I watch Taskmaster to study Greg & Alex's onscreen BDSM relationship like a bug.  

Hi Gina! A lot of Larries say that Louis' public image is fake and is the result of being closeted, and that the real Louis is who we saw back in 2011. They say that his smoking, drinking, manspreading, fashion, interests, inspirations, friends etc are all tied to his chav image. That he lies in interviews (like about not wearing nail polish, about drinking alcohol), that him hanging around with The Smuts and idolizing Liam Gallagher is part of his chav image. They seem hopeful that one day he'll change and go back to 2011 Louis. But could it be that Louis' early 1D image was exaggerated? They all had roles and he was marketed as 'the gay one'. He is still flamboyant and he has gained a lot of confidence over his tour but I don't know if he will ever go back to how he was because maybe that wasn't entirely him. His 'chav' image is part of him, people who grow up in Doncaster tend to act like that.

Hi sugar. “A lot of larries” is an exaggeration, in my opinion. There’s a very loud group of people (most of whom I see regularly on Twitter, but maybe they’re here, too) who think this way. As far as I’m concerned, it’s ignorant and super insulting to Louis.

To a certain extent, every celebrity’s public persona is fake. They’re products to be sold. We know a version of Louis Tomlinson. Who he was in 2011/12 was an aspect of who he was at the time. He was also 18-20 years old. He’s closing in on 31 now. If he was still the same as he was a decade ago, I’d really be concerned about him.

Louis was never marketed as “The Gay One”. He was allowed to be much more stereotypically flamboyant at the time, but I think that really was who he was then. He might have been allowed or encouraged to continue with that if Simon saw having a gay member of the band would be profitable. But his relationship with Harry changed everything.

Regardless, I think some people believe a guy who drinks and smokes and curses and wears tracksuits and hangs out with rock bands can’t possibly be who Louis is because that’s not their idea of what a queer man is. Or that’s not how they want him to be because they like the idea of bratty loulou in a crop top and belly ring. Or they’re comparing him to how Harry shows his queerness. Or they think who he is now has to be something enforced on him because he was different in the early days of the band and seemed to have his flamboyance curtailed through media training.

Louis has spoken often about being proud of his Doncaster background, proud to be working class, and yeah… that sort of background fits the image of the sort of music he’s making now, but I still feel like it’s very much an authentic part of who he is. That’s not to say that he’s not still flamboyant. But from what I’ve observed over the years, Louis’ flamboyance has never been shown by wearing dresses or painting his nails, and even when he was at his “twinkiest”, he was never that sort of flamboyant gay man. It just bothers me that so many people think that that would be the only way to authentically show his queerness when, in fact, we know that his “chav” style of dressing is actually very, very queer.

The Things We Don’t Tell

Summary: You were sure your life was written and directed to fit a sketchy Rom-Com and nobody could convince you otherwise. First, your boss was too hot to be true, and burning with desire didn’t even begin to explain the tingling sensations he left on you. Second, your coworker (a.k.a. Ex-About-to-be-FWB) insisted in turning your life into a living hell, which wasn’t the exact kind of hotness you were into. And if having these two hot men around you every single day of your life wasn’t enough to prove it, maybe the threat of your slutty secret identity about to be busted would be… But you couldn’t let this happen.

WC: 7,5 K

Genre: Smut, Humor (?)

AUs: Office, Enemies to Lovers

Pairing: Hwang Hyunjin X Fem!Reader X Bang Chan  

(Not really a love triangle as Hyunjin is the Lead. However, Reader wants to Bang Chan)

Rebloggable Masterlist    //   Main Masterlist   //   Tag List

Warnings: Language, Thigh riding, Public space (Office), Exhibitionism, Possessiveness, Pet Name (Baby girl), Sir Kink  

[If I forgot anything, please let me know! I���m kinda sleepy right now]

Notes: There will be at least one more chapter but I won’t do a tag list post for now, only if someone wants it, cuz I’m too lazy to think about doing it right now. This fic is an attempt to experiment with some writing style things that I’ve been wanting to try. I don’t think it worked, tho SUHAHUSAUHSUHA But that’s life

- I’ll quite possibly change the title in the future-

                                                            ///

  You are a superhero.

    Okay! To be honest, you may be exaggerating a little bit ─ a tiny harmless little bit ─ but that was how you felt every single day of your life, alright? You had this glorious and mysterious side of yours that you hid from everyone else in the world… That mask that you couldn’t let come to the ground and would fight for dear life to protect… That side to your persona that no one was allowed to meet… The fierce, bold, and dark aspects of your soul that—

    “Y/N! I want those papers on my table!”

    “Yes, sir!” You shrieked in an embarrassing (not even slightly bold) way.

    — That you couldn’t show at your work.

    Yeah… So maybe no one actually thought of you as a superhero, but you really believed someone should start to. Was there something that different between your life and those low-budget TV shows people seem to enjoy so much? You didn’t think so.

  To be fair, sometimes you felt like someone wrote a questionable script and poorly directed your life to fit you as the leading lady of a sketchy rom-com. As if they just focused on checking out every point on a bullet list made up with rules for a successful superhero office drama that wasn’t even that good…

    … And speaking of which…

    Rule Number One: The stern (maybe kinda attractive) boss!

    If you had to define Bang Chan with a couple of adjectives, you would choose undeniably beautiful ─ extremely professional of you because the right words to describe him were fucking hot ─ and committed. Fortunately, it wasn’t an “I have someone waiting for me at home and a bunch of kids I must put to sleep” kind of commitment, which would destroy your hopes of having this man one day. Unfortunately, it was an “I’m better than the header and gonna run this company by tomorrow night” kind of commitment, which destroys your hopes of a peaceful day at work.

    Now, it’s not like you don’t want to do your job! It’s just that you didn’t sign up to be Bang Chan’s perfect little toy ─ definitely not the better words to describe it ─ and you didn’t expect to be joined by the hips ─ really? ─ with him or any of your coworkers. The thing is that Bang Chan wants to be on top ─ someone has to stop you ─ and he believes the only way to get there is to work as a team and be as perfect as one can be. In other words, Bang Chan wants absolutely everything and everyone to be neat, tight, and ready to be used ─ again… Not the better way to put your thoughts into words ─, but this just wasn’t who you were.  

    It also wasn’t the point right now.

    The point right now should be the fact that Bang Chan was striding to his office looking like he owned the whole damn place… If this was a movie, the camera would be focusing on his expensive, black leather shoes before scanning all the way up to his waist in slow motion. The scene would zoom in on his fine ass only to go a little bit up and catch the shiny, black belt wrapping around his figure. The outfit didn’t leave much to the imagination, but you had a hell of a productive mind… You could think of a few things you shouldn’t really be thinking about right now.

    Bang Chan didn’t seem to understand he was at work either.

    He rolled his sleeve up in a sexy motion that should be illegal. It isn’t. You can tell by the way there are no cops bursting inside the building and arresting this gorgeous son of a bitch.

    The lack of any authorities to stop this atrocious moment had you lowering your gaze to your desk ─ a vain attempt to ignore the way his forearms flexed as he gestured and ordered people around. If you were a little bit less professional, you would have some ideas of how he could do it in bed. With you. But you weren’t some kind of creepy perv who would be fantasizing about riding your own boss from dusk till dawn.

    Not at all.

    “Do you need me, Sir?” His secretary asks politely.

  A question that you would love to ask him too… In a totally and strictly professional way, of course.

    Rule Number Two: The (extremely unnecessary) nemesis!

    The shiver running down your spine could mean only one thing: Hwang Hyunjin ─ your obnoxious coworker ─ was standing right behind you, just like a bloody damn ghost. There was no need to turn around. You knew he had his mocking eyes glued on Bang Chan’s figure, and you could feel the air shifting as he tilted his head in a silent sneer before leaning on your desk.

    You refused to turn around and acknowledge his presence; painfully aware that he would flash a wide grin while looking at you with a knowing glint in his eyes. You wouldn’t give him the taste of seeing in your face that he was right; that you were staring at your boss as if you were a starving vulture. So you did the only thing you could do in this situation: You started to work. The sheets scattered over your desk wouldn’t walk by themselves to Bang Chan’s room, right?

    And neither would you if it depended on Hyunjin.

    The attempts to swipe the papers in your direction and gather everything you needed ─ to finally get rid of Hyunjin ─ proved to be vain as his hand took root on the desk. You pursed your lips in annoyance while glancing at his prominent knuckles and slender fingers; wondering if he would be so collected if he knew you wanted to crunch them. Probably not. But he gets off so fucking much on upsetting you that he might just want to take the risk anyway.

    “What do you want, asshole?” You hissed; stopping your motions before turning around to stare blankly at him.

    The face of an angel was the most accurate way to describe the sight in front of you. Plump, pink lips molded into a sweet smile and dark brown eyes morphed into cute crescents. None of those features fit his true self, though. Underneath the angelic façade, there was a demon called Hwang Hyunjin ─ who was resting his free hand on your shoulder for no reason besides driving you crazy.

    It would be easier if he was just a pretty face, but Hyunjin had a good body too. The guy looked just like a model ─ slim, tall, and classy ─, and even though only his collarbones peeked out from down his shirt, you knew that there was much more than the eyes could see.

    Well, you never saw it, but you had felt it.

    As far as you could remember, each curve on Hyunjin’s abs was craft by God himself. The way his chest was built for you to caress would be forever craved on your mind. You might never forget how soft his lips were in contrast to his lap… How his thighs flexed just right when you pulled his hair… How reactive he was… How his moans sounded… And how he put everything to waste.

    “Oh, nothing” He shrugged. As usual, his voice was just like sweet, hot honey; still, you could wipe the poison dripping down his chin, “I was just wondering if you had enough time to do your job while fucking your boss inside your head” He clarified sarcastically, cracking you a smile.

    Sometimes you regretted not putting his mouth to good use… He really needed to learn how to shut up for a while and stop being so… Unbearable. The silence he met had him scoffing; body leaning even closer to the point his face was practically hovering over yours ─ smugness plastered all over it. You held his gaze to confront him; breathe mingling with his in a heated mix that matched the anger under your eyes.

    Was he licking his lips as he stared at yours? Oh boy… He definitely wanted to get laid. It was your time to scoff as the frown on your lips turned into a smirk; eyes twinkling mischievously as you looked into his in a silent teasing. As if sensing that he was in trouble, Hyunjin tilted his head to look even more obnoxious than he was; face coming closer to yours to defy your newfound confidence.

     “You know what? If you stared at him any longer, I think his balls might have fallen off…” He whispered in a tone loud enough for just you to hear “Unless he saw the way you were looking at him… Then I guess his dick would go straight up” He assured you with a ‘friendly’ pat on your shoulder as he finally let go of your papers and straightened his back.

    “Are you saying it from experience?” You sneered; grimacing at him.

    “Are you telling me that you want me to fuck you too?” He retorted gibingly; not even thinking twice about it.

    “No” You tilted your head, trying to stay composed, “I’m reminding you that you couldn’t even kiss me without getting a boner… Just like a teenage boy” He arched a brow at your statement; pursing his lips as he hummed in wonder “I’m surprised you never came in your pants like the pathetic thing you are” He laughed; poking his cheek with his tongue before squeezing your shoulder in a silent warning.

    “I must have been quite a sight if you can remember it so vividly” You pretended not to notice the way he sniggered, pushing away the urge to punch his face.

  Nemesis was just a classy way to call him a pain in the ass.

  Rule Number Three: The (plain and uninteresting) secret identity!

  It would be impossible to miss the moment Hyunjin’s devilish smirk morphed into a bright, friendly smile. The snarky comment on the tip of your tongue was swallowed back in a bit; grimace dissolving into a wide grin as if you weren’t about to throw your fists at him. He giggled as his arms spread open before snaking around your body to pull you into a tight hug; holding you close and rocking your body side to side as a soft huff fell from your lips.

    If you didn’t know any better, your knee would be buried between his legs.

  “Way to go, Y/N!” He chirped, loosening his grip to take a better look at your face; eyes smiling as if the both of you were the bestest of friends in the entire world, “You’re awesome! I’m so proud… I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you as my teammate” He pursed his lips; dimples showing as he offered you nothing but affection in his gaze.

    You did know better, though, and it wasn’t too hard to figure out who was standing behind your back as you opened your mouth to answer him: “There’s no one I’d rather be with!” You reassured Hyunjin in a sweet, mirthful tone; tilting your head to return the fondness in his look in an act worthy of an Oscar “We’re a team, you know? You can’t get rid of me so easily” He laughed wholeheartedly at that; ruffling your hair before leaning closer to you again, resuming the hug.

    “We’ll see about that” He whispered in your ear, making you scoff.

    “What are you gonna do? Cry to Daddy so you won’t work with me anymore?” You hissed back; breaking away from his hug with a tight grin before turning around to meet Chan’s gaze.

    The surprise plastered over your face was millimetrically calculated; just like the way you pretended to be flustered as you stared into your boss’ eyes to see the pride shining on them. You brought the papers closer to your chest in what was meant to be an innocent, coy way ─ a technique mastered over the months you worked for him ─, and Chan seemed to fall for it as he giggled in delight. The poor guy had no clue all of this was as fake as your camaraderie towards Hyunjin, and he wasn’t about to discover it anytime soon if it depended on you.

    Luckily, it did! You had taken some acting classes; just enough for your next words to be naturally convincing: “I’m so sorry, Sir! We’re just so happy that –” The words were deliberately drawled to give him enough time to interrupt you. Just like you knew he would. And it was a good thing that he did because you had no idea of how you were supposed to finish that sentence anyway.

    You were a good actress, not a professional improviser.

    “Don’t mention it” He cut you off giggly; detaching himself from the doorframe he leaned on as he watched the friendly scene taking place.

    The amount of cuteness this man could deliver in his smile wasn’t fair, and it didn’t match the sensuality a simple gesture of his overflowed with, enchanting you. You gulped down as he gave both of you a silent order to follow him into his room, wondering if the duality he had in the office was remotely similar to what he could do in bed ─ a thought that shouldn’t be having a place in your mind right now.

    Hyunjin seemed to pick up on it pretty quickly too, and as soon as Chan turned around to head to his office, he bumped his shoulder onto yours. The obnoxious action was followed by your elbow diving into his ribs; a retaliation that took you less than a second and, luckily, Chan ─ or any of your coworkers ─ didn’t seem to notice. Neither of you gave away your silent quarrel as Hyunjin closed the door behind him, smiling at you when Chan finally took his seat.

     “It’s good to see that you guys have such chemistry” He confessed, and you had to suppress a scoff when you looked into his eyes. He had no idea… The chemistry between you two was enough to make you want to blow each other, “You know what I always say, right?” He boasted on a sing-song; much more at ease than he seemed to be earlier.

    You weren’t about to put that on the line, though.

    “You can’t have teamwork if you don’t have a team!” You warbled in unison.

    “That’s the spirit!” Chan gurgled, heading to his desk in a visibly good mood.

    What was going on? He wouldn’t be so happy just because you and Hyunjin were being friendly… Were you missing something? He didn’t seem in such a peaceful state of mind when he came in… It had to be something that happened after that. Perhaps he got some good news from his secretary? Or maybe… You narrowed your eyes as you caught a glimpse of Hyunjin’s hands fidgeting in front of him; his foot tapping the ground rapidly but quietly before moving slightly to step on your toe.

     Or maybe Hyunjin had something to do with it…

    “As I said in the email, Sir, I happened to hear some stuff around and… KQ managed to get an exclusive with Han Jisung” The sentence sounded just like a normal introduction to a report, but you knew it wasn’t. Hyunjin’s eyes darted to meet yours, glinting with anxiety and despair. He was informing you of what was going on, not Chan, “And as we all know, Jisung is a rising producer star, which is bound to raise their sales and might get in the way of ours…” He continued, swallowing dryly and widening his eyes ever so slightly.

    He was definitely trying to warn you of something.

    “Yes, I read the e-mail, Hyunjin” Chan agreed sternly; smile disappearing as his fingers intertwined to serve as a support for his chin. He looked classy and incredibly sexy, but your mind couldn’t afford to focus on it right now. You had to figure out what the hell Hyunjin suggested to Chan before blowing everything up, “You also said that Y/N might have the solution for this…” Oh, so that was it, you thought when Chan arched his brow; eyes connecting to yours.

    And now what?

    “So?” He encouraged you, detaching his chin from his hands so he could rest them on his desk “I’m waiting” He smiled gently; a closed-mouth smile that was supposed to calm your nerves, even though you could see how tumultuous his gaze was right now.

    It was practically a silent threat.

    In a normal situation, the predatory way he was looking at you ─ resembling a wolf when you were nothing but a sheep under his radar ─ would get you… Thinking.

    Your job wouldn’t be at stake in a normal situation, though.

    The pressure on your toes increased; the subtle way Hyunjin found to snap you out of your mind, despite your silence hanging in there for just a few seconds. It was obvious that he was freaking out just as much as you were, and you couldn’t help but blame him for this. Couldn’t he have told you about it earlier? What the hell was going on inside his mind?! Instead of taunting you about wanting to fuck Bang Chan, he should have warned you about that shit!

    That’s not the time for this, Y/N.

    The muscles on your face tensed as you tried to not give away everything going through your mind; lips twisting in a tight smile as you looked at Hyunjin: “Yeah, he was right” You answered calmly, even though your stomach was settled on becoming an Olympic athlete right now, “As I was telling him before coming here, Sir, I have someone in mind…” The relief washed over Hyunjin’s face; a genuine smile adorning his features as he withheld a sigh, “I happen to know I.N, and I think I can get us an exclusive” You confessed, shifting your gaze from Hyunjin to Chan.

    “The writer?” He blurted out, astonishment plastered all over his face.

    “Yeah… They’re a friend of mine…” You trailed off, embarrassed to say it out loud “They’re in the top trending now since their novel will become a drama and…” You cleared your throat, lowering your head to avoid his gaze. There was just so much of acting you could handle for a day, “I mean- It’s… Adult stuff, right? But they never—”

    “I know! That’s perfect!” He beamed, getting up from his chair to walk your way “They’ve never been seen! Nobody knows anything about them, Y/N” He laughed ─ he genuinely laughed ─ while clasping his hands together “Han Jisung is good, but I.N is better! This is hot news… FrontPage… How come you never told me about that?” He chuckled, placing his hand on your shoulder “Rest assured that when I get my promotion, I’m gonna have you right here in this room” He promised you in such a serious tone that a shiver ran down your spine.

    Rule Number Four: The (kinda horny) true self!

    There was not a single soul in the office as you made your way down the hall; eyes focused on the mesmerizing view outside. The sky was colored in purple shades, so deep that you would have mistaken them for black if it weren’t for the dazzling, sleepless city and its dozens of skyscrapers lighting everything up. Not even the full moon would be able to compete with such a beautiful brilliance, but it wouldn’t be necessary either as your gaze was abruptly torn away from the night.

    The darkness surrounding you didn’t allow your brain to connect the dots immediately, and you couldn’t help but wonder what happened when you bumped into something. The surface was much softer than a wall, yet firm enough to have you wincing for the impact; eyes snapping to meet the unlucky bastard that stayed until so late. The moonlight kissed his skin just enough for you to recognize the sharp features of your boss; clenched jaw revealing popping veins that distracted you for a fraction of a second.

     Your eyes trailed the path from his jaw to his neck, and you couldn’t help but wonder how it tasted like; if you could savor it like the sins you wanted to commit with him. The closeness didn’t work in your favor, and the hint of his scent intoxicated your senses as you connected your gazes. Something must have given you off ─ maybe your hesitation, maybe the lust glinting in your eyes ─ because the next second, Cristopher had his hand placed on your lower back.

   The warm sensation grew to a burning feeling as his eyes darkened while diving into yours; his stern, cold gaze contrasting to the feeling of his touch and sending a shiver down your spine. Could he have noticed the way your legs trembled as his grip tightened around you? The look on his face was indecipherable, and the intensity of his gaze made you feel too exposed and vulnerable to keep looking for an answer, so you averted your eyes away from him.

    “Weren’t you supposed to come as soon as you got his answer?” The way his voice made its way to your senses had the embarrassment washing over you. The huskiness in his tone made you gulp down ─ throat dry from thirsting over him ─ and the calmness in his sentence alarmed you as it didn’t match the disapproval in his eyes “It’s so late that there is no one else here anymore” He added nonchalantly; mixed signals getting you confused to what he meant by it.

    Was it just a way to scold you or was it an invitation?

    “I’m sorry, Sir” Despite not having anyone around, you whispered the words as if you could be caught at any moment now, “It took me longer than expected, but we—”

    “We?” His eyes were sharp enough to cut you off but the real reason why you couldn’t manage to finish your thoughts was the way he pulled your body impossibly closer to his “Were you with him this whole time?” He hissed right into your ear, letting his hot breath fan over your cold, sensitive skin in a silent threat.

    “Working” You corrected, even though he didn’t say anything.

    “Working” He hummed in agreement; hand going to tuck your hair behind your ear “As in how we work late at night?” He sneered, manhandling you to press your back against the cold surface of the glass wall that separated his office from the rest of the place “Or is it as in how he wants to work you on his desk?” He scoffed; soft huff almost as degrading as the way he held your cheeks with one hand and guided your eyes to his.

    “Neither” You guaranteed breathlessly; voice quivering in excitement.

    “Are you going to pretend that you didn’t notice his looks?” He narrowed his eyes at you; his knee making its way to the gap between yours before slowly rising to your thighs, “That you don’t know how much he wants to fuck you?” He laughed humorlessly, shaking his head in disbelief, “You better not, ‘cause I know you love it” He warned as he kicked your legs apart.

    “He could never fuck me as you do” There was such seriousness in your tone that it had him chuckling, and he nodded in approval before burying his nose in your neck, “I-I’m yours only, Sir… I know my place” You promised quietly, trying not to give away how aroused his jealousy made you feel.

    “Yeah…” His raspy laughter tickled your skin, and you muffled a whine as he grazed his teeth over your neck teasingly “But you like being reminded of it, don’t you?” He taunted, taking in your scent in a way that made you feel too small and helpless. He groaned as soon as you let a whimper fall from your lips, and you couldn’t help but struggle to stay still while knowing what was about to come, “Do I have to spell it for you, baby girl?” He snickered before sucking on the tender spot of your skin that he knew too well at this point.

    “N-No” Somewhere inside your head, you acknowledged that your reaction was insanely humiliating. He just needed a couple of words spoken in a sultry tone and you couldn’t even form a proper sentence. That was the power he had on you. And you loved it. “Only yours” The rushed tone made him smirk against your neck, stopping his path of kisses for a second to look into your eyes “Sir” You panted; returning his gaze with just as much intensity as he had on his.

    “Claim your place” His order was so tantalizing that you didn’t even blink before you finally let your knees give away, losing the support of your legs to earn the support of his thigh, “That’s right… You do remember your place” Somehow, this sounded like the best praise he could ever offer you, even under his amused tone, “But you have been such a bad girl lately…” He pouted as he caressed your cheek; hand stopping to grab your chin gently “And I don’t like bad girls… You know that, right?” He let his thumb reach for your lower lip, fiercely staring at it before grazing his finger on your teeth.

    Your answer was as silent as his request; tongue welcoming his thumb before you sucked on his digit. He hummed in appreciation, pushing it inside your mouth as you looked at him with big doe eyes to show a coyness that wasn’t really there within you. The action was followed by a swirl around the tip of his finger; as if to leave in his mouth the taste of what he was missing and prompt him to give you what you really wanted: Him.

    If he picked up on your plans, he showed it by giving like for like.

   He didn’t say a word as he pressed his thigh against your heat; leaning closer to let his breath fan over your neck once more. He stood like that for what could have been seconds, maybe minutes, but nonetheless time enough for his warmth to creep into your senses. He was like a poison to you; the intoxicating presence clouding your better judgment and destroying any will you had to have him losing control. You didn’t even mind the way he scoffed as you started to grind his leg; brows twisting to shout out a needy plea for release.

    “That’s a good girl” He approved, catching your earlobe between his teeth. The moan that fell from your lips was muffled by his finger and he didn’t seem to appreciate it, “I don’t hear you, baby girl” He complained, moving on to your jaw with a path of open-mouthed kisses that weren’t enough to distract you from his other hand “There’s no one here… Be loud for me” He allured you as his hand found its way under your shirt.

      The temptation was great… Scream his name as he fucked you senseless in the office... No risk of being caught… Just you, and him, and your dirty little secret…

    Your thoughts were all around the place, and you had no hopes of grasping them back as his cold hand brushed your side, contrasting to the warmth under your clothes. The way he touched you made shivers run down your spine; his slow, delicate motion enhancing your senses to every single second of his caresses. You held your breath when his finger finally managed to reach its destination; grazing over your nipple to have you succumbing to his wishes.

    You fought it as you could, but you were never much of a fighter.

    It was too easy for him to have you under his control, and he knew it. You could tell it by the way he chuckled as soon as you gave away how lost you were at this point. The moan that left your lips came all the way up from your chest, sounding crystal clear in the room as you let your mouth fall agape. Sucking on his finger and following his orders were the last concern you would have for this moment. The only thing worthy of your attention right now was the fact that you couldn’t get as much friction as you needed, and you had to do something about it.

    So you grind on his leg for dear life.

    “You’re so needy” The mockery didn’t have much effect on your mind anymore, so you just kept sliding up and down his thigh as if that was the only thing that could keep you going “You’re not even listening to me, are you?” He huffed in disbelief; thumb leaving your mouth so he could cup your face “That’s all you can understand, right?” He taunted, pinching your nipple to get your attention again, “Are you still there, baby girl?” He leaned closer to whisper in your ear.

      “F-Fuck me” Was the only answer he would get.

      “Manners” He warned; licking the sweet spot next to your jaw.

      “Fuck me, Sir” You corrected yourself; wrapping your arms around his shoulders to look for some support as you practically bounced on his leg, “Please, fuck me, Sir” You repeated, forehead resting on the crook of his neck as you clawed his back, trying to bring him as close as possible to you.

      “Louder” He demanded, and you didn’t need to look at his face to know that he was grinning, “Louder…” He instructed in a tone so low that you could barely hear him over the rustling sounds of fabric against fabric. Your breath hitched as his hand gently caressed your hair; moving some strands away from your face to take a better look at you. However, he didn’t get to see your teary eyes, “Come on, baby… Look at me” He asked in a tantalizing tone, alluring you to try and meet his gaze.

    There wasn’t much you could see through your hooded eyes; vision too blurry for you to grasp what was going on inside his mind. You could tell he enjoyed it, though. He always did. That moment when he could pinpoint you had given up on your control, that you weren’t yourself anymore and would be willing to do whatever he asked… He lived for it, for that rebellious flame of self-control extinguishing from your eyes.

     For who you become when lust overcomes you.        

    The grip on his hair wasn’t unexpected, and Cristopher offered you a small, wicked smile before you connected your lips. The kiss was messy and hurried; tongues exploring every corner they could find while your hands were occupied on getting rid of your clothes. Neither of you cared about anything else but feeling each other’s bodies as you ripped your shirts. The cold breeze hitting your bare skin wasn’t enough to cool down the heat consuming you, but it was enough to have you squirming and whining.

      “Beautiful” Was the only thing he said before pushing your back against the glass and adjusting his grip to take your nipple between his teeth. The groan that escaped your lips was almost animalistic, prompting him to answer with a grunt of his own as he sucked on your skin. The vibrations ran from your flesh to your core, enticing another moan that seemed to fall into deaf ears, “Louder, baby… I want him to hear you…” He pleaded, letting go of your breast just to grope it and give you a kitten lick on the next second “To know who made you like this…” He added before sucking on it again.

    Perhaps it was the fact that he thrust on you, just to tease your senses and make you thirstier. Perhaps it was the fact you had to support yourself on just one leg as he pushed his hips against yours and you tried to seek for your balance by involving his leg with yours. Perhaps it was his hand sliding to meet your clothed core; finger pressing against your clit to add a delicious, needed stimulus for your orgasm.

    Perhaps it was the words that slipped through his lips.

    “W-What did you say?” You panted; hips faltering as you tried to keep riding him, but steading their pace as his finger circled your clit to goad you “M-Mhm… S-Sir” You cried; hand burying in his hair to pull it and translate the utter bliss waving down your body. The string of mewls and urgent pleas spilled from you like a chant, getting him more eager than before, “P-Please” You whined, even though you weren’t sure what you were asking for.

      “Hold it” He ordered; straightening his back to look right into your eyes, but failing as yours rolled back to your head. His hand made its way to squeeze your cheeks, forcing you to look at him with a soft shake to catch your attention “Look at me” It sounded like a warning; stern enough for you to try your best to focus on him, “You’ll only cum when he walks right through that door… Do you understand?” He searched for any signs of stubbornness in your eyes, but his smile showed he didn’t found any.

    “W-Who?” You managed to ask; body trembling as you tried to hold every single string inside your mind in place, even though each one of them was ready to snap and unravel the crashing pleasure that was building up.

    “Why does it matter?” He scoffed, quickening his pace as the unmistakable ring of the elevator sounded on the room “You love being seen, don’t you?” He chuckled, watching as your body shook violently and your knees started to give away to the sensations running down your body.

      “Y-Yes, Sir” You could bet your voice echoed inside the building, and Christopher seemed to agree with you as he grinned in approval.

    “So look at your guest, baby… And scream my name” He instructed, pushing your face to the side. The doors opened slowly, revealing the lights inside the small cubicle right in front of your eyes “Let him know who you belong to” He whispered in your ear; hand pushing your underwear aside so his finger could come in contact with your core.

    The mysterious figure detached from the corners of the metallic walls to finally reveal himself. You met his eyes for a half of a second; enough time for you to recognize the one who worked with you every single day of your life. For the past few years. Someone who would be your partner for years to come, and who would witness and engrave your face in your most vulnerable moment.

    You came hard; probably the most overwhelming orgasm you had ever had in your life. It was impossible to hold back your voice, and you couldn’t help but howl his name; legs shaking and body collapsing into your boss’ arms. You squirmed and whimpered as you tried to recompose yourself; letting him help you ride you out of your orgasm and occupying yourself by staring into your coworker’s shocked eyes.

    “Thank you, Sir…” You breathed out, gripping his arms for dear life while the shame sank into your soul.

    Rule Number Five: The (grateful and satisfied) fans!

    And… Post.

    Oh, well… You did it. Again. There was something about displaying your deepest fantasies for anyone to see that was kinda thrilling to you. Your heart raced inside your chest just like a drum ─ well, if a goddamn drummer decided to do a solo but was too offbeat, to begin with ─ and you couldn’t help but stare blankly at the page without a clue of what to do now. It was out there… Why didn’t anyone say anything yet? Was it that bad? Should you delete it?

    Well… People have to read it before commenting, you know?

    Yeah, right… You just posted it.

    Chill.

    You licked your lips before biting them; feeling the rush that was posting about your boss online when no one else knew about it. If you were being honest, the best part of this wasn’t having the chance to live your fantasies throughout your writing. No. The best part was knowing that only you knew the true identity of Christopher… Or what you really wanted to do to him while he walked down the hallway. The best part was that no one would ever figure out that you were the author of the bestselling novel of the moment… That this steamy romance between boss and employee was nothing but your rawest desire.

     Who would think that the boring, shy girl from the office would be a smut writer? Who would think that you would have a horny, interesting secret identity? No one else but you.

      And this was priceless.

     Or maybe… It was priceless.

    As far as you knew, every single thing you cherished about being a secretive horny bitch could go down the drain tomorrow. It would be all fine if it was just a… Well, actually everything would suck. How would you look at Chan’s face if he knew you were writing about having sex with your boss while he was your boss? What would you do if they decided to fire you because of it? What would you do with your life from now on?!

     Don’t panic, Y/N.

    You had everything under control… Tomorrow morning you would be going to Jeongin’s house and interview him as if he were you. No one would ever suspect you after that. You would save your ass, Hyunjin’s ass, and Chan’s ass. And that was it. The perfect plan. Nothing to worry about. Just trust Jeongin to follow your script and make sure everything would go as planned.

    Flawless. Totally safe. Perfect.

    That’s right…

    You just need to take a deep breath and rela—

    The sudden sound caught you off guard; eyes focusing on the screen once again so you could understand what was going on. All of your worries vanished away as soon as you saw the notification on the top of it; announcing that you had just got a message from a fan.

     Finally!    

    The weasel icon was so familiar that you chuckled while opening the message; a smile plastering over your face as you let your eyes wander around the words. There was nothing more fulfilling to your writer ass than seeing the way Weasel always had something to say about your story. Sometimes, he’d give you some feedback on your style. Other times, he’d freak out about how much he wanted to “try those things out”, as he usually said. There were also times when he’d just get excited over the characters and their conflicts, which always got you laughing.

    It was fun to talk to Weasel.

    He was just as mysterious as you… There was no name to his face, and also no face to his icon, but both of you were friends anyway. He had been keeping up with your stuff from such an early stage that it felt natural to have him around and getting his feedback. It was so comfortable, that you didn’t even mind when he slid in your DMs, embarrassed to let anyone else know that your smut made him… Feel things. There was no need to elaborate on what he did about those feelings or those things. But it was kinda hot to know he enjoyed himself throughout your fantasies.

      His fantasies.

    Well… For the number of times that you used them to write your stories, it was some sort of shared fantasies by now. As a matter of fact, you never intended to make Christopher a jealous character but Weasel made the idea seem too hot for you to ignore. Sometimes, he’d open up about that girl from his work that he really liked and how jealous he was of the guy she liked and then… Well, it felt… Interesting.

    The thought of being desirable to the point a guy would want to claim you as his like this? Not that Weasel did it. He actually just mentioned that he hoped she was into this as a kink. You couldn’t help but picture the way he would touch her in such a greedy way… The possessiveness blinding him for a second… The grip tightening… The mean words and the humiliation… Oh, the sweet humiliation that would crush you as he whispered how much you would cum for him… How he was the only one who could make you like that… How he would ask you to say his name… To tell him that you were his…

    You could drink holy water and still be shaking just by picturing it.

    “That was such a good chapter… I didn’t expect you to use her friend like that. I thought it was a given that she’d end up with Chris” You read out loud, chuckling when he reached for your DMs to talk to you “Will we get a threesome or something, miss? 😏” He joked on the next line and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes at this “I’m waiting for it”

    “You’re just a horny bitch, aren’t you?” You typed, smirking as you stared at his messages “No spoilers for you, though, baby boy… You’ll have to wait like everybody else” Teasing him was always funny, and he never failed to amuse you.

      “I’m not the one writing porn online” He pointed out, and before he could write anything else you shot him.

    “Yeah but you’re the one getting off to it” You retorted, getting a whole set of gasping and shocked emotes that had you laughing.

    “I have no words to express how offended I am” You chortled, shaking your head in disbelief.

     “Alright, Drama Llama” Why was it so fun to mock him? You wished you could actually meet him offline and banter like this in real life “To fill your horny ass, I might write a dom!reader next time… I was thinking about torturing the 2nd lead a bit”

    “First of all… I don’t think I want my ass filled, thank you for offering tho” Why was he like this? “And I was just joking” You frowned at that, confused by what he meant “Don’t you think that a threesome doesn’t go along with the characters? Her friend likes her a lot and Christopher is just a kinky son of a bitch… I thought he’d just show him that she was his and be an ass as usual”

    “What do you have against Chris, dude?” You rolled your eyes, although he wouldn’t be able to see it, “He’s way better than her friend! At least, he does something about her”

    “I have the 2nd male lead syndrome! You know that!” You chortled, very aware of this, “And isn’t that the perfect opportunity for him to do something about it?! I mean… I don’t want to be nosey but having a threesome is way out of character for them” He pointed out, and you had to admit he was right.

    “No, you’re not nosey…” You sighed; shoulders dropping for a second “It’s just that I’m upset about something that happened at work today and you know that projecting my problems on those characters is my thing” You pursed your lips, staring at the keyboard for a few seconds before deciding to continue “Besides, I’m about to spend an entire day with a guy that kinda inspired the 2nd lead and… I don’t really want to think about a sex scene with him, you know?” You confessed.

    “But thinking about torturing and having a threesome with him is easy” He mocked you.

      “That’s because that threesome would never happen” You sent it before you could think about what you had just written.

    “Ooohhhh!” Holy shit… The amount of emotes he had just dumped on that chat couldn’t be a good sign, “So having sex with this guy is something you want?! And that could happen?! ” Great, now you would have a Drama Llama-Weasel trying to get some juicy gossip about your inexistent sex life… WORSE! Your sex life with your nemesis! “Why don’t you go for it? I’m sure he’s into you if he’s anything like his character” Poor thing… He had no idea.

    “Shut up, it’s not like that” You brushed it off.

    “If you say so” You could almost hear him snickering, even though you didn’t know how his voice sounded like “I’ll just have you regretting this for the rest of the night” You snorted, shaking your head in disbelief. He was unbearable! “I have work early tomorrow but I’m gonna come back with questions, Miss… Wait for me”

    “What I meant is that it’d be easier to happen than having a threesome, not that I want it to happen, moron” You defended yourself but he didn’t even get to read it as he logged off right away.

      Great… He would never let you live it down.

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Rebloggable Masterlist    //   Main Masterlist   //   Tag List

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Nightwing 83 Review

guess who isn't weeks late this time. my opinion of the series is going up a little bit. it's still not great, but i'm not actively put off by it anymore the way i was after 81. not going to tag as spoilers, but be warned that they are under the cut

i’m sure you all are well aware of this but now, but dear god i love bruno redondo’s art. like, an unhealthy amount. the pink and blue is getting to be a theme with either him or just this run, but i am definitely enjoying it. the movement in this cover is clearly obvious, but well done. you recoznize right off the bat that the cover was drawn to drag your eyes down the page until you get to the bottom, but you enjoy the whole ride there. 

also, redondo’s way of drawing a character in stages of action so we can see just how much they’re doing in a split second of movement is quickly becoming something i like to see drawn with dick, and any other character that has that sort of ease of movement and body sense, like cass or sin or maybe a super. 

and he’s in action the entire time! there’s shot drawn just to show off a shirtless comic book character, the way nightwing is so often subjected to. he’s shirtless because he’s changing his clothes, and that’s all we see, no more and no less. very practical, very well done. i like it.

he looks so cute right here oh my god. the little squint, the hair curls. it’s adorable.

but also like. unless melinda has specifically outfitted the door spyhole so that the person on the other side can’t see dick looking through it (and in all honesty she might have) then everyone on the other side can see dick looking through that door. 

bringing your attention back to the “i can’t see melinda’s fbi file oh no!! it’s redacted!! whatever can we do!!” stupidity. redacted files are child’s play for oracle, and definitely doable for both dick and bruce. so that’s bullshit.

now, melinda apparently grew up with the maroni family, then took down part of the family from the inside. the maroni family is a large and notable presence in gotham, one that bruce pays a respectable amount of attention to. he definitely would have grown suspicious when two members of the maroni family were taken down, and with some investigation, he would have discovered melinda’s plan. and it should go without saying that the majority of things you see batman doing? dick can do it too.

it’s not so much that i don’t like how clever the villains/antiheroes are getting. i don’t like how dc heroes are increasingly written as less intelligent. they seem to be relying on pure fighting skills or luck, which may be the case for a couple heroes, but has never been the case for most of dc’s big name heroes, the bat family included. it’s irritating to me to see this sort of stuff pop up as a major plot point when i know that, if dick or bruce had been written with the amount of skill and power that they canonically possess, this entire mess would have been sorted out years ago.

unrelated but dick and melinda have the same hair

this may just be me, but i was always under the impression that dick doesn’t really have a “double life???”

yes, he’s talented enough to create enough differences between robin/nightwing and dick grayson’s mannerisms, way of movement, voices, and speech patterns so that it’s very difficult to put the two together.

but nightwing has never been separate from dick grayson, not the way bruce and batman is. he’s always leaned more towards clark in that aspect: his hero persona is an exaggerated, stately, larger-than-life version of who he really is. there’s no second persona, no real “dick grayson identity” and “nightwing identity.” they’re the same person with the same goals, ideas, and skills. one just pretends to abide by the law, and one gives up pretense of that.

oh good thank god. if he’d trusted her right off the bat (hehe. bat.) i would have slapped him upside the head. at least he’s still got instincts.

gosh the colouring on this is cool. the red has enough purple and pink tones to it that it doesn’t abruptly ruin the tone of the artwork. but it’s definitely glaring enough to take the reader outside of this personal moment they had slipped into between dick and melinda, to put them back in the present where they’re reminded that oh yea there are people hunting dick down. 

the next panel keeps this up too, in a less severe way. melinda’s bodyguard shows up (i forgot her name sorry :[ ) and subtly places us in the middle of an action scene rather than a private, personal scene.

laughing so fucking hard have our little vigilantes grown so accustomed to breaking into places that it doesn’t even register as a crime anymore??? tim coming in through the fire escape to pick bernard up for their date and being very much confused as to why bernard is freaking out.

i really like melinda’s shirt and now despite all the work i have to do and the fucking conference i have to host on monday i want to spend hours scrolling through clothing shops online trying to find this shirt. the mock neck/neckline is so cool i want it

so roland just assumes that a very dangerous vigilante who is highly talented in combat and a very dangerous bodyguard who is also highly talented in combat had a fight that ended with this very dangerous bodyguard being tied up and she looks completely fine? roland just assumes that her having no visible wounds or bruises means that they got into a fight and she lost that easily? uh. aight then

dick what are you doing. legitimately what the fuck are you doing. why are you posing oh my god. you are injured and tired and in absolutely no position to go hand to hand with one of main enemies. jesus christ run away or head to lower ground or something. don’t just stand around letting the floodlights show exactly where you are.

i don’t understand what he’s trying to do here??? blockbuster fully bought the story that dick fought them both, won, tried to get info out of them and failed, then hightailed it out of there. he didn’t have to draw roland out for a fight.

but it does look cool. the way the light just highlights his silhouette and the blue parts of his costume does look badass. he does get style points in my book for this.

w h a t  d i d  i  f u c k i n g  t e l l  y o u ,  d i c k ?

very classic superhero line and it does sound like something dick would say in a fit of righteous rage but also it makes me laugh so hard because all vigilantes think they’re so powerful that the law doesn’t apply to them. dick vigilantism is illegal. you’re acting above the law and pretending it doesn’t apply to you. hypocritical much?

it happens so often in superhero movies, tv shows, comics, whatever and it makes me giggle every damn time.

pretty decent comeback but before i start seeing people writing blockbuster as a thug i’m going to remind you that he made a deal with a demon for genius level intellect. if this turns into another bane situation i’m going to be a little miffed. he’s a smart man, which makes him a dangerous and infinitely more interesting enemy for nightwing.

this is so horribly in character i want to scream. (or. at least. it lines up with one of the versions of nightwing i have in my head.) he’s running right towards the bullets, miraculously doesn’t get shot, while making a sort-of pun. i hate this so much. i love him.

this is cool. this art is really really cool.

he leaped from a building right towards a helicopter that’s actively shooting at him, but none of the bullets are touching him. none of the corruption of the city can touch him no matter how hard it tries, because he’s too good to be corrupted. Comic Book Logic Can Be Good Sometimes Actually.

batman’s belt what??? swiss army knife who?? sorry, i only know nightwing’s bright blue escrima.

this is one of my favourite things about heroes with exceptional abilities, even more so if the hero is human. the things they can do are so far beyond the realm of normal human abilities that it’s equal parts terrifying and awe-inspiring every time they act.

he just used modified grappling wires to hook to the door of a moving helicopter, swung around the helicopter safely without hitting the blades, gained exactly the right momentum to swing upward again right through the opening of helicopter, then fought and tied up the men before they had any idea what was happening. that’s near impossible to do.

it’s stuff like this where i just sort of sigh in contentment. no matter how many times they leave out dick’s detective skills or conveniently forget that he’s actually a master planner and team leader and make him out to be this forgetful dude who makes everything up on the fly because of his “circus roots,” at least they won’t ever take away dick’s sheer physical ability honed to perfection. 

the art, too! in a few panels, dick’s drawn a little lightened or blurred. he’s moving so quickly and fighting so efficiently that he can barely be seen by the enemy. he’s got perfect form all the way through.

and THIS!

there was a helicopter that had five men shooting at him with what looks like machine guns. most people would be dead. some would run away, and be nimble enough to survive without fatal hits. there are very few people, even in fucking comic books, who can look at that hopeless situation and turn it around so quickly and thoroughly that he benefits from it instead.

i just. love nightwing.

it was funny the first time as a comic reader aware of the meme. it’s really not anymore. why the hell would you, in universe, be wearing a shirt that has a picture of your boyfriend being hit in the face by his father. 

okay that was funny. 

look at lil bitewing, so concerned for her human!!! love her sm. 

also a question as to the timeline of things. is nightwing happening before or after urban legends? 

i was so distracted by dick wearing a robe and briefs and nothing else that i didn’t register the second part until later. he slept for two days?? babs, baby, he recently had a very traumatic brain injury. why do you sound so nonchalant?

@TIM X COFFEE SHIPPERS GET FUCCCCKKKKEEDDDDD

ngl i totally forgot about that dude oops

this comic is giving so many reaction pictures. you know how you always use the worst possible picture of your friend for your friend’s contact picture? i’m just getting so many of these.

leslie!!! the titans!!! lucius!!! dick going to go see old friends!!!! the titans!!! this part made me so irrationally happy it really did. gar being the one to just. offer dick solutions with open arms. this was the best

i wish i could just copy and paste this entire scene, but that would take up way too much space, so i’m just going to talk about it instead. 

you gave me my name, nightwing, and you gave me some of the best advice i’ve received in my life: beautiful little throwback to nightwing’s origin. you’d be surprised at the amount of people who don’t know where the name came from, or who don’t know how much clark means to dick. and the fact that dick still looks up to clark as a hero, recognizes that clark isn’t always perfect and yet continues to hold him in such high esteem, and still looks back on advice that clark gave him fondly just warmed my heart so much.

for a man who has fearlessly stood up to darkseid, bruce will do a lot to avoid a conversation: “grrr. i’m the BATMAN. i’m so DARK and MYSTERIOUS. nobody knows the true me. no one ever will. i will be LONELY for the rest of my CURSED LIFE. such is the price of a hero. ignore my farmer himbo husband in the background”

but i don’t think there’s anything heroic about being a billionaire: another nod to how much dick follows clark’s example rather than bruce. yes, this was a very poignant and important criticism, and i think it’s wonderful that this was published in a pretty popular comic book. but the thing is, there is a way to be a heroic billionaire, but only in fictional universes. the way bruce, ollie, t’challa only ever use their wealth to help people. they donate massive amounts of money to charities that they themselves create so they know exactly how the money is being used. they hire people who aren’t likely to get jobs anywhere else and pay them much more than what a base living wage is. they use their power to help push progressive laws and social change. they are helping. 

dick doesn’t fully see it that way. he spent more than half his childhood the son of a billionaire, but still believes that one could be more heroic when one doesn’t have obscene amounts of wealth. whose example do you think he followed to come to that conclusion?

superman looked up to alfred pennyworth?: i mean yea alfred may have been a wildly irresponsible guardian and one hell of an enabler but goddamn if he didn’t love his kid.

you don’t need my input. you’ve thought it all through: ooooooh this line made me grin. for so long, dick’s treated clark as a mentor and a guiding figure. he’s still seen as a kid, an up and coming, snot-nosed titan with dreams of a better world. clark still thinks of him as a kid, despite watching him grow up. but this little line was something i think dick needed sorely to hear. he doesn’t need anyone’s guiding hand on his shoulder, he doesn’t need to ask for permission. he doesn’t need clark to support him the way he did when he was a teenager. he’s all grown up now, and he doesn’t need clark’s help. i imagine it was a bit of a surprise for dick to hear that. 

honestly, i couldn’t think of a better role model: ohhh but it doesn’t stop there. clark just straight up turns the tables on dick. imagine you’re dick, and you’ve looked up to this one hero your entire life, and then one day he turns to you and says that he thinks you’re so kind and smart and worthy of a person that he wants you to mentor his son!? goes to show just how much clark trusts dick.

i swear to god dick probably cries every time he hears clark compliment him because bruce is so rare and sparing with his praise that clark giving him the slightest hint of approval is just a dopamine rush.

also, now deathstroke and superman have both asked nightwing to mentor their kids. the juxtaposition is fuckin hysterical. imagine either of their reactions when they realize what kind of company they’re with

lets talk colours for a second, because i absolutely adore how classic colour tropes have been subverted in this comic, and in this general run really.

warm tones have usually (usually, not always) been associated with light and comfort and friendship and,,,,,well,,,warmth. whereas cool tones are usually used to unsettle, or make a scene seem colder and put the reader on edge. this varies if a comic only uses cool tones, or only uses warm tones, but if a comic uses both, this is generally well-used.

that isn’t the case in this run.

dark red, orange, and other warm tones have been used to symbolize danger, action, attacks. hot pink isn’t usually included in this colour group, but it’s definitely part of it in this case. in contrast, scenes that have cool colours give us the impression of slipping into a comfortable, calm scene with babs, tim, the titans, and other allies. even the beginning scene with superman has this blue, but then it transitions into something more golden coloured. dawn broke over dick, as his new idea came to light, and that was reflected in the art (and the sunrise setting.)

have there ever been times when dick’s longed for the comfort of his mask because he didn’t feel confident as dick grayson? i can’t think of any. i may be wrong, but this struck me as pretty ooc.

am i just??? gay and reading this all wrong??

cause i was under the impression that when someone says they are grateful for your friendship you don’t immediately kiss them. 

or is this like. normal straight mating rituals.

i mean he’s smiling afterward but still babs aren’t you supposed to at least make sure it’s okay first? you guys broke up a while back after you said something along the lines of “i want to be coworkers with you and nothing more because i don’t trust you or feel comfortable around you as a civilian anymore.” like lmao after you say something like that to someone i would assume that you don’t have the permission to just kiss them whenever you want.

show of hands who else got real sad when they realized dick was talking about himself in this.

sure, he could be referencing the things he’s seen blockbuster pull, and the children on the streets. but “i’ve seen money used for enforcement,” sounds a little too close to dick’s entire life being destroyed by one man threatening the circus to pay protection money for me to completely ignore. and “i’ve seen the poorest and most vulnerable blamed and punished rather than assisted” becomes a lot worse when you remember dick was thrown in juvie for a couple months until bruce was able to obtain legal guardianship, and in there, not a authority figure believed him when he told them his parents were murdered.

he’s lived this before.

a. mother. fucking. typo.

fucking why

i mean i’ve stated my distaste for the batfamily groupchat before but like. this is reaching new levels of ridiculousness. jason sounds like he was written by a fanfic writer. tim sounds like he was written by a fanfic writer. steph sounds like she was written by someone who doesn’t know the first thing about steph and wanted to include her for “family points!!!!!” damian’s supposed to be completely off the grid, and everyone’s searching for him. i do love the way cass texts tho.

well god fuck now i’m crying

dick got a phone call, a sorry, and a thank you out of bruce. i feel so much secondhand happiness for him, if that’s a thing. we’ll just ignore the way bruce looks ugly af and focus on the good parts okay?

and again with the colour symbolism here!

i’m either going to love this or hate this. who knows, we’ll see.

something something hearts something something pink is an evil colour something something. i need to know more about this guy but there’s definitely symbolism there. 

is it just me or does this dude look like the backstabbing traitorous absolutely motherfucking piece of shit villain that killed tadashi hamada in big hero 6?

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taggggg list: @woahjaybird @birdy-bat-writes @anothertimdrakestan  @subtleappreciation @screennamealreadyused @bikoncon @pricetagofficial @catxsnow @maplumebleue-blog-blog @sundownridge @thatsthewhump @xatanna-troy @red-hood-redemption​ @capricorn-stark​ @batshit-birds​ @comics-observer @buticaaba​ 

Could you talk more about Adrien and Lila being foils?

Okey dokey.

So, I haven't seen the original dark mirror meta about these two, so I might end up treading some of the same ground, but hopefully I'll be able to bring some manner of new material to the table.

Lila and Adrien are constructs of similarity and opposition. I talked before about how similar they both are in their social goals and methods for reaching them. Adrien and Lila are both "beautiful people", not only attractive in looks, but compelling, interesting and charismatic in persona. They're the two characters most likely to be seen surrounded by others.

However, the people who surround them aren't really their friends-friends, and only get to see the parts of them that they deem socially acceptable. Lila constructs fanciful tales about her wild adventures and talks about how she's oh-so-helpful without ever actually helping anyone in any way. Meanwhile Adrien is the picture perfect gentleman, soft-spoken and kind, always willing to give someone his time. They both want to be liked, but Lila wants to be the center of attention while Adrien wants to fit in. Adrien also does genuinely do nice things for others even if not always for selfless reasons, while Lila never helps anyone out in the show ever. In fact, when she was trying to win Adrien over in ‘Volpina’, she stole and dumped the Grimoire. Lila actively harms people.

Their behavior also leads to them forming parasocial relationships. Adrien gets hounded by crazed fans when he wants to do nothing more than see the rare movie his mother starred in, because they're under the impression he's everyone's friend so of course they're entitled to his time and attention at any given moment. Everyone believes Lila's stories without a speck of scepticism even as they get increasingly wild, because they have the impression Lila is such a nice, helpful girl, she could never be a liar. Lila is very much like an online influencer, who also often exaggerate or even lie about their money or social situation to appear more interesting on camera but their audience never even thinks to question it because they have this cool online "friend" who always has such interestesting stories to tell.

The most important difference between these characters, as it is the reason they come into conflict, is in their relationships with Marinette and Ladybug. While the two would eventually come into conflict over Lila being a wannabe supervillain while Adrien is a superhero, the reason they have come into conflict in the show so far is over Marinette. Adrien adores Marinette, while Lila despises her. Adrien is the one who voiced exactly how much Marinette means to their entire class in the season two finale, while Lila makes it her mission to tear Marinette and her position down in 'Chameleon'. Similarly, Ladybug is the love of Adrien's life, while she's also the single person Lila hates more than Marinette.

This show does a lot of good vs bad contrasts, and Adrien and Lila are no exception with Adrien being a chosen protector or Paris while Lila is an aspiring supervillain. However, they are similar in this too. The similarity comes in how willing they are to take on these roles. Cat Noir is a lot more hyped about being a superhero than Ladybug, from the very beginning in 'Origins', and Lila is also a more willing villain than Hawk Moth. Gabriel became a villain to get his wife back, Lila wants to become one to get back at Ladybug.

Adrien also puts other people ahead of himself at all times even outside of his role as a superhero. This is because of his abuse background, so he's basically been trained to be selfless to a fault. He has to really want something and/or have Plagg egging him on to act selfishly. This trait is what gets him chosen as a hero, since Fu sees him put helping a random stranger over his own happiness (getting to go to school). Meanwhile, Lila's first priority is herself and she thinks kindness doesn't exists, labeling kind people as either "gullible" or "stupid" in 'Chameleon'.

Also, their rooms. Adrien's is wide and most often shown fully bright or with a half-bright-half-shadows dichotomy, while Lila's is almost claustrophobic in how it’s always shown in darkness, despite being a pretty regular size. There’s also other symbolism in how light is used to depict their rooms. Lila’s room has a single window with the blinds down but not closed: she’s shutting people out but always observing them for weaknesses. Meanwhile Adrien’s large windows create shadows that make the room resemble a prison, which it has the potential to turn into, so the threat of being locked up against his will constantly looms over Adrien like a shadow.

However, there are still similarities. Adrien and Lila are both collectors. Adrien's collection is one of video games while Lila has a collection of masks. These collections showcase important aspects of their characters: Adrien values having a good time and Lila values always keeping her true self hidden. Adrien just wants to have fun with other people and loves having other people in his room to play with ('Party Crasher' and 'Félix' showcase this). Lila places value on the different masks she wears themselves. Does she even remember why she wears them anymore?

This one is going fully into wild theories territory, but Lila's bracelet looks like a friendship bracelet. I've made a bunch of these at various camps as a kid by weaving different colored strings together. They're commonly traded between friends.

Did Lila have a friend and the bracelet is either a token from one of her more memorable victims, or was this hypothetical friend the one using Lila and served as Lila’s Cynicism Catalyst?

I'll also briefly cover why exactly the story would want to use these characters as foils. That's because, ultimately, Lila is Adrien's opponent.

An important aspect of Lila and Adrien's relationship is the power games they play with each other. Each step of the way, they have been trying to figure each other out, and every time Lila is a step behind Adrien. Adrien figured out Lila was a liar way back in 'Volpina', but Lila didn't figure out that Adrien was onto her before 'Chameleon', when Adrien also started to realize the potential danger that Lila poses, which was further enforced by what he saw in 'Oni-Chan'. Then, Adrien realizes she's an actual threat to Marinette specifically in 'Ladybug', while Lila realizes that Adrien is completely capable of playing the same games she does.

Lila lets her guard down much more easily than Adrien, we see this in how she repeatedly lets her mask slip to show just how nasty she really is for Marinette and Adrien in 'Chameleon', while Adrien has never slipped with anyone to show just how damaged he is (the number one thing he is hiding). Everything he's told others is pretty innocuous stuff (e.g. "my only friend was Chloé"). Because Lila is more sloppy, she also allows herself to be smug with Marinette, thinking she has the real Adrien figured out already. However, she doesn't realize that she still hasn't figured Adrien out completely. Adrien might be wily, but he's also kind, and Lila messed with the people he wants to protect.

As we've seen from their interactions so far, ever since Adrien knew what she was like, he's been a step ahead of her. He's the one who sabotaged her original plan to get rid of Marinette (which was just waiting for Marinette to attack her publically and turn everyone against her) and he also stepped in to make her give up her second plan (framing Marinette for misdemeanours). So, while they're now focused on each other, Marinette is still right in the middle of the battle. The fight is between Lila and Adrien, but it’s about Marinette, so Marinette is still technically the main consideration in this sub plot, so it doesn’t sideline our main character entirely.

Hello! I saw your post about elevated planets, is there also any explanation about the planets opposite/bottom of the Zenith/Mc? Thank you!

Good Question

Nadir In Astrology

The Nadir, or Imum Coeli (IC), Latin for “south/bottom of the sky,” or “lowest point” is one of the four major angles in an astrological birth chart [the other 3 are the [Rising, Descendant, and Midheaven] and definitely the least talked about. The Midheaven and Nadir points lie at opposite ends of your Natal Chart. The Midheaven is at the very top [where your most elevated will be nearest]. It is where the Sun was at its highest peak during midday. Using this, we calculate the Nadir, or where the Sun was at its very lowest point during midnight. Like the Ascendant and Descendent Axis, the Midheaven and Nadir are opposites, with one side exposed and other other deeply hidden. It lies opposite the Midheaven—a point on our chart that represents our public life and persona, which gets a lot of attention.

What it Means

Since the Midheaven is our brightest, most open, well-light part of your personality, adversely the Nadir is the dead of night in your chart [quite literally], the IC is the deepest, darkest, quietest, most personal place in your chart. It  houses the Private Persona. This is how your mind operates in secret, how you feel, and how you act, when you are completely alone, with no one else watching. Our Nadir (IC) signifies our most profound depths and needs, a part of us that we often don’t share with others. While the rising and descendant axis of our charts navigate the relationship between self and others. The Midheaven and Nadir showcase the polarity of our outer and inner worlds. The IC sits on the cusp of the fourth house, ruled by the moon/cancer associated with family lineage, home environment, and family influences. Similarly to the moon, our nadir shows us our needs and emotional tendencies, though it's much more than that. When you looking at your birth chart, the nadir is below the horizon line of the ascendant and is the lowest place in our chart, therefore representing our foundation and roots. In this way, the IC also reveals the type of environment best for our physical well-being. Make sense? Now, I want to mention that many often think of the MC as a fake, constructed persona, and the Nadir is as our real, authentic selves. This couldn't be further from the truth. Fake news. This way of thinking hinges on the idea that we are fundamentally one type of person, forced act unlike ourselves in different situations. But the truth is, all of your choices and actions come together to create a portrait of who you really are, regardless of what made you act that way. The way you act when you are in front of people, trying to make your best impression - that is the real you. And the way you act when you are alone, with nobody to judge you - that is the real you, too ;). Humans are dichotomous and complex and astrology allows for that because it, as a study, is complex as well.

Nadir By Sign

Aries: [Libra MC] Need for independence and freedom. Reputation is built on the finer aspects of your personality. People know you by your good looks, first and foremost. They see you as elegant, yet strong; rational and logical. Inwardly, can be prone to dramatic displays of anger, loud demands, bossy, and sharp, biting humor and immense stores of sexual drive or drive in general. Family was very active or extremely ambitious. Learned early on how to be independent. Growing up, might have witnessed a lot of conflict in your family, some of it serious and some of it not. You saw problems with alcoholism, drug addiction, and anger. Unconsciously aggressive or combative.

Taurus: [Scorpio MC] Need for security or physical pleasures. Come off as intense, passionate, mysterious or dark. Family was stable or materialistic. As a child you were always well fed and secure. Parents/guardians gave you a taste for the finer things in life by caring so much about the look and quality of the things in their home. On a darker note they could also be quite controlling in a lot of ways, both over their house and family. Nothing could be done, or touched, or moved, or planned without them having a hand in what was going on. Native can be unconsciously inflexible or possessive.

Gemini: [Sagittarius MC] Need for understanding themselves and world around them. Outwardly can be very philosophical, blunt, straightforward and/or outspoken. When you find yourself alone with your thoughts, you spend a lot of time enjoying your own inner dialogue. And when you are with those few people you are close to, you enjoy a lot of stimulating conversations.  Family is a literal mosaic. Different colors and personalities. Home life was changing constantly. Family was growing and shrinking, moving around, breaking apart and then putting/fitting new pieces together. Childhood was self-expressive or hyper-intellectually focused. Unconsciously erratic, anxious or cunning that can display itself as duplicitousness.

Cancer: [Capricorn MC] Need to seek and give nurturance. Can come off as  determined, hard working, goal-oriented, and very good at what you do. You have a very professional public image that exudes confidence and experience. Family was co-dependent or critical. Growing up your mother was the central figure of your family home, either because she was a single mother or your father was away from home a lot. As a child, you were given more than enough praise and attention. When alone, you take on an almost maternal role in your house, cooking and cleaning and taking care of chores. Often, you will retreat into your bedroom, den or personal workshop and spend a lot of time working on things by solo.  Unconsciously co-dependent or guarded.

Leo: [Aquarius MC] Need for creative self-expression. intelligent, detached connections with other people. Can come off as detached or have this kind “dry intensity” that radiates off of you – you seem to be quietly aloof, cold. When alone, can be quite friendly or show big displays of love to those close to them. An eternal child that will always love fairly tales no matter how old they are. Family was self-involved or warm-hearted. The kid who was told they were special all the time. Everybody in your family (especially your mother) fawned over all the things you did, praising you for every accomplishment and exaggerating all your best qualities. You got everything you wanted. Unconsciously may have a lot of self-doubt.

Virgo: [Pisces MC] Need for efficiency. Comes off as a creative, kind, spiritual, almost ethereal person. People will notice the far-away look, the quiet contentment that hangs around you like a miasma. Draws in both saints and sinners. Though they may present a misty outward appearance, inwardly they keep detailed inventory of everything. Likes work and routine. Family or parent was hyper-critical. Some kind of negativity surrounding you when you were growing up, like fighting, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, or a poor home life. Whether or not you were aware of what your family members were going though, you looked for an escape. May have control freak tendencies.

Libra: [Aries MC] Need for harmony, though possibly difficulty in knowing needs with too much vacillation. Outwardly brave, perhaps a tad bossy, driven, commanding and leader-like with touches of aggression or authoritarianism. inwardly, peace loving, diplomatic, utterly polite, cooperative and friendly to the point of people pleasing. Family could have been quite social or superficial. When you are out interacting with the world you are confrontational and/or competitive. Growing up, you had to share your parent’s attention with other people. You might have had other siblings that got more than you, or they might have had other obligations that took up their time. Unconsciously coy.

Scorpio: [Taurus MC] Need for emotional depth and understanding. Outwardly laid back and grounded. Astonishing work-ethic. Security minded and practical. Inwardly there is a deep well of emotion. Can dwell or obsess. Powerful drive and silently aggressive. Family was secretive or powerful. Unconscious forces outside may have influenced them. Involved in power dynamics. Subconsciously,  memories of the past are littered with alcoholism, abuse, death, trauma, sex, various kinds of manipulation and betrayal.

Sagittarius: [Gemini MC] Need to discover their own truth. Comes off as intelligent, sociable, highly optimistic. Social butterfly. Inwardly may act out personal and grandiose dramas. Family was hyper-ethical or adventurous. Sought to learn and understand other people’s cultures and perspectives. In your childhood, when you were living at home with your family, you were thought of as a very bright child. Energetic, enthusiastic about learning, and always exploring the outside world, you met every new subject with curiosity and an open mind. Teachers and classmates labelled you as the “smart kid”. Unconsciously can seek status, attention or might be prone to judgment.

Capricorn: [Cancer MC] Need for reliability and order. reputation for being determined, hard working, goal-oriented. Family was traditional or repressed emotions. Might feel like you have to “fight for respect.” Family was very restrictive and controlling. Tried to make you into what they wanted you to be rather than accepting you for how you were. When alone in the privacy of your own home, you are emotional, sensitive, and very attached to your belongings and loved ones. Unconsciously self-repressing or pessimistic.

Aquarius: [Leo MC] Need for unconventional and individual stance. Comes off as bubbly, friendly, happy, and attracts attention easily. Inwardly, a loner, detached, intelligent, the furthest thing from a people pleaser. Likes to be left alone to their own devices to study or research. Family was non-traditional or unavailable. Home life might have been chaotic or tumultuous. As a kid you had little control over your life’s direction and had to follow your parents wherever they went. This could mean you were uprooted a lot, maybe a military kid or simply forced into their religion or belief system. Unconsciously somewhat detached from others. Accept anybody for anything, you support them 100%. Not interested in people or affairs/things that do not concern you. Father might have been absent. Unconsciously weird/ unusual.

Pisces: [Virgo MC] Need for wandering or mysticism. Comes off as organized, dissecting, routine-loving and very well-put together. Inwardly, can be emotional, messy, lazy, gullible, but also sensitive, compassionate, empathetic, and completely selfless. Family roots of unclear boundaries. Growing up there was a lot going on between your parents that you didn’t understand. Perhaps born on the verge of some kind of upheaval. Something happened that caused the family break apart before you were born and now they were dealing with the aftermath. Unconsciously over-sensitive or non-committal.

Bruja note:

The key to understanding the patterns and energy of the IC brings balance and equilibrium to our lives as it teaches us how to embrace our past and move forward into our future. How to really grasp and harness the midheaven gifts and promises. There is an inevitable sense of karma and destiny associated with the angles of our charts, and the IC is no exception. Knowing the patterns of the nadir brings consciousness to our underworld. More understanding. It is considered by many astrologers one of, if not THE most important part of our entire chart—because of the depth of understanding it gives us when we really commit to comprehending it. By utilizing the skills and difficulties of our family/ancestors/origins, we are thrusted into our personal journey’s and ultimately our north node or most elevated destinies.  

What sign is your Nadir in? Dissecting and understanding it can bring healing and growth to you and those you’re closely connected with.

The superpowers of the squad

So I’ve been thinking about this aspect of the show recently, because for me it’s another aspect of WKBZ that’s just ... there, but a bit weird. 

From what I’ve read on the internet most people don’t seem to even see it, and it was similar for me on my first watch. Only after reading interviews with Annette Hess I came to realize that what I thought to be either exaggeration or metaphors are actually part of a “meta level”, to which Dijan’s angel of death persona belongs as well. So, basically, these “superpowers” (I’ll get into examples later) of the squad are not just to be understood symbolically, but actually as real parts of their personalities ... I guess?

I really, really don’t like that thought, too be honest. Many stylistic choices of the show I started to appreciate, like the timeless setting. Prior to actually watching the show I was very sceptical of it, but then I ended up liking it. However, the idea that the squad actually has these supernatural powers kind of ... I don’t know, it’s a bit too much for me personally. I don’t mind seeing Dijan as a personfication of death, because it’s happening on a symbolic level. But I’m having a hard time to believe that, for example, in the scene where Michi tried to choke Christiane at Axel’s place one night he actually did so and the reason Christiane survived is that she’s immortal, so it was basically her superpower versus his. And no, I’m not making this up, this is literally how Annette Hess explained the scene in an interview. I prefer to stick to what I personally believed this scene to be: A dream Christiane had because she realized that Michi was jealous of / angry at her. 

Generally, I’m okay with this superpower thing as long as I see it symbolically / as metaphors or even as something the characters believe themselves to have.  Here’s what I personally see in the individual “superpowers” of the squad and how I make sense of it:

Christiane: I generally don’t mind the idea of her immortality in the show ... as long as it’s symbolic. I think it actually makes sense then, because the real Christiane F. had a lot of luck that she survived, because most of her friends died. Also, as Jana McKinnon pointed out in an interview, Christiane F. became somewhat “immortal” due to her story being published. So that’s a nice idea they had for she show. In the context of the story, however, I think Christiane’s idea of being immortal is just that: Her idea. Probably the elevator did crash (although probably not as severly as shown in the series, where it was probably just a visualization of what the crash felt like for her?) and now she thinks that she can survive anything - but still on a healthy level which is why she doesn’t jump from the roof. Maybe it also embodies a sentiment that explains many of her later actions of doing drugs: She doesn’t really think it’s that dangerous for her, because she’s young and feels “immortal” because of that.

Benno: His “superpower” is to talk to animals. Concerning that Annette Hess said that they actually considered to have Axel’s bird literally talk with a human voice only Benno and the viewer of the series can hear and, oh boy, I’m so glad they ultimately scrapped that idea. Because I like the ambiguity where nobody really knows whether he can actually talk to animals or just makes it up. Despite the possibility that he has some sort of connection to animals that makes him think he understands them, I also think it’s possible that he uses his proclaimed ability to channel some of his own thoughts - for example when the bird “says” that Michi is actually in love with David Bowie, it might have just been Benno mocking Michi, maybe even because he suspected that Michi’s not straight. Anyways, due to how it’s kind of left ambigous if Benno actually understand animals, I don’t mind this aspect, because it fits his slightly dreamy personality and it connects him with Christiane, who also loves animals.

Michi: I personally see his supernatural physical strength in the show as a combination of actual physical strength, a way he tries to compensate sensibilty and a visualization of his general tendency to try to appear “tough”. So, basically, I think that he has a huge amount of physical strength, even if it’s not as extreme as shown in the series: So, yes, he does push Christiane up the wall at the Zoo station, but not in this extreme manner that, for some reason, reminded me of a vampire movie. The way it’s visualized in the show is more how it feels for Christaine and/or him. Because I do believe that for him thinking that he is super strong is a way he tries to compensate feelings of weakness or general emotionality. We see him do that in the show outside of the context of his physical strength as well, so I think it makes sense that his belief to be that strong ties into it.

Axel: His ability to open any lock, door etc. (for example his boss’ box or at the Bowie concert) can easily be seen as a metaphor, I think. Because in the show it really is his special ability to carve his way: Despite his addiction he is able to metaphorically “open doors” in his career which allows him to get to a place in his job he wanted to get to. This is how I see his “superpower”, which in the actual context of the story is probably, I don’t know, just a general skill he has?

Babsi: Her superpower would be to be able to talk to the dead, but, honestly, I prefer to interpret her scenes of talking to her Dad just as an imagination of hers. Not necessarily a hallucination, but I think that she tries to visualize her Dad, talks to him and imagines what he would answer. Maybe she misses him so much that it even feels real for her when she imagines him to be there. It definitely shows the severity of her grief and inner turmoil.

Stella: She’s the only one who does not have a superpower due to being the most grown-up of them. In my opinion that makes a lot of sense, also symbolically, because she is more of a realist and doesn’t imagine herself to have any crazy ability.

So, yeah, that’s how I try to make sense of that weird, but therefore kind of interesting aspect of the series. As I said, I don’t mind it as long as it’s on a metaphorical level, which I can obviously appreciate. although the writers apparently intended it to be a lot more real.

Anyways, how do you feel about this whole superpower thing? Please let me know, I’m really curious to know how you guys see it.

“How would the DRV3 kids react to their s/o playing as a villain in a play and their s/o is having so much fun playing it with the most hilarious hammy lines?”

Kaede Akamatsu:

She’s most likely the person who’s playing the piano to the play.

Oh she’s having so much fun with your lines as well, as villain!

How dramatically her chords can make your hammy comments.

Your smiling throughout the entire thing, maintaining your villainous persona.

You both really LOVED being a part of that play, and you felt like you were both just one person!

Shuichi Saihara:

He’s the kind of boyfriend that will come along to support you.

He’ll probably be trying to analyse the lines that you’re saying as a villain, until he realises how obviously hammy they are.

They would have probably relaxed after that, paying attention to how you felt about saying these lines.

He’s proud that you’re happy with this main role you have been given in this play.

Maki Harukawa:

She’s probably not gonna go along, but on the off chance she decides to come, she’s going to watch it with a resting face.

Deep down, she’s very happy that you’re enjoying the role you’ve been given.

She even chuckles at some of the hammy lines – some of them remind her of a certain friend.

Honestly, she’s glad that she came to see how happy you were doing something you liked to do!

Kaito Momota:

Okay, he’s gonna be in the front row supporting you the best he can, let’s be honest.

He’s going to love your hammy comments towards everyone, sometimes even including the audience.

If you choose to direct one at him for good measure, he’s going to act like he’s offended – but it’s obvious that he’s playing along, so you’re still radiating your happiness of the character.

Himiko Yumeno:

She’s going, but she’s gonna blend in with the crowd.

You thought she wasn’t going to turn up, so she decided to surprise you by seeing you play as a villain.

She was looking forward to this, and she really felt happy that you had such a happy grin on your face as you delivered all of your dialogue. It makes her heart warmer than it already is.

When you returned home, she was waiting for you with a hug and a congratulations on being such a convincing villain in a play!

Rantaro Amami:

He’s going to be pretty chill about it because he’s a chill guy.

But he does laugh at every comment that leaves your mouth - the comments were so hilariously bad that you can’t help BUT laugh?

It was something that he didn’t exactly expect. While he was expecting something like this, he didn’t really think that your character would exceed these expectations.

He’s really happy that you didn’t go WAY OVER with your character.

Tenko Chabashira:

She’s giving you emotional support both before and after the performance.

Midway, she’s really happy that you’re looking as happy as you are when you’re performing. She’s glad that you weren’t forced into some role nobody liked.

Hell, it was a role anyone in the group WOULD have wanted!

Kokichi Ouma:

He is going to sit in the front row, but he’s going to try to distract you or piss you off to break your character.

He doesn’t successfully do this, so he amps it up a bit.

He shouts out from the audience.

Silence.

You come up with a witty and hammy comment to lightly show down the boy, while also keeping up your character.

People assumed that he was part of the play, so they booed you. (you didn’t mind though, bc that’s part of playing a villain in a play anyway!)

Miu Iruma:

After she finished with her new *ahem* invention, she thought it would be a good idea to test it on you to see what would happen.

This device would over-exaggerate poses to make people look as stupid as humanly possible (how much time do you have on your hands Miu?)

So she waits for you to come out, and she zaps you.

This turns out to make your performance even better, and she’s honestly really happy that she aided with your happiness in the character’s portrayal.

Sure she had to apologise for not telling you in advance she was going to test it but it worked, right?

Ryoma Hoshi:

He didn’t have much to do that night, so he chose to go to the play you mentioned.

Hey, it would be another chance to see his beloved happy!

When he notices that you’re a hammy villain, he’s really quite confused. Was he going to find the character annoying? Was the character MEANT to be annoying? Did-

Your lines interrupt his train of thought, and he realises how much he was over-calculating his conclusions.

He’s internally cringing at how negative his thoughts were. What even was wrong with an annoying character anyway?

He lets out a grunt, while continuing to enjoy the play.

Kirumi Tojo:

You had to convince her to take a day off to come and see you perform.

Even so, she’s originally really nervous that her work is not going to be acknowledged, and she’s terrified of letting her country down as the Ultimate Maid.

But when hammy enemy you comes out and does what a hammy you does, she starts to become a bit more relaxed.

She finds your character quite humorous, and she’s honestly glad that she came to make sure your performance went spectacularly.

Gonta Gokuhara:

This was his first experience of watching a play, so he was really ecstatic that you would be a main character in the first play he’s ever seen.

Throughout the entire show, he’s having such a lovely time. Even when you’re not on stage, it’s so lovely to see his face light up when he’s watching the show.

You come out, and he’s honestly so happy that you looked so excited to play your role.

He loved all of your lines, although he didn’t really understand the problem that the protagonist would have had with the comments. Let him enjoy the show.

Angie Yonaga:

Okay, she’s a celebratory person when it comes to successfully doing something.

So when you had performed in the play you invited her to watch, she simply COULDN’T turn down the opportunity to do art of you.

The next day, your room is covered in your character, some of them quoting the hammiest quotes you said as your character.

Korekiyo Shinguuji:

He’ll be in the back row, but you’ll still know that he’s there judging by the aura that he’s giving off.

So you’re giving off ALL of your dopey energy to change up the atmosphere whenever you were introduced to the scene.

It does work, but you do feel his eyes almost threatening you in a way.

He’s analysing your performance, and you know that you’re doing a good job, so you keep your work up.

The audience eat it RIGHT UP, and he’s concluded that you did very well for performing in a play.

Tsumugi Shirogane:

She’s been thinking about joining the acting club, and this only solidified the idea.

You were playing a villain, yet your character wasn’t sinister. She liked that, because she expected you to be more of an evil personality rather than a funny personality. Wow Tsumugi.

She thinks about what possible plays she could play a villain or a protagonist in efficiently, as well as thinking of what characters she could embody for playing said role efficiently, with different aspects fitting in or contrasting.

She’s really glad that you enjoyed your role as the villain (it was obvious you LOVED playing the role), and it allowed her to realise that villains can be laid back and humorous.

Keebo:

He’s like Gonta in the way that he’s never witnessed a proper play before.

As strange as it sounds, he’s never examined a live play – the closest is films.

So when he’s watching you, he’s recognising the tropes you’re displaying, and he’s proud that you’re doing it well.

He doesn’t quite understand the hammy comments, but he still understands why the protagonist is going against what evil you is saying.

He finds the show interesting, and he certainly remembers it for recalling good memories for SURE.

Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation Takes Place Slightly After the Game’s Story

January 29, 2020 9:20 PM EST

New details on Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation and the Moscow Combat Revue designed by Kaguya Luna character designer Mika Pikazo. Staff, cast comments.

Sega held on January 29 the 11th Sakura Taisen Imperial Communication Department’s Broadcast stream. You can find the full stream here. It was the first stream since 2020 began. As usual, it featured MC Mami Yamashita, Yohei Azakami, who was cosplaying Seijuro, and Producer Tetsu Katano. The stream included many new details on the upcoming anime adaptation, Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation. The Moscow Combat Revue was finally revealed, along with a new trailer, story details, screenshots, and comments from the cast and staff.

First off, here is the trailer, narrated by Sho Hayami, revealing the new characters from the Moscow Combat Revue:

The biggest shock about the anime is how it takes place on Taisho 30, meaning it’s a sequel to the game, which takes place on Taisho 29. Producer Katano said the anime takes place “slightly after the game”. This is surprising as when the anime was first revealed, Sega said it would cover more or less the same story events as in the game. This is fine by me, as hopefully, I will have finished the game by April, but this is a bummer for fans waiting for the game’s localization. Fans who wish to avoid spoilers won’t be able to watch the anime as it airs. This is just a guess though, but I believe the anime won’t spoil the game much and will focus on its own story instead. This was the case with most previous Sakura Taisen anime.

Here’s the story pitch from the Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation official site: “Taisho 30 (1941). The Imperial City, Tokyo, regained its peaceful days. Seijuro Kamiyama, the captain of the Imperial Combat Revue Flower Division, was assigned to Europe, and Sakura Amamiya is temporarily replacing him as acting captain. The Flower Division’s days without their captain are full of troubles. One day, Seijuro momentarily comes back, bringing along a girl named Clara, the only survivor of the Moscow Combat Revue, destroyed after a certain incident. Seijuro transfers Clara into the Flower Division, entrusting her to Sakura Amamiya and the others, who warmly welcome here However, individuals who claim to be the supposedly destroyed Moscow Combat Revue appear in the imperial city. What is Clara’s real identity? And what is the objective of the Moscow Combat Revue? The curtain rises on the Imperial Combat Revue Flower Division’s new battle.”

On stream, we were then introduced to Clara and the Moscow Combat Revue characters:

From left to right: first, we have Clara, voiced by Misaki Watada. Next, we have the captain of the Moscow Combat Revue, Kaminsky Valery, voiced by Akabane Kenji. Lastly, we have his squadmate, Leila, voiced by Haruka Shiraishi.

All three characters were designed by Mika Pikazo. We translated her comments: “When I first heard of Sakura Taisen in my school days, it was already a legendary game. I was overwhelmed by the passion emanating from the series, the cuteness of the character designs, and the myriads of songs. Each member of the Moscow Combat Revue has multiple facets to their personalities and backgrounds. They’re all very charming. Taking all this into account, I put a lot of thought into how to design them. I’m looking forward to how they will interact with the main characters and how their feelings will clash with each other”.

自分がアニメ作品に関わらせて頂くのはサクラ大戦が初めてで、嬉しさと同時にドキドキしています…

クラーラ・レイラ・カミンスキーはすごくお気に入りのキャラです！

メインキャラデザインの久保帯人先生、そして尊敬するイラストレーターの先生方の作られたキャラと交わるのが楽しみです！！

— Mika Pikazo

PARCO全国ツアー (@MikaPikaZo) January 29, 2020

On Twitter, Mika Pikazo added: “This is my first time being involved with anime production, and it’s Sakura Taisen! I’m so excited! I’m so happy the characters I designed will be interacting with Kubo Tite’s characters and the characters created by artists I admire”.

Mika Pikazo shared more illustrations for Clara, Kaminsky, and Leila of the Moscow Combat Revue on Twitter. Mika Pikazo often uses highly vivid colors in her drawings, giving her art an eastern Europe feel at times. This is a perfect fit for the Moscow characters, as the Sakura Taisen series purposefully exaggerates stereotypes.

Personally speaking, I didn’t expect at all that Mika Pikazo would be Moscow Combat Revue’s character designer. She’s 26 and a very new pro artist compared to the other designers on Shin Sakura Taisen: Tite Kubo (Bleach), Yukiko Horiguchi (K-On), Abec/Bunbun (Sword Art Online), Fumikane Shimada (Strike Witches), Noizi Ito (Haruhi Suzumiya), and Shigenori Soejima (Persona). All of these are popular series who originated in the early 2000s or early 2010s that would be considered old by today’s Japanese teenagers, fitting Sakura Taisen‘s old atmosphere. Mika Pikazo, in counterpart, is the character designer of Kaguya Luna, one of the five most popular virtual youtubers in Japan, and, in my opinion, the only one who’s actually funny. This shows how Sega strives to make Sakura Taisen more popular among a younger audience. Besides Kaguya Luna’s design, Mika Pikazo is also the illustrator of an isekai novel themed around real-life magic tricks, titled Saikyou Juzoku Tensei: Majutsu Otaku no Utopia. The manga adaptation is drawn by Asahi Shinomura, yet another great illustrator.

Each of the seiyuu voicing the Moscow Combat Revue also shared comments on their characters:

Comments from Clara’s seiyuu Misaki Watada: “I was so happy when I heard I’d be voicing a Sakura Taisen character I started crying and we all celebrated together at my agency. Look forward to how Clara will interact with the other characters. I’m sure both older fans and newcomers who discovered the franchise with Shin Sakura Taisen will enjoy the anime”.

During the stream, Yohei Azakami mentioned he does know more about Clara, since he already recorded his lines for the anime, but he can’t say anything. He and MC Mami Yamashita jokingly added that Kohei Tanaka would have spoiled everything if he was there.

Comments from Kaminsky Valery’s seiyuu Kenji Akabane: “I got into Sakura Taisen in my school days, after watching Sakura Wars: The Movie. And I never imagined I’d be voicing a captain character one day. I was so surprised and so happy. Kaminsky is a true gentleman, but he’s also a bit weird (laughs). I hope you’re enjoying the game, and are looking forward to the anime.”

On stream, Producer Katano mentioned Kaminsky is a bit similar to Seijuro in the game, mixing seriousness and weirdness. In the anime, Seijuro acts overall cooler and more serious than in the game, seeing he can’t pick any dumb or perverted dialogue choices. Yohei Azakami and Kenji Akabane are both at Aoni Production. Azakami funnily remembered that back when it was decided he would voice Seijuro (this should be over a year ago now seeing how early in development Japanese videogames are dubbed), Akabane was acting super envious, saying he wanted to do it too. I remember a similar comedic scene that happened during a Super Robot Wars stream where they appeared together. Nice for Akabane, he ended up in Shin Sakura Taisen now.

Comments from Leila’s seiyuu Haruka Shiraishi: “The character I’m voicing, Leila, has a complicated past. She’s suffering because of it. Expressing her pain, loneliness and all her emotions in my acting was something quite difficult. Leila becomes more and more interesting as the story goes on, so look forward to the anime, and what kind of choices will she make.”

Next, we were introduced to the Spirit Particle Fighters used by the Moscow Combat Revue. They’re called Ekaterina and were designed by Mika Akitaka, the game’s mecha designer. He designed the five Spirit Particle Fighters Mugen used by the Flower Division, and all the other Spirit Particle Fighters and mecha in Project Sakura Wars.

Comments from Shin Sakura Taisen Mecha Designer Mika Akitaka: “I’m happy I was able to make new mecha designs not only for the PS4 game but for the anime as well. These are the units used by the Moscow Combat Revue, who appears for the first time in the series. Manabu Ono, the anime’s director, asked me to design a mecha that feels reminiscent of a bird. So it looks pretty different than the other mecha. Look forward to the anime.”

A new key visual for Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation was shared as well. It shows Sakura Amamiya, Hatsuho, Claris, Azami, and Anastasia, weapons ready, protecting Clara. Azakami said it echoes the anime’s story.

Comments from Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation Director Manabu Ono: “I’m happy but feeling a lot of pressure participating in Sakura Taisen‘s revival.  However, I’ve fallen in love with the series once again after the meetings for the anime with Sega’s staff and the game’s development team. Sakura Taisen focuses on intense battles, friendship, and love. Along with comedy and hot-blooded story developments. I wish to show all the aspects of the franchise with the anime, so look forward to April 2020.”

Last but not least, Producer Katano, Yohei Azakami, and Mami Yamashita commented on the anime as some screenshots were revealed.

They first explained that the anime’s protagonist is Sakura Amamiya instead of Seijuro, something we already knew. As previously mentioned, Seijuro got assigned to Europe. Katano mentioned Seijuro is with Lancelot and Elise over there.

They also mentioned the anime will give more occasions to shine to Reiji Shiba and Hakushu Murasame. As a reminder, Reiji is the Flower Division’s mechanic voiced by Tomokazu Sugita. Hakushu is Sakura Amamiya’s swordmaster, designed by Soejima and voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro.

This is the Moscow Combat Revue, Kaminsky and Leila, doing Russian Ballet together. They like to dance like this whenever discussing together. Sega also hired ballet dancers to do motion capture for these ballet scenes.

Lastly, we have screenshots showing te Flower Division fighting against Kouma.

【1月29日(水)生放送終了】 皆様、ご視聴ありがとうございました！ 次回は2月26日(水)放送予定！お楽しみに

#新サクラ大戦#サクラ大戦 pic.twitter.com/aajgyGASco

— サクラ大戦公式@SEGA (@Sakura_Taisen) January 29, 2020

The usual end of stream photo with Mami Yamashita, Yohei Azakami, and Tetsu Katano.

Shin Sakura Taisen The Animation will start airing in April 2020. The next Sakura Taisen stream will be held on February 26 and will include more info on it.

Shin Sakura Taisen is temporarily named Project Sakura Wars in the west and is scheduled to release on PlayStation 4 in Spring 2020. If you don’t want to wait, we’re translating the game via a let’s play. You can find the episodes we did so far on our YouTube channel. The first episode is also included below, along with our full coverage of the game.

First story details, first trailer

Unfinished French trailer incident

Comments on the Sakura Taisen series from original creator Oji Hiroi

Famitsu staff interview Part 1 Part 2

Main cast comments

Toshihiro Nagoshi comments, story, mecha details

Sumire, Kaoru,Komachi Gameplay introduction videos

Michie Tomizawa/Sumire comments

Shangai characters designed by Lucky Star’s Yukiko Horiguchi, new gameplay

Toshihiro Nagoshi comments on switch to action RPG battles

London characters designed by Sword Art Online‘s Abec, new gameplay

Berlin characters designed by Strike Witches‘ Fumikane Shimada, Yasha’s introduction trailer, story, gameplay trailers

Anime announcement trailer 

Game opening movie, Japanese Limited Edition details

Stage play announcement, OST comments from Kohei Tanaka, Limited Edition details

Producer Katano, Director Otsubo comments

Itsuki, Hiromi introduction trailer, designed by Haruhi Suzumiya‘s Noizi Ito.

Gameplay, screenshots, story details

Demo, Combination attacks details

Character Song Music Videos

Character design introduction videos, screenshots, tournament battles

Hakushu Murasame introduction trailer, designed by Shigenori Soejima, character design introduction videos

Gameplay, commercials, staff comments, collabs, DLC teaser

Chisa Yokoyama, Michie Tomizawa interview 

Stage play cast, anime trailer

DLC details

January 29, 2020 9:20 PM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/01/shin-sakura-taisen-the-animation-takes-place-slightly-after-the-games-story/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=shin-sakura-taisen-the-animation-takes-place-slightly-after-the-games-story

Natal Chart Report

This birth chart report shows the positions of the planets for sai .

The Sun represents vitality, a sense of individuality and outward-shining creative energy. Sun in Virgo It is rare to find the stereotypical nitpicky, exacting, "clean freak" in modern-day Virgos. Although the sign of Virgo has evolved with the times, there are some unmistakable traits that remain. Virgo people are generally respectable, hard-working individuals who have a love of knowledge and know-how. Virgo's symbol, the Virgin, shows itself in the lives of Virgos through a love of all that is "natural" and a certain purity of spirit that keeps Virgos self-sufficient and self-contained, at least on the surface. Virgos are sensitive to their surroundings, and they tend to embarrass easily. They are generally reticent when faced with anything or anyone new. However, once they feel comfortable, they can talk up a storm. Many Virgo Suns are not too comfortable in the limelight. These types are just fine living in the background, as long as they feel useful and appreciated. Solar Virgos have a strong sense of responsibility. Even when they've convinced themselves to be irresponsible about something or the other, they worry about it. Not all Virgos are workaholics. However, when Solar Virgos are not involved in some kind of project, there is generally a vague feeling of discontent. Even when their lives are filled up with work, they are restless and somewhat nervous creatures. The fear of under-performing is often strong. Virgos want to do things well. Some are exacting and thorough, and those Virgos who have convinced themselves to do a less-than-perfect job will generally feel incomplete. There's an odd combination of the intellectual and the practical in Virgo that is sometimes mistaken for coolness. In fact, Virgos are often self-effacing and shy. They'll brush off your compliments quickly and, sometimes, critically; but don't let that fool you. They need your respect and appreciation. In fact, the happiest Virgos are the ones who feel appreciated and useful. Add plenty of worthwhile projects to keep them busy, and Virgos can be some of the sweetest, kindest people around. Keywords: analytical, intelligent, reserved, critical, helpful, conscientious. Sun in IX You have a deep need to understand the world around you. You have high ideals and you have your eye on what's on the horizon. You are looking ahead, and at times can seem quite restless. You are proud of your knowledge and of your morals. Be sure to avoid self-righteousness in your enthusiasm to share your knowledge. When used correctly, you are a tolerant, adventurous, and curious person, and you want to see the best in people and in life. -212 Opposition Sun - Jupiter Although your intentions are generally good, you are given to overdoing things. You can easily gloss over realistic details and get yourself into debt, overindulge in pleasures such as food and drink, and promise more than you can deliver. For the most part, you find help for your excesses. Somebody's there to bail you out, as plenty of people believe that your heart is in the right place. Generally, this is the case, but if excessive behavior becomes a pattern, and you continually face light consequences, there is the danger that you will not learn from your mistakes and abuse the "system", relying on your friends and family to help you out a little too often. Your reputation for being "good people", thus, can eventually be used to further your purposes--something that should, of course, be avoided. However, many people with this aspect don't fall into the trap of losing their sincerity. You are generous, helpful, and charitable. Still, the tendency to live beyond your means is a real threat that you might struggle with much of your life. Another thing to watch for is depression. You tend to go through periods of intense highs when you are excessively optimistic. These periods are so marked that they seem to be unnatural and a fall seems to be inevitable. You can make promises you intend to keep, but have a problem with follow-through. Self-control can be a real problem. Try to avoid gambling altogether. Usually quite knowledgeable and generous with your time, you have many talents that you might take for granted. -85 Square Sun - Ascendant He can face conflicts in life due to a projection of character that doesn't match what is on the inside. Misrepresentation of the self is frequent. He must strive to understand how others perceive him and work on presenting a more accurate persona to the world, or he will rub people the wrong way or feel unrecognized and misunderstood. The Moon represents the emotional responses, unconscious pre-destination, and the self-image. Moon in Gemini Lunar Geminis are usually pleasant, witty, and charming people. At home and with family, however, they can be moody and irritable at times. People with Moon in Gemini are always interesting people--they have a finger in every pie, are curious to a fault, and are generally well-informed. Nervousness and worry are common traits with this lunar position. An underlying restlessness is common, and many Lunar Geminis need more stimulation than others. They usually read a lot, talk a lot, and think a lot with this airy, mutable position of the Moon. Their homes are often a perpetual work-in-progress. They generally dislike housework, but are big on home improvement. Re-organizing their homes in little--and sometimes big--ways seems to keep them happy, as Lunar Geminis are easily bored by both routine and constancy. Often, this is a reflection of their inner world--"the grass is always greener..." applies here. Inwardly, Lunar Geminis are often unsettled. Moon in Gemini parents are generally more adept at handling the intellectual needs of their children than emotional ones. Others' complicated emotions, in general, can be difficult for Lunar Geminis to handle. In their families, Lunar Geminis often take on the role of organizing get-togethers. They are at their best when they have plenty of things to do beyond routine. Moon in Gemini people almost always have a way with words. They are clever and witty, and more often than not can be found chatting with others. They are sociable and friendly, and feel comfortable in crowds. Some pay too much attention to what everyone else is doing, and lose touch with what they really want to do. Generally, Lunar Geminis have a million and one projects going. They are impressionable folk, and their imagination is boundless. Their openness to new ideas is admirable, although decisiveness and persistence take a blow as a result. Still, versatility and adaptability are some of the stronger traits of this position of the Moon.When irritable, these people can easily become snappy. Their moodiness is complicated--this is not the same kind of moodiness you'll find with water sign moons, for example. Usually, difficult behavior stems from inner restlessness. Lunar Geminis want to do it all, and have trouble sticking to any one project. When problems arise, the first instinct of Moon in Gemini natives is to talk things out. Their tendency to analyze can give them the appearance of emotional detachment. In fact, Lunar Geminis may be especially comfortable talking about their feelings, but feeling their own feelings doesn't come as easily. Those that don't take time out to really emote and understand their own needs may end up baffling others. Feeling misunderstood is common for Moon in Gemini natives. The only real solution to the problem is learning to get in touch with their own feelings. Short description: Sharp intellect. He likes literature, adapts to all situations and social groups. Work in contact with the public, literary occupations, travel. Weaknesses: lack of follow-up of ideas, indecision, goes back on decisions. Moon in VI Is not always a natural leader, but succeeds in being the right-hand of an important person. In most cases, he is an employee, worker etc. usually by choice. He likes the country, respects Nature and likes animals. You have an emotional need to be useful, to work productively, to be organized and on top of things, and to lead a healthy life. If these matters are chaotic in your life, it's a symptom of emotional unrest. You need a lot of variety on the job--to be stimulated and engaged in order to feel happy. Some of you might seem to change jobs often, forever in search of the "perfect fit" job. Acceptance that any job requires some level of routine is hard for you. You are very sensitive, and especially aware of minor health annoyances or body aches and pains. Some of you have hypochondriac symptoms. Some attempt to get out of things they don't want to do by emphasizing health problems or even exaggerate illnesses in order to gain sympathy. At your best, however, you're a person who always helps out and shows your affection for others in practical ways in order to help them solve problems and improve their lives. -85 Square Moon - Mercury There is a conflict here between the head and the heart. Your emotions tell you one thing and your mind tells you something else. The result is a see-saw effect: you can be emotional to the point of irrationality at one moment, and logical the next. How to blend the head and the heart is a constant struggle for you, usually because you have a tendency to resist blending them! You love to chat, enjoy story-telling and writing/poetry, sometimes enjoy bending the truth, and you possess a sparkling wit! You are animated when you speak, and have a sense of humor that others appreciate simply because it's very imaginative. You may be especially adept at satire. People can usually read your mood by how much you're talking. When nervous or excitable, you talk up a storm. Moodiness is a characteristic, definitely, and an especially subjective nature makes you prone to hypersensitivity. It usually has to do with the fact that you take in so very much from your environment. This is also one of the reasons why you tend to be indecisive. You may swing between irrational and rational thoughts and feelings. It's pretty much something that takes place "upstairs" in the mind, although others are sure to see the struggle from time to time. You are always interesting, and usually funny. You have a tendency to misrepresent yourself with what you say from time to time, but you're a charming, if a little kooky, friend. -31 Square Moon - Venus Because you value harmony, you may find yourself giving in to others too easily, especially in the first half of life. Resentment is possible, as you can feel that you are the one who seems to do all the acquiescing. There can be a distinct tendency to become friends (and lovers) with people too readily, simply because there is a strong need for approval and a hunger for receiving affection. As such, you may get involved with people who seem to really like you, and you fail to consider whether you actually like them back! It's somewhat of a weakness, as you are very charmed by the idea that someone seems to really like and appreciate you. Generally, one of your life's lessons is to learn to discriminate more and to get in touch with what you truly want and need. The functions of the Moon (which rules the emotions and feelings, amongst other things) and the functions of Venus (which rules social relationships, harmony, and partnership, amongst other things) are at cross-purposes. When you attempt to feed the needs of one function, it is often at the expense of the other, until you find some sort of balance. This can play out in a variety of ways. For example, there can be conflicts in partnerships about parenting or whether or not to have a family. You may find yourself compromising your own emotional needs in order to find and keep love. Peace and harmony are important to you--perhaps too much so, as you can easily be taken advantage of. Insecurity is something that you need to deal with at some point in your life. Very sensual, you sometimes replace love with food or shopping! You can also be quite sexually active and sometimes quite lustful. You possess a distinct lazy streak. You are capable of working hard, but you truly appreciate luxuriating and enjoying as many pleasures as possible, and self-discipline simply isn't always at your disposal! 27 Trine Moon - Uranus He is imaginative and has the Moon's intuition complemented by Uranus' independence and originality. His life is out-of-the-ordinary, with lots of changes and a great knowledge of the world not through reading but through personal experience. He likes the sensational, new things. He acts instinctively, but fortunately has a good sixth sense. He likes to be surrounded by original people, artists. 70 Trine Moon - Neptune Positive aspect: He is kind and sympathetic, with a strongly compassionate nature. When in love, he is usually very devoted. In fact, he is devoted by nature, not only in matters of the heart. There is an unmistakably compassionate and understanding side to his nature. He has a natural affinity to music. While everyone enjoys music, people with Moon in harmonious aspect to Neptune respond to music as a vehicle to heal, relax, and to uplift the soul. Naturally perceptive, without even trying he tunes into the feelings of others, and the mood of his surroundings. There is a distinct emotional need to escape into the world of imagination, and to withdraw from others at times when he needs to re-center himself, largely because he tends to "take in" a lot of mixed energies from his surroundings. Strong and sudden "feelings" and hunches can overcome him. More often than not, his intuition is correct, although his imagination is also powerful and he can read too much into a situation as a result. Some laziness is associated with this position. This stems from a natural timidity and sensitivity that is apparent from youth. He may have been labeled "shy" in youth, and family members or friends may have jumped in to "save" him from situations that required boldness or aggressiveness. Thus, passivity was accepted and, as adults, he may be less experienced than most when it comes to reaching out or going after what he wants. -134 Opposition Moon - Pluto He has intense emotions and passionate feelings. He fears the loss of control of emotional and domestic matters, and fears change. At the same time, he attracts change and disruptions. The love life or marital life may be riddled with emotional scenes, jealousy, and possessiveness because he attracts intense partners. Mercury represents communication, Cartesian and logical spirit. Mercury in Virgo He discusses, deduces and judges. He reasons logically and accurately. He spends a lot of time on practical matters and keeping things in order. Sometimes nitpicky and nervous, secretly feeling he handles matters better than others. Mercury in IX His thirst for knowledge is never satisfied. He is full of mental activity. He undertakes exhaustive studies, always studying for pleasure. Likes journeys to faraway places, and can go to live abroad. You are eternally curious and hunger for knowledge. You enjoy studying and learning, and do it not because you have to, but because you want to. You enjoy exchanging ideas and personal philosophies with others. You can be especially buoyant, enthusiastic, and even inspiring in your communications. While you may not pay enough attention to details, you are skilled at finding a quick solution to problems. You readily see the bigger picture and enjoy sharing your opinions and ideas. You get off on how information affects people's lives, and you take great pleasure in learning that something you have shared or taught has inspired others to take action, experience something new, or make changes in their lives. Some of you might be too quick to offer advice, however, that might be lacking in thoroughness and practicality, or that you yourself don't follow. 435 Conjunction Mercury - Venus He looks on the bright side of life: he is gay, agreeable, optimistic, sociable. He likes to speak and write, and does both with charm and artistry. His intellectual pleasures are influenced by his feelings. He is amorous and sensual. He likes beauty, the Arts but also travelling. 100 Trine Mercury - Saturn He is or strives to be mentally organized. He is able to study, concentrate, and focus, and often has the patience to work towards a goal slowly but surely. He takes time to get communications "just so" and tends to prefer step by step directions. Respects tradition and rules. -111 Square Mercury - Pluto He may be impatient. He likes contradiction. His arguments are noisy and animated. You are very incisive and aggressive with your opinions. You have a tendency towards fanaticism and often want to impose your ideas on others, sometimes in a subtle manner and sometimes more imperatively. You will find yourself attracted by the occult and other mysteries but it is recommended that you avoid those subjects because they can generate certain fixations or obsessiveness. You must learn to control your impatience and impulsiveness, to think things over before speaking, and to respect the weaknesses of others. Venus represents an interest for emotions and values, exchange and sharing with others. Venus in Virgo Venus in Virgo people are not the flirtatious sort. Instead, their appeal lies in their dedication, their willingness to work on the relationship, and to make the relationship work in real terms. Unlike Venus in Leo, they won't try to impress you with grand gifts or promises. Their gifts are less showy, but perhaps far more generous -- gifts of devotion and attention to details about you. Venus in Virgo men and women quietly (and often slowly) make their way into your heart. They are quite sensitive in love -- even insecure -- and this reserved, loner-like quality is part of their appeal. They prefer to play it safe in their relationships, and they need to be confident that you like them before they make a move. They are great listeners and they make it a habit to observe and learn all of your ins and outs. Their love can be of the Kindergarten variety -- they show they care by nagging or criticizing. Remember, though, that they are not trying to hurt you when they are pointing out the flaws in your thinking, plans, or even character. They truly are trying to help! Venus in Virgo is attracted to nondescript people who have largely gone unnoticed. Show-offs and know-it-alls turn them off. Pleasing Venus in Virgo involves showing you appreciate them for all the little things they do -- and they do a lot. The problem is, they do these things so quietly that you may not always notice or credit them for all these kind gestures. They do need some space (after all, they're generally quite busy making everything work), so give it to them. Be genuine, not ostentatious. They are really not difficult to please after you have taken care of these basic needs. Avoid pushing your friends or family on them too fast -- remember they are a little shy. They aim to please, and are easily intimidated by your experiences. Let them know how much you value them, and they will reward you with devotion and a charming willingness to talk things out. Short description: He is very devoted, does not show emotions: he and doesn't always let himself go, either through fear of ridicule or through fear of not being loved in return as much as he loves. He is therefore sometimes too undemonstrative. May give off the sense that his love is not for free. Caring but worries that he is not exciting enough. Careful with money. Venus in IX Finds love abroad or marries a foreigner. Refined mind, he likes the Arts, is carried away by beautiful things. He is very happy abroad. You are attracted to, or you tend to attract, people of different cultural backgrounds. You are attracted to a partner with a sense of adventure. You are not especially clingy, and you expect a certain amount of freedom in a partnership. You want to feel like you are growing as an individual, and you won't be happy in a relationship that is restrictive or confining. In fact, you have a great love for the feeling of freedom or limitlessness. Your hips and thighs may be especially attractive! You appreciate a lover who is enthusiastic and not afraid to have a good time (with you!). You aspire to high ideals in love, but some of you might pursue sensations in love rather than true or deep feelings and attachment. Beware of a tendency for dissatisfaction with what you have, as the tendency to think that the "grass is greener" elsewhere can keep you from enjoying or developing what you have. 33 Trine Venus - Saturn He has a good grasp of reality and of duty. He is thrifty, reserved and does not show off. He likes truth and justice. In love, his sentiments are sincere and deep, he never plays false. He is, of course, faithful in love and friendship. He can love a much older person and appreciates his intelligence and good sense. -35 Square Venus - Pluto In an attempt to control the outcome of a love relationship, or the loved one's feelings, you can turn to manipulative games. Even if you do "succeed" at it, there is never a feeling that you've won someone over for who you are, and this feeds a vicious cycle that you should try to avoid getting yourself into. Your feelings are intense, and even extreme, when it comes to love. You might attract intense relationships that have love-hate themes as a result. You are passionate when you love, definitely, but also passionate when you hate. You easily put pressure on your partner, as you expect much loyalty and honesty in your intimate relationships. Be careful not to let your relationships get to a point where your partner is superfluous and you are working through your own inner demons through him or her. Certainly, you will learn much about yourself through your relationships, and you may not always like what you see. You will meet yourself (the "darker" side or inner demons) through your relationships, and it will be critical that you recognize it as your own "material" and not project it onto your partner. Letting go of a relationship can be hard for you to do, especially if Venus is in a fixed sign (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, or Aquarius). Mars represents the desire for action and physical energy. Mars in Leo This is one of the more sexual positions of Mars. While they are rather easy to arouse, their passion is long-standing. Mars in Leo natives enjoy sex more than most, as long as heavy doses of love and romance are part of the package. In partnership, they demand loyalty and admiration. Impatient with small-mindedness and disloyalty, Mars in Leo natives generally have a strong idealistic streak. They easily get fired up when they feel they've been humiliated, and they defend their high principles with ardor. Mars in Leo natives act with their heart. Their ego is tied up with their actions, so that most anything they do becomes a source of great pride. Though some are self-righteous and quarrelsome, the more sophisticated people with this position are kindly leaders. Mars in VIII Sexually very powerful, he is also capable of tremendous focus and hard work. Sexually intense and deep. Is adept at professions requiring research, strategy, uncovering truths, and analysis. Arguments may occur over inheritance. -129 Opposition Mars - Uranus He is full of contradictions. He is original, tending to the eccentric, violent, headstrong, impatient and irascible. He fights to the bitter end to overcome hurdles, and has the strength to overcome them. 17 Trine Mars - Ascendant Jupiter represents expansion and grace. Jupiter in Pisces He attracts the most good fortune when he is charitable, tender, devoted, compassionate, looks out for the underdog, and is giving. Values compassion and charity, and is motivated by a universal vision. Peaceful personal philosophy. Faith in the goodness of life brings rewards. Jupiter in III He has good judgement, a sense of values, an open and optimistic mind, a good education and high moral standards. He likes studying. He is successful in communications work. His professional work is a vocation and plays a great part in his life. -27 Square Jupiter - Ascendant He appears to have a very honorable and generous attitude toward others, as if he has their best interests at heart. Because to others he seems tolerant, understanding, or even wise, they may also turn to him for advice. May go to excess when eating. Saturn represents contraction and effort. Saturn in Taurus Doesn't like to see greed or waste in others. Must not shun materialism and possessiveness completely, and learn to build up a sense of being "deserving" of some pleasures in life. Saturn in IV He needs to be dominated. He has a sense of organization and accepts his responsibilities. He achieves his objectives in spite of slow progress, with many hurdles to overcome. He is persevering and patient. -26 Square Saturn - Neptune Living conditions are difficult for Uranus represents individual liberty, egoistic liberty. Uranus in Aquarius Gets over-excited at the start of a task that interests him. His debonair personality gives others a banal impression. Uranus in II He has a lot of flair. He is unreliable at work, always ready for change. He must have an out-of-the-ordinary job, in which case all goes well: otherwise, he will often change jobs and will have financial problems. 8 Conjunction Uranus - Neptune 28 Sextile Uranus - Pluto He fights to improve his daily life, he is persevering. Neptune represents transcendental liberty, non-egoistic liberty. Neptune in Capricorn He is discerning, wise and sensible. Neptune in II He may prefer not to attach too much value to money, but if this is overdone, there can be quite a few problems in life concerning money and ownership. He might make money through artistic pursuits, but must avoid the potential pitfalls of putting too much faith in ideas that don't have enough grounding in reality. Financial advice is important to obtain. Pluto represents transformations, mutations and elimination. Pluto in Sagittarius Great aspirations: sexuality and love are idealized. House I is the area of self identity. The ascendant is a symbol of how one acts in life. It is the image of the personality as seen by others, and the attitude that one has towards life. Ascendant in Sagittarius The world is filled with adventure, new things to experience, and, most of all, hope, with this Ascendant. There is an unmistakable faith and enthusiasm with Sagittarius rising people. Grand schemes, big promises, and a willingness to explore and experiment are themes, although follow-through is not a strong characteristic of Sagittarius. These individuals are somewhat restless and often active people. They always seem to be looking for something that is just out of grasp -- and many do this their entire lives. They can be quite direct at times, yet they are likable enough to forgive for their faux-pas. Most have a lot to say and offer. Their insights and opinions are usually interesting and exciting, although sometimes lacking in details. Sagittarius rising people have opinions about everything, and they just love telling others exactly what they are. Not all people with this position are outgoing folk, but they all have a way of moving about that at least exudes a certain level of confidence. Some might even call them naive or overly optimistic. Even the quiet ones don't shrink from life and from experience. One of the most obvious and endearing traits of Sagittarius rising is their willingness to keep up a sense of humor. Even when they're feeling low, they manage to find humor in life and have fun with whatever they do have. The placement of Sagittarius' ruling planet, Jupiter, will give more clues to how they go about expressing themselves. Jupiter in Capricorn, for example, might give a more sarcastic approach, but underneath there lies an unmistakable hope and spirit for living. House II is the area of material security and values. It rules money and personal finances, sense of self-worth and basic values, personal possessions. House II in Capricorn A cautious approach to money and personal finances, possessions. Financial success may be slow but steady. A hard worker. Savings are important. Patience with accumulating. Money situation improves with maturity. House III is the area of social and intellectual learning. House III in Aquarius He is always at the forefront of progress. Likes everything that is new, original and ingenious. Likes every new idea, as long as it improves life and naturally is good for everyone. He is happy to travel even at a moment's notice, likes a life full of change and meetings. House IV is the area of home, family, roots, and deep emotions/sense of self-worth. House IV in Aries Lots of authority within the family. He knows how to take the destiny of the family in hand. He is very energetic, very strong, knowing how to cope with life's setbacks. House V is the area of creative self-expression, romance, entertainment, children, and gambling. House V in Taurus A pleasant home, a charming wife, loving and sweet children, nice little meals, pleasant evenings with the loved one, that's the good life. House VI is the area of learning by material transaction. House VI in Taurus Completely trusted at work. Knows how to keep a secret and is of irreproachable honesty. Weak point: the throat. House VII is the area of one-to-one relationships such as marriage and partnership, and of social and intellectual action. House VII in Gemini Marries quite young, and divorces later. A second marriage doubtless with less passion but a lot of friendship. Frightened of living alone in old age. House VIII is the area of emotional security and of security of the soul. House VIII in Cancer Small inheritances. House IX is the area of learning that shapes the identity. House IX in Leo He is tolerant, accepts all differences and respects them. He is honest and loyal. House X is the area of material action. The Mid-heaven represents the work one will do in his life, the place one will take in the world of society. It becomes more important as one grows older House X in Libra Contacts of all kinds will lead to social success, professional, through marriage etc... Likes society life, friendships that could help professionally. Sometimes jobs connected with justice, but always involved with important and influential people. House XI is the area of search for social and intellectual security. House XI in Scorpio Adores to debate endlessly with friends who don't share his ideas. The discussion can lead to words, even a certain verbal violence. House XII is the area of education and of emotion. House XII in Scorpio Work in the police field, likes investigating other people's private lives.

Falcom President Talks The Future Of Legend Of Heroes, And Localizing Trails Of Cold Steel 3

Coming from Nihon Falcom, The Legend of Heroes has always embraced the traditional formula that embodies a classic JRPG. While the series has never quite reached the heights of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, it’s still cultivated a passionate fanbase in Japan, and even managed to carve out a niche in western markets. It’s seen many stories and casts of characters come and go over the years. However, it’s always stuck close to its group of young heroes as they face more significant challenges, grow in strength, and mature. This approach is especially evident in the current sub-series Trails of Cold Steel–a fantasy story of warring empires where military schools train the next band of warriors to defend their land.

With the upcoming western release of Trails of Cold Steel 3, recently delayed to October 22, GameSpot sat down with Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo to reflect on the growth of the series. At the time of this interview, Trails of Cold Steel 4 has since been out in Japan, marking the end of this particular sub-series, which raises some theories about where the series could go next. Along with an update on the progress of the western release of Trails of Cold Steel 3, he discussed what’s coming next for The Legend of Heroes franchise, and how the series could grow from here.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

Looking back on the Legends of Heroes series, can you talk about how the Trails of Cold Steel sub-series fits into it, and what it really brings to the larger franchise?

Toshihiro Kondo: The Legend of Heroes as a whole is a much larger series. When I first joined Falcom, they had just finished Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch in 1994, and they continued work on the following games thereafter–A Tear of Vermillion and a Song of the Ocean. This was part of a sub-series called the Gagharv Trilogy. Eventually, we moved onto a new sub-series called Trails of the Sky, which was technically at that point The Legend of Heroes VI.

In Trails of the Sky, it starts very simply. There’s a boy and a girl, they’re in the village in the middle of nowhere, and their tale begins taking them from place to place to finally make it to the capital. They get involved in this big plot that’s happening with their country and then things continue on from there. It was a traditional RPG about going on this adventure and having the characters grow and evolve. With Trails of Cold Steel, I guess you can say it’s even more about the idea of youths forming bonds together, how they form links and grow up together. You could definitely call Trails of Cold Steel much more of a modern RPG than some of the games that came before.

Though Trails of Cold Steel features a lot of modern elements from other JRPG titles like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei, it still shows its roots in more traditional games of the genre. Do you feel that there’s a void in the market that needs to be filled?

It’s not so much a conscious desire to fill a void that may exist but it has more to do with just how the mindset from which these games are developed. To me, the story is the most important thing when it comes to the series. The Trails of Cold Steel series takes place in what’s called the Erebonian Empire. From a story perspective, we found it necessary to explain what the empire is and how its inhabitants are, while also exploring the political systems they have. The story is what informs everything else about these series, it was very important to just go into depth–which is how the game ended up being more linear, more story-focused than some other kind of JRPG that’s coming out nowadays.

There are also practical development aspects as well. Since we are a smaller studio, we don’t have the resources to create so many assets or craft an open-world game. I will say that no matter how big the studio gets, we’d still focus on story-driven games designed in our particular way. One of the cool things that happen because of this is that while we’re focusing on the story, we can eventually lead up to new events that will open the game a bit more. When you’re in the final arc, you’re able to explore more freely and take on the new activities when you want.

Though Trails of Cold Steel features a lot of modern elements from other JRPG titles like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei, it still shows its roots in more traditional games of the genre. Do you feel that there’s a void in the market that needs to be filled?

It’s not so much a conscious desire to fill a void that may exist but it has more to do with just how the mindset from which these games are developed. To me, the story is the most important thing when it comes to the series. The Trails of Cold Steel series takes place in what’s called the Erebonian Empire. From a story perspective, we found it necessary to explain what the empire is and how its inhabitants are, while also exploring the political systems they have. The story is what informs everything else about these series, it was very important to just go into depth–which is how the game ended up being more linear, more story-focused than some other kind of JRPG that’s coming out nowadays.

There are also practical development aspects as well. Since we are a smaller studio, we don’t have the resources to create so many assets or craft an open-world game. I will say that no matter how big the studio gets, we’d still focus on story-driven games designed in our particular way. One of the cool things that happen because of this is that while we’re focusing on the story, we can eventually lead up to new events that will open the game a bit more. When you’re in the final arc, you’re able to explore more freely and take on the new activities when you want.

I definitely see a lot of influences from the Persona series, in terms of structure and design.

It’s interesting you bring up Persona. When you really want to focus on telling this story, the order in which things have to be seen becomes really important, which necessitates how the game is getting developed. I occasionally talk with Katsura Hashino, who is the director of Persona 5, and he said both of us have the awareness that we’re making an old style of game. But we’re also very happy to be doing it because this is the kind of game we want to make.

Interestingly enough, there was a time when we wanted to make the Trails series as an action game, but it just didn’t work out and so we reverted to a turn-based system. If you take a look at the history of Japanese games that fall under that umbrella, you’ll notice that there was a time period when everybody was trying to make action-focused games and then many of them reverted to command, turn-based.

Since this is the third game in the sub-series, was it a challenge to make this game an effective point to jump into the series?

Well, when you do have a long-running series like this it’s important to catch people up. You’re absolutely right, it can be a challenge to get people up to speed. So, we have a very, very well thought out backstory which explains the events from the previous games in the series. As you can see, character profiles, world introduction, all of these things are there. You’re able to read all about them and the world that they have in the other games. This is the first thing you can do to catch yourself up with the previous games.

So the fourth and final Trails of Cold Steel game is already out in Japan. However, the western release of the Cold Steel series is still a bit behind. Can you talk a bit about the process for localizing these games? I imagine it must be very time-consuming.

Well, as creators, we would love for everybody to be able to play the game as soon as possible but the reality is, because these [games] are so story focused, we’re actually still fiddling with the text up until the very end, and we won’t let localization partners work on it until it’s complete. These games are known for their very luminous stories and we just take a long time to translate. This one, for example, has 2.4 million Japanese characters and it really just takes time.

Do you feel that there’s still more to explore the setting of the game within the larger Legend of Heroes saga?

Well, regarding the future of the series, Trails of Cold Steel IV ended the Cold Steel sub-series. However, I revealed some time ago before this interview the full world map for this particular world. It turns out that the whole eastern half is pretty much still in shadows. We’ve hinted at this in places in Trails of the Sky, and so going forward we’re going to be exploring that area of the world and its mysteries. It will be different characters and a new story, but it will still be a Legend of Heroes game. Looking at the larger story, I would say that it’s about 60% complete. There’s still much to be done, and I definitely would like to finish the story of this world while we still have the strength to do it.

The Legend of Heroes series has been active for some time. Can you talk about what still resonates with you most about this series?

For me personally, I joined this company because I love the Legends of Heroes series, and I see the Trails series within that as the true successor to what that was trying to do, even back in its original form. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this is kind of my life’s work. The Trails series has so many different characters in it and being able to tell all their stories is very gratifying for me. It means quite a lot to me.

Credit: Source link

The post Falcom President Talks The Future Of Legend Of Heroes, And Localizing Trails Of Cold Steel 3 appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.

from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/falcom-president-talks-the-future-of-legend-of-heroes-and-localizing-trails-of-cold-steel-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=falcom-president-talks-the-future-of-legend-of-heroes-and-localizing-trails-of-cold-steel-3 from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.tumblr.com/post/186589751322

Falcom President Talks The Future Of Legend Of Heroes, And Localizing Trails Of Cold Steel 3

Coming from Nihon Falcom, The Legend of Heroes has always embraced the traditional formula that embodies a classic JRPG. While the series has never quite reached the heights of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, it’s still cultivated a passionate fanbase in Japan, and even managed to carve out a niche in western markets. It’s seen many stories and casts of characters come and go over the years. However, it’s always stuck close to its group of young heroes as they face more significant challenges, grow in strength, and mature. This approach is especially evident in the current sub-series Trails of Cold Steel–a fantasy story of warring empires where military schools train the next band of warriors to defend their land.

With the upcoming western release of Trails of Cold Steel 3, recently delayed to October 22, GameSpot sat down with Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo to reflect on the growth of the series. At the time of this interview, Trails of Cold Steel 4 has since been out in Japan, marking the end of this particular sub-series, which raises some theories about where the series could go next. Along with an update on the progress of the western release of Trails of Cold Steel 3, he discussed what’s coming next for The Legend of Heroes franchise, and how the series could grow from here.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

Looking back on the Legends of Heroes series, can you talk about how the Trails of Cold Steel sub-series fits into it, and what it really brings to the larger franchise?

Toshihiro Kondo: The Legend of Heroes as a whole is a much larger series. When I first joined Falcom, they had just finished Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch in 1994, and they continued work on the following games thereafter–A Tear of Vermillion and a Song of the Ocean. This was part of a sub-series called the Gagharv Trilogy. Eventually, we moved onto a new sub-series called Trails of the Sky, which was technically at that point The Legend of Heroes VI.

In Trails of the Sky, it starts very simply. There’s a boy and a girl, they’re in the village in the middle of nowhere, and their tale begins taking them from place to place to finally make it to the capital. They get involved in this big plot that’s happening with their country and then things continue on from there. It was a traditional RPG about going on this adventure and having the characters grow and evolve. With Trails of Cold Steel, I guess you can say it’s even more about the idea of youths forming bonds together, how they form links and grow up together. You could definitely call Trails of Cold Steel much more of a modern RPG than some of the games that came before.

Though Trails of Cold Steel features a lot of modern elements from other JRPG titles like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei, it still shows its roots in more traditional games of the genre. Do you feel that there’s a void in the market that needs to be filled?

It’s not so much a conscious desire to fill a void that may exist but it has more to do with just how the mindset from which these games are developed. To me, the story is the most important thing when it comes to the series. The Trails of Cold Steel series takes place in what’s called the Erebonian Empire. From a story perspective, we found it necessary to explain what the empire is and how its inhabitants are, while also exploring the political systems they have. The story is what informs everything else about these series, it was very important to just go into depth–which is how the game ended up being more linear, more story-focused than some other kind of JRPG that’s coming out nowadays.

There are also practical development aspects as well. Since we are a smaller studio, we don’t have the resources to create so many assets or craft an open-world game. I will say that no matter how big the studio gets, we’d still focus on story-driven games designed in our particular way. One of the cool things that happen because of this is that while we’re focusing on the story, we can eventually lead up to new events that will open the game a bit more. When you’re in the final arc, you’re able to explore more freely and take on the new activities when you want.

Though Trails of Cold Steel features a lot of modern elements from other JRPG titles like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei, it still shows its roots in more traditional games of the genre. Do you feel that there’s a void in the market that needs to be filled?

It’s not so much a conscious desire to fill a void that may exist but it has more to do with just how the mindset from which these games are developed. To me, the story is the most important thing when it comes to the series. The Trails of Cold Steel series takes place in what’s called the Erebonian Empire. From a story perspective, we found it necessary to explain what the empire is and how its inhabitants are, while also exploring the political systems they have. The story is what informs everything else about these series, it was very important to just go into depth–which is how the game ended up being more linear, more story-focused than some other kind of JRPG that’s coming out nowadays.

There are also practical development aspects as well. Since we are a smaller studio, we don’t have the resources to create so many assets or craft an open-world game. I will say that no matter how big the studio gets, we’d still focus on story-driven games designed in our particular way. One of the cool things that happen because of this is that while we’re focusing on the story, we can eventually lead up to new events that will open the game a bit more. When you’re in the final arc, you’re able to explore more freely and take on the new activities when you want.

I definitely see a lot of influences from the Persona series, in terms of structure and design.

It’s interesting you bring up Persona. When you really want to focus on telling this story, the order in which things have to be seen becomes really important, which necessitates how the game is getting developed. I occasionally talk with Katsura Hashino, who is the director of Persona 5, and he said both of us have the awareness that we’re making an old style of game. But we’re also very happy to be doing it because this is the kind of game we want to make.

Interestingly enough, there was a time when we wanted to make the Trails series as an action game, but it just didn’t work out and so we reverted to a turn-based system. If you take a look at the history of Japanese games that fall under that umbrella, you’ll notice that there was a time period when everybody was trying to make action-focused games and then many of them reverted to command, turn-based.

Since this is the third game in the sub-series, was it a challenge to make this game an effective point to jump into the series?

Well, when you do have a long-running series like this it’s important to catch people up. You’re absolutely right, it can be a challenge to get people up to speed. So, we have a very, very well thought out backstory which explains the events from the previous games in the series. As you can see, character profiles, world introduction, all of these things are there. You’re able to read all about them and the world that they have in the other games. This is the first thing you can do to catch yourself up with the previous games.

So the fourth and final Trails of Cold Steel game is already out in Japan. However, the western release of the Cold Steel series is still a bit behind. Can you talk a bit about the process for localizing these games? I imagine it must be very time-consuming.

Well, as creators, we would love for everybody to be able to play the game as soon as possible but the reality is, because these [games] are so story focused, we’re actually still fiddling with the text up until the very end, and we won’t let localization partners work on it until it’s complete. These games are known for their very luminous stories and we just take a long time to translate. This one, for example, has 2.4 million Japanese characters and it really just takes time.

Do you feel that there’s still more to explore the setting of the game within the larger Legend of Heroes saga?

Well, regarding the future of the series, Trails of Cold Steel IV ended the Cold Steel sub-series. However, I revealed some time ago before this interview the full world map for this particular world. It turns out that the whole eastern half is pretty much still in shadows. We’ve hinted at this in places in Trails of the Sky, and so going forward we’re going to be exploring that area of the world and its mysteries. It will be different characters and a new story, but it will still be a Legend of Heroes game. Looking at the larger story, I would say that it’s about 60% complete. There’s still much to be done, and I definitely would like to finish the story of this world while we still have the strength to do it.

The Legend of Heroes series has been active for some time. Can you talk about what still resonates with you most about this series?

For me personally, I joined this company because I love the Legends of Heroes series, and I see the Trails series within that as the true successor to what that was trying to do, even back in its original form. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this is kind of my life’s work. The Trails series has so many different characters in it and being able to tell all their stories is very gratifying for me. It means quite a lot to me.

Credit: Source link

The post Falcom President Talks The Future Of Legend Of Heroes, And Localizing Trails Of Cold Steel 3 appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.

from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/falcom-president-talks-the-future-of-legend-of-heroes-and-localizing-trails-of-cold-steel-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=falcom-president-talks-the-future-of-legend-of-heroes-and-localizing-trails-of-cold-steel-3 from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.tumblr.com/post/186589751322

Falcom President Talks The Future Of Legend Of Heroes, And Localizing Trails Of Cold Steel 3

Coming from Nihon Falcom, The Legend of Heroes has always embraced the traditional formula that embodies a classic JRPG. While the series has never quite reached the heights of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, it’s still cultivated a passionate fanbase in Japan, and even managed to carve out a niche in western markets. It’s seen many stories and casts of characters come and go over the years. However, it’s always stuck close to its group of young heroes as they face more significant challenges, grow in strength, and mature. This approach is especially evident in the current sub-series Trails of Cold Steel–a fantasy story of warring empires where military schools train the next band of warriors to defend their land.

With the upcoming western release of Trails of Cold Steel 3, recently delayed to October 22, GameSpot sat down with Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo to reflect on the growth of the series. At the time of this interview, Trails of Cold Steel 4 has since been out in Japan, marking the end of this particular sub-series, which raises some theories about where the series could go next. Along with an update on the progress of the western release of Trails of Cold Steel 3, he discussed what’s coming next for The Legend of Heroes franchise, and how the series could grow from here.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

Looking back on the Legends of Heroes series, can you talk about how the Trails of Cold Steel sub-series fits into it, and what it really brings to the larger franchise?

Toshihiro Kondo: The Legend of Heroes as a whole is a much larger series. When I first joined Falcom, they had just finished Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch in 1994, and they continued work on the following games thereafter–A Tear of Vermillion and a Song of the Ocean. This was part of a sub-series called the Gagharv Trilogy. Eventually, we moved onto a new sub-series called Trails of the Sky, which was technically at that point The Legend of Heroes VI.

In Trails of the Sky, it starts very simply. There’s a boy and a girl, they’re in the village in the middle of nowhere, and their tale begins taking them from place to place to finally make it to the capital. They get involved in this big plot that’s happening with their country and then things continue on from there. It was a traditional RPG about going on this adventure and having the characters grow and evolve. With Trails of Cold Steel, I guess you can say it’s even more about the idea of youths forming bonds together, how they form links and grow up together. You could definitely call Trails of Cold Steel much more of a modern RPG than some of the games that came before.

Though Trails of Cold Steel features a lot of modern elements from other JRPG titles like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei, it still shows its roots in more traditional games of the genre. Do you feel that there’s a void in the market that needs to be filled?

It’s not so much a conscious desire to fill a void that may exist but it has more to do with just how the mindset from which these games are developed. To me, the story is the most important thing when it comes to the series. The Trails of Cold Steel series takes place in what’s called the Erebonian Empire. From a story perspective, we found it necessary to explain what the empire is and how its inhabitants are, while also exploring the political systems they have. The story is what informs everything else about these series, it was very important to just go into depth–which is how the game ended up being more linear, more story-focused than some other kind of JRPG that’s coming out nowadays.

There are also practical development aspects as well. Since we are a smaller studio, we don’t have the resources to create so many assets or craft an open-world game. I will say that no matter how big the studio gets, we’d still focus on story-driven games designed in our particular way. One of the cool things that happen because of this is that while we’re focusing on the story, we can eventually lead up to new events that will open the game a bit more. When you’re in the final arc, you’re able to explore more freely and take on the new activities when you want.

Though Trails of Cold Steel features a lot of modern elements from other JRPG titles like Persona or Shin Megami Tensei, it still shows its roots in more traditional games of the genre. Do you feel that there’s a void in the market that needs to be filled?

It’s not so much a conscious desire to fill a void that may exist but it has more to do with just how the mindset from which these games are developed. To me, the story is the most important thing when it comes to the series. The Trails of Cold Steel series takes place in what’s called the Erebonian Empire. From a story perspective, we found it necessary to explain what the empire is and how its inhabitants are, while also exploring the political systems they have. The story is what informs everything else about these series, it was very important to just go into depth–which is how the game ended up being more linear, more story-focused than some other kind of JRPG that’s coming out nowadays.

There are also practical development aspects as well. Since we are a smaller studio, we don’t have the resources to create so many assets or craft an open-world game. I will say that no matter how big the studio gets, we’d still focus on story-driven games designed in our particular way. One of the cool things that happen because of this is that while we’re focusing on the story, we can eventually lead up to new events that will open the game a bit more. When you’re in the final arc, you’re able to explore more freely and take on the new activities when you want.

I definitely see a lot of influences from the Persona series, in terms of structure and design.

It’s interesting you bring up Persona. When you really want to focus on telling this story, the order in which things have to be seen becomes really important, which necessitates how the game is getting developed. I occasionally talk with Katsura Hashino, who is the director of Persona 5, and he said both of us have the awareness that we’re making an old style of game. But we’re also very happy to be doing it because this is the kind of game we want to make.

Interestingly enough, there was a time when we wanted to make the Trails series as an action game, but it just didn’t work out and so we reverted to a turn-based system. If you take a look at the history of Japanese games that fall under that umbrella, you’ll notice that there was a time period when everybody was trying to make action-focused games and then many of them reverted to command, turn-based.

Since this is the third game in the sub-series, was it a challenge to make this game an effective point to jump into the series?

Well, when you do have a long-running series like this it’s important to catch people up. You’re absolutely right, it can be a challenge to get people up to speed. So, we have a very, very well thought out backstory which explains the events from the previous games in the series. As you can see, character profiles, world introduction, all of these things are there. You’re able to read all about them and the world that they have in the other games. This is the first thing you can do to catch yourself up with the previous games.

So the fourth and final Trails of Cold Steel game is already out in Japan. However, the western release of the Cold Steel series is still a bit behind. Can you talk a bit about the process for localizing these games? I imagine it must be very time-consuming.

Well, as creators, we would love for everybody to be able to play the game as soon as possible but the reality is, because these [games] are so story focused, we’re actually still fiddling with the text up until the very end, and we won’t let localization partners work on it until it’s complete. These games are known for their very luminous stories and we just take a long time to translate. This one, for example, has 2.4 million Japanese characters and it really just takes time.

Do you feel that there’s still more to explore the setting of the game within the larger Legend of Heroes saga?

Well, regarding the future of the series, Trails of Cold Steel IV ended the Cold Steel sub-series. However, I revealed some time ago before this interview the full world map for this particular world. It turns out that the whole eastern half is pretty much still in shadows. We’ve hinted at this in places in Trails of the Sky, and so going forward we’re going to be exploring that area of the world and its mysteries. It will be different characters and a new story, but it will still be a Legend of Heroes game. Looking at the larger story, I would say that it’s about 60% complete. There’s still much to be done, and I definitely would like to finish the story of this world while we still have the strength to do it.

The Legend of Heroes series has been active for some time. Can you talk about what still resonates with you most about this series?

For me personally, I joined this company because I love the Legends of Heroes series, and I see the Trails series within that as the true successor to what that was trying to do, even back in its original form. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this is kind of my life’s work. The Trails series has so many different characters in it and being able to tell all their stories is very gratifying for me. It means quite a lot to me.

Credit: Source link

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LOADING INFORMATION ON MAYDAY’S LEAD VOCAL, LEAD DANCE LEE JUEUN...

IDOL DETAILS

STAGENAME: N/A CURRENT AGE: 21 DEBUT AGE: 20 TRAINEE SINCE AGE: 15 COMPANY: MSG SECONDARY SKILL: N/A

IDOL PROFILE

NICKNAME(S): juju INSPIRATION: watching artist perform on the music shows as a kid. SPECIAL TALENTS:

Can count backwards from 100 in under 90 seconds

She can fit an obscene number of cherries in her mouth at once.

NOTABLE FACTS:

she came in first at a track meet in middle school.

it’s known she was a terrible at studying while in school, she often comments that she had ‘okay’ grades.

growing up she was a huge Jubilee fan & she owns an autographed album from a contest her mom entered for her.

IDOL GOALS

SHORT-TERM GOALS:

Jueun’s short-term goals may seem like company talk but she genuinely wants to see their group grow in popularity the year after their debut. A large part of this is personal, she knows how hard she has worked and now finally having debuted she doesn’t ever want to go back to the days of auditions. Another aspect of it though is knowing the company’s expectations for the group.

LONG-TERM GOALS:

ueun’s long-term goal is to become a lasting figure in the entertainment industry. She wants to carve out a place for herself whether that’s as a host, on variety,  actress, or otherwise she isn’t too picky. Ideally she’d like to stay in the industry as a singer but if she’s honest with herself she isn’t quite so confident in her skills to see it as a viable option – at least on a soloist level.

IDOL IMAGE

The problem, or perhaps the benefit, of having past failures is that it gives an easy narrative to those who want to paint it. In Jueun’s case the company decided to take her audition failures – and eventual success – to shape a story for her persona. It’s no secret that the public likes someone who works hard, even suffers a bit before reaching their goal. It garners sympathy with the public and inspires them to root for their success. Everyone can relate to an underdog after all. At least that was what they hoped for Jueun. While it’s true that she did fail to proceed at auditions with two other companies it was decided that the story would be played up and exaggerated for sentimentality. With this backstory Jueun was given the story of someone who might not be the most talented or the most beautiful but someone who overcame failures to reach her dream.

To coincide with this Jueun is also given the image of the kind, reliable, down-to-earth friend, doubling down on being someone who the fans can connect with. To the fans she’s not an untouchable goddess, she’s a girl who’s just like them. Someone who you could see as your best friend or a person you could meet casually walking down the street. She’s a good listener and someone you could tell your problems to. She wasn’t the crush but she was the kind of person a fan could talk to for advice about their crush. When it comes to things like variety she isn’t the one who is going to be wacky or witty, she’s seen as the normal one.

This image trickles down to what the stylist give her and how she appears during social media interactions as well. In instagram lives she would be dressed casually as if she might have just been lazing about in her every day life before deciding she wanted to see the fans.

In truth there are nuggets of reality in her persona when compared to reality – Jueun does think of herself as hard-working and she isn’t terribly up-tight or difficult to be around. In fact she often accepts things too easily, especially if it’s what the company wants. It’s a bit ironic she is seen as someone who listens well given in reality she’s often the one going to her brother for advice.

One major difference between herself and her image is the bit of selfishness that lies in her and rears it’s head when no one is watching. She wants to succeed and be a lasting entertainer and can often get frustrated when faced with reality that it might not happen. In a way her desire to succeed is in conflict with her image; she doesn’t want to simply be the normal friend who gets looked over every time, she wants to leave an impression.

IDOL HISTORY

i.

Jueun was born into a very stable household. Happily married parents, an older brother, and eventually a younger sister. It was also a very practical household, her mother was a middle school teacher and her father an officer worker. They didn’t have an extravagant living but she also didn’t want for anything growing up either. It was in this typical family environment that little Jueun was allowed to dream. Born in 1998 she grew-up in the perfect time, at least by her standards.

The entertainment industry was changing, becoming a production larger than life, and it was all taking place before little, wide-eyed Jueun as she sat in front of the living room television. By the age of six she was begging her mom for lessons but vocal coaches and dancing lessons simply weren’t in the household budget. It was one or the other and she chose dance lessons – after all, she could always practice singing on her own. And for the longest time that was that. Jueun lived a fairly ordinary life. She would attend her dancing classes, which fortunately she had taken a shine to being at least above average for her age group, but things like school and Sunday service came first.

Contrary to what fairy tails her dream didn’t come after she started working towards it. It was a bit of a bitter reality, even at a young age. However one benefit of youth was that she was not fully soured by the bitterness and cynicism of the world just yet. And while her dream might seem unreachable with each passing day, she was still allowed the luxury of dreaming.

ii.

By the age of fifteen it was largely assumed that any notion of pursuing the dream of becoming an idol had faded away with age. At least that was the case as far as her parents were concerned. Sure she continued to take dance lessons and sang in her room when they were trying to watch the television but as far as they were concerned these things were merely hobbies. Not to mention that her failure to be noticed or recruited to this point, for them, was a sign that a future in that profession simply wasn’t realistic.

And if in that moment in time Jueun was being honest with herself she’d confess to having similar thoughts. Soon she’d have to start thinking about other careers and singing and dancing might just have to be a hobby. With that in mind she made to deal with herself, she’d try for the next year and if it didn’t get her anywhere then she’d accept reality.

To say the early returns were disappointing would be an understatement. her first audition she didn’t make it past the first cut and the entire time she could recall noting how disinterested the evaluator looked. it was disheartening, even a bit humiliating, and she couldn’t help but wonder if it also was a dose of reality. Despite that feeling she pushed on, determined to keep the promise she made to herself.

There was a sliver of hope the next time around. She received a second audition but was ultimately cut again. It was here that Jueun began to think she was setting her sights too high; she came from a normal family. They didn’t have the money and influence that surely other kids had. And while she was an above average dance and okay singer; she was far from a prodigy herself. Auditioning for companies like Midas and 99 Entertainment? After two failures she began to view those chooses as foolish and feelings of self-doubt bloomed from these episodes.

These two failures left a significant imprint on her. Jueun had never just been flat out told she wasn’t good enough. That isn’t to say she was cocky and arrogant about her skill, she new her deficiencies, a better label might have been naive. She thought if she worked hard enough her effort would show through and that would be enough.

To this day those failures have made her a bit more cautious and self-conscious.  

At the time though it was a conversation with her brother and his advice that led her to try another audition, this time at MSG Entertainment. In his words if she was going to strike out she might as well do so swinging. At the time she thought her brother, who played baseball, using that kind of metaphor was lame but it got the point across nonetheless. So she practiced, waiting for the next time the company held auditions.

The day of the auditions she would never forget. For starters she spent the morning sitting by the toilet. Her father said it was good that she was ‘puking her nerves out’. Somehow she didn’t see how that was a good thing, especially because when she arrived for her audition she felt even more nervous than when she woke up.

Throughout her audition she tried her best to ignore the nausea in her stomach. When it was over she felt like she had done her best but past disappointments kept her from getting her hopes up too high. Jueun wanted to believe that her hard-work would show through and count for something; after all it was what her parents had taught her growing up, but how had that worked for her in the past? Therefore it was understandable that she had cautious excitement when they contacted her for another tryout. And when she was accepted she was bursting with joy, naively believing the hard part of the process was done.

iii.

Initially after being accepted to the agency there was a period of serenity. The joy of sharing the news with her parents and closest friends; the elation at having taken the first real step to achieving that dream she had as a girl. For all intensive purposes this was were the happily ever after would begin in a storybook ending. However this period of elation was quickly met with a harsh reality. While being accepted as a trainee was a big step for her personally, she learned it was a small step in the grand scheme of debuting as an idol.

Until that point her only formal training had been in dance, and while she thought she was a good singer her audience had only been her mirror and family at holiday gatherings. As her training began under the company she quickly learned that simply being happy to have made it this far wasn’t enough. In a company like MSG the trainees she had lunch with on Monday could be gone after an evaluation on Tuesday, and often times were. This was perhaps one of the harder things for Jueun to adapt to. To begin with she already wasn’t someone who easily made close friends; so to have those that she did get close to and hoped to debut with be dropped that easily was a sobering experience for her throughout her trainee life, but especially early on.

For all the glitz and glamour that she had seen and admired on stage, the process to get there was equally as grueling and trying – perhaps even doubly so. And for Jueun, like many, she was training and practicing with no promise of debut, no promise that this would payoff in the way she wanted. With that in mind it was after two years of being a trainee when her first breaking moment hit. She had them before, minor ones, often brought on by exhaustion after a practice or frustration at herself for not progressing the way she wanted to; but this was the first time she felt like calling it quits - that she felt whatever payoff would come from this training simply wasn’t worth it.

She was well aware that even among her fellow trainees there were those that had been around longer than she had yet she couldn’t put that into perspective. Two grueling years as a trainee with no news of debut was hard to stomach when she had friends who she remembered auditioning with preparing for debut with other companies.

She remembered this time vividly, in part because she remembered getting mad at her brother for not taking her complaints on the matter seriously. Instead of sympathizing with her he told her that she wasn’t the only one going through struggles.

At the time her seventeen year old mind took it badly, as if he was belittling her hardships. It wouldn’t be until later that she truly gained perspective on his words. The fighting though, did prove to be cathartic for her. All the frustration and emotion that she wasn’t allowed to show in front of her trainers seemed to come out and, despite his words, her brother allowed himself to be her verbal punching bag. It was just the relationship they had. She shared a closeness with her brother despite him being five years older than her and in moments like these throughout her life he was there w- even if she didn’t always want to hear it.

From then on it was a routine, a draining and tedious routine that required all her efforts and then some, but Jueun pushed on. Saying goodbye to friends didn’t get any easier and seeing her fellow trainees excel didn’t help her own inferiority complex go away either. She merely did her best to compartmentalize those emotions, or at the very least she’d try to ignore them.  In a weird way it was funny, as the years went by her dream of debut seemed further away than before she was a trainee. Back then she was allowed time to sit and think about it; however during those years between school and practice there wasn’t much time to leave her head in the clouds.

iv.

The day she was told she would be apart of the debut group was a day Jueun would never forget. The words barely registered with her at the time, it was almost like an out of body experience. When she called her mom to tell her, Jueun could specifically remember how her hands were shaking while holding the phone. Everything she had wanted since she was a little girl was finally coming true: she was going to be an idol.

Like with everything in her journey so far, reality soon followed after the elation. Jueun wasn’t blind, she knew both the success and criticisms that came with the company’s senior groups. Even without receiving much, if any, information on what their debut concept and image would be at the time there was a clear sense of expectation from management that, if she was being honest, scared her.

What followed was a blur for her; the long practices and various training for debut was like a whirlwind and quite frankly like nothing she could have imagined. It was different than being a trainee yet challenging in it’s own right, maybe even more so, and there were days when she was just happy to keep her head on straight.

She was told about the image she would play, a persona of sorts, and trained on it without much input. A fact that she, perhaps naively, accepted without any complaints or suggestions. One thing that did become clear to her throughout their preparations was that she wasn’t particularly high on the metaphorical totem pole within the group. It was something she expected, after all she had a gauge of her own skills after training for five years, but it was still a fact that she struggled with internally despite the smile on her face.

v.

For Jueun, the debut stage was something she would never forget. The lead up was filled with nerves and worries and afterwards her heart felt as though it’d burst from her chest, but for those few minutes on stage she was allowed to revel in the realitt of having achieved her dream – or at least the first step of it.

Of course it isn’t all honey and roses; among the joy of having debut the knowledge that success is a requirement doesn’t simply fade away. Being self-aware that she might not be the fan favorite doesn’t simply disappear, in fact it becomes even more glaring at their first fan events. She’s not going to be the first choice by the company or the fans but she told herself she knew that already.

Jueun’s way of coping was to work more on her image, to become the best version of their Jueun so that they would like her. It might not be a healthy solution but she found it freeing as the year went by. It was something that was helped by the constant social media content that was being pushed out as well, it allowed her to get practice.  She started to think that if she wanted to be long for this industry, or at least try to improve her popularity, that trying to convince the company she would be good on a variety show or in a small role. However, thus far her efforts have proven fruitless. In her private moments it has bred quiet frustration and there are times when Jueun knows she’d accept whatever was offered to her. She does view it as somewhat selfish of her to want these individual activities and praise, even on a small scale, and she isn’t sure if she should feel shame about that.

With all that beneath the surface, in 2019 Jueun does genuinely want their group as a whole to become more popular this year. After all her biggest fear is falling short of company expectations and the idea of them cutting their losses. She’d do anything to prolong this dream and that, she doesn’t realize, is perhaps the most dangerous part of it all.

SUPERNATURAL THE ANIMATION: A Dissection of Dean’s Failed Characterization & Design (PART 2 - The Dream Team)

In part one of this dissection, I covered the technical/cultural aspects of Dean’s character designs and the failures of the nuances. 

In the essays I wrote about the character designs prefacing this dissection, I claimed that the spn anime’s design look is not a bad one. Generic as fuck, but not without technique. 

In this essay, I’ll cover how anime can still achieve favorable characteristics in character designs despite cultural limitations. This will be a breakdown on comparing other existing designs that could’ve been referenced to enhance the believably of the character designs in the Supernatural anime.

As a disclaimer, I am only using a combination of my personal tastes in anime and the interpretation of the original character designer of the spn anime and how the designs can be built upon further to appear more tasteful/closer to the original soul of the live action Supernatural series.

You can totally disagree with how I may literally draw out my conclusion as an “improvement” of these character designs--but the purpose of these essays is to hopefully add some educational merit through retrospective research when talking about the Supernatural animated series. 

Mostly because I think it’s very unfair for people to rag on a show that clearly could’ve had even LESS effort put into it. 

Here’s my dream team of existing character designs that could’ve easily been referenced in order to translate Supernatural characters into anime.

Dean

My influences for making an improved Dean character design would draw from Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Guts from Berserk, and Kotetsu from TIGER & BUNNY.

I used Guts at length as an example in my last few essays, so if you want a breakdown on why he’s a good choice to reference, please read those.

Kotetsu’s design stuck out in my head since, especially when paired to Barnaby (my pick for Sam), looks fairly close to what I infer the character designer of the spn anime wanted Dean to look like. I know that TIGER & BUNNY aired later than the spn anime despite being released in the same year, (2011) but that just makes it all the more ironic.

Because it’s the same style. ( Especially if you look at the way his smile is drawn.) Yet the execution of the spn anime leaves much to be desired, amazingly enough.

Kotetsu appears much more cool and suave (instead of thuggish) while still exhibiting the same sort of attractive easy-going personality as well as having an air of mystery to him.

It’s an ideal design for showcasing Dean’s fake bravado persona established in season 1, but really only that.

This brings me to Kyon

Who’s design can definitely embody Dean’s own insecurities or the more “real” version of the hunter we know. (As clued in by later episodes.)

Kyon’s a great fit for the flip side of the emotional spectrum--serving as the cold and tortured side to Dean against the warmth that Kotetsu’s design can bring to Dean. 

Also I’m totally choosing him outta spite towards those who believe that “moe” anime with the stereotypical big googly-eyes can’t be overtly expressive visually. Sorry MADHOUSE, but there are other ways to show a character of Dean’s nature than using a highly exaggerated version of the “cool rebel thug dude.” KyoAni strikes another win here.

Not to mention his body features are closer to Dean’s than Kotestu’s. 

Kotetsu may hold the merits of the spn snime’s style, but if I wanted a true Dean Winchester interpretation, I’d choose Kyon to draw inspiration from.

Sam

While the spn anime did Sam decently there’s still room for improvement. If anything, there really isn’t much deviation from Barnaby’s design from TIGER & BUNNY and the original. But again, this style is much more sleek and non-threatening in it’s visual tone leaving room for variation if the color design calls for it.

Which leaves Johan from Naoki Urasawa’s MONSTER. 

I just really prefer the hair in Johan’s design which of course is instrumental in making Sam, SAM. But more so, especially since the spn anime is adapting season 1 & 2 where Sam has special telekenetic abilities, it’d be nice if they could instigate the threat of that visually in Sam’s design.

Just looking at Johan clues you in that something’s up despite doing the contrary of his true intent. Any masterful design is able to communicate complexities like this, even at their most blatant.

A great question that every character designer should aspire to answer, honestly.

At this point, I can see Sam and Dean theoretically through other character designs.

John Winchester

John’s design mishap never fails to amuse me. Because you know

...That’s not John, that’s Benny.

Even without the hat it’s still Benny.

I laugh forever and will never ever recover from this like ever. 

Gin from Tokyo Godfathers is a much closer match save the mullet but hey it ain’t Benny at least.

Bobby Singer

...Bobby’s design mishap is less amusing by a whole lot.

Anything, literally anything could’ve been better. I didn’t have to find an anime doppelganger but I did it anyway because....because there needs to be SOME justice in the world. 

I’m so sorry Bobby.

Jessica Moore

I mean just look at her.

I don’t know who this purple-haired chick is, but it’s not Jessica. Nina Fortner from MONSTER is pretty much Jessica all the way, down to being a university student.

Missouri Moseley

Missouri’s design is the most tragic out of all of them. It’s not like we see a lot of black women in anime if at all. This was their chance to really change that. And what did they do?

Just.

Again, anything would’ve been better. Elvy from Rahxephon has the attitude and Casca from Berserk 1997 has the heart and a face that conveys the sharpness the original Missouri had, which is what I’ll be looking at towards improvements.

From here, I’m going to focus more on key design traits/techniques and how they affect visual narrative and overall emotion and how these aspects can be translated into the BL character design of the spn anime.

NOW IT’S TIME FOR REDRAWS!!!!!

DEAN

SAM

BOBBY

MISSOURI

I did my best voila.

I’ll reorganize these in a better master post later.