#penkind rambles

[owlrageousjones]

So an author in Australia recently got arrested over her book. If you're on booktok, you've probably heard about Tori Woods and her book, 'Daddy's Little Toy'.

It's... well, it's definitely not for everyone (definitely not for me). It's marketed as 'dark romance' with the MMC claiming he's been lusting after the FMC since she was three. Themes of grooming and such, but no actual sexual activity occurs until she's eighteen apparently. The author brands it DDLG style stuff, but others... disagree.

(I haven't read it, and I don't think I can even if I wanted to because it's been pulled from Amazon)

And so people reported her, and she got arrested because Australian Law is pretty fucking strict about 'CSAM' and what counts. It is, basically, illegal to portray or describe any kind of sexual activity involving someone under the age of 18 - exceptions are proscribed for things like 'artistic merit' but honestly, that's fucking stupid and shit, because it's very easy to argue where the line on 'merit' is.

The state of our laws on the matter are a joke and I do not trust the people who are meant to arbitrate them.

And I think the best and greatest counter example of how stupid our laws are isn't some classic literary story or anything, it's a little thing that happened about a decade ago.

A Tasmanian councilman got his laptop stolen - police retrieved it, searched it. Dunno exactly why they were searching, but they found the man's stash of porn still on it, which included the old Victorian-era magazine The Pearl (not to be confused with the Steinbeck novella). It was basically a collection of short, pornographic stories and one of which involved a twelve year old girl (which was considered of legal, consenting age at the time).

He got arrested, charged, convicted... and then it was overturned a few days later because - guess what! - you can still buy The Pearl in a book store! Harper Collins republished it in like 2008!

I'm not saying Daddy's Little Toy is the next Lolita, but I hope the charges get quashed and maybe we have an actual conversation about how stupid our censorship laws are.

But frankly... I'm doubtful anyone will be willing to have a sensible discourse on it.

[owlrageousjones]

Man, the KoG/Dana Terrace 'discourse' is... insane. It's over the mildest fucking response to a question.

People saying she 'rushed' or was 'hostile' or 'dismissive' and I just... struggle to see it. She was asked a question, she responded and then moved on.

[owlrageousjones]

One of the... funnier but also incredibly annoying parts of internet discourse is you can't actually say 'Nobody is saying (thing)!'

Because, I guaran-fucking-tee, someone is out there saying it right now. Multiple people even! Saying it with their whole chest! Some just to be inflammatory but some genuinely meaning it!

To use the recent dumpster fire as an example:

"Nobody is saying people with coprolalia should be excluded from society!" Yes they are.

"Nobody is saying MBJ and Delroy should just get over being called a slur!" Of course there are people saying that.

It feels like an extension of the rule where you come up with some ludicrous strawman and then someone walks up and says hello that is me, I am the strawman and my brain is full of straw.

[owlrageousjones]

Looking at a bunch yoshikaru fanart for TSHD all I can think is like...

A relationship between the eldritch/divine and the human where the human is the freaky one. Posing and themes where the monster is the one being consumed and the human is the one consuming.

Eating the flesh of the god to become closer to them as an act of worship and devotion.

The one on the altar waiting to be sacrificed is the divinity itself.

[owlrageousjones]

Forever obsessed with the nature of the world of SVSS, Shang Qinghua, Luo Binghe and Mobei Jun.

Like... he created it! Designed it! Everything in it was his idea! His brainchild! Sure, some of it got more thought and effort than others, but still!

And there in this world he created, the protagonist lives - quite literally God's Specialest Little Boy. Created to be appealing, to be not perfect but the Most Special Person Ever. It would not be boasting or vanity if Luo Binghe declared he was the most important person in the world because he kind of literally is.

In this world where someone is quite literally The Most Favoured by God there is also God's Perfect Man and they are not the same person.

Airplane really created his ideal man and thought 'He shouldn't be the protagonist though' and honestly? Respect. I can't decide if it's because his ideal man would not be a protagonist of a story OR if it's just he didn't want to put that kind of responsibility on Mobei Jun.

Airplane made Binghe for the audience to love, and then made Mobei Jun just for himself. As a treat.

[owlrageousjones]

Okay hot take: I don't think Dave's character has been changed fundamentally in the Pilot. Is he a lot more expressive than he was in the comic? Yes. But I think it's still irony poisoned and layers of insincerity.

I think the image of the 'cool guy' has changed, and Hussie's just trying to make a more modern version of it. Rather than seeming aloof and apathetic, Dave gives off the air of constant 'Get a load of this guy' energy. No actual sincere expression of feelings or emotions, just jokes and deflections.

[owlrageousjones]

I had a silly thought.

One day in the future, once everything has settled and been dealt with (or as settled and dealt with as it ever could be in Europa), Agatha will likely have children to continue the Heterodyne line.

But in order to ensure a sense of balance and equality between her paramours, she uses SCIENCE! to influence the child's genetics, so that it's a mix of hers, Gil's and Tarvek's, possibly in a distinct form of Chimerism or just some weird mix.

And then my thoughts got derailed on what the 'appropriate' mix of genetics would be - should it be equal? Should Agatha's take precedence and be a full 50% and the remainder split between Tarvek and Gil?

Also did any other Heterodynes ever do weird shit like that to their kids? It doesn't seem like it.

[owlrageousjones]

Okay, so whilst rereading the page and studying the designs in more detail (and I love the designs so much), I think I caught something I missed originally: it seems like the Twelve Black Saint-Councillor Generals are, in true shonen anime fashion, incorporating their rank numbers into their designs.

The most obvious one was Troll, whose got her ten on a sticker on her laptop, but then I realised Barrister's nose kind of looked like a one, especially if you factor in his mouth as a base and Bea's ear looks like a three.

I feel like I miiiiight be reaching for the others I've noticed; Bishop sort of looks like his sitting position mirrors a four; Pompom's hairtie looks like it could be an eight?; Diva and Roxy look like they might have numbers in their ears as well (although guitars usually have six strings as well).

I wasn't able to draw any conclusions regarding the others numbers and any references although I'll bet that Titan's jersey number is 05.