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wlwcatalogue · 8 months

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Some WLW (?) Jdrama & Kdrama recommendations!

Jdramas and Kdramas have a (not-entirely-unearned) reputation for being very straight, but here are a few which are either canonically F/F or which prominently feature a female-female pair-- please enjoy! For those who enjoy following series in real time, Chaser Game W and She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat S2 are both airing this January 2024 :)

As with my post on anime with yuri subtext, since subtext is so subjective, this list only includes series which I’ve actually watched, and so is by no means intended to be comprehensive. Also, it doesn't include any webseries, since those probably deserve a post of their own.

At-a-glance list:

Miss Sherlock (8 episodes, 2018) (subtext)

Night Light (20 episodes, 2016) (subtext)

Tokusatsu Gagaga (7 episodes, 2019) (subtext)

Painter of the Wind (20 episodes, 2008) (canon?)

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat (10 15-minute episodes and counting, 2022~) (canon)

Sono Toki, Heart wa Nusumareta (5 episodes, 1992) (canon)

Chaser Game W (10? 30-minute episodes, 2024) (canon)

Doctor X (7 seasons and counting, 2012~) (subtext)

Bonus: SKY Castle (20 episodes, 2018) (subtext)

Summaries under the cut!

1. Miss Sherlock / ミス・シャーロック (8 episodes, 2018) (subtext) – MyDramaList | AsianWiki

The elevator pitch for this show is simple: it’s Sherlock Holmes, but where Holmes and Watson – here named “Sherlock” and Tachibana Wato, and played by Takeuchi Yuko and Kanjiya Shihori, respectively – are both female, and the cases are all set in modern Tokyo. As with other adaptations, mystery-solving and the budding relationship between the two leads takes centre stage, but Miss Sherlock manages to carve out an identity all its own.

There’s a calm beauty to its visuals, which favour sunlight and urban greenery, and the show’s focus on former doctor Wato as she tries out new jobs and goes to therapy means that there’s a surprisingly high number of slice-of-life scenes. It’s also subtly more female-focused than the source material; Sherlock’s gossipy but good-natured landlady Ms. Hatano (Ito Ran) is as much a member of the household as Sherlock and Wato, and the cases often revolve around female characters. But more than anything, it’s just really fun to watch Sherlock and Wato’s relationship bloom as they snip and snipe and are utterly unable to stay out of each other’s space (literally – the body language and blocking is *chef’s kiss*). Their relationship is the heart of the show – watch this one until the end, you won’t regret it!

(CW: psychological abuse, manipulation, and genre-typical murder, violence, and gore)

2. Night Light / 불야성 (20 episodes, 2016) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

(Note: spoilers for the mid-season twist, but it’s impossible to allude to a good portion of the F/F subtext without doing so, and I think knowing the twist ahead of time doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.)

Night Light is a rather odd show. It’s simple enough on the face of it, a story about successful but ruthless CEO Seo Yi-kyung (an icy Lee Yo-won) who tries to mold the younger Lee Se-jin (a puppy-eyed Uee) in her own ambitious image, only for her protege to develop the conscience she never had and move to stop her dastardly plans… but upon watching it’s a totally different creature, thanks to the alchemic reactions of some delightfully contradictory acting choices (Uee’s performance convinces viewers less of Se-jin’s supposed latent desire for power and money, and more of a deep love and devotion for the CEO) and the unintentionally (?) inneundo-laden script (“If I like something once, I never forget it– whether it’s a dress… or a person,” declares the CEO less than ten minutes into the first episode while gazing intently at Se-jin).

Honestly, it’s a wonder this series ever got made, but you certainly won’t see me complaining! The first part is full of boss/subordinate goodness; Se-jin is unable to resist the CEO’s magnetic pull despite her hot-and-cold behaviour, while the CEO cannot bring herself to push Se-jin away completely. And then, when Se-jin makes her mind up to stop the CEO, it morphs into a corporate take on a (subtextual) lovers-on-opposite-sides situation, where it is precisely Se-jin’s feelings for the CEO that motivate her to stop her. In short, it’s a workplace GL fan’s dream.

Note: If you do watch it, skip the corporate politicking cutscenes with the old men, you’ll thank me later. Also, there’s a prominent male character who is the CEO’s ex and who works closely with Se-jin in the second half, but don’t worry, all the M/F romance is in the past (and doesn’t get much screentime)– he and Se-jin aren’t interested in each other at all.

3. Tokusatsu Gagaga / トクサツガガガ (7 episodes, 2019) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

Nakamura Kano (Koshiba Fuka) lives and breathes tokusatsu shows (think Power Rangers, if you’re not familiar), but keeps it a secret from her work colleagues to avoid being shunned or laughed at. And yet she yearns for connection, so when she sees a woman on the subway bearing a keychain from her favourite show (Yoshida Hisami, played by Kurashina Kana), she is determined to find her again.

Although ostensibly about being a tokusatsu fan as an adult, this show is rife with queer subtext, and not in the usual way. It deals with the difficulties of staying in the closet (regarding being an adult tokusatsu fan), the desire to connect with other queer people adult tokusatsu fans and how one might do so through hints and signals, parental disapproval arising from gendered and social expectations (that tokusatsu shows are for boys, and magical girl shows for girls), intersectionality and finding comradeship with other minorities people who are excluded due to their interests, and even generational gaps wherein younger queers fans may underestimate the obstacles that still exist. Although all that might sound a bit stressful, it isn’t actually! Difficult incidents are handled with sympathy and a dash of wry humour, and the show never loses sight of the fact that it – above all else – is a story about finding queer community in the face of a heteronormative hostile world, told with warmth and the nuance of lived experience.

4. Painter of the Wind / 바람의 화원 (20 episodes, 2008) (canon?) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

Adapting the novel of the same name by Lee Jung-myung, Painter of the Wind takes as its protagonist a gender-bent version of real-life Joseon-era painter Shin Yun-bok (Moon Geun-young), whose paintings are used to weave a tale of artistry, political intrigue, and romance, and more than anything else to offer modern-day viewers a glimpse of everyday life in 18th-century Korea.

While it may sound like Dickinson’s boring cousin, apart from having a common preoccupation with reframing historical works, another similarity the two shows share is that Painter of the Wind is also very gay. Starting from the first episode, Yun-bok meets and becomes fascinated by the courtesan Jung-hyang (Moon Chae-won), who despite her initial aloofness is drawn to Yun-bok’s intellect and sensitive demeanour. It’s a real meeting of the minds, their witty repartee in early episodes reminiscent of Twelfth Night’s Viola and Olivia, and their relationship isn’t siloed off from the main plot either: Yun-bok’s infatuation quickly starts causing issues with her academic career, and the two eventually have to contend with Jung-hyang’s precarious position as a courtesan as well.

Unfortunately, all this is undermined in the back half of the show, which tries to gaslight viewers into thinking that Yun-bok’s feelings for Jung-hyang were purely platonic all along and that she totally has romantic feelings for her much older male mentor— but hey, at least it’s an open ending. Despite everything, though, I can’t think of another serious historical TV show which features such a prominent F/F narrative for its main character, even nearly two decades later. (Let me know if you have any others! And no, Gentleman Jack doesn’t count, it’s not exactly traditional in style!)

(CW: period-typical sexism)

5. She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat / 作りたい女と食べたい女 (10 15-minute episodes and counting, 2022~) (canon) - MyDramaList

Based on Yuzaki Sakaomi’s manga of the same name, this simple but sweet show follows home-cooking extraordinaire Nomoto Yuki (Higa Manami), who yearns to cook large-scale dishes but doesn’t eat enough to justify making them. Luckily for her, her neighbour Kasuga Totoko (Nishino Emi) has a massive appetite!

It’s always lovely to see more grounded stories about working women, especially when they’re as cute as this one. Though it touches upon some slightly more serious issues, such as with regard to gendered expectations surrounding food and cooking, it’s primarily a feel-good slice-of-life show about two women getting to know each other by cooking and eating delicious food together.

Side note: if you’ve started it and think the show doesn’t look cosy enough, stick it out for a few more episodes, the production values improve after the first part! Also, the series was renewed for a second season with double the episode count (for a total of 20 episodes) which will start airing on January 29th this year, so this is the perfect time to jump in!

6. Sono Toki, Heart wa Nusumareta / その時、ハートは盗まれた (5 episodes, 1992) (canon) - MyDramaList

Sono Heart, as it’s nicknamed, starts off as a typical heteronormative high school romance: bumbling protagonist Shiina Hiroko (Isshiki Sae) is desperate to get closer to her crush Katase Masato (Kimura Takuya), star of the school basketball team and all-round nice dude. However, a spanner in the works comes slouching along in the form of female classmate Aso Saki (Uchida Yuki, in her debut role), a mischievous, short-haired personification of trouble who Katase turns out to have feelings for. One day, Hiroko gets into a fight with Saki, and they end up having to stay together after school as punishment. But that afternoon gives them the opportunity to bond over a heart-to-heart conversation, and things seem to improve… until, just before leaving, Saki kisses Hiroko. And then everything changes.

Or rather, everything changes eventually. What’s great about this show is that it doesn’t take shortcuts: Hiroko doesn’t instantly fall in love with Saki. Instead, what you get is a surprisingly layered portrait of a high school girl whose coming to terms with queerness is merely a natural extension of reckoning with her burgeoning sexuality. And, because Saki is self-destructive in her depression and makes a game of belittling, worrying, and infuriating anyone who cares about her, it’s really a story about what it means to love another person rather than a romantic ideal. A word of warning, though: Katase is actually quite a large character, as he and Hiroko end up becoming friends. Also, the ending is very abrupt and inconclusive, though rest assured that it doesn’t try to roll back Hiroko’s feelings, or pair either girl off with a guy.

(CW: self-harm, attempted suicide, bullying, homophobia, underage drinking)

7. Chaser Game W: Power Harassment Boss Is My Ex-Girlfriend / チェイサーゲームW: パワハラ上司は私の元カノ (10? 30-minute episodes, 2024) (canon) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

Probably jumping the gun here as only two episodes have aired as of writing, but I feel honour-bound to recommend this as it’d probably appeal to a lot of people, if only they knew about it! Chaser Game W is a standalone spin-off of Chaser Game, itself an adaptation of a manga of the same name by Matsuyama Hiroshi and Matsushima Yukitarou, but you don’t need to know anything going in.

Protagonist Harumoto Itsuki (former Keyakizaka46 captain Sugai Yuuka) has been assigned a new job: her company has been asked by a Chinese conglomerate to develop a game adaptation of a GL manhua, and she’s been tapped as the project leader. However, what appears to be an exciting prospect soon becomes a terrifying one, as the person sent by the client to supervise turns out to be her ex-girlfriend from university (Lin Dongyu, played by Japanese actress Nakamura Yurika), who is now married to a Chinese man (played by a Japanese actor) and has a child, but remains hell-bent on exacting revenge on Itsuki for their bad breakup. This is a romantic (melo)drama rather than a psychological thriller, though, so you won’t be watching Itsuki getting terrorised the entire time. While she is understandably upset by her ex’s current behaviour, Itsuki can’t forget about their happy days together, and Dongyu herself veers between being a sneering bully and craving Itsuki’s affection.

Do note that the show isn’t without its flaws: it’s very Japanese about the Chinese thing, which is to say it’s filled with comments which range from somewhat offensive to borderline racist, and the script will probably give you a headache if you know even the slightest thing about game development. Your mileage might vary on the ex too, as she can be really quite nasty to Itsuki and her teammates. But if you can overlook those issues, this is a rare prize indeed: a TV drama focusing on a canonical F/F pair, who are specifically exes, and in a workplace setting.

(CW: bullying)

8. Doctor X / ドクターX (7 seasons and counting, 2012~) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

To be very honest, I was in two minds about including Doctor X on this list. It is, with a few notable exceptions, misogynistic and reductive in its depictions of women (especially in the first two seasons), gives too much screentime to objectively awful and subjectively annoying men, doesn’t respect the work done by medical personnel apart from surgeons, and on the technical front is formulaic, repetitive, and often lazy in its writing and presentation. Unfortunately, the dynamic between the genius surgeon protagonist Daimon Michiko (Yonekura Ryoko) and her anaesthesiologist wife partner friend Jounouchi Hiromi (Uchida Yuki) is almost unparalleled in its excellence.

The premise of the series is basic indeed: Daimon Michiko is a freelance surgeon with a healthy disrespect of rules and authority and, unluckily for her detractors, a cast-iron guarantee that she will succeed in any surgery, no matter how difficult. She’s initially portrayed as a lone wolf who’s dismissive of the entire hospital system and anyone who’s part of it— but her interest is piqued by the anaesthesiologist Jounouchi, who is skilled beyond her peers and chafes against the idiocy of her colleagues. For all its flaws, the first season – which is more serious and edgy in tone compared to the others, and isn’t an ensemble cast like the post-S3 seasons – is a fantastic depiction of two people being perfectly matched in skill, intellect, and outlook, and how they come together despite one being standoffish (Jounouchi) and the other not being used to reaching out to or even respecting other people (Daimon).

The seasons after that sadly ditch the emphasis on Jounouchi being Daimon’s professional equal, but in exchange offer up another rare and unexpected gift: two women in their late thirties / early forties who are partners both at work and in private. Jounouchi is Daimon’s designated anaesthesiologist, assisting with nearly every surgery, and she spends so much time at Daimon’s agency-office-slash-house you’d think she’d moved in. Also, after a point they just start being wonderfully dorky and comfortable with each other, while still being consummate professionals in the operating theatre. Although the show is very much focused on Daimon Michiko as its sole protagonist, Jounouchi is undoubtedly the character most significant to her – even more than Daimon’s father figure, the head of the freelance agency – and this is highlighted in the story from time to time. They are very, very good. I just wish the series was better.

Note: If you’re curious, I would recommend watching the very first episode in full– by the end you should know if you’re invested enough to continue, otherwise drop it and live in the happy knowledge that you dodged a bullet. If you aren’t so lucky, I’d advise skipping the surgery segments when they start to bore, and in general to skip liberally. Also, season 4 is not worth watching as a whole, except for the last two episodes, which absolutely should not be missed. Sigh. I can’t speak to seasons 6 and 7, due to having paused mid-S6.

Side note: If you’ve watched Doctor X already and liked it (or at least like Daimon and Jounouchi), but haven’t tried Miss Sherlock yet, definitely give that a go because there seems to be a big overlap in the fandoms. Maybe it’s because they both feature a genius protagonist, have the two largest female characters being work partners, and domestic vibes…?

(CW: sexism, genre-typical gore)

Bonus: SKY Castle / SKY 캐슬 (20 episodes, 2018) (subtext) - MyDramaList | AsianWiki

(Note: slight spoilers for the early episodes, but it’s necessary in order to give a more accurate recommendation regarding the F/F subtext, especially as the show is not primarily focused on any one relationship.)

This one’s a bonus because unlike the others on this list, there’s no close relationship between two female characters which could be interpreted in a romantic light. That’s not too surprising as the show is all about the women of a several super-wealthy families trying to get their children into the top Korean universities (equivalent to the Ivy League) whilst supporting their husbands in the rat race: a decidedly heteronormative premise, albeit one that’s executed in an award-winning manner.

So why am I listing it? Well, it’s because somehow, in this series about heteronormative and highly gendered nuclear families, it features possibly the most erotically-charged dynamic I have seen, even taking season 1 of Killing Eve into account. (Though it takes some time to get there, so if you try it out, please watch at least the first four episodes before making a decision!)

That honour goes to the problematic gem that is the relationship between the main character Han Seo-jin (Yum Jung-ah), who is willing to do whatever it takes to get her daughter into Seoul’s top medical school, and star tutor Kim Joo-young (Kim Seo-hyung), who is known for her 100% success rate. It starts off with a mild push-and-pull, when Han Seo-jin wants Coach Kim to take on her daughter, but is wary of the shady rumours surrounding her; the tutor stands firm, and Han eventually has to swallow her pride and accept the risks. Where it really comes into its own, though, is when Coach Kim starts to pose a legitimate threat to everything Han cares for: her daughter, her marriage (or rather, what her husband can give her), her position in the world. It becomes increasingly clear that Han should just walk away, and indeed she tries to do so many a time, only to bend in the end because the coach is key to fulfilling her dearest wish– and so to Han, for all she rages and resents and fears, Coach Kim is nothing less than temptation itself. This is the beating core of the show, and even as the plotting disintegrates and falls into melodrama in the second half, their scenes together still crackle with delicious tension every time. Watch it.

(CW: suicide, psychological abuse, child abuse, bullying, murder)

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sunshine-theseus · 12 days

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Breaking Records or Breaking the Internet? | Vivianne Miedema x Reader

Words: 2.5k

Summary: COVID doesn’t exist, Viv didn’t have to undergo another knee surgery, I’m basing the main character off Arnie Titmus (I love her sm) but I am also just making shit up

Warnings: not proofread

Your first Olympics had been 2012 in London. Barely 15, you emerged from the water an Olympic record holder with your first piece of Olympic gold weighing on your neck. As a young girl from a rural town in Tasmania, you hadn’t expected to make a career out of swimming, but with every competition, every new medal, every regional, national and world record that you claim, it begins to feel real.

As a young girl from rural Tasmania who grew up extremely religious, you hadn’t expected to reach all these milestones with the girl of your dreams.

It was unclear how and why Vivianne Miedema showed up to your 200m Freestyle final swim at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The rest of her team was surely back at the hotel or walking the streets of Tokyo, but here she was. Your eyes were drawn to her in the bright orange jacket all Dutch athletes had to wear, talking enthusiastically with Dawn Fraser, both of them pointing at you as you wait for your name to be called at the podium.

“With a new Olympic Record, 1st place is Y/N L/N!!” The voice echoes throughout the hall before cheers erupt from every corner. With a smile you bend to accept the medal that placed around your neck, then your eyes return to the unanticipated duo.

After congratulating your competitors and talking to family and friends, you make your way over to them. Dawn is pulling you into a hug and praising you before a word can escape your mouth, before turning to the tall dutchie next to her who has a tight lipped but kind smile.

“This is Vivianne Miedema. She’s a big fan of yours.” Of course you knew who she was. You were a big fan of her’s.

“It’s so lovely to meet you. You’re probably my favourite non-Australian player. I can’t wait to watch your game against Zambia.”

“You’re coming to the game?”

“Of course.”

Many, many people had caught that interaction, followed by your long talks on the pitch after her games or beside the pool at other record-breaking swims. The natural development from the internet was speculation about whether you were a couple. At the time you certainly weren’t. Strictly new friends.

But then you showed up to more Netherlands and even an occasional Arsenal game, and she showed up to more swim meets. The conversations last longer, the touches lingered, the glances toward each other’s lips increased. Everything was just more… intense.

So one fateful day in 2022 during your (short) off-season, you decided to visit her in London. It wasn’t a surprise technically, you just decided to arrive a few days earlier than planned and surprise her at the game. There was something telling you, you needed to come early. So Caitlin had sorted out your ticket and happily gave you a lift from the airport to the stadium.

Viv easily spotted you during warm up, with your hair in the same messy bun it had been for the past day and a bright orange ‘Miedema’ jersey adoring your torso, one that she had personally given to you after her first 2020 Olympics match. She happily made her way over to you, swinging her leg back and forth to mimic the exercise she was supposed to be doing as she grinned the same grin you’d found yourself stuck admiring time and time again. But it didn’t quite meet her eyes the same way it always did. Something was brewing.

“I can’t believe you’re here. You weren’t meant to arrive until Monday.”

“Couldn’t miss a big game, could I? Is- is everything okay? Something seems off.”

“Yeah, yeah of course why wouldn’t it be?”

“Your smile doesn’t reach your eyes today.” your hand rests on the side of her head, thumb stroking the spot beside her eye which is usually occupied by crows feet that show much love and joy she has.

“I don’t know. I’ve just felt off all week. I was going to ask Jonas to take me off the roster this morning but I don’t want to through everyone off. I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

“If you’re sure liefje.” You press a kiss to the palm of her hand and send her back down the tunnel, anticipation and worry burning in your gut.

Lyon was up 1 by the end of the first 45 minutes of normal time, but there looked like hope for the English side during the extra 3 minutes. Viv was playing well in midfield. She wasn’t as strong as usual, but it just looked like she was taking it easy; making open passes and wasting no time in passing the ball to the next player.

But then she makes a run to meet Lia, trying to grab the ball from her feet.

She kicks.

She misses.

She falls.

She doesn’t get back up.

Blood pounds in your ears and you wait in bated breath as the medics assess her knee.

Her knee.

She’s shifted onto the stretcher, but you don’t see any more as you rush out of the family and friend’s section and demand a security guard take you to see her, flashing your badge. This was the bad feeling. You both knew something would happen and ignored it. It almost felt like you fault.

The doors crash against the brick walls, and you speed walk down the hall to the medical room where Viv is laying quietly while the medics do further assessment. They ask questions and she answers in short, quiet breaths.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“It’s unstable.”

“I can’t walk on it.”

“It popped when I fell.” No no no no. You whisper the three letters before anyone in the room can even think them.

Suddenly all eyes are on you. The medic’s eyes are apologetic and shocked at the arrival of a new voice, but Viv’s are tired and welled with tears. She looks so broken. So you sit in the seat next to her head and take one hand in your own while your other lifts to stroke through her hair.

“It’s going to be okay.” you whisper in her ear.

“I can’t do this. I can’t do this.”

“I’m right here it’s going to be okay. I’ve got you”

~~~~~

About 2 months after the initial injury on a particularly difficult night for the Dutch, you found yourselves huddled up together in her bed watching Friends for the second time. Neither of you were talking but you found yourself staring at Viv while Chandler continues to ramble on about how much he loves Monica. Soulmates destined to be. And then you found yourself staring into Viv’s cloudy grey eyes, slowly leaning in. You waited for Viv to stop you but she says and does nothing, so you let your lips meet. It’s a delicate kiss, just two people who have been in love with each other for years, finally professing their feelings.

There was no conversation about what that kiss meant for you two, but it seemed to be an unspoken decision that you were now together. You slept beside each other, kissed at every opportunity, and supported one another through everything. You were in your own private world.

The recovery process proved to be difficult but you hadn’t left Viv’s side for a moment, officially announcing you were taking a break from this swimming season for unforeseeable amount of time. But the injury had taken a big toll had been her mental health. Most days she didn’t want to get out of bed, let alone leave the house, and every day you were to expect multiple apologies for being difficult to take care of.

Every bad comment was met with a kiss and a promise to stay by her side until you were absolutely no longer needed.

Viv made her return almost a year after the injury, coming on late into the second half, only to score two goals against Tottenham. You cheered as loud as you could, and smiled widely when she sent a hand heart your way in celebration. You’d agreed to keep your relationship private in terms of it’s development. Most journalists who had asked about it had been told you were taking care of a dear friend and had been looking for a chance to take a year off anyway, so the timing lined up. But she couldn’t help but silently give thanks to the person who had gotten her through it all. Who brought her back

~~~~~

You managed to make it back to training in time to decently prepare for Paris qualifiers. You’d kept up doing almost daily training during your time in England, but nowhere near the extent you were used to as the multiple time World and Olympic Champion under Boxall. Seven straight months of hard work, day in and day out, and you’d be in shape for qualifiers, and in perfect shape to take on the best of the best.

Everyday consisted of 4-6 hours in the pool and in the gym, a session in the early morning and another after lunch, a nap, and then a long call with Viv while you ate dinner and she had lunch. It was hard being away from her after spending a whole year beside her. The bed was cold, the house felt empty, things just weren’t the same. But you both knew it needed to be done.

By the time early July came around, you genuinely felt like you were a new person. Before the year long break things had begun to feel tedious and swimming was losing it’s meaning. You were still performing as the best in the world, but it was automatic. But now everything felt… right.

And the qualifiers showed it.

You broke your own world records multiple times with ease, and every round made you feel alive again. There was no Viv in bright orange to cheer you along this time but you knew she’d be proud. And she made sure you knew she was with every nightly call, proclaiming her love and support for you.

Viv accompanying you to Paris was a well kept secret between the two of you. In the days leading up to your first races, you wondered around the village texting her, desperate to know what she was doing out in the city. More often than not, the answer was that she refused to see any big sites without you, waiting until you are completely done to explore the city of love.

She was in the crowd of every race without fail, the same bright orange jacket she wore the first time you met. Your ear was trained to hear her and your eyes knew where to look, she would be sitting in the exact same seat every time. The proud smile on her face made your heart flutter and it takes everything within you not to run up to her and kiss her after clambering out of the water.

Halfway through the swimming events you’ve managed to rack up five golds and once again break your own world records, barely skimming off 0.2 seconds each time.

Then it came to the big finale. You were known for your short distance swims. 100m and 200m freestyle and butterfly were your dominant fields, but you were adamant to at least try and land on the podium for the 1500m freestyle beside Katie Ledecky.

It was a shock to you, your coach and most of the nation when you had passed through the qualifiers, and then you qualified for the semis. Now you were on to the final. You’d never been this nervous in your career and all you wanted in that moment was a hug from your girlfriend, but you needed to lock in.

You’re lined up in the tunnel.

Your name is called.

You’re standing behind the podium for lane 7.

You’re on the podium in position.

The whistle blows.

You’re submerged in the water.

The rest of the race is a blur. One lap becomes 10 and 10 becomes 20 and then suddenly you’re onto the last 50 metres. Just 50 more metres. You have no idea if you’re in front or if you’ve fallen behind, but you push until your hand slides against the ceramic tile of the pool wall.

Gasping for air, you pull off your goggles and look around the pool. Most other people are finished, but you have no clue for how long, and the final swimmer slots in beside your no more than 20 seconds after. You don’t expect a big victory as you all turn to the board, waiting for the results.

“In second… lane 4, United States of America, Katie Ledecky!” the room echoes with cheers and shouts of confusion. Second? This is her race. This is what she’s known for. Who could possibly have beaten the Katie Ledecky?

“And with a new world and Olympic record of 15:20.34, lane 7, Australia, Y/N L/N!” the screams are deafening as the crowd and your competitors alike cheer for you.

You hug and thank each of them, before making your way to the podium where you receive your gold. Tears stream down your face as photos are taken from all angles, and you pull Katie and Anastaysia up beside you, recognising their efforts. But all you can think about is Viv, waiting impatiently against the barrier for a moment of your time.

The happiness and excitement keeps building up within you as you’re finally freed from media, and you run to your girlfriend, grabbing her face and kissing her. In the back of your head you know this will be making news headlines everywhere in all of an hours time, but you don’t care. How could you? It’s the perfect way to celebrate all your hard earned success. Kissing the love of your life.

“I love you so much. I’m so so proud of you liefje.” She pecks your lips again.

“I couldn’t have done it without you, lieveling.”

~~~~~

You get to leave the village the next day, and you’re thankful to leave the Styrofoam mattresses and cardboard bedframes behind. Your hotel’s king sized bed with a memory foam mattress, completed with the warmth of your girlfriend’s arms is the only upgrade you could ask for. She presses kisses to your shoulder as you scroll through twitter, many fans of both yourself and Viv sharing words of adoration and happiness for your now public relationship as pictures of your kiss spread across the internet.

When Viv picked you up from the village to take you to breakfast at a small Parisian café down the road from the hotel, you both decided to officially, officially, announce the fact you were together. You took photos together throughout the day, her kissing you on the cheek, your hands being held between you, the way you looked at her. Anything of the two of you. You turned it into a collage and posted it to Instagram.

Y/N_L/N

@ y/n_l/n “breaking records and breaking the internet in the same week. there is no on else I’d rather do it with than the love of my life. Ik zal je in elk leven vinden.” (I will find you in every life).

This was the life you wanted to live. Forever. With Viv.

#woso x reader #woso #woso fanfics #arsenal fcw #vivianne miedema #vivianne miedema x reader

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tailschannel · 1 year

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Sonic Frontiers wins Excellence Award at the Japan Game Awards 2023

Sonic Frontiers has been awarded an Excellence Award in the 2023 Japan Game Awards, the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association announced early Thursday.

Director Morio Kishimoto accepted the award on behalf of SEGA during a live ceremony, and shared a few words to Sonic fans and the audience.

We just finished the development of the third update for Sonic Frontiers this morning. Thank you for voting for Sonic Frontiers and choosing us to win this honorable award. With this award and future awards, we will continue to listen to the voices of our players to keep evolving the third generation of Sonic.

The ceremony, hosted at this year's Tokyo Game Show, awards several high quality games from a variety of genres released in the past year.

Previously, Frontiers won in the Japan Games Awards’ "Future Division" in 2022, which awards non-released or anticipated works.

(story contributed by Spectre and Scarlett for the Tails' Channel newsfeed.)

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic #sonic frontiers #sega #tgs 2023 #tokyo game show #japan game awards #gaming news #video games #sonic news

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realistically-shifting · 8 months

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Hi, call me Spectra~✨

24 years old | They/Them & Fae/Faer | Black shifter

I’ve been in the shifting community for around five years now. So far, I’ve successfully mini-shifted three times to three different realities. I’m also a witch and I’ve been practicing witchcraft since I was 12 or 13. I like to try everything at least once, which is how I mini shifted the first time when I jokingly tried, and I like to think of myself as a “spiritual scientist” of sorts.

I have over 20 desired realities and many more to come, I’ll be posting about some of it here✨ Some of my DRs include-

O.R.I.O.N (Zombie apocalypse)

Supernatural

Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Strange Ability (Anime)

Toriko (Anime)

H2O: Just Add Water

Resident Evil

H.O.T.D: College edition (Manga)

The First Hunter (Manhwa)

Enby Idol Group

8th Graders Will Survive (Quotev story)

Widow’s Bay (murder mystery book series)

Lollipop Chainsaw: College edition (Game)

Tokyo Mew Mew (2022 Anime)

Totally Spies (Cartoon)

Project MC² (Netflix show)

Trese (Netflix show)

Charmed

Powerpuff Girls Z

Etc.

In every script, I have powers as a witch. Telekinesis, Conjuring and spirit work, Visions, Sight, Mediumship, Spell-crafting and casting, Divination, Atmokinesis, Hydrokinesis, potion making, etc.

I look pretty much the same in most of my DRs, these pictures are my main reference pics used across my scripts.

#shifting realities #desired reality #subliminals #reality shifting #shifting #realityshifting #quantum jumping #shiftblr #shifting community #loa #shifting intro #blog intro #scripting #shifting script

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covid-safer-hotties · 2 months

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Money over lives: The tragic case of Noah Lyles’ collapse at the Paris Olympics - Published Aug 9, 2024

The horrific collapse of American sprinter Noah Lyles at the Paris Olympics due to his infection with COVID-19 has shocked masses of people throughout the world. While downplayed by the media, this event graphically exposes the reality that the pandemic is ongoing and remains dangerous for the entire population.

Before the race, Lyles was expected to win gold and possibly set a new world record in the 200m sprint, after he had just won the 100m race two days earlier. But shortly after crossing the finish line in third, Lyles fell down, writhing on the ground and visibly struggling to breathe. He then got on one knee for nearly 30 seconds before medical professionals assisted him off the track in a makeshift wheelchair in front of a stunned global audience of millions.

Lyles returned a few minutes later wearing a mask and revealed that he had been sick with COVID for the previous two days, telling a reporter, “I woke up early, about 5am on Tuesday, and I was feeling really horrible.” He later added, “I was quite light headed after that race and the shortness of breath and chest pain [were] definitely active.” He soon announced on Twitter/X that he would not take part in his final event the next day.

This disturbing episode has upended the lies of Joe Biden and other world leaders that “the pandemic is over.” In fact, COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire with no mitigations in place to protect public health. On Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its wastewater data, showing that over one million Americans are now being infected with COVID-19 each day.

The onset of the pandemic forced the suspension of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to the following year, when testing, masking and other precautions were put in place. In 2022, the Beijing Olympics were held in a highly secure bubble set up in line with the Zero-COVID strategy then in place in China, protecting all athletes at the event.

All of this is now over. The Paris Olympics take place over a year after the World Health Organization (WHO) lifted the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration, and every world government has scrapped all mitigations to slow the spread of COVID-19.

What was once referred to as the “Olympic spirit” is effectively a dead letter. As with all modern sporting events, a tremendous amount of money is at stake in the Olympics for the athletes, their corporate sponsors, and the event organizers. Combined with the toxic promotion of nationalism, enormous pressures are now placed upon athletes to compete with COVID, regardless of the dangers posed to themselves and others.

Those who organized the Paris Olympics were well aware that a horrific event like Lyles’ collapse would happen, but proceeded with reckless abandon anyway. Summing up the callous disregard for the health of athletes, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland stated, “We know not everybody is going to make it through the games healthy.”

Indeed, the Paris Olympics has quickly become a super-spreader event. Some 11,000 athletes and millions of mask-less fans have traveled to the French capital from throughout the world, creating a metropolitan petri dish of different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Lyles is one of nearly 50 athletes with confirmed COVID infections, with the real toll undoubtedly far higher.

The fact that the fastest man alive was struck down and required medical assistance underscores that COVID-19 remains a significant health risk to everyone throughout the world. It is a damning exposure of all the propaganda portraying COVID-19 as “mild” and comparable to the flu or common cold.

Lyles has suffered from asthma his entire life and is therefore at greater risk of developing a severe infection and potentially Long COVID. This has gone unreported in the corporate media. In fact, he is lucky to be alive, as strenuous exercise while sick with COVID—especially when suffering from asthma—places one at elevated risk of respiratory failure or cardiac arrest.

Read the rest at either link!

#covid #mask up #pandemic #covid 19 #coronavirus #wear a mask #sars cov 2 #still coviding #public health #wear a respirator

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yuzurujenn · 7 months

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[2024.02.29] Yuzuru Hanyu, World Figure Skating magazine 100th issue - March

Now, as a famous figure skater, what range does he aim for as a performer? A long interview with Yuzuru Hanyu who just finished his "RE_PRAY" Saga performance!

Yuzuru Hanyu, a figure skater who has won two consecutive Olympic Games championships and achieved a Super Grand Slam has achieved many great achievements. In July 2022, Hanyu held a press conference to express his decision to retire from competition and enter his professional career. Since then, he has successively held solo performances in which he skated the entire show, the first Tokyo Dome performance in the history of figure skating, a performance full of requiem and prayer, and his first tour, showing the world his versatile and active figure. The figure skating performance that Hanyu puts his soul into is opening up a new dimension of figure skating with specifications that far exceed expectations. Yuzuru Hanyu, who continues to challenge himself as an athlete, once again talked about his sincere thoughts on figure skating.

[My mission as a figure skater]

Q: On the occasion of the 100th issue of "World Figure Skating" magazine, we are very honoured to invite Yuzuru Hanyu for an interview. This magazine was founded in December 1999, and Hanyu probably started his figure skating journey at the same time.

Hanyu: I started skating around 1999. I started skating when I was 4 years old, around the summer of 1999. Wow~I miss it so much! I have the first issue of this series of magazine. The cover at that time was Michelle Kwan, and the back cover was Yagudin. I miss that Piano costume (of Yagudin's) very much. And (after turning the page) wow ~ Plushenko! I loved figure skating at that time. Oh, and Timothy (Goebel).

Q: That was when you first started skating. What did you like about the skaters of that era?

Hanyu: The players at that time had very distinct personalities. Although I like figure skating very much, when I was a child, I only watched the athletes (performances) that I really liked and was interested in, so at that time I only watched Plushenko, Yagudin, Honda (Takeshi), and occasionally Timothy. In a sense, I just look at the figure skaters that I like. The top players of that generation all have their own unique personalities that make them shine. Although they all have their own unique characteristics, they have different styles, different ways of expression, and extremely outstanding personalities. In this sense, I still like that era very much. That is also the generation I admire most.

Q: I see. Hanyu: I first started getting into figure skating, not because I had a figure skater that I admired and thought, “I want to be like that,” but because I just wanted to follow my sister and do the same thing as her, so from a certain point of view, my initial contact was not with figure skating. But when I watched the Olympics, those athletes made me think for the first time, "I want to be like that." Although their personalities are very strong, they are not offensive and they are really skating in their own pure way.

Q: What started out as a pure dream has led you to revolutionize the sport of figure skating.

Hanyu: No, no, no.

Q: In the meantime, you continue to be at the forefront of figure skating. First of all, please allow me to ask you about the "notte stellata" performance held in March. It can be said that Hanyu has been a symbol of revival after the Great East Japan Earthquake, but this year, due to the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred at the beginning of the year, I think this performance will become even more meaningful.

Hanyu: Please allow me to express my condolences to the victims. Although I have lived for 29 years, in recent days, I have once again realized that Japan is a place that frequently encounter disasters. There are many natural disasters in Japan. In addition to earthquakes, there are also many natural disasters such as heavy rains. This is probably the fate of living in Japan. However, this also made me feel again that injecting prayers for various natural disasters into my figure skating and skating with full prayers is probably my mission in this era.

Q: Hanyu’s love for his hometown, Tohoku, really runs through most of your figure skating career.

Hanyu: I think many people living in Japan have personally experienced the tremors of the Great East Japan Earthquake, but I myself did not witness the tsunami. I have also thought about what position I should stand in relation to this disaster. Even so, I continued to figure skate. When I was sixteen or seventeen years old, especially during the season after the Great East Japan Earthquake, I attracted everyone's attention. Since then, I have been conveying a lot of information including my experience in the disaster. In this process, Yuzuru Hanyu and the Great East Japan Earthquake gradually became inseparable. So, both in my competitive life and in my current professional activities, I feel like I have to keep that earthquake in my mind. The experience of that earthquake is central to my life experience. For example, when I won a gold medal or achieved good results, the first thing that came to my mind was the smiles of people in my hometown. I know that I have contributed my own strength to my hometown. Therefore, including "notte stellata", I want to continue to do various activities through skating (to continue to contribute).

[Why "ICE STORY"]

Q: Since turning professional, you held your first solo ice performance "Prologue" from November to December 2022, and then held the Tokyo Dome performance "GIFT" in February 2023, and will hold the "RE_PRAY" tour as the second part of ICE STORY from the autumn of 2023. Can you tell us why you want to present figure skating in the form of a story?

Hanyu: When I was skating as a kid, I wanted to tell stories in the show. And I also like to create and imagine stories. Everything originates from this. If a program can present a story, will everyone see any difference in the various elements presented in the program? This has always been the core of what I want to express. How to describe this - during the competitive period, I will get an objective result after the game. But there are exceptions, such as the 2014 Cup of China. It was because of that collision that the "Phantom of the Opera" was created at that time, and it was also because of that the “Phantom of the Opera” in the Grand Prix Finals was created. The story that I felt through the program became completely different. The story of the program itself has not changed much, but from the viewer's perspective, with the superposition of various factors, the program looks and feels completely different. This is what I felt inside when skating this program. I've created a lot of programs so far, but if I packed them all into one big story now, I think it would look completely different. During the competitive period, I would get results, reported by various media and other additional circumstances, but this time I want to tell a bigger story so that everyone can see different ways of life and gain different insights through the programs. This is my original intention of creating ICE STORY.

Q: Is this affected by the transition from a competitive player to a professional player?

Hanyu: As I transitioned from a competitive skater to a professional skater, the position of figure skating in my heart has also changed a lot. During my competitive days, I started out thinking about winning for myself. My motivation also comes from the fact that if I can skate well, people around me will be happy about it. I think it may be this sense of accomplishment and the joy of receiving praise that keeps me motivated and engaged in figure skating to this day. Later, due to experiences such as earthquakes, I no longer only wanted to win for myself, but also began to want to win for other people. Now that I have left the competitive scene and become a professional skater, winning or losing itself no longer exists. I think in my mind, figure skating has become "wanting to do something for others." I hope my figure skating can become a part of everyone's life. On the basis of presenting figure skating like this, I hope to convey certain information to everyone more concretely in the story.

Q: So, is this a story about Yuzuru Hanyu?

Hanyu: No, no, no, there are all kinds of lives, and we exist in all kinds of life. If we want to write, each of our lives can be written into a story. Everyone will be moved by various stories, and also feel sad and painful for them. Under such circumstances, I have distilled and presented a large part of figure skating like this. I think "Yuzuru Hanyu's story" exists in each of you to some extent. So, from everyone’s perspective, the perception of my show will also change. But I actually do not just want to present my own story, because everyone has their own story in their life. I want to be a small piece in everyone's life story. I often think so.

[Study body language to present new expressions]

Q: In order to present new expressions, you are currently expanding your expression methods through new body language such as dance, imaging technology, and writing scripts in your own words. Do you think your figure skating has undergone a qualitative change as a result?

Hanyu: I originally thought that by creating an ice performance with the specifications of "GIFT", I had already expressed everything I wanted to express, but I had to create "RE_PRAY" immediately. I really tried my best to do what I could. Everything that I know was used. (Laughs) That’s why I have to learn more.

For myself, I want to create more words, show more areas of dance, and broaden the range of my movements. And I think in order for professionals in every field to think that I'm doing a good job at this, I have to keep working hard.

I am currently struggling with my lack of knowledge when it comes to technique in dance and performance. I think I hit the wall more often than people think. In terms of expressing and presenting through words, I am not a liberal arts major, and my major in university was not written language. When it comes to dance, I have not always studied ballet or hip-hop. Everything I try is my own style, but I want to work hard for it and stand on the stage as a professional.

As a professional figure skater, I have the performance skills, mentality and expertise that I have developed over the past 25 years. I wanted to apply these and connect them to discourse and dance. At present, I am in a state of exploration. I have explored a lot, but I cannot integrate these explorations into words. My brain is about to explode. I am currently in a state of being exposed to all kinds of new things and trying to absorb them.

Q: We are deeply impressed by your production integration capabilities in "RE_PRAY" stage art. The "save data is damaged" at the end of the first half is really shocking, and how the story is unfolded from there. This kind of narrative ability really seems to be from the hands of a professional screenwriter.

Hanyu: You're welcome, that part is very dark, right? (laughs)

Q: If you receive an invitation to make a movie, would you be interested?

Hanyu: No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so at all (laughs). For me, everything I do is for figure skating. I want to learn various things for figure skating, and I think it will help deepen my figure skating. Whether it is writing scripts or creating and organising, I need to master more expression skills and learn more things.

Q: I think coming up with ideas is also a challenge. "RE_PRAY" is based on the theme of the game world, isn’t it?

Hanyu: It was after the end of "GIFT", or during the "Fantasy on Ice" ice show to be precise, that I started thinking about the next ice show. During the planning process, the staff learned that a certain venue can be rented during a certain period, so we have to start creating new ice shows quickly. I really wanted to continue using the story format, so I had to start writing (laughs).

When I was very worried about "what should I do?", I suddenly realized that my origin is games. Therefore, when I started writing the story, I had already decided to use the music of the 8 BIT series, and the characters would be pixellated villains, and using pixellated style to build a worldview of the game world.

Not everyone is familiar with games, so I thought a lot about how to convey the worldview that I wanted to express to the audience. At the same time, I had complete trust in MIKIKO-sensei, and I believed she would find a way. MIKIKO-sensei also said to me, "You can go as far into your creation as you want," so I was able to make a breakthrough and write this story.

Of course, as the production director, I completed almost all of the performance arrangements and stories myself, but I also have complete trust in the production team, and they really devoted themselves to the production of this ice show. I first created what I wanted to do, but I couldn't just think about my own self-satisfaction. In order to let everyone feel and understand the story, I worked with the staff together to create the ice show. This is how it felt like. To be honest, I didn’t feel that whatever I chose to do would definitely go well. I just felt that because everyone worked together, we were able to create a good work.

Q: There are new discoveries every time you perform. Hanyu-senshu's expressions seemed to be different between the Saitama performance and the Saga performance.

Hanyu: Really? I just threw myself into it regardless. But I feel like I have more energy now than when I was in competition. But still, my physical strength reached its limit at the end of the first half, and at that time I thought, "What am I doing? I'm so stupid…" (laughing)

[The unforgettable scenes]

Q: With the launch of new programs, your previous programs have also been re-interpreted and integrated into the ice performance story. During this process, I think you have also reviewed your competitive career. So what scene is etched in your mind when you look back now?

Hanyu: The first one should be the 2004 All-Japan Novice (Novice B = Champion). I was very impressed with my first All-Japan Novice win. First of all, this is my first time to participate in an All-Japan competition. Although there were training camps to discover new athletes and regional competitions before this, and I also had the opportunity to meet and get to know many different athletes, I was still new to the All-Japan competition. The number of people coming to watch and the number of referees were also different from before. To me, my performance was perfect under the circumstances and I ended up winning the event and scoring more than I thought I would. The buzz of excitement at that moment, the cheers of "Oh~" from the audience, and the feeling when I jumped 2A beautifully, it was really… I think that was my greatest success experience. It is no exaggeration to say that that success made me love figure skating even more. Then I got a little too confident because of that victory and got carried away. (Laughs) But then the ice rink was damaged in the earthquake, which pained me very much. After that, it was a dark time that I didn’t want to think about…

After that, the most important thing for me was Nice (2012 World Championships in Nice = 3rd place). When I did the free skate in Nice, it was the first time I had the opportunity to really feel like I was being supported. Before that, all I had been thinking was, "After all, I'm the one skating on the rink." In the past, I have always believed that the key to winning a game lies in whether I work hard and whether I can display my true strength on the rink. But in Nice, I felt for the first time the power of everyone’s support for me and the power of the staff who supported me. This power was reflected in my figure skating. I realized that the support and assistance I received was not something I could take for granted. So that was a very important moment for me. Q: Sorry to interrupt you, but this competition in Nice is also the first time you have appeared on the cover of our magazine.

Hanyu: (Holding the 53rd issue in his hand) Ah~ I was so young back then. Nice is the origin after all. That was really the kind of figure skating that could only be shown at that time. I can no longer reproduce "RoJu" exactly as it was at that time, but this is also the fun part of figure skating.

Q: What about after Nice?

Hanyu: Hmm… Actually, it’s not the Olympics period that is deeply etched in my mind. The most impressive thing after this was the Helsinki World Championships (2017 Helsinki World Championships = Champion). Even now, when I watch the scenes, hear the cheers, and recall my state of mind at that time, as well as the completion of the program at that time, I am still very excited and have tears in my eyes. It was a really difficult season for me. The short program didn't go very well, and I had some jumps that I never succeeded in. Contrary to the cheers in the venue at that time, there was a complete quiet space in my heart… I felt that such a special feeling has surpassed figure skating and has become a very special space and time in my life. I now feel that the World Championships in Helsinki are more important to me than the Olympic Games.

Q: Was that the moment when you felt connected to everything?

Hanyu: Yeah, yeah. That's what I need most… The space I want to stay in most, the most joyful moment in my life, is that moment. I want to cherish moments like that, that’s what I’m thinking now.

[I still want to get better]

Q: Having enjoyed your current professional activities, I am reminded of some of the words you said in interviews many years ago during your competition days that connect to the present. So what is this unwavering core of yours?

Hanyu: That would be, I still want to get better. The root of my desire to be better, to be stronger, and to continue to challenge myself is that I want to be praised, and I want everyone to think that I'm doing a good job.

In addition, in my own words now, I hope it can be an opportunity for everyone to have some sort of emotion. There are many factors involved in this, and these factors become more numerous as we age. So it’s impossible to make a simple generalization, but what is always consistent to me is my determination to get better. I want to become better, stronger and more capable to present to everyone the things I want to express and create. This has never changed.

Q: Previously, Hanyu-senshu mentioned in an interview that Mr. Nomura Mansai has always been at his peak. Mr. Hanyu, you yourself too, despite the passage of time, you have always kept the audience looking forward to it. I think that in order to achieve this, you have also undergone many changes in your heart, right?

Hanyu: Indeed. The kyogen that Mr. Mansai engages in is a bit difficult to describe for people who love traditional arts. I think in their eyes it belongs to the genre of folk art. In the field of kabuki, there are also kabuki based on game themes, and Mr. Mansai also uses various techniques to try to launch modern kyogen and Noh dramas that are completely different from the past. Some viewers are looking forward to this. For those who value tradition, or those who simply want to see a Noh play at a Noh theatre, this performance may seem a bit offbeat.

But in a sense, from my perspective, this alternative is the charm of "Nomura Mansai". The modern Nomura Mansai has such a unique quality. He not only appears in TV series, but also has a multi-field acting career. In my opinion, maintaining such style all the time is the unique charm of Mr. Mansai.

I believe that for the figure skating world, "Yuzuru Hanyu" must also be a very different existence. But precisely because of this uniqueness, those viewers who have always followed figure skating competitions and like the Yuzuru Hanyu in the past will think, "Ah, figure skating can still be expressed in this way." Maybe some people may also think, "No, I still hope he skates more traditionally." Everyone has various opinions and ideas.

But at the end of the day, I feel like figure skating alone cannot fully express everything I want to express to everyone. Mr. Mansai was born into a family where Kyogen was passed down from generation to generation, but he loved rock music and even formed a band, which was later reflected in his Kyogen. So for me, I want to express myself through figure skating, but figure skating alone is not enough.

In other words, the so-called form is still figure skating, but now with imaging technology, various technologies, stage settings, etc. can be completely separated from the ice. This is especially obvious in "RE_PRAY". Extend various expressions in silence. Some people may say, is this still figure skating? but I feel that integrating everything I want to express into figure skating is a natural and suitable way for me at the moment.

So, I think this is probably the "Yuzuru Hanyu" in everyone's mind. Although my inner thoughts have changed and what I want to express has also changed, the reason why people feel that "it's still Yuzuru Hanyu" is because what I want to pursue has not changed from the competitive days.

As a person, what I present from my soul is always the same and has never changed. Therefore, although my thoughts continue to change, in everyone's eyes I remained the same. I place what I want to express on figure skating. Now, I am learning various things and getting in touch with things in various fields. I want to continue to improve myself. This is because I feel that figure skating alone is no longer enough to meet my needs for expression in figure skating. However, it is still difficult for me to describe in detail what is needed.

Q: We all enjoy watching Hanyu’s performances. Hanyu: I’m very happy that everyone likes to watch it. It’s not easy to perform though.

Q: Through various channels such as your YouTube channel, TV broadcasts, live viewing, and online broadcasts, your performances will be widely disseminated to various places.

Hanyu: Got it. As a Japanese, Tohoku and Sendai person, I think there is a unique rhythm cultivated by the culture of this land and water in my heart. This should also be reflected in my figure skating performances. I will continue to hone myself so that everyone can feel the charm of my performance when it is translated into English language or taken as a photo. At the same time, I cherish and am full of pride for figure skating as a stage for my expression.

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Editor’s Note: Yuzuru Hanyu’s words are full of spirit to constantly expand figure skating and update the concept of figure skating. Every detail in the interview reflects his deep affection for figure skating. Carrying the fate of the chosen one, he moves forward tenaciously, peacefully, and firmly. —There is no doubt that he will continue to promote the development and deepening of figure skating.

(End of full text· Interview/WFS Editorial Department)

Source: https://weibo.com/5437806211/OaN8SCn0A

Info: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/6196/ BTS: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/6632/2/

#羽生結弦 #yuzuru hanyu #hanyu yuzuru #figure skating #interview #machine #translation

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demifiendrsa · 1 year

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Tokyo Game Show 2022 and New Year 2023 promotional artwork for Final Fantasy XVI illustrated by Kazuya Takahashi

#Final Fantasy XVI #Final Fantasy 16 #FFXVI #FF16 #Final Fantasy #Kazuya Takahashi #Square Enix #video game #PS5 #late post #very late post

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yurikotigerisnotmaiwaifu · 1 year

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Yuriko Tiger tweet 9/15/2022 For Tokyo Game Show 2022

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wanderersrest · 3 months

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An Abbreviated History of Mecha Part 7: The Witching Hour Is Here!

Spoiler Warning: This post contains spoilers for one Brave Bang Bravern. I'd recommend watching at least the first episode of Bravern before continuing.

Welcome to the final installment of An Abbreviated History of Mecha! Last time, we had some technical difficulties due to the Lich screwing things up with its time shenanigans covered what many would consider to be mecha's "Dark Age." Now, we will see how the genre has recovered. It remains to be seen how this decade will go down in history, but so far mecha shows have had a minor bit of a rebound. Though that insipid line of thinking (you've probably heard it at one point: "mecha shows are about the robots, not the characters") is still doing a bit of harm to the general reception of mecha shows, the canon is doing better than before. Not well, like it was in the 90's, but it's not in dire straits.

Victory is never decided by mobile suit performance alone.

Nor by the skill of the pilot, alone.

The result itself is the only proof!

Kyoukai Senki/AMAIM: Warrior At the Borderline (2021)

Kicking off the decade, 2021 would give us a new franchise in the form of the former Xebec, now Sunrise Beyond series AMAIM: Warrior At the Borderline. Sporting smaller robots in a setting similar to Code Geass but Japan was split into three by three world superpowers like it was Post-World War II Germany, AMAIM would be one of the few new mecha shows to come out that would be animated entirely in 2D.

Megaton Musashi (2021)

Developed by Level-5 Studios, Megaton Musashi is a game series that pays homage to the mecha stories of old, particularly that of Getter Robo. The game itself would suffer in terms of marketing, as Level-5 would end up shuttering their US studio in this decade. Which is wild, because this series would also get an anime adaptation that's only started airing this year.

Also, Megaton Musashi has a lot of crossovers with older mecha shows like Getter Robo and Combattler V.

SSSS.Dynazenon (2021) & Gridman Universe (2023)

Returning in 2021 would be Studio Trigger with the follow-up to SSSS.Gridman, SSSS.Dynazenon. Based off of the Dyna Dragon from the original Gridman the Hyper Agent, SSSS.Dynazenon would carry on the energy from its predecessor in terms of energy and heart.

2023 would also see the worlds of SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon collide with the movie finale Gridman Universe, bringing the casts of both shows together for one last hurrah for Trigger's Gridman trilogy.

Back Arrow (2021)

While 2021 was a good year for mecha in general, one show that doesn't get talked about more is Goro Taniguchi's Back Arrow. Set in the walled world of Lingalind, Back Arrow would give us a story where the mecha are powered by a character's convictions.

That's right! Back Arrow is quite possibly the single greatest series in terms of highlighting what piloted giant robots are all about. These stories were never about the giant robot itself; the giant robots were living extensions of the pilots who controlled them. Hence why the breiheights of Back Arrow are based purely on a character's core beliefs.

Getter Robo Arc (2021)

2020 would also see the surprise announcement of an adaptation of the unfortunately unfinished Getter Robo Arc. With the goal of wrapping up the story as best as possible without the guiding hand of series creator Ken Ishikawa, Getter Robo Arc's anime adaptation would finally release in 2021. With this, the Getter Robo saga can finally come to an end.

If you've already watched his video on Getter Robo, Cheese GX also has a follow-up covering Getter Robo Arc specifically.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash (2021) & Cucuruz Doan's Island (2022)

And in case you didn't believe me when I said 2021 was a good year for mecha, let me remind you of something: Gundam was featured as part of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Gundam would see the creation of the now-disassembled RX-78-2 Gundam in Yokohama as part of the celebration of the games. The RX-0 Gundam Unicorn would also make a cameo in the background during the Olympic Rock Climbing event, as Gundam Front Tokyo was the venue.

Most important of all for us, is that 2021 would see the release of part one of a trilogy of movies based on the Hathaway's Flash novel. And as if that wasn't enough, 2022 would also see the release of a movie based on the infamous episode of the original series known as Cucuruz Doan's Island. And as a reminder: Gundam's not done yet. I haven't even gotten to the other big Gundam series yet. These were just the two major series released for the Universal Century in this decade.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury (2022)

Where Gundam made really big news in this decade was with the release of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury. Set in the Ad Stella timeline, G-Witch would bring awareness to the franchise that hadn't really been seen since it's heyday in the 90's. G-Witch would also differentiate itself from the rest of the Gundam series by presenting us with Gundam's first female main protagonist, the very tanuki-coded Suletta Mercury (and that depends, because if we're saying Gundam protagonist, then I'd argue technically War in the Pocket's Christina McKenzie has Suletta beat by a couple decades; this isn't even getting into Ecoile du Ciel). And not only is she the first female protagonist, Suletta is also Gundam's first queer protagonist!

Bullbuster (2023)

If there is any series that I wish I had caught while it was airing last year, it would definitely be Bullbuster. Cut from the same cloth as Patlabor and Dai-Guard, Bullbuster presents to us a construction robot is used to fight... aliens?

LEGO movie, is that you?

Okay, seriously though, I do think Bullbuster got drowned out due to being in a year that also included The Witch From Mercury.

Brave Bang Bravern (2024)

Man, if you thought The Witch From Mecury was gay...

2024 would open with Cygames Studio's Brave Bang Bravern. Directed by Masami Obari (a man who I have somehow failed to mention until now), Bravern would manage to capture the joy of the Brave franchise of old (and really mecha shows on the whole), all while making it very gay.

And I mean it. Bravern is quite possibly the single gayest show to come out in the 2020's. Maybe even of all time.

And that's really a wrap on pretty much everything that's come out, but there is one upcoming series set to come out next month...

Grendizer U (Airs July 2024)

Not seeming to want to be left out, the Mazinger saga would also get a surprise announcement in 2023 with a teaser for Grendizer U. Set to air in 2024, Grendizer U is going to be a reboot of the original UFO Robot Grendizer series, though some changes have been made (namely, Kouji has now brought along both Sayaka and Professor Yumi; more importantly, Kouji will now be piloting Mazinger Z instead of playing a support role like he did in the original Grendizer).

You can bet that I will be covering this series, especially if it's picked up by Crunchyroll this coming summer.

Looking Beyond Grendizer U & 2024: Live-action Gundam, Hathaway Parts 2 & 3, Gunbuster 3, and Patlabor EZY

Going beyond 2024, there are also other series that are set to be released some time in this decade. 2016 saw the release of the Patlabor Reboot promo, which is supposedly a test run for a new Patlabor series: Patlabor EZY. Supposedly set to air sometime in 2026 (at least last I saw), I'm as excited about this as Isao Ohta is about any type of gun that comes across his path.

Studio Gaina (again, not to be confused with the now-closed Gainax) also has plans to release Gunbuster 3, though that will probably be on the shelves for now until Grendizer U wraps up.

And of course, Gundam still has two more parts of the Hathaway movies to work on. There's also a live-action Gundam series that is also in the works at Legendary.

Conclusion

And that's a wrap, folks. Finally, after ten whole posts, I've covered an incomplete history of mecha! Yes that's right! Incomplete! Why did you think it was called abbreviated?

Jokes aside, I thought this would be a relatively simple project. Just cover a handful of mecha shows from the decades since their inception, say a thing or two about them, and move on. It turns out that, even when I cherry-picked the shows to talk about, there were still a lot of them.

Do I regret doing it, though? No. Well, maybe that bit about Valvrave specifically. Outside of that, I think it is important that this series of posts still exist. I tried my best to be as impartial as possible, and hopefully you, dear reader, have caught that. I really don't want this project to turn out to be identical in tone to Professor Otaku's Complete History of Mecha video series. Man literally cannot hide his disdain for shows he doesn't like very well, and I think it does a massive disservice to both his series and himself.

What I want you to take away from this series of posts is: every show I covered on here is someone's favorite. I've seen at least one person go to bat for every series I named here. I've done it for G Gundam and Patlabor, and I plan on doing it for a couple more series on here. The real important thing here is that this post helps in dismissing that wrong-headed claim of "mecha shows are just about the robots and not the characters." Which is a thing I will talk about soon.

But not right now. Now I want to rest. And by rest, I mean throwing my wrist out while playing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.