Anime-opener dream fragment - Tatsu no Kanshin & others

[classicdrogn]

I was thinking of deeper curves than those - one of those will do QUITE nicely, I'd say. Then it's just a matter of remembering that Maeve does fencing rather than kendo. Maybe when she shows up as a new teacher, she can be English (Irrrish accent an' all :?D ala Katherine Madigan) and the Western stylist advisor for the Fencing and Kendo club.
This is when she's in 'watching the kids' stage, probably before officially defecting, maybe after getting the Second Claw of Madora but not having reported it - I figure her teaching gig would blow up around the time she defects, when Britva attacks her there as punishment and she has to reveal herself publically. Then she goes to being a full-time temple guardian, I guess, returning to the traditional Rakshasa duties.
We should probably try to fill out some more episode outlines with the plotty bits added since the first round, so as to keep from overloading any one time segment, or the series as a whole.
... maybe after breakfast.
- CD
What, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?

SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[classicdrogn]

Edit three: OP listings added
Revised Episode Synopses
Episode 1. Introduce the characters, Miyou saves Kennan from a nasty fall. No OP sequence, just a short "talk show" segment in the bus seats, where Kennan and Tsuchi explain that they're from the new anime starting today, Tatsu no Kanshin, and Tsuchi guesses that it's a reference to the Eigo saying, Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup." Then she wnoders why that would be the title of their show, and Kennan hems and haws slightly, then says, "Hey, we're stopping! It's time for the show! and cut to roll call.
Episode 2. Ken and Miyou's first date at a year-end festival, Miyou gets a mysterious message. OP 1 is the theme song over what would be a normal "school kids" montage, except for the dark figures peering out of corners and shadows, and the occasional ninja flitting past in the background.
Episode 3. More slice of life, Miyou acts strangely, Ken twigs and, since he's worried, tries to follow her
Episode 4. Ken grumbles after being given the slip and goes to think things over at his favorite quiet spot - the small shrine on top of the rocky escarpment overlooking the smallish city where this all takes place. Then he's attacked by a monster ranting about making him a sacrifice and before he has a chance to chomp its ass, he's saved by a mysterious kunoichi with very familiar eyes.
Episode 5. Ken confronts Miyou about her saving him, she denies everything, he doesn't buy it and starts ranting, and then she shuts him up with a kiss. Since this is a.) their first kiss, and b.) about an eight on a scale ranging from 1 - "preschoolers on a playground" to 10 - "what clothing isn't ripped has hands inside it", she then has a chance to escape while he's trying to reboot his brain. Cut to Jaan talking to An Liu, saying that he wants to do some more investigating before he tries to take this target again. Liu says no, do it right away. One of Jaan's lieutenants volunteers. Commercial break. Start back, we see Miyou going over some files on her laptop before she blinks, then curses at it. She pulls out her phone, tells Ken to meet her at the shrine, since it's private and that way she can explain everything. He comes, and we get treated to his thoughts and introspections for a bit (with a dash of 'wow - that was some kiss'), and then he hears a noise behind him, turns, and catches a spell in the face. Cut back to Miyou, as she finds one of the minor demons that have been assigned as perimeter guards - she thinks a bit, realizes Ken would have been -right there- and is probably in trouble, and goes into ass-kicking mode. She reaches the shrine, finds Ken tied up and Lieutenant incanting over his spreadeagled form, then wades through the last of the faceless minions just to get clobbered by Mr. L, who probably isn't near as skilled/powerful, but who also hasn't just fought his way through a small army. Ripping noise from Ken's direction, *chomp,* cut to credits. OP 2, Nathan's with ninja Miyou
Episode 6. Kennan and Miyo explain themselves to each other, interrupted by Tsuchi who wants to hang out with them, and who they're trying to keep things a secret from as well, but don't want to alienate her. Play it for laughs, but get it over with by the first commercial break. Today's monsters are all low-powered summon monsters who jump out and are quickly dispatched, while the lietenant guy watches to see their reactions and abities. A couple of times, Tsuchi is there and just misses what happens, then wonders at the sudden wreckage, and how these freak accidents just keep happening. Eventually, she has to go meet her BF for the evening, and leaves. Shortly thereafter, Lieutenant guy attacks. One or the other of them wonder in the closing monologue how long they can keep it from Tsuchi before either slipping up and dragging her in, or damaging their freindship. Probably Kennan. OP 2.1, almost the same but with a link between Kennan's two forms, maybe just a superimposed face or something.
Episode 7.
Episode 8. Tsuchi, meet the demon. Demon, Tsuchi's fist. And foot. And elbow. And Burn Down Kick. And Shinkasen Slam. And a little of this, and some of those, too. And... hey, it's Kennan and Miyou, here to put you out of your misery! Wave bye-bye, demon-san! OP 2.2, adding a quick shot of Tsuchi cheering them on from the hilltop as Miyou and tatsu-Kennan take off
Episode 9. The hot springs episode! Miyou: How -do- you stay so tan, then, anyway? Tsuchi: *blushes -hard-* Camera angles and the sudden decision to go for lunch prevent losing the show's PG rating. Introduction of Keiu, sketching the shrine on the far end of the valley with colored pencils. More playing around, but eventually we get to Miyou returning home, and jounin-guy already waiting there, to chew her out for wasting time when the demonic hordes are on the move. He presents her with Lietenant-guy's severed head, which sublimates into dust and then foul-smelling smoke once released from te preservative jutsu on the bag it was in. He tells her he'll be keeping a closer eye on her as well. Despite that loss, Jaan has unsealed the Fourth and Fifth Claws of Madora and taken them, tossing them scornfully at An Liu's feet and asking if THIS is all that's been bought with the lives of his warriors. He has his hidden kingdom and it's good enoguh until a better opportunity comes along, thanks.
Episode 10. Besides his budding sideline in supernatural investigations, Kennan is a member of the school yearbook club. Since he's now met Keiu as more than just another inconveniently short person to trip over, he knows that she's probably the best artist in town - and he gets the idea of getting her to do illustrations and graphical design for the upcoming yearbook. Which means he's getting to be friends with her... and leaves -Miyou- in a tizzy trying to decide whether she's genuinely getting wierd vibes of this girl or is just jealous. Soe of Meave's unseelie have followed the kids invisibly, and she decides to infiltrate the school to get a better line on them. She becomes the new English teacher (medium-strong Irish accent and all), and western stylist advisor for the Kendo and Fencing club (in her human form, obviously.) OP 2.3, now Keiu is there with Tsuchi cheering and waving.
Episode 11.
Episode 12.
Episode 13. Meave gets the Second Claw, but does not report it. Suddenly being in a position approaching success brings her doubts about the whole thing into focus.
Episode 14. An Liu confronts her about keeping the blade for herself, she flounders for an instant, then reminds him that it's a weapon as well as a relic, and he wants those kids disposed of, right?
Episode 15. Meave openly defects. New OP, more battle oriented, but not neccesarily a new theme. Maeve is shown with the hero cast, clear views of the remaining Directions and Jounin-guy also as an enemy but apart from them.
Episode 16. Britva attacks Maeve at school, he's run off and there are no fatalies but some major structural damage. After the injured have been carted off, someone tries to raise spirits by joking that it's too bad this happened when school was all but over for the year.
Episode 17. Summer has arrived! Annnnnd now.... THE BEACH EPISODE!
Episode 18. Britva unseals the Third Claw, but it vanishes before he can take it. WTF!? An Liu is NOT happy with him.
Episode 19.
Episode 20. An Liu's magic locates the Third Claw, and he does heavy daamge to Miyou's clan compound retrieving it, also messily killing quite a few lower ranked nin and the worst of the reactionary all-supernaturals-are-evil crowd. Miyou is left as heir apparent to the Clan Elder, her grandfather. She calls Ken & co. on her cel phone, but they only arrive in time for rescue and cleanup in the wreckage.
Episode 21. Britva unseals and takes the First Claw. Meave's having kept the Second is now all that stands in An Liu's way.
Episode 22.
Episode 23.
Episode 24. The five blades of the Claws are driven through a wall in the appropriate positions, then a rune circle is laid out on the other side of the wall from the handles and the incantation reeled off. Things glow and the sky goes dark, then the blades twitch, pivot as if the hand they're the claws to just clenched, and rip out that section of wall, revealing a really BIG eye in a tiger-like face. Two hands tear the hole wider until the giant boss-guy, Madora, can step out and administer beatings after the commercial break, then he puts up a shield and does his own summoning to bring Ravana to the mortal plane just in time to have a reaction shot before "Continued in Ep25..." appears at the bottom of the screen. New ED credit montage, with stills of the characters looking pensive at sunset.
Episode 25. ...which leads to a sequence of massive fights as Mr. Kitty and the surviving generals draw Our Heroes off into these little pocket dimensions so's to keep them from interfering with Ravana while he's still relatively weak from his rebirth. Except, much as their boss did, so many eons ago, they forget that humans aren't always so insignificant as they look. Maeve vs. An Liu. Keiu vs. Britva. Kennan vs. Madora. Tsuchi and Miyou vs. Ravana. Ding ding.
Episode 26. Kennan/Miyou wedding episode, a year and a half or so later... complete with an attack by a rival ninja clan, which irritates the dragons in attendance - many, many dragons in attendance - almost as much as it does Miyou's half of the party. Keiu and Meave are both being very obviously preggers, and when anyone asks them who the father is they just blush, share a secretive look, then giggle and shake their heads. (Motherhood... it's truly magical, ne?) Tsuchi is on the prowl having finally broken up with her long-time BF when he went to study abroad - except for when she's not crying copiously at how romantic it all is, or kicking rival ninja ass. Kennan gets a sharp whap and is warned sternly that he'd better not even THINK about tearing out of that tux to transform, so his and Miyou's appearance on the field is delayed while he ducks into a side room and carefully strips down. (Miyou does this battle in a tee reading "Ketchup Not Required") Sometime after the ceremony is finished and everyone is partying, Gaku is seen pulling a similarly aged girl's bright turquoise hair and running away as she chases him, red-faced, then suddenly turns into a downy, cute Plume dragonet about the size of Bosu-sensei's motorcycle, snagging him in a tackle, peering at him, then blushing and giving him a big sloppy tongue-slurp before running away herself, leaving the disgusted seven ("I'm almost eight!") year old furiously rubbing his face and yelling about girl-cooties. And, just at the end, Jaan snorts to himself from a handy shadow, shakes his head, and vanishes into a mystic portal, returning again to his own realm. Final OP is something of a quick series recap, the fall and catch, Jaan fighting, stealing the 4th and 5th Claws, giving them to An Liu and walking away, Maeve fighting, stealing the 2nd, arriving in the class, changing sides, Britva attacking her, then losing the 3rd, An Liu retrieving the 3rd, the dragons shifting rubble, Britva gets the 1st, An Liu beats down Maeve and takes back the 2nd, the hole being ripped and showing Madora's eye, and the deathblow of each final battle, then everyone partying at a picninc on a hill or something, before the camera goes up and away to the sky, then back down at the wedding.

Ne?
- CD

ETA: As a side note, Koi Koi Seven has more guns, more panty shots, and less dragons, but I'm still going to reccomend it for those who've been following along here. Well, with the note that it's an ecchi/humor sow. I kind of think it's what Project A-ko might have been if they hadn't dropped the ecchi. The pantsu-counter read 68 at the end of the first episode, plus fifteen or so bras, a couple swimsuits, and one no-details interrupted yuri. (No, it's not really the same at all, but it IS funny. Well, ep2 is essentially ecchi closeups with the barest of contrived plot to theoretically string them on, but 3 makes up for it with character depth.)
ETA2: I suggest 11, 12, and 19 as miyou's-ninja-relatives-as-enemies episodes. What, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

Episode 7 - Fighter/punk type from a different school turns up, looking to start a fight with Tsuchi for challenge/revenge/reputation/whatever. Not knowing that Tsuchi's a girl, he introduces himself by sucker-punching Ken, who's -obviously- the biggest and most dangerous person there (which is true, but not for -any- reason he'd suspect). Ken picks himself back up, glares a bit, then says "Tsuchi's over -there-, dumbass. Braid, tan, paper-bag lunch? -Her-." Punk is very embarrased. "Oh, sorry man. Er, no hard feelings, right?" Ken smiles and nods, "Sure. No hard feelings," then knocks -him- flat on his ass.
'Not a fighter' only goes so far when it's describing someone who's 6' 2" and 230 lbs. -before- lunch.
Then, accounts having been settled, he leans down and picks Punk back up onto his feet and takes him over to introduce to Tsuchi - who's thrilled at the chance for an interesting match. Cut to after school, and it's not as entertaining as Punk -or- Tsuchi thought it would be - he's good, but she's a -lot- better. Finish the fight, then commercial break.
Come back, find Punk angsting about being such a pushover - Lieutenant #2 (this is the one that replaced the guy who Ken chomped in Ep. 5) shows up and offers him an edge, if in return he'd be willing to do his benefactor A Little Favor. Cut to Punk-vs-Tsuchi, round two, which he -dominates-. Punk is in a bit of a berserker-fugue-state, but Miyou interrupts him before he can do something permanent. She confronts him over cheating magically and its consequences - which L#2 -didn't- tell him about. Punk turns around a tells L#2 to go to hell then gets caught by what's basically a form of magical mind-control-as-contract-enforcement. Miyou goes for L#2, which turns into a long running battle through the tree-lined streets of the city before he eventually gets away. Ken distracts (read: gets clobbered by) Punk until Tsuchi wakes up and Layeth The Righteous Beat-Down Of -Wrath- Upon his cheating ass... at which point, since he didn't beat her, -L#2- is in violation of contract, and the mind control is broken. End with an 'I've learned my lesson, but that doesn't mean I won't be back to beat you fair and square!' from Punk.

Episodes 11 & 12 - Jounin-guy isn't the sole autocrat of his clan; he's one of five field commanders serving under a central council. Because of this, he can't just off and whack somebody he's suspicious of, although he -is- fanatical enough to do something like that. However, if he's going to get enough evidence to hang Miyou out to dry, he can't just trust her reports - he has to get another source, and obviously the two monsters she's been consorting with won't do. So he kidnaps Tsuchi, then tries to turn her. Since Miyou's been talking more than she probably should, Tsuchi knows enough to call him on the fact that this isn't SOP for his clan, and he admits that even though the ends really do justify the means, he'd probably be declared a missing-nin if this incident got out outside of his circle of loyalists.
She deliberately mishears him, and spends the entire rest of the series referring to him as 'Uke-nin-san.'
Meanwhile, the rest of the team has to 1. track Tsuchi down; 2. rescue her without killing so many ninja that they get themselves declared a clear and present danger; and 3. fight their way through one of Maeve's assaults in the bargain - all the while without revealing their various secrets or letting 'Karru-sensei' get eaten by one of those red-capped... -things-, since she was around when the assault started.

Episode 15 - Maeve and Keiu have a tutoring session; Maeve catches herself wondering what Keiu's lips taste like - Keiu catches herself staring down Maeve's blouse. The kids get formally introduced to the Queen of the Winter Court of the West, which -neither- side particularly enjoys.
Episode 16 - Britva tries to upstage Maeve by grabbing the Third Claw by himself, but is distracted by his own sick fun long enough to get bitchslapped by a half-stone-dragon. Tsuchi and Miyou tease Keiu about having a crush she won't tell them about, and Maeve angsts over, well, half-a-dozen different things.
Episode 17 - Summer has arrived! Annnnnd now.... THE BEACH EPISODE! Maeve and Keiu kiss. Ken and Miyou Do It. Tsuchi shows up with a hickey at the very end of the episode.
Episode 18 - The Directions find information leading to where the Third Claw is hidden. Maeve has a revelation, and manages to tip the kids off in time to have them fight Britva for it... but it vanishes in the confusion. An Liu chews out turtle-boy and stares after M. suspiciously as she leaves.
Episode 19 - Maeve and Keiu confess their feelings. An Liu tricks Maeve into 'tipping' the kids into a trap before he blows her cover right in front of them, then half-kills her with a single spell. Keiu -flips- and we get to see our first dragon-on-dragon fight... as well as giving Maeve the shock of her life, since before now, she hadn't -known- about Keiu being anything but a relatively normal human mage.
Episode 20 - Ninja attack! They're trying to get the Second Claw away from Maeve, and, since Uke-nin-san's in charge, are willing to resort to kidnapping, murder, blackmail, and various other underhanded deeds to accomplish that goal. Miyou goes to appeal to a higher authority (ie, the Clan Council) while the others try and hold off the sneaking horde.
Episode 21 - An Liu's magic locates the Third Claw, and he does heavy damage to Miyou's clan compound retrieving it, messily killing quite a few lower ranked nin and the worst of the reactionary all-supernaturals-are-evil crowd and also coincidentally pulling back the forces that had been besieging Our Heroes. Miyou is left as heir apparent to the Clan Elder, her grandfather. She calls Ken & co. on her cel phone, but they only arrive in time for rescue and cleanup in the wreckage.
Episode 22 - Britva unseals and takes the First Claw, in the process reestablishing his psycho-badass credentials. Meave's having kept the Second is now all that stands in An Liu's way. Britva tries to get it himself and gets his ass summarily clobbered, then An Liu steps in personally and hits everybody with a magical whammy. They fall down out cold, he walks over and takes the sword, then leaves.
Episode 23 - An Liu's whammy was one of the 'illusional world' types, and our heroes have to survive, figure out the local rules, find each other, then find their way out in time to stop the summoning. End on them enacting the ceremony/spell that'll let them break free.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Edit:Never mind, on 3/4ths thgouht Nathan already has essentiallly everything I liked, only the detail of an inaccessible ledge half way up the cliff for Ken & Miyou in 17 being worth keeping. I'll splice this stuff into the "series info" HTML file I pulled those summaries out of - I recall mention being made of trying to spoof the fen? If sufficient art can be generated, I have a Nadesico "box set" that's one big, multi-compartment case for ... I think 7? A full series worth, anyway... DVDs that I can print a different wrapper for and stick it inside the plastic sleeve, then scan.
- CD
What, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?

SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

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Edit:Never mind, on 3/4ths thgouht Nathan already has essentiallly everything I liked, only the detail of an inaccessible ledge half way up the cliff for Ken & Miyou in 17 being worth keeping. I'll splice this stuff into the "series info" HTML file I pulled those summaries out of - I recall mention being made of trying to spoof the fen?

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*sigh* Not unless we can find a high-grade artist to help fake up the character sketches.
Hmm. I have these mental images for promo art:
Ningen-Kennan, in his school uniform, standing with his hands in his pockets and a quiet little smile on his face. The background has scales. The series logo (which is just a fancy-font version of the kanji for the show's title with an appropriately-posed dragon silouette hidden behind it) is on his right, and the English inscription LEGEND to the left - both of these vertical in this case.
Miyou, for once dressed in civilian clothes that -don't- feature a wiseass t-shirt, wearing a quiet smile and sitting calmly on a high antenna looking out over Toraguchi. Logo is top-right, MYSTERY bottom right.
Tsuchi, in her trademark out-of-school Salvation Army getup, grinning widely and throwing up both fists in a victory pose in the center of a ring of cheering kids. Logo bottom-left, WARRIOR top-right.
Keiu is lying on some grassy knoll with moonlight shining off her glasses and the most incredible starscape overhead. Logo top-center, ARTIST bottom-center.
Maeve, in a western fencer's workout gear but not mask, standing in the center of a room full of mirrors and giving one of them a salute. One and only one of the reflections shows her Rakshasi form. Logo bottom-right, TRAITOR top-left.

And, now that I've heard the song you suggested as an ending theme, I can't help thinking that the usual ending sequence is basically our core cast going out clubbing... or possibly some kind of variation on the video for U2's Where the Streets Have No Name.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

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And, now that I've heard the song you suggested as an ending theme, I can't help thinking that the usual ending sequence is basically our core cast going out clubbing...

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Tsuchi doing something like a gymnastics routine crossed with a kata in a circle of silhouettes (that look suspisciously like popular male characters from Ranma/Tenchi/Love Hina/Negima/Excel Saga/etc.) and any of whom could plausibly be her boyfriend - or anime-versions of some segment of the production crew... Miyou and Kennan only a bit less energetic but in perfect coordination so thaere's only a finger-s-breadth between them at any one time... Keiu shyly hopping in place until Maeve drags her off to a booth... Britva falling-down-drunk and getting bounced for starting a fight... Jaan leaning against the bar and sipping a martini, surrounded by women.... and Long An Liu, in polyester and gold chains, doing disco moves twenty years out of style on top opf a table, directly under a laser mount and strobe bank... FEAR!!

- CD
What, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?

SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[classicdrogn]

From one of the more varegated Plume subfamilies, Keiu's dragon form is feathered like this parrot while in human form her hair is the green of the small patch on its head.
- CD
ETA: While I'm at it, a discussiong of thunderbird/firebird mythologyWhat, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

Neat! Actually, that particular shot also features the -exact- shade of aquamarine I was originally thinking of for her hair.
The mythology article dovetails almost disturbingly well - I'd thought that, in natural form, dragons find 'spitting' a spell about as natural a motion as humans do 'throwing' one... that is, not really -neccessary-, but an extremely useful focus. Also, of course, the two Plumed color morphs and their global distribution are a perfect match.
Meh. I had something else to say, but now I've lost it.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Unusually, I had another dream within the same setting, but I only have fragments from this one. Piecing them together with what we've already got, t gives some more detail for the Hot Springs episode... mainly that whatever the episode conflict is, it sets up a character-disguise for Keiu as a human mage, and possible suspisicion in genre-observant audiences that (as the new student introduced a few episodes in) she's actually a spy, though nothing onscreen should be directly suspiscious - all she does is cast a flight spell to generate wings on her human form and get away.
The fact that it generates a pair of parrot (or Plume Dragon) like wings doesn't mean much, because Kennan knows about this spell, and if he'd been studying his utility magic the way his mother keeps telling him to he'd have known it himself and could have used it in the first episode - it creates a pair of energy fields in the form of functional wings from the caster's shoulder blades, with the form being up to whatever the caster visualizes, even insectile or mechanical.
This also gives some additional ammo for Miyou's worries about whether he's attracted to the smaller girl for the Valentine's Day time period, in a varient of the 'helping him with homework' ploy (Kennen forced a laugh before admitting, "I'm not too good at magic, but that would have been useful a month ago...") It requires some prescise gestures, but is otherwise quite simple - Tsuchi and Miyou with their ki-powered martial arts should have no trouble learning it by midseries, but unless your opponent is also airbourne or as big as the series finale bosses it gives no real advantage, espescially to novice flyers, since the wings get in the way of drawing an arrow or getting a good throwing motion, and ranged attacks are mostly for the second line since enemies won't helpfully stand there and watch you charge one. Well, an enemy spellcaster might use their own in reply, but any melee fighter knows that the best way to fight an energy blast is to run up and punch the user while it's charging, or throw a knife/rock/etc., anything to disrupt their concentration... and of course, chopping the heck out of a sitting target nicely disrupts their concentration.
- CD Make with the stabbitty pointy death!What, you think Samuel L. Jackson isn't going to survive the zombie apocalypse?
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[classicdrogn]

Do we have someone with hair like Steel Thong Girl? Because we should.
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

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Steel Thong Girl?

---

o.O
O.o
>.<
Anyway, er, howsabout Maeve? Because I think that our only other really recurring character candidate would be Shareta...
...Or maybe Tsuchi's mom?
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Maeve works for me. Um, with the hair, I mean, thoguh I suppose you could kind of say she literally works for me, as well as you and the other major contributos... Right. Like that.
Only blonde.
Dammit, 2003 to the present is too much Penny Arcade in one sitting.
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[classicdrogn]

A basic series synopsis page I started making which rolls together the various episode synopsis posts.
Hoagie of Doom's music thread where we talked him into assaying an OP theme. Three cheers for Hoagie!
Nathan, did those character drawings ever amount to anything worth sharing? I'd like to see them; even if you don't consider them truly up for publc consumption at least they'd be a start.

- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

---

Nathan, did those character drawings ever amount to anything worth sharing? I'd like to see them; even if you don't consider them truly up for publc consumption at least they'd be a start.

---

I'll take another crack at 'em over the weekend. Something like a group shot, maybe.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[Valles]

I'm doing one of those character height charts that you see for most series - at this point, I've got Miyou -done- (wearing a t-shirt that might well get me slapped by the GF, if I had one ^_^ and a starting stick-figure sketched in where Ken, Tsuchi, and Keiu supposed to go. It looks like she'll come out at 5' 10", when all's said and done, and the others are looking like 6' 6", 5' 1", and 4' 11", respectively. I've also got space for Maeve, but I want to think about how to pose her and handle her forms before I start putting anything down.
Yes, he -is- rediculously huge (even by his clan's standards). That's why her catching him in the first episode is so impressive. ^_^
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Well, you don't rack up a life-debt over tiddlywinks, now do you? Sounds like a good start, N!
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

Well, Tsuchi's done, Ken and Keiu are, like, 90% of the way there (damn shoes), and I've got Maeve's pose sketched out. So, I figure that that's enough for one day, ne? ^_^
So far, the thing that's gone best has been... well, everything below Miyou's waistline, actually, and the one that I've had the most grief from, Keiu's shirt. You'll see why once I scan it.
...hm. I've got him in his school uniform for this, but Drogn? How does Kennan dress, do you think?
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

I'm thinking on the conservatve side - dark, solid colors, without much in the way of trim. The kind of reliable wardrobe where you can pull one thing out of each drawer at random and have it look OK. Also remember, there's the distinct likelyhood of his tearing out of any particular outfit to transform, so dressing snappy is not eactly a great plan. Basic and casual, sort of thing.
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

---

Also remember, there's the distinct likelyhood of his tearing out of any particular outfit to transform, so dressing snappy is not eactly a great plan.

---

Not to mention the neverending adventure of finding things in the right size.
In -Japan-, remember.
So, yeah. Okay, I can see that.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Thinking about it some more, he should probably have a jacket or something that does have some interesting detail to it - something he can easily slip off and drop if he needs to, while still giving the design some visual pep. Granted, he's been somewhat displaced as Lead by Miyou, but he still needs a toyworthy look.
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

---

Thinking about it some more, he should probably have a jacket or something that does have some interesting detail to it - something he can easily slip off and drop if he needs to, while still giving the design some visual pep. Granted, he's been somewhat displaced as Lead by Miyou, but he still needs a toyworthy look.

---

*thinks*
...Trenchcoat?
And, I had an interesting sort of semi-brainstorm as I was working on the pic some more - I swear, it's like the thing won't let go of my fingers - see, I've gotten to the point of sketching out Maeve's outline, and I got the idea of including the Second Claw in the shot.
So I did.
Then I looked over a little to the left and wondered why Miyou wasn't carrying -her- arms... Well, because you just -don't- walk down the street these days carrying a sword. Which'd mean that either she's unarmed (super-ninja in a venue with magic? Not likely!), or she's keeping her tools in hammerspace.
Then I got to thinking about how, for someone who's so quiet and restrained in person, Miyou doesn't actually have much in the way of -moderation-. (view her taste in tshirts, for a starter)
Besides, O-dachi are cool. ^_^
Thoughts?
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Trenchcoats are kind of cliche for the badass male character... which would be subverted only until Ken transforms the first time since he's not all that athletic despite being Tall and in pretty good shape. Maybe something 3/4 length, a "car coat" I think they call them? I think some mention was made of his giving Miyou a spiff jacket at some point, a logical extension of which would be her having borrowed his (vastly oversized) one a time or two.
As for Miyou going for the more impressively bulky weapons, since she's summoning them when she needs them anyway... Well, keep in mind that she's not supposed to be fantastically strong, at least at the beginning - by anime standards at least. She could armwrestle RL bodybuilders and make them cry for their mommies, but just holding on to Kennan and gradually slipping free was the best she could manage in ep1, so no 700lb Buster Swords. I was seeing her as a ninjutsu and dual-wakazashi girl, myself, with some kind of polearm as an alternate.
- CDThat which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

---

Trenchcoats are kind of cliche for the badass male character... which would be subverted only until Ken transforms the first time since he's not all that athletic despite being Tall and in pretty good shape. Maybe something 3/4 length, a "car coat" I think they call them? I think some mention was made of his giving Miyou a spiff jacket at some point, a logical extension of which would be her having borrowed his (vastly oversized) one a time or two.

---

-Anything- of his she borrows is going to be vastly oversized. His mother's tall and his father's bulky, and he picked up both traits. ^_^
Hmm.
Digressing, but bear with me.
I had originally wanted to suggest that TnK be set in the fictional town of Toraguchi - written 'tiger mouth', due to Madora's having been sealed there - which would, then, be located somewhere in Nagano Prefecture, thus giving us a nice skenic backdrop with excuses for cliffs and things. After doing a little more research, though, I'd like to move Toraguchi to, say, somewhere in northwestern Iwate Prefecture. Confirming from the local government's official site, I think that putting our town there will give us mountains, a moderate-to-outright-cold climate, a lot of relatively undisturbed land, and even adds the possibility of setting it along the shore of a pretty caldera or something. (Neither of Iwate's sites mention having such, but the ones for Aomori and Akita both do, so I'd be surprised if there weren't a few.
So, what does all this have to do with Kennan's choice in clothing?
Heh. Digression #2 -
Dragons live a long time, I think the range was 700-1000 years? This means that, even if Ken's parents are both the draconic equivalent of twenty-somethings, they're still going to be old enough to remember where they were when, say, the American Revolution kicked off. Given their origins/history and even more, their mobility, relative to humans, I don't see any reason that his dad, say, couldn't have been in Europe or America during the nineteenth century.
Turning ninety degrees, all the stories about hoarding and such suggest that most dragons share two traits at a level about as close to instinctual as the way most humans don't like being -growled- at. First, they're going to be pack rats - they -never- throw anything away or leave anything behind (permanently, anyway). And second, they're posessive as all hell.
Mixing that with my views on romance, I'd suggest that a lot of the way they tend to show affection and/or devotion is involved in -suppressing- that - showing that they care enough to stop and think and put the other's choices ahead of their own instincts/reactions/desires.
BTW, this should be good for an 'awwww' moment during or immediately after Keiu's intro, where Miyou's telling Ken how silly she feels for being jealous - and he asks her why she'd essentially gone and stepped aside when she felt that way - and she says something that basically boils down to a more diplomatic version of 'because I don't own you, even if it hurts me,' - which from his POV is just short of saying 'Ai shiteru', see above.
...And I'm suddenly seeing another scene where Miyou asks his mom why on earth he reacted like that, and her eyes getting -real- big at the explanation.
And of course, the other aspect is that gifts are going to be a Big Deal.
This means that, if his father were to give him a coat he had picked up some time in the past (I have in mind an 1860s Union Officer's Greatcoat, but other options are open, of course), Kennan would probably appreciate it enough to outright ignore how (un)fashionable it might be to wear such a thing.
Which means that I get this great dramatic flaring look, and you get something that I've never seen outside of pictures specifically set during the American Civil War. Distinctive, ne?

---

As for Miyou going for the more impressively bulky weapons, since she's summoning them when she needs them anyway... Well, keep in mind that she's not supposed to be fantastically strong, at least at the beginning - by anime standards at least. She could armwrestle RL bodybuilders and make them cry for their mommies, but just holding on to Kennan and gradually slipping free was the best she could manage in ep1, so no 700lb Buster Swords. I was seeing her as a ninjutsu and dual-wakazashi girl, myself, with some kind of polearm as an alternate.

---

No, no, nothing like that. This, not this or, god forbid, -this-. Fifteen pounds, maybe twenty, I'd say.
Ja, -n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."

[classicdrogn]

Location: I never had a strong preference about it, but looking at the seascape on that government page makes me say that we must have the beach episode at least in that area.
Lifespan: Dragons live about 10x as long as a human, following human growth patterns up until about 19, at which point they spend a long, long, LONG time in adulthood, somehat less in middle age, a century or so of vigorous old age, and then quickly fall into human patterns again at roughly the equivalent of 75-80, with most living another 15-20 years and few making it past another 30. When their inhernet magic starts to finally fail, mere biology just can't support that much mass for long, and dragons who start to feel the reaper generally distribute their horded wealth the way human society does after death, then go looking for somewhere deserted and scenic or at least dramatic to sped their last decade or two, so no one is there to see them go senile/too weak to fly/etc. The ones that don't think a millenium is long enough generally go for alchemical methods long before they reach that point - and with hundrds of years to accumulate funding and perform research to fit one of the various methods to their own unique bio/magical signature they don't generally have a problem succeeding.
Romantic moments: Awwwww... How sweet!
Greatcoat: ... now *I* want one of those. Definitely greenlighted.
Weapons: Huh, so that's what Sephiroth's sword is classed as? Anyway, I have no problem with her using on of those, not even the second example, that would be longer overall than she is tall. I mean, she's a ninja - flipping out and chopping heads off in incredibly badass ways is what she does. (cf realultimatepower.net, your best source for "Ninja Babe" tees and thongs.)
- CD That which does not kill us... has made its last mistake.
SERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
" It's crazy to try to spell out all the mega-nooks and hyper-crannies of a Borg contrivance." - Doug Drexler
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Valles]

Well, Miyou, Tsuchi, and Maeve are -done-, and Ken and Keiu are almost there - I still need to do their shoes, which are just such a pain in the ass... Anyway, I'll probably be ready to call it outright 'done' either later this evening or sometime tomorrow morning.
And, I've got a muse poking me to start on more. ^_^;
Probably if I did, I'd want to try working on a series, revamping those promo posters I suggested a while back - and, in the process, giving us a look at another outfit for each of our main charas.
Ken and Miyou are obvious enough - the greatcoat and her 'formal ninja' gear - but I'm not quite sure how to dress Maeve and Keiu, and, while I've got a -concept-, I'm also wondering about the details for Tsuchi's.

---

Weapons: Huh, so that's what Sephiroth's sword is classed as? Anyway, I have no problem with her using on of those, not even the second example, that would be longer overall than she is tall.

---

The one I ended up drawing is just about exactly four inches shorter than she is. ^_^ The way she's carrying it in the picture is sort of slung across her back, with the strap going from one shoulder and down and around the other side of her body, but I picture her usual posture with it (well, when she's actually physically -carrying- it, which she really only does on formal occaisions) as being more like the way rifles or muskets are/were done - vertically over one shoulder and from a long strap, rather.
Brainstorm - Everything we know about the Gosai suggests that, while they've been willing to adapt and take advantage of advancements on the professional level, the don't much go in for -personal- changes... In other words, I think that the way they handle and think of themselves at home, when the masks are off, as it were, is rather startlingly old-fashioned. Since Miyou's both out in the world and one of the more progressive voices, this won't usually matter much - but she'd want a Shinto wedding ceremony. ^_^
Anyway, going back, the image I'm planning for Miyou is basically her in some fairly active pose, sword out and all (and, thinking more, I'd be surprised if she -didn't- have a shorter backup blade or two, because a sword that size gets kind of awkward in close quarters... which is the whole point of having a wakizashi, ne?) wearing your classical Kabuki stagehand gear.
'But, Nathan,' you object, '-real- ninja don't dress up all flashy like that!'
Well, no. Unless they want to be recognized as ninja. Which, since they're more equivalent to Spec Ops than spies per se, they sometimes will.
And if you walk up to J. Random Citizen on the street and ask him what a ninja looks like, you'll get...?
As for Tsuchi, well, I figure to give us a victim's eye view of one of her named moves. ^_^ A 'Burn Down Kick' I'm picturing as a sort of a cross between a flying side kick and a spinning roundhouse - only oriented vertically, so that she's sort of tipped to the side and spinning and... the Naruto Rendan ends with something about like I'm thinking, only minus the ki flare. And I'm going to do a -lot- of pose sketches before I even start that... but it'll give a great sense of motion and energy and the centripetal force will've pulled her hair out where we can see it... and her face, too, which'll make sense once you've seen what I came up with. ^_^
'Shinkansen Slam'? Well, that's a sort of a lunging palm strike, a push if you like - it's so named because someone who takes it goes flying like he'd been hit by an express train. ^_^ I'm seeing little dust trails from the victim's feet and afterimages of their flight looking a bit like a train on its tracks, actually.
Kennan's poster I'm seeing having him in this dramatic, threatening pose, hands thrown out wide and a shit-eating grin on his face, with these really -big- eyes glowing behind him and something that looks vaugely like a crocodile's tail lying across the foreground. (Ken: I can call spirits from the vasty deep! Miyou: Why, so can I, or so can any man. But do they come when you call for them? Tsuchi: Ahou.)
But... I need ideas for Keiu and Maeve. Help?
Ja, -n
(at the mercy of the muse)
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."