ShamedSalmon's recent activity

  1. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
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    Summer Wars I watched it over the weekend. Oh my gosh, what a fun movie! I can't believe I had missed this one. Okay, so it's basically, "what if we take War Games, replace Matthew Broderick with...

    Summer Wars

    I watched it over the weekend. Oh my gosh, what a fun movie! I can't believe I had missed this one.

    Okay, so it's basically, "what if we take War Games, replace Matthew Broderick with Michael Cera, and have Ally Sheedy's character invite him over to her family estate for some rom-com hijinks?" It's actually pretty great!

    Kenji Koiso is a high school kid and math genius who got a summer job moderating in the online space of a big Amazon/Google/Facebook amalgamation company called Oz. It's rigorous but will look great on his resume. However, his friend Natsuki Shinohara has invited him to come stay with her for a week at her family's countryside estate. The twist? She wants him to pretend to be her fiancΓ© in order to appease her old-fashioned family, especially her ailing grandmother.

    Kenji reluctantly agrees to Natsuki's ruse, but things don't go according to plan. When Kenji's Oz account is hacked and used to bypass that company's security, a major internet outage occurs, leading to chaos across the country. The authorities mistakenly believe Kenji to be involved in a terrorist plot, posting his picture all over the news... which just so happens to be on in the middle of Natsuki's family's living room.

    Aside from the real-world setting, there's also some tropey battle scenes within Oz's virtual world, but I honestly felt that they added to the fun, rather than detracted. It's still a really sweet film and it has such a happy ending involving everyone coming together to support each other. Definitely one of my tops!

    1 vote
  2. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    For the third point, if I had to guess, it probably has everything to do with complying with Standards and Practices on mainland China's TV and streaming networks. In a similar comedic scenario, I...

    For the third point, if I had to guess, it probably has everything to do with complying with Standards and Practices on mainland China's TV and streaming networks.

    In a similar comedic scenario, I just watched the Toonami edit of Blue Submarine No. 6, which ran on US television twenty-five years ago this month.

    Aside from the usual cell shading over exposed skin, one bit of censorship necessary for children's television was the removal of cigarettes. The main character, Hayami, is a big smoker. There's a couple scenes where he fishes into his pocket, pulls out nothing, touches his lips, and makes a weird expression. It's hilarious!

    But I get the reasoning behind the edit. They wanted to get this OVA in the hands of as many viewers as they could, and that was the way to do it. Honestly, after not having seen it in a quarter century, I was surprised by how much I did remember of B-Sub 6. Its sci-fi plot and moral point about forging peace through cooperation really left a lasting impression, so the concessions made in the editing room seem perfectly acceptable to me in hindsight.

    Of course, I've now strayed a little off topic, but I guess my point is that maybe the studio is just doing what they can to get their work out the door and into the homes of viewers.

    (Oh, okay there's this other scene in B-Sub 6 where Hayami is leaning over a railing and he "sighs" into the wind, except his "breath" starts like two inches from his face. 🀣 Great OVA, tho!)

    2 votes
  3. Comment on Request for info: Is "Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro" respectful of it's child characters? in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    I just looked it up on a manga scan site, and after flipping through a few chapters, it definitely has lots of nudity and fan-servicey stuff. You know, towels slipping off accidentally, girls in...

    I just looked it up on a manga scan site, and after flipping through a few chapters, it definitely has lots of nudity and fan-servicey stuff. You know, towels slipping off accidentally, girls in bunny outfits, Three's Company-style mixups at the bathhouse where only hair is in the way of what is otherwise completely on display, girls getting locked out of the changing room and thus walking around naked to figure out what to do. That sort of stuff.

    It's definitely not for me. But then, if I'm going to read a romance, I'm more into josei type mangas.

    5 votes
  4. Comment on What are some of your personal misheard lyrics? in ~music

    ShamedSalmon
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    Do incomprehensible songs count, or is that cheating? The Black Crowes - Hard To Handle

    Do incomprehensible songs count, or is that cheating?

    The Black Crowes - Hard To Handle

    Poison things that come out the desert,
    I ain't got a foot - touchdown, bruv

    Hey little thing, lemme latch a candle
    'Cuz a momma, I'm
    Showa d'henna-naaw, mess around

    Aww, d'henna-naaw (???)

    2 votes
  5. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
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    I started watching City: The Animation!!! @chocobean, you were so right about this wholesome show. It's like a big hug!

    I started watching City: The Animation!!! @chocobean, you were so right about this wholesome show. It's like a big hug!

    2 votes
  6. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Thanks for the warning about the violence! I'll definitely check it out in the near future, though! Ooh, you know, I have not heard of Nine Sols. I'm pretty behind on the current world of video...

    Thanks for the warning about the violence! I'll definitely check it out in the near future, though!

    Ooh, you know, I have not heard of Nine Sols. I'm pretty behind on the current world of video games as well, hahaha! Looks like quite the romp from the Heavens to the Yellow Springs. I'll be sure to give it a good look!!

    1 vote
  7. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I think the show's been rather thoroughly analyzed, and pretty much everything I've shared has been typed up by people before me, if not on the English internet, then certainly in the Japanese...

    I think the show's been rather thoroughly analyzed, and pretty much everything I've shared has been typed up by people before me, if not on the English internet, then certainly in the Japanese spheres.

    More Spoilers (Akira and some yadda-yadda-yadda):

    Well, I can't find any direct statements from the producers on what animes they referenced, but there's a few different forum posts over the last two decades that point it out. But at a most basic level, Lain's trope of a shadowy agency experimenting on kids, and its themes of post/extra-human identity, maturity and agency in young adulthood, and the body-horror of change are all shared with Akira.

    Some of the standout references come in episode 11, when Lain emulates the Navi within her mind. We're given a depiction of the fiery black core of digital enlightenment that's eerily familiar to Akira's physical awakening. After Alice's confrontation with the alien Lain, time skips to the next day. As Alice contemplates what is and isn't real about her situation, we hear the slow beat and long reverb of a taiko drum, which also reminds of Akira. In reality, Akira's soundtrack in meant to remind the cultural viewer of a Noh play (Ghost in the Shell is doing the same thing with Bunraku). (Also, Noh is an important aspect of understanding a similar psychological individuation piece, Perfect Blue. Alongside Utena, the pair of anime pieces manages to cover a lot of what Lain did a year before it came out. ) (Also-also, the flute track in Akira: the lyrics are Buddhist chants. There's a whole rabbit hole to go down with Akira's nationalist and Buddhist ideas, especially with its visual exploration of the conceptual city as a collection of organs that form a macro-organism. Back to Lain, though!)

    The writer mentions an another blog post that in episode 12, Eiri's reincarnate form was, at least on paper, supposed to be reminiscent of Cronenberg, but once animated, people inevitably drew allusions to Akira, even though, as he points out, the meanings of the respective scenes are opposite (Tetsuo losing control, Eiri exerting it).

    I have not seen Blade of the Immortal, but I can tell you right off the bat that the life-giving "bloodworms" are probably a mirror-flip of the SānchΓ³ng. Also, in Japanese folklore, Yao Bikuni (ε…«η™Ύβ€‰β€‰ζ―”δΈ˜ε°Ό, lit. "Eight-hundred [year old] bǐ​qiū​nΓ­/bhikαΉ£uαΉ‡Δ«/'Buddhist nun'") was a woman who ate ningyo, sorry, ningyo flesh and gained earthly immortality. Anyway, it sounds really interesting! I'll put this on my need-to-watch list!



    EDIT: It's also worth mentioning that Lain's story writer, Chiaki Konaka, also co-wrote Armitage III, an OVA that came out in the same year as GitS the film. It leaned heavily on cyberpunk tropes, but its iconic scene of androids being burned alive in a mass pile has been referenced by later works such as The Animatrix and GitS 2: Innocence. A III is also a major influence on the 2023 French animated film Mars Express.

    2 votes
  8. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Ooooookay, I'm convinced! City just moved to the top of my list. This looks so heartwarming, I'm gonna explode!

    Ooooookay, I'm convinced! City just moved to the top of my list. This looks so heartwarming, I'm gonna explode!

    2 votes
  9. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Gahhh!! Realmedia?! That takes me back! That's how my sister and I watched the last season of Sailor Moon, way back when. Oh gosh, hahaha. Yeah, feel free to discuss when you get around to it!...

    Gahhh!! Realmedia?! That takes me back! That's how my sister and I watched the last season of Sailor Moon, way back when. Oh gosh, hahaha.

    Yeah, feel free to discuss when you get around to it! It's a bit dark and rather grim at some points, but it ends on a happy and hopeful note and it has such a positive theme of compassion.

    1 vote
  10. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    It's a tricky show, but that's what makes it so delightfully interesting. If you'd rather the process of self-discovery on your rewatch, don't read the spoilers below. But if you want some further...

    It's a tricky show, but that's what makes it so delightfully interesting.

    If you'd rather the process of self-discovery on your rewatch, don't read the spoilers below. But if you want some further takes (with massive plot spoilers), then feel free to read on.

    More Spoilers:

    Beyond the Alice in Wonderland theme which is brought together at the end, we have a story of the timelessly difficult transition from girlhood into young-adulthood. On the one hand, Lain is Alice grappling with her own maturation. On the other, Lain is wonderland-Chisa's spirit (or rather, a construct of everyone's memories of her), after her suicide in the first episode. In that sense, Lain's family represents Chisa's family, slowly crumbling after their loss.

    Back to the transition from girlhood, we are presented with events that many young girls face in both Japanese society and abroad, such as the pressure to participate in more adult activities like the Cyberia club, to the drugs that are quietly sold there, to judgements over the kinds of clothes they wear, to even the dicey interactions of invasive internet social circles. It's 1998 and these girls are already texting in class, and the rumor mill is already spearheaded online.

    The idea of Lain as an aspect of the Buddha is something that the series writer actually mentions in a blog post. But, it's also completely on display in the end credits of each episode, where we see the fetal-positioned Lain, sleeping at the center of the artificial universe. It's a representation of tathāgatagarbha, the cosmic womb or innate nature of a person. 2001: A Space Odyssey is probably a more well-known depiction of this.

    On the subject of Lain as the bodhisattva GuānyΔ«n ("Kannon" in Japanese), I mention the Jade Girl ηŽ‰ε₯³ as it's actually an epithet in Buddhist and DΓ oist esoterism for the originally enlightened self at the center of a woman. What's interesting about Lain's name in Kanji is it's meaning; 玲音 is "the sound of clinking jade," which ties into GuānyΔ«n's role as the one who "perceives the sounds/cries of the world." The Lain seen radiating through the parted clouds is also another cultural depiction of GuānyΔ«n.

    But let's set the subject of enlightened womanhood aside for a sec and talk about Eiri Masami. He's not just the Tetsuo to Lain's Akira. In a Buddhist sense, he represents a deva that has fallen for the allure of the heavenly realms, rather than continuing onward to buddahood. When the series brings Jungianism into the mix by introducing concepts such as the Collective Unconscious, they are also opening the door to comparing Eiri Masami's godhood to that of the Gnostic Demiurge, the false god over the lower realm of physical existence who, like a prideful deva, is ignorant of the higher workings above him.

    Eiri Masami also provides a good transition to the series' socio-political commentary. Not only do tech companies like Tachibana General Labs represent the troubles of highly accelerating capitalist innovations, they also play a role in representing some of the negative influences of Western culture, a notion that Serial Experiments Lain was meant to portray a sort of resistance to, according to to the series' producers.

    Lain's airing came only three years after the Tokyo subway sarin gas attacks that were perpetrated by Buddhist/Christian Fundamentalist eclectic cult Aum Shinrikyo. It's leader, Shōkō Asahara, declared himself to be the Christ and advocated that in order to save others from both the immanent end of the world and from further accumulating their bad karma, members of Aum had to kill and liberate people from their bodies. It's this then-recent cultural backdrop in which we the viewers are introduced to Eiri Masami, a false god of The Wired who is encouraging children to give up their bodies through suicide in order to join him there.

    Attributing the statuses of "supreme god" to Masami and "buddha" to Lain is also a way of exploring the idea of (implicitly Christianized) American might being at odds with the (folkic/Buddhist) Japanese culture, especially in the post-reconstruction era. Sidenote: whereas Lain is looking at Western social and market imperialism, the fear of political imperialism from within at the height of post-reconstruction is a theme at the heart of the aforementioned Akira. With Lain's subtle occasional references to Akira, what the show's also doing is building further on ideas of near-future anxieties in the advancing society of Japan.

    Hopefully that provides some more food for thought.

    4 votes
  11. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    (edited )
    Link
    Serial Experiments Lain A Jade Girl is jaded. Summary (spoilers): Hylic Layer: The Outer Lain ("Childish 玲音") In a twilight world where the reckless creations of tech companies are alienating our...

    Serial Experiments Lain

    A Jade Girl is jaded.

    Summary (spoilers):

    Hylic Layer: The Outer Lain ("Childish 玲音")

    In a twilight world where the reckless creations of tech companies are alienating our youth, Lain Iwakura must decide whether she is merely their product or her own person.

    Psychic Layer: The Inner Lain ("Advanced レむン")

    A young woman, Alice Mizuki, is walking along with her fiancΓ© when she spots a girl who reminds her of a dream she once had, a glimpse through the looking glass that prompted her to connect with and befriend her withdrawn schoolmate, Chisa Yomoda, back in 8th grade.

    Pneumatic Layer: The Secret Lain ("Cunning Lain")

    When we lose someone, be it a dying friend or even our childhood self, a person-shaped hole is left in the fabric of our reality. Lain is the fear and compassion that comes about when we fill that gap with our memories, our grief, and our coping mechanisms in a life that inevitably continues on. Lain is the pieces of ourselves that we see in others. Lain is the uncertainty and anxiety we experience in reconciling those oft disparate parts. She is no one, she is everyone, and she is only herself.

    Lain is Guānyīn.
    Lain is Love.
    Lain is Lain.

    Let's all love Lain.

    7 votes
  12. Comment on A day in the life of @Akir in ~life

    ShamedSalmon
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    What I got from it is that you're a thoughtful, self-introspective person. You're a whole universe of thoughts and emotions, hopes and ambitions, just like the rest of us. One of the most...

    What I got from it is that you're a thoughtful, self-introspective person. You're a whole universe of thoughts and emotions, hopes and ambitions, just like the rest of us. One of the most wonderful things about being human is our ability to share our inner-world with others, even if it's only a glimpse.

    Though it's being pitted against self-doubt, your routine and your drive really shines through in your honesty here. Some people adorn themselves with hook-ups, but real sensitivity borne through personal development is the mark of a progressing and maturing person like you.

    So hang in there; you're doing a great job!

    (PS: Sorry about the CPAP mask! Hope you get a new one soon.)

    12 votes
  13. Comment on What is the most insane, tedious, difficult, and/or noteworthy gaming achievement you have completed or given up on? in ~games

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Ahh, the good 'ol days of save resigning. Do you remember what storage software you used to read your memory card? Xplorer360? USB Xtaf GUI? Party Buffalo Drive Explorer? Modio Suite? There were...

    Ahh, the good 'ol days of save resigning. Do you remember what storage software you used to read your memory card? Xplorer360? USB Xtaf GUI? Party Buffalo Drive Explorer? Modio Suite? There were so many good ones back in those days.

    1 vote
  14. Comment on What is the most insane, tedious, difficult, and/or noteworthy gaming achievement you have completed or given up on? in ~games

    ShamedSalmon
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    In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, there are 164 slaves scattered about the island. I have freed them all without cheats or mods. Okay, so there are actually 166 slaves, but two have bugged...
    • Exemplary

    In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, there are 164 slaves scattered about the island. I have freed them all without cheats or mods.



    Okay, so there are actually 166 slaves, but two have bugged scripting. I have freed all slaves that can possibly be freed by methods that exist within the game world's design.

    There are 7 slaves that can be rescued through quest-lines. Outside of that, only 124 of the remaining slaves have keys associated with them. A key is actually not tied to any slave or its equipped bracers, but is instead tied to a cell that a slave is found in.

    For example, if you find the Zebabi Slave Key, any set of slave bracers can now be unlocked within that cell. The key will of course work on the five slaves you find there, but it will also work on any other slaves that are brought in from another cell. This is the method that can be used to rescue the remaining 33 slaves that are in keyless cells.

    To move them, you will need to raise a slave's disposition towards you and then repeatedly use a Command Humanoid spell to force them to follow you into a cell for which you have a key.

    Below are some more notes on my methods, and a markdown table I had put together to keep track of their rescue.

    Notes on Rescuing the Keyless Slaves

    It's best to fetch the Sadrith Mora slaves one at a time as there are a lot of bodies of water you're going to have to pass which can lead to them being drowned, killed by slaughterfish, or killed accidentally during rescue from said fish by the player (oops). If Command Humanoid wears off while they are still swimming, Levitate is sometimes necessary to achieve the right angle to successfully recast a spell on them.

    Another hazard is that reloading saves can break the commanded NPC's AI scripting, causing them to become unresponsive and start walking in a single direction, but this seems to depend on the cell. Especially with Sardith Mora, plan to do one slave at a time and anticipate restarting that run if necessary.

    The vampire cattle are a class of respawning NPCs like the Ordinators. They cannot be freed as they don't contain the script element necessary to do so. You can lead one from Galom Daeus east to Zebabi, but it will respawn in it's original cell in three days. The design intent behind their class is to be a food source for the vampire quest-line, should the player pursue that.

    As mentioned, a slightly similar problem affects two of the slaves in Suran, namely Yakov & Khinjarsi. An examination of their code would reveal this, but for added measure, I did command them to Saturan. The UESP mentions that attempting to free them may produce error messages, but at least on Xbox, I didn't get any. Nonetheless, after "unlocking" their bracers, they were still on, and leaving the area did not remove them from the world. Because of their scripting bugs, Yakov & Khinjarsi are the only two slaves in the game that cannot be rescued.

    Table of Morrowind Slaves to Rescue
    Name Released Region Location Key Information
    Baadargo β˜‘ Bitter Coast Addamasartus Addamasartus Slave Key, on a crate in the cave
    Banalz β˜‘ Bitter Coast Addamasartus Addamasartus Slave Key, on a crate in the cave
    Okaw β˜‘ Bitter Coast Addamasartus Addamasartus Slave Key, on a crate in the cave
    Aravi β˜‘ Bitter Coast Aharunartus Aharunartus Slave Key, on a chest in the cave
    Bahdahna β˜‘ Bitter Coast Aharunartus Aharunartus Slave Key, on a chest in the cave
    Kishni β˜‘ Bitter Coast Aharunartus Aharunartus Slave Key, on a chest in the cave
    Wuleen-Shei β˜‘ Bitter Coast Aharunartus Aharunartus Slave Key, on a chest in the cave
    Dahnara β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Dome Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    S'Vandra β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Dome Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Dreaded-Water β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Meer β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Nisaba β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Reemukeeus β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Shivani β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Smart-Snake β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    S'Renji β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hlormaren, Underground Hlormaren Slave Key, on a chest in the Dome
    Ahnisa β˜‘ Bitter Coast Zainsipilu Zainsipilu Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Anjari β˜‘ Bitter Coast Zainsipilu Zainsipilu Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Bahdrashi β˜‘ Bitter Coast Zainsipilu Zainsipilu Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Haran β˜‘ Bitter Coast Zainsipilu Zainsipilu Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Muz-Ra β˜‘ Bitter Coast Zainsipilu Zainsipilu Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Akish β˜‘ West Gash Assarnud Assarnud Slave Key, carried by Bazgulub gro-Ulfish
    Bun-Teemeeta β˜‘ West Gash Assarnud Assarnud Slave Key, carried by Bazgulub gro-Ulfish
    Huzei β˜‘ West Gash Assarnud Assarnud Slave Key, carried by Bazgulub gro-Ulfish
    Ra'Karim β˜‘ West Gash Assarnud Assarnud Slave Key, carried by Bazgulub gro-Ulfish
    Ra'Mhirr β˜‘ West Gash Assarnud Assarnud Slave Key, carried by Bazgulub gro-Ulfish
    Ri'Darsha β˜‘ West Gash Assarnud Assarnud Slave Key, carried by Bazgulub gro-Ulfish
    Gilm β˜‘ West Gash Caldera Mine, Mine Caldera Slave Key, on a table in the guard tower
    Inorra β˜‘ West Gash Caldera Mine, Mine Caldera Slave Key, on a table in the guard tower
    Khazura β˜‘ West Gash Caldera Mine, Mine Caldera Slave Key, on a table in the guard tower
    Neesha β˜‘ West Gash Caldera Mine, Mine Caldera Slave Key, on a table in the guard tower
    Kiseena β˜‘ West Gash Caldera Mine, Shacks Caldera Slave Key, on a table in the guard tower
    Dahleena β˜‘ West Gash Caldera Mine, Shacks Caldera Slave Key, on a table in the guard tower
    Utadeek β˜‘ West Gash Gnisis, Madach Tradehouse There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Assarnud
    Adharanji β˜‘ West Gash Kudanat Kudanat Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Ah-Meesei β˜‘ West Gash Kudanat Kudanat Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Heedul β˜‘ West Gash Kudanat Kudanat Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Oleen-Gei β˜‘ West Gash Kudanat Kudanat Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Ra'Sava β˜‘ West Gash Kudanat Kudanat Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Deesh-Meeus β˜‘ West Gash Shushishi Slave Key, near a corpse in the cave
    Ma'Jidarr β˜‘ West Gash Shushishi Slave Key, near a corpse in the cave
    Meeh-Mei β˜‘ West Gash Shushishi Slave Key, near a corpse in the cave
    Tsajadhi β˜‘ West Gash Shushishi Slave Key, near a corpse in the cave
    Gih-Ja β˜‘ Ashlands Sha-Adnius Sha-Adnius Slave Key, on a bench in the cave
    Han-Tulm β˜‘ Ashlands Sha-Adnius Sha-Adnius Slave Key, on a bench in the cave
    Jeer-Maht β˜‘ Ashlands Sha-Adnius Sha-Adnius Slave Key, on a bench in the cave
    Ri'Vassa β˜‘ Ashlands Sha-Adnius Sha-Adnius Slave Key, on a bench in the cave
    Sholani β˜‘ Ashlands Sha-Adnius Sha-Adnius Slave Key, on a bench in the cave
    Tsani β˜‘ Ashlands Sha-Adnius Sha-Adnius Slave Key, on a bench in the cave
    Affri β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Arvel Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    J'Kara β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Arvel Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Kal-Ma β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Arvel Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Kasa β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Arvel Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Ma'Dara β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Arvel Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Shatalg β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Arvel Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Gah Julan β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Dren Plantation, Docks Dren Plantation Slave Key, on a desk in the shipping house
    Ahzini β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Dren Plantation Dren Plantation Slave Key, on a desk in the shipping house
    Neetinei β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Dren Plantation, Dove's Shack Dren Plantation Slave Key, on a desk in the shipping house
    Arabhi β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Dren Plantation, Dove's Shack Dren Plantation Slave Key, on a desk in the shipping house
    Grey-Throat β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ules Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Morning-Star... β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ules Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Ri'Zaadha β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ules Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Tsalani β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ules Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Twice-Bitten β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ules Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Unjara β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ules Plantation There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Jo'Ren-Dar β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sterdecan's Farmhouse There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Dren Plantation
    Cheesh-Meeus β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Hinnabi Hinnabi Slave Key, carried by Tels Girano
    Heir-Zish β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Hinnabi Hinnabi Slave Key, carried by Tels Girano
    J'Ram-Dar β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Hinnabi Hinnabi Slave Key, carried by Tels Girano
    Tasha β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Hinnabi Hinnabi Slave Key, carried by Tels Girano
    Ekapi β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Panat Panat Slave Key, on a stool in the cave
    Tsabhi β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Panat Panat Slave Key, on a stool in the cave
    Ula β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Panat Panat Slave Key, on a stool in the cave
    Ahdni β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sinsibadon Sinsibadon Slave Key, carried by Borug gro-Lazgarn
    Am-Ra β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sinsibadon Sinsibadon Slave Key, carried by Borug gro-Lazgarn
    J'Jarsha β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sinsibadon Sinsibadon Slave Key, carried by Borug gro-Lazgarn
    Kaasha β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sinsibadon Sinsibadon Slave Key, carried by Borug gro-Lazgarn
    On-Wazei β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sinsibadon Sinsibadon Slave Key, carried by Borug gro-Lazgarn
    Wusha β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Sinsibadon Sinsibadon Slave Key, carried by Borug gro-Lazgarn
    Dro'Qanar β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Vivec, Telvanni Canalworks Telvanni Canalworks Slave Key, carried by Eldrar Fathyron
    El-Lurasha β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Vivec, Telvanni Canalworks Telvanni Canalworks Slave Key, carried by Eldrar Fathyron
    Inerri β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Vivec, Telvanni Canalworks Telvanni Canalworks Slave Key, carried by Eldrar Fathyron
    Mim-Jeen β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Vivec, Telvanni Canalworks Telvanni Canalworks Slave Key, carried by Eldrar Fathyron
    Wud-Neeus β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Vivec, Telvanni Canalworks Telvanni Canalworks Slave Key, carried by Eldrar Fathyron
    Teegla β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Vivec, The Lizard's Head Telvanni Canalworks Slave Key, carried by Eldrar Fathyron
    Khinjarsi β˜’ Ascadian Isles Suran, House of Earthly Delights A script error prevents freeing this slave
    Jeelus-Tei β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Suran, Slave Market There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Saturan
    Seewul β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Suran, Slave Market There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Saturan
    Tim-Jush β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Suran, Slave Market There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Saturan
    Yakov β˜’ Ascadian Isles Suran, Slave Market A script error prevents freeing this slave
    Abanji β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Mar There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    Breech-Star β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Mar There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    High-Heart β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Mar There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    Khamuzi β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Mar There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    Stream-Murk β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Mar There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    Tern-Feather β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Mar There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    Eutei β˜‘ Molag Amur Saturan Saturan Slave Key, carried by Jolgeir
    J'Zamha β˜‘ Molag Amur Saturan Saturan Slave Key, carried by Jolgeir
    Peeradeeh β˜‘ Molag Amur Saturan Saturan Slave Key, carried by Jolgeir
    Ubaasi β˜‘ Molag Amur Saturan Saturan Slave Key, carried by Jolgeir
    Udarra β˜‘ Molag Amur Saturan Saturan Slave Key, carried by Jolgeir
    Ashidasha β˜‘ Molag Amur Shushan Shushan Slave Key, carried by Evilu Indrano
    Bhusari β˜‘ Molag Amur Shushan Shushan Slave Key, carried by Evilu Indrano
    Bunish β˜‘ Molag Amur Shushan Shushan Slave Key, carried by Evilu Indrano
    Olink-Nur β˜‘ Molag Amur Shushan Shushan Slave Key, carried by Evilu Indrano
    Chalureel β˜‘ Molag Amur Zebabi Zebabi Slave Key, carried by Draryn Andrano
    Gish β˜‘ Molag Amur Zebabi Zebabi Slave Key, carried by Draryn Andrano
    Ma'Zahn β˜‘ Molag Amur Zebabi Zebabi Slave Key, carried by Draryn Andrano
    Nuralg β˜‘ Molag Amur Zebabi Zebabi Slave Key, carried by Draryn Andrano
    Zahraji β˜‘ Molag Amur Zebabi Zebabi Slave Key, carried by Draryn Andrano
    Ahnarra β˜‘ Azura's Coast Abebaal Egg Mine Abebaal Slave Key, on a table in Tel Branora, Lower Tower
    Dan-Ru β˜‘ Azura's Coast Abebaal Egg Mine Abebaal Slave Key, on a table in Tel Branora, Lower Tower
    Dro'Zah β˜‘ Azura's Coast Abebaal Egg Mine Abebaal Slave Key, on a table in Tel Branora, Lower Tower
    J'Dato β˜‘ Azura's Coast Abebaal Egg Mine Abebaal Slave Key, on a table in Tel Branora, Lower Tower
    Seen-Rei β˜‘ Azura's Coast Abebaal Egg Mine Abebaal Slave Key, on a table in Tel Branora, Lower Tower
    Eleedal-Lei β˜‘ Azura's Coast Abebaal Egg Mine Abebaal Slave Key, on a table in Tel Branora, Lower Tower
    Ahjara β˜‘ Azura's Coast Minabi Minabi Slave Key, carried by Chrelm
    Beekatan β˜‘ Azura's Coast Minabi Minabi Slave Key, carried by Chrelm
    Jeed-Ei β˜‘ Azura's Coast Minabi Minabi Slave Key, carried by Chrelm
    Meen-Sa β˜‘ Azura's Coast Minabi Minabi Slave Key, carried by Chrelm
    Shaba β˜‘ Azura's Coast Minabi Minabi Slave Key, carried by Chrelm
    S'Raverr β˜‘ Azura's Coast Minabi Minabi Slave Key, carried by Chrelm
    Ahaht β˜‘ Azura's Coast Yakanalit Yakanalit Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Ahdri β˜‘ Azura's Coast Yakanalit Yakanalit Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Ahndahra β˜‘ Azura's Coast Yakanalit Yakanalit Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Harassa β˜‘ Azura's Coast Yakanalit Yakanalit Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Milah β˜‘ Azura's Coast Yakanalit Yakanalit Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Weer β˜‘ Azura's Coast Yakanalit Yakanalit Slave Key, on a table in the cave
    Ra'Zahr β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Branora, Therana's Chamber There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Abebaal
    Ereel-Lei β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    Milos β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    Qa'Dar β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    Ahdahni β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora, Gateway Inn There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    Inee β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora, Gateway Inn There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    J'Jazha β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora, Gateway Inn There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    Reesa β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora, Gateway Inn There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    S'Rava β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora, Gateway Inn There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    Wanan-Dum β˜‘ Azura's Coast Sadrith Mora, Gateway Inn There is no key. The closest unlock cell is Zebabi
    S'Bakha β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn This slave must be purchased from the Tel Aruhn Slave Market
    Ciralinde β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn This slave must be purchased from the Tel Aruhn Slave Market
    Davina β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn This slave must be purchased from the Tel Aruhn Slave Market
    Jadier Mannick β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn This slave must be purchased from the Tel Aruhn Slave Market
    Manilian Scerius β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn This slave must be purchased from the Tel Aruhn Slave Market
    Menelras β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn This slave must be purchased from the Tel Aruhn Slave Market
    Aina β˜‘ Sheogorad Habinbaes Habinbaes Slave Key, carried by Matuk gro-Magrish
    Kisimba β˜‘ Sheogorad Habinbaes Habinbaes Slave Key, carried by Matuk gro-Magrish
    Olank-Neeus β˜‘ Sheogorad Habinbaes Habinbaes Slave Key, carried by Matuk gro-Magrish
    Ri'Dumiwa β˜‘ Sheogorad Habinbaes Habinbaes Slave Key, carried by Matuk gro-Magrish
    Asum β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Chiwish β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Idhassi β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    J'Raksa β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Kisisa β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Ma'Khar β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    M'Shan β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Nakuma β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Nam-La β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Tanan β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Wih-Eius β˜‘ Sheogorad Rotheran, Arena Rotheran Slave Key, carried by Irvsie Othran
    Rabinna β˜‘ Bitter Coast Hla Oad, Fatleg's Drop Off Quest: Rabinna's Inner Beauty, take her to the Argonian Mission instead
    J'Saddha β˜‘ West Gash Ashalmawia Quest: The Twin Lamps, kill the slave hunters or convince them to leave
    Hides-His-Foot β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Dren Plantation Quest: Free Hides-His-Foot, sneak Hides-His-Foot to Sterdecan's Farm
    Haj-Ei β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Suran Quest: The Drunken Bounty Hunter, keep Haj-Ei's identity a secret
    On-Wan β˜‘ Ascadian Isles Ebonheart, Argonian Mission Quest: Alms from the Argonian Mission, blackmail Im-Kilaya
    Reeh-Jah β˜‘ Molag Amur Molag Amur Region (11,-1) Quest: The Runaway Slave, take him to the Argonian Mission instead
    Falura Llervu β˜‘ Azura's Coast Tel Aruhn Quest: Zainab Nerevarine, purchase a bride from the slave market
    38 votes
  15. Comment on What is your silly or (kinda) useless talent? in ~talk

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Ugh, the dryness is the worst! Thankfully it doesn't happen to me all that often, but when it does, it's very unpleasant and my whole throat dries up to the point of coughing. That's so...

    Ugh, the dryness is the worst! Thankfully it doesn't happen to me all that often, but when it does, it's very unpleasant and my whole throat dries up to the point of coughing.

    That's so interesting about your eyes not closing all the way! I had a friend in school whose eye-lids did that. It never seemed to affect his sleep, and as I recall, that's just how the muscles around his eyes relaxed.

    2 votes
  16. Comment on What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Big UC Gundam fan here. Overall, I agree with your takes on Zeta. I feel like it's important with the cheekier ZZ in establishing the political landscape and climactic anticipation for Char's...

    Big UC Gundam fan here. Overall, I agree with your takes on Zeta. I feel like it's important with the cheekier ZZ in establishing the political landscape and climactic anticipation for Char's Counterattack, but otherwise, they can be quite a slog. Zeta especially goes hand-in-hand with Tomino's more grim works like Space Runaway Ideon (the eschatological inspiration for Evangelion). Tomino battled depression for some time before hitting his low point in the early '90s, during Victory Gundam. After finishing Turn A and coming out of his depression, Tomino said that even he didn't like Zeta very much, lol!

    But Char is such a fun character! The Origin OVA was great -- like if Star Trek did a mini-series about Khan during the Gene Wars. I still need to sit down and watch GQuuuuuuX, but its definitely moving up my list!

    4 votes
  17. Comment on What is your silly or (kinda) useless talent? in ~talk

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Sometimes I sleep with my mouth open, but no I can't sleep with any eyes open. Have you ever done that, that you know of?

    Sometimes I sleep with my mouth open, but no I can't sleep with any eyes open. Have you ever done that, that you know of?

    1 vote
  18. Comment on What is your silly or (kinda) useless talent? in ~talk

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    I mean, I still get the most out of something by focusing my sole attention on it, but yeah ADHD is such a tough thing to have to deal with either way and I hope it doesn't keep you down too much!...

    I mean, I still get the most out of something by focusing my sole attention on it, but yeah ADHD is such a tough thing to have to deal with either way and I hope it doesn't keep you down too much!

    Is that the one with the gorilla? Hahaha, yeah by having one eye stationary, it just walks right into view for me while I'm using my other eye to track the ball. Totally got it the first time without even realizing I wasn't necessarily supposed to notice.

    1 vote
  19. Comment on What is your silly or (kinda) useless talent? in ~talk

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    200 * 0.05 = ... 10 πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ Yeah, no problem, lol! Honestly, the calculator is a lifesaver for simpler math. Yeah, the cost of living is really unfortunate! But yes, I'm a decent enough planner, and...

    200 * 0.05 =
    ...
    10
    πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ

    Yeah, no problem, lol! Honestly, the calculator is a lifesaver for simpler math.

    Yeah, the cost of living is really unfortunate! But yes, I'm a decent enough planner, and life is really very good otherwise. Whether or not I work until I die, any needless treasures that I don't spend in my lifetime will go to my nieces and nephews, so I gain either way.

    Hahahaha, yesss! My eye doctor talked about that hand trick. She is so fun and I'm like her only patient with independent vision. With the hand thing, everybody's a little different, but the more cross-eyed one can go, the more detail they can glean, and some people have to switch to do so, while others like me just don't.

    Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have both eyes looking in the same direction and seeing the same thing without my focus getting all weird. With reading, I tend to have my fixed eye one line ahead while the other follows along to construct the information. It's almost like double-reading, where I gloss over a sentence first, and then pass it again a second or two later to actually grasp the information. It's a comfy way to read.

    2 votes
  20. Comment on What is your silly or (kinda) useless talent? in ~talk

    ShamedSalmon
    Link Parent
    Oh, I see, I see! With the hand thing, my fixed eye is completely fixed, so I can't actually cross it to look towards my hand, but it's close enough to see detail. My free eye can cross to look in...

    Oh, I see, I see! With the hand thing, my fixed eye is completely fixed, so I can't actually cross it to look towards my hand, but it's close enough to see detail. My free eye can cross to look in or away, however.

    To an extent, the farther apart two things are, the easier it is for me to track them simultaneously. I think you put it well in calling that a sort of reverse-cross-eye approach, but I don't have any problem tracking movement or gleaning detail for the most part. I retain a majority of the visual information, but the more disparate the intellectual tasks are, the harder it is to retain that intellectual information. Like, I can read and watch TV, but I either follow one story or the other, not both. I liken it to listening to a podcast while playing a game; when you relisten to that podcast, you can recall what you saw in the game, but you were focused on the information of the podcast rather than the game's story. Oh, but this does make watching things with subtitles a breeze since I can gobble up every corner of the visuals without taking an eye away from the words. Not really a super power, per se, there's just no switch of focus or strain in doing it for me.

    Honestly, I think it's cool that your eyes can sync up! Brains are weird, right?!

    1 vote