#I haven’t seen a single episode of Prodigy but something tells me it has this energy? idk

[ichayalovesyou]

Oooo ask for Pike, how about pike and a non human (preferable gn or male please :) ) reader and how they would try and communicate if the universal translators go down whilst stuck in a turbo lift together? :D

Oooh what a FUN concept! 🤩 I’ll do my best! I got really creative when I heard the word “alien” I hope you like it!

Color Coded (Platonic Pike x Reader)

Rating: E for Everyone!

Word Count: 1.1k

Content: SFW, Ops!Reader, Alien!Reader, Cadet!Reader, GN!Reader, budding friendship, author OG alien race, minor concussion, reader saves the day!, shenanigans, general cuteness (with stakes!)

Teaser: The language of your people is unique, even amongst Federation worlds. So much so that you need to have your own personal translator on hand. Sure would be a shame if a freak turbolift accident broke it or something!

It had been a long day of recalibrations and catching up on redundancy checks, but the Enterprise was back in peak condition. At least now you could finally go relax in your tank.

The turbolift doors whisked open hardly two floors after you’d started.

“Bridge.”

You straightened as much as your petite cephalopodic frame could manage, it was the Captain! A human you had only seen but had yet to meet!

“Oh! Hello Cadet! I’m Captain Christopher Pike. I apologize that I wasn’t able to meet you in person when you came aboard. I had some unexpected diplomatic duties on Starbase One.”

“No worries sir! I know you’re very busy!” You scented into your personal translator, turning dark blue then pink with humility and a little intimidation.

“Still, I try to make sure I get to meet everyone who comes aboard, especially someone as historic as you. You’re Starfleet’s first Prismatican correct? Your people communicate through color and olfactory sequences, unique even by Federation standards. How’s that personal translator working for you?”

“Quite well sir! Cadet Uhura and I have begun programming a software workaround that will hopefully allow me to patch into the universal translat-“

VOOM!

The turbolift froze in its tracks with a violent force that knocked the power out, and both of you off balance! You went flying and instinctively clung to the wall. The captain wasn’t so lucky, you heard him slam against the side of the lift with a grunt, and the sound of delicate metal crunching.

“Oh no.”

Unless the Captain was hiding a delicate piece of scientific equipment in his pocket, you could only guess what his unexpected dive had broken.

This was going to be a problem.

“Unh, are you alright Cadet?”

In the darkness you had no idea what he just said, you couldn't see him. You only felt movement, and with your scent resynthesizer crushed, you’d have to rely on lip reading. Thank goodness you took Federation Standard at the academy! But there was just one issue, it was pitch dark in here!

You skittered toward the where you knew the emergency switch was but the power came back on right as you reached for it, or where you had thought it was, turns out you were on the ceiling!

It seemed the Captain was surprised to find you there, he winced at the light. You tried to make yourself useful and open the ceiling hatch, but it was dented shut. You looked down and noticed something even more worrying, Captain Pike was bleeding!

You let go and landed right in front of him, turning red and trying to say ‘blood’ or at least scent it, not that you knew what human blood smelled like until just now.

“Ok, why… why do you smell like copper? What are you trying to, oh.”

Pike grazed his temple and noticed the red streak across his fingertips.

“Whelp, that explains why I was having such a hard time getting up. Is the turbolift actually tilted or… or is that just me?”

You tilted yourself to indicate that the turbolift was in fact almost sideways. The Captain nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose before reorienting himself towards the communications panel with a little help from you.

“We gotta talk to engineering, they’ll be able to get us out of here in no time.”

You sensed he was trying to be reassuring but you barely caught what he said, he wasn’t exactly looking at you. How were you going to tell him you could read lips? Would he even remember? He didn’t seem to be feeling too well.

“Engineering this is Captain Pike, status report?”

No response.

“Engineering, status report, what the hell happened out there?”

Still nothing.

“Captain to Bridge, Number One is everything alright?”

Captain Pike swallowed hard, Humans may not change color (much) when they were upset, but there were other ways to tell.

Hoping nothing bad had happened, you realized there was another possibility. You removed the cover panel of the communications hub. Ah! Just as you thought! The impact the turbolift took jostled some of the relay chips free.

It’d be an easy fix, if you had humanoid digits like the rest of the crew. Lesson learned, never leave your accommodations in Engineering!

You were going to have to show the Captain how to do it for you. You tapped the Captain on his shoulder, gesticulating to the chips.

“Ok, got it, how do we fix this?”

You turned orange then yellow, orange chip, yellow wire. Easy right?

“I don’t, I don’t follow.”

Apparently not.

You reminded yourself to be patient, he was your superior officer, and also, he hit his head pretty bad. Which couldn’t be good for somebody whose bones were on the inside. Human biology was so strange.

You pointed to the loose chip, and then to the wire, turning orange, then yellow again.

“Oh! Sorry, uh, I think, I miiiight have a concussion. Don’t worry though, I’ll be fine.” He grinned half-heartedly as he followed your directions.

You didn’t really believe him. But at least you knew what the thing that was wrong with him was called now! Maybe you should’ve taken a first aid course, fixing humanoids couldn’t be that different to fixing machines, right?

This process went on for a few minutes, there were a couple moments where he scared you a little by taking a while to respond or having to lean on the wall for a minute, but it got done. Wanting to be as much help as possible you pressed the comms button for him.

“Una…”

“Captain! Oh my god we’ve been looking all over for you, are you alright?!”

“I’m fine I- ugh, smells like battery acid, what’s wrong? Are you angry with me?”

“I’m sorry what was that Captain?”

“Okay, okay, okay I’m sorry. I might have a mild concussion, our new Cadet and I are trapped in a turbolift, hatch is damaged shut, not sure where we are…”

Oh no he'd zoned out again! You tapped the Captain on his leg, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Captain? Chris?”

“What?”

“Don’t worry Chris, we’ll send someone to get you. I’ll fill you in on what happened AFTER you go to sickbay alright?”

“…Alright”

You turned off the comms, ushering the Captain to sit down, he did so heavily.

“Guess it’s time to sit tight, you did, ow, you did good Cadet. Especially given the circumstances, sorry about that by the way, I’ll… somebody'll fix it. Hope I can return the favor.”

You turned bright yellow, it sure felt nice to be appreciated!

“Oh, okay, that’s minty, I’m guessing that means thank you?”

You know what? Close enough!

[sepublic]

Season 2 Teaser for The Owl House?

           So for those of you who haven’t caught up; A few days ago, Dana released an exclusive photo of herself on Instagram, with a cryptically-blurred reflection in her window that was all too conveniently-placed;

           Now, this COULD just be some game she’s playing, but like; Reverse-image searches have yielded nothing, and it hurts no one to speculate! Thanks to @50shades-of-blue, who had the common sense to remember to flip the reflection, we have something more akin to THIS;

           This image bears a decent resemblance to a sequence from the show’s intro, in terms of structuring; We have characters divided and separated by golden bars. This points to Dana’s image being a shot from a new intro for Season 2, either one for an entire season, or a single episode. I say this, because looking at the subject matter… On the very left, we see something vaguely blue, and similar in resemblance to a bile sac;

           This could actually be the Titan’s heart, image below for reference;

           Not only that, but as Blue’s helpful tracing points out, the other two figures in the ‘slots’ bear a resemblance to Owl Mask and Kikimora, the latter having the fingers of her hand-hair splayed out, and the former appearing to take off their mask.

           What little we see of Owl Mask bears a decent-enough resemblance to the Season 2 character that Dana teased, further cementing a connection between the two. Not only that, but we get a glimpse of five (possibly six) colorful symbols above the three character slots, each likely pertaining to the Coven Heads, as shown by Blue’s earlier tracing.

           In particular, you can tell the blue symbol has the same distinctive, U-shaped horns of the Healing Head; And the green symbol bears enough resemblance to the Plant Head, with their dark-green bangs covering most of their lighter-green face. Combined with symbols that seem similar to the Construction, Beastkeeping, and Oracle Heads, the exact layout we’ve seen so far coincidentally seems to match the banner layout seen in The First Day;

           You have from left to right; The Construction, Plant, Beastkeeping, Bard, and Healing Heads! Now, if you look to the very right of the image, there also seems to be a sixth symbol, a bit lower than the others, with what appears to be a purple coloration; This is likely the Oracle Head, especially since it matches with the aforementioned placement of the banners. Now, exact positioning beside, we also know that there are three more symbols obscured, the ones for the Abominations, Potions, and Illusion Heads. If we go by the pattern established by the rest of the image, with the Heads at either end of the display being placed lower than the rest, and the rest being shown in an up-down pattern… Then it seems we more or less have the vast majority of this mysterious screenshot, with some of it blacked out!

           As others such as @preciseprose​ have suggested, there’s a good chance that this is a screen transition, hence why only a specific corner and portion is obscured; Because if this shot parallels the one seen in the Season 1 intro with Willow, Gus, and Amity, which burns away in the middle to reveal King… Then it makes sense that a similar transition would happen with this show, perhaps obscuring from the outside-in this time as a contrast.

           Now, what’s interesting is that this style of shot, once reserved for protagonists and friends/peers of Luz, is now being designated towards lesser-known antagonists associated with the Emperor’s Coven. While this could just be how the Season 2 intro works, with Gus, Willow, and Amity appearing later or earlier, likely closer to Luz; It does make me and others wonder if we’ll get a dedicated intro to the Emperor’s Coven with Belos, front-and-center! I’ve talked at enormous length in the past of Luz and Belos being parallels… And it’d match other Disney TVA shows, such as Gravity Falls, Ducktales, or Amphibia, who had villainous takeovers for their shows’ intros as well!

           This could of course allude to an episode with a heavy focus on the members of the Coven System, specifically Belos and his aides Owl Mask and Kikimora, as well as the Head witches of the Covens he appointed and presumably trusts. This is of course all fascinating and has me even MORE intrigued, but also; The placement of the Titan’s heart alongside Owl Mask and Kikimora suggests its treatment as its own character as well… Which, if it’s a giant heart, it presumably represents and operates as a stand-in for the Titan, perhaps the conduit with which Belos even speaks to it (and vice-versa?) through! AKA the Heart represents the Titan, it IS the Titan, which then suggests that this Emperor’s Coven triumvirate consists of the Titan, Owl Mask, and Kikimora…

           But that’s not the only consideration! I’ve talked before about character parallels in this show… We have Luz and Amity, Eda and Lilith, Owlbert and Lilith’s palisman. I’ve speculated on King and Kikimora being parallels, and even Hooty and Belos… But that always made me wonder; What about Willow and Gus? Do THEY have parallels, associated with the Coven System and its Emperor? And for a while I entertained Warden Wrath and Owl Mask, but lo and behold; I may be right, at least about one of those two, and also in general about parallels! Because if we compare the placements… We have the Titan and Willow, Owl Mask and Gus, and Amity and Kikimora!

           Owl Mask being a parallel to Gus is interesting, because they’re operating as a spy for Belos; And presumably, Illusionists would be great at stealth. I wouldn’t be surprised if Owl Mask used Illusions, albeit to disguise and mask their own presence; A parallel and contrast to Gus, who uses Illusions to create and draw attention and spectacle! Not only that, but it makes me wonder if Owl Mask is also a child prodigy like Gus, if they have issues with being overlooked, and as a contrast to Gus, they’ve embraced this instead of fighting against it…? And Owl Mask is sent to spy on Luz the human, perhaps a parallel to Gus’ own fascination with humans…?

           Then we’ve got Willow and the Titan’s heart. Now, this one interests me… And it makes me think about how Willow is presented with a raw, innate strength, and an uncanny ability to cast magic without summoning a circle nor glyph. I’ve talked before about Willow and Belos having parallels, as they both have distinct shots with their eyes glow green; Could this parallel stem more from a connection to the Titan, than anything else? Then as @aguigenae suggested, instead of Luz (or JUST Luz) being able to speak to the Titan… What if it was Willow? It’d re-contextualize her ability to draw onto raw, magical potential through pure emotions… And similarly, a lot of her spells draw power from the Isles itself in the form of plants, and we know the Isles as synonymous with the Titan!

           With how Belos seems to draw power and spells from the Isles, albeit with fleshy and stone formations… Perhaps Willow serves as a parallel and foil, creating constructs from the Isles as well, but in the form of plantlife! Her being able to speak to plants might provide a medium to contact the Isles they’re rooted in… And as I said before, Willow has shown an unusual ability with magic not unlike how Belos can cast magic, but through his unique form of spheres and orbs. If Willow is associated with the Titan’s heart, perhaps she could speak to it in a way that Belos can’t- Perhaps they BOTH can speak, and this will lead to a conflict with Belos, who seeks to preserve this ‘privilege’? Keep in mind that it’s Willow who openly defies Belos the most by rallying an entire crowd against him- If she’s the face of the revolution, her being able to speak to the Titan could create further parallels and odds between the two!

           Not only that, but… Talking again of Willow and the Titan’s Heart, if the two are parallels; What does this say about the Titan itself? Perhaps like Willow, it’s a being with raw magical power, easily terrifying, and with a connection to nature (as it IS nature in its case). If these characters are dark parallels, then what if the Titan was like Inner Willow, wrathful and fully exploring its dangerous power, having felt harmed and hurt, twisted…

           But what if it was also a Willow who never learned to stand up for herself? A powerful, dangerous witch… But with no true self-esteem, no believe in themselves? What if the Titan was like a Dark Willow, and this self-doubt was what allowed Belos to manipulate it? I’ve speculated before that perhaps Belos has managed to sway and influence the Titan into seeing his way as the right way to handle magic… If it was a dark parallel to Willow, perhaps the Titan is hopeless, thinking there’s nothing it can do to oppose Belos, feeling like it’s smarter than him, as a toxic friend with control; Think Anne and Sasha from Amphibia!

           We might even get a scene paralleling Willow and Amity’s first appearance, with how Amity condescendingly mocks Willow, albeit with potential, if misguided, good intentions. Perhaps Belos is like this- He’s cruel and manipulative of the Titan, but he also genuinely believes in what he’s doing, that this IS the best for the Isles, and that this is how the Titan should have its magic be utilized and taught. But, in absence of Amity, we see Willow’s true feelings of resentment and anger that have bottled up… So what if the Titan was like that with Belos, except dialed up? What if the Titan hates Belos or wants to see him defeated, but isn’t entirely sure if he’s wrong, either…

           So to get into blind speculation, what if- What if the Titan has tried to create a new champion? By going behind Belos’ back and communicating with a new, younger witch, perhaps one that reminds it of Belos before he turned corrupt… What if the Titan is contacting Luz and/or Willow? Hoping to find someone else who will actually speak for them, not just talk over as Belos possibly is doing? Maybe the Titan is trying to foster a new witch, an alternative champion to depose Belos or take over; Or have Belos and Luz/Willow compete, to prove to the Titan who has the best philosophy to magic through their own respective victories?

           And if Belos were to find out… Well, I imagine he might do something drastic to the Titan. He has control and access to its heart- Could he torture it in retaliation, perhaps causing quakes across the Isles that echo the Titan’s throes of agony? Would Belos do something drastic to prevent the Titan from helping Luz/Willow, adversely affecting the Boiling Isles in the process? Similarly, if Belos is a toxic friend to the Titan, perhaps there’s symbolism to his castle built around the Titan’s heart… Kudos to @fermented-writers-block​ for some of these ideas;

          Perhaps it could be interpreted as Belos having an iron grip over its heart, or the Titan building up walls around its heart –thanks to Belos’ encouragement- and letting in only Belos…? Alas, Belos is the one who convinces the Titan to hide itself away and let only him in, because only HE cares, only he knows best… And yet, he’s the one who helped build those walls that the Titan hides within. Ultimately, his castle MUST fall- Especially if it’s being used to exploit and manipulate the Titan’s heart in other, literal ways as well…

          Finally, let’s talk Amity and Kikimora sharing placements. There is of course the obvious implication of romantic feelings, but also… What if, instead, there was this idea of Belos being like Luz to Amity, for Kiki? For Amity, Luz was an outsider who came out of nowhere and changed her life for the better, helped her stand up for herself- What if Belos was that to Kikimora? What if he was an outsider, a human even (before he changed and decayed) that changed Kikimora’s life forever after he appeared from nowhere… The two starting to a prickly start, before truly caring for each other? As Belos encouraged Kikimora to stand up for herself, eventually culminating in her own life improving(?) as Kiki is now second only to him, the Emperor of the Boiling Isles! It might explain why he seems to trust her so much- The two genuinely care for each other and Kikimora feels like she owes everything to him…

           And, to incorporate my own analysis/speculation of Amity; Perhaps Kikimora has placed all of her sense of self-worth into Belos, about how she can help him, because only HE ever made her feel like something! What if as a toxic parallel to Luz and Amity, Kikimora has lowkey become dependent upon Belos- Who, while kind to Kikimora… Kiki still has placed all of her self-esteem not in herself, but in Belos’ approval of her. And while Belos DOES approve and provide support, it’s still dangerously dependent and shows that Kikimora can’t really stand for herself, that she needs someone else as a litmus test to judge her worth as a person.

          Finally, we know Amity is the least talented compared to Willow and Gus; Given how we have the literal Titan and Owl Mask, compared to Kikimora, who caves into Luz’s threats… It’s possible Kikimora is the least powerful amongst the Titan and Owl Mask, but has made up for it with raw determination and skill? After all, she presumably cast the magical cage that all of Luz’s efforts wouldn’t have been able to defeat. Perhaps like Amity, Kikimora had to work hard to prove herself, to earn respect; And like Amity in Episode 3, Kikimora feels a desperate need to hold onto that sense of accomplishment and superiority, and can and WILL retaliate viciously when it’s threatened. To Kikimora, she’s dedicated everything into making up for her own shortcomings, just like Amity- So she despises cheaters, or at least people who undermine that work.

           (I know what some may be thinking- Isn’t Kikimora a King parallel? Well, these parallels work in multiple ways… Amity parallels Luz, but then so too does Belos, presumably. I wouldn’t be surprised if Amity was both a parallel to Luz AND Kikimora, then.)

           And, that’s my general thoughts, analysis, and speculation, all based from this reflection we’ve seen! It’s possible Dana is trolling us, by accident or otherwise, with a videogame screenshot… But hey- It doesn’t hurt anyone if we’re wrong, I say! It’s all in good fun… Besides, if it WAS a teaser from Season 2, and we didn’t give our shot, then we’d all feel like idiots! We may as well take our chance and analyze, because- Just in case…!

[yume-fanfare]

wonder egg priority has a lot of unreliable narrators:

(spoilers under the cut, a long explanation/thoughts on neiru, ep 11 and ep 12 and some theories. feel free to add on! this got long lol)

all we know about neiru's sister, who supposedly stabbed her and then killed herself, was told to us by neiru, who had been told so at the icu.

we have barely seen her statue. and neiru is essentially lab-made, we do not even know what exactly constitutes as a sister. she doesn't know her parents, her sister was not mentioned at all in her focus episode, nor does she appear in the ed like the other statue girls

for all we know, maybe she didn't even have one and:

she was lied to at the icu

she was implanted fake memories

she lied to us

point 1 is the easy solution, and point 2 is included because i think it's possible, given japan plati's impressive technology. but, in the end, they mean the same thing: they position her as on "our side", a deceived girl. she was born with a purpose, for a reason, with a mission to accomplish since the beginning, and she has been raised for that.

neiru, kinda like the accas, grew up under watch, and was essentially treated like an experiment during her childhood. they can even see her Dreams, i don't think she has much privacy. even if she is the president of the company (interesting, her business card said vice-president), she may not have that much power. she is a child, after all, prodigy or not

point 3, however, is interesting, as i've seen people point out her growing resemblance to koito, the person ai is fighting for. neiru was the first girl to be introduced to us, and it looked like she'd been fighting longer than ai, yet she has not finished yet (it's interesting, really, how they're completing their missions in reverse order). neiru also knew about japan plati's involvement but didn't say anything. i don't (want to) think she's Malicious, but there may be something weird going on with her

so, in my opinion, i lean more towards points 1) & 2), but who knows

-

episode 11: the entirety of frill's story is told by ura-acca

now, i don't think i have to explain why ura-acca is unreliable. the accas have been suspicious since the beginning, filling a kyubey sort of role in the story, the ones who drove the girls to fight

so, they are unreliable narrators. they're sexist, and have odd views on the world (the comment on girls and boys suicides). neiru called them out on the suicide thing on an earlier draft, we know their words are not to be taken as truths

truth is, we don't know if frill killed acca's wife. ura-acca couldn't possibly know either, he wasn't there. we don't know about himari either, much less about all the other girls frill supposedly "tempted to death"

many others have pointed this out: the accas are looking for someone to blame, to try and make sense of a tragedy. i don't think frill has a "magic button" that she can just press and make people kill themselves. she could also just be a metaphor, too, to symbolize a death wish. but, what is a fact is that, as they've said, there isn't a link between the suicides, other than "it Must have been frill because people don't kill themselves", which is the accas' opinion, not a fact

and well, i have watched Bad anime where the conflict was, indeed, that the villain could magically make people kill themselves, but said anime was bad since the beginning, you know

the whole "someone to blame" appears with the wonder killers too. it's not like there was one single thing that drove them to the edge. ai 2 was bullied at school, sawaki isn't the Only problem she had. if he disappeared her problems would still be there, just minus one. kotobuki didn't actively kill herself, she died because of an experiment, so her reaction to seeing her wonder killer was just "huh, yeah, i guess this is the guy that annoyed me the most". the idol fans from the 3rd episode were following another person, the girl who saw ghosts wasn't antagonized by a single person. however, this is the system set up by the accas, because they think it works.

i think everything, eggs and statues, are an artificial environment that can be set up just by pushing a button, because that's how they think frill did it

and why do they do it?

there has to be an ulterior motive. even if they are deluded and truly doing it "for himari", whatever it is that they think they'll achieve, there has to be a more clear explanation or they wouldn't have gotten that many other people into it. someone pointed out, at the end of kotobuki's episode, that it looked like they had made her neiru's wonder egg so she'd turn off kotobuki's life support, and, it could be. they're also, well, mannequins, that's a huge thing we don't know about yet. at first i thought maybe it was some research on immortality, but i'm not so sure about that anymore

kotobuki's case is very interesting. it's the first one that heavily implies the egg was especially made. kotobuki had been monitorized her entire life, so wouldn't be too hard to turn her into an ia, input her personality into an algorithm and tune it in neiru's dream.

so, who's to say all the other kids weren't like that too. none of the girls knew them to say "hey, they're acting different than usual". i think the accas took them from news reports about suicides and inputted them into the program, in neat little folders, one in relation to each of the girls. ai 2 could have been made simply out of their regular monitorizing of her since the beginning

and, how do the girls who committed suicide come back to life? do they really. do they really. we Still don't know if they really do and it's interesting that they still haven't shown us

-

episode 12: mr sawaki and the dream worlds

the conclusion i got from ai and the wonder killer's battle was that that sawaki, like all the other elements in that dream (koito), were all ai's perception

the wonder killers are cartoonized and exaggerated versions of the real person they're modelled after. sawaki wouldn't say out loud all those things, he's not stupid, and neither did any of the other wonder killers actually say All of That to the victims.

the entire monologue, thus, as ai points out, was supposed to be all in her head. because the fishy things she'd seen were all from her point of view, and she hadn't actually seen him do anything wrong, so maybe she had misunderstood, and that's why she gives her mother her blessings in the end, because he's actually a nice man

things like momoe saying he rescues cats, and seeing a creepy shot of a Lot of cats instead of a tender one of him holding a kitten, were all ai's image of him

so, all of it was supposed to be just an unreliable narrator

now, i, personally, don't like this. the aged-up painting titled latent heat is plain creepy and kinda gross. and that was a real-life Fact, unaltered. someone said that maybe ai was being naive, but episode 12 is a bit late for that

so. mr sawaki redemption arc. how we feeling folks.

please feel free to tell me your thoughts about this! i'd love to hear them, maybe i'm just being too sceptic lol

[theundergroundarchives]

Rising Prodigy: The Early Success of Afiq Not Nice

Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, an 18-year-old rap personality known as Afiq Not Nice, found what most would call as success at a relatively young age. From having been a normal kid who indulges himself with FIFA online video game series inside the bedroom of his Wangsa Melawati home, to eventually being co-signed by a number of prominent platforms in the ever-evolving Malaysian hip hop circle; the future surely seems bright for this young star in the making. Writer Redza Remee talks to the rap personality who goes by the moniker of Afiq Not Nice, to which he speaks out about his influences who have inspired him whilst growing up, shares an insight about how his creative process looks like, and touches on the vulnerable subjects such as the pressures mounted on young people during their early age.

Words by Redza Remee

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A post shared by afiqnotnice (@afiqnotnice) on Sep 7, 2019 at 4:53am PDT

“Staying up ‘till 4 AM, just keep working on myself” - Afiq Not Nice in “Wonder”

The journey of Muhd Afiq Hisham, or better known with his stage name, Afiq Not Nice, getting into the music scene started in 2018 when he first began writing rap lyrics with his friend, Umar Danial. Consequently, this would lead the then-one-named Afiq collaborating with the latter in “Wonder”, an EDM-produced track by Rabbit Theft. Confiding his surrounding as having a significant influence in shaping his individuality, the Ampang-born rapper stays true to what’s been said when he spoke out the struggles and motivations as heard in his verses in “Wonder”.

Interesting enough to note, even behind the apparent humility that’s present in Afiq’s demeanour, the young star makes it clear that he is, indeed, a goal-driven individual who’s easily inspired and motivated by his close-knit peers who also happen to venture into the mutual creative path. Having been influenced not merely by just those mainstream, and established international acts such as Drake, Future and Kendrick Lamar, Afiq too, is surrounded by a tight-knit circle of realists that includes Apek G, Dame and Saucie J, who have been with him since his day one of venturing into the music pursuit. In certain occasions, they would be collaborating with one another as seen in “All Day” and “Five Stars” which have been produced by Saucie J.

For Afiq, moving forward towards the individual progression is made possible through his real life connections and friendships which he perceives as the positive “pressures”. He admits to being inspiringly moved to do the same thing whenever he sees one of his close artiste friends puts out a banger. He says, “I’d usually just write about anything that pops up naturally in my mind. Take it for “Five Stars”, not even going to lie, I wrote it when I were in the toilet, doing business. Honestly, I don’t think I would mind you quoting me on that.”

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A post shared by afiqnotnice (@afiqnotnice) on Apr 2, 2020 at 8:41am PDT

“I ain't stressed. Lowkey, and I got to meet with Joe, that's finesse.” - Afiq Not Nice in “All Day”

Despite he was only 17-year-old at the time of his debut, Afiq Not Nice stood first-in-line, ahead of his other creative peers, when the spotlight of attention was being diverted towards him when he made the guest appearance in Joe Flizzow’s 16 Baris (Season 2), alongside other established guests - K-Clique’s MK and QYO. He reminisces the buzzing sensation he experienced when he received the “golden mail” from the Mr. President’s team, who had invited him to star in the 11th episode of the ground-breaking cypher show, saying, “I was chilling in my bedroom, playing FIFA. Suddenly, I realized that I had received an email from the 16 Baris team and guess what? I was shaking. I even had to go to the bathroom and look at my own reflection in the mirror, trying to process everything that had just happened at the time. Honestly, I was totally unable to contain my excitement!”

Since his 16 Baris’ appearance, the then 17-year-old started to be opened with countless doors of opportunities including that of performing at one of Malaysian renowned hip hop live stages, Raising the Bar. He expresses his gratitude to the given platforms as well as the individuals including Jin Hackman and Sheldon who have responsibly put others onto his music. Being a start-up artiste at such a young age, he sees everything that he has experienced by far as a learning process.

Although the eagle eyes of Malaysian hip hop may have discovered his existence, Afiq, like most of other 18-year-olds, admits to being caught within the inescapable existential crisis. Putting aside his adopted persona of Afiq Not Nice, Afiq confesses that he’s in the midst of figuring himself out, as a person, and for his future direction. As someone who personally claims that he’s only starting up as a creative individual, he confesses to refusing to refer himself either as an artiste or a rapper as he feels like he is yet to properly take on his early steps of getting into the music industry. “I wouldn’t say music is a side thing for me, but a thing to propel me forward in the future. For now, I’m just a normal kid.”

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A post shared by afiqnotnice (@afiqnotnice) on Mar 7, 2020 at 2:23am PST

Being a young artiste comes with both praises and challenges, but as Afiq acknowledges, “It all depends on how you move your way,” explaining, “There’s this pressure these young artistes put upon themselves in order to get something quick. But let me tell you something, you don’t have to rush anything.” He reasons that life is a process, and that the future products should learn to trust the process instead of rushing themselves in putting out their discography. “Take it one day at a time, rather than thinking “Oh, it’s been a year, why haven’t I blown up yet?” Don’t stress yourself out. You’re still hella young.”

With a future that seems to be promising enough lying ahead of him, the young star in the making admits to having no ideas about how the visualization of his future is going to look like. He however, believes in giving his all to his desired pursuit. In Afiq’s words, “you get back the energy that you channel out.” 

Currently working on new music, Afiq Not Nice hints on his forthcoming release which is a 4-track extended play that will include the previously released singles “Five Stars” and “All Day”. While it’s still in the final process of mastering, Afiq shares his excitement of releasing the new project to his fans soon, saying that he’s totally into the songs that he’s going to put out this time around.

Watch Afiq Not Nice guesting in the second season of 16 Baris:

[recentanimenews]

Crunchyroll Favorites 2017: Anime and Manga

Another great year for anime! It's our sixth year of Crunchyroll Favorites so we'll be sharing what we loved most with another three-part series on the highlights from the past year! Part One is anime and manga released in 2017 by our newswriters, features contributors, and staff, so let's get into it!

  PETER FOBIAN (@PeterFobian)

Land of the Lustrous: I discovered the first volume of the manga at Kodansha’s booth at Anime Expo and read it three times through before the convention was finished. Ichikawa’s panel compositions and the world she created are absolutely riveting and studio Orange did a tremendous job adapting the work to 3D animation. Through these alien gem creatures Ichikawa is digging for the root of human nature, peeling away our superficial layers like an onion. We haven't reached the center yet, but there have been plenty of tears...

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju: I loved the period drama of the first season of Rakugo and the second season brings it home with one of the most intense personal narratives I've seen. Ever. We’re treated to the conclusion of a story spanning 50 years as Bon’s tragic past shapes his interactions with the next generation of his craft and the future of their niche form of theater hanging in the balance. Some of the scenes will never ever leave you as long as you live. Rakugo shows you all the pain and beauty, the fear and love, that make up lives which these performers pour into their work.

Eccentric Family: An anime that’s difficult to describe, revealing the secret supernatural world just beyond notice but every bit a part of the unique culture of Kyoto. The eccentric family is the Shimogamo clan of tanuki who often find themselves at the center of otherworldly politics. This series spent much more time on Yasaburo’s brothers and gave us a new perspective on the mysterious and fickle Benten. The climax left us in an odd place but the experience of this season was unforgettable, with highs among the floating pleasure ships of the fire festival and lows reaching into the depths of hell.

March comes in like a lion: The first season of this personal drama following a young shogi prodigy carrying the burden of chronic depression deeply resonated with me and the second season hasn’t missed a beat, delivering what may be the most heartbreaking subplot of the entire series. Every cloud has a silver lining, as rallying together against tragic circumstances begins to break down the barriers Rei built between himself and others. Beautifully animated by SHAFT, this series has been a pleasure to follow.

In This Corner of the World: There are movies that you have to hold yourself together through and movies that don’t leave you the leeway to do anything but shatter into a million pieces. Five years in the making and painstakingly researched to ensure historical accuracy in every single frame. It’s dedication to realism ensured a story of both tragedy and humor, with a laser focus on the small injustices that war commits against the common people. The transition from comedy to tragedy is so insidiously slow, by the time you notice it's already too late.

A Silent Voice: I was lucky enough to discover both the manga and the anime this year. For a high school drama, A Silent Voice may be one of the most ambitious stories I’ve ever read, fearlessly and compassionately tackling tremendous social issues with a story told from the perspective of someone who has both committed and become the victim of immense cruelty. Accepting you will never experience certain joys of life and seeking redemption for stealing them from others is the heart and soul of this story.

The Ancient Magus Bride: I can't overstate how deeply touching I found this manga. Chise's journey from empty pessimism to empowerment is fascinating and fulfilling. Seeing her learn to find joy in life through helping others and, through their interaction with her, finding a way to value herself is immensely compelling. Her empathetic joy when helping others find happiness is palpable and her resultant overcorrection to an indivdual who is recklessly altruistic feels genuine and organic. 

Made in Abyss: Not quite the immense narrative experience of any of my other top picks, Made in Abyss nevertheless makes it into this list for the spectacle of the series. A beautifully conceived world presented with all the care and beauty of a Ghibli production with wonderful additions like nightmarish creatures animated by Koh Yoshinari in his signature style, giving them the feeling of being out of place. Learning more about this immense pit is a fascinating experience with a few scenes of such intensity or tragedy that you’ll be thinking about them for weeks.

Happiness: One of the newest manga by Shizu Oshimi, the creator of Flowers of Evil. This is one of my favorite finds of the year, beginning with a premise similar to Tokyo Ghoul but taking it into the darker direction I was hoping for in Ishia’s work. Oshimi uses a dreamlike style to articulate the vampire’s perception of the night and impressionistic images to describe their thirst, creating a wonderfully surreal and disturbing experience. The most recent volume completely pulled the rug out from under the story in the best way.

The Promised Neverland: Probably the most tragically underrepresented title in Shonen Jump, The Promised Neverland finally had a physical release to allow us to read past the first three chapters available on VIZ’s website. It has all of the clinically exact scheming of Death Note set in a story not unlike a German fairytale. The children of an orphanage set in an idyllic countryside discover a dark purpose behind their home’s happy facade. Describing too much willl run the fun, but this manga has some panels that make your heart stop after turning the page.

  MILES THOMAS (@MilesExpress999)

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju: I don’t think it’s unfair to call Rakugo Shinju the most compelling drama I’ve ever seen in any medium. Season 2 had a lot to live up to, but luckily for us viewers, [spoilers] Sukeroku and Miyokichi would not be truly dead until Kikuhiko died as well [/spoilers], allowing the story to evolve with the times and its new cast without abandoning the relationships that made me call the first season “perfect" as well.

The Eccentric Family: While there’s some part of me that’s sad that I went into 2017 with a pretty good understanding of what my two favorites would be, the rest of me is very very very happy to have gotten a second season of The Eccentric Family. The pain, the joy, and the unending sense of family from the first season are back in full force, an accomplishment I thought would be impossible without the framing from the first season…but I guess I’ve underestimated this gem twice now.

In This Corner of the World: Though this film was not originally released in 2017, this was the year it got its Western release, and I would have absolutely included it last year had I gotten the chance. In This Corner of the World is on my shortlist of animated films that use the medium to create something more real and lifelike than any other medium could provide, and uses this power to tell a desperately heartbreaking story that’s heightened by the movie’s slice-of-life elements.

Kino’s Journey ~Life is Beautiful~ The Animation: The first Kino’s Journey was one of the pivotal series in my life as an anime fan - it helped me overcome my disdain for episodic series, opening my eyes to the beauty and skill that go into crafting a narrative tightly restricted by broadcast time slots. I’ve seen a lot of commentary about how this show doesn’t capture the magic of the original, but having rewatched the first season recently, I can’t disagree strongly enough - the new aesthetic may not have the storybook feeling of the first edition, but the stories are just as good or better, with one or two notable exceptions aside. A Kino’s Journey that holds a candle to the original in terms of its parables would be one of my favorite anime of the year…but one that can sometimes exceed it is absolutely worthy of the top of my list.

Saga of Tanya the Evil: While she was reviewing my list (her top picks are Land of the Lustrous and ACCA, for those curious), my wife was most surprised about this inclusion, particularly its spot so high among my favorites. Of everything on my list, Tanya is probably the most “anime” of them all…but that’s exactly why I love it. Tanya doesn’t really dwell on tropes, not exactly. But everything that Tanya *does* do feels exclusive to the world of anime, from its obsession with the minutiae  of battlefield strategy to its…small young girl protagonist. And Tanya loves these things with intense conviction, and because of that, I do too.

Made in Abyss: For as many series as there are with an adventure at the center, I’ve found few that actually capture the spirit of adventure. Made in Abyss’s greatest strength was just that: the slow but satisfying sense of progression, the exploration of the unknown - this was a real adventure, the kind so enthralling that it’s usually the backstory before the “real story” begins.

ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept: I never expected that my competing interests of the intricacies of government bureaucracy and Natsume Ono would ever share the screen, but here we are. ACCA is a weird one to watch and recommend due to its pacing and general vibe - you’re not going to want to binge this, and for me at least, it demanded a certain mood from me as a viewer - but if you’re willing to give ACCA a little of yourself, it’ll give you far more back in return.

Girls’ Last Tour: I don’t have much to say about Girls’ Last Tour. It makes me happy. It’ll make you happy too.

Princess Principal: When I saw the PV for Princess Principal, I had no personal expectations for the title. Neither the steampunk aesthetics nor the character designs held much interest to me, and even though I adore pulpy spy stories as a rule and had fallen in love with Director Masaki Tachibana’s previous effort, Barakamon, this gave a more similar vibe to Studio 3Hz’s underwhelming Dimension W than anything else. I couldn’t have been more wrong. My fondness for Princess Principal is simple: it was the most fun I had watching anime all year long. It was stylish, it was sensational, it made me buy into every character beat and silly storyline, and I am ready for more.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: This slot has rotated between Sakura Quest, Land of the Lustrous, My Hero Academia, and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, but I had to go with KyoAni’s charming domestic comedy. Out of all the anime I’ve watched this year, this made me feel the most vulnerable, the most charmed, the most satisfied after every episode. Some people have Hallmark Movies, some have Chicken Soup for the Soul, but I have Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, and I would never want to give it up.

  RENE KAYSER (@kayserlein)

Interviews with Monster Girls: One of the series I didn’t really expect to mean anything for me at the start of the year turned out to be one of my favorites. While I was skeptical at first (the only major monster girl show in recent memory had been a raunchy harem, after all), I was quickly drawn in by its message of acceptance and understanding each other through open dialogue. Combine this with smart tackling of tackling cultural prejudices by substituting them with mythological beings and you get a show whose heart really displays the benefits of simply listening to each other some more.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: This one’s a easy pick for most of us, I assume. Not only is Kyoto Animation home to some of the best animators in the industry to begin with but what we’re getting here is simply breathtaking in its earnestness. Providing the perfect blend of cute, silly and the little bit of seriousness it needs to really hit you, Miss Kobayashi is really the perfect guide on How to Date your Dragon. (Also, how could I refuse Kanna a spot on this list?)

My Hero Academia: A show I wasn’t really interested in at the start. We didn’t get it on CR here in Germany, so I skipped on the first season back in the day - but oh boy, do I regret that! Talk of the Tournament Arc got me interested to finally check the series out and the way it handles its characters and plot so completely new and outright earnest fit my personal taste so well that I got out to buy all manga volumes the Monday after my binge weekend. Sometimes, you just do have to give in to the hype … people might know what they’re screaming at you about~

The Ancient Magus’ Bride: It’s hard to give a definitive judgment on this adaptation of Kore Yamazaki’s manga since it hasn’t finished airing yet - but what we did get until now has simply been magical (yes, it’s the easy pun. Let me have this!). Its source material was already wonderful but the anime not only adapted it perfectly, it outright improved on it with fantastic direction and the best soundtrack anime has gotten all year. This will be a show we’ll talk about many years down the line, I am sure of it!

Dragon Ball Super: I wasn’t expecting much since the buzz at the start of the show had been low (mainly due to them retelling both recent movies) but once we got past the first two arcs, DBS gave me what I never knew I wanted: A combination of the fights of Z and the silliness of the original Dragon Ball. It doesn’t have the intensity of the Cell saga, but certainly got me back in front of my TV each weekday like I used to during my school days.

  KARA DENNISON (@rubycosmos)

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Before this series came out, I had no idea I needed a dragon maid harem show in my life. Unexpectedly silly and adorable in all the right places -- and I might be Miss Kobayashi. I can neither confirm nor deny. Please give it a try, even if your first instinct is that it’s not “your style.”

The Ancient Magus’ Bride: Several of this got to see this at Crunchyroll Expo, and we were wowed by everything from the story to the animation to the unique score. I especially loved the dig into English folklore, something I don’t often get to see done well in anime.

The Laughing Salesman: It’s dismal, cynical, and extremely dark. So of course I loved it. The return to the classic, Doraemon-styled series was a weird and wonderful watch. The jazzy opening by NakamuraEmi is never leaving my playlist.

Interviews with Monster Girls: This was another unexpected hit. What looked like a harem series turned out to be a wonderful metaphor for living with disability. As someone who suffers from several pre-existing conditions myself, I’ve pointed to specific episodes as ways to help my friends understand things I go through. This deserves much more attention than it ever got.

Anime-Gataris: What if Otaku no Video but with lots more girls? The off-brand anime titles and passionate love of the genre are the best things about this show. But I love the character designs, the self-effacing humor, and the music. Oh, and Neko-sensei. Of course.

Kino’s Journey: The return to Kino’s adventures was done just right. I was a big fan of the earlier series, and there’s always a bit of worry when you see a new version of something you loved. But it was like coming home and seeing that your room’s been left as it alway was. Comforting and a bit weird, just the way I like it.

WILHELM DONKO (@surwill)

Tsukigakirei: What at first glance might’ve looked like a plain teenage romance story, turned out to be quite the refreshing surprise. Tsukigakirei broke with some often annoying genre conventions, and really managed to tell a genuinely charming and well-constructed story about adolescent love, which surely many of us found highly relatable. The anime is one of the few actually exploring all of the difficulties and hardships a young couple has to face during their first relationship. While the show’s animation was a bit wonky at times and didn’t fully hold up, the backgrounds were always beautiful to look at.

In This Corner of the World: A visually stunning movie with an inspiring story about a young woman who always tried to keep a positive outlook on life, even during the most horrible times imaginable. The movie’s highly accurate depiction of Hiroshima and the nearby port town of Kure during the times of war will surely leave no-one indifferent. I first got to watch it on a flight to Japan, and it had such a strong impact on me that I just couldn’t get it out of my head for the whole duration of my trip.

Love Live! Sunshine!!: I’ve already poured too much time, tears, and money into this franchise, that I couldn’t have possibly left it out of my list this year. The second season is just as goofy, cheesy, and melodramatic as the first one was, and managed to further strengthen the bond of the already tight-knit idol group. I’m also glad that the show gave some of the characters I wasn’t so fond of more time in the spotlight this season. All of Aqours’ songs were already a significant step up compared to the Muse ones in terms of CG, but this season’s performances have been looking especially pretty. Yousoro~

The Eccentric Family: What a fantastic return! Finally seeing Yasaburo again, lazing around and being up to no good, really made me realize just how much I missed The Eccentric Family. I’m glad that we got to spend some more time in the show’s magical and whimsical rendition of Kyoto, in which humans, the noble tengus, and the furry tanukis all go about their daily lives, trying to coexist, and not end up in a hot pot.

Land of the Lustrous: I basically knew next to nothing about Land of the Lustrous going in, and while I figured from the trailers that the show would offer some beautiful imagery, a fantastic soundtrack, and a unique setting, I was simply not expecting these characters to be such utterly lovable idiots. Outside of the numerous action highlights, and the straight-up stunning backgrounds, this highly likeable cast of gemstones really turned this into one of my favorite shows of the year.

Gabriel DropOut: A show about fallen angels and good-natured demons attending a regular high school in Japan. That kind of absurd setup naturally leads to countless hilarious scenarios, skits, and plenty of running gags, which made this my favorite comedy of the year. Especially the dynamic between the vainly villainous future queen of hell, Satania, and the mischievous angel, Raphiel, made the show so consistently entertaining to watch.

NICK CREAMER (@b0bduh)

Rakugo: Following up on a stellar first season, Rakugo’s second half offered more of the thoughtful character drama and stirring performance setpieces that make this show so special. Rakugo’s second season was ultimately less tightly composed than the first, but still a wonderful time. I’m excited to see whatever its director Shinichi Omata cooks up next.

The Eccentric Family: Like Rakugo, the second season couldn’t quite live up to the strength of the first. Fortunately, even a slightly less good Eccentric Family is still one of the best shows around, offering a gorgeous magical realist vision of a Kyoto not so distant from our own. I will never get tired of watching Yasaburou and his strange companions navigate the many perils of duty, family, and pursuing a life well-lived.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: I really didn’t expect a show about a dragon who’s also a maid to be this good. Not only was Dragon Maid one of the strongest comedies of the year, and a beautifully composed show on the whole, but it also turned out to be one of the most poignant family dramas I’ve seen. Come for the goofy dragon shenanigans, stay for the cozy familial love.

March comes in like a lion: Whether you focus on the tail half of season one or the opening salvo of season two, March comes in like a lion delivered striking psychological drama, compelling sports action, and cozy family scenes all year long. Even if its visual execution was a little inconsistent, the fundamental strength of March’s dramatic material was just too consistent to ignore.

Made in Abyss: Fighting hard for the throne of most beautiful show of the year, Made in Abyss also excelled as a starry-eyed paean to adventure. The show’s titular abyss was such an intriguing mystery that every episode felt far too short, and I can only hope we’re soon able to continue following Rico and Reg into the depths of their fascinating world.

Just Because!: A painfully accurate evocation of the end of adolescence, the moment when you realize you’re not a kid anymore, but aren’t really sure what you are now instead. Its thoughtful characterization result in a romantic drama that sometimes feels too relatable to be enjoyable, offering one of the most well-observed character stories of the year.

Owarimonogatari: Monogatari’s final act has plenty of its own pleasures, but I find it most impressive for how well it ties together years and years of buildup material. The conclusion to Monogatari feels so right to this story that I couldn’t imagine it ending any other way. A fine conclusion to one of anime’s greatest modern sagas.

My Hero Academia S2: The second season builds on the great strengths of its source material to offer one of the best shounen action platforms in years. The show doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but instead iterates beautifully on a well-worn template, demonstrating that a Shonen Jump story told right is still a wonderful thing.

Kemono Friends: Rising from the humblest of origins in terms of both project genesis and creative resources, Kemono Friends somehow turned out to be one of the best stories of the year. Offering a consistent combination of comfy slice of life, surprisingly sharp comedy, and subtly strong scifi, it ultimately overcomes its rags-to-riches reputation by virtue of its consistent, no-caveats-required narrative excellence.

Land of the Lustrous: Combining deliriously active CG action with phenomenal art direction, great psychological drama, and intriguing worldbuilding, Land of the Lustrous may offer the most altogether impressive package of any show this year. From its comedy to its characterization to its philosophy to its fights, Land of the Lustrous offers something for everyone, excelling in every single thing it tries.

  THOMAS ZOTH (@ABCBTom)

GARO -VANISHING LINE-: Bringing the dark atmosphere and stylish action of GARO to a very New York City-like setting and multiracial cast and the results are much more up my alley. The series is only halfway complete but I feel comfortable in saying the series will deliver all the way. And best of all, you don’t have to be familiar with any other Garo series to jump in: The connections between series are reminiscent of Final Fantasy’s shared mythos of designs and motifs.

Made in Abyss: This series is almost universally celebrated now, but when it was first announced, those familiar with the manga spoke in whispers about how brutal it was- and those fans weren’t wrong. But Made in Abyss earns its impact by crafting a breathtaking and terrifying world. None of the shocks are cheap- they’re earned, and the TV series edges up against a near theatrical level of craft. Not to be missed.

Land of the Lustrous: One of the first 3DCG anime to earn my grudging respect, Lustrous is noteworthy for other reasons. It’s based on a brilliant, compelling manga that mixes horror and preciousness in a strikingly unique way. Main character Phos is a terrible brat, but she is a terrible brat for all of us sinners. Sakuga purists might be tempted to pass on this due to its CG animation or facile comparisons to Steven Universe, but this would be a terrible mistake. Another must-see in a stunning year.

Anime-Gataris: An amazingly patient anime. The premise teases that the anime club that stars in the series is ignoring an impending apocalypse, but the anime merely hints at larger phenomenon slowly, giving you a funny, updated Genshiken for a more internationalized anime audience. The latest episodes show that the writers do intend to deliver on their insane narrative promise, and the series looks headed for a metafictional explosion the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Samurai Flamenco. I am thrilled and love every minute of this series.

The night is short walk on girl: I was fortunate enough to see this at the AnimeFest premiere in Dallas, having not seen Tatami Galaxy, an anime from the same original author. My enjoyment was not hurt in the least, and I was treated to a fantastic night of sights and sounds that brought to mind comparisons with Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer, one of my favorite anime ever. It’s a fantastic experience and one I hope US audiences are able to see with a license and theatrical run ASAP!

Goshogun: the time etranger: A fantastic, bizarre existential horror film from the director of the Pokemon movie franchise. Loosely based on a mecha series, pilot Remy Shimada finds herself in a foreign land, in a country ruled by a suicidal cult… but really she’s comatose, struggling for life after a near-fatal car accident. A bizarre and somewhat hammy mix of action, horror, childhood flashback, and relationship drama, there’s really no other film like this. Kudos for Discotek for bringing this passion project on Blu-ray.

  JOSEPH LUSTER (@Moldilox)

My Hero Academia: No single show got me as unabashedly hyped up on a weekly basis as My Hero Academia did this year. I haven’t been keeping up with the manga, which is something I aim to fix soon, but for my money BONES has done a better job than most in bringing shonen action, drama, and heart to explosively colorful life.

Made in Abyss: I was kind of wary going into this series, especially since the character designs did absolutely nothing for me. Any doubts were quickly washed away as I got sucked into a harrowing, and occasionally upsetting journey into unexplored depths. Despite the direction in which our plucky protagonists are headed, the staff at Kinema Citrus managed to hit some real highs along the way, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Attack on Titan: The wait for Attack on Titan season 2 was more colossal than any of its towering terrors, so how could it possibly live up to all the excitement? That’s what I thought until I got a few episodes in and found myself enamored by the twists and turns all over again. A few of the big reveals are pulled off in unconventional ways that I think we’ll look back on even more favorably in the future.

In This Corner of the World: It’s been years since I watched a truly stirring anime film, and Sunao Katabuchi’s In This Corner of the World totally fits the bill. Equal parts gorgeous and heartbreaking, this is one of those movies you shouldn’t hesitate to show to your anime-adverse friends or family members.

  ISAAC AKERS (@iblessall)

Land of the Lustrous: I don’t even remember at this point what got me to check out the first volume of the Land of the Lustrous manga. Probably it was just an off-hand tweet. Whatever it was, though, I’m grateful – because this story, both the beautiful manga and stunning anime adaptation, is exactly the sort of thing I come to this subculture for. I won’t say it was made for me, as that always feels like a rather presumptuous statement, but gosh dang, Land of the Lustrous sure is exactly my kind of thing.

Alice & Zoroku: If you ask me, Alice & Zoroku is the most underrated show of the year, a simultaneously adorable, emotional, and ultimately important work that holds up children as the precious beings they are—capable of incredible empathy, possessing of stunning potential, and worth protecting, cherishing, and guiding. The show’s unflagging belief in this principle and its commitment to showing it in action brought me to tears time and time again. It was truly beautiful.

New Game!!: As a creator, the first season of New Game! hit me hard with its reflection on working in a creative job, the challenges that come with wanting to improve, and the difficult dynamics between fellow creators. The sequel season was somewhat less focused on these aspects as it explored other themes, but when it returned to them, it did so with incredible impact—and those powerful moments are the ones I’m going to remember most.

Knight’s & Magic: This show gets it. It gets the giddiness of loving giant robots, the way the desire to share the exhilaration watching these fictional machines spills out, and the positive effects a healthy personal fandom can have on others. It’s rare that we get shows whose primary charm is just how darn good-natured they are, but that is certainly the case for Knight’s & Magic. Combined with its love of giant robots, that made it one of my most-anticipated shows to watch all year.

In/Spectre: Based on a novel written by Kyo Shirodaira, the crazy mind behind titles like Blast of Tempest and Spiral, InSpectre is a curious blend of romance, urban fantasy elements, and modern day technology. All of the volumes that have been released in the States to date have been focused around one arc and display Shirodaira’s trademarks of intriguingly unique storytelling ideas, a fascination with quirky mysteries, and strong dynamics between the characters. It’s the rare manga that keeps me buying it blind, and I’m looking forward to what comes next!

CALLUM MAY (@CanipaShow)

Little Witch Academia: What originally started out as a short film to promote young animators has since become the most recognisable brand from the GAINAX veterans at Studio Trigger. It’s not the first of the Young Animators Training Project to receive further entries (Death Parade had that honour in 2015), but it is the most beloved. The original story had this simple narrative arc of Akko striving to be like her idol, Chariot, with her final achievement within the film being a replication of the magic she had witnessed as a child. Her story grows in complexity and the world expands immensely in the TV series, allowing me to dive into a world that I’ve been intrigued by for the past 5 years and introduced themes that clash complementarily with the first two films.

Made in Abyss: I’m a sucker for deep mysterious worlds and Made in Abyss had the deepest world in a show this year (PUN ABSOLUTELY INTENDED). However, even with a narrative that constantly intrigued and made me worry for our fragile heroes (one of them, anyways), the thing that constantly stole my attention was the atmosphere. With background art directed by former Ghibli artist, Osamu Masuyama and music by the genius composer Kevin Penkin, it became a difficult show to pull my attention away from. Masuyama embraces realism, not just in terms of adding detail, but adding it in meaningful ways that creates hidden narratives and beauty in the face of terror.

WorldEnd: During a time in my life where I was incredibly busy and struggled to keep up with even huge hits like My Hero Academia and Re:Creators, WorldEnd was the series that I stayed up until late at night to watch. Set in a world that clashes steampunk science fiction with a world that feels eerily similar to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, it explores a strained romance between Ctholly and our protagonist Willem as he observes her battle from the sidelines.

NATASHA H (@illegenes)

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju: When the first episode of the first season of Rakugo aired last year, I was blown away. It would continue to surprise me with its intricate character drama. Above all else, Rakugo is a story about people who tell stories - the importance of weaving this fabric between lives and passing down what’s left of us to the next generation. Season 2 raises the bar by focusing on that tale as we skip from the past and enter the present. It’s a show that features some of the richest and emotionally packed writing I’ve seen in years, aided with Shinichi Omata’s subtle but powerful direction.

Land of the Lustrous: Featuring philosophical themes on trans-humanism, existentialism, and Buddhism, the show is beautifully tragic and wondrous, reminiscent of one of my favorite animes, Casshern Sins. Not only that, but it boasts what’s most likely one of the best soundtracks of the year and has taken the potential of 3DCG anime to new heights. Land of the Lustrous is consistently surprising me, and Phos is a new favorite kind of protagonist, as unfortunately doomed as they are in their journey to find meaning and purpose.

Just Because!: For a couple of months, I was starting to think romance dramas in anime were no longer my thing. I’m happy to say that Just Because! has proved me wrong. If all goes well, it could likely become one of my favorite romance drama animes of all time. Not only does it balance an incredibly realistic cast of awkward teens against the quiet and meditative backdrop of an urban setting, it captures that dramatic phase of finding what you want for yourself. There are no simplistic, overdramatic misunderstandings; no drawn out conversations; something incredibly rare and precious in a show about nervous teenagers graduating from high school.

Kizumonogatari III: I’m by no means finished with the Monogatari series, but I have the confidence to say that Kizumonogatari is one of the strongest entries in the franchise for me. The first two movies enriched two fundamental relationships that make up much of the TV shows, and the third closes the curtain with revelations that shake your perceptions of why these characters are the way they are. It’s a tragic tale from which Bakemonogatari arises, filled with stunning animation, moments of heartbreaking character development, and witty dialogue - a standard (but still fantastic) Nisio Isin tale.

  Little Witch Academia: Space Patrol Luluco was my favorite TRIGGER show until Little Witch Academia came along and stole my heart. Akko Kagari is infectiously endearing and joyful to watch as she progresses from a stubborn and single focused person to one that manages to overcome her own shortcomings through hard work and determination. Little Witch Academia carries the TRIGGER spirit, but in an accessible way that I can easily recommend to people of all ages, whether they’ve seen anime or not.

SAM WOLFE (@_Samtaro)

Your Name: Your Name finally made it to U.S. shores this year, so that means I’m technically allowed to talk about it!

  The film uses its fantastic premise to create moments where the audience can feel the raw emotion of being a hormone-addled youth in way over their head. It isn’t about figuring out the mystery of why Taki and Mitsuha are waking up in each other’s bodies, or why they didn’t notice some glaring details about their situation, it’s about missed connections, becoming an adult, and exploring the emotional depth of not knowing what it is you’re missing, but recognizing that it isn’t there. It may not have won over all audiences, but in my theater at least, when that pen dropped, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Land of the Lustrous (manga/anime): Simply put, nothing about this story should work; its setting is esoteric and vastly different from our reality, and yet despite that fact it’s great. The endearing cast, the haunting story, and the glamorous artwork kept me turning page after page until I was chomping at the bit for the next manga volume to be released.

Land of the Lustrous was also adapted into a beautiful 3D anime. In defiance of the naysayers who say 3D anime looks bad, Land of the Lustrous’ adaptation is nearly as flashy and stylish as the manga. I would invite anyone who thinks using CGI to create their anime is the kiss of death to watch this gorgeous show. If the visuals don’t hook you, it’s riveting story and passionate characters certainly will.

A Sister’s All You Need: Look, this isn’t what it looks like. Ok, it’s exactly what it looks like, but I didn’t pick A Sister’s All You Need as a favorite because of the imoto stuff. I could try to defend myself by saying that I like that it explores the creative struggle of being a writer in an increasingly commercial industry, or its emotional portrayals of dealing with failure, but I don’t think that will get me very far.

No, A Sister’s All You Need caught my attention early on because of something in the background: protagonist Itsuki’s monstrous board game collection. When I noticed my favorite board game (Avalon) on his shelf, I had to start asking questions. As it turns out, Japanese hobby chain Yellow Submarine was on the production committee for this one. In almost every episode the characters play a new board game, a real board game, that you can go out and buy. The Japanese website even keeps a running tally of board games shown in the anime. Moreover, its recently come to my attention that the beer they drink all the time, Outou no Shizuku, is also a real product, and has, in fact, quadrupled in sales since the show first aired.

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That's it for Part One of our three-part series! Be sure to stay tuned for PART TWO: VIDEO GAMES! If you're still in the mood for past CR Favorites, check out the previous years' features here:

  2016 Part One Part Two Part Three

2015 Part One Part Two Part Three

2014 Part One Part Two Part Three

2013 Part One Part Two Part Three

2012 Part One Part Two Part Three

2011 Part One Part Two

  What were your favorite anime and manga of 2017? Comment below and share with us! Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST OF list, so there's no wrong answers!

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Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[funkaliciousfrog]

I’m bored, so I’m temporarily turning into a seasonal anime blog for a single extremely long post. 

I’m checking out more new anime than usual this season, and I’ve been in the mood to write lately. So, I thought it’d be fun to record my expectations for each show and my impressions of their first episodes. Even if no one but me ever reads it. 

Joran the Princess of Snow and Blood

That one show I’m watching partially just cause Aoi Shouta is there. I’m interested to see if he can pull off a female character who dresses as a man, which as he put it himself is the “gyakku-pattern” compared to his usual roles. Tbh watching shows just cause Shouta is in them hasn’t worked out super great for me in the past (I didn’t really like 2.43 or Kimi to Boku, and Hamefura was just alright), so we’ll see what happens here. It’s an anime original so who knows how the story will end up. But going off the trailer, at the very least we’ll get some cool aesthetics and sick fight animation.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the plot of this show is gonna involve some politics, since it takes place in an alternate 1930s where the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate hasn’t ended yet. Yeah, you might need to skim a Wikipedia article or two on Japanese history for this one. The main characters are assassins, working undercover for the shogunate and fighting some group of superpowered shapeshifting animal people. The protagonist works in a bookshop by day and lives with her very young sister who does all the housework. She also has some kind of crow-related powers that haven’t been explained yet. In fact, there’s a lot of things about the setting that were only touched upon and I guess will be elaborated on later. 

The character designs and background art are very nice, but something feels off with the actual animation. Things move in weird stiff ways, some of the special effects are kinda ugly, and the fight scenes in particular are disjointed at points. Although I think that disjointedness came more from the storyboarding than the animation itself? I can’t say for sure since I’m not one of those sakuga expert people. But, I can still tell the production value here isn’t quite as high as it appeared from the PV. The premise has potential, but as the story unfolds we’ll see if it’s good enough to carry the less than stellar animation. 

And as for Shouta, all he really got to do this episode was be dapper and talk in cryptic insect-themed metaphors. Oh, and randomly pull out a lightsaber, since I guess they have those in this show? I’m mostly curious to see how the people who don’t pay any attention to voice actors will react when his character’s actual gender is revealed. 

Mashiro no Oto

Hibike Euphonium was one of my first anime and remains one of my faves. So,  I’m always interested in shows about classical music and/or playing instruments. The manga has won multiple awards so it should be a good story, and hopefully this adaptation is just as good. As another show about a traditional Japanese instrument, the Kono Oto Tomare comparisons will be inevitable. But honestly, I’d be happy just learn some stuff about the shamisen cause I think it's cool. 

This was quite the whirlwind first episode. Our main character Setsu has been playing shamisen with his grandpa since he was a little kid. But, turns out his grandpa is displeased with his grandson’s sound, so he makes it his dying wish that Setsu stop playing shamisen. Once his grandpa does die, Setsu feels distraught, impulsively gets on a bus to Tokyo, ends up living with a random gravure idol for a week, picks fights with her no-good wanna-be rockstar boyfriend, at the very end a SWAT team shows up... it’s a lot. 

And I don’t really know how it will proceed from here either. After speeding through this escapade in Tokyo, I think (or hope) that the pace will settle down starting next week. And going off the poster we’ll eventually end up in a high school shamisen club, somehow.

I really enjoyed the bits and pieces of shamisen music in this episode, it just sounds so cool! I hope to eventually get more specific information about the instrument and its repertoire. All I really want from these shows about extremely specific topics is to be educated! They also played either the OP or ED at the end, and it sounded pretty neat. Unlike Kono Oto Tomare they actually put the instrument of question into the song, which I appreciate (though I still like all the Kono Oto OPs and EDs). 

The art in the PV didn’t seem like anything that special, but the episode itself actually looked very nice in the important moments. I especially liked the snowy background art from the beginning. They also took an interesting direction with the character designs: everyone is drawn with very thin lines and most of the time without cel shading. Sometimes it looks like an aesthetic choice, and other times it just looks kinda cheap. The animation itself is nothing crazy, but at least from my uneducated perspective the shamisen playing looks pretty believable. 

After 2.43's Fukui-ben from last season, I guess this show will be my new source of Japanese regional dialects. Apparently Setsu’s accent is so strong that the girl he’s staying with asks him if he’s a foreigner, which I thought was funny. They don’t mention where he’s from, but he and his family use the same “-be” ending as the main character from the Great Pretender. Which isn’t helpful cause I can’t remember where he was from either. But anyway, for some reason it just amuses me every time someone says “dabe”. 

(A footnote about Setsu’s accent: I’ve done a bit of research, or rather literally just typed “be” into jisho.com, which I can’t believe actually worked, and it seems to be some type of Touhoku dialect. His voice actor, Nobunaga Shimazaki, is from that area so I guess that checks out? Although according to the Wikipedia page it’s used as a generic rural accent in media, so maybe they don’t care about the specific region as long as he sounds like a country boy.)

Farewell, My Dear Cramer

Finally, an all-girls sports anime! There are a few out there already, but I haven’t seen any of them yet (except maybe Chihayafuru, which has a mixed gender cast but an awesome female lead). As far as I’ve read, most have mixed reviews and tend to lean into other genres and/or have a lot of fanservice. So, I’d really like this show to be the female version of a straightforward realistic sports show like Haikyuu that is missing from all our lives. But it looks like it might be a drama about sports instead, which potentially could be just as good. It did come from the Your Lie in April mangaka after all, if you couldn’t tell from the weird lips. Besides that, the art in the trailer looks really nice. 

So apparently soccer, especially women’s soccer, is an unpopular sport in Japan? The protagonist Nozomi thinks she’s too good for girl’s soccer after playing with the boys for all of middle school, but is convinced to join the girl’s team in high school anyway. Then we meet a couple of her new teammates who were similar prodigies in middle school, and jump right into a scrimmage between the first and second years? 

It’s kind of a weird first episode. While it does technically establish the setting and characters, after the first few minutes it kind of feels like we’ve just been thrown into the mix of things. There’s also a noticeable lack of music in a lot of scenes which makes it feel even weirder.

The character designs are less of a problem than I thought they’d be, although the lips and sometimes the eyes still do look a bit strange. The simple, almost graphic quality is actually kind of interesting. It’s also very refreshing to see a variety of female characters that just look and act like normal high schoolers. They’re really just here to play soccer, not to be sexy or cute or really attractive to the viewer in any way. 

Although we do get some nice soccer playing in the ED, the animation in the episode itself definitely isn’t at Haikyuu levels or anything. They avoid actually animating a lot of the action with speed-line backgrounds and barely-moving shots where only the hair and clothes flap in the wind. 

Nozomi has the same voice actress as Kaede from Gal and Dino, and her performance there was one of my favorite parts of that show so I’m looking forward to more from her. Aoi Yuki and Tomoyo Kurosawa, definitely a couple of notable names, also show up in this episode. 

Fruits Basket Final

More Fruits Basket, lets gooo! Second season was awesome so I have high expectations. I’ve already been slightly spoiled on a few things about the ending, but I’m still looking forward to seeing the specifics of the mystery of the Soma family curse wraps up. 

We pick up right where we left off last season with Kureno dropping the ~big reveal~ about Akito’s gender on Tohru. Turns out she’s a girl, but raised as a boy by her mother from birth for yet unknown reasons. Then he talks more about her parents: her dad Akira seems to be dead (yet another mysterious white-haired Akira Ishida character for the books), and her relationship with her mother Ren is messy to say the least. 

Finally, best girl Saki shows up and saves the day! She brings Tohru back to her house, and along with Arisa gives her the reality check we’ve all been waiting for: she is going to burn herself out if she keeps on putting others’ needs before her own. 

Interestingly, even though she seems to be a pretty bad mom, Ren is in the right here about the unhealthy relationship between Akito and the zodiacs. Is she really being kept inside because of physical and mental illness, or is that just Akito’s excuse for locking her mother away? I suspect it’s the latter. Akito loves a good power trip, and if Ren were allowed to talk to the zodiacs she could possibly undermine the hold Akito maintains over them. It could also be a combination of both reasons, so I’ll just have to wait and see.

The OP is awesome! The photo backgrounds incorporate the 2D characters well and it just looks very nice. The song’s R&B-ish sound also stood out instantly from the pop ballads Fruits Basket usually gives us. Once it comes out on Spotify, I will be adding it to my playlist along with Chime and Eden. Btw, if you haven’t heard the full version of Eden I recommend you check it out cause it really goes some places you don’t even get to hear in the TV-sized version.

On a side note, this show has some real fashionistas. Rin, Haruhatsu, Saki, and this episode Arisa have great outfits. That cropped shearling jacket with the skinny scarf? 👌 It’s also adorable how Saki and her little goth brother coordinate their looks. I will never forget that time they casually rolled up to an okonomiyaki restaurant rocking black opera gloves. 

Zombieland Saga Revenge

More Zombieland Saga! The best part of the first season imo was the comedy, but I’m guessing we’ll get more into the mystery/drama part of the show here: more information about Kotaro and his motives/methods, Tae’s identity, etc. We’ll see how it goes. I’m also hoping for more bops like Adabana Necromancy and Saga Jihen. 

Oh how I missed this show’s manic energy...

Since the end of the last season, it seems Kotaro got overzealous and booked an arena for a concert that only sold 300 tickets, putting the group into a whole bunch of debt. So now the girls are all working part-time to pay it off, and they’re not nice jobs either: factory worker, farmhand, construction worker... milk-deliverer? Do they even have those in Japan? Now there’s some #commentary on showbiz. 

As for Kotaro, the whole thing has left him in such a haggard state that he’s managed to grow his hair down to his collar bones in a month flat. Now he spends his days bar hopping and rambling even less coherently than usual (although Mamoru Miyano is clearly having as much fun as ever). Franchuchu are left to prepare all by themselves for their anniversary concert at the tiny venue where they made their debut. But, they decide they’ll use it as a chance to sing the unperformed encore song from the arena concert for Kotaro, thinking it might relight his spark. 

We do get a drop of new information about the plot: turns out there’s a strict deadline on the Zombieland Saga Project, which is the real reason why Kotaro so upset. Maybe whatever necromancy he used on the girls will wear off after a certain amount of time and turn them back into corpses? The bartender at his favorite spot is apparently in on the whole zombie thing, and he’s the one who finally snaps Kotaro out of it. He sprints over to the anniversary concert and literally starts throwing hands with the unreceptive metalhead audience. To finish out the episode we get a glorious slow motion brawl sequence as Franchuchu sing the encore song. 

I don’t know if that encore will be the OP or ED, or if it’s just a insert song. It was alright I guess. To be honest I liked Iron Frill’s songs more than Franchuchu’s in the first season, and I feel like that will continue to be the case this season. I’m excited to see the new OP tho, even if it’ll be hard to beat the iconic Adabana Necromancy. And on a vaguely related note, it was cool to see the real Zombieland Saga ost album, Franchuchu The Best pop up in the episode.

Pretty Boy Detective Club

This one has people intrigued because it’s written by the author of the Monogatari series (which I haven’t seen yet) and animated by Shaft. There’s also the extremely Ouran-esque setup, with Maaya Sakamoto even voicing the cross-dressing main girl. Also I just think the title is funny. Honestly I don’t really know what to expect from this one besides the usual Shaft aesthetic, so we’ll see what happens. 

Mayumi wears glasses to keep attention away from her pretty eyes, but while stargazing on the roof she gets caught without them by Ayumu Murase in a detective hat. He ropes her into the Pretty Boy Detective Club, a shady secret organization at her middle school. We enter the clubroom and meet the members, a bunch of over-the-top eccentric tropey characters that wouldn’t be found in any non-anime middle school in a million years. Shoutout to that one guy in the hot pants. Then Mayumi reveals that she’s been looking for a star she saw once on a family vacation, and the boys decide to take up her case. 

I knew I was really in for something when I was hit with musings about Voltaire right out of the gate. Although from what I’ve heard about the Monogatari series, this kind of ~intellectual~ monologuing is totally on brand. And I don’t know if anyone else picked up on the subtle hints they were dropping in those monologues, but I sense that, maybe, perhaps, beauty is going to be a theme in this show...? Maybe it’s going to be some kind of #meta #commentary on pretty boys anime? That could be interesting, although there’s also a chance they’ll just play it straight. They even have an idol-anime-esque ED sung by the the main cast, so honestly it could go either way. 

As expected from Shaft, the visuals are all on point. I love both celestial and geometric imagery so this show’s aesthetic feels made just for me. The shifts in art style are also pretty neat. As for the character designs, my favorite part is probably the snazzy school uniform with the galaxy printed ties and striped pants and skirts. Although Murase’s character momentarily sprouted one of those flesh-fangs that I HATE they look so NASTY. 

I has a pretty fun time with this episode, it was just so absurdly Anime. I liked hot pants guy and his poses (tho I don’t love that he’s 12), and delinquent guy who was just tired of everyone else’s nonsense and casually ate food off the ground. They were at the beach too, so it probably got all sandy? And when this popped up I died laughing; truly words to take to heart.  

(A footnote about the ED: I thought I had spotted an Elements Garden member in the songwriting credits, and then of course I had to find out if they actually made it or not. The lyrics were written by RUCCA, who isn’t actually in the group but collaborates with them frequently according to the Google Translated version of his Japanese Wikipedia page. He’s written for quite a few Elements Garden produced Aoi Shouta songs, which is where I recognized his name from. The composer is Masatoma Ohta, who as far as I can find isn’t associated with Elements Garden but did a pretty good job emulating their sound. Both of them have done a lot of work for seiyuu, idols, and seiyuu-idols, so I guess that’s why I instantly understood what this song was going for lol.)