HELPPP

Kuroko no Basket will always have a special place in my heart, and this is one of the reasons why:

Her. Aida Riko. Everything about her makes KnB the best sports anime to me.

No, 'cuz the fact that this beloved sports anime made the coach of the main team a woman - a 17 year old girl at that - made a huge difference in the show for me. It's such a pleasure to watch Riko have just as much passion for the game as the team, for her to be such a key character in an otherwise widely male-dominated anime genre.

She makes sure to push the team to improve, doing everything in her power to make make them go past their limits (the roofrop ceremony, breaking Hyuuga's figurines, getting Mitobe to block Kagami etc), she always makes sure to get their spirits up, even if it doesn't always work out (getting them to go eat steaks, the lemon with honey slices), and she does what's best for them, even when they don't like it (pulling Kiyoshi from the Kirisaki Daiichi game, subbing the first year duo out, putting Furihata against Akashi).

Like, she's such a smart and relatable and real character??? The fact that she also gets her romance with Hyuuga, but is done so organically, and they're such good friends?? The fact that they rely on each other as coach and captain?? The fact that they founded the club together?? Plus, she is still able to have a deep friendship with Kiyoshi with no romantic tension or friction between the three of them?? It shouldn't be this refreshing to see a female character like this, but it is, which is what makes Riko so amazing.

And she's not the only one.

Momoi is also such a great female character that you rarely see in these shows. Yes, she's the feminine manager of an enemy team, but she's just as much part of the Generation of Miracles friend group as the others are, despite not being a player. The fact that she gathers information about their opponents and comes up with strategies to highlight her team's strengths and shut down the enemies is incredible. She also has a crush on the main character that is obviously unrequited, yet it's handled so gracefully?? She is who she is despite her feelings for Kuroko, and I love that for her, because instead of following Kuroko to Seirin, she chose to stay with Aomine. Her loyalty to her childhood friend is so strong and so pure that she never gave up hope that Aomine would find his love for basketball again. That he'd smile again– that she'd get her old friends back.

Truly amazing.

And an honorary mention goes to another female character whom I wanted to see more of:

"Kagami was written by a woman," yes, because Alex Garcia made Kagami, bitch. That's her son you're talking about. Alex being the one who taught Kagami basketball is so badass of her. She's Mother.

Let's hear if for the female characters of Kuroko no Basket!!! The rest of the sports anime world could never!!!

Squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi I can tell that it's gonna be a long road...

Post-case night cab cuddles that were definitely happening off-page and Lucy just forgot to tell us about

The aggressive one also being the caregiver of the group. 

(aka the softer side of Kirin in The Wilds season 2)

I think my favorite thing about The Old Guard is that, as weird as it sounds, all the immortals have human limits. Like, yeah, they can’t die and they heal hella fast, but the writers didn’t inexplicably translate that into them having superhuman speed or strength or agility like I’ve seen in many other superhero media.

They get tired. I’ve honestly never seen so much sleeping in an action movie.

And they can be restrained with zip ties and buckles and held down by normal-ass dudes and get the shit beat out of them because of course they can.

When they’re injured, they act like it. Even if its just for a few seconds. They moan and groan and limp and wince and never try to pull any of that dumb macho “I’m used to it” bullshit. Pain fucking hurts no matter how many times you experience it and this movie expresses that beautifully. Immortal doesn’t mean invincible.

I adore here. I’m in so much pain

just. the way that everyone wrote lilia off as some harmless unserious weirdo in the way so many older women get written off. when in fact she was an incredible brilliant badass

"I'm glad you found a family." -Amiee

"W-what... those guys?" -Eliot sputtering

Yes, Eliot. Those guys. The very same guys who you couldn't walk away from. The same guys who get on your nerves- but for some reason you protect. Those guys who have you wrapped around their fingers. Who remind you that your smarter than you think.

Those guys as in;

Nate who needs protecting from himself.

Sophie who needs protecting from her past.

Hardison who needs protecting from his mind.

Parker who needs protecting from the monsters she's lived through but are still around.

You, Eliot- you big teddy bear- decided they were worth it. So you stayed for them. You sir, stayed because they needed you.

Those guys are your family.

Poseidon and Sally being good co-parents is really healing something in my child-of-a-divorcee heart. Sally can JUST summon him and he will JUST arrive.

"you won't want to hear it"/"no, but tell me anyway" MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. Like yes! Poseidon bearing part of the mental load means a lot to me.

it's almost like... if you play a movie in 10 cinemas worldwide, it doesn't do as well as it could 🤯🤯

Well that hurts

the lady at the grab-n-go actually missed having Vance there to play pinball. she missed how she would have to call the police every other day because Vance had fought someone. she missed hearing the swearing shed hear when he wouldn't beat his high score. once Vance went missing she put a 'out of order' sign on the pinball machine so no one would play it or beat the high score cus the machine was reserved for Vance and Vance only. she never got the machine changed as she would feel like it was disrespectful to Vance and wanted to keep some sort of memorabilia for everyone.

I watched the first episode of The Night Agent while I was painting my nails this evening and it is like, THEE most trope-y thing of "woman nearly dies over something she's accidentally tied up in and has no idea what's going on, but a calm and collected under pressure dude helps her through it and even though she's been warned not to trust anyone, she's decided to trust him because otherwise she's alone".

But consider this, I LOVE this trope and I am already strapped in, on board, ready to eat this up.

Like, oh you're gonna be absolutely in control over the phone and talk this lady through where to hide and keep checking in to make sure she's okay? You're gonna keep her safe when people jump out to attack you? You're gonna try and keep her calm while people are shooting at you and gently bandage her minor wound afterwards? You're gonna stay because she asked you to? Because it makes her feel safe? All in the first episode?!?! Sign me TF up. I can't wait until we get to the point where HE gets injured trying to save her and she has to help bandage HIS wounds. Top tier tropes for sure. Love this for me. Sorry I watched The Bourne Identity 700 times as a teen as if it's my fault that movie is a banger.