#rewatch challenge

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Pit Babe (ep. 1-2), A Post that Started Messy but Turned Into One About the Colors

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch my favorite shows, my least-favorite shows, and some shows in between. After a few days of trying to figure out what to start with, I pulled Pit Babe out of a bowl (yes, I literally wrote each show on a piece of paper, put them in a bowl, mixed them around, and pulled a title because I couldn't decide).

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming. You've been warned.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Background

I watched Pit Babe as it aired last year because racing alphas, betas, and omegas sounded like some chaotic sorority collage show that could possibly tickle my fancy (I had no idea what omegaverse was back then, so excuse my idiocy, lol). Little did I know I was walking into a world where dudes could, theoretically, get pregnant? (Again, excuse my lack of knowledge of that world.)

Setting that aside, though... Besides Pavel looking all fine and tasty and me being on a high from hearing Nut's voice again (there's just something about that slight rasp of his voice that gets me every time), it became a chaotic wild ride I enjoyed so thoroughly that I gave it a 7/10.

Will I change my rating after this rewatch? Who knows. I'm more interested to see how much of it my currently fucked up memory has forgotten already.

Anyway... Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go! (I clearly haven't forgotten the song, though...)

Episode 1

We are back with the neon colored intro!

I'm already vibing with this because I'm such a slut for neon lights!

I'm always talking about how neutral I am when it comes to characters. But teams are a whole other thing. And I'm all for X-Hunter here.

Not because of Dean because all I want to do is kick his shins, lol. But blue is one of my favorite colors, and I'm a simple girl. Give me blue (or purple, pink, and especially all of those in neon) and I'm in heaven.

But, let's get back to the show, shall we?

Which is when...

The sniffing begins! I approve.

Oh, look:

It's Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. (Every time I hear Winner's name or see him on my screen, my mind goes: "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" for some reason. So, I'll obviously continue with that, lol.)

Excuse me as I obsess about these reddish/pinkish neon lights for a moment because... just look how pretty that light is on both of them!

The way it enhances their beauty. The way it symbolizes both Babe and Charlie's naivety (yes, Babe is naive too since he trusts Charlie so fast even though Charlie has a hidden reason for being there) and that someone is lying or withholding information.

But if we ignore all of that for a moment and just look at the light... It's so fucking pretty!

But, again, I'm a slut for neon lights, so I might be biased and over-obsessing about it, lol.

The Way I'm laughing at this bitch, though:

Way is feeling Way more threatened than he would like to admit. (Btw, that red light covering some of Way's reflection in the image above and shining behind him in the image below made me think about lightsabers and Darth Vader. And it's justified.)

Way, my sweet lovesick cinnamon bun (I don't know, that just came to mind as I'm eating one at the moment, lol), your Way will never be Babe's Way. Babe's Way is turning in another direction.

In this direction, to be specific:

I guess he just smells better.

You know what? I'll also change my Way in this post. Because...

That red light above is literally glaring at me to make sure I notice it and what it wants to communicate to me. And, since I haven't written about the colors in the shows I'm watching for a while now, I might just turn this rewatch into posts with word vomits about the colors in the show...

Yes?

Yes.

So, let's rewind for a bit.

The show has already established that it's the red team, Red Racing, against the blue team, X-Hunter. To put it in rough strokes, the red team is the bad side with Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, and the blue team is the good side with Babe and Alan (I won't include Way here because of the red that follows him around, and since I've already watched this show once before, my choice to exclude him are justified).

On the blue side: We've already seen Babe in blue. We've also seen Charlie in blue, but he's not on the team yet, he's only trying to fit in at this point (because he has his red moments too!). Alan is blue, and Dean is blue (for now).

On the red side: We've seen Winner Winner Chicken Dinner–I mean, besides his racing overalls and car, look at that image above from the bar and you can see the red details on his jacket and the red light behind him. Does that red light look familiar? It should since I wrote about a similar light crossing over and showing up behind Way in the images above. So, if you ever felt off about Way, the colors were telling you that you were right to feel that Way, even though Way's on the blue team.

AnyWay...

This crossing of colors happens a lot. A lot. So come with me into the second episode and more of the crossing of these two colors (and perhaps some additional colors will pop up as well? We'll see...).

Episode 2

On the subject of the red team. Let me introduce the major(?) investor:

Surrounded by all that red. Interestingly, there are spots of blue as well (there's a car and some signs in the background, and the reporter's microphone as well as a band he has around his neck). And let's not ignore Tony's clothes. The suit looks like it's dark blue and the tie is definitely blue. He's trying to pose as someone he's not. But he never fooled me! That man is a walking, talking, charming problem investing in a red team that suits his fiery temperament!

And then we're switching over to the blue team, where the pool table's mat is in the right color.

But even here, there are red details (like the machines, or whatever, in the background and the balls on the table), showing that the line between blue and red is crossed on both sides. And I'm not just talking about the colors crossing in the different teams' garages, I'm referring to the characters in those teams as well (if you've seen the show and noticed the colors, you know what I mean).

The only ones we can be sure of are Alan, who is the owner of X-Hunter and loyal to the blue, Tony who is investing in Red Racing and hides his psychopathic tendencies behind a calm and peaceful facade once in a while (or perhaps more often than I remember? We'll see...), and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner who will always stick to his true color (good for him).

Everyone else seems to be mixing the blue and the red. Babe, for example, had a red past.

The same goes for Way, Charlie, and Jeff (which we're getting hints of, and I'll show them throughout these posts).

Also, Way just used his manipulation power. This is the first time we get to see it, already in episode 2.

You know, it's funny that I was more sus about Way during my first watch of this show than I ever was about Charlie. But I think Way's manipulating Ways/power was what made me unable to fully trust him.

Charlie, on the other hand... How can someone as cute as this:

Hurt anyone?

Okay... How can someone as cute as Charlie be manipulative?

Ehm... How can someone as cute as Charlie have an evil bone in his body...

Fine, I give up!

Charlie is sus... (But he's harmless.)

Yes, he has red in him too. But I'll get to that in a bit because first, Jeff is introduced while drinking a red drink and arriving at the X-Hunter garage dressed in blue carrying a red bag:

He's walking the same line between red and blue just like Charlie (and Babe and Way).

Also, both the red and the blue show up when Jeff and Charlie are discussing why Jeff applied for the job at X-Hunter.

And if that wasn't dropping enough hints, Charlie is framed with the red and blue at the gym.

And while he's fighting Kim, they're both on a blue (and red) mat with red velcro on their gloves:

These boys are all over the place (color-wise and on the floor) and I'm loving it! Nothing is red or blue here (well, except Alan, Tony even though he's trying to hide it, and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner). Nothing is black or white, and I love stories like that. You're not quite sure about any of these boys because they're all hiding stuff and making secret plans.

The only difference with Charlie, though, is that even though the red is glaringly obvious around him...

He's still choosing the blue...

Loyalty isn't an issue for him when he's chosen whom to be loyal to.

Now, with all this said about the blue and red...

I still have no idea what's going on with these two idiots who seem to always mix red and blue...

And knowing where this show is going, I won't be able to figure it out this time either, lol.

Anyway... That's the end of the 2nd episode. And, because I've basically reached my 30-image limit (which Tumblr really needs to increase because this artist needs visual aids in my long-form posts about color!), I'm moving on to a separate post for the next (however many) episodes.

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Pit Babe (ep. 3) and the Colors

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, my least-favorite shows, and some shows in between.

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming. You've been warned.

My previous post: episodes 1-2.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Episode 3

After turning the previous post on the first two episodes into one about the colors in the show (because I've missed writing about the colors in the shows I watch), I will continue doing that in this one. I'll do it mostly to show how the creators wanted us to question everyone's words and actions, but also just to vibe with it. So, let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go!

I mostly wrote about the blue and red colors in the previous post, because those are everywhere, but, this episode starts off with my beautiful fallen angel in black:

Who wants to get his hands on Babe for his daddy.

But, even though Babe has a red past, he won't go back to that now that he's in his blue present.

And then we have these two, always in both blue and red (at least in these three first episodes), and I can't figure out why.

Besides vlogging, they have practically nothing to do with all the shit that's going on, lol.

But Jeff does. Here in his blue clothes and the red light behind him.

Don't ask me about the yellow (Jeff's shoelaces and the container he's eating from, but also some details in the background).

I can't remember if it shows up around him (and/or any of the others as well), but it might be an indication that he's cautious, which he clearly is since he's avoiding Alan's touch as much as he can due to his powers.

Then we see more red light on and around Babe and Way because they're the same(ish) with their red pasts. But the light is also between them like a barrier because Way knows they both have red pasts while Babe has no idea what Way is hiding.

Also, props to this shot where Way's reflection is framed in red.

And, do you know what mirrors/reflections symbolize? Duality and truth (among other things). Way was Way too sus from the beginning for me to trust anything that came out of his mouth, lol.

But rewatching it now makes me even more sus about him (even though I know what's to come).

The only one I could trust when I watched it the first time was Alan. And I still stand by that. Well, if he stops touching Jeff considering how uncomfortable Jeff seems. Please, Alan, learn to take a hint.

Anyway, moving on to this fucker who was trying to hold up a facade of being a good guy even in the past.

Even though he was completely different in private.

To the point where all his kids had to wear red too.

He definitely deserved the end he got. (In this season at least, because, the trailer of the 2nd season... What the fuck's going on there? Lol.)

Oh, look at this:

I found more yellow around Jeff! He even bumped into that blue thing with the yellow wires when running away from Alan kissing him on the head:

Even though Alan can't seem to take a hint, he did actually listen to Jeff's words to seek out the enemy of their enemy:

And what a fine enemy Pete is. So, is he wearing black or dark blue? I... *squints at the screen* Whatever...

If I remember correctly, Pete was usually wearing dark colors with some hints of blue throughout the show. He, obviously, also has a past with Tony (which I'm sure will reveal itself in pops of reds around him too, just like the other adopted sons), but I guess Pete hides it better than everyone else, lol.

Or, he's just trying to match my fallen angel Kenta. (I still wish they were endgame. Ah, well...)

And then we have Kim, who has the audacity to wear blue in his red-colored Red Racing team garage. I love this bitch.

And I love him even more for being a bitch towards Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (who is always showing his true color, arrogance).

Too bad Kim is naive enough to think that going to Tony (who is even more arrogant with his own portrait on the wall, not a family portrait of all the kids he's "adopted", just a portrait of himself) will help him reign in Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.

And what the fuck is going on with the green?! Money? Greed? Rot? All of them?

Anyway, we're moving on to one of my favorite scenes in the show:

Visible tattoo? Check.

Smelling? Check.

Kissing? Check.

Neck grabbing? Check.

Face touching? Check.

Rewatched it 4+ times? Check, check.

But my bliss doesn't last long because then we turn onto the Way of bullshit.

I mean, sure, Charlie still has some red on him while wearing blue...

But the yellow (why do I see so much yellow all of a sudden? lol) and the barriers between Babe and Way are more concerning considering these two are supposed to be best friends. And that should, ideally, mean no barriers, egotism, betrayal, and a cause for caution. But Way needs to put a distance between Babe and Charlie.

Fucking hell, the yellow is all around them.

And all around Way.

Run, Babe.

Run!

When I saw this show for the first time, I wanted him to run from Charlie too, or at the very least confront him about the truth. Especially when I saw that red car:

Sure, he's wearing a blue shirt, but the red on that car is an eyesore. At least press him a bit more about it, Babe. Or is his dick that good?

Thank heaven these two dumbasses are in blue though. About damn time!

I have no idea why there's been so much red on their bodies before this... And I know I haven't seen the end of the neon yellow yet. I know more of that is coming. These two are messes, which is why I love them. I can't figure them out, but I love them (just as much now as I did the first time).

Anyway, that's it for the 3rd episode.

I think I'll need to move on in a separate post because there is no way I'll be able to fit another episode in this one. Not since I only have a handful of images left until I reach the limit. (Come on, tumblr, give me more than only 30 images per post!)

So, let's move on to the 4th episode in another post.

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Pit Babe (ep. 6-7) and the Colors

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, my least-favorite shows, and some shows in between.

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming. You've been warned.

My previous post: episodes 1-2, episode 3, episodes 4-5.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Episode 6

We start this episode where we left off in the previous one, which means that Charlie still has that red detail on his racing overalls:

We've seen it before. But we've also seen him being loyal to Babe.

But, this bitch, though, with that red seat and line of the steering wheel:

He's switching sides faster than he can drive.

And when Dean chooses to accuse Alan of not valuing him after choosing Charlie to replace Babe in the team, Alan gets the most angry we've seen him so far:

This is the first time I've seen red on this man, but it's justified. Dean is being a spoiled brat and it will drive him to make idiot decisions.

Btw, is that red I see on Way's lighter?

The red on him is sneaky, but it is there.

Also, look at these moody brooders in black:

I wonder what a situationship or romantic relationship between these two would have been like. No, let's not go there.

Let's move on to Jeff instead. Here he is at the café and my hyper brain is wondering what the fuck to focus on:

The red title on the book/magazine and the red on his bag tattling about his past? The blue clothes that say something about his current loyalty? The yellow-ish/orange-ish cake that seems to follow him around (the color, not the cake, lol)? The pink drink and the pink light outside? And does that equal Alan's feelings in his attempt to get Jeff back with his Love Actually flashcard apology?

Anyway, they should just stop being idiots and hook up already! (I know they won't for a while longer, but can't a girl dream that the rewatch will be different? LOL!)

Also, I will defend Charlie until the end. I did it over on Twitter when the show was airing (before I had this tumblr) and I will do it now. But I have to admit that it's kind of annoying seeing that red follow him around!

Because all I see is Mr. Red's presence, and I don't like him.

And even though there's red in purple, look at that pretty purple-ish sky:

These boys are in love. Even Charlie, who is being secretive, came to X-Hunter to protect Babe because he thought that was the right thing to do. Isn't that a trait of a blue character through and through, though? Noble tendencies.

Either way, I love how the red and blue light appears in the frame when they're at Babe's special place and he asks Charlie to be his boyfriend.

And the way I fucking cackle every time Charlie brings up the whole children and Papa/Mama conversation.

(I needed a good laugh, so I watched that scene three times, lol.)

But, Sonic (even though he has some blue on the shirt under his jacket), what is up with the yellow?

No wonder Dean gets pissed.

The colors are all over the fucking place with these two!

And I'm saying this as a visual artist who reinvents myself ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME. It's a pain for my loved ones, and I feel sorry for them. So, this is my official apology to all the Deans in my life. I understand your pain. (But the only thing I won't change is how much I change.)

Anyway, moving on...

Babe comes out of the bar/diner with the blue light behind him.

And meets Jeff who has both the red on his bag and shirt mixed with the blue. After Babe apologizes for the behavior he displayed before he knew Charlie and Jeff were brothers, Jeff uses his power on Babe and freaks out.

His and Charlie's plan is about to take a sharp turn.

And, so is Babe and Charlie's relationship (very soon, at least) since the red is the big secret between them that will get exposed.

Unfortunately for Way, he's going to see exactly how upset Babe will get when Babe finds out about Charlie's red past.

It won't matter that he's crying in the blue...

Because Way has had a red past all along...

Babe will feel more betrayed by Way keeping his red past from him than he ever was for Charlie doing the same thing...

And, that's the end of the 6th episode. Let's move on to the next!

Episode 7

On the subject of Way and the red. I can't believe Babe accepted Way's red-flag tendencies...

Good friends don't make you feel that way, Babe.

Instead of crying in the blue at the end of the previous episode, Way is better off focusing on the man who doesn't care about his red past.

Mainly because Pete knows exactly who Way is and accepts him for who he is (red past and all). And because Pete has a red past of his own.

Even though he could hide that red strap of his watch under his blue jacket. What a sneaky (but pretty) man he is.

Anyway, let's move on to the truth about Charlie's past coming out. You know what I love about this, though? Charlie is sitting there in blue.

He's being loyal to Babe and X-Hunter right in front of Tony, who is finally drinking something red again (that greedy, rotting green was getting boring, lol).

And even though Babe is livid, which he has every right to be...

Charlie is loyal to Babe. He fucking showed up in front of his psycho adoptive father and flashed his loyalty left right and center.

He's even confronted in a blue room. But Babe is too angry to see the loyalty (understandable). Instead, he runs to Way who is keeping his own secrets about his affiliations with Tony.

But Charlie is persistent enough to seek Babe out and tell him the truth. And luckily for Charlie, Babe chooses to see Charlie's loyalty to him rather than the past connection with Tony.

Too bad for Way, though, who thought he and Babe were having dinner that night to celebrate that Babe was single again. But, showing up with a bouquet of red flowers tied together with a red ribbon...

I'm sorry, honey, but I can't see that as a gesture of love (usually associated with red). All I see are secrets, Tony, and Red Racing.

Bad choice of color, Way.

So, excuse Babe for standing you up.

He's busy riding Papa with that purple light shining in the background.

Babe is gone and won't go back. His purple phone says so.

But Sonic... What's with that fucking red?!

He is giving me a migraine!

That's the end of this episode, and my image limit. So, let's move on to another post!

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Ai Long Nhai and AiNhai

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, some of my least favorite shows, and some shows in between. I pulled another title out of the bowl (yes, I'm letting chance choose for me) and got Ai Long Nhai.

Anyway... I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is here. You've been warned.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Background

I binged this show for the first time in September 2023 and the sequel (AiNhai) right after I finished the show. As I wrote in the compilation post of all the shows I will watch for this challenge, I have them (both the series and the movie) on my rewatch list for reasons I can't remember (which means I'll watch them both).

All I can remember is that it's Meen and Ping in the main roles and that Porsch and Arm are playing Meen's character's (Ai's) parents. I also remember that there's some conflict with Ai's biological mom and that the pacing is pretty slow.

I don't mind slow-paced shows, but after just watching three 8+ episode-long shows in a row that I don't like, I'm not sure I can survive slow-paced right now. So, I'm choosing to watch the movie version of the show instead. It's a little over 2 hours rather than 12 40-minute episodes.

So, let's get into it...

The Show Movie Version of the Show

Well, Ai Long Nhai started off well with Ai getting busy:

Much appreciated.

It continues to deliver with the introduction of Ai's dad (played by Porsch):

And, of course, Ai's dad's partner/husband:

Who is just as much a parent to Ai as his dad.

I think this family unit might've been why I had this show on my rewatch list. With so many fucked up parents in many of the QLs I've watched, it's such a breath of fresh air to get to see great, supporting parents and role models. And let's not forget that they're queer parents, which I need to see more of (I can only remember Gene's dad in Lovely Writer, Yi and Diao in Naughty Babe, the teacher in one of the HIStory shows, and Papa & Daddy off the top of my head right now, but I'm sure I've seen at least a handful more).

Then, the show continues to deliver:

There's a dick joke in here somewhere.

Anyway…

Ai confesses his feelings for Nhai…

With neon lights in blue and pink in the background. And I love the purple vibe there is throughout the scene.

Then I’m pretty sure I remember that they decided to live together for some time so Nhai could figure out his feelings for Ai, but that doesn’t show up in the movie version. Instead, it just jumps to Ai staring at Nhai in bed…

Before Nhai wakes up and kicks Ai out of said bed…

Which happens again…

As they take a break from packing some clothes for Nhai in his room to kiss instead. And even though it resulted in Ai on the floor, again, they both got a hard-on…

And Nhai offers the best solution for the situation…

And I’m loving every second of this.

Then there was what felt like a giant leap in the story, so I went back to the 12-episode show version, skimmed through the omitted scenes, and found some golden nuggets that had been left out. Nhai’s obsession with sausages, for example.

Seriously, if his obsession with sausages isn’t a euphemism for his obsession with dicks (at least his own and Ai’s, anyway), then I don’t know what is.

I also found this nugget:

Which was specifically for me. I’m sad it was cut out of the movie version, though. But, anyway…

I’m glad they kept this scene with Nhai’s dad in the movie:

Because it’s golden!

But I didn't get to laugh long, because then all of Ai's family issues are introduced with his sister's introduction.

And the family issues keep stacking up as we get to see the backstory of why Ai has issues with his mom:

But I'm glad Ai apologized, especially to Jaonan because Ai was an idiot to him before.

And then Nhai practically tells Ai's mom to fuck off when she demands that he breaks up with her son, which was a great scene. And that, somehow, solved it...

Anyway, Nhai refuses to break up with Ai, and they and their friends go on a trip together instead. And we got this ending:

And that’s the end of the movie version of the show. Now, let’s move on to the sequel movie.

AiNhai

It starts with some trouble in paradise as Ai seems preoccupied with something…

And Nhai has no idea what it is.

And while people and relationships do change over time…

As well as feelings…

It seems like Ai lost his memory too because Nhai is notoriously bad at taking directions…

And has a vivid imagination…

But, luckily, he finds the XXX that marks the spot in one piece and gets a proposal, surrounded by family.

And I got a visually stunning ending to the movie, which I’m always grateful for.

And what a beautiful scene to end this on.

I enjoyed watching both Ai Long Nhai and AiNhai, but I also think it was the right choice to watch the movie version of the show and skim some of the scenes that were omitted. I needed something shorter and faster-paced after 3 shows in a row that were on my least favorite shows list for this challenge.

That was short and sweet and I feel like I’m on a roll, so let’s move on to the next rewatch…

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Pit Babe (ep. 8) and the Colors

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, my least-favorite shows, and some shows in between.

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming. You've been warned.

My previous post: episodes 1-2, episode 3, episodes 4-5, episodes 6-7.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Episode 8

We start off with Jeff and Alan. Jeff is afraid that Alan will fire him now that everyone knows he and Charlie are also Mr. Red's adoptive sons. But there is no trace of red on his body here. He's wearing that grayish-blue shirt because he's loyal to Alan and X-Hunter.

And on the topic of blue, it looks like the blue is haunting Way now.

But the red is still making itself known in the background and through the light shining on him. Things are definitely changing...

The interesting thing is that even though Pete is comfortable with Way and his red past (because he has his own past association with Tony), the red keeps hanging around Way while the blue light is shining stronger on Pete's side.

In comparison to Way, Pete is never going back to Tony. Not even though he has some red details on his jacket (and on his watch, which we saw in the previous episode).

Then we have Jeff in an even deeper blue than before. And a green shirt. Alan has worn some green shirts before (I would say at least a handful of times). And now Jeff is wearing green.

He's getting really comfortable around Alan.

(Also, that blue shirt has some yellow stripes on it. And, I know that you know what colors make green.)

Even though Jeff has worn green once or twice before this, I would definitely say that this combination of blue and green is a sign that he's getting a lot more comfortable with Alan. And thank goddess for that! I need them together, stat!

Also, I'm glad this news channel is reminding us all of Tony's true color:

As well as the room he rented for Kim:

And the details around his henchmen:

Because he seems to have forgotten it himself...

Anyway, let's go back to a character who doesn't piss me off. Jeff! Who comes home with his red bag as a reminder of his past.

And, since it's a reminder of his past with Tony, it's simultaneously a reminder of his powers. Which show up as visions that, very fittingly, flash in hues of red.

You know, Tony can try and hide his true colors all he wants, but the red suits him perfectly.

And, on a completely different topic...

Another one of my favorite scenes in the show is the confrontation between Pete and Kenta.

The sexual tension got me good.

Why weren't these two endgame?!

Anyway, back to the colors before I get pissed over this missed opportunity, lol...

I'm not surprised Jeff added some red on his body before he entered Tony's home...

Just in case he would get caught (which he does).

By my pretty fallen angel.

Also, since I know the person Jeff saw Tony talking to at his house was Way, it's nice to see the red next to Way in the garage when they're planning how to deal with Tony:

He has a different reason for being around X-Hunter now, in particular Babe. And Jeff, the only one who knows about Way's true reason, is trapped.

Also, it's nice to see Babe in his white tank top. Not just because of Pavel's arms (even though that's a factor, lol), but because Babe has lightened up a bit from his usual dark colors. I'm sure Charlie's positivity has contributed to that.

And when it comes to Sonic...

I'm deciding to surrender my frustrating at all his colors and just call him Mr. Rainbow from now on. He practically wears all the colors of the rainbow and more anyway.

So, let's get back to the usual programming...

As Babe and Charlie (I can't really count on Way, lol) are trying to find evidence against Tony, red shows up everywhere:

And if that wasn't enough red, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner continues to show his true color...

And proves exactly why I want to knee him in the groin.

And on that positive note, this episode is over. I'm once again so close to the image limit that I have to change to another post...

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Pit Babe (ep. 4-5) and the Colors

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, my least-favorite shows, and some shows in between.

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming. You've been warned.

My previous post: episodes 1-2, episode 3.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Episode 4

It starts off great with that red line on the poster, the red ghost that haunts Babe and Charlie's relationship.

And then we get to see my boy Jeff listen to Way being jealous while standing behind his laptop with the yellow sticker on it.

I can't remember that I saw this much yellow the first time I watched Pit Babe. The only yellow I could vividly remember are the clothes Sonic is adamant about wearing. But, seeing it now around Jeff (both in this and in previous episodes) is interesting.

And then there's more red showing up around Babe at the bar when he's pissed. Things are going downhill from here until he confronts Charlie about Jeff and allows Charlie to talk about it. But I guess it's easier to just be pissed.

What's more interesting here, though, is the greenish hue of the light behind Way as he uses his manipulative powers on Babe.

SUS!

And then there's more green, yellow, red, and blue at the restaurant Babe and Way has frequented for years. (Jeez, now I see yellow everywhere, lol.)

And then Way uses his powers again to convince Babe that he will always be there for Babe and that Babe can talk to him about anything. Run, Babe. Run!

And then, those same colors show up at Jeff and Charlie's place as well.

But we already know that these boys are being secretive with their plan. And no wonder they're being cautious about it considering Tony is involved. We also know that they're siding with the blue and with Babe and Alan respectively. But what's with all the green?

Anyway... More red shows up around Babe after he was attacked and they talk about the probability that Tony and Red Racing might be behind it.

That red is following Babe around like a ghost from the past. And when he loses hit temper, which is understandable.

I can’t figure out why blue suddenly showed up beside Winner Winner Chicken Dinner here.

But I get why it shows up behind Kim.

He’s done with Winner Winner Chicken Dinner’s crap and the shady shit he’s beginning to realize is going on behind the scenes at Red Racing. Also, the slap he gave Winner Winner Chicken Dinner was personal, cathartic, and reverberated around the world. It was perfect.

And, obviously, Mr. Red himself is having a red drink, with his feet up on his expensive ass table.

And the red shows up behind Kenta too as Babe basically calls him an obedient dog.

Interestingly, there is a teeny tiny hint of blue between the red and the green as well.

You know who else is blue? At least as loyal to the blue as his past will allow him right now? Charlie. In his blue shirt, with his blue sling, in Babe’s blue-lit house because he’s loyal to Babe.

Even if the red also follows him around.

And even if Babe has some red in him too.

The red got Babe here. The red got Charlie here. But Babe got Charlie's loyalty. And Charlie got Babe's heart.

Btw, let's just rewind a bit, because this scene with Kenta... He's trying to figure out who the owner of Beyond Group is without realizing it’s a bridge straight back into his past.

And that’s when we get to see Pete, crossing the same line in terms of the red and blue that so many of the characters in this show do. Just look at that blue shirt showing his current support for X-Hunter and the red that connects him to his red past with Mr. Red himself.

And that's when a part of Pete's past literally shows up behind him.

And now I just wished they were endgame again. Ah well. You win some, you lose more, apparently... lol.

Instead of getting sad over this, let's just move on to the next episode.

Episode 5

I just wrote about Charlie's loyalty to Babe, and then this episode starts with Charlie basically pushing away that red motherfucker to get to Babe in the burning car.

Charlie was definitely sus. He was definitely hiding things. I never doubted that for a second during my first watch. But I also never questioned why he was being sus and secretive. His goal to protect Babe was pretty clear. I was only curious about his plans.

The same goes for Kim. I never doubted that he was better than the others in that Red Racing team. If I remember correctly, I've only seen him in red or around red when he's racing or is around Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (which includes the scene at the gym). But every time he's not wearing his racing overalls, he's not wearing red.

He shows up at his team's garage without a millimeter of red on his body and attacks Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (a huge red psycho). And I fucking respect that. I respected it the first time I saw it, I still respect it now, and I will continue to respect it in the future.

It's not much more peaceful at the blue team's garage, btw, as Way accuses Jeff of tampering with Babe's car (which he obviously didn't do) and Alan is torn between Way and Jeff.

Way saw it as an opportunity to get rid of Jeff, which he succeeded with (at least for a while until Jeff returned). Way's red is shining through.

And then we have even more yellow! I can definitely see why the yellow shows up here, though. The betrayal!

Imagine being reserved, not a big talker, and someone who works best alone and being told that not being social was the reason people jumped the gun to accuse you of betrayal. No, the only betrayal here is that the world is still trying to convince introverts and reserved people that they're the problem and need to change...

So I support you being pissed, Jeff.

I understand you feel betrayed. Especially since it turns out the wallpaper on your phone is blue...

And that you drive a blue car...

Fuck being loyal to this team.

They don't even know what their colors are!

No wonder Jeff is wavering...

Even though I know he won't go back to the red willingly (thank every higher power for that!).

But these fatherfucking teams are messy...

Which is exactly why I love them so much, lol.

And on the subject of the teams, they both have infiltrators (Kim is not a real red and Way is Way), which is why I think it's interesting that Pete (who is wearing blue again, btw) looks at Way every time he talks about the possible mole in X-Hunter or mentions Red Racing. He must've known.

And Pete must've known because he has his own red past, even though he's showing his support for the blue. Just look at that cherry on his blue drink. It fucking pops!

There are so many characters with red pasts. Which is just an indication of how evil Tony is. He's the one spreading all that red around. And the red I'm referring to is the farthest thing from love as red can go.

The red in this show is Tony's abuse and corruption and the anger that's brought up in other characters because of it.

Which makes me wonder why Tony is suddenly drinking a green drink...

What the fuck is going on with all this green? Again, is it money, greed, or rot? Or all of them?

I’m going with all of them.

I've reached the end of the 5th episode and the limit of my images in this post. So, let's move on to another post for episode 6 and beyond.

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Lovely Writer

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, some of my least favorite shows, and some shows in between. I pulled another title out of the bowl (yes, I'm letting chance choose for me) and got Lovely Writer. I finally got one of my favorites!

Anyway... I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is here. You've been warned.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Background

I first binged Lovely Writer in October 2023 and loved it. And I've rewatched it 2 times since. It's one of the few QLs I've given a 10/10 rating.

So, I think I'll just use this post to list all the reasons I love this show as I rewatch it. Let's go!

Why I Love Lovely Writer

Dee Hup House

Well, first of all, it's from Dee Hup House. They have an incredible list of shows, IMO, and aside from one collab that pissed me off (Jack & Joker, but we don't talk about that here, lol), I haven't given their projects any ratings below an 8/10.

The Actors

Another reason I love Lovely Writer is because of the actors. Starting with the main roles, I love both Up (playing Gene) and Kao (playing Nubsib). (I love Up so much that I wrote an appreciation post where I gush about him earlier this year.)

I also love Zorzo and Ken who play Tiffy and Tum respectively.

I'm especially weak for Zorzo. She's such a fucking goddess!

Bruce is great at annoying me as Aoey, which means he's doing his job very well, lol. (Btw, I loved him dearly in Step by Step and would love to see him in more shows.)

And my beloved Poppy, whom I love in everything he does, plays Gene's brother Jap.

It Sheds Light On the BL Industry

Since the story revolves around a BL writer's novel being adapted into a show, it shows the behind-the-scenes of how that happens and the not-so-nice realities of that.

Gene is writing stuff he doesn't really want to write (he would rather write dark fantasy or something) but his publisher is pushing him to write BL because it's popular and it sells.

In addition, he's being pushed to write scenes he's not comfortable writing, including sex scenes and dub-con/non-con scenes.

Even though the show critiques stuff that I personally enjoy in the media I consume (because I'm trash, lol), there's definitely a breath of fresh air over how this series deals with these topics.

It also discusses pairings/shipping and the not-so-positive side of fandom. It's a BL that critiques the BL industry. 10/10.

Up's Pen Twirling

I definitely think this is a valid reason to love the show.

He's clearly got skilled fingers...

Also, Up Wearing Glasses!

Is this just me gushing over Up Pompat because I love him? Yes. But he's also cute as fuck in those glasses.

Nubsib Doesn't Know What Subtle Flirting Means

From the moment Sib sees Gene, his flirting game is on. And it never stops.

He doesn't know what subtle means. He even lies about his living situation so that Gene will allow him to stay at Gene's place for a while.

Even though he basically owns the apartment next door. But Sib will justify his lying because his attention is focused on one person and one person only...

And he's not subtle about it...

Not at all...

Not one bit...

Good for Sib. Good for Gene (though he's annoyed at first, lol). And good for me. 10/10, no notes.

Gene is Reserved

I have a tendency to love quiet and reserved characters. I love the complete opposites as well, but reserved characters have a special place in my heart. And Gene is one of those characters.

He's also socially awkward and a loose canon with a temper than just makes me love him even more.

The "Eat Me" Shirt

I love this shirt for obvious reasons.

And that both of them are wearing it.

10/10, no notes.

The Way Sib Carries Gene

On his back...

And in his arms...

10/10, no notes.

Sib Being a Gentleman When It Counts

Even though Sib has wanted to be with Gene for a long time, he doesn't take advantage of a drunk Gene when Gene wants to kiss him.

And he asks for permission when he wants to kiss Gene.

Both times are when Gene is in a vulnerable position (he's drunk the first time and it's after he finds out about Sib's true identity in the second example). Sib just makes sure Gene won't regret it the first time and that he won't overstep Gene's boundaries the second. Love it!

Gene's Dad's Story

I love that there's a deeper reason behind Gene's dad's initial disapproval of Gene and Sib's relationship other than being against it because he's a straight-up homophobe, or that it has something to do with familial reputation/status, etc., which is otherwise pretty common for the disapproving parents in many of the QLs I've watched. Gene's dad, though, has his own story.

Even though he's projecting his own experiences, fears, and feelings about being queer onto Gene and his relationship with Sib (which is sad, but understandable), it just makes me have a lot more empathy for him than other parents in the QL world. He genuinely wants his son to have a better life than he did. And when his own fears have settled a bit, much thanks to Gene's mom (who is such a gem, btw), he's the one who reaches out to his son first and apologizes. Other parents in the QL world should learn from him.

Tum's Rap Confession

Tum rapping his confession to Tiffy to make her believe he likes her is iconic. I don't know how many times I've seen that scene, but it's many. I just watched it four times, lol.

Final Words

I love this show.

The only thing I feel like could’ve made me love this even more was if Gene and Sib’s brothers had revealed that they’d already been dating for a decade.

Well... It's canon to me either way.

I could gush about the show some more, but I've reached the image limit and I'm done with the rewatch.

Onto the next rewatch!

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Pit Babe (ep. 9-13) and the Colors

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, my least-favorite shows, and some shows in between.

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming. You've been warned.

My previous post: episodes 1-2, episode 3, episodes 4-5, episodes 6-7, episode 8.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Since rewatching this show has taken longer than I expected (because I've been obsessing with the colors, which I didn't plan to do at first), I won't focus so much on the things we already know in the remaining 5 episodes.

We already know that red occasionally follows Babe, Charlie, Jeff, and Pete around (since they were adopted by Tony, who is red even though he wants to hide it) and that Way is turning more towards the red right now. And, we know that Charlie and Jeff have turned more towards the blue (more so Charlie than Jeff, since Jeff has some yellow and some of Alan's green on and around him as well). So, I won't focus so much on this, unless it's for a specific reason.

Now, let's dive into the 9th episode.

Episode 9

It's interesting that there's green behind Way as he uses his power on Babe as soon as Babe finds out Way is the Enigma Tony has been hiding.

He's definitely envious of Babe's feelings for Charlie and greedy enough to want it for himself, and it doesn't matter that he might have to force or hurt Babe to get what he wants.

And then there is the yellow color of betrayal behind him when he tried to force himself on Babe.

Way has clearly lost his Way.

As opposed to Sonic who has, apparently, been lost the whole time (at least with the colors he chooses to wear, lol).

And again in the next scene?!

Sonic! What's with all this red?!

Moving on...

You know, I'm so lucky that I get to watch the uncut version of Pit Babe on YouTube (it was never available on iQIYI for me when it originally aired), because it means I get to see Babe getting railed against a mirror in 4K. And for free (even though I wouldn't have minded paying for it).

What a great time to be alive!

And, on that note, let's move on to the next episode.

Episode 10

I'm already at Charlie's "funeral" and noticed that Jeff has yellow flowers in his bouquet, which is interesting considering one aspect that yellow symbolizes is deception.

There's some yellow on the lilies in Babe's bouquet too. But he obviously doesn't know Charlie has faked his death, so I think the yellow in his bouquet has more to do with Charlie being Babe's happiness.

Oh fuck, my ice-cold heart is melting...

To focus on something else, though, I love that Kim is wearing blue as soon as he arrives at the safety of Alan's house.

He was always meant to fit in better with X-Hunter than Red Racing. He was never really red.

I...

I. GIVE. UP!

Episode 11

This is so random, but...

Why does Alan have a red bike? Why red? Of all the colors of the rainbow, why red?

This is interesting, though:

Way and Pete are having shots at the bar/diner and Way picks up the one that looks reddish-brown and then the green ones while Pete drinks the blue ones.

The reddish-brown one might be an indication of Way going back to do Tony's bidding and having mixed feelings about it while the green is, probably, the envy still clinging to him.

Pete, on the other hand, is clear with his color (blue), even though he takes the last greenish one from Way to stop him from drinking.

Then we get to see that Charlie is alive in that grayish shirt:

He's lost his blue now that he's away from Babe. While Jeff:

Wears a mix of blue and red because he's still hiding the truth that they faked Charlie's death.

You know, throughout the show, I've always associated red with Tony and, in turn, the special abilities that these Alphas and Enigmas have that make them so important to Tony. On the opposite side is blue, which is X-Hunter's color, but I've also associated it with freedom from the red due to Tony's adoptive sons (Babe, Way, Charlie, and Jeff) finding their home in Alan and his team away from Tony.

So I thought it was clever that the substance Charlie would get injected with to fake his death and have his special ability disappear was red:

And that the substance that brought Charlie back was blue:

And, let's not forget that the one injecting Charlie with that blue substance is Babe's real dad. Even though he felt like he made a big mistake in the past, he's showing his loyalty to his son by helping these boys and fighting Tony.

Anyway...

It's finally official:

Couple bracelets? Check.

Pink light in the background? Check.

These boys are together. Finally!

Too bad I didn't get the same with Pete and Kenta. But I fucking love how Kenta, as a kid, wore blue when he first met Pete.

Blue!

And then black has been his color from then on.

My beautiful fallen angel was already wearing black when Pete was still in his red period.

Kenta was battling his own shit back then.

And he's battling his own shit now.

My sweet blue boy at heart. You were always meant to kill your abusive adoptive father, and I love you dearly for that.

Also, I still can't believe these two weren't endgame!

Look at them!

Just fucking look at them!

I'm still devastated.

And with that, let's move on to the next episode so I can focus on something a little less painful...

Episode 12

I had totally forgotten that Pete's special ability was mind-reading.

No wonder he's so attached to Way considering Way's own conflicting feelings about everything.

It still annoys me like hell that Tony doesn't wear red in public.

Even though he's surrounded by red here, it would've been nice if he at least wore some of it on his body.

Also, the first time I watched this show, I thought it was super sus of Way to show up in a white jacket after wearing so much black the whole show.

And, for some reason, characters that wear white often get hurt because red (blood) is such a stark contrast against the white. This boy sealed his fate as soon as he put that jacket on his body, lol.

Anyway, I've just reached the end of the episode, and, unlike Tony, Charlie doesn't disappoint with the colors.

He's back in his blue to save and show his loyalty to Babe.

Episode 13

(Sonic is wearing red again, but I've already given up on his color choices, so I'm just whispering about it here rather than using yet another image to show my frustration, lol. I can't believe he wears more red than Tony does...)

And here we have it:

See what I mean by the red against the white?

And then we have my favorite moment of the show:

What an absolute legend!

Also, is it sad that Way dies? Yes. Is it tragic? Yes, to a point. But, also, he sacrificed himself for the person he loved most. I know he's been wavering with the colors, but his last act also showed that he was loyal and chose to do whatever he could to protect Babe. If those aren't characteristics of a blue character, then I don't know what is. He showed his true color in the end (even though I didn't get to see it on his body in this particular scene).

At least I got some red on Tony in the finale after all:

I should be grateful for the little I get, right?

Anyway, I've reached the end of the show. Will I change my ranking from 7/10? Maybe. I really enjoyed it this time around as well and had fun writing about the colors, so I might change my rating to an 8/10. With that change, this is officially going from my middle shows to my favorite ones.

Now, can I get season 2 in 2025? Please, and thank you.