#rec 193

[guessthatrec-poll]

Guess That Rec Season 4: FINAL POLL

Which sounds more appealing?

#193

#228

Voting ended onJun 27

Rec #193

aren't you just SICK of all cool adventure media having romantic subplots? aren't you TIRED of so many popular series only having boring, cishet and white characters? well, this indie series, set in an incredibly creative medieval fantasy-esque world that completely takes advantage of its worldbuilding, not only has no romance in it whatsoever, but also has all different kinds of queer and poc representation! two of the protagonists are poc, and many important members of the accompanying cast are similarly minorities in some way, with none of that being portrayed as their whole personality! it's all about adventures and relationships between characters, with no romantic focus whatsoever, but lots of complicated dynamics (including friends to enemies, enemies to friends, mentorships, betrayals, alliances, secret identities, platonic yandere behaviour, and more)!!! not to mention the sheer amount of diverse mental health representation - with one of the main characters beind adhd-coded and another having implied ocd, as well as a few of the side characters being confirmed neurodivergent by their actors! the length of the show may be a little daunting, but it's worth binging for supporting independent creators and appreciating good representation, especially in a genre and media type where that's rare to come by.

Rec #228

Do you want an epic, decades-long fantasy story about a diverse group of unlikely and resilient heroes, a group without a single member who isn't either a POC, queer, or neurodivergent (or at least heavily implied to be one of those)? How about a story with multiple physically disabled characters in important roles, including one who gives crucial aid to the protagonists and one who serves as a terrifyingly effective villain? Do you want to see these characters grow and change and reveal new sides of themselves, and rise to a challenge that at first seems utterly beyond their abilities? Do you want to see a unique fantasy world with deep worldbuilding, rendered in an incredible art style, with a purposefully chosen blend of historical and modern fantasy elements (and careful justification for what might seem out of place)? Do you want a story that questions the assumptions of other fantasy settings and takes them to pieces? (The results can be brutal - but absolutely worth it!) A story that tackles authoritarianism, bigotry, religion (and its costs), sexism, gender, and more - all without letting the narrative get so dark and heavy that it loses sight of its idealistic goals? Do you want a story about defying death, fate, and the gods themselves - about changing a supposedly unchangeable world in the face of overwhelming odds? Then you want this media!

[guessthatrec-poll]

Guess That Rec Season 4: Round 4, Poll 1

Which sounds more appealing?

#193

#208

Voting ended onApr 26

Rec #193

aren't you just SICK of all cool adventure media having romantic subplots? aren't you TIRED of so many popular series only having boring, cishet and white characters? well, this indie series, set in an incredibly creative medieval fantasy-esque world that completely takes advantage of its worldbuilding, not only has no romance in it whatsoever, but also has all different kinds of queer and poc representation! two of the protagonists are poc, and many important members of the accompanying cast are similarly minorities in some way, with none of that being portrayed as their whole personality! it's all about adventures and relationships between characters, with no romantic focus whatsoever, but lots of complicated dynamics (including friends to enemies, enemies to friends, mentorships, betrayals, alliances, secret identities, platonic yandere behaviour, and more)!!! not to mention the sheer amount of diverse mental health representation - with one of the main characters beind adhd-coded and another having implied ocd, as well as a few of the side characters being confirmed neurodivergent by their actors! the length of the show may be a little daunting, but it's worth binging for supporting independent creators and appreciating good representation, especially in a genre and media type where that's rare to come by.

Rec #208

Do unique takes on the Greek gods interest you? Loving homages to CRT-era television? Intense deconstruction of Catholicism? Road trips through apocalyptic settings? Doomed romance that could end in CANNIBALISM? If so, you’ll HAVE to check out [TITLE], a serialized multimedia story with an ensemble cast of diverse characters! (For those worried about hiatuses or cancellations, don’t worry– it has reached a conclusion!).

And while the government-defying found family is compelling, this story’s greatest strength is EASILY its worldbuilding. It’s solarpunk meets retrofuturism meets cottagecore with a dash of disco! The implications of the alternate history are thought-out in such detail that even the designs of postage stamps are considered. And of course, there’s still plenty of fantastical elements (for all of you romantasy lovers~)-- otherworldly storms and abandoned technologies of the past!

[guessthatrec-poll]

Guess That Rec Season 4: Round 1, Poll 1

Which sounds more appealing?

#193

#194

Voting ended onFeb 28

Rec #193

aren't you just SICK of all cool adventure media having romantic subplots? aren't you TIRED of so many popular series only having boring, cishet and white characters? well, this indie series, set in an incredibly creative medieval fantasy-esque world that completely takes advantage of its worldbuilding, not only has no romance in it whatsoever, but also has all different kinds of queer and poc representation! two of the protagonists are poc, and many important members of the accompanying cast are similarly minorities in some way, with none of that being portrayed as their whole personality! it's all about adventures and relationships between characters, with no romantic focus whatsoever, but lots of complicated dynamics (including friends to enemies, enemies to friends, mentorships, betrayals, alliances, secret identities, platonic yandere behaviour, and more)!!! not to mention the sheer amount of diverse mental health representation - with one of the main characters beind adhd-coded and another having implied ocd, as well as a few of the side characters being confirmed neurodivergent by their actors! the length of the show may be a little daunting, but it's worth binging for supporting independent creators and appreciating good representation, especially in a genre and media type where that's rare to come by.

Rec #194

In this critically acclaimed piece of media about taking action against climate change, you'll also find an inspiring message about being true to yourself - and it's an especially emotional experience for queer people of all varieties! There's plenty of LGBTQ+, POC, neurodivergent, and fat rep and/or coding here - as well as a major, positively portrayed character with a background in sex work! While there are some sobering depictions of misogyny and toxic masculinity, homophobia and transphobia, ableism, and fatphobia, there are at least as many depictions of these diverse characters happily living their best lives, not to mention striving together to achieve justice for their community! There's also biting critique of the police, patriarchy, and the way they intersect, as the narrative demonstrates the damaging effect these have on the lives of people of all identities. Strong female characters, childhood-friends-to-lovers, killing cops - it's a dream come true for anyone who wants to reimagine mainstream media from the inside out!

[guessthatrec-poll]

Guess That Rec Season 4: Semifinal Poll 1

Which sounds more appealing?

#193

#215

Voting ended onMay 10

Rec #193

aren't you just SICK of all cool adventure media having romantic subplots? aren't you TIRED of so many popular series only having boring, cishet and white characters? well, this indie series, set in an incredibly creative medieval fantasy-esque world that completely takes advantage of its worldbuilding, not only has no romance in it whatsoever, but also has all different kinds of queer and poc representation! two of the protagonists are poc, and many important members of the accompanying cast are similarly minorities in some way, with none of that being portrayed as their whole personality! it's all about adventures and relationships between characters, with no romantic focus whatsoever, but lots of complicated dynamics (including friends to enemies, enemies to friends, mentorships, betrayals, alliances, secret identities, platonic yandere behaviour, and more)!!! not to mention the sheer amount of diverse mental health representation - with one of the main characters beind adhd-coded and another having implied ocd, as well as a few of the side characters being confirmed neurodivergent by their actors! the length of the show may be a little daunting, but it's worth binging for supporting independent creators and appreciating good representation, especially in a genre and media type where that's rare to come by.

Rec #215

Action. Science. Drama. Romance. This media has it all. Featuring the exploits of a brilliant, charismatic, polyamorous alien woman scientist, and a large, majority female supporting cast that ends up more like an ensemble cast with countless interlocking storylines. Other characters include a kind and caring non-combat-oriented male lead whose primary role is as a supporter and love interest to the women, several queer-coded and neurodivergent-coded characters, and even a canon genderfluid character. It blends soft science fiction with fantasy elements to create a world of strange and compelling alien creatures, dangerous alien overlords, powerful biologically engineered lifeforms bent on destruction, and wild and improbable hi-tech gadgets causing chaos. It's known for pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the genre, and there's also a sequel which is even more determined to go above and beyond in new and exciting ways. Don't miss it!

[guessthatrec-poll]

Guess That Rec Season 4: Round 3, Poll 1

Which sounds more appealing?

#193

#197

Voting ended onApr 5

Rec #193

aren't you just SICK of all cool adventure media having romantic subplots? aren't you TIRED of so many popular series only having boring, cishet and white characters? well, this indie series, set in an incredibly creative medieval fantasy-esque world that completely takes advantage of its worldbuilding, not only has no romance in it whatsoever, but also has all different kinds of queer and poc representation! two of the protagonists are poc, and many important members of the accompanying cast are similarly minorities in some way, with none of that being portrayed as their whole personality! it's all about adventures and relationships between characters, with no romantic focus whatsoever, but lots of complicated dynamics (including friends to enemies, enemies to friends, mentorships, betrayals, alliances, secret identities, platonic yandere behaviour, and more)!!! not to mention the sheer amount of diverse mental health representation - with one of the main characters beind adhd-coded and another having implied ocd, as well as a few of the side characters being confirmed neurodivergent by their actors! the length of the show may be a little daunting, but it's worth binging for supporting independent creators and appreciating good representation, especially in a genre and media type where that's rare to come by.

Rec #197

Welcome to a fancy getaway in [MEDIA]! We invite you to celebrate a party after the fact, once you get past the spoilery-yet-completely-essential intro (and title) that sets up some tantalizing questions you'll be thinking on for the entire experience. Get to know your hosts and fellow guests (including some compellingly-written female characters), but it'll be difficult, some of them don't spend as much time in the party compared to others, some might as well be ghosts that no one knows, and some have skeletons in the closet (no, none of them are in the closet, but a guy gets literally locked in one). What, no one likes what's happening at this party? A shame the weather is so bad that everyone has to stay here. After all, you can't miss seeing the others' reactions, unveiled secrets, smoking guns, and that one recurring song. And don't skip the ending, even if it's a tricky one! It'll leave you with a lot to chew on.

[guessthatrec-poll]

Guess That Rec Season 4: Round 2, Poll 1

Which sounds more appealing?

#193

#196

Voting ended onMar 22

Rec #193

aren't you just SICK of all cool adventure media having romantic subplots? aren't you TIRED of so many popular series only having boring, cishet and white characters? well, this indie series, set in an incredibly creative medieval fantasy-esque world that completely takes advantage of its worldbuilding, not only has no romance in it whatsoever, but also has all different kinds of queer and poc representation! two of the protagonists are poc, and many important members of the accompanying cast are similarly minorities in some way, with none of that being portrayed as their whole personality! it's all about adventures and relationships between characters, with no romantic focus whatsoever, but lots of complicated dynamics (including friends to enemies, enemies to friends, mentorships, betrayals, alliances, secret identities, platonic yandere behaviour, and more)!!! not to mention the sheer amount of diverse mental health representation - with one of the main characters beind adhd-coded and another having implied ocd, as well as a few of the side characters being confirmed neurodivergent by their actors! the length of the show may be a little daunting, but it's worth binging for supporting independent creators and appreciating good representation, especially in a genre and media type where that's rare to come by.

Rec #196

This heartwarming story that celebrates strength in diversity stars a visitor from outer space who joins the struggle to achieve justice for marginalized people and cultures, bringing a unique perspective of their own to human affairs. The story has strong themes of principled resistance and civil disobedience, and it features fierce critiques of many different oppressive power structures, including imperialism, colonialism, racism, and classism. Even better, the narrative is almost entirely focused on peoples and cultures of color from all over the world, including multiple POC members of the main cast! Also, one of the main cast is both mentally and physically disabled (but portrayed positively and shown to be highly effective despite their challenges), and several others have a refreshingly polyam-coded relationship that eschews trite love triangle plots at every opportunity. There's not much else like it, so give it a try - I promise you won't regret it!

[guessthatrec-poll]

Could #193 be 8-Bit Theater? I haven't ever read it so I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but Black Mage and Red Mage could be the "POC" protagonists, and the vibes seem right somehow. (Pretty questionable to claim that webcomics are a media type where representation is hard to come by, I guess, but I'm still guessing it just in case!)

Guess noted!