I graduate this term — in about a week and a half. I’m also about to fail an accounting class (last in the intermediate series). I’ve gotten A’s in all my other accounting classes, failing this one mostly has to do with an overwhelming term, a sharp mismatch between relevant learning and teaching styles effectively forcing me to self study the whole course, and then not keeping up (but delusionally believing until it was too late that I could catch up). I’m technically a business major not an accounting major, and technically it’s an unneeded elective as such so I’m still graduating.
So because I’m a non-traditional student with lots of extra credits I only need 4 more courses to hit the 150 for the CPA, 5 with this failure. I’m planning to take them over the summer from LSU (yay more self studying, at least I can prioritize more deliberately), and study for the test.
Oh and because I made a late stage transition into accounting I have conducted essentially no networking, have no internships, etc.
Realistically I don’t have lofty accounting ambitions — my medium term goal is to transition into more business analytics (I’ve done some of this and am somewhat good at it) and digital nomad. Mostly I just want experience / perspective, expanded opportunity, and an earnings floor that one gets from accounting.
How bad is it looking for me?
Half of me is super tempted to forget about accounting and just pursue the warm leads I have in more low level analytics — various part time contracts, would probably take some effort to get to a full time equivalent income, and then growth potential would be fully up to my own creativity, effort, and strategy (some definite downsides but could work out). I could nomad more or less right away, but feel I’d be limiting myself in various ways. The reality of course is I’ve already paid for the other LSU courses and might as well finish them.
Oh and as far as my GPA. I think failing this class will get me a 3.2. My GPA has otherwise steadily improved for the last couple years more or less but I wasn’t taking my grades seriously at first is the main thing.

A multi-level issue here and I don’t even know how to explain it all without a novel. I will TRY to keep it short. I just feel like I am getting zero wins, I leave work happy and come into a home that drags the joy out of me. I used to be a healthy balance of optimistic & realist, feet on the ground kind of guy. Now I find myself quick to anger, short bandwidth at work, and just all around more negative. I am at the end of my rope here and I am miserable. A man shouldn’t seek to be blissfully happy but he should seek to not be miserable.
I’m 36 (M), she’s 33 (F). Two SK’s 13 and 12. We have a beautiful son together who is incredible and perfect! But he and I are in a bad situation thanks to some poor decisions I’ve made. Or maybe I got duped I don’t know.
Met in Feb 2020, Married Nov 2021. I’ve always been picky and never met anyone good. She checked all the boxes. Aligned values, health, humor, she has hobbies, she had work ethic, wasn’t self obsessed, etc. She looked at me and listened to me like no one ever had. We’re both fit and she is gorgeous. It all felt right and great!
Didn’t meet her kids for 4 months, was weary about it but we felt like such a great match for each other that I wanted to try. The time spent with them of course was sparse since she usually came to spend time with me when they were at their bio dads. They were respectful and well behaved, very fun, when the time was spent. Anytime I went to their house it was spotless clean. Before we got married there were some red flags I chose to justify…she bit my head off a few times for stupid things. Kids were bad. Just some subtle clues. It’s hard to gauge the reality in those moments.
We get pregnant Feb 2022, planned. Things are still alright but this was the month some of the truth started coming out, honeymoon phase ends too soon. Kids become extremely messy, do the opposite of what their told, hyper desperate attempts for attention, interrupting, breaking things around the house, sneaking food not for them in their room, just suddenly all at once changing. This is BEFORE they found out we were pregnant (we waited 3 months to tell them which would be late April 2022). So I started worrying what was ahead but remained optimistic.
I make a very good amount of money, 7 figures some years. Which I never really brought up in a bragging manner, this wasn’t a sugar mama situation. I had a beautiful loft and nice things, but I don’t think any of them know the extent of the work I’ve accomplished. I own 2 e-commerce businesses and as of the last few years buy / sell commercial real estate. Her kids started asking for more and more things, demanding, expecting. Pitching fits when they don’t get them (I have to assume their dad is in their ear on some of this…). I bought us a beautiful home to live in…they weren’t living large when I met them.
Bio dad was invisible until March 2022 (she left him btw). The oldest brought us all these issues that were going on at her dads, which my wife reacted to by calling him and shouting (which seemed justified at the time). It started a complete war, he was constantly changing the rules and just creating chaos. Met a woman from Iraq who lived here for 20+ years but wanted to bring them to Iraq for their wedding. Ended up in court again. I PAID FOR IT ALL BECAUSE I WAS PRESSURED AND HAD NO CHOICE. She / we lost and they went to Iraq. They came back fine but all that damage was done. And then entire year of 2022, when it’s supposed to be a beautiful time of my first child, most days its 30-50% about the bio dad and all the conflict and chaos. That pure time was taken from me, from us. I don’t want to be selfish but I feel I am in last place.
TURNS OUT SD12 lied about everything that he was doing toxic or bad she got an iPhone on her bday and we read her texts where it all caved in. We confronted she admitted. Fast forward now we learned she is a compulsive liar and almost everything she says or does is a lie in effect. She is matching all the traits for antisocial personality disorder. She made up a SLEW of things about me (saying I screamed at her and verbally abuse her) to her dad and my mother in law. ALL untrue but it’s given me even more battles and riffs for my wife and I, her parents treat me differently now. Bio dad never mentioned it…I have to wonder if he knows it’s untrue and just rolls his eyes.
SD11 is a whole mess. I am not exaggerating the only things she speaks are bragging, whining, or being MEAN as hell…almost always interrupting and won’t stop talking even if she’s being fussed at for it. EVERYTHING she does is for attention even negative. She falls on purpose, she breaks things on purpose, she is ALWAYS sick, always coughing, she laughs overly hard at things that aren’t funny (no she’s not autistic). Even when you give her tons of attention for two weeks the well just gets deeper and then she needs MORE. It’s like a drug to her, completely untamable situation. She’s also very overweight, and knows how to get away with over eating. Yes it’s sad she’s doing it but I have no control so now I am venting on reddit about it. She eats very slow and gets 2nds 3rds 4ths over the course of 1.5 hours. She asks for dessert every night, the answer is NO, she asks again 5m later, NO, and the 3rd one another 5m later YES. If the answer continues to be no, she will wait until we’re asleep and sneak it upstairs. I have caught her in the act and told my wife, she blew it off. I counted her calories…she’s 4.5 feet tall and will regularly eat 3,500+ calories then whine all night about her stomach. She shits her pants at school, she does not have a medical condition we checked. Wife is aware and says “poor girl” because she’s very large but will only create solutions temporarily.
Bio dad is a pretty standard charismatic narcissist. Is nice, creates issues but acts like the other person is the irrational one, refuses to see his fault in the matter, doubles down, etc. He has no boundaries and knocked on our door and would walk in. I would have to tell him let’s go back outside. Eventually yelling at him and telling him to never do it again. One time during the Iraq chaos I come home to them yelling at each other in the yard and had to run up and tell everyone to shut up. Told my wife to go inside and followed her in. Then he left.
She then started a fight saying I should support her more, no one sees what she’s been through with him, etc etc. I felt like I was just a punching bag for her anger which is fine sometimes. She’d probably apologize later. I just nod and agree, wait some time then hug her…she says “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing…” then we don’t talk for 3 days. Completely stone walled. He says things to get under her skin, and gets the anger and reaction he wants (Narcissistic). When I tell her to approach it differently to get the result she wants, after some back and forth it ends in a fight. She says I don’t support her and I don’t understand what she’s been through and how hard it is.
I start bringing up issues about her kids, or the amount of time spent talking about their bio dad, in a calm and productive manner (I extensively researched how to positively communicate with an emotional wife, and either way was raised with good comm skills). Within minutes it’s “You don’t know shit about raising kids” and “You’re so mean and abusive”. As I try to de-escalate she finds anything and everything to latch onto that’s better…very standard crap like “OH so I’m derailing now…NO YOU’RE JUST NOT GETTING IT”.
No matter how big or how small the issue is, it turns into a massive blow out, she pulls out the most hurtful big guns she can think of. Issue is never resolved or communicated. I am stonewalled for 1 to 7 days. I never lose my cool and always think about the things I am going to say. It’s literally impossible to put my foot down calmly, irrationally, sweetly, anything. Because no matter what she plays mental gymnastics and as I am trying to de-escalate and get back on topic, while taking pretty hurtful blows, a door will be slammed and it’s all over. She finds a way to blame me and move on.
For the record I never bring up my money contribution to the matter, she quit work a few months before having our son, and hasn’t worked since. Which I prefer because she doesn’t have to and being a mom is a full time job and she has many side hustles on Etsy to keep her true to herself and centered (or so I think). This means I pay for A LOT of the SK’s stuff and with my situation the last 2 years I am really beginning to resent EVERYONE involved. I get no thanks, no appreciation. In fact during fights, despite never bringing up money, which has been a MASSIVE value adder for all of their lives, my wife tells me she doesn’t need any of it and it means nothing to her. WELL YOU ALL REALLY APPRECIATE THE SPOILS OF IT ALL. Even though I worked 12-14 hour days for 10 years to get where I am at, no handouts, it’s all devalued as a contribution to the marriage and written off. Sad.
After being stonewalled she will eventually hug me and say I don’t want to fight with you, I love you. And I will say me either, we don’t have to, I just want to work this out and we’ll be happier for it. I get either “I love you, I would never cause you problems or hurt you!” Or “I just want to enjoy our night / weekend whatever time it is together.” It’s never the right time. A lot of avoidance or kicking the can down the road. Then she is really sweet and great for 3-4 weeks, then it slowly goes back to biting my head off and getting a tone. I stay silent to keep the peace for a few weeks then I can’t take it anymore so I stand up for myself and stand my ground. Same thing happens over again.
Oh we went on a great lavish vacation early 2022, after the first one that was a nightmare…I was pressured into one more. And then I said no more for 3 years. Which turned into a massive MASSIVE fight with her telling me to move out at the end, then after a few days trying to act like that didn’t happen. Now I am being pressured into buying a new home since we outgrew ours.
So I am dealing with a marriage of very poor communication, AND I have the LEAST interesting kids ever (sorry but its true), they have zero skills, cannot have a conversation to save their life (all they do is ask me how my day was and when I answer with a sentence or more they just stare at me), no manners, no obedience, but they both act so sweet and cordial when I enter the home, and they immediately say sorry when we get onto them, but then they go right back to doing it. They lie, they fake things for attention, they can’t even walk behind us without bumping into us. Some of these things you’d expect from a 5 or 6 year old but now 10+. They are just really showing non pro-social behaviors and even seeing their friends leave them in the dust. And from the moment we had our son, I dislike them more...
My wife’s parenting style is a little reactive at times. She yells at them but doesn’t seem to understand root causes and how to go upstream to solve. She expects greatness but doesn’t know how to put in the time (their dad is a bigger issue). Her mom was really mean and toxic toward her growing up so with that it’s she really understand how to give and accept love or communicate calmly. Wife says all the time she doesn’t like the two girls, and how bad they are, and how hard she tries but no matter what they're awful. So she sees it. And when I try to make suggestions shes avoidant or it ends up in a fight. She’s an INCREDIBLE super mom to our son though. Which is great…
I realize this group is mostly women, and they will say her behavior is pre or post pregnancy. It’s not...there were watered down / held back situations that happened before all that. I even was considering leaving then we got pregnant. Yes it was planned but you can hold onto hope and have reality slapping you in the face at the same time.
Okay so it was a novel sorry. I am sad to think of leaving the marriage because we have an 8 month old who deserves better than this…I feel like I am putting in so much work into the marriage. I am reading books. I am in therapy myself which I have never done. I look at myself to see if I am the problem. I brought SO MUCH love and yes, financial value, to the relationship. I am getting none of that in return. She is keeping me on the line with temporary conditional love and wild sex that all gives me hope, I have always been above that but here I am. I feel like the root cause of my wife’s problems are solvable in time, but the step kids I dont know if I can do that any longer. It's just a tornado and theres been no growth. Thanks to those who read this much, I know it was chaotic.

Are two claws better than three? That is one of the many questions I’ll be attempting to answer as we delve into X-23’s cards! Here I will go over her cards in great detail, try to predict which aspects and archetypes she will like, as well as estimate where she’ll rank in terms of power.
Disclaimer #1: X-23 has just been previewed. I have not played her, this is all simply theoretical and done for fun!
Disclaimer #2: This is my longest deep dive yet! Skip to the conclusion if you want a shorter read! Just read the bullet points at the end for the quickest read.
But let’s cut to the chase.
Identity Card - Alter-Ego
X-23 or Laura Kinney as she’s called in alter-ego is, in many ways, much like Wolverine. She has a giant REC of 6 and has a setup ability to put her claws into play. And while yes, she is high damage and has plenty of healing, the similarities really do end there. She functions entirely differently.
So let’s hit the boring stuff. She’s got 10 hp and the standard hand size - 6 in alter-ego, 5 in hero form. Not great, but not bad - distinctly average. She also has the Mutant alter-ego trait and X-Force hero trait as you'd expect.
As mentioned, she has 6 REC and this is by _far_ her best stat. 6 REC is monstrous and shouldn’t be underestimated - she doesn’t automatically heal when starting the turn in her hero form, meaning there’s no opportunity cost for going alter-ego to use it like with Wolverine.
Given how dangerous it can be to drop to low hp in the pursuit of not missing value from a large REC stat, she will like any well-costed increases to her hit points. So far, we haven’t seen an equivalent of Adamantium Skeleton, but you can bet that Endurance, the unannounced but probable Honorary X-Force card, or even Symbiote Suit are all on the menu as potential cards for her deck-building.
Increasing her hp will help her in other ways - but we’ll get to that.
Like Wolvy, she has a setup ability to put her claws in play. Unlike Wolvy, she has a second ability that she can actively use throughout the game. It’s an action to shuffle either the Honey Badger ally or the Sisterly Bond event from her discard pile into her deck and then draw a card. The shuffling of either card is a cost, so you are only able to use it for the sweet card draw if either is in your discard pile.
Unfortunately, it appears X-23 only has one copy of Sisterly Bond and she seems heavily incentivized to keep her signature ally around on the board at all times. Which is to say, her alter-ego ability won’t always be online to use. But it's much better than not having one. ...Like Wolverine.
But let’s get to the good stuff.
Setup Ability - Shhnk!
The ability is very simple. Put X-23’s Claws into play. So let’s talk about those.
Her claws have the weapon trait, the permanent keyword, and have a hero action that reads: Exhaust X-23’s Claws and take 2 damage → X-23 gets +2 ATK until the end of the round.
As you can see, suddenly her 6 REC is looking a lot more useful. And she has other sources of healing which we’ll soon cover. She also has multiple sources of readying, and thus you can really start to get excellent value from these. If anyone has ever played Quicksilver with Maximum Velocity, multiple readies with a +2 ATK boost is incredibly good! And she can pull the trigger every turn - as long as she has the hp!
Identity Card - Hero Form
Her form is, quite frankly, amazing - and her entire kit has fantastic synergy with it. As do a lot of aspect cards.
She’s another 2 THW, 1 ATK, and 2 DEF hero. The same as Cyclops and Angel - apparently this has become popular! But like both of those heroes, she has a ready source of damage. In this case, the claws we just talked about. By taking 2 damage, suddenly she’s a 2 THW, 3 ATK, and 2 DEF hero.
2 damage might seem steep, but remember those readies I talked about? They’re here. X-23 has an ability called Living Weapon. It’s a response which says after she takes any amount of damage, ready her (Limit once per phase.). So, at the most basic level on our turn, we can always thwart for 2, ready by taking damage from our claws, and then use our basic ATK for 3 damage (or even just another 2 thwarting!).
If she attacks twice, it’s 4 total damage (1 and then 3). If she thwarts twice, it’s 4 threat removal total (2 and 2). She has to take 2 damage to do so, but restoring 2 hit points is generally considered to be roughly the equivalent of one resource.
Remember Captain America? He's pretty good. By discarding one card (read: one resource), he too can ready to potentially attack twice, thwart twice, or some combination. And he too hits a maximum of 4 damage or threat removal, but even he can’t hit 3 damage and 2 threat removal like this while X-23 can.
What I’m trying to say here is that X-23 is going to be incredibly, incredibly consistent. Notably in solo play but still amazing in multiplayer. Even before you look at your cards in hand, you can basically guarantee defeating any one of most minions or clearing most side schemes. That versatility and output from Turn 1 is rarely talked about from Captain America but I believe it is one of his greatest strengths. Now? One of X-23's.
Lastly, I need to bring attention to the fact that the Living Weapon response, the thing that readies her, is once per phase. You can defend with her on the villain phase and, should she take a point of damage, she’ll ready straight back up. Nice. Cap can’t do that either.
In short, if you’re being compared to Captain America, you’ve done good. Right now? X-23 is looking very strong.
…But maybe all her other cards are bad? Heh.
Signature Ally - Honey Badger
…Who names these characters?! Anyway, Honey Badger is a key weapon in your arsenal. Why? Because she readies you. She’s a 1 THW, 1 ATK, 2 HP ally with a printed cost of 2. She also, curiously, has the X-Men trait. This is weak, but her ability is very strong.
Her Hero Response reads: After Honey Badger takes any amount of damage, ready X-23.
This is very good because X-23 has great stats and we’ve yet to scrape the surface of how high her ATK can really go. If you’ve ever used the Web-Warrior ally of Peter Parker, you know just how good allies that ready you can be. Since consequential damage works for this, the timing will be largely comparable to Peter Parker except she’ll be defeated first before you can use her response if you spend her last hp on an ATK or THW.
With a great ability comes great potential to boost her hp and/or keep her healed. Or even recur her with something like Make the Call, Chance Encounter or Regroup.. See, you are going to want to keep Honey Badger in play as much as you can. Because readying is awesome. And we have other cards that benefit from her sticking around.
By readying you, she effectively has a THW stat of 3 or an ATK stat of 4+. And, since she delivers 1 of either the ATK or THW herself, it’s in some ways able to be split and she can definitely pop Toughs for you. So she’s already a solid ally before you factor in boosting her hp and/or keeping her alive. And all those other cards that synergize with her.
Remember the X-Men trait on her? Every aspect has a Training upgrade that adds hp. Expect to see one or more of these in all her best decks. Maybe a little X-Mansion to heal her, or Game Time, etc. Med Team, Command Team… There are a lot of options. And all of them end in Honey Badger readying you a LOT.
…In short, if your signature ally is being compared to the Web-Warrior version of Peter Parker, you’ve done good.
…But maybe, just maybe, all her other cards are bad? Hehehe…
Let’s check out her events.
Claw Mastery
A 1-cost event with the caveat that it’s “max 1 per round”. What does it do? It’s a hero action that says, until the end of the round, X-23 gets +2 attack - and, if Honey Badger is in play, her attacks gain overkill.
This is super good.
If you don’t ready her again, it’s not so hot. But if you do even once? That +2 attack becomes four damage between two attacks. Combine this with her claws’ +2 ATK bonus and she us hitting 5 ATK and is really going to love more ways to ready. If you make a basic ATK, ready, repeat a few times? We’re in Quicksilver territory. And between Leadership shenanigans with Honey Badger, or Protection shenanigans with all its direct readies? You can deal massive damage here.
Battle Fury isn’t quite in the same league, but it’s starting to make sense why it was reprinted with Wolverine now. She’ll love that too.
This is easily one of her best cards, you just need to combo it. And I say it’s one of her best cards before we even discuss the potential overkill it gives you. Note the overkill is for all her attacks, not just her basic ATK. You could drop Into the Fray on a 1 hp minion and, in addition to removing 5 threat, deal 5 overkill damage. Nice.
Sisterly Bond
A 0-cost event that is a Hero Interrupt - when Honey Badger thwarts/attacks, add X-23’s matching power to Honey Badger.
So, despite Honey Badger having 1 ATK, if you have just played Claw Mastery and used your Claws? This 0-cost card basically gives her a total of 6 ATK for one use. And even without Claw Mastery, it’s still very good at giving either 3 damage or 2 threat removal for 0-cost.
This is like Leadership’s Teamwork card in reverse, except nobody has to exhaust either. If you boost Honey Badger’s hp and/or heal her, this card is a must-play. And her best builds are almost certainly doing this.
It’s very efficient and super flexible with serious combo potential on top. And remember her alter-ego ability? Once this is in your discard pile (looks like only one copy), you can shuffle it back into your deck.
…This is easily one of her best cards too.
Regenerative Longevity
A 1-cost event and an action, meaning it can be used in hero or alter-ego form, that heals you and Honey Badger for a total of 4. It’s reminiscent of Wolverine’s healing card and is one of her two previewed cards to have the Superpower trait.
So, for two resources (1-cost + the card itself), we get 4 healing. This is basically what we should expect for our money for identity healing. However, the ability to heal Honey Badger as well is extra valuable given how ridiculously good Honey Badger is for us.
Is it one of her best cards? You’re going to have to draw it at the right time (after you’ve played Honey Badger), but then? Kinda. Keeping Honey Badger alive and healthy is incredibly valuable. Every hp restored to Honey Badger is another ready, and your readies hit HARD.
Next up? Upgrades and supports.
Sisterhood
If all three of her events and her setup ability, her claws, all combo-ing with Honey Badger wasn’t enough of a clue, here’s the final card that cements the theme: Honey Badger is vital and you absolutely desperately want to put her in play and keep her in play.
X-23 is the first hero we’ve ever seen who works so closely with their signature ally. Wong, Mantis, Vivian and maybe even Gambit come close, but not quite like this. Though, to speak of Vision, keep his Hickory Branch Lane card in mind here. This is her version of it.
Sisterhood is a 2-cost support that has an action (alter-ego or hero form) that says to exhaust it, discard an X-23 card from your hand, then search your deck and discard pile for Honey Badger and add her to your hand.
In other words, wherever you are and whatever is happening, you can always find and thus play Honey Badger once Sisterhood is in play. Whoa.
Now, I generally think beefing up Honey Badger’s hp (and, ideally, other stats) is going to be the best move, but recurring her with this? This can be a great option if you lean into it. Notably, in leadership, the Team Training card is going to do huge work here by giving Honey Badger +1 hp every time you play her. This will also combo really well with Danger Room. Just grab her, play her, and use Danger Room to immediately find and put a Training upgrade on her. And repeat as necessary.
This card is basically infinite copies of Make the Calls for your best ally. As long as you have another signature card in hand that you don’t mind swapping for her.
Nice.
This card? Easily one of her best - for the right build. Otherwise, it’s probably dead to you if you find Honey Badger first and have built the deck to keep her alive forever. However, even with such builds, this could be pretty valuable to find Honey Badger sooner if you happen to draw this first. Honey Badger is just that good.
Puncture Wound This upgrade is basically a delayed event and is reminiscent of Nebula’s techniques. Play it, benefit from the passive bonus, wait, and it goes off in the next round.
And I love it.
It’s a 0-cost card that you can only attach to an enemy that X-23 or Honey Badger have attacked this turn. The attached enemy gets -1 ATK. And then, as a forced response that triggers after the player phase begins, you must discard it - but for doing so you deal 3 damage to the attached enemy.
So, first things first - 3 damage for a 0-cost card is great. This is Turn the Tide levels of efficient. The downside is that it's conditional, also like Turn the Tide. Given X-23’s crazy damage, minions are unlikely to survive - you’re mostly putting this on the villain aside from a few edge cases and mostly in multiplayer (Surprise Contender? Dragon? Sleeper? That Future Past guy I forget the name of?). Normal minions won’t live long at all.
But for a hero who hits hard and fast, hitting the villain is going to be something you want a lot of the time, especially in solo where she can definitely melt through their hp. And if you’re focusing down the villain, you don’t want to be putting a ton of resources into your defense. And this is where the -1 ATK comes in useful.
The slight downside, the anti-synergy here, is that if you reduce the damage you take too low while also defending? You won't take any damage and so won't ready back up with your hero ability. It's going to be a fine line to balance that will vary with each scenario.
We believe she has two of these in her kit and they do stack, so for a total of 2 effective resources you can put both of these on the villain, take -2 from any attacks they make, then they take 6 damage. That’s crazy.
What’s even better is when you consider multiplayer. First of all, this is an upgrade. Cyclops is going to be able to Optic Blast off of it. Secondly, every single attack the enemy makes will be affected by that -1 ATK. So you’re really helping to protect the whole table.
The combo I’m most excited for is with Cyclops (again) and Storm, two of the best multiplayer heroes already. If Cyclops attaches Practiced Defense and Storm changes to her Blizzard Weather, you can play one Puncture Wound too and now the villain has -3 ATK for that entire villain phase. Or -4 if you draw into both of these.
But a lot of other characters will love the -1 as well. Spider-Ham might not need the help, but this will help him take lower chunks of damage for efficient toon counter generation. Drax? Now, when he takes attacks, he takes less damage too. The Groot ally? Suddenly it’s surviving a lot longer. The same goes for Spider-UK.
There are probably even more multiplayer combos I have yet to think of. There are a lot of handy little interactions.
What’s also good about this is that it makes “taunt” cards a lot better as well - cards that make the villain attack. Traditionally, cards like Toe to Toe and Bait and Switch haven’t been worth it. Whether they are now is still debatable, but certainly they get better if you can factor in the villain having -1 ATK. And remember the new card with Angel, actually called Taunt? That works great here as well.
There’s theoretically a situation where, in 4-player where everyone has their own copy of all the content, you have X-23, Storm, Cyclops and Drax, all running 3x Taunt or 3x Toe to Toe, with the first three using their -1 ATK abilities to weaken the villain throughout the game while everyone grabs massive value from these cards.
I love this card.
Grim Resolve
And now for a traditional upgrade. So traditional, in fact, that it’s basically just Clarity of Purpose. The main difference? Its cost arrow says you must TAKE 1 damage rather than DEAL 1 damage, which is relevant with the new 1.5 rules when it comes to potentially blocking the damage.
If you block damage (let’s say with Energy Barrier) from a cost which says TAKE, then you have not actually taken the damage since you prevented it. But if you block the damage from a cost which says DEAL, the damage was still dealt - you don’t have to take it to have fulfilled the cost.
(If this is confusing, while I will try to help in the comments, I recommend looking for some youtube talks on it or scouring the pages of the new 1.5 rules reference!)
Like Clarity of Purpose, it’s a 1-cost card which you exhaust to generate a resource. Clarity of Purpose has you also deal a point of damage to yourself as an extra cost. Grim Resolve has you take a point of damage as its extra cost.
It’s good! Now, you can pop your Claws to get +2 ATK first before using X-23 at all, then make a big basic ATK, then use Grim Resolve to ready then and make a second one. It gives a lot of flexibility in the timing of when you want to ready with her hero ability.
But it’s also just an ever-so-slightly worse version of Clarity of Purpose. Still, Clarity is a powerful card and X-23 has a lot of healing. You can totally run both, whether to just to find one earlier or even put both into play.
Pain Tolerance
Last but not least, we have X-23’s consistent healing card. This upgrade is 2-cost, Superpower traited, and has a Response - meaning it works in both hero and alter-ego form. It says “After you play an X-23 card (including this one), heal 1 damage from your identity.”
Any rules followers will immediately recognize the reminder text being something absent from Sky-Destroyer, another card that triggers upon playing itself, so that is a welcome addition here that should help a lot of players out who otherwise might not realize it. And so we can, in some ways, also consider this to immediately include a 1 hp heal before we even really start using it properly.
So - three effective resources for 1 hp, then 1 hp every time you play one of your signature cards. I can tell you right now that, given how ridiculously good her signature cards are, you are going to want to play them already. And not just that but, as you may have spotted throughout the preview, all X-23’s cards are cheap. So, not only do you want to play them already purely because they’re so darn good, but you can play a lot of them because they’re so darn cheap.
In short, this thing is going to give a TON of healing. Outside of an unlucky hand, this is likely a minimum of 1 and sometimes up to 3 or, if the stars align, 4. And it will likely trend on the higher side if you thin your deck or build for card draw or some kind of recursion (Mutant Education, etc! And her alter-ego ability).
It’s not mind-blowing, but she’ll benefit more from the healing than most heroes will.
And that concludes the signature cards previewed so far - let’s take a quick look through some deck-building options for her.
Basic Cards
With the Mutant trait, she’ll love a lot of the X-Men supports. With an X-Men signature ally who is key to her entire deck, she’ll also love the X-Men supports.
X-Mansion? Heal Honey Badger. Danger Room? Beef up Honey Badger who you can easily recur, and thus get multiple uses from Danger Room on just her. Cerebro? Perhaps find her faster.
Weapon-X? Find more signature cards because 1) they are awesome and 2) she will heal the damage from Weapon X with the card drawn thanks to Pain Tolerance. This can also find Honey Badger sometimes.
X-Gene? Maybe. Definitely if you run Mutant Education.
Endurance? 110%. Symbiote Suit? Honestly, she is clearly one of the better characters for it in the entire game.
Professor X is also a stand-out ally. She lacks confuses and doesn’t always want to thwart. The confuses will help her go alter-ego and use her massive REC, cycle cards back, or heal Honey Badger with X-Mansion.
Oh yeah. And Game Time for Honey Badger. That should really speak for itself. Readying yourself through readying and healing an ally? All for 0-cost? Incredibly good.
Perhaps most importantly, the new basic side scheme she brings that rewards the linked cards will be super powerful for her. It’s called Specialized Training, and she really wants the Combat Specialist reward most of all in most decks. I’m not going into great detail on the new cards here but if you haven’t already, please please check these out. +1 ATK and card draw in any aspect is immensely helpful. It has a decent cost to get it, but if you do? It's superb.
Aggression Cards
X-23 has a plan. Boost her ATK and ready. Aggression can help with both.
In terms of ATK boosting? In addition to new card “Now I’m Mad”, there is the classic Combat Training and even Fluid Motion. I don’t see her loving Brute Force, but I’m sure there’s a novelty meme build where you boost her ATK to insane levels.
For readying, there is largely only Battle Fury. She doesn’t really need another source of incoming damage, but she loves readying so much I can’t see her not using it. Expect this in a lot of decks.
I also think Hand Cannon has her name written all over it. Certainly, she can get Overkill from her Claw Mastery event, but it’s not consistent every turn. Hand Cannon will boost your ATK further and make sure none of your damage goes to waste.
Skilled Strike definitely fits with what she wants to do. With the Weapon trait on her claws, she can technically use Mean Swing and Fusillade far more reliably than most heroes - but I think she’d rather focus on keeping her hp high to just use her claws directly. Better to block with allies or stun the villain than exhaust her claws for something else, in my opinion.
She will actually possibly like Quick Strike. One of the first heroes to genuinely do so without niche builds?
And let’s not forget Papa Wolverine. Who also, like Honey Badger, wants Attack Training which X-23 110% wants to run here.
And do you know what Skilled Strike, Wolverine, Hand Cannon, Combat Training, Now I’m Mad, and Attack Training all have in common? The physical resource. Drop Kick and Jarnbjorn are both on the table. And I think she’ll like them both.
While you might not want to use all of them, that is potentially a whole deck there that just wrote itself into existence. Just add Sunfire and Psylocke like almost every modern Aggression deck.
She is going to be strong in Aggression and hit very, very hard. With the thwarting to make it very solo-viable (if you don't just speed to victory with huge damage!).
Justice Cards
X-23’s plan here is in good hands. She can’t boost her ATK, but what if we, say, gave her Heroic Intuition and just readied her for thwarting? Or split her focus? Perhaps mixed in Making an Entrance to heal? Seems good, right?
Justice also has the best access to confuse. Which means the most reliable access to heal Honey Badger through X-Mansion. And, you know, use her massive REC. And she can find Honey Badger quickly with Chance Encounter if she needs to. One Way or Another? More card draw for her amazing cards, and more healing per turn on Pain Tolerance from those cards. Having a side scheme out to thwart also sets her up well to ready with her claws even if the villain only added a measly 1 to the main scheme. Thwart→Claws→Attack.
Everything here is going to run very smoothly. And she is going to want the cards Psylocke comes with. Something she doesn’t appear to have are any status effects and Upside the Head solves that very efficiently. And with great confuses, comes great ability to use Float Like a Butterfly. With her own ready and Honey Badger’s, she is getting a bunch of damage from it.
Mission Training? That’s Honey Badger’s Justice ticket to Game Time town. That goes in every Justice deck she ever has, surely.
I don’t see any other incredible cards for her here. Just lots of very solid cards that work for most heroes, and will for her too. While it won’t play as fast as Aggression for the most part? With fantastic threat removal here, great access to alter-ego healing, and her innate damage, it’s looking hard for X-23 to actually lose in this aspect.
Leadership
Good ol' Leadership. Where do I start? X-23 is the hero who, as mentioned, resolves the most around her signature ally. And Leadership is the ally-centric aspect. I could probably write a whole deep dive on the possible combinations here.
Let’s hit the basics. Danger Room Training to enable Game Time, X-Mansion, and just get more use from Honey Badger? Auto-include.
And if you’re bringing Danger Room Training, why not bring Beast along?
Pixie can grab Honey Badger for you, or Beast or Professor X, or anyone other X-Men should you bring more.
Inspired is great if you go for the voltron angle and keep her alive forever.
Rapid Response? Eh. This actually immediately gets us a ready from Honey Badger when it deals damage to her after reviving her - but it’s not optimal for her here. Regroup is obviously a great option in multiplayer, but when is it not?
Make the Call is going to be particularly exceptional for Honey Badger recursion decks. And is always an S-tier card in general for any ally you need at any time.
The Leadership side scheme we’ve seen so far, Call for Backup, will be another way to find Honey Badger.
Team Training, so Honey Badger gets an extra use every time you recur her? Super good.
Innovation to heal Honey Badger? Why not.
Then there is Command Team to ready Honey Badger and thus yourself. You might even run it with Lead from the Front given that both you and Honey Badger will get a lot of value from it. If Honey Badger attacks twice, and you attack four times, that’s 6 damage before you factor in other allies and potentially more readies from Game Time or anything else.
There is Clarity of Purpose which I’ve already talked about.
And of course Kaluu. As a combo-centric hero, you’ll love it when he grabs you Claw Mastery when you have a bunch of readies lined up in hand. Or vice versa.
Leadership is, at the end of the day, Leadership. It’s incredibly strong on its own and, with all the support for Honey Badger, it’s going to be one of her most popular aspects.
Protection
And finally we have Protection. My initial instinct for X-23 was Aggression or Leadership, and I was already wondering if Justice might exceed them for its consistency, but Protection? Protection might just out do them all. At least for solo play.
Picture the scene.
You’ve used your claws and played Claw Mastery. You have 5 ATK. You wink at Drax, knowing you both share the same devastating damage now. It’s time.
Suddenly you use Leading Blow. What Doesn’t Kill Me. Then Counter-Punch.
BOOM.
And let's not overlook the potential with Repurpose.
The sheer amount of readying or cheap damage based on your ATK stat here is incredible. And with Repurpose, you potentially have more than 5 ATK for all those other readies and Sisterly Bond.
Energy Barrier can help you defend the villain attack and ready without taking too much excess damage. Perfect defense? Not here. She wants to ideally defend but still take at least 1 damage. And this, of course, is the best card to combo with Repurpose. And then that brings Electrostatic Armor into the mix for a splash more damage and another Repurpose target.
Protective Training goes straight onto Honey Badger. It’s basically an auto-include like all the other X-Men Training upgrades in the other aspects.
Med Team and provide extremely consistent healing for Honey Badger and can help you in a pinch.
Iron Fist and Tackle are going to help her keep the villain under control and still help her pile on the damage quickly.
But really, I cannot overstate the value of those readies/ways to use her basic ATK. Using X-23, her own ready, the ready from Honey Badger, and let’s say drawing 2 of them alongside Claw Mastery? That’s 25 damage. And all you had to play first was Honey Badger.
More with that Combat Specialty upgrade from the new basic side scheme. More from Repurpose.
She is potentially going to run faster than Quicksilver and hit harder than Drax.
Rush has never looked so good in green. And even if you don’t love rush strategies like me, it’s hard to deny the potential. You can try to go slower, use these tools to clean up the board, and still do extraordinarily well!
Conclusion
Overall, X-23 looks amazing. She is basically a fusion of Wolverine and Quicksilver that came out looking like Captain America with a tiny pinch of Drax who really, really likes their version of the Peter Parker basic ally. And if you like any of those heroes, or you’ve ever enjoyed readying a Web-Warrior with Peter, I think you will really like X-23.
At least if you can also enjoy working closely with an ally. Some people don’t like allies, and that’s okay. But, for X-23? She can be good without Honey Badger, I think. If you broke the official rules and removed the ally from the deck, she wouldn’t be the weakest character in the game by far still. But she does lose a lot.
Unrelated to the ally, I will say I am predicting her to be the least popular of the X-Force from a general standpoint. I think many players will just see her as a clone of Wolverine - which is only true in terms of her story, not her gameplay. I also think she is a combo-centric character where it’s hard to see the value of her cards individually/without playing her. But, like Drax, will likely become a fan favourite over time.
For me personally, and this goes beyond the bounds of a hero kit deep dive, I think the biggest strike against her is the card art. It might just be me, and I mean no disrespect to any of the artists or whomever is responsible for the creative decisions, but it doesn’t work for me. We have various greys and blacks on a grey/black background. Her alter-ego art is off-center, her identity card just had a plain brown background.
I like the art for Claw Mastery, Sisterhood and Pain Tolerance. But I do think she has the worst-looking cards of all the heroes from this wave so far, and perhaps the X-Men and Web-WarrioChampion waves too.
But you know if I’m picking on the art as my first and only negative, it’s a very good sign for the rest of her. In terms of fun? I think she’ll score high and pleasantly surprise people.
In terms of power? She has a lot of strengths, but also a couple of weaknesses. But her strengths definitely outweigh the weaknesses by a landslide. So far, I have mostly focused on her strengths. So let’s cover her weaknesses quickly.
Her only true source of resource generation or card draw we have seen so far is Grim Resolve. And it’s a good card! But it’s not quite like those heroes who can draw extra cards every turn, or have a couple of extra double resources, etc! So her economy, while fine, isn’t great. I don't believe her alter-ego ability is reliable enough to contribute much.
Fortunately, it’s partially offset by her low costs and she gains a lot elsewhere in areas many high economy heroes do not.
The biggest obvious weakness is that she has no status cards - but in a game where we are getting an increased amount of steady and stalwart, it’s less of a factor. Likewise, we’re getting more access to status cards in the aspects. The exception to both arguments are Toughs but, as a hero who wants to take damage, they are less desirable for her in many situations compared to the average hero.
Cyclops doesn't have any status cards, nor does Wolverine. They get get by. But it's still worth noting!
And lastly, she is somewhat fragile. She is a 10 hp hero who wants to take damage, just like Wolverine, but Wolverine has two advantages. One, his healing is automatic from Turn 1. And two, he has Adamantium Skeleton in his signature cards - a +4 hp upgrade. Now, she can defend and ready immediately with her hero power, but it’s not guaranteed. Against weaker villains, notably on standard, she might not take enough damage to ready. And against stronger villains, particularly on expert, she might still take a significant amount of damage despite defending and readying.
It is of course a great perk of her ability that she can ready in the villain phase, but putting her in the line of fire when she already wants to take damage on her imminent turn and likely did on the previous turn can surely be rough, especially if you haven’t got her healing upgrade out yet.
But smart deck-building can cover everything. As alluded to, we have a good few status cards accessible in most aspects now. She has access to X-Gene as mentioned earlier as well as things like Weapon X, and we have plenty of “fragile” characters who do very well with a healthy supply of allies or stuns built in - plus her healing when she finds them - plus her epic 6 REC.
Another small weakness is that she’s draw-dependent to a degree. Her stats are great with just the use of Claws, but she’ll have quiet turns and large turns. Drawing Claw Mastery? Her damage goes up a lot. Drawing it with Sisterly Bond or other readies? It spikes. But you’re not going to get all those pieces together all the time, and some turns none at all.
Fortunately, as kind of mentioned, her base output is veeery good. And if you build into Honey Badger, keeping her out and alive means every turn will still be huge.
The final weakness I see is her reliance on her signature ally. With some bad luck, Honey Badger (and Sisterhood) could be hard to find. There are ways to help find her - but again, you also have to find them to find her, and most of them have costs of some kind. It's possible for this to sometimes be difficult.
But that was just a look at what I think are her weaknesses, and I hope I have not hurt your impression of her. The rest of the article is strength after strength - and all in all? She is looking brilliantly powerful. Here’s a quick summary:
Strengths:

• Incredibly high damage
• Super consistent thwarting
• Very low setup
• Very low cost curve
• Mutant traited
• Lots of deep aspect synergy
• …Did I mention incredibly high damage?

Weaknesses:

• Low-ish economy
• Semi-draw reliant
• Reliant on her signature ally for full power
• No status cards
• Somewhat fragile

And I will say that the "weaknesses" aren’t really that bad while the strengths - particularly the top four - are especially good! She will hit hard, hit fast, find thwarting while she needs it, and have it all basically at her fingertips from early on.
So, where would I rank her overall and next to the other X-Force heroes? Great question. Of all the X-Force heroes, she has been my toughest one to rank. I will also say all five X-Force heroes revealed so far are ones I am predicting to be in the top 20 of what will then be 48 heroes.
For her specifically, I think the scenario is going to make the biggest difference compared to the other few X-Force heroes. She is damage incarnate, and I think tougher scenarios that can slow her down, that prevent her from winning too quickly, could see her notably fall off when she runs out of steam. On the other hand, she’ll glide through low hp villains like a hot knife through butter.
But I do think, with her best builds and some optimization, she will truly be a force to be reckoned with. So I’ll peg her to fall somewhere between the 7th best and 17th best, with my best guess right now specifically being 12th-ish. She hits very hard and can deal with pretty much anything from Turn 1, and I think that versatility is huge. But I also think that, for the most part, she’s fairly honest.
But, since she has so many combos and I've not played her at all with any of them or any approaches to Honey Badger, I really wouldn't put money on this exact placement. Just know she is going to be amazing.
In some ways, despite being so different to Wolverine, they are still very similar. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. He too is high damage, low setup and - especially early game - can be a little fragile unless you build otherwise or ignore his claws. And while it will probably depend on the rest of her cards and whatever X-Force support we get, I will end by saying I do think she will be the better of the two. In my opinion? X-23 > Wolverine - for fun and for power!
Whew! We got there. Thanks for reading and I’d love to know your thoughts! Am I way off the mark? Do you agree? And is there anything I missed? I am sure there are some great aspect cards I overlooked!

I’m 22 German and Portuguese a boy scout for over a decade, currently a student and content creator. I will presumably graduate in 2024, planning to live for at least 1 year in Portugal afterwards. Later on I wanna move to the US. I would like to continue my career as a content creator in order to build up a second mainstay before I start studying. I plan to Study media (starting in 2028), future plans after university are to far away to be made now.
What I'm looking for is a young Traditional girl that is at least 18 but born after June 2001. White or Hispanic/Mediterranean. Blond brown/chestnut or red hair and blue green or brown eyes. (5'1-5'5/156-170) I don't care about your weight but it should match your height. You should have graduated HS/upper secondary education or equivalent. You should have citizenship of a country in the EU or US citizenship [German Portuguese and US citizenship is preferred] (Dual or triple citizenship is welcome). You should speak at least 2 languages fluently [more is always welcome] (If you don't it's not a deal breaker). You should be fine with being a traditional wife mother and housekeeper and not have a problem with being a person of public interest (just one negative side effect of being a content creator).
My deal breakers are if your parents are divorced or if your father is not in the picture (It depends on the circumstances). If you are infertile. When you have a problem with traveling or moving. If you are vegetarian vegan or any other form of special diet, allergies (It depends on why and on the allergy and the circumstances). Any serious illness or disease [some temporary might also fall under this point] (Including those that pass generations). Just be transparent about your background. I don't really care about your sexual experience it depends on how you Carrie yourself and your transparency.
Those are my plans on how i wanna take things. I would like to start with online Dating until we figure out if we match. Then traveling to meet in person or flying you out to my location. Spending time together, maybe traveling, getting to know each other and our families. Proposing when the time feels right. Looking to get married within the next year after the proposal. Eventually having children relatively soon after the wedding.
If what you just read matches who you are and what you are looking for reach out.

(Preamble, you can skip this if you'd like)
I've been watching anime for almost 3 decades now, I remember the days of yellow hardcode subbed VHS tapes, to the rise of anime being uploaded freely to youtube with AMVs being a great way to discover new muisc and new anime, as well as finally we see ourselves with anime becoming mainstream with associations with Netflix, and including mentions, and praise and inspirations due to anime.
Anime has transformed from a tiny niche of Nerds who people said needed to grow up, to being an almost mainstream popular past time with more anime made now days than ever before.
And one of the anime responsible for this back in the 2000s was none other than Elfen Lied.
Before I go on, I want to mention a funfact about this anime and netflix, Did you know it was a major inspiration for Netflix's Stranger Things, a show that is partially responsible for Netflix's incredible rise to ubiquity? So in short, if you loved Stranger Things and netflix's shows, Elfen Lied is in part responsible for that.
So what happened in the 2000s? Well Elfen Lied's DVD boxset was released and people ripped it and uploaded it to google video and youtube(raise your hand if you're old enough to remember google video), and because it had an english dub and german dub, Elfen became incredibly accessible and widely shared.
Because of it's accessability, it was one of the first times we(us anime fans at the time) were able to truly see just how far the boundary anime was able to go. Most of us in the west had never seen a truly gorey anime unless you were lucky to get your hands on a Ninja Scroll VHS, or you were lucky enough to have found an Akira or Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust DVD.
Most of us were all aware of the big Shounen anime, and the few selections on Toonami and Adult Swim.
Late night anime that was aired on premium channels was just not a thing in the west at the time.
Most people though anime was mostly just for kids and teenagers.
But Elfen Lied shows up online and some people see one of the most distinctly different anime that they've ever come across.
This lead to an absolute viral success of Elfen Lied in the west. With even Rotten Tomatos giving it a 100%, and early reviewers raiting it as an A-. Fairly good scores.
We see it top charts and see a huge positive reception and for many people, Elfen Lied is their first anime ever, or their first serious anime ever.
But is Elfen Lied worthy of that fame and positivity?
I think, all things considered, that answer is Yes. Elfen Lied is very much deserve to be called good, if not great and incredible.
Lets talk about why.
Elfen Lied in review. (Review content begins here)
First off, if you watched the anime early on when it was new, you'd see that it was one of the most distinct representatives of the new styling that anime was taking on as the switch from 90s "Scratch" hand animation was being overtaken by Digital Assistance Limited Animation. And Elfen Lied made extensive use of close up shots, and high quality digital coloring to give it beautiful bold colors and use interesting new technologies that we're just becoming available to anime a few years before.
The Opening animation sequence is marvelous, it's a gorgeous series of Klimt style paintings re-envisioned with a direct and hidden connection within the events of the anime itself.
We also hear one of the most unique and memorable anime OP opening themes of all time, Lilium.
Off to an amazing start. It's solemn, quiet, beautiful and sets up the way it will be using nudity and tone within it's episodes.
The first sequence of the anime is explosive, and traumatizing. It's confusing, its horrifying, and it's every bit as twisted as any anime has ever tried to be. But it's not doing this just for the kicks and giggles.
As things go along hints are being dropped, and the chess board is being set, and we a horrifying mass murder unfold, drawing us in.
A shot to the head and then... calm.
This intense dire moment comes to a close with a serene calm follow up that lets us sit there and think about what just happened. We get a moment to breathe as it all skinks in.
The anime marvelously swaps between moments of rest, and moments of intensity so that unlike a modern marvel film it's paced out, doesn't throw event after event at you expecting you to sit there and watch everything and process nothing. Time to breathe and think.
This design is common in artsy films that we often see at Sundance Film Festival and is often a highly praised aspect of screenwriting.
Elfen Lied counts it's beats and paces them out, one after another so the view isn't overwhelmed, and can take a moment to think about what's going on.
And it's needed because Elfen Lied doesn't just sit there and talk your head off as to what's going on like most other anime do. This is called Exposition Dumping, and it's a big "crime" with modern film and anime, where they don't trust the viewer to make the connections and see the circumstances themselves, so they sit there and have characters dialog so that they can explain things for the viewer to follow along.
Elfen Lied instead treats its viewers like they're emotionally mature enough to not need to have every little thing explained to them. It respects the viewers age and intelligence, instead of assuming they're just another average dumb movie goer Joanne and Cleatus.
Instead we see Elfen Lied rely on Show Don't Tell, encapsulating many aspects of characters within the scenes and frames of the animation, instead of doling out long monologs and dialogs that bore the viewer.
And as such we see an anime that focuses on a more singular plotline than most anime do, and nearly makes it air tight with few things to explain if one simply pays attention to what's going on. The details are a bit dense so it's understandable to miss certain things that are more hidden the first time around. With it's Show Don't Tell direction and orientation towards rich detail, Elfen Lied begs for a second viewing or even more to really fully grasp all that it is doing.
The story unfolds in a very Quinten Tarantino movie style. Starting early with an undefined stakes and happenings with a bread crumb of trails until we reach the middle of the anime when we finally understand who the main character is and why she is the way she is.
Her love interest can be a bit flat, and all in all isn't exactly that interesting of a person, but as a Deuteragonist, it doesn't matter that much because his character is well positioned to support Lucy's unfolding narrative. His actions count more than his personality, and his character is lightly unfolded as we see the direness of the situations the plot is driving towards increase.
The anime takes a real risk at portraying serious trauma, and states of mind. But even more risky and controversially it takes a chance at portraying the negativity and bleakness that we almost never see other works portray.
We see the deep scars of abuse, trauma, and isolation. We see the horrors of discrimination laid bare, and we see the viciousness of not just Diclonius but humanity looking at an image of itself.
The anime makes us face a reality that we don't want to admit is very much human.
Elfen Lied is Risky because it chose to push it's boundaries where they belonged to really truly reach out to those that can empathize with those experiences.
Because of this the anime leans more into realism than fulfillment and typical writing practices. It puts more importance on the realism of dealing with trauma than it does to put a socially acceptable story infront of a casual viewer.
It is a risky choice, that takes away the means to truly casually watch and slip away into a place of self insert or easy enjoyment.
It relies on characters written for Empathy, instead of sympathy. We see a story that relies on the realistic motivations of it's characters to carry the plot, instead of moving a plot along because it has to be moved along.
We see a significant usage of "This happens Because of this" A tempo of "This happens, but because of that, this happens" instead of a constant stream of "and then."
Each part of the story is a woven to introduce each new interesting element, and the conflict as it develops. This shines at its fullest during the last 3 episodes as the end of the anime is built up with many details and components practically hiding in plain sight.
Each conflict is prominent, and happens as it should without being a simple driver of it needs to happen so the plot can move along.
Because of this the story remains rooted in a nearly realistic place, seeming to be almost able to be happening right along side us, save for the obvious Sci-Fi elements with supernatural powers.
The characters and their actions move the plot, rather than the plot making characters do whatever they need to make sure an end goal happens.
The characters are well structured, and lean on a side of realism and more complex emotions, with a value to them instead of simply a cast of characters filling a role so that the main character can accomplish whatever the plot wants them too.
The ending of the anime hits hard, playing with people's emotions hoping they sit down and take a 2nd look.
It ends with a seeming ambiguity that tears at the heart and we truly feel a deep sense of lose and remorse for all that we just witnessed.
It's final moments are calm, heartfelt, meaningful, and put us in a place where we feel a deep sense of loss for the trauma we just witnessed unfold.
The anime has few faults, and few plotholes to plug, and unexplained events.
There are few things it actively ignores, probably mostly to do with runtime limitations.
Some things are glossed over, and not every thread is fully handled by the end of the series.
We see some funny inconsistencies with it's animation quality.
We deal with some odd, but rare, fan service moments that conflict slightly with the way the anime spends a lot of time de-sexualizing it's nudity.
At some places the anime might rely just a bit too much on show don't tell, where a few small exposition lines may have explained things a bit better for people who don't want to sit there and watch and rewatch with the intent on catching every detail.
But these issues are small and detract little from what great screenwriting it really placed.
This anime is truly marvelous and I understand entirely why when this anime first came out and for years after it felt so raw and real to people.
It stood with anime like Evangelion, Fullmetal Alchemist, CLANNAD, Wolf's Rain, and Texhnolyze in the power it carried through it's emotions.
I can see why so many people early on saw it for it's value.
Here's your

TL;DR

It might have aged a bit, but the conclusion that because it's aged a bit makes it a bad anime is... really just a shallow and boring argument that doesn't hold any water when the anime is critically looked at.
In conclusion, Elfen Lied is a marvelous Philosophical and Artsy anime from an older era that holds a lot of power and uniqueness even to this day. Despite some draw backs, it's a beautiful piece that takes hints from some of the best screenwriting in Film, and focus on it's emotional value rather than being a consumable piece of entertainment.
I give it an 8.5 out of 10, and a strong recommendation if you'd like to watch an anime that takes advantage of being a mature oriented work, to investigate details on a much more significant and deeper level.
The only thing I would say about not watching this anime is that it is definitely a very traumatizing experience, and if you aren't ready for handling trauma or may not be in the right place of mind, it may not be a good idea to watch Elfen Lied. It is absolutely a traumatizing experience when viewed in full and this can be a difficult thing to be exposed too at the wrong time in life.
If you'd like to watch this, be in a place of mind where handling trauma is something you'd be willing to do.

TRIGGER WARNING: I mention blood/bleeding and also am unsure of how upsetting this all could be, so here's a warning to proceed with caution if needed.
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I apologize in advance for the long post. I have posted my story on a few subreddits in search of help, answers, or support and was recently pointed in the direction of this one. I have listed all the most important information below. As the title says, I am having some sort of mystery chronic illness that is destroying my health and quality of life. Almost every doctor and every hospital I have visited do not know what is going on.
I am looking for someone or anyone who can help point me in the right direction. A few people have suggested it could be Addison’s Disease as my sodium is low and my potassium keeps climbing, but I would love the perspective of the medical professionals on this subreddit. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!
My Demographic and Brief Family History:
Age: 21
Sex: Female
Race: White
Height: 5’2” (about 157cm)
Weight: 217lbs (or roughly 98kg)
Maternal/Paternal Medical Issues: Multiple types of cancer and high blood pressure have affected multiple family members on both sides. Diabetes is also common in my family.
Never smoked, I don’t drink, and I have no signs of any mental illness/disorders according to multiple therapists.
My Medical History:
As soon as I was 12 and started my period, it has been hell since. Constant irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, severe pain/cramps, and excessive weight gain I could never lose. I was diagnosed with Tendonitis in my hands at age 15, then Carpal Tunnel at age 18 that affected both wrists and elbows. My left arm is losing function on multiple levels now because of it. I have also been severely anemic since age 16 and have never recovered from it no matter treatment. I have also had severe GI issues throughout this all ranging from general stomach pain to ulcers, constipation, and more.
The only other significant history was that as a young child, about 7 or 8, I was told I could have scoliosis and that I might have some sort of medical issue with my knees that caused the joint to not sit where it was supposed to. I do not remember the name of this condition or if I was ever truly diagnosed with anything as I was continually told the pain in my knees could just be growing pains. And I was not diagnosed with scoliosis until literally this week at age 21. I have a completely straight spine with two slight curves, my right hip and right shoulder are higher than the left side, and the scoliosis in the worst in my neck with signs of mild degeneration.
The only medication I am on is hormonal birth control (the vaginal ring) that I started at the beginning of June 2023. I have tried several medications and other birth controls in the past that have never helped and can get more in detail with them if asked.
Timeline of Everything in the Last Year:
March 2022: I go from 180lbs to 230lbs (or about 81kg to 104kg) within a few weeks. My hair begins to noticeably thin and fall out. And my chronic pain from my menstrual cycles, joint pain, and GI issues becomes worse.
April 2022: I have to rush to a hospital for severe stomach pain and they find a tumor in my upper abdomen. I meet with a stomach surgeon who believes it’s a lipoma.
August 2022: The surgeon monitored it for a few months, but it continued to grow and become more painful. I have a surgery to remove it and it was a 20cm by 15cm lipoma. A second tumor was underneath it as well and I was told this one would have turned malignant if not removed when they did.
January 2023: My hair starts to fall out more and now all over my body. I no longer have armpit hair, leg hair, or barely any pubic hair. I am throwing up now, losing appetite, and starting to have more ovarian cysts. My period is even heavier, and I now am pouring blood when on it. I am also clotting bad and have now passed huge blood clots, even one nearly as big as the palm of my hand.
February 2023: Four ovarian cysts rupture within a few days. I am now starting to feel extremely tired as well and can’t sleep well.
March 2023: I have more ovarian cysts, two fibroids in my uterus were discovered, and now I have more symptoms. I have severe chest pain, high blood pressure, a constantly high heart rate, a new tumor was discovered on the other side of my upper abdomen, I am fainting daily now, unable to eat much, have moderate fatty liver, and much more. The bulk of the symptoms listed below started during this month with what felt like overnight.
April 2023: I am now fainting multiple times a day, losing weight without trying, have multiple rashes on my body, and a complete loss of appetite. I am bed ridden from my pain and symptoms.
May 2023: Everything just continues to get worse and towards the end of May I can no longer eat at all. I have severe jaundice and now motion sickness even when walking.
June 2023: I got the scoliosis diagnosis and everything else is continuing to worsen so far. I am now on an all liquid diet.
A Direct List of Every Symptom/Current Diagnoses:
• Chronic fatigue and trouble sleeping (my body feels like a truck hit it constantly)
• Tender, easily bruised skin and wounds take forever to heal/scar easily (my skin has also thinned/become extremely soft)
• My joints very easily dislocate, get sprained, and also pop even with the slightest movement
• My hair is thinning and falling out all over the body
• I have moderate fatty liver and jaundice despite a usually healthy diet and I don’t smoke/drink
• I have a tumor in my upper abdomen only a few months after having two removed from the other side (one was a giant lipoma 20cm x 15cm, one was turning malignant but was never told how, and no clue what this new one is but it’s already huge and painful)
• I have no appetite and throw up any food I eat
• I have head and hand tremors
• Severe TMJ
• I faint multiple times a day and feel dizzy when I stand, my blood pressure and heart rate raise super high after standing as well (and my heart rate tends to constantly be high even when resting, chest constantly in pain)
• I have severe ovarian cysts that rupture frequently and have two fibroids in my uterus
• My period cycle is extremely irregular and very heavy. I bleed through multiple pads an hour, can’t walk from pain, and have blood clots sometimes as big as my palm. The blood pours down my legs too, this is probably one of the most painful symptoms
• I also have scoliosis and it’s the worst in my neck, the bones in my neck are showing signs of degeneration as well (although it’s very mild right now)
• I have severe carpal tunnel in both wrists and elbows. Losing feeling and muscle in my left hand
• I’m also getting more frequent abscesses, yeast infections, and utis
• I do have bad kidney pain but no signs of an infection or kidney stones, I am urinating more than usual though
• I have a rash on my face, back, and legs that come and go
Extra Information/Context:
I have a primary care doctor and I’m seeing a cardiologist and chiropractor right now. I am trying to see a rheumatologist, gastroenterologist, and dermatologist. I have also seen a hand specialist, stomach surgeon, and gynecologist. Besides these doctors, I’ve worked with a nutritionist and therapist. The nutritionist doesn’t believe my diet is contributing to my symptoms outside of not being able to eat much now (as in what I was eating before was as healthy as it gets). I also have a ton of pictures, videos, labs, and more I am willing to share documenting this illness. I will also be answering any and all questions.
I only take birth control now for my period cycle issues but I recently started it, like literally last week. And the only other medication I take is Tylenol when needed.
I know what I’m going through is a lot but I’m so lost and struggling. I keep getting told by too many doctors that my labs are normal, even despite a lot seeming wrong with them and my severe symptoms. I personally think I have multiple medical issues going on contributing to the laundry list of symptoms/issues, but of course I’d love other perspectives. I will end this post by saying these are debilitating issues causing me to be unable to work, go to school anymore, or even enjoy life now. I don’t think it would’ve gotten this bad if I had an early diagnosis and proper treatment.

It was a long trip. This is a long post. Apologies in advance.
HIGHLIGHTS (Days 1-14 of 28) KYOTO--Kiyomizu temple; Nanzenji temple; Nijo Castle; Sanjusangendo temple; Shugakuin Imperial Villa; Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion); Fushimi Inari shrine; 184th Kamogawa-Odori geisha show HIMEJI-The castle and garden. NARA-Todaiji temple UJI-Byodoin temple IZU KOGEN--Jogasaki Coast nature trail
TOKYO, Monday 5/8
We arrived mid-afternoon at Tokyo/Haneda, right after Golden Week ended. It turned out to be, coincidentally, the day when the Japanese government officially downgraded the Covid pandemic to the level of a seasonal flu.
Fresh off a 13-hour flight and experiencing Japan for the first time, we went from touchdown to hotel check-in in something like 90 minutes, braving an almost-rush-hour crush on the Keikyu Line train from the Terminal 3 station.
Experience has taught us that meticulously planning every step of arrival in a new country is crucial to avoiding confusion, getting lost or simply wasting time.
Pre-loaded Suica cards on our smartphones led us straight to the train without standing in any lines.
We' chose the Shinagawa Station area of central Tokyo to spare our jetlagged selves another leg of indeterminate length--four or five hours at least--to reach our Kyoto base. Shinagawa is a straight shot--no transfers--from Haneda and a great place to catch a bullet train.
It was a geezer move that gave us plenty of time to familiarize ourselves with the layout and operation of one of Japan's busiest train stations.
Before crashing for the night, we'd taken care of some business by getting cash from an ATM and picking up reserved seat tickets for a post-Kyoto leg. We used a JR Railway ticket machine to print out the tickets, using QR codes emailed to us the previous month when we bought the tickets online directly from JR-East railway (we avoided costly middlemen in all our travel and entertainment purchases, something that requires planning but is easily doable from abroad). Like all our electronic machine transactions in Japan, there was an English language option on the touch-screen.
A machine also checked us in at the Prince Hotel Shinagawa, part of a modern high-rise development, chosen mainly for convenience. It's a one-block walk from the train station and was perfect for a couple jet-lagged Japan newbies. What we got, for the princely sum of $116 USD, was a spacious (by Japan standards) room on the 34th floor with a dead-on view of Tokyo Tower. Dinner was carryout sushi from the Queen's Isetan department store on the opposite side of the station, plus beer and sake from a convenience store, all consumed in the hotel room with Tokyo's skyline at our feet.
KYOTO , Tuesday 5/9
On the advice of an old Japan hand, we made Kyoto our base for the first two weeks. It worked well. We explored a fabulous city, took three day trips (Himeji/Osaka; Nara; Uji) and left town wishing we'd had time for more.
We expected our first full day to be a blur, due to jetlag, but it wasn't too bad. Following advice from this sub for first-time shinkansen travelers, we got to the station an hour early.
We bought far enough in advance on the Smart EX app to get a slight discount. We booked back row seats on the right-hand side for easy luggage storage but discovered that both our bags (including my larger one, which measures 142 cm [L+H+W]) also fit on the overhead rack. We never had luggage problems on trains during our trip.
Our train to Kyoto had great Fuji views, our first. After depositing the bags in a Kyoto station storage locker (rented with the smartphone Suica card), we made our first sightseeing stop: Toji Temple, a quick subway ride and walk away.
About picking hotels
We used triangulation to pick hotels; that is, cross-checking information from various sources to give us the best possible chance of getting a good place at a decent price. Sources included a handful of guidebooks from the public library, Trip Advisor and this sub.
Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Kyoto Premier ($221 USD per night with massive breakfast buffet, best of the trip) turned out to be a great base. We paid extra for a room facing the Kamo River, a popular gathering spot for locals, tourists and joggers. We benefited from early booking (more than six months in advance, shortly after Japan began opening up). Inflation and other factors have since raised the price of the same room by about 10 percent.
The newish (opened in 2017) hotel attracts mainly Japanese/Asian travelers who, like me, enjoyed the onsen in the basement. We also put the coin-operated washedryers to good use.
KYOTO, Wednesday 5/10
Up and out, thanks to jetlag, shortly after 5 a.m., walking deserted streets to the foot of magical Kiyomizu temple, arriving just as it opened at 6 a.m. We were back at the hotel for breakfast by 8, after walking down the picturesque, cobbled streets of Sannenzaka, shops still closed, with more tourists starting to trickle in.
About choosing sightseeing spots
I'm a sucker for ratings, assuming they're done well. So, guidebook must-sees, like DK Eyewitness's or Lonely Planet's, star ratings in the Michelin Green Guide to Japan or in the downloaded Gateway to Japan guide (a steal at $10 and in your pocket for free on Kindle app) and, finally, Japan Guide's recommendations helped guide our steps.
That's how we ended up spending the afternoon at Nanzenji, a must-see Zen temple, which, like Kiyomizu, is laid out at the foot of the mountains east of town.
Lunch this day was at Junsei, a yudofo (boiled tofu) restaurant we stumbled onto near the temple. We used wooden sticks to skim the surface of an iron vat filled with simmering soy milk, that was set before us over a gas flame.
About finding restaurants
If you've never been to Japan but lurk on this sub, you've already heard that it's practically impossible to get a bad meal. We booked a handful of places before leaving home but agree with others that you rarely need to do that to eat well. If you're determined to hit a place that's highly popular, often with deep-pocketed foreign tourists, reservations may be required.
We're foodies, up to a point, but Japan's profusion of starred Michelin restaurants was wasted on us. We've learned over the years that we seldom enjoy paying the inflated cost. Over four weeks, we ate once at a Michelin one-star, chosen for other reasons.
That said, Michelin's Bib Gourmands (good, affordable restaurants) never disappointed us. They are plentiful in Japan, especially in Kyoto and Tokyo, and worth seeking out. Most of the time, though, we picked places to eat by cross-checking Google (asking for "soba noodles" near me, for example) and Tabelog, the indispensible crowd-sourced Japanese website (we looked for places in the 3.5 range).
Non-speakers of Japanese can have a hard time making reservations. We found that we could make them in advance from abroad through services like TableCheck (and an apparently expanding number of others aimed at tourists, usually charging a fee; sometimes small, sometimes steep). On the ground in Japan, we sometimes reserved for free through Google and Tabelog (at random places which you can find on Google or Tabelog restaurant listings); they were always honored. We also asked hotel reception desks for reservation help on occasion. We went to a couple restaurants in person and booked a table for later. But the easiest and often best way to get in is simply to arrive on the early side for lunch (by 11:30 or so) or dinner (between 5 and 5:30). More than once, we walked right into a place and were seated, only to discover lots of people waiting in line outside when we left. That said, if you're looking for an above-average meal on a Saturday night, especially in a popular location, you might want to book in advance.
Konbinis (convenience stores) are cheap, good and extremely reliable sources of takeout. And though we liked what we got there (mainly onigiri), we wound up relying on them less and less as the trip went along. The same was true of department store basements, which lived up to their reputation as fantastic food sources, for locals and tourists alike. We learned that we could often eat for the same amount or less in restaurants geared to locals or foreigners on limited budgets, rather than chowing down in our hotel room.
KYOTO, Thursday 5/11
We hit Nijo Castle in the morning and Sento Imperial Palace, one of several attractions we reserved in advance through the Imperial Household Agency. All were well worth it (and free of charge). The agency website explains the rules, which vary somewhat from site to site. We also toured Kyoto Imperial Palace.
About navigation
Just as the Google Translate app (and similar devices) have broken down language barriers, several travel apps have vastly simplified the business of getting around. Google Maps was our basic navigational tool and it rarely failed us. Another app that helped work in concert with Google Maps was Navitime's Japan Travel guide. Both provide alternate routes, detailed information on trains and stations and much more. Sometimes, when we popped out of subway station, we'd check the compass app on the smartphone to make sure we were heading off in the right direction. It doesn't hurt that public transit throughout the country increasingly uses English or romaji to translate Japanese. Over four weeks, we only found one place where we had trouble deciphering the destination signs on buses (oddly enough, in Himeji, a tourist magnet).
KYOTO, Friday, 5/12
A busy day started at Katsura Imperial Villa. Like other Imperial Household venues, a guided tour (in Japanese, but with free English audio guide) is the only way to see the place and its beautiful gardens.
We also caught a kabuki for beginners show at sumptuous Minamiza Theatre--tickets purchased online in advance--after briefly stopping by bustling Yasaka-jinja shrine down the street.
Dinner was our priciest splurge: Itoh, a serene, traditional style steak house in the atmospheric Gion neighborhood. We hadn't initially planned on eating Kobe beef, since we've pretty much given up beef in our everyday lives, but we were persuaded by a family member who correctly posed the question: If not now, when? Worth the steep tab ($264), not least because our table overlooked the tiny Shirakawa canal, the service was great and now we can say we know what Kobe beef is all about. Like buttah.
KYOTO, Saturday 5/13
We were at Sanjusangendo when it opened and glad we'd gone. The display of 500 life-size, gilded 1000-armed kannon in Japan's longest wooden structure was unforgettable.
We're museum people--either you are or you ain't--and the special exhibition at Kyoto National Museum on the 850th anniversary of the founder of Shin Buddhism was well worth it. Unfortunately, like most Japanese museums, photos were prohibited inside. In this regard, technically advanced Japan lags much of the civilized world; even Old Europe has greatly loosened such restrictions in recent years. Smartphone cameras can be a nuisance to other visitors, but they are a quick and easy way of capturing what you've seen and preserving it for later study.
Lunch was at Vegan Ramen Uzu Kyoto, a Bib Gourmand and the weirdest place we ate. Expanded availability of vegetarian ramen is a promising, healthier trend, and we enjoyed it at several places in Tokyo and Kyoto. A TableCheck reservation, made well in advance, got us seats at this cutting-edge spot. Dining is at a polished black surface in a darkened room bathed by the illumination of a giant, swirling teamLab artwork. Pricey but good.
KYOTO, Sunday 5/14
We're horseplayers and enjoyed a day at recently reopened Kyoto Racecourse, capacity 120,000. Betting is easy; just stop by the information desk for instructions in English.
Dinner at Tiger Gyoza Hall was lively, inexpensive and delicious. It was the only restaurant on our trip that we visited twice; reservable on Google.
KYOTO, Monday 5/15
No place put us through more hoops than Kokedera, better known at Moss Temple. It was well worth the difficulty of getting a needed reservation; if you do it by mail from abroad--the least expensive way to go--you need a couple months head start (and an International Reply Coupon, which you have to buy online from the Swiss Postal System). We got there and back via city buses. Along the way we crossed Togetsukyo Bridge in the very congested tourist hotbed of Arashiyama. It didn't make us regret our decision to skip the area.
Afterward we visited Ninnaji temple. Ryoanji temple and its famous rock garden (where noisy fellow tourists made a Zen experience impossible) and Kinkakuji, the incredible Golden Pavilion. The place was jammed but crowd control is excellent and we're glad we made it.
KYOTO, Tuesday 5/16
Shugakuin Imperial Villa, a vast imperial property of gardens and buildings (which you cannot enter) on the northeastern outskirts, was our favorite Imperial Household Agency site. We felt fortunate to get advance tickets through their lottery but saw that same-day tickets were also available there and at other Agency sites; it would be a long way to go, however, if all tickets were gone on the day you wanted to enter. Since we made a conscious decision to visit Japan after the cherry blossom and Golden Week crowds were gone, we have no idea what things are like during busier times.
We strolled the Philosopher's Path after lunch. Perhaps if it had been a quiet early or cherry blossom time, we might have been blown away. Instead, it was a rare disappointment. It struck us as a very conventional touristy trail; nothing special at all.
On the other hand, Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), near one end of the path, lived up to the hype. We capped the day by off by catching the procession of Aoi Matsuri, or Hollyhock Festival, one of Kyoto's three big annual festivals. The parade of hundreds of elaborately costumed people, some on horseback, highlighted by a pair of ox-drawn carts, was a hoot. What surprised us was the absence of music or any sort of percussion.
HIMEJI and OSAKA, Wednesday 5/17
A shinkansen whisked us to Himeji for a tour of the incomparable castle and impressive gardens. We took advantage of the unique Himeji Castle English Speaking Guide service, which generously provides personal tours with an area resident, in English, at no cost (book online in advance).
Lunch was at Mentetsu, a very good ramen shop at a mall located between the train station and the castle. Recommended.
We finished the excursion at Osaka's famous, crazy Dotonburi neighborhood, a cross between Times Square and Disney. Dinner was our first okonomiyaki, deliciously prepared at Okonomiyaki Mizuno (a Bib Gourmand). We're allergic to standing in line---life is too short--and we never waited more than 30 minutes for a table on our trip. They took our order at Mizuno while we were in line, and it was prepared before our countertop seats shortly after we got in. Oishī!
UJI, Thursday 5/18
Uji is renowned for its tea and Byodoin temple, best known for its elegant phoenix hall, which is pictured on the back of the 10 Yen coin. It was a great day trip, including lunch at a traditional local soba shop that served cold noodles sobayu style; you pour hot soba stock--the cloudy water the noodles were boiled in--into what's left of your soy-based dipping sauce and drink the (supposedly) healthy brew. Definitely the way to go. Mampukuji, a Zen temple, was a worthwhile stop before we caught a train back to Kyoto.
NARA, Friday 5/19
Our first day of heavy rain failed to dampen the visit to one of the best places on our trip. The town, a tourist favorite because, or in spite of, the overpopulation of overly friendly deer, is well-described elsewhere. We toured Todai-ji, with its giant Bronze Buddha, had lunch at the cute and delicious Pizzeria Trattoria Magazzino (Bib Gourmand) and checked out Kohfukuji temple, too.
KYOTO, Saturday 5/20
Fushimi Inari shrine, on almost every Kyoto must-see list, lives up to its reputation. We followed good advice from this sub and arrived early, a few minutes before 8 a.m. Already, crowds were building. We detoured from the main path through thousands of torii gates and wandered instead up an almost totally deserted sylvan trail on the south side of Mt. Inari, past bamboo groves, a few minor shrines and some houses. After about 45 minutes, we reached a set of stone stairs to the summit. From the top, we took the main path down, dodging the stream of fellow tourists as best we could and gaping at the gates and the view from the halfway point. We highly recommend this alternative way of seeing the best of two Fushimi Inari worlds.
We celebrated our last full day in Kyoto, and our 40th wedding anniversary, with a memorable kaiseki lunch at Hana Kitcho, a Michelin one-star booked weeks in advance from home. The beautifully decorated private room, attentive service, imaginative presentation, museum-quality stoneware and delicious food were certainly up to one-star standards.
The minute that advance online tickets went on sale for the 184th Kamogawa Odori, I jumped on them. The tourist-oriented geisha dance performance is held in May at a theater that overlooks the Kamo River. We were lucky to have been given seats in the front row and when one of the geishas tossed a white cloth package in my direction I snatched it. I now have an unexpected souvenir, a cloth banner autographed by the geisha herself. The fantastic show will remain in memory.
IZU KOGEN, Sunday 5/21
We left Kyoto for the Izu Peninsula and what turned out to be the best single night of our trip. Hanafubuki, a modern ryokan I learned about on this sub, was everything we could have wanted. It features 9 private outdoor onsens on beautifully landscaped property and elegant guest rooms with fluffy futons for sleeping on tatami mats. The ten-course dinner was exquisite. Breakfast, a seven-course feast that featured whole grilled horse mackerel and golden-eye sea bream, was simply amazing.
IZU KOGEN, Monday 5/22
A short walk from the ryokan is the scenic Jogasaki Coast nature trail, a rugged stretch of rocks and pounding surf. A guy I met there who introduced himself as Zeus, a Japanese native currently living in California and in town to visit his parents, compared the coastline to Monterey Bay. We could have used another night to allow us to explore the trail at greater length.
Lunch was at a great local restaurant, walking distance from the train station, Honke Maguroya, featuring local fish and top-grade tuna. The wasabi rhizome, which you grate yourself, is a tipoff to the quality of the sushi, but the prices are extremely reasonable. Recommended.
From there we headed back to Tokyo and the remainder of our trip. Highlights and a full (too full?) final report coming soon.

Hi everyone! This sub was so incredibly helpful to me in the planning process - I was deeply grateful for everything I learned, so I thought I'd post a trip report now that we're back!
About us: We're a 30s couple from the Midwest US. We're pretty experienced travelers (South America, UK/Ireland, Europe, lots of places in the US), but this was our first visit to Asia and first visit to Japan. As travelers, we love getting out on foot, local food/drink (especially street food), live music, nerd shit, weird art/vending machines. Also, my partner is a cis guy, but I am a trans masc person who is visibly trans (post-op in a few ways, but not passing/not stealth).
Dates: May 13 - May 29
What we did: Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Hakone Back to Tokyo
Tips and tricks:

• Definitely get your walking training in ahead of time! We walked 10 miles a day on the trip. We're pretty avid backcountry camping/hiking fans who regularly put in 8 - 10 miles on the trail (not to mention taking our dog for multiple walks a day in the neighborhood), so I figured we'd be good - but it was A LOT, especially since you're also trying to translate and navigate at the same time. Japan is not generally a super accessible place from a disability perspective; benches and public seating areas are not common. I found myself wishing I'd packed a collapsible seat of some kind, tbh!
• Good shoes a must! Merrell Moabs are my go-to for hiking, but for this trip I went with Nike Dunk 6 high-tops, which rocked. My partner went with Onitsukas and didn't do as well - he wound up buying inserts partway through the trip, which helped.
• Work on a little Japanese ahead of time! We came in with about a dozen words/phrases, which was honestly truly helpful. So many people are so kind and thoughtful anyway, but it was an appreciated gesture that we had planned ahead and were trying our best. Google Translate's camera feature (Google Lens) was a life-saver for translating written words on signs!
• We had a great experience with Ubigi for an eSIM. The days of purchasing an actual SIM card or even a burner device (like we used to do when backpacking in Europe) are long past. We hooked up our Ubigi eSIMs beforehand, flipped the switch when we got there, and we were golden. Just in case, we'd set up our Verizon coverage to include a Pay-As-You-Go international plan, but we didn't end up using it. We also didn't use half as much data as we thought we would - we both came home with extra GB on our Ubigi plan still. We didn't do a PocketWifi and I don't think we needed it - Ubigi did most of the heavy lifting, and free WiFi at various places did the rest.
• Fly into Haneda, not Narita - way closer to Tokyo city center.
• Get your Suica right away at the airport - our beloved Suica got us through so many things! We also withdrew some cash and split it up between us - we withdrew a few more times on the trip and it worked like a charm. (Just make sure it's an international ATM that includes your card type - not all of them do. Also, notify your bank you'll be traveling, so your card doesn't throw a flag!) We used our credit card as well - the Chase card was accepted pretty much all places CCs are, but many places remain cash-only, especially bars and restaurants.
• Had a great experience using the Friendly Limousine Airport Bus service straight from Haneda to our hotel area.
• I booked shinkansen tix ahead of time, so I got nice discounts on weekday Green Car tix for two - but I really needn't have worried, there were plenty of seats available day-of.
• Don't bother with shinkansen for Kyoto to Osaka - we wound up just hopping on a local with our Suicas and it was fine.
• Don't bother with the Romancecar from Hakone back to Tokyo - it's fastemaybe a nicer seating experience, but just hopping on a local with your Suica is an order of magnitude cheaper.
• Look things up in Japanese if using Google Translate; use Tabelog for restaurants if possible. Google Maps in English is more touristy reviews/reactions.
• Tokyo Skytree was hit-or-miss - only real letdown of the trip.
• Tokyo teamLab PLANETS was completely worth it - absolutely worth the hype in my opinion.
• Queer and trans travelers - I felt completely safe, but as a plus-size trans masc nonbinary queerdo, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I didn't feel in danger, but I was absolutely aware that I did not fit in. Stares were common, especially from older men and young kids. (Weirdly, local women seemed more friendly and curious about me!) Just be prepared for it and remember you're not in any danger physically - it's all just curiosity.
• I have to thank this subreddit for recommending Hakone, especially for the tip to book a ryokan with private onsen access. We had an absolutely beautiful experience at Yamanochaya in Hakone, which included both a private "onsen" soaking tub in our room and private 1:1 access to a larger, actual hot spring onsen on the property. I otherwise would not have been able to experience a real hot spring onsen at all, as they are gender-segregated. Thank you, /JapanTravel!

Because I'm a nerd, here's the actual breakdown!
DAY 1 ARRIVAL 📍 Flew into Haneda; made it to our hotel (lovely experience at Hotel Plaza Sunroute); had our first world-famous konbini 7/11 experience; walked around Shinjuku; went out for dinner at Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai - talk about jumping in the deep end 🍣 Onigiri and vending machine green tea; little whipped cream treats; Nagahama ramen and sesame mackerel donburi 👣 10,400 steps 🏁 4.8 miles
DAY 2 SHIBUYA 📍 Meiji Shrine and Gardens - got goshuin and omamori; Harajuku, went to 7/11; back to the hotel for a nap; Shibuya, including Don Quijote, Center Gai and Dogenzaka Street; Nonbei Yokocho for late night 🍣 7/11 (plum onigiri and corn/mayo sandwich, some kind of spam musubi situation, matcha roll); Ichiran coin-op ramen with extra chashu and a matcha tofu custard thing; banana shock smoothie at Shibuya109 in Center Gai; chicken and pork belly yakitori with beers at Morimoto; brown sugar shoju and shoju-infused Oolong tea cocktails at Tight Bar (strong recommend for this joint!); grilled squid, octopus, and okonomiyaki for afters at Tsukishima Monja Kuuya Shibuya 👣 32,000 steps 🏁 14.5 miles 😮‍💨
DAY 3 SHINJUKU 📍 Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden; Shinjuku area (including Disk Union, Disney, Onitsuka); Kabukicho and Kabukicho Tower; GODZ metal bar; Golden Gai; Omoide Yokocho 🍣 7/11 (onigiri, matcha filled roll thing, royal milk tea, tomago sushi, strawberry donut, cafe latte); many types of dango (sesame oil, soy sauce, and apricot mochi were our favs); McDonald's (weirdly good chicken sandwich with yuzu radish topping, vanilla custard chocolate pie, white grape soda); yummy little warm imagawayaki filled with adzuki bean paste + royal milk from depachika); a couple of Asahis at GODZ; simple yakitori snacks at Golden Gai (including some… mystery offal items); back to 7/11 for drunk matcha ice cream and waffle snacks 👣 28,800 steps 🏁 13.0 miles
DAY 4 ASAKUSA 📍 Went out for coffee; walked around Kinarimon Gate and Nakamise; toured Asakusa Shrine, Senso-ji Temple, surrounding Shinto and Buddhist shrines; stopped for sushi and mochi; went for a walk up Sumida River; dipped into Shoden and Imado shrines; crossed Kototoi Bridge to Tokyo Skytree; went up Tokyo Skytree; back to Senso-ji for night photos; capped off evening with gyoza 🍣 Lattes at cute puppet theater coffeeshop (espresso, dandelion tea); 7/11 for breakfast-y fuel; strawberries from a street stall at Nakamise; sushi lunch; beautiful mochi + tea dessert; grilled gyoza, soup dumpling gyoza, shoujo Oolong tea cocktail for afters 👣 25,500 steps 🏁 11.66 miles
DAY 5 JIMBŌCHŌ, AKIHABARA 📍 Train to Ichigaya - notable French-inspired neighborhood; breakfast at local French café; Yasakuni Shrine; Kanda River walk by Hosei University; Tokyo Daijingu Shrine; Jimbōchō Old Book Town; walked from there to Akihibara; hit up noodles, arcade, nerd shops (comics, TCGs/CCGs, retro video games systems, TTRPGS, etc); gachapons; hit up the bizarre rare vending machines 🍣 Vending machine coffee and milk tea; yummy French pastries (bacon and sour cream roll, quiche, sour cream raisin custard thing); had to try some avocado and cheese Doritos; cold udon with duck broth soup, curry rice for Chris; fish-shaped taiyaki with custard cream dessert treat; dope gyoza place ("weekday" version with pork and cabbage, shrimp and chili mayo, yakitori with tare, and shogayaki with onions) 👣 Forgot watch at hotel - we’ll say 10,000 steps 🏁 Guessing about 5 or 6?
DAY 6 TEAMLAB PLANETS, TRAVEL TO KYOTO 📍 Hit up teamLabs, had an amazing time exploring the exhibits - the infinite light crystal room was our fav; train to Tokyo Station; lunch at underground Ramen Street restaurants under the station - went with Soranoiro, one of the few veg/vegan ramen shops in Japan - delicious; shinkansen to Kyoto; out for nightlife in Kiyamachi-Dori and Pontocho 🍣 Quick 7/11 snacks; train snacks (pocky, coffee, little teriyaki cutlet sandwich); Soranoiro ramen bowls; killer yakitori we fried right at our table in izakaya in Pontocho (honestly probably a meal highlight of the whole trip); brown sugar shoujo; 7/11 for ice cream on the way back 👣 18,900 steps 🏁 8.63 miles
DAY 7 KINKAKUJI, NISHIKI, GION 📍 Kinkakuji Temple; bus back to Kiyamachi-dori; spent whole afternoon walking and eating street food at Nishiki Market; back to hotel for rest, laundry, rooftop drink; out for nightlife in Gion 🍣 Family Mart for coffee and doughnuts; Nishiki Market Street street food delights - seared yakitori style crab stick, little octopus chuka idako on skewers, kara-age on skewers, sea squid croquettes and beer, strawberry and adzuki bean mochi balls; mimosas and red wine; Kyoto Gion Okaru - geisha-decorated izakaya with insane curry udon bowls and beers; picked up box of mochi dango for dessert 👣 20,200 steps 🏁 9.07 miles
DAY 8 SHRINE DAY 📍 OK, this is a lot:

• Yasakajinja (we happened to be here while a young couple was having a Shinto wedding ceremony!)
• Yasui Kompira-gū (built 1170, shrine for ending bad relationships and starting new ones, has special stone that you pin your wishes to - many young girls will crawl through the stone to mark a breakup or wish for love)
• Kennin-ji (built 1202, large grounds - among the oldest in Kyoto);
• Reigen-in (part of Kennin-ji grounds, a Zen teahouse with a tea garden where they served adzuki bean buns with tea made from the actual hydrangeas of the tea garden outside!)
• Zenkyoan (boar shrine which we initially thought were cute hedgehogs)
• Kyoto Ebisu Shrine (dedicated to fishermen - we happened to be here during the shrine's annual mikoshi festival - a battalion of locals in traditional clothes, hoisting and dancing with the mikoshi around the neighborhood)
• Kodai-ji (built 1606, gorgeous grounds - we skipped the tour)
• Hōkan-ji/Yasaka Pagoda (dating back to 589 and rebuilt in 1400s, huge black 5-story pagoda featuring massive shakyamuni pole inside and reliquary of a bone of the Buddha in the foundations)
• Ryōzen Kannon (built 1955 after WW2, massive Buddha statue and active Buddhist temple)
• Of course the world-famous Kiyomizudera (built 778, enormous Kyoto-red temple with beautiful buildings spiraling up into the forest)

🍣 Hotel coffee, tea, cream puffs; adzuki bean buns with tea made from the actual hydrangeas of the tea garden at the shrine; dope bento box lunch; got takeout fast food donburi and fizzy lemonade 👣 22,800 steps 🏁 10.39 miles
DAY 9 FUSHIMI-INARI 📍 Fushimi Inari, the famous shrine of over 1,000 torii gates - super amazing (and intense!) summit of Mt Inari! Back to Nishiki Market for reward street food and drinks; back to hotel for a rooftop drink and soak; finally out for soba at Kawamichiya Ginka in Pontocho. 🍣 Snack pack on our hike (sausages, cheese, some kind of fish meat/cheese stick, and surume - sweet chewy dried squid stuff); orange smoothie; conveyor belt sushi; strawberry mochi roll; whisky highball and red wine; massive soba spreads (chicken seared with wasabi/yuzu/horseradish dipped in ponzu sauce, fried soba noodles in a rich soup, cold soba noodles dipped tsukemen-style in a really amazing umami soy sauce soup, tempura shrimp and veggies, a hot soba noodles in a clear broth soup) 👣 27,600 steps 🏁 Supposedly 12.3 miles, but that hike to summit Mt Inari was something else 😤
DAY 10 TRAVEL TO OSAKA, SHINSABASHISUJI, AMEMURA, DOTONBURI 📍 Beautiful brunch on the bank of the canal in Kyoto; local train to Osaka-Umeda; checked into Osaka hotel; walked around Shinsaibashisuji and Dotonburi a little bit; scoped out Amemura ("Ameri-mura") for dope American-inspired Japanese streetwear; wandered up and down street food stalls in Dotonbori; swung by Namba Hips (mostly pachinko); found a couple of fun little hole-in-the-wall places (little Japanese craft beer brewery, retro video games bar) 🍣 Brunch at Kawa Cafe (croque monsieur, ramen, tea and delicious apple tart); takoyaki, cheesy waffle shaped like a massive 10yen coin, sweet chili hotdogs from stands in Dotonbori; dashi gose craft beer (by Derailleur Brew Works) from Umineko, shots at Space Station bar 👣 19,500 steps 🏁 9.01 miles
DAY 11 NAMBAYASAKIJINA, DOTONBURI 📍 Morning Japanese breakfast at a wonderful little 24-hour diner; Hozen-ji (moss shrine); Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum across the street (focusing on Osaka woodcuts celebrating Dotonburi's kabuki and entertainment history); Nambayasaka-jinja (lion head shrine); Den Den Town (Osaka's Akihabara); ended up at a cozy little kushikatsu bar which actually was playing the Tigers game (away game vs the Swallows at Tokyo); street food waffles for dessert; hit up a late-night batting cage - ended up at Round1 (a big multi-floor arcade complex) and did the rooftop batting cage! My partner won a giant plushie for me from a claw machine! 🍣 Dope traditional japanese omelette and fish breakfast; cute macarons from market stand; Family Mart for snacks before nightlife; skewers, beer, and highballs from Dotonbori kushikatsu place; ridiculous nutella, whip, and strawberry stuffed waffle from Waffle Khan 👣 29,100 steps 🏁 13.31 miles
DAY 12 KUROMON ICHIBA, OSAKA CASTLE, DOTONBURI 📍 Kuromon Ichiba Market for street food; Osaka Castle Park and Nishinomaru Gardens; toured Osaka Castle and museum all the way up to the top; subway to Tanimachi-9-chome subway station for amazing live jazz at Sub Jazz Cafe. (This was amazing! Akira "Ro" Hasegawa (sax) and Yukie Fujikawa (keys) - Ro is also the owner and was bartending on this particular night too.) Out to Don Don for killer yakiniku and beer; found our way to Oboradaren, an Tokunoshima-themed island vibes bar and music spot where there was a great live band playing fun island vibes beach rock - big crowd of 40s+ Japanese women who knew all the songs, wound up drinking passionfruit chuhai and joining them in the conga line around the bar 🍣 Oden hot pot, wagyu skewer, otoro sashimi, crab gratin in the half-shell, bracken green tea soy cakes at Kuromon Market; ice cream sandwiches at Osaka Castle; milk tea, little roast beef sandwich, and cheesecake at Sub Jazz Cafe; yakiniku-style wagyu, ribs, ox tongue, assorted mushrooms; passionfruit chuhai and red wine at the island vibes spot; taro and brown sugar boba teas 👣 23,000 steps 🏁 10.42 miles
DAY 13 KAIYUKAN, SHINSEKAI, DOTONBURI 📍 Fun trip to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan; quick pass through Shinsekai; lunch at spot where you can fish your own catch from an indoor fishing boat pool; out for one last Dotonburi night - wound up getting konbini snacks and sitting on the waterfront talking and people-watching for hours 🍣 Not a banger food-wise, but interesting little spread at the fish-your-own place - huge prawn for grilling, kara-age, and fatty tuna nigiri for Max, tempura veggies and whitefish with doteyaki for Chris; from Family Mart, fruit smoothie, ice cup, and KitKat for Max, onigiri and lemonade for Chris 👣 19,100 steps 🏁 8.64 miles
DAY 14 TRAVEL TO HAKONE, HAKONE SHRINE 📍 Bombed to Shin-Osaka for an early shinkansen to Odawara; trained to Odawara to Hakone; dropped luggage off at ryokan, then bus to Motohakone; saw Hakone Shrine and Onshi-Hakone Park (as well as a segment of the actual Old Tokaido!); returned to ryokan for the night, where we were treated to a gorgeous 1:1 kaiseki from a Michelin-star chef, private hot spring onsen, and private in-room hot spring bath 🍣 Konbini snacks before shinkansen; snacks and coffee on train; late lunch in Motohakone (curry and soba, pork cutlet); incredible, massive multi-course kaiseki and sake for dinner, plus strawberry cake, champagne, and more sake for dessert 👣 13,900 steps 🏁 6.26 miles
DAY 15 HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM, TRAVEL TO TOKYO, LAST NIGHT IN SHINJUKU 📍 Woke up in gorgeous ryokan; leisurely kaiseki breakfast with leftover cake; final soak in the private onsen; Hakone Open Air Museum - very cool; had kind of a challenging trip back but finally made it from Museum back to ryokan to bus stop to Hakone-Yumoto to Odawara to Shinjuku to the hotel 😮‍💨 Considering the last night as our real "last night" of the trip, our final night out in Tokyo was all just extra icing on the cake - went out for yakitori skewers and Asahi Superdrys in cozy alley in Omoide Yokocho, found really wonderful cake and tea dessert open late also in Omoide, hit up 🎵 Donki! 🎵 for a final round of bulk snacks and souvenirs, ended up on a late-night excursion to find Park Hyatt Hotel (featured in Lost in Translation); finished night at hotel watching the city go to sleep from our balcony 👣 22,700 steps 🏁 10.3 miles
FINAL SCORE 📸 Pics: 1,929 👣 Steps: 337,700 🏁 Miles: 153.78 (we averaged 9.6 miles per day, every day, for 16 days) 🇯🇵 “Nihongo jōzu!”: 4 (I know more proficient Japanese speakers are insulted, but it's honestly a pretty nice comment when you're at my level) 👶 Comments on how young we look/how we can’t possibly be celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary: 3 ✨ Gratitude: Infinite.

This is the story info for Real Bout Fatal Fury Special.

• Real Bout Special strategy guide

Terry Bogard

Beloved Eternal Hungry Wolf

Profile
Fighting-style:	Martial Arts
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Freeter
Birthday:	1971.3.15
Age:	25
Height:	182cm
Weight:	82kg
Blood-type:	O
Hobbies:	Video Games
Favorite Food:	Fast Food
Dislikes:	Slugs
Most Important Things:	Jeff's Keepsake Gloves
Favorite Sport:	Basketball
Favorite Music:	Rock
Special Skill:	Accurately guessing a woman's measurements

The reason he started fighting was because the hatred that burned within. He wanted to become stronger in order to avenge his adoptive father. He doesn't really remember his parents. "My dad is Jeff Bogard... I'm going to be strong like Jeff."
Today, he has grown into one of the world's top-class martial artists. What did he find by crossing fists with so many opponents? He's not looking for answers with hatred. Perhaps he was just starving for affection.
"I've come to believe that fighting is the best way to understand each other. Everyone who fights has a reason and if they fight, they will understand."
He said this with a smile prepared for the real bout. He not only fights for strength but also with his opponent's heart in mind. That's how he fights.

Andy Bogard

Trains to surpass his brother

Profile
Fighting-style:	Koppō
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Shiranui Style Taijutsu Instructor
Birthday:	1972.8.16
Age:	24
Height:	171cm
Weight:	67kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Training
Favorite Food:	Natto spaghetti
Dislikes:	Dogs
Most Important Things:	Photos from his training (with his master Hanzo Shiranui)
Favorite Sport:	Short Track
Favorite Music:	Silence
Special Skill:	Fasting

His posture is perfect no matter what he does. He has a rather small build but makes up for it with finely-honed senses.
He never hides his attitude even in battle. He specializes in sharp and speedy ariel attacks as a means of exhausting his opponent.
“By sharpening my nerves, I can imagine how the opponent will move next. If I can read his movements, I have the confidence to strike from any distance. Even if it's at a nose-to-nose distance. ”
He has made it his goal to surpass his older brother Terry Bogard. For that reason, he has studied all kinds of martial arts. But he has never been able to win against Terry's wild skills.

Joe Higashi

Hot-blooded Japanese Muay Thai boy

Profile
Fighting-style:	Muay Thai
Nationality:	Japanese
Profession:	Muay Thai Fighter
Birthday:	1972.3.29
Age:	24
Height:	180cm
Weight:	71kg
Blood-type:	AB
Hobbies:	Storage
Favorite Food:	Fried crocodile
Dislikes:	Dressing up
Most Important Things:	His Headband
Favorite Sport:	General martial arts
Favorite Music:	De Enka
Special Skill:	Numbers (99% success rate and personal conversation)

Joe Higashi, a man who can move anyone with his unconventional fighting style. He does not know the meaning of the word "retreat". He is arguably the greatest Muay Thai champion in history and is a spectacle of natural talent.
He says, "I'm thinking about the look on my face when I get punched. Now I feel like I'm going to get punched with a cool face." He may look like a jerk, but he is a real hero to the poor children of Thailand.
"I'm holding a muay thai class with the neighborhood kids, but they're dark. Everyone is desperately trying to get stronger because they can't eat, but they have a strong sense of duty and don't enjoy it. I'm not having fun That's why I won't lose in order to teach them how to fight a real bout."
He spoke really happily, his expression was impressive.

Mai Shiranui

Freedom is the way I live.

Profile
Fighting-style:	Shiranui Ninjutsu
Nationality:	Japanese
Profession:	Successor of Shiranui Ninjutsu
Birthday:	1974.1.1
Age:	23
Height:	165cm
Weight:	46kg
Blood-type:	B
Measurements:	87-54-90
Hobbies:	Dieting
Favorite Food:	Osechi
Dislikes:	Spiders
Most Important Things:	Grandmother's Memento Hairpin
Favorite Sport:	Japanese badminton
Favorite Music:	Heavy Metal
Special Skill:	Japanese dressmaking

Despite being a woman, she has become the rightful successor to the Shiranui Ninjutsu. Though, she has conflicting feelings about it.
"Because I don't know anything about her. I didn't know about Mochizuki at all..."
After the death of Shiranui Hanzo, her education has been under the supervision of senior citizens known as the Five Elders. They are Hanzo's beloved disciples, and they seem to have considerable skill, but due to their age, they have retired from teaching practical skills. Mai and Andy are learning from these old people. And although Andy enjoys their lessons, Mai doesn't seem to like them at all. For the old people, she was teaching them everything about their relationship with Mochizuki...
"Because I'm studying surrounded by grandpas..."
It seems her selfishness hasn't changed at all.

Sokaku Mochizuki

A man who fights with inner Shura

Profile
Fighting-style:	Shoden Mudo-ryu Bujutsu
Nationality:	Japanese
Profession:	chief priest
Birthday:	1946.7.3
Age:	50
Height:	176cm
Weight:	86kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Shogi
Favorite Food:	Sweets (Shiruko Anmitsu)
Dislikes:	Shiranui Ninjutsu
Most Important Things:	Japanese sword (Memento of his teacher)
Favorite Sport:	Light swimming
Favorite Music:	Rokyoku
Special Skill:	Calming the spirit

He is the master of Shoden Mudo-ryu, and continues to use the Book of Secrets to cut off the root of Shura. As a result, he is attacked by Shura's delusions, losing control of his mind, and slowly becoming Shura itself. Could this also be due to the magical power of the Book of Secrets?
"I was prepared for this to happen. It's not like I'm completely shredded yet. The real bout is now."
After being defeated in the battle against the Shiranui-ryu, the Shoden Mudō-ryū established Shura-gari as the way of life for the school. And his psychokinesis was said to be the most powerful in history. Now, the battle will be with oneself. Because if he turns into a Shura, no one will be able to stop his power. His struggle for who he is may end Mudo-ryu's history, but that may be Mudo-ryu's long-awaited fate. How will he end up...

Bob Wilson

Cheerful Capoeirista

Profile
Fighting-style:	Capoeira
Nationality:	Brazilian
Profession:	Pao Pao Cafe 2 Manager
Birthday:	1974.5.15
Age:	22
Height:	184cm
Weight:	84kg
Blood-type:	O
Hobbies:	Dance (samba and reggae dance)
Favorite Food:	Fruits (apples, pineapples)
Dislikes:	Insects
Most Important Things:	His Family
Favorite Sport:	Basketball
Favorite Music:	Acid Jazz
Special Skill:	Ribbing

Bob Wilson, a proud Capoeirista. Together with his teacher, Richard Meyer, he continues to challenge all styles of martial arts.
From dance-like footwork to a variety of kicking techniques, he unleashes endlessly. If a stranger jumps in, he will surely make them dance their dance of death.
“There are many great martial artists like Terry in the world. But this time I won't lose to anyone. My capoeira has no blind spots."
His capoeira, which he claims to be the best, certainly has the beauty of perfection. The Pao Pao Cafe is bustling with customers every day to watch the beautiful martial arts. Their tireless challenge continues.

Hon-Fu

Kyushu boy from Hong Kong

Profile
Fighting-style:	Kung Fu
Nationality:	Hong Kong
Profession:	Detective
Birthday:	1966.8.21
Age:	30
Height:	176cm
Weight:	78kg
Blood-type:	O
Hobbies:	Sting operations (Currently on Confinement)
Favorite Food:	Jiaozi
Dislikes:	Rules
Most Important Things:	His Lover
Favorite Sport:	Cycling
Favorite Music:	Any female idol song
Special Skill:	Make things awkward

He still has a seat in the Hong Kong police force, and his reckless investigations continue to make the police's upper echelons nervous. On the other hand, he seems to be very much loved by the locals, and his whereabouts can usually be traced out by asking the townsfolk. Detectives who are this open to him are rare, but his ability to take action during investigations is extraordinary, and criminals who are targeted almost never escape.
He has never fired a gun in any of his investigations. He owns a pistol, but his prowess is questionable, and when he uses it, it is exclusively as a throwing weapon.
His favorite weapon is the nunchaku. Having mastered kung fu, he started using nunchaku under the influence of Bruce Reichi, a skill difficult for an average martial artist. However, he put on a sly face and said, "This is easier to use than a pistol. I'll just use this instead." He plays dumb but is a lot stronger than he looks.

Blue Mary

An agent who fulfills the request perfectly

Profile
Fighting-style:	Command Sambo
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Private Detective
Birthday:	1973.2.4
Age:	23
Height:	168cm
Weight:	49kg
Blood-type:	AB
Measurements:	86-54-85
Hobbies:	Motorcycle touring
Favorite Food:	Beef and Broth
Dislikes:	Cats
Most Important Things:	Leather Jacket
Favorite Sport:	Baseball
Favorite Music:	Ballads
Special Skill:	Forgetting about painful events

Born into a family that has produced excellent martial artists for generations, she is active as a free agent. Her good blood blossomed especially in her mastery of Commando Sambo. At first glance, she appears to be an ordinary woman with an intimidating physique. However, her mastery over Command Sambo has enough destructive power to easily destroy the human body.
"There are many fragile parts of the human body. All I have to do is to accurately capture them. Besides, I can't choose where my job is, so I search for the most effective way to fight on the spot."
She constantly researches and practices how to fight without waste. And as an agent, she can get the best results in any situation and any request.
"I'm the only true fighting professional in the world, and I won't lose to a weak martial artist. ”

Franco Bash

Burning! Father

Profile
Fighting-style:	Kickboxing
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Kickboxer (Recently returned to active duty)
Birthday:	1963.9.16
Age:	33
Height:	195cm
Weight:	115kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Bodybuilding
Favorite Food:	Curry Rice
Dislikes:	People who bully his son
Most Important Things:	His son (Junior)
Favorite Sport:	Ice Hockey
Favorite Music:	Jazz
Special Skill:	Beer Chugging

Franco once retired from the kickboxing world for the sake of his family, who preferred stability over wealth and fame. But, his instincts did not allow him to forget the fight. With the understanding of his family, he made a comeback and returned to the championship as if his body was too blessed.
His super-heavyweight punches terrified his opponents and gradually isolated him.
"It's no fun if you don't have an opponent. From now on, I won't choose a ring. Any martial artist will be my opponent."
With no opponents in the kickboxing world, he ignited his passion for mixed martial arts fights. Since he is naturally good at punching, he is eager to fight against a super-heavyweight boxer. If Axel Hawk accepts the challenge, we'll see the biggest fistfight of the century...

Ryuji Yamazaki

Believe in his own strength

Profile
Fighting-style:	Self-taught Homicide Karate
Nationality:	Japanese
Profession:	Dark Broker
Birthday:	1963.8.8
Age:	33
Height:	192cm
Weight:	96kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Knife Collecting
Favorite Food:	Horsemeat sashimi
Dislikes:	Labor
Most Important Things:	Anything related to his interests
Favorite Sport:	None
Favorite Music:	None
Special Skill:	Has no trouble going three days without sleep

Karate is the basis of his fighting style, but it can be said that his style has been established in another world of martial arts. His living environment consisted of levels of "live" or "die", "kill" or "be killed". He believes that martial arts with rules are a playful gathering of the most untrustworthy people.
"Why do you fight? Hehe... I like it. I just love the sound of bones cracking and flesh being cut."
He thinks there is no point in fighting other than carnage. He lives and breathes carnage. Trusting only his strength, he is insensitive and has nothing to bear. A wild and real bout feeds him, and that's what makes him terrifying.

Jin Chonshu

The strongest fist unleashed by the soul dwelling in the body.

Profile
Fighting-style:	Diwangquan
Nationality:	Chinese
Profession:	Unemployed
Birthday:	1980.6.6
Age:	16
Height:	170cm
Weight:	Unclear
Blood-type:	Unclear
Hobbies:	Trip
Favorite Food:	Spicy Foods
Dislikes:	Deep sea fishes (he's scared of their faces)
Most Important Things:	His brother
Favorite Sport:	All non-ball games
Favorite Music:	Anime music themes
Special Skill:	Sarcasm (no offense)

Jin's Book of Secrets is said to have been sought after by all fighters aiming to become the strongest in its long history. These brothers are ordinary boys who remain innocent and seem to live in a world completely unrelated to them. However, fate formed them as multiple personalities.
"We sometimes have unconscious moments. Neither I nor my brother can remember what we were doing during that time."
In this unconscious time, he suddenly transforms into a fighting machine like a demon god. His personality is controlled by the soul of his ancestors who are wrapped in the Book of Secrets, and his body begins to make full use of Diwangquan. Teioken, the origin of all fighting styles, has now been revived in this world through their bodies.

Jin Chonrei

Emperor's fist that never weakens

Profile
Fighting-style:	Diwangquan
Nationality:	Chinese
Profession:	Unemployed
Birthday:	1980.6.6
Age:	16
Height:	170cm
Weight:	Unclear
Blood-type:	Unclear
Hobbies:	Snowboarding
Favorite Food:	Almond Tofu
Dislikes:	Effort
Most Important Things:	His younger brother
Favorite Sport:	Any individual sports
Favorite Music:	None
Special Skill:	Fashionability

Jin's Book of Secrets is said to have been sought after by all fighters aiming to become the strongest in its long history. These brothers are ordinary boys who remain innocent and seem to live in a world completely unrelated to them. However, fate formed them as multiple personalities.
"We sometimes have unconscious moments. Neither I nor my brother can remember what we were doing during that time."
During this unconscious time, the Jin brothers suddenly transform into fighting machines like demon gods. Their personalities are controlled by the souls of their ancestors wrapped in the Book of Secrets, and their bodies begin to make full use of the Diwangquan. Teioken, the origin of all fighting styles, has now been revived in this world through their bodies. And the Jin brothers are led to the unconscious battlefield. They fight with a fate that is too sad...

Duck King

Splendid Dancing Fighter

Profile
Fighting-style:	Martial Arts
Nationality:	American
Profession:	Professional Dancer
Birthday:	1967.2.2
Age:	29
Height:	179cm
Weight:	62kg
Blood-type:	B
Hobbies:	Dance, dance, dance!
Favorite Food:	Buttercorn
Dislikes:	The Rising Tackle
Most Important Things:	P-chan the chick
Favorite Sport:	Street basketball
Favorite Music:	Rap Music
Special Skill:	American jokes (too cliché to laugh)

There may be martial artists who hate losing, but it's rare for their competitive attitude to drive their actions. When he was a boy, he dreamed of becoming a dancer, but he was a delinquent in his neighborhood. His dancing talent was certainly the best in the street, and there was no one who could surpass him. Why did the boy choose the path of a martial artist?
"At that time, I was so frustrated that I couldn't sleep at night. That kid, Terry, made a fool out of me."
After that, he followed Terry to every fighting tournament. "My life has gone crazy because of him. By this time, I was changing the world's club scene. Terry is a big star who can't be called out. ”
He believes that they'll be even after he beats Terry.

Kim Kaphwan

The road to becoming the strongest continues

Profile
Fighting-style:	Taekwondo
Nationality:	Korea
Profession:	Taekwondo master
Birthday:	1964.12.21
Age:	32
Height:	176cm
Weight:	78kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Karaoke
Favorite Food:	Grilled meat
Dislikes:	Evil
Most Important Things:	His 2 sons
Favorite Sport:	Gymnastics
Favorite Music:	Mood song
Special Skill:	Enduring hot baths

Kim Kaphwan, a man who is said to be undefeated for 10 years in the taekwondo world. One of the primary reasons why he has risen to this level is his passion for taekwondo. He believes that it is the strongest martial art in the world. What does taekwondo mean to him?
"I fight to prove the strength of taekwondo. I hope it will give confidence to the people and country I love."
He spoke eloquently to convey his feelings for his loved ones. Taekwondo is said to be more popular than karate. However, due to the small number of onstage practitioners, it gives the reverse impression. It's not strange that his fight is the dream of his native people.

Billy Kane

Who are you fighting for?

Profile
Fighting-style:	Bojutsu
Nationality:	English
Profession:	Geese's Entourage
Birthday:	1966.12.25
Age:	30
Height:	179cm
Weight:	77kg
Blood-type:	B
Hobbies:	Washing
Favorite Food:	Egg dish
Dislikes:	Order
Most Important Things:	His younger sister
Favorite Sport:	Pole Vaulting
Favorite Music:	Punk Rock
Special Skill:	Playing long guitar solos

He has the mark of the world's No. 2 and the world's best right hand, but it always been that way. Especially in terms of fighting habits, he is in a position to reign over the world against Joe Higashi and Ryuji Yamazaki. The reason why he devoted himself to No.2 was his encounter with Geese Howard.
Until then, the people around him had only seen him as hypocrites who wanted to see his complexion. However, the man named Geese confronts him with his strength. After being shown a huge difference in ability, he devotes himself to the role of Geese's assistant. For Geese, he was the most trusted subordinate and played a key role in Geese's strides forward.
"My boss will always be Geese, forever."
For him, Geese is the best person he can trust from the bottom of his heart.

Cheng Senzan

The Fighting Merchants Will Rise Again

Profile
Fighting-style:	Taichi
Nationality:	Taiwanese
Profession:	Businessman
Birthday:	1952.8.10
Age:	44
Height:	160cm
Weight:	130kg
Blood-type:	O
Hobbies:	Savings
Favorite Food:	Ramen
Dislikes:	Bimbos
Most Important Things:	Money
Favorite Sport:	Tennis
Favorite Music:	Pop Music
Special Skill:	Playing mahjong all night (his record is four days straight)

Based in Hong Kong, he is active as a promoter who fights by himself. He is based on Taijiquan, but has studied with Tung Fu Rue long ago and is also familiar with bajiquan. His talent flourished during his time as a Hakkyokuseiken, but his innate money-making philosophy drove him to be expelled.
"I did a street fight that was forbidden by Master Tung. Moreover, I played match-fixing and lost on purpose. At that time, Tung was furious." At the time, he used Hakkyokuseiken, so his betting odds were biased against him. So he got a second party to bet on him, and he played the match beautifully.
After that, he could no longer claim to be a user of Hakkyokuseiken. But his skills, as well as his innate commercial spirit, were all genuine.

Tung Fu Rue

The essence of Hakkyokuseiken is now here...

Profile
Fighting-style:	Hakkyokuseiken
Nationality:	Chinese
Profession:	Hakkyokuseiken Master
Birthday:	1924.4.14
Age:	72
Height:	163cm
Weight:	46kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Meditation
Favorite Food:	Cha-tamago
Dislikes:	Extravagance
Most Important Things:	Disciples
Favorite Sport:	Taichi
Favorite Music:	Folk music
Special Skill:	Assimilating with nature

He is the founder of Hakkyokuseiken and a great master who trained many martial artists. He has fought an extraordinary number of times and is a living encyclopedia who has personally studied all martial arts. The essence of Hakkyokuseiken lies in the control of "Ki". Among his disciples, Geese Howard was the one who was able to harness his Ki. The man with the highest potential for it was Terry Bogard. Whose father, Jeff, was also one of Tung's beloved disciples.
“Jeff Bogard was the role model for a martial artist. That's why I chose him as my successor. I didn't expect that to happen... ”
A long time ago, Jeff and Geese fought for the throne of succession. Geese, who lost, killed Jeff.
He decided to remain active for the rest of his life and stopped taking his students, the only exception being Terry Bogard.

Laurence Blood

A crazy matador that invites silence

Profile
Fighting-style:	Self-taught matador assassination techniques
Nationality:	Spanish
Profession:	Stroheim Castle Guard Captain
Birthday:	1960.9.4
Age:	36
Height:	195cm
Weight:	95kg
Blood-type:	B
Hobbies:	Playing Flamenco guitar
Favorite Food:	Beef stew
Dislikes:	Women and children
Most Important Things:	Honor
Favorite Sport:	Fencing
Favorite Music:	Flamenco
Special Skill:	Sidelong glances (he's overconfident about it)

He was a hero in his native Spain as a matador who fought bullfights with his bare hands, but people gradually hated him for his brutal fighting style. It was Krauser who took an interest in him, and the insane matador later became Krauser's right hand and played an active role. Since he became part of Krauser, he has been fighting exclusively against humans, but his style hasn't changed at all. The maddening battle will have no choice but to silence the viewer.
"Fufu... Maybe I went too far again. But that's how fighting is supposed to be. Beasts instinctively attack you until you can't move."
Ironically, as he changed his battlefield, his madness only grew more radiant.
Is there no one in this world who has the power to stop him other than Krauser?

Wolfgang Krauser

Proud Supreme Warrior

Profile
Fighting-style:	Mixed Martial Arts
Nationality:	German
Profession:	Lord of the Stroheim Castle
Birthday:	Unclear
Age:	Unclear
Height:	200cm
Weight:	145kg
Blood-type:	A
Hobbies:	Medieval antique collecting
Favorite Food:	Rare Steaks
Dislikes:	Vanity, falsehood
Most Important Things:	Chivalry
Favorite Sport:	Not interested in sports (but able to do anything)
Favorite Music:	Classical
Special Skill:	All forms of gambling (he's surprisingly stingy)

The head of the prestigious Stroheim family behind the history of Europe. He possesses the most excellent body and fighting senses among the successive family heads. In other words, he got everything at a young age.
“Art is the ultimate, and my struggle exists in that realm. Like Mozart and Gotti, I am a fighting genius.”
He treats fighting as an art, and tries to satisfy his desires by perfectly he beats his opponents. As if creating a work, the energy of the battle is full of madness. The boredom of his fame has shaped him into a top-notch predilection, and he continues to search today for prey to serve as the subject matter for his future masterpieces.
Krauser pursues an endless search even in the underworld. All for myself...

One of the current goals of paradox is to make playing authoritarian regimes more viable and challenging. The changes to planned economy as well as the addition of new distribution of power laws certainly help with that!
One law that is basically an instant "go for that if you can" is less restrictive discrimination laws. My suggestion changes that without changing the advantages of multiculturalism and total seperation.
Currently the game has discrimination as a binary state. Pops are either discriminated or they are accepted. We will call these states -1 and 0, with 0 representing non-discriminated pops. Non-discriminated pops have basically no advantages besides a small loyalty gain if you have more exclusive citizenship laws. Discriminated pops become radicals, revolt, cause general mayhem etc. So it is in your best interest to have as large percentage of the pie as accepted pops as possible and the only thing that prevents that is recent changes to which ideologies support multiculturalism.
So now, the proposed changes:
Instead of a binary 0 and 1 state, the game will have states between +5 and -5, with +5 being accepted pops in a heavily discriminating society and -5 being non-accepted pops in both culture and religion in a heavily discriminating state.
Each "level" of law discriminating pops will add a +1 to accepted pops and a -1 to discriminated pops. The higher the "points" are the more bonuses while the lower the more maluses.
Bonuses from citizenship in discriminatory states should include things like:
Preference in promotion, loyalty gain bonuses, tendency to support IGs that want to keep current discrimination laws (both good and bad depending on player's goals), birth rate bonuses and higher wage gains.
Maluses from discrimination should include things like:
Reduced rate of promotion and ban of promotion above certain levels at certain levels of discrimination, radicalism gain, support of IGs that want to reform citizenship laws, birth rate maluses, lowered wage gains and capped wages at certain levels of discrimination, no access at certain institutions at certain levels of discrimination such as schools and healthcare.
So what are these "points"?
Basically a pop gains or loses points based on 2 laws. Citizenship laws and religious laws and their levels. For example:
Ethnostate Germany with state religion:
Ethnostate is a level 5 law, state religion is a level 2 law. Protestant German gets a total of 7 points, so he is at +5 with maximum benefits.
This Germany now has a colony in Africa.
African pop of animist faith, -2 from wrong faith, -5 from wrong culture, -7 total, so the pop has maximum discrimination against it. It can't be promoted to a specialist or to an owner, it has a capped wage keeping it poor and, even if the state was incorporated, the pops can't access any institution. It also has a negative growth rate even if it covers its basic needs.
African pop of protestant faith, +2 from state religion, -5 from wrong culture, -3 total. Pop is heavily discriminated against, but it can still be promoted to specialist if no German pops are available, its pay is reduced but not capped, it has reduced, but not no access, to institutions.
German pop of animist faith (I am choosing that faith for a reason, see section 3). +5 from correct culture, -2 from state religion, total at +3, pop is NOT discriminated against but has lower "acceptance" so it would be less likely to be promoted than a German protestant pop, has full institutional access but smaller bonuses from being accepted.
In a multicultural law Germany with state religion, the African protestant would be at +2 and the animist German would be at -2 (and would be discriminated against) since multiculturalism counts as +0 to every culture.
The points get capped at the level. For example, an animist pop in a catholic nation with freedom of conscience would only count at -1, while a catholic pop would only get +1, in a cultural exclusionist France, a French pop gets only +1, and so does a German pop, while an African pop only gets -1 etc
Final important factor is cultural and religious similarity, which reduces discrimination levels but still causes discrimination.
For example, protestant state religion counts other christian faiths as -1 rather than -2. Still negative but not as negative as a completely foreign faith.
North German ethnostate would see South Germans as very similar since they share heritage and race, so it would be a -1 rather than a -5, while a pole who only shares race would be at -3.
So the system provides a more sane graduation to discrimination with real bonuses and maluses that properly simulate how discrimination affected different groups depending on many factors. As a bonuses, it also helps show how some discriminated groups were unable to just "bootstrap" themselves into being wealthy.
Thoughts and feedback?
Thank you for reading!

**Introduction**
1). Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?
It will not be me and my boyfriends first time with a dog but our first time training one ouselves as they've been family dogs before- we are both quite confident with/around dogs. We've alos both only ever had small dogs (think jack russel)
2). Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a [reputable breeder]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?
We would love to rescue a dog but one of our fences is only 3ft high so we cannot rescue- we have to go the breeder route
3) Describe your ideal dog.
Medium sized, responds well to training as this is the part about owning a dog I love but not afull working dog as I'm afraid we could not give it that extreme level of training. A dog that doesn't mind being left alone for a maximum of 4 hours a day. Loving. Purely aesthtic wise pointy ears and not a smooth/short coat.
4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?
I love German Shepherds due to their loyalty and repsonsiveness to training (but they are sadly too big :(). I'm not opposed to mixed breeds at all and I did love the idea of a pompsky for a while but their health complications and stubborness put me off- the aesthtic is great
5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?
Due to it being a first time dog I'd love to get a great basic obideince training down, but past that training them to search and find would be so fun and rewarding
.6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?
Not for competing but in general- Obidience mostly- but I would not be oppossed to hunting I just need to do more research
**Care Commitments**
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?
Probabyly 2-4 hours
8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?
1-2 hours. Mostly walks and I would NOT USE A DOG PARK
9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?I don't mind brushing at home 3 times a week (more or less doesn't matter)- Willing to do all those and pay a professional as I have no idea how to cut hair
**Personal Preferences**
10) What size dog are you looking for?
Medium- porbbaly no bigger than 2-3ft
11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?
Shedding and slobber are fine. I don't mind barking as long as its not a yappy dog
12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?
Would love to be able to but its definetly not top priority
\**Dog Personality and Behavior**
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?
Snuggly
14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?
More eager to please but happy to be left alone. Responds well to training
15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?
Would prefer them not to immedietly bark and alert but I'm aware that's something that can be trained with persistence. Prefer the dog to be friendly but not in your face
16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?
No
17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?
Resouce guarding- other dogs would frequently visit
**Lifestyle**
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?
Porbably around 3x a week for no longer than 4-5 hours a time
19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?
They all love dogs as long as they aren't big- they are happy to help house train but most training will be left to me and my boyfriends
20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?
1- Jack Russel
21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?
Yes
22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?
Yes- in future
23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?England- there are some restrictions but no dogs I would be interested in are on that list
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/banned-dogs
24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?
Summer is 25-35 degreees and winter can get to -5 but thats quite rare
*Additional Information and Questions**
25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.* No additional information.
26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

So I’m making a follow up post because people are not realizing the point of my hoarding post, and I have a minor correction.
Do.not.be.fooled. You already get over 1-2 mortal soulstones per day, and have for a long time, but that rate could easily decrease if people are not aware of how much you already get per day, consider this a PSA.
I have 573 soulstones on my main(the equivalent divided between actual stones and the coin equivalent) looking back I’m not sure of my start date, the 5th of Jan I know I was hoarding but I might have started on the 21st of December giving me a range of 154-170 days that’s I’ve been saving(this is the correction). I 1 key the top 3 of hydra and get void keys every week for ITs and I do every event/tourney with altar currency as a reward. Over the past 154-170 days that makes my average between 3.37-3.7 soulstones per day, if I say I started a week earlier that’s 3.2372/day still. In the past 22 days I have averaged 3.272727/day, that’s a small change if not at the very least staying stable. Now yes I am absolutely late game, and yes I do 150 gems/week on twins for void day, so I am getting the absolute ceiling for stones/day without just straight buying them from the shop.
Obviously early, mid and maybe even early late game accounts will get less due to hydra being a royal pain, so this is a bit of a late game perspective but nevertheless:
Do not say you need 1-2 soulstones per day, you can already get that, you should be getting over 3 if you’re doing the top 3 levels of hydra and getting extra void keys. You get more soulstones already than you think, no one realized because no one but me hoards them to keep track. I’m here to say that anything less than 3.27 is a decrease per day for accounts doing max hydra and void IT. Do not allow yourself to be fooled, do not think 2/day is an increase, do not allow a repeat of the monthly sacred fiasco. No one should be saying 1-2soulstones per day is fair, you need to be saying 2-3 that’s not locked behind hydra is needed.

1. Minor increase to nightmare dungeon XP
2. Minimum item power level assigned to nightmare dungeon tiers (drops)
3. Make overworld item power drops equivalent to highest nightmare dungeon completion
4. Reduce level difference penalty. Item/build power should dictate advancement. Not chasing XP
5. Sacred items are far too common in world tier 4. Ancestral gear is NEEDED to advance
6. Blue items ARE LITERALLY useless before Act 1 concludes. Remove them or expand on crafting
7. Reduce rare mat requirement for codex imprinting on weapons

Comments:
#3 - This would solve many issues when combined with #2. Let me give an example. Youve hit world tier 3. Nightmare dungeons are 1-20. Item power is X-715. Tier 1 establishes X as 600. Tier 2 is 610. Tier 10 is 700. Now, its important to note that this solution only establishes the minimum, allowing RNG to still spit out the occasional large upgrade. BUT this also allows the player to incrementally increase power and nightmare tiers. This solution would also increase the relevancy of nightmare dungeons across the board. Now the kicker, the highest tier the player has completed also establishes this item power minimum in overworld content so they can CHOOSE to pursue content they enjoy most.
#4 - This one will require the most finesse. Likely not a simple adjustment but Im positive that every player will appreciate chasing loot instead of XP/levels after entering end game. As it stands right now, the latter is HEAVILY WEIGHTED and arguably the most important chase in the game.
#5 - Sacred items continue to drop most frequently if you are able to complete capstone prior to 70. This makes levels 55-70 feel pretty bad. Im not really sure why sacred items continue to drop at all. But what do I know?
7# - Legendary weapons are far less common to come by and target farming them is incredibly tedious. The codex system gets trivialized by how difficult Baleful Fragments are to acquire. I often cannot equip upgrades because imprinting necessary codex aspects runs me 12+ fragments. My options are completely RNG (hell tide chests, tree rewards, obol gambling) in a genre designed to have players chasing upgrades.

a rambling vent.
t-minus 20-something days until I am free from my adulterous and abusive partner of 2.5 years. I should be excited; I should feel empowered and strong. I know I am logically doing the right thing. Everyone in my social circles, to whom I’ve disclosed my situation (friends, managers, one relative so far), have all agreed — get the hell out.
In fact, some are even amazed that I stayed so long even after finding out about the dating & hookup apps, the mysterious transactions, the emails soliciting sex work from backpages… Truthfully I’ve been clawing my way to financial independence for the past year since I realized what he was doing. I figured, yes I know, but maybe he’ll change. And if not, I will just fake not knowing and take the time I need to be prepared to move out so I’m not homeless. And from there, it took a long time for me to wake up. Because it wasn’t just the cheating, it was the screaming, berating, the few times that he had shoved me or lightly slapped me on the cheek, the sexual objectification, lies to hide his drug use.
One day in the car, after he made another comment on how awful I am at driving (a skill that I had been confident in for my whole life — I grew up participating in motorsports), the words just fell out of my mouth. I said:
“I never thought of myself as anything other than capable until I met you.”
He brushed it off. In that moment, the words were more jarring to me than anything else.
I am a shell of who I was. I have no confidence; my memory is shit, I feel so dumb when I used to be very academic; I second-guess everything, I can’t even talk without worrying what someone is thinking about what I am saying; I weigh more than I ever have; I feel and look horrible. But all of these feelings are in complete contrast to what I’ve done in the past 2 years. I learned a new trade that is now supporting me with ancillary income, I switched professional career paths and increased my salary by 20%, and established 2 separate circles of friends (I haven’t made new friends since 2019).
I used to pride myself on my independence. I used to think I didn’t need anyone to survive on my own. I used to value my level of integrity and character. My childhood was absolutely destroyed by infidelity; it still haunts my mother to this day. How could I let this happen to me?
Now I just feel like… I’m the one sneaking around, making these plans to leave him? Everything is sent in stone. I won’t reverse my course. I paid my deposit, set up my accounts, paid first month’s rent. But I now I feel like the bad guy. I feel like I’m overreacting. Are people going to think, “why didn’t you confront him first?” But what’s the point in that when someone made a pattern of cheating on me since 6 months in? And to top it off, I realized a few weeks ago that he is also been meeting up with and talking to “The Ex” (the one who everyone said to not worry about; they were finally done - he found me) off and on for at least this year, and I think last year too.
I should be looking forward to my apartment and putting pride in keeping things clean, and decorating, and enjoying my own safe space. It’s an absolutely beautiful space, brand new. But I’m dreading it all. I don’t know what the next chapter is supposed to look like. I just feel like an almost-30 year old failure leaving a relationship that I thought would be “It,” that I was in denial of every glaringly crimson red flag. It’s like I can’t even trust myself to date again. And why would I want to. And am I even going to be interesting or pretty or young enough to meet someone else when I’m ready?
And then, not like it matters, but he’s just gonna go off smirking to everyone that I was The Bad Guy that just Up And Left for No Good Reason. And that I was Lazy because I would play video games after working & cooking us dinner, that I didn’t want to pay the mortgage (I paid half even when I was part-time looking for a new job, at my own financial detriment, when he makes over 80k-100k) or invest in furniture for his house, that I didn’t do XYZ in bed (even tho he only lasts 2 minutes), that I didn’t do all of the chores, that he “bought me” a car (after he forced me to sell mine; and then made it so I paid this car loan in his name so I was financially trapped.)
I hope in another universe, there’s a better version of this man and we are together living happily as equals. But that’s not this universe, and it could never be.
Factually I should be happy. I am leaving a man who was abusive, degrading, unfaithful in so many ways, and manipulative. Honestly, even ONE of those things, is more than enough reason for most people to leave. I just don’t feel that way. I’m terrified of what he’s going to think or say to me when I tell him that I have had enough of his behavior and that I’m moving out (I’m pushing this off until a few days before my move-in date so I can pack & leave ASAP.) He knows the exact thing to say to tear me down. He is going to be completely blindsided. if you got this far, thanks for reading. I am wondering if any of this is relatable to someone else out there, and if anything I have done is respectable or commendable. I feel like a coward.

Willing to bundle for the items I want.
GT: MADDL007
——Weapons for trade——
AA/50crit/25 Plasma Rifle
AA/50crit/25 Crossbow {mule}
B/50crit/15crit The Fixer
B/50crit/15crit Handmade
B/50crit/15crit Handmade {mule}
B/E/1A Handmade {mule}
B/50crit/25 Radium Rifle
B/50crit/25 Railway Rifle {mule}
B/50crit/FR Railway Rifle
B/E 50 Cal Machine Gun (2 Star) {mule}
B/50crit/Break Gatling Plasma {mule}
B/50crit/25 Harpoon Gun
B/E Light Machine Gun (2 star) {mule}
B/FF90 Light Machine Gun {mule}
B/FSS/Break Chainsaw
B/FSS/1S Death Tambo {mule}
EXE/E/25 Railway Rifle {mule}
F/FF90 Gatling Plasma {mule}
GS/E/25 The Fixer {mule}
Junkie/FFFR 50 Cal Machine Gun {mule}
Junkie/40PA/1S Chainsaw {mule}
MUT/E/25 Handmade
MUT/E/FR Light Machine Gun
Q/E/DRWA The Fixer
Q/AP/25 Handmade
Q/E Handmade (2 star)
Q/E Handmade (2 star) {mule}
Q/E/Stealth Handmade
Q/50crit/FMSWA Railway Rifle {mule}
Q/E Railway Rifle (2 Star)
Q/FFR Tesla Rifle (2 Star)
Q/50crit/25 Flamer {mule}
Q/E/1P Gatling Gun {mule}
Q/E/90 Gatling Gun {mule}
Q/E Light Machine Gun (2 star)
TS/50vhc Alien Blaster (2 Star)
TS/AP/Stealth Alien Blaster {mule}
TS/E Handmade (2 star)
TS/E/1P Handmade
TS/E/1P Gatling Gun {mule}
V/FFFR Alien Blaster
V/FF25 Gatling Laser
V/FFBreak Gatling Plasma {mule}
V/E Light Machine Gun (2 star) {mule}
V/E Minigun (2 star) {mule}
V/25DAM/1S Chainsaw {mule}
V/40PA/Block Chainsaw
V/AP/90 Chainsaw
Enclave Plasma Rifle #1 w/ Automatic Barrel, Stabilized Stock, Reflex Sight
Enclave Plasma Rifle #2 w/ Stabilized Splitter, Stabilized Stock, Reflex Sight
Enclave Plasma Rifle #3 w/ Aligned Automatic Barrel, Stabilized Stock, Standard Sights
Enclave Plasma Rifle #4 w/ True Flamer Barrel, Stabilized Stock, Reflex Sight
Enclave Plasma Rifle #5 w/ Stabilized Flamer Barrel, Stabilized Stock, Reflex Sight
Enclave Plasma Rifle #6 w/ True Automatic Barrel, Stabilized Stock, Reflex Sight {mule}
Enclave Plasma Rifle #7 w/ Aligned Automatic Barrel, Stabilized Stock, Reflex Sight {mule}
Fancy Pump Shotgun AA/LD/DRWA
Fancy Revolvers: Assassin, Berserker, Executioner, Mutant x2, Troubleshooter x3
Dross, Pearly Peepers, Red Fireworks Mine, Troglocide
——Plans & Recipes for trade——
Plan: Assault Rifle {mule}
Plan: Backpack Armor Plated Mod {mule}
Plan: Backpack High Capacity Mod {mule}
Plan: Backpack Insulated Mod
Plan: Backpack Refrigerated Mod
Plan: Barbed Walking Cane {mule}
Plan: Bear Arm
Plan: Bear Arm Heavy Mod
Plan: Camo Backpack
Plan: Deathclaw Gauntlet {mule}
Plan: Deputy’s Hat {mule}
Plan: Hatchet Electro Fusion {mule}
Plan: Large Ultracite Shard {mule}
Plan: Nuka-World Cowboy Duster {mule}
Plan: Pepper Shaker {mule}
Plan: Pitchfork Flamer {mule}
Plan: Poker Set {mule}
Plan: Protective Lining Raider Underarmor
Plan: Radioactive Barrel
Plan: Scorchbeast Queen Plushie
Plan: Sheriff’s Hat
Plan: Shielded Lining Marine Underarmor {mule}
Plan: Spiked Walking Cane {mule}
Plan: T-60 BOS Knight Paint {mule}
Plan: Tomb Stones
Plan: Townsfolk Cutouts {mule}
Plan: TV Aquarium {mule}
Plan: Ultracite Calibrated Shocks
Plan: Vintage Water Cooler
Plan: Wild West Show Entrance Sign
Recipe: Carnival Pie {mule}
Recipe: Cutting Fluid {mule}
Recipe: Formula P {mule}
Recipe: Fried Scorpion On A Stick {mule}
Recipe: Healing Salve (Mire) {mule}
Recipe: Nuka Cola Dark {mule}
Recipe: Stimpak Diffuser {mule}
——Armor & Other items for trade——
OE/1P/WWR Forest Scout Armor Right Arm
UNY/1L/WWR Metal Chest Piece 51DR 11ER {mule} [armor from my want list only please]
UNY/1P/WWR Urban Scout Armor Right Arm {mule} [armor from my want list only please]
UNY/1S/WWR Leather Left Leg 21DR 51ER {mule} [armor from my want list only please]
UNY/AP/SENT Combat Armor Left Arm 27DR 37ER {mule}
UNY/AP/WWR Combat Armor Right Leg 27DR 37ER {mule} [armor from my want list only please]
UNY/AP/WWR Forest Scout Armor Right Leg [high end apparel bundle or armor from my want list only please]
UNY/AP/WWR Urban Scout Armor Right Leg [high end apparel bundle or armor from my want list only please]
UNY/Fire/WWR Marine Armor Right Arm 19DR 14ER {mule}
UNY/HungeWWR Urban Scour Armor Left Arm {mule} [armor from my want list only please]
W/AP/WWR Raider Left Leg 17DR 8ER
All 8 Holotape Mini Games
All Non-Rare apparel available - just ask
Misc Items: ask me for my list
———
———
——Items I want——
B/50crit/25 Fixer or Handmade
Q/E/25 Fixer or Handmade or Railway
TS/50crit/15crit Alien Blaster
TS/50crit/25 Alien Blaster
V/40PA/40PA Chainsaw (Will consider other third star: prefer Break, 90rw, or any of the +1)
Baseball bats level 45 - indigo, pink, yellow
Enclave Plasma Gun Aligned Flamer Barrel Mod (one or multiple)
UNY/AP/WWR Forest Scout Armor Chest Piece, Left Arm
UNY/AP/WWR Urban Scout Armor Left Leg and Right Arm
Plan: Meat Tenderizer
Asylum Worker Uniform Forest
Asylum Worker Uniform Red
Asylum Worker Uniform Yellow
Blue Ridge Caravan Gas Mask (will pay caps)
BOS Jumpsuit
Fasnacht Brahmin Mask
Fasnacht Buffoon Mask
Fasnacht Crazy Guy Mask
Fasnacht Deathclaw Mask
Fasnacht Demon Mask
Fasnacht Fiend Mask
Fasnacht Hag Mask
Fasnacht Loon Mask
Fasnacht Raven Mask
Fasnacht Winter Man Mask
Forest Camo Jumpsuit
Forest Scout Armor Mask
Leather Coat
Prototype Hazmat Suit Level 50
Radicals Face Mask
Responder Fireman Helmet
Responder Fireman Uniform
Tattered Field Jacket
Traveling Leather Coat
Urban Scout Armor Mask
White Powder Jumpsuit
I’m really only after the items listed above, make me an offer. No caps, flux, or junk offers please.

So, been looking at ways to shake up my characters a bit, and wanted to try the Universal Imperious Patch - however, I have a few queries regarding my attempts at trying it out so far.
Firstly, is it meant to set the Racial abilities/stats back to Vanilla, or am i meant to start with no abilities whatsoever? Tried it recently without the Race Edits Patch in my LO just to see if it works, and while it did work as intended, I still had my chosen race's Vanilla ability (I'm guessing a conflict reset the Races to vanilla, but am unsure what it is)
Secondly, where should it - and Imperious, for that matter - actually go in the LO? I've always had it near the top, but I've seen it nearer the bottom on some LOs (although, those LOs don't appear to have the Shalidors/Imperious/RBM Patch, so I'm wondering if this Patch is even necessary).
Here's the LO I'm working with atm - let me know if anything needs to be rearranged in order to get this to work as normal:
USSEP
Cutting Room Floor
Cheat Room XB1
Guard Dialogue Overhaul – No Extra NPCs
Nordic UI by Dopesan
Nordic SkyHUD
Quill – Realistic Font Replacer
Classic Classes & Birthsigns Updated
At Your Own Pace – Main/Dragonborn/Misc
At Your Own Pace – Companions
(USSEP) More Radiant Quests for the Companions
Improved Companions – Questline Tweaks
Improved College Entry – Questline Tweaks
JaySerpa’s Quest Expansions
JaySerpa’s Quest Expansions – USSEP Patch
Darker Brotherhood V2
Finding Helgi... and Laelette – a Laid to Rest Overhaul
Blood on the Ice Redux Voiced SE
Bring Meeko to Lod
Thugs Not Assassins (English Version)
Better Gold
Stones of Barenziah Quest Markers
Convenient Stones of Barenziah
Katana Crafting - 1k
Elemental Glass Armory
Darenii Armors AiO
Imperious - Races of Skyrim
Universal Imperious Patch
Children of Coldharbour – a Sacrosanct Bundle 1k
Growl – Werebeasts of Skyrim
Legendary Smithing Upgrades 2
Tinkerer - A Crafting Addon
Andromeda – Unique Standing Stones of Skyrim
Updated Classic Classes & Birthsigns – Andromeda Patch
Perk Points at Skill Levels 50-75-100
20pct More Perk Points
50 pct More Perk Points
Vokriinator Bundle with Odin Magic and Odin esp
Odin – Summons Redone
Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim Optimized
Mage Armor Rebalanced – No Visual Effects
Transmute Improvements - Make Silver by Default
Fashions of the Fourth Era - 1k/512
Equipment Flexibility Project – Guards Module
Thalmor Rearmed – Equipment Overhaul 1k
Summermyst – Enchantments of Skyrim
Diverse Dragons Collection 1k
Splendor: Dragon Variants
XB1 Dragon Remains
Better Creature Loot
DAWN: Dynamic Atmospheres, Weathers & Nature
Veydosebrom - Grasses and Groundcover Normal
Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods
Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods - Cutting Room Floor Patch
BeastHHBB - Khajiit and Argonian Replacer
Bella Beauty AND THE BEASTS Bundle
Vanilla Hair Remake - Replacer
Salt and Wind for Vanilla Fixed
Cosmetic Vampire Overhaul
Racial Body Morphs Redux SE for Imperious
XPMSE By Team Groovtama
Magic Casting Animations Overhaul SSE
Super Fast Get Up Animation
SkyRaD’s Skyrim AIO Remastered
SkyRaD’s Skyrim AIO – SMIM & Extras
UNP Armor Refitter
Divergence – Anniversary Edition AIO 3.0
Divergence – Arcane Accessories 1k
Divergence – Alternative Armors - 1k
Divergence – Vigil Enforcer 1k
Shalidor's Armaments - Artifacts Enhanced
Shalidor's Armaments - Extended Armory
USSEP - Shalidor's Armaments Patch
Race Edits Patch: Shalidor's Armaments/Racial Body Morphs/ Imperious
Divergence – Compendium of Beasts
Serene Wispmothers
Cloth Femmequins
Barenziah's Glory 2k
Aetherial Crown by Saerileth
Enhanced Blood Textures
Magical Forces and FX Bundle - Lite
R.A.S.S (Shaders and Effects)
Immersive Citizens – AI Overhaul
Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods – Immersive Citizens Patch
Queen of the Damned - Deadlier Serana (Vanilla)
Realistic Conversations XB1
Diverse Skyrim SSE
Diverse Skyrim SSE - USSEP Patch
RS Children Optimised – Salt and Wind
Racial Body Morphs for RS Children
JaySerpa’s Quest Expansions – RS Children Patch
RS Children – Cutting Room Floor Patch
JaySerpa’s Line Expansions
Immersive Movement
Dragons Use Thu’um
Haugbui – a Draugr Overhaul with Cannibal Draugr
Haugbui – USSEP Patch
Daedric Entity Restoration Project - D.E.R.P.
D.E.R.P./CC Saints and Seducers Patch
Zim’s Dremora Improvements
A Feast of Falmer
Gargoyle Overhaul – Mihail
Chicken Replacer + More Variants – Mihail
Ghosts and Souls – Mihail
Liches – Mihail
Zombies – Mihail
Creatures of Nirn - Khajiit Alfiq
House Cats – Mihail
Mountain Lions and Panthers 1k - Mihail
Otters (Animal Series pt.10)
Morrowind Creatures SE
Shalks (Creature Series pt.5)
Bantam Guars – Mihail
Mimics and Oozes – Mihail
Minotaurs SE
Forsworn Minotaurs
Ogres SE
Surprise Small Critters
Surprise Small Critters – Extended
Immersive Winterhold College Students
WS Modules for Lighting Mods by Dlizzio
Tenebrous – Gaslighting Edition
Luminosity Lighting Overhaul – Cathedral Concept
Lush Vanilla Trees SE 1K
Opulent Thieves Guild
Peaceful Hearthfire
Clefj's Winterhold
Clefj's Winterhold – Immersive Citizens Patch
Magical College of Winterhold
Window Shadows & Magical College of Winterhold Patch
Clefj's Morthal SE
Clefj’s Morthal – Immersive Citizens Patch
Clefj's Morthal - Landscape Fixes for Grass Mods Patch
Clefj's Karthwasten
Clefj's Dragon Bridge
Crusader – A Dawnguard Bundle 1k
Clefj's Fort Dawnguard - USSEP Patch
Word Walls Relocated (XB1)
Wildcat – Combat of Skyrim
Immersive Movement – Wildcat Patch
LAWLESS: LITE
Archery Skill Set
Realistic AI Detection Medium
Civil War Quest Immersion Bundle
A Dishonest Day’s Work
Listen – Dark Brotherhood Radiant Quest Expansion
The Forsworn We’ve Been Waiting For
Belethor’s Sister
Ugh. Mods Manager Cap.
Some High Quality H2O
Skip the Opening Sequence