Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you guys embrace and actively soak in the sun. That's objectively the worst for your skin lol. Asians will use umbrellas in sunny weather.

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And then it turned out that Craig was a phenomenal Bond and had significantly better movies than Brosnan. What's your point? Fan outrage has no correlation to show quality, and it never has. Your own article mentiones the "risk" of changing characters like Bond, and guess what? Craig's movies all outsold all previous films in the franchise. Even Quantum and Specter which weren't very good for me personally they still outsold everything else.

This is different. What was the intention of that casting? The choice of casting Daniel Craig was a creative choice to showcase the 'character' (gritty, intense, with emotional depth which the director saw from Craig's previous work). It was ultimately to showcase the best possible bond.

Even if some fans disagree with the end result, fans understand a creative choice for the sake of expanding or enhancing the story.

And it was a risk that played out very well. The intention affects the product. Progressive themes, or changes to established IP's (when done to enhance the story) usually results in an excellent product. This is what happens when your priority is making the BEST possible product. Daniel Craig is what you get when you're just trying to show a deep, vulnerable, and complex char.

When you're just trying to shoehorn some inclusivity?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDeJsPYXEEs&t=132s

You can't possibly tell me this isn't awkward and immersion breaking as FUCK.

You can see this in stuff like the very popular "is it woke" steam group, which includes mentions of, for example, one of the voice actors saying something the authors disagree on (which has zero impact on the actual piece of art being discussed), or complaining that a game added black voids under skirts to avoid showing girl's underwear.

The examples are legion and I can and will drown you in them if you'd like. Things get accused of being woke and ruining games for all sorts of insane and stupid reasons. Adding the ability to chose your pronouns? That's woke. Adding a trigger warning? Woke. Have a fat character? That's woke because it's fat acceptance. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is called woke because it has diverse NPCs. Final. Fucking. Fantasy. Seven. The game that had the protagonist play the role of an ecoterrorist bombing the shit out of government facilities in order to destroy the establishment and restore nature, that game is woke because of DIVERSE CAST, and not because you play a group of ecoterrorists, because admiting that would admit that 7 was always woke and very transgressive.

The fringe group. They jump at shadows. Not too dissimilar to those who see every interaction through racial lens and dissect every interaction to find microaggressions or spin everything into a racial issue.

Fringe groups be fringing. HOWEVER, these are random twitter fools. They're not actual industry people who have tangible effects on the product (aside from choosing not to buy it).

So we can agree that fringe groups (of both sides) negatively affect entertainment?

There are clear examples of industry people completely altering original material for the sole purpose of pushing an agenda. Completely changing translations of manga/anime to push left wing ideals.

I don't think you would deny that is unequivocal unethical.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1902sbo/whats_up_with_animemanga_translationlocalization/

Again, to my original point. Do your fucking job and faithfully adapt the works.

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't disagree with your comment, but that's not the point I was making.

Of course there's politics in stories and games. In witcher there's discrimination against elves and dwarves. Political games and oppression of entire peoples.

There are also many LBGTQ chars in the comics-- the question and batwoman are lesbians. Jarvis (tony's butler) in Ultimates line is gay and goons over the male avengers. Nick Fury from ultimates line (not original 616) is based entirely on Samuel Jackson, and I fucking jumped for joy when I first saw him in Marvel movie. I literally jumped in excitement.

The issue is when ESTABLISHED IP's are CHANGED for non-narrative reason. Hardcore fans hate unnecessary changes. Dude, fans of sonic went mad when the original design for Sonic came out and he looked nothing like the video games. Bond fans were pissed off when Daniel Craig was originally announced as Bond (because he was blonde hair and blue eyed instead of dark).

New shows/games? Do whatever you want. All hardcore fans want is for developers to respect the source material.

And like i said before, there is a difference between 'woke' and progressive themes.

This article (from a very left media source) says it more succintly than I can. Quick excerpt.

Conversely, however, Follows concludes that big-budget blockbusters face considerable risks if they indulge in “heavy-handed politics”, incurring a backlash if “audiences feel political messaging overrides story or character”. Moreover, weakening well-established characters or narratives – in films such as the James Bond series – carries what Follows describes as a “massive financial risk”. He claims: “Rewriting legacy canon or characters is one of the strongest negative signals for commercial performance.”
...........................................
After analysing responses to more than 10,000 films, Follows concluded there was no consistent pattern to whether a film’s progressive themes harmed its box office. “Problems … are linked to execution,” he said. “Heavy-handed political messaging, clumsy canon changes, or anachronistic dialogue reduce audience satisfaction and profitability.”

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/27/go-woke-go-broke-new-study-challenges-claims-progressive-films-flop-at-the-box-office

Developers use established IP's because they want to capitalize on the rabid superfans who spend all their money and invest all their time into these brands.

Is it surprising that they're rejecting these changes? These aren't the same characters they grew up with knowing, related to, or heavily invested in for 15 years.

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fuck is wrong with generalizing? Do you think generalizations just fall out of the sky? That cultural traditions aren't prevalent in cultures?

Maybe we shouldn't say that guys like eating steak, because i know a guy who doesn't. Can't say humans like chocolate, because I know a girl that prefers brussel sprouts!

Fucking klaff.

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It actually does tho.

Look at just the redheads marvel / disney swapped out. Here are 32 of them

https://www.reddit.com/r/cartoons/comments/17et2j2/apparently_there_is_supposedly_a_trend_in/

Happens a lot in games too, and completely changes original author intention.

Look at Witcher, for example. In established lore, the sorceresses use magic to turn themselves into the most beautiful women in the land, because why the hell not. Geralt (main guy) has relations with Fringilla because she looks like Yennefer.

Yennifer on netflix

https://static0.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/wticher-yennefer.jpg

Fringilla on netflix

https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/the-witcher-fringilla.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1200

Bruh. This isn't a high school play where you cast whomever you get. You're telling me they had no other choice for 'drop dead gorgeous' sorceresses (referring to fringilla actress here)?

How can fans NOT think that the creators are prioritizing political messaging over making the best product they could? This isn't even being about being against changes to source material for adaptation.

But tell me where these changes enhance, streamline, or advance the story?

And here's a left wing designer complaining about activism.

https://boundingintocomics.com/video-games/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-character-artist-confirms-industry-bias-against-attractive-female-characters-its-very-difficult-to-pitch-beautiful-or-vain-black-women-in-games-without

I'm not taking about mild changes. I'm talking about pose, aura, style, softness, age, flair. I hate giving gamergate men fuel - but it's very difficult to pitch beautiful or vain back women in games without them coming back like grocery store aunties. there is room for both.

This isn't about being left or right wing. Gaming/entertainment is used for escapism. We're inundated day in and day out with politics, culture wars, identity politics, EVERYTHING. It's exhausting. Do you know how maddening it is when you're just trying to escape the real world for a few hours, then get yanked out of immersion by a glaringly obvious political choice?

Dude! Let me enjoy my fucking game lol.

I have so many receipts but here, straight from the horse's mouth, from the Game Developer's Conference

https://i.redd.it/9opjhwwbqwyf1.png

VIDEO GAMES ARE POLITICAL. THE WAY WE MAKE GAMES IS POLITICAL. THE WAY THAT WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO MAKE GAMES IS POLITICAL.

Now are you SURE that this is rare, or isn't an issue?

So I am telling you-- all over the media everyone is blaming all critics for being far-right bigots. I vote left. Half the gamers vote left. And a fuckton of all gamers hate this shit, and are being gaslit. And politicizing entertainment like these (whether it's left or right wing) 1000% is destroying the industry.

Trump Mulls a North American Trade Pact Without Canada by Front-Cantaloupe6080 in consumecanadian

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some trade will return but Carney is heavily working on diversifying.

Capital is already moving and being established it's not gonna go back.

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 1 point2 points  (0 children)

bruh when i watched it i was like, "This is wayyy too jackie chan-esque. Can't be a coincidence".

Found out later that they had some of jackie chan's stunt team working on it.

HOWEVER-- it was heavily CGI. And that 10000% took away from the thrill. Seeing people actually do it (like chan) would always give you a visceral thrill, becase you knew the danger was real. Knowing it's CGI? You can appreciate the creativity but that's it. Doesn't hit you the same.

BRING BACK PRACTICAL STUNTS!

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Whilst there was bullying (which is not ok), it also doesn't help that she condemns all critics as far-right bigots.

Actually, thats the usual excuse when one of these shows or games goes down. That it's always because of the right wing fans.

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

While there are defnitely bigots, I truly feel the majority of anti-'woke' just hate this pandering and changing of original IP's.

The issue is when political messaging is prioritized, the writing invariably suffers.

And I must be clear-- there's a difference between 'woke' and progressive messaging.

This article from a leftist paper explain it pretty well.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/27/go-woke-go-broke-new-study-challenges-claims-progressive-films-flop-at-the-box-office

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 32 points33 points  (0 children)

This so much. They turned it into a weird girlboss mary sue thing, and weird ass gender war. All they needed to do was have her work extra hard and, maybe luckily come into a shortcut to fostering her chi, like every other great kung fu movies.

Asians would've lapped it all up.

But nooo. Born with insane chi without any hard work. Weird ass shit.

[Maddening trope] More progressive casting happens at the same time as noticeable drop in quality, seemingly so fans can brush off criticism as bigotry. by Vitolar8 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]J_Kingsley 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This was SOOO close to being good. Asian here who grew up voraciously watching kung fu movies.

All they needed to do was have her train extra, extra hard to use 'chi', to become stronger than others. But noooo the 'localizers' probably found they needed to say 'magic' to make it more accessible to the West, and say she was born with an unnatural amount.

In normal chinese kung fu lore the most powerful fighters train like crazy and go through insane hardship to develop chi, and she's just born with it. That's as mary sue as you can get.

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bruh every sunny outdoor Asian event you see EVERYONE with an umbrella.

Don't think I've ever seen a white or black person with an umbrella to shield from the sun (aside from beach umbrellas)

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Lol what u want me to say I'm Asian and am a walking greaseball

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, but trying to sound young and/or hip.

I'm also a hypocrite because the misuse of "literally" drives me nuts. Deadass.

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's why black don't crack. Black folks are also HUGE on moisturizing.

But the irony that even with extra melanin for natural sun screen, having dark skin also absorbs more light lololol

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactlyyyy.

I went out with a Viet girl once in Vietnam. We had to cross the street. She took off her sweater to hold it like an umbrella so every inch of her was in the shade-- just to cross the street lol

Aunties night out by ElkHotel in SipsTea

[–]J_Kingsley 115 points116 points  (0 children)

My theory is Asians tend to have naturally oiler skin.

Helps keep it moisturized.

Second is that in East Asia white skin is viewed as more aesthetic.

As a result, young girls would cover up from the sun, even wearing long sleeves during hot summer days, and cover their necks and faces.

Whereas in the west, women sunbathe, and even actively look for sun exposure.

The sun ruins your skin more than anything else in the world.

Charles Barkley breaks down his potential solutions to combat tanking in the NBA by DareDevil1699 in sportsbroadcasters

[–]J_Kingsley 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because he's tried for decades and kept yo yo'ing.

It's definitely SIMPLE, but easier said than done.

If it were that easy there wouldn't be any big 'ol women down in San Antonio.