The End of High Guardian Spice

[@c-puff]

I forgot to add it to the credits; The music used during the interlude is "Natural Flow" by Bingo Miki and the Galaxy Orchestra. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnfHq4umi8x2rtE

[@crowravencorvenrow]

What remix did you use for Wake Me Up?

[@QueenAleenaFan]

The Murder hobo professor DEFINITELY would not have said, "it's not your fault, Sage." She would have, instead, said, "First kill? Yep, it feels the best the first time," and then cackle like a loon.

[@gtf234]

They really wasted her considering they had Barbara Goodson playing her, ie Rita Repulsa. Not nearly letting her chew the scenery enough to be fun and charming so the character just comes off as unpleasant to listen to.

[@HateshWarkio]

Redbud needs a whole bunch of rewriting They literally made the oldest and the most nature related professor into a New Magic enforcer and I honestly can't believe that If it was up to me, I would 100% make the whole "fuck the students, we all die anyway" persona into a cover up. Redbud would essentially be the old Guardian who has been through a lot of shit and knows stuff that she would force the young students to adapt quickly because she realizes that those who are way too weak will end up dying. So she would be caring but it would come out as being rough and tough on the students I would also make her the bastion for Old Magic users because of the whole Potion and Herbalism classes since she would just be more in tune of the Old Magic rather than the New Magic. Yeah it would cut out whole lot of Sage's "arc" but it's honestly so piss poor anyway that the less the better

[@meridaskywalker7816]

@@HateshWarkioYour concept reminds me of Mad-eye Moody

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@HateshWarkio i never thought about it but yeah she’s old so why does she advocate for new magic so much considering she had so much experience with both magics since she would have to be a teacher.

[@Takejiro24]

I unironically love her. Yeah, she should not be teaching kids (or, frankly, anyone at all) but she brings such personality and charm when I see her.

[@guardianHQ]

I think its funny that theres a demon summoning ritual that a 14 year old girl can just access. Imagine if an edgy kid got ahold of that a summoned a demon in the middle of the dormitory. Granted this is the same school that dispenses laser weapons out of glorified gumball machines so i guess safety isn’t their primary concern

[@c-puff]

A plot about an edgy emo kid summoning a demon at this school would probably have made for a better episode. I mean... _I_ would watch it.

[@guardianHQ]

@@c-puff thats true

[@c-puff]

@@guardianHQ Also someone mentioned you recommended my videos, so thank you!

[@Impacatus]

@@c-puff Count me as one more person here because of Guardian HQ

[@guardianHQ]

@@c-puff oh yeah your vids on high guardian spice are some of the best I’ve seen. They deserve way more views

[@afieldofroses]

"no Rosemary, don't bring your sword underwater, it wont be useful! Parsley, you can keep your giant hammer heavy enough to shatter the bones in someone's foot if it was thrown from barely 4 feet in the air, it'll work great as an *underwater* weapon." - -Raye Rodrigues- Caraway

[@cheeto.burrito]

It's so weird to me for someone to think "these are my OCs, no I don't have a story for them" because for me it's always "these are my OCs, here is their story". And I will have for you, at least ten paragraphs of worldbuilding that I stayed up all night working on because that is the fun part of writing OCs. Writing doesn't need budget if you do the writing before you pitch, I've gotta say it.

[@c-puff]

Completely agree, and I think that is the big major fail point to High Guardian Spice as a concept. I'll try and think it over a little more and see if I can put a coherent thought to it to put in the final thoughts.

[@BlueBlazeKing]

True I for me I usually have a backstory and personality for my OC’s before actually creating the designs.

[@Impacatus]

Yeah, that's bizarre. He's had these characters for years and years, and believed in them so much that he went around pitching a show about them, but never gave any thought to the world they inhabit in all that time? It's discouraging how sometimes it seems like the biggest predictor of professional success is narcissism. He got this job that he was totally unqualified for simply because he refused to believe it.

[@tatanooki]

If he has a lot of OC like that without a proper story, just make a fighting game or heck a gacha game instead of a show

[@TroySpace]

OCs are basically little comfort dolls you make. You pour your idealised self into them. You coddle them and let nothing bad happen to them. They can never grow because of that. They are the kind of kids' cartoon characters that we grow out of. Literary characters are the opposite. They are the embarassing, negative, messy aspects of yourself that you throw into terrible situations. Shinji from Evangelion is who he is because Hideaki Anno suffered depression, and wanted to convey the experience. (Asuka too also suffers from it). A lot of people take this to mean "write your trauma" and just have people be pointlessly bad/weak. Vulnerability is the kindling which breathes life into your characters. You relate to them *because* they are real and messy and interesting and flawed. Not because they look like you or because they are perfect.

[@MorningDusk7734]

You know what would have been more interesting AND more aligned with how actual schools worked? If first years were only allowed to use old magic. So, while all the other students who come from new magic homes are getting pissed that they can't just use new magic, Sage is excelling and feeling good because she came from an old magic home. Then, the second year of school introduces new magic, and all the kids take to it really well, except for Sage. Now, it's not about old vs new magic, it's about Sage's reluctance to branch out from what she's good at.

[@QueenAleenaFan]

As someone with anxiety: having a problem is not an excuse. I've lashed out in anger because of being scared before...but the fact I have a problem MEANS that I have to work HARDER to control myself. It's not an excuse to be out of control.

[@lapislotus2195]

Based

[@X0.LA_BRAVA.X0]

We love a queen that takes accountability

[@Hermititis]

"Slapping Barbies made out of tropes together" was such a good, evocative phrase.

[@KoongYe]

Funny how the creator of the show blatantly denies the only relationship that would work(Amaryllis x Snapdragon) and tease the worst relationship possible(Rosemary x Sage). Goes to show how out of touch the creator is.

[@thexp905]

35:00 YES! THANK YOU! I've heard so many people touting it as a good scene for toxic masculinity, and all I could see, was a father trying to encourage his son to stand up for himself. It's literally a great example of the OPPOSITE of what they wanted. (Something that can be said about a lot of scenes in HGS)

[@warrockenjoyer2170]

Ironically they made Snap's dad to be a great father. He teaches him a good lesson to stand up for himself, protect what's his, praises him for doing it and sees him as having potential in the future with it.

[@ayal92]

He still didnt address his older son being a bully tho

[@warrockenjoyer2170]

@@ayal92 True, true.

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@ayal92 slightly irresponsible but trying. Not the awful dad the show wants to paint him still. 😅

[@fermintenava5911]

​@@CompSomAnichi Why do you think the show wants to portray him as horrible? That's exactly the kind of well-meaning insensitivity that's common for fathers sometimes. They don't realize that their sons' personal wants can be as important as what society needs them to be.

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@fermintenava5911 I think the problem is that the show doesn't t clarify if it was suposed to be - well meaning but insensitve so it hurts Snap in that way or - mean and being toxically masculine so it hurts Snap in THAT way like yes, what you said is also valid, but the problem is that the show in unclear in its intention on WHY he's horrible, if he's horribel at all because I cannot tell and it's more up to interpretation

[@StrawberryCocoaPowder]

One thing that bothers me is that Sage calls Rose a “natural leader”. Um, you mean AMARYLLIS, the girl who actually helped out the students stuck in the room by giving orders? In the same episode?! No really, why do they write SIDE CHARACTERS better than the main characters?! Also, Raye didn't even have a concrete STORY when pitching this show...for five years?? That explains a lot

[@Netro1992]

I think that's because they weren't directly written by the showrunners but some secondary dude who just used their brain.

[@Muna-Jlore0997]

rose is not a good leader throughout most of it. she just mainly goofs around. in the cave episode, rose doesn't plan a way to get out of the cave-in, so, her only idea is to play truth and dare, instead of planning an escape.

[@justsomeartist8895]

If they wanted to give Mandrake a reason to not just murder Rosemary on the spot despite how murder happy he is, considering the twist at the end, why didn’t they just make him her Uncle or something? Have him switch gears the second he hears that Rosemary is Lavender’s daughter and establish that she is the only one he cares about capturing alive. Maybe he initially rationalizes it that Rosemary could be potentially converted to their cause, whatever that may be, only for the plot twist at the end to reveal that Lavender is his sister and he’d been trying to bring her daughter/his niece into the fold of their evil shenanigans. That not only solves the ‘can’t murder the main character’ thing, but would actually give Mandrake a smidgen of character depth in that, even if he’s a murder happy edgelord, he does care about his blood relatives in his own twisted way.

[@QueenAleenaFan]

"Why would any of you choose to walk into this nightmare?" At this point I've seen so much of the show through reviews that I think I'm addicted to seeing if someone else has a new take, or an old take but with a different spin.

[@jcudejko]

Yeah I'm kinda addicted to seeing what people think about this car wreck. I guess I'm finding the reactions useful as in how not to make a story

[@QueenAleenaFan]

This is arguable, but Snapdragon's dad is teaching him a valuable lesson. There will be people in this world who cannot be reasoned with. Given how High Guardian Academy is basically an atavist society where one of the teachers will try to kill you, I think Snapdad is one of the best parents in the setting. He's not absentee, out of communication with his only child, and he doesn't even take the rabbit from Snap (or kill it) like a proper abusive father would. Cal joked about the fact that Snapdragon was his 'father's daughter' to pick on Snap's insecurities, but I think if Snap came back as a girl and explained it to Snapdad, Snapdad would be confused but supportive. Truth be told, I think Snapdad is the kind of person who just wants the best for his children. How do the writers make people who they want to be strawmen into better characters than the characters they like? EDIT: Watched a bit further in the video after getting back from the store, and having some whiskey. I would go further than to say, "the show doesn't want us to believe violence is a good thing." (which it fails at, obviously) High Guardian Academy alone has shown us that violence is necessary to survive in this world. Even Sage and Parsley end up having to fight when the school is threatened by a lone attacker. I can assume that when wars happen, everyone, even weaklings like Slime Boy, get called to arms. Even if violence is bad in this setting, it's also necessary. I love Snapdad even more. Might be the alcohol talking, though.

[@eldritchabomination9726]

If I may add, since Snapdragon was really young in that flashback, the show could've explained his outburst as misunderstanding his father's lesson of "use violence if needed to protect yourself and your things" as "violence is good", that way it still allows for the boat scene while making Snapdad be reasonable

[@veebot75]

It isn’t arguable. Snapdragon’s father was trying to teach him a valuable lesson, only looking out for his son, but because this is a propaganda piece written by diversity hacks, they made him the villain for being a big buff heterosexual man.

[@mpd1732]

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed the meta weirdness of the writers not knowing or agreeing on who to "ship" Sage with...

[@c-puff]

You know I never thought about it that way but you might be onto something, that some writers actively disagreed with who they wanted to ship with who.

[@mpd1732]

@@c-puff It also definitely seemed by the end of the show that Sage was the writers' favorite character. Especially with some of her more toxic traits and dialogue that may have come about from author favoritism blindness.

[@c-puff]

@@mpd1732 It's so hard not to bring the real life writers into this, but based on things I have read about the head writers from people who have worked with them in the past... some of them really do operate on the "I am sad and have anxiety so you can't criticise me or you're bullying" mentality. I am trying SO HARD not to bring real life into these videos but it's hard sometimes 😩

[@incineroar9933]

It would have landed a touch better if the curtains were closed. Keep Amaryllis' lines the same, but have her open the curtains while she talks, only to be greeted with a crack of thunder and heavy rain

[@inarifox8912]

I believe Rose's decision to kill the dragon is supposed to be like a leader taking responsibility for what happened. They are trying to make the four girls into a team with Rose the defacto leader. However I don't think this works because, as far as I am aware, I haven't seen the series, the four girls aren't a team. They are just four "friends" that get paired together on missions.

[@c-puff]

Pretty much. They only do things together because they're friends, or like in the dragon episode, they just HAPPEN to be the only 4 students left standing when Snapdragon broke his wrist and Cal was sent home. Most of the time the only reason Thyme joins them is because Parsley drags her along.

[@Impacatus]

I agree that the father in Snapdragon's flashback didn't come off as toxic. The thing is, what he was teaching wasn't how to be a man, it was how to be a warrior. Does Snapdragon think Rosemary or Parsley wouldn't have stood up to a bully with violence? There's no indication that Snapdragon doesn't want to be a warrior, so why is teaching him to defend himself a bad thing? It's part of a larger pattern I see of real world prejudices existing in the shows world only when the writers want to make a statement about them. In a world where women like Lavender are famous Guardians and have been at least a three generations back judging from the age of the homicidal teacher, why would Parsley's parents think that women belong in the kitchen? Why would Aster expect Rosemary to be less capable? It's just one more example of the writers having put no thought into the world and just throwing in anything they wanted to see. Sometimes that was women existing as equals in the world, and sometimes that was women overcoming a prejudiced world.

[@nyantodamax145]

The thumbnail- Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, Lines 25-27: "That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury," Perfect explanation of High Guardian Spice--

[@KeybladeMasterAndy]

I just realized they had the opportunity to punish Cal in a funny way by making him help that crazy teacher until the mission is over.

[@guardianHQ]

1:26:37 this part right here is funny to me because sage uses a knife to cut her hair and later amaryllis is wondering when she had time to get a haircut. Yet in episode 3 sages goes out of her way to state that cutting your hair is one of the things that new magic can do. I guess the writers threw that line in as a joke and completely forgot about it.

[@c-puff]

Maybe because she's so bad at new magic she always carries this knife with her in case she ever faced a hair cutting emergency.

[@MrAuthor3DS]

@@c-puff This is actually something I didn't realize for a while, but it's the knife that Olive took from Mandrake (and stabbed him with). Huh, pretty convenient that she was the one to hold onto it.

[@DynamiteRaven]

Am I the only one who thinks that Mandrake was going to turn out to be a secret brother of Rosemary? This show is very deliberate about hair color, and look at the one brother in the first episode. On top of that Lavender for some reason has authority over Mandrake's fate, which he seems to acknowledge. I can't help wondering if Mandrake being surprised about the Lavender in Witch Country comment wasn't for the reasons we thought. It could be that Mandrake didn't kill Rosemary because she was his sister, though for practical reasons and not emotional. Maybe I am giving the writers too much credit but my head cannon is that the second season would have picked up with that exact same scene and the pronouncement of "Execution" would have been followed with "But Moooom~" Tell me that wouldn't be exactly the kind of trope this show would pull, lol

[@CompSomAnichi]

I'm kinda hoping this would have been thought of, but I'm pessimistic and think they just gave him that hair because he and Lavender come from the same country or something like that.

[@elinasakura]

Honestly, same here. If I actually rewrite this show, I would combine Mandrake and her actual brother into one character because honestly the brother from ep 1 is pretty much nonexistent and can easily be removed. Also, I love sibling dynamics and I kind of want to see that with Rose and Mandrake (bc they seem so close at age), but that’s just my thoughts and opinions.

[@darragh4513]

“ It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”

[@CompSomAnichi]

I can't believe another reiview has made me realize that a character meant to be hated is actually not as bad as HGS tried to present, which was Snap's dad.

[@i_s_u-c_l_o_n_e637]

Did you think he was bad? I struggle to find how one would do so.

[@TaoScribble]

The first time I heard of that scene was seeing it in full context, so the pan towards Snap's angry face at the end of the flashback and learning that Snap included his dad as being a horrible person was serious whiplash. I was like, "Wait, I'm supposed to think he's _bad??"_

[@cakefrosting6451]

I can’t even see why Snap’s dad should be even hated at all

[@DespairDoctor]

I never hated Snapdragon's dad, I mean his logic is exactly why parents enroll their children in martial arts classes, trying to teach their kids not to be pushovers and fight for what's theirs.

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@DespairDoctor True, but like the show wanted you to kind of hate him or at least go "he's so awful to Snapdragon" and I never gave him much thought until this review. Also yeah, the way he's written is not someone to be hated/doesn't seem mysoginistic. Heck, even Cal comes off as childish and I remember people thinking the blonde guy Rosemary had a crush with is neurodivergent.

[@gamebawesome]

Add a 12 point to Thyme's idiotic plan. 12. With ALL magic that exists, where you can make portals, magic bubbles, flight, transformation, and in case immortality. With people going on about how New Magic can do anything... there isn't single one where you can make a call to someone that doesn't involve summoning a demon?

[@c-puff]

If you can make a castle made out of sausages out of nothing, couldn't you just poof a healing potion into existence?

[@TroySpace]

Or even... writing a letter? For some reason they have funiculars powered by orc labour so the old non-magic ways must still exist...

[@MrAuthor3DS]

Sadly, there might actually be a logical reason she wouldn't use any New Magic methods to contact him: "I don't mess with that shit." ...Then again, in the same episode, she didn't seem to mind at all that Amaryllis finished their group's pruning with New Magic.

[@kyuubisgirl3232]

Raye should’ve just made a slice of life or something. Just because you like mahou shoujo and Harry Potter doesn’t mean you can write it. If you just want to doodle your ocs pining or smooching and don’t even care enough to make your world make sense, then just set your story in the real world and make your ocs pine then smooch. So many creative people could’ve made a good 12 episode story but they gave it to the diversity scapegoats with no talent. Edit: oh wow you said everything I thought lol

[@c-puff]

XDDD great minds think alike!

[@innomi4343]

This probably won't get seen but I just noticed that Caraway is using old magic to heal the sea dragon when he could "boost it" with his terrasphere

[@c-puff]

Yeah I noticed that too which is.... just weird. just all of it is weird and "but why tho?"

[@awsomegirlpower476]

Late to the party but that Caraway scene talking about being trans with Snapdragon doesn't sit right with me. While Snap said he didn't want to have a beard or be hairy and etc, that doesn't automatically make him trans, it can literally mean that he doesn't want to be hairy or traditionally masculine. Caraway is biased towards him being trans because of his experience being a trans man, but that doesn't mean Snap is a trans woman. When it comes to convos like this people, despite hating labels, are ready to say "oh your actually a boy" to a girl if she like boy/traditional masculine things and say "you're actually a girl" to a guy who likes girlish/traditional things yet hate when people reinforce gender stereotypes. Ik many people say Snap is trans but I don't see that because 1) feminine men can have the same feelings and want to be men NOT be women. 2) they butchered the damn storyline so bad that if they wanted it to be Snap to be trans, it doesn't make sense due to #1. 3) there is no nuance to the situation. There isn't a mention of "you can be a man but be feminine too" but there's a "you don't like these manly things, therefore you are a girl in a boy's body." Caraway came to the conclusion for Snap instead of giving him options and a time to think. Men can still be men even though they're wearing nail polish (since Amarilys was painting his nails at the end) and crossdress. Caraway pushing that on him not only reinforces stereotypes and pushes a narrative instead of allowing nuanced convo, but can also be seen as an adult forcing their views as a child which doesn't help since there is an uproar from parents about teachers doing this type of thing. Sorry if I sound so heated. As a writer who watches the full show, this is one of the things that pissed me off about it. Topics like this should have nuance instead of being forced in a direction to open a Convo among the characters and audiences. It was just a lecture without room for other opinions.

[@c-puff]

Actually you raise a VERY good point. I could never really figure out why people called this grooming because I had this idea that people were making assumptions about gay men and "grooming minors" which is a very complex and difficult subject matter. But you pointing out how this actually reinforces tradition gender roles actually FINALLY helped me understand this criticism! Because you're absolutely right :/ I have some ideas why the writers of this particular show might have been so quick to tell a character "you're not a boy" but I'd rather not get insulting about it or make personal assumptions 💦

[@awsomegirlpower476]

@@c-puff No worries! If they wanted him to transition, it's their story, they can do whatever they want. If anything they could have had Snap have access to the potion after being dropped off/before meeting the gang so they'd think he was a girl. Since Caraway mentioned he has to take the potion once a month (and in a world of magic, shapeshifting spells should be accessible as a candy bar), there could be something where Snap couldn't take it (like a mission running too long or something) or purposely didn't (like Parents weekend or something similar) and the convo can start there. That would get the point across and Snap's arc make sense. Or they could go the femboy route where other chars like Parnell (the one with the curly hair and the pink eyes) could talk about their experience being a guy but still enjoying feminine things (if I'm right about Parnell being a boy, could be trans idk 😅). Or a mix of both so Snap can learn more about himself and come to a conclusion that makes sense to the viewers. If anything, ik the pre-production process for the show was a mess (there was no story when this got picked up so that's the reason for all of these narrative issues are here). I bet if it came in with a story or people were more focused on creating a cohesive story and characters that fit the story this would be a different Convo.

[@anfhe]

i'm even later to the party since i only found out about this vid now, but i agree with everything you said, but as a nonbinary person the implementation of snapdragon being trans was personally really frustrating to me because it reminded me of my own gender journey. like, adding on to what you already said, even if snapdragon doesn't wanna be a man, that doesn't automatically mean snapdragon wants to be a woman! it just gets me so heated because it reminded me of my own gender struggles growing up, and every other youtube vid i've watched keeps talking about snapdragon being trans, why won't snapdragon just transition since transition magic is so easy, etc, because the showrunners themselves told us all that snapdragon is trans! it's so frustrating that the show made by a transman who was so proud about how inclusive his show is fumbled so much about snapdragon.

[@trumpeterjen]

First 11 episodes: Trans magic is presented as rare and tricky but totally okay Episode 12: Mandrake effortlessly shape-shifts into a woman to do evil things

[@MrAuthor3DS]

Yup, this is why mixing literal and allegorical themes into the same subject rarely works.

[@QueenAleenaFan]

Regarding Snapdragon and Carroway's involvement in this episode. Here is what they should have done with most of this episode: 1. Fix the trans scene way way way way way back near the start. Rosemary lives in a magical world. Almost everyone has probably heard of the transition magic (at least in the magical community, for sure). Whether you have legitimate interest or just want to walk on the other side, a month long commitment is, compared to the real life equivalent, a drop in the bucket. Hell, given it's possible to change your body with a monthly commitment, I'm surprised there aren't transformation 'addicts' who want to morph their body in different ways. Want to be a centaur for a month? I bet we got a potion for that! 2. Have Carroway and Snapdragon go under the water (and heal Snap's hand because he's still a useful combat asset), but have Carroway force him to remain in a supporting role to teach him the importance of restraint (Carroway doesn't really seem to care that Snap attacked his bully. Hell, maybe he engineered the situation to see how Snap would react on purpose?). I don't know, Carroway being more than an info dumper and an actual sensei to his students might be a good idea. 3. Merman transformation for Snapdragon and Carroway, because not only do people want to see that but Snapdragon's transformation could actually turn him into a mermaid or mermaid looking merman and maybe that sparks discussion/comment/drama. 4. Have Snapdragon ask Carroway about transition magic, something he (reasonably should) know of, but has never had access to personally. It makes it less...creepy when Carroway isn't the one who initiates the discussion to a minor who is NOT in the place to make informed decisions. They took everything else in this show slow. They can take this slow. 5. Have Snap and Carroway try to assist in fighting the Dragon when the girls start messing up, but Mandrake ambushes them and injures Snapdragon (maybe he's the one who made the dragon go out of control?). While Carroway's tending to him, Sage goes out of control in a panic (because she saw Snapdragon get hit) and the rest of the episode goes normally. This can tie back into teaching Snapdragon restraint (maybe have Snapdragon rush Mandrake and not use a proper shield to block the bad guy's attack since he's too worried about Sage). If you have to keep the mystique about Mandrake until his reveal maybe he can be wearing a hood or something. 6. Have Snapdragon break his hand instead of his wrist. It's common to injure your hand while punching someone in the face because of the hard bones. Little detail, I know, but I love little details.

[@SirBroadsword]

The whole thing kinda reminds me of GrimArt's Corrosion series, where we have a character angsting about gender dysphoria... despite the fact that we've fashioned a setting where it doesn't make a lot of sense to do so... Here, you can "try out" being the opposite gender with little cost as you pointed out, and in Corrosion (since it's a Pokemon setting inhabited only by Pokemon with no humans, ala Mystery Dungeon), the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants are species that don't have significant dimorphism, meaning it doesn't make sense for strong gender binaries and strictly enforced gender roles to be a defining feature of this society (whereas the comic just copy-pastes everything from real life, pretty well, a place dominated by humans that DO have significant dimorphism). Realistically, if you told most Pokemon that a Nidoking was angsting because he thinks he might actually be a NidoQUEEN, most Pokemon I imagine would be like, "So...?", and even when you explain to them that Nidoking and Nidoqueen are significantly different, unlike the males and females of most species, their response I think would still be along the lines of, "Ooooh... yeah, I still don't really get it...", rather than having the reactions they actually have in the comic which, again, essentially mirror the real world. But like with Shark Tale, you can't just substitute these things 1-for-1 and have it make sense.

[@georgethompson913]

This is probably the best and most detailed review on this show I've yet seen.

[@c-puff]

Thank you so much 😌

[@i_s_u-c_l_o_n_e637]

Theres another guy really tearing into this series that's probably more in depth

[@KayAvalon]

One of the things that bothered me about Snaps gender dysphoria scene is that none of the things Snap mentioned show up in the character design. Considering the gender questioning arc Snap is going on, it would have been better for Snap to actually have any masculine features to dislike.

[@c-puff]

They could have gone the same route as Zombieland Saga where Lily is afraid of growing INTO those things, but they didn't communicate that clearly.

[@gtf234]

Yes, he complains about having boxy shoulders and stubble when he's a twig and is as smooth and shiny as polished porcelain...and his brother mostly is too, that 'beard' he's got is pathetic if we're supposed to take the claim their father had a beard as full as his current one by his early teens at face value

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@gtf234 Ngl if Snap's father shaved and didn't take the axe (I'm assuming that's why he's so muscular to carry that thing XD) he'd be as pretty as Snap and his brother.

[@dappertophat]

i want to say that i found your channel through youtube recommendations and i am so glad i did. the content on here is absolutely top quality. you explore the background behind certain branching topics related to the show at hand that give context to why the thing being discussed is important. i feel it is rare finding channels that document things from a non-biased perspective and it feels like a breath of fresh air finding this. keep up the great work :)

[@c-puff]

Oh thank you so much! That also makes me very happy that my videos are getting onto people's feeds because I am such a small channel. So that is really motivating! And thank you very much for the kind words. I worry I tend to go on side quests a little too much when I ramble, so it's reassuring to hear it's at least interesting!

[@000Dragon50000]

I mean the WAY Snap clumsily flows from an unrelated topic into hating their body and how it's changing is VERY familiar from knowing trans teenagers.... But the show had not done nearly enough to set that up beforehand to make it work in a fiction format.

[@c-puff]

Right? Like... I get what they were GOING for but in a written dialogue sequence it just feels weird and clunky. It feels like a first draft that needed some editing/rewrites.

[@HectorCotto97]

I honestly still REALLY don't like the direction they took Snapdragon's character in, I just feel like the conflict in his character and the solution they decided for him don't exactly match up. What is Snapdragon's conflict as a character? He's a boy who by nature isn't what is expected of him as a guy and has been made fun of because of it since childhood. He lacks self confidence, is overall not that physically impressive and is interested in more girly things. The show wants you and Snapdragon to think the solution is simply to magically change his gender as if that would magically make all his problems go away which it obviously wouldn't. Snap's biggest struggle as a person is his lack of self confidence and his physically weak body even compared with most of the main girls. I've said it before but the route they needed to take with Snapdragon's character was not the one of the gender change but rather one of self improvement. Instead of focusing on his gender they should have instead had Snapdragon focus and improve at the things he's good at and working through or around the things he's not. Not to mention he has a close friend who if asked would more then likely be more then happy to help and support him through the whole thing which would ALSO allow the writers to help flesh out and expand on her character as well.

[@c-puff]

I didn't mention it in any of my videos because I feel this is not a topic I should be preaching in video form as I am not trans nor have any gender dysphoria experiences. But this is actually a very common problem with trans people. True trans people who ARE trans. But they get the gender affirmation surgery or medication and there is a period of euphoria and happiness to finally be who you truly are... and then when that euphoria calms down a little bit, the trans people I know irl have said they then experience a very sobering reality that even though they now feel comfortable about their gender.... they are still the person they have always been. And that gender transitioning did not take away the underlying emotional and psychological scars and problems they have been struggling with their whole life. I think this is true with a LOT of things in life, not just gender and sex. Some people think if they could just move to a different city or country or whatever their whole life would be better. And often it IS improved drastically. But wherever you go, there you are. MAN I wish this show was smart enough to have a season 2 where Snap has transitioned but then realises she has to work on herself and her emotions as well and we could actually have a DISCUSSION about this. Rather than just "trans your gender and all the problems go away". Like this could almost tie into Snap's PERSONALITY or something.

[@Hus0408]

So happy Guardian HQ recommended you! Your content and personality are so great! Happy I subscribed.

[@c-puff]

Oh I had no idea people were recommending my videos to people! 😭 That's so nice!! Thank you!

[@Hus0408]

@@c-puff They gave you high praises and it's well deserved. Your works are excellent, it's honestly so entertaining and educated.

[@seekingabsolution1907]

39:12 many people who discuss this series online point out that this and other scenes about Snapdragon and her sense of identity are some of the best made scenes it has but no one else I've seen has pointed out that in spite of this there are still lots of things about it that are sloppily constructed.

[@c-puff]

I will say, the attempt at presenting Snapdragon's struggle with her identity is at least the most sincere thing in this entire show.

[@seekingabsolution1907]

@@c-puff well, I guess even sloppy writers will write what they know better than what they don't.

[@HateshWarkio]

P.S.: You gotta love how Mandrake's plan is to kill everybody in the school by setting it on fire and then he starts with the smithy, where he has locked everybody, that has walls and floors made out of stone and is capable of withstanding lava/molten metal flowing freely Literally forcing everybody into the safest place in the school, even leaving them with their wands/staffs

[@c-puff]

omg....

[@meridaskywalker7816]

And also, why the hell did he set THE DOOR on fire? That would literally let them out

[@HateshWarkio]

@@meridaskywalker7816 I do wonder more about how the stone floor withstanding flowing lava / molten metal caught on fire later on The door being set on fire while dumb was also sealed with magic or whatnot so there could've been a barrier preventing them to get out even if the door is destroyed

[@AverageEggmonEnthusiast]

Raise your hand if you called that Rosemary’s mom was somehow the big bad 🙄🤚 because of course it makes so little sense that it HAD to be the truth.

[@awakatilluminado6129]

🥲🥲🥲🥲 it makes no sense because nowhere is there an inkling that she hates her daughter??? I mean she literally tried to kill her daughter and her friends??? Also like who tf is she even - why is she evil? Why is she in charge of anything? What makes her special? I WANT ANSWERS LMAO

[@creeperslayers6]

@@awakatilluminado6129 She accidently fell into the Rose Quartz -> Pink Diamond story arc pipeline😔

[@kai8618]

​@@creeperslayers6Nah Pink Diamond was Naive...this this is asinine

[@ivorynk752]

Because of there similar hair color, I get the sneaking suspicion that Mandrake might be Rosemary's half brother through lavender.

[@rinyukiohara8178]

It's kind of hilarious to see people say how the show is perfect in every way, explained everything fully, and is better than every other piece of media when it's just a garbled mess. Honestly, my favorite conversation has to be: "The show explained what a guardian is perfectly." "So, what is it?" "We don't know because we follow the students who don't know. But I'm sure the teachers do." And if that isn't a perfect representation of the show itself, I don't what is. There is just nothing established but it acts like we know everything, characters have either no arc or a horribly rushed one, and the events either range from completely boring to so confusing, the audience can watch it ten times and still not understand. I'm on my TENTH watch and I can't tell you what a guardian is, who Lavender is, or what even new magic is. And these aren't mysteries, they're basic information the first few episodes should have given us. As a friend said, "imagine going to school to be a doctor and not knowing what a doctor is." That's the show. What's a guardian? Who knows? Who's Lavender? Who knows? What's new magic and why is causing the rot? Who knows? You can get away with Witch Country and the rot being mysteries for a season two, but I shouldn't be asking what an guardian or new magic is when its plastered all over the season like we know what they are. This is what new writers do, not a company with someone who"s said to be working on this since middle school. The bare minimum was never established yet they kept building on it and all we have is a floating island.

[@kap1618]

I honestly see that as a defense mechanism. This show couldn't be bothered to get the basics down, that even your most trashy power fantasy light novel modern isekai shows could manage to get right.

[@Netro1992]

This show is infuriating because at every single instance that something happens in the show, you can immediately think of at least five ways that they could have done it better.

[@kendybanana3815]

After a long day you really gave me energy to work on my own projects. I'm kinda sad that the HGS arc is now over but you said you will now do Things you actually enjoy, i'm looking forward to new videos of you, you're one of my fave creators. I found you trough your 'magical girl friendship' squad video btw.

[@c-puff]

Ah yay! That's really so touching, thank you 💖 I really want to grow this channel into something of high quality so that makes me happy to hear. I have the final thoughts video left for HGS :D so we have 1 more round with this show, but no worries as I have a lot of videos in mind.

[@nrnrn999]

I always really hated the conclusion that Snap was trans because it really ruined everything they had going. Snapdragon is the *only* male character who had any sort of development or nuance to them. All the other male characters are either antagonistic and one-dimensional (Mandrake/Astor/Cal/The Fire Thingy), comedic relief (Parnelle/Slime Boy) or a blatant author self-insert and also a trans man (Caraway). Snapdragon stood as the *only* guy who felt like a real person with real problems and was a direct foil to Sage's sexist rant about how boys can't feel real emotions or whatever. And then, a few episodes later, the reveal is that all this is because Snap *isn't* a guy, that the reason they can feel feelings and have sensitive conversations and can dress up in pretty costumes is because *they're actually a girl!* It's just such a terrible, gynocentric message for boys who might actually see something of themself in Snapdragon and it just goes further out of it's way to actively alienate a cis male audience. That was a bit of a rant, but it genuinely did upset me to see a gentle, sensitive man being told by a supposed authority figure that, actually, he's probably a woman. It's real horseshoe theory in action; a supposedly progressive show falling back on the exact same lazy stereotypes of feminity=woman as more regressive figures. It's even sillier when it comes from a character who is a trans man who seems to be pretty comfortable in his comparitive femininity and gender, if we're going by how he likes to dress up as bunny rabbits in his free time. Also, this is now 2 seperate dragons that Sage has killed, the first being the one she threw into the healing water to artificially shorten it's life and cause it die, then explode into stars(?) earlier in the season. The girl *is* a bloodthirsty psychopath and must be stopped before she kills again.

[@CompSomAnichi]

1:24:00 I just realized what is Sage doing with a dagger on her anyways. Like I get that they're supposed to be guardians but like...she's the healer? Idk LDSKJFSDL:.

[@Nightymoon501]

I was thinking... Snapdragon is coming from family that is supposed to be toxically masculin and they want them to be a warrior, right? Why not have Snapdragon wanting to be a healer instead, but it would directly go against his family's wishes since maybe they would view it as "lesser" option or too "feminine?" Maybe Snapdragon was halfly forced to go to the academy to become warrior? it would explain more on their moody behavior on earlier episodes and maybe it could explain why they like Sage and want to connect with her? This way, they could bond more over their families' expectations.

[@c-puff]

Omg imagine Final Fantasy style White Mage Snapdragon tho!

[@Nightymoon501]

@@c-puff ! The outfit would be so cute on Snapdragon!

[@fermintenava5911]

I think that story would fit pretty nicely in the overall theme: fundamentally different parts coming together. We have old and new magic coming together, sensitive Snapdragon and crude Amaryllis, we have brash Rosemary and reserved Sage, and we have a dwarf-elf-combo. There's something of a heart to the story, but it's hidden beneath a lot of unrealized ideas.

[@Fractorification]

The thing that always bugged me about the bullies in this show is that we’re written as one-dimensional punching bags that spout misogyny with nothing of value to them. Had the show been more creative, Snap’s bully could’ve instead been his former friend who would act flippant or unintentionally dismissive anytime they showed hints of their femininity. It would’ve culminated in a falling out where Snap decides to end the friendship as the more he enjoys acting like a girl, the more the friend disrespects their feelings. The friend could probably have his own arc where he comes to terms with how of an ass they were at Snap and tries to accept him for who he is. It would’ve been an interesting character dive into tackling gender norms and preconceived biases without resorting to violence. I think a friend partaking in the bullying, even if they didn’t realize what they were doing would have a bigger impact than a faceless NPC we were supposed to hate anyway.

[@g_n7777]

I'm listening to this at work and I wasn't expecting the intro music 🤣🤣🤣

[@c-puff]

😂 I wish I could have used more of it but it would have made the intro too long. It's really funny to me for some reason.

[@Prophet_of_Puns]

In regards to Thyme’s demon summoning plan I only ever thought about what was wrong about it in the “Here and now,” I’m genuinely intrigued about just how much this one moment breaks the world’s logic. I never even thought about the Succubus teacher, she really does raise way too many questions just be existing; Are demons just a part of this world? Are they just like all the other fantasy races, and on that note doesn’t that make it crazy F’d up that people can just summon and command them like that? Is the Teacher an outlier and if so, why? But the most frustrating question of all..... why not just open a portal TO THE HEALING WATER CHAMBER and get more?! I mean I know the writers either forgot to clarify or just assumed we would think the chamber was inaccessible now but they could have fixed that plot hole AND have made Thyme’s plan just a teensy bit smarter in doing so. On that note, I’m really curious about all the other stuff you noticed was wrong with that. Plus I laughed when that clip from the Holy Grail came up at #11 XD

[@sarafontanini7051]

one answer I came up with off the top of my head: demons are an antagonistic race sealed away in another realm, with the one teacher either being one of the few good ones or a halfbreed (which...would raise some uncomfortable questons now that I realise >.>) and the summoning thing is like a middle ground arrangement that demons constantly try to worm their way out of as an excuse to escape their imprisonment. You could even say that The Rot (and/or by xtension New Magic) is part of a plot by a particularly powerful demon the Triumvirate have allied with For Reasons.

[@Prophet_of_Puns]

@@sarafontanini7051 it’s not a bad idea actually. Funnily enough I’m writing almost exactly that in my own story :) A really dark twist would be if the demons made new magic by harvesting mortal souls and the people of Lyngarth were none-the-wiser to it. Hell to add an extra dimension to the demons (Pun not intended, or was it?) they could be harvesting souls as part of a power struggle back in their home dimension and the Triumvirate are supplying one faction with people to harvest in exchange for Tarospheres to sell. :)

[@HateshWarkio]

You might not see the scene between Snapdragon and Carroway as the ghostly "trans your gender, it's the right thing to do" but I would say it is still very much that because what Carroway should be doing is explaining to this young teenager how there are countless way to express your gender and that he doesn't have to be overly manly man if he doesn't want to be, that there are those who are more feminine despite being a man or those who are more masculine despite being a woman But Carroway goes on the first mention of Snapdragon wanting to be more feminine "Hey boy, you've heard about TRANSITION MAGIC?" when that should be the last thing to suggest Overall I don't even like the inner workings of the "Transition Magic" in this world which is just fantasy magical hormone theraphy because it portrays transitioning as something easy to do and borderline reversible at any time while I myself would go more into the body horror of having your whole body snapping and reforming into the new gender. Yes, this is a world of magic and if you can have fortress made out of sausages then perhaps anything magical can be easy but still They wanna make quite obvious real world comparisons and I honestly think the whole "transitioning is easy" is toxic af, especially for the former audience of young children which they want to stray away by arbitrary additions

[@c-puff]

This is very true. I don't mean this in a phobic way, but I think they would have been much better not trying to make being trans so close to how it is in the real world. It would also make it a lot more interesting tbh. I play a lot of Morrowind and imagine if being trans was treated like one of the crazier quests in that. Like, why not? You could make it FUN. By making it closer to real life they've ironically made it the very kind of problematic they were trying so hard to avoid.

[@HateshWarkio]

@@c-puff don't worry, just because you had the audacity to not consider this series as anything but literal perfection, you're already considered all sorts of -phobic and -ist anyway But yes, in the world where you can have sausage fortress and it isn't a reference to a gay club, you can do absolutely anything so making something closer to reality makes no sense And as it is established by this show, Transition Magic would be one of the most overused magics in this world because I can guarantee you that every man would try it at least once There is no clear downside, no clear cost, no clear side effects That's why I would go with the route that while the magic is long lasting without the need of monthly magical HRT, it transforms your body from the bone structure up, it is a painful process and reversible only once without it causing issues. If you would swap around more than that, your body would become less and less stable and you could end up either dying or as something inbetween sexes which for some would be of course the optimal route But can't have that because that would be transphobic and nowadays you can't imply that even in the real world there are some side effects to transitioning...

[@T-Jex]

It took me a surprising amount of time to realise the episode subs are in spanish while the Video is in english, I dont know Im just so used to it that it didnt occured to me that it wasnt intentional.

[@c-puff]

XD for the LONGEST time I could not find rips of this show ANYWHERE. None of the shady cartoon sites or ANYTHING. Except for one youtuber who has since been yeeted who had these copies with hard Spanish subs. I finally got clean rips for the last part coming up, but I think the fact that this was the only way anybody even bothered to pirate this show also says something...

[@MrAuthor3DS]

- Sooooo...is Ep10 assuming that Thyme's healing water vial is gone, or that she still has it? Because I doubt Camphor (her father) would easily replicate its formula from a mere _description._ - To change tabs, Sage apparently never saw Rose in a romantic light, and Aster was Rose's first crush? Wow, I guess all that hand-holding stuff they did beforehand was just baiting. - "Ugh, being immortal with you two is exhausting!" ...What should be an eye-opening detail is instead treated as a laugh track moment. - Wow, Thyme sure latched onto that one nondescript mermaid quickly. - ...Several things about Snapdragon's role in Ep11. -> Man, a better use for the above-surface team would be investigating the reef that the Scypith was near. -> Somehow, it feels wrong that the only people questioning Snap's masculinity are just total jerks (Cal and Yarrow). Maybe if someone nicer were to question it... -> Big? Boxy? Beard? Snap looks nothing like those. And how can her father have a full beard at age 12?? -> The talk about Snap's "violent reactive path" is eventually followed up by "You keep saying I can change paths, but it's not like I can just stop being a guy." Is she saying that being a guy is being violent and reactive? Actually...Rosemary and Amaryllis are even more violent and reactive than he ever was! -> Yeah, no matter the intentions, suggesting transition magic as the Plan A is gonna get some skeptical looks. I know Caraway followed it by saying there are lots of options to explore, but...then I remember how Snap's VA has already spoiled that she's to be a trans woman, and now it just feels like an empty promise. -> I know Snap's seen at least three kinds of transformative spells by now (Neppy Cat's mutation, Olive's petrification spell, the girls' mermaid forms), and I'm pretty sure any of those are more drastic than changing out...parts. -> Once more, Caraway's transgenderism is only used to explain how transitioning works here. And that's it. And does Snap's trans story feel...cookie-cutter in the end? -> ...I can get why Caraway's healing magic couldn't fix the Scypith's gaping mortal wound, but couldn't it fix Snap's sprained wrist? -> Whoa, you really exploded at all those conflicting plot points on Snap. Good thing I have the answer, same as with a LOT of plot problems: the writers weren't on the same page! - A good friend, a wacky instinct, and one of the few HONEST sociopaths in this academy loaded with sociopaths - yeah, no contest, Amaryllis really is this show's best character. - Again, this is the period of the show where they suddenly decide that New Magic may be pretty dangerous. And it's making Anise's and Aloe's "touching speech" from Ep4 age even worse. - ...Also, big whiplash from Redbud suddenly being responsible and serious. I-I don't know how to feel about this crazy witch showing sympathy for...a-anyone! - Pffft! Mandrake's edgy neck-breaking line always makes me laugh. Also, does he look like he's ripping from several RWBY villains? Neo's shapeshifting (and pink hair), Roman's evil finesse, Cinder's pyromania, Mercury's hairdo, Adam's vengeful feelings toward his traitorous black-haired catgirl partner... - Darn, you skipped the student in the foreground walking behind Caraway. - Oh great, Olive spoiled Lavender's presence in Witch Country well before the stinger. Actually, how would Lavender have reacted if Mandrake succeeded in killing her daughter? Or was his attempt the reason she suggested for his execution? - O-OH! So Old and New Magic can be used together! I...hah, I almost forgot about that after Anise and Aloe did that in Ep1 (although Anise conjured another portal by herself the next day)! Wait...there's several other students who use Old Magic?? A-And there are terrasphere gloves that ANYONE can use?!? I...WHAT...AGGGHHH!!! {mental shutdown} ...I hate this show's magic handling. - ...And you just let Mandrake run away in plain sight. And got yourself knocked out by Olive. Wonderful job, Caraway. Ugh, he was the closest thing to a strong mentor character, and he still makes two dire mistakes in a row. During one of the most dangerous catastrophes in the school year. - Welp. Olive's face-turn pretty much amounts to a Just A Pancake reference. "ok i believe you ouchie ouch" - ...Guess now Rosemary can't drop down safely from a high roof. - I kinda miss the sense of humility that RWBY Volume 2's final episode had - about how not every story has a neat and tidy ending. No, let's just have Rose and Sage brag about how awesome they are. Blegh. - WHERE THE HELL IS THE TRIAD DURING THIS ATTACK ON THE ACADEMY???

[@jcudejko]

Oh my gosh, the show forgot that the Triad existed for the finale 🤣

[@johannesseyfried7933]

I got more of a....Tyrian Callows Vibe from Mandrake. Because both are crazy, thin and murder happy Villains with a connection to the color Purple. Or, I guess in Mandrake's case, really ugly Pink. The problem is that Tyrian was fun to watch. He didn't just talk about breaking Necks. He had a certain.....elegance to him. He was very well spoken for an insane Death Worshipper. He had a cool and acrobatic fighting style. And he absolutely dominated the battlefield. If JNPR hadn't received help, I am pretty sure Tyrian would have killed all of them.

[@sarafontanini7051]

@@johannesseyfried7933 tyrian was such a fun villain

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@jcudejko I completely forgot about the Triad 😂

[@CompSomAnichi]

Man, Breakfast Club - that short clip 35:00 gave me more emotions than the whole of HGS.

[@c-puff]

I like watching reaction channels watch movies for the first time and I forgot how hard this scene hits.

[@TroySpace]

Wow. I just realised that Andrew is describing Tiger Mom parenting. :/

[@bytz4742]

19:33 I thought there was a line on the robots head that gave away it was a robot as a kind of 'this is a training section see the obvious line on my head' kinda thing, nope, just a hair on my screen

[@BlackRosesRed]

Amaryllis starts off as the bitchy mean girl, more or less befriends the main girls but never really stops being the bitchy mean girl, and has a firm loyalty to a person that you wouldn't expect the bitchy mean girl to be friends with. She also comes from a rich family and has a blunt-cut hairstyle. So she's Cleo from Monster High.

[@poisonerknight]

I feel like it would serve better if transition magic wasn't just "a thing" but Carroway's doctorate thesis. This way, instead of just off-handedly suggesting an extreme remedy the discussion is how he experienced his own hurdles and created his own answer to being comfortable with himself. Also plot twist- Snapdragon's half merfolk and doesn't consciously know it.

[@TroySpace]

I kind of feel like Cyberpunk Edgerunners is the exact counterpoint to High Guardian Space. It deserves the Mature label. You see how the protag goes to school, and it's plot relevant. The mom is an actual human being, and matters to the plot and protagonist in a huge way. Rebecca is like Amarylis and Parsley rolled into one. It is steeped in its genre, and connects it to real world problems. It even explains what Edgerunners/Cyberpunks are in the 1st or 2nd episode.

[@TroySpace]

Also: so that's how you pronounce Kashyyyk...

[@c-puff]

Oh! I keep getting told to watch this! I should definitely do so before I wrap on this series.

[@gtf234]

To be completely fair, Trigger got to go into a property that already had its world built and established since 1988 and was able to lean on that without having to build anything from the ground up. They were free to just lean on Night City as the set piece, the MegaCorps don't need to be expanded upon or defined, how the tech works doesn't need a lecture, etc- it's all stuff that speaks for itself by either visual depiction or simply by their names (ex the MaxTac teams of NCPD, no need to explain what the Maximum Force Tactical Division does, name says it all). All Trigger needed to do was actually make David's story and fit it into the world handed to them, which is of course a thing they have no problem doing well- most of them are seasoned GAINAX veterans HGS fails consider it has nothing and is starting from square 1; and it made everything too vague, obtuse, and inconsistent- audiences can only ask questions about them. What does a Guardian do? I dunno their oath is nothing but flowery purple prose. New Magic vs Old Magic? etc.

[@carpedm9846]

"Causing the snapdragon to...get upset" "Causing the snapdragon to...get sad" God damnit say "snapdragon snaps" already that pun is right there!!

[@c-puff]

OMG!! YOu're right I'm so sorry!! I have failed you! TToTT

[@rebelturtle7494]

Honestly a part of me does kind of wish that we lived in the time-line where HGS is a good show that got Development it so desperately needed to work out. Like, I haven't had a formal education on creative writing aside from a throwaway class in high school, and a fanfic I wrote over the course of 4 years that I had mixed feelings about in the end, but when you take a few minutes to think about the problems this show has, it's usually so easy to think of a solution. Hindsight, I guess? Gonna watch the final part later but I have to say right now that I think your series of reviews is definitely my favorite. The commentary i could show to my writing idea discussion friends and not be harshly criticized for it being too mean-spirited and full of jokes.

[@wruzicka78]

I tried in the last episode to force some of the growth that wasn't happening throughout the show. But your analysis of the series and its weaknesses are fair. I came onto the show late in production, and though it is an imperfect mess, there are things I liked about it and wish it could have been better. Amaryllis was my favorite character as well.

[@c-puff]

I think the fact that i can talk about this show so much proves that it definitely had potential to be pretty dang good! I think that's why it frustrates me as well. Having spent so much time with it for these videos has had it grow on me, and I am sad the good characters won't show up again because I did genuinely enjoy Amaryllis, Snapdragon, Parsley and even Thyme now and then. There are definitely things I like about it. I just wish it was better or given more thought/time. I did see what growth you were applying at least! It felt a little last minute but at least it was there, because I actually go into it more in the final thoughts video that Rose seemingly has 0 personality for most of the show and is never allowed to grow. So at least it was SOMETHING at the end here.

[@wruzicka78]

@@c-puff People on the show did recognize that Parsley was almost too perfect. And I had pitched the idea that if there was a season 2 they could have someone call her out on it and in the end reveal her flaw (as she sees it) is that she really likes frilly fashion and has a collection she hides from people because she thinks it doesn't fit her image. I think I got shot down, but I still paid homage to my idea in the last episode credits when she tries on the little winter dress. I am sad that it likely won't get a sequel because I left Raye with a list of ideas I felt would be interesting to take the characters. But... maybe I'll hold onto those themes and ideas and someday try and work them into my own shitty knock off anime wanna be show/comic.

[@c-puff]

@@wruzicka78 Absolutely do so! If they didn't feel your ideas didn't work with the narrative they wanted to tell (either here or in the future) then why not implement it into something else moving forward? Also I think that would have been cute for Parsley, as it could also tie into her inner conflict about her parents and the Blacksmith business. I can see how it could make her feel like it conflicts with Blacksmithing, while also being a danger of "trapping" her in the same situation as her mom.

[@lake07106]

Speaking on Snap's Toxic Masculinity upbringing. I feel like they could have portrayed better with the dad being how he is, if it put more focus on his brother. At least the clips I've seen his brother seems to lean more into toxic masculinity. My idea would have been one of two things. 1) Have Snapdragon look up to his brother, and want to be like him. They could keep this scene but remove the Father instead cut to a second scene showing something similar happen to his brother (think someone takes his weapon, mocks his fighting skills, stuff like that) and show his brother solving it with violence. Having that be impeded into Snap's mind that his brother stopped being bullied when he responded with violence. Since in psychology children are likely to pick up behaviors they see work. So having Snap see harassment stop once you beat them up could help explain why he would resort to violence. Or 2) Similar to Hiccup. Have his Father act caring to Snap, but once he leaves frame have his brother make a remark like his Father pitying Snap and show him looking insecure. Then cut to showing his father spending more time with or at least doing more manly activities with Snap's brother. Having Snap feel like he isn't "Man" enough for his father and that his father prefers his brother could help explain his behavior. Same as with my previous idea have him imitate his brother's behavior, but this time he's doing it so he can be the son he thinks his Dad wants. I hope that made sense. I just feel like (even if they executed it poorly) having a male character act like a violent asshole because their father taught them it, has been done to death. And I wanted to pose other ideas that would have worked in that scene

[@kouusa]

I just finished watching the rest of the series two hours ago. You have great timing! Thanks! And now to watch the new vid.

[@c-puff]

Ah yay! I hope you enjoy! :D thanks so much! That's a lot of time 😂

[@kouusa]

@@c-puff It was really cathartic to watch! And I've been stuck in my bedroom with the plague, so I have a Lot of Freetime. lol I still haven't watched HGS, but if I do, it'll just be for Snap and Amaryllis.

[@c-puff]

@@kouusa Oh I hope you feel better soon! 💖 hang in there and make sure to have a LOT of those sports drinks (here it's called Energade but I think it's Powerade in other countries)

[@loke6664]

That the characters were made but not the story and world building during the pitch meeting explains a lot. Seems like Ray didn't think world building was important (it is) and had a bunch of different writers write the episodes at the same time, which also explains why what happened in last episodes either is forgotten or twisted (like Rosemary feeling bad for the dragon Sage killed). Now, I am not a professional writer but I have written a lot of RPG modules for Cons and such and I kinda think that you need to make the world building first. That way you can make your character fit the world instead of trying to go the other way around and make a world that fits your OC characters. And there are constantly weird things in this show that doesn't fit the world building, like the fact that there are trains and modern fire fighters which seems to come from our world while communication seems unknown even when there is powerful teleportation magic which seems to have no limits since new magic can do anything. If new magic don't have any cost and teleportation is so common that Rosemary's cousins wife use it to bring lunch, why would you build expensive trains instead of just teleporting people? I mean, not only do you need to build your steam train, it is making rails all the way that is really expensive while new magic teleportation can do anything with basically no limits? Now, if they bothered to make an actual magic system and either limited the numbers of spells, have mana cost or even just make the caster tired, particularly the longer you teleport someone it would work but they didn't. New magic can do anything. So why having a whole bunch of people with water hoses when a single mage with new magic could extinguish just as much (which we see 2 14 year old girls who is first year students do a few minutes earlier)? In fact, why calling the fire brigade to a school full of teachers and students who as we just seen can extinguish that fire faster and already is in place? You really need to make a somewhat logical world before you can start populating it and working on the story or you get random chaos and using many writers makes this far worse. A single writer can at least be consequent but a bunch of people working at the same time will just lead to this mess unless they all understand the world and of course the audience will get confused as well since when there is no logic in how things work we don't get invested. Heck, just stealing a working world and changing the names would have been better, morally bankrupt but it would at least make sense. And when you have squid mechs, why not use those to catch that sea dragon? Stealing things from different shows and books doesn't work at all since those have their own mechanics, just because someone can teleport in My hero academia doesn't mean it is good to add it to your show without any limits to it, in that world most people have a single power while here all the magic students seems to be able to learn any spell and having a villain that can teleport doesn't break the world, but to have any magic user do it whenever they feel like does. A single villain with teleportation powers is a threat, having anyone with magic being able to do it is just broken. Also, there seems to be a spell for becoming immortal in one of the books the first year students are allowed to read in their first few days at the school, the consequences for that is pretty dire, but since new magic is new that one might not have broken the world just yet. It will in time though. In short, the entire world and magic system is totally broken and not even good writers could have saved that with good story, while mediocre writers creates this. It could still have worked if they made a comedy, those doesn't have to make sense. The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is also broken but it doesn't matter since it is a comedy but when you do the same and try to make it serious it just doesn't work at all.

[@Eldoofus]

Something you didn't actually mention, as far as I could tell, is a little detail about the girl that was getting a heavy focus in the cave episode where they're looking for the Healing Water, where...you know, she just dips out before the mission even started. Well, she seems to be the same girl who almost got her face melted by a plant thanks to the old hag teacher.. and given how this shows writes better for the less important characters, I'm inclined to believe this was very much intentional. Maybe you didn't mention it because it was obvious, but I can appreciate the consistency among the utter disaster of this show, maybe if they had "a bigger budget", we would've seen more of her later on.

[@c-puff]

Yeah I did notice that, actually! I just sometimes had to cut small tiny details because I already ramble on far too long in these videos 💦

[@Eldoofus]

@@c-puff Idk if I'm the only one who thinks this way, but if I didn't want to hear someone rambling endlessly about High Guardian Spice, I wouldn't really be here. You're already commiting to discussing the cartoon, so might as well take your time, right? I think everyone knows what they're signing up for...

[@malegender27]

Because of this show, I'm gonna take the world, characters, and plot to just make it more interesting. I'm going as far as taking the plant certain characters are named after and base their design and even what they do for some cases (like how thyme has medicinal purposes, so for Thyme she'll be similar character wise but be more of a healer) and the colours also get a big change (the rosemary flower is purple, so Rosemary will have a mainly purple colour palette now). I've been watching these videos to get some ideas and it's helping me out a ton.

[@CompSomAnichi]

1:00:00 THE LOGIC IN THIS SHOW DOESNT EXISTS, EVERY TIME I THINK I UNDERSTAND ALL THE MISTAKES THERE’S SOMETHING NEW.

[@matthewgiese7811]

So body/gender transformation is an option... why aren't students transforming themselves into muscular wrestler types with a bunch of muscles to help them fight better...

[@shienanin9380]

I love the joke that ALL get when they arrive to the part when the serie say "the vilence is bad😭😭", i mean is so easy to make the joke and is always so funny

[@osets2117]

One of the more egregious things, to me, about the mermaid episode is how the ending is all somber only to be undercut by the super cheerful ending theme.

[@c-puff]

The ending theme is instant comedy almost every single time

[@osets2117]

@@c-puff I'm gonna need a neck brace after that tonal whiplash lol

[@MrAuthor3DS]

Man, this makes me think about how No More Heroes 3 follows just about every boss with a classic anime ED with different remixes of Night in Prague. The somber remix after Rank 8 and "Rank ?" would fix well after an episode like this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boqlaJqdZ7WUiLc

[@Mae4Ever]

Fun fact about that furry in the beach area: that furry girl works at a military team and she gain fans because of it!

[@ChaosoneX]

Great video. It brings up so many points to talk about (demon summoning ritual is so blatantly flawed, it might as well be a Trojan Horse) but I saw/realized something that made me put down the comment section and rewatch most of HGS on Crunchyroll. I don't know if you noticed this, but I had a needle scratch moment looking at Snap on the boat at 20:51. We know why he's sitting so femininely on the boat in hindsight, but my question: "Was he ALWAYS like this and no one noticed?" Short answer, no: Snap's mannerisms are very male-centric prior to Episode 8 -- walking around with his hands in his pocket, sitting spread-legged on the floor. He was, as far as we knew, Amaryllis' henchman. And then, it was just changed to him idolizing women, saying they're so strong and beautiful and yada yada yada, while ignoring that he was mostly derisive and horrible to every female character not Ama (...then again, Kate Leth is transitioning to male, so I dunno; I'm digressing). I think this is endemic of the entire mindset of how HGS was produced because I'm fairly certain Snap wasn't initially designed to become trans, based on the original character designs Studio Ellation put up during their initial HGS presentation (in fact, he had more of a James Dean air about him, with he and Sage heading towards becoming an item). The change seems to have been a decision made mid-production, arbitrarily alter something because... well, because of fiat. We may have knocked the animation choices, but plot lines just come and go. What did Parsley tell Rosemary when she gave her the fixed locket? Nothing, because that never happened, even though she told her that she would be giving her the locket at school the next day. The entire Neppy Cat debacle, the wand in the tree, never addressed after the episode happens -- hell, where did they get the cats from? Never addressed! Worse, the show even lampshades this, stating that one thought the other owned the cats, which goes to show you, they KNOW they're just skipping things, leaving events unresolved and starting things off with events already having happened without telling the audience what happened to bring us to this point. Like, did NO ONE in town realize something bad happened to them when Olive turned everyone to stone?? Caraway is stated to be a powerful Guardian, yet, gets KO'd off-screen by Olive. Why is that?? Because that's not what the writers care about. They don't care about Snapdragon's problems; they only care about being able to announce that "he" will be a "she" (both Snap's VA Julia Kaye and Raye Rodriguiz confirmed that he would transition second season in spite of the whole "You don't have to be like me, and you have so much time to go over your options" speech Caraway gave Snap (which feels like Rodriguiz covering his ass from any potential claims)). Remember when the girls were trapped in a cave with no way out, staring the possibility of dying in the cave without ever being found? They thought to play a fantasy version of Truth or Dare. Writers didn't care about the situation; they only cared about forcing an emotional payout where none was warranted. We didn't go through a five-minute train ride montage when it was known they didn't have much of a budget to waste because it editorially required; the writers wanted the scene to be there because reasons. Why are there modern-day firefighters in a fantasy setting, and how are they getting the water to battle the flames? Doesn't matter -- they only exist for Mandrake to escape disguised as one. Why does the summoner have to put themselves in a circle of salt that they can easily break by accident instead of, say, trapping the demon within the summoning circle where it'll have no choice but to do the summoner's bidding? Why did no one get Zinnia medical treatment for her partially dissolved face (those reddish dots on her face after getting cut free from the plant aren't freckles) and everyone, including the victim herself, sit down and act like nothing happened. What is even a Guardian? Thing that drives me up the wall is the bit about not having funds to do the show right. While, maybe in some regards that's accurate, the crux of things when it comes to writing doesn't hold water for me. That's mainly because there are so many things you would have imagined Rodriguiz would have already hammered out in the long years of coming up with the concept and finally getting someone to bring the vision to life. And yet, it's all squandered for reasons that don't seemingly extend past people's own egos and desires. It's the only thing that makes sense when you consider that this show couldn't even tell audience what's its core concept is -- What is a Guardian?

[@FearlessFighterAkida]

The thing with "mermaid" as an insult is that mermaids... exist in the show and both male and female merfolk exist, but yet it's intended to be used as a deogratory gender/sexuality insult. It's like using "fairy" as an insult for feminine gay men when actual fairies exist within a show. It losses impact due to the fact that what is effectively a racial insult being used to insult gender/sexuality while also -not- being portrayed as something that is racist/speciest to say.

[@jennyclark9505]

The whole trope of the bully being "dealt with later" is not only a common and annoying trope but also frustratingly realistic, I was bullied for ages in high school for my type 1 diabetes and when I finally stood up for myself I GOT IN TROUBLE. Not then bully's at the time no I was told the exact same thing if they'll be dealt with later and that I needed to be the bigger person. Bruh I had been the bigger 0erson for so long and it did nothing. Adults in schools are ultimately just lazy and don't want to actually deal with the problem. They'd much rather victims just shut up and keep their heads down while constantly taking the abuse because actually dealing with the problem is just too much work.

[@sodedesole775]

Yes! A new Video i am so happy

[@christopherauzenne5023]

yeah regarding your thoughts on how the show only focus on the story in the last 2-3 episodes/Rose character now being serious, I personally believe it has to do with a problem I feel a lot of the recent generation cartoon writers are having, that being an over focus on character drama over the story drama/main plot. Now the idea of focusing on character drama isn't bad, it is very important to show how the story affects the main characters and how they handle it and the other intertwined characters, but I feel TOO many writers mistake the idea of character drama being the same as melodrama or the drama you would see in one of those teen/YA soap operas. stories about world ending threats or of battles between major armies end up being sidelined for love-triangles, will they wont they, "you broke my trust", and generally just teen melodrama (like an egregious example would be in steven universe where instead of focusing on a major possible revelation of the diamonds, the next five episodes were focused on Connie being mad/feeling hurt by Steven). Again, it is important to have character drama but it should sideline the main story and it should be aware of or relating to the main stakes of the story.

[@otbaht]

honestly I feel snap would have been a lot better as a feminine guy. Basically being told that not all guys are the same. what they did felt kinda.... creepy considering how caraway was with him. also I personally call snap he because despite what they might have planned since plans can change and it was never otherwise I personally say snaps a guy. just a feminine guy.

[@maddiemcnugget1076]

40:25 one thing I noticed that I’m glad you point out here is that Carroway is just educating Snap on transitioning. I actually like this and most reviewers/critiques of this show are good with saying it’s an option. But I noticed the ones that are more jumpy with the idea of a trans character (whether they are in support of Snap transitioning or they hate trans Snap) tend to make this look like it’s Snap’s only option. The more “liberals” would jump to using she/her pronouns for snap which never sat well with me. Sure they express body dysmorphia here but you can still identify as male while taking hormones (body modification and stuff). Meanwhile the “conservatives” are saying that he’s brainwashing snap by giving this option first instead of any other option. The thing is, Carroway is just a trans person. Sure younger people tend to be very impressionable towards older people (apparently trans elders is a thing… elder trans something. And I guess snap would be an egg or something). But you can’t expect another trans person who just… exists to know all the resources for a child who is experiencing gender identity issues. I doubt the magic school taught them this. But also it’s a magic school, Snap should just steal one of those mermaid rings and live underwater forever.

[@c-puff]

I will never forgive them for not giving us mermaid Snap...

[@Lesbiwolf92]

Why are there so many characters cutting off limbs using BLUNT weapons? There's a reason we don't use hammers to cut things. As far as big action set pieces goes, I like when the scale of the action is shown like panning over an army or whatever is going on is shown in angles and shots to make things look huge and imposing but then breaking it up into chunks that can be seen in the aftermath, if that makes sense. I agree with your opinion on Snap's family problems, his brother is toxic in that older sibling is an ass hole to the younger sib tropey way but his dad just seems like he thinks Snap needed a proper demonstration of standing up for yourself and protecting the things you love. I still think Snap works better as a femboy because his arc being he comes to terms with his identity as a feminine male doesn't negate his ability to be strong because strength isn't just about how big and brutish you are would be a better choice, especially with the fact his whole friend circle is a mixed bag of gender conformity. Parsley is a boyish tomboy with the only girly thing she is shown to do is become a mermaid, Thyme isn't exactly feminine but neither is she overly masculine, Amaryllis and Rosemary are both girly in appearance but have masculine traits such as wanting to fight/being very brash/sloppy eating and belching, Sage is girly as fuck including the stereotypical bitchy teen trope and Parnell is...well Parnell.

[@Lesbiwolf92]

Caraway's shield spell design gives me Spell Binding Circle vibes, but I doubt the show runners are big into Yugioh

[@roobaro1]

Great Vid. Really enjoyed your analysis.

[@X0.LA_BRAVA.X0]

You know Western Media is screwed when Raye Rodriquez, a trans person, makes Snapdragon's transition kinda feels forced

[@LWolf12]

The thing is, "Old magic being a foundation for new magic" Was mentioned before, in like the first or second episode. Then promptly drop and forgotten about by everyone until this episode. Sage heard it, and got all excited about it. Hell Sage knows New and Old magic can be used together, because her Aunt and her girlfriend does it in the first episode and she asks about it. Saying she thought Old and New magic was incompatible.

[@moycorbin4750]

I become addicted to these reviews, i haven't watch the show but your vids were so funny and good, i wonder if there's a chance of season two since they put the show on premium (probably is just because the new administration of Warner media) but it's really crated me a morbid interest

[@emiljannbrahmeyer]

Hopefully there will be further episodes of the series High Guardian Spice. I really like this series and I wish that there will be many further episodes after episode twelve. But I also ask myself, when these further episodes will be broadcasted. I sincerely hope that we all can watch these further episodes soon.

[@malegender27]

1:03:57 Everfree forest? *Looks at MLP* I guess there's two now

[@hijabdabi_4468]

*48:13** The voice crack got me*

[@Pegas105]

For my own amusement and curiosity, I looked at the final episode of the series, posted to KZbin, and I had some thoughts on the final fight which I commented on the video: To be honest, fight between the 'heroes' and Mandrake had no real weight. Compared to Episode 92 of Mazinger Z, where the Warrior Beasts Pilanias and Gratonios wrecked Mazinger Z and injured the pilot Koji Kabuto and nearly destroyed the Photonic Energy lab if not for the intervention of Great Mazinger. What added more weight to that fight that even though it was a losing battle Koji was determined to keep fighting even though Mazinger Z was taking heavy damage as well as the late Ichiro Mizuki singing "My Friend Mazinger Z." During the fight it felt like there were no real stakes as you already knew what the outcome was going to be only price was Sage gets a haircut. It would have been better if there was a pyrrhic victory of some sorts than just the school burning to the ground. You know like Luke redeeming his father was a pyrrhic victory. --------------------------------------------------- Also, I do have to agree with you on one positive of this series Amaryllis is a far more interesting character from her design and facial expression and how her character out of all the others developed more organically, to the point I feel her bitchy attitude is more as a means of deflection, than the others most notably Rosemary where her character deviates as the plot demands it. I will reference another anime in comparison, the character of Ryo Saeba from City Hunter where his character can switch from suave to absolutely perverted at the drop of a hat but there are times throughout the series he is deadly serious and when asked about his feelings for Kaori, his partner, he deflects those inquires; even though as the viewer it kind of changes from a brother/sister relationship to veiled romantic feelings. To me Ryo is more consistent character than Rosemary

[@AlexDayz]

Thank you Snap and Amaryllis for making this show at least somewhat bearable to watch. Best characters 🙌

[@Soapiesthorse]

1:14:44 I deserately need this clip for purposes. Where is this from? Also, your HGS essays are intensely enjoyable to listen to. Everything sounds fair and thought out. Though there are different interpretations, I think you hit the nail on the head with almost all your assessments. This show it's so bad it's good, and a lot of people do latch onto it and make redesigns and reworks because they can see that there IS passion behind it. We can feel that passion, confused as it may be. This show is confused but it does show heart and good intentions. Unfortunately the road to ruin is paved with those. I do hope everyone learns from the experience and comes out better for it.

[@icelily270]

I think I'm fully convinced at this point that the original plan (if there even was an original plan) was for New Magic to be the cause for the Rot, hence the huge focus on it in the first few episodes and sense of moral, or ethical, dilemma (the easy way isn't always the best way/there has to be some cost to using New Magic/it's not all it's cracked up to be), but then somewhere in the middle of writing the story, decided for some reason they needed a big bad villain for our heroes to fight, and so the entire conflict between New magic and Old magic disappeared (not that it was very defined in the first place). Suddenly it's about learning to use both Old and New magic. I mean, both concepts/themes aren't bad by themselves, but that's the thing. By themselves. Instead they flip flop between both, to a point where it feels as if there's no point for Old Magic to even be a thing in this story/world.

[@noirlavender6409]

22:21 THICC Toon Link and 24:16 this is a very "f*ck all men", "all men should die", heavy "tumblerpilled" moment, it's like a cruel joke. He's the only male that matters in the show and yet he gets the middle finger constantly :(

[@carlacahill9453]

One thing that I always think about in the Caraway and Snapdragon on the beach scene thing is that it should have been Kal being held back. Caraway could gave heard out both and kept Kal company while Caraway is a lookout-Kal is clearly an aggressor and It can lead ip to a separate scene with Snapdragon in private. Caraway could elect Rosemary or even one of the mermaids to watch over them underwater, and that could explain why things went tits up-Caraway wasn’t there to help when Sage loses control. Plus, Kal could maybe have depth since he is clearly the one who grew up toxic, and could expose a crush on Snap but internalized homophobia or just how bullies can be insecure. Then Snaps gender could have been explored in other episodes if he is dysphoric and be not such a turn.

[@PamsWorld101]

1:07:32 reminds me of the people who only watched 4kids mew mew when they’re younger saying the new reboot (which I think is really good imo) is inaccurate lol

[@bluethebunnylord9274]

I have this idea for this rewrite fanfic where Old magic (or traditional magic) is drawn from the earth but also takes something away from the earth, and new magic (or contemporary magic) comes from the person itself, but they need to be emotionally and mentally stable in order to draw it from them which is why Sage’s magic is extremely volatile, she’s too anxious and emotional to use contemporary magic and finds traditional better because of her mental state. Also in this take, Caraway actually invented Contemporary magic and since its a new concept, he’s not sure about the limits of it but everyone thinks that since the source comes from the person themselves, there are no limits which is false because the rot is coming from the unregulated use of contemporary magic (I still haven’t figured this out yet, maybe it’s just because the Contemporary magic is actually corrupted without Caraway knowing this or others using contemporary magic for evil purposes) And also the guardians are more like paladins and are just parade and show pieces, figureheads. And Mandrake and Olive were former students to the school before mandrake realized that the guardians don’t do anything besides just get paraded around as protectors of the world when they actually do nothing and have the students do all the heavy lifting for them. And Olive had her home get destroyed by the rot and trusted that the guardians will come and help her and her family which never happened so she and Mandrake teamed up with each other to take down the school using the contemporary magic instead of actually dealing with the rot.

[@disillusionedtiramisu]

27:46 okay... let me make an attempt. i often, if not always, also enjoy my media the same way that you described (that being: action sequences that are slowed to highlight character moments or character growth > action sequences which are clearly separated from moments of important dialouge and character growth) however, i feel like this doesn't apply with episode 11 of HGS because the B-Plot, (featuring Snap and Caraway), are so divorced from the A-Plot (mermaid bullshit-ery) that it ends up feeling klunky at best and jarring at worst. this is a consistent problem across all of the writing within HGS, which you briefly touch upon in this video ( 10:12 ) and in previous videos. the point at which the writers cut back and forth between the A-Plot and B-Plot feels unnatural because they haven't actually sat down and developed either plot/arc related to the episode fully. it appears as though the producers of HGS write dialogue and scripts with no intention in mind of what they actually want to produce, or how they want the audience to feel. there's a very, very clear difference when you're making a cartoon with an episodic structure vs. whatever the fuck HGS is doing - my best comparison that i can pull out of my ass is Adventure Time (seasons 1-4) where it often feels like nothing is happening, and yet, we learn a lot about the world and the large ensemble over the course of a season or so. meanwhile, HGS cuts back and forth between moments which are supposed to evoke... something in the audience and moments which are either tonally or narritively (or both) divorced from whatever came before it. TL;DR: i feel like it's fair to say that HGS doesn't have action sequences that are slowed to highlight character moments or character growth, it simply just cuts away from the action sequences to divulge in moments of dialogue and interaction which... aren't even always important to specific character's growth or their arcs.

[@disillusionedtiramisu]

also, after watching your HGS series, i'm subbing to your patreon, no backsies

[@c-puff]

@@disillusionedtiramisu Aw thank you so much!! I really appreciate it!! Also you're actually completely right and I didn't think about it like that. The cutting back and forth is done so often sometimes only a few seconds are spent on each scene. But you're right, it feels like they're trying to smash 2 concepts together and yet tried to do so.... in whatever the hell way you'd describe all this.

[@inarifox8912]

I feel the best thing to compare HGS to is RWBY. They are essentially the same show: A group of four girls with a specific in world naming convention go to a school to learn to fight monsters and go on missions. They both even suffer from story problems and ship bait. However why I think RWBY succeeds over HGS is that while the plot of the story isn't necessarily implemented well -I think Miles and Karry were in over their heads when it came to a plot heavy series- it is there. There is progress to the story, and the fights are well animated as they are the main thing the creator of the series wanted to do. HGS fails at all angles. The animation is average at best, the characters are awful, the story is practically non existant. What is it about HGS did Raye want so desperately want to show an audience?

[@MrAuthor3DS]

You know, you raise a pretty good point about Snap's half of Ep11. In fact, now that I think about it, Snapdragon is one of the most disconnected characters from the main story. All she has is her relations to Amaryllis and Sage...and that's it. ...It's almost like her only reason for being one of the main characters (or just someone with a lot of screentime) is that one thing you don't want a "labeled" character to be boiled down to: tokensim.

[@zenkaiangel977]

I just found your channel and I hope you're happy because I love you now!! 😂 Great review, my friend, this is sooo much more entertaining than anything they have or could come up with and you deserve the money the made/used on hgs 🤣

[@c-puff]

😂 welcome! And thank you haha!!

[@WalerianZ]

As a transperson I'm very flattered by your view on the Snapdragon topic, I mean I like how you analyze the character, the plot consistencies, the lore implications. I myself struggle with portrayal of trans-people in my own fantasy worlds, it's a struggle to properly imagine what it would be by not just copying real-world stuff, you really have to put your head to it, not just use "transition" everywhere, it's just a buzzword that we use in modern society to describe a lot of queer experiences related to one's own gender conformity and identity. For fantasy world "shapeshifting" would be a much more used word, as well as being an umbrella for any other magical body change. And like, if they would want to specify, gendershifting, specishifting, hairshifting and such. And for any kind of gender roles and their conformity - also there should be some kind of a lore, instead of blindly copying "sorta like real humans back in the day" attitudes. Where are my boys with long hair and complicated exotic robes, I don't get it Weird unasked idea: I half-jokingly headcanon (since at least two people in canon are trans, Snap hinted and being presented as a questioning boy, but authorial intent obvious) now evil potion teacher as a transgirl in stealth. She really gives off those vibes "I really struggled to get here and I'm not going to take any pressure to judge me", which is, yeah, problematic, but at least it gives this character some kind of a... believable humanity, I guess. And it's something I've seen within me and my t*girl friends, that inner rage that's a fault, but is a mental instability caused by transphobia and despair. I don't believe Caraway's character, he really feels like a carbon cut-out, a nice intelligent creature which wasn't changed at all prior and after the transition, except for mild raise of self-esteem. He even continued visiting the same school, first a student, then a teacher, like he has no actual soul and interests. I like his vibe as a kind softboy coolboy transpersona, as I'm such a man myself, but he's really bland as a trans-character and a trans-boy, basically just shounen stereotype (pretty gentle masculine guy) blended with shy geek-girl stereotype. Let's see how we can rewrite him... Simple ideas: underline passions for intelligence and magic (like, "I want to focus on that and ran off to masculinity so people wouldn't hit on me bc as a girl I'm too pretty and I don't need that", basically trans because ace), hint at aggression issues (sometimes snaps out of a gentle persona and hurts people, "nice use of violence" theme), less weirdly shoved-in fetish (polyamory is an important topic, but there were none, and oversexualising polyamory is quite damaging, need more non-sexual polyamory rep) and more underlining actual finding of love (love of trans-people is a very important topic and a part of their path), maybe Caraway was in love with Rose's mom and suffers in his own right (why only Rose have to humorously suffer all the time? why can't anybody else?). And what's Caraway's name anyway?? Raye, that's your self-insert, why he has no first name???

[@WalerianZ]

And why not just make the whole school and cast trans, binary or not. That would slap, I love that. That we would start talking about "token cis characters" which is yassss. Cartoony, stupid, magically incoherent, but entirely based on trans people, non-hateful stereotypes about them, and their magical childish adventures High Guardian Spice is my special interest, I like it whatever it brings, "guilty pleasure" like people who hate their positive feelings towards a negativly seen thing say

[@WalerianZ]

New thoughts, considering Snap. He has a definite thing for bullies. Tolerating Amaryllis (and even getting on her unambigious good side, that's some talent maaan), crushing on Sage (especially when she berates somebody "you're a jerk" uwu waifu moment, and tolerating her whining and sexism towards Snap out of the blue, and her crushing on somebody else which is a ripe base for jealousy and uncertainty), being a bully himself, being very perceptive of violence (not wanting to hurt people as a child and a warrior, reacting hysterically on slight counter-offensive "you like to be a mermaid, right? that's cool, you're making a splash in your costume" bullying, imagining like he's gonna get hurt for painting his nails by a person who have never pushed him in gender conformity and only praised his feminine aethetic). Toxic relationships are an interesting point, especially if they are underlined as toxic and not just presented as "normal and desired". He could've got a bunch of plots with Sage that they're the same toxic like Sage is to Rose, but Snap is different and sucks it all up, because he's drawn to pain due to his trauma, he wants to be submissive and inoffensive, and since he likes girls, he idolizes them. If he actually would fit as a girl, then he would see Sage as a sort of an ideal girl model image, as many t* people confuse (or just mix together, in a very gay way) crushes and transition goals. So if taking this as an example, he would want to be like Sage - openly uncomfortable, openly bitchy, percieving oneself as kind rather than an actual bully (Snap's consciousness is quite high, he properly realises what he is doing, he's not even an offensive bully, just puts on a punk look to fit Amaryllis's sociopathic style), and mixing girliness with offensive power, since he percieves masculinity as danger, and femininity as safety, and never really have seen an image of a girl that uses anger and strength in it's own justifiable way and without hitting people with fists, again, what Amaryllis isn't despite being a strong dangerous girl. Snap even has his own strength as a warriour - the fencing one. So he HAS a fighting style in him, it's just a narrow and concentrated style, just like his ideals. That's what I call a reading, baby I'm glad that I came up with this psychoanalysis, and it would've been interesting if it were the actual point this character makes. That he uses danger as an important part of himself, and not only something he rejects. Or she, I still don't get what would be the best for dear Snap. Maybe even bigender or genderfluid

[@WalerianZ]

Mandrake's reading. This one is another generic cis guy wanna-be villain, which is interesting, definitely inspired by an aesthetic of a tumblr sexy man. They're normally such overcharming funnily looking (what's with your hair, buddy?) morally grey or dark characters. Huge Once-ler vibe. I think I've even seen somebody a bit simp for Mandrake, he definitely hits some kind of a mark. What's interesting about Mandrake, but not easily seen, is how he takes an identity as a changeling of a transman. Literal transman that takes potions every months to achieve that same effect. So Mandrake isn't off hands from queer rep because he did parade as a transman, even if technically his normal identity would be cis. Yeah, for Mand it's not clear, he sees - he copies, and he doesn't know neither physical implications of this look, neither inner life of the person, as his goals aren't to represent anything perfectly, just picture perfect and that's it. He has no issue with copying Caraway, it's just a guy for him, and it's easier for a slim white cis-man-human to copy a man-looking human than to copy a… well… definitely not women (triad, centaur-girl I think? demon girl, old girl), and with a struggle a black guy or a faun guy. Basically Caraway is the only guy that by the looks fits Mandrake's physical archetype, so it would make the easiest sense for Mandrake to copy him exactly. As a bonus - Caraway is seen as benevolent and smart to everybody he meets, which is important for Mandrake's causes (which is, trying to eliminate everybody by gaining their trust and betraying it). I'm interested why Mandrake used exactly Caraway, did he have issues with taking forms of girls or other species, or other physiques, or does he not care about gender or looks and just doesn't want to change anything in his persona, since he's so dead-set on his mission rather than judging people? And what is it for Caraway to see a changeling - a copy of a look that he workes so hard for and never stops, every month? I would've been heartbroken if I would see somebody parading as my "new-becometh" self, especially if that somebody would spread an idea that this look is inherently cis and a person it belongs to was never trans to begin with. Caraway doesn't really mention his transness to people except to children with issues that can touch his experience by context (gender issues of Snap, Rose's mom's past that has had experience with pre-transition Caraway), but what would have happened if Mandrake, if paused only by a minute, was actually met by continuation of those topics, like, Rose would want to know more about "how you've met my mom" when Caraway was a "girl", or Snap wanting more info on "transition magic", what would be then for Mandrake? Would he try to understand? Would he just brush it off, mentally and socially "I'm busy"? Would he be disgusted that a look he possesses is not what he thought is like? I'm not even adding any traits to Mandrake but he has so much potential to touch on trans-experiences that he so blindly expropriated. He's already doing lots of illegal stuff, come on, that's a good moment to apply dark sides of the topic. Olive's reading. She vibes with those "strong independent catwoman" vibes and a butch aethetic - short hair, bland colours, edgy black, unappropriate in rules (walks on railings, no signs of traditional femininity except for the dress). She could've been a great character to show what could've been a "self-exploration on gender" (like Snap has it) in a finite form look like. In this version she would've already have thought in and out if she fits something boyish, something not gentle, something rude and hostile, and embraced her own devilishness on a more feminine side, her ideas on "kill is a no-no", her non-binary leaning "I'm more of a cat than a gender" things. Like, she vibes with "yeah, I'm a girl, but I don't care really, my pronouns are sweetheart and go away". What's curious about her gender ideas is the "dongs" moment. Since she doesn't like violence all too much, but likes being a trickster and a problem, she wouldn't think that "swords" are a desire to draw at all. Especially for a little girl, if taking "it's sexist like in the real world" for lore. So even if she recognised them as swords, she still wouldn't genuinely think that, and instead would think of something more funny to herself - well, the most common inappropriate picture. Since she has absolutely no restraint on reading somebody's personal writings, she has no mental contraint either, so she jokes about something she thinks funny herself, not something she would want to amuse with somebody else. And it would be a weird delight for her to hint that Rose "might be concentrating on boys too much", even if it's not true and she knows it, but it sounds like an insult and Olive would want to insult this way. On itself it doesn't say anything, but as a part of overall Olive's presentation as an aro ace'coded person (she cared about Kino-cat more than about anybody else in this world), this looks like she thinks that anything sexual is in general funny and not worth thinking other way rather than derogatory, meaningless, not worthy of art or anything. She says that commentary to Rose like a definite flaw, "you should reflect on drawing swords like a body part, because it's inherently wrong, and stop doing that". That could also mean that she enjoys more accurate drawings of swords, like she might have a thing for violence aethetic, like she uses a magical stuff without magic and is hurt by Rose in this battle, might be a blade thing. People in general said that Olive is very unoriginal and not really a character (no consistency, no reasoning), and yet her design is still an archetype. She's a "trickster villain girl that turns on heroes' side", basically Amaryllis but less vibe more cat and plot. And as a villain she just ain't granted a love story or an orientation, while Ama, being much worse, is hinted at somebody called Hickory that doesn't exist but whatever. And yet she looks like a "queer villain" trope and a butch / lesbian girl trope. If using this as a reference (I doubt Raye knows about "history of queer villain-characters in media"), one could use Kino as a female shapeshifter as well. Like, maybe it's an autist person that just doesn't like to talk but isn't actually a cat, and when Olive transforms, they could be silent and lesbianely cat together, also acely. That would be a much weirder and more hidden pairing than Anise and Aloe, and more passionate than them. Anise and Aloe seem to like each other for looks, optimistic normal behaviours and idea of "conservatism" that doesn't really touch them every day on any significant level, that's a staple of the past for them, and they live "family domestic life together with marriage and house" - that isn't chemistry, it's carbon and idea of romance rather than romance itself. Okay, I get it, Anise and Aloe exist, they're perfectly normal, they're lesbians, but they're nothing than a prop device and a plot - they serve two main girls and nothing more, which is kinda weird, considering they're basically closest in town legal guardians to two mainest heroines, they should be more nuanced, not just "insert punk butch (minus danger this subculture is inherently connected to OR the reasons for this subculture to exist in this setting in the first place)" and "insert elf woman (minus elf culture, just looks)". Oh, and "the same parties" thing. I didn't forget that thing. Kink doesn't add to carbon props individuality. Anise's reading. This person is closer to girls than Aloe is, up to knowing history with Sage's mom (which apperantly also wore jeans and piercings, and knew how to pose to coloured photoes). I would want to put aside an idea that Anise "did a wrong thing plot-wise saying that Sage's mom is conservative and hypocritical", continuing her wife's commentary. What if that WAS the message? And Anise and Aloe think about people being hypocritical if they do a thing in the past but not now. That would mean so many things - especially lesbian biphobic jealousy which is very much a thing. "If you dated a man, you are forever not a lesbian and are a hypocrite". Aloe is vibing as a manipulative person, leading the train where Anise only follows and smiles, and Aloe tries to look presentable, elegant, calm, but also the first one to say something bad about a person. Aloe might've pressured Anise to see herself just as a lesbian to please her wife, but maybe she's actually bisexual, just is incapable to try it because of social pressure? "Conservative" in this household might mean "girls liking men", and new magic versus old magic - just an allegory for biphobia, saphic versus juliettian experience, and it might've been a slip-up in a house where outcry about violence is silenced. That would add even more fuel to "we go to the same parties scene", because it's definite that Aloe is the one who chooses somebody else, Anise looks really uncomfortable and is the one who needs to "cover up", to say something, to not feel dirty and guilty. Aloe might even be transphobic to Caraway, saying that "he's just a girl every month until he takes a potion", which might explain why Caraway doesn't take a permanent solution - it's for the "lesbian parties". This one happened to be very painful, I'm sorry. It's something that actually happens in the queer community, even if it's not "for children", but neither is the "parties" scene with bunny costumes.

[@WalerianZ]

Remembered! Mandrake actually did copy a woman, Lavender. This was not a "random choice" thing, he knew the person and he immediately failed. Stealthing as a woman not being touched in a cartoon that has a significant amount on transpeople issues. Apperantly trans experiences don't count if a person is evil?..

[@WalerianZ]

And more about Lavender. She is always crossdressing - in traditionally male clothing, tunic-pants or knight outfit. I think it's quite attractive, my problem is that it's not mentioned or anyhow pointed at as a topic when Snap's mermaid dress IS. It was not normal in human history to crossdress for both genders, both girls and boys to the fashion of others, and a culture where girls can wear pants, but boys can't wear skirts is fairly recent. Sexist fashions always have some kind of a background, for fashion itself as a whole (like if robes are a thing or are they absent in a certain nation's fashion), for roles of genders in this society, for symbols for each item (pants were for a long time a HUGE symbol of masculinity, now they are a common bottom part of clothing to wear for anybody). So HGS takes it's sexism from Earth's modern era, just like modern Halloween celebration, but with no context, explanation, lore why are girls and boys treated differently, why girls can wear whatever they want, but boys are unallowed to one-piece leg-wraps and make-up. This type of sexism would also press down trans-girls more than trans-boys because fashion choices are a very important part of self-expression, and Lavender could pass as a trans-boy easily, if she could've been comfortable like that with her body parts - just acting as a guy socially. This is also weird in a context of Cal and Aster which are token "bully antifem boys", where do they come from? What's their upbringing? Why are they isekai to a magical dimension, were they told they live in a fantasy world where anything is possible and there are different laws and even accepted norms of genders? It's like people in this world generally didn't receive a letter that they live in a unique fantasy setting, it's a sloppy genre mesh-up of fantasy worldbuilding and "real-life"-like, and this "real life" is a very specific, personal take of a certain era, certain skin colour, feminine look with inability to understand cis-men or sometimes just hetero-relationships, tokenism for "every archetype and every superficial queer idea (lesbians, transwomen and transmen without uniqueness to the character itself)". I've also understood that Caraway is going to the same school where every immortal adult have seen him as feminine presenting and in a very immature age, and it doesn't give him even a slightest thought to separate because of this. This is pretty tough for a grown transperson to even talk to people who have knew pre-transition self intimately, "my little girl student", how is this dead shell of a man even putting up with this, I don't know. I like somebody's idea that this school is actually extremely dangerous in-lore and is a last resort for kids to go into, so that's probably just self-harming dark-coping for Caraway, maybe he tries to out-dominate people who have seen him differently. He never shows compassion for any colleague, and was even in one year with a "succubus" teacher. This is another point to wonder, what is a relationship of a transperson and a demon that traditonally leads men to girls in an adult way? Is there a connection? Is she actually a succubus or just modeled after one? How do demons percieve gender and sexuality, is this a sin that they embrace or do they act like everybody else? Kid Caraway and demon teacher also had the same hairstyle, is there a possibility that Caraway compared them and didn't like what he saw? I'm tired from interpreting this content lol

[@jcudejko]

1:27:26 that's a great ending edit, nice work! 🤣

[@c-puff]

Oh thank you! I felt I could have done better on that edit but by that point I was so ready to be done with this video 😭

[@QueenAleenaFan]

"Why would they drill into their students heads that new magic is better if they were going to combine both magics later?" I'll skip the obvious answer and go to another one. The lack of real world experience of the writers. Soldiers learn hand to hand fighting (sometimes to very high proficiency) even though guns are better. Construction workers and tradesmen learn hand tools as well as power tools. Dishwashers at restaurants may use machines to wash dishes, but they also wash dishes by hand. Hemmingway may have driven ambulances, but he probably also carried stretchers. I'm sure you can extrapolate to other fields, but the point is that people who have lack experience need to think very carefully and do a lot of research. I know military might seem unrelated to the school, but interviewing a soldier about training might have let them make a better warrior school. No, they don't need to make it a military academy with yes sir, no sir, aye sir, but having a basic intro class to Old Magic would be a very nice way to show that New Magic may be more popular, but it's not the end all beat all.

[@TaoScribble]

All of this show's cutting back and forth makes Raye's complaint about each episode's length stupid. It's like they were already planning to make each episode 15 minutes, then at the last moment decided to mash them together for...some reason. Probably the same reason blood and swearing is crammed in there, whatever that is.

[@c-puff]

From what I have seen from his tweets, Raye complains about a lot of things that remove any responsibility from him for why the show is bad (but of course accepts all responsibility for where it is good)

[@Prophet_of_Puns]

Magic systems, complex or simplistic, are one of my favorite elements in any fantasy story. It is so disheartening and frustrating when writers don’t put any forethought into their magical mechanics and what makes it doubly irksome is that despite not having any interest in fleshing out Old and New Magic they still made the ins and outs of their undefined magic system a major plot point. Which can we even call it a plot point? They spent 10 & 9/10 of their run time straight up -lying- to the viewer, have every major magic character exposit how New Magic is the best thing since sliced bread and Old Magic is the worst thing since the DMV, only to have those same characters turn around and say “Oh yeah… New Magic is actually crazy dangerous, like ‘slice a baby in half with a sword’ Dangerous. Didn’t anyone tell you that?” (Lookin’ at you Redbud, you absolute sociopath of a tree)