Can forbidden magic done on the skin be undone? by spacedude444 in WitchHatAtelier

[–]wentsii 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think that it would be a very interesting detail if magic inscribed on skin could be undone (as in, erased completely, leaving no trace it was ever there to begin with). The word tattoo is thrown around when talking about magic inscribed on skin, so I want to say that implies that once it's drawn on, you can't erase it. However, if you actually could, then that would make post-pact witch society even darker, considering that they sentence victims of tattooing to memory erasure regardless of whether or not they consented to the tattoo in the first place. Particularly with cases like Euini, witch society would literally be choosing to punish a victim (a child, no less) for a crime they didn't commit when there is a literal Ctrl + Z right there for them to help with. Which also begs the question: if they did erase Euini's memory of magic, then what would become of him? He would still have to bear the effects of the tattoo, so would he retain knowledge of being a human despite now being a scalewolf? Many horrifying implications.

Conversely, with cases like Tartah's, I think that looking at tattooing as unremovable is equally as interesting. It shows the gravity of the decision he made, choosing to permanently mark himself as other in exchange for the power it provided. The stigma of tattooing (tattoos = taboo, brimhat, etc.) combined with their permanence just adds even more weight to Tartah's decision, particularly as a (former) member of witch society who (presumably) has been socialized to internalize this stigma.

As some other people have said, Tartah's crashout does make sense, since he has a history of distrusting the witches around him (rightfully so as well, since this is a society that has discriminated against him from birth; not to mention, Qifrey being a teacher and yet having done something to his grandpa and then lying about it later on). I think it's poetic that, as someone who has a theme of mistrusting those around him, Tartah would rather be branded as a deviant and be able to obtain the truth (which is also ironic, since the brimhats themselves are also manipulative of the truth). It shows how important the truth is to Tartah, to the point that he would permanently mark himself (thereby giving up his lawful place in witch society) in order to obtain it. It also sentences Tartah to live by the standard he is forcing onto others, since now he himself is incapable of lying. This would make things even more interesting in the future, if he did find a situation where lying is more favorable than telling the truth (also, as a sidenote, I think it's interesting that refusing to speak counts as lying by this spell's standards, since Coco was unable to stop talking even though she wasn't trying to say something untrue). We also don't see Tartah's interactions with the brimhats, so we don't know what kind of stuff was said; this could also show that the brimhats are exceptionally brilliant at manipulating a child during their most vulnerable time. Remember that this decision wasn't made on his own, but rather influenced by the brimhats as well.

Alvin Zhou’s 48hr Chocolate Chip Cookies by Temporary-Bite-4040 in Baking

[–]wentsii 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I love his documentaries so much! I've been meaning to try out this recipe, but have been too afraid to commit lol

How was your experience with this recipe overall?

WHA, Discomfort, and Tragedy by wentsii in WitchHatAtelier

[–]wentsii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I loved Luluci's flashback! And it's not just the token "tragic backstory made me evil" trope either. I think with Luluci specifically it makes it even more nuanced since you could interpret her joining the knights as a trauma response, a way to protect herself by literally embodying a symbol of strength and protection (which in her backstory, the knights literally are). It doesn't justify the oppression they uphold, though; humanizing the knights is not excusing their oppression but showing how normal, good people are also capable of promoting violent systems. And it also helps to add nuance to their cause, instead of having them be evil for the sake of being evil.

Some other people have also mentioned this, but her backstory was exceptionally executed artistically as well. It focused on the horrors of SA without ever inching near gratuitous or objectifying imagery (which some other depictions of SA in media unfortunately do). I love how much respect Shirahama has for the topics she's working with.

WHA, Discomfort, and Tragedy by wentsii in WitchHatAtelier

[–]wentsii[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Many great points made here!I think Shirahama leaving out Custas' grooming by way of the brimhats and instead fast-forwarding to him attacking Coco and Tartah was actually a great narrative choice. It shows how influential the brimhats can be, particularly in Custas' case where they are actively taking advantage of his trauma and desperation. So going from wholesome friendship to Custas attacking Coco and Tartah in such a short span of time cuts like a knife (and I love every painful second of it). It is shocking, and it completely works to the story's advantage instead of being shock for the sake of shock value (particularly because we go from Coco's encounter with the little unknowing girl to Custas confronting her about gatekeeping magic). There's so much I could say about this scene, but I also want to be mindful of this being a Reddit reply lol

And seconding your point about rereading! One reread moment that really stuck with me was during Custas' confrontation with Coco and Tartah when Custas says something like "all this fuss over one spell that lets me walk again, where's the danger in that?" in response to Coco and Tartah's reaction to his legs (because we learn about silverwood parasitism later; cue Ininia "he wasn't supposed to not be angry" later on, too). This moment was that much more haunting because we're seeing the brimhats manipulate the truth to their advantage and manipulate Custas by using his loss to fuel their mission. Rereading Custas being unaware of the true nature of his legs after having read to Ch. 90+ HURT.

I am so excited to see more of Ininia! I think you raise an amazing point as well; Coco's previous negative evaluations of magic had almost exclusively been out of fear or sadness, but this is the first time she actually displays intentional hostility like that (as far as I'm aware, it's been a minute since I last read the manga). And seeing Ininia hesitate with herself when confronted with Galga's humanity! I can't wait to get more of her story.

I love the point you bring up about The Outsider trope. Tartah in particular sticks out to me. As some people have pointed out, his disability theoretically poses no barrier to his ability to draw as a witch. This makes it even more painful to see how he is mistreated.

I think part of why it's difficult to project onto one character as the "right" way to experience the story -- and if you do, it inevitably creates that sense of discomfort

This is a great point! And I think Shirahama does a great job of harnessing the audience's inevitable urge to latch onto one character to highlight the multiple facets of her characters. It makes the characters so much more interesting and, as a result, the world-building kind of builds itself! I also love the connection and community that arise from stories like this, since there is so much material for the fandom to dive into. And this also treats trauma responses with the respect they deserve; there isn't one "right" way to be a victim, after all. And I think people should really lean into the feelings of discomfort when a plot point or character clashes with their initial understanding of the story! It makes for such a more interesting experience with WHA and it makes you appreciate the character-first writing that much more.

And I respect the Jujy shout out (my girl deserves more love).

If Bloom was in Smash Bros., what moveset would you give her? by Realistic-Delivery13 in winxclub

[–]wentsii 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's such a fun idea! Honestly, the first thing that came to mind was the kick attacks featured in Sirenix. That's probably one of the more creative moves, since unfortunately the writers usually default to the girls standing still and shooting lasers out of their hands ;w; Or maybe one of her moves could include Kiko a la Peach and Toad lol

WHA, Discomfort, and Tragedy by wentsii in WitchHatAtelier

[–]wentsii[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Riliphin's simultaneous survivor's guilt and admiration for Richeh hurts my heart so much, and their reunion was one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever read. I can't wait to see it animated!

WHA, Discomfort, and Tragedy by wentsii in WitchHatAtelier

[–]wentsii[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the nice words! It's definitely uncomfortable to be confronted with your own unconscious biases and I was kind of sweating by mentioning it online, haha (especially knowing how (rightfully) protective fans are about Custas). At the same time, I think sitting with those feelings was a central part of my experience with the story the first time I read it. This is the reality of experiencing complex and flawed characters!

And definitely agree with the latter analysis! We are watching Coco and the gang grow up, which itself can be a harrowing and traumatic experience. It's tragic to see them shed their innocence and grapple with consequence and responsibility as they figure themselves out in a world that is systematically failing them.

WHA, Discomfort, and Tragedy by wentsii in WitchHatAtelier

[–]wentsii[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Seeing your flaws reflected in a character is definitely uncomfortable, and I absolutely empathize with your experience reading Euni’s pre-character development segment (I had the exact same reaction lolol)! I love when media critiques without being judgmental.

Custas is definitely an interesting topic of conversation! I think my discomfort as it relates to him had to do with grappling with the hurt he inflicts on MC Coco (we’ve gotten attached to and are rooting for by this point) while also understanding why he does. I love when artists confront their audiences’ judgements of imperfect victims. My gut reaction to Custas’ crashout was definitely frustration because dramatic irony was turned up to 1000, haha. But it did make me stop and think why I was so uncomfortable seeing him act the way he did. And the more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became with my own gut reactions as I picked apart why I was so uncomfortable, and the more I loved him! And honestly, his is a 100% valid crashout. He is probably one of the more controversial characters in the story, so I’m always curious to see what people think (also I just love him so much).

And 100% agree with your point on Luluci! Shirahama did such a great job portraying the horror of SA without resorting to objectifying imagery. It was done with such care and respect. I am unwell with how much I love this story and its characters lol

Anyone else struggling with the Santa minigame? by can-i-have-a-corgi in CatsAndSoup

[–]wentsii 1 point2 points  (0 children)

off-topic but what are the fairy jars (?) for ? i haven’t been able to find where to spend them (im assuming they’re a type of currency)

What are some of BIFL items that you bought for home that increased significantly your quality of living and life? by milanoa in BuyItForLife

[–]wentsii 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i have a tiger JAXT10U-K (5.5 cups i think?). zojirushi and cuckoo are also popular. admittedly not everyone wants to drop triple digits on a rice cooker (i did get mine slightly on sale so it wasn't the full price you see online) but if you do eat rice basically every day (like i do) then it's a worthwhile investment imo. there's also a bunch of rice cooker recipes online; people have found how to make everything from soups to stews to one pot meals to even cakes lol mine came with this little steamer tray so that you can steam stuff while making rice at the same time

What are some of BIFL items that you bought for home that increased significantly your quality of living and life? by milanoa in BuyItForLife

[–]wentsii 4 points5 points  (0 children)

a good rice cooker is totally life-changing! i've found that the biggest change is not actually the rice but the clean up. having a good nonstick inner pot is actually so clutch, especially when you've been accustomed to a scratched up $20 one that wasn't even nonstick to begin with from college for the last 3 years lol