#also potentially howl's moving castle (the novel)

[ravenkings]

i wish there were romances/ships where you have a woman as like the grumpy/goth one and a man as the “sunshine”/cheery/slightly manic one

[tossawary]

Live action svsss? Lmao

Oh, that is genuinely funny to me as an idea. Full-on blue-screened me for a second.

See, I'm not AGAINST the concept of live-action feature film adaptations or live-action television adaptations of other forms of media, especially not books. I personally adore the translation work and studying the translation work involved when transforming a story from one medium to another. Basically as soon as we had film, people started filming plays and adapting novels! There have been many, many TERRIBLE screen adaptations of other media, but there have also been many wonderful screen adaptations, which have sometimes been closely faithful and sometimes only used the original story as an inspirational springboard. (I personally see both Ghibli's "Howl's Moving Castle" and DreamWorks' "How to Train Your Dragon" as more of examples of the latter.)

MXTX's works have gotten live-action adaptations before. "The Untamed" is generally held to be a pretty good and relatively faithful adaptation of MDZS. And TGCF is also getting a live-action drama under the name "Eternal Faith". If it was announced that SVSSS was getting a similar drama, I would be a little baffled but fine with it, and also genuinely interested to see how they intended on expanding SVSSS into 50 episodes or something (definitely possible), and also how they intended to cover certain parts of the story without making it explicitly gay. I wouldn't even care if it was bad; I still have the original books to enjoy. Show me your live-action drama Moshang. I'm ready for some awful wigs.

(The main nightmare scenario is getting a bad or good but unfaithful adaptation that you hate but gets super popular, overrunning your book fandom with alternate characterization and pairings and worldbuilding that you can't stand. I'm sure there are book MDZS fans who absolutely loathe "The Untamed".)

The main issue with a USAmerican studio making a "Naruto" movie in my eyes (I don't even care about "Naruto" that much, I never finished it) is that 1) Hollywood is always extremely weird about anime and also Japan in general, so there's a high chance that the people at the top try to make story-breaking changes, and also try to cast white people. They do not have a good record. If this was a Japanese studio making this film, I would not blink at it. 2) "Naruto" is a very long story that doesn't lend itself easily to a stand-alone film. Either they only tackle a fraction of the story or squish way too much together. And either way, on the off-chance that the film is successful, we will be cursed to have sequels until they become unprofitable. I personally liked the live-action "One Piece" show fine, but it was a 7-hour show, not a 2-3-hour film.

I'm not even against the concept of modern remakes, personally, or even completely against the concept of live-action versions of animated films. I would give the Disney remakes something of a pass if they did interesting new stuff that took advantage of their medium or actually indicated they cared about creative quality, instead of rehashing the cartoons almost exactly but worse. The saddest part about things like "The Lion King" (2019) is that even if you kept the story exactly the same, beat for beat, shot for shot, it could have potentially been a vibrant celebration of the advancements in realistic VFX and the skill of the animators and artists involved (and there are some INCREDIBLY talented people being unfairly crunched and underpaid in these industries), but they instead chose to make everything about it visually as dull as dishwater. And I personally expect that the "How to Train Your Dragon" remake, instead of incorporating anything new or interesting, or really showing off some spectacular, well-crafted visuals, will be the same.

Anyway, this ask gave me the idea of a USAmerican studio making a live-action SVSSS film, which is what blue-screened my brain. I cannot fathom how any USAmerican studio would agree to that (it's foreign, it's gay, it's historical fantasy, it's fucking weird, it's everything that scares boring execs who crave maximum profits) and I'm sure they would fuck it up magnificently, such that I almost kind of want them to do it.

[marshmallowprotection]

I have Howl's Moving Castle (movie version) obsession after listening to several asmrs with him and now can't get the idea of an au where Seven is Howl. Like:

-Extremely eccentric, Extremely intelligent

-can and will flirt with anything, panics when real emotion connections are possibly forming

-If it meant being able to save his brother, Saeyoung would totally sell his soul/heart to a demon. He already has sold his soul to the devil, in a way, by joining the agency

-regains it because of MC

Zen could also sorta fit, being obsessed with his looks (although he'd never change his hair color or eyes, he is proud of them and I'm proud of that seeing how he was treated because if it)

Yoosung as Markl, Vandy as Calcifer, etc

I really need to stop having ideas for AUs and work on my fic for another Fandom lol

Great time to remind everyone that Saeyoung's VA, Kim Youngsun, voices Howl Pendragon in the Korean dub of Howl's Moving Castle. So, yes, I would absolutely love to see this AU come to fruition one of these days before I have to write it.

There's potential here to figure it all out. It's more compelling if you know just how stubborn and hard-headed the Howl from the novels is compared to the one in the Studio Ghibli film. I've seen plenty of fan art over the years, but it will always hit differently since there's more to think about each time you think about different aspects of the story.

it'd be interesting how someone would try to tie together how he sold his heart in the first place since Howl and Saeyoung have different goals and aspirations. He definitely did so for Saeran, but would it be because Vanderwood as Calicifer promised to help him be stronger in terms of his magic? Hard to say.

[howlsmingc]

Howl's Moving Castle Merch: A Whimsical World of Enchantment

Introduction:howl's moving castle merch In a world where magic and whimsy collide, there exists a fantastical realm brought to life by the imaginative genius of Hayao Miyazaki. Howl's Moving Castle, a beloved animated film based on Diana Wynne Jones' novel, has captured the hearts of millions around the globe with its enchanting storyline and captivating characters. This magical tale of love, adventure, and self-discovery has not only left an indelible mark on the hearts of viewers but has also spawned a vibrant collection of merchandise that allows fans to immerse themselves in the extraordinary world of Howl and his moving castle. From plush toys to exquisite figurines and everything in between, the Howl's Moving Castle merchandise line offers a gateway to a universe where dreams come alive.

The Enduring Appeal of Howl's Moving Castle: Before delving into the enchanting world of Howl's Moving Castle merchandise, it is essential to understand the reasons behind the enduring appeal of this fantastical tale. Miyazaki's masterful storytelling, paired with beautiful animation, has created a timeless piece of cinema that resonates with audiences across generations. In this section, we will explore the thematic elements and characters that have contributed to the film's enduring success.

The Magic of Collectibles: The realm of merchandise is not merely limited to children's toys, but rather encompasses a wide range of collectibles that cater to fans of all ages. In this section, we will explore the vast array of Howl's Moving Castle merchandise available on the market, including plush toys, action figures, clothing, art prints, and more. From must-have items to rare and limited-edition collectibles, fans can immerse themselves in the world of Sophie, Howl, and Calcifer like never before.

Creating a Personalized Collection: While pre-made merchandise can bring joy to fans, there is a particular delight in curating a personalized collection that reflects an individual's unique love for the film. This section will explore the various ways in which fans can expand their collection beyond traditional merchandise, such as DIY crafts, fan art, and cosplay. By unleashing their own creativity, fans can breathe life into their passion for Howl's Moving Castle in innovative and exciting ways.

The Influence of Howl's Moving Castle Merchandise: Merchandise not only serves as a source of joy and entertainment for fans but also plays a significant role in promoting and expanding the cult following of a film. In this section, we will explore how Howl's Moving Castle merchandise has impacted the popularity of the film, the growth of the fandom, and the implications of such merchandise on the film industry as a whole.

The Rarity and Value of Howl's Moving Castle Collectibles: Just as limited-edition and rare items hold a special allure for collectors worldwide, the Howl's Moving Castle merchandise collection is no exception. This section will delve into the world of rare and valuable collectibles associated with the film, exploring the auction market, collector's editions, and the potential financial implications of owning such treasures.

The Global Phenomenon: Howl's Moving Castle is not just limited to Japanese fans; rather, its charm has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. In this section, we will take a closer look at the international popularity of the film and the accompanying merchandise, exploring different cultural perceptions and interpretations of the story and its characters.

Conclusion: Howl's Moving Castle has etched its place in the annals of animation history, and its merchandise collection serves as a testament to its enduring popularity. From whimsical figurines to intricately designed clothing and beyond, the merchandise line captures the magic of the film and allows fans to bring a piece of this extraordinary world into their own lives. Whether through collectibles or personal creations, Howl's Moving Castle merchandise opens new and enchanting doors for fans to immerse themselves in this mesmerizing universe. So, step into the whimsical world of Howl's Moving Castle, and let your imagination take flight.

[trappedward]

BLOG #02 - Having interests and is it possible to have TOO many?

I declared briefly in my first blog that I've created this Tumblr for the sake of exploring and writing about my interests. Before I continue to write entries and explore untapped depths of my mind, I wanted to break down what exact interests I meant as well as what it can be like having a lot of interests. Especially ones that you can kind of obsess over and the dis/advantages.

To begin with, I will make a list that covers just the tip of the interests iceberg. Keep in mind that you really DO NOT need to read this.

Vocaloid. My favourite artists are Kikuo, Babuchan and Kanaria. My favourite vocaloids are Miku, IA and VFlower. Potentially also Qi Xuan?

Vocalists and Otacore. More of my favourite musicians include Hanatan/YURiCA, Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, TUYU and Ghost.

Video games. Some of my favourite titles at the moment are Persona 5 and other ATLUS games, Breath of the Wild, Pathalogic 1 & 2, Taiko no Tatsujin, Ratchet & Clank, etc. My favourite game genres are RPGs/JRPGs, rhythm games, and platformers/3D platformers but I prefer to dabble in any game despite what the genre is. I do not dislike any genre.

Anime and manga. I love Evangellion, Lupin the III, Excuse Me Dentist, etc. This part of the list could go on forever. Once again, do not dislike any genres but I tend to stay away from SHOUNEN.

Cartoons. All time faves includes Adventure Time, ScoobyDoo, etc.

Films. Black Swan, Perfect Blue/ Paprika/ Tokyo Godfathers/ Millennium Actress, Jacob's ladder (1990), Annihilation, Guardians of the Galaxy 1 & 2, Howl's Moving Castle / The Cat Returns / Lupin the III, Akira, etc.

Books. Animal Farm, Harrison Bergeron, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Alice in Wonderland. My favourite genre is dystopian novels and short stories. Dystopian short stories are my ultimate favourite, ala Harrison Bergeron.

Favourite people: Natalie Portman, Linda Cardellini, Blake Lively, Ado, Si_ku, Ryan Reynolds, Elijah Wood, Satoshi Kon, Kikuo, etc. Just to name a few.

Youtube & Twitch

The Arts. Visual arts, acting, wood works, music, etc.

Sports. Swimming and tennis only I'm afraid. In a bit of a mood at the moment though where I'm sort of willing to do anything as long as it's with the right people.

Plushies. I collect plushies, pillows, blankets, funny little animal hats, etc.

And much, much, much, much, much more!!

Remember how I said that was just the tip of my interests iceberg? This is exactly why I think it is worthwhile to note that having a lot of interests can actually have disadvantages. A personal pet peeve of mine is people who have only one interest and make it their entire personality *cough cough*. BUT as someone who may potentially have too many interests, I don't think it's any better.

The first example I can think of is everyday conversations. I really want to hear what people have to say and I love learning and hearing about other peoples' interests, but I fear that I have a bad habit of relating too much of what they say to something I know about / have experience with / have interest in. If my qualms are to be true, I feel bad because it's not like I mean to. I do genuinely love learning about other people and what they like, I just can't help but showing my engagement by talking about how I relate. It's the only way I can show them that I know what they mean and that I am indeed listening. I feel that it also makes me look self-centred - that maybe it looks like I only care about myself by diverting from what the other person has said and talking about something related but not to the original topic.

Now does that shed a little perspective on how it might be bad? Sure, I have no idea whether people actually do think this when we are having conversations and sure this could all just be in my head but I have no way to know.

The other disadvantage that I believe comes from having too many interests is the potential obsession. Once again, you are probably more likely to find that in someone who only has one interest and makes it their entire personality *cough cough cough* BUT I think it is also likely in people like me. Having so many interests can mean that you can get overly attached to one in particular because it includes many sub-interests that you like. For example, I have a horrid obsession with Kikuo and his music not just because I'm enamoured by how different his music is, his creative process and darker themes, but also because Si_ku has an amazing art style (The Arts), his use of language and lyricism is super fun to analyse (Language) and he has excellent use of Vocaloids (Vocaloid / Otacore). All of this combined by the curious fact that he has no knowledge of music theory and has a somewhat troubled past by the looks of things.

By having so many interests, they start to intertwine and emphasise your [general you] favourite parts of your favourite creators. This therefore creates these obsessions that I believe exist within people who have 'too many interests'. As opposed to people who only have one interest, it is made worse by the fact that they have knowledge on so many. You could look at having one interest to be an obsession as they (the person in question) know the ins and outs of everything in regards to whatever topic it may be. However, someone who has multiple sees all the ins and outs PLUS MORE. You could be like me, in that you could make a full analysis for every interest separately, with others (as in other small interests) woven in within this analysis, yet have every single one still contain seperate knowledge from all the ones before it. How can this be a good thing?

Your life becomes more devoted to your love for knowledge and knowing more about what you love rather than yourself. You have so many interests that it feels impossible to dedicate your life to one of them. How can you find a job that exceeds so many? How do you make sure that you have enough time for all of them once you've joined the workforce? How can you stop them from interfering with your communication skills?

Sure I understand that you won't have just one job over the course of your entire life. Most people have 3 or even 4. Yet I'm still concerned by the fact that usually you'd be dedicated to one over a long period of time. How am I meant to not be worried by that?

There's a lot more I could go into with this. There's funding these obsessions or interests, the fact that the amount of interests is always expanding and changing because you lose the love for some or change personalities, finding the people to talk about it with so as to not feel the aforementioned conversation guilt, etc. However, I want a little bit of it to be left to your own interpretation. Force feeding you all the information in regards to this topic would be further feeding into my obsession for knowledge. It's also all a one-sided opinion. I've never discussed this topic outright and also not to this extent so I haven't heard any other outlooks on the matter (please feel free to leave an in depth - or just regular - comment!).

To end it all and cut myself off before I go too far to the point there is no turning back, I will provide a debrief / disclaimer. I, by no means, was trying to say that having too many interests means that all of them are obsessions or that any of them are guaranteed to become obsessions. There is a very clear line between what is considered an obsession and an interest (something I probably should have also defined before going into this but when I started I didn't plan to go down this road). I am also not trying to say that all of my experiences are akin to people who do identify with having many interests. While I propose the idea that it may be a bad thing to have too many interests, I in no way believe that this applies to everyone and was mainly using myself as an example to support my argument. I just wanted to propose that it can potentially be a bad thing. Also as much as it is my pet peeve to deal with people who base their entire being on one thing, there is no shame in being like this and I once again do not believe it to be inherently a bad thing, just that it is something that I personally cannot really put up with. Probably because I get bored if a conversation can't go any which way (ONCE AGAIN ADDING TO MY POINT!!).

ok OK ok ok.... I'm officially done. This was meant to just be an introduction to myself and what I was going to talk about over time on my blog. I instead accidentally got distracted and caught up in an argument that I made myself - this is why my Mother says I should do debating. You can definitely see the progression of my initial goal and the transition into the debate. If, by chance, anyone has gotten to the end of this blog I would love to formally apologise for the tangent but I would also love to have a conversation with you in the notes on the matter! Hearing another side helps me solidify what I already believe in or change my outlook on certain aspects of the topic. I'm always changing my thoughts :)

If there were any grammar, spelling or continuity mistakes I am so sorry. I am writing this at 3:30am after all.

Thanks again!

[jinmukangwrites]

Notes: idk this video on TikTok was challenging to write a scene involving your main character and an unexpected kiss and decided to just screw it and attempt some romance (?). Again, I'm posting this because it's more of a character study again and won't appear in the actual novel. Besides, I purposely wrote it like I was writing a fanfiction about my own characters, which was fun. Someday I'll introduce you guys to more characters than Mikolan and Agosha.

Warnings: brief implications of suicidal thoughts, alcohol

---

Agosha had known for a long time now that Mikolan hated the day he was born. It wasn't hard to see why.

The very day of Mikolan's birth also marked the day where he'd lost his mother and became one of the most famous people in the country. A bastard, born out of wedlock to the very man who ruled the country and a commoner rumored to be a sex worker. Agosha couldn't imagine Mikolan growing up in that castle and having anyone who cared to celebrate his life, not when the Queen made no secret of her hatred for the boy and did everything in her power to cut him out of the royal family until the day she died.

When Mikolan's life made a full rotation around the sun once again, Agosha couldn't find it in himself to be surprised to not find him in their rented room that morning. All that remained of Mikolan's presence was the dust that remained where his boots used to be.

The problem with Mikolan was, however, that when he didn't want to be found, he rarely could be. Agosha spent most of the day searching every corner of the Trade Line, trying to think of every possibility. He checked the shipping yards, the marketplace, the taverns, even the churches. Not a sign of him to be seen.

It took the sun caressing the western sky for Mikolan to finally reveal himself at a tavern. Agosha knew he hadn't been there the entire day, he had just decided that now he'd let himself be found, and what better way to be found than in a state too piss drunk to answer any questions or let alone remember anything the next day.

"Alright," Agosha said after paying the considerable tab to the tavern keeper. He approached his friend, partner, employer and forced himself to keep a steady face as other patrons dog whistled and mocked Mikolan, calling him the Prince of Bastards as they and others like them always did. "Let's get you home."

"But, Aggie," Mikolan whined. He leaned boneless against Agosha's side regardless as Agosha grabbed his arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. "It's such a… a long walk home…"

Agosha rolled his eyes, not allowing the incoming ramble of complaints to stop him from his goal. The tavern howled with laughter as Agosha left it. Mikolan giggled against his side.

Eventually, after many stumbles and drunken complaints, Agosha managed to get them both back inside their room. He quickly got to work the second he got the door closed behind them, moving like freshly oiled gears to clean up Mikolan before he could pass out in his bed. Agosha left him sitting on the floor as he dragged out the tub and pulled out one of the complementary Tai crystals that came with renting the room. He placed the crystal in the tub and brushed his finger against it, activating it so it began to fill the tub with magically summoned, hot steaming water.

Now came the hard part: wrestling Mikolan out of his filthy clothes.

Mikolan squirmed and complained, and after only a few potential bruises on both of their ends, Agosha successfully discarded the filthy drunkard into the tub.

"Can I trust you not to accidentally drown yourself?" Agosha asked, keeping his voice level and calm.

"Now Aggie, you know I only do things on purpose."

He said it with a laugh. Mirth tainting the slurred words. Agosha didn't appreciate it.

He leaned down by the tub and began to rub a rag and some soap along Mikolan's back. Mikolan made an attempt to protest, but eventually relaxed and allowed Agosha to continue with a soft humm.

Silence settled between them, both heavy and natural. Agosha had questions. Many of them. He'd been hired to keep watch over Mikolan and day's like this did nothing to help his anxiety. Yet he kept his questions to himself, knowing that the worst day of the year for Mikolan would end soon, and he didn't want to make it worse with pestering. He'd rather help clean him up and get him into a warm bed than argue just yet.

Agosha shifted so he was in front of Mikolan now, his chest pressing against the lip of the tub and his elbows brushing the water as he wiped layers of sweat off from Mikolan's neck. He kept his eyes down at his hands, not allowing himself to look anywhere else while Mikolan sat so vulnerable.

Of course it was far from the first time Agosha had bathed his employer. Just because Mikolan got into gambling fights and enjoyed getting into trouble, it didn't erase his teenage years spent at the castle. While the king still lived, Mikolan had gotten used to the servants' reluctant care for him. After the king died and the queen ruled until her death, Mikolan had acquired a few servant's affection and they continued his care despite the Queen's protests.

Agosha was a soldier, and of course he'd spent many times in the bathhouses with his fellow soldiers. His movements weren't as soothing as a trained servant's, but he at least knew how to get the muck off someone's back effectively.

Yet, all the times Agosha had bathed Mikolan before... they weren't as... intimate like this. Before, there had been conversation and soberness. Banter, jokes, snark. Enough to make Agosha see it more like a chore than... whatever this was.

So he kept his eyes sealed to his hands, wiping the cloth up on the curve of Mikolan's neck up to his jaw and back down. He worked with such forced focus that he didn't notice Mikolan lean forward until it was too late.

The kiss was quick. Soft. Nothing more than a pressing of lips and the lingering separation. Agosha's brain seemed to stop working regardless, his hands freezing in place and his mouth parting in surprise. His eyes flickered up and met Mikolan's, who's expression consisted of wide eyes and red cheeks.

"I don't know why I did that," Mikolan whispered.

Agosha swallowed thickly, internally begging his brain to turn back on. He pressed his lips tight and forced himself to release a breath. "You're drunk."

"Yes," Mikolan nodded slowly. "Yes, that must be it."

In the moment after, an unsaid agreement to never mention it again commenced. Agosha finished washing, and Mikolan stared off over his shoulder with eyes lost in thought.

Agosha would be lying if he said he didn't think about the kiss that night, laying in his bed and listening to Mikolan snore from his. He brought his fingers to his lips and tossed the moment over and over in his head, trying to make sense of it.

It didn't make sense. Mikolan was drunk. It didn't mean anything other than uncontrolled urges that wouldn't make sense sober.

He removed his fingers from his lips and sighed. He turned over onto his side and banished whatever thoughts or feelings he had on the matter. Yet, no matter what he did, the idea that he didn't dislike the kiss lingered and stayed.

[nialltlynch]

book challenge!!

thank u @flitwickslittlebrotha 💟💟 i am a little late but this was hard!!

favourite book from this year: alone with you in the ether - olivie blake

ebooks, audio books or prints? ebooks. let me confess something...i pirate almost all my books. i pirate almost everything first, actually. BUT I do buy things that i either really, really liked or things that i think come from a good place but is still a little rough and i like what the creator was going for so i send them money somehow. disclaimer: i have purchased most of the books mentioned herein

top five of all times: oh fuck off uhhhhhhh

a good man is hard to find and other stories - flannery o'connor

october country - ray bradbury

the stranger - albert camus

dark tales - shirley jackson

the faraway nearby - rebecca solnit

this is based primarily on things i could read again and again. i really only go back and read short story collections because i don't always have it in me to read novel length things...

faves for: (look this is gonna be really hard because i don't understand genres but oh well here we go)

sci-fi: do androids dream of electric sheep - philip k dick. on account of that's the only sci-fi i can remember actually reading. fun fact, ive attempted to watch blade runner (1982) at least three times and every time ive fallen asleep!

contemporary/romance: does gillian flynn count as contemporary? she's my wife, i love her. also i feel like these are two completely disparate genres why are they slashed here

historical fiction: does jude the obscure count? tbh i don't care. i just remember being in high school english and all the girlies were swooning over the scarlet pimpernel and at the time i was a cringe baby weaboo who only watched anime so now i have petty beef with "historical fiction" as a genre and it also doesn't help that i've never really been interested in historical stuff much anyway (though i'm willing to have my mind changed)

fantasy: this is totally a copout answer but... grimm's fairytales. the problem is this is such a fraught genre for me because spiritually it's my favorite genre but practically the vast majority of it sucks. or i guess i should say it isn't to my taste. sorry.

queer: on earth we're briefly gorgeous - ocean vuong has some immense staying power, so that i guess. i do want to say that i dont actually know what this means? like written by a queer person? contains queer perspectives? has queer characters in it?????

top 3 [canon] book couples:

jordan/declan (dreamer trilogy)

regan/aldo (alone with you in the ether)

sophie/howl (howl's moving castle)

(these aren't necessarily my faves, but just the ones ive been thinking of as of late)

top 3 book characters:

eleanor vance (the haunting of hill house)

hercule poirot

adam parrish

(these are characters i wanna put in little monogrammed koozies and carry in my purse)

book(s) with potential that didn't quite pull it off: imagine me saying this quietly after taking a long sip from my morning tea and staring distractedly out the window, unable to make eye contact.... s*mmer s*ns

book(s) that got you through something: not to be cliche but trc really did awaken something in me

book(s) you'd recommend: i suffer from i-have-bad-taste-and-no-one-can-know-it disease so I don't really have any random recs without knowing a person's taste but uhhhh i think it would be cool if more people read alone with you in the ether because i want to see pretty fanart and edits and stuff.

a genre you want a book recommended from: genre-defying books. those ones that dabble here and there and cut the pieces they want from this and take cues from that until what they've built is this patchwork mishmash that by all means shouldn't work so well yet something about it is so compelling. as i often say: thrill me.

i'm so sorry none of these are real answers. i don't think i like books. i talk too much. i think there's something wrong with me. thanks for coming to my ted talk.

[madamhatter]

reminiscentsky inquired: meta/hcs/drabble request - first I went through your headcanon tag but I didn't manage it til the end yet, so if you already wrote about it then that's completely fine. I will try to send more in the next days. and second, I haven't read the book yet so if anything is described there, my apologies I don't know yet. as for the word request: family, especially family by blood vs found family. UNPROMPTED ASKS | ALWAYS WELCOMED | @reminiscentsky​​

Hey there, Lisa! Thank you for sendin’ this in. It’s completely a’ight and I appreciate you reading through the headcanons (There is a lot and I’m really sorry, I just can’t shut up). By all means, anything you can send is great since any theme and word can lead to so many write-ups. Even a simple word like “red” could have several different headcanons, drabbles, and metas written around it for a character. It’s all about how the receiver interprets it–!

Preface: I am going to be generalize “by blood” family to first-determined family. This is directly acknowledging family situations that do not have all blood-relations, but are considered the “first” family the child is conditioned into. After all, Sophie isn’t from a nuclear family situation with a stepmother and half-sister. And also she’s technically the ‘mom’ since she raised Lettie and Martha and even her stepmom acknowledges that, don’t @ me. 

FAMILY. Howl’s Moving Castle is a novel following fairy tale tropes and creating subversions, if not adding realistic reactions, for those who live in those tropes would face. While we may find Ingary to be a world that is capable of having so much magic and remarkable things in it from Seven League Boots to Cloaks of Invisibility, it is still very much a world full of monotonous, if not limiting, things that exist and happen.

One of those “monotonous” things happens to be the life of Sophie Hatter. While the book directly states that the evil stepmother trope is not all applicable to the Hatters, and how the evil/ugly stepsisters trope is far from applicable to the older Hatter daughters, there is a very apparent truth about the family arrangement that fits and happens too commonly in our world. At its basis, it is the case of "eldest daughter syndrome” for Sophie. 

But, there’s more at the root of Howl’s Moving Castle. This novel explores family structure, family issues, and the impacts of lacking expectations, support, and stability has onto a young woman. (NOTE: I am including neglect and trauma here because of HMC’s implications and how we’re led up to the mindset and rationalizations of beginning Sophie in the novel, which is very unhealthy/concerning). What happens in this situation is the creation of someone who lives a purposeless life and focuses on the lives and successes of those around her to make herself experience something. She isn’t even being at all materialistic about it -- goodness, the woman just WANTS, an innocent desire, and that is something she knows she can’t ever have.

This can also be applicable for Howl, but his version of the story follows the opposite of what Sophie deals with. In his case, he is the youngest son who has been in a world where stability and expectations fell on him (e.g., he is a doctoral student, an uncle, etc.). His structure is intact and pressure is placed on him. Much like Sophie, there is a dread of unfulfillment and desire that he finds in his life, but unlike her, he happens to do something (hence why he is another world rather than Wales -- read into that and interpret that as you will). 

Both are in roles that do not satisfy and help realize themselves. Sophie makes her role, which is detrimental to her own emotional and mental development. Howl breaks his role, but makes a role for himself, which still doesn’t make him happy. Because, for both, there are still missing elements they need to discover or realize about themselves -- be it through self-awakening or making bonds.

Family, which can be extended now to society and their norms, is an place of origin for most what most begin their socialization, development, and understanding of who they are in context to the world around them. And, in many cases,  first-made family is not idealistic and is not a healthy environment for growth and discovery. They can be toxic, harmful, and traumatic, purposefully or unknowingly, for the impressionable minds by the adults who are preparing for the “real” world and how these individuals are expected to be and expected to do.

Sophie was prevented to participate in that “real” world because she was, essentially, not given any purpose or anything that made her feel qualified or worth living (originally). Instead, she made herself a role that is participating in her family’s world that she could be accepted in -- one where she had to do everything because no one else would, and also, it was a remedy (albeit a terrible one) to combat what she was feeling on the inside. So much of her upbringing informs us of her character and how she sees herself -- as an unremarkable person with nothing out there for her. 

Intentionally or not, as mentioned before, Sophie’s family has taken advantage of this and didn’t raise Sophie to see herself on the same level as her peers (or even help her be aware of her capabilities). Personally, I do view the Hatter’s situation having started as unintentional. However,  it was something comfortable to do (rely on Sophie as if she were an adult) and they continued doing it. More to my characterization, I do believe there IS awareness, hence Martha’s outburst at the beginning of the story -- her opinion on the matter, albeit skewed, still has grounds because she isn’t an outsider. She is someone who was raised and living in the household.

Returning to my point, this buffer is essentially a destruction towards Sophie’s potential and self. It can be seen as both self-destructive by Sophie (she believes the next best course of action is to assure her sisters’ happiness and success) and created by her family (mainly, adults) to benefit what they want. 

Despite that, Howl’s Moving Castle knows that one of her greatest gifts is something she already does for a living: creation. Sophie already creates; she always created hats and outfits, being so advanced at her age that she never needed an apprenticeship to hone her skills. Her products are well sought for, even excluding the magic she accidentally imbues in them. But, her power by hands is also her actual magic (not that everything she says comes true/able to create truths/etc.) Particularly, it is the tenacity and choice to create herself to whoever she wants to be and what she can do.

The problem is that her origins made her believe to be herself incapable of anything and that misfortune was her plotted end. There was no point resisting even if she tried to as a child. Yet, it was that moment when disruption came and she found herself being given a chance to leave, she created her own journey. Though, it was originally to get her curse removed and return to her sisters, she took the first step for more.

She ends up finding herself exploring an avenues of herself that are rarely touched upon or even acknowledged by others. That, of course, changes when in contact with Calcifer, Michael, and Howl. While she might’ve crashed into the castle, dubbed herself the ‘help,’  it was the beginning of her creating herself in a place where she wasn’t restricted or made to believe poorly on herself. 

In the end, she made her family. A family that she knows that is a group of those who are as out of place in this world (or the other world) because of matters out of their control. She makes a family when she decides that she could live happily ever after, a complete contrast to what she originally believed herself for. This family, now different from the one before, is the start of being her feeling found, but also continuing her self-discovery. 

And, Sophie Hatter could not be any happier creating her new life. 

[animepopheart]

Ranking Every Studio Ghibli Movie

Studio Ghibli's contribution to anime (and animation in general) cannot be understated. Founded by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio has produced many of Japan's most hallowed films, movies that are both critically acclaimed and monsters at the box office. In 1996, Disney partnered with Studio Ghibli to bring their movies to North America, developing a new audience that has since come to age; now, Ghibli is as much a part of American childhood as Pixar and Dreamworks releases.

On Anime Pop Heart and @beneaththetangles, we are commemorating the studio with Ghibli Month all September long! I’m kicking things off by ranking Ghibli's twenty-one releases, plus Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, which is often honorarily included among the studio's slate, ranked from first to worst (including alternate viewpoints on a couple of the selections).

22. Tales from Earthsea

Miyazaki famously quarreled with his son, Goro, over the latter's ability to direct Tales from Earthsea, and indeeed, the final product feels like the result of a young man who was in over his head. The movie deserves its ignominious reputation, as it is inconsistent, poorly staged, and often terrible. It's a shame, too, for there are some strong elements to the film and enormous potential, with the outlines of an epic tale and compelling characters in Sparrowhawk and Cob (who are wonderfully dubbed by Timothy Dalton and Willem Dafoe, respectively)—it just never comes quite together and totally unravels at the end, resulting in the only bad film in Studio Ghibli's outstanding run.

21. The Cat Returns

Most Studio Ghibli films are family features, made for children. However, they still capture the imagination of youth and adults as well. The Cat Returns, the only "sequel" in Ghibli's film catalog, doesn't do the same however. It is purely for kids, and aside from flourishes here and there that speak of fantasy adventures and feature whimsical characters, fails to engage viewers of a certain age—maybe anyone older than about twelve. A neat companion piece to Whisper of the Heart, it's worth watching, showing to your children, and then giving away to parents who need better-than-average entertainment to busy their children.

20. Ocean Waves

At one time, Ocean Waves was considered a black eye in Ghibli's filmography, an overpriced television movie that wasn't all that good. In retrospect, the intial judgments were only partially right. Ocean Waves is very much a TV movie, melodramatic and small in scale. The animation, too, is sometimes shoddy, but more often than not it's far better than it has the right to be. Ocean Waves is lovingly made, and the characters are almost frustratingly sincere—and oh so early 90s. While on the lowest tier of the Ghibli scale, Ocean Waves is far better than a simple curiosity.

19. Arrietty

Like Poppy Hill before it, there's nothing terrifically wrong with Arrietty—it just lacks the magic of the great Studio Ghibli films, making it rather forgettable. It's also sometimes dull. While beautiful colors, a foreshadowing of the spectacular animation to come of Yonebayashi in Mary and the Witch's Flower, shine through in the film, and some of the action sequences are highly engaging, our hearts are never fully in it. Maybe that's because we lack a loving connection to many of the characters, particularly to the pensive Sho. A nice watch, but one that's lacking.

18. From Up on Poppy Hill

Much maligned for our lowest ranked movie, Goro Miyazaki returned from that entry with a stronger film, one that functions as an ode to historic preservation while presenting one of the studio's most lovely relationships—that is, until it gets a bit tricky, unfortunately begining to enter a zone unusual for Studio Ghibli, if standard fare for other anime. But that's a relatively minor issue in what's a perfectly lovely film that does well in evoking nostalgia in a movie that reminisces about the past and a Yokohama that no longer exists. Not every emotional moment hits as it should, but enough do to make the film Ghibli's best "date night" entry.

17. Pom Poko

Often criticized for being too over-bearing in its ecological message, Pom Poko's main issue instead is that it's meant to a collection of stories that to flow into one another, based on one group of tanukis' fight against urban development, but the movie doesn't feel cohesive, partly because there is no central protagonist. We only get to know each main tanuki so much, and none feel central to the tale—any could step in and play the necessary roles. Still, Pom Poko is unreservedly charming and often hilarious. It's also a peek into Japanese culture that we often don't get, a look at a country transforming in landscape and in values.

16. Ponyo

Why is Ponyo the low point of Miyazaki's output, the only film of his that doesn't attain the level of classic? It is wonderfully animated, bursting with energy and featuring a story that is never disingenuous and a heroine that is funny, cute, and breathtaking even. However, the film proved that Miyazaki was on a downward trajectory after Spirited Away. Repetition seen in Howl's Moving Castle was on full display in Ponyo, a new movie that too often feels like a rehash, featuring characters that other than the title heroine, fail to connect, and a story that is muddled and often just strange. Ponyo is a fun film and a better one after repeated viewings—the problem is that such defenses do not have to be made for any of Miyazaki's other works.

15. When Marnie Was There

The last feature film from Studio Ghibli to date is both quietly personal and a surprising risk. When Marnie Was There is the studio's first true mystery tale, and has a tone that's slightly haunting. The lead characters, also, are unusual for Ghibli—neither Anna nor Marnie are as embraceable as most of the heroines from Ghibli's past, but that seems be purposeful. What they demonstrate to us is not as much of "who we can be" but "who we are" and even so, how we can overcome. The creative energy of past Ghibli films is missing, but the replacement here by a surprising intimate tone in a modern setting is welcomed.

14. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

While this notoriously expensive film flopped at the box office, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was well-received by critics, and for good reason. Adapting a famed folk tale, the film is animated in style befitting its origins, creating the sense that the viewer has fallen into a some traditional Japanese painting. But the movie is not as pastel as its colors indicate—the storytelling is bold. It doesn't sit in the past, instead feeling remarkably current in the fable of a princess imprisoned by seemingly everyone and everything, without ever feeling worn or heavy-handed. Mystical and fantastical elements are both woven into the foundation of the story and come alive in key moments, keeping the film compelling (for the most part) throughout its two hour+ run time.

13. Howl's Moving Castle

An underrated aspect of Studio Ghibli's brilliance is in how they often adapt already-beloved works. Adapted by the master, Howl's Moving Castle, based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones, is gorgeously animated and bold in both design and character—Howl and Calcifer, particularly, are memorable (and give strong emotional weight to the tale). While it suffers in comparison to its predecessor, Spirited Away, by being a little unwieldy, it remains a classic and an example of how well Miyazaki can bring themes and plot points across subtly (think of the flashback of Howl) in a movie that's otherwise fierce and larger than life.

12. The Wind Rises

From conception, The Wind Rises was a challenging film—how do you tell the story of the man who designed a fighter essential to Japan's WWI efforts, and show him as a patriot and dreamer without excluding the crimes of the nation, or making a film that goes against Miyazaki's anti-war values? It's difficult to say if he succeeds, but the film itself is beautifully crafted. The supporting characters here are less important than in other works, so it's vital that the audience admires Jiro Horikoshi, and we do—his character and positivity make him easy to root for, and dream sequences in the film both flesh out his thought process and keep us captivated. Once believed to be Miyazaki's last film, if it had been, The Wind Rises would have been worthy of that designation.

11. My Neighbors the Yamadas

The oddball in Ghibli's filmography, My Neighbors the Yamadas is presented through half-a-dozen or more short stories in the style of comic strips come to life, with animation that matches. The magic in the film is that the Yamadas are as over-the-top as the movie's aesthetic is, yet maintain an authentic feel. Think of some of the most popular family sitcoms of the 1980s and 1990s, but with an addition those shows could not feature—fantastical sequences that break in without warning and bind the ties of family further. We may not want to live like the clumsy Yamadas, but the heart of the family will make you consider whether they're the ones who really have it all together.

10. Porco Rosso

Studio Ghibli films share animation styles and themes, but one can never say they lack in variety when it comes to story. The tale of Porco Rosso is of an ace pilot cursed into living as a pig—but not to worry! He is still adored by women as he flies fantastic missions while running from fascists, pirates, and fame-seeking assassins. Porco is gruff and unattractive, but both he and the tale are sweet, as what's already a compelling story of WWI aces and dogfights is buffeted by grief, romance, and two strong heroines of very different types and roles. Perhaps the film with the largest range of opinion among the Miyazaki classics, Porco Rosso is nonetheless fantastic, and require viewing if you haven't watched it already.

9. Whisper of the Heart

Ghibli's most unabashedly romantic film is one of its most formulaic, but still among its best. The debut film by Yoshifumi Kondō, Miyazaki and Takahata's proposed successor before he died just a few years after the movie's premiere, is at once encouraging while also refusing to shy away from the melancholy experienced by children—and adults, too—when one doesn't seem to have what it takes to become great. In joy and sadness, Whisper of the Heart lets the kids at the center of the film be kids. They are at times stubborn, silly, and immature, and by treating them that way, the movie never drifts into something banal (with the possible exception of the famously abrupt ending)—it's a lovely lesson in growing up and meeting challenges, and a personal favorite.

8. Kiki's Delivery Service

The charm of Kiki's Delivery Service is two-fold—in the setting, a northern European-style town that is alive, forcing the events of the story through its residents, cozy cafes, and early 20th-century transportion, and in Kiki's journey itself. Her community's tradition of sending of young witches to live by themselves at the age of thirteen sets the story in motion, and Miyazaki captures the spirit of a girl that age perfectly—in all its confusion, energy, enthusiasm, and difficulty. Kiki is not a subtle character, but her growth is. When she takes to the air for the finale, Kiki isn't experienced enough to know if she can save the day—and so we cheer when she realizes what the rest of us already know, what we've all experienced ourselves, that it takes time and failure to mold us into becoming the hero.

7. Castle in the Sky

Miyazaki created classic film after classic film for decades, in a streak that started with Lupin III and ended, I'd argue, with Howl's Moving Castle. Often forgotten among the wonders is Castle in the Sky, a steampunk entry that is a joyous adventure, akin to Treasure Island but developed for an audience of both boys and girls. Sumptuous cloudscapes fill the screen, as do colorful characters with meaty roles, including a group favored by Miyazaki—pirates (in this movie, air pirates led by Dola, an older female). Reflective of Miyazaki's ability to master genres, Castle in the Sky again crosses fantasy and sci-fi in perfect proportions, underscoring an uplifting tale with an apocalyptic story line.

6. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Unofficially part of of Ghibli's canon, the success of Nausicaa, based on Miyazaki's own manga and exploring the ecological, anti-war, and feminist themes for which the studio's future films would be noted, launched Studio Ghibli. Nausicaa herself remains one of the studio's most iconic and compelling heroines, a physically powerful and feminine hero who must grow into adulthood very quickly while putting aside deep flaws to offer salvation to her people and land. The beautiful landscapes speaks to the epic story, better fleshed out in the manga, while reminding us that Ghibli films are giants not only in animation, but in fantasy and sci-fi realms as well.

5. Only Yesterday

How do you create an animated film about a twenty-something woman that waxes nostalgia while on a trip to the countryside, and at the same time make it entertaining and accessible? It's not an easy task, but Only Yesterday accomplishes it fully. Taeko, the protagonist, explains, "I didn't intend for ten-year-old me to come on this trip, but somehow, once she showed up, she wouldn't leave me alone." We experience her nostalgia for and complicated feelings about the past through a family that's genuinely flawed, while experiencing her visit to relatives in the countryside in the present, a trip that is subtly life-altering, one that pushes her to consider who she is and who she wants to be. Oh, and the film also features one of anime's most wonderful endings, set to a cover of a now-classic love song.

4. Grave of the Fireflies

It's a testament to Miyazaki's stature that the first three Ghibli films on the list are all directed by him, and also to the supreme talent of the other directors that their films rise above some of his other tremendous work. Directed by Studio Ghibli co-founder, the legendary Isao Takahata, Grave of the Fireflies is the most painful and emotional movie in the canon; it is also one of the greatest war movies ever made, using animation to deftly explore the how war victimizes children. Opening and closing shots, both of which express the uncaring nature of bystanders (and by extension, the world) toward children cause us to wonder what we really feel about the world's most vulnerable population.

3. My Neighbor Totoro

It's often said that nothing really happens in My Neighbor Totoro—but that's part of the magic of the film. A child's movie in all ways, including in the action, which revolves around a sick mother, a move to a new house, and a lost child, the film finds its center in a magical being that never says a word (Totoro only growls), and about whom many theories abound. If Totoro is a figment of Satsuki and Mei's imaginations, he is then similar to Winnie the Pooh, a necessary presence in the lives of a child character (two of them, sisters, in this case) who is growing up in a difficult situation, not to adulthood, but to the next step in the journey of life.

2. Spirited Away

Miyazaki has retired and unretired several times—when did so following Princess Mononoke, he returned with what is often considered his magnum opus, Spirited Away. At once deeply Japanese and completely accessible, the movie takes viewers on one of the most remarkable visual journeys ever put to film, a feast that never relents through its entire run time. Perhaps underrated is Miyazaki's decision to move the action away from the bathhouse for much of the final act, a quiet last leg that is key to Chihiro's journey, as well as for many of Spirited Away's supporting characters. Absolutely deserving of all love and acclaim.

1. Princess Mononoke

Studio Ghibli's finest film is also perhaps its most surprising. Visceral, violent, and conflicting, Princess Mononoke is no easy tale to absorb. There is no "good guy," not in the traditional sense, as Miyazaki explores hist favored ecological theme but through the lens of humanity struggling to survive in a world where they are just surpassing nature, the beast gods and goddesses who had previously ruled. It is an epic in the vein of films from decades before with vibrant and complex characters, ground-breaking animation, and an English voice track that is second to none. The studio's most intricate work, Princess Mononoke requires multiple viewings to fully appreciate.

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All Studio Ghibli movies are available for sale, including many in special collectible editions. We encourage you to go check them out!

[itsclydebitches]

It Chapter Two: Aged-Up Protagonists and the Umbridge Effect

Writing reviews, metas, and the like is a lot about timing. If you don’t craft your writing in the immediate aftermath of your source’s release, someone else will beat you to it and, chances are, your audience will be less enthused about reading the same arguments weeks later. (Admittedly, that’s up for debate. I for one am happy to read about the same shit for years on end.) Thus, when I didn’t have the time or the mental energy to write about It: Chapter Two immediately after seeing it in theaters, I knew within a few days that I’d lost a lot of ground. Fans and critics alike have already spoken about the film’s major draws, namely the update on Richie’s sexuality and the canonizing of a beloved, thirty-year-old ship. We’ve also covered the issues that arose out of those positives. In 2019, is it necessary to show a hate crime in such violent detail? By giving us queer characters, have Muschietti and King unintentionally fallen into the trap of treating them badly? One is dead and the other mourns while the straight couple passionately kiss beneath the lake. Faithful adaptation vs. modern activism is a tricky balance to strike. I could rehash all those arguments here, but why bother? They’ve been articulated better by others already. Besides, falling behind means that I now have the space to discuss something just as important to me.

The Losers’ ages.

Now, I’m not sure if you all have noticed, but fantasy adventures aren’t really geared towards adults. That is to say, stories often contain adult content, but that’s not the same thing as putting adults at the center of the narrative. I’ve experienced a niggling sense of displeasure that’s grown stronger with each passing year and it took until my mid-twenties to figure out what it was: I am no longer the hero of many of my favorite stories. Because I’ve grown up. Harry Potter is concerned primarily with the trials and tribulations of characters between the ages of eleven and eighteen. If we return to that world---such as through a certain cursed play---the focus must shift to the new, shiny generation. Anyone who falls through a wardrobe is bound to be a child and if they dare grow up? They’re no longer allowed access to such a fantastic place. Kids are the ones who find the Hundred Acre Woods, or fall down rabbit holes, get daemons, battle Other Mothers when the world gets flipped, or head off onto all sorts of elementary and high school adventures. Sometimes, even those who are adults mistakenly get caught up in this trend. Frodo might be in his fifties, but as a small, kindly hobbit he comes across as younger than the rest of the Fellowship. Since the release of Jackson’s trilogy I’ve corrected more than one new fan who assumed (somewhat logically) that he is in his early twenties, max. It’s an easy mistake to make when we’ve grown accustomed to children and young adults taking center stage in so many fantastic, high-profile adventures.

Of course, there are plenty of counters to this feeling. Just look at Game of Thrones. Though we see much of the story through younger perspectives---such as the Stark siblings---the vast majority of the cast is made up of adults, playing just as pivotal a role as the up-and-comers. Fantasy, Science Fiction, and other speculative story-lines are by no means solely in the hands of minors, yet I think it’s also worth acknowledging that a good majority of those stories do shape our media landscape. Or, if they’re not strictly minors, they’re characters who embody a sort of static young adulthood, the Winchesters and the Shadowhunters and all the television superheroes who might gesture towards markers of adulthood---we have long term relationships, hold down jobs, can impersonate FBI agents without anyone batting an eye---yet are still able to maintain a nebulous form of youth. They all (try to) look and act as if they’re right out of college. The standards of film and television demand that actors appear twenty-years-old even when they’re pushing forty, and the standards of much literature insists that twenty is simply too old for an adventure, period. I can still clearly recall two moments of shock (later agreed upon by my friends) when I encountered unexpectedly older protagonists in genre fiction: the realization that Sophie actually spends the majority of Howl’s Moving Castle as a very old woman and that The Magicians takes place in graduate school. “Wow,” I remember thinking. “When’s the last time that happened?”

What does all this have to do with It: Chapter Two? I don’t have any big twist for you here. It was just really refreshing to see such a fantastical story where our cast is all forty or older. Seriously, can we take a moment to appreciate exactly how much King undermined expectations there? The first half of the novel is structured precisely how we assume it ‘should’ be. There’s a mysterious threat, there are children caught up in the middle of it, and ultimately only they are capable of saving the day. We know this story. We even have the characterization of the town itself to reinforce this structure, a place so warped by evil that only the very young with their open-mindedness and imagination are capable of seeing Derry for what it truly is, illustrated beautifully in the film by Mr. Marsh straight up not noticing a whole room full of blood.

Though they’re It’s prey, children are also the only ones who have any potential power over him. You have to be able to acknowledge a problem in order to fix it and King could have easily ended his story at the first chapter alone, with the group somehow managing to defeat Pennywise for good the first time they set foot in the sewers. A part of me is still shocked he didn’t, if only because the young savior as an archetype was embedded within Western culture far earlier than It’s 1986 publication. From Carrie to The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Pet Sematary to Firestarter, King is no stranger to putting children at the center of fantastic tales. Yet he’s also given us numerous adult protagonists, managing to find an enjoyable balance between the two, both within individual novels and his entire corpus. It represents that balance, not just imagining a story where seven (yes, I’m counting Stan) middle-age adults manage to finally save their town, but actually setting up a twenty-seven year jump to allow for that. It's the best of both worlds, exploring the difficulties inherent in both childhood and adulthood, arguing that we need each---that imagination and that experience---if we hope to come out alive.

While watching It: Chapter Two I took note of how many people laughed throughout the film, and not just at the moments set up to be funny (looking at you, Richie). Rather, the film that two years ago had scared the pants off of movie-goers now entertained them in a much more relaxed manner. No one was hiding behind their popcorn; there were no shrieks of fright. I’ve seen more than one reviewer express displeasure at this change. What the hell happened? Isn’t an It film supposed to be scary? Well, yes and no. I think what a lot of people miss is how providing us with an adult cast inherently changes the way fear manifests, both literally in the case of Pennywise’s illusions and thematically in regards to the film itself. This sloppy bitch, as established, preys on children. His tricks have the illogical, fantastical veneer that reflect how children see the world: you’re scared of women with horrifically elongated faces, zombie-like lepers, and hungry mummies. They’re literal monsters emerging out from under the bed. Of course, as adults watching the story we’re easily able to see how these monsters represent much deeper, intangible fears: growing up and disappointing your father, falling ill like your mother always claims you will (to say nothing of contracting AIDS in connection with a budding queer identity), and the danger that comes with being alone and ostracized. Sometimes It: Chapter One gestures more firmly towards those underlying fears---such as the burnt hands reaching for Mike when we know his family died in a fire---but only once does it make the real horror overt, when Pennywise takes Mr. Marsh’s face and asks Bev if she's still his little girl.

Outside of pedophilia and sexual abuse, Chapter One’s real horror is mostly coded, symbolic, left up to (admittedly rather obvious at times) interpretation. It’s just under the surface and we’re meant to be distracted by the fact that, allegorical or not, there’s still a very creepy thing hunting our protagonists from the shadows. For two hours we take on a child’s perspective, biting our nails at all the things we once imagined hid inside our closets. We’re scared because they’re scared.

That mindset irrevocably changes once your group grows up. Forty-year-olds simply don’t freak out in the same way a bunch of thirteen-year-olds would, especially now that they know precisely what’s happening and have the mental fortitude to combat it. At least to an extent. Chapter Two isn’t as traditionally scary for the simple reason that the film now acknowledges what all adults eventually must: there’s nothing in the closet, there’s nothing hiding under your bed. Or if there is, it’s something tangible that can be handled with a calm(ish) demeanor and a well-placed ax. An adult might scream when something jumps out at them, but they’re not as inclined to cower. Adults might still be scared, but they’re better able to push that fear aside in order to take action. The group first reached that point in the sewers--- “Welcome to the Losers’ club, asshole!”---and now fully embodies that mindset with nearly three decades of growth and experience to draw on. This is why Ben investigating the library as a teen reads as teeth-chatteringly scary, but Ben and Bill as adults investigating the skateboard produces only a comment about how they're getting used to this nonsense. They know, and we as the audience know, what the real threat is and whether or not we need to shield our eyes when something starts clunking its way down the stairs.

All of which isn’t to say that Chapter Two isn’t scary. It’s simply scary in a much more realistic manner, killer clowns and Native American rituals aside. The fears have been aged-up along with the cast, stripping away the child-like fantasies that made us wet our pants in Chapter One. What’s the scariest moment outside of the jump scares? When two men and a kid beat a gay man and then chuck him in the river to drown. You’ll note that, unlike in the first film, Pennywise doesn’t actually have to do much work here. Seasoning people up with fear? The rest of the world is doing that for him. That first scene detailing a truly horrific hate crime (which, by the way, is based off of true events) results in a meal delivered straight to Pennywise’s arms. It’s people who targeted that couple, beat one of them within an inch of his life, and then tossed him over a bridge, bleeding and shrieking for help. All Pennywise had to do was scoop him from the water and take that first bite. He’s incidental to the film’s most cringe-worthy scene. We can argue all we want about how it’s Pennywise’s influence that “makes” the town this way, but any queer viewer knows that's simply not the case. In 2019 we're still living this horror, no Pennywise required.

Likewise, the two children we see murdered are much more overtly grappling with fears that have nothing to do with fantastical monsters. Dean, the little boy Bill tries to save in lieu of Georgie, is rightly petrified because a seemingly crazy adult is now stalking him. We as the audience know that Bill is just trying to help----that he’s not the real danger here----but that’s not the perspective this kid has, nor is it the issue the film is grappling with. We first see him approaching an idol of his, Richie, and instead of an enjoyable experience he winds up getting yelled at. The It films are only tangentially interested in the status of fans and their relationship with celebrities, but we know it’s a common theme for King’s work overall. Look at Misery and look at this cameo: a disenchanted fan of the 21st century, criticizing a writer’s novel and leveraging him for money. “You can afford it,” he tells Bill, swindling him simply because he can. The context of this little boy as a fan and Richie as the older, bigger, larger-than-life comedian adds another layer to the interaction. It’s not just an adult verbally attacking a child, it’s an adult this kid worshiped enough to recognize and quote his material from memory. Who easily walks away from that?

This little boy then finds Bill shrieking at a sewer opening, is manhandled by him, and told in the scariest way possible, born of Bill’s own fear, that he has to get out of dodge, fast. There are scary things out there, Dean freely admits that he’s heard kids’ voices coming from the tub drain, but right now the scariest thing is how badly the adults in his life are failing him: parents (from what little we can gather) are distant, his comedic idol is mean, and now this stranger is traumatizing him in the middle of the street. Once again, it’s easy to see how Pennywise isn’t needed to sow fear or even enact cruelty; he’s not a requirement for horrible things in the world, he’s merely their reflection. We see the same setup with the little girl under the bleachers. That scene demonstrates precisely how not scary Pennywise is. Here’s this child putting aside her discomfort over his looks and agreeing to be his friend. What’s worse than a clown with a creepy expression? The knowledge that all the other kids have already rejected you because of a birthmark on your face. Bullying is the far greater threat and one we’re 100% more likely to deal with in our lives than a killer clown, so the second film re-frames Pennywise to better acknowledge this. He’s scary because things like bullying and neglect exist to give him an easy in. He’s even scary because in this moment, hiding under the bleachers, manipulating this little girl, he’s fully embodying a child predator. Chapter One was a primal, “There’s a monster hiding in the shadows” kind of fear. Chapter Two is a, “We’re all going to die from climate change” kind of fear. Logical and largely inescapable. Characters like Richie don't need Pennywise to take some fantastic form to scare him. Homophobia has already done all the work.

Ultimately, I think of this as the Umbridge Effect. Who’s the most hated character in the Harry Potter franchise? I’ll give you a hint, it’s not the Dark Lord responsible for two wars, attempted genocide, and the death of our title character.

We despise Umbridge because she’s real. She’s relatable. She’s grounded in a way that Voldemort could never hope to be. We have no fear that an all-powerful sorcerer is suddenly going to come out of the woodwork and attempt to enslave and/or eradicate everyone without magic. That’s just not on our list of things to worry about. A corrupt politician, however? An instructor who uses her power to emotionally and physically torture students, getting away with it because of a cutesy, hyper-feminine persona? We’ve seen stuff like that. We’ve lived it. Umbridge represents all the real wrongs in the world when it comes to bigotry and privilege. Therefore we hate her---we fear her---in a way we could never hate or fear Voldemort. Now, in It: Chapter Two, Pennywise is the new Voldemort. Is an alien clown with an unhinged jaw and three rows of teeth technically scary? Sure, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the real problems that plague the cast: abuse, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, the fear that someone will hurt or outright kill you over some part of your identity. These are things we continue to fear long after the credits roll and the lights come up, and they’re now barely coded in the story:

It occurred to me halfway through my viewing that the people laughing at the characters’ new plights were the same ones who didn’t flinch when a gay man’s head cracked into the pavement. I had both hands over my mouth during that scene and I wasn’t snickering whenever Eddie had a panic attack, or Ben’s self-confidence took a hit. Because those moments, like our opening, hit pretty close to home for me; I didn’t find them embarrassingly humorous in the way much of my theater did. So many reviews in the last two months have insisted that Chapter Two isn't scary, but I think that depends entirely on whether or not you're struggling with these now explicit threats. We're not dealing with mummies and creepy portraits anymore. Instead, tell me how you feel about holding your partner's hand in public. Do certain memories make you vomit? Or freeze? Consider heading upstairs to the bath? The horror is dependent on how the audience views Bill's stutter coming back, or the bruises on Bev's arms. 

The cast grew up. It’s a fantastic twist. It also means that the horror needed to grow up with them, resulting in a film that could no longer function as a simple, scary clown movie. Our ending reminds us of that. When did people laugh the loudest? When the Losers’ club was bullying Pennywise into something vulnerable. And yeah, I get it. It’s a cheesy moment that we feel the need to laugh at because it’s just so unexpected. Awkward, even. Since when are badass horror monsters defeated with a bit of backyard peer pressure straight out of middle school? If this were any other story, Pennywise would have been defeated by Eddie’s poker. The most scared member of the group finally finds his courage! He has faith that this simple object can kill monsters! He throws it in a perfect arc, splitting the deadlights in two! That’s a heroic ending. Something epic and fantastical, relying on the idea that the Good Guys will win simply because they believe in themselves... but that’s not how the real world works. That ending is a child’s fantasy. Sometimes you do the heroic thing and end up dying anyway. Which isn’t to say that the heroic thing is useless. It saves Richie’s life. It’s just that a single act can’t cure all our ills in the way that storybooks often claim they can. 

How then does an adult deal with huge, intangible problems like bigotry and mental illness---the things Pennywise now fully represents? By saying “Fuck you” to those things again and again with all the support you can possibly wrangle up at your side. You refuse to let those issues control you; you drag those child-like representations into the light and remind yourself just how small they really are. We don’t get to beat something like depression by spearing it with a fire poker in some overblown finale. If we did, we’d all be having a much better time. All you can do is band together with friends and scream that you’re not going to let your fears define you anymore. Pennywise is a symptom of all the true horrors in the world. Sadly, you can’t beat those with a baseball bat. But you can acknowledge the heart of the issue, literally in the case of five friends squeezing until that one symptom, at least, is gone.

Image Credit

#1:https://www.screengeek.net/2018/07/10/it-chapter-2-character-mashups/

#2:https://earlybirdbooks.com/the-re-read-the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe

#3:https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/7/4/19413771/stranger-things-season-3-review-recap-hopper-elevenrussians

#4:https://comicbook.com/movies/2019/08/08/harry-potter-movies-review-10-years-late-snape-dumbledore-franchise/

#5:https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/netflix/277257/give-the-dragon-prince-a-chance

#6:https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindamaleh/2019/04/23/she-ra-and-the-princesses-of-power-season-2-review/#ec7022c42953

#7:https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/avatar-the-last-airbender

#8:https://www.newsweek.com/buffy-vampire-slayer-turns-20-charisma-carpenter-shows-enduring-legacy-and-566123

#9:http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2009/alice-in-wonderland-the-movie/

#10:https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/game-of-thrones-this-edited-out-scene-between-bran-and-sansa-reveals-so-much-about-finale/story-qFDHflH2dO6Kcki1wgsEyM.html

#11:https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Ender-Game-Best-Possible-Adaptation-Book-40110.html

#12:https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/supernatural-end-season-15-cw-1196579

#13:https://www.slashfilm.com/it-chapter-two-scene/

#14:https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/9/12/16286316/it-cleaning-up-blood-scene-feminism

#15:http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm-208633/photos/detail/?cmediafile=21647122

#16:https://stanleyyuris.tumblr.com/post/188300897715/chaotic-losers

#17:https://whatculture.com/film/it-chapter-2-every-character-ranked-worst-to-best?page=3

#18:https://www.reddit.com/r/harrypotter/comments/7uhrkz/the_most_hated_character/

#19:https://9gag.com/gag/am2X2Z4?ref=pn.mw

#20:https://screenrant.com/harry-potter-hated-characters-unpopular-worst-ranked/quickview/17

GIFs1-5:https://the-pretty-poisons.tumblr.com/post/188344826978/why-is-everyone-looking-at-me-\like-this

[walpurgisnachtss]

Name & Timezone – Irene / EST

Other Blog(s) – Main

Potential Faces – I don’t spoil my sekrets 

Potential Plots – Messy familial dynamics, dark (??) fairytale-esque vibes, comedic clownery, bros being bros, tricksters, slow burn anything (friends?? enemies?? lovers?? lol we can steamroll all three into one and I’ll say thats Gucci), the idea of trying to break one’s destiny/curse but only tying the knot firmer; stronger or worse. 

Favorite supernatural person in media – One time many years ago in high school, I made a collage of Goblin King Jareth from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth because I was #obsessed, but also: Pan from Pan’s Labyrinth (see the pattern here??), Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle (both novel and Ghibli), Lady Amalthea/The Last Unicorn, Galadriel but on the flipside, Sauron before he became a raging, giant eyeball. I’m about to get weeb real quick and end this with a shoutout to Inuyasha/Sesshomaru. 

Anything else? 

[morningsound15]

I confess I've not watched most of the movies that u reblog gifsets of, but I'd like to; I just don't know where to start. What would ur top 5+ movies for the cinematically uneducated be? Best conditions for watching? Which should I start with, for any arbitrary reason? Hope ur day will be full of endorphins--endorphin anon

GOD i love this question so fucking much holy shit

y’all might not know but i minored in film studies so i am a true Film Hoe at heart. a problem w/ film studies (historically) has been that the movies ppl study tend to be primarily centered around white men. so u are not going to see any white male directors on this list! someone else can talk to u about them but i will not

         1. In the Mood for Love — Wong Kar-wai (2000)

Probably my fav movie of all time. The cinematography is beautiful, the story is aching and tragic, the musical suite that persists throughout the film will make you feel like time has been suspended. In Hong Kong in the 1960s, a man and woman discover that their spouses are having an affair together. Slowly, as they try to uncover the affair, they develop feelings for each other.

Idk that’s kind of a terrible summary I just love this movie so so much. Watch it late in the evening when you don’t have anywhere else to be. Watch it on a TV; turn off the lights and wrap yourself in a blanket and let the story carry you. Have snacks nearby because there is a LOT of food in this movie and you will want to eat it.

        2. Orlando — Sally Potter (1992)

Loosely based on Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando. I love this movie because I love Tilda Swinton and I love how weird the music is and how beautiful the costumes and sets are and also because I love a little gender-fuckery in a movie. Basically a young androgynous nobleman named Orlando (Tilda Swinton) is given a large tract of land and a castle by Queen Elizabeth I, along with a shit ton of money, but only if he obeys her command: “Do not fade. Do not wither. Do not grow old.” So he doesn’t. He lives for the next several centuries. One morning, in the 1800s, he wakes up to discover that he has transformed into a woman. And that’s all I’ll say about that!

Watch this movie during the daytime, in the winter, when there’s snow on the ground. Watch this movie with your friends, and split a couple bottles of wine. It’s sometimes funny and sometimes serious but always fun, and you’ll be surprised how invested in the story you get.

         3. The Handmaiden — Park Chan-wook (2016)

I mean this one goes without saying but it is potentially the greatest queer film every made. It’s absolutely stunning, South Korean cinema is extraordinary. This is a tale of conmans and high society and double-crossings and a woman falling in love with her maid and then having unbelievably hot sex with her… I’m not going to spoil anything more. It’s a loose adaptation of Fingersmith and you should just go right now and watch this movie immediately. Watch it 100 times.

         4. Howl’s Moving Castle — Hayao Miyazaki (2001)

This is a great movie. Hayao Miyazaki only really makes great movies. You might know Spirited Away — his most famous film — but my personal favorite has always been Howl’s. The world that Miyazaki is able to craft is vibrant, rich, and a fantastical steampunk dream. There’s magic, witches, a talking fire, and a house that walks through the countryside on its own.

Truly my recommendation for this is smoke a little weed and watch it for the art/animation. Watch it on a Saturday morning when the sun is out and you’re already feeling joyful. Watch it on a TV, if you can; it slaps harder that way.

         5. Daughters of the Dust — Julie Dash (1991)

It took until 1991 for a feature film directed by a black woman to be distributed theatrically in the U.S. For that reason and that reason alone we should all watch Daughters of the Dust (and everything Julie Dash ever makes). But it’s also a really stunning movie. It’s set in the early 1900s, and tells the story of 3 generations of women who live at Ibo Landing on St. Simons Island as they’re preparing to leave their homeland and migrate North. (Ibo Landing was the setting of a mass-suicide in the 1800s. Enslaved Igbo people from Africa refused to submit to slavery in the U.S. According to folklore + the story when they saw the fate that was awaiting them, all of the enslaved people from the boat turned around and walked together into the water to drown).

The storytelling is non-linear, the dialogue is sometimes hard to understand (there’s heavy use of the Gullah language and unusual sentence structure), the visuals are lush.

This movie is on Netflix! You can watch it right away! This is a good movie to watch on your computer (turn the subtitles on).

Honorable Mentions:

Cléo from 5 to 7 (dir. Agnès Varda, 1962) — The movie that birthed the French New Wave! Also I’d die for Agnès Varda. Also it’s in French so have subtitles on lol

Roma (dir. Alfonso Cuarón, 2018, Netflix) — A movie reminiscent of the French New Wave! Almost certainly inspired by Agnès (the main character’s name is Cleo). Cuarón’s use of long-takes (which u might know from another great movie of his, Children of Men,) and ability to set up a shot that is layered in complexity for miles within the frame will leave you stunned and breathless.

[bnhafantasybigbang]

Wolf’s Fantasy Notes: Punk Fantasy

Hello all! I am back again with Punk fantasy. This one has a decent wealth of subcultures. So I decided to focus on some of the more popular ones that I know of! If anyone knows of others, please let us know in the comments!

Punk Fantasy

This is another fascinating category! Part of what makes it interesting is the same thing that makes it interesting is the same thing that makes it hard to define. Punk is usually created through what if scenarios that focus on a point in history, the present, or even the future that later lead to alternate universes shaped by the changes. In general terms, Punk often refers to the myriad of subculture genres that pop up in literature. This covers all forms of literature from action to romance to horror, even!

So some of the Punk types I wanna talk about today are: Steam, Cyber, and Diesel!

So first up on my list of potential fic fodder: Steampunk

Steampunk is probably one of of the punk genres that most people are familiar with. Usually carrying either a Victorian or Wild West flair there are airships running on steam instead of planes alongside cog and steam cyborgs/robots. Metallic prosthetic limbs made of gears! Top hats and feathers and brooches made of clock parts! Also, don’t leave your aviator googles at home! 

In simple terms, Steampunk is basically a what if scenario that joins the bridge between fantasy and sci fi (I will do a post on sci fi-fantasy as well). What if steam powered technology had flourished rather than being outrun by coal and electricity? What would the world look like and how would it run?

There are several examples of this, some blatant and some not so blatant.

Anime: Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle

While both definitely incorporate heaps of magic and mystery, the background tells a bit of a different story.

In Spirited Away, the bath house Chihiro becomes trapped in relies on magic as well as the water and steam that Kamaji provides. Pulley systems and the moving parts of the building rely on it the most.

In Howl’s Moving Castle, again the background has airships and some robotics, but it is far more subtle.

Television: Firefly

This short lived but well loved show featured a crew on an airship and is flagship when discussing steampunk.

Western Animation: Hullabaloo

Is an upcoming animated series about the daughter of an inventor that is set in a steampunk universe! Their website has more info.

Literature:

Works by Gail Carriger

For adults there is her Soulless series about a female assassin traversing a Victorian steampunk landscape that is not only inhabited by humans but vampires, werewolves, and other paranormal creatures.

For the younger crowd, there is her Finishing School series set in the same universe as Soulless. It focuses on a flagship school that trains female assassins like the main character in Soulless!

The Vampire Empire series by Clay and Susan Griffith

A princess has to team up with a vampire to save her people from their mortal enemies the vampires. It is based in a steampunk environment.

Next on the list: Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk can be thought of as the opposite of Steampunk. Where the inspiration for steam is taken from the past, cyberpunk heralds from the future. Steampunk is usually full of exploration and adventure, and a dash of hope for the future. Cyberpunk is usually bleak, bad end future dystopias. Steampunk usually encompasses vast worlds that are remakes of our own. Cyber usually takes place in the future with virtual reality being the setting rather than the real world. Although there are several that do take place beyond it.

Some popular examples are The Matrix series, The Fifth Element, Looper, and Blade Runner for movies. Ender’s Game, Time Cop, and Ready Player One for literature, although all three have film versions.

A recent serial example, would be Altered Carbon. It was a novel that was recently developed as a series for Netflix! It is wonderful series that explores what happens to humanity when they become practically immortal by being recorded onto discs that can be changed from one body to another. It is made for a mature audience, so viewer discretion is advisable.

Lastly: Dieselpunk

Dieselpunk can be thought of as the offspring of steam and cyberpunk if it had fuel running in its veins. This aesthetic is grungy and brutal like cyberpunk usually existing during a dystopic time period as well. However, it focuses on the real world and the environment created by it. Technology itself maybe dying out or still in its infancy during these stories. So, virtual reality and space settings are usually not present. Dieselpunk is also very present as in tied to the present time. They usually take place in dire circumstances like a war.

A couple of examples would be Mad Maxx and Death Race in terms of movies. Snowpiercer would be another.   

Again, please let us know of any other good examples to include in these categories if you know of any!

Functioning as an aesthetic and/or a genre

Another interesting thing about most punk cultures is that they are often considered sub-genres. This often means they can function as an aesthetic rather than a stand alone universe or story type like we typically think of with genres. They often serve to spice up a narrative rather than support it. But they can be used to support one, too.

What do I mean?

Let’s take Spirited Away as an example of punk as an aesthetic.

In Spirited Away, the story is about Chihiro having to save her parents after they stumble into the spirit realm and get turned into pigs. It is a standard hero’s journey story set in a fantasy world with its own ecosystems, politics, etc, etc.  If we want to classify it, we would call it a pseudo-iseikai of the high fantasy variety. See my post on high fantasy for more info.

Steam comes into play only when the story reaches the bathhouse. It is necessary there as a distinguishing element. It is meant to show how human’s modern industrialization is vastly different from the nature harmonious steam and simple physics driven bath house that the spirits have.

Outside of that, steampunk is not important… that idea is no longer important.

How can this be applied to your story?

-Distinguishing cultures or kingdoms

Perhaps give your dragon kingdom a diesel/iron punk feel while your fairy kingdom is more steampunkish in line with their connection to nature

-Use them as a basis for creating other kinds of power sources or culture

-Use them as obstacles to your character’s goals

They find an abandoned ship but it runs on a special fuel that only the dieselpunk dragon race you made can make

Now for a punk genre example.

In Altered Carbon, mentioned in my blurb about cyberpunk, the main character is a newly “spun up” prisoner (they took his chip and put it in a new body after he was “detained” for 200 years in chip form). He was released to investigate a murder. While he does so, we are given glimpses into his original life. Now this story is clearly a sci-fi murder mystery with a hint of romance and other messy human pathos. But it can easily be called a cyberpunk murder mystery, too!

Now what makes this different than Spirited Away? The cyberpunk elements are tightly woven into not only the setting but the culture and the people… and that makes all the difference.

They have their own terminology that is clearly linked to the cyberpunk nature of the story. Spun up is one such term. Another is sleeves. Sleeves, like sleeves on clothing? What makes this so special? In this universe human bodies are referred to as sleeves! This is because when a body dies the “human consciousness” is not lost it is literally backed up on a chip. This chip is located between two vertebrae in the neck and can be reinserted into another sleeve (body)! There is a whole industry built on creating all kinds of sleeves!

In other words, it shapes the very fabric of your story as a whole.

Let’s take the dragon example from before. Instead of your characters just needing the fuel to power a wrecked ship… the ship is theirs and they are actually water transport personnel that move water across a barren wasteland that has been stripped of all its natural resources. There are few places that have electricity or clean water. Your MC has to get this water to their hometown, a shanty village that is in dire straits, their final stop after a few months of running routes. The Dragon kingdom is one of the few kingdoms that can provide fuel and other necessities in this area. Dragons and humans don’t get along. But it is a confrontation that has to be had.

In this scenario, the crumbling society and scarceness that comes with dieselpunk is woven into your character’s and universe’s story. The Dragons have the upper hand because they have what other characters don’t but need. You can play with terminology and how things are made. Perhaps the fuel is made from their blood and scales diluted in some simple oil that the few tree species in the area give off in huge amounts. The ships are cobbled together shells running on simple combustion engines that work with that special fuel.   

Long story short, if you want to use the different punk genres as aesthetics sprinkle it in every now and again. But if you want this to be the backbone of your story… your story’s genre then make sure you treat it like a character. Or at least make it intrinsic to the story you are telling.

Have any questions about making use of punk genres or something you would like me to answer about fantasy in general? Hit me up in my ask box here!

See you soon and sorry for being late (again)! Next time we start talking about some of the more broad yet niche sections of fantasy starting with Dark Fantasy!

~Admin Wolf

[justfinishedreading]

Every year the Folio Society and the House of Illustration run an illustration competition; they pick a specific book and participants are asked to create three illustrations and a cover design for it. The winner is commissioned to create six further illustrations and the Folio Society publishes the book.

This year the chosen title was the children’s novel Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Most people already know it from the 2004 Studio Ghibli animation - a truly wonderful film I’ve loved since I was a university student. While the film does a great job of adapting the novel, there are a few notable differences.

Side Note: The book in this photo is the edition currently in print, published by HarperCollins. The Folio Society’s edition, from the competition, is yet to be published). 

WARING: SPOILERS AHEAD. Anyone who enjoyed the film I urge you to read the novel, there’s some nice surprises. Don’t read any further than this, instead go get yourself a copy.

But for those who just want to know the differences between the book and the film, here they are:

The Castle In the book Howl’s castle is actually… a castle. It’s tall and lopsided, with four turrets blowing black smoke. It is made of black coal blocks that move and shift against themselves to make the whole thing move.

Sophie Sophie is pretty much the same except in the film she laments never having been beautiful while in the book she is more insecure about her inability to do something to distinguish herself; she believes that because she is the eldest daughter, she will never do anything amazing with her life. She’s afraid of failure and doesn’t want to be ambitious. The book is much better at using the character of Sophie to convey a positive message to children: don’t give up, you don’t know what you’re capable of until you try. In the end Sophie discovers that she’s actually a sorceress with impressive powers.

Howl Howl is much more of a womanizer in the book, he’s more flawed, he’s the type of person that will carry a guitar on his back just to make himself look cool, even though he doesn’t actually know how to play it… One of the brilliant things about this story is that Sophie’s old appearance means that there isn’t an instant romantic relationship between Howl and Sophie, they get to live together and experience each other’s true self, not the idealized image new couples in love try to present. He and old Sophie bicker constantly like an old married couple, when they officially start their romance at the end of the novel it is with the understanding that they know who the other person truly is.

War and Aircrafts In the book there are no war scenes or flying planes, all that came from the imagination of the film director, Hayao Miyazaki, and his team. They also made Howl seem more heroic by having him fight both armies’ aircrafts. By the way Howl never transforms into a giant bird (but he does become a half-cat half-sealion creature, and then a kitten…)

Calcifer The original Calcifer isn’t the cutesy character he is in the film. He’s a fire demon and in the book he properly looks like a scary demon. This makes his pack with Sophie much more suspenseful; there is a greater chance that Calcifer might actually be evil.

The Witch of the Waste She isn’t turned into an old woman and taken in by Sophie and Howl. In the book she is the story’s main villain until the very end. The book also has a few gruesome details which are cool.

Sophie’s Sisters She has two of them and they play a bigger part in the story; one of them is even studying to be a sorceress and is, temporarily, a potential love interest for Howl.

Michael / Markl Howl’s apprentice is older in the book, he’s 15 and has his own love interest.

Minor Characters There are more minor characters in the book, to name a few: Mrs Pentstemmon is Howl’s old magic teacher, Ben Sullivan is the king’s wizard and an old friend of Howl, and Howl’s sister and nephews also make an appearance.

The Black Portal In the film the Black Portal leads to a beautiful mountain-side meadow where Howl spent his childhood learning magic from his relative (was it his uncle? Grandfather? I can’t remember). In the book the Black Portal leads to a town in our real world, a town in Wales. This is much more interesting because Howl’s magical universe exists alongside our own present-day reality. It’s pretty cool to read Sophie and Michael’s reactions to a world we know but they don’t (our clothes, video games and cars).

The Ending The ending in the film gets a bit vague and magical, while the novel’s ending is much neater; several subplots are resolved and mysterious occurrences explained. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle being completed and the full image finally revealed.

MAGIC WORDS: SEQUELS Author Diana Wynne Jones wrote two sequels to Howl’s Moving Castle (written in 1986); Castle in the Air (1990) and House of Many Ways (2008). Sophie and Howl are in these books but I’m not sure how much they feature in the plots, either way I’ll be reading the books at some point in the future. 

Review by Book Hamster

[royalchemy]

one / name / alias. nika two /  birthday. september 17 three / zodiac sign.  virgo sun, capricorn moon, scorpio rising four /  height. 5′1 five  /  hobbies. tabletop rpgs, rp writing, karaoke, attending live shows (theatre, opera, music), reading, playing through visual novels/choose-your-own-adventure novels six /  favourite colors.  it really varies??? super into deep reds rn (oxblood, burgundy) emerald, and gold seven / favourite books.  charlotte’s web, the phantom tollbooth, neverwhere, monstrous regiment, howl’s moving castle, holes, the tale of despereaux, dragon’s bait, the epic of gilgamesh, goddesses & monsters eight  /  last song listened to. “mage pride” from the da2 soundtrack nine  /  last film watched. stardust ten  /  inspiration for muse.  the archetypal court magician but not as a snobbish or doddering or corrupt dude, but as a woman who can look at all the things we take for granted as accepted “fact” about magic (the way court magicians have historically regarded it as a hard science) and think in terms of “critical magic theory” dissecting our understanding of magic wrt social conventions. also as a thesis on interdisciplinary magic: spellcraft as computer programming and the gatekeeping of traditional wizard academia as opposed to witchcraft and its reputation as more artistic/poetic. took inspiration from: the arcana, equal rites, howl’s moving castle, the princess bride, stardust, choice of the deathless, and plenty others. eleven  / dream job.  showrunner, writer, singer, actor, music supervisor twelve  / meaning behind your url. uhhhh alchemy is a big theme both in fantasy and throughout history, and we take it pretty literally? when it should be more of a philosophical approach to self-improvement, which is a lot of samar’s motivation. also the way royals and wizards lust after the philosopher’s stone & the idea of immortality and the potential to abuse that power? but i also don’t like the notion of magic or power being inherently bad, or an inevitable corrupting force if wielded by someone who isn’t born into privilege, but wants to help the world. so what if the magic itself were to choose someone with whom to share its secrets?

TAGGED BY. @peaceific

TAGGING. idk just steal it & tag me