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assortednarutoheadcanons · 2 years

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Love this blog fr, makes my pillow cold at night. Makes my microwave not do that cause it's a croissant (hope you get that reference lmao)

Anywho, thots on team gai? Just in general not sure if you've made a post about them. But like what do others around the village think of em? Love u swag, ur amazing.

Oh honey, you beautiful monster. I haven't mentioned them because I'm Team 10 biased and I think we were robbed of their abilities. Team Gai is different as we can guess based off canon lore.

And Team Gai, darling? Well, they're neutral in the village but that doesn't mean they're not chaotic gremlins. They have Lee and Tenten.

And as with Team 10, this is not organized in any shape or form.

Compared to the Chaotic Evil energy Team 10 exudes, Team Gai gives off quite a bit of Lawful Chaotic energy.

Neji carries a bottle of shochu and sake on him at all times (protected by one of Tenten’s frankly amazing scroll seals) in the even that they need to break out their most feared weapon; Drunk Rock Lee.

(this gave Team 10 an hour long mental confused conversation on the benefits and drawbacks. The rest of the teams are immediately like ‘yup, that checks’ and just leaves Team Gai to whatever fuckery they have planned.)

Tenten is actually a fuinjutsu prodigy. Choji’s mother (head of fuinjutsu department) signed her on as an apprentice during the 2.5 blank period where everyone became chunin and Naruto edited Jiraiya’s nasty pornos.

Team Gai is by far the most responsible team and Neji is instantly the best babysitter for any Chaotic Evil groups (see Team 10).

Hyugas are just rational in general.

Neji hates the Yamanaka Clan with a passion.

Tenten despises the Nara Clan because she can’t beat them at go.

Tenten started the Go club at the Academy.

Lee doesn’t hate anyone but he is creeped out by the Yamanaka heiress who glares at him anytime he’s nearby.

(This isn’t about his fashion sense but because the Lee and Gai clans (subsets of the original clan) evolved to be completely resistant to Genjutsu and mental control. This pisses off the Yamanaka Clan to an almost insane degree because Ino has heard all these stories about losing battles to the fucking clan)

(It also has a little to do with his fashion sense)

Tenten can do tattoo seals. Neji has two, Lee has twenty, and Gai has zero because he’s too old (he claims. He’s just terrified of needles)

One of the tattoos allows for Neji to know if Hinata is hurt. It’s very useful because she’s on a team with Kiba and one of the only people who’s willing to wrestle Akamaru and Kiba at the same time.

Rock Lee killed a giant tiger in the Forest of Death with one kick.

Neji is bisexual and has kissed both Lee and Tenten.

Those two have also kissed.

Neji is allergic to oranges.

Tenten is colourblind and is therefore not allowed to set fires without supervision.

Tenten’s mother died in the Kyuubi attack but her father is a travelling merchant who rarely comes home. She lives with her two aunts, one who is a medical ninja and one who works in T&I.

Tenten is terrified of the Yamanaka Clan because of the horror stories she overheard from her aunt who told her medical ninja aunt about Yamanaka Inoichi and other Yamanakas in the department.

Neji has bitchslapped Ino. He is the only one to still live. (Ino deserved it at the time.)

Lee and Choji regularly spar.

Tenten hates the storage shadow technique Shikamaru created because he’s stabbed her with it.

Neji is the only one who can beat Shikamaru at Shogi. He can’t beat him at actual tactics but shogi is different.

Neji has also strangled Ino.

Rock Lee drinks coffee with a lot of sugar and milk.

Neji drinks very light tea.

Tenten is the only one who can drink straight black coffee.

They live together in an apartment in the Jounin Apartments and they all have jobs. Neji is the shopper, Tenten cooks, and Lee cleans (claims it’s a good workout)

All of them judge Team 7 very harshly. Neji for Sasuke the Missing Ninja, Tenten because Sakura is one of the most frustrating people to talk to, and Lee just judges them because they all lack youth because they’re ‘traumatized’ and ‘angry’.

There is no excuse for Youthfulness and the only people who he will not say that to is Sarutobi Asuma and Team 10.

Tenten is bizarrely adept at barbecuing meat.

Tenten is also a basic field medic (she did train in the medical ninjutsu sector briefly but found her calling in fuinjutsu.)

Tenten and Lee come up with the most bizarre plans and Neji says ‘No’ a lot. This does not mean he doesn’t take pieces and make them into somewhat functional plans.

Tenten isn’t from the Land of Fire. She’s from the western area which I headcanon is a Chinese Empire (if anyone watches Mao dao Zushi, think something like that and mix it with Naruto lore)

Lee can talk to ghosts if he’s in a marked graveyard. It creeps everyone else out.

Tenten likes salads

Neji makes perfect dumplings.

Lee eats more than Tenten and Neji combined. It’s equivalent to the amount Naruto inhales for one meal.

Gai loves sushi. This has not been passed onto his students as Lee can’t eat raw fish.

Tenten, when absorbed in her seal work, forgets to eat, sleep, etc until she collapses (usually with low blood sugar). To fight this, Neji and Lee have made a bucket of candy that she just randomly eats.

Lee becomes a jounin after the war.

Tenten dies in the war. Neji breaks down sobbing in the middle of the battlefield.

Lee is the only one to actively fend off a feral Team 10 and succeed.

Taka fears Team Gai as one fears Team 10. Because they’re Team 10 but organized and Not Insane.

Tenten actively uses old cookware as weapons. This has led to enemies getting smacked around with a frying pan and spatula while Neji and Lee laugh at them.

Gai eats raw onions around them.

He has also eaten a head of garlic straight.

All three of his students fear him because they tried it for a month and they can’t stand the smell of raw onions and garlic. They have them pre chopped by someone they pay.

Tenten has dragged an enemy by the feet to Konoha while he was screaming. Neji and Lee were unconcerned.

Neji loves peanuts. This poses a problem as Tenten actively hates them and will fight one on sight.

This is never explained or elaborated on as everyone has their quirks.

“Neji-nee-san, that isn’t a quirk.”

“Yes it is, Hinata-sama.”

Kiba steals Tenten’s candy and then gets stabbed by a katana.

Lee and Tenten have a move where they swing around an enemy and then just slam into them with as much force as possible. Think of the bloopers from The Greatest Showman, Zendaya and Zac Efron slamming into each other but with someone between them and they’re actively trying to hurt the person in the middle.

Neji usually watches this with unhidden amusement.

Neji meditates. A lot. He has his own garden thing where no one can enter if he’s there so he can calmly meditate.

I don’t know what else to add, feel free to add more if you have your own.

#naruto head canons #naruto headcanons #fuck naruto canon #naruto #team gai #neji hyuga #hyuga neji #tenten #rock lee #inuzuka kiba #hyuga hinata #kiba inuzuka #hinata hyuga #team 10 #team 10 fears team gai because they have 1) gai and 2) are the superior version of themselves #team gai is chaotic lawful because they have a hyuga #that automatically means that they're lawful #because hyugas are law abiders #and they have morals #unlike the uchiha/yamanaka clan #because those two clans are psycho #bodyslamming is encouraged and endorsed #hyugas hate yamanakas because they are the opposite of everything a hyuga learns and embodies #yamanakas do not care #they're insane #tenten doesn't like them because she has gay aunts who don't like the yamanaka clan #but they like the akimichi clan #food is always a good offering #rock lee is nuts #tenten is chaotic

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potteresque-ire · 3 years

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🏳️‍🌈 Rec post!! A queer film + a queer TV series from Hong Kong ~

1) Twilight’s Kiss (叔·叔) (Dir. Ray Yeung 楊曜愷; 2019)

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Twilight’s Kiss offers a very realistic depiction of two elderly, in-the-closet gays in Hong Kong, who have dedicated their lives building a conventional family before unexpectedly falling in love with each other. It is a quiet film, and the romance is told in the same subtle manner as love is expressed (and not expressed) in their generation. The actors were phenomenal at playing regular Hong Kong men of their age (Pak mentioned he “came to Hong Kong”, ie, he was a refugee from Mao’s China, as the vast majority of his demographics was), which added to the resonance of the story ~ they could’ve been anyone, and anyone could’ve been them.

The director of the film, Ray Yeung, is an openly gay man.

(Long review: Hollywood Reporter) Streaming link to film (with English subtitles; pls ignore and close the pop-up window)

2) Ossan’s Love (大叔的愛) (2021)

The unlikely (and hilarious) love triangle between Muk (Left), Tin (Center) and KK (Right) in Ossan’s Love.

For those who found the name familiar, it’s because the series is a (faithful) remake of the popular 2018 Japanese series of the same name. The Hong Kong version is longer (15 episodes; ~ 40 min each) compared to the Japanese original, and its mood is cheerier, sweeter, and also ... more BL, with the lead characters Tin (Haruta in the original) and Muk (Maki in the original) played by two idols, Edan Lui 呂爵安 and Anson Lo 盧瀚霆, from the very popular local boy band MIRROR.

(Being idols didn’t prevent them from kissing. Not in Hong Kong, 2021.) (Yes, they kissed, and hugged and fought and bantered...)

Ossan’s Love is culturally significant in that it became the first gay drama to be aired primetime in Hong Kong, and by extension, in China. Beloved by the locals, it was also very much discussed—hk-queers expressed their (surprised) joy that finally, they got to see a respectful, dignified presentation of who they are and how they love. More importantly, they got to see HKers, older generations included, glued to the TV for their kind of love story, rooting for the lead male characters to get together.

This signifies a broader acceptance of LGBT+ in the city than previously assumed; this is very important and comforting to the community in June, 2021, when the future of LGBT+ rights in the city is very uncertain. After the 2019 protests, pro-democracy leaders have been arrested and jailed in large numbers; newspaper that advocated for freedom has been shut down. Meanwhile, during the airing of Ossan’s Love , the (in)famous pro-Beijing politician, Junius Ho, claimed the series to have violated the city’s much feared, much abused National Security Law—the law that officially aims to catch “traitors”, but has been used as a “catch-all” excuse to arrest political dissidents and suppress the freedoms of the city. Ho was of sufficient prominence that his words could draw the attention of officials who have been sent from across the mainland-HK border to do Beijing’s bidding.

Also, Ossan’s Love was produced not by the powerful, once popular TVB (local TV station), which, with Chinese investors becoming its major shareholders like many other HK press and media companies, has become very pro-Beijing and conservative. The series was produced by ViuTV, a much smaller station preferred by young, pro-democracy Hong Kongers ... which means the future of the series, of its stars (MIRROR’s members are once-contestants of a ViuTV talent show), of even the station itself is also uncertain.

Hence, I’m recommending Ossan’s Love now ... even if the official version doesn’t have the best English subtitles. The full series is on Youtube (links below); the soundtrack is in Cantonese and (Traditional) Chinese subtitles are available, but English is only available via Youtube’s built-in Auto-Translate function.

For those who would like to catch a short scene of two cute HK boys in love, the last 5 minutes of Ep 11 would be a nice place to watch. You can see how comfortable these two bandmates were with each other—Edan (Tin) had played two supporting roles before this series, while Anson (Muk) had never acted before. Edan and Anson have claimed that being close friends in RL meant their intimate scenes were easy to film (BTW, Anson is gay, Edan isn’t).

Edan Lui (Left) & Anson Lo (Right), Harper's Bazaar HK, May 2021. Edan was a uni student before joining hk-ent. Anson was a dance instructor.

(You can also see why, when I watched the Gg + Dd Happy Camp episode very, very early on in my turtlehood, I assumed Gg and Dd would have ample opportunities to work together again, to play and be happy in front of the camera ... just like how I remembered on-screen couples from my days in HK—the couples, the CPs of the time, would collaborate repeatedly after having demonstrated chemistry and become commercial success—in film and TV projects, in variety shows, in awards ceremonies as presenting guests etc etc. This multi-project collaboration was, and still is, viewed as a Very Good Thing, and not only for commercial reasons. The inter-personal fate (緣份) to play on-screen couples repeatedly, per the tradition of HK-ent, is something of a blessing, talked about as a small-scale version of having the destiny, the luck to be together across multiple lives, multiple incarnations. Actors treasure this kind of collaboration and the HK audience celebrates it, regardless of the marital status of the actors in RL. Entertainment news dedicate articles about it.) (There’s actually an example of that in Ossan’s Love: Kenny Wong 黃德斌, the actor who played the titular Ossan, KK, and Rachel Kan 簡慕華, who played his wife Francesca, had already played husband and wife three times before. Rachel had retired from acting in 2017 and moved to Canada; she told reporters that she returned to shoot Ossan’s Love primarily so that she could play Kenny’s wife again).

* Below is a small warning for Ossan’s Love ~ *

The humour of Ossan’s Love is often wild and zany, especially where it adapts from the Japanese original. Some of it, i-fandomers may find uncomfortable. Notably, the titular Ossan (Japanese, meaning “Older Man”) was Tin and Muk’s boss; and he and Darren, another superior of Tin and Muk, were also part of the romantic story line.

One can argue, therefore, that Ossan’s Love contains a *very* “Me Too” situation; however, this is also why I find Ossan’s Love interesting beyond being a Chinese-speaking gay drama—it is clear that the production team of this series meant no disrespect, and from the series’ reception, it’s also clear that hk-queers and other more progressive members among the audience didn’t see disrespect in the product. This series therefore offers a glimpse to the answers of some questions I’ve had: how does Hong Kong of 2021 translate respect for queers (as well as for older men and women) into day-to-day words and actions? How do these culturally-specific habits in speech and behaviour compare to the norms in, for example, the United States (that I’m familiar with)?

“Political incorrectness” was also found in some of Tin’s internal monologue. However, I thought, perhaps, that was why the series has proven to be disarming to the general audience both in HK and Japan, places with a tradition of homophobia stemming often not from malice, but from ignorance, from sex being considered taboo for so much of the places’ history. Tin, as someone who haven’t seemed to have spared a thought about homosexuality before the story had taken place, spoke the minds of the audiences who aren’t familiar with homosexuality. Muk, meanwhile, presented the perspective of someone who already understood what being gay was and wasn’t about. Tin, therefore, led the audience towards Muk and his views step by step, all the while without being judgemental—how could he be? He was one of them too during his journey. He was the student, and he was also the protagonist who everyone—and I mean everyone—loved (in a rather funny manner :D). 🌈

(Long review: BLwatcher)

Links to Ossan’s Love, official version uploaded by ViuTV: EP 1 EP 2 EP 3 EP 4 EP 5 EP 6 EP 7 EP 8 EP 9 EP 10 EP 11 EP 12 EP 13 EP 14 EP 15

ETA 2021/09/16: Streaming with English subtitles is available here.

#pie metas #pie recs

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raeynbowboi · 4 years

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How to Play as Tokoyami Fumikage in DnD 5e

anyone who knows me knows Raven from Teen Titans is my favroite super hero of all time. She’s a big component of why I really love “Dark is Not Evil” as a trope. As such, Tokoyami is a huge personal favorite minor character because he has a similar vibe to my main home girl. So, I want to see how best to play as him in DnD 5e.

The Jet-Black Hero: Tsukuyomi

I’ve been dying to build a Kenku, and Tokoyami is the perfect candidate. Kenku are a raven-looking avian race that are completely flightless and can mimic human speech. Crows in real life are actually able to learn to talk, and are intelligent enough to problem solve, recognize faces, and hold grudges. So, this is a great fit for the strategic dark bird boi of Cass 1-A. Kenku get +2 DEX and +1 WIS, the ability to masterfully mimic handwriting and people’s voices, and get 2 bonus proficiencies in Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth, or Sleight of Hand. Kenku however have a bad trait that they can only mimic things they’ve heard, which I’d ditch personally to allow him to speak freely.

Tokoyami is very noble, humble, and honorable. He has no aspirations of fame or glory, and does good just for the sake of doing good. When Bakugou is taken by the League of Villains, Tokoyami is among the ones to agree it should be left to the pro heroes.

For background, we’ll be going with the same as the gay disaster boyfriends as City Watch to be a patrolling super hero that stops crime and catches bad guys.

Seat 14 in Class 1-A

PALADIN Oathbreaker You get access to Inflict Wounds which you can cast with CHA which makes your Sentinel Raven extremely good at dealing a ton of touch-range damage at longer range, and by level 7, fiends within 10 feet of you become stronger. Your Raven Queen Spirit isn’t technically recognized as a fiend, but Dark Shadow is called a shadow demon, so you could talk to your DM about treating it as a fiend. Sorcerers and Warlocks also get quite a few demon summoning spells to empower Dark Shadow in multiple forms. You can also add your CHA stat to your melee damage, which reflects Tokoyami’s Black Ankh fighting style. It’s also worth mentioning that Tokoyami’s official fighting style is listed as being melee.

Paladin Fighting Style: Interception While the range may need to be extended because 5 feet is pretty small for Dark Shadow’s amazing range, you can intercept an attack meant for an ally. As Tokoyami’s best trait in battle is his ability to block and defend his allies, this is a great fighting style, reducing damage by 7-16 at level 20. Talk to your DM about possibly extending the range to turn Tokoyami into the ranged guardian of his team.

SORCERER Shadow This subclass gives you built-in Darvision and lets you summon a hell-hound which you could talk to your DM as reskinning as Dark Shadow flanking you in combat. Later on, this subclass can teleport between shadows and become an intangible shadow.

WARLOCK Raven Queen the obvious choice for Tokoyami’s main focus, Dark Shadow is an extension of him. Spells like Vampire Touch with a Touch range can be cast through Dark Shadow, allowing Dark Shadow to be the one dealing damage. Dark Shadow can also coat Tokoyami like a layer of armor such as with Armor of Shadows, and Tokoyami can reskin weapons as being Dark Shadow’s umbral claws.

Stats and Proficiencies

Charisma will be number one. Because Raven Queen Warlock is the obvious choice, and both Sorcerers and Paladins cast with Charisma. Dark Shadow makes Tokoyami’s AC very high, so a high Dexterity is important to block damage with your spooky friend. The rest of your stats can be relatively even between Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom to make Tokoyami a formidable hero-in-training.

Arcana Insight Perception

Name: Tokoyami Fumikage (Tsukuyomi) Race: Kenku Background: City Watch Alignment: Lawful Good Class: Raven Queen Warlock (12) Oathbreaker Paladin (8) Base Stats: Strength: 10 (0) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 12 (+1) Intelligence: 10 (0) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 20 (+5) Saving Throws: Strength: +5 Dexterity: +10 Constitution: +6 Intelligence: +5 Wisdom: +13 Charisma: +16 Combat Stats: HP: 131 AC: 18 Speed: 30 Initiative: +5 Number of Attacks: 2 Hit Dice: 12d8, 8d10 Proficiency Bonus: +6 Passive Perception: 17 Dark Vision: 120 feet Proficiencies: Acrobatics (Kenku) Arcana (Warlock) Athletics (City Watch) Insight (City Watch) Investigation (Warlock) Stealth (Kenku) Skills: Acrobatics: +11 Medicine: +2 Animal Handling: +2 Nature: 0 Arcana: +6 Perception: +7 Athletics: +6 Performance: +5 Deception: +5 Persuasion: +5 History: 0 Religion: 0 Insight: +8 Sleight of Hand: +5 Intimidation: +5 Stealth: +11 Investigation:+6 Survival: +2

Equipment Leather Armor Shield Short Sword x 2

Damage Resistances: Necrotic

Condition Immunities: Disease, Fear

Paladin Feature: Fighting Style Interception: When an ally creature within 5* feet is attacked, use your shield to intercept 1d10+ Proficiency Bonus amount of damage.

Warlock Feature: Pact Bond Pact of the Blade: You forge a bond with a weapon, and gain the ability to summon and dismiss it at will. The weapon counts as magical.

Warlock Feature: Eldritch Invocations Agonizing Blast: Eldritch Blast deals +5 damage on hit. Armor of Shadows: Cast Mage Armor at will Devil’s Sight: 120 feet of normal and magical darkvision Lance of Lethargy: Eldritch Blast casts the effects of Slow on hit. Superior Pact Weapon: Your pact weapon deals an added +2 damage. Lifedrinker: When you hit with your pact weapon, deal +5 Necrotic damage.

Warlock Feature: Mystic Arcanum Eyebite

Spell Slots 1st (4) 2nd (3) 5th (3)

Tokoyami’s Spellbook

Cantrips 2nd Level 4th Level Blade Ward Aid Summon Greater Demon Eldritch Blast Crown of Madness 5th Level Mage Hand Darkness Infernal Calling True Strike Locate Object Negative Energy Flood 1st Level Magic Weapon 6th Level Arms of Hadar Shadow Blade Eyebite Detect Evil & Good Spiritual Weapon Detect Magic 3rd Level Hellish Rebuke Fear Heroism Fly Inflict Wounds Hunger of Hadar Mage Armor Summon Lesser Demons Shield of Faith Vampiric Touch

Actions:

Divine Sense Detect Celestial, Fiend, or Undead. Detect Holy or Unholy energy. Lay on Hands Pool of 40 HP to distribute or 5 points to cure poison or disease.

Features:

Aura of Hate You, Fiends, and Undead within 10 ft add +5 to weapon damage Aura of Protection You and allies within 10 ft. get +5 on saving throws Channel Divinity: Control Undead An undead within 30 feet of you must pass a WIS throw or obey you for 24 hours. Channel Divinity: Dreadful Aspect Choose any creature in 30 feet to become afraid of you for 1 minute on a failed WIS throw. Channel Divinity: Harness Divine Power Use Channel Divinity to restore a used 1st Level spell slot. Divine Smite Sacrifice a spell slot, deal (x+1)d8 radiant damage, +1d8 on fiends and undead. Expert Forgery: You have advantage on making forgeries. Interception Fighting Style: Reduce 1d10+PB damage on nearby ally. Mimicry: You can mimic voices, contested by Insight vs your Deception skill. Mystic Arcanum Cast Eyebite once per long rest without spell slots Raven’s Shield Advantage on death throws, immune to fear, resist necrotic. Sentinel Raven Darkvision of 30 feet, Add CHA to perception, the raven gets its own initiative rolls can can wake you as a bonus action. Soul of the Raven You merge with the raven and become small and able to fly. You can only dash, disengage, dodge, help, hide, and search in this form. Watcher’s Eye You can find and recognize guard stations and criminal hideouts.

While the build isn’t perfect, I thought that this was a rather strong build for Tokoyami as Dark Shadow is easy enough to incorporate into his combat with enough flavoring. How do you think I did? Do you have a character you’d like to see me build? Let me know, and I’ll add them to my list.

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lafenixrey · 7 years

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My top 10 favorite Naruto characters. This only includes characters from the original & Shippuden series.

10. Kushina Uzumaki

Naruto’s mama. The boys picked on her, called her tomato, & she literally whooped all their asses & got her infamous nickname, “the Red-Hot Habanero”! I stan for women who hold their own! Kushina literally gave birth & still fought off a demon-fox to save her son. ICONIC! THE BADDEST! I wish we could have seen more scenes of her as a bad bitch kunoichi.

9. Rock Lee

Wow. What a wholesome lil peach. My guy always gave it his absolute full-brow all!!! Never gave up! Inspirational! When he left the hospital & fought Kimimaro off the shits?!?? How many of y'alls faves could fight like a pro when he’s smacked??? Rock Lee said fuck the drinking age! Ima get this Drunken Fist off!!! Remember when he also got drunk at the restaurant, he fucked up that whole establishment & it took both, Gai & Neji to stop him? Omg. Lmao Rock Lee is a legend. I love him.

8. Gaara

Whew. What an incredible character development on this one. This browless bastard literally went from a cold-blooded killer to a Kazekage who wants to protect his village & be valued & loved. Gaara gave the war speech of his LIFE!!!!! My guy had me in TEARS! Omg. Commander of the allied shinobi force! He literally told all the shinobi to get their act together & if they still had beef after the war, to come see him. SPICY!

7. Sai

An underrated character. I love him. He was really out here just saying the entire truth, without any bias. But also, checked out all the books to learn how to be a proper friend & comrade. He really provided me with some of the funniest Naruto interactions in the series. Naruto was sick of his shit. Lmao he’s a staple in MY Team 7.

6. Shisui Uchiha

Whew-woo-hooooooooooo! I get so emotional over this lil baby. THE ONLY ANGEL IN THE UCHIHA CLAN & NO ONE CAN CLOCK ME ON THIS ONE! Shisui deserved all the better things in life. He only got limited time of screen time but I was DEVASTATED when he gave his life “for the good of the village.” This is when I started to hate Danzo with a fiery passion. The Uchiha’s or the village didn’t deserve Shisui. He was too pure & his eyeliner was too popping for all their corrupted mess.

5. Shikamaru Nara

I mean. What can I say about this pineapple head that hasn’t been said already? He ALWAYS did his part! My guy always minded his business but also, always came in clutch. When everybody got put under a genjutsu except him but he took it upon himself to take a so instead? Lmao! Iconic. Also, Shikamaru is truly Naruto’s bff (best fucking friend)!!! He wanted to be better so when the time came for Naruto to become Hokage, he could be there for him! We should all strive to be a friend like Shikamaru & we all wish to have a friend like him.

4. Temari

This kunoichi really doesn’t get the love she deserves. It’s cause she’s a confident bitch who gets mistaken for rude! & you know what?! Maybe she is mean & rude! But fuck y'all! She’s literally never thirsted after men throughout the series & was ALL about doing her job & was GOODT at it! I love her so much. She really curved a dead, reanimated dude & I screamed!!! Isn’t afraid to hurt feelings! I just relate to her. lol

3. Yamato

#JusticeForYamato2KFOREVER!!! I could talk about Yamato all day. The way they did my guy at the end of the series was foul!!! They got me tight!!! So they just kidnapped him off that floaty island, use him for some bullshit & forgot all about him!!!! Then they assign him to babysit Orochimaru, who is the one who experimented on him as a child! Like…..the injustice is so incredible. But lemme focus on why I love him. He was such a good “replacement” for Kakashi. So professional! Efficient! Loyal! Talented! He’s really it! He’s really come a long way. Danzo THOUGHT he could control him but he had heart! I absolutely loved his relationship with Naruto. He took care of Naruto with his ALL! Although he was his superior he treated him like his equal, guided him & respected his input. But also? Was not afraid to reprimand that ass & put fear into his heart. Lol Yamato had a dope of sense of humor though. It kinda feels like he was Naruto’s older brother or uncle. A very important male figure in Naruto’s life! I don’t even wanna get into the great Kakashi interactions cause there’s so many! Kakashi loves Yamato & the feeling is mutual! Yamato really is a great, essential character.

2. Kakashi Hatake

The most well-written & multi-dimensional character in the entire Naruto series. As a writer myself, I hope to write characters as interesting & dynamic as Kakashi. Honestly, if you don’t like Kakashi, I can’t trust you. Like, how??? Kakashi is super-flawed, like, my guy had a fucked childhood. He deserved better but he made mistakes, learned from them, & strived to be better than the day before. He was a lil asshole lmao but now??? A dork. A friend. A great comrade. A Hokage??? Whew. Such incredible growth! I would trust Kakashi with my life tbh & I don’t trust nobody! & the reason Kakashi hasn’t aged is because he minds his business & I respect that so much. Kakashi is just an icon. Swag levels through the roof. I just. There’s so much to say but not enough time! I’m in the #KakashiHive.

1. Naruto Uzumaki

I get wild emotional if I think too deeply into what Naruto did for my life. Like, honestly, I just started watching Naruto for inspiration for a script I was writing. I did get that inspiration but I wasn’t expecting to get sucked in & be invested. I can’t relate to Naruto at all. He’s just so pure but he inspires me to be & do better. Although he’s a fictional character, there’s a lot of qualities about him that I think everybody should apply to their own lives. Also? The baddest bitch. No one can take him. If anybody wants to try & whoop his ass, they can line up & wait to get their wig rocked. It’s inevitable. Ugh, I love him so much. Like, he made me like the color orange. An icon.

#naruto #naruto text

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justanothercinemaniac · 7 years

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #167 - X-Men (2000)

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) Xavier’s opening monologue is not only a great way to set up this individual film, but the now-17-year-old franchise which followed.

Prof. X: “Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It has enabled us to evolve from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. This process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward.”

2) The very first scene in this film is young Magneto in a Polish concentration camp and I have to say it works absolutely fantastically.

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For one thing it creates immediate sympathy for what is essentially the villain of the peace, but more than that it sets the tone for the entire series. Not just the dark tone but the idea that mutants are representative of the oppressed. When the comics were first released in the 60s the parallels were between the Civil Rights Movement, nowadays you can see parallels with the gay community and islamophobia. That is because oppression, intolerance, and bigotry are essentially the same no matter who it is directed at.

3) The introduction to Anna Paquin’s Rogue continues to set the dark tone of the film, as well as Rogue’s key conflict in a simple and understandable way.

4) The government hearing.

The hatred, fear, and oppression seen in this scene should not be as relevant in 2017 as it is. Senator Kelly’s arguments about, “Well we do license people to drive,” is based on fear and fear alone. He is scared but justifies his fear by making other people afraid. Asking a human being to register for being different is undeniably unconstitutional. And the filmmakers are aware that America has seen this play out before.

Senator Kelly: “I have here a list of names of identified mutants...”

Senator Joseph McCarthy [an actual historical figure who instigated the Red Scare in the 1950s]: “I have here in my hand a list of 205—a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party”

Good, just wait until I do my recap for Good Night, and Good Luck. I’ll have some things to say about Joseph fucking McCarthy then.

5) The relationship between Charles and Erik is - like all the best elements in this film - clearly established from their introduction to the audience.

Erik: “I’ve heard these arguments before.”

We understand that they’re friends, we understand that they both think they have the best interests of their people (mutants) at heart, but most painfully we understand exactly WHY they both go about their revolution through different methods. It is a relationship which will remain consistent and interesting throughout the series.

6) Ian McKellen as Magneto.

(GIF originally posted by @marveladdicts)

There are a number of standout casting decisions made in this film which will stay strong even in the weaker entires of this series, and Ian McKellen is definitely one of them. Unless you’re The Joker, a good villain does not see himself as the villain. Magneto does nothing out of cruelty or malice, he does so for one clear end goal: the superiority of mutant kind. You understand why he goes to drastic measures, even if you don’t agree with him. McKellen is able to consistently make Erik human. The sadness, the determination, the focus, everything that makes this character amazing in the comics, McKellen carries onscreen. A truly brilliant choice which will give us many great scenes to come.

7) Anna Paquin as Rogue.

Rogue is markedly more different than she is in the comics, but I don’t have as much of an issue with that as others do (at least, not in this film). She’s a bit more timid, a bit more scared, which is very human of her and helps the audience sympathize with her. Paquin plays the part remarkably well, carrying Rogue’s pain and conflict well in her performance.

8) Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

Hugh Jackman is the standout element of this film and one of the most perfect examples of comic book casting in the history of cinema. The guy played the part for SEVENTEEN years. Even in weaker X-Men films Jackman’s Wolverine is remarkably consistent. He IS Wolverine. The aggression, the ferocity, the isolation, the pain, the instinct, Jackman captures it all beautifully. But more than that, we explore who Wolverine becomes when we throw him together with other people. We see who he becomes just as he learns who he becomes when he has other mutants relying on him. It’s a remarkable journey to see him not only go through this film but all seventeen years of playing this character. You are not watching Hugh Jackman, this is not a performance. This is Wolverine. Living, breathing, pure, Wolverine. And whatever shortcomings the X-Men series has had throughout its years, Jackman’s Wolverine has always been perfect.

9) This line always stuck with me.

(GIF originally posted by @filmeslut)

This relates very well to the pain Wolverine deals with everyday. Most living creatures go through enough pain they do. Wolverine’s mutation means he lives with his pain on a daily basis. He HAS to. Dying is not an option for him. That is very defining for his character.

10) The fight with Wolverine and Sabretooth does a lot of things well. To start, it’s the first action scene of the film and - while brief - it establishes the strong choreography to come. Second, we immediately see a juxtaposition between Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men as he is more feral in his fighting style while Cyclops and Storm are much more uniform. Finally, it establishes the rivalry between Wolverine and Sabretooth. Something which is a staple of the comics, this rivalry doesn’t get too much time to develop in the film but it is established in small yet meaningful ways. I’m glad they at least did that as opposed to nothing.

11) Logan trying to escape Xavier’s mansion is actually wildly clever. It establishes the geography of the school without letting the audience know. Instead we follow Wolverine as he’s trying to escape this strange place and in the process get the layout of the new world he’s in. Very clever.

12) Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier.

Similar to McKellen’s Magneto, we are able to see the complexities of Xavier’s character through Stewart’s performance. We understand the pain he went through as a child, we understand how he has/is searching for hope for the future. We see the soft sorrow he carries mixed in with this optimism and the struggle he carries to put stock in hope over pain. It’s a wonderful character who - like Jackman - Stewart will get to play for 17 years.

13) If you want any further proof that Hugh Jackman is great as Wolverine:

Logan [after Xavier gives exposition about the X-Men and such]: “Sabretooth? Storm. What do they call you? Wheels?”

At least the last part of that line was improvised, but it is so perfectly Wolverine it fits.

14) The introduction to the Xavier school from a storytelling standpoint (as opposed to just a geography standpoint) is very slick and clean. We’re getting a lot of exposition about Professor X, the X-Men, and the world of mutants in not a lot of time. But it doesn’t dog down the film and we are not bored by it.

15) Ah, the future continuity issues begin...

“When I was 17, I met a young named named Erik Lenscher...”

They seem a little older than 17 to me...

16) Rebecca Romijn as Mystique.

Romijn’s part as Mystique is largely a physical performance, but that does not mean it isn’t an iconic one. Before Jennifer Lawrence would put on the blue skin paint, Romijn would define who Mystique was on screen for all to come. She is able to portray the character’s passion, focus, physical strength, and shiftiness with just a movement. She doesn’t have many lines, but the ones she does have leave an impact.

Mystique [to Kelly]: “You know people like you are the reason I was afraid to go to school as a child.”

17) Magneto knows what’s up.

Magneto: “Mankind has always feared what it doesn’t understand.”

18) Famke Janssen as Jean Grey.

Janssen plays Jean well not only in this film but as she develops over the trilogy. Despite not having the flashiest/most aggressive of powers like Wolverine or even Cyclops, she’s able to hold her own with the rest of the team. She’s confident, competent, but still able to be vulnerable when the story calls for it and has no ego. A strong character actress with a strong character to fit her roll, I am glad for Janssen in this film.

19) James Marsden as Cyclops.

(GIF originally posted by @hughxjackman)

Okay, so I’ve got a handful of issues with how Cyclops is handled in the original trilogy. Not through Marsden’s performance or through his characterization, but more because of a lack of things to do in the plot. However, those issues do not pertain to this film (wait until I get to my Last Stand recap). Although Marsden’s Scott Summers/Cyclops is largely used as a foil to Jackman’s Wolverine, we get to see him in action and lead the X-Men later in battle (like he does in the comics). This film doesn’t peel back too much more than, “Wolverine pisses me off,” but we do get to see Marsden play a caring and competent leader when Wolverine is not in the picture. How he searches for Rogue, the way he handles the team on Liberty Island, Marsden plays all of this great. You understand why Scott is the leader of the team through his conduct and confidence, both things Marsden shows off very well.

20) Hey, remember back when Stan Lee cameos in Marvel movies were, “blink and you’ll miss it?”

21) So Logan straight up kills Rogue when she wakes him up from a nightmare. Like he’d be dead if it weren’t for her mutant ability. And after she does it to save her life she is met by fear and caution from her fellow students initially. And then Mystique disguised as Bobby comes to her and reprimands her. Tells her students are afraid of her, that Xavier is furious and looking to kick her out. How much must that hurt? Like, “Here’s a place where I can be me. Where other people are as weird as I am and where I can be accepted.” And then that’s taken away from her. It’s pulled out from under her feet because people are afraid of her, a feeling which is importantly all too familiar to her at this point. She let her guard down and - even though it wasn’t true and it wasn’t really Bobby - she was so ready to believe the world had turned on her AGAIN. That just...sucks.

22) Charles acting like he doesn’t know how Erik is hiding from his telepathy takes on new meaning in a post First Class world. It is probably easiest attributed to another error in continuity, but my head canon is that Charles is covering for Erik a little in the never dying hope that he’ll do the right thing.

23) Halle Berry as Storm.

I have never loved Berry as Storm, but that’s more because of The Last Stand than anything else. I think I like her best in this film, which is unfortunate because it is where she has the least to do. She’s a bit kinder, a bit more even tempered, wiser and more soulful than she comes off in the sequels. And the keeping of her original accent is a nice touch (I was disappointed to lose that in the sequels). But again, that’s all there’s really to say about her because she doesn’t get much time to shine in this film.

24) The relationship with Wolverine and Rogue is one of my favorite things about this film. These are the two most isolated characters in the film and they’re able to find solace in each other. Logan acts as the big brother/mentor to Rogue, familiar with the loneliness she feels for 15 years. Meanwhile Rogue finds comfort in someone who’s actually going to look after her. This is best seen on the train after Rogue runs away, where Logan leaves the decision up to Rogue. He’s not there to bring her back, he’s not there to pressure her into doing something she doesn’t want, he gives his two cents but will go wherever she wants to. He’s got her back.

Logan: “Come on. I’ll take care of you.”

If there’s one thing I miss most as the series progresses, it is this wonderful relationship between the pair.

25) According to IMDb:

The scene in the train station where a young boy smiles at Cyclops and he smiles back was unplanned. The boy was a huge X-Men fan, and Cyclops was his favorite. The scene originally called for Cyclops to look at the train schedule, but according to Bryan Singer, the boy could not stop smiling at James Marsden. Finally, during one shot, Marsden just looked back at him and smiled, much to the boy's delight. Bryan Singer liked the idea so much, he kept it in the film, and told the actress playing the boy's mother to react the way she did.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

26) And so it begins...

Magneto [upon encountering Wolverine]: “That remarkable metal doesn’t run through your entire body, does it?”

27) The scene with Magneto, the police, and Charles in the background is something I really enjoy. This is primarily because it is more a conflict between Charles and Magneto than anything else. I was taught in an early film class that if one character can walk away and not be devastated, the stakes aren’t high enough. I think that is the key to this scene. It’s all about stakes. What exactly are Charles and Erik willing to do, willing to sacrifice, all to get what they want? Seeing that play out is wonderful.

28) The fact that Storm stays with Senator Kelly while he dies, holds his hand, talks with him, even after all he’s done, speaks to a wisdom she has that is totally lost in X-Men: The Last Stand (but more on that when I get there).

Kelly: “Do you hate normal people?”

Storm: “Sometimes.”

Kelly: “Why?”

Storm: “I suppose I’m afraid of them.”

The fact she can admit that she hates those who oppress her sometimes is great. Because of course you would hate those who ruin your life! But not letting that hate define who you are is an incredible thing.

29) There is a brief moment where Cyclops is seen distraught over a comatose Professor X, which I think is very telling of their relationship in a way we will (unfortunately) not see again in this set of three films. It speaks to the depths of admiration he has for what is essentially his father figure.

30) One thing the Marvel Cinematic Universe can learn from this film: how to create a great villain in two hours.

Magneto [with Rogue, upon seeing the Statue of Liberty]: “I first saw it in 1949. America was going to be the land of tolerance. Of peace.”

Magneto [about the Holocaust]: “Women and children, whole families destroyed just because they were different than those in power.”

31) I love this.

Wolverine [about the uniforms]: “You actually go outside in these things?”

Cyclops: “Well what would you prefer? Yellow spandex?”

32) This is one of my favorite scenes in the entire franchise.

(GIFs originally posted by @soundsofmyuniverse)

I was about twelve when I saw this film for the first time. I really got comfortable using my middle finger after this scene. And too this day, every time I extend my middle finger, it is just SO cathartic. I may or may not be exclusively typing with only my middle fingers now.

33) Ladies and gentlemen, one of the greatest bloopers in cinematic history.

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34) Logan’s fight with Mystique is incredible and reflects some of the incredibly strong solo choreography he will get as the film continues. It is fast paced, enticing, and plays with the concept of a shapeshifter very well (even giving us some GREAT misdirection right before Logan defeats Mystique, since at first we think he’s Mystique when he stabs Storm only to have Storm be Mystique all along).

35) You know how X-Men never stay dead? No? Well Toad does.

Toad [after thinking he killed Storm]: “Don’t you people ever die!?”

36) Oh boy...

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That is a line crafted by Joss Whedon after Fox asked him to help iron out the script (one of only two lines of his that made it into the final film). According to the famed writer, he had intended it to be much more tongue in cheek than it was finally delivered as. To this day, it is considered one of the worst cheesiest lines to grace a superhero film ever. Moving on.

37) This was the other line of Whedon’s which made it into the film, and I fucking love it.

Wolverine [returning to the team, only for Cyclops to point his eye beams at him]: “Hey, hey. It’s me.”

Cyclops [thinking he’s Mystique]: “Prove it.”

(GIFs source unknown [if these are your GIFs please let me know].)

38) You know what trope I love more than any others? At least, I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite. When the antagonist’s self righteous behavior gets called out.

Wolverine [to Magneto]: “You are so full of shit. If you were really so righteous it would by you in that thing.”

39) The final fight between Logan and Sabretooth is another strong action set piece in the film, with the use of place (the top of the Statue of Liberty) used greatly. These two are very similar in styles, in ferocity, and it’s fun to see them duke it out.

40) The final dialogue between Charles and Erik is powerful for a lot of reasons. It harkens back to the core conflict of their relationship/dissonance in philosophies, while also reminding the audience that all the problems of the world have not been solved and will have to be dealt with in the future.

Magneto: Does it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that one day they will pass that foolish law or one just like it, and come for you? And your children?

Xavier: It does, indeed.

Magneto: What do you do, when you wake up to that?

Xavier: I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that school... looking for trouble.

X-Men is a strong start to what would end up being one of the defining franchises of the 21st century. With great performances all around - specifically Jackman, McKellen, and Stewart - as well as reverence for the source material and a powerful tone, X-Men stands up to the test of time because of it’s characters and (unfortunately always) relevant themes of bigotry and bias. A film everyone should try at least once.

#X Men #Hugh Jackman #Patrick Stewart #Ian McKellen #Wolverine #James Marsden #Halle Berry #Anna Paquin #Famke Janssen #Rebecca Romijn #Epic Movie (Re)Watch #Movie #Film #GIF #Bruce Davison

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