Comfort for the soul

/ Sol / she / 25 / fantasy writer / Cultural anthropology student/ Intj / anime / analyzing characters, movies, stories, books, series / Anime reviews / Anime whump and whumpy gifs

[writingonesdreams]

Avatar 3: Fire and Ash review (spoilders ahead)

There is so much going on, it's so rich in content, moral dilemmas and relationship dynamics it's hard to pick what to write about.

Criticts complain the movie lacks narrative urgency, and I agree and disagree on this. Avatar 3 is more than any of the previous films, a character study movie with crazy good animated action and adrenaline rides, focusing on each of the family members in detail, giving them arcs, relationships, and progress. I enjoyed these spiritual arcs and personality challenges profusely.

Whole L'oak takes over as narrator, Jake and Neytiry stay strongly focus, even more than in Avatar 2 and I loved that. They both deal with Neteyam's death, their failures, the consequences of what that means in a believably different ways, turning against each other only to prove how incredibly powerful their love is.

I loved Jake's arc. His reluctance to "become one with the beast" as Toruk Makto, the only acceptable way for the peaceful and ferocious Na'vi people to fight, but also unable to as a marine at heart, to do anything else. He grabbed onto human weapons and expertise he knows best, only for the Ometikanya people to reject the poisonous steel. This was a beautiful contrast to the Ash People's brutal crazy wonder with rifles and destruction.

Jake is feeling the failure of not being able to protect all his children, and he lashes out in his guilt at L'oak. Their fights broke my heart, because nobody blames L'oak as much as the boy blames himself and hearing that from Jake almost drove him into desperation. I was so sorry that Jake couldn't find in himself anything to say to L'oak, as he had done everything to spare and shield his children, only for them to throw his effort at his feet and risk themselves anyway, and L'oak does, admittedly, lead the disobedience.

At the same time L'oak is so ridiculously unprepared and lost, when thrown into the position to lead that I found his helplessness strangely endearing.

I actually liked all the children much more than in A2. I found them mostly annoying before, but now they all had more roles, stronger arcs, real struggles, and actual contributions.

I couldn't fathom what Spider was there for, but I loved him here. His curiosity and innocence and smartness, his love for Jake and his family, his bravery and compassion and readiness to fight and sacrifice himself for them...it was all very touching.

Not to mention the outstanding conflicts he presented for Jake and Neytiri. Spider is such a human kid for Jake, he sees himself in him and I loved how he reminded the hate-consumed Neytiri of how Jake was a human inside still and that all his children were partly so, so hating humans meant hating them. That Jake doesn't deny his own humanity touched me deeply.

His realization of the necessity to kill Spider to protect Pandora was so tragic...I was truly scared he would do it, kill the boy, the kind kind boy who would even accept it as necessary, who trusts Jake to be the good guy even as the man holds a knife to his throat...who just cares about being loved in the face of death....

But I love that Jake wasn't able to do it, that Neytiri was about to stop him, that they decided to not surrender who they are at their cores to the violence and cruelty of war. In the end that's all you can do as a person: live according to what you feel is right, stand up for it and give your all. Whether you win or not, going into that fight for all they believed in made them so incredibly strong.

Ronal and Neytiry growling at each other while helping each other is the funniest and sweetest thing ever. Ronal's death was brave and epic as her life and Neytiry's sharpness while offering her unconditional support and kindness was perfection.

Neytiry was so badass this movie. She always is but she got way too little screen time in A2; so this was a treat. From the air fights at the beginning to how she single-handedly freed Jake right from the heart of enemy steel strong-hold? Wow. She is the scariest, deadliest thing in Pandora and she loves Jake with that fierceness of hers and it's astonishing to watch.

Varang was super slick and creepy in the weirdest way, a great villain with charisma you love to hate. So believably insane, so good at being horrible. Quaritch and her truly suit each other. Evil meet evil in kinky power connection.

The parallels between Quaritch and Jake are much more evident. Jake is trying to let him see the world opening up before him, but there is certain charm to Quaritch insisting he never betray the human side, purposefully closing his eyes. The guy longs for destruction, much more drawn to the blood-thristy Varang then to Jake and the peaceful Na'vi ways, lol. But he has several likable moments and his initiative, illogical care for Spider is disarming in many ways. I wish he could come over to their side, be free of the "dead man's memories" at the same time the suffering he is willing to cause in his wake...yeah, it's a debatable topic.

[dailybigbro]

Today’s Big Bro (figure) is Wuxian from The Legend of Hei! He loves his little brother

[inbestigator]

Sanda

[anigst]

Hakuouki Movie 2: Shikon Soukyuu (2014)

[handmeabook]

Worth the watch some seriously good whump

[anigst]

Right now, I'm.... This spot.... is so warm. His back is so broad. It's so reassuring.

Enen no Shouboutai - S03E07

bonus:

[animewhumpydoo]

Holy moly it has been awhile since I posted. There hasn’t been a lot of whump lately. Anyways I’ve been watching sonic prime so here is this awesome video of shadow saving his husband sonic :)

Sadly there is no after care though 😭

[aceofwhump]

@whumpgifathon | Day 2: "Fever"

My New Boss Is Goofy, 1x05, Aigo Kinjou

[anigst]

Free!: The Final Stroke

[dangermousie]

I had fun rewatching the first ep of Healer but then I rewatched the first ep of Last Scandal (aka Last Scandal of My Life) and I remember loving it when it aired, over 15 years ago, but now I am a lot older and it hits somehow harder because of it.

The premise of LSoML, starring Choi Jin Shil and Jung Joon Ho is simple. Sun Hee and Jae Bin were high school sweethearts whose relationship did not work out. Now it's 20 years later and Sun Hee is an overburdened housewife to a useless, cheating husband and mother to a daughter. Months away from 40 she is no longer the beauty she used to be and in fact has just discovered that under stress of her not-too-happy life she is hitting menopause early. Not so fun. Jae Bin, meanwhile, has changed his name, shaved 8 years off his age (he claims to be 32) and became a famous actor. The two accidentally meet again which comes in handy for Sun Hee as her husband is thrown in jail for debt and Sun Hee turns to the only wealthy individual she knows - Jae Bin - for help. He has no romantic interest in her but he does hire her as his housekeeper. Only…living in the same house might lead to those old feelings not being so buried after all.

I think the reason it hits so hard is because I am older and this drama is both clear eyed (in a non preachy, subtle way) about the different trajectories men and women go on as they get older and society's attitudes towards them (Sun Hee is viewed as over the hill, dried up husk, a woman who's given up on any personal happiness; her finding out she's hitting early menopause is horror but then resigned "I can save money on period supplies at least;" meanwhile Jae Bin is viewed as in his prime and is the idol and sex symbol of multitudes), but also because it's really a second chance romance - both of them have never truly had love since their high school days and they both get to discover and rediscover their youth and love and second chances and it's so lovely.

It's a romcom in the old style of kdrama romcoms - where the early parts make you laugh but later parts make you bawl and some scenes still live on repeat in my head years later. And the switch starts early - a true drama hook so to speak, with the scene at the end of ep 2. Before that, it was all funny-cartoonish in a very appealing way: a slightly self-absorbed and immature star, a loud and hectic housewife etc etc. Even when it had some very serious undercurrents (SH has a deeply unsatisfactory life - her husband is useless, her mother in law and his family are bitches, and he's in jail ruining any family stability, and is also planning to ditch her etc) it sort of played it off with high energy hijinks and not anything deeper. Which is fine, of course.

But what really got me was the scene at the end of ep 2 because it was both funny and, somehow, deeply sad. Because SH has come to JB's house with the intention of sleeping with him for money. At an earlier meeting, he tried to get out of a sticky situation with her (he doesn't really want to hang out with her as her looks have gone from the time they were 19, she is married, and she can reveal his true age to the public etc etc) by telling her the reason they should never see each other again because he has still not gotten over her dumping him 20 years ago and when he sees her he just wants her and would spend all he money he has to make her his blah blah. There are worse ways to dump someone, even if his 'niceness' is also motivated by not wanting to get her mad so she'd spill his secrets to the media.

But she gets really desperate - her daughter is trying to reject tuition money so as to pay the debt, her husband is in jail, she has no resorts at all. So she steels herself and comes over to JB's house and tells him she needs money, enough to bail her husband out, and then, as he sits there, literally too stunned to say anything - his mouth is moving and nothing is coming out - she drops her dress and is left in a negligee. And yes it's very very funny - he looks like a fish out of water - but it's also very very sad because she is clearly at the end of her rope and you see how she is steeling herself. And the contrast between them is both funny and tragic in itself - they are such an incompatible pair - she is a frizzly, decidedly uncute housewife who looks her age, and he is a hunky hunky man familiar with botox - her belief in his earlier words when she is so ostensibly out of his league (I bet he could get plenty hot and plastic 20-year-olds if he wanted) is both heartbreaking and funny. And it makes me giggle but also really really want to cry.

Ultimately, the story works because under her shrill neurosis and his goofy immaturity are two lovely, wounded, gentle souls and to see them - middle aged people over the hill blah blah blah - rediscover that loveliness and gentleness and getting a second wind is just AAAA

[whump-side]

Lazarus - Episode 12

[frostfires-blog]

✦✴Top 10 2024 Anime✴✦

So, surprisingly, this option was the winner of this poll that I did a few weeks ago... I wanted to put this out sooner, but I got caught up with other things.

Overall, I added 49 new entries to MyAnimeList in 2024... This might not seem like much to most of you, but it was considerable considering I'm pretty picky. The fact that 47% of the series were newly airing anime was surprising—particularly compared to the 24% from the previous year—as I typically only watch subsequent seasons and marathon series that have already been released.

*P.S. I included all anime that finished airing in 2024 even if they started in 2023 (e.g. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) but didn't include anime that are still airing in 2025 even if they started airing in 2024 (e.g. Ao no Hako) since that's typically how the official anime awards handles things... I also opted to include anime that I started and completed in 2024 even if they didn't originally air in 2024. I also didn't include any sequel seasons, only new series.

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-> Honorable Mentions:

⦁ Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou desu / The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent

⦁ Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai / A Condition Called Love

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

-> Top 10 New 2024 Anime:

10) Goukon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi / How I Attended an All-Guys Mixer

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Kaichou wa Maid-sama!, Romantic Killer & Kiss Him Not Me! Although this series is not for everyone—considering its unconventional premise—its balanced blend of comedy, romance, and slice-of-life elements make it an enjoyable and wholesome watch. The series' superb voice acting, simplicity, and colourful array of relatable characters are its key strengths. While it does not have a lot of depth, its unique premise allows it to subvert several classic tropes—making the series feel refreshingly nostalgic.

09) Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi / The Elusive Samurai

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Akatsuki no Yona, Gintama, Kemono Jihen & Kimetsu no Yaiba While at first glance this anime appears to be a typical action-adventure shounen series—its art direction, tone, and humour are incredibly distinct. This series also challenges the conventional notion of a hero by substituting brute strength with agility and keen instincts. This anime balances its brutal historical setting—which is rife with war and political power struggles—with its anachronistic, self-aware comedy. Another strong point is its dynamic character design and natural synergy between its vibrant cast. The series' kaleidoscopic and mind-bending visuals are a testament to its creativity and distinctiveness—as it skillfully employs colour, imagery, and symbolism to enhance its allure and tone.

08) Kaijuu 8-gou / Kaijuu No. 8

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Attack on Titan & Jujutsu Kaisen Firstly, I wanted to note that #09 and #08 are completely interchangeable—I just thought it would be funny to place Kaijuu No. 8 in 8th place haha. This series follows an organisation that uses strength, wits and technology to defend Japan by fighting monstrous creatures called Kaiju. At its heart, this series is simple yet entertaining classic battle shounen anime. Its strong points are its amazing soundtrack, quirky characters and clever cliffhangers. While I wished it explored its setting, themes and characters more thoroughly—its high-paced action sequences were very satisfying. (P.S. Hoshina lives in my head rent-free.)

07) Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu suru / 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion & The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent Once again, #07 and #06 are interchangeable—I just thought it would be funny to place 7th Time Loop in 7th place. Don't let this series' ridiculously long title deter you—if you're a fan of shojosei historical fantasy romance, then I'd highly recommend it. This series captivated me with its compelling blend of romance, drama, and mystery—in addition to its dynamic animation and music. The narrative follows our heroine—who is stuck in a seemingly endless time loop—through her 7th life. Using her vast array of skills from her past lives, she endeavours to stop the war that inevitably claims her life by becoming the fiancee of the man who will start it. The series' protagonist is compelling, capable, and confident—while the male lead is mysterious, complex, and captivating. The series' strong points are its complex characters, compelling narrative, and the strong chemistry between its main couple.

06) Yubisaki to Renren: A Sign of Affection

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Kimi Ni Todoke & Ao Haru Ride This series follows its protagonist, Yuki, as she navigates everyday life and relationships with a hearing disability. This anime conveys that there is beauty in simplicity, striking a great balance between depicting the perspective of a deaf protagonist and portraying a sincere and authentic romance. The series' meticulous attention to detail is especially noteworthy—particularly in its use of colour, imagery, sound, and body language to adequately convey emotions and subtleties, thereby allowing the viewer to fully engage with the characters' differing perspectives. Another commendable aspect of the series is that it recognises Yuki's challenges without excessively embellishing or romanticising them. We not only witness the beginnings of a heartfelt romance between Yuki and Itsuomi as they gradually learn to communicate with each other—but also develop an appreciation of the value of human connection and exposure to various languages and cultures. If you're looking for a cosy slice-of-life romance series, then I'd recommend this series.

05) Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai / Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master

Check this out if you're a fan of: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, Kokyuu no Karasu & Mo Dao Zu Shi This series is arguably the most underrated anime of 2024. This series is an enthralling blend of historical fantasy, mystery, drama, and action set in a universe where mystical shape-shifting ravens are embroiled in an intricate political power struggle. This anime's selling points are its carefully crafted multi-layered narrative, characters, and world-building—which collectively create an incredibly immersive and compelling viewing experience. This series does a great job of playing with the viewer's perceptions of characters throughout the series as they encounter substantial moral and emotional and moral obstacles. Its unpredictability stems from not only its originality but also its well-executed twists and complex character interactions—which force viewers to consistently reassess alliances and plot points. If you're looking for a compelling and multidimensional series with fluid action sequences, stellar music, and captivating aesthetics—then look no further.

04) Hoshifuru Oukoku no Nina / Nina the Starry Bride

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Akatsuki no Yona, Kaizouku Oujo & Fushigi Yugi Although this series seems like another retake of the classic rags-to-riches romance—it is an enthralling blend of drama, romance, and historical fantasy. While many complain that this anime does not bring anything revolutionary to the genre, I do not believe it needs to. Its selling points are not its originality, but rather its endearing characters, stunning designs and fantastical setting. This series is both nostalgic and engaging while refraining from being overly reliant on classic tropes—demonstrating that a tried-and-true formula can be effective without feeling unimaginative. Although love triangles typically possess a negative connotation within the anime community—this series employs the trope to enhance our comprehension of the primary characters, advance the plot, and fuel character development, rather than to force the main pairing together or introduce superfluous drama and miscommunication. I haven't seen a love triangle this compelling and unpredictable in anything else besides Chihayafuru, Fruits Basket and Who Made Me A Princess. Ultimately your enjoyment of this series will be heavily influenced by how much you care about its characters and genre. So ,I'd only recommend it if you're a fan of shoujosei historical, fantasy romance. That being said, I'm very excited to read the manga, which from what I've seen is much better-paced and more detailed than the anime.

03) Wind Breaker

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Tokyo Revengers, Jujutsu Kaisen and Tsurune This series centres around a group of delinquents at an all-boys school that have banded together to protect their town and its people from nearby thugs. It is generally critiqued for its simplistic story, but I believe it is another example of how simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. The series' best attributes are its character development, character interactions, animation, pacing and character design. What differentiates Wind Breaker from many other series is that it is equally as emotionally resonant as it is action-packed addressing several relevant themes such as isolation, discrimination, self-discovery, camaraderie, acceptance, redemption and integrity. The series' lack of fantastical elements augments its emotional resonance by adding a degree of sincerity and realness. The series' exceptional voice acting, complex characters and authentic character interactions further add to its resonance. I'm incredibly excited to see how much more the characters will grow in the upcoming sequel season...

02) Sousou no Frieren / Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Fumetsu no Anata e & Violet Evergarden I have to start this off by admitting that I obstinately avoided watching this series until around five months after it finished airing—only relenting after discovering my favourite seiyuu cast in it—because I allowed my prejudices to obscure my judgment. I obviously regret being so petty now and want to take this as a lesson going forward and hope you guys will learn from my mistakes too. Although Frieren seems like another archetypal action-fantasy series with an OP protagonist—there is so much more to the series. After having watched it I was honestly surprised at its popularity given its focus on sentiments, subtleties and symbolism rather than action. The series presents us with its primary recurring themes from the very beginning: the value of forging relationships, the purpose of life, and the gravity of goodbyes. Through these themes the series imparts to us the message that life is short thus we should strive to live in the moment and embrace every connection and small happenstance. Sousou no Frieren is one of the anime series that has the potential to shift your approach to how you choose to live your life, as a result of this message. Aside from its thematic richness and emotional resonance, the series boasts incredible animation, music, and voice acting along with compelling characters and fluid battles. An understated part of the series is how tactfully it handles its heavy themes, without making an overt spectacle out of them but rather maintaining a consistent melancholic tone.

01) Kusuriya no Hitorigoto / The Apothecary Diaries

> Check this out if you're a fan of: Kokyuu no Karasu, Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai, Sauinkoku Monogatari & Akagami no Shirayuki-hime I'm sure no one is shocked that this series is at number one, given that I've written three hanakotoba posts about it and it made my top ten favourite series and top fifteen favourite female characters lists. In many respects, this series feels like a breath of fresh air, yet it still retains a sense of nostalgia. At its core, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is a blend of mystery, drama, comedy and historical romance. The series follows Maomao, our protagonist, as she utilises her analytical mind and knowledge of various medicines, plants and poisons to fulfil tasks and solve mysteries in Imperial China's Rear Palace. This series differentiates itself from many other series in the mystery genre by resolving its cases through the application of worldly knowledge—which just is not commonplace given its historic and secluded setting—rather than in a pretentious or cryptic manner. This does not detract from Maomao's intelligence, but it does give the series a grounded and authentic atmosphere that other mystery series lack. Much of the series' appeal stems from its dynamic cast—particularly its compelling yet flawed protagonist whose personality is defined by the juxtaposing qualities of cautiousness and curiosity. Although the series starts with episodic mysteries, it gradually unravels into a more complex overarching mystery allowing its characters and narrative to naturally evolve—thus highlighting the series' pacing as one of its strong points. The series' immersive ambience and aesthetics are not only the result of its careful integration of Chinese cultural elements but also its skilled application of colour, lighting, and music to convey various connotations to the viewer. My favourite aspect of the series is its deft integration of numerous flowers as visual motifs for different characters and story arcs. The integration of floriography not only complements the series—considering Maomao's expertise with plants and herbs—but also augments its richness and immersiveness, highlighting the series' meticulous production.

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P.S. I've posted two polls centred around this post. If you want to participate here are the links: Part 1 │Part 2

[ayeforscotland]

Ireland is coming to the end of a three year pilot of Basic Income for Artists.

2000 artists received €325 a week for three years, and every euro paid to participants resulted in society receiving €1.39 in return.

Artists’ earnings from their art increased, there were more cultural activities and events and there were, unsurprisingly, huge leaps in participants’ psychological wellbeing.

[alishuuwu]

 That’s not fair, Minato. I can’t exactly leave you waiting now, can I?

[userfrieren]

Nobody dislikes receiving support.

[athanora]

oh my god....... OH MY GOD

[iluvluvnutella]

Akatsuki no Yona Character Popularity Poll Results:

Hak

Yona

Suwon

Jae-ha

Zeno

Kija

Shin-Ah

Yun

Pukyuu Ao

Lili

Taejun

Judo

Keishuk

Kusanagi Mizuho

Mundok

Kouren

Taewoo

Algira

Tetora

Meinyan