#i think this is why moe has become such a fascinating way for me to express and explore my own gender identity

[moe-broey]

Something something about how Moe is both and neither due to its failure to perform or achieve "either" set of gendered expectations, regardless of its own personal feelings of gender identity (which is complex in and of itself), which results in it ultimately fitting in nowhere.

[crocodile-tears-game]

Abilities - Research

Games use abilities to create new and interesting twists on their own gameplay. Abilities can open up new areas of a map and can cause you to look at the environment completely differently. In this post, I have decided to research the abilities I enjoyed using when I played the game they were in and also abilities I would like to add to my own game as well as my reasoning behind why they are so fun to use.

The first one I want to look at is the Hookshot from Zelda. I'm sure a lot of games have used a similar mechanic to this but I love this ability so much. I love acquiring this ability in any Zelda game the map completely opening to where I can go. I love the feeling of finding secrets while zipping around the map. Finding out I could grapple to the ivy on walls in Ocarina of Time was even more mind blowing to me.

The second ability I love using are the bombs from Breath of the Wild. I have also always loved bombs in any Zelda game but the way they have done it in Breath of the Wild is really unique and they are ridiculously fun to use. Because everything in this game has ragdoll physics and everything reacts how you would expect it to, throwing bombs at enemies is one of the more fun ways to get rid of a camp of Bokoblins. They don't do much damage but they are fun. Aside from this, they allow you to expand the map through the destruction of certain walls. Although, if I were to add a mechanic like this, I would not add any inclination that a wall is bombable because of how much I loved finding bombable walls in the original Zelda.

This next ability is one that I would like to use although I don't know any games that use it how I would like to. The ability would be to see into a different dimension or realm. Slightly like the magnifying glass from Ocarina of Time or the Moe-eyes from Super Mario Odyssey. This could not only open up certain areas of the map, but give a completely different atmosphere to it. I could invert colours and create flashy neon signs only visible to this specific NPC.

Another cool ability that I would love to add would be some sort of shape shifting ability. The idea behind this is that there will be certain doors that will not open unless you are a certain person, such as the character specific doors in some LEGO games or the cow mask and milk bar from Majora's mask.

I would also like to add a movement based NPC, one that's fast and can jump higher. This will allow the player to reach new areas. Placing these NPC's strategically will allow players to explore the town whatever way they want. This shares similarities to the bunny hood from Majora's mask.

I wanted to add one character with an ability that is unique to my game or at least one that isn't used a lot. This is going to be hard because virtually everything has been done in video games. I have always been very fascinated my the music used in video games so I would love to add a music based character. I think there would be a lot of ideas that could come from this ability, such as secrets becoming available when you play a particular song. The ability to play music for magic spells, and possibly the ability to play music as an attack.

[maxwell-grant]

On The Shadow’s “new” backstory

Poke around any discussion of The Shadow and the movie in particular and you’re gonna find a lot of contention regarding the movie’s biggest shift from the source material, that was inventing a whole new backstory for the character where, prior to being The Shadow, he used to be a murderous warlord on Tibet who was kidnapped by monks and forced to undergo redemption and put his skills to fight evil. 

It was not a popular decision at the time, to put it mildly. It didn’t do anything to improve the film (that text crawl really shoots the entire film in the foot), it soured a lot of fan opinions on the whole thing, and yet it’s become such a fixture of every story told with the character since then, that odds are most people think this is just what he always like, that this lip-service about redemption and being a former bastard turned hero was always what the character “was about”. 

I have some complicated thoughts on it and how it’s affecte Shadow stories since then, most of whom are negative, but the thing is, I get where it’s coming from. I get why they felt the need to change his origin like that, and why it’s stuck around. 

In the pulps, The Shadow’s backstory was, to sum it up, that he was a spy who went to war, learned a lot of skills and did a lot of things, and then pivoted to fighting crime in the late thirties. That was the backstory of most 30s American pulp heroes, actually, give or take a couple of differences. And for a pulp hero, it works. But modern audiences have been taught to expect more.

The movie, in trying to repackage the character for a modern audience, in turning The Shadow into a superhero so he could survive in a 90s blockbuster landscape, needed an appropriately punchy superhero backstory. Superhero backstories tend to be, in general, all about a dramatic hook that simplifies their motivations, powerset or life stories into a one-sentence pitch. Batman lost his parents in a brutal mugging as a child and swore to stop that from happening to others. Spider-Man’s uncle died because of his irresponsibility. Ben Grimm gained superpowers from space rays like his friends, except he got turned into a deformed rock monster who can never look normal again. Bruce Banner got caught in an atomic blast that made him into an unkillable rage monster. A dramatic transgression happened, they must correct it by becoming dramatic figures themselves.

They’ve made 3 John Wick movies with little more motivation to the central character other than “they killed his dog in the first movie”. That’s not a dismissal, it’s just effective storytelling. We don’t need more motivation for John Wick, we don’t need Batman flashbacks in every film, we get a one-sentence hook for a tangible, grounded motivation that lets the characters hit the ground running. “Used to be a savage murderous warlord, now applies said savagery to killing criminals” is a simple, easily understood pitch that’s considerably more dramatic than his former backstory. It works as a superhero backstory, and you can argue it’s even somewhat thematically fitting, since “a villain who turns evil against evil” has been part of The Shadow’s concept from day one. 

So what’s the problem with it?

Well, for one, The Shadow is not a superhero. He doesn’t look like them, he doesn’t act like them, he doesn’t live in their world. They can try and turn him into one, and they have done that several times, but the character’s core traits, central appeal and identity are not only considerably older than the superhero, they run directly counter to what defines a superhero. The movie that tried turning him into a superhero was a box office and critical failure, and the Dynamite comics have largely just succeeded at keeping the character in the fringes of the public eye and nothing more. If turning The Shadow into a superhero was intended to revitalize his success to modern audiences, it clearly hasn’t worked in over two decades, despite superheroes being more popular than ever before. It’s kept him on little more than life support.

And two, one of the very problems of trying to turn The Shadow into a superhero, and give him an ultra-dramatic superhero backstory pitch, is because it runs counter to a cornerstone of The Shadow’s appeal: the mystery. Superheroes have to pull double duty in being both the impressive, great warriors and forces of change within a story, as well as being our relatable, POV protagonist whose struggles we relate to. The Shadow, in the pulps, split that balance, between himself, and the agents and protagonists of any given Shadow story. @oldschoolcrimefighters  has brilliant writings on The Shadow and his agents that inspired me to do this blog in the first place and you should all read, and I’m going to quote this one in particular: 

“..modern storytelling focuses more on characterization rather than plot. I think a lot of creators come at The Shadow with that in mind, and with a mindset built on other comics and properties: the titular character is the one to focus on. And the radio show, movie(s), and comics – the most readily available mediums for research – don’t do much to disabuse them of this idea.

So creators shine the spotlight on The Shadow. They try to humanize him, make him into someone we the readers will empathize with and relate to and root for and all that jazz. They give him motivations and backstories and banter, a token romantic interest (Margo) and sometimes sidekick (usually Moe) to bounce exposition off of and provide comic relief. 

The Shadow doesn’t take kindly to spotlights. And even if he did, let’s be real, he’s not the most relatable dude. He’s a power fantasy. (And there’s nothing wrong with that.)

Whether or not he should be humanized at all is a touchy subject – I personally think the pulps portray him as a far more empathetic, fallible, playful being than people give them credit for. The thing is, when the pulps humanize him, it’s in a particular context. It’s in his relationships with other characters – especially the supporting cast – that his humanity shines.”

And that brings to the third problem: The Shadow doesn’t need a backstory that takes up so much screentime and focus. It has never factored into what made the character popular in his prime. In the pulps, we jumped right into his presence in the lives of others and his adventures, with only very sparse information about his past delivered every couple dozen books or so. It took over 131 novels for the name “Kent Allard” to even show up with a “proper” backstory, and even then, it consisted of little more than stuff we’d already been told prior about him (he was in the war, he used to be a spy, he traveled around the world with false names). And after a couple dozen stories, Kent Allard appeared less and less, about as often as the fake identity of Henry Arnaud, to the point the final Gibson stories omit him all together and even point to Lamont Cranston as the “true” identity of The Shadow. Kent Allard was just a name he went by a few times, and nothing more.

The most popular version of the character by far, the radio show, didn’t even have that. We knew nothing about the radio Shadow’s backstory other than some of his travels in the past he’d mention on certain episodes and what the opening narration told you. He was our POV protagonist in those episodes far more so in the pulps, and yet, clearly they must have been doing something right, if audiences never once missed the fact that they knew next to nothing about who he used to be before.

The very reason The Shadow became a character in the first place was because of popularity. It was because listeners tuning in to Detective Story Hour found themselves faced with the sibilant, cruel, snake-like whispery taunts of a narrator who talked and acted like no one they had heard announce other radio shows, who was easily the most interesting part of the shows he announced, and whose voice and personality held them in such fascination, even when he was literally nothing but a voice and a personality, that they started demanding to hear more of him, asking for stories starring this dark prince of radio that lived so vividly in their brains, that they didn’t notice, or care, that such stories about him didn’t exist yet. 

And when he was turned into a crimefighting character, his backstory was built in a way that allowed Gibson and any future writers to play around with and insert events and adventures as they saw fit. His adventures with the Tsar in Russia, his travels to India, Africa, Tibet, his war experiences, unrecorded adventures with allies and agents and villains of any kind, his post-war travels as Kent Allard, whatever happened in the years between his crash in the Yucatan and his arrival in America. Hell, if you want to have a period where he really loses it and does immoral things he isn’t proud of, there’s any number of periods you can insert mistakes and bad decisions that would define his actions years down the lane. It was a sandbox of any possibilities, grounded to a strong character who we could follow into any adventure because we’d be interested in learning more about him. 

A good backstory helps, and The Shadow’s motivation was grounded to it, but it was never a necessary component to his popularity. It was never something that needed much focus beyond the sparse information. When handled poorly, a backstory only really threatens to taint that appeal, and that’s what happened.

The “hook” that got audiences to pay attention to The Shadow was his sinister personality and charismatic cruelty. That was what they came for. What got them to stay, and read the stories and form lifelong devotions to the character and his adventures, was discovering that this personality belonged to a character who was, utterly, on the side of good, who used his skills and powers of great villainy to protect innocents, to help and uplift people just like the readers and listeners. That dual nature was a big part of why The Shadow was so enduring and popular in his prime, part of what set him apart from all of his contemporaries and imitators. 

It’s hardly much of a contrast, hardly much of a fascinating and layered character that we want to learn about or spend time with, if he was just always a horrible villain who is only marginally less horrible now, is it? A Shadow who used to be every bit the horrible villain he looks and acts like isn’t really that interesting, it’s just what you’d expect from him at first glance. What’s the point of caring about a man trying to regain his humanity, if we never get to see much of that humanity in the first place? What’s the point of even going into his past if we know all about it?

What’s the point of taking this backstory that was all about open possibilities for storytellers, all about covering the intricate life of a complex and strong character, to reduce it into a quick, punchy one-sentence summation that simply sets down a baseline for all future stories to repeat ad nauseum?

It’s not that I don’t think you can tell stories about The Shadow’s backstory, quite the opposite. It’s not that I don’t think the character having a strong “hook” for audiences is unneccessary (he already has). And it’s not that I don’t think he needs a motivation (he already has). But I have to ask:

What’s the point of shining a spotlight on a shadow, if not to eliminate it?

[toonstarterz]

BECAUSE I’M NOT POPULAR, I’LL READ WATAMOTE: CHAPTER #167

Hey, I’m not dead!

Yeah, sorry that took a while. Had a lot of real-life shit to work through, honestly. In any case, I finally sat my butt down to really crack down on yet another fun-tastical chapter. Tomoko’s actually doing what a lot of quasi-incel degenerates are afraid to do in high school and is taking an actual stab at self-improvement. Will karma rear its ugly head, or is the series now beyond that point?

Chapter 167: Because I’m Not Popular, I’ll Spend My Time Wisely unlike me

This is a really pretty shot and...that’s about it. Real pretty. 

Oh dear! The friendship disease has disrupted Tomoko’s gremlin-like body clock and has her waking up early like a healthy human being!

Reminds of that one Gintama episode. You know, that one with Kagura and the sick kid and you don’t care, do you?

I know Japan prides itself on its cheap, quality goods, but Tomoko is a real penny-pincher, eh? Well, she’s a Gen Zer, so I can’t complain.

Not sure if this makes me sound like a perv or whatever, but hot damn, the detail on this model is stupidly good. I mean, just look at the patterning on that bra. You can really tell when Ikko’s really getting into the art.

They’re really milking the armpit fetish, aren’t they?

Tomoko...sweetie...my girl...

You don’t even have a dick. I mean, sure, you could find it fascinating from a purely educational, not-applicable-to-you perspective. And yeah, I suppose it could be useful if you were to start a sexual relationship with a noncanonical male. But to be honest, I can’t help but take it as more signs of your gender dysphoria here. 

I mean, hey, whatever floats your boat.  

Well, they say kids learn more about practical knowledge out in the real world than in school, don’t they? 

Then again, coughgoogleitcough.

I always thought Tomoko was just having some kind of psychosomatic experience when she talks about being de-energized from a lack of sexual stimulation. 

Now I’m inches from calling that shit an actual, physiological withdrawal.

Ah, the good ol’ days. Back when future prospects felt like a lifetime away and you could spend days on end dicking around, lamenting the need to get serious, and disregarding your resolve right after because you secretly didn’t really care.

...I gotta stop projecting.

Despite Tomoko proving time and again that she can be a crass-hole with a negative outlook on life, it’s when she does childish things like laying your head on your arm when studying and cuddling her plushies that her innocent side pops up and you realize that Tomoko’s a legitimate cutie. 

Fake-smoking? Tomoko, stop! If you keep this up, you’ll turn from a deconstruction of a cute, moe girl to becoming an actual cute, moe girl.

I only just noticed that Tomoko’s wearing a “happy” shirt. Remember when she was sporting the “alone” shirt back in year one? Even her clothes get character development.

Oh, shit. Your girl Yuu-chan talking this whole cram school thing seriously even though she’s at a disadvantage. You see, this is why Yuu is literally the best. Despite being at the “top” of the school clique food chain, she has not once ever felt like “bottomfeeders” like Tomoko and Komi were below her in any way. Sure, she knows they’re weirdos, but she makes those acknowledgments without judgement, and all while putting herself on the same leveling field. She doesn’t love them ironically–she loves them sincerely, and that’s why Yuu is awesome. 

Sorry if this turned into a ramble, but Yuu only gets like, one panel of dialogue nowadays and I wanted to make the most of it. 

Tomoko be raising that “phone-call” flag like a motherfucking chad. 

...

...

...

Oh, sorry. I saw Yuri with her hair down and lost track of time.

...

...

...

Damn, Yuri’s pretty.

Black leggings at home? That’s exactly the kind of conservative attire Yuri would wear and only Yuri could look amazing in. Seriously, If Ikko hadn’t become a manga artist, she would have made a damn fine fashion designer.

And Tomoko be crushing that “home-visit” flag like a motherfucking chode.

I could make a pretty tasteless joke about how “haha, Yuri will never look at you like you’re trash like she does at Tomoko,” but, 

a. it’s just the angle of the smartphone like Yuri said, and

b. you’d probably prefer to get denied like that, wouldn’t you?

I can’t help but wonder if Tomoko realizes just how homoerotic she sounds. Like, does she have any inclination that her borderline-sexual harassment jokes could easily be misconstrued as flirting? Sure, she might be using the old excuse that “we’re both girls, so it’s fine right?”, but given that Tomoko at least knows about LGBTQ+, you’d think it would have at least crossed her mind.

Or maybe, on a sadder note, Tomoko doesn’t see it as flirting because she really does have zero faith in her own attractiveness...  

There is no heterosexual reason for this exchange whatsoever.

Alright, so I’m a dude, so...hell do I know. But do girls typically not wear bras when just lounging around the house? I know Tomoko is the kind to just wear tank tops if she can help it, but I always thought that was a characterization unique to her, and that other girls wear bras for the comfort and support like any other undergarment. I mean, sure, Yuri’s kind of reserved, but I wouldn’t think wearing a bra at home would be considered an oddity, yeah? I ask this out of genuine curiosity, but I’ll stop before it gets too creepy.

Side note, you can officially tell when Yuri gets pissed by her nose crinkles.

I could give a long, analytical spiel about why Yuri didn’t give Tomoko a straight answer and speculate on what she was doing, but I eventually realized the answer was actually really simple:

It didn’t fucking matter to the story.

The last time Tomoko had one of these “I know!” moments, she ended up trimming her pubes on a class trip. But surely Tomoko’s character growth wouldn’t allow something like that to happen again, would it not?  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Adorbs.

Can’t fight awkward with awkward, can you?

Tomoko, what are you playing at? You just said that video chatting was erotic and tried to get Yuri to lewd herself for you. And now you were planning to appear on-screen totally naked and you somehow don’t see any sexual implications for this at all? Finding it funny would be an elementary schooler’s mentality. If you seriously have no confidence in your sexuality, then sweetheart, you need some help. 

You ever notice that Tomoko can lie through her teeth when trying to screw with people, but when lying to be nice, it sounds so phony? I think that says a lot about the kind of person she is.

Ya’ll knew I was gonna add this panel, didn’t you?

I was never one to go crazy about blushing anime girls ‘cause to me, it always felt like it stemmed from some sadistic desire to see girls look uncomfortable. So while I can’t get behind it for reasons like that, I can admit that Yuri’s blush is fucking precious and I think that’s because I love seeing her so emotionally transparent for once. It feels rare, raw and well-earned after all this time, so yeah. A++ 

Oh, Tomoko, if only you knew that skill often has nothing to do with it. Yuri’s not embarrassed because she sucks at humming, but because you saw a side of her that she only lets out in private. Trying to reassure her is a good move, but putting the girl on blast like that is not going to end well.  

I felt like the vibration alone would’ve left a huge-ass crack on Yuri’s phone screen. This whole moment is like eleven tiers of funny because even though Tomoko is probably miles away, the impact of Yuri’s punch still jostles her. It also helps that we can visibly see Yuri’s fist come down mere millimeters from Tomoko’s mug. 

There is no escaping her wrath, Tomoko.

I feel you, girl. For me, nothing beats a good ol’ burger and fries after a hard day of studying.

Careful there, Tomoko. If there’s one thing that studying has taught me (other than I hate it), it’s that you could get serious burn out if you go all-out on the first day, especially if you’re typically not a regular studier. Always make sure to get dem breaks in. 

That sounds like the kind of line you’d see in a mainstream shounen action manga like [ ]. I don’t even have a direct reference here, so feel free to fill in the blank.

Hey, with Tomoko’s luck, I was expecting karma to hit her harder than Truck-kun in an isekai anime, so I consider this a small loss. 

Man, remember when we were young and had ambitions as high as the sky, and we all wanted to change the world by being firefighters, astronauts, idols, and presidents?

Kind of sucks that “financial stability” has become our goal in life as we enter adulthood. Perhaps that’s just the mindset creative-types like Tomoko have towards the STEM industry when it’s hard to see what makes that world so personally fulfilling. 

Oops, my opinions are starting to seep in, so let's move on.

Nooo, don’t do it, Nico Tanigawa Tomoko! Don’t sell out your passions for financial security even though it’s a totally viable career decision! How else are we going to validate the pursuit of our artistic dreams?  

How in the hell is Tomoko balancing that drink? I’m willing to let it pass for rule of cute, but I don’t care how secure that cup is. One wrong move and those practice sheets are done for. 

Jesus Christ, Nemo is on some otherworldly dimension of cute right here.

I don’t even think Tomoko is trying to one-up her or anything. This is already the most effort she’s given to study in a single instance, so I think she genuinely just wants to share this personal accomplishment.

You know, while it’s already been established that Tomoko and Nemo have different tastes in anime, that doesn’t necessarily mean they wouldn’t watch the same show, right? Just for different reasons. While Nemo would watch her cute slice-of-life series earnestly, Tomoko would probably watch them ironically MST3K-style. In any case, it’s a good way for them to find some common ground.

Bruh, Nemo must be over the fucking moon for this opportunity. Think about it: when was the last time she’s had someone to watch anime with her? After concealing her power level for so long, this could be the first time Nemo has had a fellow anime fan to geek out over a series with. And not just discussing it afterward, but actually reacting to a live episode together.  

Nemo may give Tomoko all kinds of shit, but this is actually what she wanted all along, wasn’t it?

Boy, Tomoko sure gets pretty demanding when she’s sleep-deprived, huh? I’d hate to see how loose her inhibitions get when she’s stark-raving drunk.  

Is this referencing the Quintessential Quintuplets anime? I don’t know anything about it other than that’s a kickass title.

Hey now, Tomoko, beggars can’t be choosers. Let Nemo give you the play-by-play at her own pace. She’s even acknowledging that you hate the source magazine without a hint of judgment. She’s gonna go places.

At first, I thought all this recent armpit content was just an incidental joke. Then I thought it was the mangaka slyly inserting their fetish into the series. Then I realized the series turned the joke on its head and made it a meta-reference about their very thing their readers were accusing them of. 

Well played.  

You ain’t slick with that leg service, Nino Tanigawa. Just sayin’.

Seriously though, I love the dynamic going on in this conversation. Tomoko and Nemo are approaching the discussion from different outlooks, the former looking at it from a degenerate’s perspective and the latter looking at it more optimistically. But even so, they’re not trying to “get the upper hand” like they might've done before. They’re simply having a totally organic talk about what they do and don’t like about the series, while still recognizing each other’s personal preferences. For once, it’s completely devoid of passive aggressiveness and it really shows how earnest their friendship has become.

At some point, I think Tomoko’s consumed so much near-pornographic content that pretty much all anime, manga, VNs, etc. looks like the same hentai to her.  

Every fiber of my being says that this is a reference to Komi-san Can’t Communicate, but it could just as well be the mangaka shooting themselves in the foot for a good joke. In any case, I do like how they point out shy, socially awkward girls is a rising trend that borders on romanticizing communication problems. 

Does that make Watamote a hipster manga since it did the whole “social anxiety girl” shtick before it was cool? 

I wanted to make a pretentious joke about how basic that anime sounds and how I’m so above a show that panders to the masses, but even I like junk food, so I’ll spare you the hypocritical humor.

If Ucchi caught a glimpse of this, she’d probably explode right on the spot.

I spent a good five minutes trying to decipher how Tomoko’s sleeping expression could be seen as “happy”, and I realized that it’s not that she looks happy. It’s that she doesn’t look unhappy. I’d imagine that those plagued by anxiety and stress have it evident on their face when they sleep, so the fact that Tomoko fell asleep in relative bliss must mean she’s had a pretty satisfying day. To top it all off, this is one of the few times someone–and Nemo of all people–has seen Tomoko in all her vulnerability. 

And you know what? Nothing bad happened. No punchline undermining the moment, no sarcastic quip, no embarrassment. Just genuine sweetness and it really speaks to the series’ faith in its heartwarming moments.

As a final note, I just wanted to thank everyone again for their patience. I’ve been trying to put a fresh spin on this, making it a little more comedic since its honestly getting harder to “analyze” without constantly repeating myself. It’s a lot of fun, and I hope you guys enjoy it for what it is.

[polar-stars]

4th of a 5 part ask of @smokeprincess24

Shigeo Eizan

👹 How does you OC act around different people and how does their personality change to match the environment they’re in? How do they act with: friends, family, strangers, children or their lover(s)?

Answered Already (in very long manner, haha)

🍅 How easily is your OC embarassed? What subjects make them flush and why? What event has made your OC the most embarassed they’ve ever been?

It honestly depends a lot on who he’s talking to. People who Shigeo has a more intimate relationships with and who just know him really well have a much greater chance to embarrass him than complete strangers have. In the end, he’s very calculating and keeps his composure excellently, but there’s no real need for that around people he’s legit close to. 

Shigeo is another candidate who thinks that discussing sexual topics publicly is very inappropriate, so that’s one thing. Given that, as Etsuya’s and Nene’s son, the Tsun-Genes certainly run through his veins any of the people closer to him bringing up Chieko and his relationship to her can lead to him flustering as well. 

What truly, TRULY never fails to embarrass him is being asked to sing. He thinks singing is….so, so embarrassing and he will flush after the first word ngl. Unless he's drunk. Then he honestly sings half his sentences. 

💥 Are there any emotions your OC doesn’t know how to deal with, doesn’t understand or hates having to feel? Any reason behind this?

Ahaha

So there’s one emotion that Shigeo is, one could say, terrified of. And it’s Fear itself. Shigeo is kind off afraid of being afraid. More about that later in the story but welp, he has certainly experienced the feeling of being scared in the past and he decided he never wants to feel like that again in a sense. 

Then there’s also sadness. I think I’ve said plenty of times already that something rather unfortunate happened in Shigeo’s childhood and the memories haunt him to this day. It can certainly spoil his mood and bring his spirit’s down, yet Shigeo swallows it down and locks up his everlasting unhappiness up in himself. He does not want to feel sad as he believes it makes him weak and vulnerable and that’s the last thing he wants to be (because weak and vulnerable have more reason to be afraid, easy as that). He also never ever cries.

There’s also a bit of more positive emotions that he’s inexperienced with and it confuses him when he feels them. Something that he genuinely cannot really grasp is what exactly his emotions for Chieko are actually. At first it really was just about getting her to be his assistance but he ended up getting much fonder of her than he planned?? Like this was not his intention? Shigeo never really pictured himself “falling in love”. He thinks that true love is rare in the world he lives in and that his father got insanely lucky. Shigeo always pictured himself in some loveless marriage arranged by his grandparents, once they’ll eventually grow tired of his single life...So when he starts actually gaining feels for little Chieko, he really does not know how to deal for quite some time. 

🏀 Does your OC have any skills that people wouldn’t expect them to have? Do they have a hobby or pass time that others would consider strange or weird? How did they learn this particular skill or pick up this hobby?

Shigeo is a man of many talents but a lot of them are not all too surprising to most people. However given the fact that he thinks singing is the most embarrassing thing ever and therefore does not often do so…Not many know that he can sing pretty well actually. 

Funfact but he knows how to do the "Charleston". He knows plenty of dances which his grandaunt insisted on teaching him (and also Masashi and Kei) for all sort-off social events that await one in high-society; however most of them are ballroom dances. He asked his grandaunt to teach him the "Charleston" as a child mainly because of his love for Jazz-Music, so yeah. (Further Funfact but Suzume knows the "Charleston" as well actually ahshd)

⭐ Does your OC like to sleep alone or do they enjoy sharing their bed? Have they been to any sleepovers? Have they ever been camping? What did they think of the experiences if so?

There was never much of a need for Shigeo and his brothers to share a bed when they were younger since the fam is rich, however they still tended to do so whenever they were on vacation somewhere a lot of times. It was mainly for comfort-reasons as the three could snuggle at each other while Nene sung them into sleep with her infamous lullabies (as I said plenty of times already: lullaby-mom). 

When he's a teen he's very much used to sleeping alone in his huge bed and doesn't really believes that he needs someone there. However it is when he actually gets with a certain girl and starts sharing a bed with her that he A LOT of comfort from her presence and her clinginess and finds it very soothing. You see….Shigeo sleeps terribly. He goes very late to bed and rises the most early. He gets frequently tortured by nightmares and awakes a lot in the middle of the night in sweat. However he finds these things getting rarer and rarer once he sleeps with someone he cares about. 

🍏 When your OC says “I had a bad day” what does that tend to mean? Is it really as bad as they’re saying or are they being a bit dramatic?

Honestly Shigeo uses "I had a bad day" more as a way to unsettle his underlings. He often says that he's in a bad mood or something when he's annoyed (because of an E10 meeting or so) and his underlings are about to report about a task he's been giving to them. It's basically a warning "I had a bad day, so you better have good news for me". 

When he really feels greatly and terribly upset he won't talk about that.

🐉 How religious is your OC? Do they pray to any god(s) or do they not believe in that kind of stuff? What is their view of religion in general? Where do they believe people go when they die? If your OC is not religious why not and what do they believe in otherwise?

Despite all of Nene's efforts to raise a bit of enthusiasm for the Shinto-beliefs in her son, Shigeo grew into a proud atheist with a rather cynical view on religion but it's, surprisingly, not something he would use to insult someone with. 

💧 What is something from your OC’s past they’re the most ashamed of and why? What is something they’re really proud of? And lastly what is something in their past that could make them shake with dread?

The major event that tremendously affected Shigeo is something he never wants to think about again, but as I said…given that he never really got any closure from it because he's kind off just trying to ignore that it happened…that major event still haunts him to this day and yeah, if he would be confronted with the people who hurt him back then he'd most likely freeze and feel panic spreading in him. 

What he's the most prideful over so far is the fact that he was named as successor of his father as CEO of the consulting-family that the Eizan family runs at an astonishingly young age and despite the fact that he's not the first-born son. It's ultimately  due to the fact how he showed a lot of understanding in the field of business and consulting from an early age on.

🐟 What was your OC like as a baby? What were they like as a child? A teenager? An adult? How do you think they’ll develop ten years into their future? Twenty years? Will they live to old age?

Shigeo already showed himself to be the least loud one out of his brothers as a baby. He was honestly rather relaxing and rarely inconvenienced his parents while they were doing their work. He slept a lot. However he liked to grab things A GREAT TON. Specifically all kinds of shiny things. He was very, very fascinated by his father's golden Rolex and would often reach out for it ahdhd. He was also rather clingy towards Masashi and often started crying when he was picked up and carried away from his brother. 

As a child, Shigeo already showed a lot of intelligence early on as well as a healthy dose of mischief and wit. He truly gave the numerous babysitters tasked to watch after the disaster-sibs hell. He was always a little bigheaded and definitely spoiled but ultimately happy and he still had his sweet sides to him. However sometime along the way in his childhood something should happen that would have a massive, massive effect on him and taint his world-view into an insanely cynical one. 

As a teen, Shigeo would grow into a person with an obsession for power and a concerning lack off empathy. He's a very talented guy and very smart, yet he uses all of these talents for so many bad things. He's pretty charismatic and eloquent but snobby and downright manipulative as well. There's only very few people he actually genuinely care for, but if anyone ever hurt them? He will go truly berserk. 

When he eventually grows into an adult, Shigeo will have learned the error of his ways. While smugness and a certain dose of cynicism will ultimately remain part of his personality, he won't be downright malicious anymore and just be more softer. 

🍇 Does your OC have any bad habits? Does your OC have any addictions like smoking or drinking? How did they fall into these habits and why? 

haha yeah: Ignoring that he has emotions, ignoring that he's able of becoming sick because he wants to work, sometimes forgetting to eat because he's so busy, drinking coffee after coffee, going out without a scarf because "it doesn't match his outfit”…..

If it wasn't mainly for his mom Nene but also Masashi to some extent and also Kiyoko and Moe…Shigeo would possibly be dead already.

He drinks on the parties that the 114th is so famous for but it's honestly hard to get him truly drunk. 

🔮What does your OC think is their best trait. What is actually their best trait? What about their flaws? Are they one to admit these flaws or do they like to pretend they’re perfect?

He, himself, would name his intelligence as his best trait without blinking an eye. However it's really hard to truly name his best trait because so many of his traits are two sides of a coin. But in the end I settled on his loyalty. I know it's weird to name "loyalty" as the best trait for someone who backstabbed so many people that it could make any love-rival in some cheap TV-drama blush but like…When Shigeo backstabs people he normally does plan to do so from the very beginning on. However if Shigeo truly, truly, TRULY cares for someone….he won't EVER downright betray them. 

When it comes to flaws Shigeo has so many that its hard to pick ahdhd but I suppose the most fatal one is the fact how he just pretends that his trauma from childhood days never happened instead off working through that? Because that's ultimately why he is the way he is. 

🌸 What’s a sentence that would make your OC’s day better? One that would make them laugh? One that would make their day worse? Why? What words would you have to say to them to completely ruin their day?

Answered already. 

🌷 How much effort does your OC put into their looks? Do they care much about how they’re dressed or what their hair looks like or are they not bothered? Could they be considered a snob or a slob?

Shigeo is a snob. He's a fucking diva. 

Shigeo takes quite the pride in his fashion-sense (and mind you, he's not a fashion-disaster like Etsuya is) and he would refuse to wear anything that he would consider unfashionable or cheap. He only wears big brands in the end and also has a pretty formal (and very monochrome) style but it's all very fancy in his eyes. He also takes a lot of time styling his hair in the end and like, even wears cologne. He's also certainly not above commenting on other guy's fashion sense and how it's terrible. 

He also can't stand it if you ruffle his hair or something or splash water in his face…basically anything that could ruin his hairstyle. 

❤️ What inspired you to make this OC? How long have you had them? How have they changed in the time you’ve been developing them?

I said it already but at first I planned to have Nene paired with Kuga in my Next Gen Fic. But then Eizan threw Nene's phone through half the train and I just went "How romantic". I don't know, I just thought that Nene and Etsuya could have an interesting and cute dynamic and I could rather quickly envision them as parents in a sense? So yeah, I ended up deciding on Nene and Etsuya as a pair instead. 

Shigeo's basic concept was basically "Eizan but with Nene's coldness". So in the beginning, he was actually a lot more thuggish, graceless and generally more like Eizan although he lacked the temper-aspect from beginning on. 

However it was when I started to consider Nene's possible parenting-style more that Shigeo began to change a little. I thought that Nene wouldn't like her children to cuss and that thought alone ended up shaping Shigeo into a much more mannerly person than Eizan was portrayed as. Shigeo ultimately not much of a brute anymore and I'd say the "Faux Affably Evil"-Trope is more pronounced in Shigeo than it was in Eizan (at least I’m trying to do that), which is also a result off the fact that Shigeo can keep his cool A TON better and he won't really develop a kind off relationship to Kimiko that Eizan had with Soma. I think the German Dub also indirectly influenced me in shaping Shigeo being real ovo;; Eizan's voice in the German Dub really puts the emphasis on the arrogance of his character and he gets…so insanely sassy at times? (It's beautiful) And I think that had a bit off an effect in how VAIN I ended up making Shigeo. 

🧡 What traits of your own do you see in this OC? Are they a little bit self-inserty? Don’t be shy, we all put parts of ourselves into the creations we love!

You know this was not really by intention because I only recently realized just how badly this is present in my own persona but…Shigeo's tendency to swallow his bad feelings down and never talk about his emotions e v e r is something that I can VERY, VERY much relate to. It's for different reasons and I am ultimately not an asshole because of it (I am a doormat because of it) but yeah. 

Other than that, it's mostly little things. Shigeo's deep love for New York City is something that's taken mainly from me (I've been to NYC twice and fell in love ashdod) but it's also for another, secret reason actually. 

💚 Are you writing anything with this OC or planning on writing anything for them? Do you rp with them or are they just for fun to mess around with?

I always have plans for ShigeChi so yeet. One is that I want to write from his side a bit more, since I tend to dive more into Chieko’s feelings ovo;;

💗 Ramble a bit about this character!

Shigeo can be a bit off a challenge to write because…I have like zero sass and wit to myself which he's supposed to have. But he's still so, so much fun for me in the end. He's really one of the character I've been the proudest over so far and I'm just !! Glad I created him I suppose (Even though he causes suffering). And I can't wait to complete his individual story in SnKimiko!

He’s fun on his own but he’s also really strong in character interactions for me, from being the Friend That No One Likes in the Quartett of Friendship and Magic to being the third-wheel of arguing in the relationship with his brothers...its all gonna be fun for me. 

[introvertguide]

Godfather vs. Godfather 2

Spoiler Alert for both movie plots!!!

I have been told by many different people that they think one of these movies is far superior to the other. I believe that it is a close call, but that does not seem to be the opinion of others (or at least the people that I know and like to talk about movies). I have always thought the first film was the better film, but there are many things about the second film that I like better. I would like to go through each film and list some of the positives and negatives so that I can clarify in my own mind which movie I like better (maybe it will help you decide for yourself as well):

Godfather 1 Positives: 

-World building: The viewer is thrown headlong into the world of the Corleone crime family. We are shown (not told) all the aspects of Sicilian customs that have worked into crime as a family business. We are also given the fish-out-of -water view as a wedding guest were customs can be questioned without insult. The whole world of the Godfather and respect are romanticized in a way that made people actually want to be a 40s mobster. 

-Characters introduction: All of these wonderful characters like Vito, Luca, Sonny, Michael, and Fredo are all introduced and you want them to be successful despite the fact they are killers. None of the characters get a lot of screen time nor are they really introduced well, but you are rooting for them. It is really difficult to create a sense of attachment to characters quickly and this film does it flawlessly. 

-The scene with the horse head: This sticks with me so much. Why would somebody go after the horse of all things? It really makes you realize that the killing is just business for this family. But why would somebody bring in members of their family into a situation where their safety can be used against you? The business seems to be about NOT caring about your family. It is just fascinating and the horse really shows it. 

-Wraps up brilliantly: Michael takes out the heads of all the five families at the same time while he is busy becoming the godfather for his sister’s baby. It is symbolic and literal at the same time and it wraps up the movie with a bow. Godfather 1 really is one of the best “complete stories” I have ever experienced as far as a film. 

-Luca Brasi: I love this guy. There is no real reason. He is barely in the movie and he is killed quickly and horribly. I don’t care. He is awesome. This movie gets a bonus point from me for this single character.

Godfather 1 Negatives: 

-Wedding is way too long: I really was getting bored towards the end of wedding scene and that is not good when there is another two and a half hours of movie. I love the intro to the characters, but, like most weddings I have been to, I am reading to do something else long before it is over. 

-The entire time that Michael is in Sicily could be cut: The movie stops cold and splits off between a story with Michael that goes nowhere (he falls for a girl and gets married and she dies so Michael comes back and takes up with his old girlfriend). I didn’t realize it until last viewing, but nothing is resolved or really changed with Michael being gone. Half hour off the movie.

-Many great characters are introduced and then killed: Luca Brasi, Moe Green, Sonny Corleone, Vito Corleone, Michael’s weird Italian wife and others are all introduced and have potential to grow and then die. There are so many “Oh. Well I guess he is dead then...” moments in this movie. Admittedly, it really gives the audience the feel for what it would be like to be in danger of being murdered at all times, but I wanted to know more about these characters. Especially Luca Brasi. He is awesome.

-Marlon Brando: I really don’t like this guy as a person. He was a great actor and gave many fine performances, but there is little denying that the guy was a jerk. When I see the cat at the beginning of the movie, it reminds me how Brando did whatever he wanted and the director always just hoped to get a decent performance out of him. The fiascos that were his parts in Superman and The Island of Dr. Moreau when he was just working for money really taint my enjoyment of this film. He didn’t want to be part of the movie culture (didn’t accept his Academy award for this film) but was fine with putting The Godfather on his resume to demand exorbitant amounts of money for bit parts.

Godfather 2 Positives:

-We go into depth about Vito Corleone: Young Vito played by Robert DeNiro makes the movie. The whole back story of him escaping from Sicily and coming to the US while learning to care for himself is brilliant. This is the aspect that likely won all of the academy awards.

-Fredo finally gets what he deserves: This guy has been lying to the family and screwing things up and getting people killed for years and he finally gets his come-uppance. That felt really satisfying.

-The time spent in Havana: All of the classic cars and costumes were especially fantastic. The revolution and the escape of the corrupt government officials was fascinating and made me want to research that era more. 

Godfather 2 Negatives:

-Pretty much all the time spent in New York and Nevada with Michael: You might be thinking “wow...that is like half of the movie” and you would be correct. I think that about half of this movie is unnecessary and boring. I think we have a winner in my eyes.

I enjoy the first movie as a complete story far more than the second. However, if you asked me to pick out my favorite part from both films, it would be DeNiro playing Don Corleone in turn of the century New York and his vengeance in Sicily. In fact, the perfect Corleone family movie would start in Sicily with Vito and progress until he became the Don in New York. It would then jump to Godfather 1 and play out minus the entire time that Michael was in Sicily (replaced by the words “3 years later”) and the film would end at the end of Godfather 1 when Michael takes over. 

[animeloveworld]

A Review on Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Note: This review is not mine.I have posted this review here because I feel it summarizes the anime Code Geass very well.

However I will be posting my reviews in the future once I get more experience.

This review is taken myanimelist from the reviewer kiriska.

Overall Rating 9

I was incredibly skeptical about Code Geass at first, but I'm very pleased to say that I was greatly surprised.

STORY - Before I saw this series, it was described to me on multiple occasions as "Death Note with mechas." After seeing it, however, I am inclined to disagree. The similarities between the two series are superficial at best, and though I can see why people would draw the comparison, I don't really think that dis/liking one means that you'll dis/like the other. But anyway, unlike Death Note, I wouldn't say that the story in Code Geass is particularly notable or unique. It's actually rather straightforward and even a little cliche, but that's exactly why this is such a well done series -- the barebones storyline is handled in a refreshing and new way that grabs the viewer's attention. There are enough twists and turns involved to keep you on the edge of your seat. The pacing is excellent and nothing feels rushed or drawn out. Indeed, the progression up to the conclusion is especially brilliant. (It's a cliffhanger "ending," but oh, it's just a fantastic cliffhanger.)

The series is also appealing in its uncanny ability to mix genres. Yes, this is a mecha series, but it really doesn't have to be. Yes, CLAMP did the character designs and there are some very shoujo elements (read: homolust), but there are very shounen rivalries and some pretty epic battle scenes too. Everybody wins! Additionally, because of the number of characters, the story allows for a number of small subplots. I was very happy with how this was handled in particular because all of the subplots relate and affect the main plot directly, whether by revealing some bit of information to both the characters and the viewer or by pushing forward interesting character development. Everything is well thought out and wonderfully executed, so despite the fact that "strong-willed person with plans to change the world receives mysterious power that helps facilitate his goals" isn't a very unique storyline... Code Geass makes it work.

Also. Code Geass utilizes the "best friends trying to kill each other" plotline, and I'm a sucker for that plotline.

CHARACTER - The characters in this series are rather varied. Some are very plain and one-dimensional, while others have an amazing complexity to them that makes them very life-like. I'll be honest. I've become somewhat infatuated with Lelouch as a character (and am rather biased as a result). To me, he is very much a human character -- he has emotions, opinions, a unique point of view, and some very serious flaws, all of which make him incredibly easy to relate to and to sympathize with. He is easily the most complex character in the series, and he feels real to me, even with his supernatural powers and his genius-level intellect. This ability to make the audience relate to him is also probably the series' greatest strength and the main reason why the story is able to remain relevant and interesting despite the fact that there aren't too many new ideas plotwise.

Suzaku would probably be second in line for complexity after Lelouch, though his sense of justice might be called cliche at first (along with Nunnally's and Euphemia's), and his hax-level physical prowess is somehow harder to accept than Lelouch's genius-level intelligence. It's harder to appreciate Suzaku's depth at first, partially because he is presented as Lelouch's main obstacle and the audience's sympathies are with Lelouch, but a great deal is revealed about his character throughout the course of the series, and he becomes an amazing foil to his rival. Their conflicting ideologies and philosophies are fascinating if you really look into it, and gay as it sounds, they really do compliment each other very well.

Much of the rest of the cast seems to fall into typical archetypes -- there's your adorable little sister, your mad scientist and his assistant, your cheerful schoolgirls, your best friend, your most loyal soldier, your second-in-command, your village idiot, your... really creepy lesbian girl? Despite the generic-sounding descriptions, most of the characters are actually pretty fun, or at the very least, interesting. C.C. provides snarky commentary. Shirley spreads innocent schoolgirl love. Nunnally is so moe you'll die. Jeremiah is a good butt of all jokes. Little bits of backstory are tossed in here and there to separate them from the crowd, but it's never enough to actually intrude, and the wide range of characters lets you settle into the world pretty well too; after all, what universe is complete without an animal mascot that shows up now and again?

ARTWORK & ANIMATION - I wasn't too impressed with CLAMP's character designs at first (noodleboys!), but as always seems to be the case, they gradually grew on me, and I remembered just how pretty X was. CLAMP just knows how to make everyone look amazingly sexy, male or female. I really loved how they did all of the facial expressions in the series though, especially for Lelouch. Seriously, that guy had some of the most awesome crazy expressions, some of the most amazingly touching sadface expressions, and of course, some of the most amusing WTF expressions. The mecha designs for the Knightmare Frames were also pretty awesome. I dig the whole rollar blade thing, and some of the technologies they come up with are neat, if a little over-the-top. The animation is fluid and smooth for the most part and very few things stood out as being bad.

MUSIC - Initially, I wasn't particularly fond of any of the OP/EDs for Code Geass except the first ending by ALI PROJECT because 1) they're awesome, and 2) Yuki Kajiura's style seemed to suit the series very well. The screaming violins both convey the high status of Britannia and the intensity of the emotions in the series. The rest of the themes seemed lackluster in comparison, but though I was never a huge fan of FLOW, "COLORS" kind of grew on me after a while. The final insert song, "Innocent Days" by Hitomi is pretty nice as well. Very thoughtful, very poignant, very fitting. The background music during the series was negligible for the most part; there is some pretty generic battle build-up type music and other appropriate, but rather typical, themes. Still, there's some neat classical/opera stuff, and the "All hail Brittania!" theme is definitely awesome.

VOICE ACTING - I've seen all of Code Geass subbed and most of it dubbed. Although I was incredibly turned off by Johnny Yong Bosch's role as Lelouch initially, it kind of grew on me, and now I think it fits well enough, though I do wish he'd change his voice a little more when Lelouch is Zero (make it a little deeper?). Suzaku's dub voice surprised me with how appropriate it was too. One of the things I really wish we could replicate in English though, is the subtle differences in manners between characters, between Lelouch and Suzaku at various stages of their lives, and between Lelouch and Zero. In Japanese, when Lelouch and Suzaku are children, they refer to themselves with "boku" and "ore" respectively. As teenagers, the pronouns are swapped, with Lelouch using "ore" (Zero uses "watashi") and Suzaku using "boku." Euphemia uses "watakushi." I'll skip the grammar lesson (go wiki "Japanese pronouns"), but suffice to say that these differences provide a lot of very interesting insight into each of the characters. It's really too bad English isn't nearly as interesting.

The rest of the voices in the dub are pretty average, perhaps the low end of average, with a stereotypically high-pitched girly voice for Nunnally that is amazingly annoying, and very forgettable voices for virtually all the female characters (Milly, Shirley, and Kallen all kind of sound the same). I was very impressed with Lloyd's dub voice though, even if nothing will ever amount to his amazing original voice, which is uh, amazing! Seriously. One of the most amusing voices I've ever heard. Jun Fukuyama's voice for Lelouch I found to be a bit too deep/old sounding initially, but that grew on me as well, and I really love the badassity of his voice for Zero. Suzaku's original voice sounds a little generic at first, but it grows with his character. There's a good bit of Engrish in the Japanese version as well, which is always fun. I don't think you can ever get tired of their "Yes, my lord(o)!" or their "All hail Britannia!"

Overall, I'd say the original is damn awesome, and the dub is pretty watchable -- always a plus, right?

OVERALL - I really love this series, and I definitely did not see that happening. Honestly, I found the first episode incredibly underwhelming: the opening sequence made it look like a series I wouldn't be interested in watching at all, and all of the expository really turned me off...but the second episode? That was so much more epic than I could have ever predicted, and I was pretty much won over after that. I'm just a sucker for chess analogies, I guess! Seriously though, good story, good characters, good animation, and good music! Mechas, politics, rivalry and comradery, strained friendships, love and hate, complex ideologies, and blowing shit up! What more could you want? :D

[lalka-laski]

Can you recommend any Neil Gaiman to me, aside from Stardust or Good Omens? The only book I’ve read of his was “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.” It was good, just not really my scene. 

What’s the best concert you’ve been to, if you’ve been? The Killers, hands down. 

Is there an animal you like that most people don’t? I kinda like spiders and most people are terrified of them. Which makes me the designated spider-catcher whenever one’s nearby. (I never kill them. Just relocate them!)

Is there an animal that you think is overrated in terms of how it’s liked? Dogs 

Do you find yourself listening to music that’s a bit more esoteric? I guess sometimes. But a great deal of what I listen to could be considered “mainstream.” 

What are your three favorite books and why? This is an impossible question! So I’ll respond with the 3 best books I’ve read *lately* Water for Elephants, This Close to Okay, What Comes After (I’m still in the middle of it but I sense it’ll become a fave!) 

What about authors? Anita Shreve, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Patti Callahan Henry Do you have any likes you wouldn’t tell someone until you got to know them? I have some ~guilty pleasures~ but I’m not so ashamed of them that I’d keep them secret. 

Do you have a favorite language? Polish

What about a place you’ve always wanted to visit? Poland, Northern Ireland, Iceland

Do goldfish crackers ever make you sick, or is that just me? Nah I enjoy them.

Do you have a favorite art style? I’m not familiar enough with art technique/history. 

Do you have a favorite myth/fairy-tale? Sleeping Beauty, of course! 

Who is your favorite person aside from family? Glenn 

Do any of your pets (if you have them) have weird quirks? I don’t have pets. And probably won’t ever. 

Do you listen to music from anywhere besides America? How boring would my life be if I limited myself to only music from America (or any single country for that matter). 

Have you ever “quit” a site and came back to it more than once? Facebook a couple times

Do you have an “odd” fascination with anything?  I’m sure there are several things but of course I can’t think of any at the moment What is the thing you want most at this moment? I guess I’d prefer not to be at work but it’s really not so bad. 

What was the last book you read and what was it about? I’m currently reading What Comes After about the aftermath of the deaths of two teenage boys 

What was the worst book you’ve ever read & why? There have been several I’ve started and couldn’t bear to finish. 

Do you have a favorite breed of dog or cat? Which? Nah I’m not much of a dog OR cat person. 

If you like any anime/manga, what are some titles you recommend? I don’t watch it but Glenn’s a huge fan and could rattle of a looooong list if you were interested

What’s the hardest thing you’ve been through, & what did you learn from it? I think it’s kinda of weird to rank my painful experiences like that. I’ve felt pain in different ways at different points of my life. 

What are three “unrealistic” things you want most? My dream body, my dream house, my dream career

What are some of your favorite foods? Pizza, falafel, popcorn, chips & dips (I’m a snacker for sure) 

Where do you like to buy your clothes? Lately I’ve just been buying bullshit on Amazon (and then getting disappointed when the quality & fit are terrible). But my favorite stores are Windsor & Express. 

Do you take any daily vitamins? Magnesium & B12

Who are three of your favorite fictional characters of all time? Elle Woods, Lizzie McGuire, Mr. Gellar from Friends 

If you had to give the world a pre-existing mythological/fictional being, what would it be? Mermaids. Just because they’d be cool as hell. 

When buying Slurpees, if you do, do you get only one flavor or mix them? I haven’t had a slurpee since I was a kid, but IIRC I liked Blue Raspberry. 

Do you have a favorite 7Eleven food? We don’t have many 7Elevens around me but I will admit I love me some gas station/convenience store food.

Do you have any desire to learn (a) foreign language(s)? Which? Polish, because I want to speak the language of my ancestors. And because I just think it’s beautiful.

If you could have any career, “realistic”-ness aside, what would it be? Published author or maybe a content creator for a lifestyle blog/magazine. 

What are three memorable movies from your childhood? Sleeping Beauty, of course. Toy Story, Monster’s Inc 

Do you, personally, put a space after ellipses, or not? Nope

Micky D’s sweet tea, y/n/other? Not a fan of sweet tea, period. 

What are three of your best (non-physical) qualities? Friendliness, empathy, creativity. 

What are three of your worst (again; non-physical) qualities? Anxiousness, hyper-sensitivity, impulsiveness 

What is one of your firmest beliefs? Moe’s is FAR superior to Chipotle in every conceivable way. 

Do you ever question things until you’re unsure of even the silliest thing? Yeah, overthinking is my superpower. 

Do you have anything that keeps you from doing something you’d truly enjoy? ~ANXIETY~ What are your three biggest pet peeves (personality-wise) in others? Arrogance, close-mindedness are the top of my list. I also can’t STAND conversation hogging. 

Do you work to fix your faults? Or at least, admit to them? I could work on them MORE... but yes I always own up to them. 

What are three of your best physical qualities? (NOT EYES!) Collarbones, nose, the shape of my lips 

What are some of your greatest aspirations? Write a book, have a family 

How do you hope the world will change, if at all? That’s just too heavy of a question. I’m just here to chill! 

What are three things that make you the happiest? My loved ones, my babies, good food! 

What is/are your view(s) on god, religion, spirituality, or relations to? I don’t subscribe to any fixed set of beliefs but I could be considered spiritual. 

Are you arachnophobic or scared of spiders in the least? No, I actually think they’re kinda cool. 

Do you play WoW? What do you think of it either way? Nope.

What kind of computer do you have? Windows 7/Vista/XP/Other? I’m at work and currently on a Dell. At home I have a Chromebook. 

What are you good at? Writing, worrying... 

What career do you hope to have? Writer

Are you taking any interesting classes in school/do you not attend? I’m done with school (for now)

If you don’t attend, are you taking any “lessons” for anything No, although there have been several creative writing courses and workshops I’ve had my eye on. I really should register for one.  A book/piece that has had an exceptional impact on your life? For Women who are Difficult to Love by Warsan Shire

If you know of pandora.com, what is your favorite station? I only listen to Pandora at work and the office usually has “Brunch Cafe Radio” on which plays a lot of coffehouse style singer/songwriters. I dig it! Have you ever “lost” a friend in any way? How did you deal? Of course I have. Friend “breakups” can be just as painful and life-altering as romantic ones and I wish that was discussed more.

Any music recommendations? I’m actually on the hunt for some new music so if anyone has reccs for ME... that’d be cool.

What are at least three of your biggest fears? Losing my loved ones, death, birds (:

Most recently read book that you liked? The last book I read in full was Jessica Simpson’s memoir Open Book. And it was surprisingly delightful & touching. 

Do you have a piece of jewelry you don’t like to take off? My claddagh ring & of course, my engagement ring.

Do you have a favorite quote? Why is it your favorite? Too many to list Any odd pastimes you have? I like reading the inmate profiles on Writeaprisoner.com, then googling the inmate’s names to find out what crime(s) they committed. 

Are you quirky in any way? (Name them please). I have some OCD tendencies that could be considered peculiar. Oh, I also hate wearing shoes or socks & prefer to be barefoot whenever possible. 

Political standing? Filthy liberal 

Do you have any piercings/what do you think about piercings? I have none as I just don’t think they suit me. But they look great on other people. 

Do you have a favorite material? Not really? 

What are three names you’d name a pet if you HAD to get a pet right now? Brixton, named for David Bowie’s hometown. 

Do you like to listen to dorky/amusing music? What’s considered dorky and/or amusing? 

Coffee vs. Tea vs. Energy Drinks: Order from favorite to least favorite. Coffee & tea are probably tied. And energy drinks are dead last. I avoid them. 

Do you like more “fruity” sweets or “savory” sweets? What the fuck is a savory sweet?

What do you hate the most? My anxiety 

What genres of music are your favorite? Most of my faves could be classified as alternative/soft-rock 

Do you believe in true love? Absolutely 

What are some of your favorite clothing accessories? I’m not big on accessories. I love sunglasses, though. 

If reincarnation exists, what sort of person would you want to be next? Someone born into wealth  What are some things you believe strongly in? Love, forgiveness, second chances 

Where’s your favorite place you’ve been? My family’s cottage in Canada 

What sort of books and movies do you like? Book-wise I love a good family drama or tragedy. And the occasional cutesy love story. As for movies, I want all rom-coms all day.

What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy Saturday? Read, write, maybe marathon a show, cook something yummy in the crockpot...

Is there a book you’ve read that really touched you? Have you MET me?

PC or MAC? PC 

What do you love doing? Reading, writing, spending time with loved ones, crafting, cooking, going out to eat, watching live music

If you could create the perfect world for yourself, what would it be? All my loved ones would be present, we’d have NO financial burdens, good health, plenty of free time to devote to our hobbies & passions

Do you think that fate plays a part in people’s lives? Somewhat, yeah. But action > everything.

Are you religious, spiritual, atheist…? Spiritual

Do you think that people throw the words “love” and “hate” around too much? Eh, maybe. But I’m a deeply emotional person so although I may say I love and hate things frequently, I mean it sincerely every time.

What is your favorite piece of technology that you own? My phone, no doubt. It’s glued to my hand. 

What’s a piece of technology you’d like to own? I’m not a real techhy person so I don’t need much besides what I already have. 

Are you afraid of technology developing to where we’re too reliant on it? We’re past that point my dude. 

Does it bother you when people do things to fit in with a certain crowd? Yeah, but I can’t say I don’t do the same

Hot or cold? I’d much rather be cold. I am MISERABLE when hot & sweaty.  Do you think that Bzoink should extent the character amount for questions? What the hell is Bzoink

Do you have a favorite combination of complimentary colors? Pastel pink & pastel, dusty blue. (These are my dream wedding colors) 

What’s your favorite odd ice cream flavor? I love any kind of oatmeal/oat filled ice cream & people seem to find that weird?

Where do you like to get your ice cream? Moonlight Creamery holds a special place in my heart because that’s where I got engaged! And besides that, they really do have some of the best tasting ice cream I’ve ever had. 

What’s your opinion on stereotypes/labels? As humans it’s natural for us to categorized people based on past experiences. Is it always accurate? Of course not. But we all do it.

Do you believe that history repeats itself? Mhmmmmm 

Would you rather learn from your mistakes or just undo them? Wouldn’t it be nice to just undo them? And since I’m not great at learning from mine... 

What was the most interesting class you had in school? Any creative writing class, of course. Also my Kenyan Literature class was FASCINATING.  Do you write? If so, what? Yes. Mostly personal essays, some poetry & short stories

Do you have a favorite website? Facebook & Twitter are my go-tos. And Reddit when I can’t sleep.

Do you think that the quality of TV shows is going down? I’m not much of a TV watcher so I can’t comment. 

Do you have a favorite culture? Thar’s a borderline creepy question....  What was a story you heard as a child that really affected you? Any kind of ghost story or vaguely paranormal story fucked me up BAD

Who was your favorite grade-school teacher and why? My 5th grade teacher was a doll, so perhaps her. 

Do you think that the world will end? How? Can we NOT

Do you believe in Global Warming? Have you researched it? It’s not up for debate 

Do you prefer piercings or tattoos? I have one tattoo and zero piercings so I guess I’m on team tattoo 

Do you remember your dreams? Almost always 

[recentanimenews]

OPINION: Why We Love Anime

"Anime is trash." This is a sentiment that pops up a lot these days, both as a joke and in earnest. Interestingly, it’s not something said by outsiders looking in on the interest, but by fans of anime themselves. Isn't that fascinating? It’s something you’d expect to hear from outside the community, not from within. So why do people joke about it? You like anime, so is anime really trash?

  My father grew up in Japan, and immigrated to the United States. It wasn’t as if anime was an unknown quantity in my household, even with the too-big eyes and unnatural hair colors, because my parents already knew what it was. The main issue was that, to my father, manga and anime were for children, and I was already reaching an age where I should have started outgrowing cartoons and comics. While he didn’t actively urge me to stop reading, he did express his discomfort with my interest in something that he saw as “for kids." He wasn’t wrong. My very first introduction to manga was when I went to Japan, and returned with the first five volumes of Sailor Moon. I used to watch Cardcaptor Sakura and Yu-Gi-Oh! on TV, and that was a vastly different experience than going to Kinokuniya Bookstore and picking up the manga. “Anime is trash” wasn’t a thing said out loud, but the implication of it was still there -- for a long time, most people didn’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t until I hit high school that people began openly talking about liking manga and watching anime. It was animation, and nobody wanted to say out loud that they liked anything animated.

  At the same time, just because it’s something that I picked up as a child doesn’t mean that it’s only for children. This is a continuous struggle that’s going on in the art world right now, the fight to see comics and animation as legitimate forms of art and not something to be shoved into the corner. The common perception that animation is something that only has meaning to children is one that’s being challenged, especially as it becomes more a part of popular culture. The urge to distance yourself from something still seen as childish while at the same time wanting to proclaim your love for it is a struggle many of us share.

Manga is classified into rigid age groups: shonen for young boys, josei for older women, etc. I grew up with shonen manga, and it shaped the type of media I like. I’ve always been an avid reader, but I’m equally as strong a visual learner. Anime is often vivid, spectacular, and visually engaging with a lot of variety in its storytelling, so I can still enjoy these series even as I get older. I was hooked.

Maybe the most important factor in how anime resonates with me has to do with themes. Many anime deal with themes of hope and overcoming adversity. Grimdark stuff is fun, but sometimes you need something more optimistic, especially when going through a rough time. I resonate with the overall messages of most anime that I have watched, one of overcoming the odds, of friendship, of growing up and exploring who you are. I wanted to root for my favorite characters to win, no matter what the world threw at them. The weekly updates kept the story fresh in my mind, kept me desperately wanting to find out what happens next. The stories were sequential, so I could grab a series and be in it for the long ride. Anime was fun. It made me happy, and there was no way I was giving it up.

  Now as an adult that still loves anime, I’ve come to peace with the fact that I love anime, and no amount of criticism can take that away from me. I know not everyone is comfortable saying that they like it out loud, but after all this time, I’ve managed to do so.  Still, I can understand the hesitation, because there are plenty of elements that make me uncomfortable with mainstream anime. I’ve grown up and reached the point where I can no longer blindly consume media just because I like it -- I have to be thoughtful about what I consume. Those inside the medium know what it is comprised of, and what to expect. They know the ups and downs that those looking in do not. To those looking from outside in, they only see the whole, so it's hard to explain that I might not agree with everything the medium has to offer.

  That’s the thing though -- manga are just Japanese comics, and anime is just Japanese animation. It isn’t one singular thing that can be judged as a whole. Manga and anime are mediums, so naturally there are a variety of voices and stories out there since there are a variety of people telling those stories. You can love the whole, while nodding to the fact that there are some parts of it that will rub people the wrong way. Loving something doesn’t mean that it isn’t flawed. At the same time, just because something is flawed doesn’t mean you have to deny that it’s important to you.

I love anime, and I doubt that I will stop loving anime anytime soon. While I’ve definitely outgrown the stories that I used to watch and read when I first started, I’ve found new stories to appreciate and consume. I’m older now, with a better understanding of narrative, I can now read and appreciate seinen and josei for what they’re saying instead of just simply thinking they're ‘bigger and cooler’ visually. My giant wooden tree of anime phone charms will get denser until I’ll have to get a new one. And of course, my wallet will always suffer during Comiket season.

  To me, I could never make the joke that anime is trash, because that would mean spitting on all the work that I’ve done to get this far. That would mean turning my back on the me that struggled for so long to be proud of something that I love. Anime and manga have burrowed their way into my heart, and removing that would mean removing a big chunk of who I am as a person, because these stories have shaped and comforted me throughout my life. At the same time, I understand the sentiment of the fans who say it because they do have issues with some parts of the medium and want to make a lighthearted joke about it. At the end of the day, it's a joke, but it reflects something more. Isn’t that really just what consuming media as an adult is? You struggle with the fact that the things you love aren’t perfect, are flawed, but acknowledge that, at the end of the day, you genuinely love and enjoy this medium, this wonderful thing that has shaped who you are today.

---

Noelle Ogawa is a contributor to Bubbleblabber and Cup of Moe. She can be found on Twitter @noelleogawa.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[secretradiobrooklyn]

SECRET RADIO | 9.19.20

Secret Radio | 9.19.20 | Hear it here.

1. Mêlomê Clément & Orchestre Poly Rythmo do L’Antique Cotonou Dahomey - “Houe Towe Houn”

I have seen no fewer than 4 spellings of the man’s name, but my favorite version is Meloclem, which is apparently his nickname. Clement is credited with arranging many (most?) of T.P. Orchestre’s songs. This one is credited to him as Chef d’Orchestre, Guitariste-Accompagnateur-Chanteur-Compositeur. I just find it completely engrossing as it shifts between drone and jammer. The guitar solo is so searing and lost in its own world… and when the vocals come in, more than halfway through the song, they weave around the drone like a spell. 

2. Annie Philippe - “C’est La Mode”

French pop is so stylistically severe — it is a big production in which the singer is just one small but central part of a much bigger undertaking. The video, shot in 1966, is oddly composed mostly of scenes of her shooting the video, and not the results of those shots. It’s amazingly self-aware, and it does a beautifully effective job of creating a larger-yet-more-intimate-than-life portrait of Annie Philippe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hau_yvzriY

3. The Funkees - “Akula Owu Onyear”

This is the sound of Nigeria in the ’60s, and African expat London in the ’70s. The language they’re singing is Igbo. Apparently The Funkees began playing together in the Nigerian Army in the midst of the Nigerian Civil War, and then kept going after the war ended. Nigeria borders Benin, and I find it fascinating that they both seem to have very developed but very different rock sounds going on at that time. The keys voice makes me think of Marijata’s amazing “No Condition Is Permanent,” which came along a decade later and two countries over.

4. Yehouessi Leopold & T.P. Orchestre - “Davi Djinto Super No2”

Yehouessi Leopold is the drummer for T.P. Orchestre, which I assume means he plays the trap set. When you listen to the song from that perspective, where the drummer is the writer and his priorities are ascendent, it makes the song even richer. I really hope that his vocals parts — sung, spoken, laughed — happen from behind his kit. 

     You can hear them call out “Papi” right before the guitarist, Papillon, lights into one of his rhythmic lead passages. He builds these cascading patterns that repeat but progress at the same time. He’s certainly one of the most beautiful guitarists I’ve ever heard in my life (especially in combination with their rhythm guitarist, who I believe is Maximus Ajanohun), and this song is a great example of his playful, endlessly rhythmic style. Headphones highly recommended because the guitar spends a fair bit of time hanging out on the right side. 

     These long T.P. songs are such a pleasure to sink into — they give each section a prolonged consideration, and yet they’re constantly moving through new ideas, phrases, and relationships. At one point a series of peacock cries pass through the song. They arrive at the song hooks almost like they’re equally revealing and discovering them. When the horn hook arrives halfway through the song, it feels like the party just took a shift, moving from a great evening with friends to a legendary night at the peak of summer.

     This song is as much for Kevin Bowers as anyone.

5. Jacques Dutronc - “On nous cache tout, on nous dit rien”

“They hide everything from us, they tell us nothing” - Such great tones all over Jacques Dutronc records, from the rhythm guitar distortion to the amazing live drum sound. The song is somewhere between a complaint, an accusation, and a bitter joke. 

6. Ranil y su Conjunto Tropical - “Vuelo a Saturno”

Meanwhile, Perú has had its own party going on. Ranil stayed mostly out of the cities and mostly along the Amazon river, playing electric music and producing and selling his own records. You can hear the Cuban rhythmic influence but run through a very specific and weird personality.

7. The Velvet Underground - “Foggy Notion”

I always find it amazing that, just as the Beatles were busy building the structure of Western pop music and exploring its creative possibilities, the Velvets were exploring its destructive possibilities. They throw together airtight pop structures around Moe’s relentless drums and then start slashing em apart with their guitars and Lou’s totally-serious-and-also-totally-just-fucking-around vocal approach. 

8. National Wake, “International News”

1979, the first interracial punk band in apartheid South Africa, singing about exactly that. In the movie made about the band, the audience looks like a place where black and white people can dance together, which was likely also a first. So the band becomes a political and social movement just by existing and drawing an audience.

    I mean, just look at them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze5yn6KneJg

9. Gnonnas Pedro, “Dadje Von O Von Non”

This song was how we discovered “Legends of Benin,” the album that made us realize that a whole world — an unknown number of worlds — exist beyond what we’re already familiar with. This track has the undeniable backbeat of Western rock and funk, but placed in a completely different relationship to the vocals than I’d ever heard before. And the guitar sound is so hypnotic, repeating endlessly in the left ear. It’s the songwriting structure that I keep coming back to as a listener: linear and cyclical at the same time, where each section feels endless but is always turning into the next version in the evolution. It sounds so hip to a frequency I was not even aware of until this track.

10. Kevin Bowers’ Nova, “Breaking for Conversation”

I have danced at every Nova show except one, I believe, and that was only because I was still parking during the end of the first set so I could catch the second one after work. This album is a drummer’s fantasy, sometimes thunderous and sometimes delicate. Paige sings in Nova along with our friend Mike Aguirre — shout out to Big Mike and his half-year-and-counting quarantine adventure in Anguilla! — and the whole band is composed entirely of musicians about whom I feel awe. St. Louis Internationalé!

Shadow Music of Thailand

11. Stereo Total - “I Love You Ono”

A companion piece with “Ringo I Love You” from last broadcast. Pure confidence and fun in an absolute perfect tone for the content.  

Highly worthwhile video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqok3-Q_1lk

12. Philippe Katerine - “La banane”

I have no idea what the joke is here, but I like it. The lyrics of the chorus are “just let me eat my banana on the seashore, naked.” There is a version in English by Katerine, if you want to know what he’s talking about, though you can ready every word and still not know what he’s talking about. A live performance does not clarify anything: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLoteLHr05s

13. T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - “Minkou E So Non Moin”

This is included on Analog Africa’s “Echos Hypnotiques” T.P. collection, and it’s the only track I’ve heard from them with a wah pedal. Makes me wonder what the circumstances of that pedal were — was it just passing through? It couldn’t have been available to them long term, they would surely have used it more. I love the whole path that the guitar takes in the center of the song, and how that gives way to a one-note percussion solo. 

14. Mai Na Lork Gun - “Kampee Sangthong”

We found this buried in a record called “Thai Pop Spectacular.” I love how it sounds instantly familiar, and then as the lyrics come in it’s clear you’ve never heard this song before. As far as I can tell this is an original song, not a Thai lyric written over a French or American pop song. The singer sounds so sincere!

15. Ariel Pink - “Alisa”

Paige has been preaching Ariel Pink for years, but I’ve never felt the connection. To me, there’s a layer of… what is it? Irony? Self-conscious weirdness? Something that usually puts me off. For whatever reason, this track has many of the same attributes but draws me in rather than keeping me at arm’s length. My favorite element in music right now is how much information a song can transmit even when you don’t know the language, and this song does that in a different way, using words I know and audio reference points I know, but stacked up in a way that remains unknowable.

16. Assa Cica - “Se Na Blo”

17. Duyên Phận Con Gái - “Mai Lệ Huyền (A Girl’s Destiny)”

There’s such a complete understanding of not just rock but funk in these songs, and I have to wonder who was showing these musicians the ropes. Were they learning from records? From G.I.s stranded in Vietnam? The drums are so tasteful — everybody is. But how long could they have been listening to rock at that point, or have had access to listening to it? There had been Western troops in the region for years, and the primary influence was probably French pop. It still seems amazing that a Vietnamese band could have such confidence and command in a foreign idiom like this.

18. France Gall - “Jazz â Gogo”

I’m pretty sure Jeff Hess’ Afternoon Delight on KDHX put us onto this song years ago.

19. The Fall - “Petty Thief Lout”

As a fan of the Fall for over two decades now, I often find myself — or Paige and I find ourselves, because she’s the same way — on Fall-only kicks for days at a time. And even as it’s happening, I find myself asking: WHY do I love this music so much? What is it about Mark E. Smith’s squealing, spitting, hyper-British scorn that I find so endlessly appealing? Why must my pop have some fundamental discord built into its bones? I think much of it is the mystery — why on Earth does he make those decisions? As far as I know he writes the lyrics and none of the instruments, and has hired and fired more bandmates than most people play with in a lifetime… and yet the songs are instantly familiar as Fall songs through the decades. How can that be so? I think the fact that the songs continue to elicit more questions than answers is the heart of the enduring fascination. 

20. Tribute to Elsie - “Elle Est Tres Gris” 

Pollen was high that day. This was a voice memo recording from two years ago. Paige was singing “Les Feuilles Mortes” but with improvised lyrics about our dear, sweet, 20 year-old Elsie cat. Paige wants me to note that her French grammar has improved in the two years since this recording, and she would for instance obviously not use the word “vieux” and would use the word “veille.” Et al. Farewell Elsie, we love you very much.

     Paige says: The French is terrrrrible. I kept saying “que” when I meant “quand”. This is a private voice memo from two years ago, sung to the old grey lady herself. I will never win a rap battle, and it’s hard to remember now, but alcohol may have been involved. Elsie passed at twenty years old this month. She was her own character and never let her guard down. That’s how she made it to 20! We appreciate her all the way. 

21. Bob Marley - “Judge Not”

This is a short-haired, R&B-obsessed Bob Marley from his very first demos. The band is all in matching suits, playing very much in an American style. You can definitely hear even in this pretty straight ahead song the way that the band was reinterpreting the essential rhythm of skiffle and early rock into a new strum pattern. Marley’s voice is both very recognizable and not yet iconic — not unlike the early Fela Kuti & His Koola Lobitos recordings that we’ve been digging on lately.

22. Teddy Afro - “Bob Marley” live

There’s a cabbie in NYC we depend on for getting to the airport. His name’s Bobby, and as far as we can tell he’s a one-man cab company. He loves to fire up Teddy Afro videos for us to watch on our trip. Bobby is from Sudan, he says, and Teddy Afro is Ethiopian (you’ve very likely heard his huge hit, “Atse Tewodros,” at Meskerem if you’re ever there). He says he has no idea what the lyrics are, but he loves how the songs sound. Hearing a guy from Sudan enjoying this music across a language barrier was a very helpful reminder to us to listen for good music no matter what language it arrives in. I look forward to riding in Bobby’s cab again as soon as the virus is out of the way. 

23. Michel Polnareff, “Love Me Please Love Me”

24. Nam Hong, “She’s a Lady”

“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her that meant: be your own person, be independent.” - Ruth Bader Ginsburg

25. Tax Bacon, “The Star-Spangled Banner”

Tax Bacon is a leftist political punk band who formed out of frustration at the 2016 Democratic primaries. Some people never got over 2016, and some people never got over June 2016. 

I think this song is for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I don’t feel patriotic right now — I feel connected to the people whose values I recognize, and Ginsburg was a founding father in that definition of American spirit. We are very sorry to see her go, and this song is meant to send her off. We’re going to have to do this next part without her.

[evigevak]

Interview with Tarjei on radio P3 morgen June 7th 2017

Interviewer: You have been on top of my dream guest list for half a year Tarjei Sandvik Moe. Tarjei: So nice. I: Welcome to P3 Morgen. T: Thank you. I: Ok, there’s a lot of stuff to celebrate in your life lately. Two Gullruten awards, that’s cool. TV moment of the year and Publikumsprisen. The two awards the audience could influence, you and Henrik Holm won. A TV season that affected a whole world during fall last year. Here at home you’ve become 18, congratulations on your birthday.

T: Thank you. I’m alive. I: How did you celebrate? T: I… It was a Wednesday so I woke up and went to buy beer. I: In the morning? T: Yes, yes I think so. I: Was is a good feeling to finally be able to buy beer. Did they ask for an ID? T: Yes. I: Congratulations. Because I remember my 20th birthday. I went to the Wine Monopoly to finally buy legally, and they didn’t ask for an ID. T: Right. I: But did the person behind the disk notice that it was your birthday? T: No, I had to tell them. I: You did that. T: I tend to brag a lot about myself so I said: “Hi, this is the first time I’m buying alcohol. Look at my ID. It’s 24.05. today. You can’t stop me now. I: What did the shop person say? T: “That’s huge. I remember my own time. I’m going to remember your face. But I don’t do that anymore.” It was a nice intention though. I: What did you receive from your parents on your 18th birthday? T: They will pay for my driver’s licence. Traffic courses and stuff like that. I: That’s a pretty good present. Huge. T: Yeah, it’s a lot of money. But I’m very scared of traffic. So that’s.. crash. I: Traffic in general? T: Traffic is scary in general. I: Why? T: I have weird experiences with it. The traffic is like “Fuck you Tarjei”. So… I’m serious. I: What has the traffic done to you? T: When I’m going home, I take the 21 bus from Frogner. Once, I sat on the 21 bus and then the 19 tram came and “bam”, and I just “woah”.   I: Did you collide with the tram while you were on the bus? T: Yes, I didn’t get any physical… I: But you experienced it, wow. T: Yes. I: That’s impressive, but it ruined your experience. Is that the reason why you’re not getting a driver’s licence Tarjei? T: Partly, and that I once went on in Grünerløkka and was looking down on my phone, listening to music, and the tram went by right behind me. I nearly felt it in my back. I: I’m thinking Tarjei. You should not become a tram driver. T: No. I have bad experiences with trams. I: Perhaps project the aggression to the tram, or think positively about the traffic. Are you an inattentive person? T: Yes. That’s it. I’m all over the place and I can’t really keep track of what’s happening in my surroundings. I feel like that’s a bad starting point for a driver. I: At least you’re aware of it. T: Yes. I: Then you can do something about it. I: There are a lot of bad drivers out there. But for now, you’ve put the driver’s licence on pause. T: Yes. I’m doing the basic traffic course (trafikalt grunnkurs) next week. I: Then you are already on your way. T: Yes, I’ve started. I: Because you need more challenges, more things to spend time on in your life. We’ll talk about all the other stuff you do shortly. *Song starts playing* I: Me and Silje are visited by the person who has conquered the whole world, Tarjei Sandvik Moe. T: Hello. I: What a huge success season 3 of Skam is. What’s it like when there are people outside your school waiting for you all day, from another country? What’s that like? T: I feel responsible for taking a picture with them at least. “We have taking plane 13 hours.” Then I say “I can take 2 minutes of my time to take a picture.” I: How many minutes do you spend on a regular Wednesday, taking pictures with people? T: A regular Wednesday? Perhaps 15-20 minutes. It varies a lot. Suddenly they want to stop and talk. You have to have a conversation and stuff like that, so a lot of time. 20 times 365 is a lot of minutes. I: It’s fascinating how this fandom works. Because we announced on air a few hours ago, that you were coming. And right before 8 o’clock we received an email from Brazil, from Felipe Lima. I don’t understand how this works. Somehow, the fact that you’re here has reached Brazil, and now he has sent us an email. T: What’s Felipe saying? I: He wants.. He loves you. T: That’s nice. I: He loves Skam and Tarjei’s, your work, and he wants you to say “Hi Felipe” now. T: Hello Felipe. This is the T-man. I love that you love me. I: Say I love Brazil. T: I love Brazil. I’ve been there. I: You’ve been to Brazil, it’s not a lie? T: Of course. I was in Brazil when the world championship was held there. I watched a few football matches. I: Apparently it’s Instagram that does these things. I don’t know. It’s a universe of its own. Where you’re one of the main characters. T: Except I’m not in it myself. I: Exactly. Do you get a bit stressed thinking about it all the stuff that’s going on there? Stuff you’re not able to see? T: I think I’d be more stressed if I see it. It’s liberating to know that they have their own little playground where they can toy around with my face, and I can just stroll around in Oslo on my own, and not think about it. I: You do notice it right? Because you receive gifts in the mail. T: Yes. I: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve received? T: People send stuff to Nissen because they don’t know where I live. I: That’s good. T: There are a lot of messages from the office like “Tarjei, come to the office”. And I’m like thinking I’m going to get scolded and thrown out of school. Then I arrive and they’re like “Hey, someone has sent you a tie.” I: That’s nice. T: From China. I: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve received? T: I’ve received a stuffed animal that is supposed to be me. They’ve made a professional stuffed animal. It’s big and it’s me. Like… It’s me. I: Are you for real? T: Yes. I: You’ve received your own action figure in a way. T: Yes. I: Just that it’s a stuffed animal. T: It’s a big stuffed animal. I: That’s wild Tarjei. T: It’s too accurate. It’s Isak but it’s got the correct snapback tag on it. It’s wild. I: Who made it? T: It was from China Kosegruppe. I: Where do you put.. Is your house filled with figurines of youself? T: I just push them down into a box and try not to think too much about it. I: Why not? T: Because then you become self-obsessed. I: Okay. Before the summer you said on Skavlan that you think it’s awkward to talk to your parents about your character in Skam, about the Skam phenomena. What’s that been like after a fall where the whole world took the Isak figure into their heart? T: I gave up a bit. I talked to them about it now. I: It’s going well at home? T: Yes. They tell me “Tarjei you’re doing a good job”. I: Would’ve been weird if they said anything else. T: They tell me if I get a 3 in maths “It’s good that you’re not failing. You’re were good in that TV show Tarjei.” I: You’re playing in Grease this fall. T: Grease. I: On with the leather jacket and slick. From Skam-Isak to Grease. That’s quite a change. What will that be like? T: It’s still high school and… I: Those summer nights. You’ve seen the original? T: Of course. It’s a beautiful movie. I: What’s your relationship with the Grease universe? T: I think that universe is weird. People are weird, but it’s a musical. Teenager musicals are especially.. There are stereotypes. It’s a lot of fun. I: Are you going to be a cool car mechanic guy? T: No, I’m not. I’m one of the dorky guys in the group. I: I see. We’re going to test if you’re good at singing. You’re in high school Tarjei. You’re going through our school diary. Song starts playing I: We’re visited by Tarjei Sandvik Moe, also known as Isak from Skam. That adventure is over soon. Will that be weird? T: Yes. It’ll be weird. I: You’re moving on to playing in Grease. T: Yes, exactly. I: Still working, and in school, last year at high school. That will be awesome. Right now you’re going to fill out a page in our school diary. Yes. Age? You’re 18. We’ve already established that. T: Yes. I: Now on to the important questions. Favourite food? Don’t freak out. T: Balkan kebab. I: Balkan kebab. I’ll write that down. T: Pilestredet. I: What do you order? T: I order a kebab roll with extra sauce. I: Extra sauce? T: Extra sauce. I: Hotness level? T: Medium. I: Always medium. T: It’s a safe westside order. I: What’s your favourite subject in school? Because you’re still in school? T: Yes, I do drama so I’ll go with theatre. I: Yes. Theatre. What was it like with your character this Christmas. People came from China to say hi all the time. Did you get straight A’s in drama? T: I was on a 5, so I had to struggle my way up. I: So you’re not good enough Tarjei. That Skam stuff isn’t that good. T: My teacher doesn’t watch Skam. I: Of course not. T: What counts is your effort and if you can make theatre plays. I: If you had to choose between the general subjects? T: Norwegian. I: Okay. What’s your favourite TV show? T: Fargo on HBO. I: What do you enjoy about it? T: It’s a fascinating universe where everything works together. The characters are really interesting and you want to keep watching like all the time without an extremely structured Hollywood dramaturgy. I: They trick you with cliff hangers, but you still want to keep watching right? T: Correct. I: Sounds nice. Favourite type of music? T: Favourite music? I’m a huge deLillos fan. deLillos is my band. I: So nice/cozy. T: Latest music… I think Sigrid is awesome. I: Sigrid is awesome. T: That voice is like “what?!” I: Have you watched her live? T: No I haven’t. I just turned 18, there’s like 18 years old age restrictions. I hope she comes to Oslo. I: She’s coming to Øyafestivalen. T: She’s going there? I: Yes. T: I have to get a hold of a Øya-ticket. I: Good luck, I think it’s sold out. Not the one day tickets, just the week tickets. T: Then I’ll have to get a one day ticket. I: Go on. Then you’ll get to hear Sigrid. That’s good. Who’s your greatest idol? T: My greatest idol? Daniel Braaten. I: A football player? Why? T: I love the way he plays football. I: How is it? T: He seems like a laid-back guy who just enjoys playing football and doesn’t care about what the coach’s saying. And he’s really good. And he’s originally a Skeid-boy. I love Skeid, they make a of talents. Daniel Braaten is my idol. I: Were you a football talent once? T: I wouldn’t say talent, but I’m a previous Lyn player. I: That’s good. Let’s go straight to “this is the celebrity I’d want to hook up with”. T: Uhm… I: We ask this question to everyone. T: I’d have to say Sigrid then since she’s so good at singing. I: Yes. And that’s an answer that is realistic as well. Age-wise and location in Norway. Tarjei, hold tight. You will be song interviewed my Markus Neby soon. T: Woah. I: What’s your thoughts on that? T: Uhm, a bit excited. I: That’s how it should be. Song starts playing and the news I: We’re visited by Tarjei Sandvik Moe. He has charmed the whole world as Isak in Skam. Markus Neby is in the studio. He’s going to interview Tarjei by using music. Markus: Tarjei Sandvik Moe, you’re at an age where women are important, how’s it going now? T: I’m very very fine. M: How many are we talking? Do you have a girlfriend? T: No I don’t. M: How many women do you hook up with weekly? T: At least 5. M: Nice, nice, nice. You went on Jodel, to say that you’re single. T: That’s very embarrassing. I’m not proud of that. M: But it happened anyways. What are you looking for in a woman? T: That she’s kind to me. M: How do you want her to treat you as a good boy? What’s the nicest thing a woman can do to you? T: Give me coffee and tell me I’m pretty. M: Give you coffee and say that you’re pretty. How’s puberty going? T: I think I’m soon finished with that. M: The penis isn’t fully grown until you’re 20. T: Exciting. M: Nice to know. Nice to know if you have bad self-esteem. How’s your self-esteem? T: I try to keep it down. M: You try to keep it down. Isn’t it difficult? T: Yes it’s really difficult. I’d wish it was lower. M: You’re a cutiepie. You manage to be a humble humble cutiepie. What do girls think is your best trait? The ones that know you? T: They tell me that my hair is nice. M: Nice nice curls. Do they call you curly Tarjei? Do they call you that? T: No, but I’d wish that. M: You’d wish that. T&M: I’d wish that. M: I’d wish that. Call him curly Tarjei. T: Curly Tarjei. M: Curly Tarjei. (repeats) M: What do they call you? T: They call me Tarjei. M: Just Tarjei. T: Or TJ-Moe. M: TJ-Moe. Do people call you TJ-Moe? T: There are some people that call me that. Mostly because I tell them to do it. M: Call me TJ-Moe. I’m called curly Tarjei. I’m called TJ-Moe. T&M: Call me TJ-Moe. Call me curly Tarjei. (repeats). M: Good luck with that. I hope people will answer. Now we’ve gotten to know you better. This was nice. T: It was a bit scary, but it went alright. M: You were good curly Tarjei. Very good, curly Tarjei. T: Thank you, curly Markus. M: I’ve got really straight hair. T: I know. We should try to make some curls in it. M: Perhaps in the future. Thanks for now. Good luck with Grease. You’ve always been a naughty boy. A naughty naughty naughty boy. Let’s stop there. T: I didn’t hear the end. M: You didn’t hear the end? T: I didn’t hear the synth. Nothing. M: The monitors are a bit difficult here in the studio. I: This was beautiful nonetheless. And a very current genre. M: I agree. I: Calm R&B scenery. M: I suggest this could be the pause act in Grease. I: Great idea. M: Tarjei’s new nickname. I: People are gonna call you curly Tarjei from now on. Thank you for coming. Good luck with the final stage of Skam. Good luck with Grease. And not least, good luck with the russ celebration in your last year at high school. T: Thank you.

[purplemonkeyemi]

exit, or, how i spent 2 evenings

Okay. I love writing my thoughts down. I used to do it all the time in my mid-teens, but life being as it is, I didn’t even dream of keeping that up. I don’t really know entirely why I’m writing this all down, but, I have a lot of free time and maybe one day I’ll find it amusing. I do think it’s important to discipline oneself to at least get one’s thoughts in order about things. So, this was my latest, intentional, grappling with a piece of art.

So, why “Exit”? Why did I spend, what, 3 hours or so watching about 15 different performances, in about 20 different videos, of one song from U2’s 2017 Joshua Tree tour? I’m not sure. And that’s probably why I did it. In hindsight, I feel like that’s the point in the U2 concert a couple weeks ago that I could have yelled at my husband, “Just shoot heroin in my arm next time!”… but, really, I think that had started about 8 songs earlier. Whatever the reason, I have not been able to get that performance out of my mind. I was admittedly enraptured by Bono as a performer that night, but this was different. And I couldn’t get it out of my head, like a ghost, or a shadow. Or a koan that I have to solve. I needed to interpret it to exorcise myself of it.

In a burst of girlish enthusiasm the other day, I decided I was going to find all of the high quality videos from the tour of Exit that I could find and watch them until I understood that performance. By this time I had figured out enough of my personal fascination with it—it’s very theatrical and it relies on several layers of “acting.” [I guess this requires a brief diversion into my general fascination with performers who become other people, including characters of themselves, especially relating to stage names.] BEGIN DIVERSION: Obviously, Bono is a stage name, one he’s carried for nearly (or exactly as?) long as he’s been in U2, over 40 years; it’s what everyone calls him, even his wife. But Bono, stage-Bono, like stage-the Edge, stage-Adam, and stage-Larry, like all musical artists, are, really, actors putting on a stage show. Each night, the same “costumes,” same lines, same set, same characters—they have to “be” themselves. A concert is an eleborate play. Sure, there’s some ad-lib, adapting for different audiences, etc. But those guys are “concert” versions of themselves for those 3 hours. Using Bono again, I’m 100% sure that stage-Bono, as earnest and genuine as he appears up there, is not the same Bono that his wife Ali lives with. Is the Bono that appears in public the same as Bono-at-home? Who knows, but I imagine unlikely. I can’t imagine how larger-than-life people maintain any sense of identity. I’m fascinated by all four members in this regard because they got together as 14/15 year olds and were rock gods by 20. What does that do to a person? :END DIVERSION So, one element: the performer—immersed in a multi-layered act which ends in a character created to protect himself from the darkness of the song (citation--one of several interviews I read). Bono as a real, everyday, married-with-kids-human, performing “Bono” for the audience (as much as he appears in-the-moment, and, often, utterly possessed by frenzied “in the zone”-ness), who is additionally portraying a character-- the Shadow Man—who exists only for this one song on this one tour. It’s an act, on an act, (conceivably on an act. I can’t imagine how public figures with alternate names maintain their sense of self after decades..). I bring this up, because the layers of the performance affect the interpretation. Next element: political commentary in which the song is set The lead-in to Exit (as well as the time-allowed for a significant costume change, it is theater after all), is a brief excerpt of an old television show. An enigmatic charlatan comes to an old West town claiming the only way to protect oneself and one’s home is to a build a wall. Another character calls him a liar, and the charlatan says he is the only one who can save them. Sounds familiar, right? Oh yeah, the charlatan’s name is Trump. An excellent find on the part of whoever unearthed it. Next element: song lyrics. I include them below. The song is about a wise, esoteric holy man who starts with good intentions, becomes obsessed with this idea of “the hands of love” and goes crazy (I can’t remember the details. Again, from an interview.)

And on this tour, there are two additional lyrical bits inserted at the end, which I’ll just do from memory. First, I believe, is a poem excerpt, “Where you’ve come from is gone, where you are is no good, and where you’re going was never really there.” Then a purposefully used version of “Eeeny Meeny Miny Moe,” chosen explicitly for its occasional racist uses (again, according to an interview, somewhere).

Final element: the stage—regular stage front, and a catwalk. I think the only way for me to do this is to annotate the lyrics. It should also be noted that variations occurred. BEGIN DIGRESSION: Watching this performance so many times from different concerts, it was obvious what was scripted. What was also obvious from this experiment, interviews, general observations, and such, is that during performances Bono exists in a very altered state of mind, becomes subject to his otherworldly soul, and turns into a performance artist, making choices (or being led by) based on said otherworldly soul. Clearly he can see through the haze, handling technical issues and such, but, from time to time, he seems to exist purely in the moment and interprets at will. Short version: each performance was a little different because Bono is a very free, uninhibited, one-of-a-kind spirit, especially on stage. It’s part of what makes him a fascinating human. :END DIGRESSION

So, let’s start interpreting this thing. I would like to note that, like interpreting literature, this does not always assume authorial intent. I imagine that artists of all types work as much by intuition as by purpose. Whether some of the choices made for this particular piece were logical or intuitive are irrelevant. “You know he got the cure But then he went astray He used to stay awake To drive the dreams he had away. He wanted to believe In the hands of love.”

-- Shadow Man walks with a slow saunter and swagger (rather than Bono’s charismatic, confident stride) to the mic stand; there’s some hand motions here, most importantly on “hands of love,” he rubs them together in front of his chest. Shadow Man is beginning his journey. He is intrigued, a little haunted, but earnest. He stands still at the mic stand. Sometimes, instead of sharply grabbing the mic, he pulls it, like an arrow, into his chest, in some sort of symbolic gesture. Then begins his descent. BEGIN DIGRESSION: I am/was really fascinated with how Bono interacted/interacts with his mic stand. It’s extremely physical, intimate, and borders on sexually aggressive (imagine Mad Men’s Don Draper and how he speaks to women). He stands very close, sings with his mouth basically on the mic, and takes the wireless mic with excessive force. This observation is one of performance and physical use of space. A similar energy also emerged with him and the camera.

I often try to figure out if stage/screen presence and charisma are tied to body language (conscious or unconscious); in Bono’s case, absolutely. His physical presence was inextricable from his bearing, demeanor, and his use of space/physicality. I think some of it is the learned artifice of a seasoned performer, while some of it, perhaps some of the mic dynamic, is natural and intangible charisma. I bring this up partly because Shadow Man does not have the same physical presence Bono did in the rest of the numbers—through purposeful artifice. This is a distinct character. :END DIGRESSION “His head it felt heavy As he came across the land A dog started cryin' Like a broken-hearted man At the howling wind”

--- Shadow Man begins his descent into darkness and confusion, portrayed by movement around the mic stand (yes, somewhat reminiscent of a stripper. I’ll address the song’s occasional increased sexuality in the next verse), visually representing a vortex. Now we get away from the stationary mic…

 “He went deeper into black Deeper into white. He could see the stars shine Like nails in the night.

 A hand in the pocket Fingering the steel The pistol weighed heavy And his heart he could feel was beating. Oh my love, oh my love” 

--- Shadow Man touches violence and approaches his breakdown in the frenzied beat and lighting; also, in about half of the performances, this also has very sexualized choreography and vocalizations (ours did not), which I don’t need to detail; now, I don’t know for sure, but I’m fairly certain this is part of Shadow Man’s characterization. It could also be just “In the moment” performance-artist Bono taking over his body. But since it happened as many times as it didn’t, I think it’s purposeful and thus requires reckoning. The Shadow Man has progressed another step away from himself. “So hands that build Can also pull down. The hands of love.”

-- Shadow Man walks across the stage to the catwalk, where, on repeated refrains of “hands of love” he clearly has some conversion experience as conveyed by the choreography (AKA, basically just Bono going crazy, as he does do from time to time), also occasionally sexualized. This is Shadow Man’s transformation from which he emerges as a demagogue, using his mystical fascination as a tool to control rather than build or heal. After this, Shadow Man saunters dramatically down the catwalk, exhorting the crowd to put out their hands (or put their hands to the screen, as if he were a politician of TV evangelist). Of course, the audience does extend their hands—because, of course, it’s the appropriate thing to do when a rockstar tells you to. Except, this isn’t Bono, this is the Shadow Man. This is where the performance layer comes in. The audience is taken for a ride, just like the Shadow Man’s dupes are. U2’s audience becomes the Shadow Man’s audience. This is blatantly analogous to how the “dupes” who support the man who wants to build a wall respond to and believe that charlatan (remember the video this number was introduced by). The “hands of love” could just as easily be the hands of power. They both can build up or tear down, as the lyrics state. Of course, this US presidential administration is tearing down, and this song (among others, of course) is a rebuke. Also, it’s important to note that Bono’s a charlatan too, as all performers are to a greater or lesser degree (performing Shadow Man, and performing himself as a rockstar, of course).  One could also add that he acts as a contrast to the Shadow Man, someone who has the ear of the people who tries to build up, to use his power, and hands, well. It’s perfectly constructed meta-commentary.

Next, Shadow Man gives his impassioned, broken-voiced, “Where you’ve come from is gone, and where you are is no good, and where you’re going was never really there” speech to his (U2’s) audience (all still with their hands out, as instructed). This sounds like, to me, the emotional appeal of the political right, or used on the political right. Shadow Man sounds, again, like a televangelist…or a politician. Then he approaches the camera arm, usually right up in it (sexually aggressive again), to give a crescendoing rendition of Eeny Meeny Miny Moe—working himself and the audience into a frenzy the louder, faster, and more frantic he gets. Remember, this snippet was included for its racist uses (though the traditional lyrics are used) and that the Shadow Man is a demagogue. Now he’s learned to manipulate his followers, and he’s led them to the realm of hate. (Hmmm…) The followers again are implored to put their hands “against the screen.” In one performance (perhaps the earliest one I found?) they’re even reminded to send him ten dollars, like a huckster, televangelist, or a politician. There’s a price for being swept up by the Shadow Man. The music then abruptly ends, and, during most of the performances, this happens as the Shadow Man is starting to saunter back towards the stage, and the moment it ends, he turns arounds (or stays forward, it varies), looking malicious of victorious (or is it Bono, with a look of condemnation?). Following this, Shadow Man strips of his jacket (if after one of the sexualized performances, this is still “in character” and it’s done sexually, like a striptease). Then he’s Bono again, who takes off the hat and moves into the next song as himself. Did I mention that the jacket covers a beautiful black vest embroidered (in black) of part of the US Constitution? Analyze that one. The narrative arc and political metaphor is clear and beautifully portrayed as a theatrical performance art piece, scripted yet also subject to the whims of (or forces acting upon) the artist.

It’s weird, and gorgeous, and bizarre. It’s far too layered to absorb in the moment. And I really enjoyed watching it, in various permutations, over a dozen times. When I could afford it, I remember seeing local community plays and musical repeatedly so I could see the subtle differences between performances. This was just like that. In this one Bono had to switch out his mic and remove/replace his earpieces right before the frenzied climax, interrupting the flow and breaking character, or in that one a verse was spoken more than sung, or in this one this choreography was a little different, etc. etc. Theater is alive and this piece of it caught me and would not let me go. Maybe now it will.

[yayato-blog1]

Thisisnotthat

“ ok, I’ll help” “what?” “you’re going to seduce Suga hyung right? I’ll help”

basically, yoongi is oblivious to everything, Jimin is Oblivious and kookie is the only one who knows what's going on?

Not a yoonminkook ff. Jikook are rivals

Ch2: Jimin is not a fool.

on ao3 wattpad or just scroll down

Jimin is not a fool, even though the members always call him that.

He knows that for a fact. The members always said he was foolish, but that was not true.

What is even a fool?

The members were only teasing him. It was either that or they didn’t know him well enough He’s sure about that...

He is the most careful one out of them... there was nothing in his behavior that indicated foolishness.

Except maybe for the fact that he teased Suga a bit...

And by a bit, he means a Lot....

Okay, fair enough. That may seem foolish but it’s not.

Jimin wasn’t a fool by doing that. He has his reasons and he knows what he is doing. His behavior is the result of a series of careful reasoning and logical thinking. The proof for that?

He’s still alive!

Jimin loved all his Hyungs dearly. He did.

But he did have a favorite.

That’s just how the human mind works ... We rank everything. That doesn’t mean he loves his other hyungs less... he just prefers Suga.

Even though his first impression wasn’t the best.

Suga is a rapper, which made him cool and daunting, he was also straightforward with his words and he had this aura about him that made him intimidating. The fact that the first time he met him, Suga was only wearing boxers did not help.

But as they got to know each other better jimin found out just how soft the rapper really is.

Yoongi really cared for the members in his own way. The members liked to tease him about it calling him a tsundere.

As opposed to jimin, who made sure to show everyone how much he cared for them, yoongi did it quietly and secretly at the back.

Jimin liked that. He liked to think that together they made the perfect team.

He secretly considered them a hero_unit that ensured the safety of the members. But he would never say it out loud... Yoongi will either kill or tease him.

He still remembers the very first-time yoongi looked after him...

They were still trainees at the time and jimin was beaming with happiness seeing as his clothes finally arrived, he walked into the dorms hugging this huge mountain of clothes with a smile on his face that faded the moment yoongi looked at him and opened his mouth.

It took him a moment to register what yoongi said.

” throw it all away”.

“w-what?” jimin stuttered still not believing he heard the older correctly, which got him an eye-roll and a sigh from suga before he proceeded to crash jimin’s excitement with his words:

“ I said throw that all away. You are not going to get anywhere dressing like that. Those are your clothes, right? No offense but from what I saw of your fashion sense you are a disaster so just throw it all away. If the pants you are wearing now serve as a reference I'm sure there’s nothing decent in this pile. It’s just going to take up space.”

and he turned around and walked away.

Jimin was stupefied, to say the least.

Sure he wasn’t a fashion expert but his hyung didn’t have to be so rude about it. And saying no offense doesn’t mean the words suddenly didn’t become offensive.

What the hell?!

Besides, what’s wrong with his pants? These are his favorite! They are comfortable and cute with the eyes on the butt and all.

Still not sure about what to do with himself, he walked to his room and spilled the pile of clothes on his bed contemplating what to do with them.

He liked his clothes. He bought them for a reason.

But as much as he hated to admit it, his hyung probably did have a point. Everyone knew he was the most stylish member.

Jimin knew that his own style(if one could even call it that) was ridiculous.

And what jimin, the young boy in Busan, and jimin, the soon to be an idol, could wear was not the same.

But what is he going to wear if he threw his clothes away?

He was suddenly brought back from his inner monologue as the door to his room opened revealing yoongi carrying bags under his arms.

Jimin looked at him surprised.

Still not sure about how to interact with the elder.

But before he could say anything yoongi threw the clothes that were laying on his bed to the floor leaving space for the contents of the bags.

Jimin looked at the new pile of clothes confused. So yoongi explained a bit :

” You and I have the same size so I brought you some of my clothes that I think will suit you better than me. We’re trainees now so don’t hesitate to borrow clothes from the other members okay? They are mostly given to us as gifts anyway... I'm sure you’ll also get some eventually. Just make sure you get rid of those childish clothes you brought from home. Well then, take care.”

And just like that, he was out of the door.

From then on jimin started taking notice of when the older took care of or helped someone. Which were not of rare occurrence as opposed to what the rapper’s first impression indicated.

And jimin remembered that looks can or in yoongis’ case are deceiving.

He was a walking contradiction. Or maybe that wasn’t quite it. Maybe he has a split-personality? Well, jimin was no expert so he wasn’t sure.. all he knew is that suga had this ability to go from cute to savage real quick.

Calm yoongi is cute, happy yoongi is adorable concentrating or rapping yoongi is cool but you don’t want to deal with an angry yoongi. He was terrifying.

Even though his face is cute and has a small build... Somehow his aura masks all that when he gets angry and he becomes intimidating.

The younger found it fascinating.

He wondered if this is what the Japanese meant by gap-Moe.

But this doesn’t mean a thing... Jimin was sure that every other member thought that yoongi was cute... that’s just a fact, everyone with eyes can see it. No need to read too much into it he thought.

But then why was he justifying his thoughts? He didn’t need to justify anything...

This wasn’t what this is about...

Like jimin said, Suga is his favorite... Unfortunately, that didn’t mean jimin was his...

Suga being the second oldest of the group had a lot of dongsaengs.

5 to be exact.

And as the younger stated before... he wasn’t the only one who saw yoongi like that so that meant he had a lot of competition for the favorites’ spot.

Fortunately or unfortunately(jimin still wasn’t so sure about this) yoongi didn’t treat namjoon and jhope as dongsaengs...

he treated them more like equals (which made jimin kind of jealous). He doted on them but he didn’t really spoil them the way he spoiled the others...

Which left jimin to compete with v and kookie. And they were strong competitors.

The spot for suga’s favorite was not a constant thing. It changed every now and then.

At first, V had it all to himself.

He was really close to yoongi. They both came from Daegu, and tae was kind of shy? Or maybe he was homesick? Anyways he wasn’t really adapting well in the band, always kind of kept to himself.

And suga took it upon him to care for the boy. Always taking care of him and making sure to include him in the band, even though suga himself wasn’t really okay.

Everyone knew the rapper had some mental problems. But taking care of taetae helped him. It gave him some kind of stability. Took his mind off of his anxiety and depression.

The boys became each others’ support. They grounded each other and became joined at the hip.

But then tae became comfortable with the other members and so jimin thought it wouldn’t really matter if he worked to take his spot.

HE wasn’t the only one eyeing the position though. He could tell jungkook was after the spot as well. It was really obvious.

Jungkook was a rebel by nature, he wasn’t really one to listen. The brat always made fun of his hyungs and didn’t listen. He had no problem teasing jin, 5 years his senior, and he made fun of jimin’s height.

But when it came to yoongi, his teasing was more subtle and gentle... almost like he was afraid? And he listened to him.

Jimin went about it differently, since he normally listened to and respected his hyungs, he chose to tease suga.

He just wanted to get his attention. And to kind of melt the ice between them.

And it worked for him.

Actually, it worked for all of them...

Everyone became suga’s favorite at one point until he was knocked out by another. Which was frustrating, why can’t suga make up his mind?!

But this was still better then yoongi choosing someone else permanently. At least jimin still has a chance.

He won’t accept anyone else taking his spot. It was his. And it’s going to be his alone if it’s the last thing he’ll do. Becoming suga’s favorite dongsaeng was his ultimate wish.

That was what he believed until today that is.

They were finally done with filming Epilogue when the sun began to slowly set. Jimin was saying goodbye to the fans through the camera when yoongi came along so he asked him to say a few words as well...

The moment yoongi stood in front of the camera looking at his reflection and fixing his hair that flew in all kind of directions due to the wind and his running earlier, everything suddenly faded.

Jimin could no longer hear a thing from what suga was saying.

He was lost staring at the older surrounded by white noise. And it was like the whole world ceased to exist and they were the only ones to ever subsist on this world.

Jimin was gone, to say the least.

The sun was far too low in the sky for it to be this bright but somehow Yoongi was shining, and jimin was convinced he was in the presence of a holy angel.

His fair skin was shimmering and the way his messy hair fell on his face just made him more radiant.

Jimin was no poet but here he is going through his mind trying to come up with the words to describe what he was feeling, lost in this sight but all he could come up with were mere cliche words like stunning, dainty exquisite and beautiful.

Which made him frustrated because these words weren’t enough to convey what he was feeling right now.

Not even close.

Not even a bit.

And he cursed his uselessness.

Still, he wasn’t sure that words, no matter how beautiful and well written they were would ever be enough...

The sight was serene and doing things to jimin that could not be real.

Maybe he was hallucinating.

How else is he suddenly able to recite poems he had only once stumbled upon?

The words were here in the back of his mind as if he had them written in front of him and he only had to read them.

There's a white angel out there Out there somewhere It'll blow away the darkness Let its bright light shine

And To me, It's almost impossible to describe how Beautiful you are. (Jimin could finally understand that poets didn't necessarily exaggerate while writing) But, I'll Do my Best. Diamonds can't match your eyes. The Sun's light is in your smile.

But even those poems still didn’t serve yoongi justice, who was still playing with his hair oblivious to the turmoil he had just caused to the younger’s brain, soul, mind, and beliefs.

Jimin finally got it.

The pieces fell together and everything made sense. All those signs he kept on ignoring, the reasons behind his jealousy of his band-mates, why he always hated yoongis’ girlfriends, how he could always find faults in them. Why he didn’t like that jin was yoongis’ only hyung.

The keyword was Only.

Jimin didn’t want to be suga’s favorite, no he wasn’t after the number one spot...

Being number one meant there were others. Jimin wanted to be the only one.

His one and only.

He was looking at yoongi’s dark eyes that were on the camera and felt so lonely.

He wasn’t teasing yoongi for the fun of it, no.

Jimin was teasing him to get his attention just like any other elementary school kid did to his crush.

The only difference was that jimin was no elementary school kid, and he wasn’t crushing on Suga, no.

He was so stupid that he only realized his attraction when it was too late and he was already far too deep in love with the elder.

Coming to the realization finally broke him from his trance and he was finally coming back to the real world.

He could finally remember to breathe.

The fact that yoongis’ eyes weren’t on him suddenly hurt like a motherfucker.

He gulped as he realized:

Jimin is the biggest fool there is.

[mrmichaelchadler]

TIFF 2018: Greta, The Hummingbird Project, The Dig

One of the quietest buzzes coming into TIFF this year was for Neil Jordan’s “Greta,” which one would presume would have been a highly promoted and anticipated title given who was involved. Yes, Jordan may not quite be the director he once was, but I personally have found something interesting even in recent perceived misfires like “Ondine” and “Byzantium,” and he always struck me as a filmmaker who could have another masterpiece in him. Add his direction to a cast that includes Maika Monroe, Chloe Grace Moretz, and the legend who is Isabelle Huppert, and the lack of buzz becomes even more confusing. Sadly, seeing the film explains a little bit of it. It is far from a complete disaster, but it only becomes the film you really want it be after about an hour of flat dialogue and convoluted behavior. That the last third nearly save it is a testament to Huppert’s ability once Jordan finally lets her off the leash.

Huppert plays the title character, a woman who leaves her purse on a New York train one day, found by a sweet young woman named Frances, played by Moretz. She decides to bring Greta’s purse to her personally, and the two form a friendship. Frances has recently lost her mother; Greta says her daughter is studying in Paris—they fill a need for each other. Well, that is until Frances discovers something truly upsetting at Greta’s house, and tries to break off all contact. Greta doesn’t take this well and Jordan’s film basically turns into “Single White Mommy Dearest.”

Well, I should say it eventually turns into that. If you’re thinking that a crazy Huppert sounds like some awesomely GIF-able material, the movie does eventually scratch that itch, but it takes too long to become the B-movie you want from the beginning. Too much of this is flat, and I couldn’t shake the sensation that watching a movie about a mother-daughter bond written and directed by men hampered the final product. There’s something just slightly off about these characters, as if Jordan never quite figured them out, or why they need each other. Maybe he was too excited to get to the “good stuff” to bother with the set-up.

“The Hummingbird Project” never really gets to the good stuff at all. There’s a fascinating performance near the center of this story, but director Kim Nguyen never finds the urgency in his feels-true-but-isn't narrative. It’s a movie about people trying to do something faster than anyone else that can’t match that forward momentum. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could have learned as much about this specific story and even the human conditions reflected in it from a “60 Minutes” segment (were it true), and this one runs 111.

Vincent (Jesse Eisenberg) and Anton Zalesky (Alexander Skarsgard) were tired of merely working for the system and decided to try and beat it. The cousins quit their day jobs, stole a bit of coding from their ruthless boss (Salma Hayek), and set off to do what most would considering impossible—build a thousand-mile-long, four-inch-wide tunnel from Kansas to New Jersey. What could that possibly do, you ask? Lay a fiber wire that would transport information one millisecond faster than the competition between the two city’s stock exchanges. Believe it or not, that one millisecond—the flap of a hummingbird wing—could mean millions of dollars in profit.

Vincent is the no-nonsense, determined one, and Eisenberg does that well, but Skarsgard plays totally against type as the balding, potbellied, egghead Anton, the kind of guy who has panic attacks on planes and holes up in his hotel room to shave off milliseconds from their plan. Anton is fascinating, as are Skarsgard’s choices in playing him. Everything else about “Hummingbird Project” doesn’t feel fresh or new in any way. We may not have seen this specific story before, but we’ve seen Eisenberg’s driven-to-the-point-of-danger guy and definitely Hayek’s underwritten ruthless boss. The movie deflates every time that Skarsgard is off screen, and his work alone can’t keep this bird airborne.

For every film that comes to TIFF with paparazzi trailing its stars to the red carpet, there are at least two with no one whom you’ve ever heard of before. One such film is the winner of the Best Irish Feature at the 2018 Galway Film Fleadh, Andy and Ryan Tohill’s “The Dig,” a flick that starts with a fantastic premise, but ends with a twist that feels more like a cheat than a revelation.

Written by Stuart Drennan, “The Dig” opens with a great idea for a movie. Fifteen years ago, Ronan Callahan (Moe Dunford) went to prison for murdering his girlfriend, getting something of a shorter sentence because they never found the body. Her skin was under his fingernails and he was so blackout drunk he couldn’t remember what happened…or where he buried her. He comes home to find his victim’s father on the big, boggy property behind Ronan’s home. And he’s digging. Ronan figures out that the only way to make him go away is to pick up a shovel and help.

You can feel the dirt and grime in the best parts of “The Dig,” when it’s focusing purely on trauma and what people need to get past it. Sean (Lorcan Cranitch) will never stop digging until he’s found his daughter, and Ronan even realizes that he too could use the closure. This dramatic, character-driven aspect of the film works, but “The Dig” devolves into a bit too much of a mystery until it gets to a twist that just doesn’t feel genuine. Dunford is very good and the brothers have an ability to convey mood through use of setting, but a movie like this is often more interesting on the journey than when it gets to its destination.

  from All Content https://ift.tt/2wWJybd

[someguyranting1]

Why Do So Many People Love SAO? The Art of Mass Appeal

Hey! It’s okay! You are allowed to like Sword Art Online. I feel like I needed to explain that before somebody gets the wrong idea and thinks this is just me saying, “I don’t understand how somebody likes an anime that I don’t like!”

I just want to put this on the record: You’re not a bad person for liking SAO. You don’t have shit taste, and you’re not stupid. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to like this show, and, for this review, we’re going to be exploring what those reasons are because any show that can reach over a million people has to be doing something right.

No, this isn’t going to boil down to an insulting and reductive conclusion, like, “Thirsty weebs need wish fulfillment,” although I do think that is part of it for some people. This is a serious, analytical look at the series. The mechanics of mass appeal have always fascinated me, and SAO’s lacking qualities in other departments make it easier to isolate those mechanics than it would be looking at something like FMA.

You really can’t understate the impact that SAO has had on popular culture. It takes a lot of brand recognition for an American product to get a shot on network television, let alone a Japanese one. Much as critics like to downplay popularity as a measure of quality, success like that doesn’t just come down to random luck.

That said, luck is a major factor. SAO is often lauded for its great premise, but that’s only half the story. The most obvious factor in SAO’s whirlwind success is that it hit on the right premise, at the right time. When SAO came out in 2012, eSports and Free-to-Play games were becoming huge in the public eye. League of Legends had overtaken WoW as the most-played PC game of the year, and WoW’s death grip on the MMO market had loosened enough so that the landscape of online worlds was becoming more expansive and varied than it had ever been before. It was the perfect time to release any story about hardcore gaming, hardcore MMO gaming in particular, and with the Hunger Games phenomenon just starting to “catch fire” thanks to the first movie’s release, the market was hot for death game stories in particular. Add to that the exploding popularity of the then-new Game of Thrones and Walking Dead, and any series with a similar sense of lethality was bound to do well. Just look at how many articles at the time compare Attack on Titan and SAO to those two shows.

On top of that, anime was about to blow up in a big way in the West. Crunchyroll came to my attention in Fall of 2011, when they acquired the rights to Fate/Zero. I was hooked enough on the series from watching it on their ad-supported site to bite the bullet on a subscription just to get one episode ahead, and I don’t think I’m the only one. From 2011 to 2012, Crunchyroll began offering a serious value proposition by doubling their seasonal anime library, and becoming the go-to place for basically everything coming out of Japan by the Summer of 2012. It might not have been Fate/Zero specifically, but between huge series like HunterxHunter and quality niche stuff like Space Brothers and Kids on the Slope, the streaming service finally had enough content to pull in and sustain a hundred thousand subscribers by September of 2012, and two hundred thousand by March of 2013. Crunchyroll had become the service of choice for the then-niche community. SAO hit right in the middle of the surge in anime’s Western popularity, right at the point when Crunchyroll had enough content to be worth a subscription, but before it became totally unreasonable to watch everything on the service.

As one of the biggest fish in a rapidly-expanding pond, SAO both benefited from and helped spur on the service’s growth. Since it was one of the most popular shows on the service, Crunchyroll naturally put it at the forefront of their marketing push, which only increased its brand caché among anime fans and casuals alike. At this point, SAO was huge in Japan, and within the niche of Western anime fandom. It had proved its market viability enough to become a flagship title for the recently revived and redesigned Toonami block on Cartoon Network in Spring of 2013, and it was both relevant and popular enough to be added to Netflix in 2014, right in time to hype up the second season.

Anime had become a massive wave, washing over popular culture. Like 2013’s Attack on Titan, SAO had the good fortune to start riding that wave while it was still small, and go all the way to the top. The two series’ similar tone, and similar lethality, meant that fans of one were likely the fans of the other, and the cross-pollination only helped them both.

However, if good timing and an enticing premise were all it took for a show to embed itself in the popular culture, we’d be staring down Season 3 of The Unlimited Hyoubu Kyousuke right now. As much as it pains me to admit it, SAO does do some things very right when it comes to its execution that primed it for its whirlwind success. One of the biggest factors in this regard is the look of the show. A1 Pictures has faced a lot of criticisms from anime YouTubers and critics in general for the uniform look of its productions, and indeed, it can get pretty tiring to see the same faces, in nearly identical art styles, over and over again. However, that’s not going to be a problem for the casual anime fan, whose only seen a few dozen series. Their shows might look pretty similar, but they all look polished and professional, assuming they’re given enough time in production. They might not look or feel as nice as something from Ufotable, Kyoto Animation, or Bones, but they can get most of the way there in less time with a smaller budget, and that’s impressive. People like things that feel polished and professional.

If you haven’t seen a million shows like it before, SAO looks really clean and cohesive. It looks like what you expect a good anime to look like. The lineart is sharp and crisp, the characters blend with the environments well (at least, when the characters aren’t moving), and you can freeze on almost any frame and use it as a pretty decent wallpaper, which is all that many casual anime fans look for in a show’s visuals.

A1’s visual style is also very versatile. Its characters look cool, but they’re still very expressive. The girls can be moe cute, the heroes can look badass and youthful, and the adults can look old and hardened, and they all exist within the same world. Despite its “same-face syndrome” problem when put next to other A1 anime, SAO’s main cast has impressively diverse and easily recognizable character designs.

On the subject of design, while I do think that SAO would be a crappy game in real life, I will credit it for looking very visually appealing. The environments are super varied and interesting, from the flower dungeon, to the ice peak where they fight the dragon, to the trippy cave system where they find the Gleam Eyes. As VR spectacles go, this world would be a hell of a draw. The show’s visuals can really pop with vibrant colors, without looking too silly, and those can be muted down for more serious scenes without it looking incongruous with the rest of the show. SAO manages to sell moe, horror, action, and even Looney Tunes-esque cartoon comedy at times, and it all feels like roughly part of the same series.

That highlights one of the show’s other big strengths: plot variety. Because of the longtime scale of its storyline and the way that its setting creates a sort of blank slate for adventure, it can dabble in lots of different plot concepts, and even genres. One episode might be a short tragedy about Kirito watching all of his friends die, while the next is a cute story about saving a little girl’s pet and beating up some cackling Team Rocket villains, and that can be followed with a two-parter murder mystery, and after that, why not, let’s go on a side quest for crafting materials that blossoms into a short unrequited love story.

None of these individual stories have to be particularly great, hell, they don’t even have to make much logical sense because each one is so different from the last that it’s kind of fun to watch just for the surprise of finding out what they’re going to do next. Even if you really hate one storyline, you can rest assured that something new is on the horizon within an episode or two, and there’s a good chance that at least one of the many things the show tries will work for you.

Because Kirito’s character arc is about learning to open up to other people, all of those different plots feel like they’re moving the central plot forward, or at least a little, even if they’re really just filler. That results in a show that feels like it’s moving forward at a good pace. Emphasis on “feels” because if you look at the actual storytelling and logical structure of events, it’s an absolute mess. Just look at the final fight between Kirito and Kayaba Akihiko, it just comes out of nowhere on Floor 75 and it doesn’t work at all. However, if you’re just sitting down for entertainment, how a show feels to watch is paramount, and what sense it makes doesn’t matter so much.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying that it’s dumb to enjoy a show on that level. There’s value in sitting down, turning your brain off, and simply being entertained for the sake of relaxation. Analyzing anime can feel like work. For some, it is work. In SAO, it feels like at least one really important thing happens every single episode, and there’s usually a really cool-feeling action scene every two or three episodes to keep the excitement up. As a result, the show has momentum. Once you start watching, it’s very easy to keep watching without getting bored or confused. The show is consumable, like popcorn or other A1 Pictures shows like Gate.

The show suffers, a lot, when it loses this forward momentum, which I think is a big part of why even fans of the series acknowledge that the Fairy Dance arc kinda sucks. Kirito has a clear goal there, with an obvious solution in trying to rescue Asuna, which means that any diversion from that goal, like going off to fight a random guy in PvP, feels like a true waste of time. Furthermore, Kirito’s character is entirely static during that storyline. He doesn’t grow or change at all. Neither does Asuna, nor anyone aside from Suguha, and even then, only kind of. Therefore, even when the story is moving forward, it feels kind of flat.

Gun Gale fixes this problem in a kind of artificial way of giving Kirito sudden onset PTSD to get over, but it does help the story feel more substantial, and fans reacted positively to that. When it does work, even if it doesn’t actually have any idea where it’s going, SAO’s story moves forward with a bold sense of confidence and purpose.

Speaking of boldness, SAO also excels at setting a strong tone for whatever is happening in its story at any given time, particularly early on. Not necessarily the most appropriate tone, but a tone that is powerful and striking nonetheless. The monsters feel scary and intimidating, the comedy feels fun and lighthearted, the romance feels heartwarming and intimate, and deaths feel tragic and poignant. If you’re not invested in the story and characters, a lot of this can feel cloying and emotionally manipulative, but until something happens to take you out of that (like Yui’s death did for me), watching SAO is an emotional rollercoaster.

A big part of that is Tomohiko Ito’s direction. He is really good at placing the camera and cutting in a way that draws out the maximum possible emotion from any given scene. He needs to work with great source material, like Erased or Gin no Saji to really shine, but even working with Reki Kawahara’s leavings, he does a good job. The use of reflections in windows while Kirito listens to Sachi’s last message to him is legitimately incredible filmmaking.

The emotional impact of the series is further enhanced by the work of Yuki Kajiura, Tomohiko Ito’s most favorite composer, who also crafted the amazing soundtrack of Erased, as well as Tsubasa, Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Kara no Kyoukai, and some of the Xenosaga video games. Yuki Kajiura is one the most singularly talented composers working in the anime industry today, and it’s hard to understate just how much of an impact I think she’s had on the perceived quality of SAO. Her compositions for the show give it an air of cinematic quality, but they also feel distinctly, and very appropriately, video game-y. In particular, I’d argue that she is the primary reason that people say SAO has good action scenes. Her compositions make fights that are actually pretty stilted and janky, outside of a few sakuga cuts, feel incredibly bombastic and slick. When SAO’s music kicks up, it gets your pulse pounding, and it’s hard to resist getting caught up in it or even humming along to that memorable hook. Watch these fights without the music, and they kinda suck.

Kajiura’s abilities don’t just improve the action scenes, though. Her work is an integral part of that emotional roller coaster effect, heightening the emotion of each scene and connecting the emotional beats so that the shifts in tone feel less jarring than they might otherwise feel. She makes the scary scenes feel scary, the sad scenes feel much, much sadder, and the romantic scenes feel powerful and moving. That brings us to the big reason that I think people love SAO.

Most of the things I’ve talked about so far aren’t totally unique to SAO, and though they are important factors in getting people interested and keeping them invested in what’s going on, they’re not enough on their own to make people care so much that they’ll tell me to kill myself when I badmouth it. To evoke that kind of emotional response, a show really needs to get its audience to say, “Fuck yeah!”

The thing that makes a lot of people say that, myself included when I first watched SAO, is the fact that Kirito and Asuna get together in Episode 10, after several episodes of buildup where other characters notice they have a thing for each other, and it’s just really cute. That’s just not a thing that happens in anime. Even in shows with a clear OTP relationship, nine times out of ten the romance will be drawn out to its breaking point, and the characters will only hook up right at the end of the story, which isn’t just a lazy way to create an emotional arc, it’s tedious to watch.

The “will they, won’t they” is a story we’ve seen a million times, while the equally interesting story about what happens after, the trials and tribulations of actually dating and being in love, is almost never touched upon. You can justify that in a romance anime where the story is about characters sorting out their feelings and finally getting together (Toradora does that and it’s just about perfect), but even there, after a while you start to crave shows that buck that trend, like Ore Monogatari, My Little Monster, and Golden Time.

Also, with shows that have other things driving the plot, there’s really no excuse. There are few things that could really improve on Fullmetal Alchemist, but Winry and Ed hooking up earlier in the story would probably be one of them. Look at how many people loved Mikasa’s confession to Eren at the end of Attack on Titan Season 2. That was beautiful!

It’s a very pleasant surprise to see two main characters of a show like SAO commit to a monogamous relationship this early in the plot, and I think that most people who love the series do so because, in this respect, it doesn’t waste their time. This plot turn changes a lot of story dynamics, too, since Kirito and Asuna can be explicitly motivated by their love for one another, and that love can be made much deeper than the obvious mutual crushes that drive shows less willing to pull that trigger. For a story so driven by its emotional content, that one change makes SAO feel very different from just about everything else a casual fan is likely to have seen, and from what you would probably expect going into the show.

Now if you’re like me, and you think a lot about story structure and plot logic, that effect of that change doesn’t really last. Reki Kawahara is totally unwilling to abandon his harem anime nonsense, so every arc sees Kirito introduced to a new hot girl who wants to jump his bones. In terms of narrative structure, that really undercuts the importance of his commitment to Asuna.

However, if you’re just watching the show to enjoy a show, then it feels very substantial, to the point that fans get very mad at me when I call this harem anime a harem anime, in the same way that all of the deaths early on make the show feel very lethal and dangerous, so long as you don’t realize that all of the key characters have plot armor. If you do buy into it, the scenes of Kirito and Asuna being a couple and enjoying each other’s company are extremely emotionally satisfying. By the same token, if Yui doesn’t bug you the same way she bugs me, her relationship with Kirito and Asuna is adorable. Hell, Asuna and Kirito’s romance is the only part of the movie that I think really works. To get more cynical for a moment, for the segment of the audience that does use this show as pure escapist wish fulfillment, the fact that Kirito can have an emotionally fulfilling relationship with his wife, while still being chased by hotties all because he’s so dang good at video games that he’s basically invincible, those aspects only improve the show for you.

However, I don’t think that most people who love SAO love it for those reasons. I think they love it because it managed to get them deeply invested in its main characters through one very bold plot turn, and once you care about those characters, seeing Kirito be an unstoppable badass stops being eye-rolling, and starts being cool and fun. I think they love SAO because the world that it creates seems like a very appealing place on the surface to spend time in, and you can imagine yourself being one of the NPCs going off and doing something that’s not vital to Kirito’s plotline, like that guy who’s fishing, for some reason. I think they love SAO because it came at the right time in their lives, right when they were getting into anime. If you’ve seen hundreds of anime, then yeah, parts of it are going to feel played out, but if you’ve seen just a handful, SAO is going to feel fresh, and new, and exciting.

Considering that it’s at the forefront of the anime fandom, even today, I think it will be among many people’s first anime for many years to come, and I think that ties into why so many of us so passionately hate this show as well. Because when we discovered it, it had all of this promise and potential, but at one point or another, be it a poorly-executed death or a very, very poorly-executed rape scene, it let us down profoundly, and we were left unable to enjoy this thing that, at one point, seemed like it could be so great, that was, at one point, so enjoyable for us. That disappointment is a lot more cutting than the overt and unsurprising terribleness of something like The Asterisk War or Akashic Record.

But not everyone was disappointed in it in the same way. While I do think it’s fundamentally poorly made, SAO does some things right that are going to be more important for some people than the things it does wrong are for me.

[fadingfartconnoisseur]

AK Monthly Recap: February 2017

After a quiet January, I got back to the road in February with two trips that were out of the norm for me. A trip to Florida and a cruise — two very typical American vacations, but not the usual kind of trip I take. Even so, I had a blast on both trips!

Best of all, these were trips with friends — a road trip through Florida with Cailin and a cruise through the Caribbean with Jeremy.

Punctuated with some fun times at home in New York, it made for a very satisfying month. Here’s everything I got up to in February!

Destinations Visited

New York, New York

Orlando, Islamorada, Key Largo, Tavernier, Marathon, Key West, and Miami, Florida

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Favorite Destinations

Key West is one of my new favorite places in the United States!

San Juan is a fabulous city and I was happy to return.

And I’m just discovering how awesome Miami Beach can be.

Highlights

Having fun at Universal Orlando. Universal Studios was the main reason for our Florida trip. Cailin is an ambassador for the park, and part of her partnership is that she gets to bring friends with her to experience the park for themselves. She kindly invited me and I was happy to join her. We had a great time!

Some of the highlights: throwing out beads on a Mardi Gras float, going to the actual Moe’s Tavern from The Simpsons, wearing our hot pink BEST FRIENDS shirts, experiencing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (and doing a hilarious Bertie Botts Roulette video on Facebook live!), having breakfast with the Minions, riding The Mummy over and over (flying around in the dark, fiery explosions, Brendan Fraser demanding a cup of coffee — what’s not to love?), and THE FOOD. Seriously. I did not have high expectations for the food at Universal but the restaurants at CityWalk were excellent, especially Antojitos. They made the best salmon over sweet potatoes…

Road tripping down the Keys. The Florida Keys were amazing and both fulfilled and defied my expectations. They were absolutely beautiful, gritty in all the right ways, and surprisingly a lot like New Hampshire…

Having a little too much fun in Key West. Let’s just say that at age 32, Key West is for me what San Juan del Sur was at 30, Vang Vieng was at 26, Las Vegas was at 23…it’s a fun place. And wild. And incredibly beautiful and historical as well, but still — this is a place where you come for fun. The highlight was our sunset cruise with a bunch of rowdy Boston sports fans and unlimited rosé…

Trying all the key lime pie. This was my major diet fail this month — but I did eat clean otherwise. Cailin and I decided to go on a quest to find the best key lime pie in the Florida Keys and we sampled eight different top recommended pies across the archipelago. Stay tuned for a post on the best slices!

Kicking back in South Beach. We had two nights in Miami at the end of our trip and decided to just chill out — we ate ceviche, relaxed on the beach, and vegged out at the W’s pool.

Enjoying my first cruise ever. Jeremy kindly invited me to join him on a weeklong cruise on the Carnival Vista. The cruise was split between February and March, so it seems a bit weird only writing about the first half of it here. I’m still on it as I write this, and I’m having a blast. It did take some getting used to (it was SO OVERWHELMING at first!) but once I found my zone (balcony, adults-only deck, fitness center, spa, and sushi bar), I was happy as a clam. And my favorite part was getting to know the staff. I’ll be writing more about my introduction to cruising in the future, so stay tuned.

An awesome catamaran ride in Grand Turk. We booked only one official shore excursion and it was a good one — a catamaran ride with snorkeling and a visit to a private beach. The water in Grand Turk is an UNREAL shade of blue and the beaches are fine white sand — Jeremy and I definitely chose the perfect excursion.

Revisiting Old San Juan. Jeremy and I had both been to San Juan previously, so this day was about wandering the town, revisiting some of our favorite places, and taking photos. Puerto Rico is a fantastic place and I’d love to return for a third time and see new spots (Culebrita, yo vengo!).

Meeting up with blogger buds for the first time. This month I met Hannah and Adam from Getting Stamped at Universal Orlando and Gloria from The Blog Abroad came to visit me in Harlem! It’s so nice to meet blogger friends in real life.

I also got some nice plane views over New York en route to Orlando. So pretty!

Challenges

As far as months go, there were no major personal challenges, and for that I am grateful.

From the “learn from my mistakes” files — Cailin and I decided to save money and have me be the sole driver on our Florida road trip, but we really should have paid more and shared the driving. Orlando to Islamorada took six hours and was a slog, especially through traffic around Miami!

Post of the Month

You may have noticed publishing was much lighter than usual this month. I only have one non-recap post, but it’s a good one: Where to Stay in Barcelona: Best Neighborhoods and Accommodation

Most Popular Instagram Photo

This is a bit of a misnomer — my actual most popular Instagram photo was the recipient of roughly 2,000 fake likes from a spammer that has started targeting me and a host of other travel bloggers. (Their method: give 2k bogus likes “as a gift” and then ask us to sign up for their paid service. No thanks. Plenty of travel bloggers use bots to artificially inflate their Instagram numbers, but I refuse to play that game.)

But this is the most popular photo minus the spamming — one of Key West’s legendary sunsets.

For real-time updates from my travels, follow me on Instagram and Snapchat at adventurouskate!

What I Read This Month

Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? by Kathleen Collins (2016). Kathleen Collins was one of the first prominent black female filmmakers, and she died in her 40s in the 1980s. This collection of short stories she wrote was only recently found among her belongings and published last year. Some stories read like poetry, some like prose, some like plays.

More than anything, this book is about how black women love and the sacrifices they make as a result. I loved these stories of women who fell in love, women who stayed by their cheating men, women who attempted to carve out a life of their own. You could call it a companion piece to Beyonce’s Lemonade. It’s a relatively quick read and one that I highly recommend. Category: A book by a person of color.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016). I was afraid to read this book for a long time, despite its stellar reviews. I tend to avoid books about confronting death and grief (the same reason why I haven’t read Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking), and I didn’t know how I would handle reading about a brilliant young neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal cancer. This book is about how he evaluates his life prior to diagnosis and his outlook afterward. I shouldn’t have avoided it.

This book is written so beautifully. The best memoirs are fascinating stories that are told well, and this absolutely fits the bill. Dr. Kalanithi wrestled with whether to become a doctor or a writer, and tentatively planned on leaving medicine to focus on writing later in life. But what a way to leave the world — this book is a treasure. I read it in one sitting. I’m grateful that I got to know Dr. Kalanithi, if only posthumously. Category: A book about a difficult topic.

What We Do Now: Standing Your Ground in Trump’s America by various authors (2017). This book, obviously published quickly following the 2016 election, is a collection of essays by liberal leaders talking about what needs to be done in the resistance against Donald Trump. Some of the authors include Elizabeth Warren, Paul Krugman, Bernie Sanders, and the first Somali-American legislator, Ilhan Omar.

I had read a handful of the essays before, including Warren’s and Krugman’s. Everything was organized by topic, from LGBT rights to the environment. And honestly, this is a very preaching-to-the-choir book, especially if you’re a liberal who follows the news, but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless and got some new insights. Category: A book with multiple authors.

Wendy Darling, Volume II: Seas by Colleen Oakes (2016). My cousin Colleen is an incredibly prolific author and the mind behind two young adult series of retold fairy tales. My favorite books of hers so far are the Wendy Darling books — a dark retelling of Peter Pan from Wendy’s point of view. These books are visually lush and much more mature.

In the first book, Wendy realizes that both Neverland and Peter Pan are far more sinister than they appear, and she escapes with her brother Michael. In the second, she joins Captain Hook and his crew as they sail Neverland, trying to stop Peter Pan with the help of bloodthirsty mermaids and deranged fairies. And if Peter Pan was sexy in the first book, CAPTAIN HOOK was sexy in the second! I love Colleen’s view of Neverland! Category: A book involving a mythical creature.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (1934). I’ve actually never read a book by Agatha Christie in my life (!) but I needed a book that’s becoming a movie this year, and I got excited when I saw that not only is Murder on the Orient Express going to be a movie in December, but Leslie Odom Jr. (a.k.a. Aaron Burr from Hamilton) will be in it! It has an awesome cast: directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh with Odom, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Willem Dafoe, and DAME JUDI MOTHERFUCKING DENCH.

This iconic mystery takes place on the Orient Express from Istanbul to Calais in the 1930s. A passenger is murdered and the train gets stuck in a snowstorm, which means the murderer is one of the passengers in the car. Good thing detective Hercule Poirot is on board and is able to deduce who the killer is.

One thing I didn’t expect…the surprising amount of casual racism about Italians and Italian-Americans. According to one character, the Italian must be the murderer because Italians love to stab people…That said, it’s a reminder that Italians and Irish were once treated with the prejudice and scorn that Muslims, Latinos, and Africans receive in America today. I’m eager to see how they modernize the film. Category: A book that’s becoming a movie in 2017.

What I Listened To This Month

“Etunnel” by Primary feat. Gaeko. Another one of Spotify’s picks for me (seriously, Spotify knows my tastes inside and out), this is a lovely Korean electronic/hip-hop song with a touch of Burt Bacharach. Give it a listen; I bet you’ll love it!

Fun fact: I didn’t even know it was Korean until I looked it up just now…

What I Watched This Month

I’ve started watching Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix. This comedy stars Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as boring-yet-happy realtor couple living in the suburbs with a teenage daughter — until one day Barrymore’s character suddenly turns into a zombie and starts eating people.

It’s not the sharpest or most cutting-edge comedy of all time, but it’s wacky and I love it! The cast is great, and it has a very sweet message of doing everything you can to protect your family, even if that means killing people you can’t stand in order to eat them.

What I Cooked This Month

No pics, but I am cooking these turkey spinach burgers all the time. They’re super healthy and a good source of protein, and I love making four at once so I have a few ready to go in the fridge! Plus, they look like Oscar the Grouch.

Four pieces of advice: 1) This recipe calls for a truly insane amount of spinach — just go with it. 2) Be very gentle when mixing the turkey; if you mash it too hard it will be too dense. 3) They will fall apart if you grill them, so bake them in a glass dish. 4) Top them with avocado or guacamole — it’s the best! Avocado is my main substitute for cheese these days, and I find it just as satisfying.

Fitness Update

I’m still working hard on my fitness and I think I’ve been making progress at a much faster rate lately. Something has shifted — I work harder and better and am feeling great!

That said, this was also my first month traveling since starting my fitness regimen, and it was challenging to keep up workouts and eat well on the road. I could have done better with both, but I’m glad neither trip turned into a gluttonous free-for-all, as it would have in the past.

I tried two new classes this month — Pon de Flo with Oneika, and IMAXShift with Beth. Pon de Flo is a Caribbean dance class in SoHo that includes HIIT segments — think Zumba but with more push-ups. IMAXShift is a spin class in front of an IMAX screen located in DUMBO — you ride through space and lasers and the sky.

I only lost a few pounds in February, but I don’t mind — according to my body analysis I’m gaining a ton of muscle, which is heavier and cancels out a lot of fat loss. Weight isn’t as important as you think. More important is that I look and feel different — especially in my face, my upper arms and my thighs. And I’ve lost three inches off my waist since December.

Also a bonus: I went bathing suit shopping and found three suits that I loved and felt great in!

Coming Up in March 2017

I have a few more days on the cruise at the beginning of March, and beyond that, I have no travel plans scheduled in March. Which, once again, is great. I feel like I’m actually starting to live my goal of traveling 25% of the time or less.

I do have a lot I want to do in New York this month, including visiting the new Golden Girls cafe in Washington Heights, so stay tuned for more local coverage!

Plus, Cailin is coming to stay for a few days (amusingly, she’ll already be at my place when I get back from the cruise). I’m also looking forward to hosting my book group at my apartment, which is shockingly the first time I’ve invited more than two people into my apartment simultaneously!

What’s coming up for you in March? Share away!

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