Here’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while with the cast of Twisted Wonderland: compiling lists of my Top 7 Card Arts from the game for each of the major characters. Why Top 7, you may ask? Well…for one thing, TW is patterned around “The Great Seven,” so it’s an important number in universe. Seems appropriate to take advantage of that: Seven Great Cards for each of these MANY Great Lads.

I’ve talked about my favorite Card Arts for the characters in the past, but a.) some of my opinions have changed, and b.) I’ve never covered each character individually before. The Cards in TW are some of my favorite parts of the game (as well as some of the most frustrating, because of all the rigmarole one has to go through to try and earn them…the keyword being “try”), and a big reason why is the art: seeing all these different characters in various costumes, poses, and situations is just wonderful. A picture tells a thousand words, and the best Card Arts, in my opinion, tell you everything you need to know about the characters they cover. On that note, most of these images will be taken from the SSRs or the Groovies for the SRs, with all of these characters, when I get to them. In today’s case, I think this goes for all of them. (There will be some exceptions in future entries.)

Yesterday, it turns out, was World Octopus Day. I decided that was as good an excuse as any to start doing this, starting with everyone’s favorite octo-boss, Azul Ashengrotto. Azul is one of my top three characters in the game (as well as a surprising crush of mine), so there are few candidates better to start with. I won’t be going into detail on why I like each of these, because most of what I could say can be summed up as, “It looks cool,” or “I think it shows something about the character,” or both. It’s just going to be the rankings, titles, and images. With that said…here are my Top 7 Card Arts for Azul Ashengrotto!

7. Ceremonial Robes (Groovy).

6. Birthday Boy (Groovy).

5. Beans Camo (Groovy).

4. Masquerade Costume (Groovy).

Keep reading

This is the second half of my 3rd Year Anniversary Special! To commemorate me being here on Tumblr, spreading (often kinky) weirdness about Disney’s Twisted Wonderland, I am counting down all 22 members of the Main Cast, from my least favorite to my most favorite. (Meaning no Grim, Staff Members, or Supporting Roles - just the main 22 from NRC). Yesterday, I covered the bottom eleven, from 22 - 12. If you want to see who made up the lower half of the board, you can turn here.

NOW…it’s time to look at the Top 12. Like I said in the first half, I genuinely and truthfully love ALL of these lads, and some of these rankings were so ridiculously close, they honestly could have been ties. I didn’t want any ties, though, so take some of these rankings with a grain of salt. Also, keep in mind the game is constantly evolving, so - as time goes on - my love for characters could wax or wane as more about them is unveiled. And for those who follow me for the aforementioned “kinky stuff,” keep in mind that this is NOT a countdown of my favorite kink crushes, but my favorite characters…although, with that said, the two terms are not entirely mutually exclusive. One can certainly influence the other.

With all that said, here we go! These are My Top 12 Characters from Twisted Wonderland!

11. Deuce Spade.

Deuce won the duel between himself and Ace, but it was a very close call. At first, I was actually primed to name Ace as the higher-ranking option. After much consideration, however…I realized that, for as much fun as Ace can be, I think Deuce is generally the better, more complex figure of the duo. His backstory is that he used to be a delinquent. He was a member of a street gang, and was more than happy to beat people up and commit all sorts of misdemeanors just for a lark. However, when Deuce heard his mother lamenting and crying over his misdeeds, he vowed to turn over a new leaf. This is easier said than done: Deuce is still somebody with violent impulses and a tendency to think with his fists more often than his mind. But he tries so hard to follow the rules and use his brain, you can’t help but love him. That’s really what makes Deuce such a fun character: there’s a certain dichotomy to him, with him trying so hard to be good, but always having these rough edges. He can be genuinely scary when he decides to throw down, but he can also be sweet, funny, and even downright adorable (especially when his mother gets involved with things).

10. Riddle Rosehearts.

If you know me well, then the character based on the Queen of Hearts making it into my Top 10 should be no surprise. Riddle is yet another character I’ve come to like even more over time than I did initially. I always was fond of this character, largely just because of his inspirational source. But as time has gone on, I’ve become increasingly attached to him. Part of this, I confess, is because his Cards are among the best in my deck in-game, so I rely on him quite a bit in battle; that’s bound to make you feel more attached to a character, by default. But there is much more to admire. In essence, this guy is a control freak, who obsessively demands order and organization. He is intensely focused on his studies, and proficient in his magical abilities, making him one of the highest-ranking students at the school, power-wise. This is despite the fact that he is one of the smallest characters in the game, his height being one of his most sensitive points. Like the Queen, Riddle is a temperamental character, who can go from prim and proper and even rather mild-natured to throwing wild and furious tantrums at the drop of a Mad Hatter’s hat. At times he is childish beyond belief, yet he is at other times a bizarre voice of reason and real authority. His backstory, in my opinion, is one of the most tragic, as his compulsion to follow and enforce the rules and succeed in his tasks is born from a perfectionist streak enforced by an EXTREMELY controlling family life. He never really had time for friends or frivolity when he was growing up, which has resulted in his prideful and mercurial personality. He’s a character I feel so sorry for, and find so amusing and intriguing, and I only come to enjoy him the more I see of him. I still can’t say he’s TOO high in the ranks, simply because I don’t USE him very often, but he’s still more than worthy of a slot in my Top 10.

9. Jack Howl.

This lycanthrope is one of the few characters in the game who seems to be totally original. He dwells in the Lion-King-themed dorm of Savanaclaw, but he has no obvious inspiration from those movies, given that he is a silver-furred wolfman. I would say perhaps he’s based on the Big Bad Wolf, but neither his design nor his personality and dialogue give any indication of that. I’ve seen one or two sources postulate he could be inspired by “Kimba the White Lion” - an old anime that was one of the inspirations for “The Lion King” - but I honestly see even less evidence of that. Wherever the idea of Jack came from, he’s a fun character. Jack is the very definition of what I believe is termed a “tsundere”: these are characters who pretend to be big and tough and unattached, but can never fully hide they have their soft sides. While many characters in the game could arguably fit this mold, none fit it so well as Jack: despite his aggressive, rugged, growly exterior, Jack is really just a little puppy dog at heart. He tries so hard to seem tough and vicious, and to pretend he doesn’t care about anyone, but he can’t hide the way he blushes or wags his tail at certain stimuli. And, infamously, to paraphrase the Bard, “the lupine doth protest too much, methinks.” He’s one of the least nefarious characters in the game, but he always tries so hard to seem more ferocious than he honestly is. It’s adorable, really. Ten-out-of-ten, would adopt this puppy. Ha Ha.

8. Jade Leech.

Just like Ace & Deuce, Jade is one half of a two-part package. In his case, he is one of the Leech Twins: identical twin brothers who are eel-men in disguise, hailing from Atlantica itself. They are based on Flotsam & Jetsam (Jade is the latter of the duo), and act as the henchmen of Azul Ashengrotto, the Ursula character in the game. I’m just going to come right out and say it immediately: THESE. TWO. ARE. FREAKING. TERRIFYING. Forget all of the other characters I’ve talked about so far and will talk about later on, by far the scariest characters in the game are the Leech Twins. Not only is it implied that their father is a literal mob boss, and not only is it more than implied they eat people (to be fair, they aren’t alone in that), but they are both utter sadists who seem to get unspeakable pleasure out of hurting other people just for the sheer sake of it. Of the two, Jade at first SEEMS like the least dangerous, because he puts on a facade of false gentility. He is reserved, intellectual, effortlessly and endlessly polite, and always seems to keep his cool under pressure. Beneath his debonair and dapper demeanor, however, Jade is just as much of a potential pyschopath as his brother. He’s just much better at hiding it. While both Leech Twins have their own funny and soft sides to their characters, it’s how unnerving they are that I admire and enjoy most. It’s hard to say which is scarier, really, but between the two, I think I like Jade SLIGHTLY less, in terms of writing.

7. Floyd Leech.

While Jade hides his monster under a well-polished surface, Floyd (based on Flotsam) is the polar opposite. He is a living paradox, in that he both lives in the moment and lives on the surface, yet you’re not always sure of his motives or reasons for anything he does or says. He both holds no secrets, yet is completely cryptic. Floyd is the very definition of “mercurial”: his moods shift at total random, with no obvious rhyme or reason, making him highly unpredictable. It’s difficult to tell what makes him tick, and where one stands with him. That unpredictability is what makes him fun, because he can be silly and even downright sweet when he chooses to be. However, it’s also what makes him scary: with Jade, you know there’s always something else going on behind those mismatched eyes. With Floyd, you’re never sure what he’s going to do or say next: if he’s going to be playful and childish, or if he’s going to turn into bitter ice and threaten to crush you in his bare arms. Whenever he says he wants to give someone a “squeeze,” you’re not always sure if he’s just going to hug them, or if he’s going to shatter their spine in a constricting grip. I don’t even think HE knows, half the time: he is the proverbial dog chasing cars. The moods are not totally separate, either; he’ll gleefully declare he’ll strangle you even while he’s dancing merrily. It’s the constant back and forth and the freewheeling nature of Floyd that I love most, since trying to puzzle him out is just as fun as being scared to death by him or laughing at his antics.

6. Ruggie Bucchi.

Ruggie is based on the hyenas from the Lion King. (I suspect he’s specifically based on Shenzi, since it’s her face that we see in silhouette, I believe, in his character crest. Take that however you will.) He is the (usually) loyal henchman of Leona, the Scar character, and another multifaceted figure. Much like Ace, Ruggie is a consummate trickster…but he’s almost inarguably much more dangerous than Ace ever could be. Both are pranksters and can be wily in their own ways, but Ruggie’s background is different. For a start, he came from an impoverished background, having to quite literally scavenge for food and scrape by the best he could. He knows how hard the world can be, and while he’s doing better now, he’s still not used to having money or any degree of great status. As a result, Ruggie is both greedy and gluttonous, always thinking with either his wallet or his stomach (quite frequently both at once). While not a brilliant manipulator or chessmaster, he’s a scheming scoundrel in his own right. At times, Ruggie can be friendly, and even downright adorable, given his appearances and his enthusiastic and mischievous nature…but he’s yet another case where appearances can deceive. Ruggie is a predator, through and through, and he makes no secret of it: when he says he’ll eat anything, he also means he’ll eat anyone, and considering he can quite literally eat bones…yeah. Underestimating this hyena boy may be the last thing you ever do.

Keep reading

I’m not sure why I decided to do this one next in this series, nor why I decided to do it right now. But regardless…well…here it is! My tribute to the many Card Arts featuring our favorite bad-tempered young tyrant! XD

Just like with my previous spotlights, and like all future entries, I won’t be going into detail as to WHY all of these pieces of art are my favorites. This is largely because most of what I could say can be summed up as, “It looks cool (or cute),” or “I think it shows something about the character,” or both. It’s just going to be the rankings, titles, and images. Most of the art featured in these spotlights will come from SSRs and SR Groovies; there will be exceptions on some entries, but I don’t think there are any for this one.

Simply put, these are the Seven Card Arts I think of first when I think of the Housewarden from Heartslabyul. Why Seven? Well, why not? Also, keep in mind that as time goes on, this ranking may be changed or updated, since new Cards are being added to game frequently.

Let’s waste no more time: here are my Top 7 Card Arts for Riddle Rosehearts!

7. Dorm Uniform (Groovy).

6. Birthday Boy (Groovy).

5. Ceremonial Robes (Groovy).

4. Tsumsted (Groovy).

Keep reading

Yep. Time for another one of these. And as we continue to cover the second-in-commands of the dorm leaders, I think it’s time to turn to that little ball of mysterious mischief known as Lilia. ;)

Just like with my previous spotlights, and like all future entries, I won’t be going into detail as to WHY all of these pieces of art are my favorites. This is largely because most of what I could say can be summed up as, “It looks cool (or cute),” or “I think it shows something about the character,” or both. It’s just going to be the rankings, titles, and images. Most of the art featured in these spotlights will come from SSRs and SR Groovies; there will be exceptions on some entries, but not this one. (In fact, I think every single piece of art on this list is a Groovy. Huh. Interesting.)

Simply put, these are the Seven Card Arts I think of first when I think of the Vice-Housewarden of Diasomnia. Why Seven? Well, why not? Also, keep in mind that as time goes on, this ranking may be changed or updated, since new Cards are being added to game frequently. On that note, this one is almost DEFINITELY going to change in the near future: the Diasomnia-centric chapter of the game is set to be released soon, and with it will come - at long last - the Dorm Uniform cards for all the characters in that house. The DU cards are ALWAYS great, so the chances are extremely high at least one piece of art from there will end up in the ranks. So do expect this list to be updated sometime relatively soon.

For now, however, let’s waste no more time: here are my Top 7 Card Arts for Lilia Vanrouge.

7. Apprentice Chef (Groovy).

6. Halloween Costume (Groovy).

5. Ceremonial Robes (Groovy).

4. Suitor Suit (Groovy).

Keep reading

FOREWARNED, FOREARMED: a long time ago, I did a rundown of my favorite Cards Arts from Twisted Wonderland in general, naming only my top favorites for each character. While a lot of those have not changed, Jade is one example of a case where that DID change: my favorite Card Art for him now is not what it was then. So don’t be too surprised by whatever Number One is: I’m not telling you here. ;)

Just like with my previous spotlights, and like all future entries, I won’t be going into detail as to WHY all of these pieces of art are my favorites. This is largely because most of what I could say can be summed up as, “It looks cool (or cute),” or “I think it shows something about the character,” or both. It’s just going to be the rankings, titles, and images. Most of the art featured in these spotlights will come from SSRs and SR Groovies; there will be exceptions on some entries, but not this one

Simply put, these are the Seven Card Arts I think of first when I think of the Vice-Housewarden of Octavinelle. Why Seven? Well, why not? Also, keep in mind that as time goes on, this ranking may be changed or updated, since new Cards are being added to game frequently.

Let’s waste no more time: here are my Top 7 Card Arts for Jade Leech.

7. Birthday Boy (Groovy).

6. Apprentice Chef (Groovy.)

5. Halloween Costume (Original).

4. Beans Camo (Groovy).

Keep reading

In August of 2020, I joined Tumblr for the first time. That same year, I posted a very early version of a ranking/countdown of my favorite characters from Twisted Wonderland: a game that has basically come to define my page. I write about a lot of things on here, but Twisted Wonderland is my “flagship fandom,” as it were.

I have revisited this idea of ranking my favorites from the game’s main cast of twenty-two students from Night Raven College a couple times since…but I was never happy with any of those attempts. I decided that, to celebrate my 3rd year anniversary here on Tumblr, and just as many years in love with the game, to do something special and try to rectify this issue: a comprehensive, two-part countdown/ranking of ALL those twenty-two characters, listing them from my least favorite to my most favorite, and - furthermore - explaining WHY they had they place they did and what I loved about each character. That, dear readers, is what you are looking at now: the first part of that ranking. (The second part will be posted tomorrow.) Each half will cover eleven options; this first half will cover choices 22 through 12; tomorrow will follow the top eleven.

I based my decisions on a number of things. One, obviously, is just personal bias, and that’s naturally something one simply has no control over: sometimes you’ll like certain characters more than others “just because,” and one just has to deal with that fact. The remaining factors, however, are slightly more technical: for example, how excited do I get when Cards featuring the characters come up? Are they ones I always go for, or ones I always skip? Also, in my writing, how much do I like playing with that character, or how much do I want to play with them? For those who know my page, I’m specifically talking non-kinks there…although I should add that I will be taking kinks into account. That sort of just gets lumped into “personal bias.” On one final note there, this is a list of my favorite CHARACTERS, not my favorite CRUSHES: for me, personally, there is a difference.

This was not easy to make, and there are multiple characters here where I honestly wish I could rank them higher, or where it’s all a matter of my mood (like, some days I like them more than others, if that makes sense). The fact is that I genuinely and truthfully love ALL of these lads; there really are no bad characters in the entire bunch, at least in my humble opinion. Also, again, I’m specifically talking the 22 “Main Students,” so no side characters, no staff members, and certainly no Grim. With that said, let’s begin. Here is the start of my rankings of the central cast for Twisted Wonderland: From “Least Good” to Best!

22. Cater Diamond.

Cater is a fun character with a lot of energy, who represents a common dichotomy that runs through most of the characters in this cast. At first, he seems like a typical social media junkie: obsessed with self-image, overly cheerful, practically speaking a language made up of hashtags, and seemingly ready to take a selfie with everyone and everything in breathing distance. However, underneath this, there are other sides to Cater he seems to try and keep hidden: he has a rather sneaky side to him, and there’s also hints of something terribly sad beneath his mask of smiling enthusiasm. At times I think that superficial side gets a bit annoying, which may or may not be the point…but it’s never enough to make me hate him. Unfortunately, it is enough to make him place at the bottom of the ranks.

21. Silver.

Silver ranks low because he’s sort of a cypher to me. There’s a sort of mysterious quality to the character, perhaps unintentional, as I find him to be one of the hardest characters to fully get a grasp on in a lot of ways. It’s telling that he is the only major character in the cast (minus Grim) whose last name is never given; he’s simply known as “Silver.” However, again, this doesn’t make him a character I dislike: for one thing, I enjoy that sense of mystery, because it feels like - with what we DO know about the guy - there’s a lot of interesting things waiting to be discovered still. He’s also one of the more unique characters in the cast, since he’s one of only two who is based not on a Disney Villain, but on a Disney Hero: the character is inspired by Princess Aurora herself, with a dash of Prince Philip thrown in, which makes him all the more intriguing when you realize his master (and adoptive big brother, by all accounts), Malleus, is based on the nemesis of those characters. I’m curious to see how that fact plays into the story; at the moment, Chapter 7 is not available in English, and I’m trying to avoid spoilers as much as I can. I know that Silver gets a big boost as a character due to the events of that chapter, but since I haven’t seen it yet…right now, he gets lower points. I am 90% sure that, when I see that Chapter, this fact will change and he will be given much higher placement. As it stands…this is where he sits.

20. Sebek Zigvolt.

Poor Sebek. I actually want to like this guy more than I do, but no matter how hard I try, I just don’t. Sebek definitely has his appealing qualities, and he’s probably one of the funniest characters in the game. It’s rare that scenes with Sebek don’t leave me snickering and rolling my eyes with amusement at his over-boisterous, Malleus-obsessed personality. His ego is a funny thing, and there’s a lot of humor that comes from seeing his pomposity punctured. However, at times those same qualities, much like with Cater, can be a bit grating. It was actually hard to choose between him and Silver, as far as which of the two I liked most. I ultimately decided to put Sebek over Silver simply because I think he’s a bit easier to understand and get into the head of.

19. Trey Clover.

The great paradox with Trey is that what I like about him is also what lands him so low in the ranks. Trey is the single most level-headed character at NRC. He’s sort of an encouraging big brother figure, and his more mild-mannered, practical personality makes him a great contrast to Riddle, as well as many of the other characters in the game. While he’s ostensibly inspired by one of the Card Guards, he actually seems to be based largely on the King of Hearts: a humbler figure than his housewarden, but with his own sneaky side, a trait he shares with Cater. However, the problem with Trey’s generally more “normal” personality is that, by being a character who, by design, tends to fade into the background a bit…he does exactly that, especially when you consider all the wild and colorful characters who surround him. As a result, I can’t really rank him any higher than this.

18. Rook Hunt.

Rook is one of the most oddball characters in the game…and as you can imagine, that’s saying quite a lot. He’s also probably one of the creepiest. He’s inspired by the Huntsman from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” but you probably wouldn’t guess it at first glance. He arguably changes the most from his source material: Rook is a fashionable Frenchman with a flamboyant personality. He’s a poet and a seeker of things of beauty, with more romance in his heart than a dozen Harlequin novels. He’s also seemingly fearless, which is part of what makes him occasionally unsettling: you can snarl at him, threaten him with all sorts of horrible forms of destruction, show off muscles and claw and fangs…and he just reacts with some over-the-top variation of, “That’s magnificent! Show me more!” But perhaps the thing that makes Rook truly unnerving is that he seems to adhere to the logic of “The Most Dangerous Game.” Rook is OBSESSED with hunting; he uses it as an analogy for almost everything he does, and he seems to treat just about everyone he finds interesting like a hunter stalking their prey. He has many secrets, and a lot of them are to things we don’t WANT the answers to. He’s equal parts fun and frightening, and I’ve come to like him more over time (something that can be said for a lot of characters in the game), but he still ranks fairly low in my books. He’s just not a character I’m that interested in writing for.

Keep reading

Ever since hearing the song “That’s All” courtesy of The Villain’s Lair, I have been in an “Evil Queen Mood,” so to speak. Naturally, when you combine the elements of Disney, Me, and the Evil Queen, my mind eventually will turn to our beloved Fairest of Them All from Night Raven College: Vil Schoenheit. No better time than the present to do a quick rundown of my favorite Card Arts for the gorgeous fellow!

Just like with my previous spotlight on Azul, and like all future entries, I won’t be going into detail as to WHY all of these pieces of art are my favorites. This is largely because most of what I could say can be summed up as, “It looks cool,” or “I think it shows something about the character,” or both. It’s just going to be the rankings, titles, and images. Most of the art featured in these spotlights will come from SSRs and SR Groovies; there will be exceptions on some entries, but I don’t think there are any for this one.

Simply put, these are the Seven Card Arts I think of first when I think of the Housewarden from Pomefiore. Why Seven? Well, why not? Also, keep in mind that as time goes on, this ranking may be changed or updated, since new Cards are being added to game frequently.

Let’s waste no more time: here are my Top 7 Card Arts for Vil Schoenheit!

7. Union Birthday (Groovy).

6. Outdoor Wear (Groovy).

5. Birthday Boy (Groovy).

4. Dorm Uniform (Original).

Keep reading

I already covered all the Dorm Leaders with this series. Now, with this list, I’ll have also covered all of the Vice-Dorm Leaders and second-in-command figures for Night Raven College. HUZZAH!

Just like with my previous spotlights, and like all future entries, I won’t be going into detail as to WHY all of these pieces of art are my favorites. This is largely because most of what I could say can be summed up as, “It looks cool (or cute),” or “I think it shows something about the character,” or both. It’s just going to be the rankings, titles, and images. Most of the art featured in these spotlights will come from SSRs and SR Groovies; there will be exceptions on some entries, but not this one.

Simply put, these are the Seven Card Arts I think of first when I think of the adorable, mechanized bundle of cuteness and destruction that Idia Shroud calls his little brother. Why Seven? Well, why not? Also, keep in mind that as time goes on, this ranking may be changed or updated, since new Cards are being added to game frequently.

Let’s waste no more time: here are my Top 7 Card Arts for Ortho Shroud!

7. Fairy Gear (Original).

6. Ignihyde Gear (Groovy).

5. Union Gear (Groovy).

4. Burst Gear (Groovy).

Keep reading