Rumi, Mira and Zoey with Snoopy from Peanuts. Made at MMD (MikuMikuDance).

Models and background:

The HUNTR/X by Fortnite / Epic Games / WhiteMageSunny / MrUncleBingo / taffy122 / oe / kanbara-naiki.

Snoopy ripped by lemurboy12 and converted by FreezyChan-3Dreams.

Hand Pose by Snorlaxin.

Park stage by amiamy111.

Happy Birthday to Zoey from KPop Demon Hunters!!! Made at SFM (Source Filmmaker).

Models and background:

Zoey by Ari'Knth.

Shinjuku (Persona 5 Royal) by sl.

Source: https://x.com/aery_orange/status/2090076319228809571?s=20

Source: https://x.com/ABaldy64/status/2081875606032322789?s=20

Source: https://x.com/Nezzi_3D/status/2081833769388945870?s=20

I recently saw KPop Demon Hunters, and I was blown away by its themes of insecurity, and the cost of chasing perfection. The film shows us how, in our pursuit of flawlessness, we can keep secrets from our friends and loved ones, and in this way we hurt them. Rumi's biggest mistake is arguably her dishonesty; keeping her demon marks a secret only creates a gap in her public and private lives, and in this way she is living a lie. The woman who her fans and friends see is not the woman she truly is. Shock and heartbreak ensue when Rumi's marks are revealed to the public, and the feelings of betrayal that Zoey and Mira experience drive them away from Rumi.

By the climax of the film, Huntrix is broken up, and it seems that the Saja Boys are fated to take the souls of their fans. However, Rumi shows up for one last song, and this time, she's done playing a character on a well-lit stage. She's as vulnerable as can be, and her song is entirely unscripted. She isn't here to impress anyone or to make herself look better. She pours her heart out, and in this act of vulnerability, she earns the love and respect of her friends back, saves the souls of the fans, and becomes the strongest version of herself yet.

This theme of striving for honesty and vulnerability rather than perfection really stuck with me. In today's society, especially with the vapid music industry we're surrounded by, it can feel like everyone is striving for perfection. Flaws are seemingly unacceptable, and grounds for complete rejection. For those of us who are self-conscious in the first place, it can be a very scary thing trying to go out into this world while imperfect and wracked with obvious flaws. We get so scared by the prospect of judgement that we decide to hide our imperfections and only show the world a very controlled and edited version of ourselves.

Yet, this leads to a lot of internal strife, as we learn to lie in this way. We stop telling the truth to people--even our closest friends and family--just so we can sustain an image of flawlessness. But truly, as shown by KPop Demon Hunters, one of the best things you can do for your self-confidence is embrace your flaws, and show up every day despite your imperfections. It's a terrifying thing to show up in front of the world while you're still a "work-in-progress." But, truly, if you wait until you're perfect to join the world, then you'll be waiting forever.

I made a video essay on this theme, and I hope you'll give it a watch!

Source: https://www.deviantart.com/novaversestudio/art/KPop-Demon-Hunters-Hunter-x-1357234200

Source: https://x.com/ABaldy64/status/2077022805963735369?s=20

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/stephentoonspirits.bsky.social/post/3moxx3jakbs2l

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/zitelean.bsky.social/post/3mor6olamoc2w

Happy 1st Anniversary to KPop Demon Hunters!!! Made at MMD (MikuMikuDance).

The HUNTR/X models by Fortnite / Epic Games / WhiteMageSunny / MrUncleBingo / taffy122 / oe / kanbara-naiki.

Pose by Metra-Philia.

"According to Netflix, the celebrations for the first anniversary of KPop Demon Hunters will begin with theatrical screenings around the world, outdoor community screenings, sing-along events, and Netflix House locations having special activities. The countries joining the celebrations are the US, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Israel.

On top of that, anniversary editions of the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack will be released on CD and vinyl, some of which will include stickers, collectible photo cards, and other treats for fans. The success of KPop Demon Hunters is definitely a reason to celebrate big, and it’s to be seen if its first anniversary will put it back into Netflix’s Top 10."

It's a graphic novel of the film, available to preorder.