Stuff

[ladybug_archive]

I was visiting SetsunaKou's site again, and I noticed that now she commissions anime fanart done on the computer. She's really good, too! If I had the money, I'd probably commission her to do a Gin/Sherry thing. XD

I also found that she'd written an essay explaining why she doesn't believe that Trowa and Catherine from Gundam W are siblings, even though it's hinted at in the Episode 0 manga. And I love her, but I honestly don't think her arguments hold up very well. XD; The only one that makes much sense to me is the first one, which says that Episode 0 is accepted as a possibility in Japan, and not strict canon.

Then she goes on to argue that Catherine's brother disappeared when he was two, after falling off the moving vehicle the family was in, and that Trowa was found at age 4 by mercenaries. She says he could not have survived two years on his own. Well, of course not, but obviously if Trowa is Triton, someone would have had to have taken care of him for those two years. Such a person could then have easily been killed in the war, causing Trowa to wander around until being found by the mercenaries.

The rest of her arguments consist of the fact that Trowa and Catherine display hints of being romantically attracted. She completely overlooks the fact that the idea in Episode 0 and in the series is that if they're related, they have no idea that they are! And, like Luke and Leia in the first two Star Wars films, they could develop romantic feelings for each other in such a case or they could as well even if they did know, but I don't think they're like that. I mean, they really have no reason to think that they're related. I don't know how they'd ever find out.

FF.net went down over the weekend, which was irritating, as I had completed another fic for 100 Situations. But they're finally online again, and I posted it. I'm rather proud of it. ^^ It originally started as a random scene of Gin being his usual forceful self and scaring a doctor at a public hospital when he's not allowed to see Vodka, but I decided to make a oneshot out of it. I think Gin's personality comes across very well in it: his pride, his denial, and whatever underlying feelings toward Vodka that he has.

It seems like occasionally I write Gin acting like Sanzo. XD My version of Gin has Sanzo's philosophy that he will never sacrifice himself for someone else, as the one left behind would suffer from that. Or at least, Gin had that idea in the past, according to Akemi. He probably doesn't think much about it anymore.

Akemi has also said that Gin used to say that one should never let go of what's most important, which Gin dismisses in the present as ridiculous. Though, depending on the point in the timeline, he has started to recognize that he is still desperate to not let go. So also, I suppose instead of dismissing the concept as ridiculous, he could be chastising himself for being "ridiculous." It's not made clear, and I think it's best that way. X3 Which is also a Saiyuki sort of thing, being deliberately vague.

I started overhauling my three chapters in that Sailor Moon fic. I've gone through all of chapter 1, and the last scene of chapter 3. Gotta do everything in between. I noticed that Portman originally wasn't such a nutjob at the very beginning, and it seems that the fic is showing somewhat how she ended up the way she is in the YGO fics and in Breakdown.

I'm following the animeverse, mostly, but I'm throwing in the manga thing about the Generals having served as Endymion's protectors before they were brainwashed by Beryl. And I'm still debating what to do with Zoisite. XD; I can't stand her in the anime, mainly because of what she did to Neflyte, but in the manga I like her/him. On the one hand, I could use the manga version (and would probably keep him male, as I find it easier to see him as male in the manga. He just looks so durn feminine in the anime!). But it would actually be more intense to use the anime version, for this reason: when she would regain her memories of the past, what would she think about what she did to Neflyte?

I'm also considering having the Senshi be out of high school in the fic, and either possibly in college, or between high school and college. And actually the main reason I thought of that was so that Naru could be older if I bring Neflyte back. ^^ I imagine all four will be revived, even though I recall that my original sketchy plan was just for Malachite and Jadeite to be alive.

I also did something I never thought I would: I joined DeviantART. I despise the site, always have, but I found a great Black Org fan there and I wanted to contact her. So I got an account to PM her. XD What's amusing is that, independent of that, she joined FF.net to Favorite me and my stories. I'm definitely not going to post my art on the site, though. Side 7 is still what I'll use for that.

And it's finally snowed here! X3 It was supposed to start on Monday, but we weren't getting any here even though other parts of the area were, and it was even sunny in the afternoon. But then it clouded over and started raining heavily toward evening (and lightning even flashed a few times). Then the snow began to fall, and it continued through Tuesday, off and on, and we're supposed to get a little more today. The mountains are still hidden behind clouds.

Comments

[garowyn.livejournal.com]

Heh, I still like to believe that Trowa and Catherine are siblings.

It snowed, eh? ^_^ It continues to be a little snowy and cold here.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yes, I prefer that myself. ^^ It's so sweet. I just can't look at pictures of them being romantically paired without feeling that it's creepy. XD

SetsunaKou and her sister support several pairings that I find off the wall to varying degrees, including Seto/Serenity. ^^; I can't stand that one.

^^ It's especially pretty with the Christmas lights twinkling in the snow. And the town's main street is all fixed up for Christmas with lighted, wreathed arches, decorated trees, and lighted Christmas decorations on the lampposts.

[garowyn.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean!

I never liked Seto/Serenity, mostly because I didn't like Serenity and because I couldn't really see Seto romantically linked with anyone (or that could have been because of my fangirl days...). What's the link to their site?

That's always a nice sight. ^_^ Gets you feeling quite festive.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

I like Serenity, but I can't see her and Seto being a good match. I also have a hard time imagining Seto actually hooking up with anyone, romantically. XD I imagine him being a bachelor all along. Though Mokuba would probably get married.

Their anime product site is http://www.setsunakou.com If you mean the site where the essays are and such, I posted that link to Ladyamberjo below. ^^

[garowyn.livejournal.com]

Seto would be a confirmed bachelor. *ponders* Oh--! Mokuba being married...I'm trying to imagine the little guy at his wedding. ^_^

All right, I'll be sure to check. Thanks!

[garowyn.livejournal.com]

Whoa, the background picture of Trowa and Catherine... *raises eyebrow*

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not sure where she got that from. Maybe she drew it herself, or maybe she got it from an artbook or a doujinshi.

[ladyamberjo.livejournal.com]

deviantART is a nasty site full of idiots and art thieves and power-trippy mods who ban people just to show they can, but let art thieves stick around because "they're just learning!" They also make pornographic fetishfic the Daily Deviations but delete fully-clothed nongraphic yaoi for being a policy violation. They also threaten to ban people who speak against the site. ...I mean, uh, it's a wonderful place where artists can get exposure, yeah! ~_~

...is she the one who draw semi-realistic Sherry? I found a couple of pictures like that by the same person, but I can't remember the name, now...

...and I alsways went with Trowa and Catherine as siblings. There can't be that many unibanged boy-children wandering around in the world.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yeeep. XD I despite the site so much. Now that I've made contact with that girl, I hope to move our communications to a different location. There's no way in Heaven, Earth, or Hell that I'd post my art there.

And nope, I think you mean Dagron. ^^ Already made contact with her, on LJ. This is SpiritArcher.

**nods.** And even if Episode 0 is only a possibility, they make it pretty clear what they mean in that possibility, since they show Catherine's brother growing to age four, and being Trowa. I find the idea of them being siblings and not knowing it much more interesting than being two random people who met. XD

[ladyamberjo.livejournal.com]

I had an account there because I joined with a friend, but...gah, on top of all the other problems, it's a bloody popularity contest. If you're a popular artist, you've got a rampaging hoarde of fans getting you everything you need, and I won't even get into the whole "Daily Top Favorites" issue (though to be fair, they seem to have been trying to fix that...though for awhile, they "fixed" it by banning anime and anthro art ~_~). Now I just have an account to view locked artwork. ...people get flamed for Jou/Mai art there! I've seen it! Evidentally "Joey" belongs either to a handful of foaming fangirls, or is "Seto's puppy," and if you draw him with that "hor" Mai, you are "teh ebil." *shudders*

...I never really thought there was much in the way of romantic attraction between them, really. Heero and Relena I could see, Duo and Hilde maybe, but Trowa and Catherine seemed to be more of "my adopted brother and he's hurt, no touchie" sort of deal. o.o;

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Bluurgh. XD; I imagine most huge websites are popularity contests, though. I think FF.net is that way too. **thinks of all the terrible fics that have large fanbases.**

It's disgusting that people are flamed not only for drawing their chosen pairing, but a pairing that's actually nearly canon. -.-;

Apparently the majority of the "romantic attraction" moments are from things such as CDs and whatnot, which actually, strictly speaking, shouldn't be accepted as canon any more than Episode 0, now that I think of it. Here's the essay, if you want to see what you think of it: http://setsunakou.tripod.com/episodezero/episodezero.html

[ladyamberjo.livejournal.com]

...heh, amusing how in both places, you're pretty much guaranteed that the majority of your reviews will be "kawaii!!11!" and a smiley face.

Somebody actually ended up drawing a Jou/Mai pic with a big "you guys are immature and suck" rant at the bottom of it. I liked that person. Seriously, though, if I wasn't so attached to the series, I'd flee the fandom screaming.

...ah. SetsunaKou. Her. I know her. She likes to rant about how Seto/Shizuka is canon because Shizuka is Kisara reincarnated. Which is...actually sort of impossible, really. To say nothing of the fact that I'm a little squicky towards anyone who sees a need to pair up every single character in a series with someone.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yeeep. XD Which really doesn't help at all. And ditto about wanting to flee the fandom screaming. I'm not even a part of any YGO comms, save the ones either I or Aubrie or both of us own. And I haven't been on Janime's again for a while.

One thing I'm certain of is that I will not enter the Gundam W fandom. XD;

Yes, while I adore Setsuna's products (especially the plush!), her views on romance are headache-inducing. And the pictures she does of the plushies kissing creep me out. XD; Where does she do her ranting about Shizuka and Kisara, and what possible evidence can she provide for that absurd theory?

[ladyamberjo.livejournal.com]

I like Side7 because even though I average three comments a picture, they're comments with actual substance! And constructive criticism! And specifics! And I don't have to worry about any of you guys saying "omg why u liek them toegther yaoi 4EVA1!11!"

Funny you should mention Gundam W, actually. o.o; I was just visiting an old site for it that I liked very much...it was taped conversations of two girls snarking about bad anime dubs. GW's dub was watchable, though...and the voice actors could act, and they left in the original BGM! *sighs happily* It's also nice that the more rabid fangirls have sort of been weeded out, now that the show's not so mainstream anymore...

The plushies and stuff are cute, but...Honda and Miho? Otogi and Vivian? Bakura and Rebecca? o_o; ignoring for the moment that I have a bizarre fondness for Rebecca x Otogi ...and I think it was on deviantART...or at least, she had all of her mirror images of Kaiba groping Shizuka and Set groping Kisara there. ...and Kisara, um, can't reincarnate. Her soul's stuck in a stone tablet/card. That's why Blue-Eyes is so fond of Kaiba.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

**nods.** I think the people who use Side 7 are, in general, mature people who are serious about art. And the site just has a nice, laid-back feel about it.

I actually tried to watch Gundam W in Japanese a few times, and I decided that for that show, I prefer the English dub. It just seems weird, to watch a show in Japanese when only one of the main characters is Japanese. XD And Gundam W definitely had one of the best English dubs I've heard.

Glad to hear that there aren't so many rabid Gundam W fans anymore! That's always pleasant.

Yes, those pairings are really outlandish. @__@; And Miho's only a nice girl in the manga. In the anime ... blurgh. In the anime, I just shake my head and wonder why Tristan can't crush on a better girl. XD; Anime Miho isn't even worth his time. She never even gives him a second look.

I know Kisara can't reincarnate, which is why the idea of her being Shizuka is just nuts. XD; I just wondered if Setsuna even tried to back up that idea of hers, or if she knew it was impossible and decided to leave a gaping plothole instead.

[ladyamberjo.livejournal.com]

Side7's also not big enough or popular enough to go all commercial like deviantART...oh, gods, the Jark Affair. x_x It's really no wonder the site shows up on fandom_wank so much.

I've never actually watched Gundam W in Japanese, so I can't really compare...I had to make do with the midnight "uncut" dubbed versions. At least they let Heero say "kill." Some day I'll need to hit Siren up for fansubs, though...first I've got to finish Rozen Maiden.

Some people are hoping the same thing will happen for the Yuugiou fandom...now that the show's essentially over, the fly-by fangirls will lose interest and wander away. Of course, then snark will be obsolete, and that would be sort of sad.

Miho...exists for perhaps two or three pages in the manga, and has one line. She's all shy and quiet. I'm not sure whose brilliant idea it was to turn her into a major character as well as an abrasive gold-digging tramp, but it doesn't work for me. Not only that, to keep her there, they have her do things other characters were supposed to be doing. That always really bugged me. I'm also not sure how big scary thuggish Honda became an upright hall-monitor in that series. o_x;

Ehn...I don't think she ever gave it a real explanation, but she did say repeatedly "if Seto was there in Egypt, then Shizuka had to be too, don't you agree?"

[fs-playground.livejournal.com]

So a Gin/Sherry is on your Christmas wishlist? *begins to draw :P

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

That sounds great. XD Yes, there's not enough Gin/Sherry art! Or Gin & Vodka art, for that matter. **cuddles prospective art.**

[fs-playground.livejournal.com]

:) Am doing gift stuff for Christmas, that's why I'm sketching more than usual). Gin-Sherry is on my list now. (Have spent a lot money on coloured ink and paper to imitate Gosho's style.)

[twitchytwitch.livejournal.com]

;_; Ew, DA! Traitor. xD;
SA is much friendlier anyway. xD

Snow is lovely... lucky you!

The source of my avatar and a source of a lot of fun HariMusa and ShuHaru stuff. ... Also, the episode has some of the prettiest music in the series. And Harley's Engrish. AND HYPER JOI! x3 I love her, too bad she wasn't in more episodes. Oh, and Enishida mimicks Sukizo-san's 'suki desu ne~.' Very amusing. (in the dub he always says 'remarkable') Also, if it confuses you, Musashi's shivering in her seat and going: 'That stage... I want to be on it!' Shuu gets Haruka out of her slump, the sweetie. And Haruka was all: 'Rival... ka?' and Roselia appears. When she was blushing and talking to Shuu, she had said she was thinking about him and then he suddenly appeared! Then he said 'thinking about me?' and she denied it, blushing. xD Iwane is the art director for this episode, that's why the expressions are so, well, expressive and the art's pretty and fun. xD Movie eight music during the sunset scene! From the scene when ----- dies, methinks. -so not going to spoil movie eight- Saori is the cause of her depression- er, well, her beating her a few episodes ago is. She lost the GF again. Saori has gone to Jouto, Shuu is going (Haruka also leaves to Jouto in a few episodes), Harley is going (and trying to take Musa-chan... xDD; )


http://www.veoh.com/videoDetails.html?v=e1537962fyDRFw8

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

I'm on Sheezy Art, have been for a long time, but I don't recall having much success there, either. XD Side 7 will always be my favorite place to post art. And DA will never see any of it!

Thanks for the episode. ^^ I'll watch it and tell you what I think.

[twitchytwitch.livejournal.com]

Also, if Harley's winking sound effect sounds familiar... yes, that is Moochul (Smoochum) and Rougela (Jynx)'s sound effect. Yes.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the explanations of a lot of the dialogue. ^^ That was a very good episode, very sweet. Is Pokémon Chronicles still running in Japan? **wondering if Haruka and Shuu and Harley will turn up in it, if so.**

And what's the girl like who replaced Haruka?

[twitchytwitch.livejournal.com]

It's adorable! ^3^

No, there was never Chronicles in Japan.
There was Weekly Pokemon Broadcasting Station which was live-action silliness hosted by (anime) Kasumi and Takeshi, Takeshi would flirt with the audience and Kasumi would beat him with something random in every episode.
Some special episodes were all-new animated specials that were later dubbed into Chronicles, but the hosting segments and funny funny live-action parts all cut out.
Oh, yeah, and the dub also translated the Legend of Thunder for-rent-only in Japan thing and totally killed it. :P
It ended recently and was replaced with Pokemon Sunday which was almost all live-action funniness.
I don't know if they'll show specials again or not, but I'd love to see how Haruka, Harley, and Shuu are doing. ^^

She didn't really replace her as in she did not play Haruka or Kasumi's role.
Instead of being co-star-ish like Haruka, Hikari is the star of Diamond & Pearl in general.
Heck, Satoshi wasn't even in the early pictures of the show!
Satoshi gets his own episodes every once in a while, but now he takes something of a back-seat to Hikari, considering she has some relationship with the Legendaries.

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Harley was great. ^^ Terribly amusing. And his voice still sounds very familiar. I did find out for certain that Satoshi's VA is the one who does Ryou and Yami Bakura on YGO. I knew I thought the name was familiar. XD

I want to stroke Harley's hair. It looks so fluffy and soft. X3

That's very interesting about Hikari. I never thought someone besides Satoshi would be the star. XD Is he still in all the episodes, even though Hikari is the new star? And what about Brock? **always forgets his Japanese name.**

[twitchytwitch.livejournal.com]

Harley's seiyuu is Kanemaru Junichi, the seiyuu for Sonic, Zeus from Saint Beast, Sailor DJ from Stars...
Yeah. xD

It does look fluffy! ^_^

Yes, Satoshi and Takeshi are in it, they're her friends. ^^
She's not all noobish though, because her mother is a star Coordinator with quite a few trophies.

... Also, Hikari's mother has the same Pokemon... as her rival. Such an amusing twist.
Also, Haruka got a femboy/love interest rival and an overly-effiminate manipulating rival... Hikari gets a cute tomboyish girl for a rival. xD

Takeshi's getting more episodes to himself (and his creepy creepy perverted Greggle (poisonous frog Pokemon)) then he got in AG! ^_^
Also, his Greggle spends the opening animation peeking up Hikari's skirt. xD; I love the little creep.