Untitled

[versias]

[bayesic-bitch]

Tell me, Adeimantus — you who have spent so many hours in the discords and subreddits of our people — what is it that distinguishes a shounen anime from a shoujo?

I confess I have never considered the matter carefully, Socrates. I suppose shounen is for boys and shoujo is for girls?

A fine beginning. But let us look deeper. Imagine a young boy, playing with his toys. Does he not bash them together?

He does, yes.

And do he and his friends not argue endlessly over which of their toys would win in a fight?

Constantly, and with great passion.

Now imagine a young girl, playing with her toys. Does she not make them kiss?

…She does.

Does she not argue with her friends not over who would win in a fight, but over who belongs with whom?

I begin to see where you are going.

And if Aphrodite has been kind, and has bestowed upon her the φουτζόσι nature — does she not find her brother's Naruto and Sasuke toys, and make them explore each other's bodies?

I — yes, Socrates. I suppose she does.

Then the soul of shounen discourse is powerscaling — who beats whom — and the soul of shoujo discourse is shipping — who loves whom, and how, and with what degree of emotional devastation.

That seems correct.

Now. Is there a further distinction to be made, within these categories? Between those who are, as the moderns say, woke, and those who are chuds?

I think there must be, though I am uncertain how to draw it.

Consider: is it not the woke who care deeply about the precise definitions of abuse and consent — who will debate endlessly about power imbalances and trauma responses and what exactly constitutes a toxic dynamic?

It is. I have seen these debates. They are very long.

And do the chuds not repudiate such pretensions entirely, and concern themselves only with who is the most attractive — who, as they put it, is best to goon to?

They do, and they are also very loud about it.

Good. Then let us apply this framework to some examples, so that we may be sure we understand it. What of Dragon Ball Z?

Clearly a shounen. The discourse is entirely about power levels. Goku versus Superman. Whether Vegeta could beat Frieza if he had another week to train. Neither especially woke nor especially chud — simply loud.

Ouran High School Host Club?

Shoujo, plainly. The discourse is entirely about which host Haruhi should end up with. Neither particularly woke nor unwoke — simply romantic.

Steven Universe?

Woke shoujo, and almost insultingly obvious. The entire discourse concerns whether various gems were abusive toward Steven, what his codependency with his father means, and whether Spinel deserved better. I have never once seen anyone ask whether Steven could beat a particular gem in a fight. I have seen thousands of words written about whether Pink Diamond was a victim or a perpetrator.

And now — Chainsaw Man?

Surely it is a shounen? It has a chainsaw for a head. There are extremely gory fight scenes. I would have said… neither woke nor chud, perhaps. But certainly shounen.

Think carefully, Adeimantus. Did not the scene in the back alley, with Yoru, and the nature of what she offered Denji — did that not spark hundreds of Reddit threads?

…It did. I remember them. They were quite heated.

And were they debating whether Denji could beat a given devil in a fight?

No. They were debating whether what occurred constituted a meaningful violation, given Denji's initial objection and Asa's anger.

Consent and abuse discourse.

…Yes.

And do not some fans still mourn Reze, and insist she was the one who truly understood Denji? While others argue passionately that Asa is the only one who could give him what he actually needs?

The shipping wars are, I will admit, extensive.

And have you ever — even once — heard Chainsaw Man fans argue about whether Denji could beat a particular devil in a straight fight?

…I cannot say that I have.

Then observe what we have found. Chainsaw Man's discourse is concerned not with power, but with relationships. It is therefore shoujo. Its discourse is concerned not with attractiveness, but with abuse, consent, and emotional damage. It is therefore woke. And thus —

Astonishing, Otakrates. Chainsaw Man is a woke shoujo manga.

I could not have said it better myself.

[56853]

Ah, so you try to give a certain delicacy to your art as well as the story. I actually have this personal theory that Berserk is really a shojo manga, but I take it then that it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise for you to hear that?

Miura: Makes sense to me. Shojo manga is all about expressing every feeling powerfully, and in that sense it’s not as contrived as manga for men. Men’s manga tends to come off as more calculated to sell well, whereas shojo manga are somehow just… fluffier. I realize that’s not a very descriptive word, but anyway, that might be something I have in common with shojo manga.

[cheaphalloweencostume]

genuine question, not trying to be unkind: in what way is “movies that are not made for children” an incomprehensibly complex idea

[sodomit]

I don't know the full context of that conversation, but I can easily see why "movies that are not made for children" could be called an incomprehensible category.

It's because it could be defined in completely different ways, and includes content that cannot be meaningfully grouped together.

It can include movies that children are legally not allowed to watch (which is a shitty concept), movies made without children in mind, but that still attract children (like most action or horror movies), movies made by someone who's trying to be an edgelord on purpose because they believe "adult" media should be offensive (like a large part of cartoons that are marketed as for adults), movies that are considered too complex for children for some socially constructed reason.

In general, the idea that something is not made for children should invite skepsis and digging deeper.

[nonbinary-starry]

The Brave Little Toaster (great movie btw) for instance is a good example of an animation that was targeted at teenagers and young adults but became popular with kids. It was picked up by an arthouse film distributor for the theatrical release and was nominated for an award at the film festival for being the best film there (it lost because it was animated).

So like, the brave little toaster is technically in the same category as A Serbian Film.

[merlilica]

you did not seriously just compare an animated kids film called “the brave little toaster” to a Serbian film, about a pornstar in a snuff film, which has been banned in multiple countries and cited by many as the most disturbing movie ever made, because they were both art films.

[nonbinary-starry]

I'm not, I'm just saying that there's a very wide variety in adult movies

[nonbinary-starry]

I was still entirely right about all of this btw. I just fumbled the wording and forgor to mention that the film festival tblt nearly won was SUNDANCE

[56853]

And Beauty and the Beast was nominated for best picture at the Oscars. So what? They are both very good children's animated films that were nominated for awards but their quality doesn't change the fact they are children's films (and that they are children's film's doesn't impact their quality).

Like it reads like you're arguing that a children's film can't have deeper themes and awards recognition for some reason and because Brave Little Toaster has that it must not be a children's film.

[victoriadallonfan]

Wildbow mega crossover, but it’s all of the MC working retail

[victoriadallonfan]

Alternatively:

Work

[victoriadallonfan]

Wildbow mega crossover, but it’s all of the MC working retail

[victoriadallonfan]

Alternatively:

Work

[56853]

Basil is the manager at Teeg Electronics who has been forced to hire the owner's daughter A. The two have entered into an uneasy detente where it is clear A could get him fired at any point but also needs him to manage her social media profile. Winnifred is the box girl at the hardware store across the hall who’s been nurturing a crush on A from a distance. Orion is trapped in the Backrooms

[quasi-normalcy]

Apparently the TD Bank's new ad campaign is called "More Human", and all I can think is "From now on, our ATMs will be made of flesh"

[quasi-normalcy]

Toronto Dominion Bank has paired with David Cronenberg; two great Canadian institutions coming together

[quasi-normalcy]

Held up with a spine and ribcage; quivering slightly as they breathe; money comes out of an orifice that looks distessingly like a rectum...

[56853]

This is the kind of Canadian culture that should get official support.

[afloweroutofstone]

You should loudly boo every Democrat who attacks Trump’s deal with Iran for being too Iran-friendly. Any deal to end this war is a good deal. I do not care that we are returning the assets we stole from them. Cry about it. If you don’t want to make concessions to a country you consider an adversary, don’t start pointless wars with them and kill schools full of their children

[bigguywithredhand]

Not really, we just started a war for no fucking reason and now we are PAYING FOR IT? You’re damn right I’m a little pissed at Trump. No one wanted to go to war. Not you or me but here we are and now we have to pay for it???? Get that rotten orange fuckwad out of here

[afloweroutofstone]

We have not agreed to pay for anything. Returning frozen assets is just giving Iran their own money back after we previously took it from them. And assuming that the “investment fund” that’s being discussed ever materializes at all, its structure as an investment fund means that any money put into it will be returned, likely with small profits (and besides, it will probably be more GCC money than US money). The only effect of this bullshit line of attack on the US-Iran deal is to make peace less likely.

[lipstickchainsaw]

Hard same.

[lowercasenospaces]

I'm deeply concerned that this money will be distributed in a way that funnels money into US companies like has happened as "reparations" after previous wars the US has started. The US government loves to bring in their own companies to "help rebuild" in a way that benefits the US more than the affected country and props up private US companies. I haven't read much about this deal specifically but I don't like the smell of it.

[56853]

You said yourself that you don’t know much about the deal but this isn’t like say Iraq (which to be clear the US never paid reparations to either). The US isn’t occupying Iran, the whole reason this deal is happening is that they cannot break Iranian control over the stair of Hormuz. However the asset unfreeze breaks down the US. Government’s options are basically limited to release funds or not, they don’t have much ability to control how Iran uses them.

[victoriadallonfan]

There’s not enough Victoria Dallon content going around… I might start to sue

[tranz-regent]

can u tell wildbow to dye her hair zo i can draw her without feeling zick

[thesternest]

Why don't you just draw her as a goth?

[victoriadallonfan]

This reminds me of when Jester commented that he wanted to take care of dark, moody, depressing women and Victoria assumes Ashley

And then goes shocked pikachu face when she learns SHE is the dark moody, depressed woman!!!

Glory Goth was inside her all this time…

[56853]

Victoria Dallon: Spends at least 20% of her waking hours brooding, told her therapist she doesn’t think she’s human anymore, showed passive suicidal tendencies all the way back when things were going “well”.

Also Victoria Dallon “why would someone think I’m moody and depressed?”

[victoriadallonfan]

There’s not enough Victoria Dallon content going around… I might start to sue

[tranz-regent]

can u tell wildbow to dye her hair zo i can draw her without feeling zick

[thesternest]

Why don't you just draw her as a goth?

[victoriadallonfan]

This reminds me of when Jester commented that he wanted to take care of dark, moody, depressing women and Victoria assumes Ashley

And then goes shocked pikachu face when she learns SHE is the dark moody, depressed woman!!!

Glory Goth was inside her all this time…

[kushblazer666]

lou reed’s final facebook post is so fucking sick

[gunsandfireandshit]

Was he the one who posted about MLP right before he shuffled off the 'ol mortal coil?

[kushblazer666]

and then he died the next day RIP

[56853]

>Makes a trainwrecord of a collab album with Metallica about an early 20th century German play. >it’s even more more obtuse and off putting than his usual work, barely anyone buys it and even fewer like it.

>Posts fanart of Twilight Sparkle on the cover of his previous most divisive album.

>refuses to elaborate.

>dies.

[americanbrightside]

So I've reached 1.6 in Claw (I've found that printing it out as a booklet makes it easier to read, both on my eyes and attention) and it was a fun whiplash to start with reading Mia's gun-for-hire-with-kids story as a fantasy with a few details that didn't line up, then read that she kidnapped her oldest child as a baby, and for that to be the line that makes me read her as significantly unhinged.

On the other hand, it's fascinating to me to read her as not aware that this is an unusual thing to do, with that awareness just shoved into what I was previously reading a generalized anxiety.

Plus that makes me all the more curious about what Carson's deal is

[cpericardium]

Is that a worm in your pocket or are you just happy to see me

[skitter-queen]

is that a twig in your pocket or did your penis experimented on

[arcadianwinters]

is that a pact in your pocket or are you just someone who looks a lot like my lawyer

[theaudientvoid]

is that a claw in your pocket or OH FUCK MY EYES ARE OUT IM BLIND

[56853]

I'm seeking what's in your pocket but I'm afraid if I look it will fry my brain.

[shortandsadandstupid]

Every Ward spoiler on Tumblr is like “the chapter where Marquis sleeps with and then implodes Legend to become the king of Dracheheim was so racist” or “I liked it when Lily picked flowers for Sabah” and there’s no in between

[shortandsadandstupid]

”the portals explode because of Nazis, so THAT Jessica Yamada and THE Riley Davis are probably dead” is one of these moments.

what are you on about???? “also Lisa does found family :)”

[shortandsadandstupid]

Ward’s Dr Phil bullies Kenzie

[theaudientvoid]

Lisa and Victoria go to a BDSM club.

[shortandsadandstupid]

like

people reblog this post with crazy shit

and I can’t tell if they are ALSO making stuff up, or if Lisa and Victoria go to a BDSM club. And Amy makes a cum monster in a PS4. Or Legend fucks with Marquis.

give me three crazy Ward things, 2 bs 1 true. I guess the real one, two lies and a truth

[56853]

Rain experiences an extremely uncomfortable handjob while at a public gathering. Victoria accidently injures one of Rachel's dogs, has to wash and groom the dogs as recompense. Aiden attempts to recruit a case 53 with the powers of an egg named to his team, the Chicken Tenders.

[shortandsadandstupid]

I actually already got read to the Rain handjob one. Bruh imagine this dude killing your daughter then like every 5th night or whatever you gotta watch him get a handjob awkwardddd.

so I know that’s true

Vic injures a hellhound, MAYBE? But I don’t think Rachel would let her touch her dogs after or before that, so 20% chance that this happens.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IVE HEARD OF THIS EGG GUY. So this might be true. Or is he fake?? Like damage character? Cmon legal name is Egg and he joins a bird themed group? Also how old is Aiden? Like 14? He prolly doesn’t have his own group atp. 30% chance

if his name was legit anything other than Egg I’d believe it. Like, Egg? No way.

[56853]

That last one was a bit of a trick because there is in fact a Case 53 named Egg with the powers of an egg. However he never interacts with Aiden or the Chicken Tenders.

[shortandsadandstupid]

Every Ward spoiler on Tumblr is like “the chapter where Marquis sleeps with and then implodes Legend to become the king of Dracheheim was so racist” or “I liked it when Lily picked flowers for Sabah” and there’s no in between

[shortandsadandstupid]

”the portals explode because of Nazis, so THAT Jessica Yamada and THE Riley Davis are probably dead” is one of these moments.

what are you on about???? “also Lisa does found family :)”

[shortandsadandstupid]

Ward’s Dr Phil bullies Kenzie

[theaudientvoid]

Lisa and Victoria go to a BDSM club.

[shortandsadandstupid]

like

people reblog this post with crazy shit

and I can’t tell if they are ALSO making stuff up, or if Lisa and Victoria go to a BDSM club. And Amy makes a cum monster in a PS4. Or Legend fucks with Marquis.

give me three crazy Ward things, 2 bs 1 true. I guess the real one, two lies and a truth

[56853]

Rain experiences an extremely uncomfortable handjob while at a public gathering. Victoria accidently injures one of Rachel's dogs, has to wash and groom the dogs as recompense. Aiden attempts to recruit a case 53 with the powers of an egg named to his team, the Chicken Tenders.

[cacturnia]

shout out to the silly creatures from scavengers reign‼️‼️

[bones-napss]

spooky scary babygirl sends shivers down your spine (˶ˆᗜˆ˵) and she is a big fish that kills you and eats you (>/////<) ♡

[wannabewallflower]

On the third day, a black circle, but with sliver-like gaps.  I’d drawn eyes in the gaps.  I’d elaborated around, in what I’d intended as rays of the sun. On the fourth, the same idea, but the eyes were larger, and there was less black.  I realized now that I’d invoked the Wretch, with so many eyes, and with the ‘rays’ radiating out having frayed ends, like wavy, reaching arms, fingers extended out.

— Breaking 14.1 , Ward