#so i'm going to make a gifset per episode

[elyonholic]

   BLEACH TYBW per episode    ∟Ep 01: “THE BLOOD WARFARE”

[saltpepperbeard]

Poison into Positivity: A List of What I Liked in OFMD S2

Hello hello everyone! Things have been a little rough around here. Even away from the more heated takes, I've still seen a few "down in the dumps" murmurs. To which, I'm giving y'all big hugs, but also offering up some little bits of warmth! I wanted to share quite a few bullets of the things I enjoyed about this season. Maybe it'll serve as a reminder, or maybe it'll just serve as a chaotic, silly little read as per usual PFFF.

But I invite you to read along, and even add some of your own points should you feel inclined! Also, this might not even be my full list; these are just the ones that came to me quickly/off the top of my head. Still, let's dive on down like a fantastical, dazzling goldfish, shall we?

All the callbacks/parallels. My goodness. When I tell you I'm a SLUT for metaphors/parallels/callbacks/etc etc. Seeing so many things and being able to just *Leonardo Dicaprio pointing meme.* I know people might not share that same opinion because some might view it to be excessive, but I personally LOVED being able to point at my screen and be like "oH EYYYYYYY!!!" Maybe because it makes for such immaculate gifset/meta material <3 SJKJDLHSK

The costuming and makeup. WHEN THEY TALKED AT ECCC ABOUT EVERYONE GETTING HOTTER, THEY WERE NOT KIDDING LMAO. EVERYONE LOOKED SO, SO GOOD. and listen, i am on my knees begging for them to give ed with his hair up back to us. i need Her back,,,ALSO, SOMETHING SOMETHING COMPLICATED EMOTIONS TOWARDS STEDE'S LATTER HALF LOOK, BUT ALSO...GOD DAMN, MR. DARBY,,,,,,

Speaking of Mr. Darby, the acting in this season. The ACTTTINNNGG. Everyone acted their ASSES off. Everyone put their entire piratussies into this season. Though, I'm PARTICULARLY impressed with Taika and Rhys, because again with their "oh we're comedians lol so idk drama can be Difficult Difficult Lemon Difficult." MMMM I THINK THE FUCK NOT, MY GUYS LMAO??? They both did SO well with all the drama and painful moments. The acting in episodes 2, 3, 6, and 7 in particular like...God. GOD!!!

I loved so many characters in this season, and I'll of course have to give two individual shoutouts to my two favorite new ladies, but man. LET'S GO FRENCHIE!!! ALWAYS A DELIGHT!!! FANG/KEVIN MY ABSOLUTE SWEETHEART. JIM SERVING ABSOLUTE FUCKING GENDER THIS SEASON. OLU OLU DARLING OLU. PETE NEVER MISSING WITH HIS ONELINERS. LUCIUS BEING SO THEATRICAL AHDJKSDK LIKE NATHAN PLEASE YOU KILL ME. ROACH MAKING ME LAUGH OUT LOUD NUMEROUS TIMES AS HE DOES. WEE JOHN AND HIS KNITTING AND DRAG!!! AND THEN OF COURSE MY DEARLY BELOVEDS, ED AND STEDE. I JUST LOVE THEMMMMM!!! But okay okay okay-

Zheng my beloved. I just love this badass pirate queen with her sweet little pigtails and her IMMACULATE LINE DELIVERIES SDHJKSKL. A lot of my favorite deliveries from the entire season came from her quite honestly. Please see: "Girl, how ARE you?" and "Hiiiiiii. I KNOWWW it's been a day" and "I've killed mediocre men. I've killed exceptional men. But you're the worst kind: a mediocre man who thinks he's exceptional."

AND ARCHIE MY BELOVED. She kills me because I remember seeing like, those ~*~audition tape whispers~*~ WAY back in the day, and subsequently thinking she was going to be quite a different character. Only for this silly goofy bubbly energetic darling to pop up and snag my heart. HER deliveries kill me also, like when she goes "Like...STEDE Stede?" and the whole "I was IN the fuckin' snake!" also hhngngngngnershkfhslkds tattooed ladies Hot :(

Speaking of which, the comedy. THE DELIVERIES. THE WAY I LAUGHED OUT LOUD NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT, EVEN WITH THE DEEP UNDERCURRENT OF DRAMA/ANGST. The whole bit where Stede is in hysterics over his cursed coat is just hsjkdhsklds; it will NEVER not make me wheeze. And then, like I said, almost EVERYTHING Pete says this season kills me; another thing that will never not make me laugh is "a doggie...?" weird little pirate show with weird little humor my beloved

The ROMANCE??? I genuinely was going into the season with the expectation of getting maybe like, one or two Gentlebeard kisses. Imagine my shock and utter delight when we ended up with FOUR, AS WELL AS AN INTIMATE SCENE, THE LETTER SCENES, AND THE LOVE PROFESSIONS. Like, one of them dropping a legitimate "I love you" felt like an unrealistic expectation--the HIGHEST dream tier really. And then wouldn't you know it. And that doesn't even account for all the rest of the couples either! The murder wives having their chaotic little moments of fucked up affection??? LUCIUS AND PETE GETTING ENGAGED AND THEN MARRIED??? HELLO??????

The sets! I know people have pointed out that the world felt a bit simplified this time around, due to budget restraints and what have you. But I still loved what they did with the world even with the various constraints. The market in episode 6 is a PARTICULAR favorite of mine; it's just so lush and colorful. I also love what they did with The Revenge during episode 6 too!

Also, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I really actually liked that they filmed on location. First of all, love that the Kiwis got to be right at home in Aotearoa. Love that they have an even more special connection to the show now. But second of all, I just like when scenery is...actually THERE? It feels way more TANGIBLE. Don't get me wrong; that hugeass wraparound screen that they use to film a lot of sets is a technological marvel. But I'm a sucker for practical.

The deeper and more complex dives into character motivations/trauma. Like, homie lol...When I tell you episodes 6 and 7 utterly set my brain alight in the best way possible. I was CHUGGING through thoughts. You know those gifs where someone is walking around and ranting/passionately talking,,, yeah. Yeah. Maybe because a lot of it "struck a chord" with me indeed, but I love love LOVE getting brain food like that.

Speaking of brain food, in PARTICULAR, the deeper dives into Ed's self-loathing and into Stede's troubles with confidence and masculinity. A lot of Stede's choices were fueled by those two things, and it was SO friggin fun to catch all of them, put them in a jar, and shake them around. I've seen a lot of people fearing his actions in the latter half were out of character, but to me, I don't see it that way. I just see a man who has been so spurned, so left behind, and SO deprived, a man who is stuck thinking he has to be someone else to mean something. And I think that plays a lot into even the EARLIEST developments we saw in season 1, so it was just so intriguing to watch everything messily play out.

THE INNKEEPER. THE INNKEEPER MY BELOVED. SO much about that episode absolutely has my heart. All the different developments, the stakes, the pacing, and the payoff at the end. Not to mention that I had a FEELING that mysterious figure in the trailers was Hornigold, so it was so SO validating to see him pop up PFFF. And also, all those dream/gravy basket sequences were so so good too. I don't know if it's the chemistry between Taika and Mark, or the deeper symbolism, or the lines that have become vocal stims for me SJKDLS (please see: ooOOoooO eddie eddie eddie...you're laying some heavy shit on me, bro), but man. MAN.

And this one gets its own bullet because of course it does: the fucking mermaid scene. Like, are we kidding. ARE WE KIDDING. THE ROMANCE OF IT ALL? THE FANTASTICAL-NESS INDEED?? THE WAY IT WAS ALL FUCKING PRACTICAL AND RHYS SWAM DOWN TO TAIKA AS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GOLDFISH AND THEY HAD TO THROW HEART EYES AT EACH OTHER UNDERWATER??? WHAT THE FUCK!!! And don't even get me started on Kate Bush lol. This Woman's Work might easily be one of my favorite songs, if not my FAVORITE song from the season. And man. Man. The whole meaning behind Ed seeing Stede as this beautiful, sparkly being, and not some hypermasculine/extraordinary thing. He fell in love with Stede for who Stede really is. And so I ADORE that acknowledgement.

Speaking of songs, the MUSIC!!! Absolute bangers all throughout. And I loved how there seemed to be even more intermixed within the episodes. Like God... "These are the kids..." 🗣️ HELLO MY LOVE I HEARD A KISS FROM YOU 🦗🦟🦗🦟🦗🦟 . And all the beautiful classic piano pieces and NINA SIMONE AND JUST HSJKDHSFJKLHSKD????

Okay, I've always had and STILL have complicated thoughts and opinions on Izzy, but man, seeing him interact with the Revenge Crew was really something. Seeing Stede's influence come over the lot of them like a warm blanket, extending its welcoming and familial hands...It was just lovely. I love seeing our little sea family care for each other so much. They've probably all hurt so so much in different ways, so to see them all being a collective heart is just so nice.

Speaking of which, the queerness of it all, the queer celebration of it all. The way the whole crew is just...a representation of queer people finding each other, and subsequently finding love and family in each other. Like, when the whole world wants to cast you out, you pull each other in. When no one else wants you, you take refuge in each other. And just...the joy, beauty, and wonder that can be found in that.

And speaking of which x2, the overall care that was put into the entire thing, the effort that was put into the entire thing. I know Max fucked us over with the budget, which subsequently fucked things like the intricacy, the amount of characters, and especially the pacing. But, I don't know; I personally could still tell everyone involved was trying so so hard to deliver for us. Based on the little details, the little callbacks, and the little moments that felt so catered to us, it just seemed so...gifted to us. Not to mention of course, the way they so deliberately chose to end on a hopeful note in case we never get a third season. They care about us. They've always cherished our excitement and passion, so it just...idk; it feels so special to have a bit more of an intimate connection like that. I've never been involved with a piece of media that so avidly SEES its audience, and celebrates along with us. So, despite everything, despite any sort of troubles, despite any sort of lows, that's a big part of what has me clutching all of this so closely to my chest. And I really hope they can still see that love, because I want nothing more than for them to see this beautiful story through.

Also, getting to enjoy this with everyone. Getting to ride the wave from the beginning of filming, all the way through the finale. Getting to see all the excitement, all the theories, all the art, all the fanfiction, all the gif sets, all the meta, and everything in between. It has carried me through some nastiness in my personal life, and has subsequently served as a very welcomed distraction. It's been such a pleasure getting to delight in this new content with you all, and I hope we get to do so into the future. <3

[aroaceleovaldez]

i am having A Time looking through some old blogs and stuff because I found some Ye Olde Gifsets of the Sea of Monsters movie and. okay. I know it's not fair to compare a movie and a TV show. Howeverrrrr, the PJO TV show allegedly had a HUUUGE budget. Cause it's Disney. (Actually, I did the math - low estimate budget for all of s1 was $96 million USD - allegedly $12-15mil per episode, compared to SoM's $90mil total budget) So why does the Sea of Monsters movie from ten years ago over half the time look better than the show? Like. A lot better.

Like I've complained about the CGI in the show before. Quite a bit. They can't consistently scale Chiron's horse half so he's changing size/proportions in every scene, they can't properly scale the stationary trident floating above Percy's head (you can TELL the asset is elongated improperly like someone stretched it and didn't fix it), they're actively avoiding animating Percy's hydrokinesis as much as possible, and the majority of monster or general CGI scenes are as hands-off as possible.

And as an animator I get it, if you don't have to animate something don't animate it. But. if your series is ENTIRELY CENTERED AROUND A CHARACTER WHO'S BIG MAIN THING IS CONTROLLING WATER. but you REFUSE TO SHOW HIM CONTROLLING WATER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Then maybe you SHOULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN THAT SERIES. And I get most scenes with monster fights are difficult to CGI interaction with. CGI interaction is not easy to make look good. But also. You cannot get through the entire series without the characters physically interacting with monsters that are going to have to be CGI'd. And there are ways to do it where the avoidance of interacting with the CGI things is less noticeable, but the show very much does not do that. They did it for the minotaur fight! Everything is really dark with strategic lighting so stuff gets obscured. That one looked fine! But in like every other CGI fight Percy just. Does not touch. It very clear the show is doing very cheap CGI wherever possible and then having the nicer monsters and things that carefully do not touch moving things as much as possible. Walker sits completely stationary when Percy's turning to gold cause they had to CGI over him and it looks bad anyways. PJO TV has the budget for it to not be bad. Disney has the means. But they're not doing that. Even fully stationary CGI scenery like Olympus is clearly super lazy and is skipped over as quickly as possible and is just sad.

Anyways I'm gonna go reblog some old Sea of Monsters gifsets.

[knickynoo]

Well, I was sufficiently enabled for the idea, so here it is: ✨Alex P. Keaton's Top Neurodivergent Moments✨

The funny thing is that the amount of time I put into scrolling through my encyclopedic mental inventory of Family Ties scenes, compiling these moments in a list, making gifs, and finding past gifsets/analysis to link back to makes creating this post one of my most neurodivergent moments. Good for me.

These will be organized by season (easier for me than trying to rank on a scale) and are in no way ALL of the moments. I'd need like...15 posts for that. Also, tumblr only allows 30 images/gifs per post, so I'm going to include links to past posts when possible.

ENJOY!

• Alex gets his first-ever failing grade and immediately decides to quit school

Exactly what it says. Alex strolls into college all bright-eyed and confident and ends up a broken shell of a guy just a week or so later. The prototypical Gifted Kid from the moment he learned to speak, Alex cannot handle anything less than perfection. Getting the first F of his life shatters his entire self-image, and he wants to drop out of college entirely.

• Alex's friend Doug announces he's getting married, and Alex spirals into despair. As one does.

The entirety of the "Best Man" episode is one big Alex displaying neurodivergent behaviors moment, honestly. There are a whole lot of Alex-centered plots that are set into motion because A Change happens, and he just cannot deal with it, and this is one of the best examples. Alex is so distraught at the suddenly altered dynamic that he wanders the house like a lost soul—sad and confused and needy. He walks in on Steven's shower just to give him a hug, offers to go shopping with Mal and play dolls with Jen, and also draws up a seven-year contract for his other friends to sign to ensure they stick to their regularly scheduled card games, lest they also run off to get married and destroy his life.

• Alex P. Keaton: child development expert

When faced with the news of another sibling on the way, Alex has some very nurturing advice at the ready for when the baby is crying.

• The Keatons all laugh at a funny story. Alex is not amused.

This is one of my favorite Alex scenes of the series. Uncle Rob shares a memory of the time Steven was young and got in trouble because he started rebelling against the system and refused to write his name in the designated spot on his school test papers. The family shares a hearty laugh. Alex, king of black-and-white thinking and lover of rules, is deeply upset.

I love him so much. He genuinely cannot see how they're enjoying such a story. The Name Spot is for names. And his father dared to write in the Not For Names Spot?? Jail for Steven.

He's so ridiculously autistic.

• Alex's favorite childhood toy

It was a cardboard box. I can't quite put into words why this sets off my ND radar, but it does. Maybe it's the being attached to unusual items thing that's common with autism? The intense fixations that make other people go ????

The Alex and Ba-ba plotline provides some wonderful Alex Lore.

• Mr. Mustache

Yeah, those intense fixations? In the "Fool for Love" episode, Alex grows a mustache and legitimately cannot speak about anything else for the several days that follow. He's asked to present a speech at Mallory's homecoming dance and centers his entire speech around his mustache. He's unable to have a conversation that doesn't involve mustaches. It's incredible.

• Everything in "Matchmaker"

Alex is so sweet in this one. After Mallory comes home crying after a bad date, Alex promises to help her find a great guy. Unfortunately, putting someone who struggles socially and with processing emotions in charge of your love life isn't exactly a great fit. Alex uses the power of science to craft a formula to find Mallory's perfect match (he isn't), then tags along on their date and helps foster a very natural environment (it isn't) for the relationship to flourish (it doesn't).

The episode ends with a great scene between Alex and Mallory that shows just how well Mal understands the inner-workings of her big brother's head.

• Divorce is tough. Alex has some advice.

The Keaton kids are shocked to learn that their Uncle Rob is divorcing their Aunt Maureen. As Jen and Mallory reel from the information, Alex helps to reframe things.

He then pulls out the Special Interest Card and compares the divorce of their aunt and uncle to a "failed merger, not unlike the breakup of the phone company—although obviously less emotional. Nothing more than a natural fluctuation in the marketplace of love and marriage."

And the thing is, he IS impacted by the news. He just hasn't the slightest clue how to actually process it. So, a simple failed merger it is!

• You had one job

Mallory needs some croissants for a fancy get-together she's having with her poetry class. Alex helpfully offers to go pick them up.

Now, I debated about this one because there's part of me that's like, "Hmm, did Alex purposely do this to annoy Mallory?" Is this just a jerk move? But you know what? It stays on the list because the whole "I personally don't like this thing and struggle to see how anyone else could. Therefore, I will get the thing I like" is (for me) a relatable aspect of being ND.

• Every single second of "A, My Name is Alex"

For real, though. This episode is a deep dive into how Alex became the person he is, and it is FILLED with "flashbacks" of an intensely neurodivergent child whose issues were made worse by the people around him. (Mostly teachers and peers. Steven and Elyse did their best with him, but I do also have some critiques of the way they parented him). Anyway, he represses his emotions to the point of a meltdown

And then there's this

Full coin gifset here. Also, I made posts on the full episode, which can be found here and here.

• "Alex has a weird body"

That's Mallory's explanation to Andy as to why Alex can't help her when she needs someone to model one of her latest clothing creations. She says Alex's head is too big for his body, and those words, unfortunately, find their way back to him. In a mini plot reminiscent of the mustache one, Alex proceeds to obsess over the comment.

And I mean, I think being told your head is too big for your body would make anyone insecure, but it's the way Alex handles it. He's unable to have regular conversations for a while because he can't stop fixating on the size of his noggin'.

Both of the "Read it and Weep" episodes fit in this list, to be honest

• An accurate statement by Lauren

I've got to include this because it really does neatly condense a lot of who Alex is

So true, bestie.

And then, to wrap this whole thing up, there's all of this

And this is just what I can fit in this here post without going over the limit lol. Obsessed with the way MJF played Alex.

Thanks for reading ✌️

This is me with Alex, btw

[schrutexbucks]

"So what's it gonna be huh? Fight to the death? Go ahead- make your threats, stake your claim." "I'm not gonna fight you." "Why?! I'd fight me."

The Vampire Diaries S2 E1 The Return

one gifset per episode 23/171

[piracytheorist]

Is there a scene in the Spy x Family anime that you wish was in the manga, or vice versa?

Hmmm... honestly, I'm quite satisfied with what I've been seeing so far, considering I'm one of the very few that go anime-to-manga instead of the opposite. It's always a surprise when I read the respective manga chapter of the episode I just watched, and to see that something was added in the anime.

Of course, my top favourite addition is the over-the-top Loidman adventure in episode 5. However, I don't believe it misses from the manga; it's just as ridiculous (affectionate) as it is, the anime simply took advantage of its animation perks to bring it to a different level. Similar is the scene of Yor bringing Anya's gym clothes to her, I even remember watching it and going like "I wonder how that goes in the manga" and being surprised that it was an original part! Again, in this part, there was a lot of focus on the over-the-top action and movement, something that the anime can use much more easily.

So I don't think I have an anime-only scene that I miss from the manga. As for vice versa, I wouldn't say it's the lack of a scene, more like how they make some expressions less... passionate.

In the manga, Loid here looks nearly desperate, surprised, out of his depth. In the anime, his expression is more neutral, more reserved, like he feels more confused than anything else. And the point of that moment is for him to actually feel out of his depth, until Yor offers a helping hand.

I'd dare say this is one of the worst offenders, if not the worst offender. I understand why the anime team avoided showing Twilight too worried for Nightfall, as they probably feared it would make audiences think that Oh No Twilight Doesn't Love Yor Because He Showed One (1) Iota of Care for Another Woman!! Is Nightfall Gonna Break Them Apart???!... which, let's be honest, is a totally valid fear to have. Endo makes it crystal clear that Nightfall has no hope as a romantic rival, but audiences can be really thick and stupid, especially when it comes to (even potential) love triangles.

Still, that "neutering" of his expression takes away from his characterization. Twilight is a deeply empathetic person, and seeing Nightfall so upset makes him truly worried. He is Nightfall's mentor and whether he has control over it or not, he cares for her feelings. And this can happen platonically, for the love of fuck, romance isn't the only nor the holiest of connections a person can have with someone else. So for the sake of "protecting" the audience's secure feelings for twiyor, they ended up making Twilight look like an ignoramus.

Again, I get it. But I can love twiyor and have my Twilight be empathetic towards people that aren't his wife or daughter, you know?

Another, subtler but still striking change. Look at that worried eyebrow in the manga, we only see half his face yet we clearly see how touched he is by (what he thinks are) Bond's motives. In the anime, this is really dulled down. It's only the barely visible blush that makes him look a little touched.

Overall, I believe the anime does a great job translating Endo's expressions, from the emotional ones to the subtle ones to the ridiculous ones. But if I were to be asked, I'd change those examples (there might be a few others, but these were the first that came to mind) and make them closer to the manga.

There are, however, a few changes in the pacing that hit the spot perfectly right. One example I'm thinking of is from Chapter 35/Episode 24:

In the manga, it's straightforward. Loid sees Yor's reaction to what happened, he's thinks of his mother, and he shares the memory with Yor.

This gif was sped up to fit in the gifset I made, but notice how there's pauses for Twilight to go from one expression to the other. There's even one moment of him looking to his bottom right, and there's a very interesting correlation to lateral eye movement here.

Per this graph, he's remembering a feeling/sensation. The feeling of calmness he felt in his mother's presence.

The anime takes time to show him go from realizing that Yor feels bad, to feeling guilty himself and wanting to placate her worries, to remembering his own feelings about his mother, to wondering if he should share that memory, to deciding to share it.

So I feel the anime team knows very well what they're doing, and they respect the original material enough to make additions that bring the story and characters to a whole new, precious level. But, I don't doubt that they're terribly overworked and underpayed, so sometimes things can slip through. I don't blame them, in any case.

Not directed at the asker, but if you feel like shitting on the anime, this is not an invitation to do so on my post. Make your own and leave me out of it.

(Anime only (or anime first?) fan here, don't spoil me for the manga)

[rocketturtle4]

Don't mind me I'm just collecting evidence for Ray's complete lack of self-esteem self-anything

(I'm shadowbanned which means that fact that I'm tagging everyone is USELESS (although I may have someone to help me out) but maybe it won't be useless later. Also I also cannot reply to comments, and you will not see in your notes if I reblog your post...fun times) @waitmyturtles should thee wish)

Finally pushed over by this post (@burnsuncomet @dewtu @plantsarepeopletoo) because @thegalwhorants that's right, it is VERY SAD

Because is this scene funny and ironic? Yes!

Do I think people (me, I'm people) are going to swing around in 1-11 weeks time pull out screenshot one and comment not on the irony of this shirt but it's poignancy? ALSO YES. (Screenshots stolen out of this post @chickenstrangers)

So I'm starting my evidence collection now...

Poor Boy Gifs (a selection) (in no particular order)

His t-shirt and reactions @khaotunq

Drunk boy this gifset by @gunsatthaphan

More Drunk Boy this gifset @heretherebedork

This gifset @gunsatthaphan

Also this scene again because it's so awful it deserves to be included twice:

this gifset by @userneos

speaks for itself:

this set by @sunsetandthemoon (whose ENTIRE set here is just good evidence, but I promised myself I'd only steal one gif per post)

Ray's face when he sees Top and Mew dancing

gifset here by @plantsarepeopletoo (multiple parts of this gifset have flashing lights)

this gifset by @nick-nellson

Look how happy he is surrounded by his friends!!!

Oh and I'm sad again...

I gave in and grabbed 2 from this one @raypakorn

Since I already broke my rule I'm grabbing another one from @sunsetandthemoon:

This is clearly just the (shit)icing on the (shit)cake of his (shit)life.

Finally thanks to @plantsarepeopletoo

His pure excitement at the idea of doing this project with his friends help...

verses everyone else...

Other Posts:

You're a burden screenshots (by @heretherebedork)

Information about Ray's subtitle/label "the one who [abandoned/discarded/threw away/cast out] himself" @lurkingteapot

Interesting thoughts on Sand and Ray by @bird-inacage - Ray's Fear of Inadequacy

Someone else who is sad with excellent screenshots @poetry-protest-pornography

I feel like this line might come back to haunt us lol @sparklyeyedhimbo

Trajectory of relationships and sex by @thatgirl4815

also by @thatgirl4815: Ray and apologising

Body language notes @captain-xandis

More random thoughts worth noting (Sand & Ray) @clara-maybe-ontheroad

Tweets

this post by @thatgirl4815

(directly referencing the scene where Ray wakes up and doesn't seem to mind the fact that he thinks he got roofied and kidnapped for sex)

Plus:

originally posted here by @elliebirdwrites

Thoughts

(I'm not really taking it THIS seriously, just apreciating all my feels...also I don't think I've ?EVER actually watched a show from week 1...I normally have 2-3 episodes to obsess over by the time I start. This one ep business is not taking up enough time)

How much of Ray's identity revolves around making his friends (Mew) happy?

How much is he going to break when the ?rich? hotel owner moves into the only space he feels like he has value in?

(and how much is his breaking going to break our best boy Sand?)

Let's see how much Ray(and Sand) can singlehandedly make me cry for the next 11 weeks...It is afterall, a FirstKhao specialty.

(now do I make a similar collection about Sand...or wait till next week hmmmmm....)

I'm going along with the masses and loving the poor boy and his rich (poor) boy.

[atariakana]

I have had a short sleep and a long think and now I am going to be sappy again:

I love this show. Nobody could have made anything more tailored to my interests if they tried, it's so far up my alley it's knocking on my kitchen door, and I knew from the title alone that it was going to be my new favorite. It is so so important to me for so many reasons, and I really am quite devastated that it wasn't renewed for a second season. But I do believe that just because something was left unfinished, that's no reason not to love what's already there. Eight episodes seems like so few when imagining what we could have had--I was fully envisioning 5+ seasons, perhaps even with 14+ episodes per season, because the format absolutely could have handled that-- but after the show's uncertain beginnings, I'm truly just happy we got anything at all. Dead Boy Detectives could have been dead in the water before it even began, and I'm grateful we got this little peek into the boys' afterlives and Crystal and Niko's journeys along with them.

The show is a wonderful rarity in so many ways--a full cast of fleshed-out and resonant characters, with amazing queer rep and female leads, beautifully crafted stories brought to life with so much thought and care, gorgeous visuals and a wonderful soundtrack and so much symbolism and little details that we have all been chewing over them for MONTHS and are still discovering new things.

And my love for DBD was only amplified by how singularly lovely and passionate this fandom is. I'm a serial fandom-hopper, and I can say that after nearly a decade of drifting from place to place that the DBD fandom is genuinely one of the kindest, most encouraging, most passionate fandoms I've ever seen, especially in such early stages. I've been inspired to draw again (difficult for me in these trying times) and even give writing a try (haven't shared anything anywhere yet--baby steps. I'm planning lots of stuff for Deadboyween, though <3). I've learned so much about so many different crafts and had the privilege of reading amazing fics and well-thought-out analysis posts and seeing so much mind-blowing art and so many gorgeous gifsets. And this is a sentiment I've seen echoed over and over, and I'm so so glad that other people feel this way, too. I jumped into this fandom feet-first after watching the show, and immediately thought: I've found my new fandom home. This still holds true--though my heart hurts a little, I'm still looking forward to making so many things about DBD and seeing all of the things you guys create, too.

My heart absolutely dropped when I heard the cancellation news, but you all made it easier. As others have said, these characters are ours now. We will write a hundred endings for their stories and then write them a thousand new ones, because that's what fandoms do, and I believe that we've grown strong enough to keep going, even if we don't get any more official content.

That was a HUGE ramble, but it was something I needed to get off my chest, so thanks for reading if you made it this far 😅 Again, I don't talk much (usually...), but I'm so grateful for you all and I hope you have nice weekends despite the news. Sending love and care to all who need it ♥️✨

[bird-inacage]

After your last gifset (the sun vs moon one) and in light of the two preview clips we get from next week - Sand shutting Ray's request to be friends down and Ray having his little jealous fit at the party - I keep thinking about the fight at Sand's apartment from the trailer. And what I think I'd like (but am sadly not convinced will happen, because why would they cause us the least pain?) is for that fight to happen after the party jealousy episode, and be because Ray's finally confronting some level of his feelings for Sand. What I'm imagining in my best-case scenario is: Ray has his jealous fit and goes to talk to Sand afterwards, with the intention of keeping Sand on the hook/reinstating the flirtation even though it isn't going to go anywhere. (I don't think he'd encourage outright cheating because that instantly = no more Mew.) Sand turns that down flat because "Do you think I have no dignity?" as per the OST clip. And Ray has another jealous/entitled meltdown and says he doesn't even want to be with Sand anyway, he wishes he'd never met him, and he bets those grapes were sour anyway etc etc. Anyway, I don't think it will happen, but I like the idea on the grounds of a) Sand having a backbone! Yes please! and b) continuing to set up Ray's inevitable full-bore bitch fit if/when the ex shows back up. I thought you might enjoy that scenario too!

Haha, Hello Anon! 👋

Firstly, I do hope Sand stands his ground. He's given Ray A LOT of chances. If he starts wavering, I'll flip a goddamn table. Sand needs to stick up for himself, but also narratively Ray has to feel the threat of Sand distancing to ever recognise his own feelings.

What I anticipate is things with Mew start to get a little rocky. Whilst Top is doing his level best to win Mew back, that's potentially when Sand's ex enters the scene. Timing wise, Sand is going to be much more susceptible to an old flame trying to rekindle whilst he's bouncing back from Ray. He's not in too deep yet to be opposed to the idea of moving onto someone else. So this is where the ex could do the most damage. Sand is a man of principle so if the ex showed up whilst he and Ray were already together, I don't think he'd be as easily swayed. Which is why I'd be inclined to expect the ex to show up before Ray and Sand have identified each other as lovers.

Now if that does happen, Ray is going to have an existential crisis. He finally has Mew, and yet he's not happy. He's seething. He's bothered. Perhaps Mew notices how worked up Ray seems to be over this.

What leads to the fight scene in Sand's apartment has to be pretty considerable. This fight looks 10x more brutal than the one outside the bar. And due to the sheer devastation in Sand's reactions throughout, I'm not sure this will take place next episode. I think whatever tension is brewing between them will need to escalate much, much more if it's to go from somewhat numb to utter anguish.

"You think my life will be better with you? It's only f*cking going down to hell." The dialogue could be read either as 'oh you think I'd be better off with you as my boyfriend instead of someone else (e.g. Mew)?' or 'you really think you would make my life better?' (in a more general sense).

But yes, I'm all for Ray going on a steady trajectory of losing his mind over Sand giving him the cold shoulder. Added in with the likelihood of things just not working out at all with Mew, and potentially Sand's ex rocking up. *Rubs hands together* I just need to see Ray jealous. That's all I really want. That boy was behaving way too cocky in the Episode 8 preview and he needs to be brought back down to earth. Swiftly.

Thanks for the ask! 😉

---birdie

[hongtiddiez]

every month of 2023 🌸

thank you so much for the tag @sparklyeyedhimbo my beloved!

i've only been making gifs since september and watching bls since june. prior to that i was actually working a lot on my art and writing and working on my legend of zelda OC, vasru (i miss you bb i swear i haven't forgotten about you - someday ill come back to that massive wip project)

september 🌸

in september i posted my very first gifset! i made a few gifs prior to this but the quality was.. eh. these were the first ones i felt confident enough to post.

i also made a set for my favorite not me scene per episode

october 🌸

october i made my favorite gumpa moments set! i also made this single gif from only friends (which i have still never seen) which has the most notes of any of my gifs (tho gumpa is catching up)

i also made my gmmtv live papang set, papang show announcements set, my moonlight chicken almost kiss set, and my gaipa set

november 🌸

november i made way too many inspector m gifs. here's the 'official' set and then the honorable mentions set ! i think this is the month i showed the most growth and learned the most and really came into my own style.

i also made the beam (moonlight chicken) set, the save your tears mv set, bake me please ep1, this manner of death tan set (that did SO BADLY), my first the sign set, and bake me please e2

i also made this meme for my beloved @porschesbabydaddy

december 🌸

not the first gif i made of december but the first time i put subtitles on a gif, so a lil milestone. i made a lot of bake me please and the sign sets for december. i'm not going to link them all but basically page 1-3 of my gifs are all december.

i think my euripedes set and my would you mind it are my favorites of the month~

i've really, really enjoyed learning how to gif and experimenting and learning new things! it's really connected me with so many people and i can't wait to see what 2024 brings for all of us.

i'm being a nasty lazy lil guy and anyone that wants to do this pls feel free bc i dont wanna tag (im sure most have already been tagged lol)

[jughead-is-canonically-aroace]

omg thank u for introducing me to the term kuleshov effect, that is my favorite aspect of fan edits it makes me go insane

it's so fucking cool, i was actually gonna make a video essay for a final project (before i realized that i don't know how to use a video editor + other problems befouled me) comparing two movies illustrating the connections and the contrasts i was making using the kuleshov effect, which would have pretty much just straightup been an amv using songs from one of the movies.

it's part of why a good gifset is one of my favorite kinds of fandom meta - clips from x episode paired with clips from y later episode, etc - like !!!!! you're making a connection and holding it up for me to look at directly so i can then make that connection myself purely through the juxtaposition!!!!!!!! that's so cool!!!!!!!!

like, look at this

you see what i'm saying??? the meaning comes from the interraction of the paired gifs/lines

or this one

which does like, angle or lighting comparison in addition to the contrast in emotion - shot comparison! match shots! et cetera!

like, the meaning here isn't coming from the caption, i don't see that until later, it's coming from seeing these visuals & dialogue juxtaposed and interpreting something from the decision to pair them. that's video essay

but like to get back to videos and amvs and the kuleshov effect and soviet montage in general - look at this supernatural amv. i've never seen supernatural but this is one of my favorite songs by the mountain goats, and there are lines in it that were put in a completely new perspective for me by watching this amv and seeing what shots the editor put under which lines

soviet montage is a style that developed pretty much in direct response to western/hollywood continuity editing, and specifically in response to the film birth of a nation, which was interesting to the soviet filmmakers in the way that they saw the style of filmmaking aided the film in selling the story of the KKK to the american audience

continuity editing stylistically wants to be noticed as little as possible, and guide you along the viewing of the movie, blurring the lines between your reality and the reality of the film (the idea of the suspension of disbelief) through things that mimic the real life experience of moving throug the world - shot-to-shot things like showing the exterior of the building and then the interior, keeping the camera within the same 180 degrees in a single scene so the people you're filming aren't suddenly on different sides of the camera (the viewer); and scene-to-scene things like having events occur chronologically (and if not, having a clear indication of flashback or flash forward as per filmmaking convention)

the soviet filmmakers saw this as like, some capitalist propaganda bullshit because it encouraged you to take in these ideas without necessarily thinking or critically examining them, and so it was very easy to make the KKK the heroes by just building a triumphant narrative around them, and how that narrative is shown to the viewer depends on how it's edited

and so montage editing, which is rising out of the same school of filmmaking as the kuleshov effect, is in direct response to that, to try and find a style of editing that makes the viewer pay attention to the techniques and to the fact that they're watching a film, keeps their brain engaged, and has them draw their own conclusions from what they're shown rather than being gently handed the conclusions by the film. so it's a style that is built on inviting thought and critique, and therefore a pretty natural style for expressing audiovisual critique and analysis

(amvs also have their roots in this style bc soviet filmmakers were often working with recutting american films rather than filming their own due to lack of funds for purchasing film. which is pretty cool)

if you wanna check out a cool classic example of soviet montage editing, vertov's man with a movie camera (1hr) is really fun, kind of a "day in the life" but also a display of different effects you can get by using a film camera in different ways, bit of stop motion, etc

(vertov is also a really interesting, he coined the idea of kino-eye, which is about the way that the camera looks at the world and how that's different from how a human eye looks at the world, and also, the way the world reacts or changes in response to being looked at by the camera. which is Pretty Relevant Right Now I'd Say! glares at tiktok. glares at surveilence state. anyway you might wanna check that out too it's a bit tangental to the topic but still relevant in terms of the idea of film as unique medium which can be used to express ideas differently than the written word)

[the-bus-called-graveyard-8]

I'm going to be starting a proper All Hail King Julien rewatch soon, for the purpose of continuing the 10 year anniversary gifsets! (more on that below) I'll be making other gifsets as I go, so if anyone's got a scene they want to see or any other AHKJ idea, reply to this or shoot me an ask and I'll add it my list!

I'm a bit torn on how to go about the anniversary sets this time around. Do I do one for each individual episode or one for each season as a whole? I want each episode to have its day, but it seems silly to make separate sets when all the episodes dropped at the same time. Posting 13 gifsets in one day would be just absurd 😂 maybe I can make up one of those little gif memes to do alongside the anniversary sets, like a "one moment per episode" sort of deal. Other fandoms/gifmakers do that sort of thing, I can be cool like them 😂

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

For the gifmaker asks: 5, 26, 39 & 44. Thank you! 💜💜

Hi. Thanks so much for asking. Flower for you🌸

5. how long have you been making gifs?

This blog just turned one this month, so one full year of gif making. It's been a learning experience. Learning from people like you of course💜

26.   gif/gifset you’re most proud of

Proud might be a stretch but I'd have to say it's probably one of my DFF sets. This one is probably my favourite. I love every individual gif. I'm kinda proud of them because at least once per episode there was a gif that I really wanted to include but it was a challenge to colour.

39.   What is your most popular gifset?

It's this one from Kiseki: Dear To Me. I'd like to think it's because it's a great gifset but something tells me that's not really the reason. It's also technically the second most popular but I don't count the first one because of reasons.

44.   do you make gifs in order when making a gifset or just whichever you want to work on most first?

I make gifsets in a different way than most apparently. I don't do the colouring for individuals gifs. I do for the whole set all at once. While in video format. Only then do I turn them into gifs. It's a longer process but it's one I'm familiar with because I was an editor in a previous life. And I don't like to use ps for the whole process. I know it's not the most efficient but it's how I like it.

Thanks for stopping by. Before I go, would you consider reblogging this ask game at some point? I have so many questions I'd like to ask you. Just a suggestion of course.

Have a wonderful day💜

Asks for Gif Makers

[paceypeternathanslawyer]

I'm scheduling my "top two favorite characters per episode" gifset series and i'm already up to season 5.

Making these gifs is just bringing up all the old anger I felt for Lucas that has been dormant for about a couple weeks lol

Lucas is so much the problem when it comes to his various relationships. Brooke makes jokes that Peyton has a "Lucas stealing face" and all the fans just despise Peyton because they put all the blame her for Lucas' cheating on Brooke/Lindsey but Lucas is the fucking problem... This gif is the epitome of Lucas Scott...

This scene is good indication of what I mean

There is no reason that Lucas had to say that shit to Peyton. You can't make the argument that he's just confused and trying to convince himself that he loves Lindsey. He has control of his mouth and his behavior. He doesn't have to say this shit! This is the thing that he does. He toys with the woman that he's not dating and says stuff to keep her on his line. Says stuff that makes her think that he has a thing for her but then the next second he'll act like this is all on her and he doesn't have feelings for her. This is a manipulation tactic. And then he'll turn around to his girlfriend and proceed to gaslight her when she acts insecure about Peyton. He'll say stuff like "I don't have feelings for Peyton" "Your the one for me" and then he will continue to blatantly flirt with Peyton. This behavior is unacceptable and it's no wonder that Peyton gets brought into his web all the time because she's being fucking manipulated!

This scene really makes me livid and I've sort of posted about it before so I'm going to copy and paste some of what I said but add more points onto it

The irony of how Lucas claims that Peyton made their breakup about her and what she wanted but then claims she broke up with him because she thought he couldn't make it as a writer. Says she makes it all about her and then proceeds to make it all about him. It's especially crazy because we saw their relationship. Peyton was nothing but supportive of him and his dreams so he made it about him for no reason! We also saw that proposal. Peyton didn't want to rush into marriage but she clearly loved him and wanted to be with him. Lucas gave up on them

So he pretty much baits her. Comes to her workplace at the dead of night. Confronts her. Accuses her of trying to ruin his current relationship. Accuses her of being the reason that they broke up in the first place when it was 100% a decision that he made. And then she had a normal reaction and throws all of his stupid books at him... he has the unadulterated nerve to put his hands up and act like she is this crazy bitch that he's scared of and has to get away from. She didn't force you to confront her and verbally attack at her workplace at night Lucas!!!!! Oh this man gets on every one of my last nerves!!!

[genkais-arcade]

I paused making gifs at episode 55 to go back and re-gif many of the episodes in the Spirit Detective Saga. The show itself is finite, and I'm going through it per episode, so I see no reason to rush through it.

I've grown a lot as a gif maker, AND I'm wanting to make gifsets with subtitles this year. So I'll probably be reposting some of my old gifsets with subtitles now too :)

I'm also doing Two Shots/All or Nothing!

[perotovar]

Hi!!!! No worries if you don’t want to tell me or respond lol. But I really like the colour grading you did on that most recent Joel Miller gif set. I do photography and I’ve been struggling for ages to find a way to bring out the warm sort of brown tones without making things feel too muddy or red. Just curious about what HSL adjustments you made / what colour grading helped you get that look?

ohhhh my god thank you so much??? this might be a convoluted answer/unnecessary rant so i apologize in advance lol but i tend to keep the colorings/psds i use for gifs saved in a folder so every gif i make in a set is consistent with color/lighting/shading/whatever. i get anxious if there's even a little bit of difference per gif lol

a lot of what turned out in those gifs has to do with the lighting/coloring that's already in the show/that specific episode/scene. i've got the rest of the episodes' gifsets made and finished but i can try and kind of show what i'm talking about. they all look different color-wise, at least in my opinion, because of the differences in each episode's lighting. if that makes sense.

the goal with any gif i make, regardless of show/movie, is to make them either

1) better than what was there before (for example, if the movie is INCREDIBLY blue/yellow then i try and color correct that blue or yellow to be more neutral)(i'm looking at you triple frontier and your dark, blue ass scenes dfjkdflh)

and

2) not whitewash pedro. this is incredibly important (at least in my opinion) because i've noticed a lot of gifmakers (or least they used to) went for a really pastel/pale look and it whitewashed poc so dramatically and it was ~problematic~ to say the least. (i used to make gifs for a band that consisted of all mexican band members and i got hate a few times/people policing how i should color my gifs so the band wouldn't get whitewashed, so it's something i've been hyper aware of ever since)

so, even if i'm going for a more moody/darker aesthetic like i am with these gifsets of tlou, i never try and diminish the color pedro has in his skin tone. he's got a lot of color in his skin and i want to be able to see it, y'know what i mean?

basically, that boils down to keeping a lot of the warmer tones while also going for an ~aesthetic~ and it can be really hard sometimes. sometimes a show or movie, in this case the last of us, every episode is lit a little differently since it takes place over the course of a year.

i'll put some examples under the cut:

ok so i'll use episodes 2 and 8 as my examples.

to begin with, the last of us has, what i call, a "post-apocalyptic filter" over the top of it so i kinda have to work with that from the start. lots of greens/earthy brown tones and stuff.

this is with only sharpening applied and no color or anything:

and this is with my previously mentioned ~dark and moody~ psd applied on top of that sharpening:

now, this is the same color grading i used on that gifset you were mentioning.

this is also the same color grading i used on episode 8, which takes place in the winter/snowy areas so the coloring to begin with is going to reflect that:

and now with the coloring:

the big thing between these two scenes is that in the winter one, he's also recovering from actively dying and being deathly pale so any color he had in his face is really minimal lmao

so this is already way too fucking long and i don't think i even actually answered your question i am so sorry lol

to start, i ALWAYS start with an automatic curves layer and then adjust accordingly.

the actual color grading part mostly consists of vibrance, hue/saturation, selective color, channel mixer, gradient map, and level layers. i'm willing to give you the psd privately if you'd like to have a closer look at them!

thank you so much for asking and for putting up with my ranting lmao