#rather it first gives a lot of in-depth background to the characters

[absolutebl]

Lovesick 2014 versus Lovesick 2024

Rebooting the OG BL, Thailand? Are you sure that's wise?

I don't think anyone is ready for the depths I'm about to go to. But the gauntlet was thrown and comparisons must be made.

Generally when an IP is being remade by a different country I try to cut it slack and evaluate based on fresh eyes and different standards. But this is an actual reboot, not a reinterpretation.

Challenge accepted, Thailand.

A tiny bit of background......

I was one of those who watched Lovesick (LS14 aka the original) early on in my BL journey. No, not when it was airing, but the BL cut when it was first put up on YT (or maybe it was grey first?) hard subbed by fans way back before Netflix picked it up (and then dropped it). So yeah, it's been a while. and I LOVED it. I've rewatched it MULTIPLE times.

I like YA narratives and I enjoy high school BL and that is probably all Lovesick's fault. But nostalgia is a toxic emotion, so I'm trying to give the reboot (LS24 aka the new version) some credit.

But for those who don't know Love Sick is The Original Thai BL. Do not argue. It just is.

The plan is to do a general round up and comparison of broad aspects of script, filming, and acting at the very end, but as it airs I decided to do a "watch off." You ready?

And now......

Boys in Blue Shorts

LS24 Episode 1 versus LS14-s1 Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 

They did a smart thing tailoring the whole thing down to just the BL thread from the original. And removing the opening party sequence is definitely a win.

However, with less time spent on all the ensemble characters in the opening three episodes, it’s a lot harder to keep such a large cast of characters straight (irony), especially the music club.

Also they materially damage the evolution of Noh & Phun's romance by losing the actual first sleepover and the "eating out with the girls" scenes, which really bonded the two boys in friendship prior to the "water fight crash into me" romantic beginning. By skipping to just the first flush of romance, PhunNoh feels rushed.

* UPDATE!! Spies report in that a lot of the stuff I complain about missing in the 2024 version is in the uncut version on iQIYI. (Which is longer by as much as 25%!) So I am rewatching it there and updating this post accordingly.

We got the entire arc of their first brush with love in just episode one of LS24. Which comes off as fast and cliffs-notes esk. However, it's more in line with modern Thai BL (which is rarely slow burn) and also more sexy and physical, less intimate and emotional. 

I've never liked the first two episodes of LS14, but episodes 3 & 4 are killer. Not to mention important to the plot and to the history of Thai BL.

In the end, because the cutting floor choices impacted the weight and emotional resonance of the main romance thread, I’m (still) going to give this one to the original. But you absolutely must watch the uncut version of the new version, it makes a massive difference.

2014 wins (but only just)

LS24 Episode 2 versus LS14-s1 Episodes 5, 6, 7 

The "Phun sick at Noh's house" is a lot more flirtatious in the new version but I missed the shoulder in the car and Noh snapping at Aim from the original. But I like Noh choosing to be a bolster pillow and offering himself (rather than being coerced), and the near kiss is better in the new version.

The new version also makes Phun more pitiable, like he sees Noh as a place/person of refuge. I like that a lot better for his character (and queerness).

Making Aim’s quandary (and personality flaws) nested in an actual queer crises (similar to Phun's) is a better tactic for sympathy, so this second ep really got me with some nice modernizations.

Phun freezing Noh out strikes hard in both versions but we lost Noh's identity crisis and Phun's crisis of conscience this time around.

The "letting go of the hand" is more powerful in the original, but it was also pretty good in the new one.

I hate to do this but, I have to......

2024 wins 

I say this knowing that the hand in the bookstore is and forever will be one of the most iconic moments in BL history.

If you disagree with me you can, literally, talk to the hand.

LS24 Episode 3 versus LS14-s1 Episodes 8, 9, 10 

The drunken confession, kiss, and the escape to the beach.

No kiss in the new version (which is WILD), but the old version hardly counted either.

In 2024 they have to make Phun have a long term crush and Noh be softer over gay feels to compensate for a tighter timeframe. These changes I don’t mind, but it does modernize the BLness of it all.

I really like that Phun was questioning his own sexuality when he initially asked Noh to fake date, and that the real reason was that he was testing himself. That is, frankly, more realistic to a queer coming of age, and makes the fake dating plot lest stupid. And it makes Phun a more likable character.

The shouting confessions in the new version were really cute too. As was the crying.

But I’m sad that we got no kiss and no back hug or chin down hug.

The original is so much more poignant, and so much more messy and so much more teenage about everything.

I cried in the original and I didn’t in the reboot.

"If it takes no time at all to fall in love, why does it hurt so bad to say goodbye?" 

Whatever way that script is translated, it’s a great line. 

Ep 10 from 2014 is a real dud tho. 

Argh! What to do? This one is a draw. 

No winner. 

An interesting thing about this show i never thought about during my many watches of the original: Phun has a harder time, even though he brought it on himself, partly because Noh is accustomed to being like where Phun is not. Phun, as the rich kid, is used to being envied and admired even respected. But not genuinely liked. The fact that Noh genuinely liked him for him (and not what he has) is a huge reason he can't let go.

I think the newer version showcases Phun's character in general a lot better than the original, and yeah I do think that is partly a superior actor this time around. Sorry, White.

LS24 Episode 4 versus LS14-s1 EPisodes 11, 12 & LS14-s2 Episodes 1, 2 

Earn loans the money and sports day commences.

Necklace drama and Phun’s jealousy, especially in the council room, is better in the new version. It’s just more vicious and petty and appropriate to teenagers. Plus a proper kabedon.

I did miss the face touch, forehead kiss, and “we don’t actually belong to each another” line. 

Argh that was SUCH are great line.

Not to mention the iconic standing in the street:

But, again, the opening eps of season 2 back in 2015 were very much not good, so condensing them down is an improvement.

Decisions, decisions.

No I can't, it's a draw again.

No winner.

LS24 Episode 5 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 2, 3, 4

Sports day continues, Phun thwarts Earn, the overalls scene du jour. 

Earn, the original, remains one of the greatest queer role models ever put into a BL. There is just no contest, sorry not sorry.

He is the King.

The new version has a public shoulder lean plus and epic "MINE" glare. You know I love a claiming.

But the big after party is much better in the old version.

But the switch of Golf’s character to Grace and the reason she left the school is absolutely genius and possibly my favorite change that has been made in the new series so far.

Oh but I really LOVE the drunken bathtub scene in the original.

This is a hard call.

But I simply must give it to the original. (Super props on Gracie tho, nice call 2024.)  

2014 wins 

LS24 Episode 6 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10

This new version speaks out loud more of the angst and messiness. The original let that simmer and be shown more than it was told. Interesting twist on the video evidence. 

(I love the tiny side couple of tough kid + the dork of the music club. Nice little ship, that.)

And...... We’re done with the beach visit already? The original took 4 eps! Which definitely could’ve been condensed down. Still no sunrise after sleeping in lawn chairs, no confession no nothing. Also lost one of the most iconic lines in all BL by leaving that section out.

It’s a terrible feeling, not knowing where the line is between us.

It’s so good. Hard to forgive the new version for losing it. Not to mention there's no Noh calling Earn to ask for his advice and Earn being torn over what to do with a bisexual crisis. Also "morning kiss krab."

But episode 9 of the original is entirely unnecessary and large chunks of 8 and 10 are as well. I can’t believe I entirely blocked out forgot about the singing competition. I mean, this is me, I always fast-forward through most of the singing stuff, but I forgot this whole part of season two.

Again, I lament the loss of iconic moments from the original script more than anything else, but because of the sheer quantity of superfluous flack in the original, and the fact that the new Phun is the prettiest pouty baby, this point has to go to the new version. 

2024 wins

LS24 Episode 7 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 11, 12, 13, 14

New Phun’s bitch face really is exceptional. I kind of enjoy everybody ribbing the two of them because they have no idea what’s actually going on. 

End of the auditions and the “repairing the couch Earn flirts” scene. Phun v jelly. I do like the way Earn puts it in this one, basically “I can’t fight against you if you don’t even know what you’re fighting for.” AKA you aren’t a worthy opponent. 

He’s nicer in this version. In the original, the confrontation between these two was much nastier. 

I love how Noh consciously winds Phun up in this version. It was really nice to see Noh get a bit of his own back. Of course Phun is sulky about it. He didn’t deserve to be rewarded with Noh’s confession but at least he didn’t let it just rest there, but gave his own back. We lost the problematic “not gay” line in the new version, which is very good. BUT we also lost the original shouting “I like you” across the court for all the nongs to overhear. Which is sad. Plus new version has much less Pete. Original ep 12 was epic.

We lost the phone flirting from the original, which was very cute. So I did very much miss that. 

The party at Noh’s. 

In the original, this has probably the best sequence of scripting in BL history. (Noh & Golf through the door) Where Noh talks about what it means to truly love somebody.

Mostly because they cut that bit out in the new version, I’m afraid I have to give this one to the original.

2014 wins

LS24 Episode 8 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 15, 16

The clip is discovered, the after effects of the party, the showering with Ohm, and the confrontation over Aim.

Okay so the post it love note of sweetness is better in 2024.

The Per/Win story arc never interested me in 2014 and I’m not enjoying it in 2024 either. But Mick & Ohm are better in 2024. Nong Mick is a standout character, and a brilliant glow up in this version. Confident little shit (affectionate). 

Helpful boyfriend Phun was darling. The bits where they are together as a couple really are the best. It’s when the rest of the world intrudes that things goes south.

I absolutely loved Aim's confrontation with her mother in the new version. It was stellar. And something that would never have been depicted 10 years ago.

Ah those classic high school trials and tribulations when your boyfriend has footage of your girlfriend with another girl. We’ve all been there.

Honestly, this is a much more messy and much better break up for Aim and Phun. More dramatic and more public. I like that change. 

All that said we lost Earn and the rejection in the theater. Still this one was an easy call:

2024 wins 

(How crazy, by the way, that as I type this: Ngern is opposite Oat OF ALL PEOPLE in Fourever You, Pineare and Sammy are ALSO in that show, August is finally in a leading role in a different remake, Addicted Heroin, Gunsmile is BACK in a cameo and this is the show he returned too away from GMMTV. We live in wild times.)

LS24 Episode 9 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 17, 18

The music competition ends + the big break up.

I like Earn’s sincerity and open admission in the new version, and I like how genuine and delicate Noh is coping with someone crushing on him. Probably because he knows how painful it is from the other side.

The conversation between Phun and Aim was much better and more kind in the new version, too. 

Noh’s cute pink raver cartoon outfit was everything. 

All in all I’m not wild about the original episodes of this segment. Sure there were a few things that I missed but none that I remembered well enough without the rewatch. So for this and that great communication around the break up: 

2024 wins

Since the number of the old episodes being squeezed into the new version has gone down, I’m assuming they aren’t planning on encompassing all of Season 2 in 2024. I suspect we’re gonna lose the camp in the forest section. Which is a shame, is has some of my favorite scenes.

LS24 Episode 10 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 19, 20, 21

2024 Phun actually turns into Dangerous Babygirl when he is flirting, who knew? (Dangerous Babygirl is a new archetype I have just invented. Yes, I'm pleased with myself.) Noh, who is a nice goodboy, doesn’t stand a chance. Neither does Jeed, since Phun has damn near perfected “back off bitch" face.

The arm drape public claiming, it gets me every time. It has done since SOTUS. I love to see it show back up again in a show that's already harkening back to the early days. It's like they used a trope that wasn't in the original to remind us of the past.

Nong Mick is hands-down my favorite character in the new version. I love him so much I can’t stand it. Consistent Nong King behavior. He uses his cute for evil and I love it.

The dunk tank part is better in 2014 and very funny. The kiss not kiss is a thing (and was a thing at the time) but I'm hoping we get a much better one in 2024 so I wasn't sad to see it left out this time. The one thing Thailand learned before most other BL producing countries was that boys can kiss (but it would take another 3 year and MaxTul to learn 'em good.) The concert at the convent is too long either way, but it’s much longer in the original. So for that alone the original gets docked. You know me and singing. 

That said, Phun stealing Noh from the two girls is pretty epic in the original. Hard to beat. As is Per and the screaming girls. But that Per scene wouldn’t work in 2024 with his character since he's a completely different personality. Also that level of comedy kinda requires Sing to execute.

Finally we get the confession on the agreement become a couple.

Noh is a lot more game and sweet and kind and less awkward in the new version. And since secondhand embarrassment is rough for me I prefer this new one. Sure, it still feels like the 2014 is more authentic to this kind of high school queer experience. (Maybe that’s because Noh's confused awkwardness is old-fashioned and so am I.) But 2024's lap sitting and crying together was truly spectacular.

All in all a hard choice, but I'm afraid I have to say:

2024 wins 

LS24 Episode 11 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 22, 23, 24

Waking up together. first date, the famous piano scene, Yuri's lament + Yuri catches them kissing. 

This is where the teen awkward comes to the front of the class and misspells it's name...... in both versions. And it’s always a challenge to watch because Phun is so ready to come out to the world (despite the fact that he’s more at risk with his family) and Noh is so not ready (despite the fact that we know his family and friends would be happy for him). 

It stands in contrast to their personalities too, Phun who is reserved and introverted, while Noh is cheerful and outgoing. And yet it always felt (and feels) very true to character as well. Noh wants to be liked and he's scared of being teased. Phun is more sure of himself, and with fewer quieter friends.

All the couples are so sweet in the new version where as, frankly, in 2014 one I only ever gravitated to Phun, Noh, Earn, and Pete.

In this episode (11) I enjoy how they're using all these likable side couples to foil our main couple by depicting all the different ways coming out (and being out) can go: from the good to the bad to the ugly. It amplifies the angst and the pacing in this episode and it highlights that both Phun and Noh are correct in their (un)willingness to be openly together. Because they really don’t know what the consequences might be, or even if there are consequences. 

In general, this segement was full of pining, angst, and communication issues and I thought bundled together in 2024 made for a much more tense and engaging sequence than the original. So this was an easy win for the new version (even if I would have preferred a real kiss).

2024 wins 

Also props to wardrobe (HA!) for Noh's off duty outfits. I love his punk goes to Disneyland (with preppy boyfriend) aesthetic.

LS24 Episode 12 & 13 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 25, 26, 27, 28, 34

The away competition, the book carrying, pizza party, meeting the aunt, starting to act like a couple. pun v dad 

I like getting more Phun/Dad conflict backstory in the new one.

But I thought that Noh freaking out and coping with what he had to do to break up with Yuri in the older version was more authentic.

That sad I’ve never been wild about how resistant Noh is in the original to kissing and physical intimacy. That still bothers me, even though I know it’s a sign of the 2014 times. I like the more comfortable physical affection between the two characters in the newer version.

The confession to friend group was good in both versions but 2014 is ICONIC. The teasing Phun was way better than 2014. Still, the physical intimacy was so much better in 2024 so for me......

2024 wins

(close tho)

The matchup is getting a little uneven at this juncture we seem to be jumping around and borrowing bits from other parts.

LS24 Episode 14 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 35

They moved the Pam bit from the end earlier, which is actually a good idea. Although I would’ve removed it entirely. 

They also substantially took steps to fix Phun‘s dad character in the new version. I really liked that a lot. (I guess we know which political party that dad belongs to this time.) 

Honestly? The teaching part (prior to finals) in the original is one of my favorite mini sequences in BL. But the new version was even better. I didn’t think they were gonna beat it out. But they did.

Them sneaking around to sleep together at the camp never gets old. And I mean that, since it’s been 10 years and it still gets me in the throat. So good.

This is a hard call, but if they’re gonna cut out Noh giving Yuri the shirt, and Yuri’s defensive now in the girls bathroom......? The old one is definitely gonna win. As it stands right now I’m gonna give this one to the older version. But a lot of the changes that the new one made I really appreciated so I reserve the right to change my mind after the final ep.

2014 Wins 

LS24 Episode 15 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36

I’m quite pleased that they kept most of the stuff in the forest. And I actually like that they swapped it around so that this was the end of the series.

I think it makes for a better more satisfying ending. I like that they didn’t have Pete pine.

But. Still. Heaven forfend they give us an actual kiss. That part I did find very as disappointing. Frankly, these two would’ve done fine with a smooch.

I don’t know. In the end I think there are points in either version's favor. Neither of these Love Sicks really come out on top.

They’re both kind of representative of their time although this new one managed to be oddly nostalgic in ways that didn’t have to do with the original so much as what they chose to keep about that original.

I think, just because of the iconic nature of that last shot and the breaking of the forth wall that I'm going to hand the final to the original.

2014 Wins

The Leader Board

2014 = 5 points

2024 = 7 points

Other Factors

Script 

When they cut down this show for the new version, we lost some of the greatest and best lines ever scripted in BL of all all time. A few of them could’ve been left in. Because of that, because they didn’t keep the very best parts of the script (which is soem of the best parts of the whole show), despite the fact that they could have...... 

2014 Wins hands down 

Music

The music in the new version was band and unoticicable, but the music in the original was memorable and iconic (if not to my personal taste). Another easy win for the original.

2014 Wins

CAST 

Main couple 

I actually think that the leads in the new version are better actors than White & Captain. I know this comes off as heresy. But I just think they are superior in terms of subtlety and nuance. I also think that the new pair had much better chemistry. It feels like these two were workshopped whereas the originals definitely were not. For couple chemistry, especially at the beginning? 

2024 Wins 

Side couple 

Ohm & Mic had even less screen time than in the original, but not by much. And I have to say partly because of the actor switch between seasons in the original, that I liked this pair a million times better in the new version. 

2024 Wins 

Friendship group

The friendship aspect of the music group (Noh and Ohm's relationship in particular) is incredibly important to this story. Without it, the fabric of the piece feels substantially less robust. Therefore the original has to win in this regard. 

2014 Wins

Noh 

There is something endlessly appealing about the clumsy rawness of Captain's performance in this show. His version of Noh is just so utterly endlessly likable. And he has a genuinely adorable and an appealing screen presence. Progress did a good job, but Captain is just a little bit more charismatic.

2014 Wins 

Phun 

I am a bit of a sucker for a boy who’s good with his eyebrows, and Almond just does better eye work than White ever did. Also he shows and expresses his genuine interest and even attraction in Noh way better, probably in part because of how BL has changed in the intervening decade. But also, sorry White, Almond is just a better actor than you were back then.

2024 Wins 

Yuri 

In the original, Yuri starts out as endlessly annoying, but goes on an incredibly satisfying and quite brilliant character arc to become one of Noh’s best friends and one of the great supporters of his growth and a major linchpin of the show. There’s absolutely no way the newer version could ever compare to the original. 

2014 Wins 

Aim 

While I prefer the actress in the original, I really liked the depth that queerness gave to Aim's character in the new version. It made her a lot more relatable and understandable, even though it was a bit of a copout. It also allowed her to stay part of the narrative. I really like having the mean girl be a lesbian. It makes what she and Phun are doing to each other a little bit more like a mutual beard confusion situation and less like cheating. It’s also more feminist than punishing a female for sexual proclivity. Therefore, I’m gonna give this to the new version. 

2024 Wins

Earn 

This is a really really hard one, since Earn is my favorite character. And possibly one of my favorite characters in all BL. The original source of my ever present second lead syndrome, quite frankly. But, in the end, I can’t deviate, Ngern just set the bar so high. I'm so happy he's returned to our screens.

2014 Wins

Pete 

I know he’s a minor character, but I always  loved poor Pete , and in the original August was one of my favorite actors. (And my number one pick to star in a BL.) I really loved that the new version made both these characters honestly gay, but the original kinda didn’t have that option. Still, despite my love, I’m calling this one a draw since the first Pete won for character and the second Pete won for story. 

No winner 

FINAL TALLY

2014 = 11 points 2024 = 11 points

I swear I didn't intend it to come out that way.

(source)

[lagoonalake]

STRAY KIDS IDEAL TYPE

BANG CHAN

Personality: 4 of wands, the moon, the tower

he is interested in a long term relationship, he is attracted to mysterious, magnetic, reserved, private, intense, passionate people, someone with depth and many layers that he has to peel, he likes having to dig deeper to get to know is partner, someone with a rather explosive personality, all or nothing type of person, who can be a bit unpredictable, someone quite different from him, that would transform his life, he can be attracted to people who are out of reach. Strong, “real” personality, intimidating, yet very invested in the relationship once they are in. Someone who went through a lot, tough person hardened by life, a survivor. scorpio, aries, mars, pluto, cancer

Appearance: knight of swords, 5 of swords, 3 of swords

someone with a sharp, dark quality, black hair or dark colors, tall or gives the impression of beig tall, athletic, good posture, intense expression, striking, big, magnetic eyes, serious countenance, black, dark colors, simple or more sporty or street fashion scorpio, pluto, mars

Turn-offs: queen of swords, the emperor, 8 of swords

someone who hides behind a mask, he likes someone who is authentic, someone snobbish, uptight, spoiled, he is kinda put off by people who may come off as too posh or from a richer background, not because he wants his partner to be poor but he prefers people from a more simple environment, insecure people who tries too hard to come off as important or proper, pretentious people leo, libra, capricorn

LEE KNOW

Personality: page of cups, the tower, the chariot

someone with an artistic, kind, sensitive, innocent energy, a dreamer, with a big personality nevertheless, someone who is a go getter, follows their heart and their dreams no matter what, someone who despite hardships they may have encounter keeps their optimism and “purity” of heart, an animal lovers, someone with a lot of love to give, idealistic, enthusiastic, combative, someone who has faith, think hero of a shounen type of energy lol, a bit over the top and happy but can be destructive or overwhelming too, could be younger or act childlike at times, very spontaneous sagittarius, jupiter, leo, pisces

Appearance: 8 of wands, 4 of swords, 7 of swords

Physical appearance isn’t something he is super picky about, it’s more about the overall vibe, he likes a person who is active, has a lot of energy, quick movements, animated, expressive, youthful, a mischievous face, foxy features, someone he could find a bit intriguing, piercing, smiley eyes, sharper, smaller features, petite or not too tall. gemini, aries

Turn-offs: knight of wands, justice, page of wands

what he is turned off by is similar to his type, so it’s like the negative side of such a person, when it becomes too much, cockiness, bullies, irresponsible people, people who are too wild or childish, overly controlling people who think that they way is the only way, preachers people who force their opinion on others. sagittarius, aries, saturn

CHANGBIN

Personality: 8 of pentacles, knight of pentacles, 5 of wands

A hard worker, someone more quiet, humble, patient, yet who never gives up, endurance, capable of doing something for a very long time, quietly combative, stable and grounded, a reassuring presence, soothing, capable of great focus, organized, someone who is sweet and always ready to help others, yet if you cross them they won’t hesitate to defend themselves, strong character despite their initial apparent sweetness, someone polite but private, a bit shy, who doesn’t open up too easily virgo, taurus, saturn, aries

Appearance: the emperor, 2 of coins, 9 of wands

someone both tough and sweet looking, who can be intimidating at first sight but is actual sweet looking when you approach them, someone who stands out from the crowd, a mix of sharpness and softness, could be frowning face, but round features, small in stature yet big presence no matter their short height…etc, simple style, nothing too flashy capricorn, scorpio, virgo, aries

Turn-offs: the hanged man, ace of wands, 7 of swords

too much eccentricity, people who try toe hard to go against the current or do things differently, irresponsible people, laziness, people who are too impulsive and don’t think before making a decision (he prefers calm), trickster, people who try to hard to amuse others, people who are two-faced, people who always try to have things the easy way, crooks, people who have that fake artist vibe gemini, aquarius, pisces

HYUNJIN

Personality: knight of swords, the fool, 3 of pentacles

Someone spontaneous, even a bit impulsive or naive, but enthusiastic and optimistic, who has a lot of faith, someone curious who likes to learn and explore, could be someone younger than him, teacher/student dynamic where he is the teacher, someone intelligent and witty, intellectual, who doesn’t hesitate to voice their opinion, could be blunt or unpolished with words but he prefers someone with no filters, someone a bit idealistic, even if a bit blunt remains joyful, funny and happy most of the time gemini, pisces, sagittarius, mercury, jupiter

Appearance: temperance, justice, six of cups

very balanced, symmetrical and harmonious features, a classic beauty, kind, agreable, approachable face, soft features, flexible body, a good dancer, sexy, sensual, body language that shows you can trust them like someone who is more touchy yet it doesn’t seem out of place, someone with a certain stillness, who doesn’t move too much or is too fidgety or nervous, friendly aura, stylish, good fashion sense that is original but never garish libra, pisces, neptune, venus

Turn-offs: the emperor, 3 of swords, 6 of pentacles

Controlling, imposing, invasive people who ask too many questions and want to tell him how to live his life, untrustworthy, opportunistic people, people who try to hard to help him, get on his good side, pick me types, narcissists leo, negative air signs

HAN

Personality: knight of wands, the moon, ace of swords

someone adventurous, bold, brave, enthusiastic, a bit loud, fun, sporty, who enjoys the outdoors, honest and straightforward, fast paced, who wants to explore the world, yet there could be something a bit conditioned about this person, like someone who is overly competitive because of the pressure put upon them, or who wants to achieve so many things and is always up for a challenge but lack direction. This could be a specific person, or simply the type of person he always attracts/is attracted to, and he is meant to bring a bit of structure into their life, while this person motivates him and brings spontaneity in his life.  all fire signs, especially sagittarius and aries, uranus

Appearance: temperance, 3 of cups, the magician

balanced harmonious features, similar to Hyunjin's type, a flexible body, most likely a dancer, a friendly face, long thick hair, a more “exotic appearance”, could like foreigners, mischievous smiley feminine small features, round youthful face, could like a more artsy or ornated style especially jewelry or expensive clothes that are a bit eccentric in style libra, gemini, uranus, leo

Turn-offs: 2 of swords, strength, 6 of pentacles

someone indecisive, hesitant, always in control, too disciplined or never really able to express themselves with spontaneity, someone who expect things in return, calculating opportunistic people, people who are too focused on work, task, chores, overly practical people, people who don’t treat others as equals and try to be on top libra, virgo, capricorn, saturn, leo

FELIX

Personality: 8 of cups, page of swords, 5 of coins

Someone private, humble, remote from the kpop industry, probably not a celebrity, someone who may have been in the industry but wants to see something else, someone who could even see the shallow sides of his lifestyle and understands that their is more to life than fame and money, someone who understands money values, who understands what it is to struggle and work hard, a more simple person with a simple lifestyle, someone a bit spiritual who wants to focus on their well being and prioritize peace and quiet, an intelligent, knowledgeable, introspective person who he can learn from  pisces, scorpio, virgo, aquarius

Appearance: the chariot, ace of swords, 8 of wands

Someone regal, dignified yet simple, possibly a foreigner, mountain style, someone who doesn’t look too delicate or put together, he prefers a certain simplicity that conveys strength, a fresh, clean, natural vibe, healthy, an honest face earth signs, aries, sagittarius

Turn-offs: 3 of pentacles, 8 of pentacles, 10 of swords

Someone who wants to learn from him (I feel like he would prefer to learn from his person), a workaholic, someone trapped in their job, lifestyle, someone depressed, overworked, without energy for anything but their tasks, someone who could use substances or drugs/medications, someone who doesn’t take care of their health, unbalanced people, someone who overthinks, someone messy whose life is disorganized saturn, mercury, neptune

SEUNGMIN

Personality: the wheel of fortune, page of wands, the hierophant

Someone who goes with the flow, believes in life and let things happens, a very happy, funny, fun-loving, positive person, someone who is interested in many different things and activities, a ray of sunshine, someone very interested in exploring and needs movements yet also wants a comfortable stable safe haven they can go back to, a affectionate, loyal, steady partner, someone who always has a story to tell, someone with whom he would feel the bond is fated, a soulmate, possibly a foreigner or someone who has travelled a lot or would want to do so and is interested in different cultures, the life of the party sagittarius, pisces, jupiter, taurus, leo

Appearance: 2 of wands, queen of swords, 4 of wands

someone who looks marriage material, someone who can be a bit intimidating or impressive at first sight but is actually very warm and friendly, smiley, someone who could have a good fashion sense, very stylish and sophisticated, elegant, could look like him, strong body, could prefer someone with more meat on their bones leo, sagittarius, libra

Turn-offs: ace of swords, 5 of wands, the hierophant

blunt, rude, aggressive, competitive people, bad communicators, stupid, ignorant people who are too stubborn or stuck in their views, the hierophant showed up in what he is attracted to but it was in addition to very open minded, adventurous, joyful cards, which showed he needed a balance, but overly traditional people would suffocate him.  aries, mars, taurus

I.N

Personality: the moon, 4 of cups, queen of pentacles

Someone mysterious, dreamy, who may look uninterested in him or plays hard to get, a bit haughty, or who looks bored. Seductive and sensual, healing presence, soft, calm, feminine, reassuring. Sexual chemistry is important for him. An introvert, a bit reclusive. Could be a bit sulky. I see someone in their boudoir who is like a comfort for him by how warm and comfortable and pleasurable their presence is XD Someone whose presence sort of wraps around him. Could be a specific energy. capricorn, virgo, taurus, scorpio

Appearance: 2 of coins, 3 of swords, the hanged man

Someone with balanced features, soft, curvier huggable body type, melancholic look, a kind face, looks a bit sleepy, feminine, princess vibes, brown, green, earthy rich colors, thick rich voice, slow sensual movement, a bit of a siren pisces, earth especially taurus, venus, neptune

Turn-offs: page of wands, 3 of pentacles, 9 of pentacles

Someone childish, wild, too loud, exhausting with too much energy, can never sit still, probably someone younger than him who still has so much to learn, naivety, cluelessness, people who are out of touch with reality, someone who shows off their money or use money to control others, pay for everything in a way that he’d feel indebted, people who seem too happy, content or satisfied with their life and show off their happiness to others XD sagittarius, gemini, leo, negative taurus/capricorn

[popcultureoverdosed]

Reverse 1999- The Avant-Garde Rpg

R1999 is in many regards an Avant-Garde take on the gacha game genre. Everything from it's presentation to story telling is in stark contrast to its comptemporaries. Like many other fans, my first introduction to the game was the iconic trailer that came out prior to the global release. I was watching a random YouTube video when suddenly an ad pops up. I normally skip ads as soon as possible, but this one caught my attention immediately. All the R1999 trailers have a bombastic cinematic style that makes viewers feel like they're watching movie. Hearing Vertin talk cryptically about " the storm" while dramatic music played in the background made me curious just what exactly this game was about. Interlaced with all of that were images of a little girl in a tattered red dress sadistically shooting people and... a talking red apple? I knew right then that this game was something else.

When first playing the game, players slowly start to learn about an apocalyptic event refered to as the storm which erases entire eras of history. Those caught in the storm are wiped from existence. Humanity's only hope is the St Pavlov Foundation and their Arcanist agents. Opposing them is a group of Arcanist terrorists called Manus Vindictae who wish to use the Storm to serve their agenda. It takes a while for the story to build up steam.

The beginning of the story is hard to follow due to how vague and cryptically it's told.  A lot of terminology is used that players won't understand until later. Once the plot begins the thicken, players are presented with a surealist supernatural mystery conspiracy thriller unlike anything you've seen before. The story is intricately written and brings up a lot of historical and scientific concepts along the way. It's not the kind of story you can just speedrun through to get to the gameplay. Each chapter segment is fairly long and dense with information. It's honestly like playing a visual novel rather than an rpg. I'm not complaining though. I've been gripped by the lore since day one and I never know what these writers are cooking up next.

The best part of the game for me is the character roster. It's can't be exaggerated just how unique the characters are. What other game has living scarecrows, a mini UFO, a girl who hiccups balloons and a sapient piece of glass as playable characters? Its clear that just about anything can be an Arcanist in this world. I thought having inanimate objects be characters was weird at first, but I soon grew to love the idea. It was just too ludicrous not to enjoy. I also love how tastefully the female characters are drawn. Everyone either wears time period appropriate casual clothes or the most ornate pimped out dresses you've ever seen. The character designs are conservative yet stylish, creating incredibly rememberable units. These beautiful appearances are complimented by eccentric personalities. All Arcanists have their little quirks that make them endearing. They're strange people living in an even stranger world.

The true cherry on top on all of this is the stellar voice acting. The cast is composed of characters from all over the world and the voice cast reflects this. Most of the voice actors share the same nationality/ethnicity as their character which gives their performance an authentic edge. The large variety of accents makes the world feel alive with personality. In a market where usually only the most high profile gacha games bother with English dubs, it's refreshing to see the producers put so much passion into the voice overs.

In terms of art and presentation, R1999 knocks it out of the park once again. The insight 2 character portraits are immaculately drawn and bursting with details. The background art for the story section is also drawn with enough depth to get players immersed in the setting. The live 2d models help spice things up a bit instead of having to look at a still image the entire time.

Reverse 1999 isn't just some game to pass the time with. it's a clear labor of love for everyone who worked on it. It's always a pleasure to play a game where the devs are passionate about their creation.

[xulips]

How do you make your colors look so lively?

Do you use layer effects?

Pls tell us how you color and your process and if you use layer effects to do so

for colouring i usually fuck it and ball it really. eye colour pick the shit out of my works. too lazy to download an actual ref just to pick the colours because my pc is Dying. but when it comes to making the colours fit the ambiance i have two (three..?) ways on how i do it personally

if it's a piece with a clear picture of the background — like this one for example — i would try to match the base colours with the background so the colours will look more natural and give the feeling that the characters *are* there in the art

some people would usually start out with using the "multiply" effect and that's okay! but i'm a sai 2.0 user so i kicked it up a bit by using "Shade" it gives off a more depth effect with the colours you're working with rather than "multiply". for the colours itself i match it based on the ambiance that the background is giving. it doesn't necessarily have to be the exact colour from the background where you eye drop the colours — making slight adjustments to it to make it fit your preferences more is ok too!

now it looks more like toya and kohane are in an afternoon set (: i added some shadows and depth to this piece soon, which i choose the opposing colour for to make them look more natural

they're really just shading so i won't explain it too much, and that's really it honestly! i don't use a lot because sometimes too much can ruin pieces ^^"

however there's a second scenario where my art just .. doesn't have any backgrounds. this trick is the trick i use the most because my post contains 90% doodles 😭 there's two ways on how i do it

the first one

and the second one

that's really it! but again just have fun with colours that suits you, it doesn't always have to be text book learning. fuck around and find out dude

[icarus-in-the-sheets]

-----------⛦˙☠︎︎⋆Fear (he/him)⋆☠︎︎˙⛧-------------

aka Ekilar Diocles, Guardian of the Rhean Rescue.

Created for a diplomatic mission that needed another background character who was a martial fighter, but who has become a vital and staple member of the focal location of my D&D world-build.

Fear is coming in as both our Gay Pride character and as I had originally intended before it was suddenly June, an exercise in my studies of CBC's Lesson 1.5: Hair for Thought. Find character building processes, original sketch, and backstory below the cut!

He is Gay Romantic and Demisexual. He is slow to love, loyal and steadfast in his love, and lets heartbreak linger a little too long. My default for characters is bisexual and polyamorous until proven otherwise unless I have a specific plan for them. I did not have a specific plan for Fear's sexuality and let him guide me. He guided me to one of @ceruleanties' characters named Hank, a dilf of a graviturgy wizard with a kind heart and smile. I related personally to the stubbornness and aversion to change that Fear was developing as a character, and re-imagined it alongside a Demi identity as well [I do not identify as demi myself but my allo identity is in question often enough in my head that demi is relatable to me plentifully].

Fear's physical design went through some iterations before becoming what it is here. His first design was rather generic, as I was just wanting to draw a randomized character design. I used a tail and horn art reference chart from DeviantArt to design him, and I notated that he had dark blue skin and cyan accents and drew him in a generic leather outfit that was notated as being white with simple straps/belts.

When I started looking for characters in need of overhaul for CBC's course I was looking primarily at dark brown characters like Finley who were designed with a human or human approximate skin tone, but without a racial intention. However, I noticed that as a dark-skinned man, he also may have needed attention, despite not having a human skin tone. Other things about the importance of his faith and the community he adopts and protects also reminded me of positive tropes associated with strong Black characters, and I felt the change would honor that.

In regards to Lesson 1.5 and his hair specifically, I have pictured above two styles - sponge twists and long locs in a bun. I came up with these two very different styles in response to two very different times in his life.

For his younger years living in the cold depths of Hell, when keeping up appearances and masking his identity in a false persona of violence and anger, he took time to style and color his natural cyan-white hair into a black-tipped sponge twist and kept it short for the mercenary-style work that he did so that it would stay out of his way. The style was about appearances - something he could put effort into controlling while the untrained eye would see it as effortless.

After he dropped the toxic masking of his youth, Fear moved out of Hell and adopted a community, giving him time to heal and grow -spiritually and mentally. His protected locs represent the growth and healing he found in that recovery. They are something he nurtures, showing that he isn't just a warrior and protector of his community, but also learning to protect himself.

I have *a lot* more to say about Fear. As well as a lot more research to do on his characterization and probably on his design. For example, I discovered while writing this that I have research to do on the specific fashion choices I've made for him and the ramifications that have for him as a Gay Black character. He means so much to me and his story is near and dear to my heart. I love him so much and he keeps coloring outside the lines and throwing me new surprises.

[oddly-casual]

Homura Hc’s (or a mini appreciation post tbh)

Homura is one of those characters we see only a handful a times. I think we see her maybe three times in the show, and a couple times in the merch. Mostly Hesokuri wars.

But despite the fact that she has about two speaking roles in between three seasons and a movie, the writers try to keep her personality in tact and I like that they do that.

Most of this comes from Jyushimatsu Dolphin (season 3 Ep. 8). Where Homura sticks her neck out to help Jyushimatsu follow his dream of being a dolphin.

We don’t know exactly how cannon these skits are, but certain characters are chosen for a reason and I think we can take away a lot from some of Homura’s decisions and actions.

Like the fact that she even agrees to help Jyushimatsu at all despite not knowing him (in this skit at least). She tells us directly that it was because she was moved by his passion, but staking your job on something as flaky as passion would be- what some people call- a dumb risk.

Despite being the only one in his corner, Homura gives her all into training him. In her first appearance in season one, Todomatsu call her “Weird” And I think this skit goes into depth about how weird she actually is. Homura hardcore trains him in the ways of being a dolphin that she is familiar with, even if that means nearly drowning him.

This girl that we met in season one, who we knew as soft and sad, is in fact a weirdo.

Like just look at how everyone reacts to her! Go off queen!

I really like how this skit gets rid of any assumptions about Homura’s character. From her first appearance alone you would think maybe she’s weak willed or fragile- but she really puts her all into the things she cares about and doesn’t let anyone slow her down.

Homura doesn’t even call it out or try to explain herself, it’s just how she is and I love that for her.

We also see pretty consistently how she handles conflict, or failing.

In season 1 she calls off ever seeing Jyushimatsu again because she has to go home, and you can tell it hurts her to just outright reject him like the that.

The fact that we possibly know her background also adds context to her decision.

It’s possible she just wants to get away from that industry and the people, maybe too many people know her from the porn dvds and she just needed a fresh start somewhere else. Maybe she felt like she was lying to Jyushimatsu because she couldn’t tell him all she’d done- who knows?

There’s a lot of ways you can look at it but I think most of all, the skit in season 2 could reshape how we looked at her reaction to conflict in season 1.

When faced with failure, Homura gives up.

She gave it her all, and it still didn’t happen. Homura is grounded in reality to an extent. While the Matsuno’s live by their own rules and do whatever they want- it feels like Homura found a way to work within the rules. To try everything she can, but not to exhaust herself with something that’s not baring fruits.

She doesn’t seem disappointed that Jyushimatsu will keep trying, she’s angry. Homura yells at him and calls him a block head because he’s being stubborn- but why try so hard to get him to give up when it’s his dream? Why does she want him to quit? He will continue with it without her so why?

There’s a possibly that she doesn’t want to see him hurt. Like season 1, Homura distances herself from Jyushimatsu specifically after he confesses.

We can assume it’s because she would be in a whole other city, and with the past attached to her, she didn’t want to hold him back. Either that, or she didn’t want to face rejection if things didn’t end up working out.

But I also think it’s important to note that Homura was moments away from ending her own life. In the end, she chooses to take herself to a familiar place rather than to attempt again- showing signs of gaining some perspective or some motivation to keep going.

My main take away from Homura as a character, and outside of her potential relationship with Jyushimatsu, is that Homura is a character ground in reality who is a little silly.

Homura takes things seriously, no matter how goofy they are (like wanting to be a dolphin- like an actual dolphin), but she also likes to laugh and have fun like everyone else.

Homura knows not to spend time on something that possibly won’t work out, and this could be because she’s been beaten down before and knows the prolonged pain of hope. She also has a past we know nothing about that could’ve shaped the person she is today.

Homura is a silly weird girl, but unfortunately life got to her first. That doesn’t stop her from being weird and silly though.

[clearwingedmaven]

3GAR Analysis

Well. It was voted for, and it was decided that it'd be the Three Garridebs next! This, is admittedly a bit of a daunting task, beyond analyzing Empty House, or even The Final Problem. This is THE story that has launched a thousand fics, fanarts, and probably one of the biggest catalysts of the Johnlock ship, either platonically, romantically, or a third thing that exists beyond those two. So realistically, what can I say that hasn't been said already? I can try something like this. Admittedly, the story of The Three Garridebs falls by the wayside, given the elements of canon development. It's natural, really, given that we are often here for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, so it's not so much an analysis of story, rather than character development that I have to do here. 3GAR is... probably later in Holmes's career, Baker Street Wiki has it as 1902, though I would presume that timeline shenanigans are still in play. We do see that here, as Holmes presents himself as chasing a bit of a flight of fancy, that being the task of finding the Three Garridebs. It was Watson, notably, that brought the case to Holmes's attention via the newspaper, launching them into the investigation. In both parts, 3GAR is the story that shows how well Watson and Holmes work together, but even more so that they are what feeds the other, or, how two halves simply can't work apart at this point. Thus, due to the emotional nature of the end of the story, and the Incident, the initial mystery of 3GAR is both thrust aside, and allowed to be put in the background for this. In many ways, I consider this to be a zenith for Holmes. While he may say it's 1895 that was his peak, I'd argue it was here, in 1902(?) during the fateful confrontation with James Winter, that we see the peak, the full character in raw, unflinching display. We have followed Holmes for this long, and he does show emotions, unlike what most would think. He smiles, he laughs, he dances around, he shouts dramatically, bows, reveals things in dramatic fashion, and cares so very deeply for those he loves. And this is the culmination of every single emotion, care, that he holds for those he loves. Watson, is of course, human. But, at this point, both Holmes and the reader have long expected Watson to almost be as superhuman as Holmes. And how could he not be? He has been through quite a lot at Holmes's side, from the commonplace, to the dramatic and perhaps, a little out of this world(not in the extraterrestrial sense, of course.) But-this is the first time we've seen Watson come to harm, and quite dramatically, for two reasons. One: Getting shot in the leg where he was, often runs the risk of being much, much worse than what it ended up as. Two: This is the first time we've seen Watson get hurt, get shot, in front of Holmes.

Holmes is a man as we know, who is fiercely loyal to those he deems necessary to give his services to. We often make mention that this often arises with female clients, such as Violet Smith or Mary Sutherland. Here, it is Watson who is both client, and the single soul in London that he is closest to. So it's no wonder why, given what we know about leg wounds, and their relationship, that Holmes almost breaks completely, scowling that he would have killed James Winter if Watson did not make it. The moment itself is small in canon, but it ties back into why I argue that this is the zenith of Sherlock Holmes. "You're not hurt, Watson? For God's sake, say that you are not hurt!"....

It was worth a wound–it was worth many wounds–to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. All my years of humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment of revelation. “It’s nothing, Holmes. It’s a mere scratch.” He had ripped up my trousers with his pocket-knife. “You are right,” he cried with an immense sigh of relief. “It is quite superficial.” His face set like flint as he glared at our prisoner, who was sitting up with a dazed face. “By the Lord, it is as well for you. If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive. Now, sir, what have you to say for yourself?” While yes, we know Holmes has a great heart, as well as a great brain, here, it is on full display. He's openly scared of thought of losing Watson, and has lost his composure in front of a criminal, all of his walls gone. But that doesn't matter, really, in the context of Sherlock Holmes, does it? Here, we discover just what it means to be, what many consider to be the Greatest Fictional Detective: A clever, cunning man that can bring truth and justice to those who desperately need it, who many think is a cold, unflinching reasoner, but is also at the same time, one of the kindest souls in Victorian England: loyal, faithful, and oh so utterly human to those who need it, and unshakeably: someone with a great heart. This is Holmes's zenith. And arguably, the zenith of all Holmes stories. It is a lesson in kindness, love, and character development, in breathtaking degrees.

So. To all of you that create 3GAR stories, that know, love, and make fics and fanart of this story, and subsequently, probably the entirety of the Johnlock shipping base, this is for you. This is a story of love. And I hope you love The Three Garridebs, too.

[aspoonofsugar]

What do you think so far of season 2 of Arcane ? Honestly I think for my part that it’s too rushed and there are too many storylines it’s so confusing. Besides they completely destroyed Vi and Caitlyn relationship lol the disappointment is high

Hi!

I am sorry you are not enjoying the season very much. On my part I am loving it and I am looking forward to the final act!

I think much criticism I have seen stems from the very own premise of Arcane as a show tbh. I think there are two things to clarify.

First thing to clarify

Arcane is in the end a League of Legends show. Its main commercial goal is to explore the Lore of the Game, so that new fans can be brought in and old fans can have fun spotting easter eggs. As a result, it takes some choices that in another story you wouldn't have. Two examples:

1- Mel's arc feels out of the blue, but it ties into the lore of the game (I heard they wanted to make Mel into a new champion? If so, she is probably going through an arc where she is receiving magical abilities, as smart as fuck and good at politics isn't exactly a set skill that works in LOL). It is a storyline you would not usually add, as you would not usually add the Black Rose shenaningas. They added it because it probably lets them add a new champion to the game and it lets them play homage to another popular character of the game. That said, Mel's own storyline has the potential to tie nicely with the main plotline:

a) Mel's disappearance does in fact have an impact on the narrative, i.e. it lets Medarda do as she pleases in Piltover. If Mel were around, there is no way she would have let her mother establish Martial Law without a fight. I think Mel could have also had a positive influence on Cait. Not only that, but Medarda's love for Mel humanizes her character and gives more depth to her relationship with Caitlyn. It is obvious Medarda and Cait's bond is one where they are projecting on the other a loved one. Cait finds a new mentor figure/mother after Cassandra's death. Medarda finds a new mentee figure/daughter after Mel's disappearance. They are not mother and daughter, but they project on each other a need they both feel, as they are both grieving.

b) Mel has always been linked to Jayce and Viktor's B plot aka Arcane plot, as she, Viktor and Jayce are the ones who created HexTech. This season Viktor and Jayce have both "touched" the Arcane, which has traumatized them in opposite ways. In a sense, they have both lost their humanity in the pursue of progress. Moreover, they have both become entangled with magic. Well, even if I know very little of LOL Lore, I think it is safe to assume Mel inherited some kind of magical ability. The fact she is trapped in some kind of magical dimension where she has to decipher old runes makes me believe her experience is not very different from Viktor and Jayce, thematically. They all pursued progress through science, only to now face something of wild and irrational. Also, Mel being the one with the higher magical potential among the trio could be pretty interesting.

2 - I would not have wanted Vander to come back in any other series and was skeptical about the choice of having him be Warwick. That said, I also understand it makes a very interesting background for the champion, so I understand why they made this decision. What's more, I actually like a lot how he has been used. Instead of being reduced to a simple agent of chaos, he has been used as a catalyst in Vi and Jinx's arcs.

Basically, they are taking choices, I would not recommend in any other story. However, they are making them work pretty well both for Arcane and for LOL.

Second thing to clarify

It is true Arcane is an ensembled cast and it balanced different pov rather well in season 1. However, this does not mean that ALL characters have the same importance. I think both season 1 and this season so far have made very clear that the story has ONE main character, that is Jinx:

She is the one given the major focus BY FAR.

The whole first season is her journey to become the Jinx in the games, which is symbolically why the season ends with her embracing this alterego. Every other major character's plotline in the main A plot is after all tied to her. Vi wants to save her. Silco wants to control her. Caitlyn wants to arrest her. She is the reason why Cait and Vi meet each other in the first place. Not to count she also unwillingly kicks off the B plotline by having Jayce's research come to light.

The second season so far has revolved around her, as well. This time she is going through a journey, where she tries to fix what she has broken. At the same time, she has to accept the consequences of her own actions. She grieves Silco, connects with Sevika, adopts Isha and tries to mend her relationship with Vi. Meanwhile, all the other major characters are impacted by her. She is at the centre of the conflict between Vi and Cait, for example. She is the one who almost kills Viktor, so that Jayce tries to resurrect him. Finally, she becomes the centre of the major conflict between Piltover and Zaun.

In short, I think it is fair for people to be annoyed their faves are not receiving the screentime or focus, they had hoped. However, I think that so far the series has been coherent in keeping Jinx at its center. We'll see if it will be so for the ending, as well.

Finally, I don't think Vi and Cait's relationship was ruined. I think the conflict among Vi, Cait and Jinx is actually my favourite part of this season. I will add that their conflict is actually a mirror of the first season:

Season 1 has the first act focused on Vi's relationship with Powder and it ends with their separation / Season 2 has the first act focused on Vi's relationship with Cait and it ends with their separation

Season 1 has the second act focused on Vi and Cait's relationship, as Vi looks for her family / Season 2 has the second act focused on Vi and Jinx's relationship, as they look for their family. Both relationships start as conflictual and slowly grow better

In season 1's third act, Vi fails to reconcile her relationship with Cait with the one with Jinx. We'll see if in the final act of season 2, she will fare better.

In short, it has never been only Vi and Cait, but always Vi, Cait and Jinx, as her lover and her sister represent two different sides of Vi. Just like Jinx has to reconcile both Jinx and Powder, so Vi has to reconcile both Jinx and Cait. Similarly, Cait needs to reconcile Vi and Jinx as two parts of Zaun.

In conclusion, I do agree that there are a little bit too many storylines, some of which might feel out of the blue. I also understand people wanted some characters to be explored more. However, I also think they are doing a great job at telling the story they want to tell and they are giving the viewers all the elements to understands the characters' developments. Surely, it would have been great to have some dynamics and psychologies explored more, but the writing level stays pretty high.

This does not mean you should like it, though. You probably were more interested in some dynamics and storylines that ended up being sidelined and it is totally valid to be annoyed by it.

Thank you for the ask!

[spaceorphan18]

THE LADY WHISTLEDOWN PAPERS : 1X01 - A DIAMOND OF THE FIRST WATER (PART 4)

Hi! Welcome back to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I’m taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

Alright, finally wrapping up the first episode but it ends with some really good stuff!

Dinner

I'm kind of amused that I've managed to ignore the main Simon/Daphne plot as long as I've could... But here we are at a Bridgerton family dinner where we get to see the family dynamics on brilliant display as Violet arranged all of this so Simon and Daphne could hang out.

Fascinatingly, the first subject of talk is the identity of Lady Whistledown, and it's a fun little conversation as they start guessing who it could possibly be. Colin, hilariously, suggests it could be a man -- only to rightfully be shotdown by Eloise because how dare he. Colin isn't even going to know who Lady Whistledown is when he's sleeping with her, so boy really does not have the highest of deduction skills.

Hyacinth, of all people, will get the closest when she guesses Lady Featherington. It's amusing that she's consistently used as a sort of prophet. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of role she plays throughout the show.

Most of this scene is dedicated to Simon and Daphne... falling in love? idk. What I do like about it, though is something I enjoy in general about Bridgerton as a whole -- the fact that it does rather well with sibling dynamics. There are a lot of personalities at that table, and it's kind of cool to see how they can be all similar and all different at the same time.

Colin remains chatting and laughing with Benedict. We don't really get enough of a conversation to be able to really comment but, it does look like they're having a great conversation. We don't get a whole lot of reaction from Colin as to the whole Simon/Daphne thing so -- I don't really have much to say on that front either, but it'll be interesting tracking it through the season.

Dance

I never noticed they are in a boat -- so... this is on an island? What is even going on? What ball is this again? Do I really need to watch ALL of Season 1 for this project?

You know, we don't get a ton of Colin and Benedict stuff throughout the years, but they often are having fun in the background while Anthony is brooding up front.

Alright, so, LET'S GET INTO MY FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE EPISODE!

I really should have gone back and watched the previous scenes to figure out where exactly they are but I didn't, ah well. It looks like more like a festival of sorts more than a ball, which I think is pretty cool because the actual ballrooms start to feel the same after awhile.

Anyway... we have Pen just kind of standing by herself looking lonely. Interestingly, she does look like she's looking for someone? But she says she wasn't expecting him, so I wonder if she's just glancing around in Lady Whistledown mode?

The way she jumps and immediately lights up when she sees him. She's shocked to see him, but so delighted that he has sought her out. And it's interesting to note that he goes looking for her first thing -- granted it's for information -- but still he does seek her out at every social gathering. ;) No, but this is important. In both their interactions now, he has come to her. She may be the one with the crush, but she's not following him around like a love-sick puppy.

I should have mentioned it before, but in both instances he has called her 'Pen'. Not Miss Featherington (Which would have been appropriate) not Penelope. Just Pen. It speaks to their level of familiarity and established relationship. It also isn't appropriate for an unmarried man and woman of no relation to call each other by their first names, let alone a nickname. Episode 1 and they're already breaking rules.

It's the same with the little bow they give each other. It's such an after thought, such a -- oh right, we're outside and have to adhere to society rules where men and women greet each other in a certain way, but they do so halfheartedly. They don't really care about what society wants when they're around each other.

Penelope exclaims that she didn't know he'd be there (an interesting comment - I wonder why not) and then he says 'sorry to disappoint'. And that's a telling comment. It's self deprecating humor. He's not used to anyone wanting or needing him around and/or preferring Anthony or Benedict instead. But also, he (probably) assumes that she'd probably prefer Eloise to join her over him.

But her lighting up when she sees him doesn't really go unnoticed -- subconsciously anyway. It's infectious when you have someone who is genuinely excited to see you -- especially when you're used to being the one that is not being sought after. And he is genuinely happy to see her, too -- even if he's asking about Marina, he still has a warm smile for her. They both latch on to the genuine affection they have for the other one.

Colin asks about Marina, and the way Pen's face just falls when he does so. :( She realizes that he had an ulterior motive when coming to speak to her, and that guts her a little. (as a note - it's implied a little earlier in the episode that Marina is pregnant. It's not officially said - but they get into it more in episode 2. Obviously, that's important to this plot...)

Pen explains that Marina's illness is why Portia isn't around and why Lord Featherington is chaperoning. Colin grins at this -- I can only imagine how hilarious he finds it that Lord Featherington has to be (semi-)involved in his daughters' lives. I haven't really spoken much about him yet, but at best, you could claim that Lord Featherington was a neglectful father. He doesn't really interact with any of his daughters, nor does he seem to care all that much. I have to imagine that Colin, at least a little bit understands this, hence it's so amusing that he's there now.

Pen then is excited to show off her dress. It's not yellow! It's still a girlish pink with hints of blue (foreshadowing through clothes? maybe?). She still looks like a child a bit, but she doesn't stand out so much. She can blend in a bit more, and not feel as if everyone is making fun of her for her clothes.

In a way, the 'not yellow enough' comment was a little self deprecating, too. As the two of them have that in common -- that they both feel unseen and unwanted in society.

She's also trying to get his attention -- trying to get him to check her out. It's awkward and cute and I love how excited she is in her attempt. The thing is, he does notice! We don't really see his reaction to her comment -- but if you look you can tell that he is grinning back at her as they talk.

And then Cressida comes along and spoils their moment. So. Here's the thing I've noticed already about Cressida. Lady Featherington and Lady Cowper are friends. Sorta. They mean girl together. And as we learn in season 3, Lady Cowper has instilled this kind of ruthlessness into Cressida as a way of survival.

I also wonder -- did Cressida spend time with the Featherington girls? It's interesting that Lady Cowper is always around, but we don't see Cressida at the house. I wonder where she is and what she's doing. I will say -- I don't think Cressida is friends at all with Prudence or Phillipa. All three aren't very nice -- but Cressida is much shaper and pointed with her unkindness, while Prudence and Phillipa are just kind of dumb. And I can see Cressida poking fun at them as much as she does with Penelope.

Here's the thing. I want to joke how ridiculous it is that no one seems to notice that Pen is deeply pining for Colin. She is so open about her feelings but the thing is, no one really seems to notice her and that's why no one ever calls her out on it.

Except, I like to believe that Cressida does.

There's no real reason for Cressida to interject herself into their conversation other than she wants to be mean for the sake of it. I don't think she has any real interest in Colin other than his name and the fact that dancing with him would put a mark on her dance card.

Pen interjects on Cressida's attempt and that's when Cressida's claws come out. Cressida's mother (as we'll learn) has taught her to see any other woman as a form of competition. Pen was making a comment because she and Colin are friends and in a way already more than friends. They have a solid, established relationship. Cressida is looking at Colin as a way to achieve a goal. And Pen is getting in the way of that.

So Cressida does what she has been taught and tries to eliminate any kind of competition. And some of it is trashing on someone the ton already trashes on but it's also digging the knife in a little deeper, because I do think Cressida knows that Pen isn't just talking to some guy at a party, she's talking to a guy she likes and has feelings for.

Cressida probably over heard her, too, that Penelope was happy about her dress choice. So what does she do? Dump water (?) over the front of her dress. Not only was Penelope having a moment of confidence but Cressida's cruelty takes that away as she embarrasses Pen. But also she claims to not have not even seen Penelope there. Obviously she did, but it adds to the fact that Pen is often seen as wallpaper, nothing to really take note of.

Colin's face during all of this though! Because here's the thing. Here's the THING and why I love Colin. He probably wouldn't have really entertained Cressida as a dance partner unless he had to. That's... a whole other thing. But the minute she started cutting in front of Pen. The minute she pulls this stunt on his very good friend, it's over.

Cruelty is not part of Colin's nature, and seeing other people mean is an automatic turn off for him. But more than that, Cressida just trashed someone he does care about, and that is unacceptable. Look how hard his face is in this moment - he's pissed off at her for what she did.

And then just look at the way his face softens as he turns his attention to Pen. It's caring and gentle and he's looking out for her right from the beginning!

But I mean, also, what he does is so calculated and is such a badass moment. He beats Cressida at her own game. Not only does he completely deny her a dance, he decides that Penelope is the more worthy choice and snatches her up (as a mess as she is at the moment). He doesn't spare Cressida a second look. He'd dance with Penelope anyway, he doesn't need an excuse, but to play society's games as a way to punch back at Cressida for being mean to Pen -- is just so ballsy. He may not be a huge fan of the rules, but he knows how to play them and when it matters.

I also should note that Colin has a sort of hero complex, too, that comes into play. He likes to be the one to help people, to save people, and what he's doing is saving Pen from humiliation. He does genuinely care for her. But he also won't let someone be trashed because for the sake of it.

And I mean... we should take note of this moment -- because it's going to haunt Cressida for a long, long time. You just fucked with Lady Whistledown in front of her husband, Cressida. Your days are numbered.

And, I mean, look at the utter shock on Pen's face as he reaches for her hand. His kindness is why she loves him, and this just adds another moment to that pile. No one else really looks out for her. No one else really sees her. No one else would really stand up to Cressida and put her first. It's no wonder she's gone for him.

But then here's the thing. As we get our fun, little Irish jig started, Colin just looks delighted as they get to the dance floor. Cressida is all but forgotten as the two of them settle into their dance together. Pen is still shaken a bit as they start, but Colin has no qualms about what he had just done. In fact, he's proud of himself. But more so -- now he and Pen can just have fun -- as they always do.

This is not the first time they've danced together (as will be alluded to in the next episode). They probably danced a bit and enjoyed themselves, and as Pen settles into it, they both just have fun together.

And the jig is something to notice as dance is important in this show. It's fun and lively but it's also still a little childish, a game. It's not serious courtship, not yet, but it's enjoyment and playfulness but it's purposeful! As this level of caring and understanding and joy are the basis for their friendship and therefore the basis of their eventual relationship.

I mean just look at these idiots not knowing that they're really falling in love with each other.

I love everything about this scene so much!!

Okay, I have to close out on this shot of Pen. Because this is important. As Simon and Daphne come in with their little scheme to fake dating, Penelope is watching. And in fact, if you notice (Nicola Coughlan confirmed it) Pen is always just right there, noticing the action that's going on. And therefore Lady Whistledown is right there.

In this shot its obvious that it's her, but I'll be keeping an eye out because she does this a lot if you're looking for her. She's almost like a Where's Waldo cartoon!!

And that's finally Episode 1!! Whoo we made it! :)

[sophiaredwood03]

MC Character Progression and my Thoughts- Spoilers!

BOOK ONE

In the first cutscene, we get MC running through a forest in frigging high heels. You may recognise the forest by the mushrooms blurred in the background. AND THEN.GUY SHOWS UP. AND HOLDS US BY THE FACE(FORCEFULLY????). AND THEN. We then meet the 5 S-ranks, who notice our eye colour. MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR UNGODLY(or godly, depending on how you read it) GOLD COLOURED POWER. and then, as we all know, Lou shows up, and just slaps a choker on us.

AND THEN WE PASS OUT?!

my reaction was more or less: WTF?! this is a crazy first cutscene? where the hell is the plot?

Chapters one and two

So, these 2 chapters serve as basically introducing the world, as well as the characters- love interests. We can see pretty clearly the dynamics between the princes- Guy being domineering(I think he kidnapped us), Fenn being a flirt( I believe he took us away from Guy?), Roy being rather cordial, Lynt just being asleep, and then Toa showing us around, and being rather cold.

Right, I'm going to say it. Coming from a writer (of fics, anyway), the characters of the Princes, at least at the start, is pretty bland. They're all assigned one "sin", and that "sin" is slapped onto the name of their kingdoms. (COUGH it's too obvious for me). For me, the problem I had was that they all feel flat as characters. They have personalities that mostly revolve around one flaw, so to speak. They get better, I think.

Right off the bat, we have MC. Poor girl, she's been thrown into a different world, been harrassed by 5 princes, and had a choker that disguises her eye colour. And she only has her cat!

It's been pretty established that MC is actually quite independent. She's an orphan, and has been living alone in her flat in Japan with only her cat. In the Princes Path, MC has a lot more character depth and progression, in my opinion anyways.

Anyways, she wakes up, sees her cat, and then is immediately dragged off by Toa to have a look around. The interactions with the princes, what with being talked about like an object, and then being kidnapped, show very very clearly that there is a very bad power imbalance between virtually everyone and MC, with the scales really tilted towards "everyone's" side. I mean, It's surprising that MC didn't have a full on mental breakdown immediately.

Who is everyone?

In the next few chapters, we see MC going to classes, etc. She also meets Sherry and Violet, thereby creating one of the most wholesome and sweet friendships(Voltage, give us their consort paths please) I have seen in otome games.

BUT. A lot of the other students notice?! Notice what? That the 5 bloody S ranks, and CROWN PRINCES NO LESS, are hanging around this new student! And what happens? MC gets bullied! physically! and verbally! A bunch of girls team up, say all kinds of nasty things to her, and then enchant the carpet MC is standing on to move! (I think MC jumps off the carpet?)

And Lou also isn't helping much either. He's the headmaster, explains the situation, and just tells MC that she might be the only one who can send herself back to her original world. (keep in mind, Lou is actually a spy and double agent of sorts for Iritium, which is a cult? organisation that wants to remerge Saligia and Earth)

Conclusion: MC is in a bad situation, and considering everything and how the odds are stacked against her, handles everything with quite a fair bit of grace! She's not a bad character at all, though I really dislike how she is written in a lot of the consort paths, especially the earlier ones.

Let me know if y'all want more of this stuff!

[centaurianthropology]

Oh man, I think the Circle of the Crimson Mirror might just be MY Candela circle. I enjoyed the goofy schlock horror with the Circle of the Vassal and the Veil, and really enjoyed the amping up of horror in The Circle of Needle and Thread (though the horrors of war theming was not specifically for me, it was still well done). I haven’t gotten to watch the Circle of Tide and Bone because life happened, but from what I’ve heard it was very good.

But I was laughing out loud with glee for the first episode of the Circle of the Crimson Mirror. All these characters are delightful. The setting is fascinating (starting out OUTSIDE of Newfaire and expanding the world was really fun), the theming of Irish folklore horror gives a folk horror mixed with cosmic horror vibe that I’m really excited for. And Liam is just the sort of ruthless DM that is perfect for a horror game. Because for me, keeping your players wrapped up in the horror, making them at least a little genuinely afraid (after talking through Lines and Veils of course) in a fun and contained way IS the heart of playing a horror game. It’s the same as watching a horror movie, in that you WANT to be scared, that’s part of the enjoyment, but in a horror game the fun is having it happen to you.

And both folk horror and cosmic horror are some of my favorite subgenres, so this is hitting all my favorite sorts of horror. And because it’s me, see below for my much longer thoughts about this first episode and the characters. Because I’ve never found a topic I enjoy that I can’t write an essay about.

Liam comes for everyone straight out of the gate, doesn’t he? While I found the train cold open in chapter 2 exciting, I found this even more harrowing. With NPCs we barely know constantly imperiled, all the investigators are really sketched so clearly right off the bat with their actions rather than their more open explanations later. I love that all of them lean heavily into being out of their depth, even sometimes making poor choices because of it. The players are aware they are in a horror game. The characters are not.

So let’s talk about those characters:

MALCOLM TRILLS

Imari Williams was the player at the table I had no prior experience with, and I love what he’s doing here. He puts his whole body into acting out the scene, even at the table. Even before we know he was a Sole Survivor of a massacre during the war (and I found it deeply entertaining that Imari couldn’t help but dump his backstory all over the floor. Liam’s gently encouraging everyone to hold it back for dramatic moments, and Imari is just so excited he’s like “NO! HERE IT IS!” not once but twice in the very first episode), we knew that. Because Imari is clearly dedicated to acting that out through what Malcolm chooses to do. He believes in saving others, especially after losing his entire squad. He has to do it, even (or maybe especially) for those civilians he doesn’t know. His entire point in being in Candela is saving people. So when Liam dunks two unnamed sailors in the ocean, Malcolm goes in. His friends are horrified. They love and value him, and they value him more than two randos. But to him, the randos are the point. Saving people is the point. So no matter how many disappointed dad-lectures he gets from Leo (and this is clearly not the first one he’s gotten), Malcolm is always going to be this way. He’s always going to try to play the hero in a horror setting, which is such a delicious choice for a horror player to make. Everyone at that table knows how perilous it is, but Imari is fully committed, and I love it.

We already know a lot of his background, but there are things we don’t know. We don’t know his relationship with his family, or why Leo is so disdainful of the Trills as a group. There seems to be an implication that the Trills are old money in Newfaire, perhaps, or at least a legendary family for other reasons. And apparently reckless heroism is a family trait. But what does Malcolm do in his day-to-day? He’s the one we don’t have a career or life for back in Newfaire yet, and I am interested to see who he is when he’s not playing the hero for Candela.

LEO AMICUS

I love the description of “I’m going to lie a little and say ‘early forties’” as an explanation for Leo’s age. It tells me a lot about his character right off the bat. We know he’s older (but not how much) and that he doesn’t want to admit he’s older. There’s just a touch of vanity already there, and given that he’s also a man in a dressing gown on a ship in a severe storm, who thinks that his presence is deeply inappropriate? Who asks if there’s a bar on a tramp steamer? We know so much about Leo already, and I love it all. Taliesin plays a dandy so well, his table reactions are so expressive, and it’s so clear that a setting like this is NOT where Leo shines. He shines in social situations, in parties and bars and places where his charms mean something beyond keeping a crewmember calm long enough that she can be knocked unconscious. But he’s so great in being totally overwhelmed and being useless in an action sequence.

And once the storm is over? We find out that Leo is very much the mother hen of the group (probably the oldest member). He knows Malcolm well, and treats Grimoria like a beloved niece. We haven’t gotten a lot of interactions between him and Edgar, but I’m excited to see what their relationship is like, as the two more cautious members of the group.

It was in his interactions with the other members of the circle that I realized how much like family this circle is. They are VERY close, despite ostensibly just being coworkers. There is such a deep care and concern for one another here and I love knowing how dangerous that also is in a horror game. And Leo is the one most open about his attachments here. We know he doesn’t have much blood family, and doesn’t talk to them. We know he looks at these people as his family.

And I love that, for that family, we see a REALLY different side of Leo. While he was overwhelmed and trying not to look at the blood on the boat, the second the Murphy girls (or whatever was masquerading as them) tried to murder Malcolm and the others, Leo was grabbing kitchen knives and trying to kill them. His perspective from his talk with Malcolm also remains consistent: you put your family first. When his family is threatened, meek Leo melts away and we have a man who will do whatever is necessary, kill whoever is necessary, or let anyone die to protect them. He seems to have few moral convictions, but an enormous amount of love, and that excites me for this character.

And I love that we actually know very little about him right now. We know he lives in Red Lamp (because of course he does) and that his apartment doubles as their chapterhouse. So he can be Team Dad at every meeting.

Also congrats to him for getting laid in the very first episode. Hot sailor dude propositions him, and Leo is all about that life. This Professional Man of Leisure is clearly gay catnip.

DR. EDGAR LYCORIS

I was so excited that Alex was finally going to be in a filmed Candela game (he was apparently one of the play-testers during its development, and it’s so clear he knows the rules). Dr. Lycoris is cool, calm, almost robotic in his presentation. He’s definitely a classic Alex character with his calm and his normal-guy-in-a-group-of-weirdos vibe (while secretly being very much a weirdo himself), and filled with casual competence and rudeness. But at the same time there are hints of how much he cares about this circle too. Him quietly calling Grimoria ‘Grim’ when she’s unconscious and he’s tending to her, telling her, “You can’t sleep forever, Grim,” in such a fond tone. The two of them clearly have some quiet history together, and there is a real softness between them that I’m excited to see them dig into as they get deeper into the game. There’s clearly a long-standing connection with Malcolm too, with both of them extremely aware of one another’s skills and weaknesses, working together seamlessly, especially in moments of extreme stress. I want to see more of these soft moments, these personal moments when his icy demeanor cracks, and I imagine we’re going to get plenty of them, given that THIS is how intense the first episode was.

He and Leo are the two characters we know the least about at this point. We know that Edgar is a surgeon working in the main hospital in Newfaire. We know that he is cool under pressure, and that he is both used to fighting (his immediate shift into using his scalpel as a precision weapon to go after arteries and tendons is such a nice touch for the character), but also can really be shocked by sudden violence (I love that he totally freezes after THAT happened to Declan’s mother). He states that he wears nice and fashionable clothing, but the clothing is almost wearing him rather than the other way around, like someone picked them out for him. I want to know who that other person is (is it Leo???). I want to know who he is when he’s not trying to wear what other people expect of him.

I am so excited to get to know Dr. Lycoris.

GRIMORIA

Likely a stage name, and I do wonder if we'll get her birth name, or if that even matters to her at this point. Mechanically, I am thrilled to see a Candela player try to homebrew a multiclass in this system. She’s essentially gone for a Medium/Magician hybrid. We know she works as a procurer of esoteric artifacts. She performs shows with smoke bombs, so likely is a stage magician, and that she has been able to channel spirits since she was a small child.

And we know that she’s 18. In a group in which consists of a man who is at least in his mid-forties, a man who is 32, and a man who is a surgeon (so has at least obtained advanced training, and is probably in his late twenties at minimum, and is likely in his thirties given the hints that he served as a battlefield surgeon during the war), Grimoria is YOUNG. Absurdly so. The guys care about her in a different way than they do one another. They look out for her in subtle ways, though are all very careful not to treat her as a child. The softness between her and Edgar is reflected in the overtly familial way that Leo talks to her, treating her like a very clever niece, but also the person he finds the most calming in the group. It’s fun to see that, even though he treats her as his relative, he doesn’t treat her as a child. She’s the one he goes to when he needs to clear his head. He just wants to listen to her read aloud. He finds talking with her soothing, and it’s clear why. She has a good head on her shoulders, and is rising to the occasion, so while he is caring for her, he also intrinsically understands her need to care for him as well. And Aimee really sells that in-between nature of being 18. It’s such a great portrayal of someone on the verge of being an adult, but not quite there yet. Someone her friends want to care for, but also want to treat like an adult and like any other member of the group. There is a tension in those relationships purely because of her age.

I also like that she’s the most pure investigator of the group. She’s the one who pushes for information, who has a burning desire to KNOW. And that’s a great flaw and danger for a character in a horror setting. The desire for knowledge in cosmic horror is so dangerous. Her willingness to channel spirits right off the bat is dangerous. She is, in her own quieter way, just as reckless as Malcolm and I love to see it. Aimee is throwing herself into this, playing a character who doesn’t know she has limits let, and is eager to push every boundary. I can’t wait to get to know her even more.

CONCLUSIONS

I love that we have two cautious characters and two reckless characters. I love that we have a balance, and we have a group that instantly portrays exactly how close they all are to one another. We’re not sure how these bonds were forged, but they are so well portrayed and so clear. These people love one another. They would do terrible things for one another, and I can’t wait to see what they go through together.

Count me very excited and very eager for next month’s addition to their story (and count me already sad we only get three episodes with them).

[tuvvin]

ok my quastion. I went into the story wanting to understand chopper better, but even after reading and rereading I dont feel like I do. I might just be too dumb to understand something youre implying with your visual storytelling and thats ok with me but I was hoping you could help me out by maybe telling a bit about… what hes thinking/feeling, or NOT thinking/feeling? what his relationship with his brothers is, what his motivation for his actions is, what hes supposed to represent as a character other than the presence of evil… the cooks in general were my favorite part of the story because of how real they felt to me so id love to hear any more about them that youre ok sharing on a public blog. thanks for your art and sorry for writing a book in your inbox!

well first of all i don't think it's that you're too dumb to understand anything, i purposely don't divulge a lot of information on Chopper in the story. what context and background clues there are in the story exist only to give viewers hints, not to outright explain anything.

his relationship with his brothers is pretty much as it's shown in the story - he's expected to take on household roles that none of the other brothers want to deal with (like cooking and shopping) but beyond making sure he carries out these tasks, they're all aggressively disinterested in him. between their band, dealing drugs, and other crimes, they have plenty going on that he has nothing to do with. if they cared even a little they'd probably quickly realize his habit of killing.

Chopper's internal world is kind of spelled out by his mask-inspired face - emotions are undetectable because there are none. good luck figuring out his motivations. the colorful, childlike, nostalgic appearance of the mask face to me is like the wolf in sheep's clothing concept, masquerading as something he's not. it might not seem like that convincing of a disguise but it's enough to fool most people.

the above kind of ties into what he represents, which i have been saying is the presence of the demiurge, shaping the world through senseless violence and consumer manipulation. it acts like reaping blood and traumatized children is just a part of the job. and we are raised to think that's normal, or rather not to question it because nothing is going to change anyway.

i'm glad you enjoyed the bits with the Cooks too! they are really fun to write, and if not specifically them, i am really interested in exploring more morally reprehensible characters. i think even with people who have adapted to act with such cruel uncaring for those around them, if you spend enough time with them you'll end up empathizing a little. hell if you ignore what Chopper represents - or what inhabits him - (and all of the murder too i guess), he's one of the most empathizable characters with the abuse and neglect he faces from his family, the only people he knows.

that's about all i'll say for now. i think i could spend more time explaining every aspect of Chopper & the Cooks but i never really meant to go into extreme depth with them. Chopper was around before i even had the idea for Collegeville, and not that i remember specifically, but if i had to think backward i'd think i landed on the current iteration of the Cooks for Chopper's living situation because i was trying to figure out what kind of living situation he could have that wouldn't impede his killings, then the rest fell into place. i think i was also pretty inspired by Texas Chain Saw Massacre (original of course) and Gummo.

thanks for reading & for your input!

[fanganfessions]

I saw someone mention Kaimon feeling forced and I just wanted to hop in and say that all the Project : Eden's Garden ships feel weirdly unnatural to an extent. Like all their scenes are in the background and we just have to believe they're super close all of a sudden??? The ships themselves aren't bad tbh, but theres definitely better ways to do them.

Like for Kaimon, they could have made it so that every other character had already paired up, and these two, due to not really socializing a whole lot and being generally distrusting (Damon more so but also Kai freaks out about the possibility of Jett and Cassidy planning something in one of his FTEs), don't end up picking roommates and get stuck with each other by default (Eva's already with Diana), and at first they're both kinda opposed to it like in canon, but its safer, and then they kinda start hanging out with each other?

Them ending up together cause of both of them being distrusting is way better than them just ending up together cause of rock paper scissors tbh. Cause like, say if Damon won his round, then he'd be with Desmond and Kai'd be with Jean, and they'd never really interact (I can see Kai offering to switch dorms with someone else cause he mentions he thinks Jean's scary in one of his FTEs, but he'd probably end up rooming with Desmond instead of Damon in that case tbh). It makes all their interactions based on being roommates if they had no agency in said decision and ended up being forced to do it based on the whims on the creator.

Likewise, Jett and Mark also doesn't really make sense. Why doesn't Jett just try to become best friends with someone like Cassidy, who's nice to him and actually shares his interests? They even hosted the gaming tournament together. I kinda hope that this specific one ends up as a Hifumi-and-Celeste-esque relationship rather than just ending up either one-sided, Mark being like "Wait, dammit I actually cared about this guy" and getting a character arc if Jett dies. There's probably some way to give them positive development tbh but I don't really think these two are gonna get developed together without a side of death and murder.

Wenona & Ulysess and Desmond & Eloise also don't really have other stuff going for them other than referencing eachother in dialogue and random clues that they like eachother. The first pair are probably gonna develop next chapter and the second are likewise probably gonna develop next chapter so I have hopes for them, but I'm also worried they're gonna skip the beginnings of their relationships and just go straight to "These guys would sacrifice themselves for eachother but this is actually only revelant in one trial and no one is gonna see any bonding moments of them together".

Wolfgang and Grace... knew eachother for a few days and didn't have many on-screen camera moments. I kinda hope Grace talks about him in the mainstory (or FTEs for that matter) and stuff they did together, because right now they don't have the depth of relationship they're supposed to have. It's a bit unrealistic for them to already have become that close, and Wolfgang did lie to Grace about being sick, plus whatever he was gonna do to the person who had his blackmail with that knife, but I'll take what I can get.

I don't really have a lot to say about the other duos tbh, they exist and thats mostly it. Also it generally feels so boxing (??) to have characters basically relegated to only having a relationship with another character and not getting any other interactions with any other character at all. It makes their characters that much more 2D based on how they don't get to be friends with anyone other than the one character they're allowed to know (plus Damon).

The duo stuff also sucks for characters like Kai and Diana who're gonna be focused on in the main story, and will therefore have their main relationship be with Damon. Because while other characters at least get 2 dynamics (for example Mark has interactions with Jett *and* Damon, Toshiko has them with Ingrid *and* Damon), they only get them with Damon and literally no one else. This also gives them less room for exploration of their themes. At least with Eva she had a reason to not be entangled with most the characters, and still had stuff with Damon, Wolfgang and sort-of Diana as well. Also, this is even worse for characters like Cassidy and Jean, who don't even get meaningful interactions and fleshed out dynamics with any other character outside of the protagonist in FTEs.

It also feels like the creators have ideas they want to input, but those ideas never make it into the story, and because of this, unless you look at the official accounts' arts and stuff, you don't really get to pick up on what they're going for. The pairings aren't inherently bad but they could really use some screentime and work. Instead, they just end up feeling like vague ideas left over from development.

TLDR : The pairings of characters in Project : Eden's Garden feel too unnatural due to lack of screentimes. They're kinda like vague ideas that never *really* made it past development but just stayed in the creator's mind. Also, the idea of duos that the characters are in is really restricting and harmful to the characters rather than helping them and just makes organic interactions less likely.

That being said, I love Project : Eden's Garden and all it's characters. I am thoroughly invested in them and I really can't wait for the next chapter. The story is really good, and I don't mind that some of the symbolisms are a bit on-the-too (like Eva = Eve). This is my first proper fanganronpa game and I'm really excited to make theories and see it unfold. Also, sorry for making this so long.

‎

[vergess]

Hi...I'm not the anon who asked Reach about getting into AI art, but I'm someone else who's interested in learning. The problem is that everything I've yet found that even remotely resembles a tutorial is like, "How to get rich quick by integrating AI synergy into your developing buzzword and produce art faster than ever at a fraction of the cost!" Which. Is not what I'm trying to do.

I have a somewhat outdated but still capable PC with a decent GPU. I have a basic understanding of python. I have played around mostly with DALL-E a couple years ago. I have a loose understanding of how prompts and negative prompts work. What I do not have is the compsci background knowledge to understand the in-depth writeups about genAI, or a lot of the technical discussions.

I want to run the model(s) locally on my own machine. I do not want to use any kind of subscription or membership service. I don't mind not having a GUI, as long as I've got good docs. I want to learn especially how to consistently make art of the same character (rather than just similar-looking characters). I want to properly learn how to engineer prompts instead of just muddling around by vibes.

Can you recommend me any resources?

Rad! Welcome aboard!

So, there are two "big" programs people like to use for running on their own machines: ComfyUI and A111. However, I personally prefer the way Invoke works.

Ultimately, the UI you use should be whatever is most comfortable for you. However, I will say, Comfy and Invoke are super easy installations. You just download the installer, double click, and follow the on screen instructions. A111 is a little more involved than that, as you can probably tell by the fact that it's on GitHub.

However, most tutorials of decent quality online assume you are using A111, so you may want to start there anyway!

Once you've picked a UI you like, check for that UI's YouTube channel. You'll find actual tutorials on those, rather than the corporate optimization drivel you tend to get from general search engines.

Those tutorials will teach you a lot of the jargon that people throw around, too, which will make it easier for you to use search engines to get to the information you actually want.

Once your UI is installed, it's time to pick a model!

Again, the big place to get your models is HuggingFace, but that's not the one I use. I prefer CivitAI, because I like the feature where you can see galleries of images generated with that model. It gives you a clear sense of what the outputs would look like, and if you click on an image, it will usually show you the exact prompt/settings used to generate it!

I cannot overstate how valuable that is for learning to create your own prompts. Being able to see how other people got their results is THE way to learn, in my opinion.

Now, in terms of creating a consistent, specific character! This is one of the things that people have spent a LOT of time getting genAI to do, because it was very much not the "natural" state of the technology.

There's a couple of ways you can do it, but I find that the most consistent results come from using a LORA trained on the character. Training a LORA can be done on basically any computer that can run genAI in the first place, but it's usually a lot faster to use Big Powerful Hardware from Google CoLab, CivitAI, etc.

Making a character LORA is very easy to do if you're trying to make fanart of an existing character, as you can just train on existing images from the source material. It's a tedious process, because you have to make matched pairs of images and descriptions, but that's sort of the difficult part once you get used to it.

However, what if it's an OC you want? That's trickier, because first you'll need to generate about 75 images (30-150 depending on complexity) that can serve as your training data.

Which means you also need to be able to get those consistent character traits without using the LORA in the first place. So! How????

Textual inversion. That's where you sort of... bundle a bunch of closely related tags into a single file, and then feed the AI that file instead of all the individual tags. The linked guide is focused around realistic looking human characters, but you can use the same techniques for other things (furry, mecha, etc) and for other styles (anime, western ani, cg, etc).

Use your textual inversion to generate your LORA training set, and then get that LORA going!

I hope this was helpful, but if it just raised more questions, please come on back. I love talking about my little computer art toy!!!

[thewitchywitch]

Palmistry 100

Okay so these aren't exactly notes per se, but this is the first post in a series I'm planning to make about palmistry, and this post is dedicated to breaking down misconceptions and false information that I've seen a lot of people hold onto in their palmistry practice.

This post is a bit long, so I've put everything under the cut!

So first off:

Palmistry doesn't tell you "the future", it's not at all like typical divination methods where you can divine stuff about the future (knowing that it's always changing of course). Palmistry also doesn't tell you when you're going to die or the cause of death like is shown in plenty of movies and shows.

Palmistry does give you insight into someone's character, both externally and internally (which we'll get into later on). A good palmist can also offer advice about strengths and weaknesses in someone's personality, and offer communication techniques as well.

Anyone can learn palmistry, regardless of intuitive abilities or background.

A very common misconception is that because the practice is referred to as "palmistry" that only the lines on the hand are read. This is false, as the entirety of the hand is read from the major and minor lines, to skin texture, to finger length, angles of some knuckles, dermatoglyphics (fingerprints and palmar ridges), and even the way someone holds out their hand for you to read. You can actually get a very solid reading based on finger length, skin texture, and dermatoglyphics alone without reading into the major and minor lines on the palm.

Another common misconception is that only one hand—the dominant hand—is read. Any good palmist knows to read both hands and they would show different aspects of someone (this is something I'll go more in depth on in the next post)

And last but not least, the palms—or hands, rather—change over time. Skin texture, minor lines, knuckles, the plushiness of the thumb, and other signs will change over time, especially with age. I can point out specific minor lines on my own palms and say "This one wasn't here 6 years ago," or "This one has gotten deeper and more prominent in the past 4 years," or "There used to be a line right about here 2 years ago." A good way to keep track of changes is with taking a print, which I'll also explain in the next post.

Also, not a misconception, but something I see in a lot of palmistry resources is gendered language. I find that relying on gender to determine different qualities of a factor in someone's hand is lazy, cheap, and exclusionary. My younger brother has some qualities on his hands that are considered "feminine" or "usually found on a woman's hands," and I don't subscribe to that sort of language when reading palms because it's often exclusionary and doesn't offer any information or true insight. You can't take something as diverse as people's hands and try to shove them into two boxes, it doesn't work that way.

Also not a misconception, but something I want to address now before moving forward with this series of posts is a brief note about "parlor palmistry" and "elemental hand shapes". I'm sure many of you have seen those posts going around explaining the different elemental hand shapes, and I'm not going to discount it; because when I was a beginner in palmistry, I used to base a lot of my knowledge of someone off of the basic shape of their hand, and I was usually fairly accurate. I consider this part of parlor palmistry, which is usually done in very brief readings and is mainly for entertainment. It offers a very broad look at someone's personality without much deep insight. And it's perfectly fine to do in the right setting, like at summer camps or cafes, or doing a free reading in the break room at work. Parlor palmistry should never be done for profit, however, as it offers no real and deep insight, sorta like trying to tell someone details about their inner ways of thinking based only off of knowing that they're a capricorn. So that being said, we won't be going over parlor palmistry in this series—we'll be going into the nitty gritty details of true palmistry.

So there we have it, those are some common misconceptions and brief points about palm reading that I wanted to make before we get started with this series. Also, as this is a very visual practice, I will be using real pictures and diagrams to show certain points when necessary, because I personally can't stand reading about palmistry and not being able to see an example of what they're talking about!

I'm still drafting out how I want to format these posts, especially when I get into more detailed topics (I'm afraid of the dermatoglyphics posts, I'm going to need sooo many example photos). So if y'all have any questions about anything or points you want me to explain/cover, please feel free to comment under this post or send me an ask or message.

I'm absolutely going to start collecting pictures now from any willing volunteers. If you have any marks or lines or features you think would make for a good example in my posts, please send them my way! Anyone who sends me a picture will get a brief explanation of the visible features as a thankyou :)

[zenitheternal]

My character analogies and why I've created them.

Maple- I want to make a female embodiment of the forever yearning for something that'll never happen, the idea that she's always in the wrong. The smarts she has despite her size.

Maple was created while miasma was being created, me n Ray were working on the background together.

Maple is a character that'll never get closure, no matter what. It shows how people can listen to the more entertaining, manipulative side of things rather than the smarts and understanding.

Onyx- He was made based off of the stone black Onyx, his the living embodiment of one word. Empathy. He can't see himself hating anyone unless they truly deserve it.

I made him as a touch on my empathetic side, that part of me and gives and gives despite everything the other has done to hurt them. He is a simple phrase "Wearing a heart on one's sleeve".

Clio- She's based off a Sea angel, a mix of playfulness and nonstop silliness. Equal to a child. I can't say much on her because she isn't that depth of character, but I love her so much(including siella) ❤

Lavis- I could yap all day about him. He's not based off of anything. However, hes an example of how innocent people get hurt and scarred. Despite how they were and are now.

A character experiencing frequent ptsd and autism on the side naturally is stereotyped, I mainly wrote him to vent out how I used to feel years ago.

A feeling of helplessness and dependence and being unable to "Act your age" no matter how many 'coping mechanisms' they give out. Lavis is a character with boundaries, fears, and deep rooted trauma. Naturally a character has that of course, why am I spelling this out? Deep rooted trauma is hard to write, ptsd, episodes, glimpses. But despite everthing that is who he is and he's been accepted by a few others.

I have never imagined writing a lobotomy victim, it's equivalent to writing a child or how feral animals see humans or even their own kind sometimes.

Lavis does want to trust someone, he wants attention a lot. It's a lot like how he used to be. He used to be a writer in the pits, but his lobotomy made him forget how to write. When he was first summoned he didn't expect to be seen as a four armed freak because they were all ghouls either way, but he got sent away. Not even returned back to the pits. Now he's a big child who doesn't know how mostly anything works and is terribly skittish.

They changed him inside and out.

(I'll write Ollie and crystals in another part because I haven't 'played' them enough)