#real arcade pro 3

[smbhax]

Arcade sticks I've used over the years:

C64 (and Amiga?) - Wico Bat Handle (image source)

Dreamcast - TopMax Enforcer (image source)

Dreamcast - Capcom vs. SNK ASCII Stick FT, SNK version

PS2 - Capcom vs. SNK 2 ASCII Stick FT2, SNK version

GameCube - Hori Soul Calibur II Arcade Stick

PS3 - Hori Real Arcade Pro. 3

PCE - Hori Fighting Stick PC

PS3/4 - Hori Real Arcade Pro. V 2017 edition (Sanwa mods)

With Brook Super Converters, the RAPV replaced the other console sticks.

[sophrosynesworld]

Betrayal (pt.3)

Part One: You find your Pro-Hero boyfriend rummaging through your office.

The midday sun pours through large bay windows, casting warm shadows on the wooden floor. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods mingles in the air, wrapping me in a comforting embrace. I adjust my sitting position across from Nejire, a bright smile dancing on her lips as she leans in, her azure eyes sparkling.

"I still can't believe you dated him," Nejire teases, her voice laced with playful disbelief. She takes a sip of her iced latte, her gaze never leaving mine.

I force a laugh, stirring my coffee absently. "Me either, I don't know what I was thinking." The words feel hollow, a familiar ache in my chest. I take a sip, the warmth of the coffee soothing.

Nejire rolls her eyes dramatically. "I bet even date nights turned into some kind of contest."

I manage a small smile, memories flashing before my eyes. "You have no idea." I reminisce. "Last year, we went to an amusement park and he insisted on winning every game at the arcade after a little kid laughed at him for missing the balloon. By the end of the night, I had so many stuffed animals that we could barely carry them all."

Hado bursts into laughter, her joy contagious. "Is it wrong I can't imagine him ever just relaxing or having fun?"

I try to laugh along, the sound feeling foreign in my throat. "Only on Sunday."

Nejire's expression softens, concern evident in her eyes. "Hey, are you okay? You seem… off."

I sigh, the façade crumbling. "It's just… I still love him, Hado. Despite everything, I thought we had something real… I thought he was going to marry me." My voice wavers, the words heavy with longing.

Nejire reaches across the table, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm so sorry. I really am. I can't imagine how hard that must be for you."

Tears prick the corners of my eyes, but I blink them away. "It's just hard to let go, you know? We had so many good moments, and I can't help but think about what could have been." I pause, the weight of my next words sinking in. "I don't have anyone else, Hado. My father sacrificed everything to raise me. I can't turn my back on him."

Nejire nods. "I hear you. Love isn't something you can just switch off. You’re making the right decision, no matter who you pick."

I sigh again, feeling a mixture of relief and lingering sadness. "Thanks, Nejire."

"Anytime."

Just as I begin to speak, my phone vibrates on the table, the sudden motion startling me. I glance at the screen, my father's name flashing. My heart lifts instantly, a genuine smile spreading across my face.

"Speak of the devil." I pick up the call, anticipation bubbling in my chest. "Hi, Dad!"

"Sweetheart!" His voice booms with warmth and affection, instantly making me feel lighter. "How's my girl doing today?"

"I'm good. Just catching up with Nejire in Aichi. What's up?"

"I'm sending a car to pick you up," he states, a hint of excitement in his tone. "I have a surprise for you at the office. Think you can make it?"

"Of course!" I hear the joy in my own voice, my mind racing with possibilities.

"Great! See you soon, sweetheart. Love you."

"Love you too, Dad." I end the call and turn back to Nejire. "Looks like I have to cut this short. My dad's sending a car to pick me up."

Nejire's eyes widen with curiosity. "A surprise, huh? Sounds exciting! You have to tell me all about it later."

We talk a little longer about work and mutual friends. For a moment, I feel normal again, like I never came home that night. Would he have told me?

Just as Nejire finishes speaking, a tall figure approaches our table. I look up to see one of my dad's bodyguards, Taro. He stands a few steps away, waiting patiently for me to acknowledge him. His presence is a stark contrast to the cozy atmosphere, his formal attire and stoic expression reminding me of my reality.

"Excuse me, miss," his voice is low and rich, a touch of formality in his tone. Nejire raises an eyebrow at me after ogling him, her smile hidden behind a raised cup. "The car is ready whenever you are."

I smile at him, appreciating his professionalism. "Thank you. I'll be out in just a moment."

Turning back to Nejire, I give her a quick hug. "Looks like it's time for me to go. Thanks for everything, Nejire. Maybe our paths will cross at work sometime soon."

"It was so much fun last time," she says, returning the hug. "I hope he's your surprise," Hado winks, causing my cheeks to flush.

With one last smile, I gather my things and follow the guard out of the café. A sleek black car is waiting at the curb, its polished surface gleaming in the sunlight.

As I slide into the back seat, Taro waits patiently, then once I’m seated, he softly closes the door.

The car glides smoothly through the bustling city streets, the hum of the engine a soothing background noise. I sit back, fingers tapping lightly against the cool leather of the seat. The cityscape blurs past, tall buildings casting long shadows in the afternoon light. The faint scent of Taro's cologne mixes with the car's pristine interior, creating an oddly calming atmosphere.

I glance out the window, watching people go about their day. My mind drifts to my dad and the surprise he mentioned. He always has a way of making even the smallest gestures feel grand. A smile tugs at my lips, remembering the birthday party he threw for me 3 years ago—the night I meet Mr. and Mrs. Bakugo for the first time.

The car comes to a gentle stop in front of the skyscrapers. Their sleek, modern design looms over the surrounding buildings, a testament to success. Taro steps out first, moving with practiced efficiency as he opens my door. He extends his hand, his expression still.

"Miss," he says, his voice as steady as ever.

I take his hand, a shiver running down my spine at the surprising cold temperature. "Thanks, Taro." His grip is firm yet gentle, helping me rise from the car with ease.

We head into the lobby, and through security with ease. Before stepping into the elevator, the doors closing with a soft whoosh. The ride up is silent, except for the gentle hum of hold music. Taro stands beside me, his eyes forward. I steal a glance at him, wondering what goes on in his mind during this job.

The elevator dings softly as we reach our floor. The doors slide open, revealing a spacious lobby lined with modern art. Taro gestures for me to lead the way, and I do so, my heels clicking softly against the polished floor.

The receptionist quickly picks up her phone announcing my presence to him as I pass. Taro steps forward, opening the office door allowing me to step inside.

My dad's office is as grand as ever, a blend of luxury and power. The walls are adorned with articles and photographs, each telling a story of his success. He stands by the window, hands clasped behind his back, looking out over the city.

"Papa," I call softly, stepping further inside. The faint scent of cologne mingles with the rich aroma of leather and wood.

He turns, a broad smile lighting up his face. "Sweetheart," he says warmly, opening his arms. I move into his embrace, feeling the familiar strength and reassurance in his hug.

"It's good to see you," I say, pulling back to look at him. "You mentioned a surprise?"

He chuckles. "You’re quick with it. Come, sit." Dad gestures to the chair opposite to his desk. As I settle, I notice the subtle signs of wear on his eyes.

"You've done a lot of work for our company, and I wanted to show you how much I appreciate your sacrifices."

"You didn't have to, Dad. You paid for my law school, I can read over files every once and awhile."

"Nonsense," he says, waving away my words. "You deserve the world, my dear." Papa reaches into a drawer, pulling out a sleek black box. He hands it to me, his eyes glinting with something I can't quite place.

I open the box, revealing a stunning necklace, the gems catching the light in a dazzling display. "Oh, Dad, it's beautiful," I breathe, touched by the gesture.

He smiles, but there's something in his eyes—something fleeting. "Only the best for my girl."

I reach out, giving his hand a squeeze. " thank you. It’s breathtaking."

"Anything for you," he says, his voice smooth and reassuring. "Now, tell me all about your day."

As I recount my time at the café with Nejire, he listens intently, his expression a blend of warmth and pride. But then he shifts in his seat, his tone becoming casual—too casual.

"So, how's Katsuki doing?" he questions, his tone playful.

My heart skips a beat, and I force a neutral expression. "We broke up," I reply, trying to keep my tone steady. "It just didn't work out."

He raises an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? What happened?"

I hesitate, feeling a strange tension in the air. "We just grew apart. Our priorities were different."

He nods slowly, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Well, sometimes these things happen for a reason. You deserve someone who truly appreciates you."

Something about his reaction feels off, but I can't put my finger on it. "Yeah, I guess so."

He leans back, eyes never leaving mine. "Did he give you any trouble? You know I can handle it if he did."

"No, Dad. It was mutual. We're both adults."

"Of course, of course," he says smoothly, but there's an edge to his voice. "Just looking out for you."

I force a smile, but the nagging feeling in the back of my mind won't go away. "You always do."

"Now, let's focus on the positive. How about dinner tonight?"

"Sure," I agree, my mind is still spinning. Am I overanalyzing or is this… weird.

Part 4:

[tigerlyla-of-metinna]

I'm doing a tag game!

What are your 3 historical gaming moment?

Anything related to videogames: be it achieving the highest score in the arcade, defeating that final boss after 100 tries, winning a PS5 in a raffle, getting a photo or autograph of a VA, cosplaying a videogame character... anything!

Then tag 5 people (minimum) and let's reminisce. Spread some positivity!

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Here are my 3 personal best (in no particular order)

1.Tekken 3

The first time I truly enjoyed playing a fighting game (I still hate playing PvP in fighting games cuz an actual human is way better at it than me) was when I finally approached a real Tekken pro. A big arcade opened up in my city and I was the only girl who went there every weekend and buy 30 tokens (Php 90.00) to feed the various machines. I saw this tall college dude play King and I was mesmerized watching him pull all of Kings grapples. After several months, I watched him from behind, playing Tekken 3 until I muster up the courage to ask him how he pulled off all his moves. The college dud pulled a piece of paper and pen and began to write down all of Kings' combos and grabs, and gave it to me! Since then I have practiced on every Tekken 3 machine, pulled off all Kings' impressive grapples to a growing audience who couldn't believe their eyes that this little highschool girl is playing Tekken 3 and beating it! Oh and I became good at the games that I reduced my 30 tokens to 5.

2. Resident Evil 2 (PS1)

This game came with the console my mom gave me. First time I popped the disc in and chose Leon S Kennedy on normal mode, I was piled upon by zombies and died. That game over screen traumatized me and I did not pick up RE for months! When I did gave it a second chance, I notice there was a 3rd mode: ARRANGED. It made the game ridiculously easy by giving me all the weapons, and so I plowed through Raccoon City with my machine gun and rocket launcher. It was fun until it wasn't. I decided to play the game on Normal, got eaten and died, then powered through it. Finally beat the game on Normal and Hard. Also went for the S Rank and bonus content. Now I love all horror and survival horror games (Silent Hill, Outlast, Evil Within, etc). It became my favorite genre.

3. The Witcher 3

Had it not for this game, I wouldn't have made The Nilfgaardian Collection or started digital art. I think it was December 2019 (or 16 I dunno, it was Xmas), my brother gave me two choices: TW3 or FF15. I wanted FF15 cuz I have always been a fan of Final Fantasy and TW3 was hyped to the heavens. I wanted to know if the hype was justified and so I got TW3 GOTY edition. The hype... was well deserved! I was hooked, I plat the game, I decided to make fanarts of my fave character (Emhyr) and gave myself a goal: to have the biggest collection of Emhyr and Nilfgaard pics and be known as that crazy chick with an unhealthy obsession to Emhyr and his Nilfgaardian empire. Thus cemented the Nilfgaardian Collection in the fandom!

I taggeth @bittersweetbark, @alphagravy, @rotatingremains, @regis-favorite-raven, @oblakovka, @smehur, @laurikarauchscat, @jawanaka, @traumschwinge, @valandhirwriter

[d20-lesbian]

🐈‍⬛🖤INTRO POST🖤🐦‍⬛

I'm finally making an intro post! under the break you will find everything from DNI to Hyperfixations/Interests, plus a new tagging system I'll be using so my blog isn't such a wasteland <33 Enjoy

alright lets start with some info!

My name is Onyx

I'm a non binary lesbian

I use they/xe/it and a bunch of neopronouns

I identify with a bunch of xenogenders!

I flip from hyperfixation to hyperfixation super easily but my special interests are musical theatre and psychology/mental illness. (2 very different things i know).

I'm 18 years old and Australian :3

before you follow !

I might spam reblog sometimes, but I'll have all reblogs tagged so you can mute that if you like.

I'm always happy to receive asks and such, anonymous or not!! please i want mutuals ;-;.

i might vent at times, nothing too serious of course and always properly tagged.

Just keep this in mind!

DNI IF:

- you fall into basic DNI criteria (homophobic, transphobic, racist, etc.)

- you're pro-ana or pro-sh as I'm in recovery for both of these.

- you're a proshipper

- you're under 12

- you're a Monika apologist (DDLC)

- you fake claim

- you're anti neopronouns/xenogenders

some of my triggers are ,

vomit, in any way, this is my biggest one!! i have very severe emetephobia and dont really even like the word.

IRL sans hoodies/blue jackets that look similar to that.

Sayoris death scene from DDLC

i love musical theatre, rock/metal music, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, mental health advocacy, psychology, dungeons and dragons/other TTRPGs and witchy stuff :3

I'm in a lot of fandoms, including !

DDLC, Dimension 20 (fantasy high), Danganronpa, Helluva Boss, Hazbin Hotel, Ride The Cyclone, SIX, Beetlejuice, Hamilton, Heathers, Vocaloid, Sanrio, Unus Annus, TBHK, MLP, FNAF, Marvel, NITW, Pokemon, Supernatural, Markiplier egos, WKM, ADWM, AHWM, ISWM, Jacksepticeye egos, Doctor Who, Starkid, The Hatchetfield Trilogy AND MANY MORE I CANT REMEMBER RN!!

this section will update every now and then with whatever I'm hyperfixating on !! right now its;

will wood/will wood and the tapeworms!!!

I kin !

Sayori (DDLC)

Kokichi (DRV3)

Angeldust (HH)

Jane Doe (RTC)

Fave characters are !

All kins <3

Ibuki Mioda (DRV2)

Emu Otori (PJSK)

Celestia Ludenberg (DRV1)

Ocean O'Connell Rosenburg (RTC)

Kuromi (Sanrio)

Kristen Applebees (D20)

Figueroth Faeth (D20)

im gonna introduce a tagging system to make my blog less of a messy hellscape!!

reblogs will be tagged with #onyx rbs

me yelling about fandoms will be tagged with #onyx fandom posting

vents will be tagged with #onyx sad

more serious posts will be tagged with #onyx serious

random shit/rambles will be tagged with #onyx is rambling

answering asks will be tagged with #onyx answers asks

heres some stuff that doesn't fit into any of the previous categories!

my favourite mutuals are @frogsareallgay , @elias-pluto , @tumbletryr and @teslapenguini !!

My favourite animals are black cats, crows/ravens, moths and bats! and i identify heavily with black cats specifically!! (im the real black cat gf sorrry not sorry >:3)

Some of the neopronouns i use are :3

glitch/void/moon/star/spirit/crow/moth/hallow/cat/kit/arcade/wisp

heres some links to my other socials !!

Insta: rock_lesbian

Twitter: Dnd_Lesbian

Discord: onyxjae

Pinterest: Onyx Jae

Carrd: Onyx Jae's Carrd

Spacehey: Onyx Jae

anyway, to close out, thank you for reading through all of this!! i hope you enjoy your stay on my blog !!! love yall <33

[aheckinmess]

(One-shot series 2/3 chapters posted - posts regularly on Saturdays. If anyone knows who to credit for the Hizashi fanart, please let me know!)

Read on AO3.

Tags: Graphic violence, Hizashi Yamada x OC, Present Mic, Present Mic saves the day, Hizashi Yamada is a ray of sunshine, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, pro hero to the rescue, fast friends, hibachi date, time for therapy

Word Count: 4,612 words

Summary: Breaking free of Kigai’s control grants Ichijiku the freedom she’s always dreamed of, but recovering from it isn’t easy. With Hizashi’s help, Ichijiku is able to make more progress towards a normal life, and maybe even a normal relationship.

Author's Note: I haven't posted fanfiction in years, but after a two-year obsession with My Hero Academia, I have more than enough content to share. This first series is pretty dark, but there's some comfort and sweetness along the way. Enjoy.

TW: Implied/Referenced Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Abuse, PTSD Flashbacks

Chapter 2: Nightmares & New Horizons

Ichijiku (Tigress)

Sometimes lullabies keep the nightmares away and sometimes Kigai sings them to me in my dreams. Life hasn’t been the same since he’s been locked up. It’s a far cry better, but an adjustment. Still, it feels good to stretch my legs and breathe again.

As days stretch into weeks, I find Hizashi again. He’s sitting on a bench outside the arcade with that huge smile stretched wide, hands behind his head, and head bopping to the beat of his headphones. When I tap him and he opens his eyes, he lights up.

“Ichijiku! Wow, hey!” He immediately gets up and makes like he’s going to hug me, then seems to think better of it and puts his hands in his pockets. “How’ve you been?”

I still find myself glancing around in public to keep a periphery watch out for Kigai, and I can’t stop myself now. The feeling of dread he imparted on me hasn’t left, it’s merely fading into the background. “I’ve been…it’s been a lot of work, you know, trying to move on. But, I think I’m doing okay.” I want to be optimistic about the whole endeavor. My therapist says that’s what’s helped me survive this long: the hope of a better horizon. I want to keep that part of me alive and prove Kigai was wrong about everything.

I want to prove that to myself too.

“How are you?”

“Well, I…I’ve actually been thinking a lot about you.” He admits sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “See, a lot of times we can’t get solid evidence on people like…your ex.” He’s very careful not to say his name. I can’t tell whether I’m grateful for it or not yet. I don’t want to be afraid of him anymore. Wounds take time to heal, Little One. “So they frequently get back out because of how well they hide the damage they’ve dealt.” It’s the first time his smile hasn’t fully reached his eyes as he looks at me, but it’s back in place soon enough. “But I’m glad to see that you’re still on your own and thriving! I mean, look at that outfit! Those curly locks and those sparkling eyes! You’ve made a lot of progress since I last saw you.”

“That means a lot, Hizashi.” A real smile graces my lips. How different he is from Kigai. If it weren’t for people like him…I’d still be stuck in hell. “Hey, why don’t I grab your number? I can keep you updated on things. And I’ll need a friend for certain assignments given to me by my therapist. I don’t really have anyone to keep me accountable for the hard tasks.” Worry and guilt suddenly swirl in my stomach and I stop pulling out my phone midway. “I-I mean. That’s a lot to burden you with, I’m sorry. I should have asked and not offered–”

“Hey, no sweat!” Hizashi looks like Christmas came early. He pulls out his phone, presses the new contact button and taps it against my phone peeking out of my pocket. “I imagine finding new friends…learning what feels like a whole new way of life…that has to be difficult. I’ll gladly help you out when times are rough!” 

“Thanks.” I sigh in relief as I look at the contact number and picture now synced to my phone. I snort. “What is this picture?”

“That’s my best friend’s cat, Cloud! He…got a little too enthusiastic about hogging the camera while I was taking a profile pic.” He laughs.

“It’s adorable!” A notification pops up and I start walking away, giving him a wave. “Oh! Got an appointment, gotta run!” 

“I’ll see you later!”

. . . . .

 Hey, Zashi, Kigai isn’t staring at me from the hallway, is he? I take a picture of the ghost in my hall, frozen with fear as tears glisten on my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Kigai, please go away.” 

His eyes bore into mine. You know the consequences for disobeying me, bitch. You weren’t supposed to tell anyone! I can smell the eucalyptus on his shirt and the minty tang of his gum. “Please, Kigai, I’m sorry…” I whimper, scooting around while feeling for the door to my bedroom. He’s going to hit me. He’s going to punish me so bad! Get away from him, Cub. Get a door between the two of you and lock it.

My phone rings and I bolt. I slam my door behind me and lock it. I search for the first thing I can to put between me and Kigai and start heaving my dresser in front of the door. Then I rush into the adjoining bathroom, lock the door, and hop in the tub, pulling the shower curtain. 

I finally answer the phone. “Zashi?” I choke out. “Zashi, he’s here. I need help.”

“Hey, Ichan, hey. I saw the picture. Kigai’s not there.” Hizashi’s voice swirls in the background. “Take a few deep breaths.”

My body jolts as I hear his voice screaming through the door. You know better than to run from me, whore! “Zashi, he’s trying to get through! He keeps yelling at me, please help…” I sob, clutching my phone close to my ear and clenching my eyes shut tight. “Stop, stop, stop…please, stop, I’m sorry…” I pant, peeking out from the shower curtain and feeling grateful Kigai hasn’t made it through the barriers I’ve set between us.

“Ichan, you’re having a flashback.” Hizashi coos through the receiver. “I need you to take a few good deep breaths for me. Tell me what you see.”

I try to listen. I really do. I suck in a heavy breath through my lips and grip the lip of the bathtub so hard my knuckles turn white. My chest aches on the exhale and I shove my free palm into my eye so hard I see spots. 

“What do you see, Ichan?”

I swallow and pull back, opening my eyes as my body trembles.

“Th-There’s,” You better open this goddamn door, brat! “Th-There’s my shower curtain…and…” Who the hell are you talking to?! 

“What’s on the shower curtain?” 

“Zashi, if he finds out I’m talking to you, he’ll hurt you.” I whimper. I’m scared to hang up the phone and face punishment. I’m scared to keep talking and watch Kigai hunt Hizashi down.

“Ichijiku, what’s on the shower curtain?”

“There’s seashells.” After all I’ve fucking done for you.

“What kind of seashells? What colors?”

“There’s a light pink…and lavender…blue…” I once again peek out the curtain.

And I promptly let out a shriek and throw my phone across the bathroom. What the fuck are you doing in the bathtub hiding from me?! “I’m sorry!” I cry, curling up against the porcelain and covering my head. Rough fingers grip my arm and I hear his voice growling in my ear. You know who you belong to, don’t you? Why the fuck are you letting those nobodies look at you like that?! Pain bleeds through my back as I try to placate him. “Please, Kigai, they didn’t mean it. Please stop.” I’ll stop when you know no one else’s body but mine. His hands grip my thighs and dread settles in my bones.

I don’t know how long he spends growling obscenities in my ear and raking his fingers over every surface of skin he can touch. But I know I hear the door open and my whole body clenches. No. If someone comes in here Kigai’s going to kill them! 

“Ichijiku?” Hizashi’s voice echoes in the bathroom. “It’s me. It’s Hizashi.” 

You know this sleaze just wants to take advantage of you while you’re vulnerable, yeah? You belong to me! I whimper and try to draw air in my lungs. “Zashi, run!” I beg.

“Ichan, take a deep breath.” He says on the other side of the curtain. “Take a big, deep breath. You’re safe. Kigai’s not here.” You fucking whore!

I choke on the oxygen I’m trying to take in but dammit I breathe. I inhale and I exhale. Kigai’s hands tilt back and forth between feeling ghostly and real. I inhale and I exhale. “Zashi, you have to run…” I whimper.

“You’re safe, Ichan.” The warmth in his voice starts wrapping around me again. “Kigai’s not here. You’re safe.”

I inhale and I exhale. I slowly uncurl from my ball when I no longer feel Kigai’s hands roaming my body. I inhale and I exhale. The smell of eucalyptus and mint fades into the rusty smell of the tub. The sound of my air freshener spraying out apple cinnamon seems to emphasize the dismissal of his scent all around me. I inhale and I exhale.

I slowly rise in the tub and ease the shower curtain back.

Sitting against the bathroom wall, Hizashi looks at me with glistening, patient eyes. My phone still sits on the floor right beside him. When he notices I’m looking, he makes a big show of taking a deep breath in, and a deep breath out.

I inhale and I exhale as I sluggishly crawl out of the tub.

“Zashi?” I breathe, looking warily around the bathroom. I creep towards the door, open it, and then hop back out of view. I look in the mirror to see if anyone’s in my room, but it’s empty. “Is he gone?” 

“You’re safe, Ichan.” Hizashi says, looking up at me. “Kigai’s not here.” 

“You’re sure he’s gone?” I whimper, creeping to the doorframe and eyeing every crack and crevice that might be out of place. Nothing has moved except the dresser. “Did you move the dresser?” I ask frantically.

“Take a deep breath, Ichan.” He tells me, and I inhale and I exhale. I listen, and he starts slowly standing up, grabbing my phone along the way. “I picked the lock when I heard you scream. I had to shove the dresser back with the door to get in. I wanted to make sure you were safe, and you are. You’re safe, Ichan. Kigai’s not here.”

Security blankets me and as my pulse evens out, a heavy wave of exhaustion washes over me. My eyelids are harder to hold open and my shoulders sag. He’s not here. He never was. It was a flashback, just like he said. You’re strong, Little Cub. We made it through another flashback. It’s going to be okay. We’re safe now.

“Is it okay if I touch you?” Hizashi asks. “Give you a hug? I don’t want to frighten you.”

I survey my emotions and analyze how I’m feeling. When I’ve taken a few more deep breaths and feel more confident, I nod. 

Two, strong arms pull me into a warm chest. I hear the steady beating of Hizashi’s heart and close my eyes, drinking in the security that just being near him brings. I breathe in time with that strong beat of his heart. 

“You’re safe.” He whispers, and I squeeze him a little tighter. Please don’t leave. 

“I’m sorry.” A few of my tears decorate his shirt. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” He croons, rubbing up and down my back. “Flashbacks can be vivid. I’m just glad I was able to help. You don’t have to worry about him anymore, though. I’m here.” 

. . . . .

For the next few weeks, my therapist asks me to write down detailed accounts of my flashbacks so we can analyze my triggers and try to minimize them. It sucks, but writing them down helps us figure out that eucalyptus is in the Stress Relief pillow mist I use and causes most of my flashbacks at night. We also learn that I’m more sensitive to auditory triggers, like songs he used to play in the car or abrupt loud sounds.

It doesn’t happen every time, thankfully, which is good considering Hizashi’s been trying to help me acclimate to a normal life. He’s been taking me out to different places in the hopes of showing me the finer points of life. We’ve been to the arcade, had a picnic in the park, and he’s even taken me to a music store and serenaded me while playing the piano. I’ve also met a few of his friends: Nemuri, Shouta, and Oboro.

Both myself and my therapist are impressed with the amount of help he’s offered to my situation. We’re both cautiously optimistic, though. 

Kigai started out all sunshine and rainbows, too, after all. 

Which table are you at? I text Hizashi as I step into the hibachi restaurant. The heat of the room feels good as the impending winter sets in. I love cold weather. I look around for a pair of familiar orange sunglasses. 

Hey! The table in the far back. You won’t be able to see me from the front.

I start heading that way, and smile when his yellow eyes meet mine. I’ve never been more grateful to hear blissful silence accompanying a tender gaze.

“Hey, glad to see you found the place okay.” He hops up the second he sees me and pulls the chair out for me to have a seat. It’s been a while since I’ve been pampered by an actual gentleman. “This place has a great atmosphere, and the food is amazing!”

“Yeah, it’s really warm and vibrant.” I agree as I get situated in the chair and he pushes me in. I twirl a piece of hair around my finger nervously as I look around at the crowd of people at other tables. What if they’re watching me? Kigai will– He’s not here, Dear One.

“Look at me.” Hizashi says, staring across the table and drawing me in with his essence. “There you go. No need to worry. I’m here.”

“Thanks.” I chuckle nervously, still twirling my hair as a comfort. “What would you recommend from here?” 

“You’ve got to try the freckled lemonade. Unless you’re allergic to strawberries. Then, don’t.” Hizashi laughs, opening his menu. “But aside from that, the shrimp hibachi is killer! I’m salivating just thinking about it.”

I’ll grab the shrimp hibachi then, as it’s probably the simplest and one of the cheaper menu items. I wasn’t exactly left with a lot in my bank account to compensate for what Kigai took from me. I think with some financial anxiety. 

Once we’ve made our decisions and the waiter has taken our orders, there’s a group of girls that walk by laughing. One of them gives me some side-eye and I instantly start fussing with my outfit. I pull up the shoulders of my burnt orange blouse and adjust my cardigan. Fatass. You know if you ate less I might have fewer men looking at your thick curves.

“You look gorgeous.” Hizashi says, and I snap my head up with worry. He flushes and holds up his hands, waggling them nervously. “I-I mean, you seemed worried about those girls and I just wanted you to know that you didn’t have to fix up anything. They were probably just jealous that you look so good…I-I mean! Well…oh man…” He rubs his shoulder as he fumbles over his words.

“It’s okay, Zashi.” I also flush, but only because I don’t think I’m worthy of his flustered manner. “I’m probably just overreacting anyway. I can’t…seem to turn off my anxieties.”

“It’s to be expected. You’re doing great based on what you’ve gone through.” He reaches across the table and squeezes my hand, rubbing his thumb over the sensitive skin there. “You don’t have to be afraid around me.”

“I know.” I breathe, looking at our hands and feeling  a strange combination of terror and warmth. Am I afraid of how good he makes me feel? You’re afraid of getting close and getting hurt again. I don’t want to be afraid of Hizashi. 

“I’m sorry.” Hizashi pulls his hand back and gives me a smile. “I forget that touch is still hard for you. As I’m sure you know now, I’m a dramatic and expressive person. If I ever make you feel uncomfortable, please let me know.”

“You don’t.” I promise, looking up at him and instantly regretting the absence of his touch. “I’m…just scared.” I look down. “I’m scared of getting too close to you. I enjoy your company, but I’m afraid you’re too good to be true. I’m afraid you’ll either end up like Kigai or I’ll do something wrong and you’ll leave.” My eyes start watering.

The silence between us stretches on as we eat our food and Hizashi looks thoughtful over his next words. When he swallows a bite of rice, he opens his mouth to speak again.

“I can’t make you trust that I’m not like Kigai. That’s something I know will come with time. But I can do my best to reassure you that even if you do something to upset me, I’m willing to communicate with you and not just leave you.” He opens and closes his mouth a few more times before sighing. “I care about you too much as a friend to leave you without trying to save the relationship first.”

When the words as a friend cut to my heart, I understand why I’m so scared. I take a deep breath. I’m falling in love with him, and I’m scared. You’ve been hurt. You’re allowed to be afraid…but you’re also allowed to love again. I don’t know if I’m ready to love again. And that’s okay. You can take your time. But I don’t want to lose him, either. I don’t know if I’m ready to watch him find love with someone else, but I don’t know if I’m ready to claim him as my own. I’m too scared. Then tell him that. In those words. I can’t…

I fix my face into a smile. “Thank you, Zashi.”

For the rest of dinner, I stew over my thoughts while I laugh at Hizashi’s jokes and stories. Between the ambient atmosphere and his glowing presence, I feel full of optimism as he walks me home.

It’s while I’m digging for my keys at the door that he throws me for a loop.

“Hey, um, Ichijiku?” His voice shakes, which is unusual for him.

“Yes, Hizashi?” I turn, pulling my key ring from my purse. 

He takes a step forward until he’s close enough I can smell his cologne. 

“I know that you’re going through a lot right now, and I want you to know that I’m proud of you for pushing through.” At first, he seems ready to leave it at that, but he opens his mouth again and looks at me with pink cheeks. “So, I have no right to ask this given what you’ve already gone through, but is it okay if I kiss you?”

I hold my breath. My chest gets tight and my muscles seize. You belong to me, got it? “Hizashi…”

“If the answer is no, that’s okay.” He says quickly. “I’m not trying to force you into anything and I certainly don't want to bring up any unhappy memories for you. I just…couldn’t go any longer without seeing where you stood. I was scared if I waited too long, I might lose the opportunity.”

Why does that sound exactly like what I was thinking in the restaurant? How do I tell him that I love him but I’m not ready? Say exactly that. Once the ground beneath me stops swaying and the beat of my heart returns to normal, I look up at him.

“Zashi, the answer is no…but not because I don’t have feelings for you.” I watch as his eyes dim and light up again. “I don’t know if I’m ready to make that kind of commitment. I want to be. I wish I could tell you yes, but I can’t.” I reach up and caress his cheek. His hand wraps around mine as he leans into my hold, his expression akin to that of an adoring puppy. “And it’s not fair of me to want you this much and ask you to wait for me.” My voice gets tight. I want you to hold me and keep me close, but I’m afraid if I let you, you’ll choke me. And I’m not worth the wait. I’m not worth the work and the effort so I know you’ll walk away and I’m sorry. “So, you don’t have to wait for me. But if it’s any consolation, I think I have it in me to do this.” I lean up on my tiptoes, and place a tearful kiss on his cheek.

“I love you, Hizashi, even if you’re not meant to be mine.” I swallow thickly and turn away to unlock my door before disappearing inside.

. . . . .

Hey, Ichi, can we talk?

Ichan, are you there?

I’m going to grab frozen yogurt later, want to join?

I’m starting to worry about you. Can you at least tell me if you’re okay?

Ever since the night we’ve had dinner, Hizashi has still checked in on me regularly. I’ve been trying to distance myself in the hopes that by doing so, he’ll stop trying to reach out and move on with his life. 

He proves to be rather stubborn.

I’m sorry if I’ve worried you. I’m fine. I finally send, not wanting him to think I’m in any sort of trouble.

I’m glad to hear it! The response comes in seconds. Are you free?

That’s where I stop. I can’t entertain this. I’ve already told him that he’d have to wait for me, and I’m not worth the time. Shouldn’t he get to decide what’s worth his time? 

I hug my knees to my chest on the couch and stare out the window overlooking the city. Everything is colder now that winter’s hit. Frost paints the windowpane and people walk down the streets blowing smoke from their lips. The cold would be much more enjoyable if I had Hizashi’s warmth to complement it.

My jaw clenches as frustration mounts. I don’t want to push him away but… Then why are you? Isn’t this how it’s supposed to be? Shouldn’t I be proud of myself for communicating my needs clearly? My therapist is certainly proud I’ve set boundaries and worked on coping skills. With all of this handled, we’ve been able to work on how to respond to my flashback triggers and implement strategies to work through them. 

But even she thinks I’ve been a little extreme cutting all communication with Hizashi. 

Yeah, I’m free. I send the text before I can talk myself out of it and then pull my blanket around myself to hide from whatever might follow.

A knock sounds at my door. I peek out from under my blanket as my breath catches.

“Who is it?” I call.

“The one! The only! Hizashi Yamadaaaaaaaa!”

One voice. One voice and spring blossoms in my veins amidst the cold winter storm. 

When I open the door my body moves on instinct. There is no thought in my mind when my arms reach out and pull him in. There is no question or hesitation when tender arms meet my back and squeeze tight. There is only Hizashi.

“You never let me answer that night.” He breathes in my ear, before pulling back and tilting my chin up. His expression is inescapable. “I love you, too, Ichan. You’re worth waiting for.”

“I’m so sorry.” My chest quivers. “Hizashi, I’m so sorry. I was afraid.”

“I know.”

“I thought you’d want a better life without me.”

“That life doesn’t exist for me. Not if you’re out of the picture.”

“I’m not worth the wait.”

“You’re worth the world, lovebug.”

I hug him for the next three minutes, thanking God for His mercy and kindness, and I thank God for Hizashi. He feels so good. I don’t ever want to leave. Why don’t you start there then? The idea comes to me quite by surprise, and I look up at Hizashi with newfound hope burning in my chest.

“Hey, Hizashi?”

“Yes?” His thumb strokes my cheek.

“I don’t know if I’m ready for a kiss…but would you settle with cuddles on the couch?” 

The corners of his lips turn up into that heartstopping grin. “I’d love that.”

. . . . .

We start small. For the first few weeks, we’re barely close enough for it to be considered cuddles. I mainly sit by him and rest my head on his shoulder. Gradually, however, we start making some headway. Leaning on his shoulder turns into sitting in his lap and curling under his chin, which turns into laying beside him, which turns into fully wrapping myself around him and taking well-earned naps.

It’s a little scary at first, being so close to him. I imagine it a little like being too close to the sun, always on the lookout for getting burned. But he’s attentive, gentle, and patient. When a small miscalculated move makes me flinch or freak out or freeze, he’s apologetic and understanding.

And thus, we manage to move into those bigger steps together. Doubts and fears of Kigai become less pervasive the more Hizashi shows me he’s not going to hurt me. With each passing week as he proves it, I find myself more and more open to his touch. I find myself more expectant of it. But most of all, I find myself more eager for it.

“Ichi, where’d you get this beanie? I need one!” Hizashi turns the blue and orange striped beanie in his hand.

“That? I made it. You can have it if you want.” I chuckle, wrapping my arms around his middle and sighing into his back. “It was meant to be a craft experiment. But it turned out sort of ick yucky.”

“Ick yucky? It’s magical!” He uses my token phrase as he pulls the beanie on and poses. “What do you think? Am I runway ready yet?”

I reach my fingers under the beanie and give his hair a good ruffle, effectively messing up his hair and sending the beanie to the floor. “Now you are.”

“Wa–heeeeeyyyyyy!” He pouts and bends down to look at me with sad puppy eyes. “How am I supposed to look like a model now?”

One moment I’m giggling at his antics and the next my lips press against his. My fingers wind up his chest and around his neck and I’m hanging onto him like he’s my last chance at oxygen. When his hands move to my hips, I’m violently yanked back into reality and I pull back hard, gasping.

“I’m sorry. Should I have stopped you?” Hizashi reaches out for me, but doesn’t close the distance. “Do I need to give you some space?”

“Was that your first kiss?” I blurt, before hiding my face as Hizashi’s face wavers between his and Kigai’s. I take a few, steadying breaths and Hizashi is himself again. “I’m sorry. I should have warned you. I don’t…know what came over me.”

There’s a sad smile on his face. I don’t like it. His features don’t model sadness very well. It doesn’t fit him.

“It’s okay. No, it wasn’t my first kiss, I regret to say.” He looks sheepish before his eyes sparkle. “But it was definitely the best kiss.”

A few moments pass. I did it. I wasn’t thinking about it, but I did it. And it didn’t trigger anything. Maybe…I could try again…I think I want to.

“If I move slowly…do you think we could try that again?” I ask.

“Please.”

So we do. I taste him again and spring blossoms into summer. Sunshine sinks into my veins and hope blossoms in my chest. Light brightens the dark fear in my mind and joy sings through my heart.

And Hizashi doesn’t let me go.

Continue Reading -> Ch. 3

[little-alien-from-pluto]

Little intro!

(Get it it's a pun I like puns)

🌌 my name is squipy but if you wanna call me a more I guess normal name I go by morgen as well

👾 my big age is 21 and I guess I "regress" to around 3-6ish like the pre k and kindergarten age but sometimes also like a 5th grader age

🌌 I go by any pronouns and you're free to use any pet names for me (as long as there appropriate) but some of my favorites are any space related ones

👾 so I'm very new to the community and have never really regressed before but have allways been into and acted more child like due to my autism and just who I am as a person lol so I guess age dreaming would be the right term?? Idk lables are weird

🌌 this blog is mostly going to be me reblogging stuff and making moodboards and what not and idk showing off the games I'll probably play while in this state

👾 as stated I am very new to the agreg community I don't know everything so please please please don't be afraid to let me know of somthing thats common around here (or if I'm simply not welcome here because I'm not a real regressor) but just be kind about it I'm a bit emotional and hate conflict

🌌 I guess I would be considered a flip ( or like a cg/little???) But I am not open to getting a cg or becoming anyone's cg again very new around here and kinda scared so yeah

👾 if you wanna come and say hi my ask are open and uuuh besides that below you'll find my intrest,userboxes and dni! Thanks for reading

Dni:

🌌 SFW INTERACTS ONLY counting as I'll be well a child please please no NSFW stuff cursing is fine but that's it

👾 ra/d quee/rs,pro ship/pers

🌌 just be nice that's all I ask also anti agreg obviously don't interact why are you here?

INTREST:

(Anything with a star is stuff I REALLY REALLY like)

Shows:

Bluey ⭐️

My little pony

The upside down show ⭐️

Rubber dubbers

Magic school bus

Crashbox⭐️

I spy

Blues clues ⭐️

Zaboomafoo

Fairly odd parents ⭐️

Phinese and Ferb⭐️

Wonder over younder

Wizards of Waverly place ⭐️

Hanna Montana ⭐️

ICarly⭐️

Dora

Seseme street ⭐️

Elmos world ⭐️

Video games: ⭐️

Minecraft

Mario series (Mario galaxy is my fav)

Club penguin

Early 2000s flash games ( I love dress up games!!)

Kirby

Undertale

Wii games

YouTube: most of this is early 2010s

Cube smp s1 ⭐️

Graser10 ⭐️

Think noodles

Jacksepteticeye

Markplier

Game theory

Others:

Space ⭐️

Music ⭐️

Arcades ⭐️

Music class

Elementary school stuff in general

Userboxes:

[bluper98]

Deserted Island Videogame Marathon

For my first blog post assignment, I was brainstorming about what type of content I should write about. This came to me after organizing my bookshelves and stumbling across some classic video games!

Picture this: You just crashed your yacht onto a deserted island. While looking through the wreckage, you find a Playstation 2 console, a TV, and a box with every PS2 video game from my personal collection (you were borrowing them); all of these things are still in working condition.

For the sake of this post, food and shelter were not an issue as the yacht was in good condition, and there was miraculously some form of electricity. So, moving on...

These are the games that I believe would keep you most entertained until help arrives. I derived these choices based on hours of gameplay, replay value, plot, customization, and more!

Tony Hawk's Underground: No matter if you're into the skateboarding scene or not, this game has something for every gamer. It has an option for those who like story-driven games to dive into a rags-to-riches plot filled with twists, turns, and kickflips, or if you want to freely skate and try out new tricks with some of your favorite real-life pro skaters, you can do that as well. Not only that, if you want to put your creative skills to work, it lets you create not only a skater to play with but also your own skateboard, skatepark, and even some skate tricks!

2. The Sims 2: If you liked the creative customization of Tony Hawk's Underground, you're going to love this game! It is a life simulation series with the idea of leading a sim or multiple sims throughout their lives, careers, relationships, and more. Don't worry; If you're not into the gameplay aspect of the Sims, you can channel your inner architect and create different types of homes and buildings, or use the Create-A-Sim tool to let you channel your inner stylist instead!

3. Lego Star Wars II: Lego Star Wars II is the retelling of the original Star Wars trilogy, episodes IV, V, and VI, but all the objects, environments, and characters are Lego pieces! Play through chapters of each movie with the ability to play as 68 different characters from the beloved franchise! You even have the option to create two characters with parts you unlock! Whether you're a sci-fi film buff or an avid Lego builder, this is the game for you!

4. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy: Set in a fictional fantasy world, Jak and Daxter follows the journey of Jak helping his friend Daxter transform back into his original self after being transformed into an ottsel (otter and weasel hybrid) by the game's main villains: Gol and Maia Acheron. This classic offers a variety of platforming gameplay, puzzles, and battling set in an open world. To advance, there is a wide range of collectibles you need to get. If you are feeling ambitious and have some time on your hands (which, in this situation, you do), you can go for 100% completion and collect everything within the story!

5. Sega Classics Collection: This game is a little different in that it is a compilation of multiple games into one! This collection contains the remaking of several Sega arcade games spanning over 20 years! You can jump into whatever kind of game you're interested in, from combat, racing, platforming, and more!

Hopefully, these will make the time go by! Obviously, I would recommend playing these if you simply wanted to try some new video games as they all are really fun. Do y'all have any other games you would add to this list?

Thanks for reading!

(All game covers can be found on Google Images)

[etes-secrecy-post]

Hi, before I explain my post, I want to say something important.

• What you see my blog has become a major overhaul. And despite the changes, I decided that my 2nd account will be now my artwork blog with a secret twist.

⚠️NEW RULE! (W/ BIGGER TEXT!)⚠️

⚠️ SO PLEASE DO NOT SHARE MY 2nd ACCOUNT TO EVERYONE! THIS SECRECY BLOG OF MINE IS FOR CLOSES FRIENDS ONLY!⚠️

• AND FOR MY CLOSES FRIENDS, DON’T REBLOG IT. INSTEAD, JUST COPY MY LINK AND PASTE IT ON YOUR TUMBLR POST! JUST BE SURE THE IMAGE WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ONLY LEFT WAS THE TEXT.

⚠️ SHARING LINKS, LIKE POSTS, REBLOG POSTS, STEALING MY SNAPSHOT PHOTOS/RECORDED VIDEOS/ARTWORKS (a.k.a. ART THIEVES) OR PLAGIARIZING FROM UNKNOWN TUMBLR STRANGERS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE BLOCKED, RIGHT AWAY!⚠️

😡 WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT EVER LIKED & REBLOG MY SECRET POST! THIS IS FOR MY SECRET FRIENDS ONLY, NOT YOU! 😡

Okay? Capiche? Make sense? Good, now back to the post…↓

#OnThisDay: May 10th, 2010

Title: Technika ROCKS

Being a DJ is AWESOME!!!!!! 😁🎧🔊🎚️

Actually, DJ CHESTER is my real name in DJ MAX Technika! (Until, I changed my name to "DJ MuruKir" in the following two Technika games series) It's quite a hard, but sometimes it's easy to me!

Yeah, being DJ is awesome & I dig their OSTs (from Technika 1 to 3), but I was TRIED to become Pro DJ & eventually failed from the gecko. lol 😅 Thankfully, I'm retired from playing Technika & all my hands are now on Wangan Maxi Tune game! Man, good thing this arcade racing game never dies! 😁🏁🚘🛣️

MuruKir - created by ME! Logo - DJ MAX Technika (1) © NEOWIZ Games, Neowiz MUCA (Formerly named "Pentavision")

[nightcoremoon]

I disagree with critics a lot but sometimes they have good opinions. metacritic’s video game section is the best I’ve honestly ever seen.

ocarina of time is a 99 because of course it is.

tony hawk pro skater 2, gta4, and soul calibur 1 are 98.

super mario galaxy, smg2, rdr2, gta5, disco elysium, breath of the wild, perfect dark, metroid prime, gta3, super mario odyssey, halo, and nfl2k1 are 97.

bioshock, goldeneye, uncharted 2, resident evil 4, the orange box, arkham city, tekken 3, elden ring, mass effect 2, the house in fata morgana, twilight princess, (what the fuck is skyrim doing here), half life 1, the wind waker, gran turismo, and metal gear solid 2 are 96.

baldur’s gate 2, gta san andreas, persona 5, gta vice city, littlebigplanet, red dead redemption 1, gran turismo 3, halo 2, a link to the past, majora’s mask, the last of us, nfl2k3, portal 2, and mgs5 the phantom pain are 95.

tetris effect, world of goo, bioshock infinite, final fantasy 9, modern warfare 2 (the OG) god of war 4, devil may cry, call of duty 4, chrono cross, celeste, GoW ragnarok, nfl2k4, gears of war, (what the fuck is oblivion doing here), civilization 2, quake, halo 3, ninja garden black, street fighter 4, super mario bros 3, jet grind radio, metal gear solid, grim fandango, splinter cell: chaos theory, resident evil: code veronica, burnout 3, diablo, metal gear solid 3 and 4, ncaa2k4, god of war (the OG), star wars kotor, civilisation 4, nfl2k4, virtua fighter 4, mario 64, are all 94.

the top 100(ish) games all definitely deserve to be there (except for skyrim and oblivion especially since fallout 3 isn’t on there so why the FUCK is oblivion there but not fallout 3??? THEYRE THE EXACT SAME GAME EXCEPT ONE HAS GUNS).

and what’s on the very bottom? *checks paperwork* family party: 30 great games obstacle arcade. what? no, what REAL game is on the very bottom? oh… yes…

ride to hell: retribution has 16. out of 100.

joining it down in the hell pit is leisure suit larry: box office bust, the war z, afro samurai 2: revenge of kuma, drake of the 99 dragons, rambo, charlie’s angels, postal 3, charlie and the chocolate factory, raven’s cry, the XIII remake, the simpsons wrestling, and sonic boom are all down in the 30s or lower.

actually you know what, I take back what I said about skyrim and oblivion. those are good games with huge problems. this list of garbage- actually no, that would be offensive to garbage. this list of the juice that runs off of garbage- actually no, that would be offensive to garbage juice. this list of the maggots wriggling around in the juice that runs off of garbage is the worst of the worst and for good reason. they are offensive, broken, ugly, difficult, lazy, rushed, and worst of all, BORING AS SIN. the only pleasure that can be derived from these evil monstrosities is that of viewing the suffering of others who play it. I never want to touch a single one of these. they are crimes against video games, and also against humanity.

thank you nintendo, rockstar, valve, konami, bungie, capcom, naughty dog, fromsoftware, bioware, atlus, square, infinity ward, irrational, blizzard, and… sigh… thank you bethesda. thank you all for making good video games. or at least for having made them at some point in time (looking at you, literally half of the entire list lol).

[govindhtech]

Castle Crumble & 3 More New Games To Apple Arcade In August

Apple Arcade gets three new games in August, including Temple Run: Legends, Castle Crumble and Vampire Survivors+.

Next month, Apple Arcade will welcome three thrilling new titles: Castle Crumble, an Apple Vision Pro spatial game, Vampire Survivors+, and Temple Run: Legends.

The first level-based runner in the popular series, Temple Run: Legends, will bring players back to Aperion on August 1 and is only accessible on Apple Arcade. The service now includes the BAFTA-winning Vampire Survivors+, which allows for up to four players to play on the same device.

On August 29, the highly acclaimed physics-based puzzle game Castle Crumble will launch a spatial edition that allows users to destroy fanciful castles with every swipe and flick of their fingertips in whatever physical place they choose. The game joins Vision Pro’s growing library of fun spatial games that blend digital material with the real world for immersive gaming.

Apple Arcade features over 200 free games for any Apple device. Every month, there are upgrades to popular games and new ones added. With an Apple Arcade subscription, players can also share these fantastic games with their loved ones, providing a family of up to six with limitless access to all the games in the service’s library. Apple Arcade game

Temple Run: Legends

In Temple Run: Legends, you can leap, swim, run, and join a legion of heroes. Players can explore ancient Aperion with new gaming options, unique challenges and rewards, and over 500 levels in story mode in addition to the traditional unlimited run mode. As they accomplish their upcoming journey, players should get ready to travel across thrilling climates, engage with intriguing locals and wildlife, and meet a distinctive, all-new cast of characters.

Vampire Survivors + by Poncle

A whole new universe of horror is unlocked as players battle for their life in the poisonous, demonic atmosphere of Vampire Survivors+. Night monsters will cross their pathways from dusk to morning, and their only chance of survival will be to rely on the kindness of their fellow survivors.Image credit to Apple

Garlic, a cross, and a magic wand are helpful weapons against their foes, but in the end, it is up to their competent hands to prove their mettle as they take on these lethal beasts via touchscreen combat. There are many different options in this multi-stage game, one of which is a multiplayer mode that allows four players to play together and slaughter zombies on the same device by connecting game controllers.

The BAFTA-winning roguelike survival role-playing game Vampire Survivors+ will debut on Apple Arcade on August 1, 2024. This upgraded, ad-free iOS version of the game may include some DLCs. It will notably also have a special feature: four players can play local cooperative games on the same device.

Orbital Knight’s Castle Crumble

In this physics-based puzzle game, players will go on a journey over a range of kingdoms and distinct biomes in order to destroy the enemy’s castles. With the help of special controllers, players may precisely target the weak spots of the castles with their hands by employing strong explosives, ethereal spells, and mystery unlocked enhancements. Then, they can watch as the castles blow apart across their living rooms.

Castle Crumble (Apple Vision Pro version): Only owners of Apple Vision Pro devices will be able to access this spatial version of the physics-based puzzle game. Beginning on August 29, 2024, players will be able to use hand gestures in real-world settings to bring down fanciful castles.

In addition, players can anticipate entertaining updates for popular games available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro throughout July. These updates include the Friendship Festival, a one-year anniversary celebration for Hello Kitty Island Adventure, a new character and game mode in Sonic Racing, and tonnes of other exciting new content for games like Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom, WHAT THE CAR?, SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit, Snake.io, and many more.

Sonic Racing by SEGA: Rockstar Rouge, a new character in Sonic Racing by SEGA, will be unlocked on July 18 for players that beat the time trial mode’s base time. As players advance in the game, they will be able to access increasingly potent karts thanks to the addition of new kart power levels in this update.

The island adventure Hello Kitty by Sunblink and Sanrio: The Friendship Festival kicks off on July 25 and honours both the International Day of Friendship and Hello Kitty Island Adventure’s one-year anniversary on the Apple Arcade. There are tonnes of new group animations, adorable outfits, and memories galore from this festival. The epic finale to the Friendship Island story arc and an amazing musical collaboration are included in this release.

Pricing and availability

Apple Arcade offers a one-month free trial and monthly fees of $6.99. Customers that purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV can get three months of Apple Arcade for free.

With a one-month free trial, Apple Arcade is accessible with Apple One’s Individual ($19.95), Family ($25.95), and Premier ($37.95) monthly plans.

Arcade Originals work on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. App Store Greats are on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro.

One Apple Arcade subscription allows a family of six unrestricted access to all its games.

The 200+ titles’ device availability depends on hardware and software compatibility. Content may not be available everywhere.

Read more on govindhtech.com

[lewisibarra1512]

My (highly successful) summer vacation rundown

After almost a week long summer vacation away from work, I've managed to snap a variety of photos that caught me by surprise. My first stop? Las Vegas.

Day 1: Bass Pro Shop and the Mermaid's Aquarium

I visited the Bass Pro Shop where they had an entry to a next-door casino with a miniature aquarium. And who was swimming with the fishes? A mermaid. I don't have any grudge towards mermaids, so I'll gladly accept it. Unless they offer free hugs and a safety umbrella to keep themselves safe from the hot weather, that's fine.

It's too bad I didn't find a pufferfish inside the aquarium, but this manta ray is a fascinating sight to behold. I mean, who doesn't love a good manta ray? And as for that pufferfish remark... well, it's actually obvious: they're big animal guy worthy.

I personally have no idea who or what brought the giraffe inside the Bass Pro Shop, but I guess it's acceptable. If he were to eat some french fries, burgers and milkshakes, he'd be a stud muffin. Unlike the one who went full irrelevant at a fish tank before he got busted.

And if that's not important, maybe this M&M's milkshake would do the trick just that! I headed to South Point, the name of a casino and hotel resort, by visiting Steak & Shake where it was home to big burgers. Thank goodness they serve forks and knives so I don't have to deal with what's going on about diner burgers getting ridiculously big. Oh, whoops. Pretend you didn't hear that...

Across the arcade section next to the bowling alley and Century Cinemas, I spotted an arcade game called Dinosaur Era. I've managed to get a good shot of a few dinos present, and I gotta say: I was a sucker for big beefy dino boys. Yes, they're like big animal guys but focusing on something way stronger to beat those meteorites.

Day 2: Birthday shopping at an alien's favorite place!

Just an hour and a half away from South Point, I traveled to the Area 51 Alien Centre for a quick birthday shopping spree. I couldn't find an alien themed biscuit jar but I did get some new large size alien slippers for my own birthday present. Won't be showing them to you until December, so be patient.

Once I made it back to Vegas, I then visited a place called the Arte Museum where it's an immersive media art exhibition space that lets guests experience all sorts of realistic art and visuals crammed together. I was lucky enough to find a beach room with an aurora borealis called Beach Aurora, so I imagined myself raising one hand to touch the latter. Nah, don't worry; I didn't get wet in there.

Well, looks like my wish came true. I called a giraffe a big animal guy, and he seems to enjoy my taste of him. It's probably because he must have followed me to the Arte Musuem. Where's my burger, fries and shake at? I hope he gets hungry so he can be big and tough like a speeding truck.

Day 3: Quick Christmas shopping and a real Asian cuisine

While I resumed my Christmas shopping experience for one of my uncles with a slot machine piggy bank, I spotted this bad boy.

Four years ago when Sword and Shield quickly became the moment I quit the Pokémon community forever, I started to slowly develop my love for aliens. And this slot machine piggy bank that featured aliens, UFO's and a planet Moon took the cake. Is it safe to call it chocolate cake?

I ended my trip to Vegas with Two Hands' world famous Potato Corn Dog, a side of Kimchi fries and a medium soft drink. Hey; I've already done original and Carbonara Buldak. Why not expand it to something else that makes me wanna quote something from a 1965 film?

Day 4: To Citywalk and the pond!

Once I was finished with Vegas, I made my way down to the Alien Fresh Jerky store in Baker, CA to get a quick glimpse on a couple photos: one was some type of a spaceship piloted by two aliens, and the other is a security car or some sort. They're just for show; nothing too scary around.

After a three hour drive while taking some Dramamine to repel motion sickness, I made it to Universal CityWalk to continue my Christmas shopping at the Studio Store. This time, I spotted a hilarious Despicable Me 4 standee where I also imagined myself being freaked out about Mel attempting to shoot a laser out of his eye. Thankfully, Dave got me out of this mess while Gus had trouble flying with the cape nailed to the ground(?) and Jerry coming out. Wasn't hurt, but I sure can't wait to spite on some rat when I see it in cinemas!

Right before I had the urge to get a Studio Tram themed popcorn bucket as a Christmas gift for my aunt, I took a pic of this entrance spot for Universal UNIVRS and imagined what would have happened if Stickybutter doesn't move out of the way or poor Woody Woodpecker will run over him. [Just kidding; this was all just a decoration.]

And while the rat and the bunny are facing numerous controversies surrounding their mishandled business decisions, Stickybutter approves Universal of reviving their mascot Woody back to his rightful place. I'm thankful I got to livestream all 53 episodes in almost two months before I transitioned to the next IP. And in case you're wondering about the whole Studio Tram themed popcorn bucket, it's on the bottom left corner. It's limited edition, so you've got until 11 August to buy it or it's gone!

Finally, I came to my last stop: Requiem Cafe in Anaheim, CA. They've collaborated with Yacht Club Games Co. Ltd. for a special Shovel Knight 10th anniversary event revolving game inspired food and drink. The latter was kind enough of giving them these standees representing Shovel Knight, Shield Knight, Plague Knight and Mona. And just to quench my thirst against the ongoing excessive heat warning...

The Ichor of Boldness! It's sparkling blueberry apple lemonade soda flavor made by the first indie character to be a big animal guy, the Troupple King. Isn't he sweet?

Now of course, I did do some things outside of photos such as partaking in the MJ ONE performance by Cirque du Soleil and MJJ Productions; watched the Fall Guy in cinemas at Las Vegas for the first time and visited the Irvine Spectrum Centre just for more demo drawings at the Apple Store. I eventually stayed at Best Western for one night before heading back home the next morning.

Good thing I've been able to get a few things that's part of my birthday / Christmas shopping, even though it was too early. But it's not over yet! I've got plenty of more to look.

[absolutementality]

Media Log - Guitar Hero III

The game that (didn't) start it all. Well, it did for the people at Neversoft. This was their first game, and also the most popular Guitar Hero game to have ever released, probably because it came out on everything under the sun, after being PS2 exclusive (excluding a 360 port of GH2) for 3 games.

Neversoft took over from Harmonix (well be hearing about them if i ever get to the Rock Band games) after Guitar Hero: Rock the 80s. These are the people who did Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and honestly probably didn't have the qualifications for making a guitar rhythm game, especially after taking the helm from an entire team of musicians.

This is also the first game to not consist of covers, but rather the original releases of the songs (and before you mention it, yes I know there were a few songs that didn't use covers in the original 3 games. This is not the point). Rock Band and later Guitar Hero titles kept this up, though this game is definitely the worst with it. Songs have inconsistent sound quality and inconsistent volume, such as Paint it Black being really quiet compared to other songs.

This is honestly the bog standard of what a Guitar Hero game should be and feel. The background visuals look good, the gameplay feels fine, and the songs they chose are overall pretty good. If your game looks and feels worse then this, you have failed. I'm not saying GH3 is bad, even though it has some issues performance wise on the ps3.

The gameplay feel is perfectly fine. It has some general issues but works well for what it is. I do think Neversoft continued to make the game feel better game after game, even if World Tour is an overall worse game then this one.

The graphical style is great, It's amazingly stylized, working off what Harmonix had been doing in the previous 2 games. (If you ask why I say 2, Rock the 80s is nearly identical to GH2.) A lot of the characters have pretty decent real time physics which is nice to see in a game like this. The general UI feel is kind of outdated (still using a per-play high score mechanic for Quickplay like arcade games, though this game did get an arcade port so...) but still works really well for what it needs to do, and doesn't do anything outright wrong.

Neversoft wouldn't start doing full motion animation for specific songs till Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, so this games venue animation is overall pretty boring, though nothing is outright bad about any part of it.

The game was the first to get a decent amount of DLC support (GH2 only got limited DLC in its 360 port) and had an exclusive song for the PS3 version from God of War II. The 360 version had a remix of the Halo theme. I didn't grow up with nor have I played God of War II so the novelty of a God of War song is lost on me.

This song went on to be the hub of PC Guitar Hero for a while, having hundreds on hundreds of custom charts for it on PC (and I believe 360?). It wouldn't be until Clone Hero that GH3 was truly replaced, which CH based its gameplay on.

I give this game probably a 7.5/10. This is the general floor of a guitar hero game for me, either this or Guitar Hero 2. If you look worse then this, if you play worse then this, or if you sound worse then this, you've failed. I'm not saying you have to be as stylized as this game, I'm not saying you have to be graphically better then this game, just that the game shouldn't look cheap.

[rosesinmaii]

Nintendo Fun Club News, 1:1 [1987]

The first edition of the Nintendo Fun Club, run by Howard Phillips and Gail Tilden, was released in the winter of 1987. The magazine was a free-to-join subscription to explain tips and tricks in games, as well as sneak peeks at upcoming games, and reader columns to talk about high scores. The magazine came with coupons at times for discounts and free merchandise/games. There were only seven issues before it was obliterated to create the (paid for) Nintendo Power Magazine. Images have been used only for demonstration, and are sourced directly from the magazine unless otherwise stated (in which a full link/reference will be provided). The first issue was six pages long, including;

Page 1

To the left is a welcoming passage from President of the Nintendo Fun Club and Nintendo of America spokesman, Howard Philips.

The main article is a feature on Super Mario Bros. [1985], describing the lore and ultimate goal of the game and advertising the games' accompanying handbook, which was available only via a coupon that came with the magazine. Features a drawing of Mario about to jump on a Goomba (referred to here as a Koopa?), holding a mushroom with pink highlights. Three more Goomba line the bottom.

Page 2

A double feature. The article on top advertises the NES Port of Excitebike [1985], noting the "exclusive Design Mode" to create race courses. It includes a tip on boosting speed in the game, as well as a very brief sentence on the pre-programmed tracks. It's next to a grey-scale drawing of a biker in a helmet, with pink highlights.

The article underneath discusses the NES port of Hogan's Alley [1985], using the 'light gun' technology usually associated with Duck Hunt, referred to here as a "Zapper" with a brief explanation of how the technology works. This "Zapper" is drawn at the bottom, as well as the three cardboard cut-outs from the game (a gangster, woman, and cop) in grey and pink. The controls are explained, as well as a description of a competition supposedly held in Manhattan on the game;

"In fact, HOGAN'S ALLEY is so sophisticated, it was the featured game in a New York video tournament in which teenage contestants faced up to real policemen. The teenagers hit their targets almost every time. In a not-too-surprising finish, however, Officer John Hunt of Manhattan's 28th Precinct outscored them all." [Source: Nintendo Fun Club 1, Winter 1987, 2]

Page 3

An article on a competition held by Nintendo on December 6th, 1987. With the headline "At 'The Super Mario-A-Thon,' video experts battle celebrity players for good cause", over 40 celebrities came to Roxbury Park Recreation Centre in Beverly Hills to play Super Mario Bros. [1987] together, in order to raise money for the Scott Newman Foundation, a non-profit anti-drugs organization. The top score of the day was 239,400, by Wil Wheaton of 'Stand by Me,' who's siblings Amy and Jeremy also participated and scored highly. Wil tells the reporter that he had been a fan of the arcade port, and bought the NES port as soon as he could. On the day, there were 22 prizes given away, including a Nintendo Control Deck plus a Super Mario Bros. cartridge, and a 19-inch colour TV with a NES as the grand prize, awarded by random lot. Wheaton was given a Deluxe Entertainment System and fifteen games as a reward for his high score. The magazine does not disclose what these games were.

The third page had, at the bottom, a "Sneak Peeks" section, announcing new upcoming games with a brief synopsis of what they are. The first is a NES port of Pro Wrestling [1987] a fighting game previously released for the Famicom, and the second a NES port of Slalom [1987], a skiing game previously on arcade machines. It mentions the next issue will discuss Volleyball, Punch Out, and The Legend of Zelda.

Page 4

The top article features an advertisement for the High Score Competition- the idea was that readers could write their score on an Official Scorepad Set for one of the games mentioned in the magazine (Super Mario Bros., Excitebike, or Hogan's Alley) obtained through a brochure and subscription. They would send this to the PO Box for the Club, along with a photograph of their TV screen showing the score. Winner's names and scores would be printed in upcoming issues, as well as in the Amusement Players Association publication.

The bottom half of the page finishes the Competition article from Page 3, as well as a brief interview with Howard Philips, president of the Fun Club. He describes it as "the best job in the world," and talks briefly on his travels around America interviewing kids in arcades. He also discusses selecting which Arcade Games would be ported to home consoles, and his love of video games that made him want to work for Nintendo.

Page 5

The fifth page is mostly dedicated to letters. Names have been omitted, but the letters describe one man's enjoyment playing Super Mario Bros., Wrecking Crew and Ice Climber, and another describes how impressed he is with the graphics and Zapper technology. The third letter expresses how much fun he finds the NES, as well as asking about how far the NES is going to be "expandable," how many games are planned in 1987, and what to do in the event of a broken controller. These questions are answered as "The current games and accessories represent only the beginning of the system's capabilities," "6 new video game hits," and "Nintendo will gladly fix or replace any piece of equipment under warranty, free of charge (New controllers and accessories can also be purchased)."

The lower half of the page is "Pro's Corner" - a section for experts to recommend tricks, tips, and how to access different areas/levels in the three video games discussed within the issue.

Page 6

The back page of the magazine is an explanation of the "Top Score" newsletter, published by the Amusement Players Association, which was offered to members of the Fun Club. "Top Score" was featured a list of names and scores that qualified for the 'International Scoreboard' section. The newsletter also discusses tournaments and interviews game designers. Finally, an advertisement for the Scorepad Set mentioned on Page 4 of this volume.

Disclaimer - None of the above information has been produced by the poster. All information provided has been sourced from Nintendo Fun Club 1:1, Winter 1987, a product of Nintendo. It in no way attempts to act as a substitute for the original work, nor claims ownership of any information or product mentioned. In line with Fair Dealing Rules in the UK, where this blog is based, it is entirely for educational uses, and is in no way for commercial purpose or monetary gain. All rights belong to Nintendo.

[gertlushgaming]

Speed Crew Review (PlayStation 5)

 For this Speed Crew Review, where we try and play a hilarious party game that focuses on chaotic cooperation between players. The task of the pit crew is to inspect arriving cars and perform quick repair services while navigating intricate levels. To succeed and beat their bitter rival, players must help each other and build tactics for each race.

Speed Crew Review Pros:

- Cel-shaded graphics. - 841.1MB download size. - Platinum Trophy. - You get the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of the game. - Four save slots. - Set up a team name (custom or 3 pre-defined). - Four character models each with hats and color choices of their clothes. - Party gameplay. - Initial tutorial set piece. - The game is like Overcooked but as a pit crew so you have limited time to fix as many cars as possible. - The general flow is a car comes in, you scan it with the computer and any work needed is highlighted then you use the right tool for the job and then hitting the red button to finish. - Every action has a time bar. - Local co-op support. - Old-school car manual-looking tutorial pop-ups. - Has online Co-op play. - Simple controls. - Excellent 1970s vibe from the visuals to the soundtrack. - Fast loading times. - The game is split into rounds and in each game you are facing off against over teams. - The scoreboard in the garage shows who is currently winning. - You can replay levels. - Sabotage mode is a local two-player mode. - Earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold. - As you progress you get to not only replace and fix the car but also repair the wheels. - You have a dash button. - More than one car can appear at a time and each has its timer. - Finish the car before the timer ends to get a bonus. - Four championships to unlock each with 10 rounds in each. - Hazards can appear in the garage. - It is possible to slap each other. - A lot of fun to play. - The great level design of the garages. Speed Crew Review Cons: - Cannot rebind controls. - No real game settings. - Selecting tools that are on top of each other is a pain. - Getting run over by a car causes a long respawn. - After the tutorial, it goes into the game and it instantly introduces things you never learned. - You don't get a lot of time to survey the garage for the placement of everything. - Arcade mode is showing on the menu but it's coming soon. - Doesn't have any replay value like score chasing. - Only a few characters and accessories, plus they are just cosmetic. Related Post: Keep Up Review (Steam) Speed Crew: Official website. Developer: Wild Fields Publisher: Wild Fields Store Links - PlayStation Read the full article

[madraleen]

Bungo Stray Dogs - Season 3 A Commentary as Unhinged as the Anime but you know what, i'm not even sorry, the anime made me this way

-dazai had bandages on his face when he was in port mafia, and took them off when he joined the agency. what if by the end of the story he lets go of all the bandages, being his "naked" self. what then.

-dude, chuuya is so powerful

-smol dazai

-i'd expect nothing less from a dazai-chuuya first meeting

-15-year-old dazai is so subdued compared to present dazai. good thing miyano mamoru is a pro at that kind of nuance

-like, present dazai's default expression is :3. 15-year-old's dazai's is :<

-chuuya's fight scenes are sooo cool

-THEY'RE PLAYING ARCADE GAMES?!?! I HATE YOU!

-inside of me there are two wolves. one who appreciates bungo stray dogs, and one who goes insane for dazai/chuuya. but but, being with chuuya is the most animated young!dazai has been!!

-"the suicidal maniac wants to live" fits dazai to a T, chuuya gets it. and "i've come to think it's worth trying," dazai my love

-i will never get tired of chuuya yelling dazai's name, and also HANDS! THEY CLASPED HANDS! and things make sense! mostly! the naughty movie is behind us! (or in front of us production-wise, but. y'know.)

-so if chuuya is a vessel, does that mean he materialized as arahabaki's teenage human vessel?

-NO! THE SHEEP FUCKING STABBED CHUUYA?! i am so gullible, i was like, "oh, soul-searching, they're not that bad after all," but FUCKING STABBED?!

-YEAH YOU RUBBED RAT POISON LIKE THE RAT YOU ARE, YOU SHEEP JERK! YOU MADE CHUUYA CRY, YOU ASSHOLE! HE DIDN'T BETRAY YOU AND HE WOULDN'T BETRAY YOU, ugh i hate them.

-dazai perching on a rock, as one does

-to say that dazai is big-brained is an understatement. one wonders how insanely big-brained ranpo is, even, if dazai ISN’T their genius detective (well, dazai’s more of a tactician, isn’t he)

-the creation of artificial ability users by combining abilities with normal beings, that sounds like it'll be important at some point

-i'm actually smiling that chuuya found a place that he feels like he fits in, with the port mafia.

-dazai has so much fun riling up chuuya, i can't. i've loved this arc of dazai going from resigned, disconnected and detached to the whimsical maniac that we know now, and from suicidal maniac to suicidal maniac searching for reasons to live, and i loved getting to know chuuya's past and how they met and ugh, okay.

-ONLY A DIAMOND CAN POLISH ANOTHER DIAMOND, GUH

-HELLO daisuke ono! i've been expecting you.

-"people are quick to believe they are thinking of their own will," too true.

-wait, so what is fyodor's ability?

-bsd scares me a little, 'cause it's so whimsical and fun, that when it gets dark, you're completely unguarded

-i don't trust dazai as far as i can throw him, and also, i trust him implicitly. how is that possible?

-i will slap your pretty face, dazai, stop being so cryptic and tell us what's what! (re: the masked assassin)

-i love the tidbits of how much ranpo cares for the boss, because they should have a special relationship if the agency was founded specifically to make use of ranpo's skills.

-DAZAI IS IN SURGERY?! i hate him and his stupid plans, i hate this man, i hate him.

-oh i'm sorry master mastermind dazai, did you not predict that all hell would break loose after you got shot and incapacitated trying to find information on fyodor THAT YOU CLEARLY ALREADY SUSPECTED i hate you

-i'm so angry at dazai, but i don't think i'd be angry at all if he'd been fixed by akiko or patched himself up. it's specifically when he was shown mid-surgery that i got so incredibly angry, which leads me to believe that i feel like that because shit got real and i love him too much to see him involved in that kind of reality. the introspection of emotional responses is a hard-learned lesson from aot, tyvm.

-the agency vs port mafia makes me so sad.

-for that you got stabbed! to get the "a certain criminal" hint that eventually helped ranpo figure things out! sigh dazai, i hate you. i love you.

-how is kunikida so intact after the grenade blast?

-what a great moment for tanizaki to shine

-"we only know how to protect people by hurting people." ha.

-AHAHA RAMPO TRAPPING CHUUYA IN POE'S NOVEL, I YELLED OUT LOUD "OH NO!" that's great

-THE RACCOON

-i'm convinced dazai is in the hospital because there simply wouldn't be any conflict if he were up and about

-DAZAI-AKUTAGAWA PAST CRUMBLES?!

-i love the relationships in this anime, i love them so much. akutagawa fighting kyoka AND being happy for kyoka for not wanting to die anymore and finding reason to live, because he’s been there. they're so human and complex

-HE LIVES! HE SPEAKS! HE IS ALLOWED! (dazai)

-the fact that dazai has bandages over his arms etc in the hospital. how. the IV is on the bandages.

-the ex-assassins/ex-criminals to non-assassins/non-criminals ratio of the agency gets more even with every season

-the anime: 12 years ago, in ambiance lighting. me, a hsr player: ...have they been hit by quantum or...?

-HE SPEAKS AGAIN! DAZAI IS ALLOWED TO EXIST! REJOICE!

-ahaha is natsume-sensei mii-chan?!

-"ability: i am a cat" ahahaha! i don't know how that relates to the author, i wish i did, but out of context it's funny

-man i love bungo stray dogs. it's preposterous, it's absurd, i love it

-dazai and his stray kids. he was like, "welp, i've had enough of this hospital, BYEEEE"

-the problem is, the moment i hear dazai's voice i smile. he could be reading the dictionary and i'd still smile.

-dazai: jump. atsushi, his actual kouhai: but... but… akutagawa, ex-kouhai, present enemy-ish: how far?

-"of course dazai-san would vanish and leave you behind!" FREAKING OUCH ATSUSHI! he's not wrong though. dazai is a tactician, akutagawa fighting the enemy that's in front of him instead of the actual target is a liability

-"anyone who questions dazai falls into a cognitive prison." agreed, akutagawa. agreed, signed, experienced

-YEAH GEE WHY WOULD DAZAI EVER PAIR YOU TWO I WONDER! NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THE STRONGEST DUOS OF THE 'VERSE OF ANYTHING! (akutagawa and atsushi)

-this season's eps are so packed with story that i feel like i've been watching three dozen eps instead of twelve

-OOOOH dazai was mistaken, NICE

-you know, usually i'd be like "hrrrrm, they can do that all of a sudden? they hadn't shown this ability before it became convenient to have it, humph," but in this case i'm like "HECK YEAH THERE'S MORE THINGS THEY CAN DO, JUST WATCH!"

-oh that's so cool, the baby strays' combined abilities in atsushi

-imagine being pushkin and facing off against the agency and port mafia combined, lmao bye

-FYODOR ISN'T THERE AND HE'S COMMUNICATING THROUGH MUSIC?! THAT'S SO STUPID HE'S SUCH A MASTERMIND OMG

-NO! dazai colluded with fitzgerald?? AHAHAHAHA this anime is insane, the allegiances are so fluid, i love it

-DAY, NIGHT AND TWILIGHT COLLABORATING

-again, i love that the major antagonists don't die and they're recurring or potentially recurring

-lmao what, someone save our boy chuuya from the damn book!

-aw atsushi my love, you're not incompatible with akutagawa, you're complementary

-ATSUSHI WENT FOR THE KILL with the condition of not killing on akutagawa, and also i absolutely love it

-oooh, atsushi reminds dazai of oda?? with akutagawa being past dazai-ish? i see i see, so just like oda taught dazai the strength in not killing, atsushi means to teach that to akutagawa, and dazai can see and understand and appreciate it because he's been there, that's beautiful

-it’s sweet how it alternates between - good guy natsume fostered the sworn enemies/best partners mori-boss duo, antagonist mori fostered the dazai-chuuya duo, and good guy dazai fosters the atsushi-akutagawa duo.

-i'd love a glimpse of chuuya going insane inside the book, we were robbed

-anyway so i love season three. probably?  that's the feeling i'm left with.

[fff777]

Watched Winwin's 保win箱 Ep 1-21

To be honest I don't love the English translation of 保win箱 -> cooler. I think 保win箱 is a play on 保溫箱 which would be a box that keeps something warm. While a cooler is a box that does keep things warm, the name "cooler" immediately brings to mind a box that keeps something cool first. The subtitles do sometimes call the show wincubator which I think is a nicer translation.

Ep 1 211224 (English) (Mandarin)

Lol I don't think he enjoyed decorating the tree a lot ^^;; Maybe tree arrangement is not his hobby of choice.

Ep 2 220201 (English) (Mandarin)

Yes, Winwin, you get a kids' kit lmfao.

His lantern was pretty cute with the tiger sticker! :3

We're finally getting chatty Sicheng though, where he just chatters on and on and somehow it's just really fun to listen to :P

Ep 3 220414 (English) (Mandarin)

Ahhh this one was cute! He's starting to be REALLY chatty.

The view is so lovely. I'm wondering if filming for the show is done in one go so he can stay at the hotel for a long period of time, or if it's done in intervals.

Aw, he bought books on stars to prepare for the show on stargazing :3

I actually have this show saved up! I'm going to watch it...eventually lol.

Ep 4 220603 (English) (Mandarin)

I love that the captioners are starting to clown Sicheng for just saying stuff.

Sicheng thinks Sichuanese is cute :3 I get why though, dialects are all a little cute imo.

He likes the sweets the most.

I just can't believe that someone like Sicheng exists lol, someone with that level of childlike wonder.

Ep 5 220702 (English) (Mandarin)

The way they edit this to make him look super talkative :P

Sicheng has mentioned that he's lived in Beijing for a long time. I'm guessing it's when he attended the dance academy for a number of years.

I think Sicheng is less of a scaredy cat than Jisung is lol. I think Sicheng gets nervous, but he still manages, whereas I think Jisung is like me and actually kind of has a fear of rides.

The pro 大爺 helping Sicheng with his kite.

Sicheng passing his string around the 大爺 so he they don't have to cross wires XD

Ep 6 220813 (English) (Mandarin)

I feel like this episode was just Sicheng's staff being like "hey there's a small arcade downstairs, let's go" and they turned it into an episode which is why it's super casual and low key.

I say this every time but CLAW MACHINES ARE A SCAM! 我才不玩啊!!!!!!

Ep 7 220910 (English) (Mandarin)

Ayyy Chef Dong has advanced to the next stage (cooking edible food).

No but for real I've never even cooked seafood on my own so he's better than me lmao.

Chenle would have something to say about those 番茄炒蛋.

Wait is that ketchup and mustard on salad TAT noooooo

I did some thinking as to why watching Sicheng do things is fun lmao. In his Korean content, I think we see the Sicheng that is clumsy and needs help. However, in his baowinxiang series so far, he's mostly gotten everything done (cooking, making the kite at Chaoyang park, the cutting crafts). Either he's grown up and can now figure things out, or his staff are giving him pointers lol. As the viewer, it looks like no matter how clumsy Sicheng is and no matter how many mistakes he makes, he gets the job done lol.

Ep 8 220924 (English) (Mandarin)

I think this was the first video that called baowinxiang "wincubator." Or maybe just the first episode I noticed.

He really just started playing with the kids.

Oh wow it was 10 PM and still so light outside.

The kid just gave Sicheng a gift XD

I'm reminded of when Sicheng said he wanted to visit Xinjiang with the WayVs because it was a beautiful place.

Sicheng had learned some Xinjiang dance before at the academy :o I mentioned this elsewhere but as I get more into Winwin's Chinese stuff I hope we hear more about his background and education. Obviously it was a big part of his life up until he went to Korea. And Chinese audiences have context for his schooling so maybe it'll encourage him to be more open about his experiences.

This happened in an earlier episode too but I love when the editors use the Doraemon sound effects.

LMAO all the neighbourhood kids came to watch Sicheng buy bread. The kids are so 乖 T_T

On the topic of kids, I think Sicheng talks to kids in a very open manner like they're little friends and that's why they feel comfortable with him.

Ep 9 221013 (English) (Mandarin)

Sicheng in the Hogwarts robe reminds me of when he went to Japan's Universal studios with 127 in NCT Life

The very grown up minions cross body car toy

Omg Sicheng is an uncle to two kids!! *o*

Sicheng approaches obstacles and challenges with such confidence regardless of whether he actually thinks he can do it haha.

Posing next to the Kung Fu Panda characters :3

Sicheng babbling spells ^^;;

The staff edited the jumping teleportation special effects lol

Ep 10 221114 (English) (Mandarin)

I love that his editors/staff call him out on his bullshit in the editing every time he says that he's good at something XD

The staff laughing at Sicheng's whoopsie. Now I'm more sure that all this time, his staff have been giving him pointers and he's still the same clumsy guy lol.

Ep 11 221215 (English) (Mandarin)

He just never stopped dabbing.

He's drinking his americano from last episode so I guess they filmed episodes 10 and 11 together :P

The fact that Sicheng is playing with a staff member - it feels like Sicheng is the kid being entertained and the staff are just babysitting him XD

Staff member scolding Sicheng for ringing the bell even though he hadn't even built the face yet.

Aww the mini claw machine as the prize for Sicheng :3 But like...he really is so childlike in his enthusiasm for things ToT

Sicheng leaning over the line to stick the dart onto the lamborghini reminds me of the NCT Life season with 127 where they had to toss the ring onto a target and Sicheng basically did that lol.

Ep 12 230111 (English) (Mandarin)

Why he gotta do 經紀人哥哥 dirty like that on camera lmao

Sicheng's incorrect use of 兒化 being pointed out!!!!! :P

Ep 13 230204 (English) (Mandarin)

Half-wearing his hoodie while practising

The way Sicheng extends his arms is always so distinct. Coming from a person who knows nothing about dance, that's the only way I know how to describe it ^^;;

Practising eye contact

Gahhh yeah I love the dances that draw on his dance background. Performances that take into account poses as opposed to hip hop which is more about the movement.

Ooh I'm actually surprised, I thought the performance was going to be mostly hip hop but it actually had quite a bit more of the slower dance :3 It really was choreographed for him

His jacket says "MTHR'S FTHR"

Ep 14 230301 (English) (Mandarin)

He started off this episode so loud XD

Didn't Yibo also do a lego motorcycle video lmao

Oh? Winwin said that last time a lego only took him an hour to assemble. That reminds me though, when NCT had that 24 hour relay, apparently there were a lot of puzzle and craft sets at the WayV dorm so maybe Sicheng is one of the members who normally seeks out that kind of entertainment.

Can't get the box open.

Oh wait I forgot that this boy loves to talk big XD So all that talk about him doing his last lego in an hour was probably him 吹牛 lmao.

Trying erhua again!!!

LMAO he just says LET'S WINWIN and things will be okay

NO Sicheng you cheated me, I was supposed to watch you build the entire motorcycle you liar XD

Ep 15 230315 (English) (Mandarin)

Paris!!!!!

The sun came out for you, buddy :')

Paris, the city of impromptu photoshoots.

YEAH! Model Winwin!!!!

Kyaaa Sicheng carrying the cute little bags <3 <3

Lol first it was noodles and then now he's having bibimbap in Paris.

The camera's filming him with this nostalgic foggy looking filter now

Aww TAT the dogs invading his photoshoot

Winwin is soooo cute. We all knew that but he's extra adorable in these wincubator videos ;_;

Ep 16 230510 (English) (Mandarin)

More Travelwin

Sicheng babbling ToT

I'm watching this while hungry ToT

Petting doggo on the street. The dog doesn't get rattled at all being pet by strangers, wow.

Sicheng skipping in the streets ToT

LMAO the kid couldn't figure out the ride at the marine museum so Sicheng helped him and then ended up playing for a while before handing it back to the kid.

NO what the exhibit for the actual animals is closed ToT Cheated again.

Ep 17 230622 (English) (Mandarin)

I quite appreciate that these videos are pretty bite sized. The thing about the videos that NCT releases on their own Youtube channel is that they're generally 20-30 minutes long so I always have to set aside time to watch them like a TV show lol. I guess it's because these videos were released on Weibo (?) which is more social media rather than a video hosting website. Winwin does have those longer videos too though.

亂世巨星 as the background music ^^;; but he is a 乖小羊 who wears his life jacket :3

Yeah I was just gonna say the hanging lights feel a bit like Avatar XD

Snooping on the couple lol

It amuses me that even the editors portray Sicheng as a kid/baby X'D

Ep 18 230714 (English) (Mandarin)

Improper use of erhua right off the bat lol

The choke hold that hot pot has on every Chinese man. I won't be fooled though! (I'm on the "hot pot is whatever" boat lol)

He really likes shrimp a lot eh. I think in episode 12, of his top three favourite hot pot dishes he'd chosen 2 shrimp dishes.

Winwin has registered as a puppy boy. He is a member of the WayV dog dorm after all. (But I still think he leans more kitty than puppy :P)

Boy blanked out at being asked his most romantic experience XD Good save I guess.

Sicheng went to a Mayday concert :3

Oh wow the concert was at an open air stadium? Wow.

"You prepared so many questions, are you tired?" :P

Ep 19 230830 (English) (Mandarin)

Winwin in the red shorts-suit Valentino outfit!!

Wake up call ToT

Shaving in the morning ^^;; This feels pretty intimate though, doesn't it? Either the staff member is close with Sicheng, or Sicheng has just gotten used to being filmed all day every day.

More Winwin-babble ToT

Playing with the mirror

Winwin shaky cam

Sicheng socializing at the gala :3 Go forth and make friends my little birdie

Ep 20 230930 (English) (Mandarin)

The expert was telling Sicheng that he could use the rose as a hairpin and he instinctively wanted to stick it in his own hair :3 Give Sicheng more hair accessories please :3

Sicheng GASPED at the butterfly ring

Sicheng: If I don't start, then I haven't failed

As a handicrafts lover, this is super cool. Sicheng is taking this pretty slowly so it's easy to follow too.

Ahh the butterfly is so pretty

Every time someone tries to console Sicheng he's like you don't have to say that ToT

Nooo he kept touching the ring when it was still hot x.x

For someone who boasts so much, Sicheng was hesitant to admit he had a talent for glasswork haha.

Ep 21 231103 (English) (Mandarin)

Staff flew over to Seoul to meet Sicheng since he was busy with WayV album prep :3

The hairstylist fluffing up Sicheng's hair

DOGS! TWO OF THEM!

Sicheng's so chatty about his memories in Seoul :3

The way Sicheng slows down when he's thinking of the Mandarin translation of a Korean place or food

He wants to take his Chinese staff for a meal :3

I know he's addressing the camera, but I feel like Sicheng is excited to show his staff Seoul.

Staff asked him if that kind of life (going to and from practice every day) was tough and he said no. It reminds me of that video that one of his old classmates at the dance academy made, where he said that Sicheng's the kind of guy to keep his worries inside and show a happy face to others T_T I don't think Sicheng is lying though, I think he's just the kind of guy who prefers to take away the positives from his experiences.

Always comes back to puppies and kitties for him :P

He likes keeping busy so the bad thoughts don't come and bother him ToT

Sicheng quoting Yan Yue? lol

乾杯 :3