#this bodyguard may have only been in 2 episodes but I love him with my whole heart

[lou-gollum]

Sketching again with the assistance of my favourite character from Reborn Rich, Woo Byung Joon, THE bodyguard Woo.

[daeyeol4you]

The Chay Rewatch

As part of my KP Rewatch, I’m going to be commenting on each episode and analyzing the different Chay scenes. He’s my favorite character, and I thought I’d put down my thoughts (as well as timestamps for his scenes) as a fun way to express that.

Ep 1 & 2 Chay Rewatch

Episode 3 - Enter Kim Stage Right

Time: 1:46 – 1:54 & 2:04-2:07 – Previously on, my greatest enemy and only ally

At least they used different clips this time

Where is my baby boi? Where is Chay? When will he return?

Ep 3 dives deeper into how screwed up all three of the major family boys are

Kinn can’t commit and is slowly falling for who Porsche is

Tankhun is hilarious, and his outfits are always a treasure trove of weird fashion. His trauma is so present even when he’s having fun. Tong plays him so well.

And then there’s Kim.

Time: 31:38 – 33:51 – Mysterious Balcony Man

The introduction to Kim is done is pieces, slowly feeding the audience. The storytelling carries on the amazing writing from episode 1. It’s a great way of showing that Kim may not be living in the compound or running things, but he’s one to watch out for (and maybe even fear). First, we hear Pete’s description of him back in ep 2 (that essentially states he’s dangerous and aloof while also setting up that his storyline isn’t going to connect to the family compound much) and then we hear his voice just before Big bows to someone offscreen. The build up tells the viewers that this new person, the one that we’ve been waiting for almost 3 episodes for, is powerful and to be feared. The colors of this scene are also noticeably darker as compared to the warmer tones used in the main family compound or the bright pink from Yok’s bar.

I adore the first shot we get of Kim. Standing with his back to the camera, he retains his air of mystery, but the metal fixtures on the glass doors make me think of a birdcage. He’s out of the compound, hell he’s even in the open air, but this shot shows that he’s just as trapped in the mafia world as his brothers despite the space he’s tried to create between himself and his family. He’s the songbird trapped in Korn’s game.

“Are you in the wrong place?” – Kim is so bitchy I love him. This is Kimhan Theerapanyakul, the third son. Before we even see his face, we get to know his arrogant and aloof side. Except do we? Kim immediately asks who is protecting his brother, and he knows enough about Kinn’s guards to know that Ken is the likely successor with Big injured. Kim’s emotions are always just under the surface. The only problem is no one digs deeper until we get to Porchay. Everyone is scared of Kim or just accepts the mask he shows them.

Kimlock Holmes makes his introduction. A new bodyguard with a suspicious background? Who’s been put on the security detail of both of his brothers? Big you might as well have wrapped this mystery with a bow. In all seriousness, Kim is protective of the few people he allows into his heart (though he will never ever tell them that), and this news would have put his brain on red alert because Kim will not tolerate any harm to his loved ones.

“Do you want one heartbroken song, huh?” – What a little bitch, again I love him. Kim sandwiches his concern for his brothers with two backhanded comments attacking Big. Kim (I’m going to let you all in on a secret) is very bad at hiding. His concern, his conspiracy board, his feelings for Chay, etc. This man is so lucky that everyone is a little scared of him and knows to keep away, or he’d be found out in an instant. (Also, only one Kim? After Chay blocks you, you’ll be writing a million. Love the foreshadowing to Kim’s inevitable heartbreak though. This show does do great set up for some of the storylines)

And then the scene ends without ever showing the viewer Kim’s face further drawing out the viewer’s introduction to Kim. Its honestly great set up for this character, and while he’s not the only one receiving this kind of drawn out treatment (hello Vegas in ep 2 with the hot assassin lady) his is done successfully. I remember first watching this show with no background at all wondering who the hell this guy is (I did have to rewatch the scenes to match the voices before I could connect mysterious balcony guy to WiK but that’s neither here nor there)

Kim’s outfit: Either costuming or Jeff really love themselves an oversized suit jacket. It makes Jeff look bigger than he actually is which works for the introduction of his character. Its also very different from his other outfits through the series. He’s dressed closer to the major family look with his suit jacket and darker color scheme. He still retains his idol status though making this one of the few looks that blend his two personas. I have a few theories about how Kim uses his different jackets as a shield to hide his real self, given the only times we see Kim not wearing his jackets is when he’s in his feelings about Chay (ie the warehouse scene, the fight in Yok’s bar, him recording the song, him crying over Chay’s polaroids), I’d say I’m close to being right

Still no Chay, but I will accept meeting his love interest during this Chay drought

Overall Chay Rating (Chrating): I’ll give this episode a D

There’s still no Chay, but we get a really great introduction to Kim which sets up Chay’s entire storyline. Thus, a slightly better grade. Episode 3 in general is better than episode 2 to me. Its not jamming a ton of character intros and wacky worldbuilding into the episode the same way Ep 2 does. We get a real introduction to Tankhun and Kim as well as the first sparks of KinnPorsche. I could have done without 2 party scenes in one ep (mainly because to me it makes them feel rushed), and it makes me as a viewer wonder when we’re going to get any real mafia action in the mafia romance story. But overall, I have one question... WHERE IS MY BABY BOI?!

[wacky-nameless-inventor-24]

Main Negaverse AU. Refresh my memory. World, characters, dynamics, everything. Go! (I only remember the basics). :D

LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

You asked for this ;)

SO! Dunno much about the actual Negaverse from the dwd series so things may change if I ever decide to actually watch an episode about it but for now we have this (gonna focus more on the team science aspect of this because that's what most of the stories are about ssldfjdlkj). Oh gosh I've gotta go digging into ye old docs from 2020 help meeee-

So far we've got Scrooge as the evil crime boss overlord over Duckburg. He does whatever the heck he wants and essentially just regularly pillages the city for whatever he wants. He doesn't actually rule anything, he just wreaks havoc and hardly any force is organized against him because everyone's too busy trying to put their lives back together. Gizmoduck acts as his enforcer and is the one who does most of the pillaging, along with being the one who's sent out to squash whatever kind of rebellions come up against that. Gyro is his evil scientist, he makes things that to his vast frustration regularly turn out good and try to rebel against Gyro and Scrooge. He's the most two-faced person ever, he acts like the sweetest person you'll ever meet but then will absolutely stab someone in the back. Said it before but I'm really just going off of this because I absolutely love this idea. Boyd (here called 2-BO still) is so far one of the only inventions that he's managed to keep 'evil', he acts as Gyro's bodyguard and if Gyro ever needs any shady things done and Gizmoduck isn't available, he'll have 2-BO do it. Despite relationships being different in this universe he does still have some genuine affection for 2-BO in there somewhere. Gyro and Fenton just kind of tolerate each other, Fenton's been around long enough to know all about Gyro's nice outward appearance, while also being wholly familiar with the darker side of him. So Gyro doesn't usually bother with being nice to him anymore, and Fenton is just his usual mean and pessimistic self right back at him. I wouldn't call them friends, at least, not on a surface level, but they've known each other long enough that they know each other well and can work well together.

I think I said it in their post but Blue again was one of the Moonvasion clones of course, brought down by one of the Moonlanders (Lunaris was just trying to free Duckburg and the rest of the world from Scrooge's evil-ness). Something about what happened to them acted as a wake-up call, they were able to see how terrible Scrooge (and therefore everyone else who worked with/for him) really was from the outside. When they found out that the rest of the clones had been killed for being excess weight, that finally drove them to do something about all of this. But because the clones were killed, they're terrified of being discovered as one so they do whatever they can not to meet face-to-face with pretty much anyone in their universe. They're afraid of confrontation anyway too, so they do most of their opposing as just quietly sneaking around. They're terrified of Fenton, and he gets a special kind of delight out of messing with them. They've never actually fainted around him (yet), but it isn't for a lack of him trying. They can't stand how fake Gyro comes off most of the time, but they know firsthand how ruthless he can be so they stay well away from him whenever possible. And tbh it's really fun to think about my stories switched over to the Negaverse, because like any wholesome moment or happy ending is the opposite. Mads and Fenton bleeding out in the snow and having a nice heart-to-heart before being saved? Could that be changed to Fenton trying to kill Blue before they managed to get back at him in self-defense, and when Gyro went to get Fenton he left Blue there to die? Gyro being kidnapped by F.O.W.L. and Mads and Fenton going to rescue him? Or Fenton forcing Blue to tell him where Gyro is and making them be his hostage?? And angst would be the opposite here too- switching Here's My Day so Far so it's Blue staying with F.O.W.L. for a few months before Fenton comes and kidnaps them and holds them hostage at his house, before making them come along to rescue Gyro from F.O.W.L. (and possibly hurt their F.O.W.L. agent friends- wait maybe in this universe Bradford's death was on accident??? 👀) too. Anyway. It's fun.

Story starts when Scrooge tells Gyro and Fenton to go ask the Negaverse people (who they know about somehow... haven't worked that out yet) for help defeating F.O.W.L.. NScrooge says he'll help, but only if they pick someone for a fight against his champion. His only condition is that whoever they pick, their weapons have to be homemade. Because the armor was largely made by Gyro, they go ask Mads, who made the weapons in his hand himself. When they head back to the Negaverse with him they discover that NScrooge's champion is NGizmoduck, and the two have a very intense and also very sexually charged fight, where Mads wins (but it's implied that NFenton let him win 'cause someonessssssss catching feelings already ;)). And I was originally thinking from there that they just kind of immediately fall for each other, but lately I’ve been thinking it would be really fun if they had some sort of enemies-to-lovers things going on where they take turns kidnapping each other, and it's left unspoken but they both know that for the most part this is just a game. Eventually they do confess and after that their relationship is mostly just little dates in each of their universes, telling each other how different things went down and how their respective universe even works (never resolved the 'negaverse people are now fighting F.O.W.L. too' thing here because LISTEN this was just an elaborate scheme to get these two together slsdjflsdjflsj). I haven't worked out how Mads met Blue yet, don't know if he went looking for them on purpose or somehow they just ran into each other. Blue is scared of Mads and his universe at first- because everyone there knows that Mads (and therefore Blue) is a clone of Gyro, and they're afraid that someone is going to tell someone in their universe about that too. Blue does eventually warm up to Mads (and Mads really tries to be their friend), though they are very distrusting of Gyro and Fenton because no matter how nice they are to them they'll always have that first impression of NGyro and NFenton.

I’m thinking that the relationship between NFenton and Blue does get better while Mads is there, he’s close with both of them and isn’t gonna tolerate NFenton harassing them at all. That being said!!! (This is where it gets tricky because I don’t know all about how it worked in dwd but this is how I’ve chosen to interpret the basic stuff ik sldlflfm) Their universes do run parallel to each other so if something happens in one, then some kind of version of that happens in another. Now if Mads and Fenton do ever have a major interaction in their universe then some kind of likely negative version happens between NFenton and Blue (and that was actually something really fun I messed around with in one of my stories, someone dies in the Negaverse and now they’ve got to figure out if they can prevent their death in the normal universe, if that’s even possible).

So yeah I think that’s most of what I’ve figured out so far lmk if there’s more you wanna know about 👀

[ggukkiereads]

Fic Recs | Fake Dating AUs

This is based on asks for fake dating fics. Most of these favorites are reblogged with reviews. Others are still ongoing series I am reading whenever there is an update.

Members are organized per number of fake dating participation 😂

Jungkook

Mutual Help @personasintro​ - [39/?] | literally the only reason I visit Wattpad. | semi fake dating AU, Bestfriend AU, FWB AU, Slow Burn | F, S, A  

Aphrodite in War @jungblue​ - [2/?] | Exes AU, Fake Dating, Fratboy/Greek Life, Roommate AU, Enemies to Lovers  | F, S, A    (one of my favorite authors too! Like read all her fics)

Bitchin @kinktae​ - series [10/10 + 10 Years After] | fake dating, college au, jock!jk, smart!reader, E2L #holygrailfic (⭐)  

Blush @jhsbrat​ - JJK | one shot | friends to lovers, feat Jin (I remember looking everywhere for this because I thought the author deactivated 😭 so I was glad it got reposted)

The Proposal @hansolmates​ - JJK one shot | editor!jungkook x assistant, like the movie The Proposal

My Euphoria @moyochu​ - JJK | one shot | CEO!JK, Florist!OC, bought chocolate cosmos from her shop for his Mom and a plan ensues when OC needed a fake boyfriend (I reco’d this during one network’s JK’s week last year because I just adore how fluffy this fic is I binged on their fluffy catalog one time and I recommend their other works!)  

Proposals @pjxmin - JJK | one shot | pretend proposals to get free food from restaurants 🤭

Dating Plan @/jjkthclub - JJK | one shot | enemies to lovers, childhood friends, actually it’s more of a “Dating Trial” just so the moms will leave them alone (🥰)  

Piss Off Your Parents @littlemisskookie​ - JJK | one shot | Rich Kids who hate the pressure from their parents but JK is a rebel and OC roomed with him (and fake dated him) to piss off the parents (⭐)  

Love to Hate You @latetaektalk​ - JJK | series [4/?]  | fratboy! AU, fake dating! AU, college! AU, enemies to lovers! AU, rich kid! AU, angst, fluff 

Anpanman @honeymoonjin​ - JJK | one shot | fake date to get therapy (this is also hilarious?!?! like ridiculous premise but the author made it work. Anyway the link leads to my reblog and you can read my comments if you need convincing 🤭)  

Moonlight Melody + Part 2 @/gukyi  - JJK | two shot | 50k |  fake dating, orchestra AU (part of this fic rec list)

Coffee Shop Contract @/gukyi - JJK | one shot | 18k |  fake dating, college AU  

Better Late Than Never @rosaetae​ - JJK drabble, exes AU, fake dating (I love this scenario, there’s one funny moment here with Jungkook saying his feelings through a door) 

End Game @minyoongijjangjjangmanboongboong - JJK | one shot | 12.1k | soccer player x cheerleader, fake dating AU, ex-Namjoon  

One Thing Right by hobios (now on AO3) - JJK | series [8/8] | more on fake marriage than fake dating but I’m throwing this in because this is my #holygrailfic  

Play Pretend @seokoloqy - JJK | one shot | 8.6k |  Athlete AU, Jock AU, Soccer Player!JK, Fake Dating AU, Friends to Lovers AU | S, A

The B.S.T. Mission @singguks - JJK | 11.2k | Secret Agents AU, Fake Dating AU | A, F, S ~ ongoing [3/?]

ILYSB @rkiverse - JJK | one shot | 11.1k | idol au, broken-hearted jungkook, love clinic staff reader, fake dating but not really (more of part of therapy) | F, A

It’s All Fun and Games @/cupofteaguk - JJK | one shot | slow burn, set up on blind date so they pretended to be dating to shut others up 🥰  

Collar Full @minloop​ - JJK | fluff, smut, friends to lovers, college au, ‘fake dating’ au for Jungkook's love project  

True Care @joonsgalaxy​ - JJK | series [7.5/?] | bodyguard!jungkook fake dating   

Baby I’m a Fool @suhdays​ - JJK | one shot | enemies to lovers, coworker  

Blank Check @pantaemonium​ and @sugaxjpg​ - JJK |  series [5/?] | fake dating AU, college AU, fratboy AU, fuckboy AU, jock!jk (been following this fic for years 🥰)

Beautiful Confession @btsracket​ - JJK | one shot | Friends to Lovers, OC just lost her job + boyfriend and only childhood friend to turn to

It Takes Two @junghelioseok​ - JJK | one shot | Christmas AU, fake dating, roommate au

From Home @gyukult​ - JJK | series [12/12] | rich kid!jk (but he was cut off and has to learn how to earn on his own), baker!reader, enemies to lovers, fake dating   

I Wished I missed My Ex @angelguk​ - JJK | one shot | College AU, Fake Dating

The Wedding Date @jjungkookislife​ - JJK | one shot | fake date for wedding  

💜 Jungkook is Over Party (#JungkookisOverParty) @extravaguk​ - series [4/?] | 11k+ | Fake Dating, College AU, Himbo!JK, Smart!Reader | F (so far)

→ Fics with parts/chapters of fake dating:

Cream and Sugar @gukslut -  series [6/6] | Smut, Humor, Escort AU, Barista AU, Enemies to Lovers, Asshole!Jungkook (this is also a gem! must read)  🥕

Midas @/gukyi - one shot | enemies to lovers, magical realism, CEO AU, OC has invisibility and JK turns stuff into gold . (okay just a segment where they pretended in front of the parents  

Fuckboy Jungkook Who Quotes Gatsby Part 5  Part 6   @btsinspirationtakesme - drabble series [6/6] | Fuckboy AU, Nerd!Reader, Enemies to Lovers, using literary quotes to win OC (Shakespeare, FS Fitzgerald, Neruda, etc) (so this is actually surprisingly cute?!?! I don’t even remember how I discovered this fic. Anyway there is one chapter where they fake date) 

Taehyung

Kismesis @jjkthclub​ - KTH | it’s pretend to be a couple during a wedding expo (for free food! like I would do the same lol)

The Holi-date @kpopfanfictrash​ - KTH | This neighbor!Taehyung is just...memorable you know? It’s a great romcom piece 🥰 

Love at First Oink @glodenclosetau - KTH | the only SMAU I’m putting here because this is a MUST READ. It has written parts and this is just the fluffiest cutest SMAU (also the first I’ve read in full because I have the tendency to read and miss on smau episodes before)  

Can’t Fake a Feeling @bubmyg​ - KTH, F2L, Fake Dating, College AU, Fuckboy  

Schemes and Tricks to Win Her Heart @crystaljins​ - KTH feat KSJ | series [5/5] | Fake Dating Chaebol/Rich Seokjin, Taehyung is Jin’s Little Brother, and OC is Tae’s bestfriend  (⭐) 

X and O @army-author​ KTH | fake dating, single parent, teacher AU 

False Pretense @v-hope​ - KTH | one shot | Fake Dating AU | F, slight A

La La Land by hoseokiehope (used to be on tumblr) - KTH | one shot | throwing this in because this is also a classic  

Crush Culture @chaangbin - KTH | fluff, angst, fake dating au, childhood friends to lovers, idiots to lovers, smut  

The Platinum Rule @taecalicook - KTH | two shot | you can read the JJK since this is a spin-off (but nor required), fuckboy!taehyung, fratboy  

Yoongi

Playing with Fire @houseofdemi-blog - MYG | series [8/8] |  Fake Dating AU, Rich Girl AU, Producer Yoongi, Bad Boy AU (this is a classic. a really great fic)  

First and Last Love @floralseokjin​ - MYG | Christmas AU, Exes who needed to pretend they’re still together because they haven’t told the family yet about the break up (this is 👌)  

When The Stars Align @itskimtaehyung​ - MYG | one shot | College AU, Roommates, cuffing season

The Heart Holiday @vanaera - MYG | series [3/5] | 92.3k | Office AU, Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating AU  

Switching My Positions @cupofteaguk - MYG | solo artist!yoongi, manager!y/n, fake dating au, friends to lovers au 

Maybe So @joonary​ - MYG | two shot? [1/?] | fake date someone you already have feelings for (you have to read this - just so fluffy) 

Everglow @dreamyjoons - MYG | series [4/4] vague fake dating au, friends to lovers

Veil feat PJM @ddaenghoney​  - series [20/20] | slow burn, unrequited love, love triangle, fwb (pjm), producer!yoongi

Ink Nemesis @scriptaed​ - series [7/7] | fake dating, paparazzi!oc, idol

Seokjin

Better With You @ve1vetyoongi​​ - KSH | series [2/3] | help him inherit his trust-fund-baby-fortune  

Courtship Chronicles @/gukyi  - KSJ | one shot | friends to lovers, fake dating to show how fun dating could be  

Raspberry Truffles @gukyi​ - KSJ | one shot | F2L, fake dating

The Money Project @namjoonchronicles​ - KSJ | series [2/?] | fake marriage actually, they don’t like each other but Seokjin’s parents like her and he needs her to get on parents’ good graces  

Too Good To Be True @hueseok​ - KSJ | series [7/?] | college au, idiots to lovers, 10 things I Hate About You  

Taming of Bridezilla @cinnaminsvga​ - KSJ | one shot | fake date to least favorite cousin’s wedding

Jimin

Fake It Till It Works @glassbangtan​ - PJM | one shot | panicked and told Hoseok he has a GF and he’s looking for one who could pretend, Best Friend AU

Remedy for Mondays @dovechim​ - PJM | series [4/4] | Co-worker AU, Fake Pregnancy AU (lol), Fake Dating AU, fake baby daddy 😅 🥕

Happily Glazed @/bubmyg​ - PJM | one shot | fake date to cousin’s wedding, slice of life  

Call Me Baby @hueseok​ - PJM | one shot | friends to lovers, roommate au, college au

Namjoon

My Blood, Your Tears @nottojay​ - KNJ | series [5/?] | fake dated Namjoon who is the rival of her brother’s gang, Mafia AU (it’s incomplete though but good for bookmarking)

Until You Make It @versigny​ - KNJ | one shot | Christmas setting, co-workers   

My Only Wish @ppersonna - KNJ | one shot | Christmas AU, E2L, idiots to lovers  

Hoseok

Fakeation @theunknowncryptid​ - JHS | SMAU |  Inspired by the movie Just Go With It

Fake Love @aquaminwrites​ - JHS | Fake dating AU, enemies to lovers, fluff, smut, minor angst (you have to read all of the writer’s fics. her fics are just amazing. promoting her Taehyung fic Paper Cranes which is a favorite of mine too)  

*there is one Hoseok fic I really like but it was last updated in 2019 😥 so I didn’t include anymore but that’s such a great fic

There are new fake dating fics I’ve seen recently but I haven’t read them yet. Once I get to read them, I’ll update this with ones I’d like to recommend

🌷 posted: 2021 May 07 | updated: 2021 June 12 (indicated with a 💜)

🌷 other lists

🌷 I love to read so feel free to recommend a fic =)

[theupstairskid]

Porsche: Reluctant not Incompetent

Disclaimer: I've totally prepared my clown suit if I'm wrong but I truly don't think Porsche is incompent nor do I think the writers have made him that way

I've seen some posts on here saying that Porsche has been woobiefied or that the writers have made him incompetent, a damsel in distress, etc. especially in these past 2 episodes. Not being able to get out of the ropes in episode 10 after we've seen him get out them underwater during the training sessions in episode 4 for example. And in this recent episode, picking absolutely terrible candidates for his replacement.

But I think these moments of "incompetence" are just Porsche making reluctant choices.

Porsche could have absolutely gotten out of those ropes and beaten Tawan into soup. We know this, we've seen him fight. But Tawan was unhinged, a wildcard, and Porsche wasn't sure how far Tawan would be willing to go. Porsche was reluctant to get out of those ropes because Porchay was there. Getting out and starting a fight could have put Porchay, unconscious and vulnerable, in more danger. It made more sense to keep Tawan talking until his backup arrived. And even after Vegas revealed his true intentions, I feel Porsche was probably trying to figure out what options he had and what moves he could make. One wrong move and things go from bad to worse. So he stayed tied up and tried looking for an opening or hoped they'd talk long enough for him to get information about their plan.

With episode 11, it seems like Porsche's top 5 "candidates" for his replacement are intentionally bad. Porsche wants to look like a screw up here because he knows it buys him more time. The agreement is that Porsche hand picks his replacement, but Porsche doesn't think that anyone can protect Kinn as well as he can, doesn't want anyone protecting Kinn other than him, and so he's doing this reluctantly and making questionable choices in the hopes he can spend just a little longer as Kinn's bodyguard (or maybe have the choice taken away altogether). Porsche fiercely protects those he loves and I don't think he trusts anyone else to care enough about or be loyal enough to Kinn to protect him. The only other person Porsche may have trusted with this died protecting Kinn's heart. The only person Porsche would have potentially chosen already sacrificed himself.

Porsche looks intentionally incompetent as a stalling tactic. It throws people off-guard and makes them underestimate him. It's a useful strategy but it's also something that he does when he's reluctant to make a choice that has the possibility of putting his loved ones in danger. Porsche has no issues being competent or showing off when he knows he only has to worry about himself.

[only-johnny-deppp]

“THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY EMPLOYERS” ~ Johnny Depp’s ultimate respect for his fans.  💖

Whenever Johnny gives an interview he always thanks for the support given. And sometimes he addresses his love and appreciation straight to us. Some examples:

> During his latest interview, for the The Times UK, on August 14, 2021, Johnny said:

“They are all our employers. They buy tickets, merchandise. They made all of those studios rich, but they forgot that a long time ago. I certainly haven’t. I’m proud of these people, because of what they are trying to say, which is the truth. The truth they’re trying to get out since it doesn’t in more mainstream publications. It’s a long road that sometimes gets clunky. Sometimes just plain stupid. But they stayed on the ride with me and it’s for them I will fight. Always, to the end. Whatever it may be.”

> 6 years ago, during the 2015 Disney’s D23 Expo, on August 15, Johnny gave a speech especially to thank his “employes”, as he said the word “fan” was never a thing he really liked:

 it implies that someone is above and someone is beneath in a weird way”

>  2 years ago, on September 6, 2019 during the Venice Film Festival, while hundreds of fans attended festival even under the rain, Johnny stopped for a minute and said:

“All of these people have kept me alive for a long, long, time. They’ve been my soldiers and I adore them.”

One day earlier, On September 5, 2019, while recording the first episode of the 23rd Season of the Italian TV show “C'è Posta Per Te” (which was aired 4 months ago, on January 10, 2020), Johnny had first said that he was very lucky for having people who was in his life supporting him and that when he feels weak or down he also knew that there’s an army behind him.

> Last year, during the Berlin International Film Festival, on February 21, 2020, Johnny thanked the power of his fans and those who are supporting him.

“You know when you’re as long in the tooth as I am and you’ve been around this sort of thing as I have for a number of years, you don’t get used to it. And I think if you do I think you should worry.  You know, I’ve never been a great attention hog but the fact that these people come here re-insures the fact that I’ve always believed which is that it’s not the billionaires involved, it ain’t the studios involved, it ain’t all that. The power, the real power is with these people. They’re the ones that keep you afloat. And they have kept me afloat for a long, long time. I’m just hoping I’m going to have enough time to ask them all why?"

> And later, on September 10, 2020 Johnny wrote by hand a special message and shared on a video, on his Instagram on the next day:

“Hello all! I just wanted to thank you all once again for your constant and loyal support throughout many long and interesting episodes of my life…I am only here because of you — and I’m only here for you!!! All thanks and love to you for all,— JD” 

And that’s why we f*cking love this man.

He IS NOT in this business to be the most recognizable, or the one with a huge fan base and millions of followers on his social media, or for the money, fame and indications for an award. He IS NOT that type of actor who goes for a premiere thinking in how the tabloids will talk about him or how much the fans will scream his name, buy his products or raise his fame to be called for the next blockbuster movie. He IS NOT there for his own image, he is there for the human touch, to spread happiness, to make somebody’s life a little better just by a handshake or an eye contact, NO MATTER who you are, your sexuality, your gender, your old, if you’re a hater or not.

We all know how he still feels a little awkward with all this attention over him. Even with more than 30 years of career he still not used to it, but he does his best for his fans. And we can see by his behavior; his shyness, the way he touch his lips with his fingers as he tries to hide a shy smile, and the way he nods to his fans with his head followed by placing his hand on his heart…

The respect he has to give attention to EACH ONE who were there for hours, just to take a second taking photos, selfies, signing, until attend the last fan who wants a simple touch, even while he’s being pushed by his bodyguards to prevent him to be late (Our beloved Jerry Judge knows about it)... It’s something amazing, and something REALLY hard to see with the current actors.

THIS is why I,and ALL of his fans, are we him for all these years.

That’s why we are, who KNOWS THE TRUTH, always will be, with you Johnny Depp.

ALL MY RESPECT FOR THIS AMAZING HUMAN BEING!

#JUSTICEFORJOHNNYDEPP #IBELIEVEHIM #JOHNNYDEPPISINNOCENT

[rens-room]

kuroko no basket thoughts: 

season 1 (2 and 3 under the cut) 

pick one name for this show please. and no it can’t be “the basketball which kuroko plays” bc that’s way too long. 

it’s comfort show time! (I’m gonna get hate but I enjoy knb more than haikyuu-I’m only explaining that if asked). 

these kids are so extra lol. 

“ball is life”

I did learn almost everything I know about sports from sports anime and thats kinda helpful. 

do you ever go up to someone you just met and make them outrageous promises and also declare yourself their partner? no? just kuroko things. 

poor kise gets treated like an attack dog bc he can mimic attacks and he really doesn’t deserve that. 

it’s funny bc the whole show is about middle school trauma (and drama) which is...pretty accurate. 

also underneath all the absurd powers/abilities the narrative is really sweet and the story itself is about friendship. the super extra abilities and visuals are just to draw you in and add another layer because anime/manga is a visual storytelling medium. 

gotta love how kuroko just does risky things and then his tall friends come to back him up. 

he promised kagami a partnership for basketball but kagami is really acting as his bodyguard to keep kuroko safe so they can actually play basketball. 

does mitobe ever...speak? 

midorima and midoriya are green and lucky. (no really, I refer to midoriya as deku to avoid mental confusion between the characters). 

is midorima’s way of shooting threes even...possible/practical? (I’m sure this has been answered before but please send me links if it has). 

it’s the color coordinated flip phones for me.

you know it’s 2000s- 2010s anime when they start bringing out the colored flip phones. 

midorima is that bitch with everyones star chart memorized and you best believe he knows everyones lucky items too. 

despite being some of the more basic character designs, I really like takao, izuki, and imayoshi. 

hyuga is great. of course his personality is a little warped after having to destroy his figurines. 

on that note aida is a sadist which is also great. 

tbh all of the miracles are treated like tools by their highschool teams and thats 1 rude, 2 kinda fucked up, and 3 the reason they’re all stuck up assholes with god complexes. 

the FUCKING TENSION at the tables when kise, midorima, kagami, and kuroko are at the restaurant together. (also takao leaving midorima there like the chaos agent he is, *chefs kiss*).

the flying food that just so happens to land on midorima’s head for me. (good job takao!)

SAKURAIIIIIIIII my favorite apologetic mushroom!! I love him.

they really called him “mushroom #9” ahhhhh. 

honey lemons...no not like that. 

so theres the “defeat my evil ex teammates” angle or the “defeat my evil exes” angle and both are correct. 

its the ken burns-esque montages for me. 

ah I forgot about kaijo’s rebound bitch. he’s loud. 

imayoshi is such a snake. I love him.

kaijo got the best deal on a miracle. aomine is Difficult to work with, midorima is crazy, murasakibara doesn’t even like the sport, and akashi is Crazy™. kise is objectively the most normal and easiest to have on a team. plus he (debatably) has the best ability: perfect copy.

season 2

ah yes get ready for himura tatsuya and Cringe english.

also tepei you literally broke the “first years only” rule you helped create.

when murasakibara is on screen: attack on titan theme intensifies.

I think I like the visuals for the first op of season 2 (3rd overall op) the most. (it may be my overall favorite op). 

murasakibara YOU CANT JUST RIP OFF SOMEONES EYEBROW!

vanishing drive here we come!

the real question is how himuro played street ball in jeans.

for midorima size does matter lol. 

blond hyuga is always funny.  

izuki being called cutie by the coaches dad lol. 

ah the required hot springs fanservice episode.  

being out of highschool now (I’m rewatching knb) the Kirisaki Daiichi High match is more painful. hanamiya is too cruel to ruin people’s lives like that. 

the best scene is in episode 38. it involves scissors. 

akashi literally owns all of them. he’s not your “former” captian if you still come when called. 

akashi you can’t just stab people. 

also your bangs look terrible akashi. 

forget midorima’s shots, how TF does aomine do this!! are they possible? or would making them irl be more luck than skill? 

midorima looks like a carrot in his uniform with the orange and green. 

the best part of this is the matches are pretty short all things considered like theres two 6 episode matches and the final is like 9 but most are resolved kn less than five.

as a short person™, murasakibara personally offends me.  

phantom shot is so hype. 

I love how they name attacks like in shonen. it’s really cute. 

why’s my favorite character type either pretty boy: himuro and takao or psychopath: akashi??

it should be illegal to not only break the basket but also single handedly lift up another human. 

is kise allowed to talk to kagami and murasakibara during the yosen match? what was he doing so close to the court?

I’ve always thought hyuga, riko, and teppei gave off poly relationship vibes. they all look at each other/interact in the same way.

kagami as a point guard actually made me laugh out loud. it’s so out of character for him and it surprised yosen.

I love the end cards with the characters at the end of every episode.

crunchyroll has given me so many quest protein bar ads. is it because I’m watching sports anime?

himuro’s fakeouts give me death note “I know that you know that I know” vibes.

is the montage music the same as an op? if so which one?

season 3

I SHARE A BIRTHDAY WITH A KNB CHARACTER! 

it’s fun that seirin comes full circle and plays kaijo basically last in the winter cup as they were the first team they scrimmaged in the series.  

the pacing and balance of the show is one of the best parts. its complete and flows well . 

the black wristband is so subtle, yet it’s been there since the beginning, such good foreshadowing. I honestly only noticed because I’m rewatching. 

the nostalgia of the opening narration about the generation of miracles. yes it will get tiring like the first one, but I enjoy the throwback/reference. 

one of the show’s strong points is the ability to circle back to things. combined with the steady pacing and overall balance between matches, training arcs, and fun excursions, knb is one of the most well rounded and complete feeling anime I have seen. 

1 I forgot about haizaki, 2 he looked better with his middle school hairstyle, 3 he and hanamiya would get along like a house on fire. 

the transition in the opening narration of the miracles from teiko to their current team’s uniform is so smooth and visually pleasing. especially akashi’s because you can see his eye change color. 

the fireworks in the opening are kinda random but they are fun. 

so I really loved bungou stray dogs op trash candy and it got me into granrodeo. I also remember liking (and still like) the music in knb. imagine my surprise when I found out granrodeo is responsible for like half the music in knb. 

there’s so many grudge matches lol. 

season three, the season of backstory and flashbacks. 

aomine to haizaki: the only one who can mess with my friends is me.

ah the not so subtle introduction of rakuzan. 

akashi has cat eyes. he literally is a cat. 

ok but during the shutoku match when akashi ankle breaks two guys at once and then literally dribbles the ball over one of their heads. power move. 

takao and midorima’s threes in the rakuzan match remind me of hinata and kageyama’s Freak-Quick attack. 

I love mibuchi. so much. and hayama. so rakuzan might be my favorite team after seirin...

akashi is short. and a bit of a psychopath, but mostly short. 

the bokushi/oreshi thing is a lot more obvious to see (hear) in a rewatch of the show. 

SHAKE MIDORIMA’s FUCKING HAND AKASHI! 

midorima doesn’t bow low, kinda like another tall, (standoffish) glasses-wearing character- tsukishima. 

“declaration of war” “return the favor” kise is such a dynamic character and I like him for that. 

isn’t kise a little too op? 

awww I forgot furihata plays in the kaijo game. 

kasamatsu is actually really cool. 

it’s a shame that every new technique kuroko comes up with is defeated so quickly.  

the TEIKO DAYS OP OMG I’M GONNA CRY!! THEY’RE SO SMALL AND CUTE AND INNOCENT AHHHHHHH! (episode 63) 

knb is about fixing friendships/repairing relationships and I think that’s really sweet. 

the similarities between aomine and kagami meeting kuroko are so good (and painful). 

kuroko just really loves and cares about his friends. which is really nice to see. 

the height difference between nijimura and akashi at teiko. 

kuroko really said: my life was kinda a disaster, and then akashi happened and I picked up a misdirection book, and then it really turned into a disaster. 

onigiri oops I mean Ogiwara-kun! 

the miracles are sooooooo cute in middle school! they’re tiny and look so young and not traumatized. 

underrated part of the teiko flashbacks is seeing whatever ridiculous item midorima is carrying around. 

true talent is throwing a box of snacks like a basket ball and successfully hitting a moving target in the face. 

me confusing personality types with Japanese blood type stereotypes: theres no way midorima is type B, he should be type A. me after reading what Japanese blood type stereotypes are: ah never mind midorima is selfish and uncooperative. 

knb is also about unlearning behaviors/thought patterns to be a better person. and making fucking friends. 

watching the miracles fall apart is not easier the second time, if anything it hurts more because you know it’s coming and there’s nothing you can do.  

teiko was so toxic! like on every level the ideology of the school caused harm to literal children. 

akashi does have a wholeass suit of armor in the dining room wtf. 

there’s also of course the competing victory philosophies explored in the show not to mention the sport elements that are outside my immediate range of knowledge. 

look at what you did, teiko: you fucked up a perfectly good group of kids, now they have god complexes. 

so not only is Tsuchida’s girlfriend really pretty, but she’s also smooth af! way to make your s/o feel good about not being a starter! 

the love I feel for mitobe, he’s honestly so great. he’s tall, quiet, and can cook. 

of course rakuzan get’s their own op, they’re the final battle. 

HAHAHAHA HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GET REPLACED?! (jk I love mayuzumi) but really making a kuroko 2.0 and debuting him during finals is cruel. 

is mibuchi’s earth shot like allowed? is it ok to intentionally foul the opponent to get a free throw? or am I just overthinking this?

nebuya you don’t have to add “muscles” to all your move names. in fact please don’t. 

YOU CAN’T DUNK YOU’RE ONLY 5′8″!! (not fair!) 

hyuga gets stuck in his own head a lot. 

only akashi would know how to manipulate the human body into kneeling. 

rip mayuzumi. he gets used by everyone. his team, akashi, and kuroko. I would not be able to go back on the court knowing that I’m just a tool. 

I honestly forget about the zone every time I watch knb. I could probably live without it. the flashy moves on the court were enough for me. 

he’s baaaaacckkkk!!!

I like that while a winner was established, all the teams were still motivated for the future. 

was anyone going to tell me nijimura and akashi switched jersey numbers at teiko when akashi took over as captain?? or was I just supposed to piece that together myself?

the extra episode for kuroko’s birthday is so cute! 

midorima calling takao because his luck is bad and he saw a black cat is too funny. 

it’s ok kuroko! for one day out of the year people remember you!

takao the delivery man: he specializes in special items for cancers and the occasional human named midorima shintaro (or himuro tatsuya lol). 

furihata really has the worst luck lol. he opens the door and it’s akashi. 

(last game is dead to me)

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL

April 2021 Part 4 

it’s my birthday week! *raises a glass of pink milk* 

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

Ongoing Series - Thai

Second Chance Ep 4 - oh noes my babies are all so sad! Teen angst for the win. Tropes included: crying in shower, a very significant hand hold, & striped shirts. (At this point over half the cast has been in stripes.) 

Love Machine Ep 1 - not gonna lie, I barely made it through the first half, this is a short run LOW budget experimental web series and it’s not good. Dropped.  

Lovely Writer Ep 9 - I like it when LW gets serious because there are fewer dumb sound effects, but oof Aey, poor baby. How many Aeys have I known over the years? Rejected, broken, angry, lonely, and lashing out. On a different note, I haven’t see the “sex drug made us do it” plot device since 1980s Johanna Lindsey. Props to that cocktail rearing its ugly head. (yeh yeh) ZOMBIE TROPE ALERT. (Is this the point where I remind the world at a-play doesn’t have to hurt? Well, it doesn’t! Toys, prep, and lube people. Sheesh.) Anygay, zombie trope is put safely back underground. Please don’t let it rise again? (I KNOW, I’ll stop now.) So this was a rough episode, especially the back end. (Okay now I’ll REALLY stop.)  Seriously tho, BL doesn’t do a massive coming out family drama scene often. I liked LW’s handling of this one. Hard to watch but compelling. 

Close Friend Ep 1 (OhmFluke) - very cute snapshot into a LTR featuring an overworked music producer and his student BF. That’s the chassis for this whole series, each one has to do with the song & is a portrayal of that song’s message. Essentially, the theme of this one was remembering to make time for your partner. I enjoyed that. OhmFluke gave us easy casual familiar affection and a kiss, but no BL tropes, just romance. 

Fish Upon The Sky Ep 3 - Pi is a total spazz & the ghost story bit was... well, it was something wasn’t it? Lots of tropes: fixing his clothes, wound tending, drag baby around, piggyback, head in lap, hand hold, and ending on a drunk kiss. I just noticed Pi uses guu/mueng with Mork, but Mork’s a year older. (So I have a new entry onto the linguistic brats list.)  So rude and presumptuous. Also I gotta say this, don’t wear watches when you’re working on a cadaver, mmky boys? 

Y-Destiny Ep 4 - look MaxNat have great chemistry, this ep had loads of great tropes (e.g. cheek kiss, rooftop, public claiming via phone), it’s not their fault I’m just not wild about these characters. I do like Nuea’s wanna-be idol wardrobe though. And Sun is sporting the red bag version of Tharn’s black bag that I wanted so bad in TT2. (I wonder if I can score a knock off when I’m over there?) Regardless, I basically grinned all the way through this installment, so that’s another thumbs up from me for Y-Destiny. Who knew I’d come around? Man would I love to see these two get their own series. 

Brothers Ep 12 - teacher/student exposed! But the power of boys on phones will overcome all. No KhunKaow for me, so of course I found this ep tragically disappointing. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

HIStory 4: Close To You (Taiwan) Ep 6 - MuRen is officially a yaoi manga character in the flesh. H4′s outright mockery/subversion of tropes “don’t touch him he’s mine,” + “touch my lip & think of kissing” makes the fact that other (way more damaging) tropes are being blithely utilized without critique almost - dare i say it? - insulting. YongJie is trash but I’m the one who feels like trash because I want to forgive him. How aptly abusive & dysfunctional we all are. I don’t know whether to applaud H4 or start drinking. (Maybe this is the show I should invent a cocktail for? Who am I kidding? This is totally a jello shots show.) 

Friend or Lover (Taiwan) Ep 2 - I thought this was only a microfilm but turns out it’s a web series. It’s cute. I’m enjoying it. 

My Lascivious Boss (Vietnam) Ep 3 - subs take a while to drop but it’s still better than average. I like a secret identity trope, I love a grumpy/sunshine pairing, and the side couple is great but this ep was slow. With only 6 total (I assume) they better get the main couple together next ep or the improved quality of this series will be sacrificed on the alter of pacing issues. 

Word of Honor (China) Ep 28-30 - slowed down to focus on bad guys (yawn...ooo Scorpion...yawn again). Then baby gets kidnapped, other baby goes crazy, and old friends turn up. We end on DOOM because mathematically this was an episode 11. All boxes checked.

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea) Ep 3-4 - how is this show SO DAMN CUTE & weirdly wholesome at the same time? Another one of those: Will Korea resolve this satisfactorily in 4 short eps? But I seem to say that half way through every Korean BL. These days, I have complete faith. Warm fuzzies for everyone. 

Stand Alones

Color Rush movie is the same as the series. There is a stinger at the VERY end (untranslated) but which I’m assuming has something to do with the missing mother. Is this a possible indication of a 2nd season? Hopefully someone will eng sub the stinger and post it out into the universe. So yeah, Color Rush movie = To My Star style, sadly, not Wish You. That said, I did enjoy watching with different subs. The first version I watched was fan subbed, and they were better on English colloquialisms. Viki’s subs are better on Korean colloquialisms. 

Breaking News 

Bunch of new press on Thailand’s I Told the Sunset About You 2 AKA I Promised You the Moon. Here’s a master post on the subject with all the links you could ever want. It will start airing May 27th 8 pm (Thai time) on LINETV.

New Thai Bl Golden Blood got a teaser trailer. Stars familiar side dish Gun Napat (Techno from LBC) as a rich kid who needs a bodyguard. Yeah, it looks to be the Thai version of Where Your Eyes Linger which is FINE. I love me a bodyguard romance. DO EETTT Thailand. Trailer contains ALL the tropes: dry his hair, piggyback, cooking together, and more, plus good smooches. It looks GREAT. Also cheeper to make then KinPorsche and it might get funded due to of residual enthusiasm. Also GOOD TITLE. 

Close Friend got another teaser trailer this one for Talay & Yoon (no subs). 

Taiwan has a new BL coming out... eventually. Looks to be a new franchise like the HIStory series with different couple(s) each season. It’s the first Taiwanese BL from a major in-country network. The first installment is titled Be Loved in House: I Do (seriously Taiwan, could we talk about your titles?). It stars a familiar face, Aaron Lai from HIStory: My Hero. It’s a grumpy/tsundere boss/employee office-set BL with some forced proximity to push them together. (Nods to Japan.) No release date, but (unlike Thailand) Taiwan usually doesn’t make announcements without content & serious intent. 

Gossip 

Taiwanese BL NOVEL Miracle dropped a trailer, no subs or translation. According to YouTube comments it was supposed to be part of HIStory3 but MODC took on its slot. Still it’s kinda fun to see what might have been.

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. 

[blrush]

Rec List Request

A personalised list for @jammy-boy 🥰 could be of interest to others, so enjoy!

Basic requirements: - just finished and loved SOTUS - is Arthur/Merlin trash - loves a twist or reversal of classic “power-dynamic” - loves angst with happy ending ______________________________

Theory of Love

Film student Third (Gun) has been secretly in love with his best friend Khai (Off) for three years, but Khai is straight, a massive player, and a total arsehole if we’re being honest. This starts painful, but then they start playing around with tropes and expectations and then it changes POV which just HITS so hard and completely changes your whole perception. You know the movie Flipped? It references that, and then does the flip - so good.

Knowing the level of pining, pain and angst that you love (plus your background in film studies) I feel like this is required viewing. Get out the tissues. But also, it’s still really funny and cute/dumb (cause gmmtv) and the production was excellent. Also, Off/Gun are PEAK natural chemistry and Gun is such an incredible actor that watching him cry or yell at someone is still preferable to other actors being happy.

Watch on YouTube HERE

He’s Coming To Me

Precious baby boi Singto plays Med, a ghost, who is is stuck in limbo for 20 years - until he meets a boy who can see him, Thun (my baby boi Ohm) who promises to help him figure out his unfinished business and cross over. And then they were roommates! And then they start falling in love and it’s ANGSTY because they know Med will have to leave one day. Ouch, my heart.

You will enjoy the mixture of domestic fluff and tragic angst in this. But don’t worry it has a happy ending (kind of, I think, from memory haha). Also, you will enjoy the fact that they can’t touch (cause, ghost) which is *chefs kiss* except for moments of heightened emotions when Thun’s powers become strong enough that he can touch Med (FUCK YES, THIS TROPE IS EVERYTHING)

After much whining from fans, they put it up on Youtube haha so watch HERE. 

Until We Meet Again

ANNGST. RE.IN.CAR.NA.TION. ANGST. What else do you need to know?!?! Reincarnated soulmates trope?!!? HELLO!?!?  It’s so beautiful. I’m still not over it. And yes it has a happy ending, it starts super sad, then ends up super fluffy and the romantic fluffy moments oh god it’s so romantic. I know you love like soft domestic food sharing etc - this show is ALL about the cooking.

The casting, the characterisation, the acting, the story, the music, even the friendship group and the side-couple, it’s perfection *chefs kiss* PERFECTION

Watch on youtube HERE

A Tale of A Thousand Stars

After the lovely volunteer teacher Torfun dies (RIP poor torfun) in a tragic accident, her heart is transplanted into selfish pretty rich boy Tian (played by the beautiful Mix). After learning of her selfless character, he feels guilt and shame for living (the angst is very real) and makes it his mission to complete her life’s wishes and follow in her footsteps. 

As the new village volunteer teacher, he then falls in love with the very handsome and very shirtless chief Phupha (Earth), who lives to protect the trees, we stan an environmental man. Angst, fluff, complications, and many miscommunications ensue. I was tearing my hair out by the end of this show. Yes, it has a happy ending (eventually). Earth x Mix was a pairing we did not know we even wanted or needed until this show happened and now I cry every time I see a picture of them together. Every single time Phupha looks at Tian in this show I literally tear up. HE LOVES HIM SO MUUUUUCHHH *crying again*

Watch on youtube HERE

I Told Sunset About You

Childhood best-friends, turned enemies (for stupid kid reasons), to lovers. This is ANGSTY but so fucking beautiful it’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t even class this as “BL” because it doesn’t have any of the standard tropes, and there’s no silly sound-effects or innuendo jokes. This is like genuine lgbt+ indie-film realness. You can honestly just watch it for the cinematography and the music. The AESTHETIC of this show is what truly makes it special. The symbolism, the colours, this show said CINEMA. And the sexual tension is absolutely WILD. You will live for the angst (with a happy ending). And no, do not bother watching season 2, it’s perfect as a stand-alone mini-series. (I’m still upset).

Watch HERE 

and now for some stand-out non-Thai series...

Where Your Eyes Linger

Korea has gotten on the BL train, and has now made a whole bunch of viki mini-series that are all cute but this one is right up your alley. This is VERY merthur. It’s literally servant/master, bodyguard/prince trope. But, I thought the characterisation was nicely thought out and wasn’t what I was expecting. The tension is palpable, the angst is juicy, and the soft kdrama vibes are cheesy and wonderful. Angst with a happy ending (of course).

Watch on VIKI

HIStory 3: Trapped

So the Taiwanese HIStory series has been around forever, and I love the whole series (History 2: Crossing The Line is my all time fav). But for youuuu, I think the most appropriate is Trapped. Police detective single-mindedly obsessed with a gang leader? Yes please. But whatever power-dynamic expectations you would have of a police/criminal couple are twisted and warped immediately! This series is so endearing, it’s mostly comedy/action, and whilst it has plenty of angst, mostly it’s just CUTE as fuck. Also the side couple are adorable too!

The whole History series is on Viki now yay!

The Untamed

Look, I KNOW 50 episodes of plot-heavy chinese historical fantasy is a lot. But there’s a reason this show was soooo popular. It only took me like 3 attempts and a whole ass “guide” pdf to figure out what the fuck was happening in the first ep cause its non-linear. But, if you are in the right mood (ie; sick, or in lockdown) and need something to get completely LOST in for like a week, then watch this haha. I know you couldn’t make it through Guardian, but maybe this one will hit the spot.

This has all the angsty character tropes you live for. And cause it’s censored, there’s no actual romance, so instead it’s just the best kind of UST, character driven, emotional soulmate angst. To summarise: Wei Wuxian is; adopted, a trouble-maker, impetuous, head-strong, fun-loving, has a martyr complex and wants to save everyone. Meanwhile, Lan Zhan is; lawful good to a fault, stoic, shy, and has a martyr complex about saving Wei Wuxian and Wei Wuxian ONLY. Now throw them into the middle of supernatural / political turmoil and see what happens. Well I’ll tell you what happens, Wei Wuxian becomes the “villain”, gets killed, and Lan Zhan spends 16 years looking for him. FUCKING KILL ME OKAY. (No, that’s not a spoiler it happens in the first episode haha)

Do NOT watch on Netflix the subs are trash. Watch on Youtube or Viki

 ~ ~ ~

This list may seem long but I was VERY reserved in my selection okay you have no idea how tiny this tip of the iceberg is 😂

Also, knowing your love of no-touching, tension, and angst. I would also briefly draw your attention so School 2013 in my bromance list which is the single most angsty show about friendship ever made.

Enjoy!

[azenkii]

 ATLA Fic Rec 

because I've been spending way too much time reading it. Btw, this is a rec for gen fics and zukka fics.

Note: an asterisk after the description means that the fic or series is incomplete. (Sadly, this is a lot of them, but I'm pretty sure most of these fics are still currently updating.)

GEN:

Anything by MuffinLance is a must-read. my personal favourites are Salvage (where Hakoda ends up with one (1) grumpy new prisoner/crewmate/adopted son) and Little Zuko v the World (where Zuko is 12, and it's adorable).

The Family You Choose by TunaFishChris is a god-tier platonic soulmate au about zuko and the gaang, so like...go read that right now

The kintsugi series by discordiansamba is an AU where Toph's parents hire Zuko-as-Lee to be a bodyguard for her, and I love it so much. It has some of the best Toph-and-Zuko sibling bonding I've ever seen. *

Dragon Moon by Satirrian is a Dragon! Zuko AU and it's incredible. It also features Bounty Hunter Zuko, so do with that what you will. *

The What We're Given series by Haicrescendo is *chef's kiss*. It's an AU where Zuko flipped his father off early on into his banishment and started living his best life with Iroh. Enter the Gaang. Shenanigans ensue. *

The Internment series by Hannahmayski is another Zuko breaks free from his dad early AU, and it's also really good. Basically, Zuko was never given the option to capture the Avatar, making his banishment indefinite. He sails around with his crew fighting the Fire Nation and it's great. *

The best way to solve your problems (is to help someone else) by hewwodarkness is an AU where kids start disappearing in Ba Sing Se during Book 2, and Zuko takes it upon himself to do a little vigilantism. It's fantastic. *

The Blue Spirit AU series by H_Faith_Marr is an AU starting from, surprise surprise, the Blue Spirit episode. The Gaang takes in Zuko without knowing who he is, and the Power of Friendship™ goes to work on Zuko. *

The the first rule of earth kingdom fight club... series by ohmygodwhy is an AU where Zuko, among other things, fights in underground cage matches, meets Toph early, and realises that his dad might be wrong. It’s pretty funny and really good. *

The The Non-Existent Twin series by FoiblePNoteworthy is hilarious. It's an AU where Zuko poses as his own twin, Li, and the Gaang buys it hook line and sinker. *

The Guilt (The Jet Adopts Zuko AU) series by FoiblePNoteworthy is also really good. Like the title says, it’s a Zuko joins the Freedom Fighters AU. *

The new ways series by blueseam is just a Zuko and the Gaang bonding fic, mostly set in the Western Air Temple, with a side of Zuko not taking care of himself and the Gaang stepping up to the job. If you’re like me and am an absolute sucker for Zuko and the Gaang, go read this.

The Family Matters series by WinterSky101 is a really good fic if you’re looking for Hakoda and Zuko. That’s all I have to say: Hakoda and Zuko.

a nation, held by snowdarkred is a GREAT Fire Nation & Zuko fic - set before and during canon, not after it. Go read it, right now.

Notable mentions: a lot of works by naggeluide are gen and pretty funny, though if you don't headcanon any of the characters as LGBT+ you might not like some of them.

ZUKKA:

anything by Haicrescendo and dickpuncher420. For Haicrescendo, my personal favourite is the Carry On For You series, and for dickpuncher420, it’s love language.

sirens & sleepless nights by Satirrian is a modern AU that just borders on dystopian. Ba Sing Se has been overtaken by the Fire Nation, Zuko is a soldier who broke away from the Fire Nation and got shot for it, and Sokka finds Zuko on the street and brings him inside. It’s amazing, go read it!

do you take this jerk to be (your one and only) by jatersade is a fic that I’m 90% sure is on every zukka fic rec list, and it deserves to be. It’s an arranged marriage AU where Zuko is engaged to Yue, and Sokka is his cultural guide. *

midnight runs and other things by isamagicdragon is a modern AU where Zuko keeps sleepwalking into Sokka’s apartment. Shenanigans ensue. Also, top-tier Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee interactions. *

Unchained Melody by avocadolove is another fic that I see a lot on rec lists, and it 100% deserves it. It’s a long fic (as of now, it’s at 63.8k) and is an AU where Sokka, after getting taken to the Spirit World by Heibai, ends up as a ghost that only Zuko can see. Ft. great enemies-to-friends-to-lovers and an incredible plot. *

Ozymandias, King of Kings by Think_of_a_Wonderful_Thought is SO good. It’s an AU where, instead of being banished, Zuko was sent to work in a coal mine/prison, which eventually becomes the target of a Water Tribe raid after Aang’s return. It can get pretty dark, so watch out for that, and it’s really long (as of now, 168.8k). But trust me, it’s worth it. *

Heart Beat Here by thefangirlingdead is an adorable Modern AU oneshot where Zuko, while shopping for engagement rings with Katara, freaks out when Sokka lies about where he is. It’s a happy ending, don’t worry. One of my favourite fics.

feels like we only go backwards by oldpotatoe and A Certain Slant of Light by JustGettingBy are both amnesia fics where Sokka loses his memory several years after the war. They’re both so, so good. A Certain Slant of Light is finished, but feels like we only go backwards is not.

reality strikes, so bring back the night by zukkababey is a time-travel oneshot where Western-Air-Temple Sokka wakes up in the future to find his older self married to one (1) Fire Lord Zuko. Fluffy and funny. 

maybe i just see you (in everything) by epicbubbles is a really cute Modern AU oneshot with love confessions and just fluff all around. 10/10 go read it!!

it’s the illusion of separation by argentoswan is a fic that has legendary status and it absolutely deserves it. God-tier Modern AU where Sokka ends up working at the Jasmine Dragon alongside his former high school bully, Zuko. (Kind of) enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and it’s just...SO good. *

say you like your shirt soggy by crosspin is a reallyyy nice 5+1 fic. It’s Modern AU, and it’s pretty short (3.7k), but the amount of yearning that gets packed into that 3.7k,,,,*chef’s kiss*

and they were roommates by flydunes is another Modern AU where sokka puts up an ad for a roommate. Zuko moves in, and Sokka gets a crush. It’s just good vibes all around :) *

like blood from a stone by catalinacat is a Soulmate AU that took a completely different direction with the soulmate trope. The summary does a better job of explaining it than I can. *

absence of heat, excess of destiny by theycallmesuperboy is one of the best soulmate AUs out there. it’s not too long, only 4.3k words, but it covers the entire series and then some. Seriously, go read this.

it isn’t strange, but it’s true by theholyterror is a 5+1 post-canon fic with some of the best pining I’ve ever seen, ft. Ambassador Sokka and Fire Lord Zuko. The 5+1 is times Zuko went out of his way to touch Sokka.  *

like the sun inside of you by ofherlionheart is another post-canon fic, and it’s incredible so far. the first chapter alone is 23k, so it’s already a decently long read. *

the stemverse: earth science zuko au series by acezukos is a REALLY good Modern/University AU. So far, it only has one work (earth system history) but that work is already *chef’s kiss*. The series is incomplete, but earth system history is complete!

rebellion’s such a hushed affair by zeitgeistofnow is a fantastic Modern AU that, like sirens & sleepless nights, borders on dystopian. Actually, I think it is dystopian, but it hasn’t been tagged as such. Anyway, 10/10, go read it right now immediately

Mark Time by foil is a Modern AU where Sokka ghosted Zuko years ago, and they get brought back together by Aang and Katara’s wedding. It’s really good, but the fic has some pretty heavy content, so make sure you read the warnings. *

That birds would sing and think it were not night by HisMomoness is a Modern AU that has Zuko tutoring Sokka, with absolute top-tier pining. Like, seriously, the pining is insane. Superr good

this love burns so yellow (becoming orange and in its time, exploding) by meliebee is one of the best post-canon fics I’ve ever read. It features a civil war in the Fire Nation (that gets resolved about halfway through) and some great Toph and Zuko interactions, as well as some Grade A pining. 

boy problems by burnt_oranges is FANTASTIC post-canon and has sokka and zuko in an accidental arranged marriage, plus some attempted assassinations. It’s great.

zuko vs the homie sexual agenda by parmigiano has Zuko and Sokka pining for each other in Ikea. Do I need to say more?

Friendship Bracelets by peachcitt is a Modern AU best friends to lovers. Pretty short (4.9k), but the pining is immaculate.

isn’t this the vision that you wanted by nebulastucky is INCREDIBLE, I read it recently because it just got completed and it’s *chef’s kiss*. It’s post-canon ft. mutual pining and some reallyyy good ‘and there was only one bed’ scenes.

Real Slow and no one knows anything but us by surveycorpsjean and quidhitch respectively are two of my favourite post-canon Ambassador Sokka and Fire Lord Zuko fics. Go check them out!

The Duke’s a Hazard by naggeluide is a really nice AU starting from the Western Air Temple, where the Duke decides that Sokka and Zuko are now his new parents. They bond over coparenting, and the (kind of) enemies-to-friends-to-lovers is really good. Plus, it’s funny.

Those Who Favor Fire by CSHfic and VSfic is a really good fic of the Spymaster Sokka AU. If you don’t know what that is, it’s an AU where Sokka fakes his death and goes undercover in an organisation that wants to kill Zuko.

Fics I added after posting (so far, all Zukka):

The Road Between Action and Inaction by Donvex is a fic that I can't believe I left out the first time?? It's a modern hitchhiking AU and it's great.

Rituals of the Ocean Floor by Donvex is a nice one too. It's only around 2.2k words, but it's a Fox Spirit!Zuko and Sharkman!Sokka AU, and I just really like the writing style.

by the stars above, i knew we were in love by theycallmesuperboy and The Fate of Nations in Our Hands by sapphic_ambitions are both top-tier post-canon fics. Be warned: by the stars above is a liiiittle bit angsty.

blue's clues by parmigiano is a really good Modern AU where Sokka, a university student journalist, gets ahold of the phone number of the Blue Spirit, a new campus vigilante. He ends up talking to the Blue Spirit to get an interview out of him, and it's really cute!

Honourable mention: the Avatar Zuko series by the_cloud_whisperer is one of the best series I've ever read, and it's really long - it got completed about a month ago, with 493.6k words in total (415k if you ignore the extra work made up of author's notes). It develops all the characters really well, especially Lu Ten, but the main ship is Zukaang. Personally, my biggest problem with Zukaang is the age difference, and Aang is aged up to be Zuko's age (or older, I think? I don't really remember) in this. I kept reading it because the plot was too good to give up, and I do highly recommend it, but yeah.

I’ll add more fics if I remember them, but this is what I had bookmarked. Also, shameless self plug here because I also write ATLA fic @ azenki on ao3

[sarah-sandwich]

Top 5 Creative Works of 2021

rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2021. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

Tagged by @playboyphilanthro-pissed

1) Peaches Ain't Pretty - Gen, Harley Keener-centric - 17k

Harley Keener and his sister Abbie have never had an easy life, but they've always had each other and that's enough. They'll make it be enough.

my beloved ❤ tbh I surprised the hell out of myself with this one. First of all, I was inspired to write it by Devil Town by Cavetown (specifically the version linked--the kid's got like 4 versions now lol). I actually had the idea for this when I first heard the song wwaaaaayyyyy back when I was posting Don't Freak Out in 2020 and working on the sequel, but at that time I was SO overwhelmed (with covid and posting fic for the first time in nearly 2 years, and writing that freaking sequel (haha see what i did?), and covid) so I just ignored the plot bunny and forgot about it. Fast forward to a year later, I started listening to the song again and the idea came back to me and I was like, okay okay I don't have anything better to do rn, I'll just jot down some ideas... Then like 3 days later I had a completed fic lol

BUT before I started, I knew I wanted it to have a certain tone (serious and at times heavy, but not depressing--i wanted those spots of light) and I wanted it to follow the Keeners from childhood to their coming of age into adulthood. Honestly I didn't know if I could pull that off. Writing from a child's perspective is hard. Writing an accent I don't have without making it obnoxious is hard. I'm so stinkin' happy with it though! It turned out as perfect as I could have asked for. It still blows me away when i reread it. Like woah I made that.

When I started writing it I was iffy about working towards a parkner ending bc I really wanted it to be only about the Keeners but I'm weak so that's where it ended up lol And now I'm posting the parkner sequel! Check out A Peach Like You (which technically I wrote in 2021 even though I'm only just now posting it, so it counts)

2) The Distance Between (You and Me) - parkner - 29k

When Pepper offered to begin training him to become CEO of Stark Industries, she warned Harley it would put a target on his back. He didn't take her seriously until after he'd been left chained and shivering in a dark hole for three days.

Rescued but with his kidnappers still at large, Tony recruits a bodyguard to shadow his every step and keep him safe until Tasha can hunt down his kidnappers. Harley isn't impressed. If he wasn't already at his wit's end muscling through nightmares, dissociative episodes, and pretending like he's handling everything like a champ then maybe he'd be able to figure out what exactly makes Peter Parker so special.

Ah the bodyguard AU. This one was so hard to write. Not bc of the fic, but bc of my head space. Real life took a nose dive and let's just say I had a pretty shitty time starting in May last year and it didn't really let up until, uh, November?? Writing felt impossible. I had all these big awful feelings and I couldn't set them aside in order to write. I've never been a vent writer and quite frankly idk how to be honest enough with myself to do that on purpose...

All that to say, it took A LOT to get this one down. Major thank you to everyone--@michellejones-stacy I'm looking at you in particular ily ❤--who cheered me on and shared their enthusiasm with me. It literally wouldn't have happened if I didn't know you guys were looking forward to it. Some days the only reason I pushed myself to write was bc of you so 🙌🎉✨🥰😭 thank you

But then when I finished it, it felt hollow, like I'd gone through the steps of writing but there was no soul in it. I didn't believe the feedback I got telling me it was good. It took until like... last month? When I finally read it fresh that I realized actually yeah, everyone was right and it is good! So I'm super proud of myself that this fic exists at all, but also I'm proud of how it turned out despite my challenges while writing it.

3) The Human Kind - parkner - 3.7k

“Your game of tag made the news again,” Miles says with a frown. “I don’t get why you won’t talk to him.”

“It’s more like hide-and-seek,” he says, not bothering to address the second statement as he pulls off his mask. They’ve been through that song and dance enough times they both know it by heart and it’s lost its spark.

“That’s not how it looks on TV. Looks like a lot of chasing and not a lot of counting.”

“Yet it always ends with me hiding and him giving up on seeking so—,” He waves his hand in a ‘there you have it’ fashion then hits the spider symbol on his suit.

Or: Spider-Man has a stalker but it's not what you think

This one. This one I tried to write angst lol and I hurt myself! So mission accomplished? I re-read this one recently and I'm really happy with it. It starts out light and there are questions laid out that you don't get immediate answers too, but you don't really worry about it bc it's Peter and he's quipping and making jokes and it's fun, right? Then it gets serious and that's when my feelings get hurt.

4) No Need to Rush - parkner - 5.3k

5 times Peter almost says I Love You (but Harley does instead) + 1 time they both say it

(Yes, it's a needlessly complicated take on this trope but it's my needlessly complicated take on this trope)

There's a comment on this fic that essentially calls this the perfect spiderlad fic and that's what pops into my head every time I think of it lmao it makes me realize that this is p much the only fic where I wrote established Iron Lad rather than the beginnings of Harley becoming Iron Lad. I adore this fic in it's own right, but that comment + this fic makes me really really really want to go all out with a spiderlad fic. Harley and Peter fighting side-by-side, the quips and banter, the hurt/comfort, the intrinsic understanding between them that no one else can touch because only they know exactly what they're facing day-in and day-out, partners in every sense of the word--I just *wistful sigh* I'm gonna write one for real, a full-sized fic, and that's that on that.

5) Undercover? I thought you said undercovers... - parkner - 3.7k

Peter and Harley are undercover at a black-tie event and get into a sticky situation

Not that kind of sticky! Get your head out of the gutter you dirty bird

This one is pure fun. I had a blast writing it and I adored all of the squeeing comments I got for it and I get a good laugh out of it every time I re-read it. It's the embodiment of bickering as a love language.

Tagging (with no pressure/if you're busy you're busy): @theoceanismyinkwell @queenofmoons @michellejones-stacy (will it let me tag you twice?? we'll find out) @writingamongther0ses @joyful-soul-collector and anyone else who wants to share their most special babies of 2021! Tag me so I can see 😊

[brideofcthulhu10]

Alright I know, another unrelated post but humor me here, I need to get this off my chest.

I know this won't seem like a huge deal, but knowing this is a show for little girls it just feels so frickin' wrong for so many reasons. Hopefully this can be a warning for other parents/guardians/older siblings as well. Keep in mind I've never ever been a "cancel culture" type person just because something minescule bugs me, nor have I ever been some cliche Karen-style parent bitching to a company about "this is inappropriate so its your fault my kid was watching this!" Rather than take responsibility. I am the parent first and foremost, and yes, once I recognized the inappropriate nature of this I changed it immediately. At first I even thought maybe I was overreacting, I kept watching to see if maybe I was misreading the situation and I found it only got more uncomfortable. So yes, I did turn this off. However, it doesn't excuse that this show is still made for and marketed to little children, particularly little girls (I'm talking between 2 and 13). The purpose of this post is just a warning to other parents or people with younger siblings who may come across this show.

So today, I decided to put on a show called "Flowering Heart" on Netflix for my 3 year old daughter.

Keep in mind when I found this, it wasn't in the teens or adult section, it was on Netflix Kids. Specially the Netflix Kids page. I grew up on anime since I was little, so naturally I wanted to find some cute magical girl shows to introduce to my daughter (pass down the nerd torch).

Granted it appeared harmless enough. A cute magical girl anime from Korea about 3 best friends who meet a magical Prince from a different world, and together through the power of magical makeup compacts and friendship they work together to give people hope and fight the "hopeless energy". Seems cute enough, and I really wanted to introduce my daughter to magical girl shows, a lot of them are great for little girls. So it started off pretty good, even I was warming up to it at first.

AT FIRST.

To give you a little clarity about why I grew to dislike it rather quickly, first of all, the main character is a 5th grade little girl. A 12 year old. Now in some other animes they do have younger children as their leads. Magical Do Rei Mi, Glitter Force, Little Witch Academia, even Ghibli films like Kiki's Delivery Service or Ponyo, that's really nothing too unusual. But here is where I had a huuuge problem:

Her romantic interests? They are two teenage boys.

Yeah. I'm not talking a grade above or something. Supposedly the two male leads are 14 and 16. Even her rival? Also a 12 year old little girl, Shuela, who just so happens to be engaged to one of the magical princes (literally named Prince Trump) and is in love with him. The main character, Ari, joins her two best friends Suah and Min fight the unseen meddling of Shuela trying to create "hopeless energy".

By transforming into fully grown women.

Yes, you heard right. These twelve year old little girls are able to transform into fully grown, adult women who take the power of whatever makeup disguise they use (ie police officer, stewardess, life guard, pop idol, etc.) that varies based on the emergency of the episode (mostly situations like a figure skater who lost her motivation, or her friend is having a hard time babysitting).

This also includes several romantic interactions with our lead Ari, and her object of affections, Prince Trump.

Prince Trump, mind you, is completely aware that Ari is secretly this "adult". He knows she's a 12 year old, and actively flirts with her.

At first I thought it was a little weird the boys appeared older than the girls. I thought maybe it was just a style choice, that they were closer in age than I thought- nope. Teenage boys. I mean they don't even try to hide the age difference by making them shorter or making the girls look older like Sailor Moon (who was 14 at the start). No.

These girls look and act like 6 year olds, including their very childish outfits to make them appear even younger- despite being 12. Meanwhile these boys act, sound, and appear to be in their twenties.

Maybe I could just ignore it, suppress the utter nasty of it all and just enjoy them kicking butt as magical girls if the romance itself was an after thought. Oh no no no! You see, this is the main focus of the anime!

A love triangle (er, square) between two ALMOST ADULT MEN and two 5th grade girls (and yes, they do clarify these girls are in 5th grade and that these boys are 17).

This extends to the other male love interest, Prince Chess, who jumps from being a chubby blue hamster dubbed "Tubby" who lives in the main leader's bedroom, and a very attractive teen boy. Now he is no better, including blushing when he holds hands with Ari, and being jealous of his brother Trump when Ari goes on the ferris wheel with him. Even commenting his cotton candy didn't taste sweet anymore because she had a crush on his brother. This wasn't "he met her in her magical girl form and fell in love but doesn't realize she's a child". Both boys met her while a child, and both boys are aware even in this magically made adult body, she is actually an underage girl.

Its just-EUGH! The more I watched it the more the situation dawned on me how nasty it was. They don't play it like a cute crush or just a fling (like how in Kodocha, Sana thought her bodyguard was in love with her, but he made it very clear he's an adult and that's not appropriate). Again wrong. This is portrayed as a serious romance.

I seriously don't get why they didn't make them late middle school or high school age?! Why a bunch of elementary students are being romantically shipped with high schoolers?! It really is a shame, because the art is very cute and pretty, hell most of the characters are pretty likeable with decently done voice acting. (Granted the plot drags on for a while) But I seriously cannot get past these underage children being romanticized with teenage guys. I'm amazed that's even on Netflix and Amazon Prime! So yeah, take it with a grain of salt if you'd like, I know there's gonna be some who disagree with me because the reviews have been very split down the middle (some adore this show, others say it's obviously inappropriate), I myself am still very mixed about it as it was a good show up until this main issue (I didn't even get to the love rival almost letting a child DROWN so she could collect the "hopeless energy"). If you disagree and enjoy this show, more power to you I guess(?), this is really just to give a heads up if you or someone you know have kids and were thinking about putting this on. My advice? Just opt for Magical Doremi or Hamtaro instead.

[ryukyuan-sunflower]

Major Symbolism in Episode 20+21 (Another MugenxFuu Post)

Episodes 20 and 21’s series of images has been going through my head a lot recently, and I think that it is about time I rant about it.

I’ve written before, how Sara is a symbol of a maternal figure for Mugen. But today, I’m gonna go into something else…

Episode 20’s series of images alludes to Mugen and Fuu not only having feelings for each other, but also the concept of marriage, parentage and the idea of being abandoned. A lot of these details bridge and connect with multiple parts of the episode.

The Sad Bride

The woman upon the boat is dressed in a traditional uchikake wedding kimono. What is happening is “Yomeiri-bune”: a traditional Japanese bridal procession on a robune rowboat.

The robune boat carries the bride’s household possessions at the front of the boat. The bride sits behind the possessions. Behind her, the bride’s two parents sit, wearing black. This boat carries the bride across the canal, to her husband. This traditional procession is still held in one place in Japan: Ibaraki during “Suigo Itako Ayame Matsuri”, or the “Iris Festival”

Here is a video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApIeJ384oDo

There are some key details about the bride in the scene of Samurai Champloo. While I think it could be a tale of Sara’s life...I think this is more related to Fuu’s future.

1.The bride has no household possessions. Fuu also has no household possessions of her own. The two women are incredibly poor.

2. The bride has no parents seated behind her. Fuu also has no parents to send her off and celebrate her marriage someday, as her father abandoned her, and her mother died of illness

3. There is a willow tree to the left of the scene. This one may not be major, but willows are symbols of grief, and in Japanese culture, are thought to attract ghosts. For such a sad symbol to be shown in a composition of a marriage seems intentional.

4. The bride is not smiling. Should a bride not be smiling upon her wedding day? It is supposed to be one of the most joyous moments of a woman’s life. She must be unhappy about the arrangement. This exact composition of Fuu’s unhappy face can be seen later, where Fuu is shown in front of glittering blue water. She must contemplate which of her bodyguards she will give up. But I’ll get more into that later.

Notice also, in the composition of the scene, how Fuu is on the far left, where the bride is. Sara and Jin are standing close together, where the parents ought to be seated. Mugen however, is a far distance from them all.

Sara is clearly a maternal figure in the episode, as her entire story concerns her child. Jin also has some parallels to the Sunflower Samurai, and plays a very fatherly role for Fuu throughout the series. I wonder if this position is intentional.

At the end of the robune procession, the boat delivers the bride to her husband. When a woman is given away to her husband, she is also saying goodbye to her father and mother.

There seems to even be a symbol of this.

But it is not to say Fuu wanted to give up Jin. It is clear that after Jin leaves with Sara, how upsetting it is for Fuu. She breaks down into tears. Though, it is important to note how childish these tears are. It is a comical scene, where Mugen gets frustrated and stomps off. It is nothing like the painful moments that Fuu cries when she thinks Mugen is in danger/dying (In episodes 14, 21, 25 and 26).

This seems to be Fuu clinging childishly to the closest thing she has to a father figure (Jin), similar to how this whole journey is her trying to find her father: the last remnant of her past.

The Mother and Child

While walking, the four travelers pass a mother carrying a child. The father is nowhere in sight. Again, this is an allusion to Sara and her son. But it is noteworthy that the only character to look back at the mother and child is Fuu.

The mother has light brown hair, like Fuu. The son has black, wild and unruly hair and orange clothes. More on the orange later.

The next symbol shows how this is not only about Sara...but about Fuu contemplating a future: the fear of being abandoned by a husband and left with a child alone, the same as her mother was.

The fear of being abandoned by Mugen.

The Pinwheel

The mother and child have a yellow pinwheel.

I’ve talked in other posts how pinwheels seem to be a symbol of childhood innocence, and of rebirth. However, we have seen a pinwheel in only one other scene in the series. And it is almost the exact same color. They could have chosen any color for the pinwheel, but I cannot help but feel this color choice is deliberate. Mugen flicks the pinwheel in Episode 1, just moments before meeting Fuu for the first time. 

Rather than childhood innocence, this pinwheel flick could have another meaning entirely. In Chinese culture, the flicking of a pinwheel means to “turn one’s luck around”. Why this is notable, is, in Episode 1, we find out Mugen is not Japanese at all, but Ryukyuan. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a tributary state of China, before being invaded by the Satsuma Domain. For that reason, there is a blend of both Chinese and Japanese culture in the Ryukyuan Islands.

Perhaps Mugen flicked the pinwheel, as a way to wish himself good luck in getting some food. Little did he know, this meeting would greatly change his life.

Furthermore, the pinwheels start to shift into sunflowers. Fuu’s face pans across the scene, as if a symbol that she has come to a realization, or is pondering something important.

This could be a symbol of Fuu coming to a realization of her feelings for Mugen, her fear of the future, and the fear of being abandoned by him, the same as her father abandoned her mother. 

This fear and realization is reinforced throughout the rest of the episode.

The Boy with the Monkey Mask

During the festival, Sara asks Mugen and Jin to pick out a gift for her son. Mugen proceeds to grab a small child, and asks what he wants.

1. The child responds that he wants Mugen’s sword. He’s a little fighter.

2. The child is wearing a monkey mask. This is important because in the previous scene, Mugen, Fuu and Sara bathe in the hot spring. When Sara asks Fuu what Mugen looks like, she gets extremely flustered and proceeds to say: “Honestly, he’s less than human. He’s more like a monkey or a gorilla.”

However, we know Fuu is lying, because when Sara asks, “What?” Fuu sinks into the water and blows bubbles.

The fact that the line and the mask is a scene apart, seems intentional yet again.

3. The boy is wearing orange, similar to the orange of the boy on the woman’s back earlier that only Fuu looked at. Also, Fuu in her childhood, is seen wearing orange...and was abandoned by her father.

This boy is a symbol of Mugen and Fuu having a child together. To reinforce this is the thoughts going through Fuu’s head, Mugen asks Fuu what they should get for a boy. Fuu remembers Sara’s request of taking one of them with her. It is at Mugen’s words and her own thoughts, that Fuu suddenly runs away in tears.

We know that she is pondering the choice Sara gave her: Mugen or Jin. We know that she knows Mugen will willingly leave her. We also know that she chooses Mugen to stay, despite this.

And this is where we see that previously shown picture of Fuu’s sad face, emulating the face of the sad bride. Fuu is afraid Mugen will either abandon her, or will not love her.

Jin is the one to chase after Fuu and appears behind her, not Mugen. He is far more reliable, and would seem to be a better husband. Fuu could very easily marry a man someday that she does not want to be with, because Mugen is not the type to marry. But  despite all of this, Fuu still chooses Mugen to stay and complete her journey.

The two episodes’ composition largely features Mugen and Fuu, while Jin plays a more minor role.

Not only does she give up Jin, but also the entire Episode 21 barely features Jin. It becomes about Mugen facing Sara twice...and it also becomes about how Fuu’s love for Mugen stops Sara from killing him,

Sara’s words to Fuu

She chooses Mugen.

Sara’s Words to Mugen

Sara tells Mugen they are alike, and mentions the closest she came to happiness was having a child. It also zooms in on Mugen’s face here. 

Having a child with Fuu could be his first shot at happiness.

This dialogue completely emulates Mugen’s dialogue with another woman: Koza in Episode 14, in which she asked Mugen if he is happy now. He tells her he hasn’t thought about it. Koza then went on to say “Fuu is happy because she gets to be with you. I want to be with you, like she is.”

A Distance in Episode 20. A Closeness in Episode 21.

Throughout the episode, Mugen and Fuu are barely shown next to, or across from each other. They are always near Sara or Jin instead.

There is is a sense of a distance forming between Mugen and Fuu. But by the end of Episode 20, Fuu still chooses Mugen to stay with her. And Episode 21, they are finally close again, stuck alone together.

She throws herself on top of him to save his life and tends to his wounds which are close, intimate acts.

Other Blatant Hints

Aside from the visual symbolism in the episode, there are other clear indications of the character’s developing feelings for each other during these two Sara episodes, but not expressing them.

Fuu and Mugen see each other naked in the hot spring. This is a painfully common romantic anime trope.

Fuu gets jealous of Mugen’s attention to Sara.

Mugen gets jealous of Fuu crying over Jin and comically stomps away. He agrees to stay with Fuu, even though he clearly could’ve abandoned her, and only claimed to stay to fight Jin. Now with Jin gone, he has no excuse as to why he’s sticking around.

Fuu’s Declaration of Love

Fuu throws herself in the way of Sara’s blade, in order to save Mugen’s life. This action was committed only mere seconds after Sara’s haunting words to Mugen: “It’s as if you’ve never been loved by anyone.”

Fuu throwing herself in the way is proving Sara’s words wrong. Mugen is loved. This is why Sara gasps and stays her blade. Like her previous words, she is unable to read people’s feelings.

Throwing her own life in the way for Mugen’s life to be spared could have easily gotten her killed too. To me, this seems to be an allusion to “Shinju” or “Double Suicide”. Lovers’ suicide was surprisingly common in Japanese history, and there have been famous Tokugawa plays written about the subject such as “Love Suicide at Sonezaki” and “Love Suicide at Amijima”. 

Conclusion

The symbols of a sad bride, a pinwheel, a child with a monkey mask, Fuu’s choice and Fuu’s sacrifice all allude to her feelings for Mugen, and her fear of an uncertain future with him.

Now, combine this giant list of symbols, with the numerous amounts of far more major MugenxFuu scenes, blatant dialogue, interviews of the voice actors and Shinichiro Watanabe, etc...and what you have is a canon subtle romance. 

[maladjusted-nerd]

Starsky and Hutch’s Girlfriends (and Their Hair Color)

[PBS announcer voice] This post is brought to you by the time I was reading The Ollie Report for Bounty Hunter and came across the memorable line: “Again, Starsky is drawn to the dark-haired girl, Hutch to the blonde. Exogamists they are not.”

These are the two ladies in question, respectively:

I thought of this quote a lot as I continued watching the show, because it was quite often relevant. But then I got to Starsky’s Lady, and suddenly Hutch’s date wasn’t a blonde! I began to wonder about the quote, and the truth of the sentiment behind it (which is by no means specific to that one blog). Did Hutch really tend to go for the blondes, and Starsky for the dark-haired women?

So like any sane person, I decided to spend a billion hours of my life making a long-ass photo-heavy meta post that hopefully someone will care about. If anyone actually finds this information interesting or useful I will be happy, buuut I guess if nothing else it gives us an excuse to look at a bunch of pretty ladies.

How did I decided who’s here: I started with the list of women from the Canon Compendium’s Girlfriends and Dates page, added anyone whom I felt the boys made a “concerted effort” to flirt with, and then threw out a few people I didn’t think belonged. I tried my hardest to be objective, but making this list was by no means an exact science and several times it really just boiled down to “do I personally believe she should be on here” so like people will have different opinions on that and it’s fine! Spice of life or whatever.

As for the actual contents of the list: I will state each woman’s name and the episode she’s in. (If she doesn’t have a name she’s listed as Jane Doe. This is a cop show, after all.) I will state her hair color-- for Reasons and also My Sanity the only options are “blonde” or “darkhaired” (not blonde), but hair color is fucking weird and sometimes it was a guess so feel free to think otherwise. I will also state the reason that she’s here, aka the nature of her relationship with Hutch or Starsky (or both)-- so spoiler warning for pretty much everything, I guess.

Also fair warning that sometimes I was too lazy to get a good picture, or it was just actually impossible (newsflash: discos have bad lighting). Rip to any women I may have made look bad, you’re all beautiful queens and I love you.

Pre-Show

Vanessa (Hutchinson Murder One)- Darkhaired. Hutch’s late ex-wife and all-around terrible person.

Laura Kanen (Deckwatch)- Blonde. Hutch’s ex-girlfriend.

Helen Davidson (Lady Blue)- Blonde. Starsky’s late ex-girlfriend.

Kathy Marshall (Fatal Charm)- Darkhaired. A stewardess friend of theirs; it’s never said she’s an ex BUT she kisses Hutch square on the mouth in greeting and is Starsky’s date for dinner/disco. And she dances with both of them. Good enough for me!

Season 1

Hutch

Jeannie Walton (The Fix)- Blonde. His girlfriend at the start of the episode but not by the end! (Rip king)

Molly (Pariah)- Darkhaired. Stewardess friend/one-night stand? Something like that. Also his date at the end.

Jane Doe (Deadly Imposter)- Blonde. His date at the party.

Abigail Crabtree (Deadly Imposter to Vendetta)- Blonde. The only girlfriend we see in several episodes!! (The only girlfriend that lasts several episodes, whoops.)

Starsky

Jane Doe (Pariah)- Blonde. His date at the end.

Jane Doe (Deadly Imposter)- Darkhaired. His date at the party.

Amy (The Hostages)- Darkhaired. She works at a café that he’s going to for a second time, to let her know he’s ~available.

Sharman Crane (Running)- Darkhaired. They had a semester of woodshop together in junior high and then they kind of fall in love while he’s helping her dry out.

Season 2

Hutch

Abby (Deadly Imposter to Vendetta)- Still blonde. Miraculously still his girlfriend. (Until she isn’t.)

Gillian Ingram (Gillian)- Blonde. His now-late girlfriend who fucking deserved better.

Jane Doe (Gillian)- Blonde. Lady at the bowling alley that Starsky discreetly tries to set him up with.

Christine (Starsky’s Lady)- Darkhaired. His date of the episode.

Starsky

Vicky (The Las Vegas Strangler)- Darkhaired. They don’t really get a chance to go on an official date but they kiss a bunch and he’s really sweet on her and it’s cute.

Andrea (Vendetta)- Darkhaired. His picnic date.

Nancy Rogers (Gillian)- Darkhaired. His bowling date.

Terry Roberts (Starsky’s Lady)- Darkhaired. His now-late girlfriend who, like Gillian, also fucking deserved better.

Laura Stevens (The Velvet Jungle)- Blonde. They’re on a date at the end, but it should also be noted they meet when she accidentally knocks him into a dumpster. You know, like the start of any good romance.

Sharon Freemont (Starsky and Hutch Are Guilty)- Blonde. His evil lawyer girlfriend. (Not that he knows she’s evil.)

Both

Jane and Bobette (The Vampire)- Jane is the blonde on the right, Bobette is the darker blonde on the left. Starsky and Hutch mix up their names so it’s hard to tell which girl they actually like better, and also they’re twins so like does it even really matter?

Officer Sally Hagen (The Specialist)- Darkhaired. Starsky kisses up her arm in her first scene (someone please file a workplace harassment suit against him), and then at the end he and Hutch keep wrapping their arms around her waist. But she does get to flip both of them over her shoulder, so it kinda evens out.

Season 3

Hutch

Dianna Harmon (Fatal Charm)- Darkhaired. His possessive, violent nurse girlfriend. (You can really pick ‘em, Hutchinson.)

Dr. Judith Kaufman (The Plague)- Darkhaired. He tries so hard, but twas not meant to be.

Molly Bristol (The Collector)- Darkhaired. His girlfriend du jour.

Anna Akhanatova (A Body Worth Guarding)- Blonde. He’s technically her bodyguard and then they spend like two whole days making out. Good for them.

Mary (Class in Crime)- Blonde. His fishing date.

Starsky

Jane Doe (Murder on Playboy Island)- Darkhaired. Undercover agent he flirts with at the bar.

Rosey Malone (I Love You Rosey Malone)- Blonde. The entire plot revolves around him falling in love with her and it really doesn’t end well.

Jane Doe (The Collector)- Darkhaired. His date at their late-night deli party. (Bonus Starsky in the picture, hi Starsky!)

Sharon Carstairs (The Heavyweight)- Blonde. Their canoodling on his couch gets interrupted by Important Case Matters, and she winds up getting re-engaged to her ex-fiancé (ex-ex-fiancé?). Rip to a king.

Rachel (Class in Crime)- Darkhaired. His fishing date.

Caitlin (Class in Crime)- Her hair almost has a red tint but it’s otherwise undefinable. Car saleslady/one-night stand.

K.C. McBride (Quadromania)- Blonde. They have a nice taxi date (although he’s been sleep deprived all episode, poor boy, and falls asleep).

Both

Christine Phelps (The Heroes)- Blonde. She makes them lose all their braincells, it’s painful to witness. This episode hopes you will forget the actress was Gillian last season.

Julie McDermott (The Action)- Blonde. Starsky wins the kerfuffle for her but Hutch definitely makes a good go of it.

Lisa Kendricks (Foxy Lady)- Blonde. They drool and fight over her for half an episode like they did with Christine and it’s embarrassing.

Season 4

Hutch

Paula (Photo Finish)- Darkhaired. He’s like her date at the party, and also the end.

Kate Larrabee (Cover Girl)- Darkhaired. An old friend of his. It starts out just as a comfort thing but they quickly become very friendly.

Marlene (Starsky’s Brother)- Darkhaired. Starsky steals her from Nicky as a Big Brother Power Move but Hutch winds up with her at the bar.

Marianne Owens (Ballad for a Blue Lady)- Darkhaired. I don’t really know what’s going on here but there’s Something (and there’s a lot of parallels with Rosey Malone, so).

Starsky

Sergeant Lizzie Thorpe (Discomania)- Blonde. Technically Hutch talks with her more, but Starsky does most of the flirting.

Jane Doe (Discomania)- Darkhaired. He spends literally five minutes dancing with her. Is it relevant to the case? No. Does he care? Also no.

Emily Harrison (Blindfold)- Darkhaired. He accidentally blinds her during a case so he starts hanging out with her out of guilt but I feel like he also kinda falls in love; they kiss at one point anyway.

Marcie Fletcher (Photo Finish)- Blonde. His photographer girlfriend.

Officer Dee O’Reilly (Strange Justice)- Blonde. His meter maid girlfriend. They have a date at the end!

Jane Doe (Dandruff)- Darkhaired. He’s making out with her at the beginning.

Detective Joan Meredith (Black and Blue)- Darkhaired. It’s Heavily implied they slept together. (Side note love u Meredith!)

Melinda Rogers (The Groupie)- Blonde. He has a date with her at the end. (Yeah she slept with Hutch, but he was undercover and proceeds to lowkey rebuff her in the tag, so I’m not counting it.)

Katie (Starsky’s Brother)- Blonde. His date at the nightclub.

Both

Allison May/Laura Anderson (Targets Without a Badge parts 2 & 3)- Darkhaired. They both try to court her before Starsky realizes she’s his childhood friend (although they do make another go of it in the tag).

Kira (Starsky vs Hutch)- Blonde. Starsky’s girlfriend, although she says she’s also in love with Hutch so then they sleep together which Starsky is NOT thrilled about and it’s a very ugly mess.

Totals:

Hutch:

Pre-show: 3 (1 blonde, 2 dark)   Season 1: 4 (3 blonde, 1 dark)   Season 2: 6 (4 blonde, 2 dark)   Season 3: 8 (5 blonde, 3 dark)   Season 4: 6 (1 blonde, 5 dark) Overall: 26 (13 blonde, 13 dark)

(If the math looks weird, it’s cause Abigail counts for both seasons she’s in but only once overall.)

Starsky:

Pre-show: 2 (1 blonde, 1 dark)   Season 1: 4 (1 blonde, 3 dark)   Season 2: 8 (3 blonde, 5 dark)   Season 3: 10 (6 blonde, 3 dark, 1 ??)   Season 4: 11 (6 blonde, 5 dark) Overall: 35 (17 blonde, 17 dark, 1 ??)

(Thirty-five?? Calm the fuck down, Starsky.)

  In conclusion:

“Exogamists, they are not” might have been true back at the end of season 1 when it was said, but it’s certainly not true by season 4/the end of the series. Hutch now seems to favor dark-haired women, and Starsky’s about half and half, although they both wind up with an equal split overall.

Do with that information what you will; I’m outta here.

[petewentzisblack1312]

hey dils!! was listening to sunshine riptide and thought of u so i wanted to say i hope ur taking care and also ask if u have any favorite fob videos/interviews?? lately i have been obsessed w the promo video patrick did for the honda civic tour where he drove around LA and said the only reason they got the tour was because he already drove a civic ahsjdbd

first of all it is SO flattering that listening to sunshine riptide made you think of me 🥺

secondly i was molded out of clay to answer this question, 100% i have a lot that i think about like way too often

the one where petes giving a tour of his parents house where he lived at the time and was showing off his stuff and was particularly very excited about the fact that his band was turned into action figures and then half way through andy shows up and is like "were best friends forever!" and petes like "yeah andy comes over for sleepovers a lot, we hang out in my basement and make zines and stuff" and then at the end he gets all excited cuz he hears his moms car pull up and he goes out and shes coming out of the car and then patrick gets out of the car carrying groceries and petes like "here mom me and patrick can put the groceries away you finish the interview" and shes like "no- pete i just got home from work im a mess" and hes like "what? no! no mom you look great, you can finish the interview well take in the groceries" and then she did and the camera crew came back to the two of them messing around and putting groceries away.

"pete wentz is honestly the only way to describe pete wentz. hes the most complicated guy i know." [cut to] "if anyone can make a strike without touching the lane i will pay you $300" *throws bowling balls straight into the air* *runs down the lane*

ok but in all seriousness i love that interview not only for that iconic moment but because later the footage is like blaring i dont care and pete goes and grabs a stuffed giraffe out of the prize thingie and hes like "what do you mean :)? we bought this with our tickets!!" and the editors are very much trying to make it a bad boy rebel without a cause moment except if you looked the woman behind the counter had a smile on her face and was laughing and then afterwards he gave it back and said "we werent really gonna steal it" but it really seemed like she knew that already

and then at a different point a couple fans showed up and they were all shy and excited to meet him and he was just like "hey are you guys coming to the show later" and they were like "yeah" and he was like "cool! thanks for coming out :) do you want a picture?" and they took a picture and it seemed like he was still kinda excited that people were excited to meet him. marcus (their bodyguard) was like trailing behind him and smiling and laughing throughout most of these antics and i just think thats sweet.

later in this same interview once again as they were on the ride back to their hotel or whatever theyd brought back a fake moustache and patrick put it on and did a bunch of dumb impressions.

patrick: if i wasnt doing music i think id be like a music critic or music journalist or something

andy:...i thought you said youd work at walmart

theres this one srar era interview thats just joe and patrick riffing for like 15 minutes. like it looks like they just straight up forgot the interviewer was there its so funny theyre such good friends.

this one joe and pete interview where i dont even really remember what they were talking about but theres a moment where joes talking about music with this intense passion and pete just kinda looks at him with this level of brotherly pride that keeps me going

this one andy and pete interview where 1) there were waterfowl chillin behind them which was deeply fascinating to andy and 2) they took a moment to swivel their chairs and hug each other bc theyre besties

band superlatives, specifically the moment where theyre all separately like "technically marcus isnt in the band but like. its marcus." bc that was sweet, unofficial 5th member of fob. and also "whos the most talented" "patrick. patrick. its patrick, hands down." "hm. petes like a really good soccer player" like thats a moment out of a fucking sitcom

halloween asmr with pete wentz. the man cant act but god can he commit to a bit.

there was this like live text chat that they all were in with fans on some radio station website. there were a lot of very fun moments, including joe saying "this is very current technology." as a comment on how very dated the live chat was and andy being like "can we set an icon i wanna change mine to an XVX" and pete and joe being like "oh are you vegan straight edge? we had no idea." and then pete was like "actually i wanna change my icon to andy hurley" and andy was like "no pete im not gonna send you a picture of me" and he was like :( and then a minute later he changed it to andy and he was like, and i swear this is almost a direct quote "BOOM! i love my life haha" and andy was like "goddammit" like i have no idea where to find this but it was so good.

theres this one "this or that" interview with joe and andy wherein the interviewer was a woman and like she seemed pretty at ease around them and got to the last question and imo seemed kinda uncomfortable and kind of established (in a way that seemed like she didnt usually do that) that it was a gross question, which was "would you have sex with a super hot celebrity but shes just died" and both of them were like "hey. what the fuck. absolutely not." and shes like "oh thats a first" and they are both like "do people say yes to that????????" and shes like "youre literally the first people to say no haha" in a way that made it seem that she did not find it funny and i just find that to be an interesting moment and i hope shes doing well and has a better producer now.

theres this one interview w andy on a hardcore podcast where the interviewer asks andy "do you every wish fall out boy were more political?" and he said (paraphrasing) "fall out boy is political, in its own way. we may not be as explicit with our politics as my other stuff, but kids find fall out boy, and through me, with all my other bands, or through joe, since he does a lot of metal, find heavier stuff, and are introduced to this stuff and to being vegan straight edge or anarchist or just more radical politics, and i dont think that just because we arent being super political in our music we arent a political band" which was really something to me bc i had just been thinking about that as a concept i call "gateway punk"

theres this one interview i recently found of a very small chicago music news outlet where a young lady interviewed pete and asked far more interesting questions than any other interviewer id ever seen and one such question was how he felt about the legalization of marijuana in illinois and he said that it was cool that it was legal but everyone locked up for it right now should be released and i like that he got to be political

theres a moment on the badass jew podcast episode joe was on where the interviewer whomst i do not recall was espousing some veiled antiblack sentiments wrt some antisemitic comments some famous black people had made and joe just completely rebutted it immediately and pointed out that black people not only are not a monolith bht are at a greater disadvantage

and also he made a joke that i could never make and cant fully get bc im not jewish but it was very funny and i love hearing people make jokes that arent for me.

this one interview before patrick had kids where he was saying how everyone kept asking him and elisa when theyd have kids and he was like "you cant just make that happen yknow? how do you just do that?" and pete immediately grinned and leaned over and mock whispered "you have sex" and patrick punched the air and was like "i hate you so much"

that one interview about abap where pete was like "we actually got the guy who did the whistles on patience by guns n roses to do it on this" and then he looks over at patrick and patrick shakes his head and petes like "you couldnt let me have this?" and he was like "i was gonna but then you looked at me and i just couldnt."

"whats the most important thing to you right now?"

patrick: star wars

joe: my daughter.

patrick: ...my son?

the puppy interview. everyone involved including the puppies was having the time of their goddamn life.

i have to stop this is too much its been like an hour

[backstabkitty]

This is a long one on Minor Characters

Thinking about how their were so many minor characters from S1 that we just never saw again in S2. And S2 characters we may or may not see in S3(crosses fingers).

Where is Witch Father and his witch sons while this Camarilla war is going on? Alder fucked that man and we just never saw his ass again. Lol. Kind of love that for us. All those boys were marginally attractive blocks of wood with no personalities except for the gay one anyway. They can bring him back. He was cool.

Where is the Dean of the War College? Seems like they did away with that position entirely in S2. 

All the other International Generals at The Hague. We only got the Indian one this year and then they promptly killed her off.

Some of the biddies were different this year which I suppose makes sense but I recognized some of those previous actresses from other roles. 

Tally’s little friend. What was her name? Glory, Gloria? IDK. But she is absent from War College and she definitely got in last year.

Tally’s Mom! I actually would like more on their relationship next year.

THE SEX. Not exactly a character but seems like they chose to replace that with trauma and PTSD this season instead. Bring back the sex. And more queer couples/characters. IMO, all these characters should be bisexual or pansexual but that’s a post for another time.

As for S2 characters:

What is the likelihood that we will see The Imperitrix again? I like the actress but I don’t know if she’s needed going forward. Much like the Beltaine lady from S1 who also disappeared. Their jobs were very specific.

Grandma Bellweather? She can come back but I don’t know that’s she's necessary. Same for Abigail’s 3 dads. 

The Mother Tongue teacher and the other one from ep 2 whose speciality I forgot. Frightening Dollhouse Lady. Are we really gonna need them next season cause  it seems like teaching isn't going to be the priority next season.

If you've read my other posts you kind of know already how I feel about Sterling. I wish he was played by a different actor because I’m getting Block of Wood vibes like the little witch boys from last year. The only reason IMO we would need to see him again in any real amount of screen time is if the Vice President IS evil and Anacostia gets close to him for spy purposes. He’s just a bodyguard. Outside of that he isn't tied to anyone else or any other plot point that would require us having to see him for 10 episodes. One or two at best like Petra’s men if all he is going to be is Anacostia’s boyfriend. At least Adil has a purpose for being there. 

I would like to see the Dodger lady again. Sorry I’m terrible with names. I want more on the dodgers period. How have they been able to stay one step ahead of the Military and the Camarilla? Since they weren't trained by the Military, How are their workings different?

Edwin is always welcome. 

There is NO WAY Penelope is surviving this season. I am not believing it.

Nicte, Petra and Izadora don’t feel like minor characters to me. I would definitely like them to come back next year because they are important and useful to the main plot which will most likely center around the war.