#my favorite thing is beast specifically adapted for water
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New Teen Titans
Started reading some of the older comic issues for characterization purposes. The art style got to me for a second, but after a couple days I usually get over it, and here we are.
Issue #1
my fourth read of starfire's epilogue: i'm just gonna have to trust it'll be explained later in the issue.
RAVEN? AHEM? Ma'am get out of Dick's dreams. Is invasion of privacy just par for course in DC? (Don't answer that.)
Officer arrest this man, he made me choke on my water. (I don't know why this is so funny.) It's also interesting Dick dropped out of college, since I was always under the impression is straight up just didn't even try higher education and immediately went for the full time superhero gig.
Since most of my knowledge of the Teen Titan come from the 2003 show, I didn't know who Donna Tory was until her name came up in fic. Her backstory looks so interesting though! I'd be interested in seeing an animated portrayal of her. (Okay wait, she's in Young Justice. WAIT THAT'S WHO SHE WAS????? I'm sorry Donna.)
I could see why everyone else with their superpowers are freaks, but Robin's pretty standard here? I mean, in the context of a crime fighting teenager, which I don't think I'm supposed to be reading too much into, he's arguably the most normal. (Kind of. Those green scaly panties say otherwise.)
I love you Donna. Considering my knowledge of Starfire's backstory, I'm actually surprised she was included as a titan over Donna in the 2003 cartoon. But that robstar had to happen one way or another.
So this is Grant! Grant, you piece of shit. I mean, you get it from your father, but still. Carol, there is an orange-skinned women with giant red hair and green eyes having some sort of fever dream—how on Earth do you make this about you—oh. I was going to say something about women in superhero comics—media in general, unfortunately—and how they always seem.... wildly unreasonable for the given situation, but he's just a scumbag. Carol leave this fool.
... Interesting sentiment. I wonder what Raven told Kid Flash for him to have this change of heart, unless it's just... priorities? Not familiar with the OG OG Teen Titans before this comic run, but she did invade Robin's dreams and basically appear like "Alright guys, it's that time again" so her corporation is a little lacking. Everyone's at the mercy of Raven's visions right now. That being said: missing girl, big alien ship and green lizards with space guns, so, priorities.
This to be a nod at some interaction they had in the past that strengthened their friendship, right? Or something that Wally has seen Raven perform/overcome that morphed into a crush on her, right? Not just, I think she's pretty. Right? Tat's what I thought at least before Donna agreed, so this might just be a thing that Raven does.
Yes, Dick! Get away from Batman and start your own thing. (I'd personally start with a costume change, but you'll get to that eventually.) I think my favorite type of fic in the DC comic space are ones that focus on Dick's identity shifts! From Flying Grayson to Robin to Nightwing (to other him's in different continuities).
For the Titans specifically, It's clear in every adaptation that Robin is the leader, but it seems like the titans here are just naturally flowing together. Which is great, not all teams need a definitive leader if each individual members plays to and off the strengths of their teammates.
I love Beast Boy. I do, but most of his jokes remind me of my grandfather. So I'm laughing, but also Beast B- Changeling, please.
Okay, so I'll assume the Big Bad is Brother Blood even though the lizard men said they'd be coming back with a fleet. It's good seeing Grant here again, I'm always familiar with Joseph/Jericho but never the first son and that says a lot being a Deathstroke fan (I'm so fake).
While I understand there was a Teen Titans, or some team equivalent before this (New isn't just for show is it?), Raven's ragtag team of soon to be the Greatest Fighting Team Alive (cough?) have their work cut out for them.
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My favorite things about the different adaptations of Transformers that I've read/watched.
Completed:
G1: So many characters I like and my arms aren't big enough to hold them all. Has some of the best human characters in the entire franchise. Generally a fun time. The most well-rounded Tracks characterization. Isn't a coward about human/robot relations. Realizes humans are crazy for giant robots. BLASTER!! GRIMLOCK!!
Beast Wars: Great story and great characters. The best Megatron, even if he isn't actually Megatron. The first TF media I ever watched. DINOBOT!!! Some of the smoothest computer animation in the franchise (animation, not graphics/rendering). Great character interactions.
TFA: Best Swindle, hands down. Another good source of human characters. Also realizes humans go crazy for giant robots, but a bit more realistic about it. An interesting take on Optimus. A wild Weird Al Yankovic appears! The fact that David Kaye is voicing Optimus after having voiced Megatron twice. Second best Megatron.
TFP: Pretty. Hottest Ratchet and Wheeljack. KNOCKOUT!! Sensible adult characters. Optimus Prime and Megatron have the biggest divorced couple energy and I'm living for it! Predaking is really cool here.
WFC: While not the most true to form, I really like Jetfire. Stupid sexy Megatron with stupid sexy lips. DINOBOT!!! More realistic about the nature of a war that carries on for so very, very, very long and how desperate Optimus and Megatron become. PLEASE PUNCH ME IN THE FACE, CHROMIA!
King Grimlock comic: The concept is just fantastic and a nice character arc for Grimlock!
Bumblebee the movie: Shape of Water the sequel Fantastic designs for the robots! BRAWN!! Good story and actually good human characters! Even though the more "official" romance is between Charlie and Memo, there was actually work put into creating actual chemistry between them whereas most movies that lean in to human/nonhuman romance but are too chicken to go all the way don't bother. Thank you, John Cena, for pointing out how insane it is to trust beings who call themselves Decepticons. Shatter and Dropkick are great, actually. Lots of good character chemistry.
Partially finished:
The Unicron Trilogy (Armada specifically): good to hear Garry Chalk and David Kaye back. The mini-cons are an interesting concept.
IDW1: INDEPTH WORLDBUILDING! Problematic fave, Overlord. Some more nuanced story-telling like Needlenose and Tracks. The Scavengers! ART!!!!
Bayverse: Mikaela Banes strapped an injured Bumblebee to a tow truck and they they drove around the city blasting Decepticons. The Dinobots. (My sister just showed me Sqweeks and OHMIGOODNESS ADORABLE MOPED AUTOBOT!!)
IDW2: Female Cybertronians are allowed to just exist without needing to explain the fact they're female. ROAD RAGE!!! I really like how they approach the war starting. ... I actually kinda like this take on Sentinel Prime. ART!!!! The mentor aspect is really cool. The moon subplot was pretty cool and I really enjoyed getting to see noncombatant scientists have some time to shine. The Valentines Day comic.
Rescue Bots: Good human characters, really cool to see a show that isn't focused on the Autobot and Decepticon conflict. Even though it's aimed at a younger audience, it doesn't feel patronizing.
Robots in Disguise '15: Grimlock is super cute. Strongarm is a great addition to the franchise. TERRY MCGINNIS-BUMBLEBEE!!!
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52 Films by Women: 2020 Edition
Another annual challenge complete!
Last year, I focused on diversifying my list. This year I kept that intention but focused on watching more non-American films and films from the 20th century. Specifically, I sought out Agnès Varda’s entire filmography, after her death in 2019. (I was not disappointed - What a filmmaking legend we lost.)
I also kept a film log for the first time and have included some of my thoughts on several films from that log. I made a point of including reviews both positive and negative, because I think it’s important to acknowledge the variability and breadth of the canon, so as not to put every film directed by a woman on a pedestal. (Although movies directed by women must clear a much higher bar to be greenlit, meaning generally higher quality...But that’s an essay for another day :)
* = directed by a woman of color
bold = fave
1. The Rhythm Section (2020) dir. Reed Morano - Not as good as it could have been, given Morano’s proven skill behind the camera, but also not nearly as bad as the critics made it out to be. And unbelievably refreshing to see a female revenge story not driven by sexual assault or the loss of a husband/child.
2. Cléo de 5 à 7 (1962) dir. Agnès Varda - If you ever wanted to take a real-time tour of Paris circa 1960, this is the film for you.
3. Little Women (2019) dir. Greta Gerwig - Still my favorite Little Women adaptation. I will re-watch it every year and cry.
4. Varda by Agnès (2019) dir. Agnès Varda & Didier Rouget
5. Booksmart (2019) dir. Olivia Wilde - An instant classic high school comedy romp that subverts all the gross tropes of its 1980s predecessors.
6. Girls of the Sun (2018) dir. Eva Husson
7. Blue My Mind (2017) dir. Lisa Brühlmann
8. Portrait of a Lady On Fire (2019) dir. Céline Sciamma - Believe the hype. This film is a master thesis on the female gaze, and also just really effing gorgeous.
9. Belle Epine (2010) dir. Rebecca Zlotowski
10. Vamps (2012) dir. Amy Heckerling - With Krysten Ritter and Alicia Silverstone as modern-day vampires, I was so ready for this movie. But it feels like a bad stage play or a sit-com that’s missing a laugh-track. Bummer.
11. *Birds of Prey (2020) dir. Cathy Yan - Where has this movie been all our lives?? Skip the next onslaught of Snyder-verse grim-darkery and give me two more of these STAT!
12. She’s Missing (2019) dir. Alexandra McGuinness
13. The Mustang (2019) dir. Laure de Clermont-Tonnere - Trigger warning for the “protagonist” repeatedly punching a horse in the chest. I noped right out of there.
14. Monster (2003) dir. Patty Jenkins – I first watched this movie when I was probably too young and haven’t revisited it since. The rape scene traumatized me as a kid, but as an adult I appreciate how that trauma is not the center of the movie, or even of Aileen’s life. Everyone still talks about how Charlize “went ugly” for this role, but the biggest transformation here isn’t aesthetic, it’s physical – the way Theron replicates Wuernos’ mannerisms, way of speaking, and physicality. That’s why she won the Oscar. I also love that Jenkins calls the film “Monster” (which everyone labels Aileen), but then actually uses it to tell the story of how she fell in love with a woman when she was at her lowest, and that saved her. That’s kind of beautiful, and I’m glad I re-watched it so that I could see the story in that light, instead of the general memory I had of it being a good, feel-bad movie. It’s so much more than that.
15. Water Lilies (2007) dir. Céline Sciamma – Sciamma’s screenwriting and directorial debut, the first in her trilogy on youth, is as painfully beautiful as its sequels (Tomboy and Girlhood). It’s also one of the rare films that explores the overlap of queerness and girl friendships.
16. The Trouble with Angels (1966) dir. Ida Lupino – Movies about shenanigan-based female friendships are such rare delights. Rosalind Russel is divine as Mother Superior, and Hayley Mills as “scathingly brilliant” as the pranks she plays on her. Ida Lupino’s skill as an editor only enhances her directing, providing some truly iconic visual gags to complement dialogue snappy enough for Gilmore Girls.
17. Vagabond (1985) dir. Agnès Varda – Shot with a haunting realism, this film has no qualms about its heroine’s inevitable, unceremonious death, which it opens with, matter-of-factly, before retracing her final (literal) steps to the road-side ditch she ends up in. (I’m partly convinced said heroine was the inspiration for Sarah Manning in Orphan Black.)
18. One Sings, The Other Doesn’t (1977) dir. Agnès Varda – Probably my favorite classic Varda, this film feels incredibly personal. It’s essentially a love story about two best friends with very different lives. For an indie made in the ‘70s, the diversity, scope, and themes of the film are impressive. Even if the second half a drags a bit, the first half is absolute perfection, engaging the viewer immediately, and clipping along, sprinkling in some great original songs that were way progressive for their time (about abortion, female bodily autonomy, etc) and could still be considered “bangers” today.
19. Emma (2020) dir. Autumn de Wilde
20. Black Panthers (1969) dir. Agnès Varda
21. Into the Forest (2016) dir. Patricia Rozema - When the world was ending (i.e. the pandemic hit) this was the first movie I turned to - a quiet, meditative story of two sisters (Elliot Page and Evan Rachel Wood) surviving off the land after a sudden global blackout. Four years later, it’s still one of my favorite book-to-screen adaptations. I fondly remember speaking with director Patricia Rozema at the 2016 Chicago Critics Film Festival after a screening, her love for the source material and desire to “get it right” so apparent. I assured her then, and reaffirm now, that she really did.
22. City of Trees (2019) dir. Alexandra Swarens
23. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) dir. Eliza Hittmann - To call this a harrowing and deeply personal journey of a sixteen-year-old who must cross state lines to get an abortion would be accurate, but incomplete. It is a story so much bigger than that, about the myriad ways women’s bodies and boundaries are constantly violated.
24. Paradise Hills (2019) dir. Alice Waddington
25. *Eve’s Bayou (1996) dir. Kasi Lemmons – I’ve been meaning to watch Kasi Lemmons’ directorial debut for many years now, and I’m so glad I finally have, because it fully deserves its icon status, beyond being one of the first major films directed by a black woman. Baby Jurnee Smollett's talent was immediately recognizable, and she has reminded us of it in Birds of Prey and Lovecraft Country this year. If merit was genuinely a factor for Oscar contenders, she would have taken home gold at eleven years old. Beasts of the Southern Wild has been one of my all-time favorites, but now I realize that most of my appreciation for that movie actually goes to Lemmons for blazing the trail with her story of a young black girl from the bayou first. It’s also a surprisingly dark story about memory and abuse and familial relationships that cross lines - really gutsy and surprising themes, especially for the ‘90s.
26. Blow the Man Down (2019) dir. Bridget Savage Cole & Danielle Krudy - Come and get your sea shanty fix!
27. Touchy Feely (2013) dir. Lynn Shelton - R.I.P. :(
28. Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (2020) dir. Madeleine Parry - If you thought Gadsby couldn’t follow up 2018′s sensational Nanette with a comedy special just as sharp and hilarious, you would have been sorely mistaken.
29. Girlhood (2013) dir. Céline Sciamma
30. Breathe (2014) dir. Mélanie Laurent
31. *A Dry White Season (1989) dir. Euzhan Palcy
32. Laggies (2014) dir. Lynn Shelton
33. *The Old Guard (2020) dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood – Everything I’ve ever wanted in an action movie: Immortal gays, Charlize Theron wielding a labrys (battle axe), kinetic fight choreography I haven’t seen since the last Bond movie…Watched it twice, then devoured the comics it was adapted from, and I gotta say: in the hands of black women, it eclipses the source material. Cannot wait for the just-announced sequel.
34. Morvern Callar (2002) dir. Lynn Ramsay
35. Shirley (2020) dir. Josephine Decker
36. *Radioactive (2019) dir. Marjane Satrapi – The story is obviously well worth telling and the narrative structure – weaving in the future consequences of Curie’s discoveries – is clever, but a bit awkwardly executed and overly manipulative. There are glimpses of real brilliance throughout, but it feels as if the director’s vision was not fully realized, to my great disappointment. Nonetheless, I appreciated seeing Marie Curie's story being told by a female director and embodied by the always wonderful Rosamund Pike.
37. *The Half of It (2020) dir. Alice Wu - I feel like a real scrooge for saying this, but this movie did nothing for me. Nothing about it felt fresh, authentic or relatable. A real disappointment from the filmmaker behind the wlw classic Saving Face.
38. Mouthpiece (2018) dir. Patricia Rozema - I am absolutely floored. One of those films that makes you fall in love with the art form all over again. Patricia Rozema continues to prove herself one of the most creatively ambitious and insightful directors of our time, with this melancholic meditation on maternal grief and a woman’s duality.
39. Summerland (2020) dir. Jessica Swale - The rare period wlw love story that is not a) all-white or b) tragedy porn. Just lovely.
40. *The Last Thing He Wanted (2020) dir. Dee Rees – As rumored, a mess. Even by the end, I still couldn’t tell you who any of the characters are. Dee, we know you’re so much better than this! (see: Mudbound, Pariah)
41. *Cuties (2020) dir. Maïmouna Doucouré – I watched this film to 1) support a black woman director who has been getting death threats for her work and 2) see what all the fuss is about. While I do think there were possibly some directorial choices that could have saved quite a bit of the pearl-clutching, overall, I didn’t find it overly-exploitative or gross, as many (who obviously haven’t actually watched the film) have labeled it. It certainly does give me pause, though, and makes me wonder whether children can ever be put in front of a camera without it exploiting or causing harm to them in some way. It also makes one consider the blurry line between being a critique versus being an example. File this one under complicated, for sure.
42. A Call to Spy (2019) Lydia Dean Pilcher – An incredible true story of female spies during WWII that perfectly satisfied my itch for British period drama/spy thriller and taught me so much herstory I didn’t know.
43. Kajillionaire (2020) dir. Miranda July - I was lucky enough to attend the (virtual) premiere of this film, followed by an insightful cast/director Q&A, which only made me appreciate it more. July's offbeat dark comedy about a family of con artists is queerer and more heartfelt than it has any right to be, and a needed reprieve in a year of almost entirely white wlw stories. The family's shenanigans are the hook, but it's the budding relationship between Old Dolio (an almost unrecognizable Evan Rachel Wood) and aspiring grifter Melanie (the luminous Gina Rodriguez) that is the heart of the story.
44. Misbehaviour (2020) dir. Philippa Lowthorpe – Again, teaching me herstory I didn’t know, about how the Women’s Liberation Movement stormed the 1970 Miss World Pageant. Keira Knightley and Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s characters have a conversation in a bathroom at the end of the film that perfectly eviscerates well-meaning yet ignorant white feminism, without ever pitting women against each other - a feat I didn’t think was possible. I also didn’t think it was possible to critique the male gaze without showing it (*ahem Cuties, Bombshell, etc*), but this again, invents a way to do it. Bless women directors.
45. *All In: The Fight for Democracy (2020) dir. Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortes – 2020’s 13th. Thank god for Stacey Abrams, that is all.
46. *The 40-Year-Old Version (2020) dir. Radha Blank – This scene right here? I felt that in my soul. This whole film is so good and funny and heartfelt and relatable to any artist trying to walk that tightrope of “making it” while not selling their soul to make it. My only initial semi-note was that it’s a little long, but after hearing Radha Blank talk about how she fought for the two-hour run-time as a way of reclaiming space for older black women, I take it back. She’s right: Let black women take up space. Let her movie be as long as she wants it to be. GOOD FOR HER.
47. Happiest Season (2020) dir. Clea Duvall - Hoooo boy. What was marketed as the first lesbian Christmas rom-com is actually a horror movie for anyone who’s ever had to come out. Throw in casual racism and a toxic relationship treated as otp, and it’s YIKES on so many levels. Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy, and an autistic-coded Jane are the only (underused) highlights.
48. *Monkey Beach (2020) dir. Loretta Todd
49. *Little Chief (2020) dir. Erica Tremblay – A short film part of the 2020 Red Nation Film Festival, it’s a perfect eleven minutes that I wish had gone on longer, if only to bask in Lily Gladstone in a leading role.
50. First Cow (2019) dir. Kelly Reichardt – I know Kelly Reichardt’s style, so I’ll admit-- even as I was preparing for an excellent film, I was also reaching for my phone, planning on only half paying attention during all the inevitable 30-second shots of grass blowing in the wind. (And yes, there are plenty of those.) But twenty minutes in, my phone was set aside and forgotten, as I am getting sucked into this beautiful story about two frontiersman trying to live their best domestic life.There is only one word to describe this film and that is: PURE. I’ve never seen such a tender platonic relationship between men on screen before, and it’s not lost on me that it took a woman to show us that tenderness. Reichardt gives us two men brought together by fate, and kept together by a shared dream and the simple pleasure of not being alone in such a hard world; two men who spend their days cooking, trapping, baking, and dreaming of a better life; two men who don’t say much, but feel everything for each other. The world would be a much better place if men showed us this kind of vulnerability and friendship toward each other. Oh, and it’s also a brutal take-down of capitalism and the myth of the American Dream!
51. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) dir. Patty Jenkins - My most-anticipated film for the past two years was...well, a mixed bag, to say the least. Too many thoughts on it for a blog post, so stay tuned for the upcoming podcast ep where we go all in ;)
52. *Selah and the Spades (2019) dir. Tayarisha Poe
I hope this gives you some ideas to kick off your new year with a resolution to support more female directors!
What were your favorite women-directed movies of last year? Let me know in the tags, comments, or asks!
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Heyyy! I saw you take requests! Imagine: werewolfves, vampires, winged humans and other fantasy/mythological creatures exist (Dungen&dragon races maybe?), What would your favorite Karasuno character(s) be? And, already a happy new year! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*.✧
Happy New Year!🎉🎆 I think I'm gonna do all of Karasuno bc they all deserve love and I just love all the Haikyuu characters!!!!! And thank you for putting in a request this is my first!!!!!! Wooohoo!!
Karasuno as D&D
(Or what I think they would be)
Daichi Sawamura
When I think of Daichi I think of a very stout, hardy person.
I know he's 176 or so cm but he's very built and in personality and physical build, sturdy
I also see him very hardworking
Daichi seems very dependable but in a chaotic way
Like he really wants to help but he also simultaneously has NO idea what he's doing
But also I can see him loving the world, people, and animals and nature
A protector but maybe a slight loner or the leader of a group, no inbetween
I honestly think he would be either a Dwarf (the only problem I have with this one is is that I don't view Daichi as a materialistic person like a Dwarf to want gold everything and whatnot) or a Firebolg
I feel either of these could fit him since they are very hardworking and sturdy people. But I lean toward firebolgs more since they are kinda calmer natural people if that makes sense??????
Daichi by no means is a calm and just no worries kind of guy but, I feel like he does have a slow and steady wins the race
Daichi is wise and strong and could live a calm and natural life like a Firebolg
Living with the animals and helping them but also living with a tribe of his people
Koushi Sugawara
I look at Suga as a very loving person that in his own chaotic way tries to help everybody
A mom friend if you will
I also see him getting close with few people a being very ride or die
He also seems a bit like a home body, like he enjoys staying home and being comfortable
Thats why I chose either a Gnome or Hafling
Gnomes are of a tight knit community and are very enthusiastic about life. Learning and building what they can
Building things to help their community and ending the day with a well earned drink with friends and family
Haflings love home comforts
Sitting by the fire and reading a good book
Doing some gardening and whatnot
But some travel and learn and grow intellectually
I think either of these would suit Suga
I can't stop imagining him as a Gnome with little goggles as he works on something small and metal with gears or him sitting in little Hafling attire or some pjs by a fire with some mead in one hand and a good book in the other
Asahi Azumane
I view Asahi as one of my personal favorite tropes of really big and scary but actually a sweet, bumbling mess/really small and adorable but could actually tortures you in a million different ways
Asahi is such a gentle giant but can get serious when he needs to
I also see him as someone very natural and loves nature/animals
That's why I picked either Triton or Genasi (the only thing about Genasi is they're super confident and Asahi very much is not)
Triton are water folk and outsiders (people think Asahi is scary and unapproachable)
They also have good relations with giant seahorses, Hippocampi, and sea lions
Can you imagine Asahi riding a Hippocampus with his gorgeous hair flowing in the waves of the water 😳 muah *chefs kiss* majestic
Anyways 😆
I also see him as a Genasi because they're kinda mysterious people with such a strong connection to nature and elemental energies
But I think he would specifically be an Earth Genasi bc they don't tend to make rash and are superior in strength and solid power
Yū Nishinoya
The little adorable ball of thunderous chaos
Noya seems like someone who loves to cause chaos but NEVER hurt anyone
He wants to have a good time but most people can't quite handle his version of a good time
Thats why I chose Satyr for Noya
Satyrs have the loose construct of a civilization and the wild urges of animals and beasts
Noya is a very independent person but will stick to very particular people
Satyrs are similar
They also view everyone as either a body to dance with, poor soul the mess with, or a sober mind to get absolutely hammered with
Ryūnoske Tanaka
Ryū is just such an awesome character to me
He is the real ride or die never gonna give up on you kind of person
I am not throwing any hate onto the other second years IN THE SLIGHTEST but Ryū did stay the whole time
And yet he seems, to me, to constantly need to prove his self worth
This is why I think he would be either a Human or a Lizardman
Humans are a young race and feel like, in their short lives they need to prove themselves
This drive causes them to be adaptable innovators and pioneers
Bu~ut I also think he would be good among the Lizardfolk
They have their own set of personal rules that they live by that aren't exactly conventional to most other races
Also they can be very food driven who isn't tho
Chikara Ennoshita, Hisashi Kinnoshita, Kazuhito Narita
All three give off similar vibes to me (not just cause they're background characters)
All three feel pretty chill and laid back but like their hardworkers once they have the right motivation
The three of them seem passive as well
Doing what they're told without much question but also like severe outsiders (I know they close themselves off from the others on purpose a bit bc they left and feel guilty)
So I chose Changelings for these three
Changelings are generally harmless, passive beings without interest in other races political affairs
But bc of this most others find them not trustworthy
They kind of don't have their own culture and just slip into other societies
I feel like these three did this with the volleyball team bc they didn't show them ever having some kind grand dream or ambitions
They just kind of float along with certain people they're comfortable with
Tobio Kageyama
Kageyama is a very independent character at heart
It's not that he WANTS to be a lonely necessarily, I feel, but that he wants to prove himself so much and constantly that he pushes people away
Even after he learned about relying on people and what it means to be a team
He stills feels like he should be able to do it himself
I feel like there is an ever constant duality in him
That's why I think he'd be a Half Elf
Human/elf mixes never really belong anywhere bc they either age faster than there elven peers or watch as their human loved ones age and die off much faster than themselves
This is why Half elf/humans keep to themselves
But for Kageyama, I feel if he had never met Hinata, Daichi, Suga, Ryū, or any of them, he would've isolated himself on accident from everyone
Shoyo Hinata
Shoyo is very impulsive but does extremely well with others
He is definitely social and NEEDS to have other people to watch his back
He has shown to be aggressive and super competitive with other players
But he forms strong bonds with those he really cares about
I feel like he would be, specifically a Longtooth Shifter
These shifters specifically are aggressive towards others they are not close to
But are deeply invested in those they have chosen to share their time with
They also are Lupine/dog based beings
And Shoyo definitely has a very dog like personality
They also are more pack oriented than other shifters
They have teamwork and group fluidity
Kei Tsukishima
Tsukishima a very stereotypical character but written in THE BEST WAY
He's that stereotype of antagonist to ally or prude outcast to reliable friend
This was caused by the circumstances of him finding out the situation with his brother
So he decided that no one could be trusted with Yamaguchi as an exception
Elf or Tiefling, did you really expect anything else? 😜
Elven people are very reserved a set themselves apart most of the time from other races, generally thinking of them as inferior or untrustworthy to be around the knowledge Elven people possess
Like Tsukishima they think themselves above other beings with a few that choose to live with with humans
Tieflings are forced away from other races
Because of a past sin that has changed them to look slightly different from others, they are shunned
I relate what happened when Tieflings became a different bloodline of humans to what happened between Kei and his older brother Akiteru
Tsukishimas rejection of companionship is something he does himself, but it is a form of mistrust towards others to not lie to him like he once was
Both Elven and Tieflings are very intelligent in their own differing ways
Elven are very well read and prestigious
Tieflings are good at slight of hand and swindling others bc of the rough cards they've been dealt in life
Tadashi Yamaguchi
Tadashi is a very different person than from what people make him out to be
Everybody makes him out to be an uwu ooga booga baby child that needs protecting
But he's not
That's not to say he doesn't have a large, warm and welcoming heart but he's NOT weak by any means
He's strong and he eventually becomes independent from Tsukishima and doesn't have to be codependent
Tadashi Yamaguchi is an amazing hardworker that is learning about the world and is trying to better himself slowly day by day
But there is the soft, kind and helpful side of him that would just do anything for a struggling stranger
That's why I chose either a Tortle or Kobold
I see him being maybe a Tortles that lives a simple life filled with schedules and living a very ritualistic life
They live simply and are very personable beings
But there's also Kobolds who are dragon like creatures that are INWARDLY aggressive but are industrious beings
They hate larger beings as they're short but will show respect if need to but would show backhanded and passive aggressive ways to show their displeasure
They also don't like direct confrontation and would rather entrapt another creature or being than directly fight them
They are also cunning and have a knack for plan making with which they share through out their entire tribe
Kiyoko Shimizu
I see Kiyoko as a very dependable person but also very independent and very strong and strong willed
Basically a feminine icon, honestly
She can do just about everything but seemingly has her own agenda
You're very lucky if her agenda should happen to align with you and your goals because she is an indestructible force not to be dealt with lightly
And yet, she is above all else a women
Feminine, beautiful, and incredibly amazing (as all women are)
I chose Aasimar for Kiyoko
Aasimar are beings that are often descendants of celestial or higher beings
They generally hold good morals and are justice deliverers
They generally serve a guardians of law that strike at evil, lead by example, and dish out justice where it is needed
They are cautious of others and sometimes misunderstood as they did what they do what they believed to be right
Aasimars are also extremely empathetic and are often times hurt by the prejudice they suffer in early years as many don't like what they don't understand
Hitoka Yachi
Yachi IS NOT THE SOFT, DEFENSLESS, CRYBABY EVERYBODY MAKES HER OUT TO BE
Yachi is shy and nervous but that is only bc she was accidentally persuaded into an intimidating world of giants
And for a short and petite framed girlt hat is TERRIFYING at first
But Yachi stepped up to the plate and batted away everyone's shit expectations for her because she rose to become an amazing manager for the team
She became independent from her mother's harsh ideas of her and showed her how powerful she can be
She may be small but she is truly mighty
This is why I picked Centaurs for her
Centaurs are the swiftest out of the humanoids and build peaceful communities
They hunt what and where they wish, as they generally move after a few years in one place, move
They highly value personal choice and individuality among their tribes
They also love and worship nature, many wanting to devote themselves to a higher power and/or become druids
They generally bear no ill will towards anyone unless the opposers strike first
Thank you @popcorntime-doodles for giving me my first request I hope you like this and I hope I did a good job
Again this is just my opinion and how I see the characters and the many races of D&D
Also again I do request I have a character masterlist in my bio ❤
@multifandombrainrot @kneecapstealingalien @akabxne @jiheonity @weareallhumans123 @smallmangi @canadian-crow @just-jellyfish @immiamarais @i-need-coffee-now-pls @foreveryoung050 @kuroos-world @luminasapphire @silverfire6 @shadowsbutdead @ghostexhibit @simpfornishinoya @goshikisimp @anothershadeofpink @mestayanon @japoga
#haikyuu headcanons#haikyuu!!#karasuno#karasuno headcanons#D&D headcanons#anime and D&D#daichi sawamura#sugawara koushi#asahi azumane#yū nishinoya#ryūnoske tanaka#ennoshita chikara#kinoshita hisashi#narita kazuhito#hinata shoyo#kageyama tobio#tsukishima kei#yamaguchi tadashi#kiyoko shimizu#yachi hitoka
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Zmey
The zmey (or zmei) comes from Russian mythology, and is typically a multiheaded dragon. It appears with 3, 6, 9, or 12 heads, and may be able to take human form depending on the story. As with many creatures, there are a number of different stories that attribute a variety of abilities and motivations to the creature, and as with all creatures adapted from mythology the Tome of Beasts must pick out what it wants to make use of from these stories.
This version of the zmey pulls more from the zmey gorynych specifically. It doesn��t have the ability to take human form, only appears in the book with 3 heads (though the gorynych may go up to 12 as with other zmey), but the key aspect is being associated with bodies of water. As with a hydra, it loses a head any round in which it takes a certain amount of damage. In this case it’s 40 points, which may be a bit low for a 14th level monster. PCs of that level should be able to deal that kind of damage fairly easily, and unlike the hydra the zmey can’t grow new heads, so 3 rounds of 40+ damage and it’s instantly dead. That doesn’t necessarily end the fight though, as the heads can still grow a new body, becoming zmey headlings that could surprise and cause quite a bit of trouble for characters who let their guard down. The headlings are only level 5, so a party that confronts the zmey itself should be able to handle themselves against the creatures. And it takes long enough for the headlings to become animated that they’re unlikely to show up in the middle of an ongoing fight. Generally they’re only a threat after the fight is over, though another option for them is to try and escape without being noticed. Give a headling two months and it’ll grow into a full new zmey, so careless dragon hunters may accidentally increase the population, rather than decrease.
Another small thing that I’m amused by is that the zmey has regeneration shut down by fire, but is also resistant to fire damage. Just a funny little rules intersection.
A natural spirit objects to the encroaching city and decides to strike first. A normal serpent is enhanced with the spirit’s power, growing in size and sprouting additional heads until a great dragon rampages out of the forest, smashing down the framework of a new village and slaughtering dozens of people. This unexpected aggression prompts the city to mobilize powerful mercenary allies against the dragon, and now there’s a growing war between the forest and the city, spurred onward perpetually by those who benefit from the vicious bloodshed.
A famous dragon slayer cut down a deadly three headed dragon. Basking in the glory and praise for his exceptional skill and prowess, he quickly moved on in response to rumors of another dragon spotted hundreds of miles away. Weeks later, and rumors of the dragon’s young begin to spread. Smaller versions of the creature have been spotted hunting the landscape and burning down farms, and now the locals will have to hunt down the immature zmey before the three of them grow up and become an unstoppable threat.
The zmey Tugarin has kidnapped the princess. The reasons are, for now, unknown, but the king has called upon every warrior, mage, priest and hunter in the kingdom to contribute to the rescue attempt. Thousands of gold pieces are offered to those who can provide even a hint as to her location, and search parties coordinate with powerful divinations to try and narrow down where the dragon’s lair is. Even if the dragon is found however, is the princess still alive? Or did she go with the dragon willingly as part of some greater plot that even her family is unaware of?
This is the last of the monsters in the Tome of Beasts. While there’s an NPC section lined up after this, I didn’t start this readthrough with the intention of doing the NPCs as well, just the main body of the book. I honestly wasn’t sure at points if I would finish this, but the last few months have been running quite smoothly, despite everything going on in the world, and I’m incredibly happy to have finished this goal. I won’t be leaving my Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule blank for long however. Next week look for me to start doing some adventure adaptations again, digging into a few of my favorite examples from 4th Edition and looking at conversions to 5e, as well as 13th Age for practice with that system. I also intend to return to this when the Tome of Beasts 2 comes out and do another readthrough of that book as well.
Thank you everyone for your support and interest! This was quite the project, but 342 parts later it is finished.
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Deconstruction
Worldbuilding: Illness and Diseases
You know, I actually debated the necessity of this post. As I sit in my home for the twentieth week in a row, face masks and disinfectant stockpiled by the front door, I found myself thinking: Surely I don’t have to explain to people how disease impacts our day-to-day lives. It’s like calling water wet. There’s a presumed level of personal familiarity that everyone has with the subject at this point. Think of it like going to a public pool—whether you’re jumping in or sitting off to the side, at the end of the day, everyone’s going home in various stages of drenched.
But hell, why not? I’m already passing out towels; might as well start splitting hairs. If nothing else, it’s a good way to pass the time while we’re all cooped up indoors.
Sickness is one of those topics that—unless you’re directly confronted by it—tends to occupy the back of our minds. When our paths do cross with it, our focus tends to be on the immediate impact: How will this change my quality of life? Will I die? Am I going to be physically, mentally, or emotionally incapacitated? What changes do I need to make to my current lifestyle while I recover/adapt? Do I have a support network that can help me navigate these changes? How will my financial status be affected? Will my insurance cover any treatments, or do I need to foot the bill?
You can understand why our priorities might only encompass the things that occupy a smaller, more personalized niche. Depending on the extent of the illness, at best, it means inconvenience; at worst, it means contending with our own mortality. It’s hard to dwell on the impersonal nature of the existence of disease when our focus is on surviving minute to minute.
In a story, however, a writer is afforded the ability to contemplate the function of disease on a larger scale. It isn’t just about the epidemiological models, pathogens, or raw science; it’s also about the historical intersectionality of illness and social dynamics. It’s important to not only consider the inclusion of disease, but to ask what role it plays in the story.
Why?
Because diseases can dismantle nations. Because they can foreshadow important elements of the plot. Because they can define the cultural identity of a people for generations to come.
If you’re familiar with my Amendment post on Grimm: Auratic Diseases, you’ll quickly get a sense of what I’m talking about. But before we get into that, I want to establish some general categories.
So, what is the purpose of disease in a story? What sort of relationship does it have with the worldbuilding?
It can establish or contribute to the overarching plot (or subplots).
It can provide a source of conflict for character development.
It can convey information about the lore and settings of the story.
It can act as a system of checks and balances that nerfs otherwise OP abilities/skillsets.
Before we go any further, I want to draw attention to an important caveat: this post won’t be containing any examples of disease in RWBY for us to analyze, compare, or contrast. This is due to the show, at time of writing, not having a single example of disease anywhere in its lore. With one potential exception being Fria—who may or may not have a neurodegenerative disease similar to dementia—we simply don’t have enough canon information to speculate on, let alone say with absolute certainty, what diseases exist in this world. You’ll have to forgive me for relying on IRL and fictional diseases from other franchises for the duration of this post.
Glad we got that out of the way. Let’s get into the specifics, shall we?
Plot Development
One of my favorite modern examples of disease and plot is Bloodborne. The game centers around a plague known as ashen blood, an affliction that transforms its victims into marauding beasts. Like many other titles in From Software’s lineup, the story is extracted from NPC dialogue and apocrypha gleaned from item descriptions. As the player ventures into the abandoned district of Old Yharnam, fighting through beasts and bloodthirsty townsfolk alike, it’s gradually revealed that the Healing Church administered a miraculous substance known as Old Blood on the populace. This panacea was extracted from eldritch beings known as the Great Ones. In time, the city garnered fame for its blood ministration, and the Healing Church rose to immense power as it eliminated seemingly any and all ailments.
Like all professed miracles cures, however, the blood was simply too good to be true.
An outbreak of the scourge of beasts led to the town being cleansed with fire, and the Healing Church isolating itself from Central Yharnam for fear of retribution. The general consensus among the Bloodborne community is that the Old Blood is the source of the ashen blood disease, and through item descriptions (like the Antidote, White Church Garb, and Poison Knife), it can be deduced that the Healing Church poisoned Old Yharnam’s citizens as the pretext for treating (read: experimenting on) people with their conveniently-ready transfusions. [1]
Mind you, not every disease in fiction is going to be the result of corrupt organizations treating people like lab rats. Sometimes people just get sick through no fault of their own, usually due to semi-related factors (like poor sanitation practices, no access to clean water, underfunded healthcare, anti-vaccination movements, immunocompromisation, exposure to pathogen vectors, etc). It’s also worth mentioning that a fictional disease doesn’t have to be massive or pervasive in scale in order to provide relevance to the plot. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be real.
Take a look at Avatar: The Last Airbender. In Book Two, Episode 3 - “Return to Omashu,” the kids help the local resistance movement evacuate Earth Kingdom citizens from the Fire Nation-controlled city. They fabricate a contagious disease called pentapox, and fake symptoms by using the native wildlife to create pockmarks on people’s skin. The appointed governor, fearing further spread of the “epidemic,” orders the guards to drive the people out of Omashu. It’s a great example of a disease (albeit a fake one) being used to its full storytelling potential, despite appearing in just one episode.
So, how do we apply these concepts to RWBY? Personally, I’d be leery of the show introducing something like a pandemic, given that it already has a hard-enough time juggling all of its major story elements. But that doesn’t rule out the possibility of using disease to elevate or expand upon already-established plotlines. For example:
While travelling through Anima, Team RNJR stops at a settlement for provisions and directions. The villagers are currently dealing with the outbreak of a flu-like disease that’s left too many people bedridden, unable to hunt, tend their farms, or fight off Grimm. This presents Team RNJR with an ethical dilemma: Do they stay for as long as they can to help the villagers, even at the risk of themselves getting sick? Or do they prioritize their mission and continue to Mistral? This creates tension in the group, and allows the characters to see the socioeconomic disparity between Mistral’s upper and lower classes up-close. Despite this farming community being an agricultural pillar of the kingdom, the people are disproportionately neglected by the government, compared to the wealthy elite thriving within the walls of the city.
Remember how Cinder’s Dust robberies had no payoff in Volume 3, and did absolutely nothing to contribute to the downfall of Vale? Well, perhaps Cinder could’ve found alternative means of crippling the kingdom. In Dishonored, the Royal Spymaster Hiram Burrows caused the Rat Plague in Dunwall by importing infected rats from the Pandyssian continent in order to eradicate the poor. Consider a RWBY subplot foreshadowed as early as Volume 1, in which a newscaster reports on an increase in the number of cases of an unknown epidemic. As the show progresses, the death toll rises, and with it, life in the city struggles to adapt. Criminal activity increases, the public begins debating whether or not to host the Vytal Festival, and the city is choked with fear (which increases Grimm activity). By the end of Volume 3, the disease has either killed or incapacitated a number of law enforcement officers and Huntsmen, making it easier for Cinder to mobilize the Grimm and White Fang operatives during the Tournament. Later, it’s revealed that the disease was a bioweapon engineered by Watts, in order to help facilitate the Fall.
Character Arcs
The example that immediately comes to mind is the HBO adaptation Game of Thrones. In Season 2, the audience is introduced to Shireen Baratheon, a young child whose face is disfigured from a bout of greyscale during her infancy. Her presence in the story not only adds fuel to the (literal) fire in Stannis’ war for the Iron Throne, but more importantly, she provides the audience with information. Through Shireen, we learn about the pathology of greyscale, and the afflicted stone men residing in the ruins of Old Valyria. This Chekhov’s gun allows us to fully appreciate what’s at stake for Jorah Mormont in Season 5, when he becomes infected with the disease while travelling with Tyrion through Essos. His infection leaves him despondent and desperate, and motivates him to participate in Meereen’s fighting pits before Daenerys; as a man faced with almost certain death, he has nothing left to lose in forfeiting his life in the fighting pits while trying to earn his queen’s forgiveness.
By Season 7, Jorah has reached Oldtown on Daenerys’ orders, searching for a cure from the maesters of the Citadel. Through serendipitous circumstances, Jorah meets Samwell Tarly, maester-in-training for the Night’s Watch. Prior to assuming Aemon Targaryen’s position at Castle Black, Sam served as a steward under former Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont, whom he feels indebted to. As Sam was unable to save Jeor Mormont’s life during the mutiny, he opts to save the life of his son, Jorah, instead, by performing the dangerous procedure of debriding the greyscale.
These pivotal character moments derive their payoff from greyscale, a disease that—while not integral to the show’s main plot—still provided emotional weight, complexity, and depth to the cast.
At the end of the day, no writer is obligated to use disease as a component of a character arc. And it’s understandable why many might not want to. It requires the writer do the necessary research beforehand in order to avoid misrepresenting those with diseases, or depicting their struggles in an invalidating light. It’s a difficult subject matter to implement accurately and respectfully.
But when done right, the narrative benefits are undeniably powerful.
Lore and Settings
When I talk about lore, I tend to focus on topics such as culture, history, and technology. Those right there are your heavy hitters—the aspects of lore that carry the most weight in regard to the worldbuilding. They’re also the parts of worldbuilding I personally enjoy analyzing the most, because they’re basically my excuse to go nuts. The intersection of lore and disease is the perfect breeding ground for creative brainstorming, largely due to the absence of limitations (beyond the self-imposed). As long as you’ve provided the appropriate backstory or context, you can justify just about anything.
Chances are, whatever ridiculous-sounding idea you want to include in your story, there’s a real-world basis for it.
Want to create a playground game or nursery rhyme based on a plague? Go for it.
Interested in making a pseudoscientific principle that assumes a plant’s appearance indicates which body parts it heals? You’re gonna love the doctrine of signatures.
Want to create an iconic aesthetic based on physicians’ attire, and later have it become visual shorthand for disease? Hey, what’s good enough for Medieval Europe is good enough for you.
What about cultures that worshipped gods of health, disease, and death? Turns out Wikipedia has an entire list just for that.
How about a disease bringing about the collapse of an entire empire? Sounds legit.
Want to name a metaphor after a physician who was scorned by his peers because he believed that handwashing prevented disease transmission? Allow me to make some introductions.
Injuries that glow blue due to infections from bioluminescent, antibiotic-producing bacilli? Check it out.
Of course, there’s more to it than that. When talking about diseases, we need to not only speculate on the introduction of potential lore, but consider how disease impacts already-existing lore as well.
Are there illnesses unique to Faunus with certain traits? Can reptilian Faunus contract scale rot, or deer Faunus acquire peruke (cauliflower) antlers? What about an arthropod Faunus that has difficulty molting?
How does systemic discrimination affect Faunus healthcare? Are physicians trained to diagnose and treat conditions found in certain Faunus demographics? Or does medical bias increase the rates of otherwise-preventable diseases?
Has disease limited where people in Remnant can colonize? What about zoonotic diseases found in certain ecoregions? Do settlers ever deforest the terrain or drain bodies of water in order to mitigate the spread of those diseases? Has that contributed to environmental issues in any significant way?
How do people living outside the capitals and major cities deal with disease? Do they have access to medicine? How does living outside the kingdoms affect their ability to navigate the healthcare system?
Can Grimm transmit diseases? Are there diseases that affect Auras and Semblances?
Can Dust exposure cause sickness akin to radiation poisoning? Can Dust be used in treating disease?
Are certain members of the population prioritized when it comes to healthcare? Because a Huntsman’s career path involves voluntarily placing themself in harm’s way in order to protect people, does that mean they receive preferential medical treatment? Do governments offer people free healthcare as a recruitment tactic, resulting in minorities enlisting at the academies at higher rates?
How have medical techniques developed throughout Remnant’s history? Have any diseases been wiped out due to public education, preventative measures, or quality of care?
Because human and Faunus populations are concentrated in certain areas due to the presence of Grimm, are infectious disease more likely to spread? How does each kingdom’s government deal with potential epidemics? Do they have efficient sewage systems, or other means of waste disposal, in order to maintain sanitation? How does this impact the public perception of sanitation workers, like janitors and garbage collectors? Are they held in higher regard because their jobs are essential for Remnant’s societies to exist as they do?
Regulatory Functions
The last function of disease I want to talk about is a rather unique one. It’s a role usually found in fantasy settings, and it tends to go hand-in-hand with magic.
When designing a magic system, one of the fundamental things to consider is how to go about balancing it. This is a common problem, particularly in interactive media, like video games and tabletop gaming. You don’t want your player to be bored by a lack of challenge due to poor implementation of power-scaling. Similarly, in non-interactive media (literature, films, etc), you don’t want to make your magic system so incredibly convenient that it delegitimizes the threat posed by your antagonists.
I touched upon this back in Worldbuilding: Aura when I ranted about Aura having no drawbacks, and therefore it not making sense why everyone on Remnant hasn’t unlocked it. Nothing kills immersion faster than watching a character tear through monsters like a freight train with legs, then turn sorrowfully to the rest of the cast and ruminate aloud on the dangers ahead.
You motherfuckers are literally walking around with the magical-equivalent of the shielding from Halo. The only thing with more durability than you is a cockroach.
So. How do we fix this?
One possible solution (the one which I’m currently wedded to) is introducing Aura-based diseases. Franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Dungeons & Dragons do something similar with their magic systems. The addition of Auratic disease not only provides worldbuilding potential for the lore, but it would nerf Aura by making it either inconvenient or dangerous to use under specific circumstances. Suddenly, characters in the show have to contend with trade-offs and risks: Do I fight Grimm up-close and potentially contract an Auratic disease? Or do I specialize in ranged weapons, and keep my distance? Do I engage that Grimm if it looks infected, or do I retreat and wait for a better opportunity? If I start showing symptoms of an Auratic disease, will I be able to reach a doctor in time? What if I’m in the middle of the wilderness, and the nearest village is several days from my coordinates? What if the disease becomes permanent?
It’s something to think about, at least.
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[1] VaatiVidya. “Bloodborne Story ► Djura, Retired Hunter.” YouTube video. 25 July, 2015. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxZ2b6BBrJI]
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ASOIAF and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
I don’t know if anyone has talked about this, but I know that there’s been some discussion of GRRM being influenced (directly or indirectly) by Mark Twain and, specifically in his novel Fevre Dream, which certainly invokes Huck Finn. I’ve also seen a review of Tyrion’s ADWD journey described as “a drunken Huckleberry Finn.” Which is a flippant description that, on the surface, refers to Tyrion’s literal riverboat journey, but Tyrion’s narrative also carries with it a Twainian edge of satire, and his journey in ADWD is one that deals with classism, slavery, and exile in similar ways as Twain’s famous novel, while Tyrion, like Huck, also occupies a liminal space where he is positioned to understand issues of privilege and marginalization.
But I think a greater comparison could be made between one of Twain’s somewhat lesser known novels and also one of my favorites, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Most people know this story by its many screen adaptations, as a time-travel comedy, and it is, but it’s also, as is consistent with Twain, a witty, brilliant social satire. In Connecticut Yankee, Twain uses the backdrop of Arthurian England to brutally deconstruct social issues, and tackles classism, slavery, and chivalry in ways similar to GRRM. The first time I read about the Yankee I read it as an adventure story, then I read it in college for a dystopian lit class, and it was the only book on the reading list that isn’t technically dystopian literature, but the society it portrays, like the one in A Song of Ice and Fire, is definitely a feudal dystopia. I’m going to start with some surface level thematic similiarities.
On words:
Here’s Connecticut Yankee:
“Words are only painted fire, a look is the fire itself.”
And ASOIAF (multiple times)
“Words are wind.”
On the human heart:
Connecticut Yankee:
“You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.”
GRRM:
“The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself” (quoting William Faulkner)
On rulership:
Here’s where it gets meaty and where I think the two stories have the most in common.
Connecticut Yankee:
The fact is, the king was a good deal more than a king, he was a man; and when a man is a man, you can't knock it out of him.
and
Unlimited power is the ideal thing when it is in safe hands. The despotism of heaven is the one absolutely perfect government, and earthly despotism would be the absolute perfect earthly government if the conditions were the same; namely the despot the perfectest individual of the human race, and his lease of life perpetual; but as a perishable, perfect man must die and leave his despotism in the hands of an imperfect successor, an earthly despotism is not merely a bad form of government, it is the worst form that is possible.
ASOIAF frequently deconstructs the idealization of kings and queens, and the noble class is repeatedly portrayed as fallable and only human, sometimes to tragic ends. There’s an extended plotline in Connecticut Yankee where the Yankee and the King disguise themselves in order to live among the common folk and figure out how to build a better government, at one point ending up enslaved. GRRM also forces several of his noble-born characrters, especially the ones who are positioned to be rulers, to be confronted with the lives of the smallfolk, live among them (sometimes in disguise) or be confronted with the reality of slavery or even live as slaves themselves.
Connecticut Yankee again:
There was a slight noise from the direction of the dim corner where the ladder was. It was the king descending. I could see that he was bearing something in one arm, and assisting himself with the other. He came forward into the light; upon his breast lay a slender girl of fifteen. She was but half conscious; she was dying of smallpox. Here was heroism at its last and loftiest possibility, its utmost summit; this was challenging death in the open field unarmed, with all the odds against the challenger, no reward set upon the contest, and no admiring world in silks and cloth of gold to gaze and applaud; and yet the king’s bearing was as serenely brave as it had always been in those cheaper contests where knight meets knight in equal fight and clothed in protecting steel. He was great now; sublimely great. The rude statues of his ancestors in his palace should have an addition—I would see to that; and it would not be a mailed king killing a giant or a dragon, like the rest, it would be a king in commoner’s garb bearing death in his arms that a peasant mother might look her last upon her child and be comforted.
And that, my friends, is how you deconstruct feudalism, chivalry, classism, divine right of rulership and what makes a hero a hero.
Here’s Dany in ASOIAF:
“Go if you wish, ser. I will not detain you. I will not detain any of you.” Dany vaulted down from the horse. “I cannot heal them, but I can show them that their Mother cares.”
Jhogo sucked in his breath. “Khaleesi, no.”
The bell in his braid rang softly as he dismounted. “You must not get any closer. Do not let them touch you! Do not!”
Dany walked right past him. There was an old man on the ground a few feet away, moaning and staring up at the grey belly of the clouds. She knelt beside him, wrinkling her nose at the smell, and pushed back his dirty grey hair to feel his brow. “His flesh is on fire. I need water to bathe him. Seawater will serve. Marselen, will you fetch some for me? I need oil as well, for the pyre. Who will help me burn the dead?”
Contrast Dany and the King in disguise, doing something as simple as showing compassion to the sick and dying, behaving more like a hero than any knight on a battlefield, with the riot in King’s Landing where a mother presents her dead child as an indictment of the failings of the ruling class.
Halfway along the route, a wailing woman forced her way between two watchmen and ran out into the street in front of the king and his companions, holding the corpse of her dead baby above her head. It was blue and swollen, grotesque, but the real horror was the mother's eyes. Joffrey looked for a moment as if he meant to ride her down, but Sansa Stark leaned over and said something to him. The king fumbled in his purse, and flung the woman a silver stag. The coin bounced off the child and rolled away, under the legs of the gold cloaks and into the crowd, where a dozen men began to fight for it. The mother never once blinked. Her skinny arms were trembling from the dead weight of her son.
Sansa tries to influence Joffrey here, but of course she can’t make Joffrey show real compassion or truly understand the plight of the smallfolk. And even though Sansa is sympathetic to their plight, those who get abused by those in power don’t see her as any different than the sadistic ones, like Joffrey.
On heredity and inheriting the sins of the past:
Connecticut Yankee:
We speak of nature; it is folly; there is no such thing as nature; what we call by that misleading name is merely heredity and training. We have no thoughts of our own, no opinions of our own; they are transmitted to us, trained into us.
ASOIAF:
It all goes back and back, Tyrion thought, to our mothers and fathers and theirs before them. We are puppets dancing on the strings of those who came before us, and one day our own children will take up our strings and dance on in our steads.
On knighthood:
A Connecticut Yankee:
“You see, he was going for the Holy Grail. The boys all took a flier at the Holy Grail now and then. It was a several years' cruise. They always put in the long absence snooping around, in the most conscientious way, though none of them had any idea where the Holy Grail really was, and I don't think any of them actually expected to find it, or would have known what to do with it if he had run across it.”
In Twain’s novel, the knights are mostly ridiculous, violent idiots obsessed with honor and pointless questing.
In ASOIAF:
"He likes the stories where the knights fight monsters."
“Sometimes the knights are the monsters.”
In Connecticut Yankee, there is an incredible subplot where the Yankee is convinced by a princess to go on a quest to slay a bunch of ogres who have supposedly captured princesses and held them in a castle. When they get there, it turns out that the “castle” is a pigsty, the “princesses” the pigs, and the “ogres” some poor swineherds.
I left Sandy kneeling there, corpse-faced but plucky and hopeful, and rode down to the pigsty, and struck up a trade with the swine-herds. I won their gratitude by buying out all the hogs at the lump sum of sixteen pennies, which was rather above latest quotations. I was just in time; for the Church, the lord of the manor, and the rest of the tax-gatherers would have been along next day and swept off pretty much all the stock, leaving the swine-herds very short of hogs and Sandy out of princesses. But now the tax people could be paid in cash, and there would be a stake left besides. One of the men had ten children; and he said that last year when a priest came and of his ten pigs took the fattest one for tithes, the wife burst out upon him, and offered him a child and said:
“Thou beast without bowels of mercy, why leave me my child, yet rob me of the wherewithal to feed it?”
This is satire at its most ridiculous and over-the-top, but it’s also a pretty searing deconstruction of the futility of chivalry, more obsessed with romantic notions of honor and fighting against imagined monsters than its supposed goal of protecting the weak.
A Connecticut Yankee ends in a failed attempt at revolution but with the possibility of hope for the modern world. Perhaps this is what GRRM is trying to tell us as well.
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April 13th-April 19th, 2020 CTP Archive
The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from April 13th, 2020 to April 19th, 2020. The chat focused on Desert Spell by Madison Bacon.
Featured Comment:
Chat:
Comic Tea Party
BOOK CLUB START!
Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Desert Spell by Madison Bacon~! (https://tapas.io/series/Desert-Spell)
You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace until April 19th, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Discussions are freeform, but we do offer discussion prompts in the pins for those who’d like to have them. Additionally, remember that while constructive criticism is allowed, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic! Whether you finish the comic or can only read a few pages, everyone is welcome to join and chat with us!
DISCUSSION PROMPTS – PART 1
1. What did you like about the beginning of the comic?
2. What has been your favorite moment in the comic (so far)?
3. Who is your favorite character?
4. Which characters do like seeing interact the most?
5. What is something you like about the art? If you have a favorite illustration, please share it!
6. What is a theme you like that the comic explores?
7. What do you like about the comic’s story or overall related content?
8. Overall, what do you think the comic’s strengths are?
Don’t feel inspired by the prompts? Feel free to discuss anything else that interested you!
Eightfish (Puppeteer)
woah, traditional comic :0 rare breed.
eli [a winged tale]
Indeed! I love the hook of the water spell and the creatures so far!
Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]
I got a chance to read it! So I like how it opens up the world building with the desert, the baby interacting with the llama beast. They are shown to to be in a harsh desert climate. 5. I really like the traditional look of the comic artwork. The magic shown by the mom is fasinating. How they seem connected to nature(edited)
SpaceBum
The beginning is so good! I also really like the families dynamic specifically between the chief and their daughter. I wish the chief had been more understanding of why her daughter stepped in to safe that guy even though I understand where they’re coming from
RebelVampire
For the beginning, I like kind of just how quick certain aspects of the world were introduced. Like the story pretty quickly established theres magic, how the nomadic tribe feeds themselves in the desert, and the stakes now that that is growing harder. You learn a lot about the world without there needing to be heavy exposition, which really helps with the story flow. My favorite moment in the comic so far is probably the market scene when Dorian appears since I enjoyed the brief interaction there and the communication gaps that had to be overcome because Thaina is deaf. It was interesting to see how that is handled in the comic's world. My favorite character right now is actually Thaina's mom who is holding the tribe together, taking risks, and doing everything a chief is able to do to keep things together. Can't not respect that. Also she makes awesome speeches. My favorite characters interacting is probably Thaina and her brother just because I like how similar they are and how they each help each other out. It's very cute and heartwarming.
Erin Ptah (BICP | Leif & Thorn)
Oh, wow, I love how this comic handles sign language. Mostly like a speech bubble, but the end of the tail, instead of being a point that leads to the mouth, opens up into a bracket to reflect that the dialogue is coming from the person's whole body? That's brilliant.
(And the way it's square instead of round, so you can tell what kind of speech it is even when there's no tail -- also a great choice.)
snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)
I love the look of this comic! And yeah, I agree Erin, the way sign language is handled in the comic is super cool. I’m really curious how the story is going to progress from here. Like, will we start to see measures taken against the nomads thanks to these city politicians? Will we focus more on Thaina and Dorian getting to know each other?
Feather J. Fern
The art is so cool, I love the woobly panels
RebelVampire
Back to questions. For the art, I like the color choices and blending quite a lot. The colors just all make the comic so pretty to look at, and somehow really suits the desert-y setting. That's some atmospheric about is that I really enjoy. As for themes, I like that the comic is exploring adapting to change. Whether we want to or not, life changes, and this often means we have to do things we never thought we'd do. And I like seeing that the comic hits that right up front and kind of shows/discusses inevitably how we adapt to these kind of changes and deal with them, whether healthy or not. As for the comic's overall story, I again like how communication is used in various ways to tell the story, from unreadable dialogue to sign language to just expressions. It really all speaks to how large a roll communication plays in our lives and the various forms it can come in. As for the comic's overall strengths, I'm gonna give it to just the fact in how unique it is with its traditional art style, deaf main character, and so forth. Sure you can find these in other comics, but it's rare to see it all together like this. So it makes for a genuine experience you won't get elsewhere
Comic Tea Party
DISCUSSION PROMPTS – PART 2
9. What do you think of the way the story handles dialogue and communication given the protagonist is deaf? How does this change how you look at dialogue in general for comics or how characters with disabilities are portrayed?
10. Why do you think the city has such negative attitudes towards the Thaina’s tribe, and do you think the city will grow past them? In what ways might Thaina directly influence the opinions of the city and those in charge?
11. Why do you think James is so adamant about expanding the water pipeline and banning magic? Is there some hidden agenda, or is James actually trying to do good for the city? What negative consequences might there be for either action?
12. What do you think Dorian’s role will be in the story? If a positive for the Thaina’s tribe, what do you think Dorian’s motivation will be? Also, how will Dorian’s actions affect people Dorian knows in the city?
Don’t feel inspired by the prompts? Feel free to discuss anything else that interested you!
snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)
I really love the way dialogue is handled with the deaf protagonist!!! The way speech bubbles are drawn is super unique and makes sense intuitively! Honestly, it's a style of speech bubble I may want to steal for my works at some point lol. I really like little touches too, like having speech bubbles with scribbles in them when Thaina turns away. It all just... clicks!
RebelVampire
I also really love the way the story handles dialogue. While I was a bit confused at first, once I figured out what they were going for, it felt really ingenious. It really stretches the boundaries of how you can make characters communicate, and that you can experiment with dialogue in a lot of different ways. I feel like the distrust and attitude for the tribe mostly just comes from the fact their outsiders. It's easy to feel that way about people you don't know, and when it's group vs. group, that getting to know you gap is super hard to overcome. So usually, especially when the groups just avoid each other generally this sentiment only grows. As for growing past it though, honestly I'm less hopeful. I'm sure Thaina can make some people go around, but change like this does not come easy or fast. :( In regards to James, I'm inclined to say a bit of both. I feel like James does have an ulterior motive, but I also don't feel like it's entirely selfish yet. More misguided if anything, cause it's not like a pipeline of water would only benefit James or banning magic wouldn't make it unsafe for everyone else. Though I definitely think this is one of those decisions where it sounds good in theory until they use up all the water or need magic for something and whoops, the longterm wasn't considered. As for Dorian's role, probably part contact in the city, probably part love interest? I don't really feel like I know Dorian enough to say.
Comic Tea Party
DISCUSSION PROMPTS – PART 3
13. What are you most looking forward to seeing in regards to the comic?
14. Any final words of encouragement for the comic?
Don’t feel inspired by the prompts? Feel free to discuss anything else that interested you!
sagaholmgaard
Ahh I only now reached chapter two but I just wanted to say that the comic looks really cool, I love the watercolor style and the way magic has been illustrated so far! And the different ways for communication is also really inspiring to see :0
warriorneedsfood
I like the comic very much. It’s brave to try to draw characters that can only communicate with sign language. And ‘taste my toes, criminal!’ Made me laugh out loud.
RebelVampire
I think what I'm most looking forward to in the comic is just seeing more Dorian since the story moved on so fast I'm excited to see Dorian's role in the story. As for final words, this is a very atmospheric comic that bravely takes a lot of chances that works out well, so even if it's not your cup of tea, it's definitely something to respect and study.
Comic Tea Party
BOOK CLUB END!
Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Desert Spell this week! Please also give a special thank you to Madison Bacon for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Desert Spell, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!
Read and Comment: https://tapas.io/series/Desert-Spell
Madison’s Website: https://baconbitmadison.wixsite.com/madisonbacon
Madison’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/baconbitmadison
#ctparchive#comics#webcomics#indie comics#comic chat#comic discussion#book club#bookclub#webcomic book club#webcomic bookclub#desert spell#madison bacon#comic tea party#ctp
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I mostly want a full review of my character, You may publish if you like, i wouldn’t mind. :) Thank you!!
General
Name: Megumi Yoko
Age: (Part I) 12-13 (Part II) 15-17
Species: Human
Gender: Female
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual
Blood Type: O-
Birthday: October 18 (Libra)
Personality: Peace loving, Elegant, Irresolute (very hesitant), Diplomatic, Idealistic, Avoids head-on arguments ( Just like how she fights lol) and Mellow
Good Trait(s): Diplomatic, Tactful, fair-minded, Peaceful, Calm.
Bad Trait(s): Detached, Indecisive, avoids confrontations, will carry a grudge
Like(s): gentleness, sharing with others, the outdoors, sweets, swimming, warm water/weather, the sounds of moving water, and Harmony.
Dislike(s): loudmouths, conformity, Dry areas, large social groups, Snow, Given to many opinions, Difficult decisions and Short range fights.
Hobby(ies): Swimming!, and Sewing
Fear(s): thunder/lightning, abandonment (or being alone), being forgotten or not remembering things, and being buried alive.
Strength(s): Water Areas (Ocean, Lakes, Rivers, etc) Water style jutsus, and Swimming,
Weakness(es): Lighting style jutsus, Strong Fire style jutus, Dry areas, and heat
Personal Quote: “…well ya know…”
History: (Sorry if this sucks)
Megumi was born in the hidden mist village, her mother and father were respected ninja of the mist. After Marriage Megumi’s mother was shortly pregnant And became a stay at home mom. Megumi’s father kept being a ninja and was away from home a lot, this was normal. One Afternoon when Megumi was 6 years old Megumi’s home was broken into by rough ninjas
Megumi’s mother was out-numbered and she knew she had no chance to live though this but she wanted to save Megumi. She hide Megumi away and told her to not come out no matter What she heard, Megumi was hidden in a closet ( if the rough knew about her or not they left her.) Megumi’s mother was killed, her body was left on the floor to bleed out.
Once it was quiet Megumi peeked out to only see her dead mother on the floor in a pool of blood. Megumi sat down next her dead mother, she was covered in blood but she seemed to have zoned out. She didn’t Leave her mother’s body until her father came home and pulled her away.
At the age of 8 Megumi started growing scales on her feet/legs. This was a passed down trait in her father’s family that skipped him but got to Megumi. She tried her best to hide them from everyone
at school and in the village but it wasn’t hidden for so long. The kids at her school found out about her scales and she became out casted and labeled as a “Freak”. This made socializing with others hard for her. She didn’t make a real friend until she was 12 and got put into a team with Yachi and Takeshi who became her friends.
Megumi’s Father wasn’t around as much as he wanted to, He had many missions he had to do and had to be away for long periods of time. Megumi’s father loved her without question and that is why he did so many missions. He always left her in the cable hands of the village elders who treated her better than any kids at school. Megumi had a hard time calling the elders her friends but they were all she had at that time.
Looks and Appearance
Body Type/Looks: Thin and Pale
Height: (Part I) 147cm [4'10] (Part II) 155cm (5'1)
Weight: (Part I) 33.9 kg (Part II) 39.8
Makeup/Facepaint: None
Hairstyle(s): (Part I) Long, Curly Purple hair tied up in a ponytail. (Part II) Long, Curly purple hair that is wore down and ends at her mid-back.
Accessories: Small Gord that holds Water/(part II only) Poison water.
Scent: Wet Strawberrys.
Scars or Tattoos: has some small cuts on her left forearm. (It’s always covered)
Jewelry and/or Piercings: None.
Traits: Her Feet/Cafs are covered in scales, these help her swim and stay longer under water.
Relationships
Parent(s):
Ryuunosuke Yoko (Father)
About: Ryuunsuke is a respected ninja of the hidden mist, He is well known for his powerful Water wolf jutsu that he kept in his own family.
Tomomi Yoko (Mother)
About: Tomomi was a beautiful women and was much liked in her village; She was once a powerful Ninja but stopped when she got married to Ryuunsuke Yoko; Soon after their marriage, She becomes pregnant. She has her first child; Megumi. As Tomomi was at home; their home was raided by thugs against the mist village. Tomomi was killed; She managed to save her daughter.
Sibling(s): None-
Relative(s): None besides mum and pops.
Best Friend(s):
Yachi (+Teammate)
About: Yachi and Megumi were put in team together, Over the years of fighting together they became best friends. Megumi trusts Yachi more than anyone else in the Hidden mist village.
Friend(s):
Takeshi (+Teammate)
About: Takeshi and Megumi where put together in a team; Trust was low at beginning because of Takeshi’s quiet and miss-trusting looks. But slowly they began to trust and get along better, the more missions they went on and they got to know each other.
Sensei(s):
Yori-Sensei:
About: Yori-sensei is the ring leader of Megumi’s Team. Not much is known about Yori, besides that Is powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with kakashi of the hidden leaf.
Student(s): Megumi couldn’t teach a monkey to breathe.
Crush(es)/Spouse/Bf/Gf:
Gaara of the Sand.
About: Gaara and Megumi didn’t start out liking each other. Megumi was incurably scared of Gaara after his fight with Rock Lee and even more so when Gaara’s demon was unleased. Megumi avoided Gaara for a long awhile. Her fear disappeared when she finally saw that Gaara wasn’t the monster he used to be.
Megumi ran into Gaara (and his siblings) why out on a mission with her team. Her fear of him was still their but he proof that he has changed.
Rival(s): Nah.
Enemy(ies): nah.
Pet(s): No pets
Favorites/Least Favorites
Food(s): Namagashi (type of wagashi, which is a general term for snacks used in the Japanese tea ceremony.) Taiyaki ( “baked sea bream,” is a Japanese fish-shaped cake.)
Drink(s): Green Tea, Calpis Water
Color(s): Blue, Black
Season(s): Spring
Time of Day: Afternoon (2:00am-6:00am)
Weather: Semi-Summer with Clouds.
Flower: Dahlia
Animal: Wolf/Dog
Ninja Information
Birth Village: Hidden Mist
Current Village: (Part I) Mist (Part II) Sand
Academy Graduation Age: 12
Chunin Promotion Age: 14
Rank: (Part I) Genin (Part II) Chunin
Ninja Status: Villager
Are you in the Akatsuki?: Nah
Bijuu [Tailed Beast]?: Nah
Teammates: Yachi, Takeshi (Talked about in relationships)
Sensei: Yori-Sensei
Nindo: “Fight to be remembered.”
Chakra Element: Water
Weapon(s): (Part I) Kunai, Water (Part II) Kunai, Poison water
Jutsu’s
(Part I)
*Water Wolf Jutsu - Family/Clan based
Rank: B-Rank
Range: Vary
*Water Style: Wild Wolf Fang Jutsu- Family/Clan based.
Rank: C-Rank
Range: Long Range
Water Style: Raging Waves (Rank-C)
Rank: C-Rank
Range: Short to mid range
Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu (Rank-D)
Rank: D-Rank
Range: All Ranges
Water Clone Jutsu (Rank-D)
Rank: D-Rank
Range: All Ranges
(Part II)
Water Beast Jutsu ( X headed water wolf)
Rank: B-Rank
Range: Long Range
Water Style: Marine Battle Formation Jutsu
Rank: C-Rank
Range: Short to Mid Range
Water Style: Mount of the Serpent
Rank: B-Rank
Range: Long Range
Water Style: Poison Rain Jutsu
Rank: C-Rank
Range: Long to mid Range
Water Style: Poison Dart Jutu
Rank: B-Rank
Range: Long Range
Water Style: Water Whip Jutsu
Rank: B-Rank
Range: Short to Mid Range
Water Style: Black Rain Jutsu (??)
Rank: ??-Rank
Range: Short
NINJA STATS
1 - 5: Horrible
6 - 8: Below average
9 - 10: Average
11 - 13: Above average
14 - 16: Talented
17 - 18: Gifted [This is Sannin level]
Strength in Jutsu
Ninjutsu [ninja techniques]: (I) 11 (II) 13
Genjutsu [illusion techniques]: (I) 7 (II) 8.5
Taijutsu [martial arts techniques]: (I) 9 (II) 11
Kekkei Genkai [bloodline traits]: (I,II) 0
Doujutsu [eye techniques]: (I,II) 0
Kinjutsu [forbidden techniques]: (II) 2
Fuuinjutsu [sealing techniques]: (II) 9
Strength in Missions
Intelligence:(I) 9 (II) 11
Wisdom: (I) 7 (II) 9
Strength: Physical: (I) 8 (II) 9, Water: (I) 10 (II) 13
Agility: (I) 9.5 (II) 12 (she’s good at running away lol)
Dexterity: (I) 8 (II) 10
Stamina: (I) 7 (II) 9.5
Constitution: (I) 1 hit O.K (II) 4 (Can take a hit but not many, She’s a distance fighter.)
Charisma: (I) 4 (II) 7
Comeliness: Cute as frick (I think she is.)
Chakra Control: (I) 10 (II) 14 (She needs the chakra control for 90% of her jutsu,)
Cooperation: (I,II) 10 ( This doesn’t change much.)
P.S Please take your time <3
General:
Generally fine, with a few points to consider.
a) Her personality you describe as ‘peaceful’ and ‘calm’, which doesn’t sound like someone who carries a grudge. Also, someone who is indecisive wouldn’t make for a very diplomatic personality, I think.
b) You can’t really like harmony but dislike conformity, as the opposites usually go hand-in-hand.
History:
Again, generally fine, the level of violence and adaption to family life is realistic to Naruto. I like the idea of growing scales on the body. It’s a distinctive character trait – it’s a bit of a shame that you decided to cover them up in the character design – maybe as she gets older she becomes more comfortable showing them?
However, I’m not sure she would get bullied that hard over them. Biologically exaggerated Kekkai Genkais have been shown to be not uncommon in the Naruto world, and just having some scales on the bottom part of your legs doesn’t seem all that weird in comparison to be honest.
Also, why does her father leave her in the care of the village Elders specifically? You said the mother and father were well-respected in the village, but it doesn’t sound like they were actually on the council or anything, meaning there would be more convenient people to leave her in the care of; after all, Elders are busy people (I assume by Elders you mean members of the village councils – if you just mean older people in the village, disregard this last bit).
Looks and Appearance:
Why does she smell of wet strawberries?
The biggest question here for me is how the leg scales help her swim/breathe underwater? If she had webbed feet I might understand that helping her swim, but scales wouldn’t do that. Also, scales wouldn’t affect her ability to breathe underwater – or do you mean just stay under the surface of the water? In which case the breath-holding thing would come into play again; most ninjas are trained to stay underwater as cover and hold their breath for a long time anyway. I can’t really see how this trait would help that.
Relationships:
Family and teammates look nice and varied. Maybe put a bit more thought into her parents’ personalities and values? Many of these would be passed onto their daughter as they raised her.
It’s good that your character is consistently scared of Gaara; that’s good and realistic. Maybe think some more about how their relationship would develop past ‘her fear of him disappeared’.
Justus and Abilities:
Well-balanced; she’s not overpowered and you have a good spread of abilities and ability progression. I assume many of the jutsus you mentioned are made up by you so I can’t really comment too much on that.
Overall:
You obviously thought and planned out a lot about Megumi Yoko and it shows. She’s neither overpowered not overly weak. I really like her, but I feel like you could make her stand out a bit more. With a very introverted personality, it can be easy for these kinds of characters to feel less well-defined than others. Looking forward to where you take her from here :)
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Bookshelf Briefs 8/6/19
Dr. STONE, Vol. 6 | By Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi | Viz Media – So it turns out that the current non-turned-to-stone population are all descended from Senku’s dad and the rest of the crew of the space shuttle, which is honestly more about Byakuya’s faith in his son to eventually save the day even if it takes hundreds of years. Back in the present, Tsukasa and the followers that he’s amassed are planning to invade the village and destroy what Senku has accomplished, but little do they know that Senku has the power of RIDICULOUS SHONEN SCIENCE on his side. The best thing about this volume is that we’re starting to see the non-Senku cast actually come up with inventions—the water wheel revelation was great, and Senku knows it. Dumb fun, masquerading as smart fun. – Sean Gaffney
Farewell, My Dear Cramer, Vol. 1 | By Naoshi Arakawa | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Midori Soshizaki and Sumire Suo played girls’ soccer for different teams in middle school, but Soshizaki is so taken with Suo’s play that she volunteers to go to whichever high school Suo chooses. Suo, accustomed to being the only one really trying on her team, feels kinship with another girl on a lousy team, and so she and Soshizaki both end up at Warabi Seinan, whereupon a couple of other talented players show up along with a new coach, since the current one sees no future in girls’ soccer and isn’t interested in doing his job. This was a pleasant start to a series, but the soccer action isn’t as easy to follow as in other titles I’ve read, and it quickly veers away from the two leads to focus on another teammate. I’ll definitely keep reading, though! – Michelle Smith
Love in Focus, Vol. 3 | By Yoko Nogiri | Kodansha Comics – I had forgotten that this was a series that ended in three volumes, but I would have remembered anyway given the rapidity with which Kei and Mako get together and just as quickly break up. “Let’s date first and fall in love later” rarely works in shoujo manga, especially when you’re the blond, who almost always loses out to the brunet. That happens here as well, as dating Kei does help Mako realize her feelings—for Mitsuru. That said, though the plot beats were very predictable, I thought Mako and Mitsuru’s dialogue was sweet and pure in a shoujo sort of way, and I also liked how the “stalker” plot was resolved. As with the author’s previous series, this was decent but not good enough for long-term. – Sean Gaffney
My Hero Academia, Vol. 20 | By Kohei Horikoshi | VIZ Media – I’m sorry to say that I just can’t muster up much interest for Gentle Criminal and La Brava, the villain and his acolyte who get in Midoriya’s way when he’s trying to get back to campus in time for class 1A’s performance at the school festival. Once their fight is finally over, though, it’s time for the feels. The focus on Jiro here is pretty brief, but oh so welcome, and that two-page spread of her smiling so radiantly while performing is incredible. And then, just a few pages later, there’s Mirio who is suddenly moved to tears because Eri, the girl he sacrificed so much to save, is having the time of her life. I love Mirio and Eri together, and I also love Aizawa rushing to be with Todoroki when his dad, now the number-one hero, is injured on live TV. Plus, there’s Hawks! This volume has much goodness. – Michelle Smith
My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Vol. 1 | By Kohei Horikoshi and Hirofumi Neda | VIZ Media – I’m not really a gag manga sort of person, so I didn’t expect much from My Hero Academia: Smash!!. But despite the warning from creator (and Horikoshi assistant) Hirofumi Neda that it was going to be crude, I actually thought it was quite fun! It follows along with the early events of the main story, up until the first attack by the League of Villains. Often, familiar scenes are subverted in some way, like All Might’s “you can be a hero” moment turning into a sales pitch for vitamins, but sometimes they’re expounded upon in genuinely intriguing ways, like showing how Yaoyorozu used her quirk in the fitness tests Aizawa devised. (I also liked that her classmates now prefer Yaoyorozu brand erasers.) Also, I think one panel features a tiny puking Jesus. To my surprise, I’m looking forward to volume two! – Michelle Smith
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 5 | By Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court | Viz Media – This volume definitely felt like the fifth book in a four-book series, a constant danger when something gets really popular. Knuckleduster’s plot is resolved, and so he very pointedly, with one or two exceptions, withdraws from the series. Instead we see Pop Step and the Crawler trying to be vigilantes on their own and rapidly coming to a realization, which is underscored by licensed heroes yelling at them—they’re not powerful enough to do much more than get in the way. That said, I did enjoy seeing Midnight in her “casual” clothes, and the kid singers were very cute. A series that has turned a corner but not yet hit the next long straightaway. – Sean Gaffney
My Next Life As a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Vol. 1 | By Satoru Yamaguchi and Nami Hidaka | Seven Seas – The manga adaptation of one of my favorite recent light novels didn’t have to go very far to impress me, just adapt the novel as well as it could. There’s obviously stuff that’s cut to fit (Katarina’s parents’ relationship gets a one-panel explanation), but it handles introducing the main cast well, and cuts the “alternate POV” parts which would have made the manga repetitive. Best of all is the prose short story at the end, seeing Katarina having a nightmare about the villainess her otome game self is supposed to be, and the bad choices that she makes which our Katarina can’t stop her from despite yelling inside her head. Definitely get this if you like the novels. – Sean Gaffney
The Quintessential Quintuplets, Vol. 4 | By Negi Haruba | Kodansha Comics – This is moving at a galloping pace for a romantic comedy, especially one with quintuplet heroines. There’s the bad—Ichika pursuing her dream would mean leaving school, which would mean Futaro losing tutoring money—and there’s the worse—various people getting bad, bad colds due to the weather and circumstance, which leads to a mass search for Itsuki and a bedside vigil for Futaro, whose cold of course turns out to be the worst of all. We also get another flash forward reminding us that he does eventually marry one of them, but continuing to not tell us who. Don’t expect that to be resolved till the final page of the series. For fans of harem comedy/dramas. – Sean Gaffney
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 6 | By Yu Tomofuji | Yen Press – Anubis has finally given in and allowed a trial period for Sariphi to be Queen Consort. Unfortunately, we then see the problems that this causes, which is that the majority of the populace still isn’t ready for a human girl as the Queen. Fortunately, Sariphi is made of pretty stern stuff, and even when she’s down there are folks who can cheer her up. This allows her to resolve the fractured relationship between a mother and daughter, as well as give Amit the courage to give a token to her beloved Jor, even though as a soldier he may not be able to return that love. Honestly, this does continue to remind me a lot of Fruits Basket, but that’s not especially a bad thing. – Sean Gaffney
Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 1 | By Honda | Yen Press – My first exposure to Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san was through its anime adaptation. I’ve not actually watched the show, but I’ve seen enough screencaps of the titular skeleton dramatically reacting to a wide range of customer service exchanges to reasonably expect that I would love the original series. And, after reading the first volume of the manga, I can definitively say that I absolutely do. To a large extent the manga is autobiographical, based on Honda’s experiences as a clerk in the manga department of a large Tokyo bookstore. It provides entertaining insights into the life of a bookseller, showing the challenges presented by customers, publishing schedules, corporate management, and just trying to keep the shelves appropriately stocked. This could be rather dry as a subject, but in Honda’s hands the portrayal of bookselling is delightfully humorous, intense, and over-the-top in a way that is both engaging and still incredibly honest. – Ash Brown
Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 1 | By Honda | Yen Press – I’ve seen the first few episodes of the Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san anime and this is going to be one of those rare occasions where I have to admit that I kind of like the anime more than the manga. Certainly, Honda-sensei depicts the bookstore (specifically its manga department) as a place way more hectic than I ever anticipated, but that frenetic energy (and the kookiness of his often-foreign customers) just translates better to the animated medium, I think. That said, this volume has a lot to recommend it, particularly if you want a glimpse of what Japanese booksellers think of the global readership manga has obtained. Read it, but maybe watch it, too. – Michelle Smith
Waiting for Spring, Vol. 11 | By Anashin | Kodansha Comics – I’d long been wanting more basketball in Waiting for Spring, and I finally got my wish in this volume. The latest tournament has begun, and if the Seiryo boys want to repeal the no-dating rule, they have to win. They make to the finals league, where they’re up against Aya’s team, Hojo, and though Seiryo ends up losing, there’s still hope due to the structure of the tournament. Aya realizes his kind of love expected Mitsuki to never grow or change whereas her love for Asakura inspires her to try new things and set goals for herself, so he seemingly steps aside though he does talk about returning (he’s apparently moving back to American) once she’s grown up. Anyway, this is a cute series that I like a lot and though I don’t expect many surprises from its final two volumes, I nonetheless look forward to reading them. – Michelle Smith
By: Ash Brown
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American Gods - ‘The Bone Orchard’ Review
"I love you. Something feels weird."
So, a television series adapted from the extraordinarily beloved novel by Neil Gaiman, as interpreted by Bryan Fuller, who gave us one of the best television shows of all time in Hannibal, and Michael Green, who wrote Green Lantern but is probably still a decent person and nice to babies and small animals.
So... no expectations then...
Starz' American Gods is a curious beast, brilliant and gorgeous and upsetting and strange. Based on a book first published in 2001, which was then substantially updated for its 10th anniversary edition, it still manages to be very much its own thing. With that in mind, it's worth a quick word up front:
I had never read American Gods, when I stumbled across the first episode of the series. I was mostly interested in it because I was a huge fan of both Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic and Bryan Fuller's Hannibal, and wanted to see how the two influences meshed together. For what it's worth, I actually also like Green Lantern, but that's not really relevant as I didn't make the Michael Green connection at the time.
Not having read the book, in my occasionally humble opinion, actually improves season one of the show. I have since read it, or to be more accurate listened to it on Audible, because it really was a very long wait between season one and two. To be honest, I sort of wish I hadn't, because the spiraling 'wtf'-ness – if I might coin a phrase – of encountering all this in a vacuum really heightens the viewing experience. Ah well, that ship has sailed for me now. In any case, this is my long-winded way of saying that we're going to be looking strictly at the show itself here without considering anything from the book. I have no idea what percentage of people watching the show have read the book or haven't, and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone with more self control than I have. So it would mean a great deal to me if we all could be cool about refraining from a lot of spoilers in the comments. Cool? Cool.
The first notable thing about the show is how beautiful it looks. This isn't really a surprise, as making bizarre and disturbing things look unsettlingly beautiful was kind of the entire reason that Hannibal existed, and nobody's better than Fuller at pulling that sort of thing off. The opening 'coming to America' scene with the Vikings is in equal measures incredibly funny, horrifying, and gorier than I would have expected them to get away with. Consider specifically the dismembered arm, still holding its sword, flying through the air and landing in the throat of the other Viking. Slapstick shouldn't work when there's that much viscera on screen, but it does here. And the loving care with which Fuller and co present scarlet and crimson blood as a three dimensional object moving through space is possibly the sign of something severely unhealthy in his emotional makeup. Honestly, it's just gorgeous.
Honestly, the opening sequence with the Vikings sets up the tone of the show absolutely perfectly.
Contrasted with this, the final sequence of Shadow's attempted lynching, and the slaughter of his assailants, whoever they were, by the person saving Shadow, whoever they were, is equally beautiful. If that's not an inappropriate word for the subject matter being shown. The deep midnight blue of the night, contrasted with the rich reds of the blood. Seriously, there are food commercials that haven't put in this much work to make what they're filming looks good.
And on the subject, so many hats off to the show for not shying away from the lynching. The basic setup of the show, as we get very lightly sketched in in the first episode, is that the old gods that were brought to the US by the people who came here and gradually forgotten are gearing up for a war with the new gods that replaced them. The Gods who represented things that modern Americans worship now. Gods like Technology, and television, and money and guns. We see what appears to be the God of Technology here, and he's an obnoxious, vaping jackass of a kid. Seems about right. We don't see anything about television here, but it was well advertised beforehand that Gillian Anderson would be appearing as Media. Money and guns are my own observation about 'things Americans worship.' So, that said, it was a brave decision to embrace the imagery of lynching, in a show focusing on the 'spirit(s) of America', it's brave of them to not shy away from the ugly parts.
The general upshot of the story is that our protagonist, a man by the name of Shadow Moon, is released from prison a few days earlier than he was supposed to be when his wife and his best friend are killed in a car accident together. On his way home to the funeral he encounters a strange man who identifies himself as Mr. Wednesday, who's played by the always-charming Ian McShane, who offers him a job as his driver and man-Friday. Along the way this week Shadow also meets Mad Sweeney, a surprisingly tall leprechaun played by the criminally underrated Pablo Schreiber, previously best known as 'Pornstache' on Orange is the New Black.
This, the opening episode of what is clearly going to be a long and involved multi-season multi-entangled story, presents us with a strong story hook in the form of Shadow, a few interesting mysteries in the form of Mr. Wednesday and Mad Sweeney, and a particularly graphic sex scene featuring a character named Bilquis, in which I saw more of character actor Joel Murray than I ever wanted to see. A very good first mile on what is clearly going to be a very long journey.
Quotes:
Wednesday: "I offer you the worm from my beak and you look at me like I f***ed your mom?"
Wednesday: "What should I call you if I was so inclined?"
Shadow: "Shadow Moon."
Wednesday: "Oh my boy, that is one outstandingly improbable name."
Wednesday: "Rigged games are the easiest to beat."
Shadow: "So how’d you do it?"
Sweeney: "With Panache."
Audrey: "I am trying to get my dignity back here!"
Bits and Pieces:
-- Shadow said that he'd read 813 books in prison. That's also the year the Vikings arrived in the opening sequence. It's also, as Shadow points out, a Fibonacci number. Good on him for enjoying math.
-- Ian McShane does gleeful decadence very well.
-- The concept that faith makes airplanes stay in the air is genuinely terrifying to me. I'm afraid of flying as it is.
-- I didn't get into her in the review, but Audrey is by far my favorite character so far. She's damaged beyond the ability to function, but not so far that she doesn't know she's non-functional. That's an interesting space for a character.
-- Fuller and Green, according to the stories, wanted Shadow to accept the BJ from Audrey on his wife's gravestone, on the theory that after three years in prison he'd be horny. Neil Gaiman responded that if they did that he'd commit suicide and leave a note that he'd killed himself specifically because they had done it. They decided to go a different way with it. Did I mention that the book has a lot of devoted fans?
-- Language as an operating system for religion. Wittgenstein would have loved that.
-- I would totally hang out at that crocodile bar.
A great first episode, with lots of promise for what's to come.
Four out of five flying Viking arms.
Mikey Heinrich is, among other things, a freelance writer, volunteer firefighter, and roughly 78% water.
#American Gods#Shadow Moon#Mr. Wednesday#Mad Sweeney#Laura Moon#Neil Gaiman#American Gods Reviews#Doux Reviews#TV Reviews
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Canon M50 Mk II: Is It Really That Bad?
Canon M50 Mk II
9.20 / 10
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If you're looking for a starter camera that makes your photos and videos pop, you can’t go wrong with the EOS M50 Mk II.
Key Features
Lightweight
YouTube Streaming
Vertical Shooting Mode
4K video (Cropped)
Flip-Out Display
Mirrorless
Hot Shoe Mount
Specifications
Brand: Canon
Sensor Size: CMOS APS-C 22.3mm x 14.9mm
Video Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Photo Resolution: 6000 x 4000
Battery: Yes
Connection: USB, HDMI, Audio In
Size: 4.6 x 3.5 x 2.3 inches (Body only)
Weight: 387 g
Water Resistance: No
Lens: 15 - 45 mm kit lens ; EF-M mount
Pros
Easy to Use
Onboard Mic Input
Clean HDMI Out
Vlogging Beast
Wide Range of Accessories
Photos and Videos are Stunning
Durablity
Cons
Battery Life
Only Slight Upgrade from Original
Kit Lens is Just Okay
Canon App is Terrible
Buy This Product
Canon M50 Mk II amazon
Shop
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F-Stops. ISO. Shutter Speed. Autofocus. The Exposure Triangle. Focal Length. 35mm vs. 50mm. Full-Frame vs. Micro Four Thirds. Mirrorless vs. DSLR. As a beginner, this is a short list of terms that you’ll be expected to know to get the best out of a consumer-grade camera.
While there is no substitute for good-old-fashioned-experimentation when it comes to shooting photos, sometimes you want to grab your camera and take a decent picture. But maybe you want to live out your Casey Neistat dreams of being the next Youtube Vlog sensation. Heck, maybe you'd like to use a camera that doesn’t come with a monthly service plan or double as a handheld Bejeweled Blitz machine.
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If only there were an entry-level camera that could help you solve those problems without costing a small fortune. If only a camera could take great photos without generating snotty looks from mustachioed hipsters effortlessly wielding their $8,000 Leicas. Well, folks, allow me to introduce you to the Canon EOS M50 Mk II.
The EOS M50 Mk II is the new 24.1-megapixel, mirrorless camera that improves upon the M50 Mk I from 2018. It uses the DIGIC 8 processor, designed to improve image quality even at higher ISO speeds. The EOS M50 Mk II can shoot 4K—more on that in a moment—at 24 frames per second (FPS); and shoot 1080P up to 60 FPS. The maximum video image size is 3840 x 2160.
Canon considers this its "entry-level" offering, and I am inclined to agree. But, with the entry-level price point and consumer in mind, that means the camera offers several features that make it easy for the average person to use. I think that's one of the EOS M50 Mk II's biggest strengths.
What’s in the Box?
The Canon EOS M50 Mk II Body
15-45mm Zoom lens
Owner’s Manual
Battery
Charger
Lens caps
The Canon M50 Mk II is the second iteration of the previous Canon M50 mirrorless camera staple in the YouTube vlogging world. A search on YouTube yields an almost endless supply of M50 videos. Seriously, everyone has this camera.
The wide use means there's also an abundance of accessories available for the M50 Mark II, including lenses, cages, speed-boosters, USB power adapters, 110v A/C plug-in power supplies, and much more.
So, what makes the EOS M50 Mk II better than the original? And why should you fork over an additional $50 bucks on top of the price of the original M50 for the standard Mk II body-and-kit-lens package? And what about all that negative press?! Isn’t the M50 Mk II just a software update to the original M50?
Yes. Essentially the hardware for the M50 Mk II is the same as the original M50. And Yes, the Mk II is essentially just a software update from the original. Don’t listen to the haters, though. You should still buy the Mk II unless you're only planning on taking photos.
Related: Common Camera Lenses and When to Use Them
But why? Well, mostly because I think it adds $50 worth of additional features that you’re not going to get if you decide to buy the original.
Features like autofocus improvements, and a clean HDMI out, which means that you can plug the M50 MK II into a desktop monitor to gaze into your own pretty face while filming for your adoring YouTube fanbase, or record to an external device.
There’s also better battery life. That means about 1/3 more photos than the original M50, not to mention more video footage. And the Mk II offers improvements to autofocus, as well as a new feature—eye-tracking focus. Plus, you can use autofocus while the AI Servo AF is active—a feature that makes motion capture simple and is absent from the original M50.
Is the EOS M50 Mk II an Upgrade?
If you’re going to make a decently large purchase for a camera that is around $700, then you want the absolute maximum of features packed into whatever you buy. While the original M50 is still a great camera, it’s not the best for vlogging, and the camera’s anemic battery life has been flagged more than once. Of course, you could always spend a little extra and buy another battery if you like. That’s a great way to go as well. Or you could buy the Mk II.
Then there's the autofocus. Canon is famous for its dual pixel autofocus. I won’t get into the jargon-y specifics because I don’t like to bore my readers, but what you need to know is this: Canon's dual pixel autofocus is awesome.
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It’s great for videos and normal photography alike. It’s also fast. Eye-controlled focus (eye-tracking) adds to the dual pixel autofocus by accentuating the subject’s eyes while shooting.
It’s generally accepted that if you want to take good portraits, then you should focus—no pun—on the eyes of your subject. The eye-tracking focus feature makes it easy to do just that.
In addition to the improvements in autofocus, Canon added a vertical video shooting mode designed for your favorite photo and video-based social media platforms. The company has added wireless YouTube streaming (though YouTube restrictions mean you'll need over 1,000 subscribers), and you get that clean HDMI out so that if you’re streaming via the HDMI port, you don’t have to stare at the on-camera settings.
Related: A Complete Guide to the Exposure Triangle in Photography
This on-camera info display was a huge gripe for a lot of folks with the original EOS M50. With that model, whenever you connected an external display, there was no way to turn off the busy informational display settings. The Mk II changes that.
While we’re on the subject of minor gripes with the M50 Mark I, let’s talk about a feature that the Mark II has that the Mark I didn't. The flip-out screen record button.
That means you can now reach over and tap the on-screen button to start your video while you can still see yourself in the frame. The new on-screen record button is a little thing, but it’s something that the vlogging crowd and I certainly appreciate.
The M50 Mark II also makes it quick to get up and running. Charge the battery, pop on the lens, insert a memory card and get shooting. Additionally, for all of you colorists, the Mk II can shoot in a mostly flat color profile with a little software tweaking. But, I should note that it won't shoot LOG.
Did I mention that the M50 Mk II can be used with Zoom and OBS or the Canon EOS Webcam Utility as a webcam? It can, and it is also fabulous for this purpose as long as you have enough battery life to support it.
Personally, I bought an adapter that allows me to plug the camera into an AC cable and plug that cable into the wall. I love it. Every time I use the M50 Mk II as a webcam, I get bombarded with questions about my setup.
For the best use of this feature, I'd recommend you look into the 22mm f2.0 lens that Canon offers for the EF-M mount cameras. This lens gives you a wider shot and a larger aperture than the 15-45mm kit lens that the M50 ships with.
Related: Simple Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Photos
Ease of Use
Arguably the biggest benefit of the Mark II is how easy it is to pick up and use. Unfortunately, the kit lens isn’t the sharpest, and the f/3.5 aperture doesn’t lend itself to the type of creamy bokeh that you’re used to seeing in professional portrait photography. Still, for amateur photographers looking to get their feet wet, this is a great package.
For point-and-shoot photography, the 15-45mm kit lens is more than enough to make your photos pop. Though, you should know that low-light settings are going to require increased ISO. Past 400 things start to get a little grainy, but most photos don’t really suffer until you’re around the 800+ mark.
The one thing the 15-45mm kit lens is excellent at is vlog content creation. Paired with a small on-camera shotgun mic and a gimbal or GorillaPod, this setup is a vlogging beast. It’s no wonder so many YouTubers—some with several hundred thousand followers—use their EOS M50 as their primary run-and-gun rig.
While the Canon’s mic preamp is slightly lacking, using this setup with both the Rode VideoMicro and the Takstar Sgc-598 provided plenty of decent quality audio capture. A little normalization and compression in post were all it took to get decent quality sound.
Related: How to Take Care of Your Camera Lenses
Is the M50 Mk II Durable?
It is, and I want to take a moment to focus on its durability. Now I admit, I am not the most careful person when it comes to my equipment. That’s why, when I managed to knock over my tripod not once but twice, with the M50 Mk II on top of it, I almost wound up on blood pressure meds.
Both times I thought I was going to scoop up a camera with some extreme damage. Maybe a broken viewfinder or a smashed touch screen.
Well, I am happy to report that my Canon M50 Mk II doesn’t have a scratch on it. The lenses aren’t cracked or damaged, and the display is clear and sharp. The body of the camera looks like it was just taken out of the box.
There are really only two possibilities for why this is: either I’m lucky (and I certainly need to be more careful with my equipment) or, maybe the M50 Mk II is a pretty durable unit for even the most buttery of fingers.
What's Not to Love About the M50 Mk II?
After a few weeks using the M50 MK II, I can honestly say I have only a couple of complaints. First is the cropped image in 4K. While this camera is touted as a 4K camera and perfectly capable of recording in 4K, the sensor will dump a large portion of its field of view. This is an additional 1.6x crop over the APS-C crop of 1.6x (2.56x total). Also, while in the 4K mode, you lose Canon’s delicious dual pixel autofocus.
This isn’t really a problem for me, as I don’t like shooting in 4K anyway. Even when I am creating content, I prefer to shoot at 24 FPS in 1080p full HD. Footage shot at 24 FPS has that cinematic look that I adore, and I can use the autofocus to make sure all of my shots are effortlessly tack sharp.
Second, on this list is the Canon iOS app. I hate it. It’s buggy, it’s clunky, it crashes often, and it constantly makes me reset the Wi-Fi settings of the camera to use my phone as a wireless display. The app drives me absolutely insane, and if any Canon app developers are reading—shame on you.
Last on the list is the digital viewfinder. While it works well as a viewfinder, the sensor next to the viewfinder might give me an aneurysm. Whenever I am using the camera for Zoom meetings, I find the sensor will shut off the external display if it is near a reflective surface—namely, the watercolor painting hanging above my desk. Fortunately, this sensor can be disabled in the menu for the M50 Mk II.
Should You Buy the Canon EOS M50 Mk II?
I think you know the answer to this question by now. If you don’t, then get your credit card out; it’s time to do some camera buying. The original M50 was a great all-around camera. The Mark II adds several improvements aimed at content creators and vloggers. If you fit that description, and you can’t afford to spend $3,000 to improve your smartphone shots, then the M50 MK II is a great choice.
If you are looking to start a YouTube channel, then the M50 Mk II has enough features to keep you busy for a while. You might eventually outgrow it, though some YouTubers continue with the M50 well into the six-figure subscriber counts.
If you need a camera that will allow you to level up your photographs, this is the camera to buy. And while you’re at it, think about upgrading from the kit lens to the Canon 32mm F1.4. It’s how I get most of my product photography shots. Finally, if you need a small and lightweight camera for taking on the road or for street photography, the M50 Mark II isn’t cumbersome and doesn’t draw a lot of attention.
On the other hand, if you’re a die-hard camera enthusiast who breathes shutter speeds, or if you can spot the difference between a nifty 50 and a 35mm at 300 yards, then you’re better off buying something a little more high-end. Additionally, if the thought of auto-anything makes you shudder (pun intended), then save up for a while and buy a Sony A7s III. You’ll be much happier.
Final Focus on the EOS M50 Mark II
Overall, the M50 Mk II is a delightful starter camera. Canon makes it easy for a total beginner to pick up the unit and get some great photos off the rip. That’s really what makes it excellent. It has a diverse range of functions for both budding photogs and experienced users alike. Unfortunately, it won’t compete with some of the more expensive models, but for regular people who want a camera that makes their photos look great without much effort, you can’t go wrong with the EOS M50 Mk II.
Ignore the crowd that says this camera is “disappointing.” It’s not. It just has a specific purpose, and what it is designed to do—namely, be an entry-level vlogging camera with excellent photo capability—it does well.
Though the M50 Mark II might not make you a YouTube star, it will help you get started.
Canon M50 Mk II: Is It Really That Bad? published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/
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Top 25 Films of the 21st Century
Nick’s List
1. Boyhood (Linklater, 2014)
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004)
3. Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004)
4. In Bruges (McDonagh, 2008)
5. Children of Men (Cuaron, 2006)
6. There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson, 2007)
7. Inside Llewyn Davis (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2013)
8. Before Midnight (Linklater, 2013)
9. The Master (P.T. Anderson, 2012)
10. The Social Network (Fincher, 2010)
11. In the Mood for Love (Kar-wai, 2000)
12. Nightcrawler (Gilroy, 2014)
13. Ex Machina (Garland, 2015)
14. Hell or High Water (Mackenzie, 2016)
15. Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016)
16. Beasts of the Southern Wild (Zeitlin, 2012)
17. Catch Me If You Can (Spielberg, 2002)
18. The Hurt Locker (Bigelow, 2009)
19. The Departed (Scorses, 2006)
20. Short Term 12 (Cretton, 2013)
21. The Prestige (Nolan, 2006)
22. Mud (Nichols, 2013)
23. Y Tu Mama También (Cuaron, 2001)
24. Creed (Coogler, 2015)
25. Frances Ha (Baumbach, 2012)
John’s List
1. Gladiator (Scott, 2000)
2. Hot Fuzz (Wright, 2007)
3. Inside Llewyn Davis (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2013)
4. Anchorman (McKay, 2004)
5. No Country for Old Men (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2007)
6. Training Day (Fuqua, 2001)
7. Django Unchained (Tarantino, 2012)
8. There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson, 2007)
9. John Wick 2 (Stahelski, 2017)
10. Inside man (Lee, 2006)
11. Burn After Reading (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2008)
12. American Psycho (Harron, 2000)
13. Gone Girl (Fincher, 2014)
14. Zoolander (Stiller, 2001)
15. Best in Show (Guest, 2000)
16. Nice Guys (Black, 2016)
17. Adaptation (Jonze, 2002)
18. Birdman (Inarritu, 2014)
19. Bernie (Linklater, 2011)
20. Sicario (Villeneuve, 2015)
21. The Master (P.T. Anderson, 2012)
22. The LEGO Movie (Lord and Miller, 2014)
23. Doubt (Shanley, 2008)
24. The Savages (Tamara Jenkins, 2008)
25. Silence (Scorsese, 2016)
ND: We've had this discussion a few times before: is there a difference between "best" and "favorite?" My initial reaction is no. We like what we like, for whatever reason you come to or criteria you choose, that's the grading scale, pure and simple.
The one glaring instance where the "best" and "favorite" line begins to blur is with the work of Richard Linklater, whose films are so emotionally vulnerable that they have effectively changed the way I see the world. In another filmmaker's hands, Boyhood would have been a showy gimmick, but Linklater understood what this project needed to be before shooting the first scene, allowing the deeply human nature of the film to unfold beautifully and organically. It deserves a spot on this list for innovation alone. Explain yourself, John!
JI: With a fear of being blocked from continuing this project, I must admit, I haven't seen Boyhood yet. That's is the plain and simple reason why it is not included on my list. Wish I had some lame, pretentious reason for its exclusion.
ND: I am happy to see you've somewhat made up for this oversight with the selection of other outstanding Linklater film, Bernie. It's a rare feat to so perfectly utilize two very specific actors (Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey).
Walk me through your process a bit before we get into detail.
JI: My process was pretty simple and I think you outlined it pretty well, I picked what I like. I could tell you why I picked each and every one of these movies individually but on the whole, you have to go with your gut and pick the movies you feel are the best to you. Also, as we have discussed previously, going into being best is staying power. There are a few movies I've only seen maybe once or twice but I still think of them to this day. Movies like Doubt and Silence are like that for me. I feel if a movie has that kind of power it is impossible to not include it on a "best" list.
Please feel free to eviscerate me for not seeing Boyhood, I deserve it.
ND: You have shamed me, son. Boyhood is on Netflix so you're running out of excuses. Though I am not without sin, having not seen Doubt.
JI: Huge misstep on my part, for many reasons but especially since I really enjoy Ethan Hawke.
ND: My girlfriend will be relieved to know I am not the only one.
Anyway, film-going experiences that resonate with me long after I leave the theater always score the highest on my lists, as the director's ability to utilize all aspects of the medium plays a huge part in landing an emotional impact or gathering more information upon repeat viewings. So it's no surprise the Coen Bros., Paul Thomas Anderson, Alfonso Cauron, and David Fincher are prominently featured throughout our lists as masters of blending the cerebral with a cinematic spectacle.
I should address the lack of comedies on my list (though In Bruges, Eternal Sunshine, Llewyn Davis, and Frances Ha are all loosely comedic). Don't get me wrong, there are few things better than laughing your ass off in a theater, but when applying the "re-watch" test to some of my all-time favorite comedies (Walk Hard, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 21 Jump Street), the jokes, once tread, aren't good enough to lift the film to the highest class, considering the low bar for cinematography, acting and, most importantly, narrative. I may be in the minority here, but these movies are largely fleeting experiences as I grow older.
What are your insights into your comedic selections? I wouldn't classify Hot Fuzz as a strict comedy considering the high-wire act Edgar Wright always pulls off, nor Best in Show, a borderline Shakespearean experience with levels of complexity to the jokes. Anchorman is clearly a classic, and you obviously believe it has aged well. Zoolander, though, I'll need some convincing.
JI: I think I largely agree with your take on comedies in regards to putting them on a best list but in terms of rewatchability I'm not sure I agree as much. Of course there are comedies that don't stand the test of time, Borat chief among them, but for the most part I feel great comedies stay funny no matter how many times you've heard the jokes. Addressing your second point about the two straight up comedies, Anchorman and Zoolander, there is a level of comfort and familiarity with those two. I'm not confident they actually do still hold up but since I saw them at the time I did I think they still hold that spot for me, if that makes any sense. A perfect example of being weary of their relevance now is the fact I haven't and never plan on seeing either sequel. On Zoolander specifically, I saw it in theaters and hated it but every subsequent viewing I've enjoyed it more and more and no matter how many times I've seen it there are still lines that crack me up. Not sure if that does anything to convince you but it just strikes a cord for me and I can't really explain it but seeing it when it came out in 2001 rather than today is a big part of that.
About the other two, I just think they're great movies that happen to be really funny. Hot Fuzz is the perfect send up of the types of movies Nick Frost's character loves. The performances are great, I particularly love Timothy Dalton's character, there are impressive action sequences and I really relish all the cameos in the beginning between Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan and Cate Blanchett. Not sure if this is a hot take, but it is the best movie from the Frost, Pegg, Wright trio. Best in Show gives such a realistic feeling to such absurd characters in an equally absurd premise. It is funny throughout without seeming cartoonish despite the cartoonish nature of the characters, like Eugene Levy's character and his two left feet.
I haven't seen all of your films but one that I'm curious about and especially its place on the list is The Social Network. I liked it but my thoughts don't really seem to align with many people's on the quality of the movie. What standout so much for you with that movie that it is in your top 10?
ND: The Social Network opens with one of the most captivating scenes in recent memory. There's nothing to it -- two college kids are in a bar chatting across from one another, and eventually the girl breaks up with the guy. It's been done a thousand times before, but the way it's staged and written and performed is nothing short of memorizing. In five minutes of shot/reserve-shot dialogue we learn everything we need to know about Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg -- how he's wired and what his motivations are. The scene is jammed with more character development that most movies can manage in their entire run-times, and when the fervently escalating discussion culminates in Rooney Mara's Becca telling Mark, "you're going to go through life thinking that girls don't like you because you're a nerd, and I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that that won't be true. It'll be because you're an asshole," it hits you like a freight train.
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That scene sets the stage for the whole movie, a rudimentary premise turned thrilling through the artful design of David Fincher. There's a perfect cross-section of seedy Ivy League ritual and lure, the dangerous hubris of a brilliant, spiteful teenager, and the lustful excitement of an unknown frontier. Fincher made a movie about Facebook -- FACEBOOK! -- a pulse-pounding high-wire act, which is miraculous.
I'd like to hear more about your no. 1 selection, Gladiator. It's unlike any other movie on your list, both in terms of genre and style. What about it has made such a lasting impression?
JI: Gladiator is definitely one that even I didn't expect to be number one when I started out doing this. The first thing that made such an impression is that my dad took my to see it in the theater, I was about two months away from turning eight, so seeing such a violent movie in the theater was a big deal. (Questionable parenting? The world may never know). Beyond that though it is insanely re-watchable for me. I watched it twice over memorial day weekend! In terms of the movie itself, the action scenes are incredible, the performances from Crowe and Phoenix are really solid. Crowe is a little one-note throughout but I think he fluctuates that one note just enough to create a sympathetic hero and somewhat rounded character and Phoenix is always great as the weirdo bad guy. Has he ever not been really good in anything? There are definitely flaws with the movie, so it isn't number one because it is a flawless piece of art, but I find it to be highly entertaining (yes, I was entertained Maximus) and something you can always watch. I feel like this hasn't be a very articulate breakdown as to why, but it is just kind of a gut call.
ND: Shame on you for spoiling my "Are you not entertained?" joke.
JI: Not including the comedies, is this the pick you have the biggest issue (if that's even the right word) with? Also, were there any movies for you that surprised you where you ended up slotting them, similar to my experience here with Gladiator?
ND: I don't want to be misunderstood. I don't have a problem with any of your picks; art is a very personal thing and who am I to judge how you or anyone else creates a criteria for greatness? I'm just trying to pick your brain a little bit. I will admit to having never seen Training Day. And I thought No Country for Old Men was underwhelming -- though I know I am in the vast minority and it might have been a case of the film being so hyped that I was predisposed to be disappointed.
JI: I wasn't trying to imply that you had a problem with any pick, that's why I hedged and said I don't think issue was the right word to use. No Country's ending falls a little flat but up until that point I find Javier Bardem too magnetic to be disappointed on the whole.
ND: In regards to the ordering, there were no surprises in the top 10. I'm sure on a different day Eternal Sunshine or Before Sunset or even In Bruges could have been no. 1, but I didn't overthink it with Boyhood (watched it again this weekend) and it's not worth splitting hairs over my best of the best.
I guess the biggest surprise is In the Mood for Love at no. 11, as I hadn't seen it until about a year ago. It's right up my ally in terms of a deeply melancholy romance story, chock full of utter beauty and heartbreak weaved together so seamlessly. It's a quiet film that speaks volumes in its slow, calculated moments. Recalling my The Social Network, Boyhood, et al picks, I am always impressed when filmmakers take a simple premise and do something inventive with it, and Wong Kar-wai brutally precise decisions are marvelous.
Quick side bar: I learned about In the Mood for Love on CineFix, a YouTube channel that creates incredibly detailed and researched lists. It's a must-subscribe for any film buff.
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The next biggest surprise is Catch Me If You Can. It's decidedly unlike all my other selections, and very Spielbergian (not always a good thing), but god damn, that movie is just so much fun. It's a perfect caper, plain and simple.
JI: I was curious about your inclusion of Catch Me if You Can, because as you said it is so unlike any other movie on your list. Spielberg has been a little hit or miss since the turn of the century, good thing he's producing Gremlins 3.
ND: I didn't want us to devote any space for honorable mention selections in order to make the 25 mean something, but I'm changing my tune a little bit. Give me ONE movie that hurt the most to leave off. I really wanted to find a spot for Wall-E. That movie blows my mind.
JI: My original number 25 was going to be the documentary Let the Fire Burn. Probably a way out there choice considering the rest of my list. It is about MOVE in Philadelphia and what ultimately transpired when Mayor Goode effectively bombed the house that MOVE was in. Not sure if you've seen it but I loved how they used all archival footage to tell the story. There is no narration and from I remember very little on-screen text. The documentary plays out telling the cohesive story of MOVE and then the aftermath and fallout following all the destruction. It also features councilman Ed Rendell, which might be a nice easter egg for some. It also does a great job of bringing to light a story that even in Philadelphia isn't really talked about or told anymore and gives full context to both the MOVE members and the city.
ND: I actually just watched Let the Fire Burn not too long ago. I took a deep dive into the MOVE bombing earlier this year, absorbing as much about it as I could, because you're right, it goes largely un-talked about considering what a bonkers story it was (though just this week the city commemorated the event and the lives lost with a monument). And I definitely appreciate a documentary that is driven by facts and not an agenda.
I'm surprised to see we only have three overlapping selections -- The Master, Inside Llewyn Davis, and There Will Be Blood. The former two we talked about in depth during our last collaboration, but let's discuss TWBB for a second, especially now that Daniel Day-Lewis is "retired." Even for a career as illustrious as DDL's, his turn as Daniel Plainview by far his crowning achievement, and I'd put it toe-to-toe with any performance ever put on screen. He carries every frame with such menace, vigor, and even surprising vulnerability that makes the viewer sympathize with a terrible man. It's unlike anything I've ever seen.
JI: I haven't watched it all the way through in a while but I find myself often YouTubing scenes just to inject more DDL straight into my veins. The only other character that has been so outright horrible, vindictive while retaining vulnerability and a likability to me was Gandolfini as Tony Soprano. However, that is comparing apples and oranges, with an 86 episode series compared to a single feature.
Back to DDL in TWBB. His Plainview is such a transformation that anytime I see the movie or see clips my brain doesn't even compute that DDL is Plainview. He truly takes on his characters and becomes them and it is incredible in the way he has been able to transform himself through his various roles. I can see why the say it takes him about three or so years to mentally prepare for a role. It is hard to imagine anyone ever topping his absolute mastery of the art.
Two questions about DDL I'd like to pose for you. 1) Do you think the retirement will stick? He has done this before where he took time off to be a cobble. Now he is supposedly retiring to become a dressmaker. I think he'll eventually make his way back to the screen. 2) This is more of a thought exercise than a black or white question but should we be grateful for the few performances he did produce and how outstanding those are or should we be disappointed we only got so little of him during his career? It is a little disappointing to me but the other side of the argument is that maybe his performances would have suffered if he took on more projects and didn't throw himself in fully as he did.
ND: The answer to your first question is simple: no. Maybe at this very moment, DDL thinks that he's done all there is to do on screen, and considering he already-selective process, I bet this sabbatical lasts less than 7-8 years. But he will come back. DDL knows he's the best, and he will get that itch again once he reaches senior citizenry. And he's spent his entire adult life getting lost in other people that I'm not even sure he knows how to be himself. The more interesting question would be: what do you want his big comeback role to be? This is a hard question that I wasn't exactly prepared for, but we are so used to seeing him in these larger-than-life roles that I wouldn't his coming back in a simple, humanistic family drama. Mike Mills (Beginners, 20th Century Women) has the goods to write him a juicy role, but even more perfect would be Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea). Holy shit, I want to see nothing more now.
The second question is a bit more complex, because it was undoubtedly frustrating for DDL to take his good old time selecting only to leave us with Nine or The Ballad of Jake and Rose, but even in subpar movies (I didn't enjoy Lincoln, either), DDL always makes it worth watching, so his batting average, so to speak, is still remarkably high. If he were to have taken more roles along the way, could he have given us a few more classics? Probably, but more likely is he would have given us more disappointments. Look at De Niro and Pacino. The two have combined for dozens of duds in the past 20 years to only a handful of good roles. If the alternative to DDL's selectivity is Dirty Grandpa, Stand Up Guys, The Intern, Jack and Jill, etc., I'll take the former every time.
JI: I think I'd like to see him comeback and do something totally unexpected. How fun would it be if he was in a comedy or a Tarantino movie? I'd love to see what he could do in something that is so very much outside his realm, without stepping into Jack and Jill territory like you mentioned previously.
This is slightly (very) off topic, but since you mention De Niro and Pacino, you think they can turn their cold streaks around with Marty in The Irishman?
ND: I mean, if anyone's going to bring those two back from the dead, it's Scorsese. He has more than earned our trust at this point. I'd be lying if if wasn't a tiny bit worried about Marty going back to the gangster well -- and god forbid he ever cast a woman or a PoC -- but if it ain't broke, I guess.
Let’s leave it here since we’ve covered a lot. Though if you want to return with a deep dive on the John Wick 2 > John Wick decision, I’ll be here waiting.
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“Get To Know Me (Some More)”
tagged by matchaball, thanks Carmen! ♥
1) Coke or Pepsi? Coke? But tbh I haven’t had fizzy drinks in ages
2) Disney or Dreamworks? both!
3) Coffee or Tea? COFFEE
4) Books or movies? usually both, unless it’s a movie adapted from a book then I have to say, book.
5) Windows or mac? windows
6) D.C. or Marvel? Marvel
7) Xbox or PlayStation? PlayStation
8) Dragon age or mass effect? neither
9) Night owl or early riser? sadly, both. I’m a night owl and an early bird
10) Cards or chess? cards
11) Chocolate or vanilla? dark chocolate!
12) Vans or converse? converse (but.. tbh Nike)
13) Lavellan, Trevelyan, Cadash, or Adaar? -
14) Fluff or angst? FLUFF
15) Beach or forest? beach
16) Dogs or cats? I’d say I love all animals equally but I’d be lying.... I’m very much of a cat person ♥
17) Clear skies or rain? clear skies and sunny days :D
18) Cooking or eating out? I can’t very much cook aside from pasta that like, runs in my veins, so I’m going to say eating out!
19) Spicy or mild food? sadly, mild (I’m the shame of the family)
20) Halloween/Samhain or solstice/yule/Christmas? I’m going to say Christmas
21) Would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot? a little too hot, I’m A L W A Y S cold and I have a thing called Raynaud syndrome so
22) If you could have a superpower what would it be? ....to never need sleep
23) Animation or live action? animation!!!
24) Paragon or renegade? -
25) Bath or shower? shower
26) Team Cap or team Ironman? Team Cap <3
27) Fantasy or sci-fi? mmmmh fantasy
28) Do you have 3 or 4 favorite quotes if so what are they?
Lots from Baudelaire, “Enivrez vous” and his prose in particular.
Also Sonnet 121 from Shakespeare (but my favorite piece is 'The Merchant of Venice’), any lyrics from Streetlight Manifesto.. nothing specific
29) YouTube or Netflix? Netflix
30) Harry Potter or Percy Jackson? Harry Potter
31) When do you feel accomplished? usually after finishing house chores, I like stuff that is physically tiring. But I like it the most when I get positive feedbacks, no matter how simple the task.
32) Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars
33) Paperback books or hardcover books? paperback
34) Fantastic beasts or Cursed child? Fantastic Beasts
35) Rock or pop music? Rock
36) What is the most important thing in your life? I’m going to copy Carmen and say FIGARO ♥
37) Mountains or sea/ocean? sea!!
38) How do you express yourself? I’m a very bad liar, I’m very much honest and upfront, I am confrontational but I also tend to sugarcoat a lot
39) What’s the first book/film that really counted to you? Mhh Princess Mononoke. Also Fantasia (Disney)
40) What’s your element (air, water, etc.)? Fire, I’m a Sagittarius
41) If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I’m trying to visit all of Europes’ capitals
42) If you had any job in the world, what would it be? something lab-related? But I’d still like to be a cop
43) If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? Probably for the people I love to never get hurt and for cats to be safe forever but idk
44) If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?..... ice cream
45) If you could only have one, which social media platform would you use for the rest of your life? probably Tumblr
tagging: @lxwsxr, @moblit-hatake, @rolling-onigiri, @maridupains
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s/o to @dolllike for tagging me!! i tag @ready-set-fangirl @pincurlsandpixiedust @communist-waifus @shiratoriwowza @ukulelesandwich @tarmour9 and anyone else that wants to do this!
1) Coke or Pepsi? coke
2) Disney or Dreamworks? disney!
3) Coffee or Tea? tea
4) Books or movies? depends on the book/movie (for example i will always prefer the original poto book to any of its adaptations) but generally i like to watch movies first before i read the book
5) Windows or mac? windows for sure lmao i hate apple
6) D.C. or Marvel? not super into comics but if i had to chose one then id say dc
7) Xbox or PlayStation? only have had an xbox, but honestly i dont care much for either (i prefer nintendo or pc)
8) Dragon age or mass effect? not into either
9) Night owl or early riser? night owl for sure... i hate getting up anytime before 11
10) Cards or chess? uhh cards i guess, i dont remember how to play chess
11) Chocolate or vanilla? vanilla
12) Vans or converse? chucks
13) Lavellan, Trevelyan, Cadash, or Adaar? uhh idk what this is from
14) Fluff or angst? angst... i live to suffer
15) Beach or forest? pacific northwest beaches are lovely
16) Dogs or cats? *insert the road to el dorado “both is good” gif here*
17) Clear skies or rain? warm n rainy is gucci
18) Cooking or eating out? eating out, i hate cooking food
19) Spicy or mild food? mild because i am white and a baby
20) Halloween/Samhain or solstice/yule/Christmas? halloween is so wonderful, best time of the year
21) Would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot? little too cold... heat triggers my illnesses so hot=pain
22) If you could have a superpower what would it be? being really good at one specific thing of my choice
23) Animation or live action? animation
24) Paragon or renegade? idk what this question is asking
25) Bath or shower? shower, again hot=pain
26) Team Cap or team Ironman? neither, this movie was stupid
27) Fantasy or sci-fi? fantasy
28) Do you have 3 or 4 favorite quotes if so what are they?
“the mind of the subject will desperately struggle to create memories where none exist...” (bioshock infinite)
“though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night” (the old astronomer by sarah williams)
“draw a monster. why is it a monster?” (daughter by janice lee)
29) YouTube or Netflix? i spend much more time on youtube soo....
30) Harry Potter or Percy Jackson? hp
31) When do you feel accomplished? when my room is clean, my face is moisturized, and ive finished all of my homework
32) Star Wars or Star Trek? star wars 100% im a sw hoe
33) Paperback books or hardcover books? hard cover, they look prettier imo
34) Fantastic beasts or Cursed child? fantastic beasts (im a hufflepuff so im glad to have some quality hp representation)
35) Rock or pop music? pop, but mostly like indie pop or kpop
36) What is the most important thing in your life? my fam and friends ofc
37) Mountains or sea/ocean? ocean
38) How do you express yourself? clothing/hair, also art and decoration
39) What’s the first book/film that really counted to you? i dont really remember any books or movies that i watched when i was really young, but i was soooo obsessed with pokemon when i was a kid and i remember seeing some of the movies in theater
40) What’s your element (air, water, etc.)? water
41) If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? seoul or tokyo
42) If you had any job in the world, what would it be? video game designer, professional costumer (esp for like period films or theater), or fashion designer
43) If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? a cure to be developed for my illnesses (that could work for like other people too), to have a lot of money, and to have trump/his office to disappear
44) If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? disneyland corndogs
45) If you could only have one, which social media platform would you use for the rest of your life? instagram
46) Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor? already stated this but im a hufflepuff lmao
47) What’s your favorite food discourse guilty pleasure? i have no food guilty pleasures because i somehow was blessed w the ability to eat anything and never gain weight
(lunes question)48) who is your favorite character from a book/film/comic and why?: duck/ahiru (princess tutu) is my ultimate fav character ever... like #1 she is cute and goodhearted and p u r e #2 she is such a klutz but she tries her best :’) #3 throughout the series she really grows and has such great character development, she is best girl and anyone who disagrees can fight me personally
my question: is there something that you regret not doing, or a chance you regret not taking? what is it and why do you regret it?
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Tagged by @ukiinas hahaha thanks bae <3 :) lmao this is gonna be fun
Rules: Answer all the questions, then add one of your own and tag as many people as there are questions. (actually I’m only gonna tag a few people)
Tagging: @peachyhae, @superfleuressence, @dinohelia, @shinva, @rachelleabee and anyone else who wants to do this (just say that I tagged you lmao)
1) Coke or Pepsi? I don’t like soft drinks, but I’ve drank coke more than pepsi (still not a lot though)
2) Disney or Dreamworks? Uhhhhh I honestly don’t mind lmao, though I’ve watched more Disney/Pixar works
3) Coffee or Tea? Tea all the way man :) especially milk tea, po lei, lemon tea...
4) Books or Movies? Books, because let’s face it movie adaptions are kinda...shit (usually, the only good movie adaption that I’ve seen is Coraline)
5) Windows or Mac? I’m a Mac user through and through ahahaha (though of course I don’t mind Windows either)
6) D.C or Marvel? Not a fan of either, sorrys!
7) Xbox or PlayStation? I don’t own any...I usually just play my cousin’s one (I forgot whether or not they had a Xbox or Playstation)
8) Dragon or Mass Effect? I’ve never played either
9) Night Owl or Early Riser? Night owl lmao XD My sleep schedule has been ruined ever since I did the IB, I usually now sleep at 2:00 am
10) Cards or Chess? Cards, if only because I don’t really know how to play any chess games (board games are a different story though)
11) Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla, chocolate is too sweet for me
12) Vans or Converse? The aesthetics of converse looks better? But of course I don’t own any of these pairs of shoes
13) Lavellan, Trevelyan, Canadash or Adaar? I have no idea who or what they are, so *shrugs*
14) Fluff or Angst? Angst. Just bring on the tragedy man
15) Beach or Forest? I actually like the forest? Partially because we don’t have that much in HK, and I like the smell of grass
16) Dogs or Cats? Cats! Dogs aren’t really my thing (though again, depends on the specific breed)
17) Clear Skies or Rain? Clear skies pls...we don’t usually have that in HK ahhh (pollution and humidity why)
18) Cooking or Eating out? Eating out, because I can’t really cook and I don’t like to do the dishes afterwards
19) Spicy or Mild Food? Spicy food!!! Bring on the heat!! Ironically I hate wasabi?? But I love chilly sauce and curry!
20) Halloween/Samhain or Solstice/Yule/Christmas? I actually like the aesthetics of Halloween, but I haven’t been doing stuff for it (grew out of that yrs ago, plus its hard to trick or treat in apartments..) so most of the time my family celebrates the winter solstice instead
21) Would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot? I am already forever a little too cold. You have no idea how much my mom complains about me being 手脚冰冻
22) If you could have a superpower what would it be? Either reversing time a la Homura style, or just plain out magic
23) Animation or Live Action? animation! I think me being an aspiring animator has something to do with this...plus live action acting is usually ‘narmy’ in my point of view
24) Paragon or Renegade? I don’t play these games hahah
25) Bath or Shower? I usually take showers..if only because it’s quicker
26) Team Cap or Team Iron-Man? Neither, I’m not a fan of the movies/comics
27) Fantasy or Sci-Fi? Usually fantasy, though I don’t mind sci fi every now and then
28) Do you have three or four favorite quotes it so what are they? Too much to add here. Check out my quotes tag
29) YouTube or Netflix? Youtube, I don’t have Netflix
30) Harry Potter or Percy Jackson? Harry Potter! If only because I actually haven’t finished Percy Jackson...and classical mythology for a lack of term weirds me out
31) When do you feel accomplished? Finishing my essays or drawing a decent picture I can be sorta proud of (a lot harder than it sounds)
32) Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars, if only because I haven’t watched Star Trek
33) Paperback book or Hardcover book? Hardcover, I always somehow ruin paperback books and that pisses me off
34) Fantastic beast or Cursed Child? Haven’t watched any...need to keep up with the times man
35) Rock or Pop Music? Rock. Or pop rock. Pop is only nice every once in a while, but it’s not my thing
36) What is the most important thing in your life? Following ur dreams, not being forgotten, live life with no regrets hahah
37) Mountains or Sea/Ocean? Huh I actually like both!
38) How do you express yourself? Usually in art or writing. I don’t converse much, but if I trust you we’ll have a lot to talk about
39) What’s the first book/film that really counted to you? I think anything studio ghibli. Or was if Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Either way, highly recommend!
40) What’s your element (air, water, etc)? Probably water, if only because that’s my sign
41) If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Ohhh boy...either Japan, Mongolia, The Netherlands, Scandinavia, Malaysia...the list goes on!
42) If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? Either freelance artist or animator! I would also want to be an author, illustrator or maybe just a writer/blogger...ahh so many choices!
43) If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? Doesn’t telling people what you wish for defeat its purpose?
44) If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Rice! Or Siu Mai!
45) What’s your Spirit Animal/Patronus? I have no idea, so I’m just gonna put down cat
46) Would you kill yourself and save your friends or kill your friends and save yourself? I’d like us all to live, thanks
47) If you had to become a mythical creature which would you be? Holy shit I would become a dragon (western or asian one I don’t mind)..or maybe a 狐狸精, that would be nice :)
48) Your favorite song? Too much to put down, but I’m just gonna say Angel’s Fall by Breaking Benjamin
49) A4 or A5 notebooks? A5 notebooks, if only because they’re smaller and easier to carry
My question: Would you rather confess or be confessed to?
(You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to!)
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