#tw orientalism

[autumnnnsun]

Rating each Ambience Synesthesia 2023 looks because I have nothing else to do

I just felt like talking about some of these lines so why not. Warning for a bit of neg and talks of orientalism underneath. This is just my opinion, if you like the outfits, I am very happy for you. Feel free to disagree and stuff idk

First up, Umbra in the Sand, oh jeez

Really? on Ramadhan?

I'm always super icked out whenever anime games try to feature anything middle eastern because they treat the middle east not as a place that has people with hundreds of cultures and landscapes that one could take inspiration from and instead as a "Genre" to make fanservice with. It sees the middle east not as a real place with its own societies to explore but as an excuse to put waifus in belly dancer outfits and husbandos in whatever the heck Stainless is meant to be wearing.

The whole point of a lot of middle eastern clothing is to protect the skin from the death rays of the sun and that completely clashes with the goal of showing cleavage, bellies and thighs. So designers always end up making... This.

The fashion itself is uninspiring, Carnelian is decent but Gavial's just in a bikini, I dislike Stainless' clothes and I can't see what Erato is wearing because she's holding a ~Middle Eastern Instrument(tm)~

2/10, it's half assed orientalism, I give it 2 points cus its only half assed and Carnelian at least looks good but it's only getting that because it's orientalism.

Next, Fast & Stronger

Fast & Furious reference alert. This one is a huge step up but that's prolly only because Umbra in the Sand was such a Low for me.

You can't really go wrong with black leather jackets and this kind of edgy fashion so everyone looks good here and are solid with the concept. Penance is my favourite we love a hot bitch.

My only thing with this concept is that I feel like it could have been pushed just a little further I feel. I think it needs a bit more accessories to really give out that edgy "we are committing illegal racing" vibe. It'd also be funny considering that most of the characters here would most likely not approve of it.

7/10, Love the concept but the execution needs more oomph.

Next on is Chamber of Virtuoso

Another traditional chinese esque aesthetic but a bit more regal and fantastical(?)

I love the clothes here, Lava and Lin here are my favourites, Ling looks nice and Lee is Lee.

I dont really feel for anything about these designs because I'm not exactly too sure what direction it's going for, nor am I familiar with what genre exactly it's referencing. It also feels like that instead of a reimagining of these characters we're getting the same thing that we've seen from these character again when Ambience of Synesthesia is one of the biggest chances to dress up these characters in ways that they wouldn't usually dress in the game.

5/10, looks pretty but the concept bores me a bit.

And lastly, the chosen looks that got turned into skinlines, The Lost Tideline.

Just gonna look at this purely in a fashion sense and not look at the skin art because reasons.

This line is prolly the only line that matches the whole Phantom Thief theme that this year's Ambience Synesthesia is going for by trying to do the whole "Mystery on a Cruise" thing.

Irene is in a maid dress, Lumen is reimagined as this romantic rich boy almost and I like that so much, Roberta looks nice and Horn is in yet another white dress.

Yet another concept that I really like but I feel could have been pushed further. Especially with Lumen we won't be able to see him in this kinda richboi outfit so give him a bit more jewellery! Give him a fancy robe! Slick up his hair or smth idk! Turn him into the arrogant rich character who is the red herring for the murder that happened on the ship.

It felt like they held back with this one for some reason and it's a shame cus with a name like, The Lost Tideline, I would have expected some dumb fun I guess.

7/10 again, good concept, wished it was pushed further.

Overall this Ambience Synesthesia gets a 5/10 from me. The thing that was really missing for me was the cheese and camp that we got from the previous Ambiences. Like, 2022 gave us Flamebringer with a gas mask in a cyberpunk setting, Mr Nothing The Flop (Affectionate) as a serious looking general, Dream Land had our operators in gorgeous dresses and suits, and we get to see Mudrock, Phantom, Tequila and Reed doing dumb spy stuff. It had charm, it was cheesy but it was dumb fun.

And then 2023 gave us Orientalism, Black Leather Jacket Gang and Fantasy Traditional Chinese (again). The Lost TIdeline looks really good but it really felt like they held themselves back because they wanted to go for something actually serious this time ig?

I feel like the concepts weren't explored enough here and that kinda sucks cus there's some potential here.

Except for Umbra in the Sand. That should have just been binned.

Maybe I'd think differently if I see the livestream and the context and story behind these lines but rn I think it's pretty mid.

[bakersstreetirregulars]

In the Shadows of the Dunes - The Editor’s Hot Take

Okay… the update is over and we’re gonna see more Lotus lore soon, but in the aftermath of this burning mess of an update this March… LET’S GET THIS OVER WITH. No Cookie commentary. No seasonal things like Trophy Race and Guild Run. This is all talk with your Editor Meringue, AKA DerpyToad the blog mod, about the temporary main events and the Cookies as someone who’s been playing since August 2018 and slowly getting more burnout. If you want more of these hot takes from me in the future, or have follow-up thoughts and comments about what I had to say, do let me know.

Main Event- Village of Mirages

The concept of this event was recycled from last month. Just get the ranks using the new Cookies, then get the S rank to unlock hard mode. The primary difference was their execution of bonus content and rewards in the hard modes, which did- to their merit- award a Legendary Treasure which I’ve yet to examine: the Lamp of Endless Dreams. The Jobs seemed interesting, although some did take a few tries to do if you missed the mark by *that* much. Normal Mode basically dictates two options: get the new Cookie, or use GingerBrave. As we all know, score-wise, Brave can’t do much even if he’s maxed out. The story content was decent enough (no, this isn’t concerning the individual Cookies, I’ll get to them later) as a whole, and it was rather easy to unlock entire segments in one sitting. The minor rewards were substandard. What can you even buy with a whopping 20 Crystals from getting the rank? Absolutely Nothing.

April Fools- Doughnut Ball Invasion

Intentionally-shoddy MS Paint graphics and choppy music aside, this year’s event was the most intriguing of the lot yet (also counting stand-alone events like Brave’s Trial, Bright’s Trial, Brave’s NEW Trial, and Invocation Card Matching). The addition of an actual story (and making Mic Mac canon in CROB as a “coach” with his own voiceover commentary) makes it more engaging to a point until you finish it since the rewards besides the Costume, story cutscenes, and Title were a combination of 1s and 4s, which could make it either very high or very low. It put the running concept in a new light since you aren’t auto-running like Donkey Kong Country’s minecart segments. You have to punt your now limbless Brave with accuracy (blindly without crosshairs, I should add) so he lands where you want him, and so he doesn’t roll backwards down a hill and lose you progress. The challenges were reasonable to a point, but anything at 3-2 onwards was trickier to get due to intense platform-punting under the risk of rolling back down a hill or into a hole. Fall in the hole, and it’s Game Over immediately. Add the low gravity in area 4, and you’ll have yourself one helluva time trying to regain control while not falling in said holes while your energy ticks down.

The Cookies- Centipede and Peppercorn

*sigh* Once again… that’s a double yikes. Did they even bother to hire a historian or something to fact-check their work for sensitivity in SWANA culture? Bet not. The outfits are a considerable problem in stereotyping. The fact that Centipede has a whip and Peppercorn has bombs *ahem* smoke bombs doesn’t make it any better. Heck, Peppercorn having anything remotely similar to a cartoonish bomb 💣 (see that emoji for example) while being part of a Yogurca update (which dropped during Ramadan, I should add) makes it all a big red flag, clan’s assassins and rogues or not. I shouldn’t have to explain why this is a problem besides referencing tragedies that happened in the last thirty years that stemmed from explosions. Also add a BOMB JELLY SET to this mix, and that’s Strike Three and You’re Out!

Report Card

Here’s what I thought of it all using this grading scale, with F being the worst and L being the best:

F, E, E+, D, D+, C, C+, B, B+, A, A+, S, S+, SS, SS+, SSS, L

Village of Mirages

Gameplay: B

Maps: B+

Minor Rewards: E

Main Rewards: S

Side Challenges (Jobs): A+

Story: B+

Scoring Requirements: C

Fun Factor: C+

Overall: B

Doughnut Ball Invasion

Gameplay: SS

Map: B

Minor Rewards: D

Main Rewards: C+

Side Challenges: C

Story: A+

Scoring Requirements: B

Fun Factor: A+

Overall: B+

Centipede Cookie and Peppercorn Cookie

Gameplay Skill: C+

Story: D+

Appearance: F

Accessories: F

Pets: C

Overall Gameplay Utility: B

Timing of Release: F

Fun Factor: D

Overall: D

Final Grade: C+

Could Be Better, But Eh…

So… do you think I was too harsh? Not harsh enough? Do you want me to do more of these hot takes? Any suggestions for the future? I’m all ears for your input, and I hope they do better next time.

[crepearchives]

CROB Profile: 🐛 Centipede Cookie

Warning: This Cookie’s content may be offensive and/or Orientalist due to Devsisters’s mishandling of Middle-Eastern themes and the extent of SWANA (Southwestern Africa and North Africa) cultures as they published more parts of the Yogurca theme. I will try my best to publish the content of this Cookie on a purely gameplay-centric basis while only providing extra content based on storylines in the game itself as part of my obligation as a Cookie Run information archive blog. Cookie commentary will be cut from all posts on this theme. As such, I do not support Devsisters in their handling of these themes as it stands now. I would rather see them have a do-over, or to have somebody else who knows more about the subject of SWANA cultures audit the company’s work to ensure that the Yogurcan theme is not mishandled again beyond anything that has already been published. If I make a mistake on this subject, respectfully report any specific problems seen in this post (and any further linked posts) to me ASAP so that it may be corrected.

Centipede Cookie is an Epic Cookie who was released alongside her Pet Treasure Flask on March 28th, 2023 as part of the update “In the Shadows of the Dunes” as the first of the update’s two new Cookies. As explained by Chapter 1 of the “Village of Mirages” event, she appears to be vying for leadership of the Sneaky Sands Clan when the old leader steps down, and subsequently brands Lilac Cookie as a traitor since he left the clan.

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Tags: #Speed #Jellies #SpecialControl

Rarity: Epic

Energy: 176 + 9 per level (266 Trial at Level 11, Max 302)

Resonant Ingredient: Golden Sun Necklace

Pronouns: She/Her

Unlock Condition: 758 Trial Star Jellies OR 2,900 Crystals

Affection Bonuses: +1,000 / +2,000 points for Treasure Jellies

Titles:

454. Ooh Ho Ho! (Upgrade Centipede Cookie to level 15)

453. Sneaky Sands Clan, Assemble! (Reach Diamond in Centipede Cookie and Peppercorn Cookie’s Trials)

Banned in CotMT?: Unknown

Raid Run Skill: Not Qualified

In-Game Story

"Ohh ho ho!" If you hear this piercing laughter... you better run! Or else you will have to face Centipede Cookie's giant centipede bursting from the ground right before you. Sitting on the head of the giant centipede, smirking down at other Cookies, this Cookie always desires to be the center of attention. Like her tail, Centipede Cookie wields a vibrant whip, and quite a few Cookies look up to her skillful powers. The Cookie has been waiting long for the day to rise victoriously. By the look of all the golden accessories she buys, perhaps the Cookie wanted to be rewarded for the long wait.

Skill

Starts riding the Centipede King at given intervals. Treasure jars appear, which can be broken by the Cookie's whip. Press the whip button when a jar is in range to destroy it and create Treasure Jellies. Level Up for more points and Coins for Treasure Jellies.

Centipede Cookie will periodically summon the Centipede King to ride on top of it. While the Centipede King is active, she can encounter Treasure Jars moving left towards her. Press the “Whip” button while a Treasure Jar is in the red targeting zone denoted by the two dotted lines (and highlighted by a set of crosshairs) to destroy it using her whip, releasing the Treasure Jellies and Coins inside. A Treasure Jar is counted as a “Miss” if it moves left outside of the red targeting zone. The whip attack can destroy obstacles in the targeting zone, while the Centipede King will destroy obstacles by moving into them. Centipede Cookie will have a basic magnetic field while the Centipede King is active, and she can still jump and double-jump from atop the Centipede King to achieve other objectives such as collecting static/winged jellies or destroying other obstacles for points.

⏳ Skill Delay: 29.2 seconds

⏰ Observed Skill Duration: 11.02 seconds

🏺 Treasure Jars Per Skill: 7

💎 Treasure Jellies Per Treasure Jar: 10 x 7 (70 Total, 40 with Magic Candy)

💎 Treasure Jelly Score: 95,000 + 12,500 per level (220,000 Trial, 270,000 Max)

🪙 Coins per Treasure Jelly: 10

Magic Candy

Some of the treasure jars turn into Splendorous Jars. Splendorous Jars contain Splendorous Treasure Jellies. The stronger the enchanted effect, the more points and Coins for Splendorous Treasure Jellies.

With her Magic Candy, three random Treasure Jars in one skill cycle are replaced with Splendorous Treasure Jars. Destroying these jars will release Splendorous Treasure Jellies worth more points and Coins than regular Treasure Jellies.

🏺 Splendorous Treasure Jars Per Skill: 3

💎 Splendorous Treasure Jellies Per Splendorous Treasure Jar: 10 x 3 (30 Total Replaced)

💎 Splendorous Treasure Jelly Score: 156,000 + 68,500 per level (390,000 Max)

🪙 Coins Per Splendorous Treasure Jelly: 30

✨ Blessings: Yellow Bear Jellies, Pink Bear Jellies, All Bear Jellies, Coins

Relationships

Lilac Cookie: I trusted you... 🔥 Rival

Scorpion Cookie: Wipe that smirk off your face, traitor! ⚡️Tension

Tiger Lily Cookie: The Centipede King is cooler than your Butter Tiger! 👍 Friendly

Skating Queen Cookie: Ohh ho ho! You're very confident, like me! 👍 Friendly

Adventurer Cookie: Lucky Cookie who didn't face any troubles in the Mirage Village! ⚡️ Tension

Yogurt Cream Cookie: It's always a failed mission when this Cookie is involved!!! ⚡️ Tension

Combi Bonuses

Treasure Flask: +220,000 Points for Treasure Jellies

Pop Pop Photocard: +240,000 Photocard Collection Points

Costume

Sun-Blessed Hotshot (+1,500 Treasure Jelly Points) When the whip soars high into the sky and soaks in the sunlight, it's game over! The outfit may seem a little light for going into a harsh battle, but don't be fooled as Centipede Cookie has all the skills to win any battle. The Cookie claims to have been blessed by the sun and maybe... just maybe it is true!

Release Date: March 28, 2023

Rarity: Champion

This costume was only available during the Centipede Season of the Champions League for 2,400 Season Points.

Conclusion

Centipede Cookie is a low-end Coin generator for her skill (700 without MC -> 1,300 with MC), but with a few extra coins on the map, she can reasonably benefit from skills and features that require Coins to activate, such as the Ion Microchip, her combi Treasure Pop Pop Photocard, Energy Scale, Panda Dumpling, and in-map shops. As such, she would not be recommended to farm Coins. However, the bonus speed she gets from her skill, combined with her magnetic field, moderate jelly creation, and large destruction hitbox, allows her to clear large areas of the map while destroying every obstacle in her path and collecting almost every jelly along the way while her skill is active. Running with the Paradise Compass will turn this magnetic field into a Super Magnetic Field that can attract otherwise winged/un-attractable Rainbow Bear Jellies, ensuring that EVERYTHING in range gets collected by the magnet with less effort to jump into them manually. This area sweeping range can be extended with speed Treasures like the X-tra Hot Turbo Engine and Lollipop Skate, as well as a well-timed Blast from countless sources.

Intended to be paired with Treasure Flask’s energy conservation skills, Centipede is built for moderately-long hauls across the map before she stops. Utilize and boost her speed to cover as much ground as possible with her massive skill hitbox, and utilize the Coins she generates for extra bonuses to maximize your score as much as possible.

[juniaships]

While I enjoy mummies alive I'm not going to ignore its orientalism especially with Chontra's character.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Gosh, that ask about Tangsanzang post made me sigh in relief haha. I wish that the Western audience wouldn't misunderstand a lot of the cultural aspects of JTTW and understand that the book has a lot of symbolism and not everything should be read in a Western lens.

(And I've literally seen someone imply that Buddha was 'bad' or 'malicious' because he made Golden Cicada repent. Like??? That's so insane and disrespectful???)

Buddha is malicious.... this reminds me of when someone told me that Buddishm was a cult damn...

Some people are just really out here judging things they have no idea about.

[transesyourgranddukes]

spoilers for stray (specifically the ending) , minor mention of animal (cat) death (not graphic) , mention of orientalism

finished someone’s playthrough of it

very glad I didn’t get the game, seeing the cat die from getting electrocuted/shot from the sentinels disturbed me a lot (was already reconsidering buying it anyways due to the orientalism, but it didn’t feel too pervasive that it ended my enjoyment of the game entirely. regardless that aspect of the game is weird. why do a lot of the character designs/areas especially in the beginning use East Asian inspired designs when the dev team seem majority white ? also Do correct me if I’m wrong but EAsian culture seems like the most prevalent one in stray. why is that? can we get more ppl on this I want thoughts)

Ending’s pretty bittersweet but more so sweet (rip B-12 nonetheless), something feels very poetic about how the very last human dies. Wished we got to see the cat reunite with its family though, along with the four Outsiders reuniting too. Would’ve been very sweet

[sygneth]

Things are starting to get awkward hehe

Part 5 of of Holmes' collage adventures

Chapter 1: part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5 - part 6 Masterpost (Index) AO3

[littletissueghosts]

Transmasc Person: "I am a straight guy, since I am a guy who loves women."

Toxic Queer People™: "Ew, straight guys are all predators, since only non-queer people are straight! Anyways, discrimination against straight men isn't real, even when they're a minority."

Transmasc Person: "Okay, I am a lesbian, since even if I'm not a woman, I still have a connection to womanhood."

Toxic Queer People™: "Lesbian is woman-only! If you are in any way a man or not a woman, you are not a lesbian! Transmascs can never be lesbians or have a connection to womanhood/a lack of manhood! Stop invading the lesbian community!"

I dare you to make it make sense.

[followthebluebell]

Just got two emaciated Oriental shorthair kittens. They're meant to be very lean cats but these two are just bones. They've got purrs that weigh more than they do.

They're just here for a little while and will be transferred to another rescue once they've put on a little weight.

Bonus pic

[blackautmedia]

Orientalism, The Gerudo, and Legend of Zelda | SWANA Representation in Gaming

It took a while, but here's a video essay about the portrayal of the Gerudo and the ways they reinforce orientalist beliefs about SWANA people, the portrayal of the Gerudo, and the broader storytelling implications that come about because of it.

The land and society once owned by the gods must be restored and brought to its former glory as it is fated to be led by the divinely chosen Hylians, the chosen descendants tied to the gods. To that end, to defeat the evil and violent Middle Easterner who has defied the natural order of Hyrule, everyone must sacrifice themselves for Link to become the divine governor of power.

Sections in the Video:

What is Racial Coding? (The Deku and Cannibal Horror)

Orientalism

Ganondorf - The Wicked Man of the Desert

Sav'aaq: Colorism and the Othering of the Gerudo

The "Good" Arab and the Conditional Humanity of the Gerudo

The Vai Outfit - Harems, Veiled Women, and Belly Dancers

Staggeringly Neutral - Link and the Gerudo as Queer Expression (Why James Somerton is wrong about the Gerudo)

Swapping and Shopping: Japanese Media

Orientalism of the Mummy - Dehydrated Ganon

The Native Zonai - The Source of the Right Arm

The Myth of Native Extinction

The Brown Body and the White Mind

Link Can Make it - Community Vs Saviorism

Divine Right to Rule

Japanese History and Zelda (Shinto in Zelda Lore)

Gameplay First - Zelda and Storytelling

Closing Thoughts

[b-yyearns]

need me a boy to hold me through p cramps, run his hand through my hair, hold me close and just give me cuddles, kisses and comfort; tellin me everything's ok</3

NBLM/MLM ONLY

[bakersstreetirregulars]

The Mystical Desert City - Normal

Combi List

Cookies: GingerBrave, Centipede Cookie (Level 10 Cap, MC Level 3)

Pets: Choco Drop, Treasure Flask (Level 10 Cap)

Treasures: Pop Pop Photocard, Giant Superbean, Golden Cheese Pickaxe, Jelly Cream Whisk, Rainbow Bear Roll Cake, Apple Candy Balloon, Shield Bubble Gun (Level 5 Cap)

Rank Scores

S - 315,000,000 - 30 Crystals

A - 268,000,000 - 200 Magic Powder

B - 233,000,000 - 20 Crystals

C - 205,000,000 - Blessing Ticket

D - 183,000,000 - 3 Bronze Sugar Crystals

E - 167,000,000 - 100 Magic Powder

Pass - 158,000,000 - 10,000 Coins - Unlocks Bustling Night Market

F - 157,999,999 or below - Nothing

Demonstration Run

Combi Used: Centipede Cookie (10, MC 3), Treasure Flask (10), Pop Pop Photocard (5), Giant Superbean (5), Jelly Cream Whisk (5)

Score Achieved: 362,503,218

The map itself isn’t too bad, the only thing you really need to do is get Centipede Cookie to a good level. The Treasure selection is mostly tailored to her skillset, but the map is also a factor. The Photocard can play off her Coin generation (which IS enough to activate the Photocard once using the Coins created by her skill with her Magic Candy) and gets a combi bonus from her. Superbean and Whisk both bind their effectiveness with covered distance, as the Bean activates more frequently if the Bear Jellies are collected more quickly, and the Whisk’s effective whisk-attraction time will cover more ground if Centipede is moving faster (especially during a skill or Blast).

Rainbow Bear Jellies are few and in-between, ruling the Roll Cake out. The Pickaxe is good if you’re confident in timing the whip attack to destroy obstacles, as they will be destroyed if they are in Centipede’s targeting zone when she attacks with her whip during her skill, but timing is still key so the Pickaxe doesn’t destroy obstacles itself while Centipede’s skill is active, which would reduce the effective destruction area of the setup. While the Balloon is good in theory, Centipede’s skill only creates 70 jellies. This would reduce its effectiveness and forces more attentive jelly-collecting to activate it. The Shield Bubble Gun is just an insurance policy if you think a collision will break a run, especially if your Cookie is at a low level with less Energy.

[crepearchives]

In the aftermath of the announcement (and mishandling) of multiple aspects of the third Yogurca update “In the Shadows of the Dunes” despite the previous mishandling of the appearances and backstories of previous relevant Cookies like Scorpion Cookie, it is my duty to inform you that while I will post gameplay stats and storylines of Centipede Cookie to stay with my obligation as an information blog on Tumblr, I will not post about her further than what is in the game in terms of gameplay or storylines. I will try my best to abide by everyone’s expectations, but please respectfully tell me in an ask if I do make a mistake.

This filter will also apply to other Yogurca Cookies like Yogurt Cream Cookie, Lilac Cookie, Plain Yogurt Cookie, Scorpion Cookie, and Peppercorn Cookie. What’s already up on Baker’s Street Newsblog involving Scorpion Cookie and Lilac Cookie as of 2021 may or may not stay as is, but further information about them will be subject to this information filter. The “Sands of Yogurca” Breakout Episode will probably remain just as barren.

[coolaidstain]

TIL that theres aphobes on Tumblr trying to claim that Jughead Jones has actually been gay coded the whole time and that saying he's ace is homophobic I fucking hate it here

[aroace-cat-lady]

Yes, im aroace. Yes, its contagious. Yes, you better stay the fuck away from me if you think that being aroace is so terrible.

[bioluminescent-tetractys]

Being aroace can feel lonely. Being aroace isn't bad, its just all my friends fall in love and I don't. In a way it kinda feels like they are all leaving me behind? Sometimes I wish I wasn't aspec. Sometimes