momoliee

[momoliee]

it’s been 3 years, but the 2521 ending—

while i do admit that some parts felt realistic, which gave the ending a tinge of nostalgia and bittersweetness, some parts felt so unrealistic and out of character, that they just left a sour taste in my mouth.

the parts that felt realistic:

1. na heedo’s mom changing and coming to her senses the older she gets. so many parents aren’t perfect, and some parents are simply selfish. but so many, after growing older and retiring, are left unable to escape the weight of their actions, and nothing in their lives can help distract them from the pain of their guilt. and most children, can be very forgiving, especially as they’re growing older and becoming parents too. na heedo’s relationship with her mom improving as the years go by, as they let go of their old resentments and just stay by each other’s side, that felt right.

2. na heedo not wanting to put up with the same shit she’s put up with for her whole life. i found the fact that na heedo not wanting to spend the rest of her life chasing after a reporter’s time, the same way she did with her mom, unfortunately, very realistic. the older we get, the less patient and tolerant we become, and we often get too fed up trying to balance everything out, that we stop being able to just be patient, to just be understanding. most adults do not wanna spend the rest of their days suffering from the same shit that they did from back in their childhood. most of them grow up to say, that’s enough. and her waiting for him to come back from new york, wouldve honestly just felt like a miserable ending.

3. baek ye jin getting blinded by work, falling into depression, and just losing the will to exist for a while. baek ye jin was always portrayed as someone honest, righteous, and honorable. he is someone who constantly showed up for our highschool kids, someone who became a guardian of his brother at a young age, someone who took on the responsibility of shouldering the weight of his family without a second thought, someone who constantly says wise shit like “my suffering now is the price that i paid for being happier than others” or “twisting and exploiting a story just for our ratings doesnt feel right” or “adults should date adults, high school students should date high school students” or “your mom inspired me, but now that i know how much heartache that moment has caused you, i am conflicted”. he is wise, he is empathetic, he is mature, and he understands just how privileged he is. it makes sense for him not to want to give up on those in new york, not to want to ‘abandon’ them and leave them all behind, just to go back to korea to live for himself. and his depression made sense too, him losing his sense of self amidst all the dead bodies and miserable interviews.

now here is everything that felt unrealistic:

1. seung wan’s ending. wtf was that about? no actually, WHAT THE FUCK was that about? you mean to tell me, that the girl who was always on top of her class, the girl always felt dutiful and obliged to help out her peers, the girl that gave up her reputation to stand up against abuse, the girl that did not hesitate to call the police when it had nothing to do with her, the girl that would rather drop out and give up an entire year of her life rather than apologize for something she knew she shouldnt apologize for, the girl who started a podcast to inspire and help out other youths and speak out on important matters, the girl who was in the broadcast club trying to figure out how to motivate her classmates get through the upcoming exams. the girl who literally said, “i dont wanna stand by and do nothing just because it has nothing to do with me”. you want to tell me that THAT girl….started working at an…entertainment industry? as a backstage worker? huh? HUH????? that’s the career she CHOSE for herself? with her marks and scores that couldve given her anything else? instead of becoming a headmistress, opening up her own school, starting a show or broadcast for all the troubled people and youngsters out there….why is she choosing to do that? it felt like her entire character was treated as a second thought, all that build up, was thrown away for nothing. i was so frustrated. so they all got their dream career lives but not her? and dont try to convince me that working at a variety show was her dream all along.

2. baek ye jin’s brother showing up to date seung wan. that was soooooo unrealistic, i was like aint no way. it felt like something straight out of a fanfic.

3. na heedo’s marriage. to some unknown man😭 yall be fr. i know the writers were all like, “it doesn’t matter who mim chae’s father is—“ yes it does actually??? that man, was actually never there. his daughter was injured, ran away from home, is staying at her grandma’s, wants to give up on her life as a ballet dancer, and he’s just not there. his wife and mother in law are going for a colonoscopy, and he’s just not there. not a single trace of him, could be found anywhere, not in the past, and not in the future. while baek ye jin’s and the squad are practically found all over na heedo’s room, we dont even see a single marriage portrait in the living room or something 😭😭😭. what’s worse, min chae never thinks of her dad. she never wonders how her mom met him after reading the diaries, she is too busy pinning for her mom to end up with another man. which just felt very unrealistic to me, cause personally, no matter how invested i was in my mom’s past experiences and stories, my dad’s name would always be brought up cause….that’s my dad? and you’re telling me, na heedo who had the best and most present father in the world, ends up choosing a man who’s absent and neglectful? she doesnt wear her wedding ring, she still mourns her past, she still visits that bridge, her face still saddens at the mention of baek ye jin’s name, all in the future. you can argue with me that that’s just sentiment and nostalgia, but it all just feels off. na heedo just doesnt seem like the kind of person to get married on a whim, and she doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would just marry anyone for the sake of getting married, and she doesn’t seem to be the sort to pick a neglectful or absent man. so yes, the husband’s identity matters. because it’s a reflection of heedo’s character, and her growth, and what direction did she choose to steer her life towards. after being so heartbroken, who is the man who came into her life, and convinced her to marry him and have a child with him? that feels like lazy writing tbh, the whole “oh she married and had a child” as if na heedo is the sort to look for marriage and romance in the first place.

4. na heedo and ko yu rim’s friendship not lasting. come on now. that makes NO sense. not every person in your life is meant to stay, sure, but not every person is meant to leave either. they hug so hard when na heedo is retiring, yet min chae barely knows who ko yu rim is??? the way i imagined their ending, na heedo would storm ko yu rim’s training center every now and then, help train the kids, spar with her infront of the youngsters. but where is all of that? youre telling me min chae has never been to auntie ko yu rim’s training center as a child before? cause it sounds to me like they barely even call and dont say ‘that’s life’. that just feels like lazy writing, again. and my biggest disappointment. i get the rest of them not staying in contact, but them? THEM? be. for. real.

5. finally, baek ye jin and na heedo not fighting for each other. yes the circumstances surrounding their breakup made sense. yes their frustrations and their reasons behind wanting to let go made sense. but that’s it. i’m not saying the right ending was for them to end up together, i’m saying that ending it so impulsively and abruptly made no sense. first of all, it didnt make sense, that baek ye jin, who always overheard na heedo’s fights with her mom, who always saw how heartbroken na heedo’s mom left her, who always saw how lonely na heedo was, would proceed to do the SAME exact thing, and be totally unaware that he’s doing the same exact thing! im talking pre new york here, when he told na heedo at the bridge, “before new york, everything was fine” HUH???? no, no no no no no. baek ye jin, mr empathetic, mr emotionally intelligent, mr attuned towards everyone’s emotions, the man who SAW her problems with her mom in first person, NOT noticing that there was a problem? the baek ye jin i know, before new york? the one who TRANSFERRED departments because he didnt wanna hurt his beloved? and dont give me that, “he was too busy to notice, life sometimes does that to you” NO, yes life makes you too busy, but deep down, you always notice. baek ye jin is the kind who would notice, baek ye jin is different from na heedo’s mom, who’s very emotionally unavailable and lacks the ability to be visibly vulnerable. baek ye jin is the sort, who would ASK for a vacation, he’s the sort, who would ASK his colleagues to cover for him, baek ye jin, unlike na heedo’s mom, would actually ASK to not get called in on certain days if it’s not urgent. yes he overworks himself so that no one would look down on him for not having a college degree sure. but he’s the sort who ALWAYS talked back, who ALWAYS put his position at risk by defying orders just for na heedo. so no, i refuse to believe that he wouldnt even TRY to make time, at least in the beginning, at least before new york. his ‘ignorance’ and ‘blind eye’ just felt very forced and out of character. and why did our characters, who were always portrayed as persistent, defying all odds, standing up for what they believe is right, fighting for what they want, break up after literally their first fight. i’m not saying they shouldve been end game, i’m saying that fight shouldnt have been the end, YET. they should’ve fought for each other some more, cause theyre definitely the sort to not give up on each other so easily. why did na heedo never take a flight to new york? why did baek ye jin never try to change? why didnt they not try to give it another go? why did baek ye jin not try to look for na heedo the moment he came back, when she wasnt yet married? you’re trying to tell me the man who stayed single after his first heartbreak, wouldnt do that? you’re trying to tell me the girl who would always wait by the door at his place every night in the middle of winter, the girl who ran in slippers on the streets for two hours looking for his dad, wouldnt try to visit him in new york even once? it all felt so…rushed and incomplete? like the writers were just trying to wrap things up. yes i expected them to break up, but not this easily and not….like this.

in conclusion, the writing was amazing, up until the first half of episode 15. then everything was rushed and half assed. the show clearly needed to be 20 episodes long, not 16. the last episode and half, did not do this amazing, amazing kdrama, justice.

[momoliee]

I need to give you a warning as your girlfriend. I’m going to share everything that’s yours. Your sadness, delight, happiness, despair. Everything. So… don’t hide because things are tough. Make sure to leave my share. If you don’t lean on me, I’ll be lonely.

TWENTY-FIVE TWENTY-ONE (2022) dir. Jung Ji Hyun

[momoliee]

i love how while most people probably enjoyed hospital playlist more because the team was more competent, capable, and heroic

most med students, interns and residents DEFINITELY ended up enjoying resident playbook a lot more cause they were able to relate to the four dumb ducklings incapable of doing anything on their own😭😭😭

[momoliee]

That's family 💙

RESIDENT PLAYBOOK (언젠가는 슬기로울 전공의 생활) 2025 | EP.8

[momoliee]

When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025)

[momoliee]

Orbs, On the Movements of the Earth

Just watched the finale, and i’ve got to say, i was moved. The ending left me breathless, in the best way possible.

I don’t even know where to begin, but i will start with the most obvious: the second Rafal, or Rafal2. I fully believe that Rafal 1 has died, and that Rafal2 is not an alternative universe, as the ending involved the letter to pototski. Then who is Rafal2? Well, my theory is that Rafal2 is meant to represent the idea that even if Rafal1 died, there was always gonna be other Rafals out there, with the same thirst for curiosity, with the same desire to pursue knowledge. I think Rafal2 is meant to show us that the passion behind learning can never be lost, it can never end with the death of a person, cause one day, someone else will be born with that very same passion, and even if they also die, then another and another will be born. Rafal1 died too young, but in the very same town, another Rafal was born, with the same convictions, the same thirst for knowledge, the same belief in the power of curiosity. And i think that’s beautiful, the concept that the pursuit of truth doesnt die with us, that someone else will inherit our will, even if we dont pass it down directly.

Building on to the point of ‘passing down’, a theme on which our story heavily relies on, i love how the priest that gave albert the final push to go to university, was implied to be the same inquisitor whose friend died after freeing jolenta, all those episodes ago. He talks about how he regrets letting his friend die, how he knew his friend did the right thing, and how he carried the burden of that event. I love how, just when we thought all our characters died and the chain of ‘passing down the torch’ was cut off, there was an unexpected and weak thread woven somewhere else. I love how the now priest, previously inquisitor, inherited his friend’s doubt for the system. He inherited his friend’s sense of justice, he inherited his friend’s will, and he passed it down to albert. That chain was never cut off, it was just passed down in an alternative roundabout way.

And finally, onto our miracle: the letter. The letter is a marvel. The letter exists simply to show that this anime was never about refuting religion, it was about believing, having faith, having hope. and how God does not betray His believer’s hopes. Every time they passed down the “10% profit to pototski”, they passed down the hope that their will wont be lost. they hoped, they had faith, up until Draka released that bird. And all of that was answered, by a miracle, a coincidence, of albert passing by and hearing one sentence, of the question mark that that sentence generated. that was all it took for our characters’ efforts and sacrifices to not go to waste. even after they were long gone, they were still rewarded for their hard work.

Our story is just a hypothesis on everything that couldve happened in history, all the records that were lost, all the people who were erased. it’s a speculation, a theory, about “people from the 15th century”. One important sentence that was said was, “the truth is not conceived, it is discovered.” so when one person dies, the truth does not die with them, another person just rediscovers it. How albert wasn’t the person who conceived, he was the one who discovered, discovered what all our dead characters tried so hard to keep passing on.

I think our author is trying to tell us not to absolutely believe, not to cease thinking, but to doubt. to be curious, to chase after knowledge, to discover truths, to doubt those truths, to start over, and most importantly, to always pass the torch. And even if we one day will be scattered to ashes, someone else will be born, to finish what we started. and that is how our will, will always live on, never to be suppressed.

[momoliee]

DRAMAS IN 2023: 30 | Twinkling Watermelon (2023) — dir. Son Jung Hyun

[momoliee]

Here Is Why You Should Read Priest’s Modern Danmeis :

As much as i love priest’s period novels, i absolutely adore her more recent, modern novels even more. You can tell that her writing style has completely changed as she grew and gained more experience, giving an edge to her work. I definitely believe her modern books NEED to be as popular as her wuxia ones cause COME ON?

(i’ve written in depth reviews on my page for each title i mention)

First, my absolute all time favorite, one of my top 3, Mo Du :

I’ve read this series a total of two times so far, and I’m about to read it a third time cause it’s just that good. And here’s the thing, i almost NEVER reread or rewatch stuff ok.

Fei Du is one of the most complex characters that i’ve encountered in my reading experience, with the worst type of mental trauma that i could come across. His relationship with Luo Wenzhou is one of the most enjoyable and perhaps, priest’s best written romance. Theyre both equally flirtatious, equally bold, their back and forth bickering is full of sexual tension and their progression from enemies to lovers is IMPECCABLE.

And the plot? PHENOMENAL. The BEST mystery and thriller detective series that I’ve ever encountered, with each book having it’s own individual mystery, and no two mysteries are similar. From child trafficking to serial killers to drug dens and even terrorism….you name it. Each arc is well crafted, and by the end, you’ll truly be able to sigh in satisfaction. For priest to be able ro make you enjoy both the romance and the plot equally…shes a genius. a 27/10.

Trigger warnings: this book discusses heavy topics such as pedophilia, rape, drug abuse, suicide, self harm, and a lot of similar topics

Next: Can Ci Pin:

Her most underrated work and i cant even begin to understand why. I mean yes it takes place in outer space in a futuristic society where people live for around 200 years across the span of 8 galaxies (not there are no aliens, but there are concepts such as ais and robots) but like….you’ve all read sha po lang with its steampunk theme and you all KNOW just how good priest is at world building. Dare i say, priest is the best danmei author when it comes to world building.

Yes, this is perhaps her slowest and longest piece of work and i get why so many would get bored after the second book. But here’s the thing, ccp has one of the most complicated worlds and plot. the plot is actually one of the most confusing and heavy plots that i’ve encountered. so in order for the story not to fall apart, it was very necessary for priest to spend the first two novels and half world building as well as slowly laying out a proper foundation for the plot. That way, when she starts speeding up the pace, you are basically a pro who doesn’t need to backtrack, reread or double check anything. By the time i was done with the third novel, i felt like i knew everything about space politics, wars between galaxies, Ai and microchips, and everything in between. And that’s saying something cause im an IDIOT when it comes books and shows politics ok.

In this series, priest has seriously invested into every single side character, even those who’ve been dead since before the series even started. With extensive backstories, each and every single character grows on you as much as the main pair if not more, and you fall in love with the found family priest created as well as all the characters who are only talked about in flashbacks and past tense. Another favorite part about this series.

Now the main characters and the romance….chefs kiss. Lu Bixing has one of the BEST character arcs that i’ve come across. He starts off as this bright sunshine boy, goes through hell, becomes this depressed cynical man then finds his way back to his old self again all in the span of the novel itself. Being able to go through the pain with him then watch him heal, makes you very attached to this baby. Li Jingheng my all time cold prince biggest crush ok i love him. Their romance was SOO entertaining cause EVERYONE was rooting for them and everyone played matchmaker and wingman with them it was HILARIOUS. The comedy was top notch, the second hand embarrassment was real, but it made the reading experience feel much more organic idk i just enjoyed myself so much and laughed so hard. 20/10

Trigger warnings: human trafficking and experimentation, self harm and suicide

Third : Lie Huo Jiao Chou

Xuan Ji’s wings of flame are the highlight of the series ok. Almost every single scene has him whipping his wings out just to show off and his boyfriend eats it up everytime ok.

I absolutely love the amnesiac plot line where two past lovers meet again and yet are unable to recognize each other. Yet, slowly, as they spend more and more time together and one of them starts regaining his memories, the pining and longing begins. And oh does Xuan Ji YEARNS in the most beautiful way possible. And once they BOTH regain their memories in full, the angst is just the cherry on top. Being unable to resist each other yet still trying to pull away, the tension, trying to hold back…delicious.

The plot is so easy to keep up with and enjoy too. Both the story taking place 3,000 years ago and the one in present time are equally entertaining, where we see scenes of war and tomb raiding and investigations and a little bit of magic too. The visuals are fantastic, and the contrast between the two parallel settings is new and refreshing as a concept. 8/10

Trigger warning: main characters experience severe child abuse and neglect

Fourth : Guardian

Guardian is the most popular out of priest’s modern novels so i dont feel the need to say much.

Guardian discusses heavy topics such as death and what’s beyond. With an element of mystery where an investigation team search after where dead souls are being stolen to or why some souls are being sucked out of living people, the premises has an element of horror and goth that gives it this edge. Coolest ghost story around.

The main cast is also a hilarious bunch, and you sort of grow attached to the entire office especially a fat black talking cat. 7/10

Trigger warning: death and murder

I hope this is enough to convince you all to check out more and more of pipi’s work. Yes, sha po lang, lord 7, faraway wanderers and fuyao sect are amazing…but if you haven’t read priest’s modern work then yall are missing out ok. that’s it for now xxx

[momoliee]

Here Is Why You Should Read Priest’s Modern Danmeis :

As much as i love priest’s period novels, i absolutely adore her more recent, modern novels even more. You can tell that her writing style has completely changed as she grew and gained more experience, giving an edge to her work. I definitely believe her modern books NEED to be as popular as her wuxia ones cause COME ON?

(i’ve written in depth reviews on my page for each title i mention)

First, my absolute all time favorite, one of my top 3, Mo Du :

I’ve read this series a total of two times so far, and I’m about to read it a third time cause it’s just that good. And here’s the thing, i almost NEVER reread or rewatch stuff ok.

Fei Du is one of the most complex characters that i’ve encountered in my reading experience, with the worst type of mental trauma that i could come across. His relationship with Luo Wenzhou is one of the most enjoyable and perhaps, priest’s best written romance. Theyre both equally flirtatious, equally bold, their back and forth bickering is full of sexual tension and their progression from enemies to lovers is IMPECCABLE.

And the plot? PHENOMENAL. The BEST mystery and thriller detective series that I’ve ever encountered, with each book having it’s own individual mystery, and no two mysteries are similar. From child trafficking to serial killers to drug dens and even terrorism….you name it. Each arc is well crafted, and by the end, you’ll truly be able to sigh in satisfaction. For priest to be able ro make you enjoy both the romance and the plot equally…shes a genius. a 27/10.

Trigger warnings: this book discusses heavy topics such as pedophilia, rape, drug abuse, suicide, self harm, and a lot of similar topics

Next: Can Ci Pin:

Her most underrated work and i cant even begin to understand why. I mean yes it takes place in outer space in a futuristic society where people live for around 200 years across the span of 8 galaxies (not there are no aliens, but there are concepts such as ais and robots) but like….you’ve all read sha po lang with its steampunk theme and you all KNOW just how good priest is at world building. Dare i say, priest is the best danmei author when it comes to world building.

Yes, this is perhaps her slowest and longest piece of work and i get why so many would get bored after the second book. But here’s the thing, ccp has one of the most complicated worlds and plot. the plot is actually one of the most confusing and heavy plots that i’ve encountered. so in order for the story not to fall apart, it was very necessary for priest to spend the first two novels and half world building as well as slowly laying out a proper foundation for the plot. That way, when she starts speeding up the pace, you are basically a pro who doesn’t need to backtrack, reread or double check anything. By the time i was done with the third novel, i felt like i knew everything about space politics, wars between galaxies, Ai and microchips, and everything in between. And that’s saying something cause im an IDIOT when it comes books and shows politics ok.

In this series, priest has seriously invested into every single side character, even those who’ve been dead since before the series even started. With extensive backstories, each and every single character grows on you as much as the main pair if not more, and you fall in love with the found family priest created as well as all the characters who are only talked about in flashbacks and past tense. Another favorite part about this series.

Now the main characters and the romance….chefs kiss. Lu Bixing has one of the BEST character arcs that i’ve come across. He starts off as this bright sunshine boy, goes through hell, becomes this depressed cynical man then finds his way back to his old self again all in the span of the novel itself. Being able to go through the pain with him then watch him heal, makes you very attached to this baby. Li Jingheng my all time cold prince biggest crush ok i love him. Their romance was SOO entertaining cause EVERYONE was rooting for them and everyone played matchmaker and wingman with them it was HILARIOUS. The comedy was top notch, the second hand embarrassment was real, but it made the reading experience feel much more organic idk i just enjoyed myself so much and laughed so hard. 20/10

Trigger warnings: human trafficking and experimentation, self harm and suicide

Third : Lie Huo Jiao Chou

Xuan Ji’s wings of flame are the highlight of the series ok. Almost every single scene has him whipping his wings out just to show off and his boyfriend eats it up everytime ok.

I absolutely love the amnesiac plot line where two past lovers meet again and yet are unable to recognize each other. Yet, slowly, as they spend more and more time together and one of them starts regaining his memories, the pining and longing begins. And oh does Xuan Ji YEARNS in the most beautiful way possible. And once they BOTH regain their memories in full, the angst is just the cherry on top. Being unable to resist each other yet still trying to pull away, the tension, trying to hold back…delicious.

The plot is so easy to keep up with and enjoy too. Both the story taking place 3,000 years ago and the one in present time are equally entertaining, where we see scenes of war and tomb raiding and investigations and a little bit of magic too. The visuals are fantastic, and the contrast between the two parallel settings is new and refreshing as a concept. 8/10

Trigger warning: main characters experience severe child abuse and neglect

Fourth : Guardian

Guardian is the most popular out of priest’s modern novels so i dont feel the need to say much.

Guardian discusses heavy topics such as death and what’s beyond. With an element of mystery where an investigation team search after where dead souls are being stolen to or why some souls are being sucked out of living people, the premises has an element of horror and goth that gives it this edge. Coolest ghost story around.

The main cast is also a hilarious bunch, and you sort of grow attached to the entire office especially a fat black talking cat. 7/10

Trigger warning: death and murder

I hope this is enough to convince you all to check out more and more of pipi’s work. Yes, sha po lang, lord 7, faraway wanderers and fuyao sect are amazing…but if you haven’t read priest’s modern work then yall are missing out ok. that’s it for now xxx

[momoliee]

Lie Huo Jiao Chou review (spoiler free) by Priest:

This gorgeous gorgeous novel has two main settings: one 3,000 years ago when the war between humans and demons was at its peak, and the other in modern times when a few old heros and villains were dug out from their graves to finish off what was started all those thousands of years ago. The main setting is the modern one, and the ancient setting shows up in flashbacks.

Two amnesic lovers who never even got to confess their feelings 3,000 years ago happen to meet again. Is it fate? Just a coincidence? Or perhaps a planned scheme by certain someones? They dont even recognize each other anymore, after all those centuries. While one of them was just forcefully pulled out of their coffin to go on a mass killing spree, the other materialized out of thin air on a random day 10 years ago, in an abyss of flames, with no past memories or even a name. Sounds intriguing, right?

To be honest, the two of them gave me major mo ran and chu wanning vibes. Like the chemistry and their dynamics were almost too similar. Except imagine it was chu wanning who was forced to become the evil emperor while mo ran remained a passionate and kindhearted devoter who wouldnt harm a single human. Perhaps, that’s what kept me hooked despite the extreme slow burn (i mean the romance only turns reciprocal in ch90 out of 145😭) ((priest seriously is a master of slowburns and edging ok)). Nevertheless, once the romance gets going, oh boy does it get KICKING. Priest just KNOWS how to hit all the right spots especially after taking her sweet sweet time laying out the base.

Next, the plot: While definitely not as excellent as Mo Du or Can Ci Pin, it’s still definitely on par with Sha Po Lang and Guardian (actually it gave me major guardian vibes), and definitely far superior to Lord 7 and Faraway Wanderers (this is my personal opinion on my personal post please dont come for me). It’s intricate, detailed, well crafted, and i love how everything always ties up at the end, with no loopholes left here or there. Priest will introduce a lot of mysteries that will keep you on edge, then proceed to slowly untangle them with you one by one until everything starts to make sense. You’ll be sent along with the characters on quests exploring ancient tombs, digging out dead kings and demons, attempting to prevent natural catastrophes, covering things up as earthquakes and tsunamis, all while working overtime cleaning up a mess that dates back to 3,000 years ago. And everytime you think it’s over, a new plot twist lands and all hell breaks loose once more. It was definitely a thriller, and it was almost impossible for me to put down the novel without reaching the end of each arc first.

No idea why everyone’s sleeping on this gem. i mean xuan ji has WINGS OF FLAME ok all the fanarts are just beautiful 😭😭😭. If not for the plot then at least read this novel for Sheng Lingyuan’s hair and Xuan Ji’s wings ok.

[momoliee]

- Movie 27 spoilers - Magic Kaito 1412 Spoilers - Black Organization Spoilers -

I have a theory. Now that we know that shinichi and kaito are cousins, and their fathers are twins. Let’s dive down that road a bit more.

It is said that yusaka took the name kudo after his mother, while toichi took his last name after his father, after their parents separated. Toichi’s last name is Kuroba. Let’s look at some of these scenes from episodes 23 & 24 of the kaito kid spin off series :

Kuroba and Corbeau are pronounced almost exactly the same way. and we all know that Corbeau turned out to actually be kuroba toichi, kaito’s father, disguising himself to check in on his son and test his son’s abilities to fend for himself. so it is not too far fetched to mention that this couldve been a play of words. now as it’s stated here: curbeau means crow in french. coincidence? i think not.

let’s dive further

the coin left with the crow….arent we reminded of the karasuno mansion and all the crows that were everywhere? and wasnt it confirmed that the owner of the mansion was actually the leader of the black organization? and that the song of the boss’ mail account was a song about crows? hmmm

finally, the name kuroba itself means BLACK wings. black, as in the color of the organization, black wings, just like crows wings.

so if yusaka and toichi’s dad, owns the family name kuroba, which means black wings, which is also a play for Corbeau which means crows in french, then is it possible to say……….that shinichi and kaito’s grandfather is the organization’s boss?

[momoliee]

- Movie 27 spoilers -

I dont understand why everyone is shocked that Kaito’s dad is alive and living in las veg*s? i thought that was very very heavily implied by the ending of the anime Magic Kaito 1412? and if im not wrong, it ended back in 2015 which was almost a decade ago, so this is clearly something that Gosho didnt plan and release on the whim?

Let’s recap in case anyone didnt watch the kaito kid spin off series :

During the last two episodes, a second phantom thi*f who looks exactly like his dad appears and challenges Kid, stating clearly that if Kid loses, then he should retire. Kaito immediately senses familiarity from that figure but dismisses it as that person disguising themselves as his dad instead of actually believing that that’s his dad. However, the hints were TOO heavy to ignore.

first hint: active in LAS V*GAS

second hint: his mom COINCIDENTALLY being back on the same exact day, and not only that, but also fangirling over the guy when everyone knows shed head over heels for only her husband.

third : his mom mentioning that shes going back to VEG*S and then proceeding to mention details such as the heating pads that only the crow phantom thi*f knew about? in the very next scene kaito wonders just how she mightve knew that. this is literally the MOST OBVIOUS hint.

Finally: the usage of the SAME quote by that ‘mysterious phantom th*ef’, his mom AND his dad’s recordings, especially with the word ‘conviction’. coincidence? nah it’s too obvious by now.

In conclusion, the reveal during movie 27 was not a surprise at all, it was something that was very heavily hinted if not outright stated around 10 years ago.

[momoliee]

EX-FUCKING-CUSE ME HELLO??? SHINSHI ART?? SHINSHI OFFICIAL ART??? ACTUAL SHINSHI ART, NOT AS COAI?? THE KUDOU SHINICHI WITH THE MIYANO SHIHO??? SHINSHI???? LITERALLY SHINSHI??? HELLO????? AM I DREAMING

SHINSHI NATION RAISE WE ARE FED SO FUCKING MUCH THIS YEAR EYAAGGGGGHHHHHH

[momoliee]

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto | Ep24 | Maomao Dancing

[momoliee]

Watching, fruits basket, i surprisingly didnt have a favorite ship or care for the romance at all.

rather, i was more invested in the toxic abusive family and all the ways the characters dealt with their trauma and how they’ve overcome it at the end.

starting with the more ‘obvious’ trauma, aka kyo, basically being the black sheep of the family and dealing with it by becoming someone who constantly runs away, only sees himself, and whose whole survival revolves around protecting himself first and foremost even if his methods were harmful to others. which is, obviously, understandable and valid considering how no one was there for him and everyone was against him, so whom does he have but himself? if he wont fight tooth and nail to protect himself then who will?

then there’s yuki, whose trauma was on the very opposite extreme end of the scale. he was placed at higher threshold than anyone; however, he enjoyed none of the supposed benefits as he was isolated and abused and tortured in private without anyone knowing. he wasnt allowed to have any friends, he wasnt allowed to associate with anyone, and he was the one closest to the abuser and was the abuser’s main vessel of venting, a literal punching bag. he bore most of the bruises in the family, and as a result, became distant and cold and a bit dissociated. his healing arc honestly healed me personally, seeing him get comfortable with being vulnerable, opening up, reaching out and most importantly, forming meaningful bonds with those around him. it was very precious.

there were characters like rin, who couldnt handle any of it and crumbled more easily than the rest of the characters, who at the end, wasnt able to forgive their abuser even when everyone else did. and there were characters like momiji, who were stronger than the rest, who bared with it all head on and as bravely as possible, who broke away first with their strong will and resilience, who forgave fastest too. there were characters like a-ya, who just wanted to escape and leave and be free even if it came at the expanse of others, even if someone else had to take their place and suffer in their stead. which again, is valid, but i loved that he grew stronger and felt guilty with time, and made sure to come back and atone for his actions even if it was too late, he still wanted to give it a go. and of course, there were characters like haru, who were the naturally kind and noble heros, ready to suffer at other people’s stead, ready to fight for others even if they’ll receive a backlash, ready to take care of others even when they’re receiving the same abuse. there were characters like hatori, who became totally apathetic and uncaring, easily accepting and passive, and on the opposite end there were characters like shigure, who developed a fucked up complex and codependent attachment to their abuser. there were characters like kureno, whom even tho they had the choice to leave, they still stayed out of pity and kindness, and characters like hiro, who gave no fucks from the beginning and wanted to leave cause what’s wrong is wrong, pity or no pity.

what im trying to say is, they were all stuck in the same abusive family, they were all VICTIMS of domestic violence and terror, yet they all took it differently, coped with it differently, and healed from it differently. and what makes this even more interesting, is how accurate each character depiction was, and how all these personas really do exist in real life. other than haru, none of them helped each other or stood up for the other, but then again, they were all victims doing their best to survive a terrifying environment. they were all very brave for doing so.

im happy that torhu gave them a healthier home where the idea of family was safer and more fun, where they could have fun together instead of dreading seeing each other. i do believe that each and every single one of them saved their own self, but tohru definitely gave them the space and place to do so, which was exactly what they needed

[momoliee]

Ill start off by saying: what kyo went through was horrible, horrifying, traumatic and unforgettable in many ways rather than one.

but he was NOT the only victim.

when on a plane, you are told to put on YOUR mask first before helping others. in order for you to be able to save those around you, you need to save yourself first and foremost.

the other zodiacs, especially yuki, were unable to even save THEMSELVES, much less spare their efforts into saving anyone else. we are talking about characters who were DOMESTICALLY abused, pushed off rooftops, blinded by mirror shards, locked in dark rooms for weeks without food, beaten to the point of landing in the hospital regularly and isolated and emotionally tormented so bad they had no sense of self identity. im sorry to say this, but what were any of them supposed to do for kyo? they couldnt even confess to havinv a CRUSH without having their worlds turned on them inside out so bad that it would cost them an eye or sometimes their LIVES. and they were somehow supposed to speak up against something even bigger and more serious, like kyo’s status? pinning everyone with a ‘hero’ position that theyre suppose to fulfill when they are victims themselves, putting the blame on THEM when the ADULTS around were cheering all of this on, is simply UNFAIR .

if we are going by the mentality of yuki shouldve saved kyo, then why didnt hatori save yuki after that incident when he was a kid? why didnt ayami save yuki as his older brother? why did no one save hatori when the kana situation happened? why didnt anyone prevent kisa, a literal child, from being beaten to the point of hospitalization? why did kagura’s mom warn her against interacting with rin? are they all bad people? no. they are all VICTIMS. they dont owe each other any saving when they themselves were drowning and suffering and struggling.

yuki was abandoned by his entire family, mother and brother. yuki was isolated by a narcissistic psychopath who proceeded to torment him, psychologically break him apart, convince him that he is hated and despised, that he will always be alone. he was rejected everytime he tried to reach for help. the only friends he made rejected him then forgot about him. he barely had the courage to get HIMSELF out of that family, much less get someone ELSE out. not only that, but he was framed and painted as the villain, UNFAIRLY, and never even received an apology for that shit like???

Kyo wasnt the only victim. they were ALL victims, they ALL needed someone to save them, they ALL had no one to save them, they ALL had to save themselves at the end. because they owed each other nothing, but owed everything to THEMSELVES, and THAT is why yuki said, “i dont wanna blame anyone anymore, i wanna blame myself for how weak i was and change.”

it's interesting to me how kyo is always placing himself in wide open spaces - on the roof, near big/open windows, at the edge of the porch looking out to the garden. i think it can be reasonably assumed that he's actively seeking out open spaces because he knows his time with them is limited. meanwhile, yuki has very acute claustrophobia after being locked up in a dark room so many times as a child. he's okay in regular rooms but has full-on panic attacks when confined to a small, dark space like a closet. he must've recognized the impulse in kyo to find places that aren't dark and suffocating. i'm sure he had similar impulses when he started living with shigure. um. i don't know where i'm going with this. something about how yuki knows exactly what kyo's future hell will be like and still does nothing about it

[momoliee]

Today's anime cat of the day is:

Momohiki from Romantic Killer!