rainbow flyer

was kinda tagged by a tumblr pal with this meme:

List 10 favourite characters (1 per series/fandom) and then tag 10 people

( Favorites, and semi-coherent reasons for why they are so )

and now it's time for the tagging game!

the 'i already tagged you on tumblr, i'm pretty sure, but here's a second one, 'cuz you're cool' group: hamimi_fk jack_of_none kotesu

the 'i should talk to you more often, 'cuz you're cool" group: arcanelegacy badgal chibichan ein_papier gemais john_egbert rutato sirvalkyrie tyger ukefied weber_dubois22

that's more than ten i think but whatever, i wanna hear opinions and leave comments on other people's journals, so. :)

So someone posted a "Least Favorite Ships" thread at GameFAQs. The bulk of it is boring but the first three or so pages alternate between people talking about relationships and people talking about levels that are actual ships. I lol'd, maybe more than I should have. :P

SPEAKING OF SHIPS, I am slightly disappointed in the way some of RE6 character's relationships have shaken out.

Cut for spoilers. I promise there's no pairing or character bashing.

( Leon, Ada, Helena )

( Chris, Piers, Jill and Sheva )

★ The Puella Magi Madoka Magica movies were screened in NYC a week ago and while I could have gone, it would have taken a lot of time and effort and cash that I didn't really want to use, so I didn't go. But then I made the mistake of looking up the special opening and ending theme songs, which was all I needed to make my inner fangirl instantly regret my decision to not see said movies. They're not even particularly outstanding--Luminous is pretty standard j-pop anime opening fare, though it has a tinge of wistfulness that I find incredibly appealing, and Hikari Furu is just a vocal version of a track from Episode 12 (admittedly, a track from one of the most memorable scenes). But they're more than enough to make my heart ~flutter~ and renew my adoration of the series.

★ On the subject of PMMM, I don't think I've ever explained why I like the series so much. I think PMMM treats its characters with a seriousness and compassion that few shows match. In particular, when I think of magical girl shows, I think sparkles! melodrama. Not to say that PMMM doesn't have melodramatic moments, but they're...different, somehow. I'm thinking of moments like Sayaka's confrontation with the men on the train, or Homura's confession to Madoka in Episode 11; there's a very relatable quality to the emotions expressed that I generally don't feel in magical girl shows (and anime in general). I've never been fond of the way PMMM is described as a 'realistic' take on the magical girl genre, because it's anything but realistic, but it's more understandable if I assume that people mean "the characters' emotional struggles are easy to relate to."

★ Final PMMM note: I'm not sure I agree with the general consensus of it being a deconstruction of the MG genre. I fully admit that part of this is due to my lack of understanding of what 'deconstruction' actually means; I have a vague idea, but honestly I don't know a good, simple definition of the term. THAT SAID, when I think of examples of genre deconstruction I think of Watchmen and Evangelion, and one thing that sticks out for both series is how critical they are of their respective genres. PMMM certainly takes a lot of joy in subverting viewer expectations, but it's not critical in the way Watchmen/Evangelion are. Also, that much-lauded 'twist' on the true purpose of magical girls? TOTALLY done ages ago in Magic Knight Rayearth. Why does no one else seem to notice this?

★ Speaking of stories that like to tear your heart out: Journey Into Mystery #645 is downright devastating. Not going to mention anything spoiler-worthy (although I don't think anyone on my flist has been following this particular title?) but short thoughts: WOW, way to deliver on reader fears ever since Kid Loki appeared, and also this is one of the few comic titles written in this decade that really seemed to a) have a clear ending in mind from the start and b) each issue was a necessary piece in reaching said ending. One thing that makes the ending of JiM so painful is the realization that no, there isn't any other way out of the dilemma at hand. To make an unnecessary comparison, it reminds me of the way PMMM made Madoka's eventual wish truly inevitable, something that had to be done to achieve any real change.

★ The Everything Burns JiM/Thor crossover has really highlighted the fact that Matt Fraction is kind of awful at writing Thor. Like, I understand he's trying to make Thor more like the Thor from Norse mythology in temperament, but he mostly comes off as a total bastard, and not in an endearing or interesting way. Also, his speech is kinda wince-worthy. I am also bitter because I suspect if anyone but Fraction had been writing Thor alongside Kireon Gillen writing Loki, there would have been way more adorable bro-moments between the two. Instead there's lots of.....borderline abusive Thor. I AM DISPLEASED.

★ Have a spoiler filled interview with the creators of RE6! (Because everything I post nowadays must have something to do with RE.) As they say on tumblr, THIS VIDEO GIVES ME A LOT OF FEELS. Most of them are less than charitable. A few thoughts, ( cut for spoilers )

★ LJ is planning another wave of site changes. One of those changes: infinite scrolling FriendsLists. Because if there's one thing people love, it's infinite scrolling. Seriously though: who thought of infinite scrolling, and does anyone actually prefer it to finite scrolling? Because I have not met a single person who likes infinite scrolling. At most, people are neutral to it--at least in my experience.