Journey into Mystery

I honestly, HONESTLY need to get into something more upbeat. The things I've read so far in the month and the one before (not counting that chapter of the Iliad, as it's more on douchy than depressing lines at this point) have been a kick in my non-existent balls. Even when they're satisfying like Percy 5 or FMA, there's still something heart-breaking.

And then there's stuff where it's constantly the ouchies plot wise. Speaking of which, very bad idea to check American comics, self. Particularly bad idea to read the three volumes of Runaways in two days. But I do not want to talk much about that one right now; let's just say I have bad luck choosing favorites and a-ahahaha that death in volume 2...

Kinda related to that, by the way, but it's been something I've been mentioning in comments in my journal for some time. Self-sacrificing yourself -or being willing to- for the sake of someone you care about or to atone for your raison d'angst. I've been aware lately of how common this trope is, and it's beginning to irk me when the execution leads to an excess of OMG TEH DRAMA for said character or the ones they're close to. I've begun to call this emosacrifice, to make a difference with the normal, important sacrifices made to bring the story and cast forward. The emosacrifice serves almost to no other purpose than to give ~pain~ and ~depth~ and ~shock~, since as we know that's the only valid way to storytelling! Art is pain! Meh, what's wrong with wanting a healthy balance between happy things and conflict? Sure writers, kill people off if you must, but don't overdo the tone.

I don't know where this came from. Must be my stress because of RL.

Sooooo, guys. In need of happy escapism here. Something sweet (and short) to read or watch that's upbeat and won't make me to hit characters in the face with a trout? Much obliged.

Something to add to the chocolate post because I didn't know at that moment: I usually enjoy 52%-cocoa dark chocolate from that same brand. 70-something% is already a bit too bitter to me. Therefore, no wonder 99% tasted like feet. It's not a taste I'm able to like.

Okay, now shutting up about chocolate.

I didn't post about this month's FMA? Mmm, perhaps I don't even know where to start, but either way, I'm surprised Arakawa can actually outdo herself in epic levels in every chapter. This fight with Roy will be sweet :D

Oh, incidentally, I've come to a conclusion.

The Taisa Theorem
For a main character who's not the protagonist, if they're a military person with the rank of colonel, then they have a high probability to be the most badass motherfucker from the good guys by default.

Or maybe not, but the fact I was amazed by the badassery coming from Roy Mustang and Jade Curtiss this week (both of them colonels) can't be a coincidence. Or maybe they're just even more of special snowflakes than we already thought they were. And that's saying something.

I've found out that you can get different cutscenes during the final battle at Abyss if you change your party. And man, Jade's alternative ending? (warning: obviously spoilers) BADASS. I even think I squeed from the awesomeness. The fact they had him with the sexy Battle Master outfit made it even more pretty epic.

Ah, and I got a wheel of new blank DVD-, and successfully burned ICO. I'll try my way on a day I have enough patience and time to chill out.

( speaking of wheels, Tarot meme (the revenge) )

The "You are the ___ to my ___" meme. And this is the last meme of that kind I'm doing these days. This is a hard one, too.

I think I've found an use for my Twitter account. I almost always forget what's the last anime/TV episode I've watched of something. Well, if I post them as I watch, I can have a record.

Meanwhile, I've been thinking about some personal terms I use when I refer to fandom stuff, be it IRL or my mind, but never say aloud because no one would understand. Here are a couple.

Kamatari logic:
The action of ignoring the lack of common sense of a particularly crazy canon, because thinking too much into it is useless and ruins the fun.

Origins: From when I played the Katamari series with my brothers, and they couldn't get past the game's WTFness without commenting it. "OMGI just rolled an elephant in the middle of a street?! But this makes no sense!!!" To which I usually responded "dude, I know but this is Katamari, so just... move on." Later on, it'd be used with frequency between us with other games or shows or Internet memes. "Yeah, but this is like Katamari so ignore the crazy logic," I'd say.

Used for: Katamari, duh. Games with lulzworthy premises like Elite Beat Agents. Occasionally Okami. Any infodump in Tsubasa these days. Probably the whole Gurren Lagann fandom says it daily.

Magnolia conspiracy:
Believing that an existing and recurrent visual element or symbol in a canon totally validates your crazy theories or even your OTP, or that there's a secret reason for their existence when maybe the creator(s) just found it pretty.

Origins: When, after the release of a Watanuki illustration with a Chinese outfit and a white magnolia tree, I had déjà-vus with CCS illustrations of Clow and/or Eriol with magnolia motifs. Then the deluxe TRC cover with Yuuko had also magnolias. Perhaps CLAMP just wanted to go Chinese painting on them, but I still believe in this Fox Mulder kind of way that Clow is behind Watanuki and the HOLiC plot somehow. Meaning as well that now I have this desire to facepalm whenever I see magnolia trees IRL, out of trauma.

Used for: CLAMP fandoms, of course! Not limited to flowers, but also to opposite colors, similar shapes, and elements believed to be foreshadowing. I'm sure the HP fandom and maybe Avatards do it fairly often, but making less sense than me.

An Alabasta:
Disregarding a cool aspect of one of your fandom because you've seen it better done in another of cooler nature.

Origins: After reading the Alabasta arc in One Piece, I thought that was the most amazing desert kingdom ever. Afterwards, I forgot everything I fangirled about Clow country, since the monarchy in Alabasta was just cooler, nicer, and more hardcore (sorry, Clow and Touya are still gorgeous, but in my notebook Nefertari Cobra would kick their asses! I'm not even discussing Sakura vs. Vivi! It would be neat if Sir Crocodile feeds his mascots with Fei Wang, though.). BUT I DIGRESS.

Used for: In my journal? it's Alabasta vs. Clow country, and Lan Fan vs. Kurogane. It's something it varied from person to person, I think.