confident in herself that she almost immediately felt okay asking him to come with her to the ice rink. Heck, in that same episode, Marinette says this about her crush on Adrien:

Marinette: Whenever I talk to him as a friend, I hardly stammer at all. That's a sign right there. Right?

Notice how the show never tries to add a “but...” to that or explain it away; the girls’ argument doesn’t even try to refute it outside of Alya claiming Sunk Cost Fallacy as if that’s a legitimate reason to not give up (it’s not).

For more proof, look at how Marinette talks to/about Adrien:

Marinette in “Copycat” at Adrien’s answering machine: Hey, hot stuff--

-

Marinette in “Animan”: Oh, [Adrien]'s such a—

Alya: Smartie, hottie, suavísimo, yummy-tastic spellbinder?

Marinette: All of the above.

-

Mylène in “Reflekdoll”: Are you okay, Marinette?

Marinette: Yeah, he's too hot— I mean! I'm overheating in here, aren't you?

Look how so many of those are about appearance. It’s about Adrien being attractive. The moment Marinette falls for Adrien in “Origins” is in the atmospheric moment of the umbrella scene where he’s saying nothing and just staring into her eyes while the lighting makes him look all “pretty” (because I’m sorry, her falling for him based on what he says/does makes next to no sense). The reason she has so many pictures of him isn’t even about obsession: it’s about thinking he’s the hottest thing since the sun.

“Captain Hardrock” didn’t do that with Luka. Yes, Marinette initially stammered at Luka because oh no, he’s cute! but then had calmed down after Luka opened up to her and showed her a piece of himself.

Marinette in “Captain Hardrock”: What? Luka? No way! You're being ridiculous! Pff! Sure he's cool and nice and everything... but there's only one statue that drives this compass crazy!

Cool and nice. See that? It’s not, “he’s cute,” or anything shallow like that. Cool and nice are direct compliments that reflect Luka’s personality.

And what about the webisodes; the things that should be able to contain as much detail as possible so there’s no room for error or slip-ups?

Marinette in “Marinette and Adrien”: [Adrien]'s so amazing that I completely freak out every time I talk to him! I mean, seriously…he's super smart, he plays the piano, he's a great fencer, he speaks Chinese, and he's so cute too!

“Smart” is the closest thing to anything personality-based (but is also something forced onto him by Gabriel because he has to get good grades); anything else is just something he does or - again - how attractive he is.

Marinette: Adrien is a model for his father, Gabriel Agreste, the best fashion designer in Paris, and probably the world. But he never brags about it, because he's perfect!

One would think we’d be getting somewhere with “he’s humble,” but then Marinette slaps on “perfect;” you know, that line that “Lies” seemed to reject from Kagami as if it’s like how dare you think that the boy we constantly portray as perfect isn’t actually perfect?

Marinette then goes on to say that Adrien’s “major flaw” is that he gets along with Chloe, but where did that lead in the show? Adrien scolding her and making her feel bad about herself for being happy that her bully is gone, because Marinette can’t feel like she’s more right than him because he’s “perfect.” He just makes her feel inadequate.

And the “perfect” line isn’t restricted to webisodes:

Marinette in “Reflekdoll”: Huh? Uh, sure! You're perfect— I mean, it's perfect!

-

Aspik in “Desperada”: I hope I don't disappoint you, Ladybug.

Ladybug: I know you won't. You're perfect--uh, perfectly capable of defeating Desperada!

And she’s fawned before over how amazing Adrien’s life is, even without the webisodes. Literally the episode that last aired (”Lies”) had Marinette sighing over Adrien and talking nothing more about him than how amazing his life is; nothing about his personality.

It’s not about Adrien; it’s about her being starstruck by his attractiveness and how much of a celebrity he is with all these things he was forced to be taught (meaning they’re not a part of his character that he wanted; he was forced to do them in one way or anything) and how incredible being him/his girlfriend must be. Even when she calls him “nice,” one has to recognize that Adrien has to put up a polite image. Look at the difference between Adrien and Chat Noir, the latter of whom has a mask of anonymity to work with? Adrien the nice guy suddenly becomes Chat Noir the “Nice Guy.”

Now, for comparison, let’s go back to the webisodes and see what Marinette has to say about Luka:

Marinette in “Luka as seen by Marinette”: You know, Luka is my friend Juleka's brother and one of the most talented people I know.

We start off with the “talent” thing again, but Luka’s talent for music is something he chose; it’s a part of him that he’s passionate about. That’s a huge difference.

Let’s continue.

Marinette: He also proved himself a great hero when Ladybug gave him the Snake Miraculous.

Marinette: But the thing I find most impressive about him is the way he can always tell how people are feeling.

Marinette: I may not be as intuitive as he is--

Heroic. Empathetic. Intuitive.

Those are character traits. They are integral pieces to Luka’s personality, and they bring Marinette comfort. She’s normal around Luka because their romance is normal: two people who love each other and just make each other happy.

In an age where media makes romance all about characters turning to mush or losing themselves around the person they love, Lukanette ends up feeling real specifically because it doesn’t do that.

Lukanette is as it should be: Marinette and Luka are friends first, crushes second. Their first priority is the relationship aspect that’s devoid of romance, which is why Marinette honestly considers her feelings for Luka in “Frozer” instead of blindly jumping in whereas Luka respects Marinette’s agency and simply assures her that he’ll be there for her no matter what.

[pwnyta]

Genshin Impact character opinions (alphabetical)-

0/10 Albedo is my least favorite design... He looks so fuckin goofy and from what I know about his character the fact he looks so goofy is not great.... The shorts look so dumb and the blue of his shirt looks weird...

Just wanted to visualize my issues with his goofy outfit... wont be ‘fixing’ anyone elses.

10/10 So fucking cute. The colors are beautiful and well spread through the design, Zettai ryōiki. bunny theme...terrific. Ambers just perfect. Look at that fucking adorable face as well... look at her big ol smile and tell me she aint a 10/10. She’d get a 10 if all I ever saw was that big ol smile.

9/10 Barbara is adorable. Her costume is gorgeous. I love the white with blue and the gold accents. Very pretty my only gripe is the lighter blue on her bow...

10/10 Beidou is just gorgeous.... I love that shade of pinkish-red with the off-black and purple with the gold trim. Shes just so hot... also her English voice is also top tier which is irrelevant to my ranking... maybe but--

1/10 Bennetts not as bad as Albedo but god hes annoying to look at... and listen to....  he looks like hes a Kingdom Hearts knock off, the colors are weird, and he has the personality of s1 Ash Ketchum.... Im sure hes a swell lad... but

6/10 Chongyun I mean I love the color pallet and over all its fine. I think the onesie with the cropped jacket and the weird half robe is weird but it looks fine if I dont think about too much.

7/10 Diluc is pretty but not as fun to look at as some others. I do really like those red palm gloves. My biggest gripe is his shirt.... with the belt? WHAT? Sir do you know what a belt is for.....

8/10 Diona... so cute. I kinda just wish her hair wasnt pink. I dont like the pink in her design at all but other than that... super cute. I just noticed her gloves had little peets on them.... THATS SO CUTE.

4/10 Fischls color pallet (other than her hair) is gorgeous but other than that... hate the overall design... Im not opposed to sexiness... but come on....

7/10 Ganyu is very cute but idk whats going on with her outfit at all.... its a very confusing piece.... but I dont hate it...

7/10 Whoops forgot the new girl... Her designs cute... but it is a bit dampened by the fact I think about toilet boy Hanako.... but other than that very cute!

9/10 Jeans a hottie. Love her tight pants... is it too much to ask for more hot girls in tight pants? IS THAT SO WRONG?! I dont really like the weird open top bit or the red bits but I dont hate it either.

10/10 Kaeyas design is one of my favs. His color pallet is gorgeous, the design is cool, tasteful tiddie window... its great. Good for him. I’ll even excuse the spiked fingerless gloves which no other character could possibly pull off.

10/10 Keqing is gorgeous too. Again with the beautiful colors, a really charming outfit design combined with those little cat-ear buns. I do often see up her skirt when flying and climbing however and it makes me feel like a bad person LMAO IM SORRY KEQING!! I DONT MEAN IT. She seems like the type thatd be really embarrassed about it!!

10/10 Klee is so fucking cute. I kinda wish her eyes were green like her charm but the red is good too. That red and white with the warm brown is really nice, and you cant go wrong with a poofy hat! Shes so cute.

10/10 Lisa was designed to be a smoke show but she pulls it off better than Fischl. Love the roses throughout her design, the color pallet is on point, her hair matching the dull gold of the accents is really nice, a peak of Zettai ryōiki and her green eyes just POP. Shes beautiful.... I love her.

3/10 My issue with Mona is mostly her bottom half... I get that her tights design looks cool but with the rest of her vibe having her main clothing piece be like... a bathing suit? ITS A CHOICE and it ruins her design for me. Also I hate the baubles on the ends of her hair.... but her color pallet is real nice. I also like her bigger eyebrows...

10/10 Ningguang... also a total smokin hottie. Her colors are beautiful and really feel RICH. That brassy color and gold on white with the ginkgo designs... the bitch is just poppin. She looks fantastic.

8/10 Noelle is so cute... I like when I add her to my party and she gets all excited and eager to help... very cute. Her design is an endearing mix of badass knight and dutiful maid.... my only issue is her skirt.... looks kinda weird. Wish she had some petticoats to fill it out more. Also dont like that her roses pop out the way they do... reminds me of Shreks ears....

10/10 Qiqi is adorable I love Jiangshi, love the colors, wish she wasnt wearin horni thigh highs(I only ever see thigh highs squeeze thighs like that in l00d art dont come for me... I didnt design her.) but lolis gonna lol. But again her design is top tier. Shes so cute.

5/10 Razor... is kind of a mess but its largely the colors.... its a lot of weird colors. Also his design makes me think of the male MC... I literally thought he was like an AU version of the MC....

10/10 Sucrose is so cute. Again that white blue and gold look great... I like her frilly shorts and thigh highs.... her boots are cute... her hair color is a little weird but I dont dislike it. Kinda wish her eyes were a different color tho.

4/10 Childe is fine... but after seeing all the other Fatui designs and his own monster form I look at him like this and go.... REALLY? Thats what were goin with... alright... Also his whole design screams ‘fire’ to me not just colors either the shape of his mask and the pattern on his scarf thing.... its weird that hes Hydro.

10/10 I love the female MCs design... I chose the male MC because his colors popped more and im a dumb animal and was like ‘ooh shiny‘ but I think her design is a bit better over all...

9/10 Male MC is still good... its very cute. I like how she looks more suited to the Anemo and he looks more Geo... Thats pretty cool. I really like his colors... the browns/gold/white... its a striking look.

6/10 Ventis pretty cute... I dont get the weird... corset thing hes wearing, dont like his shoes,,, but other than that its pretty cute but nothing special imo.

10/10 Xiangling is so fucking cute. everything in her design makes me clutch my heart at how endearing she is. Love her. Weird color palette... its even weirder that it fully works.

7/10 Look I love Xiao hes a good lad so I cant be too harsh... but all the colors on his design look a bit weird which really brings his over all design down... which I think is cool over all.

9/10 Really cute design for Xingqiu! The colors are beautiful... I love blue and white and gold obviously and he even does it with more of an emphasis on the blue and its a greenish blue and it looks great. the top is just gorgeous, those frilly sleeves are super cute... not a huge fan of the shorts but I hear theyre comfy and easy to wear.

10/10 Xinyan just looks terrific. Cool and punky, great fiery color pallet, cool theme, cheeky personality without it being obnoxious....  Shes great! Weird voice tho... lmao

11/10 You cant tell me what to do! Zhongli is the only male smoke show in the playable cast for that he gets an 11 ok? I love a dumb old man. I do think the coat over his longer coat is a bit weird but I aint mad at it. Love the colors, very earthy, the subtle gold design on his pant legs are cool and really hes got a lot of cool bits on his coat, his face/hair are lovely. Hes a total babe.

A SUGABABE

[electricrogue]

To All The Girls I Love

OK so hmm. How to put this. I like girls. Even love some of them. Love doesn’t mean “I would like to fuck them” in my book though. (OK so maybe there are some girl(s?) in this world I wouldn’t mind worshiping and if that would imply a sexual side well who am I to complain, but other than that, no).

No, love is a lot more complex than that. Love is knowing a girl who is the Crowley in your head (and I mean the Good Omens kind not the Supernatural kind thank you very much) who gets you to do all sorts of crazy stuff (I don’t mean drugs or other bad things, chill - though I am currently in like the mother of all withdrawals but ah well. You know that thing with it’s better to have and to lose than not to have at all or something? Yeah I guess this is what it’s like.)

Love is knowing a girl who tells you it’s OK to be weird(and yes, my mother and my grandmother and a lot of people had told me that before, but it was always like ‘you’re right everybody else you’re wrong and pffft you’re not even weird’.) And you know what? That was a fucking lie. I am weird, I will die being weird, and every second I spend hating the world or myself for that is a wasted second. And knowing someone who told me this was nothing if not liberating.

Love is knowing another girl who is technically a fashion designer but she was the best therapist I could have asked for. OK so she wasn’t exactly professional help, but you get to a point where you have to choose between harming yourself or blasting music at 200% volume in your headphones and you choose the latter, which is a lot more preferable.

Love is also knowing a girl who knew damn well I wasn’t there for her, but she still did everything she could to help some random obsessed fangirl (OK so I guess being nice is in her job description or rather her nationality description but still xD)

Love is knowing a girl from that one TV-show in which she somehow managed to create the character that is the most like you in all fiction ever (alright minus the cool magic powers and thank God the brain tumor, but God, that thing with I didn’t mind being smart I just didn’t want to be the only thing I was? I don’t know many girls that managed to put my life into words - I know 2 actually xD, but yes, so much yes to that.)

Love is also knowing a girl who is your writer kin in a way (as in, she put a thing in one of her books which made zero sense plotwise but she went like you know what fuck it, I will have a rock club in this chapter, fuck you, it’s my book I do what I want). Honestly, mad respect for that. Less respect for taking two girls who were raising a kid together and were like totally gay for eachother and making them sisters, but ah well. The gal uses Within Temptation lyrics as openings for her books OK I cannot hate her xD.

And alright, love is also knowing a girl who’s like a total hottie and following her throughout all kinds of shitty shows where she dies and or is treated miserably (well, one of those is still up to debate, but yeah, not being optimistic about that)

And in the end, love is knowing all sorts of girls who managed to rule whatever world they live in, be it fictional or not, and while I don’t dare to dream I could do the same one day, I still hold every one of them in a very dear place in my heart. (And tbh I really aspire to be the kind of girl who is a badass with a generous side of goth at work but a total dork in real life because a) I love the idea and b) It’s yummy I ain’t gonna lie).

So to all the girls I ever loved (and still do), a very Happy International Women’s Day and I honestly can say I wouldn’t be alive without you, so thank you for that.

[kirishwima]

Could you please write about RFA + V&Saeran reacting to MC playing otome games? I don't know if you ever wrote something like that before. Thank u ♥️

as a big fan of otome games i’m obligated to answer this OwO

Since you haven’t specified any pronouns, I’ll be using they/them for MC!

YOOSUNG:

* “MC, do you like playing games?” he asks one day whilst on a call with MC, the glee in his voice palpable.

* He’s so happy when MC replies with a shy yes! He’s about to ask them is they play LOLOL when MC cuts him off with a rush. “I-it’s probably not the kind of games you play though!”

* He’s a little baffled by that, but MC is quick to change the topic to Yoosung’s beloved LOLOL, and he’s sufficiently distracted to let the matter slide in the meantime.

* It’s only after he and MC meet at the party, only after they start dating and spending much more time together that he understands just what kind of a gamer MC really is.

* “MC! Stop paying attention to your fake boyfriend and come hug me! Me! Flesh and bone, right here!” he groans, patting at his chest and belly with a big sad pout-and really, MC you heartless fiend, how can you ignore those big puppy eyes in favor of an online hottie on your laptop?!

* He’s not nearly as upset over MC’s choice of games as one would think-so long as he receives sufficient amounts of kisses and cuddles, and reassurances that he’s their one and only true boyfriend, he’s good! He’ll even watch MC as they game on their phone whilst they rest their head on his chest.

* “Oh, MC, go with that guy! He looks um-” he blushes, wondering how to phrase his next words-how can he say that that dude with the choker full of spikes and smudged eyeliner looks hot?! “he looks...promising?”

* Oho? *MC will remember that.*

ZEN:

* He never really noticed what exactly it was MC was playing-he saw them giggling at their phone or laptop from time to time and found it cute, sometimes he’d see the background of a game but he’d pay no mind to it-if it was something MC wanted to share with him, they would after all!

* Well, one day he was sitting besides them as they played on their laptop, going over his lines when MC laughed and tugged at his shirt, nodding over to their screen. 

* “Zenny, look at this-doesn’t this guy look a lot like Jumin?”

* Zen raised a brow and looked at the screen-and he was floored. The man at the screen was a well-drawn, hyper-realistic man that really did look oddly similar to that Trustfund prick-and what was that? There was a dialogue bubble at the side of him that wrote ‘For you, my love, I’d buy the moon and all the stars.”

* “MC-are you not satisfied with me...?” he trembled as he uttered the words, his eyes fixated to the man on the screen-and he suddenly had a deep desire to punch Jumin the next time he saw him (doesn’t he always feel that way tho orz)

* It took a lot of explaining from MC to show him that yes, this is just a game, and no, this isn’t real-yes they’re super happy with Zen and don’t need any compensation from a virtual boyfriend, these are just fun games to play, same as Yoosung with his LOLOL.

* Eventually Zen eases into the idea, though not entirely-and if he catches MC playing any game like that, he’ll always urge them to go for the character that most resembles himself lmao

JAEHEE:

* She really doesn’t see the appeal-and doesn’t really have much of a reaction when MC tells her of their hobby. 

*She’s interested to learn of what MC enjoys in their free time, and she’s content to spend some time lounging around on the couch with them, her watching Zen’s musical whilst MC plays on their phone or laptop, and she’ll occasionally look to MC’s screen, offer commentary on the characters, but that’s pretty much it

* Until one day....MC discovers a Zen dating fan game.

* They figure Jaehee will be thrilled to see this, that she’ll want to play this right away! So they waste no time in showing it to them-the plot is fairly good and the art is great, so they know it’s a promising game...

* ...but Jaehee doesn’t seem all that interested. She shakes her head when MC offers her their phone, pushing it back to MC.

* “Thank you, but I’ve already seen this game before-playing as Zen’s lover feels weird, more so when he’s a dear friend. If you’d like to play it you’re free to do so though....” she lowered her head at that last bit, biting her lip. 

* With a bit of coaxing and a chin tilt so she’d look MC in the eye, Jaehee admitted her fear. “W-what if after playing this game you fall in love with Zen?! Of course I had no such fear with all the other games you play, they’re fake, but this is real and it’s Zen and-”

* MC had to kiss Jaehee to shush her, the phone all but forgotten, the game still gleaming on the screen. 

* “Let’s never play that game, ok? Neither of us has any use for it. I love you, and only you” MC whispered on Jaehee’s lips-and that was all the confirmation Jaehee needed.

* Zen couldn’t stop sneezing that night, poor dude lmao

JUMIN:

* “So....MC you enjoy playing as someone else’s significant other?”    “I mean...kind of but not really?”    “I see.”

* The conversation was as awkward as you can imagine-MC had been giggling at something a character had said while playing on their phone, and Jumin asked what they were laughing about, so they answered honestly-and that’s how they ended up here, sitting across each other, MC’s phone in the middle of the two on the dining table, the rich-dude-character still shining on the screen, his brooding expression perfectly matching Jumin’s.

* “Is there anything you feel is lacking from our relationship, that these games provide instead?” Jumin asked, nodding down to MC’s phone.

* “No! No, not at all-Jumin, these are just games, and these are simply characters. I enjoy playing the games, and I like seeing well-written characters, but that’s as far as my exchange with them goes. You-you’re here. You’re with me, and we’re together. I love you, and no game can change this or take that away.”

* This is getting too meta for me lmao

* “I see” Jumin said at last-the words sounded cold, but his lips betrayed a small smile as he stood up, coming around to kneel in front of MC, taking their hands in his. “Thank you for being honest with me, MC.”

* And that was that. Or so MC thought.

* Barely a week after this conversation, a notification popped up on MC’s phone. ‘New Otome Game, Exclusive-Corporate Heir Professes His Love?!’

* Curious MC cilcked on the suspicious link, assuming it’d be a prank from Seven or something of the sort-but hoo boy, it sure wasn’t.

* No, instead it was a full-blown, million-dollar-budget otome game; featuring Jumin Han himself, with his own voice, and a lot of cameos by Elizabeth the 3d-even the MC was built-in the game, designed to look exactly like...well, like MC.

* Jealousy, meet Jumin Han, the man that created an entire freaking game for his fiance to play, which he updates weekly so they’ll focus on him and only him lmao

SEVEN/SAEYOUNG:

* “Dude, you’re playing The Arcana?! Do Julian’s route, he’s one kinky motherf-mmf!”

* Seven’s words were cut short as MC put a hand over his mouth, stopping him mid-sentence. “Babe!” they screamed, “spoilers! I’m still on the prologue!”

* He plays any and all games, and otome are no exceptions lol, it just has to be good enough to catch Seven’s eye.

* He’ll often recommend games to MC, or lay in bed with them and play on their phone, choosing bad dialogue options on purpose to mess with them lol

* You’d think he’d make them an otome game featuring himself since they love them so much-and he might, but he’s a little too self-conscious for that lol, so he’d end up making it more of a meme than anything. He might add in a deep profound love confession unlocked through a series of tests though, just to see if MC would go through the trouble of achieving it~

* And they would-it’d take a lot of trial and error but they’d reach a point in Seven’s game where there’d be a blank screen and his own voice, simply telling MC how much he loves them, how he’d do anything to see their smile and how their every action brightens up his day. It’s short and simple, but enough to make MC’s heart melt, and make them run to Seven’s desk to jump in his arms and kiss him.

* Also he’s a total sucker for blushy innocent characters that can’t reckon danger if it were to punch them in the face, wAnna guess whY?

* also if u havent go play the arcana its p darn good

V/JIHYUN:

* He finds MC’s obsession with otome games to be pretty darn cute?! The way they giggle at some of the dialogue or point out their favorite and explain why they like that character to V is so endearing, and he’s always eagerly listening to their explanations-he’ll even play with them from time to time.

* He won’t really play otome games on his own, but he’ll sit with MC on his lap, his head resting on their shoulder as he helps them pick dialogue options (the best, cutest option, always-this man can’t be mean even to a fictional character, never)

* His favorite seem to be the overly sarcastic, blunt characters that seem to want nothing to do with the main character-MC questioned him about it once, asking him if he’s a masochist or something, but he gave them such an innocent look they just dropped the subject without much thought.

* One night MC was too busy playing otome games as V sat on the couch besides them, gently nudging their thigh with his for even a glimpse of their attention-but MC kept mumbling ‘not now babe’, focusing on their game and the moving dialogue.

* V pouted, prodding his lip as he leaned close to MC. “Baby, do you prefer these characters over me...?”

* Listen. Listen V does NOT get into these cutesy moods often so if he does you are LEGALLY OBLIGED TO DROP EVERYHTING YOU’RE GOING AND GIVE HIM ALL YOUR ATTENTION and that’s exactly what MC did, otome games be damned.

* V=Victorious

SAERAN/RAY/UNKNOWN:

* He’s so confused???!

* “Wait so the point of the game is to...date the characters?! All of them?!”

* MC nodded, a mischievous grin on their lips. “Sound familiar?” they asked, knowing full well that was how Ray once lured them to Mint Eye-a story as old as time now, now that he’s on his path to recovery, now that the two are happy together.

* Saeran grumbled under his breath, a blush spreading on his cheek. “It’s not like I really knew what these games were at the time...I just took a look at your search history, saw a lot of that ‘otome’ or whatever and made up a rouse based off of it. I didn’t know you’re that invested in them!”

* MC laughed at his obvious confusion, how he looked to MC’s screen, a desktop folder full of otome games open on their screen and glaring back at them. He pouted, furrowing his brow.

* “Wait but-you’re not like-you like me right?”

* MC rolled their eyes. He was slowly getting over his insecurities, sure, but there was still a long way to go.

* They leaned in close and kissed him, a quick peck on the lips before they leaned back, looking to their computer screen. “I could delete all these if it’d make you feel better. I love you. Only you.” they shrugged.

* Saeran’s reddened face was adorable, the way his breath hitched in his throat, his hands trembing as he came to rest his fingers over MC’s wrist. 

* “N-no it’s-it’s okay, I trust you. I um-I love you too.”

* He’s not a fan of otome games, especially not with the connnotations they have for him, but well, if his beloved likes them...he doesn’t mind building a proper game for them.

-send me a mystic messenger headcanon for character reactions-

[trueffelmaiden]

There is actually not a single good stance I could take on the “Is L ugly debate” and it’s been keeping me up for weeks because:

1. Heck yeah, there should be more non-attractive characters in (especially visual)  media that are important and confident and well-rounded people (and more characters who aren’t just straight up evil or stupid please) but

2. There is not a single thing that I find inherently ugly about L’s design? I mean, the prototype was a generic hottie so O&O had to really scramble to make some significant changes and the only thing they really could influence at that point were his eyes and I don’t think the dead, buggy eyes make him ugly!! And they even said his “eye-bags looked cool” like c’mon

3. Sooo... when L was made ‘unattractive’ by O&O I’m kinda a bit suspicious that they meant his mannerisms, like his slouch, the unkempt appearance and the weird facial expressions. To which I would have to be like ‘nah man, I’ll absolutely stop you right there” because that doesn’t make him ugly! At all!!!

4. BUT then I swivel right around again and have to say that O&O never said that they made L “ugly”, just “unattractive” which could just mean “not up to societal beauty standards” to which I’d have to say “yeah, that’s fair and all the power to L for saying ‘fuck it I’ll just be a little frogman and live my best live’

Conclusion: When someone calls L ugly (in whatever context) I immediately go from “you’re right, L does possess some unconventional features and that’s why I love him, please don’t erase those in pursuit of making him a generic anime bishie” to “How absolutely dare you, sir, he is perfect and I want his face tattooed on my forehead“,... (maybe with a little sprinkle of “Are you really calling this fair-featured, slim-bodied young man with the thick hair and sharp jawline ugly right now, just because of one little comment the authors made, like are you kidding me?”)

So yeah... that’s my stance/not-stance on the whole debate, which is probably not even a real debate and I’ve just typed this out for naught but my own personal peace of mind 

[starryevermore]

paradise island: a review

A note before we begin: everything above the cut will be spoiler free and will just be my general feelings about the story as a whole, the writing, and if I’d recommend it. Everything below the cut will include spoilers to explain my feelings about the story.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Visiting the North Shore had been a bizarre and unsettling experience, to say the least, but when they got home after vacation was over, he was going to suggest to Colby that they make a video about it.

Hell, no. Even better. Write a book. Videos melted away after a while, but a book? Books and stories solidified on the conscious mind forever. (91-92)

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I generally enjoy stories like this, but there were a few moments throughout the novel where things just fell a bit flat. 

While I was reading, I made a few notes, the first being that there was a weird juxtaposition between talking about more adult topics (drinking, women, sex, etc.) but in an odd, almost kid-friendly way. Some of the word choices were interesting, such as constant use of “fancy-pants”, “hottie”, “goofball”, “oddball”, and “doofus”, as well as the one moment where Colby said he hated “dicky” people and the moment where Sam said Colby was about to have an “emo-ruption”. (Though I did laugh a lot longer than I should have at “emo-ruption”.) It felt like they were still trying to make the story appropriate for their younger fans by using more kid-friendly language, while also appealing to their older fans by being like “look!! we drink!! and ooh look, we talked about smoking weed 👀🤪”. I wish they would’ve committed to one or the other, because it added an odd sense of disjointedness to the story that could’ve been easily resolved.

The other big thing I made note of was that there was a lot of “tell, not show” throughout. There’s a heavy focus on dialogue to progress the story rather than seeing into the boys’ inner thoughts and using other means to find out information. (I’m not one to talk, though, since I also focus more on dialogue than description.) It sometimes made it difficult to fully get into the story. I struggled with developing a picture of what the Belle Estate looked like, or what the other characters (beside SNC, Nate, and Alex) looked like. In terms of the boys, it seemed very reliant on us knowing who Sam and Colby are and what they’re all about (which is fair, since probably 99.9% of people who bought the book are fans of them but, if they want success outside of their audience, it could’ve been more descriptive in that regard). 

As for the big twist at the end, it was a bit lackluster. I’ll go more in detail on this in the “spoiler section”, but it kind of diminished everything that had happened throughout the story and left me wondering “what was the point?”. 

I was excited when I’d heard that the story was told through both Sam and Colby’s POVs, but, I’ll be honest, I saw little difference between Sam’s chapters than Colby’s chapters. The most difference was the almost stereotypical portrayal of Sam being the logical one while Colby being the emotional one. Aside from that, they were almost indistinguishable from me and I often had to flip back to the start of a chapter to remind myself of who’s head I was in.

Since that was all critical, here’s some things I did like:

I feel like, while the inner monologues were a bit lacking, Gaby did make up for it by making the dialogue between the boys really realistic to them. In this regard, she really nailed the portrayal of them. 

The depiction of the paranormal things was really great. I feel like those parts were the ones I could get most into the story. The way Gaby wrote them was so interesting and pulled me in. I wish there was more of these moments throughout the story, because I think they really showcased who Gaby is as a writer.

The convo where Colby called Sam “Velma” and then Nate asked if Colby was “Fred”? I really enjoyed that because (a) Scooby is my favorite thing in the whole world and (b) I chose Sam and Colby be Velma and Fred in my moodboards a month ago so just a lil fun moment for me.

Just how meta the book was. Like, the quote I included at the top? I laughed for way too long when I read that. 

There was a nice sense of nostalgia throughout, specifically when they brought up their YouTube channel, their Vine days, them being arrested, wining a Teen Choice Award, and Corey and the Shadowman. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and reminded me of how proud I am for how far they’ve come.

*slight spoiler here* Speaking of being arrested, there was a moment where SNC were contemplating escaping to the beach and they had a conversation if it was worth being arrested again. I really loved that, especially with how much fans joke about them inevitably being arrested again.

This is more for the person who designed the cover, but holy shit?? I loved it so much?? 

I don’t know if I would have picked this book up if it didn’t have Sam and Colby’s name attached to it. I will say, though, I finished the book in one sitting, which is pretty rare for me nowadays, so it was engaging. I think, overall, it was a great story with a great concept but it could’ve been fleshed out more. In some ways, it almost felt like this was a draft rather than a completed novel. 

That being said, for SNC’s first book and Gaby’s first time working with the boys, it exceeded my expectations. If they were to continue writing books together, I imagine it will get better and better as they get more used to each other and potentially open up more so that their characters become a more accurate depiction of them.

Overall, the book’s not something you really need to race out to get. I think, if you have a gift card or there’s some sort of deal or you need to spend a little more to get free shipping, it wouldn’t hurt to pick up Paradise Island. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t a great, top-tier novel in my opinion. That being said, if you do pick it up, I think you will enjoy the book.

Spoiler Avenue

The characterization of all four of the boys is a bit 2D. Sam’s logical and wants to keep the peace, Colby’s emotional and more of a wildcard, Nate’s focused on his schoolwork and flexing his vocabulary, and Alex? Well, I couldn’t get a good read on Alex until he sells out SNC at the end of the novel and even then, he didn’t feel so much like his own character, more like someone just present to further the plot.

Speaking of characters, the introduction of Trey was...meh. I wish we could’ve gotten more insight on why Colby was so adamant about not liking Trey and why Nate was so gung ho to ditch their plans to go to the North side of the island for this guy they barely knew. Finding out that Colby didn’t like Trey because he said college was the only way to success was such an odd thing? Like, undoubtedly there’s been many people who would’ve said that, so does Colby also dislike everyone who’s said that or is there a more specific reason he didn’t like Trey? Just...👏🏻 more 👏🏻 inner 👏🏻 thoughts 👏🏻 please 👏🏻 and 👏🏻 thank 👏🏻 you 👏🏻 

@golbrocklovely​ brought this up in her review but Colby’s fixation on the  mermaid statue of a 16-year-old was really odd. It probably wouldn’t have been as odd if Amy was aged up a bit to 18, but as a 16-year-old with the descriptions that were given? Yeah...not the vibe.

I also wasn’t a fan of how so many things plot-wise was just...told to the boys. They could’ve found some newspaper clippings or something, anything to make them put in a little bit of detective work. But for so much information to just be handed to them? It got old, and almost lazy. 

The big twist being that all of the paranormal stuff they’d encountered being a hallucination? God, that was so fucking annoying (though I did go back afterwards from the moment that they first arrived at the Belle Estate—starting as early as page 36—and it felt incredibly obvious knowing now that it was all drugs, so props to Gaby for dropping that many hints early on). To spend so much time making all of this scary shit happen just to turn around and say “HAHA JK THE BOYS WERE JUST TRIPPING BALLS” was such a cop out. It would’ve been more terrifying for it all to be real, make the boys question their beliefs and the reality of there being something out there that they didn’t quite understand. Though, there is something terrifying about not knowing you’ve been drugged and having hallucinated that vividly, but I feel like it didn’t quite fit in with the story. 

Alex betraying the boys? So interesting! This was one of the few things that made sense in terms of them being drugged. But then when he was betrayed when Pauahi (who’s name was misspelled a few different times in the book) escaped? Ugh, amazing. We love instant karma like that. 

Going back to the “tell not show” thing, I wish the sacrifice at the end would’ve been more detailed. For all of the paranormal stuff to be written off as a drug-induced hallucination, I would’ve loved if Gaby had leaned more into the horror of being used in a human sacrifice. There was more of a focus on Colby bargaining for his life, which is fair, but I would’ve loved to see more of the pure terror there.

That being said, the way Trey finally snapped out of it? *chef’s kiss* Loved that shit so much. And I loved the fact that Trey stayed behind in the end. It added a nice eeriness to the story that had been lacking since they debunked the paranormal shit as being hallucinations. 

Again, going back to my overall, thoughts, I enjoyed the book in general. Some things could’ve been fleshed out a bit more to reach its full potential. I wish they leaned more into the paranormal aspect and had more descriptions to balance out all of the dialogue, but other than that, I did enjoy the book and don’t regret buying it. 

[comicteaparty]

December 18th-December 24th, 2019 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from December 18th, 2019 to December 24th, 2019.  The chat focused on the following question:

What tropes and/or clichés are you perfectly fine with seeing in the webcomics you read?

Deo101

Like all of the cutesy cheesy relationship tropes. I love them all and I always will! Plenty more, but I find myself getting caught up in the relationship tropes the most. Specifically friends to lovers, but I also really like the found family trope. I know there are more tropes that I love but I can't think of them off the top of my head, so I'll probably just agree with others as the week goes on

indogswetrust

pass me the slow burn romance please thaaaanks

Deo101

that one too. Also hurt/comfort. Pump those into my VEINS they are my lifeblood... I shamelessly put every trope I want into my work so I can't judge other people for doing the same

indogswetrust

i’m trash

I’ve become more sssssophisticated as I’ve gotten older but I know what I like in a webcomic.

And it’s Adorable Behavior (tm)

Deo101

I've gotten less sophosticated. I thought I got more sophisticated but turns out I just got less shameful about the things i like

indogswetrust

Haha

I mean I used to really be fixated on comedy and now I’m more okay with things being ambiguous and complex? Ingress is a good example. I might have put it down two years ago but now I wanna see where Spicer and Toivo’s journey takes them

Fixated isn’t the exact word. whatever

Deo101

No I get you! Realizing you like more than just one thing and expanding your horizons is really important!

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

I love the enemies-to-lovers trope. Any time a pair of characters goes from ‘I hate your guts’ to ‘take me now’ I’m loving it. That is, so long as one of them wasn’t being outright abusive during their ‘hate’ phase.

indogswetrust

Man that’s a delicate balance but also

Deo101

^ Fully agree. I just get a little too anxious about the "enemies" side of thing and worry they wont fully grow into lovers I guess! But if it's done well, Its an especially good one

carcarchu

i second the enemies-to-lovers thing i will never get enough of that trope

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

thirded

if I even smell a hint of it in a story, provided it's not overtly violent or abusive or otherwise horrible... I am hooked

kayotics

Fourthed... it’s a good trope

keii4ii

Now I feel like the odd one out for being neutral toward that trope. I definitely enjoy good examples of it, but otherwise completely neutral?

Evolving relationships is a good thing in general though, and enemies to lovers does fall in that category.

keii4ii

I have a soft spot for long lost superadvanced civilizations being unearthed. While it doesn't guarantee I'll fall in love with the story, it WILL grab my attention and at least get me to check it out.

renieplayerone

I dont really have any strong opinions on any tropes, but theres a really good channel on youtube that goes through and critiques tropes. I find it really useful for writing. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDb22nlVXGgcljcdyDk80bBDXGyeZjZ5e

keii4ii

(Please don't let my weirdness ruin anyone's enjoyment of the trope though, lol. I'm all for celebrating what you like! was just genuinely wondering if I'm the only one who's neutral about it!)

keii4ii

Also not an overarching story trope, but more like a type of a scene... I really like this thing (if this is a trope please tell me what it's called XD) A, B, C are friends. A and B are bffs. C is not as close. B talks to C about this while A is away. This is an honest conversation, not a malicious one. B learns to see A in a way they hadn't before, and it strengthens the B-A friendship. I'm not likely to start reading a story just because I know it contains this scene. But if a story I already like has this scene, it is likely to be my favorite scene!(edited)

I guess part of the reason why I like it so much is, it shows that the relationship (the B-A one in this case) is not insular. It's a real relationship between real people, who also have relationships outside of it, and the relationships have an influence on each other.

(And that's a lot of "relationship"s in a paragraph...)

eli [a winged tale]

Positive relationships and healthy navigations between relationship and life problems are my jam The enemies to lovers trope can be gripping because you get an additional conflict on top of tension. I thought the novel Red White & Royal Blue did a good job at that. Grant Snyder did a trope bingo for murakami and I thought it was fun to do the same for my works in progress. For reference: the murakami one https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.avclub.com/here-s-how-to-play-haruki-murakami-bingo-as-you-read-hi-1798271345/amp

keii4ii

omg

I NEED TO MAKE THIS for me/ comics I read

I mean I don't have a whole lot of stories, but it would be interesting to see what kind of common items get checked off across mine + my favorite comics combined

Capitania do Azar

wow I've been thinking about it a lot and I'm having a very hard time selecting the tropes I like best... I'm more of a "I know what I don't like and taking that aside I like being surprised"

Cronaj

All I can say is... Red Oni, Blue Oni (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RedOniBlueOni). This trope is seriously so good. My favorite thing about this trope is that the "Red Oni," or the hot-headed one, and the "Blue Oni," the cold or level-headed one, can be either friends or enemies. So it makes for a beautiful dynamic no matter what type of story it is. Buddy cops, competitors in the workplace, brothers, enemies, the straight man and the fool, you name it. Typically these characters are foils of each other, and their differencesbalways make for exceedingly fun interactions. Another favorite trope of mine, which I don't really know the name of, is where the seemingly hot/handsome guy is actually a dork who has no idea what he's doing. Everyone in the story thinks he's done everything, but really he's just a dopey, niave possibly shy and definitely clumsy virgin. But the social awkwardness only makes him inexplicably more appealing to the other lead. Cute

Ah! Another trope I have to add because it's basically my crack: Androids Are People, Too (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AndroidsArePeopleToo). I have loved this trope since before Detroit: Become Human, but the game certainly rekindled my love for it. Very genre-specific, but AI fascinate me to no end, whether it's in the real world, or in Sci-Fi.

eli [a winged tale]

Haha Cronaj are you me? Contrasting characters and robots who have feelings can get me hooked straight away

indogswetrust

lemme tell y’all about a trope I’ve noticed: the crazy lesbian. Like, The Favorite and Killing Eve and that Netflix movie about the violinists. Whoof. I am so tired of that

Cronaj

Hahahaha! I dunno maybe. I also have a protagonist in one of my novels named Eli.

eli [a winged tale]

The cute nerd who is fumbling but appeared to have it all together may lean towards the Mary Sue for me but if there is a true flaw (Tm) then I’m down

indogswetrust

I feel like gay men characters have been getting humanized and happy endings and that’s awesome! But lesbians have not been getting the same treatment.

bumbling and romantically inept nerds fuel me

eli [a winged tale]

What do you mean about the lesbian part, indogswetrust? I’m curious to know of the differences as I’m currently writing both

Cronaj

@eli [a winged tale] YES. I'm not gonna lie, I have definitely used more than one of these tropes XD And one of them may or may not be the fumbling hottie...

eli [a winged tale]

I wanted to link my trope bingo but thought it went against the pinned rules I can DM it to you if you’re interested and I’d love to play everyone else’s bingos

Cronaj

Oh hell yes. Lesgooooooo!

I have never made a trope bingo, but I really should

indogswetrust

Like, Love, Simon or Call Me By Your Name show gay men as people slowly falling in love and it’s tender and kind. But The Favorite literally has animal abuse in it and women sleeping with each other for power. I walked out of the theater. Same for Killing Eve, it’s about a spy and a murderer. High intrigue and drama but it’s obviously a toxic relationship from the premise

eli [a winged tale]

Oh no! You should check out Their Story by Tan Jiu)

It’s formatted like a webcomic as well though formally called manhua. It does the slow burn romance, humanizing aspect very well. I’m not well versed in the mainstream portrayal but certainly on the indie side, people are stepping up and writing very positive and healthy lesbian stories

indogswetrust

The indie side is great. Even “The Sea In You” (a webcomic) is frickin adorable

It just grinds my beans about mainstream portrayal

eli [a winged tale]

Loving the sea in you!

RebelVampire

A trope I will never get sick of is https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses , especially if https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ReallyRoyaltyReveal this is what happens in the story. I just...I really love royalty. I can't help it. I love the pointless traditions, the fancy dresses, the palaces, etc.. And even if that's not part of it, I still like it when some rando girl realizes that she's a princess and now has to deal with that idea that she has subjects she has to protect or something. Bonus points if she's a magical girl. I even like it when it's a reverse situation where it's an evil princess. I will never tire of princesses ever because the concept is always fascinating to me no matter which way its spun.

eli [a winged tale]

I love the fanciness of it all. All those lovely eye candy designs

Cronaj

Same... I have also used the Really Royalty Reveal, like..... Several times

eli [a winged tale]

The royal reveal when done well can be so powerful and validating

Kelsey (Kurio)

I have a queen ant character but no princesses yet

Eightfish

ooh are we talking about tropes we like? I really like mind reading/ mind control. But consensual. It's feels like the theme of trust taken to the extreme, where a character has such belief in someone they'd trust their mind / body to them. But I've only really seen it in some kid's books I liked (Young Wizards, Animorphs), and the only webcomic I've seen with this idea is my own, and I haven't even gotten to that part yet. Anyone have any recommendations? Ooh or a tvtropes link?

Erin Ptah (BICP 🎄 Leif & Thorn)

It comes up in the Murderbot Diaries -- the main character is a construct, basically a really-advanced android, and there are times when it lets a more-powerful AI pilot its body to handle an emergency that's unfolding too fast for it to keep up with on its own.

Eightfish

I looked it up and I do like the themes of androids' humanity. And it's a series of novellae, which, wow, that's very rare. Not sure I've ever seen that before. Do you recommend the book as a whole?(edited)

Erin Ptah (BICP 🎄 Leif & Thorn)

I recommend the whole series, yes!

[how-to-do-it-better]

Sex Should Be Fun, Not Dirty

 A few things that gross me out about porno myths

By LargoKitt. Listen to the Podcast at How To Sex.

What I HATE About Porn

Right up front let me make it clear that I watch erotica, read erotica, and write erotica. Please scope out my stories or poems or even my art and I think you will be pleased. Porn is very ancient stuff. Prehistoric people were making images designed to turn them on, and I'm sure they were sitting around the campfire and telling spicy stories. Motivating people to do the deed and plant the seed has been a major push for millennia.

Hindus and Greeks and lots of other folks have gods who celebrate procreation. Heck, the Bible contains the steamy Song of Solomon. And in Genesis, God never said, "Don't fuck." He said, "Be fruitful and multiply."

Don’t Make Me Feel Shitty

Point 1: BDSM. I don't think sex is dirty and I really don't much like stories or vids or auds that portray people who feel like shit for feeling horny. Guys should not have to apologize for hard-ons they get in an honest scenario. Horny is built into the machinery. But hang on, I understand that if you were brought up in a strict religious household where touching yourself or anyone else without a legal contract will cause Old Scratch himself to snatch you by the short hairs and drag you to Hell where he'll fry you till you're a crispy critter; if that's the crap that's in the back of your head when you spot a hottie and the spirit rises; well then I can see how being bad and feeling good might end up in the back of the same pickup truck.

Since religious figures, priests and preachers and missionaries and nuns, are placed artificially off-limits, I can see how getting under that dark robe might be a turn on. But a story about raping a priest or a nun who used to humiliate you in school. That's not erotica. That's a revenge horror story and I hate it being considered a turn-on. And stories about religious folks exploiting or hurting kids is never sexy. It's criminal.

I personally despise stories that feature people despising each other, especially in the bedroom. I might write a story about people playing at humiliating one another. I can imagine people, maybe a woman CEO who is always in charge and demanding of respect, enjoying a fantasy where someone calls her a 'stupid worthless slutty cock-sucking bitch'. Same with a male CEO who likes to be ridden and whipped like a stubborn mule. I can imagine those characters getting relief from constant responsibility. I can see how the sting of a little pain might lift their spirits.

But I switch off when the sex is about the pain. Oh I get how a spanking or being bound and restrained might raise the stakes of sensation. But then the pain is about the sex. And the sex plus pain is for the pleasure of the person being bound or 'punished' not for some nut who gets his or her nut by hurting other people. I understand if your kink swells when you have someone in your power. But for me sex is always a dance with equal partners even if you're playing that it's not.

So. Stories teach. And I HATE stories or videos that teach men that it's okay to treat women like shit. Also stories that teach women that the only way they can tell a man what she wants is to be a cruel slutty dom. Or little girls who need permission from 'daddy.' Or independent women just waiting to be enslaved by a cruel master who "knows just what they want."

Bottom line: whatever your kink, sex should be fun for all members of the party and their members, and fun shouldn't make you feel weird and guilty.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Point 2 -- Girls just wanna have fun. I HATE porn that is all about the man getting his nut with no concern for the woman getting hers. What's up with that? Are most pornos secretly for men who are into men? Why in Baal's name do we always spend so much time looking at dude's dicks? And balls? And assholes?

Maybe a viewer who isn't built like superman likes to pretend he is the buff cut flexing shiny well-waxed, spray-tanned hunk who is drilling a hottie who is lying about what a turn-on he is. But how about, for once, having a Don Juan or Lothario who is actually a role model for how to light a lady's fire? Because if you have the basic equipment, but really know what to do with it your reputation as a cocksmith may grow, and most often it won't be about your cock.

The guy may be necessary in the video to show what turns her on. But then I want to spend lots of time seeing her get with it. I don't want a guys ass between me and the beautiful stuff any more than it has to. And for pity's sake, porn makers and porn writers, show us what is happening with her, how this lick or that deep plunge is beginning to light her up. Some of you dudes may be all about pretending you are this super-stud and this total hottie just wants to be drilled by you until your jackhammer has busted the pavement. But really, that's not as much fun as taking the time to wind her up and truly get her truly excited.

Hard truth: Jamming your dick is the LAST turn-on a woman usually wants to feel to get her off. Everything else you do: flirting with her, complimenting her, giving her a gift, feeding her, kissing her, gently touching her, rubbing her, fingering and licking, ALL are bigger turn-ons than your dick. She may want your dick, because it feels good, fills her up in a way she likes, connects in a powerful way, shows you want her and only her so damn bad, and are eager to feed her your seed. But her orgasm usually comes from the other strokes.

And for lesbian couples this literally goes double. Two loving gals are not usually eager to pretend to be hard dick-jamming men.

Lesbian Porn

Point 3 - "Lesbian" videos (or stories) are not made for women, even though most women now and again fantasize about having it on with another woman. But how often does anyone actually ask the women to write the script about how two women come to get it on? Note how many writers who identify as lesbians or bi, put at the top of the story, something like, "If you just want to get right to the sex you may be disappointed, because this story has a slow build. That is because, gentlemen, that the lead up in a lesbian story is the lust. So how about more videos in which the women take their time playing with each other? Not hours of loud smacky fake kisses and tongue tangling. No. Real attention to all the erogenous zones: the neck, the ears, lots of exploring tender skin, the talking. Seeing each face come alive. And always, take your time. After all; what's your hurry?

Butt?

Point 4: But, but, butt. Maybe there was a time when the idea and the illustration of a man having penetrative intercourse with another person's anus was a strange and exotic turn-on. Now you have to plow through the butt shots to get to any other kind of sexual activity. Enough already. Or put the butt play into a special search for those you don't lift off except when imagining back door action. Otherwise, go easy. And that means planning your camera angles so we aren't looking at someone's shitter when hot romantic sex is supposed to be happening.

Roughly Sensual?

Point 5 - Rougher and tougher is not hotter. Oh, sure, sometimes jamming, and slappling and hurling her (him) around is at the peak of turn-on. Sometimes the opposite is true. The smooth strokes can really reach her. Gentle that breast. Please that little spot on the side of her neck. Sweetly tickle that clit hood. Do spend lots of time on the breasts and nipples. Stroke and kiss and suck them a dozen ways and do it again. Let us see her face and hear her voice as this happens. Talk to her. It doesn't matter if the vid is shot in Slovenian.

All the senses say something

Point 6 - And speaking of voice, let us hear how she is feeling. I don't mean clichés like "Oh baby, you're so big." I mean those personal sounds that tell you she is beginning to feel it. Let us hear her breath slowly get more raw and excited. Encourage her to say what she needs. That last point is important, and very sexy. Not just, "Oh yeah, right there, right there," but, "Grab my tit hard please." "Squeeze my ass." "Kiss me...I need you to kiss me." And let us hear him as his excitement builds and he begins to groan and roar. For lesbian sex it would be good to really hear the couple work out what feels good. "That's good; roll a little to your left. Yeah, move up that way." "Keep rocking. Oh please don't stop rocking." "Just lick inside right there with the tip of your tongue." "Shut up and fuck me hard."

Sprayed vs filled?

Point 7 - The money shot. Time was, you had to know this was real sex, so the dude had to spill the cream at the end. Now I think that's old hat. The real money shot is seeing her get off for real. Now we know that for most women PIV sex is not the true lift off. It may be great, but it is the satisfier that says your man is happy and has really connected. Your orgasm(s) can come any time along the way and are proof that your lover is really paying attention to your needs. And here's a simple dirty secret: most guys watching and probably a lot of women are going to get off when they see her cum more than when they see him cum. And for me nothing is sexier than both partners getting off while they are deeply connected. No need to 'open out' awkwardly so we see all the messy bits. For the last lap let them find each others' rhythm and go for it.

Stay Unselfish

Coda - Make videos with people who know and respect each other. Even if the love play is rough and tumble, have your "actors" know and care about each other and show they care about each others' bodies. Give them time to get to know each other before they shoot the scene. And we have all seen "the four ways to fuck"-- now missionary, now doggie, now her on top, now on her side with him behind, pull out and jizz in her mouth. Yawn. Let them work out what gets them excited.

My Golden Rules: NEVER feature sex with children. NEVER feature enslaved, exploited, addicted, or drugged participants. NEVER treat women like they are second class citizens. NEVER have the talk or action be racist. NEVER show rough sex without the absolute consent of all participants. NEVER confuse torture for stimulation. NEVER exploit young or broke people to make a porno. There are plenty of adults willing to make sex videos for fun and/or profit.

And if you like erotic stories, videos, audios, pix then use the ones that respect people and avoid the ones that don't.

If the maker breaks those golden rules, don't watch or pay for that shit.

I KNOW I am bumping up against some people's favorite kinks, or even the whole reason they seek out porn. That's them. Maybe that's you. Okay, but the stuff I list above is what ruins it for me. I have a simple stance. Sex is good. Sex is fun. People do best when they don't feel angry, or ashamed, or guilty while doing it. You can play football to maim the other player or humiliate them. For me that ruins the game. Our bodies have wonderful built-in toys. Enjoy them.

 The 11 Best Sexual Positions for Satisfying Sex

Tons of sexual positions can bring mutual satisfaction, but do you know which ones both you and your partner can enjoy? Check out these 11 you might want to try the next time you get frisky.

By Ashley Welch

Switch up your sexual routine so you and your partner can rekindle your connection.

There are hundreds of hot sex positions for couples that bring partners’ bodies together for mutual pleasure. Knowing a variety of sex positions can help you be a better and more inventive lover for your partner.

What Are the Best Ways to Have Mutually Satisfying Sex?

That answer is different for every couple. "I would define the best position as the position that works best for the individual or individuals involved,” says Tameca Harris-Jackson, PhD, a certified sex educator, a sex therapist.

"Trying different sex positions actually offers an opportunity to bring different ways of experiencing pleasure into sexual intimacy and a sexual relationship,” Dr. Harris-Jackson says. “You can eat the same meal every day for 20 years, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to get the most joy out of it. You’re just getting the nutrients. But if you try to add a little bit of parsley to that meal, you might taste it in a different way, and it might become a more exciting meal. And that’s what having new positions in a relationship can do.”

There are nonphysical factors to consider, too. Take intimacy, for example. For many people, especially women, intimacy can lead to better sexual experiences because partners are comfortable and trusting enough to ask for what they desire and to try new things.

Many couples are figuring out exactly those benefits, according to research funded by the Kinsey Institute at the University of Indiana.

An online survey of 1,559 adults showed that while people had less frequent sex during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were more willing to try new things, which included sexting, sharing sexual fantasies, and experimenting with new sex positions.

Try New Sexual Positions to Spice Things Up

Stressful periods of time can make it difficult to get aroused and stay aroused, says study coauthor Justin L. Lehmiller, PhD, a research fellow at the Kinsey. “Trying something new can amp up your arousal,” he says. “Trying new things is about self-discovery — what works for your body, your relationship — and that’s going to have lifelong benefits.”

You don’t have to be a gymnast to make these moves pay off. Don’t think “crazy sex positions,” rather “new sex positions” to create more heat between the sheets.

“Not every position is for everyone, and that’s okay,” says Dr. Lehmiller. “But even if the positions described here don’t work for you (maybe you’ve already tried them), that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try new and different things. Novelty is one of the things that keeps us interested in coming back for more. When sex is the same every time, we tend to lose interest. New positions are a handy way of adding an element of novelty and newness to our sex lives.”

1: The Missionary Position or Face-to-Face

Potential Benefits or Caveats Intimate but not necessarily mutually satisfying.

Details It's a simple sex position: The woman lies on her back with her legs spread and knees bent slightly. The man lies between his woman’s legs and guides his penis or sex toy into his lover’s vagina or anus, supporting her body weight with his arms or elbows.

The problem with the missionary position is that it’s not as good at delivering pleasure to women. The pelvis of the partner on top can sometimes stimulate the clitoris in this position, and it offers great intimacy through face-to-face contact. But the angle of the penis does not allow for deep penetration or stimulation of the G-spot (felt through a location on the front wall of the vagina and believed by some experts to be a stimulus for orgasm in women). Some women also complain that this sex position doesn't provide enough clitoral stimulation to experience climax.

In a study published in August 2020 in Sexual Medicine, researchers in the Czech Republic surveyed 1,100 heterosexual people about 13 sex positions and revealed that most people still choose the missionary position even though it does not correlate with orgasm for women.

Try Female-Friendly Intercourse Positions

If the most common sex position is not offering women consistent orgasms, then one important thing to do to is “close the orgasm gap,” says Lehmiller, and try a new sex position. In other words, don't limit yourself to the missionary position.

"In most cultures, it is not the most used position," says Beverly Whipple, PhD, RN, a certified sexuality educator and professor emerita at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

If you are looking to spice up your sexual experience and enjoy better sex, try some of these female-friendly positions. Many afford partners the chance for clitoral stimulation, which is what 35.4 percent of women said they need to reach orgasm.

2: Cowgirl

Potential Sensual Benefits or Caveats Deep penetration and sensations vary; clitoral stimulation.

Details In this position, the man lies on his back while the partner being penetrated faces them and kneels, straddling his pelvis. She can then sit up or lie down on her man.

"This is a great position for a woman to control the depth of penetration," Harris-Jackson says. “It’s also a good position to get multiple forms of stimulation. With the woman’s body upright, the nipples can be engaged, which can lead to extra arousal. It is good for having access to the clitoris for stimulation.”

The riding partner can choose whether to bounce up and down, grind, or make hip circles — each delivering a slightly different sensation. “This is also a good position for a person with a penis if they have back issues because it’s almost a resting position for them,” she says.

6 Easy Ways To Spice Up Your Married Sex Life

Making things more interesting in the bedroom doesn't have to be hard. Try these simple tips to create more heat between the sheets.

3: Reverse Cowgirl or Reverse Rider on Top

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Buttocks play, visual stimulations, opportunities for variations; may cause pain.

Details The man lies on his back while the woman sits astride him, facing his feet, and slips his penis into her vagina or anus. The woman can control the rhythm and pace of the thrusts. This position can be especially exciting for the man, who gets to observe the back and buttocks of his lover. Squeezing or grabbing the buttocks can enhance the experience for both. This position can be tricky to master since it requires the woman to lean back or sit up very straight to accommodate the angle of the penis. “If you’re leaning forward, it can be painful and uncomfortable for the man because it could almost feel like his penis is breaking,” says Harris-Jackson, who recommends having the man bend his knees while the woman holds her hands against her lover’s thighs or waist.

Switch It Up “This may be one of those positions that is better in theory than in practice,” says Lorrae Jo Bradbury, a sex and love coach and the founder of SluttyGirlProblems.com and LorraeJo.com. “You might want to use it as a foreplay position, grinding on his penis before you begin intercourse.”

4: Doggy Style or Rear Entry

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Deep penetration and G-spot stimulation but the position can feel impersonal.

Details In this position, the woman kneels on all fours, supporting herself with her hands and knees. The man crouches and enters from behind. This is the best sex position for deep penetration of the vagina. It gives the man freedom to thrust hard and fast, and allows easy access to caress much of the woman’s body. The position also allows for good G-spot stimulation.

Switch It Up Some people complain that this sex position is too impersonal because there's no face-to-face contact. “If you want closer eye contact with this position,” says Bradbury, move your knees closer to your chest and arch your back so your partner can lean into you near your face and you can make eye contact. Bradbury says you can also try this position in front of a mirror so you can see one another’s faces.

A variation of this can be done standing; using a high bed, dining table, or even the kitchen counter; when a woman lays her chest or forearms upon the solid surface. Many women report laying in wait at the kitchen, when their man comes home. Her sticky panties are dropped to her knees. With his coat still on, she simply orders him; “Fuck Me Now! I can’t wait another minute!” He follows her instructions and sates her lusts. After his spunk fills her wanton cunt, she turns to face him, holds his spent cock, and says; “This rod needs to be ready for round two, after dinner, in the bedroom.

5: The Corkscrew

Potential Sensual Benefits or Caveats Intense, deep penetration.

Details Leaning forward, the woman lies on the edge of the bed facing inward, resting on her hip and forearm while her partner enters her from behind. The woman can keep her thighs together for a tighter hold on the penis or penetrating toy. But if the woman opens her legs, the clitoris is exposed for stroking while the man thrusts from behind. “You’re getting that deeper penetration like doggy style, but this may be an easier and more comfortable position,” says Bradbury.

Switch It Up Your partner can easily lean down to make out with you, and the clitoris is within easy reach, according to Bradbury.

6: Side by Side or Sideways

Potential Sensual Benefits or Caveats Deep eye contact and intimacy.

Details Both partners lie on their sides, facing each other. The woman lifts her top leg so the man can enter her. This position is great for morning sex when you might be a little sleepy, says Bradbury.

It offers intimacy because you are close to each other’s face. The partners can kiss and caress each other during lovemaking. The sex position is relaxing, doesn't require a lot of stamina from either person, and offers an opportunity for good clitoral stimulation.

Switch It Up Penetration can be improved if the woman drapes both legs over her man’s waist, Bradbury says. This allows great access to the clitoris, which can be stimulated with a finger or with a toy. “I think this is a great position for everyone,” she says. “It offers the comfort of cuddling, too.”

7: Flat Iron or Lazy Dog

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Tightness on penetration, intense stimulation.

Details The woman lies on her stomach with her legs straight and hips slightly raised. (You can place a pillow under your hips.) The man enters from behind. When lying face down, the woman’s legs will be closer together, which creates a snugger fit for her man’s penis or sex toy. This can lead to a new, more intense sensation. “This is a really good way to increase the experience of tightness for the man,” Harris-Jackson says. “It’s also good for clitoral stimulation because the partner can reach around with his hand or a sex toy to provide dual stimulation. And it’s a good position for G-spot stimulation because you’re angling the body so that the penis is in perfect alignment to stroke against the G-spot.”

8: Face-Off

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats With intense eye contact and clitoral stimulation, this can be an enhanced missionary position.

Details In this position, the man sits on the edge of a bed or in a comfortable seated position while the woman climbs on his lap face-to-face. The woman wraps her legs around his waist and can control the pace of thrusting. This position also allows for direct clitoral stimulation and eye contact, which can increase intimacy.

Bonus Your hands are free so you can touch and caress your lover’s body nearly anywhere you would like. “This is a really impactful position for people who are aroused with eye contact,” says Harris-Jackson. “It’s like missionary, but you are really face-to-face. It also takes some of the work off the woman because the man can move her up and down by placing his hands on her hips.”

Switch It Up The lotus position is very similar to face-off, only the man sits crossed-legged on the bed or chair.

9: Pretzel Dip

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Deep penetration with potential for G-spot stimulation.

Details The woman lies on her right side as the man straddles his lover’s right leg. The man then pulls his woman’s left leg up and around his left side and enters her vagina or anus. This position allows deep penetration while also allowing the intimacy of maintaining eye contact.

Switch it Up “You can also take your left leg and pull it toward your chest to get a deeper angle,” says Bradbury. “And you have amazing access to the clitoris for both partners.” Your hands will be free, which can allow you to run them all over each other’s body. Adds Harris-Jackson: “This position — depending on your angle — can also offer G-spot stimulation, as well.”

10: Coital Alignment Technique (CAT)

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Clitoral stimulation.

Details If you want to rock rather than thrust, roll with CAT. This position is similar to missionary; the main difference is that the man pushes the base of his penis so that it lines up with her clitoris and the two make contact. Once they do, the couple rock back and forth and maintain constant contact. “It’s a little bit of a different way of having sex,” says Lehmiller. “You rock back and forth rather than thrusting. Doing so prolongs the length of intercourse for the man and increases the odds of a woman having an orgasm because she’s having that constant stimulation.”

11: Sixty-Nine (or 69)

Potential Sensual Benefits and Caveats Mutual oral stimulation.

Details This position involves both lovers performing and receiving oral sex at the same time. Typically, one partner lies on their back while the other climbs on top of them and turns around, straddling them with their genitals above their lover’s face. The person on top then leans forward and begins performing oral sex on their lover while simultaneously receiving. This position can require some coordination and balance, particularly for the partner on top. One way to make 69 a bit more comfortable for both lovers is to lie on their sides during the act.

Keep Switching It Up: Sexual Variety Is Exciting

In our day-to-day lives, we tend to be very goal-oriented, says Harris-Jackson. “We wake up in the morning and it’s go, go, go to get out the door. We go, go, go to eat our food, to go to work. It creates a lot of stress and tension in our bodies and in our minds. Many patients that I see feel that sex becomes one more thing that they have to go, go, go and do. But sexual partners should be really with one another and feel pleasure together. Switching up positions can be very helpful to rekindle that connection. So it can be helpful and fun to try something new.”

By LargoKitt &  Ashley Welch for Literotica and EverydayHealth.

[icharchivist]

Have you ever wondered if Hoshino's Bookman manga came out instead if any of the other existing DGM characters would exist in that series? They'd obviously be at least a little different in personality and very much so in story role. It hit me last night and I started wondering of certain characters would make it in as bookman and if some of them would still be soldiers in a war. Of course I have no idea about who the big bad would be. Bookman being a neutral party and all. It made me curious-

2 if the original bookman idea would have been different (not just recording wars). But if it wasn’t then no doubt there would have to be a person Lavi records as he watches a war. Maybe in this scenario Lavi isn’t a soldier but he does shadow someone? I can’t see everyone fitting in. But I could see Allen and Cross fitting in pretty well. Like Cross could be a runaway/rebel bookman that Sr has a mysterious relationship with. Allen could easily be a bookman too. Either one that Cross took in -

3 or keep the whole past Allen and de aging mystery with Allen being Dr’s first apprentice (only w/o Nea involved as Noah probably wouldn’t exist). Lavi would try to uncover what happened to Allen and end up learning about the bookman tribes secrets (honestly it’d be cute to have Lavi and Allen grow up together in this idea like in that card artwork of them as kids). Lavi seems like the type to be a pov main character watching the protagonist’s story. *shrugs* It’s fun to think about.

I do wonder a lot about how different the manga would have been to be honest. 

Hoshino had come off records mentioning that Allen was actually created to counterbalance the Earl himself: She creates characters by pairs most of the time and Allen was basically an excuse to develop the Earl.  After all lest not forget that in ZONE, the chapter that prompted DGM, “Allen” was actually not at all like our Allen. The chapter does seem to introduce the Earl, Lenalee and Cross though.Allen as a character is really kindof the result of the circumstances of writting dgm so i would be really curious on how he would end up existing in the Bookman storyline. Unless he ends up reappearing if only as another Bookman. IT’s weird to say but i think we would have more luck seeing Past!Allen than Allen himself.What you propose would be very fun though and I would... love “children friends” Lavi and Allen dkhfkj

As for Lavi yeah that’s the thing, i think we will have to wait until we see the Clan for good in order to really judge where the story would have gone per se - because I can only see Lavi as an observer somewhere.

Perhaps the story would be built more around the idea of Lavi going from war after war? Each wars being a sort of different arc with in idea, whatever the Clan acts like? Like how in dgm we had missions after missions before we realized the corruption of the Order?

It would make for far more personal and limited conflict in general. I could see a Cross like character though in a sort of rogue Bookman who held the secrets from the Clan and ends up being someone you chase after.

So while we’re at it, I ended up digging back the original concept art for Lavi if that interests you/gives you some idea.

it’s an extract from the Gray Ark. Well like all my stuff it’s in French so the translation will likely not be 100% accurate to the original but here what it says:

Lavi, Concept:He’s hard to pin point, with his almond-shaped eyes and his eternal smile. For me, he’s a hottie, and I wanted to give him sex appeal. His current face is based on a person I know. Lavi originally looked too much like Reever, so I changed it.” (on the drawing commentary: He looked too much like Reever. The hammer’s design date from then, it seems). The uniform:As a Bookman, I wanted to give him a look that was offsetting him from the Order, and I gave him elements like the bandana and the scarf. Opposite fo Kanda, he puts on a lot of things as if he was hiding the depth of his heart. His uniform is the one that gives me the most issues because not everything goes with a bandana (bitter smile)

So the reason I actually wanted to post it was because I find it interesting that originally, the eye apparently wasn’t hidden on the original draft. Which makes me think Lavi’s special eye had still a part to play on his Bookman self, dah, but that it is possible that it might have been one of the primary plot point to the Bookman manga.

We know Lavi became an Apprentice because of his eye, and that it is a secret only Bookman knows. Would the eye not be hiden, i doubt it would have remained a secret for long unless she developped the plot into his final design. But his eye seemed to play more point forward.

It’s kinda because the Bookman manga was a Plan that I can actually see Lavi having rivals in the Bookman clan. Because you’d like to create stakes right, and you have a guy who basically cheated his way in with a specific feature no one else can get. I could see it have plots of people specifically opposing Lavi for how he became apprentice and Lavi constantly having to prove himself as being rightfully picked. 

In ZONE, Lenalee wasn’t originally a Soldier but more someone who seems to have suffered from war and loss. If i remember, she’s a waitress specifically. I could see her come back therefore somewhere in Lavi’s journey and end up involved in why Lavi has to move around. 

Hoshino also mentions that she always loves to have a character like Kanda around, especially “samurai type with a katana”, so a version of Kanda might have appeared on the Road at some point. 

But already those seem like they could have been too different without the Order to frame their stories. While Lenalee’s original idea isn’t centered on being a warrior, Kanda’s is, so i could see Lenalee be adapted to a person in the Bookman clan and Kanda being more of a soldier. 

And that would raise question about how the Clan would defend itself, as I doubt you’d survive centuries collecting secrets from wars to wars without having a great way to defend yourself.

As for the “Big Bad”, your guess is as good as mine. The Earl’s creation ended up shifting the entiere focus and I think it would make too much of a villain for a story that could be with arcs going “from one history to the next”. I could see a Bookman story be more a traditional type of the young protagonist having to prove himself worthy around his rivals, with obviously people who believes differently about how their involvement in history should manifest. Like it’s a set up that would work very fine. But knowing Hoshino she may have had planned more non traditional elements as it went by.

I think the Bookman Clan arc will give us some more ammos to try to find out what ideas she would have had used for a Bookman story.

But this is interesting to think about nevertheless

[nobume-date]

Ikemen Sengoku - The best one of Otome game from CYBRID’s Ikemen Series

Since Ikesen English version was released on June 2017, no way the real Otome gamer’d miss it. In the other hand, the amateur me who’ve just stepped into this Otome world only for a year just knew and started playing it around the end of 2017, very late bird.

Anyhow after I’ve been playing for 2 months I found it is real good. Both artwork and story are just right to me. Plus there are many attractive things in this game. And I love it so much that can’t help but have to release my overflowing feeling by blabbing on this blog.

As I mentioned on my blog’s header, I’m not English speaker and still be a newbie blogger since this is my first English blog, so pls spare me for my weird English. Why I have to desperately wrote English blog then? The main reason is for my personal entertainment and creating a room to chat with my game’s pal who share the same interest with me. 

Okay, leave that boring things and let’s me tell my though of this amazing game.

Art : CG & Costumes

Ikesen’s art is gorgeous, painterly style artwork cached my eyes at first glance. Characters faces and body-build are balance and look good in every angles. In some Otoge, we’d found characters faces or organs look weird or creepy in some CG. I salute Yamashiro-sensei, an illustrator, for creating these fabulous work pieces. 

Costumes designs are very creative, not be boring conservative like the other Samurais Otoge. And still remain the hints for gamer to guess who they are by using clan’s crest. Each characters have their own themes and colors which perfectly match their personalities. There are 3 types of attire per character, casual kimono, formal attire and war suit. I heard Ikesen creative team hired Thai’s creative to help them for characters’ design. Wow, they really did it awesome 😎

Characters

This game is the one of CYBIRD’s Ikémen series, with a brand Ikemen, of course, all characters MUST be HOT & HANDSOME. There are 11 hotties for us to choose; 9 warlords, 1 ninja, and 1 abbot. Nine of them are Japan’s most famous Sengoku warlords who were real existed in Japanese history, excepted the part of hot and handsome. Most of them also appear as the characters in many manga, anime and games. 

Isn’t it sounds challenge and fun to conquer their heart?

Plot and Story

After accidentally went back to Japan’s Sengoku period in 1562 through the wormhole, MC saved Oda Nobunaga who nearly die in Honnoji Incident by chance. As the life-saver and lucky charm, MC earned the favor from him and was assigned to be a chatelaine of Azuchi castle, where MC were surrounded by those famous, hot and handsome Sengoku warlords. While struggling in this turbulent and war state period and waiting for a chance to back home, MC have to learn and does many things for the sake of survival. Even though she promised herself not to get too close to anyone, but the fate still bring her to him and fall in love. 

”Back to the past” plot seems non creative, but the story lines really are very interesting, nothing more or less. MC and love interest slowly developed their feeling in reasonable and acceptable way, made me moved so much. The writer did an impressive job to compress those details and emotional things into just 13 episodes.

My favorite part, erotic scenes are not that straight but still give a sexy, mature and alluring vibe. I found myself was attracted to their different charms and wanted to know them more and more. How nice we could have THINGS with various types of guys without a REAL physical relationship, so convenient. Plus, this is the Japanese famous WARLORDS we’re talking about, not typical guys who we could found anywhere.

Avatars Dressing for Fun and Points

As same as the other online Otoge, there is avatars for the player who love girly-doll-dressing in “Your Room”. The avatars here; avatar itself, attire, accessories, wallpaper and all decoration items are really awesome, very detailed and creative. We can get the regular items by buying them from shop and special limited items by joining the events which are held quite frequent. 

Not only your room but there is also a “Castle” where we can be with our suitor in adorable chibi form. every things are uber cute! (๑˃v<๑) Here we can get a lot of decorating items from gacha, standard items from daily free gacha and special limited items from events.

Advantage Thing

The most I love, character’s HOT VOICEs!! (๑>◡<๑) Normally we can hear his greeting in different 3 lines whenever we feel like by just push a speaker icon right at “His Room”. In his room we can set any guys as wallpaper even we are playing a different guy’s route, which mean we can two timing our suitor openly. When we passed the challenges in main or event story, he’ll appear in chibi form to praise or even give some gifts or rewards to us, sounds cool, isn’t it? （╹◡╹）Not only that, they are giving out some voice clips on occasions which we can save in our game’s memory to listen anytime we want. Hearing their hot and sexy voices in cheesy lines make my imagination gone wild (*≧∀≦*)

Negative Thing

The only minus point, it’s quite pricey if we compared to VOLTAGE’s which we can buy the whole main story including epilogue by the same amount, and just a half price when they hold a sale campaign. But for IkeSen, if we want to play in Premium, we have to spend around 27 USD for just 1 route!! (O_O) And if we want to play both Romantic and Dramatic route for 1 character, we need more 9 USD. Not to mention a lot of interesting and fun events which will release a ton side stories and items for our avatars. Most of them were free if we were the active players. But of course, we still have to pay for an Early Bird’s and premium epilogue stories anyway (⌒-⌒; )

Of course, this is basically a free game, if you don’t mind much about the longer and sweeter premium bonus stories, you can just go for the normal stories. But could you really just be satisfied by the normal stories? As my direct experience, it’s a real hard to resist their charms. Those hot and sexy warlords will enchant you to blindly fall for them. When you become to your sense again, both of your heart and purse were already robbed away. (´⊙ω⊙`) The most mysterious thing is you’d somehow can manage your money and continue this expensive hobby anyway.

That’s said and I still addict to this game. If you don’t want to fall hard, don’t dare to step in. I-WARNED-YOU-WITH-LOVE (^з^)-☆

[sirenascales]

Hello friend!! I'm so very sorry for the late answer; I went to sleep yesterday after sending my message and was very busy all day long 🥲. Really wanted to asnwer this before going to sleep again though because talking to you about FMAB induced some serious brainrot 😭😭.

For me it was the same, I first watched FMA, then FMAB 🤩. I am kind of emotionally attached to FMA since it was the first of the two I knew, but in the way you may be attached to some very weird AU 😂✌🏼. I also watched like??? the latter half, then FMAB and then the first half of FMA?? Don't ask hahaha.

Oh yeeeeah, another RoyxRiza fan 😭💕. Those two left a permanent mark on me, they are 1) goals and 2) what I wished my parents to be if I were an anime character 🤧.

Oooh, very good choices! 😌 My irl bestie that watched FMAB with me back then is also a huge Greeling fan (that's what she calls him, hehe; I agree, they count as one 😙).

I also also love all of them dearly 🥰, but as the true emo teen I was evolving into back then, my all time love is Envy 🙂❤️ (I'm sorry). But also Greeling, Lust, Roy and Winry in no specific order 🥰.

Sorry for writing so much, tell me if it is too much! 😖

No, you're fine, babe, I promise! I understand we all get busy AND i don't mind long asks in my inbox ok 🥺

And ugh!! The amount of trust and loyalty that riza and roy have for each other is just *chefs kiss* like... truly goals

And please... i definitely see envy's appeal like hes a hottie? And i definitely love all the humunculi because they were designed so great but i have to say, after greed, wrath is a close second likeeee (him taking down that tank had me screaming honestly lmfao)

You are making me wanna watch it AGAIN like i dont have any other animes on my list to watch 😭