Voltron...What Are You Doing?

So...this happened...

Season 7 is as expected an average season. It's average. There was stuff I like and there was dubious stuff that I just don't understand. You guys can enjoy it whatever. I'm still going to watch S8, mainly so I can give my judgment. I won't ruin anybody's enjoyment; if you enjoyed it, go forth. Personally, for me, it's just meh and average.

In regards of LGBT matters in VLD...I'm actually not as surprised and just tired, not mad, just tired.

I will have this as a set reminder: There was no shipping involved. Hell, I'm not even expecting Klance or Sheith or anybody to be canon. This was never about the shipping. It's about the promises of LGBT material and the use of gross LGBT tropes damaged this.

If you did watch it solely for LGBT material, I don't know what to tell you. I don't watch VLD for the story - since the story is just everywhere and the writers are not good with writing plot. They had a plot but actually extrapolating on that is less than great in their hands - but for the potential that it could have. I'm just disappointed that the potential was left achieved in some stances and not so much in others. For the most part, it's just average.

I've got into VLD somewhere S3 was released. So that's my first exposure. While I don't consider it ATLA or even LOK's answer since that is more likely Samurai Jack, it's just okay. I enjoyed the animation, characters, plot...sometimes, and the music. Overall, from what I know, it's average and not even close to the quality I see in OTGW/GF/SJ/ATLA.

Congrats, Voltron. Showrunners, writers, marketing staff of Netflix and Voltron staff, and anyone involved... How was this a good idea?!

For anybody who does not know what kind of trope this is: Bury Your Gays. An insanely problematic trope where LGBT individuals were killed off pointlessly especially in a realm populated with cis heterosexuals.

Supernatural did this with Charlie, a good character who should have stayed alive for Godoka's sake. Her death did nothing to further the plot but the Winchesters bros' insane trauma conga line.

Look...For better or worse, I actually had little faith in the writers and showrunners to actually develop Adam. Adam, a minor character in a season that explored the Garrison to the detriment of the characters that should have the most appropriate amount of attention. The writers had shown they were bad at plot-driven instead of character-driven writing... Repeatedly.

I am well-aware the show had been completed long before its airing. From what I know, the writers and showrunners were putting the finishing touches.

Burying your Gays was a horrendous trope that should die already. LGBT individuals already saw how they couldn't have a happy ending, not without any pointless suffering involved. They couldn't be treated as well-developed human characters.

Before anyone said "Shiro is the rep! Not Adam!", I want to make this clear. Show that Shiro is the rep. Make it explicit.

What's worse and the issue was that there was little to no evidence of Adam/Shiro relationship being LGBT in any matter and Shiro even was LGBT.

For all I know, Shiro was not even LGBT. This was why Shallura was a thing, you know before Shadam. Now Shadam as a ship can exist but within canon so far, it's nonexistent. Nobody can make any headcanon for them because it's vague and made non-explicit. People who just watch the damn thing without any creator's word would just see close friends or brothers at best and close roommates at worst. Again, if you did not know from outside sources, then Shiro could be any interpretation of the straight to LGBT spectrum whatever you like.

Anyway, Adam... I know better than to get attached. Especially within the canon, you would hardly believe that they're former gay lovers at all. Nowhere did it make explicit. Instead of making something like a remark from goddamn Shiro - like "yeah, he's my ex...I love him so much and I wanted to make up to him" - but nope. Adam's death was nothing more than to further Shiro's suffering and nothing more.

No, you showed him mourning him for 3 seconds at most. You didn't even show him crying once it's private. Show that instead of three-second mourning and he's done for the day. Show more than we were given.

Adam was nothing more than a blip on Shiro's endless suffering. Adam was reduced to a non-character, a character that was hyped simply because of his former relationship with Shiro. There were no flashbacks about their dating history or even just a kiss. Instead of crying at his grave or in private or saying something explicit to questions, you had no idea why Adam was so special to Shiro in the first place. If I had not learned from outside sources that Shiro and Adam were gay, then I could say they were close friends or brothers.

I love Portgas D. Ace to the point of buying a tote bag of his remembrance of the Marineford arc. I love the ASL brothers a lot, starting from the Alabasta arc. I saw how close Ace and Luffy was, not just from flashbacks, but from their interactions in the Alabasta arc even just from the anime. Filler included. Disregarding AceLu shipping, they were depicted as sworn brothers in a society that did not have brotherhood much so the ASL Brothers and the Elric Brothers were welcoming.

Don't you get it? I know these guys were brothers and had a close relationship that their love shined through so many people loves it.

If it hadn't been for the creators saying so, Shiro and Adam might as well been the ASL brothers. Without the added benefit of interactions and/or explicit nature of Shadam's LGBT status.

Here's the thing: If Adam wasn't in the original script and added later, then don't add him. It might've been good and all to have him on the cast but don't think for a second that the first thing you think of was to get rid of him. You could've just put him on a bus and say...I don't know...that he was too busy in his strategy room and help to negotiate with Allura and Sanda's vice-something. Don't wrap him up in a get-this-character-out-of-the-way-asap ball with a helping of fuck-you because you don't know what else to do with him. Do you know what kind of message you sent by killing him? Even he had always been a minor character, don't just kill him off. Use him when necessary. This is why Oda or Hiromu Arakawa never killed off their characters until it's absolutely necessary for the main plot.

The creators had the audacity to pat themselves on the back just for this LGBT rep. This is not LGBT representation.

If they were going to make Shadam or any queer relationship explicit, they should make it clear this season. A season heavily advertised to have LGBT rep, not the next season. Don't advertise this season if you aren't going to never make it clear and burying your gays on top of that.

The show became the first kid's show in America to kill a gay man of color onscreen. Congrats on this dubious honor. I hope you were happy with the recognition.

I understand war was shitty for everyone and everyone can die. But when you specifically show straight characters like Colleen and Sam surviving, Adam was a casualty that was never addressed. When James and the Holts and Iverson had more development, even the shitty Sanda, Adam receiving none when it was hyped to hell and back... His death literally meant nothing.

For the record, he was one of the two gay men that canon or the fans known so far. But to kill him off with no payoff/closure with his expected relationship with Shiro was horrible. What was more horrible is its lack of explicitness. Without that explicitness, then it's subtext.

And that's on the actual canon LGBT's side.

Don't you dare say that Adashi and Ezor/Zethrid were red herrings. Just don't.

Given how much the word of gay and the way they were written in some form of romantic fashion would not erase they used toxic LGBT tropes that existed for so long now. Burying your gays and psycho lesbians was not the way to go about in a season advertised to have LGBT content.

These relationships - Adashi and Ezor/Zethrid - should not be written off unceremoniously with no closure or suddenness to their deaths. They shouldn't be red herrings to the so-called true LGBT rep. This was not supposed to be written for LGBT rep. Whether you like it or not, Adam and Ezor/Zethrid was still LGBT rep and treated horribly in the text.

Again, it's not because of shipping. I could care less if Shadam gets back together or not in-canon. The problem was the empty promises of this season advertised heavily to have LGBT material.

As a rule of thumb, do not posture yourself for having LGBT material before or during or after the fact. Let the piece of media say it for itself but with these notes: explicitness and confirmation, not from Word of God although that would be a big help yet it is in-story that was the most important.

Let's talk about how the marketing staff and the creators and VAs talked up Klance a lot. It's fine if they shipped it. Don't blame the VAs for egging the Klance on when they really don't know what's going on behind the scenes. It's not like going to be heavily reported like how Midnight's Edge reporting the Hollywood movie scene.

However, the way they marketed the hell out of Klance to draw in viewers, likely knowing it will never happen...was horrendous...

If Klance was not happening, then say so. The marketing is on the said marketing staff at Dreamworks and Netflix. The writers and showrunners had nothing to do with them.

Look at Narita. He wrote a Shizaya BL fic as an April Fool's but he never ever meant any harm by it. He even had help from friends who love BL. He was willing to encourage shippers and did not mind them shipping Shizaya by any means. He did not hate Shizaya shippers which were a plus.

Since an AssClass chapter/episode just seemed to hate fan shipping despite it being a fan thing since forever. I hate fan-hating so much, even for something as measly and meaningless as shipping. Fandom and shipping was niche. It's not going to change the world. While Spirk was one of the oldest slash couples to ever exist, did people have to ship it or even care about it? I shipped Spirk and McKirk but do you see me hating on Spuhura? No. Shipping was so niched that its ridiculous people are fighting back against yaoi shipping...when that had been existing since the dawn of time. They can't stop it.

Anyways, I'm going off-topic since I really dislike the chapter of AssClass for something as meaningless as shipping. Shipping did not hurt AssClass in any way.

Where was I? Ah, yes, Klance.

They used Klance to draw in people to continue watching the show. This was on the marketing staff at Netflix and Dreamworks. While the showrunners, writers, and VAs did not help one bit...

Don't posture yourself for having LGBT rep and promising it. Don't pat yourself on the back for having a gay man of color in there just for a couple minutes before killed off unceremoniously. If there was an LGBT relationship at the end, then that wouldn't erase what you did the previous season. Promising it yet using offensive and gross LGBT tropes - BURY YOUR FUCKING GAYS and GAY MEN (OF COLOR)'S ENDLESS SUFFERING OR A PLOT DEVICE WHEN THERE SHOULD'NT BE THE NEED - in the very season you promoted to have LGBT material was awful.

For the record, if Klance happened and Adam miraculously survived and married Shiro in the last season, the hurt they caused will not go away. It will hang over the heads of the creators and writers like the Sword of Damocles.

Again, if Klance or any m/m or w/w couple was the endgame LGBT couple, don't add another gay man of color just to kill him off because you don't know what else to do with him.

The marketing and the endless posturing of LGBT rep was a bad icing on top of an underbaked cake. The hyping of Shiro and Adam and Shiro's endless suffering which should not happen. This hurt the most for fans. The promise but when put especially when it comes to Adam and Shiro, it's reduced to nothing.

Now knowing some details that the execs screwed up the storylines, particularly the LGBT plotlines, unfortunately leading to the poor burying our gays Adam example... All we know now was that the showrunners tried so hard for Adashi until the very end and the best they could do when they got the approval, the best they could do apparently was well...what I just ranted above should say why it's wrong in the first place.

Yeah, it was still terrible that all the staff could do with Adam was to kill him off when there shouldn't be the need. Again, they should've just put him on the bus via strategy room or anything else but death.

Even then, that doesn't excuse the writers and showrunners from using the toxic LGBT tropes when there should not be the need to use them. If it's the best they could do for Adashi and still used those said disgusting tropes, I don't know what to say really. Even if it wasn't intentional, it was still a conscious decision to kill him off for shock value and loss.

Too bad we don't know him, therefore, we can't feel the loss. And the only indication non-vague evidence of Shadam was only in the first episode.

I wouldn't blame the showrunners for fighting so hard and their hands were forced to do these toxic tropes. But still, they did these tropes at a huge detriment to their fanbase's faith.

At least, what the world learned was what not to do for LGBT representation. Especially when you promised it.

Edit: However, rereading VA and EP's interviews out of pure whim, I'm starting to think the EPs are the true roadblocks to the actual LGBT presentation in VLD. Because Montgomery and Dos Santos stuck too close to Shiro's death, it seemed they were to blame and should carry that blame for not recognizing why killing off a gay character is too horrible.

Now DW should at least be held accountable still just like Montgomery and Dos Santos. It's just that Montgomery and Dos Santos should be held to their mistakes just as much. Instead of reverting to their narrative they are selling to fans and people.

Listen, I read this book called The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding. And it's fucking great. And read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli or watch Love, Simon.

On another note, it's frustrating that we're getting the "Nice Guy" trope with Allurance. I have no problem with Allurance as a ship and I know Lance was not a typical self-entitled asshole "Nice Guy", yet the Allurance writing aligned with the said trope. Within canon with the Nice Guy trope in play, it's just cringing especially what happened with Lotura. Because even Lotura seemed to just be an engine for the "Nice Guy" trope to keep going in VLD when it shouldn't. VLD shouldn't have played this sexist trope ever in their pursuit of any of their endgames.

Did you see what happened in Megamind? A 'nice guy' gained superpowers and expected the girl to fall for him. When that girl had her own agency and refused him and had the right to refuse Megamind when she learned his lies. She also had the right to date Megamind at the end which was then made clear that Megamind respected her rejection & later apologized and just wanted someone to beat up him.

Titan was the Nice Guy embodiment.

Now I'm seriously want to watch other Dreamworks movies right now. Megamind would be the first and I would recommend watching it. So underrated. While not a flop, it didn't make enough money to greenlight a sequel.

If you must, please stay away from Voltron and anything regarding it for your own health.

Do not insult or witchhunt anybody - VAs, showrunners, writers, executives - involved. Anything of that level would actually demean your message.

You have the right to be angry and sad. But do not take it out on them, be kind to them and make sure they got the messages.

It's understandable if you don't trust the word of VLD staff ever again and won't see any of their future works.

Even disregarding what I just talked about above, the season was just average. I'm not too personally invested in VLD. I'm already interested in other forms of media and even now with my previous post about VLD. This was not going to be the last VLD post in this blog.

Every piece of media would hurt somebody in this world in some way. Any piece of media was not going to be perfect by any means.

If you still want to watch it despite everything that hurt you in this season - disregarding the shipping since shipping was totally different from rep - then it's your choice. If you still want to go back but right now stirring with anger, step back and breathe. Find something else to enjoy before going back, no matter how long that takes to soothe your feelings.

See it to the end if you want. Drop it or step back now if you want.

For those who are still watching VLD, go forth! Just understand that it's not about shipping that people are being negative but about the queerbaiting. Yes, it's not a good reason to watch solely for the LGBT material or for shipping; even if for better or worse, it's a legitimate reason nonetheless. But understand that the creators promised in this season they'll get the LGBT they'll get and VLD failed to deliver. Please understand that side.

Also, the one who had a negative experience after watching S7, don't ruin others' enjoyment just because you didn't enjoy it. Again, I know the writing in VLD is messy and a pendulum of well-written one second and badly written the next, mainly due to lack of context and natural progression - they could have entire novels about VLD but couldn't fit it in so that was their detriment. Just don't ruin others for enjoying something you don't. Go watch or read or anything else for your enjoyment.

As for me, I will happily consume fluffy Shizaya by tastewithouttalent and the read the informative yet hilarious TFWiki.Net.

Voltron Season 7 Trailer Review

To be clear, I'm not watching Voltron right now because of lack of interest. I'm watching anime like My Hero Academia S3 and Welcome to the Ballroom and playing games like P4DAN, the P2 duology, and PokeUSUM.

I said that I'm not going to watch it until it's completed. Since it's going to be completed in two seasons anyway... I'll watch it damn it. Two seasons and that's all, returning to the 13 episode format.

Voltron wasn't my favorite show or even among in the whole world in the western animation side of things. If you saw my blog, Avatar The Last Airbender, Samurai Jack, Gravity Falls, and Over The Garden Wall topped the list. And that's in no particular order because I long since deleted any numbers on my list and just put them on equal standings.

I still say the writers for the VLD team did not make it easy for the potential to come through. Their writing still had issues that I hoped they solved in later projects. The writers are all over the place and not consistent. Not to say that Steven Universe is any better since the powers were oft-forgotten and writing is drawn on way too long than necessary. Keep to a plan, crewniverse. I'm thinking that your plot and the needless filler is not approached well enough. To the credit of the VLD writers, at least they were able to write when necessary like tension and character. The writing wasn't stellar neither is SU's. I honestly wished the writing is written to its fullest potential.

I can accept criticism but not needless hate. I really dislike the attitudes in Tumblr that I made my mission to avoid tags, only following blogs at this point.

On a side note, thank fuck the show was ending. The VLD fandom was probably one of the worst fandoms I ever saw as a result of modern trends coming together in the worst possible way. The fanwank was now called discourse...probably to make it sound more mature than it really was because the arguments in fandom were just silly. I've been in fandom for years and only in recent years had I learned the term discourse was switched from wank. Just put wank back where it belongs, Tumblr, social media! Honestly, whenever I see an argument blow up, I call it wank despite people calling it discourse. The reason why I had to put up the word discourse was to catch up with the time. Sides of the arguments are simply more vicious and emotional to the point that I just scoff at their stupidity.

For example, the idiotic lion switch argument started up again. I hate it, I hate any argument in the VLD fandom or any argument in any fandom. This time, though, it's drama for drama's sake. It's all Black Paladin Lance this and that and Red Paladin Keith this and that. I HATE THIS!!!!!!!

Do you know anything about narrative comprehension?! There was no way they would do another lion switch this far and repeat the same plot point! Do you really want to destroy Shiro and Keith's character development and also Lance's for your so-called favorite character?! All parts of Voltron were damn important, not just the head. The head may be the leader but that does not mean that you want to prioritize Lance over everybody else including Keith and Lance. This was not the Lance show! All the Paladins are leader-types, can take the charge when given the chance. They did not necessarily have the Black Lion to be a leader! That was limiting! This fandom failed to appreciate Red Paladin Lance and it's annoying since he's doing great at it but no...Black Paladin Lance was the way to go apparently when it should not be.

Lance would only pilot Black for a single moment and that's THAT! 

I hate this fandom so much, so much...

Ships don't need to be fucking healthy! This is not activism! Shipping was supposed to be fun, not a contest of healthy couplings and maturity! I know shipping wars was a nigh-inevitability when it comes to canon, but the way people would fight despite the obvious lack of need to. They can simply enjoy their ship in their own space... Yet for all of this, they did not need canon to validate their couple. NOT AT ALL. Canon may look like it might help....according to shipping goggles. Remember that not anybody would have the same opinion on the coupling.

Look at me. I'm personally not drawn to Maya X Tatsuya but I am drawn to Maya X Katsuya and Tatsuya X Jun. I'm drawn to Celty X Shinra, Namie X Vorona, and Shizaya but I'm not drawn to Shizuo X Vorona and Shizuo X Tom.

Nobody gets hurt because shipping is not supposed to hurt anybody. People should not hold themselves up as someone that 'upheld' the healthiest of ships.

I don't see the Free! fandom which has surprisingly little drama in it. While they do fight about how the story was written at times, there are little shipping wars. This fandom has so many goddamn ships and I do ship in Free! However, I never actually saw anybody bashing anyone else in the fandom.

Why can't every fandom be like the Free! fandom!? One Piece? Pokeani? Detective Conan?

It's pretty rare to find fandoms that somehow don't have dramas. Dramas in the same line as SU and VLD.

I'd rather have someone who had the kinkiest ships and 'sins' who actually respected another's opinion than have someone who had the healthiest ships and headcanons who disrespected another person simply for shipping something they don't.

The fandom would cool down...hopefully...

Listen, fandom, what's done is done. And all you have in your actual hands was to create fanfiction and other fanworks if canon did not appease you in any way. If the endgames did not appeal to you (believe me when I say that I know that NaruSaku was the original endgame for Naruto, not NaruHina), then write the heck out of fanfiction. Do you see the Naruto fandom now? NaruSaku and NaruSasu were still ongoing in their fandoms just as much as NaruHina and SasuSaku.

Despite popular opinion, you had no actual hands on the product. It affected but not in the way you think. Just thinking of VLD's high horse gives me a headache.

When the Naruto fandom was looking normal in comparison, then you should do the same, you fucking fandom.

If you think fiction was way too much for you like way too much investment to the point of harassing other people, step back and think. Find other ways to relax. You don't have to participate in fandoms and in those wanks. Just step back, breathe, and relax.

So...

Let's just get the pink elephant out of the room first.

Shiro was confirmed to be LGBTQ+ and had an ex-SO named Adam. Apparently, Adam was his ex-fiance, broken up after an argument about Kerberos.

For the record, Adam had a valid reason for his argument. Get out of your head saying that Shadam was toxic this very instant. Adam had a valid reason for wanting to spend the remaining time with Shiro just as Shiro had the reason for wanting to spend time on his dreams.

Admittedly, it was a surprise but a good surprise. I mean we got an LGBTQ+ disabled chronically ill POC main character...

Let's just hope he's not the only one. Because having simply one couple or individual and pat oneself on the back is something that does happen in media and that is depressing. We need to get out of that mindset. I wish shows made more explicit about sexualities/whatever and examine them crucially, especially when it's important to plot and/or character.

Remember we cannot have the 'straight until proven gay' thing. We need to get out of the mindset. This was is the mindset I wanted to get out of, regardless of the media. I really wanted the Gay Option in the Persona series soon because it's been a while since we had any male love interests. I seriously wanted it as one of my tops alongside having other people in the other spectrum and of course please don't have a female idol/performer/model as the Lovers, please.

It seemed far out of left field but remember that LM had teased about LGBT for a while now. There had been headcanons that Shiro was demi/ace/whatever you can think but I'm betting that nobody thought they were getting this. While it was not confirmed what on the spectrum Shiro belonged in, he's a confirmed LGBTQ+ individual.

Now that's out of the way. Since we're going to meet Adam - a character I'm most excited to meet - we need to - I hope to see how they are going to write this representation.

Garrison was now playing a role again which definitely includes Adam and other higher-ups. Civilians will be casualties, probably even Lance's family.

The show was unpredictable...and when I say unpredictable, the writers are not good at elevating emotional moments to its fullest potential.

So I guess I'll be watching it by the tenth.

America was still transitioning into LGBT representation. We're still new into the said representation in general media. People who were inclusive are well-intentioned and made mistakes. Bring it to their attention and why it is not good to do and say this and that. People might disagree but if the show actually made an effort to show what is happening.

There is something called Death of the Author. I don't have to listen to everything Rowling or Linkara or Hartman or anybody as gospel. DEATH OF THE AUTHOR, PEOPLE!

VLD, much like YOI, is shaky in its presentation - Shiro died and gone through much. Remember VLD had been accused of queerbaiting when the LGBT rep was not obvious.

Like it's great the Shiro is LGBTQ+, but we were not perfect of all representations or reached the pinnacle. America is still struggling to represent the marginalized.

It's great to be inclusive but we are still walking the path. It won't be an immediate success at rep.

For better or worse, we are in history. I want to get off the ride...while also wanting to watch everything burn with Belgium and Swiss chocolates in hand. Probably both because I seriously want to eat my favorite foreign chocolates. Better than American chocolates anyhow. I've been craving octopus for a while now

America still got a long way to go until we reached the level that showed that they walked the walk.

LGBT representation had to ease into the current sensibilities, for the better or worse. That meant that for now, certain experiences won't be shown unless it was explicit and examine its implications.

This is totally different from ships. Like people can ship their problematic/unhealthy/whatever ships they can like.

But when it comes to rep, it's hard. People especially the community would scrutinize and argue whether or not it's fine and so on.

In the current state of affairs I guess, people can only take the surface level at best. Because in the current climate, better what they are given than having the worst.

It's good to be inclusive. If have any criticism towards implications, please say it to the creators and writers where they had to know. If they did not listen, best to just move away from them and create your own. What's done is done and all you had in your hands is to create your own, not to rely on others to create it for you. 

Now we gotta know what it might mean for Lancey Lance here.

I have to point out the creators are trolls and cannot reveal important information. However, on that same note, they did lie and also reveal necessary stuff. They did reveal stuff - Keith is now permanently the Black Lion's Paladin while Shiro retired, for example - and said stuff that would leave people guessing - a slow burn romance ala Korrasami.

I saw this fandom bashed LM for so goddamn long. I have a question: why bash her specifically? Instead of taking the logical route of understanding her, you took the road of cowardice, bullying someone out of your damn pleasure.

I know the show had been on a downward spiral from the fandom's side of things. Some people were reluctant to continue to watch it due to its writing alone. I am, but mostly due to the writers' sliding scale of quality. While better scripted and storyboarded than SU, I would rather watch VLD than SU and that's because SU is increasingly exasperating me and SU is now switched with VLD for a show I won't watch for the time being until the show itself ended. The fandom, again, is one of the most vitriol ever and I have seen the Naruto and Steven Universe fandom.

Now, all we need was Lance's thing in LGBTQ+ and would fulfill what was needed.

There's a slow burn romance and only Lance would be involved, given his emphasis on finding the perfect person just for him.

It could only be Lance.

And his only endgame had two candidates: Keith and Allura.

And that's all I will say in that matter.

So now it's Sheith shippers' problems. They would rather make Adam a villain than appreciate Shiro had a boyfriend at all.

Nope, all they care about is their ship.

Listen, Sheith in canon is shot dead. In the first episode of the seventh season, it once again pushed that the two are brothers and nothing else. The show could not afford to write a gay teacher/student relationship in America's transitioning into LGBT representation.

I don't care about Sheith because I'm not drawn to it. If you ship it, go forth! Don't worry about canon because you don't need canon for your ship. Canon may help but again, canon literally meant nothing in shipping.

Shipping is supposed to be fun, not a contest of maturity! Nor is it activism!

For a long-ass time, I never seen ships held on a pedestal as some activism symbol, not even Holmes X Watson or Spirk! And those two are some of the oldest slash ships to date! Do not use your ship as some kind of activism for LGBT!

That is until the advent of blogs. The 'purity' of fandoms is increasingly one of my berserk buttons in this fandom.

Just that Shiro being a disabled former leader, compassionate and great, chronically ill - formerly now that the Galra healed him - and LGBTQ+ on top of that. That was great and it would be great to have solidarity in-story if we see him interact with Lance. That was a good representation.

Having the contest of maturity in shipping is just stupid. I don't see Eruri fans paint themselves as more mature for shipping two adult men together or even Victuuri fans.

I will not control any shipper on what they should ship or not. Arguing amongst themselves about whose ship was healthier was just grating because again, it's one of the modern trends - having a canon healthy ship when there was no need to.

Literally, I saw brothers shipped with each other, fathers with sons, mothers with sons, sisters, and so on.

Did I care about those ships then? No, I don't. They can ship whatever they want as long as they don't hurt others for having kinks and/or shipping something they don't.

And the current modern trends in fandom should die in a fire. It's making fandom looking less inviting than it usually was. And what usually was what fandom was before the advent of blogs and such.

I've been on the internet and reading stuff in FFN since I was thirteen. I saw tags in FFN that says rape and other tags that outright say don't like the summary, don't read it.

Shippers in the Voltron fandom, Sheithers, Klancers, Allurancers, Kalluras, Shancers, anybody in that fandom who insists their ship will be canon, don't twist canon for your ship. It will be harmful to your ship. Just ship and have your own bubbles in your own goddamn lanes.

Do I twist canon for my Shizaya needs? No, I don't. It certainly does not help that canon was willing to tease it, even when Izaya left Ikebukuro leaving Shizuo bored and restless.

But do you see me pushing Shizaya as the canon couple in DRRR? Do you see anybody pushing Ereri or Eruri as the couple to ship and should be the only couple you ship in the entire fandom? Disregarding the entire fandom's varied opinions?

I don't ship Shizorona but rather Namirona. And I don't see anybody pushing it down my throat that I should ship Shizuorona as the better couple.

In the same fandom where Celty X Shinra was the most recognized ship, there is still Shinzaya for Godoka's sake and that ship is popular. Even when Shizaya was the most recognized ship alongside Celty x Shinra, nobody was trying to deny shippers the fun, not even Narita.

How about Hetalia? It had a big ship war and yet at its core, nobody parades themselves as the more mature one for shipping something that has mature/unhealthy/whatever implications. For all its problems in their shipping wars, at least I can see that the ship wars there looked comparably normal to VLD which looked more like a war zone every passing day.

Sheithers, don't see Adam as an enemy to your ship. Ship Sheith in your heart's content. What's done is done in canon. You can still create fanworks for your Sheith needs.

Do I have to point you to your so-called worst enemy, Klance? The ship had taken blows in the couple recent seasons but the entire Klance shipping fandom is still going.

The Shizaya fandom had taken a blow at the Ketsu ending/Final Curtain arc but do you see Shizaya dying down anytime soon? If you see AO3, you see that there are fics updated often just as Klance is.

This might be your first 'obstacle' to your Sheith but does it have to bother you to the point you'd rather have someone else be the villain when there shouldn't be the need to?

I don't see Shatt fans acting this way, but the Sheithers are. So get out of your disgusting mindset, Sheithers.

Sheithers, don't paint Adam as the villain. Appreciate that Shiro and he were boyfriends, to begin with, not to usher your ship as so-called healthier of the two ships.

Ship whatever the fuck you want. Don't let canon decide what you want when you can write fanfiction and create other fanworks. You guys, canon does not even matter when it comes to shipping. Yes, it would be great to have IC fanworks which are the point when fanon interpretation gets out of whack - looks at the VLD fandom's interpretations of Keith witheringly. However, when it comes to shipping, canon does not matter. Don't view Adam as a so-called obstacle for the so-called canon of your ship. Appreciate Adam existed and that Shiro is LGBTQ+.

Do not let your ship be your pervading thought in everything in Voltron.

Let others enjoy their ships, let them enjoy the show, and don't parade yourself as the mature one for shipping something that others don't. Enjoy the representation VLD even has than your own petty meaningless ship. Despite my opinion on the writing on VLD, I was willing to stick to the end so I can give it my entire judgment.

You don't need to validate anything nor do you have to 'prove' yourself as a bigger person. You seriously don't in your shipping. If you ship Sheith just fine, go ahead and ship. Don't harass other people for simply shipping something you don't.

Do I bother Shizorona fans or Eruri shippers for shipping something I don't? No. Why should I?

Does the Pokeshippers bother Advanceshippers or Pearlshippers? No, they don't. Why should they?

Do Zosan shippers bother Sanami fans or ZoLu fans? No, they don't. Why should they?

But in the VLD fandom, the shippers bothered each other to the point of toxicity.

As for the Shadam/Adashi shippers, go forth and create whatever you desire! Do not care about others had to say about your ship including insults! Create!

I've been watching this. I still need adjustment to their long necks.

Unison Square Garden was still great.

Please, be known that the list below was only the VLD equivalent.

Character - Arcana

Shiro - Death

Keith - Chariot -> Fool

Lance - Chariot -> Magician

Pidge - Wheel of Fortune

Hunk - Temperance

Allura - Judgment

Coran - Hierophant

Romelle - Hanged Man

Krolia - Empress

Lotor - Judgment

Haggar - Tower

Zarkon - Devil

Shay - Sun

Detective Conan Speculations

So I haven't read or seen Detective Conan in some time now. I didn't drop it, mind you, because I don't drop series. I merely pick off where I left off. For example, even if I am not a fan of The Big Bang Theory, I know where I would pick off last in order to give my full opinion.

Admittedly, long runners would be tiring. I'm gonna pick up on OP somewhere in the Reverie arc since the remaining Strawhats arrived in Wano now.

I'm going off-topic.

But let's go!

We got the boss's name, the BO's true name, and the Rum arc currently ongoing. Aside from the fact we're in some murder case which is rather gory right now, the major plotlines are what we should be concerned about.

I was really surprised when we learned the boss's name and one mentioned in an old chapter too. Aoyama stated that the boss had been name-dropped before, mentioned if I recalled correctly...not appeared in person. Technically, the guy appeared...as a silhouette.

So yeah knowing that this guy supposed to have been dead for half a century with money to burn and one evil guy who was perfectly willing to sacrifice anyone in his way, innocent or otherwise. He's the Moriarity to Shinichi's Holmes. Hey, at least Shinichi got to act out his Holmes fantasy at a major cost.

We can already guess Vermouth is a part of his plan for immortality/antiaging/shrinking just by her youth alone. So by that logic, she must be related in some form to Karasuma.

I think we're in the final legs of DC right now. I mean we don't know how far we are to the finish line. However, there's a difference between this and One Piece. In One Piece, I have no clue; I have an idea of returning characters and islands...but I have no clue about future islands. Who knows? Maybe we are going to travel to the Red Line for the Sniper Kingdom.

I'm digressing again...

I wanted Bourbon to be loyal to BO while also being close to Conan. I guess we got that with Rum. I mean Rum is close in proximity to Conan enough to antagonize him. Like not publically but the presence is enough for Conan to feel, even without Haibara's sensory.

I get the idea of involving the Japanese Special Defense because not involving the Japanese at this point would make them look stupid. I get characters not getting the complicated ways of murders the Metropolitan or common detectives like Kogoro could not solve without some help. I get gathering the smartest characters in the entire series for a plan. I get characters not telling another in order to get a genuine response to a plan.

Having American-born Japanese is one thing but a true Japanese born help solving the case is another. Even if we are following the Silver Bullet who would bring down the BO, there would still be an authority that would help destroy it. Not involving the Japanese authority even at the highest at this point would be bad.

I wonder if they would involve the Interpol too... We are getting Amuro's superior apparently...

Plotwise, it seemed strong. Admittedly, I have only been seeing the romances plot, backstory plot, and main overarching plot/BO arcs. Skipping the typical murder plots would be discouraging but I needed the plot at this point, not cases that would just demonstrate Conan's smarts. Even if the plot just gathered overpowered smart people together. I'd much rather have multiple levels of intelligence in one place but have their functions like sprouting out things the smart people never thought of but hit the nail nonetheless. I want those kinds of intellect but I want to have the Watsons in the team to assist the situation just as much as the Holmes/Queens/whatever in the cases.

In terms of death, I don't see a future in sight for Vermouth and Gin. I can see a lot of people like Chianti and Vodka staying in prison and not breaking out. Gin is the type of character to break out of jail and commit crimes again.

So yeah, in terms of death on the BO's side, Vermouth and Gin. Possibly others who are too loyal to their boss and crime spree.

On our heroes' side, anyone who has a romantic partner is out of the running. I don't think Megure would count but the superintendents do. It has to be major so maybe Megure's boss could be a candidate.

I don't think Kogoro should count as a candidate. Remember about Eri here. The romances in Detective Conan pointed too much at a happy ending. I have to point that out: the romances are too definitive and hammered. I love Sato X Takagi, my favorite pair out of all the police couplings in the series just because I loved how developed they are and good they are for each other; I can't see Aoyama break apart romances unless they are a one-shot character in a case. Even if technically he broke up couples from DEAD pals of his main characters, it still remained the fact that he would want the current couplings to be happy. We worked too damn hard for Kogoro not to die in the end. Although the timeline took place in less than a year, still in a more realistic setting (complicated murders aside, Apotoxin and disguise without a voice changer is not one bit realistic. Considering that DC takes place in the same world as Magic Kaitou, a world that undoubtedly has magic - looks at Akako, Pandora Gem... - you know that this world is not quite as realistic one might hope to be), the fact Conan, Haibara, and Kogoro not going to die due to cancer or poisoning should still be there. However, happy ending, folks so no cancer or poisoning for our main protagonists.

Aoyama stated it would be a happy ending so I think that while they'll be major deaths in the heroes' side, that side would suffer a bittersweet one while the villains would suffer the most including Vermouth.

Look, I love Vermouth. I just don't see a future for her. Repentant or otherwise, her arc pointed to death. Her youth, her goals, and her noble qualities have to mean something.

On the FBI/CIA/JSD's side, some superiors maybe. James Black or/and Andre Camel is a likely victim. Given how much we know about Jodie, it's unlikely she'll die.

I don't think Akai Shuichi will die in the end. That would ruin the point of having a happy Akai family again since the family was fractured.

Admittedly, I am surprised about just how low or naive Jodie and Ran had become. Seriously, I think I could tell Ran an apocalypse would come on Christmas Eve of 2016, she'll believe me. I'm not even joking. I love Ran but her naivety was getting too much even for a high school teenage girl. I wasn't this naive. Conan, despite his efforts, was horrid about keeping secrets. Seriously, I think Takagi still kept in mind of the "I'll tell you...in the next life" moment. The police listened to him and probably had a running joke, aside from the morbid joke that Kogoro might be a Shinigami, that Conan should start acting how he should act instead of falsifying a kid's behavior when he should. I get that they wouldn't put two and two together about a fantastical drug that shrunk a teenager into a kid or an adult into a middle schooler but they know enough of Conan to know he's not a kid by a stretch of the imagination. It's not like Haibara made any hints that she's creepy as fuck. She reportedly acted like a mini adult.

Digressing again.

Seriously, Ran's naivety was less than pleasing for her character. I love Momiji but I don't find her character as exasperating as Ran.

I get that Ran is supposed to be this angel that shouldn't be tainted. But when she had a part in a BO plot namely the Vermouth portion, it's annoying. She wouldn't be innocent forever. She saw dead bodies since Conan became part of her family. She won't stay in the shadows forever.

Conan is horrid about keeping secrets. Much more now that he and Ran are now a couple. I damn expect Ran to know or suspect something wrong that Conan and his crew cannot stop or consider. If I were her, I would be suspicious again when Conan appeared at my restaurant date with Shinichi. This time, I would keep silent about my suspicions and gather more evidence. I won't care about Haibara wearing a Conan disguise because my guts instinct points to Conan is Shinichi. Even if I am hurt Shinichi is lying to me, I would wait for him to come to me and tell the truth. A reason why I love this xxxHolic/DC crossover so much.

I just want Ran to become a bigger part of the plot and to be less naive. If the Kudos, Amuro, and Akais are part of the big plot so can she. Even if her part was simply the morality pet of multiple characters and a civilian.

I do think I can tell anything and she'll believe me. Even apocalypses where Persona-users are trying desperately to save the goddamn world. I could tell her the Third Impact is coming and she'll believe me. I can tell her anything from the end of the fucking world from multiple series or to even saying the fucking purgatory existed or even Santa Claus is true and living in Finland. Even when she shouldn't.

That is how badly I think her naivety had gotten. She may not be a detective but no teenage girl should be this naive. It just puts a target on her head from scammers.

As for Jodie, I just want her to be badass again. I get Kir though because her appearances were limited and moreover spying. I get Vermouth because she's still the Vermouth I love with noble qualities. She's no Akemi or Haibara because I don't think ruthlessness would not exist without her in the picture. I understood some characters don't have the same information or network as others since the Akais seemed to be working on their own problem.

But you know, just gather all your overpowered male detectives as well as Yukiko in one corner for a plot development that other characters need to know like say the fucking FBI and CIA. Get together with everyone and pool your information. Amuro knows the Americans are in Japan so get the fucking move on. Gather your numbers and information. I doubt the BO would consider anyone bringing them down any time soon.

Just Jodie... Jodie... Her importance was so limited, much more because of her backstory. We don't know anything about Camel or Black but we know about Starling.

All we get from Jodie was longing for Akai. Now that she knows Akai is alive, she should get out of that rut, right? I get that you suffer from a breakup that you didn't get over nor did Akai got over his lover's death. I just want more out of Jodie.

I am not expecting a vengeful rampaging Jodie since she's more professional than that. Her importance in the story so far was a longing for Akai and some help in plot...but not much else. I want Aoyama to break the mold like how Narita wrote his women. Till this day, I love Namie and her savagery. I want to write a character like Namie one day because she is utterly amazing. Although I don't like his writing of Vorona since his writing did not break anything regarding her archetype unlike how he broke the archetypes of his other important characters, his characters played important roles to each other and the plot development.

I just want Jodie's story to be back in dramatic fashion. I want an intensity between Vermouth and Jodie as much as Gin and Akai. I would understand you would want to avoid the designated cat fight but give me anything at least. I would have anything at this point to have Jodie be awesome again, not this headache-inducing gal.

While Detective Conan is one of my favorite manga, it's far down the list. Like it's still pretty good. Again, there are flaws that need to be done, preferably over the official couple and writing of the ladies. Far too much focus on the romances there. Not even ACD's Sherlock Holmes focused on the romantic aspect and thank god for that.

I don't mind the romances because I love the romances including the recent Yumi X Haneda Shukichi. Although some of the romances were wearying like Chiba X Naeko because it is becoming tiring to see childhood friends get together at this point. I want someone to meet someone new and become a relationship there which is why I am so invested in Sato X Takagi and Yumi X Shukichi. I don't want childhood friends' romances at this point in DC. It's one thing if they met once before but it's another when they spent their lives together which is why I liked one case where a blind lady tried to find a boy known to eat ginger. Even one meeting as kids should suffice. Seriously, I don't mind high school romances because they aren't childhood friends at least which is why I'm partially invested in Sonoko X Makoto. Give me anything not childhood friends in this series and I'll be happy.

I want the adventure with just a tad bit of romance, not the romance being the focal point. I can tell in the current murder case was to help that police officer romance. Just like the appearance of Momiji for the HeiKazu romance. When it comes to romances in DC, it's like a flashing neon sign. You can tell what the endgames are therefore you can tell who or what or how the couple would proceed.

On that note, I think I wouldn't mind a romance story, like entirely romance focused, for Gosho Aoyama's next work. Even if it's only a one-shot. It seemed aside from mystery, he focused on the romances just as much and pairing everyone off as best as he can with the exception of the little kids. Even with definitive ships, there is the ship tease he did like ConAi.

From what I saw shipping-wise from this fandom, there were fewer fights about what one must ship since everyone literally knows the endgames so they ship fanon ships whatever they like ShinHei or ShinKai.

To which I say: Thank Godoka.

I'm not as big as shipper as I used to be. Like I'm drawn to certain ships but overall, I don't ship much nowadays. It's not because of the current trends in fandoms which I happily lampooned for their stupidity in something as meaningless as shipping.

I'm probably just going to put an updated Arcana here for Detective Conan. This might be a new thing so this would be recent. Of course, as more characters develop, the more added.

Arcana - Character

Shinichi Kudo/Conan Edogawa - Justice (on one hand, his sense of justice but then there is his continuous lying in the face of the truth he would ardently pursue. It's very likely I won't pick Judgment for this guy. While he undoubtedly changed when he's Conan (preferring a lower presence in media and less egotistic), his sense of justice was way too strong... While he had let would-be murderers go in some instances, the fact he's a detective and his sense of justice and motivation was too close to justice. It's not to say that he's childlike in that because Katsuya Suou represented the Justice arcana too. Listen, it's not because of age but circumstances in life and relationships with others were what the arcana represents.

Ran Mouri - Empress

Heiji Hattori - Magician 

Kazuha - Chariot

Momiji - Lovers

Ai Haibara/Shiho Miyano - Judgment

Shuichi Akai - Hanged Man

Jodie Starling - Lovers (unfortunately, her current mobility is this. Like before, I would have gladly chosen the Priestess in reference of Vermouth but nope. It just didn't feel right)

Sera Masumi - Magician

Takagi Wataru - Temperance

Sato Miwako - Wheel of Fortune

Akai/Haneda Shukichi - Emperor

Vermouth - Priestess

Gin - Emperor

Amuro Tooru/Rei Furuya - Hermit

Renya Karasuma - Devil

Eri Kisaki - Strength

Kogoro Mouri - Moon

Yukiko Kudo - Star 

Yusaku Kudo - Hierophant

Shiratori - Sun

Agasa - Temperance

Genta Kojima - Magician 

Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya - Temperance

Ayumi Yoshida - Star

Sonoko Suzuki - Lovers

Dr. Tomoaki Araide - Hierophant

Makoto Kyoguku - Justice

Akako - Priestess

Kaito Kuroba - Wheel of Fortune

Aoko - Chariot

Jirokichi Suzuki - Devil

Eisuke Hondo - Justice

Rena Mizunashi/Hidemi Hondo - Chariot/Moon

My Future Japan Travels

Listen, when I get a decent enough job and stable enough that I can travel the world, I will splurge my money on practical merch alongside games.

My cousin went with her boyfriend to France, Germany, and Japan. It's in my wish bucket to go to Japan and experience everything there from the onsen to the Otome Road to Pokemon Centers, damn the prices. Yeah, I want to experience Japan....everything including staying in a capsule hotel. In all likelihood, I need to stay there for the whole of summer vacation. If I must, I can try to stay there weekly or probably a minimum of ten days throughout the year seasonally: 5 Days in the city like Osaka/Tokyo/Kyoto and then 5 Days in the countryside.

Even though I want to travel the world, my dearest wish was to visit Japan seasonally. My parents, my brother, my cousins, everybody in my family knows about this. Especially the cousin who went to Japan with her boyfriend.

Seriously, I'm gonna need a second suitcase just to carry my purchases back home. Yeah, I'm gonna go crazy buying stuff in stores like the Pokemon Center, Akihabara, and Nakano Broadway.

I would try street food, convenience stores, and so much more in Japan you cannot believe. I'll be spending my money like water if I get to Japan. No, it's a promise I'm gonna spend so much money.

My itinerary would include the obvious geek culture visitations sites as well as cultural sites. I will build an entire schedule to also fit into the train, extra luggage (I think I need to visit Don Quijote shop only for buying that extra suitcase) and passes. That is how much I want to my the best of my travels in Japan.

I just want a group of friends or family to travel to Japan with me because I don't think it'll be fun alone.

I'll need to get airtight plastic bags just for the plushies because I made it my mission to buy a cushion plushy.

I'll likely wake up early too just to ease my day into everything I need to do.

So basically I'll visit Japan's sights in particular order:

1. Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo, Skytree, Kyoto, Yokohama, and Osaka - I'll make it my goal to buy something of interest, even if it'll cost me a boatload. I'll be likely buying one huge plushie there as in the cushion plushy. Out of them all, I wanted to visit Mega Tokyo in Ikebukuro, Kyoto, and Osaka the most. 
2. Akihabara: Magikarp taiyaki, visit shops there including the retro game store
3. Nakano Broadway 
4. Otome Road
5. Jump Shop - I'm a big shounen girl. I like shoujo just fine but my first love of manga will always be shounen. 
6. Don Quijote - extra suitcase 
7. Visit temples, famous ones too; get a fortune there. Will not keep a bad luck one 
8. try food: crepes, curry, izakaya, street food, 
9. visit onsen and stay in a ryokan
10. try local food like sushi, sashimi, donburi, shaved ice, udon, ramen, ikayaki, takoyaki, soba... 
11. rent a Kimono for a day in Kyoto 
12. try the Ichiban Kuji lottery
13. try Purikura
14. try arcade games as in visit the retro game arcade. I don't think I would do crane games. 
15. try vending machines - useful ones only and drinks upon necessary. Wanna try the sake vending machine. Probably my first drink in Japan too. 
16. visit one of the animal cafe - dogs, cats, rabbits, hedgehogs...
17. go to a Japanese festival

I'll likely buy souvenirs but I'll spend things just for me.

Of the Anime/Manga/Games and I know a lot so....: I'm not even gonna italicize. Might be getting gachapon for some of them if I can find them although I'm definitely getting large merch for most of them

1. Hetalia - I want all the nations but depending on what I want, England or Romano
2. FMA - Like I want a lot of characters but preferably Riza or Roy
3. Digimon - Tai, Takato, and Takuya are my top priority. On the girls' side, 
4. Osomatsu-san - specifically Karamatsu because I love him out of the brothers 
5. Pokemon - I'll get what I can... Godoka, I want a lot of Pokemon and probably something for the Pokeani too
6. CLAMP - CCS or Tokyo Babylon. I love many others but I'm prioritizing those two. 
7. Madoka Magica - probably just a gacha though because I want a Soul Gem but I also want something Godoka
8. Persona series - I want merch across the series but I wanna get something Aigis 
9. Detective Conan - gonna get Kid. Seriously, Kid merch is basically my only goal in terms of this series. I won't mind Sato or Ran but anything Magic Kaito is my goal; Kid is still a top priority. 
10. gonna get something Boys' Love 
11. Sailor Moon - I already had two Sailor Moon merchandise - I specifically asked my cousin to buy me the metal ones of the purses, not the cheap bootleg ones. I am definitely going to the Sailor Moon shop in Harajuku and spend at least thirty minutes. 
12. Haikyuu
13. One Piece - wanna get something Strawhats, Law, Zoro, Ace and Sanji but I definitely going to get something Zoro because I want something Zoro. I'm a Zosan shipper so I want to get something with just the two of them but I'll also likely get a Monster Trio merch. I'm definitely shopping at the Mugiwara Store in Shibuya. I'm gonna get a Sanji wanted poster pre-time skip because I love that joke so much. I want a Dracule Mihawk merch too... So basically for now: Mihawk, Zoro, Sanji, Luffy, Strawhats, Law, and Vivi. Because of course, Vivi would be on the list because I love her way too much. Probably Nami and Robin too... But Vivi is my goddess in OP so she's gonna be the priority over any girls merch in the entire shop. 
14. Ghibli? - I don't mind visiting the Totoro cafe, especially trying out the cream puffs. I'm more of a fan of Princess Mononoke than Totoro. 
15. Bungou Stray Dogs - I would love merch of the ADA mostly but I will favor Chuuya in the mix. 

Of the things, I will buy to take home: NO TOYS AND FIGURINES. I'm a practical buyer, only buying plushies when the temptation gets too much. I'm not a collector of figurines since I think I'm not that type of person. I'm more the type to collect small chibis or accessories. I bought a small State Alchemist years previous and attached it to my Samantha Vega Sailor Moon purse to differentiate from my cousin's purse whom she puts fluffballs on it.

1. cushion plushy
2. probably one plushie
3. Towels - hand, bath, handkerchief
4. Apron and/or oven mitts
5. Thermo Bottle
6. Phone case
7. letter opener - I fell in love with the Uranus Sword Opener 
8. a blind box because that looks awesome. Maybe one from each store like from the Mugiwara shop, Sailor Moon if they had any, Nakano, and Pokemon Center. I had a blind bag before when I went to Little Tokyo with friends and got a Riza keychain. 
9. Charms? - I'm more likely to attach it to my purses and pouches. As if my family and friends can't see that I am this big about this. My cousin is a huge cat fan so she buys things all cats. I'm likely to buy across the merch mentioned above. 

Souvenirs side of things: On my end of souvenirs, it's loads of stuff I'm visiting from what mentioned above.

1. KitKat
2. cookies - I'll use the tin box because I'll get the cutest tin box and after it used up, I'll store something in there, maybe my merch I want to keep out of reach of others. I still kept my two Sailor Moon merchandise in their respective bags because I don't want to damage it. THAT is how bad I want to protect my merchandise. Seriously, if I ever get a good bookshelf, then I would make damn sure to clean it. 
3. magnets? - probably going to get them for my family as a commemorative piece...probably something like Tokyo Tower 
4. I'm more of a practical buyer again so I don't think my parents would find it useful to have magnets other than a decorative piece. My cousin who went to Florida with her husband, daughter, mother, and aunt (my aunts) came home with magnets. It's a trademark of hers. My other cousin who went with her boyfriend to Japan was more of a practical buyer; she specifically bought her sister a desk lamp to better help her in her drawing. 

Events I would go if I could arrange:

1. Sailor Moon exhibit
2. Pikachu Outbreak Fest
3. a Japanese festival
4. USJ for the One Piece 
5. One Piece Tokyo Tower

For right now, this is what I want for my travels to Japan.

I want to visit other places too like England and France but for right now, I'll place this trip as inevitable. Like, I don't want to travel anywhere else in the States. I would love to visit historical sites but I definitely prefer to visit Spain or Italy more than the US any day of the week. Probably exclude Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and New York because my other family member lives in PA and NV.

I might make a future trip to Hawaii or Spain or Italy or England or France or anywhere else I like to visit.

Filler Arcs

I have nothing against the concepts of fillers at all. It doesn't affect the actual story...unless it's written to be part of the actual story and did little to actually help the plot or characters overall.

Filler, on its own, isn't supposed to be spectacular. Efforts can be made to create it to the best of creativity.

Written filler at the time of the actual story will detract from the actual goings in the plot and character. It would be fine if it was just something small and meant little in the long run.

Filler arcs were written to fill in time to either catch up, develop more, or just outright padding. Typically, the audience would react badly. Again, it wasn't meant to win awards a la the Oscars. Fanfiction put in more effort than canonical filler, anime or not.

Fillers, at its core, did little to help the actual story overall.

If you know it's written to be such.

For example, the canonical Davy Back arc, which is not bad overall. It's a fun arc that showcased teamwork and introduced Aokiji. I don't hate the Foxy Pirates. In fact, I find them amusing and would make it to the New World out of sheer will.

A magnificently well-done filler arc came from One Piece's G8 arc. It's wonderful to behold. With each character getting an important role in some fashion and the marines are just as good. The writing goes outside the box of the formula.

I also heard Oda outlined the Ice Hunters arc too. It wasn't a bad arc overall because it foreshadowed the Marineford arc pretty well.

The filler arcs developed Hinata and other characters that weren't important to Naruto. Which ironically Studio Pierrot took back due to their almost mandated ending that is in no way could have been the mangaka's intention. It's an unnatural ending. Like I am aware that the 2nd half of Naruto had been under fire from fans, from editors, from even Kishimoto itself and the internal war between SJ and Kishimoto. I could sense something was off in the narrative where things should have flowed better with the original intent. I heard from Kishimoto that Sasuke basically rebel against him and wrote himself essentially.

Unlike the Naruto's filler arcs that were gone by the ending, a filler arc like the Orange Islands arc could be considered as such good. It introduced a new character who still worked at Professor Oak's lab to this day and have the most Pokeshipping hints with the second movie in that time frame.

Filler that did little to help the story but dragged the characters along like a dog that doesn't want to walk in that direction. Just looking at VLD S4 makes the writer in me cry a lot in frustration. It's not even the good filler that I mention above. The Voltron Show literally did nothing to help the plot and characters, not to see Hunk actually becoming a diplomat and applying that to the actual story, not giving Coran something important to the plot and character. Again, it's not a good Day in the Limelight writing at all. I have seen better including LOK. At least filler arcs like Ice Hunters or G8 actually develop onto canon and used the characters right.

In slow build/burn, everything written must be important. Get rid of repetition. If you plan to write a story, fillers must not drag or slow the story. Even small fillers had to help at some point. Even if it meant little overall.

Everything must be important.

A bad kind of filler was that of Steven Universe. I felt the slice-of-life factor was getting in the way. Listen, Durarara and Persona could be considered slice-of-life but I didn't feel anything was neglected because I am raising up anything I need and/or integral. The slice-of-life had to matter.

If the slice-of-life is written out-of-order and the characters' reactions unclear/unanswered (for example, Lars' family and girlfriend grieved...when Steven had the tools to rescue him. But no, draw out the Steven and Connie conflict to over a month and we didn't even see Lars' side of things like how on earth he got his new clothes. I like Space Pirate Lars as much as the next person but I want to see his journey to become a notorious criminal in the domain of the Diamonds rather than he telling Steven about his month-long rise to infamy. Not to mention, Lars is undead now so why the heck are they grieving when he was alive and well? Undead certainly and in dangerous territory but he's alive and Steven had Lion), then it meant nothing. This was a major problem with Steven Universe. Other than the status quo. It's one thing that the people do not know or apathetic (for example, many people had no clue of the Phantom Thieves' presence among them other than reacting to their actions), but it's another when you have a whole town knowing in some form or way that aliens are living among them. It's not a secret the Crystal Gems are there and that the Diamond Authority reigns. It's not a secret that the war was still ongoing.

However, peace seemed unchanged.

Seriously, I hoped to Godoka that the status quo and the same peace changed forever now the knowledge of Rose Diamond was acknowledged. Because it's stifling to see little change in Beach City when I have seen other works including the Persona series where the worlds are forever changed or acknowledged the change. Like Akihiko and Ken cannot bring back Shinjiro at all. Like new arrivals in Ikebukuro. Like All Might retire from the superhero scene and become a full-time teacher. Like the very fact, the arrest of Shido emerged a new wave. Like Sai disappearing. Like Apollo staying in another country altogether. Like Ema becoming a forensic scientist.

I could go fucking on but it just annoys me in Steven Universe. The slice-of-life factor isn't used well. Initially, it was great to use for character development but some time later, it became intrusive to the plot. I get the writers wanted to emphasize Steven's two sides but Holy Woman of the Beginning, the slice-of-life showed little tension in the overall plot. While I had a low opinion of VLD's writers, at least they can write tension. While I do think they had it all planned out, the writing is not that great. It could have been great but alas... At least they had great composition and made it as epic as they can because I love the beautiful animation that gave Keith, Shiro, Pidge, and Allura so very much.

I mean we could have seen Lars' side of things. It's one thing that it's unreliable and I seen unreliable narrator on TV. Teen Wolf and YOI come to mind. But there is little unreliable narrator because we are seeing things through Steven's eyes, not anyone else. Flashbacks were easily differentiated in the Revolutionary Girl Utena style animation. Which means that we wouldn't get the whole complete story of Pearl unless Steven literally went into her mind and we just did.

Even in games, we see other people's POV. In P5, we see Sae, Akechi, Makoto, and so many more without the protagonist in the scene. In One Piece, we are in the fucking Reverie arc for god's sake and we aren't returning to the Strawhats until it's over. We are instead seeing lots of important pirates and nobility in one place and literally, my heart cannot take the revelations we are getting. The Reverie arc would be close enough to Amazon Lily's arc chapters too so short but succinct and very revelatory about the current and future events. In My Hero Academia, we are now following the top ten pro heroes in Japan instead of the students of UA.

Okay, I'm complaining about that problem of Steven Universe like a lot of people. However, when I seen better narrator in other shows including a show that I had recently made clear I won't return to until the series ends (not One Piece, it's VLD), it's just distressing that Steven Universe was just drawn out way too long and unable to reach OP's level of writing. Even Kishimoto wouldn't reach this level because he planned stuff unless influenced. SU's idea of hints isn't as good as Oda's; it's more like drips than actual drops that Oda usually gives like for example, he made damn sure it's important that we know Sanji was called Mr. Prince and North Blue. He made damn sure we know Usopp's lies to the point people are expecting them to be true at this rate including me. SU was more ideas thrown and barely a consistent story. Art and little continuity was a problem. I still don't get the partying Amethyst does but it never made clear explicitly she made it up to sound more impressive. It's not like Beach City ostracized the Crystal Gems. Steven was still welcomed despite his heritage. There was little bullying overall too. Yes, the show dealt with PTSD and other stuff relating to war but Beach City is not affected by anyway when it should have, given how many people got involved accidentally or otherwise. Greg and Lars are involved, regardless. We don't get too crucial an examination. Even if VLD had troublesome missing scenes that would best put the show's emotional level better (for example, we don't even see the deal strike between Lotor and the Paladins at all. Only that Lotor was in jail and everyone was suspicious. We don't even get to see the reactions immediately after we learn of Keith's heritage in S2, just Allura's justified reactions and even then that's not a bit good because how wasted the writing ended up.).

Sorry, but it must be important. Unlike Horikoshi or Oda, the writing of VLD just stressed me out, not because of its unpredictability (I embrace unpredictability in writing), because of its less than impressive writing. There were times they could have shown great stuff and not show it at all. S6 was mixed for me. On one hand, it has tension and impressive writing for Keith, Shiro, Allura, and Pidge. On the other, Lance and Hunk did not receive better. One could argue Lance was getting negative character development and had yet to reach his personal arc until Earth. Show the important moments, forgoing things that will not be important. Show the emotional moments that are crucial instead of leaving it up to the imagination. Seriously, people were disgruntled we did not get immediate reactions. I like imagining reactions like any other person but I like to think of the people outside the fiasco, not the people who we should see since the very beginning.

If you want to elevate your writing to the greatest it can be, be sure to make it important to the damn story, emotional and crucial moments included. If you were writing from one person POV, then you are detracting from other POVs that are fun and crucial on its own. There was a reason why Zuko's story was so effective when we get to see Zuko Alone and so forth. Hell, Tales of Ba Sing Se was so popular because it showed Iroh, Sokka, and everyone else on their own mini-adventure, some more tearjerking.

First Impressions: Life Is Beautiful

Korean dramas and music were not my things. I can like certain beats and rhythm. I can like the execution of plots. I wouldn't put myself in a spot where I would know Korean knowledge beyond what I gleaned from the Korean idol industry.

I think this drama title is appropriate.

Just as a warning. I only saw clips such as the above video series detailing the homosexual love story with families' reactions. I only saw the clips and watched the first and the coming-out episodes. I'm actually in the second episode because Kdramas takes over an hour each episode.

Think of this drama as more of a family slice-of-life. There's no backstabbing, misunderstandings to a ridiculous degree, and soap opera drama. Even one of my favorites My Love From Another Star had an additional drama of a murder mystery with the main girl framed for murder. Thankfully, the girl's character development began in full-force, beginning to sell her stuff and rebuilding her career despite people calling her a murderer. She's not the murderer, by the way; that would be the current boyfriend of the girl she had a feud with. What's worse was that girl was pregnant.

I'm getting off-topic.

The family did get into tiffs, justified, or not. Regardless, they were close and genial to outsiders. Even to their would-be in-laws and outsiders. This is a family that sticks to their guns unless moved by reason. The grandmother took awhile for her to accept her ex-husband living with her. Technically, the two never divorced and she was still counted among the multiple wives.

Each family member was not perfect. They had their own individual issues like insecurities and stuff like that. Their decisions might seem selfish as sometimes the show painted it like that. Nobody was in the right when the family spilled out hurtful words. Although both had legit reasons for their behavior, none of them were painted in the wrong. There were lots of guilt-tripping though on the parents' end. Yes, even the homophobic mother who was pushing her son to break up with Tae Sub and come back to 'normality'. Her callousness of homosexuality was still there because that was still painted as wrong and still wrong. Even the homophobic uncle was almost kicked out if it weren't for the fact the guy was doing better. They do hurt each other and apologize for their mistakes.

I heard this series had been extended so plotlines were resolved but dragged on. The extension might be a detriment. It will just end up getting filler/padding to storylines that would already be finished in its original fifty.

Tae Sub's previous girlfriend was nice enough and Japanese too. Now, Japan is just as conservative as Korea. And the two nations still have a fractured relationship. I will not deny Japan's war crimes. Like many people, I want them to admit their faults in the wars. It would lead to a healing process that the world desperately needs. Germany was doing everything possible to say sorry including revealing people in the pro-Nazi movement and blowing up Nazi monuments. I would not deny the artists are just as capable of faults. I don't want to be consumed by hate and cynicism and disillusioned with life. Anyway, seeing a Japanese person albeit an immigrant treated with respect in-universe was good. Despite the hostilities, there are people who are trying to move forward. I just hoped to God that countries who had not yet admitted to their crimes come forward, apologize, and do everything in their power to make it up to their ancestor's victims. Yes, it's not just Japan in this factor, there's also Turkey who was much worse in this.

Not because of any complaints I got but I cringe that Tae Sub actually caught two people's eyes and an unwitting love triangle. He only goes out with Chae Young for a beard. He likes her but never quite attracted to her sexually. Now we were explicitly given that Tae Sub and Kyung Soo were gay. How about bisexual? However, there is also the fact they were beards and Kyung Soo stated as much he likes his ex-wife and loves his child, he felt like living a lie, making him gay.

I get the issue with the homophobia atmosphere and the familial support. I love Mae Jin so much. Her relationship with Tae Sub was more moving than the actual sweet relationship between Tae Sub and Kyung Soo.

Speaking of, this relationship just from the few scenes I seen on youtube alone was sweet. No kissing, just off-screen lovemaking and macking. Thankfully, it's a positive portrayal of an LGBT relationship and interactions with an open-minded family. Even the homophobic uncle got over it because he loves his family that much. Yes, there was no actual depictions of sex or on-screen kissing - I'm pretty sure the Koreans were not in the place to see it, unlike the Americans. LiB was made for a Korean audience just as much as MF was made for an American audience. That is the first thing you need to understand if you want to review a foreign piece of media.

Speaking of Modern Family, we didn't get gay kiss scenes for a while. In Korea, onscreen LGBT kisses would not be good for the public. Like they were getting better but not that fast. I don't think people would get the level of blase with LGBT yet. Japan had an issue with sexualizing LGBT relationships but at least they acknowledge they exist however bad the depiction goes. Certain, there are LGBT individuals who do have sex and all kinds of sex just like heterosexuals. Like it's fine for them to have sex. And it's fine to ship two fictional guys together; I don't ever think that shipping would ever go away. EVER. The problem with modern-day shipping is that canon material must be there for it to be shipping. Uh, no! There are ships for people who barely knew each other in-universe and others that are completely inanimate. Shipping two guys together are normal. Trying to take away shipping is like trying to take away food from another. Shipping is supposed to be fun, not activism. As long as you keep away from harassing and pushing it down people's throats, then it's all good.

The topic of homosexuality was that they were born with it. I honestly don't care if LGBTQ+ was born with it or not. Seriously why even debate where it came from? Why even debate on love? It's not like they can explain the twin gene or something like that.

Sure we got similar issues like a homophobic relative with a generally accepting family. However, these homophobic chose to do the right thing. These series both primarily focused on familial issues albeit in their cultural domains.

The other characters in the family had their own character arcs like the daughters and the uncles, not just the eldest son who was a closeted homosexual and trying to be a good son for society and family. Some of them romantics like the second son who was wooing his mom's assistant. A young mother's insecurities came to light as she struggled so much in her married life, keeping her husband on a short leash in the hopes of no divorcing because her mother divorced and her father never visited her.

I get the guy's reasoning to hide his homosexuality and his relationship even if it will cause great pain to their families and the society's view on them. The guys even had beards before they came out of the closet. I totally get Kyung Soo's previous relationship because that was what some closeted people did too; I totally get it. I heard stories. The relationship was handled tastefully, even the homophobia going on both families. I'm pretty sure there will be homophobia despite general acceptance. People can learn to get over it or not, taking longer or never.

From what I heard, Tae Sub's ex-girlfriend was homophobic - she blamed him too! - but quickly became support for him. SHE was able to get over it and it's nice to see that she wasn't too cruel or harsh on someone she knew now who couldn't love her back.

It's very bad since there was a possibility of Bury Your Gays had the story not written the acceptance of the Yangs towards the KyungTae coupling. The two planned to commit suicide if their families did not accept them. Tae Sub explicitly stated his intention towards his stepmom for god's sake.

Kyung Soo's actor is definitely handsome. I have to say that. Also, I found the brother CEO's love interest good-looking as hell. Also, Chae Young's actress is cute. They were the people who I find the most physically attractive of the lot. Perhaps add the silver fox of the brother CEO too.

On a side note, there is a bit of an abortion argument in this. I'm not even going to touch this because as much as I am pro-choice, I am stepping away from this with a major distance between me. I am not equipped to talk about this delicately, no matter how much research I took. Especially in a foreign country too. So I am not talking about this delicate topic.

Not every episode ends with a character tripping. Sometimes, they'll trip within the episode rather than at the end. The person is usually the one who has bad luck in that episode.

And this post was released during Pride Month too.