#that ai is gonna be very weird and very queer

[starrynightzie]

I mostly wanted this acc to be specifically for art, not rly for anything else but i need to get this off my chest. Obviously if you’ve been on twitter, you’ve probably seen a lot (and i mean a LOT) of hate towards gay ships/shippers recently, (first w togachako, then w stsg) i wanna address all the weird shit thats been happening w jjk dudebros lately. Idk what it is but they’re rly upsetti spaghetti abt even the mere thought of stsg being more than platonic besties, going so far as to shoot down any hint of them being romantically inclined in the slightest - so i thought that i’d take it upon myself to provide poof that stsg has queer, romantic subtext since ppl are being extremely obtuse abt them, all for the sake of protecting their friendship from us evil gays. (other shippers do this too but im mostly focusing on dudebros bc they’re the ones primarily acting like assholes to us for no reason, like yeah, sure, some stsgs are extremely cringey & weird but that can be said for ANY shipper in ANY fandom. When you’re in a fandom as big as this, of course there’s gonna be some bad eggs, it’s inevitable.

ok so. !!DISCLAIMER!! i do not speak japanese, so if i say something incorrect then please correct me. i’ve done enough research to be sure that what im saying is right, but im only human, and sometimes, i might be wrong. so, take what im abt to say with a grain of salt. (just in case).

first off, it should be stated that gege akutami, the creator himself, is an avid bl fan (and ik what ur thinking, ‘oh, that doesn’t mean anything! just bc u read bl, it doesn’t mean you’re likely to write gay relationships into ur own manga!’ which is true, gege HAS said that he doesn’t want to write romance in jjk. HOWEVER, as much as i love stsg & see them in a romantic light, i do definitely think that the reason why their relationship feels so ambiguous is bc gege intentionally made it that way. i think he made their relationship up to the individual’s interpretation. And for ppl who’re thinking ‘why would he do that?’ well, he doesn’t like writing romance, right? so this is the next best thing he could do. and also i have to point out (in case ppl get defensive), gege literally does not and will never care if ppl ship stsg or not, again, he’s a bl fan and if anything - all of the evidence that im going to talk abt proves that he most likely ships stsg himself, so… 🤷‍♂️

2. i’d like to talk about s2’s op & ed which are HEAVILY romantically coded. If you don’t know, the op was written to be from gojo’s pov & vice versa with geto for the ed, the op in particular is a very special case. The song is explicitly abt reminiscing the past , wishing gojo had noticed geto’s sorrow sooner and it also mentions a ‘silent love’. the word ‘love’ being used here is ‘koi’ which EXCLUSIVELY means romantic love… now, since this song was specifically written with gojos pov in mind, doesnt it seem kind of weird to have the word for ‘romantic love’ in there?? (koi can be referred to as ‘young love’ or having a ‘crush’ on someone…. hm… ThAts WeIrD.) instead of using ‘ai’??? which would make more sense if stsg were just besties bc ai is more general and can be used towards friends & family.

and then ofc there’s the whole theme of ‘blue spring’. director park (who directed s1 & jjk 0) has stated in an interview that geto was gojo’s last warm spring of youth. now if you dont know, spring of youth/blue spring means a time in a young person’s life where they have hope and happiness… in animanga, it often means falling in love too… so judging by this, it seems very likely that gojo perhaps developed feelings for geto during their teen years together. Director park has also mentioned in an interview that gojo & geto’s relationship goes beyond ‘friendship’ & being ‘familial’. 👀

3. another clear indicator of gojo being in love w geto is the whole ‘love is the most twisted curse of all’ spiel he said to yuta. ‘but he could mean platonic love!!’ idk, considering yuta had romantic feelings for rika and hes discussing them with gojo & gojo knows this, dont u think it’d be a bit weird for him to mention geto here too? if they were just best friends?? (that’s not even mentioning the fact that gojo & geto’s relationship is supposed to parallel yuta & rika’s in jjk 0…)

4. and then ofc we have gojo saying his last words to geto, which were censored. now, correct me if im wrong but the ONLY times ive ever seen inaudible dialogue being mouthed to another character is when its a love confession mostly seen in romance anime. and like, there’s also no need at all for gojo’s last words to be censored in the first place. (although, i do suspect that his last words may play a major role in the future when he faces kenjaku.) what solidifies it for me being a love confession is that, 1. geto blushed after gojo said whatever it is that he said to him, (only in the manga tho, idk why they didnt make him blush in the movie but its whatever.) and geto replies with, depending on the translation, ‘at least curse me a little at the very end’ or ‘you should at least curse me at the end’. which heavily implies that gojo said something extremely sweet & heartfelt to him as his final words. and if thats not enough to convince u that gojo’s last words were indeed a love confession.. gojo’s eng VA HIMSELF, said that his last words when translated into english means three words… im not saying that gojo’s last words were specifically ‘i love you’ or anything like that, but i am definitely sure that whatever he said was a love confession/something very romantic in nature. bc why else would gege choose to draw geto blushing?? that wouldnt make any sense.

gojo also killed geto on the 24th of december, which in japan, is the most romantic day of the year & couples in japan treat christmas eve as kinda like a separate valentines day. even in the jjk manga recently, gojo offered to fight on dec 24th & kenjaku mocks him by saying how romantic it is… even gege himself acknowledges how romantic christmas eve is in japan, this enforces the idea that gege must’ve chosen dec 24th for a reason, bc why else would he have picked an extremely romantic date as not only the day where he fights kenjaku who is inhabiting geto’s body, but also making it the day geto died?? yall have to remember that all of this has been planned out by gege, none of it is a coincidence… he didn’t just come up with all of this on the spot, he’s been planning this stuff & thinking about it for literal years.

5. and finally, probably the BIGGEST piece of evidence there is, geto & gojo’s character songs. gege chose romantic break up songs for BOTH of them.. like im sorry but if stsg were rly truly only best friends, he would not have chosen those songs for them, it just doesnt make any sense.

conclusion: obviously, this probably isn’t every subtextually romantic thing about stsg’s relationship but these are all the things that i’ve noticed. again, if you see their relationship as purely platonic then that’s fine but don’t be assholes to people for seeing romantic subtext that’s quite clearly there. if i have missed anything out then please let me know and i’ll edit them into the post.

[seizethedeansofproduction]

Everything everywhere all at once winning best picture and all the other awards makes me very emotional. From a representational standpoint yes. But I guess also from a filmmaker standpoint.

(I KNOW THIS IS LONG BUT IF YOU COULD READ THIS, THAT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD)

I’ve been making films for 10 or so years and for many years never saw much outward success. I would put my all into a project, down to hand making the sets, costumes, editing it myself (etc), but when I would submit to festivals for kid filmmakers, I would be left heartbroken sitting in the theater knowing that my film wasn’t good enough. That is had been too weird, not shot on a good enough quality camera, and that it simply wasn’t the “type of film” that could win awards.

Then enter this film. It marched to the beat of its own drum, it told a story that was authentic and sincere, it told a story about a Chinese immigrant and her family (A STORY WHICH RARELY GETS TOLD TO A MASS AUDIENCE IN MAINSTREAM HOLLYWOOD), it told a story about a queer woman struggling with family issues and depression and suicide, it gave no fucks, it gave them all. It was goofy. It was chaotic. It was heart wrenching. It was everything.

I’m a filmmaker, but I’m also sometimes a cynic. At times I am worried about the future of creative fields I hope to enter given AI threatening real artists, the increasing difficulty to break into Hollywood with no connections, and of course a litany of reboots, sequels, and franchises (not to say that this is bad, but there’s a tiny part of me that fears that this is all it will end up being. At least in terms of studio funding). I worry that while I may make films now, there may not be a place for me one day.

Seeing this film changed that. EEAAO was so boldly itself that it relit my creative spark to make work that would do the same.

And of course the awards. 

If you had told me a couple years ago that a film about rocks and hotdog fingers would win best picture, I would have been confused then probably laughed. Even as the award season beast was beginning to awaken from it’s year long slumber, I remained skeptical that this film would get awards, much less hundreds of them. Yet it destroyed the competition and with every win and every speech, my heart got a bit more full and damn it, I believed that maybe there was a chance this film could take the title.

Last Sunday, I wasn’t able to watch the oscars. I had just gotten over being sick and needed the sleep. The next morning I woke up and by some stroke of fate the people on the radio were talking about the Oscars, I held my breath, and I heard it. Best Picture Winner Everything Everywhere All At Once. I later watched the acceptance speeches that day and wept. This meant the world to me now but also to the me years ago who sat in those theaters with a broken heart thinking that their movies weren't good enough.

Now of course you can still be a cynic (or a realist who knows?) and assume that this changes nothing. No needle was moved. And next year the films getting awarded and produced with tons of eyes on them will be the next Green Book or whatever. But if this movie’s taught me anything, its that feeling optimism is ok.

And yeah given all it's wins, people are probably now gonna rag about it and say it's overrated. They can have their opinions, but I don't care. Like what you want to like, life's too short.

I’m gonna keep on making movies, the kind of movies I want to make not what I try to make to win awards or impress other people. I’m gonna try to be a kinder person. I’m going try to keep on telling stories of queer people, of found families, of hope, of comedy, and of whatever else I can think of. I’m gonna hope that people continue to create just as they always do and that this time they get the attention, platform, and opportunities that they deserve instead of it going to those who don’t.

Thank you Michelle Yeoh. Thank you Stephanie Hsu. Thank you Ke Huy Quan. Thank you Jamie Lee Curtis. Thank you James Hong. Thank you Paul Rogers. Thank you Jonathan Wang. Thank You Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. Thank You Everything Everywhere All At Once.

You changed my life and countless others. Thank you thank you thank you.

[arcplaysgames]

also, the state of the liveblog

i am prob gonna take a small break and play a game on my own. i have.... absolutely adored doing this, doing my best to take these games apart and look at them with fresh eyes, it's been a fun learning experience, and I hope it has been fun to watch.

but i would estimate that i have written probably a good......... hm. 75,000 words on these games now? maybe a little less, prrrobably a little more, and my brain needs a rest.

i am still considering what game is next. options include

The reasoning for each:

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - this is considered by a LOT of reviewers I trust to be the best story in games right now. like Persona it has a slowly unfolding plot and a strong cast of very odd characters. I think probably only a handful of you have played it, so we could play it together as a family.

Dangan Ronpa - i have actually been curious about this series for a long time, prob since I flew through 999 and had a transcendentally good experience with that. also if I wanna be frank, part of the fun of this blog is you all knowing the games and me knowing Fucking Nothing. this fits the bill.

Caligula Effect 2 or AI: Somnium Files - both feel like a good next step after Persona, super vibrant and Fucking Weird esoteric games that are writing- and character-first. AI:SF is by the Zero Escape writer so I am automatically hyped for some PEAK weird shit.

Dramatical Murder - Storm told me this would be difficult to liveblog but this is a piece of queer media history I know nothing about except some jokes about a cat. Also, as a connoisseur of sexy, fucked up Bad Ends, I hear this one delivers in spades. Also I weirdly hear the worldbuilding is cool, and I'm always a slut for worldbuilding.

[gabrielultrakill-bigboobs]

good morning im gonna recreate my pinned

art only: @v1ultrakill-bigpenis jonnus (oc) askblog: @fearfulblade

i’m providence from risk of rain (mentally ill intent) and i like being referred to as that but you can also feel free to call me provolone, maelstrom, or ukulele.

he/they/it pronouns, agender aroace (in a queerplatonic relationship), non-human (petrichorian), mentally ill with several physical problems

i do art (v1ultrakill-bigpenis for just art posts) and writing (Thy_Providence on ao3 for writing stuff) and i’m trying to learn coding and 3d stuff. i also vaguely know how to edit videos but i never find the time or ideas

i like risk of rain, rain world, and ultrakill. you can tell very easily

discord: unmatchedpowerofthesun archive of our own: Thy_Providence steam: linked with my discord but it’s provolone_ (probably cant find it too easily by searching it so just. add me on discord beforehand or smth)

my asks are open but dont be too weird i’m still a shitlet

note: dont refer to me as nonbinary i’m not comfortable with the term since it feels unfitting to me for no reason. if you want to call me anything other than agender just use transmasc

also known as john fiberglass in the main risk of rain discord

——

oh yeah i might as well add a before-you-follow thing below the cut

things to note about me: -i will block you if i dislike you. i will block you if you’ve been a dick to my friends in one way or another. i will not tolerate your presence within 10 meters of me. -i have conduct disorder. i’m going to get angry, and it’s going to be violent. i also struggle to phrase stuff (likely related to my autism) and often misremember stuff, or my brain completely makes up memories from nothing. -i’m an inclusionist, meaning i accept all queer identities, whether they fit an exclusionist’s view of the lgbt community or not. all are welcome here. -i don’t tag my reblogs outside of comments, but some things you might see in my reblogs are slightly suggestive content, gore, and occasionally the shit going on in the world -i reclaim the f-slur here and there. -i reblog shit a ton -i’m very anti-AI. the chatbot that a friend(?) of mine made is a very special exception

straight up block me if: -you’re a pedophile, zoophile, or other shit in similar veins -you glorify/fetishize incest, rape, pedophilia, zoophilia, or other shit in similar veins -you demonize cluster b personality disorders and/or DID/OSDD systems -you’re weird or a whiny dickhead about people who identify as a fictional character -you’re ableist, queerphobic, racist, or other shit in similar veins

[hematomes]

I could definitely see momoe being intersex! It definitely happens to where ppl dont even know about it or realize it! I like this headcanon for her, a little light in the darkness. ☺️

My thoughts on the show though...oh man. They are very negative so I'm sorry. 😫 You don't have to read it all if you don't want to. Warnings ahead for mentions of child abuse and suicide:

In a nutshell it's some kind of preachy anti-suicide propaganda piece, and it goes about its message in such a weirdly perverse and victim-blamey way. It's also sexually charged in a rly low-key way where it's romanticizing the way these children are crushing on and/or being abused by adult men. Ah I can't articulate it properly but it comes off as so sinister in its intention and it's easy to miss, *especially* for the target audience of, well, 14-year-old girls.

The end was so nonsensical that I can barely even remember what happened, but by that time I was already so upset about Frill and realizing what the show's message truly was that I don't think I was even registering what little plot that show had to give.

Also, as a trans boy myself, I have mixed feelings about Kaoru, but I don't think I'll ever watch the show a second time to let those thoughts fully form.

i just finished the last episode (without the extras) and im gonna be real with u i didn't understand it at all 💀

i see your point and i agree, especially with the last wonder egg & the whole thing with ai's/koito's teacher. i got the ick really quickly but the 1st real nail was the fact that he painted an "adult" version of ai and called it beautiful/gorgeous etc (and said she'd look like her mother, WITH WHOM HE IS IN A RELATIONSHIP......) and i thought it would be addressed later on, but they just. dropped that and then made it worse by saying that in a parallel universe she confessed to him and that he was her first love. without it being weird somehow idk. not to mention how breezily they hypothetized that he could've abused koito hello..... however ill give them the benefit of the doubt for that since it was a discussion between 4 teen girls and one of them did step up. even tho she just stepped up to defend her uncle. oh well.

i think i see their point in the way that teenagers sometimes get attached to their teachers, but it's the teachers' responsibility to draw a FIRM boundary and that guy clearly didn't with neither ai nor koito. im also quite unsatisfied about how his relationship with koito remained vague till the end of the main show (can't say abt the extras)

overall i still enjoyed watching it and got attached to the girls, but it really went sideways with the episodes 10-12. not really sure how i feel about the frill situation which frustrates me to NO END bc i literally started watching it for her </3 anyway

kaoru is... an extremely unimportant character, barely one episode etc and his trauma (and the trauma of all the wonder eggs tbh) was basically overlooked, which is also why im desperately clinging to the queer momoe hc. also disappointed bc he really deserved. so much more.

ANYWAY i was 0% ready for the last 3 episodes, and idk if ill watch the extras bc that was really weird and rushed. i feel like they should've explored some stuff way more, specifically around frill and how she's linked to what's happening. plus her motives etc, bc at the end of the day it's up to interpretation but like so vague i can't even really think of smth that would fully make sense

so, yea. imo amazing start but some very important things were left out (which sucks bc as u said the target audience is teenagers) and glazed over when it could've been an opportunity to point out how fucking WEIRD and dangerous some teachers are and the end was kinda fucked.

in conclusion. hoshiai no sora is better

[the-gay-trashmouth]

Okay so I binged q-force. Is it perfect? No. No its not- it's a comedy adult cartoon about gay spies. It was funny, it had that found family trope and it had it good rep. It had butch 4 butch rep (pam and Deb my loves) trans goth chicks, and even an older women in power who I have a permanent lesbian crush on. I see a lot of people complaining about the stereotypes - mostly Twink- but like.... Y'all realize stereotypical gay people exist, right? Like there are butch lesbians who BBQ on weekends and adopt way to many dogs. There are drag queens who are super extra and loud and sexual. There are alt queer people who like obscure shit and would maybe like to fuck robots- shut up

Like ... Gay people are allowed to act gay. Y'all know that right? Gay culture is built on the "weird". Q force gave us stereotypes but also broke them.

Twink is a top who can throw a punch and is fucking badass. His drag connections come in handy and offers them tons of Intel. I've seen people talk about how it's bad that he wants to be skinny but.... Yall know some people Wanna be skinny? And that's not a bad thing??? Like yeah it can be unhealthy but he never once commented on anyone else's weight negatively- and we had a diverse body types. Just in the force we had a muscle vers, a fat stud lesbian, a tall lanky hacker, a slim thicc drag queen, a chubby hunk, and a middle aged woman with actual proportions. Could I have done without some of the tummy tuck jokes? Yeah, sure, but y'all realize actual queens talk like that.

Then we have Deb- the only character with her life together. She and her wife are very very happy and secure and its like... One of the first butch 4 butch relationship I've seen on screen that healthy. She's a mechanic and was on surviver but she's also the mom of the group. She's in touch with her emotions, she rescues dogs, her happy place is on the phone with her wife- she is a black stud lesbian and she's not a cold mean shell of a person. How often do y'all see that????

And then Stat- STAT! she's weird!! And that's the point! She likes being weird!! She's a trans hacker badass and she fucked an AI!! She's herself and unapologetically so. While affection and emotions make her uncomfortable she's still the one to go after Twink on his birthday. She cares about them all, even in her weird goth way. Shes good rep for those of us who are the "ugly alt queer" people love to make fun of. And the force loves her and her weirdness! Her and twink- two characters on complete opposite sides of the stereotype spectrum- are like best friends. They could of had them hate each other but they don't! He loves her and her weird goth vibes, she doesn't understand his scene but loves him and his drag and never says a damn word. Also!! Her VA is a trans woman!!!!

And fucking Steve- he's the cis het ideal. Strong, masc, average gay man. He could pass as straight- but he doesn't?? He has a boyfriend (who isnt some fuckin super model with the same body- he's a shy bear with glasses and a suffocatingly loving family- also!!! No homophobic family side plot???? Unheard of!!!!) and half of his arc is trying to be there For Him. He's not some hyper masc guy who "happens to be gay but everyones surprised" There is no sub plot of him hiding himself or "being seen as het" he's just a vers with a dorky sense of humor and has a little gaggle of gays (plus buck) that he's adopted and co-parenting with his butch lesbian best friend. Also wlw mlm solidarity!!! Holy shit!!!! that's rare!!!!

Even Buck- who's prolly bi let's be real- goes through an arc and isnt a 2D prick- he loves those gays like family by the end. And that's the end message- community in each other and loving your fellow queer people. There's no fighting between them about being a stereotype. No one makes fun on Twink for being femme, every one gets so happy when Stat smiles, Pam and Deb are happily married and Pam automatically takes her wife's little gay family from work and goes "I love them :))) you should bring them over more."

No its not perfect- I wish there was more open trans rep and nb rep, I wish there was some ace aro rep and I wish there was less animated dick and I could do without some if the skinny jokes Twink made but y'all realize rep isn't ever gonna be perfect? Gay ppl aren't perfect. Gay people are allowed to be stereotypes and the amount of LGBTQ people who worked on the show made it realistic. There was never a point that I was like "this was written by straight people".

Y'all shot down a funny, well written comedy cartoon made by the gays for the gays and hate it because there's a femme drag queen? There's stereotypes?? We're never going to get good rep if y'all crucify everything we do get. That's not saying don't be critical, but don't attack queer writers and what little rep we have because it's not the perfect cookie cutter shape for gays.

[absolutebl]

This Week In BL

April 2021 Part 5

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Close Friend Ep 2 (JaFirst) - First is a cat. No actually a cat. It was WEIRD. Cute, but creeping towards beastiality. It reminded me of that strange series out of China (@heretherebedork says Youth in the Breeze). The most amusing thing to me was that the cat used Thai formal linguistic register when of course cats would use informal rude guu mueng with EVERYONE. No cat would use pom. Don’t be ridiculous, Thailand. 

Second Chance Ep 5 - still invested, things progressed for all 3 couples, in one direction or another. They cuties. I love them. Carry on. 

Y-Destiny Ep 5 - the “virgin scoreboard” is gonna make the seme real hard to redeem with this pairing. If they bother. This might be a life lesson episode. What does it remind me of? Oh yes. Kids. *SHUDDER* Point of interest: did you notice Team uses ha with Mon? What a pushy flirt. 

Lovely Writer Ep 10 - honestly I just love it when Poppy shows up in anything, why is he such a delightful screen presence? (Gene’s brother) Sorry, distracted. What happened in this one? Oh, ya know, stuff and things. Family drama. (It is just me or have they been giving us some long ass episodes lately?) Obligatory beach trip activated. (Result = dumb probability mathematics jokes.) Next week it looks like we have Keeping Actor’s Closeted 101. You know the Casting Couch? This is the Casting Closet. 

Fish Upon The Sky Ep 4 - early stage confession, how fun. It’s not unprecedented it just usually means we are in 4 act structure, not 3, which means Fish might go more serious than I thought. Honestly? I’m losing interest mostly because I’ve gone from mild annoyance to active dislike of Pi. Happened to me with Tine too. They better redeem this obtuse tsundere uke soon or he’s not tsundere at all he’s just a jackwit. 

Brothers Ep 13 fin - a kiss and the family finds out about the not-so-brotherly brothers, drama, graduation, THE END. My side-dish happy heart made thumps over Q + delivery boy, I’m sad they got so little screen time. My babies KhunKaow did get a tiny coming out sequence as such. I’m seriously considering doing myself a bootleg of just the KhunKaow plot, but that means I’d have to rewatch the whole darn series and I can’t STAND the idea. Which should give you insight into how not good this show it. Very NOT good. Must we get a season 2? Please stop now, Line. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

HIStory 4: Close To You (Taiwan) Ep 7 - Muren is the cutest peanut and anyone who says otherwise can fight me, although they probably have to go through Licheng first. I was NOT invested in these two at the beginning, but as a couple? They own my soul. The other storyline is still the dumpster fire that I can’t decide to roast marshmallows over (knowing they’ll get tinged with eu de trash) or flee from in horror clutching my pearls and my nose. H4 continues to provide the quality psyche torture I’ve come to expect from this franchise. *sarcastic thumbs up*  *** A word on seeing Boxiang show up (side dish from H3:MODC). It was an unexpected pleasure, I loved his pairing (May/December is a winner for me *glares at Method*) but I do think it was a bone from the franchise telling us that we are never getting that spin-off or reboot that people yearn for. However, how AWESOME that Licheng has someone to go to and ask about topping properly. Otherwise he’s sure to have screwed it up. (Pun intended.) 

Papa & Daddy (Tailwan) Ep 1-2 - this came out of nowhere and is ADORABLE. Applies a ton of BL tropes (cheek kiss, his closet, B&W stripes, drag baby around, boop) but what IS it? More slice of gay domesticity than romance. Like 2019′s Kinou Nani Tabeta? or currently airing Close Friend. I enjoy this style, very wholesome, but I’m not sure what to call it. (Bonus points for cutie lesbians.) A bit weird to have a kid with your partner and STILL not be out to your parents. I hope they aren’t going to throw in a break up for dramatic effect. 

My Lascivious Boss (Vietnam) Ep 4 - I’m really enjoying this series. It’s unabashedly queer, although there’s some problematic stuff lurking under the wig. How it ends is gonna dictate if they handled this stylishly. But hot damn the leads ZING on screen together and their crackling prank-flirting is a joy to watch. 

Word of Honor (China) Ep 31-33 - moving into the home stretch. Big rescue and the band is back together (presumably for the final slaughter). Then a death! *this is my shocked face* Did I tear up? Of course I did. 4 act structure is designed for maximum pathos during the final 1/4. Did we all faint from the symbolism of the love token hair stick being gently thrust into Ah Xu’s bun? Sure we did. All that and sill I’m flagging. This is a long-arse show. Save me, Korea, with your iItsy bitsy teenie weenie...

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea) Ep 5-6 - I am getting such strong 12th Night vibes from this. Tae Hyung is now brigadier of BL’s historical himbo brigade. (To be deployed whenever you are in need of poetry or a cut sleeve.) This show is all ridiculous charm and I LOVE it. Although, five seconds of Lee Sang is not enough Lee Sang. I had to immediately rewatch Wish You. 

Gossip

Nitiman gave us an actor intro BTS teaser. 

Kang In Soo (AKA Kyang Insoo) posted a cute behind the photo shoot of Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding plus a silly interview with Jang Eui Soo on his YouTube channel (you should subscribe, it’s a fun channel, his fitness regime is both insane and inspiring). 

My Engineer 2 dropped a couch interview with the boys but it feels like one that was filmed a while ago (oh and no subs).  

STARTING SOON: Nitiman, Love Area, Top Secret Together, Be Loved in House, & I Promised You The Moon  

Nitiman (Thai) May 7, One 31. University set, moons, engineering students, enemies to lovers, adapted. - Looks to be a solid 2 Moons knock off, I’m in.

Love Area (Thai) May 8, AIS Play, 10 eps total. Restaurant set, stars Pak Chavitpong (the only good thing about Cupid Coach) and the OST is sung by Jeff Satur (Ingredients). - It’s boys in love revolving around food = my kryptonite, try to stop me from watching this probable trash. 

Top Secret Together (Thai) May 14, Line TV. 5 couples, one IRL (Newyear from I Am Your King), story arcs revolve around secrets.  - I’m getting fatigued by these multi-couple sampler pack dramas, but I’ll try it for Newyear’s sake.  

Be Loved in House: I Do (Taiwan YES!) May 20, Viki. Office set, relationships prohibited at work by a new boss, one of the employees is determined to figure out why. Grumpy/tsundere pairing so loads of drama. - I am so flipping excited for this one. A 4th BL series from Taiwan in less than a year? That’s unprecedented. GO BABY ISLAND GO! 

I Promised You the Moon (Thai) May 27, Line TV. Follow up to I Told Sunset About You with the boys now at university. - I won’t be watching this as I have yet to finish season 1. 

Possibly Gameboys season 2.  - Rumors are all over the place right now on this. 

Next Week Looks Like This: 

Some shows may be listed later than actual air date for International accessibility reasons. 

Upcoming 2021 BL master post here.

Links to watch are provided when possible, ask in a comment if I missed something.

[forkanna]

[AO3] [WATTPAD]

The rest of the morning was spent getting dressed and ready for their day to begin. Rise only had a few of the more cliched touristy things in mind, since she had been planning it out with the whole of the Investigation Team — such as whale watching, or hitting up Okinawa World. Even though none of them were old enough to drink their fabled "snake liquor", they were all for exploring the caves that ran beneath the theme park.

When Ai had asked if she wanted her to return the favour, Rise declined. The truth was that while she desperately wanted to sate her urges, she knew they were both feeling a little out of sorts from all their exploration so far — which was why she thought the downtime would be good. Now they could sort through their feelings while sightseeing, and come back to it several hours later, hopefully having gained some kind of wisdom along the way.

Though there was one small problem…

"Will you stop that?" Ai hissed as she and Rise lingered toward the back of the group climbing the steps to the historical Shuri Castle. Yukiko was definitely the one most interested, but the others didn't mind seeing the notable sites.

"Stop whaaat?"

"Stop trying to grab me by the balls. I tried to tell you, it's not a toy!"

Pursing her lips, she pulled her closer to whisper in her ear, "It's my toy. I'm having a lot of fun with it." But then she dropped back with a giggle. "And we both know that if you didn't want me to, you'd try harder to stop me. But all you have to say is 'You need to stop' again and I'll know you're serious."

Ai pursed her lips… but said nothing. Perfect. She had a feeling she was enjoying the attention, even if not the specific form it took. "Dumb bitch," she said yet again.

"You love meeeeee," she cooed with a grin and a little bounce as they reached the top, leaning over to rest her head against her shoulder. Even though she decided not to grab for her unmentionables anymore, she wasn't going to leave her alone.

"Okay, you two," Yosuke sighed irritably as he laced his fingers behind his head. "I know you two have this whole weird 'bet' going, or whatever it is, but do you have to rub it in for the rest of us who don't have anybody? Like, look at Yukiko and Chie and Naoto; they don't have boyfriends! You're gonna make 'em feel bad, too!"

Apparently, he had thought appealing to their solidarity with other women would be more effective than pleading his own case. But Rise just giggled, because she saw the look Yukiko and Chie shared. Naoto was as stoic as ever… but she thought she noticed Kanji blushing. That would make perfect sense, those two — she just had no evidence they were also a thing.

Poor Yosuke. No chance at love unless Narukami came back, or he decided to give in to-

"WHAT A PRETTY CASTLE!" Teddie burst out in a gushy tone of voice, lacing his fingers together next to his own face as he stared up at the doorways. "Ohhh, can we live here? Pleeeeaaaase?!"

"No," Yosuke sighed very tiredly with no hesitation whatsoever. "And I thought I reminded you a whole damn five minutes ago to keep it down!"

Rise was laughing at that reprimand when her cell phone went off, making much more noise than Teddie ever had been. Holding up a finger, she stepped a little further away from the group to take it.

"Yes?"

"Miss Kujikawa."

After a brief second of surprise, she managed to breathe, "Minoru-chan! What's… I mean, hey!"

Minoru Inoue's stoic voice returned over the earpiece of her phone as she turned away from the group. "I have been trying to call you all morning. Is there an issue with your cell phone carrier? Would you like me to look into the cause of-"

"No, no, it's… it's fine." This was inconvenient, but she wanted to get it out of the way as quickly as possible. "So what's up? I'm out with friends, we're on vacation."

"Yes, about that… I'm going to send you a couple of images. Tell me if you notice anything."

So she pulled the phone back in order to check the screen. Sure enough, within seconds the images were coming in via text, and when they finally loaded…

"O-oh, you saw those!" she laughed as lightly as she could manage despite the way her heart began pounding in her throat. So many pictures! Each one featured her and it behara laughing together, walking hand in hand, arguing… only one or two showed anything that could be construed as romantic, but all of them could have been explained away as friendship if one tried hard enough. "Yep, all according to plan. It's fine! They're fine, don't… don't worry about 'em!"

"Which 'plan' was this? Certainly nothing approved by the label."

"Something I thought of on the spur of the moment. It's so easy for an idol to fade into the background, isn't it? Well… here's me, finding a way to stand out! It'll be great — you'll see!"

"There are already a lot of polarising comments on the message boards," Inoue went on, and Rise found herself glancing around to make sure nobody else could hear her. A couple of her friends — including Ai — were glancing over at her to make sure everything was alright, but they were far enough away they probably didn't catch a word. "Everyone is very invested — for both positive and negative reasons."

"See? It's working!"

"No, you misunderstand, Miss Kujikawa. The label is uncomfortable with your career taking this direction. They're considering severing their association with you."

Rise felt her blood chill in her veins. "They're gonna fire me? Because… I'm dating a girl?" She had considered adding a 'maybe' in there, but decided against it. That wasn't how she wanted to move forward with her life.

"They're considering it. There's no real official position on these matters, but businessmen tend to be more conservative. Even if they like the idea of flash and attention-seeking behaviour because it typically only helps a celebrity's visibility, if it's the wrong kind of visibility, it could eventually reflect poorly on the label itself."

"That's not fair," she immediately shot back. And then her higher reasoning skills kicked back in. "And they already know what a moneymaker my voice and my looks are, that I know how to work it. I'm cute, and I know how to be cute."

"The label wants you to be cute and available," he stressed. "They understand that most of our idols will marry eventually, but they hope to get as many men lusting after the idea of being your boyfriend for as long as possible."

"They're delusional."

"Yes, they are. But that's where the money is."

Sighing, she found a nearby pillar and leaned back against it as she thought about the entirety of the situation. Tried to weigh her options. "Well… okay, so I can ride the scandal for a while, can't I? Like, there hasn't been a lesbian idol. Not that I remember."

"Don't you think there's a reason why you can't remember? Because they aren't encouraged to be out publicly. And if they can't conduct that business in private, then the labels have no use for them."

Anger was starting to overtake her anxiety. "That 'business', huh? Maybe it's not any of their business."

"Of course it is. An idol in this country? Literally every aspect of your personal life reflects on your profession, colours public opinion. You know this as well as I do."

"Well… I don't care. Like, if they really want to cut me loose, they can go ahead, but I think they would really be shooting themselves in the foot if they don't see how this plays out first."

"They're already on point of doing that, Miss. You're already essentially 'retired' and trying to make a comeback. If there were going to be a homosexuality scandal, it would be ideally placed for when you're already riding high on the charts, or are on a slight decline — and even then, it's still very risky. So you should really start thinking about whether or not you want this comeback at all."

"Now you're starting to piss me off," she snapped. "This isn't a 'scandal' or a 'business' or any of that stuff! This is my life! Isn't the whole point for me to be entertaining? I can do that and be with a woman at the same time!" She heard him start to interrupt, but she pushed ahead, "Maybe it's about time Japan had an openly queer pop star, because there sure as hell aren't enough of us! So you can shut the fuck up until you have something a little less caveman to say!"

And she hung up on him. Deep down, she knew she was being unfair to Minoru; he was just trying to do his job, and seeing everything through that public relations lense. But she hated the fact that they were trying to tell her she couldn't even date the woman she wanted to date. Nevermind that she was serious about it, and they all thought this was either a publicity stunt, or just some random person she wanted to hold hands with for five seconds before throwing her away. Everything in the world of light music was so immaterial. She wasn't even sure she really was gay or bisexual or whichever label fit her; why did it have to be so important to everyone when it didn't even affect them?

Looking over at Ai was enough to reassure her that she had done the right thing. Even though she wasn't even paying attention to her at the moment, just looking around the brightly-coloured interior of the castle, she was still just as gorgeous as ever — and she was a woman. The only woman Rise had ever found herself thinking about as not just attractive, but as someone she was attracted to. Every time she tried to examine that and figure out if it was a fluke, she just found herself falling yet harder for the stunning upperclassman. Who wouldn't be? Plenty of boys wanted to be with her, so it was understandable.

Because at least some small part of her was lesbian. Maybe more than a small one.

As she stowed her phone, she took a look at Chie and Yukiko. Chie was cute in a playful, carefree way, and Yukiko was so elegant. Could she be into them? No, not really; she had never thought about them that way in the past and wasn't too inclined to start now. Though if she were to choose…

That was interesting. Her brain instantly whispered, "It would be Yukiko," and she didn't even understand the reason. Was she into girlier girls?! Turning her attention to Chie, she knew she was also appealing in a different way, but something about that extra-feminine… maybe it was because she associated that with Ai now. She and Yukiko were both very put together, even if Yukiko took a simpler approach to her dress and makeup and hair; more traditional.

Weird thoughts. Shaking her head out, she jogged to catch up with the group, putting on a happy face.

"What was that shit all about?" Kanji asked idly.

"Nothing," she said with a big smile, trying to put her best foot forward. "What about you guys? What's this all about?"

After a brief pause, Chie said, "It's… a castle…?"

"Well, um, yes, but are we all having fun? Come on, get excited — we're in Okinawa! Away from our parents and school and all that dumb stuff! Let's have FUN!"

Nobody could argue with that.

                                                ~ o ~

Only once they were at lunch did Ai catch up to her and confront her on trying to hide her true feelings about that phone call. After she had related the entirety of the conversation, Ai looked like she would throw her soba and chanpuru at the wall; she even threatened to pick it up and do that very thing.

"Shhh, stop that," Rise half-snickered. "It's not that big a deal."

"It is to me! That fucking asshole thinks he can push you around and tell you who to be?!"

"I know! It's so gross, and invasive, and… I just don't think it's very nice for the label to be breathing down my neck so much!"

Ai sighed as she stirred her noodles distractedly, posture slumping. "But you'd probably better think about doing as they say."

"Huh?"

"Well, you have your entire future to think about, right? I don't want to be the one holding you back. They're gross, but they're probably also just reading the room. They know what it takes to get you where you want to be, and… I ain't it."

A flash of anger welled up within Rise as she picked at her rafute. "No. You're what I need because you're my friend and you make me happy."

"Friend, huh? You do that with all your friends?" When Rise opened her mouth, she held up her hand, chopsticks still between her fingers. "Just messing with you."

"Shut UP, oh my GOD." Then they both laughed very briefly before Rise felt another sigh coming on. "Honestly, I think they're wrong about this. I've checked the online spaces myself, too — don't they think I have? Don't they think I'm better at it than those old crusty guys are?!"

"Tell them, girl!"

"Are you two okay over there?" Chie asked with a little laugh.

"NO!" they both answered, only making both tables laugh. There hadn't been enough space at any one table at the restaurant they found, so most of them ended up at the big one. Ai had volunteered the two of them to take another small one nearby — and Rise now realised the reason was this interrogation.

"Anyway, if they don't want me on the label anymore, that's that. I can find a way to pursue music without them."

Mouth full, Ai just nodded and pointed her chopsticks at her for a second until she swallowed. "YES. The internet is here and it's queer, and they're old guard who are going to die out. Viral videos are really starting to become a big part of how artists get noticed. YouTube and Niconico and stuff. Who even cares about TV anymore?"

"A lot of people," Rise sighed resignedly. "Especially in rural areas — which will also be the same people who don't want to see me dating a woman. Just not kids our age as much as we used to."

"Well… okay, yeah, that's true."

"It's okay, though. The future isn't for old people, it's for us. Me being who I am, dating who I want to date, is part of pushing forward, y'know? Not that I want to be some big activist… I don't know enough about that stuff. Not as much as you probably do. But I'm not going to hide who I am just because some old people tell me I have to; I've done enough of that for a lifetime. Now I just want to figure out the real Rise and love her, and show the world who she is."

Though she had finished and gone back to eating a moment later, waiting for Ai to respond, she never did. So eventually she glanced up to see her simply smiling across the table at her, elbows leaning on its surface as her mascara-laden eyelashes fluttered a little.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just proud of what a bitch you can be when you need to."

"Huh?! I'm not a bitch!"

"It's a compliment, dumbass. Bitches get shit done."

"Oh. Well, um… thank you?"

Ai chuckled at her for a moment, prompting Rise to kick her under the table. Then they both started flicking tiny bits of food at each other from across the tabletop until Yosuke asked what the hell they were doing, prompting a loud peal of laughter from them both. Even though at the time, Rise was mostly worried about her career and whether or not she was making the right steps, she would forever look back on that as a glorious moment she had shared with Ai Ebihara. With her girlfriend.

                                                To Be Continued…

[el-oh-her]

Writblr Talks: Bury Your Gays

So, I guess I’m interested about the trope in less of a definitive and instructional topic (explaining what it is and how to avoid it) and more of a discussion. 

“Bury Your Gays” (Or Dead Lesbian Syndrome) is this persistant trope in media where gay characaters seem more expendable than straight characters, and have a higher risk for suicide, torture, and death. Gay characters seem to have less meaning to the plot, and death before the end of the media seems a natural fit for them. 

Because this trope is so broad and it can include any time a gay character has ever died, I’m interested in when you consider a character that falls under bury your gays and when it doesn’t. 

I’m not here to tell you your answer is right or wrong. I just want to see everyone’s perspective (yes, even people who are straight. Your outisde perspetive can be just as insightful). 

Check below the cut for what I think. I genuinely want to know what you think about the trope! And again, these are just my opinions, and obviously you’re gonna agree with some and disagree with others. 

When I think It’s a Bury Your Gays Trope

[Life is Strange Spoilers  and The 100 Spoilers Ahead] 

If the character is not explicitly gay from their introduction (either by statement or queer coding), is later confirmed gay, and dies any time after that confirmation. (Especially if it’s immediately)

This obviously relies on a person’s ability to interpret queer coding and indirect characterization. I don’t usually think it falls under the trope if they’re noted as gay from the beginning and are later killed (this is just in the most vaguest terms), but obviously I’m sure people could point out media where it was. A badly written character is a badly written character. 

Chloe and Rachel from Life is Strange therefore to me never came off as a bury your gay trope because it felt pretty clear to me that Chloe was gay and Rachel was very close to her (perhaps not a girlfriend but maybe even a crush) from the beginning. Rachel is the only unpreventable death, and while I can see people seeing it as BYG, the game seems to take character death serious, with characters like Kate Marsh, the straightest girl you could possibly meet. I never felt like Rachel (or Chloe) were more expendable than the other charcters. 

Lexa from The 100 on the other hand, I think is the prime example. To me, she wasn’t ever coded to be gay, and while her reveal made my bisexual heart pitter patter with joy, it was then quickly crushed by her near almost immediate death. Like, if they planned on killing her in such a shocking manner, I’d rather have not known her sexuality because she’s can’t be a represenation if she’s dead the few gay minutes she had on screen. 

[Life is Strange Spoilers  and The 100 Spoilers End]

[Supernatural Spoilers Ahead] 

If gay people suffer from perma-death in a ressurection heavy media

Yeah I’’m calling out Supernatural. But, not for Castiel, that’s more so dying as soon as they’re gay. Charlie, a companion to the brothers for a really long time, is killed and then she’s just dead. And it just makes me angry because people come back from the dead SO OFTEN in this show, that one of the gays is dead 5ever? Ugh. 

In a poor attempt at a defense, it seems any side character is fodder because I think most of them end up dying and staying dead except for Sam and Dean, but even so. 

[Supernatural Spoilers End]

If they died for shock value, and the ratio of straight deaths to gay deaths is not close 

Like, all shock value death is terrible, but if all the gays are dying this way and the straights aren’t, then it seems pretty sus to me. 

When Do I Think It’s Not Bury Your Gays

If the death isn’t scripted (Table Top Role Playing Only) 

If the death isn’t for shock value or to propell the motivations of a (usually) straight character 

If it’s a well scripted, meaningful death that moves the story forward, that genuinely affects the main characters, isn’t the only death in the media, and isn’t an easily forgotten death, and the death doesn’t feel like it’s connected to the sexuality / Gender idenity, even if the death has nothing to do with the sexuality (such as being killed as soon as being revealed as gay and being killed because you’re gay).

[Life is Strange and The 100 Spoilers, Again]

This last one I think is the difference between Lexa and Rachel. Rachel’s death is meaningful and Chloe never lets the player forget how important Rachel is, and she is basically the whole reason why the plot unfolds the way that it does. If Nathan had never killed Rachel, Chloe wouldn’t have been looking for Rachel, and perhaps the story would have been different. Rachel’s death was also made very clear it was an accidental overdose that really, really fucked Nathan up. Her death is hard to forget because of how it affects Chloe, and it never came off as something that was just for shock, or to make Max and Chloe more interesting characters. 

Lexa does. It really feels like she died to give Clarke something (else) to be tramatized about, because of how quickly she died after the reveal. And while it has been a long time since I’ve seen The 100, I’m pretty sure that Lexa is evenatually a footnote in the story given that so much is happening all at once, but she does come back in the AI world (Which was weird, and no, did not fix the problem). At no point did I feel like Lexa’s life was in danger, whereas Rachel’s was up in the air the entire time. And what makes this WORSE, is that The 100 has in my opinion, the best written character death ever: Jasper’s Girlfriend Maya. Like, her death is TRAGIC, don’t get me wrong. And the way it affects Jasper all the way to Jasper’s death is phenomenal writing. I have never seen a character death feel so impactful than hers in any media ever. IT. WAS. SO. GOOD. and then we had Lexa. Knowing what the writers were capable of doing with Maya and Jasper made Clarke and Lexa more of an insult than anything else. 

[suitov]

Chihiro

Chihiro & Izuru friendship headcanons

(Some of these will be related to my own AU.)

I’m still only partway through playing THH to familiarise myself with some of the characters because I want them to feature in future writing. That definitely includes Chihiro.

I can’t talk about Chihiro without using pronouns, so I’m gonna need to address the big issue around the character head on, then we can get to the fun stuff. For those who don't know the full backstory, in THH, Chihiro’s gender is handled pretty badly: it gets abused by Monokuma/the writers for shock value, reduced to a plot twist in a murder trial. That’s not the case in my AU!

The characters in THH had their memories wiped all the way back to the start of high school, whereas in the setting I'm using, there hasn’t yet been any memory wipe, Reserve Course revolt or worldwide tragedy. Class 78 have so far been allowed to enjoy their school years peacefully, which for Chihiro meant a lot of self-discovery with supportive friends. Chihiro currently identifies as a he/him lesbian and is growing more confident in his identity.

Izuru, who also feels extremely disconnected from his assigned gender (he often playfully claims his gender is "eldritch monstrosity” and similar; he would probably choose ‘agender’ as the best label for him), is initially interested by this factor about Chihiro and probably pesters the poor girl with a lot of questions until Mondo tells him forcefully to back the hell off, after which he learns to be a lot gentler. It helps that Izuru meets Seiko, who is able to answer his questions from more years' experience of gay culture than Chihiro has.

Before Izuru even meets Chihiro, his work on artificial intelligence both catches Izuru's attention and worries Izuru a little bit. As Ultimate Programmers know, AIs can be extremely dangerous if you only get them mostly right instead of completely. Will Alter Ego be benign in this universe or cause mayhem?

Outside their talent-work, Izu and Cheerio have the potential to be pretty chill friends. Chihiro in canon contributes to the Neo World Program, which is originally designed as a tool for therapy before it's used for more drastic purposes in SDR2. That demonstrates pretty clearly his interest in helping people, something Izuru also shares in his own way. They're both pacifists, both quite naturally opposed to bullying, and both interested in helping queer kids and teens. Chihiro has his own close friends, but they can both be noisy (one likes bikes, the other has problems using his indoor voice, and both of them tend to rev each other up when excited), so he might well enjoy hanging out with Izuru for some quiet, no-startlements-allowed time. They're both the type to consider "sitting in separate chairs with separate books, occasionally reading a good paragraph out to each other" to be socialising.

Something I haven't figured out yet is how to make Cheerio fully distinct from Chiaki, who in SDR2 is deliberately very similar in design and other characteristics and is implied to be directly related to Chihiro. Chiaki is also a quiet type, but while she likes to talk in quotes and memes and stim with coloured glass beads, Chihiro is a lot shyer about expressing any 'weird' behaviour around anyone but his besties.

Surprisingly, I do know that Chihiro once went with Hiro Hagakure on a ghost hunt in a closed-down hotel and brought Izuru along, much to Izuru's confusion. (Hiro hid behind Chihiro at every tiny sound. Chihiro quivered, but felt brave. Izuru put his torch in his mouth and said "I am a pumpkin". Around 4 am a cat knocked over some building materials and made everyone jump, after which Izuru and Chihiro spent the rest of the time petting the cat while Hiro insisted it was a reincarnation of the old night manager who died under mysterious circumstances, and threw salt when it got close to him.)

TL;DR: How could a fluff enthusiast not like someone described in canon as a cute bunny? They’ll probably destroy the world together.

[vo-kopen]

Aight so I don't know much about most marvel comics but I am dying to hear your take on the new warriors character "snowflake" aka the first nb representation in marvel

Well, this got long.

Firstly, thank goodness a non binary character who isn’t a shapeshifter. Power fantasy aside, it’s just … so overdone. And undoes a lot of … the point. Also, they aren’t a robot, so plus for not dehumanizing them too. (Dang it Beast Wars Uprising, I love you, but the only enby character was a human built ship AI. Not even a Transformer. Might be remembering wrong though)

Their name is a bit … loaded, I’m a bit worried that it’s gonna either be even less subtle than my writing, or it’s a take-that to “the SJW.” Now one of the creators on the comic is queer (not sure if he specified how) so it could still go well, but it makes me cautious. Reclaiming is a thing, but that word makes me wary. Especially if you give it to a non binary character.

I am a little weirded out though how in one promotional piece Snowflake and Safe Space look … intimate, since I believe they are siblings. Reminds me of … a certain marvel AU where two siblings were very “close.” Might just be a bad drawing though, but that also makes me a little uneasy.

The main reason I am worried though, is that in the current comic, the senior New Warriors appeared to have “sold out,” capturing adolescent superheroes to lock them up for the crime of being young superheroes. The panels I saw have one of marvel’s few Inuit superheroes and a cool Latina hero getting arrested by Speedball as he stands “heroically.” Which I know many New Warriors fans feel is OOC, since the New Warriors started out as teen superheroes and they did a lot of social justice work when they were young, like the Champions do now. (Those two arrested heroes are Champions) Now you can find evidence for Speedball to lock them up, but to act joyful when doing it? Seems iffy for him. And if they change Speedball to fit the plot, it might mean they care more about their grand story than writing good characters. Now they aren’t locking up Snowflake specifically, instead they are mentoring them, but I know the new kids will face backlash from fans for getting a free pass from the Warriors while other superheroes get arrested, and it does put a bad taste in my mouth. That is more a complaint of the old New Warriors than the rookies though, and they might release the New Warriors have lost their way, and guide them back towards the truth.

On their design, I’m not particularly excited by their costume, but it could grow on me. (I liked Trailblazer’s design the most initially because superheroes with her body type are rare, so it made her stand out. That was before I knew really anything about the kids though)

I will say for some positivity, some of my comic friends have told me there is another new non binary character, over in DC, called the Aerie. They are also not a shapeshifter or robot (yay for avoiding those cliches) and they have freaking wings. Now the bad news that hero is in the book Suicide Squad (so they have a high chance of dying) but I know my friends seem to really like them so far. Also their team are all pretty far to the left, and the book really criticizes the military and the US of Ass, so it sounds like it’s hitting the notes a New Warriors book should.

I am not an expert though and haven’t been following the New Warriors book closely, so if any comic followers/mutual have better knowledge and opinions, feel free to mention them below. @hellyeahteensuperheroes I know you are more positive than me on this, so feel free to counter.

[sharkinlovewithadolphin]

hello. you know that now in the fandom everybody are really trilled with their own ships (which is fine) for free! main characters ,,, the writers've just - to give 'something' to the fans- decided to make asahi/kisumi and ikuya/hiyori look like some suitable couples to make it kinda canon for the fans and stop them to ship their main characters ??

I don’t know how to quite answer this to be honest, so forgive me if this doesn’t make any sense, and do keep in mind this is mostly just opinions, but: 

I disagree a lot. Like, the season 3 was a mess, but as far as ships’s concerned, it’s nothing but fanservice - so they weren’t trying to stop fans from shipping the main. They just had a bunch of new characters introduced in Starting Days (and also in season 3 as well) and I think they wanted too much out of it all.

They wanted to give so much time to everyone that it just pilled up and became messy af. Instead of prioritizing the main storyline, which has always been Haru’s storyline, they went ahead and wanted literally everyone to be main and it was hard to watch tbh. When you have a group of 5, it’s difficult to give screentime to everyone. In season 3 they tried to give screentime and lines to legit everyone, which is really not recommended to do, especially when you’ve done differently for so long up until there (s1, s2, even Starting Days all focused on Haru as first priority, Rin as second and then the rest of the two “main groups” - Nagisa, Makoto, Rei and Momo, Ai and Sousuke). 

So point is, I feel like they had a lot of characters they wanted to give screentime to, but couldn’t do so individually because then there wouldn’t be enough time, so they paired them up in what made sense to them and then went with that.

Asahi and Kisumi had moments in Starting Days, so it’s not completely off to have them have a moment or two in s3 as well, since the moments in Starting Days they shared were very popular among fans at the time (not gonna lie, their individual energy pairs up quite well, whether you view them platonic or romantic). Do I think they should have had /that/ much screentime? Less screentime? Idk dude. I personally would prefer other characters’ bonds to be explored more than theirs, but I didn’t mind it much either, they were entertaining but not really a whole lot more than that.

Now for Ikuya and Hiyori. That whole charade and storyline was… yikes. It makes sense with Ikuya’s character to befriend someone as controlling as Hiyori but the massive focus Ikuya and Hiyori got, down to their moments and all was just.. yeah I do not want to go into that, but I highkey did not enjoy watching it at all. It also felt very badly written and very much copied from the previous seasons.

None of the two ships were ever shown in any was as “canon”, btw. So the accusation is even more off.  I don’t think KyoAni will ever make any of the ships canon, especially not the same sex ones. And while that fact makes me a sad, of course, I’m also, in some really disturbing way, quite glad ‘cause the fandom would riot if so. Let’s say the dream came true and RH became canon, which would fit a lot to the storyline I might add, everyone else other than RH fans would get pissed, both the antis (obviously) and the “my ship deserved to be canon more than your ship”, so yeah. I think I would feel this too, if say MH or SR became canon, like I would hate it so much and it would give me quite the heartbreak, which would make it extremely difficult for me to support the fact that they just made history for my community (the LGBTQ+ community, rather than my RH fandom community). And if a minor ship I don’t mind became canon, I would feel happy of course, but at the same time in some weird way I would still be disappointed that they chose to fetch representation through background characters rather than the main. But yeah, I would prefer that at the same time, ‘cause then there would be much needed representation without the fandom going negatively apeshit over it.

It would be groundbreaking if Free! had a same sex couple, it would make history for an anime to do this, especially a sports anime, like with Yuri on Ice, but even more so with a show like Free! that’s run for ages and had a massive hype to it. But yeah I don’t think KyoAni has the guts to make that stand and do this. And I also don’t think the fandom is mature enough, either. Because if they made a main character canonly queer, it would create backslash from fans bc they disagree and if they made a background character canon it would backslash bc fans would feel it wouldn’t be “enough”, due to it feeling like less representation and all. I would rather see another anime do this, so there would be no hard feelings and so that there won’t be any illogical backslash from the fandom in any way. 

KyoAni makes their ship hints but it’s for no other purpose than queerbait, and that’s sad yes, but it’s always been like this since the very beginning of Free!. 

To end this, I think, or hope, season 3 was just one big filler season which introduced us to all the old and new characters in order to give them closure or to allow us to get to know them more and see where the child characters winded up as teens and adults, and so on. Basically the introduction step before moving on from there to the main (the main top 5, y’know)’s futures. I look forward to what KyoAni has in store for us, but I don’t have much hope for it either. 

[silvermyfanwy]

MJ the Battleaxe Bi (For Anonymous)

Ta da!

-

Peter hated the days when MJ would wear her Battleaxe Bi t-shirt into school.

Not because he had a problem with her being bi, or because he didn’t like the t-shirt. It was because on the days she did wear the t-shirt, it felt like everyone in the school except the genderqueer kids flirted with her.

That wasn’t true; there were plenty of kids that didn’t flirt with her. It just felt like they all did; girls and boys.

Peter got quite jealous.

He was jealous when they flirted with her and she didn’t flirt back, jealous when they flirted with her and she did flirt back.

But he was too scared to try and flirt with her himself.

“You’ve got that look again.” Ned told him flatly one morning.

Peter, who hadn’t really been paying attention to Ned because a cute girl from gym was flirting with MJ, jerked his head towards Ned. “Sorry, what?”

Ned groaned. “I said you’ve got that look again.”

Peter frowned. “What look?”

“The look you get when someone’s flirting with MJ- and I looked up the definition of flirting in the dictionary and it matches with what Kacey is saying to MJ.” Ned gave Peter a pointed look. “You look jealous.”

“Did you look that up in the dictionary too?” Peter grumbled. “And I’m not jealous!”

Ned gave Peter another pointed look.

“Fine.” Peter sighed. “I am jealous.”

“Then do something about it! Why don’t you go and try flirting with her? Or ask her out!” Ned encouraged.

“But it’s so hard!” Peter flapped his arms around his head. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“I’ll Google it.” Ned offered. “Siri-”

“No! Don’t Google it!” Peter hissed frantically. “MJ’s coming back over here!”

Ned ignored him. “Siri, how do you flirt with someone?”

“Well, I flirt by-”

Ned turned his phone off. “I’m really not interested in finding out how you get a date, Siri. Man, AI can be stupid.”

“What were you asking Siri about?” MJ asked as she sat down.

“Nothing.” Peter said quickly. “It’s fine, it wasn’t anything, Siri was just playing up.”

“You’re weird.” MJ said. “Are you gonna eat your sandwich or can I have it?”

-

“You should have asked her out.” Ned told Peter as they walked home from school that day.

“But it’s just so hard!”

“You said that earlier.” Ned deadpanned.

“But it’s true! Everyone likes her, basically, and it is basically everyone because she’s bi so all the queer girls flirt with her and the boys and the urgh!”

“I had no idea there were urghs at our school.” Ned said.

Peter elbowed him in the ribs. “Shut up.”

“I’ll shut up when you ask MJ out.”

“Why are you so determined to make me ask MJ out?” Peter demanded.

“Because I’m sick of seeing you with your jealous face on and I’m sick of seeing you with your ‘I wish that was me she was flirting with’ face on and it’s just really, really annoying!” he ranted. “And besides, she likes you! She’s not gonna turn you down if you ask her on a date and if she does, it’ll be because she wants to be the one who asks you on a date!”

Peter froze. “What did you just say?”

“MJ likes you.” Ned said patiently. “It is blatantly obvious, how have you not seen it?”

“She likes me?” Peter sounded borderline horrified.

“I thought you wanted her to like you.” Ned said, slightly perturbed.

“I do, but how can she like me?”

“Do we need to have another talk about your self-esteem?” Ned asked.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that, I meant that how can she likes me when she flirts with other people, but doesn’t flirt with me, and doesn’t show any interest in me like that?”

“She only ever flirts back. She never goes out of her way to start flirting with someone.” Ned pointed out. “And when she does, she always looks over to you to see what your reaction is.”

“Does she?” Peter was shocked.

Ned nodded.

Peter was silent for a moment. “What do I do, though?”

Ned groaned. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Peter shook his head sheepishly.

“Ask her out!”

“I can’t do that!” Peter was horrified. “What if she says no?”

“We’ve already been over this!” Ned yelled.

“Yeah, but-”

“You’re too scared to do it, aren’t you?” Ned asked flatly.

Peter nodded.

“But you’re Spiderman!” Ned hissed. “You jump off buildings and beat up bad guys and do dangerous stuff all the time! How can you be scared of asking a girl out?”

“Because it’s terrifying!” Peter wailed. “And I don’t know how to do it!”

Ned groaned. “Fine. You get one week to either stop being jealous or ask her out.”

“And what happens after a week?” Peter asked cautiously.

“I look you two in a classroom and refuse to let you out until you’ve got your act together.” Ned said simply.

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would.”

Peter gulped. “You’re actually gonna do it, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

-

Peter took a deep breath and stared at himself in the mirror. “Get it together. You’re Spiderman, you can do this.”

He turned to face Ned, who was sitting on the bottom bunk. “I can’t do this.” “Yes, you can! You caught Captain America’s shield, you can ask MJ out!”

“But that was easy!”

Ned glared at Peter. “Alright, show-off.”

Peter sat down next to him. “I’m not doing it.”

“Not doing what?”

Ned and Peter looked up in shock as MJ walked in.

“What are you doing here?” Peter asked.

“I came round to see you, duh. May let me in.” MJ sat down next to them and the bed groaned.

“You bribed her with tacos again, didn’t you?”

“Yep. Peter, there’s something I need to ask you.” MJ turned to face him.

Peter went pale. “What is it?”

“D’you wanna go on a date with me?”

Peter groaned and flopped backwards onto the bed. Ned started cackling. “Your timing is immaculate.” He told MJ, who was very confused.

“What’s going on?”

“I was just about to make Peter ring you to ask you on a date coz he’s fancied you for ages and I’m fed up of him being jealous when people flirt with you but not doing anything about it.” Ned explained between giggles.

“Oh.” MJ looked at Peter, who’d covered his face with his hands. “Does that mean you’ll go on a date with me?”

“You don’t even have to ask.” Peter promised, then sat up and kissed her, to Ned’s utter glee and MJ’s shock.  

[mariaalenkoshepard]

Books I read in June

So I've decided I wanna do a monthly book post like every reader and their cat 👍 just because... well, because I can I suppose. Depression is a cruel bitch, and one of the things it took from me for a long time was reading. I used to read a book every couple of days. I inhaled books. They coursed through my veins and sustained me. And then I couldn't read anymore. The words skimmed across my brain, not absorbing. My life's blood went stagnant.

Being able to read again is like coming back to life.

So that's why I'm gonna do this, even if no one reads these posts. That's fine. These are, first and foremost, for myself. But I would love to share.

Okay that's enough mushy stuff. I read five books in the month of June

These aren't really reviews or summaries, these are more my not necessarily properly coherent feelings on the books. Cos you know, you can read a blurb anywhere. Let's go

It Devours

If you love Night Vale, you'll love this, what can I say. An interesting new perspective on our favourite weird af town. Kinda like looking at something familiar from a new angle. Great, nuanced characters. Kinda disappointing ending.

Everything Everything

The layout of this book was really cool. Short chapters, some as emails or IMs, some as pages from workbooks and stuff like that. You really feel like you're seeing the world through the protagonists eyes. Again, great and nuanced characters. I love Nicola Yoon's writing style.

The Sun Is Also A Star

This book. It left a mark on my soul that I will carry with me forever, touched me deeply in a way I did not know I needed. I inhaled it. I couldn't stop. I stayed up all night till my eyes burned to finish it. I felt so much after reading it that I thought my heart would burst. I can't explain why, and someone else might not feel nearly the same way, but there you go. Kind of bizarre premise that doesn't feel bizarre at all. Incredible characters you'll feel you know personally by the end of the book. Questions of science and fate. If you're a crier, have a box of tissues or two handy.

The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet

Fantastic cast of interesting and nuanced characters. Set in space, which is the best setting. Aliens and queerness, which is everything you could ask for. Delves into different species and cultures. Starts with a smaller perspective of one character and expands as the novel progresses until there isn't a protagonist anymore. Could probably benefit from some illustrations and maybe a glossary.

A Closed And Common Orbit

A not quite sequel to The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet. Focused around two minor characters from the first book. If books about identity and the treatment of AI and clones/modified humans are your jam, as they very much are mine, this book is absolutely for you. Switches from chapter to chapter between the stories of the two protagonists. The parallels in their stories is fantastic and makes my ex literature student soul very happy. I think I love it even more than the first book. I'm not sure if that's because it's fresher in my memory, but I don't think it is. Everything good sci-fi should be.

I'm very much looking forward to reading even more books in July. Recommendations are always welcome. Thank you to @hermitknut and @ace-pergers-pigeon for recommending The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet and A Closed And Common Orbit to me. See y'all next month with more great books

[robininthelabyrinth]

Fic: Interconnect (ao3 link) - Chapter 7 Fandom: Flash, DC Legends of Tomorrow Pairing: Mick Rory/Leonard Snart

Summary: Fate has decided that Leonard Snart and Mick Rory are soulmates.

Yeah, okay, they’re good with that.

(for @coldwaveweek2017)

A/N: Instead of doing different fics for coldwave week, I decided to do one with multiple chapters, each based on the various days.

Chapter 7: Free Day

—————————————————————————————–

“Mick!”

Mick barely looks up from the medbay bed he’s been on the last few days, ever since the Legends flew the Waverider to STAR Labs after killing Savage. He’d been on 24/7 Gideon watch ever since they’d realized exactly how badly he was taking Len’s death.

Hell, that was even why they were here, at STAR Labs, instead of travelling the timeline fixing things the way Rip had originally wanted to. The other Legends were worried sick about Mick and didn’t want to go without him, so they’d overruled Rip and demanded they stay until Team Flash gave them an answer about how to fix Mick.

Not that they could.

It wasn’t something that could be fixed.

A lifetime of Len’s voice in his ear – gone.

Finished.

Exploded.

Mick always thought they’d go together.

“Mick!”

He shudders a little. He can still hear him sometimes, the echo of him.

“Mick! Damnit, you know how I hate it when you ignore me!”

That –

That wasn’t an echo.

Mick looks from side to side, making sure no one is paying attention to him, not even Gideon, and leans over to the plate of food he’s been uncharacteristically ignoring. “…Lenny?” he whispers to the fork.

“Yeah, it’s me. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for ages.”

“What, really?” Mick asks, alarmed. The Time Masters had talked about time-lag – about people growing old without realizing it – stuck in a loop –

“Yeah. It’s been, like, hours now.”

No, just Len’s typical ridiculous drama.

“I thought you got blown up,” Mick says. He’s still a bit wary, but – this feels right.

“I did,” Len confirms.

“Okay…and?”

“And what?”

“If you got blown up, you’re dead,” Mick points, quite reasonably in his mind. “If you’re dead, we can’t talk.”

“Uh,” Len says. “Actually…”

“You’re dead?”

“No. I mean, not really. Sort of. Has Barry ever discussed ‘the Speed Force’ with you?”

“…no?”

“Have him do that. And tell Cisco he owes me a rescue. And – oh, shit, gotta go.”

“What?! No! I just got you back!”

“Yeah, well, unfortunately, in the Speed Force, everything is the Speed Force, and said Speed Force doesn’t exactly appreciate me getting around the whole ‘death’ thing by talking to you.”

“...are you talking to me using Death as an object?”

“No,” Len says. “I’m not dead, I told you. Also, animate things don't work, you know that, and I'm not willing to try with possibly-animates. That being said, she did let me borrow her necklace so I could talk to you.”

“She? The speed force?”

“No, Death. Keep up.”

“I’m confused.”

“Yeah, this shit’s a mess. I’ll explain later. Shh, warden’s coming.”

Mick obediently shuts up.

Then he gets up.

“Gideon!” he roars with an energy he hasn't felt since Len's nattering voice cut off. “I need Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon, now!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Lisa," Len says. "Mick and I have a major life announcement to make."

"You're already married, neither of you can get pregnant, and you've already come back from the dead once," Lisa says, not looking up from her magazine. "Hit me with your best shot."

"We've decided to take someone into our little family," Mick says.

"Oh, adoption. Uh-huh," Lisa says, eyes still firmly on the pages. She even turns a page. "Sure you are."

"Why so skeptical?" Len asks.

"You're too wrapped up in each other to raise a kid," she says dismissively. "And you know it. So what is it really?"

"It's not a kid," Len says. "It's a dragon."

"Dragons don't exist."

"Cheep," little Smaug says.

Lisa pauses and finally puts the magazine down.

Len beams at her.

"Is that a mechanical dragon?!"

"Smaug here's an AI," Mick says. "Bleeding edge future tech from the year 3000."

"3004," Len corrects.

"Right."

"You - that - it can think?"

"He was gonna be discontinued," Len says.

"We decided to step up," Mick agrees.

"Oh god it can breathe fire, can't it," Lisa says flatly. It's not even a question.

"And ice," Len says cheerfully, and reaches over to tickle Smaug's belly.

For all that he has exposed mechanical parts - fancy looking gears and cogs and circuits which are probably more decorative than functional - the majority of Smaug is covered in a very realistic synthoskin that replicates the feel of baby-soft scales.

Smaug gurgles happily.

"If it's a computer, why is it acting like that?"

"He's an AI," Len corrects her. "And, well, he's not full grown yet. Still building up that processor power."

"It's a baby. A baby dragon AI."

"Yep."

"Yeah, no, I'm out," Lisa declares, throwing her hands up in the air and walking out.

They wait until fifteen seconds have passed and Lisa's stomps have mostly faded away into the distance.

"How long do you think we can pull this off before she realizes we only have him on loan until the time aberration's fixed?" Mick asks.

"At least a week," Len says confidently. "C'mon, let's go scare Team Flash."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The door flies open with a crash.

Everyone in the room spins around to glare, their eyes filling with anger, the larger members of the group starting to stand and crack their knuckles with anticipation of a beating.

"Hi, there," the man at the door says. He's wearing a blue parka, rather unseasonable for the weather outside, and he's smirking like he knows something they all don't. "Please, don't let me interrupt your fascinating discussion."

"Oh, you interrupted all right," one of the biggest guys replies. "Who the hell are you?"

The new man's smirk widens. "No, no," he says. "Please, keep going - I'm sorry, were you talking about the evil conspiracy where the Jews run the world, or was it the way witches manipulate the world using their own persecution and deaths to win minor rhetorical arguments? The arguments are so similar I can scarcely tell, sometimes."

"Oh, great," one of them sneers. "One of you people."

"We've got a right to be here," one of the other members of the group bleats. "We're exercising our right to assembly and free speech. In fact, you're oppressing us by interrupting, which is the exact opposite of what you claim to value."

And then he smirks, satisfied and smug that he's made his point.

"Oh, no, no," the new man at the door says. "You mistake me entirely. I've donated literal diamonds to the ACLU in support of the idea that there isn't anything legally wrong with non-violent free speech, even where I think the content of that speech is disgusting. But here's the thing you assholes overlooked -"

"What?" a member sneers.

The man at the door pulls out a gun that glows a cold blue light. "I don't much care about what's legal, personally, and since I'm not the goddamn government, your ‘rights’ don’t mean jack shit."

"Captain Cold," someone gasps, putting the pieces together at last.

"The supervillain?! But he's from Central."

"He," Len says, "is on vacation, and beating up neo-Salemists - or neo-Nazis, honestly we never really cleared up which ones you are - is really just a perk."

The room erupts in chaos, only to be silenced when Len fires off a blast to the ceiling.

"I know this isn't going to help your unwarranted sense of persecution," Len says, musing. "But I just wanted you to know that I'm a queer black Jew who's also cursed, so, you know - yeah. I'm 'one of them' as one of you so eloquently put it."

The room flees for the back entrance only for a gout of flame to emerge from the gun of the large man standing watch there.

"Having all the fun without me?" he asks the gun in his hands.

"Hardly," Len tells his own gun in return. It's a big room, and Mick's getting over a sore throat; there's no need to shout. "You know that what's yours is mine."

"Yeah," Mick says, grinning at his prey. He's probably regretting their promise to Barry that they wouldn't kill or permanently harm any of them, but hey, that's life. Beating them up will be nearly as satisfying, and then with luck the lesson (don’t be a bigoted shit or else) will be absorbed in a wider scale. "Yeah, I know."

And then they move.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Aren’t you supposed to be mad at me?” Mick asks muzzily. They’ve been weaning him off the good drugs, but he’s still not entirely with it all the time. Illegal clinics are good for strong drugs, though they do have a tendency to cut it off too fast.

The clock on his bedside table huffs in offense. “I am,” it says. “But you know what these places are like! They’ll cut you off the drugs the second they think they can get away with it, which they won’t if they think you’re hallucinating.”

“Why would I be hallucinating?”

“Because you’re talking to random objects?”

“No random,” Mick says. “They’re you.”

“Sweet, but irrelevant when your medical practitioners have a very cleaned-up version of your medical history.”

"...oh."

"Anyway, what does me being angry at you have to do with anything?"

"Well," Mick says, marshalling his thoughts. "First off, you weren't yelling."

"Of course not," the clock sniffs. "I'd wear out my voice for all the yelling. Besides, I'm more the cool, calm, slinky sort of bad guy..."

Len's imagining himself as a James Bond villain again, Mick knows it.

The term 'slinky' gives it away, really.

"Second," Mick says, and the clock pauses in its daydream - no, Mick's not sure how he can tell, but he can - to listen. "Second, there's what you were talking about."

"What about it?"

"You were talking about your secret Harry Potter fan theory," Mick points out.

"So?"

"That's not 'angry person' conversation."

"I could list hockey stats instead," the clock offers, mild tone not hiding the bite.

"Harry Potter is fine," Mick says quickly, because it is. It's just weird, that's all.

It's not until Len has gone off in a flounce to yell at his latest crew - he's hooked back up with Scudder and Dillon for some godforsaken reason, which is only going to end with somebody dead, Mick knows it - that Mick gets it.

Len isn't talking just for the sake of talking.

He's chatty, yes, and he loves the sound of his own voice, but he doesn't monologue. He's a dialogue sort of guy - quips and puns and stuff like that.

No, that monologue was for Mick's benefit.

So he wouldn't feel alone, trapped in a hospital bed.

Mick snorts, fond smile spreading over his face as he shifts around a bit to get comfortable.

Len was honestly ridiculous sometimes.

Mick's not alone.

After all, Len's always there, all around.

Always.

[thimblings]

AHHH!! YES!! um. prepare your eyes, this is gonna be a long, rambly post because apparently i have A LOT OF FEELINGS and i can’t just list things like a normal person. and i also kept remembering podcasts and the list JUST KEPT GETTING LONGER. so. GIANT TEXT POST, i am so so so sorry. also, there are actually a few on this list that i’m not caught up with (some i’m like REALLY behind on) but i’m still gonna rec them... 

Welcome to Night Vale is the one i’m sure most ppl know of (although! if you have not read the novel, i’d HIGHLY recommend getting the audio book version. Cecil Baldwin does a great job of reading, and the “Voice of Night Vale” sections actually feature guest stars. i really want Cecil to do more audio book recordings omg). but!! along that same theme (radio show in a strange town w/ supernatural themes), King Falls AM is spectacular (ben and sammy are just! a freakin delight i love them). IMO it starts off feeling like it’s trying to be like WTNV, but within a few episodes it finds itself and becomes something unique (i say this bc i was initially put off by the first episode for that reason, and later came back and gave it another shot and enjoyed it immensely). it’s funny, it made me cry a few times, and i reaallyyy really really need to catch up with it. sammy stevens also has….just….a really nice voice hahaaaa The Truth is a great one. it’s mostly one-off short stories, but they’re generally really high quality and the plot of most of the episodes is really thought-provoking or just interesting in general (there’s one ep about aliens who find the Voyager craft with its recording that’s just really charming to me). the tagline “movies for your ears” is really apt. a lot of the stories veer on the side of unsettling/creepy, and it’s great if you like horror stories. i’d also recommend The Black Tapes and its sister podcast, Tanis. i love horror and unsettling mysteries, so these are right up my alley (Tanis is definitely more in the sci-fi/horror genre, but i like how it also digs into real unsolved cases and events). these are relatively well known, at least in that my friends who don’t listen to podcasts have listened to TBT at least. but they’re still great to check out if you haven’t. Limetown is really good, but ends on a cliffhanger and as far as i know there’s no immediate plans for a season 2? (i remember reading something about  them in talks for a TV show? which would be cool, but i’d miss the audio format of it). the first season is worth listening to, because it is really interesting and the audio production is pretty top notch - just be aware that a second season may or may not happen. what i’ve listened to of Hadron Gospel Hour so far is SUPER enjoyable, but i’ve only listened to the first few episodes.  arsPARADOXICA is FANTASTIC (at least the first season and a half that i’ve listened to). sally grissom is a great character and a brilliant and  scientist and i’m just really in love with her. this is a nice podcast because it has very capable women in it and the concept overall is really fascinating and handled really well. The Cleansed, set in a post-apocalyptic US, is well written and overall well produced (there’s one ep that still sits with me, because of a scene that truly unnerved me, just in the music and the atmosphere and the dialogue just ahh) and i’ve been meaning to pick it up again. In that same vein there’s We’re Alive, which is of the zombie variety. i’ve only juuuuust dipped into that one, but i’ve enjoyed what i’ve heard so far. this one has been around for a long time, like WTNV, so there’s a lot of episodes and a lot of content available. THE BRIGHT SESSIONS! i’m really really fond of this one and i just really love it, please listen. it’s about a psychologist who works with people who have “special” abilities, and all of the patients she helps are just so! precious!! i just love them a lot. Wooden Overcoats is a GREAT podcast that is pretty much the audio version of all my favorite British comedies that i watched growing up (think Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served?, etc). it’s a comedy podcast about two competing funeral parlors (one of which is owned by the Funn’s). it’s exactly my kind of humor, and everyone involved just seems really great and kind. Antigone Funn has great lines and HONESTLY i’m surprised i haven’t seen more people quoting her and this podcast because it’s just! really great. and i don’t THINK this is a sister podcast to WO, but i always associate the two because they have some of the same people working on them but - Hector vs The Future is great. again, i haven’t listened to many episodes, but i’d still recommend it. it’s slightly different than other podcasts on this list because it’s actually filmed/recorded in front of a live audience. Homecoming is a short podcast (only 6 eps and the eps are pretty short) that i THINK is meant to be part of a larger, written universe (which i want to check out). it’s about soldiers with PTSD. this one actually has some well-known people involved - both Oscar Isaac and David Schwimmer voice characters and do a great job. The Darkest Night is another one with big names involved - Lee Pace is the narrator, which alone makes it worth checking out. overall, i’ve enjoyed it, but some episodes veer into areas i was kind of uncomfortable with (Tic-Tac-Toe is the one i’m stuck on and why i haven’t finished it yet ahh).  AND OK i really really really like space and space stories and space adventures, so my favs all have that in common hahaha Wolf359 is kind of like. okay, it’s about three people and an AI on a space station, light years away from earth - and the communications officer records his reports by pretending he’s doing a radio show. it starts off fun and humorous and things are great and then before you know it, you are going to be driving from Wichita Falls to Dallas and have to pull off on the side of the road because you’ve started sobbing while listening to it in your car. this podcast is fantastic, with a great cast of characters and strong women and DOUG EIFFEL and just. it’s very good. (i am ashamed to admit that i’m actually SUPER behind on this one. p much, i’m at the point where kepler and crew are on board but i’m only a few eps into this storyline). THIS is actually the podcast that really got me on board with the whole audio drama scene and just like….SCOURING the internet for more that would captivate me in the same way. This one is actually ending with this last season, which i think is a good thing? it’s very plot and character focused and i’m glad that they’re telling a complete story and HONESTLY! i’m just really excited to see where everyone involved goes from here. EOS_10!!!!! similar to Wolf359, it’s about a space station. there are a LOT more people there though (it’s more like an intergalactic hub). it’s about a doctor, his recovering alcoholic doctor-boss who he’s trying to help, a nurse who is spunky and maybe a bit psychotic, a hypochondriac alien-former-prince, and a “alleged” “terrorist” living in the cargo bay. idk this podcast just makes me incredibly happy. the writing is witty and fun, the characters are lovable and flawed, and i’ve listened to the whole two seasons at least 3 times because it just fills me with joy (my favorite dynamic always: assholes who are friends and they love each other but they also just….insult each other constantly. and somehow they save the world? but they’re still assholes). the universe of this show is really interesting without ever feeling like an info dump, and the unfolding mystery is very intriguing. WARNING: this show has been on hiatus for awhile, so there are only two seasons right now. but honestly??? it’s completely worth it. (obvi i’m hoping a third season will eventually come, but i enjoyed the first two enough that i love it regardless haha). and, finally, my current obsession. The Penumbra Podcast. it’s pretty much everything i’ve ever wanted in a series ever - detective film noir, but in space (on Mars), and literally everyone is queer. there’s a main story line (”Juno Steel and the [blank]”) and then one shots between each Juno story. the one shots are fantastic and really show the strength of the writers - sometimes being creepy, other times just being entertaining. The Juno Steel stories are the main running plot, done in the style of old detective radio shows - but also kind of twisting and upgrading the genre to be more inclusive and diverse. Juno Steel is a canonically non-binary and bisexual private eye (also canonically grumpy, sad most of the time, and a huge nerd who laughs at his own awful jokes in HIS OWN MONOLOGUES), and is the type of character you want to punch for being frustrating but who you also want to just…be…happy and protect from the universe. the writing in this is fantastic and beautiful and all of the characters are captivating. even one-off characters have a ton of personality and just add to the diversity/representation of the show. the voice work is top-notch and just!!! it’s so good!!!!! i have so many feelings!!!! (Juno hits close to home for me, with his self-esteem issues and depression and just…yeah, so i gushed about him there. i have a lot of feelings about the other characters but i’ve seriously rambled so much already so I WILL REFRAIN. also? gushing TOO much about a certain someone spoils the enjoyment of getting to know them at the same time Juno does) i REALLY enjoy audio drama-type podcasts so that’s mostly what i listen to. i’m also really into true crime and weird theories and occult stuff, but i’m particular about the podcasts i listen to for that. basically, i get attached to a specific host(s) and it’s hard for me to listen to anyone else talk about similar things haha. so as far as that goes, i love The Last Podcast on the Left (haha i get a bit nervous rec’ing this one because it’s really offensive, mostly in the early eps, and is def not for everyone but honestly!! i just love these boys a lot, and they discuss p much everything i’d ever be interested in ever). this one also led me to listen to Page Seven, which is celebrity gossip but honestly just really enjoyable to me. Two of the hosts from that show (Marcus is a LPOTL host as well) also do another show called Sex and Other Human Activities, which i’ve listened to a bit and enjoyed and deals with a lot of different issues - like sex, but also delving into depression and different things the hosts and their friends have gone through. but as far as non-fiction podcasts go, that’s pretty much it? i’m still planning on checking out Radio Dispatch, but that’s honestly mostly because it’s Molly (from Page Seven) and her brother and like i said, i have a problem. other podcasts i know of and have been meaning to check out: Hello From the Magic Tavern, The Adventure Zone, Pleasuretown, Lesser Gods, Tales of THATTOWN..... and ok, probably others but this has gotten excessive i am so sorry friends (some of the links may accidentally be wrong and i am very sorry)