#or not movie but like power rangers esque

[caracarahoney]

H.I.V.E. Birthday Bundle 2024:

With the best worst father with too many names, Cypher!

(And the color gold.) Buckle up folks, it's a long one!

Playlist- Not Afraid (You Should Be)

The Lab Era Mad IQs- I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME GUY.exe- Superfruit On The Run E.V.O.L.- Marina and the Diamonds Pork Soda- Glass Animals Lent- Autoheart Paranoia in B Major- The Avett Brothers Family Man Clusterhug- I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME C Sections And Railway Trestles- The Avett Brothers The Loss Paper Scars- Lovedrug Black Light- My Epic Cypher Is Born So Called Life- Three Days Grace Look Away- The Dear Hunter Me Against You- Three Days Grace Rumors- NEFFEX The Siege Absinthe- I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME Yin Yang- USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) NFWMB- Hozier All Alone Leopard- Jack Stauber Paul Newman vs. The Demons- The Avett Brothers Gone Rogue P.O.L.I.T.I.C.S.- MISSIO Wolf In Sheep's Clothing- Set It Off Bleeding White- The Avett Brothers Gone Forest Whitaker- Bad Books, etc.

Art:

I got a rabbit as my animal, which honestly fits- lots of cool symbolism there. Something, something, snares and escaping and prey animal vs predators, etc. I honestly think this man is motivated more by fear than he lets on. Fic: A Temporary Alliance (A negotiation leads to an effective, if begrudging partnership between Cypher, three girls… and a pilot in deep over his head.) Headcanons:

Extremely paranoid ever since he began working in the villain industry, and this only became exacerbated after Xiu Mei’s death. Also misanthropic and believed most people are more bad than good, though he recognized a few exceptions like his family.

Instead of a plain oval of glass, his mask was a modified helmet resembling a motorcyclist’s. Alongside gloves, it allowed him to cover every inch of skin to prevent anyone getting hair or fingerprints for DNA testing.

Had long hair ever since he entered G.L.O.V.E., as he became paranoid that someone would assassinate him while cutting it. As Wu Zhang, he cut it himself and kept it up in a high ponytail (when down, it was a little past his shoulders). After losing Xiu Mei, he didn’t keep up with caring for it as often and let it grow a few inches longer, tucking it into his helmet as Cypher and tying it up otherwise.

Wore his mask anytime he was around others during his Cypher era, including his own henchmen. If he ever needed to sleep– such as on long flights– he would sleep with it on and hold a gun the whole time.

Based his Cypher look on some of the Power Rangers-esque shows Wing would watch as a child; he would watch them with him sometimes as a form of easy bonding time.

Adored Darkdoom’s exploits and would tell Wing bedtime stories about him; took inspiration for the Kraken from Darkdoom’s vehicles.

Despised Xiu Mei at first after the Overlord incident, but acknowledged they were stuck together. Their escape from China was full of violence, running from enemies, assassination attempts, and the usual actiony antics. This is when they first learned to appreciate each other as they both saved each other a few times. 

As a husband, Mao was less physically affectionate. He showed love through gift giving, usually by making Xiu Mei small robots or trinkets or buying her nice things. He was very aloof as a person in general, so she valued being one of the few people he would willingly be close to. They enjoyed having movie or tv nights at home more than any other kind of date, which they’d usually end with a cuddle on the couch.

As a father, he was distant, but hardworking and comparatively loving. He knew from his teen years that he wasn’t cut out for family life, but did his best once avoiding it was no longer an option. He preferred to do the “maintenance work” of the family (house work, handling paperwork, planning stuff, etc) behind the scenes while his wife handled the face-to-face parenting. After Xiu Mei’s death, he was emotionally negligent and occasionally verbally abusive whenever he and Wing would argue, but never lashed out physically. He feared how angry he could be as he grieved and would separate himself early to avoid outbursts, but the absences only made things worse.

After Xiu Mei’s death and a small depressive period, vengeance became his primary goal and he began training himself in combat. This is where some of his absences in Wing’s life came from and where Wing’s early fitness started, as he tried a few times to work out with his father to bond with him. Considering that Wu was always very upset when doing so, it never worked out. Cypher was roughly at Nero’s level in combat by the end and had some training with most weapons; he’s not a boxer and wouldn’t do well in a fist fight, but if he was armed or given the chance to strategize, he could be very dangerous.

Did not build his criminal empire from the ground up– he instead infiltrated and worked under another villain for a year or two before assassinating him and stealing his holdings, using a few robots he’d made to bolster his defenses until he was powerful enough to use his reputation.

Genuinely believed Nero stole Wing for hostage purposes, as he received a letter that appeared to be written by him threatening Wing after his disappearance. In reality, this letter was crafted and sent by Overlord to encourage Nero and Cypher to go to war.

Needed glasses or contacts; his vision wasn’t horrible and he could function without them, but he was prone to bad migraines without them. As Wu Zhang, he preferred contacts, but switched to glasses as Mao Fanchu. During his time at H.I.V.E., he would become very uncooperative if not provided with glasses and an occasional exam. Also had high blood pressure and other chronic stress issues, but knew how to manage them. 

After the fall, he had to do daily physical therapy. Nero ensured he had equipment to do so (which was stored under his bed), but he struggled with chronic pain for the rest of his life. Also occasionally had chronic pain from Overlord’s blast, but this was less frequent. One of the closest relationships to amicable he had as Cypher did come from this though, as he developed an acquaintanceship with Dr. Scott.

After Overlord, he was a brontophobe (feared lightning in particular) and had a strong distaste for the color red despite using it as one of his cardinal colors. Also feared A.I.s and almost threw up at the sight of H.I.V.E.mind in Rogue.

Resented most supervillains’ “they’re disposable” attitude towards their technicians or low-ranking staff, especially as Cypher. He also preferred to avoid killing enemies’ staff, but did so to fit in and get closer to Number One, seeing it as genuinely necessary in his mission to save the world. 

And finally, Prompts! (AKA my rejected fic ideas for this...) - Darkdoom the pirate finding siren Wu after the latter got in a scuffle with the infamous Captain Nero. - A student finds Cypher's cell and talks to him through the door. - In an AU where he survives, Cypher playing Battleship with Laura. - Wu Zhang and Xiu Mei fleeing from G.L.O.V.E. after the Incident. - Cypher arguing with Nero in his cell about bringing Overlord online too early.

Anyways, hope y'all had fun! Can't wait to see what you've all created!

[pain-suffering-even]

types of weapons the hunters would use pt. 2

this time, the draw sword guild, definitely not my favorites :)

goto ryuji:

his sword is really cool, actually. a very nice ruby red. i think he would have a long sword and short sword (kind of like the daisho, a matched pair of japanese swords). otherwise, he would just use his hands. or his teeth. i think he just doesn't really care too much about how it's done, as long as it gets done

sugimoto reiji:

it's not stated in the manhwa what class he is, so i head canon him as an assassin because i think there's only one or two that are canon. so, i think he would have a dagger for short-range kills, and kunai and shuriken for long-range kills (slightly inspired by genji from overwatch's kunai and shuriken setup - the green even matches his usual suit...)

tanaka kenzo:

his fists suit him as a tank-esque fighter. if not that, then brass knuckles (slightly inspired by seo seongun from lookism... beloved...) also i just think he likes to get hands on with things, if him during the jeju arc gives us any clue what his fighting style is like

tawata kanae:

i think a two-sided spear or scimitar would be cool. she also has double blades as it is, so i think she just likes working with two instead of one. higher level of efficiency and all

as i was adding photos... i realized... what this was inspired by... lmao

yeah. that fits her for sure

fujishima tatsumi:

i think he would use things more for looks rather than efficiency, so anything cool or unique... a scythe seems up his alley. something like ruby's scythe (especially because it also works as a gun - and i think the engineering mind i've head canoned for him would love to fiddle with that and make it abysmally powerful)

ishida mari:

i headcanon him as a ranger because i think there's literally only taegyu otherwise. so he would use a compact bow as his main weapon (inspired by the chiron form of the coronacht bow), but he also uses a rapier. he strikes me as a rich kid that studied abroad in london and learned fencing (i know it's really specific but those are just the vibes i get)

shimizu akari:

she has her giant golden battle axe. i also think she would know boxing, so she has short-ranged hand-to-hand combat down

kumamoto atsushi:

he doesn't really need a weapon, since he has a strange fighting style, and i headcanon he transforms like yoonho. but... something blunt, like a mace or a club. maybe nunchucks? or something similar to the playful cloud weapon from jujutsu kaizen?

hamada kei:

they're an ice type mage, so they have a varied attack pattern, but i think they would like a bowstaff or a baton (inspired by nami's clima tact from one piece. it even has the bonus of controlling the weather through temperature - which kei can... sorta do, lmao). something to easily knock-out any monsters that get near them so they can run before they throw up. really, it's more of a back up weapon, since they would take anything out before it got too close to them (inspired by this video!)

izawa ippei:

the actual canon assassin. well, i headcanon he likes collecting all sorts of weapons and learning how to use them, but his go-to would be something slightly ranged, like a spear (inspired by maki's from jujutsu kaizen) or a scythe (i think something simple like the one from soul eater would suit him best)

hoshino minoru:

i also headcanon him as an assassin (i mean, look at that raid outfit - you can't tell me that's not built perfectly for stealth and a better range of motion!), but more short-ranged and borderline fighter style. i think he has a sickle for quick chain kills, and an old dagger for sneak kills. (sickle is directly inspired by percy jackson and chronos' sickle, but i don't think we ever got to see it in a movie, but something along these lines would fit well. dagger is more of the hunting/gutting knife from the hannibal nbc series)

well... that about wraps it up! i tried to get more visuals from media this time instead of just googling the weapon type from the internet. there are some pretty cool weapon designs already out there, unique ones that always catch my eye. i just like weapons a lot lmao

[isp-annafer]

Watching Transformers One is like. you've been watching the every movie in the theaters since forever. you've seen the utter travesty of most of the bayverse movies. some of them were fun. but also. like. its bayverse. maybe kind of had some hope for the bumblebee one, but you k n ow those few minutes on cybertron was your favorite part of that movie and your cybertron-hungry ass gobbled that part right up. and then comes the trailers for this new movie. and youve got some hope. again. it looks more like some kid-leaning power rangers-esque plot based on the trailers. but you know what. YOU KNOW WHAT. youve lived through the bayverse. surely this wont be as bad as that. and THEN. wtf. its.

its.

yeah.

so you come home. and you sit down. and you think. so. So. It was Okay(?!) It was. Good (!!?) It was ACTUALLY good?!!!

Like, not perfect. Fan bias is high over here. But also. The music was amazing. The fight scenes were amazing. Seeing TF characters that you've been wishing to be in the movies for ages was amazing. Watching the growth of Orion Pax and DC-16 into their iconic roles was AMAZING.

I can't get over it even a few days later. Kicking my feet. grinning like a madman. Holy Shit. Oh wow Holy shit.

[communitydreamjournal]

Sometimes I dream of television shows I don't think exist in real life, like for example one show that was kind of a Power Rangers-esque show about superpowered wrestlers (they looked like the members of Twisted Sister) and it had similiar vibes to the live-action He-Man movie.   The episode was a halloween episode and the plot of the episode had them help their female human friend (it was implied throughout the show the heroes were aliens, or partially non-human) host a party only to get called to action when a monster with the ability to make halloween props come to life wreaks havoc in a costume store.

[leovoid]

Me trying to persuade my sister to watch JoJos (I'll update the post as our conversation continues)

My sister: "Why is that show so gay lol? Like every gif I see of it - gay" Me:

My sister: "Is it meant to be gay or funny?" Me: "Funny mostly, but people now a days just see it as flamboyant and gay

which the fanbase is okay with lol

I mean....its funny right?

But the pose is just a "JoJo pose" A silly, over the top pose that as far as the story is concerned is a signature, serious, or energetic pose a character does But for the creator of JoJo and the reader, it is supposed to be taken as both serious and funny with the idea that "Ah its a new JoJo pose"

"The story of JoJo while both comedic and serious in tone is more than just its narrative Its a straight up culture, the energy of JoJos is so over the top and expressive that it can't help but inspire and influence others to copy it in some manner or form. Its an anime/Manga from the 80s in its rawest and most powerful form Araki knows its silly, but he wears that shit with pride and he does it proudly and everyone loves him for it. JoJo has created a cult back in the 90s, quite literally and its only gotten stronger since the remake during 2012 What makes JoJos so great is that its more than just an anime/manga, its more than its medium, its just a fun, entertaining, and emotional ride that when you realize all that JoJos has to offer you'll actually begin to understand why the fandom is the way it is Why the so fervently want as many people to watch it as possible, why its heavy in meme culture, and why people copy it and how JoJos despite being released in the 80s continues to be dominant as a masterpiece till this very day"

My sister: What was it meant to be at that time then?

WHY IS IT SO OVER THE TOP LOL?!

Me: "I think at the time, it was meant to be signature esque and cool, maybe to get people to buy its figures or for the kids to pose Like... Think about how popular Power Rangers (Or shows like it) was and still is over in Japan Kids copy it all the time, the poses, the saying and mannerism JoJos is the same thing but for adults, because why should adults lose that magic too right? Mature story telling doesn't have to be a serious narrative all the time What makes JoJos so good is that JoJos embodies both of these things and makes it work"

My sister: "Then what would you describe it as?" Me: "You know how you would think of Akira, or Dragon Ball Z, or Avatar and you would see it as something more than its medium? Akira for its crazy animation quality for its time that stands as one of the best animated movies ever made

Dragon Ball Z for its cultural impact on the world to this very day as the most recognized anime in existance

And Avatar for being a childrens show that showed for the first time that american animators could od what anime could have and tackle mature themes even for a kids show?

JoJos is something of that nature that is hard to explain, the story is great but its not deep or complex, there is no hidden philosophy or thematic exploration of any ideals or anything (At least not all around)

But because of how much of a culture shock JoJos has shown and the style of the show that LITERALLY IS ITS OWN STYLE that no one else can replicate, JoJos succeeds in becoming an iconic legend in its own right by being SPECIAL

Its just a special kind of anime, you can't rank it as a normal anime, there is something deep within the machinations of what makes JoJos "JoJos" that makes it so incredible

Its different from say watching Monster, and trying to unravel the mysteries and feeling like you figured out something deep and meaningful

With JoJos its the same minus the complex moral question, its more of understanding, what is it that makes the show so good?

Its a lot more interesting to figure that out and in turn I think you would appreciate it a lot more if you viewed it under that lens instead of comparing it to animes you like. Because if you do, you will never understand or come to appreciate JoJos.

JoJos is truly its own special kind of show separate from all other animes. There is nothing like JoJos, and I don't think any show can replicate what JoJos succeeded in doing"

[chacerider-casual]

You had me hooked at Godzilla

Are there robots? Cus I remember reading robots somehwere

And these guys give me superhero vibes, do they have superpowers? Or are they like, power rangers but high tech

Fun fact! The original head of the company that makes Ultraman, Mr. Eiji Tsuburaya (may he rest in peace), was the special effects director for the original Godzilla, before he split off to create his own production company! (Yeah, Ultraman's been going a while... Off and on since 1966!) So there's a good reason Godzilla is an easy comparison to make, and it's not just because of all the kaiju!

There are robots sometimes! The big focus is on the titular Ultramen -- aliens made of light from a distant galaxy, (usually,) capable of being large or small, generally do-gooders and capable of fusing their life with a human host for mutual survival -- but there have been both robot antagonists and robot friends throughout the years. The current season, Blazar, is very new-viewer friendly and has a giant mecha-godzilla-esque mecha that our heroes pilot (starting from episode 3)! His name is Earth Garon and we all love him.

As for superhero vibes... Kinda! As I mentioned, Ultramen can fuse with humans for mutual survival - Ultras need intense solar radiation to survive more than a few minutes, which Earth's atmosphere unfortunately blocks, so fusing lets them hide in the human's body on Earth to survive long-term when waiting for kaiju to show up, and lets the human hide in the Ultra's body for combat! (Well, there's other situations too, because not all "Ultramen" are from the same place, and others find other solutions... but that's the most common way.) So the protagonist is usually very superhero-like, with a "secret identity" of sorts! (EDIT: ... And yes, Ultramen themselves typically have superpowers. The most basic is beam attacks, but there's been everything from healing powers to energy weapon summoning to CRAB MINIATURIZING BEAM to summoning black holes! They're a bit magical like that.)

But then there's usually a government Defense Team, or other human allies, who are trying to solve mysteries and save Earth themselves, with human technology! So that part's often more got Star Trek vibes than Power Rangers, I'd say, but they'll often have combining jet fighters or mecha and such, so a bit similar after all, lol. A big theme is humanity trying to find its own place in the universe and grow to protect themselves!

... Though, that's mostly in proper seasons. Zero's a bunch of movies, usually set out in space with very few humans (or human-looking characters) at all, so it's very much a larger-scale sci-fi superhero romp there. A bit more Star Wars than Star Trek, but still it's own thing and very fun!

... Ah, I talked too much again. Well, if you need any more rambling about my favorite series, I'll be around, lmao

[clevermird]

Review: The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley

I first read this book when I was about twelve and I remember not caring for it at all – Disney’s Robin Hood was one of my favorite movies, I’d eagerly devoured several other print versions of the legend and in comparison, The Outlaws of Sherwood seemed boring, tame, and unadventurous. But reading it again as an adult has given me a new perspective and I think I can now say that this book is actually quite good.  Robin has no dreams of becoming a famous outlaw or a legendary marksman. He’s just a young Saxon man trying to survive the Norman occupation of England. But when the bullying he endures from his fellow forest rangers escalates to an accidental murder, he flees into the depths of Sherwood Forest where his best friends, idealistic miller’s son Much and discontented noblewoman Marian, convince him that his impulsive act of rebellion could become a symbol for something much more powerful. And as more people gather in the woods, each with their own cause or hurt driving them to risk everything, it seems as though Much and Marian may be right.  This book attempts a more realistic take on the Robin Hood legend than some other depictions, examining in a very subdued way how legends are built and heroes forged from the collective efforts of larger groups and of the value of symbols to a movement, as well as the ways that those of different backgrounds and talents can nonetheless contribute – cooking, carpentry, and contacts with the outside world prove to be as valuable to the outlaws as trick shooting in many cases. What my younger self interpreted as a frustrating lack of excitement and flash seems now to be more of a simple, down-to-earth approach to the story (although still peppered with the author’s signature wry humor and romanticism). The result is an oddly relaxing story that nonetheless still delivered on some tense moments. Also worth noting is that this is perhaps the first book I’ve read by Robin McKinley where I didn’t feel like the ending was rushed, and in fact the climax and denouement felt very well-paced to me.  The only major critique I have for this book is actually the main thing that bothered me as a child as well, and although the sharpness of the complaint has blunted since then, the point remains. Towards the end of the book, several of the supporting characters take increasing prominence in the narrative, to the point that by the climax, most of the story is from their perspective. While this is, I believe, deliberate, to emphasize the theme of Robin Hood being a collective symbol rather than a single man, I started to feel as though Robin (who I did quite like with his practical cynicism and reluctant soft heart) was becoming a bit player in his own story.  Nonetheless, The Outlaws of Sherwood is a really solid read for fans of Robin Hood or of historical fiction with a fairytale-esque bent. It brings little new to the table, but the comfortable prose and likable characters more than make up for it. 

Rating: 8/10

[aberfaeth]

hmmm I thought Lockwood & co looked a bit too cheesy at first, but your posting is making me consider it again... is it fun at least?

IT IS SO DEEPLY FUN honestly it’s less cheesy than i was expecting? it’s like. definitely a YA-esque tv show but i never found myself actually cringing or anything. tho do take this with the grain of salt that i deeply unironically enjoy the 2017 power rangers movie

[worlds-tallest-fairy]

Tag Game

Thanks to @aintgonnatakethis for the tag!

Three ships:  I thought of like 10 immediately so I'll stick with most recently read/into:

Telford/Rush (Stargate Universe): I went to AO3 looking for Telford content of any kind, I came up for air like 2 days later loving them both together and apart and seriously may I suggest you read anything @aintgonnatakethis has ever written? I'm not sure what's not to love.

Michael Garibaldi/Anyone (Babylon 5): I mean anyone. I'd probably read Garibaldi/Computer if you sent it to me. Garibaldi lovers are so few and far between. And the actor was...not a great person. But Garibaldi man. He's the most fascinating character on the show. Or in the top three. And I want someone to fix him.

(Seriously, I should talk to my therapist about my love for broken/dysfunctional men who give their literal heart and soul to their cause, end up brainwashed by aliens/the enemy, betray their friends/country/crew in an epic Judas-esque moment and angst their way through the aftermath. It's probably important.)

Eddie/Buck (911): I have no other explanation to this then they are clearly in love and co-parenting their child and the fact that no one in the writers room recognizes/recognized that is ridiculous (and queerbaity as hell). I'm not up to date on the most recent season but it sounds like ABC is actually handling this problem.

Honorable Mentions:

Harold Finch/John Reese (Person of Interest):

Jim Caviezel is an asshole who had done irreparable damage to anti-human trafficking efforts everywhere.

HOWEVER: John and Harold make me squeal and their found family/found husbands vibes are wonderful

Root/Shaw (Person of Interest):

No notes/No comment. They are perfect.

First ship: That I read fic for: Dramione. First ever, probably Tommy/Kimberly from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I was like 6.

Last song: Music in heavy rotation currently: Sleep Token's entire discography. When you're writing a story about semi-sentient ships playing match maker, you gotta rock to Sleep Token. Also in rotation: The Crane Wives, Amelie Farren and Seth Staton Watkins

Last movie: I really don't watch movies often. Probably Man of Steel.

Currently watching: Stargate Universe, Stargate: SG1

Currently reading: Besides Telford/Rush fics? I'm reading through the Longmire books, which are cozy western mysteries. Henry Standing Bear is by far the best character.

Currently eating: Oreos and Peanut Butter

Currently craving: It not to be Sunday? I really don't feel like working tomorrow. Also some of the Cajun Turkey my husband is eating.

[badassbutterfly1987]

Ninja (2009), dir: Isaac Florentine

I have a lot of affection for this movie: it's not great, it has silly sound effects, a little goofy, went with CGI blood instead of squibs which looks bad, definite power rangers influence and not always in a good way; but I genuinely like the characters and their relationships with each other

we start with various characters at a dojo in Japan, we meet Casey (Scott Adkins) and Namiko Takeda (Mika Hijii) sparring and they definitely have crushes on each other, they're generally very cute but aren't acting on the obvious attraction yet

so Casey is obviously an American white guy, seemingly the only one at the dojo, and that's implied to be part of why another student Masazuka (Tsuyoshi Ihara) is so hostile

he intrudes into Casey's personal room around bedtime (while Casey is lost in thought looking at a photo of his mom) seemingly just to push his trauma buttons

"must suck not to have a heritage :) shame your mom abandoned you and your dad drank himself to death :)", it nearly provokes a fight but Sensei Takeda (Togo Igawa) scolds him

later they have a sparring match, it's a good showing but Casey notably struggles, it widely escalates and Masazuka tries to kill Casey, Sensei exiles him and everyone feels bad about it; it's not a bully getting kicked out to applause, it's a favored student with potential who has lost the family's trust

presumably months later, Masazuka has become an assassin for the Illuminati-esque Ring, he returns to the dojo mostly to threaten them about he's the only one who deserves to inherit the Yoroi Bitsu (a box of ninja gear that's culturally important), he's also here to stare threateningly at Casey, but comes off less "I'm going to happily murder you later" and more a come hither look

so Casey and Namiko are sent to New York with the YB to hide it in a museum for safekeeping, Casey's definitely focused on the task but him carrying the photo of his mom suggests he has a second motive, they then contact a an old friend of Sensei called Professor Garrison (Garrick Hagon)

they have a nice dinner with him and Prof asks how Casey ended up at the dojo, Casey proceeds to trauma dump to professor, "yeah my mom left me when I was 12 :) dad drove off a cliff :) a family friend dropped me off at the dojo so I'm perfectily fine", our boy definitely has unprocessed trauma

Masazuka slaughters those at the dojo (unclear how many), has the advantage with a high-tech ninja suit with infra-red vision, angry about Sensei rejecting him (definite parallel to Casey's history of abandonment), kills Sensei but realizes that YB has been moved, realizes location thru Namiko's phone messages

Casey goes to find mom, learns she died of a stroke months before; quietly comforted by Namiko, romantic undertone but interrupted by intruders who kill the professor

they get away and hide in motel, Namiko has quiet breakdown when she realizes her father is dead, they end up sharing a shower but it's more of a keeping warm/comfort than sexy, more trouble with police thinking they're suspects

next morning Casey panics when she isn't there, although just went down to coffee shop, another ambush, train fight, first kill, arrested by police

this is about where the film loses steam for me, the story still works okay but a little less gripping, also wish Namiko got a better showing because she struggles more in fights than Casey despite the beginning suggesting they were on equal footing

there's an interrogation where Namiko sticks to the cover story of visiting then running because they were scared of the attackers whereas Casey basically tells the truth about ninja assassins and isn't believed; Masazuka breaks into the precint, kills police and kidnaps Namiko

Casey tracks down the cult and calls Masazuka to make a deal, the Yoroi Bitsu in exchange for Namiko (she's willing to die to keep it hidden but he isn't)

final fight: meet at a construction site, Namiko freed when box is handed over, turns out box is empty because Casey decided to wear the gear instead, Namiko gets a good fight but poisoned and taken out of commision halfway through, Casey wins the fight and gets antidote for Namiko

ends with beheading Masazuka, interesting tone because it doesn't feel exultant, more like a grim necesity

final scene is Casey and Namiko at Sensei's grave before returning to the dojo, implied they're now a couple

[transexuality]

hello! hope that you are having a nice day ^_^ a little question for you - who is your favourite ace attorney character? i only recently realised that you are a fan (?) and i would like to know! you remind me of maya a bit : ) sending best wishes!

funny story, i have not even finished the first game. But yeah maya is my favorite!! i've been meaning to play more but i just forgor -_-

[vintagegeekculture]

Power Rangers almost came out in the US a decade early, in 1986

Haim Saban, a former Vangelis-esque electronic musician, had a big idea when in his hotel room in Japan 1985: why not bring over a Japanese live action sentai show, but film footage around it with local actors? The initial series was Bioman, and he even created a pilot and proof of concept for it, which to date, has not been seen except in small snippets anywhere in the world. If his American Bioman pilot was picked up, it would have aired in 1986, alongside GI Joe, Jem, and Masters of the Universe. Who knows if it would have become a phenomenon the way it ultimately did, or it would have been lost in the shuffle of kids entertainment in the mid-80s?

In one crucial respect, the 1986 Bioman pilot had a huge advantage: the cast was led by legit action star and martial artist Marc Dacascos, who is legendary in the action and kung fu world. If you like action movies, you probably recognize him on sight. He would have brought the show a tremendous amount of martial arts credibility. 

Some aspects of Bioman survive in the final series in 1993. For example, in Bioman, the heroes have a C-3P0 esque comedy robot servant, which was a big part of the Bioman concept, but was not at all in the series they ultimately picked to cut up, Zyuranger (which was fairytales and fantasy). In other words, the Power Rangers have a funny robot because that’s what Bioman had. Also, it is believed that some footage from the ‘86 Bioman pilot was used at various points in the 1993 Power Rangers, which considering what a legendary skinflint Saban was, is perfectly in character. 

Incidentally, in much the same way that Vince MacMahon’s skills as a play-by-play man are seldom mentioned for obvious reasons, it’s worth pointing out that Haim Saban, whatever one might think of his management style or tactics in the business world, is a tremendously talented musician and composer. Just look at the music he composed for Mysterious Cities of Gold: it was a Vangelis or Moroder-level accomplishment, on much the same level that Christian Bruhn’s score for the German Captain Future series outshines the original version. 

[chrysalis-the-butterfly]

Chip ’n Dale 2022 AU where Ellie is a bad guy too.

The film is pretty much the same as before, up to Dale blasting into the bootlegging facility.  

Ellie and Chip are freed, and then Chip and Dale catch a whiff of Monty’s Rescue Rangers Cologne again.  Ellie tells them to follow the scent and track him down.  

Chip and Dale run through the studio and across numerous sets, realising that the bootleg movies are being made here in California rather than overseas.  

(Side note: Instead of a Simpsons cameo, we see a bootleg Family Guy being filmed.  A beautiful girl with brown hair and glasses says, “Forced labour aside, I am digging this new look!”  Her father barks, “Shut up, Peg!”)  

Meanwhile, Ellie has a quick scuffle with the bootleggers and Putty and then locks them in a room together.  She tells Sweet Pete, “It was fun while it lasted, but I’ll take it from here.”  

While all this is happening, Gadget and Zipper have been hovering outside in the Ranger Plane.  Gadget doesn’t like how long Dale is taking in there, so she swoops down to lend a helping hand.  

Chip and Dale finally find Monty, who’s been “Dumbo’ed”.  They hurry back to the room with the bootlegging machine to check on Ellie.  They meet her there, along with Gadget and Zipper.  The gang has been reunited.  The bad guys are out of action.  Chip is looking forward to leaving this place behind.  

Before they go, Ellie has one more thing to say to Dale.  She hadn’t been entirely truthful with him about her clue.  Gadget wasn’t double-crossed per se in “When You Fish Upon A Star”.  But the gang did believe there were on Canine Island when they were actually on Firefly Island.  They were operating under false pretenses.  

Chip realises what she’s saying - right as the machine slams shut, trapping all the Rescue Rangers inside.  

Chip yells that he was right, that Ellie can’t have seen Rescue Rangers because grandparents are terrible with electronics.  But she corrects him: she really is a fan, because her grandmother really did tape the show for her.  

Ellie: I’m surprised at you, Chip.  I didn’t think you’d be so ageist.  

Dale: Yeah, Chip, don’t be ageist!  

Chip: Wait, why am I the bad guy here?  

Ellie: Because your petty feud with Dale cost us the Rescue Rangers content we deserve!  You could have lived forever!  You could have beaten The Simpsons!  But you threw it all away!  But none of that matters now!  Because we’re getting a reboot!  

Moving deeper into the machine, the Rescue Rangers scrabble around to find a way out.  

Monty: This is all my fault.  I let the cheese get the best of me.  And now you’re all gonna get bootlegged.  

Gadget: Don’t blame yourself, Monterey!  Help us look for a way out!  

Monty: Right!  And then can I blame myself?  

Gadget: No!  

Gadget manages to cause a temporary power outage.  It buys them some time.  

It’s here that Chip and Dale have their reconciliation.  They want to be friends again, just in case something terrible happens to them.  They don’t want to die mad at each other.  Chip admits he didn’t have any friends before Dale came along, and he apologises for treating Dale like second banana.  Dale also apologises for not telling Chip what he wanted from him; he shouldn’t have left the show expecting Chip to read his mind.  

Sparks fly between them ... because Gadget has reactivated one of the laser cannons.  

Gadget: I’ve rewired it!  Now it should blast an exit for us!   Monty: “Should?!”  

Since part of the machine has gone back online, Ellie tries to take back control, pointing the laser at Chip or Dale.  Finally, the machine explodes and the cannon goes off.  

As the smoke clears, the Rescue Rangers survey the wreckage.  The rubble starts to move.  Ellie emerges - but she’s changed.  

She was hit by the cannon, and now she’s a mishmash of toon parts.  She’s got a Transformers leg, a Toy Story Woody leg, a Wreck-It Ralph hand, an arm cannon, red-and-black armour resembling Valerie Gray’s jumpsuit from Danny Phantom, and a Disney Princess-esque face.  She also has Fat Cat’s ears and tail.  

The chase sequence is similar to the original film, including the plan to cause a distraction with birds (which works, because Ellie is now part-cat).  Ugly Sonic appears to save the day.  Chip and Dale hug.  

Gadget delivers her closing joke, and everyone laughs.  Ugly Sonic joins in, but Gadget is unnerved by his human teeth.  The others notice as well, and stop laughing, but Ugly Sonic carries on, oblivious.  

[swan2swan]

I love hearing people complain about the Raptor Squad designs and colorations and the variations and inaccuracies in a way that seems to defend the movie’s color schemes. 

Because, frankly:

The designs weren’t that great. 

I love them all dearly, but this shot is honestly the easiest-to-identify set (left-to-right, clockwise: Charlie, Echo, Delta, Blue).

Let’s break it down:

Blue obviously has the best design because she’s the Main Character. She’s got a blue stripe which makes it easy to tell when she’s on-screen, her name matches her distinguishing feature, she’s gray overall, she’s a 10/10 design. 

Charlie is my second-favorite, but also the start of the problems: green raptor with black stripes and white jagged lines providing highlights. Not too shabby, especially because she has a distinctive lime-green coloration (in this bright light, anyway...more on that later).

Delta is a blue-green color...witrh a blue spot on her eyes and (I think) stripes on her back. Again, this is where it gets complicated: I’ve watched the movie time and time again, I’ve played with her in video games, I’ve got her toy in the other room (the good one!), and I can’t give a solid description of what she looks like. She often gets mixed up with Charlie when I’m tracking them in scenes because her color is similar. 

I mean, look at this picture. She’s practically gray. I would almost think she’s Echo, what with the reddish tint in this shot. 

Thankfully, Echo is a different color...a red-brown-black mottled mix...but, frankly, Echo’s color is kind of ugly. 

And here’s where the problem comes in: that random patterning. 

When I was a kid, if you told me to draw a raptor, I could whip out a scary-looking predator with stripes on the back and tail because that’s what the toys and movie designs shot toward. It became even more pronounced in the sequel with those tiger-striped raptors. Even the feathered boys in the threequel had their own distinct look, and that spotted gray female was really distinct. 

Ask a kid to draw Blue, and they should be able to make it obvious that it’s her, even without colors: that jagged stripe along her body, running from her eyes to her tail, gives her a LOOK.

The other three raptors? Nah. Again, maybe you can show off Charlie with the stripes, maybe you can do Delta with the eyespots, but Echo? I can’t replicate that pattern immediately. There’s nothing distinctive. 

I mean, maybe kinda-sorta with the “dark top of the head and bright bottom”, but then THAT can get mixed up with Delta as soon as the lighting changes. There’s a whole scene of them running in the dark where you can’t tell them apart. 

Now, I’m not saying that they should have all been running around with one having spade-shaped markings, one with clubs, and another with diamonds...but I feel like they each should have had something Distinct, like the blue stripe. Maybe more prominent scars on Echo (she has them, but not really in anything beyond the movie and promo stills), like a Lion-King-esque eye scratch. Maybe give Charlie a stubby tail because Echo bit the tip of it off, and give Delta some patterns flaring from her eyes to her nostrils. 

Again, I get why the designs ended up being what they were: they WERE still distinctive, and the franchise wasn’t expected to be THAT big, so it wasn’t like they were thinking of creating a Power Rangers Team....but, still. 

(Also, I like the Camp Cretaceous Echo design--it looks a LOT like the Tiger Raptors, so it’s a ltitle more generic, but it feels better than this...

...I mean, check her out:

...the tiger stripes make her feel more old-school, like she’s an ECHO of what came before). 

Anyway, that’s just my take. 

[abs0luteb4stard]

I was tagged by @jonpertwee for this game

Here are 6 songs I have been listening to lately and why:

1. "Till the Devil Calls Me Home" - Knock Galley West

They're a psychobilly-esque band, but they're nothing like I've heard in the genre. They really borrow a lot from Spaghetti westerns, from Mexican riffs and stuff from Westerns. So goddamn good. With cowboys and Desperados, zombies and ghosts and robberies and revenge in their songs. I'm not even sure if they're around anymore.

They were in the soundtrack to WET (2009) a third person shooter game. That's where I found them. So much brilliance!

2. "He Is" - Ghost (with Alison Mosshart)

Anyone who's paying even a little attention knows GHOST is my top band pretty much. Lol, But this softer alternative version popped up when I was looking at pictures of my dad who died in January. And it kind of struck me. So it's lyrics really touch on how my mom and I look at him. We were a "divine trinity", he's still part of that, but the balance is off now.

3. "I Put a Spell on You" - Marilyn Manson, CCR, Nina Simone, Screaming Jay Hawkins

I watched the documentary about The Satanic Temple, called "Hail Satan?", they ended it with that song by Manson. But I've loved that song ever since I was kid, even before Hocus Pocus. So I heard John Fogerty in CCR sing it before on the oldies channel on the radio. But I found, Nina Simone after playing The Saboteur (2009) and the movie Watchmen (2009). And can't leave out Screaming Jay Hawkins. He was metal AF before the genre was even an idea.

4. "You're Dead" - Norma Tanega

It's a old song, somewhat lost in time. It wasn't a 'one hit wonder', like her song "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog", but was given new life by 'What We Do In The Shadows' (the film and tv series). It's a clever song, honestly her entire 1966 album has so many clever little songs with just quirky lyrics. Clever lady. Fun song. Excellent tv show!

5. "Desire" - Bob Moses & ZHU

I began listening to it in the last 48 hours after watching The Sandman episode 6. I'm a slow binger! Lol The song comes on when it's revealed Desire of the Endless has machinations on their mind. Such a fascinating depiction of nonbinary deity. The shifts in voice being both feminine and masculine. Their outfit being revealing, but also a blazer type top. So clever.

6. "Running Up That Hill" - Kate Bush, Placebo

The first time I heard the song was by Placebo in the vampire movie DayBreakers (2009). Seems 2009 was a decent year for music discovery for me. Lol I had heard Kate Bush's original version at times throughout the years, but after Stranger Things brought it to the forefront, and the lyrics resonated with me even more deeply since my dad died. I can't help but YouTube it every once in a while these last 9 months to think on it.

(Bonus round)

7. "Hope for the World" - Ron Wasserman

A song created for the 1993 Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers tv series. You're not on an acid trip, you read that right, that song and all the ones on that original iteration of the show were SO GOOD. But 'Hope for the World' has such a bite and filled me with almost aggressive delusional amount of confidence when I think about that song or listen to it. And the meaning of that song and all the MMPR soundtrack have evolved in my brain beyond just the Technicolor martial arts and giant robots. Makes me want to fight for the pockets of good in the world. To defend people who are "othered".

Because I knew someone that was "othered" once and there was no one there to help them.

And I've been trying hard to put myself out lately and I need "Hope" that I stand for something true. And that my years of secluded guarded pain are worth something. That I'll be able to go forward and then beyond.

So I am tagging... @echo1331, @petalsbleedingbeak, I know you're quite the music listeners. @canine-heart I know you like these things at times too.

I'm otherwise too shy or too socially awkward to tag others. And if I've forgotten anyone that wants to do it, please do.

[secretsocietyxmen]

Does Lycan Rider gets a team like a lot of the Kamen Rider or Power Ranger-esque shows and movies?

Close allies, but not a full Sentai style team.

Chiefly: a few human allies, a magical girl inspired clone, and a couple of the other “experiments” who decided that they also want to be heroes.