#this is mostly for my own reference and not intended to be definitive

[beefycupcakes]

I watched the Cars trilogy recently and with that came a wave of nostalgia and a strange desire to make my own designs for the cars as humans. Aka taking all the charm out of Cars but scratching the brain itch.

So, no need to drag out the intro any longer, I have some notes written out about em for those who might be interested or just bored.

Lightning McQueen:

I tried to make his suit look as professional as possible, with references pulled straight from McQueen's paint job/stickers, while also keeping in mind that I do intend to draw him more so I didn't want to go too crazy with the design. In a perfect world I would've let my maximalist cravings win, but alas let's keep it digestible for my sanity.

I feel like everyone's kinda on this unspoken agreement that McQueen as a human would pretty much look just like Owen Wilson, and that's the big picture here. I used Wilson as inspiration while tweaking and exaggerating a few things to my preference. (Okay, well not everyone, lmao.)

The chevron markings on the front cut off at the side seams not wrapping around the entire suit as to not clash with the sponsor logo on the back.

Also, he's wearing special gloves to help him grip & have control over the steering wheel. I think sometimes that looks a little weird when his sleeves are down & cuffed, but I just feel like he needs to have the gloves there— especially when he comes out of the top half of the suit. (It's also lowkey supposed to mirror his 4 tires when you consider his shoes are also black.)

So yeah, that's basically all I have to to say regarding Lightning McQueen's page. I feel like a lot of my design choices are self explanatory and, honestly probably shared universally... I mean, he's really cut & dry. (But I love him ⚡︎)

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Mater:

I'm not gonna lie, Mater was a bit challenging for me. I definitely had to step out of my comfort zone but I wanted to stay true to the character and not butcher anything.

My first thought was to give him a fishing pole to substitute for the tow hook— but then the more I was thinking about it, the more that felt so... out of place? Radiator Springs is in Arizona, which is (not entirely, but mostly depicted in the movie as) a desert. And even though there are beautiful bodies of water in Arizona, in the movie I don't recall seeing any prominent ones, at least in relation to Mater. So, scratch that, instead I gave him a lasso, which isn't supposed to entirely substitute for the tow truck— no, he still drives a tow truck, but the lasso is so he can grab people/things similarly to Tow Truck Mater (very cartoony). My explanation for this is the cattle ranch. Yeah, Mater is a tow truck driver but perhaps he has a side hustle, or hobby, if you will.

Also, I didn't want to make him... dirty(??) Like, yeah, of course, Mater would obviously get a bit filthy from time to time, it's just in his nature, but that is NOT going to be the core of my design. In regards to the rust happening on him, I felt like instead I would substitute this with being very tan. Again, Arizona is a desert. Because of this, he would take off his shirt often, and this would substitute for the missing hood like on Tow Truck Mater. The removal of the shirt also reveals just how tan Mater actually is.

It's his uniformed overalls that have his original aqua color, but from years of wear & tear they've been patched up with brown patches, this would also reference the rusting. The one strap is supposed to mimic the one headlight being broken, and I know that's a stretch, believe me, I wanted to do something with his eyes but eyes are not the headlights in the Cars universe..... think about this. Think about it really hard... if you know what the headlights are in the Cars universe then this actually makes perfect sense.

He is taller and wider than McQueen, which is a reference to the literal frame of their vehicle counterparts. (A little hard to picture with these images, but eventually I'll draw them together!)

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That's all I have to say really, but do let me know what you guys think! Gas it up and it might encourage me to make a part 2 with some of the other characters! Who would you like to see next? ♡ Thank you so much for reading & have a great day, Kachow!!

[starlightomatic]

Hi! I saw your tags on unlearning zionism and I was wondering if you've ever spoken about that/the kind of processing you had to do? I think it's... Interesting (for lack of a better word) how this is a sentiment I've seen reflected on pretty much all explicitly non-zionist Jewish blogs I follow, and how much that reflects both how closely entwined the concept and Jewishness has become and the fierce zionism in some people.

Obviously you're free to not discuss this at all, I also understand it's deeply personal. (I'm also not intending to make anyone change their mind, I believe this is a process Jewish people should be afforded on their own terms; I'm really just trying to understand where they're coming from). ♥️

The tl;dr was through talking to people, breaking my rigidities, and being lucky enough to encounter people who were kind, committed to dialogue, and not dismissive.

Longer version under the cut.

In winter 2019 I started dating a non-zionist, so a lot of the early stuff was through conversations with them.

Here are the specific things I recall through them:

They validated my experience of having felt traumatized by a negative experience I had at a protest. I felt very on the defense, and dismissed, as a zionist who wanted to be in leftist spaces and they validated that. I don't know if they were faking it or not, but it felt real, and being heard and not dismissed was super important to building trust and safety. Ultimately, building trust and safety was the most important thing.

They would sometimes patiently poke holes in things I said. Matter of factly, not confrontationally. For example, once I said I didn't like the separation wall dividing Israel proper from the West Bank but that it was necessary to prevent terrorist attacks, and they were like "no, that wasn't the wall, it was a change in PA policy." Another time I was like "I don't understand [West Bank] settlers, if they want to be pioneers and settle more land they should settle the Negev, where they're not encroaching on Palestinians!" and they explained to me more about the situation between Israel and Bedouins and how that actually still would involve encroaching/displacement.

They're very religious, and so they had the tools to poke into my "but just open a siddur! you can see all the references to returning to Jerusalem!" and discuss how that differed from and predated zionism the political ideology. They were able to break through my dismissiveness/derision of Chareidi antizionism and help me understand that it has legitimate religious underpinnings. (They're not Chareidi though.) They affirmed for me that they do feel connected to Eretz Yisrael and they love Eretz Yisrael.

They also explained that indigenous doesn't mean "from a place" but rather describes a relationship to colonialism. It still didn't totally click for me, and they and I have both since come to understand that there are a lot of definitions of indigenous, but what it did help me understand was that when people push back against "Jews are indigenous to EY" they're not always trying to say we're not from there.

In general it helped me break down what I thought an antizionist was. I thought that an antizionist was someone who didn't think Jews had a meaningful spiritual and communal connection to EY, thought we weren't from there, didn't give a shit if all Israeli Jews ended up pushed into the sea, hadn't opened a siddur to see references to return to Jerusalem, etc. I was also pretty rigid in my thinking and had collected a bunch of talking points, mostly that I'd co-created with other members of Jewbook (Jewish facebook). They helped me break out of that rigidity and once I'd done that I was open to learning more.

What happened next is that in fall 2019 is I did a fellowship that, while unrelated to the topic, put me in contact with other Jewish antizionists.

There was one person whose project we visited during an outing on the fellowship, who had discussed their project's antizionism. I was bothered by it and asked them one question: Did they feel Jews were connected to Eretz Yisrael? Did they feel connected to Eretz Yisrael? They responded yes of course.

Another person was my roommate on the fellowship, a leftist antizionist Syrian Jew. For a while one of my sticking points had been Mizrahi support of Zionism -- my thought process here had a few pieces. One, it seemed like white privilege to go against what most Israeli Jews of color believed and wanted. Another was that I felt that a lot of antizionists were dismissive of and racist towards Mizrahim and don't understand or care to understand their needs, history, or motivations (I do still think that's true). I also saw the expulsions from SWANA and the fact that Israel took in the SWANA Jewish refugees as proof of the necessity of Zionism.

So, I think that interacting with a Mizrahi antizionist both taught me expanded perspectives on the issue, and taught me that it's possible to be antizionist and still in solidarity with Mizrahim. I learned more nuance, for example around Israel's taking in of the refugees; I knew they had been mistreated, but I think it helped me connect the dots about what that meant about the entire Zionist project. That was also the year A-WA's album Bayti fi Rasi came out, and when I listened to Hana Mash Hu Al Yaman, I think that's when it clicked for me that Israel taking them in was not some sort of miracle or blessing in disguise but rather a last resort for people who did not want to go but had no choice. The main characters in that song wanted to stay in Yemen which is I think something that hadn't clicked for me before. That may not be the majority Mizrahi perspective but it is a perspective and one I hadn't previously considered.

By the same token, my partner at the time (the one I talked about at the beginning of the post) was raised as a Yiddish speaker, and we talked about Yiddish suppression during the early days of the state, as well as Ben Yehuda's disdain for Yiddish, and the general early Zionist disdain for Eastern European Jewry and "old world" Jewish culture. I was already aware of the New Jew concept (the idea that the old Jew was studious and unathletic, but we should put that behind us to become strong and agricultural). They helped me frame this in terms of antisemitism, connecting it to the vitriol Chassidim receive from other Jews, antisemitism directed towards Jewish men and the ways it's about gender and goyish and Jewish constructions of masculinity, anti-circ rhetoric that depends on the Hellenistic idea of the body as perfection, and Naomi Klein's analysis of the dislike of Yiddish by Ben Yehuda et al as sexist due to their association of it as "feminine" and therefore lesser.

We also talked about the ways that Zionism devalues diaspora culture. I definitely see this in the ways that eg Jewbook zionists used to see the Ashkenazi past in Eastern Europe as simply a time of pogroms and violence with nothing generative or valuable. It seems that zionism posits Israel and Israeli culture as the "right" or "completed" version of Judaism, and discourages us from mourning the loss of culture we experienced during the Holocaust and our subsequent exodus.

I think there is nuance here; there are Israeli Yiddishists, there are people practicing all kinds of diaspora Jewish cultures in Israel, etc. I think this is a case where antizionists take something real and over emphasize it to sound bigger and more harmful than it is. It's not Israel's fault that European Jewry got destroyed and it's not Israel's fault that A-WA's family had to leave Yemen. Sometimes it feels like antizionist project those harms onto Israel and Zionism.

At the same time though, there is a kernel of truth in the way at least that many North American zionists view Ashkenazi culture, thought I can't say how much of that is their Zionism and how much is the legacy of American assimilationism (even among religious Jews).

In any case, 2020 is when I started on my journey to deepen my understanding of old world Ashkenazi culture and history. I started with a day spent in the kids' section of the Yiddish Book Center using the beginner education resources there to start teaching myself Yiddish (I had a lot of familiarity because my extended family speaks it, but I didn't yet). About half a second later the pandemic started, and the chaos from that took all my attention for a while, but by the end of the summer I did a deep dive on my genealogy and spent two weeks tracking down documents and names and towns. At that point my family history was no longer abstract, and I started wondering more about what their lives were like in the old country.

I started watching Yiddish plays on zoom, including a production of the Dybbuk that I fell in love with. I got involved in the shtetlcore movement, which was a social media aesthetic fad that was basically the shtetl version of cottagecore. That spring the duolingo Yiddish course came out and I did a six month streak. The following winter I went to a virtual Yiddish conference. I went again two more times in person, and last summer I went to a week-long retreat where we were only allowed to speak Yiddish. I also do Yiddish drag and burlesque.

With this emphasis and knowledge it's hard for me to accept any framing that the only "right" place for Jews to live is Israel, or that diaspora cultures are lesser-than. At some point I encountered a belief among some zionists (though I don't think most believe this) that the Jewish people's differentiation into a myriad of different cultures was a bad thing, and constituted negatively picking up pieces of non-Jewish culture, and that it's good we're back together in Israel so we can become just one culture again. I obviously strongly disagree and I while I wish we had not had to experience the trauma of Khorban Beis Hamikdash and the ensuing displacement, I think the variety of different cultures we split into is beautiful.

Ironically, Israel is actually a place of great cultural exchange between those cultures. And yes, I do worry there will be cultural loss if everything blends together melting pot style, but that's more of a function of how societies work as opposed to official state policy. And I also think the Jewish subcultures will endure. Also the cultural loss is the fault of the Holocaust, the Soviet Union, and nationalist SWANA countries way way more than it is Israel's.

At this point I've come to view the idea that Zionism is detrimental to Jewish culture as weak, but I still am not a Zionist, and that's because the issue with Zionism is not that it harms Jews but that it harms Palestinians.

In early summer 2020, I, along with many other white people were called to reckon with the realities of white supremacy in the US, and our part in it, far more deeply than we had before. I learned to understand how racism functions as a pillar of the US's underpinnings, how white supremacy morphs to sustain itself, how I as an individual and Jews as a group were being used to maintain white supremacy. It fundamentally shifted how I view these topics and how I understand the way that states function.

It was impossible not to apply these concepts to Israel-Palestine. While it is obviously not a one-to-one comparison and I am frustrated with folks who seem to think it is, the concepts and analyses I learned in June 2020 were very elucidating in understanding Israel as a state, and how white supremacy and Jewish supremacy operate in Israel-Palestine.

One of those concepts is a deeper understanding of power dynamics and the oppressed-oppressor relationship. While that is not the be-all end-all, and it is still possible for an oppressed group to do harm and commit war crimes (as they did on Oct 7), it helped me understand the ways it makes no sense to view Palestinians and Israelis as equal parties or to view Palestinians as "the aggressor" as many zionists do. Riots are the language of the unheard and, yes, so is violence. Do not imagine that I excuse, condone, or celebrate Oct 7, but I understand why it happened.

These past seven months have forced a magnifying glass on Israel-Palestine and I have spent a lot of time thinking and talking about it. I have had many experiences and interactions that have illuminated different things to me, but I'll leave you with this one.

In 1956, a young man named Ro'i Rothberg was killed in Kibbutz Nahal Oz by Palestinians who lived in Gaza. Moshe Dayan came to give a eulogy and in it, he said:

Why should we declare their burning hatred for us? For eight years they have been sitting in the refugee camps in Gaza, and before their eyes we have been transforming the lands and the villages, where they and their fathers dwelt, into our estate.

Which is to say, he is stating point blank that the Nakba happened, and that Nahal Oz -- and in fact Israel -- is built on land that had been farmed and inhabited by Palestinians. The hasbarist canard of "we didn't steal their land" falls away when Moshe Dayan himself admits it, doesn't it?

He is acknowledging, also, that he understands why the people of Gaza are enraged, and why some of them express this rage as violence. He gives his solution: That the Israeli people, and especially the people of Nahal Oz, must always be on their guard. Must never become peaceniks and forget the rage of the people of Gaza. He says "we are a generation that settles the land and without the steel helmet and the cannon's maw, we will not be able to plant a tree and build a home."

His vision is of an Israel that is always militarized and militant, always on its guard, never to know peace. A people who will send their children to the army generation after generation after generation. Never to rest. Never to be able to lower their guard.

And that is awful! Not just for Palestinians, but for Israelis! Dayan lays out here that if the Nakba is not redressed, this will continue forever. He wants it to continue forever; I want the Nakba redressed.

He knew Nahal Oz would be attacked again. And he was right. On the morning of Simchat Torah of this year, 5784, twelve residents of the kibbutz were brutally murdered. A family that my family knows hid there in their bomb shelter for ten hours with their small children until they were rescued. The kibbutz was destroyed.

And Moshe Dayan knew it would happen, all the way back in 1956. And yet did nothing to change our trajectory. I cannot forgive him that.

In the months since the destruction of Nahal Oz, we have seen Gaza pummeled with a terrifying vengeance. For years I have encountered, albeit few and far between, people who have clammored for Gaza to be "turned into a parking lot." I was horrified by them, but did not take seriously the threat they represented. Yet now, their genocidal flowers have borne fruit. Gaza lies in ruins. 60% of the roads and infrastructure are destroyed. The descendants of refugees are refugees again, chased from their homes by the descendants of refugees. The live in tents, they scrabble for water and food. They live under threat of bombing, or being shot, or dying of illness and malnutrition.

And still Nahal Oz remains destroyed. The Jewish dead of Europe remain dead. The synagogues of Tunis and Algiers remain empty. Nothing is fixed, only more and more broken.

Is it to continue this way? Is this the world we want?

I say no. I say another world is possible. And on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.

[anonymouscheeses]

Im sorry i have to say it..: Get Your Hands Dirty sounds like a love song.

HEAR. ME. OUTT!! (No i dont mean a love song between Chloe n Ella omg 😭)

What I'm implying here is that it sounds like one of those niche high school love stories when one of the lovers(most likely a goodie two-shoes) goes to their mentor/parent/even the person their loving/etc to ask for advice on relationships. Or more specifically, if this person is worth it or even a good person. From the top of my head: I Won't Say (I'm In Love) and the goodie and the wildchild dynamic is pretty similar to Gabriella and Troy from hs musical, which iws(iil) kinda inspired this post tbh but also ive been thinking about this ever since i first watched the movie. (You plop in ur own songs, i js KNOW this trope exists)

Now that we've established the well used niche trope existing in this niche song made by the niche king that is Disney.... why do i think that Get Your Hands Dirty is a love song, i hear?

Lets analyze THE LYRIICS 😈😈

"Right and wrong, cruel and kind, who's to say?" "There's a code that I believe in."

"Robin Hood" "yeah?" "Awesome guy" "yeah!"

"Every choice, you're gonna find there's shades of grey." "There are rules for a reason!"

"So you could then cross that line, theoretically."

"You'd agree?" "But he stole for the poor."

"The decision's always up to you. When there's only one thing left to do"

"I don't know you anymore.."

Okay, so i shortened and made it tiny for obvious reasons, that bein its too long 😭 so! AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO GETS A FEEELIN?? a feelin that this is SCREAMING denial?! Its giving...

Chloe: Ellaaaa.... this girl im talkn to is SOOO HHHOOOOTT and PRETTY and cool and stuff but ugh.... SHE EEEVILLL!!

Ella: oh my gosh.. STFU. Shes prolly not even that evil ill prove it smh..

*get ur hands dirty starts playing. No exaggeration. No cap.*

"Okay, but there's some universal truths you must recognize." "Like?"

"Valiant knights, pure and good, guaranteed" "That depends on what they're fighting for"

"Creepy witches selling potions for evil deeds" "She could have kids she's providing for"

"If your good-good things will come to you"

MORE denial, Chloe wants to be friends with Red SO bad she looks stupid, but she brings herself back by trying to prove to herself that she's evil and they SHOULDN'T be that close. Which also is a big sign of comphet and heteronormativity, i would know 🧍 (which is a post for another day i might make. Prolly 2 prove that Chloe is a lesbian in deep comphet)

"But just how far do you go? How much do you compromise? Oh, tell me, how do you know. Where do you draw the line?"

"There's nothing I wouldn't do. If my heart tells me it's right. If it's for someone I love. If it's to save a life."

"To save your life."

Further deepening the trope i mentioned. The first line could be interpreted as a double meaning since the song is kind of mostly about Chloe coming to terms with the fact Red isn't really evil or as bad as she thought, plus the argument of where the line between evil and good is. It could refer to Red or Ella, maybe both, but Ella changes the meaning with her own experiences so it drifts off the focus from Red because we cant have ANYTHING 🤧 but i still believe Chloe intended it to be for Red since the entire song is really just for the progress of their relationship n stuff.

Now this could definitely all be in my head, yes, Disney would most likely NEVER canonize or even imply heavily a queer relationship or anything lgbtq on a pre established franchise (cowards.). But there is always a chance.... deep inside the dark heart of the mouse..

Plus, with the subtle hints here and there of Red and Chloe's relationship growing, romantically or not, they are still super close and love eachother alot. Chloe is js (kinda) canonically a girl kisser who cant help but find a girl kissable (same)

And don't get me started on this movie and its obsession with love and proving how it is not "ain't it". Hello...? They set the tone of love, but i see NO person close enough to Red established for this message (other than Chloe) and if they introduce some random guy in the next movies, NO ONE would care nor would they want it unless somehow its 100x better than redcharming, but thats impossible cz wlw 4 life.

So, this entire thingy is me basically finding scraps and wanting to provr that charminghearts IS canon and WILL be established soon! (Im delulu)

[spicyraeman]

Hello! I'm trying to shorten my sketch to good drawing time and I think your lae'zels are good (great) drawings. What does your initial process look like? (If you don't mind sharing your process) Do you have a sketch step or are you going straight in with the outline somehow? I'm trying to find a process that's more comfortable than I what I do now, which is sketchy and messy. And then I hate the inks I do because the sketch always looks better.

Thanks :)

Lucky for both of us I actually still have the sketch layer for my last Lae’zel drawing so I don’t have to make anything new to show the process!

I have no idea how to organize this so I'm just gonna go with my own weird thing and do levels and hope that it makes sense!

Level 1: This level is entirely for working out poses and forms. The sketch is really ugly and has no detail, just the basic building blocks for the pose and anatomy. Most of the time it looks even messier than this example, but I had to mock one up for this because if the pose is simple and I'm familiar with the character I'll just skip right into level 2

Level 2: This is when I start adding in details, not anything clean, still very messy and basic. I try to keep it loose and mostly from memory so I don’t overwork the sketch more than it needs. I usually start with a simple anatomy sketch, add hair and clothing overtop on another layer, erase the underlying anatomy, and then merge it all into one layer

Level 2.5: Sometimes on more complicated areas like the hair, hands, face, and clothes I’ll do another cleaner sketch with reference just in those areas to make the jump to level 3 easier. If I intend to leave it as a sketch ill usually do this with the whole piece and leave it as a "cleaned sketch" something a bit cleaner and more detailed than the level 2 example but not quite at level 3

Level 3: Here is where I really start busting out the references and getting down into the details. Since I don’t do inks and prefer a sketchier style this is basically my line art. I work through it in parts so things like the face, hair, clothing, hands, and skin details are all usually split up into different layers so it’s easier to manipulate and erase bits. Then at the end I merge it all together into one layer and either start on colors or call it done.

In really simplified terms, my drawing process is - draw a sketch, lower the opacity, make a new layer, draw a cleaner sketch, and then keep repeating that process till I get the results I'm looking for. Its definitely probably not the best way to do things but it works for me!

Hope all this makes sense and that the insight on how I do things helps you out!

[comikadraws]

Whats tobirama's beef with the Uchiha?

An Analysis of Tobirama's Prejudice

EDIT: If you have headed here via another user's post, here is a note. That user has never interacted with me. They clearly also haven't read any of my previous or linked posts, as far as I can tell. They simply just blocked me and then made that post to harass me afterward - completely out of the blue. My post has since been edited to better combat bad-faith takes and bullies like her.

Oh boi. More Tobirama. Once again, I am probably biased but these are my thoughts on him.

First of all, the guy definitely had beef with the Uchiha Clan, but I personally find the "racist" allegations he often gets to be... difficult, to say the least (not that I necessarily disagree with them). It is just that there are some very oversimplified, black-and-white takes out there with zero nuance.

Not that I am necessarily better but I'm definitely trying xD

Tobirama's Prejudice

Tobirama doesn't "hate" the Uchiha Clan but considers them to be a danger to Konoha. That is because

The Uchiha were more loyal/attached to the concept of "clan" rather than the concept of "village" (which stood in conflict with one of Konoha's main philosophies). Hence Tobirama sees them as "rebellious".

The Uchiha are more likely to lose themselves to intense hatred (aka "Curse of Hatred"). And, in the world of Naruto, hate is one of the main motivations of war, ever since the Warring States.

Combine that with the several bad experiences Tobirama and other Senju have had with the Uchiha (centuries of recurring battles, the death of Kawarama and Itama, Madara leaving the village) and you can see why Tobirama would think the Uchiha Clan is dangerous. Beyond that, Tobirama's character actually makes a lot of sense - more so than if he didn't have any prejudice. The prejudice he has is realistic.

He also personally does not believe that he "hates" the Uchiha and describes his bias as "caution".

The Racist Allegations

As I have already covered in this post about the Curse of Hatred, there might be parallels to our world's definition of racism, but Tobirama is not intended as a racist by Kishimoto.

What is important to understand is that perceived themes of racism in fantasy settings (where made-up races can have all sorts of magical differences between them, even those that are undesirable) do not equal actual racism in the real world (where racial differences are purely cosmetic) and often make for a bad analogy.

What I have also covered in the same post is that the Curse of Hatred very much does exist and Tobirama was right to assume that there is something "wrong" with the Uchiha. (For all of you not interested in reading, the TL;DR is that Zetsu's been manipulating the Uchiha for centuries, hence the illusion of a "curse")

Whether his theory was correct or not, however, is up to the audience's interpretation. The problem here is that Kishimoto never contradicted Tobirama's theories and also that they were presented and treated as exposition by the narrative. I am basing my own theory specifically on the exposition given by Hagoromo (chapters 670-671) and Zetsu (chapter 681) who are both relatively reliable sources and seem to imply (emphasis on "imply") that the Curse of Hatred mostly just affects Indra's reincarnates rather than the entire clan (again, reference to my other post because it has nothing to do with Indra specifically but rather just with Zetsu being manipulative).

Not that Tobirama could reasonably know about that detail, though. What he saw instead were centuries of war and Madara's defection, leading him to believe that there must be something influencing the Uchiha's decision-making. (And yes, assuming that my own interpretation about Zetsu is correct, that would make Tobirama a racist as his theories are not based on fact).

Systemic Oppression of the Uchiha?

Another misconception that people apparently have is that Tobirama ostracized the Uchiha Clan, which is untrue. Yes, the guy was horrible, was far too wrapped up in his own trauma, and should not have become Hokage. Not even because I think he was a bad leader necessarily but simply on principle.

That being said, the Uchiha were not being purposefully isolated from the rest of the village. The police force is neither entirely comprised of Uchihas nor are Uchihas forced to join the police. Instead, it is implied to be a choice in the manga.

Somebody else pointed out Orochimaru mentioning that the Uchiha had their clan compound near the prison. But this is not a criterion of ostracization. All the other canonical information we have on the Uchiha's supposed ostracization is based on Obito, who is famously a liar and not a reliable source (therefore it is up to headcanon).

Tobirama also practically gave away permanent leadership of the police. The police are part of the executive branch in any government, just like the military or, in this case, the ANBU - with the only difference being that the police don't require Hokage orders for everything they do. The Uchihas working at the police are in a position of power rather than in a position of suppression. It is also implied that they are able to arrest anybody they want (except ANBU members) without a warrant (again, emphasis on "imply" because the context implies that arrest without a warrant is possible for all non-ANBU citizens).

Keeping this in mind, the establishment of the Uchiha Military Police Force was (most likely) indeed a gesture of goodwill and trust. It was not a slight and it was not an attempt at ostrachization. If anything, it shows that Konoha (and by extension, the police) was corrupt and abusing power on a regular basis (though that is not the point of this post but yes, Konoha's politics are no unchangeable gospel).

There are more misconceptions about Tobirama that are often twisted to fit people's agenda, but I'll leave it at that for now.

My personal conclusion is that Tobirama might fit our real-world definition of "racist". But that heavily depends on your interpretation. Either way, Tobirama was a product of his times.

[mossyivy]

𝗡/𝗦𝗙𝗪 𝗔𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁

Eddie Munson, Jonathan Byers, Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington x Reader

𓆩Eddie Munson𓆪

ᗢ𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Personally I feel like Eddie isn't a massive physical affection kind of guy. PDA is a no go for him with the exception of hand holding and the occasional kiss on the cheek or lips if he's feeling generous.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Let's be honest, this friendship has to have started through a mutual interest or a friend of a friend type situation.

Like maybe you frequent a game shop Eddie likes but can't shop at frequently. An you know the store inside out, better than the own employees do. You point him in the right direction of new stuff the store just got in or even the sales rack.

He starts talking your ear off about the latest D&D manual and suddenly he's asking for your home phone number so he can invite you to some of his future campaigns he hosts at his trailer.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Although I don't think Eddie is a big affection guy, he does like cuddling. But he has to be the big spoon or at least holding you to his chest in some fashion. If not, it's just uncomfortable and too awkward to him to enjoy it

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

I think Eddie craves connection but doesn't want to quite admit it. But once he meets "the one" it's like he's in a whole new world and understands why people talk about marriage.

As for cooking, Eddie grew up in an environment of needing to get by constantly. (We love Uncle Wayne, best uncle ever.) And I'm not 100% sure where Eddie would exactly fall.

But I do know this mf is the king over microwave meals or cooking something with step by step instructions. Mostly because I think he can't focus long enough to follow an actual recipe versus something premade.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Young Eddie would have no problem dropping someone like a sack of potatoes.

Older Eddie would take a lot to get to the point of loving someone so I think he'd really struggle breaking up with someone if the time came. But if it did come to that (as much as I hate to admit it) I don't think he'd be able to do it face to face and probably do it over the phone.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

(See Domestic for the commitment part of this question)

Eddie would definitely be the type of guy to just refer to his partner as his wife/husband or anything else gender non-conforming.

But one day Eddie would probably just drop the question on you and you'd end up just getting papers signed instead of having a massive wedding or something.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Physically Eddie is gentle (unless...)

Emotionally... I feel like Eddie is too blunt for his own good. Even if he's not intending to be an asshole he just comes off that way by nature of his personality. A relationship with him is not for the faint of heart.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Like I said before affection isn't really something Eddie thrives at BUT I do believe this man is a hugger. The kinda guy that bear hugs you and lifts you off the ground if he hasn't seen you in a while.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

When Eddie falls, he falls hard. But my God is he emotionally constipated...

I feel like it take him a good few months to say "I love you". Unless his partner says it first then I think he'd have zero problems with saying it. Maybe even saying it more often than his partner.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

I don't think Eddie gets jealous per say. But I do think he has his boughts of thinking he isn't good enough for his partner.

Or even possibly just waiting for the "inevitable" to happen (i.e. being broken up with)

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Eddie is not experienced in the slightest...(don't come for me, we love him but be honest with yourselves he was "different" and that was frowned upon in the 80s)

At first he'd probably stick with simple pecks but slowly learn what you like and adjust to that following your lead.

I really do believe Eddie is the kinda dude to squish his partners face and give them a hard kiss on the cheek until their face scrunches up. Which makes him laugh before going back to doing whatever he was doing.

But for him... He likes being kissed on the back of his hands. Think about it, his hands are probably all calloused from playing guitar for so long and if you can appreciate their beauty... He'd melt!

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Eddie is fun uncle material. He'd entertain the hell out of kids. Probably be the one little kids would run to with books because he's not afraid to do goofy voices or act out things from the book while reading.

Definitely would be adored by children with how imaginative he is alone.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Eddie gives me grumpy in the morning vibes. If you wake him up before noon on weekends you're definitely getting dirty looks unless it's life or death.

But when he does get up he's the one making the coffee strong enough to grow hair on Sasquatch's chest.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Eddie is a night person. If he's not doing gigs at the Hideout he's at home practice or watching movies with you. I imagine he probably has an extensive collection of recorded VHS' of the most random ass movies you could think of.

And only half of them are labeled. So you two could be watching the original Halloween movie and suddenly after it's over you get the opening credits to Risky Business out of nowhere.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Eddie is mostly an open book when it comes to random sprinkles of information about himself. But feelings take a while.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Eddie is probably a 50/50 kinda guy. He can have the patience of a saint and then the next day he's irritated by something taking too long in the microwave.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Eddie has a hard time remembering things (except your birthday, he most definitely wrote that on his arm or hand the second you gave him that information) but if someone asked him about a random obscure thing about you he'd be able to rattle off the most weird shit possible.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Probably when one of you confessed first. Most likely because that was the biggest relief Eddie's felt in ages but he was also incredibly happy.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Eddie probably is protective to a fault (I mean c'mon look at what he's been through)

When it comes to defending you he's more than happy to step up and get in between you and whoever is trying to cause problems.

Now could he win a fight? Depends. If the person he's fighting is massive, no. But if it's equal grounds, there's no doubt in my mind he could lay someone out.

But Eddie getting protected is different. He would most likely just pull you out of the situation of you defending his honor and tell you how it wasn't worth arguing with someone like that. Regardless he'd be thankful though.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He's the epitome of try. Eddie isn't a massive romantic by nature but he sure tries his damn best to make his partner happy.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Leaving his shit all over the place! This man is a mess when it comes to keeping places tidy.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Eddie doesn't give a shit how people look at him. He solely dresses for himself and himself alone unless it's a special occasion.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

As much as I'd like to say yes, I really think Eddie could go his entire life without having a partner. Especially with the career he wants to have in the future.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

He'd most definitely make you look through his collection of old guitar picks and pick your favorite one.

Once you did you'd see him messing with it for a while and come back to you later with it tied to a piece of twine and into a makeshift necklace.

Just so you could have a piece of him whenever he's not around.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Judgemental people, if he so much as got a sign of his partner being judgemental he'd be out of there in record time.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Definitely passes out around 4am every night and wonders why he's always so exhausted.

But also somehow the type of guy to take a 45 minute nap and act like he slept for 8 hours.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

ᗢ𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

Attentive. Probably likes to spoon and play with his partners hair.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

Chest guy... Yes, yes. Eddie is a boob man. He's a very simple man, he sees booba he's happy.

Now his favorite body part of his own (I know I mentioned this already but shhhh) his hands. Definitely his hands, he's got years of playing guitar built on those things. He's damn proud of them.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Strongest pullout game in the West. Not only does he live of the edge of almost cumming inside of his partner but he'd be the last guy to deny it really does feel better raw.

He's clean and knows you are too. Knows his partner takes proper precautions for birth control if needed so why mess with a good thing?

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Eddie is a frequent masturbater. It started as a stress relief thing and once he started seeing someone just became a habit when he starts thinking of them often.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

I wouldn't say Eddie is experienced but very interested in making the experience the best it can be for whoever he's with.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Without a doubt in my mind it's cowgirl. He just really enjoys watching his partner riding him and the reaction they have whenever he bucks his own hips up to match their pace.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Eddie is definitely cracking jokes during sex. You can't even count the times he's tossed you onto his bed onto to flop next to you and give the usual "You come here often" gag. An even though you've heard it dozens of times the look on his face, that cheeky grin he gives everytime just makes you laugh.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

I think Eddie wouldn't care to keep himself trimmed unless his partner asked him too since his hair is so damn thick and curly.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

A little goofy but keeping his jokes to a minimum to not ruin the moment completely.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

(See Dirty Secret)

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Bondage (to you), Hair Pulling (to him), Dirty talk (both ways)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

As much as a risk taker I think Eddie is I don't think he'd like adventuring outside the bedroom. Maybe the back of his van if you're both feeling impatient enough to not wait till you get home.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Probably his partners outfit choices. Wether it's fishnets and a tight skirt or just walking around in his old band T-shirts he just finds his eyes constantly wandering to you.

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

No exhibitionism

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

I'd say it's about 50/50. Maybe slightly leaning towards giving because he really enjoys watching his partner enjoy the fruits of his labor a little bit more than getting something of his own.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Eddie is definitely a slow and sensual type of guy. He likes to take his time and unravel every part of his partner and make the moment another time to remember when their brain wanders the next day.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Don't think he's a fan of them. Like I said he likes to take his time.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Eddie is definitely open to experiment. He even encourages it.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Since Eddie isn't really the athletic type I think he's good for at least 2 rounds without any real issue.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Eddie most definitely has a collection of toys stuffed under his bed in a box. Hell he even has his handcuffs proudly on display on the rail of his bed.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Eddie is a massive tease. He's definitely the type to walk up behind his partner when they're doing something and suddenly his hands are under the bottom on your shirt. Playing with the waistband of whatever bottoms you're wearing at the moment. Ghosting ever so lightly as his thumbs pull at the band and make it snap against your skin.

All while his head is sat on your shoulder watching what you're doing and talking about mundane stuff.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Eddie is mostly quiet, with the exception of heavy breathing and the occasional grunt or groan.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Loves it when you call him Sir.

Accidentally found out when you were being sarcastic in response to something he said with "Yes Sir." And he immediately got hard and a little bit embarrassed.

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

Eddie to me is one of those skinny nerdy white boys that just be packing heat for no damn reason... Shower not a grower at a solid 7.5 inches and girthy as a mother fucker

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Probably pretty average. Maybe craves actual sex 2-3 times a week.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Eddie has maybe 10 minutes tops in him after sex. He makes sure you're okay and taken care of and then suddenly he's sleeping like a hibernating bear.

𓆩Jonathan Byers𓆪

ᗢ𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Jonathan is a rather private guy so PDA is usually a no go for him. But when you guys are alone or among good company he's decently affectionate.

More often than not he'd probably be holding your hand just has a hand on you some how.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Jonathan is an amazing friend but it takes a lot for him to consider someone a friend. I have a feeling he's a life long friend kind of guy.

So his friendship started in early childhood (probably Kindergarten or 1st/2nd grade) and you two basically grew up together. Most definitely one of those friendships where you'd call his family, your family by extension.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Jonathan is definitely a cuddler. He'd probably want to be big spoon out of habit but if you asked he'd be more than happy to let you hold him.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He would most definitely want to settle down but not until his late 20s/early 30s. Jonathan loves his family dearly and definitely would want one of his own someday.

Jonathan is extremely self sufficient. He can do most house work (I think he really hates doing laundry though) and cooks extremely well from living as basically a second parent to his younger brother.

He also strikes me as someone who could pull together very cheap meal that are extremely good.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

As we saw his previous relationships... (*Cough, cough* Nancy *cough*) He'd probably ride that relationship until you break up with him or it dies. Unless something major happened or you fuck up badly he's not letting you go.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Jonathan to me would make it very clear how much he wants to marry his partner the second he starts thinking about it. He'd probably propose and you two would be engaged for a few years and slowly save up for your perfect little wedding surrounded by everyone you care about.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He's quite literally the epitome of gentle in every way. Especially with how he grew up with his parents constantly arguing and with how his father was, he'd want to be the exact opposite of him.

Physically, Emotionally and verbally all around Jonathan is gentle.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Jonathan adores hugs! He'd be the kind of boyfriend to hug his partner constantly and maybe cling just a little bit but not too much.

At the beginning of a relationship though he'd be too in his own head to hug but would eventually work up the courage to ask. But once he got that first one it be hard to get him to not want to hug you.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

I can imagine Jonathan being in love before even getting into a relationship with someone.

Would probably just blurt it out haphazardly one day and you say it back. Followed by a surprised stare from him, forming into a smile. You'd have a conversation oh what exactly you both meant by it and now you're together...

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Much like Eddie, I don't think Jonathan gets jealous but he does think he isn't good enough for his partner. Maybe even would fear that he's being "too much" on occasion and wonder if he's going to lose you.

But since Jonathan isn't emotionally constipated he voiced his concerns with his partner and actually talks it out. To which he is reassured and knows you love him very much.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Jonathan is definitely a soft kisser. Slow, passionate and full of love everytime his lips touch yours.

He's definitely a temple kisser. But for him, he would probably not admit it but he really likes when you rub your nose with his after a kiss on the lips.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Great with kids, better with older kids though. He is a family man after all, he definitely had to have picked up something from watching his Mom take care of him and his brother growing up.

But babies... Babies are his downfall. I think he'd be so scared of dropping a baby or hurting them by not holding them propy. That it takes a lot of time for him to not be nervous around babies anymore.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Younger Jonathan isn't much of a morning person. Struggles getting up in the morning but pushes through it.

Older Jonathan is most definitely a morning person through and through. He's up at the ass crack of dawn to go take pictures of nature and back in enough time to make his partner breakfast and head to work.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Night's with Jonathan consist of him reading poetry while you do your own thing in the same room as him. You two don't need to constantly do activities together to spend time together. Merely being in the same room is enough to make you both happy.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Once you get past the threshold of Jonathan's trust he's an open book to you. If he trusts you, he's telling you everything and anything you're curious about. But only if you ask.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Jonathan has the patience of tired mother.

Very patient but once he's past the boiling point it's best to just leave him alone for a little while.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Knows you like the back of his hand. Jonathan is the observant type so most of his information on you is just him watching your actions and not him asking.

Often you'd be surprised to get a random little gift of something practical because he noticed you were in need of it.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Probably your first anniversary together? Jonathan would make sure that was the most romantic night he's ever shown you and continue to sweep you off your feet from that point on.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Jonathan is definitely protective. He's a quiet guy who doesn't talk often but if something happens he's more than willing to step in an defend the one he loves. We already know Jonathan can hold his own in a fight.

But for him, Jonathan usually doesn't expect to be protected he's use to being the protector. Probably wouldn't know how to process it at first because no one outside of his family has stood up for him before.

Eventually he'd be thankful though.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Jonathan is really caring in general so I don't think he'd really see his good treatment of his partner as "putting in effort" and just simply view it as everyday things he does.

But Jonathan is extremely thoughtful and tends to get more practical gifts over shiny and new things.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Being too quiet. I know I've said Jonathan is in touch with his emotions but he still has his boughts of holding in things he thinks are too heavy.

Almost to the point where he tends to boil over and spill his guts every once in a while.

Aside from emotional things I think Jonathan would have a hard time letting go of sentimental things like random movie ticket stubs from dates you've been on, to a sweater that could be used as a rag it's so old and beat up. But he refuses to get rid of it because it was a gift from your first anniversary together.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Jonathan doesn't think he's attractive and is honestly baffled how he caught your eye in the first place. But he does try to look his best when leaving the house. And goes the absolute extra mile when going out with his partner.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yes. Jonathan adores his partner more than anything and if he were to lose them he probably wouldn't know what to do with himself.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Absolutely a coupon queen and sales rack fiend.

I could totally see Jonathan sitting at the kitchen table with a binder and the Sunday paper clipping coupons to save as much money as possible.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Someone who doesn't share his music taste. Jonathan would be the old guy to say "kids these days don't know good music anymore" and then turn on The Cure.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Light sleeper, sleeps on his side most of the time and every little noise he hears his eyes open immediately.

More often than not Jonathan probably isn't getting a full 8 hours of sleep a night, most likely 6 hours at best.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

ᗢ𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

The most attentive man on the planet. Cleans up, checks in with you constantly, gets you water and makes you at least eat a small snack after everything. Probably all while cuddling up to you and giving you little kisses in the process.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

Jonathan most definitely loves you as a whole but really admires your face and how beautiful he thinks you are. And enjoys how expressive you can be.

If someone asked Jonathan what he liked about himself physically he probably wouldn't know how to answer the question. But if he really thought about it he would most likely pick his eyes.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Cumming inside his partner is an immediate no. Probably a real stickler about using condoms and still wanting his partner to take precautions of their own just to be safe.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Definitely has a polaroid of you naked that he said he got rid of ages ago. But everytime he tried throwing it out he just stared at it and couldn't bring himself to do it because of how beautiful he thought you were in the moment.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

Jonathan knows what he's doing most of the time but really appreciates a partner who's willing to be vocal and tell him where he can improve but also praise him when he's doing well.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

I know it's boring but missionary. Mostly because he likes looking at your face and seeing that you're enjoying yourself to the best of his abilities.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Serious, if you crack a joke during sex he'll probably laugh but not say one back and just continue on with everything. Needs to concentrate somewhat so he can stay in the right headspace.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Keeps himself trimmed after getting into a relationship.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Romantic and gentle during. Doesn't care much for rough treatment but loves seeing you enjoy yourself more than anything.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Only masturbates when stressed or hasn't had sex in a while.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Sensory deprivation (both), Praise (to him), Edging (to you)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Leaving the bedroom is fine but the house? No. Definitely not. But if he had to pick a favorite place probably the living room on the couch. There's just something about the small space he really enjoys.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

You teasing him. Jonathan thrives on you teasing him with your body or even just saying something he wouldn't expect.

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

No exhibitionism, no slapping or hitting of any kind

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Jonathan is definitely a giver more than a receiver. 25/75. He finds it awkward looking down at you when you go down on him that he can't focus enough to let himself feel good. So if he does get head he needs to be blindfolded so he doesn't have to worry about looking at you.

But when he goes down on you... The man acts like it's the last time he's ever going to see you every single time. Damn near rips your soul out of your body with how well this man can work his tongue.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Slow and sensual all the way. Really enjoys taking his time and being thorough with everything.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

(See Pace)

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Jonathan is open to experimenting as long as it doesn't include pain. He can't bring himself to even think about laying a hand on you in that way.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Jonathan makes sure to get you to cum at least twice before he even lets you near his dick. He could definitely go 3 rounds, has a slow refractory period.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

I don't think Jonathan has any toys but if he did it probably just be something simple like those finger sleeves with the bumps all over them.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Jonathan isn't the teasing type but he enjoys being teased a lot more than he'd like to admit.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Definitely the whimpering type. Not super loud but you'll definitely hear him every once in a while.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Jonathan is a Sub. There's no doubt in my mind that when it comes being in charge he lets you call the shots.

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

Ah yes, another skinny nerdy white boy packing heat. Grower not a shower. Definitely has the appearance of an average joe but when you get him going, stands at 8 inches at least.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Jonathan isn't super driven by sex but he enjoys having sex at least twice a week. Other than that it's more of a "when you're in the mood" type of thing.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

He stays awake for quite a while. Even if you're out like a light he's still holding you and watching you sleep for a while.

𓆩Robin Buckley𓆪

ᗢ𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Robin is moderately affectionate. She's happy to hold hands or hug in public but kissing is private or in the right company (a gay in the 80s... Need I say more?)

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

For Robin you'd definitely become friends because you frequent her job. After renting tons of videos you would start calling eachother by first names and just start talking about your shared interests. Become quick friends.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Robin isn't much of a cuddler but I do think she wouldn't mind it if her partner asked for it. But she definitely prefers be little spoon so her arms are free to move about while she talks.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

She'd definitely want to settle down. I could picture her getting a quiet little condo with a few cats.

Robin, surprisingly, is really good at cooking. But cleaning she can't focus long enough to fully finish each task. She gets bored really easily.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Robin would struggle but I feel like she could break up with someone. And it have to be over something major for her to end a relationship.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Robin falls hard and fast. Would definitely call her partner her wife (or something gender non-conforming) within a few months of being together as a joke between the two of you. But deep down she knows if she could she would marry you ina heart beat.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Robin is physically gentle but like Eddie can be harsh without intending to be. Her mouth moves faster than her brain can sometimes and she just talks without thinking.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Loves hug, absolute hug machine. Will run in for a hug and squeeze you til you can't breathe.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Like I said, when she falls she falls hard. And Robin can talk about her emotions pretty easily so I could see her saying "I love you" within 6-8 weeks of dating.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Robin is the jealous type... Hands down she doesn't like it when girls talk to you but she isn't territorial about you, just scared someone with swoop in and try being better than her.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Very soft, super soft lips. Always using chapstick because she forgets to drink water most of the time.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Young kids and Robin don't mix well. She finds them mostly irritating but she does have a soft spot for babies.

Older kids she doesn't mind and has quickly gotten use to due to being around the gang so often.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Struggle bus rider in the morning. Hates mornings, finds it difficult to wake up and tends to run late most of the time in the morning unless someone else is waking her up.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Robin is definitely a night person. Tends to stay up pretty late doing random shit around the house.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Robin is very open about herself and tends to talk more than necessary. She gives up information about herself without really thinking about it.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Very impatient if it's something she doesn't enjoy something. Robin tends to struggle with waiting without needing something to entertain her.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Robin would retain important information (important dates, favorite colors/animals, possible allergies) but if someone asked her on the spot it would evaporate from her brain as if she never had the information in the first place.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Your first real date. Robin would set up a picnic in a nice clearing in the woods. You two had a romantic time and it also ended in your first kiss.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Robin isn't super protective of her partner but isn't scared to throw dirty looks at people who try starting trouble.

You on the other hand tend to be protective over Robin. She doesn't need to be coddled but quite enjoys being with someone protective.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Robin pulls out all the stops when it comes to her partner. Really thoughtful and fancy gifts. Cooks meals for you constantly and enjoys watching you eat what she's made for you.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Never on time/Gets side tracked easily. Though it's not necessarily her fault she tends to not have the best concept of time. It's so bad you've gotten into the habit of telling her you'll be leaving for places an hour in advance just in case.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Robin always wants to look her best for her partner. Constantly preening herself as she looks at her reflection while getting ready to see you.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yes, Robin loves you with her entire heart. And she's attached now so being without you would suck for her.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Robin tends to find random things while out of the house and just picking them up off the ground.

Mostly she brings home rocks she finds cool and has a collection.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

People who are too serious. Anyone who gets too serious when it's not needed she doesn't want to be around. Robin understands needing to be serious but not all the time.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Robin tends to stay up later at night. Probably to around 2am, but ends up sleeping til noon or maybe longer if you let her.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

ᗢ𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

More than likely Robin will be wide awake still and want to do something together (watch a movie, cuddle up, maybe cook a meal) This is when Robin is at her clingiest and isn't afraid to show it by sticking to you constantly. (Not that you mind it)

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

Your stomach, soft or not the few times Robin doesn't mind cuddling up to you she lays her head on your stomach and enjoys the comfort of it.

For Robin it's her smile. She simply just has a very beautiful smile that can and should be appreciated.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

When you first met Robin she was completely untouched, never even masturbated before. But once you started dating you showed her how to get off.

Now she has a slight obsession with getting her partner off by tribbing most of the time.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Nothing gets Robin going more than giving her compliments. And if you dare to call her a good girl she'll be putty in your hands.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

Very in experienced when you met. Probably only kissed before.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

(See Cum)

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Robin would be cracking jokes constantly. Probably so often it would break both of your focus unless you shut her up.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Extremely well groomed.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Robin would be goofy most of the time but once you're in the moment everything becomes sensual over time.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Now that she knows what she's doing, Robin tends to masturbate once in a while but would likely prefer sex.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Praise (to her), face sitting (both ways), hair pulling (to you)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Definitely would like it all around the house, back of a car maybe even in the bathroom of a party you're at. But her favorite place would be in the shower.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Just being close to her partner and teasing her. She's pretty easy to get riled up.

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

No Anal, no painful stuff

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

50/50 but part of me really thinks she'd like receiving a lot more.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

(See Goofy)

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Robin would be down for quickies.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

I could see her being paranoid about getting caught but once you reassure her she would enjoy herself and not really think about being caught.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Robin bounces back pretty quickly and has a lot of energy so I could see her going for a while.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

I could see Robin buying a double ended dildo or even one of those little vibrators that looks like lipsticks.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Robin isn't much of a tease but just very forward with what she wants.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

She's definitely a little louder when moaning. She's talkative by nature so I could see her being noisy.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Robin enjoys riding your thigh. So much that you end up buying a grind mat just for her.

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

Robin probably has a smaller chest (b-cup maybe?) But has nice round hips.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Robin doesn't have a high sex drive but if you were to ask she'd be more than willing to go.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

She's a ball of energy so she'll be up for quite a while. Probably off do whatever activity she enjoys until the early hours of the morning and then falling asleep.

𓆩Steve Harrington𓆪

ᗢ𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Steve is affectionate mostly by words not actions. Tends to baby you (kind of)

But when he does things for you it's weirdly subtle stuff. Like tying your shoes, taking you out, buying you stuff he knows you like or just random little trinkets as "just because" gifts.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

He's very much a mom friend.

Constantly checks in on friends by asking if they're okay. He always asks you the most though. Plus he forces food and drinks on you whenever he's around so he knows you're definitely eating.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Steve probably isn't much of a cuddler but if you're having a rough day (or if he is) he's gonna want to cuddle. Prefers to hold you to his chest/facing eachother.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Steve is gonna want to put a ring on your finger the moment it feels appropriate. Probably would start talking about having a family together after being together for 6 months.

Fantastic at cleaning! Cooking?

...Steve is terrible at cooking. Man could burn water somehow. He can somehow burn something but have it still be raw in the middle.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Steve could end a relationship. It would crush him to dump someone who he loves regardless of what happens but he could do it.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

(See Domestic)

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Both physically and emotionally Steve is gentle. Comes off very harsh but never actually says anything that would be hurtful or mean.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Steve doesn't care for cuddling often but hugs. He loves hugs. Would be the kind of boyfriend who would hug you from behind when just standing somewhere.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

From past experiences (*cough, cough* Nancy again *cough) he'd probably be hesitant from saying it at first but if y said it before he did he'd be elated.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Oh he's definitely a jealous guy. Doesn't mind you hanging out with people (obviously) but if he sees someone hitting on his partner he's not gonna happy. Probably would go about flaunting how much he can hug/kiss/touch you in front of whoever decided to try talking to you. Just to rub it in that you're taken.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Steve is a fantastic kisser, definitely the best on the list from how much practice he's had. Like Robin he moisturizes, not because he doesn't drink water but he just wants to make sure his lips don't get dry or chapped.

He's a forehead kisser and I will die on this hill. He'd take your face in his hands and kiss your forehead. All while telling you how much he loves you.

Enjoys cheek kisses but specifically on his little beauty marks the most.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

We've all seen how Steve is basically mother hen with the Party. Babies adore him, small kids like him but he would probably find them irritating with the vast amount of questions they ask. Doesn't mean he doesn't have the patience for them though.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Steve wakes up early, but my god is he never on time in the mornings. Definitely hogs the bathroom just trying to get his hair to look right, it's gotten so bad you'd buy a vanity for this man to do his hair at out of fear of your bladder exploding eventually.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Beauty routines, and in bed by 11 at the latest, midnight if he really wants to push it.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

It would take a lot of trust for Steve to open up about himself. He's had a bad childhood and craves a family to be around but also has difficulty trusting just anyone with his past.

But once you break past that hard shell he's open and honest about everything he's been through.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Very patient. He has to be since he's the designated babysitter for the Party. Honestly if he wasn't as patient as he is he'd probably be balding by now from all the stress he'd be under.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Knows you like no one else. Pays extra attention to all your likes and dislikes. Probably even ends up correcting others when they say you like something or get something about you wrong.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

The first time you said "I love you".

You said it first in passing like it was nothing and he'd stand there stunned for a second. Ask you to repeat yourself and you would. Word for word with a smile to match your confession. He'd nod along with what you said, say it back before you continue the conversation and keeping a straight face.

But on the inside he'd be doing cartwheels and screaming with joy over it.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Very protective. Steve would be the kind of boyfriend to pull you closer or step in front of you if there's a problem. He may not have the best track record when it comes to fighting but he sure has the spirit.

But if roles were reversed and someone said something bad about Steve an you jumped down their throat defending him... Well he'd be shocked. He's so use to having people expect him to defend himself he wouldn't know what to say hearing someone defending him.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Steve is putting in THE MOST effort. At anytime he needs or wants to get you a gift he knows exactly what to get.

And not all of his gifts are practically but they're something he knows you'd like everytime.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Withdrawals after arguments. Steve isn't the most in touch with his feelings all the time and would probably have difficulty talking over issues with you after an argument but he'd try after taking time to cool off.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

I love Steve but oh my God he's like a bird at times...

Always preening himself to make sure he looks good for his partner or just in general. An no amount of reassurance of how attractive you find him even when he's a mess can make him calm down with it.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yes, like Robin, once he's attached he has a hard time detaching (*insert 3rd Nancy mention here*). If anything happens to his partner or if y'all broke up it would honestly devastate him. He'd be pretty lost for a while only because of how much love he has for you.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

(Listen... I will go to bat for this headcanon, you can rip it from my cold dead hands!!!)

He'd be a fantastic teacher. Probably English or History teacher at Hawkins Middle School. Plus he'd be a coach of some kind. Even fills in for the Highschool Gym classes on occasion if needed.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Stuck up people. They'd remind him too much of his past self and how much of an asshole he use to be.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Sleeps like a rock most of the time but if you wake him up he does that scared mom gasp and jolt up. Like everything is emergency... But you're just waking him up cause he's hogging the blankets or something.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

ᗢ𝗡𝗦𝗙𝗪

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

Aftercare KING! Holding you to his chest with rubbing your back. Gives you soft kisses on the head and already had water prepared for after. Probably would want to take a warm bath together afterwards and just enjoy eachothers company.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

Steve is an ass man... Touching it, squeezing it, smacks as he walks by just to mess with you. Just loves your ass with his whole heart.

For him... Surprisingly his arms. Steve is most definitely a lot stronger than he appears. His clothes tend to be a little baggy but he's got some nice arms that look even better when he's lifting something.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

This man would want to cum in side you any chance you let him. He's somewhat territorial and would probably see it as some way of marking his territory but also fulfilling another need itching inside him.

But if you weren't exactly happy with the idea of that he'd probably wear condoms or just finish on you.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Claims to be a Dom but is a service switch. He just really enjoys your reactions more than anything.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

Steve is the most experienced person on the list. He's dated a lot of people, slept with a few girls. Had at least 1 girlfriend. He definitely knows what he's doing when it comes down to it.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Doggy style, good position for your pleasure and he gets the perfect angle to smack your ass whenever he wants to.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

No Steve is serious. Can't crack a joke when he's in his head about performing well and making sure you're feeling the best he can give you.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

If you saw Steve before he dove into the lake in season 4 we know that man isn't shaving. Trimmed a bit maybe but nothing too major.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Very sensual and romantic. Slow in his actions and always has a hand on you somewhere.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Since getting in a relationship I think Steve doesn't see the need to masturbate. If he wants to get off he'll just ask or try getting you in the mood (taking concent into consideration of course).

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Breeding kink (to you), edging (to him), degradation (to you)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Steve is not like anyone else on this list. He does not give a fuck where you two are if either are you are horny it's being dealt with asap.

Most of your experiences end up in a bed but if he had to pick a favorite place it probably the kitchen. There's been many of times you've ended up bent over a counter with him behind you in some fashion.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Just his partner doing mundane everyday things. One second he's just appreciating having you in his life and suddenly his brain is just shifting to the thought of how much he wants to stay with you forever and start a family with you. An something in him just keeps scratching at his brain with the thoughts of fucking you.

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

No choking or cuckolding

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Prefers receiving because he prefers usithis hands on you and talking you through making you feel good instead.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Starts slow but sometimes gets carried away an becomes fast and rough. But you can be guaranteed that Steve isn't leaving you high and dry.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Steve usually refers taking his time but sometimes he just can't.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

(See Location)

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Steve is in good shape so I'd imagine he can go for a while. I'd say 3-4 rounds if he's really in the mood.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Definitely owns a vibrator, probably an egg vibrator he likes using for extra stimulation when he's inside his partner.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Oh Steve is a massive tease. He'd go as far as to mock you if you end up trying to beg for him to touch you even. He'd never pass up the chance to degrade you.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Listen... Steve is probably still stuck in the whole stigma of "men shouldn't moan" but when you're on top of him... It's like he becomes a completely different person. Whiny, moaning mess who can't seem to keep him mouth shut for long.

Tries to save face by shit talking but gets shut up pretty quickly with a grind of your hips on him.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Steve as multiple sex mix tapes... No I will not be further explaining this.

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

Steve carries the confidence of a guy with a massive dick. But honestly I think he's just above average but not huge. So I'll just say 7 inches. Definitely a shower.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Steve has a high sex drive. Craves you constantly but refrains out of fear of being way too much.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

His main concern after sex is making sure you're okay even if he's exhausted he stays awake. But the second he realizes you're out he's down for the count and sleeps like a log.

[kangals]

Kep report card for month 6 (omg it has been a full HALF YEAR of keppy already)

I changed most of the categories since most of them were really more designed for tiny 2-month old puppy, so these are more relevant for adolescence. I don’t really expect other people to read them all, but it’s nice for me having a record to refer back to.

Leash Walking: 🟢/🟡 overall good, but definitely pulls on a harness unless he is tired or I am constantly checking him (not “yank my arm off” bad, but annoying). he doesn’t do so on a collar, so I might switch to that for a while.

Manners - People: 🟡 wants to jump up on everyone he sees and gets very overstimulated by New Friend Attention. he’s very social still, not sure how much he’ll grow out of that (Stellina did, but I don’t remember if she was quite this extroverted at this age)

Manners - Dogs: 🟢/🟡 friendly bordering on annoying, but he does take corrections well and will give space without getting offended, so that’s a green. I give him a partial yellow here because he likes other dogs so much that he gets annoying about it while on leash and has a hard time focusing on anything else.

Manners - Home: 🟢 he’s really good at home, he settles well and aside from very basic puppy mischief (jumping up on the counters, taking things to chew) I can generally leave him to his own devices without issue. and is now housetrained, thank god.

Manners - Public Spaces: 🟢/🟡 really likes going places but just gets overstimulated about it, so it’s a lot of pulling on the leash and not able to settle. just needs more exposure and time I think. did pee recently at Petco but there’s so much dog traffic there it’s hard to say why.

Grooming: 🟡 trying my patience lol. he does solidly “ok” for brushing and nails as long as he’s got a distraction, but gets increasingly wiggly when restrained so we need to work on that.

Recall: 🟡 yellow but I don’t expect anything better at this age lol. Good at home, other places his brain is often checked out elsewhere. He is noticeably more responsive to voice command/tone of voice than Stellina was, which is nice.

Crating: 🟢 no issues, crates up well and doesn’t throw tantrums anymore. Does occasionally still have issues settling but that’s more just sitting upright/pacing than panic, and it does eventually go, so I’m not too concerned. Have only tried leaving him free alone for 20 minutes and he did fine, so hopefully we can start working that up and phasing out daytime crating.

Fear/Anxiety: 🟢 honestly very chill. he has startled at a few objects recently (trailer hitch, and one particular morning glory flower that I guess gave him bad vibes idk) but it’s a very upright, hackles up “hey what’s that!” Response as opposed to true fear or shyness, and he recovers fast once he had a chance to check out the issue. balks at new stairs sometimes, but that’s really it.

Volume: 🟢 green by collie standards lol. he’s significantly less barky than Stellina was, and mostly just barks when he’s playing or someone else is talking to him. does bark at ppl walking past the yard which is annoying but not obsessively so.

Puberty: 🟢 he’s a big fan of marking instead of just emptying the whole bladder at once, but so far he’s still only doing it outside so I don’t really care. hasn’t tried to hump, does sometimes get too interested in other dogs pee, but so far he’s controlling himself so Ball Privileges remain intact (no pun intended).

overall I’d call him a 🟢 with a few 🟡 caveats, all pretty typical issues for an 8month old herding breed. certainly no red flags or things that have really got me concerned, he’s a very happy, stable dog which I’m always thankful for. if the housetraining ends up being his biggest issue I think we’ll have gotten off very easy! but we’ll see what else adolescence throws at us.

[gatoraid]

Rakugo references in One Room Angel

(Alert: this post includes spoilers)

One Room Angel, the BL drama directed by Eda Yuka, based on the manga of the same name by Harada, features quite a lot of references to rakugo. Angel seems to enjoy performing rakugo both now and in his past life, and a famous rakugo reference ends up being the key for uncovering Angel’s past memories.

So, what is rakugo and what are the rakugo stories referenced in One Room Angel?

In short, rakugo is a form of traditional comedic storytelling, that was born during the Edo period. It’s been around for about 300 years now. In a way it could be compared to stand-up comedy, except in stand-up, every performer has their own stories/jokes, whereas in rakugo the performers (rakugoka) mostly perform existing rakugo stories, bringing their own flair to them. Rakugoka use only their voice and expressions, plus simple tools like a paper fan (or chopsticks in Angel's case) and a folded tenugui towel to evoke different characters, settings and items in the story. 

Since rakugo was born during the Edo period and was considered entertainment for ordinary people, many classical (kotenrakugo) stories make references to everyday Edo life. There are also new rakugo stories (shinsakurakugo) being written and performed by rakugoka nowadays. 

The two rakugo stories referenced in One Room Angel, Manjuu kowai ( まんじゅうこわい, ”I’m afraid of manju”) and Jugemu (寿限無/じゅげむ) are both classical rakugo. My Japanese teacher told me that these two stories are usually taught to kids at school, so even without ever seeing a live rakugo performance, most Japanese people would be familiar with them.

Manjuu kowai is the story that Angel is repeatedly seen performing. The story starts with an introduction talking about how different people have different tastes, likes and fears. The story itself is about a man who claims that he is afraid of manju (a bun filled with sweet bean paste), and when his friends try to play a prank on him by filling his house with manju, proceeds to eat them and then wonders if he should next tell them that he’s afraid of tea. I really don't think there's any deeper meaning for why they chose this particular story, other than that it's so well known.

Jugemu is a story about a boy with a ridiculously long name. When he was born, his parents asked a Buddhist monk suggestions for a good name that would ensure a long life. After getting a list of names, the parents couldn’t choose just one, so they ended up naming their son Jugemu Jugemu Goko no Surikire Kaijarisuigyo no Suigyomatsu Unraimatsu Furaimatsu Ku Neru Tokoro ni Sumu Tokoro Yabura Koji no Bura Koji Paipo-paipo Paipo no Shuringan Shuringan no Gurindai Gurindai no Ponpokopi no Ponpokona no Chokyumei no Chosuke.

The comedy of the story partly comes from the rakugoka’s ability to recite the long name with amazing speed, and from how inconvenient such a long name is when you just want to have a normal conversation.

Jugemu is referenced in the twitter username tks_jugem2, and Kouki is able to guess the password for the account based on Jugemu’s full name (ie what comes after two Jugemus). 

The irony that a boy who ended up dying so young had a username based on a boy whose million names were meant to ensure a long life is not lost on me. I’m not sure if that was actually what Harada intended in the og story at all, maybe it’s just me overthinking, but it makes this whole thing even sadder.

Fun fact: in the manga, the password was not spelled out for the reader like it was in the drama, you had to figure it out yourself if you wanted to access a website that is linked at the end of the manga that features a special bonus drawing. I think you can still find the link at the end of the english edition of One Room Angel manga on MangaPlanet’s website.

If you want to know more about rakugo, I definitely recommend checking out Descending Stories/ Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. It's a story about two rival rakugoka, and it showcases the culture and stories of rakugo with love and detail. The original manga was drawn by the famous BL mangaka Kumota Haruko, so even if it’s not strictly BL, I think BL lovers will enjoy it (I sure did). The manga has been licensed in english by Kodansha and there is also a beautiful anime adaptation and a live action drama!

Online sources: JP and ENG wikipedia, NHK for School

[rileys-battlecats]

omg?? i adore everything ab all of ur work, but especially ur warriors oc stuff. all the characters are so well-characterized and designed. and also the names?? did i mention designs?? honestly mudpaw is one of the most relatable characters ive ever seen. also i love that the other apprentices are actually understanding and more like actual children cats instead of existing to be mean. (ok that sounds like im saying children aren’t mean i promise some of them are)

but like, to the actual question/s. how did you come up with the concept and get it to this point? in that one commentary video you made, i remember you mentioning that he used to be mudstripe, and he was a serial killer (sidenote that’s actually so baddie) although you decided that you wanted to tell the story of a victim rather than a villian. but did it take a lot of thinking to get micaclan as a whole to this point, or did it just kinda come naturally? also im so sorry i typed an entire essay

WAAAAHHSVDJHSDJAB THANK YOU :') also you don't ever have to apologize for sending me essays in my inbox I love asks like this <3 <3

The story and world as they are now have developed incrementally over time. In the beginning, I never really intended to make anything more for this story beyond "Johnny". I had a very specific animatic visualized for that song (because I'd been listening to it on loop for days lol), and I made characters and a story that fit with the idea.

After making and uploading it, though, the characters and their story kept knocking around in my brain!! I wanted to expand on them, and to develop them more. If my memory is right, "Johnny" was the first time I'd ever made a video telling a story of my own making (previous projects had all been stuff from existing media), and I was excited by the idea of making more :) the storytelling aspect was really interesting to me!

I started coming up with more details in my head, things like character traits and names and the next story beats I wanted to portray. By the time I made "The Garden", I'd worked up at least a loose idea of the story in my head (though I wasn't sure where exactly I was going to take it in the end at that point), and I had designed most of the clan members (mostly to fill backgrounds tbh).

Then, some folks in the youtube comments started asking about references for the different characters, and I started this blog to share them! This is definitely the point where I got REALLY into worldbuilding and fleshing out characters haha. Each reference I posted included a little bit of text about the character, and I got to put to words some of the ideas I'd had previously. Or, it gave me the opportunity to come up with some character traits for background characters I hadn't given much thought to previously! Then people started engaging with the blog more, and having people ask questions gave me the opportunity to think about lots of different aspects of the story, characters, and world. From there, it feels like the entire story expanded, bit by bit, detail by detail. So it definitely took a lot of thinking, but that thinking happened pretty naturally over time, if that makes sense!

[sophieinwonderland]

What’s your opinion on whether or not hoardes belong in the plural community? Because I’m heard some very conflicting definitions of plurality when it comes to including or not including them. I’ve also heard conflicting opinions from within the POSIC+ hoarde community as to whether they even want to be considered plural.

I’m personally debating if I want to call myself plural. My experiences communicating with external voices of objects with their own opinions and emotions feels somewhat plural. When one of my objects is feeling a strong emotion (like Luna’s near-panic attack today) I feel the physical symptoms of that. But I am still the only person in my body. My objects have their own body. I do not switch. I will never face a lot of societal struggles systems face. When I called myself plural in the past, I felt like the ways in which my experiences are very different got erased. My experiences as a hoarde were erased. But singlet isn’t quite right either.

Should hoardes be considered their own thing? Something outside the plural/singlet binary? I’m asking you because you know a lot about plurality.

I have a pretty unique view which might be unpopular with some of the POSIC community. You might know this from my Manifestations post.

I believe that headmates can Manifest in 4-5 different ways, and that it's technically possible for any headmate who has achieved one to achieve another. (Barring aphantasia or similar conditions that could interfere with some Manifestation types.) Headmates Manifesting as physical objects is what I classify as Inhabitation.

The POSIC community seems divided among psychological and spiritual lines. To me, at least in regards to psychological interpretations of communications with POSIC companions, these are headmates who identify with a physical object and are mentally projected onto it.

I actually view it as a close relative to imposition. The biggest difference, IMO, between me as a former imaginary friend and a POSIC companion is that my original form was purely imaginary where a Companion's is tied to a physical object.

Other than that though, both would seem to be projections of the brain that are externalized.

If you want my honest opinion, I think POSIC companions are plural and that every one has the potential to learn to Manifest in other ways. Such as through an inner world, imposition... and yes, even fronting. It may take effort to learn these skills, just as it takes effort for many tulpas to learn to switch. But I believe it's technically possible.

If you take a purely spiritual view of your POSIC companions, then this may not apply. But I might refer to my Hiveminds and Multiplicity post. While this is intended mostly for analyzing works of fiction because I am skeptical that true metaphysical connection across brains in different bodies is physically possible, for those who do hold such spiritual beliefs, the takeaway is that I still view hiveminds and mental links as plural, or at least plural-adjacent.

Because at a certain level, even if your companion has their own body, you're still describing feeling their emotions in your body. You're still sharing your thoughts with them. You're still connected, which means they're at least partially in your head.

And therefore, I would still consider them headmates. 🤷‍♀️

Whatever angle you look at it from, I think POSIC Hoarde's fall firmly under the plural umbrella.

If you're not sure though, try playing around with different Manifestation types and see what happens.

If POSIC Companions are just psychological headmates locked to a physical object, then it should be possible for them to learn to Manifest in a headspace or project themselves externally through imposition.

But in theory, if POSIC companions are something metaphysical that are linked mentally to their Beholder... it should still be possible for them to Manifest in similar ways. If a POSIC Companion is linked to your brain and able to transfer thoughts and feelings, they probably would be able to transfer visual images too. And if they can project visual images into your head, then they could theoretically send a projection of themselves to your brain and appear in an inner world.

It's good to experiment and test the limits of what you believe is possible.

Finally, send my love to Luna. I hope they're feeling better. 💖💖💖

[nights-at-crystarium]

Fragments - episodes 23-26 author notes

You can find similar breakdown posts on older episodes in my pinned!

Obligatory ShB spoiler warning.

The general status quo hasn't changed since Vivi's arrival to the First: he still doesn't feel any land under his feet, Exarch still doesn't inspire trust, although there's no reason to distrust him either. Vivi isn't in a rush to meet the Scions because usually their perspectives don't help him at all. Hence he fucks around in the Crystarium instead of doing the msq.

You can hear the sound of Exarch failing the dating sim once again.

Talking about a mystel. Bumping into a mystel. They could get run over by a stampede of cats at this point and Vivi would still think this guy's probably a hume. He genuinely has No Idea. Had he had an idea, he would be actually more tactful. Maybe.

Me: no graphic violence Also me: murder onscreen

I hope the reference to episode 11 is clear, but here's a refresher: that's what ARRRaha is mostly remembered as. For multiple reasons. Mostly for magically killing himself and giving Vivi some mild stress and an even milder blow to his ego.

Exarch's fate was to choke on his coffee there and then, he kept his composure by a miracle no less. Vivi doesn't know the meaning of what he just blurted out, he simply rolls the letters in his mouth, still struggling to remember "G'raha".

HE MANAGED! The embodiment of intelligence.

Vivi reflects on the events of previous episodes and the dangers of the fae folk, and decides to do a massive handwave at that. He's walking a fine line, but he legit doesn't care.

Canon emoji user 🖤

Exarch has a hate-hate relationship with sleep, however, when he feels like unwinding or resetting his mind, he turns to memories of moments when he felt safe enough to drift away.

He must've felt the most warm and human when the young Lyna stayed with him all the time.

I sat on this self-contained story for a year. Officially the most wholesome episode ever. There's a bit of One Piece influence, if you remember Nami's backstory. Gen-san wore a pinwheel on his cap to appear less scary to the little Nami, and cheer her up.

Someone read this as "crap glue", which brings me infinitely more joy than my original "craft glue" x'D

There's a super subtle smile. He knows. He probably sensed Lyna approaching him, but remained still to see where this goes.

Back to the present, where they refer to each other by titles.

He's g'oogling.

G'oogle results: 1 fae, 1 slacking idiot.

Exarch isn't just jealous or yearning, he's also kindaaaaa in the middle of his grand plan, yet his hero isn't keen of jumping into action? And he doesn't know how to confront him about that. Luckily, Urianger also happens to be in Il Mheg.

Vivi smacks a like on Urianger's outfit. Rated S for peak sluttiness.

Nobody talks about Feo Ul's snot bubble so I will x'D

Urianger doesn't wanna leave his comfy place for an adventure, he visually demonstrates that while telling a polite lie, trusting Vivi to interpret that as intended.

They have a special vibe of quiet, maskless understanding, even if they don't interact much. They've got nothing to butt heads over. Vivi's fond of people who don't "fit in" and go against the grain. Being smart and observant as he is, Urianger knows that Vivi's rather hopeless, and doesn't waste his energy on trying to debate, direct, or, gods forbid, fix him.

Just a closeup because he looks cute here :> To keep your expectations grounded, though: this's one of the veeeeeery few Urianger episodes. He has little overall "screentime". This comic isn't trying to be a fanservice for every character, even if I personally like them. Gotta keep things focused.

This one's kinda important: Vivi acknowledges how nice and quiet it feels (in the moment? In Il Mheg? On the First?), but the realization doesn't fully bloom in his mind yet.

"Mmyeah there are definitely better cracks to ponder out there".

Another closeup because *clutches at heart*

Two things: his own, genuine excitement to reunite with fren, followed by self-reminder that she's no fren and that he has to maintain distance (Vivi who are you trying to fool you're bad at this).

Also mirroring. He sees Alisaie's face and drops his own.

You peek inside Alisaie's brain and find a coin loudly rolling around, one side says "omg it's HIM!!!!!", the other "beat this mf up". Why? Because she can. And probably because the word of Vivi's arrival had already reached her. He spent a good week doing nothing in the Crystarium (and even Il Mheg) instead of rushing to meet her.

The new tumblr post editor (that wasn't forced on me until ~2 months ago) won't let me add anymore pics. I was thinking of making meatier but less frequent posts of this type, because they'll massively add up over time. Imagine a new reader looking at 300 episodes and 100 recaps. I'd feel overwhelmed. But I guess I'm left with no choice but to keep these recaps relatively short and frequent.

Anyway! Thanks for reading!!!!! I'm blessed to have people invested enough to interact with my work on this level.

[foggynitefic]

Drop Them Bones Chapter 9: Hard and Fast

This one's a doozy...

Hard and Fast

To be sure of, without a doubt, without debate History: In seafaring times, the term ‘hard and fast’ was used to describe a vessel that was beached on land and unable to be moved. [Don’t lie. Absolutely none of us thought it meant that. None of us.]

So, funny thing. Since posting Chapter 8, I had a wonderful long weekend in Manhattan, followed by the worst stomach flu I’ve gotten in at least a decade. Then, after a few weeks recovering from that, I partially dislocated my knee and sprained my MCL. Full damage assessment still TBD in a couple months, but I have a care plan for now.

What I’ve posted as Chapter 9 was supposed to be ten pages max plus additional scenes, and then this happened. So, I have 6k words of Chapter 10 already because I split Chapter 9 in half, and I’ve had the final scene in Chapter 10 (originally intended for Chapter 6, hah!) written for the last three months…

I currently have 9 more chapters planned out, but as this adventure has shown me, that’s more like guidelines. This chapter would have been out sooner, but reference above, and in retrospect, this chapter’s title also describes me in seafaring times right now…

Notes

At least I’m recuperating and back to excessive research spiraling:

If you have the equipment, time, and inclination, you too can om a gator nom. I have only ever outsourced my gator dining experience to trustworthy restaurants, because I’m happy to compensate people accordingly for their labor and gator meat is fucking expensive to have shipped up north.

I’ve mostly encountered alligator fried or in etouffees in restaurants, and if you can’t source alligator or just think they’re too cute to eat (look at them faces!), they do taste like a fishy chicken, but less swampy than frog, and have the consistency of a pork chop. So, imo, you can substitute either white chicken meat or pork to about the same effects in all the recipes except the whole smoked gator. Alligator meat is very lean and easy to dry out, though (flashbacks to straw-like fried, breaded nonsense on that one trip to Florida…) The Daily Beast has an article from 2019 that goes into more detail on taste, etc. I’m not going to link to any of the butchering videos I watched to make this fic, but if you’re interested, deermeatfordinner on Youtube has a good one.

And yes, in true Louisiana fashion, the state government does have an alligator cookbook available in PDF for free. The final page notes that funds for it came from both Florida and Louisiana, and the most approximate publication date I can find for it is 1994. Its text, graphics, and ingredients definitely look like something from the 80s or 90s…

I was not tracking that discarded crocodile and alligator fat can be used to produce biodiesel at competitive prices…

I went down a lot of interesting 1700-1800s sailing history that involved the provisions given per day to British Navy sailors, how much salt was needed to brine 100 lbs of meat, and how the brining process actually worked (floating eggs and meats, oh my!) The average alligator yields about 40 lbs of meat, so all the proportions and weights for applegators came from multiplying that by three, then adding on more layers of fat than an alligator would have because applegators can also go out in the deep sea. Yes, I know this is a fanfic for fantasy pirates on an imaginary planet. If Oda-sensei can say they’re all stronger because gravity, I can make chonky applegators.

Curing meat Wikipedia article; Quora entry (of all things) on sailor provisions; Colonies, Ships and Pirates blog; and an NIH paper with some science of curing meats; plus a definition of pellicle; and some historical pre-refrigeration context.  Salting meat Wikipedia article and smoking meat Wikipedia article. And of course, once the fancy bougie restaurants start using salt water, it’s cool again.

If you don’t have a smoker at home, here’s a stove-top smoked salmon recipe that could work with any type of fish (though, I don’t think a sweet cure would really go with white fish).

How to dehydrate food without a dehydrator ideas

Making a ground oven: I actually learned about this technique back in anthropology of food, as it’s one of the oldest cooking methods that we know of, and I’ve always wanted to try it. Darn you, local fire ordinances.

Random fandom trivia: If you’re a fan of 911 Lone Star, you may remember the first (I think) season episode of a family ground cooking in their backyard and their racist neighbor being a dick about it then getting a righteous comeuppance from the team. Is it over the top justice? Yes. Is the drama hilarious? Also, yes.

They use a technique in this chapter that I based off a New England clambake set up. Mainly, a pit on the beach with seaweed, hot rocks, and a wet sail over top, covered with sand. General bake concepts and times came from here (if you can read it through that horrible font…)

Sustainably harvesting seaweed.  Modern Farmer has a pretty informative newsletter I’ve been subscribed to for a couple years – It’s an interesting read if you’re into agriculture news (food-related technology, regulations, innovations, etc.) and like to know more about your food supply chain.

I didn’t know how to make sausage before. Behold, basic sausage tutorial!

Recipes bludgeoned in the making of this chapter:

I have never cooked gator meat or a whole pig, but here are recipes that sound like horrifying fun:

Whole Smoked Gator

But also, whole pig ground cooked

Kalua Pork  

Alligator Jerky

Songs: 

[writing-for-life]

Sandman Master Post and Intro

Hi, I’m so glad you’re here! This started out as a small blog but has developed a horrifying (^jk) life of its own over the past two years, so it was about time I organised the links and tags to all my Sandman stuff for you to make it easier to find your way around.

I love getting asks, about analysis, about my fics, prompts or generally just to chat, so see this as an encouragement to slide into my inbox…

[For quick reference:]

[The Ultimate Sandman Character Tag Library]

[The Women of the Sandman Tag Library]

[Sandman Comics: Original Artists Library]

[Sandman Reread (Comics)]

[Sandman Rewatch (Netflix)]

[Sandman Reference: How to Collect the Comics, Companion Books, Annotations/Reference Literature etc]

[In Light of Recent Allegations]

Ordered by topics (recommended):

Sandman Meta-Analysis (general "sandman meta"-tag, also contains contributions to other people's posts. You can find my own metas grouped into literary/conceptual/psychological, musical and art, and I definitely recommend perusing both links and the main tag)

The Sandman Book Club Community: Just follow the link if you’d like to join

Sandman Fics (m/f and f/f, both OC and canon pairings) & Poems

I’m also Dream’s Therapist. I think we all agree he needs one

Sandman Art (general tag that contains all art posts. I have also grouped them into my own art and art of others). Separate tag for official Sandman artists

Sandman March Mania was an event we specifically ran for the comics art lovers, so check it out

Sparkle Content Curation (a not-quite-serious collection of Dream/Morpheus thirst-trap fan-art and unhinged posts). Please also peruse the tags #contraceptive sparkles, #glitter herpes and #murphy and his cool hat (yes, I am sort of responsible for the #muhulhu tag on here) if this hell-site has left you in a state of being desperate for laughs

A Little Intro…

…and why this blog will keep on existing

Once there was a girl with so many words, so many images, so many songs in her head that had no place to go. So she decided some of them will just go here…

Well, that sounds a bit contrived, but it’s not entirely untrue. Apart from the “girl”-part, because I’m at the younger end of Gen X. Or the “no place to go”-part, because some of my work actually *did* go places. Just not the stuff I decided to put on here…

Which is mostly Sandman stuff right now, let’s be honest (I fell in love with it when I was 16, and it still has a tight grip on me three decades later). And the fact that my blog a wild mix between my metas, my fanfic and a bit of my doodling already shows the pull in different directions I have experienced for most of my life:

I’ve worked in science/academia, creative/performing arts and mental health. I guess I’m just a multi-hyphenate who can’t make up her mind what she wants to do with her life, so she tries to do it all and ends up burned out half of the time.

Somewhere along the way, I managed to publish a few novels under a pen name, and only a select few people know about it. And I intend to keep it that way.

I used to draw much more (mostly pencil and ink), but between working and having a family, something had to give, and if I have to choose, writing always comes first. But I doodle and experiment a lot in Procreate, and it usually helps me when I procrastinate on my writing. I drop the odd drawing in here (like my profile pic), but I don’t see myself as a fine artist, and I’m in perpetual awe of the talent I see on here.

This is just an account for unapologetically being me, with all my hyperfixations—and undoubtedly some pointless shitposts just for fun…

In light of recent happenings, I explained my personal stance and, by extension, why this blog will keep on existing.

[ekaterin1701]

After my nostalgic musings on the earliest fanfic I read, a recommendation for a Stargate fic writer that led me to FF.net, and a Gateworld forum thread of fic recommendations from 2008 onwards, I have been reading quite a bit of Stargate fic published on FF.net. It’s mostly been stories that were published while the show was on air up to a few years after the films.

It’s been fascinating as there have been some ‘fanfic’ tropes/ habits (for want of a better word) that I haven’t seen on the stories I’ve read on AO3 recently:

- Copyright disclaimers of the ‘Stargate is owned by MGM etc; no copyright infringement intended’ type

- References to ‘the Muse’, particularly in the sense of ‘the Muse has been really unhelpful with this one’ or ‘the Muse’ distracting the author with other ‘plot bunnies’

- ‘Please R&R/ concrit welcome’ - that’s Read & Review and Constructive Criticism

- Advice that the story is probably out of character with the advice not to read if you don’t like that kind of thing.

- A really chatty style of authors’ notes, especially on multi-chapter stories (it’s clear that some of the stories were being posted as they were written rather than after they’d been completed).

It’s all stuff that I remember from my early years of reading fanfic (X Files, so that was on Gossamer and mailing lists), but I’d forgotten about until reading these stories. It’s really interesting to see what hasn’t transferred over to AO3. Or perhaps it has, but not in the fandoms I’ve been reading.

@olderthannetfic had an interesting post about fanfic writing style recently, and there is a definite similar feel to most of these stories.

I shall keep working my way through the Gateworld recommendations and see if I can find any delights that I haven’t already found on AO3.

[the-90s-music-colosseum]

this whole time i've been like 'haha very funny, (almost) no one here knows who Mike Patton is' and....you could just...look him up...but you know what? here, have a "summary" (lol it's long) of Mike motherfucking Patton and his career:

Mike is an aquarius, fire goat, grew up in Eureka, a small city on the northern california coast

he never intended to be a musician, but loves diverse music/soundscapes, is a curious person, worked in a record store, has perfect pitch and a bonkers vocal range and had close childhood friends (Trevor Dunn and Trey Spruance) who WERE studying music, they formed a band that would be called Mr. Bungle in their teens (fans tend to ship Trevor and Mike, and if you look at footage of them...you'll know why)

a demo tape of Mr. Bungle landed in the hands of Jim Martin, the guitarist for Faith No More...at the time they had fired their original singer and were looking for a replacement. The funny thing is, the demo was pretty hard thrash/death metal and FNM is....not that...but anyway, Mike was recruited to FNM, ostensibly for his singing ability, but he also was the profile of young, fit, long-haired, and hot as all get out. (fans tend to ship Mike and Roddy, and if you hear them banter on stage....you'll know why...and shoutout to Roddy for being an out gay man in metal in the early 90s...take that bja)

somehow, Mike finagled getting Mr. Bungle signed to the Warner Bros label when he signed onto FNM, so Bungle had a budget and exposure...and very little oversight...hence the MV for Quote Unquote/Travolta

The big Faith No More hit is Epic and that song catapulted them into a two year tour, during which Mike became known for being a fucking maniac (mostly shirtless) on/off stage....there's lots of true stories, and LOTS of untrue stories, no one, probably not even Mike knows exactly which is which. Two things are relevant: teen Mike started out straight edge, and during this tour he also gained a reputation for hating on groupie-and-party-focused rock stars. But his looks and his chaotic gremlin energy landed him this "reluctant pinup boy" persona.

Meanwhile Mike was also fully with Mr. Bungle, touring in his 'off time' from FNM, and at their shows everyone was completely unhinged.

HERE'S THE CRUX: after the success of Epic and the album it's from, The Real Thing, Faith No More were expected to have another massive hit with the next album....and they didn't. BUT they produced an album that to this day is beloved by fans even more that their first album, and Mike's stage persona continued to develop in this way that is mysterious, mesmerizing, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes grotesque, sometimes just raw sexual/homoerotic/electrically-passionate energy. They're big abroad, but not as much in the US.

Through the rest of the 90s you see Mike with FNM and Bungle, but you also see him produce a baffling feat of a solo album, starting to experiment with his own band Fantômas, collaborating with avant garde musicians/artists, most notably John Zorn.

Faith No More disbands in 1998, but Mike continues with Bungle, and for many fans, his work with Mr. Bungle is considered paramount...FNM is fun, but Bungle is FUN, WEIRD, dangerous but not in a scary way, none of their four albums sound anything like each other. Their "pop" album is....not pop.

Mr. Bungle disbands officially in 2004 (both FNM and Bungle reunite later on), Mike continues to collaborate with musicians, form new bands (including my fave Tomahawk), make better and more impactful solo projects and generally work at a pace that seems the definition of workaholic....producing music that is both eclectic and instantly recognizable, but seldom (never?) hit material. (Since it's not the 90s, I won't describe in detail...but it truly is well worth looking up)

as a little extra, and as was referred to by lurkerwithabike, Mike suffered a certainly covid-times-influenced breakdown and dealt with alcoholism around 2021/2022. For someone who has kept his personal life and struggles cloaked in apocryphal stories and sarcasm, when Mike opened up about what he was dealing with at the time, for many of us it just solidified this deep, deep love for our little weirdo. Oh, and also, the entire time he's a fucking hottie and he hates it.

SO, from my perspective at least - that's why you get such fervor over some guy you've never heard of

fin

(ps....I could have written more....that is a threat)

This is actually so fascinating. May "who the heck is Mike Patton" be no more!

[comikadraws]

Was the curse of hatred actually a real thing? or did danzo just demonize the uchiha;s anger? idk, being murderously angry or just angry in general is a reasonable and human response to oppression and genocide.

The "Curse of Hatred" Analysis

An interesting question. The Curse of Hatred looks dumb at first glance but there are also many misconceptions surrounding it.

Since it is such a hot mess to begin with, I will try to focus mostly on the in-universe canon and lore rather than making it even more complicated by bringing in too much real-world logic and criticizing Kishimoto.

There's a bunch of rambling in the tags though.

Kishimoto's Intentions

Whenever we talk about the "Curse of Hatred" the fandom will usually apply terms such as "racism", "bigotry" and "pseudoscience" - particularly in reference to Tobirama.

Again, I don't want to bring too much irl logic into this but I feel like we need to make a clear distinction between intention and interpretation over here. "[insert character] was a racist" and "the Uchiha were justified" is a valid interpretation of the story. But at the same time, I doubt that this was ever intended by Kishimoto.

I have talked about this at length in another post of mine, in which I analyzed Kishimoto's most likely intent and how exactly this information is relevant to us with a look at authorial intent in fiction. But the TL;DR version is that Japan is not exactly very sensitized to themes of racism and the "Curse of Hatred" is never framed as racist propaganda but exposition only. The lore also lines up with Kishimoto's personal views on how grudges are responsible for war (instead of corruption or racism) and the Uchiha's curse might be a metaphor for that.

In other words, the Curse of Hatred is real in canon. Even if it's a massive red flag and deserves to be criticized.

What Is The "Curse of Hatred" Even?

I have to admit, it's been a while since the last time I watched Naruto from start to finish, so I had to use the sources listed by the wiki rather than relying on my own findings and I might be biased. Because of that, I'd prefer everybody to regard my findings as headcanon or interpretation (especially further toward the end) rather than undisputed fact.

As far as I remember, the exact wording "Curse of Hatred" is only ever used by Obito. While not using the same wording, the curse is also referenced by Itachi, Hagoromo, and Tobirama who each have their own understanding of it. Unfortunately, we have no idea where exactly this wording or concept originated and we have no idea what exactly causes the Curse of Hatred that Obito refers to.

Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura, and even Danzo, while potentially influenced by Tobirama's teachings, do not reference the Curse of Hatred at all, at least not in relation to the Uchiha Clan itself.

Now here's the first one of my findings: The Curse of Hatred is supposed to be some sort of involuntary biological or cultural inclination causing Uchihas to become consumed by hatred but it is also something voluntary - a Nindo. While the former could be considered a "curse" in the traditional sense, the latter is definitely not.

For the Nindo, it is supposed to be some sort of antithesis to the Will of Fire. Because of that, it is not limited to the Uchiha but, according to Tobirama and Obito, closely associated. As explained later on in this post, most Uchihas do not follow this Nindo.

Core aspects of the Curse of Hatred as a Nindo:

Valuing a precious few above the many

Directing your hatred at those who took away your precious few

Growing stronger from those feelings of hatred (for the Uchiha, reflected in the form of the Sharingan)

A Biological Inclination?

Now back to Tobirama's theory, due to the narrative framing, we will assume his words to be truthful for the sake of this analysis. However, I will provide links to other people's posts delving into the fantasy racism discussion.

Tobirama is racist and his theories cannot be trusted.

Tobirama is not racist and there is validity to his theories.

I myself do not completely agree with either of these, but they might be interesting reads for you. If you do not agree with either of them, please keep it to yourself and do not bother the original creators.

Tobirama's theory goes as follows:

The Uchiha feel love and hate more strongly than other individuals

The strength of the Sharingan and the Uchihas' hatred are correlated

In a fit of hatred, odds are an Uchiha will commit evil

It is nowhere mentioned that the Uchiha are more likely to feel hate - only that their hatred is worse than the average person's and puts them at risk of being swayed by hateful ideologies.

A Cultural Inclination?

Aside from Tobirama's theory, multiple characters comment on the historical origin behind the Curse of Hatred.

We are talking, of course, about Indra. Obito explains that Indra's values and his hatred (particularly what later became the Nindo of the Curse of Hatred) were passed down to his descendants - the Uchiha clan. Tobirama's exposition implies the same thing.

Tobirama states that there "used to be a thought that [...] the basis of the Uchiha clan's strength was the power of their jutsu". It is very similar to Hagorormo's description of his son.

If this is correct, that would mean that the importance placed on powerful jutsu by the Uchiha Clan does inadvertently promote hatred due to the close correlation between hatred and the Sharingan.

But then again, in the story, it is shown that many Uchiha were not particularly fond of perpetuating hate and it is also implied that to avoid hatred, they sealed their emotions away. My interpretation is that they recognized the pain that hate could cause and then took steps to avoid it.

The Reincarnation Cycle

Sticking with Indra, another explanation that is frequently brought up is Indra's and Ashura's reincarnation cycle, which has also been described as curse-like or haunting and neverending. A fate seemingly set in stone.

There is not much more to say, other than that this theory suggests that Indra's reincarnates are just naturally inclined towards lusting for power.

The True Origin

Now, here's another thing that's constantly being overlooked. Aside from Obito's exposition in chapter 462 on the Curse of Hatred Nindo, Tobirama's exposition in chapter 619 on the Uchiha's tendency to follow said Nindo, and even Hagoromo's exposition on the reincarnation cycle in chapter 670, we get a vital piece of exposition in chapter 681.

Ladies, gentlemen, and anything in between. May I introduce to you...

...the real Curse of Hatred.

Or at the very least what I believe is the real reason why the "Curse of Hatred" exists in the world of Naruto.

From the very beginning, Zetsu approached Indra to take advantage of his hatred and turn it into a tool for his own purposes. He then did that again and again. He focused on the Uchiha in particular - Either because of the previously mentioned reasons (i.e. the Uchiha / incarnates have a tendency to become obsessed with hatred and power) or because the Uchiha were otherwise easy to take advantage of / manipulate (through Hagoromo's stone tablet that was left in the Uchihas' possession, an ill reputation thanks to Indra's / their ancestors' actions, etc).

In order to achieve his goal (awakening a Rinnegan), he had to somehow combine both Indra's and Ashura's power. It is implied that for this purpose, he instigated, perpetuated, and escalated wars and conflicts between Senju and Uchiha by pitting their reincarnates against each other. But unlike the wars he caused, Zetsu went unnoticed by the history books. Basically, he kept haunting the clans like a curse.

And without a doubt, had Zetsu never been there, 99% of the Uchihas' problems would not exist - regardless of what ideals, genes, or history the Uchiha hold. Indra's declaration of war, centuries of conflict, Madara's defection, Obito losing Rin, the Kyubi attack, the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke's defection, the 4th Great Shinobi War. All of these were directly caused by Zetsu or set off by a resulting chain reaction.

You could even think this further. Assuming the Uchiha clan really came across as "cursed", perhaps Tobirama's, Obito's, Hagoromo's and everybody else's explanations were just desperate attempts to make sense of anything. They didn't know that Zetsu was pulling the strings, so perhaps they tried to explain the Uchiha Clan's history in some other way. One that made sense without that missing variable.

What is actually going on here is, of course, uncertain. There are basically no definitive explanations on the matter and right now it looks like all of the above could be true and at the same time none.