#its wild how different the visuals for this number are from the rest of the film
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Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998) - Bol Sajni Mori Sajni
#bollywood#bollywood2#bollywoodedit#dailybollywoodqueens#dailyworldcinema#southasiansource#southasianrep#doli saja ke rakhna#jyothika#akshaye khanna#weheartbollywood#its wild how different the visuals for this number are from the rest of the film#they had a period drama number in the middle of a typical 90s movie#nobody watch this movie expecting it to look like this for the entire time#these scenes last for 6 minutes#mine
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Episode 169 : Thirteen Squared, Fourteen Years
"Paid my dues, now pay my fee."
- Pete Rock
Another year in the books! This is the fourteenth birthday episode of the podcast, and it's wild to look back at how different the landscape looked back in 2009 when I started it off. At least nowadays, I don't have to explain what a podcast is!
I needed a selection worthy of the milestone, and I think you'll enjoy it - Hip-Hop basically end-to-end, with some virtuoso performances on the mics, the boards, and the turntables. Turn the volume up and check the styles...
Book a ticket to see me play live in Salford with the 45 Kings and Queens on July 8th here!
Gigs & streams calendar : events.airadam.com
Twitter : @airadam13
Twitch : @airadam13
Playlist/Notes
Swizz Beatz ft. Jadakiss, Benny the Butcher, and Scar Lip : Take 'Em Out
Huge new single to open things up for this month, and a track I can already tell is going to make my list of top Spotify tracks this year. As part of the 50th year of Hip-Hop celebrations, Mass Appeal have released a couple of producer-led EPs with a selection of MCs, and this is of course from Swizz' contribution. It's not the production style most would think of when Swizz Beatz is mentioned, but listen for the classic "The Bridge Is Over" drums accompanied by what sounds like a pipe organ with the "evil" stop pulled all the way out - vicious. And the MCs, my goodness! LOX legend Jadakiss opens up, hands off to modern-day street rap giant Benny the Butcher, and cleanup duty is handled in fine style by the young and hungry Scar Lip. The video is great as well - chaotic, dark, monochrome, giving me just a taste of the same energy as the visuals for Ice Cube's "Wicked" back in the day. The whole package is hard like titanium.
Onyx : Throw Ya Gunz (Instrumental)
After starting the show with a track sampling the yelled into Onyx's first single, which was a big tune in its day, I decided to follow up with the instrumental as I hadn't heard it in so long. RIP to Chyskillz, the producer, who passed away in 2018.
Coach NYM : Work Ethic
One from my gym playlist for you, taken from the "Healthy Gangsta" LP. Part of the RBG movement, NYM gives a message on this track and the rest of the album that very much aligns with the innovative "Workout" LPs that stic of dead prez (their lowercasing, btw) released in 2011 and 2020. Turn this track up and get your motivation right!
Bronx Slang : Excuse Me Again
My man Jerry Beeks accurately and sadly points out that the subject of this track will continue to be relevant into the foreseeable future. Following up from the original "Excuse Me Officer" from the "Bronx Slang" LP, this is, in Beeks' distinctive style, a run-down of yet more Black people who have been murdered by the police. The producer Fake Blood gives it a soundtrack with just a hint of melancholy that still makes you nod your head thanks to his drum programming, and leaves enough space for you to hear every work clearly. Find this on the appropriately-named "Substance" album.
Blak Twang ft. Fallacy : Homegrown
I promise I didn't just try to find every track that sampled Onyx and throw them into this episode! The b-side of the incredible 1996 "Real Estate" 12", this is not only pure lyrical rawness from both MCs (Blak Twang/Taipanic/Tony Rotton and Fallacy) over a beat from V.R.S, but it's also the source of an incredible number of samples. If you go and check the excellent Blak Twang LP "19 Long Time", you'll be amazed how many times he samples himself, and from this specific cut - EPMD would be proud :)
The Musalini ft. Pete Rock and 9th Wonder : Carmel City 2
The vast majority of times, a sequel track is done by the original artist (for example, EPMD's "Jane" series, Ice Cube with the "Gangsta's Fairytale" pair), but this is an interesting exception. Pete Rock, the producer of the original "Carmel City" from his and CL Smooth's "The Main Ingredient" LP is here...but only on the mic, and even then only as the featured guest! Lead duties are taken by Bronx native The Musalini, and production is by a man who would absolutely name Pete Rock as an influence, North Carolina's 9th Wonder. This track has had a lot of rewinds in my headphones over the last month!
BusCrates : Get It Going
The brand new BusCrates LP, "Control Center" released this week, and it starts off with this serious groove, one which I had to let you get a good helping of before my voiceover! The new LP is overally lower in tempo than his "Blasting Off" album, and leans a little more in the direction of Hip-Hop while maintaining his funky and soulful style. BusCrates is an exceptionally skilled producer and DJ - as well as a thoroughly nice guy - who absolutely deserves your support.
Little Brother : Sittin Alone
This track will, depending on your age, inspire mocking laughter or wry recognition! The time comes to all of us where the thought of hitting the clubs on a Saturday night sounds...kind of tiring. If nothing else, I'm sure everyone can relate to the flyer with eight different fonts on it :) Mixing real feelings with a great bit of humour, it's just one example of the grown man rap on the "May The Lord Watch" album. As an aside - paying child support is not, of course, just a Black thing!
Kev Brown : Homework Part 1
Like most of the tracks on the "Homework" album, I wish this were a touch longer, but the man from Landover has a gift for leaving everyone wanting more! You can certainly hear his characteristic bassline action, while the high end is actually really prominent on this too, in a lo-fi fashion - almost sounds like a rough draft, but you know it's all intentional and provides a canvas for him to kick some lyrics, in case you forgot he puts in work on the mic too :)
Prodigy & Nas : Self Conscience
One of those great mixtape tracks from a previous era that you just don't hear around anymore, but absolutely deserves an airing. A concept piece lyrically, this has the late great Prodigy talking to his conscience, going back and forth, before Nas closes things out. The beat is by Infinite Arkatechz, who were basically the patron saints of sampling New Age and prog rock records (you might recognise this one). Find this somewhat forgotten classic on the "Nas & Ill Will Records Prsents...QB Finest" compilation.
dead prez : The Game Of Life (Score)
The "Soul In The Hole" soundtrack may be better known to many than the excellent film, but either way, here's the top-notch opening track, bringing a message to set the tone and frame the events of the story in a much wider context. This is actually my favourite iteration of the dead prez sound - tracks like this and "Sellin' Dope (Drugs Oppress People Everyday)" really stood out sonically from the mass of releases of the same time period. The production is provided by Da Heads - according to Discogs, only ever credited for this one song, but I'm wondering if somehow, somewhere, DJ Spinna is in the mix...
[Swizz Beatz] Nas : Salute Me (The General) (Instrumental)
Thumping, militaristic instrumental from the keyboard era. I love the opening on this before it settles down into the rhythm of the verses, which is even better on the vocal version with the opening adlibs.
Gunshot : Clear From Present Danger
RIP MC Alkaline. For those that don't know, Gunshot were truly one of the defining groups of their era, standard bearers for what became known to many as the "Britcore" style. The beats were almost always uptempo (this isn't even that fast compared to many), dramatic and dense, with a clear influence of The Bomb Squad - as time went on, this style went on to help give birth to other UK electronic music genres. The lyrics and delivery were always aggressive - as I say on the voiceover, think "action film" rather than trying to make you believe they were gangsters. This is one of the classic singles from this crew out of Leyton, East London, complete with a full lyric sheet on the back of the sleeve if you can get hold of the vinyl.
DJ Supreme ft. Son Of Noise : R.I.P.
More UK Hip-Hop royalty from the same era as Gunshot - the legendary DJ Supreme of Hijack producing for the mic-destroying Son of Noise on a 2016/7 release that shows that neither half of this combo have lost a step since they first came out. Raw, hard-edged, unapologetic British Hip-Hop on a battle tip.
Rob Swift ft. DJ Klever and Melo-D : 2-3 Break
One of the greatest DJs of all time and also a fierce defender of DJing ethics, rights, and responsibilities, Rob Swift is a man that should be held up high by all those who claim to represent Hip-Hop culture. On this 2002 cut, he pays tribute to the original "Two, Three, Break" by The B Boys (with the great Chuck Chillout on the wheels), and combines with two other turntable titans, Klever and Melo-D of Beat Junkies for a turntable workout over some classic beats and breaks. I was pleased to find that Rob's second LP "Sound Event" that this is drawn from is on streaming platforms, so don't miss out having a listen to the rest of the album.
Tobi Sunmola : Not The One
If you've heard me DJ on Twitch in the last few years, you may well have heard me play this absolute heater to great response! From Lagos to Manchester, Tobi Sunmola is a real talent with his own style, and kills it on this uptempo cut from his 2018 EP "Good Guys Don't Survive". Let's hope that this one does.
Ilajide : INDYNSUMRLUV
Faithful podcast listeners will already know how I rate this man, an incredible producer out of Detroit who hammers the funk into a sequencer like few can. The bassline is simple, but is just what's needed underneath those drums, where the hi-hats are doing the work of bringing the complexity while the kick and snare keep time. Very dope business from January's "NO SAUCEPAN TUESDAYS" album/beat tape. I'm assuming Tuesdays are for air fryers only.
Tobe Nwigwe ft. Coast Contra : DESTRUCTION
Tobe Nwigwe and his team are continuing to have success which is great to see - it's been four years since I first played him here (which is not when he started), and it's been constant elevation from there. This cut from last year's "moMINTs" album is big, booming, and as heavy as the title suggests, with Tobe, Nick Humes and Nick Baker on production. Guesting on several mics are the crew of dangerous Los Angeles MCs that is Coast Contra, who bring the heat to help close the episode in dramatic fashion. By the way, I realised how much time is flying when I realised that two members of Coast Contra are the sons of Ras Kass!
Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!
Check out this episode!
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9 Sure-Fire Ways To Select A Tarot Deck That’s Right For You
⭐️⭐️⭐️Affiliate Disclaimer: I’ll only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own.
Whether you're a Tarot beginner or a seasoned expert, choosing a Tarot deck can be incredibly overwhelming.
There are literally hundreds of different Tarot decks to choose from, all with their own symbolism, energy, stories, mythology and artwork.
So, where do you begin? How do you sift through the vast array of choices to find your perfect Tarot deck?
Here are nine sure-fire ways to select a Tarot deck that’s perfect for you.
Biddy Tarot
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9 Sure-Fire Ways To Select A Tarot Deck That’s Right For You
By Brigit Esselmont
9 Sure-Fire Ways to Select a Tarot Deck That's Right for You
Whether you're a Tarot beginner or a seasoned expert, choosing a Tarot deck can be incredibly overwhelming.
There are literally hundreds of different Tarot decks to choose from, all with their own symbolism, energy, stories, mythology and artwork.
So, where do you begin? How do you sift through the vast array of choices to find your perfect Tarot deck?
Here are nine sure-fire ways to select a Tarot deck that’s perfect for you.
1. Look For A Personal & Intuitive Connection With The Cards
The absolute number 1 way to choose a Tarot deck is to find one that you personally and intuitively connect with.
Your best friend might rave about the Wild Unknown deck, but if every time you go to do a Tarot reading with those cards you break out in a sweat and go blank, then it's not the right deck for you.
And if your Tarot teacher swears by the Rider Waite deck, but you're totally in love with the Fairy Tarot Cards, then go with the Fairy Tarot Cards.
If you've got a new age shop or bookstore nearby, go to the store and handle all of the Tarot decks that are on display. What energy do you pick up from the deck? Is there a personal connection between you and the Tarot cards?
And if you're looking to purchase your Tarot cards online, then do a quick Google search and look through the card images to see if you've got a connection.
Go with your intuition!
2. Explore The Imagery Of Each Card
Take a good look at the Tarot cards within a specific deck. Go through them one-by-one or, if you're viewing them online, find as many images as possible via Google or even Instagram (just search for #fountaintarot, for example).
What is your first reaction to the images? Do you like the colours and patterns? Are you drawn to the images and the artwork? Are there other variations of the deck that are more appealing? For example, I much prefer the Radiant Rider Waite deck over the usual Rider Waite deck for its bright colours.
Also, can you look at the cards and start to get a sense for the meaning of each one? Look at both the Major and Minor Arcana cards. In some decks, like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Minor Arcana cards do not have the same kind of imagery and ‘story' as the Rider Waite deck, for example.
☆☆☆ It's important to view as many of the cards in the deck as possible as I've known some Tarot decks to have a handful of gorgeous cards, but the rest of the deck has not been as visually appealing.
search
Menu
9 Sure-Fire Ways To Select A Tarot Deck That’s Right For You
By Brigit Esselmont
9 Sure-Fire Ways to Select a Tarot Deck That's Right for You
Whether you're a Tarot beginner or a seasoned expert, choosing a Tarot deck can be incredibly overwhelming.
There are literally hundreds of different Tarot decks to choose from, all with their own symbolism, energy, stories, mythology and artwork.
So, where do you begin? How do you sift through the vast array of choices to find your perfect Tarot deck?
Here are nine sure-fire ways to select a Tarot deck that’s perfect for you.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I’ll only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission for Biddy Tarot.
1. Look For A Personal & Intuitive Connection With The Cards
The absolute number 1 way to choose a Tarot deck is to find one that you personally and intuitively connect with.
Your best friend might rave about the Wild Unknown deck, but if every time you go to do a Tarot reading with those cards you break out in a sweat and go blank, then it's not the right deck for you.
And if your Tarot teacher swears by the Rider Waite deck, but you're totally in love with the Fairy Tarot Cards, then go with the Fairy Tarot Cards.
If you've got a new age shop or bookstore nearby, go to the store and handle all of the Tarot decks that are on display. What energy do you pick up from the deck? Is there a personal connection between you and the Tarot cards?
And if you're looking to purchase your Tarot cards online, then do a quick Google search and look through the card images to see if you've got a connection.
Go with your intuition!
2. Explore The Imagery Of Each Card
Everyday Tarot DeckTake a good look at the Tarot cards within a specific deck. Go through them one-by-one or, if you're viewing them online, find as many images as possible via Google or even Instagram (just search for #fountaintarot, for example).
What is your first reaction to the images? Do you like the colours and patterns? Are you drawn to the images and the artwork? Are there other variations of the deck that are more appealing? For example, I much prefer the Radiant Rider Waite deck over the usual Rider Waite deck for its bright colours.
Also, can you look at the cards and start to get a sense for the meaning of each one? Look at both the Major and Minor Arcana cards. In some decks, like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Minor Arcana cards do not have the same kind of imagery and ‘story' as the Rider Waite deck, for example.
It's important to view as many of the cards in the deck as possible as I've known some Tarot decks to have a handful of gorgeous cards, but the rest of the deck has not been as visually appealing.
3. Consider Your Experience Level
If you're new to Tarot, you may prefer to start learning with the most popular Tarot deck, the Rider Waite deck. It's easy to understand, the imagery is straight-forward and practical and there is a huge amount of information available for this deck. Or you may prefer a deck with clear, minimalist imagery like the Everyday Tarot deck, for ease of connecting with the symbols.
On the flipside, if you are more experienced or you're looking for a new challenge, then you may choose a deck like the Thoth Tarot deck for its complexity and depth. Or a more abstract, mythical Tarot deck like the Shadowscapes Tarot.
Of course, don't be limited by thinking that if you're new to Tarot, you can only read with the Rider Waite deck. You need to also consider if you have a personal connection with the cards.
4. Decide If You Want To Go Traditional Or Modern
Are you fascinated by the old, traditional Tarot decks like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Visconti Tarot, or the Original Rider Waite Tarot deck?
Or are you drawn to the modern (and often independent) Tarot decks such as the Wild Unknown, Fountain Tarot or Starchild Tarot?
Personally, I LOVE the new Tarot decks that are emerging right now. The artwork is beautiful and the imagery is relevant for modern times. (When was the last time you saw a Knight roaming the streets?!) In fact, I love them so much that I created my own! For an insight into how a Tarot deck is created, have a listen to my podcast chat with Eleanor Grosch, who created all the beautiful artwork for the Everyday Tarot deck.
5. Check Out The Little White Book
Most Tarot decks will come with a book explaining the artwork and the Tarot card meanings. However, some decks have more information than others. And some may have no information at all!
If you prefer knowing exactly what a card means and why, then make sure you check out the Little White Book that comes with the deck to see if it gives you what you need. Or, if the accompanying book isn't enough, look online to see if there is a blog or an eBook that explains the cards in more detail.
On the other hand, you might be quite content discovering and interpreting the Tarot cards via your intuition and energetic connection, in which case, having no book might just be a blessing!
6. Find A Size That Fits
Different Tarot cards come in different sizes. You've got to choose the size that's right for you.
☆Giant Tarot cards may be great for group Tarot readings or parties. Regular Tarot cards may be better for face-to-face client readings or personal readings.
☆mini Tarot cards are perfect for fitting into your handbag for a Tarot reading on the go.
☆☆This is particularly important for when you handle and shuffle the cards. If the cards are too big or too small, they may be too clumsy for you or your clients to handle. So, before selecting a deck, handle the cards and practice shuffling them.
7. Consider How You Want To Use The Tarot Cards
search
Menu
9 Sure-Fire Ways To Select A Tarot Deck That’s Right For You
By Brigit Esselmont
9 Sure-Fire Ways to Select a Tarot Deck That's Right for You
Whether you're a Tarot beginner or a seasoned expert, choosing a Tarot deck can be incredibly overwhelming.
There are literally hundreds of different Tarot decks to choose from, all with their own symbolism, energy, stories, mythology and artwork.
So, where do you begin? How do you sift through the vast array of choices to find your perfect Tarot deck?
Here are nine sure-fire ways to select a Tarot deck that’s perfect for you.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I’ll only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission for Biddy Tarot.
1. Look For A Personal & Intuitive Connection With The Cards
The absolute number 1 way to choose a Tarot deck is to find one that you personally and intuitively connect with.
Your best friend might rave about the Wild Unknown deck, but if every time you go to do a Tarot reading with those cards you break out in a sweat and go blank, then it's not the right deck for you.
And if your Tarot teacher swears by the Rider Waite deck, but you're totally in love with the Fairy Tarot Cards, then go with the Fairy Tarot Cards.
If you've got a new age shop or bookstore nearby, go to the store and handle all of the Tarot decks that are on display. What energy do you pick up from the deck? Is there a personal connection between you and the Tarot cards?
And if you're looking to purchase your Tarot cards online, then do a quick Google search and look through the card images to see if you've got a connection.
Go with your intuition!
2. Explore The Imagery Of Each Card
Everyday Tarot DeckTake a good look at the Tarot cards within a specific deck. Go through them one-by-one or, if you're viewing them online, find as many images as possible via Google or even Instagram (just search for #fountaintarot, for example).
What is your first reaction to the images? Do you like the colours and patterns? Are you drawn to the images and the artwork? Are there other variations of the deck that are more appealing? For example, I much prefer the Radiant Rider Waite deck over the usual Rider Waite deck for its bright colours.
Also, can you look at the cards and start to get a sense for the meaning of each one? Look at both the Major and Minor Arcana cards. In some decks, like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Minor Arcana cards do not have the same kind of imagery and ‘story' as the Rider Waite deck, for example.
It's important to view as many of the cards in the deck as possible as I've known some Tarot decks to have a handful of gorgeous cards, but the rest of the deck has not been as visually appealing.
3. Consider Your Experience Level
If you're new to Tarot, you may prefer to start learning with the most popular Tarot deck, the Rider Waite deck. It's easy to understand, the imagery is straight-forward and practical and there is a huge amount of information available for this deck. Or you may prefer a deck with clear, minimalist imagery like the Everyday Tarot deck, for ease of connecting with the symbols.
On the flipside, if you are more experienced or you're looking for a new challenge, then you may choose a deck like the Thoth Tarot deck for its complexity and depth. Or a more abstract, mythical Tarot deck like the Shadowscapes Tarot.
Of course, don't be limited by thinking that if you're new to Tarot, you can only read with the Rider Waite deck. You need to also consider if you have a personal connection with the cards.
4. Decide If You Want To Go Traditional Or Modern
Are you fascinated by the old, traditional Tarot decks like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Visconti Tarot, or the Original Rider Waite Tarot deck?
Or are you drawn to the modern (and often independent) Tarot decks such as the Wild Unknown, Fountain Tarot or Starchild Tarot?
Personally, I LOVE the new Tarot decks that are emerging right now. The artwork is beautiful and the imagery is relevant for modern times. (When was the last time you saw a Knight roaming the streets?!) In fact, I love them so much that I created my own! For an insight into how a Tarot deck is created, have a listen to my podcast chat with Eleanor Grosch, who created all the beautiful artwork for the Everyday Tarot deck.
5. Check Out The Little White Book
Most Tarot decks will come with a book explaining the artwork and the Tarot card meanings. However, some decks have more information than others. And some may have no information at all!
If you prefer knowing exactly what a card means and why, then make sure you check out the Little White Book that comes with the deck to see if it gives you what you need. Or, if the accompanying book isn't enough, look online to see if there is a blog or an eBook that explains the cards in more detail.
On the other hand, you might be quite content discovering and interpreting the Tarot cards via your intuition and energetic connection, in which case, having no book might just be a blessing!
6. Find A Size That Fits
Different Tarot cards come in different sizes. You've got to choose the size that's right for you.
Giant Tarot cards may be great for group Tarot readings or parties. Regular Tarot cards may be better for face-to-face client readings or personal readings. And mini Tarot cards are perfect for fitting into your handbag for a Tarot reading on the go.
This is particularly important for when you handle and shuffle the cards. If the cards are too big or too small, they may be too clumsy for you or your clients to handle. So, before selecting a deck, handle the cards and practice shuffling them.
7. Consider How You Want To Use The Tarot Cards
Think about what kinds of Tarot readings you want to do and how you want to connect with your Tarot cards.
Are you trying to find peace and calm in your life? Then the Osho Zen Tarot may be the perfect deck for you.
Do you want to connect with your inner goddess? Then consider the Mythical Goddess Tarot or the Goddess Tarot decks.
Have a passion for earth-based ritual and practice? Then check out the Druid Craft Tarot Deck.
The beautiful thing is that there are so many Tarot decks from so many different backgrounds, you can find a deck that's perfect for your personal needs and desires.
And if you're professional Tarot reader, consider having a number of different Tarot decks on hand, depending on what is best suited energetically for your client and situation.
8. Check For Quality
Most Tarot cards will be of a good thickness to ensure that you can continue using them for many years.
However, there may be some cheaper reproductions that are not high quality and the cardboard may tear easily or become damaged much more quickly. Best to avoid these cheaper types if you are planning on using the Tarot cards regularly.
search
Menu
9 Sure-Fire Ways To Select A Tarot Deck That’s Right For You
By Brigit Esselmont
9 Sure-Fire Ways to Select a Tarot Deck That's Right for You
Whether you're a Tarot beginner or a seasoned expert, choosing a Tarot deck can be incredibly overwhelming.
There are literally hundreds of different Tarot decks to choose from, all with their own symbolism, energy, stories, mythology and artwork.
So, where do you begin? How do you sift through the vast array of choices to find your perfect Tarot deck?
Here are nine sure-fire ways to select a Tarot deck that’s perfect for you.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I’ll only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn a small commission for Biddy Tarot.
1. Look For A Personal & Intuitive Connection With The Cards
The absolute number 1 way to choose a Tarot deck is to find one that you personally and intuitively connect with.
Your best friend might rave about the Wild Unknown deck, but if every time you go to do a Tarot reading with those cards you break out in a sweat and go blank, then it's not the right deck for you.
And if your Tarot teacher swears by the Rider Waite deck, but you're totally in love with the Fairy Tarot Cards, then go with the Fairy Tarot Cards.
If you've got a new age shop or bookstore nearby, go to the store and handle all of the Tarot decks that are on display. What energy do you pick up from the deck? Is there a personal connection between you and the Tarot cards?
And if you're looking to purchase your Tarot cards online, then do a quick Google search and look through the card images to see if you've got a connection.
Go with your intuition!
2. Explore The Imagery Of Each Card
Everyday Tarot DeckTake a good look at the Tarot cards within a specific deck. Go through them one-by-one or, if you're viewing them online, find as many images as possible via Google or even Instagram (just search for #fountaintarot, for example).
What is your first reaction to the images? Do you like the colours and patterns? Are you drawn to the images and the artwork? Are there other variations of the deck that are more appealing? For example, I much prefer the Radiant Rider Waite deck over the usual Rider Waite deck for its bright colours.
Also, can you look at the cards and start to get a sense for the meaning of each one? Look at both the Major and Minor Arcana cards. In some decks, like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Minor Arcana cards do not have the same kind of imagery and ‘story' as the Rider Waite deck, for example.
It's important to view as many of the cards in the deck as possible as I've known some Tarot decks to have a handful of gorgeous cards, but the rest of the deck has not been as visually appealing.
3. Consider Your Experience Level
If you're new to Tarot, you may prefer to start learning with the most popular Tarot deck, the Rider Waite deck. It's easy to understand, the imagery is straight-forward and practical and there is a huge amount of information available for this deck. Or you may prefer a deck with clear, minimalist imagery like the Everyday Tarot deck, for ease of connecting with the symbols.
On the flipside, if you are more experienced or you're looking for a new challenge, then you may choose a deck like the Thoth Tarot deck for its complexity and depth. Or a more abstract, mythical Tarot deck like the Shadowscapes Tarot.
Of course, don't be limited by thinking that if you're new to Tarot, you can only read with the Rider Waite deck. You need to also consider if you have a personal connection with the cards.
4. Decide If You Want To Go Traditional Or Modern
Are you fascinated by the old, traditional Tarot decks like the Tarot de Marseilles, the Visconti Tarot, or the Original Rider Waite Tarot deck?
Or are you drawn to the modern (and often independent) Tarot decks such as the Wild Unknown, Fountain Tarot or Starchild Tarot?
Personally, I LOVE the new Tarot decks that are emerging right now. The artwork is beautiful and the imagery is relevant for modern times. (When was the last time you saw a Knight roaming the streets?!) In fact, I love them so much that I created my own! For an insight into how a Tarot deck is created, have a listen to my podcast chat with Eleanor Grosch, who created all the beautiful artwork for the Everyday Tarot deck.
5. Check Out The Little White Book
Most Tarot decks will come with a book explaining the artwork and the Tarot card meanings. However, some decks have more information than others. And some may have no information at all!
If you prefer knowing exactly what a card means and why, then make sure you check out the Little White Book that comes with the deck to see if it gives you what you need. Or, if the accompanying book isn't enough, look online to see if there is a blog or an eBook that explains the cards in more detail.
On the other hand, you might be quite content discovering and interpreting the Tarot cards via your intuition and energetic connection, in which case, having no book might just be a blessing!
6. Find A Size That Fits
Different Tarot cards come in different sizes. You've got to choose the size that's right for you.
Giant Tarot cards may be great for group Tarot readings or parties. Regular Tarot cards may be better for face-to-face client readings or personal readings. And mini Tarot cards are perfect for fitting into your handbag for a Tarot reading on the go.
This is particularly important for when you handle and shuffle the cards. If the cards are too big or too small, they may be too clumsy for you or your clients to handle. So, before selecting a deck, handle the cards and practice shuffling them.
7. Consider How You Want To Use The Tarot Cards
Think about what kinds of Tarot readings you want to do and how you want to connect with your Tarot cards.
Are you trying to find peace and calm in your life? Then the Osho Zen Tarot may be the perfect deck for you.
Do you want to connect with your inner goddess? Then consider the Mythical Goddess Tarot or the Goddess Tarot decks.
Have a passion for earth-based ritual and practice? Then check out the Druid Craft Tarot Deck.
The beautiful thing is that there are so many Tarot decks from so many different backgrounds, you can find a deck that's perfect for your personal needs and desires.
And if you're professional Tarot reader, consider having a number of different Tarot decks on hand, depending on what is best suited energetically for your client and situation.
8. Check For Quality
Everyday Tarot Deck
Most Tarot cards will be of a good thickness to ensure that you can continue using them for many years.
However, there may be some cheaper reproductions that are not high quality and the cardboard may tear easily or become damaged much more quickly. Best to avoid these cheaper types if you are planning on using the Tarot cards regularly.
9. Don’t Be Afraid To Buy Your Own Tarot Cards
There's a rumor going around that Tarot cards should only ever be gifted to you and that you can't buy your own.
Well, phooey!
I would much prefer to purchase a Tarot deck that I know is a perfect fit, than wait around for someone to give me a deck that may be just totally ‘off'. So don’t be afraid to buy your own Tarot deck rather than waiting for someone to give one to you.
Of course, there's nothing to stop you from dropping a few hints at Christmas or birthday time about the decks that you love the most…
Ready To Find Your New Favorite Tarot Deck?
You'll find most Tarot decks (including my new Everyday Tarot deck) on Amazon.com right here. Or you can check out your local new age shop or bookstore to get a real feel for the deck that resonates with you.
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Can you talk more about the usage of the word "wife" to talk about men in the BL context? I've noticed it in BJYX (particularly with GG), in the (English translations) of MDZS, and then it came up in your recent posts about Danmei-101 (which were super helpful btw) with articles connecting the "little fresh meat" type to fans calling an actor "wife." My initial reaction as a westerner is like "this is very problematic," but I think I'm missing a lot of language/cultural context. Any thoughts?
Hello!
First of all, for those who’re interested, here’s a link to the referred posts. Under the cut is arguably the 4th post of the series. As usual, I apologise for the length!
(Topics: seme and uke; more about “leftover women”; roster of feminisation terms; Daji, Bao Si & the origin of BJYX; roster of beautiful, ancient Chinese men; Chairman Mao (not part of the roster) ...)
[TW: feminisation of men]
In the traditional BL characterisation, the M/M (double male) lead pairing is essentially a cis-het relationship in disguise, in which one of the M leads is viewed as the “wife” by the creator and audience. This lead often possesses some of the features of the traditional, stereotypical female, but retaining his male appearance.
In BL terms, the “wife” is the “uke”. “Seme” and “uke” are the respective roles taken by the two male leads, and designated by the creator of the material. Literally, “seme” (攻め) means the dominant, the attacking / aggressive partner in the relationship and “uke” (受け), the passive / recipient (of actions) partner who tends to follow the seme’s lead. The terms themselves do not have any sexual / gender context. However, as male and female are viewed as aggressive and passive by their traditional social roles, and the attacker and recipient by their traditional sexual roles respectively, BL fandoms have long assigned uke, the passive, sexual “bottom”, as the “woman”, the “wife”.
Danmei has kept this “semi” and uke” tradition from BL, taking the kanji of the Japanese terms for designation ~ 攻 (”attack” is therefore the “husband”, and 受 (”receive”), the “wife”. The designations are often specified in the introduction / summary of Danmei works as warning / enticement. For MDZS, for example, MXTX wrote:
高貴冷豔悶騷 攻 × 邪魅狂狷風騷 受
高貴冷豔悶騷 攻 = noble, coolly beautiful and boring seme (referring to LWJ)
邪魅狂狷風騷 受 = devilishly charming, wild, and flirty uke (referring to WWX)
The traditional, stereotypical female traits given to the “uke”, the “wife” in Danmei and their associated fanworks range from their personality to behaviour to even biological functions. Those who have read the sex scenes in MDZS may be aware of their lack of mention of lube, while WWX was written as getting (very) wet from fluids from his colon (腸道) ~ implying that his colon, much like a vagina, was supplying the necessarily lubrication for sex. This is obviously biologically inaccurate; however, Danmei is exempt from having to be realistic by its original Tanbi definition. The genre’s primary audience is cishet females, and sex scenes such as this one aren’t aiming for realism. Rather, the primary goal of these sex scenes is to generate fantasy, and the purpose of the biologically female functions in one of the leads (WWX) is to ease the readers into imagining themselves as the one engaging in the sex.
Indeed, these practices of assigning as males and female the M/M sexual top and bottom, of emphasising of who is the top and who is the bottom, have been falling out of favour in Western slash fandoms ~ I joined fandom about 15 years ago, and top and bottom designations in slash pairings (and fights about them) were much more common than it is now. The generally more open, more progressive environments in which Western fandomers are immersed in probably have something to do with it: they transfer their RL knowledge, their views on biology, on different social into their fandom works and discourses.
I’d venture to say this: in the English-speaking fandoms, fandom values and mainstream values are converging. “Cancel culture” reflects an attempt to enforce RL values in the fictional worlds in fandom. Fandom culture is slowly, but surely, leaving its subculture status and becoming part of mainstream culture.
I’d hesitate to call c-Danmei fandoms backward compared to Western slash for this reason. There’s little hope for Danmei to converge with China’s mainstream culture in the short term ~ the necessity of replacing Danmei with Dangai in visual media already reflects that. Danmei is and will likely remain subculture in the foreseeable future, and subcultures, at heart, are protests against the mainstream. Unless China and the West define “mainstream” very similarly (and they don’t), it is difficult to compare the “progressiveness”—and its dark side, the “problematic-ness”—of the protests, which are shaped by what they’re protesting against. The “shaper” in this scenario, the mainstream values and culture, are also far more forceful under China’s authoritarian government than they are in the free(-er) world.
Danmei, therefore, necessarily takes on a different form in China than BL or slash outside China. As a creative pursuit, it serves to fulfil psychological needs that are reflective of its surrounding culture and sociopolitical environment. The genre’s “problematic” / out of place aspects in the eyes of Western fandoms are therefore, like all other aspects of the genre, tailor-made by its millions of fans to be comforting / cathartic for the unique culture and sociopolitical background it and they find themselves in.
I briefly detoured to talk about the Chinese government’s campaign to pressure young, educated Chinese women into matrimony and motherhood in the post for this reason, as it is an example of how, despite Western fandoms’ progressiveness, they may be inadequate, distant for c-Danmei fans. Again, this article is a short and a ... morbidly-entertaining read on what has been said about China’s “leftover women” (剩女) — women who are unmarried and over 27-years-old). I talked about it, because “Women should enter marriage and parenthood in their late 20s” may no longer a mainstream value in many Western societies, but where it still is, it exerts a strong influence on how women view romance, and by extension, how they interact with romantic fiction, including Danmei.
In China, this influence is made even stronger by the fact that Chinese tradition places a strong emphasis on education and holds a conservative attitude towards romance and sex. Dating while studying therefore remains discouraged in many Chinese families. University-educated Chinese women therefore have an extremely short time frame — between graduation (~23 years old) and their 27th birthday — to find “the right one” and get married, before they are labelled as “leftovers” and deemed undesirable. (Saving) face being an important aspect in Chinese culture introduces yet another layer of pressure: traditionally, women who don’t get married by the age agreed by social norms have been viewed as failures of upbringing, in that the unmarried women’s parents not having taught/trained their daughters well. Filial, unmarried women therefore try to get married “on time” just to avoid bringing shame to their family.
The outcome is this: despite the strong women characters we may see in Chinese visual media, many young Chinese women nowadays do not expect themselves to be able to marry for love. Below, I offer a “book jacket summary” of a popular internet novel in China, which shows how the associated despair also affects cis-het fictional romance. Book reviews praise this novel for being “boring”: the man and woman leads are both common working class people, the “you-and-I”’s; the mundaneness of them trying build their careers and their love life is lit by one shining light: he loves her and she loves him.
Written in her POV, this summary reflects, perhaps, the disquiet felt by many contemporary Chinese women university graduates:
曾經以為，自己這輩子都等不到了—— 世界這麼大，我又走得這麼慢，要是遇不到良人要怎麼辦？早過了「全球三十幾億男人，中國七億男人，天涯何處無芳草」的猖狂歲月，越來越清楚，循規蹈矩的生活中，我們能熟悉進而深交的異性實在太有限了，有限到我都做好了「接受他人的牽線，找個適合的男人慢慢煨熟，再平淡無奇地進入婚姻」的準備，卻在生命意外的拐彎處迎來自己的另一半。
I once thought, my wait will never come to fruition for the rest of my life — the world is so big, I’m so slow in treading it, what if I’ll never meet the one? I’ve long passed the wild days of thinking “3 billion men exist on Earth, 0.7 of which are Chinese. There is plenty more fish in the sea.” I’m seeing, with increasing clarity, that in our disciplined lives, the number of opposite-sex we can get to know, and get to know well, is so limited. It’s so limited that I’m prepared to accept someone’s matchmaking, find a suitable man and slowly, slowly, warm up to him, and then, to enter marriage with without excitement, without wonder. But then, an accidental turn in my life welcomes in my other half.
— Oath of Love (餘生，請多指教)
(Yes, this is the novel Gg’d upcoming drama is based on.)
Heteronormativity is, of course, very real in China. However, that hasn’t exempted Chinese women, even its large cis-het population, from having their freedom to pursue their true love taken away from them. Even for cis-het relationships, being able to marry for love has become a fantasy —a fantasy scorned by the state. Remember this quote from Article O3 in the original post?
耽改故事大多远离现实，有些年轻受众却将其与生活混为一谈，产生不以结婚和繁衍为目的才是真爱之类的偏颇认知。
Most Dangai stories are far removed from reality; some young audience nonetheless mix them up with real life, develop biased understanding such as “only love that doesn’t treat matrimony and reproduction as destinations is true love”.
I didn’t focus on it in the previous posts, in an effort to keep the discussion on topic. But why did the op-ed piece pick this as an example of fantasy-that-shouldn’t-be-mixed-up-with-real-life, in the middle of a discussion about perceived femininity of men that actually has little to do with matrimony and reproduction?
Because the whole point behind the state’s “leftover women” campaign is precisely to get women to treat matrimony and reproduction as destinations, not beautiful sceneries that happen along the way. And they’re the state’s destination as more children = higher birth rate that leads to higher future productivity. The article is therefore calling out Danmei for challenging this “mainstream value”.
Therefore, while the statement True love doesn’t treat matrimony and reproduction as destinations may be trite for many of us while it may be a point few, if any, English-speaking fandoms may pay attention to, to the mainstream culture Danmei lives in, to the mainstream values dictated by the state, it is borderline subversive.
As much as Danmei may appear “tame” for its emphasis on beauty and romance, for it to have stood for so long, so firmly against China’s (very) forceful mainstream culture, the genre is also fundamentally rebellious. Remember: Danmei has little hope of converging with China’s mainstream unless it “sells its soul” and removes its homoerotic elements.
With rebelliousness, too, comes a bit of tongue-in-cheek.
And so, when c-Danmei fans, most of whom being cishet women who interact with the genre by its traditional BL definition, call one of the leads 老婆 (wife), it can and often take on a different flavour. As said before, it can be less about feminizing the lead than about identifying with the lead. The nickname 老婆 (wife) can be less about being disrespectful and more about humorously expressing an aspiration—the aspiration to have a husband who truly loves them, who they do want to get married and have babies with but out of freedom and not obligation.
Admittedly, I had been confused, and bothered by these “can-be”s myself. Just because there are alternate reasons for the feminisation to happen doesn’t mean the feminisation itself is excusable. But why the feminisation of M/M leads doesn’t sound as awful to me in Chinese as in English? How can calling a self-identified man 老婆 (wife) get away with not sounding being predominantly disrespectful to my ears, when I would’ve frowned at the same thing said in my vicinity in English?
I had an old hypothesis: when I was little, it was common to hear people calling acquaintances in Chinese by their unflattering traits: “Deaf-Eared Chan” (Mr Chan, who’s deaf), “Fat Old Woman Lan” (Ah-Lan, who’s an overweight woman) etc—and the acquaintances were perfectly at ease with such identifications, even introducing themselves to strangers that way. Comparatively speaking then, 老婆 (wife) is harmless, even endearing.
老婆, which literally means “old old-lady” (implying wife = the woman one gets old with), first became popularised as a colloquial, casual way of calling “wife” in Hong Kong and its Cantonese dialect, despite the term itself being about 1,500 years old. As older generations of Chinese were usually very shy about talking about their love lives, those who couldn’t help themselves and regularly spoke of their 老婆 tended to be those who loved their wives in my memory. 老婆, as a term, probably became endearing to me that way.
Maybe this is why the feminisation of M/M leads didn’t sound so bad to me?
This hypothesis was inadequate, however. This custom of identifying people by their (unflattering) traits has been diminishing in Hong Kong and China, for similar reasons it has been considered inappropriate in the West.
Also, 老婆 (wife) is not the only term used for / associated with feminisation. I’ve tried to limit the discussion to Danmei, the fictional genre; now, I’ll jump to its associated RPS genre, and specifically, the YiZhan fandoms. The purpose of this jump: with real people involved, feminisation’s effect is potentially more harmful, more acute. Easier to feel.
YiZhan fans predominantly entered the fandoms through The Untamed, and they’ve also transferred Danmei’s “seme”/“uke” customs into YiZhan. There are, therefore, three c-YiZhan fandoms:
博君一肖 (BJYX): seme Dd, uke Gg
戰山為王 (ZSWW): seme Gg, uke Dd
連瑣反應 (LSFY): riba Gg and Dd. Riba = “reversible”, and unlike “seme” and “uke”, is a frequently-used term in the Japanese gay community.
BJYX is by far the largest of the three, likely due to Gg having played WWX, the “uke” in MDZS / TU. I’ll therefore focus on this fandom, ie. Gg is the “uke”, the “wife”.
For Gg alone, I’ve seen him being also referred to by YiZhan fans as (and this is far from a complete list):
* 姐姐 (sister)
* 嫂子 (wife of elder brother; Dd being the elder brother implied)
* 妃妃 (based on the very first YiZhan CP name, 太妃糖 Toffee Candy, a portmanteau of sorts from Dd being the 太子 “prince” of his management company and Gg being the prince’s wife, 太子妃. 糖 = “candy”. 太妃 sounds like toffee in English and has been used as the latter’s Chinese translation.)
* 美人 (beauty, as in 肖美人 “Beauty Xiao”)
* Daji 妲己 (as in 肖妲己, “Daji Xiao”).
The last one needs historical context, which will also become important for explaining the new hypothesis I have.
Daji was a consort who lived three thousand years ago, whose beauty was blamed for the fall of the Shang dynasty. Gg (and men sharing similar traits, who are exceptionally rare) has been compared to Daji 妲己 for his alternatively innocent, alternatively seductive beauty ~ the kind of beauty that, in Chinese historical texts and folk lores, lead to the fall of kingdoms when possessed by the king’s beloved woman. This kind of “I-get-to-ruin-her-virginity”, “she’s a slut in MY bedroom” beauty is, of course, a stereotypical fantasy for many (cis-het) men, which included the authors of these historical texts and folklores. However, it also contained some truth: the purity / innocence, the image of a virgin, was required for an ancient woman to be chosen as a consort; the seduction, meanwhile, helped her to become the top consort, and monopolise the attention of kings and emperors who often had hundreds of wives ~ wives who often put each other in danger to eliminate competition.
Nowadays, women of tremendous beauty are still referred to by the Chinese idiom 傾國傾城, literally, ”falling countries, falling cities”. The beauty is also implied to be natural, expressed in a can’t-help-itself way, perhaps reflecting the fact that the ancient beauties on which this idiom has been used couldn’t possibly have plastic surgeries, and most of them didn’t meet a good end ~ that they had to pay a price for their beauty, and often, with their lowly status as women, as consorts, they didn’t get to choose whether they wanted to pay this price or not. This adjective is considered to be very flattering. Gg’s famous smile from the Thailand Fanmeet has been described, praised as 傾城一笑: “a smile that topples a city”.
I’m explaining Daji and 傾國傾城 because the Chinese idiom 博君一笑 “doing anything to get a smile from you”, from which the ship’s name BJYX 博君一肖 was derived (笑 and 肖 are both pronounced “xiao”), is connected to yet another of such dynasty-falling beauty, Bao Si 褒姒. Like Daji before her, Bao Si was blamed for the end of the Zhou Dynasty in 771 BC.
The legend went like this: Bao Si was melancholic, and to get her to smile, her king lit warning beacons and got his nobles to rush in from the nearby vassal states with their armies to come and rescue him, despite not being in actual danger. The nobles, in their haste, looked so frantic and dishevelled that Bao Si found it funny and smiled. Longing to see more of the smile of his favourite woman, the king would fool his nobles again and again, until his nobles no longer heeded the warning beacons when an actual rebellion came.
What the king did has been described as 博紅顏一笑, with 紅顏 (”red/flushed face”) meaning a beautiful woman, referring to Bao Si. Replace 紅顏 with the respectful “you”, 君, we get 博君一笑. If one searches the origin of the phrase 博 [fill_in_the_blank]一笑 online, Bao Si’s story shows up.
The “anything” in ”doing anything to get a smile from you” in 博君一笑, therefore, is not any favour, but something as momentous as giving away one’s own kingdom. c-turtles have remarked, to their amusement and admittedly mine, that “king”, in Chinese, is written as 王, which is Dd’s surname, and very occasionally, they jokingly compare him to the hopeless kings who’d give away everything for their love. Much like 傾國傾城 has become a flattering idiom despite the negative reputations of Daji and Bao Si for their “men-ruining ways”, 博君一笑 has become a flattering phrase, emphasising on the devotion and love rather than the ... stupidity behind the smile-inducing acts.
(Bao Si’s story, BTW, was a lie made up by historians who also lived later but also thousands of years ago, to absolve the uselessness of the king. Warning beacons didn’t exist at her time.)
Gg is arguably feminized even in his CP’s name. Gg’s feminisation is everywhere.
And here comes my confession time ~ I’ve been amused by most of the feminisation terms above. 肖妲己 (”Daji Xiao”) captures my imagination, and I remain quite partial to the CP name BJYX. Somehow, there’s something ... somewhat forgivable when the feminisation is based on Gg’s beauty, especially in the context of the historical Danmei / Dangai setting of MDZS/TU ~ something that, while doesn’t cancel, dampens the “problematic-ness” of the gender mis-identification.
What, exactly, is this something?
Here’s my new hypothesis, and hopefully I’ll manage to explain it well ~
The hypothesis is this: the unisex beauty standard for historical Chinese men and women, which is also breathtakingly similar to the modern beauty standard for Chinese women, makes feminisation in the context of Danmei (especially historical Danmei) flattering, and easier to accept.
What defined beauty in historical Chinese men? If I am to create a classically beautiful Chinese man for my new historical Danmei, how would I describe him based on what I’ve read, my cultural knowledge?
Here’s a list:
* Skin fair and smooth as white jade
* Thin, even frail; narrow/slanted shoulders; tall
* Dark irises and bright, starry eyes
* Not too dense, neat eyebrows that are shaped like swords ~ pointed slightly upwards from the center towards the sides of the face
* Depending on the dynasty, nice makeup.
Imagine these traits. How “macho” are they? How much do they fit the ideal Chinese masculine beauty advertised by Chinese government, which looks like below?
Propaganda poster, 1969. The caption says “Defeat Imperialist US! Defeat Social Imperialism!” The book’s name is “Quotations from Mao Zedong”. (Source)
Where did that list of traits I’ve written com from? Fair like jade, frail ... why are they so far from the ... “macho”ness of the men in the poster?
What has Chinese history said about its beautiful men?
Wei Jie (衛玠 286-312 BCE), one of the four most beautiful ancient Chinese men (古代四大美男) recorded in Chinese history famously passed away when fans of his beauty gathered and formed a wall around him, blocking his way. History recorded Wei as being frail with chronic illness, and was only 27 years old when he died. Arguably the first historical account of “crazy fans killing their idol”, this incident left the idiom 看殺衛玠 ~ “Wei Jie being watched to death.” ~ a not very “macho” way to die at all.
潘安 (Pan An; 247-300 BCE), another one of the four most beautiful ancient Chinese men, also had hoards of fangirls, who threw fruits and flowers at him whenever he ventured outside. The Chinese idiom 擲果盈車 “thrown fruit filling a cart” was based on Pan and ... his fandom, and denotes such scenarios of men being so beautiful that women openly displayed their affections for them.
Meanwhile, when Pan went out with his equally beautiful male friend, 夏侯湛 Xiahou Zhan, folks around them called them 連璧 ~ two connected pieces of perfect jade. Chinese Jade is white, smooth, faintly glowing in light, so delicate that it gives the impression of being somewhat transparent.
Aren’t Wei Jie and Pan An reminiscent of modern day Chinese idols, the “effeminate” “Little Fresh Meat”s (小鲜肉) so panned by Article O3? Their stories, BTW, also elucidated the historical reference in LWJ’s description of being jade-like in MDZS, and in WWX and LWJ being thrown pippas along the Gusu river bank.
Danmei, therefore, didn’t create a trend of androgynous beauty in men as much as it has borrowed the ancient, traditional definition of masculine Chinese beauty ~ the beauty that was more feminine than masculine by modern standards.
[Perhaps, CPs should be renamed 連璧 (”two connected pieces of perfect jade”) as a reminder of the aesthetics’ historical roots.]
Someone may exclaim now: But. But!! Yet another one of the four most beautiful ancient Chinese men, 高長恭 (Gao Changgong, 541-573 BCE), far better known by his title, 蘭陵王 (”the Prince of Lanling”), was a famous general. He had to be “macho”, right?
... As it turns out, not at all. Historical texts have described Gao as “貌柔心壮，音容兼美” (”soft in looks and strong at heart, beautiful face and voice”), “白美類婦人” (”fair and beautiful as a woman”), “貌若婦人” (”face like a woman”). Legends have it that The Prince of Lanling’s beauty was so soft, so lacking in authority that he had to wear a savage mask to get his soldiers to listen to his command (and win) on the battlefield (《樂��雜錄》: 以其顏貌無威，每入陣即著面具，後乃百戰百勝).
This should be emphasised: Gao’s explicitly feminine descriptions were recorded in historical texts as arguments *for* his beauty. Authors of these texts, therefore, didn’t view the feminisation as insult. In fact, they used the feminisation to drive the point home, to convince their readers that men like the Prince of Lanling were truly, absolutely good looking.
Being beautiful like a women was therefore high praise for men in, at least, significant periods in Chinese history ~ periods long and important enough for these records to survive until today. Beauty, and so it goes, had once been largely free of distinctions between the masculine and feminine.
One more example of an image of an ancient Chinese male beauty being similar to its female counterpart, because the history nerd in me finds this fun.
何晏 (He Yan, ?-249 BCE) lived in the Wei Jin era (between 2nd to 4th century), during which makeup was really en vogue. Known for his beauty, he was also famous for his love of grooming himself. The emperor, convinced that He Yan’s very fair skin was from the powder he was wearing, gave He Yan some very hot foods to eat in the middle of the summer. He Yan began to sweat, had to wipe himself with his sleeves and in the process, revealed to the emperor that his fair beauty was 100% natural ~ his skin glowed even more with the cosmetics removed (《世說新語·容止第十四》: 何平叔美姿儀，面至白。魏明帝疑其傅粉，正夏月，與熱湯餅。既啖，大汗出，以朱衣自拭，色轉皎然). His kick-cosmetics’-ass fairness won him the nickname 傅粉何郎 (”powder-wearing Mr He”).
Not only would He Yan very likely be mistaken as a woman if this scene is transferred to a modern setting, but this scene can very well fit inside a Danmei story of the 21st century and is very, very likely to get axed by the Chinese censorship board for its visualisation.
[Important observation from this anecdote: the emperor was totally into this trend too.]
The adjectives and phrases used above to describe these beautiful ancient Chinese men ~ 貌柔, 音容兼美, 白美, 美姿儀, 皎然 ~ have all become pretty much reserved for describing beauty in women nowadays. Beauty standards in ancient China were, as mentioned before, had gone through significantly long periods in which they were largely genderless. The character for beauty 美 (also in Danmei, 耽美) used to have little to no gender association. Free of gender associations as well were the names of many flowers. The characters for orchid (蘭) and lotus (蓮), for example, were commonly found in men’s names as late as the Republican era (early 20th century), but are now almost exclusively found in women’s names. Both orchid and lotus have historically been used to indicate 君子 (junzi, roughly, “gentlemen”), which have always been men. MDZS also has an example of a man named after a flower: Jin Ling’s courtesy name, given to him by WWX, was 如蘭 (”like an orchid”).
A related question may be this: why does ancient China associate beauty with fairness, with softness, with frailty? Likely, because Confucianist philosophy and customs put a heavy emphasis on scholarship ~ and scholars have mostly consisted of soft-spoken, not muscular, not working-under-the-sun type of men. More importantly, Confucianist scholars also occupied powerful government positions. Being, and looking like a Confucianist scholar was therefore associated with status. Indeed, it’s very difficult to look like jade when one was a farmer or a soldier, for example, who constantly had to toil under the sun, whose skin was constantly being dried and roughened by the elements. Having what are viewed as “macho” beauty traits as in the poster above ~ tanned skin, bulging muscles, bony structures (which also take away the jade’s smoothness) ~ were associated with hard labour, poverty and famine.
Along that line, 手無縛雞之力 (“hands without the strength to restrain a chicken”) has long been a phrase used to describe ancient scholars and students, and without scorn or derision. Love stories of old, which often centred around scholars were, accordingly, largely devoid of the plot lines of husbands physically protecting the wives, performing the equivalent of climbing up castle walls and fighting dragons etc. Instead, the faithful husbands wrote poems, combed their wife’s hair, traced their wife’s eyebrows with cosmetics (畫眉)...all activities that didn’t require much physical strength, and many of which are considered “feminine” nowadays.
Were there periods in Chinese history in which more ... sporty men and women were appreciated? Yes. the Tang dynasty, for example, and the Yuan and Qing dynasties. The Tang dynasty, as a very powerful, very open era in Chinese history, was known for its relations to the West (via the Silk Road). The Yuan and Qing dynasties, meanwhile, were established by Mongolians and Manchus respectively, who, as non-Han people, had not been under the influence of Confucian culture and grew up on horsebacks, rather than in schools.
The idea that beautiful Chinese men should have “macho” attributes was, therefore, largely a consequence of non-Han-Chinese influence, especially after early 20th century. That was when the characters for beauty (美), orchid (蘭), lotus (蓮) etc began their ... feminisation. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which started its reign of the country starting 1949, also has foreign roots, being a derivative of the Soviets, and its portrayal of ideal men has been based on the party’s ideology, painting them as members of the People’s Liberation Army (Chinese army) and its two major proletariat classes, farmers and industrial workers ~ all occupations that are “macho” in their aesthetics, but held at very poor esteem in ancient Chinese societies. All occupations that, to this day, may be hailed as noble by Chinese women, but not really deemed attractive by them.
Beauty, being an instinct, is perhaps much more resistant to propaganda.
If anything, the three terms Article O3 used to describe “effeminate” men ~ 奶油小生 “cream young men” (popularised in 1980s) , 花美男 “flowery beautiful men” (early 2000s), 小鲜肉 “little fresh meat” (coined in 2014 and still popular now) ~ only informs me how incredibly consistent the modern Chinese women’s view of ideal male beauty has been. It’s the same beauty the Chinese Communist Party has called feminine. It’s the same beauty found in Danmei. It’s the same beauty that, when witnessed in men in ancient China, was so revered that historians recorded it for their descendants to remember. It doesn’t mean there aren’t any women who appreciate the "macho” type ~ it’s just that, the appreciation for the non-macho type has never really gone out of fashion, never really changed. The only thing that is really changing is the name of the type, the name’s positive or negative connotations.
(Personally, I’m far more uncomfortable with the name “Little fresh meat” (小鲜肉) than 老婆 (wife). I find it much more insulting.)
Anyway, what I’d like to say is this: feminisation in Danmei ~ a genre that, by definition, is hyper-focused on aesthetics ~ may not be as "problematic” in Chinese as it is in English, because the Chinese tradition didn’t make that much of a differentiation between masculine and feminine beauty. Once again, this isn’t to say such mis-gendering isn’t disrespectful; it’s just that, perhaps, it is less disrespectful because Chinese still retains a cultural memory in which equating a beautiful man to a beautiful woman was the utmost flattery.
I must put a disclaimer here: I cannot vouch for this being true for the general Chinese population. This is something that is buried deep enough inside me that it took a lot of thought for me to tease out, to articulate. More importantly, while I grow up in a Chinese-speaking environment, I’ve never lived inside China. My history knowledge, while isn’t shabby, hasn’t been filtered through the state education system.
I’d also like to point out as well, along this line of thought, that in *certain* (definitely not all) aspects, Chinese society isn’t as sexist as the West. While historically, China has periods of extreme sexism against women, with the final dynasties of Ming and Qing being examples, I must (reluctantly) acknowledge Chairman Mao for significantly lifting the status of women during his rule. Here’s a famous quote of his from 1955:
婦女能頂半邊天
Women can lift half the skies
The first marriage code, passed in 1950, outlawed forced marriages, polygamy, and ensured equal rights between husband and wife. For the first time in centuries, women were encouraged to go outside of their homes and work. Men resisted at first, wanting to keep their wives at home; women who did work were judged poorly for their performance and given less than 50% of men’s wage, which further fuelled the men’s resistance. Mao said the above quote after a commune in Guizhou introduced the “same-work-same-wage” system to increase its productivity, and he asked for the same system to to be replicated across the country. (Source)
When Chairman Mao wanted something, it happened. Today, Chinese women’s contribution to the country’s GDP remains among the highest in the world. They make up more than half of the country’s top-scoring students. They’re the dominant gender in universities, in the ranks of local employees of international corporations in the Shanghai and Beijing central business districts—among the most sought after jobs in the country. While the inequality between men and women in the workplace is no where near wiped out — stories about women having to sleep with higher-ups to climb the career ladder, or even get their PhDs are not unheard of, and the central rulership of the Chinese Communist Party has been famously short of women — the leap in women’s rights has been significant over the past century, perhaps because of how little rights there had been before ~ at the start of the 20th century, most Chinese women from relatively well-to-do families still practised foot-binding, in which their feet were literally crushed during childhood in the name of beauty, of status symbol. They couldn’t even walk properly.
Perhaps, the contemporary Chinese women’s economic contribution makes the sexism they encounter in their lives, from the lack of reproductive rights to the “leftover women” label, even harder to swallow. It makes their fantasies fly to even higher, more defiant heights. The popularity of Dangai right now is pretty much driven by women, as acknowledged by Article O3. Young women, especially, female fans who people have dismissed as “immature”, “crazy”, are responsible for the threat the Chinese government is feeling now by the genre.
This is no small feat. While the Chinese government complains about the “effeminate” men from Danmei / Dangai, its propaganda has been heavily reliant on stars who have risen to popularity to these genres. The film Dd is currently shooting, Chinese Peacekeeping Force (維和部隊), also stars Huang Jingyu (黄景瑜), and Zhang Zhehan (張哲瀚) ~ the three actors having shot to fame from The Untamed (Dangai), Addicted (Danmei), and Word of Honour (Dangai) respectively. Zhang, in particular, played the “uke” role in Word of Honour and has also been called 老婆 (wife) by his fans. The quote in Article O3, “Ten years as a tough man known by none; one day as a beauty known by all” was also implicitly referring to him.
Perhaps, the government will eventually realise that millennia-old standards of beauty are difficult to bend, and by extension, what is considered appropriate gender expression of Chinese men and women.
In the metas I’ve posted, therefore, I’ve hesitated in using terms such as homophobia, sexism, and ageism etc, opting instead to make long-winded explanations that essentially amount to these terms (thank you everyone who’s reading for your patience!). Because while the consequence is similar—certain fraction of the populations are subjected to systemic discrimination, abuse, given less rights, treated as inferior etc—these words, in English, also come with their own context, their own assumptions that may not apply to the situation. It reminds me of what Leo Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina,
“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
Discrimination in each country, each culture is humiliating, unhappy in its own way. Both sexism and homophobia are rampant in China, but as their roots are different from those of the West, the ways they manifest are different, and so must the paths to their dissolution. I’ve also hesitated on calling out individual behaviours or confronting individuals for this reason. i-Danmei fandoms are where i-fans and c-fans meet, where English-speaking doesn’t guarantee a non-Chinese sociopolitical background (there may be students from China, for example; I’m also ... not entirely Western), and I find it difficult to articulate appropriate, convincing arguments without knowing individual backgrounds.
Frankly, I’m not sure if I’ve done the right thing. Because I do hope feminisation will soon fade into extinction, especially in i-Danmei fandoms that, if they continue to prosper on international platforms, may eventually split from c-Danmei fandoms along the cultural (not language) line due to the vast differences in environmental constraints. My hope is especially true when real people are involved, and c-fandoms, I’d like to note, are not unaware of the issues surrounding feminisation ~ it has already been explicitly forbidden in BJYX’s supertopic on Weibo.
At the same time, I’ve spent so many words above to try to explain why beauty can *sometimes* lurk behind such feminisations. Please allow me to end this post with one example of feminisation that I deeply dislike—and I’ve seen it used by fans on Gg as well—is 綠茶 (”green tea”), from 綠茶婊 (”green tea whore”) that means women who look pure / innocent but are, deep down, promiscuous / lustful. In some ways, its meaning isn’t so different from Daji 妲己, the consort blamed for the fall of the Shang dynasty. However, to me at least, the flattery in the feminisation is gone, perhaps because of the character “whore” (婊), because the term originated in 2013 from a notorious sex party rather than from a legendary beauty so maligned that The Investiture of the Gods (封神演義), the seminal Chinese fiction written ~2,600 years after Daji’s death, re-imagined her as a malevolent fox spirit (狐狸精) that many still remembers her as today.
Ah, to be caught between two cultures. :)
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Class updates and revisions
I decided to have some fun and make some touch ups and updates for the sorcerer and warlock, so heres them here.
These are mostly just for fun, so if something has a big hole in it that swallows up the entirety of the game with it dont be too mad (:
The intent of this revised sorcerer is to bring it closer to what the sorcerers original design was when the class was made in 3E: A spell caster with greater at will versatility, in comparison to the wizards overall better long term versatility
So, for this, this sorcerer works on a form of Spell Points rules. Metamagic wasnt really that strong anyways so its payed for from the same pool.
What this means is that you have better options for how you want to spend your resources, being much less rigid than other spell casters which use spell slots.
Ive also brought up the number of spells known from 15 to 20. This brings them better in line with other spell casters. But also, with my subclass touch ups (coming up in a different section of this post), this will mean a sorcerer will have at any point in time 30 spells known at level 20
This means that a sorcerer has a wider toolset at a given moment (5 more than the wizard), but wizards and other prepared casters once again, have a better variety of spells they can select from between days.
The cooldown on high level spells exists to balance off the fact that higher level sorcerers can cast more high levels per day if they choose to. Innate magic is more added for flavor things than any other reason
Magical guidance is a new version of a feature of the same name added in tashas, basically making it cost more to account for the increase in sorcery points
The capstone is strong, yeah I get it. But its a level 20 feature, so who gives a hell. Capstones should be crazy cool, and not boring. Letting sorcerers get a short rest restore on spell points is fine to me
Overall, this rework of sorcerer should bring it closer to the original purpose of the class: A spell caster with better on command power, in exchange for weaker preparational power
Alrighty, expanded spell lists. These were designed to work with both base game sorcerer aswell as my revised sorcerer.
Essentially, this is just an expanded spell list for each subclass, Tasha's style
This shouldnt require too much explanation basically. Divine soul gets the ability to chose a cleric domains spells rather than a set list because that lets them further chose what sort of divine entity their power came from. I got inspiration for this from the Favored Soul, which was a really old UA that was an early draft for what we got as the Divine Soul. Really weird how WoTC basically did the Tashas fix years ago in a UA then decided not to do it, only to do it again now.
Draconic bloodline changing the damage type of your spell to that of your draconic ancestor makes the fact that you have to choose one a more meaningful action. Most of the spells are elemental attacks, but some instead emulate a dragons abilities instead, like fear and polymorph.
Shadow magic gets shadow spells, and a minor benefit for casting them while in darkness
Storm sorcerer gets something similar to the draconic bloodline, but instead for thunder and lightning damage.
And yeah, burning hands is a weird spell choice for the list, but I enjoyed the visual. Since well, burning hands requires you to place your hands horizontally, thumb touching thumb, and since this feature has you change the damage type to lighting...
Yep. Force lightning (:
Wild magic gets more opportunities to use the wildmagic table, since it really really should get more chances to use it
Overall, straightforward additions for each of the subclasses to bring them more in line with the Clockwork Soul and Abberant Mind from Tashas
Lastly is the Warlock
An additional cantrip is given at level 15 so you can make up for your lower number of spells per day
Mystic Arcanum is replaced with Mystical Arcanus. The new one is practically identical, giving you a high level spelled known and a long rest means to cast it. The difference is that since this one is a spell slot, you can upcast your other warlock spells with it, or cast your Mystical Arcanus spells with your other high level slots. Additionally, this means that you are able to learn high level warlock spells aside from the ones added from this feature. So you could have two different 6th level spells, and could chose which one you would cast with the spell slot. Ive kept a bit of the old ones ‘soul’ in there by making it so you have to know a spell for each of those spell levels, but yeah. Overall, generally better and more versatile, but about the same
The warlock at level 20 will have 5 5th level spell slots, instead of 4. This has two reasons
A. Making high level cooler. With this, a standard day of adventuring (that means, two short rests) will have a warlock have equivilent power to other spell casters in a party. This also means that Eldritch Master is a much cooler feature, since unlike the old one, which mathematically only made it so warlocks were about the same strength as other spellcasters, this one actually makes it a super cool boost to your strength in a day.
B. Fixing low levels. This was actually the primary target of this fix. Im not going to actually pull up graphs and charts and tables, since this is tumblr and graphs are super unsexy, but generally, assuming the developer intended two short rests per day, warlocks for no good reason just have a real bad spot from levels 5-10. What this means is that a warlock needs more short rests than usual to keep up with other spellcasters. With 5 5th’s by level 20, this adjusts the total spell slots to give them their 3rd spell slot much earlier, which should fix up this bad spot from the warlock
Ah, and the capstone is kinda almost channel divinity, but on a warlock. Its cool. I think summoning your patron for aid is a logical high level warlock thing to do, just as it is for a cleric to bring out their deity.
And capstones should be badass. None this ‘1 minute sorta short rest’ stuff
Edit: This is coming in way after the fact for this post, but an additional change for the warlock is to add their Patron exclusive spells as ‘spells known’, rather than just additional spells on their spell list
Thanks for reading all this, I know its probably not perfect but these are just some ideas built off of observations ive made regarding 5e
Feel free to use these, edit these, take inspiration from these or whatever.
yeah (:
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I hope you don't mind me asking, feel free to ignore this, but you mentioned you have synesthesia. I'm curious, how does this work for you? From my understanding (which is limited) everyone experience a bit differently. It just sounds really interesting, so I hope I'm not overstepping 😅
No not at all!! It’s a really interesting topic :D (and I’ll answer your other ask in a bit if you don’t mind once I’ve got some good resources together!)
This is going to be long, because I think it’s really fascinating! So I apologise in advance. It’s also going to get quite linguistics-y, because that’s what I’m here for always.
So my synesthesia presents itself in a number of ways. Most obviously, I have the ‘normal’ bog-standard colour-grapheme synesthesia, whereby every letter or word is strongly associated with a certain colour and sort of...feel. So for example <k> is a sly orange, sharp and mischievous. Not all letters have very strong impressions; <I> and <i> for instance are both just sort of wishy-washy and pale cloudy lemonade colour.
Also! I have evidence for the psychological reality of the syllable and the phonological word. Often word- or syllable-initial consonants ‘colour’ the rest of the word, especially with ‘light’ vowels like <e> or <I> or <y>. So for example, even though I’m not sure whether your username is a name or a word or what exactly, it’s ‘split’ into two halves: <karo> with an orange undertone, whilst still being able to see the ‘colour’ of the other letters, and <lincki> which is a pale yellow, despite the presence of the <k>.
One other interesting thing is that these associations seem to come from quite well-founded generalisations based on place and manner of articulation. We’ve all heard of the Boba-Kiki affect (if not, look it up) where ‘kiki’ is the sharp, pointy object and ‘boba’ is the flat, blobby one, despite them both being non-words. This holds with my synesthesia too, so there are seemingly articulatorily-founded patterns!! For instance, many of my plosives are middle to dark blue; almost all of my voiceless/voiced pairs match up with the voiced version being darker than the voiceless version (except /k/ and /g/, and that’s because of the ‘orange’ pressure from palatals and ‘green’ pressure from velars, I think); many of my palatals are on a spectrum from pale yellow-white to orange, etc. My back vowels are dark, warm, deep colours, and my front vowels are lighter. I’d be interested in knowing if this holds with other people with synesthesia: I can only do so many experiments on myself lmao (and trust me I’ve done a lot).
Each letter also occupies a certain ‘space’ in the air, like the spikes in a line graph. This is how I read quickly; I memorise the ‘shape’ of the word (which doesn’t always map on to the physical shape) and use that.
One weird thing which happens is that phonemes and graphemes don’t always have the same colour!! Which leads to very interesting results. For instance, <u> is a sort of terracotta brown, so I hate this letter in most words (I have very strong opinions about a lot of this. I hate <p> and <b> with all of my heart). But the sound /u/ is a deep, crystal midnight green! So if I hear the word ‘Undomiel’ (thank you Tolkien), it’s incredibly beautiful. Writing it down, though, I can’t stand it, especially clashing with the pink of <m>.
This is why I dislike some languages so irrationally for no reason I think. 1) I don’t like their colour palette. If it’s all over the place or a mess or a horrible sludge-green, sorry, I’m probably not going to learn it. 2) The colour palette of what I’m hearing and what I’m reading don’t match. This could in theory happen with English, but doesn’t, because I’m so used to it I think. But this is why I dislike French so much (sorry everyone!!), because what I’m hearing and what I’m seeing literally clash in front of my eyes and it’s gross.
Where it gets really interesting is in foreign language acquisition. What happens with tone? Non-Latinate writing systems?
I don’t have as strong associations for sounds which have no representation in the Latin alphabet (so, say, the distinction between Hindi aspirated and non-aspirated stops), because a lot of it is still based on graphemes, but that representation is still there. Sometimes it’s a modified version of the representation of a phoneme I’m familiar with (for example, the heavily aspirated Irish /t/ is a lighter blue than my /t/, and the non-aspirated Hindi /t/ is a darker version), but sometimes it’s a murky new colour based, occasionally, on place of articulation. For example, whilst <ch> should be orange and then terracotta brown in terms of graphemes, the German ach-Laut is a completely different colour to the German ich-Laut!! The ach-Laut <ch> is a dark green (which makes sense, since my velars and uvulars are usually dark green), but the ich-Laut is an orange - because, again, palatals are orange!!! Isn’t that cool?
Features have psychological reality guys!
Another interesting thing is that I often acquire a colour-based distinction long before I consciously notice a difference even if it’s not phonemic. This is nuts!! So for instance the standard Mandarin /t/ is pronounced slightly differently to the English /t/ (both have aspiration, but slightly different places of articulation); and correspondingly, way before I learnt this or could hear the difference consciously, I noticed the colour of the Chinese /t/ was a different shade of blue!! Similarly, when I was in a Hindi-speaking environment in India I noticed that I was remembering whether words had one of (many) t-like phonemes based on colour alone; I couldn’t tell you if it was aspirated, retroflex or anything, but I could tell you, if I thought to ask, what colour it was, and so produced the correct sound appropriately - because it’s a dark blue word, right? Importantly, I wasn’t making a conscious link between those features and the colour, so if you asked me what it ‘being a dark blue word’ actually meant phonetically, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you until I sat down and worked it out myself after looking at Hindi phonology. It’s just ‘dark blue’, so you pronounce it in a ‘dark blue’ way.
I mean ultimately this is just another way of distinguishing sounds so it’s not actually that exciting, it’s just conceptualised in a different way, and still takes a long time to develop, so it’s only happened with languages where I’ve been immersed for a couple of months or more, rather than say, French or Spanish. But it’s still kind of cool.
As for tone, tone contours also colour the word!! I don’t know if this is influenced by anything in particular (common words with those tones, maybe?) but it’s fun. The first tone is a sort of yellow; the second tone is a steely blue; the third tone is like /w/ which is a deep green; the fourth tone is a red.
One exciting thing is also that, the more I read Chinese, the more I ‘see’ the colour of a word. This isn’t just me knowing the pronunciation; if I know the pinyin but it isn't a familiar word, I don’t see any colour. Only if I’m very familiar with that phonetic component (because guess what!! That has an affect), a similar word, or the word itself do I see the colour. Which is just wild. So, can confirm that my brain is processing phonetic components via analogy on a similar level to ‘letters’, which is really interesting. Usually the character is just the colour of the initial, sometimes coloured by the final; it’s not as detailed as the representation in the Latinate alphabet.
In other non-Latinate writing systems, the more I’m familiar with the system, the more I see the colours. These are usually colours of the phonemes not graphemes where they differ; so for hiragana, for example, /u/ is its phonemic dark green, and not its graphemic rusty brown.
This colour palette is really useful in conlanging btw: I don’t have to actually think up a phonological system, I just have to think ‘autumnal’, and I get words that look similar.
Numbers are also highly coloured for me, as well as being gendered (really brain??) in a very predictable way - all even numbers are female and all male numbers are male. This is probably the strongest of all my synesthesia: I genuinely mentioned this to someone when I was about eighteen and just assumed that the rest of the world knew this too, it was so obvious. What this means is that I remember things in ‘colour palettes’ and I have quite a good visual memory because of that - I just remember the ‘shape’ and ‘colour’ of the numbers and then can reconstruct it in my head. Some numbers are also ‘higher’ than others, like if you imagine a graph, so I can map out a sequence of numbers using the ‘peaks’ and ‘dips’ in space. I was doing a psychology test looking into people with synesthesia once actually where you are flashed a sequence of numbers, and then have to type them backwards. I was able to type about 12/13 numbers backwards in after being flashed for one second, compared to an average of 4 or 5. I couldn’t remember the actual numbers; but I knew that there were purple edges, then a yellow spike and a green blob etc, and so could look at the ‘picture’ and work it out from there because the representations were so stable.
It’s actually really helpful sometimes! I remember numbers/words in these ‘colour palettes’, and once forgot the last two digits of my PIN when in China (6 digits, not 4, which I was not used to). But because I had chosen the number myself and the other digits were a sort of gloomy heather-purple/black/grey, I knew that the last two digits had to match that palette and ‘shape’ (how high a number rests in space). So I was able to guess them both within three tries!
Other things: people’s personalities and events sometimes are associated with colours, as well as music and sounds to a limited degree, but I don’t know enough about music theory to know if what is ‘purple’ or ‘lush green’ actually has any impact. It’s not individual notes alas - that would be so useful/cool.
The personality thing is a bit annoying - I am often terrible at remembering people’s names if they don’t match with their personality in some way. I have two friends called Liam and Adam, and to this day (despite being friends with them for years and years) I still have to stop myself calling Adam ‘Liam’. I think everybody knows the phenomenon of ‘but he just looks like a Liam!’. It’s like that, but so strong I have to correct myself basically every time. I also get names that have the same ‘colour palette’ but nothing alike mixed up: for example Henry and Carl or Mary-Anne and Belinda.
One other thing that is difficult is that if the orthography and phonology are particularly mismatched, or use letters in ways I’m not used to, this really hinders learning. I learnt some Medieval Welsh a few years ago as part of my degree and couldn’t remember anything because it was all just green. Or I kept writing /b/ instead of, say, /t/ or a dental fricative, because I knew it was a ‘blue’ sound, but couldn’t remember exactly which one. It sometimes leads me to make mistakes that are really stupid and probably don’t make sense to anyone else - /k/ doesn’t sound anything like /j/ but because they’re both orange-coloured, I’ll often mix them up especially if /k/ is next to a high vowel.
So, that was very long!! Thank you for the ask :D But I hope it was interesting to any fellow linguists or language-lovers out there, and if there are any psycholinguists in the room, I have made a chart of all of this and mapped it out so hmu if you want some data lmao
Do you experience synesthesia too? What’s your experience like?
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My worries for Tasha's Subclasses
(Artwork by Wizards of the Coast)
It seems pretty much confirmed that every Unearthed Arcana that’s still considered “relevant” (IE the ones that are a year old and haven’t been officially deconfirmed by WoTC) (IE IE the ones on D&D Beyond) is going to be coming to Tasha’s Cauldron. The only thing that has been confirmed otherwise is that the Psionic Talent Die is going to be changed, which is why I’m not going to comment on any of the psionics subclasses.
However I do have some worries about the subclasses that received a poorer reception. So I guess as a way to document my thoughts, or because I don’t want this account to just be D&D builds I want to give my thoughts and worries on all the current Unearthed Arcana subclasses.
ARTIFICER
The only Artificer we’ll be getting is the Armorer, but we’re also getting a full reprint of the Artificer to “de-Eberron” the class. We’re also confirmed to have new Infusions which makes me extremely hopeful. (I hope they’re not just the infusions from the Artificer UA.)
Regardless I may as well talk about the infusions as well as the Armorer subclass:
ARMORER
The only problem I really have with the subclass is, ironically enough, right on the tin of the subclass. Giving Artificer heavy armor proficiency makes an already extremely tanky class even tankier. I think being able to wear Heavy Armor while dumping Strength is a little much, especially since the weapons also use your Intelligence modifier. It just reeks of min-maxing, and while thankfully Intelligence isn’t as broken as Charisma for the sake of multiclassing shenanigans (no Paladins with a 1 level Hexblade dip) I still think Artificer is going to be extremely strong for Intelligence subclasses like Eldritch Knight, Rune Knight, and ironically enough Arcane Trickster.
Yeah that’s another big problem with the class: the Infiltrator armor. Rogues in Heavy Armor without stealth disadvantage? My favorite. It’s a cool visual but again I don’t want to deal with a 20 AC Rogue. Everything else with the subclass is honestly fine but my problems start and end with Heavy Armor that doesn’t require Strength.
INFUSIONS
Armor of Magical Strength - Similar problems that I have with Armorer subclass, but it’s conceptually fine since it’s limited by level and charges.
Armor of Tools - It sucks but it’s fine.
Helm of Awareness - I honestly think “Alert on a stick” is fine. Infusion slot and Attunement slot for a Feat is fair.
Mind Sharpener - Just… no. Should not be printed. You shouldn’t be able to fail concentration twice.
Spell-Refueling Ring - Just let us build a Spell Storing Ring (IE the magic item.) And not at level 6. Level 10 maybe; level 14 most likely.
BARBARIAN
PATH OF THE BEAST
Thank god for alphabetical order. I honestly think Path of the Beast is fine and I could see the subclass printed without any changes. It’s a little underwhelming but conceptually fine, and it fulfills a good fantasy. I even think the healing ability of the Bite is fine; Battlerager could get Temp HP every turn and that was fine. The ability to heal is balanced out by the weaknesses of the class when compared to the likes of Totem Barbarian.
PATH OF THE WILD SOUL
Ooooh boy now here’s where my problems lie. This entire subclass is bonkers and should not be printed.
WILD SURGE
Oh cool a massive damage nuke plus temp HP for a tank class.
Oh cool unlimited teleportation for a melee class.
Arguably the worst one but still a massive damage nuke for free.
Oh cool more AC and damage reflection for a tank.
Okay the actual worst one and arguably the only “bad” one.
Oh cool making it harder to hit a tank.
Oh cool dual wielding with a Greataxe, and giving a melee character ranged options.
Oh cool an Iron Man laser at the start of a fight that bursts enemies and sets them up for you to attack them.
This ability should have more negative options. The entire point of Wild Magic is to have a chance to screw you over or a chance to majorly help. The class also doesn’t need three different damage nukes at the start of rage. (Equaling a 3/8 chance to just nuke the enemy.)
MAGIC RESERVES
The single dumbest ability ever printed on a class in 5e. I honestly see no way to make this balanced, even if it was limited to once per long rest. Also how the hell is this balanced for 6th level? This should be the 10th level ability at least.
ARCANE REBUKE
Free damage as a reaction. This ability is simultaneously super underwhelming and way too powerful.
CHAOTIC FURY
Makes your stupidly OP level 3 ability even more “reliable.” And unlike WM Sorcerers you have a 2/8 chance to get something good; not a 2/50 chance.
BARD
I honestly have no problems with the College of Creation beyond the level 3 Bardic Inspiration feature, which is underwhelming.
I doubt College of Spirits is going to come out. It’s way too early for that subclass since it hasn’t been tested enough.
CLERIC
TWILIGHT DOMAIN
Honestly I remember thinking this subclass was really overpowered but looking it over again… It’s fine? Other than the fact that the level 17 ability is poopy it’s fine.
UNITY DOMAIN
Also got no major problems with this subclass. A bit on the strong end but no worse than some of the existing Clerics.
DRUID
They’re both great and I have no complaints.
FIGHTER
Rune Knight is a very mixed bag for me. On one hand I love the growth ability and I think it makes Rune Knight a great universal damage class while also having a great mental fantasy to it.
On the other hand this class is almost entirely based on the runes? And what I find especially confusing is that the runes seem way more powerful than “doing an extra d6 of damage.” Yet Giant’s Might is limited to long rests and the runes come back on a short rest?
I’d personally like to see Giant’s Might have only one or at most 2 charges, but have the ability come back on a short rest. But to compensate I think the runes should be limited by long rests, since they’re so powerful as is. This would also make the ability to unlock more runes as you level up more useful, as it would give you more options throughout the day instead of being overloaded with actions that aren’t fighting as a fighter.
Oh and let’s talk about those runes, hm?
Hill - So Barbarian’s Rage is limited by long rests, but the rune that literally recreates Rage’s damage absorption is short rest reliant? Kk.
Fire - Cool worse Hold Person that they can save against every turn. Arguably the weakest rune, though probably the coolest mental image. I’d actually be okay with this one remaining short rest reliant.
Frost - I honestly don’t think getting +1 to Strength-based stuff is that OP. The dumb thing is that this gives you advantage on skill checks with two skills passively. Animal Handling and Intimidation aren’t amazing but they aren’t useless either.
Cloud - Again two skills you get Advantage on, but Slight of Hand and Deception are more situational. Redirecting an attack is also situational; can be strong but you need a target to redirect it to among other things. Also one of the more balanced runes.
Stone - By far the best passive boost combined with by far the worst active ability, but that isn’t to say that a 1 minute pseudo-banish is useless.
Storm - Alert on a stick? Advantage on a skill you’re probably going to be making a lot of skill checks for (as an Intelligence character)? TEN CHARGES OF THE LUCKY FEAT? Excluding the zillion and one other synergies with this rune (hey do you want your Rogue to sneak attack completely for free) being able to screw with hit percentages is a quick way to break encounters in 5e.
IMO the Fire, Frost, and Cloud runes are fine. The Stone rune is a bit too strong passively but I think it would be balanced if it gave advantage to something other than Insight. Hill and Storm are way too strong though: Hill should be limited to Long Rests and Storm should be outright reworked.
Other than that Defensive Runes is OP but it’s probably going to be limited to a number of times equal to your Intelligence mod (akin to Artificer.)
MONK
Woo boy here we go.
WAY OF MERCY
The big problem with this subclass is that it’s extremely weak early but insanely strong late. A melee range Healing Word (d4 + WIS) is insanely underwhelming but 20 charges of Cure Wounds that you can use while also attacking 3 times is ridiculous.
Oh and you know what’s especially ridiculous? Doing 4d10 damage to an enemy that’s incapacitated or poisoned! Hands of Harm is conceptually meh but with the triple damage to incapacitated enemies this suddenly lets a Monk pump out 16d10 damage for 5 Ki points (which they get back on a Short Rest!) To put this into perspective Psychic Scream does 14d6 damage - less die rolled and a smaller die size! Yeah yeah “but Psychic Scream is AoE and stuns!” doesn’t stop the fact that this subclass is doing a 9th level spell’s worth of damage.
Noxus Aura is conceptually stupid and makes a class that’s already hard to kill with ranged attacks near-impossible to kill with ranged attacks. Healing Technique lets you cast a second level spell along with your first level spell every turn but I suppose it’s situational. And Hand of Mercy? Oh okay 20 days of being unable to move and being damage immune.
This subclass is a complete mess and while I’m fine with a healer Monk it shouldn’t also double as one of the strongest DPS classes in the game. “It uses a lot of Ki points” yes but Ki points come back on a short rest. You shouldn’t have four 9th level spells per short rest.
WAY OF THE ASTRAL SELF
Honestly I think this subclass is fine with the exception of how many attacks it gets, which completely screws with action economy, average hit percentages, and just general DPS. No class should be able to outright ignore one of its earlier features because a new feature it gets is just objectively better, and Astral Self gets to ignore Flurry of Blows because it has it 24/7. I get that they wanted to recreate the JoJo Stand Rush but Monks already attack 4 times, which is more than enough.
PALADIN
Oath of the Watchers is honestly fine if a little weak. My only problem with the subclass is that it has a very Ranger-esque problem of being way too good at what it’s meant to do. (IE fight Extraplaner Threats.)
“But you said Wild Soul doing damage with its reaction was OP!” The difference is that Oath of the Watchers has limited range and is limited to spells, so unlike Wild Soul you can’t do free damage to the giant who just tried to smash you with his club.
RANGER
I’ve given my complaints about Fey Wanderer before. Basically I think the subclass is way too weak, but if they buff it up I think it would be fine. As for Swarmkeeper it’s conceptually weird but in terms of balance it’s fine.
ROGUE
I remember really disliking the Phantom Rogue but looking at it again… it’s fine? I still think the major problem with the subclass is its flavor, and while you can reflavor it decently well (I still really like the concept of a Transdimensional Trickster, playing as a foil to the Horizon Walker Ranger) I think the core concept is far too edgy for most people.
I’ve actually personally played a low level Phantom Rogue for a one shot and I think Wails from the Grave are fine if a little weak overall. I think Ghost Walk is a little OP (as you can give enemies essentially permanent disadvantage to hit you every fight, along with the ability to ignore terrain) but everything else is honestly fair.
SORCERER
I still don’t like Clockwork Soul. I think XP to Level 3 sums it up best (6:33):
youtube
Basically the early level abilities are fine but at late level you get:
An insanely high guarantee to hit your attacks (not everything at level 14 is going to have 20 AC, but if the enemy you’re fighting has 20 AC or lower you have a 100% guarantee to hit them) + a massive defensive boost (on top of your already massive defensive capabilities.)
A 9TH LEVEL HEAL SPELL FOR 7 SORCERY POINTS???
“But it’s a high level ability!” Yeah high level abilities shouldn’t be completely ass-blast bonkers. The high levels exist to be played and you can’t defend broken high level abilities with “well you won’t get to high level anyways.”
WARLOCK
My sweet darling baby Warlock. Probably doesn’t come as a surprise to people that I think both the Warlock subclasses are great, and it also probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I have personally played both of them!
Undead probably isn’t going to get in (good because I really don’t like that subclass) so let’s talk about the others:
GENIE
Currently playing a mid tier (level 8) full Genie Warlock in a campaign. First of all I want to say that I love the versatility built into this class with the four different sub-subclasses you can pick.
Anyways this subclass ironically feels like the “Warlock+” class akin to Champion Fighter (Fighter+), Open Hand Monk (Monk+), and Eloquence Bard. (Bard+) At level 3 you get a safe place to short rest (Bottled Respite) and a mini Agonizing Blast (Genie’s Wrath.) Level 6 you get three charges of non-concentration flight which is huge for a class that doesn’t get a lot of spells. Level 10 you can now get a safe short rest for your whole party. And level 14 gives you another spell slot once ever 1d4 days.
I think the roleplay opportunity with this subclass is great given the versatility between sub-subclasses and the ability to essentially carry a house with you. My only major problem with the Genie Warlock is that I find it hard to create a character who isn’t just Aladdin. I found it a lot easier to play this subclass when I started thinking of the patron as just an elemental instead of a genie specifically, but I hope Tasha’s Cauldron will come with some lore inspiration for people who want to play the Genie Warlock, because I think the subclass is very fun and well designed!
Still a little salty that my Yuumi build is outdated because of the rework to Genie, but who knows I might make a Unity Domain Yuumi when Tasha’s Cauldron comes out.
LURKER IN THE DEEP
I took a 6 level dip in this subclass for a Bardlock awhile ago. I will say I love this subclass but again ironically my only major complaint with the subclass is that it focuses too much on its theme. I would’ve much rather preferred a general “summoner” Warlock, but I acknowledge that Warlock subclasses don’t really work like that. So a Kraken Patron is honestly fine for this concept, and I can tolerate all the strange fish-related abilities while reflavoring the subclass.
WIZARD
I’m not a big fan of the Order of the Scribes, since I personally feel that it doesn’t really fulfill the “living spellbook” theme.
I have a few small complaints about the class’ features: I don’t like that the subclass is able to replace the damage type of a spell completely liberally. (Sorcerers have to use Sorcery Points and Metamagic to do that?) I also think the level 14 ability is rather underwhelming, but that can be fixed.
Other than that I think the subclass is conceptually fine? But I still feel like there’s more you can do with the theme.
TL;DR
I’m very worried about the following classes:
Mind Sharpener Artificer Infusion (You shouldn’t be able to lose concentration twice.)
Wild Soul Barbarian (Every single ability that this subclass gets is overpowered and I’m really worried about this Wild Magic Spellslot Battery Clown Fiesta subclass.)
Way of Mercy Monk (Comedically overpowered with the highest DPS of any Monk subclass along with massive healing output and a TWENTY DAY LONG PARALYSIS?!)
Clockwork Soul Sorcerer (Late game abilities are OP.)
I am mildly worried about the following classes:
Armorer Artificer (Having such liberal access to Heavy Armor is a bit too strong imo.)
Rune Knight Fighter (I think some of the runes need a major rework, and I’d like more of a focus to be put on the Giant’s Might ability.)
Way of the Astral Self Monk (Too many attacks.)
Oath of the Watchers Paladin (It’s a little too good at fighting extraplanar threats.)
I am disappointed with the following classes:
Fey Wanderer Ranger (I think the abilities are really weak compared to existing Rangers, and considering we’re talking about Ranger that’s saying a lot.)
Order of the Scribes Wizard (I think there’s more you can do with the concept.)
And everything else is fine.
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I know you say that the Adam stuff in v3 was a good example of visual storytelling in rwby, do you think there is anything else, in your opinion
Yes! Let’s praise poor RWBY for once lol
I’m sure there’s a lot that I could choose from but that would require me combing back through old content to jog those memories. So let’s stick to Volume 7. Overall, I quite enjoyed the JNOR vs. Neo fight. There are plot convenience issues (the stupidity of having the group carry the relic around instead of putting it in the vault) and choreography issues (I’ve heard a number of complaints about the slow-mo and how Jaune and Oscar don’t integrate well with Ren and Nora), but the fight does a good job of conveying a lot of information visually. It’s one of the few moments in the volume where I felt like RT was successfully a) using the medium to its advantage and b) achieving more than one thing in a single scene.
Warning: Here be lots of screenshots.
First, I want to acknowledge that lately RT has been demonstrating a talent for horror-esque writing. RWBY obviously isn’t in the horror genre, but via the Apathy we saw that RT can crank up the creep factor when they choose to. This scene does something similar (though admittedly much more subtly) and it starts with the opening shot of the destroyed guards.
It’s a simple thing, but note how dark the room is, especially compared to the hallway outside. This is supposed to be a terrifying moment. The team has just arrived looking for Oscar and have instead found a disaster zone. There are scorch marks on the walls. The guards aren’t just lying powered down, they’ve been hacked to pieces. Though AIs without aura or souls, they’re designed to look like people and at first glance it definitely seems like we’ve got three bodies decorating the bedroom. Nora’s panicked cries tell us how bad the situation is, but we get that loud and clear from these visuals first. Also note how, despite being lighter, the hallway is dominated by a very deep red. I’d actually say to a certain extent this is a mistake - the pink/reds of the environment make it easy for Neo and Nora, with their predominantly pink costumes, to blend in too well during the fight - but in regards to color associations we get some nice shots throughout that convey danger and high emotions.
When “Oscar” comes on the scene we know, instantaneously, that it’s not Oscar. Not just because we as the audience know that Neo is off doing something nefarious, but because via the language of film/television that’s not how you re-introduce an established character. You don’t hide their face like that unless you’re about to reveal something - like the fact that that’s not really them. This is also the first of a number of medium closeups on the relic, putting emphasis on it first because someone currently holds it who should not have it, and then as a means of reminding the viewer what this fight is about.
Via some great attention to detail, we see again the clear wrongness about this “Oscar.” That’s not how Oscar stands. That’s not how Oscar smiles. More than just animating him differently, this shot pulls from those subtle horror tropes. He has the dead-eyed look of a doll or a supernatural being that immediately makes the viewer (if not Nora) go, “Wait...” It helps that Oscar is a short boy with dark hair. Put him in different clothes and he could play any number of possessed kids.
With Neo’s deception revealed, we get what the fandom knows is not good visual storytelling. AKA, Oscar charging down the whole length of the hallway while Neo just stands there and lets herself get hit. I don’t need to re-hash how stupid that was. What I like a lot more is the subtleties in how she communicates given that, obviously, Neo can’t rely on any dialogue. Coming out of the hit she immediately has her umbrella leveled at the group and pulls out the blade to communicate, “Yes. I’m taking you on.” The neat choice though is that she brings the umbrella down to do it. She takes her weapon off the group, if only for a moment. Jaune has just gotten done insisting that she should give up because it’s four to one. The blade says, “I’m taking you on” but lowering her umbrella likewise says, “I’m so confident about taking you on I’ll even make myself vulnerable for a second.”
Which retroactively makes her getting hit like that even stupider but it’s fine we’re moving on.
During this time we also get a lot of insight into Oscar. Check out how utterly bedraggled he is, showing us how tough the initial fight with Neo was and how lucky he is to have escaped. He clutches the relic close to his chest and stares, scared, at the rest of the team. Oscar hasn’t reached a point yet where he instinctively draws his weapon and prepares to defend himself (indeed, he didn’t even have his weapon out during that initial encounter. That’s one hell of a rookie mistake). He’s still a terrified kid who hopes he won’t have to fight at all, literally hiding behind more powerful friends. This is all great characterization, the only problem is consistency. Nothing about Oscar has been consistent. One moment he’s holding his own against Lionheart and insisting he fight Hazel. The next he’s getting his ass kicked by Neo and cowering at the prospect of more. One moment he’s positively done in by these fights, horrified, scared, unsure of himself. The next he’s confronting the general of a kingdom with all the wisdom of Ozpin. This guy:
and this guy:
Exist about fifteen minutes apart. Because though RWBY is great at visual storytelling within each scene, they don’t keep it consistent from one scene to the next. Which is why Oscar is (accurately, imo) animated as an inexperienced kid in Scene #1 and then inexplicably becomes a wise old mentor in Scene #2. Not because anything occurred between Scene #1 and Scene #2 to create that change (let alone such an extreme change), but only because the show suddenly wanted Ironwood to look like an unhinged character. How do you achieve that? Not by having the guy he’s talking to act as winded, wild, and emotional as him, but by having Oscar speak calmly, rationally, softly, sounding oh-so-persuasive so you don’t listen to the actual words he says and how nonsensical they are (you’re as bad as Salem). Instead, you pay attention only to the visuals (Ironwood looks crazier than Oscar so he must be wrong). Ironwood is a great example of how RT sometimes tries to get visual storytelling to outweigh basic logic/what’s been said on screen.
Anyway, I’m getting off track. The fight begins and I do still love how Oscar is depicted here, even if it doesn’t align with what we get later. The moment that umbrella and cane cross was great because who doesn’t love visual symmetry? Oscar grabbing Neo is wonderfully in character because he’s barely trained! He’s a kid! He’s flying by the seat of his pants and going with whatever vaguely successful act pops into his head. The absurdity of, “I’m just going to grab her” is tempered by Oscar’s furiously determined expression as well as Neo’s brief look of shock. It works up until they realize what Oscar grabbed was just a copy.
I mentioned early that JNOR often doesn’t work well as a team, unless it’s specifically in the context of Jaune giving orders and the others executing them. Oscar and his lack of integration is obviously exempt from this, being the newbie both to fighting and this particular team’s dynamics, but Ren, Nora, and Jaune have no excuse. The first half of this fight is a good example of what I mean. We see Nora attack. She’s tossed aside. Then Ren attacks. He’s slammed into the wall. Oscar attacks (umbrella vs. cane) and it’s only at the last second that Jaune arrives with his shield to stave off a blow that would fell him too. Why is everyone taking turns here? They know none of them can beat Neo one-on-one and Jaune just said that their victory lies in it being four-to-one. So why separate out all the attacks? Arguably we can read this as a major flaw of JNOR’s and visual setup for something they’ll have to overcome later. In reality though I highly doubt this was deliberate on RT’s part, leaving this as bad visual storytelling (in that it makes the characters look stupid) as opposed to good visual storytelling (JNOR will realize this flaw and work to correct it).
After Neo disappears we get a chase through the hallway that does a great job of showing us precisely how weaker Oscar is compared to his teammates. He doesn’t have their stamina, breathing heavily and falling further and further behind. At one point (screenshot #2) he arrives just in time to find the team turning back in the direction he’s just come, showing not only how he can’t physically keep up, but also his place in this team/the group. He’s literally not with them. Anyone who has followed my blog knows my thoughts on how the group has treated Oscar and if (again) I were inclined to think that RT was aware of that treatment and working to integrate it into the show with the intent to resolve it, this would be another great detail. As it is, I think Oscar as a character is just continually going to get the short end of the stick. In particular, the crane shot shows us exactly how far behind Oscar is. The others charge ahead without him, not caring where he is or if he can keep up. Which leads to this.
Oscar rounds another corner and they’re gone. Nowhere to be seen. If anyone had the thought, “He’s not that far behind. It’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be,” Ren, Nora, and Jaune were clearly moving fast enough to round another corner and leave Oscar stranded. Here those subtle horror elements come back into play, particularly the maze-like design of the corridors. The only unique marker we get is the info board, otherwise it’s all identical hallways, housing a killer, with Oscar now left alone in it. The long shot makes him look small and emphasizes his isolation.
Then he’s attacked and it’s suitably scary. The hand over his mouth. The dark room again. We only get the briefest glimpse of Neo-as-Nora before she attacks, but that one second is another excellent moment of animation. Nora has never sauntered away like that. Even the quickest look in an action-driven scene is enough for the viewer to go, “Nope. Not Nora.”
The attack itself is the one moment where I think the slow-mo serves a good purpose. We might know (via that quick shot, how characters act (Nora is unlikely to pull Oscar aside like that) and expectations for how a story functions) that that’s not Nora, but Oscar doesn’t know that. The slow-mo gives us - and him - the chance to focus on Neo’s eyes changing, that stomach-dropping moment of realization, and we see Oscar’s horrified shock in the close up on his own eyes. Though RWBY doesn’t always grapple with the emotional implications of every encounter, I think it’s worth noting that this can really mess someone up. Oscar thought he was safe with an ally and had the rug pulled out from under him. He will now forever have the image of Nora attacking him, regardless of the fact that it was really “Nora.” Jaune likewise exclaims in horrified surprise when “Nora” charges him down the hallway. The ability to turn into someone else is an advantage that Neo knows how to use to its fullest. Not just in regards to spying, but how to unsettle your opponent too.
Waiting for the day she turns into Pyrrha ngl.
We see that same work when she encounters Ren. Admittedly, I’m torn on this one. If only because I agree with others when they ask, “Doesn’t Ren spar with Nora all the time? He should be able to hit her.” The context of “Barely trained kid thought he was with a friend and then watches said ‘friend’ attack him” is not the same thing as, “Much more experienced fighter realizes the moment ‘Nora’ rounds the corner with an umbrella that that’s not her, has no doubt hit her numerous times in the past during training, yet for some reason can’t bring himself to hit her now.” It... doesn’t quite work. Here, I think RT does a good job of showing us Ren’s distress, it’s just that this is paired with a very bad job of establishing what that distress is and why it exists. This is what we needed to hear about during the party conversation. If Ren and Nora had actually talked rather than just kissing, we might have understood why Ren is suddenly incapacitated here when “Nora” looks at him sadly.
As said though, the emotion of the scene is great even if we don’t quite know where it came from. Neo’s pitiful look, Ren freezing in shock (check out the red there too), his dumbfounded expression as he just sits in the middle of a battle, and when we come back to him we see the tear tracks. Overall, this scene does a great job of incorporating lots of information beyond “Team JNOR is fighting Neo for the relic.” We just need to connect that information better to what came before this scene (Ren) and what comes after (Oscar).
Finally, Neo slams into the other guards and transforms again. I love this final shot of her, both for how she moves and the implications of the transformation itself. Meaning, Neo is a professional. She had a job and she did it. Once the relic was in her possession and she had an escape route, she took it. Neo doesn’t get distracted by taking revenge - these are some of the people we fought against when Roman died - or trying to take them out to please Cinder, or even just going after them because she’s Evil. Neo is focused, no unnecessary actions taken, and that, just as much as her semblance and skill, is what makes her dangerous.
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@metamorphoria
* mini starter call // 'silence' from Crowe!
HE CAN’T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THEY WERE SO FAR AWAY FROM INSOMNIA . left behind are the minimalistic structures of civilization , with its sleek designs and bustling style . duscae opens up into the wilderness without holding back , revealing a different kind of motion . nature in its grand splendour , trees as far as the eye can see . what was supposed to be a simple training exercise took a dive into the danger zone when their directive changed . ORDERS WERE ORDERS THOUGH , and no matter how RISKY it was , they still had to push through . the drop in temperature is a subtle reminder that winter is right around the corner and not even duscae can escape the chill and the breeze that sweeps down , whistling between the trees . no moon tonight ; shadows fall like a blanket , covering their surroundings pitch black , a high contrast against the comfort of daylight . it adds another layer to their PRECARIOUS situation .
he crouches down low , one knee to the ground , a hand raising at shoulder height to signal a stop . he doesn’t need to look back to know crowe is right there . there’s strength in numbers , sure , but if a daemon were to appear ——— FOCUS . their target is moving , away from the open field and into a hollowed point , a path between the foliage that makes it hard to see . the prints on the ground are bigger than he expected , and deep . he makes a quick estimation in his mind , trying to match it up with the broken branches they’ve encountered so far . IT WON’T BE EASY , but then again , if it was something easily achieved , the kingsglaive wouldn’t have been requested to track and eliminate a bothersome BEAST in the wild . ( aren’t there usually HUNTERS who take care of that kind of thing ? )
two fingers point towards the front to keep moving . he keeps low to the ground , just in case , with one hand holding tightly to the hilt of a kukri . further in , still no visual of their mark . a THICK FOG rolls out from the depths of the forest , giving him pause . for a second , he glances back at his companion , shooting her an exasperated look .
they should be resting at the haven by now , after the second day of bonding and training drills . instead , they’re outside , in the middle of a labyrinth of trees . it’s cold and way too dark . he shakes his head , releasing a long quiet sigh . he supposes it could be worse ——— AND JUST AS HE THINKS THAT , the crack of thunder startles him and a downpour drops on them without mercy .
#metamorphoria#metamorphoria / crowe#i started writing smth kinda happy-ish but then ended up with this somehow#━━ » ´. verse ▪ standing in the wake of devastation .
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Miyazaki Finally Gives Up the Pretense, Makes Film About Man Who Draws Planes for a Living
“Spoiler culture” gets a lot of hate these days, and I get it. There’s a fine line between “how hard is it to not talk about the plot of a movie you just saw on social media” and “how hard is it to stay off social media for a little bit until you’ve seen the movie.”
I get the annoyance with spoiler culture, but I also remember the circumstances that led to our current situation. I remember the mid-2000s, when trailers had half the movie in them — and if that wasn’t enough, the movie’s official website usually went the rest of the way. I remember poring over detailed rosters of every character set to appear in an upcoming X-Men movie. Even Pixar fell into the over-sharing trap — The Incredibles villain Syndrome, who doesn’t appear until a good chunk of the movie has passed, had a bio on the official website with his “powers” and evil plan right there for 12-year-old Chase to read all about.
This led to teenage Chase making a conscious decision to not seek out information about movies that he already wanted to see, a policy I still roughly adhere to today. My greatest success was with Ant-Man, which I managed to see in theaters without having seen a single trailer. Usually, though, it means I just stick to teaser trailers.
This go-in-blind mentality is never easier than when writing these reviews, since there’s not exactly a marketing blitz, past or current, for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises. So far, I think my policy of avoiding both trailers and reviews of these movies has served me well, helping me to form my own thoughts without being biased one way or another. Unfortunately, this policy may have done more bad than good with this particular movie.
The Wind Rises was released in 2013, and is (for now) the last film directed by Miyazaki. It’s a dramatized biopic of Jiro Horikoshi, designer of Japan’s infamous “Zero” fighter planes — but you wouldn’t guess that from the movie itself. Not knowing anything of the film going in, I assumed I was watching a historical drama, like From Up on Poppy Hill or Grave of the Fireflies. As such, I was confused at the pace of the movie, which skips freely through large portions of Horikoshi’s life. The rapid and largely unannounced jumps in time and the lack of chyrons made it difficult for me to get a handle on the time period — although I’ll admit it probably wouldn’t be nearly so difficult for someone native to Japan, who could likely guess closely enough from the clothes, architecture, and other context clues.
Beyond being confused about the setting, though, my lack of foreknowledge of The Wind Rises left me confused about the story the movie was telling. When you know a story is based on true events, it changes how you experience it. Studio Ghibli already departs from traditional Western ideas of storytelling and structure, and when you throw real-world subject matter into the mix, it goes further afield still.
This is all to say: I think I would’ve enjoyed The Wind Rises more if I’d understood what it was beforehand. It’s a bit like how I kept waiting for the magic to show up in Whisper of the Heart, only it was a bigger, structural issue — something just felt off, until I pulled up the movie’s Wikipedia page after it ended and suddenly things clicked into place.
Is the movie at fault for not spelling out its premise? Even the trailer doesn’t mention that it’s based on a real person. More than ever, I think that cultural differences may play a role here. I get the feeling that Jiro Horikoshi is relatively well-known in Japan; it would make all the difference watching this movie if you were vaguely aware of Horikoshi’s name and achievements.
As for the movie itself: it’s breathtakingly beautiful. The animation is almost insultingly lavish, like the third dining room on an episode of Cribs. Horikoshi’s glasses distort your view of his face, just like in real life. There’s a close-up involving a moving slide rule that made me gasp with its detail. The Wind Rises portrays Horikoshi as a dreamer, and his dreams constantly leak into the world around him, to wondrous effect.
The audio work is similarly audacious. Horikoshi’s (and Miyazaki’s) infatuation with flying machines breathes life into them, reflected not only in the lively way they’re animated, but also in the choice to use human vocals for the sound effects. The planes literally hum, roar, and gasp — never quite approaching cartoonish personification, but instead letting us see them through the engineer’s eyes.
Other aspects of The Wind Rises aren’t quite as thrilling. I think there’s something very worthwhile in the film’s message on trying to make something beautiful in a world bent on cruelty, but it’s a bit muddied by a strange insistence that creative people have only 10 years to produce their life’s work. It’s an oddly specific limit, made even odder by Miyazaki’s own prolific career — at the time of this film’s release, his directing career alone stretched over 34 years. This may sound like nitpicking, but the 10 years number basically bookends the film, so I feel justified in calling shenanigans.
Equally odd is the film’s love story. While beautiful and charming at times, it ends on an strange and unsatisfying note that makes me question the purpose of including it at all; did they simply feel that they couldn’t make a whole movie only about designing planes? If so, they could’ve done more to integrate the two stories, especially since this plot line was already entirely fabricated.
To end on a positive note: the voice cast for this film is impossibly stacked. You’ve got Horikoshi voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, his work buddy voiced by John Krasinski, his boss voiced by Martin Short, Emily Blunt as his love interest, Mae Whitman as his little sister, Werner Herzog as his random German friend, Stanley Tucci as his Italian dream-friend, Zach Callison as young Horikoshi, and Elijah Wood in a role so small I literally can’t figure out what it was. It should be difficult to pick a favorite among such a lineup — and they all do great work here — but the runaway winner is, of course, Werner Herzog. The raspy voice and dry humor he brings to the sympathetic Castorp are a highlight of an already beautiful movie.
I fully expect that, when I read other reviews of The Wind Rises, they will have only the highest praise for it. I can see where they’re coming from; this is a movie with breathtaking visuals, an innovative soundscape, a moving message, and talented cast. For me, however, those individual elements aren’t brought together in the service of a compelling story.
Up Next: The Tale of Princess Kaguya! It’s the last film directed by the late Isao Takahata and I’m ready to be emotionally destroyed. It’s also the second-to-last Ghibli movie (as of 2019), which is wild! Will I finish these reviews before the year ends?? The suspense is killing me!
Alternate Titles: The Wind Rises: Because No One Wanted to Put Poppy Hill on Their Best-of-the-Decade Lists
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Something I think is a really interesting exercise is that player-controlled characters that don’t speak up much / at all (e.g. Chell from Portal) still actually have what constitutes a canon personality. They’re often perceived as blank slates, but they’re really not.
There are several things that, in a meta sense, will tell you about a character you’re controlling.
1. The hard parameters of the game.
Have you ever noticed, in Zelda games, there are a bunch of characters you’re incapable of attacking? No matter what lethal implements you flail in their vicinity, Link will never launch a damaging or killing strike on them. There are also some regions in-game where you, the player, are unable to make Link draw his sword.
Thing is, the guards do not corner Link upon entering a town and confiscate his sword. His equipment is not explicitly magic and only able to harm monsters. In fact, the divide between “enemy species” and “friendly species” is basically arbitrary- in Twilight Princess, for example, you can attack gorons with impunity right up until they become allies.
This makes it clear that Link is consciously staying his hand. While it’s a very simple statement to make about a character- Link will not consider attacking those he perceives as civilians or allies- it’s still a clear statement. Link might be a punk sometimes (the game does gleefully give you options to mess with people, such as parading around near-naked or standing on tables in Breath of the Wild or specifically taking out your lantern in Barnes’ bomb shop in Twilight Princess) but he is driven by a hard line of ethics. Furthermore, IIRC only a handful of games will allow you to steal and then, at specific opportunities. In Skyward Sword, an entire sidequest is started because, upon breaking someone’s chandelier, the plot-furthering thing to do is to go talk to the owner directly, suggesting a Link who isn’t morally opposed to cutting and running when someone’s justifiably mad at him, but who is more likely to (the reward and emphasis is heavier on) own up and apologize.
Out-of-universe, we can’t do these things because they’re not programmed into the game. In-universe, though, there’s actually nothing stopping them, making it a deliberate action on their part. This also will involve things like how the story progresses- to use Twilight Princess again as an example, while Link needs Rutela’s blessing to get the third fused shadow, and thus pragmatically needs to save her son, he also refuses to talk to Ilia about her memory or try to get her to come with him back to Ordon before saving Ralis. This suggests that his motivation is in part personal compassion.
Later events in the story also would suggest Link has a lingering grudge towards both the doctor and the knights that refused to help in the situation- advancing the plot requires you to threaten the doctor with his tab and then search his house behind his back and if you’re in wolf form in Castle Town- only available after getting Ralis to Kakariko- Link isn’t afraid to snap at the knights, though he doesn’t bite or kill them. He’s more willing to get rude with someone who offends his personal sense of ethics.
Furthermore, there’s a matter of how obstacles are presented to you, and what you’re encouraged to do in response. Zelda is a series that focuses on personal adventure, a great deal of travelling long-distance, puzzle-solving and dungeon-crawling. You’re rewarded for being inquisitive, clever, helping others, and poking around. While the sidequests aren’t mandatory, you will only get Link at his absolute best and brightest when he’s been roaming the wilderness and doing favors for people. And you also virtually never have a consistent home base to return to- most games make it clear you’re basically leaving home and staying away for a good period of time when you revisit. So an interpretation on Link that reads him as someone who lingers at home heavily and doesn’t want to leave, ever, is unsupported by canon.
This can even be sneakier than something tacitly unavailable to the player- consider an NPC or party member talking at great length in a somewhat uninteresting manner. Does the dialogue go all the way with perfect legibility? Does it scroll onward into the background, or get interrupted? Any of those options tell us something about the character and their relationship to the speech. Are they listening? Are they zoning out? Are they expressing active contempt or implicitly cutting off the speaker with a gesture or expression?
2. Superfluous Actions
This is technically under the umbrella of game parameters, but I wanted to give this some special attention. Unfailingly, there are things a player character will do either without the player’s input, or that the player can direct them to do with no obvious merit to them.
Abzu, as a game, has a large number of basically superfluous controls. The “interact” button, while useful, also lets out a chirp, and not only does this have a neat visual effect in other areas, if you have a drone accompanying you (as you do several times throughout the game) making the Diver chirp with nothing to interact with prompts the drone to chirp right back, even varying how many times they chirp in a way that seems to respond to how many you gave them, albeit not on a one-to-one ratio. Which is absolutely adorable.
Another button lets you do flips; a third allows you to ‘boost’, which can be used to jump out of the water. You can ride on the back of larger sea creatures. Pretty much none of these are actually required for the advancement of the game. You don’t have to sing to the drones, you certainly don’t have to repair all of them you find. Riding a creature is never necessary but in the steam version of the game you get multiple achievements for doing so. You can sit and meditate and watch the fish as long as you want.
All of this creates a very playful, compassionate, and inquisitive personality for your player character, the Diver. What’s more, encountering a dying shark at one point in the game, Diver, unprompted, will come over to rest their hand on the creature until it passes, and then bow their head and move on.
In Hollow Knight, at several points you’re able to sit beside someone; one of which is the last time, in-game, you’ll be able to see a character who is implied to either die, or simply abandon his weapon and wander off alone afterwards. Like the Abzu example, you’re given an achievement for sharing this moment with him. There’s no tangible in-game reward. And yet the game gives you the option to do so, when that option is not normally present. It tells us, whether we as players take or leave that option, Ghost- the character- considers this moment and this person special enough to at least consider something they don’t normally do.
Some superfluous actions can be very subtle. Things like a camera moving on its own, implying the character’s attention is pulled to something the player didn’t actively choose to look at. In several games in the Zelda series, Link will turn his eyes and head towards certain things of notice, which can tell us, if we’re stumped on a puzzle or how to proceed, that Link may have quietly figured it out faster than we did.
3. Flavor text
Unless the text is actively being provided by another party in-game, it’s fair to assume any way something is described reflects how a character feels about it. For example, in Hollow Knight, the in-game bestiary has comments added by several other parties, but it also has succinct explanations at the top of what the creature is. These comments seem to lack much personality compared to the deeper elements in the journal, but on one particular entry, the Sibling, the Hunter’s comments on the bottom make it clear he has never actually seen this creature before- while the top entry not only describes it, but conveys rather intimate knowledge about its origin.
This stands out, because the player character, Ghost, is familiar with the Siblings- they are basically the lingering spirits of dead vessels in the location Ghost was raised and abandoned. Since, again, the Hunter implies he’s never been to the bottom of the Abyss, it’s likely Ghost is even the one who specifically labeled that particular entry the “Sibling”.
In Breath Of The Wild, food is a major game mechanic as the primary healing and stat-buffing item, but, we are also given lavish and detailed descriptions of the flavor profile of each. There’s basically no two ways about the obvious evidence that this particular incarnation of Link, at least, is a very dedicated and educated foodie- though, apparently, not someone with such a sophisticated palate that he won’t scarf down something “so gross you can’t even look at it” or made with inedible ingredients.
This can even tie into the game parameters thing- given the simplicity of the cooking system in the game, it’s clear that Link’s experienced hands are guiding the player- we might pick a handful of ingredients and toss them into a pot, for example, but, for Link, it’s clear that he’s going through a lot of trouble to cut, pare, fricassee, saute, garnish, and plate his dishes appealingly, even with limited equipment. You can interpret that a lot of ways- are we assuming Link is the type who lovingly handcrafts tools from the materials he finds to take his cooking to the next level and carries a cooking kit with him regularly, or is he more the type who waited until he made it to a town to get distracted by a pretty knife set?
While I just finished talking up the game parameters as a form of characterization, you do have to make some accommodations for what makes a fun and streamlined game experience. The creators of Breath of the Wild didn’t feel the need to complicate the cooking system with other tools besides a big metal pot- but in-universe, we can enrich our read on the character because Link is clearly not just stewing, but cooking a bunch of different ways that would call for specialty tools, so, how and where is he getting them? That’s more of an interesting subject for personal interpretation, but, that’s one of my favorite parts of this- what canon gives us virtually never creates a complete picture, but it will virtually always point us in an entertaining and interesting direction. Perceiving Breath of the Wild’s Link as a blank slate, I might not think about his relationship with cooking tools, but looking at canon and that very few of the created meals look like campfire food- many of the dishes are on plates. Which raises the obvious implication Link is going out of his way to acquire dishware, carry it around with him, and clean and reuse it. (Even if, in a more realistic setting without a vast, inter-spatial inventory, that dishware would probably look more like travel carry containers, like cheesecloth packages tied with twine, jugs and flasks for elixirs, beverages and soups, wooden and metal boxes)
And that can be super useful for a fanfiction, roleplay, or other writing scenario- it implies something about Link’s daily routine. I could write a scenario with him carefully whittling a skewer, or scrubbing dishes in a bubbling stream. And that he’s so interested and motivated by food, he probably does carry soap or something else to keep his hands and plates clean, given Hyrule’s level of technology he probably knows what germs are, and someone so proud of their cooking wouldn’t sicken themselves or potential dinner guests by using unclean containers. It becomes a springing ground for a lot of other headcanons.
4. Tone of the game
Every game has certain attitudes and worldviews that emanate through the setting, as well as a sort of overarching atmosphere that presides over the story. While it can be funny to imagine the protagonist of a moody, atmospheric piece as jarringly contrasting it, unless given evidence to point to that, it’s not going to be canon-supported.
Chell, from Portal, is resistant to many of these forms of characterization. She provides no flavor text, she doesn’t have a lot of superfluous actions besides tacitly refusing to catch Wheatley in early Portal 2, and while we do have the benefit of a bonus comic, Lab Rat, that gives some insight into her behavior, as well as the questionably accurate portraits that suggest how Rattman, at least, sees her, there’s not a lot.
However, it’s pretty much fair to assume that she’s a smart aleck- not just because the game gives you plenty of opportunities to, and in some situations, runs on the premise that you will try to spite and disobey the various people controlling Chell’s situation at the time*- but because the entire tone of both games is primarily snarky. Everyone you run into is some flavor of wise guy. Everybody’s a little/lot sarcastic, everybody’s a little/lot eccentric.
The one way that Chell obviously breaks from the mold is she’s not highly talkative- and this is impossible to miss because her refusal to talk is called out canonically all the time.
So we can guess that Chell being a wise guy- reinforced by her other actions- is per setting standard, and she’s probably a little weird, because everybody here is, we can tell that she doesn’t love to hear herself talk or is especially prone to monologuing like many of the other characters in her setting, because this contrast is actively called out, and makes her noteworthy and interesting as the protagonist.
Comparatively, Ghost from Hollow Knight is characterized as a very willful and brash creature through their environment- many of the areas in the game are pointed to as appealing to those that seek glory and aren’t afraid to put their life on the line to get it. While challenging the Mantis Lords is essential to proceed into Deepnest, that is not made apparent anywhere besides the Lords’ throne room themselves; while talking to Quirrel outside the village gates has him muse that Ghost probably intends to challenge the Lords.
* while you do get achievements- something I pointed to earlier in the Abzu example as an inclination something is more in line with their personality- for listening to GLaDOS and Wheatley to a fault, those actions end in Chell’s immediate death- since in-universe she is mortal and has no means of respawning, it’s fair to assume those are dead ends and thus, not actions she takes, just something the writers threw in because they thought it would be funny.
Basically a good rule of thumb for all of this is evaluate how its framed and the context- there is no one gospel of characterization here and especially in more meta frameworks like Undertale, characterizing Frisk requires building a comprehensive read on how to separate Frisk as their own person from you, the Player, and your will- since you have an acknowledged in-universe presence and the ability to override Frisk’s inclinations.
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The Ugly Truth About Contemporary Industrial Landscaping
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One hundred different bargains that Fey creatures can make with your characters.
The character no longer has a shadow.
The character has forgotten their own name. No one will remember them, even close friends and family.
Every time you sleep, you only dream of yourself lying awake and wake up less rested than before.
You can no longer distinguish left and right.
Every day, your eyes, change their color.
You become obsessed by kittens.
From now on, every pet you see, you see it as an evil monster.
You can no longer perceive the color (d6:) 1. Red; 2. Orange; 3. Yellow; 4. Green; 5. Blue; 6. Purple
Anytime you touch something that is the color (d6) it automatically turns (d6). (d6:) 1. Red; 2. Orange; 3. Yellow; 4. Green; 5. Blue; 6. Purple
Your blood is perceived as (d6) by everyone except you. (d6:) 1. Red; 2. Orange; 3. Yellow; 4. Green; 5. Blue; 6. Purple
You are physically incapable of looking anyone directly in the eyes.
The next time you see a frog, it will loudly proclaim that if you kiss it it will become a prince. Whether or not it really does is decided by the DM.
Water always feels very cold to you.
Your breathing is always loud and obnoxious.
You can speak to the trees. They only talk about boring topics such as politics and the weather, but will not listen to anything you have to say.
Looking at a corpse that is more than 1 year old causes you to instantly vomit.
Touching gloves makes your hands feel like they are getting stung by bees.
Touching rope whatsoever gives you rope burn instantly.
Anytime you see holy water, you get a great urge to down the whole bottle.
Every time you see a bear, you perceive it as a 60 year old human wearing a bear costume.
When it rains, you perceive every droplet as a human face.
Even the smallest explosion looks like a nuclear detonation to you.
Ogres look incredibly beautiful to you and nymphs seem hideous.
Everything you eat tastes like chicken.
Suddenly, only trolls find you to be attractive. When seen by a troll, you will be aggressively sought after for a long term relationship.
You can hear with supernatural precision, but to do so you have to wear the most ridiculous hat anyone has ever seen. In fact, the hat induces immediate laughter to any who see it being worn.
You now have the ability to fly short distances, but only if your eyes are closed.
You can’t use your eyes and ears at the same time anymore. One must be covered in order to use the other. Trying to use both eyes and ears will result in audio or visual hallucinations.
Sitting causes you physical pain – you can only stand up or lay down.
Your sneezes produce sparkling dust.
Goblins now look like beautiful women.
You must give yourself a pep talk every morning.
Your most used magic item that requires a verbal component is replaced by an embarrassing nickname.
All coins look like gold to you.
One language you know is replaced with screaming but you think it’s normal.
You don’t believe in having a small fire anymore.
The voice of the last person you killed tells you things about their life no one wants to know.
Cats meows now sound like orc battle cries to you.
Fingernails tell short stories about what you have done clipping/ biting them causes you to forget what happened but eating the nail returns the memory.
A talking flea now lives in your nose.
The taste of citris now tastes like blood.
Your hair is a kleptomaniac.
Your skin becomes hot pink direct sun light.
Your eyes look like the eyes of the person you talk to.
Your blood is now alabaster white.
The sound of a bell turned your known languages into horse neighs.
On a full moon you think and act like you have transformed into a lycanthrope but in fact don’t.
You think you are the worlds greatest bard.
At midnight you recite strange lines from musicals you have never heard.
You are unable to fall asleep anywhere except outside, at night, in a place where the stars are visible.
You are cursed with mildly aggravating misfortune. Once per day out of combat, at random, you make a skill check with disadvantage.
You can no longer conceive of “eleven.”
You lose d4 letters of your name.
You lose d6 inches of height.
You owe a pound of flesh – you can choose which pound if you remove it yourself.
You can only read the written word backwards – usually from right to left.
You cannot use any word beginning with the letter “t”.
You age backwards (but this will not prolong your life).
You gain extreme sensitivity to moonlight.
Your childhood pet always appears to you to be in the room, but no one else can see it.
One of your friends was never born, although you retain memories of them.
You can no longer form new bird-related memories.
Your self-image will always be of whatever you are currently wearing – no matter what you wear you will always see yourself wearing the same clothes.
All water tastes oily.
You always smell strongly of flowers – it’s a little overwhelming.
The concept of death is unbearably sad, so that you burst into tears whenever it comes up.
All elves look the same to you.
You lose your most treasured memory.
Lose all memories of a loved one. This loved one may be from the character’s past, or a future loved one. Tough to recognize, unless this character disagrees with the number of people in a group.
You shall spread wealth wherever you go but never hold this wealth yourself.
Your firstborn shall carve out a great destiny but will be taken from you at the moment of its birth, either through the fey arriving and taking it or its mortal body arriving as a still birth and it’s soul being born into the fey wild.
You shall lead a great Kingdom for 10 years but it will then fall into ruin due to your efforts.
You gain the beauty of the gods as long as you view yourself in a mirror each day, if not your beauty will corrupt into necrotic horror.
You shall conceive a full family but lose one of them on their 11th birthday to the fey.
Children and animals will always know their location.
Character is unable to see the color blue or green as it blends perfectly into the background.
Every time the character swears their servitude at the end of their lives extends by 1 year.
There will be a surprise when they get home. What they find will belong to the fey in 5 years time.
Both of the character’s eyes are now the entirely the color of what their irises used to be.
The character now unwillingly slips Sylvian words into their everyday speech and cannot be brought aware of it.
Vines and leaves will now be sparsingly intermingled with the character’s hair and body hair.
You can no longer go outside unless it’s pouring rain.
From now on when you sleep, you will not wake without someone performing the same ceremony. While sleeping you do not age, require sustenance, or suffer non-lethal damage.
You age twice as fast. Cutting you time on earth in half.
Once every year on the night of the summer solstice you are magically summoned to a place far beyond your recognition. There you will be given one task that you would give your life to complete.
You must marry the Fae you are bargaining with.
The would becomes cold, ever so cold. Warmth becomes something impossible for you to feel.
One tenth of all gold you earn disappears as a tribute to the Fae.
You will become aware of the exact time of your death.
Your fist born child will die at the age of eleven. You will have a first born child.
A secret will be revealed that will make you hate someone you loved.
Your knees become fused. You loose the ability to run.
The character is convinced they can talk to plants, despite having no ability to do so.
Describe or name a specific type of beast. All creatures of this kind are now enamoured with you, however you are now slightly allergic to them.
The character’s ears enlarge when they are caught lying. The character’s ears shrink when they tell the truth and are not believed.
The character can no longer go to sleep without making a stone circle around themselves.
The character glows in artificial light.
The character eats and drinks messily and noisily, no matter how hard the player tries to prevent this.
The character emits a melodious ringing noise every time they yawn, sneeze or burp.
The character’s eyes are inversed in colour; the irises are now white and the whites are the colour of the irises.
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Tokusatsu Streaming Guide: Where to Watch Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and More
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Ten years ago a fan of Tokusatsu (Japanese special effects shows, mostly superheroes) could have never imagined the access we’d have to these programs today. Back then official releases of anything outside of the American adaptations, particularly Power Rangers, seemed like a far off dream. However in the past few years especially there’s been a slow trickle of Toku shows becoming available to stream in North America.
In the last few months though that trickle became a waterfall as several new services have quickly become mainstays, finally allowing Toku fandom to finally enjoy their favorite shows legally. This also allows more casual fans a chance to experience these shows for the first time and that’s who this guide is mostly for. If you’re curious about the wider world of Tokusatsu and need a place to start, this guide should cover your bases for the many kinds of Toku series out there.
Just as a note, we are only discussing shows that are legally available. This also isn’t a comprehensive list. Many of the streaming services mentioned below have multiple Toku series available, we’re just picking a small sample. With that in mind, let’s dive into this ocean of Toku, shall we?
Kamen Rider (1971)
Available on TokuSHOUTsu (Shout Factory TV/tubi/Pluto)
The release that shocked and delighted Toku fans, the original series in the long running Kamen Rider franchise may be old but that doesn’t detract from its enjoyment. This is Toku in its purest form. Incredible fights, trippy special effects, bizarre monsters, and a strikingly bleak backstory for the main character.
Hongo Takeshi is kidnapped by the evil Shocker and transformed against his will into a cyborg. Worrying if his humanity is intact, Hongo still fights for justice as Kamen Rider. It may seem simplistic in our modern age of superheroes but there’s something enduringly appealing about Hongo’s quest to stop evil despite the wrongs that were inflicted on him.
Plus, come on, you can’t beat those trumpets that come in for damn near every music number. Highly recommend if you’re down for old school heroics or just want to enjoy some trippy 70’s TV.
Zyuranger (1992)
Available on TokuSHOUTsu (Shout Factory TV/tubi/Pluto)
Many people reading this are no doubt aware of Power Rangers, especially the original Mighty Morphin series. If you want to rock your world, you gotta check out the Super Sentai series Zyuranger. It’s as far from MMPR as you can imagine, with a team of dinosaur-evolved humans from 170 million years ago brought into the present day.
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The differences between it and MMPR will be the main draw for most and as you watch the series you’ll be impressed just how much the producers of Power Rangers were able to take this footage and remold it for America.
Ultraman Mebius
Available on TOKU
You can’t do a list about Tokusatsu without giving love to one of the big three, Ultraman. While the franchise’s original series sadly isn’t streaming (but you’ll be able to soon), you can’t go wrong with the 40th anniversary season Ultraman Mebius. Following the adventures of the rookie Mebius, the Ultra comes to Earth and joins up with the attack team (hilariously out of context) named GUYS. Mebius, GUYS, and even a few characters from past Ultraman series, fight off giant monsters attacking Earth.
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Both a great introduction for new fans and rewarding for long time Ultra fans, Mebius is a fantastic show to jump headfirst into the hero that’s larger than life.
Garo
Available on HiDive
If you want something off the beaten path of the big three Tokusatsu franchises, Garo might be right up your alley. Feeling a bit darker than other Toku (and not just because much of the action taking place at night or in darker spaces), the series follows Makai Knight Kouga Saezima attempting to protect humanity against the evil “Horrors.” Along the way though he encounters Kaoru, who is set to die in 100 days, and he sets out to try and save her.
Everything from the look of the series to the designs of the Garo suit feel different from Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman and if you aren’t feeling the more traditional vibe of those series Garo might be right up your alley. It’s also the first in a very long and surprising franchise so if you like it, there’s a lot more to get into.
Space Sheriff Gavan
Available on Toei Tokusatsu World Official
The first of the not as often remembered Metal Heroes franchise (although some of the series in it were adapted into VR Troopers and Beetleborgs), Gavan stands out for just how wild it is from the jump. Sure there’s the story about Don Horror (wonder if he’s a bad guy!) trying to destroy Earth and Retsu Ichijouji (Gavan) being sent out to stop him but that’s all icing on the cake.
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Metal Heroes have a reputation for bonkers visuals along with great action and Gavan delivers in spades. From the opening seconds of the first episode we’re greeted with Gavan standing atop a robot dragon standing against a gloriously lush background of outer space. Lead actor Kenji Ohba is also stunning in his action scenes and he puts even the superheroes of today to shame with just how good he is in these hand-to-hand fights.
Love action? Love weirdness? Want to be cool and not go with the obvious choices? Gavan might be for you!
Android Kikaider
Available on Toei Tokusatsu World
An absolute smash hit in Hawaii that’s still talked about to this day, Kikaider is more classic ’70s Toku action if Kamen Rider wasn’t enough for you. Following the heroics of robot Jiro against the (obviously) evil DARK, the main draw of the series is not just the delightfully over the top action but also the compelling conflict between Kikaider and evil robot Hakaider.
We should also mention that while the first two episodes of all series on Toei Tokusatsu World are subtitled, further episodes that will be uploaded won’t have them and it’s being left up to fans to subtitle the rest. Even without subtitles though, Kikaider’s action should more than keep your attention.
Dynaman (Night Flight Dub)
Available on Night Flight Plus
Easily the strangest entry on this list, Night Flight’s Dynaman isn’t just the seventh entry in the Super Sentai series. Oh no, it’s a little known dub of the show that aired on USA Network’s Night Flight program in the ’80s. It’s a gag dub through and through and mostly relies on pop culture jokes and (and we’re being generous here) outdated humor.
Still, it’s a peek into one of the earliest examples of Toku being brought to America on a large scale. For that alone it’s worth checking out, especially for those interested in the history of Toku in America and exploring the “what if” of imagining this getting popular instead of Power Rangers.
Gridman The Hyper Agent
Available on TOKU
Bold proclamation to make, but Gridman has the absolute best design of any Tokusatsu hero ever. It takes what worked well enough for Ultraman but added extra detail in all the right places to create a truly iconic look for a hero.
Gridman follows three hip computer kids (Naoto, Ippei, and Yuka) whose videogame superhero is taken over by the interdimensional Gridman who then combines with Naoto. The computer hero fights against the digital monsters of the evil Kahn Digifer in some of the best looking fights of all the series we’ve mentioned. Some shows might have better action overall but the look of the computerized world of Gridman can’t be beat.
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The show may look familiar to some American fans as its footage was used in Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad. Gridaman also experienced a revival in the form of the SSSS.GRIDMAN anime, which redid some of the concepts of the original series with a few easter eggs to Syber-Squad for very hardcore fans.
Special Rescue Exceedraft
Available on Toei Tokusatsu World Official
Look, I’m going to be real with you. I’ve only seen the first two episodes of Exceedraft. I have no idea if the whole series is good. What I can tell you though is that the first episode is straight up the most batshit wild episode of any Toku I’ve ever seen. It’s like if someone took the plot of Speed and said:
“Aha, let’s do this but condense it down to 20 minutes, add in some shiny superheroes, and make it way more intense.”
Also, the title of the episode is “The Kindergarten Bus of Death.” Just watch it. If you watch nothing else on this list, watch this episode. It’s Toku on, well, speed and it’s fantastic.
Jetman
Available on TokuSHOUTsu (Shout Factory TV/tubi/Pluto)
What if Super Sentai, but a soap opera? It’s not that Tokusatsu had never had soap opera elements before or after this series, but Jetman took that idea to a level that’s still being talked about today. When Red Ranger Ryuu’s partner is killed in an attack by the (say it with us now) evil Vyram, the powerful “Birdonic Waves” are unleashed on four unsuspecting civilians. Ryuu recruits them and they become the Jetman team.
With strong characterization from the start, Jetman stands out by jumping into the romance between team members as Ryuu struggles with his growing attraction to White Ranger Kaori. It’s standard soap opera stuff, with a love triangle thrown in for good measure (which would have been better if Kaori was given more agency), but if you love those tropes then Jetman might be the series for you.
As we said earlier, this is only a small sampling of some of the shows available on streaming sites in North America. What are some of your favorite Tokusatsu series that are available to watch and which ones do you hope are picked up in the future?
The post Tokusatsu Streaming Guide: Where to Watch Kamen Rider, Ultraman, and More appeared first on Den of Geek.
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2019 Best Japanese OST Press/Repress: Elfen Lied by Tiger Lab Records
Like many late millennials with artistic pretensions, I used to have an “Anituber” channel back in the wild west days of youtube. From 2010-2013 — roughly corresponding with my first three years in university — I reviewed DVD releases from ADV, Manga Entertainment, Central Park Media, and Geneon — all the big players in Western anime releases at the time, all dead and gone now with the rise of streaming. Everyone but Funimation — a sad irony and perhaps telling about the nature of the dubbing industry that the studio with a serial rape problem and established casting couch was the only one to survive.
In the interest of maintaining my personal ethics, posterity, and sanity I’ve long since deleted that channel. While there was definitely a “moment” on the platform for a nineteen year-old cokehead film student in front of a MacBook webcam doing his best Slavoj Zizek impression, that moment has long since passed. I’ve long since cooled on “substantive” media critique anyway. The world doesn’t need another Eisenstein-aligned Marxist analysis of Neon Genesis Evangelion — or, a 6-part series on using Lacanian techniques to develop a leftist praxis for Fate/Stay Night. Media exists in the present moment to be a salve for the postmodern hellscape we inhabit together.
As an interesting sidebar, the most popular video on that channel — raking in just north of 10k views over its lifetime from 2011-2015, was a twelve minute video essay on the 1995 anime Elfen Lied, where I asserted that it was the ultimate expression of contemporary Japanese anti-modern rage. While I don’t find myself particularly nostalgic for any of the content on that channel, I’m actually kind of proud of that one in particular.
While most of my analysis was fixated on the visuals, narrative, and recent oeuvre of its mangaka, Lynn Okamoto, and series director, Mamoru Kanbei, I did lay out a framework on why I consider it to be one of the most successful soundtracks ever produced for an anime. I did not heap this praise lightly, as that roughly fifteen year period of 1995-2010 was bookended by the OSTs of Evangelion and K-On! — and certainly proved to be one of the most sonically iconic periods that the medium has ever produced.
it was also one of the first soundtracks that spurred my own history of Japanese OST collection.
And, then, almost a decade later, I found out that Tiger Lab was releasing a vinyl of Elfen Lied.
In spite of this, when I originally the news, I felt a tinge of trepidation. This is not to throw shade at Tiger Lab, however — but at the reputation of previous releases of the Elfen Lied soundtrack in Japan. A quick adventure with google translate across the Japanese net for various Elfen Lied OST roleases — especially on CD — will reveal for you a lot of contempt from Otaku and anime-enthusiast audiophiles for any number of reasons. Most hinge on the quality of the physicals. This is often because Japanese physical media releases of anime soundtracks are often laden with fresh, exceptionally crisp and clean-sounding masters for CDs, and usually exclusive posters and other content geared toward the “collector” nature of many Otaku. This has usually not been the case with Elfen Lied.
A friend of mine in Kanagawa quipped “Sometimes it sounds better on the DVD” in regard to a number of OST releases of soundtracks from anime produced by Studio Arms with CD releases published by VAP. Admittedly, some of it must have been born in resentment, but I’ve always trusted the man’s opinion — as he’s invested a small family fortune into building a shrine of sorts to that studio’s output. He chalks up the poor release quality to the studio’s inability or lack of funds to master the content properly for a CD or HQ digital release, and VAP’s decline in release quality during the early 2000s roughly corresponding to a sale to another Zaibatsu. “Studio Arms made hentai for many years to stay solvent, maybe they could not send a good master to VAP [the publisher]” he told me. While I can’t know if it’s VAP, Arms or another studio handling the CD-master work, a cursory check of their oeuvre seems to confirm confirms that claim of his — but I acknowledge I’m wandering into uncharted waters here.
In spite of all that — I ordered the wax from Tiger Lab and was duly impressed. In lieu of reviewing each track as per my usual review format, in the following section I want to talk about my listening experience from the two formats I own the soundtrack in — the SA/VAP published CD from 2004 and Tiger Lab’s release. Once we finish going into the core differences — and why this vinyl is absolutely worth your purchase over competing physicals — I’ll go into the virtues of the listening experience on the whole.
Part 1: Comparisons of Select Tracks
I suppose the expectation is that I start off by taking about the most iconic recording from the series — the OP, Lilium. In the spirit of defying expectations, I’ll begin with what I consider a better litmus test.
My personal shit-test for a good master and press is how well it can handle a track that is sonically robust and diverse, crossing genre and form — requiring an intensive, sufficiently wide mix and refined master. You don’t get that on every OST album — but Elfen Lied offers one such potential track in particular, and that particular track happens to be my favorite composition on the entire album. Uso Sora, composed by Kayo Konishi and Yukio Kondo is a truly magnificent piece, and it’s used brilliantly in the series — for those familiar, I only need to quote one line: “M-m-mommy…?”.
It begins with lulling piano chords that gradually build in tempo and energy with the addition of percussion, and then it undergoes a full metamorphosis in its last minute or so to become an aggressive, frenetic techno piece with distorted lows and an angry drum kit. Mirroring the evolution of its subject in the show with understated aplomb, and functioning as a robust and enjoyable composition divorced from its source — it really deserve more recognition than it receives, but I do not doubt it will ever step forth from the massive shadow cast from the haunting chorals of Lilium, and the brilliantly directed visual intro that accompanied it.
Needless to say, Tiger Lab more than passed muster here, to the point where I’m almost blown away by just how good it sounds compared to the rest of my Elfen Lied related physicals. I experienced a definite brightness from the vinyl master over my stereo that I don't get from a lot of other Western label releases, like say Milano, which tends to cash in on a Westerner’s preference for warmth. Tiger Lab deserves credit for this approach, because it genuinely feels like a more authentically “Japanese” sound. In my experience, the Western labels that care the most about the dedicated audiophile adhere to this sonic profile, and Tiger Lab deserves all due credit here.
Finally, I might as well include my thoughts on Lilium. In short, it sounds fantastic. The mix here really brings out the most of the chorals, and provides crisp and clean sounds where you want them most. It’s also one of those tracks where you can just feel the dynamic range before you even hear it. I ended up listening to these on my Cambridges, and I’ve got to say that’s there’s something in the way they treat this particular profile of song — strongly vocal dominated, extremely muted piano, and supporting string inhabiting the negative space — absolutely incredibly. It put the KEFs to shame. I’ve always asserted that you’ve got to pair certain songs with certain speaker pairs. I’ve never been a huge devotional music guy, and I’m not entirely sure that the Cambridge or KEFs provide ideal profiles for the track. That said, Lilium sounds great anyway.
But I can envision these on a pair of high end Yamahas, or a pair of vintage Blaupunkt bookshelves sounding as stone-cold killer as Lucy when Kouta’s threatened.
I sent a rip to my friend Hiroshi, the StudioArms Shrine man, who immediately snapped up a copy after listening. I also learned that it was actually the first vinyl purchase he’s ever made after two decades of serious collecting. So perhaps that is a testament in and of itself!
Part 2: Physicality
I rarely devote an entire section to talking about the vinyl/OBI itself, but then again, Tiger Lab has put out a release certainly worthy of this. First off, the cover, which pairs perfectly with the overall aesthetic of both the series and previous soundtrack releases. I can imagine this being a release that has already attracted some attention by Japanese collectors, as the cover seems to tap into a certain sense of continuity that I know are a huge hit with that community. It certainly pairs well with my two releases from VAP, and a laserdisc set that I have. They all opt for that very iconic Klimt Vienna Secession style with appropriate creative flourishes — but I like Tiger Lab’s take on it the most. The side characters populating the back in a choral array reminiscent of the Beethoven Frieze is also a really nice touch for any enthusiast of the fin-de-siècle style.
I picked up the pink vinyl on release, one of the few pink vinyls that I’ve bought that at least feels thematically consistent with the release and not just a default “vaporwave” or “city pop” or “future funk” styling. Diclonii rock the pink hair, after all. That all said, I’m wishing now that I got the “metallic gold” edition, as its another color that feels both apropos and stunningly beautiful. With all that in mind, this is also one of the better waxes that I’ve felt in-hand, and manages to feel robust. I’ve yet to find specific info, but it certainly feels like a 180g.
In conclusion, I’ve got to give immense credit to Tiger Lab for handling this release with a class and vigor that few Japanese publishers have given it. It certainly bodes well for the future of anime releases on vinyl, and makes me eager to fill out an emergent collection.
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