#this is an amazing short read about the impact of images of war

[oscarwilderobbieross]

susan sontag - regarding the pain of others

[24hrsallnews]

Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond review: The Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series will be available for streaming on JioCinema starting from April 25th.

We will read about, "Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond review: The Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series will be available for streaming on JioCinema starting from April 25th." Since its announcement, fans have been eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated online series Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond. There is a lot of craze, discussion and excitement among the fans about the web series.  

Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series review

Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series is based on a real incident. While a movie has previously been produced on the Balakot airstrike, Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series delves deeper into the subject matter. In addition to showcasing patriotism, the series also highlights dedication,  courage, enlightening, and emotionally impactful. India conducted Balakot air strike in retaliation after the terrorist attack on India in Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond series. In the show, Jimmy Shergill—a.k.a. Kashyap Sinha, a former RAW agent—plans his counterattack against Pulwama and encounters numerous difficulties. In the Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond web series Point to point, nothing senseless and every little aspect has been considered. Jimmy Shergill will play a crucial role in the series, and his character has been outlined in length. Ashish Vidyarthi, aka Mr. Madhusudan Dutta, portrays the energetic part of NSA, while Lara Dutta (Manisha Bharadwaj) plays a news presenter. The Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series also features Ashutosh Rana and Satyajit Dubey. The film features amazing performances from all of the stars, as well as excellent photography, action, suspense, and drama. Prior to the emergence of web series, films such as "Operation Valentine" and "Fighter" existed, but it is in the realm of web series where significant efforts have been made. The Pulwama attack has also been referenced in relation to Article 370 within the strategic series. The Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series has sparked immense excitement, fervent discussions, and a great deal of enthusiasm among its fans. Taran Adarsh ​​reviewed it and wrote, " #RanneetiOnJioCinema is storytelling at its best, weaving together the complexities of geopolitics and human drama seamlessly. From the intense war room sequences to the personal sacrifices made by the characters, every moment in #Ranneeti is filled with tension and emotion… The visual effects in this web series are top notch. #JimmySheirgill’s portrayal is nothing short of captivating, grounding the series with his natural talent… A must-watch for anyone craving intelligent, gripping entertainment." Image credit: Jiocinema (Youtube) About Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond Web Series The series is directed by Santosh Singh and written by Ramiz Ilham Khan, Maitrey Bajpai, Sanjay Chopra, Sudeep Nigam, Aniruddha Guha. The web series is produced by Sunjoy Waddhwa, Comall Sunjoy W, Sunnjana S under the banner Sphereorigins Multivision. The web series cast includes Jimmy Shergill, Lara Dutta, Prasanna Venkatesan, Ashutosh Rana, Ashish Vidyarthi, Akanksha Singh, Satyajeet Dubey, Elnaaz Norouzi and many others. Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond series will be streaming on JioCinema on April 25.   Read More - The new look of Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa starrer Phule has been released. - The film Luv You Shankar, starring Shreyas Tanisha Mukherjee, has officially released. - The ultimate guide to Tillu Square: A must-watch film for romantic crime comedy fanatics - Prepare yourself for a comedy extravaganza! "Inga Naan Than Kingu" is set to premiere in cinemas on May 10th. - Aranmanai 4 Trailer: Sundar C's Aranmanai 4 releases in cinemas globally in April - Do Aur Do Pyaar Movie Review: Do Aur Do Pyaar is a delightful romantic comedy that explores the complexities of love and marriage. - Kasoombo Hindi Trailer out now - Dukaan movie review: The concept is intriguing but fails to achieve its maximum potential. - Pawan Kalyan met Chiranjeevi during the filming of Vishwambhara Read the full article

[nandaaja2]

Remembering historical events through literary writing

Introduction    Historical events have formed the course of human civilization of all time. From the war that changed the map of the world to the revolution that overthrown government, these events have a deep impact on our lives today. Literary writing has become one of the most effective ways to capture and remember these historical events. Through beautiful and imaginative words, literature allows us to feel important historical moments, explore emotions related to the event, and expand our understanding of the past. In this article, we will explore the importance of remembering historical events through literary writing and how literature can act as windows into the past.    I. Literature as a historical reminder    Literary writing has extraordinary power to influence readers and remind them of important historical events. When we read a novel or short story about the past, we can feel emotionally what people experienced at that time. For example, when reading “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy, we can feel life in Russia in the 19th century and experience directly conflicts between opposite social classes. Literature allows us to see historical events from different perspectives, exploring perspectives that we may not realize before.    II. Through beautiful words    One of the beauty of literary writing is its ability to describe historical events with beautiful and imaginative words. Literature can create a picture that lives in the mind of the reader, bringing them to the past in a way that is not possible by rigid nonfiction writing. For example, in the poem “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot, the reader can feel the destruction and despair felt by the generation after World War I. Through the use of strong images and metaphors, Eliot succeeded in describing this historical event with amazing power.    III. Expanding understanding of the past    Literary writing not only remembers historical events, but also expands our understanding of the past. Literature can provide deeper insight about culture, politics, and daily life at a certain time. Historical novela like “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy can give us a deep understanding of the Napoleon War and its impact on Russian society. In addition, literature can help us see how historical events affect individual life, exploring emotions and experiences related to these historic moments.    Conclusion    Literary writing has extraordinary power to commemorate historical events and expand our understanding of the past. Through beautiful and imaginative words, literature brings us into a world that has passed and allows us to feel emotionally what people experienced at that time. Literature also provides deeper insight about culture, politics, and daily life at a certain time. Thus, remembering historical events through literary writing is an effective way to connect with the past and enrich our understanding of human history.

Check more: remembering historical events through literary writing

[captainkirkk]

i recently re-read your fic “the beginning of a new and brighter birth” and it’s still just as amazing and makes me emotional and i guess i was just wondering if you could share a little of how you planned it? it’s kind of like a character study, in a way, and i’ve been wanting to write one about one of my favorite anime characters, but it feels daunting. i mean, how did you decide what you wanted to include and what aspects of zuko’s character to explore/develop? if you don’t mind answering!

From memory, it started with frustration at the comics and fandom because they focused heavily on the difficulties of post-war peace. I wanted to see the world enjoying the absence of war. Hope. The newness of peace.

From there, I thought, “What would that look like? What do I want it to look like?” You take a big idea and shrink it down. It looks like a ruler watching a soldier embrace his children after years at war and being quietly overjoyed. It’s putting a stop to violence in small ways, like stepping in when someone tries to strike someone weaker than them. It’s teenagers being able to sneak away from politics for a moment to have fun. It’s dancing. I wrote most of the scenes out-of-order and let them be as long or as short as they needed to be to convey an idea/image.

As for deciding what aspects of a character to explore, I looked at Zuko as a whole and asked: what is important to him? Doing the right thing. Honour. Iroh. His friends. What has impacted his character? His father. His past struggles. What is the context for this character at this moment? He just ended a war. He’s been living as a refugee and a traitor and now he’s an all-powerful monarch: there’s going to be some dissonance there. But I find characters reveal themselves naturally in fics like this, so don’t worry too much about selecting what characteristics to focus on. The writing process helps you figure all that out.

And finally: try not to focus on writing to fit the format of a character study. Focus instead on ideas. Themes. While you’re formulating your thoughts, don’t be afraid to do some research and draw from a range of sources. I used the comics, TED talks, podcasts and the goddamn Prince of Egypt soundtrack (among other things) to generate ideas. Use what inspires you. And have fun with it!

[inkandpen22]

Time is Irrelevant (1/?): The Mystery of Psychology

Pairing: Eleventh Doctor x Female!Reader 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1.7k 

Part Summary: Y/N is an undergraduate student double majoring in history and English. While she’s cramming away at her research paper she’s approached by a rather peculiar man. 

Masterlist

“History, like love, is so apt to surround her heroes with an atmosphere of imaginary brightness.” 

                                            - James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans

I’ve never imagined myself as one of the greats. They’ve lived before my time and their legacies will outlive me long after I’m gone. The greatest task I can accomplish is do them justice by telling their stories. I must immerse myself in their lives and hope to influence others with their work. I’m merely the surface that the puzzle of history rests upon. Over time, I’ve collected facts from as many historical periods as possible and have memorized them.

I’ve always found history easy to retain. I believe it to be a blessing. Once I’ve heard, read, or watched any kind of information about history I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. My gift made the subject easy for me in school. I also excelled in English. Words resonate with people for generations, they’re needed to retell history. A simple sentence or everyday speech may end up in every history book across the country. Words are equally as influential to our history as our actions. Hence why I’m a history and English double-major. With history comes life lessons, valuable lessons that can only be learned from past experiences. English, words, can impact an entire generation or many, thus influencing history. By telling the stories of the past, I hope to better the future.

___________________________________________________ 

As I review the archives on the Crusades in front of me, my fingers tap against the table to the beat of the music coming from my earbuds in the otherwise silent archives. Many of my friends have never understood how I’m able to read and listen to music at the same time. What can I say? I’m talented. Disregard the fact that I’ve read this book fifty times over so I could practically recite it from memory. I’m kinda mixing wars here by listening to Hamilton while reading about the French and Indian War. Oh well, there are no rules against the action. 

Suddenly, there is a tap on my shoulder. I assume someone must be able to hear my music and is asking for me to turn it down. I close my book as I remove one of my earbuds and peer over my shoulder. I lift my eyes and meet the gaze of a rather handsome individual. 

“I’m sorry is it too loud?” I apologize. 

“Not at all,” he assures me with a gentle smile and I take note of his accent. “I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of information on the French Revolution?” 

The gentleman is lucky, an average person wouldn’t know the archives by heart. I’ve spent nearly every day up here since the early days of freshman year. 

“You’re on the right floor so good job.” I joke and point my finger towards the proper section in the middle of the room near me. “Most of the books on the French Revolution that I’ve been able to find are over there but there are more throughout the library upstairs. Nonetheless, those should be a good start.” 

He grins, pausing for a moment as he stares me in the eye.  “Thank you.” His focus travels to my book sitting on the table. “The Last of The Mohicans, good choice.” 

He leaves, as quickly as he appeared, towards the section I suggested. That man is something else entirely. He’s likely a professor considering he’s down here and his considerably formal attire. Only a professor would wear a bow tie. Then again, he appears awfully young. A TA perhaps? That wouldn’t explain his accent though. He could be a visiting professor. Plus, oddly enough, he knows of my book, not many people I know do. 

I pop my earbud back in and dive back into reading. The whole interaction was short but interesting nonetheless. I’m not sure what it was about him but he was different than most. It could be that he had this awkward charm and I’m not used to people being so polite. For a young man, he seemed old fashioned. His wording was more articulate, could be because he’s British. Normally a guy would say ‘uh hey so like, could you…. um…  show me where the books are for the French Revolution or whatever it’s called? If they have an audiobook or DVD that’s cool too!’ 

Okay, that’s it, I can’t focus after that guy talked to me. I’ve read the same sentence five times over. It’s best just head home, it’s getting late anyway. 

The sun is setting as I make my way back to the apartment. I take the more scenic route by the original brick buildings from the colonial era. Mainly because I like the brick path, especially now that it’s fall and the leaves coat the ground. I’m not surprised to see some boys playing football on the lawn in the center of campus. My first thought is how American they appear, with the crisp leaves scattering the ground, everyone in their duck boots, and playing football. I feel as if I’m in a Lands End catalog.

On the way home, I stop by the student union to fetch a late dinner to take home. I shuffle through the music on my phone, trying to find the perfect playlist for the walk back. I approach the door to the building and the person ahead of me holds it for me as I stare down at my phone. 

“Thank you” I mumble absentmindedly. 

“Oh well hello again!” 

I look up and believe it or not it’s the same man from before. I take notice of his exquisite eyes, their long lashes, and his multicolored uniqueness. I’ve never seen anything like them before. They’re like marbles. A warm chestnut shade toward the cornea but then fades into a ring of emerald that transitions into a deep ocean blue. He has every possibility in one. 

“Oh hey!” I respond politely, “did you find the book you were looking for?” 

He shows me the hardcover book in his hand. “Yeah, thank you so much for your help earlier!” He holds out his hand for me to shake, “it’s nice to meet you...” 

“Y/N,” I answer, accepting his hand. “It’s nice to meet you too!” 

I’m not the kind for such formal introductions. In this day and age, there are rarely introductions just frequent run-ins until everyone becomes acquainted. 

The gentleman stares at me for a second, visibly deep in thought. He continues to hold my hand, but I’m too awkward to remove it. Then, snaps himself out of it, parting from my hand. “Beautiful name,” he compliments, charmingly.

Normally, I would imagine girls swoon over a compliment from a man with his foreign accent. American girls love a pretty English accent. Yet, his attention makes me feel on display. I’ve never been fond of physical compliments. I never know how to respond to them. 

“Are you meeting someone?” I ask.

He looks confused but realizes I’m referring to the building. “Oh! No, no I’m here to get something to eat.” 

 This was nice, but now I’m over being polite because I’m starving. Plus, I’ve been in the archives practically all day working on my research paper for Medieval History for I’m beyond tired. 

“Oh okay…” I stumble over my words, “well, it was nice to you!” I nod, preparing to walk away.

“Would you like to join me?” He asks abruptly before I’m able to escape. 

It’s ironic, I’m a mess and he’s wanting my company. The image of me schlepping around this ten-pound backpack wasn’t off-putting to him, really? 

 “Awesome!” He declares, not giving me the chance to decline his offer before he ushers me inside. “I’ll meet you over there after you get your food!” He adds, pointing over to a specific table. 

I was really looking forward to eating in my bed at home, but I can’t decline anyone and risk hurting their feelings. Sticking to my word, I head over to where he instructed after I grab my usual sushi order. Sure enough, he’s already seated at the table. I notice the fact we’re in the far back corner separated from the workers or the other few eaters this time of night. I place my bag next to me on the floor as I get situated. 

“You like sushi?” He inquires. 

I sway my head from side to side, “Americanized sushi. The traditional raw fish I’ve never tried.” 

He chuckles lightly, “one day you’ll have to try it. It’s surprisingly not as bad as one might assume.”He speaks so smoothly. Does it come naturally or does he have to work at it? 

“One day,” I sigh with a smile. I would love to see the world and experience everything it has to offer. Yet, I’m a poor college student with responsibilities. 

“What’s your major?” He asks, creating casual conversation. 

“I’m a double major, English, and history,” I nod. 

He raises his eyebrows, appearing amazed. “Impressive!” 

“What about you? What do you do?” I’m purposefully vague enough with my questions because I still don’t know whether he’s a student or a professor. He could pass as a graduate student and that’s what has me stumped. 

“Oh uh...” he stammers, rubbing his hands together in his lap. “I’m a doctor.” 

He’s a professor then. I’m having a social dinner with a professor... is this allowed? “Oh okay,” I try to remain unfazed. “What is it that you teach?” 

I’m assuming he must teach history considering the search for the French Revolution book. Then again, I don’t know of any English professors in the department. The topic isn’t really one for some light reading. He could be required to take a history course, though I doubt it. 

“Psychology,” he rushes out an answer. 

Do I ask or is that too bold? Then again, I’ve never really cared about superficial social standards. 

I lean forward in my chair, resting my arms on the table as curiosity appears on my face. “If you don’t mind me asking, why were you looking for books on the French Revolution earlier?” 

He hesitates as if he’s evaluating my question. His features go blank then shift to sternness. Did I say something wrong? Was I not being polite when I asked that? 

“I was picking it up for a friend,” he answers plainly, questionably. 

I don’t believe him, not for a second. I’m no expert in psychology but his eyes glanced to his right while his voice went up a little at the end of his sentence. He’s lying. My heart quickens and I do everything in my power to remain calm. I’m going to play along and act oblivious. Perhaps, he has a good reason for lying.

“I was just wondering because you said you were in Psychology,” I say light-heartedly, waving my hand to dismiss the matter. 

He sighs deeply, placing his napkin on the table. “They said you’d be hard to fool.” His eyes meet mine with a smirk as he leans back in his chair. “You don’t miss a thing do you?” He snickers. 

His words are so ominous they make my breathing hitch as I drop my chopsticks. 

“What?” I calmly question, reaching for my back slowly. 

In a swift movement, he grabs my hand on the table and points a metal shiny thing at my face. I attempt to yank myself free, but he just squeezes tighter. I look into the light radiating from the buzzing object. Then, suddenly, my sight goes dark. This can’t be good.

_____________________________

Masterlist

[ja-khajay]

2020-2021 Animation Watch(ed)list

I haven’t posted about animation in a while that I remember, and I know a lot of my followers are into it as much as me so I decided to make a list of the animated movies and series I watched on the past year or so, coupled with my short, spoilerless take on them. Enjoy!

Organized by

Things I saw for the first time

Things I rewatched

Under a cut for the sake of your dashboards! PS: I have not added any images yet. If you are interested in knowing more about the visuals of these movies, I might make an old fashion ask-prompted imageset list.

Part One: Things I saw for the first time

The Bear’s Famous Invasion of Sicily

Movie, 2019, Italian/French

9/10, a delightful little movie with amazing visuals. It feels like an animated picture book.

One of those “plot is in the title” media! I had never heard of this before but was heavily recommended it by my family members, who all loved it! It’s a sweet story, nothing groundbreaking but the unique colorful visual style alone makes it worth it.

The Castle of Cagliostro

Movie, 1979, Japanese

10/10. Reminded me of all the books i loved reading as a child

I assume its because it’s so old and the art style and themes are so different that it gets little to no love compared to other Ghibli movies, which is a shame! It’s fun with an endearing cast and as always, great animation and music

Mushishi

Series, 2006, Japanese

10/10 three episodes in I knew it was going to be my favorite series ever

One of the few things I’ve seen I’ll describe as life-changing. It’s absolutely lovely but never toots its own horn about it. Humble, calming, emotional and surprisingly mature. It’s pretty impossible to binge due to how intense the experience is. I just want to walk in the forest now...

FMA: Brotherhood

Series, 2009, Japanese

6/10 Dissapointing adaptation of a classic story

I read the manga for this when I was in middle school and remembered loving it. The animated version does an ok job of presenting the characters and worldbuilding and has some nice action scenes but overall looks really damn cheap and just. Not very good. Seeing I already knew most of the plot I did not have the element of discovery that made me marvel so much reading the original. It’s still a nice series but I really recommend reading it instead.

Code Lyoko (s1+2)

Series, 2003, french

3/10. 1.5 being for the opening song alone

This show sucks ass if I hadn’t been watching this with my bestie I would have dropped it two episodes in. The art style is ugly the stories are always the same and the first season has a (later removed thank fucking god) LITERAL “erase any consequences” button as a plot device in every episode. If you watch it for one thing let it be the nostalgia factor of early 00s Vidya Game Plot

The Legend of Hei

Movie, 2019, Chinese

7/10. Impressive visuals and a poor story

I finally watched this, peer pressured by the load of gifsets on my dashboard! It’s a sweet movie with really impressive animation, sometimes a bit too flashy for my taste (the action sequences go so ham they become not very readable...) but the story was just ok? The setting is barely explained and you are instead bombarded with vague epicspeech about powers and stuff that made me fondly remember Kingdom Hearts lol but that asides it’s a really good time! I need to watch more Chinese movies the few I know are just delightfully off the shits in how they approach action and I love that

Hunter x Hunter

Series, 1999, Japanese

9/10. Superior to the recent one!

I first got introduced to the series via the 2011 one. Comparatively, the 99 series focuses way less on action and way more on the characters, which I love because that fits my personal preferences! Despite mediocre filler episodes and some weird slight pointless plot changes, what it changes from the original manga doesn’t have much of an impact on the characters. The animation quality isn’t always consistent including a huge art style change for an arc (???) but it’s overall pretty nice. The series really shines in the last arc it adapts.

Oban Star-racers

Series, 2006, Japanese/french

9/10 a lovely surprise

This series is completly obscure despite having been created by people famous for their other series (Cowboy Bebop, Code Lyoko that i can name) and it’s a crime! It’s a kids show but without being stupid about it who tells the story of an inter-planetary race. If you liked that one scene in the star wars prequels you know what I mean. It’s got surprisingly nice animation for a TV series, and some truly great character design. The art style is a bit unique in a not for everyone sense, but I didn’t mind it much. It’s also THE most offensively 2000s series i’ve seen in terms of visuals. y2k kids assemble

The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon

Movie, 1963, japanese

8/10. Classic fairytale format with incredible visuals

Watched this for the art style because I know it inspired Samurai Jack, and it delievered! I dont’ have much to say about this one, it’s a very simply film but it’s sweet. For my pirates out there if you want to find it in good quality with english subtitles it’s VERY hard to find. If you just want to see the looks of it, it’s on Youtube with portugese subs.

We now enter the Gobelins Shorts Zone....!

My Friend Who Glows In The Dark

10/10 makes me cry each time

Pure delight...great animation writing everything. A little short about death and friendship but not in the way you imagine!

Colza

9/10

Visual treat...homely and nice :) not far from a 10 but a 9 because nothing about it is that groundbreaking

Sundown

9/10

If you’ve ever been ten minutes from failing a group project because of a single dude you will REALLY enjoy this. Loved the colors and personality

T’as vendu mes rollers?

10/10

It’s SUCH a sweet little short I loved that one so much

Dix-huit kilomètres trois

10/10

Surprisingly well written dialog. Visuals are great but the humanity of the characters carries this to another level

Un diable dans la poche

9/10

Amazing visuals and the most tense/creepy of Gobelin shorts i’ve ever seen. Chilling

La bestia

8/10

I had some issues with the pacing. Interesting story and visuals choices but I was not fond of the art style

Goodbye Robin

5/10

Confusing but predictable. Both at once??? Yes!

Le retour des vagues

6/10

Cool animation stuff but felt pretty pointless

                                                                ***

Part Two: Things I rewatched

Ruben Brandt: Collector

Movie, 2018, Hungarian

10/10. Underrated as hell

Watched this fully blind for the first time in an animated festival and rewatched it with friends. It’s a crime I never see anyone talking about it given the amount of whining I see about the lack of both adult animation and 2D movies? This film is a unique love letter to art in the form of a weird mix of charming crime story and psychological horror with amazing visuals. I recommend watching it blind and also buying it to show appreciation for how nice it is!!! WATCH THIS MOVIE...

Mononoke

Series, 2007, Japanese

10/10 Visual/storytelling masterpiece in the weird shit departement

If you can stomach intense stuff watch this. The visuals are incredibly unique and beautiful and under the jewel tones and art direction high takes it’s a really cool horror series. My only obstacle to enjoying it the first time I saw it was how dense it is - simply put, it’s so...culturally Japanese it’s not very accessible to me who doesn’t know anything about the culture? Watching it for the second time helped understanding the stories more! 

Corto Maltese in Siberia

Movie, 2002, french

9/10 but really close to ten. A great adaptation!

I’m a huge fan of the original comic so I entered this a biiiittttt suspicious it would suck but it was a really pleasant surprise! It has all the wonder and charm of the original and the animation was surprisingly good for the little budget. If you’re not familiar with the series, it’s a sort of geopolitical action/adventure movie but with it’s own really poetic vibe to it. It’s almost impossible to find online but happens to be fully on YouTube so go ham I guess?

Redline

Movie, 2009, Japanese

10/10 cinema was invented for this, actually

Every review of this movie i’ve seen gives it five stars and starts by talking about how immensly stupid it is. I’m no different. It’s a masterpiece of escalating energy with the depth of a puddle and it fucking rules. It’s free on YouTube too so there really is no excuse to not watch it. Watched it for the first time on a huge cinema screen and despite this my second rewatch on my small laptop was as/even more enjoyable. If you watch this stoned with friends you might travel to another dimension

Spirited Away

Movie, 2001, Japan

10/10 deserves the love it gets

I watched this a single time as a kid and had little memory of it! I mean it’s Ghibli you know it’s going to be good as hell but this one rly shines in how colorful and detailed it is and in it’s world! It made me remember I had a huge crush on the dragonboy as a kid. I’m gay now

Kung-fu Panda (1&2)

Movie, Usa

10/10. KFP fucking rules

Honestly my favorite franchise of the whole disney/dreamworks/pixar hydra. It’s fun as hell, doesn’t skip a single beat and has amazing animation and character designs. If something is a good time I will not care if it’s deep or not and boy I fucking love these movies

Sinbad, Legend of the Seven Seas

Movie, 2003, Usa

5/10 Some great some really bad and overall generic

I tend to hate american cinema and this includes that era of animation I have no nostalgia for. Sinbad is in a weird place because I love adventure stories and the visuals of the movie absolutely deliver but it’s very predictable and TANKED by the addition of the female character, pushed in your face as “look we have woman!!!” despite her writing being misogynistic as hell lol. The evil goddess rules tho. This movie would have been a solid 9 if instead of the girl the two dudes had kissed

[richincolor]

New Releases For The Rest of 2020

The year ends with a number of books we've all been anticipating which makes for lots of great reading for us during the winter holidays. What books are you looking forward to?

A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir Razorbill

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off…

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory–or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life–and love–he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save–or destroy–all that he knows. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty #1) by Diana Ma Amulet

Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph Candlewick Press

“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?” For Frederick Joseph, life in a mostly white high school as a smart and increasingly popular transfer student was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to the white friends and acquaintances who didn’t see the negative impact they were having and who would change if they knew how.

Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter includes the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Tarell Alvin McCraney, screenwriter of Moonlight; April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give; and eleven others. Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many of us need. Back matter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrations) BOOM! Box

A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane – her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of ther things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem – Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan… Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, idenrity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

A Curse of Roses by Diana Pinguicha Entangled Teen

With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies.

There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain.

If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food.

Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss.

As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death?

With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more.

She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction.

Based on Portuguese legend, this #OwnVoices historical fantasy is an epic tale of mystery, magic, and making the impossible choice between love and duty…

New Releases on Dec. 8th

A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology edited by Dhonielle Clayton Random House Children’s Books

In the fourth collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, fifteen award-winning and celebrated diverse authors deliver stories about a princess without need of a prince, a monster long misunderstood, memories that vanish with a spell, and voices that refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice. This powerful and inclusive collection contains a universe of wishes for a braver and more beautiful world.

Authors include: Samira Ahmed, Libba Bray, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Tessa Gratton, Kwame Mbalia, Anna-Marie McLemore, Tochi Onyebuchi, Mark Oshiro, Natalie C. Parker, Rebecca Roanhorse, Victoria Schwab, Tara Sim, Nic Stone, and a to-be-announced debut author/short-story contest winner.

New Releases on Dec. 15th

Oculta (A Forgery of Magic #2) by Maya Motayne Balzer + Bray

After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is travelling and revelling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio.

That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime families. Now one of the four Thief Lords of Castallan, she’s forced to preside over the illegal underground Oculta competition, which coincides with the summit and boasts a legendary prize.

Just when Finn finds herself back in San Cristobal, Alfie’s plans are also derailed. Los Toros, the mysterious syndicate responsible for his brother’s murder, has resurfaced—and their newest target is the summit. And when these events all unexpectedly converge, Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to follow the assassins’ trail and preserve Castallan’s hopes for peace with Englass.

But will they be able to stop these sinister foes before a new war threatens their kingdom?

This Is How We Fly by Anna Meriano Philomel Books

17-year-old vegan feminist Ellen Lopez-Rourke has one muggy Houston summer left before college. She plans to spend every last moment with her two best friends before they go off to the opposite ends of Texas for school. But when Ellen is grounded for the entire summer by her (sometimes) evil stepmother, all her plans are thrown out the window.

Determined to do something with her time, Ellen (with the help of BFF Melissa) convinces her parents to let her join the local muggle Quidditch team. An all-gender, full-contact game, Quidditch isn’t quite what Ellen expects. There’s no flying, no magic, just a bunch of scrappy players holding PVC pipe between their legs and throwing dodgeballs. Suddenly Ellen is thrown into the very different world of sports: her life is all practices, training, and running with a group of Harry Potter fans.

Even as Melissa pulls away to pursue new relationships and their other BFF Xiumiao seems more interested in moving on from high school (and from Ellen), Ellen is steadily finding a place among her teammates. Maybe Quidditch is where she belongs.

But with her home life and friend troubles quickly spinning out of control–Ellen must fight for the future that she wants, now she’s playing for keeps. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

[impulsivelycontentious]

No one reads this or connects it with my other online identities but since I've removed personals involvement from my other social media stuff, and I feel like bitching, I am jsut gonna go ahead and do it.

So I have brain damage. Yeaaaaars ago I threw up so hard I actually ripped open the inside of an artery in my neck, and it threw a clot, and that clot did some nasty shit on its way on through and out.

No doctor noticed for two weeks.

Everyone else did.

Good times.

Anyway.

So now I have a damaged brain. Brains don't grow back. Some areas can regenerate a few cells - notably the prefrontal lobe - but mostly brains fix themselves not by regenerating like skin does, but by rearranging the cells we have to fire to fancy new configurations.

This has been quite the ride. Because shit, it changes things.

I don't even know how much of my personality is consistent. No idea. Let alone everything else.

I have memory loss my nurologist won't akowledge because it falls short of dementia. That was the bar. "You don't have dementia, you know what year it is." Gee thanks there chief.

Anyway.

My brain wasn't too stable to begin with. I have always been prone to logic leaps that occur very quickly and not necessarily in ways other people would make them. My mind is jumbled and a little random and things collide all the time that probably shouldn't.

This has become much worse since the brain damage. See, my brain keeps wiring shit together. Shit it really shouldn't. It changes who I am, what I think, what I can think.

It's actually quite terrifying to realise you're a sack of geletine misfiring lighting at itself.

So anyway. To the point. Yes - I have one of those. Probably. It's somewhere in here.

Oh right, no, another detour. I'm autistic. "Oh yeah, they definatly didn't screen girls when I was a kid because how the fuck did they miss this otherwise" autistic.

Back to the point.

Recently I had this sensory processing ... Whatever the fuck that was. I call them.idssocistive episodes. I don't know how accurate that is. But my mind unhooks from my sensory data. Everything feels muted and unreal - sound, sight, touch, heat. Name it. It's wrong.

I hate these.

It gets particularly nasty because there are nurologicsl consequences. See, my concious mind ramps up it's interpretation of sensory data. It goes all in and leaves the rest of my existence stuffed in this tiny little box without enough space to do dick.

One effect of this is I suddenly become highly obsessive. I think it's a comfort mechanism, I require the same stimulus over and over again or to somehow mentally connect it to the same element. Of course, it could also jsut be that obsessive behaviour towards interests is part of who I am. I am autistic. I DEFIANTLY go all in when something fascinates me. But not... Not like this.

Do you have ANY IDEA how many times I watched starwars 8 in 72 hours? Any clue? Holy fricking ... Something. I watched it fast. I watched it slow. I watched it skipping ahead 10 seconds every 10 seconds. I dissected that thing in micrscopic detail.

It gets better. Because mere hours before I got hit with this episode... I was not a starwars fan.

Nope. I watched it. It was ok. I wasn't going out of my way for it.

And suddenly. Wham. Episode 8. All the time. I watched some 7 and 9 as well but it was like it was entierly because eit was connected to 8.

I cannot even.

And while this is happening, *I know*. I know. I really do. I know this isn't my normal behaviour. I know this isn't my wheelhouse. I know something is deeply, deeply wrong in my brain.

I think it might actually be an ok movie, honestly. But not THAT good. And now it's one of my favourite things. Forever. I have no idea if it's actually good. Did I not give eit a chance the first time? Is my obsessive brain simply emotionally hooked up how? Fuck, I don't know.

So that's why I'm posting today. On this day. May 4th.

I'm seeing a lot of star wars today and it's making my brain tickle with it's own ridiculousness.

Not the whole point though. Because it lasted 72 hours (I watched dit one more time after that and if wasn't near as intense).

But what happened AFTER my 72 hours as an obsessive raylo (oh yeah. I went there. I'm not even ashamed. I am also compeltely content with the end they got, because I do not see that shit working out).

Brains don't regrow. They rewire.

And suddenly, I'm drawing. Like... A lot. I filled pages of doodles. Sketches. I redrew a peice I'd been working on for about a month in a few hours and damnit, it was good. It's not professional quality but I'd never down anything that well before. This goes on for another day. And then I started a story, and I wrote 2000 words all at once.

I'm dyslexic. And words are severely impacted by my brain damage to the point it can cause me phsycial pain to force my thoughts in to words.

And here I am. Going nuts on my phone. The words just spilling out and again - damnit, it was good shit.

My brain was abstracting. Where the concious sort had been shunted, it wasn't directing the abstracting aspect of my mind.

And I was making cognative leaps. My brain was wiring itself together for creativity.

For another 24 hours.

And now, dear reader, we get to now.

I have written 200 words in the last 2 days. They feel wrong.

I started and stopped a dozen images. None of them feel right. And there are objective quality differences.

I can still draw a bit. If I'm not tired. I'm almost always tired - it's neural fatigue, it comes with surviving a brain damage.

I have somehow brain damaged my way in to better skills.

And it's... It's not a good feeling.

Doing it the first time and watching something take place in front of my eyes I don't recognise was like magic. It was euphoric. Amazing. Exciting.

Realising as time wears on that the ability to do this is intrinsically tied in to the way ones brain handles brain damage and sensory processing issues?

Not a great feeling cats. Not at all.

I find myself staring at a document willing words on tot he page that just aren't there anymore and feeling so frustrated I could scream.

Whose idea was this anyway? Why can't I keep my rewiring?

It's so hard dto explain the feeling of loss.

It's not me who did these things. A version of me, yes. But not the one we are keeping.

The one we keep struggles to hold a narrarive in her head and the narrator's tone took 3 rewritten to preserve for a single paragraph.

I don't want to stop. But how do I keep going? I'm not the author anymore and I've always struggled with adopting the tone of others.

So yeah. That's where I'm at. And I wanna talk about it. Because I don't want to be alone. But I can't escape the feeling I'm being dramatic. Terribly dramatic. And so talking about it is hard. How much is my own spin and perception and how much is real?

Did this really happen?

I think it did. But like every story I tell, I don't know. Memory loss. Cognetive issues.

I just wanna tell stories and draw. But the words hurt and the art makes me tired.

It's frustrating is all.

I hate being lighting geletine.

In case you're wondering what kind of cognative leap happened:

That one is april 4th.

And that one April 28th.

🤷‍♀️

Fucked if I know, really.

[neon-dynasty]

Kamigawa was a failed endeavor. Released in the autumn of 2004, Champions of Kamigawa promised some new things for Magic the Gathering, and the return to some old things as well. Most importantly, in my opinion, it showed that Wizards was paying attention to what fans were interested in (outside of Magic) and wanted to provide a way of relating to the fans. However, just about everything they did with the setting and game either couldn’t live up to expectations or outright failed. Here’s why I think the original Kamigawa block failed, and why I think a return would be a resounding success.

This came out much longer than I’d expected, so hit the jump.

For its entire existence up until 2004, most of Magic’s settings were a hodgepodge of fantasy tropes, and the storyline had been following or tying into a single thread for years. Kamigawa was the first setting to truly be free of the ongoing Magic story. Nowadays, however, Magic is known for its settings based on real-world places and cultures. Just this past year, we’ve visited Eldraine (Arthurian Britain), Theros (ancient Greece), and Ikoria (less a real culture and more about giant monster tropes). Back in 2004, however, visiting a clearly defined theme world like this was something that hadn’t been done in a long time. In fact, it’s something the franchise traditionally shied away from. 1996’s Mirage block took place in Jamuura, a continent on Dominaria based on sub-Saharan Africa.1995’s Ice Age was set in a Viking-inspired Terisiare. (You could say that Arabian Nights and Portal Three Kingdoms also count, but those were more wholesale copies than homages.) Based on ancient Japan, Kamigawa was the first herald of a new worldbuilding philosophy for Magic, one that would see the creative team at Wizards of the Coast put their own spin on familiar cultures and mythologies, while still keeping them distinctly their own. Kind of like Disney movies.

The mechanics also promised to shake things up. While I don’t remember any of the card announcements, Kamigawa block introduced many new pieces for the game. Samurai and ninja had their own keyword abilities in bushido and ninjutsu, and most of the sorcery and instant cards dealt with arcane and spirits. Legendary had its own theme as well, with 138 unique creatures (139, if you count the other Yamazaki brother) and 39 other permanents, with a number of cards that cared about the supertype. Finally, there were flip cards, a mechanically and visually interesting way of getting more value out of those creatures and introducing a sort of sidequest to your game. 

Kamigawa was gearing up to be something special in Magic. But as I said at the very beginning of this piece, it failed.

The mechanics were kind of a disaster. Splice onto arcane was parasitic and to get any value out of it, you’d need to go all-in on overcosted cards. Bushido, sweep, offering, and most of the rest of the keywords were similarly underwhelming, either providing minuscule value or actively getting in the way of what you wanted to do. Putting the legendary supertype on a card is a downside when Commander doesn’t exist and singleton formats are not a popular way of playing. It doesn’t help that having too many legendary creatures in a set thend to make them feel less special, as well. Flip cards, while cool in theory, wound up being a logistical mess that didn’t add much to the enjoyment of casual games, and barely saw tournament play. All of this meant the cards didn’t really impact Standard, and Limited was a clunky ordeal more often than anyone would have liked. Following Mirrodin block, the most powerful three sets since Urza’s block, was also a tall order, and one that almost no set was equipped to fulfill. 

Admittedly, while I love the card game, I absolutely adore everything else about Magic. The storyline intrigued me when I started playing during Onslaught block, and knowing that there was this vast body of lore kept me hooked. Hearing that there was a Japanese-inspired setting coming up was pure hype for someone who’d also been into anime for years and video games for years before that. The early 00s were an interesting time for entertainment, as Japanese animation had finally infiltrated American mainstream media. Pokémon had been a successful card game for years (another story for another day), and Yu-Gi-Oh had just hit the scene in America after doing well in Japan for a few years. With all this and a burgeoning internet, fans of anime, video games, and Japanese culture had certain expectations. To say Kamigawa did not meet them would be an understatement. 

The general setting was based on an older Japanese culture, one which didn’t see much representation in media. Samurai, ninja, youkai, along with other popular figures and tropes were either later inventions or had a more solidified image hundreds of years after the source material took place. While I remember many Magic the Gathering fans being worried that the game would take on an anime aesthetic to capitalize on what was popular with the wider geek audience, they actually took it in the opposite direction. Instead of bright colors and bold outlines, Kamigawa was a dark and gritty place, which was made even more evident by the increasing demand for realistic detail in the art department. The kami themselves, one half of the conflict, were alien and foreign to behold. These weren’t based on images that otaku would have been familiar with, Japanese or Western, but based on much older stories that had been phased out of the public consciousness.

In short, there is no “in short.” There are many reasons why it didn’t succeed, but ultimately, it came down to being something that no one really expected or wanted. Instead of taking the cheap, easy, and profitable route by leaning into anime culture, Wizards bucked the trend and used a setting that most Magic fans would not have been familiar with, forcing it to fit within the franchise. They also filled the block with parasitic mechanics that were clunky and actively detrimental to play. And yes, I’m leaving out dozens of other reasons why Kamigawa failed, but those are the main ones that I personally feel hurt the setting. 

Sadly, as public-facing employees remind us constantly, Kamigawa is a very difficult sell to the higher-ups. It was one of the company’s biggest failures, and they can’t use tweets and Tumblr asks from enfranchised fans as justifications for its return. And yet, the requests still pour in. I believe that the reasons for this desire are the key to a new set based in Kamigawa. 

Let’s start with the biggest one: Commander. In many ways, this format is kind of the anti-MtG. It’s a long, drawn-out process that uses decks built with your whole collection, rather than the newest releases. Cards that are awful in most other formats are amazing in Commander, and one of the biggest drawbacks a card can have - the Legendary supertype - is a major boon here. It’s also the current most popular format for old and new players alike. I think that more than anything else, Kamigawa’s legendary theme is what draws new players, as Commander enthusiasts will inevitably find some interesting cards that would never have worked well in the old days.

I also think that Wizards of the Coast has learned a lot since 2004 (and whenever they started work on the original block). Remember, Kamigawa was the first of its kind: a real-world inspired setting completely separate from what the entire franchise had been doing for years. There were bound to be mistakes, and they’ve clearly learned how to rectify them. The following setting, Ravnica, used an Eastern European city aesthetic to compliment its two-color guild theme, but was still constrained by the block structure. Upon our return there, they changed the block structure to better fit what the themes and story wanted. On the other hand, Zendikar, their D&D-inspired adventure world, was beloved for its fast and fun mechanics, as well as the feeling of exploration on the cards and in the media. The return, however, involved destroying all of that in favor of an extradimensional war setting. Guilds of Ravnica and Zendikar Rising each supplied what the fans wanted out of those settings, to varying degrees of success. 

Wizards also keeps showing us glimpses into Kamigawa through Core Sets and supplemental products. Tamiyo showed up on Innistrad and Ravnica. They printed new shrines (compatible with the old Honden) in Core 2021. Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow, is one of my favorite commanders of all time, and she’s from the 2018 Commander set. They still value the setting, and don’t seem to be interested in ignoring it to the point of obscurity (like, for example, Mercadia). 

And, obviously, there are the rumors. With a blog name like mine, you have to have known this was coming. The three planeswalker concepts from surveys could point to anything: Commander products, supplementary sets, etc. However, I think that the web domains for Kamigawa Neon Dynasty point to a full set of some kind.

Interestingly enough, the events of the original Kamigawa block take place in Magic’s very distant past, so it’s been a tantalizing prospect to see how the place might have changed in the past few thousand years. Skipping over medieval fantasy and bringing it past the present into a cyberpunk future might be an excellent way to go about it. Aesthetics from early 90’s anime could still be stylistically unique in Magic, while keeping elements from the old setting would root us to the original block. I could see the new story centering around a conflict between one faction clinging to ancient traditions and another pushing magical technology to its futuristic limits. After all, Tamiyo still dresses in old-fashioned robes and reads from scrolls, and the moonfolk were known to be almost completely isolated from everyone else. I wonder what the kami would look like, if we even saw them at all.

Ultimately, I think that Wizards is in the perfect spot to try Kamigawa again. Between their worldbuilding experience, the rise of the Commander format, and a willingness to push the aesthetics of their game in different directions, there’s a lot of reason to hope that we’ll be heading back sooner or later. 

Please feel free to let me know if I missed something or got any details wrong. And please discuss what you’d like to see in a return to Kamigawa, either new stuff or old. 

[arabellaaaas]

Favorite Worst Nightmare

Part 2: Knee socks

|An Alex Turner x Arabella Davis fanfiction series

Description: When two broken hearted meet, they try and hide their past. A story about two young adults whose pasts won't let them find happiness again in each other's arms right away.

Word Count: 1.8k

A/N: Hello, again! First of all, the gifs are not mine!! FULL CREDITS TO THE AMAZING OWNER. Thank you for the small amount of people that read my story and interacted with it. I hope you all trust me and read this chapter and wait for it to get even better! Have a wonderful day 💕

Everything went incredibly well for her. She just felt like going out to grab a breath of air and smoke a cigarette while escaping the crowd for a little. She loved being back in a room full of random people doing their own things. She missed dancing, singing, chatting with everyone, and having a good laugh with her friend. Speaking of her, she had found a guy she said "she really liked", but that's what she's saying about everyone. She seemed to have fun though, which was important since she tried so hard to convince the brunette to come with her. Arabella was looking over to her right at a group of friends that were drinking their beverages outside while singing the songs they are hearing from the inside of the bar. She smiled a little for herself so she doesn't look like a psychopath. Coming to think of it, she might have looked like one. She was sitting alone, leaning of the wall behind her, smoking while slowly moving her head on the rhythm she was hearing. She had three drinks already but she wasn't feeling dizzy or anything. Maybe just a little more lively. She saw another group entering the bar, trying to see if someone caught her eye. When she tried to breathe the smoke from her cigarette, she couldn't, realizing it went out. She tried to light it again, but her lighter decided that it was a perfect time to stop working. After a few tries, a hand holding a steel lighter reached out to her, helping her out. When the cigarette was finally lighted again, she looked up and saw a man standing in front of her. His hair stood out the most. It was a dark brown slicked back hair with a strand standing on his forehead. It reminded her of men in 1950. She also noticed his leather jacket that matched with his sunglasses in terms of feeling.

"Oh, thank you! Apparently my lighter decided it's time for her to betray me." she joked, smiling at him lightly. He gave off a mysterious vibe that intrigued her a little bit. He took off his glasses, revealing a pair of dark brown eyes that looked directly onto hers. "How come you are sitting here alone?" he isn't hesitating to ask right away, smirking. He also took his pack out of one of the pockets of his jacket and lighted one while still starring into the girl's eyes. "I'm the one who smokes so I have to come alone, I guess. Plus, I needed a little bit of air to cool my mind. But what about you. You came bt yourself as well, I see." He peeked at her knee socks thinking about how they made her look. He remembers seeing all the girls wearing them almost six years ago if not more. The fact that she still wore them to that day made him laugh inside of his head, coming to realize that she maybe doesn't really care about the trends, or maybe she is loving the old-fashioned look. He finally took a glance at her top, which was a silky one that embraced her body. "Well, my mates didn't want to lose the attention the chicks gave them so they decided not to come". "And you didn't get the attention or didn't care enough to stay there?" she asks putting one hand in her pocket and lifting her leg so it was then also leaning on the bright colored wall that was behind her. When looking at him, she could tell that he definitely gets a lot of attention from the girls in there. He was the type of man that most girls would have a crush on. The image he had really had an impact on ladies around since a lot of them were turning their heads over to him. He looked like he didn't care about a lot of things, but in a cool way, not an awful one. But you cannot ever tell how a person actually is by only the first glance.

"Do you think I look like I don't get enough attention?" He said amused. He was clearly joking around, she could tell by his tone. He was confident, something she was interested in. "I didn't say that. I was thinking that you are getting all the attention, I just wanted to talk to you a little more." "We could talk all night long if you want,..." he stopped and looked at her, giving her a hint that he wanted to get her name at the very least. "Arabella Davis" she swiftly completed his phrase, inhaling again. "Brilliant name, I love it. I am Alexander Turner, but you can call me Alex" he stretched his arm to grab her hand and softly kiss the back of it. He really was a gentleman, trying to impress her in an actual wonderful way. It did not even seem cheesy or faked, it was ~brilliant~. "If I may ask, are you from here? Your sense of style tells me you might not be from here." He asked, letting her hand go. She threw her now blown out cigarette to the closest trash can and then came closer to him, answering "I lived here my whole life actually. Why? Do I not dress pretty enough to catch your attention, Alexander?". Her tone was getting really flirty out of the blue. Even he was surprised. A moment ago she was the one joking, now she's flirting. It was really something Alex wanted to explore. As a first impression, he thought she really is someone full of surprises. "Actually, I like it. You're quite my type if I come to think of it." He also came closer to her, placing his hand on the wall, right by her head.

"Oh, you're just trying to flirt. There must be really something about me to come to your liking I guess." Her confidence was subtle but still strong. She hoped that Mr. Confident wanted to hop on the game she just started, and it happened. "There are some things, yeah. but I shall admit, the knee socks really got my attention." he smirks, lowering his voice a little. His voice was somewhere in between the husky type of voice and the clear, calm one. His tone, completed by his Sheffield accent made the brunette want to spend a few more minutes with him. The thing that probably every and each woman noticed about him is that he looks really carefree. He is someone you would most likely want to be around. He would phone someone in the middle of the night to go for a drive to New York, or just to go for some drinks. There's no existent person that could read Alexander Turner from their first contact. This man fools people into thinking they can tell the kind of person he is when in reality the only things they know are the ones he allows them to know. He considers it dangerous to open up to everyone, and he was right. To unveil your feelings to someone that doesn't unveil theirs is like walking yourself to heartbreak. That's why Alex preferred only opening up to people who felt like their plan was not to betray him. People often confuse him with a dark, cold, and miserable gal, when this is only the impression he is trying to pull off so that the rest of the world won't reach out to him. He was playing hard to get, but at the same time, he was well known for his flirting skills. He is one of a kind.

The corners of her mouth rose as he mentioned her piece of clothing she was most confident about. There was something about them that just made her feel so good about herself. For the first time in a while, Alex was actually interested in someone. She made him reach out to her without a second thought, without any trick or anything. Something about her was winking at him. He thought it might be the way she dresses, she stands out. But after a few more moments of chatting, it was her image that she built for herself. Also, her gestures were really subtle but you could tell she did not come here to find someone to shag. She came to have fun and flirt a little, making guys think about her for the next few weeks. He could tell she is not really the woman she is pretending to be. Behind the strong confidence she built up in her eyes, the actual scared teenager was hiding. Her sparkly marble grey eyes we're generally doing fine at hiding feelings, but it did not work for Alex. He figured out she went through a lot but she is the type of woman to firstly help the others before helping herself. Her hands were shaking on her cigarette as she was talking to him, and it was not because she felt intimidated in any way. Besides her psychical characteristics he was trying to learn about more, he noticed a lot of details in her appearance also. What really caught his eye were the freckles she tried to hide with her make-up but couldn't. Small light brown dots could be spotted seeking through her foundation. Her make up was not heavy, but it made a little bit of difference, of course. She had a really healthy posture also. She surely was shorted than him, but God did she make it look like it was not a big discrepancy between them. She stood in front of him with a puffed out chest like she never lost a war. 

"I think I, unfortunately, have to go back to my friend. I don't want to leave her with some random guy she just met," she said, waking him up from the little moment of analyzing he had. "Fair enough, but aren't you talking with some random guy as well?" he took his hand back, placing both in his pockets. "We could be more than just strangers," she says right before she left. She did not say anything other than that, neither did she wait for the man's reaction. There was still time for Alex to grab her number, but she was playing hard to get and he did not want to show off as a bold man. He kept on tracing her walking figure until he could not see her anymore. He shook his head, laughing for himself while lighting up another cigarette before going back to Matt and Miles. He kept on thinking of ways to get her numbers, coming to realize that he did not do that in a while. He shook his head again, realizing that these thoughts will probably be over soon. But that did not withhold him from trying to get past her hard-to-get image.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[bryanhasanswers]

Morning-ish Part III

Yeah - it’s part three... “beech.” 

So, if you wanna know how we got here - you need to read part one and part two. Okay - stop whinin’ that’s how it works, it’s sequential! Look - I don’t make the rules! 

Here’s the links.

Part 1 | Part 2

Would it kill ya to read ‘em? Just want to read this? Go ahead then - see if I care - just try to keep up ya little pud.

Now on with the show...

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

Like I said back in part 2 - the trail led to this weird ass little shop (and that’s ME saying this). But seriously, Dr. Ebeneezer’s Book and Liquor Store was not your usual store. It smelled like a crazy old medieval library. It was all dusty and.. uh...y’know - sort of had a papery whiff to it. I have a really good sense of smell. Well, shit - I have a really good sense of everything, thanks to my onboard cybernetic suite. 

Underneath all the “smart” smells of books and leather bindings was the booze smell. Everything from cheap ass box-wine to top shelf bourbon. 

Then there was the old guy at the counter... Dr. Ebeneezer... I guess that was his name. I mean that’s the name he told me. And I sort of believed it because - who would make up a name like that? I took another look at those puffy little Einstein tufts over each ear. I noted his rough, short beard and ratty, moth eaten gray cardigan then filed it all away for later.

I was kind of curious about the two for one on Russian literature and vodka he mentioned. But before I could ask anything he had waved his hand signaling that the convo was over, directing me to the rear of the store. Then he went right back to shufflin’ through the pages of his weird old book like I wasn’t even there.

I headed to the back of the store and had to turn sideways to get through the cramped little aisles. The place was a mess and shit was fucking every where, and in between the shelves were these crappy little tables and racks full of bottles.

When I got to the back, there was a pathetic little sign written on a piece of torn cardboard. 

[BOGO! Vodka and Russian Lit.]

The word “literature” had been abbreviated because the sign maker ran out of room. A voice floated to me from the front of the store. It was Dr. E.

“Are you looking for anything in particular?”

I smiled to myself...

“Yeah... you got ahhh...  ‘Crime and Punishment?’ It’s one of my faves.”

Without hesitation the answer came back.

“Dostoyevsky - it’ll be on the left, next to the Smirnoff”

I looked...

Well no shit, there it is...

There were a few of ‘em too - but I knew which one I want - 

BRRRAAAPPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!

It felt like a thousand giant, electric hornets from hell were all stabbing me in the back at the same time! 

Gunshots! Sounds like a fuckin’ M249! Someone knew I was comin’!

The pain was so bad, I nearly lost consciousness before I was able to turn off my external receptors. I was spinnin’ and stumblin’ and crashing through shelves and quaint little side tables, while books and bottles were bursting into booze soaked confetti all around me.

Whoever was doing the shooting was goddamn amazing on the trigger, because I couldn’t get a moment to pull my shit together. I hit the wall as the bullets kept me off balance, tearing through my jacket and flying off my torso in a shower of sparks.

My data stream on the incoming damage was not looking pretty - some of the strikes were denting my superstructure, and a few were even getting moderate penetration! 

I bounced off the far wall and spun to the ground like a goddamn satanic sprinkler shooting chunks of flesh and blood in every direction. My hands were flailing - I needed something to answer back with. I grabbed at something heavy... dense... I looked over as the chaos continued to explode around me. My whole body was jerking and flapping with the 5.56mm bullet strikes. Images were starting to blur together, but I could just make out the thing in my hand.

“War and Peace? I choose... WAR.”

I was in luck too - it was a hard back, unabridged edition!  As heavy as it was dull - and JUST what I needed.

With every ounce of strength I had left - and let me tell you punk - I had a fuck-ton of ounces of strength left - I slung that fucking masterpiece at my opponents fat head. Or at least I think it was his fat head... It was the slightly smaller dark blob on top of the larger dark blob that my targeting reticle flickering and trying to snap onto. 

That tome ripped through the clutter in the air like a hungry scud missile looking for an orphanage. Even through the staccato roar of the machine gun fire, I heard the satisfying impact of exquisite literature meeting a very thick skull. Kind of sounded like when you drop a bowling ball into a 50 gallon bucket of eggs. 

Wait - seriously? you’ve never done that??

The sudden silence told me it was over and I slowly sat up and tried to assess all the damage I had taken. 

It was bad. I had taken a serious beating... I couldn’t walk.. or move my left arm. Or even see clearly. Shit started to spin.

I tried to stand - then collapsed flat on my back. I could feel the billions of nano-bots in my blood trying to repair all the damage, but there was so much, it would take time. I saw Dr. Ebenezer looking down at me over his glasses. He turned to some kid and as he spoke.

“This is bad - we have to hide him. Whoa! He’s heavy too! Okay, uh... think, think... we’ll need help, run and get the others!”

Then my human side went unconscious and all I remember is the data stream tellin’ me how fucked up I was.

[jwillgoose]

PSB crew & friends fundraiser

Dear Listeners,

I hope you are all well and looking after each other, especially those who need the most help. These are very worrying times but all we can try to do is offer comfort and kindness to each other.

As a band, we are in the very fortunate position of being ok financially for the next few months - most bands larger than us are probably in the same boat. One group of people who aren’t as fortunate, though, are touring crew members and musicians; they don’t have the benefit of PRS and PPL payments, streaming income, record sales income, advances against future records and so on. 

Even though we had no gigs announced for this year we’d like to do our best to help those we work most regularly with, a group of around 10 to 15 people. All of the below items are being sold by me personally and any funds raised will be placed into an emergency PSB crew and musician fund, to enable anyone who needs help to take advantage of any available money. In the absence of any help from the government (as at lunchtime on March 17, anyway) it seems the least we could do. One of our most regular crew members has lost 14 weeks of work, already; clearly that is going to have a devastating impact, which is why we are doing what we can to help. (We have also made various behind-the-scenes efforts, too, to the extent to which we are able to afford to.)

In the event that none of our crew or session players needs assistance, we will find a suitable charity to donate this money to. Either way it will all end up going to a good cause, and none of it is for the band.

Obviously an unprecedented number of people are going to struggle financially over the coming months - to those with uncertain short-term financial futures who, in normal circumstances, would dearly love some of these items, we can only apologise. It’s not a competition - one group of struggling people isn’t more important than another, but these are people with whom we regularly work and communicate and who are part of our broader family, and we feel obliged to try to help them.

To try to accommodate those without the financial resources to buy these items off the bat, we’re running a raffle for one of the copies of EP One. See below for more details.

HOW THIS WILL WORK

If you’re interested in any item, please email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net, clearly stating which item(s) you’d like to buy. I am doing all of this manually so there is a chance the item will be gone by the time you email - apologies if so. I will try to respond as quickly as possible.

Some of the prices may seem high, but they are for the most part very rare PSB items and they are also the last that I have of most of them, so I am trying to get the most out of what I have in order to help others.

The sealed auction will run as an email auction until Sunday, March 22. I will hopefully be able to post the record on Monday, March 23. To place a bid, please email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net, clearly stating that it’s for the sealed auction and the amount you’re offering.

The raffle will run until Sunday, March 22 too. Tickets are virtual and are £5 each, to enable those with less disposable income to bid on an extremely rare item (after this fundraiser I will only have 2 left, from an original 250, and they won’t be re-pressed). You can buy more than one ticket but please do so in multiples of £5. If you are interested in taking part, please email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net and clearly state the number of tickets you’d like to buy. You will be emailed further instructions.

Again, I am doing all of this myself, so please do bear with me if demand is higher than I anticipate.

ITEMS FOR SALE

First off - a word about test pressings! They are exactly what they sound like they are, ie pressings sent from the vinyl plant to us for approval or, indeed, rejection. They are often slightly poorer quality than the final version, for various boring reasons, and in some cases some of these have actually been rejected by us for being poor quality. But the value in these items doesn’t lie in their fidelity, rather their scarcity, so hopefully you won’t be expecting a pristine listen, rather an extremely rare edition of a cherished record.

Ok, here we go:

2 x copies of EP One

This is the first PSB vinyl release ever, pressed on 10″ in only 250 copies. After this fundraiser I have 2 more, forever, so they are extremely rare. They regularly go for upwards of £150 on eBay.

One will run as a sealed auction - please send your name and your highest bid to fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net. The auction will close on Sunday at 7pm GMT.

The other, to allow those with less disposable income to take part, will be a virtual raffle. Tickets £5 each. You can buy more than one ticket but please do so in multiples of £5. If you are interested in taking part, please email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net and clearly state the number of tickets you’d like to buy. You will be emailed further instructions.

NB - both items have ever-so-slight damage to the covers so they are not pristine! They’ve been in a cardboard box that was taken to numerous gigs and festivals in 2010 and 2011 with me desperately trying to flog them to uninterested parties, before The War Room came out and they started selling online!

TEST PRESSINGS

The following are rare test pressings of various albums, EPs and so on. There are a very limited number of copies available and it’s first come, first served. Please also read the disclaimer on audio quality above. I will try to update this list as they sell, but please don’t be disappointed if you email me and they’re already sold.

Dispatch will probably happen sometime next week (March 23 onwards) provided the postal service is still working; if it isn’t, I will post them as soon as is feasible.

THE RACE FOR SPACE - PLASTIC INNER SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £100 each + p&p

THE RACE FOR SPACE - REPRESS, PROPER SLEEVE 3 of 4 SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £100 each + p&p We had to get TRFS re-pressed from a different master in 2018 so had new test pressings. I have 4 of these newer versions, 3 of which have proper, sealed sleeves.

EVERY VALLEY SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £100 + p&p

INFORM - EDUCATE - ENTERTAIN SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £100 each + p&p

WHITE STAR LINER SOLD OUT

SOLD OUT! £75 each + p&p To buy, email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net - also let me know if you’d like it signed. NB - this test pressing was rejected so it is not great quality, but it is extremely rare!

THE WAR ROOM SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £75 + p&p

PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS NEED COAL (RSD 2018 REMIX RELEASE) - SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £75 each + p&p

THE RACE FOR SPACE - REMIXES SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £75 each + p&p

LIMITED EDITION VINYL

These are all, with the exception of the TRFS remix release, limited editions that have sold out (I think!). I am happy to sign any of them.

SIGNAL 30 RSD 2013 7″ SOLD OUT!

Extremely rare. Orange vinyl, backed with New Dimensions in Sound. SOLD OUT! £100 + p&p

ELFSTEDENTOCHT PARTS 1 & 2 RSD 2014 7″ SOLD OUT!

Very rare. SOLD OUT! £80 each + p&p

THE OTHER SIDE PICTURE DISC - RSD 2016 7″ SOLD OUT!

NB because this is a picture disc, the audio quality isn’t great - that’s the nature of the medium. It looks amazing though! Backed with the Datassette remix. SOLD OUT! £50 + p&p

GO! 7″ SOLD OUT!

Backed with the Errors remix. SOLD OUT! £50 each + p&p

THEME FROM PSB 7″ SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT! £50 + p&p

PROMO & EARLY CDs

ROYGBIV (FIRST OFFICIAL SINGLE) SOLD OUT!

Backed with a different version of Lit Up, not the album version. Rare. SOLD OUT! £50 each + p&p

THE WAR ROOM (ORIGINAL RELEASE) SOLD OUT!

From back before we had a distributor so I was still selling and posting these myself - relatively rare although a few hundred were made up. In a plastic CD wallet. SOLD OUT! £50 each + p&p

ORIGINAL / RARE STOCK OF PSB VINYL

EVERY VALLEY (CLEAR INDIES VERSION) SOLD OUT!

Still sealed, limited numbers were pressed up and these are 2 of the last 3 I have. SOLD OUT! £50 each + p&p

THE RACE FOR SPACE - REMIXES SOLD OUT!

On orange vinyl. One has slight damage to the shrinkwrap. Price is based on being expected to be asked to sign them! SOLD OUT! £25 each + p&p To buy, email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net - also let me know if you’d like it signed.

POSTERS

GREEN MAN 2018 TRIPTYCH SCREENPRINT SOLD!

NB - this has different text to the image above - instead of ‘Informing...’ it has Green Man Festival and the date of the show (I can’t find the original image). It was a limited edition run. SOLD! £50 + p&p

THE RACE FOR SPACE DOUBLE SIDED A2 POSTERS SOLD OUT!

No image, sorry, but we have a handful of these left. They’re on decent, thick paper, A2 size, one side has the USA cover and one side the Soviet cover. Happy to sign as required. SOLD OUT! £30 each + p&p To buy, email fundraiser@publicservicebroadcasting.net.

That’s it for now - thanks a lot for any support you can help us extend to our folks.

Yours hygienically,

J. Willgoose, Esq.

[translationandbetrayals]

Tokyo Ghoul: How aesthetics and music can save an anime adaptation

All of us, anime lovers, sing to the top of our lungs when we hear the distinct “Oshiete oshiete yo sono shikumi wo…”.  However, most people who have read the Tokyo Ghoul manga and watched the anime adaptation will not be as adamant to talk about the story when it comes to whether Pierrot did a good job on it or not. Most common answer: They did a terrible job on the story, nevertheless, aesthetics and music are a marvel to behold.

Ishida Sui, the mangaka, is an undoubted genius. He combined really simple drawings (no shadows nor intricate details) for peaceful scenes, with total chaos for battles (sometimes we can’t even figure out what is happening due to all the movement lines). And to top it off, he delivered his art in the form of an obscure story. A world at war with a different species that looks exactly like humans, the only difference is they eat human flesh, these are the ghouls. If we look only at the manga, it is considered to be a wonderful creation. Dark story, monsters that look like humans, death, blood and physical and psychological changes. It has everything a great seinen can be accounted for.

So, why is it that the anime is not as loved as the manga it was based on? First, Pierrot changed relevant parts of the story. Deleted scenes and added others that do not help us contextualise nor understand what is happening and why. Second, characters appear from nowhere. There is no introduction for them. This story is known for having lots and lots of characters, but in the manga, they are gradually inducted into the story and we know their purpose and how they fit into the greater scheme. The anime just throws them in in hopes we get why they are there. They could have done a better adaptation without just shoving in a lot of characters that have no introduction to the story in the anime. Third, the censure. This is a gore; it has blood and heads rolling. The anime outright skips the heads rolling and reduces the amounts of blood, sometimes covering it with perfect pieces of clothing right where the character was stabbed and/or bitten and has had their clothes ripped apart.

Pierrot tried, and failed, to reduce a 14 volume (144 chapters) story into two 12 episode anime. Way too short to do it. Nevertheless, there was something they did do right. Music and aesthetics. For music they took a series of soft tunes. Mostly classical instruments and even choruses that sound like the ones you’ll hear at church. Then you’ll be faced with seriously synthesized music. This selection is amazing and accompanies the story in an endearing way. After you have watched the anime you might want to sit and listen to the music and just feel. Scenes will be evoked. You’ll get goose bumps. And it will be even better if you have read the manga. As for aesthetics. Something amazing happens here. Ishida Sui gave his own colour palette to the story. He not only drew and made up the story for the whole manga but single-handedly produced hundreds of colour sketches for gift cards, events, magazine covers, etc. Therefore, he was the one to give gore those bright colours. It just makes an impact as one is used to seeing a variety of greys and other dark, gloomy colours for these kind of stories. He gave his story blues, reds, purples, and more. And guess what? They are all bright. And they all contribute to make his story unique and have an even more intense feeling of darkness. And if you don’t believe this, just go to the last two episodes of the first season and look at Kaneki’s (the main character) transformation. It is beautifully made. The contrast of colours is impossibly impactful. The use of Lycoris Radiata, otherwise known as hell flower, represents the dead. In old Japan it was said that the Japanese christian martyr’s graves from medieval times were marked by this flower. For aesthetics purposes the flowers are initially white roses and in this transformation scene they turn into Lycoris Radiata. Right after this we get the image of Kaneki over a red background as his dark hair turns white. This is a scene that I, personally, could watch over and over again. 

To conclude, it is possible to say Tokyo Ghoul as only a manga is a masterpiece. It is a full on Metamorphosis meets gore. If we could get a fully colour version of the manga that came with music it would be fantastic as the story would not suffer from external corruption. However, I do encourage anyone who wants to watch the anime, but with the clear warning that it is not story wise amazing. The music and beautiful colouring on Ishida’s creation makes it pleasurable to eyes and ears.

P.S. Whatever you do, do not watch the English dub. I watched some clips of it while writing this piece and it was terrible. Voice acting was below average at best.

  Thank you for reading!

  Alejandra Donoso

[is6621]

How Films Have Been Impacted by Social Media – Daniel Wholey

I’m a huge film fan; I wake up in the morning and my morning news consists of the latest updates on the Spider-Man deal between Disney and Sony and the bidding wars that happened earlier this year. In fact, I haven’t gone a single day the past few months without seeing at least a few images of Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker on Instagram. It’s obvious to me that social media has played a huge role in creating attention for the latest films, and after our class discussion this week on social media posts gaining massive attention, I started thinking about how exactly this online attention has been affecting studios. In this blog, I’m going to discuss two of the latest major impacts social media has had on studios.

Creepy Sonic the Hedgehog

The advancements in animation has provided considerable benefits for many films, but it didn’t do too much justice for Sonic. When the first official trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog came out last April, fans were anything but happy.  Fans thought he looked too human-like and definitely not like the character they grew up with. Some went as far as to say that he even resembled “ET with fur.”

Director of the film, Jeff Fowler, responded on Twitter soon after the backlash stating that “The message is loud and clear… you aren’t happy with the design & you want changes. It’s going to happen.” The film’s release date was delayed by three months and Sonic 2.0 looks substantially better according to the fans.

This decision not only brought substantial costs in terms of redoing the CGI, the changes also forced Paramount to adjust its marketing. They had to redo posters and cutouts, some of which were already in theaters. It was a huge effort on Paramount’s end, but at the end of the day, the message was “loud and clear” on social media; fans demanded a change. Thanks to social media, fans were able to directly communicate with the director and have a huge impact on the production and marketing of the film within a very short amount of time. Such a feat could definitely not be accomplished before the advent of social media, and this new relationship between the audience and film producers amazes me.

Spider-Man: Far From the MCU

During the summer, Marvel fans were faced with some very startling news; Spider-Man would not be in any Marvel movies anymore do to a disagreement between Sony and Disney. Fans were furious. Far From Home, the latest Spider-Man movie, passed $1 billion in box office earnings; it was a huge hit for marvel fans. When the news reached the internet, fans protested. Hashtags such as #SaveSpidey and #SaveSpiderMan flooded Twitter and Instagram feeds. In fact, even Jeremy Renner, one of the main actors in the hit Marvel films, protested through social media.

Furthermore, three days after the news broke out, three fans made a Facebook page titled “Storm Sony And Bring Spider-Man Home to the MCU.” 7,371 people indicated on the page that they would be willing to dress up in Spider-Man costumes on October 19th to peacefully protest at both Sony’s offices in New York and in Culver City, California. It was unfortunately cancelled, but all this activity on social media motivated Tom Holland to have a meeting with Disney’s CEO Bob Iger and Sony’s film chairman Tom Rothman to urge them to reconsider negotiating. As a result, on September 27th, the two major studios reached a deal; they decided to continue the Marvel Spider-Man series through a third movie. Fans and actors were satisfied once again.

Conclusion

72% of social media users write online comments about films they see, according­ to a poll conducted by the consulting firm Penn Schoen & Berland and The Hollywood Reporter. The poll also found that a third of social media users had seen a movie in a theater­ because of something they had seen or read on a social network. But nowadays, social media is not just creating hype for films; in a way, social media is helping direct films. Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are all having a say in major Hollywood decisions. Directors, actors, and audience members are communicating through social media platforms to direct the course of a film. I love films, and I love the idea of fans being able to have a voice in the movie-making process. It might cost the studios a substantial amount of time and money, but as long as I don’t have to see Toby Maguire’s uncomfortable cry or awkward dancing, I’m pretty satisfied.

Sources

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/03/12/movies-depend-social-media-support-for-staying-power-box-office/mDRqLV2AaS1xqmLdFV1N5O/story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/movies/sonic-the-hedgehog-redesign-trailer.html

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/entertainment/fans-complain-about-new-movie-director-vows-listen-change-sonic-the-hedgehog/CYrRcnRbgths6MS3c8p1CL/

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/sonic-hedgehog-trailer-redesign-delay-release-date-a9199611.html

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/08/sony-marvel-spider-man-will-no-longer-be-a-part-of-the-mcu

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/08/sony-marvel-spider-man-will-no-longer-be-a-part-of-the-mcu

[cellophanediamond]

A few thoughts about Dororo nobody asked for

(Spoilers about the manga and 2019 anime to episode 5 ahead)

I’m helplessly in love with Dororo. The plot is really interesting and the character are precious. The animation is superb, the op song is amazing (I’ve been listening to it for a week straight). I wanted to watch it when I saw Hyakkimaru’s character design (his gorgeous hair flying in the wind is just… <3) in a post listing the upcoming shows, but I had absolutely no idea of what I was about to see.

The feels, my dudes… The feels were stirred and I must say I was caught up by the moment the thunder fell and scarred Daigo’s forehead and I loved Hyakki and Dororo the moment they appeared on the screen.

I got so hyped by episode 3 I had to had more. I bought the mangas during the weekend and read them (the last two during work time, lol).

The manga is childish, but the heavy drama is there (Dororo’s back story is just a punch in the stomach, all I wanted to do was lay down and cry - I can’t wait to see how it’s going to be on anime). The author diminish the angst with jokes, playing with the fourth wall, so it’s lighter. Also, the artwork helps to cushion the impact of the tragedies happening. They’re still there, though.

I hear people saying the end is not good, because it’s vague. I actually liked it, and although I wished to see Daigo dead, what Hyakki did was a act of mercy, to show he’s different from his father. What I did want to see was my boy with his body completed, but… I like the way it’s open to the reader to muse about it and the prophecy about the Hall of Hell at end of the wars.

The anime is making the story more serious and darker. Dororo not being a brat in the beginning and really caring about Hyakki since the start makes me like him even more (the scene where he’s super worried about Hyakki stepping on the bonfire is beautiful). Another thing that I truly liked is the choice of eliminate Hyakki’s telepathy to communicate with others. It’s a fine tool in the manga, which keeps the story light as the dialogues Mr. Tezuka builds are emotional, but that absence in the anime makes Hyakki’s situation deeper. He cannot see, hear, feel, talk. All he can do is sense the energy of things and kill the ones that are evil. He’s trapped in his own mind and the only way out is violence. That’s powerful.

It amazes me how a character as Hyakki is lovable. Of course his back story adds a lot, but even so… He touched me in a way I hardly ever felt. He moves my feelings, make me want to protect him, to root for him to succeed. There were few character I loved so strongly in such short time. I think the only one to make me feel like this, recently, was Gaara. 

I love Dororo as well, such a sweet child, with the right amount of boldness, but the one who captured my heart for good was Hyakkimaru. It’s weird how a fictional character can move me like that.

Speaking of powerful, allow me to say that when Mio shows up (I saw she’ll appear in episode 5), I’ll be crying my eyes out. In the manga she’s just mentioned in Hyakki’s flashback and it was already sad. There was so much in there to explore, but the author choose to use it as a background story to Hyakki. If I’m thinking correctly, given the opening, and MAPPA develops their relationship… Man…

If I was on the verge of tears when Hyakki touched Jukai’s face before leaving home, I don’t know what will be left of me with Mio. In the op, Hyakki is shown with her, hugging Mio and then… Alone. And he screams, crying. This sole image tears my heart.

Things I hope to happen / be developed / be different from the manga:

Mio and Hyakki’s relationship: I’m already devastated, tbh

Tahoumaru as a character: I don’t care if they make him a nasty guy (I think it’ll turn out to be like it because he has villain’s hairstyle - am I stupid to presume that? Yes), but he deserves more than what he got in the manga. Possibly his plot will be extended.

Daigo receiving what he deserves: sorry Tezuka-sensei, I know you chose to make Hyakki be the bigger man, but I can’t forgive that shitty human being that is Daigo

Hyakki meeting Jukai again: father and son reunited, PLEASE

Hyakki unbothered by the fact Dororo was born a girl: in manga when Hyakki leaves Dororo to hunt the remain demons, he says that he hopes him to be more feminine when they reunite. Please…

Hyakki actually gaining all his body parts: since they reduced the number of demons from 48 to 12,  I think we’ll be able to see the fulfillment of Hyakki’s journey

To sum up...

I can’t wait to see what will happen from now on. The story is moving and it has something capable of touching my heart deeply. It’s amazing what fiction can do to us. I’m already in love with this and if I know myself, this feeling will only grow.

[sassysnowperson]

Total Words Posted 2018: 269,752!

Total Works: 64 works in 3 fandoms (sorta, it was all Star Wars and then I wrote one crossover fic that was Not Star Wars At All and picked up the other two) with 40 different pairings.

As compared to last years: 253,511 words, 25 works, 3 fandoms, 8 different pairings.

Compare/Contrast between this year and the last: Roughly the same wordcount! SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT pairing and work count! I remain Mostly Stuck in Star Wars Land. 

Major thing I learned this year: My range! This year I wrote fics from 500 words to over 50k, with wildly different genres, focuses, and narrative goals.  In this, I feel like I have to talk about Stone and Sand, my first novel-length fic that is actually one coherent story. Knowing I can do that was...huge, and it’s also the fic I’ve done some of the most worldbuilding on. It’s made me grow as a writer, and I’m tremendously chuffed by it. 

Also! I did my first exchange! Now that I’m more aware of exchange culture it’ll be interesting to see how that impacts things.

How I did on my Goals for Last Year: My goal was to write shorter pieces, and I DID! I wrote 27 works that were just around 500 words! I feel like I got better at distilling a scene.

Goals for the Coming Year: Go back to my ongoing series. I hope to update Bodhi Lives (I have...two stories I can tell before IX comes out and I need to figure out how much I’m going to stick to canon in the future universe). I also hope to work on a MASSIVE modern AU that I’ve been picking at, actually get that out into the universe. I’ve also discovered I really enjoy writing fic as gifts, so probably spacing out the longer series with shorter gift works. We shall see. 

Under the readmore is a round-up of the fics I wrote in 2018, divided by fandom, then series, and if they’re not in a series, by event, and if none of the above apply, by ship or main characters. 

l don’t have a good statistic to sum it up, but the widening and deepening of my fandom friendships has been a continuing joy. Thank you all for being a part of that!

If you’ve been reading my work, talk to me!

What’s been a favorite story? Most unexpected? What was the first thing of mine you read? What are you hoping I’ll write more of in 2019?

Note: Titles are links to the series and works.

Star Wars - New Series

Stone and Sand Verse (Bodhi and Luke’s relationship in a universe where both Bodhi and Jedha live, Bodhi/Luke - 69,410 words) 

Stone and Sand - (Bodhi/Luke) (52,318 words) - Bodhi goes back to Jedha, Luke tags along, a love story between two people and a place.  

Coming Flood - (Bodhi/Luke) (859 words) - Established Relationship fluff, with some political worldbuilding on the side. 

Different Deserts - (Luke & Rey) (15022 words) - Luke goes to Jakku to find a Sith artifact, and he finds a bit more than he expected. 

For Those that Read Stone and Sand - A meta for the series, explaining the setup I worked out for how the canon diverged, and some of Bodhi and Luke’s backstory.

Lyra Lives (An AU take on what would have happened if Lyra Erso had decided to stay with Jyn at the start of Rogue One - In Progress, 48,315 words at the end of 2018) 

Troublesome as Ever - (Jyn & Lyra Erso, Lyra Erso/Galen Erso) (17189 words) - A retelling of Rogue One, with an alive Lyra Erso. 

Traitors and Liars - (Galen Erso & Cassian Andor) (2515 words) - Galen and Cassian have a conversation about the whole ‘That one time I tried to kill you’ thing.

Critical Flaws - (Galen Erso/Lyra Erso/Bodhi Rook) (In progress - 28611 words as of the end of 2018) 

Modern Pilots (Poe/Luke as airline pilots, good friends, casual lovers, and maybe something more? - 22,396 words) 

Eight Hours to O’Hare - (Poe/Luke) (7335 words) - After eight solid hours of sass from his mouthy first officer, Captain Luke Skywalker takes Poe back to the hotel for a very thorough dressing-down. 

Six Hours to La Guardia - (Poe/Luke) (15061 words) - The prequel to the above, showing the first time Poe and Luke spent some time together. You can honestly read these in either order, but this was the order they were written in. 

Star Wars - Continuing Series (Started in Prior Years)

Merrick/Draven (Antoc Merrick, fighter pilot, and Davits Draven, spy, are fighting the same war in very different ways - 8,077 words in total) 

Who Pays the Cost - (Merrick/Daven & Cassian) (500 words) - Merrick, Draven, and the problem of child soldiers. (Seriously, good Lord Star Wars, there are so many child soldiers in your universe!) 

Time Enough for Mourning - (Merrick/Draven) (2191 words) - Sorrow, Joy, and what happens to Draven after Merrick meets his canonical fate during Rogue One. 

And in the Morning, Joy -  (Merrick/Draven) (1988 words) - I made myself sad so I had to go write a fix-it. Merrick, Draven, and what happens to them during ANH when Merrick does NOT meet his canonical fate. 

What We Know - (Merrick/Draven) (2352 words) - The spy and the flyboy consider life after war, and when exactly a war ends. 

Bodhi Lives Short Stories (technically two different series because I have DREAMS of expanding and discussing further, but I’m not there yet) 

Impending Demise - (Bodhi & K-2SO) (832 words) - Bodhi and Kay play chess. 

No Better Plans - (Bodhi & K-2SO) (497 words) - In another universe, Bodhi and Kay become pirates. This one has art because I fell in love with the image of Bodhi with gold and purple hair. 

Choices and Changes (My sprawling Modern AU, featuring cops turned nurses and gangsters turned cops, in 2018 I wrote some short stories to better fill in the universe) 

Impatience - (Bodhi/Cassian) (1742 words) - A lazy, suggestive morning in bed. There is no sex. This is the most overtly sexual thing I have written that does not actually include any sex. 

Friends and Lovers - (Bodhi/Cassian, Background Ahsoka/Padme) (6846 words) - Cassian tells Bodhi a story about what happened during their years apart.

Favorite Cover - (Bodhi/Cassian) (490 words) - Bodhi and Cassian make out in a closet...to maintain their cover, of course. 

Year after Year - (Ahsoka/Padme) (500 words) - I loved them so much I had to write their story too, framed through Christmases together. 

Star Wars: Events

February Ficlet Challenge - write a different pairing for every day in February!  (Note, where appropriate, I grouped the ficlets with their appropriate series, instead of here, though this link will take you to the entire series page)

Additional Note: Each of these ficlets is right about 500 words, so I will not be including a wordcount. 

Nightmare Scenario - (Luke/Bodhi) - No power, no heat, Luke and Bodhi stuck in the black. 

Good and Bright - (Cassian/Jyn) - Some nights, Cassian trusts Jyn to take control.

The Things You Miss - (Obi-Wan/Chirrut/Baze) - Masquerades are an interesting opportunity. 

Knock-Off Jedi - (Cassian/Luke) - They’re about the same height, and Cassian has cause to regret this. 

Strange Customs - (Kes/Shara) - What happens to an accidental marriage trope when the people are already married?

Kiss the Sky - (Antoc Merrick/Luke Skywalker) - Merrick, an innocent bystander, gets pulled into the younger pilot’s initiation rituals. 

Easy Mark - (Bodhi/Jyn) - Bodhi’s still not sure if Jyn likes him or just thinks he’s an easy mark. 

Pebble - (Lyra/Galen) - Superpowered / Fantasy AU, Krennic makes a play for Galen, and very much underestimates Lyra. 

Out of Turn - (Leia/Bodhi) - The Death Star is a horrible thing thing to share, but they share it.

Kitchenette - (Wedge/Mon) - They find their peace with each other. 

Gentle Grace - (Leia/Amilyn) - There’s not much room for softness in Leia’s life anymore. 

Where Did You Get A Ring? - (Wedge/Cassian) - A fake engagement makes for a pretty good cover. 

A Pilot First - (Wedge/Poe) - Wedge is a senator now, and there are precious few people in his life that see him as a pilot first. 

Explain This to Me - (Obi-Wan/Owen/Beru) - There’s a bleeding man on Beru’s couch, and she would really like to know why.  

A Fine Distraction - (Biggs/Bodhi) - After Scarif and the Battle of Yavin, Bodhi and Biggs carry similar scars. 

Newest Muse - (Cassian/Poe/Bodhi) - Artist!AU, Bodhi tries his best to steal C. Andor’s newest muse. 

Stranger while Slouching - (Wedge/Leia) - Wedge isn’t sure what Leia looks like when she’s actually relaxed. 

A Gentle Man - (Bail/Obi-Wan) - Their time together is a fiction, but it’s a fiction they both enjoy tremendously. 

To Better Memories - (Wedge/Bodhi) - They experienced the same Empire, very differently.  

Teeth Aren't Supposed to Ache - (Bodhi/Galen) - Bodhi gets the flu. 

Supposed to be Romantic - (Biggs/Luke) - Luke really doesn’t understand the concept of picnics. 

Mine to Claim - (Cassian/Leia) - Fairytale AU, The Princess is in the tower, but nobody is expecting the spy. 

Tell Me a Secret - (Wedge/Luke) - Wedge, Luke, and secrets shared through the years. 

Star Wars Rare Pairs Exchange - a gift exchange for lesser-written Star Wars Pairings, aka a two-month BLITZ of writing A LOT OF FIC (October and November).

A Body of Unanswered Questions - (Davits Draven/Mon Mothma) (770 words) - Mostly featuring Draven’s existential crisis, also featuring smut.

A Series of Better Decisions - (Padmé Amidala/Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker) (9,211 words) - Revenge of the Sith is less tragedy and more comedy, because Anakin Skywalker is less evil and more of just…a disaster bisexual.

Beyond the Clouds - (Lando Calrissian/Biggs Darklighter/Luke Skywalker) (23277 words) - Luke and Lando are both reeling from the events of ESB, but are slowly building something with each other. The news that Biggs Darklighter, Luke’s childhood love, is alive is amazing news, but it does make their relationship more complicated. 

Bury Your Heart - (Leia Organa/Han Solo/Wedge Antilles) (9051 words) - Leia’s heart is torn between her duty and her love, and agrees to an arranged marriage for the sake of Alderaan’s survivors. To her surprise, her old friend Wedge Antilles is on the list of acceptable candidates.

Decent Organics - (Cassian Andor/K-2SO, Lando Calrissian/L3-37) (2541 words) - Snarky droids, and the organics that love them. L3-37 is trying to get under Cassian’s skin, and Cassian enjoys it tremendously.  

Hang With You for a Minute - (Bodhi Rook/Luke Skywalker) (3883 words) - Bodhi is trying to get away from a clingy ex-boyfriend, and asks a random adorable blond for help.

Heat Heals - (Finn/Luke Skywalker) (2002 words) - Two kind people find a bit of comfort in each other, and also discuss the cultural construction of the idea of attraction. 

Reckless Idiot - (Wedge Antilles/Tycho Celchu) (1530 words) - Semi-Public sex with some Power Dynamics…and also a lot of emotions about pilot lifespans and the worthwhile but difficult reality of love during wartime.

The Survivor - (Cassian Andor/Shara Bey/Kes Dameron) (13,667 words) -  Shara Bey drags Cassian off of Scarif, much to his chagrin. And then she and Kes decide to look after Cassian, as they don’t trust him to look after himself. 

Waystation - (Poe Dameron/Bodhi Rook) (12,763 words) - Pre-TFA, Poe Dameron’s ship gets…a little bit damaged, and he has to pull into a space station. The mechanic there has a familiar name. It’s on the tip of his tongue. Maybe something out of the stories Mama told him - daring heroes up against impossible odds.

Star Wars - Standalone Fics By Pairing

Bodhi/Wedge

Not Too Much - (4625 words) - Wedge is convinced that he is probably not the best person to be in a relationship with. 

 Future on the Other Side - (1084 Words) - After Endor, Bodhi and Wedge find each other. 

Bodhi/Luke

Kissing Strangers - (1662 words) - Modern AU, Luke regrets helping Leia with her art project.

Good Books and Goodbyes - (807 words) - Reading is distracting, much to Bodhi’s amusement. 

Bodhi/Cassian

Force of Nature - (241 words) - Cassian was a force of nature when he kissed.

Bail/Breha/Obi-Wan

Wisdom of the Queen - (1123 words) - Breha decides to spend the day in bed.

Bodhi/Jyn

Alone and Otherwise - (3201 words) - Jyn isn’t sure how to let anyone in, anymore. 

Luke/Wedge

Marriage, and Other Unorthodox Solutions - (29,541 words) - Luke is ready to give up on the college of his dreams, because his aunt and uncle couldn’t afford tuition. Wedge has a different, slightly unorthodox, solution...

Bodhi/Han

Sit Down and Buckle Up - (2538 words) - When Han Solo finds himself hit over the head with a blackjack he's got no choice but to turn the piloting of his precious Falcon over to one Bodhi Rook. Bodhi, it turns out, is a very good pilot. Han, it turns out, is really into that.

Gen/Humor Fics

The Glorious Ascension of Emperor Solo - (2170 words) - Han Solo agrees to use the Falcon as prisoner transport, and everything goes horribly wrong...or right, depending on your point of view.

The Definitive Guide to Galactic Wildlife - (1345 words) - K-2SO, who is Clearly an Expert on Organic Creatures, provides the definitive guide to wildlife in the Galaxy Far Far Away.

Shout out to My ONE AND ONLY Non-Star Wars Fic!

Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) / Evey Carnahan (The Mummy)

Set and Osiris - (3313 words) - Evy Carnahan and Diana Prince meet in an abandoned Egyptian temple. It is most unexpected.

OH MY GOODNESS THAT WAS SO MANY LINKS. My hands ache. My eyes are blurry. 

If you actually read this far, know that I appreciate you, so much, and wish you all the best. *blows kisses*