#now united matching icons

[sammylewis]

crédito do psd: @colorscyber

Matching Noah Urrea & Sabina Hidalgo

[the-offside-rule]

Mason Mount (Manchester United) - Theatre of Dreams

Requested: yes

Prompt: 10) Baby's first game

Warnings: none

Baby Prompts

The sun hung low in the sky as Mason, his wife Y/n, and their son Joshua approached the iconic Old Trafford stadium for Joshua's first ever football match. Excitement buzzed in the air, and little Joshua, donned in a mini version of his dad's jersey, couldn't contain his giggles. "Daddy, are we going to see you play?" Joshua asked, his eyes wide with anticipation. Mason chuckled, holding onto his son's tiny hands, carefully leading him into the stadium. "Yes we are, bossman." He replied, lifting him up as he spotted the few reporters and photographers, not wanting to reveal his son, nevermind startle him. Whilst everyone knew the couple had a child, they didn't know what he looked like or anything about him. "Can you score? You haven't scored in ages." Mason looked over to Y/n who attempted to hide a grin. "Yeah, I'll try."

Mason showed Y/n and Joshua up to the box where most of the WAGs stayed, telling them about where everything is and how to leave after the final whistle blew. "So I'll wait for you in the car park?" Y/n asked. Mason nodded. "Yeah, just-" He was cut from his wrds as he felt a small tug at his trousers. The couple looked down to see Joshua pointing out the window. "Daddy, it's so big!" Joshua exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. Mason grinned, sharing a look with Y/n and once again lifting Joshua up. "Yep, it's one of the biggest stadiums, buddy. You're going to have a great time." Mason placed a gentle kiss onto his son's cheek. "Now, you sit with Mummy and I'll see you after the game, yeah?" He suggested, handing him over to Y/n.

"Bye, Daddy!" Joshua smiled, pulling at his mother's jacket. "Oh, before I leave-" He paused and reached for a black Manchester United bag, pulling out a small box and handing it to Joshua. "I got you a quick pressie." Joshua examined the box carefully before pulling the lid off and being confronted with a bright red jersey. He lifted it and looked at the back, his father's number staring back. "What do you think?" Mason asked gently. "It's not blue." Joshua replied. Mason couldn't help but feel his heart drop a little bit, the thought of his son not supporting him lingering in the back of his mind. "But red is my favourite."

Mason beamed with joy and ruffled his hair. "Good man." He grinned. "I'll see you after the game." He stood up and leaned over to Y/n. "Love you." He whispered. "Love you too."

As the players took to the pitch, Y/n and Joshua cheered with unbridled enthusiasm, their voices merging with the chorus of supporters around them. "I see daddy!" Joshua exclaimed, clapping his hands. "No, baby. Daddy is number 7, not 19." She explained calmly. "Oh. Okay." He searched the pitch again before turning back to his Mum. "What number is 7 again?"

As Mason walked back to the car, he smiled gently upon seeing Y/n leaning against the car. "Missed you." He said with a tender smile, grateful for her unwavering support. She giggled as he practically fell into her arms. "Ot has been 2 hours." He shrugged. "I dom't care. Couldn't wait to get off the pitch for once." He said, pulling away and looking behind her. "Was he okay?" He asked, referring to Joshua who was asleep. "He was fine. He's just a bit sleepy now." Mason nodded. "We should get home and get him to bed."

As the couple reached home, they stopped in silence for a moment. "This is mad, you know." Mason arched a brow. "I mean, I remember my first match as your girlfriend and now we have our son coming with us. That's all I mean." Mason smiled sleepily. "It is mad when you put it that way." Mason undid his seatbelt and hopped out of the car. "Would you mind bringing in my kitbag and I'll bring Joshua to bed?" Y/n agreed before grabbing his bag and heading inside.

With tender care, Mason unbuckled Joshua's seatbelt, his movements slow and deliberate so as not to disturb the tranquility of sleep. He marveled at the innocence that radiated from his son's peaceful countenance, a sight that never failed to fill his heart with a sense of warmth and pride. Gently cradling Joshua in his arms, Mason stepped out of the car, the cool night air washing over him like a soothing balm. As Mason made his way towards the house, his footsteps were soft and deliberate, each one a testament to the love that guided his every move. He savored the weight of Joshua in his arms, the bond between them forged in the quiet moments of tenderness and affection.

Mason kicked off his shoes upon reaching the front door. He loved home. The warmth of the house enveloped them like a comforting embrace and each step on the soft carpet adding to the comfort. Mason tiptoed up the stairs, his movements fluid and effortless as he navigated the familiar terrain of their home.

Mason opened the nursery door, hushing Joshua as he stirred in his sleep. Mason gently laid his sleeping son down in his crib, tucking the blankets around him with infinite care. He lingered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Joshua's innocent face. "You doing alright?" He turned to see Y/n leaning by the door. "Just fine. I'll be right back to you in a minute and we can go watch a film or something." He replied. "Or try for baby number 2." He almost jumped at the suggestion. "Do you mean it?" Y/n chuckled softly at her husband's reaction. "Maybe. Don't leave me waiting too long." She said before heading away downstairs.

"Goodnight, Joshua." Mason said as he brushed a gentle kiss against Joshua's forehead. With a final glance, Mason tiptoed out of the room, the door closing softly behind him, and for his son to sleep after spending his evening in the Theatre of Dreams.

[vintagedebutante]

Power & Control

A JFK x Petite!Reader Fanfiction- 18+

Further Info: Smut, period-accurate views on virginity I guess, uh... rough sex

Word Count: 1.6k+

A/N: This is my first time writing smut in like, forever! I’d like to thank the ever-iconic @lancerlovesick for inspiring me to write again, I hope you all enjoy it! (Please be kind, I'm kinda rusty lmao)

All alone, you wrung your hands restlessly. You had received a call from one of the President's men instructing you to wait in the west sitting hall, part of the White House's residential area, for a face-to-face meeting with the President himself. Why on earth would the President want to see you alone? How bad of a job could you be doing as a lowly secretary where you required the attention of the country’s most powerful man? Puzzled, your eyes darted around the room.

The west sitting hall was both palatial and comfortable-- an austere half-moon-shaped window provided an elegant backdrop to the green and white floral couch and matching chairs, one of which you were anxiously curled up in.

Your train of thought was quickly derailed by the authoritative sound of a man’s footsteps approaching the room. Abruptly, you stood up and straightened your dress. Your heart clanged in your chest so ferociously you could have sworn you were about to faint.

John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, stood before you in his expensive, well-tailored navy blue suit. He towered over you, making you feel even weaker in his presence. Though you had interacted with the President briefly many times during your few weeks as a secretary, you had never been alone together like this. Rather than giving you the reprimanding look you expected, he gazed at you rather... ravenously.

You hated to admit it, but you loved the way he looked at you. Though Kennedy was a married man, not to mention the President of the United States, you couldn't help but relish in his lustful gaze. The way his stormy blue-green eyes wandered as he looked down at your minuscule, delicate frame like you were his most prized possession sent you into a frenzy. Though you understood you were no more than one of John F. Kennedy's many sexual conquests, being in his presence like this made you feel like you were the only two people left on Earth. And then, oh God, he smirked and shot you a wink.

"You're a pretty little thing, you know that?" The President quipped in his charming Boston accent. "Now I've got you right where I want you."

"Oh! Uh, Mr. President, I... Mmh..."

Instinctively, a soft moan escaped your lips. You couldn't believe yourself, reduced to a giddy schoolgirl by such a powerful man. Your cheeks flushed. How embarrassing. Yet, the fluttering in your chest was undeniable-- you couldn't resist him. This must have been the famous "Kennedy charisma" you kept hearing about from the other secretaries. The President let out a low chuckle and swayed closer before placing a large, rough hand on your waist. The aroma of expensive cologne mixed with cigar smoke was intoxicating. God, you wanted him.

"Now how can I uh, get you out of that dress?"

You couldn't believe what you were hearing. The other women you worked with used their familiarity with the President as a kind of status symbol. You were lucky if he knew your name. To be lusted after by John F. Kennedy was unlike anything you'd imagined. Like a marionette controlled by an unseen force, you turned around, reached for your zipper, and slinked free from your cotton shirtdress. It was at this moment that you noticed how wet you were, your white undergarments marked with a visible damp spot where your thighs met.

"Not so innocent, are we now? Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with uh, being a little excited."

You guessed you weren't the only one who noticed. A bright red blush crept across your cheeks. As if in a trance, you stripped yourself of your matching set of undergarments and stood coyly before the country's most powerful man. What had come over you? You weren't normally that kind of girl, yet, in this moment, you found yourself uncharacteristically eager to please.

You could tell the President was enjoying himself. You heard gossip around the office that Kennedy got a thrill out of using his power to get those close to him to do his bidding. Whether he was challenging diplomats to swimming contests or making a newly hired secretary drop to her knees, the President was well aware of his influence on others. You never imagined he would turn his attention to you, after all, the two of you really hadn't interacted outside of work. Perhaps he was attracted to your subservience— you were always quick to follow orders from higher-ups in a professional sense.

"God, you're perfect," Kennedy remarked as he ran his large, textured hands over your tiny naked body, pausing to play with your perky breasts. "Spin for me."

Slightly confused, you stepped back and gave the President a coquettish twirl.

"Atta girl," he smirked as he took your dainty, manicured hand and led you to the large, floral-patterned couch behind the coffee table. The President let out a pained groan as he sat, his lustful expression briefly changing to one of genuine discomfort before slowly settling into a seated position. You watched excitedly as Kennedy fiddled with his belt, exposing his large, erect member as his slacks and undergarments pooled at his ankles. He wanted you just as badly as you wanted him.

The President gave his cock a few slow, indulgent strokes before impatiently gesturing for you to join him. He was a busy man, after all. Knowing Kennedy, he likely had something important to attend to following your tryst. You couldn't help but feel special as you clumsily climbed into the man's lap, facing him. God, he was handsome. You had never been this close to the President before-- you could finally get a proper look at his chiseled, masculine features, made all the more apparent by his ever-present suntan. You understood why nearly every woman you worked with swooned over him. To be completely at Kennedy's mercy like this was sublime.

"Have you uh, done this before?" Kennedy's breath was warm on your neck.

"M-hm," you responded sheepishly. You knew it was unbecoming of an unmarried girl your age, but you knew better than to lie about the time you spent at the local drive-in with a handsy boy or two back in high school.

"You dirty girl." The President began to draw slow circles on your aching clit with his thumb. Immediately, you felt a hot, fluttering sensation in your chest. You tried to hide the immense pleasure you were receiving from such a light touch- you didn't want to come across as too needy. Though, based on how quick you were to disrobe, perhaps that ship had already sailed. Before you had time to gather your thoughts, Kennedy plunged his index finger into your wet little pussy. A sharp, panicked moan escaped your lips. "Hush, you don't want the whole White House to hear you now, do you," he quipped, only half-joking. Though the thought of getting caught was titillating, you decided it would be in your best interest to obey. You ran your hands through his thick, perfect-looking chestnut hair as he roughly thrust his finger deeper inside, desperately grabbing fistfuls to keep yourself from making the mistake of being too loud once more.

Wasting no time, the President slipped his index finger out of you and began stroking his larger-than-average shaft indulgently in preparation. Though you were not a virgin, you still wondered how you would manage to fit the whole thing inside yourself. You were quite petite, and it had been a while, after all. Nervously, you adjusted your position so the tip of Kennedy's throbbing, fully erect cock was resting at your entrance. You inhaled deeply, bracing yourself. You locked eyes as he gently placed his hands on your waist.

"Now, are you going to be a good girl and keep quiet for me?"

"Yes, Mr. President," you whispered coyly.

The President grabbed you by the hips as he nearly slammed himself inside you, setting a feverish pace. Instinctively, you buried your face in his neck and let out a muffled gasp. It hurt at first, but the initial pain gave way to immense pleasure as your muscles relaxed. You bucked your hips up and down, desperately trying to match his rhythm.

"God, you're so tight, just how I like my girls," Kennedy whispered between grunts and curses. All you could muster in response was a soft, tortured whimper as you held onto him for dear life. The throbbing between your legs was excruciating.

Kennedy lowered his lips to your ear. You could nearly feel his teeth against your skin. "I could just hide you away and have you all to myself whenever I want. How does that sound?" You could only moan against his neck-- though the prospect of being one of the President's favorite playthings only made the pleasant sensation in the pit of your stomach grow.

"Oh, Mr. President..." Your breathing hastened as you gave in to the all-consuming wave of pleasure that overtook you. You had never experienced a climax so intense-- it was as if an earthquake raged within you, you couldn't help yourself from trembling as Kennedy continued thrusting roughly. "Atta girl," he whispered. His grip tightened on your hips as his pace increased, his low moans sounding more frustrated by the second.

"Oh, fuck," the President gasped, his head rolling back as he violently came inside you. You could feel his cock furiously throbbing within your walls as you both paused to catch your breath. You sat up straight as you watched him wipe the sweat from his brow.

"Same time next week, doll?" Kennedy asked breathlessly.

You stumblingly dismounted, your knees wobbling like jelly. You wondered how on Earth you would make it home after such an experience.

"Of course, Mr. President."

[ineffable-detective-agency]

Good Omens' alien parking ticket - translated!

Curious about the “Alien Parking Ticket”? (Or only hearing about it for the first time?) You’ve come to the right place!

A little background first: there were 690 tickets originally released with the Ineffable and Celestial Editions of the Illustrated Good Omens as part of the “Folio of Ephemera” in 2019. 

One more was a prize in a 2021 giveaway, where it was identified as an “alien parking ticket” - https://discworld.com/seven-day-instagram-giveaway/.

More were available with the campaign for the graphic novel, though they are now sold out, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dunmanifestin/good-omens/posts/4080374. 

What does it actually look like? This is the front and back of a ticket from an Ineffable Edition, image credit to Reddit user lywinis.

The front looks a bit fuzzy because it’s done with lenticular printing (the image appears to move as you tilt it, like this:)

Interestingly, the photo on Kickstarter showed a very slightly different version of the front of the ticket, image credit to Discord user jennythepenny13. It’s still being called an alien parking ticket, and now we know it was issued to Newt by the aliens in the flying saucer.

So what does it say? Spoilers ahead!

Each symbol can be matched one-to-one to the Latin alphabet, or to a digit. After converting, it reads (with a few misspellings):

Most of the digits don’t have enough information to match them up – only 2 and 4 can be inferred from the source material.

The Kickstarter version changes “rotations of your planet” to “temporal units” for unknown reasons.

So it’s not really a parking ticket – it doesn’t even mention parking. But it is a violation ticket issued to humankind for excessive carbon dioxide emissions, high levels of atmospheric hydrocarbons, harnessing artificial wormholes without the proper permits, and insufficient planetary albedo for long-term climate stability. I guess we’ve got work to do!

[divine-donna]

Impressions

pairing: tashi duncan x bipoc! fem! reader

word count: 1.9k words

context: 2019. los angeles. tashi duncan is looking to cast the protagonist for her newest film. she finds the perfect actor for her protagonist.

no specific pronouns used. reader is able bodied and can speak. reader is about 25, while tashi is 31/32.

this is me dipping my toes into the ghostface au. based on this post. if people really like this, then i will continue to write more.

Tashi Duncan.

Actress. Director. Producer. Screenwriter. Sometimes cinematographer.

Her list of credits are long. A child actress who evolved beyond the children’s sitcoms that your younger sister was obsessed with. You remember seeing her so clearly, seeing her laugh, seeing her cry, seeing her amazing fashion sense. Tashi Duncan was beloved and an icon.

Furthermore, she knew her standing.

She talked about the hard things, the things that kept so many people out of the industry: stereotypes and typecasting, racism, sexism, queerphobia. Tashi Duncan was a phenomenon, but only outside of the context of her being. She was an abstract to the industry, in an attempt to make her more appealing to their “base” demographic.

Some of them kept you back, kept you out. You were hoping this would be the moment where things would change for you.

You were an adjunct at a community college. You taught the basic writing classes. Most of your students were freshmen. On the side, you auditioned, did the occasional improv show, and helped students and peers with their films. You loved the movies. You loved films. You loved acting. You loved it all. You were excited to be teaching a class on film the next semester. One of the units, you knew, you wanted it to be on auteurs. What film would you show? What would you assign your students?

Reading helped pass the time when you were waiting for your name to be called. An open call casting for a new horror film by Tashi Duncan. The perfect opportunity for you. You remember the description: Non-white woman or femme presenting person. Mid 20s to early 40s.

You found that reading the script over and over again could cost you an audition. You would overload your brain, causing it to short circuit. You’d forget lines, stumble over your own words, and your cheeks would burn with the sense of humiliation. So instead, you were reading your book, highlighting and making notes in the margins. How many people would strangle you for such a crime?

“(Y/N) (L/N).”

You snap the book closed.

The room smells sterile, like they had soaked it in bleach and Febreeze. You almost wanted to choke. You were expecting to see a casting director. But in the middle of the table, with her sunglasses resting atop of her head, was Tashi Duncan.

She wore a combination of silver and gold jewelry. You recognized her gold cross necklace. The button down dress showed off her legs, bringing your eyes to the wedges that matched the white and blue vertical stripes. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. Her brown eyes scan you. She saw right through you.

“Auteurs and Authorship.” Her voice commands the entire room. The door clicks shut behind you.

“I’m…sorry?” You’re so small in front of her.

“Barry Keith Grant. Your book.”

“Oh. Yes…”

“Interesting. An amateur move.” She folds her hands together on the table and leans forward.

“Could you…explain what you mean by that?”

“Makes yourself seem interested in the…intricacies, we’ll say, of film. Gives off the impression that you’re an academic. You’re a real film person.”

“Ummm…I do work in academia. I’m an adjunct. It’s what I do on the side.”

Tashi’s eyebrows rise. “Really now? Do you teach film, then?”

“Not right now. That’s the plan for the fall. I’m trying to plan the syllabus out.”

“And you want to talk about auteurs?”

“At some point.”

Tashi leans a little bit more forward in her seat. “Do you think I am an auteur?”

What a complicated question.

“Well…traditionally—”

“I don’t want the traditional answer. What I want to know is if you think I’m an auteur.”

Your mouth is dry. This had to be some sort of trick question. It had to be some trap. Piss off enough people and you’re done for good. Tashi Duncan was a phenomenon and if she wanted to, you could be erased. Hollywood did not provide the environment for solidarity. If one door opened, another door closed. If one movie was a sensation, then any movie that bore a resemblance (a resemblance that wasn’t even a resemblance) to said movie would just become that thing, reduced to that thing, ignored in all of its nuance and creativity and its passion. You lick your lips. “I think…it’s hard to tell.”

“And why is that?”

“Well you just started directing. You have three films and a couple of television episodes. Most of your credits are acting. And auteurship is thought more in terms of directing than acting. If you want to ask if you’re a star, then absolutely you are. But an auteur? I would wait some time. I don’t think three films and some television episodes is enough for an auteur study.” Your heart was pounding miles per hour. You were anxious, on the edge. “I’d want to see what else you’re doing. The landscape is always shifting and naturally, so is your auteurship.”

You can see the way her jaw unclenches. Or clenches? It was hard to tell. She detangles her fingers from one another and leans back into her seat. “If you need to use the script to read the lines—”

“I remember my lines.”

“Well look at you. Well prepared.” Tashi clears her throat. “The set is quiet. Everyone is on edge. She turns to camera 3 and speaks.”

Like a puppet, you speak.

“No, no.” You shake your head, reading the essay. You highlight a portion and then type up your comment on the Canvas page. You’re probably giving the student a heart attack right now, if they have the app on their phone. A constant stream of vibrations as the instructor leaves an annotation on their submission document. You drink your lemonade soda. Blueberry lavender lemonade soda. It was always your go to, along with a cranberry orange loaf slice. It was a small cafe by the college with cheap food and cheaper drinks. Very popular among the students.

“You work a lot, huh?”

You look up from your computer. You’re tempted to close it, but you don’t. You lean back in your seat. “I tried calling you. But you wouldn’t pick up.” Tashi sits down in the seat across from you. Her hand reaches out and she closes the laptop. She doesn’t want to look at your stickers.

“I keep my phone off during the work day. Gets things done easier.”

“You don’t listen to music while working? Or anything of the sort?”

“I do it through my laptop. They have a Spotify desktop app, you know.”

A smirk is curling at the corner of her lips. “You’re quick, I’ll give you that.”

“So, you came to tell me I didn’t get the part? Personally? It’s a lot better than a lot of other people.”

“I read your resume. Couple of extra roles. A role on SVU for three episodes.”

“Doesn’t everyone go through SVU?”

“You’re not wrong. And a couple of short films. One of them critically received. And yet, no credit. No invitation to the award shows.” Tashi shrugs. “Nothing. What’s up with that?”

“What do you think? You work with some white people and a nepo baby. And the nepo baby takes everything that was supposed to go to you. It’s like a more fucked up version of Lena Lamont and Kathy Selden except there’s no retribution and the nepo baby isn’t talented at all but apparently their film is good.”

“You’re a little film critic, huh?”

“If you want to be a good actor, a good filmmaker, generally good in the process, shouldn’t you be a film critic? Lot of the greats got started in film criticism. Lots of people start their career by criticizing and addressing discrepancies.”

“Like what?” Tashi folds her hands and places her chin atop of them.

“Well, this is kind of a basic example. But The Watermelon Woman. Cheryl Dunye notices this discrepancy in old silent films where Black actors were not credited. And if they were, sometimes they'd be credited by a stereotype like The Mammy or, in the case of the pseudo-documentary film, the Watermelon Woman. And in the film, she’s creating an alternate film history that addresses this erasure of Black actresses and particular sapphic, lesbian Black actresses. So what does Dunye do? Make a cornerstone of Black and lesbian cinema.” You shrug.

“And is it on your top four on Letterboxd?”

“It is, yeah. Do you have Letterboxd?”

“I do. It’s a great way to interact with the fans.”

“Like Sean Baker?”

“We follow each other.” She shrugs. “He likes my reviews every once in a while. I enjoy that he talks about his viewing experience for the movies he watches.”

You pick up the small plate and take a bite of your loaf. The sour cranberry cuts through the sweetness, giving you that perfect balance of tartness and sugar. “Well, if that’s all you want to talk about—”

“I’m giving you the part.”

“What?”

You stare at Tashi with disbelief. She pushes her sunglasses up to rest atop of her head. You just realize that she’s wearing a sleeveless black turtleneck. Her cross necklace glimmers in the sunlight. “Me…the part?”

“You gave the best performance. And everyone in Hollywood is a yes man. I don’t want a yes man. I want someone who’s going to engage with my material critically, who understands what I want to achieve. Who has a knowledge of film history.” Tashi pulls out the script from her purse and sets it atop your laptop. It’s quite hefty. “I want notes. I want revisions. Production doesn’t start until next month. So cancel teaching. Find someone to sub in. Maybe a grad student. You’ll be filming a movie instead.”

A movie with me, was what she was really saying.

And you’d be stupid to miss out on this opportunity.

“Yeah…yeah. Of course. Of course!” You were in utter disbelief.

“Tried to call you to tell you that. But you didn’t pick up.” Tashi stands up from her seat. “The movie’s…a bit out there. Little something I’ve been brewing for years. They want to promote it as the next Get Out and Us.” She rolls her eyes. She pulls out a small notebook and scribbles her phone number down, placing it on top of the script. “It’s anything but. Think about it in terms of…exaggerated autobiography mixed with real life tragedy and homages to Dario Argento and taking inspiration from Santa Sangre.”

You weren’t the only cinephile, it seems.

“Yeah,  yeah. That sounds really interesting.” You swallow your own saliva nervously. “I-I’ll come back with notes.”

“Great.” Tashi reaches out. She holds your chin between her fingers and her thumbs wipe away some crumbs on your lips. Your lips explode with heat, her touch leaving tingles. “You better not disappoint me.”

She pulls her hand away too soon.

“I’ll see you in two weeks. My house. I’ll text you the address.”

You watch her walk back to her car, an Astin Martin. She pulls her sunglasses down and gives you one last glance, as if trying to take you in your natural habitat. Was she studying you? Studying your natural self to get a sense of how she would direct you? She turns to face the road and pulls smoothly out of her parking spot.

And that was how you started working with Tashi Duncan.

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Bengiyo's Queer Cinema Syllabus

For those of you who don’t know, I decided to run the gauntlet of @bengiyo’s queer cinema syllabus, which is comprised of 9 units. I have completed four of the units (here is my queer cinema syllabus round up post with all the films I’ve watched and written about so far). It is time for me to make my way through Unit 5- Lesbians, which includes the following films: The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995), Bound (1996), Water Lilies (2007) [Skipping for now until I can get access to it], Saving Face (2004), D.E.B.S. (2004), Set It Off (1996), The Handmaiden (2016), Carol (2015), Imagine Me and You (2005), Two of Us (2019), Rafiki (2018), and The Color Purple (1985).

Today I will be talking about

D.E.B.S. (2004) dir. Angela Robinson

[Run Time: 1:31, Language: English] [Content Warning: there is one use of the r word] Summary: Plaid-skirted schoolgirls are groomed by a secret government agency to become the newest members of the elite national-defense group, D.E.B.S.

Cast:  -Sara Foster as Amy -Jordana Brewster as Lucy Diamond -Devon Aoki as Dominique -Jill Ritche as Janet -Meagan Good as Max ___

This write up will not be very long because this movie is not working with substantial, in-depth, layered messaging. BUT HOLY SHIT IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. This is a shitty little cult classic that sees a paramilitary agent (who was recruited from some secret questions in the SATs) and a supervillain falling in love and running off into the sunset together. 

So, I’ve seen low budget films that have quite a lot to say and know it can be done, so I was curious about how in-depth this film might go into discussions of law enforcement, mostly because in the evil lair there is a sign that says The Only Good D.E.B. is a Dead D.E.B. But this is a light hearted comedy piece so though we do get Amy literally saying she’s a cop, there is not a whole lot of like anti-cop sentiment or anything in the film. 

The premise is a spy and a supervillian literally crash in to eachother, have some level of instant connection, the spy has her queer awakening and runs off with the supervillian, is rescued essentially mid coitus, and the supervillian is inspired to start returning all of the things she’d stolen over the years in an effort to get Amy to leave D.E.B.S. and just be in love with her. It’s riddled with hilarious sound effects, forcefields made of plaid, and a SECRET TUNNEL! 

What it does is show that the world’s most wanted supervillian is pretty chill, very gay, and has maybe been portrayed as more ruthless than she actually is (yes that is in fact Madam Super Villan dancing with her henchman in the gif above). What it does show is that little Miss Perfect Score on the secret spy test does not want to be a spy but felt obligated to do so because she was good at it. I did enjoy the repeated questioning of standardized testing, Lucy asking what the spy test tests for and Amy realizing that she doesn’t know and never bothered to ask yet that test was deciding her entire future. 

But again this was SO. MUCH. FUN. to watch and I would recommend it to many people even as just like a silly little wind down film if they were in need of a quick pick me up.

Also there was lots of gay kissing, which I feel is important to note. 

Favorite Moment

My favorite moment was Lucy breaking in to the D.E.B.S house to see Amy the first time. What an iconic piece of comedy: the plaid forcefield around the property that matches their school uniform, Lucy cutting a hole in the forcefield with what legitimately looks like a sonic screwdriver from Doctor Who, jumping over laser detectors on the grass that are also plaid, and climbing up the wall with those like hand-held suction cup things with the most hilarious and incredibly incorrect popping motion every time she sticks the suction cup to the wall. 

Favorite Quote 

“Yes, well, the poster child doesn’t know it yet but she’s into me.” 

I love when queer people recognize queer people, and appreciate that because Amy is young and was just getting out of a relationship with her boyfriend that she might not know her own sexuality yet or have a full understanding of what she is feeling. But Lucy Diamond is an established, adult, queer woman who definitely sees the way that Amy is acting around her and understands immediately what is happening. 

Score

10/10 

For this moment alone

THAT SAID. I do feel the need to justify this scoring. I tend to score things by what they put forth, so a show with campier premises and executions like this one would be scored almost exclusively by vibes. Things like The Miracle of Teddy Bear, for example, which takes itself incredibly seriously, has multiple layers of messaging, and incredibly realistic depictions of queerness, homophobia, and domestic violence is something I would score with a number of actual story telling factors in mind. 

This gets a 10 for vibes, I don’t think I had a single critical thought in the entire hour and a half watching it and I was having a fucking BLAST.

[venusvity]

Kpop stan Twitter hates them. Sena is talentless tweets hitting crazy numbers. Jiah deactivated her Instagram account. #BaebiGoSolo has trended for three days now...They had ONE chance.

VENUS entered 2021 mad as hell with their second full album, "I AM VENUS," which included the title track "I AM. "I AM was a commercial success in South Korea and topped the Circle Digital Chart for six weeks. It also reached the top ten in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The song has been certified platinum for streaming in South Korea. It also received four PAKs and nine music show wins.

Dazed ranked it 19th among the 50 best K-pop tracks of 2021, and Grammy named it one of the 15 K-pop songs that defined 2021.

The group would repeatedly go viral for their performances of I AM as the girls were either emotional while performing the song or they were in platformed heels. For the first time in their career, Chloe was able to look people in the eyes during the music show interviews. Though the heels were a hit, they raised concerns for fans as there were multiple instances of the girls twisting their ankles or falling during performances because of them. Either way, iconic.

The platformed heels Venus wore during the promotions of I AM. These are the ones on displayed at the Angelico Artist Muesum. The group wore a total of 36 different pairs of heels for this era.

Their repacked album "VENUS, I AM." would come shortly after I AM VENUS with the title track "DIVE". Before the song's release, the teaser images for VENUS, I AM would go viral for their unique concept and artistic expression.

The teaser images used for "VENUS, I AM." under the creative direction of LEXA.

The album debuted at number one on the weekly Gaon Album Chart and also topped the monthly chart, selling 544,339 copies in its first month of release. It has since been certified triple platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) for surpassing 750,000 units.

Tássia Assis from NME gave Dive a 4 out of 5-star rating, describing the track "Dive" as "the definite, luxurious plunge. " Despite being "more subdued" than the group's previous album, "I AM," it is a "chaebol crush" that matches the extravagance and confidence that defines VENUS. Uproxx named it one of The Best K-Pop Albums of 2021.

The hate train finally seemed to slow with the ever-mounting success the girls were receiving. It's not like the girls had enough time on their hands to even really focus on the hate. They were always working on something. That next something would be their 6th mini album, "Illusions," followed by a title track of the same name.

Upon its release, Illusions was praised by music critics for increasingly showcasing all members' vocal abilities with "trendy" production. Illusions was a commercial success in South Korea and charted in Japan and the United States. It debuted atop South Korea's Gaon Album Chart on the chart. Overall, it ranked seventh on the Gaon's 2021 year-end album chart.4 Walls debuted at number thirty-nine on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart, and it peaked at number one on the US Billboard World Albums Chart, becoming Venus' second number one on the chart following 2019's Love Simulator.

Illusions was primarily beloved for its "multidimensional" concept and music video. In the video, the girls were trapped in a time loop, and the song restarted midway through the eight-minute video, signifying that the viewer was also in the time loop with them.

Stills from the "Illusions" music video. Creative direction by LEXA.

The girls would close out the year with the summer classic "Summer Luv!" and a title track of the same name. When I tell you this song was massive, it was huge. Love Simulator was finally overthrown as Venus' most-known song because you could not go anywhere with Summer Luv'ing.

GQ Korea named "Summer Luv!" its Song of the Year in the magazine's November 2021 issue. In December, IZM listed the song as one of its top 10 singles of the year. Dazed ranked the song at number two on its 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2021. The song landed on Billboard's 20 Best K-Pop Songs 2021 list at number four. Melon ranked it number 15, while Rolling Stone ranked it number 13 in their lists of the greatest K-pop songs of all time, with the latter publication praising its production and hailing it as the epitome of "summertime fun, adventure, and romance."

Summer Luv! would win the girl's Song of The Year at the 2021 MAMA Awards and the Best Dance Performance – Female Group award. They would go on to win the Digital Daesang at the Golden Disk Awards and Song of the Year at the Korean Music Awards.

Some of the various wigs and hairstyles were worn by Venus during their Summer Luv! Promotions. Gif style inspired by @pickmedolls !

The Summer Luv! era was not only defined by success but looks as well. The girls would wear different wings at nearly every stage, mixing up their styles and colors while "giving their scalps a much-needed break," as said Chloe during an interview. The girls would go through seventy-five wigs between the five of them, with a fraction of them, the most iconic ones, being displayed at the Angelico Artist Museum.

[donald-trump-official]

New security footage shows Capitol police begging for assault, finisher

Newly released security footage from the January 6th Main Event at the United States Capitol Building show a police officer on her knees begging to be struck with her own riot shield.

The officer, identified as Lt. Aunt Tifa, was caught on camera challenging nearby protesters to a royal rumble match, a common wrestling event that consists of many different people fighting in a small, enclosed space. The protesters, clearly caught off guard by the offer but determined to fulfill their lifelong dream of being in the WWE, accepted the officers’ challenge.

“I had been waiting my entire life to be challenged to a royal rumble”, Jackson Quinn of Greensview, South Dakota says. “And here was this cop in the tunnel of the US Capitol building, just begging for me to do it. ‘Come on, let’s go’ she said. ‘I can do a gnarly souplex’. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing”

The superstars, who were already warmed up and ready to go after they had fulfilled their other lifelong dream of being apart of a mosh pit just minutes before, proceeded to kick some ass.

In a minutes long bout, Lt. Tifa and her invitees came together and traded blows, dazzling those around them with their moves and leading the crowd in a flurry of cheers and jeers. The rumblers, underdogs yet crowd favorites, struck an impromptu truce and teamed up. Tifa, with her signature move the Riot Shield, endured the onslaught and commanded the upper hand through most of the fight, until one of the rumblers snatched her iconic riot shield away

Jackson remembers the pivotal moment clearly. “As soon as I got the shield away from her, she told me ‘do the finisher now, it’s your turn. They [the crowd] will go nuts’. She then faked a knee injury and got close to the ground, exposing the back of her neck. A perfect set up to a killer finisher”

Jackson, who is facing a 5 year sentence in Pierre Federal Corrections Facility, is currently arguing on appeal that in lieu of prison, he is entitled to a rematch. This time, in the cage

“She didn’t get a finisher last time, she wanted me to do it. Next time, I’ll let her do her finisher off the top of the cage. It’ll be awesome”

[sammylewis]

Créditos do psd: @colorscyber

Matching Noah urrea & Sabina Hidalgo

[ouroboros-hideout]

WIP WHENEVER

@chevvy-yates tagged me for this. Thank you a lot 💚

This will be a huge wall of text aswell, since I am not really of the „visual“ side of creating atm.

Writing // Worldbuilding

I'm still writing the next two chapters for my fanfiction, but would rather briefly introduce my other OCs here (yes, Aon isn´t the only one by now). Maybe I can create all of them ingame at some point, depending on how stupid I´ll act with modding etc. when I start. Since things can change quickly in the story while I'm writing, I wouldn't say that everything is 100% set in stone, a lot of it isn't finished yet. But it's a good base. Most of them appear in my „Like Napalm“ fic. Some of them will be in my main GARMR fic aswell. So prepare for half backed character data entries and some rambling.

Gan

Gan Tomobataar, or Iron as he is usually called, is a mysterious man. Many stories surround the Mongolian giant and it always depends on who asks him whether he affirms or denies these tales. It is therefore uncertain which of them are true or fictional and he really enjoys keeping his past in the dark. He is said to have served in an elite military unit. The metal teeth that earned him his iconic nickname are said to have been lost in numerous boxing matches as he tried to turn pro to make a better life for himself and his family, and he is allegedly a descendant of Ginghis Khan (which is probably one of his favorite rumors). One can assume that his closest confidants have more clarity, but none of them would dare say a word about it. Undeniably true is that he has two brothers, of whom he is the second-born. Together with them, he leads one of the largest nomadic clans in eastern Europe and Asia. The Tomobataar nomads are divided into three large families, each led by one of the three brothers. Iron's family stays mainly in Mongolia and Russia, but he would also travel to more distant parts of the Soviet Union for profitable contracts. He doesn't have many vices, but one of them is definitely greed.

By sheer luck, at least that's what he claimed, he picked up Aon on the street when she was trying to flee Moscow on her own. He promised to protect her from the Secret Police and other bounty hunters if she proved to be a useful member of his clan. However, his methods for testing her worth would put the young woman to the test.

Yakov

Yakov always had problems finding his place in the world. He grew up in St. Petersburg, studying or an education other than working in his father's car repair shop were never an option financially, but the young man always yearned for something greater than being stuck in the alleys and streets of his childhood. He decided to join the military when he was old enough, but was discharged immediately after basic training for insubordination and general unsuitability. What remained for him was to work in his father's garage until he died after a long illness. Yakov tried to keep the store running on his own for a while, but he found it difficult to do good business without proper management and eventually had to sell the store. This was followed by a relatively dark period. He saw himself as a failure, was unable to find a new job and drank away the money he had received for the workshop in the bars in his neighborhood. One evening, a man came into his local pub. His car had broken down outside, he wouldn't get any further that night and kept him company for a few hours. The next day, Yakov repaired his car for the man called Gan and left the town with him to live with the Tomobataar nomads.

Gregori

Gregori's mother, a singer from New York, came to the Russian capital for a gig and met a military officer there. The two got together and the result was little Greg. Shortly afterwards, however, the couple fell apart and she took her son back to America, where he spent most of his childhood and youth being raised by babysitters and nannies, while the singer preferred to spend her time on tour or in the recording studio. Gregori at least inherited much of her creativity, starting to make music himself at an early age and drawing a lot. Just what small children do when they need to keep themselves busy.

When he was 16 years old, his mother died of an overdose. As she never bothered to write down a testament or anything similar, her entire fortune goes to her greedy manager, who leaves Gregori penniless.

The boy, who has spent his whole life sheltered without much contact with the outside world, is left with nothing and doesn't know exactly what to do. So he scrapes together the last of his money and buys a ticket to Moscow, where he tries to find his father, but in vain. He quickly goes off the rails, barely speaks a word of Russian, is recruited by a gang and gets exploited. An arms deal with a group of nomads goes wrong, a shootout ensues and Gegori is the only one left of the gang because he hides instead of fighting. Yakov, who was on the other side of the deal, takes pity on him and eventually takes him to his new family where he tries to find his place within the group.

Anna

Anna grew up with the Tomobataar nomads from an early age. Her parents were killed in a botched mission when she was just four years old. Iron, who in a way blamed himself for this, took on a guardianship for her and looked after the little girl like the apple of his eye. As the years passed and Anna grew older, the relationship between her and her foster father changed. He became increasingly demanding, punished misbehavior and put the still young girl under pressure. Aon, who had already earned her place in the clan by this time, could not tolerate this behavior as she herself had grown up under similar circumstances. No one else in the clan interfered with Iron's "parenting methods", which is why she ended up doing it. Anna and Aon then became inseparable and she naturally followed her later when they left the clan along with many others.

Anatoly

Anatoly, or Tolik as Aon calls him, belongs to the Russian working class in Moscow and cannot claim to own much. As a boy, he dreamed of studying mechanical engineering in order to open his own workshop or business. A dream that his father would never have been able to afford in this life. So after school, Tolik started working at his father's scrap yard on the outskirts of Moscow, not an easy job. He regularly drives into the city to pick up old components and scrap metal from SovOil and other big corporations, where he meets Alyona one day. The two strike up a conversation, exchange banter and hit it off straight away, which over time develops into a teenage love story. Aon spends a lot of time with him at the scrapyard, where she can test and improve her skills on old machines and has a place to hide from her hated stepfather. He, in return, benefits from the knowledge she brings with her from university, and his dream of building his own big thing soon becomes her dream too. Together they consider leaving the city at some point and make plans for the future

unnamed_chromed_up_terrifying_SovOil_Secret_Police_agent

Yea well, I don't know yet how to call him. After Aon has fled Moscow, the officers of the normal police force give up the search for her, as it theoretically no longer falls within their area of responsibility. However, since Kristof claims that Aon stole the data he wanted to sell to Petrochem, SovOil is naturally very interested in finding her and the data chip. So they send a Secret Police agent after her, who, together with a small unit, tries to track her down. He actually already had a kind of "Easter Egg" appearance in my other AU. He would have been the agent sitting next to Kurt if he hadn't switched the cards on the table. Funny how differently things can go. Anyway, he doesn't really have much of a backstory other than he used to work for the KGB and is a bloodthirsty hound dog who chases Aon halfway across the country (spoiler: and finds her). If I were to compare him to another character from movies etc, he would probably have the closest vibe to Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds. The character was very well written, even though I would probably make my namesless_pig a bit younger than him. But since he'll be pumped full of cyberware anyway, it probably doesn't matter much in the end. It's just supposed to be a fucking horrible character and Aon's nightmare.

Robert Walker

Robert is one of the key-characters in my main fanfiction. I haven't thought about him in depth yet, but the general concept is there. He's a British journalist and photographer who wanted to go high by exposing wrongdoings in society. For him, there is nothing more exciting than achieving "fame and notoriety" as a whistleblower. He's not necessarily stupid or doesn't know what he's doing, he's just unlucky. He gets into trouble with the wrong people and upsets the even worse ones, which is why he has to flee the UK and ends up in NC. There he tries to start over and stay out of trouble. However, he soon develops an "unhealthy" obsession with Kurt Hansen. He is incredibly fascinated by him and spends every free minute in Dogtown so that he can perhaps take a photo (or two, or ten) of his idol. At some point, he goes so far as to seek direct contact and wants to interview him. Kurt is flattered at first, but has little desire to reveal information about himself in some strange blog or gossip magazine. But that didn't stop Robert from continuing to stalk him and even trying to become a member of Barghest. At some point, Hansen got too pissed off and gave him the choice of leaving Dogtown or catching a bullet. Robbie chose the second option. After all, he hadn't forbid him to camp outside the gates of Dogtown, had he?

Technically I could tell something about Aon´s mom and her stepfather too, but I don´t have that much yet. So will keep em for the next WIP together with the other OCs for my main fic. There will be three more. A general, a corpo guy and the last is still up for discussion with my brain. Considering somekind of warlord or a netrunner.

Art

I tried to do something different than a full rendered piece of artwork. I am not yet confinced that I like it. I like, that it was finished really fast lmao but...I dunno.

Aon and Tolik - 2055

But happy that Aon is actually recognizable in the end. During the process she looked so much like So Mi at a point that my brain went: WHO ARE YOU GIRL. But I like the long hair. Will give it back to her in her 2078+ appearance. Not exactly like this, but longer than her normal style.

Not quite sure about Anatoly tho. I mean, he looks like this in my head, but I will reconsidere if he will get some cyberarms. He is poor like a mouse, so probably can´t afford expensive tech like this, but he feels kind of „empty“ without anything.

Congrats and huge thanks if you read this far. Brainrot stronk!

Tagging some ppl aswell. Everyone else is invited too to show off some awesome stuff ofc, no pressure as always!

@blackrevell @olath124 @cyberholic77 @cybervesna @pinkyjulien @theviridianbunny @therealnightcity @wanderingaldecaldo @miss--river @barghestapologist @kdval @streetkid-named-desire @aggravateddurian @androgymess

[heavensent2001]

The Style Evolution of JT: From Federal Prison to City Cinderella ✨

3 minute read

As one half of the rap duo the City Girls, rapper JT’s fashion was not a main talking point in her career. Now, as an emerging solo artist, JT arguably has some of the best fashion in the entire music industry. From working with brands such as Poster Girl and Mowalola, it’s clear that JT is the perfect fashion icon for the girls that get it.

At the beginning of her career, (2017 ish) JT wore almost exclusively designer brands, reminiscent of someone who just came into a large sum of money. She was dripped out in Dolce and Gabbana, Chrome Hearts, and Moschino - all brands popular for their very large price tags. But as the old saying goes: Just because you have money, doesn’t mean you can dress. To be clear, JT had money AND was into fashion before starting her rap career (she stated in an interview she was able to buy herself a Classic Chanel bag before the fame). In my opinion, her industry connections after she signed to record label Quality Control helped her focus not so much on wearing expensive clothes. Instead, seasoned stylists and designers helped her craft her own unique aesthetic, while focusing on pieces that accentuate her silhouette and new tax bracket.

JT pictured with fellow City Girl Yung Miami (left)

JT made her daring new style debut at the 2023 MTV VMA’s, sporting a pink, Mirror Palais ss24 gown and matching Marc Jacobs boots. This look (one of my favorites) was a turning point in her fashion career. It showed that she was more in tune with the fashion world. By wearing a lesser known designer, her affinity for big label brand flashiness was over. Now, I viewed her as a true fashion girlie, by sourcing and styling runway and archival pieces. Her unique style, which incorporates the “coquette” aesthetic, features latex pieces, corsets, platforms shoes, choker necklaces, and dainty bows. It is a style distinct to her, and not many could pull it off without looking crazy.

JT is on her way to becoming a fashion icon. Her outfits are always daring, meticulous, and true to her, which is the most important thing in fashion. She often collaborates with female designers and doesn’t care if you like what she’s wearing or not. In an iconic line from her song No Barz, she brags about being a “Hood bitch dressed like a weirdo”, to which I must agree. JT is a “weirdo” in the best way possible. Her unique fashion sense and dedication to it is refreshing and inspiring for girls that look like her and myself. JT is currently doing a club run tour in the United States, while steadily building a strong, supportive fan base. I am very excited to see all the iconic looks to come in this new era of her career!

by Heaven Sent ™

[yjyt85r98r]

Aikatsu song reviews: Diamond Happy

Song

If I were to describe this song in one word, it would be 'catchy'. The first time I tried to listen to the music video, I got interrupted after less than 20 seconds and had to log off the computer. The intro/chorus was already stuck in my head by then, and I never forgot it, even though I'd only heard it once.

The melody has a sort of fresh sound, kind of like exploring a new place and/or a splash of water. But the instrumentals have a more hot and festive kind of sound. They balance each other out to create a sound that's cheerful but not overbearing. The trumpet(?) at the end makes the song quirkier and really drives home the pop-type feel. I also have to congratulate this song for using a large number of live instruments instead of relying too much on synth.

All that being said, I don't seem to love this song the way other people do. I've seen a lot of people give the song a very high rating or call it one of the best songs in Aikatsu, but I don't really get what's so great about it. It's definitely a big part of Aikatsu's identity, and it appeared around one of the more climatic parts of the storyline, so I get that it could make people emotional in that way. But musically, it's just alright to me. The melody has the same kind of feeling the whole way through, and the song just didn't make a huge impact on me. I don't know if anyone remembers those old posts discussing the difference between a bop vs. a banger vs. a jam, but I feel like this song was trying to be a jam, but to me, it's just a bop.

Also, I was incredibly confused when the MONACA wiki described Diamond Happy as a punk rock song. I think that by punk rock they meant ska.

Vocals

I think the members of Soleil change their vocal styles a bit so that they can match each other better in this song. Aoi and Ran seem to have slightly lighter voices here, and Ran in particular sounds younger than usual. They definitely sound like a unit.

I don't really understand the point of the "wow wow wow" parts, but they must be pretty difficult since they're said so quickly. The W sound is hard to produce fast.

Lyrics

I've joked about the first verse having 'magpie lyrics' due to the amount of times words meaning shiny/sparkly/bright are used. (There's a stereotype that magpies like shiny objects.)

To be honest, the lyrics used to annoy me when I was younger. I don't like forced positivity (e.g. the line about smiling when you want to cry), although I understand the need for it now. The lyrics really show the Aikatsu worldview.

Choreography

The dance for this song feels really distinctive to me, and not like any other dances from Aikatsu. Actually, I can't think of any songs with generic choreography, as every dance looks unique to me, but this one in particular.

It has a good balance of straight and swirling motions... like sometimes reaching the arms straight out, and sometimes moving them in a circle, I guess. But it has a very inconsistent rhythm, switching from fast to slow even when the music hasn't changed. This is especially obvious in the intro and chorus.

Visuals

They did so well with the opening animation! Well, sort of. The iconic thing about the opening sequence lies more in the art style than in the motion. The art has a bright, poppy quality with comic book-style backgrounds, and a very clean, non-cluttered look. It does have several parts with well-animated motion, but there's very little camera movement. Basically, it's the kind of opening that looks great in screenshots. But it also is really cheerful and fun to watch, so I guess I like it.

The opening sequence sort of represents the turning point where Aikatsu decided to market itself as a fun anime for kids. Prior to this, Aikatsu was giving off a slightly more serious and mature vibe than many of the other shows in the same demographic, which was reflected in the first opening. But the second half of season one is when Ichigo has finally won over her more serious and competitive peers, and the atmosphere loosens up even as the stakes rise.

Soleil's outfits are pretty unique, not like anything else in Aikatsu, so I like them. The first ones get across the carnival feeling while still looking relatively elegant, and the second ones are so glittery and pretty. Probably the most elegant-looking pop type coords I've ever seen.

There are some good facial expressions in this performance. There is, of course, Ichigo's silly grin. And the season 3 version has some nice eye expressions from Aoi.

The flying saucer that whizzes by for a split second at the end is another little thing that really adds to the quirky, pop-type feel.

Good points: Cheery feeling Bad points: None?

Rating: 7/10 Personal rating: 6/10

[gritsandbrits]

My interpretation of Lilli from Tabaluga

I just got into Tabaluga lore and I adore Tabaluga x Lilli. So imagine my disappointment when I found out she only appeared once in the 90s cartoon :[

I took it upon myself to create a design for her. I want her to look more like a Main Character, using elements of the musical and official illustrations + my own headcanons.

For her hair gave her Curly/wavy texture to represent clouds. Imagine they take on a magical mist form. Since she's technically Arktos' daughter I gave her yellow eyes to match, as well as to contrast her color palette.

I intended to make her look more princess-y in line with the trend at the time. I tried to keep the basic silhouette of her iconic dresses with extra details to stand out. I gave her puffy sleeves to represent snowballs, some skirts have jagged layered, whole others are solid and basic for animation.

Forgot to add but she wears a tiara to complement Arktos's hat, it's made from icicles and colored a simple blue to stand out from her hair

Now for story: Arktos carves her from ice and uses her to bait Tabalufs, ofc they fall in loce and succeed over Arktos's plan. Lilli runs away with Tabaluga to the Greenlands. From there she and Tabaluga unites both lands against Arktos, Lilli herself learning to be more "human" ironically she already had humanity to begin with. That your background doesn't always define you. She accompanies Tabaluga on many of his journeys essentially she ends up being in a lot of canon episodes.

Ability: After joining the Greenland's she is taught how to defend herself in case Tabaluga isn't around. She learns to create illusions with her ice magic, and given a magic dance ribbon she can use as a lasso & grappling hook.

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 19 - Revolutionary

Where did that Iconic Phrase come from?:

To understand the struggles that the steam and diesel engines faced in the 1950s and 1960s, we must first understand what exactly was meant by Diesel when he said: “We are revolutionary.” It’s a single line that holds a lot of hidden weight, particularly when considering how the diesels came to not only know such a line, but regurgitate it over and over again. It’s a common line from diesels – they claim that they are revolutionary, that they are superior, and that steam engines spoil their image – but why?

What led the diesels to hold such deep prejudices against steam locomotives, and why is it that they are so adamant about their superiority? Well, I have two theories:

Firstly, that this bravado was designed as propaganda by British Railways to justify their actions in scrapping thousands of steam engines as well as to increase loyalty for the company through diesel locomotives, a plan which utilised the railway rulebook to reinforce their ideology in these diesels’ minds and create a generation of unquestioningly loyal engines to a company that was notably suffering from strikes, low revenue and pre-nationalisation infighting.

Secondly, that this bravado was invented by the diesels to try and cover up their own shortcomings caused by the rushed nature of the Modernisation Plan of 1955, which saw British Railways give up on their original plan to slowly electrify the railway network while keeping steam engines until electric engines could replace them in favour of scrapping all the steam engines and replacing them with diesels.

Let’s break these two different ideas down and I’ll let you all decide which you like more.

Option 1:

British Railways was losing £300,000 a day as early as 1961, and it can be easily surmised that this extremely unprofitable position was not a new one. British Railways was disliked by the extremely antagonistic pre-nationalisation employees or engines – LNER, LMS, GWR and SR locomotives could be often found arguing in stations, further degrading public opinion of the company. Early BR steam locomotives were often sent to bad areas – such as London and Manchester – to try and create unity through a desire to mentor the younger engines. This in part worked, were it not for the scores of pre-nationalisation designs still being produced – especially of GWR designs. This extremely divided workforce left BR with very few options on how to bring unity to the company and restore their public image.

Enter diesels. These were almost completely new to the railways of Britain, with only a few experimental types and shunting classes existing before the 1950s, partially due to the work of Sir Nigel Gresley and his A4 Pacifics, which matching the diesels of the 1930s in terms of speed while hauling significantly more. This meant that they were different to what had existed in the British Isles prior to the war, and their differences would make it harder for steam engines to integrate these new diesel classes into their own cliques. British Railways decided that in order to protect their own image, as well as phase out the ‘more difficult’ steam engines, they would develop a banner for diesels to group themselves under – they found a unifier for diesels: “We are Revolutionary.”

It’s strong branding, for starters. The diesels now have a simple, catchy slogan to rally behind and that gives them a sense of importance that leads them to utilise it against the steam engines (as suggested “gently” by British Rail), leading to the diesels developed a single, united clique which is loyal to their railway company against the ‘old, outdated’ steam engines. It also was given to them by British Railways, furthering the company’s control over their engines and building a strong connection between the image of modern diesels and being a loyal part of the company. In other words, this was propaganda fed to the diesels purely so they would repeat it and create an image on both the railways and in the public’s mind of diesel traction being this great, modern revolution to Britain’s railway network that would change everything.

This, of course, failed badly – but considering that in the 1960s and 1970s Japan, Germany and France all developed high-speed electric trains capable of 200 kph while Britain’s railway closed rail lines, dealt with innumerable failed diesel types and lost its profitable freight traffic to the roads.

Option 2:

This option is perhaps a more interesting one, personally – because this option sees British Railways adopt the slogan after its invention in order to try and recover public face. Instead, the slogan “We are revolutionary” was developed by early diesel locomotives in the 1950s to try and promote themselves as modern and exciting as a way to cover up their own shortcomings – and let’s be clear; these diesels had a lot of shortcomings. The Metrovicks alone had enough mechanical faults to make an engineer run away screaming, while also having windows that fell out at speed. Other diesels caught fire, or belched out thick smoke, or just didn’t work almost all the time. The Pilot Scheme of the 1950s and 1960s was an absolute failure, all things considered – and while there were successful designs which became the backbone of the British Network (the Class 20s, Class 47s and Class 37s are all still in revenue-earning service, sixty years later), most of these classes were a terrible investment. And they knew it.

The public knew it too – the failings of British Railways was major news, both in parliament and in everyday households. The diesels needed a Public Relations victory – and fast. Remember, the Modernisation Plan of 1955 was a modification of the original intention of BR, which was to use steam locomotives until they electrified (a method used across continental Europe) and were diesels to fail any more than they already were, the company could have very easily shelved dieselisation in favour of this potentially safer (and less likely to catch on fire) option.

So, they developed a slogan to recite to the public: “We are Revolutionary”, and they got their most promising diesel classes (the Class 08s, Deltics, Class 40s and other successful designs) to repeat the line as often as possible around the public. The public caught on, and while it did not reverse the fortunes of the company, it did renew BR’s interest in diesel engines.

Either way, the slogan “We are Revolutionary” was developed specifically for diesel engines, and was used as propaganda against steam engines to try and cement the modernity and superiority of diesel traction in the minds of the public.

Back to Master Post

[demifiendrsa]

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves ｜Official Trailer

Japanese version

Mai Shiranui Character Trailer (English version)

Mai Shiranui Character Trailer (Japanese version)

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves will launch for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on April 24, 2025.

A “Secial Edition” will also be available, which includes the base game and Season Pass 1 for $59.99 / €59.99.

Users who pre-order the game will receive a Terry Bogard costume based on his classic Fatal Fury appearance, as well as three days of early access starting April 21, 2025.

Screenshots

Latest details

South Town’s Finest Unite

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves brings together a diverse roster of familiar faces and new blood, with 17 playable characters at launch. Iconic fighters like Terry Bogard and Rock Howard return to the scene alongside debuting challengers, like the science prodigy Preecha and street assassin Vox Reaper. An additional five downloadable content fighters will be added in Season Pass 1.

SNK revealed the latest fighter, Mai Sharinui (voiced by Rebecca Rose in English, Ami Koshimizu in Japanese), the globally renowned ninja now sporting a new look.

Mai is the successor to Shiranui-style ninjutsu. Following an important tip-off from dutiful monk Sokaku Mochizuki, this modern-day kunoichi proceeds to South Town with purpose—her intense flame and ever-refined techniques lighting up the darkness therein.

Game Features and Modes

City of the Wolves blends innovative new mechanics with familiar features for a captivating and rewarding experience for both newcomers and veteran players alike.

REV System + Returning Systems – Unleash the all-new REV System, offering powerful offensive moves like REV Arts and REV Blows, pushing the excitement to the max until the REV Meter overheats. Classic systems like Combination Attacks, Just Defense, and S.P.G. return, reimagined for today’s battles.

Controls for Veterans and Newcomers – Arcade Style offers precision and technique, while Smart Style allows for easy, flashy combos with simple inputs. Both newcomers and seasoned pros can feel powerful with their control scheme of choice.

A Story of Fates Intertwined – Embark deep into South Town in Arcade Mode, where fighters clash over the legacy of Geese Howard. Driven by powerful emotions and past rivalries, they race to a long-awaited showdown. Dive toward the future and uncover the truth of the epic saga in South Town’s narrative climax!

Episodes of South Town RPG Adventure – Introducing “Episodes of South Town” (EOST)—a solo RPG where challengers battle foes under unique conditions, earning XP and building skills along the way. Level up and chase the crown in South Town to forge a legend unlike any other.

Rollback, Cross-Platform, and More Online Features – Experience Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves with integrated rollback netcode and cross-platform functionality, offering flawless matches with players across any system. Choose from Ranked, Casual, and Room Matches, and watch as AI technology crafts clones from player’s styles to challenge others or even themselves!

Customization With No Bounds – Adjust the appearance of any fighter by way of outfit and gear colors, as well as distinct patterns—which are all unlocked in Episodes of South Town—and more! Players can also jam out to a vast catalog of iconic tracks across the FATAL FURY series, including additional music from another South Town classic, The Art of Fighting. Create personalized playlists to customize the background music for specific modes and rev up to the music!

[dwarvenbash]

Dwarf Longbeards!

Definitely one of my top 3 favorite Dwarf units in Warhammer. I tried my hardest to match the feel of the excellent 6th edition designs by the legendary sculptor Colin Dixon as pictured in the bottom-most picture (the standard bearer in the center-left has been promoted to a Runelord), but I have quite a few quibbles with the newer plastic kit.

Even so, while my take on these old fogeys could maybe do with a couple additions to fill some gaps, I'd like to think I preserved some of that grumpy character to help them fit in with the rest of the unit!

As promised though, more complaining under the cut...

Now before I dive too deep into a screed of negativity, I'll gush a bit about the aforementioned 6th edition sculpts.

Colin Dixon is responsible for some of the best Warhammer Dwarf designs in my opinion, and absolutely nails all the elements that make them stand out from their other more generic fantasy equivalents. They are loaded to the whiskers with small details, from the iconic angular "ancestor" detailing of simplified dwarven faces on their weapons and armor, to accessories from beer steins to smoking pipes to rings on their fingers. Each miniature tells a story, and for these Longbeards especially it's like they're carrying a long lineage of heirlooms and history with them into battle!

One of the greatest parts of Colin's sculpts however in my opinion are how he poses his dwarfs. An essential element that seperated old Warhammer Dwarf designs from others were how short their legs were. Most of the time, a Dwarf's boots were all you could see on a miniature, the rest obscured by long-hanging chainmail or beard hair. While this did a great job of helping them have a distinct look, it also meant it could be hard getting more dynamic and characterful poses out of them; not so for these Longbeards, however! Unlike their more follicle-challenged kin, these old Dwarfs are not shown charging into the fray, hopped up on adrenaline. This is not their first battle, and you're sure to hear them mutter something about how that "back in their day" the orcs were nastier, and the ale tasted better, to boot! So to reflect this, they are posed at ease, resting on their great weapons like walking sticks, unimpressed, just waiting for the enemy to come to them.

Now, much like in the Dwarfen kingdoms of Warhammer, the new-fangled miniature designing ways somewhat pale in comparison to the old masterworks, which brings us to the new Longbeard model...

I'm not going to sugarcoat it; in my opinion, this is a terribly designed kit. The eclectic choice of colors here isn't doing this promotional image any favors, but the problems run a lot deeper than that. Designed to pull double duty as both Hammerers and Longbeards, this 8th edition kit saps all the uniqueness and character from both unit types in order to kill two proverbial Dwarfs with one stone. The kit is basically mono-pose: the head slots into the body in a very specific way, and the ball joint sockets for the arms might as well be for show. Jamming two different unit types into one kit also means there is no room for any interesting accessories or fun bits like (nearly) every other Dwarf kit has; there are only extra heads or weapons from the unit you weren't building in the first place, which in my opinion, have different enough aesthetics to warrant two separate designs.

Beyond the kit itself, though, the design you are left with after you put it together (if you follow the instructions) is egregious. Most glaring is the model's scale: these Dwarfs are for some reason far more bulky than any of their brethren, so much so that it's a challenge trying to rank these guys up on 20mm bases! (These 8th edition models I suspect are one of the reasons TOW moved their bases up 5mm) Their stupidly bulky armor, too, is bedazzled with this bizarre flowing curly-cue ornamentation that looks more like elven handiwork than anything Dwarf-crafted. Their helmets don't even have horns of any kind like the old designs, opting instead for an odd football helmet-esque look with these orbs on each side that I absolutely despise.

The worst offender might be the model's pose. While it might not be as bad when they are built with hand weapons, the great weapon pose has absolutely no character or energy behind it. I assume the idea is that they are supposed to be mid-march, but they look like they have about as much agency and personality as a chess piece. Embarrassingly, most of the Longbeard head option's beards barely even touch the ground! The one requirement to make this unit recognizable as what it is supposed to be, and they could barely manage that.

I will say the Longbeard unit champion in this kit (pictured front and center in the above picture) does maintain some of that original repose and character by virtue of leaning on his shield and great weapon, and in order to salvage this kit I relied heavily on these bits for my own Longbeards, which you may be able to spot in the initial photos.

That and some old reliable bits from the 4th edition Dwarf Warrior kit saved this build for me, but what stings the most about this new kit is that it is what two of the most iconic Dwarf units are stuck with looking like for most people for the foreseeable future. It has been kept in production solidly since 8th edition as an Age of Sigmar unit, and now with The Old World, it'll probably hold that course.

That being said, there's still a chance for some new developments with The Old World, as some units like the Dwarf Lord with Shieldbearers will almost certainly be getting new models. I'll keep my fingers crossed, but like any good Longbeard, I'll probably just keep sticking with the old stuff. :)

Thanks for reading this somewhat rambling editorial, I'll try to keep these constructive rather than full on devolve into GW-bashing all of the time (while that is quite fun...), but I had to devote some time to articulate why exactly I feel so strongly about this particular variety of Dwarf, as one does.

Not to end on a sad note, but Colin Dixon passed away quite recently, so if you have a moment, here is a very nice article memorializing his career as a painter and sculptor of miniatures: