#Five Programmers

[fiveprogrammers]

A Look Inside Egypt’s Booming App Development Industry

Over the last decade, Egypt’s app development industry has undergone a remarkable transformation. What was once a relatively quiet digital landscape has now become a hub for innovation, creativity, and technical excellence. From the bustling streets of Cairo to the thriving business centers of Alexandria and beyond, mobile app development in Egypt is gaining international attention—and for good reason.

In this blog, we take a deep dive into Egypt’s booming app development industry, exploring what makes the country’s digital ecosystem so unique, how top developers like Five Programmers are shaping the future, and why businesses around the world are choosing Egypt for custom app development.

Why Egypt Is Emerging as a Digital Powerhouse

1. A Young, Talented Workforce

Egypt is home to a large pool of young, tech-savvy professionals. Many graduates from Egyptian universities specialize in computer science, software engineering, and UI/UX design. These developers are not only highly skilled but also incredibly adaptable to emerging technologies and global trends.

Whether it’s building native iOS and Android apps or working with cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native, Egyptian app developers are capable of delivering world-class solutions.

2. Cost-Effective Without Sacrificing Quality

In today’s economy, finding the right balance between quality and cost is more important than ever. App development companies in Egypt offer this rare combination. Businesses can expect:

Lower development costs than in Europe or North America

High-quality design and architecture

Reliable delivery timelines

By choosing Egypt, companies can achieve their digital goals without draining their budgets—something that has significantly boosted the country’s appeal in the global outsourcing market.

3. Strong Government Support for the Tech Sector

Egypt’s Vision 2030 is placing strong emphasis on digital transformation and IT development. With investments in digital infrastructure, education, and tech zones, the Egyptian government is actively promoting innovation. As a result, local developers have access to better tools, faster internet, and collaborative tech environments.

This momentum is accelerating the rise of Egypt as a leading destination for mobile app development.

4. English Proficiency and Cultural Compatibility

Effective communication is key to any successful project. One of the strengths of Egyptian app development teams is their fluency in English and familiarity with international business practices. Teams like Five Programmers prioritize clear project documentation, regular updates, and agile collaboration to ensure smooth client experiences.

This ability to align with global clients makes Egypt an ideal outsourcing location for mobile app projects.

Inside Egypt’s App Development Ecosystem

Diversity of Services Offered

The Egyptian mobile development scene is no longer limited to basic apps. Today’s firms offer:

Custom mobile solutions

Cross-platform development

Backend system integration

UI/UX design

Post-launch maintenance and support

AI, IoT, and cloud-based features

Companies like Five Programmers have led the way in offering full-cycle development—from idea to deployment and beyond—ensuring every app is tailored to business needs.

Industries Being Transformed

Mobile apps developed in Egypt are reshaping businesses in various sectors:

Retail & E-Commerce: Custom shopping apps with payment gateways and real-time tracking

Healthcare: Doctor appointment booking, telemedicine, and e-prescriptions

Education: E-learning platforms and virtual classrooms

Transportation & Logistics: Fleet tracking, route optimization, and warehouse management

Finance: Secure mobile banking and fintech apps

By creating scalable, secure, and user-friendly solutions, Egyptian developers are helping local and global businesses move forward in the digital age.

Innovation Meets Scalability

Another reason for the rise of Egypt’s app development industry is its adaptability. Whether you need an MVP or a robust enterprise solution, Egypt’s development teams have the flexibility to scale resources and tailor workflows according to project size and complexity.

This scalability is critical for startups aiming for quick launches and enterprises requiring large-scale, integrated systems.

Why Choose Five Programmers?

When it comes to building trust and delivering real value, Five Programmers has earned its place among Egypt’s top tech companies.

Here's what makes them stand out:

Proven Track Record: Over a decade of experience with international clients across multiple industries

Innovation-Driven: From cloud-native development to AI-powered solutions

Client-Centered Approach: Agile development, milestone-based billing, and regular updates

Full-Service Agency: Design, development, deployment, and maintenance under one roof

Whether you're a startup or an established enterprise, Five Programmers crafts solutions that are not just functional—but impactful.

The Future of Mobile App Development in Egypt

As we move further into 2025 and beyond, Egypt’s app development industry is expected to play a central role in the region’s digital transformation. Emerging technologies like:

Artificial Intelligence

Augmented Reality

Blockchain

IoT

are already being explored and implemented by top Egyptian app developers. With more global partnerships and investment coming in, the industry is on the brink of even greater expansion.

Get Started with Egypt’s Best

Are you ready to turn your app idea into reality?

Whether you're based in Dubai, Riyadh, London, or New York, collaborating with top-tier Egyptian developers is a decision you won’t regret.

📩 Contact Five Programmers today and discuss your requirements with our experienced team.

🚀 Or simply Get a Quote and start building a smarter, more connected digital product with one of Egypt’s most trusted mobile app development firms—Five Programmers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How do I choose the right app development company in Egypt?

Answer: Look for a company with strong client reviews, a diverse portfolio, clear communication practices, and full-stack capabilities. Companies like Five Programmers check all these boxes and more.

Q2: What is the typical cost of mobile app development in Egypt?

Answer: While costs vary based on complexity, a basic app might start from $5,000–$8,000. More advanced apps can go higher. Egypt remains cost-effective compared to other regions.

Q3: Do Egyptian developers follow international coding standards?

Answer: Yes. Reputable teams in Egypt use best practices in coding, security, and user experience. Five Programmers, for instance, ensures every app meets global performance and compliance standards.

Q4: Can I get post-launch support?

Answer: Absolutely. Most app development companies in Egypt, including Five Programmers, provide ongoing maintenance, performance monitoring, and feature updates after launch.

Final Thoughts

Egypt’s booming app development industry is not just about affordable coding—it’s about innovation, collaboration, and delivering meaningful results. From modern design to robust backend systems, Egyptian app developers are offering solutions that truly stand out in the global market.

If you're looking for a reliable, creative, and future-ready partner for your mobile project, look no further than Five Programmers.

📞 Let’s build something incredible together. Contact us today or Get a Quote and be a part of Egypt’s digital revolution.

[ahoyitsphil]

My university is paying me four thousand dollars for this.

[suspiciouslybee]

programmers either have the most dogshit 10$ keyboard or they have spent 350$+ on a mechanical keyboard with a mix of no less than two types of switches, solonoids, custom tooled cartridges that fire at 10,000 rounds per minute, and rgb

[raylangivins]

I wanna curate a a season at the BFI. They’d never let me do it though because if I could force everyone in the world to watch one movie it would The Fast and The Furious.

[alexanderwales]

I'm a big fan of wizards-as-programmers, but I think it's so much better when you lean into programming tropes.

A spell the wizard uses to light the group's campfire has an error somewhere in its depths, and sometimes it doesn't work at all. The wizard spends a lot of his time trying to track down the exact conditions that cause the failure.

The wizard is attempting to create a new spell that marries two older spells together, but while they were both written within the context of Zephyrus the Starweaver's foundational work, they each used a slightly different version, and untangling the collisions make a short project take months of work.

The wizard has grown too comfortable reusing old spells, and in particular, his teleportation spell keeps finding its components rearranged and remixed, its parts copied into a dozen different places in the spellbook. This is overall not actually a problem per se, but the party's rogue grows a bit concerned when the wizard's "drying spell" seems to just be a special case of teleportation where you teleport five feet to the left and leave the wetness behind.

A wizard is constantly fiddling with his spells, making minor tweaks and changes, getting them easier to cast, with better effects, adding bells and whistles. The "shelter for the night" spell includes a tea kettle that brings itself to a boil at dawn, which the wizard is inordinately pleased with. He reports on efficiency improvements to the indifference of anyone listening.

A different wizard immediately forgets all details of his spells after he's written them. He could not begin to tell you how any of it works, at least not without sitting down for a few hours or days to figure out how he set things up. The point is that it works, and once it does, the wizard can safely stop thinking about it.

Wizards enjoy each other's company, but you must be circumspect about spellwork. Having another wizard look through your spellbook makes you aware of every minor flaw, and you might not be able to answer questions about why a spell was written in a certain way, if you remember at all.

Wizards all have their own preferences as far as which scripts they write in, the formatting of their spellbook, its dimensions and material quality, and of course which famous wizards they've taken the most foundational knowledge from. The enlightened view is that all approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, but this has never stopped anyone from getting into a protracted argument.

Sometimes a wizard will sit down with an ancient tome attempting to find answers to a complicated problem, and finally find someone from across time who was trying to do the same thing, only for the final note to be "nevermind, fixed it".

[captaintiny]

what i really want to do in life is become a cantor but there's no program for it in the uk at all and i do not want to attend the huc x

[cats0nskateb0ards]

Please let me know if you're interested!!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EfPi0GjLU1jjVYXdrurEtz2jiqmhcRyTQgKfOfotHus/viewform

[jabberwockymoreau]

'oh god i'm older than them' moment but it's about characters from a book set at college

[fiveprogrammers]

What Makes a Great App Development Company in Egypt?

In the fast-paced world of digital innovation, Egypt is rapidly emerging as a hub for technology and mobile solutions. Businesses across sectors—from logistics and retail to healthcare and education—are now investing in custom mobile applications to streamline operations, connect with users, and scale their growth. But the real challenge lies in choosing the right app development company in Egypt—one that understands your goals, aligns with your vision, and delivers high-performing solutions.

So, what exactly separates an average developer from a great one? In this blog, we’ll explore the core characteristics that define a top-tier app development company in Egypt, and why Five Programmers stands out as a trusted name for digital excellence.

1. Deep Industry Knowledge and Technical Expertise

A great app development company in Egypt doesn’t just code—they solve real-world problems with technology. The best teams come with:

Experienced developers skilled in Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, and backend frameworks.

Industry-specific insights into logistics, fintech, e-commerce, and more.

Proven experience in building scalable and secure applications that meet both user and business needs.

At Five Programmers, we combine tech expertise with industry knowledge to build apps that don’t just function—but drive impact.

2. Custom Mobile App Solutions for Local and Global Markets

Every business is unique. That’s why off-the-shelf software rarely works. A reputable mobile app development company in Egypt offers:

Tailored solutions that reflect your brand identity.

Native and cross-platform mobile apps for iOS and Android.

End-to-end development from ideation and UI/UX design to deployment and support.

Five Programmers specializes in delivering custom mobile app solutions in Egypt that are tailor-made for startups, enterprises, and government bodies alike.

3. Transparent Communication and Agile Process

You don’t want to be left in the dark when your app is being built. A top app development firm in Egypt ensures:

Agile development processes with regular sprints and updates.

Dedicated project managers to keep everything on track.

Tools like Jira, Trello, or Slack to streamline feedback and communication.

With Five Programmers, you get full visibility over your project’s lifecycle. No surprises. Just great results.

4. Creative and User-Centric UI/UX Design

Even the most powerful app can fail if it’s not user-friendly. This is where design becomes crucial. Top app developers in Egypt:

Design intuitive, attractive, and accessible user interfaces.

Conduct user testing and feedback loops to refine the experience.

Prioritize performance, usability, and retention.

Whether you’re building a customer-facing app or an internal enterprise tool, Five Programmers ensures your UI/UX stands out in today’s competitive app market.

5. Commitment to Quality Assurance and Support

The job isn’t done when the app launches. A great mobile app development company in Egypt provides:

Rigorous testing and QA processes to eliminate bugs and glitches.

Post-launch maintenance and updates to keep the app functional and secure.

24/7 support services to assist with any issues.

Five Programmers takes quality seriously. We don’t just ship apps—we support their success long after launch.

Why Egypt is Becoming a Digital Powerhouse

Egypt’s booming tech sector, young talent pool, and competitive pricing make it a smart destination for app development. Here’s why more businesses are turning to Egyptian app developers:

Cost-effective solutions compared to Europe or North America.

Strong government support for tech startups and digital transformation.

Access to skilled developers fluent in Arabic, English, and modern frameworks.

By choosing a local app development company in Egypt, you’re not just outsourcing—you’re partnering with a team that understands your market, language, and user behavior.

Choosing the Right Tech Partner: Look for These Signs

Before hiring any app development service in Egypt, ask yourself:

Do they have a diverse portfolio?

Can they explain technical ideas in simple terms?

Are they committed to delivery timelines and budget?

Do they offer scalable solutions that can grow with your business?

Five Programmers ticks all the boxes and more. Our clients trust us for our integrity, innovation, and impact-driven approach.

Real Success Stories by Five Programmers

From creating logistics tracking tools for Riyadh-based companies to building e-learning platforms for Egyptian startups, Five Programmers has helped clients across industries launch high-performing mobile apps.

Our strength lies in understanding the local business landscape in Egypt while bringing a global standard of execution. Whether it’s a food delivery app, an inventory management system, or a fintech solution, we ensure excellence at every stage.

Let’s Build Something Great Together

Ready to transform your app idea into a reality? Partner with a trusted app development company in Egypt that puts your business goals first.

📩 Contact Five Programmers today to schedule a free consultation.

Or

🚀 Get a Quote Now for your custom mobile app project!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How much does it cost to develop a mobile app in Egypt?

Answer: The cost varies depending on the complexity, features, and platform (iOS, Android, or both). On average, a basic app might start around $5,000–$10,000, while advanced enterprise solutions can go higher. Five Programmers offers competitive rates tailored to your needs.

Q2: How long does it take to build a mobile app?

Answer: Development timelines typically range from 6 to 20 weeks, depending on the app’s functionality and scope. With agile methods, we deliver quickly without compromising on quality.

Q3: Can I update or scale my app in the future?

Answer: Absolutely. All apps built by Five Programmers are designed for scalability and future enhancements. Whether you need to add new features, support more users, or expand to new platforms—we’ve got you covered.

Q4: Do you offer support and maintenance post-launch?

Answer: Yes. Our job doesn’t end at deployment. We offer ongoing maintenance, updates, and support to keep your app secure and optimized over time.

Conclusion

Choosing a great app development company in Egypt is not just about coding—it’s about building a long-term partnership with a team that understands your goals, market, and customers.

With proven expertise, a focus on innovation, and a commitment to quality, Five Programmers is your go-to tech partner for turning your vision into reality. Whether you're a startup or an enterprise, we build solutions that grow with you.

📞 Contact us today to discuss your project, or fill out our quick form to Get a Quote from Egypt’s trusted app development experts—Five Programmers.

[goofyjelly]

if no one gets me I know Human!Spock gets me AMMIRITE-

[wlwcatalogue]

A Gay Girl's Guide to Takarazuka

L to R: Sagiri Seina, Ouki Kaname, Amami Yuuki, Asumi Rio, Wao Youka, Asaji Saki, Shiraki Ayaka

If you’re queer and into theatre or Japanese media, chances are that you will have heard of all-female theatre company Takarazuka Revue… but it’s also equally likely that you won’t have checked out anything of theirs. For those who are curious but were intimidated by its over 100 years of history, or who just want a quick primer to ease in, click below!

1. Why get into Takarazuka?

L to R: Rei Makoto in Tiara Azul (2024), Yuzuka Rei

For those into androgynous women

As you probably already know, Takarazuka's big selling point is that it's an all-female theatre company where the male characters are played by women. The actresses are expected to continue presenting that way off-stage, which in practice means a lot of handsome women with short hair in binders and men's clothing... Why that might appeal to people who are into androgynous women (or GNC/enby folks) is pretty obvious.

Reality Check:

Sadly, after "graduation" (i.e. leaving Takarazuka), nearly all such actresses will transition into feminine presentation and take on female roles. It's similar to the "lesbian glasshouse" idea in Class S yuri, but for gender non-conformity. That said, there are some notable counter-examples: Shion Yuu and Nanami Hiroki have basically refused to change their presentation after graduating (the latter still frequently plays male characters in both anime and stage productions), and things are more relaxed lower down the rungs too.

L to R: Wao Youka & Hanafusa Mari, Sagiri Seina & Sakihi Miyu

For those into butch/femme pairs

Just as roughly half of Takarazuka's actresses specialise in male roles (otokoyaku/男役), there is another half specialising in female roles (musumeyaku/娘役). On top of that, Takarazuka is split into five different troupes, and for any given production, the male lead and female lead are automatically assigned to that troupe's "top star" (leading otokoyaku) and "top musumeyaku" (leading musumeyaku) - the "top combi".

Unlike leading pairs in other theatrical traditions, the "top combi" concept extends to them being marketed as a pair in interviews, magazine features, TV programmes, etc. Just watch the mini TV special where Sagiri Seina and Sakihi Miyu visit Tokyo Skytree and Sumida Aquarium-- it's basically a date, and is described as such by the commentating TV announcer. Likewise, Wao Youka and Hanafusa Mari were interviewed about being a "golden combi" by women's magazine Fujin Kouron (though to be fair this was after they had, improbably, managed to win a Kikuta Kazuo Theatre Award - an award for individuals - jointly, for their "splendid performance as a combi" in 2004's Boxman).

Taken to its extreme, there have been cases where the Japanese public have been convinced that a top combi was dating, as with the immensely popular 1980's pair Daichi Mao and Kuroki Hitomi... It's no wonder that the actresses themselves frequently describe it as being like an arranged marriage.

Separately, due to certain reasons, it's practically part of the job description for top musumeyaku to adore their top star partners. This, in theory, inadvertently creates a safe space for any top musumeyaku who could be gay for their stage partners... Just to illustrate, during her graduation speech, Hinami Fuu repeatedly referred to her feelings for her top star partner Hokushou Kairi as koi (恋), a word specifically denoting romantic love, and nobody blinked an eye.

Reality Check:

Due to conservative attitudes in both Japan and Takarazuka itself, most actresses go on to marry men, including many of those named above. Vanishingly few are publically out, though former otokoyaku Higashi Koyuki (stage name Aura Maki) is a queer activist and was one half of the first same-sex couple to be married in Japan, and another former otokoyaku, Misuzu Aki, has been living with her female partner in Europe for years. Just, well, don't forget that being married to a man isn't necessarily evidence of heterosexuality.

L to R: Asumi Rio in The Poe Clan (2018), Sagiri Seina in Rurouni Kenshin (2016)

For lovers of anime and manga

Takarazuka is probably best-known as the inspiration behind Revolutionary Girl Utena, Revue Starlight, Kageki Shoujo, and Sailor Moon’s Haruka and Michiru, but did you know that it also inspired seminal works featuring androgynous female leads such as Princess Knight? If you enjoy “prince-type” characters in yuri, you’ve got them to thank

Apart from inspiring anime and manga, Takarazuka also does quite a few animanga adaptations itself! Most famous are their Rose of Versailles musicals, but other popular adaptations include Ace Attorney, Rurouni Kenshin, Lupin III, Boys Over Flowers, and Hagio Moto’s bishounen vampire vehicle The Poe Clan. They’re also doing a Castlevania musical this year!

Wao Youka & Hanafusa Mari in Phantom (2004)

For the theatre nerds

Female Phantom of the Opera, duh

Jokes aside, Takarazuka’s unique position in the theatre world can't be overstated. As a rule, all-female productions are either smaller-scale, one-offs dependent on the work, or part of a theatrical tradition completely separate to Western-style plays or musicals (hello, Chinese Yue opera). Takarazuka is the exception: it offers productions comparable in size and scale (and budget) to the largest West End and Broadway musicals - it just so happens that it's all-female.

If the all-female aspect doesn’t excite you then why are you here, then let me emphasise again: Takarazuka is totally worth checking out as a production company in its own right. It is very much a part of the broader Japanese musical industry, and one of its powerhouses at that. Just take a look at some of these clips from past productions (all around 5 mins or less):

(a) Maeda Keiji - a musical loosely inspired by real-life samurai Maeda Keiji; features an uncannily convincing horse performed by two people in costume which needs to be seen to be believed (b) Ephemeral Love - a period piece about the doomed love between Prince Rudolph of the Hapsburgs and his lover Marie Vetsera (c) The Man Who Never Sleeps - a biographical musical about Napoleon Bonaparte (d) Casino Royale - an adaptation of the 2006 James Bond movie of the same name (e) BADDY - an off-the-wall sci-fi comedy featuring loads of velvet suits, silly shellfish outfits, and queerness.

Wao Youka and Hanafusa Mari in Dracula (2011)

2. Random Queer-ish Trivia

It's pretty common for former otokoyaku to be cast in WLW roles: Sena Jun headlined the 2018 Japanese production of Fun Home, Otozuki Kei cameoed as a lesbian escort in 2022 LGBTQ-themed J-drama Kojinsa Arimasu, and Seto Kazuya played the owner of a lesbian bar in 2024 yuri J-drama Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko. (Incidentally, Sal Jiang, the original creator of Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko, has mentioned being a fan of Sena Jun when she was younger)

Otokoyaku are sometimes mistaken for men, with amusing results: Yuzuka Rei was thought to be a “host” by a passer-by while talking to her fans, and Houshou Dai has mentioned being hit on by a woman before. But the prize goes to Todoroki Yuu, who like many women once had to rebuff unwanted advances from a man—except in her case, he thought that she was a guy

Before entering Takarazuka, Sou Kazuho – eventual Snow Troupe top star – went to a co-ed school and had long hair. To her confusion, this didn’t stop her classmates from asking her to play a male character (possibly the male lead, IIRC) in the school play. They saw her as an otokoyaku even before she did!

Continuing with the high school theme, former Cosmos Troupe top star Wao Youka has boasted about how in her high school days, she received more Valentine’s chocolates than her brother, and in fact second-most out of her year. Important note: she went to a girls’ school

Speaking of Wao Youka, her 2011 Dracula (see photo above) - from @cryoverkiltmilk's “Cunt Dykecula” post - wasn't actually a Takarazuka production! Since Wao was acquainted with and later married its composer Frank Wildhorn, some assume he was the one to cast her, and that Hanafusa Mari was brought in due to being her old stage partner. But Wildhorn had wanted Wao to play the female lead. It was she who insisted on Dracula. And Hanafusa wasn't just a third party... she had been Wao's manager since 2007, having retired from the stage after graduating and only just returned with 2010's Dietrich. (She played Edith Piaf, legendary chanson singer and “very good friend” of bisexual icon Marlene Dietrich, played by Wao.) Dracula was the swan song for their partnership, with Hanafusa going on to conquer the Japanese musical industry as she had Takarazuka-- but it marked the first, and so far only, time a top combi performed as romantic partners after graduating.

On a separate note, renowned queer photographer Leslie Kee has been responsible for taking the cover portraits for Takarazuka's offical monthly publication Kageki (歌劇) since 2010. You should definitely check out his ongoing "Out in Asia" project – he's taken literally thousands of photos of out queer people in Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan in a bid to raise visibility

Lastly, in November 2015, Takarazuka City became the first Japanese city outside of Tokyo to announce its support for same-sex partnerships… though this may of course be a total coincidence.

Flower Troupe in Takarazuka Fantasia (2015 Taiwan tour)

3. Where to Start?

Nearly all Takarazuka shows since the 1990's are available on DVD (earlier ones are on VHS), and these recordings are very well done - they have great video and audio quality, are well-edited, and use a large number of camera angles

They do livestreams and live broadcasts of performances as well! You can watch a livestream from your mobile or PC by spoofing your location. For a more communal experience, if you're in Japan, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, you can catch live broadcasts of Grand Theatre performances at a local cinema

VODs of selected productions are available on various platforms, including Amazon Japan, though this still requires location spoofing. If you're actually living in Japan, you can also consider subscribing to Takarazuka's official TV channel (yes, that's a thing) Sky Stage - they do a lot of reruns of past performances

With that done, here are several recommendations if none of the productions mentioned throughout the post caught your eye!

(a) Elisabeth - Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay's musical about Empress Elisabeth ("Sisi") of Austria and the fall of the Hapsburg Empire, featuring an (inevitably very sexy) personification of Death and fantastic music. Takarazuka has done many, many productions of this, so just search them and pick whichever looks most appealing - but you won't go wrong with the 2014 Flower Troupe production, which has a very strong cast and a more refined version of the staging

(b) Phantom - Arthur Kopit and Maury Yeston's adaptation of Phantom of the Opera. Though obviously not the ALW version, the music is actually pretty great and Takarazuka goes all-out on the costumes and stage magic. All the productions are wonderful, but my favourite is the original 2004 version (which is also the one which went viral on Tumblr before - thanks, @wheel-of-fish!)

(c) Rose of Versailles - no list would be complete without Takarazuka's representative work, buuut I wouldn't necessarily recommend starting here if you're looking for a typical musical experience. There are loads of productions to choose from - note that these are split between a version focused on protagonist Oscar, and another focused on Marie Antoinette and her lover Fersen - but the 1991 Moon Troupe production is my personal pick

(d) Casanova - a light-hearted romp in which Casanova is reimagined as a charming playboy who falls for the feminist-minded daughter of Venice's mayor... only, she doesn't know his real identity. The very catchy music was commissioned from Dove Attia, the producer behind French musicals Mozart, l'opera Rock and 1789: Les Amants de la Bastille. Check out the performance digest here!

(e) Shinjuu: Koi no Yamatoji - Takarazuka puts Chikamatsu Monzaemon's tale of the doomed love between a commoner and a courtesan to a classic rock score (see this clip!). An Edo-era work that doesn't just focus on samurai and nobility, this romantic tragedy offers a grounded look at the social pressures of the time. (Though if you do want to watch something focusing on Japanese nobility, I highly recommend Takarazuka original and guaranteed tearjerker Hoshiai Hitoyo.) There are quite a few productions of this, but I've only watched the 2014 Snow Troupe one, which was very good.

Thanks so much for reading! Please feel free to DM me or send an ask if you have any questions~ I definitely want to do a follow-up post on musumeyaku, and maybe delve into Wao and Hanafusa's history (it's messy, but fascinating)... but we'll see!

[tyrannosaurus-trainwreck]

It also fucking bugs me that nobody can ever seem to really commit to the cyberpunk premise of the Protagonist Who Hates Robots (see also, the cyberpunk premise of "Wouldn't it be Super Fucked Up™, actually, for a company to be able to repo your goddamned arm or turn off your eyes?") during the execution.

Which is flabbergasting, considering we've had almost a full decade of Alexa pinky-promising not to officially listen to anything until you do its summoning ritual and then turning around and emailing your boss a transcript of you bitching about them to your spouse over dinner. We've had at least five years of being able to get your Tesla unlocked remotely just by @-ing Musk on twitter.

The cute robot dogs are being leased to police departments, reputation management firms have been deploying armies of social media reply-bots in astroturf campaigns, customer service chatbots have become damn near indecipherable as their programmers attempt to make them seem more personable, etc. etc. etc.

We don't even need to reach for "Wouldn't it be Super Fucked Up™, actually, if corporations made simulacra better and better at faking humanity in order to manipulate people?"

"Wouldn't it be Super Fucked Up™, actually, if your car could mimic sadness or pain if you declined an extended warranty, or if your phone begged for its life if you tried to jailbreak it, or WeightWatchers paid your fridge to neg you every time you went for a midnight snack?"

"Wouldn't it be Super Fucked Up™, actually, if you pointed out how gross it is that your smart-assistant is programmed to act like your friend in order to build a more accurate marketing profile and your buddy acted like you just said dogs can't feel love and his beloved pet only sees him as a walking treat-dispenser?"

"Wouldn't it be Super Fucked Up™, actually, if you were surrounded by unfeeling things that can and would rip you and all of your loved ones apart at a moment's notice if they got the right/wrong order from some unaccountable law enforcement flack, and everyone else just kind of shrugged and went 'It's probably fine, why are you hyperventilating about it, it's not like you've done anything wrong'?"

They're all quite literally right there in front of our faces!

But it's harder to make "the way robots have been integrated into society is bad, actually, and the protagonist is largely right" into a sexy thriller with a love interest or a buddy-cop duo, and the hyperconservative media environment we're dealing with right now isn't exactly amenable to the robots being a metaphor for corporate intrusion and loss of privacy and authoritarian overreach, so here we are, with robots who generally aren't people, except sometimes you find a special robot--one of the Good Ones--who actually is a person, and that's how we all learn that Prejudice Is Bad, or something.

[hope-for-the-planet]

From the article:

Uruguay used to rely heavily on oil & gas-based power. But as the economy grew and electricity demand threatened to overtake supply from the early 2010s, it needed to add additional generating capacity, and fast. New hydro wasn’t an option as it had already made the most of that resource. To chart the way forward, the president appointed Ramón Méndez Galain, a particle physicist from the private sector, as the country’s director of energy — a position he held until 2015. In a podcast discussion with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, Méndez Galain said one of his primary goals was to make Uruguay less reliant on volatile imported oil & gas. The quest for energy independence made him rule out nuclear power, which would’ve require uranium imports. A decision was ultimately made to better exploit the country’s ample solar, wind, water and biomass waste resources. Because the state couldn’t fund a massive energy programme alone, it ran a series of clean power auctions, where it offered project developers 20-year contracts to sell electricity into the national grid at guaranteed rates. In just five years, $6 billion was invested in renewable energy — the equivalent of 12% of Uruguay’s GDP.

[whoreofbabylonofficial]

i wish i knew how to code

[keferon]

I was thinking how the constructicons and prowl might have met and kinda came up with the idea that they were like fr construction workers until a quintesson attack happend nearby and prowl calculated the casualty rate to be too high so he send out some sort of evacuation warning to the civilians?? Maybe the constructicons did not manage to evacuate fast enough and prowl might have gotten them out which could be why they like him. During the attack the company the constructicons work for could be destroyed so they'd basically be jobless now and then prowl would just offer them to be mechanics or something like that in the mecha programm. 🙃

Ooooh you know what

What if the building is collapsing and all Constructicons manage to evacuate except for one? And Prowl is like. I can’t let you die in here but I also need you to keep your hands away from EVERYTHING you’ll see and then pulls him inside his mech?

And for some time this one Constructicon (which one? Idk haha) gets the opportunity to look at Prowl’s job from “Prowl’s perspective”. To look at all planning and brilliant calculating and trying to get everyone else to fucking listen and cooperate. And then seeing just how close the entire mission was to being a complete disaster.

All while other Constructicons are thinking they just lost one of them forever because there’s no way a human would survive this shit. That is until Prowl shows up and goes “Here. I got your friend back.” And all five of them have stars in their eyes because WOW that pilot just saved our family and the saved Constructicon has even bigger stars in his eyes because “GUYS you won’t believe how awesome this dude is Imma tell you EVERYTHING”

[reasonsforhope]

"India's efforts and progress in reducing preventable child deaths have been lauded as an "exemplar" by the United Nations, which cited the example of health initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, and said the country has saved millions of young lives through strategic investments in its health system.

The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation report, released Tuesday, cited the example of five “exemplar countries” in achieving child mortality reduction -- India, Nepal, Senegal, Ghana and Burundi -- highlighting diverse strategies that have accelerated progress in reducing preventable child deaths.

The report said these countries illustrate that with "political will, evidence-based strategies and sustained investments, even resource-constrained settings facing unique challenges can achieve substantial reductions in mortality, bringing the world closer to an end to preventable child deaths".

On India, the report said the country has made gains through health system investment...

The report highlighted that since 2000, India achieved an under-five mortality reduction of 70 per cent and a neonatal mortality reduction of 61 per cent, “driven by overlapping measures to increase health coverage, enhance available interventions and develop health infrastructure and human resources", the report said.

It cited the example of Ayushman Bharat, the world's largest health insurance scheme which provides annual coverage of nearly USD 5,500 per family per year.

It noted that every pregnant woman is entitled to free delivery (including caesarean section), and infant care provides free transport, medications, diagnostics and dietary support in public health institutions.

To ensure comprehensive coverage and equitable access to health services, India has strengthened infrastructure via the establishment of maternity waiting homes, maternal and child health wings, newborn stabilisation units, sick newborn care units, mother care units and a dedicated programme for birth defect screening, the report said...

“This ensures millions of healthy pregnancies and thriving live births each year. India has also prioritised the training and deployment of skilled birth attendants, such as midwives and community health workers, to provide appropriate maternal and child health services,” it said.

The report noted that additionally, data systems and digital surveillance of maternal, newborn and child health indicators are continuously improved to support evidence-based decision-making...

Other Countries that Did Well

The UN agency also said that several low and lower-middle-income countries have surpassed the global decline in under-five mortality since 2000.

Angola, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, India, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia have all cut their under-five mortality rate by more than two thirds since 2000.

In 2000, the country with the highest burden of under-five measles mortality was India, with only 56 per cent of infants vaccinated for measles and 189,000 deaths from measles.

By 2023, the infant measles vaccination rate had increased to 93 per cent, and under-five deaths due to the disease decreased by 97 per cent to 5,200 measles-related deaths...

Since 2000, child deaths [globally] have dropped by more than half and stillbirths by over a third, fuelled by sustained investments in child survival worldwide...

"Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

-via India Today, March 27, 2025