#Human psyche is complex and putting it all into one character would make it a downright incomprehensible soup
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this might be silly question but ive missed some lore i think… how does lorelai fit in to the blythe/raha situation? i feel like ive never seen her around before so idk her place in things
She is not part of the relationship (As she is a Lesbian), but she travelled with Raha prior to Blythe meeting them (Both of them have very different story arcs that tie up neatly with a little bow with their dynamic - that and I wanted something FEEL GOOD OKAY). She has a separate story, one that is more-so developing (including possible relationship). She is EXTREMELY close to them though, and there is almost a familial, platonic love dynamic there. It's not quite just friendship, and not a romantic relationship, but a sinister third thing.
I debated making her part of the relationship at first, but settled on this instead because I like to explore different concepts with characters, and with her I wanted to work through the stage of defining your identity, of your preferences, and stepping over the boundary of your own self-consciousness and inexperience to explore new experiences and relationships, something I couldn't really do with Blythe as her story focused more on having this identity be shaped by society around her.
Vampirism is a metamorphosis of your body, from one state to another (a concept I explore with Blythe too) - but where as Blythe views it as a traumatic event that has left a stain on her, Lorelai doesn't have an issues with Vampirism in of itself, she doesn't mind the new state that her body is in, but rather is going to the growing pain of getting accustomed to it, and how it impacts her as a person (so working through a trauma and acknowledging it rather than denial vs your new defined identity and how you navigate the world based on it)
Lorelai is meant to be seen as almost floundering without knowing what she wants, and having a hurdle of fear and inexperience with the Big Wide World to step over ; this odd period of adulthood where you don't quite feel *adult*. Blythe grew up too quickly, while Lorelai feels as though she is lacking as an adult and as a woman. A similar theme can be found in 'My Lesbian experience with Loneliness' by Kabi Nagata.
Another post I made about Lorelai's Deal is linked here!
I keep forgetting that people can't read my mind and just see what I have to say about these characters without posting it 😭
#I HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES TO WORK THROUGH WITH OCS OKAY#i have similar feelings in terms of relationships/feeling not Adult so I wanted to have a character I could organize my thoughts on#Human psyche is complex and putting it all into one character would make it a downright incomprehensible soup#So Lorelai being Maidenless (for Now at Least) was a conscious choice - to me it reflects a specific experience with sexuality and gender#I also wanted to kinda show that physical affection can be done without being in relationships and being platonic#I am VERY physically affectionate and a lot of the people around me also are. So things like sharing a bed/cheek kissies/etc aren't romanti#idk man culture stuff#Lorelai#ask#anon
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Honestly if one of the first things everyone knew about me was that I spent 35 years pining for one woman, and later said woman and her daughter because she married a long time ago, then forget the fact that she inspired a lot of my poetry, I would simply burn it all and bury myself from the burning embarrassment of being such a loser.
But such was the life of William Butler Yeats.
Every one of them had a Life eh? TS Eliot too— fascinating fear of decay and mortality. You see it in his work etc etc, but he also left his wife when she fell mentally ill, for a younger hot thing— some 20 y/o when he was in like his 40s or 60s. We see you running away from facing the inevitability, man, a profound line about death doesn’t change that.
So it’s fascinating to read their works with this background context available to you, it’s such an insight into the human psyche. You know I’ve talked about this a little before, on how we sort of look to our poets and songwriters for answers, to help make sense of all the madness, and without fail, they happen to be some of the most flawed human beings in history. Or in less intense cases, they don’t have the answers we seek from them. It reminds me again of that interview with Grian Chatten from Fontaines D.C., in the NME back in 2022. He’s a poet for the modern day, I’ll grant him that easily. He convinced me recently that lyrics can work quite well standing alone as poetry and not come off as naff or aloof, or can still feel quite prescient and not pretentious or removed from the live setting in which they will be performed, making eye contact with you in a sweaty theatre (slowly getting larger, pleased to see, with the U.K. and Dublin arena shows planned). They can still connect with the loud guitars and drums pounding behind them.
He said to the NME, in light of Dogrel and his painting of a Dublin life, presenting you with the characters, the contradictions, the scenarios lived in his Dublin, his portrayal led to people turning to him for answers, when I think what you and him would both know deep down is that you’re really looking to him for a depiction of your world in the words that hit the soul, in a way that romanticises the moments you want to remember, and can beautifully frame the injustices of the bad ones. Not answers. Just a painting.
He said, people are looking to me for answers. What the fuck do I know?
Same as it had always been, hasn’t it? He doesn’t have answers. Yeats didn’t have answers. TS Eliot didn’t have answers— despite his vivid depictions of loss and decay, he still couldn’t deal with the thought of it himself. But all it does do, is let you read a work through the lens of your own life, and then look at it again through the eyes of a complex human being, the poet. It’s an option that is available to you. Some people do subscribe to ‘death of the author’, but if you’d like to explore the mind of someone who isn’t you, if you aren’t afraid to feel uncomfortable, different, or in the skin of a very different person, it’ll open you up to new thoughts, which don’t have to be yours.
I guess what I’m trying to say here is, don’t be afraid to read something you don’t agree with. Bad thoughts aren’t contagious. You can approach someone else’s work knowing it’s a complex read, and that can be an intriguing and insightful read. However, I am absolutely not going to be putting this post in any poetry tags, because I don’t think most people on the poetry canon side of the internet will appreciate me calling one of the crown princes of 20th century Irish poetry and literature a loser. Lmao.
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Weird ask ig idk
What would the characters from criminal minds greys anatomy specialties be/ who would be friends with who?
not weird at all nonny! we love a good crossover! shout out to @swimmingstudentchaos891 for talking through this with me!
Starting off with some of the one that instantly came to me;
Garcia: She's in dermatology. We all know she doesn't like the ick and gruesome of crime scenes, so she wants to stay away from all the blood and gore of surgery. And the ep when they discover the derm floor? it's all happy and calm and rainbows and sunshine and I just think she would fit in well there!
Spencer: he's nuero. It just makes sense, he's super smart, with his memory would be able to excel in that field. While schizophrenia is a mental illness it's still likely the most linked to neurological and that's gonna be a big motivation there too.
Tara: girl's ortho. Don't ask me why. She just is. She's the one out of all of them I think would love breaking bones the most. She can't help but feel cocky when the big football players come in with dislocated shoulders and they're all manly about it until she's shoving it back into place and they're screaming like babies. She'd also be so soft and so good with kids who come in who fell off the monkey bars or something.
Alex Blake: psych. I think that's pretty self explanatory. she'd excel there, or possibly be the hospital's therapist cause lord knows those dr's need fucking help. lol
Emily: Cardio god. She just has that power and you know she's the cocky, sometimes the god complex comes out. She'd be incredible. (she'd also be the McSteamy of this universe but less of a dick, and with a bigger dick. i don't make the rules)
Hotch: he's gonna be chief, or like, the head of the resident program thing. Something similar to Webber. He just has the upper level authority that people respect.
JJ: pediatrics. She's so good and soft with the tiny humans. If she hadn't fully decided on a specialty it was after having Henry that she realized she wanted to be able to help kids and she's super good with keeping parents calm.
Morgan: Hear me out. He's either an EMT or a nurse. Cause we all need a hot boi nurse in our lives. Or he's the super hot emt that rolls up with ambulances and just knows all the nurses are heart eyed for him. He flashes that cocky grin, sticks around for a coffee, little flirt master.
Rossi: i came up blank, but Lu says optometry so I agree. He's probably just around doing consults and hanging out, not as much surgery anymore. Still a published author but this time medical books, has a plethora of knowledge when the younger dr's are looking for something specific in a medical journal.
Luke: I've put him down for trauma. I think he'd be able to do that really well, his experience in the field, he's quick on his feet, not afraid to improvise kinda thing.
As for who'd be friends with whom and other little headcanons, I don't have much because there's SO many characters on Grey's and it's been a while since i've watched it (this ask literally made me restart s2, so i might have more thoughts as I go through LOL)
-Garcia and Arizona are absolutely gonna be besties. They both love all things fun and pink and adorable.
-Spencer and Lexi are 1000% going to find a bff in each other. They've both kinda grown up the "weird" kid who graduated super early and shit, so they've finally found someone else who's like them and the same age.
-Rossi is going to find himself immediately adopting the Deluca siblings. At first it's just because he hears them arguing in Italian and is able to cut in and calm them down but after he hears about their dad/family dynamics he's just all "nope, i am your papa pasta now"
-Spencer & Meredith are going to have some dark and twisty bonding over their mothers and how trying to help them is honestly exhausting and draining but they're gonna keep doing it and trying to find cures/treatments.
-Rossi and Luke are going to have some form of boding with Teddy and Owen over their various times serving and the trauma/ptsd and shit that comes with that.
There's probably SO much else i could get into but that's all I've got for now. Loved the ask! Love shit like this! thank you nonny!
#grey's anatomy#criminal minds#grey's anatomy x criminal minds#emily prentiss#penelope garcia#spencer reid#meredith grey#david rossi
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If Mono and Six landed on the infinity train how big do you thin their numbers would be and what arc do you think they’ll have?
unfortunately the basic premise of this question doesn't work because of the dissonance between how infinity train handles character arcs and how little nightmares handles character arcs.
the basic premise of infinity train's worldbuilding is that it's real life except for the addition of the train (and obligatory subtraction of branded items, hence the fictional gas station chain &c). every passenger is written as mundanely and intricately human. they're all Just Some Guy You Could Meet On The Street, which is to say they have intensely complex psyches, nuanced and storied personal problems, and unique personality traits. tulip eats raw onions because she tried one as a kid and was too stubborn to admit to her parents she didn't like it, holds strict worldviews based on narrow/immature ration about the world and struggles to accept changes that don't fit into her preconceived frameworks, and wears a kinda stupid looking tights/skirt combo because she's 13. jesse is still attached to a song about learning to be nice to people he learned in kindergarten, is a serial social masker because he's convinced people will only like him if he's being exactly what they want him to be, and gets character development from talking honestly about his relationship to swimming. and so on and so forth. grace is a cult leader but she's also just, like, some girl who blows raspberries when she's thinking or excited. the depth of the characterization is inextricable from infinity train's narratives, because each narrative is, by dint of the show's most basic premise (follow these people while they fuck around on a train that kidnaps you and only lets you off if you achieve what it deems to be Personal Growth), entirely fueled by rich characterization and character arcs.
little nightmares, by contrast, actually hinges pretty heavily on vague/fuzzy characterization. it's actively difficult to catch a peek of six, mono, or runaway kid's face. the children you play as have names that are less names in the sense we're familiar with and more markers of isolation-induced anonymity: low, alone, and mono. in runaway kid's case, he doesn't even have a name--he's defined entirely by the fact that he's trying to escape. (from what? the world. does he succeed? no.) we don't know what any of these children like or dislike. we don't know where they came from. they don't have favorite colors, or hobbies, or even dialogue outside of the occasional--almost always barely-audible--"hey"s six and mono exchange to get each others attention. all of these children are defined by one thing: the fact that they are young and small and the world wants to eat, change, or destroy them. what most distinguishes each child from one another is the unique way in which they are hurt: six survives, but at the cost of the part of her that knows how to play and hold onto her friends. mono grows into a man who directly perpetuates the cycle that harmed his childhood self. runaway kid is clever, but unlucky, and never makes it out. and this is all because little nightmares is a visceral, but very nonliteral representation of the nonsensical cruelty of childhood. on a narrative level, the huge scope, mystery, and unfairness of the world the kids live in--and how it hurts them--is all-consuming.
all of which is to say that there's no grounded, detailed characterization that could be used to put six or mono on the train. numbers are calculated based on how far a person is from solving the problem that landed them there, and the train doesn't pick people up for problems that can't be addressed by individual development. six and mono don't need individual development--their only problem is living in a society that views them as worthless and in need of breaking (or consumption or destruction and so on). fundamentally impossible quastion to answer due to the differences in how inftr and ln approach characterization. sadly. :(.
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The tragedy of Kiryuu Ousuke
Hello, everyone! It has been a while!! I haven't been posting much in the last few months, and many things have been happening in the KOT world.
I'm back with an essay/character analysis on one of my favorite "Kono Oto Tomare!" characters: Kiryuu Ousuke.
If you are not up to date with the manga, be aware that there are major spoilers!!
There is so much I want to say about him. He is such a polarizing character, with such a complex psyche it just makes me want to dissect his behavior every time he appears. I will share some of my thoughts about him with you.
Ousuke is first introduced to us as a happy-go-lucky guy. One of the two male members of the Meiryou Koto Club (Although we never knew much about Tsutsumin until recently). He seems shallow, a flirt, and it doesn't look like he takes much seriously. It is also a mask. A shield he wears to guard an insecure little boy that is afraid to be left alone, and who has taught himself to be a leader in the darkness.
We can glimpse early on that there's more to Ousuke than what he shows, in some of his off-handed comments while talking to the Tokise Koto Club. With a smile that makes goosebumps raise in your arms, he lets us readers know that with just a glimpse, he can see inside the hearts of every person he crosses. He understands their behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses... And he will use them to guide his club and himself toward his goals.
I will go ahead and say it: He is scary. He is the kind of guy who would be a tyrant and a villain if he used his abilities for evil.
And that's where his character becomes beautiful and devastating to me. He doesn't become one. He becomes a leader with one of the purest and most ancient purposes known to mankind. Make the woman he loves happy.
We learn of Ousuke's backstory in chapter 23. A sickly child, he describes his own childhood as "Just my room and the scenery outside the window. The hospital bed and the smell of medicine. And a sweet melody coming from somewhere I don't know".
Growing up isolated is hard. Being sick is just terrible. Not being able to do anything to change that is miserable. You understand that other children go outside, play, fight, make up, and laugh with one another. And while you want to do the same, build relationships, and just do as others and live, your body betrays you. Other children will hardly change their routines to accommodate you... Even less if they barely see you and they don't know you at all. So, simply put, Ousuke circumstances leave him starved for human connection with no ability to change his situation.
We can see that when some of his classmates invite him to play with him on one of the rare occasions he is able to attend school. Ousuke knows he shouldn't, but he agrees to play with them because this is his chance to actually make friends... And maybe he will not be so lonely if he can fit in, just that one time. But he collapses, and the parents of the other children scold them for putting Ousuke's health at risk.
The kids get mad at Ousuke because "They got in trouble because of him". Ousuke's illness is thrown in his face. There is a clear line drawn between himself and the other kids. A line that tells him that "He is meant to be alone".
And suddenly Asano appears in his life. A lively girl who wears her heart on her sleeve, she is the one person who extends her hand to Ousuke to lead him to a bright world full of music, smiles, and belonging.
She is not like the other kids. Instead of disregarding Ousuke, she finds a way for them to be together. Ousuke's illness was such a huge part of his life, it practically became his identity. And Asano looked at the illness and said "This is nothing". Alone in his room, Ousuke always longed for the sweet melody that he could hear in the distance. Asano took Ousuke's hand and brought him to that unknown place that would become his home, and the one thing he would protect with his life. No, not the koto. The girl who brought the koto to him and destroyed with a smile any notion of him "meaning to be alone".
From here, we, for the first time, see what the real Ousuke is like. He is happy and so open with his emotions! And allow me to inform you, he will not hesitate to tell anyone who will listen that he loves Asa-chan. And that love gets thrown in his face like it's something foul. Other children start taunting them for being so close. "Asano, you like younger boys? How dirty"... But Asano won't be intimidated and pretty much tells them to go take a hike. It reminds me in some way of Chika when he said that telling someone you love them should not be something to be embarrassed about. Again, this girl WILL tell you how she feels and will wear her emotions on her sleeve.
However, the bullying escalates, slowly turning into harassment. And Ousuke is terrified. Not for him, but for her. Because if it gets worse, there is no way he can stay by her side without her being hurt. Without her ultimately losing her smile...
So Ousuke puts on a carefully crafted mask that will shield her from hurt. A mask that will hide the real Ousuke, but will allow him to be by her side to protect her.
And in the process, Ousuke discovers that he has a very very rare talent. While he doesn't like people (in general) all that much, he can see them. For him, they are like a book laid open for him to read, and the information he learns from those books molds his mask. People will not hurt Asa-chan, not on his watch. He understands how much of himself to show people, who he has to become in front of them for them to put their trust in him. Because having their trust also means they also hear his suggestions. Having their trust means they will not want to hurt or harass those he loves.
No, Ousuke does not like people. He has been burned too many times for that to happen. People can be shitty and will throw your weaknesses in your face. But Ousuke loves, fiercely. And he will do anything in his power to protect the happiness of the few he gives his love to. And at the top of that list, by far, is Asano.
We, as readers, come to understand where those veiled smiles of his come from. And is a privilege reserved only for us. Because no one else gets to see behind his mask anymore.
Not Yotchan, who was his first koto teacher. He believes Ousuke understands and adjusts to people so well because he likes them. Ousuke in response gives him the smile and says "I wish it was because of such a beautiful reason".
Not his classmates nor clubmates, who only know a happy-go-lucky guy who they rely on when it comes to koto. A guy who will smile and laugh with you and actually gives incredible suggestions, who somehow brings the very best out of their sound.
Not even Asano... The only person he will drop his mask with... But who is not able to distinguish the Ousuke who always said "I love Asa-chan" from the masked one who will flirt and be a playboy with every other girl.
I called this post "The tragedy of Kiryuu Ousuke" because, for me, Ousuke is the one character in this manga whose efforts simply never give him the reward everyone is rooting him to get: To Asano to look at him and realize he is a man who loves her fiercely and sacrificed his own self just to be by her side and protect her smile.
Because, for Asano, there never really was a change. That child grew up alongside her and grew to be a social butterfly. He is funny, he is happy, he is a flirt, and he takes the koto very seriously. He brings brightness and certainty to the koto world she loves so much.
Ousuke truly developed a rare skill. He is able to see others for who they truly are... And he doesn't judge them for it. When you pause and look at it you come to realize that Ousuke truly doesn't blame people for the things they do or how they act, even if they hurt him. Ousuke objectively understands that those behaviors come from people's circumstances. And as such he is the one who adjusts to them. He is the one that, within his capabilities, molds himself to fit. Who communicates, will hear their concerns, and will try to fix everything so everyone in the bright world Asa-chan brought him to can be happy.
And above it all... He also sees himself as he truly is behind the mask. Every insecurity, every weakness, every ugly part... He acknowledges and faces them. And only we, the readers, get to see them through his eyes.
And this is the moment to address the elephant in the room. Ousuke's biggest insecurity: The fact that the person he loves most in the world... Loves someone else.
You see, being able to understand people so well is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, he is able to discern, regardless of appearances, the goodness within people. With one glance.
He is also able to see the bullshit. The people who lash out because of some bias. And he will call them out on it.
On the other, he can also see that the girl he loves has a smile that is reserved uniquely for their school advisor. That he is the one she will look for when she needs a shoulder to cry on, and whose approval she will ask for just after a major performance.
And it hurts. Because maybe all his work, all his efforts to protect her happiness and her world are meaningless. Because maybe it is his own selfishness and need to be by her side that confined him behind the mask. Because maybe she never needed him to do that. Because maybe she only needs Yotchan, and he is just a secondary character in her life, while for him, she is his life.
And it is a tragedy because he makes peace with that fact. He is not expecting Asano to recognize the Ousuke behind the mask. He in fact doesn't even expect her to return his feelings. Because he will be happy as long as he can be by her side while she smiles. And any insecurity that may threaten that? Even if they are his own feelings? Even if it's his true self?
He will crush it.
And I, as a reader who got the privilege to look at his true self, can just root for his tragedy to end. Because I want to be a little bit selfish, and let the guy truly win. Not the Nationals everyone is so focused on, and he wants to gift to the girl he loves to get one of those smiles... But a future where she smiles at his side... And she looks at him and loves him for who he truly is.
#kono oto tomare!#kono oto tomare#tessenpai-kot-essays#kiryuu ousuke#character analysys#ousuke#kiryuu#kono oto tomare spoilers
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Top/Favourite Tom Hardy Series & Movies to Re-watch Time and Again
I was tagged by the lovely @hecatemoon87 to compose a wee list of my favourite films & series starring our dreamy Londoner, so *claps hands* lets get cracking!
#1 Peaky Blinders
Honestly, can you blame me for this one? The first time I ever saw this series, I was skeptical about Alfie. However, how-so-bloody-ever, as the seasons went on, I was drawn in more and more by him. Something in his manner, his unpredictable cleverness, spoke to me.
I’m currently on my second rewatch of the entire series so I’m up to date for S6, but, I’ll be honest, I’m mostly watching it for Tom.
Alfie made my rekindled crush on Tom so much worse. I can already hear you ask: “Rekindled? What sparked it in the first place?”
To the last part the answer is “I honestly can’t remember”. I just have a weakness for British men. And Irish… and Scottish. Anywho, I can pinpoint exactly when it was that I started gushing over him all over again.
#2 Venom
Yup, this movie absolutely did it for me. I’m sorry, but Tom portrayed Eddie (and Venom) as absolute hubby material.
Sure, I liked the story too despite hating sci-fi and anything related to aliens. I suppose it’s the human aspect and my own fascination with the ways in which we humans can work with the monstrous and harbour it ourselves, underlined by a scientific background, that has me returning to this one.
Also, in this house it’s canon Eddie reads romance novels and loves to watch anime with his girlfriend.
#3 Child 44
Gods, it’s been too long since I saw this movie. Note to self: buy and rewatch it. Also, finally read the book! It’s only gathering dust on your shelves.
Now, this choice has a kinda funny story behind it. I said to me mum I had found a movie with Tom called Child 44, which I rented on YouTube and would watch later that day. She plopped down next to me on the couch and, using my phone to broadcast on the telly since the YT app on it hated me, we watched it together.
I can’t say too much about the plot since it’s based on a true story. However, I’ll say this, it was interesting to get a perspective on the KGB and life in Russia during the 1940s. And Tom as Leo… my, oh, my. I thought the accent would make me bristle continuously and I’d tap out at once, as I tend to do with movies that have actors that attempt an accent that isn’t their own. Furthermore, there are some accents I just can’t listen to. I’m sorry, but it’s true.
I digress. Tom as Leo, right. At first, I expected to develop pure annoyance when it comes to him. Yet, I didn’t. Tom perfectly portrayed the complexities within Leo, personality and psyche alike, nurtured by an oppressive society during a difficult time in history.
#4 The Drop
I didn’t expect too much of this movie, which kinda helped since the plot is weak. Same goes for Warrior, by the way. But why did I include it in this wee list then?
*sighs* Because I like Tom and love his voice, regardless of what accent he puts on. And, sometimes, I just have the need to watch a movie with him, enjoy how talented and big he is. To not analyze the plot but the characters, put inspiration out of the movie’s weak points and hope to transform them into something better.
Plus, Bob is, in my mind, this adorable shy guy who’s been raised proper and therefore knows how to treat a woman right.
And a werewolf bartender who writes paranormal romance, bite me.
#5 Lawless
This movie and Tom as Forrest took me by surprise. I don’t really have an interest in the Prohibition, anything to do with American crime and history in general (except H.H. Holmes), but this was basically a Quintin Tarantino movie with less blood and more plot.
AND I LOVED IT!
Here and there on Tumblr I’d seen some talk about Forrest Bondurant, bits of info from which I had composed a profile of this rough, gruff, arrogant and violent man with a keen business sense. It was almost accurate.
Little did I expect he’d be an awkward bub around women. He’s basically a (secret) care bear in a cardigan with rough edges.
And with that I’d like to conclude this wee list. Feel free to create your own top 5 and to tag me🤗
Tag list: @liliac-dreamer @potter-solomons @alikaheroes @elijahssuit @vir-tual @dreamlandcreations @buttercup32sstuff @zablife @ilovemanypeople @woofgocows
#Tom Hardy#Venom#Eddie Brock#Peaky Blinders#Alfie Solomons#Lawless#Forrest Bondurant#The Drop#Bob Saginowski#Child 44#Leo Demidov
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What do you like about JJK? Why do you like it so much and what makes it stand out compared to other shonen to you? What do you think will happen with Gojo getting freed and Yuji? :)
HOLA!
Ok so it’s 1 am in my neck of the woods and I’m re-watching episode 1 of the JJK anime after watching Chainsaw Man’s anime’s first episode and...
God I love Jujutsu Kaisen...
He’s such a maniac, I adore him.
Word vomit below the cut.
I just don’t even know where to begin about why I like it so much. And to be honest, I didn’t love JJK until after episode 23 of the anime aired which prompted me to start reading the manga.
There was just something that hit home on an emotional level about Megumi upleveling after failing time and time again that really hooked me.
And to be honest, I think that’s why JJK is so popular and became mainstream... there’s something in the existential struggles of its characters that moves us to the core because we see ourselves in them.
Ah, but since I promised word vomit... without further ado.
What I like about JJK and why I like it so much
Tropes, tropes everywhere!
There's something so fascinating about how, from a narrative and character perspective, JJK uses all the tropes and yet somehow manages to be different.
I mean... you’ve got the 3-man squad, the white-haired super strong mentor, the demon inside the mc, the psychic warriors... you name it, JJK uses the trope and explores new facets of it by fleshing the trope out.
Something like that...
So to answer your question about what makes JJK different, it’s defo how Gege manages to strike a nice balance between using all the familiar tropes and creating a unique experience.
The plot
Not to mention that the plot feels like a puzzle that you put together one piece at a time. JJK reminds me of another show I love, Westworld, because it keeps you guessing right up until the end because the writers keep throwing twists at you.
Now that I’ve been watching and reading JJK for 2 years, to see the pieces of the puzzle come together is fascinating because you can see how Gege foreshadowed certain plot points.
The characters
First, I have to say that right from the beginning I knew I loved Megumi (this love only grew as I have seen how his character is revealed to us). But it goes without saying that I found most of the characters very human and relatable.
I think this is by far one of the most important factors that sets JJK apart from other manga and anime of its kind.
There’s depth to the JJK characters.
Depth Psychology
Ehem... the obvious one.
Dr. Jung would have a ball watching JJK and analyzing the characters’ respective neuroses (or Gege’s psyche for coming up with such a story). I think he’d especially find Megumi fascinating because of the whole shadow motif, and Yuji because of the stark contrast in personalities (like a split ego).
Also, I can’t quite put my finger on it yet, but the way Gege writes his characters is very focused on Psychology of the ego and how circumstances and trauma affects and drives thought and behavior.
But more importantly, I am fascinated by how Gege’s strongest characters are characters with a strong ego complex.
Maybe someday I’ll write a super nerdy essay that no one will want to read about the ego in JJK...
That said, Gege understands Depth Psychology, which is not to be confused with mainstream Psychology. And when I first noticed the Jungian influences on JJK, I wished JJK would have been around when I was in grad school because all my essays would have been about JJK.
JJK is dark and existential
I think that’s another of the things that makes JJK so different: Even while remaining true to its genre (Shonen), JJK is dark, it’s gritty, it’s angsty, it’s nuanced, it’s psychological... JJK is existential.
It’s not just about Goku and Vegeta fighting to see who is the strongest Saiyan, or Deku wanting to become the greatest hero or Naruto wanting to become Hokage so that he is acknowledged by others--it’s about people like you and me who have to face the existential horror of sacrificing their own lives for the sake of the humans who unconsciously create the curses that haunt them.
AND yet, as we’re seeing in the Culling Game arc, it’s also about how sorcerers like to battle it out because their existence is validated in battle (again, that whole thing with the ego and the strongest sorcerers).
In a nutshell, JJK is not just about a three-man team going on missions, it’s about the experience of facing death in those missions and how it changes the characters in different ways.
What happens to Yuji and Gojo?
I don’t know...
And like I want to cry just thinking about Yuji’s will to live even though his fate was sealed right from the beginning of the story.
Yuji is a kid who knows that he’s going to have a short life and he’s just doing what he can to use his unique powers to save others until that time comes.
Don’t quote me on this because I don’t understand it well, but, culturally, I understand the Japanese have an interesting relationship to “life, death and living” which might explain why suicide is so prevalent as a “choice”.
Again, I’m not entirely sure and could be 100% wrong as I am making assumptions based on having read Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being. The book thematically explores how the MCs learn to value their life and choose life over death and I bring it up because, if you think about it, Yuji and Megumi do not value their lives.
And yet to see Yuji cry and come to realize he doesn’t want to die in the panel above is so heartbreaking because we’re told from the very beginning that he’s going to die no matter what.
In the Culling Game arc (don’t read this paragraph if you aren’t up to date with the manga), you even see Yuji willingly decide to sacrifice himself because doing so would solve so many problems. What is even more poignant is how he seems to be convinced this is the honorable thing to do--so Japanese.
All that to say that, again, I have zero clue about what might happen to him because it really could go either way--he dies as planned because he’s Sukuna’s host, or he lives on because he somehow managed to continue to suppress Sukuna.
I’m going to put my money on the latter because as things are right now...
a) We have learned that the Jujutsu scheme of things are a bunch of creepy dudes who are interested in maintaining the status quo for their own benefit. One of the themes of the story is about Gojo wanting to take down these creepsters who decided that Yuji must die so I wonder where that’s going to go.
b) That said, I wonder if we aren’t meant to think that it’s obvious Sukuna is evil af and the reason Yuji has to die is to protect the general population from Sukuna’s evil. But I wonder if there is another reason why he is being targeted other than being “evil”.
c) I’d like to see Yuji value his life. Megumi has already realized that throwing away his life isn’t necessarily the best idea... but even after facing death, Yuji realized that he wants to live but continues to sacrifice himself to save others.
And it’s kind of interesting to think that Yuji is scared of not valuing other people’s lives but doesn’t value his own.
I am not sure if that’s what Gege has in mind for Yuji, but given what we’ve seen of Yuji so far, I’d really, really like to see Yuji choose to live no matter what. I want to see him have the same conviction that he has for saving others, but for saving himself.
That’s another thing I love about JJK by the way, it’s beautifully poetic.
As for Gojo... I haven’t given it much thought to be honest. I think he for sure gets out of the Prison Realm, and I can totally see him sacrificing himself for his students.
I’ve written before about how he doesn’t have a God complex, but how he can be arrogant. And I do feel like Gojo might overestimate how powerful he is. His downfall might actually be that, contrary to Sukuna who has no regard for others, Gojo cares too much for others.
Anyways.
Thanks for the ask dear! It was great to think about these things and put my thoughts together. If you’re up for it I’d love to hear about why you like JJK.
#god I love jujutsu kaisen#ask the mental gymnastics anime girl#ok its now 4 am#off to watch csm episode 2#then hopefully sleep
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Why does Amy go back to Nick at the End of Gone Girl? Theories
Director David Fincher’s tenth directorial venture ‘Gone Girl’ is a psychological thriller released in 2014, adapted from novel of the same name written by Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the screenplay. Nick going through a tumultuous marriage comes home to find his wife Amy has gone missing on the day of their fifth anniversary. The story revolves around the mystery behind missing wife and unraveling Nick and Amy’s psyche. A “cult classic” Gone Girl like any other David Fincher’s explores the complexities of human psyche as the story unfolds gradually. As the question takes us to the end of the movie, we need go through the rollercoaster ride taken by the character Amy throughout the plot to get the answer. Keep reading, let’s find out the answers together. Spoilers Ahead!
What happens to Amy?
Before walking in the territory of theories let’s talk about Amy Elliot Dunne. The film narrative picks up from the point view of Amy through her diary entries. We know how Nick changed after marriage and assaulted her for wanting a child, sympathy sides with Amy automatically. Nick’s absence of empathy also pushes the viewer in favour of Amy. We are made to feel bad for her only to discover she planned her missing fiasco. On top of that making it look like a murder and incriminate Nick. The knot of plot opens showing us the elaborate plan Amy sketched to teach Nick a lesson for being unfaithful and making her feel unwanted. Amy is educated, beautiful, psychopathic and manipulative person who would go to any ends for fulfilling her needs. She takes us from feeling bad for her to feeling bad for people around her.
She mentions about her two sides initially in the film when she speaks about ‘Amazing Amy’ a character her parents created, a perfect Amy in all sense; other side of psychopathic, controlling, narcissist not so ‘Amazing Amy’. The real Amy shows all the traits of Munchausen Syndrome and quite possibly Borderline personality syndrome. Amy Elliot had put on a mask of a ‘cool girl’ as she mentions to make herself suitable for Nick when she met him. After marriage she sees Nick growing apart from her which slowly yet steadily pushes her to remove the façade of Amazing Amy and planning a revenge on her ‘clueless’ husband. So the amazing Amy is ‘Gone’ and the real Amy takes her place. She puts Nick’s unfaithfulness as the reason for her treatment towards him which is similar to psychopaths justifying their actions. According to her plan she decides to commit suicide bringing a closure to her intention of putting Nick behind bar but narcissism takes over and she doesn’t go ahead stating “Why should I die?”
While staying in a motel few days after making she is missing to the public eye her money gets stolen forcing to reach Desi Collings for help. She uses manipulation as her weapon to find her way yet again but soon her intentions change as Nick apologizes on television. She plots her way back to Nick by the end of film remorselessly killing Desi in the process.
Why does Amy go back to Nick at the End of Gone Girl?
Initial intention of Amy comprises of getting back at Nick for cheating on her and mistreating her. She goes to cunning, vicious lengths and meticulous planning to make all that happen as we see unravel in the second half of the film. Henceforth the question arises ‘why she goes back Nick?’ especially after all that efforts she put to get away from him.
The turning point comes when Amy sees Nick on television apologizing for all his wrong doing, she realizes this charismatic Nick is the one whom she was attracted to when they met. She wants that Nick in her life and so decides to go back to him. This is one of simplest reason on the surface of story. In actuality one cannot help but imagine what Amy’s intentions are because she is a puzzle. It possibly could be she wants Nick to be under her palm and tailor-make him a perfect husband material in accordance to her will. The screenplay leaves a clue about this too when Amy gifts Nick a ‘robot dog’ for anniversary which tells she wants him faithful like a dog and under her control like a robot, the controlling side of Amy is shown throughout the film confirming theory. Secondly, she truly believes in the notion Nick and her made for each other in some twisted way. She also says to him “I killed for you. Who else can say that?” The validity of this theory lies in how she plans her pregnancy in the hopes of starting a family and extorting Nick to stay with her. Eventually Nick decides to stay with her much to the surprise of his sister. One more theory as she says herself “I am not a quitter” and she wants give this marriage a chance. But the movie ends Nick asks the same questions as the start only this time “What have we done to each other? What will we do?” seems to be launched towards the viewer and everyone can reach their own conclusions.
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BABY RUBY - Review
DISTRIBUTOR: Magnet
SYNOPSIS: Jo is a successful lifestyle entrepreneur, happily pregnant and awaiting the arrival of her first child. Soon after Jo welcomes baby Ruby home, something starts to feel off-- even though she's assured it's all perfectly normal. Is something wrong with her? Is something wrong with Ruby? Why are seemingly perfect neighborhood moms so desperate to befriend her? As Jo fights to protect herself and her baby, she is plunged into a waking fever dream where everyone is a threat and nothing is what it seems. At last, she must confront the truth of her own darkness and contend with the ultimate human sacrifice: The one mothers make for their children.
REVIEW: Playwright Bess Wohl makes her feature film debut with a psychological horror film about the darkside of becoming a parent and motherhood. As a parent, I can understand and appreciate much of what she presents as the parent of a child whose mother experienced postpartum depression, but as a male I wasn’t aware of the depths of the terror that a woman can experience.
Wohl’s screenplay is as compelling as it is frightening. Like a Hitchcock film, she takes her main character Jo on a downward spiral into madness that begins with subtle, surreal touches. As Jo questions reality she puts the viewer on unsure footing so that we question what we are witnessing. Jo’s interaction with other characters presents conversations where they reveal dark thoughts about their experiences with parenting and Jo comments on how she feels like she is disappearing. These are thoughts and emotions I am positive people experience and often never get an opportunity to discuss and unburden themselves of. Wohl is skilled at mounting terror and dread like an Edgar Allan Poe tale.
Wohl’s location imparts a sense of isolation, yet she is close enough to the town where there is a group of mothers that feels like a homage to “The Stepford Wives.” There is a sequence where the mothers gather for a night out at the local waterhole that becomes this surreal fever dream that feels like a nod to “Rosemary’s Baby.” When Jo and Ruby come home and trying to find their schedule, Wohl builds this sequence where Jo is trying to quiet Ruby where she artistically presents Jo’s stress levels and her fracturing mental state. Pepper throughout the film is this horrifying sound design of Ruby’s cry. At times she presents that cry every parent knows, a nerve straining, gut wrenching, curdling cry that is so painful. Not only was it painful to hear, it ignited old muscle memories within my psyche. Wohl skillfully frames and edits the film to orchestrate the horror and add hairsplitting atmosphere. I think her theatrical vision and her imagination blossoms with the cinematic tools at her disposal.
While this is an excellent ensemble cast, actress Noémie Merlant is the lynchpin of the film. She provides a vast palette for the viewer to hang their emotions on. Likewise, she crafts a character that allows the viewer to never be secure about the reality of her situation. I felt her French accent added an additional aspect to the character in terms of her being a stranger and isolated. Kit Harington, John Snow of “Game of Thrones” fame, does a solid job as Spencer, Jo’s husband, creating this rounded performance with moments that leave the viewer questioning his intentions. Likewise, actress Jayne Atkinson delivers this compelling and chilling performance as Spencer’s mother. She needs to take it to some dark places as the subject of Jo’s delusions.
Bess Wohl’s BABY RUBY is an outstanding feature directorial debut. It is a deeply disturbing film that is a complex character study brought to life with excellent performances and artistic production choices, including a terrifying sound design. Given what is up on the screen, the screenplay is worthy of a few writing awards and would probably make for an outstanding novelization. Wohl makes fascinating choices as she weaves an intense, shocking, emotional tale. It is sure to dredge up old emotions of parents, send expecting parents screaming up the aisle, and frighten young couples from becoming ones. At least it will spurn some interesting conversations. A couple of times in the film Wohl brings up the mother consuming her placenta. For me, that was the icing on the cake. I can remember some woman from the old country telling my pregnant wife at the time to make sure she got her placenta so she could consume it. Yes, it’s a thing! I wonder if it goes well with fava beans and chianti?
CAST: Noémie Merlant, Kit Harington, Meredith Hagner, Camila Canó-Flaviá, and Jayne Atkinson.
CREW: Director/Screenplay - Bess Wohl; Producers - Brett Beveridge, Lauren Beveridge, Jeffrey Penman & Alex Saks; Cinematographer - Juan Pablo Ramírez; Score - Erik Friedlander; Editors - JC Bond, Arielle Sherman & Jin Lee; Production Designer - Dahlia Galler; Costume Designer - Tilly Grimes; Prosthetic Makeup Designer - Ben Bornstein; Visual Effects Artist - Chris Wells.
OFFICIAL: www.magnetreleasing.com/babyruby/
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/babyrubymovie
TWITTER: N.A.
TRAILER: https://youtu.be/b34goCcuKdk
RELEASE DATE: In theaters and on demand February 3, 2023
**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)
Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri
#film review#movie review#baby ruby#babyruby#magnet#magnet releasing#bess wohl#noémie merlant#kit harington#Jayne Atkinson#horror#parenting#psychological#postpartum depression#joseph mauceri#joseph b mauceri
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terry being taken down the way he did makes sense but that doesn’t make it good. that’s something a lot of ck fans don’t have a grasp on; that certain writing choices absolutely do fit the characters but don’t fit with an actual meaningful playout of the story. imo they should have stretched out the conflict into the sixth (& hopefully final) season, because i did like the re-introduction of terry revolving around his psychology.
him starting off as a one-dimensional satire of capitalism doesn’t mean that expanding upon his psychology automatically makes him a sympathetic figure. neither the fandom nor the writers themselves seem to understand this. both love to laud the show’s portrayal of the “gray areas of morality” & how no character is truly good or bad when the narrative doesn’t even allow them to mentally confront their trauma. its always physical. always barking tactics and showing flashbacks instead of having quiet moments where the characters are left alone with themselves. terry’s the only character who’s actually had brief (VERY brief) moments like these.
back to the original point, terry is a figure who should have succumbed to himself. one of the episode titles is literally “ouroboros”. he’s always been a being of devotion, to kreese and now to himself. his canon endgame doesn’t seem to actually have an end -- you make your way of karate the most popular in the world, and...what? you just assume everyone will share the ideals you’ve infected it with? its so cartoonish.
it ties back to my argument that he should not have bribed the referee. he should have won the tournament fair and square, so that he could continue to be an “effective” teacher who does what he does best: taking the worst aspects of a budding teenager’s fragile psyche and exacerbating them under the guise of self-actualization. this is what he knows, what he practices, and what he was taught by the american military. he accepts everything about himself except the fact that he is and always will be an extension of the military industrial complex, because that would in turn expose not a lack of autonomy -- because joining the army is a choice -- but precisely the reverse. you made the wrong choice, the worst choice, and there’s nothing you can do to rectify it. johnny, daniel, and chozen all made the wrong choices in their youth, but they were able to look inward and turn their lives around. meanwhile, terry would rather die than admit he built the cage and locked himself in it in the first place. its too humiliating. (more weight to the scene where kreese intimidates him! a cage of sexuality/lack thereof, a cage of carnage, a cage of white american vainglory, etc.)
the way this would play into his downfall would be the cobra kids actively choosing to turn against him, instead of a big exposure plot. the kids suffering mentally under his tutelage and learning on their own to look inward for change, to forgive themselves for making bad choices. the kids ultimately choosing to not be like him, to not become someone who chose an unforgivable path and eventually melted into its foundation. daniel had this revelation, and defeated terry the first time.
this happened to kreese, and he would have suffered the same fate eventually had he not played on terry’s love for him (which in and of itself only exists in the limbo of subtext, but terry having unrequited romantic feelings for kreese plays a huge part in this) while underestimating how deeply obsessive terry is as a way of compensating for his own emptiness. like the scene in hannibal where he tells will “im where you can always find me” while being put in handcuffs. do i think terry is genuinely in love with kreese? subtextually, and for the sake of this reading, yes. earnest human characteristics in truly reprehensible villains, once again, do not make them sympathetic. they merely show the universality of evil.
this would not only crush terry on the teaching front, because he’d genuinely believe he was a good teacher, but also on the legacy front. i actually like the base concept of terry being wistful about children, half because its another trait that makes him more human, and half because it defangs the sexual aspect of him being a child predator, since so many people are uncomfortably fixated on that for Certain Reasons. do army recruiters not prey on children?
more to the point, itd be a big paul-dano-riddler “AAARRGH IT WASNT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS” moment where he, and his cage, fall in on themselves. his idea of love and enrichment was never that in the first place, and all he has is a legacy of failure. the snake succumbs to its own bite.
#cobra kai#terry silver#under a readmore bc i ended up writing way more than i intended lol#for this to actually work youd have to fundamentally fix daniel & johnny's characters too#''everything i do is for the future'' hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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Would you be willing to dissect dazai's character on here? I just find it soooo hard to understand him, his motivations and how genuine he actually is, how much of the emotions he portrays are fabricated and which ones are genuine. And how terrifying is the thought that he truly doesnt feel lime he is human (like does that come from not connecting with them and feeling so alianated from the mundane human concerns, or is it rooted deeper? Does he care about the people around him? Is it truly care? Is he even capable of it?). I always find it interesting when other people discuss their opinions on characters and i feel like you have a very unique way to dive into the psyche of each character you write for (and also as i mentioned dazai just goes way over my head)
oooh interesting question anon! my answer is rambly and is mostly just me splatting my thoughts all over this ask SO beware of that! <3
so i have actually already begun a section in my notebook/docs for him + my analysis of his character but as this is a pastime that i usually enjoy doing just for myself and keeping private i don’t think i’d share like, the entire thing (also it’ll end up being several thousand words by the time it’s done HAHA). additionally, since i have yet to consume all of the media associate with bsd i don’t feel like i can even fully dissect him; i can only offer the opinions i have on him at the moment based on what i’ve consumed/know—which right now is only the anime!
but!!!!!! with that being said i do love discussing character and sharing my thoughts on them when it comes to specific subjects/questions if that makes sense??? so if you ever have any specific questions and you’d like to know my personal thoughts on them i’m always more than open to sharing them!
like with what you’ve said here, for example, in regards to his emotions. i agree that he’s extremely complex, almost to the point of being convoluted, and he holds his cards very close to his chest. it seems like it would be incredibly difficult for someone to get genuinely close to him—and i mean like really close, like close enough to the point of him actually letting his guard down and taking off the several masks he wears throughout the day and kind of being fully himself and baring his authentic soul—but i do think that he’s sincere at least some of the time, and i think that he’s more authentic with the ADA than he ever was with the mafia, excluding oda who i think knew him better and more deeply than anyone else in the world ever has.
i can’t even begin to fathom your more complex questions about feeling human etc because i still feel like i haven’t dug into the material enough to give a deep enough answer tbh!
personally i believe that he’s moral greyness personified. i think he really doesn’t give a fuck about good or about evil, and i think he’s easily capable of both in great capacities. it really just depends on which he sets his mind on, whichever one he decides to be that day. i believe he has an immense amount of both within him and i don’t think his evil and sadistic tendencies just up and disappeared; it appears that he can switch between the two with astonishing ease whenever he wants to. to me it’s very clear that he has only decided to do good and focus on good purely because his best friend, and the one person it seemed like he truly, genuinely, deeply cared for, told him to do it. it isn’t like dazai had some sort of epiphany or a profound change of heart on his own that made him suddenly want to be better; it was just his best friend’s dying wish that he put his abilities and his intelligence towards doing good, and so that’s what he’s doing. and i think it’s THAT that motivates him more than anything else. it’s that oda said hey look i know you don’t care about either, so for me, go do some good in this world, and that dazai is honouring that because he loved him.
i think this also stems from guilt, too; from being unable to save oda, so he feels like this is next best thing—this is the least he can do for him, to honour him and to honour his death.
jumping back to his emotions being genuine, i think that his tendency to bother others purely for his own amusement is an inherent + authentic trait (because we see him do it on BOTH sides); i think he does genuinely care for atsushi and for the agency, i think he is capable of those positive emotions in some capacity because, again, oda is a prime example of him being able to FEEL things—to feel genuine and fundamental human emotions, even if he doesn’t feel them often or feel them with the intensity that others do. which is why i don’t think we can classify him as a true psychopath—i definitely believe he is stellar at mimicking emotions 100% and can do so whenever the situation calls for it (he’s so obviously a fantastic and skilled liar), but i think he does have the capacity to truly feel real things, too. and he fully understands morality and society’s collective moral compass, even if he himself doesn’t really care for it either way/doesn’t really personally lean one way or another.
i think it’s really hard to tell which of his emotions are genuine and which are fabricated but i also think that if you use the question of ‘okay, is he lying here for the sake of his own plan succeeding/is he purposefully withholding information here’ is a good start at indicating whether or not he’s being genuine. for example, the way he treats higuchi when he first meets her!we now know in hindsight that he was only acting the way he did towards her so he could slip that lil radio thingie in her pocket and spy on her; to watch and see how things play out before interfering or jumping to conclusions.
i’m sorry this is such a chaotic mess HAHA he really is so so so complex and i’m still sifting through all of my own thoughts and interpretation/analysis of him as i continue to consume more of the series itself. anyway, these are my thoughts at the moment based on the information i have! they may change slightly in the future as i wade deeper into the material, but yeah! <3
#anyway these are my thoughts currently based on the info i have!#he is so so so complex and i can’t wait to start diving into how i personally think he’d react to someone he’s genuinely in love with after#i finish with my initial analysis and breakdown of him#because he would be SO interesting in a relationship#hopefully some of this makes sense waaaaah apologies it’s so all over the place#there’s a LOT to dig into with dazai; every single action + emotion + word MEANS something#ugh i love him so much <333333333#have a fabulous day anon bb and stay safe + hydrated!!!#inky.bb#clari gets mail#inky.bsd#inky.dazai
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Ya know, I've been thinking about why BSD fandom has a habit of mischaracterizing Dazai so often. It's not just him ofc, other characters get mischaracterized too, but when they miss with Dazai, they miss the completely.
I think he's the most complex character in series, both because he's constantly shielding himself by having a clown mask while emotional staying distant (although he cares about others and has formed bonds), but also goes through quiet a shift from Dark Era to where manga is now. To understand characters like him one needs more EQ than IQ (although some knowledge about human psyche in general would be welcome). Characters such as Atsushi and, idk, Fyodor, Sigma etc.- they can be 'put in the box' characterization-vise and still act like their canon selves somewhat (under certain situations). Dazai however, that simplification simply doesn't work with him. He wonders if he's allegorically human but his inner struggle are human at their core - and that's complex to portray and understand. So I believe to vast majority of folks Dazai is actually hard to understand so those people (usually under 20) are subconsciously trying to push him into their narrow definition of how anime characters can behave.
Now, Atsushi and Chuuya for instance are also complex, but in different ways from Dazai. Because they never had their 'bad guy' moments (although fandom simplifies Chuuya too imo, he's mafia executive ffs, not some delicate flower, he's done crimes too). Characters such as Gogol and Fyodor are villains, so they, in fandoms eye, can fall into a box. Dazai is gray era in everything however. That's my guess why fans mischaracterize Dazai so much
I agree completely with you and your take in this whole situation.
Is systematic how I stumbled upon a mischaracterization and I can immediately correlate it to the person's age.
And I feel this mainly with Dazai (not just because he's one of my favorite characters across all media) but also with most bsd characters, people do try to fit them into boxes. Where we can clearly see the author is building morally gray characters here. It's not a story about good or bad, it's a story about goals, bonds, beliefs.
I also think Dazai is usually the victim of this for one main reason: there's no canon backstory to him. The other day I had someone asked me where is mentioned Dazai's abuse through the story(they like to say the abused becomes the abuser but have the nerve to question his abuse). This hints at a lack of reading between the lines and understanding that the author is foreshadowing or preparing something to do with him, but every glimpse we get into younger Dazai it's so heartbreaking.
Dazai is made to be a mystery at the moment. We know only two things about him:
1. He's a liar
2. He made his friends last wish his legacy
Anything else is interpretations or someone else's POV of him.
But for me, this is what makes BSD so interesting. Each character has their development, each character is so deeply flawed, each character is human. Nothing in this series is made to be black and white.
I finish this with a panel of him when no one's looking, how tired he actually looks
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Sudden urge to assign MtG colour identities to the Omori cast lol thoughts under the cut, it’s a little long and also references full game spoilers for the Sunny Route. I waaaay overthought this, considering I mostly just wanted to make this to come up with cool magic stuff for them lol
I tried to assign most of the Faraway gang two colours, save for Sunny and Basil, and the Headspace gang one colour, save for Omori and Basil. This was intentional - the Headspace gang are, of course, imaginary, simplified versions of the real people they represent, so of course their colour philosophies/identities would be less complex than their real human counterparts, and Sunny, Omori, and Basil are exceptions because of each of their unique circumstances. The Headspace folks (or at least Omori and Basil) are given their colour identities as much or more for the roles they play in Sunny’s psyche as for their actual character traits.
Faraway/Real World Gang:
Sunny Mono-blue, later Simic (Blue-green) in the True Ending
I assign Sunny blue mana less because of any particular personality traits he has and more because of Headspace. It’s an ideal world built on illusions, and while it lacks the intellectual, inquisitive quality usually associated with blue mana, it just seems to fit really well. I think by the end of the True Route, especially in a universally-loved run or just having completed a fair amount of tasks around town to have lots of flowers in Sunny’s hospital room, it makes a lot of sense for Sunny to connect with the green mana philosophy of acceptance and interconnectedness as well.
Aubrey: Boros (White-red)
Aubrey is passionate and intense, but she’s also desperately looking for peace in her life. Her anger when she finally saw Sunny out of the house was related to the way his sudden presence upended the uneasy peace she had clawed together, and she lashed out.
Hero: Selesnya (White-green)
Chose white for him because he’s a fucking people pleaser lmao half serious about that, actually, he cares a lot about the people around him and wants to be there for others. He’s going through to be a doctor, ffs, and white mana is heavily associated with healing and protection. Green is a sort of secondary colour for him the same way white is a secondary colour for Aubrey, its philosophy of accepting your place dovetails with his specific rendition of the white colour philosophy. He’s a doctor because his parents want him to be, he had considered being a cook because Mari wanted him to be, he was the responsible one in the group because that’s what they needed from him. He constantly lets his role be decided by the people around him, and he seems pretty okay with that.
Kel: Boros (White-red)
Kel and Aubrey are both Boros, but they are very different flavours of Boros. If Aubrey is red with a white bent, Kel is white with a red bent. Like Hero, he puts others first, he’ll take whatever you throw at him but won’t stand for anyone mistreating his friends. His impulsivity, though, serves his caringness, like when he rushes in to defend Basil from the Hooligans both at the Park and at the secret hangout spot.
Basil: Sultai (Blue-black-green), later Simic (Blue-green) in the True Ending
Basil’s hard because of how little we get to know him, so this colour selection was based as much on wanting it to sort of work narratively with my selection for Sunny’s colour philosophy as it was actually based on what we see of him. I like the thought that Basil’s colour philosophy was complicated after Mari’s accident, to contrast Sunny’s simplifying, and I like the thought of them healing towards the same colour philosophy. The green is for plants, and him having a place and a role in the friend group, the blue is for idealizing the friend group, and the black is for clinging to what he had with all his might after Sunny pushed Mari, no matter what heinous things he had to do to maintain the illusion. In the true ending, I’d like to think he stops clinging on so hard, and that lets him drop the black bent.
Mari: Dimir (Blue-black)
For obvious reasons, this is all just based on Sunny’s memories of her, but I think I can make a good case for her being Dimir given what we’re shown. She’s repeatedly shown to be a perfectionist, which is a very blue trait to have, and the black comes in with how hard she’s willing to push others (namely Sunny, the day of the recital, but arguably also the way she seems to almost pressure Hero to become a cook for her in the memory at the hangout spot) in order to achieve her ideal vision for the world. I don’t doubt that she cares about them, and caring for others is admittedly not a very black trait at all, but (and maybe this is just me, maybe I’m just reading her uncharitably, maybe I’m stretching here) at times she almost feels a bit manipulative. Maybe she’s just too much of a tease for me, but she rubs me wrong at times.
Headspace Gang:
Omori: Dimir (Blue-black)
I’ve already characterized Headspace as a very blue place, and I think Omori just brings a black bent to that. He is motivated by self-interest - and, being part of Sunny, also by Sunny’s self-interest. Black is not inherently evil, just focused on power and looking out for oneself. Omori protects Sunny from the truth of what happened, burying it away beneath the pastel veneer of Headspace, because that is what it takes for Sunny to not have to feel that pain. It’s only when Sunny learns the truth that Omori seems to turn on him, and even then, as part of Sunny’s mind, he’s just giving voice to Sunny’s own thoughts. Committing suicide is a way to end that pain, when it’s no longer possible to suppress it, to block out the imperfect and painful world around him permanently. It’s textbook black: Death is a tool. He even aligns well with blue-black strategies mechanically, turning the enemy’s strength into weakness and misery into power, able to strike precisely and hard. (Or maybe that’s just how I tended to build him, I didn’t really experiment with builds as much as I maybe could have.)
Aubrey: Mono-red
Aubrey in Headspace is as strong-willed as she’s ever been, staunch in her beliefs and more impulsive with youth. She lacks the yearning for peace that Faraway Aubrey developed after Mari’s passing. Mechanically, she aligns well with red’s philosophy of hitting hard and hitting harder.
Hero: Mono-white
Hero in Headspace is still a people pleaser lol and mechanically, he still leans very white as well, being the party’s main healer and generally not hitting very hard unless you actively build him that way. He does his best work when he’s supporting others. (I can see there being an argument for him being Selesnya or even mono-green, and I welcome other opinions, this is just what I went with.)
Kel: Mono-red
Headspace Kel’s whole thing is his impulsivity. He’s the ultimate little gremlin free spirit. Plus, the Kel Nuke (and his overall glass cannon status) just feels very red, honestly.
Basil: Mono-green, mono-blue, or Simic (blue-green)
The fact that I’m not listing a singular colour philosophy right from the get-go kiiinda shows just how uncertain I am about Headspace Basil. I haven’t played or seen much of the Hikkikomori route, so I’m aware that I’m potentially missing out on some characterization for him, and I just don’t feel that I have enough information to be able to narrow it down beyond the obvious of blue for the illusions of Headspace and green for the acceptance (and with him being hidden away whenever he triggers Sunny, rejection) of the past. Thoughts for him are especially appreciated.
Mari: Mono-blue
The reason for this is twofold: One, she is an idealized version of Mari, who already has a blue bent but who supports Sunny/Omori no matter what, never pressuring him to be what she wants him to be like the real Mari seemed to. Two, she is the culmination of Headspace’s promise of perfection, her very existence and continued life is impossible idealism.
MtG colour philosophy summary I looked at for this in case anyone wants it:
“Pie Fights” by Mark Rosewater (hyperlink)
I’ve put a fair bit of thought into this, but it still feels a little half-baked to me, and I would love some other opinions. I’m not really an MtG lore or philosophy buff, I just happened to have MtG and Omori ping off each other in my braincan and went off about it lol if you’re seeing this, thanks for reading through all of this, I hope it was worth your time :P
#omori#omori sunny#omori aubrey#omori kel#omori hero#omori basil#omori mari#omori omori#omori spoilers#major omori spoilers#suicide#mtg colour philosophy#text post#long post#thia posts#am i likely to do anything with this? unfortunately no#am i gonna put it out in the world anyways? sure why not#enjoy lol (or don’t i’m not your boss)
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💖because I'm curious
🤗because I need some
✨because you deserve it, queen
Rnskdkdo gosh, I feel so special 😭💖💖 thank you so much for the ask!!! Sorry this is another long one lol, but I hope you enjoy, these were fun!
💖 What made you start writing?
Oh gosh, I've been writing since I was 13 I think lol, so a little hard to say 😂😂 I've always had a really strong imagination I suppose, so when I'd consume a new type of media or "fandom" I always wanted to do so much more with the characters then what little I was given on the TV screen, so I started writing my own adventures for them :D
And look at me now 😂👍🏻
🤗 Advice for new writers?
Well I did answer here technically lol, but I do love to pretend I'm all that when it comes to writing, so I can drop another tip 😂😂
I feel like maybe this kind of relates back to the original answer I gave? but typing out a characters inner thoughts can be just as important as writing out their dialogue, ESPECIALLY if you're dealing with a particularly complex, or even disturbed, character. Yes yes, it helps build atmosphere and prose in your writing, but more importantly it gives us as the reader a chance to relate to or at the very least, understand said character and their feelings/motivations
How much or how little you let us peer into a character's psyche depends on how much you want us to either hate or else emphasize with the character, after all. For example Sabretooth, when written to his fullest, is an extremely disturbed individual of course- he doesn't see people or lives, he sees objects to maim and destroy. Killing is fun for him, and the bloodier the better.
You could only frame his mindset about killing for fun and not seeing people as people to make us despise him- that way we feel our emotional investment is paid off if/when he is defeated later on. On the other hand, sabretooth kills and hates people (*cough*humans) because he was severely and horrifically abused, even tortured tbh, as a child so invoking information like that and certainly his own memories of those times could be used to make us feel sympathy for him instead, if that's what you wanted.
Either way, it's all about getting your readers to feel- and no better way then to get your character to tell us what they're REALLY thinking by putting us in their heads 👍🏻
✨ Complement your own work, mwahahaha
Smskslsls another hard one 😭😂 Well a little secret of mine is that I will basically never write about a situation or story unless either I myself have experienced it, I witnessed someone in my personal life experience it, or I have taken the adequate time to become EXTREMELY familiar with the circumstances surrounding what I'm writing- simply bc I strive to write as realistic as possible for my readers
I guess I do like that a lot about my writing lol. Often times I'll read other fics, particularly reader inserts, and it just feels extremely obvious (to me at least) that the person writing it has never experienced, or at least never closely studied, the emotional situation they're writing about. It immediately triggers this very intense case of "real people do not and furthermore, would never, act this way in these circumstances" and pulls me out of the story you know?
So yeah, I'm proud that I pour out my heart and soul to try (with over all success, I'd dare say) my utmost to make sure my readers never get that jarring feeling while reading my work
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The RIDDLEDORE FIC REC
I wanted to make a rec list of my fav rare pairing on the HP fandom. I just don’t get how this pairing have so little shipper when their is so much possibilities in it but I suspect Dumbledore physical appearence when he meet Tom might have to do with it Xd I mean I am pretty sure if it has been Jude law playing younger Albus coming to take see Tom at the orphanage…. Anyway, good fics on Tom/Voldemort x Dumbledore are as rare as they are precious!
Why I love the pairing? I found Albus being the most interesting chara of HP by far and Voldemort Tom have an infinite potential in the fanfiction area. I love obsessive, twisted and power play relationship where both the character are powerful and manipulative, enemi to lover to enemi, father issue, unrequited, dubcon… this pairing hit all my kink just right and have so much potential for exploring the characters psyche… it is just too good in my opinion. Sadly i ALWAYS have to fall for rare pairing, Always. And not rare pair but still a bit popular noooo the niche pair that only five people know about and like 🥲
Four little fics but so well put together. How Tom obsessive hatred take another turn because of amorencia potion accident is very ironic yet so fitting. It is by far the most canon compliant fic on this pair I read so far. It is tragic as most fic with Tom tend to be and painfully sad. Love cannot win it all, it can’t make everything better and sometimes it can even make things worse.
Sad it is not over. I would have loved to see Grindelwald throw in the mix.
Grounded in canon too. Tom explore hate mixed with desire fantasy. Albus is a bit thrown off by it XD it is fun to see him not all knowing and self righteous and Tom to be so human, obviously working on serious oeudipian complex there XD
A guilty pleasure for me. The fic skim over many points i would have like to see developed but the main relationship is so well explored. Albus take upon himself to be a responsible adult in this one and to take young Tom as his protegé. Tom developed an obsession after witnessing great power beyond his reach and here we go for a dark obsessive and twisted love. I was particularly surprise by a kind of happy ending that was very believable. I didnt think with such a pairing it could happend. But it did and it is totally believable for me. A must read. Steamy hot scene on Albus’s study floor on top of it XD
This one is more a Tom centric but it has some interesting Albus/Tom point. I found that diabetic Tom quite interesting and they are in it both manipulative asshole, as it should be. Sad it won’t be continued at the point 🥺
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2595818/1/Rectifier
This one is one of my very favorite. It is not finished and probably wont be but it is worth is. Not shipping but their relationship as father son is totally my kind of jam too.
An unapologetic Tom riddle that didnt chose the Voldemort path and live a fulfilling life as a teacher/researcher invent alternative world travel and end up in Hp canon world. In this world he is confronted to the consequences of the choice he could have made and find himself caught in Albus/voldemort war.
This Tom is so interesting. He is still a psychopath, feels no remorse for the murder of his family but his Albus manage to be a responsible adult in his world and broadened his horizon enough for him to chose something else than cutting his own soul in pieces. It is so refreshing to see him so mature and content with himself. His relationship with both Albus are a delight and so are those with Snape and Harry. I always have a soft spot for teacher tom. Harsh but fair. This one is such a must read guys.
A classic. I just wish it was a longer fic
Another hilarious classic. Instead of beimg scared of Dumbledore baby Tom extreme positivity morph the hateful obsession on… hero worship obsession. It is so dark yet very very funny. Or how Dumbledore find himself with a slytherin fanclub he didn’t know he never wanted XD
I love this one. Nothing is better than a good old Voldi going back in the past to kill Dumbledore and falling for a bright young redhead and being a teacher at the same time XD this one is quite not canon especially with the gellert albus but it is still quite good, funny and have a really positive and believable ending. Or when Albus is way too lonely and way too much into dark lords XD
Both those fics have similar setting. Steamy hot sex. Albus dealing with his feeling for Gellert through Tom, Tom dealing with obvious daddy and authority issues, Gellert is a jerk. Everything is hot dark and painful.
One of my fav so far (who am i kidding i am obsess with it recently XD) only three chap but i pray for a loooong good one. Au Voldi go back in time to kill Albus, find him young and lovely and VERY reluctantly fall for him XD the old one are always the best. Please check it, it is hilarious and I love the way this author write Voldemort and Albus and very much all the other character. It is just too good.
Hope it this will help other fellow Albus/Voldemort shipper out there!
Guys if anyone has good rec to give me on this ship, them being a couple or being in a father mentor son relationship I’ll take it. Please no Dumbledore pedophile or bashing tho, i really hate those 😟
#fic recs#harry potter fics#albus dumbledore#tom riddle#albus dumbledore x voldemort#albus x tom#albus x voldermort#voldemort#rare paring#riddledore
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The drama Beyond Evil as a philosophical parable about human relationships.
The drama begins in the spirit of the classic detective story. A young policeman, Han Joo Won, arrives in the small provincial town of Manyang, the place where a murder took place 20 years ago and remains unsolved. Han Joo Won is talented, educated and has connections at the very top - his father is deputy chief commissioner of police. Han Joo Won is also full of enthusiasm, bordering on obsession, to solve a case that his father never solved. According to the laws of the genre, we have a limited number of suspects connected by a long history of relationships, keeping their own and other people's secrets. And the biggest secret seems to be Han Joo Won's partner, police officer Lee Dong Sik. Twenty years ago, he was arrested on suspicion of the murder of his sister, but released for lack of evidence.
The plot of Beyond Evil is well twisted, and a new intrigue is revealed behind each denouement. But at the same time, already in the first episodes, I felt that Beyond Evil could be more than just a good detective. And I was not wrong.
From the very first episodes, we plunge into the drama, like into a fabulous whirlpool. We get to know the life of a provincial town. We watch Lee Dong Sik intently, trying to figure out what is behind his extravagant behavior. Shin Ha Kyun in this role masterfully balances on the border of light and shadow, sober calculation and madness. In the meantime, we are wondering who he is - a "fallen angel" or a bright angel who fell from a height and broke his wings. We look into the faces of all the heroes, trying to determine which of them is the monster. And gradually we are imbued with the mesmerizing beauty of this world and its inhabitants.
At first, Han Joo Won was perceived as an outsider. "Young master" in an expensive suit, completely alien among the ordinary people of Manyang. And it's not just about social status. Han Joo Won chose this role for himself - an independent observer who looks from above at the ugliness of this world and does not touch the dirt. However, the further he progresses in his research, the more personal it becomes, and the mask of equanimity slips from his face. This is how a classic detective story turns into a psychological journey - to feelings and memories walled up in the basements of the soul, into a journey to someone else and to oneself. Because these two processes always go together - to find yourself, you need to see the other and be seen. Find your own reflection in the other person's eyes.
The drama Beyond Evil is a real maze of reflections. Each significant event, the history of each hero has its own reflection. Some of them are false, some of them are true, but all these fragments, put together, allow you to see the truth. There is such a method of image restoration - from several dull and even distorted reflections, you can recreate a real image. We recognize heroes by the way they are reflected in each other. And each new meeting, each new dialogue is another step towards finding a real face. This approach makes the image of each character multidimensional and deep.
The drama really captures all aspects of the relationship. Family relationships – healthy or toxic. Relations with oneself, relationships with the world, social relationships - the law and its implementation. Morality as the ability to contact. Breaking up relationships like disappearing. The attitude towards the deceased loved ones and the ways of dealing with loss, with death. Relationships are alive, supportive and healing. Relationships are codependent, burdensome and suffocating. Personality always lives in a relationship. Fencing off from the world, a person cuts off a part of himself and, ultimately, can completely die as a person. This is how a person turns into a monster.
“Everyone in the city is like one family,” says Han Joo Won of the residents of Manyang. And he is absolutely right. All heroes are connected to each other by a whole network of threads. But somewhere these are the supporting threads of life, and somewhere they are suffocating fetters. The family image is central to the drama. Everything begins with it - everything ends with it. For each of the heroes, this word means something different - a project, a burden, a duty, a dream of absolute happiness. But for everyone, it carries a lot of weight. Thus, a small town turns out to be a global metaphor for a community, a social family, in which our humanity is born, but sometimes dies.
The density of connections and meanings in the drama is so great that not only each character, but the whole world of the drama is felt as something living, animated. The city of Manyang is not just a place of action, but an independent character. The whole city, as an integral living system, exists according to its own laws. The Beyond Evil story is the story of Manyang's illness and healing.
What's also great about the Beyond Evil is that there is no moralizing in it. Despite the great semantic load, the author does not reduce everything to one idea, does not teach, but shows reality in its complexity, even paradoxicality. Each character is a part of a big picture, an element of the inner life of an integral system. But also everyone is a separate unique person, with their own choice and responsibility for this choice. The story of the Beyond Evil is the story of Manyang, but it’s just as much the story of two people meeting. It is no coincidence that all the main scenes are "doubled". If you look at the titles of the episodes, you can see that the pairing is "sewn" into the very structure of the script. As if the whole story is a long dialogue between two, a series of questions and answers. Each character in the drama is interesting. Each has its own story, its own drama, its own unique personality. But the main axis of the whole story is the meeting and dialogue of the two main characters.
Lee Dong Sik and Han Joo Won, so different, but equally extraordinary, strong in spirit, but practically buried under the rubble of their own psychological trauma. Throughout the drama, they continually drift apart and collide, let go and catch each other, meeting again each time on a deeper level. They go a long way from mutual irritation, exploitation, projecting their fears and expectations onto each other, to true mutual understanding. Throughout the entire drama, the characters stare at each other - with suspicion, with rage, with interest, admiration, tenderness. But invariably - with intense attention, as if looking for something very important in each other's eyes. And in the end they find and return to each other the opportunity to be themselves - whole, feeling, alive.
In my opinion, Beyond Evil, like no other drama, showed us an example of perfect human contact. At that difficultly attainable level, when you see and accept another as he is, in his true essence. The bromance of the main characters of the Beyond Evil is so beautiful that it overshadowed all the drama love lines for me. In fact, this is a "love story" - like the love of one soul for another soul. Someone sees them as a mentor and student. Someone sees them as father and son or even as a couple in love. In my opinion, we were specially shown these relations at such a level of generalization that each viewer is free to interpret them in his own way. For me, they are the embodiment of the idea of an existential meeting, beyond any categories.
The Beyond Evil is a theatrical chamber drama. But this simplicity of the means has a deep meaning. The real challenge for an artist is to show everyday reality as something magical, wonderful, and sometimes monstrous. And the Beyond Evil succeeded to create a heroic epic in the scenery of a small provincial town, where a butcher's shop, the basement of an old house or a reed field feel like a mystical place. Where dramatic battles and wonderful metamorphoses take place in the dialogues between the characters. Magic is created in the Beyond Evil, not taking away from reality, but immersing it in it. This is the fantasy world that really exists - in the space of the human psyche, in relationships between people.
This is a huge burden on the actors. They don't just need to play their characters, the actors pretty much create the world and atmosphere of the drama. And they also need to show the development and even the rebirth of their characters. Many characters in the drama wear masks. But in the end all the masks will be removed, ripped off or washed away by the rain. And under someone's mask we will find a monstrous grin, and under someone's - a beautiful face. Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo play characters whose faces change throughout the drama. In each new episode, they experience new trials, different emotions, but their eyes express not only situational emotions, but also profound personality changes. In some scenes, they need to act so subtly that it is like walking on a tightrope. A slightly different expression - and the impression would be wrong. But the actors are perfect in every shot.
The talent of all the participants has created an amazing artistic world. It's like the famous Doctor Who machine - more inside than outside. And you can dive into this depth over and over again, finding new nuances and meanings.
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