#miku day art for your weekly miku

[ksksksrahrah]

[blixeysmangatalk]

The Quintessential Quintuplets Review

Overview: 'Go-Tobun no Hanayome', or known in English as 'The Quintessential Quintuplets, is a manga series written and illustrated by Negi Haruba. The series was serialized in Kodansha's 'Weekly Shonen Magazine' from 2017-2020 before being published into 14 separate volumes. The story follows studyholic Futaro Uesugi and his daily life after being hired to tutor the Nakano Quintuplets. This is a challenge for Futaro, as the girls are awful students who can't seem to pass a test to save their lives. The quintuplets are, in order of who was born first, Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki. During the beginning, Nino and Itsuki give Futaro the most trouble, as they will flat-out deny having him tutor them, with Nino even scheming up ways to sabotage. Ichika, Yotsuba, and Miku may allow him to tutor them, but they struggle with paying attention. However, hate soon turns into love for the Nakano sisters, as they all start to simultaneously develop feelings for Futaro, even to the point where they engage in a 'war' over winning his love. As we know from the very beginning, Futaro ends up marrying one of the sisters, and even met one five years prior, but the events between him being hired and the wedding are filled with comedic acts of chaos, angst, love, and heartbreak for the Nakano sisters. Review: I really enjoyed this, and I just finished collecting the series physically just a day ago. I'm not usually one for harem manga, but this one really gripped my attention. While it starts off as a somewhat typical harem, with Futaro visiting the five sisters and some fan-service ensues, there's honestly so much more to this manga than a cheap, sleazy harem. The story ties in the past, present, and future really well, and sometimes even some of the smallest moments in the manga have a big impact on the story, especially in terms when Futaro choses the bride (which I will keep unnamed in case of spoilers). This story was funny at moments as it was sad in others. During the events of volumes 11-14, where the series was coming to an end, I truly felt sorry for the sisters as they realized they weren't chosen to be his bride, and the events of the Sisters' War Arc was my particular favorite in terms of comedy. In terms of the winner, I'm satisfied. She wasn't my favorite of the sisters (who I also will not name, due to spoilers), but she is still a good character, and the story makes it clear that she deserved to win. Also, how the winner handled it between Futaro choosing her and the wedding was, in my opinion, written and handled well. Quick note, I also enjoyed the art style. It wasn't anything crazy, but that suited the manga well. Overall, I can recommend this manga for almost any reader who is interested in romantic comedies and slice of life. It's my favorite harem i've read, which doesn't say too much given my disinterest in the genre, and at times it really doesn't seem like one. If I could score it, it would receive an 8/10 for me. Quick Note: I know the ending has sparked controversy amongst the fanbase, mainly due to their favorite girl not winning. If you are mad just because your favorite girl not winning, I would ask yourself if Futaro chose her instead, would the story really have made much sense?

[nature-bro]

hold up, my latest favorite artist is unf in my opinion, and therefore, i must share **also, definite warning: explicit stuff verbally and visually**

Ashnikko, Ashton Nicole Casey

Out since 2019, so catch tf up c:

Daisy by Ashnikko is so far my favorite - music video - and her official explanation of the lyrics

I’m fuckin in love with her brand of weird - thank you for doing your thing. It’s kinda creepy, kinda bloody, cute-but-hardcore... guro-kawaii, pretty much (omg, Cry with Grimes and  Halloweenie 3: 7 Days). I never expect anything of my Spotify Discover Weekly, but I am reminded how much I like girls (ughhh, Slumber Party, why there no videoooo? i must needs live vicariously through lesbians of this caliber) and I feel strangely empowered. I believe I have listened to every song of hers... aaand I’ve listened to a few enough times so i can sing them... in my car, very loudly >u< makes me feel sexy and gritty (Tantrum, definitely, and Drunk with my friends, though everything about the animation gave me very temporary whiplash)

Daisy with Hatsune Miku

Deal With It video made me lol <3

***Spoiler, not explicit*** she includes a sexy kraken that kills em all. heh heh.

I luuv the costumes in the Working Bitch video! ahh!

(photo from the thumbnail of the clean version video)

I HAD THOUGHT

1. it is Highly Important to note that Ashnikko = BOOTS

2. some of the hair styles and makeup and alien SFX stuff reminds me of the  Fecal Matter djs... whose fans are “victims”, lol, it’s great

I WANT TO MAKE SURE ASHNIKKO KNOWS ABOUT FECAL MATTER’S BOOTS HOLY SHHH

matieresfecales Instagram stories (i indeed prefer the outlandish, authentic and shiny individual on the left :p but I kind of hope said typical human on the right had at least one nightmare. am i a bad person?)

heck, it’s all so relatable. Hi, It’s Me and god, memories flooding in, right to the ouch. In the video are four masked people who i’m interpreting as Ash’s well-meaning friends, and my first thought was “i wish i’d had real friends, especially every time it could have been clear to a stranger i was making a mistake” :/ flipside tho, it’s comforting to see in media more proof of to-err-is-human

Other Important Notes of Noteworthiness from Halloweenie 3: 7 Days

- a young girl politely requesting that her Grandfather produce music as good as Ashnikko’s (she also shows up at the end of Drunk with my friends)

- I’d only hunt witches to be friends with them, too

why Ashnikko gotta be so fuckin awesome? Her voice is strong wonderful, her style is stunning and she’s a fuckin actress... to boot (:p)

AND she’s honest, or “blunt” as she puts it. hallelujah, for real. Invitation and Blow (video) lyrics. Just !?@#$ Dude, she looks like she’s having so much fun. She’s practically oozing solid gold art and i can feel it moving me. “You cut me down, I grew,” got me in more feelings. It’s scary, but i really want to find my style. you know, finally. like, this year instead of “someday”.

oh, don’t you worry, @Malena. Oct 2020, people were certainly falling in love with her. HOWEVER.

Ash knows how brilliant she it, I have absolutely no doubt. cuz it’s a No Brainer, in her own words. “I listen to my own music in the Uber” from nice Manners

shall i tell my mother i look up to this fukin awesome girl only 2 months older than me? I think I shall. heh.

[polandspringz]

The Problem with Kagerou Project

The title of this post may make people sort of wary, considering I’m posting this on what is supposed to be a celebratory day, but let me be clear: The problem I have with this series is possibly one of the biggest things that makes me love it and hold it so dear.

It’s confusing, I know. But at the same time, I feel it’s very simple and obvious. Something other, early Kagerou Project fans will understand as well.

Ever since I discovered Mother’s Basement’s “Adapt or Die” series on Youtube, my subconscious have been slowly piecing together some of my nostalgia with the various failures of mine to get my friends into a Vocaloid song series, that also has a series of novels, and a manga, and a very disheartening anime adaption- but oh, no, you have to listen to the songs first, or else you won’t- and at this point in my passionate, albeit complicated, explanation to my friends about how great Kagerou Project is, I realized the fault in this series. It is quite possibly the fault- to some extent, in some other series as well.

Part of the fun and love I feel for Kagerou Project was the experience.

This is where I have to be a little specific to differentiate what I mean when I say that other series might have it to some extent. A lot of a show’s appeal is not only its general construction in technical things like sound, music, animation, story, and characters but also the journey it takes you on. While things like enjoyment scores have been faded out of many Youtube Anime reviewers score systems, it is still a topic that is prominently brought up in other debates. Videos by Glass Reflection and Mother’s Basement on the Anime Strike and Netflix debacle in licensing shows have presented the reasoning at Netflix that they want seasonal anime weekly instead of in a binge set up is because the consumers want to be able to make theories and discuss things right after they happen. This happens all the time with manga, of course, as those who read chapter by chapter instead of by tankobon join in on forums and post on Reddit or talk on podcasts all about what each individual frame or image could foreshadow or how emotions were portrayed and etcetera. It is even possible for shows that aired a long time ago to be appreciated by newcomers who could talk to their friends about what happened and avoid spoilers to have their own private analytical sessions so that the longevity of a show’s enjoyment factor can keep going even once a series has laid out all its cards and concluded.

The problem with Kagerou Project is that it is quite different.

As I mentioned above, we do have a light novel, manga, and anime series, all of which can fit into the appeal I described. However, there is another sector of this series, the earliest, and something of which only a select few of series at the time had: The songs. Nowadays we’ve got series like Honeyworks, Mikagura, and even one that went before Kagepro (and did not achieve the same fame), Shunennpro. Kagerou Project began with the song “Jinzou Enemy”, which was not only Jin’s first work, but also the first in the line of many different works to come. It was released on NND on February 17, 2011, and what were we given: A Vocaloid song by Miku with a girl that looked very much like Miku for the art. Not a lot to speak of. However, flash forward two years to March 29, 2013, and we’ve got the release of “Lost Time Memory”, the tenth song to be released, and what do we have now? Well, not only do we have ten songs in a series, but we’ve got a fully animated PV by the artist and animator Sidu and a fairly well established timeline that puts Jinzou Enemy in the middle of the Lost Time Memory PV in all the scenes where the character Shintarou is wearing a black sweatshirt, dubbed as Route XX. We also have two light novels now, but they are very early on in the series’ plot, and take place in the future, after the events of both songs, but in the second timeline occurring in the Lost Time Memory PV, probably.

With that alone, I hope I can help to start draw one’s eyes to the main difference Kagerou Project has over other series. Instead of getting a simple story that developed naturally, we were given one scrambled. For the earliest fans, you got essentially a plot diagram, a rather barebones one, to create a plot from. We had songs that told us sometimes about a certain character’s life or a main event in the series, and in a story about many timelines, many of us theorists had to struggle to figure out which song existed in each route or each branch of the timeline, only for Jin to throw us another bone and curveball with an animated video for one of the songs. “Kagerou Days” is probably the most notable example of this, and not just because it gave the series its name. The shocking imagery presented in the lyrics described to the listeners a major event, one that occurred for every character in some shape of form, on this exact day, August 15th. The strange thing about this song is that it took something that was not cannon, and it became cannon, as Wannyanpu’s PV for the song was originally a fan work, so despite it being rather fascinating, originally we had to only pull from the lyrics, and not the amazing animation we wanted to couple it with. And then, Wannyanpu was brought on the team, and suddenly we were allowed to use this animation as cannon- even if Hiyori’s and the “Heat Hazes’” appearances were not.

I entered the Kagerou Project rather gradually. I was a big Vocaloid fan at the time, and I remember listening to these songs and their videos but not connecting the dots quite yet. A lot of those Tumblr 30 Day Challenges often ask me what was the first song I heard, but I’m not even sure, because it could have been “Kagerou Days”, “Kisaragi Attention”, “Imagination Forest”, “Children Record”, or “Headphone Actor” which if we go by the creation of my Tumblr, places me at some point in 2012 when I first really discovered the fandom lying beneath this whole series of songs I was enjoying independently. At this point, I had missed out on about eight songs, each with their own long stretches of time in between them that forced fans all over to struggle to grasp some sort of story from these songs. It was after “Kisaragi Attention” that the first light novel was released, and I missed that and the second one too, and I’m sure at the time, old fans of the series might have been experiencing the same thing many of us now are dealing with now that the series is largely concluded. When new people come in, there is so much catching up to do, and while you are explaining what the person missed, explaining things that are now chronological and linear that you had so much fun piecing together for months, over a course of a year, you start to realize that, although this series is amazing to you, and might soon become amazing to that new person, there is a chunk of it they are missing. A chunk of it that you can only explain, a chunk they cannot experience, not ever in the same way the community did, when it fought to translate lyrics liberally or directly to get the most out of song’s meaning, its story. All the fun you had with that, all the work you did, you just helped make the story easier to understand, and while that person may be able to read that part of the story in the light novel or watch the songs and produce theories of their own before they hear yours, it’s pointless really. We know what the songs mean, we know where they fit. We know your theories are wrong. What the new people don’t know is that you had the same theory a year ago, back when we only had one or two or three songs and no light novel. What they cannot experience is those intense periods of joy when a new song comes out that gives you more to work with. Well, they could, I could, because at that time, we were only eight songs in.

I was in the side of the fandom that only really paid attention to the songs. I never could get into the light novel at the time, because it hadn’t been licensed in the US yet, and wouldn’t be for another three years. It was hard to find good translations online at the time, and it was hard to enjoy something that I had been introduced to as an audio and visual work in a literature format, despite myself having no problems with books. Light novels themselves bothered me, and I did not quite yet grasp the difference between them and normal “western” novels. So, whatever theories were brewing during each new release, I for the most part ignored, and learned along the way when I made an error in a theory I published because I was missing a crucial detail revealed in a novel. I learned from fanfictions, from things other people wrote and what they thought, and together as a community we turned the plot diagram into a story as Jin continued to fill in the pieces. I was an active reader of the manga when I could find a fan translation, but that got hard to find as well, and it was not up as fast and lyrics were. So, I continued to stick mainly to the musical side of the series, the original side. And it was there that I found the section of time that revealed to me how much I loved this series and how different it was from other.

I am certain a lot of what I’ve already said could be completely applied to anyone entering a series. Catching up to One Piece is a job in its own right, and as I’ve done it and then fallen away, I always find myself experiencing it in a new way than those who grew up with it, because nostalgia does play a large role in our enjoyment of things. But, I still believe the media difference in Kagerou Project compared to other series is what makes it special and this enjoyment thing so vastly different. The emotions that Jin drew from us, not from his writing, but from how he released the story and built it through this schedule, it felt like as he was creating this series, we too were creating it alongside him. It was something born from songs, and maybe our theories, those written on Japanese blogs, maybe they helped him write some of the different routes later on too. The feelings I have about this series, I see them summed up in the time between August 31, 2013 and September 2, 2013. Those who have gone through this will know what I’m talking about. On the first date, we were given the video for Outer Science. The song had already been released on an album, but it was now we got a music video. I remember being told by many upset fans it was to be the last video of the series, and that was it (I do not remember if the anime was announced before or after this, but it seemed liked the end was near for all of us at the time). What this song entailed was the “Bad End” of the series, similar to how many videos game have. We were treated to a song where the villain of the series, one of Azami’s snakes, who we dubbed Kuroha when in Konoha’s body, was killing all of the characters before the “Queen”, Mary, and how he kept taunting her to reset. Yes, the last music video we got for a series we all held dear was one were we could make out characters were getting tossed in front of cars and being decapitated, and while none of this was explicitly shown in gruesome, the mere idea that we could see Kuroha dragging Seto away by his collar but not visualize his head was too much for us. I, myself, joined in on the parade of people making really terrible fan art that depicted the blood as “jam” and Seto, Kuroha, and Mary were all sitting around jolly having a good time. It was one of the biggest disillusioned denials in any anime fandom. So, disheartened by the images we had been given and sad that our beloved series was coming to an end, this went on for two days.

And then-

On the second date, September 2, 2013, we were given a wonderful surprise.

The “Good End” of the series, the song titled “Summertime Record” was released with a music video, depicted Haruka Kokonose, back in his body, no longer Kuroha or Konoha, a slightly new appearance. Everyone was alive, everyone was happy. The whole song sang about the good memories shared and the video depicted reflection and spoke of nostalgia, and showed the entire gang in the future, back together again, going their separate ways. All of us began crying at the sight of this video. We had been played by Jin, Sidu, the whole team. They had evoked despair in us, and then toyed with us for two days and then said, “No, we can’t leave them like that”, and granted us our good ending. We were given a proper farewell to the series, or what would have been a proper farewell, and sent along with a message from the creators through dialogue that flashed on the screen at the end of the video.

One of the biggest issues I have with getting people into this series is I never know where to tell them to start. It’s so hard for me to tell them “Just go watch the anime”, because the 2014 anime was bad and although it helped bring more people into the fandom, it did not cause the same affect, it did not take us on the same journey that we had over the course of 4 years (now 7?) I also have the problem of telling them to read the light novels or manga, because, at the time of me writing this, we have one novel left to be published. The manga is more of a wild card, as many fans are angry at Jin’s writing of certain characters right now as it seems to be causing continuity errors and the constant decision to make everything a different “route” in the time line makes it more annoying than fun nowadays. It seems more as though Jin doesn’t know how to reach the good end as is going to keep hitting as many bad ends as he can until we get to the perfect one. We have been given some promise of an anime remake, one that makes me hopeful for the anime industry knowing that it is happening because Sidu, like us, was angry about how Mekakucity Actors ended. (At the time of me writing this, there has been no news since last August 15th in 2016, about the anime). I want to point them to the songs, but then I feel as though I have to point them to the wikia page to understand what each song means, and its honestly not a lot of fun to read the explanation when there is unknown out there, because everything has either been proven or disproven by the other media entries that already exist. I know that all series have this problem where it might be hard to let new people in because of spoilers and the fact that everything has already occurred, there is nothing to predict, but my point here is not really about that.

My use of this fact existing in any media was a way to explain my thought process, to justify my illogical nostalgia that makes me want to dictate how a person consumes this series. Perhaps the evangelical in me is the one that believes all of these stories are beautiful and that Kagerou Project in particularly needs to be experienced by everyone. Maybe it’s the self-centered part of me that just wants to be able to have everyone just talk to me about the series. I love Kagerou Project, and I know all day I’m going to be watching Mekakucity Actors and cringing at episode nine’s CGI while I take photos in my Momo cosplay and still cry at the ending when I hear Jin sing Summertime Record at the credits. I love this series, and I want everyone else to love it too. But, a part of me cannot stop thinking about that two day period in 2013, that time where we felt such anger and then such elation that we collectively cried over some stupid song that is part of a “Vocaloid song series”, which is possibly the statement that turns people off the quickest to this series. The journey Jin took us on, emotions we felt during that, maybe we will get to experience it again if we ever get Mekaucity Reload and it lives up to what all of us who love this series hopes it can be. Maybe then, we will be free from the “shackles” of Kagepro, as we all exclaim on this day while we anxiously wait for any piece of news about the series.

…

Maybe then-

I guess it must be goodbye now.

You won’t forget again, will you?

Don’t worry. I couldn’t forget a tale like this.

I wonder about that. I bet you’ll have completely forgotten about it by tomorrow

And is that so bad? I mean, if there are better days to come…

But, we’ll meet again somewhere, won’t we?

Of course we will. Well, I’d better get going now.

Right. I’ll see you later.

We will all meet again.

[torontotravelblog]

Things to do this week in Toronto

What's happening in Toronto April 22-26, 2019

MONDAY, APRIL 22 (EASTER MONDAY)

Spring into Easter at the Toronto Zoo: Join for special on-site animal encounters, daily Meet the Keeper Talks, the chance of catching a glimpse of our Veterinarians at work in the Wildlife Health Centre.

Easter Lunch at Miku Toronto: Celebrate Easter with a special menu only available for Monday.

Easter Day at MARBL: Celebrate this Easter weekend with family and friends. We'll be offering Easter exclusive menu items, as well as perfecting your dinner with a bottle of wine, hand picked by our sommelier.

The Best of The Second City: The Second City’s Touring Company comes home to Toronto for an unforgettable night of classic and original sketch comedy, along with hilarious unscripted improvisation.

Queer and Present Danger Collective: Spring Queening: Hosted by Bethany Daniels featuring Sam Sferrazza, Amethyst Barron and Jade Niles Craig. Headlined by Al Val.

Cher at Scotiabank Arena: Cher performs in Toronto with special guests Nile Rodgers and Chic.

Humber Valley Art Exhibition: This guild from Neilson Park Creative Centre presents an exciting juried art exhibition with a mix of subjects, styles, and media by their highly talented member artists.

The Wow: Fax My Life: The Wow returns for April for an office themed comedy spectacular. Toronto's all-star sketch comedy collective gives you a uniquely themed full-blown spectacle every single month..

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

Gene Domagala's Toronto Places, People and Buildings, Including the Beach: Local historian Gene Domagala reviews Toronto places, people and buildings of interest, including those in the Beach.

The Bourbon Excursion at Jump: Kick off the evening with a welcome cocktail before tucking in to a four-course dinner paired with J.B.’s finest bourbons. Featuring homestyle fare such as Mortadella Lasagna, Tamarack Farm Lamb Shoulder, and Peanut Butter Baked Alaska.

#PitchItYork at Seneca College Newnham Campus: Showcasing York Regions brightest entrepreneurs, Open People Network has partnered with Seneca HELIX for #PitchItYORK! Pitchit is an interactive and fun pitch event to help entrepreneurs showcase their company to potential clients and angel investors.

RSI Leadership Dinner & Dialogue Series: To explore how trusted AI can advance and sustain the competitive advantage of your business and the markets you serve, join our AI-focused dinner and dialogue for C-suite executives.

Caméra Stylo Launch Party! The Cinema Studies Student Union's Undergraduate Journal Caméra Stylo is having their annual launch party.

Kelvin Wetherell at Cafe Mirage: Cafe Mirage Grill and Lounge presents Kelvin Wetherell on Nov 6. The performance runs between 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm in the evenings with a 15 minutes break in between. Cafe Mirage is one of the leading restaurants in Scarborough.

101: Cannabis: Canna-Curious? Learn your CBD’s from your THC’s and join us for a conversation on all things cannabis. Our panelists will be able to answer all of your burning questions: from wellness to entrepreneurship, to education and responsible use.

Hot Breath Karaoke at The Handlebar: Ridiculous game show style karaoke, with prizes.

Westway Christian Church Food Bank: The Westway Christian Church Community Food Bank is open for clients to receive food on Tuesday evenings from 5-7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

Fashion Art Toronto at Daniels Spectrum

Fashion Art Toronto is a showcase of contemporary and experimental fashion and arts The five-day multi-arts experience will inspire and intrigue guests through runway shows, photography exhibits, art installations, live performances and short films.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY

Once Upon a Refugee: Chapter II - The Unrehearsed Plan: Once Upon a Refugee is a community education event celebrating the experience and contributions of refugees, hosted by North York Community House. The evening will have music, storytelling, food, and theatre.

Etobicoke Voters: Claim Your Right To A Vote That Counts! Fair Vote Toronto presents an information session on voting reform and Proportional Representation.

City of Toronto information session on aerial spray program for Gypsy Moth: The City of Toronto will implement an aerial spray program this spring in seven Toronto wards to protect the tree canopy and vulnerable trees from European Gypsy Moth infestation.

Blockchain Revolution Global: The first truly worldwide conference for blockchain in enterprise. Speakers include Imogen Heap, music maker & founder of Mycelia, who will also perform live at the EBA gala.

An Evening of Poetry Readings with Toronto's New Poet Laureate: Join Toronto's new Poet Laureate for a thought-provoking night of spoken word. In the first public appearance of his laureateship, Toronto's literary ambassador A.F. Moritz will be reading alongside three young poets at The Poet Presentation Centre.

Showtime! Disney Edition at The Drink: A live music showcase featuring performances by Aaron Bell, Michala Todd and Charlotte Ferrarei. This time they'll be serving you live Disney music.

Who run the world? QTBIPOC: A free drop-in workshop series on relationships for youth. Learn skills and connect with other 2SLGBTQ Black, Indigenous and youth of colour (16-29) at this Beyonce-themed workshop series on relationships-- with pals, family, partners and yourself.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

In Her Voice: Amy Spurway Crow Launch

Please join Amy Spurway in conversation with author Emily Saso at Ben McNally Books as part of the 'In Her Voice' event series. They will be discussing Amy’s debut book Crow, followed by a signing. Books will be available for sale.

ALSO ON THURSDAY

Digifest 2019: Digifest is a three-day design and tech festival as well as a startup event, organized annually by the Digital Media and Gaming Incubator at George Brown College.

Leadership & Social Entrepreneur Knowledge Cafe 2019: Seminar of interest to entrepreneurs, professionals, activists and mentors for the next generation of leaders.

16th Albert Lahmer Memorial Lecture: Andrew Larsen: Join Toronto children's writer Andrew Larsen, author of The Man Who Loved Libraries: the Story of Andrew Carnegie, for the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books' 16th Albert Lahmer Memorial Lecture.

Art-Bound at Camp Tech: Have you heard about art journaling? Come and find out what the fuss is all about. The Art-Bound workshop is an introduction and exploration of art journaling.

Coco & Cowe presents Coco Con: Media: The second event of the Coco Con series. Catriona Smart and Halla Rafati will be joined by Vanessa Craft, Editor-In-Chief for Elle Canada.

Moonstruck at Bad Dog Comedy Theatre: By way of inspiration, its cast will take the details of one audience member’s dream to create a hilarious and magical show. Completely made up on the spot and never to be repeated, this show is sorta like a dream (no, better).

Cozy Fun Comedy Show at 120 Diner: Featuring: Velvet Wells, Sarah Ashby, Luba Magnus, Jesse Singh, Honey Bennett, Freddie Rivas, Desirée Walsh

RuPaul's Drag Race Viewing Parties: Fans of the hit reality television series can watch new episodes every Thursday at several spots around the city, including Apt 200, The Gladstone Hotel, The Beaver and Striker.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

András Keller conducts the Royal Conservatory Orchestra at Koerner Hall

Hungarian violinist, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra, and founder of the Keller Quartet András Keller leads The Glenn Gould School’s Royal Conservatory Orchestra.

ALSO ON FRIDAY

Metric with July Talk at Scotiabank Arena: Toronto-based rock bands Metric and July Talk perform in Toronto.

Fairlawn Avenue United Church's 58th Annual Book Sale: Shop for gently used books, DVDs, CDs, and LPs.

David Newland CD Release: Newland's CD release party will take place at Hugh's Room Live.

Toronto Lit Up: Mike Barnes: Join Biblioasis and the Toronto International Festival of Authors in celebrating the release of Mike Barnes’ Braille Rainbow: Poems through Toronto Lit Up!

Dinner for Vegetarians in High Park: Join us to check out the all-vegan restaurant The Goods. Everyone welcome. RSVP via email.

Acid x Untitled presents Justin Cudmore at Black Eagle: Brooklyn's rising star of the Queer techno scene Justin Cudmore joins Aeryn Pfaff and Ceremonial at The Black Eagle. Hosted by Miss Moço. All genders welcome. No room for discrimination.

Flashback Friday: A Time Travel Cabaret: Come witness the past, present and future like you've never seen them before through some of the cities best burlesque, drag and gender performers.

Redwood Comedy Cafe: A weekly comedy showcase featuring Canada's top comedians at the intimate Redwood Cafe in Little India.

ONGOING

Jude Ifesieh presents: 'Beauty in Lines' at Visions Gallery: Jude Ifesieh has developed a unique style, building complex images from a myriad of simple, colourful strokes and dots. His resulting works express the innate beauty of life and nature, bursting with healing energy, fertility and fresh possibilities. Runs until May 12.

Art Show & Sale by Marley Berot at Starving Artist Restaurant: Trini-Ja Canadian Marley Berot is opening her first show at the Starving Artist Restaurant and Gallery at 467 Danforth Avenue. Her acrylic paintings will stay on the walls until May 18.

VideoCabaret: Too Good To Be True: A dark comedy by the marvelous playwright Cliff Cardinal, who recently won Double-Doras, and an Edinburgh festival award for writing and performing Huff. Runs until May 19.

Next to Normal at CAA Theatre: Winner of three Tony Awards, Next to Normal explores a suburban household affected by mental illness. With a gripping story and a surging contemporary rock score, Next to Normal is a raw depiction of a family in crisis trying to overcome the past. In production until May 19.

PRECIOUS: An Exhibition of Contemporary Art and Jewellery: By creating precious artwork and art jewellery from everyday and discarded items, Micah Adams, Christine Dwane and Lawrence Woodford remind us that our world is shaped by the decisions we make. Whether disposable or sustainable, beauty is everywhere. On display through May 23.

Being Japanese Canadian: Reflections on a Broken World at the ROM: Explore the original exhibition through the eyes of curators Bryce Kanbara and Katherine Yamashita. Runs until May 25.

The post “  Things to do this week in Toronto “ was originally seen on toronto.com by Whatson

IV Vitamin Drip Therapy Toronto Clinic - The IV Lounge

[akasen-the-red]

On RE Creators

It's hard to say what my initial outlook on RE Creators was. Whether I thought in the beginning if it would be a good series or not is something I don't recall anymore. All I know is that I was disappointed by this shows progression and setups on a nearly weekly basis after I started it.

The idea of a battle royale between fictional anime characters is an interesting concept. Left in my hands, I'd have written a situation where somehow characters from Cowboy Bebop, Macross, Hellsing, Berserk, Trigun, Golgo 13, Black Lagoon, DBZ, Fist of the North Star, JJBA, Full Metal Alchemist, and some assortment of Shonen Jump battle manga just all find themselves in the situation we find ourselves with RE Creators.

This might also seem like a super weird roster of characters as well, but take in stride two things: First, I named many series I know of off the top of my head that I also might like, which may show a bias as to how I like my action. Second, if you think about it there's an interesting dynamic going on here. In a lot of cases, we have relatively normal people who are skilled with guns, some degree of martial arts, and their wits fighting against people who are (1) Humanoid Aliens whose power levels exceed over 9000, (2) from a world where the ability to change the property of something to another is as simple as drawing cricles or clapping your hands, (3) All sorts of magical fuckery in a Bizzare Adventure, (4) people pilotting jets that also transform into giant robots and is well known for shooting ridiculous amounts of missiles, (5) a world where Vampires exist and Dracula is probably the most OP anime character I can think of.

I find this situation interesting if at the very least because we get this lovely "what-if" moment of having people of truly varying settings going toe to toe. Sure, I highly doubt Revvy from Black Lagoon could survive Alucard, but then it would be funny to watch Joseph Joestar somehow make a fool of Alucard.

I kind of get where Troyca was going with their decisions though. They obviously could not write what  I'm thinking of exactly, and even making cheap rip offs of these characters would be just that, cheap rip offs. But the direction they still went still feels cheap. It's kind of like the fantasy worlds of Konosuba or GATE: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri. It's highly derivative work, but not thoroughly well thought out stuff. It uses basic archetypes for a character of these genres without doing the job of helping to further establish on the most basic level who these characters are.

While not totally flat and at the very least interesting as people on their own, the archetypes we are presented are not something to cheer or root for. I'd have been rooting for the character Blitz Talker by all means if it weren't for the fact that I wasn't really feeling it for him beyond a basic "I like this guy". The worst part is, he's basically a sort of Emiya Kiritsugu homage. This comes from the directors mouth mind you. So this particular character IS likely someone I'd have liked, but I end up feeling somewhat apathetic towards him. It could be the nature of his fights though and his general presentation.

It's just a shame that a series like this with a potentially great idea suffers, in my eyes, from just simple bits of poor writing. Maybe all these characters are clear homages to series, shows, and the like I've never seen before but have no interest in and that's why.

If Blitz was basically a derivative Kiritsugu, certainly other characters have to have a clear concept in mind for what they're a derivative of.

I can't think of any other high fantasy series with Mecha, but Escaflowne could be one (with regards to Selesia).

Meteora is just a video game character of some form.

Alicetaria befuddles me. I could maybe get the idea she's basically Saber from Fate, but I also feel like there's more. I also just think she's a pretty terrible Saber Clone and I refuse to believe that she's a Saber clone. Then again, I can accept Blitz's origins, so fuck it.

Yuya Mirokuji and his buddy I have no complaints about honestly.

Mamika is a generic magical girl. So generic, it hurts.

Then finally, Altair is Hatsune Miku. This isn't a joke, this is a serious observation. If the whole reason of her character being OP is because of the fact that she has no sort of fictional canon, Hatsune Miku, whose personality, lifestyle, and memes are all fan produced, serves as the most logical equivalent.

Altair is basically powered by memes in both the Dawkin's sense of memes and a bit of the modern internet sense of it. She is powered by the creation of information and acceptance of that information relating to her.

Thus, if I were to rewrite RE Creators, I'd have Hatsune Miku as the villain.

Mind you that as I write this, I have only watched this series once from the beginning to the end of the season, so I don't really have the best idea of the series as a whole, just the series as I recall it from weeks upon weeks of watching it. Don't take this as a review or anything, but just the ill-planned, but structured ramblings of a guy whose thoughts tend to be all over the place

Also of note, this has been sitting in a LibreOffice document for a couple days now and I just want to get it out. So asides from the fact that I rarely proofread my own thoughts, if something seems half baked, it probably is a half baked thought

[jonasmaurer]

Friday Faves

Hi friends! The weekend is here! What do you have going on? We’re headed to Vancouver for our Disney Alaska cruise and CAN’T WAIT for the fun. The Pilot hasn’t taken this much time off work in forever – last time was when P was about 6 months old and we had two weddings to attend- so I’m really looking forward to a true family vacation. The girls are so pumped about seeing their favorite princesses, and I’m looking forward to relaxing and a couple of fun excursions we have planned. I’ll still be blogging next week so be sure to check in! Of course I’ll share a full recap of the cruise when we’re back, too. 

(Not packed yet, but Disney nails are done. #priorities)

For now, it’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! These are some of the things I’m lovin’ this week, and as always, please share any faves in the comments section.

Random:

(Photo source)

Your Vancouver recommendations. We’ll be in Vancouver, Canada for a couple of days, and I put the call out on Instagram for fun things to do a places to eat. You never disappoint with incredible recommendations, and here are all of the things I added to the list:

– Bike around the Sea Wall

– The Vancouver Lookout

– Grouse Grind hike

– Science world/ aquarium

– Capilano suspension bridge

– Drinks at the Diamond

– Fly Over Canada

– Eat: Nuba Lebanese, Vancouver Urban Winery, Nicli Antica Pizza, Chambar (for mussels), Artista Pizza, food trucks (and an amazing grilled cheese food truck), Earnest Ice Cream, Earl’s in Ambleside, Purebread Bakery (many recs for this one!!), Cafe Media, Japadog’s, Miku Sushi (reserve a spot in advance), Deep Cove for Honey’s Donuts, Rain or Shine ice cream, banana coconut latte at Giovane, Red fish blue fish, The Acorn (plant-based), Vij’s (apparently the best Indian food ever; line up 30 min before opening to be in the 1st seating), Shabusen (all you can eat sushi and Korean bbq), Jam Cafe for the best breakfast, Tavola for dinner (amazing garlic chicken), Twisted Fork Bistro (brunch), Lucky donuts, Hubbub sandwiches, Virtuous Pie (many recs for this), Juice Truck, Heirloom, Guu Izakaya, Asian food on Robson street, Nelson the Seagull for avocado toast. 

I wish we could be there for a month after reading all of these suggestions!

Summer fun!! Yesterday was our first official day of summer break and the girls and I did it up right. I rode the Peloton before everyone was moving, and then we had breakfast at home before getting ready for the day. We started the activities at the mall to get mini bottles of shampoo + conditioner, a giant stuffed dragon (to match P’s new giant pink flamingo), and candy from the candy store. 

After that, I took the girls rock climbing at Bloc for almost 2 hours (!!) and then we came home for lunch and some math. I’m trying to avoid the “summer slide” so Liv and I worked on word problems for a little while and P colored a numbers worksheet. They played outside for the rest of the afternoon while I did some chores, madre hung out with them while I got my vacation nails, and then we met up with the fam for Taco Thursday.

Good eats:

LOVING Beyond Meat!! I decided to give it a try after seeing it at pretty much every grocery store. I got a pack of the hot Italian sausage, and it’s kind of creepy how meat-like it is. The flavor is great and it tastes just like real chicken sausage. I read online that their target demographic is people like me: those who eat meat, but are willing to explore other options and diversify their diet. I’m absolutely going to buy these again and can’t wait to try the burgers.

   (This was lunch yesterday. Cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe’s cooked in the skillet with Beyond Meat Italian sausage, then I added arugula and basil from our little garden and a drizzle of Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing. This combo needs to be repeated.)

Read, watch, listen:

Yogis who are working to end the stigma associated with mental health.

3 things that bring me hope, perspective, peace, and strength.

The podcast will be back the week of June 3! Make sure you’re subscribed and ready to go.

What makes you come alive?

The War of Art. This book is a serious kick in the pants and just what I needed when motivation was lagging. We’re truly our own worst enemies when it comes to creative content; doubting ourselves, questioning the outcome, and wondering if anyone cares. The section on imposter syndrome really spoke to me, and the author said when you doubt yourself, you’re doing a good job. [I just realized I’ve already featured this in Friday Faves but was worth another mention because it really is that good!]

Why you’re more likely to cry on an airplane.

Fashion + beauty:

Memorial Day shopping! There are so many great sales happening this weekend. Here are some of my top finds:

Express: 40% off everything! Love this dress, these pants, this swami, and this romper.

gap: 40% off everything with code READY. I’m stocking up on summer dresses for the girls like this one, this one, and this one.

Athleta: 20% off women’s swim! How cute is this blossom rash guard?

J. Crew: 40% off sitewide with code SHOP40. I’m obsessed with this maxi dress and strangely excited that are back in style.

Pottery Barn: tiered savings through the weekend. I’m going to lurk their outdoor furniture since our patio is still pretty bare.

Madewell: 20% off dresses and shoes with code PERFECTMATCH. This dress is so cute with sneakers.

Saks Off Fifth: extra 20% off select styles. 

Beautycounter is also offering a Memorial Day promo, and if you spend $125, you’ll get a free sunscreen combo pack of the sunscreen mist and a 1 oz of the sunscreen lotion. If you’re looking to switch to safer skincare and beauty products, sunscreen is an awesome starting point. Conventional sunscreens contain chemicals that are being questioned for their safety, and can also be damaging to ocean ecosystems. The Beautycounter mineral-based sunscreen works extremely well and is an option that’s safe for your family and the earth. 

Happy Friday, friends!

I’ll see ya on Monday with some new workout ideas you can do during summer break. 

xoxo

Gina

The post Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Friday Faves published first on https://olimpsportnutritionde.tumblr.com/

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 11/1/17

SEAN: (stares brokenly)

We’ll start off with the titles that are already out but were announced too late to be in last week’s column, which is unfortunately becoming a weekly occurrence. First off, Bookwalker debuts a new digital light novel, The Ryuo’s Work Is Never Done! This is a very popular series in Japan about a teenage shogi master who takes an elementary school girl as his apprentice. The prologue is jaw-droppingly appalling, but I am hoping for the best? Maybe?

MICHELLE: I thought I might check this out for a moment before I read some of the preview.

SEAN: Kodansha also has its digital horror debut, I Want to Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die. Despite the title, not based on a light novel. It runs in Afternoon.

MICHELLE: I find this kind of intriguing, actually. It doesn’t appear gory, at least.

SEAN: Now on to next week, and it’s a killer week even based on the experience of previous killer weeks. Dark Horse gives us yet another Hatsune Miku manga spinoff with Future Delivery.

Drawn & Quarterly delights us with another Kitaro volume, Kitaro’s Strange Adventures.

ASH: Yes! I’m always looking forward to more Kitaro.

SEAN: J-Novel Club has *five* novels debuting next week, which I think may be a record for them. We have Clockwork Planet 2, Demon King Daimaou 3, Infinite Dendrogram 3, Invaders of the Rokujouma!? 7.5 (no, you’re reading that right, there’s a reason for the .5), and Paying to Win in a VRMMO 5. Phew!

Kodansha also has a GIANT PILE of digital coming out. In addition to whatever new horror title they debut next week, we have All Out!! 2 (more rugby!), Beauty Bunny 2, Black Panther and Sweet 16 3, DAYS 6, DEATHTOPIA 5, Drowning Love 3, Love’s Reach 4, and Peach Heaven 8. More titles to get behind on!

MICHELLE: Dang! I’m definitely keen on several of those.

ASH: It’s great that so much digital is being released these days, but it’s so easy to loose track of what is being released (and when, apparently).

SEAN: In print, the big release next week is the Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set. If you want a new, huge, handsome version of Akira, this is the title for you. Do Millennials remember Akira?

MICHELLE: Random note: years before it became a fandom word, there was a panel of a rat in Akira who had the dialogue, “Squee.”

MELINDA: That rat was ahead of its time.

SEAN: Animal Land has its 2nd to last volume (13)! The last one is not yet scheduled because, well, y’know, Animal Land. But yay anyway!

ASH: I will be glad if we can actually make it to the end! The series ended up really growing on me.

SEAN: Fairy Tail has a 5th volume of its Master’s Edition, which tries to impress next to Akira’s box set but sadly comes in second. Which, well, Fairy Tail should be used to.

ASH: Ha! This probably is the edition to get for anyone starting to collect the series, though.

SEAN: Kigurumi Guardians gets a 2nd volume. The first was very… strange. I wonder what direction it will go.

MICHELLE: I need to read these!

SEAN: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime also has a 2nd manga volume, as we wait for December to see the light novel.

ASH: I found the first volume surprisingly entertaining.

SEAN: The big debut from Kodansha is To Your Eternity, the new series from the author of A Silent Voice. I’m hoping for big things! It runs in Weekly Shonen Magazine, and is far more supernatural than her prior series.

MICHELLE: Ooh.

ASH: I am definitely looking forward to this one. The artwork is beautiful and the story devastating, from what I’ve heard.

MELINDA: Well, that sounds pretty interesting.

SEAN: Seven Seas has the first of its releases in the Devilman franchise with Devilman Grimoire. This remake of Devilman ran in Champion Red Ichigo, and all I can tell you is try not to get too attached to the characters.

ASH: That seems to be fair advice.

SEAN: There’s another omnibus of Freezing, containing Vols. 17-18..

The Girl from the Other Side: Siuil A Run has a 3rd volume of vaguely heartwarming, vaguely disquieting beauty.

MICHELLE: I am looking forward to this very, very much.

ASH: Same. The Girl from the Other Side is a tremendous series.

SEAN: Seven Seas’ big release next week (sorry, Devilman) is In This Corner of the World which is coming out as one big omnibus. Old-timers may recall that J-Manga released some of this series digitally, but here it is in print. It ran in Futabasha’s Manga Action, and is from the creator of Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms.

ASH: I’m planning on picking this one up. I actually still need to see the anime adaptation, too.

SEAN: Speaking of omnibuses, Vertical Comics has the first in their omnibus re-release of The Flowers of Evil.

And now it’s time for Yen. Amusingly, this list was originally larger – some titles are delayed due to shipping issues with the recent storms, and so be prepared for a pile of Yen every week for the next few weeks. This is a REALLY big pile even so, though.

Digital? We have you covered. There’s Corpse Princess 13 and Saki 12. There are also digital editions of Accel World and The Irregular at Magic High School’s light novels, being released in chunks to catch up ASAP. We get Accel World 1-4 and Mahouka 1-2.

On the light novel front, Yen On debuts a new series, The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria. This is somewhat unique as, like Psycome, it does not seem to have a manga or anime attached to it but was licensed anyway. It seems to involve time loops – which we know Western fans LOVE after Endless Eight.

ASH: Say that again?

SEAN: On the light novel front, Yen On debuts a new series, The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria. This is somewhat unique as, like Psycome, it does not seem to have a manga or anime attached to it but was licensed anyway. It seems to involve time loops – which we know Western fans LOVE after Endless Eight.

There’s also a 4th DanMachi: Sword Oratoria, 9th Log Horizon, 5th (and penultimate) Psycome, and 5th Re: Zero.

Debuts from Yen Press next week are Gabriel Dropout, a Dengeki Daioh comedy about Angels down on Earth, Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia (Masou Gakuen HxH), which is another very ecchi title set at a magical school, based on a light novel (which Yen doesn’t have). There’s also a new spinoff debuting with Danmachi: Sword Oratoria’s manga debuting.

Ending next week is The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan with its 10th volume. You can see what I said about this in my review here.

The rest we’ll divide into two: manga based on light novels and manga that is not. For the former, we have the 11th A Certain Magical Index; 2nd Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash; 4th Overlord; two Re: Zero volumes with the 3rd volume of the 2nd arc and the first volume of the 3rd arc; and the 4th in the Sword Art Online spinoff Girls’ Ops.

We also have a 12th Akame Ga KILL!, a 24th Black Butler, the 9th Horimiya, the 2nd Sekirei omnibus (in print), and the 14th Triage X.

MICHELLE: I’ll always appreciate more Horimiya!

ASH: It’s such a great series.

SEAN: And there is the 6th Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro, which I love so much it gets kudos away from the group.

Lastly, there’s another Soul Eater artbook, imaginatively called Soul Eater: Soul Art 2.

I compressed this list a lot, and it still looks long. And remember, Yen delayed 9 titles to the week after! What are you getting next week?

By: Sean Gaffney