anjumbai

[anjumbai]

When Life Gives You Tangerines.

"Parents dwell on what they couldn't give, children dwell on what they couldn't get."

When Life Gives You Tangerines made me ponder whether I should ask my parents to watch it or not. One part of me thinks that they should watch it to observe the joys of life, the honor of struggle, the celebration of completing an existence successfully. The other part of me fears that they will find things that they might have missed in their own lives, especially my mom, and it'll end up making them sad. So to mom and dad, the first 6 episodes are still in dad's pen drive. Just plug it in the tv and call me if you ever finish the first 6 episodes, I'll make sure to show you the rest of the episodes.

As for me, I enjoyed this show. I can recommend anyone to watch it, because I think it really puts the whole "family is tough" saying in perspective. Your parents used to be children too, and perhaps they never grew up- it's something I'll always try to keep in mind.

Gwang-rye became my favorite character of the show in just 1 episode. Her struggles to love her child and fighting to keep food on the table struck a chord with me. There maybe a million Gwang-rye's out there, but not everyone is blessed with an Ae-sun.

Yang Gwan-sik is one of those genuine souls that I had the luck to witness. Both the adult and young adult versions of Gwan-sik were perfect. The final episode made me tear up quite a bit, and I was glad that they ended the show that way. His love for his wife and daughter were a joy to watch, and although many will say that the son was just a punching bag throughout the show- I'll somewhat agree, but I think his arc also got a proper conclusion.

Ae-sun does remind me of my mother. She wasn't a poet nor did she get married at 18 abandoning her dreams, but there's a significant part of her sacrifices that remind me of my mother. What I'd do to see my mother teach again.

Yang Gwan-sik doesn't remind me of my father, because I know more about Yang Gwan-sik's life than I know about my own father's life. And I'm afraid it'll always be this way. I wouldn't know how to start. Sometimes I'll find my books organized perfectly on my desk, my clothes ironed and kept on the sofa and a few packets of chocolate biscuits on the shelf as if he wants to stay he always cares. Only if I understood him more, maybe I could make him proud some day.

Geum-myeong became the central character for much of the later half, and I didn't mind the shift at all. The show took the risk and went on with it, delivering perfectly on every new decision they took. Which teen wouldn't resonate with her? She's annoyed at her parents, says things she doesn't mean and regrets all of it. She's all of us.

The hospital scene between her and Gwan-sik was such a bittersweet moment. My heart felt something at the scenes of Gwan-sik and Ae-sun visiting their late son's grave. The IMF crisis was a good throwback to 2521 too, shows how significant it was in Korea. The scene where Geum-myeong loses her job, sits next to an older man who suffered the same fate only to see the same man selling pens on a bus a few months later was a harsh reality check. That could've been her.

The show is also a reminder that you don't split your love between your mother and your wife. Their loves are different and complete on their own, not shared parts of one love.

Overall, great show. I'd give it a 9 out of 10. I remember seeing a comment where someone compared the Geum-myeong's first breakup to 2521's breakup and they said something like "this is how it should be" implying that When Life Gives You Tangerines had the better breakup. I remember it, so I think I partially agreed with it. Anyways, worth a rewatch with your family.

[anjumbai]

Lately I've found myself wallowing at the lowest point of my life. I didn't think it could get any lower than a period of time I had already left behind. The internal struggles have reached a new level and I don't know how long I can hold on to myself anymore. It's like, my heart is gonna change forever if I make one wrong step at a time like this. I'm afraid, and I don't know where I'm headed.

All the familiar places that I've sought comfort and guidance from now seem alien to me. It's like, the very places that welcomed me once just suddenly shut the door on my face and I'm just left confused. What happened? Where in my mind did it all start going wrong?

The feeling of being content with myself, the feeling of being at peace with myself seems to be lost, and I don't know where I'll find it again. Or if I'll find it again at all.

My very ego has lead me to never seek help, never ask for advice or ask for directions when I'm lost. Not in the literal sense of course, but I think I wanna scream for help. I wanna scream, and I hope no one listens because how shameful it'll be if they find out I was the one screaming for help.

I just look at myself in the mirror and ask, what have I become? Is this what I was destined to be, or do I still keep fighting for something I don't know if I have in me anymore?

[anjumbai]

"She says she likes me, but I'm not the man of my dreams yet. Not the one who keeps promises to himself. Not the one with peace behind his eyes. Not the one who wakes up proud of how he's living. She likes who I am but I still ache for who I could be, and some days that gap feels like failure, like she sees a light I haven't fully earned. Maybe that's what love really is- not waiting for someone to arrive but believing them while they're still on their way. And maybe becoming isn't about being ready first because it's about rising cause someone sees who you fully are before you see yourself."

Collected: Henry Poston on Facebook.

Just a reel that struck a cord. Dude's just casually riding a board backwards eating fries. Lost me halfway but wanted to keep it in mind anyway.

[anjumbai]

Marriage Story.

Director and screenplay by: Noah Bambauch

 "I fell in love with him two seconds after I saw him. And I'll never stop loving him, even though it doesn't make sense anymore."

A movie titled "Marriage Story" showing us how to get a divorce for 2 hours. I make the movie sound shallow, but don't get me wrong, I just find the title very ironic. "Divorce Story" doesn't sound like a good title. You could pull in unsuspecting couples into thinking this is a romance movie and be like "AHA. Gottem." Excellent movie, whatsoever.

I knew divorce is a tricky thing in the US, this movie helped me look into it, too. I think YouTube highlighted the dramatic aspect of getting a divorce more, whereas it all felt black and white and the wife/husband is evil and trying to fuck you over your properties. This movie is more grounded to the approach, Charlie and Nicole, respectively played by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, portray a heartbreaking divorce where nothing is black and white. I say it despite the fact that the husband cheated on her; which a lot of people think is a deliberate choice because otherwise it would just seem that the wife was screwing his life over.

It felt pretty real, as far as divorces go. 10/10 would see them get divorced again. I've never seen a divorce, call me lucky but this was indeed entertaining, melodramatic and emotional. The first few scenes where Charlie talks to the lawyers for the first time was so funny, I wasn't expecting much humor in it but it made me laugh quite a few times.

And of course, the scene that brings everyone to watch the movie. The conversation that starts slow and turns into this massive argument where two people who clearly loved each other once are now after each others' throats. Shouting and screaming over each other, wishing that the other person just dies and just breaking apart in the end, delivered with such raw emotion, highlighting the complexities of these established characters by telling us so much about them with just a few heavy sentences exchanged in that argument. It was raw and powerful and really well delivered by both the stars. It's worth watching for this scene alone, although I think the movie dragged on for too long. 2 hours and 16 minutes for this may not be the best time investment but I can't be pretending I'm doing something good with my time anyways.

Apparently divorce is easier to get in USA, unless the couple want to invest all their money into lawyers and fight to their deaths, it can be finished easily. At least that's what Google says. Countries in Asia have a lengthy process because of family mediation- which can often lead to a change of mind or potential sacrifices made by the involved parties. Good knowledge, not that I like it.

The movie also made me wonder if seemingly successful love really breaks apart that easily. It's sad. High divorce rates in a country can't really be good.

Anyways, great movie, great performances. Might not watch the whole movie again but I'm a sucker for video essays. 8/10.

[anjumbai]

Manchester by the Sea.

IMDb: 7.8/10 Director: Kenneth Lonergan

I was really surprised with this movie. I didn't know much about it except that it was a really good depiction of loneliness. So all throughout the movie I was expecting a mixture of self-pity, inner monologue and maybe some lonely shots in the rain or something, I don't know. Something dramatic, if you know what I mean. It was none of that, and I'm very glad that it was so different than what I expected.

After his brother's death, Lee Chandler is named guardian to his 16-year-old nephew, Patrick. This forces him to return to his hometown and confront his past. A very troubled past, if I might add. Pain like that may not be relatable to a lot of people, not a lot of people would be able to bear it. It wasn't his pain that people may find relatable but the tendencies formed because of it is what we might connect to. His troubled past is basically him accidentally burning his own house down, resulting in the death of his 3 children. His wife survived, and she's the woman in the picture, Randi Chandler portrayed by Michelle Williams.

Let me just start by saying Casey Affleck did an amazing job at capturing the pain of being Lee Chandler. That police station scene and the confrontation with his ex-wife Randi were one of the most heart-wrenching scenes I've seen in a while. It all felt so real. That's what it was. A realistic portrayal of loneliness, pushing people away and just barely surviving through life is what this show captured perfectly.

I was expecting a really heavy vibe from it too, expecting it to be emotionally toilsome, but I was surprised at how many laughs this movie got out of me. Casey Affleck also won an Oscar for his role as Lee Chandler; it really shows how subtle this role was. He was competing against Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land) the same year, props to this guy. I appreciate this movie, although I can't put everything into words. A subtle and realistic portrayal of isolation and loneliness, this is genuinely an amazing movie.

[anjumbai]

Better Days.

"We are in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars."

I think I need to watch more Chinese shows, man. This was such a bittersweet story, I was brought to tears more times than one. I was a little pissed at myself too cause like, it's just another school bullying show. I've watched so many shows on this that it has sort of turned cliche that no way I can enjoy this. Right? I was wrong after all.

Better Days is a very unique story on its own. Our female lead, Chen Nian, is a victim of bullying in a very competitive school. With every student trying to compete for the Gaokao, one of the if not the hardest admission exams in the world, stress and pressure is at its peak. Some look for an outlet, bullying happens to be the path some choose. It's either bully others or be bullied. Chen Nian herself comes from a very poor family, her mother selling illegal makeup accessories to make a living and pay for her daughter's tuition, all while evading debt collectors. She hopes Chen Nian will get into a top university and they can move to Beijing, finally getting a fresh start. Chen Nian is determined to fulfill that dream, get out this hellhole and finally start living again. But the constant harassment and bullying gets too much to bear. Hopefully, life had other plans for her as she encounters Xiao Bei, a delinquent who lives in a makeshift home somewhere in the city outskirts, dealing in stolen electronics to make a living. The two of them, although initially not fond of each others' company, start a strong bond where Xiao Bei protects Chen Nian from the bullying temporarily- just until she can get through her admission exams. This bond is the highlight of the show and I can't emphasize how much I loved it.

The two of them grow fond of each other as they go on with their lives together. Chen Nian promises she'll take Xiao Bei out of this city, to Beijing with her. He laughs it off but I think he was genuinely touched by her innocent remarks, his smile spoke volumes about how he appreciated the thought. His mother left without him, he is fighting delinquents from an early age and nobody ever asked him if he had any dreams. Yet this person standing in front of him, severely hurt by her own adversaries, wants to do something good for him.

The show really wanted to break that down and explore how deeply they truly care for each other. They are teens, but they trust each other with their everything. They definitely love each other. As the story progresses, there's murder, the police get involved, someone faces a lifetime in prison and all hope seemed to run dry. And it gave us an amazing ending which made me smile. It was corny, maybe. Who cares. I loved it.

Jackson Yee is also an absolute unit in the movie. I loved how amazing both of the leads portrayed their roles. I really felt like they were two broken yet hopeful teens barely getting through life together. It was amazing, and I rate it a 9/10. I'll watch it again.

And this quote was the perfect representation of the movie. They both were looking at the stars by the end. I'm glad I took a screenshot of this particular scene cause I thought it'd be a huge deal by the end. There wasn't a call back, but I was happy that I may have been correct.

[anjumbai]

Dandadan

Studio: Science SARU Manga by: Yukinobu Tatsu MAL Score: 8.53

I loved this one. Absolutely loved it, read the manga and loved it even more. Phenomenal art, absurd story and probably the cutest rom-com duo in an action adventure shounen anime to this date. I don't care if I'm forgetting some duo but they are just it.

While I'm writing this, I realize my english really isn't that good to describe an amazing show like this. I might be overhyping this, I probably am. But it's exactly what I hoped it would be- a refreshing take into the Shounen demographic. Shows like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece have already dominated the industry for years to come yet there are always newbies like JJK, Chainsaw Man and Dandadan that just creep into the limelight and absolutely mesmerize you.

Dandadan is a story about our duo, Okarun (Ken Takakura) and Momo, who are fated to meet each other because of their personal beliefs. Okarun is a nerdy occultist, believing in aliens and outer-space creatures and insists that there are nothing like ghosts or spirits. Momo, on the other isn't a nerd but believes spirits exist due to her Spirit Medium Grandma's impact on her life. They bet each other that what they respectively believe is true and the other one is false. And through a funny turn of events it turns out both spirits and aliens exist in this absurd world. A love letter to sci-fi stories and horror stories, someone wrote and it couldn't be more true. Okarun gets his family jewels (his testicles) stolen by a spirit and now our cute rom-com duo go on multiple adventures throughout their school life to retrieve the said family jewels.

Science Saru is an animation studio I can rely on. Founded by Masaki Yuasa, one of my favorite directors to this day, probably found passionate people for this project. There is a 3 second clip of Okarun transforming into his spirit form that I still remember. It was just 3 seconds and insignificant to the episode, the animators wouldn't be flamed if they didn't animate it like that. Yet it was just so magnificent to look at. The show provided us one of the most amazing anime episodes that it almost didn't feel like anime anymore, it was cinema. A backstory of just one of the random spirits of the world that was emotional and heartbreaking- and I was in tears. It was beautiful. A whole different team and director joined up for that one episode and you can just tell this is a passion project. Did I say that the opening was a banger too?

The characters are funny and likeable, the jokes are refreshing and always land, the romance is also a banger; someone even wrote that this feels like a Shoujo anime disguised as an anction Shounen. Apparently Yukinobu Tatsu's editor made him read a lot of Shoujo mangas to get the idea of a girl's mind. Shoujo romance is better written, I know that's a fact, maybe. What else can I say about this show but that it's a must watch if you just wanna remember how fun it felt watching your first anime. You watch Dandadan and suddenly you are 14 again watching Tokyo Ghoul for the first time. You jump with the op, you laugh and you feel the adrenaline boost. This is not a perfect show of course, nothing is. 9/10, will finish the manga. Waiting eagerly for another season.

[anjumbai]

In The Mood for Love: Directed by Wong Kar-Wai

"He remembers those vanished years. As though looking through a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see, but not touch. And everything he sees is blur and indistinct."

2nd film by Wong Kar-wai. I was satisfied. It's a story about two people, Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan, who find out their respective partners are cheating on them. Through the crampy but familial vibes of a Hong Kong apartment, the two neighbors find solace in each other. There's a deep longing between them, a desire to claim the other person but both Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan do not want to stoop to the level of an unfaithful spouse.

It's a melancholic love story of two lonely souls encountering one another and finding comfort in each other's company. Mr. Chow falls for Mrs. Chan and vice versa and neither want to commit to this desire. They don't share a single kiss in the entirety of the movie yet when both of them are one the screen, you can feel their tension. How much I rooted for the two.

I think many can find Wong Kar-wai movies boring due to the slower pace and almost minimal dialogue. It's a slow burner indeed, but it's not boring. It's a beautiful story and the kind of romance a lot of people can actually get behind, although hard to appreciate if you fail to empathize with the characters. I wouldn't say I was successful in that completely, but I can appreciate an acclaimed directors work. And of course, the two leads of the story. Their acting- the whole body language, eye movement and what not was spot on. Two lonely souls perfectly portrayed by two very phenomenal actors.

And I love how amazing, how 60s all the Wong Kar-wai films have felt (I've only watched Fallen Angels before this). I have previously expressed my love for Fallen Angels and how much I enjoyed it on a short post but it definitely deserved a post for itself. I'm not gonna compare the two but I think my young heart found the characters of Fallen Angels more relatable than the two middle aged people of In the Mood for Love. Wong Kar-wai films haven't disappointed me and I think I'll watch Chungking Express next. The atmospheric music he chose for this movie was so similar to Fallen Angels that I absolutely loved how trademark-ish it is. The setting, the camera angle and slow camera movements, the close-up shots and the warm color choice for this one definitely made it a really compelling movie.

One thing is true that there really isn't a lot going on if you can't "feel" the characters. It's not a downside, I think this is what makes the movie unique on it's own. It was an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[anjumbai]

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

"You don't get to choose when or who you meet. However, you get to choose who you hold on to."

Studio: Madhouse

It's one of those movies that always keeps popping up on my recommended but I never actually go around to watching it. A week long vacation outside the city just changed that and I finally got around to watching this beautiful show. The movie just finished 10 minutes ago so the post-movie high is definitely on right now; beware of emotional bias. To start, the art style and sometimes wacky animation perfectly portrays the theme of this movie. It's a movie about giving a clumsy high school girl time travelling powers, so it definitely didn't need that Makoto Shinkai perfection. It's the story of a high school girl with a good heart just trying her best to use this newfound powers of hers to get through life. She represents the best of us: when she finds out she has new powers, she uses it to not be embarrassed that one time, to ace an exam, to do karaoke in a loop for 10 hours with her friends. She's someone you relate to. As the movie goes on, Konne, our protagonist and title "girl", faces the downsides of time travelling. How it harms the people around her, how it constantly makes her regret the changes she has made and nitpicking on what could be different next time, time travelling constantly. It delivers us a beautiful story with quirky animation, lively and erratic side characters and comedy packed in an hour and thirty minutes. What I loved about this is how the show somehow changed into some sort of melodramatic love story between time travellers. I felt like it was done really well, and I don't have room for a lot of complaints. Another thing I loved about it was the use of quirky background characters. A frame will just be passing by and some dude is executing a suplex on some other dude in the background. It adds a comedic layer to the show and I was all for it. Early Studio Madhouse really had heart when it came to animation. It still does, although the frequency is lost over time I suppose. The high school love affairs and dram between friends was something I loved too, since "drama" is listed as my most watched genre by anilist. Overall, the ending was done well even though some proper foreshadowing could've been made and explanations that felt long over due were never really answered either. This movie deserves the praise it gets. A solid 7.5/10, worth watching with your family too. It's funny, dramatic and filled with the so-called flavor of youth.

[anjumbai]

Look Back

Manga by: Tatsuki Fujimoto Animation Studio: Studio Durian MAL score: 8.65

Often authors and creative workers come together to create something exceptional, something new and refreshing away from all the mainstream to chaos to express something dear to them. They show us this world they had found, this medium they use to express themselves and they simply say, "hey, i love doing this." And the rest of us only stare at awe as we feel this love oozing out of their work. Look Back is an anime like that. A movie about the love for animation.

It's a very simple story, and a very short one. At 55 minutes long, the movie isn't something you'd call a rush of dopamine. It's a slow burner, a poignant story told in a matter of 55 minutes that leaves you pretty emotional by the time you've finished it.

The story follows 2 girls who share the love for writing manga, and I think the description set for this show is very sweet. "For a year, Fujino shuts out the world, obsessively studying manga creation and drawing tirelessly to catch up to her faceless competition. But Kyoumoto's talent far exceeds hers, and Fujino quits it all. Another year passes, and on the day of their graduation, Fujino finally meets Kyoumoto. This unkempt, shy, and stuttering girl has actually been Fujino's biggest fan all along. Their encounter reignites Fujino's passion for art and sparks the beginning of a years-long friendship built on rivalry, admiration, and their shared love of manga." This is the show. Each and every frame of this show is so beautifully drawn, so colorful and so vibrant. You can say the animators put their heart on to it. My favorite scene is where Fujino finally realizes that Kyomoto had appreciated her work all along; so when she's walking back home in the rain- the animators perfectly capture her emotions as she's shy, blushing and genuinely happy that somebody actually enjoyed what she did. The clumsy run through the rain has to be some of my favorite frames of animation I've seen in a while.

I loved Look Back cause I have associated myself with some of Tatsuki Fujimoto's other work, albeit slightly. He is the author of Chainsaw Man, a manga that revolutionized the modern shounen scene. The anime proved to be cultural and many have grown fond of it for how different it is. It's uniqueness raises the question of "what else can this person do?" This, exactly. The author can create something like this. Unique, filled with passion and the love of manga- Look Back really is an animation beauty.

[anjumbai]

ছোটবেলায় তারাবির নামে বন্ধুরা মিলে পিছনের কাতারে লাফালাফি করতাম। কী উত্তেজনা, কী হাসাহাসি। ৭-৮ জন মিলে নামাজে যেতাম, ৮ রাকাত পড়ে বের হয়ে আসতাম।

এতদিন পর এখন তারাবিতে ২ জন মিলে যাওয়া হয়। কার কী নিয়ে ব্যস্ততা বা কেনই বা এত অনীহা, এগুলো আর জিজ্ঞাসা করা হয়ে উঠে না। বরঞ্চ এখনো পিছনের কাতারে বসে থাকা সেই বাচ্চাগুলাকে দেখা যায়। তারা যেন আমাদেরই আরেক সংস্করণ। তারাও দলে দলে মসজিদে এসে লাফালাফি করে। পেছনের কাতার থেকে বাচ্চাদের লাফালাফির শব্দ না শুনা গেলে মসজিদ কি আর মসজিদ থাকবে?

তারাও একদিন একই জায়গায় আসবে। হয়তো তারা ২ জন না, সেই ৭-৮ জন নিয়েই বছরের পর বছর ফিরতে থাকবে। জীবনের আনন্দ-বেদনা একসাথেই পার করবে। সপ্তাহে প্রতিদিন দেখা হওয়া হয়তো মাসে একবার দেখা হওয়ায় বদলাবে না।

বা হয়তো সবকিছুই বদলাবে। এর মধ্যেই হয়তো তারা ভালোটা খুঁজে পাবে।

[anjumbai]

Twenty-five Twenty-one

"Why do you root for me? Even my mom doesn't." "Because you give me hope. And I want more for you. It makes me want to do well, too."

I have a lot to say about this show but I'll start by saying this- Baek Yi-Jin is an absolute unit. It's hard to not stare at this man when he's on the screen. The show grips you with its two very charming characters in Baek Yi-Jin and Na Hee-Do (writing their names out is a pain though), a seemingly lost young adult and a struggling fencer who can't get herself out of a slump. Baek Yi-Jin, who has had his family stripped away from his due to the 1998 financial crisis is now in search for livelihood to unite his family again. And just alongside him we have Na Hee-Do, who is eager to rival the Korean gold medalist fencer Ko Yu-Rim and stand side-by-side with her proudly. Through setbacks and failures, they achieve what they dreamt of but the show foreshadows it well enough - "I don't think not living your dreams means you've failed your life. And I don't think living it means you've failed either."

I enjoyed this show. The show had a very strong start, especially the interactions between Ko Yu-Rim and Na Hee-do. Their back and forth fights had me really rooting for Na Hee-do cause let's be honest- they didn't write Ko Yu-Rim well enough in the beginning. She was well set up is what I'll say. After episode 9, she became so much more tolerable and very cute tbh. I did miss the back and forth between the two but I also liked the homely feeling it gave off when the crew functioned as a group for the first time. This show is pretty much an action shounen anime with its tournament arc and one beach episode am I right fellows ahahaha ok.

As for the romance, I feel with the rest of the fandom ofc. All that between Baek and Hee-do just for Hee-do to become a security question? I don't think the ending was well-done though. If it was a good sad ending I could root for it but the final arc with Baek applying for New York correspondent didn't sit right with me. That's just not how Baek was written from the start, it doesn't align with his character. He is the dude that carried stickers in his suit so he could give them to the girl he liked. He wouldn't consult such a life altering decision with his girlfriend? I get it that he was stressed and everything but still, it didn't feel right.

OH AND THE SHOW IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE AT DEPICTING AGE WTF. HOW TF DOES 2009 NA HEE-DO LOOK LIKE 1998 NA HEE-DO BUT 2022 NA HEE-DO IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON?

As for the rest of the cast, Ko Yu-rim's family affairs made her a very interesting watch for me. A lot of people don't play sports for the glory but for a means and that was a sad arc to watch her leave for Russia but I could see that happening. And I wish I had someone like Na Hee-do's dad. Improvement isn't linear after all. It is like a stair case. Not like I worked that hard anyways. The sports talk really hit me in the feels and I was glad they kept it real. Favoritism, questioning yourself if this is worth it and wondering all the other things you could've done at that time. I remember back in class 7 when I was skipping basketball practice to learn dancing I got reprimanded so badly for it that I cried my eyes out for a while and didn't enjoy basketball for the next 4 years of my life- and still spent 4 years associated with it. That arc where Ko Yu-rim and Na Hee-do helped their junior quit the fencing team was beautiful. Characters like them do exist in only in fiction.

Now let's talk about the potentials. They clearly had something going on with the financial crisis and Baek's family breaking apart. It was resolved in the final episode but I felt like they were gonna make a big deal out of it. Seung-wan having that absolutely banger quitting school episode made me love her a lot more but it was so late in the series I was questioning whether they forgot about her. Moon Ji-woong having a street racing and airport chase to kiss scene all in one episode? Amazing, but come on- his character had much more potential. They went all out to mention his parents divorce and everything but I guess they just wanted to keep the romance as the main focus. And Hee-do's mother and her coach never resolved their differences. That's kind of like real life I guess. Not every difference gets resolved but I thought the viewers expected things to get resolved too. I can't be the only one.

I was kind of proud of myself to see I found so many things to point out about the show. I was very invested indeed. I practically breathed every Hee-do and Yi-jin moment. They were just adorable and I rooted for the two no matter how much the show foreshadowed that they don't end up together. Adult Hee-do not remembering the beach episode broke my heart a little.

I'll miss this crew a lot but I'll probably miss the couple more. 9/10, great show. Worth a watch.

[anjumbai]

[anjumbai]

Pretentious bitch.

[anjumbai]

Weak Hero Class 1

"How can you talk about food while you're already eating?"

"Then don't you talk about life while living?"

I finished another k-drama since Reply 1988. Huge achievement. I started one a while ago but ended up dropping it, so I think it's an accomplishment that I could finish another k-drama. I'll give myself a pat in the back.

Let's start talking about the show. It's extremely over the top, no fucking doubt about that; and I don't mean that in a negative manner. I think the over the top quality of the show is it's biggest strength. The action sequences are really well-done and the main character's psych was something very interesting to watch. Si Eun's always ready to throw hands mood was sucha win-win for me. I'm tired of seeing weak-ass main characters who politely accept the wrongs done to them. This man cared none for his grades and none for his reputation just so he can stand up for himself.

Of course this whole personality comes from family backgrounds and backstories- which they didn't quite delve into in the show. The webtoon apparently does their backstories justice so it might be worth looking into. Beom-seok was a really cool character. He's got that "i'll murder people than ask you about why you didn't follow me back on instagram" energy and I dig that, honestly. Good job, my lad. Waited eagerly for some characters to return from the first half of the show but well, I guess that's for season 2.

Overall, a great action story. They had something going on with the trio. It was cute. I really liked their bonding and it was emphasized on in the first half but by the 2nd half of the season, I think they lost track of that. There weren't any more breathers and an important aspect of the show was lost to me. The season finale was probably my favorite sequence of the show. Losing a friend is a "hit people with fire extinguisher" kind of thing.

And how the fuck did Si Eun stare at this dude's face and not burst out laughing? I was already laughing when the dude started talking.

[anjumbai]

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck - Thoughts

"But not us! An' why? Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why."

John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' is listed as a novella. A novella is just a shorter novel with a faster pace and a focused plot. It's something new I found out so thought I'd share it.

The story begins with our two protagonists, George and Lennie, running away from their old town because Lennie has just messed up big time. You see, Lennie is a tall and strong guy. But he's a little dull. He loves rabbits cause they are small and fluffy. He likes all things fluffy and soft, but he's a little too strong for his own good and often ends up badly hurting the soft and fluffy things. He has got George to look after him though. The two of them look after one another, chasing the American dream of owning some land together and taking care of rabbits and mules and what not.

The two of them find a new place to work in. The place seemed good, and all George had to to do was keep Lennie out of trouble. But if Lennie gets in trouble, George has him instructed on where to hide and take refuge so he can come and find Lennie and they can run away, again.

This new work place had a lot of fluffy and soft things. Like Puppies. And the soft and curly hair of the owner's daughter-in-law. The last time they got in trouble was because Lennie wouldn't leave some girl's soft silky dress. And the whole town was after him to get him lynched. It was obvious what was gonna happen this time.

And no matter how obvious it was, the ending was just a gut-wrenching build up to an emotional finale. It was so sad, and I wasn't prepared. This time Lennie messed up so big that there was no point of return. But he did as George told him. He hid where he was supposed to. He says to himself "I done messed up again". He sees images of his dead Aunt Clara. She tells him how much George cares for him and how much he goes through for him. And all Lennie does is put George in trouble. Then he sees George. I thought he was just hallucinating or something, he's pretty dull in the head after all. But for some reason, this George has a gun with him. George tells him "Look across the river, Lennie, an' I'll tell you so you can almost see it. We'll have a cow, an' we'll have maybe a pig an' chickens..." and how Lennie will get to tend the rabbits all while pulling out his gun. When George stood up and Lennie went to turn his head he says "No, Lennie. Look down there across the river, like you can almost see the place." The place, their dream. "I thought you was mad at me, George" was the killshot for sure.

George was there in Lennie's death. He made sure he died seeing the place the two of them dreamt of, albeit in his imagination. The duo was beautiful and tragic. George helped Lennie with everything, and Lennie helped George dream of a better life for the two of them. George never spent a pennie on alcohol or whores for he had to save it for a better life for Lennie. In a way, George was his best self when he was with Lennie. At the end of the book, George goes out for a drink and you can just tell he has abandoned his dream, his aspirations and in a couple of years, he'll have no money to buy no land and he'll be happy with a glass of alcohol and some whores.

A truly fascinating story. 8/10. Would read again.

[anjumbai]

Bakuman

“I prefer to be a humble dreamer, with visions to be realized, rather than the ruler of people with no dreams or desires.”

MAL Rating: 8.52

I enjoyed watching Bakuman for several reasons. The most prominent one being that it's always enjoyable to watch people work hard to achieve their dreams. That's what the anime seemed to be about. It was about two middle schoolers, one of them being seemingly unaffected by the mundane struggles of life, realizing a new passion, a new dream to work towards. Kawaguchi Tarou, Mashiro's uncle, was a one-hit wonder in the manga industry and the person who made Mashiro want to pursue manga in the first place, died due to overworking. His uncle's death had turned him into any ordinary child just going through life without any passions to pursue. He left art, but his relentless classmate Takagi Akito, an aspiring writer who wanted to turn his stories into mangas for he loved manga so much convinced him to draw a manga with him. With Mashiro's art and Takagi's story, you could just tell this was gonna be a duo you will root for.

And also comes the important promise. Mashiro asks the girl he likes to marry him when their work turns into an anime and she can voice its heroine. An aspect of the story many people disliked, but I found it to be such an amazing addition to it. "Living up to the challenge" they say. It is sucha shounen-like feeling that you just have to get energized, brimming with motivation and the spirit of youth for a fulfilling 3 seasons with a total of 75 episodes.

Together, Mashi and Takagi turn into Ashirogi Mutou. They produce work after work in hopes of serialization, popularizing their one-shot comics and leaving their mark in the industry as an up and coming hotshot manga artist. Takagi comes up with unorthodox yet energizing stories and Mashiro completes the story with his brilliant art. They face numerous challenges, numerous authors and do their best to be the best. And hopefully, achieve their dream of becoming the best manga author along with an adaptation.

The most beautiful part of the story is that it was written and illustrated by the prolific duo of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the creators of Death Note. They created something special with Death Note, highly regarded as one of the best works in Shounen Jump. And it's almost like the two of them shared their story, their perils and their falls to their long running journey in the manga world.

I know this anime doesn't go with all the pretentious fuck kinda stuff I watch but I enjoyed it a lot. It has made me respect long running authors like Eichiro Oda, Tite Kubo and Masashi Kishimoto. It really takes a lot to produce high quality manga that can stay on top week after week in the rankings and maintain that position so you don't get cancelled. It made me think a lot about why sometimes stories that should've ended a long time keep stretching and stretching for no reason; and why good but not so popular shows get cancelled. The industry is pretty cruel.

I loved the trio of Hattori, Takagi and Mashiro. The romance was meh, and the full time support Kaya-chan was just a badly written character. It was painful to watch what the writers were doing to her but I guess it's for the best. And they didn't show Mashiro and Azuki's wedding, which is a bummer (I didn't care until I saw how many people were actually bummed out about the final episode). The supporting cast of manga authors were really fun to watch. Hiramaru and Aoki getting the W in the end was a huge blast of an episode.

I liked this show a lot. It has made me wanna pick up long running shows like One Piece. I considered One Piece readers to be the type to "not understand what anime is about" but I understand that I was just being pretentious. Long running shows like One Piece are really hard to create. And to do that in a consistency like Eichiro Oda does is almost impossible to imagine just from watching the anime. The guy is a creative genius and a legend in the manga community. And he's still producing work. Freaking amazing.

8.5 out of 10. Almost hard to believe that this is from the creators of Death Note. But I think that the death note manga was actually stretched and it did not end the way the authors wanted it to. The final manga written in the anime was called Reversi, a very similar story to Death Note. Any anime watcher could tell the similarities and how Reversi was based on their real life work Death Note. And they wanted it to end in their own way, not how the company wanted it to or how the producer wanted it to. It's a great look into an industry of hard-workers, dreamers, and most importantly- gamblers. Not the sin city kind, but the kind that gamble their entire lives on creating successful art.