it's 2024!?!?!
Jul. 5th, 2024 06:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spottoYe. I can still access this place. Ye I have not forgotten. I wonder if anyone still reads these aside from myself. Back in the day of the ol' LJ times I had a few friends who would occasionally read my nonsensical longwinded and pointless rants, but those were the olden days... They were the days of yore, when the internet was not centralized to few mega social media websites owned by terrible right-wing billionaires. So often when I fall into a fandom or whatever I search a discussion forum on Google, and I can't figure out if I can't find any because Google search sucks now, or if it merely just doesn't exist. Everything is relegated to Twitter or Reddit or even Tumblr still, depending on the popularity of the media. A lot of things are even gatekept onto Discord, which I could never really get into as a fandom space. The discussion topics are locked in these communities, in these chat logs that aren't organized in ways that I would like. If I wanted to read discourse on some controversy of some episode two years ago, I'd have to rely on a terrible search function or just scroll back on some general discussion channel for a thousand years. It's a system meant for things happening in the now, where you can discuss yesterday's episode and if you want to look through an archive, tough luck, fomo'd.
For me in the present though, I have been into a few things. Those few things I would discuss in... a locked private Discord community of myself and a friend , and therein it lays, forever untouched by the eyes of the public internet. I have a whole Pokemon Special liveblog there, discussion of GTA RP and its inherent toxicity, and my Wordle scores. I do Wordle and Connections and Strands and Worldle and Quordle and... well ye. I have a fitbit and have been more aware of my exercise routines and sleep schedule, and it has mildly increased my strength and endurance. So these things where your mind and body are being worked regularly are not an issue. But the rare occasion where I want to rant and discuss in a less enclosed space, I come here, and here I am... for yet another tierlist.
THAT IS RIGHT, IT'S TIERLIST TIME, BAY-BEE.
What is this you might ask? Actually I dunno why anyone would ask, it is quite obvious. Yes I watched all 154 episodes of Bluey in the year 2024. You might be wondering why, well since I have a pretty well maintained MLP tierlist on this blog, it's not surprising. You see, my beloved Canucks lost in the playoffs this year after not having been in it for about four or so years, and right after a pretty decisive game 5 when it looked like everything was locked down and they would defeat the Oilers in 6 or 7. Then they just ran out of steam rather suddenly, and my hated rival team went onto the finals. Thankfully they did not win (barely, whew!) but when such devastating losses happen I seek wholesome media to consume, to distract myself from the disappointment of sportsball. (They did very much overachieve this year though and assuming we don't lose too many players to FA should be primed for another playoff run next year I am hoping) Bluey just seemed like the right thing to watch.
I am not going to discuss all 154 episodes though, that is insane. I will touch upon some favourites and unfavourites though. This image above is only season one, because attempting to fit all 154 eps in one tierlist was also a failed endeavour. I had too many tiers as well, and there's just only so many different levels of mid you can put 7 minute dog episodes onto. Bottom tier is not really like, I hated the episode, why does it exist? kind of level. It is moreso the episode was dull, or just run-of-the-mill kids show fodder, so I wasn't particularly negative. A lot of the eps I came away expressing that it was cute, and it was! This show is 90% of the time just very cute, and there's nothing wrong with that. I definitely liked seasons two and three more than one, but I will def touch upon some episodes.
So Bluey is a preschooler cartoon about a family of dogs. The parents are both amazing parents, and also flawed parents. I notice the internet community likes to compare them to adult cartoon or sitcom parents, which seems like a weird comparison when so many of those parents are like deadbeat parents, or typical exasperated mom reacting to toxic idiot dad kind of tropes. Whereas in cartoons aimed at younger audiences the parents are more like omnipresent Gods who can do no wrong and are perfect in every way. (Or simply aren't present at all) There are exceptions of course, but I think Bluey does a great job balancing both, being a great role model to aspiring and current parents, but also being relatable to them as well. I will say this opinion is not a very informed one though as I am not at all a parent, and the closest I could compare is taking care of a very needy cat, but I digress.
Anyway as for the episodes, my top four or so are either hilarious episodes or very heartwarming, deep episodes that resonate with my soul. The Sleepover depicted the kids' very rambunctious and sleep-deprived cousin, Muffin, as very drunk. (She was just very sleep-deprived, but she was driving a toy car and crashing into things) Also the younger sibling Bingo was roleplaying a hilarious husband character as they dined out at a restaurant, so that was a great bit. This entire show feels like a parenting show for theatre kids, with the parents (especially Bandit the dad) just committing to the bit and yes-anding any game the kids want to play. Asparagus is similar but with the whole family depicting some unhinged animals, etc. Huh the more I discuss these eps the less I have to say. I just think they're neat!
For a more negative spin on things, Camping is a highly regarded episode, but I got a bit spoiled reading some discussion with people heaping ludicrous amounts of praise onto the episode. It was like only my second or third ep I watched ever, so I went into it with high expectations, and while I liked it a lot it did not meet my crazy standards. It also was a gateway into some shipping wars (IN BLUEY OF ALL PLACES???) between who eventually marries Bluey in the future, the Camping dog or her childhood friend Mackenzie, and I could just not give less of a shit. Like, I just came from a toxic fandom with some of the most absurd and awful shipping wars possible, and toxicity everywhere (tbf, its community only really existing on Twitter did not help whatsoever) and I am just not here for it anymore. Like if these past few years have changed me in any way fandom-wise, it's that I'm done with shipping. I hate it. I would rather read fluffy family or friendship-oriented stories than argue with people about who gets with what. Egads.
As for the bottom-tier episodes, I found myself not super engaged with any episode that took place in the classroom. All I can find anywhere is heaps of praise for the teacher character Calypso, and while I think for a preschool cartoon the teacher being flawless makes sense, when comparing her with the parent characters it felt rather off. Now I may not know anything about the Australian education system, I do know Bluey and friends go to a type of private school called Steiner, and it's meant to encourage imaginary play? She seems to have heaps of that at home already, but also throughout all 154 eps I did not see the alphabet or math or whatever being taught. They were just prancing around playing house or some games in their whimsical paradise, and Calypso was around to supervise or say something wise occasionally. We see the parents being flawed all the time, the kids being a lot of work and testing their patience. It's not even just Bandit and Chilli, the other kids' parents are flawed. Lucky's Dad forcing the pass the parcel rules, Chloe's dad not being as imaginative in play like Bandit, Trixie eating all the chips in the self-restraint episode, etc. Calypso needs to teach and watch a whole classroom of kids and she just seems like, she was born to do this. You know that trope where it's weird to see your teacher outside the school setting? I genuinely believe Calypso does not exist or have a life outside being the best teacher possible, and just powers down for the night like a robot. That's the vibes I get.
But anyways season 2!
Ye I definitely loved this season more than the first. This time I do not have some popular crazy beloved episode lower than expected, and the bottom-tier is still mostly classroom eps, some eps I didn't really vibe with or care for the message, etc. Again, not bad and still enjoyable but other episodes were better. The theme this time around is I really developed a love for Chilli as a character. Yeah, I am again not a mom, but my god she's really relatable what the heck. I think the biggest part in it, is how her side of the family is smaller and has more issues than Bandit's huge family, and I really like that a preschool show is not afraid to show less idealized families and the hardships they go through. I have a friend for instance who really wants a cat, and is jealous that I have a cat, but I am jealous she has a huge presumably well-functioning family. Of course I can't speak of what her family really is like as it isn't mine, but surface level that's the feeling.
However I DO want to talk about Hammerbarn. It may be my all time favourite episode. It is not at all some deep episode about some poignant lesson. It's just the kids going to Home Depot or Bunnings or whatever Australia's is called, and Bandit being jealous of his neighbour's new pizza oven, and also Chilli actually yelling at Bluey (this is like the one time ever?) when they're being especially bratty in the store. It's fucking hilarious! I love Hecuba, RIP Hecuba. I love Bluey's new better husband, I love that her new better husband was stolen by another lady. I love that all the paint samples are free. It's probably a different Bluey that Bandit heard. I am spoiling every single joke mfg.
Also Dad Baby while not a super favourite was actually the first episode I ever watched. It was like the first thing available on Youtube because it is banned on Disney Plus. I even have Disney Plus already, but went out of my way to watch on Youtube and buy the DVDs because the amount of censoring they do is stupid. So yeah my first impression of Bluey outside of random clips was a male dog pretending to give birth, and his neighbour he was jealous bought a pizza oven the other episode was his pretend midwife. Wild, really. I actually love Lucky's dad. A few other early episodes I watched was Asparagus where Chilli and Bingo attacked him randomly as lions, and he just blamed himself for not being on his guard, def one of my favourite adult characters. Speaking of DVDs why on earth is this show not on Bluray? I went out of my way to buy a used PS3 to play Blurays because I had a collection of Blurays I could do nothing with, and the first thing I buy that isn't Saints Row 2 is a DVD because somehow Bluey doesn't have Blurays???
An episode I might have pretty high that most won't is Driving. I just relate to Chilli a lot. The fact that she has a co-worker literally named MADGE calling her on her off-day about the most miniscule of bullshit, is such a relatable situation. It's not just her family situation I relate to, but everyday things like annoyances with work and such, and her introversion as well. Also my cat would threaten to pee on a curtain, and the game they were playing going down a Grand Theft Auto route was not on my radar either lol. Episodes like Fairytale I got really spoiled on, and Granny Mobile seemed a tad overrated. I was expecting to hoot and holler at Muffin's shenanigans, and left the episode mildly amused instead. I did wonder if the crochety old pug was potentially being racist though and the implications of that, but it's best to not think too hard on such things. Unicorse annoyed me more than amused me as well, and Stories felt a bit too random and surreal.
It actually kinda looks like I enjoyed season 2 more, but I did like The Sign quite a bit! It took me a while to watch all 151 or so episodes, and everyone and their pug grandmas were raving about The Sign. I think even though there are more happy endings than I wanted, such as revealing Brandy being pregnant after the heavy implication in an earlier episode she couldn't carry, the Sign was an ideal 28 minute episode. If they did not have Calypso's infinite wisdom in the first act of the episode I would not have liked it as much, She taught Bluey how there are happy endings in stories all the time because life gives us enough sad ones. And I agree! When I was younger and life was more carefree and blissful, and we were all ignorant of the woes of reality, I would seek out angsty and tragic stories to read more often, but as I grew older and experienced life in general more I felt less need to seek those stories out and would just read fluff pieces or hurt/comfort stuff instead. Maybe it would have been nice to teach kids that accepting a move and saying goodbye to your childhood home is necessary, but people go through that all the time. Let us have the fantasy that Bluey got to stay.
This lesson reminded me of a movie I recently watched, Inside Out 2. SPOILERS AS WELL, if this whole post isn't spoilerrific enough, but a particularly poignant line Joy said at her darkest hour really resonated with me, and was also the highlight of the movie. I'm not gonna pull up the exact quote so some words might be wrong, but her line was:
"I...don't know how to stop anxiety. Maybe as we grow up... we feel less joy."
Which isn't to say we should give up because we will not feel as happy as we grow older, but that though the waves of joy will be less frequent, the size of those waves would be stronger when they do come. Or at least that's how I interpreted it. Riley developed a ton more emotions who will need to share the console, and they aren't especially positive ones, but still necessary to mould Riley to the person she will come to be as she grows up. That doesn't mean Joy is less relevant, but she will have to balance her placement with the other emotions.
Anyway I am avoiding the true topic at hand that a friend requested! A RWBY music tierlist! I heard they got acquired by VIZ Media today, so good on them. As for my opinion on the music, I feel like it started off real strong in the first few volumes, but they sort of played it safe in the same sort of style of music and everything later on just sounds samey. I heard the initial artist of these songs Jeff Williams did retire and leave his daughter to create (not just sing) the rest of the volumes' music, but I'm not sure when that happened or if it's particularly noteworthy in terms of my opinion. One reason it sounds samey is it's the same kind of rambling sort of lyrics and singing about always depressing and death sorta things, in a very edgy way too mind you. Now the show is pretty devastating sometimes so it fits, but it's just like, I can only hear ALL THINGS MUST DIE!!! So many times. I do not care if the title or chorus of the song is meant to be cheeky or something and some other verses counteract the chorus, leading to deeper meaning or w/e. It doesn't damper the part where ALL THINGS MUST DIE!!! is being yelled into my ear.
Plus a lot of the less metal sounding songs that are more emotional are also depressing. Bro it's been nine volumes please other genres of music.
Fun fact I had to screenshot this one because I noticed too late tiermaker's save function destroys the image quality, as you see in the Bluey ones above.
As for comments, uhhh. Early songs good, late songs bad? Idk. Volume 9 I noticed had less samey metal so I liked some songs more. Also as a Weiss enthusiast it seems odd she got at least one song every volume (once even twice!!) and then after volume 4 never got a song ever again, just like her relevance in the show! Unless there is some volume 7 song that is meant to be for her that I just do not know about. A lot of the later songs I heard recently for the purpose of this list and only once, too. This Life of Mine is absolute fire, but I only love it so much because this cover of the song is the hardest I have ever heard a song be sung. Like, my god. That cover is the real song in my head, and not the original. Caleb Hyles is a real gem. I know he sang Hero because RWBY likes to elevate their fans, but it just doesn't hit as hard as This Life is Mine. And as far as favourite song of them all? It's a bit of a cop out but Red Like Roses Part II is just, like. No song can even touch it. Red Like Roses Part II might be in my top ten or even top five all time favourite songs in general, it is that good.
I also tried to relisten to some Ice Queendom music to compare, but outside of the OP (Beyond Selves) and Unbound they'd just be at C tier at best. Unbound and Beyond Selves would be A or even S though. Also I really wanted to keep Home in S, but then I heard it again and it just gives such an air of nostalgia! When it was played in the Volume 5 ep where Weiss reunited with Yang I was just melting in my chair with wholesomeness and relief. So happy for Weiss in that situation (Yang I would too but it seemed to have affected her less, and she kind of just got worse in terms of demeanour as time went on? So I dunno) I used to sing Gold all the time in the shower, knew all the lyrics. And of course Mirror Mirror Pt. 1 is part of the White Trailer that made me fall in love with the show in the first place. Those were the days. The days when RWBY piqued.
Anywho this post is long enough, and is really just about tierlists which is the lowest denominator of stuff I could discuss anyway. See you in maybe 2025? Maybe sooner? Maybe never? Probably not never, but infrequency is likely the key. P:
For me in the present though, I have been into a few things. Those few things I would discuss in... a locked private Discord community of myself and a friend , and therein it lays, forever untouched by the eyes of the public internet. I have a whole Pokemon Special liveblog there, discussion of GTA RP and its inherent toxicity, and my Wordle scores. I do Wordle and Connections and Strands and Worldle and Quordle and... well ye. I have a fitbit and have been more aware of my exercise routines and sleep schedule, and it has mildly increased my strength and endurance. So these things where your mind and body are being worked regularly are not an issue. But the rare occasion where I want to rant and discuss in a less enclosed space, I come here, and here I am... for yet another tierlist.
THAT IS RIGHT, IT'S TIERLIST TIME, BAY-BEE.
What is this you might ask? Actually I dunno why anyone would ask, it is quite obvious. Yes I watched all 154 episodes of Bluey in the year 2024. You might be wondering why, well since I have a pretty well maintained MLP tierlist on this blog, it's not surprising. You see, my beloved Canucks lost in the playoffs this year after not having been in it for about four or so years, and right after a pretty decisive game 5 when it looked like everything was locked down and they would defeat the Oilers in 6 or 7. Then they just ran out of steam rather suddenly, and my hated rival team went onto the finals. Thankfully they did not win (barely, whew!) but when such devastating losses happen I seek wholesome media to consume, to distract myself from the disappointment of sportsball. (They did very much overachieve this year though and assuming we don't lose too many players to FA should be primed for another playoff run next year I am hoping) Bluey just seemed like the right thing to watch.
I am not going to discuss all 154 episodes though, that is insane. I will touch upon some favourites and unfavourites though. This image above is only season one, because attempting to fit all 154 eps in one tierlist was also a failed endeavour. I had too many tiers as well, and there's just only so many different levels of mid you can put 7 minute dog episodes onto. Bottom tier is not really like, I hated the episode, why does it exist? kind of level. It is moreso the episode was dull, or just run-of-the-mill kids show fodder, so I wasn't particularly negative. A lot of the eps I came away expressing that it was cute, and it was! This show is 90% of the time just very cute, and there's nothing wrong with that. I definitely liked seasons two and three more than one, but I will def touch upon some episodes.
So Bluey is a preschooler cartoon about a family of dogs. The parents are both amazing parents, and also flawed parents. I notice the internet community likes to compare them to adult cartoon or sitcom parents, which seems like a weird comparison when so many of those parents are like deadbeat parents, or typical exasperated mom reacting to toxic idiot dad kind of tropes. Whereas in cartoons aimed at younger audiences the parents are more like omnipresent Gods who can do no wrong and are perfect in every way. (Or simply aren't present at all) There are exceptions of course, but I think Bluey does a great job balancing both, being a great role model to aspiring and current parents, but also being relatable to them as well. I will say this opinion is not a very informed one though as I am not at all a parent, and the closest I could compare is taking care of a very needy cat, but I digress.
Anyway as for the episodes, my top four or so are either hilarious episodes or very heartwarming, deep episodes that resonate with my soul. The Sleepover depicted the kids' very rambunctious and sleep-deprived cousin, Muffin, as very drunk. (She was just very sleep-deprived, but she was driving a toy car and crashing into things) Also the younger sibling Bingo was roleplaying a hilarious husband character as they dined out at a restaurant, so that was a great bit. This entire show feels like a parenting show for theatre kids, with the parents (especially Bandit the dad) just committing to the bit and yes-anding any game the kids want to play. Asparagus is similar but with the whole family depicting some unhinged animals, etc. Huh the more I discuss these eps the less I have to say. I just think they're neat!
For a more negative spin on things, Camping is a highly regarded episode, but I got a bit spoiled reading some discussion with people heaping ludicrous amounts of praise onto the episode. It was like only my second or third ep I watched ever, so I went into it with high expectations, and while I liked it a lot it did not meet my crazy standards. It also was a gateway into some shipping wars (IN BLUEY OF ALL PLACES???) between who eventually marries Bluey in the future, the Camping dog or her childhood friend Mackenzie, and I could just not give less of a shit. Like, I just came from a toxic fandom with some of the most absurd and awful shipping wars possible, and toxicity everywhere (tbf, its community only really existing on Twitter did not help whatsoever) and I am just not here for it anymore. Like if these past few years have changed me in any way fandom-wise, it's that I'm done with shipping. I hate it. I would rather read fluffy family or friendship-oriented stories than argue with people about who gets with what. Egads.
As for the bottom-tier episodes, I found myself not super engaged with any episode that took place in the classroom. All I can find anywhere is heaps of praise for the teacher character Calypso, and while I think for a preschool cartoon the teacher being flawless makes sense, when comparing her with the parent characters it felt rather off. Now I may not know anything about the Australian education system, I do know Bluey and friends go to a type of private school called Steiner, and it's meant to encourage imaginary play? She seems to have heaps of that at home already, but also throughout all 154 eps I did not see the alphabet or math or whatever being taught. They were just prancing around playing house or some games in their whimsical paradise, and Calypso was around to supervise or say something wise occasionally. We see the parents being flawed all the time, the kids being a lot of work and testing their patience. It's not even just Bandit and Chilli, the other kids' parents are flawed. Lucky's Dad forcing the pass the parcel rules, Chloe's dad not being as imaginative in play like Bandit, Trixie eating all the chips in the self-restraint episode, etc. Calypso needs to teach and watch a whole classroom of kids and she just seems like, she was born to do this. You know that trope where it's weird to see your teacher outside the school setting? I genuinely believe Calypso does not exist or have a life outside being the best teacher possible, and just powers down for the night like a robot. That's the vibes I get.
But anyways season 2!
Ye I definitely loved this season more than the first. This time I do not have some popular crazy beloved episode lower than expected, and the bottom-tier is still mostly classroom eps, some eps I didn't really vibe with or care for the message, etc. Again, not bad and still enjoyable but other episodes were better. The theme this time around is I really developed a love for Chilli as a character. Yeah, I am again not a mom, but my god she's really relatable what the heck. I think the biggest part in it, is how her side of the family is smaller and has more issues than Bandit's huge family, and I really like that a preschool show is not afraid to show less idealized families and the hardships they go through. I have a friend for instance who really wants a cat, and is jealous that I have a cat, but I am jealous she has a huge presumably well-functioning family. Of course I can't speak of what her family really is like as it isn't mine, but surface level that's the feeling.
However I DO want to talk about Hammerbarn. It may be my all time favourite episode. It is not at all some deep episode about some poignant lesson. It's just the kids going to Home Depot or Bunnings or whatever Australia's is called, and Bandit being jealous of his neighbour's new pizza oven, and also Chilli actually yelling at Bluey (this is like the one time ever?) when they're being especially bratty in the store. It's fucking hilarious! I love Hecuba, RIP Hecuba. I love Bluey's new better husband, I love that her new better husband was stolen by another lady. I love that all the paint samples are free. It's probably a different Bluey that Bandit heard. I am spoiling every single joke mfg.
Also Dad Baby while not a super favourite was actually the first episode I ever watched. It was like the first thing available on Youtube because it is banned on Disney Plus. I even have Disney Plus already, but went out of my way to watch on Youtube and buy the DVDs because the amount of censoring they do is stupid. So yeah my first impression of Bluey outside of random clips was a male dog pretending to give birth, and his neighbour he was jealous bought a pizza oven the other episode was his pretend midwife. Wild, really. I actually love Lucky's dad. A few other early episodes I watched was Asparagus where Chilli and Bingo attacked him randomly as lions, and he just blamed himself for not being on his guard, def one of my favourite adult characters. Speaking of DVDs why on earth is this show not on Bluray? I went out of my way to buy a used PS3 to play Blurays because I had a collection of Blurays I could do nothing with, and the first thing I buy that isn't Saints Row 2 is a DVD because somehow Bluey doesn't have Blurays???
Sleepytime, by far the highest rated episode and a glorious visual and audio treat would have been amazing on Bluray. Sleepytime is also another Camping sort of ep for me because everyone was raving so highly over it, and while I loved it still, the expectations were sky-high. It's a low S for me, but still up there. Some Bluey fans are treating the show like it's the second coming of Jesus or something, sheesh. A majority of the series is just very cute to me, but I guess a lot of shows especially those aimed at younger children are brainrot these days so Bluey is like a blessing or something. It does subtly hint at some more mature themes parents experience without becoming too edgy or dark, like the episode that hints at a miscarriage and was tastefully confirmed of its intent on a book specifically about miscarriages and how parents or parents to be or aspiring parents can get through such a tragedy, which is great and I'm glad Bluey does well. `
...
Bro it is three days later and my friend asked me to do a RWBY music tierlist, so I will do so after quickly summarizing the rest of this even though I love seasons 2 and 3 lots. 
An episode I might have pretty high that most won't is Driving. I just relate to Chilli a lot. The fact that she has a co-worker literally named MADGE calling her on her off-day about the most miniscule of bullshit, is such a relatable situation. It's not just her family situation I relate to, but everyday things like annoyances with work and such, and her introversion as well. Also my cat would threaten to pee on a curtain, and the game they were playing going down a Grand Theft Auto route was not on my radar either lol. Episodes like Fairytale I got really spoiled on, and Granny Mobile seemed a tad overrated. I was expecting to hoot and holler at Muffin's shenanigans, and left the episode mildly amused instead. I did wonder if the crochety old pug was potentially being racist though and the implications of that, but it's best to not think too hard on such things. Unicorse annoyed me more than amused me as well, and Stories felt a bit too random and surreal.
It actually kinda looks like I enjoyed season 2 more, but I did like The Sign quite a bit! It took me a while to watch all 151 or so episodes, and everyone and their pug grandmas were raving about The Sign. I think even though there are more happy endings than I wanted, such as revealing Brandy being pregnant after the heavy implication in an earlier episode she couldn't carry, the Sign was an ideal 28 minute episode. If they did not have Calypso's infinite wisdom in the first act of the episode I would not have liked it as much, She taught Bluey how there are happy endings in stories all the time because life gives us enough sad ones. And I agree! When I was younger and life was more carefree and blissful, and we were all ignorant of the woes of reality, I would seek out angsty and tragic stories to read more often, but as I grew older and experienced life in general more I felt less need to seek those stories out and would just read fluff pieces or hurt/comfort stuff instead. Maybe it would have been nice to teach kids that accepting a move and saying goodbye to your childhood home is necessary, but people go through that all the time. Let us have the fantasy that Bluey got to stay.
This lesson reminded me of a movie I recently watched, Inside Out 2. SPOILERS AS WELL, if this whole post isn't spoilerrific enough, but a particularly poignant line Joy said at her darkest hour really resonated with me, and was also the highlight of the movie. I'm not gonna pull up the exact quote so some words might be wrong, but her line was:
"I...don't know how to stop anxiety. Maybe as we grow up... we feel less joy."
Which isn't to say we should give up because we will not feel as happy as we grow older, but that though the waves of joy will be less frequent, the size of those waves would be stronger when they do come. Or at least that's how I interpreted it. Riley developed a ton more emotions who will need to share the console, and they aren't especially positive ones, but still necessary to mould Riley to the person she will come to be as she grows up. That doesn't mean Joy is less relevant, but she will have to balance her placement with the other emotions.
Anyway I am avoiding the true topic at hand that a friend requested! A RWBY music tierlist! I heard they got acquired by VIZ Media today, so good on them. As for my opinion on the music, I feel like it started off real strong in the first few volumes, but they sort of played it safe in the same sort of style of music and everything later on just sounds samey. I heard the initial artist of these songs Jeff Williams did retire and leave his daughter to create (not just sing) the rest of the volumes' music, but I'm not sure when that happened or if it's particularly noteworthy in terms of my opinion. One reason it sounds samey is it's the same kind of rambling sort of lyrics and singing about always depressing and death sorta things, in a very edgy way too mind you. Now the show is pretty devastating sometimes so it fits, but it's just like, I can only hear ALL THINGS MUST DIE!!! So many times. I do not care if the title or chorus of the song is meant to be cheeky or something and some other verses counteract the chorus, leading to deeper meaning or w/e. It doesn't damper the part where ALL THINGS MUST DIE!!! is being yelled into my ear.
Plus a lot of the less metal sounding songs that are more emotional are also depressing. Bro it's been nine volumes please other genres of music.
Fun fact I had to screenshot this one because I noticed too late tiermaker's save function destroys the image quality, as you see in the Bluey ones above.
As for comments, uhhh. Early songs good, late songs bad? Idk. Volume 9 I noticed had less samey metal so I liked some songs more. Also as a Weiss enthusiast it seems odd she got at least one song every volume (once even twice!!) and then after volume 4 never got a song ever again, just like her relevance in the show! Unless there is some volume 7 song that is meant to be for her that I just do not know about. A lot of the later songs I heard recently for the purpose of this list and only once, too. This Life of Mine is absolute fire, but I only love it so much because this cover of the song is the hardest I have ever heard a song be sung. Like, my god. That cover is the real song in my head, and not the original. Caleb Hyles is a real gem. I know he sang Hero because RWBY likes to elevate their fans, but it just doesn't hit as hard as This Life is Mine. And as far as favourite song of them all? It's a bit of a cop out but Red Like Roses Part II is just, like. No song can even touch it. Red Like Roses Part II might be in my top ten or even top five all time favourite songs in general, it is that good.
I also tried to relisten to some Ice Queendom music to compare, but outside of the OP (Beyond Selves) and Unbound they'd just be at C tier at best. Unbound and Beyond Selves would be A or even S though. Also I really wanted to keep Home in S, but then I heard it again and it just gives such an air of nostalgia! When it was played in the Volume 5 ep where Weiss reunited with Yang I was just melting in my chair with wholesomeness and relief. So happy for Weiss in that situation (Yang I would too but it seemed to have affected her less, and she kind of just got worse in terms of demeanour as time went on? So I dunno) I used to sing Gold all the time in the shower, knew all the lyrics. And of course Mirror Mirror Pt. 1 is part of the White Trailer that made me fall in love with the show in the first place. Those were the days. The days when RWBY piqued.
Anywho this post is long enough, and is really just about tierlists which is the lowest denominator of stuff I could discuss anyway. See you in maybe 2025? Maybe sooner? Maybe never? Probably not never, but infrequency is likely the key. P:
