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So instead I had to watch the movie, all the while thinking 'they really could have made another two movies from this plotline alone'. Seriously, there was about ten seconds of extreme Mustang angst, which probably could have been explored in greater detail over an hour, and made my inner 'gawd-he-looks-so-hot-when-he's-miserabl
Also started playing Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines again, a computer game I got waaaay back but abandoned after an hour of playing, because you had to go through a ghost-ridden house that was too scary for me. I picked it up again, though - Jesus, it was so worth struggling through that house to get to the rest of the plot. I didn't realise just how good is was when I first played it. The voice acting alone is enough to make me melt.
And...Sebastian LaCroix. Oh geez. I know he's the suit villain, and I don't care. I've noticed that the more unlikable a game character is, the more I seem to adore them; and what with being a ruthless, power-hungry tyrant, he's about as unlikable as they come. Guaranteed, I'd hate him if I actually met him for real (a recurring trend in my favourite characters, I've realised) but as a complex and realistic character, he's just perfect.
Anyway...that's all for now. I figured I'd put this down since I haven't written anything in a while, although I'm starting to think I should delete the entries. Bit strange having your personal life on the interweb, y'know? We'll see what happens. Alright then, off you go. Shoo. I mean it, get outta here.
ReaperRain
Wah...I've just watched episode 25 of FMA, 'Words of Farewell'. Anyone whose watched FMA should know the significance of that episode...
Aw man, I hate it when they do that. I mean, I knew it was going to happen even before I started watching the anime, so I'm not shocked-upset (if I hadn't known, I'd probably be in tears). And I understand why it was done, but even so...I really hate character death.
Short post. No interesting news because...well, because my life is incredibly boring anyway, but mostly because it's summer, and thus nothing drastic is happening to me right now. After all, summer is made for doing nothing, right?
ReaperRain
- Mood:
saddened
So now I'm back, and reunited with my beloved laptop. I'm also reunited with the anime I bought before going on holiday (I had to resist watching it during my revision time. The temptation was great, but I succeeded). What is the anime, you ask? Why, 'tis Fullmetal Alchemist! And yes, I have only just got into it, after watching a ten-minute clip on youtube and going 'OMGSQUEEMUSTBUYMUSTBUYMUSSSSTBUUUYY' (or something along those lines). I've only watched the first four episodes, but...but...
Roy Mustang's voice. Wow. Just wow. I think I might've died of fangasm. Plus Edward's voice actor, and the artwork, and the ENDING THEME (I keep listening to it over and over) It's just too much! And I've only watched four episodes!
But, ahem. Fangirling aside, everything's been fairly dull, as always. So yeah, there's your craptacular update.
ReaperRain
- Mood:
chipper
The simple reason is: it's deeper and more complex than het will ever be. Sorry het fans, but just think about it: we live in a homophobic world, always has been and probably always will be. A male and a female want to be together - that's fine, no-one's against it unless it's for personal reasons. If two males want to be together, however...they have people against them. They have people who say it's wrong and it's sinful. They have to put up with cruel names like 'faggot' and 'queer', among others. They have other men, most of whom are instinctively homophobic even if they claim otherwise, ridiculing them and avoiding them in case they catch any gay disease. They have the entire world telling them they shouldn't be together, even when it's so clearly right, even when they both love each other more than life itself.
Yaoi love is...it's raw, and desperate, and longing for something you're not supposed to want. It's wanting to scream and cry because you love someone of your own gender - even if it disgusts you to feel that way, even if you tell yourself it's wrong, you can't change the way you feel. It's not being able to admire women with your best friend because you're too busy checking him out with guilty pleasure; it's gazing longingly on someone from afar and knowing you'll never, ever have him, because society says so. It's stolen kisses in the dark, words whispered so no-one else will hear, fearful touches in case somebody walks in on you...
And when they are together at last...it's beautiful. It's love at it's purest, because it's had to overcome so much just to exist - the fear and doubts, the harsh words of other people, the social barriers. Something that has survived so much attack is surely unbreakable, and is far stronger than a male and female could be; no-one sneers at a male and female together after all, no-one turns away in disgust or starts making proclamations about how it's wrong, or nasty. And yet two males can withstand all this treatment, and still risk being together because they know it's right. Love can never be wrong. Love can never be disgusting, or sinful. And forbidden love between two males is far greater and more powerful than het, because they know it, even if no-one else does.
That, my friend, is why I like yaoi.
- Mood:
indescribable
Nothing says 'fanbrat' more than having a Mary-Sue in your story. Now we all do it, even I did it at one point (well, mine was male, so a Gary-Stu) although thankfully I never posted the story. However, you might not realise your beloved OC you spent so long creating is in actual fact a Mary-Sue, so here is are five things to look out for:
1) Beauty is a key issue with Mary-Sues. Now I'm not saying you should make your OC's ugly, not at all - but no-one, not even an imaginary character, is perfect. It's a huge temptation to make your characters all beautiful, I know, but keep your 'reality check' head on. Taking Yugioh for example (since it's really the only one I can think of): are those characters perfect? Of course they're not. The two main heros are, to put it nicely, vertically challenged, and everyone has weird hair about twice the size of their heads. You can bet that if they stepped into the real world they'd get some funny looks. And even if your OC's are beautiful...you don't need to spend an entire paragraph telling us about it. Quick mention of appearance, then move on - it's their personality we're interested in.
2) Mary-Sues are often multi-talented. Is it really that likely that a 16 year-old can speak 12 different languages? Or that she's the number one duelist in the world? (Because I think we'd have heard about her on the actual show if she really was. Common sense, people) Or that she has psychic powers? I thought not. Everyone is good at something, but no-one is good at EVERYTHING. She should also have some things she's bad at, to even out the score. So she's a computer genius - how do we counter this? Well, someone who spends all their time on the computer (well how else could she be so good with computers?) is not likely to have a huge social life - thus, they're shy and not very good at communicating. You see what I mean?
3) For some reason, they always have a cliche tragic past involving death and childhood abuse - come on, try to be a bit more original. Besides, you don't need to have had her entire family massacred for her to have a tragic past - why, being ignored by your family is tragic in itself. In fact, being ignored is a very tragic thing for a child to go through. If you must make her have a dark past though, at least let that reflect in her character; I mean, if someone's entire family was murdered, would they be an incredibly popular and confident person? If someone gets beaten by her father on regular occasions, what are the chances that she doesn't have a flaw on her body?
4) Characters seem to fall in love with Mary-Sues at first sight - come on people, it's just not like that in real life. You see someone beautiful on the street, you think: 'wow, they're so beautiful!', you don't think: 'I'm in LOVE!' You don't fall in love with looks, you fall in love with character. I've said it before and I'll say it again: falling in love with personality is more realistic, and more romantic. So to prevent an OC appearing Sue-ish, develop love/friendship over a length of time (or rather, chapters) instead of rushing it.
5) Why do they always have weirded names? Alright, something a little unusual is alright, since it makes the character a little more memorable, and I don't want to read about someone called 'Sarah', when half the people I know are called that. But there's a line to be drawn here - calling someone
Bree Internisha Tequila Cadice Honda Illiat Natas is just plain silly (said name was actually taken from a hilarious parody called 'Changes', and it so happens to spell out BITCHIN). That example is on the extreme side, but you'd be surprised the names some authors come up with for their Mary-Sues. Another thing with names is that they should make sense, for example: your character is Japanese? Give them a Japanese name. African? Give them an African name. Call them something that suits their character, maybe it has a hidden meaning or means something in another language. But don't give them a ridiculous namesake.So there you have it - my version of how to avoid Mary-Sues. Nothing is despised more in fanfiction, except maybe bad grammar, but follow above advice and you'll have yourself a decent OC. Thanks for reading!
- Mood:
accomplished
