Hello, once again! Antoni, here, aka the Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup FanFiction Critic and Recommender back with another recommendation starring the Greens and co-starring the Reds. It is called She Ain’t You written by SilverTonguedHunter and published on June 18, 2014. It’s rated T. It’s in English and the genre is Drama/Hurt/Comfort. All the characters here are in their mid-to-late teens. The Greens have struck again in this fanfic and they have been joined by the Reds. So, let’s not waste any time and get on with it, shall we? Butch, feeling like Buttercup has been inaccessible to him, as she broke up with him, decides to see other girls. However, there is one problem. They do not measure up to Buttercup’s brand of femininity, and as a resolve, he dumps his latest fling, while having coffee. The question remains if Butch really wants to rekindle with Buttercup, with Brick’s pep talk propelling him to do so. By and large, this story is simple, short, and sweet, as it is a one-shot. It did not need to complicate nor convolute things. However, if you ask me, I would’ve loved to have a little more development, as to why Butch is the way he is. The scene that really stood out to me was, undoubtedly, Brick’s pep talk to Butch, more on him later when I talk about the characters. As to be expected, it is absolutely lovely to see Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup in this particular one-shot. Butch serves as our flawed hero who can’t stand Buttercup and her indifference towards him. In spite of that, his feelings for her grow and grow, to the point where he is sick and tired of all of these insipid flings with the other girls. Despite everything they do or say to each other, he knows that Buttercup might just be his Mrs. Right, but he is hesitant to think that. Plus, it’s also nice that Butch’s impulsive nature was intact, making him all the more balanced as a character. Brick plays his role as the wiser older brother, given that he is in a stable relationship with Blossom. He makes sure that Butch does not do anything foolish or worth regretting. He serves as the only sane man to Butch’s impulsivity, which is something I find very endearing. Blossom only appears in the middle, as she and Brick were having a little session with each other departs to be in her room studying. She does keep her sweetness and diligence intact, but it would’ve been nice if she had a say on this in terms of her sister, as she has known all her life. I’m very sure she could have given Butch that extra push to go back to Buttercup so that they can rekindle their broken relationship. Speaking of Buttercup, she appears in the beginning and the end. There is no shadow of a doubt that she kept her brand of sarcasm in the first part, but it would’ve also been nice if she were given a lot more development. By and large, the story is well-woven and well-written. However, there was one grammatical I spotted near the ending and that was the phrase “much to her upset”, which should have been replaced as “much to her annoyance or displeasure”. In spite of that, I spotted no other mistakes. Overall, this was a rather nice and short Butch/Buttercup-centered fanfic. Even though it could’ve benefitted from more character development, I still think it’s a worthy read if you are a Greens fan. With that said, I give this fanfic an A. Some slight things do need to be fixed up, but otherwise, go read it. You might feel charmed by its simplicity. Well, that’s all for now. Tune in later for a Brick/Blossom-centered fanfic called Wedding Madness, which was written by crazycatmommy. Until then, this is Antoni aka the Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup FanFiction Critic and Recommender wishing you all a most pleasant day. She Ain’t You by SilverTonguedHunter
Antoni Garcia
Hey, everybody! Antoni, here, with another Powerpuff Girls fanfiction recommendation. I’ll be taking a look at Loosen up Buttercup written by xxTommiexx, published on March 26, 2013, and updated on June 24 of the same year. It’s rated T. It’s in English. It’s in 12 chapters and the main pairing is Butch/Buttercup with some hints of Brick/Blossom and Boomer/Bubbles. Other characters involved are Mitch Mitchelson, Princess Morbucks, and Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory. All the characters in the fanfic are teenagers between 17 to 18 years old, and for that, there will be swearing to be found in this fanfic. Ah, Butch and Buttercup. When it comes to fanworks involving the greens, they have an interesting dynamic. A lot of people interpret their relationship as on-and-off with a lot of belligerent sexual tension enough to give any Takahashi couple a run for their money. And boy, do I enjoy Butchercup like there’s no tomorrow. When one combines Butch’s untamed bruiser nature with Buttercup’s tomboyish bruiser cuteness, it’s certainly a fun yet dysfunctional pair up of great interest, as there is neither a dull nor syrupy moment to be found with them. One can tell that with pairings like this and Blossick it’s not easy being in a relationship and it’s no fairy tale, as things need to be patched up for reconciliation’s sakes and it takes a lot for two people to be on the same page no matter how tough or demanding circumstances may be. With that said, let’s get on to what I thought about the fanfic. Butch and Buttercup have been in a relationship for what seems to be barely a year. Prior to this, a freak accident occurred in Professor Utonium’s laboratory, which decreased Townsville’s crime rate as well as turned the Rowdyruff Boys into the side of good. Throughout the course of the story, Butch’s and Buttercup’s relationship is constantly being put to the test riddled with an old flame Buttercup had at the beginning of her high school years and abundant trust issues. Thus, causing the two to be at odds with each other, especially where Buttercup’s attitude is concerned. Meanwhile, Brick, Blossom, Boomer, and Bubbles are doing their very best to ensure that Butch’s and Buttercup’s relationship does not go haywire. This story is essentially The Powerpuff Girls meets The OC, 90210, and many other teen melodrama you can think of, given the will they or will they not situation that Butch and Buttercup find themselves in. I will give the story credit for not sugar coating how tough being in a relationship really is, as arguments will occur, trust between a couple will be tested, and there will be a tendency to be defensive when push comes to shove. The first chapter could have used an establishing paragraph to indicate where and what time does the action takes place, who are the main characters and how do they present themselves, and what is the overall mood in the beginning. Just going straight into dialogue ruins the initial world building the story has to offer. Then there is the whole reveal in the climax in terms of the Rowdyruff Boys and the Powerpuff Girls powers, which was an exposition dump of what really happened, and the possibility of a sequel, which was never made. I’m very sure xxTommiexx wanted to focus particularly on Butch’s and Buttercup’s roller coaster of a relationship, but it would’ve been nice if the whole backstory were more fleshed out from the beginning and if there were also a continuation of this whole story in the form of a separate story, as the ending, though well done, made me feel like I could have wanted more. I do have some favorite moments in this fanfic such as Buttercup adamantly telling Butch to stop smoking in both the flashback in Chapter 2 and after Butch’s beatdown with Mitch in Chapter 5, as she does care a great deal for him, in spite of her crabby outer shell. Even small moments like the flashback of her and Butch watching a soccer game, Blossom’s pep talk to Buttercup, as well as Brick’s and Boomer’s word of friendship are enough to make me feel elated. Let’s not forget about Butch’s and Mitch’s fight in Chapter 5, which I do have playing on my head. In terms of the final chapter, I am not going to spoil it, but let’s just say that it was really sweet and it put a nice smile on my face for our main couple. The characters all maintained their charm with a few tweaks. To say that Butch is the designated male hero dampens the overall quality of his characterization presented in this fanfic. He keeps his impulsive, brawns first nature to a T, yet it is coupled with his brand of nobility, sensitivity, and charm, which make him all the more lovable and diverse as a male protagonist to the point where I not only admire him but root for him as well. He is a flawed hero, who does his best to protect Buttercup from any ills, and I really love his characterization in this fanfic. It is so simple to mark Buttercup as pushy and easily defensive, but as the toughest fighter, needing help from others as well as putting her guard down are not things she is bent on doing. Some people, whether it would be Butch, Blossom, or even Mitch, call her out on it. It’s nice to see that the author kept her tough, tomboyish, fiercely independent, sarcastic yet impulsive and at times cynical front intact, and couple that with a few moments of sensitivity and relatability. I, as the reader, was completely invested with Butch’s and Buttercup’s roller coaster of a relationship. They love each other to bits, yet they break up and get back together, and it’s a crazy ride these two go through. But, like I said, their romance is not an idealistic fairy-tale, it’s real and at times raw,…
Hello once again! Antoni, or as the case may be the Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup FanFiction Critic and Recommender, here, back with another fan fiction guilty pleasure. This time, I am taking a look at another Powerpuff Girls fanfic this time involving the Rowdyruff Boys called Rowdyruffboys Apocalypse, which was written by TheUndertalker33 and last updated on June 11, 2015. It’s rated M. It’s in English, it’s in ten chapters, even though it’s left unfinished, and the main pairing is Brick/Butch. Boomer only appears in the first chapter and is never seen again throughout the rest of the story. You will find out why. Even more so, Brick and Butch are in their late teens and twenties in this fanfic. As to be expected, I am feeling rather naughty again, as there is also one thing I have to admit. While I do feel kind of titillated by having Blossom and Buttercup being paired up as lovers in fanart and fanfics, I am equally as titillated when Brick and Butch get paired up as lovers in fan works, even though they are brothers. If it were not already obvious, this is basically an RRBcest fanfic involving Brick and Butch. Before I start talking about the fanfic, in particular, I would like to reiterate that I enjoy Brick’s and Butch’s chemistry as brothers, and at times it’s not hard to see why some fan artists and fanfic writers would pair them together. Much like their counterparts, Blossom and Buttercup, these guys are the eldest of the Rowdyruff Boys, with Brick being first eldest and Butch being the second eldest. Sure, Boomer does come off as a butt monkey, as both Brick and Butch gang up on him because he’s the youngest and the dimmest, especially the former, given what was evidenced in the episode “Bubble Boy”, but, in spite of that, at least the Rowdyruff Boys work as a unit. Additionally, while Brick is the street-smart, abrasive, rough and tumble, and large-and-in-charge big brother who is unafraid of exposing so much machismo, Butch is the energetic muscle middle brother with bouts of psychosis. Thus, making them complement each other in a brotherly tough love way, with Butch obeying Brick’s every command like his most loyal pet. What is also recognizable about the both of them is that they are also completely impulsive and hotheaded bruisers. The slightest provocation would be enough to set Brick and/or Butch on a rampage, as they will get aggressively physical. Despite their machismo, there is something oddly charming about both Brick and Butch, and that is they don’t take crap from anybody and they both have strong and bombastic personalities to make them all the more enjoyable to watch, as these two have the closest brotherly bond. When it comes to writing fanfics with Brick and Butch as the main focus, it is the standard procedure for fanfic authors to make Brick the more responsible and more intelligent sibling to Butch’s impulsiveness and Boomer’s naiveté. Thus, bringing more charm, diversity, and dimension not only to the boys as individuals but also as a group, especially when teamed up with the Powerpuff Girls. Even more so, Brick would usually have his own brand of tough love to make sure his brothers do not do anything worth regretting, rash or foolish, as he does carry the burden of being the eldest of his brood. Even more so, fan artists and fanfic authors also try to tap into Brick’s secret genius side, Butch’s unique brand of charm, and Boomer’s sensitivity to make them even more heroic than what they are portrayed in the TV show. With that said, let’s get on to what I thought about this particular fanfic. The story is set in a cataclysmic location, where zombies kill people and the survivors barely stand a chance to live much further. Brick, Butch, and Boomer attack the zombies known as runners with what weapons they have. However, it is all too late for Boomer, as he is killed by one of the runners. Butch blames himself for his brother’s loss, as the two remaining Rowdyruffs have no choice but to soldier on. Along the way, Brick and Butch are doing their best to survive with what little they have and what they have to scavenge, whilst their feelings for each other grow far beyond fraternal love, as they get more intimate with each other. The way the story builds itself up was pretty well done and it knew when to put in a sex scene in the right moments rather than go at it immediately. I also liked it that it was set in an apocalyptic world, making the entire affair a survival of the fittest situation for these protagonists, as they have to survive in a world ravaged by zombies and people figuratively fighting for the last scrap of meat. However, if there is one flaw I have when it comes to the story, it has to be the fact that Boomer’s death was only imperative in the first chapter, but in the next ones, he is never mentioned again. One might think that a family member’s death would immediately hit a raw nerve on the characters like Brick and Butch and let a few more chapters or paragraphs be dedicated to honoring his legacy. However, as I read the story, it seems as though that Boomer has become an afterthought after the first chapter and he is never mentioned again. Even more so, he could’ve had a proper burial instead of just having a few words being said about his kindness and benevolence to their team. I am very sure that the author mainly wanted to focus on Brick’s and Butch’s flourishing intimacy, but it would’ve been really nice if Boomer were to have a more proper send-off with the two remaining Rowdyruffs honoring his legacy and even apologizing for all the times they have teased him. Speaking of favorite…
Hey, everybody! Antoni, here. I know I was supposed to review Verdi’s Aida live from the Kungliga Operan. However, last week, I caught a live stream production of Verdi’s Les Vepres Siciliennes live from the Bayerische Staatsoper, which I will most likely make a review of tomorrow, as I need to do some research about the opera’s plot. So, I do apologize for some delays in the reviewing schedule, as I had to deal with a Chemistry exam and I did need to catch up on rest so that I will not over-exert myself. With that said, I am feeling rather naughty right now. I just caught a Powerpuff Girls fanfic that has become a real guilty pleasure of mine, more on that later. It’s called My Dear Sister, written by Yurilover89, published on March 23, 2014, last updated on June 10 of that same year, but it’s incomplete with only two chapters. It’s rated M. It’s in English and the main pairing is…here it goes…Blossom/Buttercup. There are hints of Brick/Buttercup, Butch/Blossom, Boomer/Bubbles, and Princess Morbucks/Bubbles, however, they are only mentioned via exposition. The other character to be involved in this fanfic is Ace from The GangGreen Gang. Even more so, Blossom and Buttercup are 18 years old in this fanfic, so, please, be at ease. If it were not already obvious, this is basically PPGcest fanfic involving Blossom and Buttercup complete with some steamy action between the two. I am probably not alone when I say that although this pairing kind of titillates me on some occasions, I am sort of not a fan of having Blossom and Buttercup being lovers, given the fact that they are sisters. I am sure that there are certain people who jack off to this pairing because these two girls are sexy, but I am surely not one of them. I will gladly reiterate that I always enjoy Blossom’s and Buttercup’s tough love as sisters because these two work so well off of each other when it comes to being opposites of each other and having great dynamics whether they engage in physical combat or show genuine care for each other in spite of their differences. When one combines Blossom’s feminine grace, overall professionalism as a superheroine, her unparalleled skills as a fighter, and her genius bruiser persona, which has always made me love her so much, and Buttercup’s rough and tumble, rebellious, tough, fiercely independent yet reckless attitude, full-fledged bruiser persona, and tomboyish cuteness, which in turn has always made her so endearing, one gets a clear understanding how these two work as characters in terms of dynamics and chemistry. This is the reason why I always enjoy these two together because they have strong personalities as the older daughters of Professor Utonium and the older sisters of Bubbles. However, to pair them up as lovers in fanworks seems wrong as it serves to mainly titillate the mostly adolescent or young adult male demographic. Yet, to the fanfic writers’ and fan artists’ credit, I do fancy some kinky action going on between two of most favorite badass girls of the PPG. It could be their strong personalities that complement each other. It could be their bruiser personalities, what with Blossom being the genius one and Buttercup being the full-fledged one, that makes their interactions really exciting. Or it could just be because Blossom and Buttercup appeal to me a lot more than Bubbles, mostly because I am the eldest in my family and I look up to both of them for having each others’ backs and for being awesome older sisters to Bubbles. With that said, let’s get on to this guilty pleasure of a fanfic. After a long day, Blossom and Buttercup enter their apartment to have a bit of a rest. Their respective boyfriends, Butch and Brick, have gone off to Jamaica and Bubbles has gone to Korea with Professor Utonium for some philanthropy work, leaving the two older Powerpuffs behind. In terms of Bubbles, both Blossom and Buttercup, especially the former, feel envious of their younger sister because she is so well-loved by everyone and is openly bisexual, not only being in a relationship with Boomer but also having some “sessions” with Princess Morbucks, thus making her female partner change her ways. It all comes to a head when Buttercup proclaims her love to Blossom and vice versa, and then they consummate their said feelings of love to each other. Yes, I’m fully aware that there are some people who feel rather dirty when reading this fanfic and others who feel rather aroused seeing two girls in action, but at least it’s enjoyable in a kinky fashion. Moreover, I’m very pleased that the main characters of Blossom and Buttercup are both eighteen in this fanfic, which is definitely considered to be a legal age to be a young adult in many societies, otherwise, the author would’ve faced a lot of trouble for making the girls younger than that age. It is such a shame that this story was left incomplete for four years because I would’ve loved to see where this would all go especially when Brick and Butch are thrown in the mix, it would’ve been temptingly interesting. Butch could make love to Blossom, Brick could make love to Buttercup, Brick could also make love to Blossom, Butch could also make love to Buttercup, and we could have also had a Brick/Butch moment, culminating in a foursome. I would also like this story to have a little bit more substance in terms of character development and not just titillating the mostly male demographic. Would this story also work as a one-shot? Yes, I see why not, mostly because there were times that the story did drag due to some of the dialogue and the naughty bit scenes. For example, the two girls compliment each others’ breasts, buttocks, and naughty parts all while making love in the second chapter. Speaking of my favorite…
Three extraordinary ladies rose up to the challenge in New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. One was an American dramatic soprano who has been acclaimed for singing this punishing yet exciting tragic heroine of Elektra. The other was a gorgeous young South African spinto soprano who has made her role debut as the timid yet formidable sister, Chrysothemis. The third was an acclaimed German dramatic mezzo-soprano known for the versatility of her repertoire who has made her Metropolitan Opera House debut as the guilt- and angst-ridden anti-heroine, Queen Klytämnestra. How did these formidable singing actresses fare? Find out in this review!
Hey, everybody! Antoni, here, with another fan fiction “recommendation”, you will see why I put those quotation marks there later in this post. This time, I am taking a look at an Inuyasha fanfic called A Hint of Hope which was written by darling krash and published on January 29, 2005. It’s rated M. It’s in English and the main pairing is Inuyasha and Ayame. Other characters involved are Kouga, Ginta, Hakkaku, and one random character who appears in the end. I will say this once and I will say this again. I am no InuKag fan in the slightest. I find it annoying whenever Inuyasha and Kagome bicker constantly even though they grow closer to each other, and it does not help matters when Kagome uses the “Sit boy!” command although there were times Inuyasha did not deserve to be punished in such a fashion. There are also times that despite being the main female protagonist and showing some strength and independence as a character, Kagome will at times be the designated damsel in distress probably because the plot seems to demand it. Even at thirteen, I always thought that Inuyasha should be better off with another girl aside from Kagome, who can be as strong, tough, and courageous as Inuyasha. Enter Ayame. Even though she is a filler character and was meant to be Kouga’s bride to be, she certainly has a presence to her which makes her all the more endearing and charming as a character. Yes, she only appeared in a total of four episodes, and spoilers I am not even a fan of KogAya, mostly because Kouga seems to have a lot more interest in Kagome, despite the respective couples being married in Inuyasha: The Final Act. When all is said and done, this is all just a matter of personal tastes so InuKag, InuKik, and KogAya fans please put down your torches and pitchforks. When it comes to shipping Inuyasha and Ayame, there are traits about the both of them which I love. Both Inuyasha and Ayame are strong, tough, capable, battle-ready, fiery, and badass characters with a lot of spirited personalities. Because Ayame has been raised by the white wolf yokai tribe, she was taught to fight at such an early age, and for that, she is respected by her tribe, though Ginta and Hakkaku are rather intimidated by her. In terms of Inuyasha, he grew up in such a harsh environment where both humans and demons repudiated him because of his ********** status, due to the fact that he has a human mother and a Daiyokai father. When one puts two and two together, one has characters like Inuyasha and Ayame who have gone through a lot in their lives, faced many a hardship, and even faced loss and heartbreak, Inuyasha with Kikyo and Ayame with Kouga. In spite of the obstacles, these two remain resilient and headstrong with their goals, Ayame in trying to get Kouga to marry her to reunite their tribes and Inuyasha in obtaining the Shikon no Tama or the Shikon jewel, in order to become a full-fledged yokai. Even more so, these fighters are intrepid enough to go headfirst into battling demons and other evil spirits. I love these two so much as characters, that at times I wish they could’ve been the main couple and let Kagome be paired up with someone as thrill-seeking as Kouga or calculating as Sesshoumaru. It is also a shame that Ayame did not get as many appearances in the TV show, as she was a pretty formidable ally, who was criminally underused. With that rambling out of the way, let’s get on to what I thought about the story. Ayame is sitting by a stream pondering about Inuyasha and Kagome liking each other so much. Kouga appears not to return Ayame’s love, but to scold her for interfering with his obsession with Kagome, and he assaults her. In storms, Inuyasha defends Ayame against Kouga, wards him off, and tends to her wounds and her overall loneliness. During Inuyasha’s stay with Ayame, the two of them become closer, a bit more intimate, and their relationship blossoms even further. All the while, Kouga is all the more obsessed in terms of having a bone to pick with Inuyasha, no pun intended. By and large, the story was pretty well-woven with sufficient interest. As always, I want to spoil neither the climax nor the ending. I will say this about the latter. The ending does make me want to draw fanart of how Inuyasha looked like with his new attire when he returns to Ayame. Okay, I know I have a no-spoiler policy when it comes to doing fanfic or general reading recommendations, but I will give myself the benefit of the doubt, the ending had a nice build up, it was nicely satisfying, and it was lovely to have Inuyasha and Ayame be together. The characters who managed to steal the show for me were Inuyasha and Ayame. Inuyasha does manage to keep his tough-guy personality, though it’s backed up with a chivalrous and noble personality without going too over-the-top with it. He makes sure that Ayame gets not only the protection she needs but the love she so wholeheartedly deserves. Speaking of Ayame, she herself manages to be thoroughly enjoyable as a character. She still keeps her loyal, fierce, and strong personality, but it’s also backed up by some vulnerability to make her all the more human and relatable. Kouga took a level in jerkass in this fanfic. Yes, he was rather villainous in his debut episode when he and his wolves ransacked a village, but he immediately had a 180 when he met Kagome at such a bizarre rate. Here, I actually like how darling krash made him a little bit more villainous in terms of his jealousy, animosity, and obsession to best Inuyasha, and he served his purpose well. The other characters like Ginta, Hakkaku, and a random black wolf yokai serve their…
Angela Meade’s mighty Queen Semiramide, Elizabeth DeShong’s sterling Arsace, Javier Camarena’s dashing Idreno, and Ildar Abdrazakov’s handsome Assur lead a cast of all-star bel canto singers. Enjoy the review and let me know your opinions as well.
Hey, everybody! Antoni, here, with another fan fiction recommendation. Yes, I know I was supposed to review Rossini’s Semiramide live from the Met. However, because of my upcoming Spanish exam, I decided to postpone that said review until tomorrow evening, as after the exam, I also have to study for my upcoming Chemistry exam with some help from my private tutor. With that said, I will be taking a look at, of course, another Powerpuff Girls fanfic called, who you gonna call written by queen caffeine and published October 9, 2017. It’s rated T. It’s in English. It’s humor/friendship, and the main characters involved are Butch and Blossom, in which they have a platonic relationship as friends. There are also hints of Brick/Blossom, Butch/Buttercup, and Boomer/Bubbles. Aside from Brick, Buttercup, Boomer, and Bubbles being involved in this story, Princess Morbucks and a few extra characters make an appearance on here. The characters are all teenagers between 17 to 19 years old. Let’s get this started shall we? Aside from me being a fan of Brick’s and Buttercup’s platonic relationship as friends, I also happen to fancy Butch’s and Blossom’s platonic relationship, as all of their dynamics are really interesting, in my opinion. You will find out why, but first my thoughts on the entire story. Blossom goes about her normal day doing groceries when all of the sudden Butch attempts to call her, as something drastic happened. As she approaches her home, she sees Butch who then blurts out that Brick, Boomer, Buttercup, and Bubbles have been kidnapped. Through this revelation, an unlikely friendship is formed between the articulate, intellectual, usually composed pink Powerpuff girl and the hyperactive, big shot, tough dark green Rowdyruff boy. Thank goodness that not all hope is lost, as tracking devices were placed on Buttercup and Bubbles so that they can find their location via computer. Blossom initially wants to do this rescue mission alone, but Butch charmingly lends his aid to her, making her at first reluctant but she relents. After some expert-level hacking through different systems, Blossom finds out that Brick, Boomer, Buttercup, and Bubbles are on a huge ship in different cells, where they are deprived of their powers, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, and they were kidnapped by none other than Princess Morbucks. So, our two main protagonists suit up, head off to rescue them, and stop Princess. I’m not going to spoil the rest, but let’s just say that the climax has sufficient action and tension to make it interesting and it’s nice to our heroes kicking loads of butt, especially Blossom and Buttercup. Although the ending was satisfying, I would’ve wanted to see what happened after the final battle. Maybe we could’ve seen Boomer waking up and having a moment not only with Bubbles but the rest of the Puff and Ruff gang, that would’ve been sweet. However, as it is, the story has a sufficient amount of humor, charm, action, and enjoyment to make it an interesting and fun ride. In terms of characters, it should be no surprise that for the most part, Blossom was in character with a few moments, where she kind of swore but not on the sailor-mouth level like Brick, Butch, Buttercup, and Princess. She manages to keep her levelheaded nature to a T and she had her deadpan snarker moments, which made her all the more entertaining as an individual character. Complimenting Blossom’s levelheadedness is Butch’s charmingly lovable idiot jock, big shot personality. Alone, he too is extremely entertaining, being at times the chivalrous pervert to not only Blossom but, of course, to Buttercup. Even more so, he has his sarcasm and hilarity to make him all the more charming. He even blurts out the relationship status for each of their respective siblings, like Boomer and Bubbles officially dating for Lord knows how long, Butch being completely convinced that Buttercup wants him even though she is rather annoyed by him, and Brick and Blossom have a lot of unresolved sexual tension to the point where she is defensive about it. When one puts these two characters together, they are not only entertaining but also pretty good teammates, with Blossom being the savvy, articulate, composed technician and genius bruiser and Butch being the muscle and the impulsive yet lovable idiot big shot jock. These two definitely have some funny moments of dialogue where on the outside they show sass and irony but deep down one can tell that they care for each other as friends. I even enjoy how Butch calls Blossom “Rapunzel”, mostly due to her attractiveness and her long hair. Princess Morbucks and her troupe of guards serve their purpose as the big bads of the story, as she uses her master plan to lure Butch and Blossom to their fellow Ruffs and Puffs almost to perfection. The other characters also serve their purpose very well, like Brick keeping his impulsive and sardonic nature, Buttercup keeping her tsundere and tough girl edge, Bubbles keeping her sweet nature, and Boomer…Well, he passed out for the duration of this story. So, overall the characters were, as always, lovable and interesting with Butch and Blossom stealing the show all thanks to their fun character dynamics. Now with such praise, I have to give this story in terms of build-up and characters, one would think this is perfect right? Sadly, no. There were definitely some technical issues to be found, most especially in the grammar. First of all, the title’s first letters should have been capitalized, as it is the standard protocol when it comes to writing. Secondly, when dialogues are not involved, the story is written in present tense, when it should have been past tense. For anyone who aspires to write stories, please, use the past tense, as they indicate what the characters did. How this story was written seemed more like a script than a piece of fan fiction or even a book. Third, there were times that…
Hey, everybody! Antoni, here, with another fan fiction recommendation. As promised, it’s another Powerpuff Girls fanfic involving Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup called Cheater Cheater Heartbreaker! written by kuku88 and published back on August 28, 2013. It’s rated T. It’s in English. It’s romance/drama, and the main couples are Butch/Buttercup and Brick/Blossom. There are hints Brick/Buttercup and Butch/Blossom, but it’s mostly platonic. Other characters involved are Boomer, Bubbles, Brute from the Powerpunk Girls, Bunny from the episode Twisted Sister who is thankfully revived in the fanfic, and Dexter and Mandark from Dexter’s Laboratory. There are also some original characters to be found in the forms of the other Rowdyruffs, Bandit, Blaster, Braker, and the other Powerpuffs, Banana, and Bliss, the latter one not being the one from the PPG 2016 reboot. Even more so the characters in this story are teenagers, roughly 16 to 18 years old so there will be some curse words like the F- and S-words, the former being slightly more dominant. Now, we are venturing into the less fluffy direction from Aqua Bailarina 15’s Sugar Song to A Bitter, Yet Sweet Step and head to something a bit more melodramatic. Before I begin talking about the fanfic’s melodrama aspect, I would like to mention that I’m sure in the previous fanfic it would have been also cool to see Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup form their own J-Rock, Alternative, or Rock band that would give the likes of ABBA and even the A-Teens a run for their money. With that little detail out of the way, let’s get on to what I thought about this fanfic. And for those who asked, this is what I meant by this story being melodramatic, almost akin to a teen soap opera, but not as far-fetched nor over-the-top. The story starts off as Buttercup scolds Butch, whom she has dated for three months and counting, and wants to call off their relationship, as he made out with her evil counterpart, Brute from the Powerpunk Girls, during her, her sisters’, and Brute’s birthday party. In Butch’s defense, he states that he was horribly drunk, as he though Brute was Buttercup and he was in under so much pressure with Buttercup’s expectations for him to be the best boyfriend. Buttercup not wanting to hear Butch’s excuses storms off to her home, where Blossom, Bubbles, Bunny, Bliss, and Banana try to comfort her. Because of the breakup’s impact, Buttercup then ends up crying in her bedroom, until Blossom’s boyfriend, Brick, arrives. As Blossom’s boyfriend and Buttercup’s closest friend, he also comforts her and even stated that he tried to stop Butch’s excessive drinking, but he was unfortunately stubborn. Buttercup grows feelings for Brick, as he is deemed Blossom’s perfect boyfriend. Thus, she uses him to break his relationship with Blossom and get back at Butch. However, Brick is befuddled by how she is reacting, and he proceeds to go to Blossom, as they have a study session. He reassures Buttercup that he, her sisters, and the rest of his brothers are there for her and he knows that Butch does need help in rekindling his relationship with her. Meanwhile, Butch is still awfully guilt-ridden about the incident and starts to suspect that Brick is getting much closer to Buttercup than any friend should. Whilst Blossom is doubting Brick’s fidelity towards her, as he starts to become Buttercup’s tutor in physics, and she cannot stand the thought of her boyfriend cheating on her with her own sister. I’m not going to spoil the rest of the story, but how it builds up shows that there is almost a love square going on between Brick, Blossom, Butch, and Buttercup, more appropriately of how even though Butch and Buttercup broke up, she then ends up having her eyes on Brick, even though he is faithfully dating Blossom. Of course, there is also a fair amount of bickering and suspicions going on between the four main protagonists due to misunderstandings, and the pattern seems to build. At least I will give the climax and the ending some kudos for alleviating the ongoing melodrama and resolving the story with a happily ever after, especially for our main stars Butch and Buttercup as well as Brick and Blossom. There were also some instances where flashbacks were used and they were done in the right moments. The character that really takes the cake here in this fanfic is Buttercup. Her impulsive nature is kept nicely intact as well as her tsundere edge, and I have to give kuku88 credit for keeping her characterization as it is. However, Buttercup in this fanfic also has the tendency to be manipulative, especially when it came to that break-up she had with Butch, as she tries to get her hands on Brick. Sure, it is not common for her to think about being lovey-dovey, but she always knew in her heart that Butch is not only her equal in terms of being counterparts but also someone she admires and adores so much because he is handsome, strong, and independent in his own way. In Butch’s case, I really like his characterization here. He is usually written by other fanfic authors as violent, a pervert, or even a psycho, but I love the route kuku88 was able to take him. What we have is a misunderstood and flawed male protagonist whose actions are rash and ill-timed but he still has enough loyalty, humanity, and compassion to make things right with Buttercup. Even more so, Butch has this charm which makes him all the more appealing as a character that I actually enjoy his presence. With Brick, it should be no doubt that I love the platonic sensible older brother and impulsive younger sister relationship he has with Buttercup. Given that he is her closest friend in this story, he does his best to support Buttercup and completely understands the situation she and Butch are in. Because of his act of kindness to…
Hey, everybody! Antoni, here, with another fan fiction recommendation. Today, I’m taking a look at a Powerpuff Girls fanfic, Sugar Song to A Bitter, Yet Sweet Step! written by Aqua Bailarina 15, published back on November 27, 2015, and updated on March 26, 2016. It’s rated T. It’s in English. It has two chapters, one with the main story or more appropriately one-shot and the other with another author’s note, and the main character pairings are Brick/Blossom and Butch/Buttercup. Other characters involved in the story, though not as prominent, are Boomer, Mitch Mitchelson, Bubbles, and Robin Snyder. This entire story takes place in a middle school setting, so the characters are approximately 13 to 14 years old, as they are in the eighth grade. Let’s get this started shall we? Ah, the Powerpuff Girls. For those of you who watched my look back on ‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas, you will know that ever since I was a lad of seven years old, I was so excited to catch this show on Cartoon Network, considering the fact that it had two pilot shorts on The What a Cartoon Show, which a caught a year ago before the main show premiered in the Philippines, sometime during summer. I am still so happy to call myself a PPG fan to this day, as it is perched alongside my all-time favorite Cartoon Network shows, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Samurai Jack, Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Dexter’s Laboratory, Codename: Kids Next Door, Chowder, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Regular Show. I am really looking forward to reviewing the original Powerpuff Girls because Craig McCracken and his crew made something unique, fun, endearing, absolutely high-octane, and something worth remembering until the end of time. Now in terms of the Powerpuff Girls’ rogues gallery, there is no other group of villains to get as much popularity as The Rowdyruff Boys consisting of Brick the hot-tempered leader, Butch the extremely violent one, and Boomer the dim one. They were initially created by Mojo Jojo with the help of snips of armpit hair, snails, and a dog’s tail from, of course, The Talking Dog. As an ersatz for Chemical X, he flushed the ingredients down a toxic toilet and thus, The Rowdyruff Boys were born. Yes, in their debut episode their personalities were almost similar to each other that they came off as angrier, nastier counterparts to the Powerpuff Girls. However, if you take that characterization aspect aside, they were completely on par with the girls in terms of power, that they almost defeated them. The Rowdyruff Boys do prove themselves to be formidable enemies to the girls and their episode was the second to the last one of the first season. Just when Mojo Jojo and the boys were gloating at their presumed triumph, Miss Bellum gave a pep talk to the girls saying that they can use their feminine charms to defeat the boys. From there, the viewers are then treated to the most famous scene, which has cemented the whole RRB/PPG pairing frenzy, the kissing scene. Blossom kisses Brick, Bubbles kisses Boomer, and Buttercup kisses Butch. With that, the boys exploded. These little bastards were so popular that they were even revived in Season 5 to 6. In their returning episode, The Boys are Back in Town, HIM resurrected them with a cootie shot and the boys’ personalities are not only more defined with Brick’s impulsive, mean-spirited, and hot-tempered nature, but also Butch’s bouts of psychosis, bloodlust, overall insanity, and undying loyalty to Brick as the middle brother, and Boomer’s dim-witted yet infantile nature as the youngest, as there were times that he was used as Brick’s and Butch’s punching bag evidenced in Bubble Boy. Sure, the boys’ personalities during their revival came off as obnoxious, jerkish, and irredeemable, but they were still very entertaining as characters. Heck, in The City of Clipsville, there was one scene where the Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys were teenagers and they seemed to have a thing for each other. While that scene was interesting and kind of funny, I felt like they were all robbed of their distinctive personalities, as the girls acted more like clueless valley girls and the boys acted more like laid-back slackers. Speaking of RRB/PPG pairings, my goodness a lot of fan-related pieces are all over the web, mostly due to the whole bad boy/good girl pairings are very much all the rage and there is so much appeal. As for me, I really love this particular pairing. Sure, it’s not canon in the TV show given the fact that the Rowdyruff Boys and the Powerpuff Girls are between 5 to 6 years old. However, if this show continued with the girls and boys as tweens or teens, I’d say they would all go a different route. The boys would be very fed up with both Mojo Jojo and HIM telling them what to do and how to be evil, and they would eventually find their own paths, all the while realizing that maybe they were in the wrong, to begin with. They would develop from being villains to anti-villains to anti-heroes at most heroes at the least. I am really sure that among Brick, Butch, and Boomer, the latter would really turn to the good side and have an amazingly stable relationship with Bubbles. Heck, it would be amazing to see the Rowdyruff Boys team up with the Powerpuff Girls and be a great superhero team to rival that of the Teen Titans, the Justice League, the Suicide Squad, and the Avengers. I indubitably support Boomubbles with a passion, but I also enjoy Blossick and Butchercup, mostly because fanfic writers will tend to make their relationships a little bit more complex in comparison to the sentimental, lovey-dovey vibe of the youngest lovebirds Boomer and Bubbles. The usual case with Brick and Blossom in fanfics would be these two will have a will they or will they not type of relationship, and because they…