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Dirty Harry: A Guilty Pleasure where the Simple Solution Persists

Clint Eastwood in five movies between 1971 and 1988 (Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact, The Dead Pool) did what has to be seen as a guilty pleasure: Here was the law dispensing justice in a way that often bypassed the complexities of the legal process and in the end the problem was solved. Villains came across in these movies often as caricatures where the audience could easily get behind Harry as he did his thing. When looking at these movies from the present, in one way, they seem to come from a different era, a different time, yet, at the same time, the simplicity of justice seems to echo Donald Trump's approach to basically any policy he wants to address: There will be no consequences, we do something and suddenly the problem is solved and America is a better place. If only things were that simple, the Dirty Harry legacy lives on.

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    The Killer Angels (1974): The Unusual Influence of a Novel

    The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1975. While it won the prize in the Fiction category, the novel is based on the actual events at the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) during the American Civil War. Shaara based his novel on what are known as After-Action Reports which various officers wrote after a battle. Ken Burns says the book influenced him, leading to his PBS series on the Civil War. Joss Wheldon also says the book influenced him, leading to his TV series, Firefly. How a novel can influence others in ways that extend well beyond literature is a topic to explore.

    • Definitely should explore intertextuality and Barthe's theories surrounding death of the author – Pamela Maria 6 years ago
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    Classics Illustrated: All Comics are not Created Equal

    Classics Illustrated were comics that were produced from 1941 to 1971 and 169 issues were made. Hamlet, Moby Dick, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers were among the novels they made. Students going through high school in the 1950s and 1960s probably were able to make their way through many English classes and exams by using Classics Illustrated instead of reading the real novels. Forget Cliff Notes, these were on a standard well above them. Should we consider Classics Illustrated on a higher level than comics such as Detective Comics or Superman or consider them to be graphic novels.

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      Humour in Cartoons and Anime

      As an avid watcher of cartoons and anime one thing I have noticed it that in the west if a movie or a tv show is animated it has to be driven by humour. Regardless if it's a cartoon directed to an older audience like Bojack Horseman, Archer or something like Bobs Burger these shows have to be laugh out loud funny. While as with Anime, it's easy to find series where humour is barely present yet that is directed to an adult audience like Death Note, Erase, Spychopass and many more. It's as if the west think that for something to be seen as serious it has to be live action, which would explain why someone would go out of their way to make a live action remake of Your Name, which is completely useless since is animated form is already perfection. Japan and anime has already proven that animated material doesn't need to have humour to be successful, why do you think the west is set on always linking cartoons with humour? Is it because of the word "cartoon" itself or is it because the medium will never be as respected as something live action, and why is that. Can an image or a voice actor not convey the same kind of emotions than a traditional actor? Will we ever see a mainstream tv show or movie that is animated that isn't a comedy but that gets the same kind of respect than a live action movie. Or do you think some animes are able to avoid the comedy title because of the different types of animes that exist (shonen, seinen, shojo, josei and kdomomuke). Should the west possibly follow these different types of categories in order to have more variety in the cartoon world?

      • You have an interesting topic suggestion here, but I would suggest more research is done into western animated storytelling, so as to avoid the generalisation that it is driven by humour. There are some very fine examples of non-humorous animated tales that could be considered, such as: Fantastic Planet (1973), Watership Down (1978), When the Wind Blows (1986), Flatland (2007), The Illusionist (2010), April et Le Monde Extraordinaire (2015), Ethel and Ernest (2016)...the list is practically endless. – Amyus 6 years ago
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      • I guess I should have added more of an emphasis on mainstream cartoons targetted to adults. Never meant to make the claim that everything produced by the west in driven by humour, like I said I love anime and cartoons so I watch a lot of a variety of things and I know we have some serious animated movies on our end too, but mostly the popular cartoons that are known about by the general public are almost always comedies which isn't always the case in Japan. – tmtonji 6 years ago
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      • I get what you're saying. Mainstream cartoons in western society are almost always humour based. I think a large part of that is because of Disney and Nickelodeon's corner on the market. I really do think it's how we've been fed cartoons culturally. In western society, cartoons and animation have been marketed to us almost exclusively as either for children or for light-hearted humour and nothing more. In regards to Japan and anime, it seems that it is more respected as an art form and seems to focus on the characters and their development as opposed to the typically plot driven western productions. Seeing how anime so popular, I think if the west followed in the footsteps of Japan in taking part in more serious animation, they would find a large market for it here. – Melissa 6 years ago
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      Musical communication in films: What happens when the soundtrack is not historically acurate?

      A poignant scene in Django Unchained, directed by Quentin Tarantino, is when the free slave Django rides his horse alongside Calvin Candie's carriage and henchmen. The rap song complementing the scene -100 Black Coffins by Rick Ross – is a stark historical juxtaposition. The song is certainly attractive to the ear, but does this choice of music go deeper than aesthetic? Does it allude to both the enslaved plight of African Americans whilst also drawing parallels to their modern plight (one often expressed through Hip Hop culture)? Does this ring true for other films? If so, what films and why?

      • Yes, this is a great topic. Hope I'm not overstepping here, but I think the word you're looking for anachronistic: when does an element in a work of art, whether editing, sound, lighting, etc. seem out of place or out of context? In Django it appears to enhance the experience, but perhaps in other films, in the hands of someone differently skilled, the use of anachronistic music might instead alienate the viewer. Really interesting topic. – Matchbox 6 years ago
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      • Thank you for that correction and insight - makes things much more succinct! – danielleraffaele 6 years ago
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      Webcomics: Quantity vs. Quality

      The internet provides a platform for indie artists and writers with limited resources to get their work out into the world. Webcomics were born of this freedom. Many popular webcomics choose to deliver their stories in a micro-serialized manner, often releasing only a single page of panels at a time. Additionally, many webcomics have no clear end in sight, but rather are stories that run indefinitely. Explore the strengths and weaknesses of webcomics as we see them today: the common formats and delivery approaches, the trends, how it relates to the quality of the stories being told, and what the future holds for creators and fans alike.

      • This sounds like it would be an examination that can be deeply investing. I would examine the webcomics Marvel & DC have been putting out as an example. – BMartin43 8 years ago
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      • Some of the positives: Webcomic authors and artists alike being able to work at their own pace. Atomic Robo is a series that began as a published comic book, but made the switch to the webcomic format, now releasing pages in the way you described. Some of the negatives: Familiar setups/situations. For webcomics that focused on video games, it was common to have 2 males who would get into wild antics compared along with 1 female friend they have who was often stuck with the "straight man" and/or "voice of reason" role. – Christopher 8 years ago
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      • I feel there are also a few webcomics out there that make a unique usage of their own digital medium, like Romantically Apocalyptic and some of the Emily Carroll horror comics. On the other hand, there are comics that literally post a page per update, roughly standard sized, and then run a kickstarter to print the collected volumes. Not that I don't love both, but I think it's exciting to see people using the fact that they're publishing digitally a bit more creatively. – sk8knight 8 years ago
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      Ocean's 8: Women Who "Win"

      Although the idea of "winning" is complicated, the female cast of Ocean's 8 "win" in so far as they are successful in their heist (even beyond their original expectations), form a strong alliance and friendship, and, in the case of Debbie, get their revenge. Although the film originally foreshadows the heist plan backfiring due to Debbie's desire to get revenge on her ex-boyfriend by framing him, this expectation is not fulfilled as he is sent to jail. What does the film's conclusion mean in terms of the film's conception of feminism?

      • I think feminism is integral to the film but also the theme is not portrayed in a straight forward way. Think about the humour at the end when Sandra Bullock's character talks about how they are inspiring young girls to steal. This speech anticipates how the film will be thought of as an empowering feminist manifesto and makes a joke of it. We are reminded that the film is a comedy and just because of a heavily female cast we should not only think of the film in terms of a political agenda. It is a good film in its own right. – elizask 6 years ago
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      • A wider discussion to have may also include a comparison of the success of Ocean's 8 verses the recent Ghost Busters - both are "reboots" and reflect strong feminist views, but one has been significantly more successful than the other both in box office and popular review. So I would add to the discussion, why is Ocean's 8 a bigger win for feminism? – SaraiMW 6 years ago
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      The quest for realism in video game graphics

      Throughout the technological evolution of modern video games, there has existed a prominent lineage of photorealistic pursuit, of aiming closer and closer toward a graphic image that resembles "the real thing." While one might argue that this lineage is just a natural progression in the utilization of increasing graphic capacity, such a progression doesn't necessarily have to go in a realist direction as there are other ways to achieve visual detail. My hypothesis is that it has to do with mimesis; the concept that an image is (metaphysically speaking) a representation/imitation of a "real" counterpart object, which has permeated Western aesthetic thought and culture since Ancient Greece. I would love to see an article that examines the lineage of realism in video game graphics through the context of mimesis, looking at the aesthetic theories of Plato and subsequent philosophers and how they have influenced Western visual culture. Or perhaps there are some other potential factors behind the lineage that I'm unaware of – nonetheless it would be a really interesting topic to explore!

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        The Most Influential Shonen Anime

        I always looked at Dragonball Z as my "gateway drug" into anime. I kind of snowballed into watching Naruto, Bleach, Fairytale, and One Piece shortly after. These are the shows that were particularly influential to me, but I'm wondering if there are other shonen anime that were influential to a wider audience. I know Quinten Tarantino is a fan of anime and he incorporates some similar styles of anime into his fills. I'm thinking of Kill Bill where the film dives into the backstory of O-Ren Ishii.

        • It would be cool to look at how early anime inspired modern movie genres, like Akira and Ghost in the Shell inspired a lot of sci-fi and action. But what makes something "influential"? Being popular in western culture? Lots of anime has been influential in other cultures/countries that didn't necessarily make as much of an impact here. This would be a great read. – Eden 6 years ago
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        The dangers of Tokenism in Anime

        Analyze why certain characters from certain anime appear to exist for no other reason than a shallow perception of diversity. Specifically when an african american character appears in an anime for no other reason than to show that black people exist in this particular anime.

        • Characters of other nationalities are used in anime to use stereotypes as comedic relief, plot devices or backgrounds. Black characters in particular imply strength, speed, servitude, hipness, gangsters, poor childhood, underdog characteristics. I don't think the Japanese care about diversity in media. – katsucats 6 years ago
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        • This is a really important topic given how anime is distributed to the rest of the world, not just Japan. I would look into the sociological basis in Japanese culture to understand how race functions there. – Nicholas Bennett 6 years ago
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        • Art reflects life, period. The Japanese are a ethnically homogenous people, who take pride in their cultures and tradition and as such have a dismal view of other ethnicities. White skin seems to be desirable. maybe due to their defeat at the hands of the US, but even white Americans are the butt of many an unpleasant joke. But that being said, one should not incorporate diversity for diversity's sake, lest one wants to ruin the narrative. – RedFlame2000 6 years ago
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        In what ways do Marvel's depictions of females affect society and real women?

        When considering how women are viewed in film, I like to think of the Bechdel test. This test (and I am paraphrasing here) says that if a movie does not have two female characters in it that talk about something other than a man, then it fails. Unfortunately, not all of Marvel's movies pass. How do these depictions of women (ie, their lack of roles that include interactions with other women, the way that only men are discussed when interactions do occur, etc) affect real live ladies? How does it affect society? How does it support the systematic oppression of women and perpetrate the patriarchy?

        • I agree that Marvel fails it's female characters, and women, as a whole with it's representation of women. It rarely treats women badly, and ocasionally has some really good female characters (see; Black Panther). But it's just in sheer numbers and representation that it fails its women. For every 4-5 men there is one notable female character. (See Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy). It fails to show women do much of anything as a whole, as even the supporting female characters, are delegated to just being "the girlfriends." And even the superhero women eventually become someone's girlfriend. Women cannot exist long in the marvel universe without being attached to a boyfriend or love interest. That si where Marvel fails most. There are hardly any women in the movies as headliners, and even when they are they are put into usually forced relationships. It's a shame. – Dimitri 6 years ago
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        • I have found majority of films that aren't targeted specifically to the female demographic fail the Bechdel test. I think it would be interesting to focus on how a lot of people criticise the test, without realising that if it is normal and common for men to have discussions not around the opposite sex, then it should be normal for women as well. – Zohal99 6 years ago
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        • You could contrast this with how the DC has tried to target more towards women (and POC but that's not the main focus here) especially with a movie like Wonder Women that featured a largely all female cast and a female director. Her character also eventually exists without the male hero and can exist without him. – Pamela Maria 6 years ago
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        The idealization of your significant other

        In 500 Days of Summer, we see how Tom exalts Summer and puts her on a pedestal. From the beginning, she explains she isn't interested in a formal relationship, but he falls in love with her anyways, and he expects the feeling to be reciprocated. When she doesn't correspond him, he is devastated.

        Many people get terribly hurt because they create an idealization of their significant other. We are all human, hence, none of us are perfect. However, we still strive to achieve what is best. Do romantic films shape us into thinking we have to find "the one"?

        I'm not saying we should be conformists with any person that appears into our lives, but to an extent, what is –or should be — the limit to measure what is best or who is "the one"?

        • The "ideal" significant other is an extremely interesting subject to explore. There is a really interesting theory posted on YouTube that explores the link between parental figures and adult attraction. They theorize that attraction is determined by behaviours exhibited by the adults present during childhood. For better or for worse, there is a certain amount of comfort that comes with being around something familiar, be that a parent's supportive or emotionally distant nature. That might be an interesting topic if it can be mixed in with how ideal partners are explored in the film. – maticusarts 6 years ago
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        • It would be good to link this to abusive and toxic relationships in society ... those parallels would work well :) – Zohal99 6 years ago
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        • This is a great idea for an article! Maybe you could tie in how accessible romantic connections are in the modern age? How can we commit to 'one' when there are an infinate number of 'ones' out there? Also internet dating often takes away accountability, allowing people to 'ghost' with incredible ease. We are at once desperate to find the idealised relationship of films and unwilling to face the realities of a monogamous relationship. – elizask 6 years ago
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        What do you want from a new Bioshock game?

        Bioshock was a revered and renown franchise but except for a remaster of the original 3 games, the series has been quiet since Irrational games closed. With the recent announcement of a secret new Bioshock project called "parkside", there is a chance we will see a new game from the series. What do you want to see out of a new Bioshock game? What new setting would fit a new game? What mechanics would you want to see?

        • I would like a new Bioshock game in the vein of the original. Arkane has shown that the immersive sim genre is not entirely dead in the AAA sphere with Dishonored and Prey. The immersive sim is such a unique genre that could really benefit from having more developers involved in it. The two main things I hope for are pretty cynical but I think they're important. One is that I hope 2K doesn't continue with the AAA trend of nickel & diming players at every turn. I've been pretty burnt out on the AAA scene due to excessive mircotransactions, lootboxes, and game design trends that are meant to get as much time and money from the players as possible. I don't have faith in 2K to no do this, however. The second thing is that I hope the developers learn from Bioshock: Infinite. That game failed on so many levels I'm baffled it got any praise. From its design to its story to its themes, everything about Infinite was a step back from the original. Arkane may not make the greatest immersive sims, but they are good examples of how to make that sort of game in the modern AAA sphere. – Scott Dewalt 6 years ago
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        The Importance of Accuracy in TV and Movies About Computers

        Discuss the spectrum of realism in the media's portrayal of those in the world of computers, such as hackers or security experts in Mr. Robot, visionaries and coders in Halt and Catch Fire, all the way back to films such as Tron or War Games. Is accuracy as important as story, or even more desired in the past ten years? Perhaps speculate on how these shows impact people's views of computers and how important they are to society.

        • It would also be interesting to look at films over a continuum of time and see what ideas/representations of hackers and security experts are portrayed and how they have changed (if they indeed have at all). – SaraiMW 6 years ago
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        Sharpay Evans: High School Villain or Hardworking Young Woman?

        In High School Musical, the villain often identified is Sharpay Evans, but is she really the villain? We come to see her as the villain because she is constantly trying to win her place in the school's musical by ruining Troy and Gabriella's chances. But there are many things we don't think about till later on such as: Sharpay's dedication to her schools drama club, the unfairness of Troy and Gabriella's call-back when they didn't technically audition, and even the fact that the story is told from the point of view of the more popular characters. Sharpay fromt he beginning of the story was considered alike to a "mountain lion", something that can be cute but you definitely wouldn't pet. So, is she a villain?

        • Might be interesting to look at Sharpay Evans through the frame of how films portray successful or hard-working, determined women, rather than looking at it in a vacuum. – Zohal99 6 years ago
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        Are Social Networking Platforms Endangering our Identity?

        Social networking platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have changed the way society and individuals view their self worth as the amount of likes and comments we receive on our posts can feel like validation some individuals don't receive in real life.
        Do we agree that these platforms are changing the way we as a society as a whole and individually see ourselves and others?

        Are the causes linked to 'social media celebrities' and 'influencers' online?

        • I think this could be a really good topic and definitely something that affects so many of us on a daily basis! The increased use of social media has meant that people are calculating their worth based on likes and followers (in a sense!) – Jessica Chaudhry 6 years ago
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        • Validation and self-worth should definitely be at the centre of this because an unhealthy need for both can lead to a lot of other problems in a person's life. – Zohal99 6 years ago
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        • There's actually lots of "selfie" rhetoric that's appeared in the field of digital rhetoric that addresses these issues of narcissism, lack of self worth, and a hunger for re-writinf/controlling your narrative with the rise of social media. Although she specifically focuses on selfie taking, Aimée Morisson is a great researcher and theorist to look up – Pamela Maria 6 years ago
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        • I can say yes and no, it depends on the situation. – fisalolo 6 years ago
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        The state of single-player games

        It seems to be a somewhat awkward time for the single-player experience in AAA games. Recently EA recently shutting down Visceral Games and "pivoting" the design of their planned Star Wars game to something seemingly more multiplayer. At the same time, smaller games on platforms such as Steam and Itch.io are, more often than not, single-player. Are games of this scale filling a gap that is becoming increasingly difficult to financially justify in the AAA space, or are games such as last year's Doom or this year's Legend of Zelda indicators that there's still a place long-term for more focused experiences?

        • I think that some of the best recent games, even if not story-focused, have great single-player experiences. In a year where we can have a timelessly incredible Mario game (Super Mario Odyssey), an arguably superior sequel to an already enjoyable game (Wolfenstein: The New Colossus) and a formula-switching - at least a little - Assassin's Creed game released on the SAME DAY, I think it's fair to say that the single-player experience probably isn't going anywhere. Upcoming PS4 titles such as Insomniac's Spider-man and The Last of Us Part II are set to expand the genre further. – CallumBenson 7 years ago
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        • I would look into the willingness of younger players to play single-player games compared to multiplayer games. – AndreSpence 2 years ago
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        What is the most appealing thing about anime?

        Anime as a genre and a community has far outclassed those of any other form of cartoon media. What is it about the Japanese shows, which vary through all sorts of story genres and artstyles, that come together to create such an appealing platform for all ages? Why is it as popular as it is?

        • I like the premise of this, but I'd point out that there are so many forms of Anime this may be a hard topic to tackle. Maybe try to pinpoint a particular genre or style of anime and look at it's popularity, versus anime as a whole. Yes they are all Japanese animation, but it's all so diverse it may not be possible to view it as a whole. – alexpaulsen 7 years ago
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        • I think one of the most appealing things about anime is how different and fresh it feels. I know a common argument most people will bring now is that the anime industry has been milked out and all the interesting essence to it died off in anime's golden age at the late 90s and the early 2000s, but anime still does one thing that most mainstream series or movie blockbusters fail to accomplish, it has the ability to make an audience feel and understand the emotions and feelings of a character and thus comprehend the amount of weight each one of their actions will bring not only to the furtherance of the plot but towards them, their relationships with the people around them. It allows us the viewers to not just view the story, but be a part of it. That's what makes anime so damn appealing and enjoying as an advocate anime fan. – Yao 7 years ago
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        • I say the most appealing thing about anime is its unlimited freedom in structure and depiction of the story. The animation is your choice, choose the storyboards, use your imagination to your fullest advantage! The next attraction would be an anime's narrative and symbolism as well as realism portrayed. – KojiroSasaki 5 years ago
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        The Witcher: A Book Series to a Video Game

        Analyze the key factors that enabled The Witcher, a fantasy novel written by a Polish author, to become a hit video game that is clearly the work of great art, talent, and money. Why did the Witcher become a video game and not a movie? What about the story makes it intriguing enough to become a game?

        • This is an interesting topic. Something that should be considered is what effects can the interactive nature of gaming have on enjoying a story. – Jiraiyan 7 years ago
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        The perpetuation of the "chill girl"/"cool girl" in modern film

        I would love to see someone analyse how the concept of the "chill girl", the girl who fits in with "the boys", who doesn't show extreme emotions and has sex without getting feelings, is constructed, perpetuated and idolised in modern romantic comedies.

        • maybe add some films you would like to see investigated to get people started! – ees 6 years ago
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        • I feel like John Green is really good at writing roles that fall into this category. – Kiranpreet Sandhu 6 years ago
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        • This sounds like an exploration of the Manic Pixie trope, which might be useful to look into :) – Zohal99 6 years ago
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