#the gay disney fish people are actually gay

[junkart96]

Happy Pride, ig

[mejomonster]

Manga I'm reading or will read (so I guess if you have similar tastes check some out):

Death note (im not still reading, I read it long ago, still one of my favorites)

Hikaru no go (LOVE this artist, loved the cdrama adaptation, still need to read the original)

Billy Bat (i love everything naoki urasawa has ever made. If you like mysteries thrillers and wild plots? You'll probably like everything this author made too. In this particular case, billy bat is like if Kingdom Hearts crossed with Beyond Evil and was global scale centuries scale murder world control plot, full of references and a good evil mickey mouse spoof and an evil disney and comic artists as the protagonists and a lot to say about creation and stealing ideas and originality and transforming what already exists and like. If youre both into murder mysteries AND an artist then the themes are very fascinating. Urasawa also seems to make many manga that take place in multiple countries and characters of varied backgrounds, and I appreciate the global scale of the stories and the particular perspectives it offers. Some other manga by urasawa on my to read list: Pluto, Master Keaton, 20th Century Boys, Monster)

Tomie, and anything by Junji Ito (i love junji ito! I read Remina and LOVE IT, highly recommend for horror and sci fi lovers its a short good read. Read his cat manga for some comedy and zero horror. I find his horror manga oddly comforting. I also read Lovesick and adore the way the stories end up much more about personal fears manifested as monsters while the personal fears continue as the true plot, my favorite kind of horror. Junji Ito did a manga adaptation of No Longer Human I may eventually check out, but since the original novel was written by another person im not sure I'll click with it as much)

Dungeon Meshi (to read, self explanatory, its a very kind story in terms of how you feel, nice art and characters)

Golden Kamuy (to read)

Vagabond (to read)

Devilman (reading, feels oddly like old mickey mouse and xmen comics which is pleasant, it is as gay as youve heard)

Berserk (reading, i love it to pieces and take gratuitious breaks because it clicks Too much for me. The character and world designs are very close to how i usually design fantasy worlds, including the gratuitious faerie designs im always doing, so i try not to read this When im writing as its just too close to what i click with lol. I highly recommend if you like fantasy and solid characters)

Tokyo Babylon and X by Clamp (to read)

Banana Fish (to read)

Revolutionary Girl Utena (to read)

Vinland Saga (and the animal version, to read)

Beyond the Tricornered Window (i started, its surprisingly lust filled for a ghost finding story)

One Piece (reading)

Urusei Yatsura (i love everything by rumiko)

Ranma 1/2 (ive read and watched many a time, just my absolute fave. Do you like gender shennanigans, action and romantic comedy? Well i happen to love romantic comedy, IF its bisexual and filled to the brim with action scenes and ridiculous moments. Ranma 1/2 perfectly fits that niche. So lots of fun fights, off the wall moments like a baby pig being actually a teen boy adopted by another boys fiance, a girl who turns into a cat and wants to marry Ranma when he looks like a guy and kill him when he looks like a girl, 2 anime villain level dramatic siblings in a mess with ranma and his fiance akane romantically, a rich preteen girl who kidnaps pig boy, a guy named moose who turns into a goose, its just great)

Trigun (i want to know why people love this manga)

The Drifting Classroom (i just like horror manga a lot can u tell, to read)

School Rumble (another romantic comedy slash ensemble slice of life, where ranma plas with gender and comments on societal biases, school rumble instead keeps it lighter and plays with the usual romance teen manga tropes and both uses and breaks them a lot. The lead is in love with an alien boy who does not get crushes, and is the only alien in the plot. The guy who loves the lead is a delinquent manga artist and that gets meta at points. The leads sister is the more likely usual Protagonist type but shes just into helping animals and avoiding ppl and is very similar to Komisan, one of the leads friends is like Girl James Bond. The characters all read stereotype in early eps then actually get explored in ways you wouldnt expect and wouldnt assume to go that deep. Its very much ensemble about friends, and the romance is not actually main stage despite all the crushes, so a bit like Ouran Host Club in that way. I like romances and slice of life best When they subvert tropes and do the unexpected with them, and school rumble does fun things in that way)

All the Kingdom Hearts manga (i just like kh and love the artist and little side scenes the manga adds that the games dont have. Id love to read the novels one day if i could find them translated)

Innocent (i got an ad that recommended it but it looks scary so im probably in)

Homunculus (looks scary, of course its on the list)

Detective Conan (to read, my friend LOVES the anime)

Arcana (genuinely no idea what its about, i just gave it one look and made a judgemeny guess itd be my kind of story. Ill find out)

Brutal (looks scary, so of course i added it to my to read)

Erased (my friend loved the anime so ill probably like it)

Inuyasha (i figured maybe i should finish the manga since ive Watched half the anime back in childhood)

Seven Days (theres a jdrama bl adaptation)

Takara Kun and Amagi Kun (theres a jdrama bl adaptation)

Ultras (ill be real it looks super gay but also romance heavy only and i dont care much for Only romance usually, if u like gay sports stuff this looks like REAL gay sports romance drama for adults)

Witch Hat Atelier

[theliterarywolf]

Sounds like Elemental suffers from a chronic case of "Shark tale"-syndrome. Did no one ask at any time "does it make sense to make the setting element based? When two of the "elements" are completely obsolete, and the story doesn't even really seem to focus on the 4-point dynamic?" Even if you wanna keep away the "too in your face" point, I feel like they could have chosen some other way to portray it, that was more binary (prey/predator), or at least more scale, rather than 4-distinct casts.

Anonymous asked: Yeah, my first experience with THAT type of Elemental criticism is people on twitter snarking about one of the trailers and how nobody would voice their disapproval of interracial relationships IRL like that. (maybe it was the people disappointed it was an allegory for race and not gay relationships?) And all I could think of was well, you must be lucky to only ever be around open-minded people if you don't think that's realistic...

Anon 1: Hey, now!

That fish-owned sushi restaurant would have worked if that fish had just set up shop closer to the sharks and octopi in the Shark Tale setting!

As others have said (both on here and in some reviews) Elemental being a story about being the child of immigrants or refugees does fall into some fault lines primarily because fire, as an element, can be legitimately destructive. Just like people who retroactively point out that Zootopia doesn't work as an allegory for race because, in nature, predators are legitimate threats to prey animals.

However, we should remember that Zootopia actually wasn't about race; it was about prejudice. Hence why it took moments to show that both prey animals and predator animals have their faults. It's just that people retroactively slotted it into being about race due to it also centering around the police.

And that's why, despite all of the retroactive criticism, you can still say that Zootopia works.

Whereas with Elemental, the movie really relies on the audience focusing on the story and characters because if they start thinking about the universe's setting, you start plucking at all the aspects that don't work.

Anon 2: Oh, trust me, I still see people saying things like 'Such a shame that Elemental isn't doing well. I would have given two shits about it if it were gay~'

And, first and foremost: I need people to stop waiting for Disney to put gay rep in their major motion pictures. Their shows? Yeah, sure. But as long as Disney wants that Red money, you're better off looking indie for gay rep.

That being said, though, the marketing team really fumbled the bag emphasizing the romance aspect of the movie. Like, yes, it's a romcom at the end of the day but with the bulk of the story being about the 'child of an immigrant' experience, they should have pushed more in the 'conflict between making your parents happy and being true to yourself' direction.

Because, yes, those are still perspectives we still need to see if the consistent criticism of 'oh, this perspective is so unrealistic' is still popping up like it is.

[takeachillpillshawty]

I'ma be for real. I can never be happy in a fantasy world let alone twisted wonderland, I lost enough childhood wonder to just accept the ' it's magic' answer.

I'll be an annoying motherfucker to be around, the non humans thought Rook was bad?

HA!

I'm going to keep Leona,Ruggie and Jack up with my questions.

Did Beastmen evolved from actual animals? Is every conceivable animal we know of has a beast men counter part? Are the animals from our world the same as the ones here? Are Lion beast men gay? I don't care Leona love is love and I support you. I don't care if you don't like dick! I NEED ANSWERS!

These questions go the same for the Fae and merfork in NRC... But some questions I got for them...

Do merfork of fishes that scientifically change their biology whether it be gender, or evolution line...can those merfork do that?

And for the Fae, do they follow Fae rules? For example, Name holds power and giving Fae your name gives them power or so it says in folklore. That explains why Malleus didn't give prefect his actual name until book 5, I believe that will play a role in book 7 since prefect has Malleus' name meaning they have some sort of power over him? ( take this with a grain of salt)

And don't get me STARTED with the humans in Twst!

Like....how do they...magic? Where does the magic of Twst come from? Is it like the owl house where they have a special organ for magic? Or is the magic in the wands themselves?

And also...magic... Is everything made out of magic?! As you can see magic in this world is use for EVERYTHING! From doing your hair, cooking and setting temperature!

How will it affect a human from our world, for all we know the humans in Twst have different biology then humans in our world. For all I know medical treatment might fuck me up there! I have a theory that prefect will be able to do basic magic due to absorbing it from their surroundings.

And speaking of magic... HAS NO ONE EVEN CONSIDERED SPELL BOOKS! it's a cannon thing! Vil uses it!

If it were me I'll pull a Luz Noceda and use spell book magic instead of traditional magic. It's also confirmed that there are magicless people in Twst whether it be not interested in learning magic or not liking it( Rollo), or they can't do magic either by losing the ability to do so or not having the ability to do it at all.

Follow up on the spell book thing....would it even be possible? I mean...the only 'magic' I think prefect could do is 'potions'. But I'm not going to cackle at a nearby cauldron to make a potion for every single magical problem I have. So I'd go with the spell book option.... And I have more to talk about I'm not even gonna touch on the culture and history of this world cause THAT will be a headache.

Thank you for listening to my insane rambles about a game with anime Disney villain boys. I rest.

[midnights-dragon]

things that make me smiley. and happy. i need this list. personal or something ignore me

skipping steps or walking funny just for sillies

getting tackled by a dog that’s like. five pounds tall and has no hand eye coordination

drawing stars everywhere specifically in the method that goes up down left right down

cosmic brownies

seeing (or experiencing !!!!!) childlike wonder & whimsey (esp since i didn’t get it enough as an actual child)

the frog and toad book

that moment right before falling asleep. peace.

AQUARIUMS!!!!! sharks fish rays turtles whales anemones crabs seahorses belugas manatees crocodiles sharks sharks SHARKS

my hair when it gets all fluffy and curly not friZZY but cURLY

old history.. learning about old cultures… the romans and the greeks and the spartans? the vikings? the ottomans? native americans? yeah all roads lead to rome more like all dicks out in rome. they were all gay

on a related note queer people in history (looking at you shakespeare and alexander the great and hamilton and that one viking and )

skipping rocks on frozen lakes or ponds and trying REALLY HARD to get them to crack the ice but they don’t and it makes me laugh

seeing old, ancient art in modern settings (MICHAELANGELOOO I LOVE YOU BELOVED i have a pop socket of his hands)

the fact that cats used to get worshiped why don’t we do that anymore . we should do that again i think

accidentally writing something REALLY good and unplanned and just sitting there for a sec processing your mIND

being asked about things im smart about (plz ask me about the bible PLSPLSPLS i need the religious trauma to amount to something)

remembering dreams they don’t even have to be good i just like to remember them

when i say hi to my cat and she meows back (i hope she knows i love hher r)

finding treasure in the woods (probably trash but i will be taking it home)

i have shoeboxes of old stuff like ticket stubs and cards and random shit like that i have like 10 of those shoeboxes and i go through and look at them. the socks my old dog used to wear to walk are in there n sometimes i cry but thats ok

cleaning kennels at my job at a vet clinic. making it nice n clean for the next lil dude who comes through so they can have some comfort

specifically aarons thinking putty but esp the ones that are themed

people watching in coffee shops and libraries. once i saw a baby take his first steps in a starbucks

learning about my biology. my therapist has a degree in bio and told me the like anatomy of having a panic attack and it HELPS.

freckles and vitiligo and acne and UNIQUENESS ON PEOPLE !!!

seeing my reflection in a puddle and being like oh hey that s me and the trees behind me :3

watching utterly mindless shows that go on for like theee million episodes (greys anatomy i am kissing you on th mouth)

watching ANIMAL disney movies. fox and the hound. aristocats. bambi

80s artists especialy like queen and david bowie and frank sinatra and the smiths and abba

PICTURES FROM SPACE. JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE.

that one website of the cat playing the bongos

being able to seperate the person who introduced you to a media from a media after a long time of negative connotation

looking up hozier lyrics

so much more but i forget about the good sometimes .. i will add onto this later i think

[timeisacephalopod]

I've kinda seen some pushback to the idea of representation in media and I don't necessarily think it's bad to point out actual rights are more important than Disney's thousandth first gay character that's fine, but I've had a LOT of people comment on my works about asexual characters and tell me what I wrote changed their life-and it's always that phrase- because they now have the language to describe what they feel. I've had people who ARENT ace or aro comment that what I wrote finally made a concept they didn't understand make sense, or that the way I explained things was interesting and enlightening and I'm kind of a mediocre writer who hasn't written anything in ages.

Like idk, if reading something from a writer who is fucking around and only somewhat talented can genuinely impact someone because they've not seen anything like them reflected back at them in life or media I don't think pushing for representation in media is as "needless" as some people seem to think and caring about that doesn't mean you don't care about more "important" (although if you think seeing people like you in media ISNT important it's because you already have that representation or are privileged enough to not care if you do, in which case maybe pipe down) stuff. Hell, I even got a Facebook message ages ago from someone who found a comment I left in an ace group about QPR's and what they meant to me and how I perceived them and the person no joke said what I wrote two years before they even found it changed their life forever because they finally knew what kind of relationship they actually wanted.

So like sure, of course there's always bigger fish to fry them diversity in media (you know, like diversity in real life lol) but I don't think it's as frivolous as some people are beginning to act like it is. At least not if you're an aspec person it's not, I STILL don't see ace characters almost ever and I'll bet my whole everything if I asked a writer of a show why they'd tell me that EVERYONE has to be in a sexual relationship and characters that aren't won't sell and are boring- I say this because in film school I had a teacher TELL ME every character needed to basically be sex obsessed and when I pointed out a GREAT MANY CHARACTERS are not revolved around sex (Supernatural stars two brothers, I pointed out) and when she asked if I had love interests I was like ??? That doesn't matter- using my aforementioned supernatural example almost all their love interests die or get mind wiped because at the end of the day that's not what the story was about. So actually I think writers who act like that teacher need like 50 reality checks, and representation in stories isn't unimportant and also support indie writers you'll probably find more funky shit there then Disney anyway lmao.

And also even the asexual characters I DO see in media don't remind me at all of myself even if I appreciate the effort, but they never feel real or genuine and their sexuality doesn't get a lot of exploration so 🤷🏻‍♀️ I actually could use more media focused on characters that I can genuinely see my sexuality reflected in in a meaningful and narratively impactful way because I've got nothing.

[diatribeofamadman]

#11

I think the best part about this for me is that as I debate whether I'm going to do it or not, I remember I'm only going to do it if I want to, and then I do it or don't. No need, no goal, no hope, no justification, just doing. And doing in a way that I'm not overly critical of myself. So welcome to me time.

I tend not to read after I posted. Although to pretend that I don't reflect and desire to go back and read would be unrealist. I have half glanced, but I know I need to let it lie. It's just my thoughts my thinking that I'm putting down and letting be. If you end up having problems with it at some point, the anonymous reader in a future point of time, and decide that you want to hurt me or my family due to some fragment of my perspective that you perceived undesirable. Fuck you. It was once said to me in a way that I hate to hear myself say, bitter is never better. So I'll revel in the fact that this will never reach anyone and I can just say what the fuck I want.

Returning to reflection, I do. I feel bad about talking shit on Hunter, I feel like I didn't adequately address the fact that I wholeheartedly believe Disney was not overtly racist. But I wouldn't change those decisions. Although my feelings could change with the addition of new information. I'm not a total mongoloid, I do understand that if I had the opportunity to sit in here Hunter story it would make sense and he would become a human that I could understand. Just like I could easily sit down with Disney and be like whoa this guy's a fucking racist. Until we actually experience a person we're only dealing with the fragment of them that they project to us. Rarely is that honest. Rarely is there any monochrome transparency. That's mainly because we each enter into every scenario with a desired outcome. We attempt to mitigate and manage our physical existence to obtain that outcome. AKA fake people (Kanye you're not God. And for God's sake stop acting like a fucking fool.... Fucking gay fish)... As much as I hate Kanye West, it's probably one of those situations where you like and understand the person when you actually talk to them. I can recall early childhood and teenage years where more often than not the people you dislike are people like yourself. I'm just not quite as delusional as Kanye (yet)... Give me a billion dollars, maybe I'll tell you I'm fucking god too. I'm sure that's what Donald Trump and Epstein would say to those little girls. Call me God. Or maybe Daddy. I don't know how sick it really gets. But I know that Epstein having a painting of Bill Clinton in a dress is more than obscure. That's sick. Makes me wonder if Bill would take it from Epstein. But I try not to waste gray cells on psychopaths, sex offenders, and child molesters.... However, WTF? How in the world did those black books not open up and people not go to jail? Seriously, why is the judge that ordered them sealed not in jail? I am horrified to consider what the list really is. How many of our influential politicians and business leaders where regular customers of Jeffrey Epstein? We can see that his clientele reached into the royal family in the UK, most definitely political leaders from other countries. Moreover, I'm afraid it's a matter of our intelligence community and senior operatives. We all know the secret service will use hookers. It's standard practice (until people became aware that it was standard practice). So what's to say that senior officers aren't fucking children because it's what gets them off. I don't really know, and TBH this post comes with a disclaimer at the bottom. Because I don't know whose names were in the books. Apparently it was a matter of national security that we don't get to know whose names are in the books. I wish I could get those books and make those names public. But I would put $1 million I do not have on a bet saying those books no longer exist. And I would also put a bet on the fact that that judge or any other person that was actually privy to the information within those books is either no longer alive or shortly will not be. It's sad. I'm sad. You make me sad. You evil motherfuckers.

None of this is anything other than the insanity of a madman chewing his mind away. Any names coinciding with real people is coincidental and unintended. Any allegations put forth are not allegations but hypothesis based off of the analysis of the information available.

[capableism]

Pixar catches & releases Luca fans

Photo by Karine Zenda from Unsplash

Queerness is much more taboo to talk about than a disability. Both can invite  unwanted questions about your personal life. There are also harmful  stereotypes, including the tropes of the gay best friend and bound wheelchair user. I am not comparing minority groups to argue one faces more challenges than the other. Though statistically, the gay community has higher rates of suicide, anxiety, and depression.  

Stereotypes are, unfortunately, integral to the storytelling. 

They are cinematic shortcuts. They were accentuated during the Hays Code era, but those  stereotypes persist as one of the cardinal rules of storytelling. It shows and doesn’t tell. These stereotypes cause real harm to real people. People are more complex than stereotypes. But, filmmakers have the plot to get to, and stereotypes facilitate telling their story.  “Whether that means breaking them or buying into them, this is simply a fact.” (University of Washington) 

In the case of Luca, whose plot is “ to break down the instances of coding, it’s  wise, to begin with, the overarching plot. A young boy dreams of being  something he knows he’s not allowed to be, something his parents disapprove  of. He meets a slightly older boy who shows him that it is actually possible to  have what he wants, and they end up becoming very close. This speaks to a  trope in cinema of a wiser, older queer person showing the ropes to a younger,  unsure person.” (University of Washington) 

When examined more closely, Luca is about more nuanced issues  than it first appears. The director based the film on his life and denied any  intentional gay allegories. In the surface-level plot, the main characters compete  in a triathlon for prize money that Luca and Alberto want to use to buy a  Vespa and see the world. It seems simple, and once on land, Luca and Alberto  stay on land. This is like saying that being sea monsters  isn’t part of the plot. And that’s part of the problem. Many people who are  part of the LGBT+ community feel pressure to “pass” as cisgender straight people because of bigotry.

In 2022 outward discrimination against diversity by Disney is not part of their  brand. That might alienate part of their audience. Diversity sometimes seems to be a “hook” to get people into theaters. This is known as queer baiting. The distinction between queer coding and queer baiting is the promise of explicit representation implied by queer baiting. The allegories are  part of marketing the story. In the case of Luca, the trailers mainly showed  scenes with Alberto and Luca together with a shared secret. “Disney has  recognized a“‘gay market’ for its product, and not a ‘gay agenda.’” In other  words, Disney is willing to create animated films and television shows that suggest queer content, but only so long as it doesn’t damage its conservative  image.” (Maier)

Queer baiting does not condemn being gay like the implication of gay villains. It  can’t celebrate either because of mainstream opinions. Queer baiting instead  uses the desire of the community to see representation against them by making  people work for it.  

Sources 

University of Washington. CODING, BAITING, AND FISHING: A TALE OF QUEERNESS IN PIXAR’S LUCA. 

Maier , Kodi. “Luca, Disney and Queerbaiting in Animation.” The Conversation, 15 July 2021, theconversation.com/luca-disney-and-queerbaiting-in-animation-164349.

[questionnightammo]

Quarantine Asks: Questions You Usually Wouldn’t Think of Asking But You’re Bored AF

Animated character that was your gay awakening?

Grilled cheese or PB&J?

What show/YouTube video(s) do you put on in the background when you when you don’t have anything to watch but you want something on?

Your go-to bar order, if you drink?

What’s your favorite pair of shoes that you own?

Top three cuisines?

What was your first word as a child (that wasn’t a variation of “Mom” or “Dad”)?

What’s a job that you’ve had that people might be surprised to find out you’ve had?

Look up. What’s directly across from you?

Do you own any signed books/memorabilia in general?

Preferred way to spend a rainy day?

What do you get on your bagels? What WOULD you get if you had access to anything you wanted?

Brunch or midnight snacks?

Favorite mug you own

What coffee drink would you describe yourself as?

Pick a song lyric to describe your current mood (and drop the name and artist!)

Fruity or herbal teas?

What’s that one TV show that you’re a little bit embarrassed to watch but you still like nonetheless?

That book you were forced to read for class but actually ended up enjoying?

Do you match your socks?

Have you ever been horseback riding?

What was your “phase” when you were younger? (i.e., Mythology Nerd, Horse Girl, Space Geek, etc)

Have you ever been to jail?

What’s your opinion on Lazy Susan’s (the spinning tray in the middle of tables)?

Puzzles?

You can only have one juice for the rest of your life, what is it?

What section do you immediately head for when you walk into a bookstore?

What’s one thing you’re trying to learn/relearn in your downtime right now?

Who’s your go-to musical artist when you’re feeling upbeat?

Where could someone find you in a museum?

What’s that one outfit in your closet you never get the chance to wear but want to?

Rainbows, stars, or sunset colored clouds?

If you could own any non-traditional pet (dogs, cats, fish, rodents, etc), what would it be?

Do you have more art on your walls or more photographs?

You have to get one meme tattooed on your body, what meme is it and where does it go?

Pick a superhero sidekick to hang out with

Lakes, rivers, or oceans?

Favorite mid-2000s song

How do you dress when you’re home alone?

Where do you sit in the living room (we all have a preferred spot, and you know it)?

Knives or swords?

A song you didn’t think you’d enjoy but ended up loving

Pick an old-school Disney Channel Original Movie

Are you a “Quote that relates to the photos” caption-er, an “explanation of where I took the photos” caption-er, or a no caption kinda person when you post pictures online?

Name a classic Vine

What’s the freezer food that you stock up on when you go to the grocery store?

How do you top your ice cream?

Do you like Jello?

What’s something that you don’t have a picture of that you wish you did?

How are you at climbing trees?

[feelingofcontent]

DNP Rewatch: Reacting to Your Assumptions About Me...

Date video was published: 09/07/2021 (X)

DNP Main Channel Rewatch: 446

Similar vibes/theme to the “questions I’ve avoided” videos, but a slightly different take. He had asked for assumptions at the end of August. The start of him adding more and more things to the background too.

0:00 - what is this intro...also, mr english language degree really not having it together there for a moment

0:15 - the rick roll editing joke here 😂

0:21 - WHY does he toss his phone like that?! has he not learned from clumsiness in the past how does he not drop it constantly

0:30 - we’re getting all the Phil’s here - english language, clumsy, and now directionally challenged

0:34 - he shared some Insta stories of the building of the “pig plinth” (1, 2). great annotations there too

0:42 - great throwback to those old live shows where DNP both really just ran with joking about that theory

0:52 - Captain Holt vibes yet again

1:05 - the clip from PHIL IN THE CLUB! I love it

1:14 - “a gay video game night” that sounds about right

1:32 - he is being pretty personal and honest in this video again. I wonder how much Dan encouraged him to go over the years. he tweeted about going to therapy for the first time later in the month!

1:39 - I also hate talking to people on the phone

1:46 - yeah his style is so unique and consistent over the years...I think it would be easy to tell if someone else had done the editing (except maybe if Dan did it)

1:58 - I really thought he was trying to get people used to this idea and was planning to get an editor after this. he did briefly use an editor for a few Shorts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), but it doesn’t seem to have gone farther than that

2:13 - I would always like to see more bloopers

2:20 - this was something different from his usual videos. I like the glimpses of his whole process

2:37 - that is very smart and probably saved him a lot of stress over the years

2:45 - he suddenly remembered that picture existed

3:02 - I was so surprised he shared this (and is still sharing more about the situation, which I feel bad for him that he’s still having to deal with 🙁)  it seems that the dizziness started happening in early May or before, as he was having scans for it then (1, 2).

3:20 - he is being very chill about it here, but that sounds like a lot to deal with

3:29 - I can’t even imagine how bizarre having part of your head numb would feel

3:47 - I love that color actually. would very much like to see more of the “nerd cave” room

4:22 - lol at Phil calling it a “pretentious hobby.” also, more so-very-casual Dan mentions

4:30 - Dan was working on his aquascaping at the end of August and shared his progress after Phil mentioned it here. I’m surprised they don’t have a fish by now in 2022!

4:49 - didn’t he go to Disney World quite a bit though with his family’s trips to Florida?

4:58 - I guess we’ve never really heard Nigel speak on camera like we have Kath

5:10 - he is so appalled by this. I also think he’s mentioned this before, but I don’t know where. a live show, maybe?

5:32 - sometimes I forget how many celebrities they met and interacted with during the radio show era

5:45 - aww, that’s a nice assumption

5:54 - make conversation, or pull out a random game idea

6:18 - “I was wishing I could kiss someone else’s boyfriend” 😂 great timing with that bit

6:40 - do you know how much I thought he was going to reveal a dog at this point when I watched this the first time? SO MUCH

7:01 - “I want a bit of Santa’s yumnut” um. Phil. 😳

7:16 - I believe this. especially with early YouTube and his more recent (2017ish and on) content. Just Phil with the energy turned up

7:55 - he’s made that joke a couple times over the years...sometimes embarrassingly to strangers 😂

8:00 - slightly offended by this one too!

8:09 - he had to know that was going to happen when he posted the question. I like that he addressed it like this

8:23 - a cute one to end on

8:47 - like what happened here? surely there must have been something else going on

More pretty personal content for Phil. I like it, but not one of my absolute favorites from 2021. It has a slightly weird vibe with being shorter than usual and then the unplanned ending - @calvinahobbes​ theorized that it was supposed to be a spon that fell through, which definitely fits.

[arcanechamp]

'Luca' is Not a Queer Romance Film [SPOILERS]

The Pixar movie 'Luca' at quick glance seems to be a very simple movie about two young friends with a silly little goal to get a Vespa. Along the way we see their friendship grow, they meet their new friend Giulia, we witness the struggles they face, and we see how they overcome said struggles. Disney, being very conservative, would not allow for Pixar to have anything explicitly gay in a movie they're funding, but I think the obstacle of not having a gay relationship in the film helped Pixar give us something very refreshing and relatable.

This movie is covered in literary devices, references, music choices, and subtextual coding that is there to let us know that this movie is queer. By not being upfront about the characters being queer and using the aforementioned techniques the movie is said to be closeted, as many queer films have been since the 1920's. This allows for Disney to put out a movie that conforms to society's expectations and it allows Pixar to, more or less, tell the story they want to tell without repercussions.

Navigating through life behind a disguise in a straight world is the gay experience and thinking that everything is heterosexual by default is the straight experience, just as paralleled in the plot and world of 'Luca.' Now, I know the director said this isn't a romance movie and I agree but it is still queer. Below I will list all the obvious and the subtle things 'Luca' does to let us know it is a movie about two closeted boys.

"Vespa is Freedom"

From the very beginning we are told that the Vespa is freedom. So, it is very naive when people say the movie is simply about getting a Vespa when we are not-so-subtly told what it actually represents. At first, Luca dreams about being out of the water and seeing the world on a Vespa w/o Alberto, but once they become closer friends Alberto is in his daydream with a Vespa and every time the Vespa is mentioned they both use "we" in regards to their future plans of a happier life where they are free.

I think one of the most powerful parts of the movie is when Luca and Giulia go back to her house. Luca says "You don't understand" in regards to Giulia not understanding why Luca and Alberto would risk their lives being out in a town that hunts sea monsters to get a Vespa. Giulia responds with "No, I don't. Risking your life for a Vespa?" This not only beautifully sums up how straight people are unable to understand the significance of the Vespa, but more importantly how straight people so often fail understand why queer people are willing to risk their lives by coming out in a society where they are not wanted. It is for the freedom queer people don't have to live the life that we want.

The Sea Monster Metaphor

This is one of the most obvious ones. These two sea monsters go into the human town disguised as humans in pursuit of a life where they can live to their fullest and truest (aka the closeted experience). They discover that this society views "sea monsters" as evil and worthy of being killed. Based off of Alberto's confused and shocked reaction when Massimo jokes that a sea monster ate his arm and the fact that there is no evidence that sea monsters have ever hurt this town we can assume that the sea people are peaceful and that this hostile intolerance the society has is irrational. There is also a movie poster called "The Attack of the Sea Monster" demonstrating how gay people have a long history in cinema as being represented by queer coded villains. This has been very damaging to the LGBTQ+ community as the straight audience associates the queer community to being worthy of being treated cruelly.

Also, 'Luca' isn't new in using sea monsters to symbolize being an "outsider." In the movie 'The Shape of Water' the sea monster serves as a reminder of how it is reckless to blindly follow preconceived notions as well as to represent the people of a society who are "fish out of water" (such as a deaf woman, a black woman, and a gay man). Alongside that sentiment, "The Shape of Water" beautifully shows how often times the "monsters" aren't the evil ones, it's actually the monsters inside people that are. This theme is explored at the end of 'Luca' with a shot of Ercole appearing like a monster when lightning strikes (to which Giulia follows up with "So long evil empire of injustice" hinting at the unjust homophobia in society).

The Intimacy of Touch

This one is a more touchy subject because I understand that it is more subjective and in Europe physical contact between men is more common and platonic and right now there is sort of this movement about normalizing "physical male platonic affection." However, there is still a difference between platonic and romantic touching. Platonic touching looks different for men than it does for woman (whether it should or shouldn't be that way is a whole different discussion) and for men it usually looks like handshakes, hand on shoulder, playfully punching, hugging, and the like. It is usually not a prolonged action, not done too excessively, and more often than not this type of touching is when men are joking around in groups of friends. This movie has a lot of touching between Luca and Alberto and it's goes beyond just times when they're joking around. Being in someone's personal space is an intimate sign of feeling safe and comfortable around someone.

From personal experience as well as from the experiences of others I've heard, touch is a way for not just straight people to let someone know they're interested, but is also a critical way for closeted/gay people to gauge if someone (who is not openly gay) is interested in them. This is done by measuring how often and where someone touches them and checking to see how someone reacts to a *slightly* more-than-friendly touch. Queer people don't have the privilege of simply confessing their feelings because there are so many potential consequences that could arise besides a mere rejection. I hate to bring this example but 'Call Me By Your Name' does an incredible job in showing how gay people tend to resort showing their interest by physical touch that borders the casual/intimate line rather than by speaking up since there is potentially so much at stake if the other person is not gay. Yes, that movie has issues but I think it captured that aspect of the closeted life beautifully and the complexity and issues and pain of having to confess your feelings through ambiguous touching in hopes that they will decode it and reciprocate. The constant and non-joking touching between Alberto and Luca parallels that of two closeted men finding comfort and love in one another as well as the hesitation of expressing their true feeling through words.

Stealing Glances

I'm not going to talk about this one much as it's self-explanatory. Luca and Alberto steal glances at the other frequently throughout the movie and this is something people do when they have a crush on someone.

Parents Finding Out

This one is also kind of obvious. It represents this terrible experience of parents finding something that gives away your sexuality, such as a gay magazine under the mattress. You come home and the magazine is on the table, your parents are waiting for you to condemn you, and it's just a terrible feeling to be outed and put on the spot like that. Luca's parents want to send him away (conversion therapy vibes) because he is a good boy and is being lead astray from that by the bad influence Alberto. From there he runs away in fear of not being able to live the life he wants, which is a tragic reality many queer people undergo in order to have the freedom to be themselves. It can also be seen as a mom being afraid of her gay son going out into a world that is not kind to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Daydreams

One of the most beautiful parts of this movie are the dream sequences Luca has and how they change once he becomes closer friends with Alberto. In the first dream he is yearning to go above the surface and once he meets Alberto and sees the Vespa poster he dreams of seeing the world (he is alone in these two dreams). After their bond becomes closer Luca is braver and more adventurous in these dreams which contrast how he is in real life, timid and unsure. In one dream he is with Alberto on the Vespa and Alberto encourages him to go faster and Luca doesn't hesitate despite the enormous ramp. With Alberto he felt so courageous and safe that he could reach the stars and touch the moon. In his dream with Giulia he explores his curious nature and thirst for learning about the universe showing his love for knowledge.

In his two first dream sequences he is alone and surrounded by blue but after he becomes close to Alberto he isn't alone and the dreams are saturated in these beautiful yellow/orange/gold hues. And Yellow can be associated with Alberto as that is the color of his shirt and the gloves he uses when fishing with Massimo. The letters of the Vespa poster also happen to be yellow. Finally, the scene where Luca copies Alberto's hair style is also covered in these hues. So this leads to the yellow/orange hue to symbolize freedom, courage, happiness, and Alberto; the things Luca gains from his coming-of-age story.

Sleeping Under the Fish

Alberto tells Luca that stars are fish and obviously this is wrong, but Luca doesn't know that. When he looks into a telescope for the first time he sees this image posted above. Giulia asks Luca if he saw any fish and he doesn't but if you look closely the constellation is a smiling fish! This may be the most subjective point but I thought it was too interesting to not include. For me this symbolizes how Luca and Alberto will always be together since earlier Luca tells Giulia "Every day me and Alberto are gonna ride some place new and every night we'll sleep under the fish." Even though he discovers that the stars aren't fish the first thing he ever sees in the zoomed in night sky is a fish. It feels like a wink from the universe.

Movie Reference

In the town Plaza you can see a movie poster of 'Roman Holiday.' The poster features a man and woman on a Vespa. This is a romance movie about two people meeting by chance/accident while in search of freedom. Through the course of 'Roman Holiday' the two fall in love and by the end they have to say goodbye. This seems to mirror 'Luca' too closely to be a coincidence and thus not leaving much room for doubt that Luca and Alberto are gay characters who have feelings for each other. I doubt the storyboard team at Pixar blindly put this movie poster in 'Luca.'

Jealousy

This one is also pretty self-explanatory. Alberto becoming jealous can be seen throughout the movie but in the above scene we see how both Luca and Alberto notice Giulia putting her hand Luca's. Like I said before touching is pretty intimate when you're queer and closeted because that's how you show interest. Alberto in response put his hand on Luca to subtly show that he likes Luca w/o having to verbally say it. This reveal Alberto's feeling for Luca and his fear of Luca falling in love with the girl they just met since he (or Luca) have yet to confront their feelings for the other. I think this is a pretty universal (and nerve-wrecking) experience for gay people; to develop feelings for someone who you are unsure if they like you back and don't know if they're even gay and on top of that being paranoid that they'll fall in love for someone of the opposite sex instead.

Coming Out

Being outed and coming out are one of the worst things a queer person has to eventually go through in their lives. This movie captured this sinking and terrifying feeling so well. Alberto was afraid to lose Luca so he outs himself so Luca will leave Giulia when he sees that she isn't accepting. Luca instead of standing up for Alberto pretends he is a human and acts like he is not accepting of sea monsters. Both's actions are in the wrong and this is why this scene is so powerful. It shows you the sharp sting of betrayal especially when someone isn't willing to come out with you and pretends to want nothing to do with you. It also shows the fear and anxiety of being outed without your consent after you trusted someone with such a big secret. I felt the distressing and lonely feeling of coming out from Alberto and the fear and desperate clutching onto the safety of the closet from Luca.

It's a Lonely Town Without You

The walk-out song to the film's credits is 'Città Vuota' by Mina. In english it's called "Lonely Town." The song is about how lonely the crowded town feels without the person you love no longer in your life. It is a really melancholic song about love and loss and the animations that play under the song are that of Luca and Alberto both in different towns going about their lives. This really emphasizes the loneliness that Luca left behind for Alberto once he left for school.

Here is a bit of the translated lyrics: "Come back to me, my love/ And the city will not be empty any more."

The Old Sea Monster Ladies

We all know they came out as lesbians at the end. Yeah you could claim that they're sister because of the credits and some tweet from one of the writers experience in Italy BUT to anyone watching a movie the credits or a tweet are irrelevant. If you were to only watch the movie nowhere can it be suggested that the two woman are sisters. They're coming out scene felt just like that, them coming out. Even if we consider the credits that they are sisters the scene evokes the same thing: two women see the bravery of these two boys coming out to a town that wants them dead and after seeing them get accepted (by some) they stand in solidarity and live their truth. This scene was very surprising as I was not expecting it and it's important because you never know who is a sea monster/queer in real life because they're just like everybody else and that is a powerful message that needs to be said. I'm convinced the storyboard people knew what they were doing and have the sister alibi for legal reasons. One could use the same last name argument to justify that they are wives. (Also, a point I decided to not include is that the lead storyboard person has a tumblr and draws a lot of sketches of gay couples so I know without a doubt that they understand the significance of that scene).

Acceptance in Society

Many people are saying that this movie has low stakes and that it resolved too easily. I disagree with both statements. In the ending we see everybody ready to take Luca and Alberto's lives. Luca was ready to defend himself (no longer afraid and timid as he once was) while surrounded by a society that has a fear of sea monsters for no good reason. Luca tells Ercole “We’re not afraid of you” to which Ercole responds "No, but we’re afraid of you. Everyone’s horrified and disgusted by you because you are monsters." This intimidates Luca as he realizes that it's him and Alberto against the whole town. It isn't until someone speaks up for them that they have a chance to live. It isn't until Massimo (now an ally) got a chance to know them and realize that he can't hurt them or let them get hurt because they are the same kids he grew to care about, nothing about them has changed. They aren't monster and they are no different him. Just like Massimo told Alberto - they were born this way. Massimo standing up for Luca and Alberto made the hunters (who did not seem happy about this outcome) let the sea monsters live. Afterwards some people see that they are not something to be afraid of and accept them but there are still others that do not accept the sea monster being in their society. Additionally, when the old ladies came out you can see the priest (who represents the church which is infamous for its homophobic views) faint, subtlety showing the disapproval of being gay in a homophobic society. The film's resolution shows why it is vital to be an ally, what it means to be an ally, and the positive impact that being an ally has. Being closeted and coming out is frightening and can be traumatic. You run the risk of losing the life you knew and losing everything you have, all for freedom. Acceptance is one of the easiest and kindest things we can give and it means more than you can even fathom.

I know this movie is about acceptance of all forms but Luca's grandma's quote seems a little too fitting for the gay community. She says "Some people, they'll never accept him, but some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones." This quote with the sea monster metaphor sums up the queer experience of searching for freedom and on the way encountering rejection, intolerance, and sometimes even violence.

Train-Station Goodbye Trope

"Come on Alberto, the train's gonna leave. Where's your stuff?"

The ending was devastating. I want to talk about how all of it is so bittersweet; heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time but I'll restrain myself. Here we see the infamous train station trope that is reserved for two lovers parting ways. It leaves you sad and wondering if they'll see each other again and if they'll even still love each other should they meet again. There is nothing platonic about crying and saying goodbye to your partner in a train station all while not wanting to let go of their hand and then being unafraid to reveal your true self to each other in front of the world. I think the writers and storyboard crew made it clear that this relationship runs deeper than platonic. You can see how Luca clings onto Alberto's arm after realizing that he's not coming with him. Luca not wanting to let go of Alberto's fingertips. The pain in Alberto after letting Luca go on without him so that he could go to school. It never even crossed Luca's mind that Alberto would not come along with him. Throughout the entire film Luca and Alberto ALWAYS used "we", "us", and "our" when talking about their future plans. Even when they fought Luca still asked Giulia if him and Alberto could go to her school. This added so much more weight to not only the ending but also to Alberto's decision to sacrifice his Vespa dream for Luca to grow and be happy learning in school. The scene ending with Luca and Alberto baring their true forms with confidence as they begin their new lives in the world above the surface is so powerful. This train-station goodbye drives home that although they may not be a couple (yet) they both do have romantic feelings for another that has blossomed from the strong friendship they formed.

Closing Thoughts

For me there is no doubt in my mind that Luca and Alberto are in love with each other. There is more than enough to back that up. I will say, however, that it is not a queer romance film. Their actions and interactions are more of that cute and flirty playfulness when you have a crush on someone. Money-hungry Disney would never allow for a movie about a teen gay couple, but I think it worked in Pixar's favor. They became really creative and gave us a refreshing look at a (queer) relationship that is not so commonly explored. We saw the birth and growth of the cute and innocent friendship side of a blossoming romantic relationship that most movies skip over, but it is this friendship that is established that holds a romantic relationship together. This is easily my favorite Pixar movie and has been the only one to make me cry as it hit really close to home. And for that I cannot be mad that it isn't explicitly gay. After watching this several times I would not say that this film is queer-baiting at all. I would describe 'Luca' as a closeted straight-passing film and I think queer kids (and adults) will inevitably be able to pick up on this subtext. My only complaint is that they kinda went for the tragic queer ending. Like why do gay characters always have to have a sad ending? Yeah Luca and Alberto are shown to still be in contact and they are both doing things to better themselves but why couldn't they both just go together!

The movie is still about identity, freedom, and acceptance. So, all other interpretations I have seen still hold. Just because 'Luca' is a queer film doesn't mean that it can't also be a metaphor for topics such as immigration and ableism alongside being queer.

Sorry that this was so long, but I was tired of seeing all these review that this was a very simple movie and that Luca and Alberto are just "really good friends." If you made it this far thanks for reading!

[moonlitlillypop]

The fact that one of Disney's best and most obvious queer allegories was completely accidental really says something about how straight people often perceive gay people. They're able to understand and encapsulate such a common and damaging situation for queer people, but they aren't capable of connecting it to us. Like the concept of queerness is so foreign to them that they can't empathize with it until they reframe the situation into being about straight people. They empathize better with fish people than with humans who feel attracted to people of the same gender. They can understand the gay experience just fine until the word gay is actually attached to it.

Of course none of this is to say Luca is a bad movie. I think it's pretty good, but it really makes you think about how many straight people are so close to understanding if they just put their preconceived notions aside and started actuality thinking about how queer people think and react to things similarly to anyone else.

[ariiikat]

Gosh I just watched Raya and the Last Dragon a few days ago and I!!!! Oh I still have so many mixed feelings!!!!

Firstly as a person from South-East Asia I felt seen. There are many references to our cultures and I absolutely love the subtle references like always bringing a gift (usually food) when visiting people. And I’m not sure if this is universal to most South-East Asians but I was always raised to be very careful with trusting others, and tbh to be more distrustful of people, always assuming and judging the worst. I swear when this movie gave me slight flashbacks to how sceptical my family was when going everywhere, it hit me in the ooof. Also the Talon area where they met Noi the baby, absolutely reminded me of the huts over the sea where my parents would sail to fish, all the bamboo architecture just made me grin with nostalgia.

Additionally I was talking to my parents and they said that the whole land breaking away from Kumandra into smaller nations is similar the colonisation in the south east countries in the archipelago, and how a lot of the places split into these different and separated nations. I’m not the best to explain the history of that since I was raised in Australia and didn’t get to learn that history, so all I’m going off what my family got out of the movie... but if I’m correct and they totally intended, I think it’s pretty cool how they considered that aspect of south East Asian culture.

So secondly next point, one thing that actually really disappointed me was the whole pacing of the movie. I’ve heard a lot of criticisms how the moral wasn’t hitting hard as other Disney princess movies, or how one note a lot of the characters are. And honestly, now speaking from a student with a film and animation degree, the pacing is the reason a lot of things are underdeveloped. I’m so disappointed cause all of these characters are unique and funny and have so much more to their backstory, which you only get a glimpse of because of the little amount of time they had to develop that. Honestly this story looked like it should’ve been a TV show rather than a movie (it honestly reminds me a lot of avatar the last airbender). It has such an interesting premise and even a good story if it had more time... I have a feeling this movie was intended to be a series, like each movie in the series will be specific to a land where they would get a shard of the dragon gem. But it seems like executives may have forced the writers’ hand to squeeze the whole story into one. Which is so unfortunate cause it’ll be such a hit, a lot of people would watch it especially one group...

Which leads me to my final point... THE GAY ENERGY THIS MOVIE JUST RADIATES!!!!!

I swear the writers wanted to write something gay but since it was Disney they couldn’t. Like COME ON! Someone had to storyboard those intense scenes between Raya and Namaari and write those flirty lines! They should’ve known it was gay or that the closeness between both characters was too intense to be enemies or even just friends. They KNOW what they are doing and ahhhhhh, I kept screaming gay at the screen and my friends watching with me were like “yeah honestly yeah.”

SO...

My final point is that now this slowly consuming my mind so when university has calmed down for me, I’ll be posting some cute sketches... but also, alongside my RWBY fanfic which I’m still writing for, how would you all feel for a Raya and the Last Dragon fanfic? One that basically addresses the problem of it zooming so fast through the plot... and basically make it being the gay story it could’ve been! So what you think?

[demons-fanatic]

Luca: Fish out of Water

Hi guys, this is going to go over the literal entire movie so if you haven't seen the movie... Don't go below!

This post will be a full film analysis of Pixar's new movie, Luca and how it is clearly a Queer Allegory more than anything else.

Disclaimer: This entire post uses Queer in a reclaimed sense, especially in a sense for the entire community. If you do not like that, sorry.

So... Fish People. Luca is a 2021 Film by Pixar and distributed by Disney on Disney+. Unsurprisingly, I did not watch Luca legally and do not ever plan to, I will never give money to a homophobic tyrant such as Disney... Ever. But, I do love this Movie.

So, first things first... Does this Movie really have that much Queer subtext? Yes, it does. It really does and I think it'd be impossible to deny it. According to the Director, the intention was not to be a strictly LGBT reading, as it is just a film about people who are different. Which is true, that's exactly what this movie is about. But with certain key events and even phrases, I find it so hard for the intent not being Queer people specifically.

TL;DR Plot:

The Plot of Luca surrounds the titular Character and his friend, Alberto as they manage to explore the Surface World. Luca and Alberto are Fish People who are also able to transform into Humans once they dry off on Land. This is called "The Change" and it's unclear why this happens.

The Movie starts with Luca going to the surface and meeting Alberto, a fellow Fish Person. They begin to dream about getting a Vespa, or a Motor Scooter. Soon, Luca gets discovered by his Parents for going to the Surface and is almost sent away to the Deep Sea. He leaves and him and Alberto reach Portorossa, a town in the Italian riviera. A town that is very Anti-Fish People.

There, they meet a brattish teenager named Ercole and a younger girl named Giulia. Alberto and Luca learn about a Triathlon event in the town that will net them some money to buy a Vespa.

Giulia introduces the boys to her Father, Massimo; who is very Anti-Fish People.

They boys train and Luca's parents come to search for him. During this time, Alberto during a training session goes awry with the bike and ends up crashing into the Sea with Luca alongside him. They make it but due to a building upset nature, Alberto reveals himself but to his surprise, Luca acts like he didn't know about Alberto's nature. Leaving Alberto to leave back to his tower.

After feeling bad, Luca visits Alberto to apologize but Alberto is too upset to accept much. Luca proclaims he'll win the race to win the Vespa and the next morning he starts the Triathlon slow but builds up in performance. During this, it starts to rain. At the top of a hill, Alberto calls out to Luca but is forced to reveal himself. Luca overcomes his fear and saves Alberto and wins the race.

Though, their identities are found out, Massimo, who has grown attached to Alberto, is accepting of them and so does the town. This creates a welcoming Fish Person Environment in the town and it's also revealed not everyone who appeared human in the town was either.

Finally, Giulia is forced to go back to School, but it turns out Alberto sold the Vespa to buy a Train Ticket so Luca can go to School as he previously expressed interest in. Massimo also practically adopts Alberto. The boys embrace each other in a very impactful event and don't stop looking at each other until they get far away.

The Allegory...

So, there is a lot of detail I left out in that description but on purpose, of course. In this part I'll be detailing all of the parts that allude to Queer allegory and what it means. Of course, most people can think on their own but this is just here to describe the parts of it that stand out.

Firstly, Fish People are obviously just the LGBT community. I mean, people who have to hide their identity out of fear, especially in a fear of being killed? It's basically staring you in the face. Fish People are able to turn into Humans, which is when LGBT members have to blend in. The two Women at the end are sort of the example of LGBT members who have fully assimilated into normal Society, especially in a Homophobic or Transphobic environment or "Comphet" and being Closeted. I personally can identify with this one. Other characters like the Grandmother can be examples of LGBT people who are comfortable enough they don't feel the need to hide but also understand living is better than dying, but have "fun" with it.

Massimo is definitely an example of the Homophobes or Transphobes who wholly make it their entire personality to hate on Gay People or Transgender People but they're actually exactly like that or one of them. Of course, Massimo isn't a Fish Person but soon after it's shown in the Credits he immediately becomes very accepting especially after having to confront with himself the person he found himself attached to like his own Child, was what he once hated.

Giulia is just an example of an Ally, someone who may not be LGBT but fully supports them. Most people if they hear about how bad something is their entire life will be afraid once first faced with it but she almost immediately becomes accepting after learning Luca is also a Fish Person, trying to protect him.

The Betrayal of Luca to Alberto is a good example of internalized Homophobia and fear of also being found out. As I will describe later, Luca and Alberto are a CLEAR example of a Queer Romantic Relationship. When Alberto reveals himself, Luca found himself in a situation of extreme pressure and anxiety. He just found a life he could be potentially be living and instead of revealing himself as a Fish Person(Queer...) he instead "plays it safe" as he sees it in his mind and acts like he had no idea Alberto was a Fish Person(Queer, again...). It's something that does happen in real life, unfortunately, being outed or having people just like you, reject you, even if they are exactly like you.

The Parents of Luca are representative of Closeted People and the fear that if you out yourself, you can at any point be rejected to the point of even death. It's this fear the perpetually stagnates and personal growth. Of course, in real life there really are situations where you cannot come out for decades in fear of the same thing. And it's not like his(Luca's) parents had a reason not the fear the same.

Ercole, obviously just represents a full homophobe or transphobe. Someone who is unwilling to change and will continue to be homophobic and never question himself even when people near him are accepting. He also represents the power someone who is homophobic may have. Even if the other people who he influences aren't homophobic or transphobic.

This one is a bit rocky, but the Vespa is possible an allegory for the idealized "Vehicle" of escape... If you've seen Adolescence of Utena, it's the exact same thing. However, in this one this Vehicle is achieved but then lost, willingly. It becomes a Vehicle still in the way that it helps Alberto and Luca in their lives, finding their own Paths. It helps them both in the beginning to realize a goal of escape or betterment then near the end kicks off Luca's path and Alberto's.

Lastly, we have Luca and Alberto themselves... Now, as I said before, they are a clear representation of a Queer Relationship, specifically a Gay Relationship. You can interpret it as a Platonic Relationship, but I do it in the romantic Sense. Yes, I am aware the boys never confess ever or do anything very romantic, like kissing or holding hands. But throughout the movie, it's clear, very clear. They start out with Luca become attracted to his ideals and his mission and both of them soon form a Mission where they want to do the Vehicle of escape as I just mentioned. Soon after almost being sent away, Alberto and Luca go to Portorossa together and continue to build their relationship. Alberto and Luca defend each other and obviously care about each other. Soon after, Giulia and Luca grow a closer bond but nothing as close as Luca and Alberto. It's obvious that Alberto really likes Luca. Like, really obvious because this goes on until Alberto crashes him and Luca into the Sea and then the betrayal scene happens. During that scene it's clear that Alberto is extremely hurt, like really hurt. It reminds him that not only is he the "Bad" one in his head, the only person he thought he cared for(or loved) would willing to betray(out) him so that he can assimilate safely into Human(Heterosexual) culture. It definitely makes him feel bad and revert a bit back into a lone wolf mindset. Nearing the end, Alberto comes back nearing the end of the race with an Umbrella to help Luca win. But he ends up being tripped and revealed as a Fish Person. This is definitely just forced outing, it's quite obvious. But then Luca overcomes his fears and basically dreams of a normal life to safe his Friend(or Boyfriend, whichever you want). Luckily for them, due to Massimo seeing how much of a good person Alberto is, instead of attacking the boys, he accepts them as he realizes they're nothing like he thought. On the movies' downside, the town does fortunately accept the boys and all the Fish People. This isn't really realistic in any sense but, it does just explain a theory of mass acceptance if one let goes of their prejudice. The Grandmother in the following scene also explains a perfect Queer-like line:

"Some people will accept him, some never will. But he knows how to find the good ones." (Not an exact quote...)

I think to anyone who is in a marginalized group, specifically LGBT for this case, will relate to this line. It's very basic, but means a lot. It's also a strong reason why I feel like despite everything officially said, with everything else, this IS a Queer intended allegory.

Finally, the end scene at the Train is a good one and explains how Alberto and Luca after finding themselves and growing as people, they find their own way and are happy about it. Alberto and Luca hug, devastated at the fact they have to leave each other, even temporarily. It's sad and very real. Leaving your lover even for the betterment of yourself is extremely heartbreaking and you don't think you can do it at first, especially if you've been through a lot together.

Final Thoughts

So, I know I am not the only one that has seen everything I just said. In fact, the film's popularity right now seems to be exactly because of that. Not to mention the Movie's visuals are fantastic as well as the music.

You don't have to view this as a Queer reading, but I find it almost impossible not to and I, again, am not the only one. You can view it as basically any marginalized group, especially the ones that have to keep their identity hidden. I do think it's great this movie can bring a good allegory and subtext about a possible Gay MLM Relationship even if unintentional. I know Disney would not allow it, but I hope in the planned sequels they do a bit more of subtext. Of course, not to the point of Queerbait. But, we'll see. I think that Pixar has an amazing opportunity to try and slip by the censors... But probably not. It is good, though, that the director openly accepts a Queer Reading, so we're not left in the dark with someone trying to deny all Queerness.

_________

If you read this, thanks! I might update this post with more or edit it to clear things up. If you want to follow me, go ahead. But I just normally do Soulsborne lore posts so you won't find much here. I am not a Pixar or Disney person either, I just did this so I can talk about gay fish.

[hiccanna-tidbits]

Pagan Holiday Shipping Moodboard Project #6--Lughnasadh Ramaari Haaaaappy Lughnasadh!!!

I gotta say, I’m actually really happy Raya and the Last Dragon came out the year I did my pagan holiday shipping moodboard thing because like...I legit had no idea what ship to do for Lughnasadh. But RatLD has a lot of food symbolism (e.g. the Tom Yum with the ingredients from all the different nations being a symbol for unity and trust and whatnot) and just generally having people celebrate and bond over food a lot (including smol Raya and Namaari initally, swordfighting with those pork ball sticks like the dorks they are!), and Lughnasadh is supposed to be all about the fall harvest and gathering food for everyone, so it’s lowkey perfect. And we got some Moana x Merida energy going on for Litha, but I’m always down to add more sapphics to the lineup!!!

I gotta say, Disney may be an evil megaconglomerate these days, but I’ll still grateful to them for giving us lesbian-coded SE Asian characters. I think that’s pretty neat!!! Diversity, bitch!!! Like sure, they didn’t have the balls to say they’re gay explicitly, but whatever--I’ll fish for scraps XD Kelly Marie Tran you absolute QUEEN thank you for just saying fuck it and being like “Yeah Raya’s a lesbian and she’s into Namaari that’s just how it is.” Like you’re RIGHT!!! And it’s glorious!!!

Also y’all ain’t gonna BELIEVE how hard it was to find a picture of someone who looked like Namaari IRL with her haircut, like!!! All the girls that popped up when I searched up the undercut aesthetic were white and it was SO frustrating -_____- BUT I’m fairly happy with the pics I ended up finding, so...happy ending, I guess? I mean I wish her skintone was darker but you can’t have everything I guess

Pic credits available upon request!

[bigfrozenfan-fanfics]

Sometime in the near future at the famous old Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, CA. ...

“Okay, shooting break, people. It's all in the box. Good job everyone. Next take would be the wagon scene in studio four in two hours,” said the director and stood up to watch the last scene again on the monitor.

“I'm finally getting out of these things,” said the lilliputian as he struggled out of his Olaf costume.

Anna, Elsa and Kristoff grinned at him as they came past him. “Would you like to come along?” Anna asked him.

“Sure, what are you up to guys?”

“Elsa thought we could talk about the movie in her trailer and have some of those delicious sandwiches delivered.”

“Hey, wait for me,” Honeymaren called and hurried towards them.

A little time later, the five of them stepped outside between the big studio gates. It was a hot day and Elsa fished in her bag for the remote control for the air conditioning in her trailer.

“Don't overdo it again,” Anna said grinning and nudged her into the side. Elsa grinned back and pressed a button on the device.

Five minutes later they were sitting in the comfortably furnished, cool trailer around the table and Anna typed a text message into her cellphone. “Well, the sandwiches are ordered,” she said and accepted one of the ice-cold Cola cans that Elsa was just handing out to everyone.

“So, what do you think. Does this still have anything to do with a Disney kids movie?” Elsa asked and sat down with them.

“You mean because of the scene with our villain? Yup, it's a bit intense. By the way, your performance was great, Maren,” Anna nodded to her and then looked at Elsa again.

“Do you actually have the script, Elsa? We could go through the scenes again.”

Elsa reached behind her and pulled her tattered script out of the drawer and shoved it to Anna.

“Wow, I didn't know that from you. It looks pretty worn out,” Anna said with a frown and searched in Elsa's face.

“Well, there was a lot of discussion with the director and I often took the script with me and marked the relevant parts,” Elsa shrugged and grinned.

“I see. Well, in a way you're right. Not all of us are really happy with the story for the third part. Here, for example ...,” Anna turned the first few pages, read quickly over the lines and then pushed the booklet into the middle of the table. She pointed with her index finger at a certain passage in it. “The beach scene with you two ...” She looked back and forth between Elsa and Maren.

Kristoff bent over a little to read better and then nodded.

“Do they want to give your character a romantic gay relationship now, like some hardcore fans have been asking for years?” Anna turned the page and tapped her finger a couple of times on the nightly scene at Elsa's kota.

Maren giggled, “Why, Anna? Do you mind? That's the way it is these days and more and more movies are talking about relationships like that.”

“Yes, I know, and I don't say anything against it in principle, but in a Disney film like this one in particular?”

“Nothing at all happened, Anna,” Elsa interjected and pointed to the scene in question. “The fans will end up focusing more on you and Kristoff anyway.”

“That's right, they can't wait to see our wedding,” Kristoff said with a chest tone of conviction and laughed.

Anna looked at Kristoff. “Well, so far there hasn't been much to see except for this ridiculously tiny intimate scene between you and me. It's all about the two of us again,” she said looking at Elsa and moved her index finger back and forth between the two of them.

Elsa nodded. “It's no wonder, after the disastrous end of the second movie. Tell me, do you often go out in our fandom as well? They're talking their heads off about why I'm staying in the forest and that we should get together again. They're really pissed off.”

Anna nodded, “Sure, I check it out almost every night. Then you must have noticed, Elsa, that the other big group is really pissed off too because we are still being shipped as a gay couple, as movie sisters, mind you.”

“I'm more the straight guy, but have you noticed that now even I ...,” Kristoff started, but was interrupted by Maren.

“With Ryder, my movie brother, I know. I guess it's a new one.”

Everyone was looking at her. “So you can't keep your hands off the fandom either,” Olaf said and giggled.

There was a knock at the front of the trailer and somebody shouted out loud and clear, “Sandwitches?”

Anna jumped up and rushed to the front, “Am I hungry!”

She opened the door and picked up a big brown bag with a Disney logo on it. “Hey, that was fast. You've got a really great service,” she thanked the supplier and closed the door again shortly afterwards.

She put the bag on the table and rummaged around inside. Then she pulled out a package marked with a cross and pushed the rest to the others.

“Special order?” Kristoff asked, grinning knowingly.

Anna nodded, unwrapped the foil and bit heartily into one of the two big tuna fish sandwiches. The rest of the group also helped themselves and all ate theirs with pleasure and in silence.

“We should have ordered some cold milkshakes with it,” Elsa said munching, picking a crumb from the corner of her mouth.

Anna rolled her eyes. “Oh man, why didn't I think of that,” she mumbled with her mouth full.

Elsa grinned and reached for her mobile phone. “What's not, can still happen,” she said and typed a text message. “I also know the number of the catering service. Who wants which?”

A quarter of an hour later everyone had their milkshake in front of them and they continued their discussion.

“Okay,” Elsa began, “The scenes with the Northuldra. Don't you think it's a bit much? I mean, in the second part they were just ...”

“Annoying extras?” Maren added.

Elsa stared at her. “What? I didn't mean to say that at all. They were supporting actors. The actual plot was about ...”

“You and the spirits,” Anna interrupted her this time.

Elsa looked at her somewhat annoyed. “That's not true at all, Anna. And you, Kristoff, please let me finish,” she said without looking at him, but pointed with her index finger in his direction. From there, the only answer was a slurping sound from an almost empty cup. “I just want to say that I'm not sure where this will lead to and if our fans will like it. Too bad we didn't get the full script handed to us.”

“It doesn't have to mean anything,” Olaf interjected. “They'll probably change half of it when they realize that something isn't working as it should.”

“What do you mean?” Kristoff asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Haven't you seen the documentary?” Anna joined in. Elsa and the others nodded.

“Which documentary?” he wondered.

“Man, you really don't get anything,” Maren joined in. “The making of Frozen two on Disney plus, of course.”

Kristoff now looked around even more ignorantly.

Anna shook her head, put a hand on her forehead and waved Elsa closer. “I guess we'll have to set up an account for him,” she whispered into her ear. “You can't just stand by and watch this.”

“By the way,” Elsa said, “maybe we'd better contact the songwriters right away. If anybody has any influence, it's them, right?”

“Very good idea, Elsa,” Anna agreed. “They even managed to make something really good out of your old villain role. Let it go ... let it gooo ...,” Anna warbled until Elsa put her hand on her arm and shook her head.

“Please let it go, Anna.”

“All right. But your later song is much better anyway. Show yourself ... I'm dying to meet youuuu ...” Elsa looked at her very intensely.

“Pfft ...” Anna folded her arms in front of her and sulked.

“So talking about the best songs, I thought 'The Next Right Thing' was better and especially your performance, Anna. Kudos to you!” said Elsa.

“Yeah, that's right. The scene was heartbreaking and it even made me cry,” Olaf said and everyone stared at him. “What...? You guys didn't?”

“Can't wait to see what songs we get for Frozen Three this time. They're all still keeping a low profile and the extra shoots with the orchestra haven't been announced yet either,” Anna mused.

“Um, guys ... it's almost quarter to, maybe we should get going?” Kristoff said, looking at his wristwatch.

“Really?” Anna said, “How fast time passes ...”

They all got up and Elsa quickly cleared the garbage from the table, stepped on a lever at the bottom of the trailer wall and threw it into her little garbage box that sprang out of it.

Outside, they hit a wall of shimmering heat and each of them moaned. Elsa slammed the trailer door shut and operated her remote control held blindly in the back as she quickly followed the others. The sound of the air conditioner died away.

“Where do we have to go again?” Kristoff asked.

“Studio four!” it echoed back in chorus as if from one mouth.

~~~

Remark: I hope you enjoyed this little story! Please leave a comment if you liked it, I'd love to read your opinions, even criticism. I wrote it last year in August, shortly after I finished writing chapter thirteen, yesterday's, and I was thinking a lot at the time about where this adult story might take me and what my readers would think about it. This week i wrote chapter 46, the longest so far, with 7.4 K words and i think the next ones will have a similar length. So ... to say it with Tom Holland's words: YOU AIN'T READY FOR IT ... ARE YOU?