Sapphire Sapphics

Ranma's being a little condescending prick here, tho something important to notice is that the author agrees with him, having both his statement prove true and the fact Akane knew it all along

Takahashi when writing Ranma 1/2 poured some of her old fashioned views in, but they may not be what you're thinking rn

Her writing "Kuno was actually stronger than Akane all along, he was just going easy" was not made to disrespect Akane as a fighter

I mean yea it kinda does, but it wasn't the intention

The intention was to say that while bokken boy's an idiot, he's not seriously dangerous, which is a lot more important than you think to properly set the tone

I understand the itch to write Akane as actually stronger and all her victories on him as more "legit", as vindication, but be aware that it shifts the tone dramatically to say the only reason Kuno was stopped is that he couldn't do what he actually wanted to do

Takahashi respects the idea of men who are very strong but wouldn't actually use that strength on women, it's charming to her

not only respects it and finds it charming, in her stories it's the basic trait any man should have to be called such

everyone in Ranma has it

It's the reason why Mikado, even with his kissing habits, tried to stop Ryoga when he attacked Ranma in the middle of the match

Also the reason why Happosai refused to train Ranma before finding out about the curse

not (just) because "women can't be real warriors on par with the guys", but also because his methods are rough and he legit doesn't want to use them on a girl

When the Herb arc starts and dragon boy himself tries to throw Akane against a wall, the page is telling you "this is serious, this is not like every arc so far, the limit has been passed"

And indeed, even with all the jokes the Herb arc has, it's the second most serious-shonen storyline after the final one, with Ryoga dying on screen, having a dramatic resurrection, he and Mousse getting that little redemption moment helping out Ranma in a final fight with an actual climax (instead of ending with a joke), "girl I love's tears give me the strength to raise once again" moment included

This is all of course pretty old fashioned reasoning, "men must be protectors" and stuff

It's why Nodoka accepts the curse, because Ranma acts protective towards her even when transformed, therefore he's "Manly no matter what"

It's also why back in UY, Takahashi considers Nagisa a manly gentleman despite wearing skirts, acting giddy and crying at every occasion, because Nagisa wouldn't lay a hand on Ryu (despite what people with 0 reading comprehension think, you know who you are) and "that's the single most important trait a man should have to be good"

Again, old fashioned reasoning

It's well intentioned, but "the girl fighters are never taken seriously" is a pretty common critique of the series by many

I would argue that giving all guys basic tact is for the better for a manga that uses harassment as a joke, otherwise it'd be much worse, even if yes it'd be cool if girls could also defend themselves

For the author's writing style, removing this little bit of tact creates a being who's truly rancid

even Happosai needs to have this trait if he wants to be in a story that, at the end of the day, must be light hearted

A guy who would actually no joke force himself on a girl is someone that has no place in Ranma 1/2 for Takahashi

That's a trait reserved for Onigumo

A guy who wanted to own a woman against her will and it was such a wicked desire that he attracted an army of demons who fused their souls with his and created the Literal Most Evil Guy in the Story

Also, the jewel from Inuyasha, the macguffin who turns demons into bigger, eviler demons and promises to grant a wish only to warp it negatively to create more conflict and war throughout history, was also created because a guy wanted a girl against her will in a twisted way (if you're unfamiliar with this backstory it's because the anime removed it for some reason)

Mermaid Saga also has terrible men who would use violence on women, described as monsters and demons without a soul

both Mermaid Saga and Inuyasha have scopes that Ranma doesn't have, different moods, different genres, they do stuff that Ranma doesn't need or want to do

Takahashi's not gonna give this trait, that she thinks only belongs to real scum, to the random goober who thinks he's a samurai

he's annoying and sucks, but it would alter the story dramatically to make him like that

even in the watermelon arc where they do a fake out where it looks like he has truly bad intentions (to the point Ranma has nightmares about it), the punchline is that he just wanted a date and is very bad at communicating it

I have sometimes read fics where Akane's had actual fears that the hentai horde was gonna gang up on her and do very bad things with kuno on top, and maybe you think you're being serious and cool with it but it just comes off as an edgy teen who thinks adding rape to every backstory is deep

can't believe i have to defend Kuno of all people lmao

Mousse is also a victim of this

i've had the displeasure of reading very stupid takes about the fact Shampoo must be stronger than him, because if she wasn't he'd force himself on her, which is not only completely misunderstanding him as a character but completely misunderstanding Takahashi as a writer, and makes me wonder what are you even doing here

I was also judged badly for disagreeing like I wasn't respecting Shampoo as a fighter, like I'm sorry but the manga's the one who doesn't do it, it was written in the 90s

Remember the lens of invincibility arc

Mousse finds magic glasses that make the person in front of you prostrate at your feet in tears saying "i'll do anything for you to forgive me", he uses them on Cologne and Ranma, notably not on Shampoo, and gives them up once Shampoo tells him she's disappointed in him, using them on himself to get back in her good graces (what good graces? Only he knows)

No? Doesn't ring a bell? Makes sense, Shampoo fans don't read with their eyes open after all

Bro is the only one aside from Akane and Ranma who gives a damn about what the person of his desires thinks about him, while Kuno thinks defeating Ranma will give him the automatic right to have Akane, Mousse thinks defeating Ranma will prove to Shampoo he's worthy and change her mind, a small difference but a big one too

Akane Ranma and Mousse are the only ones who pass the egg test I fear, sorry Ryoga and Ukyo but you tried using the rod and the umbrella

Also here's Mousse restraining a brainwashed Shampoo who's currently giving her all while in duck form

Ducky boy would never lay a finger on her despite his obsession, it's what Takahashi finds endearing about men

"i'll use violence on her" is a trait not even Happosai has in this manga, and you think the glassed man has it? Be for real

especially as a Shampoo fan you have no right to act like you're above Kodachi, Ryoga, Kuno and Mousse, there's 0 moral high ground there

Accept that you like the second worst Michelle Molesty offender in the manga after the old guy and stop acting like you're any better than the other characters, self awareness would do wonders to admirers of the purple haired menace

Time is a very funny thing. I remember when everyone was literally praising Glitch Productions and now everything is a complete mess, from racist voice actors to what people say is the worst finale to the show ever.

I think the biggest problem with the show was how it built so much hype for literally no reason. I think that's why I didn't see any problems with the show because of all the "omg a new episode just came out!" excitement.

TADC was trying to be a show where there's this big conspiracy happening and there's this web of secrets and lies that need to be tangled but...TADC was only greenlit for nine episodes. You can't do that with only nine episodes. This goes again that the show was just building hype for no reason because, looking back now, there are episodes that didn't just do anything for the plot. Nothing revealed in them instead of useless stuff for theories that ended up either not being true or not being expanded on.

If I would have done it, I would have made the earlier episodes reveal more about the characters so the later ones would be focused more on how they would escape and the secrets behind the circus, instead of everything being dumped in a literal PowerPoint in the LAST minutes of the LAST episode followed by a capcut edit of a horrible self-insert character. I am not kidding.

The show was also only originally greenlit for 8 episodes, not 9. The 9th episode came about because there was so much to wrap up they couldn’t do it in 8.

They were never going to escape. That was the point of the show. Even if you went into the show expecting them to escape, the fact they don’t isn’t somehow “bad writing.”

Since you won’t let me reply on the post, let me elaborate.

You mentioned how there was so much hype around each new episode. That’s the fandom. You are talking about the fandom there. They’re the ones going nuts about it. Glitch releasing trailers and trying to get people interested is normal promotional stuff. How the fandom RESPONDS to that is hype. Hype is a two way street. You can’t have it without the fandom.

Goose agrees that posting to tumblr and answering questions was unhelpful. We already said that. I already pointed that out in my last point. But that doesn’t make her a bad person or that she was trying to make the show out to be more than it was. Quite the opposite actually. Her answering questions was an attempt to calm DOWN the hype that was building by trying to appease people who were demanding a lot from her.

You’re right that it’s parasocial, but parasocial is (like hype) a two way street. The fandom is DEFINITELY more on the parasocial side than she is.

The show WASN’T trying to be a mystery box. Oh my god. Just because there is mystery doesn’t automatically make it a mystery box show. Especially when it’s NOT a mystery? Like we know the how and why things are happening quite early in the series. Episode 1 establishes so much that is ultimately answered in Episode 1. Just because the fans wanted more details doesn’t make it a mystery box show.

The show was ALWAYS focused on CHARACTER first, Plot second. Always has been from the start.

Also… we GOT their backstories in episode 5! They WERE explored before the finale! Did you not watch the show???

Finally, if you think Jax being a “self insert” makes it bad, I dunno what to tell you. Seems like Jax is kind of a cautionary tale. Why would a trans woman who was forced through conversion therapy in her childhood want to make a series where a repressed trans character lashes out and is angry all the time? What kind of message do you think she might be trying to send with a show about accepting each other and growing despite the overwhelming odds?

I’m not saying you have to like the show, but oh my god so many of your nitpicks are explained IN THE SHOW and so much of your vitriol is directed at a person who couldn’t control the absolute insanity of the viral success she was under.

No show is perfect. TADC is a good show. It’s also an indie show? Made by a handful of people. It’s not some massive Disney show with hundreds of artists behind it. Goose did all the writing, color grading, a lot of the editing, AND music herself. For 3 years straight. All while having her entire life under a microscope from one of the biggest fandoms on the planet.

I’d like to see how someone like you hold up to that level of pressure.

Again, since you won’t let me respond to your questions in the post, I have to do so here as a reblog… maybe consider fixing that?

Anyway, the reason the ending focuses on Jax is because Jax is the one we know the LEAST about. He’s the only one who doesn’t open up at the bar, so we don’t learn what his backstory is.

We don’t need to see what happened to Scratch, because we hear Kinger explain what happened in the show. He literally points out that Caine caused his abstraction by manipulating his mind too much at the end of episode 7.

We also don’t need to hear how everyone got into the circus because we can infer what happened. Pomni put on a headset while urban exploring. Jax was homeless and hanging out in an abandoned building. Ragatha was a realtor who was inspecting the abandoned building. Kinger and his dev team all tried the headset on. It’s pretty clear to me how all of them got there. Even Zooble admits that she urban explored too at one point. Is it really that hard to imagine she put the headset on just like Pomni did???

Pomni is anxious but grounded. Because she’s so sensible and easy to get along with, she not only settles into the circus the fastest but also becomes someone the others can trust to talk to and work through their issues. Pomni is a lonely character who doesn’t want others to experience her sense of loneliness either. That’s why she goes out of her way, even when she doesn’t want to, to help all the other characters when they’re at their lowest. That includes Jax. But she’s not infallible. Her grounded nature keeps her from enjoying the wackier adventures at times. And she gets exhausted fast. She values the time between adventures and can see through people’s bullshit.

^ got all that from watching the show, BTW. I didn’t read any analysis on her character or anything. Just showing that if you actually try to follow along her character should be pretty obvious and easy to understand.

Goose’s message is a cautionary one. Through her own trauma and experiences likely being as repressed and bitter and angry as Jax, she is showing the audience what NOT to do. She is reminding people that they always have a choice to do BETTER. All of the other characters make that choice, even Caine. But Jax does not. And Jax suffered the ultimate consequences for his behavior. He abstracts. He caused his own abstraction. If he had been more open and caring and willing to change, he wouldn’t have abstracted. But instead he stayed repressed and not only brought himself down, but hurt everyone else around him until he ultimately self destructs. How the FUCK do you think he “doesn’t face consequences?”

A mystery in and of itself doesn’t mean the show is a “mystery box” style show. Sherlock solves mysteries in every story he’s in, but the actual mystery itself isn’t why people read his stories. They read his stories because he’s an interesting character and the WAY he solves the mysteries is infinitely more fun. This was ALWAYS a character driven show, not a mystery one. Are there mysteries? Sure. But they weren’t the main PLOT. And if watching the drip feed of information wasn’t clear enough, then let me just answer all your issues right now:

“How did they get into the circus”

By putting on a headset in an abandoned office building.

“What is the circus?”

A digital enviroment run by a sentient ai.

“Is it possible to escape?”

No.

“Will they ever escape?”

No.

“Why can’t they remember their names?”

Because Caine took their names away so he’d have more control over them.

“What are their backstories?”

Kinger worked for C&A and helped write Caine’s ai.

Scratch was a developer making a brain scanner.

The other initial members were test subjects from C&A including Kinger’s wife.

Ragatha was a real estate agent.

Zooble was an urban explorer.

Gangle was a shift manager at a fast food restaurant who was severely depressed.

Jax was a repressed trans kid who was homeless.

Pomni was an urban explorer.

“Why does Jax act like that?”

Because he’s a super repressed kid who can’t face the fact he might’ve killed his mother. To cope with being in the circus he shuts himself off and doesn’t let anyone into his world. He pretends like nothing matters as a defense mechanism to avoid dealing with the consequences of his actions, which is why every time he’s shown that the circus isn’t just goofy fun he has a panic attack.

“What is Caine hiding?”

That they’re all brain scans. He doesn’t want to be left alone and he has a huge ego. So he’s trying very hard to keep them all in line and under his thumb. His journey is learning that this is wrong and to come to terms with how he’s treated them all.

It is kinda funny how Pomni would rather firstly befriend the guy who she knows is horrible to everyone and routinely harasses and abuses the women in the circus, over the person who had put in the extra step into helping her feel more welcomed and comfortable from the moment she came here, the reason being he is more “real” than Ragatha when he is in fact the most fake ass fucker in the entire circus.

Time is a very funny thing. I remember when everyone was literally praising Glitch Productions and now everything is a complete mess, from racist voice actors to what people say is the worst finale to the show ever.

I think the biggest problem with the show was how it built so much hype for literally no reason. I think that's why I didn't see any problems with the show because of all the "omg a new episode just came out!" excitement.

TADC was trying to be a show where there's this big conspiracy happening and there's this web of secrets and lies that need to be tangled but...TADC was only greenlit for nine episodes. You can't do that with only nine episodes. This goes again that the show was just building hype for no reason because, looking back now, there are episodes that didn't just do anything for the plot. Nothing revealed in them instead of useless stuff for theories that ended up either not being true or not being expanded on.

If I would have done it, I would have made the earlier episodes reveal more about the characters so the later ones would be focused more on how they would escape and the secrets behind the circus, instead of everything being dumped in a literal PowerPoint in the LAST minutes of the LAST episode followed by a capcut edit of a horrible self-insert character. I am not kidding.

The show was also only originally greenlit for 8 episodes, not 9. The 9th episode came about because there was so much to wrap up they couldn’t do it in 8.

They were never going to escape. That was the point of the show. Even if you went into the show expecting them to escape, the fact they don’t isn’t somehow “bad writing.”

Since you won’t let me reply on the post, let me elaborate.

You mentioned how there was so much hype around each new episode. That’s the fandom. You are talking about the fandom there. They’re the ones going nuts about it. Glitch releasing trailers and trying to get people interested is normal promotional stuff. How the fandom RESPONDS to that is hype. Hype is a two way street. You can’t have it without the fandom.

Goose agrees that posting to tumblr and answering questions was unhelpful. We already said that. I already pointed that out in my last point. But that doesn’t make her a bad person or that she was trying to make the show out to be more than it was. Quite the opposite actually. Her answering questions was an attempt to calm DOWN the hype that was building by trying to appease people who were demanding a lot from her.

You’re right that it’s parasocial, but parasocial is (like hype) a two way street. The fandom is DEFINITELY more on the parasocial side than she is.

The show WASN’T trying to be a mystery box. Oh my god. Just because there is mystery doesn’t automatically make it a mystery box show. Especially when it’s NOT a mystery? Like we know the how and why things are happening quite early in the series. Episode 1 establishes so much that is ultimately answered in Episode 1. Just because the fans wanted more details doesn’t make it a mystery box show.

The show was ALWAYS focused on CHARACTER first, Plot second. Always has been from the start.

Also… we GOT their backstories in episode 5! They WERE explored before the finale! Did you not watch the show???

Finally, if you think Jax being a “self insert” makes it bad, I dunno what to tell you. Seems like Jax is kind of a cautionary tale. Why would a trans woman who was forced through conversion therapy in her childhood want to make a series where a repressed trans character lashes out and is angry all the time? What kind of message do you think she might be trying to send with a show about accepting each other and growing despite the overwhelming odds?

I’m not saying you have to like the show, but oh my god so many of your nitpicks are explained IN THE SHOW and so much of your vitriol is directed at a person who couldn’t control the absolute insanity of the viral success she was under.

No show is perfect. TADC is a good show. It’s also an indie show? Made by a handful of people. It’s not some massive Disney show with hundreds of artists behind it. Goose did all the writing, color grading, a lot of the editing, AND music herself. For 3 years straight. All while having her entire life under a microscope from one of the biggest fandoms on the planet.

I’d like to see how someone like you hold up to that level of pressure.

Jax is an abuser and not well written in the slightest. Complex my ass, all she did was abuse everyone and would cry whenever they shot back at her. I dont care if she is Trans, thats great and wonderful for her! She's still a horrible abuser who threatened all the women in the circus and had many thoughts of hurting them and tried to push everyone to constantly abstract. Absolute bullshit, I have not seen a more horrible character writing in any other show ever. Not to mention how fucking dense some of the fans are when you try to tell them

"Hey we aren't mad that isn't she lovely was used for a Trans woman, we're angry because goose and Michael kovack have extreme histories of racism and the song is SPECFICALLY about a black baby girl coming out into the world before anyone can cast judgement on her"

Never mind the fact that the estate for the song has to sign off on its usage. As in, legally they can’t use that song unless they get permission from the creator’s estate to do so. Which means the legal owners of that song felt it was appropriately used.

This segregation mindset ignores the very concept of juxtaposition and transformative use of music. Putting a song meant for one thing juxtaposed against something else is supposed to make you THINK about what that means. By putting that song in that moment it is meant to make you SAD that Jax never got the chance to be born as a woman through transitioning.

Anger and hatred make you emotional. When you’re emotional you don’t think rationally. When you don’t think rationally you say a lot of hurtful ignorant and harmful things. It is WILD to me that one of the biggest accusations of anti-black sentiment from Gooseworx is basically endorsing segregation between black and white people.

A song about how a newborn baby girl is lovely, made by a person who was scared of how she’d be viewed by society…

DOESN’T apply to a trans girl coming out (a newborn baby girl if you will) in this day and age of a character who literally fears being viewed as disgusting society?

The only difference in the message of the song is the color of the skin of the person it’s referencing. So insisting that it can ONLY be used for black people is racism. That’s segregation. You are being racist.

And no, I haven’t forgotten the black thing. That’s the one aspect that I keep addressing as being your biggest gripe! Because your need to keep the song in the context of a black child (without the possibility that the song can be used for ANY child) IS ENDORSING SEGREGATION.

Juxtaposition of music that at first glance doesn’t seem like it belongs is important media literacy 101. You are supposed to understand the origin of the song and then ask yourself HOW does using it in THIS instance change its meaning and message? That’s basic filmmaking that’s been going on since the dawn of filmmaking.

The ONLY reason you have an issue with this is because of the color of their skin. That’s it. Even the black owners of the song don’t give a shit, so why the fuck do you? You’re just trying to find something to bitch about, and you’ve set up a table with no legs to stand on. You are shouting about nothing and missing the point of everything.

Time is a very funny thing. I remember when everyone was literally praising Glitch Productions and now everything is a complete mess, from racist voice actors to what people say is the worst finale to the show ever.

I think the biggest problem with the show was how it built so much hype for literally no reason. I think that's why I didn't see any problems with the show because of all the "omg a new episode just came out!" excitement.

TADC was trying to be a show where there's this big conspiracy happening and there's this web of secrets and lies that need to be tangled but...TADC was only greenlit for nine episodes. You can't do that with only nine episodes. This goes again that the show was just building hype for no reason because, looking back now, there are episodes that didn't just do anything for the plot. Nothing revealed in them instead of useless stuff for theories that ended up either not being true or not being expanded on.

If I would have done it, I would have made the earlier episodes reveal more about the characters so the later ones would be focused more on how they would escape and the secrets behind the circus, instead of everything being dumped in a literal PowerPoint in the LAST minutes of the LAST episode followed by a capcut edit of a horrible self-insert character. I am not kidding.

The show was also only originally greenlit for 8 episodes, not 9. The 9th episode came about because there was so much to wrap up they couldn’t do it in 8.

They were never going to escape. That was the point of the show. Even if you went into the show expecting them to escape, the fact they don’t isn’t somehow “bad writing.”

Jax is an abuser and not well written in the slightest. Complex my ass, all she did was abuse everyone and would cry whenever they shot back at her. I dont care if she is Trans, thats great and wonderful for her! She's still a horrible abuser who threatened all the women in the circus and had many thoughts of hurting them and tried to push everyone to constantly abstract. Absolute bullshit, I have not seen a more horrible character writing in any other show ever. Not to mention how fucking dense some of the fans are when you try to tell them

"Hey we aren't mad that isn't she lovely was used for a Trans woman, we're angry because goose and Michael kovack have extreme histories of racism and the song is SPECFICALLY about a black baby girl coming out into the world before anyone can cast judgement on her"

Never mind the fact that the estate for the song has to sign off on its usage. As in, legally they can’t use that song unless they get permission from the creator’s estate to do so. Which means the legal owners of that song felt it was appropriately used.

This segregation mindset ignores the very concept of juxtaposition and transformative use of music. Putting a song meant for one thing juxtaposed against something else is supposed to make you THINK about what that means. By putting that song in that moment it is meant to make you SAD that Jax never got the chance to be born as a woman through transitioning.

Anger and hatred make you emotional. When you’re emotional you don’t think rationally. When you don’t think rationally you say a lot of hurtful ignorant and harmful things. It is WILD to me that one of the biggest accusations of anti-black sentiment from Gooseworx is basically endorsing segregation between black and white people.

A song about how a newborn baby girl is lovely, made by a person who was scared of how she’d be viewed by society…

DOESN’T apply to a trans girl coming out (a newborn baby girl if you will) in this day and age of a character who literally fears being viewed as disgusting society?

The only difference in the message of the song is the color of the skin of the person it’s referencing. So insisting that it can ONLY be used for black people is racism. That’s segregation. You are being racist.

Jax is an abuser and not well written in the slightest. Complex my ass, all she did was abuse everyone and would cry whenever they shot back at her. I dont care if she is Trans, thats great and wonderful for her! She's still a horrible abuser who threatened all the women in the circus and had many thoughts of hurting them and tried to push everyone to constantly abstract. Absolute bullshit, I have not seen a more horrible character writing in any other show ever. Not to mention how fucking dense some of the fans are when you try to tell them

"Hey we aren't mad that isn't she lovely was used for a Trans woman, we're angry because goose and Michael kovack have extreme histories of racism and the song is SPECFICALLY about a black baby girl coming out into the world before anyone can cast judgement on her"

Never mind the fact that the estate for the song has to sign off on its usage. As in, legally they can’t use that song unless they get permission from the creator’s estate to do so. Which means the legal owners of that song felt it was appropriately used.

This segregation mindset ignores the very concept of juxtaposition and transformative use of music. Putting a song meant for one thing juxtaposed against something else is supposed to make you THINK about what that means. By putting that song in that moment it is meant to make you SAD that Jax never got the chance to be born as a woman through transitioning.

Anger and hatred make you emotional. When you’re emotional you don’t think rationally. When you don’t think rationally you say a lot of hurtful ignorant and harmful things. It is WILD to me that one of the biggest accusations of anti-black sentiment from Gooseworx is basically endorsing segregation between black and white people.

It is kinda funny how Pomni would rather firstly befriend the guy who she knows is horrible to everyone and routinely harasses and abuses the women in the circus, over the person who had put in the extra step into helping her feel more welcomed and comfortable from the moment she came here, the reason being he is more “real” than Ragatha when he is in fact the most fake ass fucker in the entire circus.

i think its more a general thing but it can also depend on specific shows.

but to spare the nitty gritty details, its more about the time spent in-between watching the episodes that allows a person to soak in the information fed to you by the show. and tadc's specific difference in comparison to high budget shows with stricter standards and less creative freedom is that it takes a MUCH longer time to finish episodes, which in turn aids in theorizing and generally like, celebrating fandom creativity, which is its own downfall when certain expectations are set. ESPECIALLY if you get really into it, enough to dig into the fandom and its creators alike, being privy to what its creator and anyone who had a hand in its final conception has to say about it

like. tell me a lot of the disappointment didnt come from things being promised beforehand and the failure in following up on it. not just on goose's side of saying episodes will focus on certain characters, or that its a character(plural)-driven show as opposed to a character(singular)-driven show. part of why the finale is so soured to me outside of my writing complaints and like getting spoiled lol is that whole theatrical fiasco when glitch has made a tweet about prioritizing releasing its episodes on youtube first for free after people got worried about them partnering up w netflix

In the case of Gooseworx, she has said after the fact that announcing that certain episodes would be focused on certain characters ahead of time was a mistake. Because that set high expectations for things that weren’t necessarily going to come true.

I saw Backrooms: Everything Must Go Edition last night. This was my third viewing of the movie itself, and then obviously my first time watching "Everything Must Go," the latest installment of Kane Pixel's Backroom web series.

It's not every day that one of your longtime niche autistic special interests suddenly gets a ton of money, attention, and art thrown at it, and I've been allowing myself to dive alllll the way in to all the new Backrooms content I can find without shame or cringe. I went to the first available local showing of the movie when it premiered (at 4:00 on a Thursday afternoon), and last night I want to the theater straight from work to attend the first available local showing of the special extended edition.

Given the circumstances (6:20pm showing on the Friday of a major holiday weekend, of a movie that's been out for over a month), the theater was decently full. I'd estimate that probably half of those seated left during the end credits. I don't know if they didn't know there was additional post-credit content or if they just didn't care.

The party to my right (a pre-teen girl who seemed to be the one who'd wanted to come, plus I assume her younger sister and her dad), got bored/irritated and walked out halfway through the new episode. Nobody else did that; I think they were the only under-18's left in the room and I think their patience for slow burn liminality had just run out.

As I was leaving at the end of the showing, a couple walking behind me complained loudly all the way out of the building about what a waste of time the new episode was and how boring it had been and how they wished they hadn't come. Can't please everyone, I guess.

I thought it was fantastic lol. It is very much of a piece with the rest of the web series. If you've watched and enjoyed Kane Pixel's YouTube content, you will enjoy "Everything Must Go." In tone and content I'd say it's sort of cross between "Lighting and Tile Survey" and "Pitfalls." Like the former, it offers some really crunchy details about the way the Complex is formed/grown/constructed (and it addresses my biggest burning question from "Lighting and Tile Survey," i.e. "Yeah, but what's BEHIND that???"). Like the latter, it is creepy and scary and atmospheric, but in a way that also ties back in to the movie.

It's also fucking funny?? I think I laughed more during this short than I have in the whole rest of the series.

If you're a massive fan of the YouTube series and want to see the newest installment on the big screen (although be warned, my theater turned on the house lights during the end credits and left them on after that, so I didn't really get the whole Movie Experience watching this because there was a pot light glaring off the corner of my glasses lens the whole time), I think this showing is worth the price of a ticket.