Damsel-dhampir - Meduka, Rabu - Tumblr Blog
The Watermelon Woman (1996) dir. Cheryl Dunye
I feel like the fandom vastly overstates how "crazy" Akechi is in third semester. Navigator Akechi has this feral energy, yes, and he clearly enjoys tearing through Shadows in his All-Out Attack battlecries and in his Showtime, but look at Akechi any other time in Third Sem. He's calm. He's levelheaded. He's the one person Joker can turn to at the start of third sem to be honest, frank, and real about the circumstances they find themselves in. He investigates the situation, is furious but stoic about being let off so easy. His chats during the jazz club show the same philosophical and introspective side of him that showed in his confidant.
It's just... flanderization, to act like all he is is HAHAHAHA WACKY MURDER GUY during third sem. His navigator lines can come across as very extra, but that's just one side of his character, and you can easily read it as him letting loose in battle.
This one line really encompasses what Akechi is really about in third semester, and it frustrates the hell out of me when people act like he's a "fake Akechi" that Maruki made, when the entire point of his role here is that it's him, and it's his choice to defy Maruki's reality, no matter what becomes of him.
That, and if you really want to get pedantic, Tactica confirms it's the real Akechi by having him mention hobbies like bouldering that Joker would only otherwise hear about in third sem. The DLC story is memorywiped, ergo these are Akechi's genuine interests in the Mementos chats and in the Jazz Club scenes.
I think a lot of misconceptions about third sem Akechi really boil down to not engaging in the optional interactions and focusing on the big, in your face moments as opposed to the quieter and more reflective ones, and it's a shame, because it's not even that the people who do this flanderizing hate Akechi per se. It's just a pet peeve. xD
but what other choice is there
anything that allows me to keep living is good, right? as long as i keep going, it's good, right? i'm doing this because i want to live. but is this really all i'll amount to in the end? maybe tomorrow will be kinder. i just have to hold on. ......or something like that. smile
(clarification time) sumire breakdown while practicing gymnastics bc she cant do what kasumi did and she doesnt know why exactly bc of the actualization. i used to be so good. i used to be flawless. what happened to me? i like it when "sumire" pokes out of the gaps of "kasumi", because her perception of her sister is not 100% her sister. she feels something is wrong, but maybe if she keeps going, she'll feel better. anything to help her gymnastics, right? anything.
akira huddled up in his attic right after moving into leblanc. how did his life come to this? what is he meant to do now? is it over for him? lost and scared and alone but he has to keep going. even though everything and everyone is against him, he has to find some way to keep going. even if he has to return to this shoddy empty dusty little attic every day he has to hold on, just for another day. don't think about the day after that or you'll crumple under its weight.
goro.. :') i think he's the one that has to repeat this mantra the most through all the mental shutdowns. all of the murder. he has to detach himself.... anything that allows me to keep living is good, right? this is worth something for the future me. i'm trying to do it right, but something's wrong along the way, but at least i'm still living, right? ...
utena and anthy if they were in fantasy life :)
ok rambly time. i made utena a paladin because. duh. and anthy is a wizard. utena is just wearing a variation of the basic paladin uniform, and her sword is based off of the azure rose. both because its shape resembles the sword of dios and also has rose in the name. anthys outfit is loosely based off the grand wizard outfit, and she is using a palm wand. (and also the round specs)
i imagine that if it wasnt a spot for the player to move in, that they could live in that little log cabin in south castele. out in the farmland near the horse stables and whatever, i think it’d be nice for them.
i tried to get as close to how the actual art style would draw them, by looking through the character creator and going off the hair and eyes in there. unfortunately theres not a pink color close to utena’s in the game, but otherwise i was able to figure out how to stylize them. i was originally gonna give anthy the almond eyes, but i couldnt figure out how to get it to look good, so she has more basic ones
Finished this just in time for the new trailer drop! This is my Mononoke illustration featuring assorted merch from the anime, movie, and stage play! How many can you recognize? ⚖️👹
(Yes, please send answers in the replies! Answers, progress pics, artist commentary will be drafted on a separate post when I'm less tired) ⭐️ UPDATE 04/03/24: Abridged artist commentary is now available under the cut! For the full version, please see the Google Doc linked in the replies.
👁️Overview
Late last year, I rather belatedly discovered Mononoke’s 15th anniversary came and went, and with it, an entire swath of new content to manically pore over. This is an illustration of the various Mononoke merchandise, props, and set dressing I discovered.
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🔎Scope
Some fun facts regarding the work that went into this illustration!
Not including research time, this project ran for roughly two months, consuming much of my waking hours outside of my full time and freelance jobs.
While the illustration does not depict all of my findings, it does feature over 120 unique props and set dressings!
The majority of the props and set dressing were modeled to varying degrees of detail in SketchUp.
To model prep, I often put together schematics on Photoshop or Illustrators. Some were created from scratch. Others were created with the liberal usage of the Photoshop transform and perspective warp function.
The master file is 1.5GB. The dimensions are 6400x3600 at 300 dpi, and contains over 2,200 layers.
Near the end of production, the master file became so unwieldy I created a separate working file. This way, I could create assets lag-free then import the layers into the master file.
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Past this point is where most of the commentary cuts were made for the sake of brevity. Again, look in the replies for the Google Doc link containing the full version with a table of contents for easier navigation!
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🗳️3D Layout
As you can see, the backbone of this illustration is the 3D model. I spent perhaps 30-40% of my production time on this stage.
And this is the lit version. The lighting ultimately got downplayed in favor of showcasing the vibrant colors. I like how simple it looks though!
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🎬Production-Based Set Dressing
In addition to merchandise, I wanted to insert set dressing and props from the various Mononoke productions.
🦊Kusuriuri
It’s odd to have a section dedicated just to him, but his unique appearance warrants it. His garb and overall appearance is an amalgam of the anime and movie. The original intent was ambiguity– kind of like the blue/black vs. yellow/white dress phenomena a few years back. But after doing the color flats, I rather liked how the rich, unaltered colored fit with the overall composition so it became more blatant. I’m surprised that nobody has commented on this since I published the illustration. Maybe because I didn’t feature him in a close-up?
🐈 kai ~Ayakashi~Bake Neko (2006)
Finding props iconic to this story arc (outside of the Kusuriuri’s tools of trade, of course) was somewhat difficult. While the environment was richly decorated, it mainly consisted of 2D artwork which I wasn’t keen on retracing. I opted to paint objects that characters interacted with or featured heavily in the show.
Salt Jar
Candlestick
Rat Trap
🦋Mononoke (2007)
The props fall into three distinct categories here: Kusuriuri’s tools and trinkets; things featured in the opening and ending credits; and objects iconic to each of the five story arcs in the series. I tried to keep most of them clustered on the tatami, but as space grew scarce some props trickled up onto the deck as well.
Medicine Box
Exorcism Sword
Tenbin
Paper Talisman
Mirror
Ring
Geta Sandal
Necklace
Paper Umbrella (Zashikiwarashi)
Daruma Dolls ( Zashikiwarashi)
Gunpowder Ball (Umi Bozu)
Smoking Pipe (Nopperabou)
Genjiko Blocks (Nue)
Train Ticket (Bake Neko)
Lantern (Anime OP)
Butterflies (Anime EP)
☂️Mononoke: Karakasa (2024)
Pretty slim pickings for the new movie since I only had the teaser, first trailer, and movie poster to reference from. Kusuriuri’s tools of trade were a given, but finding memorable and narratively significant objects was a tad troublesome.
Thankfully, the set dressing ended up (however subconsciously) strikingly similar to the movie’s environment design, down to the green tatami and multicolor shoji screen. I suppose at this point I was so immersed in Mononoke content that its aesthetics subconsciously informed my design choices!
Exorcism Sword
Tenbin
Paper Talisman
Comb
Movie Poster
Butterfly (Custom design)
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🪭Official Merchandise
Goods related to canonical narratives and/or productions.
🎊15th Anniversary
Mononoke Shu - A light novel by Hideyui Niki & illustrated by 2964_KO
Whiskey Glass & Box
📖 Key Frame Art Books by Hashimoto Takashi
Ayakashi Key Art Frame Book (2010)
Key Frame Art Book vol.9 (2017)
📚Manga by Yaeko Ninagawa
Kai Ayakashi: Bake Neko Vol. 1-2
Kai Ayakashi: Mononoke Prequel
Mononoke Vol. 1-10
🎭Butai Mononoke
Bakeneko Pamphlet
Zashikiwarashi Pamphlet
Zashikiwarashi Acrylic Standees
Zashikiwarashi Manegi
💿Physical Media
Official OST CD
DVD Box Set
Yokai Pattern Fabric
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Common Collab Merchandise
This category consists of goods that are generally more affordable and feature graphics from the source material with minimal alterations.
Amnibus
Wall Scrolls
Tenugui Fabric
Shot Glasses
Minoyaki Bean Plates
ANIGA-TER
Stickers
Can Badges
Canvas Prints
Anique
Diorama Acrylic Stand
Acrylic Blocks
Challenge Kuji
Kusuriuri & Hyper Clocks
eeo Store Online
Folding Fan
Keychains
Can Badges
gj character G
Cushion
Acrylic Charms
Neo Gate
Satchels
Mini Badges
Mini Badges by Mame Shinoda
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High-End Collab Merchandise
Goods which derive motifs from the characters, props, and patterns from the production and transform them in an elevated manner through abstraction or usage of precious materials.
gj character G
Exorcism Sword Ring
Goodsmile
Kusuriuri Nendoroid Figurine
Folding Screen
Kusuriuri & Hyper Plush
Tote Bag
Kaya
Umbrella
Tenbin Kanzashi
Tabi Socks
Dress
Kotobukiya
Figurine
Mayla
Pump Heels
Kusuriuri & Hyper Hairpins
Tenbin Earrings
Hyper Earrings
Noitamina Apparel
Perfume
Tenbin Necklace
Folding Fan
Super Groupies
Purse
Wallet
Watch
Tsumuji Design
Exorcism Sword Necklace
Ofuda Bracelet
Useless Use Lab
Fragrance Set
Air Purifier
Three-Sided Mirror
yeah turtlenecks are sexy too bad they’re also one of the worst sensory experiences fashion has ever developed
Akechi learns the calling card rules, pt 1
I attended a Dungeon Meshi themed dinner last weekend and wanted to share what was brought/devoured! Enjoy the comparison of what the dishes looked like irl vs the show
do it scared do it stupid do it alone etc etc but don’t do it hungry. eat a snack first
tragedy is when a man has so much failwife potential & yet gets assigned suave dom by the fandom and isn't allowed to be anything else. chin up king your loser energy is seen and appreciated. by me
"b-but if akechi is every member of the friend group, what about the rest of the thieves-" homosexual supporting cast. next question
Finished designing my bull angel concept! for my friend's TTRPG
Hey anybody going to talk about rescued sacrificial maidens. Like yes a guy with a fuck off sword turned up and so you're not getting fed to the dragon/water creature/mountain spirit/vague embodiment of all things scary and you get to go back home, but is that really home? Your mom hugs you and your dad says he's so happy you're alive and you know that when they said they'll do anything to keep you safe they didn't really mean it. They have a feast prepared and you get to taste what they cooked for your funeral, help wash the dishes after. And it's selfish to think that between the whole village with everyone in it and you they wouldn't pick the lesser evil but it still leaves an emptiness in your chest, knowing exactly how much your life is worth. And the neighbors smile at you awkwardly and the neighbors' kids yell "hey! I thought you died!" because they don't know not to do that yet and maybe you did. Maybe you did.
And the hero with the fuck-off sword rode off into the sunset the way they always do but you're still here and you herd the cows by the cliff where you were tied up in your cleanest clothes waiting to not be alive anymore and sometimes you think that would be easier and when you don't come back one day, you can imagine it's a relief for everyone involved. Maybe you'll be the new thing to haunt the mountain, or maybe you'll follow down the road and listen for cries that sound like yours did. Either way, there's little left to fear. You know exactly how much your life is worth.
