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kristsingto · 7 months

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GMMTV 2024 Pt.1 Thoughts

So, after sleeping and processing that GawinKrist wasn’t fixed (don’t have anything against pairs not being fixed as a concept but I had really hoped GawinKrist would be fixed as someone who really enjoyed their partnership; though I guess I should have expected this after seeing them separated by the merch previously) I decided to rewatch all of the trailers released during the livestream and talk a bit about my feelings on each trailer.

The Interest

I’m oddly excited for this, even though it doesn’t seem like what would be my type. It’s probably a combination of finding Bright stunningly handsome and being a fan of P’Waa in general. But because of it being a film, I have no idea when I’ll get to (if ever) see it. So I’m not thinking too much about it. I’m a bit disappointed by the now more lighthearted tone of the storyline, the show being much more of a romcom than the film I expected from the mock trailer. I haven’t watched the original “Man In Love,” so I don’t know what’s closer to the original story, so I won’t comment on it. I hope this film is great – at least the cinematography looks wonderful.

My Precious (series)

I am not interested in watching this show. Feel-good first love M/F romance, specifically this sort of young people in a coming-of-age story, is not something I typically watch, and the trailer hasn’t really hooked this. I feel like I am not the target audience for this. Happy for my friend @gaiaxygang, though, seeing as I’ve heard him talk about wanting to watch My Precious for his cat (Chimon) many, many times.

Ploy’s Yearbook

More teenage love. This time, with a group of main girls named Ploy. I had “I’m Tee Me Too” flashbacks at that, actually. Seeing Aye and Mond in the cast for this had me very excited, as I wanted to see them, but otherwise, not anyone I’m overly attached to. I’ll say I’m much more excited for the adulthood part of this show than the highschool part.

We Are

I wanted a PondPhuwin romcom. I did not understand that asking for one had the monkey’s paw-esque cruel twist attached of it being directed by New Siwaj. Supposedly, this was originally a WabiSabi project. I wonder what made it turn into a GMMTV project? I find it interesting how they brought side pairs in as main pairs this series, in a large ensemble cast. This is also the engineering gayboys rep of the lineup, it seems! I saw those engineering shirts! Though this seems to focus much more on the artistic men, ahaha. I will be tuning into this for my PondPhuwin – even if I have doubts on the ability of it to both be a well-written show (director) and balance 4 main couples (though the trailer seemed to do 4 couples quite well). Anyway, this is hilarious to me knowing @gaiaxygang is a big MarcPawin + WinnySatang and also hates New Siwaj. I laughed very hard.

The Trainee

I love the grounded ensemble comedy vibe of this show. While this is an OffGun series, I feel as if it’ll also be more of a workplace show, which I find charming. Also, I am intrigued by the subplots. I’m really excited for this – it’s a Parbdee production – that’s promising! And okay, I’ll be frank with everyone, I am obviously 100% excited for this show as someone with Offgun as my ultimate favorite BL pair. They look delightful here, and seeing them finally escape college is like food for the soul to me. It’s all I wanted! And they look so adorable here. I’m definitely tuning in for this show, it’s exactly what I wanted but didn’t dare to wish for when I heard the rumors of Off and Gun in the same show. This is OffGun’s world and we’re living in it. Now can Cooking Crush start airing?

Only Boo

The lighthearted tone of this was quite interesting. A show with an idol wannabe is intriguing to me, and I enjoy it, though seeing so many people I do not recognize threw me off at first. I find the idea of not being able to date because of the contract a bit overplayed (though this could be due to me enjoying BL where one is a celebrity or wants to be such) I think I’ll be waiting to see what people say about this show before tuning in, whenever it airs, unless the official trailer really hooks me later on.

Pluto

Now THAT is a show trailer! Most exciting plot GMMTV has shown us in ages, definitely from this lineup. Twin identity swap! (reminds me of Who Are You, what with Namtan, actually) A blind character! Two GL pairs! This looks so promising and is probably the newest type of show we’re getting from GMMTV. Hopefully pt.2 follows suit in really making me excited for the plot of a show. Shocking pairs, but a strong cast and premise. Honestly, this show reminded me of certain k-dramas I have watched in the set-up. Also man, that last scene. This is going to be something really special!

Peaceful Property On Sale

Such promising staff, and it’s for a show with Tay and New? I was grinning so hard. Mook is here also, and looks interesting! Jan! And I fucking love New’s character, he looks amazing, and I loved the hints at hidden depth. This may be the New character that really fully steals my heart. Tay being more shy is also killing me. That NewTay moment! Who would have ever guessed they were going to make a comedy ghost hunting show! Saw some doubts about it being a romance between TayNew, and honestly it doesn’t look like one, but I couldn't care less either way. Show looks stellar, and I love the vibes of it. I didn’t expect something like this, and I’m so hyped about it.

Ossan’s Love Thailand

I was just floored. The least expected Japanese BL remake (I’d have said almost anything before this one) and featuring EarthMix. No idea how I feel about this, so I’ll just move on.

My Golden Blood

I wanted a vampire series. Setting aside my personal feelings, I am definitely tuning into this to see how it goes. Hopefully the effects are better in the proper series. I find it charming they play basketball together (fitting to their real selves) and I find it great seeing Neo here! Honestly, though, this show is very much giving the vibe of a Wattpad book. And I could enjoy that (I did, after all, read Wattpad stories a lot when I was younger) or I could not. We’ll see. It’s definitely very interesting to see GMMTV produce a show like this. I’ll keep my hopes up.

Kidnap

Very cautiously excited for this series. If you know me you know I love kidnapping – which might sound weird but like it’s all about that reluctant kidnapper falling in love with the man he wasn’t meant to have feelings for. Vice versa falling for someone who kidnapped you and having to reckon with the complicated feelings that come with that, along with the consequences of everything, because there’s a reason for the kidnapping in the first place! Not very big on the cast but goddamn if I didn’t go “Man, I wish there was a kidnapping BL for GMMTV 2024. Too bad I don’t think they’d go for it,” like two days ago. So yeah, I’m excited, even if I don’t have full faith.

Summer Night

Might watch this for Phuwin, but honestly, not really feeling this. Guys who like the same girl, another highschool series where Phuwin is meant to be the “unpopular loser” type, a pretty basic premise. I’m just not very interested in the story – Phuwin is cute as hell though, and I like JDPP, so I’ll probably tune into this.

Wandee Goodday

This one looks ridiculous, and I like it. It also seems to be the overtly sexual show of the lineup, which is quite interesting. A friend-with-benefits story with GreatInn. One of the stronger comedic shows to me, and I’m interested in where it’ll go. I’m tuning in.

Highschool Frenemy

A remake of a drama I never watched. So, I feel like this is the darker highschool story of the lineup for 2024, which is interesting. Honestly, all of the darker shows in this lineup have felt like a breath of fresh air, oddly enough, mainly because of the sheer amount of lighter shows. A part of me wonders if pt.2 will reverse this feeling, or if this is how GMMTV is planning the next year to be like. I don’t have much to say on this one, might watch it, might not. I’ll just say, though, that this trailer did not hold my attention at all.

My Love Mix-Up

The moment I saw that eraser I went: oh my god it’s GeminiFourth Kieta Hatsukoi. I actually thought about this before? I was like haha, what if GMMTV picks up Kieta Hatsukoi, it would fit in, haha. And in my head I was like well it would go to GeminiFourth or something. So I’m gonna claim I was on the wavelength for this. However, I am not that excited. They could have gotten something else, I swear. And I’m not the biggest fan of the source material in the first place. We did not need another Japanese BL remake. But I guess the story does fit the GeminiFourth vibe, so we’ll see. Now I’m gonna be on edge if they ever remake Utsukushii Kare (my favorite BL of all time).

Enigma s2

Okay, so, I’ve been saying I want this every day since I watched Enigma. The vibe of the narration immediately got my brain racing, like, is this it? Then Win showed up and I was still in disbelief, but yeah! Enigma s2! We’re getting it! I am so excited to see it, and I’m incredibly curious about how it’ll go. Are they getting Bright back as the main villain? What’s Toey’s character going to be like? Is this going to focus more on Ajin’s story? What about Prim? I’m so, so excited for this one. And I hope it keeps up the level of quality s1 was on!

EXCITED FOR, 100% WATCHING

Enigma s2, The Trainee, Pluto, Peaceful Property

WILL LIKELY BE WATCHING

Kidnap, We Are, My Golden Blood, Wandee Goodday

MAYBE WILL WATCH

Ploy’s Yearbook, Only Boo, Ossan’s Love, My Love Mix-up, High School Frenemy, Summer Night

Conclusion: I was a bit disappointed by the same-y nature of a lot of these shows. We Are particularly is a letdown in premise despite a great cast, there’s a lot of remakes (and like I’m not against remakes in general, but there’s too many and I don’t understand exactly why), and the M/F dramas seem very basic. There’s also a LOT of BL, and yet some of them are probably being pushed to pt.2 (FirstKhao, Joongdunk, Forcebook) which signals even more BL? I’m starting to wonder which of these projects will come out in 2025, because there is just so much. Anyway, if you know me you know I’ll probably mainly be waiting for pt.2 to see Krist’s project for 2024. But in the meanwhile I’m happy OffGun is as real as always, PondPhuwin is back, TayNew are in a show, and we got an interesting GL.

#gmmtv 2024 #sou post #sou rambles #thai bl #not properly tagging this lmfao just the ones im excited for #enigma s2 #the trainee the series #pluto the series #peaceful property the series

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inkdemonapologist · 1 year

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HI THOUGHTS ON THE NEW TRAILER (if you've seen it - or if you're going in blind, ARE YOU EXITED)?

GOSH i have… CONFLICTED FEELINGS!

First, briefly, elephant in the room: I don’t really support JDS the real life company. No judgement to those that are excited to get the game, you know, no ethical consumption under capitalism and all that and we all gotta just make our own choices about where we draw our own lines. But just for me, I… personally don’t feel good about the idea of, deciding all their weird behaviour and mistreatment and unprofessionalism is fine in the end as long as the trailer looks cool. I’m intrigued by where BATDR will go, and it’s apparent the folks that worked on it put a lot of love into it. It’s possible I’ll change my mind; maybe as time passes it’ll become clear that they’ve cleaned up their act (though that one staff member’s passive-aggressive reactions to the last controversy video are uh, not promising). Or maybe someone will finally speak on this, say that the backlash to all their earlier bullshittery was a wake-up call, and they took steps to get their shit together so it would never happen again, but they didn’t want to address it publicly until they had a game in hand to regain the community’s good will. That would make sense. I don’t really expect this to happen, though, so I am not planning to buy/play/stream the game for now.

But, you know, I never played the original BatIM, either, and that didn’t stop me from being totally obsessed. So setting my misgivings about the actual company aside: THE TRAILER

I LOVE…. SON BOY BENDY…. IM SO HAPPY HES CUTE… I can’t believe Bendy is actually going to be in a Bendy game. This is hands down the thing I am the most giddy about. ALSO I KNEW HE WAS GONNA BE IN THE VERY END OF THE TRAILER I KNEW IT

It’s really encouraging to see them teasing new characters and new story and new circumstances, rather than leaning on Established Old Favs for hype… feels like there’s really a new story to tell here, with big changes in the status quo of the studio, rather than just trying to make More Of BatIM?????, which is great to see. It looks potentially really cool for fans of the original game.

“Beware the ink demon” “What’s an ink demon?” is actually great

At the same time… I have this feeling that I'm not the target audience. Like, it looks potentially way better than I expected, but those good choices ultimately lead further away from the stuff that interests me most (the pre-ink studio). The inky studio is interesting to me as a consequence of JDS, as a vehicle through which to discover what went wrong in the real world… and from what we’ve seen in the trailer, we’ve kinda moved beyond that in BatDR. I think that’s a smart creative decision that bodes well for the game, while also being not quite what I’m looking for. It’s a strange feeling! I'm not EXCITED like many of my fandom friends, but I am intrigued and interested.

(while proofreading this answer this morning in order to post it, the JDS Press Archive updated on the website with the first newspaper clipping and IM IMMEDIATELY FEELING WAY MORE DELIGHTED.... the trailer is fine BUT APPARENTLY WHAT I REALLY WANT IS MORE NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS LMAO)

I usually find comparisons of BatIM to Bioshock sort of reductive (like….other horror games have audiologs….BatIM doesn’t have plasmids or anything like the Big Daddies/Little Sisters or a Would You Kindly Twist or Critiques of Objectivism or ANY OF THE BIG ICONIC THINGS so like, the inspiration is clear but I really don't think it's Just Trying To Be Bioshock) but BOY HOWDY DOES BATDR SEEM TO BE TURNING THE BIOSHOCK VIBES UP TO 11 LMAO. thats not a complaint it just SURE IS THAT

One of the things I find a shame in batim proper is how quickly it stops being an animation studio with a weird cult around its main character. By chapter 3 it’s all SO mechanical like some kinda nonsensical factory… and this beautiful sprawling world in BatDR looks really cool, with a design that's filled with love and care!! but is also less and less an animation studio where something went wrong. Again, conflicted feelings!!

OBVIOUSLY if Sammy appears in the game for more than a cameo I AM REALLY CURIOUS what all of this has done to him. Is he dead? Is he still in Chapter 5 mode and incoherent? Is he able to find a new purpose in a world that’s supposedly free of the Demon? Or is he a “demon follower” who’s gone into hiding since his god was (allegedly) murdered? BECAUSE THAT LAST ONE COULD MAKE HIM QUITE AN IMPORTANT ANTAGONIST ACTUALLY,

(this is getting into wild speculation territory but i would ALSO be down for Sammy having immediately attached himself to this wilson fellow. Just keep up the trend of putting your total faith in the least trustworthy people Mr Lawrence!!!)

Like every other girl-liker on the planet i am also delighted about malice with gun

The lost one is cool-looking

I immediately want to know more about the implied DOCUMENTARY ABOUT JOEY DREWS LIFE???????

#i know you have questions you always do #batdr spoilers #batdr

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moki-dokie · 7 days

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I'm..... torn on that Shogun ending. it was VERY satisfying in a VERY unconventional way that i appreciate the more i sit on it. but i was left very unsatisfied with other elements of the story that i think they could have done just a hair better with.

one, i would have liked a little more indication of how much time had passed between events. i legit have no fucking idea how long anything took except the overarching story itself. there definitely wasn't enough time spent on some important bits nor enough time for the audience to really sit with and absorb some of the more powerful moments. i was left wanting so much more in that regard, and had a very hard time being emotionally invested in the things i should have been.

secondly, the romance was just eh. i think it was well done, especially in the context of this time period, but again the lack of time spent on people and in certain moments really hindered that. i need to read the book tbh i'm sure there's so many little things throughout it we simply didn't get to see. but there just weren't enough.... influential moments between them to sell there was more than a bit of lust and fondness. and then when the big moments did happen that were meant to sell it, i couldn't buy into it. idk how to explain it other than nearly the entirety of the show it felt very shallow and more like they had a crush on each other and then ep 9 comes in with a wrecking ball of some hella deep emotion and love out of nowhere. i can tell they meant to build them up for that particular moment to hit as hard as it was intended but it just completely missed the mark for me. but, again, i think that ties into the way time was handled and not so much the way the romance itself was.

I'd have liked just a TINY bit more action. Just a smidge. a crumb more. and not even necessarily in the sense of fighting. A scene of anjin being a clumsy but serious oaf trying to learn how to use his katana properly after that scene with yabu and buntaro for example, would have been great. hell, get mariko in on it to correct his form and turn up the heat between them a little more. sure, her weapon is a naginata but she's still know the basics he doesn't. and it bothered me immensely he was never shown to be WTF about her being a Very Skilled Fighter when, yknow, european women are not, at all. Or, idk, let this master pilot of ships actually have more chances to show off his skills they talk up for the duration of the show. idk, there just needed to be like two or three more small scenes of something else happening.

for all the ways lady ochiba was built up, she ended up being such a letdown and boring as hell. they could have cut about 80% of her screentime and still had the same outcome honestly. i saw that ending twist coming the minute she accepted the proposal but the whole damn time i was expecting her to have her own cunning agenda and games to play. but nope she's just. there. serving looks.

and then there's mariko. i haaaaaaaaaaaaaate the trope she ended up being in with such a burning passion. dear god do i hate a classic fridging. the only redeemable part of it is that it was, essentially, what she wanted. that said, i don't think it could have been pulled off any other way since she was based on her real life counterpart. buuuuut, then they go an skip her funeral entirely??? yeah now that pissed me off something bad. it's one thing to fridge the girl but then just brush past it like nothing was just an unacceptable way to have handled that. I'm also miffed to find out she was supposed to be much more toranaga's advisor than what she was in the show. why the choice to downgrade her to just a translator?? why do such a vitally important character who carried the story such a disservice? idk man, THAT alone almost ruined it for me. it was just poorly handled. period.

BUT, as a whole? beautiful and amazing and fun and very very intriguing. I think the rather anticlimactic ending is kind of gorgeous in a strange way. and the weeaboo nerd in me enjoyed the fucking hell out all the meticulous attention to accuracy. I'll probably rewatch it a few times just to watch things in the background and admire all the detail they put into everything lmao i think it's definitely worth the watch even with my disappointments. i really hope we get some cut scenes released too cause i'm sure there's a hell of a lot that didn't make it in the show.

#shogun #shogun spoilers

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visionaxry · 1 year

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TOP 10 TV SHOWS I WATCHED IN 2022

1. PANIC on amazon prime

i watched ‘panic’ at the very beginning of 2022, and have since rewatched it twice. i’m still surprised how it stuck with me and became one of my favorite shows, because typically i prefer more light-hearted stories.

the idea of teenagers playing this high stakes life-threatening game is so intriguing. the mystery behind who started and runs this tradition adds so much suspense. there’s also the additional layer of poverty and family issues that’s pushing the main character. it’s so interesting to explore the characters’ motivations, their reactions to pressure. it makes for a colorful complex story. and, of course, what sells it is the main romance. the chemistry between the characters is off the charts!! (not me thinking i wouldn’t ship them before seeing the show phaha).

even though ‘panic’ was cancelled after season 1 (which, sadly, is true for most of my favorite tv shows), i believe there’s a satisfying finality to the season that makes it work as a stand alone story.

2. QUEER AS FOLK on peacock

pure queer joy is what this show is. i’ve only experienced this level of happiness while watching “genera+ion” (which is my favorite show ever). and yes, “queer as folk” is more adult because - duh - it’s about adults, and one teen character. in a lot of ways it’s about forming your community and keeping it safe. it takes on serious issues, the characters are messy and make mistakes, yet it feels so warm and comfortable, like a home.

i’ve never seen the original show so i’m judging this show from a non-reboot perspective (which i’m pretty sure it is anyway, even though you can make parallels between some characters, it’s a new different story).

trigger warning: there’s a mass sh**ting scene in the first episode (it’s not very graphic).

3. HEARTBREAK HIGH on netflix

the new aussie it show, move over h2o just add water! okay i’m joking, but heartbreak high really took over the world as it should have! it’s a diverse well-written gen z teen drama with amazing fashion.

what you can expect: a lot of dramaaa, secrets & unexpected twists, sex scenes that don’t sexualize teenagers, actual ace representation (i’ve only seen it done this well in “genera+ion”), probably the best autistic representation i’ve ever seen, exploration of some dark themes (assault, police brutality) that are unfortunately a part of reality for a lot of teenagers, beautiful friendships and romantic relationships, teen angst and rebellion.

i fell in love with these characters and their dynamics, i can’t wait for season 2! plus, it turns out there was a lot of australian things i didn’t know about, so it was very cool to see australian culture represented in this fun bright series.

4. REBELDE on netflix

look at all these pretty faces and tell me you don’t want to know more about them. this show is one hell of a fun ride. it’s like elite mixed with violetta. there’s so much colorful potential in almost (looking at you esteban) all of these characters. they fight, they perform, they’re friends, rivals and lovers, and for the big moments they’re each other’s family. they’re rebelde. i want to steal their wardrobe and be their groupie.

5. WEDNESDAY on netflix

not suprised this show became such a hit, but i’m glad i watched it when it came out without any preconceived expectations. the style of this show is amazing and it’s an entertaining watch. there can’t be enough praise for jenna ortega’s performance. she’s outstanding in everything she does, and she carried this show.

6. HEARTSTOPPER on netflix

this is a fluffy warm ball of sunshine. comfort at its finest. i’m so happy this show exists and people talk about it. i just want to give every character a hug. oh, and i want those cute doodles in my life.

7. THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY on amazon prime

such a cute summer show. i think the creators did a great job of adapting the book for the modern young audience. it could’ve easily turned into another kissing booth with a “not like other girls” protagonist. even though you can see the original outline of the characters, they feel more evoled in the show. and that’s what i hope will happen to the story later on as well. i like when adaptations improve on given material and find their own identity.

i did’t really like nor understood the ending so i’m kinda tense about season 2. if it’s gonna turn into a belly x conrad love show, i’m gonna have to head out, and demand a jeremiah spin off (#teamjeremiah).

8. SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE on freeform

so this is one of the more underrated shows on this list. it’s a dramedy that follows a young woman battling her addiction in a town full of people who are right there to remind her why she drinks. sam makes quite an appealing lead character. she’s messy, she’s selfish, she’s confrontational, but she longs for real meaningful connections, even though she’s afraid of them. there’s a diverse array of characters who go on this journey with her, and i love every single one of them. i think this show has a very good trailer actually, helps get the feel of the show and what it’s about.

9. DOLLFACE on hulu

such a beautiful entertaining show about female friendship and finding yourself outside of a relationship. the cast is incredible, including kat dennings as the jilted ex, brenda song and shay mitchell as her estranged besties, matthew gray goobler as a love interest, and brianne howey and lilly singh as a nice bonus on the side.

the part that makes this show so unique is the daydream sequences that follow the main character. it shifts the rules of the world, makes it more fantastic and unpredictable. makes me wish i could get on a bus with the cat lady that would take me to my friends.

10. HEATHERS on amazon prime

no matter how much you like the original movie, THIS heather squad is way more memorable and charismatic. who wouldn’t want to watch an edgy dark comedy about teen phychopaths whose whole identity is “i’m not like the other people, i’m weird, i’m a weirdo”, toxic friendships, murderous romance & tumblr fashion circa 2016? maybe i’m just build different if it’s my jam and not yours.

seriously though, i unapologetically loved it. kinda reminds me of “the scream queens” (which is outstanding) and “insatiable” (which i couldn’t get into).

thanks for giving this a read <3 hopefully i convinced you to watch some of these!

#panic #tv shows #top favorite #favorite 2022 #favorite shows #2022 wrapped #Queer as Folk 2022 #panic show #heartbreak high #wednesday #rebelde #heartstopper #the summer i turned pretty #dollface #single drunk female #heathers #reboots #what to watch

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tarafostersblog · 5 months

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Sorry to bother you

The film sorry to bother you released in 2018 is an epic film. I had never seen the movie until recently, so when I finally sat down to watch it, I had no preconceived notions or expectations. However, as the film started rolling, I found myself succumbing to a sense of disinterest in the opening scenes. The pacing seemed slow, and the characters failed to captivate my attention. Despite this lackluster beginning, I chose to persist and give the story a chance to unfold further. As the narrative progressed, a subtle shift began to take place, gradually drawing me in. The intricate plot developments, compelling character arcs, and unexpected twists gradually started to intrigue me, sparking a newfound interest in the movie. The casting in the film or show was absolutely on point, capturing the essence of each character flawlessly. The chemistry between the actors was exceptional, resulting in a humor that rivals or even surpasses the hilarity of the popular comedy series Workaholics. The actors delivered their lines flawlessly, incorporating impeccable timing and impeccable comedic timing that had me in stitches from beginning to end. The artistic originality of the movie was very refreshingly colorful both literally and figuratively, captivating the audience with its vibrant and unique presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, feeling a captivating sense of thrill and suspense during the unexpected plot twist at the end. I never lost interest at any point. Easily one of the best movies of 2018, this satire of American business and capitalism is smart, funny, and socially pertinent. Although Sorry to Bother You is a humorously strange and outlandish song, its purpose is rooted in the obvious unfairness of a system that is on the verge of collapse due to its own decadence. Riley was largely effective if the ultimate purpose of Sorry to Bother You is to reveal the powerful individuals manipulating our society and transforming ordinary individuals into corporate, even figurative, slaves. A remarkably unique image, Boots Riley embraces the bizarre and ironic aspects of our daily lives. It's unlike anything I've ever witnessed. I wasn’t really expecting the ending of the movie. You would watch the movie and just think that it’s a regular movie and then you have house people and a whole lot of crazy things in it. It was kind of scary as well because of how those people were turned into something they had no idea that they were going to be. The scene where the girl is having stuff thrown at her was kind of weird to me, I didn’t really understand that part. For its part, Sorry to Bother You invites viewers to examine its own inner workings, not only to gain insight into its language, but also to gain insight into the behind-the-scenes logic of its reality. It’s an all-encompassing, enthralling, perplexing, scary, and maybe, just maybe, a little too advanced for this generation to understand.

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pipperoni32-blog · 8 months

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Crown of Earth and Sky

by Emberly Ash / 5 stars

**expected publish date September 17, 2023**

My next NetGalley read was supposed to be Her Radiant Curse, by Elizabeth Lim. I read multiple books at once, but I wasn't expecting this one to grab me as intensely as it did!

Meant to be a twist on King Arthur, I'll admit I can't appreciate the intricacies and details that went into this. I recognized a name here and there, or a nod to the legend, but I am definitely more curious to learn more about the legend of King Arthur. I'm much more interested in getting the next book in the Secrets of the Faerie Crown series though!

When the next fae king, Arthur, is killed all of Annwyn is left in upheavel. Arthur was meant to be the best of them, to be a ruler of legend, already having made a name for himself in his short 25 years. Now it will fall to his twin sister to rule. For the fae, twins are almost non-existent. The weaker is meant to be absorbed by the stronger in the womb, and so Veyka has always been seen as a threat an ill omen to Arthur. For 20 years she was hidden away in the Water Gardens in the palace, only recently set free when her brother assumed the throne following their father's death.

Arthur was the only person Veyka ever cared about. Her savior and brother, and the only person who knew her darkest secrets. Now that he's gone, she longs for a quick death - and the chance at revenge.

The Pendragon line of Elemental fae - and the rule of Annwyn - has been decreed by the Ancestors to be shared by the Terrestrial fae to keep the peace. By all rights, it should have been Guinevere as the next queen, the golden counterpart to Arthur, she'd been raised and trained for the role. Instead, the Terrestrial fae's new offering is Arran Earthborn. The Brutal Prince who has spent nearly all his 300 years on the battlefield is no one's idea of a ruler. But he is ready to commit himself to keeping the peace, for the good of all Annwyn. That is, until he meets the next queen.

Some secrets are revealed, and pasts dug into. This book is fast paced, with lots of fighting and court intrigue. Not to mention two sexy MCs with off the charts chemistry! There's still so much to learn and discover though.

I have some theories, and am so excited this one is coming out very soon, because I cannot wait to see people's reactions and get a chance to discuss this!

However, please keep in mind the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. It is intended for mature audiences, with violence and sexual content, including references to assault.

Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the ARC to this book!

#netgalley #book review #booklr #crown of earth and sky #emberly ash #fae realm #new series

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marketingprofitmedia · 11 months

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A Step-by-Step Guide to CPA Marketing: What You Need to Know For Beginner

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a side hustler, or simply someone intrigued by the idea of earning passive income, CPA marketing has the potential to be your ticket to financial success. And don’t worry if you’re just starting out and feeling a bit overwhelmed — we’ve got you covered with this beginner’s guide that will equip you with all the essential knowledge you need to get started.

Now, you might be wondering, “What the heck is CPA marketing anyway?” Well, let me break it down for you in plain English, minus the jargon and technical mumbo-jumbo. CPA stands for Cost Per Action, and it’s a form of performance-based marketing where you get paid for specific actions your audience takes, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a form. In other words, you get rewarded for bringing value to advertisers by driving actions that align with their marketing goals. Sounds pretty nifty, right?

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But hold on a second! Before you start picturing yourself sipping margaritas on a beach while your bank account magically grows, let’s be clear — CPA marketing isn’t some get-rich-quick scheme. It requires dedication, strategy, and a willingness to learn from your experiences. However, fear not, dear beginner, because we’re here to demystify the world of CPA marketing and guide you through the twists and turns of this fascinating journey. So, buckle up, grab your favorite caffeinated beverage, and let’s embark on this adventure together!

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll cover everything from understanding the fundamentals of CPA marketing to getting started, implementing successful strategies, and staying ahead of the curve. But hey, we won’t bore you with a lecture series on marketing theory. We’ll keep things light, informative, and even sprinkle in some humor along the way. So, get ready to learn, laugh, and become a savvy CPA marketer in no time. Let’s dive in!

Understanding CPA Marketing

Let’s roll up our sleeves and dig deeper into the fascinating world of CPA marketing. But don’t worry, we’ll break it down in a way that even your grandma would understand (well, maybe not your grandma, but you get the idea).

So, what exactly is CPA marketing? Picture this: You’re like a matchmaker, but instead of bringing people together for love, you’re bringing together advertisers and consumers in a beautiful, mutually beneficial relationship. In this case, advertisers are looking to promote their products or services, while consumers are the lovely folks who take action, like making a purchase or signing up for a free trial. And guess what? You get rewarded for making that connection happen!

In CPA marketing, the focus is on actions, not just clicks or impressions. You’re not trying to convince people to click on ads like a hyperactive squirrel collecting acorns. Instead, you’re aiming for those meaningful actions that align with the advertiser’s goals. It could be as simple as getting someone to fill out a form or as exciting as guiding them to buy a life-changing product. And with each successful action, you earn a sweet commission. Cha-ching!

But hold your horses, my eager friend. You can’t just go about randomly throwing offers at people and expect them to start taking action like a herd of caffeinated unicorns. You need to find the right audience, the people who are actually interested in what the advertiser is offering. This is where targeting comes into play. You want to reach the right people, at the right time, with the right message. It’s like being a ninja marketer, stealthily infiltrating the lives of your potential customers, but without all the flips and sword fighting (unless you’re into that kind of thing).

To make this matchmaking magic happen, CPA networks act as the middlemen (or middle women, we don’t discriminate). They bring together advertisers with offers to promote and affiliate marketers like yourself who are hungry to earn those juicy commissions. These networks provide you with a range of offers to choose from, so you can find something that resonates with your audience and get them to take action.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how CPA marketing works, it’s time to put on your detective hat and find your perfect audience. In the next section, we’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of getting started with CPA marketing and uncovering the secrets to success. So, get ready to channel your inner Sherlock Holmes (minus the pipe and fancy British accent) as we embark on this thrilling journey together.

Getting Started with CPA Marketing

Now that you’ve got a handle on the concept of CPA marketing, it’s time to set sail on your journey to becoming a full-fledged CPA marketer. But fret not, my eager companion, for I shall be your trusty guide through these uncharted waters.

First things first, let’s chart your course by setting some goals and defining your target audience. Just like a ship needs a destination, you need to know where you’re headed and who you’re trying to reach. Are you aiming to promote health and wellness products to fitness enthusiasts or perhaps financial services to aspiring entrepreneurs? Understanding your niche and identifying your target audience will be key in guiding your marketing efforts and maximizing your chances of success.

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Once you’ve set your bearings, it’s time to pick a CPA network to join. These networks are like bustling marketplaces teeming with offers for you to promote. But how do you choose the right one? Fear not, my adventurous friend, for I shall impart some wisdom upon you. Look for networks that align with your niche and offer a wide range of high-quality offers. Check their reputation, payment terms, and support system. After all, you want to partner with a network that will have your back throughout this thrilling voyage.

Now comes the exciting part — applying to become an affiliate marketer. Think of it as submitting your job application to become a professional matchmaker. Show them your enthusiasm, tell them about your experience (if any), and convince them that you’re the perfect fit for their network. Some networks might have a stringent approval process, but fear not, my friend. Be patient and stay determined, for your persistence shall be rewarded.

Once you’ve secured your spot as a bonafide CPA marketer, it’s time to hoist the sails and embark on your marketing campaigns. But hold on a minute, cowboy! Don’t go all guns blazing just yet. Start small, test the waters, and gather data to optimize your campaigns. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your empire of commissions. Monitor your performance, track your conversions, and make data-driven decisions to steer your campaigns in the right direction.

As you navigate through this vast sea of CPA marketing, it’s essential to stay curious and hungry for knowledge. Keep an eye on industry trends, attend webinars, and join forums to stay updated and connect with fellow marketers. The world of online marketing is ever-evolving, my friend, and only those who adapt and learn will thrive.

So, ready your compass and brace yourself for the adventures that lie ahead. In the next section, we’ll delve into the strategies and tactics that will help you unlock the treasure trove of CPA marketing success. Get ready to unleash your inner marketing maverick as we sail towards the horizon of profits and prosperity!

CPA Marketing Strategies for Success

Aspiring CPA marketer! Now that you’ve set sail on the vast ocean of CPA marketing, it’s time to equip yourself with the strategies and tactics that will steer you towards the shores of success. So buckle up, tighten your grip on the ship’s wheel, and let’s dive into the treasure trove of CPA marketing strategies!

Selecting the right offers for your audience:

The art of matchmaking! Just like a love guru pairing soulmates, you must find offers that resonate with your audience’s desires and needs. Research, explore, and choose offers that align with your niche and cater to your audience’s cravings. Whether it’s trendy fashion accessories or life-changing productivity tools, make sure your offers capture their attention and ignite their curiosity.

Promoting CPA offers effectively:

Now that you’ve got your offers lined up, it’s time to spread the word like a seasoned pirate spreading tales of treasure. Harness the power of paid traffic sources like PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising and social media ads to reach a wider audience. But don’t forget the goldmine of organic traffic strategies! Optimize your website for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), create captivating content, and engage with your audience through social media channels. Oh, and let’s not forget the power of email marketing — craft irresistible messages that make your subscribers walk the plank straight to your CPA offers.

Split testing and optimizing your campaigns:

Every great captain knows the importance of experimenting and fine-tuning their strategies. Conduct split tests to compare different ad creatives, landing pages, and offers. Analyze the results, trim the sails, and optimize your campaigns based on the data you gather. Aye, it may require some trial and error, but fear not, for each failure is a stepping stone towards success!

Monitoring and analyzing campaign performance:

A wise captain keeps a close eye on the ship’s course and performance. Dive into the sea of data and analyze your campaign metrics. Track your conversions, click-through rates, and return on investment. Identify what’s working and what’s not, and make adjustments accordingly. Remember, a keen eye and a sharp mind will help you navigate through the choppy waters of CPA marketing.

Scaling up successful campaigns:

As you spot the glimmering treasure of success, it’s time to set your sights on scaling up your winning campaigns. Increase your ad spend, expand your reach, and explore new avenues to capitalize on your success. But remember, steady as she goes! Monitor your scalability efforts closely and ensure your campaigns maintain their effectiveness as you set sail for new horizons.

As you embark on your CPA marketing journey, keep in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Patience, perseverance, and a willingness to adapt are your loyal crewmates. Stay vigilant, stay curious, and always keep an eye on the ever-changing tides of the online marketing landscape.

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Now, my courageous companion, it’s time to unleash your inner marketing maverick and conquer the vast seas of CPA marketing. Onward we sail, towards the shores of triumph and riches untold!

Best Practices and Tips for CPA Marketing

As you navigate the ever-changing seas of online marketing, it’s essential to arm yourself with the best practices and tips that will keep you ahead of the competition. So gather ’round, me hearties, as I share with you the secrets to mastering the art of CPA marketing!

Compliance and legal considerations:

In the vast ocean of CPA marketing, it’s crucial to sail with integrity and abide by the rules. Familiarize yourself with the advertising regulations and guidelines set forth by the CPA networks and advertising platforms. Stay clear of any shady practices that may tarnish your reputation. Remember, a trustworthy captain builds long-lasting relationships with both advertisers and consumers.

Building relationships with affiliate managers:

Affiliate managers are the treasure maps to success in the CPA marketing world. Forge strong relationships with these unsung heroes who hold the keys to high-converting offers, valuable insights, and exclusive promotions. Communicate regularly, seek guidance, and leverage their expertise to navigate your way through the vast sea of opportunities.

Tracking and attribution tools for accurate data analysis:

To steer your ship in the right direction, you need accurate data. Equip yourself with reliable tracking and attribution tools that allow you to measure and analyze your campaign performance effectively. Track your conversions, identify your most profitable traffic sources, and optimize your strategies based on data-driven insights. Aye, with accurate data, you’ll navigate the treacherous waters of CPA marketing with precision.

Staying updated with industry trends and changes:

The online marketing landscape is ever-evolving, with new trends and changes emerging like hidden reefs beneath the surface. Stay atop the cresting waves by staying informed about the latest industry news, emerging technologies, and shifting consumer behaviors. Subscribe to industry publications, follow influential marketers, and join relevant forums to stay ahead of the game. Adaptation is the key to survival in these turbulent waters.

Continuous learning and experimentation:

As a CPA marketer, the quest for knowledge and growth should never cease. Embrace the spirit of exploration and experimentation. Test new strategies, explore different traffic sources, and venture into untapped niches. Learn from your successes and failures, for each voyage is a lesson in itself. Remember, the most successful captains are those who never stop learning and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

As you navigate the vast seas of CPA marketing, remember that success is not built overnight. It requires dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to adapt to the ever-changing tides. Stay focused, remain agile, and keep your eyes on the horizon of profits and prosperity.

Now, my intrepid companion, armed with these best practices and tips, go forth and conquer the vast sea of CPA marketing. May the winds be ever in your favor as you sail towards bountiful commissions and unrivaled success!

Conclusion

We’ve reached the final port on our exhilarating journey through the world of CPA marketing. From understanding the basics to uncovering strategies and best practices, we’ve equipped you with the knowledge and tools needed to set sail on your own CPA marketing voyage.

Remember, dear matey, that CPA marketing is not for the faint of heart. It requires a blend of creativity, analytical thinking, and a dash of that entrepreneurial spirit. But fear not, for you’ve now gained a solid foundation to embark on this thrilling adventure with confidence.

As you navigate the vast ocean of CPA marketing, keep in mind that success comes to those who persevere. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your empire of commissions. Be patient, iterate, and adapt your strategies as you learn from your experiences. The journey may have its fair share of challenges, but it’s in overcoming those challenges that you’ll discover your true potential.

Always stay vigilant, my daring companion, as the online marketing landscape is ever-evolving. Keep a keen eye on industry trends, adapt to new technologies, and embrace the winds of change. The secret to sustained success lies in continuous learning and staying ahead of the curve.

And never forget the power of building relationships. Network with fellow marketers, connect with affiliate managers, and foster relationships with your audience. Remember, in the vast sea of digital marketing, it’s the personal connections and genuine interactions that will set you apart from the rest.

So, as you embark on your CPA marketing journey, embrace the adventure, relish the challenges, and celebrate the victories, big and small. Stay true to your vision, be open to new possibilities, and let your passion guide you towards your goals.

Fair winds and following seas, brave soul! May your compass always point towards success as you chart your own path in the thrilling world of CPA marketing.

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destinygoldenstar · 1 year

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So, Total Drama Danganronpa Island just hit a 6000 view milestone.

I... I could never imagine my work every getting this much of a fanbase since I was in the fifth grade. (It’s... trauma there. That’s why I didn’t get online or show my writing to anyone until 2020)

I wish I could say the Deadly Life of Chapter 4 is almost finished, but that’d be a lie. It’s not even close. I’ve had so much going on in my life kicking me in the butt for no reason. But your support has kept me motivated to keep going and make it to the end of this story. Cause from my outline... it gets so much worse from here, and there’s a Chapter 5 moment that I already wrote a draft of, and I was hyperventilating. I’ve never had that happen to me when writing before.

These chapters take a long time to make. A REALLY long time. (This fic is currently over 400000 words long) But I want the wait to be worth it, and for my most successful story online to date to be really good and memorable.

This wasn’t even supposed to be this special! I just woke up, saw the TD/Danganronpa AU and said ‘I want to try that’. But the more I went into it, the more I realized I CARED about this story.

This is the very FIRST adult-rated story I’ve ever done. One of my original stories pushes a Teen rating, but this is the first story where I could safely say ‘this is not for kids.’ Because oh lord, I don’t know how many kids clicked on this fic, but I bet they were scared.

There is A LOT I could talk about with this fic, and stuff I could be proud of. The murders being complex yet easy to understand, the raw emotion that got across in several scenes even outside of executions and deaths, re-inventing so many characters into complex four dimensional human beings, winning people over with Gwuncan, the tragedy of Harold’s negative character arc, Izzy, just... Izzy, incorporating the theater segments from the games that so few fangans do, giving the Mastermind a unique motive besides ‘kill everyone’, new twists to the game that aren’t in the games. a morally ambiguous cast, or the game actually being driven by the characters. (If you couldn’t do, Total Drama is full of character archetypes and end of story, but I REFUSED to keep a single character two dimensional, even the early boots!)

But I think my biggest thing will be with the killing game’s protagonist.

I got SO MUCH backlash for the original concept. I was told this would not work, that this was a bad idea, that this was nothing like any other Danganronpa protagonist, that this idea would suck and tear apart the entire story.

But honestly, Duncan became the best Danganronpa protagonist I could ask for.

Yeah you could make an argument that someone else could’ve been the protag and it would’ve worked just as well for the plot, but for character intrigue, I don’t see that.

No, Duncan is not my favorite character. That’s Harold. There’s stuff with Duncan’s character in the canon show that I don’t agree with. I also like dunking on him when I talk about the show in real life, and my friends think I hate him when I don’t. (Ha. DUNKING on DUNCAN.)

The character is already complex in the show, one of the few characters that are complex beyond their archetypes. It’s hard enough to keep him in character. It’s hard enough to write a protagonist that is a jerk at the start. It’s hard enough to expect your audience to care about someone whose done so much horrible stuff. It’s hard enough to create a cohesive character arc for him that lasts the entire story. It’s hard enough to create a redemption arc that is anything but straightforward and is messy as all hell. (Like that Gwen monologue in Chapter 4, ‘what is redemption?’) It’s hard enough to create a character that has so many relationships to keep up with.

But I went the extra mile and made the story First Person POV.

Which meant I WAS the character, and I had to write EVERY. SINGLE. THOUGHT. He has.

Every feeling.

Every action.

Every reaction.

Everything that goes in his head.

And you wonder WHY these take so long to make and have it NOT suck?!

On paper, this sounds awful. First POV fanfiction is looked down upon because it’s for a character the writer did not make. The writer slips in way too much.

And if you met me in real life, it sounds even MORE awful.

Basically, a classmate I have who read my fic found out I was the writer, and they were SHOCKED. Their words, “You don’t act anything like him!”

Yeah. I don’t. It’s not just ‘I’m not a bad boy’. I’m a female. I’m asexual. I’m a bad socializer. I don’t cuss when I speak. I have autism. I can’t keep friends for the love of me. The only thing I’m confident with is my career. I’m told constantly by the people around me that I am one of the nicest people in my family, and my class, despite my snarky attitude from time to time. I don’t flirt with people. I don’t feel the need to hold up a persona. I have a good relationship with my family. I don’t like being directly mean to people even when I get permission to. Other than anxiety, I haven’t gone through severe mental issues. I’ve also never been in prison. (If I was, I probably wouldn’t have an account)

So yeah, I’m writing a character that I not only didn’t invent, but I’m also writing a character that is very messed up in the head and nothing like me as though I was that character. THE WHOLE TIME.

It’s WAY HARDER than you think. Especially not to have you slip in there.

On paper, this story SHOULD have turned out AWFUL. This should have destroyed the immersion of the entire story.

And yet not only did it work for so many people, but half of the comments I got were about how invested they were in the character. Remind you, all I had to work with was basically, ‘fun cool bad boy character’.

You could make an argument for several other characters in this fic, as there are so many complex people in it I could talk about. But in terms of the protagonist for the story... this might actually be my favorite character to write about in any fanfiction I’ve ever done. (At least in TDDRI. Refilming Action is completely different and way more simplistic)

I would explain everything regarding TDDRI Duncan, but there is A LOT.

Like, I’d probably have to make a flowchart to explain all the little details here to you guys.

Maybe once the fic is done, I’ll do a ‘The Life of This Character, from TDDRI logic’ to explain it. And for other characters, because they also have a lot. (400000 words sounds too short of a length for this fic)

I’ll try to make the remainder of the story as good as I can. I promise.

#Total Drama #Danganronpa #Td Duncan #My thoughts #first person pov #Fanfiction

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fermented-writers-block · 3 years

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PART 1 of 6 of the Owl Deity Hooty Theory

[NEXT PART]

[OWL DEITY HOOTY THEORY MASTERPOST] (in development)

(TLDR at bottom of post)

Over several long months of research and analysis since March of 2020, I have been following an utterly fascinating thread of potential misdirection and subtle details throughout The Owl House, and today, I would like to start weaving together of what I believe could become one of the biggest and most cleverly disguised twists in the entire show.

To begin, let’s take a look at the B plot of Understanding Willow:

On first glance, it’s an ultimately inconsequential sidestory with the sole purpose of justifying an excuse to keep Luz and Amity in Willow’s mind, as well as providing some well-needed room to breathe and release tension after the veryemotionally charged confrontation with Inner Willow. After half an episode of Eda and King outdoing the other in ridiculous ways to win Gus’ vote and Gus running off in frustration at the end of the episode from Hooty’s inane rambling, it’s easy to laugh off Gus’ pick and assume that nothing/of value was said when he closed the door for the interview.

However, if one pays close attention to that very scene, Hooty actually canstill be heard (if faintly) underneath Eda and King’s grumbling, interestingly talking about how “It all started with a hunt. Blood red skies. That’s right, I was created-.”

Now, while it may seem silly to focus on dialogue from Hooty of all characters, this A) tells us that there was an event in the past involving blood red skies and a hunt of some kind, B) that Hooty had been created close to said event, and C) implies that what he knows but can’t tell as a story worth a damn is EXTREMELY important to be included and be hidden in such a manner.

For comparison, the only other instance of dialogue being tucked away in the background in the entire show is in Wing It Like Witches:

During the lecture at the beginning of the episode, the history teacher openswith lore on Belos appointing a head witch to each coven over 50 years ago, immediately cluing in the audience to try and decipher the rest of the lecture as it moves to the background. Adding to this is how the musical sting when Luz shows off her movie obscures what he says even further, making it even more of a intriguing puzzle that the creators clearly intended for viewers to pick up on and attempt to solve.

In contrast, the hidden dialogue of Hooty’s interview is much shorter and not as hard to decipher as the teacher’s history lesson, but at the same time, there are few to no indicators whatsoever in that scene to clue in the audience to even check for something like that. It comes at the end of an episode where most viewers would have been paradoxically tired out and driven abuzz by the revelations of Amity and Willow’s relationship, doesn’t attempt to draw much attention to itself, and frames itself as a comedic subversion of audience expectations with neither the “greatest witch who ever lived” or the self-proclaimed king of demons being picked by Gus.

Instead, he picks someone that the show portrays constantly as an oblivious and gullible idiot after being described as a “state of the art defense system” at the very beginning of the series. Someone who, despite it being played for laughs, is scarily capable of casually subduing Lilith offscreen one episode and then beating her and an entire squad of Emperor’s Coven members without even the slightest change in personality or temperament.

Someone who, due to being the Owl House itself, could be considered the titular character of the entire show, yet is taken for granted by those who inhabit him and barely gets any respect from even the cutely patronized King - including when Hooty could be interpreted as having potentially been full on DEAD for a time given the use of extremely cartoony X eyes and a lack of vital signs in The Intruder.

And someone who Eda at best tolerates and at worst abandons in personal interactions and only occasionally acknowledges him when he’s actually doing his job. Yet at the same time is so implicitly trusted beyondprotecting her home to the point where - when up against the closest person Eda has to an equal outside of likely Belos - the only actually recognizable spells Eda used in combat were 1) stereotypical energy blasts, 2) a single shield spell in Covention, and 3) a noticeably large reliance on imitations of Hooty above any other spells she could have decided to use instead.

In short, the show repeatedly tells us he is just an idiotic gag character through and through, but at the same time demonstrates he has immense power through both onscreen and offscreen demonstrations, implicitly tells us his importance ahead of time through Eda’s imitations in actually serious situations, and treats his interview and origin story as - if not even more- important to keep secret than a long lore dump about how Belos’ reign works.

After all, there being only two instances of hidden background dialogue in the entire season is already intriguing on its own, but for one to get plenty of clues to draw in people’s attention and for the other to be treated as just another gag about a “mere comic relief character” - aka a good way to draw away attention and lower one’s guard - heavily suggests a far deeper significance buried under layers of misdirection, comedy, and conditioned audience expectations.

I mean, when Eda bragged about being “a bad girl living in a secret fortress,” Hooty followed with a remark about how “I’m the secret.” While that line may sound like Hooty simply being confused as part of a one-off on the surface, it’s an odd dialogue choice for the writers to pick when you think about all the other reminders of his nature as the house itself throughout the season. With the precedent these moments set, it would have been much more appropriate for him to latch onto the “fortress” side of “secret fortress” AND it would have been just as equally funny of a joke about his awareness skills, but instead, Hooty broke away from the established trend to say something that would make people suspicious were it to come from anyone else.

In a way, this reminds me much of the many subtle bits of foreshadowing strewn across the show, like Luz unknowingly describing Amity in Witches Before Wizards and Eda burning a hole through Luz’s coven type quiz that coincidentally selected the same track she had taken at Hexside as “a punky potionist.” At the time of airing, these initially seemed like one-off jokes, but eventually came back in full force several episodes later with Amity’s hidden sensitive feelings and love for the Azura books becoming clear in Lost in Language, and the reveal of Eda’s school track in Something Ventured, Someone Framed with her school misdemeanor pictures.

That said, compared to these individual bits of minor foreshadowing, the jokes about Hooty in Understanding Willow appear to simply be the most obvious pieces in a giant puzzle, implicitly and outright telling attentive viewers that there’s a major mystery to be uncovered here.

In fact, I feel bold enough to say that we could be looking at a twist on a similar scale to that of the Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz and Stanford Pines twists in Steven Universe and Gravity Falls respectively, what with this particular puzzle piece coming from how Gus wanted to make THE greatest interview of all time, and how he was looking for someone who was “interesting, accomplished, AND noteworthy:”

Note the emphasis on the ‘and’ here, as Gus had made a big deal that “people aren’t meantto be all those things” at the beginning of the episode, so as a result, stripping away all the comedic framing of his subplot leaves the intriguing implication that whoever - and, perhaps, what- Hooty is, they really are the most interesting, accomplished, AND noteworthy person out of everyone.

I could go further and talk about why I suspect the mystery surrounding King’s origins, whether true or not, is partially meant to misdirect us from paying attention to Hooty, or how the TOH crew’s could be disguising legitimate clues to his nature among made up and highly meme-able joke answers in order to proliferate said concepts throughout the fandom - thus letting us do all the dirty work of getting ourselves used to the ideas and used to dismissing them at the same time - but to bring things to a close for now, I’d like to leave you all with a question that I’ll start answering next time:

What does it mean when both the most powerful and notorious witch on the Boiling Isles and the possible actual king of demons/the Titan itself/something don’t match up to a house? And what do you think it is that makes him so special to warrant such misdirection?

TLDR: Between Eda’s golem spells, the show stressing his nature as the titular house, his implicit strength, and the odd dialogue and structure of Understanding Willow‘s subplot in relation to him, I believe I have good reason to suspect the show has been giving us many hints towards Hooty being much, much more important than it would like us to currently believe or even joke about. Particularly, through clever uses of comedy to establish and enforce a strong audience bias against looking closely at him or unironically taking him seriously, and to potentially plant the seeds for something I will start exploring in Part 2.

#the owl house #the owl house theory #owl house theory #the owl house speculation #toh theory #the owl house hooty #toh speculation #owl deity hooty theory #long post

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mafaldaknows · 3 years

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Jps posted a picture of sinking ship. What I don't get is how jps know about Timothees dynamic with armie or his love life. I don't think Timothee is close to jps to share his deep secrets with him

Hello, Anon:

The preponderance of evidence suggests otherwise, to me anyway. JPS was one of the people Timmy invited to his SNL hosting gig, and was seated in the audience behind his mom. This is enough of an indicator for me that they share a significant connection between them.

As for the darkly whimsical, perilous yet oddly hopeful painting, For All We Know (2018) by Oliver Jeffers, which JPS posted last night, I think there’s more to it than what seems obvious at first glance.

While it’s easy to focus on the disaster of the sinking ship and the iceberg in the distance, let’s consider the two astronauts and the piano in the foreground. The caption says “Lost At Space” (but that’s not space), a cheeky twist of a familiar phrase, suggesting that they may have missed their mark.

Yet they persist. They look to be rescuing a piano, but not struggling to do so. They are still afloat and so is the piano. They do not resist the fact that they’re not in space, and adapt to their present circumstances and surroundings, in order to accomplish their mission.

This to me looks like the extraordinary courage, perseverance, hope, optimism, and trust in the Universe required of mere mortals to buckle up and launch themselves into outer space like gods, which seems to align with the artist’s intentions. At its face value, exploring new worlds in this way seems like an absurdly risky idea, and yet people do it, because the rewards, if it works out, are immeasurable. It would seem that managing fears and expectations is the hardest part of the journey, and of the mission.

I see parallels to this idea in Timmy’s life, especially at this exciting juncture in his career. Perhaps that’s what JPS had in mind.

Or maybe he just liked this painting.

I think we need to remember that these signs are not always intentional on the part of the sign holder, and that to rely on them as definite neon signs pointing to the truth misses the point of why these little hits of serendipity and kismet are often so delicious or intriguing to me. It’s seeing the hand of the Universe conspiring to place these signs in our path that make them so much fun to find.

And while I welcome anyone who wants to join me on these trips of serendipity down the rabbit hole, no one is obligated to do so. Take what you want from what JPS shares with us and leave the rest. Or decide that it’s complete nonsense and move on to whatever makes sense to you, Anon. Either way works for me. This is what makes sense to me, even if no one else gets it.

Thanks for your comment.❤️🧿✨🧑🏻‍🚀🎹👨‍🚀✨

#hello anon #john patrick shanley #oliver jeffers #for all we know #courage and perseverance #lost at space #hope and optimism #trust in the universe #manage fears and expectations #mafalda always looks for signs #tales from the charmiesphere

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westmoor · 3 years

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of men and horses

It’s a common misconception that Jaskier favours the winter season.

He likes it well enough, truth be told, and he’ll hardly complain about generosity shown by the esteemed and wealthy that request his presence (and puts him up quite handsomely) at courts and castles to add a dash of colour to otherwise dreary months.

But the life he chose for himself is one of travel and adventure, and as much as he revels in all the intricacies and intrigue of life among nobility, it holds little in competition with life alongside a Witcher.

As such, the first week is always the most enjoyable. Sinking into a cushioned chair in heated chambers after every night after a rich supper, letting the chafes and scrapes of the road fade from his skin and the weariness to seep from his bones.

An audience of fresh faces, and the ability to take the sidelines and enjoy the layers of courtly drama that didn’t directly involve him (yet.)

New connections to make, old ones to catch up with.

The first weeks are always the nicest.

After that, the restlessness sets in.

His legs, not used to settling, have soon wandered down every hall. No corner of the courtyard left uncircled. The woods, if the estate has any, seems disappointingly void of fearsome beasts.

Most places have stories that he occupies himself with uncovering, some many layers deep, that turn into a song or a story of its own.

This year he’s hardly so lucky.

The lord is an old acquaintance, friendly but drab, and he understands fully why his presence in their midst was desired. The bard seems to be the most interesting thing to pass their land in the past five years or so. These people, Jaskier thinks, have altogether far too few worries.

The first week has barely waned by the time he tires of the confines of the upper class and extends his periphery to the stables and kennel.

He’s come to feel at home near a stable, he finds, though riding was never his sport. A stable is a stable no matter it’s location on the continent, the smells and sounds blending into each other from one to the next.

And then there are the people. Quiet or chatty, but earnest and hard-working more often than not. There is something about the gentle tones and steady hands of men who handle horses that makes to soothe the ache that settles in a Witcher’s bard’s heart in the first weeks of winter.

His hosts keep a good stable, as he had expected, knowing their hobby of not just hunting but breeding and training horses fit for the task. As a result, the yard is teeming with life even when the ground freezes under sheets of white. Seasoned mounts taken out for exercise, greener ones finding their footing, yearlings being taught foundations from the ground.

Jaskier takes to watching them work, in between trading stories and songs and conversations. He is at his core an aesthete, and can appreciate the visage of a fine specimen atop a fine mount even if it’s not within his particular field of study.

He ends up not just watching the riders, however.

There’s a mare. A young deep red bay bought from a trader all the way down in Cintra that autumn. The head groom had sung her praises at first, practically waxing poetic about balanced structure and the ease of her gait, but as time wore on his tone had soured somewhat.

She is, as one of the stableboys put it, a hellion.

Jaskier adores her.

It has become a habit of his over the past handful of days, wandering down to the paddocks after breakfast to watch an otherwise capable horseman fail to mold her into something more agreeable.

There is little progress to be had, and the workers have already started lamenting the likelihood of her being sold on in spring, too headstrong and too temperamental to suit his Lordship’s preferences.

Jaskier can’t help it.

Watching her huff at pressure and wheedle her way out of tension, and occasionally deer-hop her way over fences and leaving her rider in the muck, tugs on something rather close to the spot in his heart warmed by the sight of broad-handed grooms humming softly to their favourites.

He has even succeeded in bribing his way into her good graces, armed with apples and candied sugar, a feat he’s rather proud of.

The downside to this routine is that he spends such excessive time thinking about Geralt, in addition to the time he would normally spend thinking about Geralt, that when he rushes down from the main hall one frosty morning and sees a black-clad fellow in the yard, he very nearly goes right past.

It had snowed in the night, morning cold freezing it to dust over branches and parapets, now drifting down as powder with the gentle breeze. Fogged breath drifts along a stubbled cheek, crystallizing in silvery locks.

The moment between Jaskier’s heart skipping a beat and his mind catching up to reality nearly has him going face-first down the stone steps.

“Geralt!” he exclaims, confusion warring with disbelief but both losing out to joy.

The way the Witcher’s eyes light up at the sight of the bard is enough to drive him closer, stopping just short of throwing his arms around leather-clad shoulders and drawing the larger man in for a hug.

The relief washing across Geralt’s face at the friendly reception provides all the warmth he needs, however. As unexpected as his arrival is, it pains him to know that Geralt might think his presence unwanted and it costs him nothing to prove those ideas false.

“What a surprise! I must admit I didn’t expect you so soon, though I’m glad to see you still hale after four entire weeks without me.”

There is a genuine question in that statement, but he has a handful of theories relating to the answer, gleaned from his friend’s disposition and the apparent lack of hurry.

“Roach twisted a fetlock just past Hagge,” he says, and something heavy settles in the pit of Jaskier’s stomach. “Couldn’t make it to the mountains before the storms set in.”

“Oh.” Rifling through his admittedly limited knowledge of animal medicine yields little, but he knows the speed at which Geralt travels, and combined with the tension in his jaw - Roach is hardly a yearling. She has been a Witcher’s companion longer than him. “I’m sorry. Is she..?”

“I left her with a farmer. The one with the werewolf problem.”

Jaskier nods, he remembers it well. A good man, he’d paid handsomely with what he had. His son had been a journeyman at the time, though by now he should be a trained blacksmith in his own right.

There are worse lots for a horse to draw, he supposes. Besides, he wonders how many of Geralt’s noble steeds had earned a retirement.

“I suppose I’ll have to visit next time I pass that way,” he says, at the lack of better comfort. The lines at the corners of Geralt’s eyes soften a fraction, and he knows it’s right.

A thought stirs at the back of his mind, like opening a door, just a crack.

Maybe. Just maybe.

Geralt doesn’t look too torn. Resigned, if anything.

Sometimes, Jaskier figures, one just has to try.

“Well,” he says, suddenly decisive, and this time he does step up and clasp a hand over Geralt’s broad arm. “If you’re not too tired - your baggage can wait, I’m sure - and if you don’t mind indulging me, there’s someone I’d like for you to meet.”

#the witcher fanfiction #the witcher ficlet #roach #geralt #jaskier #implied geraskier #the witcher fandom #bear with me i havent touched an equine since 2005 #but this has been gnawing at me since like august #not proof read or edited but i have to post it now or i'll cop out

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otp-armada · 4 years

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If Jason wanted to convince me that Lxa was the love of Clarke's life, he wouldn't have killed her off, effectively cutting their love story permanently, with 4.5 seasons left of the show. Their arc, starting with their introduction in 2x07 and concluding with L's death in 3x07, is 17 episodes long, accounting for 17% of the entire narrative. If I generously add 3x16 to the count, an episode in which L is already dead in the corporeal world Clarke is trying to return to, it's a whopping, grand total of 18%. An 18% congruous with Clarke's intense connection to Bellamy and vice versa, which even A.lycia confirmed as romantic. Feelings romantic enough to spur the formation of a love triangle. An 18% ignoring Clarke's ultimate choice to go back to her people when L wanted her to stay.

CL is a chapter in the story begun and wrapped up in the first half of the narrative. And that's omitting further illumination on the finer details making CL so problematic for Clarke. Do you expect me to believe it was coincidental for CL to occur at a time when Clarke was spiraling down a dark path, commencing with Finn's death? Who played a hand in forcing Clarke's own hand, with Finn, and TonDC, and Mount Weather? Whose example inspired her to ensnare herself in armor and warpaint to be strong enough to save her people? Whose behavior did she emulate in the pushing away of support from her people? Who gave her a place to continue hiding from Bellamy, her mom, and her friends? A place to be someone other than Clarke Griffin? In lieu of facing her fears like the heroine she is? The purpose of CL wasn't to provide Clarke with a magnificent, fairy tale romance gone tragically wrong. I believe Jason's intent with the relationship aimed to further damage Clarke's psyche after L's death, to solidify the belief that her love is not only deadly to its recipients but renders her too weak to do what must be done for survival.

After 3x16, CL is an often superfluous namedrop or two per season for Clarke to briefly react to before carrying on with the plot. Season 5 aside, most of these references are needless enough to be able to interpret them as attempts at reparations for the L/CL fandom's benefit -and their views- without altering the course of the story. Crazy me for thinking it's not enough to constitute an ongoing love story. Crazy me for not thinking this was on par with interactions between living characters. Crazy me for thinking it doesn't befit a love story for the protagonist.

This sliver of the story is what Jason and the CLs would have us unquestionably believe is the pervasive love story of The 100's seven seasons?

Despite his lie and the constant gaslighting from the pineapple CLs, some of us know how to decipher what a temporary love interest is. Lxa? I think you know where I'm heading with this.

I'll acknowledge my admittedly negative appraisal of CL as someone who recognizes its value to the LGBT+ community and treats it as valid while not caring for L/CL on a narrative level. I felt, when swayed by L's influence, Clarke became the antithesis of what I found admirable about her. I resented Clarke's acquiescence of her power to the commander. I wanted nothing more than to remove the wedge L had driven between Clarke and Bellamy.

Let me try to give L/CL the benefit of the doubt for a minute. I don't hold L as responsible for Clarke's choices, but I recognize the prominent role she played in their upbringing. The push and pull was an intriguing aspect of their dynamic, as was the chance to meet a manifestation of who Clarke might have been if she was all head, no heart. Her fall from grace was arguably necessary for her to be a fully-rounded character, not a Mary Sue. It wouldn't be realistic for the protagonist of a tragic story about a brutal world to be a pure cinnamon roll. When forgiveness is an innate theme with Clarke, it would be my bias at work if I was content with her applying it to everyone but Lxa. Clarke saw enough commonalities between her and L to identify with the latter. When she extended forgiveness to L, I believe it was her way of taking the first step on the path to making peace with herself by proxy. None of this means I wanted them paired up. At best, I made my peace with seeing the relationship through to its eventual end. In time for L's death, ironically. My passivity about them notwithstanding, my conclusions are, however, supported by canon.

If I may submit a Doylist reason for romantic CL? Jason knew he had a massive subfandom itching to see them coupled, thereby boosting ratings and generating media buzz. A Watsonian reason? Without relevance, I think L would have been another Anya to Clarke. Grapple shortly with the unfair taking of a life right as they choose to steer towards unity, melancholy giving way to the inconvenience of the loss of a potential, powerful political ally. Romance ensured her arc with L would have the designated impact on Clarke's character moving forward in the next act.

For a show not about relationships, Jason has routinely used romantic love as a shorthand for character and dynamic development. It's happened with so many hastily strung together pairings. And when it does, everyone and their mother bends over backward to defend the relationship. It's romantic because it just is. Didn't you see the kissing? Romantic.

No, The 100 at its core is not about relationships, romantic and otherwise. But stack the number of fans invested exclusively by the action against those of us appreciating a strong plot but are emotionally attached to the characters and dynamics. Who do we think wins? Jason can cry all he wants over an audience refusing to be dazzled solely by his flashy sci-fi.

Funnily enough, "not about relationships'' is only ever applied to Bellarke. Bellarke, a relationship so consistently significant, it's the central dynamic of the show. The backbone on which the story is predicated. Only with Bellarke does it become super imperative to represent male-female platonic relationships. As if Bellarke is the end all, be all of platonic friendship representation on this show. In every single television show in the history of television shows.

Where was this advocacy when B/echo was foisted upon on us after one scene between them where he didn't outright hate Echo? When one interaction before that, he nearly choked the life out of her. If male-female friendship on TV is so sparse, why didn't B/ravens celebrate the familial relationship between Bellamy and Raven? Isn't the fact that they interpret Clarke as abusive to Bellamy all the more reason to praise his oh-so-healthy friendship with Raven as friendship? They might be the one group of shippers at the least liberty to use this argument against Bellarke, lest they want to hear the cacophony of our fandom's laughter at the sheer hypocrisy of the joke. Instead, they've held on with an iron grip to the one sex scene from practically three lifetimes ago when the characters were distracting themselves from their feelings on OTHER people? They've recalled this as "proof" of romance while silent on (or misconstruing) the 99% of narrative wherein they were platonic and the 100% of the time they were canonically non-romantic.

Bellarke is only non-romantic if you believe love stories are told in the space of time it takes for Characters A & B to make out and screw each other onscreen, a timespan amounting to less than the intermission of a quick bathroom break. If it sounds ridiculous, it's because it is. And yet, some can't wrap their heads around the idea that maybe, just maybe, a well-written love story in its entirety is denoted by more than two insubstantial markers and unreliable qualifiers. B/raven had sex, and the deed didn't fashion them into a romance. Jasper and Maya kissed but didn't have sex. Were they half a romantic relationship? Bellarke is paralleled to romantic couples all the time, but it counts for nothing in the eyes of their rival-ship fandom adversaries. Take ship wars out of it by considering Mackson. Like B/echo, the show informed us that Mackson became a couple post-Praimfaya, offscreen, via a kiss. Does anyone fancy them an epic love story with their whisper of a buildup? Since a kiss is all it takes, as dictated by fandom parameters, we should.

If Characters A & B are ensconced in a romantic storyline, then by definition, their relationship is neither non-romantic nor fanon. "Platonic" rings hollow as a descriptor for feelings canonically not so.

If the rest of the fandom doesn't want to take our word for granted, Bob confirmed Bellarke as romantic. Is he as delusional as we are? Bob is not a shipper, but he knows what he was told to perform and how. Why do the pineapples twist themselves in knots to discredit his word? If they are so assured by Jason's word-of-god affirmation, then what credibility does it bear to have Bellarke validated by someone other than the one in charge? They're so quick to aggressively repudiate any statement less than "CL is everything. Nothing else exists. CL is the only fictional love story in The 100, nay, the WORLD. CL is the single greatest man-made invention since the advent of the wheel."

We've all seen a show with a romantic relationship between the leads at the core of the story. We all know the definition of slowburn. We can pinpoint the tropes used to convey romantic feelings. We know conflict is how stories are told. We know when interferences are meant to separate them. We know when obstacles are overcome, they're stronger for it. We know that's why the hurdles exist. We know those impediments often take the shape of interim, third-party love interests. We know what love triangles are. We know pining and longing.

Jason wasn't revolutionary in his structure of Bellarke. He wasn't sly. Jason modeled them no differently than most other shows do with their main romances. Subtler and slower, sure. Sometimes not subtle at all. There's no subtlety in having Clarke viscerally react to multiple shots of Bellamy with his girlfriend. No subtlety in him prioritizing her life over the others in Sanctum's clutches. In her prioritizing his life above all the other lives she was sure would perish if he opened the bunker door. There is no subtlety in Bellamy poisoning his sister to stave off Clarke's impending execution. In her relinquishing 50 Arkadian lives for him after it killed her to choose only 100 to preserve. In her sending the daughter Clarke was hellbent to protect, into the trenches to save him. In him marching across enemy lines to rescue her. In her surrender to her kidnapper to march to potential death, to prevent Bellamy's immediate one. No subtlety in Josie's callouts. No subtlety in Lxa's successful use of his name to convince Clarke to let a bomb drop on an unsuspecting village. Bet every dollar you have that the list goes on and on.

There are a lot of layers to what this show was. It was a tragedy, with hope for light at the end of the tunnel. It was, first and foremost, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi survival drama. Within this overarch is the story of how the union of Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake saves humanity, ushering in an age of peace. In this regard, their relationship transcended romance. But with the two of them growing exponentially more intimate each season, pulled apart by obstacles only to draw closer once again, theirs was a love story. A romantic opus, the crescendo timed in such a way that the resolution of this storyline -the moment they get together- would align with the resolution of the main plot. Tying Bellarke to the completion of this tale made them more meaningful than any other relationship on this show, not less.

Whereas the trend with every other pair was to chronicle whether they survived this hostile world intact or succumbed to it, Bellarke was a slowburn. A unique appellation for the couples on this show, but not disqualifying them from romantic acknowledgment.

Framing Bellarke in this manner was 100% Jason's choice. If he wanted the audience to treat them as platonic, he should have made it clear within the narrative itself, not through vague, word-of-god dispatches. A mishandled 180-degree swerve at the clutch as a consequence of extra-textual factors doesn't negate the 84% of the story prior. It's just bad writing to not follow through. And Jason's poor, nearsighted decisions ruined a hell of a lot more than a Bellarke endgame.

The problem is, when Bellarke is legitimized, the pineapples are yanked out of their fantasies where they get to pretend the quoted exaggerations above are real. Here I'm embellishing, but some of them have deeply ingrained their identities in CL to the degree where hyperbole is rechristened to incontestable facts. An endorsement for Bellarke is an obtrusive reminder of the not all-encompassing reception of their ship. A lack of positive sentiment is an attack on their OTP, elevated to an attack on their identity. Before long, it ascends to an alleged offense to their right to exist. The perpetrators of this evil against humanity are the enemy, and they must attack in kind, in defense of themselves.

Truthfully, I think it's sad, the connotation of human happiness wholly dependent on the outcome of a fictional liaison already terminated years ago. I'm not unaware of the marginalization of minorities, of the LGBT+ community, in media. I haven't buried my head in the sand to pretend there aren't horrible crimes committed against them. I don't pretend prejudice isn't rampant. When defense and education devolve into hatred and libel for asinine reasons, though, the line has been crossed. You don't get a free pass to hurt someone with your words over a damn ship war. No matter how hard you try to dress it up as righteous social justice, I assure you, you're woefully transparent.

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yurimother · 4 years

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LGBTQ Manga Review – Yuri Is My Job Vol. 1-5

Yuri is a genre deeply rooted in its history and traditions. Dating back over a century, many of the scenes and situations from early "Class S" literature still predominate Yuri titles today. Common elements include senpai-kohai relationships between a bright and cheerful younger girl and an older, more assertive upper-classman. The bonds between the two were not the romantic and sexual love of lesbian narratives, but more sate or "pure" relationships often devoid of lesbian identity or attraction. The presence of S elements ebbed and rose over the past century, but they experienced a surge at the end of the 20th century. Contemporary S literature dominated the Yuri scene for at least a decade, and even now, its effects are still seen in many works today.

Naturally, as with any genre that becomes too entrenched with tropes or clichés, Class S literature became the subject of parody, commentary, and deliberate defiance. And while numerous works have repeated, twisted, rejected, and exaggerated tropes, perhaps none have done so quite as masterfully or as enjoyably as Miman's Yuri Is My Job! The series uses S Yuri's ideas uniquely and masterfully weaves a narrative in and out of them with a layered setting and great characters. The constant balance between and integration of reference, humor, and a strong core narrative had me gleefully enthralled and thoughtfully pouring over every page. I ravenously consumed the series, not just because of the cute cakes and elegant young women, but because I was so invested in the story and intrigued by the manga's premise.

Breaking down every reference is far too daunting a task that frankly deserves its own dedicated article. Still, to briefly overview, Yuri Is My Job! is set primarily at a café themed after an all-girls mission school, Liebe Grils Academy. The servers of the café act as the elite students of the fictitious academy and offer outside visitors, patrons of the establishment, a glimpse into their forbidden world of elegance and sisterly love. The series follows high school student Hime after she starts working at Liebe after accidentally injuring the manager, Mai. The series takes off from there, with Hime participating in the various themed events and navigating challenging relationships with coworkers, including her hostile schwester, the upperclassman who mentors her, and, in the world of the café, partners her.

Yuri Is My Job! is much more enjoyable with an understanding of S literature and themes, as references can slip by readers otherwise. However, particularly after the first volume, the series opens up a little more with an overarching plot that dips in and out of the thematic S material. Even without a grasp of S tropes, readers can enjoy watching server Kanoko struggle with her hidden affection for Hime or get caught up in the excitement and scheming during a popularity competition between the staff.

Throughout the first five volumes, multiple shorter narratives, such as the cook getting sick or Hime learning how to serve guests, are interwoven with the overarching character and relationship-driven story. Although almost every character has plenty of time to shine and distinguish themselves, the main plot revolves around three characters, Hime, Yano, and Kanoko.

Hime, the protagonist, maintains a constant facade of the sweet and beloved princess. However, her adorable and charming act is just that, and only two people in her life know her secret, Yano, and Kanoko. Inside the café, Yano acts as Hime's "onee-sama", holding her close and praising her to the delight of Liebe's patrons. However, she is terse and often angry with the girl, unable to move beyond a misunderstanding in their shared past and her insecurities about Hime's true feelings. Kanoko however, acts as a foil to Yano. She relishes Hime's facade, specifically in that she is one of the few privy to the truth, and harbors an attraction to her; she hides these feelings rather than wear them on her sleeve as Yano does. The dynamic between these three drives much of the "action" in the manga.

The more I read Yuri Is My Job! The more I was able to see and appreciate the distinct patterns of storytelling and how the main plot is woven between three layers. The first, and most prominent, is inside the café, in a world dominated by S tropes. Here, characters play politics and plot against each other using their performance and the audience's reaction. For example, thinking how they will get votes for themselves or others during a contest, or else Hime acting cute and loving around Yano, forcing her to return the affection to maintain their roles as schewstern. Outside the fictional world of the café, elements of the story alternate between more grounded drama and thematic moments featuring Yuri tropes. Miman beautifully navigates the relationship between the plot and the parody, weaving a delightful story in and out of different classic Yuri scenarios.

Miman matches this creative story and setting with excellent artwork. Character designs are distinctive and well constructed. So much, that when characters say something "off-screen", a small sketch of their eyes and mouth in the speech bubble is more than sufficient to identify the speaker. Of course, the robust and developed personalities also assist here, as most lines are easily attributable thanks to solid writing and strong personality. The art also features very creative paneling, with almost every page having an entirely different layout. However, the order is still easy to follow and reads naturally.

Not only is the art pleasing to look at, but it also adds to the manga's setting and parody of Yuri tropes. Panels feature the girls holding each other in dramatic and literally flowery poses, like a shot straight out of Strawberry Panic, complete with a backdrop of lilies. Appropriately, these fantasy-inspired poses occur in the café, often to the pleasure of adoring patrons screaming in celebration (thus mirroring my reactions). Like the other Yuri tropes, these artistic presentations occasionally jump outside of the café in more emotional or poignant moments. However, in a few crucial scenes, those more related to the narrative when it steps outside the boundaries of Class S, feature more grounded, although still dramatic, art. A particular shot in Volume 4 where Kanoko confides her hidden feelings to her senior, Sumika, and is comforted, sticks out in my mind just for this reason. It is a perfect example of art assisting the themes of the narrative and changing to suit the situation.

Yuri Is My Job! focuses mainly on Class S style storytelling, and thus, while it has plenty of traditional Yuri imagery, there is a starkly limited amount of lesbian content. Sure, readers can enjoy a decent number of illustrations featuring girls holding each other in a dramatic pose, but this is the act put on for the cafe, which is copying the "practice" relationships of S literature, themselves devoid of lesbian attraction. It is an imitation of an imitation, not queer content. Of course, this is by design, but it does mean that if readers want a grounded lesbian romance, they will find the series lacking. A bit of lesbian content does exist, Kanoko's crush on Hime exists outside the boundaries of work and S tropes, a relationship told in a flashback was, at least to one of the characters, "real," and there are signs of an eventual romance. However, the lack of lesbian identity should not be a reason to avoid this excellent manga.

Yuri Is My Job! is one of the most brilliant and exciting Yuri works out there. The ways Miman plays with the tropes and expectations of the genre are hilarious, complex, and exceptionally compelling. The characters are exciting and watching their stories weave through different classic Yuri scenes and tropes is as breathtaking as it is enjoyable. My sincere thanks to Diana Taylor, and Jennifer Skarupa and editor Haruko Hashimoto, for so deftly translating this series and preserving the S ties. I cannot wait to visit the students, or rather employees, of Liebe Girls Academy, in Volume 6.

Ratings: Story – 10 Characters – 8 Art – 9 LGBTQ – 3 (Yuri 10) Sexual Content – 1 Final – 9

Review copies provided by Kodansha Comics

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#yuri #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq+#queer #gay #romance #manga #art #reviews #yuri is my job #lesbian #shoujo #comics #literature #girls love #wlw

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