#Musical Prodigy || Clover

[rainandandy]

Lottie x Nat Band AU Headcanon

Lottie is the good girl, queen bee child prodigy pianist of Wiskayok High School

Natalie Scatorccio is the lead singer of a rock band that covers 70's/80's rock classics

Also in the band is Shauna Shipman as lead guitarist and Jackie Taylor on Bass with Van Palmer on Drums

Shauna and Jackie are constantly bickering and fighting in the background and lowkey dating

Van is dating Taissa who's in another band but both super supportive of each other

Lottie is under a lot of pressure from her parents and her school and the parents fund the school to give Lottie every chance at practising piano and she wins loads of trophies for the school trophy case. a win win scenario for the school and her parents

Lottie and Nat used to be childhood best friends till Lottie's family put a stop to it and made Lottie focus on Piano instead.

Piano has now become a chore for Lottie and she wishes she could do something for herself for just once

Battle of the bands is coming up and the band decide they need a keyboardist.

Jackie designs a flyer and sticks the up around school but the jocks, aka jeff and randy stick Lotties recital flyer over them

jackie doesn't even notice and is ecstatic that her flyers came out okay while Shauna massively rolls her eyes in the background.

Lottie sees the flyer sticking out behind one the recital flyers and decides to show up to their rehersal.

Nat is an immediate "no" to the idea but the rest of the band wouldn't mind.

"As if you've ever heard a rock song in your life" - natalie

"I don't need to, I just need the sheet music and I am good to go" - Lottie

"I like her"- Shauna to which Jackie bickers with her about

Natalie comes around to the idea when they play Everybody wants to Rule the world and it sounds a million times better with the keyboard in it.

She makes Lottie mixtapes and quizzes her on the music when the bands meets privately.

They start to bond and slowly fall for each other

Nat turns the mic to look at Lottie when singing and sings certain lines of songs to make her see her feelings

Shauna and Jackie pick up on the lingering looks between the two girls

"somebody's got a crush" - Shauna sing songs to nat

"I do not" - nat

"Oh really? how come you've never sung crimson and clover to me like that then Nat?" - jackie presses with a smile

"oh shut the f*ck up weirdos" - nat and storms out the door with that knowing smile on her face

Lottie makes Nat listen to one classical song for her

"No, when I say I like 70's music, I don't mean the 1700's" - Nat jokes

"Come on, I've listened to all your songs, please listen to just one for me??" - lottie pleads with her doe eyes

"Fine" - Nat says and the opening melody to Clair De Lune plays

Nat never knew that stupid old classical music could be so beautiful.

Nat and Lottie lock eyes as the music swells

Nat pictures Lottie playing the song, her fingers dancing on the keys with her face locked in concentration.

The song made her want to actually see Lottie play

See what all the hype is about

But then the cold front comes up from Nat and she remembers how Lottie shut her out

When the song ends, Nat turns to make a quick exit but Lottie grabs her hand.

"Thanks for listening" - lottie, and nat leaves

On the next mixtape, clair de lune is tucked into the playlist.

That's pretty much all I got at the moment, but i'd love for someone to write a proper fanfiction of this. I have tons of ideas but just not the time to write at the moment.

[rakubalka]

Libei Is An Idiot While Asta Is Prodigy Magically Speaking

Let me start with explaining to you how the (I saw some saying Light Triad in reference to them so ?) Light Quartet have grown up handling magic and just being thought magic as a whole in this au at least . I will be using music metaphors to get the point across easier .

Yuno - Got born with a perfect pitch and has been raised to be able to hear , remember , understand and play way way better than most people could even hope to hear in their lifetime let alone play . As a result is crazily OP .

Noelle - Didn't get born with a perfect pitch and no one thought it a good idea to properly teach how to actually play her instrument . They were essentially being mad at Noelle for not being able to play a violin properly when she had a Giant Tuba on her hands which everyone gaslighting her into thinking was a violin or just a string instrument because all Silva have violins despite the fact that Nozel had a fucking Trombone . When she finally started to understand that she had a) a giant tuba and b) finally people actually trying to teach her something worth shit she immediately started to become more and more clearly the strongest of her siblings if not all the royals in the Clover Kingdom .

Libei - Knows how to keep a Giant Organ clean , working and overall in proper shape , cannot for the life of both himself and others play it however . He is so Tone Deaf that it is not even funny . Took him literal years of being with the organ to even start to understand it's an instrument .

Asta - Despite being for all intenses and purposes being Deaf not Tone Deaf just straight up deaf , actually has like Yuno a Perfect Pitch . Didn't have an instrument before Libei started to put Asta in front of the Organ but once he started to play , it became clear he is the one with the music talent . Despite being Deaf thanks to the Organ sheer power and intensity he can actually somewhat "hear" what he plays . And sure while he had a lot of training it still doesn't discount the fact that he is very much a prodigy rivaling his twin .

[oxbowridgehq]

APRIL 27TH, 2024

Despite the smiles that could be seen all around and the laughters that could be hear, a storm was brewing behind the scenes. Not everyone was happy about how the ghost of David Walker hang over everyone's head as part of the event turned into some memorial for him with the new scholarship being given. But those who were the most against it had been told to sit back and watch, Declan Byrne not about to let the Walker take any more space in town.

The Walker children were on stage as the President of the committee for the newly funded scholarship was presenting this year's recipient. The committee exclude the Walker, to make it fair and avoid any conflict of interest. As the recipient was announced, Amanda Jones, eighteen and town prodigy, the Walker left the stage to given her the spotlight.

"When I was first contacted to tell me I was the recipient of a new scholarship, I could barely believe it," the young woman started, emotion in her voice. Many in town knew her, as she volunteered in many charities and organization all while maintaining a near perfect GPA. But what most people knew about her was the tragedy that struck her family when she was younger, her father disappearing for months only to be found dead as that winter's snow thawed. It was ruled as a drinking accident, the man leaving a bar drunk and loosing his way home. From that moment, Amanda's mother struggled deeply with three kids to feed and a grieving family. Amanda was their shinning star and they were proud to have her stood on stage and have all of her hard work be awarded.

"But this scholarship is blood money," she continued fiercely. "My father was murdered by David Walker." The accusation rippled through the crowd with shock. The only one not being surprised was Declan, smirk being seen on his face. In the commotion, Cooper Walker ordered for the woman's microphone to be cut off and music started playing to cover any attempt at saying anything else. With the gravity of the accusations, the musicians who had been waiting backstage to launch the night's concert refused to play, their managers already doing control damage. All that could be done was to shut down that night's festivities, the rumour mill being sent into overdrive once again, putting the Byrne and Walker at the centre of it all.

This plot drop marks the end of the event. All threads can continue until their natural ends and post-events threads can be created. Any threads prior to the event can also be resumed.

While it's easy to suspect that Declan Byrne is behind that night's commotion, it's not something those outside of the inner circle would know, meaning the family and Clovers.

[dragonsxng]

“Would you dance with me?” An olive skinned hand is outstretched while the juvenile dragon is beaming wide. There’s something fake about that inviting expression, though. Something...ominous. Vibrant magenta eyes bore into their potential dance partner. That gaze letting on that ‘would you dance with me’ was more of a demand than a suggestion.

Well, go on. They’re waiting for you~

[inkdrawndreamer]

This morning I found out that Keith Flint of the band Prodigy died of an apparent suicide. It hurt to hear. I fist found that band when I was about 12 after one of their songs was played during an acrobatics show I went to see. My family (particularly my dad) is really into electronic/downtempo music. I listened to their music a lot in high school. I drew to it, I wrote to it. I wish he hadn't died, and my condolences to his family/bandmates. I'm not sure how Howlett and co. will want to take the band from here, but thanks to them—and especially Keith—regardless.

[loosesodamarble]

Nacht Faust Headcanons (and Bremen devil headcanons too)

A random assortment of headcanons I have about Nacht.

Morgen mentioned that Nacht has a talent for magic and I like to believe that his natural talent extended beyond just magic. As in, he's one of those prodigies that was good at almost anything he tried.

Passed most lessons with his tutors with ease. Disliked the busy work tutors gave him if they insisted him on keeping him for the whole duration of a scheduled class.

As a kid, Nacht had trouble finding anything he couldn't figure out within a day. However, he never got interested in most of the things he tried.

That's why he turned to trouble-making. He found rule breaking more entertaining than the repetitiveness of learning how to be "proper."

His parents are named Vincent and Adela.

Violinist Nacht lives in my head rent free. Also guitarist Nacht. He's got long, deft fingers that allow him to manipulate the strings to play the chords he needs. He sways a bit as he plays either instrument, even if it's somewhat poor form.

Nacht was forced to learn the violin as the instrument is considered suitable for a noble like him. It took him some time to like and appreciate the music.

He willingly learned the guitar because it was seen as a lesser, commoner's instrument and rebel Nacht was all about that.

Has tried every kind of alcohol available in Clover at least once. Just so he knows for sure what he likes.

Nacht didn't think much of his devils when he first made deals with them. He was their master and they were his little workers of evil.

But as time passed, he got curious about them. Asked about the Underworld. He eventually found out how harsh the place was and how they much prefer the human world.

The devils were antagonistic of Nacht in the beginning. They're not the strongest devils out there but they still had their pride, thinking themselves above humans. And having to call Nacht "Master" grinded their gears early on.

The four of them only really softened up after Morgen's death. They saw what Morgen's death did to Nacht, showed them how truly vulnerable and human he was.

The Bremen devils are all siblings. They have similar true forms and are animal themed and all seem to use Shadow Magic as their base attribute with various ways of using shadows. I can't not think this anymore.

None of them, Nacht or the devils, are really sure if their relationship is. They're not strictly business partners despite the contracts. Nacht does treat them like wards but it's not a parent-child dynamic. Are they friends? Cuddles abound either way.

Nacht has a lot of domestic skills. After his family’s death and the (most likely) loss of his status, he had to become self-sufficient. Man can cook, clean, sew, and plenty more.

Gimodelo and the others also are good around the house. Gimodelo sweeps floors and clears dust from nooks and crannies. Walgner helps with cooking meals. Plumede likes polishing things to a shine. Slotos helps put out laundry to dry and folds clothes.

He’s made up of lean muscle, strong and flexible. He hung out with Yami back in the day and would’ve had to physically keep up with an athlete like Yami. Plus, he was able to heft Asta around with one arm.

While as a spy in Spade Kingdom, he not only worked underground/unseen but also in disguise. He probably had three or four identities to go between.

How well he gets along with the Black Bulls from best to worst:

Gimodelo, Plumede, Slotos and Walgner: They've been with him, by his side, for more than ten years. He did generalize devils as evil but I think they're the exception to him. If Gimodelo is anything to go by, they genuinely care for him so he would care back.

Yami: they argue and snark but it’s all in friendship. Even if the friendship was strained for the past ten years, they go back to it like it's a bike.

Asta: Nacht’s little inspiration and hope for the future. Nacht sees Asta's strength but will mess with him to be a little mean.

Henry: Henry is the least trouble amongst the Bulls (a few destroyed buildings aside) so Nacht would have the fewest criticisms for him and would admire his pure heart.

Finral: they both know how insane their squad mates are while still not being much better themselves. They would definitely be drinking buddies.

Nero: she is calm, would be easy to be around, and she knows what it's like to be tainted by Forbidden Magic. Plus, she and Nacht tease Asta at times (Nero pecks or pinches Asta's and Nacht restrained Asta for saying Nacht was similar to Yami).

Grey: she's tied with Henry for the Bull whose done the least wrong so that's a point in her favor. She's nonjudgmental and with personal experience with her appearance, Nacht might be willing to open up about his own issues with his appearance (and he would have them given his old look and looking identical to his perfect brother). It would be awkward at first but if Grey can fall for Gauche, then she would see Nacht's softer side and grow comfortable with him.

Gordon: Nacht would be able to see past Gordon's creepy appearance to find the friendly heart who simply has trouble reaching out to others.

Noelle: Nacht might get annoyed by her high and mighty act early on but he would admire her will to help others with the position she was born with.

Liebe: things are neutral between them. They interact through Asta but Nacht still sees Liebe as a good devil and hopes that Liebe and Asta can continue to support each other.

Gauche: Nacht finds Gauche's aggression unnecessary but is lowkey jealous of how open he is about his love for Marie, Asta, and the squad as a whole. Nacht wishes he could be that transparent. He wishes he told Morgen how he cared for him instead of trying to keep his distance.

Zora: the second Nacht opens his mouth to diss Zora, Zora is already flinging scathing criticisms at Nacht. While Nacht bases a lot of his criticisms on projection, Zora straight up calls it as he sees. It would be a battle of sass and vitriol, enemies to frenemies.

Magna: a delinquent with a righteous heart, Nacht would see and appreciate Magna as the kind of person Nacht could've been in the past. Although Magna doesn't like Nacht too much (he says that listening to Nacht would trash the BB reputation) so if Magna keeps his own reservations, they wouldn't end up too close.

Vanessa: she's laid back but is casually physical and Nacht gives off the vibes that he would smack anyone if they tried to be physically affectionate with him without his permission. And maybe he was just being polite but his scene with Mereoleona suggests he isn't big on being casually underdressed so Vanessa's fashion wouldn't give Nacht a high opinion of her.

Charmy: her one track mind would be hard to get past but he'll eventually see that she cares for her friends just as much as she cares for food. And although I imagine Nacht as a chef, his cooking style is basic. He seasons his food but he doesn't put much soul into it and that offends Charmy.

Luck: again, it's the one track mind. Also, I see Nacht as being averse to violence given that Yami reminds Nacht of his past self and Yami has a violent streak. On top of that, of all the spells we've seen Nacht use, only Gimodelo's Pack ability is the closest thing to a proper attack spell. Everything else is utility.

[dweemeister]

The complete list of films featured in 2021′s “31 Days of Oscar” marathon

What follows is the exhaustive list of all 403 short- and feature-length films featured on this blog over the last thirty-one days for the 31 Days of Oscar marathon. This number is up from last year’s count of 327 and is the second-highest number of films I have ever featured in this marathon (behind the 410 films from 2016). Despite the number, this remains only a fraction of the nearly 5,000 films that have been nominated for Academy Awards. This year’s marathon was harder to plan than usual due to the fact it was presented in alphabetical order - with the exception of any write-ups I did.

BREAKDOWN BY DECADE 1927-1929: 7 1930s: 44 1940s: 63 1950s: 63 1960s: 46 1970s: 25 1980s: 29 1990s: 28 2000s: 25 2010s: 43 2020s: 30

Year with most representation (2020 excluded): 1940 (ten films) Median year: 1964

And now, the list. Best Picture winners and the one (and only) winner for Unique and Artistic Production are in bold. Asterisked (*) films are films I haven’t seen in their entirety as of the publishing of this post.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Adam’s Rib (1949)*

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

After the Thin Man (1936)*

Airport (1970)*

Aladdin (1992)

Albert Nobbs (2011)

Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938)

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Almost Famous (2000)

An American in Paris (1951)

Anastasia (1956)

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Annie (1982)

Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)

Arrival (2016)

Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987, France)

The Awful Truth (1937)

Babe (1995)

Baby Doll (1956)*

Ballad of a Soldier (1959, Soviet Union)*

The Band Wagon (1953)

Bao (2018 short)

Ben-Hur (1959)

Berkeley Square (1933)

The Best Man (1964)

Better Days (2019, Hong Kong)*

The Big Chill (1983)*

The Birds (1963)

Birds Anonymous (1957 short)

Black Orpheus (1959, Brazil)

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)*

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020)*

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Brief Encounter (1945)

Brotherhood (2018 short, Tunisia/Canada/Qatar/Sweden)

Cabin in the Sky (1943)

Calamity Jane (1953)

Carol (2015)*

Casablanca (1942)

Casino (1995)*

Charade (1963)

The Circus (1928)

Citizen Kane (1941)

City of God (2002, Brazil)*

Claudine (1974)*

Closely Watched Trains (1966, Czechoslovakia)

Coraline (2009)*

Da 5 Bloods (2020)*

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Death in Venice (1971)*

Destination Moon (1950)*

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

Down Argentine Way (1940)

Dunkirk (2017)

Easter Parade (1948)

The Edge of Democracy (2019, Brazil)*

Educated Fish (1937 short)*

El Cid (1961)*

Elmer Gantry (1960)

The End of the Affair (1999)*

Ernest & Celestine (2012, France/Belgium)

Face to Face (1976, Sweden)*

The Fallen Idol (1948)

Fantasia (1940)

A Fantastic Woman (2017, Chile)*

Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)*

A Farewell to Arms (1932)*

A Few Good Men (1992)*

Five Easy Pieces (1970)*

The Five Pennies (1959)

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)

Flower Drum Song (1961)

Flowers and Trees (1932 short)

Flying Down to Rio (1933)*

For All Mankind (1989)

For Sama (2019)*

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Forrest Gump (1994)

42nd Street (1933)

Four Days in November (1964)*

The Four Feathers (1939)

The 400 Blows (1959, France)

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)*

From Here to Eternity (1953)

Funny Face (1957)

Funny Girl (1968)

Fury (1936)*

Gandhi (1982)

The Garden of Allah (1936)

Garden Party (2017 short, France)

Gaslight (1944)

Giant (1956)

Gigi (1958)

Gladiator (2000)

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather, Part II (1974)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Gorillas in the Mist (1988)*

Gosford Park (2001)

Grand Hotel (1932)

Grand Prix (1966)*

The Great Beauty (2013, Italy)

The Great Race (1965)

The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

Green Book (2018)

Green Dolphin Street (1947)*

The Green Mile (1999)*

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Gunga Din (1939)

Hair Love (2019 short)

Hallelujah (1929)*

Hamlet (1948)

Hamlet (1990)

Hamlet (1996)

Hangmen Also Die! (1943)*

The Happiest Millionaire (1967)

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Harlan County U.S.A. (1976)

The Harvey Girls (1946)

Heartbreak Ridge (1986)*

The Heiress (1949)

Hell’s Angels (1930)*

Henry V (1989)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

Hero (2002, China)*

Hidden Figures (2016)

The High and the Mighty (1954)*

High Noon (1952)

High Society (1956)

Himalaya (1999, France/Switzerland/United Kingdom/Nepal)*

Home Alone (1990)

Honeysuckle Rose (1980)*

Hoosiers (1986)

The House on 92nd Street (1945)*

How the West Was Won (1962)

How to Survive a Plague (2012)*

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

I Married a Witch (1942)*

I Never Sang for My Father (1970)

I Vitelloni (1953, Italy)*

I Wanted Wings (1941)*

I, Tonya (2017)*

Ida (2013, Poland)

Imitation of Life (1959)

In Cold Blood (1967)

In the Absence (2018 short, South Korea)

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Inherit the Wind (1960)

Inside Daisy Clover (1965)*

Inside Moves (1980)*

It Happened One Night (1934)

It Happened Tomorrow (1944)*

It Should Happen to You (1954)*

It’s Always Fair Weather (1955)

Jackie Brown (1997)*

Jammin’ the Blues (1944 short)*

Jaws (1975)

The Jazz Singer (1927)

Jerry’s Cousin (1951 short)

Jesus Camp (2006)*

Jezebel (1938)

Jim: The James Foley Story (2016)*

Joe’s Violin (2016 short)

The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)

Joyeux Noel (2005, France)

Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

Julia (1977)*

Juliet of the Spirits (1965, Italy)

Kagemusha (1980, Japan)

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Killers (1946)*

The King and I (1956)

The King’s Speech (2010)

The Kite Runner (2007)

Knights of the Round Table (1953)*

Knives Out (2019)

Kundun (1997)*

La Ronde (1950, France)*

La Strada (1954, Italy)

La Traviata (1982, Italy)*

Lady Be Good (1941)*

The Lady Eve (1941)

The Ladykillers (1955)*

The Last Emperor (1987)

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

The Life Ahead (2020, Italy)*

Life is Beautiful (1997, Italy)

Life with Feathers (1945 short)

Lili (1953)

Lilies of the Field (1963)

The Lion in Winter (1968)*

Little Caesar (1931)

A Little Romance (1979)

Little Women (2019)

Logan (2017)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Lost Horizon (1937)

Love Affair (1939)*

Love Story (1970)*

Loving Vincent (2017)

The Magic Flute (1975, Sweden)

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Malcolm X (1992)

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Maria Full of Grace (2004, Colombia)*

Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)*

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Mighty Joe Young (1949)*

Milk (2008)

Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)*

The Miracle Worker (1962)*

Mon Oncle (1958, France)

Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday (1953, France)*

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

My Fair Lady (1964)

My Favorite Wife (1940)

My Favorite Year (1982)

My Night at Maud’s (1969)*

The Narrow Margin (1952)

The Natural (1984)

Nebraska (2013)

Network (1976)

Night Must Fall (1937)*

Nightcrawler (2014)*

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Ninotchka (1939)

Nowhere in Africa (2001, Germany)*

Odd Man Out (1947)*

The Official Story (1985, Argentina)*

Oklahoma! (1955)*

Oliver! (1968)

On Golden Pond (1981)*

On the Riviera (1951)*

On the Waterfront (1954)

One Day in September (1999)*

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

One Foot in Heaven (1941)

One Hour with You (1932)

One Potato, Two Potato (1964)*

Only Angels Have Wings (1939)*

Our Town (1940)

Paisan (1946, Italy)

Pal Joey (1957)*

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, Mexico)

Paper Moon (1973)*

Parasite (2019, South Korea)

The Parent Trap (1961)

A Passage to India (1984)*

Patton (1970)

Pelle the Conqueror (1987, Denmark)*

Period. End of Sentence. (2018 short)

Persepolis (2007, France)

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Pigs in a Polka (1943 short)*

Pillow Talk (1959)*

Pinocchio (1940)

Places in the Heart (1984)*

Poltergeist (1982)

Portrait of Jennie (1948)

Precious (2009)*

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

The Private Life of Helen of Troy (1927)*

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)*

The Producers (1967)

Psycho (1960)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Purple Rain (1984)

Puss Gets the Boot (1940 short)

Pygmalion (1938)

Quiet Please! (1945 short)

Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020, Bosnia-Herzegovina)*

Rachel, Rachel (1968)*

Ran (1985, Japan)

Random Harvest (1942)

Rashômon (1950, Japan)

Rasputin and the Empress (1932)*

Rear Window (1954)

Rebecca (1940)

Red River (1948)

The Red Shoes (1948)

A River Runs Through It (1992)

Road to Perdition (2002)

Roma (2018, Mexico)

Saludos Amigos (1942)

Same Time, Next Year (1978)*

The Secret of Kells (2009)

Sense and Sensibility (1995)*

Sergeant York (1941)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Seven Samurai (1954, Japan)

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

The Shape of Water (2017)

Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)*

She Done Him Wrong (1933)*

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

The Shootist (1976)

The Shop on Main Street (1965, Czechoslovakia)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Silverado (1985)

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)

The Snake Pit (1948)*

Song of the Sea (2014)

Sounder (1972)

The Sound of Music (1965)

The Spanish Main (1945)*

Speedy (1928)

Speedy Gonzales (1955 short)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Spirited Away (2001, Japan)

Stagecoach (1939)

A Star is Born (1937)

A Star is Born (1954)

A Star is Born (1976)*

A Star is Born (2018)

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Wars (1977)

Starship Troopers (1997)

The Sting (1973)

A Stolen Life (1946)*

The Story of Three Loves (1953)*

The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003, Mongolia)*

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)*

The Stranger (1946)*

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Strike Up the Band (1940)

Strings (1991 short)*

The Sundowners (1960)*

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

Superman (1978)

Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)

Swing Time (1936)

T-Men (1947)*

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013, Japan)

Tangerines (2013, Estonia)*

Tenet (2020)

Them! (1954)

Theodora Goes Wild (1936)*

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)*

This is Cinerama (1952)*

The Three Musketeers (1948)

Three Orphan Kittens (1935 short)

Time (2020)*

Timecode (2016 short, Spain)

Tom Jones (1963)

Toni Erdmann (2016, Germany)*

Top Hat (1935)

The Triplets of Belleville (2003, France)*

The Truman Show (1998)*

12 Angry Men (1957)

Twilight of Honor (1963)*

Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)*

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Umberto D. (1952, Italy)

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964, France)

Unforgiven (1992)

Up (2009)

Vertigo (1958)

Victor/Victoria (1982)

WALL-E (2008)

Watch on the Rhine (1943)*

Waterloo Bridge (1940)

Weary River (1929)*

West Side Story (1961)

Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968 short)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Wolfwalkers (2020)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

You Can’t Take It with You (1938)

Zorba the Greek (1964)*

The 15 nominated short films for the 93rd Academy Awards

The 8 nominees for Best Picture at the 93rd Academy Awards, including the winner, Nomadland

Until next year’s ceremony, folks - February will be here before we know it!

[eerna]

Okay, so Black Clover is this anime/manga about this world where magic is everything, everyone and everything has it, even though at different levels. The story is mainly about this two boys who are childhood rivals and best friends who both want to one day become the Wizard King, the highest position in the entire kingdom, second only to the actually king. But while one of the them is a prodigy at magic, to the point others can't believe his strength, the other one, the protagonist, can't use any at all, something that no one has ever heard of happening before. But that won't ever stop of him of becoming the Wizard King!

Okay, sidenote, compared to the animation of things like Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia or the like, Black Clover doesn't have the same quality of animation and it doesn't get better until later on. But man, the stories, the world-building and especially the characters and their backstories and relationships make it all worth. And the music is very good, especially their OPs, I mean they are very consisting and I love all of them because of how well they're made.

And I really like the main character, many people told me before watching the show that he was very annoying and screamed but I really loved it! (And if we are talking about screaming, characters like Zenitsu from Demon Slayer is still at the top, so I'm practically deaf to it). And I love how determine he is, with his "I'm not done yet!" phrase even when things aren't going to his favor at all.

It's not a masterpiece like FMAB but it is very good and I recommned it!

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Thank you for the detailed overview! Sounds neat~ 

[mythgirlimagines]

Now that today is Tuesday, I’ve conjured up a fresh new talentswap! Give a warm welcome to Myth, Former Ultimate Child Caregiver!

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BACKSTORY AND TALENT

Myth’s parents work at an orphanage, and as such, she was born and raised around little kids. She may have 3 biological sisters, but emotionally, she has close to 53 siblings. Myth bonded especially with a rough-and-tough street rat the same age as her. However, when Myth started to get older, the orphanages funds began to falter. Myth’s parents had no choice but to send their strongest orphans to ”aikido training” in order to earn them money. And sadly, Wyre was amongst the strongest orphans. Myth was deeply hurt by the loss of her childhood friend, but she had to remain strong for the rest of the orphans. Many other Ultimates also visit Myth’s orphanage in order to assist her in caring for the children. She claims she can do it all by herself, but deep down, she appreciates the extra helping hands.

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RELATIONSHIPS

Wyre Anon, Former Ultimate Assassin Aikido Master

Wyre has been Myth’s friend ever since Wyre was first brought flailing and screaming into the orphanage. Myth is only one able to calm a little Wyre down from her outbursts, even to the present day. Myth is also the only one who knows of Wyre’s secret identity as “Ryuuken”, a highly dangerous and violent assassin, and regularly controls Wyre in case she can’t fight her violent nature.

Anon Scar, Ultimate Adventurer

Scar, or “The Crusader Of The Mortal Realm” as she refers to herself, is well-known for traversing across dangerous terrain and through precarious situations. Scar is also a big hit amongst the kids at Myth’s orphanage for her bombastic anecdotes regarding her travels, abliet with Myth and Fusion translating the more complex parts of her speech. Scar will never admit it, but she has a soft spot for the ”Spawn of Heart”, as she calls them.

FU5-10N (aka. Fusion Anon), Ultimate Robot

Originally built for the purpose of being a science museum’s tour guide and mascot, FU5-10N has since being upgraded to look after little kids as well. While some more skittish kids may be a bit unnerved by this 6,3 metal man, the fear quickly dissipates when said 6,3 metal man starts telling dad jokes and science trivia. Myth quickly got along with the metal man for their shared love of puns. However, FU5-10N is also the only one besides Myth who knows of Wyre‘s true talent.

Fusion Anon II, Ultimate Cosplayer

Fusion II is well-known across conventions for her impressively accurate craftsmanship regarding her costumes. Fusion II regularly acts sarcastic and ”too cool for school”, but Myth and the kids quickly busts down her snarky exterior to reveal a massive nerd deep down. Because of Fusion II’s talent, she can not only repair the orphan’s torn clothes and plushies, but she‘ll improve them and make them at least “20% cooler”. She’ll never admit it, but she lives for the orphan’s smiles and words of gratitude.

Just Anon, Ultimate Artist

A natural prodigy when it comes to all sorts of art forms, Janon very quickly establishes himself as a cynical and lazy jerk. Or at least, around adults and kids his age. When around people younger than him need his help, he’d always there for them in a pinch. Unfortunately for him, Myth regularly teases and praises Janon for his soft spot towards the orphans, claiming that he should start working here full-time. This usually earns her paint splashed in her face.

Sparkle Anon, Former Ultimate Magician

Sparkle, or “THE SPECTACULAR SPELLCASTER, SPARKLE“ as she refers to herself, might just hold the record for the most bombastic and elaborate magic tricks ever performed on stage. Myth’s relationship with Sparkle goes back more than half a decade. In fact, Sparkle got her start entertaining the kids at Myth’s orphanage. Myth regularly volunteers herself to assist Sparkle in her magic shows. Even as an adult, Sparkle still hasn’t lost her sparkling and eccentric charm. She lives for the thunderous roar of applause and the tsunami of smiles from her loving audience.

Egg Anon, Former Ultimate Supreme Leader, and Wet Sock Anon, Former Ultimate Astronaut

While Myth normally would allow anyone to help out at the orphanage, these two are the exception to this rule, and it’s not hard to see why. Egg has but one goal; to brainwash children with cursed thoughts and indoctrinate them into their cult. Their twin, Wet Sock‘s main goal is to extend the reach of their cult to outer space. Myth speaks for everyone at the orphanage when she says that Egg and Wet Sock’s cursed images and concepts  are hazardous to a child‘s mental health.

Curious Anon, Jr. Ultimate Anthropologist 

Just like with Scar, Curious’s stories of their worldly travels entice the children of Myth’s orphanage. And Curious as a person is an equally pleasant experience, for they are tranquil, mild-mannered and easy to get along with. Myth regularly tries to set up Curious with Janon, knowing that Janon has fallen hood-over-heels for them. But despite Curious’s knowledge on the foreign aspects of humanity, romantic feelings seem to be foreign even to them. 

Anon Nerd, Former Ultimate Tennis Pro

Unlike other Anons, who frequent the orphanage for the kids, Nerd is after the adorable caretaker, not that he’ll ever admit it. However, Myth knows her romance and would stop at nothing to get Nerd to admit his feelings for her. Not even getting her lip busted by a Mach 2 tennis ball or getting bashed in the head with a tennis racket would stop this girl. She can and will get this tsundere tennis champion to confess, even if she has to suffer scouter burns in the process.

Eldritch Anon, Ultimate Detective

Years of working in law enforcement has left this diminutive detective panicky, hostile and distrusting of just about anybody. Ever since Eldritch heard of an assassin hiding out in the orphanage, Eldritch will stop at nothing to find the assassin hidden among the orphans. But in the meantime, Eldritch has to shake off pesky kids who think he’s one of them. Myth has to save Wyre‘s bacon on the daily from this paranoid detective who wants her incarcerated. 

Dream Anon, Ultimate Pianist

Having been attracted to music ever since she was a baby, Dream dominates piano competitions year after year with her energetic and triumphant tunes. She regularly wheels her piano around town looking for places to perform at, which is how she happened upon Myth’s orphanage. Performing for the orphans gives Dream a rush of euphoric feelings that winning competitions could only hope and dream to achieve. And the cute detective that frequents the orphanage with her isn’t half-bad either.

Iris Anon, Jr. Ultimate Inventor

Despite her clumsy and goofy demeanour, Iris has a 7-year winning streak at her hometown’s regional science fairs. Famous for inventing and marketing a new and improved version of Moon Shoes called Astro-Uggs, Iris regularly shows off her inventions to the children of Myth’s orphanage and even donates some of her inventions to Myth in hopes of improving the living conditions of the orphanage. Iris hopes that her inventions would make the world even better and more awesome then it already is.

Purple Anon, Ultimate Maid

With a selfless attitude and an overly formal vocabulary, Purple regularly comes to the orphanage to assist Myth in caring for the children. Despite Myth claiming that she doesn’t need the extra help, Purple insists that it’s the least she can do. Purple always tries her best to help the kids, but most of the children have no idea what she is saying due to her old-fashioned and complex vocabulary, which requires Fusion to translate for her.  

This series revolves around Myth and Fusion trying to prevent the other Anons, Eldritch in particular, from finding out about Wyre‘s true talent. However, Wyre doesn‘t do a very good job at hiding her true nature and soon, everyone else but Eldritch finds out. So now, it’s Everybody Else vs. Eldritch.

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APPEARANCE

Myth wears glasses and has undyed hair in two low and long pigtails, held up by green scrunchies. She has a matching green headband with yellow stars and pink hearts and a heart shaped ahoge, designating her as the protagonist. She wears an oversized pink hoodie with yellow details and a smiley face on each pocket, over a blue shirt with multicoloured shapes on it. She also has a necklace with a green clover in the center. She wears a red belt that holds various stuffed animals and a yellow belt that holds a first aid kit. Her long and light blue skirt has various patches sewn in and on her feet, she wears red Mary Janes.

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PERSONALITY

Despite what ChildCaregiver!Myth’s fashion sense would suggest, ChildCaregiver!Myth is more serious and almost monk-like in her tranquilty. Being surrounded by children since birth has caused ChildCaregiver!Myth to grow into a caring, calm and empathetic soul. She is also known to offer sage-like advice on how to deal with loss and abandonment, having dealt with abandoned and parentless children. However, ChildCaregiver!Myth has a bad tendency to overexert herself and spread herself too thin, something also caused by being surrounded with kids. She can be a bit stubborn on insisting that she doesn’t need help and can deal with this all by herself, much to the concern of the volunteers. If I had to compare ChildCaregiver!Myth to a canon character, I’d compare her to Kirumi.

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Finally! I’ve finished ChildCaregiver!Myth! Let me know what you think of this talentswap!

-Fusion Anon

—

Well the kids I babysit sure seem to like me, so this is a good talent haha!

[merryfortune]

Day 21 / Skill

Clover and Violets 2021

Ship: Choirshipping | Aoi/Yuzu

Universe: Alternate - Classical Musicians

Word Count: 1,928

Rating: T

Tags: Arc V/Vrains Crossover/Fusion, Meet Cute, Angst with a Happy Ending

   Aoi’s mouth was sour. I was thinking of quitting, she thought to herself. Rehearsed, really, but she was unable to say it at the dinner table. She had a rare night with Akira and as silent as it was, she didn’t want to ruin it with unpleasant news so she shared only insignificant small talk and other lies with him. He returned the platitudes with similar notions. They truly were siblings in that regard, as strained as their relationship had become because of the increasingly difficult demands of Akira’s work.

   But, after dinner, with the whirr of the dishwasher turned on and in the background as she hid away in her room, Aoi was almost thankful that she hadn’t said what she was thinking. Therefore, it wasn’t manifested and using that almost oceanic roar of machinery as the basis of a melody, she tried her hand at practice.

   Her cello produced the most morose sounds as Aoi tried to retrace what she heard when she strained her ears. It was fitting. Echoed how she felt. So melancholic and rueful, not a notice of joy in any of the notes as she stroked the strings back and forth with her bow. It caused her expression to bend, as she sat at her desk, well, her back was to it as she sat in her chair, keeping her cello propped up against her as she worked it back and forth. 

   Once upon a time, her music, her cello, produced music of wonder. Joy and happiness. Now it only weighed heavy against her as she went through the motions of making music but she detested the noise. She missed how it had once been such a grand source of love and vibrancy in her life but somewhere in growing up, in realising she would never be a virtuoso or the like, it had lost some of its luster. So, she gave up for the night. A shame, Akira would later tell her in the morning, he thought it sounded fine and that she should have practiced a little longer. That also left a sour taste in her mouth but she abided by his pleasantries.

   Even when she loathed them. Going along with the tide, Akira was a proud older brother and he wanted to show off his sister - a not quite prodigy - to his peers at work so there was to be a recital, next month. Aoi practiced every night, losing herself in the rhythm as a means of procrastinating other things. Her school work, her lack of social life, the very fact she wanted to quit at all.

   She kept telling herself, after the recital, after the recital she would work up the courage to let Akira know that she desired to quit cello and music but she was a mousy little girl. She knew that.

   The day of the recital that she had been dreading couldn’t have come soon enough. Every day leading up to it had been an eternity and a half. Especially those abhorrent sessions of practice, she only put herself through such tortuous hours because she didn’t want to embarrass either herself or Akira at the recital. So, she had picked out a few scores to do. Nothing fancy, nothing too special, something everyone had heard before by the likes of Mozart and Chopin and Schubert. A medley of three; nothing which should last longer than an hour. If she was lucky, she would be home in bed by nine as the recital started at seven.

   Or at least that was her vain hope.

   Akira had other plans. Aoi had wanted to arrive at six, or maybe five-thirty at the earliest but he wanted her well, well before, at two and at three. After a hearty lunch with no cheese, soft drink, or chocolate. He wouldn’t want her to get a bubble in her throat as she introduced the music that she would be playing tonight.

   At least he didn’t mother hen her completely. He had a whole company to do that too but Aoi abided by his expectations regardless. She had a cafe lunch at one and she was leaving by two and hoped to arrive at the auditorium SOL Tech had rented out by two-thirty, made three if traffic was bad. 

   Unfortunately that meant a little bit of walking around with something as awkward as a cello. It was almost as tall as her but when she was younger and more passionate about her craft, Aoi had gotten very used to walking with it and keeping it guarded.

   Hobbling past, she passed a street performer and she knew she shouldn’t gawk but she liked the music. She was busy but maybe she could spare a moment. For the first time in a long, long time, in the middle of the city, Aoi felt the spark of music that had attracted to her to music in the first place. 

   As a little girl, she had chosen the cello because her biological father had played it. He played first string at the opera and Aoi’s mother had taken her a few times to those performances but she never cared for the singers on the stage. She was only taken with one of the men in the darkened pit providing the accompaniment, her father the cellist. And at home, the magical joy of a cello’s music never stopped. Aoi had spent many nights in her father’s lap, so tiny next to his full 4/4 cello, learning the beginning chords, begging for her own. Those memories were bittersweet for many, many reasons now and as Aoi listened to this girl play her tune, they lost that bitter touch. Became pure and sweet nostalgia.

   So, she stopped to stare. Her eyes lit up as she drew in closer to the street performer and the little crowd she had drawn in. She played with a grin on her face and with a toe that tapped below. It was fast paced and jaunty and it could have been anything, aoi thought. Classical music or a reconstructed rock song but she stopped and stared at this girl. She was awe-inspiring, big, blue eyes and cute pink hair in a short skirt as she played her violin.

   And she saw Aoi and she smiled, “Do you play professionally?” she asked. “I probably look like a hobbyist to you.”

   Aoi blushed. “N-no, no, not at all.” she stammered. “I’m not a professional. I’m a hobbyist too.”

   “Then do you have the time? Let’s have a concert together, but I’ll take all the tips, I need ‘em to keep my music school alive, You Show.” she said.

   Aoi had never heard of You Show before but she erred. She really wasn’t supposed to. Akira would be so furious with her if he knew she was fraternizing with strangers on the street, dirtying her good cello but honestly. That just made her want to do it more so she shuffled through the crowd, unzipping her cello and the girl gasped when she saw her honey rich instrument.

   “Your music is better than mine,” Aoi admitted, “but thank you for the invitation. I have a recital tonight and I’m a little nervous.”

   “You’ll do fine,” the girl told her, “here and at that recital later. Go on, you lead, I’ll follow.”

   Aoi swallowed hard. She highly doubted that but she tried anyway. Normally, violins followed cellos but the reverse was strangely fun. So, she tried one of her practise sets. Her scales and then just going from there. She thought it was pretty bad - terrible - her demeanour was awkward but the girl beside her acclimitased so naturally and transmuted Aoi’s hesitance into actual music.

   In turn, wanting to honour her energy and enthusiasm, Aoi tried to keep pace and pep. And she more than managed to. As she played her cello, sitting down on the edge of the pavers, Aoi smiled. She hadn’t smiled whilst playing her cello in months and her heart fluttered with elation over it.

   Over the movements of her bow, she kept stealing glances at that girl. Sometimes, she was oblivious but other times she noticed, smiling as they played songs that didn’t make sense but still got loose change tossed into her violin’s case at her light feet. 

   Their concert together was quirky and inopportune but it was wonderful. Aoi could swear that her breathing and the beating of her heart was in perfect synchronicity to this girl: a perfect stranger and so, she yearned. Yearned for her name and for the hope that this wouldn’t be their only concert.

   It was a shame that such things had to come to an end. Wehn the girl stopped, so did Yuzu. Somehow, their roles had reversed by the end of it as Aoi had started and she was meant to follow but violins went first and cellos went later. That was the natural, orchestral course of things.

   “Thank you, thank you.” she said as she took bows. She was a bouncy as a juggler, this girl. More like a circus star than someone meant to sit around in first and second strings in a darkened pit.

   Aoi bowed her head, murmuring her thanks to the crowd as well. She heard coins clink against one another, hitting velvet in the violin case. She looked up again and the girl smiled. She was a little bit tired but happy tired in the cascading of the afternoon sun that felt so good on them both after their session of such ecclesiastic making of music. Aoi was envious, she was just tired but she stuck out her hand to her.

   “The name’s Hiiragi Yuzu of You Show Music Club, and you?” she asked.

   Aoi smiled. “Zaizen Aoi.” she replied.

   “You’re very good, Aoi, how long have you been playing?” Yuzu asked as she sat down with Aoi but she was still toe tapping at the like, bubbly.

   “Since I was six.” she said.

   “Oh! Same!” Yuzu exclaimed.

   Aoi grimaced. “It’s not really like that… I was thinking of quitting music after tonight’s recital. My one and only solo…”

   “Oh… That’s a shame…” Yuzu murmured.

   “You’re not going to stop me?” Aoi asked.

   Yuzu shrugged. “We only just met, wouldn’t be right to walk in and just make choices for you.”

   “I was kind of hoping you would because, um, I don’t really want to quit anymore.” Aoi murmured. 

   “Huh? Why’s that?” Yuzu asked, blinking, her long eyelashes fluttering.

   “You showed me how to love music again.” Aoi replied. “So, um, your music club - You Show - are you taking new applicants?”

   Yuzu beamed. “Of course we are, my dad would be thrilled to have you.” She then whipped down and got a pen out of her handbag behind her. She grabbed Aoi’s hand and scrawled her name and number on it.

   Aoi smiled shyly. She had never been so happy to be written on before but she wanted to make more music with Yuzu. She wanted to love music again and she wanted to start to love Yuzu and her music for the very first time. Her perfect stranger who signed her name and number with a leafed orange, apparently, Aoi noticed as she glanced down at her hand and then to Yuzu’s happy face. 

   It made Aoi giggled but through it, she managed to ask, “Excuse me, Yuzu, but would you like to come to my recital tonight? There’s still seats, definitely enough for you and your dad to come along.”

   “I’d love that.” Yuzu replied.

[ementhusiasm]

A Playlist Of Melbourne´s Electronic Music Scene

Meilen entfernt von den pulsierenden Drehkreuzen für elektronische Musik in Städten der nördlichen Hemisphäre wie Berlin, Lissabon und London haben Produzenten, DJs und Musiker in Melbourne, Australien, begonnen, eine eigene Underground-Szene zu schmieden - eine, die gesund genug ist, um illegale Parkpartys zu unterstützen kleines Netzwerk von schweißnassen Kellerclubs und eine große Auswahl an Klängen für das linke Feld. Musik ist seit langem ein wichtiges kulturelles Element in Melbourne. Bands wie die Birthday Party und Cosmic Psychos haben wilde Anfänge im Punkrock beschritten, und viele ihrer späteren Acts - von The Avalanches über Cut Copy bis hin zu King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - waren weltweit erfolgreich. Die elektronische Musikszene der Stadt ist jedoch noch relativ jung, und ihre Künstler sind weder vom Genre noch von den Vorurteilen, wie ihre Produktionen klingen sollten, abhängig. Infolgedessen hat die Szene alles produziert, von galaktischen Synth-Psalmen bis zum Ambient-Breakbeat. "Derzeit scheint es hier eine kleine goldene Periode zu sein", sagt Rory McPike, auch bekannt als Rings Around Saturn.

Dass Melbournes elektronischer Underground floriert, während ähnliche Bewegungen in anderen australischen Städten ins Stocken geraten sind, liegt zum Teil an den lockereren Gesetzen der Stadt. Die restriktive stadtweite "Lockout"-Richtlinie von Sydney schreibt vor, dass kein Kunde nach 1:30 Uhr morgens Clubs betreten darf. Laut dem Oberbürgermeister der Stadt, Clover Moore, hatte das Gesetz dem Nachtleben einen „Vorschlaghammer“ verpasst. In Melbourne sind die Öffnungszeiten entspannter. "Melbourne als Stadt hat möglicherweise die beste Lage für ihre Veranstaltungsorte, da sie später nachts geöffnet bleiben dürfen, um das Nachtleben und die Kultur zu fördern", sagt Griffin James, auch bekannt als Francis Inferno Orchestra. Die befreite Clubkultur der Stadt hat dazu beigetragen, die Popularität unorthodoxer elektronischer Klänge zu verbreiten. „Es gibt viele Crews, die Partys veranstalten und kleine Communities gründen, die Spaß machen, inspirierend, offen und sicher sind, um kreativ zu sein und sich auszudrücken“, sagt McPike. Das, was diese Crews vereint, ist ein gemeinsames DIY-Ethos. Obwohl das Internet eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Verbindung weit entfernter Szenen gespielt hat, haben Melbournes Labels und Künstler es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, Musikstile aus aller Welt auf ihre eigene Art und Weise zu adaptieren. „Ich habe das Gefühl, dass wir aufgrund unserer Distanz zu Europa und Amerika mehr als an jedem anderen Ort in neue Musikstile eintauchen, die aus der Online-Kultur stammen“, sagt James.

Da die Szene noch relativ jung ist, müssen ihre Pioniere oft improvisieren, um Veranstaltungsorte für Live-Auftritte zu finden. Carolyn Schofield, die als Fia Fiell astrale Ambient-Musik produziert, trat in Kneipen der Nachbarschaft und bei einigen DIY-Festivals lokaler Veranstalter auf. "Es ist viel schwieriger, Events in Clubs zu organisieren, als sie nur in anderen Veranstaltungsorten wie Pubs, Bars, Studios, Lagerhäusern und Galerieräumen zu veranstalten - besonders, wenn Sie elektronische Musik live spielen und nicht auflegen." sagt Schofield. Wie viele Mitglieder von Melbournes Electronic Underground sind auch Schofields Einflüsse vielfältig und reichen von Drohnen und Minimalismus bis zu nicht-westlicher Musik und Jazz. - "Ich habe das Gefühl, dass die Möglichkeiten mit elektronischer Musik endlos sind. Ich habe ein paar Jahre an der Universität gelernt, wie man notierte Musik schreibt, aber ich habe das immer mehr als eine Fähigkeit oder ein Werkzeug gesehen. Elektronische Musik zu machen war für mich immer viel einfacher, intuitiver und unterhaltsamer.“ Fia Fiell ist nur eine von vielen neuen und etablierten Künstlern, die im Untergrund von Melbourne tätig sind. Folgende Künstler stellen nur eine Momentaufnahme der weiteren Szene dar.

Rings Around Saturn, benannt nach Photeks Pharaoh Sanders-Sampling, atmosphärischem Drum & Bass-Schnitt aus dem Jahr 1995, ist der bekannteste Pseudonym von Rory McPike. McPike arbeitet in einer atemberaubenden Auswahl elektronischer Stile, vom Artcore-Dschungel bis zum ruckelnden Maschinen-Funk der 1980er-Jahre. "Ich versuche, nichts zu erzwingen oder das, womit ich arbeite, in ein bestimmtes BPM oder Genre zu formen. Auf diese Weise fühlt sich die Musik an, als käme sie von einem anderen Ort. Wenn ich mich voll und ganz damit beschäftige, sind die Endergebnisse immer besser." - "Glacial" aus seiner Erosion Part 2-Veröffentlichung auf Analogue Attic fühlt sich an wie eine glitzernde Fläche aus Permafrost, mit unheimlichen John Carpenter-Drohnen und Krautrock-Rhythmen. Egal, ob er als Rings Around Saturn oder als Dan White, Pickleman oder Turner Street Sound aufnimmt, alle Projekte von McPike zeichnen sich durch seine Vorliebe für Experimentierfreude aus.

Goin' Good EP by Rudolf C

Rudolf C (Rudolf Dorr) ist ein DJ und Produzent, der crunchy Analog-House und ungewohnten Elektro macht und zusammen mit Shedbug (Geordie Elliot-Kerr) das hoch angesehene Label Salt Mines betreibt. Seine Goin ’Good EP zu Shall Not Fade wechselt vom erhabenen Elektro-Funk von „Da Mind Da Body Soul“ zum üppigen Horizon-Chasing 4/4 des Titeltracks. "Ich versuche nicht wirklich, das Rad neu zu erfinden, ich möchte nur Clubby-House-Songs machen", sagt er. „Meiner Meinung nach hat eine gute House-Melodie eine Basslinie mit drei Tönen, einen schönen Pad-Patch und piepende Synthesizer-Geräusche: einfach und effektiv. Das Gefühl eines gesunden Wettbewerbs ist sehr hoch", erzählt er weiter. „Meine Freunde und ich versuchen ständig, uns zu bekämpfen. Jemand wird diese Brenner-Melodie zu einem Gruppen-Chat senden, und ich werde da sitzen und sagen: "Ich kann sie nicht davonkommen lassen, ich muss jetzt eine größere Melodie machen."

Songs in Your Name by Huntly

Die DJ und Produzentin Nite Fleit (Alysha Fleiter) kreiert kosmischen Techno und Elektro, der in ihren eigenen Worten von The Exaltics, Umwelt, Drexciya, Plant43 und Sync24" beeinflusst ist. Das Sydneyer Label Plastic World paart einen launischen analogen Rhythmus mit unheimlichen Riffs und gespenstischem Bass, während ihr Remix von Huntlys „Please“ eine Übung in sauer korrodiertem House ist. Die gebürtige Melbournerin entdeckte bei der Clubnacht ihres Partners, Pelvis, tiefere Tanzmusik, als sie in Sydney lebte. "Ich begann mich für einige der Platten zu interessieren, die sie spielen würden - Musik, die ich vorher nicht richtig beachtet hatte, wie New Beat, Industrial, Italo und Acid", sagt Fleiter. Die Belichtung löste ihre eigene Besessenheit mit elektronischem Sound aus und nachdem sie einige Jahre im Rahmen des Sydney-Duos Lady Shave ihre Fähigkeiten als DJ und Produzentin verfeinert hatte, zog sie zurück nach Melbourne, wo sie sowohl von der Clubszene als auch von den Off-Stars inspiriert wurde. Grid Warehouse und Parkpartys, die die Bewegung befeuern.

Where Will You Be Spending Eternity? by Francis Inferno Orchestra

Fantastic Man & Francis Inferno Orchestra (Griffin James) und Fantastic Man (Mic Newman) leiten Superconscious, ein Label, das dazu beigetragen hat, das Profil mehrerer prominenter Tanzkünstler in Melbourne zu verbessern, darunter Andras Fox und Luis CL. James und Newmans Produktionen sind wohl einige der ersten, die die Stadt auf den Plan rücken und reichen vom geräumigen Ambient House von Fantastic Mans „Rhythm Algorithm“ bis zu den psychoaktiven Traumlandschaften von „Mer Morte“ von Francis Inferno Orchesters Nebenprojekt Veranda Culture. James pendelt zwischen London und Melbourne, während Newman hauptsächlich in Berlin lebt, aber monatelang zurückkehrt. Beide haben das bemerkenswerte Wachstum der Szene bemerkt. "Vor ein paar Jahren, als ich aus Melbourne kam, fühlte ich mich als Außenseiter in der globalen Szene, weil die Leute nicht dorthin schauten", sagt Newman. "Jetzt sehen Sie, dass wir über den Sommer viele Festivals haben, bei denen die Buchungen super nett und unterirdisch sind."

The Jackal Pt 2 (BSR007) by Sleep D

Corey Kikos und Maryos Syawish sind zusammen Sleep D, eine Produktions- / DJ-Crew aus dem Vorort Frankston, die das einflussreiche Label Butter Sessions leitet. Ihre Einstellung zu Hause ist meditativ und hypnotisierend: „Bush Snake“ aus The Jackal Pt 2 EP beginnt mit geistesverändernden Drohnen und einer Säurespirale, bevor sie im letzten Akt ihre Detroit-Technostreicher enthüllen. Ihre Veröffentlichung "Red Rock" ist eine atemberaubende Tour durch zonked Ambient Techno. Sleep D´s Weg in die elektronische Musik führte über The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers und Daft Punk. "Nachdem wir Radio gehört hatten, haben wir angefangen zu produzieren, Schnitte zu machen und auf Hauspartys von Freunden aufzulegen, und wir hatten nicht viel zu tun, wo wir aufgewachsen sind", sagt Syawish. Später entdeckten sie die tieferen Nischen des Genres, indem sie online stöberten. Die Butter Sessions / Noise in My Head-Compilation Domestic Documents Vol. 2 ist eine gute Einführung in die Melbourne-Szene sowie ähnliche Acts aus Perth.

Colours Of Infinity by Colours Of Infinity

Andy Donnelly machte ursprünglich Detroiter Techno-beeinflussten Dubstep, Bassmusik und Left-Field-House unter dem Spitznamen Kloke. Doch sein jüngstes Projekt, Colors of Infinity, widmet sich dem Sound der 1970er und frühen 1980er Jahre, den Architekten elektronischer Musik. "Ich ging zurück zu den frühen Ambient, Krautrock Zeug", sagt er. "Ich habe ein paar Jahre damit verbracht, Brian Eno und Cluster zuzuhören." Sein Album “Colors of Infinity” ist eine packende, gelegentlich verstörende Platte, die von den zersplitterten Beats und kaskadierenden Synth-Arpeggios von „Bomb Shelter“ zu den Ice Cavern Blips und Pieps von „Falling Apart“ navigiert, was eine Vorliebe für Early zu Aphex Twin verrät. "Aphex Twins Selected Ambient Works Volume II war schon immer ein großer Fan von", sagt er.

[fydk-translations]

Magazine M Podcast, episode 22: Kyungsoo focus

[slight spoilers for Room No. 7. With the Gods; some parts omitted for length]

Host 1: Today, our podcast feature is on actor Do Kyungsoo. Host 2: Ah, please say it’s on Room No. 7! 1: Yes, we’ll talk a little about Room No. 7, but we’ll be sharing what we know about actor Do Kyungsoo. I asked Nahyeon [Host 2] how we should go about this because she’d recently interviewed him for a Magazine M cover, while I interviewed Shin Hakyun, and I remember laughing when I saw she sent me a wall of text that really felt full of fondness for him. 2: (laughs) 1: I heard this was your third time meeting him?  2: Yes. I haven’t been in the field for that long, so it’s hard for me to meet again with people I’ve worked with. For him, I’d seen him for Unforgettable in Goheung and another time for a cover interview. This would be the third time, for Room No. 7. I’ve felt from the beginning, when interviewing him for Unforgettable in Goheung, that he really loves movies, has from a young age. There are people who rewatch movies over and over thinking it would be interesting to direct one. When he told me he watched The Revenant twice, I asked him if he saw more the second time around. He replied that it was really engaging to see why the director made his choices, why the scenes were made the way they were. 1: With a little time, might we even see director Do Kyungsoo? (laughs) 2: Nobody knows! But we can’t rule it out, if that’s how he watches movies.

1: So this time you met him for Room No. 7. Ah, before we talk about how well Do Kyungsoo acted - it surprised me to see his hair gone when I went on site for the interviews, like he’d been drafted (laughs).  2: He was drafted! For Swing Kids, director Kang Hyungcheol’s film. He shaved his hair off for it because he’s playing a tap-dancing North Korean soldier, but even with such short hair he’s still like a pretty chestnut.  1: The shape of his head is pretty.  2: And his ears!  1: I’d just watched Room No. 7, and I was surprised - his image on the set was pretty different from Taejeong’s. He was practicing tap-dancing before they started taking pictures, and showing it to Shin Hakyun.

1: After watching all the projects he’d been in, I kept thinking that his greatest strength as an actor are his eyes. When I asked Shin Hakyun what he thought, he talked about his eyes too. Honest eyes. Whether he was staring at someone or at the screen, I’ve often heard from those in the audience that his eyes were very sincere and lovely.  2: They are very deep. So there’s a strength or charisma in them, because he expresses a lot through them. They leapt out at me when I first watched First Snow. They’re a huge asset to him in acting. A gem.

1: This is something you’ve said to me before, but when he’s D.O. of EXO, he sings really well too. A main vocal. We can’t not talk about his voice. Like when he was quietly angry in the film, things like that, his voice was quite nice.  2: Director Lee Eunhee brought it up before me, that it’s half sound and half air, a soft voice suited for melos. That sunk in for me when I was listening to my sound recordings.  1: (laughs) Replaying recordings of actors with nice voices is a happy time for us journalists.  2: I was really happy. It felt like such a waste to keep the recordings to myself. And he’s one of those people with a calm and quiet way of talking. Even when he gets excited about a movie and his voice gets higher he’ll go no further than, “Ah, right! That was really good!”  1: Let me listen to the recordings later. I’m curious. (laughs) 2: (laughs) I can share them with you on Kakaotalk. 1: I’ll give them a listen.

1: Something that made me think he’s really good at acting is that - he’s in EXO, and at first glance he gives the appearance that he doesn’t know much hardship. But as an actor, he focuses completely on the character. He’s taken on very difficult roles. Dark and difficult characters that he expressed in a real, believable manner in Cart, Brother - and in Room No. 7 too, as a student buried in debt and has no choice but to do bad things.  2: Taejeong is a character with a lot of baggage. He keeps studying music and making demo tapes for his dream. Whenever he mails out a demo tape, he frets over whether or not to put a four-leaf clover sticker on them; he has an innocent side. But he needs money and will assist seedy people in exchange for their help. He smokes, has a tattoo. He’s layered, but not in an over-obvious way. We see all that in Taejeong’s character. I think Do Kyungsoo digested the character well. This interview, I asked him again how he approached characters without having lived the same life, and his answer was the same as always. That no matter how different they were from each other, they still have many facets to them. He’ll keep drawing on them until the character and the human have middle ground, then he’ll flesh that out. He said that he really enjoys that part of his job, and that in Room No. 7′s case, Taejeong’s character came very easily to him. 1: Maybe because Taejeong is older and familiar to him through his actor, singer, or other friends.

1: Could SME have known Do Kyungsoo would be such an acting prodigy? (laughs) 2: To be honest, I had an interview with Kangin a while ago. After it finished, he looked at a picture of Do Kyungsoo that was up in our studio and said nobody knew D.O. would be so good at acting. It caught everyone off guard. 1: He’s very busy as an idol. A movie is about to release, he’s filming another one, EXO is working on a new album, and they’re preparing a new concert tour as well. He must be so busy.  2: You know people who are truly swamped? He had the eyes of someone who was, so I asked him if he was alright at our interview and he said that this was the busiest he’s been since debut. 1: I’ve noticed while on the same set with him is that he’s really good about walking around. The majority of celebrities stay in their waiting room or something similar, but he was outside to chat with the staff, to greet Shin Hakyun, to socialize and to wander.  2: He walked in alone for our Unforgettable interview. He didn’t have his manager and was wearing a backpack and glasses, and said ‘hello’ as he entered. (laughs) He looked so much like a college student that I wondered if it was really him. When I asked him why he was alone, he said the car was looking for parking. That’s his style.  1: It was seriously nice to see. 2: It’s beautiful.

1: Do you have anything else you’d like to share from your interviews with him? 2: Anything else? I have several. When I asked him about what he wanted or liked to do, like a hobby, he said tap-dancing. Then I asked him for something completely unrelated to work, so he said cooking, lately. I asked him for details and he said he’d been making a lot of braised fish, braised dishes nowadays.  1: Oh my, that kind of home cooking? Not stuff like pasta? 2: Yes, he follows his mother’s recipes or looks them up. He’d recently invited over all the EXO members to cook for them and recited the menu in detail to me: byeongeo-jorim, tteokgalbi, stir-fried rice. (laughs) A guy who’d make braised fish - I thought that was remarkable. 1: He seems able to do anything. 2: He likes eating a lot too but it makes him feel even better to see others enjoy his food, which was even more heartwarming. I was amazed that this boy, this young man had that kind of heart. Do Kyungsoo has an incredibly amicable, balanced personality. 

1: It’s surprising how much he changes to get in-character for the camera. He seems to have a good sense for that. When I interviewed Shin Hakyun, he said there were quite a few ad-libs in Room No. 7. Actors might mention them ahead of time but not in detail. But whenever he made one, Do Kyungsoo would receive it well. This isn’t a spoiler, but there’s a scene where the two eat pizza together after a fight. 2: (laughs) That one was really funny. 1: In that scene, Shin Hakyun keeps pestering Taejeong and that was apparently an ad-lib. (laughs) Taejeong seemed genuinely annoyed. Shin Hakyun was pleased with how Do Kyungsoo would go along with him. 2: Their fights were like that too, all the swinging and throwing. I said that if two actors could do that, that must mean they trusted each other a lot, and Do Kyungsoo said yes he did, very much.  1: We haven’t interviewed the director yet but will soon. That he was able to cast Shin Hakyun and Do Kyungsoo - 2: He said he couldn’t even imagine it, before. A lot of people are looking forward to this movie because they’d watched 10 Minutes. Everyone who had watched it enjoyed it, Do Kyungsoo included. 1: Room No. 7 is another movie that takes place in a cramped space. It has a lot to chew on, social commentary that many will relate to. We both enjoyed it very much. The actors’ performance as well. The young feeling Do Kyungsoo gave... 2: Ah, my heart hurts for Taejeong. 1: He’s an actor now. We honestly don’t meet idols often, as film journalists. But he’s the actor we look forward to more than any other actor.  2: He’s just good at it. Dooshik is a man of action while Taejeong is an observer. To be honest, it’s easier to act as the former than the latter in a movie. But he pulls it off. With the level of detail he showed, I got the impression he puts a lot of thought into his performances. But he’s not calculating either. Can I say that he’s not very good at explaining himself with words? I feel bad for it but sometimes I have to ask him if he could elaborate some more on an answer, that it could make writing an article a little bit easier. And he’d say that he doesn’t know how to say it in words. He’s apologetic about it and tries his best. When I see that, it makes me think he’s not method acting but takes a mixed approach, uses his imagination too. It makes for a solid, level style. Something I hope for is more bright roles. I know in With the Gods, his character is a soldier who had died a tragic death in the source work.  1: Do you think Swing Kids will be happier?  2: It’s by Kang Hyungcheol, it has dancing and music. We can hope. 1: Just imagine how well he’ll do. 2: I did ask him that even if he dances to choreography, is tap dancing not hard? And he said no, it was like learning a new instrument. 1: If you’re someone who likes to learn new things, no wonder. 2: He said it’s so fun he could die. I said out loud without meaning to that he had so many talents. Acting, singing, dancing, cooking... 1: I hope he can keep acting for us. There’s no need for the idol title anymore. I hope to interview him too. I’ve only heard a bunch of things about him.  2: Though I don’t think he’s the type of person who can talk at length about something. In my experience with him, I had to keep asking him questions on a topic to get fuller answers. 

2: Writer Noh Heekyung is quite fond of him too.  1: It really sort of feels like with every movie, he converts the writer or director or reviewers into fans.  2: Yeah, it’s amazing. There’s a part of me that loves successful idols-turned-actors like Im Siwan and Do Kyungsoo. All I ask for is that they film more projects. 1: We both cheer for them to keep going when we see them. We look forward to seeing more of Do Kyungsoo and hope to see a lot of attention on Room No. 7, which is opening on the 15th. Our magazine’s feature for it will release on the 17th. Shin Hakyun and Do Kyungsoo are both in it, and the pictures turned out very nicely. This was all we had prepared for today. Please leave us your thoughts on today’s feature and Do Kyungsoo. We look forward to the next time!

source: podbbang (from 17:10 to 51:10)| translation: fydk

[dragonsxng]

Tag Dump

Someone Beyond Us || OOC

Extending Wings || Promo

The Dragons Soar || RP

Avenging Angel || Citrine

chocolateheir is online || IC Blogging

Rolling Thunder || Fayalite

strikingheir is online || IC Blogging

How Worrisome! || Hana

waywardmoon is online || IC Blogging

Ray of Sunshine || Lilium

starry-ribbon is online || IC Blogging

Musical Prodigy || Clover

quietsongs is online || IC Blogging

Feisty Ball of Fluff || Fern

square-up is online || IC Blogging

Loveliest of Branches || Freya

Summer Child with Heavy Eyes || Titania

A Flower by any Name || Aria

The Broodmother || Topaz

Let’s Go to the Paradise Land! || Spectrolite

Too Lost to the Ice For Saving || Lizzie

Royal Summons || Starter Call

Open Invitation || Open Starter

Questions Asked || Answer

Relayed Messages || Reblog

Dreams While They Sleep || Drabbles

Images of Rulers || Art

Tattered Photos || Sketches

Dragons do Blep || Crack

Just People Watching || Dash Commentary

Truly Fascinating || Headcannons

Twenty-One Questions || Ask Meme

Counting Stars and Magic || Mainverse

Fun Little Distractions || Dash Games

What a Relatable Thing || Musings

[wcrldtcpa]

As much as he brags about his ability to navigate the world, much of it is thanks to the link he has with his sister through the morphogenetic field. Though he loathes to admit it, he’s very dependent on Clover to help him, as she uses her ability to help him “see” the world around them. While Clover rarely does him the disservice of directly mentioning that he’s a bit worse for wear when the two are apart, Light knows that it is one of the biggest reasons she never leaves his side.

On the rare occasion he and his sister are apart from each other, he does use a guide cane. He didn’t have it with him during either Nonary Games, but Clover’s guidance and the assistance of those he was trapped with both times made it’s absence unmissed.

He’s a prodigy when it comes to music. Even after the accident, he pushed himself to learn to work with his prosthetic to continue playing the harp and piano. Light began composing music when he was five. Up until the first Nonary Game made his mother unsure of letting her children ever be far from her, he had dreams of going to college to pursue music further.

As an SOIS Agent, he still dedicates most of his time to his music and writing. He speeds through his work for the organization so he can return his attention to his compositions.

[curkroymusicjunkie]

🚨 8th Post 🚨

JoJo - The Impeccable Prodigious Survivor/ Young Legend In The Making

Vocal Range: G#2-G5/G#5- C7

Vocal Tessitura: Eb4-Eb5

Vocal Type: Light-Lyric (Coloratura) Mezzo Soprano

Supported Range: C3/C#3-E5/F5-B5/C6 (Large 🤩) even able to extend her support on occasions to B2-F#5-C#6 she is beastly closely pairing her w/ Beyoncé’s Supported Range 😱😱😱

Where can I start w/ Joanna Levesque ⁉️⁉️⁉️

Hands down a SURVIVOR ‼️‼️‼️

She has passed the numerous insurmountable odds that’s been placed before her and survived every obstacle musically & in life that’s been thrown to her - this woman is indeed a living WONDER WOMAN , singing since the age of 3 - !!!

Probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest VOCALISTS UNDER 30 years old #Facts JoJo is phenomenal ‼️

She continues to show constant support & resonance throughout her entire range and advanced musicality in her works and even powerful conviction in her delivery 🎤🎤

She is grand and great, possessing beautiful supple lows, resonant and bright/piecing belts and a beautiful resonant upper register 💯

Her melismatic prowess is one of the best of this generation , rivaled by Tori Kelly, Avery Wilson, Yebba, & Peter Collins - Jojo is a singer’s singer ‼️‼️

Able to access all parts of her range @ command, Jojo is phenomenal and truly is a force to be reckoned with !!!

2 Terms to describe her Voice is Precise & Soulful 🎤🎤🎤

Welcome JoJo, The Vocalist Of This Current Generation (Arguably) ❤️‼️🎤 Love ❤️ her and her Truthful Personification of Being A Hard-Working, Tenacious Agent of Discipline and Perseverance. I Respect This Lady 🎤❤️‼️

Must LISTENS are (ALL HER SONGS) but Man, Say Love, Glory, Caught Up In The Rapture, Save My Soul, Wonder Woman, Too Little Too Late, Note To God, Who’s Loving You Live, I Am, Mad Love, I Can Only , Take Me Home, Reckless, Clovers, Sabotage & Joanna.

#Jojo #JoannaLevesque #MadLove #GoodToKnow #TheHighRoad #Jojo #LyricMezzo #MezzoSoprano #Prodigy #Technique #4Octaves #Soulful #Man #TooLittleTooLate #GetOut #Coloratura #Vocalist #Voice #Singer #Curkroy #Legendary #WhistleRegister #Singing

[cherry-valentine]

So here’s what I’m watching in the Fall 2017 Anime Season:

Juuni Taisen was the first new series I tried this season and it’s become one of my favorites. It’s an action show that pulls no punches and really enjoys messing with audience expectations. The ending of the first episode was a genuine surprise, and the following episodes have refused to fall neatly into overly familiar or tropey territory. Even when something tropey happens, it happens in a fresh and unexpected way. The art is great, with a nice variety in character designs. I was extremely amused by the fact that the most scantily-clad character is a man (a bunny man at that, wearing almost nothing). It’s little things like this that make the show fun. The opening and ending themes are very catchy (I especially like the art that goes along with the ending theme, showing all these crazy, violent characters in their normal, everyday lives and doing a nice job of humanizing them). High on my watch list. Black Clover is something of a disappointment, if only because it had been hyped up so much in the fandom circles I’m part of. If I had gone into it with zero expectations (and, honestly, if this had been a slower season), I might have liked it a lot. But as it stands, I went in expecting something amazing and was underwhelmed. I’m still watching, don’t get me wrong. The show has its good points and I’ll get to that. But overall I’m not super impressed with it. So the good things are the art, the interesting take on a magic-based society, and Yuno. In that order. My main issue with this series, and this might sound petty to some people, is the fact that the main character, Asta, is so damned annoying. He never speaks. He screams. Constantly. Incessantly. It literally hurts my ears. It’s to the point that I keep the remote in my hand so I can push mute when he starts screaming. It’s that bad. To some people, it’s not that big of a deal and isn’t that bad. But for me personally, it’s a major pet peeve of mine. I just can’t stand the constant screaming. Maybe it’s because loud, abrasive noises trigger migraines for me. Anywho, I’m also a little disappointed that I’ve been able to accurately predict every single thing that has happened in the show. And it’s not that I’m particularly good at predicting things. The show is just that formulaic. Of COURSE Asta is going to be the underdog who can’t use magic. Of COURSE Yuno is going to be a magic prodigy. Of COURSE Asta is going to end up with a grimmoire that’s different from everyone else’s (and probably more powerful). Of COURSE he’s going to end up with the outcast squad of magic knights that no one wants to join. Of freaking COURSE. And oops, I spoiled some things there but not really because anyone with a brain would see these developments coming a mile away. I’m still watching, but it’s dangling from the bottom of my watch list. Sengoku Nightblood is a very pretty otome series that basically takes all the famous warlords and soldiers from the Sengoku period and turns them into clans of vampires, werewolves (pretty boys with cute wolf ears!), and various other mythological creatures. Did I mention the show is pretty? Because it’s SUPER PRETTY. And that’s basically why I’m still watching. The series is a little low on plot and the heroine is bland as hell (to the point that she might as well not even be there) but dang, those vampires and werewolves and fox boys sure are pretty! Not to mention the gorgeous backgrounds and outfits. The show is basically a treat for your eyes, and not much else. But boy is it a tasty treat. Evil or Live is a Japanese dubbed Chinese series that falls in line with previous Chinese series I’ve watched over the past several seasons: an interesting concept, a few cool characters, and subpar animation. This obviously doesn’t apply to all Chinese shows (the amazing Quan Zhi Gao Shou from the summer season is a notable exception), but it’s the trend I’ve noticed, especially among Tencent productions. This time we have a show that’s almost scary in how possible it is to actually happen. It’s about a super strict boarding school where teens are sent when their parents think they’re too addicted to the internet and/or their smart phones. And from the start, we’re not presented with a clear-cut, black and white situation. There’s a huge moral gray area, which is refreshing. The school, and the people who work there, are depicted as ruthless and oftentimes cruel. But at the same time, the students are shown to be no angels. Even the protagonist, whom we’re rooting for, was revealed to be a rude, ungrateful little asshole to his mother in flashbacks (though he does regret his behavior once he’s at the school and has time to reflect on why he’s there). Many of the other students are manipulative or just downright mean, and many do display clear signs of actual addiction, which makes it hard to totally condemn the school as evil. Overall, it’s a compelling setup that makes you think. Unfortunately, the show is marred by lackluster art/design and the typical low budget animation I expect from Tencent. The art isn’t bad. It’s just unremarkable and unmemorable. If you can look over that, however, the show is definitely worth watching. Tsukipro is apparently a spinoff series to the very fun Tsukiuta from a few seasons back. I would have preferred an actual second season for Tsukiuta but oh well. This is better than nothing. Instead of two cute, well-developed boy bands, we get four not-quite-as-interesting boy bands. What I liked about Tsukiuta was that it took a fairly serious, realistic look at what it meant to be in a boy band while also throwing in some light supernatural elements that somehow fit (we had a ghost, aliens, and the fact that band leader Shu is an actual demon lord, albeit a very nice one). So far Tsukipro has had no supernatural elements and is a tad bland. I’m also finding it hard to connect with any of the characters because there’s just too many of them to keep up with and it’s very difficult to keep straight who is who. Some of them even look very similar to each other (and not just the band that has a set of twins). I’m hoping the characters get more development as the series continues, and I’ll be waiting for those quirky supernatural elements. King’s Game was one of my early favorites and is still very high on my watch list. It has a great hook that puts a fresh (and supernatural) twist on the “group of teenagers forced into a deadly game” concept. Instead of being forced to kill each other, an external force does the killing if they fail to obey the orders that are sent to them via text. The series doesn’t shy away from violence or sex (several characters get sex-related orders, including one poor guy who is ordered to have sex before midnight, but the order comes in so late that he only has a few minutes to obey). The show is tense and dramatic, with nearly every single scene having dangerously high stakes. It puts you on edge in the best possible way. There’s also that mysterious, supernatural angle, as the characters try to figure out who the King actually is. The only drawback, so far, is that the art and animation are fairly generic. This is easy to overlook, considering how strong the story is. The music is great, particularly the ending theme. A major contender for favorite of the season (and almost definitely my favorite new show of the season). Kino’s Journey is something I’ve heard a lot about, but I’ve never watched the older anime or read any of the manga/novels/whatever. Still, I’ve been in anime fandom circles long enough to know the basic concept so I decided to try this new series. I was surprised by how pleasant the show is, and also by how violent it is. The series does an excellent job of balancing the (mostly self-contained) stories of each episode between mild, sweet tales and action-packed gun battles. There’s also a very interesting mix of settings, with some “countries” Kino visits being quaint Victorian-esque towns while others are technologically advanced modern cities. I was also surprised by Kino herself. While a generally nice and pleasant person, she can be quite ruthless and often ignores the plights of others. She’s also badass to the point that fights involving her are almost boring. But the show really is about exploration and expanding horizons rather than who wins a shootout. Even the more violent episodes leave you with a sense of comfort and satisfaction. It’s enough to make anyone want to go out and travel the world. Dies Irae is a series I’m conflicted about. It had an “episode zero” prologue that was awesome and made me think this was going to be a favorite, but the following episodes have yet to live up to the prologue’s promise. They’re not bad at all though, so I’m not sure how to judge the show. I’m a bit mad at it for getting my hopes up, but I’m still enjoying it. The art and design are awesome. The characters are cool. The back story for the villains (basically the prologue) is very interesting. The ending theme is badass. My main issue is that it seems to be taking forever for things to get going after episode zero. I don’t know how many episodes this show is going to have, but I’m guessing it’s 12-13, and at this rate, absolutely nothing is going to be resolved. It also occasionally creeps into harem territory (a byproduct of being based on a game, I suppose). So far it’s avoided being an outright harem series but there are a few too many lady characters being flirty with the protagonist for my taste. This is just a persona preference thing though. It still has a solid spot on my watch list. Garo: Vanishing Line is something I was excited about. I’ve watched and enjoyed previous Garo anime (though I haven’t tried the live action shows, sadly). They took place in more historical settings, so in my mind, I tend to associate Garo with that type of story. That’s why Vanishing Line, with its futuristic, sci-fi setting, seemed so interesting to me. It’s a quality show, with some great action sequences and a memorable visual style. My only problem with the show is that I’m just not as into the characters as I was in previous Garo anime. I like the protagonist, Sword (gotta love that name), and it’s nice to have a more cheerful, upbeat hero in the Golden Armor, but I don’t know enough about him to really care about him as a character. We’re almost halfway through the season and I don’t know a single thing about him that I didn’t know at the end of the first episode. The supporting cast isn’t much better. They seem cool and they look awesome but with the exception of the plucky young girl sidekick, I don’t know anything about them. Still yet, the show is a fun, wild ride. Net-juu no Susume is probably my second favorite new show this season behind King’s Game. It’s about a group of characters playing an MMO, but in this show it’s very clear that the game is a hobby that they enjoy, and not a death trap or any such nonsense. We also get a lot of scenes of the characters outside the game, which is nice. It’s basically a sweet and funny love story about a lady shut in (an adult! wow!) playing a young male character in the game and growing attached to a cute young girl in the game, who is secretly being played by a handsome but shy adult man. The show is adorable, and it’s so nice to see a romance anime involving an MMO that stars adult characters. The art is colorful and cute and the music is peppy and fun. It’s very much a feel-good show that’s highly entertaining. Super high on my watch list. March Comes in Like a Lion Season Two was such a nice surprise. I hadn’t even heard that season two was airing this year, so I was really happy to see it pop up on Crunchyroll. This is the show I almost didn’t watch because I didn’t get the first half of episode one. Thankfully I kept watching and realized how amazing it was. This series would be a great example to use to explain how animation can be a powerful storytelling medium, and to demonstrate how animation can accomplish things that no other medium can. The way the show conveys emotions with various color schemes and simple imagery is just beautiful. If you can sit through a whole season of this series and not cry at least once, you might be dead inside. It handles a lot of complex feelings and relationships with care and tact. It’s slow paced and very introspective, so it’s definitely not for everyone. But if you like this sort of anime, you need to be watching it. Code Realize is a steampunk otome series where famous fictional people like Victor Frankenstein and Van Helsing are reimagined as, you guessed it, romantic pretty boys! It’s actually not as stupid as it sounds, and there’s a sense of adventure flowing through the story. The character designs are great and there’s some lovely steampunk scenery. The heroine is actually interesting this time, with a mysterious past you’ll likely want to find out more about and a strange “curse” that makes everything she touches dissolve as if dipped in acid. I also liked that she is taught some basic self defense moves so that she won’t be completely helpless in a fight, something I wish more otome heroines could do, since they tend to get attacked/kidnapped/harassed a lot. It happened in a fairly realistic way too, since it didn’t automatically make her a badass, but she can provide support in a pinch. The guys are a mixed bag, covering some of the usual types but none of them being reduced to JUST their stereotypes. One of the better otome series I’ve watched in the past few seasons. Kekkai Sensen Season Two, or as the much more awesome English title calls it, “Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond”, is currently at the top of my watch list (King’s Game is my favorite new show, but overall BBB&B is the best). I absolutely loved season one with its over the top craziness. It had violence and humor and outlandish settings and characters, all grounded by a likable, down-to-earth lead and a fun, casual vibe. Season two has all of that as well. So far this season seems to be avoiding an overarching plot in favor of fleshing out some of the characters who didn’t get enough development in season one (I was so happy to finally get a Chain-centric episode and to find out how awesome she really is). I kind of miss the moments of poignancy that were scattered through season one, but we’ve still got time for some of that to show up in season two. I was also wondering how they were going to top the season one ending theme, which is still one of my all-time favorites. The new theme isn’t as good (though that’s an extremely high standard to meet), but it’s definitely fun and quirky and probably my favorite of the season. And this is something I said about the first season, that still holds true: this show is FUN. It radiates FUN. Even when things get relatively serious or dangerous, it’s FUN. And all that fun is infectious. Gintama is on... what season now? It all gets a bit muddled when the show has been going for this long. There’s not a lot to say about the Gintama series as a whole that I haven’t said before. All I can do is strongly, firmly, with all of my being, recommend it to everyone who likes anime. Gintama is one of those shows that will change your life. It’s a show you’ll wonder how you lived without. That being said, this season is more of the same. I think it could have opened on stronger episodes, but this is a series in which even the weaker episodes are extremely entertaining. My one real complaint is that the stories being animated now apparently came before the major story lines of the last season in the manga, as there are characters in this season that died last season. It was a little confusing, to be honest. I’m not sure what they could do to fix this problem, and I guess most viewers in Japan are familiar with the manga and so it’s not an issue for them. It’s not a huge issue but it was a little jarring. Despite this, the show as a whole is still one of my all-time favorites.