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moon-huny · 8 months

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Stole the Moon - Chapter One

CW: My content is not for anyone under 18. Mostly suggestive flirting and mentions of kidnapping and imprisonment. Reader character has sustained head injury. Oh, you also get choked. Buggy is an a-hole, but that's why we all love him.

Word Count: 2K

Summary: You've been kidnapped and can't remember a thing. Good news! Ole Captain Buggy is here to make you feel more like yourself.

A/N: Alright this is my first ever fan fiction to grace the website we all know and love. I originally wanted to be a fic writer when I joined tumblr, and now, my time has finally come. This Buggy is very much based off of OPLA, since I never actually got into the anime until recently. Tying to keep him in character, but the plot is very much of my own design.

Being new to this, I would love any feedback you might have. Likes, comments and reblogs are welcome, and would make my little heart sing. Okay, that's all, enjoy.

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“Hey, sleeping beauty, wake up.”

You woke to his voice. Your eyes slowly opening – or attempted to open – before becoming conscious of a stabbing aching pain racking your skull. You rolled over on your side, cradling your head in your hands and shutting your eyes tight. The soft candle light in the dark of your room eased the pain, but whatever relief you found was immediately wiped out by the shrill sound of him speaking.

“Ya know, I thought they killed you.” You could hear his heavy steps pacing the room, the sound too loud, his voice too harsh. He spoke with such levity, a certain air of nonchalance in his tone. He thought this was funny.

“I mean, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy getting you aboard my ship,” he paused, grabbing a chair and dragging it across the floor. A high pitched sound emitting from wood scraping wood – a sound he made on purpose just to cause more pain. You winced.

“But I didn’t think my crew hurt you this badly.” A tone of mock concern fell from his lips. “You must have put up a real knock out fight.”

He sat across from you. Spreading his legs and leaning over to get closer. Your body was curled up on a poorly made and uncomfortable plank of wood some might dare to call a bed. The “blankets” around you were nothing more than used burlap and tattered bits of sail.

He got quiet, you heard the ocean and people stomping and shouting above you. Then, so quietly, just above a whisper, “I don’t usually keep damaged goods, but you’re much better off lying here than wreaking havoc on my ship.”

It took all your strength to peel open your eyes and pull your hands away from your head. Breathing heavily, you pushed yourself upright. The clench in your jaw both from the pain you were in and the anger you felt.

Through your blurry vision, you could just barely make out a red nose. His eyes were piercing green, like the ocean after a storm. The clown makeup, the bright blue hair, you’d seen his wanted poster before.

Buggy the Clown – wanted for 15,000,000 Berry.

“I’ll burn this whole ship down,” you said. “I’ll sink it to the bottom of the East Blue.”

Your threat came out much weaker than you intended. You were fighting nausea and an intense dizziness you were struggling to keep under control. It seems the clown caught on. He gently pushed his palm into your forehead with a flourish causing you to fall back down onto the bed gripping either side of your head in your hands.

“Aw see,” he said, standing to lean over your body. “That’s why you’re gonna stay right here,” he said, punctuating the last two words.

He made his way to the exit and grabbed the barred door. He pulled it shut with a loud clatter. You felt the metal sound resonate in your skull causing you to push your palms into your eyes.

“Night night, doll! We’ll chat some more tomorrow.” A loud cackling laugh resounded down the hallway. It made you want to scream.

///

And so, he came back to torture you everyday. Never brought you food or water, instead opting to send random crew members each visit. He didn’t want you making any friends. The only constant was one meal at night and a prompt visit from him following. He never said much, and if he did, you could hardly recall what you spoke about.

You started feeling better. You were able to get up, start walking around your prison. You clocked that you’d been at sea only four days. One porthole you could see out of – if you climbed some precarious boxes – told you you were in the middle of nowhere. Far away from any visible land.

The sun was setting, the sky turning a gorgeous orange color and the ocean turning pink in return. His boots thumped down the stairs, you could hear him shouting up towards the deck, “Hey, shit for brains, if I didn’t make myself clear earlier, I want to be docked in that harbor YESTERDAY! GET. A. MOVE ON!”

Wherever this circus boat was headed, it was moving fast, but clearly not fast enough. What was the hurry? What was the clown’s goal? And with so little in the cargo hold … It wasn’t like he had a huge haul. Were we being followed by another ship? You didn’t ever see anyone from your tiny window, and the conversations above were so muffled that gathering any kind of intelligence was near impossible.

“HONEY, I’M HOME!”

You ran from your porthole back onto the bed, pulling the blankets up around you. You did your best to slow your breathing and pretend you were asleep.

“Oh sweets,” he sighed, draping himself through the bars. “I know you’re awake.”

The smile you knew he had on, the sickeningly sweet way he spoke to you, it made you angry. You heard the door unlock and slowly swing open.

You were feeling stronger. Though the ship was in the middle of nowhere, if you could just surprise him, lock him up long enough to get to a lifeboat. You could get away.

“Doll, enough games, okay? It's only fun when I want to play, and I really don’t feel like playing with my toys right now.”

He got closer, close enough you decided. You sprang from the bed making a move to pull any number of the knives from his belt. As you grabbed for his waist, you felt a gloved hand wrap itself around your throat and push you against the wall.

“Oh ho ho, you have GOT to be KIDDING.” He laughed hysterically. “I mean wow, honey, I knew you were bold but I didn’t take you for an idiot,” he spat the last insult inches from your face tightening his grip. Your hands flew up to his wrist attempting to loosen the strangling grip he had on you.

His body pressed to yours, his knee slotting itself in the space between your legs. You were fully pinned, unable to move with the full weight of the pirate against you.

That’s when you heard the long knife unsheathe itself from his belt. The sharp metal pushing into your side. Your eyes, once full of defiance, widened to reflect the fear you felt. Your eyebrows pressing together in a pleading look as your lungs burned, the need for air growing stronger.

“Mhmm, I knew I’d like that face on you,” he whispered. “You gonna be a good girl if I let you go?” You nodded slowly, then felt the knife push impossibly further to the flesh of your hip. The nod quickened, your eyes clamping shut, preparing for the worst.

Then, he let you drop. Your hands flying to your throat, bruising surely setting in, as you gasped for air.

“I told you, doll, not in the mood to play,” he said, sheathing the weapon. “I have something I need from you.”

He nodded in the direction of the small table and stools. You hesitantly pulled yourself upright, sharpened gaze never once leaving his larger figure. You were like a mouse in a cage with a snake – look away and you might be his next meal.

You sat across one another as he pulled a map from his coat. His large gloved hands smoothed the cotton-soft paper out in front of you. The candlelight flickered over the page, the night finally setting in, the air growing colder.

The thin slip-like dress you wore did barely enough to retain your modesty. You pulled your arms across your chest, staving off the cold and attempting to cover your chest. Sitting there with him eyeing you across the table, you became more aware of your body and the night air prickling your skin. If he was attracted to your shape, he didn’t show it.

“You know what this is?” he asked.

“A map,” you replied flatly.

He laughed. “Funny, sweetheart. Yeah, your captain knows it’s – .”

“YOU are NOT my captain,” you spat back before he could even finish his sentence.

The smile spread further across his face, “If you aren’t joining my crew then you'll stay my prisoner.”

“Is that what this is about, you want me to join your band of seafaring freaks?” You were picking a fight you knew you couldn’t win. He knew it too.

“I think I made myself very clear but, if you need a little extra explaining, I don’t mind. You did hit that pretty head very hard a few weeks ago.”

“Weeks?” You did your best to keep your voice even as panic began to settle in your chest.

“Your…” it took a moment for him to find the right words, “temperament was difficult to say the least. If I thought getting you on board was hard, oh boy! Talk about keeping you quiet! But, it wasn’t anything a little sleeping powder couldn’t fix.”

He’s cocky, he knew springing this information on you would leave you feeling confused and uncertain. Was every move he made this calculated?

“We all got used to how quiet you were, so much … easier to watch.” His eyes traced up and down your frame. You got your answer, that remark was calculated and so was his decision to finally regard your attire.

He was stronger, he had more weapons at his disposal. The clown capitan knew he could say whatever he wanted, and there was hardly anything you could do about it. But that didn’t stop you from opening your mouth.

“What do you want with me and why the hell am I on your ship?”

All he could do was smile and chuckle in return, “That’s so funny, beautiful, truly. You are so much more entertaining when you're conscious. But, I’m going to need you to stop playing dumb, okay? It’s really starting to piss me off.”

His eyes were getting darker, his words sharpening. You were really starting to wish you knew what he was talking about but, god help you, you had no clue. You couldn’t remember how you got here, and now that you started racking your brain for answers, you realized you couldn’t remember anything about yourself.

Your name? Yes. You knew that. Family? Nothing. Village? A small seaside town, but the details were fuzzy. Who were you before this? You didn’t even know how long you were at sea and now you can’t even remember the basics.

The confusion in your mind began to make itself plain on your face.

“Oh no,” his tone began to change, the grin dropping from his face. “No no no no no -- you really don’t know do you?”

You looked up and saw his expression contorted between realization and anger. “SHIT! No! Gah! This was not supposed to happen this way! God fucking DAMN IT!”

He pushed himself up from the table with a fury, and something you’d never seen him carry before, frustration. Up until now, the blue haired man had acted with such a confident air, but now, it seemed like everything was falling apart. You made no move to speak, just watched as he paced the room spitting various curses into the empty space.

Then he finally turned to you, slowly on his heels. “No, you know what, this is fine.” He smiled, collecting himself. “All of this is just fine.” He began to stalk toward you.

“You’re here, on my ship, and that is alllllll that matters right now.” He placed both hands down on the table in front of you, leaning over the map and getting dangerously close to your face.

“We will just have to work through this little hiccup together. Huh? What do you say?”

“You can go to hell. I don’t know anything about this map, or what you need from me. Any information you're looking for is gone because your moronic sideshow and its excessive force scrambled any memories I had,” you spat.

“Okay gorgeous,” his emerald eyes not breaking contact with your (e/c). “Suit yourself.”

His tactics weren’t working, he knew it. It was time to change the game. Play from a different angle. You didn’t remember who you were, what you were, he’d help you remember, and maybe add a few memories into the mix. The mind was a fragile place, its chemistry could be changed so easily. Enough of the fear and frustration, it’s always easier to attract flies with honey than with vinegar.

#buggy x reader #buggy x you #buggy opla #buggy the clown #captain buggy #buggy X y/n #buggy fanfic #op buggy #buggy d clown #one piece buggy #buggy one piece #buggy smut #stole the moon

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hellaverseroleplay · 3 months

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Epiphany

Primary Blog: @diabolicore Age: 25+ Pronouns: She/her Platforms: Tumblr and Discord Discord: For chatting and roleplay Triggers: discuss beforehand. Graphic r*pe, child abuse, animal abuse (don’t want to see it). Most live-action nsfw stuff (videos, gifs, etc). Smut: fade to black on main blogs. sin blog for spicier stuff, discord for plotted things. only write it with mods I trust. Loves: Story, plot, character, horror., crime genre, dark fantasy. Fav rp types plotted, improv, dark, humorous, comfort, etc. I do a lot of subversion, like trying new ideas, not just rehashing stuff. Also things that are for fun and seeing where it goes. Fav themes include historical, dual natures, recovery/healing, found family, (willing) corruption, crime culture, Evil, etc etc. Love writing all kinds of different dynamics: found family, (devoted) hatred, (willing) corruption, (friendly) rivalry, power struggle, and not limiting it to just shipping. Shipping is fine but I prefer it when it happens within a story, not when the story is the ship, if that makes sense. Love when my Baddies (villains) are allowed to be Bad. I'm good with dark content that has a lot of levity in it, which is why I love HB/HH. Hates: don't hate it but i'm not good at fluff or high fantasy. they bore me. Hate ship-obsession (can't do verses where the only thing going on is a ship, sorry, need a story). Not a fan of radiodust, find selfcest a little uncomfortable, among other ships. I won't ever 'ship' a canonical SA victim with their Abuser. I don't do combat/fighting plots because power play always happens. I'm a horror writer but I do not like grimdark. There needs to a point. Length: Paragraph || Multi-para || Novella Best way to reach you: Discord/ sometimes tumblr IM

Other: bandofdemons & bokorradio are sideblogs to @diabolicore. However moxxietude is not a sideblog. But all three are affiliated with the hub.

MOXXIETUDE || multimuse || au & canon ㅤㅤㅤMoxxie and original variations (ov's) of him! Also I.M.P. (Blitzo, Millie, Loona) and Crim, with some OC's! OV's: 'Anti' Moxxie (Sonny), Noxxious, Lacrimosa, 'Boss' Mox. BOKORRADIO || sideblog || Alastor follows back from @diabolicore BANDOFDEMONS || sideblog || multimuse follows back from @diabolicore ㅤㅤㅤall of my canons. Include; Charlie (c.d.), Vaggie, Verosika Mayday (c.d.), Sallie May, Barbie Wire (c.d.), Stryker, Octavia(c.d.), Stolas (c.d.) [c.d.- means canon diverg]

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juniperhillpatient · 2 years

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Winter Solstice: Part 2: Avatar Roku re-watch takeaways :)

This is far & away my favorite of the episodes I've watched so far, & I remember it was around this point in my initial watch with my family over quarantine that I went from "sure, I guess I'll watch this with you guys" to "this show is actually really good & I'm invested." This is where the bigger storyline takes off & Aang is given his mission from Roku & it does not disappoint.

Well - this couldn't possibly go wrong :) The gaang is heading for Fire Nation waters & it's appropriately anxiety-inducing. I like that Aang does attempt to get Sokka & Katara to stay behind just about as much as I love that they don't even consider it, even if they try to talk him out of this plan altogether. If there's one thing that is pretty much a must in "chosen one" type stories, it's the Chosen Saviour character trying to talk their friends out of helping & the friends insisting anyway. It makes everyone more sympathetic & it's just fun.

After a nice little adventure in being likable, Zuko is back on his bullshit. I gave Iroh a lot of shit for confusing & inconsistent motives in the last episode & this is a continued critique I have, but I'll give him this - his one consistent motivator is also his most likable trait: he wants to protect Zuko. Zuko is obviously being a major asshole to Iroh & his crew just pressing forward with a doomed mission & it also goes to show how much he still believes he can be accepted again by his father. Iroh meanwhile gives us some important information: Not only did Ozai banish his own son, but he's also unlikely to be very understanding about his son's valid reasons for re-entering the Fire Nation. Not a terrifying & merciless picture they're painting at all :)

Katara & Sokka's banter continues to be fun, & it's a lot more fun now that they're just annoying each other instead of sexism playing into the mix. I also enjoy Appa & Momo adding some levity. Also - if I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times - Appa is honestly the real hero of the show. Poor guy legit got shot at with fire, was forced to fly faster than usual to get to the Fire Nation in time, AND rescued the gaang from a collapsing temple in the end! Where is Appa's Nobel Peace Prize, just asking?

Shyu also deserves major props. I like how we're gradually learning more & more about the history of the war. The world-building in Avatar is just so consistently well done. And the history never feels like info dumping, because it comes up naturally in the story, like the fire sages having once been loyal to the Avatar but now being forced to work for the Firelord.

I think this is the first time we get to see Sokka's intelligence when it comes to engineering smart non-bending solutions, with his (admittedly failed) plan to get the doors to the secret Avatar room open. Also, Katara is a genius for thinking of the plan to trick the other sages into thinking Aang's already in the room.

And we finally get to meet this guy!

Aang's meeting with Roku did not disappoint. I'm a huge fan of the line "I know you can do it, Aang, because you've done it before." I feel like the first time I watched this episode really helped me understand how this whole "Avatar" thing worked & drilled in the importance of Aang connecting with his destiny & his past selves. Also - Aang now has a mission & the new big goal has been laid out, so that's very exciting. Our boy has to learn all 4 elements by the end of the summer....no pressure :)

Oh, & another thing that was fun about Aang's little Avatar spirit adventure to talk to Roku - we got our first tiny glimpse of Ozai & he's a scary DILF, so that's fun. One thing that I would change about the gaang visiting the Fire Nation & Zuko & Iroh talking about complicated family dynamics, is that I wish there had been a way to sneak in an Azula appearance. No? Maybe? Okay, look, I just wish there was more Azula content & that we'd seen her more earlier on.

Anyway, far & away this was the strongest & most exciting episode thus far in my opinion. For me, this is where things start getting exciting & I'm looking forward to pressing onward in this re-watch :)

#Winter Solstice: Part 2: Avatar Roku #atla re watch #atla #atla book 1 #ids in alt text

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hbogirls · 5 months

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1, 8, 11, 18, 24, 36, 39, 62? 😊

omg yay thank you for sending these!

Favorite original club member? santana!! my #1 girlie of all time. a mean girl hiding a heart of gold and a bundle of insecurities who is given the time and grace to grow into herself? well yes!

8. Character you’re indifferent about? tina tbh. even when the glee club was smaller in season one, it felt like they were running out of things to do with her, and that problem only worsens as more characters are added over the course of the series. there's just simply not much going on there, to the point that i often feel like when people try to assign depth to her in fanon it rings hollow. there's nothing really to hate, but there's also nothing to really love or cling to imo.

11. Character that deserves better? quinn!!!! omg they abandoned my poor girl after season 2. there's clearly sooo many interesting things going on under the surface with her and they chose to couple her up with puck and call it a day?? she didn't even make it to the double gay wedding episode! those were her best friends! this is not to mention the fact that when quinn gets a chance to be funny, dianna consistently pulls it off and delivers comedic lines perfectly. they made her be so sad all the time!! where is the levity? conversely, where is the exploration of what they set up to be a truly oppressive home life? i know that a show of that size and scope can't possibly address every aspect of every character (it would be deeply annoying if it did) (and actually i think that's why there always has been such an active fan community around the show-- there's a lot of gaps to fill in), but with quinn they actually took the time to set so much stuff up that if they had followed up on even 3% of it, i would've been perfectly content. but alas!

18. Favorite noncanon couple? faberry! my official position on them is that quinn was fully in love with rachel for like.. most of the series, and that rachel didn't understand that/recognize that/reciprocate that until sometime post-canon, but, whether it's intentional in the text or not, there's a very rich faberry tapestry there. i mean you were singing that song to finn and only finn, right? hello??

24. What ship is completely underrated? i was gonna say samcedes, but i think people actually do like them a lot, so i will go with the truly hidden gem that is artie/kitty. somehow their respective brands of bitterness neutralized each other, and it was very cute and charming

36. Top 3 duets? lucky, brave, and be okay

39. Top 3 group numbers? tongue tied, just the way you are (the billy joel cover, not the bruno mars one), and you learn/you've got a friend

62. If you were head writer for Glee, what’s one thing you would’ve done differently? not to sound like mark wahlberg talking about 9/11, but season 4 wouldn't have gone down the way it did if i was there. if you're insisting on introducing new people to an already massive cast, at least act like you care about them a little! when ryder and marley talk to each other (and ryder and jake too tbh) it sounds like ai wrote a conversation between troubled teens. so if there had to be new people, i, as showrunner, would have insisted that even a modicum of effort was put into their stories. BUT i think actually if i had it my way, the new people added to hit the glee club magic number 12 would've been extras. there's already a big enough main cast, we don't need to be adding several half-assed arcs that no one cares about on top of that. what they did was try to split the difference between caring about the new people and making them accessories to the old people, and all they did was create a bunch of scenes to be fast-forwarded through. tv writing is hard though, i get it.

#can you tell season 4 is my least fav? lol #oh also the song ones are so hard i feel like there's so many to choose from! but those are my favs at the moment #thank you again for indulging me! i am soooo wordy i apologize <3

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bg-sparrow · 2 years

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❌👀🤯

Yay, an emoji ask! :D

❌ What's a trope you will never write?

I'm not a fan of absolutes (never say never!), but I guess coffee shop might be one? I get it, I do. You can write a disseration on someone by the coffee they drink. But you can do that based on the books they buy or the pet they adopt or the car they buy. I guess it's a good character study set-up, but it's also so overdone now that it hurts.

I also just don't get the appeal of A/B/O. Maybe I'm just old.

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

So, I got back into writing last year after an eight-year slump, and I'm currently in a "finish all the abandoned fics!!!" phase. I've successfully finished a PotC fic I left hanging on Chapter 20/25, and I'm currently trying to finish The Time Circuits Series (I left that one hanging on the next-to-last chapter of Part I and I'm now over halfway done with Part III! It's due to be finished in November!). I'm debating if I should finish a National Treasure fic I haven't touched in 13 years, too.

BUT, naturally, I've got plot bunnies, especially after McFly July. I kind of want to flesh out the end of Part 2 if Biff had escaped the manure and chased Marty down. That would likely just be a sick-fic type where Marty stays with Doc while he recovers and they ready the DeLorean for him to go back and save Doc in 1885. That'd be a few chapters long at most.

Some readers of my Time Circuits Series want a few post-series snapshots featuring Doc, Marty, and Emma, and I'm considering a few ideas. But I won't be attempting to write the game or anything.

Also, I found an old Gilligan's Island short story I was apparently writing on a flash drive from the mid-2000s? I'm moderately invested in finishing it just because that show was a childhood favorite.

🤯 What's a genre you struggle with as a writer (ex. romance, action, etc.)?

Is it weird that I've never really paid attention to this?

Looking at my body of work, I tend to write a lot of drama or humor. I aspire to write something that packs an emotional punch but is sprinkled with humor. I am either trying to channel the excellence of storytelling in Breaking Bad or the simplistic levity and heart of Gilligan's Island.

I would say I struggle to write more physically explicit content. I've tried. And, because sex sells, I could drop it into any story and watch my hits shoot up, but I've yet to want to tell a story where that kind of intimacy plays a starring role. But I don't feel like I struggle with romance because, to me, romance is a compilation of the little day-to-day moments, gestures, and conversations people share. I've alluded to explicit intimacy and cut scenes short before it gets too hot and heavy, but getting between the sheets isn't my forte. Smut! I struggle to write smut.

And action sequences? Ugh, the choreography! I have to act it all out! But they are fun to include. Physical fights are hard for me.

(Maybe just anything really physical is difficult for me?? I think I'm having an epiphany...)

Thank you so much for the ask! I loved answering your questions!! :D

#emoji asks #answered asks #writing asks #fan fic writing #fanfic writer emoji ask game

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onlyonekenobi · 3 years

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Hi there 🐝💕 Firstly, thank you so much for your amazing blog.

Secondly, I was a fan of SPN many years ago and fell out of it for a while, only having gotten sucked back in after 15×18 (surprise). Back when I was into it before, there was a lot of discussion about Jensen being potentially homophobic, and now I'm noticing that there's been some..... less than awesome stuff said by Misha, too, in terms of the queerbaiting on the show and having only acted Castiel as in love with Dean this past season.

Obviously the content of the show itself proves this wrong, but it still troubles me, and I couldn't find much about it online other than a few posts by people and one con transcript. Do you have any feedback on this, and would you mind sharing it?

(Thank you so much, and no worries if you don't wanna answer, just keep being awesome!)

Hi!

I’ll do my best here, and I’ll try to track down some sources. also, idk if you sent this question to anyone else as well, but if you did, i’m interested to see what they say. if not, i am flattered to be your Trusted Source.

so, first: jensen re homophobia

I could be wrong, but I don’t remember him ever making any kind of “homophobic” comments OUTSIDE OF things regarding destiel that were construed that way by some fans (if i’m wrong, please let me know). I do remember him shutting down destiel comments, etc, and the infamous “?? no” which has since been debunked by the OP as having been taken out of context. (i can’t find the debunking post on my blog but if anyone has it please link!) with the shutting down destiel comments, he was definitely brash at times! but, I do think it’s also important to note that he and misha were explicitly told not to talk about it. and we know that jensen is (or at least especially used to be) a pretty shy guy, and I think destiel questions/comments being shoved in his face in a public setting- when addressing it could get him in trouble with his job- made him nervous and upset.

however, he took a noticeable shift re: destiel in recent years. for one, we know that he gave his blessing for the canon textual confession (again, I can’t find an og post in my absolute mess of late stage supernatural tags, but if anyone has the receipts, please drop them). I could add more of my own personal spec about how jensen shifted his acting choices in light of this information, but I’ll just move on. we know that he was excited about the confession scene. here’s a second post about that.

and re: general homophobia, here’s a post of jackles with pride flags, as well as a 2019 post from his aunt, who is gay. also, this is largely a shitpost, but I saw it in my jackles tag while looking for the above, and it feels relevant, so i’m including it. a little levity before we move on.

now, misha.

I am aware of misha saying two upsetting things in regards to “the confession wasn’t bury your gays, why are you so angry” Again, if there’s more that i’m forgetting, please let me know. The first was in this panel talk (start at 35:50) from November 22. Here is a relevant post about that moment (I also watched the whole panel live and agree with this post.) The second is this video on twitter, and the following thread, from Nov. 25. However, after several fans replied to him explaining why we were so upset, he issued this apology on Nov. 26. I wanted to give you the original link there, but I’m also including a screenshot with a thoughtful and important addition here. And here is a tweet about Misha finding out about The Castiel Project.

i’ve never heard anything about misha only acting cas as in love for the last season exclusively, so I don’t have any posts to expressly debunk it, but I do firmly believe that to be untrue, just based on things misha has let slip over the years

and for both of them, it’s worth noting that whenever they were asked direct questions about the show, they could only do their best to talk around things like queerbaiting, etc, because they obviously couldn’t actively speak out against the show or the network (like this). for example, we know that misha got a couple phone calls from producers on occasions where he toed the line a little too closely, and he commented how you unfortunately have to listen to the people who have the power to kill off your character (immediately following previous clip)

in conclusion

neither of them are homophobic. to the best of my knowledge, neither of them have ever made an outright homophobic comment. and in cases regarding destiel (again, to the best of my knowledge) they have both either changed course or apologized since making any unsavory comments.

there are also WAY more posts on all this that I didn’t include here. if you search the jensen or misha tags on my blog, or probably the blog of just about anyone i follow, you could look into it more

all that said, it’s also important to note that i am Just Some Guy. i did my best to compile this information in a relevant and meaningful way, but i have oversaturated-sponge-adhd-brain that has been actively following this fandom for a decade, and i’m sure some things got lost in there. so to anyone reading this, if i forgot anything critical, please don’t yell at me, i am but a simple internet jester, just like you.

and while we’re here, I’ll say that- while I do think it’s important to keep a critical eye trained everywhere- if we were going to criticize any spn cast members for unsavory comments, these two are certainly not where i would start

tl;dr, ultimately myself and jensen and misha are all Just Some Guy, and none of us know them, but as far as I can figure, they are both genuinely kind and thoughtful people who care about and respect the lgbt community, including their respective characters’ involvement in it and the real world consequences that has

#hi i hope this makes sense i've spent four hours compiling it and i can't look at it anymore xx #anyway i hope this answers your question(s) but if it doesn't please feel free to dm me!!#asks #long post #rachelillustrates

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belliesandburps · 3 years

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Followup with MGS4 Peace Walker and 5?

History has a funny way of repeating itself. :P

This one's actually gonna be long, so I'll cap it here to spare those uninterested in non-kink posts the burden of having to scroll past this fanboy rant. 'XD

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

3. It's Okay

Soooooo...not a controversial opinion to say that I don't think MGS4 is GREAT. I adored it when it first game out, and I still enjoy replaying it from time to time. But good lord, so many of the interviews shed light on a LOT of this games problems.

Some backstory is required. Hideo Kojima was done with MGS by this point. He planned to move on and leave the series to the younger generation. But then, there was a lot of internal conflict and struggle to determine what MGS4 should be after Fukushima quit (AND was rumored to have been murdered by the Yakuza...how that rumor started...and became a SERIOUS rumor that millions believe, I do not know...). So Kojima came back, course corrected, and the end result was kind of a giant mess.

I'm not talking story because, there's just way too much to unpack. But as a game, MGS4 can't decide what sort of video game it wants to be. It had a brilliant idea that had never been done before with its Battlefield Stealth, which were the best parts of the game. And then they get dropped two acts in, and what gets replaced in their stead is not nearly as fun.

The game had substantially less boss fights than its predecessor, and a lot of them were mechanically simplistic or just didn't let you get creative with how you fought them. And we later learned there were a lot more bosses planned, more gameplay sequences planned, and an entire other PMC group that got canned in favor of the Scarabs so Shadow Moses could be guarded by machines instead.

There's a lot about MGS4 that I love. I think the first two acts are amazing, ESPECIALLY Act 2. I think the mechanics are great. REX vs RAY is criminally fun. The sheer buffet of insane weapons gives the game a good amount of replay value. And the graphics still hold up to this day!

But what I finally realized is that the game juggles way too many ideas and doesn't give any idea the time they deserve to flourish. Battlefield Stealth could've CARRIED MGS4. But it gets dumped before we can get our moneys worth. A disguise sequence could've been really creative, having to juggle different identities with OctoMask every time one identity is burned. But it's only used once and wasted because it's only used for a terrible tailing mission that doesn't let you actually explore the European City. And too many of the action set pieces are kind of bland except the bosses and piloting Metal Gear.

MGS4 should've been MGS4. Not MGS's "Best Hits."

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

1. LOVED it!

I know this is unpopular to say, but I'll say it. Peace Walker is one of the best Metal Gear games ever made. I adored almost everything about it. The gameplay improves on MGS4 in most ways because it doesn't juggle a billion ideas all at once. It's MGS4 stripped down to stealth action from start to finish, and that's all I wanted. The level design is great. The insane volume of guns changes the entire feel of combat in later post-campaign gameplay. The mission select options mean you can jump into all the parts of the game you enjoy the most. There's TONS of bonus missions that are really inventive and fun to replay. And the story is one of the best in the series. It's straight forward, very tight, characterized well, and is the best iteration of Big Boss to date.

Peace Walker's also the FUNNIEST MGS game by Kojima as well. There's so much more personality and levity to everything, to the point where Big Boss often feels like an MCU character. That might sound bad, but it's really not. That corniness fits MGS PERFECTLY, and I'd argue is tonally spot on for this series. MGS doesn't need to be dark, gory or explicit. It's a silly series that's about giant robots, corny bad ass super agents with an anti-nuke message.

The only downsides to Peace Walker are the QTE's and the boss fights. This was a feature that only ever appeared in this game and for good reason...it was fucking terrible. So basically, you had cutscenes that forced you to do various QTE's or else get dinged on your ratings at the end, even if you played perfectly. Fairly minimal, but then, you get to Strangelove's torture. And this is the single most rage-inducing part of any MGS game ever made. It's an insanely physically painful button mashing sequence that will leave your fingers raw and your PS3 triangle buttons jamming. And the ONLY way you can replay one of the best missions in the game (the prison escape where you have no items) is by redoing that sequence over and over. And the boss fights? While inventive, they're all just grindy bullet sponges with no personality, no stealth tactics, and no room for creativity the way you can get creative with every other MGS game's bosses. This was the biggest disappointment for me because the stealth and combat mechanics of PW are great and would've been SO good against human enemies like what Portable Ops had. Instead, every boss is a mini-Metal Gear all voiced by the VOCALOID AI from the mid 2000's, and each one takes forever to destroy. It sucks because PW had a TON of bosses, but only a few of them are any fun, and that's only if you have weapons that are strong enough that they don't take ages to destroy.

But asides from the bosses, the REST of the game is so damn good that I don't even care because that's just one element to a much larger, grander game. Which is even more impressive when you consider PW was originally on the PSP before the PS3 port. And this game has more content and replay value to it than most games I've played since.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

1. LOVED it!

Hooooooookay...so, I've rambled about my storybook romance with MGSV for YEARS now. (Just ask @twistedtummies2, he's been subjected to my fanboying of this game more than anyone in existence XD) But there's a reason I regard this game as one of my all time favorites and the best MGS game to date.

It's REALLY freakin' fun.

Kojima had been re-energized by the time he got to MGSV. He'd been working on the game around the time he finished Peace Walker in 2010. He KNEW it was his final MGS game and wanted to do something completely different...

...He wanted to make a game where the central focus was on...waaaaait for it...the gameplay...

MGSV was designed to be, what he described, as a toybox. You have these missions that all take place in structurally unique outposts like any level in MGS. And the missions are designed with the structure needed so that they all feel different, but all remain so open ended that you can play them countless different ways.

MGSV's game model is everything GTA SHOULD'VE been. It fully embraces the open world freedom and incorporates that into the missions flawlessly. And it plays in such a way that stealth and combat both feel like they were the primary point. In MGS, combat is usually a last resort. But with MGSV, you can fly into an outpost blasting away on your helicopters mini-gun, shoot up the bad guys, rescue your target, throw them back into the chopper and fly away while "The Final Countdown" blares on your choppers loud speakers.

Every method of gameplay is valid and the controls, the enemy AI responsiveness, it's all, bar none, the best I've experienced in ANY video game. Sneaking around feels tight and tense and combat makes you feel like Jack Bauer on adrenaline. (I mean, he IS the voice of Venom Snake)

And I really like the story for the most part too. Its weaknesses are really glaring. Namely, the "Fun" of MGS is completely devoid in the story (which is really odd since it's FRONT AND CENTER in-game). Venom Snake only has maybe six minutes of dialogue in the entirety of this 30+ hour long game. And the way Skull Face gets completely undercut right at the home stretch is something I have NOT stopped bitching about for almost six years, and my friends can personally attest to that.

That and the ending feels too abrupt.

We know that Kojima got fired by Konami's VP and said VP scorched the entire production company after that and made a series of dickheaded decisions that pissed off a LOT of fans, burning much of the good will Konami IP fans had towards the company. But that had nothing to do with MGSV's abruptness. That was the plan from the start because only Kojima would think to end the entire series on a plot twist like that.

And I think the issue isn't the twist at all. In fact, I LOVE the twist. The issue is that the game should've continued beyond it so Venom Snake could cope with the truth and realize how badly he'd been screwed. I think even people who hated the twist could've been won over if there was a little more to the games epilogue than Episode 46.

Also, the games boss fights were a tad underwhelming. Not the fights themselves, I LOVED all five of the games bosses.

Oh? There were twelve?

No. I meant what I said. Because so many of the games bosses are rematches against the same bosses. All MGSV has is the Skulls, Quiet, Eli, The Man on Fire, and Metal Gear. They're great bosses that do everything the best MGS bosses always did; give you tons of options, incorporate combat AND stealth, have varied attacks AND even have multiple methods to sneak around the boss and avoid the fight completely. But for a game as long as MGS, you need more variety. And frankly, the bosses NEED more personality. Skull Face should've had more XOF assassins acting as the bosses in the game along with the ones we have. Elite assassins like Quiet, with their own powers and specialized weaponry so the fights feel completely different from the ones we have. And oh yeah, SKULL FACE HIMSELF SHOULD'VE HAD A GOD-FUCKING-DAMN BOSS FIGHT!!!!

Buuuuuuut those issues don't even matter if for all the games issues, I still replay it frequently when it's almost six years old.

So yeah! There's the massive rant you totally didn't ask for! :D

#ask belliesandburps #mgs4 #mgsv #peace walker #metal gear #metal gear solid #seriously #i'm very very VERY bitter about how Kojima did Skull Face dirty #here's this really great villain with a super complex backstory and motivation #whadduya wanna do with him kojima-san?#I'VE GOT IT!!!!!!#we'll do...absolutely nothing!#he'll show up in five missions out of a thirty nine mission long game #he'll talk at venom snake a few times and do some cool things #then right around the time we're supposed to fight him?#a random twelve year old will hijack metal gear through a PSYCHIC twelve year old and crush Skull Face before we can do anything cool! :D #hold your applause children! :D #................we weren't clapping kojima-san...........#also sins of the father?#heaven's divide?#donna burke is amazing #seriously she is an in-freakin'-CREDIBLE singer #sorry cynthia hall #i got love #but...#whoooooa-HHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!

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smokeybrandreviews · 3 years

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Extra Credit

I’m approaching the end of my current Mas Effect play through and it’s been fantastic. As they always are. I just finished the Leviathan DLC and am about to start the Omega addition and it got me thinking about how the ME franchise has some of the best downloadable content in gaming. I’ve enjoyed almost all of them and, upon repeat completions, i figured its time i take a specific look at these extra missions and kind of work through why i love them so much. This list, some of my favorite content in the entire franchise, is definitely going to be sequel heavy because i can’t be bothered playing that first game. It’s hard to go back when you started with such a high bar.

Lair of the Shadow Broker

This one is an interesting gem. I really like the idea of the Shadow Broker but, more than that, I like Liara. She's my third favorite squad mate and that's saying a lot because this game is but on exceptions characters. You'll be hard-pressed to find one that sucks. I mean, f*ck Kaidan but everyone else leaves an impression. Liara wasn't apart of the SKWAD in ME2 and she was sorely missed. I didn't find that out until I played ME3 but, circling aback around to the second after completing my first run through the endgame, I was stunned. Liara is a boss and that Singularity is crazy overpowered. More than that, I just really liked fighting the Shadow Broker. Having a Yaag in the big chair was a stroke of genius, mostly because up to that point, we had never really seen one. Introducing them with a representative of that race being the Kingpin of Crime within the Mass Effect galaxy was amazing. Also, as kind of a cherry, their little interaction after everything on the Normandy was cute as f*ck, especially if you decide to romance her.

Omega

The Omega DLC is a whole f*cking mood. I love Omega just in general and missed it dearly during my run through vanilla Mass Effect 3. It's just something so homey about that crime infested, no man's land, of a world. A huge bonus is being able to actually, finally, play as Aria T'Loak; The Queen B*tch, herself! Because of this DLC, Aria became one of my favorite squad mates and it's a spot well earned. She's incredibly powerful, shredding through Cerberus and Adjutants alike. Similarly, Nyreen Kandros definitely makes an impression if a little fleeting. The first playable female Turian, a niche that Vetra Nyx would fill in Andromeda, I was thoroughly surprised by their design. Bioware actually out in a decent amount of effort to demonstrate the sexual dimorphism of the Turian race, unlike the goddamn Krogans. That sh*t was kind of a letdown. More that the dope character additions, just Omega, itself. Being able to actual explore areas of the station in all of it's grimy, dusty, rusty, glory is more than worth the price of admission.

Overlord

Overlord is a mixed bag but very rewarding play. The opening mission is exceptional, full of action and grandiose set piece as that satellite collapses in on itself. I loved that part. I loved what followed, less. They two missions to override the lock down were bogus as f*ck. Like, they were very clearly there to pad the run time basically. Neither one really felt necessary and I hate doing them. However, once you actually get into Atlas Station, that sh*t gets really real. I'm a slut for lore and Project Overlord is chock full of it. David shows you what happens to him, why he was treated the way he was, and when you finally free him, prepare to be absolutely horrified. The first time I saw that sh*t, I was incensed. Definitely nail that Paragon interrupt because f*ck Gavin, man! It's a happy ending for David as long as you chooses blue and do right by him. Why wouldn't you? I mean, unless you're a heartless f*cking monster, like his brother.

From Ashes

From a effect on gameplay, From Ashes is my favorite DLC in the entire franchise. Sure, you unlock Javik and he's dope, easily in my top ten favorite squad mates, but it's that f*cking Particle Rifle is a game changer. No ammo necessary. Short cooldown time. Absolutely ridiculous damage because of the continuous stream of raw, destructive, energy. A whole ass increase in power as the unit overheats. This gun is f*cking insane and I never leave home without it. Indeed, I complete From Ashes as soon as I can whenever I play ME3. This gun really makes short work of everything it sets it's sights on. As kind of an extra bonus, you get to see a bit of the Javik's cycle, too. Not a lot but, I must say, those Collectors look good in the enhanced ME3 graphics!

Stolen Memory

I love playing this thing. Aside from unlocking Kasumi, what is basically her loyalty mission, one you can do at anytime because of her DLC character nature, turns out to be a delightful change of pace. You're literally on one of her heists and it's a delight. Sure, everything devolves into Shepard shooting his way out of danger, of course it does, but even that is pretty fun to play. The cover system in Mass Effect 2 really shines in the back half of this level and makes for some rather strategic fire fights. There's one point where you can just destroy a battalion of mercs with a cannon to get out of a room and I live for that. Plus,you get to hang out with Kasumi and she is an absolute delight. Her banter is arguably the best in the game and you get a ton of it during this mission.

Leviathan

If the Citadel DLC didn't exist, Leviathan would be my favorite. This thing is an epic, lore driven, masterpiece of Mass Effect content. It's incredibly fun to play and alters the entire perceptive of the conflict you'd been fighting up to that point. The addition of the Leviathan race, itself, is a staggering revelations that alludes to so many narrative possibilities, it's hard to not to love this thing. I want to know more about them. I want to know more abut their world. I want to know more about their tech. I want to know everything and how it may tie into the original Mass Effect plot with the whole Dark Energy thing. There isn't really anything outside of that story enhancing content but I still love playing this extra mission and never pass on it.

Citadel

I mean, it's the Citadel. It's easily the best written thing in the entire Mass Effect franchise. It's the real ending to a trilogy played and I loved every second of it. Citadel is a love letter to fans and you really feel that, even after the main mission content which was filled with so much levity and tongue-in-cheek references. It's an absolute masterpiece and, as a fan, it's a must play. This is probably the shortest entry on this list but it's just that matter-of-fact. It had to be Citadel. Any other choice would have been wrong.

#Mass Effect #Mass Effect 2 #Mass Effect 3 #Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

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all-souls-matinee · 4 years

Text

Paranormal Activity

I went through ‘a very strange time in my life’ a few years ago where I watched every single Paranormal Activity movie, some multiple times, thinking that would have no impact on my psyche. So here I am, someone who thinks the the franchise is bad and yet can remember every plot thread and every scare, and I might as well do something with that. These will be graded on a curve (scale of 1-5 stars) and not by their overall worth as movies.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

★★★★☆

Today the first movie in the franchise is lampooned for being boring and amateurish, with unlikable lead characters and a plot that doesn’t really go anywhere, but how are those not points in its favor? Isn’t that what found footage is all about? Critics and scholars contend it’s singlehandedly responsible for the genre craze that swept the United States in the 2010s after a relative lull in the early aughts, and it’s easy to see why. I’m not going to go so far as to say Paranormal Activity is a good movie (it’s not), but it is a very easy and engaging watch.

With a cast of only two people and hardly any outside characters the story plays out as a domestic drama; yes, there are long stretches of nothing happening but it ratchets up suspense in a way that was unusual and refreshing at the time. Using a camera to feel in control of an out-of-control situation was a theme broached by the much better Blair Witch Project, and Paranormal Activity leans into it as a central thesis, making sure it’s a white hetero rich guy that’s doing the recording and only subverting that expectation in later films. The movie was even supposed to end [mild spoilers] with Possessed Katie beating her obnoxious husband Micah over the head with his beloved camera and the film cutting to black, and I think it leaves the story weaker and more scattered for having left that out.

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

★★☆☆☆

Before I get into why this one sucks, I’ll give it the benefit of being the most solid entry in the franchise by far. As a prequel to the first movie it does its job by introducing additional family members in a bigger house with more cameras. They have to contend with the same demon, so it’s the same thing we’ve seen before but with much higher stakes, and that’s a perfectly good idea for building a franchise. I admire it for that.

Anything beyond structure and pacing is so much worse it’s laughable. Where PA1 had some originality going for it PA2 throws in every horror stereotype it can think of, including an insanely awful running bit about how the family’s Mexican housekeeper is the only one who can sense ghosts. The most novel addition to the franchise is extensive lore about the demon wanting to own a baby because of a pact made with a coven of witches, which made audiences across America lean forward in their seats and say ‘... what?’ Decisions like that cost the movie any kind of levity, scares, or interest in the characters, which were kind of essential things for the movie to have.

I’d honestly give it 1 star if it weren’t for the extensive drama over the automated pool cleaner. We spend so much time watching this thing I think I developed an emotional bond with it.

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

★★★★★

Paranormal Activity 3 is another prequel that takes us back to when the leads of the first two movies- Katie and Christie- were little girls experiencing demonic activity in the 80s (their stepdad is a videographer, which gets us past the question of how anyone in the 80s would have tens of video cameras skillfully set up around their home.) Objectively it sounds like even more of a pathetic cashgrab than PA2, but, and this might be the hottest take I will ever have when it comes to horror movies, it does its job it in a way that’s such a prefect mixture of original/bizarre content and safe bankable boringness that it’s the best movie in the franchise. It certainly cemented it for what it is today.

Movie no. 3 drops the ‘this really happened’ show the first two movies put on in trying to be like other found footage horror (read: The Blair Witch Project.) No more actors and characters sharing names, no more title cards thanking the police for footage, we’re all in on the game at this point and you don’t realize how much of a relief that is until it’s happened. Instead of trying to make the characters realistic and falling flat, they let them be a little more like characters to great success. Everyone plays their role in the story and makes the shaky plot work. It’s not good writing, but it has people react to things in interesting ways and builds up the lore of the franchise more effectively than either of the first two movies (helped along by a batshit insane finale that makes no sense but is so much fun it doesn’t actually matter.)

This is also by far the ‘scariest’ movie in the franchise, and I think it’s a combination of practice and not taking everything so deadly seriously. Comedy helps balance things out (my favorite is a sex scene that folds into an earthquake scene that folds into a shot of earthquake dust landing on a ghost), and they’ve gotten tension-building nothingness down to a science. Using a camera attached to a slowly oscillating fan and a camera trained on a mirror in a dark room? Perfect ideas for freaking your audience out.

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

★☆☆☆☆

Paranormal Activity 4 was the long-awaited actual-sequel to the events of the first movie, using the hours of information and lore given to us by the prequels as a backdrop, and it... really flounders under that responsibility. We’re introduced to an all-new cast of characters, with a teenage girl taking the lead for a change of pace that doesn’t really go anywhere, and spend the first half of the movie wondering why the family we’ve spent so much time with was pushed to the side (it must be important.) The reason we’re given is that this new family has an adopted son who is (twist!) the witch-stolen-demon-proxy baby from movie two.

PA4 has the opposite problem of PA2; it’s not awful, but is so shaky and has so much lost potential it seems to drop all of the pieces at once. It does some cool things with suspense an xbox kinect, and the acting is fine, but while no one is watching a Paranormal Activity sequel for the screenplay this one needed good, grounded writing and didn’t get that. The loose plotting of the third movie was saved by its characters and by being a little more tongue-in-cheek, but 4 doesn’t have that to fall back on and has way more moving pieces than 3 ever did. The ending is especially egregious, bizarre even by nth-sequel-in-a-horror-franchise standards, and is never brought up again. Points for a convoluted weird plot that makes no sense, points redacted for a convoluted weird plot that makes no sense.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)

★★★☆☆

Paranormal Activity 5 is so off-the-rails insane that it gets the coveted 3 stars, deserving or no. After back-to-back prequels and a disappointing long-awaited sequel, no one was sure exactly what this was going to be, and the movie seems to feel the same way.

Gone is the lore-heavy and tension-heavy stuff from the preceding years of footage. For the first half of the movie we follow a first-gen high school graduate named Jesse, who breaks into a mysterious neighbor’s house with his best friend. He gets bitten by a ghost and infected with ghost superpowers, then he and his friend group + love interest have a grand old time doing skateboard and levitation tricks using the ghost superpowers. I’m not exaggerating for comedic effect; it’s so dumb I love it ardently. Why aren’t all sequels like this???

Obviously the ghost superpowers turn out to be A Bad Thing tenuously connected to all the witch/demon stuff, and we have to get back to jump scares (now with added body horror), but the ways in which it does eventually tie back to the franchise are so ridiculous it’s delightful, and the twist ending, for once in this entire nightmare, is fantastic.

Paranormal Activity 6: The Ghost Dimension 3D (2015)

This one came out after my original paranormal activity run, and I considered watching it for the sake of being able to finish the article in good faith but I just can’t you guys. I couldn’t do it. Look at this.

That said, the thing about these movies is that none of them are a complete waste of time; even the worst entries in the lineup are entertaining and fun in a reality-tv-trainwreck sort of way, and that’s all very calculated. No matter what your opinion they earned the right to make this a franchise with too many movies and extensive lore. Happy halloween.

#paranormal activity #halloween #long post #not included is the japanese spinoff paranormal activity 2: tokyo nights #because that's not recognized as part of the american pa 'canon'#god i hate these movies why couldn't i use this space in my brain for like. electron configurations

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wendell-or-something · 4 years

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it is time.

I want to compile a more complete rundown of my thoughts about homestuck 2. I want all the stuff in my head to be in one place, and I know this is going to be incredibly long winded and I don’t care. I want to be honest... I want to understand why I don't like this media. on more than a "but of course" level because there are a lot of people who have it as a gut reaction that this stuff isn't right. but I think there are layers to what produces that. I wanna get in depth with this. so that's what I'm gonna attempt to do.

okay, so, the first thing I think I wanna say is a disclaimer. I have not actually read the epilogues. or homestuck 2. I have a peripheral knowledge of what happens in them because, as a concerned citizen, I poked around enough to pick up details and know that I wouldn't enjoy this media if I fully engaged with it. my assessment of the material may be flawed because of this, but I mean... if the things I've heard about the epilogues deterred me from reading it, then I guess that's what I'm analyzing? not only what I understand based on my limited knowledge, but also why it is so limited to begin with. why this media is such a huge deterrent to so many people who care so much about homestuck. ultimately, this is not to shame people who like this media... I will be addressing common takes I've heard from people who defend the epilogues, but I'm not singling anyone out, and anyone who reads this has a right to disagree, or better yet, ignore me and find enjoyment where you are able, even if I cannot. I will not begrudge you that. additionally, I am considering the epilogues and homestuck 2 to be one unit. not necessarily in terms of structure, but because the events of one lead directly into the events of the other, and the two have similar issues. I think I'll shorthand the combination of the two as EP/HS2 for simplicity, and refer to either individually if I have something specific to say about one or the other.

I think the main problem that people have with EP/HS2 is that it's depressing. and it's depressing for a myriad of different reasons, but I'll get to those in a minute. first I want to establish why them being depressing doesn't work for so many people. I feel like this should be examined first, because a lot of the supporters of EP/HS2 are viewing the complaints against it as over sensitivity from fans who only liked the comic for its lighter elements. I keep seeing a "y'all just wanted your rainbow cotton candy fluff ending" kind of sentiment going around. and like... you are right that this isn't a fluff ending. but I think it's unfair to treat the particular type of content that EP/HS2 brought to the table as the only kind of substantial, fulfilling narrative that we could've asked for.

and I think a lot of the dissonance that people see between homestuck and EP/HS2 is based in the ratio of tension to levity, and how far it's shifted toward pure tension... especially because, at the end of homestuck, all the outside threats to this group of friends have already been resolved. and yet, shit feels leagues more catastrophically bad during the epilogues than it did during the comic when the characters were actually under attack, which is super weird when you think about it. I mean, "epilogues" my ass, am I right? it is true that homestuck was never 100% sunshine and rainbows... in fact, some of the darker events that it brought to the table became some of the most hyped shit in the comic. murderstuck is mostly what I'm thinking of first in terms of this, but there was a lot of popular angst laden content within homestuck that the fans latched onto. the thing is, the fans also latched onto the content that was super goofy, and the fan works that you can still find online from the era of homestuck's initial popularity reflect both sides of its tone in equal measure. there was a huge amount of goofy fan content (octopimp's youtube channel is still a record of that, and that wasn't even the half of it). and there was a huge amount of angsty content, and there was a huge amount of heartfelt content... turns out, homestuck had broad appeal, and spoke to different people in different ways. and back then, I never really felt like the goofy stuff was being treated as any less important than the heavy stuff. it wasn't brushed off just because it was seen as lighthearted. people liked to laugh, and I fully believe that Andrew Hussie began doing homestuck as a fun activity.

the reason why I bring this up is because homestuck as a piece of media could beget all of these various takes. the fan works could be tonally dissonant when held side by side with each other, but when held against the parts of the comic that inspired them, they made perfect sense. homestuck could spawn jokes, and angst, and social commentary, and theories... and even extrapolation on canonical events, in ways both silly and serious. and when you look at the kind of content that the fans produced during homestuck's height, you see what was important to them. they put time and effort into crafting even their dumbest meme shit. the fans reflected what the comic gave to them. and humor and heart were among the most beloved core engagements that the comic provided... these were pillars on which a lot of fan enjoyment rested... you really can't begrudge a person their fun.

and treating darkness and angst as the sole indicator of maturity in a work seems misguided to me. because, speaking personally for a moment here, one of the biggest lessons I had to teach myself when I was growing up was how not to wallow in negative emotions. how to find the fun, sometimes rather aggressively, so that you don't just drown. and with EP/HS2, it feels like at every turn, readers are constantly grasping for something nice or fun to keep them afloat in all this heavy stuff, and either they come to accept mere scraps of positivity, or everything they reach for is eventually dissolved as well. and I think the character of a piece of media as a whole can sometimes tell you what level of maturity it's operating under. like, if the text lingers over making the characters miserable, or seems to revel in shooting holes in people's positive interpretations of these people, you have to kind of wonder if this is serving the narrative, or just producing author schadenfreude when they release what amounts to shock content.

it almost feels like a twisting of the way homestuck used to treat the fans, because during it's run, homestuck was very reactive towards the fanbase. this kind of canon responsiveness to the readers was baked into homestuck from the very beginning, back when Hussie was accepting reader suggestions for what John Egbert should do. and need I remind everyone that the trolls were made as parodies of different types of personalities that were common to find online during homestuck's era? they are internet trolls, who are actually an alien race known as trolls, who communicate primarily online, and whose culture and species developed to produce an ornery and antagonistic population, so like... it's trolls all the way down. that's the whole joke. but the real, valuable benefit of parodying your fans with your characters, is that when the trolls act, they reflect the way real people acted. which means that when, say, Nepeta shoehorns RP lingo into casual conversation, some people will be like "it me!" and some people will laugh/cringe because they've seen people actually talk like that, and some people will be like "aww, that used to be me!" and every time a character produces this sense of identification with the audience, it works to create familiarity, and eventually, a sense of fondness.

that fondness is fucking powerful.

that fondness is born out of recognition and empathy, no matter which character you feel it for, and when a giant community of people loves a character that you have seen yourself reflected in so clearly, that is an incredibly validating experience. especially when you’re young, and the pieces of yourself that you saw were some of the nerdiest, weirdest, most awkward parts of you. a very large community of people loves a character that is like you, even, or perhaps especially, because of the flawed parts. and of course these characters were meant to tease the fans a little... these characters were also jokes to some extent the whole time. but they were never seen as cruel or insulting, because these characters were also important. the story literally built whole worlds around their identities... these kids altered universes. and they were allowed to be that important and special without being perfect first. they were dumb, and awkward, and nerdy, and cringey, and allowed to be there anyway. they were you, and you were important.

and this is where I think that EP/HS2 really misses the point. because in homestuck, the characters experienced hardship, but that hardship went on to fuel an overall sense of accomplishment when it was overcome. the road might be long, and it might be tough, and you might face shit that you don't feel prepared for, but when triumph is achieved, it feels that much more earned. and that is a key phrase I want everyone to remember homestuck for:

triumph.

it's the feeling that cascade gave me. it is the highest of heights that this whole thing reached. and it really has so much to do with how homestuck had built itself up until that point. we were mired in the minutiae of these kids' lives. we read their every chat log. we saw them dicking around doing next to nothing. we saw them contact each other and talk to each other for basically no reason other than to catch up. we saw them sharing stupid memes, and yelling at each other for wasting time on pointless bullshit, and dunking on each other's shitty taste in media... every one of them was "you" at some point. "you captchaloged this" or "you decided to do that" and it made a subtle connection in your brain that convinced you to feel things with them and accept what they "decided" as something that you had done alongside them. in some small way, you did homestuck. and this notion was further supported by how much of what the fans were doing would make its way back into what the comic was doing. the comic and the fans existed in a kind of symbiosis, and that fed into the feeling of connection that the fans had with this particular story. this thing was alive, and it moved in tandem with the community.

so when something big like cascade happened, you were right there with them. you were deep in the center of it. and you wanted to be, because this was your payoff. you did the work with these kids... you put in the time. and the triumph was yours too.

this is why EP/HS2 shouldn't be depressing. the core of the story was triumph against all odds. to take the triumph that was earned over the course of the whole story, and ruin it for the sake of generating angst... it misses the point. I did not read all 8000+ pages of homestuck multiple times because I wanted a tragedy. if I wanted tragedy, I would choose a different story. of course a lot of fans would have trouble liking EP/HS2... this wasn't what they signed up for. it pulls the rug out from under the fans of the original comic by pulling a mean genre bait and switch. why would people who liked a story like homestuck want a story like this? and I mean, obviously some people were okay with this. some people like EP/HS2. but you have to admit that it is an entirely different thing than what homestuck was.

I’ve heard some folks try to compare the darker parts of EP/HS2 to the darker parts of homestuck, and this is why they aren't the same. the darkness performs different functions in each story. in homestuck, it contrasts the lighter parts and creates a reason to keep everyone moving. in EP/HS2, it is the whole darn thing. the story is simply woven from it to begin with. I have heard some people say that they think of EP/HS2 as cathartic... as a reflection of life when things are painful or hard. but I think we really need to remember what catharsis is. catharsis doesn’t begin and end with pain. catharsis has to do something with that pain, or it’s just pain for pain’s sake. and the further I look into EP/HS2, the more I feel like the story is just playing it straight as a tragedy... though sometimes I wonder if it knows this.

so let's pull apart the tragedy of EP/HS2. because while I don’t really enjoy tragedies, (hence why I liked homestuck, and didn’t like EP/HS2... they are opposites in this sense), I still understand how tragedies work. catharsis can be part of it... to see something sad happen, and relate to that sadness, and feel a deep emotion... that does make sense. but the line between catharsis and just plain agitation is whether or not the pain actually provides you with a sense of relief. if the story leaves the character stuck in a bad emotional place, you feel stuck too... unable to confront the emotional burden that the story has saddled you with in a satisfying way, because it isn't even your own. in real life, when you are hurt, at least you have the ability to do whatever you need for yourself, in order to eventually feel better. I have grieved before, and somehow found it in me to laugh again since. but in stories, you rely on the author to construct the characters' response to bad events, and if things just go from bad to worse, sometimes with little resistance, the audience is eventually going to feel really agitated by the lack of relief. even stories that end in death provide catharsis due to the finality of it. the life ends, and provides a sense of closure. but EP/HS2 doesn’t give you an out. it just keeps driving many of the characters into more and more mundanely uncomfortable and dissatisfying lives, or turns them into people we would rather not know or read about.... which feels like a loss to the reader, even though the character is right there. at that point, the character's presence only makes you feel worse because they used to be someone you liked, but now they're just a reminder of your disappointment. and this level of your emotional discomfort isn't even something that the narrative will address, because it's just a side effect of how things are going. it isn't poetic, and there is no real comfort given to lighten that load... it's just unpleasant.

and on a more technical level, I would like to point out that stories create a kind of transaction between author and reader. and once you understand the status quo between you and a particular author, you can gauge the level of investment you feel safe putting in the characters. at their core, it stands to reason that stories should require conflict to be interesting. but in order to stay interesting, they also need to give us a reason to care about the conflict. in homestuck, I felt like the story set up a status quo in which we felt comfortable caring about certain characters, because we subtly trusted that the author wasn't wasting our time or jerking us around. like, you knew that a lot of crazy shit was on the table, but it felt like the story was growing, the author was interested in that growth, and thus he would not kill it. even if you couldn't begin to guess what was gonna happen next, you at least didn't have to worry about the author hugely ruining things that you liked about the story. he seemed like he liked those things too. we were all on the same page in that regard.

this is where character investment was very important to homestuck... the readers needed something to hang on to, or they'd lose interest in what was going on, and in homestuck specifically, the thing that kept us hanging on, was our love for these characters, and our wish to see them prevail against the odds. we were hoping for a satisfying ending, and interested in how we'd get there. and by now, I think homestuck fans in particular are very determined to stick to the characters by nature. if we weren't, then we would've been bored out of reading the comic in the first place back in act 1, when the most exciting thing that had happened was John going through his house and finding his dad in the kitchen. if you don't love John at least a little, you won't want to keep reading about him picking up items and describing them to you for a whole chapter, with not but the entertainment value of his character's particular perspective and voice to sustain you.

obviously, character investment isn't always a story's draw... but it was definitely homestuck’s. and even giving EP/HS2 the benefit of the doubt... let's say we're just judging it on the merits of being a tragic story. there are many levels of engagement that a story can hit, and in a lot of tragedies, the interest comes from the machinations of the plot. you already know it's going to end sadly, but you have the ability to process the sadness (a negative emotional experience and potential reader deterrent) while still maintaining interest, because you want to know how it will happen. it is unfortunate then, that EP/HS2 isn't a stand alone story, independent from homestuck itself. because if you tell a homestuck fan that the story will now only end in sadness, they likely won't want to know how it happens. because they already decided to like and relate to these characters, and wish for their happiness. they were taught it was okay to hope for that, based on the way the story used to be. basically, one of the essential appeals of homestuck (character investment) is actively working against the core appeal of a tragedy (understanding how sad events came to pass) because homestuck's appeal worked so well to begin with. it's basically nonsensical to try and jump track from one to the other, because the reader is much more likely to fall off the wagon entirely, and ignore your story in order to preserve their enjoyment of the story they already consumed.

but to get way more blunt about this... homestuck was good, and ruining what it left us with was unpopular for obvious reasons. fans were successfully invested in the story, the final triumphant payoff was a satisfying way to cap the narrative, and honestly... I think homestuck probably should've just stopped while the vibes were good. people were satiated. they were sad that it was over, but the sadness came from fondness, and that just sort of felt appropriate. we had it so good.

the transaction between author and reader was stable at that point. we had conflict. we had a reason to care. we got a resolution. there was a level of trust established, and honored... we trusted that there was a rhythm to the story. a push and pull between the kind of threat that would necessitate action from our heroes, and the ability of the characters to overcome the conflict well enough that we'd be left with something satisfying in the end. this trust no longer exists in EP/HS2. the epilogues broke it, and homestuck 2 has failed to repair it because, to be honest, it was already too badly damaged. it would take a full retcon to actually bring that back after the epilogues, but then it uh... screwed the pooch all over again. sorry, that was insensitive.

anyway. so like... what about the particulars of the story's content? I mean... I know I'm dissatisfied because a lot of the characters have been blatantly destroyed. Dirk will be my example for this bit, I mean, just look at him. in one epilogue route he commits suicide, and by making Ult. Dirk a thing, they effectively unestablished the identity of Dirk as he was in homestuck. and my limited knowledge of the epilogues doesn't allow me to really know about this, but was there even any acknowledgement of how death works in homestuck? Dirk must've known that if he killed himself, he'd end up as a ghost out in the dream bubbles. that is still a thing, right? Dave could've gone looking for him. considering Dirk's pesterquest route, he should've wanted to. and see, there's an example of what might've approached catharsis in a situation like that... pain, but also a human person dealing with that pain in a way that feels like fulfillment. but as far as I've heard, the story didn't go there? so it's just pain for pain's sake... or maybe just a bid to get rid of the more complex version of his character and replace him with an anime villain. and the method doesn't even make any sense, like, Dirk is the last character that would ever commit suicide because, by his own canonical words, he is scared to not exist. he literally couldn't bring himself to destroy the AR because of this, in spite of having every technical and emotional reason to want to. this is a major pain point for him, and I know it's typical to think of someone with self hatred wanting to kill themselves, but Dirk is a particularly different case. he should not be shoved into such an ill fitting generic narrative for shock value.

and beyond that, let's say you're someone who identified with Dirk. let's say that when homestuck said "you are now Dirk Strider" you were like "oh fuck I kinda am tho" and you were invested in him ever since. let's say that the points of investment you felt with him were in his troubles with self loathing, his fear of not existing, or his trouble communicating his true feelings to others. this is a rather dismal end for Dirk to have come to... and a rather dismal story for you to read if you still relate to this character. if you're coming off the end of homestuck still securely relating to him as heavily as you did when he was allowed to triumph, how fucking bad is it gonna feel to see him so thoroughly obliterated? to whiplash so hard from a perceived success to such abject failure is just mean. this story is so mean now, like, everyone's got the bug it seems.

and not only do several characters perish (literally, or by being mismanaged) for cheap drama in EP/HS2, but some just turn into shitty people? like, Rose recently revealed that she cheated on Kanaya. I simply hate the idea that Rose would grow up to be the type of person who would do that. I remember Rose in acts 1 through 5 being the kind of person who had misguided ideas about what course of action she thought would be effective. she would make some pretty big decisions, and act on destructive impulses, often in spite of what her friends thought was safe. in essence, I can see where the authors of homestuck 2 would get the idea of Rose going off and doing big shit without telling people. but this ignores why she was so determined to do any of that stuff in the first place... Rose was just as invested in protecting the people she cared about as anyone. and besides that, I thought her arc in those early acts had taught her something about that approach? I thought she got closer to people, to the point where they could voice a concern and she'd listen.

in regards to her relationship with Kanaya in particular, there's a huge difference between knowing someone for a day at the age of 13, and spending 3 more years getting to know and love that person before deciding to marry them. so even if this was the reflection of a quality that Rose had back then, I thought she grew past it... she had ample time and opportunity... we even watched her get better about this sort of thing. literally this rolls back her character development to when she was a child, and makes her a shitty adult. and if I’m being really scathing here, I might as well say that this feels like an example of that thing that stories sometimes do, where they only care about a relationship while the characters are struggling to get together. and then once they are together, it timeskips past their relationship being functional and lands you at a point where they're experiencing turbulence. at which point it leverages their relationship trouble for drama, rather than letting the two function well as a unit against an outside threat of some kind. like, no happy couples exist in fiction! gotta wring your conflict out of the fact that they’re falling apart! it feels like they’re being exploited by the writers.

and worst of all... this betrayal of trust by Rose either ruins Rose and Kanaya's marriage, or makes Kanaya seem like a fool. I keep thinking back to their time on the meteor, when Rose asked if Kanaya was breaking up with her because they finally reached that tipping point where Rose's drinking had to be acknowledged as a problem. and Kanaya said that no, she wasn't breaking up with her, and stuck with Rose because she was dedicated to loving her even if that meant helping her with a serious problem. that was such a strong character moment for Kanaya. it displayed her loyalty and dedication to Rose, but also a nuanced understanding of when a problem can actually be solved by dedicated effort. having her be so committed to staying with Rose in spite of Rose's transgressions is like a perversion of those positive qualities. now it just feels like Kanaya is irrationally willing to put up with anything from Rose, no matter how egregious. it takes a trait that was so nice about Kanaya, and uses it in such an upsetting way... and honestly, there was no reason to do that.

but this is a huge problem with EP/HS2... there's like, juuuuuust enough of a through line for people to think that it makes sense. so when I try to say that the characters are just better people than this, and that they're smart enough to do the most basic fundamental things to prevent pain in people that they care about... when I say I believe in the integrity of these characters, I could very well get someone adamantly insisting that I was just being naive. that sometimes, in reality, people disappoint you. what can I even do about that, without sounding like I'm in denial, or like I'm only interested in liking these characters when all their rough spots are smoothed away? how can I begin to articulate that these aren't decisions being made by the characters... they're decisions being made by authors who I don't trust for exactly this reason. and I very especially hate this because just... no! I know what these characters' flaws actually were! and what their strengths were! I had a solid read on their identity, because homestuck was so friggin good at establishing that! I know that a huge part of Rose coming into her own was learning how to cut all the snarky passive aggressive sarcasm and just be honest about her feelings... something that she actually advocated for when talking to Dave, but also had to learn to do herself. the logical escalation of Rose’s character would be a trend toward more openness... but also, just in general, Rose never had a kindness problem. like, I guess that’s the biggest thing I have an issue with. Rose was never this unkind.

it just feels like the writers want us to believe that not only was Kanaya played for a fool, but we were as well. we thought Rose was better than this. we thought we were better judges of character than this. and honestly... we were! the writing was not on the wall about this development. but that just doesn't mean anything because EP/HS2 said that it happened.

and this also harms the relatability of Rose for the people who used to identify with her. I'm not saying she has to be perfect... obviously, characters can and should be flawed. and characters can have flaws that you don't perfectly relate to the specifics of. Rose developed a drinking problem at a young age, which a few people might've related to, but it's very specific. but if you broaden the implications of that in the context of a story... a ton of people will be able to relate to the concept of developing an unhealthy coping mechanism, or doing something you don't really enjoy just to relate to a relative who has been distant to you for whatever reason, or even just having a complicated relationship with a parent. so what if you apply this kind of broadened meaning to Rose's cheating? the idea that she is not trustworthy. that she hides major, life altering information from people who are very close to her and should've been told. that she doesn't trust her partner, and would rather sneak around and hide this for years, rather than either letting her partner be involved in this part of her life, or accepting that her partner isn't comfortable with this development and respecting that boundary. this sort of thing is really alienating to people who know that they themselves are better than this. and “alienating” is the exact antithesis of what homestuck always was to the people who loved it.

what's especially interesting to me, is that the effects of this alienation actually come through in the way that people talk about EP/HS2 nowadays. I don't know if anyone has noticed this trend yet, but people tend to talk about the events of EP/HS2 as decisions made by writers, rather than decisions made by characters. which is weird, because people didn't do that so much with homestuck. and for this I wanna break out Vriska as an example. a lot of people like Vriska, and a lot of people hate Vriska. she's controversial. but no matter what, people always take Vriska's actions as though they're hers. and if they hate what Vriska does in the story, then they hate Vriska. not Hussie, for writing her that way. not even the vague concept of the narrative. they consider Vriska's actions to actually belong to her and form her identity, which they then pass judgment on, one way or another. Hussie is even a character that canonically exists within homestuck, and nobody ever thought to blame him, in universe, for being the origin of Vriska as a trouble causing entity in the story. compare that with how many times you'll see someone say that they don't like what the EP/HS2 writers have done with Rose, Jade, Jane, etc.... they tend not to actually level blame at the characters themselves. obviously this does vary a lot from person to person, but as a vague trend, I would say that people are starting to detach themselves from the characters, or at least detach the characters from their actions in EP/HS2. and to me it reads as a bit of a defense mechanism. it is a degree of separation that lets these characters keep their integrity, and the potential for positive development that they had when homestuck initially ended. it is a trend that, to me, proves the point that the level of pain for pain's sake in this story is too much. without relief, people disengage. even if they want to keep up with how the characters are doing, they no longer want to buy into the narrative's reality... so they acknowledge the author, and the fact that this is fiction. they remove themselves from the act of being invested. and the more adamantly you see people doing this, the more uncomfortable you can assume it feels for these people to buy into the events of the story and treat them as real.

to jump track to another odd point that I think creates a further barrier between cast and audience... has anyone noticed the age of the main cast's children that we've seen appear so far? all of them seem to be similar to the ages of the beta kids when we first met them. they're teenagers. and that means that, if my knowledge is correct, we kinda skipped a chunk of these people's lives. we never really spent time seeing the original homestuck kids as new parents... we never saw them raising their babies. and I get that this is an odd complaint, but it's an example of the story not growing with its audience. it's missing a huge opportunity, not only to show us this portion of their lives, but to fill in with some major world building when it comes to Earth C. are we supposed to assume that absolutely none of the main cast of homestuck made any new friends on Earth C? did they not explore what kind of culture popped up on this planet? what if one of the main cast had gone out and met someone totally new to befriend or love on this planet? but no... we're strictly only interested in the original cast and their kids, which they only ever had with each other, and nobody is really friends anymore, but nobody has met anyone new either... basically depression and isolation is the only option for these characters if the writers aren't willing to actually let them live in the world they're living in. and besides that, at time of writing, there is one friend of mine from my friend group that is just now planning on getting married. he'll be the first of all of us. and while he and his fiancé want kids pretty quickly once they're settled down, it still hasn't even happened yet. we're in our late 20s. and believe me, I understand the desire to timeskip to when the kids are old enough to be full people, but you have to remember not only that there are other ways to introduce new characters, but also who we're even trying to relate to here. is it the new kids, or their parents? because most of us aren't parents yet, much less the parents of teenagers, but we aren’t teenagers anymore either, and this isn’t framed as their story anyway. how are the majority of homestuck’s older fans represented in EP/HS2?

and when EP/HS2 skips the portion of these characters' lives that we, in real life, are actually living, it subtly hints that a story that would reflect what our lives are like isn't interesting, and tells us that not much good is expected to be waiting in our futures either. and the bigger problem with that is that the writing decisions in EP/HS2 represent the authors' answer to the question: how do we make this interesting? clearly they didn't think that anyone would be satisfied with a nice little romp through the lives these characters might've built. like, a slice of life type of story? or maybe something with a smaller stakes conflict? I dunno why, but my first thought was like... what if Jane ended up actually becoming a detective, and the story just had an intermission-style detour into her solving a case or something? at least a weird, hyper specific detour like that would signal that we care about what she's doing... that'd be fine by me! but they couldn't even give us something that would frame her as a good person... they just treated her like she never got un-possessed by the Condesce, and called it a day. it just feels like these are authors who wouldn't be satisfied with a story that lets the characters be at ease in their private lives. peace is something that is off the table, like, if the characters are living good, satisfying lives, we will never hear about it because apparently that counts as nothing to report.

but also... in the absence of the larger plot machinations that SBURB provided, what was left to create a struggle for these characters to face? it couldn't be Jack Noir, Lord English, the Condesce... those threats all got resolved. and they couldn’t let the characters exist in any facsimile of peace. so the writers needed something to stir things up. and in trying to find a new challenge to drive the story, they dug into the stuff that, in my opinion, should not have been used in this way. they began grasping at character drama, trying to wring conflict out of the deterioration of the relationships between the characters.

but at the same time, they're trying to capture the grandeur of homestuck during its more iconic moments. and okay, this is a pretty far out there speculation, but I've always made this observation about homestuck, and the way it got popularized. early on, fans would get into it with no real idea of how big or ambitious the story was going to be. going into act 1 blind, you wouldn't suspect this comic of being much more than a quirky, funny little weekly strip, set up for the sole purpose of making weird jokes about Nic Cage or Harry Anderson. then you get to the big shit. which in act 1 could just be the meteor destroying John's house. but that's a pretty impressive amount of escalation based on the expectations you had. fast forward to a bigger moment, like the reveal that the trolls' SGRUB session created the human universe, and you're super excited about this. so you tell whoever will listen that they should really read homestuck! and maybe they listen, and they go to page one and... well... they seem kind of unimpressed by the way the comic looks. this is what all the hype was about? and you really wanna sell it to them, so you're like, no, seriously, it gets so much better. and maybe you show them bits like the LOWAS walk around flash game, or maybe [S] make her pay, or something. and they're like, whoa, the comic gets like that? so perhaps they slog through the early acts, or maybe they just skip to the trolls and double back when they're confused enough... but either way, the comic's selling point is now it's climax, not the buildup.

and the problem with viewing the comic this way is that homestuck is both things. proportionally, homestuck is actually way more composed of the tedious little stuff than the grand big stuff. but homestuck was popularized via the grand big stuff, and sometimes I feel like EP/HS2 is attempting to fill itself with big stuff like that, but it isn't doing the legwork right. it's using character drama to fuel itself, but it's also trying to be highly epic in terms of its presentation. the lack of contrast flattens everything out, and as I described earlier, the story no longer has that essential push and pull between the terrorizing forces that threaten the characters/raise the stakes, and the unity and likability of the cast that makes you care about their struggle/gets you invested in seeing the conflict resolved. and I just wanna point out that those little interstitial bits... the ones that are typically viewed as the stuff you have to slog through in order to get to the interesting part? those were our main source of knowledge when it came to the characters. it's how we got invested in them and came to know that we liked or related to them in the first place.

the larger ramifications of this lean away from the little things, while also leaning into character drama to fuel conflict in the plot, leads to the overuse of bombastic character drama. sensationalized character drama. everything is always a huge fucking deal, while also being primarily concerned with the existing characters, rather than any kind of outside threat. so what are the tools? a wedding? a funeral? terminal illness, betrayal, a change in ideology that creates a schism... the loss of identity. all these high drama moments that generate conflict by sacrificing the bonds these characters shared. you know... letting that core piece of investment self destruct. the story is basically eating itself in order to sustain its momentum, but there's basically no point anymore. it's been gutted of the stuff that really mattered.

so why did everything go so badly? why do half of the characters not even like each other anymore? why do we not even like half of them anymore? why did the writers feel the need to dismantle them like this? well, because what else do we have to work with... how do you introduce a new threat to these characters without it being either SBURB all over again, or something entirely different that just makes these characters seem overwhelmingly put upon by the universe, like, more than any other individuals that have ever existed. it's actually a very rudimentary power escalation problem. gotta find that next level of bigger problem to set on everyone.

but do you wanna know what kind of homestuck fan I’ve been since the very beginning? I started reading homestuck 9 years ago. I think I was like 16 or 17? and at first I wasn’t sure how to interact with the comic, so I went to the “about” section of the website. it told me, in a broad sense, what mspaintadventures.com was, as a collection of work, and suggested that I begin by reading problem sleuth. not knowing that it wasn’t part of homestuck, I did just that. I read all of it. before I even got to homestuck. I am a fan that lives for the small, stupid, tedious fucking around. the slow buildup of total bullshit... the complex setup that gives you a million microscopic payoffs on it’s way to god knows what end goal. it’s like watching an explosion in reverse. all the tiny little pieces fly chaotically together and coalesce into a whole story, and you got to watch it build itself, piece by tiny little piece. I live and breathe for that level of detail. and the most fun I ever had with the story was when the characters were wandering around an environment, exploring and using various objects to set up these wacky chain reactions, half of which you’d never see coming, but which would all retroactively make sense in the end.

what I’m saying is that small scale conflict is interesting. and there are whole genres that build themselves off of this. I actually think that in certain instances, homestuck may fall under the slice of life genre. and slice of life is largely misunderstood as a rather bland genre, but the appeal is watching people with personalities that you enjoy. you watch them live their lives, and you go along for the ride. true slice of life is not a soap opera... it’s just enjoying the company of people who happen to be fictional. there's always been an element of that in homestuck... these were characters that you could see yourself getting along with if you met them. they were entertaining because of how they saw the world... how you would see the world if you were looking through their eyes. and homestuck gave you that opportunity. sometimes, that actually is all that you need.

I'm not saying that homestuck's ideal form is as a purely slice of life type of story... but wasn't that kind of what a lot of the fan works felt like? little comics about funny scenarios, or preexisting comedy bits with roles assigned to the characters they reminded you of... that stuff was the form that fun took for the fans of this comic. why is that so easily dismissed as frivolous? why is it so bad to want a little of that back? sometimes, you do wanna get into the hard stuff. maybe you wanna see Dave and Dirk have a conversation where they both admit that all they wanted as kids was a brother, and neither felt like they got to have that, but in very different ways. maybe you wanna see Roxy and Rose compare their similar feelings of estrangement, and explore the emotions that led them into their respective struggles with alcohol. maybe you wanna see John have a moment of sadness when he decides he wants to raise a kid, because he misses his own dad, and while Jane's dad is definitely family, he isn't the guy that actually raised John for the first 13 years of his life. maybe you wanna see Jade get inordinately clingy with every single one of her friends until one of them finally voices a concern about needing some space, only to see a glimpse of Jade's absolute terror at the thought of being alone again. and that pain is something that could definitely find a place in a story with more actual down time. maybe these moments of actually cathartic lingering pain could be explored with sensitivity in a story that gives them room to breathe. if the writers played their cards right and let the characters heal in meaningful ways, they might've even gotten tears of happiness out of a few of us. wouldn't that have been wild.

I just hate the idea that something is more realistic if it's dark. that's not true at all. I understand where the sentiment comes from. I understand the merits of taking an unflinching look at hard truths. but cynicism is not the same as realism. and realistically, people will try hard to seek good things for themselves in life. and even if they miss the mark... even if they fall into depression, or lack the ability to make their dreams a reality, these particular characters had already sought and found good people. people who would, realistically, absolutely help a friend if they needed it. I know this, because I watched them do that. the whole first five acts were literally about the trolls yelling at the humans because there was a huge problem that they blamed the kids for causing, and what did these kids do? they said "hey wait, let's fix that" and they did. even though the trolls made a horribly rude first impression. even though it was monumentally challenging. these kids have fought and died for each other's sake. they are family. if not by blood then by bond. and when that part of a story resonates with an audience, it is valuable.

I feel like I shouldn't have to defend the value of connecting positively with an audience. I get that this may be kind of a hokey take... I get that the people who currently like EP/HS2 will probably think I'm asking for something far too saccharine. but at this point I don't even care. once again, this is just my personal opinion, long and rant-like though it may be. and clearly it will change nothing about the current state of homestuck's most canon non-canon continuation. I guess my one major frustration is the extent to which some people have bought into what I consider to be blatant character defamation. it pains me when people talk about the actions of some of the characters in EP/HS2, because while many blame the writers for the unsettling behavior displayed by them in EP/HS2, some will readily consider this to be where the kids from the early acts really ended up as people.

#homestuck #homestuck^2 #fair warning this is all criticism #don't like don't read #and all that jazz #I'm pinning this post cuz I don't wanna lose it #because looking at it will be my self control when I wanna rant about it again and I know I will #like no you asshole you already ranted you don't have to do it again #cw: suicide #I legit forgot to tag that til I went to get a shower and realized halfway through #I basically info dumped all this here and then my head was well and truly empty #also #cw: cheating #?#idk that's the only other thing I can think of that I discussed here which might be a problem for some folks #btw subtle tag whispering that the reblog with tags explaining where a couple of the things I mentioned were addressed a little was nice #I knew I wouldn't get everything spot on... this is definitely criticism coming from a not 100% informed place #but yeah... I still kinda feel like even if the epilogues acknowledge the writer as an entity that differs from the characters...#that just kind of doubles down on the inability of fans to engage? like it cements it.#and even if meat does focus on their 20s while candy timeskips (which I wasn't aware of) like...#look at what happened to meat #look because I don't want to lol #is there anybody left who isn't sad?#cuz real talk I like using happy characters as wish fulfillment when I'm sad #and seeing a character get challenged and still come out with some determined positive energy... I love that #anyone remember when Aradia went god tier? I was overjoyed #literally all it took was her beating apathy and regaining her personhood #I love that stuff #god fucking damn it I'm still ranting what is even up with that

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blastedking · 4 years

Note

Just wanted to quickly drop in and gush about how much I love the pw/sabaton comic you've got going on cause My God... Your art is hella good, I love the designs on everyone, and the little silly character moments give me so much life! Basically I love everything about what's happening here so like... Keep up the good work! :}

Addendum: brain didn't make me type "gloryhammer" for some reason despite them being the main part of the comic so just pretend I did say it and we'll move on with our lives >_<

Heh, thank you so much - this is a good way to start of in the day, indeed!

I’m glad you’ve been enjoying it, and I sure do appreciate the compliments! 🥰

Honestly, would anyone have told me I’d end up pushing all my free time into a band-fandom half a year ago, I would have asked them “How?” because I’ve been especially a Sabaton fan for a long time, with a healthy side of Powerwolf, but it never quite clicked like that, in a fandom-content way - I didn’t even consider that as a thing - but that was until Gloryhammer. That delightfully “silliness” opened my eyes so to speak to the wonders of possibilities. And now all bets are off. 😁

What I’m saying: This is such fun for me, too. The levity of the comic (tho levity might not quite apply for a hot moment), the art around it (because frankly, at this point 95% of what I draw is in context with the Universe stuff), the silly small joke, and sure enough the more emotional/darker stuff I’m doing on the fanfiction front. It’s all very satisfying to me!

Thanks again! 👑

#zonkutonshorrifyingpeenie #King's Speech #ask

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thecleverdame · 5 years

Text

Control and Release - 19

Series Masterlist

TEDTalk!Sam x Reader

Summary: With the rest of the staff caught in a snowstorm, you find yourself acting as a personal assistant to the notorious Sam Winchester.

Warnings: Dom/Sub, humiliation, embarrassment, sexual objectification, mutual masturbation, spanking, cum play, fingering, anal play, orgasm control, nipple clamps, dub-con, breath play.

Beta: @ilikaicalie

Words: 4k

Parts 20, 21 & 22 are currently available on Patreon for a monthly pledge of $2.50. This includes early access to all my stories and Patreon exclusive content. >> CLICK HERE <<

Sam’s lying on his back staring at the ceiling. One hand is spread over his chest, strumming his fingers, lost in his own mind. Is he nervous? Perhaps he’s uncomfortable having you here, now that the two of you are this undefined thing. You’ve been in his bed countless times but you can recognize this feels different.

“I feel like you’ve got something you need to say,” you throw out there, wondering if he’ll even respond. In the past when you asked a question he didn't like, he just ignored you.

“I don’t like labels,” he answers without skipping a beat.

There it is. Sam is just a guy, after all. A guy worried about labels and expectations. This must be killing him.

“I know,” you sigh.

“It’s ridiculous.” He’s disgusted. “Are you my girlfriend? Are we in middle school?”

“You hate being like anyone else, don’t you?”

“Yes,” he retorts immediately, then lays there as a million silent thoughts swirl between you.

“So, we don’t define ourselves. Not right now, anyway. I don’t need a title to be with you.”

“Good,” he nods. “Neither do I.”

“But there are things that I do need,” you continue, feeling him suck the air right out of the room. “I need commitment. I need you to tear up that contract. I need you to push yourself, it’s gonna be uncomfortable.”

“I’m well aware.” His voice is even, resigned. He already knows all this but it still had to be said. After all, Sam always lays out clear expectations for you, so you figure he deserves them in return. Shifting gears he looks at you, reaching over to grab your wrist. “How do you feel this morning?”

“Better,” you explain. “A lot better than yesterday, not too overwhelmed.”

“I’m glad. I was worried about you,” he confesses easily.

He was worried. He cares. The thought is still a novelty.

“There’s work I need to do. I have conference calls all morning and all the senior staff are meeting downtown after lunch. This is going to be a mess, I can’t expect anyone to work in a building where people were murdered, we’ve got to figure an alternative workspace.” It’s not that he’s callous, well, yes he is, but he’s also running a billion dollar business. Shooting or no shooting he’s the person who makes sure all the balls stay in the air. “Will you be alright going to the doctor on your own?”

“Of course. I’m not falling apart, I’ll be fine.” That part is true, right now you're don’t feel much of anything.

“My schedule will balloon as the week goes on. If you need me you’re going to have to tell me so Pepper can rearrange my schedule.”

The office is closed for an undetermined amount of time but that doesn’t mean there aren’t legions of employees working from home, keeping the campfires burning while the situation evolves.

“It’s alright, really. I’ve actually got a lot I need to figure out. I was supposed to leave for Chicago. I sold all my furniture, gave up my apartment. I donated most of my clothes to Goodwill. I’ll stay busy.”

You watch him grimace, a look of pure displeasure pulling the corners of his mouth down. He takes a breath and clears his throat.

“You can stay here, with me,” he offers, looking at the ceiling fan.

“That’s not a good idea and we both know it. I’m here a lot as it is. Besides, you don’t really want me to move in.”

“No, I don’t,” he confirms, watching for your reaction. “It’s not you, I want you, I-”

“We both need our space, Sam.” You let him off the hook. “I don’t expect you to leap from weekend sex partner to a white picket fence. I get it.”

This seems to relax him a little, his face going slack and then another thought comes to him, this offer less laden with dread.

“You can stay at my place in the city. I’m only there a couple of nights a week.” He looks proud of his compromise and you hate to disappoint him but this isn’t what you want either.

“A couple of nights a week and the weekends is damn near close to living together. I want to get to know you organically. If this is forced I don’t think we’ll even have a fighting chance.”

“We don’t know each other?” he counters.

“No, we don’t.”

“What do you mean? We know each other.”

“Sam, you probably know me more than I know you, but we don’t really know each other at all outside of how to give each other an orgasm. We’ve got a lot to learn about each other.”

“Okay,” he looks like you’ve just given him a month to live.

“Why does that make you so uncomfortable?”

“I’m not sure there’s much to know.” He shrugs.

“Sure there is. Under all that well-manicured exterior you’ve got a lot going on, there’s a human being. I’ve seen him from time to time. That’s the guy I want to know more of. I want your past and your future. I get that’s going to be hard for you.”

“You might not like what you find.”

“Stop doing that. You always talk like I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. I know the very idea of opening up makes your skin crawl. But you’re gonna have to try. We both are.”

“Is this the start of you telling me what to do?” There’s a sly little smile, a hint of levity.

“Well,” you grin. “I can’t be submissive all the time. Sex is one thing but I’m a complicated person. I’m not always going to do what you tell me. That part of our dynamic has its place, but I need to be able to speak my mind. I’m one of the few people who’s going to tell you no.”

“I have no doubt.” Sam nods, clearly in his own thoughts.

You lie there a while longer, still struggling with the art of organic conversation.

“Your dad taught you how to do crazy stuff, huh?” you ask quietly.

He side-eyes you, taking a breath. “A lot of stuff I wish I could forget.”

“You saved lives, that has to be worth something.”

“I suppose.” He tilts his head back into the pillow. “It’s a miracle anything good could come out of the mess he made of our lives. I am the way I am because of him. Dean and I both suffered, we just dealt with it in different ways. In another life, you’d see my face on the five o’clock news too.”

“Why was your dad like that?” you whisper.

“My mother died. It was a house fire but dad couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t accept that the person he loved most was killed by faulty wiring. He needed to believe that it was bigger than that, some looming evil. Over the years he convinced himself, and my brother, that monsters existed.”

“Monsters, like...evil people?”

“No,” he snorts, turning his head to look at you. “Monsters like ghosts and demons. He brainwashed himself and then my brother. Even as a kid I knew something wasn’t right. The stories he’d tell. He pulled Dean out of school. We lived out of a car and motel rooms until I finally had enough and left to go to college.”

“I’m sorry,” you’re not sure what else to say.

“Don’t be.” Sam gives your arm a soft squeeze. “I need to get up, I’ll see you tonight.”

The day is filled with menial tasks that help distract from the weight of real life. You go to Macy’s in an attempt to flesh out your wardrobe and scout out a couple small apartments for rent. After lunch is your first appointment with a female therapist that you end up liking. It’s just the first session and you don’t really get into anything but you like her. There’s something about her that reminds you vaguely of your grandmother and you’re already looking forward to going back.

It’s almost midnight when Sam comes home, wandering into the kitchen where you’re eating peanut butter toast over the sink.

“Hello,” he looks at you, setting his briefcase on the counter.

“Hello,” you return, staring at the veins in the back of his hands as he sets a stack of mail on the counter. “Did you have a good day?”

“I don’t know about good,” he huffs, shrugging off his suit jacket. “It was productive.”

He looks at you, holding something back and then moves toward the pantry.

“Sam, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” he plucks a seltzer from the refrigerator and cracks it open.

“You haven’t touched me. I’ve been in your house, in your bed and you haven’t really touched me, not like you used to.”

“That’s not a question,” he volleys back, setting the bottle on the countertop.

“I guess it isn’t.”

“I didn’t know if that was something you’d want...or you’re ready for.”

“I’m not broken,” you inform him, slinking closer. “I’m ready.”

“I don’t have to be so...demanding. We can start slow and-”

“No.” You stare at him, both hands on the counter. “What happened, the shooting, made me feel like there was so much that’s out of my control. And there is. But when we’re together you’re in control and I trust you completely. I need you to be in control of me.”

He blinks, that familiar hungry look spreading from his eyes to his mouth. He shifts into a role that’s clearly much more comfortable for him, his hand palming the crotch of his pants.

“Take your clothes off.” It’s a straight forward, uncomplicated command that carries so much weight behind it. Those words are how he’s started almost every encounter from the beginning and it feels like a lifetime since last he said them.

You strip, shimmying out of your jeans, and pulling the tank top over your head. Your bra comes off next, leaving only cotton panties that you put on out of habit. He looks from your covered pussy back to your eyes, saying nothing. You leave them on and pull at your ponytail, letting your hair fall around your shoulders.

“I told you not to wear those.” He blinks, taking one step forward.

“I didn’t listen,” you look up at him, biting your lip. “I did a lot of things during the last couple of months. I used my vibrator, I put it inside me. I came without your fingers or your cock in my pussy. I’ve broken a lot of rules.”

Half of that is a lie. But it doesn’t matter, you want him to discipline you. You want his hands on you hard and dirty and rough. The punishment is always your favorite and you’ve craved it like you’ve craved his scent on your skin after he fucks you.

After everything that’s happened you want the intimacy of this sexual connection, boundaries, and limits he knows how to push, even when you don’t.

His eyes set, locking on your face with an expression that might be anger? Arousal? With him, it’s hard to tell, but it’s the exact reaction you were looking for. With two steps he’s got one hand in your hair, twisting until you’re on your tiptoes.

“Living room,” he growls, walking behind you, guiding you out into the main living area and toward the couch. After a final yank, he releases your hair, pushing you forward over the arm of the couch. “Bend over.”

You comply, quaking with excitement as you place open palms on the cushion, sticking your ass out.

“You need a reminder,” he explains. There’s a rustle of clothes, you know the sound well. You stay in place, prone and exposed as he rolls up one sleeve, then the other. After a moment his hands are on your ass, kneading your cheeks through the cotton. His thumb presses forward, wedging the material into your pussy. You’re already wet, the panties sticky with arousal as he confirms your excitement. “No panties was the first expectation I set for you. Did you forget?”

“No, I didn’t forget,” you confess, waiting for the reaction. But there is none, he doesn’t say a word as he hooks his fingers into the elastic and drags your panties down until they're around your thighs.

Crack.

The first snap of his hand comes down on your ass with a speed and force that knocks the air right out of your lungs. You yelp, face dropping into the cushion as a throbbing sting bursts to life. He’s not playing around.

“What do you say?” he asks, standing tall behind you, hands on his hips.

You know what he wants, the usual thank you that gets him off. But you have other plans.

“I don’t think I’ve learned my lesson,” you pant, getting back up onto your hands, assuming the position.

He grunts, taking a moment to look at your backside before inflicting the next set.

Crack.

Fuck. Tears spring from your eyes as you blink wide trying to control your response. This is right at the edge of your well-defined limit. These are the unyielding blows he’s only used twice before.

Crack.

The next two are just as bad. You’re glad he can’t see your face because the tears would stop him. This isn’t the normal trickle from the corner of your eyes, this fucking hurts, these are tears of pain but there’s also something else underneath. The agony making the ache between your legs grow and pulse.

You want more.

“What do you say?” he asks again, a hand resting on your lower back as his thumb strokes back and forth.

“Harder.” The request comes as a plea, a desperate sound as you wiggle your ass back toward him. “Please, harder.”

There’s nothing and then he’s moving to the side, one hand pressing his weight into the base of your spine to keep you in place. His free hand is working at something and in a second your suspicions are confirmed when you hear his belt slip from its loops.

“Tell me what this is for?” he asks, the sound of leather on metal making you hyper-aware.

“I disobeyed,” you whisper, pressing your face into the couch. “I’m sorry, I need you to teach me a lesson.”

Then he gives you exactly what you need and you tip off the edge of that former limit and freefall into a new abyss of pleasure and pain.

Crack.

The leather of his belt bites into the tender skin of your ass with sickening precision. You cry out, flinching as each stroke crosses over the previous, the pain bordering on unbearable. While it hurts it’s also incredible. You feel more alive than you have in a long time, squirming under his unrelenting hand.

Your clit is throbbing, pussy clenching and nipples hard as pebbles. In this kind of heightened state of arousal, you want all the vicious, wild fantasies that normally only cross your mind right before you cum. He could do anything he wanted to you when you’re like this and you’d get off on it.

You’re not sure if you can take it, but you still ask again. Your fists clench into a ball, fingernails digging into your palms.

“Harder,” you beg.

Crack.

The lick of the belt strikes twice more and you rock forward, feet kicking as you suck in a breath.

“Thank you,” wheezing you turn your face to the side to take a full breath, feeling your backside thump with each beat of your heart, now racing in your chest. “Thank you.”

His fingertips ghost across your ass as he admires his handiwork. He’s never left a mark on you before, at least not from a spanking, but this will. You can already feel it.

“Get on your knees,” he instructs, his hand on your arms to help you up. When he sees your face he stops for a fleeting moment, wiping away tears before helping you sink down onto the carpet. “Open your mouth.”

You look up at him, bracing both hands on his thighs and taking his cock into your mouth.

“Right down your throat, take it all,” Sam orders, two hands curling into your hair to keep his shaft deep. It’s been a while and you gag at first, finally relaxing your throat and letting him begin to fuck you slow and rooted. He makes strained sounds, grunts, and groans only loud enough for you to hear.

There’s only the sound of his enjoyment and the wet, squelch of him fucking your mouth. Spit drips down your chin, eyes watering as you fight to take him deeper and deeper until his balls are rocking into your chin with every stroke.

You’re sitting on your heels and you can feel the aftermath of his belt as you suck his cock with enthusiasm. You probably won’t be able to sit tomorrow, but it's worth it. No one else can make you feel like this. There’s a freedom in submission, letting someone else take total control and releasing that part of your mind. There’s no thought, no outside desires, just this moment and the way your body responds to every touch and stroke.

His hips speed up and you feel him getting close. You prepare for the taste of him on your tongue but instead, he pulls out, leaving you a panting, drooling mess looking up for instruction.

“I’m not even close to done with you,” he snaps, fisting his wet cock from base to tip. “Get up and get yourself into the bedroom.”

Your hands are tied behind your back, fastened securely with that notorious belt at the base of your spine. One of his ties is wrapped around your eyes, and your own white panties are balled up and shoved in your mouth as a gag.

You’ve been sitting in his lap for the better part of an hour with his thick, hard cock deep in your cunt. He hasn’t let you move, just sitting with a slick pussy stretched around his girth as he plays with your tits.

Your right nipple is on fire. He’s been taking turns sucking on them, but your right has become his favorite as his teeth sink into the swollen flesh, drawing a muffled groan from your lips. Your other nipple is caught between his thumb and forefinger, pinching hard and tugging until you think you can’t take anymore.

And your ass is on fire, those lashes left pain that springs to life as the hair of his thighs scratches over your buttocks.

You’re so fucking wet you can feel the slippery slide of your thighs over his, your arousal leaking from around his cock as you squirm, muscles tightening around his length. If he even gets near your clit you’ll cum. There’ll be no asking for permission, you’re desperate and right on the edge of slipping into ultimate pleasure as his mouth pops off your nipple, and his fingers close around the wet peak.

He’s got both nipples between his fingers now, pinching hard and twisting slowly, back and forth as you groan and sweat on top of him.

Sam’s taking his time.

“I’m going to cum on your tits,” he promises, voice low he pulls both nipples upward until they’re painfully taught. “Or maybe your face...would you like that? Make you get on your knees with your hands tied behind your back and cum all over this pretty face...let you have a little to swallow.”

“Ahmm,” you nod yes, hissing as he works your tits. Before Sam, you never really had the desire to have man a blow his load on you, but right now you’d beg him to cover you in his spunk.

“Do you want to cum?” He asks softly, swapping back to suck on a sore and aching nipple.

“Heeze!” You garble enthusiastically.

Reaching up he pulls the panties out of your mouth, letting you take a normal breath.

“Ask me for it,” he commands, slapping your breast lightly.

You wiggle and groan with his cock stuffed deep, more eager to please him than he could probably imagine.

“Please let me cum, Sam, please.” You’re not ashamed to beg, grinding your hips downward, beginning to rock back and forth. “I wanna cum and I want you to cum all over me. Please, I wanna taste you so bad. Please. Please.”

“Fuck,” he grunts, lifting you off his cock with a flex of muscle. He hoists you easily over the side of the bed and deposits you onto the floor, reaching down to take your makeshift blindfold off.

You gaze up at him expectantly, sticking your tongue out as he thrusts his cock in your face and strokes himself. Moving closer he wedges a foot between your thighs, letting your clit rub against his shin bone.

“Make yourself cum,” he offers mercifully.

That wonderful combination of humiliation and desperation sets in as you urgently rub your cunt up and down his leg, leaving him wet with your slick. In no time you cum, jerking and moaning with your mouth open as your pussy clenches painfully around nothing. It’s an immense relief after all this time, humming and vibrating from head to toe.

Sam jerks himself faster until he’s spurting all over your face, coating you in hot ropes of seed, making sure to get some in your mouth. You’re still cumming as you swallow his spunk. He lets the head of his dick tap your cheek, then slides between your lips for a gentle suck as he comes down from his own peak.

“Shit,” he sighs, finally pulling his cock from your mouth. “Here,” he drops down to his knees, releasing your hands then thumbing cum off your cheek. “I forgot how perfect you are.”

“We need a safeword,” Sam suggests, stepping into the shower behind you.

“Why?” you ask, looking back at him. “I guess I always thought our safe word was stop.”

“That’s fine, it can be, but we’ve never talked about it. I never thought we needed to be that...structured,” he explains, stepping under the spray.

“But we need one now?”

“We need one when you want me to leave those kinds of marks on you.” He nods toward your ass and you twist around trying to get a look at yourself.

“I don’t know what got into me, I just wanted it.” You blush, offering a small smile. “Too far?”

“No,” he shakes his head, slicking hair back with two hands. “I told you, as long as you’re getting pleasure from it, then I am too. But if we’re going to venture into a territory where you end up with bruises like that, I need to be one hundred percent sure that you want it. It would be easy for me to really hurt you, and I have no desire for that.”

“Okay,” you agree, looking him over from head to toe. You hope your new status, whatever that might be, will allow you this view more often. Sam is a beautiful man, long and lean and strong. He’s something to be admired and you’re the woman for the task. “Well, our safe word should be ‘stop’ then. No confusion.”

“Agreed,” he looks at you, water dripping from his hair and pulls you close, lowering his mouth down for a kiss that still feels forbidden. His lips are so soft compared to everything you just did, a sweet kiss that’s the cherry on top of a truly satisfying evening. When he pulls back he stays close, eyes sweeping over your face. “You should stay here with me until you find an apartment. I work so much you’ll have the place to yourself most of the time. I would like it if you stayed.”

“Then I’ll stay,” you confirm, leaning into him. “Just until I find something.”

Parts 20, 21 & 22 are currently available on Patreon for a monthly pledge of $2.50. This includes early access to all my stories and Patreon exclusive content. >> CLICK HERE <<

#sam winchester fanfiction #sam winchester smut #sam winchester x reader #Sam Winchester Fanfic

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sageleaderofthecumcouncil · 4 years

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Happy Birthday Aoba, Sei, and Ren!

🖇 › ♡˖°꒰ : Happy Birthday Aoba, Sei, and Ren! That’s right, still celebrating and it’s 2020.

As the title, repeated twice, states, it’s Aoba, Sei, and Ren’s birthday today (well, where I am, it may have passed already for some, and it’s also secretly late at night for me anyway) and I have oh-so-diligently written a little drabble just to celebrate. And well- I was planning for it to be a lot more than just a drabble but I gave up like- yesterday, and so I completely scrapped the idea and wrote a drabble instead and it’s a bit rushed but I got it done anyway, so... at least for once it’s clean, amirite?

Before I get into the actual drabble details, I’d like to emphasize that I’m of course not the best writer and can make mistakes! Also, the contents of what I write may vary and if you are displeased with this content or have an issue with what I write, you can either head out and wait for me to write something else or simply don’t read my content- I’d appreciate this a lot more than sending any sort of hate. Thank you! And also keep in mind I’m always trying to improve!

OH AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY FUCKIN’ WAIFU @luxi-draws-dmmd FOR BETA READING cause you see i can not write quality without my other half HAHAHA-

ܴೈ renao? ׂׂૢ་ general ׂׂૢ་ drabble ੈ✩‧₊˚

🗒 ❛ this drabble is completely clean, woohoo!༉‧₊˚✧

► s t a r t ⋆｡˚. ੈ

Aoba slides open the door to the balcony, a brisk, nocturnal breeze greeting him by brushing subtly against his skin as he steps out and allows the nocturnal air to consume him. Instantly it has Aoba sighing as he leans against the wooden rails, his arms crossed and hanging out from the parapet as he looks up at the clear April sky. The weather was always a comfortable medium in April, and tonight was a great example. The clean air of the Old Residential District was always refreshing as Aoba breathes deeply through his nose, a breath long needed after the hectic day came to an end.

Ren comes following Aoba’s path brief moments later, coming to position himself adjacent to Aoba. The two had spent time together before on the balcony, of course, but no matter how many times their eyes roam over the seemingly endless walls of houses similar to their own, they always end up examining them again in the same manner the next time they’re out. This time was no exception, both Aoba’s hazel and Ren’s amber eyes entranced in the somehow complex demeanor of their surroundings.

Somewhere along their quiet observations, Aoba and Ren’s eyes met and with one glance at Ren’s innocent face, highlighted by moonlight, Aoba couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, seeing as though no matter how many days pass, Ren’s purity seems to be as abundant as ever.

“Ah, now that I think about it,” Aoba mentions, a teasing smile playing on his lips as he spoke, “It hasn’t been that long since you’ve gotten that body, no? So in a way, wouldn’t you be turning one year old today?”

“I’ve lived on for much longer than that, Aoba. My age is equivalent to yours.”

“Are you sure about that? You sure can act like a child sometimes,” Aoba teases with a playful tone, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“...I don’t think I understand.”

“Just two days ago, you didn’t even know how to hold a pencil!”

“But I-”

“Hey, I’m just kidding, Ren,” Aoba snickers, moving closer to Ren to rest his head against Ren’s broad shoulders. Aoba sighs again, feeling the fatigue from the lively events before slowly taking over his body in slow waves. “If anything, I don’t mind teaching you anyway.”

“Yes… thank you. The information you taught me today was very helpful.”

“Yeah yeah, it’s no problem,” Aoba replies, mind wandering to Ren and the others earlier. Clear and Koujaku were over, and Tae had made a huge feast for Aoba and Ren’s birthday celebration, and in addition, a mountain full of her famous doughnuts that Aoba never seems to have enough of. It really showed today, too, as he savored every last doughnut, eating the most out of everyone there.

Aoba didn’t actually have any plans for a party, but nevertheless, levity came naturally between the group as they joked and played around all day. For example, under Clear’s suggestion, they all went to the park, and acting like deviants, they ran around playing tag and completely defied the fact that birthdays were to grow older, instead hoarding the playground as they tried to escape the touch of whoever was “it”. And at the end of it all, it was somehow declared that Aoba lost (although there isn’t really a way to lose. Is there?) and as punishment, despite him being one of the birthday boys, he was forced to squeeze himself into one of those baby swings and be pushed around by the other three, definitely testing the swing chain’s limits.

Remembering the hard rubber seat against his hips, Aoba’s hand instantly comes to rub at them as he’d smile to himself. “Ahh, that’s right,” he murmurs softly, eyes moving up to the clear inked sky while ignoring the light tug of his eyelids. “It’s also your birthday, isn’t it?” Aoba would ask towards the sky. Ren beside him smiles softly as he watches Aoba reach out to the sky as if offering his hand to the stars.

“Happy Birthday, Sei. I had a great birthday today, and I hope you did, too. I love you.”

► e n d ⋆｡˚. ੈ

↳˳⸙;; ❝ happy birthday again to aoba, sei, and ren, i can’t even begin to say how much i fucking love them okay- ᵕ̈ ೫˚∗:

Thank you so much for reading! I’m glad I could squeeze this in, and I really wish I could’ve written something better, but there’s always next year- because of course the DMMD fan within me is eternal.

Comments or likes would be greatly appreciated..!

⠀⨾ This is Sage, signing out.

#dramatical murder #DMMd #Aoba (DMMd)#aoba dmmd #ren dmmd #ren (dmmd)#Sei (dmmd)#happy birthday #birthday #what are tags #aoba seragaki

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smokeybrand · 4 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: You Should See Me in a Crown

I’m not a massive fan of the classic Sherlock Holmes tales. I’ve read them all and appreciate the legacy and what they’ve inspired in other works, but they’ve never been my favorite tales. I actually enjoy the various interpretations and re-imaginings much more than the core mythos. I like RDJ’s take in film and the more modern spin with Elementary but, by far, my favorite rendition of Sherlock was the BBC version that made Benadryl Cumquatt a star. That show is inspired, at least the first two seasons, and it blessed me with one of the greatest television villains i have ever had the pleasure of witnessing; Andrew Scott’s Moriarty. My goodness, is he the greatest adaption of that villain! He even looks the part. I say all of this because Enola Holmes dropped today on Netflix. It’s a completely different take on the Holmes mythos centering on Sherlock’s younger sister, Enola and starring Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame. This is her vehicle, i think she’s producing it, so I'm curious how well it’ll fare. These Stranger kids are all growing up and trying to transition into adult stardom. Finn Wolfhard is doing fine and Millie seems to be taking things into her own hands. Let’s see in those hands are steady enough to push her into the next phase of her career.

The Good

I’m not one for that old timey Victorian aesthetic but i can appreciate the effort it must take to give it life in the modern age. The costumes and sets in this thing are exquisite. This is gorgeous and meticulously crafted film.

This film’s direction is pretty okay. The narrative, itself, leaves a lot to be desired but what is presented, has been deftly constructed. Credit to Harry Bradbeer for that. Dude has directed a few episodes of both Fleabag and Killing Eve so he’s got the chops. I just wish the fare this time was a little more substantial so he could really sink his chops into it.

This cast is loaded. There are several names in supporting roles worth note. Adeel Akhtar, Fiona Shaw, Frances de la Tour, and Susie Wokama all make memorable appearances. Louis Partridge is a little flaccid in the love interest role but he does enough to distract.

Millie Bobby Brown makes this movie. Her Enola Holmes is brilliant, witty, and full of that ardent, rebellious, energy all teenage girls are filled with. Though er story is one of mystery and intrigue, it is, first and foremost, kind of a coming-of-age tale. Brown does a decent job carrying this film and never falters in the same space as older, seasoned, actors like Helena Bonham Carter and Fiona Shaw.

Henry Cavill is basically playing Superman. His Sherlock Holmes is easily the weakest I've ever seen. Dude simply doesn’t have the chops to pull this off. I might be judging him too harshly considering the caliber of actor to have filled this role and made it their own in recent times. These are big shoes to fill but they fit ill on Cavill. This ain’t his story so we don’t really get to see that brilliant deduction but i don’t know that he could have pulled it off even if we did.

Helena Bonham Carter as the Holmes matriarch, Eudoria, is a pleasure. She steals every scene she’s in, even if there aren’t many. The Mrs. Holmes is mostly absent but the specter of her charisma permeates every facet of this film and it’s very welcomed. I just wish there was more of her.

Sam Caflin’s Mycroft Holmes is a very interesting take on the character. Dude is effectively the villain of this narrative. He’s out to force Enola into doing everything she doesn’t want. Dude is the overbearing pops or whatever. It’s awkward seeing Mycroft this way but he is ably portrayed by Caflin so i don’t have too big an issue with him.

The Bad

This thing exudes female energy. It is every bit Enola’s story. Now, I'm not too mad at that. Millie is decent in the role and it is unmistakably her film but that is, in this current climate, very abrasive to some. There is a strong feminist slant in how this narrative is presented and that might turn a lot of people off, depending on if they feel that is “controversial” or not.

There is just SO much exposition in this thing. It’s the nature of the genre, cats have to talk there way through problems or whatever but I've seen this part of these types of stories done much better. Sherlock, for example, found a way to visualize this and did it very well in the first two seasons. This film does not do that. It’s not super terrible but it did take me out of the story a little bit.

The music in this is very distracting. There aren’t many scene where the narrative just let’s you breathes. There’s always a whimsical swell or a punctuation flare to emphasize a shot. This feels like a callow tactic to give more levity and agency to the film where there really isn’t any to be had.

The writing in this is kind of weak. I thought, with how everything was progressing, that it might have been written by several people bu it wasn’t. One person crafted this tale; Jack Thorne. I’m really familiar with the bulk of his work but, if it’ anything like this, i imagine his is an underwhelming catalog.

This thing doesn’t feel like a movie. It feels like a series or that it should have been a series. I don’t see how this thing could have succeeded in the theater and it should count it’s blessings it found a home on Netflix because this definitely would have flopped. This thing feels like a proper Netflix movie, not a Hollywood outing.

As if to dive my previous point home, this is definitely sequel fodder. This film was made with several to follow in mind. Enola Holmes is a whole ass book series so there is definitely material to be had there. There’s six book so content isn’t lacking but i kind of feel like that ending should have felt a little more finite. This cash grab attempt at film universes and sequel bait is the most disingenuous sh*t ever outside of microtransactions in games and i kind of hate it. It’s wild to see everyone release sub-par entries on the hope they can patch the sh*t with sequels but everyone forgets that Iron Man was exceptional. It’s easily the third best MCU film and was the first to release. That first film has to be solid enough to bare the weight of a entire franchise and Enola Holmes ain’t doing that level of heavy lifting.

This film wears it’s Young Adult categorization like a badge of honor. You can tell this film is just a step and a half up from the likes of Riverdale or Nancy Drew. As a grown as man, this was not for me and i understand that very well. That said, it falls into that same, tropey, nothingness that the worst of the YA genre is known for, which is all the more reason this should have been a serial not a film. It’s not aggressive in it’s cliche but, if you’ve seen as many films as i have, you pick up on it immediately. For me, that’s the biggest issue with the film but for others. it might not even be worth mentioning.

The Verdict

Enola Holmes is a very cute, but flawed, viewing experience. It’s an interesting take on the Sherlock formula, injected with all of the GRRRL power you’d expect from a film starring a teenage woman in the lead. It’s not pretentious or forceful about it’s messaging but you definitely understand that there is a message it wants to convey. Millie Bobby Brown is excellent as Enola, easily the second best thing about this movie after the scenery chewing Bonham Carter, and there are some strong supporting performances. Cavill is a miss as Sherlock and Mycroft might as well be a mustache twirling villain but, in service to this particular narrative, the change in character makes sense. The film, itself, is ably directed and it’s a legitimately gorgeous watch but there are severe shortcomings. The writing is pedestrian, the plot is cliche, and to cover up these weaknesses, the music is leaned on too heavily. The foremost mystery isn’t one of true merit, i figured it out about halfway through, and it eschews the real conundrum for later time. The whole premise of this movie delivers a relatively intriguing situation but that is left for a later film to resolve and i kind of hate it. Sh*t was mad bogus. None of these issues are very pressing but they are noticeable and, at times, a little grating. Still, i was never bored and it is a rather well put together film, overall, even if it does feel like it should have been a proper miniseries. Enola Holmes is worth a watch but, understand, mileage may vary. I thought there was potential going forward but this thing should have definitely been a series and not a film.

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itscoolanimelove-blog · 4 years

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The Best Anime of 2020 (So Far)

It's a huge year for anime titles. 'Keep Your Hands off Eizouken!' were proper to long-time anime lovers and freshmen alike. Over the path of the past decade, simulcasting and online streaming offerings which include Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and Hulu reshaped the character of the medium in each diffused and top notch approaches, transforming how anime lovers observed, shared, and celebrated the shows and films they loved. Japanese animation is a stronger medium now than at any other time in its life, and from the appears of what 2020 has to provide, matters are only going to get higher. Do see: Watch anime online free

Otaku and anime freshmen have lots to look ahead to this 12 months, with not most effective one but two new suggests from Masaaki Yuasa, the long-awaited release of studio Orange's Beastars inside the West, the exceedingly-anticipated most effective of Toonami's adaptation of Junji Ito's nightmarish Uzumaki, and a new CG installment inside the Ghost inside the Shell: Stand Alone Complex collection from Netflix. Not to say an entire host of returning fan-favorites with new seasons of Fire Force, Fruits Basket, The Promised Neverland, and the very last season Attack on Titan at the horizon. But till then, here are our favorites of the 12 months to date.

Want even MORE anime? Don't sleep on our favorites from last yr, and our favorites from the entire decade.

Darwin's sport NEXUS nine. Darwin's Game Release date: January three Director: Yoshinobu Tokumoto Animation manufacturing: Nexus If you have been to pass Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman's adrenaline-charged social thriller Nerve with the mystery-driven extremely-violence of Hiroya Oku's Gantz, it would in all likelihood look something like Darwin's Game. Based on artist "Ginko" and author Yuki Takahata's manga of the identical call, the anime centers on 17-12 months-old Kaname Sudo, who, after accepting an mysterious invite from a currently deceased friend, is thrust right into a lethal supernatural bloodsport regarded only as Darwin's Game. Pitted against a cadre of sociopaths and without a way to are trying to find assist from the out of doors global, Kaname have to depend upon his wits and could to continue to exist at the same time as trying to find a means to escape this dwelling nightmare. Produced by studio Nexus, the eleven-episode collection is penned entirely by way of series author Yuki Takahata, ensuing in an version that is a close to one-to-one suit with the source fabric. If you're seeking out a taut movement collection with critical mystery drama, Darwin's Game is a strong choice. Available on:Crunchyroll, Funimation

puppy anime GENO STUDIO 8. Pet Release date: January 6 Director: Takahiro Omori Animation production: Geno Studio Pet is a real mindscrew, in extra ways than one. Based on Ranjo Miyake's manga of the equal call, the series follows Tsukasa and Hitomi, empaths with the capacity to delve in the minds of others and manipulate their recollections and perceptions. Employed by way of a shadowy company acknowledged actually as "The Company," the pair are tasked with the usage of their capabilities to cover up crimes, assassinations, and dedicate all kinds of unsavory acts, more often than no longer at the expense of harmless lives and their own fractured psyches. The speak may be frustratingly obtuse at instances, with crucial terms like "peaks" and "valleys" thrown out of left area with little if any formal clarification, and the initial episodes can be a piece tough to follow with regard to what is being visible or perceived with the aid of whom at any given moment. Hang in there, though -- it's a story that progressively makes greater sense the longer it is going on and rewards the nearer you pay attention. And barring even that, it's nevertheless really worth a look ahead to the psychedelic visuals on my own. Think of it as a greater freakish take on Christopher Nolan's Inception by way of way of Philip K. Dick's Ubik. Available on:Amazon Prime

somali and the forest spirit SATELIGHT 7. Somali and the Forest Spirit Release date: January nine Director: Kenji Yasuda Animation manufacturing: Satelight If your tastes veer greater towards the whimsical fare of Studio Ghibli than explicitly movement-oriented titles, Somali and the Forest Spirit is a great choice. Set in a global of magic and sorcery populated by using spirits, goblins, and all styles of creatures, the collection follows the adventure of a wooded area-shielding golem and their companion, a precocious baby named Somali. Together, the two embark on a look for a domestic for Somali most of the last of the humans, a race of beings formerly thought to were persecuted and hunted to the edge of extinction ages ago. Think Alphonse and Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, however as opposed to two brothers searching for the truth seeker's stone to repair their bodies, it is a father determine and their adoptive ward searching for safety and safety in a global of dangers at every flip. With great backgrounds, disarming humor, and a story with proper emotional pull, Somali and the Forest Spirit is a spirited myth of parenthood and love located inside the maximum unlikely of circumstances. Available on:Crunchyroll

in/spectre BRAIN'S BASE 6. In/Spectre Release date: January 11 Director: Keiji Gotoh Animation production: Brain’s Base Supernatural thriller collection are a dime a dozen in terms of anime, so it’s refreshing when one comes along that has as exciting a premise and character as In/Spectre. Based on Kyo Shirodaira’s novel collection, In/Spectre follows 15-12 months-antique Iwanaga Kotoko, a university pupil who four years prior to the collection’s start become anointed because the "Goddess of Wisdom" of the spirit global at the fee of her left leg and proper eye. Acting as an intermediary between the human and spirit world, Kotoko is tasked with fixing disputes and discrepancies among the 2. There’s just one problem: Kuro Sakuragawa, Kotoko’s speedy-made partner and boyfriend, is a noticeably fearsome entity with mysterious powers that strike worry within the spirits who Kotoko is charged with protecting. A serial mystery crossed with an abnormal-couple rom-com that sometimes pokes at the fourth wall, In/Spectre is a gorgeously animated series with a laugh twists, delightful characters, and engrossing cases that'll hold you hooked to the stop. Available on: Crunchyroll, HBO Max

tower of god CRUNCHYROLL five. Tower of God Release date: April 1 Director: Takashi Sano Animation production: Telecom Animation Film Tower of God has been one of the maximum talked-about new collection of 2020, and for precise reason. A collaboration among Crunchyroll and digital comedian publisher Webtoon, the series is an anime version of the online 'manhwa' (Korean for 'comic') via artist S.I.U. And the contemporary in Crunchyroll's recent push into producing its very own unique anime content material. The series follows Bam, an amnesiac adolescents who's mysteriously teleported into the eponymous Tower of God, a metaphysical structure that apparently encompasses the complete world and is designed to bestow mammoth powers upon the ones capable of reaching its heights. On his journey to attain the tower's peak in search of his loved friend Rachel, Bam should surround himself with allies in order to triumph over the Tower's deadly trials and even deadlier adversaries. A gorgeous fable-journey with wealthy characters, dense mythology, and delightful animation, Tower of God will satisfy all people hungry for a brand new shonen series to binge. Available on:Crunchyroll

kayuga-sama season 2 A-1 PICTURES 4. Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Season 2) Release date: April 11 Director: Mamoru Hatakeyama Animation production: A-1 Pictures Student council president Miyuki Shirogane and vice chairman Kaguya Shinomiya go back for every other season of machiavellian shenanigans and romantic hijinks! The first season of Kaguya-sama: Love is War become one in all last year’s standout new collection, a devious and hilarious twist on the conventional ‘will-they-gained’t-they’ components of excessive faculty rom-com anime. Season 2 has even extra within the way of lovestruck mishaps between Miyuki and Kaguya, as well as more time spotlighting vintage and new breakout favorites consisting of the Kaguya's hyper-capable assistant Ai Hayasaki and Miyuki’s icy cool sister Kei. And better, the second one season is just self-contained enough that viewers new to the collection should pop in to watch this one without lacking a beat. Kaguya-sama: Love is War is uproariously hilarious, stylistically inventive, and easily one of the great anime rom-coms to pop out this yr. Available on:Funimation

dorohedoro MAPPA three. Dorohedoro Release date: May 28 Director: Yuichiro Hayashi Animation production: MAPPA Based on Q Hayashida’s cult darkish fable sci-fi manga of the identical name, Dorohedoro is set inside the Hole, a harsh derelict city populated by humans and an ever-increasing number of unfortunate souls transformed into chimeric monstrosities with the aid of malicious sorcerers from another measurement. The series follows Caiman, an amnesiac bounty hunter and his great friend Nikaido as they scour the depths of the Hole searching for the sorcerer who cursed him with a lizard’s head. Oh yeah, he’s additionally were given a sentient human head in the back of his throat that pops up Xenomorph-fashion every time Caiman swallows his prey to search for the perpetrator. It best gets more bizarre from there. Packed to the brim with gnarly violence, leather-based-clad weirdos, pitch-black humor, and a number moments of mild-hearted levity, Dorohedoro is a darkish and wonderful hybrid-CG anime that mixes dystopian frame-horror and slice-of-life comedy to make for one of the maximum thrilling and precise new collection to come out in 2020. Available on:Netflix

beastars ORANGE 2. Beastars Release date: March thirteen Director: Shinichi Matsumi Animation production: Orange Set in a global of anthropomorphic animals, Beastars is the story of Legoshi, a benevolent if dour young lupine who crosses paths with Haru, an emotionally aloof and promiscuous dwarf rabbit, through serendipitous circumstances and starts to broaden complicated feelings for her. Legoshi's primal and emotional awakening is exacerbated through his status as a carnivore, forcing him to confront the terrifying query of whether or not what he feels for Haru is simply his instinctual urge to seek and kill, or some thing more. From a technical and creative viewpoint, everything about Beastars is masterful. From its without a doubt nuanced depiction of a society frayed among one of a kind competing castes of carnivores and herbivores, to its inspired feel of composition and lighting, Beastars is an absurd, terrifying, horny, and heartfelt anime that stands head and shoulders above the %. Available on: Netflix

hold your hands off eizouken SCIENCE SARU 1. Keep your Hands off Eizouken! Release date: January five Director: Masaaki Yuasa Animation manufacturing: Science Saru Based on Sumito Owara's manga series of the equal call, Keep Your Hands off Eizouken! Follows high schooler Midori and her pals Sayaka and Tsubame as they attempt to set up an anime club on their faculty's campus and convey their very own animated film. What follows is a wild odyssey of the highs and lows of attempting to break into animation, the type of comedic and disarmingly earnest portrayal of youthful ambition within the face of competition, and inexperience that reaffirms why you fell in love with anime within the first location.

Conclusion:

Brimming with meticulous nods to a number of the medium's best creators and a mischievously meta experience of creativity that'll have even the most stone-confronted of visitors grinning ear to ear, it's the kind of show you could simplest anticipate from the likes of Masaaki Yuasa (Devilman Crybaby, Ping Pong the Animation, and many others.) and the crew in the back of Science Saru. Top that with an infectiously trippy identify topic and score courtesy of rap duo chelmico and experimental manufacturer Oorutaichi and you've got one of the maximum memorable and hilarious anime of the 12 months.

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