Snow's Halloween Essentials

Heya! So, it's almost my second favorite time of the year again: Halloween! I just love everything about the holiday: the costumes, the movies, the costumes, the high-energy atmosphere, and did I mention the costumes?

(I'm a steampunk Alice in Wonderland this year. Super excite.)

But whenever Halloween's just around the corner, I like to go back and look at some of my favorite things pertaining the the holiday: the creepy TV shows and movies, books, music! So today I'm just going to share with you some of my Halloween essentials.

Movies

Now, I'm not a horror movie kind of gal (I scare really easy), but I like myself some family friendly movies, with only a few exceptions. So here are my must-see Halloween movies.

Coraline

OK, so while Coraline is supposed to be family-friendly, though be warned that if you're a parent looking for a spoopy movie to watch with your kids, I remember getting a little scared watching the movie as a kid when it came out in theaters. So, yeah, it can scare young kids. For that reason, though, it's also a good watch for adults. Coraline can get really creepy, and I always find myself noticing something different when re-watching it, so it's always worth a watch when Halloween's just around the corner.

Corpse Bride

Corpse Bride is a classic, and has always been a favorite of mine that I rewatch every Halloween. It's a creepy but heartwarming story that gets me every time, and I love meeting all the characters and exploring the underworld full of skeletons, zombies, and ghosts. Plus, the idea of a dead woman still trying to find love despite he deadness is really sad. I can't help but feel bad for Emily and hope that one day, she'll find herself an equally loving and dead husband.

Ghostbusters

This is more of an adult movie than a family movie, though it can still be enjoyed by kids. Bill Murray is always a fun actor, and the humor is always great. The fact that a god actually has to ask if someone else is a god cracks me up every time, and the final showdown with a giant marshmallow man was probably the only true way to put something as marvelous as the original Ghostbusters to an end.

The Book of Life

Before anyone points this out: yes, I know The Book of Life is not a Halloween movie. Rather, it's a movie celebrating the Day of the Dead, which do have a lot of cultural differences. But the Day of the Dead is a holiday that I've always found myself interested in, and getting to learn more and more about it is amazing, especially when I get to learn about it from a movie as clever and memorable as this one. The characters are fun and relatable and the world building is fantastic. I'd definitely give this one a watch, especially with the whole family.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Now, I'm going to be 100% with you right now and say that I have a very unpopular opinion about this movie: I- I just- I just don't like it. I personally find the songs to be dull and always get bored around the middle of the movie, so I've never even finished it. BUT, as I said, I realize that this is a very unpopular opinion, and recognize that it is now a classic and important part of our culture and how we celebrate Halloween. Even during the summer, I can't turn around without seeing someone wearing a Jack Skelington cap. So while I don't personally enjoy the movie, I can appreciate it and recognize the fact that it's a big part of some people's lives. Chances are, you're going to be part of the 99% of people that absolutely adore this movie, so go ahead and watch it for Halloween! Or Christmas! Whatever works better for you!

Monster House

Monster House is a little lower on people's radar in terms of Halloween movies, but I've personally always loved it. Some of the characters may have been just a tad bit annoying (it is a kids' movie, after all), but I always found the story about the old man and his house really interesting and sad.

I also haven't watched this one in a while, though, so it could be nostalgia factor kicking in, but... Well, I don't care. I like it, and I need to rewatch it soon.

Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus recently become a cult classic, which is something I actually never saw coming when it was first released. I mean, yes, I loved the movie when it came out, but I never expected it to become the Halloween staple it is now. I'm glad that it got as much attention as it did, though, because the movie's a real ride and super fun to watch.

Zombieland

OK, one of the R rated films on this list, but... but, how could I not absolutely love it? It's hilarious, the characters are relatable, and the setting is exactly how I imagine a zombie-apocolypsed US would be like.

My favorite character was always Tallahassee. He kind of reminds me of my dad, just a tad bit. I could see him trying to be a total badass in everything he does but still getting obsessed with something as totally innocent and inconsequential as Twinkies, which ended up being one of my favorite running gags in any movie ever.

Blair Witch Project

The Blair Witch Project is one of the few straight-up horror films that I've always found myself strangely fascinated with. Now, it scares the hell out of me, don't get me wrong (I am a cry-baby scaredy-cat, after all), but I've always thought found-footage films are really cool (one of those unpopular opinions of mine). I didn't watch the second movie, but I also saw the recent third entry in the franchise and thought that it was fantastic and chilling in all of the most uncomfortable ways. So, I'm probably going to have some people disagreeing with me here, but I'd totally watch Blair Witch Project for some scary fun.

TV Shows

There's nothing like spending some quality time with my little brother and sister to watch some creepy TV shows the week leading up to Halloween. Or just watching them on my own time. Either way, here's some shows that'll fit the spoopy mood.

Ghost Hunt

Ghost Hunt is one of my favorite lesser-known animes. There were days when I was watching this show that I would seriously get freaked out, to the point that I would get paranoid even a school. Now, yes, I'm a cry-baby scaredy-cat, but I still think that the show can be at the very least creepy and unsettling at times.

Great show. I'd recommend watching it with a party of teen to adult weebs.

Courage the Cowardly Dog

Courage has a reputation for being what is quote possibly considered the most terrifying kids' TV show ever. The art itself is creepy, and each new episode comes with its own scary villain and/or messed up story.
The setting itself is pretty spooky, too: just a house, stuck in the middle of nowhere, where anything could happen to the old couple and their dog living there...

Supernatural

Fortunately, you don't have to be a kid to appreciate Supernatural; on the contrary, it's main demographic is teens to adults, so this is something that an older audience can easily enjoy. I'll admit I've only finished the first three (or was it four...?) seasons, but what I've watched so far has been tons of fun. Dean and Sam are just adorkable, and I love learning about all the cool creatures that are introduced each episode.

Plus- it's really memey. Maybe it spawns more teen and preteen memes, but it's still a fun show. I'd at least check it out, if nothing else.

Hell Girl

Hell girl is not only terrifying in its concept, but it also poses some really interesting points and questions about humanity in general. It's something I'd recommend watching if you want something dark and creepy, especially if you're into anime and just have a hard time finding one that actually makes you uncomfortable. In that case, I'd also recommend Aku no Hana, but that anime honestly makes me uncomfortable in a bad way, sooooo.....
Hell Girl. Watch it, if you haven't.

Mushishi

Mushishi is an artistic masterpiece that I'd recommend to anyone, but especially around Halloween. It's not necessarily scary or creepy, but it can have some eerie undertones, and the stories presented in each episode revolve around Mushi, which are spirit-like creatures, so it fits the Halloween asthetic really well. Plus, the animation is just gorgeous.

Give it a go if you haven't already. You won't regret it.

The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

How could a show about two kids tricking the Grim Reaper himself into being their life-long companion not be at least a little dark and twisted? Billy and Mandy is one of those shows that, when I look back on it now, makes me wonder how the hell it made it passed the Cartoon Network censorts, because I'm pretty sure there would have been quite a few parents concerned about their kids if they watched it. Still, it's tons of fun to watch. I even watch the messed up Christmas episode with my sister any time the Holidays come around, even though it's probably more Halloween-ish with its heavily vampire-driven plot.

Invader Zim

This is yet another one of those shows that I am genuinely surprised was supposed to be aimed at children, because it was seriously messed up. Dark Harvest is infamous for being what is possibly the most terrifying episode of any kids' cartoon yet, and the rest of the show can be pretty dang screwed up, too. The things I have seen in this cartoon. The things

Totally hype for the movie.

Shiki

Shiki is one of those rare animes that manages to be both terrifying and mature about its dark subject matter, and it actually delves into showing you the vampires' side of the story, from what I hear (as I unfortunately never got the chance to finish it). It's very atmospheric and creepy, and the art style is very unique, so I'd definitely recommend giving this one a go if you don't have a problem with gore.

Goosebumps

On top of being a book series that I'd recommend people read, Goosebumps was also made into a TV show, with each episode revolving around a different book in the series. This show used to air in marathon after marathon around Halloween when I was a kid, so I have some really fond memories. I'd also imagine it'd be a good show to put in if young kids are wanting to watch something scary but you don't want them to watch anything too bad.

Scooby Doo

How could I exclude this classic? There are many, many incarnations of the Scooby Doo franchise, and you could watch almost any of them to fill the Halloween mood with the fun mysteries and monster chasing.
I don't really have much to say, since basically everyone knows this series, so just go watch it or any of the movies if you want something lighthearted and fun.
Just stay away from the live-action movies. *Shudder*




Ghost Adventures

How could I end this segment without adding at least one ghost hunting show to this list?

Ghost Adventures was an integral part of my childhood and my fascination with the supernatural (because, yes, I do have one). Zak, Nick, and Aaron are just adorable, running around, cussing at ghosts, and freaking out at the slightest thing. I just love the crew. Aaron, especially, is just too precious.

Poor Aaron.

Poor, sweet, innocent Aaron.

Music

During the Halloween season, I always try to put together a playlist of spoopy tunes to get myself into the spooky mood. I always love jamming out to these songs, whether I'm doing some cleaning or just driving from place to place. Now, I am of the opinion that actual Halloween songs are tacky and gross, so I go more for stuff that feels or sounds like it fits the mood, or just has a theme that works well with the Halloween aesthetic.
Also: No Thriller. Sorry. :/

Haunted and Spanish Doll
by Poe

Poe honestly excels at making music that you could easily slide into playlist of Halloween tunes. She knows how to use sound effects to their fullest potential, and she knows how to actually use auto tune correctly- as in, only using it when it adds something to the song. She already has a very beautiful and strong voice, and distorting it for certain segments of the song is just unnerving.

I also know that this album and a lot of the songs in it such as Haunted and Spanish Doll are really personal to her, since it talks a lot about her grieving process after losing her father, and I think that that just makes the songs all the more hauntingly beautiful.

And creepy. You can't forget those creepy outros to the songs.

A Little Piece of Heaven

by Avenged Sevenfold

Ah, A Little Piece of Heaven. I'll admit that I kind of forgot this song even existed for a while, before I was putting together my Halloween playlist and realized that this thing wasn't on it. The song is an absolute abomination, to be honest, and I love it; it's like a really messed up version of Corpse Bride.

So here's the run-down: Guy decides that his love for his girlfriend has been far too strong for far too long, so he stabs her fifty fucking times, implies cannibalism of said girlfriend's eyeballs, implies preservation of dead girlfriend's body, and even implies necrophilia. Girlfriend becomes zombie woman and subjects boyfriend to the same thing. Boyfriend now sees that what he did was really fucked up, so he becomes a zombie, too, marries her, and they go on a murder spree together for the rest of their unnatural lives.

Still a better love story than Twilight.

...

Don't play this one at any parties with kids.

Just don't.

The Bottom
by Sick Puppies

I always, without fail, remember to put this one on my Halloween soundtrack. I used to think it was about becoming zombies, though now I am more prone to think that it's more about delving into insanity is an apocalyptic setting, or something to that effect. Either way, it's a sick tune, and the bass gets me pumped every time I listen to it. I would also add Howard's Tale by the same band, because, while the song isn't in the Halloween-spirit, per say, it is also extremely unsettling music-wise and content-wise.

The Bird and the Worm
by The Used
This song is honestly perfect for the Halloween spirit, complete with sound effects, creepy giggling mixed in with the vocals, and the occasional old music box sneaking its way into the song. It fits relatively well with Halloween, theme-wise, since it does touch on insanity and the helplessness of death.
Good song, I spam this even when it isn't Halloween.

Pet and/or Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drum

by A Perfect Circle

Counting Bodies is technically just a super awesome remix of Pet, so they are basically the same song but with a few differences in tone and arrangement. While it's actually an anti-government song above all else, the way that these two versions are played presents things in a very dark light. You'll have to just listen to them to understand what I'm saying because, honestly, I don't know how to explain in. I guess, to simplify it: this doesn't fit Halloween theme-wise, but it sure as hell does music-wise.

(I was lucky enough to be able to see Counting Bodies in concert and it was amazing.)

Moon Trace

by Lindsey Stirling

This is a good listen around Halloween for a few reasons, really. The first being that the song itself is made by everyone's favorite hip-hop/dubstep violinist, so there are no lyrics and the song is therefore open for interpretation in terms of theme. The second being that the song opens up with heavy breathing and a heartbeat, and it only uses that to set up a tense mood for the rest of the song. Third, the music video is basically an homage to Michael Jackson's Thriller, complete with dancing zombies and everything. And while I personally never understood why, Thriller always has been on most people's Halloween playlists.

Lighthouse
by The Hush Sound

This one may seem like an odd choice at first, since the song is all piano and seems really calming, but when you sit down and listen to the lyrics, there's a little more to it than you initially think. I at first thought that it was just a cute little love song but soon found that it evolved into something a little more somber, or sinister, depending on how you look at it. The song itself is very open to interpretation, but I got the distinct impression that ghost girl got pretty jealous of seeing a nice couple and decided to subject our leading lady and her man to the same cruel fate as her.

It's a fun song to listen to and theorize about, so feel free to take a listen and come up with your own interpretation.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

by Eurythmics, Emily Browning, or Marilyn Manson

Eurythmics made the song first, and it was such a hit that it's has two covers that I absolutely adore, one by Marilyn Manson (who terrifies me to no end, and I pray to God every night that he doesn't kill me), and the other by Emily Browning. (Now, I may personally prefer Emily's version of the song, but I assure you that it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this version of the song is a part of my favorite movie, Suckerpunch's, soundtrack. Nothing at all.)
The original song is strangely unsettling in and of itself, but later incarnations of the song seemed to want to crank up that creepy factor. Marilyn Manson doesn't even need to try since he's Marilyn fucking Manson, and anything that comes out of his mouth just screams that someone's going to die, while Emily's version of the song ups the dramatics and relies a lot on sound effects.
I just love this song. It's great. Get at least one version on your Halloween soundtrack right now.

Walking on Air
by Kerli

Walking on Air sounds creepy enough song-wise (what with the music box-like tune), but when you go and watch the music video, you can clearly see that it's some sort of creepy homage to Alice in Wonderland, with a fridge that is on fire and oven that's icy, zero-gravity tears, a bed made of rocks, and a creepy singing marionette. And, if you still don't believe me, stick to the end of the video.

There are literally people out there that think Kerli is part of the Illuminati because of this music video.

tldr: Pretty sure this is where Mealnie Martinez got a lot of her ideas from.

Books

If you're ever alone and get the time, there's very little better than just settling down on your bed or at a table and reading a nice book. So here are some nice books to read around this time.

May Bird and the Ever After 
by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Ah, my favorite childhood book series! If you've been reading my blog, then you already know I love this trilogy from my "Books That Need TV Shows/Movies" post, and there's a reason for this. But there's also a reason why you should read it specifically around Halloween: the setting. May is pulled into a world full of ghouls and ghosts and even the Boogey Man, so it was definitely written with a relatively dark theme for a kids' book in mind.
So, yeah. Go read this, if not for Halloween, then just for yourself. I find myself enjoying it even now as an adult.

Harry Potter 
by J. K. Rowling

OK, this is less on the scary side of Halloween and more of the magical and spirited side. Harry Potter's had a big impact on most people's childhood, so if you want to read something about wizards and giants and the occasional werewolf, go pick up basically any book from the series.

Edgar Allan Poe

You can pick up almost any of Poe's more well-known works and be in for some fun. The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, Fall of the House of Usher, The Tale-Tell Heart! All of this and more come to me just off the top of my head. Poe was an excellent writer that I've always admired, and reading any of his short stories or poems will always having you sitting on the edge of your seat with anticipation and discomfort and just about a half a million other emotions all at once.
He's not my favorite author for no reason.

Stephen King

Another unpopular opinion: I do not like a lot of Stephen King's work. Not to say that I don't respect him as an author, but I realized when I read my first book by him (Salem's Lot) that he tends to put in a way more detail than is necessary. That said, however, he is basically hailed as the King (bu dum tis) of horror novels, so he's a pretty well-respected and beloved guy in terms of horror. Some of his most popular works are Pet Cemetery, The Shining, and It, so I'd recommend reading one of those first if you wanted to pick up some of his work.

Games
Sometimes it's nice to just sit back and engross yourself in something terrifying by becoming active in it. So here are a few games that could get you into the Halloween mood.

Until Dawn

This game was huge last year, and for a good reason. While I only liked, like, two or three of the characters because most of them were, frankly, awful people, that's kind of part of the horror trope. And the twist of the game focuses on some legends that you don't get to hear much about unless you're really into mythology or something. So it was pretty fun and refreshing.

Fran Bow

Fran Bow is... really messed up and weird, I'm not going to lie. It starts off super gory and over-the-top horror and just kind of slowly transforms into this strange Alice In Wonderland-esque story that is honestly really, really strange, but the story is still fun and the art is pretty dark and unique, so I'd say it's worth a play.

Layers of Fear

Layers of Fear takes its time with you, but it really is one of the most horrifying psychological horror games I've seen. Being trapped in the mind of a deranged artist is just as uncomfortable as it sounds, and things only get more and more disconcerting and surreal as you carry on in the game and learn about everything the character has done.

The Letter

One of the more recent games on this list, The Letter is a visual novel with a few basic games added for the player. I, surprised, always used to get freaked out about those stupid chainmail letter I'd get in my inbox when I was a kid, so playing a game like this was like all of my childhood fears come true.

The art is beautiful and, when it wants to be, disgusting and terrifying, and I actually really liked the majority of the characters (except for Becca, because screw Becca), and these are things that are really essential to a visual novel.

Now, it does have a little more romantic/friendship drama than some people liked, so be aware of that, but also know that it's a scary game with fun characters and a lot of different possible endings.

Yomawari
Yomawari is one of those cool indie games that I would love for the art alone, even if it wasn't just fun on its own. There's just something unsettling about the atmosphere, and the art makes everything look cute and terrifying at the same time. Something about the quietness of the game just draws you in, so it's a good game to play around Halloween.



Pocket Mirror

Pocket Mirror was an interesting game with gorgeous art, and there were a few parts of the game that made me genuinely scared, though some parts of it are kind of Alice in Wonderland-ish. The last two acts, though, if I remember correctly, are quite terrifying in their own right. Above all else, though, it's just a cool indie game that I think you should check it out, whether it be for Halloween or not.

Nancy Drew

As a girl who always loves playing the role of detective, I always find the puzzles both challenging and fun.

I especially found The Legend of the Crystal Skull, The Haunting of Castle Malloy, and Shadow on Water's Edge to have some very creepy atmospheres, though Blackmore Manor also looks like it could be on of the scarier ones in the series. Go ahead and give one of the games in the series a go if you want to play detective. They're generally quite cheap, and god knows they've given me hours of entertainment.

The Legend of Zelda: 
Majora's Mask or Twilight Princess

The only console games on this list, and also the ones I would probably recommend to people of all ages. Zelda is something that both children and adults can enjoy, and Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess are both strikingly dark additions to the usually child'friendly audience. Majora's Mask is often referred to as one of the best Zelda games by fans for it exploration of darker themes, and wile Twilight Princess isn't typically held with the same reverence, I've always enjoyed it and its dark atmosphere. If you like any Zelda games and have the proper consols, I'd at least give one of these two a try.

So, have fun out there, whether you're tick or treating or are the one handing out the candy to kids with blankets on their heads! Happy Halloween!

An Early Valentines Day Special: My OTP's

If you know me well, you would know that I used to identify as asexual, meaning that I wasn't attracted to other people for the longest time. Though now, I think I'm finding myself falling more along the lines of demisexual, which is a whole other can of worms I'll touch on another day. Bottom line: that’s just who I am. But just because I used cringe at the thought of myself being in a relationship does not necessarily mean that I don’t enjoy a good romance between other people every once in a while. What can I say? Love can be beautiful. So in honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m going to be listing off thirty of my OTP’s, cannon or not, in just about anything: anime, cartoons, games, movies, books, etc. And none of this is in any particular order. Enjoy.

Also, as you may expect, there's likely to be spoilers in quite a few of these. Just, you know, so you know.

1:

The Legend of Zelda

Link and Zelda

These two are an obvious pair, of course, having Link rescue Zelda almost every single game (at least in the ones I’ve played). What really appeals to me about these two, however, is how, despite how many times they are reborn into another life to face the evil of Ganon/Demise, they always managed to find each other and keep that strong bond between Goddess and Hero.

2:

Kill La Kill

Ira Gamagoori and Mako Mankanshoku

This is a silly pairing with a not quite-so-silly reason for liking them. When you really think about it, Mako and Gamagoori, despite being complete opposites in appearance, are almost exactly alike. They are both extremely loyal to their friends and have completely over-the-top intense personalities. The only real difference is that one happens to be a giant, intimidating behemoth of a human, and the other one is... well, Mako.

3:

Codename: Kids Next Door

Wally and Kuki

Here’s one from my childhood. Wally and Kuki, to me, were always the unspoken official couple in Kids Next Door, what with Wally’s way-too-obvious crush and Kuki’s constant attention-whore-ing, especially when Wally is involved. Wally is the dumb kid that likes to act tough and Kuki is the bossy upbeat girly-girl, and those kinds of pairings were always charming to me. Not to mention, Codename Kids Next Door was one of my favorite childhood shows, and for that, these two will always hold a special place in my heart.

4:

Fate Series

Almost Everyone with Saber

Frankly, I thought that there was a lot of wasted potential in the Fate series for romance with Arturia, especially considering the fact that in one version, she ends up in a relationship with the one person I wish she hadn’t. I had been under the impression that Arturia was aromantic due to wasted opportunities until I got half-way through the Fate route of Fate/Stay Night and bashed my head against walls because the romance in Fate/Stay Night was total crap.

That said, here are some of the better options. Your welcome.

Diarmuid. Lancer. Honey. We all know you were in love with her. Hell, you admitted to it in the Einzbern Consultation Room.We all know that your battle banter was really flirting. And who can blame you? First woman that isn't totally enamored by the mole under your eye. I get it. But, please, you should have spoken up before it was too late! D':

Their relationship in a nutshell: Like a knight and his king. Only gayer.

Wait.

Gilgamesh. Where do I even begin with you? You're an egotistical maniac, and god knows Arturia deserved leagues better than you, but you at the very least understand her and have no qualms with letting her know how you feel the desire to own her: mind, body, and soul. You've got that going for you at the very least.
Their relationship in a nutshell: He proposed to her. She basically told him to screw off.

But, OK. OK. Let's say that maybe she's just gay. After all, Artuaia did marry a woman in life.Well, there's Irisviel. I mean, yeah, she's technically married, but so is Arturia. Iri is cute, she's nice, she seems to have a really good relationship with 'Turia. They just kind of got each other, you know?
Damn you, Kirei!
Their relationship in a nutshell: Like a princess and her knight and shining armor. Precious and must be protected at all costs.
 This may throw you off a bit, since Lancelot did sleep with her wife, but, really, I imagine that he was one of the very few people in her court that knew Arthur was really Arturia. I propose that he may have been in love with her at one point or another, but felt guilty about it since she was his king. Just a thought.
Their relationship in a nutshell: Really, really bad. Like, she basically drove him to the brink of insanity, their friendship went so far south.
 And Sasaki Kojiro. We all know you were flirting. I don't think even you tried to hide it, you handsome bastard, you.
Their relationship in a nutshell: He just wanted some of that kingly booty.

5:

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Kyoko Sakura and Sayaka Miki

It’s a little harder for me to describe just why this pairing appeals to me, although it probably has to do with Kyoko’s understanding exactly what it is that Sayaka is going through, and how that understanding makes her care for Sayaka and change back from the ruthless person she became after losing her family to an ill-chosen wish. I also love how, in Rebellion, we see that Sayaka also realizes what she had done to Kyoko and regrets going out the way she did because of how it affected Kyoko. And they’re just so gosh-darn cute!! I mean, look at this hand-holding!!

6:

Fullmetal Alchemist

Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye

I’m still not sure if Roy and Riza are considered cannon or not, but it is pretty obvious that they care very deeply for one another, perhaps a little too much, considering their rankings and positions in the military. I think the best part about these two’s relationship, however, is how much they trust one another. I mean, when he goes blind at the end of the series, Roy trusts Riza enough to be his eyes for him. You have to admit that between the sniping and fiery explosions, these two make a pretty bad ass combination.

7:

Baccano!

Claire Stanfield and Chane Laforet

These two just kind of jumped out at me out of the blue towards the end of the anime, but I suppose that's what was aimed for; Claire proposed to Chane the first day they met because he's simply an impulsive person and was infatuated with her from the beginning. Normally, I wouldn't like this sort of couple, but they seem to handle it very maturely, mentioning that, yes, Claire did kind of jump the gun, and he worried so much about his proposal methods that it lead to my absolute favorite scene in the entire anime, in which he finds a girl he almost killed and sits down at a cafe with her to ask for relationship advice. There's just something so charming about this awful self-centered psychopath putting this much time and effort into wooing over the girl of his dreams. And his overall giving and concerned nature (at least towards her) is exactly what Chane needs after living a life being used by the one man she ever loved: her father. As Jacuzzi noted on the last episode, "She looks happy." And I suppose that's all that really matters in the end.

8

Teen Titans:

Beast Boy and Raven

Teen Titans always was different and special to me as a kid, and it still is. There were a lot of dark themes for a kids' show, like obsession, loss, acceptance. And as a kid I was able to really identify with Raven. She wasn't like the other kids on her team: she liked to simply sit to the side and read a book, but you could tell that, although she tried to hide it, she really did care about what her friends thought of her. And I really think that Beast Boy, her opposite in a lot of senses, was the perfect person to help bring her out of her shell. Sure, he may have been a bit insensitive at times (joking at inappropriate times, getting understandably frustrated and snapping), but that's because, just as Raven is learning to be a part of a team, BB is learning how to treat people with the level of respect that they need. They both care about one another. They just don't know how to express it.

9:

Sky High

Warren and Layla

Will, I have nothing against you. Really. You're a nice guy. But Warren is such an unexpected sweetheart. I'm tired of the childhood-friends-falling-in-love story. Maybe for once, just once, I wanted the girl to try and find a way to attract her guy's attention only to find out that, yeah, maybe she didn't need to. Maybe, if Will was stupid enough to go about chasing secret-villain booty, Layla deserved someone better, someone that was nice enough to try pretending to be her boyfriend so that she could get the boy of her dreams. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, THEY could have fallen in love along the way, and they could have made it into the yearbook as "Oddest, Most Unexpectedly Cute Couple."

Was Sky High a great movie? Hell yeah!

Am I still a little salty about Warren Peace not getting the girl? Damn right I am.

10:

Angel Beats

Hinata and Yui

Episode 10 of Angel Beats hit me really hard, maybe not as hard as episode 3 did for me, but it still hit. Nowadays I may have a slight issue with the “Every girl wants to get married” statement that Yui makes, but the ending to her arc was heartwarming and it was really satisfying and sweet to see how much Hinata cared for her, even though they bickered constantly throughout the show.

11:

Pokemon

Ferisswheelshipping

Here's the source for this super-cute fanart of these cuties

Though it was a close call with the recent arrival of Sun and Moon, Black and White are still my favorite Pokemon games. I mean, yeah, part of it is that I absolutely love the Pokemon in that generation (fite me), and another huge part is the story, but another part that I found truly fascinating was N's relationship with the protagonist. And, since I am and therefore play as the female character (White/Hilda/Touko/ whateveryouwannacallher), I've always projected Hilda in my mind as being the person interacting with him. He's slightly older than Hilda, tall and lanky, very intense and passionate about his ideals, and socially inept. On the other side of the coin, there's Hilda, who I imagine to be short as all hell, spunky, probably a pretty social gal (since up until that point, literally none of the other protagonists started out with more than one friend, if any at all), and probably just as idealistic. 

They butt heads all the time because of the fact that they both love Pokemon so much, and because as much as he trusts her Pokemon's words, N finds it hard to believe that there's really such thing as a human that is that kind to their Pokemon. But he sees it, really sees all that love in her eyes, and as hard as it is for him to see through his narrow mindset and his awful, traumatizing childhood, he eventually accepts it. He accepts the truth that there are humans that care so much about Pokemon that they are willing to fight for the right to stay with them.

Ah... Black and White... What good times...

12:

Lovely Complex

Otani and Risa

Are you sick and tired of every single hero in every single anime being at least a foot taller that his heroine? Well, look for further than Lovely Complex, the anime that shoves a tall girl and short guy together for all our viewing (and shipping) pleasure. Yeah, they don't always get along, and they may, themselves, admit that there's a reason guys don't typically like dating girls taller than them and vice versa, but Otani and Risa are still pretty darn cute.

13:

My Little Monster

Haru and Shizuku

Shizuku obviously wanted nothing to do with Haru at first, and for very understandable reasons. He's a weird, clingy guy who truly adores her, and she feels very uncomfortable because of it. Still, she cares about him and sticks up for him when Haru's "friends" start talking bad about him. She knows he's a good kid at heart, and though his feeling are unreciprocated for a long while, she eventually falls for him. 

Plus, Haru's confession scene is just full of lolz.

14:

Hyouka

Houtarou and Chitanda

Houtarou is really good at solving mysteries and putting puzzles together. Like, really good. His only problem is that he lacks motivation in almost everything, which is where Chitanda comes in. She's overbearingly curious about everything, dragging Houtarou along for the ride whenever she wants to figure something out, and he can't exactly say no, since she gives him no room to. It's like he's enchanted by the sheer amount of curiosity held inside this one girl, and who can blame him? It's kind of incredible how infuriatingly curious she is. And I guess that this is what makes them work so well: Houtarou's like a lightbulb. He has all the components to shine a light but won't until someone flips the switch. Chitanda is the one who always flips the switch, and Houtarou is absolutely amazed by the fact that she's able to give him enough forced motivation to get stuff done.

15:

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki Kun

Nozaki and Mikorin

This is more of a crack ship of mine, but I’ll be 100% with you: I was absolutely convinced throughout the entire show that Nozaki was gay and that he was in love with Mikorin. I mean, have you seen how the guy dotes over him? He even bases the heroine from his manga after Mikorin!

I was a little disappointed at the end of the show when it was hinted he had feelings for Sakura. They could’ve been cute, just playing dating sims and cuddling all day.

16:

Once Upon a Time

Graham and Emma

I'm not exactly up-to-date on Once Upon a Time, but I know that Emma is with Captain Hook now, apparently. Not that that's bad or anything. I'm happy she was able to find someone again. But I really miss Graham. From what I can remember, he wasn't a 100% good guy, but he really did care for Emma, and I found the idea of the Huntsman and Snow White's daughter together to be a kind of cute irony.

17:

Nana

Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu (Hachi)

I-

I have no excuse.

They’re cute.

That’s it.

           

18:

Assassination Classroom

Karma Akabane and Nagisa Shiota

I think this one is my first ever yaoi pair. Interesting, since I seem pretty big on shipping yuri, and Nagisa already has a clear love interest in a girl. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Nagisa looks like a girl? *Shrug* Either way, I love the dynamic that these two have going for them. Nagisa is calm and composed and can slide his way into a crowd with ease while Karma is, well, Karma. He speaks his mind and looks down on everyone, and he knows how to be in command. I don’t use this word very often, but Karma is, quite frankly, just a little shit. And yet these two respect each other better than probably anybody else. I think that the two of them can definitely bring out the best in each other.

19:

Yuri on Ice

Yuri and Vicktor

Karma and Nagisa and Nozaki and Mikorin were my only yoai OTPs for a long while. 

Then I watched Yaoi on Ice.

20: 

Gurren Lagann

Yoko and Kamina

I loved the dynamic between these two from the very beginning. Kamina, the embodiment of manliness itself, had a thing for Yoko from the first episode; even when his and Simon's village was under attack from a giant robot, he decided to hit on this badass chick that dropped down from the surface as they fought. Now, Yoko is obviously Best Girl in Gurren Lagann (fite me, Nia fans), and Kamina is undoubtedly Best Guy, so putting them together was just obviously the right choice.

If only Yoko were able to keep her lips to herself.

21:

Book of Life

Xibalba and La Muerte

Good God, I love these two! I’ve always loved it when two great opposing forces- opposites in every sense of the word- find themselves attracted to one another, and these two are most certainly opposites. La Muerte’s constant teasing doesn’t help lessen my love for these two, either.

22:

Steven Universe

Garnet

Ah, Garnet. The literal walking, talking, bad-ass ship. Garnet is the fusion of two very small lesbian space rocks, Ruby and Sapphire, who have such extreme personalities that it’s a wonder that they would even get along, let alone fall in love. And yet they did, and I’m glad they did because their relationship is just adorable and I relish every moment that Garnet is unfused so that I can see these two cuties flirt.

Tl;dr

Garnet is made of love.

23:

The Lunar Chronicles

Wolf (Ze’ev Kesley) and Scarlet Benoit

Little Red Riding Hood has always been one of my favorite fairytales, though I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe it has to do with the fact that, aside from our local psychopaths of the sea (dolphins), wolves are my favorite animals? Whatever it is, it’s probably not the original story that gets me excited so much as seeing more modern renditions of this classic tale. Which is why I was extremely excited when I finished Cinder, a really cool dystopian sci-fi Cinderella story and moved on to the next book in the Lunar Chronicles, Scarlet. I guess I’m a sap from romances that start out with well-placed mistrust and ulterior motives but later quickly spiral out of control into a very genuine and sweet relationship, because after going through only a quarter of the book, I knew these two would be my Lunar Chronicles OTP.

This cute af fanart can be found here

 24:

The Legend of Korra

Korra and Asami Sato

I'll admit that I didn't see this couple coming when the series finale for Korra came out, but holy hell, when I looked back from season two onwards, their relationship was so well constructed and thought out. They spend so much time together, building up a close friendship (not something you'd expect from two girls that dated the same guy), and even when Korra leaves for a while to see Katara, Asami is the only person she feels comfortable writing with. Not to mention, Asami is the one taking care of Korra when she's depressed and in a wheelchair.

I heard there's a Korra comic featuring these two cuties and their adventures in the spirit world, and if it's true, then I seriously need to track that thing down because they are a seriously unexpected OTP that I just can't get enough of now.

25:

Durarara!!

Aoba and Mairu and Kururi

Now, I don’t really like these three in that typical OT3 fashion; in fact, they’re not what I call an OT3, really, since I don’t ship Mairu and Kururi together. That’d just be kinda… gross. They’re twins. That’s incest. That’s not what I want. Ew. But I do ship Aoba with Mairu at the same time that I ship him with Kururi. Which seems a little strange to me if not for the fact that I think all three of them seem like they’d be pretty straightforward, both with each other and themselves in terms of their relationships. Both of the girls have kissed Aoba, and he seems to have a bit of a soft spot for them, going as far as to tell his groupies not to mess with them when he’s clearly out to kill their older brother. Which probably isn't a problem to them, anyway, since their brother Izaya is kind of sociopathic, and they don't seem to have too good a relationship with him.

26:

Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea

Tatsumiya and Idate

Screw me. Screw this pairing. Screw freaking Mogeko for making me love this pairing so freaking much. Don’t even ask me why. Something about the cute-goody-two-shoes-girl-has-a-crush-on-the-bad-boy/serial-killer/whatever-the-hell-you-consider-the-orca thing is just really, really charming and cute to me. Hell, I think I’ll throw Rocma in there and make it an OT3, because Idate likes moms that could kick his ass, Rocma is probably bisexual with a big preference towards women- if not just a lesbian-, and Tatsumiya is the glue that holds the relationship together.

Here's this adorable fanart >

Aaaand this adorable fanart v

EDIT:

Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea/Ice Scream

Tatsumiya, Rocma, and Idate

Yes, they are the only OT3 I ever had, and the only actual OT3 I am ever likely to have. I blame the fact that orcas are polygamists, which only consecrated this head cannon of mine. Just imagine: Normal End 2 of Wadanohara. Heart-broken, Tatsumiya follows Idate back up north to live with him on Iceberg Isle, where she catches the eye of Rocma. Together, shirokuma-chan and mister orca must assist one another in making Tatsumiya a less sad person, and in the process, Rocma sees a better side to Idate, too.

... Yeah, I may already be writing a fanfiction on this. And?

27:

A Song of Ice and Fire

Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo

OK, first: I HAVE ONLY READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS AND WATCHED THE FIRST SEASON OF THE TV SHOW PLEASE DON’T SPOIL ANYTHING FOR ME.

Dany’s relationship with Drogo was nearly perfect from a writing perspective, as it gave her character room to grow and develop. Dany could have been royalty at one point or another if not for Robert Baratheon taking the throne from Aerys and effectively running the Targaryens out of Westeros, during which flee she was born on a ship sailing across a storming ocean, thus her name: Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. Because of this, despite being royalty, she never really knew what power tasted like, and she was constantly put down and belittled by her brother Viserys.  After her brother arranges a marriage for her with a Dothraki warlord (who pretty much everyone in their society viewed as being savages), she thinks that her life is just about over.

Being Khaleesi, however, granted her a much greater power than anyone could have ever imagined. While I liked the relationship between her and Drogo better in the book because he was rapey at the beginning of the TV series, both versions ended up the same: this tiny little girl made the man who never lost a single battle in his entire life her bitch, and they became so incredibly passionate about each other that Dany braided his hair for him, and they called each other pet names, and Dany named her favorite dragon after him, and Drogo declared a goddamn war across the seas that his people feared so much because some asshole decided to try killing his waifu.

If that isn’t a power couple, then I don’t know what is.

28:

Zootopia

Nick and Jody

Call me a weirdo for shipping two animals together. I don't care. If you think I'm weird for this, then you obviously haven't watched the movie.

29:

Lost

Charlie and Claire

These two are super charming to me for a couple of reasons, one of which being that you can tell just how much Charlie absolutely adores Claire from the first episode. After their plane crashes, he sees this very obviously very pregnant woman and instantly jumps in to help her out. The sheer amount of crap he's willing to go through to get her a simple jar of peanut butter is amazing. And keep in mind that Charlie is a rock star currently going through heroine addiction, but he still does so much for her out of simple care and adoration, like watching her baby and treating "turnip-head" like his own kid. Even more believable is that Charlie's feelings are one-sided for quite a while. I'm pretty sure Claire knew he had a crush on her for a while but it took her time to love him as anything more than just a supportive friend. 

30:

The Gray Garden

Etihw and Kcalb

…It’s God and the Devil. Instant power couple. Instant OTP. They win.

            The End.

And, hey, that’s my list! But I made sure to leave one thing off that I’m going to post in a few more days, on Valentine’s Day. It’s a bit more of a personal topic but one that I think is important, nonetheless, and I would really appreciate it if the kind people reading this right now would check it out.

And that's all for today! For now, feel free to share some of your OTP's with me down in the comments! I’ll see you beautiful people later!