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stratospheric-bebop · 2 months

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Some of my thoughts on Cowboy Bebop. Or my ESSAY really, if you WILL!

I’m in the middle of re-watching this entire show again after having watched it (so sporadically) before. I’m honestly a little sad that I couldn’t watch it consistently to begin with. It’s become something so appealing now to me after re-watching, but, maybe that’s just the way it was meant to happen.

It’s funny. Back then I thought this was just another good show out there, just another interesting piece of media I’ve decided to watch and take up. That is would just be another show I could tell people about and go ‘Oh yeah! I’ve seen it! It was good!’ and elaborate no further about it.

But that wasn’t the case.

I really got into this show once I started the re-watch. I’ve not seen the movie yet, I’m saving the movie for a bad day, as per a friend’s request, (he didn’t elaborate any further, but, might as well) and I’m super excited about that. I don’t think I’ll watch it until I finish my re-watch of the show first, though.

But yeah, it’s just interesting. I’m trying to put my finger on what is just so… appealing about this show to me. I have an idea roughly of several things that have been so interesting about this show, but, I’m trying to figure out what specifically has stuck out, aside from the atmosphere, the storytelling, and more. I’m trying to figure out what feels so personalized to me about this show…

A bunch of people trying to live out their lives and live with their struggles, flaws, & pasts while doing it. That’s rather profound. There’s something so resonating about that concept. About learning to co-exist with yourself and to truly be present in your own life, as short and as fundamentally difficult as it may be.

And that concept is summarized very well by the following infamous, notable quote:

YOU’RE GONNA CARRY THAT WEIGHT.

And that’s pretty damn hard hitting.

But that aside, I also think there’s another big theme in Cowboy Bebop.

Risk. Surprisingly. It’s my own interpretation of course, and not gospel (I love everyone’s different interpretations anyway), but, here, just have this as food for thought.

Acknowledging the presence of pain, of processing it, is grief. Something many of these characters already go through with so much of their pasts. That’s seemingly obvious and easy to sort of discern and describe, yes?

But to confront it and welcome what comes next, even if it might be painful, even if it might be challenging… is risk.

Which I think there is a lot to say about this theme, when dissecting the finale and the character’s developments. With Faye, with Ed, and with Jet, especially.

Even if it ended in the ultimate tragedy for some people, ahem. Everyone took their risks. They still got hurt, a lot of the time. Most of the time, actually.

But they still took it. And somehow, this appeared to give a stronger feeling of solace, even if it was painful for these characters, seeing them take the risk of confrontation, of hope, or of anything.

With Spike’s demise, I feel you can even study and see this concept in him as well. To be trapped within your own mind and the past — he really did go to find out if he was truly alive. On a surface level it might just look like a suicide mission, and even Faye contends with testing that concept there in the ending. It’s so gray and there’s so much room for so many interpretations on the ending. But that’s what I love so much about it.

But I like to think he really did truly feel alive. Because on a deeper level, he felt the pursuit was… worth the risk, that this was essential to his good mind of conscience. If he dies, he dies. What happens, happens.

That regardless of the pain he felt that day, regardless of what he lost, I feel he did something for once in his entire life with the fullest bit of intentionality that he had. He did something without being plagued by the past. Without being afraid. You could argue Spike was never afraid, but I’m not sure if I believe that. That’s another essay, but.

This once I feel he took a true risk.

Even if that resulted in his death… the smile that he gives in the end there, feels much more like a victory to me than it does a defeat, for so many reasons.

…

Those are just my own thoughts. But it’s interesting, isn’t it?

I also feel as if Bebop really lines up a lot of harsh realities that parallel real-life, that’s a given I’m sure most media literates can take note of. But you can feel this subtle, slice-of-life type of presence, of hope in little moments, and in the seemingly mundane. Even in a futuristic hell-scape such as this — the characters still experience their own fruits of fulfillment however small they may be, be it special delicacies or winning lotteries.

It has such an allusion to realism with it that I can’t quite describe or place my finger on just yet. That I just… cannot find anywhere else in media. Not like this.

This show is like a puzzle but I love trying to pick apart and interpret every minute of it. It really requires me to think much about it. Kind of inspiring and creatively-engaging really, especially when comparing my own work and stories.

That’s my essay for now, but yeah.

SEE YOU LATER, SPACE COWBOY.

I suppose.

#cowboy bebop #spike spiegel #cowboy bebop essay #faye valentine #jet black #strato-written

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catbot158 · 11 months

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youtube

BREADSWORD got hit with copyright bullshit twice uploading this video, and the algorithm's making the video suffer for it. Even if you're not interested in Lupin III, Ghibli movies, antique cars, classic cinema, or anything BREADSWORD goes over, this is an important video to watch. Also you will make a good boy happy.

#breadsword #anime #lupin the third #the castle of cagliostro #ghibli films #ghibli #video essays #antique cars #bablyon #hayao mizayaki #inspector gadget #cowboy bebop #the king and the mockingbird #Youtube

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keicordelle · 1 month

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Watching cowboy Bebop and staring at Gren and thinking "if I wanted to learn to be attracted to breasts, I'd start with him"

I could do it for him

#cowboy bebop #kei watches anime #I love gren so much #I have a whole essay to say about his character #but I've seen others do it better than I could so for now I'll refrain #~k

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citylitscribes · 1 year

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Faye Valentine (Cowboy Bebop) gives me many feelings

Cowboy Bebop (The anime series) is a strange/thrilling/sad/slick/sonderous show.

All the characters are worth talking about but I’m always suprised at all the layers Faye Valentine has. She could so easily have been some object, more animated tits than character, or one of those gun girls who we keep getting told is a valkyrie or warrior but still ends up being mostly scantily-clad eye-candy.

(I mean, just look at this pose, it’s ridiculous, she’s being chased by gangsters but still making sure to stick out her butt)

So yes, Faye is shown for a long time as ditsy, addicted to gambling, arrogant, kind of a goblin (i.e. eating a tin of dog food). But the show goes out of it’s way to tell us that all this stuff is a persona- it’s the mechanism a woman out of time and deep in debt has developed over years to keep herself safe. She acts ditsy? Well that makes people underestimate her. The scanty clothes? Perfect for getting free stuff out of shallow men. The gambling? Well that’s probably a genuine addiction, but nothing else in her life is certain, not even her past. So that makes sense too.

So Faye Valentine- big mess, well thought out character- love it.

What really struck me the last couple of times I watched the show was her struggles with her past. Everyone on the Bebop is stuck in some sort of cycle, and hers is never being able to figure out or remember who she was before being put in stasis and waking up a couple of hundred yers later. Most of what she is told about her past is lies, people trying to con her. Even when she finally does get some real evidence on an old video tape (which spike and Jet are totally confused by, it’s adorable).

There’s a moment at the end of an episode where she just stares at this videotape of herself as a kid- a single eye quivers but mostly her face is frozen. It looks for all the world that she’s finally found some sort of proof of her past- but she just can’t remember being that happy smiling kid at all. it’s a self which has become stranger to her. And it’s heartbreaking.

Stuff progresses for Faye’s story, but this moment struck a deep vein of queer feels within me. I’ve seen the term ‘Queertemporality’ used for feelings like this. In many places, growing up as a queer person means you miss some parts of a typical childhood/early adulthood, or you experience them but not how you’d like to. I’m trans, but I’ll always have the experience of growing up knowing something was wrong. I can imagine what things would’ve been like if I could have grown up as the gender I am now, but even if I do it’ll be like Faye’s videotape. It’s a version of myself I can’t remember being, because it’s not a part of me. And the real version of my own childhood self can often feel like a stranger. And that’s something a lot of trans people share. And it is sad. Like Cowboy Bebop, MY FAVORITE SAD ANIME WITH GUNS AND KING-FU AND SPACE DOGS.

#cowboy bebop #faye valentine #faye bebop #queertemporality #feels #queer #queer theory #citiswriting #trans #trans reading #writersoftumblr #anime series #whatever happens happens #essay #queer writing #flashing image #flashing #gifset #txt

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libertyreads · 2 years

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Book Review #123 of 2022--

Cowboy Bebop: Supernova Swing. Rating: 2.5 Stars.

Read on October 28th.

I’m running out of time before I have to be out the door for work so let’s try to make this review shorter and sweeter than my usual ESSAYS that I write. I want to say a quick thank you to both Titan Comics and NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Cowboy Bebop: Supernova Swing is a collection of the first four issues of the Cowboy Bebop comics. Cowboy Bebop was an old television show that somewhat recently got turned into a live action television show for Netflix. It’s the 22nd century, Earth has colonized the solar system, and they have bounty hunters called Cowboys. These Cowboys look for the worst of the worst and try to keep their ships afloat while doing it. Follow Jet, Spike, Faye, and Ein as they board the Bebop and try to take down a bounty simply known as Melville. Cowboy Bebop: Supernova Swing comes out on November 15th and is available for preorder.

There were three things that dragged my rating down--since it has a lot of the humor and over the top action that the live action tv show I loved also had. 1) The cover and some of the first art work is a lie. The characters don’t really look the way that the characters did on the tv show. I don’t mind that they’re different. It’s a completely different medium. But like...don’t lie to the people who are going to read the comics. Shit. 2) The art style itself was too vague and blurry. I understand that the characters look different. But a lot of the time they felt unfinished. 3) I would say the watermark was annoying, but it wasn’t even just a watermark. It was huge and bold and not opaque at all. Which really made reading the text on the page annoying or impossible at times. This won’t be a problem with the finished copies but still. I wish we had gotten a little more of everyone’s backgrounds, but I am who I am and I almost always want more when it comes to books. This one is a me problem.

The things that this did well were the characters, the story telling, and drawing me in. I can’t tell you how many times I thought to myself that I really need to rewatch the show. The plot here makes sense and it also really seems like something the tv show would have done. I approve of the plot and characters wholeheartedly. This is good for people who enjoyed either versions of the Cowboy Bebop tv shows, but who aren’t so attached that they can’t enjoy the same characters in a different medium.

#so much for not writing an essay #netgalley #titan comics #cowboy bebop #cowboy bebop: supernova swing #supernova swing #cowboys bebop supernova swing #book review #book reviews #booklr #bookblr #bookstagram #books read in 2022 #2022 reading challenge #goodreads challenge #goodreads #books #bookstack

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randomgumwrapper · 2 years

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i love annotating books like i’m tagging a tumblr post. like having one tag/word/line for each theme makes it so easy to go back and gather quotes for essays because i already know which quotes pertain to each idea. it’s like using color coded highlighters but at the moment i don’t have the wonderful for that. obviously i add more annotations and notes than just the themes, but i just realized that i’ve written “you’re gonna carry that weight” like 5 times already in the first 40 pages of this book

#gum rants #annotations #the book is the things they carried and that cowboy bebop line just works so well #i color code my annotations and quotes during the school year but this is summer reading and i don’t have the energy for that #but we’re still gonna have essays and assignments on this book so i do need to annotatw

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youngster-monster · 8 months

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You're gonna carry that weight

(image descriptions in alt)

#web weave #web weaving #art #writing #prose #poetry #lyrics #weight #trauma #bear with me. i love connecting things and seeing patterns #this was inspired by talking to king about the dark knight quest and sending that cowboy bebop card as an argument #also that henry v screen is for baron specifically. remember my chorus/dark knight thought? Do You See My Vision #edit: added the anne carson quote thanks to grapecaseschoices' tags #i can't believe i forgot about that one

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dappersautismcreature · 8 months

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i am mad at this tiktok trend of video essay recommendations, and not just because i have a very very intense special interest in video essays and youtube commentary. -___- guyssss, a video essay does not have to be scary or unsettling to be a GOOD video essay. all of yalls reccs are like, 20-something minute videos about "gadagoobies left toe: a creepypasta turned real" and tbh thats like, a sphere of video 'essay'. imma say it, and imma be a lil time-elitist here, but 20 minutes is a video, not a video essay. if youve chosen a topic, and said topic cannot fill more than like half an hour, consider me unimpressed in either your research skills or topic choice. not to mention, again, horror internet video essays are like fuckin, 1/10th of the video essays out there. show me breadtube video essays, movie video essays, whatever the hell Jenny Nicholson is doing, Ro Ramdin, Contrapoints??

do yall want me to show you my spreadsheet O___O ill show u my fuckin spreadsheet, theres so much more out there besides your half furry sprites talking about internet horror from 2011 for 23 minutes.

my reccs? literally anything by Ladyknightthebrave. she has very very in depth and emotional video essays about media, including a big focus on holocaust media as she is Jewish. her Jojo Rabbit/The Book Thief video makes me cry EVERY time, and i cry like ten times a year. ough, she has a video about Cowboy Bebop that focuses SO MUCH on the music! A video essay about a bad holocaust movie where she literally interviews holocaust expertsss! Her video on MASH made me go watch the whole thing, same with Stargate. and gods, her video about Fleabag blew me away. just pleeease go check ANY of her videos out.

Jenny Nicholson. you want random? she's got it. she has a video where she reviews every single Land of Time movie, and theres a LOT of those. She deep dives into the brony fandom. etc etc. i know she's popular but still, theres a reason for that.

Contrapoints. absolutely gorgeous video making about politics, self, etc. and she's queer as hell, amazing. I just can't describe the depth she puts into her videos.

FDSignifier. a huge part of breadtube (or leftist youtube) who makes a lottt of excellent video essays on black masculinity. Big, full videos, with a good perspective to see if you are a white viewer.

CJ the X just has a ton of excellent video essays as well. They are very intellectual.

Ro Ramdin, my gods, most of her videos are not what i would call video essays, but she tows the line. Emotional, funny, to the point, amazingly shot, and compassionate to the bone.

i probably have more but here's my point, branch out, dont put non-horror video essays down. we get it, you watch gore on liveleak and draw ur edgy fursona with scars all over them. (was that harsh? sorry, just uhhh please consider perspective and the culture of creepypasta/horror online being a cesspool of self harm via forcing ones self to watch upsetting things)

#mushroom screams #rant #special interest #autism #yep this is the autism #video essay #ladyknightthebrave #ro ramdin #contrapoints

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stratospheric-bebop · 2 months

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#cowboy bebop essay #cowboy bebop #faye valentine #I'm on my second round of posting really cool essays I find on Medium for Cowboy Bebopppp!!!

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stupidlovergirl · 11 months

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Human TV I Think They'd Watch

All the Bros and Dateables

Dev Notes:I have been watching Kitchen Nightmares while writing and how I think Barbatos might like it,, and then it lead to what human world TV they might like,,, maybe spent a little to much time on it instead of working on WIPs

Lucifer

Really likes old people TV

He watches things like How It’s Made, National Geographic documentaries, if he wants a little laugh those shows about “aliens”. Skin Walker Ranch is his dirty little side piece TV show

He just enjoys educational shows because they are easy to tune out

Really loves Soap Operas. Young and the Restless and General Hospital are kept up with religiously(hah). He, Diavolo, and Barbatos usually watch it. Dia really likes it and Barbatos watches when working with Dia second hand while doing work. He latched on after watching it in the background a few times.

Also, just the news. Mans will put on a 24 hour news station and will keep it on for like, 5 days.

Mammon

He watches Harrison Porter, so give him the joy that is Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Would also enjoy the Spiderwick Chronicles movie since he doesn’t know how bad it was compared to the books

Just a big fantasy fan honestly. Loves them.

On another note, he also loves trashy reality TV and News. The only one who beats out his love for celebrity gossip is Asmo. When he is putting on a TV show to go brain dead to its something from TLC, like 90 Day Fiance, I Love a Mama’s Boy, etc.

He watches the Kentucky Derby, bets on it a lot (loses a lot too)

His dirty secret show/movies are Hallmark movies. He watches them when he won’t get caught. Hopeless romantic nerd (Affectionate)

Leviathan

You’re joking

You’re joking right?

Anime or DIE!!! (/hj)

Also really popular fantasy movies based on books. He will rip them to shreds when you watch them. Can be fun if you read the books, annoying if you haven’t.

Has a soft spot for magical girl animes, obvi

There isn’t really much to elaborate on, half of his personality is anime and nerd stuff.

Just a few favorites I think he might have with no explanation:

Tokyo Mew Mew, Yugi-Oh, Death Note, Naruto, Angel Beats, Lucky Star, Soul Eater, Watamote, Saint Tail, and Cowboy Bebop

Satan

King of detective shows

He loves trying to find them out

It is canon he loves the Devildom equivalent of Midsomer Murders, so just show him that too

I think he would like Forensic Files too.

Also, thriller movies. And psychological horror movies.

He loves them, he typically can predict an ending, but it's nice to see how they write out how the characters themselves find out

Asmo

Trashy reality TV!!!!!

He and Mammon watch 90 Day and Mama's boy and talk shit about them.

Loves Maury, Jerry Springer (rip my king), Parent Court when he's feeling a little frisky

Next Top Model and RuPaul's Drag Race. It's about the DRAMA! The OUTFITS!

Watched part of Euphoria but honestly? Found it mid. Sorry but he just couldn't understand the hype after the writing started to plummet.

Has watched Jersey Shore, will not elaborate on his opinion.

Tbh, he also doesn't really watch much because he feels like he has better things to do with his time, he only watches it for Brotherly Bonding, and for background noise

Beel

Haha, big guy hardly watches TV

Watches workout videos primarily

He likes learning new work out and dietary things

Has been banned from watching any type of food shows. Sorry Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

Will participate in movie night, primarily for food, buhe does pay attention

Honestly just watches whatever someone else typically puts on with no complaint

Belphie

Much like his twin, doesn't typically seek out TV watching.

Much easier to watch on his phone

He does enjoy satisfying videos

Watches Rug cleaning videos, silly ASMR videos, Video essays when he can't sleep and gets curious. Loves obscure media and icebergs.

The essays are about the only thing that goes on the TV

Sorry but he just doesn't care much.

Will also participate in movie night, almost always falls asleep. Still can tell you the entire plot of the film.

On a very rare occasion will watch South Park. Will not elaborate on this one.

Solomon

Loves old TV shows to some newer ones

I Love Lucy, The Twilight Zone, The Muppet Show

I cant really explain the Muppet Show, but I know its true, it is in my bones

Honestly loves older sitcoms. They just hit different.

Can I mention I Dreamed a Genie and Bewitched? Classics in his eyes. Would fight to the death for them

Will make a off hand comment on how he doesn't feel like TV is the same anymore

Watches reality TV in the background when Asmo turns it on when he lounges in either one of their rooms

I feel like I just can't explain most of these, but they are the truth in my heart and that is enough

Simeon

Haha...What?

Watches whatever Luke or Solomon puts on or whatever someone else would suggest

He has a preference for books most of the time I feel like. Just goes with the flow

Just suggest something and he'll put it up for the next movie night when it's his choice

I really can't think of one he would pick oops.

Barbatos

He watches whatever Diavolo puts on in the background. Likes the Soap Operas some times, gets a little annoyed with anime voices when he has a migraine.

Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen just hits right for him. Loves the insults

He doesn't much watch TV either though. Prefers audio books since they are easier to carry around

You essentially have to beg to watch TV with him, he's a busy butler ya'know?

Diavolo

KING OF FLEXIBILITY

Has watched all of it, and will continue to do so.

Has a special place for Soap Operas and Ruri-Chan

Seen all the classics, the new block busters, all of it

Honestly you wonder how he gets the time?

He really likes consuming stuff, so he does it when he is working on paper work he puts on the subtitles and turning the audio on low and going HAM

Couldn't be me, I would get distracted

For the most part he's watched it all, and what he hasn't is on his to watch list. He just likes talking to his friends about it :)

Luke

GREAT! BRITISH! BAKE! OFF!

He likes seeing the different foods

It inspires him so much, it's so cute watching his eyes sparkle as he sees something he likes and he writes it down on his phone

Also, he really likes watching Bluey. He lets Simeon and Solomon, and Barbatos found out (because he knows everything), but would DIE if anyone else found out

Also likes early 80's and bad CG horror movies. Kid literally laughs and Mammon is losing his mind next to him. I think because of the bad effects it makes it more tolerable.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space slaps man what can the kid say?

I think I'm projecting hard onto him,, but he's my son so it doesn't matter

#obey me shall we date #obey me headcanons #lucifer obey me #mammon obey me #leviathan obey me #satan obey me #beelzebub obey me #belphegor obey me #solomon obey me #simeon obey me #barbatos obey me #diavolo obey me #luke obey me

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loveotomization · 4 months

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For the past 10 years of my life as a Mikan enjoyer, I've been daydreaming about writing a series of essays examining Mikan's fall scenes through a lens of both satire and in-universe character motivation. Finally got off my butt and did it.

Presenting:

Mikan vs. Fanservice

Part 1: A Doyalist look at satire of fanservice in SDR2

(warning: contains images of anime girls in skimpy clothes)

This is a part of my larger Mikan fansite, Sad Nurse.

Essay can also be read under the cut!

(Please don't go picking a fight with me over cartoon people. I'm old and tired. I probably won't respond.)

I’d like to start off by saying that analysis will deal almost exclusively with Mikan’s portrayal in the SDR2 game, rather than the DR3 anime or any manga adaptation. Being a different medium, and produced a few years after the game, I believe that the writing and art could at times have different intentions than the games.

I personally find the writing choices for Mikan’s character absolutely fascinating, to the point that it invites both Doyalist and Watsonian exploration of what makes her function. (simply put, Kodaka’s writing and Mikan’s in-universe motivations work in concert, rather than at odds)

I’m writing this series of essays in response to the constant, not to mention surprising, confusion I’ve seen surrounding Mikan’s character over the past ten years. Mikan is a very unique character, and her motivations are difficult to find perfectly mirrored in another existing character (not to say that I have consumed every piece of media ever, but I have yet to run across another character like her). Either way, I’m hoping to challenge some incorrect views or at the very least have the chance to say my piece after so many years.

Now, of course, I am not Kodaka nor have I met him personally. I have, however, been in the fandom for longer than the average DR fan, not to mention being somewhat older, so I may have different experiences with media than some other fans.

Now that I have all of that out of way, I’d like to begin with what I personally believe was Kodaka’s primary intention in creating the scenes where Mikan falls over-

Satire.

Dictionary.com defines satire as:

‘The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.’

So just what is the ‘stupidity or vice’ that Kodaka is satirizing?

Fanservice.

(and perhaps the dojikko archetype, but we’ll visit that in another article)

I feel as if the term fanservice has become skewed as of late, as terms often do with passing decades. Back in the early days of English-speaking online anime fandom, fanservice was most often used to mean a scene or piece of artwork that was literally intended to be sexually appealing to the (usually straight male) viewer. At the same time, these scenes would do nothing to further the plot or add to the characterization of the woman in the scene.

These are images of Faye from Cowboy Bebop. I choose her because she exists in a sci-fi action canon that contains a well-written story and characters, as opposed to a pure fanservice series that is only created to showcase women’s bodies for an assumed male gaze.

While it can be argued that the way Faye dresses can make a statement about her personality, it is also clear to the viewer that her outfit is intended to be sexy not just in-universe, but for the viewer as well.

Let’s consider these pictures.

Faye’s top leaves little to the imagination, showing much of her cleavage, which is of course something that many female-attracted people find to be a turn on. You’ll also notice that her booty shorts are unzipped in front, inches from her privates. While I am neutral on the topic of fanservice, characterization and story-wise, there is no reason for the creators to dress her this revealing other than for viewers' pleasure. The adjustments to her costume in the live action prove that she can still be a strong and attractive woman without letting it all hang out.

The same goes for her cocktail dress. There is no vital in-universe need for jiggle physics.

(Disclaimer: This is not a critique of Cowboy Bebop. I think it’s a brilliant show. These images are here solely to juxtapose true fanservice with Mikan’s suggestive pose scenes)

Now, let’s take a look at some characters you’re more familiar with. These are from a collab with a mobile game called Sengoku… something. I’ve never heard of it, and I’m not sure what the actual characters from it look like. That said, let’s look at Mikan and Chiaki in these images.

These images are stand-alone, rather than being scenes from DR canon. In that case, they say nothing about the personality of characters in question, or the story they are from. These images serve no other purpose than to titillate the viewer. The outfits are clearly drawn in ways specifically to highlight their chests and other areas.

So what does this have to do with Mikan’s scenes in SDR2?

I firmly believe that Kodaka is doing three things with the following scenes: satirizing fanservice, satirizing the dojikko character type, and showing quite a bit of Mikan’s character at the same time. I find this pretty clever writing, and the reason I felt compelled to write this series of essays. We know that Kodaka likes satire and parody. Please just take a look at the entire DR series. Even the major themes underlying the games as a whole, such as reality TV culture and the pressures placed on Japanese youth, are largely satire. So why wouldn't smaller moments of satire be present in these same games as well?

These are the scenes in which Mikan falls over on purpose in order to diffuse tense moments, and shift the focus back onto herself by using her sexuality (I’ll go into this topic in depth at another time). As I said, these scenes show us a great deal about the personality of the character, making them immediately more valuable than simple fanservice scenes.

Take a look at her pose, and how she is dressed. Compare it to the ninja costumes above. They show quite a bit of skin, and the poses highlight their breasts and thighs.

In SDR2, Mikan is fully clothed in a reasonably well covering outfit (I once saw someone on Tumblr say that her skirt was drawn too short, and sometimes I feel like we’re one step away from visible ankles becoming scandalous again lol). Her chest is covered. There is the tiniest little peep of plain white panties in one of these images, but that’s about it. I can assure you that these scenes are not very sexy to the average female-attracted person. They are over the top, and clearly present a parody of the sort of scene truly meant to be sexy. Now, of course, literally anything can be a turn on to someone out there, but I’m talking about on average, of course.

Does this mean that Kodaka is against fanservice? I’m sure that’s not the case. However, it is possible to satirize things that you enjoy as well. In fact, I encourage creatives to critique tropes that they personally enjoy. I personally think that it’s a good way to challenge your own point of view and to not take yourself too seriously.

Satire can be shocking, or bring on feelings of discomfort. It is not always intended to be funny. Spending ten years of my life in the DR fandom, it’s always been strange to me that depictions of sexuality--even when they show very little or are used to further characterization--are more shocking to the general viewer base than the actual murders themselves, but that is likely a larger discussion for another day. Back to my point however, is that even if you do feel disgust or discomfort at Mikan’s scenes, they do elicit an emotion in the viewer, which is a large part of the point of art in the first place. In short, you have every right to feel discomfort at these scenes, but I do think that understanding the meaning and value behind them can help deepen enjoyment of the game, or at the very least of Mikan’s character.

Upcoming- A look at the dojikko archetype, followed by a Watsonian look into Mikan’s own motivations in the conscious use of her sexuality.

#mikan tsumiki #super danganronpa 2 #danganronpa

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undecidedhikki · 2 months

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So... I finally watched Hurricane Touchdown

It was absolutely delightful!! Ah! Such an amazing OVA or Movie or honestly I wouldn't know the technical name of the film.

Its cowboy bebop meets digimon! And its GOOD! Honestly the parts that I watched when I was a kid came from The Digimon Movie version that we got here in LatAm and it was just as awful as the original (USAmerican) one.

Now this one (The original OVA) was beautifully animated, the pacing was so satisfying, and the digievolutions were super nice to watch outside of the normal transformations we usually see. Like, Terriermon and Wendigomon used a visual representation of digievolving by entering a bubble and popping out digievolved already. Its really good!

Wallace is adorable and really sweet. I like how Daisuke and him take a while to get along properly, though they never really hate each other. And Wallace's terriermon is a really good partner for him, super protective, playful and really nice overall.

I think talking about this one would deserve a whole essay, but im not really gonna write it lol. I would recommend 100%

#Digimon #Digimon 02 #Hurricane Touchdown #Terriermon

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urfavslav · 1 year

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repost from my old account lawl, gn reader mention. stoner reader mention. I luv toasty <33 kis kis

toast is slavic. half croatian, ¼ russian, ¼ polish

late breakfast consists of coffee & eggs + toast

can't cook :( he can make toast and a basic soup. has always wanted to cook, but never learned. once you moved in w him, he really wanted to learn and eventually did ! cooks a lotta foreign meals.

although he learns to cook he's frankly really good at baking

always wakes up past noon

coffee. he can have up to 3+ a day and loves using a moka pot

late night laundromat + diner date <3

was raised catholic, now he's an athiest

stoner, prefers edibles but will take a few hits if you roll a joint.while he's easy to get flustered, while high he has no defense. it's so easy

(stoner!reader) he will get u a pipe or bong for ur b-day if u like em

nightowl dared him to dye his hair. started liking it and it stuck. has regular appointments for touch ups + sensitive skin, he only uses nivea

made a funky rave sound effect for a random moment in his adventure game

loves nutella on toast. (traveled back home 2 europe once and got it on crepes) also thinks italian nutella tastes different then the other nutellas of the world

makes comments abt how pretty u r

kisses ur eyelids before you sleep and mumbles something aboutt 'thankful for bein able to see u another day + always asks for kisses (has never forgotten)

loves ur kisses . relishes in ur lips gracing his skin whether it's his cheek, forehead, lips, shoulder, wrist, etc.

sleeps w background noise when he sleeps. (cars, recorded eurovision or yt video essay) loves sleeping with the window open for fresh air ! also gets sleepy when u play with his hair n scratch his scalp

loves when you try to recreate his accents, he teaches u a few words <3 likes listening to you read and will read to u in his mother tongue

terms of endearment in his mother tongue <33333

drapes himself over you when his social battery is drained

if he had a dog, he'd have a poodle or golden doodle

back pain, from horrible posture and other experiences buut lemme explain: if he went in to the office and lets say someone has to show him papers. he definitely has to bend down a bit and I can say with my while heart he can forget he's standing while he's doing something and will 'adjust' his posture and its horrible. sleeps with a heating pad and keeps ibuprofen on him

the type to follow through w something, even if he has to stay a tad longer at work to finish a few papers so be it.

likes taking the train or metro, or bus. he enjoys seeing the scenery while traveling

also love visiting France and eu countries that border the mediterranean

only anime/cartoom he's watched is cowboy bebop

sends xyx toys n catnip for cat <3 also a cat person !! and tends to look over strays near his apartment complex

loves when you take care of his hair; whether it's simply undoing his braid and combing it out or washing it and following up with a deep conditioner

hates slippers but likes wearing socks inside the house

★ all works belong to @urfavslav , do not repost on anywhere else with or without credit, do not plagiarise. thank you !

#blooming panic #blooming panic toasty #blooming panic nakedtoaster #bp toasty #bp nakedtoaster #nakedtoaster #nakedtoaster x reader #toasty x reader #urfavslav stories !

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katiica1412 · 9 months

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How I fell in love with the Trigun franchise.

This essay ist mostly intended for those who know at least one installment of the Trigun franchise and are wondering if they should check out the others, but mostly it's about the personal journey I had with this series. It's not meant to analyze the series in any deep fashion, because I think that would take weeks or months and several rewatches/rereads.

It's just about my feelings.

I wrote this on a whim but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Consider it a love letter. Also because it is inevitable, this contains heavy spoilers, especially for Trigun Stampede, you have been warned.

Trigun Stampede was a series I was actually pretty interested in, when it was announced. A reboot of a big name that is often mentioned in the same breath as Cowboy Bebop, which I hadn't seen yet either, but everyone had some kind of big respect for it, so it mattered.

Then it was even being animated by one of the most promising studios in recent years. Studio Orange, who are the runner-ups for 3D-anime with their amazing blend of 2D-animation and CGI.

So what could possibly go wrong here? At first absolutely nothing.

The pilot episode had everyone on the edge of their seats and left most people flabbergasted. I still consider it one of the best pilots I've seen in recent years. It looked gorgeous and sold me on the main character pretty quickly.

But the main goal seemed ….not too complex..... and even a bit too…. straightforward for my taste.

An evil twin brother.

A simple good versus evil story, I thought.

Then episode 3 came along and introduced the villain doing his glorious evil deeds in an extravagant fashion. But something was off. Our main character was blamed by the townspeople, even though he meant for the best? But you couldn't even be mad at the people because they were understandably devastated? The story all of a sudden got more layers. But I didn't get how important that dilemma would become in the long run.

I didn't get it.

I didn't get how much it would make me feel…..

The next episodes I enjoyed moderately.

I was watching weekly, so I enjoyed some of them more then others. I still was a bit irritated by the plot, even if I quite enjoyed the setting.

But they were seemingly wandering aimlessly on that desert planet.

I mean, eventually Vash and Knives would have to face each other…..but I didn't get what the story was trying to do until then.

Even when Wolfwood was introduced, I still hadn't understood. He was incredibly likeable and played off with the main cast very well. His backstory was told so beautifully in episode 6. Episode 8 was another highlight for me. We were finally getting a wonderfully flashed out backstory for Vash that made him so much more rounded. It was also greatly expanding on Knives' motives.

But then the episodes after…….I didn't feel it anymore….

I don't even know why.

Maybe I fell into that seasonal anime burnout, maybe I was just down…..depressed, call it what you will….

I didn't like watching Meryl and Roberto.

The dialogues irritated me and I was just frustrated I couldn't enjoy it anymore.

But then….

Then came Vash's dream sequence.

The flower garden lightening up in a beautiful red.

Rem standing at the tree in the middle.

A little Vash running towards her.

Jumping into her arms.

Smiling.

Her arms caressing him, and him feeling the safest, the most loved he has ever been.

…and I…

I felt that too. It was like an epiphany. I finally understood the core. It was like I was blind then began to see.

It was such an overwhelming content feeling.

I saw Rem being painted as mother earth. This story was about our world.

Their world.

About humanities' exploitation of the nature, of each other.

About the human condition as a whole, about hate, if everything could be overcome, but most significantly...

…about love and peace.

In its center was Vash who embodies it all, fights for it, even if he doesn't like it, and carries his message through the world, but at the same time it's about him experiencing the greatest cruelty because of his circumstances.

But holy fuck it didn't even stop there…… The most impressive thing had yet to come. The final episode. It's never been the same for me after that.

All of a sudden this show showed all its christian inspired glory! NOT ONCE I thought about this series as christian inspired… NOT ONCE. UNTIL THEY LITERALLY SHOWED US TWO FALLEN ANGELS FIGHTING OVER THE POWER OF GOD. EVEN THOUGH WOLFWOOD LITERALLY CARRIES A CROSS THE WHOLE SHOW SYMBOLIZING HIS SINS, YEAH I WAS BLIND.

After I saw that, I saw them everywhere! The motives! Every fucking where!!! Especially in Vash.

"Even if they hunt me! I'll just run away! I'll run, run, run, and keep running as far as i have to! And when things calm down, I'll quietly settle by their side again! I'm Vash the Stampede!"

I enjoyed all that symbolism immensely. I wouldn't consider myself the most religious person, but I have been raised in a Christian household and I do want to believe in the lessons of mercy, love and charity, like Vash does. I know, I'm probably oversentimental right now, but ...in the end this franchise made me feel...it wasn't wrong to think that way.

And that's not even all the series has to offer….it's overall a philosophical playground about morality.

So there was no escaping it, I had to know more about this story now.

The next thing I did was binging the 1998 anime by Madhouse. It has a very different approach to things, but it built on the aforementioned themes in a magnificent way. The presentation of the designs and setting were a lot more Western-genre-oriented and now I think, they're even better suited to make the themes shine.

After all Stampede was more leaning into the modern sci-fi elements and mostly focusing on the main brotherly conflict and the lore surrounding it, probably due to time contraints.

This version showed us a little more of the people living on this planet, and their unavoidable struggles. Different stories about people's dependance on others and the little resources they needed to survive.

This Trigun world was more painted as a world, where the crime rate was incredibly high, everyone has to carry a gun and unnecessary duels happen everyday. A cruel place to believe in such a thing as mercy. A place where more villains actively want to break Vash and make him turn on his pacifistic ideals.

Ironically this iteration had a lot of funny moments as well, it was easier to become attached to the characters that way.

It was also a great way of filling me in on a lot of information the reboot left open or still hadn't explored.

Vash was an even more conflicted character here and accompanied with Wolfwood's inner struggles, those two make the perfect antithesis to each other and Knives. Knives in this iteration could hardly be called a character at all. He feels more like a MCGuffin, even if he still gets a minimum share of development.

In the end this anime made me feel a lot of different emotions and with all its great fitting original content managed to tell a beautiful coherent narrative with a beautiful finale that leaves everyone satisfied.

Everyone but me….because I knew there was more :D

Something was still missing here….a lot of the lore regarding the twins and history of this planet that was explained in Stampede wasn't here.

So it was time for me to get to the best part. The finished source material by Yasuhiro Nightow himself.

Trigun and especially the sequel Trigun Maximum.

Imagine it that way.

If you take the best things of both animes and mash them together, this is what you get.

That's one of the reasons those two series complement each other so well.

Oh boy, where do I begin.

This one is daaaark.

If you thought the trauma presentation and villainous encounters in the other two animes were already hard to swallow, this shit's going to destroy you. It did me. I never knew how much underlying sadness a character and I could endure. But also at the same time Vash was the same as his 98 anime counterpart, witty, a jokester, an incredible gunman sure of his capabilities, an incredibly caring hero with ideals worth following, but also a tragic hero.

"What am I supposed to do?

I don't know anymore..."

This iteration shows all of the aspects of his character the other two already had, but also a lot more...

The same with Wolfwood and Knives.

It finally establishes Wolfwood as the second protagonist he has always been, as the 98 anime does introduce him way later in ratio with the lenghth of the manga. We spend more time with him.

Although Knives has a lot more charisma in Stampede, here he has a much more flashed out motive and plan. He seems the most threatening here.

Even his followers all get the time they deserve, Trigun Maximum is where Legato Bluesummers is the craziest he will ever be!

Since this story had enough time to be flashed out, they make the journey longer and harder for all the characters, and the moral dilemmas more complex.

The attention to detail is at the highest it has ever been and the fights and action scenes are a sight to be hold, ….including gore and unsettling imagery throughout.

It works a lot with atmosphere and auras the characters radiate, it doesn't overexplain anything and has some of the best one liners I've ever read, some of them the anime adaptations obviously used as well.

The scale feels enormous by the end, so much so that it overwhelmed me emotionally sometimes…..

If Trigun Stampede really plans to follow this at least a bit, we are in for a visual treat.

But even if they succeed and make it their own, which they, in my opinion already did, the sheer amount of missing content that needed to be adapted to give it the same emotional debth as the manga seems just too great for just another cour… Whatever happens I will be there and support it.

I also have a few things I only briefly want to mention.

Meryl and Milly are awesome. They don't have a big role to play, but it's sufficient. Love them.

The action scenes and visual presentation in all of the iterations, but mostly in the manga, are nuts. The weapons and fighting choreographies are crazy and inventive, thus really enjoyable and infectious.

Legato is the best villain in this story, sorry Knives, of course you're doing well too.

No, I don't ship Vashwood, but I understand why some would.

And lastly, over the studiing of this franchise I grew incredibly attached to Vash. He is probably one of the best protagonists I've ever watched growing.

By now, I have watched Trigun Stampede three times, in sub, german dub and english dub. I have watched Trigun (1998) two times, in sub and in german dub. And last week I have finished reading Trigun Maximum the second time.

In the span of five months.

It never got boring…. And I don't see me letting go of this series anytime soon.

Thanks for reading!

#anime #manga #trigun #tristamp #trigun 98 #vash the stampede #trigun maximum #trimax #nicholas d. wolfwood #millions knives #trigun vash #trigun wolfwood #trigun knives

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cyberpunkonline · 6 months

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The Intriguing Intersection of Grand UFO Conspiracies and Cyberpunk Media

Introduction

As subcultures with countercultural leanings and an insatiable thirst for what lies beyond the known, the grand UFO conspiracy theories and the cyberpunk genre share an intriguing relationship. Both captivate their audiences with tales of hidden agendas, shadowy organizations, and elusive truths. This essay aims to dig deep into the interplay between these two fascinating realms by discussing notable examples across various media forms such as films, television series, books, and anime.

The Allure of Conspiracies and Dystopia

Before diving into specific examples, it's crucial to understand the appeal that draws people towards conspiracy theories and cyberpunk. UFO conspiracy theories paint a picture of a world where clandestine operations are at play, knowledge is withheld, and the public is deceived. Cyberpunk, on the other hand, portrays near-future dystopias with grim landscapes, where technological advancements often come at the expense of human connection and morality. These themes overlap, creating a narrative breeding ground ripe for cross-over stories and theories.

Films that Blur the Lines

"Blade Runner" & Project Blue Book

Although Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" doesn't directly delve into UFOs, it plays on the idea of life beyond Earth with its bioengineered beings, known as Replicants. The film's hidden agendas and secret projects remind us of real-world government initiatives like Project Blue Book, designed to investigate UFO sightings.

"The Matrix" & The Men in Black

"The Matrix" captures the essence of hidden truths and the battle to reveal them, much like the general sentiment in UFO conspiracy circles about 'The Men in Black.' These government agents are rumored to suppress UFO eyewitnesses, an idea that resonates with the Matrix's human-suppressing sentient machines.

TV Shows that Touch the Nerve

"The X-Files"

No discussion of this topic would be complete without mentioning "The X-Files," a show that masterfully combines elements of UFO conspiracy theories and cyberpunk. FBI agents Mulder and Scully navigate a world of deceit, much like a cyberpunk protagonist would, questioning what is real in their quest for the truth about extraterrestrial life.

"Black Mirror" & The Majestic 12

"Black Mirror" delves deep into technology's dark side, but some episodes subtly touch upon themes that UFO enthusiasts would find interesting. The secrecy surrounding advanced technology in the show mirrors the conspiracy theory of the Majestic 12, a rumored secret committee of scientists and military leaders supposedly managing extraterrestrial affairs.

Books and Literature

"Neuromancer" & The Roswell Incident

William Gibson's "Neuromancer" isn't about UFOs, but it was revolutionary in defining the cyberpunk genre. It embodies the cyberpunk ethos of anti-authoritarianism, a sentiment also shared by those who believe that the Roswell Incident was a cover-up.

Anime Crossovers

"Serial Experiments Lain"

This anime explores complex themes of reality, identity, and the internet. While not explicitly related to UFOs, its narrative could easily be interpreted as an allegory for the quest to understand what governments might be hiding about extraterrestrial life.

"Cowboy Bebop"

An iconic example of a cyberpunk-infused world, "Cowboy Bebop" includes an episode titled "Boogie Woogie Feng Shui," which subtly incorporates themes of ancient alien theories, a staple in UFO conspiracy thought.

Conclusion

The overlapping themes of hidden truths, anti-authoritarian tendencies, and unexplained phenomena make the relationship between UFO conspiracy theories and the cyberpunk genre a particularly rich subject matter. Both tap into the human desire to uncover suppressed knowledge and challenge the status quo, whether it's government cover-ups about extraterrestrials or dystopian futures shaped by technology.

And now, don't get us started on how the UFO conspiracy theories have surprising similarities with Faerie myth pre-Roswell. That's a rabbit hole for another time.

- Raz

#cyberpunk #aliens #ufo #dystopia

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