#that episode was already amazing but that ending made me emotional for some reason

[aloftmelevar]

i hope i'm not the only one who shed a tear from that tee lopes scott the woz theme remix at the end of merry christmas data design lmao.

[amemenojaku]

I saw umineko stage ep3 today!! it was amazing. the quality level is insane. I got goosebumps several times and it even managed to make me tear up... everyone's performances felt like they all know their characters so well now 🥺🙏 the lights, costumes and choreography were all perfect too

some thoughts (major umineko spoilers obviously):

young eva/evatrice's performance in particular was just. literally perfect? the way she delivered her lines, carried herself, her laugh resounding onstage and the little things she did when she wasn't the center of attention were all 100% in character. she was adorable during the ceremony where she becomes the new beatrice, introducing herself to the goats and giggling w the 7 sisters, and she was absolutely terrifying in rosa's and maria's death scene. also mad props to the costume designer(s) who did her sailor outfit that turns into the witch outfit almost instantly

everything beato's actress did had me go :] there's a lot of cute beato scenes in ep3 and she was adorable in the goofy, endearing way og beato is in the story while still being cool and fun when needed in the other scenes

and last but not least eva's actress did an amazing job too, especially during the emotional scenes of her character (when she solves the riddle, finds the gold, hideyoshi's & george's deaths). her lungs' strength is impressive lol. it's been 4 hours and I still clearly remember her screams

overall I loved the way so many of the actors and actresses would just do little things when they were on stage but not in the spotlight/not talking, like the chiesters whispering in each others bunny ears instead of their human ears/covering their bunny ears because of loud noises, or the 7 sisters just jumping around and messing w each other, maria taking her notebook out of her bag and reading it, etc. they weren't just standing doing nothing and it always felt very in character, too. there was always something new no matter which part of the stage you're looking at

rudolf's actor looked and acted like he came straight out of a yakuza movie? ik he was already like that in the previous episodes but for some reason I felt it even more this time. might be because of the fight against the sisters before he and kyrie die (which was probably my favorite action scene btw. really cool choreography). I'm not complaining though. made me like the character even more

speaking of rudolf. at some point during one of the scenes where the adults discuss beato's first letter, he just... started massaging hideyoshi's shoulders? he did that for at least a full minute before hideyoshi's actor nodded as thanks and he stopped. I have no idea if this was part of the script or if the guys just decided it on their own??

when gohda does his night check of the mansion right before his death he was actually walking in the aisles with his lantern before he got up on stage!! he got to tell a joke and do some fun stuff before being killed and never being relevant again. rip

beato asking battler to give her a new name now that evatrice inherited hers, ronove on the side of the stage writing a stupid nickname on some paper to show her only for her to get annoyed, rip the paper from his hands and stomp on it

I don't know if this was done on purpose or not, but when eva fires the shot that blinds jessica and jessica accuses her of being the culprit, pointing at some random direction since she can't see anymore, she actually pointed at shannon's corpse on the sofa behind her. it could very well just be a coincidence. but. yea

krauss drinking straight from the fucking bottle during the golden land party scene at the end and getting completely smashed

ange!! she was so cool and cute. she punched the goats. I can't wait to see her in ep4 😭

battler literally Just Standing There at the very end, when ange and beato start duking it out before the episode's over 🧍

the curtain call was super cute. everyone got together to pose for the cameras before they realised beato wasn't here so they had kinzo cry for her in the infamous kinzo way and she graced them (and us) with her presence :)

battler's actor: "so we'll need your support -and- your gold for episode 4 to happen"

cat nanjo be upon ye

[sirfrogsworth]

Thoughts on Live Action Avatar: TLA

I'm sure people are going to hate this. Some for valid reasons. Some because of endless nitpicking that really has no bearing on how good or bad it actually was. Some because they have already chosen to hate it and it's just a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But I always root for things to be good. I want them to succeed. And I always go into everything I watch with the hope and expectation it will be good. I turn off my critical brain and try to just experience the show for what it is. As I said, I saw no trailers. I read no reviews. I knew almost nothing about the production of this going in.

Initially, things were rough... buddy.

And I think that is a longstanding problem with live action TV shows in general. I am always reminded of Star Trek TNG and how it took two seasons (48 episodes) before they figured out what the hell they were doing. Back then shows were able to find their footing and grow and learn. Actors were given time to find their characters and understand them and finally become them.

But now, every show has to be amazing from the start or they get cancelled. And I think people have become very unforgiving of first seasons as well. I feel like not enough people consider the potential of something getting better. And I think that is a shame.

So, yes, Avatar started out rough. They tried to cram all of the exposition into the first 20 minutes. And that was unpleasant. The effects were jarring at first. It is incredibly difficult to translate animation into live action. And please don't say the CGI was "bad." It wasn't. There was just so much that needed to be packed into every frame of this show to make it work, and finding a way to make it all seamlessly blend is a monumental task. I think the artists did an amazing job with the constraints of essentially making an 8 hour movie in the time usually given a 2 hour one.

But as the show continued, the actors seemed more comfortable in their roles. The showrunners seemed to figure out what worked and what didn't. The quality across the board started to improve. Especially when they started to deviate a little bit from following the cartoon. I also noticed that the effects that were jarring in the beginning eventually stopped bothering me and breaking immersion. I got used to them and was able to just focus on the story. And I think they got a little better as well. The bending was much more convincing as the show progressed. And it was a bajillion times better than the slow-motion bending of that movie that shall not be named.

And by the final episode, I was all in. The Avatar monster was really cool. And I was crying my eyes out and having all kinds of emotions. And there were some changes they made to the story which I actually thought made more sense. And I was glad this show was doing a few things to differentiate rather than being an exact carbon copy.

It won me over.

And I know it won't do that for everyone. And perhaps I am forgiving a lot of sins just because I wanted it to be good. The original was my absolute favorite show of all time. I just liked spending time with these characters again.

But I liked it more than I didn't and I'm hoping that is the general consensus, but I fear that is not the case.

Things I really liked...

I thought the actor playing Sokka was really great. They didn't give him enough humorous material. But I think this kid absolutely nailed the role. And if this gets another season, I do hope he can show Sokka's lighter side a bit more.

Ken Leung also did amazing as Zhao. I think he surpassed his cartoon counterpart in villainy. I loved hating him.

The final battle was beautiful. I think they probably dedicated a lot of resources to that. Maybe at the expense of other things. But I think it was worth it to end strong.

In the first season of the cartoon, the trauma was often skipped over or kept very brief. I'm sure the idea of dealing with genocide and war time trauma was not an easy sell to Nickelodeon initially. But they did actually take the time to show some of that trauma, especially with Katara and Sokka. And I cried a bunch.

They seemed to go to considerable effort to have a diverse cast. I am glad they learned that lesson from the movie.

That said, they probably could have brought back Dee Bradley Baker to make the animal noises. This might have been an overcorrection...

I guess this will give the anti-wokesters something to complain about since the original was already super woke and it is probably a challenge to complain about the new thing being woke as well. Though I'm sure they are up to the challenge.

Things I didn't care for...

The compressed timeline caused a few stories to be combined and accelerated. I understand why that was necessary. But there were some important moments of character growth that got lost.

Sokka's missing sexism. I think it is much more useful to see someone grow and change and let go of their problematic traits than to pretend that never existed. Sokka's sexism was a symbol of the conservative views within water tribe culture in general. It was also foreshadowing for the conflict with Pakku (which was also minimized). I just think young viewers seeing a character overcome ingrained ideals has a greater influence than just erasing that aspect from the character.

Things I hated...

Princess Yue's hair. You get the amazing Amber Midthunder to play Yue, and she does an amazing job with extremely abbreviated screen time, but I couldn't stop staring at whatever that was they put on her noggin. I know I criticized people for nitpicking, but that was very distracting. I don't know exactly how it could have been done better, but I worry a great performance is going to get overshadowed by... hair.

In conclusion...

I think the people making this show loved the source material. I can see that love. I think they tried very hard to make the best show possible. And I also know they are probably going to get a lot of hate. I still haven't looked at the reviews because I didn't want to be influenced when writing this. But I can feel the review bombing as we speak.

But this was not a Witcher situation where the writers didn't respect the source material. This was displaying how incredibly difficult it is to convert one of the most beautifully animated shows in existence into live action. Maybe that is an argument for not making live action versions. Though I usually love them when they work and am happy both versions exist.

I really hope people can remember the original still exists and they can completely disregard this and watch the cartoon any time they wish. This doesn't have to "ruin their childhood." These two things can exist and everyone is perfectly capable of ignoring all of the live action material.

But I do hope this gets another season. I think that final episode showed the potential. I think the cast was getting comfortable in their roles and they deserve another chance to show what they can do.

I love Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and I think he was a great choice for Iroh. But Mako's shoes are probably the biggest shoes in the existence of shoes to try and fill. I do not envy the task he was given. But every once in a while I saw that Mako spirit come out in his performance and I think he could use another season to really find that and show us what he is capable of.

This felt a lot like The Phantom Menace to me. There was actually a ton of amazing stuff to love in that movie. But it didn't quite work the way the original movies did. But I think this was good enough to hope for the future.

[daizthecraze]

Watched the new Helluva Boss episode that we waited forever for.

Honestly at this point I give every episode without Stolas at least 1 star automatically because I'm so tired of him. He’s as complex as a wet paper bag and it amazes me how he's so popular in the fandom.😭😭

Kesha’s character, whatever the fuck her name is....Queen Bee? Yeah her design confused the absolute hell outta me, more specifically her hair cuz it's like she had a patch of normal-ish hair then the designing team was like “SHE NOT INTERESTING ENOUGH!” and then just slapped that lava lampish kind of shit on her and it just didn't work for me at all.

I also had no clue she was the ruler of the gluttony ring until I read a post here on Tumblr and I just.....WHAT?? she just seems like a regular ass hell hound that they slapped some random goofy shit onto to make her look more “special” and like I read on another post here...SHES DATING A HELLHOUND!? Who are seen as lower than Imps so what the fuck makes Stolas and Blitz relationship so dire and special in the first place!? Like according to levels of authority Blitz and Stolas’s relationship should be better then Queen Bee and Vortex cuz Stolitz level of authority are more closer together than a ruler of the rings and a hell hound..?? This really annoys me cuz with how the show is going I really doubt they're even gonna talk about what's going on with that and why one is acceptable and the other isn't.

Like at least with Fizz and Asmodeus it seems they're keeping their seemingly more romantic side hidden from the general public which looks like it's gonna be addressed in a later episode but with Queen Bee’s relationship she's just public about it...??

Also another note...am I the only one that was confused with what the hell was up with Lonna during the beginning of the episode? Like she seemed nervous then ran into a random ass group of girls who she apperently knew who made her more upset after shoeing a emmbarring photo. Like ok I get what she was upset for with that…but then that ends and she’s continues to be upset through the rest of the first half and I’m like why is she still upset throughout the whole song?? I wish they would give her some fucking dialogue to talk about her emotions other then be so god damn vague cuz I had no clue what the fuck she was thinking and it felt like they wanted her to be upset for random conflict without giving us a reason as to why she’s acting the way she is. After she meets Queen Bee she can’t even be completely shocked and upset cuz she already knew Vortex had a girlfriend cuz he told her in episode fucking 3. The only thing she would be surprised about was that he was dating a leader of the ring….but we don’t specifically understand what the fuck she’s so upset about…

I don’t know. It just really bothered me cuz I was expecting to learn more shit about Loona but I have to remind myself that this show really has a terrible time writing female characters.

Also the ending with Blitz and Loona would of been a decent moment if we didn’t already see that she completely physically beats him and acts like a massive bitch the first time we see her in the next season so 🙃🙃🙃

Episode didn’t really feel all that special….

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 君子盟/A League of Nobleman

A League of Nobleman is the unfortunately translated English title of a 2023 historical drama about an idealistic country boy/genius detective/noodle seller, and a wealthy minister on a mission to exonerate his late father from charges of treason, even if he himself has to commit some treason in the process.

I watched this one not too long after it came out, and I was expecting there would be a lot of buzz as soon as fandom got hold of it. There wasn't, but I can understand why. The show is a lovely, ethereal drama that has some genuinely moving moments, stunning visuals, and charming character interactions.

It is, however, kiiiiiiiind of a hot mess.

What follows is an incredibly qualified rec. Unlike most of the previous shows I've recommended, this show is not something you could just throw at your Average American Television Enjoyer. Censorship got its claws into this one, and what's left is ... okay, imagine fliming all of Hannibal just like you want it, and then right before it airs, NBC comes in and says, okay, now we're just going to take out all the parts that are gay and violent and gory! You know what you'd have left? You'd have a League of Nobleman, is what.

(If you want a little more explanation of what's awkward about it, here's a take based on the first ten episodes. Note that not everything that bothers AvenueX bothers me, but they're fair critiques.)

Therefore, I'd have a tough time recommending this to someone who hasn't already built up a tolerance for the experience of seeing a scene end nearly mid-sentence, or hearing described something that happened just offscreen (while seeing no one's lips move). You need to be prepared to look through the jank to see the show we could have had beneath the show that actually arrived.

Even so, I have five reasons I think you should at least give it a shot!

1. That precious baby boy

Look at him. Look at his precious face. Don't you just want to stuff him down the front of your shirt and take him home with you?

That is Zhang Ping. He is the hero and he is a good boy.

He is a darling dumpling who grows up reading novels about how members of the judiciary nobly solve crimes and punish the unjust, so he decides that he wants to move to the big city and become a member of the judiciary to nobly solve crimes and punish the unjust! ...Until he gets there and realizes, no, baby, that was fiction. But gosh darn it, he's going to try anyway.

I have seen people say they read Zhang Ping as autistic. While I'm not sure that's specifically what the show itself was going for, that's kind of the effect -- which, I think, is why I've also seen a lot of people say they don't like Song Weilong's performance. I don't think he's wooden or unemotional; I think he just made a choice to play the character as not always real good about understanding why the people around him are having the emotions they're having. Similarly, I think what makes him read as anachronistic is mostly how he doesn't engage well with the rules of social convention that are such important parts of this historical setting.

Like, you see that picture above, with him and Lan Jue whispering at one another? Zhang Ping is doing this because he is absolutely convinced that this is appropriate subterfuge behavior. Lan Jue is matching him because he thinks Zhang Ping is adorable.

Just the goodest boy. A baby. Please care him.

2. the aesthetic

The show is beautiful. It looks and sounds amazing. For some reason I can't find a clip of just the opening credits, but here's a (strangely bloody) trailer that gives a sense of its general vibe:

As you can see a couple times in there, the show makes great use of tilt-shift photography -- you know, the thing where you change the focal length until everything starts to look fake? It creates a weird, dreamlike effect where parts of the frame are out of focus for no reason, or actual locations start to look like model-train miniatures. Many of the shots are framed like this, giving the entire thing a very pretty, very uncanny look.

And speaking of the dreamlike: If there's one thing I've come to expect from C-dramas, it's bad CGI. That is not the case here! The CG is used so sparingly that it's unobtrusive and actually quite nice. Much more of the weight of the show's look relies on practical effects that are supported and amplified by CG, which is the optimal combo. When it does go all in on CG, it's in the service of dreamscapes that are supposed to look unreal anyway.

The show does admittedly have a mild problem of using a cool effect and then largely forgetting that effect exists. For example, the first episode has a really neat "freeze time and walk through a crime scene" bit! And then we barely ever see that ability again. But the show's doing so many other lovely things that you don't really feel the absence until you stop to think about it all later. So don't stop to think about things! That's my motto! (It really isn't.)

The directors also just have a lovely eye for things -- which is extra-surprising considering that both of them are first-time directors. That can be fun, though, when you get people who haven't gotten stuck in their ways get, so they're still being new and weird with it. ...Of course, I bet that's also some of why so much of the show quite obviously got cut to ribbons, if you're also working with directors who also haven't figured out how to get away with things just yet.

Overall, the production values are very high. This show clearly had a fairly solid amount of funding behind it, but it also used its resources smartly. Most costumes are elegant but not extravagant. Detailed sets are small and beautiful locations are contained. While I have great respect for productions that try to create epics on a shoestring budget, there's something to be said for a project that sets its sights on the achievable, then puts its effort into doing what it can, well.

3. A ship for everyone!

There are so many potential ways to pair up them boys. The show's main pair dynamic is between country mouse Zhang Ping and city mouse Lan Jue, but it surely does not stop there. In fact, I've made a helpful chart that shows you all the potential flavors of gay you can enjoy at this particular danmei buffet:

(And yes, if you've seen the show, you know there's at least one more line that I could've drawn here, but I don't want to spoil anything.)

Now, whether you do read any of these dynamics as sexual/romantic is up to you. The point is that you could. For example, I personally am not that into Lan Jue/Xu Dong, but if you lose your shit when a competent sword guy owes a life debt to the defenseless noble he works for? You could have a lot of fun with what the show gives you.

Obviously, because this is a censored c-drama, there are no canon gay romances. However, a couple of them are more textual than others, especially the ones that center Lan Jue, because everyone clearly wants a piece of that fancy flat ass.

One of AvenueX's comments from the video I linked earlier is that the main couple has less sparkle together than each of them has individually with the man that's supposed to be his bestie. While that changes as the show goes on, these two side pairs never cease to be enjoyable. Whether you read them as sexual or not is up to you! Romantically or platonically, they're still a delight to watch bounce off of one another.

And Lan Jue/Gu Qingzhang (that one terrible ex from the chart) is, uh, basically textual? It's miles into "there is no straight explanation for this" territory. Again, avoiding spoilers here, but trust me. You get to see their secluded love nest and everything. Shit's real gay.

Then, of course, there's the main pair:

This is clearly the one that got hit real hard by cuts to the material. It's a damn shame, because this is clearly meant to be the core of the whole narrative. Despite that, the two of them have a fascinating dynamic that changes over the series from outright suspicion to cautious care to absolute trust. It's a great combo of someone who is too honest for his own good and someone so used to court politics that he lies as easily as breathing.

Ironically, the source material is Not Gay, to the point where the author has basically disowned this series as being so different from her original work as to be unrecognizable. You sort of have to wonder about the creative thought processes that led to taking a gen work and deciding to BL it up for the live-action adatation. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it is a little bit of an unforced error.

So whatever flavor of gay it is you're into, the odds are very good that this drama will have at least enough of it to keep you interested!

4. A very charming cast

I got to gush about Song Weilong's Zhang Ping earlier, but honestly I think everybody's pretty enjoyable, from the main cast to the recurring side characters to the one-off extras who show up for a single episode. Everybody's playing it weird and theatrical, so I get it if that's not your cup of tea. However, I feel all the performances are well-suited to the slightly surreal style of the production.

Here's just a couple of the real gems:

Jing Boran's Lan Jue has the perfect regal bearing of a fussy gentleman, but with a very endearing softness underneath. He spends half his time with eyes brimming with unshed tears, and the other half making heart-eyes at his boyfriends. You understand why everybody in the empire wants to ride him like they stole him, and that's even before he lets his hair down and starts dressing in slutty sheer robes. (I'm not entirely sure either he or the show knew how to play the character in the first few episodes, but he gets way better once he stops being so sinister and mysterious and gets to be cute and/or unhinged.)

There is one female character who shows up in more than one arc, and she is the Empress Dowager, and she is such a wonderful awful bitch. What a monster. Shi Yueling eats up every scene she's in by being the perfect mix of reprehensible and fascinating.

I was already primed to like Wang Duo because I liked watching him be a pretty snake boy in Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity. Well, now he gets to be a pretty metaphorical snake boy here. I'm not spoiling anything by telling you he's bad news. He shows up damn near the end of the show and you know immediately he's bad news. But you don't know what kind of bad news he is, and that's fun to find out.

And speaking of actors I already liked from other places! Guo Cheng has mastered the art of acting with his mouth full. His Chen Chou is a sweet, earnest anchor in a world of tricksy boys.

There is something about Hong Yao's handsome face that makes Wang Yan perpetually look a little red-eyed, like he's trying hard to pretend that he wasn't just crying in his office. It's the perfect soft touch to his incredibly wonderful chad of a character. I'm usually not into the cocky jocks, but I will make such an exception for him.

I love you, fortune-telling gremlin grandpa.

5. Raw materials

Look, I assume if you've made it this far in the rec and you're still hanging on, you're interested for one of two reasons. The more normie reason is that you're into c-dramas in general (and probably period dramas in particular), and gay stuff is a selling point, so you see the appeal of turning on a drama where cute boys have emotions at other cute boys. That is a perfectly good reason to watch this drama, and if this is you, I hope you have fun!

The other reason is that you like making fan stuff, and you need some new blorbos to blorb in new and exciting combinations. Friend, I have that stuff for you right here.

A League of Nobleman has problems -- but they are problems that may be appealing to people who enjoy fixing things. There are literal holes in the series where actual, planned, filmed scenes were deleted! If you're looking for source material that's just begging you to fill in the gaps, look no further.

Of course I'm partial to the number of queer DIY romance options there are (see point 3), but that's not the extent of it. The setting is fascinating: an unspecified premodern Chinese dynasty magical enough to have a Bureau of Incantations, where the emperor is (for once) a cool dude, secluded village people live in semi-communal families, and one of the main characters can play Inception with people's heads. I'll say it plainly: If you are into kinky dream sex, this is the drama for you.

I should note that one of the things that doesn't need fixing is the overall shape of the series. The individual little case incidents seem disconnected, but they all weave together at the end as part of a (let's be real, ridiculously complicated) plot, giving the whole thing a pretty satisfying wrap-up. The show does not just fall off a cliff like Moriarty; it resolves in a way that's more than a little convoluted, but still overall satisfying. Also, a lot of those ships from the chart above, when it's all over, are still together. Some days that's all you need from an ending.

Maybe I sound like a broken record at this point, but to give you a sense of how heavy the hand of censorship clearly was, understand several of these episodes don't even break the 35-minute mark, and only four are even over 40 minutes long, when ~45 minutes is about the episode standard for this genre. (For comparison, every Untamed episode at least 42 minutes long.) I think it's important to realize just how much actual connective tissue got removed, way more than just individual censored shots or single redubbed lines.

And speaking of redubbed lines, the last episode of this show contains possibly the funniest NO HOMO in BL history. You have to see it to believe it -- or, rather, to not believe it, because the first time I watched, I didn't even understand what the hell the show was implying. I'll say no more.

Where to watch it!

I hope I've convinced you to at least give it a try! It's not a perfect show by any means, but it's a show with many good elements, and if you can embrace what's there without getting too hung up on what's not, it's a pretty good time.

If you're up for it, you can find it on this YouTube playlist -- though be prepared that it often mutes the opening music. It's also available on Viki (with ads, but less muting).

Just look at those precious, pinchable cheeks. Adorable.

[iris-sistibly]

My final take on Queen of Tears? It was a one hell of a fucking journey + Thoughts on the finale

[Warning: Long-ass post ahead]

Queen of Tears released its final episode last Sunday, April 28. The show made history as it became tvN’s most watched drama, surpassing the 2019 hit Crash Landing on You. Park Ji-eun was the writer for both shows.

The story is about a couple who underwent a crisis in their third year of marriage. However, a significant event will not only change their lives but also pave the way for them to rediscover their love for each other. 

I personally got hooked into this show for three reasons:

First, the plot: Marriage tropes in a lot of dramas are usually about infidelity, toxic and abusive relationships that end in a nasty divorce. It happens in real life sadly, but I appreciate the fact that Park Ji-eun took a different route and gave us another realistic side of marriage. A couple who once had this warm, passionate love for each other became cold and distant over time because of one tragic event that left them wounded and broken. There were also other factors that added salt to the wound which caused them to drift further from one another. I’m not gonna go into details because I have already discussed this in earlier episodes. However, I love that there were a couple of flashbacks that tells the viewers of how their love story began, plus some extra bits and pieces in the epilogue that were either related to Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s past, or a particular scene in the current episode that was told from either of the character’s point of view. 

Switching from light and funny scenes to a more intense one then back to swoon-worthy moments and then the last thing you knew you were bawling your eyes out because of the heartbreaking scenes felt like a roller coaster ride, needless to say I was always on edge and I sometimes had to pause in the middle of the episode so I could breathe. That’s how intense the emotions were in this show. Like I have said before, this is not a rom-com but more like a heavy drama with a couple of light and funny scenes.

But the part in this story that appealed to me the most is that it will make you question, how much love can someone truly give? How far can you go to be with the person you love? And when everything seems black and white, would you be willing to stay? Or walk away? 

Second, the characters: Immediately, I was drawn to Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Usually in KDramas, it’s always the male lead who is cool, cold, nonchalant and rich af and the girl is the bubbly, cutesy-cutesy, overly dramatic, and broke. I absolutely LOVE the role reversal. Hae-in is the cool and badass wife while Hyun-woo is the cute, dramatic hubby and together, they make an ✨iconic couple✨. But on a more serious note, a lot of characters nowadays are into the red light/green light spectrum and don’t get me wrong, I love it. Who doesn’t love a green light character right? But again, Park Ji-eun wrote them in such a way that you wouldn’t perceive them as this ultra-perfect, no flaw character, but they aren’t toxic either (except for the main villains of course). A lot of the characters in the show have a good and flawed side, and I love it because that’s what makes them human, they are multi-layered which makes them complex, but at the same time, they were written in such a way that the viewers could have a deeper understanding of the characters, and even relate to them in some ways. 

Again with the exception of the villains, the character developments were so good. Witnessing this whole-ass process of them being flawed and broken characters to becoming the best versions of themselves were just the best.  

Third, the cast: Ah, I can go on and on about how every actor in this show was absolutely amazing! Again, Kim Soo-hyun has proven why he is Korea’s highest paid actor. I love that he can switch from this handsome, smart, and sexy lawyer, to a super cute, loving hubby, and then a man who would fight for his woman no matter what it takes. BITCH! The acting range of this guy is fucking LIMITLESS! As for Kim Ji-won, this is by far her best acting performance in my opinion. Hong Hae-in was such a difficult character to portray, but I love how she was able to effortlessly deliver Hae-in’s stoic, nonchalant exterior and when you look into her eyes you’ll see that vulnerable part of her that no one else except [her husband] sees. 

SooWon’s chemistry on the other hand is GOD-TIER! They were born to play Baek Hyun-woo and Hong Hae-in. Whether it’s a funny, romantic, or heavy scene, they nailed it to perfection! These two are the most married couple I have seen in a show. I feel sad that I’m not gonna see them together on-screen for sometime but I am hoping that they’d be able to work together again in the future. Although my delulu self is manifesting for them to be together irl 😂🤧

Park Sung-hoon, I have said before that he is so good at playing a villain. But I hope he gets to show his ability to portray a nice guy in the future, I need a break from him playing evil. 

Kwak Dong-yeon and Lee Joo-bin’s performances as the second couple deserve to be applauded as well. Despite their characters going through crazy shit, I love that they were able to deliver it on a lighter, heartwarming note in contrast to SoWoon’s heavier scenes.

Special mentions to the following 🗣️:

The Official Playlist of the Show- When I tell you that I have listened to every song in this playlist, I really mean it. I don’t understand the language, but everytime I hear a song from QOT, I can instantly imagine a particular scene from the show, that’s how magical it is. My most replayed song is The Reasons of my Smiles by BSS, but I also love Heize’s Hold me back, and the song that makes me the most emotional: Love you with all my heart by Crush. 

The cinematography: I’m not gonna go into details about the technicalities, but everything was perfectly shot, especially the scenes in Germany–it was dreamy, romantic, and beautiful. 

The crew members who worked behind the camera also need to be praised for the hard work, effort, and dedication they’ve put into making this show. 

There are things however about the show that I didn’t personally like or I think they could have done better. Here’s the link of why I think the storyline isn’t as good as I thought it would be: 

The final episode didn’t turn out the way I hoped it would be, although there were some parts of it that were really good like:

📍 Cheon Da-hye and Grace choosing to take accountability for their past actions (also Grace being the key player in bringing Mo Seul-hee down was the cherry on top) and has been given another chance to live honestly was one of the best character redemptions. 

📍The Hong family reclaiming what’s rightfully theirs, that was such a powerful scene.

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in looking at each other after Mo Seul-hee was proven guilty for killing Hong Man-dae and all the other bullshits she did to Queens and the Hong family, as if saying, “It’s finally over,” and they did it together was so power couple coded. 

📍Aunt Beom-ja and husband #4 [really] taking their time to get to know each other…like literally. Her facial expression when Yeong-seong kissed her on the cheek instead of the lips like she was expecting was GOLD.

📍Mama and Papa Hong choosing a simpler and quieter life and hanging out with their besties (Mama and Papa Baek).

📍The family portrait of the Hong and Baek family 🥹

📍Hyun-woo and Hae-in taking their time to rebuild their relationship, then goes on to get married and have a baby, then visiting Germany every so often was the most heartwarming scene. 

📍I would say that the ending was a bittersweet one. Hae-in’s premonition came true, she died first and Hyun-woo never failed to visit her grave, and then eventually reuniting was one of the most realistic endings in a Kdrama. They lived a good life, they built a family, grew old together and reunited in the afterlife was beautiful but there was a certain ache in that part, perhaps a reminder that no matter how painful it gets, there is always a silver lining, and if you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be.

However, in addition to my linked post:

📍The first half of the story started really strong, but it dwindled the moment they added all of these ridiculous subplots. One Tumblr user commented that Hyun-woo and Hae-in’s marriage had enough issues as far as drama is concerned and I couldn’t agree more. 

📍I get that Mo Seul-hee is a shitty person but I don’t even know why she chose to prey on Hong Man-dae of all people. She could have done the same to other wealthy families (I mean he’s not the only gullible man out there with tons of money), but the question is, what did the Hong family do to her? Surely, there must have been a deeper meaning than just wanting money but alas, it's a question we'll probably never get an answer too.

📍The good thing is that we now fully understand why Yoon Eun-seong acted the way he did. He has mommy issues, abandonment issues, anger issues, etc. My prediction about him dying in the finale was correct, but there was no character redemption for him thus I don’t see the point on why they had to extend his Hae-in obsession arc towards the end. Take out all the irrelevant subplots, and the story still would have worked.

📍One of my biggest frustrations in the show was the fact that they only addressed BaekHong’s miscarriage after Hae-in lost her memories when they could have done that in the earlier episode (the scene where Hyun-woo and Hae-in had a heart-to-heart conversation about their failed marriage), it’s like the writer forgot about that part–which by the way was such a crucial part then she just inserted this scene somewhere in the finale. 

📍I was also disappointed that Hae-in's mom wasn't the one who comforted her during that scene where Hyun-woo was undergoing surgery after getting shot. It would have been such a perfect opportunity to heal their relationship. Also, I would have appreciated it if Mama Hong was the one who personally apologized to Hyun-woo for being harsh towards him.

📍I know I said that the ending was a more realistic one, but babes we were ROBBED! I would have loved to see a BaekHong wedding part 2, their pregnancy journey and moments with baby Soo-bin but alas, we were deprived of that too. As much as I find the finale realistic, I wouldn’t say that I was satisfied either.

📍I just remembered this now, but Papa Hong's and Aunt Beom-ja's other sibling could have actually contributed to ending the villain arc. He could have made moves to unravel Seul-hee and Eun-seong's crap, but idk writer-nim just placed him there just because 🤷.

Overall, do I think that this show is over hyped? Storywise, yes. As far as the actors’ performances go, they deserve it. 

Is the show worth watching? I’d say it’s worth checking out if you’re someone who likes heavy, intense dramas. If not, avoid this. Again, this is not a light rom-com. 

Would I rewatch? For BaekHong, yes but I’ll skip the irrelevant parts.

Ratings:

Performance: 100/10

OST: 10/10

Cinematography, Editing, etc.: 10/10

Story-telling: 6/10

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

There were more than a couple of shows ending this week. And when that happens I go to my mdl page and click that box that says completed.

Sometimes it's with the feeling of "finally,it's over", and sometimes just that little action makes a bit sad. Playboyy is in the first category, I will not elaborate. I will just say a few words about the shows that this week are part of the second category.

I ticked that box twice yesterday and once just an hour ago. My heart is full, the joy is overwhelming and the bit of sadness that comes from the end of something I love has settled a bit (not really but let's pretend).

Perfect Propose was a gift. I didn't see it coming, and I was hooked from the first minute. Even with the shorter running time, Kai already occupies a special place in my heart and will join others as one of my favourite bl characters of all time. I don't think it's any secret for anyone that follows me that jbl has a special place in my heart. Maybe because it was my first, or maybe just because it's better my taste. But in 6 short episodes we got to see these characters confront their own issues and grow into themselves and each other, and still managed to have a story that incorporated workplace criticism without detracting from the love story which is super impressive. I wanted more because I could keep watching them but it felt complete.

Ossan's Love Returns was another surprise. Because I wasn't planning on watching. Mostly because I thought it wouldn't be my thing (crazy talk) and also because I would have to go back and watch everything that came before. But then, @twig-tea, as usual being the voice of reason, told me to just watch this season. And, not that they are on the same level in my heart, but this show filled a little bit of the hole left by WDYEY. It wasn't a perfect season. And I liked some characters more than others but in the end, this family had me in tears. This episode was beautiful. The speeches for Haruta got me so emotional, and then the cherry blossoms and the last fight between Maki and Kurosawa ending with the "We are family" left me with tears in my eyes that came back today as I was giffing it. It's amazing to me that this show has the success that it does and it gives me hope that we might get more stories like this. (Would also like to take a moment to thank @isaksbestpillow for subbing the episodes and giving us more cultural context so we can fully appreciate this show)

I LOVE cherry magic. All of it. I love the manga, I love the japanese version, the thai version and the anime version. Give me all of it. Forever. And so I was cautiously optimistic about this one. Optimistic because I really like Tay/New, cautious because in my brain I could only see how they could ruin one of my favourite stories. I didn't have to be. This was wonderful. I really wanna re-read the manga in its entirety because I wanna see how it compares now that it's over. Not to criticize it or be able to spot what they got wrong but to appreciate the changes they made and why it worked so well. Because the things that I noticed were really well done.

Not to repeat myself but... I LOVE Kurosawa/Karan. All the versions. I need more of him. I think from the main four, he's the one, that I notice changes more from version to version. And I love them all. I mean, Tay Tawan is a beautiful human. And his Karan had me practically swooning on a weekly basis. And I'm not a swooner. I loved New as Adachi, I think he embodied the character really well and I thoroughly enjoyed all his facial expressions. I loved this version of Minato and Tsuge more than the japanese version. I think it was more fleshed out and more balanced and obviously it was helped by the longer runtime. Even Pai and Rock had my heart by the end. It was so good.

_

I need more shows like the ones above and I'll be waiting for the next one that consumes me. In the mean time, I guess I'm gonna go watch some kids being awful to each other. Balance is good. 💜

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

what is your second most favorite otp from any series?

AAAAAAHHHHH, DON'T DO THIS TO ME! There are some many pairings I love in so many books, movies, series, soap-operas, etc.

*sighs* Okay, gun to my head, there's three, in no particular order that I absolutely ADORE, have made me cry, and that I legitimately don't understand how anyone could watch these shows and not ship them (spoilers for Friends, How I Met Your Mother and The Borgias, respectively)

Monica and Chandler

Because I was just 4-years-old when Friends final season was aired, I already knew these two were going to be endgame when I watched the show - and it didn't take long for me to see the appeal, even when they were still supposed to be just friends.

They're just so affectionate with each other right from the start, cuddling on the couch, helping each other out - and Chandler just casually says stuff like "If neither of us is married when we're fourty, I'm totally willing to marry and have a kid with you just so you get the family you want" and actively tries PROVE to her he is boyfriend material and they make a game out of it??????? Genius. Perfect. Amazing.

And then it happens, they hook up and right away they're couple goals. Can't keep their hands off each other, are super clingy, all of their friends find them ridiculously adorable, Chandler matures A LOT and Monica is very patient with him because she knows he's used to hiding any emotional turmoil behind a sarcastic joke, and they can joke about and tease each other without either of them being too mean or too sensitive.

Also their conflicts never last more than one or two episodes and they never break up after first getting together, and it was a breath of fresh air coming from the same show that gave us Ross and Rachel.

Barney and Robin

They have INSANE chemistry, Robin was the only woman Barney was truly willing to change for, and Barney was the one guy Robin was with that ever truly liked her for who she was.

They. Deserved. So. Much. Better.

Seriously, I can't get over how unfair their ending was. There's a reason I tell Zutarians to give this show a watch before they complain about how their ship, that was never even canon, was "robbed of it's happy ending."

We see Barney and Robin being teased as potentially having at least a fling someday as early as season 1, they finally hook up in season 3, season 4 is all about him struggling with being in love with her, seasons 5-7 are all about them dating then breaking up while still being very much in love yet never properly reconciliating because life gets in the way, season 8 is them getting engaged and being adorably happy together, the 9th and final season is THE WEEKEND OF THEIR WEDDING and them working through every last issue they still have to make sure they will a long, happy life together as a married couple...

Then the finale goes and says "Actually, they divorced off-screen because their hotel room had no wi-fi. Sorry." WHO THE FUCK DOES THAT? It's really no wonder the network cancelled the planned spin-off right after the finale aired.

Cesare and Lucrezia

Ah yes, a Nichya list of great ships includes a pair of siblings, specifically Older Brother X Young Sister, who would have thought? This time a kind of, sort of historical one! (Seriously, The Borgias is the kind of over-dramatic, historically inaccurate period piece I love wasting my time with, and the aesthetic is incredible).

Even as someone who is very into that kind of dynamic and that knew the show was gonna go there, I was still SHOCKED at how unsubtle is right from the start - especially once I found out the writer didn't want to play up the sexual tension originally.

Somehow, the first time we see these two on screen, Lucrezia is spying on her brother as he has sex and once he notices he playfully chases her around the garden, berating her for spying on him AGAIN, and then when they're on the ground together he just casually admits to loving her more than he loves God????????????????????????????? NORMAL SIBLING BEHAVIOR, EVERYBODY! NOTHING WEIRD GOING ON HERE!

I adore how protective (and possessive) Cesare is of her, ready to commit murder at the very thought of a man mistreating her - yet he is still willing to step aside when he thinks she found a good man, because nothing matters to him more than Lucrezia's happiness, not even his own. It just so happens that he always has to step in again because nobody loves her quite to insane degree he does, and thus she only feels truly safe, happy and loved with him, hence her saying "Only a Borgia can truly love a Borgia."

And they, legitimately, are insepareble. They're always close to each other, holding hands, hugging, cuddling, KISSING - all long before they're ready to admit, even to themselves that they're in love.

They are so clueless about what level of physical affection is normal between relatives that they made out in front of her husband and were surprised he found out about their incestuous affair.

And more importantly, thanks to the show being cancelled after season 3 instead of getting the planned fourth season, they never broke up! The show literally ends with them in each other's arms, accepting their love. I couldn't have asked for literally anything else.

[abbyholmes]

I needed a couple of hours to sort through my thoughts about 7x04 - because I was busy screaming, crying, kicking my feet giggling - but now I just gotta say, before I dive into any details: I AM SO INCREDIBLY HAPPY.

As a bisexual myself who realized she‘s always been bi at the ripe age of 30 and after already being very married to the very male love of her life (which wasn’t at all changed by the realization), seeing bi characters having their ‚oh‘ moment later in life than in their teens is SO VALIDATING.

I love how yes, there have always been hints and it makes sense for the character but they actually gave Buck the space to find out this new thing about himself. They showed an adult man figuring this important part of his identity out when he was ready for it. Without it being induced by trauma or relationship troubles. That is so so so meaningful and so so so beautiful at the same time. I legit CRIED LIKE A BABY watching Buck‘s face go ‚oh I see‘ after the kiss. He just landed in his body as the penny of truth dropped and he seemed so content it made me squeek. I love seeing our golden retriever carving his place out in the world and discovering how to fully embrace all of himself.

And I love he gets to do it with Tommy.

Yes, I am a buddie shipper and that hasn‘t changed. However, whichever way the show moves now, bi Buck means the world to me. And the way they are telling the story with Tommy in a gentle, realistic way, I hope we get more of that. Hell I even really like their vibe together. Tommy seems like he‘ll be okay holding the hand of a baby queer and help him dip his toe into the water. Wherever that leads, it was a genius decision to introduce him to Buck‘s story.

Now for the details:

This episode wasn‘t only beautiful, it was also hilarious. THE TOP GUN REFERENCE HAD ME HOLLERING. At that point I knew some queerness was gonna happen because you don’t make the queerest reference in movie history without reason. Also absolutely loved the sewer conversation (hooray for Ravi by the way, I missed that little dude) and the emotions Buck goes through during the conversation.

Buck‘s jealousy is as stupid as it is adorable and I have to say I did find Eddie the slightest bit unfair. He knows Buck has abandonment issues and still doesn‘t register that he might need some reassurance. Yes okay, I get he wanted a little payback for the Nathalia ‚she sees me‘ bs, but come on, Eds, cut the poor man some slack.

The acting in the episode? Chef‘s kiss. Oliver was amazing, but I don‘t see Lou getting enough credit. He already planted his visible interest in Buck in 7x03 nicely in that one tiny interaction at the end and he really delivered on the flirty banter in this episode. Oliver, meanwhile, has done such a great job at showing the gradual change in Buck and the nervousness and the curiosity and hopefulness it tugged on all of my heartstrings. Deserving of an Emmy-nom. Great Job, loved every second.

Maddy and Chim very also amazing in the ep, especially Chim clocking immediately why Buck really brought him to basketball. It‘s gonna be interesting to see their reaction to Buck‘s truth - if he‘s ready to share it yet.

The only thing that bugged me was that Athena‘s storyline felt very rushed. I liked the theme and I think it hinted at important conversations, but it resolved the conflict too fast and too easy - making said issues seem smaller than they are. I struggle to believe that they would let a POC kid off the hook that easily. I wish this was realistic, but I doubt it is.

Bachelor call was great, loved gossipy Josh (by god, I want more Josh, I love that goofball) and Chim going full fanboy.

Can‘t wait for next week and hope we get more Hen and Bobby there! I missed them this ep.

I am so excited to see where Buck‘s story arch will go next. I‘ll explode with happiness if it slowly drifts towards buddie, but I won’t be mad if it doesn‘t happen or if it does happen and the show takes its time to get there. A slow buildup for this would be chef‘s kiss and I have a lot of trust in ABC and the writers that this is how they will do it, if Buddie happens.

All in all: Favorite episode of all the series for me, worthy 100th episode, will watch a billion times, made me all warm and fuzzy and giggly.

[empty-dream]

Just watched Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

24 years old overworked office worker in Tokyo finally gets his day off when the city is overrun by zombie outbreak, then decides to do all the things he can't do when he was trapped in his hellish job before he becomes a zombie himself.

I like it because it's stupid real lmao. Nothing's gonna stop me from grabbing my favorite beverage to spend a long overdue off-day with, even if it's the end of the world.

This is a writing about the anime, not the live action movie. I do wonder why they released both anime and live action at the same time. As of this writing, the anime has 7 episodes already.

1st episode really sets the mood. The majority of the episode is black and white, symbolizing Akira's burnout meaningless day to day life. Then the colors suddenly explodes in vibrant and emotional manner as he undergoes a major life changing moment. You have to see it yourself.

Ngl a huge part of my drive to watch this is because it's written by Haro Aso, the mangaka for the Alice in Borderland. Which is an amazing story please read the manga/watch the Netflix series I'M BEGGING.

In a similar vein to AiB, Zom 100 is ultimately about life and how to cherish and fight for it in difficult, dying times. While AiB, being suspense thriller, is a lot more grim in exploring the theme, Zom 100 has a more lighthearted and carefree approach, though not without its own heartrending moments.

It's a fresh breather because the main protagonist and his friends are not highschoolers. For people who are already working, their ups and downs in their respective occupations at their respective ages are pretty relatable.

As expected of Haro Aso. He also incorporated a lot of different occupations for his cast in AiB, like forensic police or corporate lawyers, even though its main characters are still highschoolers (Not the case in the Netflix version tho, they get age-lifted).

Akira reminds me a lot of Shinra Kusakabe from Fire Force. Maybe because of the similar plain straight black hairstyle a la shounen protagonist, with a personality that's loud and cheery yet still politely kind. With dream of wanting to be heroes.

Also loving the dynamic between main cast. Akira-Kencho's is really that one friend you made in school that stuck with you for the rest of your life hell or high water. Their personalities clash with the uptight Ms. Risk Analysis and its fun to see how they mingle with each other. Unfortunately the blonde samurai woman has not appear yet so I cant comment but Im very sure she would be a fun addition.

The OP and ED are so catchy and lively, even though they have different type of music (as far as my meager musical knowledge can assess). Both are pretty vibrant, complete with the vivid images, truly a fitting celebration for the story. I love how the song titles (Song of the Dead and Happiness of the Dead, respectively) keep up with the X of the Dead theme naming.

The OP uses footages from previous episodes and it hits kinda hard in EP 7 for reasons happened in that arc. There seems to be at least 2 versions of the ED credit, which have some slight differences between each other.

Tl:dr this is what toxic working condition will do to a man

[hhawque]

Ahhh boy! I’m usually not a text post girlie but this Doctor Who special has grabbed me and forcibly yanked me out of seclusion lmao

I have some thoughts about bi-generation. I’ve enjoyed reading other people’s takes, so here’s mine. Fair warning: it’s a bit critical, so if you enjoy the plot point and don’t want to read criticism, keep scrolling! I’m genuinely glad you’re happy :)

Thoughts below the cut:

So, first things first: I totally understand why they did this. Since the Disney deal, it’s no secret that the executives want to revamp the show and bring it to a wider audience. They’re even calling what would be season 14 “season one,” marking a reboot similar to 2005. But “character with millennia of trauma and extreme repression” isn’t exactly a Disney-friendly mascot for this new era.

Basically, I think the writers backed themselves into a corner. Starting off with the Time War, the Doctor’s traumas and repression have increasingly become a key part of their character in the NuWho era. But that doesn’t fit with the new vision. They had to fix this somehow.

Hence, bi-generation: one Doctor processes the trauma, while the next one goes off to continue the adventure.

From a new branding perspective, this makes perfect sense. But from a writing perspective, it feels unearned.

And here’s the thing – I know Doctor Who isn’t supposed to be some deep show, or some masterclass in emotional writing. It’s supposed to be about whimsical adventures in time and space, and I love that! It’s goofy and offbeat in its bones, and I do enjoy that we seem to be returning to those roots.

But what I didn’t really enjoy is that the new Doctor’s progress feels shallow. It’s just like, bam! Trauma healed! Everything’s good now!

I dislike this for the reason I dislike the “insta-love” trope – you get all of the results without any of the work. You don’t get to feel the impact of it, since it all happens offscreen.

The truth is that there was probably no satisfying way to resolve this issue. Healing takes time, and time, ironically, is what this show does not have. The reboot/rebranding is happening now, not in a season or two. So in that sense, I do appreciate that the Doctor, in some way or another, got time to heal at all. I could easily see them pulling some kind of “he healed through mindful regeneration!” thing, which would’ve pissed me off to no end.

Some other more minor things: I wish there was a concrete reason the bi-generation happened. Spontaneous plot points like that bother me for the same reason “insta-love” does – all the results with none of the buildup. It also feels kind of stale because we’ve seen something like this before with Tentoo.

However! There were also a lot of things I liked about the episode: Here are some:

1) The Doctor and Donna’s relationship. I’m so, so thrilled that a platonic relationship was finally represented as a deep, powerful and healing force. In popular media, those kinds of relationships are usually romantic or construed to be romantic, but the canon leaves no room for that, which I deeply appreciate.

2) Neil Patrick Harris was great as the Toymaker. I especially loved the Spice Girls song and dance routine. It felt so whimsical, yet so menacing.

3) I kind of said this already, but I am glad the Doctor got to actually heal in some form. That last scene of him with Donna’s family, now his family, made me sob lmao

I am excited for the future of the show! Ncuti looks fucking awesome, and I think he’s going to bring a fresh vibe we haven’t seen before. Doctor Who is a comfort show for me, and overall I am happy with the direction it seems to be going in.

TLDR: I don’t like bi-generation because it doesn’t feel emotionally earned, but the next Doctor looks amazing and I’m excited for this new era :)

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

BLEACH: The Thousand Year Blood War Ep 1 Thoughts and Reactions

Overall reaction:

^ I was each of these guys at some point while watching the episode

WE'RE BACK! WE'RE ACTUALLY BAAAACK!

Highlights:

Seeing the Karakura gang back together in Ichigo's room: I got emotional, and teared up for the second time! It's just so nice to have all these character back on the screen together, and when you think about where this is all going to go...they;re in for a rough one.

The Kick TM: he really shouldn't have stood on Ichigo's bed.

Everyone getting their chance to show off their powers: this is probably my favourite moment in the whole episode. Chad and Orihime got to have a good moments, Uryu's fight was absolute hype and I can't get over how incredible it looks, and Ichigo...when he screamed 'BANKAI!' I cried, you cried, we all cried. Absolutely stunning visuals and animation for that entire scene, I loved it and I've gone back and watched it more than once.

The declaration of war: this scene couldn't have been adapted any better, it was downright perfect! From the suddenness of Chojiro's death to the reflection in the Quincy's helmets to the explosion of flames from Yamamoto, it was stunning!

The end credits sequence: the highlight reel to end all highlight reels, this was such a nice touch! I was already emotional, but this just made me start crying AGAIN! I mentioned in a tag before, but when they showed the clip of Hitsugaya and Hinamori from 293, I screamed. And then the Ginran section that came after, I sobbed...I was not prepared!

I'm almost speechless. I can't believe we're actually here. We have a new anime, the fandom is back, and BLEACH is trending on social media. It comes back with a punch and a half, with a stunning visual style, some amazing animation, and a good pace for the first episode. I can't get over the detail and style in some of these scene. I mean just look at this shot of the Wandenrich's helmet:

Look, maybe I'm alone in this, but I just love the detail of a reflection in the helmet. It's something they could have left out, just make it that the helmets don't have a reflection and are just a blank surface. The reflection not only makes for a more visually appealing shot, it adds something to these characters who's faces we can't see. The fact such a violent death and the head of all the Shinigami is reflected on their helmets emphasizes just how dangerous these guys are. They've gone for the jugular of Yamamoto, and Chojiro's death is just the first of many violent events yet to come. All that from a reflection on a helmet! (I know, it's just me over-analyzing ^^; )

Another thing worth bringing up is cut content. The majority of scenes and moments cut seem to be comedic ones, and I think this is actually a good move. While hope a few of these moments get incorporated down the line, making the first episode primarily a serious one really sets the tone for this arc. This is a war, not some shounen protagonist going to fight the big bad and win, not some tournament arc, not some colourful battle anime, this is going to be rough. For me, TYBW is BLEACH's darkest arc, chock full of character deaths and near-deaths, violent battles, and character moments that are dark and shocking when you think more about them. This is also reflected in the colouring, with darker shades in the character designs and darker lighting, setting a somber mood for what's to come.

And now to get needlessly sentimental!

I'll preface this by saying BLEACH was one of the first anime I got into while I was in high school and has held a special place in my heart ever since. It was for the latter reason alone I continued to keep this blog running, even when I had [gradually] stopped loving the series after the manga ended. Also, it helped that I had some of the most amazing followers a blog could ask for, you all encouraged me to keep reblogging BLEACH and writing for it.

After watching this episode and realising how much I missed seeing these characters, I am in love with this series again. A part of me feels like I'm a teen again, binging through the episodes and coming to love the characters, and another part of me is looking forward to revisiting this arc as if it were the first time I'm seeing it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go lie down, the hype has completely sapped me of energy.

This is seriously me right now...so happy though!

[daz4i]

Hi hi my love!! ^^ So you asked for asks right? :3 I realize a lot of the times when I send you these I tend to ask you to rank stuff lol so I guess I'll lean into it? How about top 5 (or 10 if you have enough) anime series or top 5 (or 10) animated movies? :3 It's pretty general but I figure it should give you a lot of room to go over some of your favorites ^^ Sending love and good wishes!!! ❤️

ehehe thank you my love 🥺👉👈🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

i wanted to do both but then i did the top 5 anime and i got very carried away with my explanations so i kept it as just that. anyway:

1. haikyuu!! probably my favorite show ever tbh. i think hq has a perfect story, like it uses its genre to do everything right, and its impact on the outside world is amazing as well. as for the series itself, it's just beautiful (ignoring that one episode in season 4) and has a very unique style, stellar voice acting, awesome soundtrack, delicious symbolism, and it really gets you hyped for volleyball :P it's very easy to get attached even to the most minor character bc the story is written in a way that lets almost everyone in this HUGE cast (well over a 100 or even 150 named characters, i'm pretty sure) shine, and you're guaranteed to find someone you like. the only downside is you'll probably end up rooting for every team so eventually a team you like will lose a game (likely to another team you like) and that hurts every time fr. and still!!!!! it manages to be so feel-good and optimistic and really gets you pumped and inspired!!!! i think anyone who is even just open to try sports anime should check it out, it's def one of the most accessible I've seen in that genre (in a sense that it doesn't expect you to already be familiar with the sport to understand the story)

2. honestly?? osomatsu-san. probably bc it's very dear to me like emotionally, season 2 was still releasing when i was stuck in the hospital for a few months, and it was like a light i held onto every week (i was also following a few mangas back then but those were harder to follow. due to oso-san's skit nature it was always a good time) and i mean, ichi was my first f/o before i even knew that term existed hehe. it's one of these shows i wouldn't actually recommend to anyone unless i know they're ok with gross or edgy humor but i do think it's really good, i love how meta it is, and i think it uses its premise to deliver maximum entertainment!

(oh my god that was so much gushing abt a silly skit show i am so sorry <- guy who wrote most of the hq gushing after typing this part up. he was not aware)

3. ok so this one's really niche, idk if any of you have even heard of it heh. it's called bungou stray dogs-

ajdkflhlh while i have my gripes with how they adapt the manga, i do still think it's a very good anime as is. it was good enough to get me hooked on the story and characters and want to learn more and follow the story further, yknow? it's beautiful and i love its use of colors for symbolism, it has really great voice acting, and the energy is kept up throughout it enough to remain engaging. it's honestly a show I'd recommend everyone to at least try 🤔!

4. persona 4!!!! from one mediocre adaptation to a GREAT adaptation. i think p4's anime is really really well made - it manages to translate a game this long into a coherent and interesting story, gives its characters time to shine, and maintains a perfect balance between fun and emotions. also it has probably the best dub I've ever heard. naoto's anime voice dni. also i think episode 26 is a true masterpiece i think everyone should watch it

5. ngl. it's a three way tie for me. between shows i only watched once and don't have a lot of attachment to beyond that, but i think they're really good for very different reasons. gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun / great pretender / blue period. i won't go into details on why i love them all bc this post is already long enough. but if you're reading this you should check them out 🫡

also if this post convinces you to check out any show mentioned here you legally have to tell me ok? esp if you end up liking it 🧐🔥🔥

[ilikekidsshows]

I don’t have fandom friends so I’m coming in ur ask box with this hope you don’t mind. Basically adrien was my favorite character ever. ML my longest fandom fixation, and I never really shipped anything before lovesquare. now it’s like a gaping hole from betrayal. I don’t find new favorites easily and I’m terrible at watching tv, I never finish series. Plus I’ve never been a writer, it scares me,I don’t have that faith in my ability. if i could start a new creative phase that would be amazing. I don’t know how or to make friends on tumblr.

do you have any recommendations or advice?

Hello! Okay, don't take this as definite correct answers for everything ever, but I've been around the fandom and creative block a few times, so I'll just share my experiences and maybe something there will be of use to you.

I’m going to say this about writing: your work is always going to look like a work in progress to you, because it’s your work and you saw the entire process of creating it. My advice is to pick something you really like and be as self-indulgent about it as possible. If you’re having fun writing it, it matters less if others don’t like it. However, there’s a big chance that those who do like it will like it for the same reasons that you do, that they’ll like the same things you do in general and you can have some fun conversations about those things.

As for how to make friends on tumblr, you’re kind of already doing a part of it. Interact with people. Make contact. Ask questions, state your own opinions and keep doing those things. My tumblr friendships are based very much on sending prompts for ask games and responding to posts made by people I think are cool. The ask game thing is a good tip for determining who to try this with too. If they reblog a lot of ask games, that means they want to be sent asks and be interacted with, otherwise they wouldn’t invite people to do so.

Now for the recommendations: I don't watch many romance-focused shows, but I do watch a lot of superhero shows and I have a preference for strong character dynamics, especially found families and friendships, so I have some recommendations I think might work. I'll give some details about how they're similar to Miraculous and the biggest differences in case you're looking for something very similar in a particular way.

Ultimate Spider-Man: I made an entire post series about how this show has the exact same energy as Miraculous. It's very kid-friendly, a more humorous take on a hero who often comes with a lot of emotional baggage, and Peter will not chill about his bestie Harry. The main difference is that big parts of the series are a bit more like the New York Special in that Spider-Man spends a lot of episodes meeting different Marvel universe heroes. The show is kind of a crash course on the big names of Marvel in addition to being a Spider-Man show.

Spectacular Spider-Man: This one is more romance-focused with some love triangle drama and secret identity hijinks. The target audience clearly veered more towards older viewers and it ended before its time so it doesn’t really have a satisfying conclusion. Although most shows on this list don’t really have a definitive ending, this show has a flagrant: “come join us for the next season (that never came)!” vibe. This is generally seen as the most high-quality Spider-Man show.

Teen Titans: Fun superhero team show with an actual main couple. On the other hand, it doesn’t really do anything with secret identities and the romance is only focused on sporadically. The team dynamics are really varied with the kids on the team all having different personalities that mesh and clash in different ways.

X-Men Evolution: Romance and high school hijinks with superhero action. This is a team show like Teen Titans, but actually has a double life thing going on. The show clearly telegraphs to you who the final couples will be, even if the way getting there might have some drama along the way. Far more focus on things to do with school than the other recs on this list. Not really secret identity hijinks since all the heroes and villains know who each other are; it’s the normal students who are being kept in the dark, so it’s more of a “don’t let anyone know this different aspect of the world exists” secrecy thing.

Danny Phantom: A Spider-Man clone with ghosts. This one also telegraphs who the main couple will be in episode one, but there isn’t really much development there, so the characters spend a lot of time focusing on other stuff. Like X-Men Evolution, this one also has more focus on school stuff, although with the whole “superheroics make school even harder for an awkward teen” angle. Some secret identity hijinks with Danny trying to keep his ghost-hunting family in the dark about his ghost powers, but his best friends are in on it from the get-go.

Batman Beyond / Batman of the Future: So, funny story: this team got told: “make a Batman show where he goes to high school” for relatability points, and their solution was: “a new Batman goes to high school in a cyberpunk dystopian future and gets mentored by the original”. This show is a sequel to the Batman the Animated Series, but you don’t need to have seen that show to follow this one, since it’s set so far in the future. Just having a concept of Batman and his usual supporting cast will do. Terry has secret identity hijinks, gets stuck between two girls, neither of whom he feels understands him fully, and saves the day from some pretty creepy villains. This one is definitely for an older audience because, as I just stated, the singular episodes can get creepy.

Kim Possible: This is a banger of a girl power show. The main premise is “Kim Possible: she can do anything. Ron Stoppable: he can’t.” Kim’s sidekick is her main love interest even if they take forever getting there and, despite his sidekick status, Ron is treated with a lot of respect as a character by the writers. He frequently gets his own focus episodes and he’s allowed to have opinions that go against Kim’s and this aspect of them is really showcased in how different they can be. Even so, you never question whether or not these two adore the heck out of each other even while they’re still trying to keep their relationship platonic. No actual super powers or secret identities, but there is some drama with trying to schedule your civilian life around your hero one.

W.I.T.C.H.: This show has peak “guy who starts off as strictly the love interest suddenly becomes a major player in the plot” development in addition to having another guy who’s there for the action from the get-go while also having a major romance arc with one of the main girls. In addition the girl team gets secret identity hijinks with their families and friends although they all know each other’s secret identities. Gets more serialized in season two, like the comic it’s based on, but each episode still has a bunch of meat to it.

Winx Club: This show is a bit more of a changeling fantasy story than a superhero story, but the main characters do need to save the day a lot and even start to view themselves as heroes the more the series goes on. The main point is the main lead having a Normal Teenage Girl perspective in a magical school. She and her friends basically all get their own romance arcs, all with different flavors so there’s something for everybody. Each season has a self-contained story that gets concluded by the end, but the quality of said stories decreases from season four onward (kinda like another show), so I recommend watching only seasons 1-3.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: This pick is mostly if romance is not a key factor. It doesn’t matter which one you pick; there’s barely any. The focus is on family first and foremost. But, the thing about this franchise is that it’s been relaunched so many times and the different versions are so different that there’s a high chance of there being a version for everybody. The 87 cartoon is kid friendly, until the edgy retooling that was panned and the 2003 cartoon is grittier until the lighter-toned retooling that was panned (almost like you shouldn’t mess with a working formula). Fortunately you can skip the seasons that don’t work, because of the “and the adventure continues” nature of Turtles shows; there is never a conclusive ending. The 2012 show is a zany CGI cartoon and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the most anime-esque with Studio Trigger-like action scenes.

Power Rangers: @infinitysgrace and @chronicallylatetotheparty keep telling me early Miraculous and Power Rangers have a lot in common, so I’m downloading Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as we speak. Can’t say much more than that yet.

My tip for not wanting to deal with shows letting you down: wait until you can be reasonably sure of what the show is going for before you get into it. The thing about Miraculous though is that season four was a retooling of the series so it introduced some pretty bad curveballs that few people saw coming. Of course, that’s why my recommendation list is full of shows that have already concluded. Sometimes works that are already finished are better because the drama has already passed and you can check beforehand if you should be concerned about a particular character’s treatment in the show.

[hermirrorsimage]

steven universe theory megathread

so i’ve been rewatching steven universe & will update as i go. i had the idea to do this several episodes in but it became like my nightly thing to watch SU before bed so i’m at like season 3 now.. but anyways.

i wanna preface this by saying that i genuinely believe SU season 1 is entirely different & had a way different outcome than season 2 takes it, to the point where i’m going to regard it as a different show. as it stands now, most of my theories come from a season 1 outlook. i genuinely believe season 1 is its own, self-contained story that has no ending & instead can only be theorized on. i believe season 2 onward as somewhat of a spin-off that aligns SOMETIMES with season 1′s plan for the story, but overall takes it in a severely different direction. not sure the reasoning why, but from the looks of it & the theories i’ve come up with, it seems to have taken it in a darker/grim look & CN might not have liked that. or that a white woman was handling topics such as colonization & essentially a race war :) maybe that’s me.

general notes:

- although steven is the titular character, garnet pushes the story forward. the real stories lies in the gem’s backgrounds, & the only one doing that really is garnet. she’s the one that mainly sends them on missions, with a vague plan of what to do.

although she’s funneled into the leader archetype in season 2, it wasn’t where her character was meant to go. the amazing dynamic between the gems is that they’re all rough, stranded, & flawed in their own ways. garnet’s being (& it isn’t really said plainly enough) is that she’s sporadic, enigmatic, you can’t tell what she’s thinking, and she just possesses knowledge. they might use her like a compass but she is not meant to be the leader. she’s made into that role especially after we first meet sardonyx & that storyline plays out, but it ruins the dynamic. the dynamic of them being stranded, far from home, without their true leader, and that they don’t necessarily mesh well, but they come together for steven. that’s where the powerful storytelling lies in this show. i didn’t mean to take this bullet this route, but it needs to be said. anyways,

- garnet’s future vision

before it’s ever mentioned to us, and before we really get a handle on the dynamic, garnet is seen as this dauntless leader setting the team out on missions. as we come to learn her, we find out about future vision, and that’s what the show hinges on, i believe.

early season 1, the gems are just entirely out running quests & chores, all at the behest of garnet, who never shows where she gets her information. then we’re introduced to future vision.

through this lens, it’s safe to say that the quests she has the gems completing are all through the followings of future vision. look back on season 1 & you’ll wonder just where all the gems they’re fighting came from, how they knew about them, and quests such as the moon spire, the desert glass, etc. vs. season 2 & 3 where these new gem monsters are sparse & now only focused on expanding what’s already been established, such as the forced fusions, the diamonds, peridot, & lapis.

season 2 ruins this, and turns future vision into some sort of gimmick, with garnet plainly stating “i knew you would do that.” & i think at one point genuinely saying “my future vision told me” vs. how we were introduced to it, as flowing rivers & opportunities. you can argue that she just knows steven, or steven’s possibilities all mainly end up in the same way, but it’s too jarring & honestly it just fits my fantasy to blame it on the writers. what i will say though, is what feels like natural growth is garnet being more open, more personable, and more emotional. that i understand & genuinely enjoy, such as the random moments she shows her love for steven.

- season 2 ruination

like i said, it seems like season 1 is self-contained. season 1 establishes many old locations & characters & an overarching problem. the gems are fighting other gem monsters, corrupted versions of their old selves, while steven develops his powers. then it’s revealed that homeworld is still interested in the earth colony & we’re introduced to peridot & lapis, this opens up an entirely new conflict & location. i feel like partway into season 1 is where things branch off, although i feel like the jail break finale is a perfect way to end things & miiiiight’ve been what the season was leading up to anyways (garnet being a fusion is hinted at in like the beginning episodes), it still feels like the scope was lowered IMMENSELY. from here, there’s many options. a second war, steven becoming more powerful than the gems combined, the introduction of another friendly gem (not necessarily bismuth), etc. but it feels like it was ushered into a different age with season 2 & i dislike it because i think from 2 onward, the cringe content skyrockets.

- organic matter

i think, like future vision, this is one thing that the entire show hinges on & treats very importantly. steven is part gem, part organic matter, and he’s able to fuse with connie, and also heal her. organic matter is treated very sensitively in the show, and the episode i’m on now, (the centipeedle healing episode in season 3) shows steven repairing his torn stuffed animal, despite it not being organic matter. this can kinda go off in 2 ways, one weird one being M.C. bear bear IS made of organic matter, whether uncannily or just “technically the MATERIAL is organic”, or that steven is just able to heal things he sees broken & repairing them to his image. i don’t like this at all. i think steven’s handling of organic matter is something they wanted to open up later, such as his fingers turning into actual cats & fusing with connie, but was ditched entirely. you could say this has something to do with steven being a fusion (i forgot that entire scene tbh) but i think it was going to take a more darker look onto it. also steven being a fusion is pretty dark & pretty metal. but i mean it could’ve been darker as in like more grim. something weird.

- the government

i’ve been thinking more about immersion & IPs, & if you impose SU on the real world, obviously the government would know about the homeworld aircrafts, melon/mask island, & the gems in general, but they don’t. you could “it’s a cartoon” it away but i genuinely want to get into it

my theory is that beach city is some sort of ghost town, untouched by the government or, alternatively, allowed free reign, as in the government doesn’t interfere, and that would explain why mayor dewey is incompetent & mostly does nothing all day, he’s just a fake mayor there to save face, just to sit in a position so people know that beach city has a mayor & therefore a government system in place.

one fun thought is that the ronaldo “snake people” storyline (have no idea why they even thought it was ok to do that) was foreshadowing—cause they LOVE to do that—that the government might be run by gems, deep undercover, or some shit. idk. it has holes it’s just a fun what-if

alternatively, what’s really happening is the government in SU works differently than our own & is nothing like our preconceived notion of what our modern government WOULD do, but i think it’s worth pointing out. i really respect that the show doesn’t bother giving an excuse & is just operating on a “just go with it” but i love thinking about the ins & outs, and this was one of them.

i’ll continue to update this every session i have that ends in theorycrafting

[everywishway]

My Top 5 Favorite Seasons of Dimension 20

Before I start, these are all great and they could alternate depending on my mood, especially the top three. I'm also watching Unsleeping City for the first time right now (im sorry. i know it's great, i just never got around to watching it because i was rewatching Fantasy High for the 10th time) so that's why it's not on the list.

Also, there is a poll at the end to see what everyone's favorite is out of these 5 choices and whichever wins I'm going to rewatch.

5. Misfits and Magic. My personal favorite of the shorter seasons (6-8 episodes). I loved all the cast members, they were all amazing but it just felt very rushed for me? Like, throw in a fifth episode for me just for the sake of pacing. The Tri-Wizard Tournament thing came out of nowhere and I think the pacing would've worked if they lead with the fact the Magical Misfits had to prove themselves to stay (and they had to do it too). I know the Headmistress was trying to blindsight them but anyone else could've mentioned it. Other than that, this was amazing. I love this and am trying to get my mom to watch it with me because she loves the books that shall not be named

4. Fantasy High Season One. It was really good and I love all of the Bad Kids so much it's not even funny. Bill Seacaster and Jawbone are my favorite NPCs in any TTRPG show ever and I love Fabian, Riz and Fig so much My main thing was the fight scenes. Fight scenes every other episode was a lot for me, someone who hates combat in my actual games of TTRPGS. I'm glad Brennan paced it so fight scenes were only every couple of episodes afterward, it made them feel more heavy and exciting that way.

3. The Seven. This season feels so underrated for some reason? No one ever talks about it, I never see fanart for it like I see the others on this list. All six Heroic Highschoolers did such a great job bringing their characters and teen struggles to life, it made me feel every single emotion at once. Two problems with this season though: One, no one played Zelda which I'm willing to forgive since they were playing it safe with covid regulations. Number two though is how much Sam Nightingale hogged screen time. Don't get me wrong, I love Sephie so much and she really made this season great, but I can't help but feel like she just got more attention that could've gone to other members of the Seven. Maybe it's the fact she got more one on one scenes since she was always talking to Zelda who was played by Brennan? At times it just felt like the Sam show and not an adventure about The Seven. But everyone go rewatch this though. I think I'm the only person who's rewatched it since it came out and I've rewatched it at least six times.

2. A Court of Fey and Flowers. Literally a perfect season. It has my personal favorite cast, amazing characters, and one of the best blends of humor and emotions a season of Dimension 20 could have. My only trouble is that parts of it don't have the rewatchability the other seasons have with all the secrets and rumors. I do still cry at Hob's confession though, even after the fourth time.

1. Fantasy High: Sophomore Year. I think this is one of, if not the best, seasons they have ever done. You get so much world-building for Spyre compared to other campaigns, you already know the characters so you spend more time fleshing them out and meeting new amazing side characters, like Ayda and Kalina, or fleshing out ones we already know, like Sandra-Lynn and Cathilda. I still openly sob every single one of the Bad Kid's troubles and I love them so much. Give me a season of the Bad Kids and The Seven, Brennan!

So, now that we're done, which is the best season out of these? Are there other The Seven lovers out there? IDK, VOTE!